Podcasts about Portland Mercury

Welcome to the Shed! In this episode, we talk about:Eva's trip to BendPPS School Board electionsAll about Ainsworth (Eva got menaced) and what PBOT has in store for an upgradePBOT's new bicycle marketing effortHow to counter people who say, "But not everyone can ride a bike."Reasons for optimism at City HallCity budget stuffState transportation package update and cap and trade.Bike Summer rides in the Portland Mercury print editionHow'd she get there? A tough one from SE Woodstock and Cesar Chavez to Peninsula Park for the Kickoff Ride!SW Barbur. Ugh! Why?and more!Thanks for listening and for supporting BikePortland!

As we all come down from the high of this weekend's 503 Day block party (thank you to everyone who attended), we wanted to spend a bit more time in the neighborhood by revisiting our guide to Old Town Chinatown. Portland Mercury culture editor Suzette Smith lived in Old Town for nearly a decade and has plenty of reasons why many people have pegged the district all wrong.  This conversation first aired on April 30, 2024 Places mentioned in this episode: Karaoke From Hell at Dante's Sushi Ichiban Darcelle XV Showplace Kingsland Kitchen Little Peacock Hallway PDX Deadstock Coffee Cafe United Stumptown Kells Irish Pub Buranko Cafe The Society Hotel The Hoxton Lan Su Chinese Garden Voodoo Doughnut Pine Street Market 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, Hey Portland, 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 5th episode: D'Amore Law League of Women's Voters St. Johns Bizarre Aura Frames - Get $35-off plus free shipping on the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST Rose City Comic Con Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Portland Mercury's Spring Arts Guide focuses on the alliances that artists and arts organizations are forging throughout the city. Between the rising cost of living and the craziness of our national politics, Portland's creative communities are finding a need to rely on one another more than ever for survival — even when they're competing. Portland Mercury culture editor Suzette Smith walks us through some of the season's best events and the communities behind them.  Discussed in today's episode: The Antipodes at Shaking the Tree Theatre through March 29 Literary Arts Bookstore Mother Foucault's Bookshop Monet's Floating Worlds at the Portland Art Museum through Aug. 10 ja' / buuts' / t'aan (Water / Smoke / Word) at the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art through May 31 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, Hey Portland, 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 13th episode: D'Amore Law Portland Bureau of Transportation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's episode proved the point of this whole "2024 Passion Projects" exercise. Ray Gill Jr. (Portland Mercury, Willamette Week) nominated a movie I was maybe going get to? And it ended up a favorite of the year. In "My Old Ass," Maisy Stella and Aubrey Plaza play the same character at different ages, connected in time by a mushroom trip. Ray and I dig into how director Megan Park plays with our allegiances, champions youth, and turns a possibly sappy premise into a deeply affecting call for self-reflection.

Happy Halloween!  Caro covers a unique house cleansing in Bethany, OR from 2018, originally written about in the Portland Mercury by Santi Elijah Holley.   Sources https://www.portlandmercury.com/religion/2018/02/21/19690964/an-excellent-day-for-an-exorcism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Catholic_Church https://www.google.com/search?q=requirements+for+roman+catholic+exorcism&oq=requirements+for+roman+catholic+ex&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBwgCECEYoAEyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRigATIHCAMQIRigATIHCAQQIRigATIHCAUQIRigATIHCAYQIRifBTIHCAcQIRifBdIBCDU5MzFqMGo3qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 https://news.txst.edu/the-conversation/2022/catholic-churchs-view-on-exorcism-have-changed.html

We're continuing to sort through the 90-plus candidates running for 12 open Portland City Council seats. We're breaking down the races by honing in on the candidates with the most individual campaign donations in each district: what they're campaigning on, who's supporting them, and how they're trying to stand out. Today, executive producer John Notarianni talks with Portland Mercury news editor Courtney Vaughn about District 3, which covers the Central Eastside and much of Southeast. With a whopping 30 candidates running in the district, there's a lot to talk about. Find the Portland Mercury's voter guide here. 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, Hey Portland, 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 October 17th episode: MUBI - You can start streaming for 30 DAYS FREE at mubi.com/citycast  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sandwiches are versatile — you can eat them anywhere at any time of day and it always feels right. There are so many places in our city that make top-notch sandwiches, but when you really want one, it's easy for your mind to go blank. Today, we're talking with Willamette Week and Portland Mercury food writer Andrea Damewood about where to get the best sandwiches in town. Plus we're hearing from you, our sandwich loving listeners!  Sandwiches to check out: Fernando's Alegria Meat Cheese Bread Grand Central Bakery Picone's Quality Deli Ben & Esther's Taste Tickler Dimo's Apizza Dos Hermanos Cafe Laurelhurst Market The Baker's Mark Sammich Goose Hollow Inn Elmer's Snappy's Mémoire Cà Phê Bernstein's Bagels Maplewood Coffee and Tea Two of Us Street Disco An Xuyen Bakery The House of Bánh Mì Güero Super Torta Beto's Taqueria *Correction for today's episode, the City Archives open house is happening on Saturday from 2-5pm, not on Sunday! 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, Hey Portland, 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 October 10th episode: Paint Care Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST BetterHelp - get 10% off at betterhelp.com/CITYCAST Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From floating inside a giant pumpkin during the West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta to trying dozens of imaginative and cheap wings for the Portland Mercury's Wing Week, there's no shortage of things to do this month in Portland. So the City Cast Portland team is here to narrow down your October bucket list to the must-dos, like picking fall produce on the beautiful Hood River Fruit Loop. One bonus suggestion from our episode archive: “Prep Your Fall Wardrobe With Portland's Best Thrift Shops” If you're new here, welcome! We've put together a starter pack for you, with episodes and articles to welcome you to the City Cast Portland community.  For even more tips on how to make the most of October in Portland, check out Hey Portland's take on what to do this month.  City Cast Portland's guide to October is made possible by our awesome sponsor, PaintCare. And City Cast Portland is also powered by our members, who enjoy an ad-free version of the show. Find out more about how to become a member of City Cast Portland. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here.  Reach us at portland@citycast.fm.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on City Cast Portland, we're talking about the design the county landed on for the new Burnside Bridge and the disappointment it brought to many Portlanders. We're also getting a debrief on the Portland Mercury's Burger Week by one of its superfans. Joining host Claudia Meza on this midweek roundup are our very own executive producer, John Notarianni, and City Cast's director of digital strategy, Bryan M. Vance. Discussed in Today's Episode: New Burnside Bridge Should ‘Look Like No Other' Portland Span, Committee Says [Oregonian ] Happening Now... It's the BIGGEST PORTLAND BURGER WEEK EVER! [Portland Mercury] 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, Hey Portland, 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 August 21st episode: BPN Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Was great having former BikePortland staffer and now Portland Mercury reporter Taylor Griggs join Eva Frazier and I (Jonathan Maus). This episode is chock full of great stuff. Fake bike lane citations - Underdesigned bike lanes - a green ribbon bike network - riding to Troutdale for ice cream - exercise and e-bikes - portland tennis courterly - prank calls - SK Northwest and Springwater trail saga - I-5 Rose QuarterLinks we mention:Deflating tires in the name of climate changeWhy e-bikes don't give you "legs of steel"New path in Troutdale that Taylor rodeNew Biketown e-scootersPortland Tennis Courterly home pageJonathan's op-ed on street racingThanks for listening!

Portlanders are electing a brand-new, expanded City Council this fall, and the candidates are flooding in: More than 70 people are intending to run for one of the 12 open seats. So this month, we're going to help you make sense of the race. Today on City Cast Portland, host Claudia Meza is looking at who's running in District 3. Portland Mercury news editor Courtney Vaughn is here to help us make sense of the crowded field. 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, Hey Portland, 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 July 23rd episode: Pacific Northwest Seniorcare Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Incogni - Use code CityCast for 55% off the annual plan. Salishan Coastal Lodge: Book with code CITYCAST for 20% off weekday stays! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Portlanders are electing a brand-new, expanded City Council this fall, and the candidates are flooding in: More than 70 people are intending to run for one of the 12 open seats. So this month, we're going to help you make sense of the race. Today on City Cast Portland, host Claudia Meza is looking at who's running in District 2. Portland Mercury reporter Taylor Griggs is here to help us make sense of the crowded field. 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, Hey Portland, 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 July 16 episode: City of Portland Senior Care Authority SCP Hotels - Book with code CITYCAST for 20% off weekday stays! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The Motorcycle Boy Reigns” as our kick arrives at “Rumble Fish” (1983). It's not set on the highway, but perhaps no movie in this kick uses the idea of the motorcycle rebel to such cool, elusive effect as Francis Ford Coppola's dreamlike crime drama, starring a young Mickey Rourke. Ray Gill Jr. (Portland Mercury, Willamette Week) is here to explain why “Rumble Fish” is his favorite film, why Matt Dillon used to scare him, and why insanity is intoxicating, plus primo tales of growing up in a video store.

