Best Portland Public Schools Podcasts (2024)

1
New Portland Public Schools superintendent shares goals for this year 17:46

3h ago17:46

17:46

Classes at Portland Public Schools begin next week and the district also welcomes a new superintendent. Kimberlee Armstrong began her career as a teacher in the Puyallup School District in Washington and most recently served as deputy superintendent of Evergreen Public Schools in Vancouver. Armstrong joins to share what she’s looking forward to in …

1
OHSU clinic provides support to patients with traumatic pregnancies, birth experiences 15:13

3h ago15:13

15:13

The birth of a baby is often celebrated as a joyful and natural process, but it can also be physically and emotionally traumatic. The Perinatal Trauma Clinic at Oregon Health & Science University is one of only a handful nationwide that aims to support parents who have experienced trauma around birth or pregnancy. Patients work with both mental and…

1
How TriMet is increasing security and enforcement in Portland metro 19:43

5h ago19:43

19:43

Starting in September, HB 4002 will go into effect and will recriminalize possession of small amounts of controlled substances. Portland’s public transportation agency TriMet is hopeful this could bring changes to the system that has faced a number of challenges in recent years, including a historic driver shortage, increased assaults on operators …

1
OSU researchers complete map of Earth's subsurface using electromagnetic energy 12:17

2h ago12:17

12:17

Nearly 20 years ago, researchers at Oregon State University began leading an effort to collect information about the structure and evolution of the North American continent using electromagnetic energy. That effort is finally complete. The new map can be used to protect the electrical grid during extreme solar storms and identify geohazards. It can…

1
High desert poet Ellen Waterston chosen as Oregon Poet Laureate 21:16

2h ago21:16

21:16

Central Oregon poet, teacher and author Ellen Waterston began her role this month as the state’s official Poet Laureate. Waterston has won many literary awards, including two WILLA awards and the Obsidian prize for poetry. This year she received both the Holbrook and Soapstone award in recognition of her contributions to Oregon’s literary landscape…

1
Portland expands its shared e-scooter fleet 19:21

2h ago19:21

19:21

The Portland Bureau of Transportation has made it clear, shared electric scooters are here to stay. Two new multiyear contracts with Lime and Lyft have recently been announced that would bring the citywide fleet to upward of 3,500 scooters. Millicent Williams is the director of PBOT. She joins us to share more on this expansion and micromobility in…

1
How Oregon real estate agents are reacting to changes in the way they get paid 15:43

1h ago15:43

15:43

A big shift took place over the weekend in the way people buy and sell homes in the U.S. The National Association of Realtors settled a lawsuit earlier this year that changed the way real estate agents get paid. Previously, a home seller would pay for both their own real estate agent and the agent representing the buyer. The two agents would split …

1
Invasive emerald ash borer now found in multiple counties in Willamette Valley 20:12

1h ago20:12

20:12

On Monday, the Oregon Department of Forestry confirmed that the emerald ash borer has been discovered in three new counties in the Willamette Valley. In the past month, the invasive pest was caught in traps set in Marion and Yamhill counties, and is also suspected of being in neighboring Clackamas County, pending confirmation by the U.S. Department…

1
Oregon delegate shares perspective from the Democratic National Convention 16:50

1h ago16:50

16:50

On Monday, the Democratic National Convention kicked off in Chicago. It comes four weeks after President Biden’s decision to drop out of the presidential race and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic party nominee. Harris quickly ramped up her campaign and won a majority of delegate votes to secure the Democratic presidential nomi…

1
Former professional soccer player writes memoir about her time playing overseas 26:33

1d ago26:33

26:33

Georgia Cloepfil spent six years playing soccer professionally in six different countries after she graduated from college. It was a lonely, physically demanding life that was also incredibly rewarding. Cloepfil’s new memoir, “The Striker and the Clock,” details that time, and the beauty and complexity of the game she still loves.…

1
Memorial in the works for former Black neighborhood in Eugene 26:34

34m ago26:34

26:34

On August 24, 1949, work crews and bulldozers cleared out a neighborhood just outside of Eugene known as Ferry Street Village. The Lane County Board of Commissioners had voted to demolish the neighborhood just a month before, and some residents who hadn't gotten the news ran from their homes with as much as they could carry. The neighborhood was on…

1
Funding awarded to 11 Portland groups for ranked choice voting education 17:02

28m ago17:02

17:02

The Portland Votes 2024 Grant Program has awarded $210,000 to 11 different organizations to support education efforts about ranked choice voting. The adoption of a new city charter has changed multiple aspects of city government. One of the most prolific is that in November, voters will participate in a ranked choice voting process to choose city c…

1
Multnomah County passes plan to improve ambulance response times 18:51

29m ago18:51

18:51

The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted Thursday to approve a temporary staffing plan that aims to improve ambulance response times in the county. The decision comes after months of disagreement between the county and its sole ambulance services provider, American Medical Response. The company hasn’t met its contractual requir…

