Willamette Wake Up

Policy for the People explores the impact of the loss of SNAP benefits on low income Oregonians with Matt Newell-Ching, Oregon Food Bank, and Gerty Ferguson, a single parent from Eugene Oregon. 

Is Salem's drinking water safe?  Where does it come from? What does it take to make it potable?  Lacey Goeres-Priest, water quality supervisor with the City of Salem stopped in to answer those questions and give us the results on the latest report on the safety of drinking the water that serves the cities of Salem & Turner.  The upshot: it's safe!  Listen to the conversation and read the repor...

Willamette Block party explores "community" with a report from Salem's Juneteenth celebration: the overall vibe, efforts to engage with Black residents with a survey, and what "community" means from the perspective of the people who attended. 

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, what kind of country do we want to become? In this bonus episode of Policy for the People, Taifa Butler, President of Demos, talks about the challenges facing American democracy and the need for a "Third Reconstruction." 

Holla for Labor talks with Satoya Bentley of the Ebony Collective Community Development Corp. in Portland about its mission to build, support and sustain an ecosystem that nurtures and empowers African Americans to thrive. 

Hear from leaders in the Black community and people who enjoyed the 2026 Juneteenth celebration in Salem Oregon's Riverfront Park. We focus on the question: what does community mean to you?

Learn more about Salem's history with this report from an archeological dig in June 2026 to find the stories and artifacts from the Indian Manual Training School (1843-1845) which was built on the campus of Willamette University in Salem OR. Hear from Kimberli Fitzgerald, project lead for the City of Salem, and the people & partners putting the story together.

Virginia Green, local Salem historian, turns 100 in July! She talks about SHINE - an online platform she produced to document Salem's (& Marion County's) history ( shineonsalem.org ). She also hosted three series on KMUZ. From historical sites to the women who lived in Salem to each city in Marion County - this website of 20 years in the making is a gift to this capital city.  NOTE: This podca...

Conservation Spotlight talks with Lua Siegel with the Luckiamute Valley Charter Schools in Polk County. They explore a program that gives youth hands-on education about growing food and native habitat restoration. 

Monmouth Monthly shares the exciting things going on in Monmouth & Independence Oregon during the month of July, with Andrea from the YMCA of Monmouth-Independence and Amy from the Heritage Museum.

Girlypop Politics provides an update on Edustaff - a third party system used by Salem-Keizer Public Schools to hire & train substitute teachers. They also give an overview of the entire budget passed by the board on June 9th by a vote of 6-1.

Girlypop Politics talks with substitute teacher Ross Swartzendruber about the recent change in the way Salem Keizer Public Schools hires, trains and manages substitute teachers, by using a third party entity called Edustaff - an educational staffing agency based in Wilsonville OR. Since this conversation was recorded, the school board did pass a budget that funded Edustaff for its service.

In this episode of Policy for the People, Policy Analyst Tyler Mac Innis explores the meaning of a recent report by the Oregon Center for Public Policy examining Oregon's economic performance. Oregon's main economic challenge is not the lack of prosperity, but the lack of shared prosperity. 

Willamette Block Party explores Black culture and economic opportunity. For June - a community round-up with local Juneteenth celebrations & their meaning, other community events, and plans for a Black town hall in the fall.

Keeping Oregon Oregon talks with Travis Williams, President & CEO of the Willamette River Preservation Trust, about restoring and preserving special places in Oregon.

Elephant in the Room talks with Lauren Goldberg, Executive Director of Columbia Riverkeeper, on the climate-related challenges to the Columbia River Basin, and opportunities for people to get engaged.

Hear the highlights from a town hall hosted by Congresswoman Andrea Salinas as she fielded constituent's questions, Tue May 26th at Chemeketa Community College.

Holla for Labor explores sickle cell anemia and the annual Dr. Charles Drew Community Blood Drive with Charleta Malone, American Red Cross; Pastor Marcia Taylor, Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation; and, Dr. Kelly Price Noble. 

Find out what it's like owning an electric car with Marc Albert, who's owned all-electric vehicles for over 10 years. Find out the pros, how to get around the "cons", and the earliest electric vehicle on the market. 

Conservation Spotlight prepares us for wildfire season with Alison Green from the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s office. They discuss what it really takes to be prepared. From creating defensible space and hardening your home to understanding evacuation levels and your level of risk. Get practical advice straight from someone on the front lines.

Meet Kimberli Fitzgerald, Salem Historic Landmarks Commision and the producer of "Salem History Moment" on KMUZ's Willamette Wake Up show. She shares her experience with that project as well as her passion for training guide dogs for the blind. 

Monmouth Monthly talks with Maren Anderson, professor, author and playwright. Maren shares two upcoming events in Monmouth - the Applebox Children's Theatre in the City of Monmouth and the Academic Excellence Showcase happening at Western Oregon University. 

Wastewater Collection and Treatment: How does it work? Why should we care? What changes are coming down the pike? Join us as we explore these issues with Sage Barnard-Davidson and Rob Layne, with the City of Salem. 

The Fair Housing Council of Oregon shares its findings on barriers and challenges for people with intellectual & developmental disabilities to secure and maintain housing, with Gina Rizk, Education & Outreach Coordinator.

Policy for the People talks with Kathy Lara of the Oregon Center for Public Policy about the latest data on worker organizing in Oregon, why unions continue to matter for wages and workplace standards, and the barriers workers still face when trying to organize.