John O'Brien

The Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, founded in 1882, advocates for over 2,500 companies. Its new CEO is Joe Nguyen, a former Democratic state senator and Washington commerce secretary with a history of support for progressive tax and policy positions.

As Republican and Democratic-run states around the country move quickly to redraw their congressional districts ahead of the midterms, Washington has not. But Washington state Democrats are starting to talk about doing it in the future. KUOW's Kim Malcolm talked to politics reporter Scott Greenstone for an update on the situation here.

A growing memorial for the 19-year-old University of Washington student who was killed at Nordheim Court student housing is shown, on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at Nordheim Court in Seattle.

A bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general sent a letter to congressional leaders this week opposing a new piece of legislation, the Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act, KIDS for short. Washington Attorney General Nick Brown signed the letter. He told KUOW’s Kim Malcolm about his concerns.

Questions are swirling after last week's tank implosion at the Nippon Dynawave packaging facility in Longview. Eleven men died at the pulp and paper mill, in what's being called the deadliest workplace incident in Washington state in nearly a century. Reporter Lauren Dake told KUOW’s Kim Malcolm about Oregon Public Broadcasting’s coverage of the disaster.

This week, many Seattleites are honoring the memory of Amarr Murphy-Paine. Two years ago, the Garfield High School student was shot and killed while trying to break up a fight in a school parking lot. No arrest has been made in the case. KUOW’s Kim Malcolm spoke to Amarr’s father, Arron.

The body of the last missing worker killed at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company was recovered on Saturday. Eleven people died last week, after a chemical tank imploded at the plant in Longview, Washington. Two more people remain in hospital with severe burns. Seattle Times breaking news reporter Joseph O'Sullivan has been covering events there. He gave KUOW’s Kim Malcolm this update.

Seattleite Raven Amrhein competed this week at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. The Hamilton International Middle School seventh grader was the only Washington state student to qualify this year. After an excellent run, they stumbled on the correct definition for the word “asperity.” KUOW’s Kim Malcolm caught up with Raven to talk about the bee experience.

Rhenda Strub is a wife, a mother, a grandmother, and a relatively new Seattle Mariners season ticket holder. She was featured in a Seattle Times story recently. It concerned her decision to invite strangers to join her at games. Strub's family didn’t love that development. KUOW’s Kim Malcolm had a chance to have a long talk with her, about baseball and much more.

On June 1, 2026, Governor Bob Ferguson signed Executive Order 26-01. It directs the Washington State Women’s Commission to work with cabinet agencies to implement appropriate accommodations for people experiencing menopause, as well as create guidance and training resources for state agencies and other public and private employers.