Sage Van Wing

This summer, the owner of Mt. Bachelor ski resort, POWDR Corp., announced plans to sell. Bend locals Chris Porter and Dan Cochrane are leading an effort to keep resort ownership local. They’ve incorporated as Mt. Bachelor Community Inc. and hope to attract both small and large-scale investors that share their values. Porter and Cochrane join us to discuss their plans.

Sam Adams and Shannon Singleton are in a runoff to represent North and Northeast Portland, District 2, on the Multnomah County Commission. Neither candidate got over 50% in the May primary. The seat opened up when Susheela Jayapal stepped down last fall to run for Congress. Sam Adams is a former mayor of the city of Portland and previously held a position within Mayor Wheeler’s office. Shannon Singleton, a trained social worker, is the former interim director of the Joint Office of Homeless. They join us to share why they’re running and what they want to accomplish if elected.

In the 1970s, some scientists proposed that Earth and its life forms are a single, self-regulating system. At the time, the “Gaia hypothesis” was widely criticized. But since then, the concept of Earth as a vast interconnected living system has gained acceptance. Portland-based science writer Ferris Jabr ’s new book, “Becoming Earth: How Our Planet Came to Life,” describes how the living and nonliving components of the planet work together as an integrated whole. Ferris Jabr joined us at the 2024 Pickathon Experiential Music Festival.

Republican Cliff Bentz has won his reelection for Oregon’s 2nd Congressional District, the largest congressional district in Oregon that represents around two-thirds of the state, comprising everything east of the Willamette Valley. We hear from Bentz and others in response to this week’s election results. Meghan Moyer won a position on Multnomah County Commission, representing District 1. We’ll also hear from Oregon U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley about governing in the minority in a Trump administration.

“Think Out Loud” is joined by the “OPB Politics Now "podcast team on the air and on video livestream. Dirk VanderHart, Lauren Dake, Bryce Dole and Alex Zielinski join us to discuss the outcomes from key races and measures across Oregon and Southwest Washington, what implications they may have, and how they might affect the lives of Pacific Northwest residents in the year to come.

OPB's Photo Editor sits down with us to break down the decisions that go into taking photographs and choosing which ones will accompany stories. We discuss photography for elections, protests, homelessness and more… all while focusing on the humanity of her subjects.

The archaeology team finishing pedestaling, or revealing artifacts in place for documentation, at the Maxville excavation site. This was the first time that a Black logging family home in rural Oregon has been excavated. Arya Surowidjojo / OPB

Oregon has among the strongest protections for abortion rights and the fewest limits on the procedure of any state in the nation. Could Republican control of the presidency and both chambers of the U.S. Congress make things harder for abortion providers and seekers in Oregon, despite protective state laws? OPB health reporter Amelia Templeton fills us in.

The tune you hum along to from your favorite podcast may come from the Portland band Wonderly. The duo, made up of Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk, have recorded theme music for many podcasts, including “The Daily” from the New York Times. They have also recently released a new album called “Wolves.” Brunberg and Landsverk join us in studio for a performance and conversation.

Thanksgiving cooking could mean hours in the kitchen — and it can be stressful, managing timing or different dietary needs. Do you have menu questions? Or tips for pulling off a successful meal for family and friends? OPB “Superabundant” contributor and food writer Heather Arndt Anderson joins us to answer your questions.