Crosscut is the Northwest’s independent, nonprofit digital news site that serves the public with local stories that are in-depth and unique. Crosscut is a service of Cascade Public Media. Contact: https://crosscut.com/contact-us
At about 2 a.m. on Jan. 27, 2021, Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer called police dispatch to report a man in his neighborhood who he said threatened to kill him. The man, who was Black, turned out to be delivering newspapers. Troyer later told a Tacoma police officer the man hadn't actually threatened his life. Here's the audio of that 911 call.
False 911 call, otherwise known as a swatting call by CrosscutNews
The movement for LGBT rights has gained a lot of traction around the country, but there are still many places that remain unfriendly or unsafe for the queer community. Often, those places are in the more conservative parts of America. But transgender author and journalist Samantha Allen found something different when she traveled through middle America in 2017. She discovered thriving communities and havens for people of all genders and orientations. For this episode of the Crosscut Talks podcast, we invited Allen to discuss her new book, Real Queer America: LGBT Stories from Red States, as well as her journey from Mormon missionary to openly trans woman. She is joined by David Schmader, a Seattle-based writer and performer whose work often explores queer life. The conversation was recorded on May 4, 2019 at Seattle University as part of the Crosscut Festival. This conversation is part of our Crosscut Talks podcast series. To listen to more episodes, go to our show page: crosscut.com/talks
In America, Civil War as long been relegated to history books and Ken Burns films. But recently it has become a live topic. Crosscut gathered a panel of political experts and journalists to discuss the deepening tribalism of extreme partisan politics, identifying root causes of our divisions, discussing the platforms that have encouraged this divisiveness, and exploring what can be done to prevent it. Featuring Manhattan Institute fellow Oren Cass, New York Times columnist Thomas Edsall, political science professor Christopher Parker and journalist Tay Wiles. New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie moderated the conversation. This episode was recorded on May 4, 2019 at Seattle University as part of the Crosscut Festival. This conversation is part of our Crosscut Talks podcast series. To listen to more episodes, go to our show page: crosscut.com/talks
The 2020 election is almost a year and a half away, but the race is already on. There are two dozen Democrats, and one Republican, lining up to challenge President Donald Trump. And the news cycle is dominated by big questions about who can win, and how. So Crosscut gathered a panel of pundits from the Seattle area to weigh in on the big issues, assess the candidates and speculate on Trump’s chances for a second term. Featuring conservative talk radio host Michael Medved, former chair of the Washington State Republican Party Chris Vance, political scientist Christopher Parker and Sharon Mast, who serves as the secretary of the Western States Caucus of the Democratic National Committee. This conversation is part of our Crosscut Talks podcast series. To listen to more episodes, go to our show page: https://crosscut.com/talks
Some activists need to use loudspeakers, but others are fortunate enough to already have the world’s attention. Colin Kaepernick, for example, showed how a single act — and the commitment to repeat it — can both inspire and agitate on a national scale. But how does one turn fame into societal change? Prominent social justice activist and author DeRay McKesson leads a conversation with hip-hop artist Macklemore and Super Bowl champion Doug Baldwin Jr. about how the two socially active figures choose a cause, make positive change, and keep working through it all. This conversation is part of our Crosscut Talks podcast series. To listen to more episodes, go to our show page: https://crosscut.com/talks
Recording of the August 2018 asylum hearing of Mergensana Amar, a Russian national who arrived in the United States in December 2017.
