Think Out Loud

  In just a few weeks, our nation will commemorate the 250th anniversary of its independence. As we approach this historic milestone, “Think Out Loud” hears from guests whose life experiences and personal histories illuminate different aspects of what it means to be an American.   For the second installment of this series, we’ll hear from Ebony Frison, a Portlander, art...

Recent reporting from InvestigateWest found that overcrowding in the neonatal intensive care unit at Oregon Health & Science University is raising concerns among staff and patients. Plans to expand capacity by building a new wing of OHSU’s Doernbecher Children’s Hospital have largely stalled despite rising demand for neonatal intensive care nationwide.   Dana Braner is the phy...

On Monday, Oregon Democratic U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Alaska Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski led a group of Democratic Senators to urge the National Science Foundation to stop its plans to dismantle a nearly $400 million ocean monitoring network. The Associated Press reported on the letter Sens. Merkley and Murkowski wrote to the NSF, which was signed by nine other U.S. Senators, includin...

During the pandemic, Lara Blair found herself with a lot of time on her hands. With her Camas photography studio sitting idle, Blair reminisced about her childhood and two things that brought her joy as a 10-year-old: donuts and dollhouses. Thanks to how-to videos she saw on YouTube, she soon began making sculptures of donuts from clay, adorned with sprinkles and surreal, whimsical elements such a...

 In just a few weeks, millions of Americans will celebrate the Fourth of July with their families and friends at barbecues, parades and outdoor concerts under fireworks. This year’s celebrations will take on added significance as our nation commemorates the 250th anniversary of its independence.    As we approach this historic milestone, “Think Out Loud” hears from...

Conditions are becoming increasingly crowded in Oregon Health & Science University’s neonatal intensive care unit, raising concerns among patients and staff. That’s according to new reporting from InvestigateWest. Plans to expand capacity by building a new wing of OHSU's Doernbecher Children’s Hospital have largely stalled despite rising demand for neonatal intensive care nat...

Sophocles wrote "Antigone" almost 2,500 years ago, but the themes in the story are timeless. Nez Perce scholar and author Beth Piatote was inspired to write an Indigenous version of "Antigone," featuring a young woman torn between a moral duty to her family and ancestors and the will of the state. Playwright Beth Piatote joins us, along with Nathan Woodworth, one of the actors in a new production...

For 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...

In September 2025, Oregon became the first state in the nation to be  verified for its accessibility for travelers with disabilities by the travel website Wheel the World. The company worked with Travel Oregon to assess hundreds of hotels, restaurants, tourism providers and state parks in seven regions across the state for their accessibility . That includes features like step-free entrances...

Hacky sack, otherwise known as “footbag,” is a collaborative game of dexterity, where players kick a small, round, pellet-filled bag back and forth between players.  The sport is typically affiliated with images of college quads in the ‘80s and ‘90s, but it’s experiencing a resurgence — so much so that there’s even a current hacky sack shortage .&nbsp...

Educators and faculty at the University of Portland held a three-day conference last week to explore the use of Artificial Intelligence in Catholic higher education and the ethics of AI in educational settings.  Speakers and facilitators presented a host of topics, including the ability of AI tools to streamline people’s workflow, but also to stifle critical thinking.  We hear from...

If you're not well-versed in the natural fiber economy, Kristen Buchanan wants to help with that. Buchanan manages a small family farm in Southwest Washington, and she’s the co-founder of PNW Fiber Connect, an organization that wants to create a support network of different players in the regional fiber industry.   The organization aims to educate consumers and share resources from shep...

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has dredged the lower Columbia River since the 1860s to create a deeper shipping channel between Portland and the Pacific Ocean.    The agency says the practice is necessary to support international commerce, but very few studies have been conducted on its ecological impact. Tribal leaders say dredging has contributed to the decline of lamprey, steelhead...

Juan Carlos González was elected president of Metro in May, and then appointed to serve out the remainder of the previous president’s term. He made history in 2018 becoming the youngest member and first Latino to serve on the Metro council. His priorities for the council are creating more affordable housing and jobs in the region. Metro has begun what it calls Future 50 , a plann...

 In late May, Portland City Councilors voted 7-5 to increase the city’s arts tax to $50. The tax, which previously was a $35 fee on individuals making more than $1,000 a year goes toward funding art programs for public schools and nonprofits. The proposal also now exempts individuals making less than $20,000 a year, meaning roughly 214,000 Portlanders are now exempt from paying.  ...

 It’s been nearly five years since a deadly heat dome gripped the Pacific Northwest. Many hundreds of people died — including 69 in Multnomah County alone — from the extreme heat event that sent the temperature soaring to 116 degrees in Portland and broke other temperature records in the region.    As climate change makes extreme heat events more frequent and longe...

Last month, Governor Tina Kotek announced the creation of a new state resource to help Oregon businesses reach international markets. The Global Trade Desk advises businesses large and small on how to export their products and find business overseas. Tatum Albertine, the Global Trade Manager at Business Oregon, the state’s economic development agency, joins us to share more details.  

Vu Pham, an independent filmmaker based in Portland, is working on a documentary film about his mother’s murder, which took place when he was a young child.   Pham and his mother fled Vietnam by boat in 1981. The film, Sea Rose Ashes, explores Pham’s journey learning more about his mother’s past and making efforts to take restorative justice pathways with her murderer. Pham...

The U.S. healthcare system is notoriously complex — something as simple as a doctor’s visit has the potential to generate mysterious bills and endless calls to insurance companies. An Oregon couple is attempting to give voice to those frustrations through comedy sketches on social media.   Dr. and Lady Glaucomflecken — otherwise known as Will and Kristin Flanary —&nbsp...

The Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers in Vancouver, Wash. is the union that represents the nearly 400 workers who were working at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. when a chemical tank ruptured at the paper mill last month. Eleven employees died, all of whom were union members.    AWPPW has been coordinating relief efforts, including donations, to support and assess the needs...

As artificial intelligence becomes ubiquitous, artists and writers are creating their own guiding principles for where and how they use the technology in their creative practices and their work. Tracy Hoagland is the chair of the Portland chapter of Willamette Writers, and by day, she works in the tech industry with AI. She says she doesn’t use AI in her writing practice, but has to consciou...

In 1991, James Hall joined the Umatilla Tribal Fire Department as a volunteer firefighter on the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation in Eastern Oregon. Today, Hall is the fire chief of the agency, leading its response to structural fires, wildland fires and calls for ambulance transportation services in a coverage area spanning hundreds of square miles.    In February,...

With music so readily available on streaming platforms these days, it’s easy to put a playlist on in the background and go about the day. The Eugene Difficult Music Ensemble is asking audiences to put a little more thought into their listening.   The group aims to “expand the definition of what music can be and what music is capable of achieving, as well as who is capable of achie...

Clyde Best became one of England’s first Black soccer superstars when he played for West Ham United from 1968 to 1976. Best scored 58 goals in his 218 appearances as a striker for West Ham. He later  went on to play for the Portland Timbers from 1977 to 1981, helping build the foundation for professional soccer in the U.S.    The documentary “Transforming the Beautiful G...

 For the third year in a row, the Cascade Booksellers Association has thrown a kind of huge book party for book lovers in the Portland metro area. The idea is to highlight the huge variety of book shops and get people out to visit as many of them as they can. More than 80 bookstores are participating in Portland Book Week this year , including the White Rabbit Book Cafe in Oregon City, Maggie...