Seattle Now

An assessment of the severity of this flu season so far, a possible funding boost for Hanford Nuclear Site cleanup, and a goodbye to the University District's last movie theater. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Zaki Hamid. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week… WSDOT began TWO YEARS worth of work on I-5. The University District lost its last movie theater And Sound Transit is making a big switch from cloth to vinyl seats. Stranger News Editor Vivian McCall and Arts and Culture Writer Jas Keimig 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 your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mayor Wilson delays removal of Ballard encampment, state lawmakers want to conceal their private addresses, and UW now requires civil rights training after feds investigate alleged antisemitism on campus. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tension with ICE has been rising in cities across the country, including here in Seattle.  If you encounter a federal agent, it’s important to know your rights.  We’ll talk to Henry Hwang from the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feds to investigate four WA school districts over trans athletes, Gov. Ferguson wants to slash spending on climate change, and SPS skipped safety measures when rebuilding Rainier Beach High School. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’ve taken a trip through Sea-Tac Airport lately, you’ll notice that things are under construction. From widening roadways to revamping the C Concourse, there are a lot of changes being made ahead of this summer’s World Cup… and not a lot of time to do it. Patricia Murphy interviews Seattle Times Business Reporter Lauren Rosenblatt, and we’ll hear them break down the Sea-Tac construction jam. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gov. Ferguson gives State of the State address, lawmakers want to regulate AI companions, and the Varsity Theater is closing. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2026 legislative session kicked off this week in Olympia. State lawmakers have a lot to figure out – especially the budget that’s still underwater. One idea that's getting floated is an income tax on millionaires. Paul Queary is here to explain what lawmakers are getting up to. He’s editor and publisher of the Washington Observer. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Seattle-area saw several protests this weekend, a new legislative session brings several new bills, and avalanches are making ski season dangerous. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Asian market Uwajimaya is having a long overdue homecoming, sort of. Plans are in motion to open a new store in Tacoma next year. That's actually where the family-owned business first opened nearly 100 years ago. We’ll talk to Uwajimaya’s CEO, and the Puget Sound Business Journal reporter who broke the news. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, we’re bringing you the best from the KUOW Newsroom… We’ll start with a story about a local family who self-deported to Guatemala earlier this week. The family of 3 and their cat left on Wednesday after losing their asylum case. Casey Martin has the story. Our other story comes from Bellingham. The city of Bellingham is conducting an internal investigation after evidence was uncovered that a staffer may have rigged a bidding process for a city contract to favor one vendor over another. What is new, though, is that the city employee allegedly used ChatGPT to skew the outcome.  At least one expert says it may be the first time AI has been at the center of this kind of scandal.  KNKX reporter Nate Sanford talked about it with KUOW’s Kim Malcolm in a recent interview. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oregon officials condemn Border Patrol shooting in Portland, lawmakers consider new restrictions on automated license plate readers in WA, and star QB Demond Williams Jr. will remain at UW after all.  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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Seattle is late in getting rid of gas-powered leaf-blowers.  A Seattle tour guide lost big on Jeopardy!  And two Reddit users are trying to answer a burning question: which Seattle Happy Hours are actually worth it? Seattle Times Food Writer Tan Vinh and Entrepreneur and Drag Queen Chase Burns 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 your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Federal agents shoot two people in Portland, Mayor Katie Wilson supports a capital gains tax, and Microsoft denies reports of mass layoffs. Note to listeners: this episode was published before Demond Williams Jr. announced he would be staying at the University of Washington. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Washington State Ferries is having a tough time selling two decommissioned boats that have been on the market for more than four years. Washington’s current fleet is aging. As more ferries are retired, finding the right owner presents a major challenge. Journalist Tom Banse wrote about this conundrum for the Washington State Standard. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