"Softcore" With over ten albums under his musical belt, Logan Lynn has firmly established himself as a singular and dynamic talent. First of all, Lynn is a musician, writer, producer, filmmaker, television personality, mental health advocate, and LGBT activist. He's worked with everyone from the Get-Up Kids to Portugal the Man to the comic Jay Mohr and his writing has appeared in the Huffington Post and the Portland Mercury,among others. He's done commercial spots, acted in shows like The Last Meal Series and the Library and in 2017 the National Council gave Lynn the Award of Excellence for Artistic Expression. His new album Softcore is a buoyant blast of blissful synth pop and indie rock stomp. It's a celebration of love and, as Lynn puts it: "the absolute wildness that happens between two people who are desperately in love with each other." Filled with catchy grooves and horny swagger, Softcore is not only pure sonic joy it's the perfect album to soundtrack your summer with. www.loganlynnmusic.com www.stereoembersmagazine.com www.bombshellradio.com www.stereoembersmagazine.com (http://www.stereoembersmagazine.com) www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) Twitter: @emberseditor IG: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

Today on City Cast Portland, we're talking about the safety issues facing Portland's transit system, the aftermath of the PSU ceasefire protests, and the city camping ban that has been officially approved after many iterations. Joining executive producer John Notarianni on this week's Friday news roundup are Portland Mercury news reporter Taylor Griggs and our very own producer, Giulia Fiaoni. Discussed on Today's Episode: STREET VIEW: Public Transit Safety Concerns Deserve a Thoughtful Response [Portland Mercury]  Students in Oregon and Across U.S. Call for Divestment. It's Not So Simple. [Oregonian]  Posts Called for Targeted Vandalism, Violence During Portland State University Protests, Police Say [KGW]  PSU Requests Portland Police Help in Clearing Library Occupied by Student Protesters [Oregonian] Portland Mayor's Scaled-Back Homeless Camping Ban Approved, Enforcement Can Begin Immediately [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, Hey Portland, 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 episode: Bon Coeur Home and Wellness with offer code BonCoeurCityCast20 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, we're starting something new: neighborhood guides where we talk with notable Portlanders about the good, the bad, and the ugly of where they live. First up: potentially our most controversial neighborhood, Old Town Chinatown. Suzette Smith, from the Portland Mercury, has lived there for nearly a decade and has plenty of reasons why we have Old Town pegged all wrong. And a note to our ride-or-dies: our midweek roundup will be back next week. Places mentioned in this episode: Karaoke From Hell at Dante's Sushi Ichiban Darcelle XV Showplace Kingsland Kitchen Little Peacock Hallway PDX Deadstock Coffee Cafe United Stumptown Kells Irish Pub Buranko Cafe The Society Hotel The Hoxton Lan Su Chinese Garden Sizzle Pie Voodoo Doughnut Pine Street Market 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, Hey Portland, 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 episode: McMenamins UFO Fest May 17 & 18 in McMinnville Cake Hoopla in Tigard Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our city isn't meeting Gov. Tina Kotek's ambitious housing goals. And some city leaders and developers blame strict building codes for the delay in new housing construction. But aren't building codes there to keep us safe? So today on City Cast Portland, we're talking with Portland Mercury reporter Taylor Griggs about what this push to build more and faster means for the long-term safety and future of our city. More on the topic: Portland's Plan To Spur Housing Development by Relaxing Regulations Has Political Implications 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, Hey Portland, 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 your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on City Cast Portland, we're talking about a new public park that's causing some heated debates, Commissioner Carmen Rubio's bottomless bag of money potentially saving the Portland Street Response, and some skeptical county commissioners criticizing the governor's 90-day emergency fentanyl declaration. Joining host Claudia Meza on this Friday's news roundup are Portland Mercury news reporter Taylor Griggs and our very own executive producer, John Notarianni. Stories Discussed in Today's Episode: Darcelle XV Plaza, Formerly O'Bryant Square, Ignites Heated Debate About Public Space [Portland Mercury] Portland Parks and Recreation Darcelle XV Plaza Survey [Survey Monkey]   Portland Street Response Offered Financial Lifeline by Commissioner Carmen Rubio [Oregonian

Today on City Cast Portland, we're talking about extreme weather's devastating impact on small businesses, the possible political act of arson against Commissioner Rene Gonzalez, and yet another low moment for our city's commercial real estate. Joining host Claudia Meza for this week's news round-up are Portland Mercury arts and culture editor Suzette Smith and our very own executive producer, John Notarianni. Stories Discussed in Today's Episode: Extreme Weather Events Are a Threat to Small Businesses, Like Your Favorite Food Cart [Portland Mercury] One of Portland's Most Distinctive Office Buildings Goes to Auction Mostly Empty [Willamette Week] Portland Police Investigating Car Fire In Front of Commissioner Gonzalez's House [OPB] 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, Hey Portland, 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 episode: Treefort Music Fest in downtown Boise March 20-24, 2024 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From stolen lunches to passive-aggressive notes, can the office fridge be a microcosm of a company's culture? This episode takes you on a journey through the enigmatic realm of the office fridge, a seemingly mundane part of office life that can hide deep insights into workplace culture and human behaviour. Our experts share their thoughts on how this seemingly trivial subject can reveal profound truths about the dynamics in the workplace. Join us as we explore what a healthy workplace culture looks like, how to identify signs of toxicity and how to shape a positive office culture in the age of remote and hybrid workspaces. Work FORCE is a podcast hosted by Dr Grace Lordan (www.gracelordan.com), author of Think Big, Take Small Steps and Build the Future You Want and professor at the London School of Economics. You can buy Think Big Here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Think-Big-Small-Steps-Future/dp/0241420164/kacey123-21 Work FORCE unravels the behavioural science behind things that happen in the workplace that impact your success and wellbeing, blending academic evidence with real life experiences. Follow Grace on X or Instagram @profgracelordan; on LinkedIn drgracelordan Joining the Work FORCE discussion are:Zak Toscani, ComedianZak Toscani is a stand-up comedian and writer living in Los Angeles, CA. With a focus on originality and vulnerability, Zak's comedy has been highlighted by Splitsider, Paste, and The Portland Mercury. He is also the most reoccurring guest on the hit comedy podcast All Fantasy Everything. Zak's work has been featured by the Washington Post, BBC, Newsweek, Buzzfeed, and Vice.Follow Zak's witty Tweets (including the famous stolen shrimp thread!) at https://twitter.com/zak_toscani you can also find out more about Zak on his website https://www.zaktoscani.com/Thom Dennis, CEO, facilitator, speaker, consultant, change agent and educator.Thom Dennis is the CEO of Serenity in Leadership. With an MSc in Change Agent Skills & Strategies, skills as an NLP Master Practitioner, 17 years' experience as an officer in the Royal Marines and having extensively travelled around the world, Thom brings all his experience together as a facilitator, speaker, consultant, educator and change agent. For the last 29 years, Thom's career has been dedicated to facilitating change through organisational change. He is passionate about resolving the breadth of issues around inclusion and strives to make changes against oppression in and out of the workplace. Find out more about Serenity in Leadership on their website: https://www.serenityinleadership.com/ or follow Thom on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomdennis/Christina Clark, Work culture consultant and leadership coachChristina is an EMCC accredited psychosynthesis leadership coach, LSM certified mediator and accredited Psychological Safety practitioner. After nearly 15 years working in communications with a range of FTSE 100s, IBEX 35s, governments and agencies, Christina has cultivated an ecosystem of humans to support leaders and organisations. Together we develop inclusion-led work environments rooted in innovation, sustainability, and...

A new drug detox center opened in Portland this fall, and it's notable for two reasons: It's the first in the metro area to focus on fentanyl addiction and the first funded by Measure 110. That's the drug decriminalization law that voters approved a few years ago and has been a source of controversy for its slow rollout of funding, on the one hand, and the epidemic of fentanyl that's followed, on the other.  So is Measure 110 finally starting to pay off? Today on City Cast Portland, executive producer John Notarianni talks with Portland Mercury news editor Courtney Vaughn about the impact this new detox center might have, and what it tells us about the future of Measure 110. Stories Referenced in the Episode: The First Portland Area Detox Center Funded By Measure 110 Will Open Soon [Portland Mercury] Oregon's New Fentanyl Law Paves the Way for Increased Drug Arrests [Portland Mercury] Drug Use Soars Among Inmates in Oregon's Prisons; Officials Struggle to Stop Smuggling, Offer Treatment [Oregonian]  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, Hey Portland, 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 your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week, reporting from the Portland Mercury revealed some of the living conditions at Argyle Gardens, a transitional housing apartment complex operated by Transition Projects Inc. Tenants reported issues with cleanliness in communal spaces, bed bugs and poor management. Tony Bernal is the interim executive director of TPI. He joins us to share the organization's response to the reporting and what they’re doing now to address some of these issues. 

