Think Out Loud

Portland podcaster and puzzle enthusiast explains what is speed puzzling

Over the pandemic, the sale of puzzles skyrocketed [https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/13/833346707/with-people-stuck-at-home-jigsaw-puzzle-sales-soar]. And while people of all ages enjoy piecing together jigsaw puzzles as a more leisurely activity, others take it at a much more serious and at a competitive level. Speed puzzling is a competition where everyone is given the exact same puzzle and individuals, duos or teams work together to complete it the fastest. Last month, USA Jigsaw Nationals brought together puzzle lovers across the country to Atlanta to compete. Portlander Rob Shields was one of the attendees. He is a speed puzzling enthusiast as well as the host of "Piece Talks," a speed puzzling podcast. He joins us to share more on what he saw at the nationals and what makes speed puzzling so appealing.

Scientist looks to microbe found in extreme environments to help protect Washington apples

When it comes to growing apples, no state dominates like Washington. It accounts for roughly 6 in 10 of all the apples grown in the U.S. One of the major threats facing this top crop is fire blight. The bacterial disease attacks apple and pear trees and can ruin an entire harvest, costing roughly $100 million annually in losses [https://cals.cornell.edu/news/2024/02/genetic-mapping-may-lead-fire-blight-resistant-apples] for the U.S. apple industry. The fire blight bacteria can also develop resistance to the antibiotic orchardists have typically used to protect their fruit trees.   But that resistance may have met its match in a compound that Washington State University microbiologist and associate professor Cynthia Haseltine [https://news.wsu.edu/news/2026/04/10/extreme-microbe-may-change-how-apples-are-protected/]calls “the universal assassin” for its ability to kill not only fire blight bacteria but also other harmful pathogens. Haseltine has spent nearly a decade developing this compound that is derived from a microbe found in extreme environments like volcanic vents and hot springs.    The compound is now being field tested for the first time in central Washington. It’s also shown promise in the lab at killing listeria bacteria which can grow on equipment in fruit packing plants.    Haseltine joins us to share details of the grant she was recently awarded to expand production and real-world testing of this novel approach to protecting Washington apples.

Washington researchers are concerned about gray whale populations after uptick in early-season deaths

According to scientists at the Cascadia Research Collective, gray whale populations off the Washington coast are experiencing a higher level of early-season mortality [https://cascadiaresearch.org/2026-early-season-gray-strandings/] than they’ve ever recorded. Just this year, three gray whales have been found off the Oregon Coast, and 14 have been found off the coast of Washington. The whales that have been found stranded in Washington and Oregon appear to have been extremely malnourished [https://www.opb.org/article/2026/04/20/gray-whales-starving-died-oregon-coast/]. Scientists think that melting sea ice due to climate change in the arctic is reducing the whales’ food supply, leading to the uptick in whale deaths recorded along the entire West Coast. John Calambokidis [https://cascadiaresearch.org/our-team/] is a senior research biologist and a co-founder of the Cascadia Research Collective who has been studying gray whales for over 50 years. He’s one of the first to dispatch when a gray whale washes up on the coast of Washington. Calambokidis joins us to discuss these trends and what it means for gray whale populations in our region.

Patrick Radden Keefe discusses his new book “London Falling” at Lincoln High School in Portland

Patrick Radden Keefe discusses his new book “London Falling” at Lincoln High School in Portland LONG SYNOPSIS: In 2019, a 19-year-old man named Zac Brettler died after jumping off the balcony of a luxury apartment in London near the River Thames. Police never came to a conclusion about what led to Brettler’s death. But soon after, it was revealed that Brettler was living a double-life, filled with lies and organized crime in a city changed by extreme wealth. Patrick Radden Keefe dives into this story in his newest book, “London Falling,” focused on Brettler’s death and the people around him. He joins us in front of a live audience of students at Portland's Lincoln High School in Portland to share more on his newest book.

Portland nonprofit engages with Black voters through community events

WITH BALLOTS FOR OREGON’S PRIMARY ELECTIONS SCHEDULED TO GO OUT NEXT WEEK [https://sos.oregon.gov/voting/Pages/current-election.aspx], CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS ARE WORKING TO GET OUT THE VOTE. IMAGINE BLACK [https://www.imagineblack.org/vote], BASED IN PORTLAND, AIMS TO ENGAGE VOTERS THROUGH COMMUNITY EVENTS, RATHER THAN MAILERS OR DOOR-TO-DOOR CANVASSING. THE NONPROFIT IS HOLDING A BASKETBALL BENEFIT [https://events.humanitix.com/alley-oop-the-vote] NEXT MONTH WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS AHEAD OF PRIMARY ELECTION DAY, MAY 19.   JOY ALISE DAVIS IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF IMAGINE BLACK. SHE JOINS US TO TALK ABOUT VOTER BURNOUT IN PORTLAND’S BLACK COMMUNITIES AND HOW HER ORGANIZATION HOPES TO MAKE VOTING EXCITING AGAIN.