Snowpack has melted early, creating treacherous conditions for rafters and mountain climbers.

The 14th Legislative District, centered around Yakima, is home to one of the largest populations of Latino voters in the state. It’s one of several Republican districts that state Democrats are aiming to flip this election cycle.

Join us in Tacoma on August 11 to celebrate our 10th anniversary with Director Carol Handley, Tree of Jazz host Justus Sanchez, and a discussion on Thea Foss's legacy featuring host Emil Moffatt, historian Nancy Bourne Haley, and Director Brent Mason. vist.ly/5b35k

Seattle's sixth and final World Cup match brought a daily record of 309,000 boardings on Sound Transit. That's when the U.S. played Belgium at Lumen Field. 🚋 Monday's number topped the previous mark of 297,000 riders on June 19, when the U.S. played Australia.

The order, issued Thursday, is the latest in a long-running fight between Washington state officials and GEO Group, the private contractor that owns and operates the federal facility.

I-5 through Seattle is facing major lane closures. 🚗 The Revive-I-5 project rebuilding the Ship Canal Bridge took a one-month pause for the World Cup. 🚗 This weekend all northbound lanes will close from I-90 to NE 45th St. 🚗 The closure starts at midnight tonight and lasts until early Monday.

Six weeks after the disastrous implosion at the Nippon Dynawave pulp and paper mill in Longview, the incident has transitioned out of emergency status. But other officials will continue to investigate the cause of the accident.

A University of Washington study based on decades of orca reports shows transient killer whales are sharing habitat with endangered southern resident orcas more than they used to. The researchers say that could actually be good news for southern residents' access to food.

Seattle’s World Cup run is over, and organizations that keep track of visitation and hotel revenue say the international tournament broke records.

At the Seattle Symphony, drills, hammers and saws have replaced the music of Bach, Mozart and Beethoven this summer. The symphony is in the midst of a $20 million renovation of the Benaroya Hall interior. KNKX went on a tour of the construction site.

The inaugural Everett Jazz Walk happens July 11 on the Everett waterfront. The one-night-only event features jazz artists from all around the Pacific Northwest performing in 10 venues around the port, which is amidst a multimillion-dollar redevelopment. Learn more:

The goal of a civic assembly is simple: Put ordinary citizens in charge of making difficult policy decisions for their government. In Snohomish County, a group met to study and debate the thorny ethical issues at the heart of AI. Then, they wrote policy proposals.

A grand World Cup finale for Seattle, but a disappointing outcome for U.S. soccer after losing to Belgium 4-1. Fans said they were sad to see the U.S. loose, but glad that Seattle came alive during three weeks of soccer.

The Puyallup Tribe of Indians is playing a big role as an official host city supporter for the World Cup games. This is the first time an Indigenous nation in the U.S. has had these responsibilities. From our partners at Northwest Public Broadcasting.

As hundreds of thousands of soccer fans have come to Seattle for the World Cup, the city has stretched to test and showcase what its infrastructure can do.

Anh O’i Bake Shop is in the Chinatown-International District, close to Seattle's World Cup stadium. But it won’t open for the final match on Monday between the U.S. and Belgium. Owner Vince Vu said that's because its business has tanked on game days.

The conservative political action group Let’s Go Washington has been lobbying support for the income tax repeal effort since May. Lead by wealthy hedge fund founder Brian Heywood, the group has collected far more than the 300,000 signatures required to put an initiative to voters.

Jazz vocalist Kenny Washington has been called the "Superman" of the Bay Area jazz scene by the San Francisco Chronicle, but the soulful 61 year-old was largely unknown at the time of his visit to the KNKX Studios in 2018. That quickly changed. Learn why:

At the height of the Civil Rights Movement in 1968, the first minority-owned bank west of the Mississippi opened in Seattle’s Central District. It was called Liberty Bank. The bank itself is long gone. But a building bearing its name now provides affordable housing.

Fireworks pose some serious risks. And dry conditions mean a higher risk of fire heading into a holiday celebrated with pyrotechnics. We spoke to a state fire official and a health expert about how to stay safe.

Saxophonist Donny McCaslin and his band appeared on David Bowie's final album, 'Black Star,' which released just two days before Bowie's death from cancer in 2016. A year later, McCaslin visited the KNKX studios for a special, intimate duo session and reflected on the experience. Learn more:

Dozens of technicians will fire off about 851,000 fireworks on July 4, aiming to break a world record in what organizers hope will be the "most memorable display this generation will have ever seen."

Music is the perfect complement to the beauty of nature in the summertime. These jazz tunes — new and old — particularly capture the essence of the natural world, helping us reflect on our environment as a source of wisdom and renewal. Learn more: vist.ly/59wdj

Unionized journalists at five McClatchy owned newspapers in Washington and Idaho announced a contract that creates new AI protections and guarantees pay increases.

