Skip to main content

You make this possible. Support our independent, nonprofit newsroom today.

Give Now

We've officially entered Phase 3. How much will that change what opens and what doesn't?

Washington Phase Chart
Enlarge Icon

Restaurant owners on why they will -- and won't -- reopen under the state's phase three reopening plan. Plus, how vaccination is going for the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander community here in Washington. A local artist on his Oscar-qualifying short film, "Enough." And a new report shows an unnecessary use of escalating force in Washington corrections facilities.

Individual segments are available in our podcast stream or at www.kuow.org/record.

Restauranteurs on how much risk they're willing to take by reopening

Starting today, all counties in Washington State move on to phase three of Governor Jay Inslee's reopening plan. That means restaurants, cafes, bistros, and all varieties of food service venues can open at 50 percent capacity. Bill Radke is joined by James Lim, the owner of Watson's Counter in Ballard, and Bob Donegan, president of Ivar's, to discuss the pros and cons of reopening at limited capacity.

As COVID hits the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander community in Washington, what's being done to help?

The Washington State Department of Health reports that Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders are four times more likely to die of COVID-19 than white Washingtonians. Hospitalization rates and deaths are also higher. So what is being done to ensure the community is being helped? Bill Radke speaks with Mia McFarland, the outreach coordinator for the Pacific Islander Health Board of Washington.

Nathan Nzanga, "Enough"

When Nathan Nzanga was 11 years old, he joined a project where he and his friends were videotaped once a year throughout their childhoods. Each taping, he'd answer a set of the same questions about his state of mind. Today, Nathan is 22, and he's combined the footage from his life with his original music to create a hip-hop short film titled "Enough." Bill Radke talked with Nathan about his work and the moments that went into making the Oscar-qualifying short film.

A new report finds several instances of wrongful escalation in Washington Corrections

Last December, Jerell Jackson was on a video call at Stafford Creek Corrections, where he was an inmate. After he failed to immediately comply when an officer asked him to hang up, he was pepper sprayed, brought to the ground, and his neck kneeled upon. It's just one of many encounters cited in a new report on wrongful escalation from the Office of the Corrections Ombuds. Bill Radke speaks with KUOW Reporter Ashley Hiruko about her reporting on the issue.

Why you can trust KUOW