Think Out Loud

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is currently looking into the possibility of wind farms in Oregon. There are two areas of interest: Coos Bay and Brookings. The hope is that offshore wind in Oregon could provide about three gigawatts of energy, which can power about a million homes. But in Coos Bay, the proposed site is drawing concerns from the fishing industry. Nick Edwards is the owner of the F/V Carter Jon. He’s arguing the locations would eliminate fishing in those areas and worries the windmill turbines would harm the marine ecosystem. Edwards joins us to share his thoughts on the project. We’ll also hear from Doug Boren, the Pacific Regional Director for BOEM. He tells us where Oregon is in the process and addresses some of the concerns.

The Biden-Harris administration is hosting the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health today. The administration has released a plan to address food insecurity and health issues like diabetes, obesity and hypertension. Susannah Morgan is the CEO of the Oregon Food Bank. She joins us with details of the federal plan and what this means for the Pacific Northwest.

Forever chemicals are molecules that are present in our daily lives . They're found in food packaging and household cleaning supplies. What concerns many scientists is their ability to persist in soil and water because they can’t break down naturally. Researchers at the University of Washington have created a reactor that can destroy the most common type of forever chemicals: PFOA and PFOS. Igor Novosselov is a research associate professor in mechanical engineering at the university. He joins us to share how this reactor works and the implications it can have for the future.

Travel Oregon partnered with the state’s nine federally recognized tribes to create the “Travel Guide to Oregon Indian Country.” The guide emphasizes tribal museums, events and activities open to the public in Oregon. Lucinda DiNovo is the director of sales at Mills Casino and vice chair of the Oregon Tourism Commission. Travis Hill is the COO for the Umpqua Indian Development Corporation. Lisa Itel is the director of Global Strategic Partnerships with Travel Oregon. They join us with details about the guide.

Many public health officials agree that we’re in the middle of a youth mental health crisis that has only been exacerbated by the pandemic. In response, the Oregon nonprofit MediaRites created a new project giving youth the space to share their own stories of struggles with mental health. It’s called the ‘Ism Youth Files’ and will feature a resource toolkit, podcasts, and short films featuring youth stories. Dmae Roberts, the Executive Producer of MediaRites, and Jenell Theobald, one of the youth featured in the project, join us to talk about their experiences.

Nationwide, many pets receive little to no care from veterinarians. That’s one issue industry leaders hope to tackle this week at the Veterinary Innovation Summit happening in Portland. Douglas Aspros is the chair of the Veterinary Innovation Council, the organization behind the event and the chief vet officer at Veterinary Practice Partners, an organization that co-owns veterinary practices with veterinarians. Apryl Steele is the president and CEO of the Dumb Friends League, an animal welfare organization. They join us with details about the summit and how the industry plans to reimagine pet healthcare.

Last month, 22 environmental, public health and animal welfare advocacy groups sent a petition to the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission calling on it to regulate air pollution from large dairies. The petitioners want the state to require dairies with 700 or more cows to obtain an air emissions permit and conduct an air impact assessment of pollutants like methane and ammonia. They also claim that regulating emissions from large dairies is necessary for Oregon to comply with the federal Clean Air Act and meet the state’s greenhouse gas reduction targets. But the Oregon Dairy Farmers Association claims that the regulations aren’t necessary and would impose an additional financial burden on dairies which are already struggling with inflation and overtime pay requirements for farmworkers.

Joining us are Alice Morrison, the organizational director of Friends of Family Farmers, an advocacy group which signed the petition, and Tami Kerr, the executive director of the Oregon Dairy Farmers Association.

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the suicide rate for veterans was 57 percent higher in 2020 than it was for non-veteran adults. And in Oregon, that disparity was even greater. One of the ways the VA attempts to lower that rate is by training veterans’ loved ones to recognize the signs of suicidal ideation and how to respond.

A recent study from the Portland VA Health Care System and OHSU found that social media can be a good way to get veterans’ family and friends enrolled in that prevention training. The study’s lead author, Dr. Alan Teo, joins us now to talk about what that could mean for veteran suicide prevention.

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

Oregon produces 99 percent of the United States’ crop of hazelnuts, but Turkish grown hazelnuts account for most of the global market. Inflation in Turkey has also led to decreased prices, while shipping restrictions in China have meant a smaller market for Oregon producers. Terry Ross, executive director at the Hazelnut Growers Bargaining Association, joins us to discuss what all this means for Oregon’s hazelnut farmers.

Court Appointed Special Advocates is a nationwide organization that recruits and trains volunteers to help abused and neglected children navigate through the foster care system. Shaney Starr led CASA of Marion County for almost seven years, but recently joined the organization’s national leadership team. She joins us now to tell us about her new role as Director of Suburban Program Growth and Development at CASA National, as well as the ongoing needs for CASA volunteers in Marion County and Oregon.