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Tag: Seattle News Weekly Podcast

  • ‘Seattle News Weekly’: WA election results, political trends, tax tensions

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    ‘Seattle News Weekly S1E13’: Recapping the 2025 November elections

    Election day has come and gone. FOX 13’s Hana Kim is joined by FOX 13 political analyst Sandeep Kaushik to talk about the recent political trends in Seattle and Washington state as whole, and how they were front and center this election cycle. The two also chatted about how this year’s election is a sign of what’s to come in next year’s midterms.

    SEATTLE – Days after the 2025 election on Tuesday, results across Washington state are still trickling in, but tensions are increasing in Olympia over potential big tax increases. 

    On the 13th episode of the “Seattle News Weekly” podcast, political analyst Sandeep Kaushik joins Hana Kim to unpack the results and look ahead to Olympia’s next legislative session, where Kaushik says tensions are increasing.

    They briefly discuss the race for Seattle Mayor, where, as of Thursday morning, incumbent Mayor Bruce Harrell holds a 6% lead over challenger Katie Wilson.

    The focus then shifts to the state legislature in Olympia, where Democrats maintain an “almost supermajority,” despite Republican efforts to flip two key Senate seats: Legislative District 26 and Legislative District 5. Kaushik says, based on election results, those Republican efforts appear to have been unsuccessful.

    With Democrats controlling both the legislative and executive branches, political tensions are increasing within the Democratic Party—specifically between centrist leadership and the increasingly progressive caucuses.

    These tensions between Democrats, according to Kaushik, stem from the progressive Democrats pushing for more extensive policy changes, specifically advocating for higher taxes on the wealthy. On the other hand, the more moderate Democrats, which include Gov. Ferguson, are more aligned with a less aggressive tax increase. 

    The biggest point of contention at the Capitol is how to address the state’s budget and where the priorities lie for new revenue. Specifically, they discuss how the more progressive side is pushing for a wealth tax, or high earners’ income tax. In the last session, they pushed for a record $9.2 billion tax increase. For the next session, Kaushik says they want to go even further with their high-earners income tax. 

    Kaushik says an income tax is “ostensibly unconstitutional in Washington state.”

    On the podcast, they discuss how Governor Ferguson initially ran into conflict with his own party because he opposed the idea of “big tax increases” and sought a different tone than his predecessor. Although he signed off on the $9.2 billion package, the tension remains.

    Kaushik brings up the voter fear in this instance. 

    They switch gears and talk about Gov. Ferguson and his conflicts with his own party. 

    The podcast concludes with a brief review of additional key races, including the King County Executive position and the defeat of several moderate and Republican incumbents in Seattle, with notes on the strong progressive ideological shifts. 

    Join us every Thursday to stay up to date on weekly news around the area.

    Seattle News Weekly is a podcast that goes in depth and gives context to the stories that matter to the western Washington community. Check back every Thursday for a new episode on your favorite podcast platform, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Stitcher, Amazon Music, TuneIn and Audible, or YouTube.

    The Source: Information in this story came from original FOX 13 Seattle reporting. 

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    To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle newsletter.

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  • ‘Seattle News Weekly’: Haunting cold case out of Snohomish, WA

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    ‘Seattle News Weekly S1E10’: Snohomish County community haunted by cold case

    On the tenth episode of the “Seattle News Weekly” podcast, FOX 13 Seattle anchor David Rose and reporter Lauren Donovan discuss a 2006 cold case out of Snohomish County, which continues to haunt the community. It’s been nearly 20 years, but David Stodden — who lost his wife and daughter — is still processing the pain.

    SEATTLE – A cold case in Snohomish County has haunted the community for nearly twenty years. On a Tuesday in July 2006, Mary Cooper and her daughter, Susanna Stodden, were murdered at the end of their hike on the Pinnacle Lake Trail off the Mountain Loop Highway. 

