Best Crosscut Podcasts (2024)

1
Happy as a Clam in the Pacific Northwest 31:03

4h ago31:03

31:03

Folk songs, clam bakes, aquaculture and more: Knute Berger explores the myriad ways clams have shaped our region’s culture. Clams are among the Pacific Northwest’s most vital natural resources. From thousands of years of aquaculture to folk songs and university mascots, the celebration and consumption of clams permeates local food and culture. Casc…

1
Behind the Scenes of the Mossback Podcast 19:07

2d ago19:07

19:07

Producer Sara Bernard offers a peek into how the moss is made and teases what lies in wait for listeners in the podcast’s fifth season. Mossback’s back! The beloved video series has returned, and host Knute Berger continues to explore Pacific Northwest history. The fifth season of the companion podcast that Knute co-hosts with Stephen Hegg is back,…

1
How Dan Evans Shaped Washington 21:27

9d ago21:27

21:27

After Evans' appearance at a Northwest Power and Conservation Council meeting, Venice Buhain and Knute Berger discuss his impact on Washington. Dan Evans has been a force in Washington for decades. The public figure, now 98, has plenty of titles under his belt: Engineer. Washington governor. U.S. Senator. In this episode of Northwest Reports, host …

1
The Greatest Camo Job in History 32:41

14d ago32:41

32:41

Boeing's Plant 2 was so crucial that the military asked Hollywood to hide it from the enemy. Knute Berger shares the story. From the moment the United States entered World War II, Seattle was vital to the war effort. Boeing’s Plant 2 was a key manufacturing hub for thousands of B-17 bombers, one of the Allies’ most important tools in Europe. Fearin…

1
Spokane's New Mayor on First Months in Role 23:57

17d ago23:57

23:57

Cascade PBS reporter Mai Hoang talks with the former state legislator about her newest gig, including key issues affecting the city's community members. This week, Lisa Brown officially passed the 100-day mark in her new role as Spokane’s mayor. Brown started her term at the beginning of the year after defeating incumbent Nadine Woodward. She has w…

1
The Deadliest Avalanches in North America 33:42

21d ago33:42

33:42

Back-to-back disasters in Washington and B.C. killed more than 150 people in 1910. Knute Berger digs into the traumatic circumstances and their fallout. In the stormy winter of 1910, an avalanche struck two stalled trains in Wellington, a railroad outpost in Washington’s Central Cascades. Three days later, another one blanketed dozens of rail worke…

1
Saying Bye To Beloved Third Places in Seattle 21:21

24d ago21:21

21:21

We spoke with Cynthia Brothers, founder of the project that highlights disappearing institutions and cultures in the city, about losing public spaces. Coffee shops. Churches. Gyms. These are just a few examples of what you might consider your “third place” – a spot you go outside of work and your home to hang out and connect. The concept of third p…

1
The Uncertain Artist - Episode 11 "We Thought It Was Funny" 36:16

29d ago36:16

36:16

Gregg and Joe discuss creating the pilot episodes of the detective show, after a screening at the SIFF Film Center. Hosted by Gregg Lachow and Joe GuppyBy The Uncertain Artist

1
Covering an Alleged Labor Trafficking Case in WA 19:17

1M ago19:17

19:17

Lizz Giordano takes us behind the scenes on how dozens of foreign Filipino fishermen wound up stranded on a boat in Grays Harbor. A fishing company allegedly left two dozen Filipino men stranded at the Westport Marina for months last year, according to the latest reporting from the investigative team at Cascade PBS. The men were contracted with McA…

1
Relaunching The Black Lens in Spokane 20:39

1M ago20:39

20:39

The newspaper’s future was in question after founder Sandy Williams died. Reporter Mai Hoang talks about the push to get it up and running again. For years Black readers in Eastern Washington could rely on The Black Lens, a Spokane-based newspaper, for community news. That changed in 2022, when founder Sandy Williams died in a floatplane crash. Sud…

1
Palestinian, Israeli Women on Friendship, Hope 46:25

1M ago46:25

46:25

The two, who met years ago through a peace organization, spoke about their lives before and after Oct. 7 at a Town Hall Seattle event on Friday. All eyes have been on Gaza since October 7, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel that killed around 1,200 people. Since then, Israel has killed upward of 30,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s…

1
Climate Change Is Putting Us in a Funk 23:51

2M ago23:51

23:51

The environmental crisis has brought on anxiety, grief and a reluctance to have kids, says UW Bothell professor Jennifer Atkinson. It’s hard to miss the signs of climate change. The ocean’s heating, ice sheets are melting and – in places like Washington – wildfire seasons are getting longer. But climate change isn’t just impacting our landscape: It…

