The IMPACT

State earthquake/volcano program manager weighs in on survey of vulnerable buildings and what to make of the new magma chamber discovery. Q&A with Brian Terbush, Emergency Management Division

Faced with eroding beaches, coastal communities are teaming up in an effort to hold back the sea. Guest: John Shaw, chair of the Grays Harbor Marine Resources Committee.

A discussion with Michael Meotti, Executive Director of the Washington Student Achievement Council, on the state of higher education in Washington.

A look at the 2025 fire season outlook with Lead Wildfire Meteorologist Matt Dehr of the Washington Department of Natural Resources.

An inside look at the NextCycle Washington program, a pitch contest to promote circular economy startups. 

Political strategists dissect the 2025 Legislative Session, tracing the power dynamics behind big policy shakeups and the ripple effects for state voters. Guests: Sandeep Kaushik of Sound View Strategies and Justin Matheson of Axiom Strategies.

From farm to factory, an overview of food inspections in Washington. Q&A with Luisa Castro, Assistant Director of the Food Safety and Consumer Services Division at WSDA.

A look at the debate over legislation to lift the 1 percent property tax cap and allow annual adjustments for population and inflation. Guests include Todd Myers, Vice President for Research at the Washington Policy Center and Paul Jewell, Government Relations Director for the Washington State Association of Counties.

Panelists weigh in on the implications of the state's budget deficit and proposed tax increases for individuals and businesses in Washington. The panelists include Rachel Smith, President & CEO, Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, and Molly Gallagher, Policy Lead, Statewide Poverty Action Network.

A detailed budget breakdown highlighting various 2025 spending plans and the proposed tax increases within them.

State Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti weighs in on state reserves and federal policies that impact Washington finances.

Highlights from state probes into the huge number of uninspected eggs for sale, overlapping agency employment, and multi-state Medicaid enrollment. Guest. State Auditor Pat McCarthy

A look at signature verification challenges and election related legislation in 2025. Features Q&A with Secretary of State Steve Hobbs.

An update on the massive effort to address invalidated convictions stemming from the 2021 Blake decision that overturned Washington's drug possession law. Guests: Chris Stanley, Administrative Office of the Courts and Brittany North, Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney's Office

An in-depth look at the proposed road usage charge to tax drivers by the mile, pitched as an eventual fuel tax replacement. Interviews with bill sponsor and Democratic House Transportation Committee Chair, Rep. Jake Fey and Ranking Republican Member on the Senate Transportation Committee, Sen. Curtis King.

Mark McKechnie of the Washington Traffic Safety Commission and Anthony Anton of the Washington Hospitality Association weigh in on a bill to lower the legal blood alcohol limit for drunk driving to .05% in Washington.

A discussion of HB 1380, a proposed state law that would hold cities and counties to a new standard when enforcing anti-encampment ordinances. Featuring interviews with bill sponsor, Rep. Mia Gregerson (D-SeaTac) and bill opponent Rep. Cyndy Jacobsen (R-Puyallup).

Welcome to North Cove, Washington, a small coastal town battling the most extreme erosion on the West Coast. For more than a century, this area has been losing an average of 100 feet of beach per year. House after house toppled into the ocean until just a few years ago, when the community mounted a stunning comeback.  What started as a grassroots, last-ditch effort to save "Washaway Beach"  could...

A deeper dive into the debate over logging pre-WWII stands of trees on state trust lands —sometimes called Legacy Forests— and the implications for trust beneficiaries and the environment.  Guests: Rachel Baker, Washington Conservation Action and Paul Jewell, Washington State Association of Counties

A look at the debate over rent stabilization and an overview of legislation that would limit rent increases to 7% per year. Segment includes a panel discussion with Chester Baldwin representing the Rental Housing Association of Washington and Kraig Peck, a rental property investor based in Bothell.

From logging to habitat conservation, revenue, and wildfire — state forests are under new management. Hear what Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove has in store for DNR this week on The Impact.

Impact host Mike McClanahan sits down with OSPI Chris Reykdal to talk about his legislative agenda and a range of K-12 topics, from school funding to student achievement and the office of OSPI itself. We also highlight Governor Bob Ferguson's first three executive orders.

Part 2 of The Impact's business and labor series covers union headlines from 2024 and labor priorities for the 2025 Legislative Session. Guests: April Sims, President of the Washington State Labor Council and Danielle Alvarado, Executive Director of Working Washington.

A look at the key issues facing Washington business leaders heading into 2025.

An undercover special agent for the WA State Gambling Commission joins the head of the Washington State Animal Fighting Task Force to offer an inside look at efforts to break up illegal gambling operations centered around animal fighting.