Think Out Loud

By 2050, roughly one in four Oregonians will be age 65 or older. In rural Lincoln County, older adults already make up about a third of the population, representing one of the fastest-aging communities in the state.“Think Out Loud” recently traveled to Newport to talk about healthy aging — the social connections and habits that can help people thrive as they get older, as well as the programs and policies communities should consider as their populations age.Jan Molnar Fitzgerald is the executive director of North End Senior Solutions, which includes an adult day service. Helen Beaman is the older adult behavioral health specialist for Lincoln and Tillamook counties. Randi Moore is the director of Senior, Disability, and Community Services Programs for the Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments. And Debby Rhein volunteers for some of the council’s programs, including as a Senior Companion and Foster Grandparent.They joined us in front of a live audience at the Newport 60+ Activity Center to talk about the civic and social infrastructure that can lead to healthy aging on the Oregon Coast.                

This week the board of Prosper Portland votes to finalize a settlement for more than 20 people whose homes and businesses were destroyed in the name of urban renewal from the 1950s through the ’70s. The group of Black Portlanders fought for years to get to this point, and eventually filed a federal lawsuit arguing that the city of Portland, Emanuel Legacy Medical Center and Prosper Portland conspired to destroy a previously thriving Black neighborhood. The original financial settlement proposed to the Portland city council was $2 million. After testimony from a dozen community members recently, all 12 Portland city councilors voted to increase the amount to $8.5 million. As part of the settlement, the lawsuit will be dismissed, and the descendants will get financial and land retribution, in addition to other terms. We hear from plaintiffs Donna Marshall and Byrd, who led the research effort that culminated in this settlement, and from their lawyer Ed Johnson.  

Last week, the Trump administration pulled out of a historic agreement made in 2023 to aid in salmon recovery and renewable energy for tribes. The agreement would have invested more than $1 billion in federal funds for wild fish restoration efforts over a decade and could have potentially led to the removal of the Snake River Dams to help native salmon populations. But, some industry leaders were unsupportive of the deal, including those in the agricultural and port industries who say the dams play a critical role in shipping goods overseas. Jeremy Takala is the chair of the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission and worked closely with the Biden administration to reach the agreement. Leslie Druffel is the outreach director for the McGregor Company in Washington and works closely with many in the agricultural industry. They both join us to share their thoughts on the rescission of the deal.

Coffee leaders in Oregon recently held a roundtable discussion with Democratic U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici to discuss how changes at the federal level are affecting the industry, according to Daily Coffee News. Leaders in the Portland area say they’re concerned about how a 10% tariff could affect already high coffee prices. Additionally, countries that produce coffee including Kenya, Ethiopia and Honduras have been hit by USAID cuts. Programs that operated with USAID funding have been shut down overnight, affecting farmers and supply chains. Emily Smith is a relationship representative for Hacea Coffee. Darrin Daniel is a consultant for coffee roasters and retailers and has more than two decades of experience as a green coffee buyer. Cassy Gleason is the co-owner of Buckman Coffee Factory and Marigold Coffee. They join us with more on how Oregon’s coffee industry is tied to international relations and what federal policies mean at the state level.

Oregon lawmakers recently unveiled a proposal to maintain the state’s roads and bridges. House Bill 2025 would raise the state’s gas tax by 15 cents, raise vehicle fees and add oversight to the Oregon Department of Transportation, according to OPB reporting. The bill could raise more than $2 billion annually by 2034, according to a revenue analysis. What does the proposal mean for cities and counties? Dan Dorran is a Umatilla County Commissioner. Jim McCauley is the legislative director for the League of Oregon Cities. They join us with more on the role that cities and counties play in Oregon’s transportation system and why funding is critical at the local level.

In Multnomah County, the number of deaths of homeless residents grew from 113 in 2019 to more than 450 in 2023. Research has found that encampment sweeps can threaten the health of people experiencing homelessness. Portland has carried out 19,000 sweeps since 2021, according to city records. Reporting from Street Roots and ProPublica examines why residents of Multnomah County die at a higher rate than in any major West Coast county, according to available homeless mortality data. K. Rambo is the editor-in-chief of Street Roots and produced the story for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network. Rambo joins us with details.

Bend serves as a gateway to natural wonder and recreation in Central Oregon. But, like many other places across the West, the city has too few homes. “High Desert, Higher Costs: Bend and the Housing Crisis in the American West” explores the housing issues that have been brewing for decades in Bend. We’ll hear more about the city from Jonathan Bach, author of the book and housing reporter for The Oregonian/OregonLive.

Oregon lawmakers have until June 29 to finish legislative business and adjourn the 2025 regular session. Although a number of bills remain in play, even at this late date, the only thing lawmakers are constitutionally obligated to do before they leave the Capitol is pass a biennial budget for 2025-2027. During the last five months, Democrats and Republicans have taken up issues related to housing, taxes, transportation and much more. House Minority Leader Christine Drazan, R-Canby, shared her perspective on the session on Friday’s “Think Out Loud.” And joining us today to talk about the progress toward sine die is Senate Majority Leader, Kayse Jama, D-Portland.

By the time he was 20 years old, Seattle amateur filmmaker Richard Lyford had already made nine films, including “The Scalpel.” Lyford wrote, directed, starred in and made the silent horror movie in 1936 when he was still in his teens. The film also showcased Lyford’s skills with makeup and early cinematic special effects, which he used to transform himself into a Dr. Jekyll-like scientist who experiments on himself with gruesome and tragic results. According to Seattle composer and producer Ed Hartman, “The Scalpel” was never publicly shown, apart from a handful of screenings to friends and family and an amateur film club. But thanks to Hartman, who led the restoration of the film and composed a new soundtrack for it, “The Scalpel” is now being shown in its entirety for the first time in nearly 90 years. It will have its Portland premiere on Saturday at the Clinton Street Theater during the Portland Horror Film Festival. Hartman joins us to talk about Lyford’s legacy, restoring this hidden gem of the horror genre and what lessons it offers to budding filmmakers.

Oregon lawmakers have until June 29 to finish legislative business and adjourn the 2025 regular session. Although a number of bills remain in play, even at this late date, the only thing lawmakers are constitutionally obligated to do before they leave the Capitol is pass a biennial budget for 2025-2027. During the last five months, Democrats and Republicans have taken up issues related to housing, taxes, transportation and much more. Sen. Kayse Jama, D-Portland, will join us next week to share his perspective on progress toward sine die. But joining us today to talk about cooperation and conflict in the Oregon Legislature is House Minority Leader Christine Drazan, R-Canby.