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Explore every episode of the podcast Rational in Portland

Dive into the complete episode list for Rational in Portland. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

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TitlePub. DateDuration
Dr. Sharon Meieran15 May 202502:42:55

Dr. Sharon Meieran, MD, has an impressive pedigree. She did her undergraduate work at UC Berkeley; her JD at University of California, Hastings College of Law; and her MD at UCSF School of Medicine. She worked as a lawyer for six years before going to medical school. Dr. Meieran worked as an ER physician from 2013 until recently. She continues to do volunteer street medicine work. She served on the Board of Commissioners for Multnomah County, Oregon, where Portland is situated, for eight years. Dr. Meieran has termed out as a commissioner, but may take another run at the chair seat. She remains an active public servant, working with the legislature to improve access to mental health and addiction services, working to craft policy at the county level, and consulting with elected officials and candidates for office. She does all of this as a volunteer. Andy Chandler from the show NW Fresh co-hosts.

Scott Bradley and Mario Reyes10 May 202501:24:57

Scott Bradley is a pastor at AS IS church and the Executive Director of the HOPE Center PDX in the Rockwood neighborhood in the Gresham-Portland, Oregon area of East Multnomah County. Rockwood is one of the most diverse and one of the most violent neighborhoods in East County, Scott is also a CrossFit competitor and coach at Underground PDX, a gym that he founded in Rockwood.

Mario Reyes is a second generation immigrant whose parents are from Mexico. At thirteen-years-old, living in Rockwood, he met Scott, who served as his mentor.. Ten years later, Mario is now an Underground PDX coach and mentor and serves his community through the Hope Center.

Both Scott and Mario have a history of significant childhood trauma and they have struggled with substance use. They have both been in and out of the criminal justice system. After turning their lives around, they now serve as leaders in the Rockwood community. They share their respective stories and personal journeys in this episode.

Lance Orton from CityTeam Portland08 May 202501:04:26

Lance Orton is the Executive Director of CityTeam Portland, which provides addiction and homelessness services. Lance is a self-described opioid addict who found himself homeless on the streets of Portland. He attained sobriety through CityTeam. Lance says that 76% of CityTeam’s graduates are working and sober.

Portland City Councilor Dan Ryan01 May 202501:39:57

Dan Ryan is a Portland City Councilor for District 2. Dan is the only Portland City Councilor who ran for re-election in the last election cycle. Portland recently restructured its city government and Dan talks about serving under the new city structure, his goals and priorities, what he's learned from his constituents, the things he's excited about in Portland, and more. Our mayor is coming out with his budget soon, and Dan shares what he is hopeful will be prioritized and how he wants to help you make Portland stronger, even if you're not in his district.

Dr. Eric Fruits, Ph.D.01 May 202502:00:41

Dr. Eric Fruits, Ph.D., is an economist who specializes in economics, finance, and statistics. He is an adjunct professor in Economics and Finance at Portland State University and an adjunct scholar at Cascade Policy Institute. He also serves as an expert witness in court cases. Dr. Fruits talks about the Portland Public Schools bond, various local taxes in the Portland area, Trump's tariffs, and more. Andy Chandler from NW Fresh co-hosts.

Jill Souede 27 Apr 202501:47:14

Jill Souede was the Deputy Chief of Staff for Portland City Councilor Dan Ryan. She has a Master’s in Strategic Communications from the University of Oregon and did her undergraduate work at Portland State University. In this episode, she reveals her experience with the inner workings of Portland City Hall. She also talks about the evolution of Portland that she’s witnessed since childhood, how Portland can be better, civic engagement, and more.

Juma Blaq11 Apr 202500:51:36

Loudaquinn Whatley, known as Juma Blaq, is a rapper, community and civic leader, music producer, videographer, song writer, DJ, sound engineer, husband, and dad of 5. Juma did media and videography for Portland City Council candidate Terrence Hayes. Juma currently serves on Portland’s Focused Intervention Community Oversight Group (FITCOG), which works with the mayor and Portland Police Bureau to reduce gun violence in Portland. He also works with the City of Tigard on facilitating community events focused on diversity.

