OHSU lead researcher Todd Korthuis spoke with OPB about the first rigorous study of legal psilocybin used in the state.

Can predators actually protect drivers? On this episode of Oregon on the Record, host Michael Dunne talks with Justin Suraci, senior scientist and director of wildlife conservation science at Conservation Science Partners, about groundbreaking research from Washington's Olympic Peninsula. Using data from 503 camera traps and 59 GPS-collared pumas, Suraci and his team found that areas with high mountain lion activity see up to a 76% drop in deer-vehicle collisions, because pumas change where and when deer roam, pushing them away from roads and into safer habitat. The conversation digs into the "landscape of fear," the $14.7 million cost of wildlife collisions on the peninsula, and why understanding the hidden benefits of large carnivores, not just the risks, matters for human-wildlife coexistence.

A new Oregon State University study shows cats are far more trainable than most people think, and the benefits go both ways. On this episode of Oregon On The Record, host Michael Dunne talks with Monique Udell, an OSU professor who directs the Human-Animal Interaction Lab, about her research on cat-child training. The study paired 36 children with developmental disabilities with their family cats for a six-week training program covering basic commands, harness training and cat body language. The results: children took on more caretaking responsibility, cats showed increased sociability, and the child-cat bond grew stronger over the following year. Udell also discusses cats' potential as therapy animals, the “adventure cat” movement, and how training can boost stimulation and welfare for indoor-only cats.

On Aug. 10, President Donald Trump signed an executive order calling for fewer childhood vaccines and splitting up the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. Despite this, Lane County’s recommendations for childhood vaccinations have not changed.

It’s not unusual to see a stray cat from time to time. But in the Eugene-Springfield area, there are many large cat colonies that are mostly out of sight. Local rescues put in a lot of work to keep them under control.

Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden says he’s planning to introduce a bill in Congress that is inspired by Oregon’s efforts to prevent corporate takeovers in medicine.

On this edition we talk with Haleigh Kochanski of the Register Guard about her story on a lawsuit against Eugene's Holt International. The suit alleges that Holt failed to disclose severe mental health challenges of an adopted child and coerced a family into the adoption. We also talk to KLCC's Zac Ziegler about his recent stories about housing and development in the community.

The interactive forecasting map from Washington State University predicts local air quality conditions over a three-day period.

On this edition we talk with Annie Waldman of ProPublica about her investigative story, "The Milkman," about the largest raw milk producer in the country whose built his empire on bad science and denial of harm from his products.

Extreme heat and poor air quality has been forecasted in the Willamette Valley this week. Temperatures are expected to exceed 90 degrees. Cities and counties have cooling centers available for the public to cool off during the heat wave.