Apr 24, 2022
President Joe Biden made his first visit to the Pacific Northwest since his election, arriving at Portland International Airport Thursday. His visit, greeted with enthusiastic support from members of his own party, including Governor Kate Brown, Oregon’s U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, and Oregon’s democratic members of Congress. In impassioned tones, Biden touted the investments in infrastructure, that his administration has promised, including with PDX Next, the $2 billion project intended to improve the airport, and get it ready for a big earthquake. Biden also talked about his plans for lowering health care and energy costs.
Then: a follow up to my interview on Speaking Freely last week, with Oregon’s American Lung Association Executive Director Julian Dillon. This week, as he promised, the lung association released its latest information about our air. And it’s not good, especially as COVID mask mandates come to an end. Wildfire soot and smoke are creating the worst air quality in the 23 years that the lung association has tracked it.
Also when it comes to our health, particularly during the still present pandemic, about 1600 local nurses started voting this week, on whether to go on strike. I spoke to Sarah Kee, a cardiology nurse at Providence Saint Vincent Medical Center. And she's also on the front lines of the negotiating table, as nurses say, even a couple years now into the pandemic, they are still fighting for safer staffing levels, personal protective equipment, and a guaranteed contract.
Next, we focus on the health of our environment: specifically, invasive plants, pests and bugs, which can devastate native species, and cost billions of dollars in damage every year. I talked to Van Pickler, a national policy advisor for U.S.D.A. emergency domestic program.
Finally: we decided to have a little early Mount Angel Octoberfest fun. KXL’s Brett Recamp helped me with that this week. Much laughter ensued, over weiner dog races, and lederhosen.