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caption: Blue Star Cafe & Pub closed after 50 years on Feb. 1, 2026.

Business

The K-shaped economy: Why diners are dying but yachts are booming

caption: Ivan Howtopat holding his nephew in an undated photo. Klickitat County put their jail under new leadership after Howtopat, age 24, died there in May 2023 while experiencing opioid withdrawal.

Law & Courts

Nearly 3 years after outcry, audit finds rural Washington jail in a better place

caption: Gov. Bob Ferguson holds up Senate Bill 5974, which sets heightened standards for sheriffs, alongside lawmakers and advocates after signing it on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Olympia, Washington.

Government

Ferguson signs controversial law tightening standards for Washington sheriffs

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Local Immigration Stories

Immigration

King County limits immigration operations on county property, moves away from legal term ‘alien’
Government

Sea-Tac manages government shutdown turbulence with normal wait times and no ICE
Government

Between ICE and a hard place: WA farmworkers fear deportation, family separation
Immigration

Their citizenship ceremonies were abruptly canceled. Months later, they are still waiting for them to be rescheduled

caption: Illustration of health care bill.

Health Care

U.S. health care spending is the highest on Earth. Here's why

Most health care services in the U.S. cost at least twice what they do in other countries, and sometimes up to ten times as much.

Clare McGrane

Local Listens

caption: Seattle Now Cover Art

Casual Friday with Phyllis Fletcher and Chase Hutchinson

This week… Ballard residents got bad news about their long-delayed light rail extension. Seattle is getting its seventh Trader Joe's, this time at Northgate. And hundreds of "love locks" were cut off of a bridge in Gig Harbor. KUOW Editor Phyllis Fletcher and Film Critic Chase Hutchinson are here to break down the week.

April 03, 2026

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caption: Gas Works Park was packed with visitors on March 3, 2021, an especially sunny day.

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