The Portland Association of Teachers’ nearly 4,500 union members are currently working without a contract. The union has been in mediation with Portland Public Schools since late August, and both parties have repeatedly stated they would like to avoid a strike. Angela Bonilla, president of the Portland Association of Teachers, tells us what teachers and coaches are hoping for, and what the start of the school year has been like.
Sep 26, 2023•15 min
For the first time in four years, Oregon State Hospital is in compliance with a federal order requiring that certain patients be admitted to the hospital within seven days. Emily Cooper is the legal director of Disability Rights Oregon. She joins us to share more on what changed at the hospital and its future looking forward.
Sep 22, 2023•11 min
Oregon is the third state in the nation to seek federal approval for a basic health plan under the Affordable Care Act. Last week, the Oregon Health Policy Board unanimously approved the state’s blueprint for the program. Dave Baden is the interim director for the Oregon Health Authority. He joins us to share more on BHP, who could potentially qualify and what makes this program different than the Oregon Health Plan.
Sep 22, 2023•15 min
Kate Beaton gained an international following for “Hark, a Vagrant,” a quirky, satirical, historically informed comic strip. Beaton’s newest book takes a very different turn. It is a deeply personal graphic memoir called “Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands" about the time she spent working in the oil industry in Alberta, Canada in the mid-2000s. The book is a brutally honest exploration of class, migration, misogyny, and the culture of her homeland: the island of Cape Breton, in the Atlantic prov...
Sep 22, 2023•54 min
On Monday, a coalition that includes Max Williams, a former director of the Oregon Department of Corrections and former state lawmaker, announced it had filed paperwork for a ballot measure to “fix and improve” Measure 110. A key provision includes re-criminalizing the possession of hard drugs, like fentanyl and heroin, which were decriminalized with the passage of Measure 110 in 2020. That decriminalization, according to The Coalition to Fix and Improve Ballot Measure 110, has fueled open drug ...
Sep 22, 2023•27 min
Western gray squirrels are getting harder and harder to find in Washington state. They are the largest species of tree squirrels, and traditionally make their homes in low to mid-elevation forests, where historically they could find plenty of oaks, pines and Douglas firs. That habitat is disappearing and changing due to timber harvests, wildfires, land conversion and climate change. Mary Linders is a wildlife biologist with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. She tells us more about ...
Sep 21, 2023•20 min
One of Portland’s most established and storied professional theatres, Artists Repertory Theatre, announced a series of financial setbacks this summer. First, ART suspended its 2023-2024 season as it was getting ready to start rehearsing its first show. That was followed by major staff layoffs: the already lean organization laid off four of its 10 administrative and support positions. Aiyana Cunningham began her position as managing director shortly before these announcements. The renovations con...
Sep 21, 2023•17 min
Hikikomori is an extreme form of social isolation first recognized in Japan in the 1990s. It’s distinct from similar conditions like anxiety or agoraphobia and is characterized by sustained physical isolation, often at home. The condition is still gaining traction in mental health spaces, but a research team led by Oregon Health & Science University has developed a new evaluation tool to help providers diagnose hikikomori. Alan Teo, associate professor of psychiatry at OHSU, joins us with mo...
Sep 21, 2023•16 min
The University of Oregon is leading a collaborative effort to study earthquakes and conduct research focused on the Cascadia Subduction Zone. Participating institutions include the University of Washington, Stanford University and Virginia Tech. We hear more about the new Cascadia Region Earthquake Science Center from Diego Melgar, an associate professor of earth sciences at the university and a director of the center.
Sep 20, 2023•18 min
Talking to people we disagree with can be difficult, but it’s also unavoidable. A group of students at Willamette University is learning to facilitate and engage in those conversations to foster understanding and connection. The Conversation Project is a two-semester course that aims to teach students listening, grounding and compassion skills. Students then partner with community organizations in Salem and Portland to help them engage in dialogue work. The professors that run the Conversation P...
