Think Out Loud

OSU and UP researchers on medical mistrust in the age of social media

A RECENT STUDY [https://www.pewresearch.org/data-labs/2026/05/07/trust-in-health-and-wellness-influencers/] BY PEW RESEARCH SHOWED THAT HALF OF U.S. ADULTS UNDER 50 GET HEALTH AND WELLNESS INFORMATION FROM INFLUENCERS ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND PODCASTS. ONE IN FIVE PEOPLE SURVEYED SAID THE INFORMATION THEY GET FROM INFLUENCERS IS DIFFERENT THAN THE INFORMATION FROM MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS. ASHLEY HASS [https://www.up.edu/directory/Ashley-Hass.html] IS AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF MARKETING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PORTLAND, WHO FOCUSES ON DIGITAL MARKETING, SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS, AND THE DIGITAL WELLNESS OF CONSUMERS. JONATHAN GARCIA [https://health.oregonstate.edu/directory/jonathan-garcia] DIRECTS THE PUBLIC HEALTH GRADUATE PROGRAM AT OSU. HE STUDIES MEDICAL MISTRUST AND MISINFORMATION. THEY JOIN US TO SHARE MORE ON THE IMPACT OF THE WELLNESS INDUSTRY ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH.

Portland businesses hit hard by tariffs await refunds months after US Supreme Court ruling

IN FEBRUARY, A SPLIT RULING BY THE U.S. SUPREME COURT STRUCK DOWN THE SWEEPING TARIFFS PRESIDENT TRUMP HAD IMPOSED EARLY LAST YEAR UNDER THE INTERNATIONAL EMERGENCY ECONOMIC POWERS ACT. AS A RESULT, LAST MONTH THE CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION AGENCY OPENED AN ONLINE PORTAL FOR IMPORTERS AND CUSTOMS BROKERS SEEKING REFUNDS FOR THE ESTIMATED $166 BILLION IN TARIFFS COMPANIES HAD PAID TO IMPORT GOODS.    SOME BUSINESSES HAVE STARTED RECEIVING THEIR REFUNDS WHILE OTHERS, INCLUDING PORTLAND-BASED STEVEN SMITH TEAMAKER [https://www.smithtea.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoo7Cfvs_LGB2WZnsx7Qq-ijJ4U2cLdnU1eNGYBuF2GvR8OX6ump], ARE STILL WAITING. AS THE PORTLAND BUSINESS JOURNAL [https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2026/04/22/tariff-refunds-smith-tea-revant-wyden.html]REPORTED LAST MONTH, 90% OF ITS INGREDIENTS ARE IMPORTED, MAKING THE COMPANY SUBJECT TO VOLATILE TARIFF RATES THAT ROCKETED AS HIGH AS 50% AT ONE POINT LAST YEAR. CEO DARREN MARSHALL SAYS THAT THE COMPANY SPENT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN UNANTICIPATED TARIFFS, WHICH ITS CUSTOMS BROKER HAS FILED ON ITS BEHALF TO RECOUP. REVANT OPTICS [https://www.revantoptics.com/], A PORTLAND MANUFACTURER OF REPLACEMENT LENSES FOR SUNGLASSES THAT LAUNCHED ITS OWN LINE OF SUNGLASSES LAST JUNE, IS OWED NEARLY $700,000 IN DUTIES IT PAID ON IMPORTS FROM CHINA AND TAIWAN, ACCORDING TO CEO AND FOUNDER JASON BOLT.    MARSHALL AND BOLT JOIN US FOR MORE DETAILS, ALONG WITH CHRIS MCKINNEY, PRESIDENT OF BROWNSTONE INTERNATIONAL. THE PORTLAND-BASED CUSTOMS BROKER HAS FILED CLAIMS FOR TARIFF REFUNDS ON BEHALF OF STEVEN SMITH TEAMAKER AND DOZENS OF OTHER CLIENTS.

Former Nike Oregon Project runner tells her story in a new memoir

At 17 years old, Mary Cain became one of few females to ever run 800 meters faster than two minutes. Later that year she became the youngest American runner ever to compete in the World Championships. And all the while she says she was facing bullying from coaches and teammates and emotional abuse from Nike Oregon Project coach Alberto Salazar. Cain has written a new memoir, “This is Not About Running,” and joins us to talk about her experiences.

Oregon voters reject gas tax, Christine Drazan wins GOP nomination for fall rematch with Gov. Kotek

Oregon voters resoundingly rejected a statewide ballot measure [https://www.opb.org/article/2026/05/19/oregon-primary-races-draw-to-close-with-multiple-elections-across-state/] that would have raised the state gas tax from 40 to 46 cents and  doubled car title and registration fees to help fund road maintenance and other transportation projects. Measure 120 was widely expected to fail, especially as gas prices continue to soar in Oregon and across the nation.   Last year, Gov. Tina Kotek and Democrats in the Legislature approved a bill that included the gas tax and fee hikes, but Republican lawmakers succeeded in raising enough signatures to put the issue before voters [https://www.opb.org/article/2026/04/30/measure-120-oregon-gas-transportation-tax/]. Democrats, however, countered by ensuring the measure appeared on the May ballot instead of in November, when Gov. Kotek is up for reelection.    Gov. Kotek will now face Republican state Sen. Christine Drazan [https://www.opb.org/article/2026/04/21/oregon-politics-governor-republican-candidates-drazan-diehl-dudley/] in a rematch of the 2022 gubernatorial race. On Tuesday, Republican voters selected Drazan to be their gubernatorial nominee over former Portland Trail Blazer Chris Dudley, state Rep. Ed Diehl and other candidates.    OPB political reporter Lauren Dake joins us for more details about Drazan’s victory and the failed gas tax measure.

Woodburn school board, teacher’s union on protections against Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in schools

The Woodburn School District and Woodburn Education Association are currently amid a contract dispute that has lasted over a year. One issue that has been highly contested in the community is codifying rights and protections around Immigration and Customs enforcement activity on school campuses in the district, where 87% of the student population is Latino.    The Woodburn School Board has had heavy turnover the past year, since the prior board sparked community backlash after their management of the “Safe and Welcoming Schools resolution,” [https://www.opb.org/article/2025/03/12/woodburn-school-board-safe-welcoming-schools-oregon-immigration-undocumented-migrants-education-school/] — causing many to lose their seats. District policies were already in place to protect students against ICE enforcement, but supporters of the resolution maintained it was an important step by school leaders to reaffirm and publicly support these protections in the largely-immigrant led community.   We’ll hear from Jason Levin, a union representative with the Woodburn Education Association and a Career and Technical Education teacher at Woodburn High School, as well as Woodburn School District Superintendent Juan Larios, and Debbie Ballweber, chair of the Woodburn School Board.