John O'Brien
Senior Producer, All Things Considered
About
John O’Brien is KUOW's All Things Considered Senior Producer. He spends his days setting up interviews with newsmakers on subjects from politics and public health to arts and culture. John learned to make radio starting in 2006 as an intern on KUOW’s The Conversation with Ross Reynolds.
Location: Seattle
Languages: English
Pronouns: he/him
Stories
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City of Bellingham sends love letter (of sorts) to Canadian neighbors boycotting the US
It's been four months since the start of cross border tensions between the US and Canada and the boycott of Canadian visitors is deepening. The latest traffic data shows half the number of vehicles with Canadian plates coming into Washington state in April compared to last year. It's a blow to Whatcom County, which usually sees Canadians pump around $140 million a year into the local economy. Last week, the Bellingham City Council and the mayor took another step in trying to mend fences. They wrote a love letter of sorts to Canadians and sent it to the leaders of nine BC cities in the lower mainland, including Vancouver. KUOW’s Kim Malcolm talked to Bellingham Mayor Kim Lund about the letter.
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Looks like they made it, or not. Highlights from Washington's 2025 legislative session
The work of governing a state comes to a pinnacle every year when the governor signs or vetoes legislation. Nearly 500 bills were completed this session in Olympia. That’s a lot to keep track of. To focus on some highlights, KUOW’s Kim Malcolm spoke to Olympia correspondent Jeanie Lindsay.
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To recuse or not to recuse? The Seattle City Council debates an ethics conundrum
The Seattle City Council is scheduled to debate a change to the city's ethics policy Thursday. Current rules require council members to recuse themselves if they have a financial conflict of interest, which can mean some districts aren't fully represented in a vote. A proposed bill would make it easier for members to vote on legislation they have an interest in, but still require them to disclose any potential conflicts.
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UW professor looks for ways to make the ethical best of AI-enhanced learning
When generative artificial intelligence, or AI, dropped into our lives two and a half years ago, educators around the world went into a panic. Suddenly there was a chatbot easily accessible to students that could help them cheat on tests and assignments and likely get away with it. Fast forward, and now students are complaining that teachers are using AI in their jobs, and they don't like it. Should they? Katy Pearce is an associate professor in the University of Washington's Department of Communication. She researches social and political uses of technologies and digital content. KUOW’s Kim Malcolm talked to her about how students and teachers are navigating their use of AI technology.
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Senior NOAA researchers are being forced out. Is Trump 'killing science'?
As part of its concerted effort to shrink government agencies, the Trump administration has choked off funding to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The cuts have forced scientists who've done groundbreaking work here in the Northwest to leave their positions.
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Sole survivor of deadly North Cascades climbing accident shares details
We’re learning more about the climbing accident that left three men dead in the North Cascades last weekend. The men were identified yesterday as 48-year-old Vishnu Irigireddy of Renton, 36-year-old Oleksander Martynenko of Bellevue, and 63-year-old Tim Nguyen of Renton. One man survived what the Okanogan County Sheriff's Office says was a 400-foot fall. It's one of Washington state's worst climbing accidents since 2014, when six climbers fell to their deaths at Mount Rainier. KUOW’s Kim Malcolm spoke to Seattle Times reporter Catalina Gaitán about what happened.
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Seattle’s 135-year-old ‘irrational’ love affair with Bartell Drugs draws to a sad close
We learned recently that all of the remaining Bartell Drugs stores will close this year unless Rite Aid finds a buyer. KUOW’s Kim Malcolm reached out to local historian Feliks Banel to mark the sad final chapter of a remarkable business story. They talked about what led to the moment in 1890 when 22-year-old pharmacist George H. Bartell Sr. bought a drug store in Seattle, and what happened next.
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UW officials, police unclear how many arrested pro-Palestinian protesters were students
Pro-Palestinian protesters could be facing charges of trespassing, property destruction, disorderly conduct, and conspiracy to commit all three after taking over the University of Washington Interdisciplinary Engineering Building Monday night.
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After a close election, Canadians stand together against ‘the Trump factor’
Canadians are working through new political realities after a national election last week amid comments from President Donald Trump about Canada becoming the 51st state.
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Seattle scores a professional women's hockey expansion team
The Professional Women's Hockey League announced this week it will expand to Seattle next season. Seattle will soon be home to all three of America's professional women's sports leagues — hockey, soccer and basketball. The yet-to-be-named Seattle team will play at Climate Pledge Arena and share the Kraken’s training facility. Seattle Times sports reporter Kate Shefte talked to KUOW’s Paige Browning about what to expect from the new team.
