Think Out Loud

Portlander named 2026 National Yo-Yo Champion

Portlander Aliyah Tan recently won first place at the National Yo-Yo Contest [https://nationalyoyocontest.com/] in Las Vegas. It was the first time Tan took the spot spot since she started competing at nationals in 2014. Tan’s winning routine [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwWd48UdnHw], set to music by the British rock band The Last Dinner Party, featured three minutes of elaborate string tricks between two yo-yos. She now heads to the World Yo-Yo Contest [http://worldyoyocontest.org/] in Himeji, Japan, next month.    Tan joins us in the studio to talk about her elaborate yo-yo routines and what she loves about it.

Fired WA police officers disproportionately hired for Tribal policing, new reporting finds

Tribal police departments in Washington employ police officers who have been fired at a disproportionate rate, according to new reporting from InvestigateWest. At the state level, tribal law enforcement only makes up about 2.5% of the police force, but they hire four times more officers who were previously fired or resigned in lieu of termination than other departments. Melanie Henshaw reported on this issue for InvestigateWest and joins us to share more.

Portland's Biketown celebrates 10-year anniversary with world record e-bike ride

On July 19, Portland celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the Biketown bike-share and e-scooter rental program with a record-setting electric bike ride [https://www.portland.gov/transportation/news/2026/7/19/news-release-portland-breaks-guinness-world-recordstm-title-largest].    With more than a thousand participants, Portland shattered the Guinness World Record  for largest e-bike ride, more than doubling the previous record set by Seattle.   Portland Bureau of Transportation Director Millicent Williams joins us to discuss the record-breaking e-bike ride and reflect on the 10-year anniversary of the Nike-sponsored micromobility

Opera in the Park aims to bring love of opera to more Oregonians

LAST YEAR OVER 7,000 PEOPLE GATHERED ON CAMP CHAIRS AND PICNIC BLANKETS TO HEAR THE OPERA “CARMEN” AT PENINSULA PARK IN PORTLAND. IT WAS A PERFORMANCE STAGED BY THE ORGANIZATION OPERA IN THE PARK, WHICH AIMS TO SHARE THE LOVE OF OPERA WITH AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE. THIS YEAR THE ORGANIZATION WILL BRING THE OREGON PREMIERE OF THE WORLD'S FIRST MARIACHI OPERA, “CRUZAR LA CARA DE LA LUNA,” TO BOTH PORTLAND AND HILLSBORO. ASHLEY CLARK, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF OPERA IN THE PARK, AND NICHOLAS FOX, THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, JOIN US TO TALK ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE.

Families experiencing homelessness in Vancouver face lengthy waits, limited options for shelter space

NEARLY 30% OF PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCED HOMELESSNESS IN CLARK COUNTY LAST YEAR WERE CHILDREN. THAT’S ACCORDING TO A RECENT REPORT BY THE COUNCIL FOR HOMELESSNESS [https://www.councilforthehomeless.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2025-Annual-System-Numbers-Report.pdf], WHICH ALSO FOUND THAT THE PERCENTAGE OF FAMILY HOUSEHOLDS STABILIZED THROUGH RENT ASSISTANCE DROPPED BY 5% LAST YEAR.    For families experiencing homelessness in Vancouver, they may have to wait months until a spot becomes available at the few shelters that allow families. The nonprofit Share [https://sharevancouver.org/programs/share-shelter-system/] operates two shelters in Vancouver for families, each with 14 rooms, on-site laundry, a communal kitchen and dining area, and indoor and outdoor play areas for children. As The Columbian [https://www.columbian.com/news/2026/jul/14/data-nearly-1-in-3-homeless-people-in-clark-county-are-children/] recently reported, Share’s shelters have remained at or near capacity for years. Adrianna Kofoed, director of family shelters at Share, says she and her staff have seen increased demand in just the past year, with at least five or six calls a day from parents seeking help for their families.    Kofoed joins us to share more details about Share’s family shelters. Also joining us is Gracie White, a mother who has been staying at Share’s Homestead shelter for roughly a month with four of her children.