The University of Washington opened a behavioral health hospital last May, with a price tag of almost 250 million dollars. It was built for the long-term care of patients who’ve been involuntarily committed due to struggles with mental health, and expectations for the hospital were high. But a shortage of public defense attorneys has kept the 150 beds mostly empty. And the patients the hospital is hoping to take in are often being sent back home. Seattle Times mental health rep...
Jan 27, 2025•12 min•Transcript available on Metacast Costco shareholders vote to keep DEI practices, environmental crimes would be felonies under proposed bill, and Boeing lost nearly $4 billion last quarter. 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 or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org ...
Jan 25, 2025•8 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week… Week one of the second Trump administration started with a flurry of changes. Amazon workers heading back to the office are jamming up the commute. And Mariner favorite Ichiro Suzuki is now in the Baseball Hall of Fame… One vote away from perfection. Geekwire Co-Founder Todd Bishop and Commute Seattle Director Alex Hudson 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 in...
Jan 24, 2025•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast Seattle judge blocks Trump's birthright citizenship order, former Auburn cop sentenced to 16 years, and Maple Valley's Brandi Carlile receives her first Oscar nomination. 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 or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.o...
Jan 24, 2025•8 min•Transcript available on Metacast A Washington man who was sentenced to 18 years in prison for seditious conspiracy, is out of federal prison. On Monday, President Donald Trump commuted Ethan Nordean’s sentence . Nordean was among the nearly 1,600 people who were pardoned, or had their sentences commuted, for their role in the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol. KUOW's Casey Martin tells us about this development and the reaction to it. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to m...
Jan 23, 2025•10 min•Transcript available on Metacast Project 2025 proposes big changes for nuclear cleanup at Hanford, tariffs on Canadian imports could boost energy bills in WA, and King County passes a "Youth Bill of Rights." 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 to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at&...
Jan 23, 2025•10 min•Transcript available on Metacast Genetic material is deeply personal, and powerful. Now, Seattle-based Variant Bio has a plan to develop drugs for metabolic disorders, using data collected from Indigenous populations. In exchange, they’re offering financial benefits and revenue sharing. We'll hear from company's Director of Ethics and Engagement and University of Washington School of Medicine bioethicist Susan Brown Trinidad . You can watch the Seattle School Board meeting here . You can watch state lawmakers talk a...
Jan 22, 2025•16 min•Transcript available on Metacast WA Attorney General sues to stop Trump's birthright citizenship order, farmworkers rally in Olympia, and Mariners legend Ichiro Suzuki is elected to the Hall of Fame. 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 or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattleno...
Jan 22, 2025•11 min•Transcript available on Metacast Washington is a deep blue state -- and that can be frustrating to Republicans who feel like they can never get a vote passed. That's why some Republicans are packing up and leaving town, making the state even bluer, according to new data, as more and more Democrats move in. KUOW's Scott Greenstone brings us the story . 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 idea...
Jan 21, 2025•7 min•Transcript available on Metacast Movement to put a lid over I-5 is gaining steam, PSE gas and electricity rates to increase, and a state law that protects immigrants could see challenges under Trump. 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 or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattleno...
Jan 18, 2025•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week: The wildfires in California are resonating here in Washington, there’s a new governor at the helm, and Starbucks says only paying customers can use the bathroom or hang out in the store. Author Jodi-Ann Burey and Factal editor Joe Veyera are here to break down the week. Click here to read Geekwire's reporting on "HuskySwap." 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 o...
Jan 17, 2025•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Monsanto to pay $100 million over classroom chemicals, juvenile crime on the rise in King County, and Seattle's original Burgermaster to close. 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 or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org , leave us a...
Jan 17, 2025•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ferguson took the oath of office Wednesday and immediately tried to set himself apart from his predecessor. At a press conference afterwards, members of the GOP seemed hopeful, despite Democratic control of the legislature. Still, Ferguson has a big job and an even bigger budget deficit. Seattle Times reporter Jim Brunner helps us sort through some of the challenges facing the new administration. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and k...
Jan 16, 2025•16 min•Transcript available on Metacast Gov. Ferguson signs three executive orders, drug trafficking ring busted in Seattle's CID, and WA's Supreme Court to decide fate of high capacity magazine ban. 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 or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow....
Jan 16, 2025•12 min•Transcript available on Metacast Washington is a state that supports and protects transgender rights. But campaign promises from the incoming Trump administration are causing concern for the community. Access to gender-affirming care and legal protections could be restricted. We’ll hear from KUOW health reporter Eilis O’Neill about how the local trans community is preparing for potential new policy. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your ...
