Seattle Now
975 episodes - English - Latest episode: 11 days ago - ★★★★★ - 584 ratingsA smart, daily podcast for a curious city. Seattle Now brings you quick, informal, and hyper-local news updates every weekday.
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Episodes
Seattle mayor has BIG plans for downtown
April 20, 2023 12:00 - 13 minutes - 13.5 MBThe to do list to revitalize downtown is long… in the short term Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and his administration have some short term plans to get more people visiting, living and working downtown. And so far, safety is taking a front seat. The city is cracking down on the fentanyl crisis and the shake up is imminent. KUOW reporter Casey Martin fills us in on some of the key items to anticipate. Here's a video of the two people who vandalized the Temple De Hirsch Sinai on Sunday night:...
Seattle PTAs redistribute the wealth
April 19, 2023 12:00 - 11 minutes - 11.8 MBFunding for public schools is a perennial problem in Seattle. PTAs are one solution, but they don’t work for the schools most in need of support. A group of schools in Southeast Seattle are banding together to help fix that inequity with a radical new model for fundraising... plus, they're having some fun along the way. See out more info and donate to SESSFA on their website: https://www.sessfa.org/home We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Make the show happen by ma...
Limiting when police can lie
April 18, 2023 12:03 - 11 minutes - 11.6 MBPolice are legally allowed to lie as part of their jobs. But sometimes, those lies cross a line. Two incidents from the past five years have prompted city officials in Seattle to try and make a change. We’ll hear more about proposed limits to police deception from Seattle Times Reporter Sarah Grace Taylor. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Make the show happen by making a gift to KUOW: https://www.kuow.org/donate/seattlenow And we want to hear from you! Follow u...
Tan Vinh, 500 tacos later
April 17, 2023 12:03 - 13 minutes - 14.3 MBNever underestimate the taco. Especially ones you can get in a gas station parking lot or maybe filled with spicy grasshoppers. Today we’re heading out with Seattle Times food critic Tan Vin to find out what he learned after eating 500 tacos in western Washington. We visit two taquerias along the way, Taqueria Los Potrillos #1 in the Rainier Valley and Casa Mixteca in Burien. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Make the show happen by making a gift to KUOW: https:/...
Casual Friday with Marcus Harrison Green and Clare McGrane
April 14, 2023 12:03 - 18 minutes - 19.1 MBThis week… A middle housing bill passed the state senate and is on the way to changing Washington’s housing landscape. And Amazon wants workers back in the office starting next month… if they can get their offices ready. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Make the show happen by making a gift to KUOW: https://www.kuow.org/donate/seattlenow And we want to hear from you! Follow us on Instagram @SeattleNowPod, or leave us feedback online: https://www.kuow.org/feedba...
Coming Soon: Middle housing in WA
April 13, 2023 12:03 - 12 minutes - 13.1 MBDuplexes, fourplexes, sixplexes… oh my. House Bill 1110 is headed back to the House after a Senate vote. And if the two bodies can come to an agreement… well that means density is coming to a neighborhood near you. KUOW’s growing pains reporter Joshua McNichols is here. He’ll help us read the fine print on the Middle Housing bill. Need a refresh on this bill? Listen to previous episodes here and here. Find more information about Kia and Hyundai steering wheel locks to be given away here. ...
The Kraken did WHAT?
April 12, 2023 12:03 - 14 minutes - 15.1 MBHold on to your hockey skates, because the Kraken made the playoffs. That’s right, from 30th place last season to this year’s NHL postseason, the Seattle Kraken is the scrappy underdog of the hockey world. In case you haven’t jumped on the bandwagon yet, we’ll get you some help. Kraken radio play-by-play announcer Everett Fitzhugh is here to break the ice for first time fans. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Make the show happen by making a gift to KUOW: https:/...
WA State and the fight for reproductive rights
April 11, 2023 12:00 - 13 minutes - 13.9 MBThe U-S Department of Justice asked a federal appeals court to put a hold on a Texas court ruling over access to the abortion medication mifepristone Meanwhile here in Washington, lawmakers are hearing testimony on legislation that would create a pathway to distribute the more than 30 thousand dose stockpile we just purchased. Health reporter Megan Burbank is here to help us break down the legal arguments and the reality of abortion access in Washington state. We can only make Seattle Now...
Wing Luke exhibit strikes a chord in C-ID development debate
April 10, 2023 12:00 - 15 minutes - 16.1 MBA new exhibit at the Wing Luke Museum looks at what happened to the neighborhoods that were disrupted to build I- 5. We’ll head over there with Leeching Tran who’s been in the CID for decades and talk to the writer and artist behind the exhibit Tessa Hulls. In a minute we'll hear about the history of development and displacement in the neighborhood and how some of the same themes are showing up again in the fight over a new Sound Transit light rail station. Albert Fredericks Jr inquest ...
Casual Friday with Lex Vaughn and Rachel Belle
April 07, 2023 12:03 - 18 minutes - 19 MBThis week… Washington state purchased abortion pills to stay ahead of a ruling that could take them off the market. The state’s Attorney General stood up to major chicken producers about price-fixing, And the official sport of Washington is going corporate. Needling Editor-in-Chief Lex Vaughn and Your Last Meal Podcast Host Rachel Belle are here to break down the week. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Make the show happen by making a gift to KUOW: https://www.ku...
Thousands on Medicaid in WA may lose coverage
April 06, 2023 12:03 - 14 minutes - 14.7 MBThousands of Apple Health enrollees are at risk of losing health care coverage now that pandemic protections for Medicaid have expired across the US. That coverage gap will look different across the country. But in Washington… you may no longer meet the requirements or you could miss the deadline to reapply. Aaron Katz is a Principal Lecturer Emeritus for the School of Public Health at University of Washington. He’ll walk us through some of the administrative hurdles and how the red tape m...
Washington abortion providers face new legal hurdles
April 05, 2023 12:03 - 15 minutes - 15.8 MBSeeking abortion care in Idaho is about to get even harder. New legislation in Idaho makes it a crime to assist a minor with abortion care in another state without parental consent. And that has legal implications for providers in Washington. Legal Voice Washington Policy Counsel Alizeh Bhojani is here to explain. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Make the show happen by making a gift to KUOW: https://www.kuow.org/donate/seattlenow And we want to hear from you! ...
Checking in on Seattle's homelessness promises
April 04, 2023 12:03 - 14 minutes - 14.5 MBPoliticians make a lot of promises. Keeping them? Well, that’s harder. At the start of the pandemic, Seattle and King County officials made a lot of promises to help people experiencing homelessness. Anna Patrick is a Project Homeless reporter at the Seattle Times, she’s here to talk us through some of these plans, and why they haven’t come to fruition. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Make the show happen by making a gift to KUOW: https://www.kuow.org/donate/se...
The bicoastal effort to bring Lolita home
April 03, 2023 12:00 - 16 minutes - 16.9 MBFor over 50 years, Lolita the Southern resident orca has lived in an oceanarium in Miami. For years, people have worked to bring her home, to no avail. But that changed on Thursday, when the Miami Seaquarium made its first public commitment to return Lolita home. Linda Robertson of the Miami Herald along with the leaders of the Whale Sanctuary and Sacred Seas Land Conservancy are here to tell us what has changed and what Lolita’s future might hold. More KUOW reporting on orcas and Lolita...
Casual Friday with Jodi-Ann Burey and Bill Radke
March 31, 2023 12:03 - 19 minutes - 19.9 MBThis week… SPD wants the Justice Department to stop monitoring its every move, Seattle’s birding organization is dropping a name with racist ties, and the oldest southern resident orca in captivity may have a pathway home. Author Jodi-Ann Burey and KUOW’s Bill Radke are here to help us break down the week. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Make the show happen by making a gift to KUOW: https://www.kuow.org/donate/seattlenow And we want to hear from you! Follow u...
