Think Out Loud

Our Children’s Trust got its first definitive win in court this week in one of the many climate change lawsuits it's filed in state courts and federal jurisdictions all over the country. The group was challenging a law involving carbon emissions in Montana on the grounds that it violated environmental protections enshrined in the state's own constitution. And while Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen called the ruling “absurd” and promised to appeal, the case’s significance cannot be overstated. It’s the first OCT case to be allowed to go to trial, be litigated and have the judgment favor the plaintiffs.

The best known challenge to the country’s fossil fuel energy system is Juliana v. U.S., named for the lead plaintiff in Eugene, where the group is based. The case has been held up with legal maneuvering for eight years. A ruling in June cleared the way for the case to go finally go to trial, but the U.S. government is trying to prevent it from moving forward. Our Children’s Trust managing attorney Mat dos Santos joins us to share more about the recent win in Montana, the ongoing strategy in the federal challenge and other cases that are making their way through state court systems.

A new Oregon law will allow health facilities to return amputated body parts to patients for cultural, traditional and spiritual reasons. For some members of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, and others, the practice is necessary to ensure a smooth transition to the spirit world. Shilo Tippett is the manager of caregiver inclusion and experience at St. Charles Health System. Wilson Wewa is an oral historian and spiritual leader with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. They join us with more details on the new law and what it will mean for patient care.

Charlene Williams was appointed to head the Oregon Department of Education earlier this year by Gov. Tina Kotek. She is the first Black woman to lead the department. As the past principal of Portland’s Roosevelt High School, she used a $7.7 million grant to support students, boosting graduation rates and overall academic performance. She also served as principal of the district’s alternative high school, Rosemary Anderson, and helped lead the Evergreen and Camus public school districts in Washington.

As the new year begins, Williams plans to visit schools all over Oregon to observe and listen to families, educators and students of all ages. She also plans to create a student advisory group to better understand what children and teens want from their education. Williams joins us to share more about her educational priorities and her hopes for the next academic year.

Extreme heat has again reached the Pacific Northwest. Portland temperatures have surpassed 100 degrees, and the dangerous heat continues today. What does that mean for important infrastructure like utilities? How are state agencies responding to the relentless weather? Larry Bekkedahl is the senior vice president of advanced energy delivery for Portland General Electric. Matt Marheine is the deputy director for the Oregon Department of Emergency Management. They join us with details of how Oregon is responding to the high temperatures.

Little oversight, a disorganized office and an uncertain future are just a few issues plaguing the Oregon Racing Commission, a state audit finds. The agency, which oversees animal racing in the state, generates little state revenue compared to the Oregon Liquor & Cannabis Commission and the Oregon Lottery. Ian Green is the audit manager with the Oregon Secretary of State’s Audits Division. He joins us to share his team's findings.

Across the U.S., COVID-19 cases are on the rise. The new variant EG.5, also known as Eris, has been circulating the country for the past six months and currently makes up more than 17% of new cases, according to the CDC. At the same time, a new vaccine and booster is expected to be available by the end of September. Corey Casper is the president and chief executive officer of the Access to Advanced Health Institute in Seattle. He joins us to share more on the new variant and the booster expected to be released this fall.

Oregon’s older adult population is growing rapidly, with over 1 million residents who are at least 65 expected by 2030. By the same year, the number of older adults experiencing a mental health disorder such as anxiety or depression is expected to double. Aging presents unique mental health challenges, with factors like isolation, dementia and other co-occurring conditions compounding those challenges. And access to treatment is often limited for older adults. According to the Pan American Health Organization, only a third of older adults receive the mental health treatment they need.

When Tom Swearingen wrote his first poem to remember a friend who had died, he didn’t consider himself a poet. But the small group of friends and family he read it to told him to keep writing. He did, and he says because he long enjoyed Western music, art and literature, including the cowboy poetry of Baxter Black, that was the style that fit. Within 10 years, Swearingen had published a collection of poetry which was named the 2020 Cowboy Poetry Book of the year by the International Western Music Association. The group also named him best male poet in 2019 and 2022. He also got Willamette Week’s nod in its “Best of” edition this year. Swearingen, like other cowboy poets, is particularly busy in the summer months with performances at rodeos and other events. He’s done with rodeo appearances for this summer, but you can still catch him this month and through November at various gatherings around the state. He joins us to talk about his work and read some of his poetry.

Earlier this week, Oregon Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade announced that Republican state senators who staged a six-week-long walkout during this year’s legislative session will not be eligible to run for reelection as a consequence of Measure 113. Ten conservative lawmakers - including six who face reelection next year -  ran afoul of the voter-backed measure which bars a lawmaker from running for reelection after accumulating 10 or more unexcused absences in a single legislative session. Republican lawmakers have vowed to challenge Griffin-Valade’s interpretation of Measure 113, with the dispute likely to be settled in court. OPB political reporter Dirk VanderHart joins us to talk about the ruling and other recent political news, including the spiraling cost of a massive renovation project at the state Capitol. 

 It’s perhaps fitting that “Spirit Rangers,” an animated series on Netflix made for preschool-aged audiences, premiered last October on Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Now in its second season, the show revolves around three Cowlitz and Chumash Indian siblings - Kodi, Summer and Eddy Skycedar - who magically transform into a bear cub, red-tailed hawk and turtle. They then embark on adventures in a fictional California national park where they live and where their parents work as rangers. The creative team behind “Spirit Rangers” are all Native American, including Joey Clift, an L.A.-based comedian, television writer and enrolled member of the Cowlitz Tribe of Southwest Washington who also serves as a consulting producer on the show. Clift wrote a recent episode about salmon habitat restoration which features a maternal guardian salmon spirit voiced by Cowlitz Tribal member and musician Debora Iyall. Clift and Iyall join us to talk about their collaboration on “Spirit Rangers,” and how the show is both a source of pride and empowerment for Indigenous storytelling.