Think Out Loud

Multnomah County leaders say drugs smuggled into the county's two jails are among the reasons that six people have died in custody in less than three months, the largest spike in at least 15 years. Overdoses are suspected in at least two of the deaths, and the medical examiner ruled that two others were due to suicide. Sheriff Nicole Morrisey O’Donnell has implemented new security measures, including strip searches of people entering the facilities. Sheriff Morrisey O’Donnell joins us to share more about the in-custody deaths and the steps she’s taking to put a stop to them.

From 2018 to 2021, fatal overdoses from synthetic opioids – mostly from fentanyl – jumped more than 500% in Multnomah County. County leaders say the increase in overdose deaths comes from a rapid change in the drug supply leaning towards fentanyl.  Anthony Jordan is the addictions services manager for the county’s health department. Teresa Everson is the interim health officer. They join us to share more on what overdoses look like in the county and what is being done to address it.

The Sherman County Medical Clinic in Moro is using a pilot tool kit to talk to patients about cognitive decline, which includes diseases like Alzheimer’s. Healthcare can be difficult to access in rural areas and patients needing care from a specialist face long wait times. The  American Academy of Physician Associates has collaborated with health care organizations across the country to test the tool kit. PAs, also known as physician assistants, are often on the frontlines of a patient’s health care and can have these conversations about brain disorders early on. We hear more about the pilot program from Erin Haines, a PA at the Sherman County Medical Clinic and Lisa Gables, the CEO of the academy. 

Pride events in small communities across the Pacific Northwest have been disrupted this summer by masked protesters touting extreme right-wing views. OPB’s Jonathan Levinson reports it’s a coordinated effort by a new coalition of groups espousing neo-Nazi and white supremacist beliefs. Levinson joins us with more details on the effort and the impact it’s having on LGBTQ+ communities. 

Caregivers in Oregon group homes are asking Governor Tina Kotek to fire their boss, the Oregon Department of Human Services manager who oversees direct support crisis specialists. The request comes after these workers continue to face long hours, little pay and severe understaffing. Currently, there is a vacancy rate of almost 15%. Christina Sydenstricker-Brown is a direct support crisis specialist and the president of the union representing these workers. She joins us to share what has changed since the Oregon Capitol Chronicle initially broke this story and why they are taking the dramatic step of calling for their boss to be fired. 

Geothermal energy is a renewable energy resource with enormous potential, but the number of plants has been limited by several factors. However, a breakthrough in geothermal technology that was announced recently in Nevada could change that. Industry officials say it could mean a huge increase in the percentage of electricity that’s generated from the heat beneath our feet. And some Western states are gearing up to make the transition more possible.Seattle-based environmental reporter Alex Brown joins us to share more about his reporting for the non-profit news service Stateline.

The Cedar Grove apartments in Beaverton were created by Community Partners Affordable Housing, or CPAH. The nonprofit has been working to create homes that Oregonians can actually afford to live in for 30 years now. This is part of a series of conversations we’re having this year about some of the biggest problems Oregon is facing, along with possible solutions.More than half of renters in Oregon don’t have enough money after they pay rent to be able to afford basics like food, child care or transportation. Meanwhile, Oregon is among the states with the lowest supply of rentals that are affordable to people who are at or below poverty levels. As a state economist put it, “We have the worst affordability” in the nation.We were joined by CPAH staff: Executive Director Rachael Duke; Housing Director Jilian Saurage Felton; and Resident Services Coordinator Renee Sheets Johnson. We also heard from neighbors and residents of Cedar Grove and other residents of CPAH properties, including Talaur Alvarado, Patrick Kirlin, Virginia Bruce, Paula Morrison, Mary Barbee and Jeffrey Worthington.

The Cascade Head Biosphere Region consists of more than 100,000 acres and has been recognized by the United Nations for its rare and diverse ecosystem. The area includes the Cascade Head Experimental Forest and Marine Reserve and Marine Protected Areas. The Cascade Head Biosphere Collaborative has organized the “Art on the Beach” sand art competition to continue its mission of educating about the importance of protecting the biosphere. Duncan Berry is the co-director of the Cascade Head Biosphere Collaborative. He’s also an artist and will be creating some sand art. He joins us with details of the event and what he hopes Oregonians will learn about the area. 

Research shows that up to 50% of the human brain is involved in visual processing. For octopuses, that number is roughly 70%. There are similarities between octopus and human eyes – both involve a lens and a pupil that allows light into the back of the eye – but the way our brains process vision is completely different. University of Oregon biology professor Cris Niell has been studying these processes in his lab. The team recently published a paper in Current Biology on the ways octopuses organize visual information in their brains. He joins us to offer some insight into how octopuses see.

From May to June of this year, the number of 911-related overdose calls in Multnomah County doubled compared with last year. While many calls took place in areas such as Old Town and downtown Portland, data obtained by the Lund Report shows that nearly every residential neighborhood in the Portland area has a reported case. Emily Green is the managing editor of the Lund Report. She joins us to share more on the data she collected and what is happening in the county.