Willamette Wake Up

Salem Health brought a unique opportunity to see and experience their robotic surgery technology on May 30, when the Thoracic Oncology Mobile Experience (TOME) truck came to the hospital campus. Take a tour of Salem Hospital's new cancer screening tool, the Ion Robotic Bronchoscopy system, and the da Vinci 5 Robotic Surgical system.

Elephant in the Room talks with Travis Williams of the Willamette River Preservation Trust about this nonprofit organization's mission to acquire remnants of intact ecosystems along the Willamette River to preserve in perpetuity.

Holla for Labor talks with Graham Trainor, president of Oregon AFL-CIO about the rise in popularity of labor unionizing efforts and labor's response to federal initiatives poised to weaken democracy. 

Salem's Safe Parking program offers a safe place for people who live in their cars to park overnight. Program participants also get case management, showers, laundries and mechanic services.  With loss of City of Salem funds, the program is in jeopardy.  DJ Vincent, Church at the Park, explains how the program works and what the general community can do to ensure the program continues.

Conservation Spotlight continues its "Meet the Farmer" series with the family-run Steenson Hazelnut orchard in Salem about how they use biodynamic farming practices to work with nature, not against it.

Monmouth Monthly celebrates Public Works with the city's engineer David Karr and wastewater specialist Darin Dornbusch. They share projects they've been working on, from rapid flashing beams across Highway 99 to the Sewer Camera Trailer. 

With federal cuts to safety net programs in local communities, Jimmy Jones, director of the Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency, sent a letter to elected officials and community partners about what federal cuts could mean to impoverished families in Marion & Polk counties. He reviews the impact of services provided by this organization in recent times and how the Trump administration is looking at ways to reduce funds and reshape policies that currently guide how local communities can use federal funds to assist people out of poverty.

Braver Angels is a national organization with local alliances, formed to bring people together with differing beliefs and a hope to build understanding and find common ground.  This month Braver Angels presents a conversation between Dimitra Giannakoulias (State Alliance Co-chair) and Zachary Elwood (People Who Read People podcast host) about how contempt destroys democracy and how to combat polarization.

Keeping Oregon Oregon has a mid-legislative session conversation with Oregon State Representative Ed Diehl of HD 17 on proposed legislation regarding land use planning and agriculture. 

Elephant in the Room talks with Susan Smith, retired Willamette University environmental law professor, about the Trump administration's actions to roll back climate research, climate awareness, and environmental protection; and the legal and political tools that citizens and policymakers have to fight back.