Northwest Reports

The State of Downtown Seattle Today

Taylor Swift shows and MLB All-Star Week brought business this summer, but the city center is still hurting. Reporter Josh Cohen offers some updates.
Downtown Seattle got plenty of visitors this year thanks to the MLB All-Star Game and concerts from big-name musicians like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé.  
Events like these make Downtown feel like a far cry from the early days of COVID-19.  
Still, there are some post-pandemic challenges that the city center is working through, which Crosscut’s Josh Cohen first reported on in February. 
In this episode, we replay an interview with Josh from March about the hurdles facing Downtown – and the ideas people have for its future – before getting into an updated conversation with him about the state of Downtown today.  
Read more about how Seattle's Downtown recovery is going here.
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Credits
Host/Producer: Maleeha Syed and Sara Bernard
Reporter: Josh Cohen
Story editor: Ryan Famuliner
Executive producer: Sarah Menzies
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If you would like to support Crosscut, go to crosscut.com/membership. In addition to supporting our events and our daily journalism, members receive complete access to the on-demand programming of Seattle’s PBS station, KCTS 9.

What’s New With the Starbucks Labor Movement

But there still isn't a contract. Crosscut reporter Lizz Giordano updates us on employees’ unionizing efforts.
Unions have been flexing their muscles to advocate for workers’ rights across sectors from the auto industry to Hollywood.   
Coffee shops are no exception: Employees at more than 300 Starbucks locations have voted to unionize under Starbucks Workers United since December 2021, when a shop in Buffalo became the first to do so.  
Earlier this year, Crosscut reporter Lizz Giordano wrote about these unionizing efforts, including the alleged retaliation workers said they faced from the coffee giant and their ongoing struggle to secure a contract.   
In this episode of Crosscut Reports, we checked back in with Lizz to ask if there were any updates since we last spoke to her. She talked about Starbucks employees’ growing union power – especially in Eastern Washington – as well as what’s on the horizon when it comes to bargaining with the coffee chain.    
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Credits
Host/Producer: Maleeha Syed and Sara Bernard
Reporter: Lizz Giordano
Story editor: Ryan Famuliner
Executive producer: Sarah Menzies
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If you would like to support Crosscut, go to crosscut.com/membership. In addition to supporting our events and our daily journalism, members receive complete access to the on-demand programming of Seattle’s PBS station, KCTS 9.

The Latest in a Post-Roe Washington

Reporter Megan Burbank discusses new and old complications for reproductive healthcare in WA, from appointment delays to politics.
When the U.S. Supreme Court ended the federal right to abortion in June 2022, Washington leaders doubled down on ensuring access.  
Over the past year and a half, state policy has followed accordingly, from a suite of shield laws to the allocation of government funds for abortion providers and seekers. 
Reporter Megan Burbank has covered reproductive health care in the region for years. Back in January, she offered Crosscut Reports an overview of the impact that the fall of Roe v. Wade had on Washington in the first six months. 
In this episode, Burbank returns with an update on what has happened in the year since. Host Sara Bernard speaks with Burbank about how ongoing restrictions in Idaho continue to affect Washington; the unfolding politics of abortion access across the country; the pivots in the anti-abortion movement since its SCOTUS victory; and what we might expect in the new year.  
Read more about the ongoing regional impact of the fall of Roe v. Wade here.  
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Credits
Host/Producer:  Sara Bernard and Maleeha Syed 
Reporter:  Megan Burbank
Story editor: Ryan Famuliner
Executive producer: Sarah Menzies
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If you would like to support Crosscut, go to crosscut.com/membership. In addition to supporting our events and our daily journalism, members receive complete access to the on-demand programming of Seattle’s PBS station, KCTS 9.

