Podcasts about multnomah county

Last winter, Multnomah County and four cities in the area created the East Multnomah County Transportation Safety Action Plan. It was created based on survey data the county gathered from East Multnomah County residents to identify problem hotspots for transportation safety Gresham, Troutdale, Fairview and Wood Village.    Vince Jones-Dixon is the chair of the East Multnomah County Transportation Committee. We’ll check in with Jones-Dixon about the issues the county has identified, and the steps that are being taken to improve traffic safety in the area. 

The  East County Library is the newest library in the Multnomah County system. It officially opened in May, and it’s the most recent renovation in a list of library building or retrofitting projects that the county has taken on since a major library bond project was passed in 2020. It’s the second largest library in the system — around 95,000 square feet. Annie Lewis, the Director of Libraries for Multnomah County, joins us to tell us more about it.

Reagan and Bryan discuss the 3 way governor race only - for the first time in a long long time. WFP endorses Kotek and demands are set. Defending immigrant communities and enforcing Oregon's sanctuary protections andImmigrant Justice Package.Holding corporations accountable to the commitments they make to Oregoncommunities when they receive public dollars.Protecting farmworker overtime and Oregon's climate protections.Advancing universal preschool statewide and supporting the model created byPreschool For All in Multnomah County.Expanding access to higher education.Strengthening campaign finance transparency.Investing in restorative justice and programs that reduce recidivism.Creating family-sustaining jobs through clean energy, advanced manufacturing, andmajor infrastructure projects.Meeting with the Working Families legislative caucus during the legislative session.Republican hits a moratorium - https://www.aol.com/articles/mike-rogers-backs-data-center-163141000.html Wyoming Freedom Caucus gets blown out of the water by “normal republicans”. https://cowboystatedaily.com/2026/08/19/near-total-massacre-for-freedom-caucus-in-wyoming-primary/?_wcsid=0955982BE74EB562AADE248A11855AAADFCB2BB2EFF85D54 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.crosstabs.studio

Practically all year, elected officials in Oregon have been trying to solve a puzzle: How can they ensure the enigmatic new owner of the Trail Blazers doesn’t attempt to take the team elsewhere, but not lose the public’s metaphorical shirt in the process? We now have a basic idea of what that approach looks like. This week – after a fair amount of drama – the Portland City Council finalized the terms the city will seek in exchange for funding a renovation of the Moda Center. If all goes as planned, they’ll join the state and Multnomah County in funding that roughly $600 million dollar project.

Do OR lawmakers need full time security? https://oregoncatalyst.com/98561-lawmakers-fulltime-security.html With the late night ballot dump in WI Dem Gov's primary that allowed the establishment candidate to win over the Marxist Hong, should Trump invoke the National Security Emergency EO which will diminish that from happening again all across the country? https://lite.cnn.com/2026/08/11/politics/trump-national-emergency-election Hong's loss and the late night ballot dump: Just like happens in Multnomah County when Republicans are leading Dems in Gov race at midnight. https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/08/wacky-marxist-francesca-hong-loses-wisconsin-dem-gubernatorial/DSA candidates win in other races across the country.  https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2026/08/11/election-night-livewire-francesca-hong-and-the-dsa-march-towards-democratic-party-takeover/ DSA wants America to become third world: https://thefederalist.com/2026/08/12/the-problem-with-dsa-democrats-isnt-socialism-its-third-worldism/ Inflation cools substantially: https://www.theepochtimes.com/business/us-annual-inflation-rate-stabilizes-in-july-slowing-to-3-4-percent-6074263?ea_src=frontpage&ea_med=section-1 We aren't likely to see total solar eclipse today: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/total-solar-eclipse-august-12-2026/?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us  

Mayor Frank Ivancie, Pioneer Courthouse Square's most intransigent opponent, gleefully declared the project “dead” in a 1982 speech. In doing so, he accidentally galvanized the citizen group that would prove him wrong. (Portland, Multnomah County; 1960s, 1970s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1405c.pioneer-courthouse-square.html)

The Multnomah County Homeless Services Department was first established in 2016 as the Joint Office of Homeless Services — an office overseeing services provided to people experiencing homelessness in Portland and Multnomah County The agency faced turnover as it transitioned from a joint office to a formal county department in 2024, and its newest leader, appointed in April, is Nathaniel VerGow, who comes from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.   VerGow begins his new position following Portland Mayor Keith Wilson’s campaign promises to end unsheltered homelessness in Portland, which have raised questions about what goals can be realistic for the city and what services do the most good. He's also heading up the agency as it faces a $67 million funding gap. VerGow says the agency has the current job of learning how to “do as much if not more with less,” as the department adjusts to its new fiscal norm.   We’ll hear from VerGow about his plans for the agency, and how his work with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority can inform his new role with Multnomah County.  

Timbers, Fire, Red Sox and NFL in the Cafe this morning...Multnomah County took a while but finally approved their piece of the Moda funding...and will Dame, Ja or Deni have to sacrifice the most to make it work for the Blazers this season?

