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OPB Political Chat - January 18, 2019

Authorities Move In On ICE Protest Encampment; Native Bees Help NW Alfalfa Farmers

Thursday morning, federal agents began dismantling a makeshift encampment in front of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Portland. Protesters were able to shut the facility down for more than a week. OPB's Dirk VanderHart reports from the scene....

Supreme Court Rules Against Mandatory Union Dues

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled today that state and local government workers who are represented by organized labor no longer have to pay dues if they don't want to belong to a union. OPB senior political reporter Jeff Mapes joins...

Western State Hospital Loses Certification, $53 Million In Federal Funds

The largest psychiatric hospital in Washington state has been under scrutiny for two years, and the federal government said this week its reform efforts didn't go far enough. Austin Jenkins of the Northwest News Network joins us to explain the...

The Week In Oregon Politics For Friday, June 22, 2018

The shock waves from the biggest political story of the week were felt in Oregon. Protesters demonstrating against the Trump policy of separating migrant families at the border with Mexico were able to temporarily shut down the ICE facility in...

The Week In Oregon Politics For Friday, June 22, 2018

In Sheridan, Questions From Residents Linger About Immigration Detainees

The federal prison in Sheridan, Ore., holds 123 immigrant detainees. Residents of the small town are feeling left in the dark about who is being held there, and what's happening to them. Ericka Cruz Guevarra reports.

Oregon Ranchers Take Extra Measures During The Drought; Hikers Crowd Trails Traditionally Used By Native Hunters

Cattle ranching is hard, even without a drought. But this year, ranchers are having to truck water in to their herds and buy hay they normally would grow themselves. Anna King reports from Harney Country. Also, Eilis O'Neill of EarthFix...

Eastern Oregon Ranchers Struggle With Deepening Drought

In the first part of a series, Anna King visits ranchers in Harney County, who are dealing with drought much earlier than usual.

What's Behind Oregon's Many Lawsuits Against The Trump Administration?

Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum has sued or joined lawsuits against the Trump administration 16 times. OPB legal affairs reporter Conrad Wilson joins us to discuss why Rosenblum is using the justice system to thwart the Trump agenda.

Meet The Monks Of The Columbia River Gorge; The Week In Politics

For about eight years, a small monastery has kept an obscure Buddhist tradition alive in the Gorge. Bradley Parks reports on the relationship that's blossomed between one Washington town and the Buddhist monks who call it home. In our weekly...

How Ursula K. Le Guin Shaped Representation In Science Fiction

The famed Oregon author strove to create characters that people of color and non-traditional gender roles could identify with. April Baer from OPB's State of Wonder has the story.

Oregon Could Be An Unlikely Abortion Battleground This Fall

Oregon is known nationally for its strong support of abortion rights, but the abortion debate could be in the spotlight in the Oregon general election in November. Jeff Mapes reports.

Officials Consider A Later Start Time For High Schools; The Week In Politics

With Oregon's school year wrapping up, many high schoolers are looking forward to sleeping in. Many researchers think high school should start later in the day to let teenagers sleep, but that's really hard to do. Rob Manning reports. We...

What Washington Can Learn From Montana's Grizzlies; Oregon Secretary Of State Dennis Richardson Has Brain Cancer

The federal government is working on a plan to reintroduce grizzly bears to Washington's North Cascades. Courtney Flatt of EarthFix visits a Montana community that has learned to live with the bears. We also talk with OPB reporter Dirk VanderHart...

Madras High's 'All About Graduation' Focus Pays Off

The central Oregon high school has quickly improved its graduation rate in a short period of time. Rob Manning visits the school to see how they were able to pull that off.

Supreme Court’s Ruling On Colorado Wedding Cake Case Could Have Bearing On Northwest Cases; Controversial Oregon Dairy Still Hangs On

The US. Supreme Court issued a narrow ruling Monday, favoring a Colorado bakery which refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple.  That ruling could influence two similar Northwest cases. We’ll talk about both. First, you’ll hear reporter...