Portland's new James Beard Public Market Executive Director, Jessica Elkan07 Mar 202500:38:47

Jessica Elkan is the Executive Director of Portland's new ambitious project, the James Beard Public Market. Jessica talks about the status of the market, the history of James Beard, when Portland can expect the market to open, the concept behind it, and why this is such an important project for Oregon and for downtown Portland.

https://www.jamesbeardpublicmarket.com

Damian Bunting: Working private security in Portland, Oregon 28 Jan 202501:48:52

Damian Bunting is a black private security guard in Portland, Oregon. Damian talks about learning jujitsu; how he was able to go to college; the mental illness and addiction crises on the streets of Portland; gun rights; his childhood; his parents’ advocacy for Bill Clinton, and more. Thanks to Andy Chandler from the podcast NW Fresh for co-hosting.

Hasaan Thomas, star of "Hasaan Hates Portland" 18 Jan 202501:35:26

Hasaan Thomas is the star of the satirical web series, "Hasaan Hates Portland," which was created by his friend, Mischa Webley. Hasaan is also a professional marketing and branding expert. We talk about what it was like to create and film the show; how he comes up with creative branding ideas; what it's like to live as a black man in Portland, Oregon (the whitest big city in America); growing up with a father and a stepfather who were pro athletes; surviving an attempt at suicide; getting recognized in public; and so much more.

Laura Curry: Portland stadium neighborhood in crisis 15 Jan 202501:16:08

Laura Curry describes herself as an itinerant artist and consultant. Laura has lived in various large cities throughout the world. She purchased a condominium in the Stadium neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, years ago when she was searching the United States for a pied-à-terre. She identifies as queer and has a daughter who is a person of color. Laura talks about the addiction and mental illness crises she regularly witnesses in her neighborhood and what she and her neighbors are trying to do about it. She also talks about why she believes that Multnomah County, where Portland is situated, is responsible for these crises.

Karen Chirre: Portland stadium neighborhood in crisis13 Jan 202501:20:20

Karen Chirre owns the Stadium Superette convenience store with her husband in the Stadiumhood neighborhood off of West Burnside in Portland. Karen says that her husband is a first generation immigrant who lived in his car in order to save money to realize his dream of owning a convenience store. According to Karen, over 500 people have committed crimes against the Superette in the past four years. Karen says that she may have to be killed before Portland’s public safety problems get better.

Mike Thelin: A vision for Portland06 Jan 202501:56:40

Michael (Mike) Thelin is the founder of Bolted Consulting, which, among other things, helps clients with communication, strategy, and design. He co-created Hot Luck, Austin's culinary and music festival. He also co-founded Feast Portland, which was the largest food festival in the Pacific Northwest. Mike has been a local Portland food writer, and he has appeared on numerous TV shows, including 42 episodes of "Unique Eats" on the Cooking Channel, Check out his Substack, "Food Cities," where he writes about things like politics, civic engagement, food, and travel. We talked about the unique challenges Portland faces and what happened to Feast; Mike's vision for Portland and how it can harness what makes it special; food (of course); music (he's a songwriter, singer and musician!); and more.

Autumn Sharp and Max Steele: Couch Park in NW Portland in crisis25 Dec 202402:39:33

Artist and graphic designer Autumn Sharp and personal trainer Max Steele are two of the founders of Friends of Couch Park, an organization in Northwest Portland to try to make Couch Park more livable. They talk about drugs, crime, mental illness, and street homelessness in their neighborhood and what they are trying to do about it. Andy Chandler from the Spotify and YouTube show NW Fresh co-hosts.

Pete Colt: Portland stadium neighborhood in crisis11 Dec 202401:04:53

Pete Colt is a retired marketing professional who lives in the northwest Portland neighborhood known as Stadiumhood. Stadiumhood is located in the southeast corner of the Alphabet District, the northeast corner of Goose Hollow, and it shares a border with the Pearl District and downtown Portland. Pete talks about how Stadiumhood has been plagued by drugs and crime and how he and his neighbors have banded together to try to make Stadiumhood more safe and livable.