Disability Rights Oregon filed a lawsuit Tuesday alleging that Portland and Multnomah County “fail to protect people with disabilities before, during and after disasters.” It argues that the city and county’s emergency management systems — from alerts and warnings to evacuation assistance and shelter accommodations — are out of compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.    For more on the lawsuit, we’re joined by Jake Cornett, the executive director and CEO of Disability Rights Oregon, and Audra Pearson, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit.  

Portland, Oregon is making headlines for all the wrong reasons — Keith Wilson was just hauled into court facing 88 separate retail theft charges, with stores across Multnomah County tallying more than $115,000 in total losses. That's not a crime spree. That's a career. And Portland let it run for case after case after case before anyone intervened.Sean breaks down what it actually takes to get arrested in the Pacific Northwest — apparently something north of 87 prior theft incidents. Security footage existed. Repeat-offender records existed. What didn't exist was the political will to act until the case count became too embarrassing to ignore. Wilson now sits on $300,000 bail, which tells you everything about how dangerous repeat offenders become when cities treat shoplifting as a non-arrest offense.Portland's soft-on-crime experiment has a body count — not always in lives, but in storefronts. Retailers across Oregon, Washington, and California have been quietly closing locations for years because insurance won't cover the losses and employees can't safely intervene. Open-air drug markets absorb stolen merchandise within hours. Wilson's 88-case run is a symptom of a policy failure, not an outlier.Subscribe to @reasonablenews and hit the notification bell — Sean will follow up on this one if it moves.#NFRP #Portland #RetailTheftGO PREMIUM WITH REASONABLE+ FOR UNCENSORED ACCESS

Sprague almost burned the house down...come on Multnomah County...lots of fodder from the final day of SEC Media Days...cafe specials from Sabrina, Saban and Scottie...when will the SEC get with the current times...LeBron is going to Philly...how cheap does Dundon have to get to bother you...a 59 on the PGA Tour.

 In 2022, the Multnomah county auditor looked into the jails run by the county sheriff’s office. The audit found that adults in custody who were Black or had mental health conditions were disciplined and put in isolation or solitary confinement more often. That audit made several recommendations, but a new report says the sheriff’s office has not implemented the recommendations related to the use of solitary confinement. While the sheriff’s office did not include a response to this report, a public information officer told OPB that their operations were grounded in best practices, and that the auditor’s office refused their request to meet before the report was released. The sheriff’s office also said that “a decision to not adopt a specific recommendation does not diminish our commitment to providing exemplary public safety services.”  

A homeless services provider on the verge of shutting down could owe Multnomah County millions of dollars, and Mayor Keith Wilson's home-sharing pilot program that pays Portland homeowners to take on roommates is surprisingly not popular. Plus, we weigh in on Portland's pettiest gripes. We also remember a fantastic reporter and frequent guest, ⁠Zane Sparling⁠. Joining City Cast Portland host Claudia Meza are KBOO news director Althea Billings and our very own executive producer, John Notarianni. Discussed in today's episode: ⁠Collapsing homeless services provider may owe Multnomah County as much as $3.6M, financial report finds⁠ [KGW] ⁠Mayor's Home-Sharing Pilot Program Receives Five Applications in Four Months⁠ [Willamette Week] ⁠Home Sharing Pilot Program⁠ [Portland.gov] Remembrances in Zane Sparling's name can be made here: ⁠Fight EHE⁠ and ⁠Oregon High School Journalism Institute⁠ Become a member of City Cast Portland today! Get all the details and sign up ⁠here⁠. Who would you like to hear on City Cast Portland? Shoot us an email at ⁠portland@citycast.fm⁠, or leave us a voicemail at ⁠503-208-5448⁠. Want more Portland news? Then make sure to sign up for our ⁠morning newsletter⁠ and be sure to follow us on ⁠Instagram⁠. Looking to advertise on City Cast Portland? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at ⁠citycast.fm/advertise⁠. Learn more about the sponsors of this June 23rd episode: ⁠Portland Bureau of Transportation⁠ ⁠SAIF⁠ ⁠Grand Central Bakery⁠

To Governor Tom McCall, it looked like Portland was about to explode, and there was nothing he could do to prevent it ... until two long-haired young people came to his chief of staff with a very unusual plan. (Portland, Multnomah County; 1970s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1406a.vortex-part1-psu-riot.html)

Twenty years ago, PT-658 was a weatherbeaten hulk, rotting away at a pier in San Francisco Bay. Today, it's a priceless piece of American history that you'll occasionally see on the waters of Portland Harbor. (Portland, Multnomah County; 1990s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1401c.pt-658-worlds-only-working-pt-boat.html)

We're talking about the uptick in ticks in Portland, according to Multnomah County health officials, and a proposed 29% electricity rate increase for data centers. Plus, we're diving into our mailbag to hear from you, our listeners. Joining City Cast Portland host Claudia Meza are Stumptown Savings founder Bryan M. Vance and our very own senior producer, Rachel Monahan. Discussed in today's episode: Tick bites on the rise at popular Oregon hiking spot [KATU2] PGE requests large rate increase for Oregon data centers [FOX12] Become a member of City Cast Portland today! Get all the details and sign up here.  Who would you like to hear on City Cast Portland? Shoot us an email at portland@citycast.fm, or leave us a voicemail at 503-208-5448. Want more Portland news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter and be sure to follow us on Instagram. Looking to advertise on City Cast Portland? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about the sponsor of this June 10th episode: D'Amore Law

