Think Out Loud

Indigenous author, botanist and professor Robin Wall Kimmerer is best known for her  book “Braiding Sweetgrass,” which was published in 2013 and is about the reciprocal relationships between humans and the land. Her first book, “Gathering Moss,” was published a decade earlier by Oregon State University Press. Kimmerer is in Corvallis to accept Oregon State University’s 2024 Stone Award for Literary Achievement. She will give a lecture on Friday, May 17th at 7pm.

You may not know it, but you’ve likely encountered a building designed by Pietro Belluschi before. The notable modernist architect designed over 30 public buildings in Portland and around Oregon, and numerous homes and churches. Belluschi was known as one of a group of architects creating a distinctive Northwest modernist style that matched his buildings to the landscape. Brian Libby, freelance architecture and design journalist, joins us to talk about Belluschi’s legacy which he recently wrote about in Oregon ArtsWatch.

Even before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, being able to terminate a pregnancy was not a choice available to everyone who wanted it-- particularly for those with low-incomes living in rural areas with no healthcare providers in their community. And since the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson ruling that returned the regulation of abortion to states, many state legislatures severely restricted the procedure, including medication abortions, which comprise more than half of all abortions in the U.S. In Oregon, the two branches of Planned Parenthood have seen an increase in the numbers of people from Idaho, Texas and many other states coming here for abortions. One of the ways that the reproductive health organizations ensure access is to hire abortion navigators to help those who need an abortion meet the challenges that may stand in the way, such as travel or costs. Nova Newman is one of four abortion patient navigators that work for Planned Parenthood statewide. She joins us to talk about how she approaches her job, the kinds of questions she gets from those seeking abortions and the ways she helps facilitate their access.

Hundreds of people gathered over the last two days at the Newport Municipal Airport to practice setting up what’s called an Evacuation Assembly Point. The new equipment comes from the state Office of Resilience and Emergency Management, and contains tents, cots, medical supplies and food to create a central place for people who need to be airlifted to safety after an emergency on the coast, and also a staging place to receive incoming supplies. We talk to Ed Flick, Director of OREM, and Lincoln County Emergency Manager Samantha Buckley about how these kinds of events help prepare for big disasters that may be in our future.

 Ben Kitching is a commercial photographer in Bend who specializes in adventure photography - think, for example, of an ad for kayaking equipment you might use or apparel you might wear while running rapids on the Rogue River. Last summer, Kitching embarked on a personal project that combines his skill in adventure photography with a documentary-like lens on a particular group of people he admires. The Oregon Outdoor Athlete Project has since grown to nearly 30 profiles of rock climbers, skiers, ultramarathoners and other athletes who live mostly in Central Oregon. They share first-person accounts of not only their introduction to the sport they love but also, at times, candid descriptions of how their pursuit of it helped overcome personal adversity or mental health struggles.  Kitching joins us to talk about his project, which was recently profiled by Central Oregon Daily News.

 Last week, Portland City Council unanimously approved new regulations for camping on public property. Effective immediately, the proposal allows people to camp on public property if there are no shelter beds available and also puts more restrictions on what is allowed while camping. This new ban limits the use of propane heaters, selling bicycle parts and blocking access to private property to name a few.  The new ban replaces one that was introduced last year, but has been put on hold due to a judge’s order. Service providers say they are concerned about the impacts these new regulations might have. Lauren Armony is the systemic change program director for Sisters of the Road. Sandra Comstock is the executive director of Hygiene4All. They both join us to share their concerns.

Both of Oregon’s Planned Parenthood branches recently welcomed new CEOs. Dr. Sara Kennedy will oversee Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette, which operates clinics in Vancouver, Washington, the Portland metro area, Salem, Bend and Ontario. Amy Handler will oversee Planned Parenthood of Southwestern Oregon, which has clinics in the Eugene-Springfield area, Grants Pass and Medford.  They’re taking over at a time when other states, including Idaho, continue to restrict access to abortion and other reproductive health services. Kennedy and Handler join us to talk about how Oregon’s Planned Parenthood network is responding.

The streaming platform Twitch is most often used by gamers to broadcast live video game competitions and interact with fans. But it’s also home to a growing number of users who are posting news content. Researchers recently looked at how three outlets – the Washington Post, a left-leaning political commentator and a right-wing media channel – use the platform. While creating opportunities to build rapport with audiences, Twitch’s interactive features also break many of the journalistic norms intended to preserve editorial independence. Maxwell Foxman is an assistant professor of media studies and game studies in the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication. He co-authored the study and joins us to talk more about the pros and cons of using Twitch to produce and consume news content.

Earlier this month, the Malheur Enterprise reported that the remains of a 27-year-old Idaho woman had been found in a remote area of Malheur County. Last June, Gwen Brunelle told her family she was driving from Boise on a brief trip to California. Her car was found abandoned days later on a gravel pullout less than 30 miles west of the Idaho border.   The breakthrough in the case came with the involvement of Aloft Drone Search, a nonprofit in Sherwood that uses aerial and underwater drones to search for missing people. Its founder, John Jones, was contacted by Brunelle’s father in March to help find her. Before Jones traveled to southeastern Oregon, he and his team of volunteers began reviewing more than 13,000 images that were previously taken by an Idaho drone company that had also assisted with the search. Last month, Jones alerted the Malheur County Sheriff of something a volunteer had found in one of the drone images that led to the positive identification of Brunelle’s remains. Jones joins us to talk about the discovery, and the role drone technology can play in locating missing people. 

Federal and state regulators are working with officials in states where an avian influenza has been found in dairy cows. So far, Oregon is not one of those states, but officials are taking precautions and coordinating with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among others. Jenifer Cruickshank is an assistant professor and dairy extension specialist at Oregon State University in Corvallis. She joins us to tell us everything we need to know about bird flu in dairy cattle.