Think Out Loud

Nov 19 2024 934 ep. 20 mins 1.5k

Think Out Loud Podcast artwork

OPB's daily conversation covering news, politics, culture and the arts. Hosted By Dave Miller.

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Checking in on the Portland Trail Blazers amidst a win streak

Nov 19 2024 20 mins

The Portland Trail Blazers are coming in hot with a three-game win streak after beating the Minnesota Timberwolves twice and another against the Atlanta Hawks. Their record now stands at 6 wins with 8 losses, moving them up in power rankings. Mike Richman is the host of the Locked on Blazers podcast. He joins us to break down the wins, losses and the hope for the future of Rip City

UW researchers develop more effective light therapy for seasonal affective disorder

Nov 19 2024 16 mins

With the days getting shorter and the rain setting in, many Pacific Northwesterners are already feeling the effects of seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. The disorder is thought to be caused by the body’s internal clock being disrupted by a lack of sunlight in autumn and winter months. Treatments include antidepressants and exposure to bright lights that mimic sunlight. As

Coalition threatens legal action to block the sale of Grant County’s only sawmill still operating

Nov 19 2024 15 mins

A legal fight is brewing in Eastern Oregon where a coalition of timber interests is trying to block the sale of the only sawmill still operating in Grant County to Iron Triangle, a logging company in John Day. The Malheur Forest Fairness Coalition filed a federal lawsuit last year against Iron Triangle and the sawmill, Malheur Lumber, alleging that the two companies were conspiring

Salem City Council censures two members, including Mayor-elect Julie Hoy

Nov 18 2024 13 mins

The Salem City Council recently voted to censure two of its members, Councilor Deanna Gwyn and Mayor-elect Julie Hoy. The two potentially violated Salem’s city charter by participating in a land use vote involving a developer who donated to both of their campaigns. Sitting Mayor Chris Hoy brought the motion to censure, saying the councilors should have recused themselves from

How nurse navigators are helping improve EMS response in Southwest Washington

Nov 18 2024 21 mins

Nurse navigation programs have been proposed as one solution to overburdened emergency services systems. Instead of sending an ambulance, dispatchers direct low-level 911 calls to a team of nurses who can give advice or help callers set up an urgent care or telehealth appointment. The idea is to provide patients with the appropriate level of care while freeing up EMS resources to r

Nondisclosure agreements in rental leases raise concerns among Washington renters and tenant advocates

Nov 18 2024 18 mins

Some tenants in Southwest Washington and other parts of the state could face a predicament the next time they sign or renew a lease: either sign a nondisclosure agreement or risk eviction and having to look elsewhere in a tight housing market. The NDAs are being used to prevent tenants from disclosing to others, with the exception of immediate family members, how much they pay in r

Students at OSU-Cascades in Bend are running a snowboard company while earning their degrees

Nov 15 2024 14 mins

The founders of SnoPlanks, a Bend-based snowboard company, decided to donate it to the Oregon State University Cascades campus. Now, students are running the show. SnoPlanks Academy aims to teach students skills like marketing, sales and supply chain management with hands-on experience. Students also ran a booth at the Snowvana trade show in Portland earlier this month.

State offers new rental assistance program for some Oregon Health Plan members

Nov 15 2024 19 mins

Under a waiver program, states can test new ways to offer Medicaid services. For Oregon, that means some people on the Oregon Health Plan can get help with housing costs. Oregon is the first in the nation to roll out rental assistance as a statewide Medicaid benefit for eligible OHP members, according to the Oregon Health Authority. People would need to have a qualifyin

Janelle Bynum flips US House District and will become Oregon’s first Black member of Congress

Nov 15 2024 18 mins

Nationwide, the Democratic Party had little to celebrate this election cycle. Republicans took control of the Senate, the House and the presidency. But in Oregon, state Representative Janelle Bynum ran against 5th District Republican incumbent Lori Chavez-DeRemer - and won. Her victory is also notable as she will become the state’s first Black Representative in Congress. We t

Portland Japanese Garden exhibit celebrates resilience through art of ceramic repair

Nov 14 2024 17 mins

Kintsugi is the traditional Japanese art of repairing ceramics with lacquer and gold dust. The idea is to highlight the imperfections of a piece and celebrate its new form, rather than hide its chips and cracks. Artist Naoko Fukumaru wasn’t initially interested in kintsugi — as a conservator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Detroit Institute of Arts and other institut