PODCAST

Think Out Loud

Oregon Public Broadcasting

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

news

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15:47

Clatsop Community College course explores book bans...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/18

For the first time, Clatsop Community College in Astoria is offering a course on the spike in recent years of book bans and challenges. The 10-week course launches on March 30 and will explore the reasons why titles such as “The Bluest Eye,” “Looking for Alaska” and "The Perks of Being a Wallflower” are being targeted in school districts or public libraries. The course will also cover TV shows and movie adaptations of novels that have also been

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11:38

Ambitious Astoria shipyard project faces lawsuits

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/18

An ambitious plan to develop a shipyard at an under-utilized industrial area near Astoria has come into question recently. Several lawsuits claim that a shipyard project at Tongue Point isn’t living up to promises made to partners, the community and the state. Among other claims, the lawsuits say a boat lift intended to help inspect and repair up to 50 boats a year has only lifted two vessels, even as the project has received $21 million in state funding and a 15-year

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11:43

Portland audit on controversial Arts Tax says the...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/18

The Portland Arts Tax was passed by voters in 2012. It requires those 18 or older to pay the city a flat $35 dollars, if they make $1,000 or more a year and live in a household above the federal poverty line. Residents pay online or by mail separate from their other taxes. Since it was enacted the tax has drawn criticism for the collection mechanism and how the funds were distributed to public school districts, and large and small arts organizations. As OPB recently reported,

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18:37

How Oregon’s solar industry is faring after the end...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/17

Since 2022, homeowners have been able to get up to 30% off the cost of installing solar panels through a federal tax credit. But President Trump rolled back those incentives as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The residential credit officially expired on Dec. 31, 2025. The administration also changed how it defines the start of construction for large-scale wind and solar projects, meaning developers have less time to access federal tax credits for those projects.Angela

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34:30

Portland Trail Blazers executive and Oregon Senate...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/17

When the Oregon legislative session kicked off last month, state lawmakers had just five weeks to tackle a slate of priorities. One of those was a planDemocratic state and local leaders championedto keep the Portland Trail Blazers’ prospective new owners from moving the beloved basketball team out of Rip City. Lawmakers in Salem moved closer to that goal with the passage ofSB 1501in the final days of the session. The bill received bipartisan support and allows the state to

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26:04

Early Alzheimer’s can be treated, says leading OHSU...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/16

The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America is holding a free one-day conference in Portland on Wednesday designed for patients, families and caregivers. One of the keynote speakers is the co-director of the state’s only Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University’s Kevin Duff. He says early detection recommendations have changed over recent years and with the emergence of new drugs, many early stage patients can experience

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13:29

Clark County nonprofit theater company offers...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/16

This Friday, a production of “Guys and Dolls” is kicking off at Washougal High School’s performing arts center. But what makes these upcoming performances of this beloved musical different is the cost of admission. It’s entirely pay-what-you-can, which means that cost will not be a barrier for anyone interested in seeing this high-tempo tale of gamblers, grifters and showgirls. That philosophy is at the heart of Columbia Theater Arts Foundation, the

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13:34

Southern Oregon’s first transgender resource center...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/16

A new resource center for trans, nonbinary and gender-diverse communities is opening soon in Ashland. The nonprofit Rogue Trans will offer a free clothing closet, activities, classes and more at the center. An open house was held March 14, and a grand opening celebration is planned for May. Maeve Woulfe is the executive director of Rogue Trans. She joins us to talk about the importance of creating safe spaces for queer communities in Southern Oregon.

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17:35

Portland resident chronicles battle to confiscate...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/13

Portland resident Kelli Caldwell’s mother suffers from severe mental illness and episodes of psychosis. She also had access to multiple firearms and other weapons. As her mother's mental illness progressed, the responsibility fell on Caldwell and her family to remove the weapons so her mother wouldn't harm herself or others. Caldwell tried appealing to law enforcement, social services, healthcare agencies and courts for help in removing weapons from her mother’s

