When retired preschool owner Colleen Strohm and her husband moved to Maupin after their retirement, they found a vibrant community, but no local newspaper. Strohm says she tried to talk others into starting one, but after no one took her up on it, she finally realized she’d need to do it herself. She and her husband launched “The South Wasco Times” in October. Strohm is the publisher, editor and reporter for the monthly print paper. Her husband, retired Portland State University professor Doug Lowell, takes photographs and manages advertising sales and distribution. The Times is not online, and Strohm says she has no plans to change that — part of the appeal is that the paper is printed… on paper. She and Lowell join us from Maupin to talk about the community response, what readers can expect from the Dec. 1 edition, and how they plan to keep the endeavor sustainable into the future.

As the historic Portland Public School strike comes to an end, the state and country continue to face another issue: hiring. According to a dashboard created by the Oregon’s Teacher Standards and Practice Commision, there are more than 1,000 open positions for educators and other roles across the state. Kevin Carr is a professor of science education at Pacific University. He joins us to share more on the challenges of obtaining a teaching license and what can be done to address the shortage.

For 25 years, the Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports has worked with schools around the country to make learning environments more supportive and productive. The PBIS framework focuses on establishing shared values and expectations for the classroom and acknowledging positive behavior. It also aims to address unwanted behavior through redirection instead of punishment. The center recently received $21 million from the U.S. Department of Education to fund its work for the next five years.

Kent McIntosh is the Philip H. Knight Chair of Special Education at the University of Oregon and co-director of the center. He joins us to share more about the center’s work and the importance of creating positive school cultures.

At Oregon Health & Science University, the number of patients treated for falling injuries has increased by 90% compared with 2016. These are falls that occur on ground-level, not from heights. Nationwide, about three-quarters of those patients are over the age of 65. That’s why Katie Drago, an OHSU geriatrician and associate professor of medicine, says the problem is becoming “a growing public health emergency.” We talk with Drago about the study the hospital has begun to help people prevent these injuries, and the need for more attention on the subject.

On Monday morning, more than 40,000 students in Portland returned to school after a tentative deal had been announced the day before to end a teachers’ strike that had shut down schools since Nov 1. The agreement between Portland Public Schools district and the Portland Association of Teachers still needs to be ratified by union members and the school board this week. It includes a nearly 14% pay raise for educators over the next three years, additional planning time and expanded access to mental health support for students in the district. Joining us to talk about the deal, how students will make up 11 days of lost instruction time and other details is OPB education reporter Natalie Pate. 

Author Tim O’Brien is best known for his book “The Things They Carried,” about the Vietnam War. His latest book, “Dad’s Maybe Book,” is a compilation of anecdotes and reflections on becoming a parent in late middle age, and what he wants his young children to know about him before he dies. This conversation was recorded in front of an audience at the Portland Book Festival last fall.

At first, Ada Limón wasn’t able to write poetry during the pandemic. And then she wrote a poem called “The Hurting Kind.” From that flowed the rest of her new book of poems under that same name. We talk to Limón, the poet laureate of the United States, before an audience at the Literary Arts space in downtown Portland.

Yesterday, a Harney County Circuit Court judge ruled that Measure 114 violates Oregon's state constitution. The law, which voters passed last year to regulate firearms, has yet to go into effect due to multiple court challenges.

Measure 114 bans future purchases of magazines that can carry more than 10 rounds of ammunition. It also requires those wishing to buy a firearm to get a permit first. Permits will require applicants to complete a safety class and a federal background check. Earlier this year, U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut ruled the law is legal under the U.S. Constitution. That decision has been appealed to the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

OPB reporter Jonathan Levinson joins us with details about the latest ruling and what it means for the future of Measure 114.

Last month, a new bookstore opened in Vancouver. But this isn’t your typical brick and mortar spot to pick up the latest thriller, mystery or best-selling memoir of a pop star. The Romance Era Bookshop sells only romance novels and related subgenres, including Romantasy, in which classic fairy tales are reimagined, with strong female protagonists embarking on quests both otherworldly and romantically relatable. The store is also less like Barnes & Noble and more like “hanging out at your best friend’s house,” according to The Romance Era Bookshop owner and founder Ren Rice. The Columbian recently profiled Rice about their new venture to create “a safe space” free of judgement for visitors to explore this popular genre. Rice joins us to talk about their bookstore and efforts to showcase an increasing number of BIPOC, women and LGBTQ+ authors writing romance fiction today. 

Last week, the Clark County Council in Southwest Washington unanimously approved the creation of a new public defenders office to provide free legal counsel to criminal defendants who cannot afford hiring their own lawyers. Clark County is the largest county in Washington to rely on a contract model for public defense. As previously reported in The Columbian, the new office will initially consist of 10 positions, including six attorneys who will handle felony-level cases. The county will continue contracting with Vancouver Defenders to provide public defense for misdemeanor cases. Vancouver Defenders is also contracted to handle some of the felony cases heard in Clark County Superior Court. Amber Emery is the deputy county manager of Clark County, and Christie Emrich is a defense attorney and the owner of Vancouver Defenders. They join us to talk about this new office and the benefits they hope it provides for the county, public defenders and indigent clients in Clark County.