1
Why Oregon’s hop production is on the decline 16:44

29m ago16:44

16:44

Oregon hop growers will be harvesting their crops next week, but at a much smaller yield than last year. The acreage for the plant has fallen by 18% this year in Oregon and nationwide. The driving factor is declining beer sales and changes in consumer habits. Michelle Palacios is the administrator for the Oregon Hop Commission. She joins us to shar…

1
In coastal Southern Oregon, water safety issues are growing 16:51

7d ago16:51

16:51

Coastal Curry County is home to several different rivers but all of that open water can lead to accidents like drownings. Luke Martinez is the aquatic safety officer and lifeguard for Curry County. He says he’s seen tourism in the region grow and has witnessed more incidents around water safety. He joins us with details of what the county has been …

1
Oregon sustainability pioneers push refillable glass bottles for beer and wine 22:45

1h ago22:45

22:45

When Matt Swihart started Double Mountain Brewery in 2007, his vision was to sell beer in the most ecologically sustainable way possible: in reusable bottles, which would be returned, cleaned and refilled, to be sold again. He says it wasn’t a new idea at all - this was common for all kinds of beverages in the early 20th century. And it wasn’t even…

1
Solar project in eastern Washington paused amid concerns about Indigenous cultural sites 13:03

1h ago13:03

13:03

Since 2018, Portland-based developer Avangrid Renewables has been working to develop an industrial solar project on a piece of state-owned land in eastern Washington. The parcel, known as Badger Mountain, is also an important ceremonial and first-foods site for tribal nations such as the Yakama and Colville. An investigation from High Country News …

1
Refurbished main terminal in PDX now open 28:06

1h ago28:06

28:06

The largest public works project in Oregon history is coming to completion. After four years of construction and a little more than $2 billion, the PDX airport’s new terminal is open to the public. The main terminal remodel features skylights made of local Douglas fir, the return of the beloved original carpet and a 120-foot-long video wall that se…

1
Despite disasters and invasive species, Oregonians are still starting farms of their own 12:15

2h ago12:15

12:15

In Oregon, farmers and ranchers are contending with wildfires, water shortages and invasive species. Still, Oregonians continue to start small farms in the state. Next month, Oregon State University Extension Service – along with other agencies – will offer Small Farm School, an event at Clackamas Community College that includes workshops and class…

1
New Burnside Bridge design to be decided in October 12:47

2h ago12:47

12:47

Burnside Bridge, which is nearly 100 years old, is set to undergo a five-year seismic rebuild, likely beginning in 2027. It’s a major travel route as the only bridge in Portland that touches all four quadrants of the city. Two potential designs have been put forth by Multnomah County: a tied arch bridge like the Fremont Bridge and a cable-stayed br…

1
Clea Daridan (S6, E1): Head of Arts and Culture at Community Jameel - Climate Activist, Lecturer, Human 45:02

1d ago45:02

45:02

Welcome to the first international episode of Urban Eyes. In this episode, Walle sits down together with Clea Daridan to discuss Climate Change, Environmental Research, and Humanity's collective future. We sincerely hope you enjoy this episode, wherever you are tuning in from. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/urbane…

1
Universities gear up for the Big Ten athletic season 15:15

2h ago15:15

15:15

Oregon State and Washington State are the only two schools left in the Pac-12 athletic conference. The University of Oregon is heading to the Big Ten conference for the 2025 season. Is the Ducks football team set up for success in their new conference against opponents like the Buckeyes, Wolverines, Nittany Lions and others? And how will athletes i…

1
OSU Extension Service aims to help ranchers and farmers with climate stress, grief 10:19

2h ago10:19

10:19

With drought, wildfire and other extreme weather events, climate change is bringing stress and a feeling of uncertainty for many farmers and ranchers. It’s also bringing along a new hurdle for many in the agricultural world – climate grief. Seeing the effects of climate change firsthand can invoke fear, sadness, hopelessness and despair for many fa…

1
Killing barred owls isn’t the way to to save northern spotted owls, says group of Oregon philosophers 14:19

2h ago14:19

14:19

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has proposed killing hundreds of thousands of barred owls over the next 30 years in an effort to protect the endangered northern spotted owl, which competes with the barred owl for food, habitat and other resources. The agency published a final environmental impact statement last month, and a decision on whether to …

1
Portland Police respond to street racing and attempted street takeovers 14:34

2h ago14:34

14:34

Last week, the Portland Police Bureau intervened in six street racing takeover attempts and arrested 15 in connection. These events have been on the rise nationally since the pandemic. Portland began a concentrated effort on these incidents in 2021. Commander Franz Schoening with PPB's Specialized Resources Division joins us to share more about las…

