
Oregon state parks to become more accessible to people with disabilities
State parks will become much more accessible under a new plan from the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. Doors, parking lots and restrooms account for about half of the existing barriers for people with disabilities. Those should take about five years to fix, but the full plan is expected to take about 25 years. Advocates for people with disabilities say they’re heartened that parks will be brought into compliance with the federal Americans With Disabilities Act, passed more than 30 years ago.
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Ruling gives Oregon lawmakers a chance to redraw political maps
Oregon lawmakers have been battling Secretary of State Shemia Fagan in court over who gets to draw political boundaries based on the latest census data. The Oregon Supreme Court sided with lawmakers in a ruling Friday. OPB political reporter Dirk VanderHart fills us in.
Reporting anti-Asian hate and bias incidents
New research shows that Asian Americans are the racial group that is least likely to report hate incidents to authorities.

Portland AAPI chefs form Rice Bowl Posse to unite against anti-Asian hate
After eight people, including six Asian American women, were killed in Atlanta, five Asian American restaurant and food cart owners in Portland gathered together to talk about the violence and how to move forward.

Oregon bill would require judges to take domestic abuse into account during sentencing
A recent survey found that more than two thirds of incarcerated women in Oregon said that past trauma led to their involvement in the criminal justice system.
Portland’s new Lilith Clinic provides reproductive health services otherwise lacking for those in need
The Lovejoy Surgicenter closed its doors in January, leaving many Portlanders and others seeking abortion services without a place to go. The Lilith Clinic opened last month and aims to fill the gap left by Lovejoy. Oregon is unique in that it does not have state restrictions on abortion, but access remains an issue. Many counties do not have any abortion providers at all.
Community organizer offers ideas to prevent gun violence in Portland
We hear from Lakayana Drury about his detailed proposal for getting at some of the root causes for gun and gang violence. The plan includes offering direct financial support as well as wraparound services to at-risk youth and free access to college for students who are Black, Indigenous or other people of color.
How Eugene’s contract with local utilities could be a tool to reduce carbon emissions
The operating agreement between the city of Eugene and local gas utility Northwest Natural is set to expire in May. But the renegotiations are stalled because the city wants to include a carbon fee program to fund its climate goals.

Vaccine acceptance rate among prisoners at 70%
The Oregon Department of Corrections has offered a COVID-19 vaccine to every inmate in custody. Nearly 70% of people in prison have given consent to be vaccinated. After months of outbreaks and 42 COVID-related deaths in Oregon prisons, there are currently 9 active COVID cases in state prisons, down from a high of 730.

Clackamas County students navigate the pandemic through art
Artwork from more than 100 students is featured in a virtual art show hosted by the Clackamas Education Service District. The art pieces represent students from school districts throughout Clackamas County. The works illustrate the students' feelings and emotions as they navigate the pandemic. Bonnie Kayser is an art educator at Clackamas High School and curated pieces from her students. Hannah Olson is a sophomore at Clackamas High School and has art in the show.

Biden Administration looks at highway expansion through a racial justice lens
Oregonians opposed to the planned expansion of Interstate 5 in Portland’s Rose Quarter are paying close attention to the Biden Administration’s response to a controversial highway expansion in Texas.

Racism, violence against Asian American Pacific Islander community taking heavy toll
Reported acts of racism, violence and hate crimes directed at members of the Asian American Pacific Islander community have increased significantly during the pandemic. Last month, eight people, including six Asian-American women, were shot and killed in Atlanta, Georgia. The attacks have had a profound impact on mental health for many in the AAPI community.

Top Oregon health official on possible COVID-19 surge, expedited vaccine eligibility
Oregon officials are warning of a fourth wave of COVID-19 infections, even as more people become eligible for vaccines each week.

Documentary about Bend’s Blockbuster streams on Netflix
At its peak, renting a movie from Blockbuster was a common experience for many households. But thousands of Blockbuster locations were slowly whittled down to one on the planet. And it’s in Bend. “The Last Blockbuster,” a documentary about the lone location, is streaming on Netflix. Taylor Morden is the director of the film and Zeke Kamm is the writer. They join us to tell us more about the film and the iconic location left in Bend.

Lawmakers moving forward on plan to provide health care to all Oregon residents
Oregon’s health care goals include eradicating health inequities by 2030. A big part of meeting that goal is making sure all residents, including undocumented workers, can get health insurance.
How the pandemic has changed homeless services
Some of the changes include allowing more camps and homeless villages, paying for people to stay in motels and more access to public restrooms.

College students say tuition and other costs are too high
For many college students, how to afford their education is never far from their minds. They’re dealing with rising prices for food, housing, textbooks and tuition. Oregon State University and the University of Oregon were recently named in lawsuits filed on behalf of students who object to paying for facilities and other in-person experiences while classes were online. Isaiah Boyd is the president of the University of Oregon’s student government. Isabel Nuñez Pérez is Oregon State University’s student government president. They join us to share their thoughts and experience about paying for college.

Environmental advocates track Oregon agencies’ progress on climate action goals
A year ago, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown issued an executive order creating the Oregon Climate Action Plan. The plan called on state agencies to take action to reduce and regulate greenhouse gas emissions. Now, a coalition of environmental advocacy groups has put out a detailed progress report to hold those agencies accountable for following the governor's directive.

Salem-Keizer school board contributions under the microscope as election nears
Eddy Binford-Ross has been looking into some unusual financial contributions from special interest groups to Salem-Keizer School Board members and candidates. She reports meticulously on her findings in The Clypian, the student newspaper at South Salem High School where Binford-Ross is a senior and the paper’s editor-in-chief.
Doctors aim to help young people struggling to maintain a healthy weight during the pandemic
The pandemic has posed many challenges for young people. The disruption in routine, along with stress and other factors have contributed to weight gain among some children and teens. Some struggle with eating disorders.

Poet Ross Gay focuses on everyday delights
Sometimes a flower or a bird or an overheard snippet of conversation is enough to bring joy. Perhaps especially in a year like this one, focusing on the small things is important. That’s something poet Ross Gay spent a long time doing for his latest collection of essays, “The Book of Delights.” Gay’s definition of delight is expansive and palpable, and his essays range from the smallest of natural wonders to the largest of societal problems. This year, Multnomah County Library is encouraging everybody to read “The Book of Delights.”