Audio from a 911 call placed on Nov. 15, 2018, from the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Symphony No. 40 in G minor Movement 1: Molto Allegro by CrosscutNews
Modest Mussorgsky, Night on Bald Mountain by Amazon Symphony Orchestra by CrosscutNews
Say Something (I'm Giving Up On You)by Face Clef by CrosscutNews
Stuck In The Middle With You by Microsoft's The Baudboys by CrosscutNews
Gonna Make You Happy Tonight by Microsoft's The Baudboys by CrosscutNews
When it comes to political divides in Washington state, the fault lines are real, most notably in what we think of as the Cascade Divide: West is Blue, East is Red and never the twain shall meet. But it’s more complicated than that. Hear from longtime Washington pollster Stuart Elway, and voices from both side of the Cascades, about what divides us, as well as the surprising things that we have in common. Panelists: Ted McGregor (Moderator) Stuart Elway David Estudillo Kelli Scott JT Wilcox Recorded live during the Crosscut Festival. Read more at http://crosscut.com/tag/crosscut-festival/
Now in its sixth year under federal consent decree, the Seattle Police Department has made considerable progress on reducing unnecessary use-of-force. But the fatal police shooting of Charleena Lyles last summer put the spotlight back on the department and raised questions about mental health and de-escalation training. To weigh in on this life-or-death issue, we have a psychologist, two police reformists and the local police union president. Panelists: Steven Hsieh (Moderator) Jennifer Henderson Riall Johnson Kevin Stuckey Rev. Harriet Walden Recorded live during the Crosscut Festival. Read more at http://crosscut.com/tag/crosscut-festival/
In less than a decade, Amazon has rewoven Seattle's urban fabric. The e-commerce giant is adding jobs at a breakneck pace, redeveloping an entire section of the city center, and drawing new people to the city by the thousands. While Amazon has helped bring a new wave of prosperity to Seattle, it has become emblematic of the city's growth and its challenges. As the company seeks a second city to accommodate its dramatic expansion, we'll examine Amazon's impacts, for better and for worse, here in its hometown. Panelists: Monica Nickelsburg (Moderator) Nikkita Oliver Heather Redman Aaron Terrazas Recorded live during the Crosscut Festival. Read more at http://crosscut.com/tag/crosscut-festival/
How do we make amends for crimes of the past? How do we reconcile the divisions they’ve caused? The idea of reparations, long debated and seldom enacted, has regained currency in American public life, especially since the publication of Ta-Nehisi Coates’s 2015 essay in The Atlantic, “The Case for Reparations.” To discuss the issue, we bring together a journalist who has extensive experience covering Indian country, a leader in the Japanese-American community, a writer and conceptual artist, and a professor whose research has taken her deep inside the question of state apologies for sins of the past. Panelists: Marcus Harrison Green (Moderator) Angelique Davis Tom Ikeda Natasha Marin Mark Trahant Recorded live during the Crosscut Festival. Read more at http://crosscut.com/tag/crosscut-festival/
In the competition for Amazon’s next headquarters, cities and states have offered the company billions in tax breaks. Is this a smart investment to secure local jobs — as many politicians have argued — or a giveaway of public money to private shareholders? It's a worthwhile question here in Washington, responsible for the largest corporate tax break ever granted by a state, to the Boeing Co. in 2013. This panel of Washington leaders will debate the value of corporate tax breaks, as well as what might happen if Amazon starts asking Seattle what the city has done for it lately. Panelists: Drew Atkins (Moderator) Larry Brown Reuven Carlyle Ron Sims Kriss Sjoblom Recorded live during the Crosscut Festival. Read more at http://crosscut.com/tag/crosscut-festival/
It’s never been easy to talk about an issue you care deeply about with someone who disagrees with you. Now, it might be especially hard. But good society thrives on challenging conversation. If you’ve been wanting to find fresh ways to approach what could be tense exchanges about things that matter, this is the session for you. The Evergrey team has talked with some impactful facilitators and moderators in our work bringing different people around the region together. (We once took locals to Sherman County, Oregon, so people who voted for Clinton and people who voted for Trump could chat.) In this workshop, we’ll explore how you can approach charged discussions so they lead to better understanding, and invite you to share your own best practices and experiences. Panelists: Mónica Guzmán (Moderator) Ana Sofia Knauf (Moderator) Warren Etheredge Mozart Guerrier Bo Zhang Recorded live during the Crosscut Festival. Read more at http://crosscut.com/tag/crosscut-festival/
Seattle is well-known for business leaders who are not afraid to take a stand on environmental protection, race and immigration issues, and LBGTQ rights. John Levesque of Seattle Business Magazine leads a conversation with four local trailblazers about why they have stepped into advocacy roles, the potential pitfalls of activism, and what more business leaders could do to create a more equitable and sustainable society. Panelists: Marc Berejka Rodney Hines John Levesque Anne Levinson Recorded live during the Crosscut Festival. Read more at http://crosscut.com/tag/crosscut-festival/