Andy Chandler and Erica Gustavson: Election Breakdown (in every way) 26 Nov 202402:47:06

I sat down with host of NW Fresh, Andy Chandler, and hairstylist and small business owner Erica Gustavson, to discuss local election outcomes in Portland, Oregon, including Multnomah County, mayor and city council. We also talk about Portland in the context of the presidential election.

Sandeep Bali for Portland City Council, District 304 Nov 202401:24:54

Sandeep Bali is running for Portland City Council in District 3. Sandeep is a first generation gay immigrant. He works as a pharmacist and specializes in HIV care. Prior to his work with HIV patients, he worked in geriatric care, including long-term, end-of-life, and hospice care. When Sandeep was a pharmacy student, he interned at Central City Concern, a Portland nonprofit clinic that does street medicine. Sandeep enjoys gardening, dissecting scientific and medical journals, and hanging out with his fraternal twin brother. We talked about his family's journey from India to the US; political strategy; how he would deal with Multnomah County and its Joint Office of Homeless Services; the serious issues that he sees as a health care worker in Portland; what he is hearing from his potential constituents as he canvasses and campaigns; and more.

Noah Ernst for Portland City Council, District 118 Oct 202401:03:31

Noah Ernst is running for Portland City Council in District 1. He is a Superintendent and an in-house counsel lawyer for Radio Cab Co. Before he was a Superintendent, Noah drove a cab on the night shift for Radio Cab. Noah became a cab driver after he suffered a layoff from his litigator job at a law firm during the recession of 2008.

Tiffani Penson for Portland City Council, District 218 Oct 202401:02:10

Tiffani Penson is running for Portland City Council in District 2. She has been working for the City of Portland for 18 years, most recently as the People and Culture Manager.

Dan Ryan for Portland City Council, District 216 Oct 202401:04:10

Dan Ryan has been a Portland City Commissioner since 2020, where he pioneered the city’s Safe Rest Villages to get homeless people off of the streets of Portland. His home was vandalized more than 7 times after he refused to defund the police. He is HIV-positive and in recovery from active addiction. Dan’s spouse is gender fluid and a first generation Mexican American. Dan’s priorities are public safety and homelessness. His endorsements include the Northwest Oregon Labor Council (AFL-CIO), AFSCME, the Portland Firefighters, and the Portland Police.

Get your Oregon ballots out! 2024 Election Episode with Andy Chandler from NW Fresh16 Oct 202401:37:12

Get your ballots out! Join me and Andy Chandler from NW Fresh as we go through the voter's pamphlet

Kezia Wanner, for Portland City Council, District 312 Oct 202400:58:40

Kezia Wanner is a lifelong Democrat who is running for Portland City Council in District 3. Kezia’s experience in public service and public safety is extensive. She has served as the: grants coordinator for Portland Police Bureau; budget and policy analyst for the City of Portland; program manager for Portland Police Bureau; parking enforcement and transportation division manager for Portland Bureau of Transportation; deputy director for the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office; Assistant City Manager for the City of Newberg; deputy director for Portland Fire and Rescue; and business and compliance director for the Oregon Department of Emergency Management.

Harrison Kass for Portland City Council, District 308 Oct 202401:12:56

Harrison Kass is a policy advisor for Portland City Commissioner Rene Gonzalez. He is also a lawyer, and received his JD from the University of Oregon School of Law. He also has an MA in International Relations and Global Journalism from New York University. Harrison also serves as a journalist for The National Interest, where he covers politics and national security. He has a Private Pilot License and was selected as a Pilot Trainee and Officer Candidate with the US Air Force before being medically discharged.

Mariah Hudson for Portland City Council, District 208 Oct 202400:40:05

Mariah Hudson is a solo parent, a Senior Communications Specialist for OHSU, and has a Master's Degree in Economics. She is running for Portland City Council in District 2.

Mischa Webley, Creator of "Hasaan Hates Portland"04 Oct 202401:13:15

Mischa Webley is a Portland native and a writer, director, and filmmaker. He is the creator of the web series "Hasaan Hates Portland". He describes it as a "dark satirical web series about living while black in the whitest city in America."

