Think Out Loud

The Portland Art Museum has begun a multi-year construction project that will revitalize the gallery and perhaps help do the same for the city's downtown core. In addition, the museum has opened its new Tomorrow Theater in Southeast Portland. We talk to Brian Ferriso, executive director and chief curator, about the future of the Portland Art Museum, and the role of museums in 2023.

 It’s been four months since the July 1 deadline for Oregon cities to establish codes on where and when people experiencing homelessness can camp outside. We’ll hear from two low-barrier shelters on what has changed in their communities since then. Evan Hendrix is the director of navigation services at Shepherd's House Ministries in Bend. Terry McDonald is the executive director o...

In May, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling blocking states from keeping surplus funds from the sale of foreclosed homes. Now, three Oregonians are a part of a class action lawsuit against Multnomah, Yamhill and Lane counties. Nadia Dahab is a partner with SugermanDahab and is representing some of the plaintiffs in the suit. She joins us to share more on the Court ruling and its impac...

On Monday, U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer announced he will not seek reelection next year after serving nearly 30 years in Congress. In a statement released by his office, he pledged to continue “championing livable communities starting right here in Portland and being a resource and a partner for the next generation.” The Democratic lawmaker from Portland was first elected to Congress in 1...

A new study by researchers at Washington State University found a “small but significant” effect from training to counter implicit bias in police officers. Implicit bias occurs without conscious awareness and can shape prejudicial attitudes and behaviors. The study recruited 50 police officers in Sacramento, California to participate in video simulations of encounters between police of...

Bill Mansfield passed the Oregon State Bar and began his legal career in 1953. He turned 94 earlier this month, and while he describes himself as semi-retired, you’d be hard pressed to find a more active and engaged citizen. He’s an elected member of the Rogue Valley Transportation District board, and serves on the Medford Planning Commission. In 2018 he was recognized by the Center fo...

Cancer for Breakfast” is a podcast hosted by Stefanie LeJeunesse and Amy Dials. They navigate two different breast cancer experiences in their podcast. As hosts based in the Pacific Northwest, they discuss cancer with humor while also talking about advancements in research in an approachable way. We learn more from LeJeunesse and Dials about their podcast and experiences.

For over 40 years, Mount Pisgah Arboretum in Lane County has held a mushroom festival in the fall. While the last few years haven’t offered the best mushroom seasons, this fall is shaping up to be a beautiful time for foragers. Chris Melotti, president of the board of directors of the Cascade Mycological Society, shares his love of fungi with us.

ACLU of Oregon recently sent a public records request to the Canby School District, seeking information regarding their push this summer to consider restricting access to some book titles. The district initially pulled 36 books for consideration, but only banned one title in the end: “Lolita” by Vladimir Nabokov. Kelly Simon, legal director of the ACLU, tells us what legal issues shoul...

Last week, Ashland and Newport’s Housing Production Strategy Plans were approved by the state. These plans come from a 2019 House bill requiring Oregon cities with populations over 10,000 to come up with eight-year plans to address housing. Linda Reid is the housing program specialist for the city of Ashland. Jan Kaplan is the mayor of Newport. They both join us to share what housing looks l...

Even though the Roman empire came to an end thousands of years ago, we still tell stories about the emperors who ruled during that time. From Caligula, who threatened to make his horse a senator, to Nero, who killed his own mother and set fire to the city to make room for his palace, classicist Mary Beard argues that the stories we tell about the Roman emperors might say more about us than th...

The Black Possibilities App is creating a “digital safe space for Black Oregonians to connect, organize, heal, & advocate together,” according to the organization Imagine Black, which created the app. Joy Alise Davis, the executive director of Imagine Black, joins us to talk about the need the app fills for Black Oregonians, and the new online connections and exchanges she hopes wi...