Today on City Cast Portland, we're talking about the impending Portland Public Schools teachers' strike, Nike losing their prominence with everyday runners, and Oregon's new Medicaid voucher program that helps pay for housing. Joining host Claudia Meza on this week's news roundup are Portland Mercury news reporter Taylor Griggs and our very own lead producer, John Notarianni. Stories Discussed in Today's Episode: As Portland Public Schools and Teachers Union Stall on Negotiations, District Prepares for Unprecedented Strike [Portland Mercury] Portland Public Schools Says Teacher Strike Would Not Stop Varsity Athletics [Oregonian] Nike's Shoes Are Setting Records, but Casual Runners Are Wearing Rivals' [Oregonian] Deposition Shakes Up Nike Pay Discrimination Lawsuit; Nike Wants it Barred [Oregonian] Can States Ease Homelessness by Tapping Medicaid Funding? Oregon is Betting On It [NPR] A Low-Income Housing Complex Was Lauded as a Model for Pulling People Out of Homelessness. Three Years Later, Tenants Are Fleeing. [Portland Mercury] Stacks of Pizza [X] Previous episodes mentioned during today's show: The Best Nachos in Portland Might Surprise You How Oregon Blessed the World With Tater Tots 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, Hey Portland, 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 your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A north Portland low-income apartment complex that opened in the summer of 2020 was meant to be a way to help some people out of homelessness.  Now, three years later tenants are citing filthy conditions, assault and thefts. While some have stayed, others have fled and returned to shelters. Courtney Vaughn is the News Editor for the Portland Mercury. She joins us to share more on the habitability issues of the complex.

We're currently smack dab in the middle of the Portland Mercury's most popular themed food week: Burger Week 2023. Every year, dozens of local restaurants create a specialty burger and then offer it at a ridiculously low price: All for the love of burgers. And this year there are nearly 80 restaurants taking part!  Yes: That's an impossible number of burgers to eat in a week. So today on City Cast Portland, Brooke Jackson-Glidden, editor for Eater Portland, is helping narrow down which burgers should make your list.  Full Portland Mercury Burger Week 2023 list here Burgers discussed in today's episode: Wagyu Smash Burger at Abigail Hall Queso Stevens at Burger Stevens Green Chili Cheese Burger at Grand Fir Brewing Lil Spicy B. at Carina Lounge Pupusa Burger at Salvi PDX Miami Burger at Papi Sal's Creamed Corn Elote Burger at Wolf's Head Portland The Yummy Burger at Mighty Moe's Tanker  'Nduja Remember? at Pacific Standard 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, Hey Portland, 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 your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on City Cast Portland, we're talking about the first rollout of Mayor Ted Wheelers' Alchemy-managed shelter sites, the wrangling of our city's Clean Energy Fund, and the controversial attempts by certain city council members to modify the voter-approved charter reform. Joining host Claudia Meza in this week's news roundup are Portland Mercury's news editor, Courtney Vaughn, and our very own lead producer, John Notarianni. Headlines discussed in the episode: Portland's First Temporary Mass Shelter Site Will Open This Month [Portland Mercury] Portland's Massive Clean Energy Fund Makes Strides in Accountability, Management, Auditor Says [Oregonian

In Southeast Portland, a woman has constructed what she calls the “giving fence” after a series of code violations and complaints from neighbors and the city. This unusual construction is a series of yellow bins stacked upon each other, filled with blankets, dry goods, clothes and hygiene products that are free for anyone who needs them. Courtney Vaugn, the news editor for the Portland Mercury, has been covering this story and joins us now to share more on the efforts the Sellwood woman is making.

Today on City Cast Portland, we're talking about the last-minute billion-dollar amendment for the I-5 bridge expansion, the city testing artificial intelligence for non-emergency calls, and two major proposals from the committee working on Portland's charter reform. Joining host Claudia Meza is Portland Mercury reporter Taylor Griggs and our very own lead producer, John Notarianni. Stories discussed in today's episode: In last-minute amendment, Oregon lawmakers propose $1 billion for I-5 bridge replacement project [Portland Mercury] A.I. call taker will begin taking over police nonemergency phone lines next week [Willamette Week] Portland's charter reform is moving full steam ahead [Portland Mercury] Link to citizen-proposed charter reform maps: https://districtr.org/tag/Portland2023 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, Hey Portland, and be sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram.  Looking to advertise on City Cast Portland? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we're talking about updates on the daytime camping ban now that it's passed, the growing wait times at train crossings, and the sewage spill in Lake Oswego that ended up in the Willamette River. Joining host Claudia Meza for this week's news roundup is Portland Mercury news editor Courtney Vaughn and City Cast's director of newsletters, Bryan M. Vance. Stories discussed in today's episode: City Council Approves Daytime Camping Ban; Legal Challenges Could Arise [Portland Mercury] Freight Train Pain: City Will Study Solutions for Frequently Blocked Eastside Railroad Crossings [Portland Mercury] 500,000 gallons of treated sewage spills into Willamette River [KPTV] Helpful guide to avoid train traffic delays at the SE Portland crossing (on foot or bike). Previously aired episodes mentioned: How Safe Is It ACTUALLY to Swim in the Willamette River??  We're doing a listener survey so we can make City Cast Portland an even better, more useful podcast for you. We'd be grateful if you took the survey at citycast.fm/survey — it's only 5 minutes long. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card! 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, Hey Portland, and be sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram.  Looking to advertise on City Cast Portland? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 35-story, $600 million Ritz-Carlton Portland is preparing to open this summer. It will be home to some of the most expensive real estate this city has ever seen. So how do we feel about this new slice of Portland ultra-luxury? We'll break it down with Portland Business Journal real estate reporter Jonathan Bach and Suzette Smith, culture editor of the Portland Mercury. 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. Still want more Portland news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Portland, and be sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram.  Looking to advertise on City Cast Portland? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this midweek show, Crystal welcomes reporter Megan Burbank to talk about the status of reproductive healthcare in Washington state after last year's Dobbs decision removed guarantees for abortion access on the national level. The conversation starts by highlighting barriers that already existed prior to Roe v. Wade being overturned such as the Hyde Amendment and a slew of state-level restrictions, then delves into the realities of why the issue is important for maternal health, family planning, and economic mobility.  Despite Washington having more state-level protections than other parts of the country, Megan and Crystal discuss the challenges our state does face with fallout from abortion restrictions in other states, the increase in religiously affiliated hospital mergers, and inconsistent access to services depending on one's location. Finally, Megan shares her thoughts on how people can get involved - through state legislation working its way through Olympia as well as helpful and non-helpful ways to engage with the issue. As always, a full text transcript of the show is available below and at officialhacksandwonks.com. Follow us on Twitter at @HacksWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Twitter at @finchfrii and find Megan Burbank at @meganireneb and http://burbank.industries/.   Megan Burbank Megan Burbank is a writer and editor based in Seattle. Before going full-time freelance, she worked as an editor and reporter at the Portland Mercury and The Seattle Times. She specializes in enterprise reporting on reproductive health policy, which she has covered locally for Crosscut, the South Seattle Emerald, and the Seattle Times, and nationally at The New Republic and NPR.   Resources “Roe v. Wade was never the whole story” by Megan Burbank from Crosscut   “Long uncertain, young people's access to abortion is more complicated than ever” by Megan Burbank from NPR   “‘Ask for Jane:' Who were the pre-Roe underground abortionists?” by Megan Burbank from Crosscut   “A landmark study tracks the lasting effect of having an abortion — or being denied one” by Megan Burbank and Emily Kwong from NPR   “Who is traveling to Washington for abortion care?” by Megan Burbank from Crosscut   “Abortion rights in WA fall into limbo at religious hospitals” by Megan Burbank from Crosscut    “Students lobby for WA bills on abortion and gender-affirming care” by Megan Burbank from Crosscut   “New Yakima clinic to expand abortion access in Eastern Washington” by Megan Burbank from Crosscut   “How a Texas ruling on abortion pills would affect Washington” by Megan Burbank from Crosscut   HB 1469 - Concerning access to reproductive health care services and gender-affirming treatment in Washington state   HB 1340 - Concerning actions by health professions disciplining authorities against license applicants and license holders   SB 5242 - Prohibiting cost sharing for abortion   HB 1155 - Addressing the collection, sharing, and selling of consumer health data   Transcript [00:00:00] Crystal Fincher: Welcome to Hacks & Wonks. I'm Crystal Fincher, and I'm a political consultant and your host. On this show, we talk with policy wonks and political hacks to gather insight into local politics and policy in Washington state through the lens of those doing the work with behind-the-scenes perspectives on what's happening, why it's happening, and what you can do about it. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get the full versions of our Friday almost-live shows and our midweek show delivered to your podcast feed. If you like us, the most helpful thing you can do is leave a review wherever you listen to Hacks & Wonks. Full transcripts and resources referenced in the show are always available at officialhacksandwonks.com and in our episode notes. So today I am thrilled to be welcoming Megan Burbank, who's a writer and editor based in Seattle. Before going full-time freelance, she worked as an editor and reporter at The Portland Mercury and The Seattle Times. She specializes in enterprise reporting on reproductive health policy, which she's covered locally for Crosscut, the South Seattle Emerald, and The Seattle Times, and recently at The New Republic and NPR. Have appreciated her coverage - really comprehensive coverage - of reproductive healthcare, which spurred wanting to have this conversation just to talk about what the status of reproductive healthcare is here in Washington in the backdrop of the Dobbs decision and abortion access not being guaranteed from a national level. Welcome so much, Megan. [00:01:43] Megan Burbank: Thank you so much for having me. [00:01:44] Crystal Fincher: So just starting off, what got you interested in covering reproductive health policy? [00:01:49] Megan Burbank: Yeah, it's a good question. So I began covering reproductive health policy in 2011 when I was a news intern at The Stranger. And there was a bill introduced in the Legislature that would regulate these centers that are called crisis pregnancy centers that are often set up near actual abortion clinics, but they're operated by a centralized, evangelical-affiliated organization that is designed to dissuade people from having abortions. And so I was part of an investigation of those centers when I was a young and impressionable news intern with The Stranger, and it really opened my eyes to a lot of the ways that abortion access was complicated even before we were even talking about Roe v. Wade being overturned. And also I would say that I just have always been aware of it on a personal level. I grew up knowing about Roe v. Wade, and I thought of it as something that - the older generation had secured this freedom for us and it was just not something that I questioned. And then when I became an adult and started actually reporting on it and realized the systemic barriers to people actually accessing that type of care, even under Roe, I realized that there was a lot that needed to be reported out about that. [00:03:02] Crystal Fincher: I think you've done a good job really diving into covering the difference between - yes, I can technically access this service, I have the right to do it, it's healthcare that is available in places, but it's not always that simple that something that is technically available is accessible to everyone. Even before, as you talked about, Roe v. Wade being overturned, what were some of the barriers and challenges that people were facing when it came to accessing these services? [00:03:33] Megan Burbank: There were so many of them. There are so many of them. I think the thing that we often forget about abortion access is that women of means - wealthy white women - have always had the option to have an abortion. Before Roe v. Wade, it was common for people with the finances to travel to do that - even to travel to other countries for care. And so when we talk about abortion access, I think it's really important to build in this sort of class piece to it - it's expensive, right? It's expensive to have an abortion. It's typically - it's not always covered by insurance. It is here in Washington because we have a law that mandates that, but that's pretty unique. And another thing to note is that we've got the Hyde Amendment, which was enacted in 1978, so shortly after Roe v. Wade was overturned. This essentially bans public funding for abortion, so if you're on Medicaid, Medicare, any sort of military healthcare plan, if you're in the Peace Corps - there are a lot of different scenarios that are impacted by this - you don't have abortion coverage through your insurance. And what that means is that, especially for low-income women, for people of color, for folks who are young - young people - they've been left out of this access picture for quite a long time. And actually that's how that amendment was designed. I think one of the things that people find so horrifying when I talk about this is that Henry Hyde, the lawmaker behind that policy, said explicitly that he wanted to ban abortion access for all women, but that low-income women - what was available to him through legislation through Medicaid. So I think that was a barrier that cropped up shortly after Roe v. Wade was decided. And then of course, we've got just an influx of state-level restrictions that began around that time and have really snowballed since. So we see things like basically bans based on gestational age - so like 15-week bans, that kind of thing. We see things like parental notification laws, which can be really complicated for young people who perhaps are caught up in the foster care system and trying to access care or for other reasons, cannot ask their parents for support in them making their decision. There are also things like 24-hour, 72-hour waiting periods. And those types of restrictions were commonly enacted in the states before Roe v. Wade was overturned. And so the upshot of that is essentially that even though we had the legal backstop of Roe during that time, access could look pretty spotty already based on wherever you were in the country. And then in Washington, we have very robust state-level protections for abortion, but that is not the norm and has not been the norm elsewhere. [00:06:12] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely true. And even though it was ruled to be a constitutionally protected right at that time, there's just a lot of red tape that you're able to put in front of people's ability to be able to access abortion - whether it's having to visit doctors in-person when you might not otherwise have to, whether it is extra requirements for the prescription, and availability of medication that can help with a medicated abortion or preventing implantation, that type of thing. And it really has been used to manipulate people's access to this. Why is this such an important issue overall? You hear people say sometimes - If you don't wanna get pregnant, then don't have sex. And - People can just keep their legs closed and avoid this whole thing. Why does that not tell the whole story? [00:07:06] Megan Burbank: When I hear people say things like that, it just makes me think of the conversations that I had with this woman named Judith Arcana, who was a part of the Janes in Chicago before Roe vs Wade - this group of women who were activists, who essentially established a network to help people seeking abortions access care. And they were successful because they were able to secure training in abortion. And they also, by Judith's telling, I feel like they were very underestimated and so it was easy for them - not easy, but it was possible for them to get away with this for a long time. And I think one of my major takeaways from that conversation was just that - if someone wants to have an abortion, it's not really this thing that they're gonna take or leave, right? If you're in that situation, you're desperate. You're gonna make it happen, and you're gonna make it happen legally and safely, or you are going to make it happen through whatever underground economies are available to you. And so I think the reality of that is just that people can feel however they want about abortion, but the fact of the matter is that someone in that situation is going to seek out care to the extent that they can. And I think the idea behind laws that are protecting access is just that - wouldn't it be better for them to do this in a way that's safe? And that's the difference. And I think when you look at reporting from the pre-Roe era, you can see that that's really true - that women commonly died from abortions that were obtained through these extra-legal networks, and it was more dangerous for them too. One of the things that I heard about in my reporting for that piece was just that people who sought abortions in the pre-Roe era were often subjected to things like abusive behavior from the people they sought support from. There was often a threat of sexual violence, and they often didn't know what kind of care they were getting or what the credentials of the person performing it were. And they also - they had to pay for it, it was expensive. So you'd have to come up with this large sum of money and just trust someone who you had no reason to believe was actually a doctor to perform this procedure. Women did it anyway. When I talked to Judith, one of the things she told me was that nobody ever changed their mind. And I think that that's something that's just really important to remember because it's not really a choice between no one having abortions ever and people having abortions. It's a choice between people having abortions in safe, medically appropriate environments or having abortions in situations that are much more harmful. [00:09:40] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely. I think another thing that has happened during this conversation and greater awareness about how perilous the right to abortion is and how impactful it is - is not just the conversation about how important the ability to choose when and how you have children impacts your social and economic mobility, ability to participate in the workforce, but that just being pregnant is a very, very difficult and traumatic thing on someone's body. You're essentially displacing all of your internal organs, massive hormonal and body changes. And this is not something that is without consequence, or simple, or without challenges for people who are pregnant - and this is a big deal and comes with a lot of risk. I'm a Black woman, certainly very familiar with mortality rates for Black women who are pregnant - an issue that goes beyond issues of access into just straight racism - and just overall with maternal health in this country, we don't do a great job. So it is a really challenging issue. And even though abortion, which is really a routine procedure for most people - and on the risk of things out there, it doesn't seem like it's an outlier in the way that you would think, given all the regulations about it. But what does it mean to be able to have efficient, safe, affordable access to contraception, and how far away are we to be able to provide that for everyone? [00:11:23] Megan Burbank: I think we're pretty far from that, Crystal. I think that what it means is that people have a sense of self-determination and autonomy. And I would say a sense of psychological safety too, because one of the things that often comes up around abortion when I do my reporting on it - you were talking about pregnancy. And pregnancy statistically is much more of a health risk to take on than to have an abortion, especially an abortion early in pregnancy, which is when most abortions occur. When I talk to providers, they will often tell me that - actually - remaining pregnant is pregnant, especially as you pointed out in the United States where we have these huge racial disparities in terms of maternal, perinatal outcomes and maternal morbidity and mortality, that kind of thing. I think that it's the ability to not put yourself in that level of risk - can be really life or death for many people. And I think that having access to abortion and birth control - it allows people to space their pregnancies. One of the things that I think is often forgotten in this conversation is that I think it's something like over half of people seeking abortions are already parents. And so they are making a decision that allows them to care for, and provide for, and have the economic supports to raise the children that they already have. The other thing that I think is really crucial to note here is that there's been some really excellent research on the consequences of being denied an abortion. And there is an excellent study called the Turnaway Study that was conducted over a number of years among people who had sought out abortions and been turned away, not due to state laws, but because of gestational age of their pregnancies. And it follows them in the outcomes that they had. And what it found is that for the people who did not receive abortions and carried to term, they didn't regret carrying to term - but if you looked at the outcomes in their lives in terms of their financial and emotional wellbeing, they took huge hits because they weren't able to access care. And so having access to an abortion is something that can prevent someone from being caught up in a cycle of poverty, which is why I often think that it's useful to frame it as an economic issue because the impact is such that being able to get timely care means that someone is able to care for their family in a way and remain afloat financially. And not being able to do that can mean the opposite - raising a child is expensive. [00:13:57] Crystal Fincher: Very expensive. And in a state like Washington, you mentioned we do have a lot of protections, but that doesn't mean that everyone has access to abortion and abortion care. What are the types of challenges that we face in Washington state? [00:14:12] Megan Burbank: One of the things we're dealing with now is just the fallout from abortion restrictions in other states. And so what that means is that there has been this gradual influx of patients from out-of-state, which focuses more demand on clinics. That can be complicated because it can create more delays for folks trying to access care in Washington. And I wanna be super clear that this is not just tied to Roe v. Wade - this was happening before Roe v. Wade was overturned, with the passage of legislation like Texas's Senate Bill 8, which is the six-week ban that includes this provision that allows people to have these sort of vigilante lawsuits against ordinary citizens or doctors for facilitating abortion care. And so after that law went into effect, what happened in states like ours is that we began to receive an uptick in patients from states like Texas and surrounding states. Because when a state bans abortion, people seeking care will go outside of that state, which creates a delay at clinics in states around that state. And then that sort of creates a ripple effect all the way up to states like ours. So I think it's easy to say - We're in Washington, access isn't a problem here. But when access is restricted elsewhere, we feel the effects of that. And then I would also say that one of the things that I think is important to remember is access is not universal here either. Especially if you live in rural areas, your options may be really limited in terms of finding a provider. I think it's something like 50% of counties in Washington don't have an abortion provider. And so that means that simple geography can be a barrier. And then I would also say we have - Washington has a policy which essentially allows for state Medicaid funds to pay for abortion. So if you're on state Medicaid here, you can - having an abortion is covered. And that's pretty rare. We're only a handful of a number of states that have that sort of policy. So we have these sort of state-level protections that can serve to mitigate some of the federal policies that have impacted access in other states. But that doesn't mean that we have a super clear, facile approach here. I think one of the things that I also see is - in Washington, we've had so many hospital mergers over the past decade between secular healthcare systems and religiously affiliated institutions. And often when that happens, it results in limitations on what reproductive healthcare is available in those hospitals. And so that may mean that even though you're in Washington, the institution where you are accessing care may not provide abortions. [00:16:58] Crystal Fincher: Yeah, and this is a major issue here. And these are healthcare systems like Franciscan and Providence and names that are pretty well known throughout the region. I don't think people necessarily always recognize that these are religiously affiliated hospitals and they frequently restrict access in a way that matches the religious convictions. But with these mergers, these may be the only hospitals that are available for someone in an emergency situation needing abortion care. And again, I think lots of people have been exposed to by now - that abortion is not always something that just happens, as people elect. There are lots of different situations where someone needs an abortion, including when a fetus is no longer viable and it can be a significant risk to a mother's health to not receive prompt medical care and a prompt abortion in that kind of situation. It can kill the mother - it's a big, big risk - and to not have that available, or not something that hospitals choose to offer really puts a lot of people in danger. We've seen this in areas where abortion access has been restricted and these stories have made the news - but this is something that doesn't always make the news - but these issues of access are really important. Is there anything happening legislatively, anything happening to help improve the access situation in this religious hospital merger situation, or just in rural areas who have lost healthcare capacity? [00:18:40] Megan Burbank: Yeah, there's been several legislative attempts. There was a law passed, I believe in 2021, called the Protecting Pregnancy Act. And this was drafted in response to scenarios like the one you're describing - where someone would present with an emergency situation related to pregnancy, like an ectopic pregnancy or a miscarriage, and would need abortion care as treatment. And there was a case in Bellingham where a woman was turned away several times while having a miscarriage, which can be quite dangerous. An ectopic pregnancy also, as you rightly pointed out, is - that can be an emergency situation. People can die from that if they don't receive timely care. And so this law was drafted with the intent of protecting providers who are in institutions that may have internal bans on abortion - that allows them to perform a procedure, an abortion procedure, in that type of situation and to be legally protected while they do it. I think it's not clear how useful this law has been in practice, if it's really expanded access in any meaningful way. I spoke with a provider about it this year, or in 2022, and she said that it was pretty hard to gauge how much of an impact it had. And she also told me that it was still common for patients in that type of situation to be transferred to a hospital like the University of Washington that does provide abortions and is known for that. So I think that's one piece. And then the other is this law called the Keep Our - or this bill - called the Keep Our Care Act that has been introduced in the Legislature. It was brought up this session and last session as well. And this would impose more stringent reporting requirements when healthcare institutions merge. And the focus of this one is not just on reproductive health but also on end-of-life care and gender affirming care, because those are the types of care that are often impacted by these mergers. And that bill appears to be stalled in committee - I don't think it made the cutoff. So we'll see what happens with that - I'm tracking it. But I think there have been these legislative approaches to address that type of situation where someone presents at a hospital in an emergency and can't receive care based on the ideology of the hospital they happen to be in. Which honestly is not something that - I think if I were in an emergency, I don't know that I would be checking the religious affiliation of the hospital. I think I would just want to go to the closest one. [00:21:07] Crystal Fincher: Yeah, and get the care I needed to survive and recover. Absolutely. You mentioned that you're tracking these bills and they can overlap and impact gender affirming care, other care - which is definitely true - we use abortion care as an umbrella term, similarly to contraception as an umbrella term. But this can impact a lot of different types of care. We certainly - after Roe v. Wade was overturned, heard of several situations where people had been prescribed medication that could be used for abortion, but that is used for treating a variety of other ailments, chronic conditions, and that's just necessary for healthcare in their situation that isn't related to an abortion at that point in time. But that medication's still being restricted because it has the potential to cause an abortion. Are we seeing these impacts in Washington state? And overall, what does it mean that reproductive health can be restricted, but also conflated with so many other conditions and treatments? [00:22:15] Megan Burbank: It's complicated. I think one of the things that has been interesting to follow is just - abortion care has often been siloed medically. And I think that we're seeing the same thing happen in real-time with gender affirming care, where it's treated as this separate thing that is not part of traditional healthcare. At the same time, it's something that is crucial for the people who seek it out. And one of the things that I have found to be interesting is that a lot of attempts to restrict gender affirming care resemble, policy-wise, restrictions on abortion. They have the same sort of mechanisms. There was a law recently introduced that really resembles Texas's abortion ban, but is focused on gender affirming care. And so I think that there is a nexus between the two. Another thing that I think is worth noting in this area is that - so Cedar River Clinics, which operates a number of clinics in Western Washington and they have one in Eastern Washington now that recently opened, they have provided gender affirming care for a long time. It's part of their practice. They also do abortions and provide other sort of basic healthcare services. And when I spoke with their communications person in 2022, we were talking about abortion - one of the things that she said was that people have been traveling to that clinic for decades because - they have been traveling there because it is a place where they can access later abortions, but it's also a place where they can access gender affirming care that may not be available in the state where they live. And so I think it is interesting to see these types of care sort of siloed and treated as separate from the rest of healthcare, even though people - they're critical treatments for the people who need them. And I think when you look at abortion, it's such a common procedure. I think it's something like one in four women before age 45 - it is a very normal part of healthcare in that sense, just looking at the numbers. And so I think that it's important to look at that and to look at where that - what agenda is animating the sort of fight against these types of care. And then the other thing I would note is that - you had mentioned abortion medication - and one of the things that we're following right now is the lawsuit in Texas that could potentially take one of two commonly used abortion drugs, mifepristone, off the market. And that's an example of a situation where - mifepristone is not just used in abortions, it's used for other things as well. But it has a REMS designation, which is a restriction that includes a lot of complex dispensing requirements - and so it's been at the center of a lot of debate for a long time for that reason. And I think one of the things that I found pretty alarming in a lot of the coverage of that case was that there were headlines saying that it would ban abortion pills across the country, which is technically true - it would ban, it would affect access to this one abortion pill. But the way that that framing exists, it suggests that there would be no medication abortion available to anyone, which isn't true. Providers in Washington, if that decision goes the way that it's likely to go, are prepared to pivot to a different dispensing protocol where they would use one abortion pill, misoprostol, which already is part of that typical protocol where people take both misoprostol and mifepristone. They work better together but misoprostol does work by itself and there is a lot of data, especially in countries where abortion is banned, that shows that it's effective in ending pregnancy on its own. And so I think it's just - when we look at the way that these drugs are regulated, it's really important to have that context and to see that it does not necessarily mean that all access is going away. It often means something a bit more nuanced that still is going to be hugely impactful on people, but I think that's a situation where clarity in reporting is really important. [00:26:24] Crystal Fincher: Yeah, I really appreciate you bringing that up - because to your point, I saw a ton of headlines that said - Medication abortions are going to be illegal if this court case is decided in a way that it looks like that judge is inclined to decide it. And lots of people hear that - certainly if I wouldn't have read beyond the headline, I would have been under that impression. And so I appreciate you bringing that up. I also really appreciate you bringing up how similar the political and policy playbooks are for the regulation of abortion care and gender affirming care - how we seem to artificially silo them in ways that don't come from the medical profession. These are not experts and doctors doing this. These are politicians saying - We need these extra requirements, extra red tape, extra reporting guidelines, extra waiting periods, extra requirements. And this is not coming from doctors, this is not coming from experts across the board, whether it's abortion or gender affirming care. And how subjective we get when it comes to gender affirming care, just as you said, subjective when it comes to the types of medications that are considered for abortion, not for abortion, and there can be a crossover there certainly - that's the case with gender affirming care. People need the healthcare appropriate to their situation, whether it reinforces their gender or not. There's certainly a lot of things that fall into the bucket of gender affirming care that we see as normal, everyday things - that the amount of people who have BBLs and breast enhancements and are taking hormones for a variety of reasons. There are so many people on hormones to treat a variety of ailments, but we act like it's just the scariest, most wrong thing in the world when it comes to trans people or people who need that kind of care. So I appreciate just the calling out and knowledge that there really is a similar playbook here being employed, and we're seeing a lot of the same tactics being used to place barrier after barrier. And the way that they get these things through - I think with both abortion and the gender affirming care - is they aren't going after outlawing the entire thing all at once, but just one more barrier, one more waiting period, one more regulation. And when you make people repeatedly jump through all these hoops, they eventually just get tired out, worn out, and not everyone makes it through all the hoops. And they know this and this is how they restrict access, even though there technically may be the ability to get it if everything aligns perfectly and you have enough money and time and the ability to take off work and that kind of stuff, which so many people don't have. So as we move forward, what should we be looking at and what can the average person who's interested in ensuring that reproductive access remains available and accessible to most people - how can people make a difference in their own community and what can they do to help this? [00:29:38] Megan Burbank: So there are three laws, or three bills, that have been introduced that have made it past the house of origin cutoff. One is a shield law that would protect providers of abortion care and also gender affirming care from being prosecuted for doing their jobs, essentially. There's another bill that would prevent licensing boards from retaliating against clinicians for providing care like abortions and gender affirming care. And then there's a third bill which would prohibit cost sharing for abortion. This is a really interesting bill because what it means is that if you are seeking abortion care - we have this law in the state of Washington that requires insurance plans to cover abortion if they cover maternity care, but that doesn't always translate to abortion being affordable because you may have high deductibles, your copay may be high. So this policy would essentially make it so that if you are seeking abortion, you don't have any coinsurance responsibility for it as a patient - which is a pretty wonky thing, but what it means is that you'll be able to get care without paying a high copay. You'll be able to just go and receive the care that you need. And so those laws are pretty instrumental in expanding protections for abortion access in Washington. And I think it's important, if this is something that people care about, to follow these pieces of legislation and just make sure that you're informed about it. I would also say - one of the issues that I've heard from activists since Roe v. Wade was overturned was that there's been a huge interest in their work and it's overwhelming. And I've also seen, I've also heard that there's been a lot of doubling up on existing activism. I think probably the most insidious example of this is like the camping meme that was going around after Roe v. Wade - of people in blue states being like, "Come camping with me, I'll help you get an abortion." Which is - I think comes from a good place of wanting to really help - but the thing is there are existing networks in the United States called abortion funds that have been around for a long time. And they exist to help people access abortion care and pay for things like travel expenses and childcare and their procedures. And so I think instead of doubling up on the work that already exists, it's really important to seek out the activist organizations that are already doing the work - because what I hear from them is that they see their work being redoubled in this way that's not really informed in the long shadow of the movement. And so it's really important to find out who is already doing the work and if you wanna be part of it, how can you support them rather than starting your own thing? But yeah, I think also - one of the things that I often say to people is if you care about abortion access and the policies that impact it, that should be a year-round activity. That shouldn't just be something that happens whenever there is a particular piece of legislation in the news - you should be following coverage of this on an ongoing basis because it's deep and complicated and wonky and it really helps to immerse yourself in it and to look into who are the players, who are the people that are advancing this legislation, and how is it gonna impact you? I think that's really important. And I think that there's been a lot of emphasis on things like stocking up on abortion pills and offering to drive people to their appointments. Again, I think it comes from a really good place, but I think it doubles up on existing work in a way that is often harmful to people who are actually already really immersed, on the ground, in that work. [00:33:21] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely. I guess finally, for people who are just living their lives, who may need abortion care at some point in time, but who currently are using period tracking apps, fertility apps, that type of thing. And while we see headlines like Meta or Twitter or other companies turning over data to authorities that may be looking to prosecute people or determine who is seeking abortion care, contraception. We see in Florida - for girls to participate in sports, they have to report their period dates and activity. And concerns about privacy, the technology, all the stuff surrounding that. How would you advise people as they navigate through these times that come with potential legal ramifications? [00:34:17] Megan Burbank: Yeah - I'm not a lawyer. I do talk to them a lot for my work, but I just want to preface this by saying that. But I would say it's a good idea to, I would say, be careful about what sort of social media channels you may be using for this type of information. Because it's very rare to actually be prosecuted for something like purchasing abortion pills, but it has happened. And often it involves an Internet trail of someone having purchased the drugs online. So this happened in Pennsylvania - I think it was in 2014 - a woman was prosecuted because she had purchased abortion pills for her daughter, and they went to a hospital because her daughter's miscarriage was incomplete so they were seeking care. And they were essentially reported on by someone who saw them when they came for care. When I speak to lawyers about this, it's unlikely. It's not, there's not a huge amount of precedent of people being prosecuted for the things that they do and say online, but it's also not impossible. There is precedent for it, despite the fact that it's not super robust. And so I think it's important to be careful about how you're engaging in that type of behavior. And then I would also say - we talked about a slate reproductive health bills going through the Legislature. There is another one called the My Health, My Data Act, which is focused exactly on this. And it's about setting up privacy protections for people using things like period trackers and doing online searches, that kind of thing. And so this is a piece of legislation that's meant to address sort of the gap between private health data that is protected by HIPAA and private health data that an app might have access to, where they don't have the same sort of legal responsibilities. And so I think this type of policy can actually help to protect people in those situations. And I don't think anyone should ever be afraid of knowing about their body or seeking out medical care that they need. I think that's really crucial. And I think that we may well see more attempts to protect that type of information in these types of laws moving forward. And I think they'll probably become more important because it's not something that we've seen a ton of precedent for in terms of prosecutions, but that's all changing right now because we no longer have the legal backstop of Roe. And so I think that means there are a lot of questions that we're gonna see play out over the next decade. [00:36:50] Crystal Fincher: Yeah, absolutely. And some attempted prosecutions happening right now involving some of that data, so we will certainly see how this plays out. Thank you so much for spending this time with us today, for helping to educate us about the state of reproductive access in Washington state right now. And we'll continue to follow this. Thank you very much, Megan. [00:37:11] Megan Burbank: Thank you, Crystal. This has been great. [00:37:12] Crystal Fincher: Thank you for listening to Hacks & Wonks, which is co-produced by Shannon Cheng and Bryce Cannatelli. You can follow Hacks & Wonks on Twitter @HacksWonks. You can catch Hacks & Wonks on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts - just type "Hacks and Wonks" into the search bar. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get the full versions of our Friday almost-live shows and our midweek show delivered to your podcast feed. If you like us, leave a review wherever you listen. You can also get a full transcript of this episode and links to the resources referenced in the show at officialhacksandwonks.com and in the episode notes. Thanks for tuning in - talk to you next time.

The Doug Fir is moving, the arts scene blossoms, and self-serve gasoline could come to Portland: Host Claudia Meza is rounding up the city's arts and culture news and events with Portland Mercury arts & culture editor Suzette Smith and lead producer John Notarianni. Stories Discussed: https://www.portlandmercury.com/spring-arts-preview-2023/2023/02/27/46371293/portland-mercurys-spring-arts-preview-the-look-of-love https://www.portlandmercury.com/music/2023/02/25/46371571/doug-fir-to-take-over-old-montage-space-in-portlands-central-eastside https://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/2023/03/opinion-oregonians-should-have-the-choice-to-pump-their-own-gas.html  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. Still want more Portland news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, and be sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram.  Looking to advertise on City Cast Portland? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

DO YOU THINK SHE GOT HER'S? Guest: Pete Discography Developing Diva: Rosemont Sound Co. Support the Show DDD Foxygen Playlist Citations: "Foxygen: Through the Doors of Perception." Relix. February 20, 2017. Greene, Jayson. "We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic." Pitchfork. January 22, 2013. Lannamann, Ned. "Teenage Alien Blues." Portland Mercury. March 20, 2013. Minsker, Evan. "Foxygen Announce New Album 'Hang'." Pitchfork. November 2, 2016. Norris, John. "A Breath of Foxygen." Interview Magazine. January 15, 2013. Reed, Ryan. "Foxygen: Face the Facts." Relix. July 9, 2019. Thomas, Fred. "Foxygen Biography." AllMusic. Thomas, Fred. "Take the Kids Off Broadway Review." AllMusic. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Unions are being organically grown at our favorite neighborhood grocery stores, New Seasons Market (see what we did there?). Alex Zielinski, the news editor for the Portland Mercury, has been following the unionization efforts of New Seasons' workers. She's brought us some stories (her articles got posted up in several New Seasons break rooms with heavy edits by management?!) and answers our burning questions – like, how is all of this going to affect their banana cake? Any thoughts on what else we should be looking into? Reach out and drop us a line at ‪(503) 208-5448‬, email us at portland@citycast.fm, or follow us on Twitter at @CityCastPDX. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A story about a poisoned water supply, insane misogynists, penis obsession, and way too much semen.***LISTENER DISCRETION IS ADVISED*** Listen in as me and guest, Chris, ...Co-directed by Drew Bolduc (Science Team, Assassinaut) and Dan Nelson (The Taint), and written by Bolduc, Ain't It Cool News called the film "one of the most inanely funny films [we've] seen," while Portland Mercury said "[they] can't recommend this movie, per se, but [they] also can't stop thinking about it." If those don't get you curious, then you'll definitely need to hear this episode. This film is fucking epic and brilliant. Fight me.It tells the story of a small town whose water supply has been poisoned by the TAINT. It makes men go crazy for murder, and murder makes them orgasm like firehoses. Forced to navigate and survive in this ruthless and jizz-soaked world is Phil O'Ginny (played by filmmaker Drew Bolduc), a lazy student who cares more about getting laid and smoking cigarettes then class. He meets up with fierce Misandra (a tough-as-nails Colleen Walsh) and the two set out to learn just what happened to cause the violent mayhem around them.The film is currently available on Vimeo, TromaNOW, and Blu-ray & DVD.

