Think Out Loud

Men’s World Cup arrives in the Pacific Northwest

Last week the US Men’s National Team defeated Australia in Seattle as part of the opening round of the FIFA World Cup. The Pacific Northwest is hosting several of the many games being played across North America in this year’s championship. Pacific University political science professor and former footballer Jules Boykoff points out that while soccer is a beautiful game, the high ticket prices, FIFA corruption, high carbon footprint and scandals of this year’s competition bring a world of contradictions. Boykoff joins us to discuss his latest book, “Red Card: The 2026 World Cup, Sportswashing, and the FIFA Greed Machine.”

Portland nonprofit Relay Resources on creating disability employment opportunities for more than 75 years

In 1951, a group of parents decided to start a school for their children with developmental disabilities rather than having them institutionalized. As those children grew into young adults, the school evolved into a workforce training organization. That organization — now known as Relay Resources [https://www.relayresources.org/] — is still creating employment opportunities for people with disabilities more than 75 years later.   The nonprofit provides janitorial, landscaping, document imaging and other services [https://www.relayresources.org/services] to businesses throughout the Pacific Northwest. They also offer individual career counseling for people with disabilities and help pair those job seekers [https://www.relayresources.org/cie] with employers who are interested in inclusive hiring.   Jennifer Camota Luebke is the president and CEO of Relay Resources. She joins us to talk more about the organization’s work.

North Plains community grappling with competing visions for the town and how it should grow

THE CITY OF NORTH PLAINS [https://northplains.gov/our_community/index.php] HAS A POPULATION THAT HOVERS AROUND 3,500. LIKE SO MANY SMALL COMMUNITIES IN OREGON IT HAS A STRONG SENSE OF IDENTITY AND A CLOSENESS AMONG RESIDENTS THAT OTHER BIGGER CITIES JUST DON’T HAVE.  AS PART OF OUR EFFORT TO COVER BOTH URBAN AND RURAL COMMUNITIES ALL OVER THE STATE, WE SENT OUT A COMMUNITY SURVEY TO FIND OUT WHAT PEOPLE IN THIS WASHINGTON COUNTY TOWN VALUE AND WHAT THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THEY FACE. WE HEARD PREDOMINATELY ABOUT THE QUALITY OF LIFE HERE AND THE CHALLENGES OF RECONCILING DIFFERENT VIEWS [https://hillsboronewstimes.com/2025/02/06/north-plains-settles-urban-growth-boundary-lawsuit-future-expansion-remains-unclear/] OF HOW TO IMPROVE LIFE HERE AND PLAN FOR GROWTH. WE INVITED THE COMMUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN A CONVERSATION ABOUT NORTH PLAINS AT THE ATFALATI RIDGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN NORTH PLAINS ON JUNE 11, 2-26. ABOUT 55 PEOPLE SHOWED UP, AND MANY SHARED WHAT THEY THINK MAKES NORTH PLAINS AND WHY THEY THINK THE URBAN GROWTH BOUNDARY SHOULD BE LEFT ALONE OR EXPANDED [https://northplains.gov/news_detail_T15_R58.php].  OUR GUESTS INCLUDED ROBIN DOUGHTY, DIRECTOR OF THE NORTH PLAINS PUBLIC LIBRARY; ROWAN MAIORANO, ASSISTANT PLANNER FOR THE CITY; DANIEL STINCHFIELD, WHO SITS ON THE UGB PUBLIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE; PATTI BURNS, DIRECTOR OF THE SENIOR CENTER AND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE NORTH PLAINS EVENTS ASSOCIATION; LORA DEXHEIMER, FOUNDER OF THE NORTH PLAINS FOOD BANK; RUSS SHELDON, BUSINESS OWNER AND FORMER CITY COUNCILOR; AND EMILY WALDRON AND ELIZABETH BEAUPAIN WITH FRIENDS OF SMART GROWTH NORTH PLAINS.

Portland-based playwright’s new work invites audience into the experience of dyslexia

”WORDS WILL COME,” [https://www.lesshakespeareco.org/thewordswillcome] A NEW WORK BY PORTLAND-BASED PLAYWRIGHT MELODY ERFANI [https://www.melodyerfani.com/], FOCUSES ON A YOUNG IRANIAN-AMERICAN GIRL’S EXPERIENCE WITH LEARNING, LANGUAGE AND IDENTITY WHILE NAVIGATING DYSLEXIA.  THE PRODUCTION TAKES A MULTI-SENSORY APPROACH, USING MOVEMENT, PROJECTIONS, STAGE SETTING AND FRACTURED LANGUAGE TO IMMERSE THE AUDIENCE IN THE MIND OF SOMEONE EXPERIENCING DYSLEXIA.  WE’LL HEAR FROM ERFANI ABOUT HER OWN EXPERIENCE WITH DYSLEXIA, AND HOW GUIDING HER YOUNG NIECE THROUGH A DYSLEXIA DIAGNOSIS HELPED INSPIRE THIS THEATRICAL WORK.  “WORDS WILL COME” IS SHOWING AT SHAKING THE TREE THEATER IN SOUTHEAST PORTLAND THROUGH JUNE 28TH.

Portlander Erica Berry wins James Beard Media Award for essay on foraging and trust

PORTLAND WAS WELL REPRESENTED AT THIS YEAR’S JAMES BEARD AWARDS [https://www.opb.org/article/2026/06/16/portland-james-beard-awards-nogoduro-ryan-roadhouse-scotch-lodge/]. COCKTAIL BAR SCOTCH LODGE TOOK HOME THE AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING BAR, WHILE JAPANESE RESTAURANT NODOGURO’S RYAN ROADHOUSE WON BEST CHEF: NORTHWEST AND PACIFIC.    Writer Erica Berry also won a Media Award for her personal essay [https://orionmagazine.org/article/intuitive-eating/] published in Orion Magazine. In it, she explores the balance between risk and reward in both mushroom foraging and her personal relationships.    Berry joins us to share more about her work.