Managers Weigh How Much Of The Chetco Bar Burn Should Be Salvage Logged

Managers at the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest [in southwestern Oregon] are weighing how much of the area burned in Oregon’s largest fire last year should be salvage logged. But while harvesting partially burned trees will put cash in local pockets,...

Outdoor Companies Move Beyond Gear And Gorp

Companies like REI and Patagonia rely on public lands, so they're increasingly moving into advocacy for those places. Amanda Peacher from the Mountain West News Bureau in Boise has the story.

Evidence Of Oregon's Racist Past Lingers In Housing Documents

The tools of institutional racism - restrictive covenants, redlining and laws banning people of color from owning property - have been dismantled in Oregon. But you can still see echoes of that history in current housing documents. Erica Morrison reports.

Marylhurst University Students And Alumni React To Announced Closure

University leaders insist they had little choice but to close the 127-year-old private university near Lake Oswego. As Rob Manning reports, students are reacting with a mix of grief, anger and confusion.

Volunteers Come To Help Pets In A Disaster

You may have a disaster plan for your family, but does it include your pet? Many shelters won't take pets, so some Northwest communities have volunteers who will handle pet care in a disaster. Tom Banse reports from Cannon Beach....

The Week In Oregon Politics For Friday, May 25, 2018

As expected, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown got the votes she needed to pass a tax break on certain small businesses. But she really had to work for them. OPB political reporters Jeff Mapes and Dirk VanderHart review the week in...

Portland State Updates Buildings To Appeal To A New Generation Of Students; Western Juniper Industry In The NW Poised For A Bump

Oregon's big urban university is changing. Several buildings are being modernized. In the second part of a series on Oregon's university system, Rob Manning explores why the upgrades are happening, and how they're being paid for. We also hear about...

Can OSU-Cascades Grow Without Losing What Works?; At Western State Hospital, Waitlists To Get In And Out

The Bend campus is expanding, with the help of millions in state-backed construction dollars. How can the school scale up without losing what works? Rob Manning reports in the first in a series about changes in the Oregon university system....

Can OSU-Cascades Grow Without Losing What Works?; At Western State Hospital, Waitlists To Get In And Out

The Bend campus is expanding, with the help of millions in state-backed construction dollars. How can the school scale up without losing what works? Rob Manning reports in the first in a series about changes in the Oregon university system....

Commercial Solar Arrays On NW Farmland Stir Opposition; Portland Reporter's Home Could Help Meet Climate Goals, But It'll Cost Her

Energy developers want to plant commercial solar arrays in farm fields across the Pacific Northwest. Farmers like the steady income they generate, but others say prime farmland is no place for solar. Tom Banse reports. Also, EarthFix reporter Cassandra Profita...

Oregon Battle Of The Books Selection Draws Controversy; The Thurston High Shooting, Twenty Years Later

A book about a transgender girl is on the reading list for OBOB next year. Two Oregon schools districts are pulling out of the competition over it. April Baer from OPB's State of Wonder has a look. Also, Conrad Wilson...

The Week In Oregon Politics For Friday, May 18, 2018

Oregon’s primary election this week featured no big surprises, but the outcomes give us plenty to look forward to in the general election. We’re also looking forward to a special session in Salem next week. It’s about tax policy, which...

OHSU Drafts Hair Dressers, Tattoo Artists In The War On Melanoma; Ethnic Grocery Stores Make Oregon Feel More Like Home

Oregon has some of the worst rates of skin cancer in the nation. To fight the disease, OHSU scientists are asking for help from anyone whose job involves looking at skin all day. Kristian Foden-Vencil reports. Ericka Cruz Guevarra also...

Wrapping Up The 2018 Oregon Primary; Using Cutting-Edge Genetic Therapy To Prevent Disease

OPB senior political reporter Jeff Mapes sums up the Oregon primary, including the races for Oregon governor, Portland City Council and Washington County District Attorney. Also, Kristian Foden-Vencil introduces us to an Oregon couple who used a controversial genetic process...

New Podcast Explores The Roots Of The Bundys' Extremism; Deaf Candidate Fights For A Seat At The Table

The new podcast 'Bundyville' is a collaboration between OPB and Longreads. It uncovers how Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy and his family came to have such extreme views about land ownership in the West. We talk with the host, reporter Leah...

