Diana Opong
Reporter & Host
About
Diana Opong is a general assignment reporter at KUOW, committed to illuminating impactful stories throughout the Pacific Northwest. Her journalistic lens spans between environmental phenomena like invasive green crabs to transformative milestones in ballet. Rooted in curiosity, Diana's approach to reporting blends meticulous research with collaborative storytelling, ensuring her work resonates deeply with audiences. She has also showcased her expertise as a freelance host for NPR's Life Kit and as a spot news reporter for NPR News, consistently delivering insightful narratives that resonate with diverse audiences.
Location: Seattle
Languages: English
Pronouns: she/her
Professional Affiliations: Member of SBJA, PMJA, SPJ, AIR Media
Stories
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Science
Wildfires don’t just threaten lives and property. They can also impact a person's mental health
New research from the University of Washington has found a link between wildfires and mental health. Researchers say they’ve found a significant increase in prescriptions for antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications among people with pre-existing mental health needs in the six weeks following a major wildfire.
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Business
Seattle tech workers brace for more layoffs, this time at Expedia
About 200 Expedia employees in Seattle will be out of a job come May, according to a filing with the Washington Employment Security Department.
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Government
Will it be illegal for fertility doctors to secretly inseminate patients in Washington state?
Washington could become the 10th state in the country to make it illegal for doctors to use their own genetic material to inseminate patients without their consent.
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Health
Syphilis cases are 'skyrocketing' in King County. Who’s most at risk?
Recently released data from the CDC shows syphilis cases are at a 74-year high in the United States. The surge in infections has Public Health – Seattle and King County concerned about the rising local epidemic.
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Government
Both hands on the wheel, Washington drivers. Your insurance rates are about to jump 24%
Washington drivers may see an increase in vehicle insurance costs by an average of 24% the highest in a long time. This comes on the heels of a relatively tame period for rates over the last 5 years.
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Science
One option for slowing climate change? Block out the sun
A once unthinkable solution to human caused climate change is gaining traction. And it's not more renewable energy sources or some bigger battery. No, some scientists are considering going right to the source, and blocking out a portion of the sun's rays.
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Environment
Rock climbing could change to protect the wild — but will that make it more dangerous?
What does it mean for land to be “wild?” It’s a question that federal land managers have thought about since the Wilderness Act of 1964, which defined wilderness as areas “...untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.” Our national parks and public lands have visitor centers, fire lookouts, and other approved "installations" that help us enjoy the wild safely. But just what defines an installation has become the center of a recent debate between rock climbers and conservationists.
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Government
Bremerton walks a fine line between encampment sweeps and available shelters
As homelessness grows around the region, communities are struggling to keep up with a spreading encampment crisis. In Bremerton, the largest city in Kitsap County, growing encampments have forced the city to reconcile with a lack of available shelter space throughout the county.
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Education
Teachers spoke out about a gravel yard near their Mukilteo school, then came the cease-and-desist
Teachers at an elementary school in Snohomish County say a gravel yard next to their school is disrupting classes and is a health hazard to students. Mountain Loop Mine started using the lot last year and teachers at Fairmount Elementary, which is part of Mukilteo School District, said they’re now forced to leave the windows closed or use homemade air filtration systems in classroom.
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Health
Four cases of rare fungus found in WA. Here's what you should know about it
Last month the first-ever local outbreak of Candida auris, a deadly fungus, was reported in Washington State. So far, four cases of infection from the fungus have been linked to Kindred Hospital in Seattle’s First Hill neighborhood. Cases of C. auris -- which was first identified in Japan in 2009 -- have risen throughout the United States since 2016.