Think Out Loud

Portland’s Curbside Serenade organizes busking concerts

LONG SYNOPSIS: PLAYING IN A PARK OR ON A STREET CORNER ISN’T NEW FOR MUSICIAN JOHNNY FRANCO. FRANCO AND HIS BROTHER DOMENICO ARE BUSKERS, AND DURING THE PANDEMIC THEY STARTED TAKING REQUESTS FROM PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO BE SERENADED FROM OUTSIDE THEIR WINDOWS WITH CONCERTS. NOW, WITH CURBSIDE SERENADE, THE TWO HAVE TEAMED UP WITH OTHER MUSICIANS TO ORGANIZE REGULAR OUTDOOR CONCERTS AROUND THE CITY DURING THE SUMMER. THE GOAL, THEY SAY, IS FOR AUDIENCES TO STUMBLE ACROSS MUSIC WHEREVER THEY HAPPEN TO BE. WE TALK TO JOHNNY AND DOMENICO FRANCO, ALONG WITH DAVE POLLACK, ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF CURBSIDE SERENADE.

UO coffee scientist shares insights on getting more consistent brews of beloved beverage

There is a lot that goes into a cup a coffee. From beans, to roast, to grind, to water and even temperature, it is incredibly difficult to make one cup of coffee the exact same as the next. But researchers [https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2026/04/28/coffee-science-electric-current/] at the University of Oregon may have found a way to make a cup of coffee more consistent. Chris Hendon is a chemist and associate professor at UO. His previous research [https://news.uoregon.edu/content/if-your-next-cup-espresso-tastes-bit-better-you-can-thank-volcanology] illuminated how spraying water on coffee beans before grinding saves on waste and makes the espresso shots more consistent. Hendon joins us to share more about his work and the world of coffee.

New map helps track pesticide applications around Oregon

A NEW MAP [https://www.beyondtoxics.org/work/pesticides-and-communities/pesticide-map/] FROM THE ADVOCACY NONPROFIT BEYOND TOXICS [https://www.beyondtoxics.org/] AIMS TO HELP PEOPLE IDENTIFY WHAT KINDS OF PESTICIDE HAVE BEEN SPRAYED IN COMMUNITIES OVER THE LAST DECADE. THE NONPROFIT PARTNERED WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON INFOGRAPHICS LAB [https://infographics.uoregon.edu/project/ferns-pesticide-map/] TO COMPILE NOTICES OF INTENT TO APPLY PESTICIDES ON STATE, COUNTY AND PRIVATE FORESTLAND FROM 2014 TO 2024. USERS CAN FILTER BY LOCATION, YEAR, THE TYPE OF CHEMICAL AND WHETHER IT WAS APPLIED AERIALLY OR ON THE GROUND.   MASON LEAVITT IS A GIS ANALYST AND PROGRAMS MANAGER FOR BEYOND TOXICS. HE JOINS US WITH MORE DETAILS ON HOW INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS CAN USE THE MAP.