 It’s been nearly five years since a deadly heat dome gripped the Pacific Northwest. Many hundreds of people died — including 69 in Multnomah County alone — from the extreme heat event that sent the temperature soaring to 116 degrees in Portland and broke other temperature records in the region.    As climate change makes extreme heat events more frequent and longer-lasting, a new Portland State University study predicts that heat-related illnesses could double by 2040 across more than 50 of the largest metro areas in the U.S., including Seattle and Portland. The cost of treating heat-related illnesses is also expected to double, according to the study, likely further straining healthcare systems and vulnerable populations.    The study’s authors developed a model integrating multiple variables, including demographic information about age, race and health; climate data; visits to hospitals and emergency rooms for heat-related illnesses; and access to air-conditioning or other cooling infrastructure. The study reveals that cities in the Pacific Northwest could bear an especially high public health burden with their aging populations and lack of cooling infrastructure.   Vivek Shandas is a professor of earth, environment and society at PSU and co-author of the study. He joins us to share more details.  

Today, we're talking about a record-breaking payout for damage caused by a Portland pothole, the deep cuts in Multnomah County's $4 billion budget, and Travel Oregon's new executive director. Joining host Claudia Meza are Willamette Week reporter and author Brianna Wheeler and KBOO news director Althea Billings. Discussed in today's episode: Like ‘an explosion': Driver hits pothole, secures what may be heftiest roadway settlement in Portland history [Oregonian] After all-night session, Multnomah County board passes budget with deep cuts; homeless services, DA among them [Oregonian] Former Multnomah County Commissioner Dr. Sharon Meieran's website, fix-multco.com  Travel Oregon Names New Executive Director [Oregon Journalism Project]   Become a member of City Cast Portland today! Get all the details and sign up here.  Who would you like to hear on City Cast Portland? Shoot us an email at portland@citycast.fm, or leave us a voicemail at 503-208-5448. Want more Portland news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter and be sure to follow us on Instagram. Looking to advertise on City Cast Portland? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about the sponsors of this June 9th episode: D'Amore Law Sake One pFriem Family Brewers

A century ago, the drug had a dark, smoky allure for the 'fast' young men and women of Oregon cities, and smuggling routes through Portland were supplying the entire West Coast with the exotic, deadly stuff. (Portland, Multnomah County; 1890s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1402a.opium-culture-portland-urban-underworld.html)

Today on City Cast Portland, we're talking about the primary election: the governor's race, the gas tax repeal vote, and possibly the most Multnomah County judge races we've seen on a single ballot. Plus, we have a food and drink tour of the Alberta Arts District. Joining City Cast Portland host Claudia Meza are Portland political strategist Jake Wiegler and food and drink reporter Alex Frane. Discussed in today's episode: Christine Drazan holds sizable lead in GOP race for Oregon governor, new poll suggests [OPB] Oregon Democrats found a way to improve roads. Now their gas tax goes before voters as prices soar [The Associated Press] Portland's DA froze an elected judge out of serious cases. Legal experts are divided on his reasoning [Oregonian] Become a member of City Cast Portland today! Get all the details and sign up here. Who would you like to hear on City Cast Portland? Shoot us an email at portland@citycast.fm, or leave us a voicemail at 503-208-5448. Want more Portland news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter and be sure to follow us on Instagram. Looking to advertise on City Cast Portland? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about the sponsors of this May 18th episode: Gard Communications Community Energy Project OMSI

Joe Hagedorn began his career as an Oregon lawyer by representing domestic violence victims as an AmeriCorps legal aid attorney. He then practiced as a public defender and, before becoming a referee/pro tem (temporary judge to assist the work of the court), Joe was a lawyer in juvenile court. Joe and his wife Hau have three boys. Joe is running for Judge of the Circuit Court, 4th District, Position 14 in Multnomah County on the Family Law bench. The election is May 19, 2026.

ONE OF THE most significant events in the history of the world took place in 1892, when a corrupt political hack named James Lotan managed to land a cushy government job as the head of the customs inspection service for the Port of Portland. Believe it or not, Lotan's landing that job led directly to Pearl Harbor and eventually Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and indirectly to the defeat of Nazi Germany in Europe. Not bad for a small-time white-collar criminal in a tiny backwater seaport town on the far side of the world, eh? I realize you may be a bit skeptical of this claim. Bear with me while I unpack it and prove it to you, along with the strong possibility that most of us owe our lives and the continued existence of human civilization to James Lotan and the sleazy little band of well-heeled drug smugglers and human traffickers who worked with and for him, on the Portland waterfront in the early 1890s.... (Portland, Multnomah County; 1890s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/2408a-1202d.james-lotan-opium-king-661.161.html)