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15:21

Washington’s short legislative session comes to a close

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/13

Washington state lawmakers concluded the 60-day short legislative session in Olympia yesterday. One of the closely watched bills they passed imposes a state income tax of 9.9% on households earning more than $1 million annually. The so-called millionaires’ tax garnered a record-breaking 25-hour debate on the House floor. Gov. Bob Ferguson is expected to sign the legislation which would not go into effect until 2028.Scott Greenstone, a politics reporter at our partner

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19:15

Portland Public Schools now facing even steeper cuts...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/13

Portland Public Schools Superintendent Kimberlee Armstrong announced this week the district may need to close five to 10 of its 74 elementary, K-8, middle and alternative schools -- by the fall of 2027. Steadily declining student enrollment and rising costs are tied to the funding crunch, which amounts to $50 million for the next 2026-2027 academic year. And now, the district recently discovered a $10 million dollar budget gap for this year. The district is moving forward with

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52:00

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson pens this...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/12

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is the first Black woman ever confirmed to the highest court in the land, and a consistent and clear voice of dissent on it. She's also the author of a memoir, “Lovely One,” which was picked as this year’s choice for the Multnomah County Library “Everybody Reads” program. We talk to Justice Jackson in front of an audience of Portland high school students.

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19:58

All-ages concert venue opens in North Portland

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/11

Many concert venues rely on alcohol sales for revenue, meaning people under age 21 are often left out of shows. Not so at The Off Beat. Portland nonprofit Friends of Noise opened the venue in the Kenton neighborhood last fall and held a grand-opening show headlined by Team Dresch last month. André Middleton is the executive director of Friends of Noise. Clara Kornelis is a musician and a booker for The Off Beat. They join us to talk about the importance of creating an

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15:39

Washington County Sheriff’s Office tests using drones...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/11

Last month, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office began testing drones to respond to traffic crashes, crimes or other emergencies deputies might be dispatched to following a 911 call. Skydio, a California-based drone manufacturer, has provided the county with two of its drones and the “Drone as First Responder” software platform that it markets to law enforcement agencies across the nation. A team of sheriff’s deputies who are FAA-certified drone pilots

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15:39

Washington County Sheriff’s Office tests using drones...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/11

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16:55

OSU researchers work to track damages in Iran with...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/11

Researchers at Oregon State University are using satellite imaging to measure damage in Iran. The Conflict Ecology Lab works to assess the effect peace and conflict have on land. The lab has previously done work around Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan. Jamon Van Don Heok is an associate professor of geology and geopolitical sciences at OSU and leads the lab. He joins us to share more on what he’s seeing.

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19:53

OHSU dermatologist explains Morgellons disease, what...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/10

Morgellons disease is a rare skin condition described by intense itching, burning and crawling sensation underneath the skin. Many living with the condition also experience painful sores and, as a 2024 study found, have a lower quality of life. Oregon Health and Science University Dermatologist Jesse Keller is one of the authors of that study. He was also recently featured in an article about the condition in Undark. Keller joins us to share more on what Morgellons disease is

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19:38

Nike is shifting manufacturing to low-wage areas of...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/10

As a company, Oregon-based Nike has previously said that the average factory worker in the 13 countries it has contracts with is paid twice the amount of the local minimum wage. Past reporting from ProPublic found that less than 1% of Cambodian workers made that. Now, a new story from the publication, in partnership with The Oregonian/OregonLive, found that workers in Indonesia also do not reach that standard. On top of that, the reporting found that Nike is also shifting much

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12:15

Protections for foster children expanded by Oregon...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/10

Oregon foster kids now have a state “Bill of Rights,” which Oregon lawmakers passed nearly unanimously with only a single House member voting no. The legislation was vetoed by the governor last year but modified this year to address her concerns. The Oregon Foster Children’s Bill of Rights expands protections for children and youth in the state’s care, including assurance that kids can still see their siblings even when removed from their family of

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19:20

How Portland and other Oregon cities could eliminate...

Think Out Loud ·

2026/03/09

The city of Hoboken, New Jersey, has had no traffic deaths for nine years straight. This streak is no fluke. It’s the result of focused efforts by the city’s planners and concerted leadership from elected representatives. Portland and other cities in Oregon are making some progress in their efforts to reduce these same kinds of deaths, which transportation planners like Lake McTighe say are largely preventable. McTighe is the principle transportation planner for

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