Sep 20, 2023•23 min
The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission has voted to ban hunting contests for coyotes and other mammals on public lands in the state. This new ban however does not prohibit these contests on private land and doesn’t restrict hunters and ranchers from killing predatory animals like coyotes. Collette Adkins is the carnivore conservation program director at the Center for Biological Diversity. She joins us to share the impact of this decision and the role coyotes play in Oregon environments....
Sep 20, 2023•13 min
This month, Oregon became the latest state to start paying out benefits under its new paid leave program. Workers can take up to 12 weeks of paid leave for family, medical or safe leave, which is available to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and harassment. Workers applying to take paid leave for pregnancy may be eligible for an additional two weeks of benefits. Although self-employed people or independent contractors are not automatically covered under the program, they can make qua...
Sep 19, 2023•12 min
The United Auto Workers are the latest group to join what’s been called the “summer of strikes.” Members of the Writer’s Guild of America continue their monthslong strike, along with the actor’s union SAG-AFTRA. Several Pacific Northwest organizations have gone on strike this summer as well, from teachers to nurses to bookstore employees. Meanwhile, Oregon’s unemployment rate is as low as it’s ever been at 3.4%. Joining us to talk about the myriad factors affecting Oregon’s labor force is Mark B...
Sep 19, 2023•12 min
When Oregon became the first state in the country to legalize the supervised use of psilocybin, thousands of people from all across the country expressed interest in the service. One of them was an 88-year-old woman in Woodburn. Vivian Anderson has been living with PTSD that resulted from childhood abuse when she was 13 years old. Over the decades, she has tried many forms of therapy, but none of them provided the healing she was looking for. She hoped psilocybin would be different. We talked to...
Sep 19, 2023•29 min
If you’re a parent of a music-loving toddler or grade schooler in the Portland metro area, you may not have heard of Andy Furgeson. You may, however, have heard of Red Yarn, the musical persona that Furgeson has embodied for more than a decade with his signature red beard, acoustic guitar and family-friendly puppets in tow. By his estimation, he performs 200 to 300 shows a year, most of which take place at community events, daycare centers, schools, and the occasional music festival, including P...
Sep 18, 2023•25 min
Wildfires, extreme heat events, and other environmental disasters can have an extreme impact on those who are already living close to the edge. For people in addiction or recovery, these kinds of events can disrupt whatever stability they may have found. We talk to Robin Buller, who wrote about the connection between climate change and addiction for High Country News.
Sep 18, 2023•11 min
The housing and homelessness crisis in Portland was a key reason city officials pledged in 2019 to crack down on unpermitted short term rentals on Airbnb. Four years later, an investigation into the city’s regulatory efforts finds a near complete breakdown. Those who should be enforcing regulations say they are understaffed, can’t get access to the data they need and don’t have access to the technology to get the job done. Meanwhile, safety inspections of properties are rarely done. The Oregonia...
Sep 18, 2023•17 min
Black mothers experience higher maternal death rates than any other racial or ethnic group in the U.S. In Multnomah County, the Healthy Birth Initiatives program provides those moms with case management, respite care, breastfeeding support and access to community health nurses and other resources to support healthy outcomes for babies and families. Desha Reed-Holden, a senior program specialist, says the only requirements are that families are Black, live in the county and are having a baby. Rob...
Sep 15, 2023•16 min
It’s been more than a year since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, effectively ending the right to abortion, which had existed for nearly 50 years. The decision has led to a wave of laws to restrict abortion access in about half the states in the nation. Not only have patients had to cross state lines to end pregnancies which pose a risk to their health, some doctors have also fled states like Idaho where performing abortions could result in imprisonment. Dr. Stella Dantas is an obstetri...
Sep 15, 2023•19 min
After several recent attacks on TriMet passengers, the transportation agency has invested millions in hiring private security officers. In addition, it will fund a prosecutor at the Multnomah County DA’s office to focus on TriMet crimes. The agency also recently announced the results of a study that found trace amounts of fentanyl on public transit surfaces in amounts that were not dangerous to the public. Meanwhile, TriMet ridership is down nearly 40%, and the agency plans to increase fares by ...
