Think Out Loud

One of the best-known strategies to prevent dune erosion is to introduce plants whose roots will help hold sand in place and stabilize the dune. But experiments conducted at Oregon State University show that may not always be the case. Researchers found that newly planted vegetation can actually accelerate erosion in the face of extreme storms. Meagan Wengrove is an assistant professor of civil and construction engineering at OSU. She was involved in the experiments, and joins us to talk about what the findings could mean for coastal management.

In a 6-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of a web designer refusing to make a website for same-sex marriages, despite a Colorado law that prohibits discrimination against gay people. In another case involving a mail carrier who was refusing to work on his Sabbath, the courts unanimously decided to broaden religious protections, creating a new standard for testing religious accommodations. Jim Oleske is a law professor at Lewis & Clark Law School. He joins us to break down the two cases and dig into the complicated intersection of religious freedoms and other constitutional values.

A church in Monmouth was exploring the idea of creating micro shelter housing for people experiencing homelessness. The housing would have been located on a grassy field owned by the church. The idea was scrapped after community backlash against the proposal. We hear more from Bill Poehler,  a Statesman Journal reporter, who has covered the issue.

Military veteran Lauren Grigsby describes the Central Veterans Oregon Ranch in Bend as a place of sanctuary. For nearly a decade, the 19-acre working ranch has opened its gates to veterans searching to talk to someone who understands the feelings of anxiety, isolation and other symptoms of PTSD they carry from tours of duty or other military service. In addition to peer support counseling, the ranch also offers mentorship and vocational training programs in ranching, beekeeping and farming, including a greenhouse where lettuce, basil and other produce and plants are grown. In May, the ranch began participating in “Together with Veterans,” a nationwide suicide prevention program focusing on veterans living in rural communities. Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among veterans under the age of 45, according to the Department of Veteran Affairs, which also found a higher rate of suicide among veterans in Oregon in 2020 than the national veteran suicide rate. Joining us to talk about Central Oregon Veterans Ranch and the impact it’s having are Co-executive directors and U.S. Marine Corps veterans Lauren Grigsby and Adrian De La Rosa, who is also a certified peer support specialist.  

If you or someone you know is struggling, you can call or text 9-8-8 to reach the national suicide prevention hotline.

In Southeast Portland, a woman has constructed what she calls the “giving fence” after a series of code violations and complaints from neighbors and the city. This unusual construction is a series of yellow bins stacked upon each other, filled with blankets, dry goods, clothes and hygiene products that are free for anyone who needs them. Courtney Vaugn, the news editor for the Portland Mercury, has been covering this story and joins us now to share more on the efforts the Sellwood woman is making.

In a 6-3 vote, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled to ban affirmative action at colleges and universities. Justices heard two cases brought forward by the group Students for Fair Admission, who challenged race-based admission practices at Harvard and the University of North Carolina. 

Sabrina Sommer is the equity specialist for the David Douglas School District. Eric Staab is the Vice President of Admissions and Financial Aid at Lewis & Clark College. And Scott Vignos is the vice president and chief diversity officer at Oregon State University. They all join us now to share what these decisions will mean for Oregon students and the impacts they believe it could have on Oregon colleges and universities.

Brit Bennett’s book The Vanishing Half was on a lot of best-of lists in 2020. Though spanning the second half of the 20th century, the novel speaks to questions about race and identity that have been central to national conversations for the last two years. In that novel and her other writing, Bennett deals with the bonds of family, the importance of storytelling, and nature of identity. We talked to Bennett about her essays and novels in front of an audience of students at Grant High School in Portland in February 2022.

Portland journalist Leah Sottile’s book “When The Moon Turns To Blood” centers on the case of Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell. The couple was on trial in 2023, accused of killing two of Vallow’s children whose bodies were found in Daybell’s backyard. But the book is about much more than just true crime. Sottile digs into the couple’s apocalyptic beliefs and the history of the extremism that exists on the fringes of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormon church. We talked with Sottile in 2022 about what this case reveals about religious extremism in the American west. Lori Vallow was found guilty in May of 2023. Chad Daybell is set to stand trial in April 2024.

With fewer sweeps during the pandemic, encampments have become a seemingly permanent fixture in many parts of Portland. And in response, city officials have started taking a more hardline approach. In February, Mayor Ted Wheeler issued an emergency order to ban camping near busy roadways. He has also said he plans to create large outdoor sites for sanctioned camping. On “Think Out Loud” we’ve heard from service providers, policy makers, and elected officials, including the mayor. We also wanted to hear from people who are living on the streets. 

So, on a chilly and rainy March day, host Dave Miller, producer Julie Sabatier and OPB’s emerging journalism fellow, Chris Gonzalez, went to Old Town and an area near Delta Park in North Portland to interview folks living in tents or shelters or cars. This wasn’t comprehensive, or scientific. It’s a snapshot of homelessness on one Spring day in Portland. 

The Ankeny Alley Festival is a series of summer events held in the Ankeny Alley area between SW 2nd and 3rd avenues in downtown Portland. The events have been organized to rally support for businesses in the neighborhood that have faced declines in revenue as visits from Portlanders and tourists alike have diminished in recent years. The next summer festival will be the July 4th Celebration from June 30 to July 3. The series of events also includes a Pride party and a Labor Day celebration featuring music, live entertainment, art and food. Joshua Ryan is the event manager for the Ankeny Alley Association. Michelle Wachsmuth is a co-owner of Dan & Louis Oyster Bar. They join us with details of the events and what they hope to see for the future of the area.