The Oregon Ballot Is The Most Diverse In Years

More women are running for elected office in Oregon than ever before. Many people of color are also joining races this year. The election of Donald Trump and the Me Too movement play a part, but so does a recruiting...

Portland Has A National Championship Hurling Team; The Week In Politics

Hurling is an ancient Irish sport. It's like a mashup of baseball and lacrosse, played full-contact on grass. Bradley Parks introduces us to the Columbia Red Branch, which won a hurling championship last year. Also, Geoff Norcross talks with OPB...

Portland City Council Punts On Earthquake Safety Upgrades; Northwest Tribes Bring Traditional Wildfires Back

The council postponed a vote on mandatory retrofits for old brick buildings that will crumble in a big earthquake. The same issue is sidetracked in Seattle because of funding. Tom Banse reports. We also visit Northwest tribes who are trying...

Baseball In Portland? It Could Be a Long Road To 'Play Ball!'

A coalition of business owners, civic leaders and sports buffs has restarted the conversation about bringing Major League Baseball to Oregon. But there are lots of steps, and possibly many years, before it happens. Anna Griffin reports.

NORCOR no longer honors detainers from ICE

NORCOR Jail Changes Immigration Policy; Private Timberland Burns More Severely Than Public Lands

The jail in The Dalles used to honors detainers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for people entering the jail on local charges. No longer. Conrad Wilson explains the new policy. Also Jes Burns of EarthFix uncovers new research into...

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The Candidates For The Portland City Council Race; Supreme Court Case Centers On Oswego Lake Access

Six candidates are vying for the open seat on the Portland City Council. Reporter Amelia Templeton summarizes the field, and where they stand on the issues. Also, Conrad Wilson previews a case being argued before the Oregon Supreme Court about...

Portland City Council Race Could Make History

Portland's unusual method for choosing commissioners has made it harder for women, people of color and residents from less-wealthy neighborhoods to win. But this year, three women of color are hoping to buck history. Amelia Templeton has more on the...

Portland Schools Bond Is $89 Million Over Budget

The bond approved by voters last year was the largest in state history, but it's inadequate. District officials learned they vastly underestimated how much money they would need to remodel or rebuild four large schools. OPB education reporter Rob Manning...

Portland's Toxic Harbor Cleanup Enters Who-Pays-For-What Phase

The slow-moving effort to clean up the Superfund site is at a critical point. Responsible companies are clashing over who cleans up what, and who pays for it. Cassandra Profita of EarthFix looked into one of these conflicts.

The Week In Oregon Politics For Friday, April 27, 2018

It’s looking like May could be the hottest political month of the year in Oregon. The May primary will probably decide who gets a Senate seat in a Portland district. Shortly after that, lawmakers will convene for a special session...

Getting Asthma Under Control In The Yakima Valley

Children of farm workers are especially susceptible to asthma. Now researchers are working on a new approach to solving the problem. EarthFix reporter Eilis O'Neill headed to the Yakima Valley in Washington state to find out more.

Normally Staid Race For Labor Commissioner Heating Up

The governor’s race is getting most of the attention, but there’s another contest for statewide office in Oregon this year. On May 15, voters will elect the state’s next labor commissioner. In recent years, that position has generated headlines—and...

Portland Burgerville Workers Vote In Favor Of Unionizing

There’s a battle unfolding among Democrats in East Portland for a seat in the state Senate. It’s a race predominantly about one issue: the city’s housing crisis. But as Lauren Dake reports, the results could shift the state Senate to...

Despite Campaign Fundraising, Buehler Faces Skeptics In His Own Party

State Representative Knute Buehler is already focusing his sights on a fall election race against Oregon Governor Kate Brown. But first he has to get past skeptical conservatives in the Republican primary. Jeff Mapes explains.

'Arch Of Healing' Remembers Anti-Immigrant History In Bellingham; The Week In Politics

Belllingham, Wash., will dedicate a new monument this weekend. It memorializes the past expulsions of immigrant Sikhs, Japanese and Chinese. Reporter Tom Banse takes a look. We also wrap up the week in regional politics, with a look at the...