You're getting a packed episode covering Iran's crumbling regime, Antifa violence in Portland, California's catastrophic fire failures, and an alarming Chinese infiltration scandal in local government. Victoria Taft speaks with Robert Spencer about why Iran may never negotiate honestly, a former Multnomah County sheriff about the collapse of law and order in Portland, and a retired California fire chief who says the Palisades disaster was preventable. You'll also hear how a California mayor allegedly became tied to Chinese influence operations and why the fallout could be massive.#Iran#Antifa#China#CaliforniaFires#VictoriaTaft

Weirdos at the perv park in Seattle got a small legal victory. Seattle Public Schools’ cell phone ban is now in effect. Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger continues to show that her campaign as a moderate was a lie. // LongForm: GUEST: Jesse Proudman owns several startups in Seattle but says he's leaving the city due to the high cost of doing business. // Quick Hit: A bombshell Washington Free Beacon reporting finds race-based housing schemes in Multnomah County. Far-left Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib wants to protect the “right” to public camping.

“World's Greatest Trick Rider” sold more than 50,000 bicycles in an age when bikes were the cutting edge of transportation technology; Oregon women loved them — until they started getting mistaken for hookers on the prowl ... could this be the true orgin of 'bicycle face'? (Portland, Multnomah County; 1890s, 1900s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1409a.303.fred-merrill-bicycle-king.html)

Today, Hunter was joined by five former public defenders, all running for a judicial position in Multnomah County, Oregon. Hunter and the candidates discuss how they view the role of a judge to solve various issues that might come before the court.       Guest: Kristine Almquist, Full Time Judicial Officer, Candidate for Judicial Position 14, Multnomah County, Oregon Peter Klym, Deputy Public Defender, Appellate Division, OPDC, Candidate for Judicial Position 12, Multnomah County, Oregon Joanna Perini-Abott, Professor of Law, Lewis and Clark School of Law, Candidate for Judicial Position 5, Multnomah County, Oregon Chris Behre, Public Defender, Candidate for Judicial Position 2, Multnomah County, Oregon Joe Hagedorn, Referee/Judge Pro Tem, Juvenile Court, Candidate for Judicial Position 14, Multnomah County, Oregon   Resources: Learn More About the Candidates Here: https://www.almquistforjudge.com/ https://www.peterforjudge.com/ https://behreforjudge.com/home https://jpaforjudge.com/ https://www.hagedornforjudge.com/     Contact Hunter Parnell:                                 Publicdefenseless@gmail.com  Instagram @PublicDefenselessPodcast Twitter                                                                 @PDefenselessPod www.publicdefenseless.com  Subscribe to the Patreon www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast  Donate on PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5KW7WMJWEXTAJ Donate on Stripe https://donate.stripe.com/7sI01tb2v3dwaM8cMN Trying to find a specific part of an episode? Use this link to search transcripts of every episode of the show! https://app.reduct.video/o/eca54fbf9f/p/d543070e6a/share/c34e85194394723d4131/home **** ALL OPINONS SHARED BY HOST HUNTER PARNELL DO NOT REFLECT THE THOUGHTS OR OPINIONS OF THE AURORA MUNICIPAL PUBLIC DEFENDER****

Joanna (Jo) Perini-Abbott is a lawyer and a law school professor running for judge in Multnomah County, Position 5. She is a Professor of Practice and Director of the Center for Advocacy at Lewis and Clark Law School. She has been a practicing litigator since 2010 and represents clients in criminal, civil, and regulatory matters and investigations for Angeli & Calfo. Jo is a mother and the wife of a police officer. https://jpaforjudge.comhttps://law.lclark.edu/live/profiles/14678-joanna-perini-abbotthttps://angelicalfo.com/joanna-perini-abbotthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/joanna-perini-abbott-17997424/

What does it take to build and sustain a strong public health workforce in uncertain times? In this episode Kirsten Aird, public health director for Oregon's Multnomah County, explores how strategic investments are strengthening workforce capacity, stability, and community impact.  Aird breaks down how PHIG funding is being used to support professional development, create staff-led communities of practice, and tackle long-standing hiring challenges, including restoring leadership continuity after years of vacancies. She also highlights the critical role of “behind-the-scenes” infrastructure like HR, finance, and operations, in enabling frontline public health work.This work is supported by funds made available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), National Center for STLT Public Health Infrastructure and Workforce, through OE⁠22-2203⁠: Strengthening U.S. Public Health Infrastructure, Workforce, and Data Systems grant. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.Public Health Infrastructure Grant: Resources & Impact - PHIG

Portland's leadership claims the city is seeing 'a new hope' in its homeless crisis, but official data from Multnomah County tells a much darker story. The latest numbers reveal the unsheltered population has surged to a record high of nearly 9,000 people, a staggering increase of 2,700 since the mayor took office. While the city government tries to spin a narrative of visible improvements, the hard data exposes the reality on the ground. This isn't a problem that's getting better; it's a compounding disaster fueled by failed progressive policies. We break down the official report that Portland officials hoped you wouldn't see and analyze how their approach continues to backfire.

