KGW’s Straight Talk

Portland has been at the center of a whirlwind legal battle in recent days, with President Donald Trump characterizing the city as a lawless war zone and pushing to send in National Guard troops under federal command — only to be repeatedly blocked by Judge Karin Immergut after Oregon sued, arguing that the anti-ICE protests have been largely peaceful and Trump is mischaracterizing the situation.

Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield was a guest on this week's episode of Straight Talk to go over what's happened in the case so far and what he expects will happen next as the battle moves to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

U.S. Rep. Maxine Dexter recounted trying to locate a Portland mother and her four children detained by ICE after visiting the U.S.–Canada border.

Oregon Health and Science University has been a powerhouse of research and innovation in Oregon for decades, serving as one of the state's largest employers and a leader in areas like cancer research through the Knight Institute. However, OHSU has faced its share of challenges over the past year with financial struggles, capacity issues, layoffs and a failed merger with Legacy Health.

OHSU's newest president, Dr. Shereef Elnahal, was a guest on this week's episode of Straight Talk to discuss the institution's struggles and opportunities, including the impact of changes under the Trump administration — from funding cuts earlier in the year to the decision this week to declare a link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism, which has drawn pushback from medical experts.

Elnahal was appointed as president in June and stepped into the role last month. He was appointed Undersecretary of Health for the federal Department of Veterans Affairs under the Biden administration, and before that served as president of University Hospital in Newark, New Jersey.

Hartman was the lone Democrat to vote against the bill in the House. She also discussed her decision to run for Clackamas County Commissioner.

The Port of Vancouver reported $55M in revenue—one of its best years. Tariffs, electrification, and shore power and a public market are all part of the next chapter.

Portland faces economic challenges as Oregon loses 25,000 jobs. Experts warn national uncertainty could slow the city’s recovery and growth plans.

Nearly two decades of protections for some of the Pacific Northwest’s wildest landscapes may be on the chopping block as federal officials under the Trump administration move to undo the "Roadless Rule" and return parts of the national forest system to the commercial timber base.

The rule, created in 2001 at the end of the Clinton administration, restricts road construction and logging on about 60 million acres of national forest nationwide. In Oregon, it covers about 2 million acres; in Washington, about 2.8 million.

“There were millions of acres of national forests that were less accessible, more difficult to get to, that had generally not been commercially logged,” said Daniel Rohlf, a professor at Lewis & Clark Law School who specializes in public lands law. “So, the question was what do we do with this resource?”

After extensive public input, the Forest Service chose to manage those areas for their roadless qualities and for environmental benefits such as clean water, wildlife habitat and recreation, Rohlf said.

Many of the Northwest's most popular destinations fall within those protections, including Lost Lake on Mount Hood, Larch Mountain in the Columbia Gorge, the Oregon Dunes from Florence to Coos Bay and hiking trails in the Cascade Lakes area, according to Steve Pedery, conservation director for the group Oregon Wild.

For decades, Portlanders have been accustomed to the yearly sight of Vaux's swifts swirling above the chimney at Chapman Elementary School, a punctuation on summer's end. But after a shakeup in the migratory birds' habits last year, the city waits to see where they'll land now. Joe Liebezeit with the Bird Alliance of Oregon was a guest on this week's episode of Straight Talk to discuss why the migratory birds might be moving away from their traditional fall resting place.

In a KGW “Straight Talk” interview, Oregon’s top election official rejected Trump’s claim mail-in voting is “corrupt,” saying the president lacks authority to end it

Growing scientific evidence points to a critical issue impacting younger generations. Nationwide, more children and teens are reporting symptoms of anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 40% of high schoolers reported experiencing depressive symptoms in 2023 — up from 30% just 10 years earlier.

The trend is particularly bad in Oregon, and as students across the state enjoy their final days of summer vacation before heading back to school, parents want to know how they can best support their children's well-being amid the youth mental health crisis.

On this week's episode of "Straight Talk," three experts who are working to get ahead of the curve came together to talk about what's driving the trend, what researchers say can be done to help, and what kids are saying they need.