The World Cup matches in Seattle have drawn large crowds and set transit records. With one more knockout round match to go, here’s what to know.

Little Saigon has struggled with crime for years, especially after the pandemic. In response, Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson announced that the city is cracking down on crime in the neighborhood.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld state laws banning transgender girls from playing on school sports teams with girls and women.

Washington took a key step last week to combine its carbon market with one operating in California and Quebec, a move expected to drive down costs for carbon-emitting businesses once the programs are joined. From our partners @washingtonstatestandard.com

Bosnia and Herzegovina fans celebrated as their national soccer team made history in Seattle last week. The team will face the United States on July 1 in Santa Clara. It's the furthest they've ever been in the World Cup, and for Bosnians everywhere, it means a lot.

The budget gap — of nearly $500 million — reflects slower-than-expected job and wage growth. Some of the state’s losses can also be tied to the war in Iran, according to members of the state’s Economic Revenue Forecast Council.

The centerpiece of Cherry Street Farm and Lab, in Seattle's Central District, is a hydroponic trailer that can grow up to two acres of fresh food at a time. Organizers and city leaders say the farm is a big deal for the community and the kids who live here.

KNKX has received a $1 million gift to expand local and regional news. The gift from Jim and Birte Falconer is the largest single gift KNKX has received. It supports Connect Northwest, a new initiative to expand our services in Western Washington. Read more: vist.ly/59fxf

Facts by day, fiction by night! At the end of a long day in the newsroom, many of our journalists head home and escape into novels of all types.

At the KNKX studios, blues powerhouse Judith Hill proved to be a remarkably fluid guitarist, while her family band executed complex arrangements seamlessly. She also gave a taste of the vocal pyrotechnics that got her on the television show "The Voice" in 2013. Learn more:

In this KNKX School of Jazz studio session, six talented students from the Seattle JazzED, a jazz education nonprofit, dazzled in the KNKX studios. This JazzED band had the accomplished bass player, composer, arranger, producer and musician advocate Nate Omdal as their mentor. Learn more:

A biography of Hannibal Lecter. A meditation on trees. A memoir by a child prodigy violinist. A treatise on the way we poop. These are just a few of the nonfiction books our NPR colleagues are enjoying.

Tim Carey is the Program Director at Jazz Night School, where Seattle adults learn jazz. Carey is also an accomplished bass player who has his own group, the Tim Carey Band, and performs with Brazilian pianist Jovino Santos Neto and versatile saxophonist Kate Olson. Learn more:

Jazz Barbershop in Shoreline is helping the Egyptian players look fresh during their stay for the World Cup. The barbers are hoping their work can bring the team another win.

Roundabouts are relatively new to Shoreline, a suburb north of Seattle. And they've sparked some strong feelings. From toy cars to roundabout simulators, city officials are trying creative ways to educate drivers.

A homemade tool for fighting food insecurity is getting some high-tech assistance, as dozens of little free food pantries are being linked together by an app.

There is still one more week of Pride Month! Join KNKX in celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community's important achievements and contributions to history and culture. Check out our list of regional events for this weekend. 📅

Tonight at The Crocodile, trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf performs in promotion of his new album, Trumpets of Michel-Ange, Vol. 2. It continues the celebration of his father’s invention: a four-valve trumpet that allows the player to access the quarter tones of classical Arabic music. Learn more:

The Democrat from Southwest Washington said the loss of human lives in Longview is devastating. She is also concerned about the spinoff effects for local jobs and wildfires.

It's officially summer and the World Cup continues. The next match in Seattle is on Wednesday between Qatar and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Find transit tips, free watch parties and other cultural events in the updated KNKX guide:

Neighbors fear toxic fires. Clean energy advocates and frustrated developers warn that stifling the projects could slow the clean energy transition.

An El Niño has formed amid the warmer-than-normal waters in the tropical Pacific. Now it's a question of how intense the phenomenon will be and where effects like heat and drought will strike.

People gathered to celebrate Juneteenth in communities across the Oregon and Southwest Washington, including Gresham, Lincoln City, Hermiston, Medford, Portland and Vancouver. From our partners @opb.org

The group Tacoma For All is pursuing a ballot initiative that would require the city to hold landlords accountable for breaking the law and mistreating renters. This week, it submitted more than 8,700 signatures to put it before voters.. vist.ly/58gaz

Fans crowded Pioneer Square to watch the U.S. men's national team play Australia in the World Cup on Friday. The U.S. won 2-0. From climbing trees to peering at phones, people found ways to catch the action.

Seattle gave 20 World Cup tickets to African Youth Sports Academy to send kids to a match. But the group returned the tickets after the U.S. denied entry to Somali referee Omar Artan. “I’m happy that we still got to fight for our man,” said Ali Abdulla, the group's founder. vist.ly/58dt3