Think Out Loud

Last month, Amazon announced it had signed an agreement to develop four small-scale modular nuclear reactors, or SMRs, along the Columbia River to power its data centers in Eastern Oregon. The e-commerce giant also touted nuclear energy as a “safe source of carbon-free energy” that would allow it to achieve its goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2040. 

Energy Northwest, a consortium of publicly owned utilities, is partnering with Amazon on the development of the SMRs in southeast Washington. Under the agreement, Energy Northwest could build an additional eight SMRs that would generate enough electricity to meet the needs of more than 770,000 homes in the region. OPB rural communities reporter Antonio Sierra recently looked into this technology, its safety and how it differs from traditional nuclear reactors. He joins us to share what he’s learned. 

This week, Oregon’s new state economist, Carl Riccadonna, gave his first quarterly economic and revenue forecast. It projected Oregon getting nearly $950 million more in the current two-year period than previously estimated, and an extra $1.3 billion in the 2025-2027 budget cycle. Riccadonna, who was hired in September, based his forecast on an economic model that’s less pessimistic than the one his predecessor, Mark McMullen, relied on. It not only projects higher revenues from personal income and corporate taxes, it also aims to reduce the errors in forecasting that led to large kicker tax refunds, including a record $5.6 billion paid out to taxpayers this year. Riccadonna talks to us about Oregon’s economic outlook.

Hannah Glavor’s music used to lean toward singer-songwriter folk. But her newly released single, “Otherside,” shows an indie rock side to the Portland musician. She writes about loss and hope, and about darkness and the light on the other side. Glavor joined us in March 2024 for an interview and performance of songs from her then-upcoming album, “Hold On, Hold Tight,” which was released in September. 

Oregon has among the strongest protections for abortion rights and the fewest limits on the procedure of any state in the nation. Could Republican control of the presidency and both chambers of the U.S. Congress make things harder for abortion providers and seekers in Oregon, despite protective state laws? OPB health reporter Amelia Templeton fills us in.      

The Portland Bureau of Transportation is falling short of meeting some of its safety goals, according to a new city audit. Vision Zero is an international effort to completely eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries. The city of Portland adopted this philosophy in 2016, and while traffic deaths declined soon after, in 2021 they reached the highest they’ve been in the past three decades at 64. In 2023, those numbers are expected to be even higher, with early data standing at around 69 deaths. KC Jones is the audit services director for Portland. He joins us to share the details of the new audit. Dylan Rivera is the public information officer for PBOT. He also joins us to share the changes the agency will be making in response and the challenges of reaching Vision Zero.  
 

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’s beloved team.

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 covered in OPB’s “All Science. No Fiction.,” researchers at the University of Washington have developed a new type of light therapy that could more effectively treat the symptoms of SAD.

Jay Neitz is the Bishop Professor of Ophthalmology at UW. He co-authored the study and joins us with more details.

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 to stifle competition. Although the suit was dismissed in September, it is currently being appealed, with the coalition threatening further legal action if the sale is pursued.   

As first reported in The Blue Mountain Eagle, Malheur Lumber, announced in July it was shutting down after more than 40 years. It cited a range of factors that led to the decision, including difficulty hiring reliable workers and a lack of housing to recruit them. The company’s financial woes are emblematic of the state of the timber industry in Oregon where seven mills announced their closures this year. Bennett Hall is the editor of the Blue Mountain Eagle. He joins us to share his reporting on this issue and how federal assistance could once again offer a lifeline to timber operations in Grant County and the region.  

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 the vote after disclosing the financial relationship. Gwyn and Julie Hoy have said the censure is nothing more than an attempt to create division on council, while other councilors have said their failure to recuse themselves has created a conflict of interest.

Whitney Woodworth is a city reporter for the Statesman Journal. She’s been covering the censure and joins us with more details.

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 respond to life-threatening calls. Clackamas County recently launched a nurse navigation program, and Clark County has been operating its program in Southwest Washington for more than a year.

Rocco Roncarati is the regional director for ambulance provider American Medical Response’s operations in Southwest Washington. Marlow Macht is the medical program director for Clark County EMS and an emergency physician at Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center. They both join us to talk about how the nurse navigation program is going in Clark County