1
An Interview With WA’s Secretary of State 19:46

2M ago19:46

19:46

News editor Donna Blankinship interviewed Steve Hobbs about boosting voter confidence ahead of this year's elections. Washington’s Secretary of State has a big year ahead. The 2024 election is already underway as Washington voters begin to cast their ballots in the presidential primary. Voters have until March 12 to choose among a handful of candid…

1
How These Seattle Activists Remember 2020 19:34

2M ago19:34

19:34

Reporter Jadenne Radoc Cabahug shares the stories of Black Seattleites who are continuing to work for equity and police accountability. In May 2020, amid a global pandemic, protests erupted around the United States following the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. People marched to demand greater accountability from law enforcement across…

1
An Effort to Slow Rent Increases 22:51

2M ago22:51

22:51

A Bellingham tenant and a housing advocate explain how steep rent increases are hurting state residents, and how HB 2114 could help. For many tenants across Washington, rent is too high – and it keeps climbing. Right now, landlords face no limit on when or how much they can raise rents. HB 2114 would cap rent and fee increases to 7 percent in a 12-…

1
One Mother's Experience Without Child Support 16:10

3M ago16:10

16:10

Reporter Brandon Block shares an example of how the state intercepts parental assistance to people who also receive TANF, or welfare. In 2017, Amy Roark applied for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program after one of her exes stopped paying his child support.    She began to receive money through the program, but as these funds …

1
The 24/7 Hotline That Can Be a Lifeline 21:51

3M ago21:51

21:51

June Guzman and Audrey Baedke offer housing and emotional support through the nonprofit Real Escape from the Sex Trade (REST). The Seattle area is a known hub for sex trafficking. Some estimates suggest that more than two thousand people could be trafficked in the region every night. June Guzman manages the 24/7 hotline and emergency shelter for Re…

1
The Uncertain Artist - Episode 10 “That Was a Great Show” 1:04:07

3M ago1:04:07

1:04:07

Arts champion Charlie Rathbun talks with Gregg and Joe about love of live performance, the honor of public service, and the joy of making music. Hosts: Sam Lachow & Joe GuppyBy The Uncertain Artist

1
These WA Districts Could Change by Fall Election 18:49

3M ago18:49

18:49

Reporter Mai Hoang talks about the ongoing fight to redraw majority-Latino legislative districts between Yakima and Pasco. A yearslong debate over redistricting in Central Washington could close just in time for the 2024 election. Plaintiffs filed a lawsuit in January 2022 over the 15th Legislative District, arguing that its boundaries as drawn dil…

1
The Uncertain Artist - Episode 9 “You Have to Work” 59:53

3M ago59:53

59:53

Film Director Sue Corcoran talks with Gregg and Joe about filming reshoots, raising money, and working with Elliot Gould. Hosts: Gregg Lachow & Joe GuppyBy The Uncertain Artist

1
Tagging Along With Seattle's CARE Team 21:13

3M ago21:13

21:13

Reporter Nimra Ahmad describes a day on the job with the city's experimental mental health crisis program staff. Seattle is now dispatching mental health crisis responders on 911 calls – and reporter Nimra Ahmad got to watch them work in real time. In October, the city soft-launched the Community Assisted Response and Engagement (CARE) team, made u…

1
The Uncertain Artist - Episode 8 “I Am Not Afraid of Being Weak” 1:03:32

3M ago1:03:32

1:03:32

Composer/Performer Maggie Brown talks with Gregg and guest host Charlie Lachow about growing up in the arts, writing music in a diversity of genres, and finding strength in weakness. Hosts: Gregg Lachow & Charlie LachowBy The Uncertain Artist

1
An Interview with Governor Inslee 30:52

4M ago30:52

30:52

The governor spoke with Crosscut's Paris Jackson about mental health, climate change and the Huskies ... prior to their national championship game. In November, voters will cast their ballots for someone to succeed Jay Inslee, the governor of Washington for more than a decade. Until then, Inslee has some key issues he wants to address. The governor…

1
Introducing the Youth Today News Podcast 34:37

4M ago34:37

34:37

The third episode of the investigative series co-produced with Crosscut focuses on one woman's experience with foster care and homelessness in WA. A few months ago, Crosscut collaborated with the nonprofit organization Youth Today to produce a three-part multimedia series on youth homelessness. Reporter Elizabeth Whitman and producer Sam Leeds inve…

1
The Uncertain Artist - Episode 6 ”It Would Take Belief” 57:16

4M ago57:16

57:16

Actor Sarah Harlett talks with Gregg and Joe about fitting in and standing out, representation and accessibility, and working through fear and with students. Hosts: Gregg Lachow & Joe GuppyBy The Uncertain Artist