1
Portland author’s debut graphic novel explores generational effects of PTSD 38:56

15h ago38:56

38:56

Portland author Carl Sciacchitano’s debut graphic novel, “The Heart That Fed,” focuses on his father’s experience in the Vietnam War and the decades that have followed. It also follows Carl as he watches his father struggle with the psychological effects of the war. The book explores their relationship and the many, nuanced ways that PTSD can affec…

1
Coffin Butte Landfill proposed expansion raises environmental and health concerns 12:49

15h ago12:49

12:49

Coffin Butte Landfill, which is located in Benton County, might expand soon. The site draws waste from nearly two dozen Oregon counties and accepts more than one million tons of garbage annually. But the facility’s operators have applied for a permit to expand the landfill even further, raising public health and environmental concerns. A 2022 Envir…

1
An hour with Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek 53:44

4d ago53:44

53:44

A lot has changed statewide since Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek last appeared on “Think Out Loud” in October 2023. Since then, the state’s three-year experiment with drug decriminalization has ended, a state of emergency was declared to address the fentanyl overdose crisis in Multnomah County, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on a homelessness case out of Gra…

1
Oregonians compete in Olympic track and field events 29:26

8d ago29:26

29:26

Last week Ryan Crouser, who grew up in Boring, became the first person to win three straight gold medals in men’s shot put. University of Oregon’s Jaida Ross will compete in women’s shot put on Aug. 9. Earlier this week, former Duck Cole Hocker won the 1,500 meter race. Sarah Lorge Butler, contributing writer at Runner’s World, joins us for an upda…

1
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler on the city’s homeless camping ban 24:20

8d ago24:20

24:20

In May, the Portland City Council approved an ordinance that would allow homeless people who camp on public property and reject offers of shelter to be fined up to $100 or sentenced to up to seven days in jail. That ordinance went into effect at the beginning of July, but was put on hold because of extreme heat. At the same time, the U.S. Supreme C…

1
REBROADCAST: Author Charles Yu talks about ‘Interior Chinatown’ at Ida B. Wells High School 52:13

6d ago52:13

52:13

Charles Yu has written a lot about the nature of reality, how we understand what is real, and the assumptions we make about each other and the universe we live in. Yu’s first novel, “How to live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe,” follows a time machine repairman who is searching for his father who is lost in time and memory. His latest book, …

1
Self-guided tours, affordable housing shortage drive increase in rental scams 15:21

7d ago15:21

15:21

According to the FBI’s Internet Crimes Complaint Center, Americans lost more than $145 million to real estate scams last year. One component of those is rental scams, where legitimate listings are pulled from property management websites and reposted to sites like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace for a lower price. Prospective tenants are someti…

1
Do data centers fit with Washington’s clean energy goals? 17:32

7d ago17:32

17:32

Years ago, Washington passed a law requiring electric utilities to go carbon-neutral in a decade. Yet lawmakers continued to give generous tax incentives to data centers, which use a huge amount of electricity. In fact, in the last few years Washington has gotten a smaller share of its electricity from renewable sources than it did two decades ago,…

1
Deschutes County commissioners at odds on how to deal with homelessness 9:49

7d ago9:49

9:49

Since the Grants Pass v. Johnson ruling in late June, which ruled that cities are now able to ban camping or sleeping in public spaces, local governments have been navigating how to handle this new power. For years, Deschutes County has battled with the Oregon Department of State Lands on a pending land swap between county-owned lands and the state…

1
Eastern Oregon watershed council jumps into action to help landowners impacted by wildfires 12:38

7d ago12:38

12:38

For the past two weeks, North Fork John Day Watershed Council has been hard at work helping people in and around Long Creek fight fires on their property and deal with the damage done by the flames. The Battle Mountain Complex and Courtrock fires have impacted residents living in rural parts of the state, which have not been serviced by firefightin…

1
OSU researchers find sharks in Puget Sound for the first time 12:12

8d ago12:12

12:12

Last week, researchers from Oregon State University documented two shark species in Puget Sound for the first time. They found a broadnose sevengill shark and the critically endangered tope shark. The presence of these large predators in the sound may mean that the ecosystem is changing to fit the needs of the sharks, which could have other effects…

1
Fires in Eastern Oregon affect crucial sagebrush rangelands 12:58

8d ago12:58

12:58

Cheatgrass and other invasive species are threatening important rangelands and helping fuel severe wildfires in Eastern Oregon. Lisa Ellsworth is an associate professor and range ecologist at the college of agricultural sciences at Oregon State University. She joins us to explain how these areas have been affected by invasive species, extreme wildf…

1
After food pantry closes in Talent, community agency works on next steps 10:38

8d ago10:38

10:38

A food pantry located in the center of Talent, Oregon was forced to close earlier this year. It was located in Talent’s old town hall and was easily accessible to residents. A fire broke out at the location and organizers of the pantry are working on finding a new spot. Access, the agency behind the service, operates mobile pantries throughout Jack…

