Is it really a buyer’s market in Seattle? Host Jane C. Hu talks with real estate broker Posey Gruener and Daryl Fairweather, Redfin’s chief economist, about the state of the city’s real estate market, neighborhood trends, and what’s behind the changes in home prices. Then, artist and activist Julie Chang Schulman and journalist and critic Chase Hutchinson join Jane to get into the open letter that Julie and others sent to Mayor Katie Wilson and the city council, which proposed 2027 budget investments in public art and cultural activations, and the public safety ramifications of this. Finally, Jane, Chase, and Creative Producer Sam J. Leeds talk about their weekend recommendations, from a new film at Northwest Film Forum and other movie events, to the  Styled by the Streets: Black Women in Hip-Hop Fashion exhibit at  MoPOP. Plus, where to go for karaoke in Seattle.

Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastSeattle on Instagram, or email us at [email protected]. You can also call or text us at 206-880-3931.

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Fall is here, with Halloween right around the corner, and we’ve got Seattle-specific costume ideas for you (Jimothy is just the beginning)! In this episode, you’ll hear the best places to go leaf peeping, how to celebrate National Book Month, and our favorite autumn traditions. And if you love Liam’s horror movie recs, don’t miss his guide to Seattle’s best movie theaters! Finally, here's how to host a Trick-or-Streets celebration on your block.

For even more tips on how to make the most of October in Seattle, check out our newsletter.

City Cast Seattle's guide to October is made possible by our awesome sponsor, Seattle Restaurant Week, and other sponsors like Communities of Opportunity. City Cast Seattle is also powered by our members, who enjoy an ad-free version of the show. Find out more about how to become a member of City Cast Seattle.

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Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastSeattle on Instagram, or email us at [email protected]. You can also call or text us at 206-880-3931.

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Support City Cast Seattle by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm/seattle

2004 was the year indie rock exploded on the music scene — at least, that’s according to a new podcast that launched last week. Host Jane C. Hu and Creative Producer Liam Billingham talk with Melissa Locker, executive producer of “2004: The Year Indie Rock Broke” and founder of Nevermind Media, about what was happening musically in the early aughts, and what that looked like in the Pacific Northwest. Then, to celebrate National Coffee Day, contributor Hannah Krieg joins Jane and Liam to chat about Seattle's coffee history, what the city is doing well, and what's missing in the coffee scene. And finally, Seattle Times employees picketing, Sound Transit’s new Pinehurst station opening tomorrow, and a little bit of whimsy in the form of the Valley of the Gnomes and “Are you my doppelganger?” flyers.

Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastSeattle on Instagram, or email us at [email protected]. You can also call or text us at 206-880-3931.

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The Washington Department of Corrections has used solitary confinement for decades, often in violation of UN rules. Could a neuroscience researcher studying bumblebees change that? Host Jane C. Hu talks with journalist Carolyn Bick about UW neuroscience researcher Micaela Romero's findings and what they reveal about solitary confinement’s psychological impact. Then, Seattle journalist Jonathan Zwickel and CHUM News co-founder Meron Menghistab dig into Pioneer Square's varied and queer history and its recent resurgence as a fashion destination. To round things out, Jane talks with New Affection designer Siobhan Teahan and writer Andrew Matson about Seattle's globally influential style.

Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastSeattle on Instagram, or email us at [email protected]. You can also call or text us at 206-880-3931.

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Today on the podcast, Jane is joined by two first-timers to City Cast Seattle, Amy Sundberg, reporter at The Urbanist, and Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton, business reporter at The Seattle Times. First, Amy, Megan, and Jane break down what’s in Katie Wilson’s budget for 2027, including questions about the lack of revenue options and the increase in the police budget. Then, Megan talks about the history and craft of Seattle’s neon signs, why they could go away, and why Seattle is a neon sign town. After Megan and Amy head back to their newsrooms, Jane is joined by UW Professor and Imperialist Realism author Daniel Bessner, who is writing about the connections between grunge music and Boeing in his series Empire of Grunge. Daniel and Jane connect the history of Boeing to what’s happening in Seattle right now.

That’s all for this week! Unless you’re a City Cast Neighbor, in which case you can hear Liam, Jane, and Ashley talk about adult hobbies and why Seattle is a good place to learn to do new things! Like… Gaelic football? New Ashley fact just dropped.

Learn more about the sponsors of this September 25th episode:

Seattle Restored

Northwest Film Forum

Grand Central Bakery

Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastSeattle on Instagram, or email us at [email protected]. You can also call or text us at 206-880-3931.

For more Seattle news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, City Cast Seattle.

