Beat Check with The Oregonian

A weekly look inside Oregon's biggest news stories with the journalists at The Oregonian/OregonLive.com.

News
News Commentary
Politics
201
The Delta variant strikes Oregon
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Oregon has been one of the best performing states. We had some of the lowest infection rates, hospitalizations and deaths per capita in the nation.But now the Delta variant is surging here, infection rates and hospi...
31 min
202
The state of homelessness in Portland
Where do people experiencing homelessness go when their campsite is swept away? And how does Portland fare on the issue compared to other cities? Is it possible that Portland has more resources and a better plan?On the latest episode of Beat Check w...
24 min
203
How Dutch Bros became an iconic Oregon company
What companies belong on Oregon’s Mt. Rushmore? Nike. TexTronix. Les Schwab Tire Centers….and now Dutch Bros? The Grants Pass based drive through coffee company’s success isn’t new, but it’s decision to go public is putting the company in rarefied air....
24 min
204
The Obsession: Anatomy of a Murder
How far would you go to investigate a murder in your family? What if one parent was accused and convicted of killing the other? One Vancouver woman has made reopening the case her life.On the latest episode of Beat Check, reporter Doug Perry talks a...
22 min
205
Oregon athletes begin cashing in on name, image...
For decades the holy veneer of amateurism surrounding big time college sports largely stood untouched and unblemished. It was sacrosanct, even as coaches made millions. Then come July - poof. It was gone. College athletes were free to make money off th...
32 min
206
Portland's ongoing traffic violence and one wom...
Portland is still emerging from a deadly pandemic, and we’re seeing a record number of homicides plus dozens of deaths due to the recent heat wave. But another troubling issue continues to bubble beneath the surface: Traffic deaths are on pace to shatt...
24 min
207
Recapping Top Chef Portland
What does it mean to have one of the nation’s premier food shows shoot in Portland and what should we make of the controversial winner?Despite our national reputation and several celebrity chefs, Portland has never hosted a season of Bravo’s Top Chef ...
34 min
208
Why the deadly heatwave is unlikely to be Orego...
It’s been one week since Portland had its hottest day in recorded history — and that came on the heels of two days that were also record breaking. 116 degrees. What do we make of it? Is this a one off or a scary preview of our future? On the second hal...
24 min
209
Will Portland's red-hot housing market cool down?
The Oregonian/OregonLive's Janet Eastman discusses the red-hot Portland housing market, why millennials are hopping into the buying spree and why prices are unlikely to go down even as inventory increases.
26 min
210
Rep. Peter DeFazio on the transportation talks
Oregon’s longest tenured Congressman has a critical seat at the table in Washington as the Biden administration pushes for a massive transportation package.On this episode of Beat Check, Rep. Peter DeFazio talks about the latest twists and ...
33 min
211
Addiction in a pandemic, plus a post-COVID jaun...
We all had to summon something to get through the past 15 months or so. Call it resilience or whatever you want. But the pandemic invariably hit some people harder. For people living with drug and alcohol addiction, the pandemic presented a massive roa...
26 min
212
Klamath crisis: 'There just isn't enough water ...
Have the water wars returned to Klamath county? Federal officials announced last month that no one -- not the tribes or farmers in the Southern Oregon county -- will get water from upper klamath lake this year. The impact goes beyond...
25 min
213
Janelle Bynum emerges as a police reform leader
It’s been one year since George Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer. And since then Oregon lawmakers have taken concrete and bipartisan steps toward addressing how officers can deploy force in the state. More bills aimed at holding offic...
24 min
214
Portland's protest movement 1 year later
A year ago this week, protests against racial injustice sprang up in cities nationwide, and Portland was no different. Iconic images of thousands of protestors marching across Portland bridges made national headlines and Portlanders took to the streets...
28 min
215
Downtown Portland: Perception vs. Reality
Downtown Portland is a complex place. In some ways, it’s struggling mightily. There’s the weight of the pandemic, the boarded up businesses and widespread trash there. In others, its excelling. See the lines for the new Gucci store for example...
24 min
216
Linfield University's many crises
Linfield University normally doesn’t make big news. But in the past month, the private school has attracted the attention of the NAACP, Anti Defamation League, Oregon Board of Rabbis and national news outlets. On the latest episode, cops and...
22 min
217
Employment Department issues remain; Oregon's g...
With 15 Oregon counties moving back to extreme risk of COVID spread, the state will likely see jobless claims rise as restrictions on indoor activities return. Those newly out-of-work Oregonians will go back to the s...
29 min
218
A remarkable acquittal
For many of us, normal life ground to a halt during the pandemic. For Luke Wirkkala, his life is about to start anew.On the latest episode of Beat Check with The Oregonian, crime and justice reporter Noelle Crombie talks about Luke Wirkkala’s story....
20 min
219
With all Oregon adults eligible for COVID vacci...
All Oregonians 16 and older are now eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine, but the virus continues to spread, and the state so far hasn’t lived up to its promises to ensure people of color and those most at risk of the virus get their shots first.In the s...
27 min
220
Portland tries to stem gun violence without add...
Portland is on pace to hit 100 homicides this year, an unprecedented tide of violence that many other cities also are facing. Last week, the City Council unanimously acted, funneling millions to violence prevention groups and creating a new police unit...
26 min
221
Oregon State's change in management and the evo...
As the Beavers men’s basketball team made an incredible run to the Elite Eight, Oregon State University also saw its new president resign under pressure after revelations of culture of sexual harassment at his previous post. On this episode, The Oregon...
25 min
222
Meet some of Oregon's Black pioneers
The stories of Black Oregonians, like those of many people of color, often aren’t given the space they deserve in history books. Oregon Black Pioneers, a Salem-based historical society, is ...
29 min
223
Checking in on Nora, "The Loneliest Polar Bear"
Nora the polar bear has lived a tough life, and the fact that she’s alive — and back in Portland at the Oregon Zoo — is a miracle of sorts. Nora’s story represents so much more than the life and struggles of one bear. It’s about climate change, the eff...
27 min
224
Small moves toward normalcy in schools and rest...
A month from now, many middle and high schoolers across the Portland area will return to in-person teaching at least part time or the first time in a year. Bars and restaurants in the Portland area can now open up indoor dining to half of their normal ...
35 min
225
News roundtable: Oregon's economy, the pandemic...
On the latest episode of Beat Check with The Oregonian, we hear from three staff writers about the state of affairs in Oregon: Hillary Borrud, our state politics reporter; Mike Rogoway, who covers business and technology; and one of o...
31 min