Think Out Loud
News & Politics
About
OPB's daily conversation covering news, politics, culture and the arts. Hosted By Dave Miller.
Episodes
- If you think Portland train delays have gotten longer and more frequent, you’re not wrong
The train-related traffic delays in Portland — especially in the city’s inner east side — have gotten worse and more frequent in recent years. As rail transportation consultant Bill Burgel told Willamette Week, that&rsquo…
- Federal officials eye vineyard southeast of Salem for a new veterans cemetery
Straddling Multnomah and Clackamas counties, the Willamette National Cemetery is the largest cemetery in Oregon for military veterans, their spouses and dependent children. Even though it won’t reach capacity for 15 years, The Depart…
- Without protections, OR parents surviving abuse could face prison time
“Failure to protect” charges are criminal prosecutions where one parent is accused of allowing another parent, or spouse, to abuse a child. For many, such as Deborah Albin, they may also be survivors of abuse, but are una…
- Owners of new Trap Kitchen restaurant in Portland say it’s about both food and community
Eddie Bynum Jr., who raps professionally as Mikey Vegaz, is a very busy man. He just released a new track called Rose City Goats with Damion Lillard and Cool Nutz. And he’s just opened a new restaurant called “ The EAST b…
- PSU graduate program focuses on mental health of infants and toddlers
Conversations about mental health may include adolescents or children, but they rarely focus on babies or toddlers. A graduate program at Portland State University is teaching child care professionals to do just that. The Infant/Tod…
- Oregon Supreme Court upholds Washington County’s flavored tobacco ban
The Oregon Supreme Court unanimously ruled last week that Washington County can ban the sale of flavored tobacco products , including vapes and hookah. County commissioners passed the ban in 2021, but it’s been tied up in court since…
- Portland-based nonprofit aims to support underrepresented independent filmmakers
Last December, Kareem Alston-Rosales launched the nonprofit “Film 4 Good Fund.” Alston-Rosales noticed gaps in access to funding for independent filmmakers after years of work in philanthropy. The nonprofit, which aims to make…
- Providers of medication abortion for Oregon patients say access to this care remains unchanged
Medication abortions now comprise up to an estimated two-thirds of all abortions in the U.S., and about a quarter of the mifepristone-misoprostol combination are prescribed via telehealth. Medication abortions are safe and effective when u…
- First Schnitzer Prize of the West awarded to Native American leader of restoration project on Idaho, Utah border
This Saturday, the inaugural Schnitzer Prize of the West will be awarded to Brad Parry, vice chairman of the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation, at a ceremony at the Portland Art Museum. Parry was one of nearly 100 people from 12 sta…
- Mining operation could be coming to Baker County
A mining operation that will create close to 100 jobs and cost upwards of $60 million to build could be coming to Baker County. As first reporter in the Baker City Herald, Sumpter Development LLC is planning to reopen four historic mines n…
- Evaluating wildfire risk in Oregon and Washington
Wildfire managers and policy makers in Oregon and Washington often evaluate a community’s wildfire risk based on environmental factors such as the probability of wildfire exposure or the number of threatened homes and buildings. They…
- DA races in Oregon go uncontested for the first time in decades
Election day in Oregon is next week. Oregonians must submit their ballots by Tuesday, May 19th . There are a number of measures and candidates running in local and statewide elections, but as reported in Bolts , not a single district…
- Former timber town in rural Oregon faces extreme debt
A series of cascading problems, including financial mismanagement, industry failures and questionable city contracts have pushed Lakeview, Oregon into millions of dollars of debt it can’t pay off. Like many former timber towns, Lakev…
- Two perspectives on Southern Oregon University’s latest financial crisis
As Jefferson Public Radio reported, the Southern Oregon University Board of Trustees voted unanimously last Friday to create its own plan for long-term financial stability rather than adopt entirely the steep cuts and revenue-raising…
- OHSU researchers connect tinnitus with elevated serotonin activity in the brain
It’s estimated that 1 in 10 adults experience tinnitus , often described as a phantom ringing noise in the ears. The condition can develop due to head trauma, hearing loss, exposure to loud noise or as a side effect of certain…
- Three of Oregon’s minor parties weigh in on the state of democracy under two-party system
The near total dominance of the two major political parties is nothing new. Democrats and Republicans have distinct ideological and political differences, but for some, it’s their similarities that drive them away from both. Ma…
- Oregon Historical Society exhibit celebrates 100 years of Highway 101
If you’ve ever driven to the Oregon Coast, you’ve likely been on Highway 101. The scenic roadway was officially designated a federal highway 100 years ago in 1926. The highway changed how people across the state accessed…
