Amy Radil
Reporter
About
Amy Radil is a reporter at KUOW covering politics, government, and law enforcement, along with the occasional arts story. She got her start at Minnesota Public Radio in Duluth, and freelanced for Marketplace and other programs from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Amy grew up in Omaha, Nebraska. She graduated from Williams College and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
Location: Seattle
Languages Spoken: English
Pronouns: she/her
Stories
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Politics
Washington nonprofit goes public with claims against state lawmaker and founder
The board of the nonprofit Civil Survival is now speaking publicly about its alleged reasons for firing Washington state Rep. Tarra Simmons. Simmons is the founding director of the legal aid and advocacy organization but as KUOW reported this week, Simmons was placed on administrative leave in August 2023 and received a notice of termination two weeks ago on July 15, 2024.
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Crime
Seattle officials revisit ‘exclusion zones’ to disrupt drug activity, sex trafficking
Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison and members of the city council are seeking new criminal penalties to ban certain people from zones of drug-related crime and prostitution.
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Law & Courts
'They canceled me': Rep. Tarra Simmons fired by nonprofit she helped found
Tarra Simmons, the first formerly incarcerated person elected to the Washington state Legislature, was recently ousted from the criminal justice nonprofit she founded. She is now battling the organization’s leadership over that decision.
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Law & Courts
Garfield County pledges to keep jail shuttered after suicide went undetected
Family members of a man whose suicide went undiscovered in Garfield County jail for 18 hours have settled their claim, in an agreement approved by a superior court judge on Monday. Kyle Lara’s parents say the most important part of the agreement has already occurred: the closure of the jail where he died.
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More mentors, better facilities, gear that fits. WA police departments are upping their game to recruit more women
Just 12% of police officers nationwide are women. Washington state lags behind that already low number at 11%. Several law enforcement agencies statewide have signed on to a goal to increase women in the ranks. They’re recruiting women by offering strong mentorship programs and better-suited gear and facilities, among other strategies. But success is mixed, and larger agencies especially continue to struggle.
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Environment
More green space, fewer silos: King County reveals new extreme heat plan
King County officials on Thursday presented a new plan for keeping residents safe during the hotter summers ahead. They say the plan will help local jurisdictions respond to extreme heat with a more unified approach.
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Crime
Auburn cop found guilty of murder in 2019 death of Jesse Sarey
Jeffrey Nelson, an Auburn police officer who was charged for shooting and killing Jesse Sarey, 26, in 2019, was found guilty of murder and assault on Thursday. Nelson is the first officer in Washington state to be convicted under a new legal standard for holding cops accountable for using deadly force.
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Mysterious posters in courthouse garage could have jeopardized Auburn police killing case, judge says
The case of the first police officer charged under a new state standard for misuse of deadly force is now before a jury in King County Superior Court. Auburn police officer Jeffrey Nelson faces charges of second-degree murder and first-degree assault for twice shooting Jesse Sarey on May 31, 2019.
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Government
The Supreme Court overturned the federal bump stock ban. What does that mean for Washington state?
Alan Gottlieb, founder the Bellevue-based gun rights group the Second Amendment Foundation, said the SCOTUS ruling does not affect Washington state law banning bump stocks.
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Environment
‘Troublemakers’ win the day, but questions remain after Amazon drops pipeline plans
Amazon has withdrawn plans to buy natural gas from a proposed pipeline expansion in Oregon. Climate activists and some of the company’s own employees say that’s great news, but they also have questions.