In November, Oregon voters approved Measure 109, which allows the use of the psychedelic drug psilocybin in supervised facilities. The program won’t be up and running until 2023, and there’s a lot of work to be done before then.

A new study from OHSU shows that people infected by the COVID-19 virus may have immunity against new variants of the novel coronavirus for as long as 11 months following infection. This study looks at the body’s backup immune cells, which seem to be able to adapt to different variants of COVID-19.

Portland musician Aaron Nigel Smith calls the genre he works in “family music.” He writes songs for kids and their families to enjoy together. For Juneteenth this year he’s releasing a special collaboration album with songs from 23 other artists. The album is called All One Tribe, and it’s a celebration of BIPOC musicians, children, and families.

There is a shortage of affordable housing on the Oregon Coast. This is not a new problem, and it only intensified with the COVID-19 pandemic, as coastal real estate became even more attractive to people who could afford to work remotely.

The Oregon Legislature’s 2021 session is drawing to a close, and it’s been an eventful five months, with a slow start but then a lot of activity: on pandemic response, policing, gun laws and much more. Democratic lawmakers, who hold sizable majorities, will also be leaving some of the priorities undone.

Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt announced Tuesday that his office has indicted Portland Police Bureau Officer Corey Budworth on a charge of fourth degree assault. The indictment is the second against a Portland police officer to stem from last year’s racial justice protests, during which the bureau documented more than 6,000 use-of-force incidents against protesters.

Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Oregonians have the highest vaccination rate by race and ethnicity, according to data from the Oregon Health Authority. Latinx and Hispanic Oregonians have the lowest.

Rupert Kinnard introduced his character the Brown Bomber in 1977, and later, BB's sidekick Diva Touché Flambé. Kinnard created the first African American LGBTQ characters in comics, and his stories are featured in the new documentary, “No Straight Lines: The Rise of Queer Comics.” Throughout his career, Kinnard contributed to Willamette Week and co-founded Just Out. He was also the first Black member of the first LGBTQ-rights umbrella organization in Oregon. Through the Brown Bomber and Diva Touché Flambé, he provided commentary on social issues including gay rights and racial justice. Kinnard joins us to share more about his life and work and the new film that highlights both.

Multnomah County's Preschool For All program has ambitious goals, including raising wages for preschool teachers and, eventually, providing free access for all 3- and 4-year-olds in the county.

Teachers' unconscious racial bias in the classroom can significantly affect how different students are taught — and what they learn. Portland State University Math Education professor Eva Thanheiser has just won a $640,000 grant to preemptively reduce bias among K-12 math teachers.

In February, trees in cities and towns across the state crashed down after a devastating ice storm. Months later, several cities in Oregon are still dealing with tree damage from the storm.

Rep. Mike Nearman was expelled from the Oregon House in a widely anticipated vote June 10, a first in state history. Only Nearman himself voted against the resolution, finding that he had engaged in “disorderly behavior” by facilitating the Capitol building incursion by armed far-right protesters six months ago. We get perspectives on what’s next.

The NCAA track and field championships took place this weekend in Eugene at the historic Hayward field, drawing collegiate athletes from across the country.

Oregon is the first state where legislative aides are unionized. The effort has been afoot since last year, overcoming some opposition from lawmakers who attempted to prevent it. Staffers prevailed and now the union is poised to negotiate its first contract after the 2021 session wraps up.

This year, even though outdoor gatherings have been sanctioned once again, Portland's Pride parade, and most accompanying events, will be virtual. Meanwhile, the Eastern Oregon city of Pendleton will have its first Pride Parade.

The Oregon Senate has passed a bill that would allow college athletes to be compensated for their name, image and likeness. A number of other states have passed similar bills, and the NCAA and federal lawmakers are taking up the issue as well.

Climate change activists have a lot to celebrate this week. The Keystone XL oil pipeline was cancelled. Closer to home, a bipartisan bill to move Oregon’s energy grid to 100% renewable energy is on a trajectory toward Gov. Kate Brown’s desk.

Oregon House Republicans are calling on one of their own to resign. We’ll talk about this, and look ahead to the last weeks of the legislative session, with Oregon House Minority Leader Rep. Christine Drazan, R-Canby.

In the past, Oregon’s indigenous students couldn’t wear eagle feathers on their graduation caps, mukluks on their feet, or traditional stoles over their graduation gowns without the fear that they would be stopped or have these items confiscated by school administrators.

South Salem High School graduate Kundai Kapurura says between the pandemic, the movement for racial justice and the wildfires, she was overwhelmed with a desire to help. She reached out to fellow student Sophia Cobb after noticing her eye-catching Instagram pictures of clothing she’d made, and the two started a business that donates 10% of what it makes to charity.