Think Out Loud

The Ashland Daily Tidings was established as a newspaper in 1876 and ceased operations in 2023. But local readers may not have known that. The Daily Tidings website re-emerged after the closure with a claimed staff of eight contributors, none of whom are reporters working in Southern Oregon. The website features a regular slate of "stories" that appear to be written by artificial intelligence. OPB editor Ryan Haas joins us to talk about his investigation into the AI takeover of the Southern Oregon paper.

Though the title of sheriff comes historically from England, the role is inextricably linked to the myth of the American West. It is also inextricably linked to the racist foundations of democracy in this country, according to Jessica Pishko in her new book, “The Highest Law in the Land: How the Unchecked Power of Sheriffs Threatens Democracy.” Pishko writes about the so-called ‘constitutional sheriffs’ movement, which holds that sheriffs, because they are elected directly by the people, are beholden to no authority, and can uphold the Constitution as they see fit. We talk to Pishko about the history of sheriffs, and what the role could mean under a second Trump administration.

Peter Boag, a professor and Columbia Chair in the History of the American West at Washington State University Vancouver, co-curated the exhibit 'Crossing Boundaries: Portraits of a Transgender West'. He discusses the complex histories of transgender lives in the American West, highlighting the pioneers Alan Hart and Joe Monaghan. The conversation navigates the challenges of documenting these narratives and emphasizes the significance of visibility and acceptance in both past and present contexts. Boag's insights shed light on historical discrimination and the evolving dialogue on trans rights.

In 2019, the Oregon Legislature created the Urban Flood Safety and Water Quality District to manage levees and pump stations in Multnomah County. Last month, voters elected new board members to help guide infrastructure updates to the century-old flood system. As extreme weather events become more common, catastrophic flooding is a growing concern. We check in on the work of the district and learn more about disaster preparedness from Jim Middaugh, the executive director of the district and Kayla Drozd Calkins, a newly elected district board member.

According to recent federal data, workers in the logging industry are roughly 33 times more likely to die from a workplace injury compared to those in other civilian occupations. In Oregon, the industry has been in decline since the ‘90s due to a mix of environmental restrictions around timber harvests, wildlife protections for endangered animals and competition from lumber imports. But the lure of high wages can outweigh the physical risks loggers face, especially in rural parts of the state, as New York Times economics correspondent Kurtis Lee recently found during a reporting trip to southwestern Oregon. He joins us to share what he learned.   

Willamette University’s Pacific Northwest College of Art will feature student artists at the Holiday Makers Market. The event runs from Thursday through Saturday and will feature original artwork and crafts made by students. The college will also project animations and art created by students, staff and faculty during First Thursday in Portland’s Pearl District. Meghann Gilligan is the assistant director of public programming for the school and Dylan Mead is a student organizer of the market. We’ll hear more from them about how the events teach students through experiential learning.

Ski season has begun, and along with the many recreational enthusiasts hitting the slopes, professional ski patrollers join them too. These patrollers are responsible for transporting injured skiers, providing first aid, mitigating hazards and more. Cathleen Calkins is a professional ski patroller and board member of Women of Patrol, a nonprofit aimed at supporting and highlighting female patrollers. She also wrote a piece earlier this year about her experience working in the industry. She joins us to share more on what the job is like and the trauma the job can bring, as this year's ski season begins. 

If you follow college football and you live in Oregon, there is little chance that you don’t already know that the University of Oregon Ducks are having their best season since 2010. Last weekend, the No. 1-ranked team completed a perfect 12-0 winning season - for just the second time ever - with a victory over rivals Washington Huskies. If you have high hopes that they’ll win their upcoming Big 10 Conference Championship game on Saturday and go on to take the title, then you’re definitely not alone. We get more details about the season and championship prognostications from Zachary Neel, the managing editor of USA Today’s Ducks Wire.

Project Turnkey began as a way to house people who lost their homes in the 2020 wildfires and to provide a COVID-safe alternative to congregate shelters. The Oregon Legislature provided funding for communities to purchase underused buildings, typically motels and hotels, and turn them into shelter spaces where residents could stay for months at a time and engage in support services. A recent report from Portland State University’s Homeless Research & Action Collaborative found that several measures of a residents’ quality of life, such as their ability to get enough rest, access food and make progress toward their goals, improved after their stay at a Turnkey site. However, it also found that more than half of residents returned to either unsheltered homelessness or an emergency shelter after their stay. Anna Rockhill, a research associate professor at PSU, led the report. She joins us with more details on the Turnkey model and the role it can play in addressing Oregon’s homelessness crisis.

Joel Goodwin, Captain of the Corvallis Police Force, sheds light on an innovative approach to tackling acute homelessness through the Situation Table initiative. He discusses how diverse community stakeholders gather weekly to create personalized action plans for those in crisis. The conversation highlights the crucial role of collaboration, emphasizing shared successes and the importance of local knowledge-sharing. The structured intervention model ensures quick, effective responses while maintaining individual privacy, aiming to provide lasting support and solutions.