This week, we chat with Paige Hendrix Buckner!Paige is the CEO of All Raise, a nonprofit working to accelerate the success of women and non-binary venture capitalists and reshape the culture of the venture ecosystem. She previously served as All Raise's Chief of Staff and Interim CEO before stepping into the role full time.Before joining All Raise, Paige was the COO of Founder Gym, the largest online program training underrepresented founders on how to raise venture capital.Her career spans public service, entrepreneurship, and community building. She started at Teach For America, later became Policy Director for Multnomah County in Oregon, and went on to found her own venture, ClientJoy. She also developed the TIE Young Entrepreneurs program and was a founding board member of XXcelerate, initiatives focused on helping the next generation of entrepreneurs and women founders succeed.Paige has been featured in publications like Bloomberg, Forbes, Fortune, Entrepreneur, and TechCrunch, where she shares insights on venture capital, diversity in tech, and why building a more inclusive ecosystem is critical to innovation and long-term success.✨ This episode is presented by Brex.Brex: brex.com/trailblazerspodThis episode is supported by RocketReach, Gusto, OpenPhone & Athena.RocketReach: rocketreach.co/trailblazersGusto: gusto.com/trailblazersQuo: Quo.com/trailblazersAthena: athenago.me/Erica-WengerFollow Us!Paige: @PaigeHBucknerAll Raise: @AllRaise@thetrailblazerspod: Instagram, YouTube, TikTokErica Wenger: @erica_wenger

Is there any truth to the stories of shanghaiings of the cigar-store Indian and of the dozens of dead guys found in the basement of the funeral parlor next door to the “Snug Harbor Saloon”? Well ... maybe. But then again ... yeah, no. (Portland, Multnomah County; 1890s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1407c.bunco-kelley-part2-the-myths.html)

He was Portland's most notorious bad guy, with his fingers in everything from shanghaiing sailors to smuggling opium. But ironically, when he was finally sent to prison, it was for a murder he clearly didn't commit. (Portland, Multnomah County; 1890s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1407b.bunco-kelley-part1-the-facts.html)

We're talking about how a new law banning law enforcement from covering up their face in Oregon will actually work, why Amazon is paying a multi-million dollar settlement to Morrow County, and what happened with Multnomah County's inability to track how $150,000 worth of gift cards and cash incentives were distributed. Joining City Cast Portland host Claudia Meza are KBOO news director Althea Billings and our very own executive producer, John Notarianni. Discussed in today's episode: 18 Oregon license plate designs, ranked [Oregonian] Will officers wearing masks get arrested in Oregon? Here's how the state's new legislation will work [Oregonian] Amazon will pay $20.5 million to settle Oregon data center pollution allegations [Oregonian] Multnomah County still can't say where $150,000 in gift cards, other incentives went [Oregonian] Become a member of City Cast Portland today! Get all the details and sign up here. Who would you like to hear on City Cast Portland? Shoot us an email at portland@citycast.fm, or leave us a voicemail at 503-208-5448. Want more Portland news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter and be sure to follow us on Instagram. Looking to advertise on City Cast Portland? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about the sponsors of this April 7th episode: D'Amore Law International School of Portland YMCA of the Columbia Willamette Neo Home Loans

Portland Mayor Keith Wilson entered office last year, promising to end unsheltered homelessness in the city. He opened several overnight shelters. And on most nights, the shelters are full. Wilson sees this as evidence that homelessness is decreasing.    But the actual evidence -- the numbers we have -- say there are thousands more people sleeping on the streets each night compared to when Wilson entered the scene   We are going to explain why once again officials from city of Portland and Multnomah County disagree and why the effort to quantify who is without housing is so fraught. Plus we’ll discuss the Portland arts tax and some recent OPB reporting as well. Find the show anywhere you get your podcasts.   

According to Multnomah County, nearly 3,000 more people are living unsheltered in the county than there were when Wilson took office. The Mayor says that data doesn’t match what he’s seeing, and that disconnect doesn’t help when the city and the county share responsibility for the region’s homeless response. OPB’s Alex Zielinski joins us to talk about her latest story.  

We're breaking down why Multnomah County is still strapped for funding, even with a $4 billion budget, and checking in on the Portland Community College faculty and staff strike. Their president makes how much?!! Joining City Cast Portland host Claudia Meza are Willamette Week reporters Anthony Effinger and Brianna Wheeler. Discussed in today's episode: Why Multnomah County Has $4 Billion but Not a Nickel to Spend [Willamette Week] Portland Community College faculty and staff remain on strike as college leaders and unions apply pressure for final deal [OPB] Become a member of City Cast Portland today! Get all the details and sign up here. Who would you like to hear on City Cast Portland? Shoot us an email at portland@citycast.fm, or leave us a voicemail at 503-208-5448. Want more Portland news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter and be sure to follow us on Instagram. Looking to advertise on City Cast Portland? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about the sponsors of this March 26th episode: Discover Newport International School of Portland

Danisa McLean has taken the helm of Multnomah County’s Preschool for All program after her predecessor resigned abruptly last summer amid an external investigation into a conflict of interest. The program is funded by a 1.5% marginal tax rate on high income earners which some, including Governor Tina Kotek, have said is having negative effects on Oregon’s economy. In addition, estimates on how many preschool spots are needed and how much money that will cost have been difficult to match up in forecasts. McLean joins us to explain her vision for the program.