Mariners fans rejoice, it's Opening Day
March 30, 2023 12:03 - 14 minutes - 14.5 MBIt’s Opening Day for the 148th season of Major League Baseball. All 30 teams kick off their seasons at various points in the day, including the Seattle Mariners, who face the Cleveland Guardians tonight at T-Mobile Park. Seattle Now talks to Mariners pitcher Marco Gonzales, local historian Knute Berger as well as a listener about why opening day is so meaningful. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Make the show happen by making a gift to KUOW: https://www.kuow.org/...
Donor jump-starts brain research
March 29, 2023 12:03 - 10 minutes - 10.7 MBMost people don't think they'll be around to see the research benefits of donating brain tissue to science. Mike Morgan will. He donated his living brain tissue after undergoing surgery for seizures. It’s now being studied by scientists at the Allen Institute to help make discoveries about brain functions. Allen Institute Senior scientist Brian Kalmbach is here to help explain the importance of the new sample and its impact on current research. We can only make Seattle Now because listen...
Capital gains tax survives the court
March 28, 2023 12:00 - 9 minutes - 10.3 MBWashington is one of only eight states without an income tax, but legal experts think that could change after a state Supreme Court ruling last week. Pluribus News reporter Austin Jenkins is here to talk with us about the court’s ruling on capital gains tax, and what it means for Washington’s tax law. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Make the show happen by making a gift to KUOW: https://www.kuow.org/donate/seattlenow And we want to hear from you! Follow us on In...
Howard Schultz heads to the Senate
March 27, 2023 12:00 - 11 minutes - 11.9 MBStarbucks's new CEO Laxman Narasimhan is at the helm, but it will be Howard Schultz on Wednesday answering a Senate panel's questions about the company's alleged union busting. KUOW’s labor and economy reporter Monica Nickelsburg is here to break it down. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Make the show happen by making a gift to KUOW: https://www.kuow.org/donate/seattlenow And we want to hear from you! Follow us on Instagram at SeattleNowPod, or leave us feedback ...
Casual Friday with Casey Martin and Gustavo Sagrero
March 24, 2023 12:00 - 16 minutes - 16.7 MBThis week… Starbucks has a new CEO, and he was greeted with a nationwide strike. The Seattle Mariners are gearing up for a new season, And MacKenzie Scott is looking to throw some charitable donations to over 200 nonprofits. KUOW’s Casey Martin and Gustavo Sagrero are here to break down the week. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Make the show happen by making a gift to KUOW: https://www.kuow.org/donate/seattlenow And we want to hear from you! Follow us on Inst...
Casual Friday with Mike Davis and Chase Burns
September 16, 2022 12:00 - 17 minutes - 17.7 MBThe long-anticipated West Seattle Bridge reopening is finally (almost) here. Russell Wilson had a dramatic and disappointing return to Seattle, and Washington state has a long way to go to improve traffic safety. We unpack it all with The Seattle Times’s Chase Burns and KUOW’s Mike Davis. Join KUOW Friday, September 30th for our first-ever live-taping of the Seattle Now podcast: Casual Friday Live in Seattle! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/seattle-now-presents-casual-friday-live-tickets-41...
The West Seattle Bridge is (Finally) (Almost) Fixed
September 15, 2022 12:00 - 11 minutes - 11.8 MBOn Sunday, the West Seattle Bridge will be open to the public for the first time since March of 2020. After two and a half years of construction and delays, the bridge is finally repaired, and our neighbors in West Seattle are ready and waiting. We’ll hear from West Seattle Blog editor Tracy Record about how things will change on the “Accidental Island.”
Three finalists for SPD chief
September 14, 2022 12:00 - 10 minutes - 10.4 MBSeattle is getting closer to finding a new police chief. And there are 3 finalists in the running. Crime, police reform, and public safety are top priorities. We’ll hear about the selection process from Seattle Times reporter Sarah Grace Taylor.
Fighting fire west of the Cascades
September 13, 2022 12:00 - 9 minutes - 10.1 MBAround here... wildfire season is normally about suffocating smoke blowing in from Eastern Washington or even further away But this weekend the Bolt Creek fire burned nearly 8,000 acres here in western Washington Former firefighter Amanda Montei says this is a shift, and we’ll have to expect more fires like this in the future. We want to hear from you! Follow us on Instagram at SeattleNowPod, or leave us feedback online: https://www.kuow.org/feedback Support the show by making a gift to ...
