Seattle Now

This week we vaccinated the first healthcare workers against COVID... It's been one for the history books! Seattle Times food writer Tan Vinh and Crosscut Science Reporter Hannah Weinberger are here to break down the week.

Millions traveled over Thanksgiving, despite government advice to stay home. People are bubbling up with friends and family, but they're also taking risks. So is gathering more safely possible?

Rural counties in Washington have become COVID hotspots.

With fewer doctors, and limited ICU beds, rural hospitals are struggling to find backup when health care workers also get sick.

The pandemic has devastated families. Right now, up to $1.8 million Washingtonians cannot afford food. But some of the most in need may be afraid to seek help.

Bad credit shouldn’t mean you pay higher insurance rates. At least that is what Washington State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler is saying.

Currently in the state, insurance companies can consider a person's credit score when determining risk. Kreidler says that disproportionately hurts poor individuals and people of color.

He has introduced a new piece of legislation that would outlaw the practice.

Melissa Santos is a political reporter and spoke with Commissioner Kreidler for her piece in Crosscut.

This week we learned that Seattle mayor Jenny Durkan won’t run for reelection, and school superintendent Denise Juneau says she’ll be leaving too. Seattle Times reporter Melissa Hellmann and the South Seattle Emerald’s Marcus Green are here to break it all down with us.

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan's announcement she won't run for a second term comes at a tumultuous time. The city is bruised by the pandemic and protests over police brutality, and fractured by political battles. So what drove the Mayor to step aside?

Just how bad is the pandemic right now? In a nutshell, bad. Today we break down the numbers and explain why this wave is worse than the previous two.

The idea of more space at home, maybe an office or a bigger yard, is enticing in a pandemic. That desire is driving down rents in Seattle, as people search beyond the city for homes. But the Covid economy means many won't benefit from cheaper rents, and face losing their homes.

Live music is a huge part of Seattle’s identity, but the pandemic put a stop to concerts indefinitely. Now we have an opportunity to reinvent the scene, and move on from the city's past.