1
Washingtonians have 28 candidates for governor, among other choices in tomorrow’s primary 17:38

8d ago17:38

17:38

Washington voters have some high profile races on their primary ballots this week. Governor Jay Inslee, Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Congressman Derek Kilmer are not seeking reelection. Meanwhile, Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez will try to hold on to her seat in the state's 3rd District. In addition, attorney general, public land…

1
The Oregon company bringing stage shows to life 28:03

11d ago28:03

28:03

Whether you attended Taylor Swift's Eras Tour or took a trip to a Disney park this summer, you may not realize there is an Oregon connection between the two. Michael Curry Design is a creative studio in Scappoose that has crafted puppets, stage pieces and more for a variety of venues. From artist tours to theatrical productions, the creatives at MC…

1
Great Oregon Steam-Up celebrates everything steam-powered 13:44

14d ago13:44

13:44

The Great Oregon Steam-Up in Brooks has been showcasing antique machinery every summer since 1969. The machines on display can be as large as a crane or as small as a coffee grinder. Visitors can also watch demonstrations of sawmilling and threshing equipment, participate in a parade of steam-powered vehicles and ride miniature trains and trolleys.…

1
The dangers of low-head dams in the Willamette River 11:03

11d ago11:03

11:03

Low-head dams likely wouldn't catch the attention of a person floating down a river on a paddle board or inner tube. The unassuming structures can have drops as low as 1 foot, appearing as little more than a smooth bump in otherwise calm waters. But the continuous motion of water over the top of the dam creates a dangerous vortex at its base. As re…

1
Cats can be trained, says OSU researcher 15:23

12d ago15:23

15:23

“Herding cats” may be shorthand for an impossible task, but according to Monique Udell, Director of the Human-Animal Interaction Lab at Oregon State University, cats can be trained. We’ll hear what she’s learning about the relationship between cats and people, and how they can each improve each other’s lives.…

1
Portland book company 'A Kids Co.' is acquired by DK publishing 25:52

12d ago25:52

25:52

The Portland based-book company “A Kids Co.,” which has created books such as “A Kids Book About Racism” and “A Kids Book About Empathy,” was recently acquired by the British publisher DK. The partnership establishes DK’s first U.S.-based children’s creative team. A Kids Co. began in 2018 when founder Jelani Memory wrote “A Kids Book About Racism” …

1
In Southern Oregon, Curry Public Library offers free lunches for kids 11:03

12d ago11:03

11:03

Kids can get free lunches through the Central Curry School District in Gold Beach even during the summer. But workers at the Curry Public Library noticed that some kids were missing out and decided to step in. Throughout the summer, the library offers free sack lunches to children. The program began last year and recently has expanded. We learn mor…

1
Sensor being tested at Washington State University may help prevent fatal racehorse injuries 20:14

13d ago20:14

20:14

Last spring, a dozen horses died on the track at Churchill Downs, including two during the world’s most famous horseracing event, the Kentucky Derby. A report later released by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority found no single cause for the deaths but made several recommendations, including expanding the use of wearable technology to d…

1
OHSU’s use of live animals for surgical training is unnecessary and outdated, says physician’s group 14:39

13d ago14:39

14:39

For many years now, medical schools around the country have ceased using live animals to perform procedures as part of the curriculum. But in a minority of surgical residencies, residents operate on animals – often pigs – to practice techniques to be used on human patients. Oregon Health & Science University is in that minority. For years, People f…

1
PSU awarded grant for work addressing microplastic pollution on the Oregon Coast 17:36

14d ago17:36

17:36

Portland State University has been awarded nearly $2 million in federal funding to continue work tackling microplastic pollution in Oregon’s coastal communities and the Pacific ocean. The money will go to a collaborative three-year effort to reduce microplastic pollution with groups from a wide range of academic, community, municipal and tribal par…

1
Portland veterinary hospital’s blood bank is helping save lives, thanks to ‘superhero’ dog and cat donors 17:22

24d ago17:22

17:22

For nearly 40 years, the DoveLewis Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Hospital in Portland has operated a blood bank for cats and dogs in need of blood transfusions for life-threatening injuries and illnesses. According to blood bank coordinator Kelsey Reinauer, it’s the largest such facility in Oregon and possibly now the entire West Coast. Last y…

1
University of Oregon researchers study how cleats could contribute to disproportionate number of ACL tears in female athletes 17:11

15d ago17:11

17:11

A team of researchers at the University of Oregon is currently studying the relationships between soccer cleat composition and risk of injury in female versus male athletes. Female soccer players are three times more likely to suffer from major knee injuries than male soccer players, and a recent English study found that ACL injuries are 2-6 times …

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