There have been multiple attempts to bring Oregon into the interstate compact to award electoral college votes based on the national popular vote in the presidential election. So far, these legislative efforts have been blocked by Senate President Peter Courtney. But Courtney has changed his tune and says he will allow a floor vote on the bill, which appears to have the support it needs to pass. We hear from state Sen. Michael Dembrow (D-Portland), one of the chief sponsors of the bill.
Oregon has strict standards for what can be labeled a “Willamette Valley” wine. Now some wineries want to make those standards even more precise. Currently, wines must be 95% sourced from the American viticultural area on the label and must contain 90% of the grape varietal — pinot noir, riesling, etc. — featured on the label. Two bills currently under consideration by the Oregon Legislature would raise both requirements to 100%. Proponents say it will help protect the legacy of Willamette Valley wines. But some vineyard owners are concerned, particularly if they’re growing grapes outside the Willamette Valley. We’ll hear from Mike McNally, president of the Willamette Valley Wineries Association and co-owner of Fairsing Vineyard and Winery, as well as Michael Moore, who runs Quail Run Vineyards and serves on the board of the Rogue Valley Winegrowers Association.
We listen back to an interview with Oregon Symphony Music Director Carlos Kalmar about his personal experience as an immigrant and the symphony’s Sounds of Home series of concerts themed around immigration, the environment and homelessness.
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