Willamette Wake Up

Holla for Labor talks with April Sims and Cherika Carter - President and Secretary-Treasurer of the Washington State Labor Council. They discuss implications of the November 4th national elections.

Monday Nov 24th, Salem City Council responded to community concerns regarding federal immigration enforcement. Here's a summary of the meeting and excerpts from testimony.  KMUZ thanks Capital Community Media for the recordings used in this story.

The City of Independence, in partnership with Rural Development Initiatives, offered a class to residents to build community & civic leadership.  Assistant City Manager, Shawn Irvine, talks about the program's goal, lessons learned from the first class, and the future of the program.

Braver Angels talks with Leeza Edwards, founder of Embodied Peace, about her ability to connect with people with various political views through self exploration and true dialogue. Leeza shares why she believes cohesion is possible and what it will take to get there.

Conservation Spotlight taps into the story of Eliza Nelson with the Oregon Maple Project, who examines the sweet side of conservation, by building stronger connections between people and the natural world - while savoring the sweet rewards of Oregon’s own maple syrup. 

Monmouth Monthly highlights holiday festivities in the City of Monmouth, with Megan Haberman Guthrie and Emily McNulty, about the time-honored tradition of the Western Oregon University Tree Lighting and recent community favorite, Making Spirits Bright. 

Salem Police Chief Trevor Womack discusses the police department's newest strategic plan, with highlights from the last 3 years and vision for the next 3 years. The conversation focuses on reducing violent crimes, managing homelessness and reducing traffic fatalities. All through the lens of safety for residents & officers, building trust with the community and creating excellence within the p...

Policy for the People explores hunger and poverty with Tyler Mac Innis, Oregon Center for Public Policy, and Lelaine Bigelow, Georgetown Center on Poverty and Inequality. They discuss federal data suppression and what it will take for the nation to confront hunger and poverty.

Ashley Hamilton and Marie Jennings, Mid Willamette Valley Community Action Agency, discuss how warming centers save lives of people living w/o shelter during the winter months; and how warming centers, once again, will rely on community volunteers in order to open. They share their hope for better relations between people who are housed and un-housed as one outcome of volunteer participation.

Urban League Unpacked explains how "Feed the Folks" events November 19th in Salem & Portland help provide holiday food boxes, ensuring families across Oregon can celebrate Thanksgiving with dignity and joy, with guests from Urban League of Portland.

Willamette Block Party sits down with Jasmine Kelly-Field, an accountant by day, gamer by night, and lawn care entrepreneur. From growing up in New York to building her business here in Oregon, Jasmine opens up about money, mindset, and making space for Black joy and entrepreneurship.

With the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) still on hold, and local food pantries already stretched thin, this Salem couple created their own food pantry and share how others can do it successfully.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is considering purchasing land east of Salem to add new space for Willamette National Cemetery. Keeping Oregon Oregon talks with three members of the Macleay Locals about their concerns regarding building a cemetery on 307 acres of prime, active farmland.

Hear the story of Linda Meanus, author of "My Name is LaMoosh", about her upbringing in Celilo Falls, as told to participants at this year's Indigenous Peoples Celebration this year in Salem.

Elephant in the Room talks with Dr. Corbin Schuster, microbiology professor at Oregon State University and member of the Yakama Nation, about causes behind the decline in salmon population in the Columbia River.

Learn how the Fair Housing Council of Oregon helps people who may have been discriminated against in securing housing, with Shyle Ruder. Shyle explores how their work differs from landlord tenant law, what discrimination looks like, and how recent federal initiatives are making it harder for tenants and landlords to ensure discrimination does not occur.

Join Rod Stanley, Lifestyle Interventionist and Corrective Exercise Specialist, in a powerful conversation with Ali Virtue, Functional Nutritionist and Certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner at Parkside Nutrition (Salem, OR). Rod and Ali dig into the foundations of building a vibrant, sustainable lifestyle—moving beyond quick fixes to embrace nutrient-dense foods, consistent healthy habits, an...

Holla for Labor talks with Ibrahim Coulibaly, President of the Western region for AFRAM, an African American constituency caucus within SEIU Local 503 (Service Employees International Union). They discuss recent legislation that supports workers in an active labor dispute and the role of AFRAM plays in SEIU. 

Monmouth Monthly highlights veterans, with Logan Doerfller and Jim Hawthorne from Western Oregon University, who'll talk about events coming up in November at the university to honor veterans.

The City of Stayton is asking residents to support a robust park & pool program by passing an operations levy to maintain & enhance family recreation opportunities. Mayor Brian Quigley, Council President Steve Simms and City Manager Julia Hajduk describe what residents would get and how much it would cost. 

The City of Woodburn is asking voters to amend the city charter at the Nov. 4th election.  Mayor Frank Lonergan describes the changes, why they are needed, and why the city and council are asking residents to vote on this now.

Braver Angels talks with Marla Estes, founder and leader of Building Bridgers, about building a civil society by reducing polarization through viewpoint diversity. Estes describes ways to make bridging efforts successful, including by looking within and noting how language can trigger polarization.

Conservation Spotlight highlights how Elderberry Wisdom Farm, in Marion County, provides opportunities for Indigenous youth to strengthen their traditional Native American ties to the land, and the farm's efforts to acquire organic certification.

Urban League Unpacked digs into housing and homelessness across the Willamette Valley. From rising rents to shrinking safety nets, they unpack systemic barriers that keep families on the edge, and explore community-driven solutions. Jimmy Jones, Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency and Katrina Holland, Urban League join the conversation. 

Policy for the People explores how corporations avoid taxes and the need for tax transparency, with Jason Ward, Center for International Corporate Tax Accountability & Research; and, Spandan Marasini, Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy.