Think Out Loud

With gyms temporarily closed due to the coronavirus, the best way for many people to exercise is to run or bike around their neighborhoods. But those activities come with their own set of questions: Should cyclists and runners wear masks? What is a safe distance from others when you’re moving quickly and breathing hard? We dig into current best practices for running and biking with Jonathan Maus, editor and publisher of Bike Portland, and Aubri Juhasz, a runner and a producer for NPR’s “All Things Considered” who recently wrote about running safely during the pandemic.

The continued shutdown of nonessential businesses in Oregon to save lives during the coronavirus pandemic has delivered a crippling economic blow to many individuals and businesses. Prosper Portland (formerly the Portland Development Commission) is providing some financial relief in the form of grants and loans to small businesses. We talk with executive director Kimberly Branam and Troy Douglass, the owner of one of the small businesses that got a grant.

The coronavirus pandemic has delayed interviews and oath ceremonies for thousands of people applying for U.S. citizenship. That means many may not become citizens in time to vote in the 2020 election. We hear more about the delays and what they could mean for immigrants in Oregon.

Americans in urban areas have flocked to second homes and rentals in resort towns for quarantine. Many local residents say they don't have the hospital capacity or grocery supply to support an influx of newcomers. We hear from Suzanne Weber, the mayor of Tillamook, about how her community has been coping. Anne Helen Petersen, a senior culture writer for BuzzFeed News, also joins us to talk about her recent story, “The Pandemic Is Not Your Vacation.”

For the first time in decades, a Portland mayor has decided to run for a second term. Incumbent Ted Wheeler faces a slate of challengers. We’ll be hearing from the most prominent candidates this week. Today: Ozzie Gonzalez.

In honor of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, National Geographic is imagining what the world might look like in another fifty years. Oregon writer Emma Marris wrote an essay for the magazine titled “The Case For Renewal.” She imagines what the future could look like if we are able to cut carbon emissions, embrace renewable energy, eat less meat and live in harmony with wildlife.

Food banks in Oregon are seeing an increase in demand as more people are laid off during the coronavirus pandemic. But the food banks are also facing a shortage of both supplies and volunteers. This week, Gov. Kate Brown allocated $8 million to the Oregon Food Bank. We hear from Oregon Food Bank CEO Susannah Morgan and Susan Martin, executive director of the Project Blessing Food Pantry in Reedsport, about how food banks are managing during the pandemic.

For the first time in decades, a Portland mayor has decided to run for a second term. Incumbent Ted Wheeler faces a slate of challengers. We’ll be hearing from the most prominent candidates this week. Today: Teressa Raiford.

Idaho was one of the last states to have a confirmed COVID-19 case, but the rate went up quickly. The Idaho Statesman newspaper reports that despite a relatively high infection rate, the testing numbers were slow to keep up, especially compared with other western states. Testing has improved now, and Gov. Brad Little’s stay-at-home order is set to expire this Wednesday. We talk with Idaho Statesman reporter Chadd Cripe about how Idaho is weathering the pandemic.

This time of year, high school seniors are normally getting ready for proms, commencement ceremonies, and planning for what will come after graduation. But senior year is looking different this year. We talk with high school seniors around the state about what their lives are like during the pandemic.

Governor Kate Brown gave a press conference this morning. We'll get a recap from OPB reporter Lauren Dake.

Gigi Goodrich has been in addiction recovery treatment for months and was going to regular twelve step meetings when the pandemic hit. Goodrich sent us an audio postcard about her struggle to stay sober while maintaining social distancing.

West Coast leaders’ early interventions to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus seem to be working. There have been 682 COVID-19 related deaths in California, 508 in Washington and 53 in Oregon. In comparison, the state of New York had more than 10,000 deaths as of April 13. New York Times reporters Jonathan Martin and Adam Nagourney explored what the West Coast did right in response to the pandemic. Martin joins us.

For the first time in decades, a Portland mayor has decided to run for a second term. Incumbent Ted Wheeler faces a slate of challengers. We’ll be hearing from the most prominent ones later this week, but we start with Ted Wheeler

Oregon prisoners are concerned about the Department of Corrections’ response to the coronavirus in Oregon prisons. A group of inmates with underlying medical conditions are suing the DOC. And on Friday, Governor Kate Brown issued a statement saying she would release some prisoners on a case-by- case basis. We hear from Tara Herivel, a public defense and post-conviction attorney working with inmates.

After 20 years representing Oregon's 2nd Congressional district, Greg Walden is retiring. Walden is currently the only Republican in Oregon's congressional delegation, and members of his party are lining up to replace him. We’ve been hearing from the most prominent candidates running for Walden's seat in the Republican primary. We end the series with Knute Buehler. An orthopedic surgeon in Bend, he served two terms as a state legislator and ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2018 and secretary of state in 2012.

Musician, Torah teacher and poet Alicia Jo Rabins has been writing nightly poems about the pandemic in her bathtub, then sharing them on Facebook and Instagram. We hear how Rabins is taking her music, writing and Jewish feminist education online in the time of social distancing.

We get opinions and analysis on some of the week’s biggest news from Nkenge Harmon Johnson, Jason Conger, and Camilla Mortensen.

Oregon farms are still operating, but many are struggling to keep business up. We hear from Oregon Farm Bureau Executive Vice President Dave Dillon about how COVID-19 is impacting the farm economy. Cattle rancher Cory Carman of Carman Ranch in Wallowa County also joins us to share how her business, which gets 50% of its revenue from restaurants, is coping with a major loss of clientele.

After 20 years representing Oregon's 2nd Congressional district, Greg Walden is retiring. Walden is currently the only Republican in Oregon's congressional delegation and members of his party are lining up to replace him. We'll hear from the most prominent candidates running for Walden's seat in the Republican primary. Next up is Cliff Bentz. He served in the Oregon legislature from 2008 to 2020. Bentz was the subject matter expert for Senate Republicans on the controversial cap-and-trade bill in the 2019 session, and he ultimately participated in the walkout that helped kill the bill. He resigned before the start of the 2020 legislative session in order to run for Congress.