Marking the quirky last chapter of Portland’s Lloyd Center

PORTLAND’S LLOYD CENTER IS SCHEDULED TO CLOSE [https://www.opb.org/article/2026/04/16/portland-oregon-lloyd-center-mall-demolition/] AUG. 8 AFTER MORE THAN 65 YEARS IN BUSINESS.   THE CURRENT OWNER, URBAN RENAISSANCE GROUP, PLANS TO DEMOLISH THE MALL TO MAKE WAY FOR HOUSING, BUSINESSES AND A NEW MUSIC VENUE. GROUPS SUCH AS SAVE LLOYD CENTER MALL [https://www.savelloyd.com/] AND THE SAVE LLOYD ICE COALITION [https://savelloydicerink.com/] ARE HOLDING OUT HOPE THAT A CITY HEARING IN JUNE COULD PREVENT THE MALL’S CLOSURE, BUT IT SEEMS LIKELY THAT THE LLOYD CENTER IS IN ITS FINAL DAYS.   AFTER ITS LAST ANCHOR STORES SHUTTERED IN 2021, THE MALL’S LOW RENTS AND LARGE USABLE SPACE ATTRACTED A WIDE ARRAY [https://www.opb.org/article/2023/06/11/indie-businesses-thrive-portland-oregon-lloyd-center-mall-future/] OF COMMUNITY GROUPS AND INDEPENDENT RETAILERS. IN ITS LAST INCARNATION, THE MALL BECAME A HUB FOR THE KIND OF QUIRKY COMMUNITY THAT PORTLAND PRIDES ITSELF ON.   WE’LL LISTEN BACK TO THREE CONVERSATIONS THAT CAPTURE THAT RECENT ERA: JASON LEIVIAN IS THE OWNER OF FLOATING WORLD COMICS [https://floatingworldcomics.com/]. WE SPOKE WITH HIM [https://www.opb.org/article/2022/08/10/why-one-downtown-portland-business-is-moving-to-the-lloyd-center/] IN 2022, SHORTLY AFTER HE RELOCATED HIS STORE FROM OLD TOWN TO THE LLOYD CENTER.   IN 2023, WE TALKED ABOUT A PRODUCTION OF SAMUEL BECKETT’S “HAPPY DAYS” THAT WAS STAGED IN A FORMER VICTORIA’S SECRET [https://www.opb.org/article/2023/08/16/northwest-classical-theatre-collaborative-showcases-happy-days-in-former-victorias-secret-space/] STORE IN THE LLOYD CENTER. IT WAS PUT ON BY THE NORTHWEST CLASSICAL THEATRE COLLABORATIVE [https://www.nwctc.org/], WHICH AIMS TO BRING THEATER TO NONTRADITIONAL SPACES. WE WERE JOINED BY DIRECTOR PATRICK WALSH, THE COLLABORATIVE’S EXECUTIVE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, AND PORTLAND ACTRESS DIANE KONDRAT, WHO STARRED AS “WINNIE” IN THE PLAY.   FINALLY, KRISTA CATWOOD JOINED US LAST SUMMER [https://www.opb.org/article/2025/07/17/food-court-5000-lloyd-center/] TO TALK ABOUT THE FOOD COURT 5000 [https://foodcourt5k.com/]. THAT’S A 1980S-THEMED MALL WALK THAT CATWOOD LEADS EVERY SUNDAY MORNING IN THE LLOYD CENTER.

Central Oregon records steep decline in people experiencing homelessness, according to latest count

CENTRAL OREGON RECORDED A NEARLY 20% DROP IN PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS COMPARED TO LAST YEAR. THAT’S ACCORDING TO AN ANNUAL POINT IN TIME COUNT THAT TOOK PLACE THIS YEAR FROM JAN. 27 THROUGH FEB. 2 IN CROOK, DESCHUTES AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES AND THE CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF WARM SPRINGS.   ELIZA WILSON IS THE CHAIR OF THE HOMELESS LEADERSHIP COALITION [https://cohomeless.org/] IN CENTRAL OREGON AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ROOTEDHOMES [https://www.rootedhomes.org/about], AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPER BASED IN BEND. WILSON SAYS THIS HAS BEEN THE LARGEST YEAR-OVER-YEAR DECLINE SHE HAS SEEN IN OVER 20 YEARS OF HELPING WITH THE ANNUAL SNAPSHOT OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN THE REGION. SHE ATTRIBUTES THIS UNPRECEDENTED DECLINE TO OPENING NEW SHELTERS AND EXPANDING SHELTER BED CAPACITY IN COMMUNITIES LIKE MADRAS, BEND, REDMOND AND PRINEVILLE, WHILE ALSO PROVIDING RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND CASE MANAGEMENT TO HELP PEOPLE TRANSITION INTO STABLE HOUSING.    WILSON JOINS US FOR MORE DETAILS ON THE PROGRESS THAT’S BEING MADE IN CENTRAL OREGON TO TACKLE HOMELESSNESS AND THE WORK THAT STILL NEEDS TO BE DONE.