The Hawks v. Russell Wilson
September 12, 2022 12:00 - 10 minutes - 11 MBThe Seattle Seahawks play their first game of the season tonight. They’re getting the primetime Monday Night Football slot… because Former Hawks superstar Russell Wilson is suiting up for the other team. We’ll talk with sports columnist Jerry Brewer about what to look for tonight, and how the city can learn to live without Russ. We want to hear from you! Follow us on Instagram at SeattleNowPod, or leave us feedback online: https://www.kuow.org/feedback Support the show by making a gift t...
Casual Friday with Justin Shaw and Esmy Jimenez
September 09, 2022 12:00 - 17 minutes - 18.2 MBThis week Seattle teachers went on strike. The Mariners invited fans to take their work to the ballgame. And Seattle Storm legend Sue Bird played her last WNBA game. We unpack it all with Esmy Jimenez of the Seattle Times and Seattle Weather Blog’s Justin Shaw. We want to hear from you! Follow us on Instagram at SeattleNowPod, or leave us feedback online: https://www.kuow.org/feedback
Seattle teachers on the picket lines
September 08, 2022 12:00 - 12 minutes - 13.3 MBSchool was supposed to start yesterday. Instead of coming to classrooms full of students, Seattle public school teachers donned red shirts and took to the picket lines to strike. Teachers are striking for competitive pay, adequate classroom support, and a better teacher to student ratio for Special Education classrooms. In fact, Seattle's Special Education program has been a core issue at the bargaining table. We went to a few schools to talk with teachers and educators about why they are s...
Coming soon: an Omicron booster
September 07, 2022 12:00 - 12 minutes - 12.4 MBEarly in the pandemic, Covid vaccines were all the rage, but after two years, some people are tuning out. Heads up: a new omicron booster is here. It may be available as soon as Friday and targets the most recent Covid strains. UW Medicine's Dr. Shireesha Dhanireddy is here to tell us why it’s different and when you should try and get one.
An Accessible Guide to Hiking in Washington
September 06, 2022 12:00 - 12 minutes - 13.4 MBIf you live in the Pacific Northwest, chances are you’ve been on a hike. If not, you might go with a trail that’s considered “easy” to get started. But, easy for who? Trails labeled easy in many guides are still difficult or inaccessible for people with disabilities. We’ll hear from Syren Nagakyrie, the author of a new hikers' guide for those with disabilities looking to experience one of Washington’s trails. We want to hear from you! Follow us on Instagram at SeattleNowPod, or leave us ...
Why is Seattle losing trees?
September 01, 2022 12:04 - 12 minutes - 13 MBSeattle has lost 255 acres of trees since 2016 according to a newly released canopy cover assessment by the city. Where’d the canopy go? And who’s paying the price? Conservation ecologist and environmental consultant Sean Watts gives us some answers to consider.
Will the Storm Win Another WNBA Title?
August 31, 2022 12:04 - 12 minutes - 12.9 MBThe Seattle Storm won a tense playoff game against the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday, thanks to some late-game heroics from Jewel Lloyd. Game 2 is tonight, and the Storm are looking to steal a second game on the road. We’ll hear from Storm commentator Elise Woodward about this year’s playoff run, which doubles as a sendoff for the legendary Sue Bird. We hope you join us in-person for a special Casual Friday live taping on September 30. Trish will be joined by two friends of the podcast for a co...
Here come the EVs. Are we ready?
August 30, 2022 12:04 - 13 minutes - 13.7 MBGovernor Jay Inslee announced last week that Washington will follow California in banning sales of new gas-powered cars after 2035. But the charging station network for electric vehicles in the United States isn’t ready for prime time. The Biden administration wants to add 500,000 new charging stations by 2030. Washington state wants to be part of that revolution, but if you want or need to make a long-distance trip soon, you’ll face some challenges. We talked to Aaron Blank, who shared in...
