City Cast Seattle

Here's what Seattle is talking about today.

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Episode Is Seattle’s Coffee Scene Missing Anything? Plus, a New Indie Rock Podcast and the Valley of the Gnomes

Is Seattle’s Coffee Scene Missing Anything? Plus, a New Indie Rock Podcast and the Valley of the Gnomes

33 minSep 29, 2026

2004 was the year indie rock exploded on the music scene — at least, that’s according to a new podcast that launched last week. Host Jane C. Hu and Creative Producer Liam Billingham talk with Melissa Locker, executive producer of “2004: The Year Indie Rock Broke” and founder of Nevermind Media, about what was happening musically in the early aughts, and what that looked like in the Pacific Northwest. Then, to celebrate National Coffee Day, contributor Hannah Krieg joins Jane and Liam to chat about Seattle's coffee history , what the city is doing well, and what's missing in the coffee scene. And finally, Seattle Times employees picketing , Sound Transit’s new Pinehurst station opening tomorrow, and a little bit of whimsy in the form of the Valley of the Gnomes and “Are you my doppelganger?” flyers . Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastSeattle on Instagram , or email us at [email protected] . You can also call or text us at 206-880-3931. For more Seattle news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, City Cast Seattle. Support City Cast Seattle by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm/seattle Looking to advertise on City Cast Seattle? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise .

Our Global Fashion Influence, What Bees Teach Us About Social Isolation, and the Original Gayborhood

36 minSep 28, 2026

The Washington Department of Corrections has used solitary confinement for decades, often in violation of UN rules. Could a neuroscience researcher studying bumblebees change that? Host Jane C. Hu talks with journalist Carolyn Bick about UW neuroscience researcher Micaela Romero's findings and what they reveal about solitary confinement’s psychological impact . Then, Seattle journalist Jonathan Zwickel and CHUM News co-founder Meron Menghistab dig into Pioneer Square's varied and queer history and its recent resurgence as a fashion destination. To round things out, Jane talks with New Affection designer Siobhan Teahan and writer Andrew Matson about Seattle's globally influential style . Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastSeattle on Instagram , or email us at [email protected] . You can also call or text us at 206-880-3931. For more Seattle news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, City Cast Seattle. Support City Cast Seattle by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm/seattle Looking to advertise on City Cast Seattle? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise .

Mayor Wilson’s Budget Explained, Seattle’s Neon Sign Past and Present, and Boeing’s Grunge Influence

32 minSep 25, 2026

Today on the podcast, Jane is joined by two first-timers to City Cast Seattle, Amy Sundberg, reporter at The Urbanist, and Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton, business reporter at The Seattle Times. First, Amy, Megan, and Jane break down what’s in Katie Wilson’s budget for 2027 , including questions about the lack of revenue options and the increase in the police budget. Then, Megan talks about the history and craft of Seattle’s neon signs, why they could go away , and why Seattle is a neon sign town. After Megan and Amy head back to their newsrooms, Jane is joined by UW Professor and Imperialist Realism author Daniel Bessner , who is writing about the connections between grunge music and Boeing in his series Empire of Grunge . Daniel and Jane connect the history of Boeing to what’s happening in Seattle right now. That’s all for this week! Unless you’re a City Cast Neighbor, in which case you can hear Liam, Jane, and Ashley talk about adult hobbies and why Seattle is a good place to learn to do new things! Like… Gaelic football? New Ashley fact just dropped. Learn more about the sponsors of this September 25th episode: Seattle Restored Northwest Film Forum Grand Central Bakery Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastSeattle on Instagram , or email us at [email protected] . You can also call or text us at 206-880-3931. For more Seattle news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, City Cast Seattle. Support City Cast Seattle by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm/seattle Looking to advertise on City Cast Seattle? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise .

U District's Movie Theater Revival, Elvis at the Space Needle, and a Popsicle Party

30 minSep 24, 2026

Host Jane C. Hu talks with Shane Wahlund and Michael Anderson, co-hosts of Collide-O-Scope , about how Seattle’s image on film has shifted over time and what they’ve learned from years of sorting through vintage video, found footage, and decades of film. The duo discuss their show “ Once Upon a Time in Seattle ,” from decades of car chases to Elvis sightings, and a surprisingly gritty Pike Place Market. Then, contributor Chase Hutchinson and creative producer Sam J. Leeds join to celebrate some genuinely good news: the Grand Illusion Cinema is coming back to the U District ! Plus, Jane, Sam, and Chase share recommendations for weekend plans.  Learn more about the sponsors of this September 24th episode: Seattle Restored Northwest Film Forum Grand Central Bakery Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastSeattle on Instagram , or email us at [email protected] . You can also call or text us at 206-880-3931. For more Seattle news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, City Cast Seattle. Support City Cast Seattle by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm/seattle Looking to advertise on City Cast Seattle? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise .

Twihards Help Quileute Tribe, Archie McPhee Owner Changes Course, and AI Enters Civics

34 minSep 23, 2026

Today on the podcast, Jane is joined by contributor Brett Hamil and creative producer Liam Billingham, both non-robots. Jane runs down the Archie McPhee saga , and then Liam, Brett, and Jane discuss owner Mark Pahlow’s apology, as well as discuss what responsibility consumers have in knowing what their money is supporting. Then the trio discuss former Councilmember Sarah Nelson’s new initiative, CivicTide , which uses AI to track city council legislation and “solve for the hassle of civic engagement.” They discuss the challenges of civic engagement, ways to improve how our city reports information, and why the ‘neutral’ style of AI isn’t really neutral. Finally, Jane is joined by journalist Lyric Aquino to discuss how Twilight fans are helping to support the Quileute tribe, who inspired details for the hit films and now must move their village out of a tsunami zone. Learn more about the sponsors of this September 23rd episode: Seattle Restored Northwest Film Forum Grand Central Bakery Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastSeattle on Instagram , or email us at [email protected] . You can also call or text us at 206-880-3931. For more Seattle news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, City Cast Seattle. Support City Cast Seattle by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm/seattle Looking to advertise on City Cast Seattle? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise .

Seattle Expands Civil Rights, a Dynamic Pricing Ban Has Safeway Making Threats, and Amtrak Trains Get a Glow-Up

28 minSep 22, 2026

City Council and Mayor Wilson have been busy: a landmark ordinance protecting polyamorous people and diverse family structures just passed unanimously, a new city budget drops today , and grocery stores are threatening to cancel loyalty programs over a potential dynamic pricing ban . Host Jane C. Hu sits down with guest Andy Engelson, founder of Cascadia Journal, and contributor Ryan Packer to break it all down. Plus, fall is here, and new Amtrak trains are coming, so Jane and our two self-described train nerds discuss the launch of the new Airo trains and other exciting fall activities. Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Learn more about the sponsors of this September 22nd episode: Seattle Restored Northwest Film Forum Grand Central Bakery Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastSeattle on Instagram , or email us at [email protected] . You can also call or text us at 206-880-3931. For more Seattle news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, City Cast Seattle. Support City Cast Seattle by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm/seattle Looking to advertise on City Cast Seattle? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise .

Why Starting a Publishing House is Punk. Plus, E-Scooter Safety and Listener Mailbag

34 minSep 21, 2026

Today on the podcast, it’s all about books! Jane is joined by Diana Le, writer and publisher at Girl Noise Press , and Katie Lee Ellison , author and founder of Nonfiction for No Reason, to talk about starting your own local publishing house, the realities of the book industry right now, and what they are reading or looking forward to this fall. Katie’s profile of Diana and Girl Noise Press will be available in CHUM in October. Then, City Cast Seattle’s Head Honcho/Executive Producer Ashley Smith and old man/Creative Producer Liam Billingham join to do a Monday mailbag. Topics discussed: The magnificence of Saars Super Saver Foods , the dangers of e-scooters, and feedback on a recent episode with District 5 City Council Candidates Nilu Jenks and Julie Kang .  Learn more about the sponsors of this September 21st episode: Seattle Restored Northwest Film Forum Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastSeattle on Instagram , or email us at [email protected] . You can also call or text us at 206-880-3931. For more Seattle news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, City Cast Seattle. Support City Cast Seattle by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm/seattle Looking to advertise on City Cast Seattle? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise .

Is Seattle Overly Reliant on Big Tech Money? Plus, a Novel You’ll Finish in a Day

31 minSep 18, 2026

With all the headlines in the last few weeks, it’s hard to parse what is happening with AI – the bot swarms , the threats to humanity (?!) and the new report saying the city is overly dependent on tech money . Host Jane C. Hu talks with Todd Bishop, GeekWire's editor and co-founder, and Alex Halverson, tech reporter at The Seattle Times, to parse through the noise and understand what’s really going on. Then, Stesha Brandon, literature and humanities program manager at The Seattle Public Library, and producer Sam J Leeds join to talk about this year's Seattle Reads pick — a program that invites all of Seattle to read the same book and then gather to discuss it. This year it’s a fiction novel that’s a coming-of-age story about Deaf culture, bodily autonomy, and education.  Learn more about the sponsors of this September 18th episode: Grand Central Bakery Washington State Fair Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastSeattle on Instagram , or email us at [email protected] . You can also call or text us at 206-880-3931. For more Seattle news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, City Cast Seattle. Support City Cast Seattle by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm/seattle Looking to advertise on City Cast Seattle? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise .

What’s Your Absurd Seattle Documentary Idea? Plus, Local Sightings at NWFF

30 minSep 17, 2026

Today on the podcast, Jane is joined by Camille Hermida-Fuentes, co-director of the Local Sightings Film Festival at Northwest Film Forum, which starts this weekend and features local films made by local filmmakers. Camille and regular contributor Chase Hutchinson (who else, really?) discuss what they are most excited to see, and how Northwest Film Forum is trying to make movie-making accessible to all Seattleites. Then Jane and Chase are joined by resident film guy and producer Liam Billingham to discuss the fact that we’re living in a golden age of absurd documentaries , and how that connects to the city we all call home. The trio then discuss ideas for their own Absurdist Seattle documentaries. What’s yours? Finally, they talk about some local art exhibitions and shows they all want to see, including a film at Tasveer , an exhibition about a famous Black theater in Seattle , and an inconvenience store. Learn more about the sponsors of this September 16th episode: Washington State Fair Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastSeattle on Instagram , or email us at [email protected] . You can also call or text us at 206-880-3931. For more Seattle news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, City Cast Seattle. Support City Cast Seattle by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm/seattle Looking to advertise on City Cast Seattle? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise .

What It Takes to Raise a Kid in King County Right Now

24 minSep 16, 2026

City Cast Partner Studios presents Weaving Our Future: Stories for a Fair Economy, a five-part series on what a fair economy looks like in King County, told through the people building it. In this episode of Weaving Our Future: Stories for a Fair Economy, Jane speaks with Tristen Hall, co-lead of the King County Early Learning Coalition, and Carlina Brown-Banks, executive director of Voice2Power Lab and a member of the Be3 Coalition, about why early learning and K-12 education aren't nearly as separate as Washington's funding system treats them. They get into why coalition work can do what no single organization can on its own, the legislative win last year that protected educational rights for students experiencing homelessness after hundreds of people emailed the Senate, and why childcare in Washington eats up something like a third of a family's paycheck. They also talk about what changes when you actually trust that parents already know what their kids need. To get involved, sign up for Be3 Coalition updates through Building Changes or connect with the King County Early Learning Coalition at brightspark.org/kcelc.

Recess Shrinking, Macklemore Dropped, and WA's Trees Are Under Attack. Plus, Mayor Wilson's Gun Violence Plan

36 minSep 16, 2026

A beautiful but deadly beetle has arrived in Washington for the first time, and host Jane C. Hu talks with Daria Gosztyla, an urban and community forestry planner with the Washington Department of Natural Resources, about what the emerald ash borer could mean for Seattle's trees , salmon habitat, and urban ecosystems. But first, Brett Hamil returns to the contributor’s side of the mic along with Eula Scott Bynoe to dig into Seattle Public Schools' new staff contract and recess length , Mayor Wilson's gun violence reduction plan , Macklemore getting dropped from Ed Sheeran's tour for saying "Free Palestine," and the “Seattle Avengers” crashing city council to take on surveillance cameras . Learn more about the sponsors of this September 15th episode: Grand Central Bakery Washington State Fair Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastSeattle on Instagram , or email us at [email protected] . You can also call or text us at 206-880-3931. For more Seattle news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, City Cast Seattle. Support City Cast Seattle by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm/seattle Looking to advertise on City Cast Seattle? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise .

Can We Eat Lettuce Again? Plus, Where To Get a Pumpkin Spice Latte

28 minSep 15, 2026

Jane’s back from vacation! And she needs to know what’s going on, so contributors Lex Vaughn and Hannah Krieg join to update her on all she missed: Civil rights protections for polyamorous people , grocery pricing protections , Seattle Public School and AI , and more! Next, they cover some national news that has local relevance (Are you registered to vote ?) like the end of the current Cyclospora outbreak, bad news from the EPA, and the new foldable iPhone. Finally, Jane asks Lex and Hannah what the people in their life are discussing! They cover cars driving where they shouldn’t, where to get (spicy) pumpkin spice lattes, and a cool new Latin culture festival that happened over the weekend.  Learn more about the sponsors of this September 15th episode: Grand Central Bakery Washington State Fair Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastSeattle on Instagram , or email us at [email protected] . You can also call or text us at 206-880-3931. For more Seattle news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, City Cast Seattle. Support City Cast Seattle by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm/seattle Looking to advertise on City Cast Seattle? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise .