Seattle Now

Amy Radel, KUOW courts and politics reporter, breaks down King County’s 'Shots Fired' data. She explains the report’s methods and who is most affected. She highlights recent trends, geographic and demographic shifts, local policing tactics, privacy debates over surveillance, and community and nonprofit responses.

Credit scores are pretty mysterious, but they also shape your economic destiny. It determines where you can live, what you can buy, and sometimes even what job you can get. But how do credit bureaus come up with these all-encompassing numbers? This President's Day we turn to KUOW's newest podcast Control F where host Teo Popescu tells host Clare McGrane about the data that credit scores feed on and how little we really know about how they're calculated. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online. Sources in this episode: Creditworthy: A history of consumer surveillance and financial identity in America, Josh Lauer, 2024 Credit Access in the U.S., U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 Affordable credit poised to save consumers billions, Alex Horowitz, Pew Charitable Trusts, 2023  WA’s new ban on medical debt in credit reports at risk of federal override, Jake Goldstein-Street, Washington State Standard, 2025 Interview with Josh Lauer, Author of Creditworthy  Interview with Alex Horowitz, Project Director at Pew Charitable Trusts Interview with Maya Lau, Host of Other People’s Pockets  Interview with Jazmin, founder of Budget with Jazmin See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alex Halverson, a business reporter digging into newly released Epstein-related documents tied to Nathan Myhrvold. Lauren Gallup, a climate and outdoor recreation reporter on how a warm winter is squeezing Washington ski areas. Courtney Flatt, an environmental correspondent explaining Audubon Conservation Ranching and bird habitat efforts. John Ryan, covering tribal and environmental stories about Stillaguamish River restoration and salmon impacts after December floods.

A roundup of Amazon cutting ties with a controversial surveillance company. Changes to federal and state climate and pollution rules that reshape local power. Legislative fights over policing, insurance fire-risk rules, tobacco taxes, and grocery access. A local reptile zoo closing and surges in transit ridership after a big parade.

Rachel Horgan, business reporter and podcast host who decodes local economic moves. Tan Vinh, Seattle Times food writer who digs into restaurant scenes. They chat Seahawks parade chaos and fan behavior. They debate penny elimination and cash rounding. They trade stories about heart-shaped pizzas, local bets, and T&T Market’s food-court culture.

Representative Jayapal talks about Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Epstein files, the legislature considers allowing betting on college sports at tribal casinos, and a lot of Seattle Public Scholls students went to the Seahawks' parade instead of school yesterday. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Paige Browning. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Layoffs have sent a shockwave through the tech sector.  Thousands of workers around Puget Sound are suddenly or soon to be out of work.  Puget Sound Business Journal Tech reporter Rick Morgan is here to talk about what’s next for laid off workers. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Massive Seahawks championship parade drew huge crowds and caused parking and transit chaos. ICE is reportedly scouting office space near Tukwila and the airport. City settles a $29M wrongful death claim and shifts $115M to fund public affordable housing. Boeing plans a new 737 MAX line in Everett. Local athletes and Winter Olympics updates round out the headlines.

Maddie Kristell, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Seattle who tracks regional weather and wildfire risks, joins to unpack an unusually warm winter. They talk low snowpack and impacts on skiing. They cover implications for summer water supply and heightened fire-weather concerns. Short-term forecasts and what residents and resorts should watch are also discussed.

Parade logistics and transit changes for a major Seahawks celebration. Bellevue's rise as a tech and AI hub with big companies leasing office space. Pacific Science Center selling property to the Space Needle owners and plans for joint tickets. A spike in statewide layoffs linked to big employers and AI. Local policy moves on ICE cooperation, a millionaire's tax push, and 9-1-1 audit findings.