Multnomah County voters elected District Attorney Mike Schmidt in 2020. Schmidt campaigned on shrinking the criminal justice system, but his latest initiative involves hiring more prosecutors to join his team. As first reported by the Portland Mercury, Schmidt wants to spend $2.7 million on a program to hire eight new prosecutors who would be assigned to four geographic areas. These neighborhood prosecutors would work out of community centers or neighborhood-based nonprofits in an effort to build relationships and better understand the needs of the community. The ACLU of Oregon has expressed skepticism about the proposal. We hear more from DA Mike Schmidt.

As mentioned in last weeks episode, Christie is taking a bit of a break from the show. Have no fear, though - Alex is joined this week with host of the True Crime Cat Lawyer podcast, Elyse! For this collaboration, Alex discussing the case of Michele Gates from Portland, Oregon. While Elyse chats about the crimes of James Edward Wood, who seemingly made his way back to Utah. You won't want to miss the discussions surrounding these Pacific North West cases! Trigger warnings and listener discretions are advised for both cases. Need a distraction? We got you.  Podcast promo: Sinister Story Hour - check them out!  Here is more information about the True Crime Cat Lawyer podcast: https://www.truecrimecatlawyer.com/ Please check out this link regarding how you can support Ukraine: https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/ukraine-help-resources-donations/ (https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/ukraine-help-resources-donations/)  Listener discretion is advised. Shout out to our Patrons Tom, Bailey, Angela, Jon, Alicia, Lynn, Sissy, Shadow & Courtney! Thank you for supporting Weird Distractions on Patreon. You can also support the show on Patreon and get monthly bonus episodes, behind the scenes footage, and more! We're also on Buy Me a Coffee if you want to support the show with a one-time donation. You can also find us on Redbubble for some Weird Distractions merch. If you want to provide feedback or even your own weird story to be read on air in an upcoming Listener Distractions episode - please email: weirddistractionspodcast@outlook.com. If you're listening on Apple Podcasts, please consider rating & reviewing! It's the best way to support the show (for free). Thanks for listening! Weird Distractions is a proud member of the Cultiv8 network: https://www.patreon.com/cultiv8podcastnetwork/ (https://www.patreon.com/cultiv8podcastnetwork/)  Resources: YouTube video - “The Twisted and Tragic Saga of Michelle Dee Gates” - by Crematorium - April 12th, 2021  Book - “Murder in Oregon: Notorious Crime Sites” - by Marques Vickers - https://books.google.ca/books?id=tbUgEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA115&lpg=PA115&dq=diane+gates+murdered+oregon&source=bl&ots=pOPSWKQtOm&sig=ACfU3U3DiL1jpar43NFuRsZXqQ3rvJgyaA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiijr_575b2AhUfkIkEHc8FDYQQ6AF6BAgOEAM#v=onepage&q=diane%20gates%20murdered%20oregon&f=false (https://books.google.ca/books?id=tbUgEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA115&lpg=PA115&dq=diane+gates+murdered+oregon&source=bl&ots=pOPSWKQtOm&sig=ACfU3U3DiL1jpar43NFuRsZXqQ3rvJgyaA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiijr_575b2AhUfkIkEHc8FDYQQ6AF6BAgOEAM#v=onepage&q=diane%20gates%20murdered%20oregon&f=false)  Justia US Law website - “Matter of Gates” - 642 P.2d 1200 (1982) 56 Or.App. 694 - https://law.justia.com/cases/oregon/court-of-appeals/1982/642-p-2d-1200-0.html (https://law.justia.com/cases/oregon/court-of-appeals/1982/642-p-2d-1200-0.html)  Portland Mercury article - “Murder House” - No author listed - October 30th, 2013 - https://www.portlandmercury.com/portland/murder-house/Content?oid=10879324 (https://www.portlandmercury.com/portland/murder-house/Content?oid=10879324)  Oregon Live article - “Notorious Portland Child-Killer Michele Gates' Husband Fatally Shot; Her Dad Accused” - By Chad Sokol - January 9th, 2019 - https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2019/01/notorious-child-killer-michele-gates-dad-accused-of-killing-her-husband.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=theoregonian_sf&utm_medium=social (https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2019/01/notorious-child-killer-michele-gates-dad-accused-of-killing-her-husband.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=theoregonian_sf&utm_medium=social)  Oregon Live article - The strange case of child-killer Michele Gates and how it changed Oregon forever - By Therese Bottomly - January 10th, 2019 -...

