PODCAST

Think Out Loud

Oregon Public Broadcasting

OPB"s daily conversation covering news, politics, culture and the arts. Hosted By Dave Miller.

news

All Episodes

13:10

Community leaders in Oregon’s 36 counties share...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/05/06

Between the on-again-off-again tariffs and the cancellation of federal funding, Oregonians across the state are affected by the many changes coming from the federal government. Reporters at the Portland Business Journal set out to take the temperature of business, nonprofit and political leaders across the state, three months into the Trump administration. Elizabeth Hayes, reporter for the Portland Business Journal, joins us to share what they found out.

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11:03

What Oregon student loan borrowers should know as...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/05/05

On Monday, the U.S. Department of Education is expected to resume collections on student loans that are in default, ending a five-year pause that first began at the start of the pandemic. According to the agency, more than 5 million borrowers are in default, which typically happens after nine months of non-payment on a federal student loan. The federal government can force collections on defaulted student loans by garnishing wages, tax refunds or Social Security benefits.About

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22:38

How group of Portland volunteers are saving and...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/05/05

When Dennis Nyback died in 2022, the Portland film archivist and programmer had amassed a collection of thousands of reels of films, whether they were black and white cartoons, 1960s-era commercials or educational films shown in classrooms. Nyback would share his eclectic finds through curated screenings at independent movie theaters not only in Portland, but also across the U.S. and Europe. As reported by Oregon ArtsWatch, Nyback’s friends and fellow cinephiles faced a

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11:37

Mayor Keith Wilson unveils new Portland city budget...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/05/05

On Monday, Portland Mayor Keith Wilson unveiled a budget for the city as it faces a massive budget shortfall. That deficit is $65 million if you don’t include the cost of the mayor’s ambitious plan to end unsheltered homelessness, or the city's new obligations to pay for homeless shelters that Multnomah County previously paid for. Mayor Wilson’s budget calls for staff layoffs and cuts to some programs and services, while also expanding staffing for homeless

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15:01

Geocaching enthusiasts celebrate 25 years of the...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/05/02

On May 2, 2000, the U.S. government lifted restrictions that made GPS technology more accurate and accessible to the general public. This day became known as Blue Switch Day, and this decision inadvertently created a new outdoor hobby. Geocaching is an activity where participants use GPS and coordinates to hunt down hidden containers, known as geocaches or caches, often located in parks, forests and cities around the world. The first cache was hidden just outside of Estacada,

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29:41

The Legacy of Pope Francis

Think Out Loud ·

2025/05/02

The late Pope Francis brought attention to the plight of refugees and immigrants around the world, as well as to the climate crisis. He also took a different view of the role of women in the church and a more inclusive approach to gay rights and many other social issues, compared with his predecessors. Nearly one and a half billion Catholics around the world revere the Pope, and address him as “Your Holiness” or “Holy Father,” but even among non-Catholic

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18:50

Colleges could soon pay student-athletes directly....

Think Out Loud ·

2025/05/01

Big changes could soon be coming to the way college athletes can profit off their name, image and likeness, or NIL. Since NIL legislation was first passed in 2021, student-athletes have had to pursue deals independently of their universities. But under the terms of a legal settlement announced last year, colleges could devote up to $20.5 million in athletic revenue to directly paying athletes for use of their name, image and likeness. The agreement still needs final approval

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13:21

Canadian law meant to support local journalism brings...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/05/01

A bill in the Oregon Legislature would set up a structure for social media companies to compensate local news producers whose content is shared on those sites. SB 686 is based in part on bills in California and New Jersey, as well as a law that recently went into effect in Canada. It was meant for the largest social media companies to compensate local news media organizations whose content is shared on the platforms — thus supporting news outlets, many which have seen

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13:10

Washington Legislature wraps up 2025 session

Think Out Loud ·

2025/05/01

Washington lawmakers have ended their legislative session by sending a $78 billion budget to Gov. Bob Ferguson’s desk. It includes nearly $6 billion in cuts and over $9 billion in taxes. Legislators also passed rent cap increases and a new gun permit system. Olympia correspondent Jeanie Lindsay joins us to share what the Washington Legislature accomplished this session.