The Legacy of One WA Man’s Workplace Death

Reporter Lizz Giordano talks about the legal handling of Harold Felton’s death – and why his family thinks more could have been done.
In 2016, Harold Felton was working in a trench in West Seattle when it suddenly collapsed, killing him.    
Seattle police declared his death an accident and handed the case to Washington’s Department of Labor & Industries (L&I), which enforces safety standards and investigates workplace fatalities.  
King County prosecutors eventually charged Felton’s employer, Phillip Numrich, with felony manslaughter, setting a precedent for holding workplaces accountable.   
Crosscut investigative reporter Lizz Giordano spoke with host Maleeha Syed about this precedent and why – in spite of how Felton’s death was handled – his family ultimately believes L&I failed him.  
Read more about the aftermath of Harold Felton's death here. 
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Credits
Host/Producer: Maleeha Syed and Sara Bernard
Reporter: Lizz Giordano
Story editor: Ryan Famuliner
Executive producer: Sarah Menzies
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If you would like to support Crosscut, go to crosscut.com/membership. In addition to supporting our events and our daily journalism, members receive complete access to the on-demand programming of Seattle’s PBS station, KCTS 9.

Getting in the Thanksgiving Spirit With Rachel Belle

Your Last Meal gets in the Turkey Day spirit with interviews from Greta Gerwig, Martina McBride and more.
This Thanksgiving, you’re invited to a celebrity potluck courtesy of Your Last Meal, a podcast that asks celebrities what they would choose to eat for their final meal. 
Rachel Belle, the podcast’s host and an editor-at-large at Crosscut, compiled interviews from her show into one episode, taking listeners through several courses to make one Thanksgiving dinner. 
You probably recognize some of the names Rachel features in this special edition of Your Last Meal, from Greta Gerwig to Martina McBride. 
In this episode of Crosscut Reports, host Maleeha Syed has a Thanksgiving chat with Rachel, who gives a little background on Your Last Meal and shares her favorite dish to eat on the holiday, along with a short preview of her Thanksgiving episode – which is out now.  
Listen to Rachel's full Thanksgiving episode for Your Last Meal here. 
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Credits
Host/Producer: Maleeha Syed and Sara Bernard
Reporter: Rachel Belle
Story editor: Ryan Famuliner
Executive producer: Sarah Menzies
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If you would like to support Crosscut, go to crosscut.com/membership. In addition to supporting our events and our daily journalism, members receive complete access to the on-demand programming of Seattle’s PBS station, KCTS 9.

How WA Voters Feel Ahead of Presidential Election

Joseph O’Sullivan breaks down what poll respondents had to say about the upcoming presidential election — and almost no one is excited.
More than 60% of Washington voters think Donald Trump is corrupt, while 70% think Joe Biden is too old to be president. Around three in five feel pessimistic about major issues, such as gun violence and immigration. 
And overall, Washington voters are generally unsatisfied with America’s political system.  
These are just a few findings from the latest Crosscut/Elway poll, which featured responses from around 400 registered voters in Washington. 
In this episode of Crosscut Reports, reporter Joseph O’Sullivan, who wrote about the poll, chats with host Maleeha Syed about how respondents feel about the 2024 election and the leading candidates; the factors likely to influence who gets their vote; and what all this says about politics in Washington state. 
Read more about how voters are feeling ahead of next year's election here. 
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Credits
Host/Producer: Maleeha Syed and Sara Bernard
Reporter: Joseph O'Sullivan
Story editor: Ryan Famuliner
Executive producer: Sarah Menzies
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If you would like to support Crosscut, go to crosscut.com/membership. In addition to supporting our events and our daily journalism, members receive complete access to the on-demand programming of Seattle’s PBS station, KCTS 9.

