Think Out Loud

By Oregon Public BroadcastingSociety & Culture News Arts

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Think Out Loud episodes

May 11 Oregon Historical Society exhibit celebrates 100 years of Highway 101
If you’ve ever driven to the Oregon Coast, you’ve likely been on Highway 101. The scenic roadway was officially designated a federal highway 100 years ago in 1926. The highway changed how people across the state accessed the coast, bringing new opportunities for industry and tourism from Astoria to Brookings.

The Oregon Historical Society is celebrating the highway's 100th anniversary with an exhibit that runs through Oct. 11. Megan Lallier-Barron, curator of exhibitions for OHS, joins us to share more about the history of Highway 101.
18 min
May 11 Lawsuit claims Oregon State Police shared data with ICE for years
According to a lawsuit filed by the nonprofit Rural Organizing Project, state police have allowed federal immigration officials to access law enforcement databases to acquire Oregonians’ data.

The lawsuit, filed last Tuesday, claims that Oregon State Police has violated Oregon’s sanctuary laws by allowing federal immigration authorities to search state and national databases, including those containing drivers license information, including license photos, as well as Social Security numbers.

We’ll hear from Martha Verduzco Ortega, the director of Immigrant Help Centers at the Rural Organizing Project, with more details.

9 min
May 11 May primary ballot measure in Lane County would give legal rights to watersheds
Next Tuesday, voters in Lane County will decide the fate of Measure 20-373, also known as the “Watersheds Bill of Rights,” in the May primary election. Organizers of the measure say it is in response to years of aerial spraying of pesticides in the county they claim has polluted drinking water and sickened residents. The measure also appears to be inspired by a global rights of nature movement, by claiming that watersheds – including rivers, creeks and the lands they flow through – possess “inalienable rights” that any resident in Lane County can sue on behalf of in order to protect those watersheds and their ecosystems from pollution by corporate, business or government activities.

Opposition to the measure is being led by Protect Our County, a coalition that includes current and former elected officials and Lane County business groups such the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce. Brittany Quick-Warner, the chamber’s president and CEO, joins us for a debate with Rob Dickinson, a grassroots organizer of the Yes on Measure 20-373 campaign who helped draft the ballot measure.
27 min
May 09 Portland musician’s new album born out of loss
When local folk legend Michael Hurley died last spring, his friend Alela Diane was inspired to write “Spring Is A Fine Time (To Die)," an homage to her friend and his career. The song helped catalyze her new album, which was recorded live in the attic of her Portland home. Diane joins us in the studio, along with fellow musician Peter Lalish, for a conversation and live performance.
29 min
May 09 Oregon’s corporate medicine law put to test in settled PeaceHealth case
Last year, Oregon lawmakers passed one of the toughest corporate medicine laws in the nation and a recent court case put this law to the test. SB 951 limits corporate influence in medical decisions and was at the center of a courtroom battle between Apollo MD, Peacehealth and local physicians in Eugene. The issue came up when Peacehealth announced it would not renew its contract with Eugene Emergency Physicians and instead would instead contract with Georgia-based Apollo MD. The case took a turn when it was announced that a tentative agreement between EEP and Peacehealth was made. Ashli Blow is an environment and public health correspondent for Lookout Eugene-Springfield. She joins us to share more on what agreement was made and what this court battle says about Oregon’s corporate medicine law.

16 min
May 07 Local group advocates for phone-free childhoods
OR Unplugged” is a coalition created by parents in Portland to support healthy digital environments for children. The group provides resources to parents and families like curriculums for digital wellness, suggestions for alternative devices to smartphones, and community events with “unplugged” activities.

The group also works as a thread to unite several smaller, local groups of parents across Oregon that are like-minded about creating phone-free environments for their children. Currently, these groups exist around Central Oregon, Hood River, Ashland, Salem and the Portland-Metro area.

One of these groups, based in Sherwood, was founded by Daniel Golder, a father who wanted to create a screen-free upbringing for his children. He calls the local group “Analog Alpha,” because of the group’s goal of helping Generation Alpha being “adept at technology without being dominated by it.”

Kathy Masarie is the founder of OR Unplugged — she’s a retired pediatrician who pivoted to this advocacy work after two decades in healthcare. We’ll hear from Masarie and Golder about their work.
22 min
May 07 Oregon Contemporary Artists’ Biennial explores ‘The Price of the Ticket’ in 2026 art survey
More than two dozen artists are participating in the 2026 Oregon Contemporary Artists’ Biennial, which launched last month and ends on July 5. The current exhibit is titled “The Price of the Ticket” and is on display at the Oregon Contemporary gallery in North Portland. Audiences can also experience performances, poetry readings and public talks at other venues in the city.

TK Smith is a writer and cultural historian who is curating the 2026 OCA Biennial that coincides with the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding. Smith took inspiration from author and civil rights activist James Baldwin’s anthology of essays, “The Price of the Ticket,” to select a diverse array of works that explore America’s history, identity and the price of citizenship, especially for marginalized communities.

Last fall, Oregon Contemporary announced that the National Endowment for the Arts had canceled a $30,000 grant it had previously awarded to the Biennial, per reporting by Willamette Week and other media outlets. The nonprofit Sitka Center for Art and Ecology quickly pledged its help to fill the funding shortfall.

Smith joins us, along with artists Mako Miyamoto and Jaleesa Johnston who are featured in the Biennial.

23 min
May 06 Grit and community support helps brighten outlook for 71-year-old Vancouver bowling alley
Rachael Allen says business is booming these days at Allen’s Crosley Lanes, a Vancouver bowling alley that her family has owned for nearly four decades. The Columbian’s recent profile of Allen and Crosley Lanes helped remind readers that the 71-year-old bowling alley is not only still around, but today thriving. That’s despite a couple of close but ultimately failed attempts Allen and her husband, Don, had made since 2018 to sell the business due to his declining health.

Don died last May, and a few months later, Allen decided to throw a party at Crosley Lanes to honor his memory and celebrate the bowling alley’s 70th anniversary. She credits the community’s turnout and its continued show of support for renewing her faith in the business as an investment worth keeping and hand over to her son and daughter some day.

Allen joins us to talk about Crosley Lanes, its history and the loyal patrons who are helping it endure.

24 min
May 06 How Northwest winemakers are appealing to consumers in a changing market
Henderson Ave and Brooks Wine are two Oregon winemakers that operate at different price points, but are currently faced with many of the same questions: How do wineries appeal to consumers when American alcohol consumption has waned in recent years? How do producers ease barriers to entry for wine consumption and education? How do vintners approach sustainability when wine is facing challenges due to climate change?

Tiquette Bramlett is the founder of Henderson Ave, a collection of canned wines that launched last year. Jen Cossey is the general manager of Brooks Wine. They both join us to share more about the state of Oregon’s wine industry.
21 min
May 05 Lullaby Project brings creativity and music to parents in prison or experiencing homelessness
The Lullaby Project was created more than a decade ago by the Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute. The program pairs singer-songwriters with parents who are incarcerated or experiencing homelessness, and together they create a lullaby. In Oregon, those songs are arranged for the Oregon Symphony and then publicly performed. This year’s performance is next Tuesday, May 12 at the Alberta Rose Theatre in Portland.

Ada McGraw was one of the first women to participate in this program after it expanded to the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility last year. While serving her sentence, McGraw was paired with singer-songwriter Bre Gregg. The lullaby they wrote was for her son Legend and included a poem from Legend’s father.

Jessica Katz is the director of The Family Preservation Project and facilitated their meeting. We talk with Katz, Gregg and McGraw to hear about this creative process and learn more about the larger impact of The Lullaby Project.
23 min