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52:31

Grants Pass grapples with how to balance needs of...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/04/30

For the last year, Grants Pass has been at the center of a national conversation about where people who are homeless can stay. A lawsuit brought against the city by a group of homeless people had made its way all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court: Grants Pass v. Johnson. Last June, the court released a six-to-three decision finding that it is not cruel or unusual punishment to penalize people for living outdoors even if they have nowhere else to go.But that ruling was not an end

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52:12

Author Brit Bennet explores race and identity

Think Out Loud ·

2025/04/29

Brit Bennett’s book The Vanishing Half was on a lot of best-of lists in 2020. Though spanning the second half of the 20th century, the novel speaks to questions about race and identity that have been central to national conversations for the last two years. In that novel and her other writing, Bennett deals with the bonds of family, the importance of storytelling, and nature of identity. We spoke to Bennett about her essays and novels in front of an audience of students at

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52:04

REBROADCAST: Andrew Child on writing the best-selling...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/04/28

Jack Reacher may be one of the most iconic action book heroes of all time. Over 100 million copies of author Lee Child’s books have been sold. But the author who has taken over the series is perhaps a little less well known. Andrew Child, who also writes under the name Andrew Grant, is now carrying on the legacy of Jack Reacher for his older brother. He came to Portland for the 2024 Portland Book Festival to talk about the 29th book in the series, “In Too

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20:49

Portland-based Mercy Corps reveals scope of...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/04/25

Amid the flurry of executive orders President Trump signed on his first day in office was one that called for a 90-day pause and review of all foreign assistance programs. Three months later, that has resulted in the cancellation of thousands of contracts and grants distributed through the U.S. Agency for International Development, and the gutting of the agency’s workforce.Portland-based Mercy Corps is one of the many organizations that USAID had awarded grants to for the

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17:18

Two perspectives on opening the Oregon primary to...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/04/25

The number of registered voters who choose not to be members of any political party is growing. In fact, in Oregon, the percentage of these voters is bigger than both registered Democrats and Republicans. But those who vote in the major party primaries are the ones that decide which candidates appear on the general election ballot that is open to all voters. While Oregon’s neighbors, Washington and California, have made changes to their primary systems to allow for more

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15:13

Proposed cuts to programs and staff in Multnomah...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/04/25

Multnomah County chair Jessica Vega Pederson released a proposed $4 billion budget plan this week. The budget includes cuts to several programs and over 100 staff to address a $77 million shortfall. Earlier this year the county asked local and state jurisdictions to help fill a shortfall of over $100 million in the county’s homeless services budget. Chair Vega Pederson joins us to explain her budget proposal.

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36:12

The impact George Floyd’s murder had on Oregon five...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/04/24

Next month marks the five year anniversary of George Floyd’s murder. Across the state and country, protests soon followed as videos and the news spread of his death, sparking wider conversation around race, police violence and more in our daily lives.But what has and hasn’t changed since then? To answer these questions and more we’ll hear from Candace Avalos, Portland City Councilor representing District 1, Luke Richter, president of the Central Oregon

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16:13

PPS Superintendent shares budget proposal amid...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/04/24

On Tuesday, Portland Public Schools Superintendent Kimberlee Armstrong shared her new proposed budget of $2 billion for the 2025-26 school year, her first budget proposal as the leader of Oregon’s largest school district. But with rising costs, limited revenue and declining enrollment are putting pressure on a school that is now facing a financial shortfall of $40 million. Supt. Armstrong joins us to share the details.

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18:32

Portland showcase highlights the power of protest songs

Think Out Loud ·

2025/04/23

Songs of Power and Protest is a songwriter showcase that’s happening in Portland on April 26 at the Cravin' Gravy Social Club at 8 p.m. Jordan Sings and Ezza Rose are Portland musicians that will perform at the event. They join us to talk about the showcase and the power of music to express dissent.

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18:54

Oregon bill would require composting of food waste...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/04/23

Oregon lawmakers are considering HB 3018, which would require thousands of Oregon businesses – from hospitals to restaurants to food producers – to compost their food waste. Nationwide, an estimated 15% of methane gas pollution is created by food and other organic waste decomposing in landfills. The bill would also try to reduce the amount of food being tossed out in the first place by requiring foods sold in Oregon to be more clear about when a product is safe to

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15:25

Indigenous basket weaver honors ancestral teachers in...

Think Out Loud ·

2025/04/23

“Hands of the Ancestors” is an exhibit currently taking place at Linfield University’s Miller Fine Arts Center in McMinnville. It showcases the work of Stephanie Craig, an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and a seventh-generation basket weaver and artist. Oregon ArtsWatch recently profiled Craig and her exhibit, which is on display until May 2.Craig spends nine months of the year locating and harvesting traditional materials such as

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