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A year ago, Portland Mayor Keith Wilson entered office having pledged to end unsheltered homelessness in the city by today. Since taking office, it's estimated that roughly 1,000 more people in the city are living outside on the streets or in vehicles.
OPB's Alex Zielinski talked with more than a dozen people close to the issue to get their insights. All of them say the mayor has the right attitude to tackle homelessness and they remain hopeful, but questions linger over strategy.
In other news, OPB's Joni Auden Land details how Afghan families in Oregon are bracing for the nationwide pause on asylum decisions after last week's attack on two National Guard members, a move that could delay thousands of cases.
On Thanksgiving morning last week in downtown Portland, the line for a free meal at Union Gospel Mission wrapped around the block. James Gard and his friend Eric May enjoyed the food, but they also relished something else while they ate: one of the best nights of sleep they'd had in a while.
The night before their holiday meal they'd slept at Northrup Shelter in the Pearl District. The 200-bed overnight-only shelter is one of several opened since Portland Mayor Keith Wilson pledged a year ago to end unsheltered homelessness in the city by Dec. 1.
The mayor's deadline is today, and some progress has been made. Many see success in Wilson's strategy, reflected in empty neighborhood sidewalks once crowded with tents. Others are skeptical about the mayor's narrow focus on shelter over other conditions contributing to homelessness. (Alex Zielinski)
How does OPB radio reach your ears in Bend, Burns and Baker City? We learn more about what makes statewide radio transmission possible. (Peter Frick-Wright)
"Think Out Loud" airs at noon and 8 p.m. weekdays on OPB Radio, opb.org and the OPB News app.
Oregonians are officially in what the Danish call hygge season. For many, now is the time of year to embrace coziness, create warm indoor atmospheres and enjoy life's simple pleasures with loved ones.
Hood River is a hygge seeker's dream. Not only is the small town of close to 10,000 set on the south bank of the Columbia River beneath the backdrop of Mount Hood; it also offers a superabundance of local artist galleries.
"The galleries in Hood River are at their festive best these days," said artist Nancy Houfek Brown. "Art on Oak, in particular, is filled with delightful gifts and good cheer."
Art on Oak, located in downtown Hood River, is an artist-owned gallery featuring an array of art from paintings to ceramics to jewelry. Several of Houfek Brown's paintings of geometric abstractions of landscapes are carried by the gallery, as well as work by emerging local artists.