Oregon’s state run prisons have had some of the worst workplace outbreaks during the pandemic. Now as the clock ticks toward a key deadline where prison staff must be vaccinated, a large number of workers are not. The state’s top prison official is saying those people may lose their jobs. Aquick thank you to our sponsor PacificSource Health Plans for supporting the show.   On the latest episode of Beat Check, criminal justice reporter Noelle Crombie is back to discuss the latest saga occurring at correctional institutions across Oregon. We talked about what correctional leaders are saying, why they are holding firm and what this stare down with unvaccinated union workers may mean for incarcerated people.    See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Beat Check with The Oregonian

Another COVID crisis for Oregon's prisons

Portland is on pace to shatter the record for most homicides in a calendar year. It’s a confluence of factors. People lost their lives in all corners of the city, and there is no clear consensus on how to address the crisis  On the latest episode of Beat Check with The Oregonian, veteran reporters Maxine Bernstein and Noelle Crombie talk about the rise in gun violence. Max has covered law enforcement in Portland for more than two decades. Crombie has also covered criminal justice issues for the Oregonian for more than 20 years We talked about the victims, what’s driving the surge here, whether Portland is an outlier, how petty disagreements and gang violence factor in here and the ongoing discussions about how to address the homicide crisis. Related:Read The Oregonian/OregonLive's full coverage of the crisisMore about the package  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Under the gun: Inside Portland's rise in homicides

Willamette Falls is one of Oregon's most impressive natural wonders, but chances are you've never seen it up close.That may eventually change.On the latest episode of Beat Check with The Oregonian, travel and outdoor writer Jamie Hale (also the co-host of the fantastic Peak Northwest podcast) talks about the long range plans that the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde and other tribes have for the falls.We talked about the cultural significance of the falls, the long road to this moment and what the tribes' purchase says about the future possibilities of ancestral lands going back into tribal hands.Related reading:Demolition of vacant mill at Willamette Falls begins, tribes excited about futureCelilo Village housing stories in The Oregonian  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Land at Willamette Falls is finally in tribal hands again. Now what?

Perhaps nothing in our lifetimes has so universally affected humans than the coronavirus pandemic, and a new book from a Portland-based journalist has the ambitious goal of sharing more than two dozen stories from all around the country.On the latest episode of Beat Check with The Oregonian, books columnist Amy Wang interviews Eli Saslow, the Portland-based reporter for The Washington Post and Pulitzer Prize winner who is one of the nation’s preeminent storytellers.Saslow’s third book, Voices From the Pandemic: Americans Tell Their Stories of Crisis, Courage and Resilience, comes out Sept. 28.Amy and Eli talked about how he picked who to focus on in the book, which started as a series in The Post, the reporting process in a pandemic, the connective tissue between his previous work on white nationalism and the conspiracy theories tied to the pandemic and much more.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eli Saslow of The Washington Post on his new book, 'Voices from the Pandemic'

--Students at Reynolds high school will be learning from home once again this week. Dozens of students have had to isolate so far for potential exposure on school buses in Portland and Lake Oswego.But all in all – students are back in classrooms and teachers are back in person. How’s it all going a few weeks in?On the latest episode of Beat Check with The Oregonian, reporters Aimee Green and Fedor Zarkhin break down how things are going a few weeks into the school year. We talked about buses, quarantines, how districts are notifying parents about exposure – or not -- and much more.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Report Card: Checking in on the back to school situation

The summer doldrums are here and fall is just around the corner – but some things don’t seem to change – Portland City Hall is filled with uncertainty and the mega project to expand I-5 through the rose quarter is once again filled with question marks.On the latest episode of Beat Check with The Oregonian, we’ll tackle both of those ongoing stories. On the first half of the show, City Hall reporter Shane Dixon Kavanaugh breaks down the latest in Portland politics – and we didn’t even hit on the police vaccine saga. On the second half of the show, transportation reporter Jayati Ramakrishnan talks about the latest on the $1 billion-plus Rose Quarter freeway project.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

An update on Portland politics, plus Rose Quarter project hits potential uncertainty

Eighteen months into the pandemic, healthcare workers in hospitals and intensive care units in Oregon are still at it. They are tired, frustrated and feeling forgotten. It’s a tense time and unvaccinated Oregonians continue to show up at their doors, some failing to believe in the very virus that sent them there in the first place. On the latest episode of Beat Check with The Oregonian, Jeff Manning and Beth Nakamura talk about their recent trip into a critical care unit at Providence Portland Medical Center. We talked about what they saw, how it felt to be in that ward right now, what healthcare workers had to say and much more.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Dispatch from a Portland critical care unit