When the Oregon legislative session kicked off last month, state lawmakers had just five weeks to tackle a slate of priorities. One of those was a plan Democratic state and local leaders championed to keep the Portland Trail Blazers’ prospective new owners from moving the beloved basketball team out of Rip City. Lawmakers in Salem moved closer to that goal with the passage of SB 1501 in the final days of the session. The bill received bipartisan support and allows the state to borrow $365 million by issuing bonds to help pay for the costly renovation of the Moda Center, the aging arena that’s home to the Blazers. The public financing plan has several conditions including: the Blazers’ sale to its new ownership group, led by Tom Dundon, gets approved by the NBA; the team agrees to a 20-year Moda Center lease; and the City of Portland and Multnomah County must also pitch in hundreds of millions of dollars for the renovation. Joining us for a discussion about the public financing plan are Oregon Senate President Rob Wagner, who sponsored the bill, and Dewayne Hankins, President of Business Operations for the Portland Trail Blazers.

This is a story about a trail called Nature Trail. At the heart of the story is a simple question: What is nature for? Feel free to click play above to listen to the soundscape of Nature Trail as we ponder this question. Nature Trail was built in the 1960's in the interior of the roughly 5,000-acre nature park that had been dedicated 20 years prior, but received little attention in the way of development. Indeed, the most newsworthy question in those early years seemed to be what should we call it? In 1957, a call for suggestions—perhaps favoring something more showy than the functional, socially adopted name, The Forest Park—yielded many (Skyline, Tualatin, Wildwood, Tualatin Mountain…) but the de-facto name won the day. Officially, “Portland's Forest Park” was favored by one vote over “Skyline Forest Park”. The “Portland's” part never seemed to really catch on.Actually, the biggest changes to the park, to this day, came in response to a 1951 fire that burned over 1200 acres in the center of it. Fifteen emergency access fire lanes were constructed in the early 1950's, broadly perpendicular to the slope of the Tualatin Mountains, like rungs on a ladder. What was nature for in the 1950's? Accessible nature was becoming scarce. The public wanted protections from both development and the threat posed by wildfire. These fire lanes likely became informal points of entry for the park users in the early years. A network of hiking trails was modest: around 10 miles in total, on the southern end in 1960. Today there are over 80 miles of trails.What was nature for in 1960? A refuge to visit and admire via trails and lanes. Today, Nature Trail still harbors subtle clues to its origins There's an old steel pole gate and concrete bollards covered by so much moss they could pass for stumps at the end of Fire Lane 1. It all appears quite out of place in the quiet interior of Forest Park. Nearby there is a meadow-like ridge with a couple weathered picnic tables. Starting in the late 60's and running for about two decades or so, this was the drop zone for thousands of children in a campaign to foster a connection with nature, formalized in 1968. A rare 1968 publication in the Library Use Only stacks of Multnomah County Library holds the key to understanding Nature Trail: Portland's Forest Park Nature Trail was a 32-page interpretive guide authored by Oregon Outdoor Education Councils as informal curriculum for a generation of school children. Fifty-two markers on Nature Trail were keyed to entries in the guide. Midway through the trail was a shelter, bathroom and campfire area. Bus drop off and pickup areas were located on each end. What was nature for in 1968? Nature was a common good. It was a living lab for learning about the interconnectedness of plants, animals and humans, as stated in the booklet introduction:If you are quiet and observant, you may see some of the animals that live here.The forest community is a living area of plants and animals. It has many parts. Some tall plants shade everything on the ground. Under these grow the medium size and the small ground plants. Part of the forest community is the soil and the many organisms that live in the ground. It is the animals that live in the forest. It is the water that comes from the forest. The forest community is many more things. (Portland's Forest Park Nature Trail, 1968)Mind you, this was all designed and implemented a couple years before Earth Day made its debut. A 1970 Oregonian article about Nature Trail noted the large coalition involved— the Park Bureau, Multnomah County schools, U.S. Forest Service, Oregon State Game Commission, Industrial Forestry Association, and others. Much of the trail building for Nature Trail was done by the Neighborhood Youth Corps, employing low-income urban teenagers in public works projects. It all took coordination and vision. Precisely who the masterminded Nature Trail isn't easily discerned, but there is little doubt Thornton T. Munger was a galvanizing force from the late 40's into the 60's, inspiring people to work together, while advancing principles of conservation and education in the nascent Forest Park.Munger's own connection to nature can be traced back to growing up next to an eighteen-acre natural area called Hillhouse Woods in North Adams, Massachusetts, which fostered his lifelong interest in forests. In 1908 he was hired by the US Forest Service, and trained under Gifford Pinchot, who between 1905 and 1910 oversaw a rapid expansion, roughly tripling the number of National Forests and acreage. In his retirement, Munger chaired the Committee of Fifty, convincing city leaders to designate the lands as a nature park. The committee eventually became the Forest Park Conservancy, that to this day provide a Nature Education Program with free public events, organize volunteers, raise money, and conduct community outreach.In 1960, Munger—in collaboration with C. Paul Keyser—wrote a 32 page report entitled The History of Portland's Forest Park. In Part IV A Look Ahead, they write, In a few years nearly a million people will be living within a few miles of the Forest Park. Residences will crowd about it on three sides and industry will dominate its eastern edges. …There will be pressure to widen the roads, to straighten the curves, to pave, to build more roads. This should be resisted, for this “wilderness within a city” is not a place for speeding motorists; here there should be no need for haste. ...Here within city limits will be a continuous forest 7½ miles long. The roads and trails will be under over-arching trees, varying from virgin forest with giants up to 8 feet in diameter, to thrifty second-growth stands of tall Douglas fir.What was nature for in the 1960's and beyond?* To provide facilities that will afford extensive nearby outdoor recreation for the people and attract tourists.* To beautify the environs of Portland.* To provide food, cover, and a sanctuary for wildlife* To provide a site on which youth and other groups may carry on educational projects.* To grow timber which will in time yield an income and provide a demonstration forest.That last point became contentious within a couple decades. Limited timber harvests were being recommended by the committee up until 1975, when the Portland Parks superintendent, facing environmentalist pressure, ruled out selective logging as part of over-all park management. What was nature for in 1975? Forest Park was closer to becoming a quasi-wilderness area, protected from all resource harvesting. (The Forest Park Rock Quarry lease was terminated in 1979.) Fire suppression remained a primary concern, though seasonal manned fire lookouts were by then retired.So when and why did the Nature Trail program dissolve? It's not clear when, and I can only speculate on why. For starters, interior access roads around the park were closed to motor vehicles sometime in the 1980's. Therefore, any bus passage would have been met with more friction. The built elements of Nature Trail would have been approaching their expected lifespan: numbered posts would be weathered and broken, the shelter roof would have by then become what we now call a “living roof”: an ecosystem of duff, mosses and seedlings. Beyond that, the environmentalist awakening of the 1970s met a formidable obstacle with the Reagan administration of the 1980s. So where are we now? What is nature for in 2026? In the pendulum swing of US politics we are lurching back to the 80's mindset. Environmental protections are being systematically dismantled by the current administration in naked collusion with the fossil fuel industry. “Drill baby drill,” is one of the president's most cherished rally cries.When I think back to my childhood in primary school, my most vivid memories are of when either someone visited the classroom, or the class took a field trip someplace. I distinctly remember going to a site to hunt for fossils. I vividly remember Outdoor School; basically an overnight camp experience for sixth graders. Perhaps that's what really replaced Nature Trail: the significant expansion of its objectives with Outdoor School.The first large scale implementation of Outdoor School in Oregon occurred in 1966, serving 500 students. The program grew steadily for decades, but faced budget pressures over the years as schools cut extracurricular spending. In 2016, Ballot Measure 99 saved and expanded it, setting aside Oregon Lottery funds to provide Outdoor School for every one of Oregon's 50,000 fifth and sixth graders, passing with over 67% of the vote. While other states have more modest programs or aspirations, this guaranteed entitlement is unique to Oregon. Perhaps more than any point in the last 50 years, US leaders have adopted an aggressively extractive attitude toward nature. For Oregonians, the 67% vote for Measure 99 was its own kind of answer to the question Nature Trail was asking back in 1968. May in Forest Park is peak birdsong time. My score is electric piano centered—I love the deep tones of this one. It's naive and minimal as per usual.Thanks for reading and listening. Nature Trail is available on all music streaming services today, March 13th, 2026. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chadcrouch.substack.com/subscribe