    On the tenth episode of the ‘Seattle News Weekly’ podcast, David Rose sits down with reporter Lauren Donovan, to discuss the case. Both Rose and Donovan have closely followed the case in their Seattle journalism careers and have worked directly with Snohomish County law enforcement to learn as much as they can about both the case itself, and the process that goes into working with such a sensitive cold case. 

    cold case homicide 2006

    Cold case homicide flyer courtesy of Snohomish County Sheriff’s office

    Donovan begins the podcast by laying out the scene of the crime: The women were at a natural resting spot on the trail, a spot where one would pull over for a sip of water or grab a bite to eat. Then, they were both found shot to death. 

    Rose began his FOX 13 Seattle journalism journey in 2007, a year after the murders took place.

    Rose explains the process of working with unsolved cases. He says they take out the entire file, they reconcile it, and they look for things they can retest for DNA and if they get DNA, they can submit that for genetic genealogy. 

    Earlier this month, Donovan reported on the story, shining light on the grief that still looms over David Stodden, the father and husband of the victims in the case. On the podcast, she talks about her experience spending time with Stodden and Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office Detective Dave Bilyeu. 

    One of the key pieces of this story that Donovan covers on the podcast, is that Stodden was a a person of interest for nearly a decade. His name was not cleared until after taking three polygraph tests. Donovan describes the feelings surrounding the case, when she spent time with Stodden, who read a poem aloud in the spot where his wife and daughter were killed. 

    They conclude the podcast with a clip from Detective Bilyeu, who talks about the Sheriff’s Office’s commitment to bringing answers to the family and the community. They highlight his effort to never stop bringing the case to life and their commitment as journalists to continue that effort as well. 

    Donovan says when she reported on the story earlier this month, she felt like she was able to step into the shoes of an investigator, which she says she appreciated a lot.  

    Seattle News Weekly PodcastPodcastsCrime and Public Safety

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  • ‘Seattle News Weekly’: New WA taxes push small businesses to close

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    ‘Seattle News Weekly S1E9’: Controversial new taxes take effect in WA

    On the ninth episode of the “Seattle News Weekly” podcast, FOX 13 Seattle anchor Hana Kim talks about a suite of controversial new taxes that took effect this month, pushed by the state’s Democratic-majority Legislature. Joining Hana to discuss the effect of these recent taxes is Joshua Dirks, team lead of Seattle-based advertising company Project Bionic.

    SEATTLE – A controversial slew of taxes went into effect on Oct. 1 in Washington state, which aim to generate about $9 billion over four years. The taxes impact about 90,000 businesses. 

    On the ninth episode of the “Seattle News Weekly” podcast, FOX 13 Seattle anchor Hana Kim talks about a suite of controversial new taxes that took effect this month, pushed by the state’s Democratic-majority Legislature. Joining Hana to discuss the effect of these recent taxes is Joshua Dirks, team lead of Seattle-based advertising company Project Bionic.

    The controversy centers on the expansion of the retail sales tax to cover various services, including digital advertising. This tax is now applied to services such as information technology, custom website development, investigation/security services, live presentations and custom software.

    Dirks runs a digital agency that he says has become prohibitively expensive to run in the state of Washington. Closing his business is a hard fact to face, according to Dirks. 

    On the podcast, Dirks notes that the bill includes an exemption for traditional advertising, such as print ads in newspapers and billboards, but not for digital advertising, which he says creates an uneven playing field. This has caused clients to look out of state, resulting in Dirks losing a 16-year account to a Los Angeles agency.

    They discussed the size of his business, which was made up of 16 employees. They go into the concept that, even though his business is small, it still uses an extensive list of software and digital automated services. 

    Dirks says the taxes are going to create a big knowledge gap in the marketplace because businesses may no longer be able to pay for educational resources and events that revolve around understanding new topics in the industry, like the emergence of AI and the digital sphere overall. 

    Dirks also discusses the increase in the Business and Occupation (B&O) tax. The B&O tax for businesses grossing $5 million or more is set to increase from 1.75% to 2.1%. Dirks clarifies that $5 million in gross revenue is mostly overhead, not profit, for most businesses. Businesses are being “double impacted” by both the new sales tax and a 20% B&O tax increase on services, according to Dirks.