- Lawsuit claims Oregon State Police shared data with ICE for years
According to a lawsuit filed by the nonprofit Rural Organizing Project, state police have allowed federal immigration officials to access law enforcement databases to acquire Oregonians’ data. The lawsuit, filed last Tuesday,…
- May primary ballot measure in Lane County would give legal rights to watersheds
Next Tuesday, voters in Lane County will decide the fate of Measure 20-373, also known as the “Watersheds Bill of Rights,” in the May primary election. Organizers of the measure say it is in response to years of aerial spraying…
- Portland musician’s new album born out of loss
When local folk legend Michael Hurley died last spring, his friend Alela Diane was inspired to write “Spring Is A Fine Time (To Die)," an homage to her friend and his career. The song helped catalyze her new album, which was recorded…
- Oregon’s corporate medicine law put to test in settled PeaceHealth case
Last year, Oregon lawmakers passed one of the toughest corporate medicine laws in the nation and a recent court case put this law to the test. SB 951 limits corporate influence in medical decisions and was at the center of a courtroom batt…
- Local group advocates for phone-free childhoods
OR Unplugged” is a coalition created by parents in Portland to support healthy digital environments for children. The group provides resources to parents and families like curriculums for digital wellness, suggestions for alternative…
- Oregon Contemporary Artists’ Biennial explores ‘The Price of the Ticket’ in 2026 art survey
More than two dozen artists are participating in the 2026 Oregon Contemporary Artists’ Biennial , which launched last month and ends on July 5. The current exhibit is titled “The Price of the Ticket” and is on display at…
- Grit and community support helps brighten outlook for 71-year-old Vancouver bowling alley
Rachael Allen says business is booming these days at Allen’s Crosley Lanes , a Vancouver bowling alley that her family has owned for nearly four decades. The Columbian’s recent profile of Allen and Crosley Lanes helped remind r…
- How Northwest winemakers are appealing to consumers in a changing market
Henderson Ave and Brooks Wine are two Oregon winemakers that operate at different price points, but are currently faced with many of the same questions: How do wineries appeal to consumers when American alcohol consumption has waned in rec…
- Lullaby Project brings creativity and music to parents in prison or experiencing homelessness
The Lullaby Project was created more than a decade ago by the Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute. The program pairs singer-songwriters with parents who are incarcerated or experiencing homelessness, and together they create…
- Portland-based transportation consultant on the current state of public transport in Oregon cities
As commuters are seeing continuous hikes on gas prices in Oregon and across the nation, some are forced to reevaluate their commuting habits. Public transportation could currently be a vital alternative to commuters in Oregon and the North…
- Portlander wins World Series of Poker Circuit Main Event
Adam Nattress has been playing poker since he was 19 years old, but it wasn’t until he got sober that he was able to really support his family and dedicate himself to the game. Nattress recently won nearly $140,000 dollars in S…
- What difference will 8 new immigration laws make for immigrants in Oregon?
Oregon lawmakers passed eight immigration bills in the last legislative session that ended in March, and Gov. Tina Kotek signed them into law in April. The package of bills came as a response to a host of federal actions in 2025 that put i…
- Amazon is planning more smaller distribution centers in smaller communities around Oregon
Amazon has plenty of huge warehouses around Oregon to get goods to online shoppers quickly, including one that’s 3.8 million square feet one in Woodburn, its biggest in the entire Northwest. But the giant retailer has started moving…
- Owyhee Canyonlands protection effort remains in limbo
The Owyhee Canyonlands area encompasses millions of acres along the Owyhee River on the borders of Oregon, Idaho and Nevada. The land is rugged and remote and beautiful, and efforts to to protect it in some way have dragged out for years.…
- Portland nonprofit Smashing Barriers aims to improve the lives of young people through tennis
The Portland-based nonprofit Smashing Barriers works with organizations including the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Friendly House. It offers free tennis clinics and organizes charity tournaments. Jiya Mehta and Rohan Shah, the co-…
- Researchers say network-forming fungi need more protection
LONG SYNOPSIS: Oregon’s Willamette Valley is a major hotspot for webs of mycorrhizal, or network-forming, fungi. Researchers at the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN) predict that nearly 90% of mycorrhiz…
- Portland Mayor Keith Wilson lays out his budget priorities
The city of Portland is facing a $172 million budget shortfall for various reasons, including declining tax revenue, inflation, expiration of pandemic-era funds and increased healthcare costs. Mayor Keith Wilson shared a proposal las…
- Is a liberal arts degree worth it?
