In The NewsThe coronavirus pandemic has served to remind many of us how much we count on strangers staying healthy so we can restock our cupboards and go about daily life. That's especially true for Alaskans who depend on a marine cargo lifeline from the Pacific Northwest for the majority of their goods.Most days of the week, at least one ocean-going tugboat heads out from Puget Sound going north to Alaska with a heavily laden barge in tow. The tug crews fit into a category of essential workers the general public rarely sees — even less so now that shore leave by mariners and visitors...…In The NewsThe coronavirus pandemic has served to remind many of us how much we count on strangers staying healthy so we can restock our cupboards and go about daily life. That's especially true for Alaskans who depend on a marine cargo lifeline from the Pacific Northwest for the majority of their goods.Most days of the week, at least one ocean-going tugboat heads out from Puget Sound going north to Alaska with a heavily laden barge in tow. The tug crews fit into a category of essential workers the general public rarely sees — even less so now that shore leave by mariners and visitors...WW…

In The NewsNearly a year after the Washington Legislature voted to legalize sports betting, terms have been agreed for the first sportsbook to open. It will be inside one of the two Tulalip tribal casinos alongside Interstate 5 north of Everett.The Washington State Gambling Commission and the Tulalip Tribes announced a tentative agreement Friday to usher in legal sports betting to a limited degree. The agreement likely augurs similar arrangements being reached for other tribal casinos across Washington. The state legislature gave tribes exclusivity for this form of gambling.THANKS TO OUR...…In The NewsNearly a year after the Washington Legislature voted to legalize sports betting, terms have been agreed for the first sportsbook to open. It will be inside one of the two Tulalip tribal casinos alongside Interstate 5 north of Everett.The Washington State Gambling Commission and the Tulalip Tribes announced a tentative agreement Friday to usher in legal sports betting to a limited degree. The agreement likely augurs similar arrangements being reached for other tribal casinos across Washington. The state legislature gave tribes exclusivity for this form of gambling.THANKS TO OUR...WW…

In The NewsThe space agency NASA has chosen a small Tillamook-based aerospace company to design and test robotic balloons for future scientific exploration of Venus. is working on the Venus project with some of the same NASA team members currently managing a historic helicopter drone flight on Mars.THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:Near Space CEO Tim Lachenmeier said his company hopes to test fly a Venus exploration balloon prototype here on Earth in early fall. In an interview Friday, Lachenmeier said the harsh operating environment of Venus presents a difficult, but fascinating technical...…In The NewsThe space agency NASA has chosen a small Tillamook-based aerospace company to design and test robotic balloons for future scientific exploration of Venus. is working on the Venus project with some of the same NASA team members currently managing a historic helicopter drone flight on Mars.THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:Near Space CEO Tim Lachenmeier said his company hopes to test fly a Venus exploration balloon prototype here on Earth in early fall. In an interview Friday, Lachenmeier said the harsh operating environment of Venus presents a difficult, but fascinating technical...WW…

In The NewsYour browser does not support the audio element.Leaders of seven Pacific Northwest tribes testified this week in favor of replacing a statue of Oregon Trail pioneer and missionary Marcus Whitman in the U.S. Capitol. A proposal pending in the Washington Legislature would install a statue of the late Native rights activist Billy Frank Jr. in Whitman’s place of honor.THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:Every U.S. state gets to choose two prominent figures to put in the . In the early 1950s, Washington state delivered a larger-than-life bronze of Whitman. As sculpted by Arvard Fairbanks, the...…In The NewsYour browser does not support the audio element.Leaders of seven Pacific Northwest tribes testified this week in favor of replacing a statue of Oregon Trail pioneer and missionary Marcus Whitman in the U.S. Capitol. A proposal pending in the Washington Legislature would install a statue of the late Native rights activist Billy Frank Jr. in Whitman’s place of honor.THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:Every U.S. state gets to choose two prominent figures to put in the . In the early 1950s, Washington state delivered a larger-than-life bronze of Whitman. As sculpted by Arvard Fairbanks, the...WW…

A long goodbye to natural gas furnaces and water heating — and possibly other gas appliances — could begin with action by the Washington Legislature this winter. Separately, the Seattle City Council this week begins consideration of a similar proposal to eliminate fossil fuel-based heating in new commercial buildings."Buildings are one of our state's most significant and fastest growing sources of carbon pollution. We must do better — and we can do better," testified Michael Furze, head of the state energy office, on behalf of Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee.Natural gas utilities and major...…A long goodbye to natural gas furnaces and water heating — and possibly other gas appliances — could begin with action by the Washington Legislature this winter. Separately, the Seattle City Council this week begins consideration of a similar proposal to eliminate fossil fuel-based heating in new commercial buildings."Buildings are one of our state's most significant and fastest growing sources of carbon pollution. We must do better — and we can do better," testified Michael Furze, head of the state energy office, on behalf of Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee.Natural gas utilities and major...WW…

