Inside Olympia

On this episode of Inside Olympia:  Austin Jenkins sits down with the head of the WA State Department of Corrections, Tim Lang.

On this episode of Inside Olympia:  Austin Jenkins finds out the latest happenings at the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) with the head of the agency, Julie Meredith.

On this episode of Inside Olympia: Austin Jenkins sits down with members of the Capital Press Corps and recaps the 2025 legislative session.  Plus, Austin interviews two Murrow News Fellows based here in Olympia for this session.

Water is an increasingly precious commodity. How is Washington State managing water resources in areas like the Columbia River Basin where demand outstrips supply? And as drought becomes more common, how is the state preparing for current and future dry spells? On the program, Tom Tebb, the recently retired Director of the Office of Columbia River at the Department of Ecology and Caroline Mellor,...

Austin Jenkins sits downs and discusses tariffs, agriculture and energy with Washington State's Director of Commerce Joe Nguyen.

Inside Olympia, with host Austin Jenkins, sits down with State Supreme Court Chief Justice Debra Stephens.

This week on Inside Olympia....Austin Jenkins sits down with first-term State Representatives Natasha Hill of Spokane and Brian Burnett of Wenatchee.

We discuss the state budget with House Democratic Majority Leader Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon, and Rep. Travis Couture, the ranking Republican on the House Appropriations Committee. Plus, Capital Press journalist Don Jenkins on covering agriculture- and farming-related news. 

This week on Inside Olympia....we sit down with top legislative leaders.  On the program, Speaker of the House Rep. Laurie Jinkins and Senate Republican Leader John Braun.

On this episode of Inside Olympia ... The debate over how to balance Washington's budget? Should lawmakers cut spending? Raise taxes? Or do some of both? We hear two perspectives. Treasure Mackley with Invest in Washington Now and Paul Graves with Enterprise Washington.

On this week's episode Austin Jenkins sits down with Matt Powers to discuss his newly released report titled, "Statehouse Journalism in Transition."

House Republican Leader Drew Stokesbary. Plus, Rep. Kristine Reeves on her proposal to ban flavored vapes.

This week Austin Jenkins sits down with newly elected Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown.

This week we interview the new leader of WA's Dept of Children, Youth and Families, Tana Senn. Plus, Rep. Shelley Kloba on her data privacy bill, and Rep. Stephanie Barnard on her bills to advance nuclear power.

Washington's Public Works Board is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2025. While the board is not well known to most Washingtonians, chances are it has helped pay for an infrastructure project in your community -- from roads and bridges to drinking water, stormwater and sewer systems, recycling and solid waste, and more recently, broadband. Established by the Legislature in 1985, the board's low...

This week on Inside Olympia....Austin Jenkins sits down with the newly sworn-in Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer.  Plus, we sit down with Rep. Clyde Shavers and talk Artificial Intelligence Legislation.

Host Austin Jenkins talks taxes with House Finance Chair April Berg and Ranking Republican Ed Orcutt. Plus, the state's fiscal health with State Treasurer Mike Pelicciotti.

We go in-depth with Senate budget leaders June Robinson and Chris Gildon. Plus, Capitol reporters look at the 2025 Legislature.

Host Austin Jenkins sits down for an interview with the outgoing Washington State Governor Jay Inslee who is leaving office after three consecutive terms.

An interview with newly re-elected Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, and an exit interview with outgoing Department of Social and Health Services Secretary Jilma Meneses.

This week on Inside Olympia....Austin Jenkins discusses the 5-year-old Career Connect Program with individuals from Partnership for Learning and the Chehalis School District.

Legislative budget writers watch his quarterly state revenue forecasts closely, to see how much revenue will be available to fund the state budget. Host Austin Jenkins sits down with state economic forecaster Dave Reich, who leads the Washington's Economic and Revenue Forecast Council.

Host Austin Jenkins interviews outgoing Washington State Department of Corrections Secretary Cheryl Strange.

This week on Inside Olympia...we breakdown the election results with Democratic State Representative Joe Fitzgibbon and Republican Senator John Braun.

This week on Inside Olympia ... Is there any room left in politics for moderates? And what is the future of the Republican Party in Washington State? I sit down with former Secretary of State Sam Reed and Chief Historian John Hughes to discuss the new book: "Mr. Mainstream: Sam Reed's Half Century of Public Service and Ccivility.