Oregon On The Record

Oregon is definitely cougar country. What once was a sparse population has grown to more than 6,000. And at times, people and cougars come into contact. Oregon On The Record talks with Beth Quillian of ODFW on ways to stay safe in the wilderness and in more urban areas.

Oregon On The Record's host, goes inside - inside the Lane County Jail that is, to learn about how the institution operates and how it manages an inmate population that has a staggering amount of mental health challenges.

Oregon is one of the most secretive states in the nation when it comes to disclosure of low-income housing spends. A ProPublica reporter uncovers the details.

Oregon was the first U.S. state to launch an extended producer responsibility (EPR) law for packaging. Recycling Partnership experts explain how it works and a key court ruling.

Librarians and volunteers race to save federal public data from removal. Lynda Kellam of the Data Rescue Project explains their mission on Oregon On The Record.

Connected Lane County, Ophelia's Place and A Family for Every Child launch Eugene's Youth Hub, offering career training, mental health support and basic-needs resources for local youth.

KLCC's Oregon on the Record talks with CAMP founder Johannah Johnson-Weinberg about free veterinary care and pet retention services for unhoused pet owners across Central Oregon.

Cottage Grove's Community Sharing Program grew from a food pantry into a full service center. Director Mike Fleck on food, housing, energy and water aid in South Lane County.

KLCC's Michael Dunne talks with Will Acosta of Siuslaw Vision about fiscal sponsorship, child care support and disaster resilience work in western Lane County.

Can predators actually protect drivers? On this episode of Oregon on the Record, host Michael Dunne talks with Justin Suraci, senior scientist and director of wildlife conservation science at Conservation Science Partners, about groundbreaking research from Washington's Olympic Peninsula. Using data from 503 camera traps and 59 GPS-collared pumas, Suraci and his team found that areas with high mountain lion activity see up to a 76% drop in deer-vehicle collisions, because pumas change where and when deer roam, pushing them away from roads and into safer habitat. The conversation digs into the "landscape of fear," the $14.7 million cost of wildlife collisions on the peninsula, and why understanding the hidden benefits of large carnivores, not just the risks, matters for human-wildlife coexistence.

A new Oregon State University study shows cats are far more trainable than most people think, and the benefits go both ways. On this episode of Oregon On The Record, host Michael Dunne talks with Monique Udell, an OSU professor who directs the Human-Animal Interaction Lab, about her research on cat-child training. The study paired 36 children with developmental disabilities with their family cats for a six-week training program covering basic commands, harness training and cat body language. The results: children took on more caretaking responsibility, cats showed increased sociability, and the child-cat bond grew stronger over the following year. Udell also discusses cats' potential as therapy animals, the “adventure cat” movement, and how training can boost stimulation and welfare for indoor-only cats.

NYT reporter Noam Scheiber joins Oregon On The Record to explain why women's workforce gains often follow job degradation, from MLB umpiring to medicine.

The Portland Trail Blazers want major upgrades to the Moda Center, and taxpayers could be on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars. On this episode of Oregon On The Record, host Michael Dunne talks with OPB Portland city politics reporter Alex Zielinski about the arena financing deal moving through Portland City Council and Multnomah County. They cover new Blazers owner Tom Dundon, the $600 million public funding push, what the city gets in return, and whether the Blazers could leave Portland if the deal falls through.

On this edition we talk with Grace Chinowsky of Lookout Eugene/Springfield to talk about her recent article about how ICE deported the father of a Eugene family and the aftermath of a family ripped apart.

On this edition, we talk with Oregon's US senator, Ron Wyden about the difficulties and disconnects he sees being created by President Trump and the rest of Oregon and America. We also talk with KLCC's Rebecca Hansen-White on efforts to cite a new landfill in the community.

On this edition, we talk with Kyle Williams of the Oregon Department of Forestry about how the agency has to change strategies as our wildland fires get more extreme in the era of climate change.

On this edition we talk with Haleigh Kochanski of the Register Guard about her story on a lawsuit against Eugene's Holt International. The suit alleges that Holt failed to disclose severe mental health challenges of an adopted child and coerced a family into the adoption. We also talk to KLCC's Zac Ziegler about his recent stories about housing and development in the community.