    They discuss the divide in how people believe tax money should be spent in Washington and Dirks encourages voters to research their government officials and where they stand on tax packages like the one enacted on Oct. 1. 

    Dirks brings up that a large business, Comcast, is suing over the tax, but Dirks is critical of state leaders for pushing the tax through in eight days without consulting the industry or small businesses. He advocates for lawmakers to visit small and medium-sized businesses and learn about their operational pain points.

    The podcast concludes with a discussion about large businesses and that businesses will continue to move away from states that are increasing taxes like these. Dirks says people should come together to find a solution to these problems with businesses rather than increasing tax. 

    The podcast wraps up after Dirks says he anticipates other creative businesses are considering moving out of the state. He states he will eventually move out of the area and no longer incorporate his future businesses in Washington, choosing to be “geoflexible.” He warns that the mass exodus of talent could “meteorically change the face of what Seattle looks like.”

    Join us every Thursday to stay up to date on weekly news around the area.

    Seattle News Weekly is a podcast that goes in depth and gives context to the stories that matter to the western Washington community. Check back every Thursday for a new episode on your favorite podcast platform, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Stitcher, Amazon Music, TuneIn and Audible, or YouTube.

    The Source: Information in this story came from original FOX 13 Seattle reporting. 

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    To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle newsletter.

    Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.

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  • ‘Seattle News Weekly’: What the First Amendment protects, what it doesn’t

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    SEATTLE – The eighth episode of “Seattle News Weekly,” FOX 13 Seattle Anchor Bill Wixey takes a deep dive into the First Amendment — what it protects, what it doesn’t and how those lines play out in today’s media landscape. 

    In this episode, Wixey hosts Seattle University’s Dr. Caitlin Carlson, chair of the Department of Communications and Media, to unpack the law and its real-world impacts on press freedom, social platforms, consolidation, misinformation and protest.

    The conversation explores how foundational rights interact with modern challenges, from content moderation to government pressure on media companies, and why an informed public and robust local journalism are essential for a healthy democracy.

    What does the First Amendment actually cover?

    Wixey and Carlson’s discussion starts with a baseline: the First Amendment, which includes five freedoms — speech, press, assembly, free exercise of religion and protection from a government-established religion. 

    Carlson emphasizes that while it’s “first,” it sits alongside many other constitutional protections and isn’t a blanket shield for all expression.

    Where are the legal limits?

    Carlson outlines the categories that fall outside First Amendment protection, including true threats, incitement to imminent unlawful action, child pornography and “fighting words,” alongside torts like defamation, and areas like copyright and trademark. Hate speech, she noted, is generally protected in the U.S. unless it crosses those lines.

    How does First Amendment apply to social media?

    Because social media platforms are private spaces, the government doesn’t set their moderation rules — companies do.

    Platforms can go far beyond constitutional limits and ban categories of speech at their discretion, provided users agree to the terms.

    Government pressure, consolidation, the press

    In this episode, Carlson differentiates between protected criticism of the press by public officials and more troubling patterns, like lawsuits intended to chill reporting or regulatory pressure tied to ownership approvals. 

    She warns that media consolidation reduces the number of local journalists and narrows the range of voices and stories the public can access.

    Misinformation, disinformation, and accountability

    According to Carlson, misinformation and disinformation aren’t illegal in the U.S., and the government doesn’t referee truth. Instead, accountability often comes through civil litigation, like high-profile defamation cases, rather than regulation. 

    This conversation emphasizes the importance of media literacy and the risks of any authority declaring disfavored reporting as “fake news.”

    What protections exist for protesters?

    Protest rights hinge on location. Peaceful demonstrations in traditional public forums — like parks and sidewalks — receive strong protection; private institutions, like private universities, have more discretion to set rules. 

    This episode explores recent controversies over campus protests and the tension between First Amendment principles and funding or immigration-status threats.

    Join us every Thursday to stay up to date on weekly news around the area.

    Seattle News Weekly is a podcast that goes in depth and gives context to the stories that matter to the western Washington community. Check back every Thursday for a new episode on your favorite podcast platform, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Stitcher, Amazon Music, TuneIn and Audible, or YouTube.

