Think Out Loud

After hours of public briefings, discussions and a public listening session, Multnomah County Commissioners decided last week to pause a controversial move to change Preschool for All’s funding stream. Commissioners were meant to vote this week on an ordinance that would have adjusted the program’s income tax threshold based on inflation, something the governor asked them to do. Multno...

As a part of President Trump's takeover of policing in the nation's capital, he has pledged to remove homeless people and encampments from the city. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said homeless people who don’t leave the city will face punishment in the form of fines and jail time. Cities across the country are struggling  with how to regulate homeless camping, including in th...

On June 30, 2021, former Oregon Gov. Kate Brown held a Reopening Oregon Celebration at Providence Park in Portland. Years later, Oregon schools and businesses are fully open, many workplaces have returned to in-office work and people regularly gather together inside. Patrick Allen is the former director of the Oregon Health Authority. He ran the agency during the height of the pandemic and joins u...

The number of cannabis-related reports to poison control centers across the U.S. has risen greatly since 2009, according to new reporting from the New York Times. They also found a rise in cases where cannabis poisoning led to breathing problems and even life-threatening effects, especially among teens and adults. Rob Hendrickson is the medical director of the Oregon Poison Center at OHSU. He join...

Earlier this week , President Trump said he’s working on an executive order to end mail-in ballots and voting machines across the country. The administration cites corruption as the leading cause for action despite there being no evidence of widespread voter fraud from voting by mail. Oregon’s Secretary of State Tobias Read joins us to share his response and efforts to protect Oregon&r...

Wildfire crews do important work managing wildfires, but that work is often done without masks. A recent New York Times investigation found many wildfire fighters are getting cancer, cardiovascular diseases and have died because of the toxic smoke they inhaled while on the job. Researchers at the U.S. The Forest Service have recommended wildfire crews be required to wear masks for decades, but the...

Oregon recently launched a recycling program that aims to hold businesses accountable for the packaging waste they create. The Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act (RMA) charges producers of paper, packaging and food serviceware for the products they distribute in Oregon. The goal is to fund recycling services in small communities through the fees that businesses pay into the program....

Phil and Penny Knight have pledged $2 billion to Oregon Health & Science University for cancer research. The Knight Cancer Institute will become self-governed within OHSU and will have its own board of directors. In December, renowned cancer researcher Brian Druker announced his resignation as the institute’s CEO but said last week he will return as the inaugural president of the organiz...

 CareOregon, the largest Medicaid provider in the state, will soon stop covering mental health and substance use treatment from out-of-network providers. Coverage will end on Oct. 1 for Medicaid members and on Jan. 1 for members of Medicare Advantage. The decision will disrupt care for an estimated 15,000 patients, or about 15% of the organization’s members who use behavioral health ser...

The tsunami warning that hit the Oregon coast earlier this month triggered more than just alarms — it revealed deeper cracks in the state’s emergency response system. For two state representatives who are helping lead efforts to modernize how Oregon prepares for natural disasters, the incident underscored the gaps in Oregon’s disaster readiness, from outdated emergency notificati...

The Oregon Secretary of State’s office is investigating the Umpqua Public Transportation District in Douglas County over its response to the May election. The district’s CEO is refusing to accept the results of one of the races for a board seat and refusing to pay for the district’s share of running the election. The first meeting of the new board ended abruptly after an argument...

From small fishing boats littered across state ports to a massive 384-foot ship rusting in the Columbia River, Oregon’s waterways continue to be dotted with abandoned and derelict vessels. Now, a first-of-its-kind partnership between the BoatUS Foundation and NOAA is bringing fresh funding to tackle the problem. The effort aims to remove more than 300 abandoned and derelict vessels from loca...

For decades, scientists have been trying to develop a male contraceptive similar to the birth control pill that can be taken orally and is reversible, with minimal side effects. An oral male contraceptive could also be a more effective alternative to using a condom or undergoing surgery for a vasectomy, while helping to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies which account for nearly half of a...

Around one in 10 youth enrolled in Medicaid spent days stuck in the emergency room after being admitted for a mental health crisis. That’s according to a new study from Oregon Health and Science University. John McConnell is a professor in emergency medicine and the director of the center for health systems at OHSU. Rebecca Marshall is a professor in child and adult psychiatry with OHSU. She...

The biggest impact of the $15 billion in federal cuts faced by the state of Oregon will fall on food assistance and medicaid. But these cuts will also affect the State Library of Oregon, who could lose 25% of its budget . The state library is responsible for providing accessible reading materials for people with disabilities and helping provide guidance and support for local, academic and public s...

“ Them ,” written by Palestinian playwright Samah Sabawi , focuses on a young couple in a war zone as they debate whether to stay or leave. It captures the wrenching choices people are forced to make in wartime, as well as the humorous, joyful and mundane moments of everyday life that persist despite the violence. A production of the play will run through Aug. 23 at Portland Center Sta...

A new study by researchers at the University of Washington shows support for an integrated model of health care that could be especially effective in improving access to care for people experiencing homelessness and their pets. One Health Clinic opened in 2018 in Seattle as part of UW’s  Center for One Health Research . The center, which was created in collaboration with Washington Stat...

Under the Death in Custody Reporting Act , states who receive certain federal funds are required to report any death of someone who is detained, under arrest, in custody or incarcerated to the attorney general. The data is available to the public , but new reporting from The Marshall Project shows that this data is plagued with inaccuracies. Anna Flagg is a data reporter and helped cover this stor...

Oregon just launched a new program that aims to hold businesses accountable for the packaging waste they create. The Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act charges businesses that produce or distribute paper, packaging and food serviceware based on the weight and sustainability of their materials.   The act applies to companies that generate $5 million or more in revenue. The goal...

A new study from Portland State University completes a three-year project looking at the impacts of several drug policy shifts - including Measure 110 - which decriminalized drug possession in Oregon. Among other things, this final study concluded that decriminalization had little to do with rising crime and overdose deaths. Instead, the study found that the COVID-19 pandemic and the widespread em...

The Pacific Northwest is known for its towering trees. Douglas-firs rank as the second highest tree species in the world and can reach heights of over 300 feet, about as tall as the Statue of Liberty. Whether chasing a bird or escaping predators like coyotes, some terrified cats get stuck high up in trees. In Oregon and Washington, arborists aid cats crying for help. The nonprofit Canopy Cat Rescu...

Oregon linebacker Bryce Boettcher joined the University of Oregon as a baseball player. Liz Brenner, four-sport athlete, excelled at volleyball, basketball, softball and track at the University of Oregon. And Kendre Harrison recently played at Peach Jam, a prestigious high school basketball tournament. He plans to play basketball and football at the University of Oregon. We learn more about elite...

xcess noise has been linked to a number of health concerns, including cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and sleep disorders. But noise pollution hasn’t been well studied in the U.S., due in part to a lack of federal oversight. The Environmental Protection Agency established its Office of Noise Control and Abatement in the 1970s, but the office has remained unfunded since the early...

Oregon stands to lose more than $15 billion in federal funding for health care, food assistance and other purposes in coming years, under the sweeping spending bill congressional Republicans passed earlier this year. That’s the preliminary conclusion by Gov. Tina Kotek’s office, which in recent weeks asked state agencies to crunch the numbers for what the so-called One Big Beautiful Bi...

The Oregon Youth Authority is under heightened scrutiny following a wave of lawsuits alleging sexual abuse and a culture of neglect in the state’s youth correctional facilities. The agency, which has faced criticism for mishandling abuse complaints, now has a new appointed leader — Michael Tessean — who takes over from interim director Jana McLellan. That's after Gov. Tina Kotek...