Seattle Now

ICE awards 10-year contract to a private prison company that runs Tacoma detention center, WA's elections chief  says non-citizens are not voting en masse , and a historic family home in the Chinatown-International District is now open for public tours.  It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Patricia Murphy. We can only make Seattle Now because lis...

In the final week before election day, Washington has been making a lot of news – and not because of the candidates is on the ballot. Instead, questions about election security and illegal voting are swirling around. We’ll take a closer look at how our mail in voting system works with UW Professor Scott Allard. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make...

Immigrant families urge lawmakers to push back against mass ICE deportations, Seattle City Attorney could get more funding to clear case backlog, and dogs are now allowed on light rail trains. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Vaughan Jones. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us.  Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in y...

Don’t call it a buyout… Microsoft is offering what they’re calling a “voluntary exit offer” to a quarter of its global workforce. After a slew of layoffs, the company is allowing some employees to choose whether or not they want to stay. We’ll hear more from KUOW Tech Reporter Monica Nickelsburg. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap he...

Home Depot parking lots are a hot spot for immigration arrests , the city council is still hashing out changes to Mayor Wilson’s budget, and Gov. Ferguson issues an executive order to tackle fraud. 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 Sea...

Earlier this month, King County held a special ceremony at Mt. Olivet cemetery in Renton. Faith leaders read the names of people who didn't have anyone to bury them. This year’s ceremony set an all-time record for the number of people who were laid to rest: 626. Seattle Now’s Senior Producer Andy Hurst attended the ceremony, and is here now to tell us about it. We can on...

Microsoft is offering buyouts to a large portion of its workforce, Washington is facing accusations of illegal voter registration and voting , and the Hawaii General Store might be starting a new chapter. 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...

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson has a new plan to address homelessness.  It’s not completely new, instead it expands on some earlier efforts that have shown success.  We’ll break it down with KUOW politics reporter Scott Greenstone. Read his 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. ...

KUOW's Katie Campbell speaks with writer George Saunders about his latest novel, "Vigil." It's set at the deathbed of an 87 year old oil tycoon and climate change denier named KJ Boone. While Boone is dying, an angel comes to get him to revisit some of his most harmful decisions.  We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your f...

Today, we’re helping you prep for next month’s election with KUOW’s “Soundside.” One of the closest races in Washington state elections this year is between two Democrats on the Eastside…  Despite their party alignment, they disagree on a key issue facing the state. Following a “no” vote on Washington’s millionaires tax in March, incumben...

DOJ is sending election monitors to King County, drought conditions are affecting salmon runs in WA, and we look into safety concerns at WA's pulp mills. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Vaughan Jones. 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 loc...

This week… Sound Transit says it needs $10 billion to get the Light Rail to Ballard. King County is no longer sending out “I Voted” stickers with your ballot. And some of Seattle’s best athletes gathered for a marathon with a burger-filled twist. Author Geraldine DeRuiter and Stranger Editor Nathalie Graham are here to break down the week. We can only make Seattle Now beca...

Investigators probe Bend school shooter’s connection to violent extremist groups, Seattle voters will decide whether to pay more for expanded bus service, and 250,000 WA residents could become uninsured in 2027. 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 gif...

There are 3 big, somewhat confusing statewide ballot initiatives in Washington right now. Two of the initiatives are repeals. And one would create a new law governing girls sports. We’ll break them all down with KUOW’s Sarah Mizes-Tan. 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 ne...

15-year-old Bite of Seattle shooting suspect released to his family , Mayor Wilson unveils new homelessness strategy , and Seattle restricts overnight RV parking . It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Vaughan Jones. 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...

Being incarcerated can be lonely. And in prison, mental isolation can be dangerous. In Washington prisons, there are lots of educational and social programs to help keep people busy and physically active.  At Monroe Correctional Facility, a unique songwriting program helps people record their own music, with the help of Eva Walker, KEXP DJ and lead singer of the Black Tones. We can only make...

Gov. Ferguson warns of rising daycare costs if millionaires tax is repealed, UW wants more input before changing student code-of-conduct rules, and people leaving King County jail need ‘a lifeline.’ Now, Medicaid will pay for one . 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...

The Seattle City Council is diving into the details of Mayor Katie Wilson's proposed $9.1 billion budget for 2027. The proposal attempts to remedy a $175 million deficit in the general fund. There’s a lot to talk about before the full council votes on November 20th. We break it down with Publicola co-founder and editor Erica C. Barnett who's been covering the discourse . We can onl...

A Port Townsend paper mill broke the law, the family of the teenager who died at Gas Works Park last year is again suing the city of Seattle, and a look at Senator Patty Murray's efforts to strengthen the country's public health system. 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...

Scammers are always looking for new ways to take advantage of people. Artificial intelligence is making their job easier. KUOW reporter Katie Campbell learned this first hand when she discovered scammers have been impersonating her. She joins us to talk about what happened, and how to protect yourself against getting scammed. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us.  Tap her...

A new Seattle edition of Monopoly is coming out next year. And right now, the company designing the game is asking locals what to include on the board. If you were to design your own custom, Seattle edition of the game Monopoly, what would you put on it? Maybe Pike Place Market needs to be represented, the Space Needle is obvious. What about Dick's Drive-in?  KUOW’s Dyer Oxley brought i...

Today, we’re helping you prep for next month’s election with KUOW’s “Soundside.” Today, we’re helping you prep for next month’s election with a debate from KUOW’s Soundside. Two candidates are running to represent Seattle’s northern neighborhoods - from Greenwood to Bitter Lake, and Crown Hill to Lake City. The outcome of this race has big impl...

The latest from Bend as the city reckons with this week's school shooting, the city's social housing developer is announcing its first construction project, and Seattle basketball fans are in for even more uncertainty. 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...

This week… Small businesses continue to struggle in Seattle. Check your mailbox, ballots were sent out around King County this week. And you can now buy your dog a toy version of Ballard's favorite raccoon. KUOW’s Brandi Fullwood and Phyllis Fletcher 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...

Inflation in Seattle is rising fast , Fall City teen accused of murdering parents, siblings will be tried as adult , and despite efforts, Northwest cruise ships collide with whales, climate . 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 y...