OPB's Think Out Loud

As a former Portland police chief and the first female chief in the nation, Penny Harrington explains the character qualities and responsibility of a chief of police.

Oregon Governor Kate Brown is backing a bill that would create a public records advocate position in state government. Brown joins us to talk about what this new position would look like, and gives her reaction to the news that her predecessor John Kitzhaber will not face federal charges.

On July 3, the Oregon DMV will begin issuing driver’s licenses with a non-specific gender option for non-binary people. Jamie Shupe, represented by Lake Perriguey, will be the first person in the nation to get this license with an “X” instead of the binary “M” or “F.”

Simon Tam joins us. He just won his case in the U.S. Supreme Court. He can now trademark his band name, The Slants.

Former Governor John Kitzhaber says he’d had second thoughts about his resignation in 2015, now that a federal investigation has concluded with no charges. Political analyst Jim Moore gives us his perspective on Kitzhaber and former first lady Cylvia Hayes: what’s important to remember about the influence peddling scandal, and what we may see from them in the future.

A group of 3rd grade Girl Scouts helped to get a bill passed in the state legislature last week under the guidance of their troop leader, Carol Suzuki. The bill allows private citizens to break into vehicles to rescue pets or children from the heat.

Suzanne Stevens with the Portland Business Journal joins us to talk about some of the big stories in business.

When Marc Trice went to prison, Beanie Babies were hip, Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” was topping the charts and “internet” was not a household word. He was 15 years old and had never held a job. When Trice was released 21 years later, he had to learn how to negotiate the new century as a man in his mid-30s with a felony on his record. And the family of Trice’s victim, Sandra Lee Raph, had to learn to live with the knowledge that he was now free. We first met Trice in 2014 when we broadcast a show from the Oregon State Penitentiary. We caught up with him now that he’s out and also spoke with the Angela Raph, the older sister of his victim. We got word recently that this show has won a gold prize at the New York Festivals International Radio Program competition. The award ceremony is tonight.

Alex Bassos describes some of the challenges lawyers face when defending clients who are struggling with mental health issues. Bassos is the director of training and outreach at Metropolitan Public Defender Services.

After years of juggling school, teaching, an internship, and a whirlwind family life, Autumn Engh is set to graduate from the Oregon Institute of Technology and begin her work as an electrical engineer for the Bonneville Power Administration. Engh, 38, served in the United States Navy as one of the first female nuclear mechanics, an experience she credits with helping define her professional path.

Portland State University assistant professor Marisa Zapata, lawyer and former Oregon lawmaker Kevin Mannix, and Oregon State University associate professor Christopher McKnight Nichols join us to talk about some of the biggest news stories of the week.

We talk to Oregon’s junior US Senator about the health care bill Senate Republicans are putting together behind closed doors, the shootings of Congressman this week at a baseball practice, and the news that President Trump is indeed the subject of a federal investigation in connection with Russia’s tampering with U.S. elections.

For the 25th anniversary publication of the Oregon book Ricochet River, we visited with a class of students at Clackamas Web Academy who are reading the book, along with author Robin Cody.

The people of Ontario, Oregon are worried. Businesses are leaving Oregon to settle right over the river on the Idaho side. Jobs are becoming harder to find as the Idaho side grows and thrives.

Local author Omar El Akkad's new book is fiction, but it feels distressingly realistic.