Betsy Johnson and Angela Wilhelms: Vote No on Measure 118, the Newest Tax Measure02 Oct 202400:51:54
Eric Zimmerman for Portland City Council, District 428 Sep 202401:05:53

Eric Zimmerman is the Chief of Staff for Multnomah County Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards. He previously served as the Central City Senior Advisor for Mayor Ted Wheeler. He is a gay man who has served for 17 years as a member of the Oregon Army National Guard, including under the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, and has served overseas. Eric has an MBA from the University of Portland in Government and Not-For-Profits.

Andrew Rowe on Transforming Government Performance Through Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)27 Sep 202400:41:54
Bob Simril, for Portland City Council, District 220 Sep 202401:09:25

Bob Simril is running for Portland City Council in District 2. Bob grew up in Compton with a black father and a white mother. His family moved to Portland, and he graduated from Grant High School. Bob worked for Tony Robbins doing sales. He has a homeless family member who is addicted to drugs.

Tony Morse for Portland City Council, District 407 Sep 202400:56:38

Tony Morse is running for Portland City Council in District 4. He has been a lawyer, a realtor, and a recovery advocate.

George Carrillo from Progreso Latino and the Portland Mayoral Debate06 Sep 202401:49:03

George Carrillo is the President of Progreso Latino, a Political Action Committee. George is a Democrat who ran for governor of Oregon in the 2022 election. Progreso Latino is hosting a mayoral debate on September 11, 2024, with candidates Rene Gonzalez, Carmen Rubio, and Keith Wilson. Tickets are sold out, but you can tune in on YouTube.

Terrence Hayes for City Council, District 1: "Truth always makes people nervous."05 Sep 202401:39:19

Terrence Hayes is running for Portland City Council, District 1 in East Portland.. After serving 13 years in prison for attempted murder, Terrence works with the Portland Police Bureau to prevent gang and gun violence, is married with children, and runs a graffiti removal business.

Labor Day With Public Safety Union Leadership: Aaron Schmautz from the Portland Police Association and Isaac McLennan from the Portland Fire Fighters' Association03 Sep 202401:07:35

Aaron Schmautz is President of the Portland Police Association (PPA). The PPA is the union for Portland police officers below the rank of Lieutenant and members of the Bureau of Emergency Communications. Isaac McLennan is the President of the Portland Fire Fighters’ Association (the Portland fire fighters’ union, IAFF Local 43). They discuss public safety in Portland and Multnomah County, including crime, overdoses, 911 hold times, waits for ambulances, city council endorsements, and more.

Political consultant Derek Clevenger on the presidential race 21 Jul 202401:51:30

Derek Clevenger, MBA, is a nonaffiliated political consultant in the Pacific Northwest. He was the mayor of Aumsville, Oregon and ran as a nonaffiliated candidate for the Oregon House of Representatives. He is a retired US Army Master Sergeant where he was a medic. He is also a medical training instructor and has developed and delivered courses approved by leading medical associations, like the American Red Cross. He was the Director of Communications for All Oregon Votes, an organization that works for open primaries in Oregon. He talks about national politics, the presidential race, and parallels between Oregon and national politics, as well as ideas for resisting extremism.

*This episode was recorded prior to President Biden dropping out of the presidential race.

Terrence Hayes for Portland City Council, District 120 Jul 202402:10:13

Terrence Hayes is running for Portland City Council in District 1. He grew up with drug-addicted parents in the Chicago projects, and his sister is still suffering from active drug addiction. Terrence moved to Portland with his father and graduated from Jefferson High School. As a former gang member who spent 13 years in prison for attempted murder, Terrence now works to help young men avoid a lifetime of violent crime and turn their lives around. He owns a graffiti removal business and is married with children. His cousin was shot and killed by a Portland police officer. As a city council candidate, Terrence's priority is public safety. He is endorsed by the Portland Police Association.

