Talking Business | Hazel Hall | Plastic Bag Ban

• We discuss the latest regional business news with Suzanne Stevens, editor of the Portland Business Journal.

• A Lane Community College dance production is honoring Oregon poet Hazel Hall, a paralyzed woman who gained international fame in the early 20th century but was largely forgotten for years after her death. "The Room Upstairs" focuses on Hall's work and life through a blend of dance, music and poetry. We talk to Lane Community College choral instructor Matthew Svoboda and the production's lead performer, Karen Daly.

• Oregon lawmakers are considering a statewide ban on single-use plastic bags. California was the first state to pass a statewide ban on single-use plastic bags, and Washington state is moving in this direction as well. While the ban seems to have momentum, some critics are questioning the huge increase in paper bag use — and the environmental impact of reusable bags. We get three guests' perspectives on the issues involved: David Tyler, head of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Oregon; Joe Gilliam, President of the Northwest Grocery Association; and Terry Webber, executive director for packaging for the American Forest and Paper Association.

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