They came here as children, brought here illegally by their parents. The Obama administration coaxed them out of the shadows, providing them protection from deportation and allowing them to go to college and work here legally under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA. But President Trump is sunsetting that program, and now, their lives in the United States are uncertain. What are the arguments for and against ending DACA? What does the future look like for these young immigrants? We'll hear from Washington state’s attorney general, who has been a national leader in the resistance against Trump's immigration policies, a former Seattle U student body president who is a DACA recipient, and others. Panelists: Lilly Fowler (Moderator) John Carlson Bob Ferguson Carlos Rodriguez Recorded live during the Crosscut Festival. Read more at http://crosscut.com/tag/crosscut-festival/
Last August, the nation was stunned by the sight of white nationalists and Nazi sympathizers marching in the streets of Charlottesville, Virginia. What began as a protest against the removal of a Confederate statue ended in bloodshed, as a white nationalist drove his car into a crowd of counterprotesters. Charlottesville shone a spotlight on a rising tide of hate and hate speech on college campuses, including here in the Pacific Northwest. Seattle reporter Sara Bernard leads a conversation about the line between free speech and hate speech on campus, and what different schools are doing to police it. Panelists: Sara Bernard (Moderator) Jamil Bee Ethan W. Blevins Zoltán Grossman David Neiwert Recorded live during the Crosscut Festival. Read more at crosscut.com/tag/crosscut-festival/
The gig economy — think: Uber, Postmates, Task Rabbit — is radically reshaping work in America. These new platforms offer new flexibility in work schedules and incredible convenience for consumers, but the new work is coming without the same protections traditional jobs have offered, from forming a union to saving for retirement. Now, some gig economy workers and lawmakers want to change that. We’ll talk to a labor law expert, a state representative and gig workers about efforts to allow ride-hailing drivers to unionize and other moves to create security and equity in a disruptive economy. Panelists: Heidi Groover (Moderator) Charlotte Garden Takele Gobena Debra Jeffs-Grad Monica Stonier Recorded live during the Crosscut Festival. Read more at http://crosscut.com/tag/crosscut-festival/
As the #MeToo movement sweeps the nation, college students are on the front lines. Women are fighting entrenched sexism and sexual assault even as they celebrate their own sexuality as never before. Many male students are more sensitive to women’s concerns than previous generations, while other men perpetuate the most cruel misogyny. Award-winning journalist and author Vanessa Grigoriadis helps us make sense of it all. Panelists: Patricia Murphy (Moderator) Callie Burt Vanessa Grigoriadis Katie Querna Menosh ZA Recorded live during the Crosscut Festival. Read more at http://crosscut.com/tag/crosscut-festival/
The Western U.S. holds rich deposits of coal, oil and natural gas — resources that have been eyed for export to rapidly developing economies in Asia. But a remarkable alliance of activists and tribes have drawn what some have called a “thin green line” to stop a series of proposed refinery expansions and export terminals along the West Coast. This opposition has helped create a remarkable shift in the energy future of the Pacific Northwest. For perspective on how this transformation came about, and what needs to happen next, we’ll hear from a tribal chairman, an environmental activist, an energy policy expert and the former head of the U.S. Interior department. Panelists: Michelle Nijhuis (Moderator) Tim Ballew Sally Jewell Emily Johnston Recorded live during the Crosscut Festival. Read more at http://crosscut.com/tag/crosscut-festival/
Seattle’s housing market is the hottest in the nation. To afford monthly payments on the median house in the Seattle metro area, a household needs a record $93,400 in annual income, according to a recent story in the Seattle Times. That’s up $11,000 from just a year ago. The average renter, meanwhile, now spends over 30 percent of their income just to keep a roof overhead. It’s great news for landlords and developers — but what about the increasing number of Seattleites for whom the rent is just too damn high? Panelists: Tyrone Beason (Moderator) Kathleen Hosfeld Estela Ortega Roger Valdez Inye Wokoma Recorded live during the Crosscut Festival. Read more at http://crosscut.com/tag/crosscut-festival/
Five years after Washington’s historic passage of Initiative 502, which made it legal to posses and sell recreational marijuana, retail stores are thriving and cannabis is a $1.5 billion statewide industry. But who’s profiting from the end of the War on Drugs? So far, the people who suffered the most from the war’s racist underpinnings are benefiting the least from legalization. Female entrepreneurs are making the cannabis space their own, but people of color remain notably underrepresented in the industry. Leafly Deputy Editor Bruce Barcott leads a conversation on the opportunities, the barriers to entry, and the innovative equity policies now being tested in Massachusetts, California, and Maryland. Panelists: Bruce Barcott (Moderator) Jody Hall Jesce Horton Recorded live during the Crosscut Festival. Read more at http://crosscut.com/tag/crosscut-festival/