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is the first Black woman ever confirmed to the highest court in the land, and a consistent and clear voice of dissent on it. She's also the author of a memoir, “Lovely One,” which was picked as this year’s choice for the Multnomah County Library “Everybody Reads” program. We talk to Justice Jackson in front of an audience of Portland high school students.

Send a textBeverly Stein retired in 2016 as a Senior Fellow at the National Policy ConsensusCenter (NPCC) in the College of Urban and Public Affairs at Portland StateUniversity. At NPCC she served as Director of Oregon Solutions and as Directorof Research and Development. Her focus was on working on projects aimed ataddressing poverty, including staffing the Oregon Business Council Poverty TaskForce.Prior to her work at NPCC, she worked for 10 years at the Public Strategies Group(PSG), headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, serving as President and co-owner.PSG's mission was to work for public purpose organizations across the countrycommitted to innovation, customer-focus and results-based governance.Beverly served as the elected Chair of the Multnomah County Board of CountyCommissioners (Portland, Oregon) and as its Chief Executive from 1993 to 2002.In that position she administered a government with 5000 employees and abillion dollar budget. Multnomah County won the Oregon Quality Award (basedon the Baldrige Criteria) in 1999 and Stein was designated by GoverningMagazine as Local Official of the Year with Portland Mayor Vera Katz in 1996.Beverly was elected three times (1989-1993) to serve in the Oregon House ofRepresentatives, worked as a Legal Aid attorney and in a solo private lawpractice, and has extensive experience as a strategic planner and facilitator fornon-profit and government organizations. She ran for Governor of Oregon in the2002 primary election.Beverly graduated from the University of California at Berkeley in 1970 with adegree in urban studies. She was awarded her law degree from University ofWisconsin in 1976.A member of the Tillamook County Master Recyclers, Beverly led the effort toban single use plastic bags in Tillamook County. She taught “Facilitating Effectiveand Enjoyable Meetings” at Tillamook Bay Community College in 2019 and“Collaborative Governance” in 2021. Beverly organized the Tillamook DemocracyProject in 2020 to support progressives in local and national elections. She iscurrently the President of the Cape Meares Community Association.https://neighborhoodpartnerships.org/about/about-neighborhood-partnerships/ Subscribe to the Women of the Northwest podcast for inspiring stories and adventures.Find me on my website: jan-johnson.com

