Joshua McNichols
Growth and Development Reporter
About
As KUOW's Growth and Development reporter and co-host of KUOW's Booming podcast, Joshua's "growing pains" beat sits at the nexus of housing, transportation, urban planning, government and the economy. His favorite stories also include themes of history, technology, and climate change.
Joshua holds a B.A. in Architecture from the University of Washington. Public Radio is his second career; architecture was his first. He is proud of the many odd jobs he's held in his life, such as salmon fisher, author, bike courier, and bed-and-breakfast cook.
Location: Seattle
Languages Spoken: English
Pronouns: he/him
Professional Affiliations: The Society of Professional Journalists, Western Washington Chapter
Stories
-
Arts & Life
This quilt was left unfinished during the 1918 pandemic. Now, these women will finish it
Here’s a story about someone who discovered something unexpected in the pandemic. Betty Jones is 80 years old living in Edmonds. Recently, she was looking around at some old stuff she had, and she found a box. Inside, she found a stack of neatly sewn fabric squares, and a letter written to one of her distant relatives by her great, great aunt.
-
Education
Mother of boy locked in 'cage' at Seattle school files lawsuit
Seattle Public Schools faces a new lawsuit for repeatedly locking an eight-year-old child in an outdoor enclosure that staff referred to as 'the cage.'
-
As India suffers, diaspora looks for ways to help from the NW
In India, 5 million Covid cases have been reported in the month of April alone. There’s nothing harder than watching a family member struggle with illness – or even die – while you’re thousands of miles away. That’s what’s happening to many of the estimated 75,000 Indian Americans who live in the greater Seattle-Bellevue Area.
-
Business
What the 'ghost light' in Mount Vernon's old theater reveals about shuttered venues
With a troubled federal relief program for shuttered venues reopening Saturday, arts organizations are on the edge of their seat to see when they can get some of the 16 billion dollars in relief that’s been promised to them by the federal government. One of those organizations is an historic theater in Mount Vernon, Washington called the Lincoln. It’s the biggest entertainment venue in town. And like most theaters, its seats have sat empty for much of the past year.
-
Business
Mount Vernon looks to tulip tourists for rescue from pandemic slump
Like most downtowns, businesses in downtown Mt. Vernon, Washington have struggled through the pandemic. But as things start to open up, all eyes in that town are on the tulip fields blooming nearby. The big question is whether visitors to those farms can help businesses in Mt. Vernon recover.
-
Business
Amazon faces opposition to possible warehouse near Seattle light rail station
Amazon faces opposition to a new warehouse it appears interested in building on Rainier Avenue. The site is a short walk from the Mt. Baker light rail station.
-
Arts & Life
Pottery and grandbabies: A pandemic story
Around the beginning of the pandemic, Bryan Ohno closed the Seattle art gallery he’d been running for 17 years and radically simplified his life to focus on family and his love of making art. A year later, he looks back on how it changed him.
-
Business
In downtown Kent, outdoor dining seen as key to economic recovery
“Pandemic or not – what we’ve learned is that this is a great way to engage the space down here, regardless," says Haas. "It feels awesome – I love the vision that’s unfolding because of this.”
-
Arts & Life
Tacoma’s Hilltop has hope for an equitable recovery
Businesses in Tacoma's Hilltop neighborhood are trying to recover from the pandemic. And economic recovery looks certain, with the light rail coming next year and big housing projects on the way. But how does recovery happen in a way that doesn’t push out existing residents and businesses?
-
Seattle renters: You have the right to an attorney
Soon, renters in Seattle facing eviction will have the right to a free lawyer. That’s thanks to a new law passed by the city council today.