Reuniting a Seattle neighborhood
August 29, 2022 12:04 - 13 minutes - 14.3 MBEvery Seattle neighborhood has a unique feel and sound. For South Park, that sound includes freight trucks and highway traffic. And it isn’t just noise — State Route 99 cuts the neighborhood completely in half. Neighbors there are now trying to get the highway removed from their part of the city. Seattle Times transportation reporter David Kroman tells us about the fight to decommission the 99 in South Park. We want to hear from you! Follow us on Instagram at SeattleNowPod, or leave us fee...
Are the kids all right?
August 25, 2022 12:00 - 13 minutes - 13.4 MBIt's almost September, which means it’s time for another school year. But after almost three years of learning during a pandemic, student’s mental health has taken a toll. Youth mental health counselor Aysha Rafiq tells us what she’s seen in schools around the region, and what students need to find safety and connection in the classroom again.
When SPD responds to mental health calls
August 24, 2022 12:00 - 12 minutes - 12.7 MBWhen people are experiencing a crisis, it’s often Seattle police who respond first. In the best scenario the response includes a mental health professional. That can’t always happen. Seattle Times mental health reporter Esmy Jimenez is here to tell us why.
@DanPriceSeattle and abuse allegations
August 23, 2022 12:00 - 14 minutes - 15 MBDan Price, goes viral almost every day. The now former CEO of Seattle’s Gravity Payments first flooded the news and social media years ago after taking a pay cut to give his employees a pay bump. And he’s maintained a good image online for years, by saying the right things for the right audiences. Price resigned last week amidst abuse allegations that were largely fueled by his social media persona. New York Times technology correspondent Karen Weise has been writing about Dan Price for ye...
Sweeps are part of the plan
August 22, 2022 12:00 - 12 minutes - 12.8 MBShaping the Plan: Comment on the Environmental Review: https://engage.oneseattleplan.com/en/projects/shaping-the-plan-comment Check out the city's One Seattle Homelessness Plan: homelessness.seattle.gov We want to hear from you! Follow us on Instagram @SeattleNowPod, or leave us feedback online: https://www.kuow.org/feedback
Casual Friday with Lex Vaughn and Tim Durkan
August 19, 2022 12:00 - 21 minutes - 22.3 MBThis week we made the city’s favorite pink neon elephant a landmark. Shrinkflation is impacting our favorite snack foods. And don’t look away from your laptop, your boss might be watching. We’re breaking it down this week with the Needling’s Lex Vaughn and Seattle photographer Tim Durkan. We want to hear from you! Follow us on Instagram @SeattleNowPod, or leave us feedback online: https://www.kuow.org/feedback
Why Harborview is turning away patients
August 18, 2022 12:00 - 12 minutes - 13.1 MBHarborview Medical Center is turning away all non-urgent patients, and has been for more than a week. The hospital is at 130 percent of its capacity. One big reason: staffing, both at the hospital and in other parts of the healthcare system. Dr. Steve Mitchell, medical director of Harborview's emergency department, explains what's going on and how the hospital is adapting. We also hear from nurse Nicole Johnson on burnout among frontline healthcare workers. We want to hear from you! Follo...
Lots of jobs, no workers
August 17, 2022 12:00 - 12 minutes - 12.6 MBYou’ve seen the help wanted signs all over town. There are plenty of job openings, but businesses are struggling to hire workers. UW Public Policy professor Jacob Vigdor is here to explain what’s going on with the labor market.
Amazon Prime-ary Care
August 16, 2022 12:00 - 10 minutes - 11.3 MBAmazon is boosting its game in the healthcare industry. The company is poised to acquire One Medical --a chain of primary care clinics for 3.9 billion dollars. But the deal is still pending… as critics weigh in on their concerns over data privacy and FTC regulations. Lauren Rosenblatt, the Amazon reporter for the Seattle Times is here to untangle the pending deal. We want to hear from you! Follow us on Instagram @SeattleNowPod, or leave us feedback online: https://www.kuow.org/feedback
Amber Alerts, Silver Alerts, now Missing Indigenous Person Alerts
August 15, 2022 12:00 - 11 minutes - 12.2 MBMissing indigenous people is an ongoing crisis in this country. The number of missing people is especially high in Seattle. And in response, the state launched an alert system to specifically find native american people. It’s a first in the nation tool …and a victory for advocates and native families. KUOW’s Amy Radil is here to tell us how it’s working.