State Dems want to make it easier to redraw Congressional maps, WA officials issue correction over pollution prevention, and UW remembers goalkeeper Mia Hamant. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s been a busy week for Mayor Katie Wilson.  And her constituents have a lot of expectations… The new Mayor promised to tackle some of the city’s biggest issues.  We’ll hear from KUOW Politics Reporter Scott Greenstone on what to look for in Wilson’s first few months leading the city. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WA continues to recommend childhood vaccines despite federal guidance, flu activity is high in WA, and Sen. Patty Murray reflects on the January 6th riot. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Seahawks are in prime position to make a Super Bowl run. After beating the 49ers on Saturday, the Hawks earned the number one seed in the NFC and homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. Essentially, the Super Bowl runs through Seattle. Jerry Brewer is here to help us understand how the Seahawks got here and what comes next. He’s a senior columnist for The Athletic. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Local leaders and community members are reacting to the American military action in Venezuela, Seattle city leaders are being sworn in, and the state legislative session starts one week from today. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s the first week of the new year. And if you haven’t made a resolution yet, it’s never too late. We’ll get into the psychology of successful resolutions and goal setting with UW Psychiatry Professor Dr. Koriann Cox. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, we’re bringing you stories from public radio newsrooms across Washington… Washington state is trying to encourage every student to apply for the college aid they qualify for. The recent flooding across Washington State is a good reminder of how important it is to have an emergency kit on hand. And Wenatchee veterans don’t have a local Veterans Affairs center. Now, one group is hosting a weekly game night to help build community.  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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week… Gen Z is trying hard to step into the home ownership game.  Amazon users got outraged over an abridged version of "It's a Wonderful Life."  And it's the first Casual Friday of 2026, so it's time to set some goals. Author and blogger Geraldine DeRuiter and Factal Editor Joe Veyera 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 your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This New Year's Day, we're bringing you a bonus episode from our friends at KUOW's arts and culture podcast Meet Me Here. Men are reading less. Reading less than women, not reading as much as before. But Author Daniel James Brown's book The Boys in the Boat broke through and to male readers. This week we’re getting lit with Author Daniel James Brown and tackling the ~discourse~ to find out how authors like him are writing authentic, complex men. Plus, we give you a ton of recommendations of books and authors that will make anybody want to read. If you need some help filling that book shaped void, here’s Daniel James Brown and Katie’s Recommended If You Liked (RIYL):  The Wide Wide Sea by Hampton Sides Where Men Win Glory by Jon Krakauer The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand Any books by author Tim Egan Some places we've seen the narrative that men are not reading: The Anxiety Plaguing Male Fiction Writers - Vulture Why Did the Novel-Reading Man Disappear? - The New York Times The Real Reason Men Should Read Fiction - The Atlantic We're Doing ‘Men Don’t Read Books' Discourse Again. Here's What We're Missing - GQ      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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Conservative campaign has two ballot initiatives planned for 2026, Metro bus and light rail trips are free on NYE, and WA gets millions for rural healthcare. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy are getting closer… Including the fan-favorite sport of curling. Two members of Team USA Curling have Seattle roots, and they’re ready to compete for the gold. Ben Richardson and Luc Violette are here to talk about their time on the ice in Seattle, and now for Team USA. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New laws take effect on January 1st, Seattle-area Somalis say childcare providers are being doxxed, and Alaska Airlines has another IT outage. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’re going to get by in this world, understanding how money works can help a lot.  Yet, financial education is not a high school graduation requirement in Washington.  That could change under a new proposal from state lawmakers. KUOW’s Zaki Hamid talks with UW’s Helen Andrews about why the effort has been so challenging. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A stretch of Highway 2 reopens, lawmakers want to fix a loophole in WA's plastic bag ban, and downtown Seattle's getting a retail shakeup. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s the last week of 2025 and so much happened! Our summer was defined by a rogue rat mosaic in Cal Anderson Park. Starbucks closed its fanciest store in Seattle: the Capitol Hill Roastery. Seattle’s nude beach Denny Blaine now has a fence between the clothed and unclothed. And Seattle elected its youngest mayor ever while pushing out its more moderate incumbents. There’s a lot to reflect on, and thankfully our friends over at Week in Review took the time to look back on the year for their Year in Review event. Bill Radke hosted the panel of Libby Denkmann, Phyllis Fletcher, and Sandeep Kaushik. Mayor elect Katie Wilson and Attorney General Nick Brown were there too. We're bringing you an excerpt from the evening. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, we’re bringing you the best from another KUOW show, Soundside. A lot has changed during Sara Nelson’s time in Seattle government. She was a centrist outlier on a progressive city council when she was first elected in 2021.  But the dynamics changed: Nelson ended up running the show as council president, after a moderate slate of candidates swept the 2023 election.  Now - her time in office is coming to an end. Next month, there will be a new, more progressive representative in the citywide Position 9 seat that Nelson’s held the past four years. Nonprofit leader Dionne Foster will take Nelson’s place after winning by a wide margin of votes in November.  Last week, Nelson spent an hour with Soundside to reflect on her tenure and the direction Seattle politics is moving. Listen to more Soundside here. Soundside is produced by Sarah Leibovitz, Jason Burrows, Gabrielle Healey, Hans Anderson, Jed Kim and Maleeha Syed. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, we’re bringing you the best from another KUOW show, Booming. The cost of living is really high in Seattle. Whether it's housing or groceries, this town is a tough place to make ends meet.  Joshua McNichols and Monica Nicholsberg of KUOW’s Booming podcast talked to a researcher who sends armies of shoppers to find out why… And he gives some tips for making your dollar stretch as far as possible in this very expensive city. Listen to more Booming here. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here's a special Christmas episode brought to your feed from KUOW's arts and culture podcast Meet Me Here: The holiday season means trees, cookies, family, spirituality, or presents to many. For Meet Me Here's Dyer Oxley, it means it's time to watch his favorite Christmas movie — "Die Hard." This 1988 action flick starring Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman has become a Christmas tradition for many. But not everyone agrees that "Die Hard" can be a Christmas tradition. Week in Review host Bill Radke is in that camp. He challenges Dyer's "Die Hard" opinion in a special holiday throwdown. Bill and Dyer debate a modern holiday question: Is "Die Hard" a Christmas movie? 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, we’re bringing you the best from another KUOW show, Seattle Eats… The holidays are here—  The season for cookies, roasts, seafood… and wine. And if you want the best deals on good wine… Seattle Times food critic, Tan Vinh  says… head to Costco. On the latest episode of Seattle Eats, Tan sat down with Seattle Times politics reporter David Gutman to taste-test Costco’s best wines that are 20 dollars or less. Listen to more Seattle Eats here. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Communities in Washington are beginning their recovery efforts after flooding and landslides, Governor Bob Ferguson is joining Democrats in proposing an income tax on millionaires, and people who have season passes for the Stevens Pass ski resort are angry that the resort is not offering refunds. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Zaki Hamid. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, we have an episode from our friends at Booming. The recent flooding in Washington is a reminder of the extreme weather impacts of climate change. But the Northwest has become a destination for people seeking a more livable climate. Climate migration is difficult to study, and even harder to predict. But some researchers say a historic population shift has already begun. On today's episode: is the Pacific Northwest ready for an influx of climate refugees? Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/boomingnotes. Booming is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Carol Smith. Our producers are Lucy Soucek and Alec Cowan. Our hosts are Joshua McNichols and Monica Nickelsburg.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Governor Bob Ferguson is mobilizing the National Guard to monitor levees, a University of Washington professor wins a case against the university over land acknowledgements, and Seattle's longest serving police chief has died. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Zaki Hamid. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Atmospheric rivers can be very destructive. But they don’t have to be a surprise. There are weather scientists whose mission is to improve atmospheric river forecasting. Today, we’ll hear from one of those scientists. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, we’re bringing you the best from another KUOW show, Soundside…  It’s been a busy year for the Seattle Police Department.  