Portland is offering homeowners $1,000 to rent out spare rooms for 12 months at no more than $800 a month through PadSplit or the Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon. Mayor Keith Wilson claims this 'home sharing' program is a fast and cost-effective way to increase housing stock and solve homelessness. However, critics argue that $800 is unaffordable for many homeless individuals, questioning who this program truly benefits. Past efforts, like Multnomah County's 'Housing Multnomah Now,' housed only 311 households, raising concerns about the effectiveness of incentivizing landlords. Asking homeowners to rent rooms cheaply in their own homes poses a greater challenge than renting out vacant units. The program's success remains uncertain, with participation numbers yet to be revealed.

The Columbia River Gorge Commission oversees land use and stewards both economic development and conservation efforts within the National Scenic Area. Robert Liberty served as the Multnomah County appointee to the commission since 2015, and was most recently reappointed in 2023. But he resigned earlier this year with more than a year to go in his term, citing “the gentrification of working lands with luxury homesites for the wealthy” and “the anti-conservation, pro-development interest of some of the Commission members,” among other reasons.

Home Forward, the housing authority for Portland and Multnomah County, is the largest provider of affordable housing in the state. Reporting from Willamette Week has found that the agency has an unusually high vacancy rate and takes, on average, half a year to fill vacant units at some of its properties. The lack of rental revenue from empty units is making it difficult for the agency to pay off its debts. Sophie Peel is a reporter for Willamette Week covering Portland City Hall and neighborhoods. She joins us with more details about her investigation into Home Forward.

Bunco Kelley was out of prison, Mysterious Billy Smith was at loose ends, and Jumbo Riley was looking for something to do ... somehow, they ended up at a table at Erickson's Saloon with the Jost brothers, talking about getting back into the shanghaiing business. Alas, it was not to be ... (Portland, Multnomah County; 1907) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1906c.jost-brothers-the-last-shanghaiers-552.html)

Oregon's Sailors' Boardinghouse Commission seemed completely uninterested in any enforcement activity other than ordering Larry Sullivan's competitors to leave the business. Naturally, those competitors fought back as best they could. (Portland, Multnomah County; 1900s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1906b.mysterious-billy-part2of2-551.html)

After Jim Turk's death, former pro prizefighter Larry Sullivan virtually owned the shanghaiing business in Portland ... but there was one competitor he couldn't seem to shake: 'Mysterious Billy' Smith, boxing's Welterweight Champion of the World -- whose 'day job' was crimping sailors. (East Portland, Multnomah County; 1900s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1906a.mysterious-billy-smith-shanghaier-550.html)

According to recent data, fewer than half of Multnomah County residents were born in Oregon — meaning most Portlanders aren't actually from here. But adjusting to life in our wonderful city can be challenging, and it's hard to know how to start building a community. Today on City Cast Portland, we're talking with two recent transplants and friends of the show, Danielle Mangone and Chris Cary. They have tips for how to quickly find your groove — and all the ways you can make Portland really feel like home. Become a member of City Cast Portland today! Get all the details and sign up here.  Who would you like to hear on City Cast Portland? Shoot us an email at portland@citycast.fm, or leave us a voicemail at 503-208-5448. Want more Portland news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter and be sure to follow us on Instagram.  Looking to advertise on City Cast Portland? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about the sponsors of this January 26th episode: Beaumont Jewelry The Ascent by Christopher Walker Flatbike SkillCharter

Last week, President Trump attacked Somali immigrants in the nation during a Cabinet meeting, calling them “garbage” and saying that he didn’t want them in the U.S. Meanwhile, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is ramping up its activity in the Minneapolis metro area in Minnesota. That state is home to nearly 80,000 people of Somali descent, the largest such population in the nation.  In Oregon, there are roughly 12 to 15,000 people of Somali descent, most of whom live in Multnomah County, according to a 2016 county report. Musse Olol emigrated from Somalia to Oregon in 1981 and is the executive director of the Somali American Council of Oregon, which he co-founded in 2011. He says fear has gripped Somalis living in the Portland metro area, even among naturalized U.S. citizens such as himself. He joins us to share his perspective and the heightened tension within the local Somali community.