Think Out Loud

Oregon lawmakers among the first to pass protections for kids using chatbots

Artificial Intelligence is impacting business, government, social media — and countless aspects of modern life. Child health and safety advocates say the effects of social media and the rise of chatbots and other AI [https://time.com/7379564/ai-emotional-intelligence-support-bots/] on children can be devastating and lead to depression, and in the worst cases, suicide. Oregon lawmakers passed a bill [https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/housedemocrats/Documents/Legislature%20Acts%20on%20Mounting%20Concerns%20Over%20AI%20and%20Youth%20Mental%20Health.pdf] in the short session to protect children and youth from these emerging technologies [https://www.wweek.com/news/health/2026/02/24/new-guardrails-for-ai-companions-could-be-coming-to-oregon/], which will provide guardrails for adults using chatbots as well.   We talk with one of the bill's sponsors, Oregon Sen. Lisa Reynolds [https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/reynolds] (D - Portland). And we hear from Kristin Bride, the executive director of the Carson J. Bride Effect [https://www.cjbeffect.org/about], which she founded to protect kids from predatory tech practices, after the death of her son by suicide in 2020.

Oregon fails to protect residents against gambling harm, says recent nationwide report

The Center for Addiction Science, Policy, and Research [https://caspr.org/], or CASPR, released a nationwide report ranking states based on their ability to protect residents from online gambling harm. Oregon received an “F” grade [https://caspr.org/state-gambling-scorecard/states/oregon] — among the bottom 10 states for its lack of gambling harm reduction methods.   Gambling is often regarded as an invisible addiction due to its lack of visible physical symptoms or side effects — and it has become more accessible than ever. As people have begun to participate in sports betting, online poker, casino games and lottery from their mobile devices, guardrails protecting against harmful gambling behaviors have seldom kept pace.   We’ll discuss problem gambling in Oregon and recovery methods with Kitty Martz, the executive director of Voices of Problem Gambling Recovery, and Brian Ward, a certified gambling recovery mentor with the state of Oregon.   Note: If you or a loved one is experiencing gambling harm, Oregon’s Problem Gambling Resource call helpline is available at 1-877-MY-LIMIT (1-877-695-4648).

Portland Community College strike enters third week

The two unions representing faculty and staff at Portland Community College have been on strike [https://www.opb.org/article/2026/03/11/portland-community-college-faculty-staff-union-strike/] since March 11. It’s the first ever strike [https://www.opb.org/article/2026/02/24/portland-community-college-unions-authorize-first-strike/] at a community college in Oregon. Instructors and staff are negotiating for [https://www.opb.org/article/2026/02/10/bargaining-portland-community-college-unions-strike/] higher cost-of-living and salary increases, among other issues. With the spring term scheduled to start March 30, the negotiations could delay classes [https://www.opb.org/article/2026/03/24/pcc-staff-faculty-remain-on-strike-as-leaders-unions-apply-pressure/], many of which have taken place remotely or been canceled [https://www.opb.org/article/2026/03/17/portland-community-college-oregon-education/] due to the strike.    Ben Cushing is a faculty member in sociology and president of the PCC Federation of Faculty and Academic Professionals. Aaron Hill is the college’s interim associate vice president for finance. They both join us to talk about where negotiations stand.

Portland comic Ash Allen brings ‘Big Feelings Baby’ to audiences in her first solo show

Portland storyteller and comic Ash Allen [https://www.ashallen.co/] is on something of a roll. She’s won the Moth’s StorySLAM [https://themoth.org/events] multiple times. Willamette Week recently named her [https://www.wweek.com/arts/comedy/2026/01/27/ash-allen-takes-us-home/] one of its Funniest Five [https://www.wweek.com/arts/comedy/2026/01/27/these-are-portlands-funniest-people-2026/] and in 2025 she was a Best of Portland Comedy finalist. Allen has headlined festivals including Pickathon, Fire and Story, and Hell Yes Fest.   She says this debut solo storytelling show “Big Feelings Baby" is “rooted in queer identity, grief, humor, and the act of reclaiming one’s voice.” She explores what it means to “grow up different” in the Mississippi woods, “to be asked to quiet that difference, and to eventually choose to live out loud.” Allen joins us to share more details about her upbringing and her show that premiers this weekend

It took retirement for this Portlander to land his dream job of bookstore owner

Doug Lowell spent nearly 40 years in the world of advertising, from co-owning an ad agency to teaching the subject at Portland State University. But it was only in retirement that he was able to achieve his dream job of opening his own bookstore. As a third-generation Portlander, the business also allows him to play a part in the revitalization of Portland’s downtown, which he recalls once being the envy of other cities.    Lowell began welcoming customers to the store, Kid Hermes the Trickster [https://www.kidhermesthetrickster.com/], about a month ago. Oregon ArtsWatch [https://www.orartswatch.org/kid-hermes-the-trickster-combines-used-books-and-art-in-downtown-portland/]recently profiled Lowell and his new venture. The 830-square-foot space in downtown Portland is packed with roughly 1,700 books that come mostly from Lowell’s personal library. In addition to literary classics from Jane Austen and Franz Kafka, visitors might find rare first editions and signed copies of titles spanning photography, science fiction or even a 16-volume collection of the Oxford English Dictionary. There’s also a gallery inside the store where Lowell hosts art exhibitions featuring local and international artists.    Lowell joins us to share his vision and hopes for Kid Hermes the Trickster.