Raising Babies in a WA Prison

Reporters Amanda Snyder and Joseph O'Sullivan share the stories of three moms who live with their babies through the state's prison parenting program.
The United States has seen a substantial increase in the incarceration rates of women over the past few decades. Some of them are entering the prison system pregnant. 
Many of these women are forced to serve their sentences away from their children, but some states, including Washington, have tried to change that. 
The Washington Corrections Center for Women has run the Residential Parenting Program for more than two decades, allowing women to raise their babies for up to 30 months while incarcerated. The program offers child care, parenting classes, educational opportunities and other support.  
Host Sara Bernard spoke with journalists Amanda Snyder and Joseph O’Sullivan about their reporting on three mothers in the program who shared what it’s like going to prison while pregnant, raising their babies in incarceration and preparing for life once they’re released. 
Read more about these mothers' experiences here. 
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Credits
Host/Producer: Sara Bernard
Reporter: Amanda Snyder and Joseph O'Sullivan
Story editor: Ryan Famuliner
Executive producer: Sarah Menzies
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If you would like to support Crosscut, go to crosscut.com/membership. In addition to supporting our events and our daily journalism, members receive complete access to the on-demand programming of Seattle’s PBS station, KCTS 9.

How This Election Could Shape Seattle

We spoke with reporter Josh Cohen about the district races and how they could impact the city after Nov. 7.
Election Day is just around the corner and Seattle’s in for a lot of change.
Only three incumbents are running to represent Seattle’s seven City Council districts. Additionally, at-large Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda may leave her post if she secures a spot on the King County Council.
All of this means Seattle will soon have several new leaders shaping the city’s approach to major issues, like public safety and homelessness. 
For this episode, Crosscut’s city reporter, Josh Cohen, chatted with host Maleeha Syed about how voters feel this year; how different candidates are approaching key issues; and how this election could give us insight into the state of Seattle.
Read more about Seattle's upcoming election here. 
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Credits
Host/Producer: Maleeha Syed and Sara Bernard
Reporter: Josh Cohen 
Story editor: Ryan Famuliner
Executive producer: Sarah Menzies
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If you would like to support Crosscut, go to crosscut.com/membership. In addition to supporting our events and our daily journalism, members receive complete access to the on-demand programming of Seattle’s PBS station, KCTS 9.
 

Who Got WA’s COVID Small Business Money?

The Working Washington program aimed to get pandemic relief to small and “historically disadvantaged” business owners. Did it?
 
In April 2020, Washington distributed $10 million to businesses navigating the pandemic, the first of many rounds of grant funding delivered by the state.   
The Working Washington grant program was established to get money to small businesses overlooked by federal COVID relief efforts, with officials calling on the Department of Commerce to emphasize “historically disadvantaged” and BIPOC businesses.    
Crosscut filed records requests for the individual grants, finding large corporate chains among the recipients. 
In this episode, host Maleeha Syed speaks with reporter Brandon Block, who recently published a story on these findings, about where the relief dollars went – and if the state made good on its plan to reach small and historically disadvantaged businesses. 
Read more about Crosscut's analysis of Working Washington here. 
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Credits
Host/Producer: Maleeha Syed and Sara Bernard
Reporter: Brandon Block
Story editor: Ryan Famuliner
Executive producer: Sarah Menzies
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If you would like to support Crosscut, go to crosscut.com/membership. In addition to supporting our events and our daily journalism, members receive complete access to the on-demand programming of Seattle’s PBS station, KCTS 9.

Israel-Hamas War Hits Close to Home in WA

Members of local Jewish and Palestinian communities discuss the war's impacts across the Atlantic.
On Oct. 7, Hamas, a militant group that controls the Gaza Strip, launched a surprise attack on Israel. 
Israel quickly declared war – pounding Gaza with airstrikes and restricting the region’s access to water, food and electricity. 
Around 1,400 Israelis and 3,000 Palestinians have been killed. 
For this episode, host Maleeha Syed spoke with Maxima Patashnik, a member of the local Jewish community, and Sabrene Odeh, a member of the local Palestinian-American community, about how the war has affected them. Read more about the local impact of the war between Israel and Hamas here.  
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Credits
Host/Producer: Maleeha Syed and Sara Bernard
Reporter: Mai Hoang
Executive producer: Sarah Menzies
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If you would like to support Crosscut, go to crosscut.com/membership. In addition to supporting our events and our daily journalism, members receive complete access to the on-demand programming of Seattle’s PBS station, KCTS 9.