Fourteen Oregonians died last month in five murder-suicides and one attempted murder suicide. Why this sudden outbreak now of men using guns to murder their spouses, ex-spouses and themselves when domestic violence homicides in Oregon have been on the decline? In 1997, 22 domestic violence homicides took place in Multnomah County alone. In recent years, the state average has been eight murder-suicides a year. Is it the economic climate, a lack of social services, or deep-rooted cultural issues?

This week on Voices from the Edge, Jo Ann and Dave talk with Jennifer Warren, LCSW, a counselor with Portland's Men's Resource Center/Women's Counseling Center since 1998. She specializes in domestic violence intervention and recovery, and has worked extensively with men and women arrested for domestic violence. Join us in this discussion about what's behind domestic violence murder-suicides, how the problem is being addressed and what needs to be done to stop the violence.

As Christians around the world prepare for the annual Christmas holiday, Christians who live in Bethlehem say that their plight has been neglected and forgotten. Christian Palestinians have lived in Bethlehem since the time of Christ, but have faced dislocation and repression since Israel was created in 1948.

This hour, we examine the situation of Bethlehem today, including a report on al-Wallaja village, which is a Christian Palestinian village located just outside of Bethlehem, produced by Ghassan Bannoura and Hazem Jamjoum; an interview with Professor Mazin Qumsiyeh of Bethlehem University; and a report on solidarity ‘From Brooklyn to Bethlehem’.

 Lisa Loving hosts a discussion about race, class and urban planning. Her guest is Dianne Riley of the Coalition for a Livable Future, talking about recent trends toward “racial isolation” in area schools and neighborhoods. Gentrification, segregated schools, poverty – do we have the tools to fix them?

Homeless activists in Portland have reported an alarming trend in the last week: homeless women being raped while sleeping alone on the street. KBOO’s Jenka Soderberg spoke with Laura, who is herself homeless, and has helped organize a campaign called ‘Right to Survive’.  You can email the group at r2spdx@gmail.com .

Host Marianne Barisonek interviews Andy Kroll, who works for Mother Jones magazine and is a frequent contributor to TomDispatch.  They discuss his current article on Tom Dispatch.

Episode #5: Where Do We Call Home?

Episode Aired Live: Friday November 13th, 2009

Featuring Special Guests: Dr. Darrell Millner Professor of Black Studies and Max Rameau from Take Back the Land

For our fifth installment, we are joined in the studio with two special guests. Scholar, historian, and professor Dr. Darrell Millner from Portland State University and Max Rameau from Take Back the land join us in studio! The topic for today, gentrification.

Intro Song: Open Letter to a Landlord Living Colour

Outro Song: Someplace by Hasan Salaam

 Brandi Tuck from the Goose Hollow Family Center talks about Homeless Issues
Wednesday Morning Talk Radio
Hosted by Erik Jorgenson

Today's guest is Brandi Tuck, Executive Director at the Goose Hollow Family Center, which opened for the season on November First.  Brandi was recently awarded the Skidmore Prize for Excellence in Non-Profit Work.  Today's show will cover issues homeless people face on a daily basis.