A new chief was sworn in, the longstanding federal consent decree ended and the city reached a new contract with the Seattle Police Officers Guild that changes how it can approach unarmed crisis response. Plus, a new mayor will take office in January. Mayor-elect Katie Wilson announced this week that she planned to retain Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes, despite some rumors to the contrary.  Soundside's Libby Denkmann talked with Barnes last week. Listen to more Soundside interviews here. The Soundside team includes Sarah Leibovitz, Jason Burrows, Hans Anderson, Gabrielle Healy, Maleeha Syed, and Jed Kim. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gov. Ferguson proposes new investments in roads, bridges, and ferries, the Seahawks clinch a playoff spot, and more snow is expected in the mountains. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week… Washington was rocked by what Governor Bob Ferguson is calling “one of the worst natural disasters in state history.” But luckily, people are stepping up to help. A West Seattle holiday light display is back on track after being knocked out by last year’s bomb cyclone. And the Stranger’s December issue is full of complaints about Seattle - we have some ideas. Film Critic Chase Hutchinson and Seattle Now Producer Vaughan Jones 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 your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Flu season has arrived in WA, local farmers overwhelmed with flood damage, and Gov. Ferguson signs an executive order on housing. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The fallout from the floods in Washington state continues. Thankfully, we got a bit of a sunbreak yesterday. But there’s more rain on the way and many people have just begun recovering from the damage the deluge has caused. KUOW reporters have been all over Western Washington this week. Casey Martin will tell us what he’s been hearing from first responders and people affected by the floods. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

King County crews working to shore up damaged levees, Highway 2 closure has Leavenworth businesses worried about tourism, and Rep. Dan Newhouse to retire. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gas Works Park is a national landmark.  But it comes with danger– several people have been injured or killed climbing its towers.  Like 15-year-old Mattheis Johnson, who fell to his death while climbing this summer. A new lawsuit filed by the teen’s family is the latest effort to challenge the resistance to any changes to the structures.  We’ll hear more from New York Times Pacific Northwest Bureau Chief Anna Griffin. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

First death reported in WA flooding, Highway 2 could be closed for several months, and the UW Men's soccer team wins their first national championship. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the UW, hundreds apply each year for the astronomy department’s graduate program, and a maximum of seven are accepted. But for the next year, they won’t be accepting any graduate students, due to state and federal funding cuts. To learn about the impact, we talk with UW astronomy professor Emily Levesque, who's author of the book "The Last Stargazers." 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Desimone Levee failed today, the next atmospheric river will bring more snow than rain, and Washington is suing the Trump administration over an H1B visa policy. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The damage from last week's flooding is catastrophic. Thousands of people have been displaced and are unsure of what remains.  For Washington farmers, water and rivers are essential. But uncontrolled, water can also quickly destroy much of their hard work. We’ll hear more about the flood’s effect on Washington’s small farms. Correction: This episode includes information from the Washington State Insurance Commissioner's Office stating that FEMA's declaration of emergency allows individuals / households affected by floods to apply for federal funds to make repairs or pay for temporary housing. According to a FEMA spokesperson, this declaration does not allow for that funding. Rather, "FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize and provide, at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency." Patricia Murphy's winter vegetable recipe suggestion. She says you can just add beets. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, we’re bringing you the best from another KUOW show, Soundside. A disturbing image shared by Senator Patty Murray has been reverberating across the internet… It shows a man’s torso, his right side covered in wounds - lacerations, scratch marks, bite marks - after he was mauled by an immigration agent’s canine. Blood splatters the sheets below him. The man, Wilmer Toledo-Martinez of Vancouver, Washington, was detained outside his home last month by federal agents.  Senator Murray and Wilmer’s family are calling for his release – and calling out the violent treatment he received at the hands of immigration officers. Soundside’s Libby Denkmann spoke to Toledo-Martinez’s attorney, Olia Catala. Listen to more Soundside interviews here. The Soundside team includes Sarah Leibovitz, Jason Burrows, Hans Anderson, Gabrielle Healy, Maleeha Syed, and Jed Kim. 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 [email protected], leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.