Sep 15, 2023•12 min
Students across Oregon will walk out of school on Friday as part of a youth strike for meaningful climate action. Among the demands they’re making are a formal declaration of a climate emergency from Gov. Tina Kotek, direct relief to unhoused Oregonians during climate disasters, and more legislative support for clean energy. Organizers in Portland, Bend, Salem and Florence set specific demands for their cities in addition to the statewide demands. Chloe Gilmore is an organizer with the Portland ...
Sep 15, 2023•6 min
The nonprofit Partners in Care offers hospice and palliative care in Central Oregon. Its Transitions team recently received an award from Deschutes County for its work helping clients navigate resources for care. We learn more about the organization and how it aims to give Oregonians from all walks of life a chance to die with dignity. Joining us are Maureen Dooley, the marketing and communications manager, and Bethany Benefield, the Transitions Program Lead for Partners in Care.
Sep 14, 2023•18 min
On Wednesday, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler announced he will not seek a third term as mayor in 2024, and instead focus on addressing the city’s “critical challenges” such as homelessness, public safety and economic recovery for the duration of his term. Last month, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler asked for nearly 100 Oregon state troopers to help tackle crime in the city. He made his suggestion at the first meeting of the new task force convened by Gov. Tina Kotek to develop a plan to revive Portland’s...
Sep 14, 2023•35 min
For nearly 40 years, sculptor M.J. Anderson has been making annual trips from her home on the Oregon coast to Carrara, Italy. She spends up to three months there, traveling along a winding road to quarries with towering walls of marble, the same kind of stone that was used to create Michelangelo’s sculpture of David and other timeless works of Renaissance art. But Anderson isn’t interested in recreating classical, idealized representations of masculine or feminine beauty. Instead, as a recent ex...
Sep 13, 2023•27 min
Earlier this month, Gov. Tina Kotek declared a drought emergency in Lincoln, Gilliam and Douglas Counties. In Lincoln County, low stream flows and dry conditions have greatly affected the coastal region. The declaration is uncommon there. We learn more about what it means from County Commissioner Kaety Jacobson.
Sep 13, 2023•13 min
When you go to a museum or visit a science center, it’s not uncommon to see graphs, charts and other visual data displays included in the exhibit. But blind and low-vision visitors don’t get that same experience. Researchers with the Accessible Oceans pilot project are exploring how to turn some of that data into sound so it’s more accessible to all visitors. The project’s team of interdisciplinary researchers has been gathering feedback from visually impaired students and teachers, as well as o...
Sep 13, 2023•14 min
You might be an avid crossword solver, but have you ever thought about what it takes to create them? Matt Jones has been making crossword puzzles since his late teens, with one of his first puzzles appearing in The New York Times when he was just 19. His weekly puzzle Jonesin’ has appeared in alt-weeklies across the country, including Willamette Week, since 2001. Jones joins us to share more about what it takes to be a crossword constructor and what he thinks makes a good puzzle.
Sep 12, 2023•19 min
LGBTQ youth are more than twice as likely to experience homelessness than their peers, due to a lack of support. Oregon youth in foster care need more options for temporary homes with foster parents committed to creating an affirming and safe environment. We talk with Unicorn Solutions founder Elliott Hinkle, who was formerly in foster care themselves, and current foster parent Mel Jory-Heywood.
Sep 12, 2023•16 min
Breena Bard’s new graphic novel “Wildfire” focuses on Julianna, an eighth grader who’s forced to flee her home in rural Oregon and resettle in Portland following a wildfire. Julianna soon joins the conservation club at her new school, though she insists the fires that destroyed her home were caused by local boys with errant fireworks rather than climate change. The story follows Julianna as she processes her grief and learns to engage with climate issues in ways that make sense to her. Bard join...
Sep 12, 2023•18 min
Jeanne Carver and her family have spent decades incorporating sustainable practices into their ranch. Her brand, Shaniko Wool Company, is certified under the Responsible Wool Standard. The certification includes third-party audits of the ranch and covers sheep welfare and sustainable land management. More recently, Carver has studied how much carbon her ranch has stored in its soil. We check in with her to learn more about sustainable ranching.
Sep 11, 2023•15 min
