Think Out Loud

Many of those who serve time in a state prison are in need of treatment for mental health or substance use disorder. That treatment is largely unavailable but a bill in the Oregon legislature aims to change that. Oregon Representative Maxine Dexter, D- Portland, says the lack of treatment means that adults in custody are losing their constitutional right to health care while incarcerated. They also are not getting what they need to be successful in the community when released, as approximately 90% ultimately are. We talk with The Lund Report’s managing editor Emily Green about what the bill would do and why supporters say it’s so desperately needed.

A recent article published in The Bend Bulletin revealed shocking descriptions of disruptive student behavior. The accounts were provided by teachers, counselors and other staff working in the Bend-La Pine School District, the fifth-largest school district in Oregon. Their experiences were chronicled in a survey the Bend Education Association sent to its union members to hear their concerns about disrupted learning and the impact it has on their ability to teach. The district, which is currently under contract negotiations with the union, has created a task force of teachers, counselors and administrators to address this problem. It has also invested $12 million to reduce class size and expand mental health programs for students. Noemi Arellano-Summer with The Bend Bulletin joins us to talk about her reporting on this issue, and what’s being done to address it.

Last week, a sinkhole estimated to be 10 feet wide and 30 feet deep appeared on the Oregon coast at Cape Kiwanda. This is the second sinkhole to appear on the cape this year. Laura Gabel is the coastal field geologist for the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries. She joins us to share what exactly sinkholes are, how they happen and what could have led to the two that appeared on the coast.

Researchers from the USDA have been testing drones as a way to protect livestock from wolf attacks. Drones can have a speaker, camera or spotlight attached to them, allowing for different ways to distract a wolf. We learn more about how researchers are using the technology as a non-lethal way to manage wolves and livestock. Paul Wolf, the SW District Supervisor for USDA Wildlife Services, and Dustin Ranglack with the National Wildlife Research Center join us.

Today, Tillamook Bay is largely separated from the ocean by a 4 mile long spit of sand and scrub brush known for its beach and hiking trail. But in the early 1900’s, this strip of land was home to an ocean resort town, complete with an indoor dance pavilion and swimming pool, along with houses, cabins and roads. Jerry Sutherland’s new book “Bayocean: Atlantis of Oregon” tells the story of how this area was built and later destroyed. He joins us to share the history.

Leaders in cities all around Washington state are considering new bans on illegal drug possession or using such drugs in public. State lawmakers had enacted a temporary law after a 2021 Washington supreme court decision known as State v. Blake struck down the state’s previous drug possession laws. Efforts to pass a new permanent drug law in the final hours of the 2023 legislative session failed. On Tuesday, May 16, Governor Jay Inslee is convening a special session to pass a new drug law. We learn more from OPB’s Olympia correspondent Jeanie Lindsay.

Researchers at Washington State University have made history with a German-style sausage. It's the first university to receive authorization from the Food and Drug Administration to have gene-edited pigs enter the food chain for human consumption. A company called Acceligen had previously received such an authorization for cattle, according to the university. We'll learn more about what this means for food production from Jon Oatley, a professor in the School of Molecular Biosciences at WSU.

The Salem High School Class of 1944 have set a Guinness World Record for the longest running reunion. As first reported by the Statesman Journal, Trudie Meier Gavette and Gayle Priem have taken over the organization of the now annual high school class reunions. The first event was the 10-year reunion in 1954. But after their 75th a few years ago, alumni decided they should hold the events annually. Last year, they decided to look into the Guiness Book of World Records for longest running reunion. Gayle’s daughter, Shannon Priem, took the lead on submitting the documents and getting witness statements and other requirements. The news of the world record will be celebrated June 17 at the 79th reunion on the Willamette Sternwheeler in Salem. Gayle and Shannon Priem join us along with Trudie Meier Gavette to talk about the recognition and what the tradition means to them.

This week, Opera Theater of Oregon is performing a scene from a brand new opera they’ve been working on about the life of Sacajawea, the Native American woman known for her role with the historic Lewis & Clark Expedition. The opera, called “Nu Nah-Hup: Sacajawea’s Story,” has a libretto written by the great-great-grandniece of Sacajawea, Rose Ann Abrahamson. It also features music by OTO Artistic Director Justin Ralls and Native American flutist and composer Hovia Edwards. It will be sung in Agai-Dika/Lemhi-Shoshone, Québécois French and English. We talk to Rose Ann Abrahamson and Lisa Lipton, executive director of Opera Theater of Oregon.

A new study out of the University of Oregon suggests that humans aren’t the only ones who get the munchies under the influence of marijuana.

Researchers soaked worms in an endocannabinoid – described as a THC-like substance produced in the brain – and observed a similar response to humans under the influence of marijuana. The worms gravitated toward the types of bacteria they prefer to eat, and consumed them at a faster rate than normal. The findings could provide insight into the human endocannabinoid system, which is surprisingly similar to the worms, and regulates bodily responses such as appetite, pain and inflammation.

Shawn Lockery is a professor in UO’s Institute of Neuroscience. He joins us with more details on the study.