On this edition, we talk with Lt. Tim Wallace the new head of the Lane County Sheriff's Search and Rescue program. Wallace talks about the role and how search and rescue in Lane County is a complex team effort.

On this edition we talk with Annie Waldman of ProPublica about her investigative story, "The Milkman," about the largest raw milk producer in the country whose built his empire on bad science and denial of harm from his products.

On this edition, we talk with Mike Rogoway of the Oregonian about how the city of Hillsboro - once a champion of data centers - recently voted to stop all new construction on these controversial centers. It could be a harbinger of more prohibitions of data centers in Oregon. Then we talk with KLCC's Brian Bull about his story on the Elderberry Wisdom Farm and its struggle for funding in the age of anti-DEI sentiment.

On this edition, we talk with Alex Baumhardt of the Oregon Capitol Chronicle about her story on how Oregon's largest companies don't offer health insurance to workers even though they rake in huge profits.

On this edition, we talk with Jim Cornelius, editor-in-chief of the Nugget Newspaper in Sisters. He's both the chronicler of The Akawa Butte Fire, and its threat to the community of Sisters, as well as a friend and neighbor to people who've had to flea with their lives from the firestorm. We also talked to KLCC's Macy Moore about a unique and quirky race in Corvallis.

On this edition of Oregon on the Record, you’ll hear from Eric Gran, a Eugene man who braved hypothermia, avalanches, frost bite and respiratory distress, to stand on the tallest peak in the world - Mt. Everest.

On this edition we talk with Jen Baires, a reporter with OPB about continuing issues of trust, and allegations of lying by a deputy at Deschutes County Sheriff's office who is running to become head of the department. We also talk to KLCC's Love Cross about her continuing Oregon Ready series.

On this edition, we talk with Tia Nordstrand, who runs Kindred Matters a state-wide nonprofit that helps siblings separated by the foster care system to maintain connection through programs and camps that unite these kids for weekends and summers. We also talk to KLCC reporters Julia Boboc and Hannah Bush about helping animals through wildfire and new upgrades at the Cascades Raptor Center.

On this edition, we ride along with Patrol Officer Alan Kawasaki of Eugene Police to learn what its like to patrol Eugene city streets on a late Friday night.

On this edition, we talk with Joe Moll and Holly McRae of McKenzie River Trust about Green Island, which was a former farm area that has been restored by the organization to its natural habitant and teems with birds, animal and native plants.

On this edition, we talk with Prissila Moreno, the outgoing University of Oregon Student Body President who made a challenging speech at commencement including harsh words for ICE that drew a strong condemnation from one of the University's Board of Trustees. We also spoke with Jefferson Public Radio's Jane Vaughan about her story on how the statewide cellphone ban is doing in Southern Oregon.

On this edition, we talk with Dr. Shawn Stover, the new interim superintendent for Springfield Public Schools. The district has wobbled from one controversy to the next, and Dr. Stover is being brought in to calm the waters.

On this edition we talk with Travis Brouwer, Deputy Director of the Oregon Department of Transportation, about how fuel efficient cars and electric vehicles are reducing gas taxes that pay for road repairs and bridge construction. The agency is looking at new ways to fund projects as more and more people convert to EV's in the state.

On this edition, we talk to U of O Journalism professor Gretchen Soderlund about how republican constituencies tend to be more forgiving then democratic ones when politicians are caught up in sexual scandals.

On this edition, we talk with Hannarose McGuinness of the Register Guard about her story on the poor air quality of Eugene/Springfield and the toll wildfire smoke takes on our air and lungs. Then we talk to KLCC interns, Macy Moore and Hannah Bush about their stories of important developments at OSU and Corvallis.

On this edition we talk with Mike McInally of Lookout Eugene/Springfield about his story on the continuing challenges at Lane Community College and the continuing battles between the board of education and President Stephanie Bulger. We also talk to KLCC's Karen Richards and a new section of trail opening in Eugene.

On this edition, we talk with KLCC's Zac Ziegler about his story detailing how a timber executive was able to skirt permitting requirements on her McKenzie River property. The owner, Kathleen Jones-McCann, received a favorable ruling from Lane County commissioners after she donated thousands of dollars to two key commissioners, David Loveall and Ryan Ceniga.