The city of Salem is facing a massive budget shortfall. To help close it, the City Council recently approved a tax on anyone working in Salem who earns above the minimum wage. City officials claim the tax is needed to maintain and expand emergency services, including hiring more police officers, firefighters and sustaining homeless services. Oregon Business & Industry successfully petitioned t...

Last week, reporting from the Portland Mercury revealed some of the living conditions at Argyle Gardens, a transitional housing apartment complex operated by Transition Projects Inc. Tenants reported issues with cleanliness in communal spaces, bed bugs and poor management. Tony Bernal is the interim executive director of TPI. He joins us to share the organization's response to the reporting and wh...

Only five states in the U.S. require sex education to be made accessible to people with disabilities. Oregon has no such requirements, but a partnership between Oregon Health Authority, Oregon Department of Education, the University of Alaska Anchorage and Oregon Health and Science University aim to fill this gap though a program for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Fri...

It’s been about two weeks since war broke out in Israel and Gaza. Though thousands of miles away, the war and subsequent humanitarian crisis in the Middle East has taken an emotional, mental and personal toll on many Oregonians. An event in Wilsonville this weekend brought together medical and mental health professionals to help community members develop coping mechanisms for the stress and...

A recently released audit took aim at the operation of Metro’s two solid waste transfer stations. Located in Northwest Portland and Oregon City, the facilities process about 40% of the garbage generated by 1.7 million customers in Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington County. They also accept hazardous household items like paint thinner, batteries and used propane tanks.  Willamette Week...

The Refindery in the tiny coastal town of Wheeler is not your typical thrift store. For one thing, you won’t find secondhand clothes for sale. But if you’re looking for a 1986 wall calendar, a used door hinge that still works or that missing piece for a Monopoly board game, you might be in luck. The Refindery invites visitors to reimagine and repurpose items otherwise destined for the...

Since 2017, Bruce Poinsette has helped lead a neighborhood effort to interrupt racism in Lake Oswego. The group is called Respond to Racism and holds regular community meetings to engage people in conversations and anti-racism action. Poinsette recently launched a new online interview series talking to people of color who have left the “bubble” of LO. He joins us to share his own exper...

Oregon’s Warmline is a hotline people can call to get support and talk through issues with a peer. For the second quarter of 2023, the service received over 20,000 calls across the state, a more than 40% increase in demand compared to last year. But while need for the service is there, a state grant is expected to expire in the spring, throwing the future of the program into question. Kimber...

The new Oregon Children’s Theatre play “SPIDER” centers around teens struggling with the numbing effects of social media, normalized gun violence and the interplay of online reality and real life. Playwright Madeleine Adriance graduated from St. Mary’s Academy in Portland in 2019 and is currently a senior at Brown University. She took a semester off to assist with the produ...

The Portland State University Bike Hub started an e-bike rental program this year. The rentals were established through a Drive Change Fund award from Portland General Electric which emphasizes electrifying transportation in Oregon. The goal of the program is to help students who live further from campus reduce car trips and their transportation costs.  Daniel Penner is the Bike Hub superviso...

The COVID-19 pandemic dealt a heavy blow to Oregon’s farmers markets. According to the Oregon Farmers Market Association, visitor numbers and sales both dropped by nearly 50% between 2019 and 2020. But as reported in the Capital Press, the association’s most recent survey shows an estimated 3.5 million visits to farmers markets in 2022. That’s down from 4.2 million in 2019, but a...

This Friday, people will start lining up at the High Desert Museum for an annual art show that can feel more like a Black Friday sale. But instead of a mad dash to score a new 4K TV, the customers here will be jostling past each other to grab canvases of original artwork off the wall, each one priced at just $20. Now in its tenth year, the 20-Dollar Art Show features more than 4,000 handmade piece...

For the first time, the Oregon Department of State Lands has millions of dollars to remove abandoned and derelict vessels  from state waterways. The department previously had to request money from the Common School Fund for cleanups, but the state Legislature granted it $18.8 million in June to address the growing number of hazardous vessels. The funding will also be used to develop a statewi...