Serene Careaga

Seattle's music scene was booming in the mid-1990s. Four friends from different established bands decided to get together for a side project called Mad Season. Layne Staley sang in Alice in Chains, Mike McCready played guitar for Pearl Jam, Bassist John Baker Saunders toured with The Walkabouts and Barrett Martin was the drummer for Screaming Trees. 

Now that Washington has approved legalized marijuana, the state faces logistical challenges regarding marijuana dispensing, including defining consumer limits and determining business regulations. Weekday spoke with consultant and Medbox CEO Dr. Bruce Bedrick who shared his advice about marijuana dispensing.

Interview has been edited for clarity.

Why does legal marijuana need different controls than alcohol?

Governor Jay Inslee spoke with Ross Reynolds on The Conversation Thursday about the proposed gas tax increase and his vision for Washington's transportation needs. Expiring federal funds, booming population and the need for more jobs create an urgency for the Legislature to come up with bipartisan solutions, according to the governor.

Ross Reynolds interviewed Boing Boing blogger, journalist, science fiction author, and digital rights activist Cory Doctorow. Below are highlights from his interview on The Conversation. 

Scheduled for Spotlight at 8 p.m.

Over the summer of 2012, Iran doubled the number of nuclear centrifuges installed in its underground Fordow site despite increased international pressure and economic sanctions. Iran stopped just short of the capacity to produce nuclear fuel. Can Israel live with a nuclear Iran, or could the time be near for a pre-emptive strike? 

Scheduled for Spotlight on January 14 at 8:00 p.m.

National Weather Service has issued a cold weather statement for the Puget Sound region. KUOW has compiled a guide of tips to prepare for inclement weather and resources that can help you stay safe during emergency weather situations.

Portland's Pink Martini released "Joy To The World" in November 2010. It's a collection of nondenominational holiday music from various countries. Among the traditional holiday tunes that we can all sing along to, the album features works in Chinese, Japanese, Hebrew, Spanish -- the list goes on. It's a joyful celebration of culture.

Tragic and unexplainable acts of violence are often attributed to mental illness. In the aftermath of terrible tragedies, like the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, anecdotal and unconfirmed stories of mental illness begin to circulate.

Dr. Jennifer Stuber from UW’s School of Social Work visited Weekday to discuss the link between violence and mental illness and particularly how the media plays a part in the dissemination of misinformation. Below are highlights from her interview.