
Sage Van Wing
Sage Van Wing is the executive producer of Oregon Public Broadcasting's daily talk show, "Think Out Loud."
She has produced daily news programs at other NPR affiliate stations Vermont Public Radio, KUOW in Seattle and KQED in San Francisco.
She graduated from Stanford University with a degree in anthropology.
While in Vermont, she became an expert sledder. While in Seattle, she learned to bike in the rain. Sage hopes someday to become an expert taxidermist.
Latest Stories
Northwest Tibetan Community Association celebrates 30 year anniversary
The first Tibetans came to the Pacific Northwest to work in the lumber industry. Then, in the early '90s, more refugees were resettled here. Earlier this month, The Northwest Tibetan Community Association celebrated 30 years of Tibetan language and cultural programming.
Community leader who helped bring Nike to NE Portland reflects on the store’s closure
Earlier this month, Nike told the Soul District Business Association that the company would be closing its store in Northeast Portland permanently.

New album from Portland artist shines a light on Asian American history
After a deep dive into Asian American history in college, Julian Saporiti founded No-No Boy, a Portland-based music and multimedia project that combines vivid narrative storytelling with Asian American history. Saporiti joins us to play songs from his newest album, “Empire Electric.”
Portland teachers union could be headed toward a strike
The Portland Association of Teachers’ nearly 4,500 union members are currently working without a contract. The union has been in mediation with Portland Public Schools since late August, and both parties have repeatedly stated they would like to avoid a strike.

How climate change affects addiction
For people in addiction or recovery, climate-related events can disrupt whatever stability they may have found. We talk to Robin Buller, who wrote about the connection between climate change and addiction for High Country News.

Portland area’s TriMet responds to safety issues
After several recent attacks on TriMet passengers, the transportation agency has invested millions in hiring private security officers. Now, a study has found trace amounts of fentanyl on public transit surfaces. TriMet ridership is down nearly 30% from pre-pandemic levels, and the agency plans to increase fares by 12%. We talk to TriMet Chief Safety Officer Andrew Wilson and Rob Hendrickson, medical toxicologist at OHSU.
Oregon’s peppermint farms threatened by fungus
Oregon is one of the leading exporters of peppermint oil in the U.S. But a fungus called verticillium wilt, which affects the leading variety of peppermint, is spreading throughout the Willamette Valley. Reporter Berit Thorson recently wrote about the issue for Capital Press, and joins us to talk about what she learned.

Portland City Commissioner Rene Gonzalez on public safety issues
This week, the Portland City Council unanimously passed a drug use criminalization ordinance, crafted by Commissioner Rene Gonzalez and Mayor Ted Wheeler. The measure would ban the public use of drugs like fentanyl and meth only if the Oregon Legislature changes a state law. City Council also directed its lobbyists to push for that legislative change. Public safety and homelessness were among the top issues that Gonzalez campaigned on, and likely the issues that swept him into office last November. Gonzalez to talk about about public safety.
Hood River library system goes mobile
Yelitza Vargas-Boots, the bilingual outreach librarian for the Hood River County library district, joins us to explain the services of the bookmobile.

Thinning makes forests healthier, according to research from Oregon State University
We talk to James Johnston, the assistant professor in the College of Forestry at OSU who authored the study, about how selective thinning could make forests more resilient in the face of wildfires.