1
Mobile Home Tenants Have the AG’s Attention 29:37

4M ago29:37

29:37

Earlier this year, Crosscut reported on an Aberdeen park facing rising rents and cut services. Farah Eltohamy shares how the story has evolved. Mobile home parks are often considered one of the most reliable forms of affordable housing. Some tenants in Washington beg to differ. This summer, Farah Eltohamy and Mai Hoang investigated allegations that…

1
The State of Downtown Seattle Today 29:52

4M ago29:52

29:52

Taylor Swift shows and MLB All-Star Week brought business this summer, but the city center is still hurting. Reporter Josh Cohen offers some updates. Downtown Seattle got plenty of visitors this year thanks to the MLB All-Star Game and concerts from big-name musicians like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé.  Events like these make Downtown feel like a far c…

1
The Uncertain Artist - Episode 5 “My First Reaction Was Terror” 59:54

4M ago59:54

59:54

Actor Annette Toutonghi talks with Gregg and Joe about making tv shows, playing George Bailey, and working close to the edge of failure. Hosts: Gregg Lachow & Joe GuppyBy The Uncertain Artist

1
What’s New With the Starbucks Labor Movement 26:14

5M ago26:14

26:14

But there still isn't a contract. Crosscut reporter Lizz Giordano updates us on employees’ unionizing efforts. Unions have been flexing their muscles to advocate for workers’ rights across sectors from the auto industry to Hollywood. Coffee shops are no exception: Employees at more than 300 Starbucks locations have voted to unionize under Starbucks…

1
The Uncertain Artist - Episode 4 ”Making Movies is Fun!” 54:03

5M ago54:03

54:03

Cinematographer Ryan Purcell talks with Gregg and Joe about searching for the best image, about bringing the outside world into your film, and about how making movies is supposed to be fun. Hosts: Gregg Lachow & Jim GuppyBy The Uncertain Artist

1
The Latest in a Post-Roe Washington 32:32

5M ago32:32

32:32

Reporter Megan Burbank discusses new and old complications for reproductive healthcare in WA, from appointment delays to politics. When the U.S. Supreme Court ended the federal right to abortion in June 2022, Washington leaders doubled down on ensuring access. Over the past year and a half, state policy has followed accordingly, from a suite of shi…

1
The Uncertain Artist - Episode 3 ”The Post Loved It!” 59:52

5M ago59:52

59:52

Matt Smith talks with Gregg and Joe about fictional memoirs, getting that NY review, and the importance of gratitude. Hosts: Gregg Lachow & Joe GuppyBy The Uncertain Artist

1
The Legacy of One WA Man’s Workplace Death 19:15

5M ago19:15

19:15

Reporter Lizz Giordano talks about the legal handling of Harold Felton’s death – and why his family thinks more could have been done. In 2016, Harold Felton was working in a trench in West Seattle when it suddenly collapsed, killing him.    Seattle police declared his death an accident and handed the case to Washington’s Department of Labor & Indus…

1
The Uncertain Artist - Episode 2 ”Pushing Against Isolation” 53:02

5M ago53:02

53:02

Ezra Dickinson talks with Gregg and Joe about growing up in the arts, making work that encourages conversation and, of course, working with hats.By The Uncertain Artist

1
How Mount Mazama Became a Lake 29:21

5M ago29:21

29:21

Crater Lake wasn’t always a lake. Knute Berger tells the story of when a blast 50 times the size of Mt St. Helens' blanketed the PNW in ash. Crater Lake National Park in southern Oregon is known for its crown jewel: a brilliantly blue and very deep alpine lake. But some 8,000 years ago, this lake was a mountain. Then the mountain erupted, blowing i…

1
Getting in the Thanksgiving Spirit With Rachel Belle 19:43

5M ago19:43

19:43

Your Last Meal gets in the Turkey Day spirit with interviews from Greta Gerwig, Martina McBride and more. This Thanksgiving, you’re invited to a celebrity potluck courtesy of Your Last Meal, a podcast that asks celebrities what they would choose to eat for their final meal. Rachel Belle, the podcast’s host and an editor-at-large at Crosscut, compil…

1
The Uncertain Artist - Episode 1 ”Love Is Seeing Someone in the Best Possible Light” 1:06:04

5M ago1:06:04

1:06:04

Our favorite Assistant Detective Eric Ray Anderson talks theater, film, and playing in the band, and gives us his understanding of ambition. Hosts: Gregg Lachow & Joe GuppyBy The Uncertain Artist

