Noel Gasca
General Assignment Reporter
About
Noel is a general assignment reporter for KUOW, covering everything from city hall to pickleball. Prior to joining the newsroom, Noel worked as a producer for KUOW’s midday show Soundside. Noel has also worked as an online editor and producer with KUOW’s web team, and she’s also a proud graduate of KUOW’s RadioActive program.
Noel is an alumna of Emerson College and has interned at NPR member stations WBUR in Boston and WAMU in Washington D.C. Originally from Lake Stevens, Washington, Noel is elated to be back in the Pacific Northwest and covering the people and places that make up the state she calls home.
When she’s not working, Noel enjoys perusing Seattle’s used bookstores, practicing her kata, and discussing the lasting legacy of Selena Quintanilla’s music with anyone who will listen.
Location: Seattle
Languages: English
Pronouns: she/her
Professional Affiliations: National Association of Hispanic Journalists, AIR
Podcasts
Stories
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Traffic fatalities spike in Washington state
Ryan Packer of The Urbanist and Yonah Freemark of the Urban Institute join Soundside to discuss traffic fatalities both nationally and here in Washington state.
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Artists call Seattle's plan to tackle unwanted graffiti 'ethically tricky'
What's the difference between the mural we see outside of a light rail station and the graffiti across the street? What is public art and what is a nuisance? It’s a question Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and the city are wrestling with through a proposed initiative.
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For the first time, James Baldwin's 'The Amen Corner' takes Seattle audiences to church
For the first time, James Baldwin's 1954 play "The Amen Corner" is being staged in Seattle, at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute.
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College voters: Increased importance and expanding turnout
Since the 2016 presidential election, voter turnout among college students has been steadily increasing. Take the last midterms for example: In 2018, 40 percent of registered college students voted. It’s too early to tell if that trend will continue during this midterm election, but what can this trend tell us about the power of college students as a voting block?
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'The Boy Who Kissed the Sky' explores Jimi Hendrix's childhood
We know a lot about the man Hendrix became: the paratrooper who played in a band during his free time, the backup player for musicians like Sam Cooke, BB King, and Little Richard, and eventually, the world renowned rockstar. But there’s a chapter of Hendrix’s life that has gone largely unexplored: his childhood. A new production from playwright and Seattle Children’s Theatre Creative Director Idris Goodwin is inspired by Hendrix’s childhood growing up in Seattle’s Central District. It’s called “The Boy Who Kissed the Sky.”
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Washington gave Bigfoot wings: the story behind Batsquatch
One of the fun things about Halloween is - it's a day where creepy creatures that we don't usually believe in seem just a little more likely to exist. In other words, Halloween is a great day for cryptids.
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In 2020, consumers turned to Black-owned businesses. But where has that support gone?
Researchers at the University of Washington studied visits to restaurants that identified as Black-owned on Yelp, compared to visits to restaurants without the Black-owned label. They found that across 20 cities in the United States, the support for those Black-owned businesses was inconsistent.
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Eerie, quiet and so much smoke: Darrington mayor reflects on hazardous air quality
A blanket of smoky particles and pollution continued to smother the Puget Sound region Thursday.
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Investigation: 6 women accused a Seattle hip-hop artist of sex trafficking, allege police ‘did virtually nothing’
Editor’s note: This story contains descriptions of sexual assault and sex trafficking.
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Almost Live! is back, and fans are feeling 90s nostalgia
Some classic episodes of "Almost Live!" are airing on King 5+, which could lead to a whole new generation of fans. So Soundside gathered some stars of Almost Live! to talk about the sketches that have stuck with them, and why show's popularity has endured.
