Seattle Now

Two years ago, Mayor Bruce Harrell signed two exclusion laws into effect in Seattle. SOAP and SODA were meant to deter drug use and prostitution.  Lately they haven’t gotten much use. KUOW digital reporter Cornelius Hocker will explain why. Read more of his reporting here . Register or learn more about UW’s First Responder Wellness Summit. We can only make Seattle Now because list...

Seattle Public Schools is further restricting screen access for some children , more Microsoft layoffs are coming in the XBOX division , and the Washington state GOP wants to hold a special session on rising gas and diesel prices.   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...

In 2020, 16-year-old Antonio Mays Jr. was shot and killed at CHOP – the protest zone that emerged on Capitol Hill. No one has ever been arrested or charged, despite an abundance of witnesses. The new podcast  “We Keep Us Safe” searches for answers. KUOW's Will James talks with us about the eight-part series, which is a collaboration with NPR and the Seattle Times. Sign...

Kenyan immigrants in Washington  are seeing increased ICE detainment, Pierce County started an annual summit this Suicide Prevention Month , and check your frozen pasta -- it might be contaminated with listeria. 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 ke...

Microsoft workers reportedly were concerned about how its partner Open AI was obtaining its training data.  They called it the “largest theft of labor in human history.”  And AI companies aren’t just looking for training data on the internet.   404 Media recently uncovered how Amazon is scrapping data from physical books, then destroying them. Emanuel Maiberg...

The Seattle Art Museum is featuring the films of Keanu Reeves this fall. On select Friday nights, SAM will screen eight of his movies in a festival they're calling "Excellent Adventures: Celebrating Keanu Reeves," at the Seattle Asian Art Museum in Volunteer Park.  Like the greatest works of art, Keanu Reeves can be polarizing. Is he good? At acting? KUOW's Dyer Oxley spoke with local film cr...

Today, we’re bringing you the best from the KUOW Newsroom. First, a Seattle family is celebrating the life of Ashley Whitehead. She was one of the three people killed at the Seattle Center mass shooting in July. Next, true battleground districts are rare in today's politics… Washington state's “swingiest” area could see a big shift this fall. And finally, a familiar face a...

A Washington state lawmaker is in trouble for alleged harassment, new food safety regulations are coming for King County restaurants, and the city is launching an effort to increase the number of groceries in underserved neighborhoods. 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...

This week… Seattle rapper Macklemore was dropped as an opener from Ed Sheeran’s latest arena tour. The Egyptian Theater is coming back to show “the best of the best and the best of the worst.” And Sea-Tac Airport is doing away with its popular program Spot Saver program. Arts Reporter Jas Keimig and Historian David Lewis are here to break down the week. We can only make Se...

Natural gas initiative ruled unconstitutional , Port Townsend paper mill fined over polluted wastewater, and can Mayor Wilson make housing more affordable for renters? 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 ques...

This week, both the Seattle City Council and Mayor Katie Wilson have pushed forward plans to reduce gun violence in the city. We’ll get into the details of both plans with KUOW’s Amy Radil. 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 fr...

Newly released SPD texts show confusion following Bite of Seattle shooting, Seattle extends civil rights to polyamorous people, and it's the second worst wildfire season on record in WA. 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...

It may sound like science fiction… But a former AI researcher says there’s a real chance that the intelligence being developed could make humans extinct by the end of the decade. Seattle is one of the country’s AI hubs, with Microsoft and its partners Open AI and Anthropic leading the way on research. KUOW’s Monica Nickelsburg is here to help us understand the possibilitie...

Mayor Wilson unveils gun violence strategy, Gates Foundation launches $1 billion AI initiative, and four supporting artists quit Ed Sheeran tour in support of Macklemore. 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 q...

If you work for yourself or your employer doesn’t provide health coverage, you likely get your insurance through the state’s health exchange . Starting next year, the cost of those insurance plans are going up on average by 22% . For some advice on how to navigate the rising costs, we talk with Daphne Pie, access and outreach manager for Public Health, Seattle & King Coun...

Elected officials and business leaders met in Seattle to talk about boosting the local economy, several unions in the state are closer to settling contracts, and Macklemore is no longer opening Ed Sheeran's tour. 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...

The US and Canada are in a full trade war. Turns out, Canada’s been prepping for years.  The country’s been increasing container import and export infrastructure on the West coast. Meanwhile, shipping container cargo traffic is down in Seattle and Tacoma. We’ll talk about what it all means with Seattle Times reporter Gregory Scruggs. Read his reporting here . We can only mak...

One of the hottest books in Seattle right now came out 26 years ago.  Cyberselfish first hit bookstores in 2000, when new technologies seemed to be emerging every other day. Author Paulina Borsook saw another side to all that rah-rah innovation; the full title of her book is Cyberselfish: A Critical Romp through the Terribly Libertarian Culture of High Tech . The e-book at The Seattle Public...

Today, we’re bringing you the best from the KUOW Newsroom. First, people who live in the San Juan Islands in northwest Washington state enjoy a uniquely remote way of life. But their separation from the mainland can be a problem when it comes to getting timely health care. Next, as the weather gets cooler, now may be a good time to prepare for the next heat wave. If you’ve made it this...

Seattle leaders honor 9/11 victims and first responders, WA heat deaths last year may be four times higher than CDC numbers, and speed cameras are coming to three Seattle locations in 2027. 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 you...

This week… Sound Transit says Light Rail to the eastside is killing fish.  Seattle Public Schools is getting a little fancier with its new lunch options. And Beth's Cafe is back to 24/7 service… 12 egg omelette, coming up. Drag Artist Betty Wetter and Stranger Editor Vivian McCall are here to break down the week. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap her...

Regulators won't allow Seattle cement plant to burn more tires, ACA insurance plans will get more expensive next year, and the Seahawks win a nail biter.  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 ab...

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers are making an effort to draw less attention to their work. But arrests in Washington are increasing and tactics for keeping people detained are shifting.  KUOW’s Gustavo Segraro will tell us more. 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...

Mayor Wilson addresses gun violence, WA sues the Trump Administration over endangered species, and Amazon's facing another class action lawsuit . 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...

How do you follow up a dream season that ended in a Super Bowl win? The Seahawks shocked just about everyone last year. And yet again, they’re being overlooked by the national media. Michael-Shawn Dugar is here to explain what might be in store for the Seahawks this season. He’s an enterprise reporter for the Athletic and author of the new book “12 As One” wh...