KGW’s Straight Talk

U.S. House Rep. Earl Blumenauer reflects on 50-year journey of leadership, advocacy, and transformation for Portland and beyond.

During his time as mayor, Portland endured civil unrest, weather emergencies, wildfires, the COVID-19 shutdown and record-high homelessness, homicides and crime. In this episode of Straight Talk, Ted Wheeler reflects on his two-terms as Portland Mayor and talks where the city needs to fully revitalize.

Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, the incumbent, narrowly beat Republican Joe Kent for Washington House District 3 in the November 2024 election.

Senator Ron Wyden gives his stance on President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet picks so far and discusses how the proposed tariffs would affect Oregonians.

Portland is a little over a month away from a major political reset. A whole new form of government will debut in January, with an expanded 12-member council, a city administrator redefined role for the city's mayor. The first person to take on the updated top job is Mayor-elect Keith Wilson, who was a guest on this week's episode of Straight Talk. Wilson's victory in the Nov. 5 election marks the...

A tentative picture of Portland's next city council formed quickly on election night, but while the roster of leading candidates hasn't changed in the days since, it also hasn't solidified. There are still only two projected winners as of late Friday afternoon, according to The Oregonian: Steve Novick in District 3 and Olivia Clark in District 4. Ten council seats remain up in the air. Ten other c...

Two political analysts from both the Republican and Democratic party join on this episode of Straight Talk to breakdown what to expect Election Day.

Two years ago, Oregon's congressional districts were redrawn, and former Happy Valley Mayor Lori Chavez-Deremer flipped the 5th district seat, which had been held by Democrats since 1997, for Republicans. Now she's trying to hold onto that seat, while Democrats are hoping Oregon state representative Janelle Bynum can flip it back.

One of the most competitive races in the upcoming November election is the open seat for Oregon attorney general.

Former Portland Mayor Sam Adams and Shannon Singleton are locked in battle for Multnomah County commissioner in District 2, covering North and Northeast Portland.

The 2024 election is now a little more than a month away, and the candidates in Portland's mayoral race are entering the final stretch ahead of what will likely be the city's biggest-ever election in terms of the number of seats on the ballot. The winners will be the first to hold office under Portland's new form of government, with the new mayor in particular likely to play an outsize role in set...

The winner of Portland's November 2024 mayoral election will become the first mayor under the city's new system of government in 2025, working with a professional city administrator to manage the city's executive functions and implement policy at the direction of a new 12-member city council. The race includes three of the four current city commissioners: Carmen Rubio, Rene Gonzalez and Mingus Map...

Rep. Andrea Salinas and Republican Mike Erickson rematch for Oregon's 6th Congressional District includes parts of southwest Portland, Salem, Woodburn, Yamhill County, and Lake Oswego in Clackamas County.

The general election is an historic one in Portland as it is the first time voters will pick elected leaders under the new city government — and voting system.

September is Recovery Month, celebrating the recovery community and highlighting the importance of evidence-based treatment and recovery practices. Coincidentally, Sept. 1 is also the day that drug recriminalization takes effect in Oregon, following the passage of House Bill 4002, which rolls back a key provision of Measure 110, Oregon's 2020 drug decriminalization measure. Under the new law, poss...

The start of the new school year is just a week or two away, which means students across Oregon are likely dreading having to start setting early alarm clocks once again. School start times vary across the state, but a local group of students has begun pushing for a conversation about pushing those start times later into the morning — no earlier than 8:30 a.m. Studies have shown that teens would b...

From concerns over A.I. surveillance, Israeli athlete participation, climate and Olympic opposition, controversy mounts amid start to 2024 Paris Olympics Games.

From the Portland Rose Festival and music festivals to the women’s NCAA Basketball Tournament, how events are helping Portland rebound.

Oregon Dept. of Corrections Director Mike Reese said his main focuses are employee wellness, reducing recidivism, and addressing aging infrastructure and technology.

With ranked-choice voting, voters will have the option to rank candidates in order of preference. It's a new system that largely came about as a more expansive way for voters to choose candidates and has largely been driven by dissatisfaction with the status quo both locally and nationally.

With a larger bridge footprint proposed, the Interstate Bridge replacement could need to fully or partially acquire 176 parcels, including homes and businesses.

Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Nicholas Kristof discusses the war in Gaza and possible implications on the U.S. presidential election.

Pulitzer Prize Journalist Nicholas Kristof talks about his new book that details life on a farm in Yamhill County to becoming a daring reporter at the New York Times covering war.

From peer support to partnerships with police, Portland is exploring several treatment options to solve its drug and addiction crisis.

Two political analysts from both the Republican and Democratic party join on this episode of Straight Talk to breakdown which races in Oregon’s primary election are worth keeping an eye on. And, Andrew Hoan, president and CEO, of the Portland Metro Chamber joins as a special guest to discuss how the results could affect the Portland metro area.