Seattle Now
Seattle Now is a smart, daily news podcast for a curious city, from KUOW and the NPR Network. New episodes every weekday morning and evening.
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Episodes
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Casual Friday with Erica C. Barnett and Sandeep Kaushik
This week… We got a clearer picture of the new-look Seattle City Council. Is it a glow up? Time will tell. Seattle city employees got an email about how to save money in the midst of a fight for higher pay. And we discuss the most controversial topic of all: the merits of Thanksgiving turkey, as the biggest food holiday of the year approaches. Publicola Editor and Publisher Erica C. Barnett and Soundview Strategies Partner Sandeep Kaushik are here to break down the week.
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Melting the Seattle freeze, one accordion at a time
It’s the start of the Big Dark here in Seattle. It's understandable that you might want to tuck in and keep to yourself, but freelance journalist Nathalie Graham says it’s the perfect time to get out there and meet new people. She’s been out and about trying all kinds of new things in the city. She’s here with us to talk about her latest experience with the Northwest Accordion Society.
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Seattle will close schools… eventually
Seattle Public Schools has thousands fewer students enrolled than 5 years ago. That
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Labor shortages are here to stay
If you find you’re waiting longer for your coffee, you’re probably not alone. There’s fewer workers to get things done. And that’s something that’s happening on a larger scale. We’re seeing a shift in workers entering and leaving the workforce. UW Public Policy professor Jacob Vigdor is here to explain.
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It's fall mushroom season
You may have noticed a lot of mushroom photos in your social media feed. Fall is a great time to get out there and forage. Now serious foragers aren’t likely to tell you exactly where they found that basket full of Chanterelles or matsutakes, but Daniel Winkler is willing to share a few tips. Here’s an archive episode of our walk in the woods for fall mushrooms.
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Casual Friday with Paige Browning and Deaunte Damper
This week, Seattle voters cast their ballots and early results look promising for the housing levy, but not for city council incumbents. Mysterious, white powder sent through the mail disrupted ballot counting while election workers evacuated. And Washington state is the land of potholes according to USA today. KUOW Anchor and Reporter Paige Browning and Vocal-WA Community Organizer Deaunte Damper break down the week.
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Can prostitution on Aurora Ave decline for good?
Prostitution on Aurora Avenue has vexed Seattle leaders for decades. But two recent motel closures have led to a decline in sex work and crime in the area. It’s unclear if it will last. The Seattle Times’s Sara Jean Green explains how Aurora got this way and what tools the city and police are using to rein it in.
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First ballot count looks bad for Seattle lefties
Non-presidential elections aren’t always the biggest draw for voters even with the future of the city council on the ballot. KUOW editor Cat Smith was watching the returns and will fill us in on what we know so far.
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Do grizzlies have a home in the North Cascades?
Grizzly bears are considered functionally extinct in Washington state because no one has seen a grizzly here for decades. But a new federal plan could bring large brown bears back to the North Cascades wilderness. Ecologist Chris Morgan is with us to explain why he thinks it’s a good idea, and why some people don’t care for the plan.
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West Seattle Water Taxi to the rescue
You’ve probably seen video of the runaway barge in Elliot Bay last week slamming into Pier 66. The six-story wall of steel containers broke free in high winds and was headed towards the Great Wheel. Things could’ve been much worse if it wasn’t for the quick thinking of Captain Dan Krehbiel, steering a water taxi from West Seattle. We met up with him on the boat over the weekend.
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Casual Friday with Jodi-Ann Burey and Lex Vaughn
This week… Seattle Police have new restrictions for when they’re allowed to lie on the job. Sound Transit is gonna start charging people who don’t pay fares on the light rail. And it’s almost time for chocolate popcorn… the Cinerama is reopening under a new name next month. Author Jodi-Ann Burey and Needling Editor-in-Chief Lex Vaughn are here to break down the week.
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Burien's camping ban is now in effect
There’s been a fierce fight in Burien about the city’s homeless population. People living in encampments have been moving around for months. Burien City Council voted to implement a camping ban in late September. It went into effect yesterday. KUOW’s Casey Martin has been following this developing story for months and is here to tell us about it.