Student debt in the U.S. has risen dramatically in the last few decades, while recent college graduates are having a harder time finding work. For the last five years, the unemployment rate of college graduates is above the national averag…
- REBROADCAST: Oregon grandparents share lived experiences to promote vaccinations for preventable illnesses
Grandparents for Vaccines is a nationwide nonprofit that aims to educate the current generation of parents about vaccine-preventable diseases. Launched in September 2025, the group has produced videos of grandparents describing what it was…
- Unethical AI use in legal filings on the rise in Oregon and the US, along with penalties
Two Oregon lawyers were recently fined $110,000 for including fictitious cases in filings that were AI “hallucinations.” This is not the first such case in Oregon, and General Counsel of the Oregon State Bar Ankur Doshi says it…
- Eugene launches peer navigation program one year after CAHOOTS shutdown
It’s been just over a year since the crisis intervention program CAHOOTS stopped providing services in Eugene after the city decided to end its contract with the organization. The mobile team had operated in the city since 1989. Lane…
- OSU study shows faster water flows from warming winters, with impacts on water supply in Pacific Northwest
This past winter tied Oregon’s record for the warmest winter ever recorded. The warmer temperatures have led to record-low snowpack levels not only in Oregon but across many other western states . Climate change will likely make our…
- Prescribed Burns Associations let community members take part in controlled burnings
Prescribed burns are carefully planned fires on public lands to help reduce the risk of wildfires in communities. They're often conducted by by government agencies such as the Bureau of Land Management , but new groups of community members…
- Portland State University report highlights best ways to support people experiencing homelessness
“What is the most effective way to support people experiencing homelessness?” That’s the question a new report called “The Pathways Study” tries to answer. Researchers at the Homelessness Research and Action C…
- Portland podcaster and puzzle enthusiast explains what is speed puzzling
Over the pandemic, the sale of puzzles skyrocketed . And while people of all ages enjoy piecing together jigsaw puzzles as a more leisurely activity, others take it at a much more serious and at a competitive level. Speed puzzling is a com…
- Scientist looks to microbe found in extreme environments to help protect Washington apples
When it comes to growing apples, no state dominates like Washington. It accounts for roughly 6 in 10 of all the apples grown in the U.S. One of the major threats facing this top crop is fire blight. The bacterial disease attacks apple and…
- Washington researchers are concerned about gray whale populations after uptick in early-season deaths
According to scientists at the Cascadia Research Collective, gray whale populations off the Washington coast are experiencing a higher level of early-season mortality than they’ve ever recorded. Just this year, three gray whales have…
- Patrick Radden Keefe discusses his new book “London Falling” at Lincoln High School in Portland
Patrick Radden Keefe discusses his new book “London Falling” at Lincoln High School in Portland LONG SYNOPSIS: In 2019, a 19-year-old man named Zac Brettler died after jumping off the balcony of a luxury apartment in London nea…
- Portland nonprofit engages with Black voters through community events
With ballots for Oregon’s primary elections scheduled to go out next week , civic organizations are working to get out the vote. Imagine Black , based in Portland, aims to engage voters through community events, rather than mailers o…
- OHSU cancer researcher’s work offers glimpse into future of cancer detection, possible new treatments
Scientists at Oregon Health & Science University’s Knight Cancer Institute are pioneering a new way to study cancer that could lead to faster cancer detection and more targeted treatment. It involves 3D printing cancer cells from…
- Health officials warn Oregon measles outbreak is growing
As of last week, Oregon had reported 20 measles cases since the start of 2026. Measles was declared eradicated in the U.S. in 2000, but falling vaccination rates have driven outbreaks in more than half of U.S. states so far this year. Heal…
- New film showcases 3 Bend athletes’ commitment to outdoor sports after life-changing spinal cord injuries
Josh Hancock, Danielle Doelling and Anna Soens are all athletes based in Bend who suffered life-changing accidents, leaving them with varied levels of spinal cord injury. All three of these athletes spent their lives before injury particip…
- How some dogs are trained to find native and invasive wildlife
From the Emerald Ash Borer to Zebra Mussels, Oregon is no stranger to invasive species . The state has a management plan in place that aims to detect invasive species early on, educate the public and prevent their entry into Oregon to begi…