Seattle Now

Seattle's slowest bus route gets a dedicated lane , fire season is still raging in WA, and Starbucks Workers United call for a boycott. 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...

In Washington state, fertility treatment isn’t typically covered by insurance. That means families are making huge sacrifices to pay for treatments like IVF. Half of states in the U.S. require insurance companies to cover at least some fertility treatments. But not Washington. Seattle Times business reporter Alexis Weisend has written about how that’s playing out fo...

The Seattle teacher's union and Seattle School District are still negotiating a contract, an upcoming big El Nino might mean a longer, less colorful hiking season this fall, and fire season isn't over in the PNW. 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...

The Trump administration recently moved to open up more public lands in Washington state to cattle grazing and logging. We’ll talk more about what this could mean for our public lands with the Oregon Capital Chronicle’s Alex Baumhart. Read more of Alex's reporting about grazing changes and the roadless rule . We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a...

Seattle's secondhand bookstores are packed to the brim with gently used and loved novels, non-fiction, and more. But these bookstores are curated. They don't want any junk. That means selling your books can be an emotionally harrowing experience, watching someone thumb through your precious pages (even if they are castoffs). KUOW's Katie Campbell decided to put her ego on the line for the sake of...

Today, we’re bringing you the best from another KUOW podcast, Booming. Seattle is becoming a city of singles. And that’s turned one of the world’s oldest businesses into one of the hottest new ones.  App fatigue is causing more and more singles to break up with online dating.   Instead of swiping, more and more people are turning to matchmakers and other ways to fi...

Mayor Wilson wants to accelerate pedestrian safety efforts, Boeing engineers have rejected the company's contract offer, and another Lime scooter takeover is planned for 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.&nb...

This week… The debate about cameras and public safety in Seattle rolls on. A $2.5 million winning lottery ticket is unclaimed in West Seattle. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, the Mariners took a record-breaking 22-0 loss. Weekly Seattle Podcast Host Rachel Horgan and Factal Editor Joe Veyera are here to break down the week. We can only make Seattle Now because lis...

Starbucks lays off workers who won't move to Nashville, SPD contract throttles the city’s crisis response teams, and a Seattle Christian metal band is suing Netflix over KPop Demon Hunters. 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...

Seattle's Freeway Park celebrated its 50th birthday this summer. It was created as a lid over I-5 to connect First Hill and downtown. Over the years it's faced challenges with public safety and maintenance. But park advocates have big plans for the future. Riisa Conklin is executive director of the Freeway Park Association . We met recently in Seneca Plaza, surrounded by the park’s waterfall...

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson issues an executive order to increase housing construction, the Trump administration has moved to open up more public lands to logging and other development, and Matthews Beach has reopened while 3 others are closed. 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.&nb...

Tacoma’s Northwest ICE Processing Center is one of the largest in the country. But while ICE uses the center for processing and detention, they don’t actually own it. That may change as the agency looks to expand its footprint in the Seattle area. KUOW’s Gustavo Sagrero will tell us more. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep...

Mayor Wilson faces increased pressure over police cameras, hunger strike ends at Tacoma immigrant lockup, and we explore why orcas are making so many appearances this summer. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Patricia Murphy. The interview in today's episode was produced by Natalie Newcomb. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap h...

Over the last decade, power outages in Seattle have gotten twice as long, on average. They’re also getting more frequent One of the driving forces are underground power lines from the 1960s. Meanwhile, rates are going up. Soundside co-host David Kroman is here to talk about it. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your fee...

Hunger strike continues at Tacoma immigrant lockup , state lawmaker fined $15,000 in ethics case, and the Washington State Library has a new leader. 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 local ne...

It’s not your average Monday when an orca swims right up next to you.  That’s what happened at the Ballard Locks last week. If you want to keep up on orca activity, there’s a whatsapp group that alerts you about local sightings. We'll talk with Kersti Muul, field biologist and director of the whatsapp group Salish Wildlife Watch .  We can only make Seattle Now because l...

Twenty years ago, Josh Okrent and his friends opened the first Punk Rock Flea Market in an old union hall in Belltown. Since then, the flea market has moved through empty spaces around Seattle, and now occupies the old QFC grocery store on 15th Avenue East. You can pay $1 and choose your own adventure among the crafters, collectors and performers. Josh’s exploration of vacant buildings start...

Today, we’re bringing you the best from the KUOW Newsroom. First, does Washington state go too easy on kids caught with guns? Some officials say yes. Next, more on the Seattle Center shooting… The wife of Carlos Sanchez Villalba says every day is harder since losing her husband. Next, wildfires have shut down two big segments of the Pacific Crest Trail in Washington. And finally, as m...

Sound Transit says the West Seattle Light Rail line will be completed later than expected, Seattle approves money to assist transgender and queer Seattleites, and 80 cats are headed to Tacoma Humane Society from two separate incidents. 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 t...

This week the Seattle City Council banned so-called junk fees for renters. Orcas were spotted in Salmon Bay, looking for a seal snack. And 60 cats were rescued from a boat in Tacoma. Asian Verified creator Michael Wong and Simply Seattle’s Danny Ball 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 i...

ICE may purchase the Tacoma detention center, state officials are predicting a larger-than-expected cash boom from the so-called "Millionaire's Tax," and prediction market Kalshi was officially barred from operating in Washington by a King County court. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Patricia Murphy. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners supp...

Seattle’s had its very own county-owned film production space for the last 5 years. It’s called Harbor Island Studios. But recently, King County pulled its funding. Now, a non-profit called CREATE48 has 1 year to prove the viability and necessity of the space. We’ll learn more from film critic and arts reporter Chase Hutchinson. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners supp...

Recall petition filed against Mayor Wilson, Seattle bans landlords from charging 'junk fees,' and Tacoma Police rescue 60 cats from an abandoned boat. 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...

The worst thing imaginable happens to your home. A flood, an earthquake, a wildfire. What’s insurance going to get you? We dig into the data on homeowners' insurance in Washington state, with KUOW data and graphics editor Teo Popescu. Listen to more Control F 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...

Mayor Wilson orders probe into 'flow of information' following Seattle Center shooting, all Spokane evacuation orders are lifted, and orcas show up at the Ballard Locks. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Paige Browning. Find the interactive smoke forecast map, here . We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us.  Tap here to make a gift...