Portland-born Menopunks movement advocates for better menopause care

Former World’s Strongest Man winner and Camas resident traveled world for feats of ‘Strength Unknown’

Four times a week, you’ll find Camas resident Martins Licis [https://www.instagram.com/martinslicis/] working out in his home garage. Like many people, he will lift repetitions of weights to build strength. But most people don’t do 600 to 900-pound deadlifts or 500 to 700-pound squats.     Licis is a professional strongman who is currently training to compete in the Giants Live Strongman Classic in London on July 4 and another international competition three weeks later. The Columbian [https://www.columbian.com/news/2026/apr/23/i-need-to-have-fun-stay-healthy-camas-strongman-lifts-heavy-weights-with-a-light-heart/] recently profiled Licis before his return to the World’s Strongest Man, which he won in 2019 and finished in sixth place this year. The four-day competition features grueling feats of strength like pulling a truck along a 100-foot course or throwing 30-pound sandbags over a 16-foot-high bar.     But it’s more traditional feats of strength that Licis is particularly interested in these days. In 2022, he launched with his friend and manager the YouTube series “Strength Unknown.” [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRpuN4sizg_IRinmwgCdgO5shplEqMyyh] As host and co-producer, Licis has traveled to more than 15 countries to document and participate in ancient strength traditions, from sumo wrestling in Japan to stone lifting in Pakistan, and to meet the people who are keeping them alive.    Licis joins us to discuss the series, which is currently on hiatus, and how it’s expanded his understanding of strength.

Portland-born Menopunks movement advocates for better menopause care

The Menopunks [https://www.menopunks.com/] movement started as a documentary. The goal was to debunk claims [https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/hhs-advances-womens-health-removes-misleading-fda-warnings-hormone-replacement-therapy] about hormone replacement therapy through interviews with doctors and hear the stories of Portland musicians who have benefited from HRT. But it’s now grown into a broader effort to advocate for more comprehensive and accessible menopause care.    A benefit concert series [https://www.mcmenamins.com/events/276144-menopunkapalooza] this weekend aims to raise money for the documentary and awareness around hormonal therapy through a resource fair [https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/98917073/menopunks-perimeno-resource-fairlive-music-by-m%C3%A9nage-%C3%A1h-tw%C3%A1ts-portland-mcmenamins-lolas-room] and panel conversation with doctors and healthcare advocates.   Alicia J Rose is a musician, filmmaker and one of the founders of Menopunks. Gilly Ann Hanner is a participant in the documentary and a founding member of the band Calamity Jane [https://www.facebook.com/calamityjanepdx/], which will perform this weekend with both of its founding members for the first time in 35 years. They both join us with more details.

How lack of free mail delivery service is affecting White Salmon residents

High Country News [https://www.hcn.org/articles/white-salmon-has-been-fighting-for-free-mail-for-decades/] recently reported on how residents within the city limits of White Salmon, Wash. have lacked free mail delivery from the U.S. Postal Service for years now. The agency also does not provide free Post Office Boxes for those residents. High Country News’ reporting also revealed that at least 10 other towns in Washington, Oregon and Idaho also lack both free home mail delivery and free P.O. Boxes provided by the USPS. Meanwhile, White Salmon Mayor Marla Keethler has been trying to no avail since 2020 to work with the agency to create a new mail delivery route or provide free P.O. boxes.    Susan Shain is a freelance journalist based in White Salmon. She joins us to share more details of her recent reporting.

Annual skateboard deck art show puts community creations on display in Portland

ART TAKES MANY FORMS, BUT AT THE 7TH ANNUAL SKATE DECK SHOW, THE ONLY FORM ALLOWED IS THE SHAPE OF A SKATEBOARD. PUT TOGETHER BY ART DESIGN XCHANGE IN PORTLAND, THE SKATE DECK SHOW IS AN OPEN CALL TO ARTISTS OF ALL MEDIUMS AND AGES TO PUT THEIR WORK ON DISPLAY, AND POTENTIALLY BE SOLD TO THE PUBLIC.   THIS YEAR’S SHOW BROUGHT TOGETHER MORE THAN 230 ARTISTS SUBMITTING A COMBINED TOTAL OF 275 BOARDS. SYD SPENCER IS THE ADX COMMUNITY MANAGER AND HEAD CURATOR. SHE JOINS US TO SHARE MORE ON THIS YEAR’S SHOW AND HOW IT GOT STARTED

University of Portland is home base for Jordan’s national World Cup team

THE MEN’S SOCCER TEAM FROM JORDAN LOST TO ALGERIA  2-1 TO ON MONDAY, MEANING THEY WON’T GO ON TO THE NEXT ROUND OF THE WORLD CUP. THE TEAM HAS BEEN USING THE UNIVERSITY OF PORTLAND’S MERLO FIELD [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BZ32UInHMrdwrKs5httDMqDmmeUuJzq7bk4kPQ1mHMY/edit?tab=t.0] AS ITS HOME BASE FOR PRACTICE AND TRAINING SESSIONS BETWEEN GAMES.    UP MEN’S SOCCER HEAD COACH NICK CARLIN-VOIGT SAYS THE SCHOOL BOASTS ONE OF THE BEST ALL-GRASS SOCCER FIELDS IN THE NORTHWEST, IF NOT THE COUNTRY, AND THAT IT WAS A “NO-BRAINER” WHEN FIFA CONTACTED HIM SEVERAL YEARS AGO TO SEE IF THE UNIVERSITY WOULD BE INTERESTED IN HOSTING A 2026 WORLD CUP NATIONAL TEAM. IT’S ALSO GIVEN HIM THE CHANCE TO ATTEND TEAM USA’S MATCHES, INCLUDING ITS VICTORY OVER AUSTRALIA LAST FRIDAY IN SEATTLE, AND RELIVE HIS BOYHOOD MEMORIES OF CHEERING ON THE MEN’S TEAM FROM THE STANDS 32 YEARS AGO – THE LAST TIME A MEN’S WORLD CUP GAME WAS HELD ON U.S. SOIL.     Carlin-Voigt joins us to share those memories and the new ones he’s making at the World Cup.