Eli Arnold: Local efforts to avoid the re-criminalization of drugs, a beautiful family moment at Portland Pride, city solutions for homelessness, and more25 Jun 202400:47:14

Eli Arnold is a Portland police officer and a member of Portland's Instagram-famous Portland Police Bureau Central Bike Squad. He is running for Portland City Council in District 4. He stopped back in to tell us why Multnomah County's plan is just an effort to avoid the Oregon legislature's reforming of Measure 110 and the legislature's recent re-criminalization of drugs; a beautiful moment involving his son at the Portland Pride Parade; solutions for homelessness; and what he loves about Portland, including a new food truck.

https://www.eliforportland.com

https://www.instagram.com/ppbcentralbikesquad?igsh=Y3NucGdxc2xrOXE=

https://www.instagram.com/eliforportland?igsh=djRxcGYydHdjNDZu

https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2024/06/top-broker-of-measure-110-changes-unhappy-with-multnomah-county-deflection-plan.html?outputType=amp

https://public.substack.com/p/why-we-must-arrest-drug-addicts

https://x.com/rationalinpdx/status/1677793165238222850?s=46

https://www.wweek.com/news/2022/10/05/we-tried-to-imagine-how-voting-would-work-under-portlands-proposed-charter-reforms/

https://rosecityreform.substack.com/p/puppets-take-over-rose-city-reform

Andy Chandler18 Jun 202403:50:28

Andy Chandler is the host of NW Fresh. He talks about his career in news media, growing up with a trans sister, how he got civically engaged in Portland, and more.

Mike DiNapoli, running for Portland City Council, District 414 Jun 202401:09:17

Mike DiNapoli is an employee owner and lead engineer for People's AV Company who is running for Portland City Council in District 4.

Daniel DeMelo for Portland City Council, District 304 Jun 202402:07:18

Daniel DeMelo is running for Portland City Council, District 3. He is focused on unsheltered homelessness and data-driven solutions.

Keith Wilson, President and CEO of TITAN Freight Systems, running for mayor of Portland03 Jun 202401:01:55

Keith Wilson is running for mayor of Portland, Oregon. He is the President and CEO of TITAN Freight Systems. He started a homelessness nonprofit called Shelter Portland.

https://www.keithwilsonformayor.com

https://www.instagram.com/keithwilsonformayor?igsh=MTIzaWttaHI5NmJ5OA==

https://youtu.be/iAr8Y5rdG2g?si=ftMqJEChbip1jSIn

https://www.shelterportland.org/timeline

https://katu.com/amp/news/local/uw-study-finds-trace-of-fentanyl-residue-on-pacific-nw-transit-trimet-urges-crack-down-on-drug-use

https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2023/04/staff-drug-use-alleged-misconduct-shuttered-multnomah-county-behavioral-health-center-now-reopened.html?outputType=amp

https://www.wweek.com/news/environment/2024/04/22/theres-so-much-trash-in-the-willamette-river-the-state-proposes-to-regulate-it-under-the-clean-water-act/

https://www.instagram.com/ppbcentralbikesquad?igsh=Y3NucGdxc2xrOXE=

https://multco-web7-psh-files-usw2.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/2022%20Point%20In%20Time%20Report%20-%20Full.pdf

https://www.wweek.com/news/2023/02/01/they-left-portland-is-losing-some-of-its-biggest-fans/

https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/homeless/pregnant-homeless-woman-addicted-fentanyl-gives-birth-portland/283-cb528854-9b93-4c36-bd82-4a22313f78d1

https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2023/01/portlands-101-homicides-in-2022-set-new-record-at-some-point-we-have-to-be-tired-of-burying-our-children.html?outputType=amp

Erica Gustavson on how to be an informed voter and an engaged citizen in Portland31 May 202401:49:24

Erica Gustavson is a hair stylist who owns a small business in Portland. She gave testimony at Portland City Council regarding her concerns about charter commissioners who designed the system of government running for city council and the potential for conflicts of interest. She is involved in leadership with Future Portland, a centrist grassroots organization that provides opportunities for civic involvement. She talks about how she became civically involved and how she educated herself about critical issues so that she could be an informed voter.