It’s the first week of class for Portland public school students and many others around the state return in a matter of days. But the Delta variant of COVID-19 is spreading and most students are still unvaccinated. It’s an exciting and nerve-wracking time. What do we make of it all? On the latest episode of Beat Check with The Oregonian, reporters Eder Campuzano and Aimee Green talk about how school districts are preparing for yet another abnormal school year. We talk about what school and activities will look like, why lunch is such a critical time and stuff like MERV 13 furnace filters and all kinds of nitty gritty details. Related reading:What you need to know as kids go back to schoolPPS capped enrollment for online academy at 500, then Delta hitPortland kids will eat outside for 6 weeksWhere to find KN95, N95 masksHow to protect your COVID-19 vaccine card  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What you need to know about back to school plans

Public students are going back to school full-time in the coming days for the first time in 18 months. We figured this was worth a couple episodes of the podcast. My colleague, Julie Evensen, interviewed Dr. Whitney Casares, a Portland pediatrician, about what parents should keep in mind when it comes to Delta, return to school, the vaccines and much more. This conversation ran on our Facebook account as well. We'll be back Monday with a regular episode featuring reporters Eder Campuzano and Aimee Green talking about the return to school and how parents, students and districts are preparing themselves.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A Portland pediatrician on back to school, Delta, vaccines

Beer is part of the culture in Oregon, and a year and a half into the pandemic, the renowned industry is tired, but still standing. Some big names are gone. Others expanded. And Beervana is once again seeing new businesses enter the crowded field. Oh and Delta is still looming On the latest episode of Beat Check, Andre Meunier, breaking news new editor and beer writer for The Oregonian, talks about all things beer. We talked about how breweries have adapted to survive the pandemic, we said goodbye to some operations that are now gone and we discussed what new features [home delivery] are here to stay. Related Reading:Here's how to sign up for Andre's beer newsletterHammer & Stitch review Steeplejack video  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Oregon breweries died, survived or grew during the pandemic

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 hospitalizations are a big concern. Mask mandates are back. How did we get here? On the latest episode of Beat Check, reporters Aimee Green and Ted Sickinger talk about where things stand in Oregon today and why things may get worse before they get better. We talked about who is getting infected, why vaccination incentives haven’t worked, the looming school year and much more. Related reading:‘Grim news’ of soaring COVID-19 hospitalizations prompts governor to send in Oregon National GuardOregon to resume statewide indoor mask mandate as COVID hospitalizations break records  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Delta variant strikes Oregon

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 with The Oregonian, reporter Nicole Hayden talks about the latest issues surrounding homelessness in PortlandWe talked about the recent sweep of a long established camp site at Laurelhurst Park, the plan pushed by Commissioner Dan Ryan to build more rest sites with social services at six places across Portland, how she gets her sources when people are often pushed from one area of town to another and whether things are really as bad as they feel right now.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The state of homelessness in Portland

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. It may soon be one of Oregon’s most valuable companies.On the latest episode of Beat Check, business reporter Mike Rogoway talks about Dutch Bros and its remarkable rise from Grants Pass novelty to a caffeinated juggernaut.We talked about the Dutch mafia, their brand awareness, why even some notable coffee purists are all in on company’s future and what its rise says about the state’s business climate.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

How Dutch Bros became an iconic Oregon company

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 about his four part series digging deep into a murder in Vancouver that occurred more than three decades ago.It’s a story of a family torn apart and one woman’s mission to seek justice. The story brings together old fashion shoe leather investigation, new genetic technology and a potential tie to an international crime.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Obsession: Anatomy of a Murder

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 their names images and likenesses. On this episode of Beat Check with The Oregonian, reporters Aaron Fentress and Jeff Manning talk about the brave new world in Oregon where college athletes are free to get paid by companies big and small.We talked about the change in public perception surrounding this issue, how quickly it accelerated, the recent Supreme Court ruling, what it means for big time athletes and less well known ones as well.This episode was brought to you by PacificSource.Related reading:New NCAA name, image, likeness rules could shift power in college sports, marketingCollege athletes begin cashing in on name, image, likeness, but many questions remain  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Oregon athletes begin cashing in on name, image, likeness rules

Beat Check with The Oregonian is a weekly podcast hosted by reporter Andrew Theen that takes listeners behind the headlines and inside the state's largest news organization. 

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Beat Check with The Oregonian

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