Seattle Now

Sound transit board members made painful cuts to account for the agency’s multi-billion-dollar shortfall. Seattle Times transportation reporter Mike Lindbloom is here to talk about which projects are still on track and which ones have been derailed. Read Mike's reporting here. And make sure to join us this Saturday for a live taping of Seattle Now… where I’ll interview King County Executive Girmay Zahilay at the cascade PBS ideas festival. Get tickets here. Use promo code SEATTLENOW to access a 20% discount Get tickets to Cascade PBS’s Ideas Festival. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, we’re bringing you the best from the KUOW Newsroom. First, Washington state is home to one of the largest communities of Lao refugees in the country. Now, under pressure from the Trump administration, deportation flights have picked up. Next, gas prices are sky-high, but many local drivers are not flocking to buy an electric vehicle to avoid the pump. And finally, the size of the money gap between the ultra wealthy and everyone else is hard to wrap your head around. One Seattle playwright is trying to make it easier to understand, with an interactive theater experience and history tour. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sound Transit shelves Ballard extension, Seattle city council explores street closures to deter gun violence, and Alaska Airlines is fined for allowing intoxicated passengers on board. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Paige Browning. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week… Protesters showed up at the first car-free weekend along lake Washington boulevard. Our local spelling champ competed in the other Washington during the National Spelling Bee. And the town of La Conner tried to turn down the volume on public concerts. KEXP DJ Eva Walker and Author Jacob Uitti are here to break down the week. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Six bodies recovered from Longview paper mill disaster, Lumen Field's name is getting redacted for the World Cup, and DOJ sues WA over denying undercover license plates for federal agents. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Paige Browning. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Practicing medicine is not an exact science. It takes knowledge, but also bedside manner. At UW Medicine, neurology residents train for both using actors from UW’s Drama Department. We’ll hear how it works with Associate Neurology Professor Wolfgang Muhlhofer. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two people confirmed dead in Longview, WA paper mill disaster, lawsuit over Denny Blaine Park goes to trial, and Mark Zuckerberg's mega yacht is docked in Seattle. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Paige Browning. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson’s campaign promised one thousand emergency beds by the end of the year. It’s ambitious… but she and the City Council are working through growing pains to get it done. Seattle Times reporter David Kroman will give us some insight on how it’s going. Read David’s story here. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chemical implosion kills at least one person in Longview, WA, Meta cuts 1,400 jobs in WA, and journalists at several WA newspapers go on strike. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Paige Browning. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bird counts in Seattle have declined 21% between 2005 and 2023. That's according to a new study from Birds Connect Seattle, which also found that species diversity declined by 18% during that same time period. Conservation director Joshua Morris authored the report. We met up recently at Washington Park Arboretum to talk about what’s happening to Seattle’s bird populations. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Memorial Day is a time to honor America’s fallen soldiers past and present. It’s also the unofficial start of summer. Today’s weather isn't exactly ideal for a beach swim. But once we get to magical Seattle summer weather, don’t forget to check King County Public Health’s website before you take a dip. They send out environmental scientists like Wyatt Klepac each week to test our swim beaches for toxic algae and bacteria. Right now, Green Lake’s West Beach is closed because of toxic algae and Newcastle Beach due to high bacteria. Last summer, we were curious about how the county decides to close beaches and went out with Wyatt to see for ourselves. Here’s that episode again. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, we’re bringing you the best from newsrooms across Washington. First, rising diesel prices are squeezing the Pacific Northwest fishing industry. They're cutting into profits and adding new uncertainty to an already challenging business. Next, for around 15 years, people have slowly dug up mammoth bones near the Tri-Cities. Along the way, people have made a lot of other discoveries. And finally, renters in six apartment complexes in Tacoma have voted to form unions in the last six months. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Airports in Washington are getting some extra money, the North Aurora Avenue community wants gun violence addressed now, and a Seattle middle schooler is heading to the Scripps National Spelling Bee. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Paige Browning. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week: The Seattle Opera had its first Furry Night. Memorial Day travelers are feeling the strain of high prices. And young male Mariners fans are ripping their shirts off at games. KUOW community engagement director Zaki Hamid and KUOW reporter Casey Martin are here to break down the week. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sen. Patty Murray calls for investigation into Sean Duffy's road trip, Meta lays off 10% of its workforce, and Bruce Harrell gets a new job. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Paige Browning. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite a formal request, Seattle is unlikely to declare a civil emergency around the influx of LGBTQ people from other states. We’ll talk about why that was on the table and what might be next with Madison Jones from Seattle Gay News. Read her reporting here. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mayor Wilson's plan to expand tiny home villages approved by city council, DOJ launches investigation into WA's trans policies in prison, and traffic fatalities in WA continue to decline. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Patricia Murphy. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Seattle Storm are a very different team this season. They changed up their starting lineup and coaching staff in a big way…and are even back on the court with a new labor agreement. My colleagues Zaki Hamid and Storm super fan Paige Browning talk about the team’s fresh look for 2026. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

King County to involve law enforcement in their probe of misused tax dollars, recent Starbucks job cuts are mostly Seattle-based, and we remember Juniper Blessing. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Patricia Murphy. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gray whales are getting stranded on the Washington coast. This year alone, 21 whales have washed up dead, many of them malnourished. And that’s raising the alarm for scientists, who’ve been documenting a seven year uptick in mortality. We talk with John Calambokidis, senior research biologist with Cascadia Research Collective. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A suspect has been charged in the murder of Juniper Blessing, the Washington State Supreme Court has a new justice, and a limit on huckleberry picking in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest is making a noticeable difference for local tribes. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Gustavo Sagrero. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seattle is hosting a major international sporting event next month. But the FIFA Men’s World Cup isn’t Seattle’s first rodeo. Back in 1990, the city hosted the Goodwill Games. Daniel Beekman is here from the Seattle Times to tell us about the games and what they can teach us about the upcoming matches. Read more about it here. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, we’re bringing you the best from the KUOW Newsroom… First, public defenders are looking to reform Washington's bail system, but not everyone is on board. Next, we visit the Yakima Nation, who say they feel pushed aside for energy development. And finally, beavers have a complicated relationship with Washington landowners. But they’re learning to coexist. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Undocumented foster kids are suing Washington state, Seattle installs public toilets ahead of the World Cup, and Starbucks lays off more employees. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Paige Browning. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week… Costco is bringing a new oversized item to the food court. Pike Place Market is inviting visitors to Sip and Stroll some weekends through the summer. And the Mariners are bringing back that old school feeling with a live organist. KUOW Editor Phyllis Fletcher and Seattle Now Senior Producer Andy Hurst are here to break down the week. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SPS to close one if its alternative high schools, Boeing ordered to pay nearly $50 million to family of crash victim, and you may be able to watch the World Cup from a "floating pitch" in Seattle. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Patricia Murphy. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You can find little free food pantries all around Seattle neighborhoods. They’re a great place to stock up on a few things or to donate ingredients to a neighbor. Researchers at the University of Washington just launched an app to help people find and fill the pantries. They’re hoping to reduce food waste and make these "micropantries" more efficient. I talk with Giacomo Dalla Chiara, one of the researchers behind the project. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Public transit to get beefed up for the World Cup, Washington had the second most tech layoffs last year, and Seattle Art Museum workers are unionizing. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Paige Browning. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sound Transit’s park and ride garages are popular, especially during the morning rush. Many reach at least 90% capacity every weekday. Now the agency is trying to control the rush by implementing paid parking for some garages, with plans to expand. Seattle Times Transportation Reporter Nick DeShais will tell us more about Sound Transit’s plans, and what this says about our light rail system. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Three King County residents being monitored for hantavirus, Seattle may press pause on large data centers, and Boeing is back in court over safety concerns. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Paige Browning. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Summer is inching closer… And if you thought ahead, you may have reserved some space at a campground. State employees are doing their best to make sure trails and campgrounds are ready, while combating state budget cuts and heavy winter flooding. We’ll hear from a state land manager about what to expect this summer. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Starbucks lays off more employees, efforts ramp up to stop Sound Transit from delaying stations in the south end, and Seattle hotels are seeing slow bookings for the World Cup. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Patricia Murphy. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For decades, helicopters that transport kids to Seattle Children’s Hospital were required to land a mile away in some cases and make the rest of the journey by ambulance. That’s because some residents of the Laurelhurst neighborhood were concerned about noise. After a social media post reignited the controversy, the hospital and the neighborhood association have agreed to revisit the policy. We talk with KUOW reporter Anna Boiko-Weyrauch. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, we’re bringing you the best from the KUOW Newsroom… First, officials in Snohomish County are seeking emergency permission to fix a crumbling levee near the city of Stanwood. Next, and this fire season is poised to be historic – not just because of the record-low snowpack and unprecedented spring heat. It will also be the first for the U.S. Wildland Fire Service. And finally, every spring, purple martins fly to Tacoma. The migratory birds travel over six-thousand miles from Brazil to breed here. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Effort to repeal 'millionaires tax' is underway, Seattle Children's and Laurelhurst neighborhood agree to change helicopter landing policy, and thousands in WA have dropped their health coverage. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Patricia Murphy. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week… Seattle hotels say bookings ahead of the FIFA World Cup are underwhelming. Good Morning America showed off our region's beauty by broadcasting from a ferry. And the Seattle Stair Walkers are finding community while doing an activity a lot of people hate. Arts reporter Jas Keimig and Factal Editor Joe Veyera are here to break down the week. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SPS superintendent says district could be insolvent as soon as next year, sexual abuse investigations mishandled at Tacoma ICE lockup, UW report finds, and World Cup hotel bookings are falling short of expectations. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Paige Browning. The interview in today's episode was produced by John O'Brien. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Just in time for summer, Seattle Public Schools started a new cell phone policy. The goal is to increase student focus. We’ll get into some new research about what school cell phone bans can actually change for students with Duke University Professor Jason Baron. Read the study results here. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seattle is taking another step in Mayor Katie Wilson's plan to expand tiny house villages, the number of insured people in Washington is dropping, and a concert series at the waterfront is taking a soccer break. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Paige Browning. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SIFF is more than just a local indie movie theater chain - its yearly festival brings hundreds of movies, big and small, to screens across the city. But even as SIFF the organization faces monetary challenges, the show must go on at SIFF the festival. We’ll hear more about the state of SIFF and get some festival recommendations from arts reporter Chase Hutchinson. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seattle matching up dollars with World Cup expenses, King County Assessor ordered to wear ankle monitor, and new Amazon venture rocks the shipping industry. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Paige Browning. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Murrow News Fellowship gives early career journalists the opportunity to report from places that are underserved by journalism. There are 16 fellows spread throughout Washington. Earlier this year, the program announced an ambitious goal of placing a news fellow in all 39 counties. We talk with Benjamin Shors, who directs the Murrow News Fellowship program at WSU. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.