Incumbent Congressman Kurt Schrader and challenger Jamie McLeod-Skinner make their case to represent Oregon's newly drawn 5th Congressional District

Oregon Republicans say Democrats overreached on spending, but Rayfield said lawmakers met pressing needs of Oregonians and kept a record amount of funds in reserves.

For the first time since 1986, Portland has a contested race for city auditor.

Peter DeFazio is the longest serving House member in Oregon history and the 65th longest in U.S. history. He was a guest on this week's episode of Straight Talk to reflect on his congressional career and his plans for retirement.

Long-term care executive Phil Fogg is calling on the U.S. to treat the workforce shortage in health care as a national crisis.

Bloodworks Northwest is calling on Washington and Oregon residents to give blood this holiday season as the nationwide shortage continues. We also talk to Josh Schreck with the KGW Great Toy Drive about this year's effort to support the community. Invest...

Portland Commissioner Dan Ryan joined Oregon Recovers co-founder and director Mike Marshall and Oregon State Representative Tawna Sanchez (D-District 43) on this week's episode to discuss behavioral health and homelessness in Oregon.

Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury joined Laural Porter on Straight Talk to discuss the city's homeless crisis and progress being made, thanks in part to Metro's supportive housing bond that passed in 2020. Homeless service providers Mercedes Elizald...

Congressman Earl Blumenauer says he's optimistic the planet can slow global warming. He recently attended the global climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland and joined Laural Porter on Straight Talk to discuss climate change and his new report on prepari...

Gabe Newland with the Oregon Justice Resource Center and Marion County DA Paige Clarkson joined Laural Porter to discuss the pros and cons of clemency for offenders convicted as teens.

Political strategists Dan Lavey and Kevin Looper usually find themselves on opposing sides of an issue. Lavey served as strategist for former Republican U.S. Senator Gordon Smith, and advises Oregon business interests.  Looper is a long-time Democratic c...

Kim McCarty represents 6,000 low-income tenants across the state. As the executive director of the Community Alliance of Tenants, McCarty said their office receives hundreds of calls from tenants who have lost their employment benefits and are still not ...

Portland Police Sergeant Ken Duilio, Lakayana Drury, founder of the nonprofit Word Is Bond, and Multnomah County's Chief Deputy District Attorney Kirsten Snowden were guests on this week's episode of "Straight Talk" to discuss what's behind the gun viole...

It was 1913 when Portland voters first decided the city would have a commission form of government with city council members elected at large. Now, 108 years later, Portland is the only large city in the U.S. to still have the unique system of government...

Youth climate activists Adah Crandall and Cassie Wilson discuss the growing climate crisis and what they want Oregon leaders to do about it. Specifically, they talk about the recent climate protests and their objections to the I-5 Rose Quarter expansion ...

Portland City Commissioner Dan Ryan discusses the new "Safe Rest Village" project, the surge in gun violence and his plan to run for re-election in 2022.

Blanchet House Director Scott Kerman is calling for innovation, bold action and teamwork as the COVID-19 pandemic worsens the crisis on Portland's streets. Also, Terry Leckron-Myers with the Mental Health and Addiction Association of Oregon (MHAAO) joins...

Greg Johnson, the leader of the Interstate Bridge Replacement project, and Joe Cortright, a Portland economist opposed to replacing the bridge, discuss the latest bridge project and concerns about the cost, tolling and congestion. 

In a wide-ranging interview, Sen. Ron Wyden discusses a number of issues like the Afghanistan withdrawal, the COVID-19 pandemic and legislation he authored to eliminate dozens of current tax credits and replace them with provisions that would move the co...

Multnomah County Chair Kafoury, Multnomah County Health Officer Dr. Jennifer Vines and Deputy Chief of Multnomah County Emergency Management Alice Busch were guests on this week's episode of Straight Talk to reflect on the deadly heat wave and explore wa...

Oregon state Sen. Lew Frederick, Cameron Whitten, co-founder of the Black Resilience Fund and founder of the nonprofit Brown Hope, and Dr. Carmen Thompson, a historian and visiting scholar in the Black studies department at Portland State University, dis...

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg visited Eugene, Springfield, and Corvallis this week to highlight how the president's vision would improve traffic safety, make historic investments to help cut carbon pollution and make everyday Americans' live...

The Centers for Disease Control reported a record number of overdose related deaths during the pandemic and several studies showed binge drinking increased during that same time.  This week, Straight Talk covered addiction and the impact the pandemic has...