    The Source: Information in this story came from original FOX 13 Seattle reporting. 

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    To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter.

    Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.

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  • ‘Seattle News Weekly’: School shooting concerns

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    SEATTLE – Firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teens ages one to 19-years-old in the United States, according to Every Town for Gun Safety. 

    On the seventh episode of the “Seattle News Weekly” podcast, FOX 13 Seattle anchors Erin Mayovsky and John Hopperstad talk about the threat of school shootings and what laws Washington state has passed in hopes of limiting the number of deadly incidents.

    Earlier this month, police arrested a 13-year-old from Pierce County for making mass shooting threats online. The 13-year-old boy is charged with unlawful possession of a gun, unlawful possession of fireworks and threats toward a school. 

    On the podcast, Mayovsky and Hopperstad talked about concerns surrounding this case, specifically questioning how he had access to the guns. Investigators found 23 guns, many 3-D printed and untraceable, in his home, along with evidence of his obsession with past mass shooters, including imitating and idolizing them.

    They further discussed the statistics surrounding gun violence and youth in the country and around the state of Washington. Mayovsky said in an average year, 935 people die from guns in Washington alone. 

    They discussed the differences between gun control laws in the United States and compared them to other countries. Specifically, in Australia, where the National Firearms Agreement (NFA) was implemented in 1996, following the Port Arthur massacre, which banned certain semi-automatic and pump-action firearms, established a buyback program, created a national firearms registry and introduced strict licensing and waiting periods for gun ownership. 

    The podcast concluded with a lighter topic, where they discussed the celebration surrounding the Seattle Mariners and their clinching of the AL West Division, Cal Raleigh’s legacy and the overall morale between fans and the community. 

    Join us every Thursday to stay up to date on weekly news around the area.

    Seattle News Weekly is a podcast that goes in depth and gives context to the stories that matter to the western Washington community. Check back every Thursday for a new episode on your favorite podcast platform, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Stitcher, Amazon Music, TuneIn and Audible, or YouTube.

    The Source: Information in this story came from original FOX 13 Seattle reporting. 

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    To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle newsletter.

    Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.

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  • ‘Seattle News Weekly’: Renton’s abandoned building, hate crimes

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    SEATTLE – The city of Renton has received criticism from community members this week, due to safety hazards in abandoned buildings. Additionally, this week, a serious hate crime occurred in Renton, involving teenagers who chased and beat a transgender woman.

    On episode six of the “Seattle News Weekly” podcast, FOX 13 Seattle Anchor David Rose and Renton Mayor Armando Pavone discuss a former Boeing office building that has become a safety hazard and sparked local businesses’ frustrations due to vandalism and squatting, along with a recent attack on a transgender woman in Renton and how the region is planning to prepare for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

    On the podcast, Rose asked Mayor Pavone about the costs of this building, both pertaining to the dollar amount of fines the city has implemented on the property and surrounding businesses’ costs for security and fixes. Pavone said that once the property owners saw the fines increased to $3.5 million, it got their attention. 

    They further discussed the legal steps the city of Renton would need to take in order to properly help the situation, ethically and legally. 

    Earlier this week, four young men in Renton were arrested in connection with a hate crime assault of a transgender woman. The woman said young men were harassing a security guard, which led her to ask them, “Don’t you have anything better to do?” 

    Later that evening, the woman was walking back through the area, when two of the teenage brothers chased down and beat her near the Renton Transit Center Monday evening. 

    On the podcast, Mayor Pavone said, “We need to take a stronger stance.” 

    The podcast concluded with a discussion over the regional approach for the large influx of visitors for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. According to the mayor, the whole county is coming up with a plan to make the event as enjoyable for visitors as possible. 

    Join us every Thursday to stay up to date on weekly news around the area.

    Seattle News Weekly is a podcast that goes in depth and gives context to the stories that matter to the western Washington community. Check back every Thursday for a new episode on your favorite podcast platform, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Stitcher, Amazon Music, TuneIn and Audible, or YouTube.

    The Source: Information in this story came from original FOX 13 Seattle reporting. 

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    To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle newsletter.

    Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.

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