In The NewsSure, you’re a good Pacific Northwesterner because you recycle your beer cans, cardboard boxes and plastic milk jugs. But what about that dust-collecting piano you have long wanted to unload? It doesn’t fit into the recycling bin. Creative upcycling might be the answer.A group of friends in Olympia is starting an off-beat enterprise to tear apart and recycle pianos after noticing how online marketplaces are awash in pianos that aren’t selling at any price.THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:“It’s just fallen out of fashion to have your kids learn that particular instrument,” observed Michael...…In The NewsSure, you’re a good Pacific Northwesterner because you recycle your beer cans, cardboard boxes and plastic milk jugs. But what about that dust-collecting piano you have long wanted to unload? It doesn’t fit into the recycling bin. Creative upcycling might be the answer.A group of friends in Olympia is starting an off-beat enterprise to tear apart and recycle pianos after noticing how online marketplaces are awash in pianos that aren’t selling at any price.THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:“It’s just fallen out of fashion to have your kids learn that particular instrument,” observed Michael...WW…

In The NewsA new government report on high-speed rail in the Pacific Northwest recommends that Oregon, Washington and British Columbia formalize their interest in a Cascadia bullet train by creating an independent body to plan and eventually build it. But a critic associated with a conservative think tank responded that the region should take heed of California’s high-speed rail woes and put a spike in the Cascadia bullet train ambitions. by hired consultants examined governance and financing options. This report builds on previous state-sponsored studies that asserted there are sufficient...…In The NewsA new government report on high-speed rail in the Pacific Northwest recommends that Oregon, Washington and British Columbia formalize their interest in a Cascadia bullet train by creating an independent body to plan and eventually build it. But a critic associated with a conservative think tank responded that the region should take heed of California’s high-speed rail woes and put a spike in the Cascadia bullet train ambitions. by hired consultants examined governance and financing options. This report builds on previous state-sponsored studies that asserted there are sufficient...WW…

In The NewsYour browser does not support the audio element.As the coronavirus pandemic drags on, it’s now increasingly apparent that 2020 will be remembered for an unusually high death toll — not just from COVID-19. In the medical field, deaths above what you would normally expect are called “excess deaths.” Even after you subtract out COVID-19 casualties, many thousands more Oregonians, Idahoans and Washingtonians have gone to an early grave this year compared to a typical year.THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:The average number of deaths over the prior three years gives epidemiologists a pretty good...…In The NewsYour browser does not support the audio element.As the coronavirus pandemic drags on, it’s now increasingly apparent that 2020 will be remembered for an unusually high death toll — not just from COVID-19. In the medical field, deaths above what you would normally expect are called “excess deaths.” Even after you subtract out COVID-19 casualties, many thousands more Oregonians, Idahoans and Washingtonians have gone to an early grave this year compared to a typical year.THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:The average number of deaths over the prior three years gives epidemiologists a pretty good...WW…

In The NewsThe first Native American woman elected to the Washington State House of Representatives says she is drafting legislation to retire Native-themed mascots and team names at public schools. This has been a goal of Native American leaders for a while, but has new-found momentum in the wake of the Washington, D.C., NFL football team’s name change.Around two dozen high schools in Washington state currently use Native American-related mascots or nicknames — most commonly Indians, Warriors and Braves.THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:Democratic state Rep. Debra Lekanoff said derogatory nicknames...…In The NewsThe first Native American woman elected to the Washington State House of Representatives says she is drafting legislation to retire Native-themed mascots and team names at public schools. This has been a goal of Native American leaders for a while, but has new-found momentum in the wake of the Washington, D.C., NFL football team’s name change.Around two dozen high schools in Washington state currently use Native American-related mascots or nicknames — most commonly Indians, Warriors and Braves.THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:Democratic state Rep. Debra Lekanoff said derogatory nicknames...WW…

© 2022 NW News NetworkRegional Public JournalismPlay Live Radio0:000:00Available On Air StationsofThe skull of a gray whale that washed ashore in Puget Sound in 2019 will soon find its final resting place in a Jefferson County back yard.Mario RiveraofThe backbone of the adult gray whale shows how large of a lawn is needed for this kind of yard art.Mario RiveraLast year, a couple who lives near Port Townsend, Washington, agreed to let the federal government drop off a dead gray whale to decompose on their semi-isolated beach. Now, the couple has a permit to keep the whale skeleton and will...…© 2022 NW News NetworkRegional Public JournalismPlay Live Radio0:000:00Available On Air StationsofThe skull of a gray whale that washed ashore in Puget Sound in 2019 will soon find its final resting place in a Jefferson County back yard.Mario RiveraofThe backbone of the adult gray whale shows how large of a lawn is needed for this kind of yard art.Mario RiveraLast year, a couple who lives near Port Townsend, Washington, agreed to let the federal government drop off a dead gray whale to decompose on their semi-isolated beach. Now, the couple has a permit to keep the whale skeleton and will...WW…