KLCC Special Issues

THE ECONOMY
Series airs December 8-14, 2008

KLCC's Special Issues Unit is hard at work on the latest series from the News Department. The topic is The Economy.

The stories will air December 8-12 at 6:20 a.m. and 8:20 a.m. on Morning Edition, and between 4:00-4:30 p.m. on the Northwest Passage. The series will conclude December 14 on Sunday at Noon with listener call-in.

The series is edited by KLCC News Director Tripp Sommer.

Audio, photos, resources, and more information will be added to this page throughout the week of the series.

Send an email to KLCC News about this series

View previous Special Issues topics

Monday, December 8
Andrew Bartholomew reports on emerging elements of the Coastal economy, including wave energy, marine reserves (ocean zone planning), and on the future of fishing off the Oregon Coast.

Listen to the Story

For more information...

Ocean Policy Advisory Council
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Oregon Sea Grant
Oregon Wave Energy Trust
Oregon Marine Reserves
Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission
Lincoln County Website
Oregon Coastal Zone Management Association

Related Interviews:

Aquaculture - Gil Sylvia heads the Oregon State Coastal Marine Experiment Center at the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport. He addresses the future of aquaculture off the Oregon Coast. He took part in a two day forum on aquaculture in Newport in September.

Kaety Hildenbrand - She works with the fishing community on ocean use issues through the Oregon Sea Grant.

Terry Thompson - He's a Lincoln County Commissioner and former commercial fisherman with a unique perspective on marine reserves and wave energy and potential impacts on the fishing industry.

View photos below

Tuesday, December 9
Jes Burns profiles Green Collar Jobs, those related to renewable energy and other aspects of sustainability. She visits programs at Lane Community College as well as new and existing green businesses.

"Green Collar Jobs" - it's been a rallying point for politicians and business leaders alike, and the green economy has caught on in Eugene and the surrounding communities. On September 30^th, Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy said there were feasibility studies in progress to convert Hynix to a solar panel production facility. Eugene-based sustainable non-profits are winning national awards. LCC is at the forefront of training the next generation of the sustainability sector workforce. But how are green businesses – many of them in the critical start-up phase – doing in a time when confidence in the economy is plummeting?

KLCC's Jes Burns examines sustainable business in Eugene and the surrounding areas to find out how "green" is faring when much of the rest of the country is in the red.

Listen to the Story

For more information:

Pacific Solar and Rain
Solarc Architecture and Engineering
Northwest Energy Education Institute
Eugene's Green Store

Related Interviews:

PSR - The owners of Eugene's Pacific Solar and Rain talk about the role of incentives in growing and maintaining their business.

Roger Ebbage - Roger Ebbage, Director of The Northwest Energy Education Institute, talks about green collar job opportunities in the state.

SOLARC - Galen Ohmart discusses the softening in the housing market how that is effecting green construction and retrofitting work in the state.

Wednesday, December 10
Tiffany Eckert on how the economic downturn affects veterans and their families in terms of jobs and housing. She also profiles several agencies working to offer assistance to veterans who need it.

Listen to the Story

for more information:

VA Reintegration Service Center
Saint Vincent De Paul Vet Lift Program
Lane Community College's Veteran Office

View photos below

Thursday, December 11
Bing Bingham explores how a worsening economy is bringing changes to the migrant population in Central Oregon and what impact those migrant workers have on the local economy (stores, etc.)

Listen to the Story

Friday, December 12
Mike Van Meter seeks out answers to the questions "Is the bursting of the building bubble in Central Oregon a bad thing?" "Does it give a whole new group of middle class people access to housing?"

Listen to the Story

for more information:

Economic Development for Central Oregon
Neighbor Impact
Association of Home Builders Affordability Index
Global Insight’s analysis of U.S. housing prices
Year-end housing sales numbers for Central Oregon
Year-to-date housing sales numbers
Headwaters Economics
"Managing Amenity-led Migration in Mountain Regions" (article)