Seattle Now

It’s Blue Jays week, and Seattle businesses are hoping to woo in some reluctant Canadian tourists. Longtime Seattle staple Bartell Drugs may have been dealt its final blow after a long, drawn-out closure process. And happy REAL ID enforcement week. Lines are at the door at Seattle Department of Licensing offices. Factal Editor Joe Veyera and Seattle Met Food and Drink Editor Naomi Tomky are...

Bill Gates announces plan to give away his fortune, Ports of Seattle and Tacoma are seeing first signs of a slowdown, and Seattle basketball legend Sue Bird picked to lead women's national team. 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 Seattl...

According to the latest data from Pew research, Seattle is tied with Portland for metro areas with the least religiously affiliated people. This episode, we have a panel of folks with different religious, spiritual, and non-religious backgrounds to talk about living in Seattle with or without religion. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seat...

Limit on rent increases signed into law, UW president warns of a budget crisis , and the Trump Administration is turning down FEMA requests . 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 new...

You may not be thinking about holiday shopping right now, but the companies you’re hoping to buy gifts from sure are. Time is of the essence, and tariffs imposed by the Trump administration are putting trade-dependent Washington in a tough position. Seattle Times business reporter Paul Roberts will tell us how companies, ports, and consumers are beginning to feel the squeeze. We can only mak...

UW protest ends with 32 arrests , Trump Administration investigates WA over new law that requires clergy to report abuse, and Seattle's  Cafe Allegro turns 50 . 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 quest...

The Vietnam War came to an end 50 years ago this spring. Washington State played a major role in the war, training hundreds of thousands of soldiers, and processing nearly a million before they went overseas. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon, the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma has put together an exhibit called “The Things They Brought Home: Memories...

The Hoh Rainforest Road will reopen soon, the light rail is expanding on the east side this week, and Washington is continuing to sue the Trump administration.  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 questi...

There’s a lot of hype about artificial intelligence. And authors Emily Bender and Alex Hanna say the hype about AI’s future is overshadowing the harm the technology is causing today.  They’re here to talk about their upcoming book The AI Con . The AI Con will be out on May 13th.  Emily and Alex will be in Seattle for two launch events you can check out: Monday, May 19 |...

On Saturdays, Seattle Now is bringing you the best from the KUOW newsroom… President Donald Trump marked 100 days into his second term, the City of Seattle planned to withhold concerns about the West Seattle Light Rail from federal regulators, and Mediterranean food from a specific region is showing up in Seattle's crowded food scene. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support u...

Federal cuts to AmeriCorps are reaching Seattle food banks, the Seattle City Council is considering making it easier for council members to vote when they have a conflict of interest, and the city is launching a free shuttle to take people around the new and improved waterfront. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Ruby de Luna. We can only make Seattle Now...

This week… The University of Washington is facing uncertainty as federal research funding is up in the air. Seattle is welcoming a new pro sports team, courtesy of the Professional Women’s Hockey League. And HBO’s hit show The Last of Us found its way to Seattle for the first time. Science journalist Jane C. Hu and KUOW Community Engagement Director Zaki Hamid are here to break...

Feds investigate WA schools over gender-inclusive policies, WA attorneys restate oath to uphold rule of law in WA, and Fred Hutch  lays off staff . 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 lo...

We’re just over one hundred days into President Donald Trump's second administration.. Legal challenges are starting to pile up, as the president moves quickly to make good on some of his campaign promises. We'll check in on how law students at the University of Washington are interpreting this unprecedented time. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a...

Seattle's getting a pro women's hockey team, Starbucks' sales are on the upswing again, and some Seattle businesses are offering Canadian visitors a discount. 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 ab...

2025 was a year of change for the Washington state legislature. Legislators navigated a multi-billion dollar budget deficit, a first-time governor with strong thoughts about taxes, and challenges from the second Trump Administration. KUOW’s Olympia Correspondent Jeanie Lindsay will tell us what we need to know. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gif...

WA ACLU sues over Trump's effort to dismantle Head Start, the Virginia Inn lives on, and the 5th Avenue Theatre and STG  form an alliance . 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...

More people in Seattle are driving to work alone. Solo driving is trending upward for the first time in a decade. That’s according to new data from Commute Seattle. The non-profit surveyed more than 75,000 workers about their commutes, and how transit could work better for them. Executive Director Alex Hudson joins us to break down the commuting trends in Seattle. We can only...

Washington's legislature approved a budget and a rent cap, Governor Bob Ferguson is popular with Republicans, and Starbucks Workers United still doesn't have a contract.  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 question...

The Trump administration says it’s in the process of reworking visa requirements for international students studying in the US. In the meantime, members of the UW community who formed a mutual aid group stand ready to defend those students. We'll hear from a student in the mutual aid effort at UW. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Sea...

On Saturdays, Seattle Now is bringing you the best from the KUOW newsroom… Five years ago, Washington found itself at the leading edge of a once-in-a-century pandemic.  The rapid spread of COVID, and the lockdowns that followed, shaped our communities, our health and our work for years to come. It also taught us a lot about ourselves and what it means to be resilient.  In this hou...

Changes to parents' rights law heads to Gov. Ferguson, number of lobbyists in Olympia is growing, and WA residents will soon have the "right to repair." 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 lo...

This week… In a shocking twist, Pike Place will be free of most car traffic until the end of summer. Corporate sponsors are hesitating to give money to Seattle Pride. And the Woodland Park Zoo is celebrating its 40th year of selling… compost that comes from its animals. Author Danielle Marie Holland and local film critic Chase Hutchison are here to break down the week. We can only ma...

WA international students sue the Trump Administration, parents call for better enrollment management at Seattle Public Schools, and nearby residents of Denny Blaine Park are suing the City of 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...

On Saturday, Seattle area readers are celebrating Independent Bookstore Day . There’s the Passport Challenge -- an attempt to visit all 29 participating bookstores in the Puget Sound Region, and get a stamp from each one. We talk with Tom Nissley, owner of Phinney Books about why Seattle's independent bookstores continue to thrive. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us.&n...