Think Out Loud

On Monday morning, more than 40,000 students in Portland returned to school after a tentative deal had been announced the day before to end a teachers’ strike that had shut down schools since Nov 1. The agreement between Portland Public Schools district and the Portland Association of Teachers still needs to be ratified by union members and the school board this week. It includes a nearly 14% pay raise for educators over the next three years, additional planning time and expanded access to mental health support for students in the district. Joining us to talk about the deal, how students will make up 11 days of lost instruction time and other details is OPB education reporter Natalie Pate. 

Author Tim O'Brien discusses his book 'Dad's Maybe Book' and shares the challenges of parenthood, leaving writing behind for his children, the power of storytelling, the complexity of pride in parenting, and thoughts on death.

Ada Limón, Poet Laureate of the United States, reflects on finding beauty in everyday moments, the transformative power of deep attention, and the challenges of representing diverse identities. She explores the sacred in poetry, the impact of human existence on nature, and the influence of moving to Kentucky. Limón also discusses the presence of horses in her poetry and her collaboration with NASA on a poem for a probe to Jupiter's moon.

Yesterday, a Harney County Circuit Court judge ruled that Measure 114 violates Oregon's state constitution. The law, which voters passed last year to regulate firearms, has yet to go into effect due to multiple court challenges. Measure 114 bans future purchases of magazines that can carry more than 10 rounds of ammunition. It also requires those wishing to buy a firearm to get a permit first. Permits will require applicants to complete a safety class and a federal background check. Earlier this year, U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut ruled the law is legal under the U.S. Constitution. That decision has been appealed to the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. OPB reporter Jonathan Levinson joins us with details about the latest ruling and what it means for the future of Measure 114.

Last month, a new bookstore opened in Vancouver. But this isn’t your typical brick and mortar spot to pick up the latest thriller, mystery or best-selling memoir of a pop star. The Romance Era Bookshop sells only romance novels and related subgenres, including Romantasy, in which classic fairy tales are reimagined, with strong female protagonists embarking on quests both otherworldly and romantically relatable. The store is also less like Barnes & Noble and more like “hanging out at your best friend’s house,” according to The Romance Era Bookshop owner and founder Ren Rice. The Columbian recently profiled Rice about their new venture to create “a safe space” free of judgement for visitors to explore this popular genre. Rice joins us to talk about their bookstore and efforts to showcase an increasing number of BIPOC, women and LGBTQ+ authors writing romance fiction today. 

Last week, the Clark County Council in Southwest Washington unanimously approved the creation of a new public defenders office to provide free legal counsel to criminal defendants who cannot afford hiring their own lawyers. Clark County is the largest county in Washington to rely on a contract model for public defense. As previously reported in The Columbian, the new office will initially consist of 10 positions, including six attorneys who will handle felony-level cases. The county will continue contracting with Vancouver Defenders to provide public defense for misdemeanor cases. Vancouver Defenders is also contracted to handle some of the felony cases heard in Clark County Superior Court. Amber Emery is the deputy county manager of Clark County, and Christie Emrich is a defense attorney and the owner of Vancouver Defenders. They join us to talk about this new office and the benefits they hope it provides for the county, public defenders and indigent clients in Clark County.  

We typically wear noise-canceling headphones to drown out unpleasant sounds, such as cars honking or construction machines drilling. But what if you still wanted to hear someone knocking on your door or birds chirping on your walk? New artificial intelligence technology from the University of Washington could soon make that possible. Researchers developed an algorithm that allows users to pick which sounds can filter through their headphones in real time. Shyam Gollakota is a professor of computer science and engineering at UW. He joins us with more details on the new technology and the ethical implications of choosing your own audio environment.

Center for Disease Control and Prevention data published earlier this year shows that Oregon has some of the highest rates of syphilis infections, landing ninth out of all states. At the same time, more than 3,700 babies were born with congenital syphilis in the U.S. last year — the highest count in more than 30 years. Tim Menza is the medical director of the HIV/STD/TB section of Oregon Health Authority. They join us to share more on what the current trends are in the state and what’s being done to address them.

How is the PPS strike affecting after school programs and other organizations that offer kids additional support outside of school? We'll hear from several groups that are shifting gears to offer kids and their families more resources as the strike continues. We check in with Sabina Urdes, the executive director of the East Portland Collective; Ava Shannon, the youth programs manager at the Northeast Community Center; and Jessica Swartz Amezcua, the owner of Adventures in Spanish.

Augmented reality technology allows the user to see the real world while overlaying virtual elements. It’s often used to enhance gaming experiences — think Pokémon GO — but researchers in the University of Washington’s Makeability Lab are using AR to improve accessibility for users who are blind, low-vision or have other disabilities. For example, the RASSAR app uses a smartphone to scan indoor spaces for safety and accessibility issues, while ARTennis uses an AR headset to help low-vision users track fast-moving tennis balls. Xia Su and Jae Lee are both PhD students studying computer science and engineering at UW. They join us to talk about their work and what future AR technology might look like.