Dave Hill is a comedian, writer, musician, actor, and radio host, who has appeared on Netflix's The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Adult Swim's Joe Pera Talks with You, Amazon's The Tick, Comedy Central's @midnight and Inside Amy Schumer programs, TBS' Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, TV Land's The Jim Gaffigan Show, and TruTV's Comedy Knockout amongst many others. Dave tours internationally, bringing his mix of comedy and shredding on guitar to stages (and jails) around the world.  His special, The Pride of Cleveland, can be viewed on the YouTube Channel of 800 Pound Gorilla Records: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPtSd7VHmdc. Categories for this episode:Music to My EarsIf I Had a CloneBlast From the PastWebsite: https://www.davehillonline.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrdavehill/ And, then there's this: https://www.davehillonline.com/japan/Check out Dave's books: Parking the Moose, Tasteful Nudes and Dave Hill Doesn't Live Here Anymore, and the many bands in which Dave has been a member and displeased with his band mates. Need more convincing about how great Dave Hill is, besides the fact that he is on the Comedy Roundtable Podcast, check out these quotes: “Whether he's interviewing a pet psychic or Jimmy Kimmel, Hill usually manages to derail the conversation to his own insecurities with hilariously uncomfortable results.”-Variety Magazine“Brilliant.”-New York Magazine"Cult New York comedian Hill is a hugely talented funnyman."-Time Out London“Hill's loose jabs and affable, nice-guy demeanor are what make his gently absurdist comedy so enjoyable.”-The Onion"Great comic ideas seem to flood out of him, whether he's mashing up home videos with clips of extreme arthouse movies or engaging in a six-month flame war with a Norwegian black metal musician."-The Guardian UK"One of the funniest people alive."-The Atlantic"Dave Hill makes the rest of us look terrible."-Portland Mercury

Dirk VandertHart is one of Oregon's most prominent political journalists, working for OPB. Previously, he worked at the Portland Mercury, and before that worked at several local publications across the country. Many Oregon politicos will recognize his voice from radio or from the OPB Politics Now podcast. He is an incredibly well-sourced and thoughtful reporter with many nuggets of wisdom and insight you're unlikely to hear from anyone else. In this episode, we discuss the state of local journalism in Oregon, and Dirk explains whether he's optimistic or pessimistic about the future of state politics reporting in Oregon. Dirk's also tells us about his path to Oregon (and whether he considers himself an Oregonian) and some of the things he's learned along the way. Then, we dive into the most important political topics of today: redistricting and the 2022 election.

Critics of Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler are collecting signatures to attempt to recall him. On this week's episode, OPB reporter Rebecca Ellis and Portland Mercury news editor Alex Zielinski talk with OPB editor Anna Griffin about the process for recalling a city official, the people behind the campaign and the chances it actually succeeds.

Jen, Meghan and Elle  talk sex education, sex work, hustling your femininity, purity balls, slut walk, FOSTA-SESTA and so much more... Queer, parent, sex worker, writer, podcast host, lobbyist for sex worker's rights in Oregon, and certified sex educator Elle Stanger has  worked in adult entertainment and touch-work since 2009. She's been featured in Inked Magazine, Playboy, Hustler, Rolling Stone and have written for Men's Health, Romper, Thrillist, Huffington Post, and more, and has been interviewed by Dan Savage, Guys We F*cked Podcast, and Alan Colmes - among others. Her podcast, Strange Bedfellows, was named “the best sex and politics podcast you've never heard of” by Portland Mercury and earned 100,000 subscribers in two years.   Website - www.stripperwriter.com. INSTAGRAM @STRIPPERWRITER TWITTER @ElleStanger Elle's writing at confluencedaily.com  & romper.com Thriving in Sex Work: Heartfelt Advice for Staying Sane in the Sex Industry -  Lola Davina Ro Khanna on twitter 

Episode 13 stars Mickey, Bobby, Ryan and Hannah, but the main star of the show is Katherine Morgan. Katherine is the assistant features editor for The Rumpus and a former bookseller at Powell's Books. She is the author of the debut chapbook No Self-Respecting Woman. Her essay about the presidential election of Donald Trump is featured in the anthology Fury: Women's Lived Experience During the Trump Era. Katherine's work has appeared or is forthcoming at Huffington Post, The Rumpus, Portland Mercury, HelloGiggles, Ravishly, jmww journal, Willamette Week, Real Simple, Trampset, and The Establishment. Her work has been nominated for the Best of Net award. She lives in Portland, Oregon, where you can find her snuggling with her cat Ramona, and crying during the series finale of Frasier. You can follow Katherine's writing at katherinedmorgan.com or follow her on Twitter at @blktinabelcher. Send us your pomes from this episode to pomes@deepoverstock.com, our social media channels, or read them to us https://anchor.fm/latenightpomes/message. Late Night Pomes is brought to you by Deep Overstock, https://deepoverstock.com. Follow Late Night Pomes on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Intro music: "90s Sitcom Joy" by John Bartmann, used under Creative Commons License. Interlude music: "Go to the Picnic" by Loyalty Freak Music, in the public domain. Commercials were written and read by Ryan Sprinkle. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/latenightpomes/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/latenightpomes/support

Detailed reporting by Portland Mercury news editor Alex Zielinski chronicles multiple allegations of sexual and psychological abuse by Portland NAACP president E.D. Mondainé. The allegations come from former members of Celebration Tabernacle, the North Portland Pentecostal church where Mondainé serves as senior pastor. Mondainé denies the allegations, but has announced he will no longer be running for a second term as president of the Portland NAACP chapter. We hear from Zielinski about her reporting.

On the podcast this week, we're welcoming Jessi Duley. She's a powerhouse businesswoman and a mom of three. Her efforts on her indoor cycling studio, BurnCycle – a non-competitive, pitch black spin environment with a hot playlist and a focus on connection – have made her an award-winning entrepreneur. In the nearly seven years since its inception, BurnCycle has grown by 500% and has been nationally recognized for its “like a boss” mentality by Forbes, Shape, Huffington Post, Portland Monthly, Portland Business Journal, Willamette Week, and Portland Mercury.  Jessi may have learned a lot about making it in the business world since she founded BurnCycle, but she's learned even more about how to find the joy in the journey, deciding it's not about the load, it's how you carry it.  Follow Jessi: http://www.burn-cycle/ (www.burn-cycle).com @burn-cycle @mrsduley -- Our online parenting programs are HERE!! In need of some extra support with straight-talk, trustworthy, digestible information to level up your parenting? We've got you, mama! Covering four of the most difficult areas to navigate as a modern mom, these programs are geared toward helping moms overcome the cycle of overwhelm & burnout so they can get back to enjoying motherhood. 

Today's guest is Bridget Pilloud. She is a Sagittarius, and pet psychic that talks with your pet to help with behavioral issues and bringing you closer with your pet, both living and deceased. She has been featured for her work by The New York Times, the Boston Globe, Willamette Weekly and the Portland Mercury. We discuss how she tapped into her spiritual gift, ways animals communicate with her, what to expect when you book a session with her and why listening to our intuition is so important! Bridget Pilloud can be contacted via her website Pets Are Talking. www.petsaretalking.com Follow her on Instagram @petsaretalking Nicole Burron is on Instagram @nicoleburron. She is an intuitive medium who does oracle readings that focus on connecting with your spirit guides and incorporating your unique natal chart to deliver you clear messages from the spirit realm and cosmic support from the stars. The Woo-Woo Report is on Instagram @thewoowooreportpodcast Follow us on Facebook for your fix of daily woo-woo news! Facebook Have a mystical question you want answered? Drop an e-mail at: hello@thewoowooreport.com

Vera Katz passed away this week at age 84. She served three terms as Portland mayor, which has become a rare accomplishment.Every mayor since has only served one term. She was also the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House in the Oregon Legislature.We look back on Katz's legacy in both roles.We also dive into Columbia Sportswear's role in the Portland homelessness debate.Host Julie Sabatier talks with OPB news director Anna Griffin and senior political reporter Jeff Mapes, and Dirk VanderHart of the Portland Mercury.

A proposed I-5 expansion through the Rose Quarter has become about MUCH more than a few more highway lanes. It touches on racism, privilege, Portland's relationship with the state and how leaders envision the city.We talk about where the battle lines are being drawn and dig into the history of Portland's difficult relationship with freeway projects. Host Julie Sabatier talks to OPB senior political reporter Jeff Mapes and Portland Mercury news editor Dirk VanderHart.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions visited Portland this week, and railed against Oregon's law that prohibits state law enforcement officers from cooperating with federal immigration agents. He said these policies, “…have serious consequences for the law-abiding residents of Oregon.” At the same time, groups are gathering signatures for a ballot measure to repeal that state law. Host Julie Sabatier talks with OPB senior political reporter Jeff Mapes, and Dirk Vanderhart, editor for the Portland Mercury.

This week, the Portland Water Bureau and the Washington Legislature were told to stop lollygagging on critical issues. The Oregon Health Authority ordered the City of Portland to treat its water for cryptosporidium, which it has refused to do for over a decade. And Washington Governor Jay Inslee called lawmakers back to Olympia for another special session to fix its infamous school funding problem.Host Geoff Norcross and OPB news director Anna Griffin will talk with Olympia correspondent Austin Jenkins and Portland Mercury reporter Dirk Vanderhart.

This week, the podcast takes up a controversial issue in Portland and around the state: renter protections. We dig into the new city ordinance that requires landlords to assist tenants with relocation costs in the case of a no-cause eviction. We'll also talk about how the state legislature is grappling with housing issues. Host Julie Sabatier talks with OPB senior political reporter Jeff Mapes and Dirk VanderHart, news editor for the Portland Mercury.