Martha Sonato, PCUN, addresses the conditions and needs of Oregon farm workers during the coronavirus pandemic and recent wildfires.

Patti Casewell, Maintenance Environmental Program Manager for Oregon Dept. of Transportation, on how ODOT is working to restore Highway 22 after the Beachie Creek Fires and the dangers faced by workers.

Ed Dover, professor emeritus of political science from Western Oregon University, provides his analysis of the replacement process of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg after her death. He touches on various political maneuvers and repercussions from voters.

The 2019 Legislature created a task force to create a plan for a single-payer health care system for Oregonians.  While the task force's start was stymied by the coronavirus, task force chair Bruce Goldberg is hopeful as he talks about the task force's charge, underlying values guiding the plan and the people tasked to work with him.  The task force's work can be followed at the Oregon Legislative Information System (OLIS) website.  Or universal health care task force Oregon.

Filmmaker Andy Adkins was documenting the story of Opal Creek Wilderness and Jaw Bone Flats.  The Beachie Creek Fire interrupted his plans on September 7, 2020.  Hear Adkin's story: the history of Opal Creek Wilderness, the characters who made it happen, and what's next for the filmmaker.  At the time of this interview, the main character George Atiyeh was missing. Two days later a body, believed to be Atiyeh's, was found dead.

In this Polk County Report KMUZ talks with Miranda Garrison and Julia Parks, co-owners, of Arena Sports Bar and Grill in Independence, Oregon. How is this small business adapting to COVID-19 and the troubled economy?

Rick Gaupo, Marion Polk Food Share, talks about ways the food share is helping people who have evacuated the Santiam Canyon due to wildfires.  He talks about how the food share works with many partners to get food to those who need it.

After the wildfires during the Labor Day weekend, many people in the mid-Valley will have smoke ash to clean up - both inside and outside their home.  Chad Kerlengan, an expert in disaster and recovery clean up shares tips on how to safely clean your home of smoke ash.

Gabriela Goldfarb, Public Health Division of Oregon Health Authority, speaks to the dangers of wildfire smoke and how to mitigate the damage to human health. Air monitoring systems, what particular matter means, and the use of masks are discussed.

In this excerpt from a Salem City Club presentation from Sept 2019, Jeff Johnson, Western Fire Chiefs Association, talks about how wildfires have been getting worse in the last decade due to climate change and other issues. Johnson makes suggestions for home protection and broader policy changes to better manage wildfires in the future.