Support City Cast Seattle by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm/seattle

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Host Jane C. Hu talks with Shane Wahlund and Michael Anderson, co-hosts of Collide-O-Scope, about how Seattle’s image on film has shifted over time and what they’ve learned from years of sorting through vintage video, found footage, and decades of film. The duo discuss their show “Once Upon a Time in Seattle,” from decades of car chases to Elvis sightings, and a surprisingly gritty Pike Place Market. Then, contributor Chase Hutchinson and creative producer Sam J. Leeds join to celebrate some genuinely good news: the Grand Illusion Cinema is coming back to the U District! Plus, Jane, Sam, and Chase share recommendations for weekend plans. 

Learn more about the sponsors of this September 24th episode:

Seattle Restored

Northwest Film Forum

Grand Central Bakery

Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastSeattle on Instagram, or email us at [email protected]. You can also call or text us at 206-880-3931.

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Today on the podcast, Jane is joined by contributor Brett Hamil and creative producer Liam Billingham, both non-robots. Jane runs down the Archie McPhee saga, and then Liam, Brett, and Jane discuss owner Mark Pahlow’s apology, as well as discuss what responsibility consumers have in knowing what their money is supporting. Then the trio discuss former Councilmember Sarah Nelson’s new initiative, CivicTide, which uses AI to track city council legislation and “solve for the hassle of civic engagement.” They discuss the challenges of civic engagement, ways to improve how our city reports information, and why the ‘neutral’ style of AI isn’t really neutral.

Finally, Jane is joined by journalist Lyric Aquino to discuss how Twilight fans are helping to support the Quileute tribe, who inspired details for the hit films and now must move their village out of a tsunami zone.

Learn more about the sponsors of this September 23rd episode:

Seattle Restored

Northwest Film Forum

Grand Central Bakery

Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastSeattle on Instagram, or email us at [email protected]. You can also call or text us at 206-880-3931.

For more Seattle news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, City Cast Seattle.

Support City Cast Seattle by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm/seattle

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City Council and Mayor Wilson have been busy: a landmark ordinance protecting polyamorous people and diverse family structures just passed unanimously, a new city budget drops today, and grocery stores are threatening to cancel loyalty programs over a potential dynamic pricing ban. Host Jane C. Hu sits down with guest Andy Engelson, founder of Cascadia Journal, and contributor Ryan Packer to break it all down. Plus, fall is here, and new Amtrak trains are coming, so Jane and our two self-described train nerds discuss the launch of the new Airo trains and other exciting fall activities.

Learn more about the sponsors of this episode:

Learn more about the sponsors of this September 22nd episode:

Seattle Restored

Northwest Film Forum

Grand Central Bakery

Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastSeattle on Instagram, or email us at [email protected]. You can also call or text us at 206-880-3931.

For more Seattle news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, City Cast Seattle.

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Today on the podcast, it’s all about books! Jane is joined by Diana Le, writer and publisher at Girl Noise Press, and Katie Lee Ellison, author and founder of Nonfiction for No Reason, to talk about starting your own local publishing house, the realities of the book industry right now, and what they are reading or looking forward to this fall. Katie’s profile of Diana and Girl Noise Press will be available in CHUM in October. Then, City Cast Seattle’s Head Honcho/Executive Producer Ashley Smith and old man/Creative Producer Liam Billingham join to do a Monday mailbag. Topics discussed: The magnificence of Saars Super Saver Foods, the dangers of e-scooters, and feedback on a recent episode with District 5 City Council Candidates Nilu Jenks and Julie Kang. 

Learn more about the sponsors of this September 21st episode:

Seattle Restored

Northwest Film Forum

Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastSeattle on Instagram, or email us at [email protected]. You can also call or text us at 206-880-3931.

For more Seattle news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, City Cast Seattle.

Support City Cast Seattle by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm/seattle

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With all the headlines in the last few weeks, it’s hard to parse what is happening with AI – the bot swarms, the threats to humanity (?!) and the new report saying the city is overly dependent on tech money. Host Jane C. Hu talks with Todd Bishop, GeekWire's editor and co-founder, and Alex Halverson, tech reporter at The Seattle Times, to parse through the noise and understand what’s really going on. Then, Stesha Brandon, literature and humanities program manager at The Seattle Public Library, and producer Sam J Leeds join to talk about this year's Seattle Reads pick — a program that invites all of Seattle to read the same book and then gather to discuss it. This year it’s a fiction novel that’s a coming-of-age story about Deaf culture, bodily autonomy, and education. 

Learn more about the sponsors of this September 18th episode:

Grand Central Bakery

Washington State Fair

Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastSeattle on Instagram, or email us at [email protected]. You can also call or text us at 206-880-3931.

For more Seattle news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, City Cast Seattle.

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