On this edition, we talk with Darren Sparks of Tipping Point and Katie Wilgus of Downtown Eugene Inc. about a new pilot program in Eugene that aims to coordinate resources to better support those living unhoused and business owners who often are impacted by people forced to live on the streets.

On this edition,. we talk with Seth Johnstone of Basic Rights Oregon to get the organization's take on the Supreme Court ruling which allows bans of transgender women playing sports. We also talk to KLCC's Kendra Schertell about her story on Raymond Brown who goes to great lengths to teach anyone about the Declaration of Independence.

On this edition, we talk with OPB's Emily Cureton Cook about her stories on water rights and usage in Central Oregon from the Deschutes River, and how some properties are encouraged to use as much water as possible, while farmers in other areas are struggling to water their thirsty crops.

On this edition, we talk with the new Emergency Manager for Lane County, Monica Larcom. She brings her experience managing search and rescue operations for the county to now coordinate resources and responses for community-wide disasters. We also talk to KLCC's Rebecca Hansen-White about her story on new pending lawsuits at Springfield Public Schools.

On this edition, we talk with Dirk VanderHart, politics reporter for OPB about his story on the Supreme Court rejecting the Trump Administration's executive order to disallow postmarked ballots counting in elections. Voting by mail and allowing postmarks are a hallmark of Oregon voting law.

On this edition we talk with Aaron Orlowski, spokesperson for EWEB about how the utility gears up for summer power needs, especially in our era of climate change. We also bring back a past episode segment to talk about heat pumps and how they can help Oregonians stay cool more efficiently.

On this edition, we talk with Kathryn Catherwood and Jeffry Hall of the Lane County Amateur Radio Emergency Service about the vital role amateur radio will play in communications during a community-wide emergency. We also check in with a former guest, local school teacher Tanner Faris on his attempt to become the fastest cyclist from Canada to Mexico.

On this edition, we talk with Five-time Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and performer Mary Chapin Carpenter before her concert at the Hayden Homes Amphitheater in Bend this weekend.

On this edition we talk with Tracie McMillan of The Guardian about her expose on Greystar and other apartment owners who charge exorbitant and often hidden fees to renters throughout the nation and in Oregon which can often lead to financial crisis and even eviction.

On this edition, we talk with Robin Greenfield and environmental activist who is foraging for 100% of his food and medicine for one year to raise awareness of a better and healthier way to eat. We also talk with KLCC's Nathan Wilk about a recent ruling to remove the fence at the Eugene federal building.

On this edition, we talk with Larry O'Neill, Oregon's state climatologist about the upcoming Fall and Winter in the Pacific Northwest and the potentially devastating impacts from the forecast Super El Niño. Then we talk with KLCC's Brianna Bowman about a famous boat once sailed by John Steinbeck, that recently visited the Oregon Coast,.

On this edition, we talk with John Eaton of the Wounded Warrior Project about hew treatments to help soldiers deal with PTSD. We also talk to KLCC's Macy Moore about a business suffering from proximity to the Coffin Butte landfill and to Love Cross about her series Oregon Ready.

On this edition, we talk with Oregon's top veterinarian, Dr. Ryan Scholz, about the invasive cattle parasite, the New World Screw Worm and what he and his team are doing to keep it out of Oregon herds. We also talk with KLCC's Karen Richards about restoration of the McKenzie River flood plain.

On this edition we talk with Lookout Eugene/Springfield reporter Ben Botkin about his article which describes how miles of roads in the county are in no municipal jurisdiction and therefore never get fixed. Then we talk with U of O professor Yuchi Yao about the massive IPO for Elon Musk's SpaceX.

On this edition we talk with Mike Rogoway of The Oregonian about how one of Oregon's largest employers, Intel, is making a comeback due to the AI revolution that almost caused the company to collapse. Then, we talk with KLCC's Rebecca Hansen-White about a new superintendent for Springfield Schools and a tax to help fund the Lane County Sherriff's office.

On this edition, we talk with Alex Baumhardt of the Oregon Capitol Chronicle about her reporting on the explosion of data centers in Oregon and how the promise of jobs and economic vibrancy is often underwhelming, while negative environmental impacts are often under-estimated. Then we talk with our own Julia Boboc about a national won she garnered for her reporting.