The Conversation Podcast

Sports Stadium Plans Continue, As Concerns Grow About How It Will Affect SODO

webhelp@kuow.org (KUOW 94.9 Public Radio) — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:05:00 -0700

Sports Stadium Plans Continue, As Concerns Grow About How It Will Affect SODO: Mayor Mike McGinn and King County Executive Dow Constantine just announced a memorandum of understanding to proceed on a new sports stadium for basketball and hockey in the SODO neighborhood. We hear from KUOW's Patricia Murphy about the new memorandum and Seattle Port Commission President Gael Tarleton about how it might affect the neighborhood.

Report Inconclusive On What Killed Orca L112: Scientists are still trying to pinpoint the cause of death for a young female orca that washed up near Long Beach, Wash., in February. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released a report today with details from the whale's necropsy. Ashley Ahearn reports.

Clean Up Continues At Penn Cove: It's been three days since an abandoned crab boat caught fire and then sank in Penn Cove off Whidbey Island. That's put a stop to shellfish harvesting, a big business in Penn Cove. The Coast Guard and clean–up crews have pumped more than 2,000 gallons of oil out of the sunken vessel. KUOW's Deborah Wang has the story.

Walk It Off: Urban sprawl has changed the way we live — we're driving more to places and walking less. But some cities are trying to change that. Des Moines received a federal grant to put more sidewalks and make street improvements to encourage people to walk more. The city is part of a national effort to reduce obesity in adults and children by making healthy choices an easy choice. KUOW's Ruby DeLuna reports.

Seattle Filmmaker Lynn Shelton On 'Your Sister's Sister'

webhelp@kuow.org (KUOW 94.9 Public Radio) — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:05:00 -0700

Thursday is a big night for Lynn Shelton. The Seattle filmmaker's fourth feature, "Your Sister's Sister" opens the Seattle International Film Festival. We talk with Shelton about her filmmaking career, SIFF, and her newest film.

Here Comes The Pun

webhelp@kuow.org (KUOW 94.9 Public Radio) — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:05:00 -0700

Did you hear about the Buddhist who went to the dentist but refused Novocain? He wanted to transcend dental medication.

Critics deride puns as the lowest form of humor. Punsters say that means puns must be the foundation of all humor. We'll speak with champion punsters John Pollock and Gary Hallock.

Resort Tax Exemption In Question, And Transgender Youth At Nova High School

webhelp@kuow.org (KUOW 94.9 Public Radio) — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:05:00 -0700

Great Wolf Resort — Tax Exemption In Question, Part 2: The Great Wolf resort's Washington location was considered tax exempt when it opened here because of a partnership with the Chehalis tribe. Correspondent Austin Jenkins reports on the internal state documents that question that tax–free status.

Nova High School Takes Steps To Include Transgender Teens: Nova High School in Seattle has a solution: gender–neutral bathrooms that anyone can use. KUOW's Ann Dornfeld reports on the many supports the school offers to kids who don't fit the usual gender mold.

Transgender In Seattle

webhelp@kuow.org (KUOW 94.9 Public Radio) — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:05:00 -0700

The Seattle LGBT Commission's purpose is to provide information to the mayor, City Council, and other city departments, about issues of importance to lesbians, gays and other sexual minorities. What is the commission currently working on? Ross Reynolds talks with commission member Mac McGregor.

Libertarian Presidential Candidate Gary Johnson

webhelp@kuow.org (KUOW 94.9 Public Radio) — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:05:00 -0700

Ex–Republican and former two–term New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson is running for president as a Libertarian. As governor he used his veto pen over 750 times and cut taxes 14 times. He's also been an outspoken advocate for legalizing marijuana.

Resort Tax Exemption In Question, And A Special Report On Prescription Painkillers

webhelp@kuow.org (KUOW 94.9 Public Radio) — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:05:00 -0700

Great Wolf Resort — Tax Exemption In Question, Part 1: The Great Wolf Resort's Washington location was considered tax exempt when it opened here because of a partnership with the Chehalis tribe. Correspondent Austin Jenkins reports on the internal state documents that question that tax–free status.

Hard–To–Get Drug Could Stop Opiate Overdoses: Washington has one of the highest death rates from prescription opiates in the country. Overdoses from prescription painkillers now kill more people here than car accidents. And in King County, more people die from prescription painkillers than from methamphetamines, cocaine and heroin combined. KUOW and InvestigateWest partner to report on the difficulties of obtaining the opiate overdose antidote drug Narcan.

Gates Foundation's Roy Steiner

webhelp@kuow.org (KUOW 94.9 Public Radio) — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:05:00 -0700

Approximately 1 billion people live in chronic hunger and more than 1 billion live in extreme poverty. How does the Gates Foundation's agricultural work try to solve the problems? Ross Reynolds speaks with Roy Steiner from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Beer Week

webhelp@kuow.org (KUOW 94.9 Public Radio) — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:05:00 -0700

Did you know that the first American brewpub to open post–prohibition was opened by a man here in Washington state? That was Grant's Brewery Pub, opened in 1982 by Bert Grant. Thirty years later, the Northwest is still a hot–bed of micro breweries. In honor of beer week, "The Conversation" discusses the craft and the culture of brewing.

Parents Protest School Start Times, And Camas Vs. Washougal Weight-Loss Competition

webhelp@kuow.org (KUOW 94.9 Public Radio) — Fri, 11 May 2012 13:05:00 -0700

Parents Protest New School Start Times: Many parents are protesting a new Seattle Public Schools transportation proposal that would change school start times.

Obama On Gay Rights In Seattle: Obama reaffirms gay–rights stance at Seattle fundraiser.

Pilot Garbage Program: Starting in July, about 800 homes in Seattle will have their garbage picked up every other week instead of every week.

Weight–Loss Competition Between Camas And Washougal, Washington: For many years, Camas and Washougal, Washington, have had one of the oldest football rivalries in the state. But now their football teams are in different leagues, and the cities have begun a new round of friendly competition. They're having weight–loss competition, led by Mayor Sean Guard of Washougal and Mayor Scott Higgins of Camas.