Inside Washington County with Rob Solomon

This week, we look at guns. How does gun violence impact our communities? There are mass shootings which make headlines but make up less than 1 percent of the more than 38,000 gun deaths in our country every year. Bullets have become the leading cause of death for children and teens. The impact appears obvious, and it is. People are hurt or killed. But there’s damage to loved ones who survive, and an impact on the community that we will explore. Joining us today is Hilary Uhlig, Director of Oregon’s branch of Moms Demand Action. Uhlig joined the Oregon chapter four years ago, and now leads the chapter with 12 local groups statewide comprising thousands of supporters and volunteers. And we have Jennifer Langston who serves as the state survivor membership lead for the same organization.

This week, we are one-on-one with First District Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici has represented the First Congressional District of Oregon since February of 2012. The district includes Washington, Yamhill, Clatsop, and Columbia counties and part of Multnomah County. We discuss pandemic issues, insurrection accountability and much more!

This week is our last encore show for the holidays

-next week, a new program, featuring Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici-one on one. This week take an encore look look at the city of North Plains. Our guest is Mayor Teri Lenahan.  Mayor Lenahan has served on the North Plains City Council since 2008. In addition to serving as Mayor since 2016, she was Council President from 2011-2016, and serves on the Budget Committee, the Urban Renewal Agency, and the North Plains Events Association. Join us on this visit to North Plains in Western Washington County.

After more than 30 years in the aircraft industry, our guest in this encore presentation from September - King City mayor Ken Gibson, retired to King City in 2006. He has been on the City Council since 2008. Gibson has been mayor of King City since 2016. He will be retiring this week. Our County will miss his leadership. Inside Washington County wishes the Mayor an enjoyable retirement. We discuss the early effects of the pandemic, policing issues, growth plans and more!

https://media.blubrry.com/inside_washington_county/content.blubrry.com/inside_washington_county/Inside_WACO_2_16_21_Mayor_Ken_Gibson.mp3

This week we take a look at the issue of poverty. How pervasive is poverty in Washington County? What can be done and what is being done about poverty in our County?

Our Guest is Kemp Shuey from Community Action. Community Action works with those in need in our community.  Kemp has been with the agency for seven years, serving as executive director for the past two.

This week we take a look at mental health services in Washington County. We will try to understand what our County needs in Mental health and just how Washington County government plays a role. We also consider the impact of Covid 19. Our guest today is Nick Ocon, Manager of Washington County Behavioral Health, a division of the Department of Heal & Human Services, covering both mental health and addictions.

Homelessness is a National, state , county and city issue. It’s a visible issue and hidden as well. Today we want to understand the current homelessness situation in our county, what resources we have, what’s being done with those resources and just what the future looks like. Our guests this week will help us do just that. Joining us is Nathan Teske - Nathan is the Executive Director of Bienestar, a Washington County-based nonprofit that provides affordable housing for primarily Latinx residents of Washington County. And, Mereida Alcazar.-Mereida is a case manager working in Bienestar's new Supportive Housing Services program. In addition to her work, Mereida has a personal story of her own experience that she will share with us. And We have Jes Larson. Jes works for Washington County. She is the County’s Supportive Housing Services Manager. Join us as we dive into a complex issue.

Washington County has Hillsboro. It has Beaverton….it also has smaller communities. Today we’re going to look at the city of North Plains. Our guest this week is Mayor Teri Lenahan.  Mayor Lenahan has served on the North Plains City Council since 2008. In addition to serving as Mayor since 2016, she was Council President from 2011-2016, and serves on the Budget Committee, the Urban Renewal Agency, and the North Plains Events Association. Join us for a visit to North Plains in Western Washington County.

We live in cities, towns and rural areas. Community is something we develop. Our guest today is Cindy Cosenzo. Cindy began working on developing community since 2003, and has been a driving force in Hillsboro ever since….through fires and pandemics. We contacted Hillsboro Mayor Steve Callaway to ask about our guest’s contribution to the city. He kindly responded: “The isolation and uncertainty created by the pandemic has served as a stark reminder of the importance of relationships, engagement, and community. Cindy Cosenzo's work with Age Celebration has always made a difference. But she has been even more impactful keeping us together during the pandemic. She has given all of us opportunities to support, love, play, and create community. “

This week, We rebroadcast part one of our December 2020 expert panel discussing systemic racism. When groups engage in systemic racism, those targeted are most often kept from having power. We look at how power is denied and what all of us can do to promote equity. Our special guest host is community activist Héctor Hinojosa. Our panelists are: • Wajdi Said, PhD, Co-Founder and President of the Muslim Education Center. • Luhui Whitebear, PhD, Assistant Director of the Native American Longhouse Eena Haws, Oregon State University. • J.W. Matt Hennessee, PhD, CEO at Agape Resource Group and senior pastor and CEO and Vancouver First Baptist church in Portland.