Jan 15, 2025•13 min•Transcript available on Metacast Governor Inslee gives his final speech in office, Starbucks reverses its open-door policy, and a beloved Central District restaurant makes a comeback. 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 or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org , lea...
Jan 15, 2025•12 min•Transcript available on Metacast In Washington state, prisons are overseen by state officials, and are required to follow a set of standards. But city and county jails are not. A new proposal by state lawmakers would change that . We talk with Seattle Times investigative reporter Sydney Brownstone about how several deaths in Washington jails helped lead to this push for change. You can watch Governor Jay Inslee's final State of the State address here . We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap h...
Jan 14, 2025•13 min•Transcript available on Metacast L.A. shelter pets arrive in Seattle, WA lawmakers talk rent stabilization, and the Community Police Commission seeks to regroup from internal turmoil. 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 to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org , le...
Jan 14, 2025•11 min•Transcript available on Metacast The final 2024 report from the US Department of Labor was strong. Hundreds of thousands of jobs were added. The unemployment rate fell from 4.2 percent to 4.1 percent. Still some workers are really having a hard time finding something new. Business Insider’s Aki Ito reports that there's a recession among white collar workers right now. She explains what's going on. Watch the start of the Washington State Legislature's upcoming session on their new website or on tvw . ...
Jan 13, 2025•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast Transit officials, riders, and employees honor Shawn Yim, fare enforcement returns to buses, and Eddie Bauer merges with JC Penny. 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 to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org , leave us a voicemail a...
Jan 11, 2025•13 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the last months of the year, 20 big cats died in an outbreak of bird flu in Washington State. KUOW’s Casey Martin and John Ryan report on how researchers in the state are racing to learn more before the next outbreak hits. 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 from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org , leave us a voicemail at (206...
Jan 10, 2025•6 min•Transcript available on Metacast Governor-elect Ferguson opposes wealth tax to fix WA's budget, Microsoft to cut jobs, and Seattle Humane will take in 60 pets from Los Angeles shelters. 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 to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org , ...
Jan 10, 2025•7 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today Seattle Now is sharing a documentary from the KUOW newsroom. In today's episode, KUOW's Will James went deep on Seattle's embrace of Housing First. 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 from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org , leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online . See omnystudio.com/listen...
Jan 09, 2025•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast WA firefighters head to California, REI announces layoffs, and Harborview unveils new technology to help people with spinal cord injuries. 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 or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org , leave us a voic...
Jan 09, 2025•10 min•Transcript available on Metacast The new year means Seattle minimum wage is up to $20.76 an hour. It also means the end of a $2.72 cent hour tip credit that small businesses and restaurants have been using to help balance the books. The choice to let that credit expire was built into the law. But it’s not that simple. We hear from Seattle Times reporter Jackie Varriano and bartender Chandler Sapp. Legislative Preview hosted by Austin Jenkins Legislative Preview hosted by Angela King We can only make Seattle Now because li...
Jan 08, 2025•12 min•Transcript available on Metacast Norovirus is spreading in King County, President Biden expands oil drilling ban off WA coast, and former WA Congressman Jim McDermott remembers Jimmy Carter. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Paige Browning. The interview with Jim McDermott was produced by John O'Brien . 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...
Jan 08, 2025•12 min•Transcript available on Metacast Washington lawmakers get back to work on Monday to kick off the 2025 legislative session . For 105 days, they’ll tackle issues like housing, education, and gun safety. But looming over it all is a projected budget deficit as big as $12 billion over the next several years. We talk with Olympia correspondent Jeanie Lindsay about what to expect. 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...
Jan 07, 2025•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast If you feel like you sat in more traffic in 2024, new data shows you may be right. A Seahawks coaching staff member was let go, and two notable Seattle entertainers received awards this weekend. 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 to share? We want to hear from you! Email us a...
Jan 07, 2025•7 min•Transcript available on Metacast Seattle needs more housing, that’s a widely accepted reality. How and where we build that housing is a lot thornier. Enter: the One Seattle Plan, the city’s proposal to address our housing shortage. The details are still getting worked out, and some people don’t want these changes in their neighborhood, while others argue it doesn’t go far enough. We hear from Ryan Packer, the Contributing editor of The Urbanist and Queen Anne resident Michael Lapin. We can only mak...
Jan 06, 2025•13 min•Transcript available on Metacast Orca mom still carrying her dead calf around Puget Sound, 2024 broke records for evictions in WA, and Whitman College grapples with the legacy of its namesake. 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 or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow....
Jan 04, 2025•11 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