1
Preserving Asahel Curtis’ Legacy 31:18

5M ago31:18

31:18

Asahel Curtis shot thousands of images in the early 20th century. Knute Berger talks about the effort to share them with the public for the first time. Asahel Curtis, the renowned Pacific Northwest photographer, was amazingly prolific. He documented regional life for 50 years, from the 1890s to the 1940s. Crosscut’s resident historian Knute Berger …

1
How WA Voters Feel Ahead of Presidential Election 18:41

5M ago18:41

18:41

Joseph O’Sullivan breaks down what poll respondents had to say about the upcoming presidential election — and almost no one is excited. More than 60% of Washington voters think Donald Trump is corrupt, while 70% think Joe Biden is too old to be president. Around three in five feel pessimistic about major issues, such as gun violence and immigration…

1
The Mother of the Pacific Crest Trail 30:54

6M ago30:54

30:54

Catherine Montgomery spearheaded a movement to preserve old growth in Washington forests. Knute Berger shares her story. In the early 1900s in Washington, women couldn’t yet vote, but many formed powerful civic groups to advocate for everything from prison reform to forest preservation. One woman stands out: the mountaineer, teacher, activist and s…

1
Raising Babies in a WA Prison 24:27

6M ago24:27

24:27

Reporters Amanda Snyder and Joseph O'Sullivan share the stories of three moms who live with their babies through the state's prison parenting program. The United States has seen a substantial increase in the incarceration rates of women over the past few decades. Some of them are entering the prison system pregnant. Many of these women are forced t…

1
The Explosion that Rocked Seattle 31:35

6M ago31:35

31:35

In 1915, Germany wanted to keep the United States from joining World War I. Knute Berger explains how the fight came to the Northwest. In the years leading up to World War I, Germany and its sympathizers tried to prevent the United States from entering the conflict. An intricate network of spies and saboteurs attempted to sway public opinion as wel…

1
How This Election Could Shape Seattle 18:34

6M ago18:34

18:34

We spoke with reporter Josh Cohen about the district races and how they could impact the city after Nov. 7. Election Day is just around the corner and Seattle’s in for a lot of change. Only three incumbents are running to represent Seattle’s seven City Council districts. Additionally, at-large Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda may leave her post if she…

1
Who Got WA’s COVID Small Business Money? 18:42

6M ago18:42

18:42

The Working Washington program aimed to get pandemic relief to small and “historically disadvantaged” business owners. Did it? In April 2020, Washington distributed $10 million to businesses navigating the pandemic, the first of many rounds of grant funding delivered by the state. The Working Washington grant program was established to get money to…

1
The Black Migration to Victoria 33:14

6M ago33:14

33:14

Still encountering racism in the 'free' states of the West, some Black communities sought the American Dream in Canada. Before the Civil War, many states in the American West were considered “free” because the institution of slavery was outlawed. That didn’t mean, however, that these places were free from racism and legalized discrimination. So whe…

1
Putting the P in P-Patch 30:00

6M ago30:00

30:00

P-Patches launched a modern agricultural movement in the 1970s, sprouting from a small family farm in Wedgwood. Seattle was once full of farms. But as the city developed, land-use regulation and other forces began to push farmers out. One farming family feeling the squeeze in Seattle in the 1970s helped launch a program that has had a profound impa…

1
Israel-Hamas War Hits Close to Home in WA 26:26

6M ago26:26

26:26

Members of local Jewish and Palestinian communities discuss the war's impacts across the Atlantic. On Oct. 7, Hamas, a militant group that controls the Gaza Strip, launched a surprise attack on Israel. Israel quickly declared war – pounding Gaza with airstrikes and restricting the region’s access to water, food and electricity. Around 1,400 Israeli…

1
The Past and Future of Grizzlies in Washington 31:57

7M ago31:57

31:57

The North Cascades' bear population thrived in the 19th century, but now almost none are left. Advocates are working to bring them back. The iconic grizzly bear once roamed the North Cascades. Grizzly bones have also been found as far west as Whidbey Island. Today, however, there are almost no grizzlies left in Washington state. Some government age…

1
WA Armenians on War and Hope 19:24

7M ago19:24

19:24

Azerbaijan’s push for territory has forced thousands to flee. Reporter Taija PerryCook spoke with local communities about erasure and resilience. Azerbaijan launched an offensive in September to claim land that Armenians have long considered home. The move has driven about 100,000 ethnic Armenians from the disputed territory, known as both Nagorno-…

1
The Flight Heard Round the World 27:58

7M ago27:58

27:58

In 1924, four airplanes took off from what’s now Magnuson Park. Six months and more than 26,000 miles later, half the fleet made it back. The 1920s marked an era of aviation. After World War I, many powerful nations focused on the new technology and rushed to be the first to use it to circumnavigate the globe. In 1924, the U.S. military selected ei…

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