Government

Coming up on Weekday, May 28 at 10:00 a.m.

Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers
Washington’s 5th Congressional District Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers joins us to talk about the future of Fairchild Air Force Base, the IRS scandal, immigration reform and more.

Scatter, Adapt And Remember: How Humans Will Survive A Mass Extinction
Science writer Annalee Newitz’s new book is about hope. Hope that human kind will be able to survive the impending doom that threatens to send us into another mass extinction. Newitz outlines the current scientific discoveries that might help humans survive the next big disaster.

Greendays Gardening Panel
Our panel of gardening experts knows flowers, native plants and vegetables. They join us with garden guidance every Tuesday. Have a question? Send an email to weekday@kuow.org.

A sexual harassment lawsuit against an Eastern Washington farm came under scrutiny this week during a congressional hearing. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently lost this expensive, high-profile case and some Congress members are now asking, “Was it worth it?” 

Cab drivers spoke out against new app-based car services during a Seattle City Council meeting Thursday. Companies such as Uber, SideCar and Lyft offer smartphone apps that allow users to book a ride by the touch of a button. Those business operations are mostly unregulated, and their presence in Seattle has led to questions about whether the companies are legal.

Snohomish Community Transit has just rejected a bus advertisement from a gun control group, Washington Ceasefire.  That decision is based on a new policy that bans all advertising that creates  substantial controversy, including political speech. Ross Reynolds took up the conversation of advertising and free speech with an ACLU lawyer along with a representative for Snohomish Community Transit. 

Even though you might not have heard much about it these past few weeks, the sequester is still chopping away at federal funds. This week Washington state emergency unemployment benefits are being cut by almost 25 percent. Ross Reynolds spoke with Johnny Dwyer, one of the 40,ooo people being affected by these drastic reductions to unemployment benefits, about how he is coping and what he hopes for. 

North Korea announced it would take China's advice and enter talks with the United States. But that doesn't seem likely because the United States says no talks can happen until North Korea takes steps to denuclearize. But North Korea insists on holding on to its nuclear weapons.

One group in Seoul, South Korea, isn't waiting around for the diplomats to work things out. This group's members hope to build bridges with the North now. They want ordinary people on either side of the border to meet up. Their aim: to break down stereotypes and build relationships between North and South Koreans from the grassroots up.

Full list of stories from KUOW Presents, May 23:

What’s considered the largest proposed disenrollment of tribal members in Washington state is still moving forward, following a tribal court’s ruling this week.  Leaders of the Nooksack Tribe near Bellingham aim to cut ties with 306 of its 2,000 members – that’s 15 percent of the tribe.

President Obama will discuss his administration’s foreign policy practices tomorrow at the National Defense University. One purpose of the speech is to announce his plans for the Guantanamo Bay detention center, which he has promised to close several times. New York Times Washington Correspondent Charlie Savage talks with Ross Reynolds about what we can expect from the president tomorrow.