Seattle Now

Jay Inslee is not seeking a fourth term as Washington’s governor. For the first time in more than a decade, the state will hold an open race for the governor’s seat next year, opening the door for some familiar faces in a new office.

We dive into Inslee and his legacy with Austin Jenkins, staff reporter at Pluribus News.

It’s not just any Monday, today is May Day or International Workers’ Day.

This year, the struggle for worker’s rights is making headlines across the country, and at big names in Seattle like Amazon and Starbucks.

KUOW’s Labor and Economy reporter Monica Nickelsburg is here to talk about worker power right now, and what the future may hold.

This week… The state legislative session ended without a new drug possession law. The state health department is shutting down its Covid-19 tracking app. And the Kraken are on the verge of an upset, and the city is buzzing. Local arts reporter Jas Keimig and Too Beautiful To Live Podcast Co-Host Andrew Walsh are here to break down the week.

For years, businesses in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District have been dealing with broken shop windows… and living with the plywood used to fill the gaps. But now, they’re getting some help.

The numbers keep going up.

Layoffs in tech have put Seattle workers on edge.

But the region’s shifting labor market is still looking pretty good for job seekers.

UW Policy Professor Jacob Vigdor is here to help explain.

The State Legislature session ended Sunday. One bill that didn't make it into law: a replacement for the state’s drug possession law, which times out in July.

That means drug possession could soon be legal at the state level. It also means a system of support for people with substance use disorder is in hanging in the balance.

We’ll learn more about the potential impact from UW Research professor Caleb Banta-Green.

King County has a big plan to make it easier for people in a mental health crisis to get care.

But it hinges on voters approving a new tax to make it happen.

Ballots are due tomorrow.

KUOW public health reporter Eilis O’Neill is here to help suss out the proposal and explain the impact it could have for people in crisis.

This week… The Seattle Police Department received recommendations on how to change their protest response. A ferry running aground reminded us we need to fix our aging fleet. And the Seattle season of the popular reality show Love is Blind is over - and it was a bit of a mess. KUOW Reporters Sami West and Mike Davis are here to break down the week.

The to-do list to revitalize downtown is long… in the short term Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and his administration have some short term plans to get more people visiting, living and working downtown. TAPE “Fundamentally, downtown runs on people. So our downtown activation plan is focused on how do we get more people downtown”

And so far, safety is taking a front seat. The city is cracking down on the fentanyl crisis and the shake up is imminent.

KUOW reporter Casey Martin is here. He’ll fill us in on some of the key items to anticipate.

Funding for public schools is a perennial problem in Seattle. PTAs are one solution, but they don’t work for the schools most in need of support.

A group of schools in Southeast Seattle are banding together to help fix that inequity with a radical new model for fundraising... plus, they're having some fun along the way.