Closing performance gaps between student groups consumes nearly every conversation about American education. Usually, discussion collects around the possibility of biased testing or teachers. But the work of Dr. Nadine Burke Harris suggests another angle. In her pioneering research with low-income children in the San Francisco area, Dr. Burke Harris found that adverse — but common — childhood experiences like parental divorce, substance abuse or neglect can change students’ neurology and directly affect learning. Should public education expand its mission, moving from a tight focus on academic-concept delivery to something more holistic? Dr. Burke Harris will tackle this question in a moderated discussion with Washington’s Superintendent for Public Instruction and a national expert on multicultural education. Panelists: Claudia Rowe (Moderator) James Banks Nadine Burke Harris Chris Reykdal Lyon Terry Recorded live during the Crosscut Festival. Read more at http://crosscut.com/tag/crosscut-festival/
It’s no secret that the industry that props up the Seattle metro area's gangbusters economy is largely staffed by white males. In some cases, this has had disastrous consequences, from creating biased products to forcing out talented employees. Nationally, women make up less than 30 percent of the employees at tech companies like Amazon, Apple, Google and Facebook. That number drops even further when you look at the percentage of women in leadership roles. And the number of Hispanics and blacks working in tech are vanishingly small. We’ll hear from one of the women caught up in the infamous “Gamergate,” and talk about how local businesses and government are tackling this problem, and what more they could do. Panelists: Ruchika Tulshyan (Moderator) David Harris Susie Lee Zoe Quinn Recorded live during the Crosscut Festival. Read more at http://crosscut.com/tag/crosscut-festival/
Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Sergey Brin, Steve Jobs and Paul Allen all cite science fiction as key to shaping their worldview. For global leaders, science fiction is both a way to help anticipate and plan for the future, and a blueprint for the technologies they’re building today. In this session, the founders of the online publication Scout.ai will lead an interactive science fiction scenario planning game that posits participants as hedge fund managers, making bets on climate change's future impacts in the Seattle area and on the region's economy and biggest businesses. Panelists: Berit Anderson Brett Horvath Recorded live during the Crosscut Festival. Read more at http://crosscut.com/tag/crosscut-festival/
With the rise of President Trump and the so-called “alt-right,” some lifelong Republicans are wondering what has become of the Grand Old Party. But while some have jumped ship, supporting Democrats or searching for a third party, others insist that in the Pacific Northwest, the GOP can stay true to its fiscally conservative and socially moderate roots — and build on its conservation legacy. Longtime Olympia reporter Austin Jenkins leads a conversation about the future of the Republican party with a group of party stalwarts, fence-sitters and folks who say the only way forward is to leave the GOP behind. Panelist: Austin Jenkins (Moderator) Bill Bryant Slade Gorton Lori Sotelo Chris Vance Recorded live during the Crosscut Festival. Read more at http://crosscut.com/tag/crosscut-festival/
Sportswriters Jim Moore and Glenn Nelson look back to 1967, the year when the Seattle Supersonics played their first regular season game. (Bob Blackburn audio of the 1979 championship game from Sonicsgate --www.sonicsgate.com). Jersey artwork by Bingo Arnberg/flickr. Produced by Florangela Davila.
This is a mashup of every Charleena Lyles related dispatch communication from 9:49 AM to 10:17 AM.
Carlynn Newhouse performs at the Youth Speaks Seattle open mic night on Feb. 5.
Azura Tyabji performs at the Youth Speaks Seattle open mic night on Feb. 5.
Farmers in Snoqualmie Valley struggle to adapt to drought conditions.
Amina Al-Sadi is a 25-year-old American muslim and northwest native, currently observing the holy month of Ramadan. As our series "Amina on Ramadan" continues, we delve into the celebratory aspects of Ramadan with a visit the Al-Sadi home in Mukilteo. Produced by Katy Sewall crosscut.com/
Amina Al-Sadi is a 25-year-old American muslim and northwest native. She's currently observing the holy month of Ramadan. As our series "Amina on Ramadan" continues, we take to the streets to find out why Ramadan feels more important than ever this year. Produced by Katy Sewall crosscut.com/
Amina Al-Sadi is a 25-year-old American Muslim and Northwest native. She's currently observing the holy month of Ramadan. This year in the west, Ramadan lines up with the summer solstice. Fasting days are the longest they've been in decades. Our series "Amina on Ramadan" begins with Amina's perspective on giving up food and drink during the longest days of summer. Produced by Katy Sewall http://crosscut.com/
2015 Seattle AWMC finalist Anthony Toney by CrosscutNews
2015 Seattle AWMC finalist Noah Skillman by CrosscutNews
2015 Seattle AWMC finalist Jaron Crawford by CrosscutNews
Students at the Seattle Interagency Academy are considered "at-risk" by political and social service organizations. What do the students think? How do they see themselves? Go beyond the label and get to know the kids personally.
Paul Cheoketen Wagner of the Salish tribe performs a cleansing ceremony in the old upstairs of Pioneer Square's J & M Cafe.
Seabird Count story by Martha Baskin
Voices From The Streets - LGBT Young Adults by CrosscutNews
Voices From The Streets - LGBT Young Adults by CrosscutNews