Willamette Wake Up

Keeping Oregon Oregon talks with Mary Kyle McCurdy, 1000 Friends of Oregon, regarding the good, the sad, and the ugly land use planning legislation from the 2025 Oregon legislative session. 

Elephant in the Room explores what's new with Salem's Climate Action Plan with City Councilor Micki Varney. They review what's happening with strategies and actions aimed to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions and increase climate resiliency in our community.

Rep. Tom Andersen provides insights into the workings of the recently adjourned Oregon Legislature and discusses what's next with the Transportation package that did not pass before adjournment. 

Rod Stanley, fitness expert & personal trainer at Ritual Health & Fitness, shares his views on health & aging, how he works with people of all ages, and current research he's involved in on gait and balance - developing a protocol for working with older adults to prevent falls.

Find out how Artificial Intelligence can help predict and diagnose dementia, with author and social psychologist Armando Arias, co-author of "AI: Global Solution for the Dementia Crisis," which just came out this spring.

Hear the story of Helping Hands, an all volunteer nonprofit serving anyone in need in the Salem area for almost 60 years with their "free-tail" store. Find out how quilts play a role in funding operations; then, get a tour of their expansion project. 

Holla for Labor talks with Dr. Gwendolyn Avington, District 7 Director of Toastmasters, about her work in leadership development, and how to help women find their voices to meet their needs.

Braver Angels Oregon provides an update on their Oregon Rural Urban Project (ORUP) with Elizabeth Christensen and Steve Radcliffe. ORUP seeks to find common ground between rural and urban communities through town halls and moderated discussions. We find out what's been learned so far and what more needs to happen before a report gets sent to the Oregon legislature. 

Monmouth Monthly talks with Jessica Steed of Smith Fine Arts about the upcoming series, how easy it is to enjoy the shows, and how live arts can open your heart and eyes. 

Conservation Spotlight hosts its final "Meet the Farmer" series, with Andrea of Sonnen Farms in Aurora, where they bridge the gap between farmers and consumers to explore the challenges, rewards, and vital role of agriculture in Oregon’s Willamette Valley.

Policy for the People talks with Tyler Mac Innis, a policy analyst at the Oregon Center for Public Policy about the federal budget bill that passed July 3rd and its impact on many Oregon families

Nikki Paxton and Justice Rajee of the Urban League talk about the League’s rich history and growing impact across the state. From their roots in civil rights to present-day policy work, they’ll explore how the League is showing up for Black and marginalized communities statewide.

State Legislator Tom Andersen provides an end-of-session wrap up.  He addresses local community development projects that were funded and an overview of what happened with the failed transportation package.

Salem Region Indivisible has the stated mission to defend the rule of law and to mobilize diverse coalitions to save our democracy. To that end, several members came together to read a revised version of the Declaration of Independence that they call "Declaration of Resistance & Renewal," as a response to the actions by the current federal administration.

The Canby Center in Oregon offers dignity and inspires learning in the cities of Canby, Hubbard & Aurora.  Learn how one community is serving youth and families struggling economically, through direct support and, in turn, asking them to give back. Ray Keen, executive director, talks about the programs and philosophy. Then, we get a tour of the current expansion project. 

The foundation of Oregon's program for land use planning is a set of 19 Statewide Land Use Planning Goals. The goals express the state's policies on land use and related topics, like citizen involvement, housing, and natural resources. Keeping Oregon Oregon reviews Oregon's 19 statewide land use planning goals with Alexis Hammer, Oregon Dept of Land Conservation and Development. 

Elephant in the Room talks with Andrea Rodgers, attorney with Our Children's Trust, which has launched a youth-led constitutional and equal protection lawsuit against the U.S. federal government on its climate initiatives. 

Avelo Airlines, that flies out of the Salem airport, is the only commercial air service here.  Avelo has been working with Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) to deport people out of Arizona. Since the city has some contractual agreements with Avelo, the community came out to demand that the city cancel the contracts.  This brief report summarizes community concerns and Council's response...

Holla for Labor explores sickle cell - how the disease affects people who have it, efforts to alleviate it, and the importance of blood donations.

 Braver Angels explores how to build conflict resilient communities, one conversation at a time, with Ryan Nakade, a mediator and trainer who designs and delivers workshops on dialogue depolarization and de-escalation through his business - Ruminant Resolutions. Ryan shares personal examples and how curiosity, not animosity, goes a long way in building relationships.

Conservation Spotlight explores the impact that invasive species are having on our local landscapes, including waterways, farms and natural areas, with Beth Thiel, Resource Conservationist for Polk SWCD and Sarah Hamilton, Native and Invasive Plant Specialist for Marion SWCD. They discuss the role public agencies and landowners play in managing them.

Monmouth Monthly shares a mega-episode with Ed Propst. Ed has been a music teacher with the Central School District since 2005 and a music performer since he was very young. He shares his road to music education, his philosophy of teaching, and some of his favorite local bands. 

Policy for the People explains how the federal budget bill, as passed by the House, would shrink Oregon revenue collections. 

The Salem Keizer NAACP is hosting Juneteenth on June 19th.  Hear about the event with Ashley Dunn, Vice President of SK NAACP; and Allie Saunders, Community Engagement Coordinator.  Also, a bit about the history of the event and the organization, and how you can get involved.

Oregon Black Pioneers teams up with Willamette Heritage Center for the third annual "In Freedom's Footsteps," a community history walk on Juneteenth exploring the Hiram Gorman family. Mariah Rocker and Kylie Pine explain the origins of the event and how to participate this year.