May 2024 primary election20 May 202400:51:08

Fill out your ballots with Amanda in the May 2024 primary election episode. We also go over picks for key Washington and Clackamas County races at the top. The audio of the actual episode is terrible and it’s all my fault. Andy Chandler from NW Fresh helped recover it (o the extent it is listen-able, that is all Andy’s talent). But in our opinions, these are the only things that matter in this election. And if you do nothing else, just do this:

  1. Multnomah County District Attorney: Nathan Vasquez
  2. Multnomah County Commissioners: District 1, Vadim Mozyrsky; District 2, Jessie Burke; District 3, Julia Brim-Edwards; District 4, Vince Jones-Dixon

  3. State Rep, District 33: Pete Grabiel

    * https://www.nwfreshpodcast.com

    * https://www.voteforvasquez.com


    * https://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/2024/05/editorial-endorsement-may-2024-vote-for-nathan-vasquez-for-multnomah-county-da.html?outputType=amp

    * https://www.wweek.com/news/2024/05/01/wws-may-2024-endorsements-multnomah-county/

    * https://www.votevadim.com

    * https://jessieburke.com

    * https://www.juliabrim-edwards.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwxqayBhDFARIsAANWRnTYcP93zpq1MkJ0e32pAXmY9GbsxTgZPvuTDDnwqYnHkVZkLDUiXtUaAl_yEALw_wcB

    * https://www.vincejonesdixon.com

    * https://www.petegrabiel.com

    * https://www.pps.net/cms/lib/OR01913224/Centricity/Domain/214/19-20%20Adopted%20Budget%20Document.pdf?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaY78GfLtsmt8tan2c2bdEQPaA4Pq7S7qJA243_0rLXnUEIJskmgeluaqTw_aem_Afs4vjIM_XIASY5vJA_mskPvok2Ntxbe4-Eq-Ffj4s2sthiUiXBHH2Ts7iOBCz9spuC4Es2DQeLUcowaDYUGTkvC

    * https://www.wweek.com/news/2023/02/01/they-left-portland-is-losing-some-of-its-biggest-fans/

    * https://x.com/disabilityrtsor/status/1791499360976478588?s=46

    * https://www.kgw.com/article/news/education/oregon-students-fall-further-math-reading/283-78a61f5a-c3ff-471b-9004-f2285de9b9ff#:~:text=Sports,PORTLAND%2C%20Ore

Prof. Michael Weingrad, Ph.D., who started the Judaic Studies Department at Portland State University17 Apr 202402:18:13

Prof. Michael Weingrad, Ph.D., started the Judaic Studies Department at Portland State University, where he still teaches. In this episode, we discuss the Israel-Hamas war, what it's like to be a conservative at a university in Portland, and more.

Future Portland and their Endorsements for the Multnomah County election in May, with Vikki Payne10 Apr 202401:16:05

Vikki Payne from Future Portland gives us a rundown of FP's endorsements for the May Multnomah County election. Future Portland is a nonpartisan, grassroots community organization that provides civic education and endorses local candidates. Future Portland looks for local candidates who they believe have sensible, pragmatic solutions to Portland's challenges.

Jessie Burke for Multnomah County Commissioner, District 210 Apr 202401:24:23

Jessie Burke is the owner of the Society Hotel in the Old Town Neighborhood and chair of the Old Town Community Association in Portland, Oregon. She is the mother of three young children. Jessie has a Master’s of Public Administration with a focus on Strategic Planning and Community Development from Portland State University. Jessie grew up very poor. Her father was paralyzed when she was 6. She lost a brother-in-law to a drug overdose. Her focus is on taking care of the least among us.

Vadim Mozyrsky for Multnomah County Commissioner, District One03 Apr 202401:09:31
Pete Grabiel for Oregon State House of Representatives, District 33.11 Mar 202400:54:22

Pete Grabiel is a Portland lawyer and a Democratic candidate for the Oregon State House of Representatives in District 33.

Derek Clevenger On the Problems With the Oregon GOP 11 Mar 202402:14:27

Derek Clevenger is a political consultant who was the mayor of Aumsville and attempted a run for the Oregon State Legislature as an Independent.

Nicole Buscher, Multnomah County Corrections Deputies Association Union President01 Mar 202401:23:31
Bob Weinstein for Portland City Council, District 429 Feb 202401:37:18

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