Casual Friday with Naomi Ishisaka and Geraldine DeRuiter
August 12, 2022 12:00 - 19 minutes - 19.7 MBThis week neighbors at 96th and Aurora set up some garden beds after the city swept an encampment. Amazon is inching closer to becoming a health giant. And a new lawsuit against Starbucks claims… that mango refresher...might not have mango. We’re breaking down this week with Geraldine DeRuiter and Naomi Ishisaka. We also want to hear from you! Follow us on Instagram @SeattleNowPod, or leave us feedback online: https://www.kuow.org/feedback
Ferries get a funding boost
August 11, 2022 12:00 - 10 minutes - 10.8 MBThe Washington State Ferry system connects people around Puget Sound. Tourists love it. Islanders depend on it. But staffing and vessel issues have plagued the service in recent years. Daily commuters are especially frustrated. They pay a premium for those crossings, and WSF has serious scheduling issues. A recent boost in federal funding might help improve service, but to keep the system viable in the long run, millions of dollars will need to turn to billions. KUOW’s Casey Martin caught a...
Monkeypox vaccines in short supply and high demand
August 10, 2022 12:00 - 13 minutes - 13.5 MBMonkeypox is testing our already strained medical care system. Cases are doubling nearly every week and vaccines are still in short supply. So for now, high risk groups are being prioritized. UW Medicine’s Dr. Shireesha Dhanireddy is here to fill us in. You can find more eligibility information and updates about the Monkeypox vaccine over on the King County Public Health website here.
Seattle's hot housing market finally cools
August 09, 2022 12:00 - 12 minutes - 12.7 MBThe Seattle housing market has been trending upward for years. But just in the last month or so prices are on the decline. Seattle Times reporter Heidi Groover gives us the latest on what’s happening with housing costs.
No more hazard pay for Seattle grocery workers
August 08, 2022 12:00 - 9 minutes - 10.1 MBGrocery stores in Seattle have been required to pay an additional $4 an hour to workers since last February. The money was meant to compensate them for the risk of working during the pandemic. But it was always temporary, and now it's going away. KUOW’s Ruby de Luna is here to tell us what grocery store workers have to say about the change. We want to hear from you! Follow us on Instagram at SeattleNowPod, or leave us feedback online: https://www.kuow.org/feedback
Casual Friday with Ruchika Tulshyan and Rich Smith
August 05, 2022 12:00 - 22 minutes - 22.8 MBThis week about 24% of eligible voters cast ballots in the primary, Monkeypox was declared a national health emergency, and millennials are staying close to home, but some of them are moving here. The Strangers Rich Smith and author Ruchika Tulshyan are here to break down the week And, we want to hear from you! Follow us on Instagram SeattleNowPod, or leave us feedback online: https://www.kuow.org/feedback
Turning nuclear waste into art
August 04, 2022 12:00 - 17 minutes - 18 MBToday we’re sharing an episode from KUOW’s new podcast, The Blue Suit. This week’s episode is about a local artist who was inspired by the clean up effort at Washington’s Hanford nuclear plant to create a new form of glass art. Subscribe to The Blue Suit in any podcast app to hear more episodes, or listen at kuow.org/podcasts/bluesuit We want to hear from you! Follow us on Instagram at SeattleNowPod, or leave us feedback online: https://www.kuow.org/feedback
Spokane is building back better (than Seattle)
August 03, 2022 12:00 - 13 minutes - 14 MBIn news that will surprise no one, Seattle has a housing shortage. One solution is to get rid of single-family zoning and make it easier to build things like duplexes and triplexes. Seattle has rejected this idea a number of times, but all the way across the state, Spokane is embracing it. KUOW Joshua McNichols tells us how Spokane is approaching this issue differently, and what Seattle can learn from their experience. We want to hear from you! Follow us on Instagram at SeattleNowPod, or ...