Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley from Oregon is Laural Porter's guest on this week's episode of KGW's Straight Talk. Merkley discusses how Congress is working on potentially passing a COVID-19 relief bill that many Americans are desperate for. He also rea...

On this week's episode, Laural Porter takes a look at the COVID-19 pandemic in Oregon. She's joined by the CEO of the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems (OAHHS), Becky Hultberg, and the chief executive of Providence Portland Medical Cente...

In this week's episode of Straight Talk with Laural Porter, she talks with Street Roots executive director Kaia Sand and staff members Raven Drake and Gary Barker about how the nonprofit, which supports the homeless, has been getting by during the pandem...

The first Black member and first Muslim member of the Washington County Commission and Mayors-elect of West Linn and Beaverton went through Emerge Oregon training. Emerge Oregon counts among its successful graduates, Oregon Labor Commissioner Val Hoyle, ...

On this week's episode of Straight Talk, Laural Porter is joined by Portland Commissioner-elect Mingus Mapps, who talks about his victory and what he hopes city council can achieve moving forward. Laural is also joined by Travis Stovall and Eddy Morales,...

Longtime Democratic Congressman Peter DeFazio is facing Republican challenger Alek Skarlatos in a race that has received national attention.

Southwest Washington's 3rd Congressional District holds the unique distinction of being the only district touching the Pacific Ocean that is held by a Republican. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler has served the district since 2010 and is hoping to win a sixth ...

 In a Portland mayoral debate hosted by KGW and the Oregonian, incumbent Ted Wheeler tried to make his case to voters to let him lead the city for four more years, while challenger Sarah Iannarone pushed for progressive policies and a fresh start in loc...

For Portlanders, one of the most important issues on the ballot is the runoff election for city council between incumbent Chloe Eudaly and challenger Mingus Mapps. We talk with both candidates about how they can help tackle Portland's biggest issues.

This week on Straight Talk, three associate professors at Portland State University, Paul Loikith, Max Nielson-Pincus and Andres Holz, analyze the historic wildfires that devastated parts of Oregon, climate change’s role in the fires and what can be done...

Two men. One dream. Their partnership could mean a new beginning for hundreds of people living on the streets of Portland. Jordan Schnitzer and Alan Evans, the CEO of the nonprofit Helping Hands, are about to do something most everyone else had given up ...

In this week’s episode of Straight Talk with Laural Porter, Portland activist Cameron Whitten says Portlanders should be asking when the suffering of their Black neighbors will end. Also, Reed College professor Paul Gronke says to get ready for a long el...

As the pandemic stretches into six months, more than two-thirds of employees working from home are experiencing symptoms of burnout, according to a survey from online employment platform Monster. The problem seems to be growing. The number of people repo...

This week's guests include Dan Ryan, who this week won a special election to fill the late Nick Fish's seat on Portland City Council. He discusses the ongoing protests and what he hopes to bring to the council. Also, Portland businessman and philanthropi...

Portland mayoral candidate Sarah Iannarone positions herself as a more progressive alternative to incumbent Mayor Ted Wheeler, who is seeking his second term. She's made police accountability a major part of her platform, and has joined protesters on num...

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler was once overheard saying he couldn't wait for the next 24 months to be over, and the end of his first term as mayor. That was in November 2018 after a health coalition forum where he was heckled. Fast forward to today and bein...

Portland voters will decide between longtime political insider Loretta Smith and political newcomer Dan Ryan, who calls himself a change agent, as the next commissioner on Portland City Council. The winner in the Aug. 11 special election will take the la...

For the first time, Portland City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty said she is open to heading up the Portland Police Bureau. Traditionally, the mayor has taken on that role, and Mayor Ted Wheeler currently heads the bureau. Hardesty, who is pushing for poli...

All of Oregon has begun gradual reopening over the last month. At the same time, cases of COVID-19 have also increased to their highest levels during the months-long pandemic. Dr. Dean Sidelinger from the Oregon Health Authority analyzes where Oregon is ...

In this week’s episode of Straight Talk, we examine the impact COVID-19 is having on Oregon’s prisons, and calls to release inmates to reduce the risk of transmission. We also take a look at how the pandemic is affecting food insecurity. KGW anchor Maggi...

No child care. No economic recovery. That's the bottom line for Oregon first district Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici when it comes to reopening the economy and recovering from the pandemic. Bonamici was a guest this week on KGW's current affairs show, "S...

In this week's Straight Talk with Laural Porter, Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley addresses George Floyd's death, the protests across the country and the coronavirus pandemic. He's proposing a bill that would create a national database to keep track of police of...

On this week’s Straight Talk with Laural Porter, Multnomah County District Attorney-elect Mike Schmidt discusses reform he would like to see in the criminal justice system and reacts to the death of George Floyd. Then, Laural shifts to the passage of a h...

Oregon's primary is on May 19. One of the big races is the Democratic primary for Oregon's fifth congressional district. Rep. Kurt Schrader is seeking reelection but faces challenger Milwaukie Mayor Mark Gamba. The two make their case to voters on this w...

The non-profit, Prevent Child Abuse Oregon, a chapter of Prevent Child Abuse America, is working to try to help stabilize and support Oregon families, and protect children at risk for abuse and neglect during the coronavirus pandemic.The PCAO executive d...