Think Out Loud

For families experiencing homelessness in Vancouver, they may have to wait months until a spot becomes available at the few shelters that allow families. The nonprofit Share operates two shelters in Vancouver for families, each with 14 rooms, on-site laundry, a communal kitchen and dining area, and indoor and outdoor play areas for children. As The Columbian recently reported, Share’s shelters have remained at or near capacity for years. Adrianna Kofoed, director of family shelters at Share, says she and her staff have seen increased demand in just the past year, with at least five or six calls a day from parents seeking help for their families. 

Kofoed joins us to share more details about Share’s family shelters. Also joining us is Gracie White, a mother who has been staying at Share’s Homestead shelter for roughly a month with four of her children.  

Rangeland Fire Protection Associations have been working with state and federal agencies to respond to the Rowe Creek Complex and other fires in remote, difficult terrain. There are currently 29 RFPAs in Oregon. Their members are ranchers and private landowners who volunteer to help fight wildfires on private rangelands in coordination with the Oregon Department of Forestry and other state and federal agencies.

Ted Netter is a rancher and chairman of the Oregon RFPA Advisory Committee and the fire supervisor of the Lower Bridge RFPA which serves Jefferson and Deschutes counties. Ross Ryno is a rancher and member of the Twickenham RFPA which serves parts of Wheeler county. They join us to talk about their efforts to protect their homes and communities from the Rowe Creek Complex and Akawa Butte fire burning near Sisters.

Smith joins us to talk more about his role and the relationship between tribal and state law enforcement.

 From Journey and the Grateful Dead, to The Strokes and Depeche Mode, Oregon has no shortage of tribute bands. But why perform the music of another artist? 

Adam Corkery is a guitarist and vocalist for Brown Stallion, a Ween tribute band based in Eugene and Portland. Renée Muzquiz is the lead vocalist and guitarist for Major Tomboys, an all-femme David Bowie tribute based in Portland. She also represents Linda Ronstadt in Stone Phoneys, a tribute to Ronstadt, Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris.

They both join us to talk about the joys of performing familiar songs for die-hard fans.

Whether you like it or not, street art is a defining component of a city. However, street art has historically been a male-dominated field, which inspired the Portland Street Art Alliance’s Ladies Up Project. With allocated space and canvases, Ladies Up is rooted in empowering the creative expression of female street artists. We’ll hear from Executive Director Tiffany Conklin and artist Kyra Watkins about the program’s impact and recent expansion.

The Trump administration is rewriting Bureau of Land Management rules to increase the number of cattle and other livestock that can graze on public lands. The rules affect 155 million acres in the West, an area more than two-and-a-half times the size of Oregon. 

The BLM says the proposal “reflects the Trump administration’s priority to reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens, promote productive working lands and strengthen local economies.” But environmental groups have raised concerns about the effect loosening these rules would have on wildlife. And Native American tribes that manage bison anticipate impacts on their herds as well. The public comment period on the proposal closed last week.

We talk with Mark Olalde, reporter for High Country News and Propublica, about the plan and how it would affect ranching as well as wildlife and Indigenous tribes.