A stretch of Highway 2 reopens, lawmakers want to fix a loophole in WA's plastic bag ban, and downtown Seattle's getting a retail shakeup.

It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Patricia Murphy.

We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed.

Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.

A stretch of Highway 2 <a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/partial-highway-2-reopening-will-allow-access-to-stevens-pass">reopens</a>, lawmakers want to fix a loophole in WA's plastic bag ban, and downtown Seattle's getting a retail shakeup.
It&rsquo;s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Patricia Murphy.
We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kuow.org/donate/seattlenow">Tap here</a>&nbsp;to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed.
Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:seattlenow@kuow.org">seattlenow@kuow.org</a>, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or<a href="https://www.kuow.org/feedback">&nbsp;leave us feedback online</a>.

Seattle Now is KUOW's flagship daily news podcast. Seattle Now brings you quick headlines, smart analysis, and award-winning local news. New episodes every weekday morning and afternoon. Start and end your day with Seattle Now, from KUOW and the NPR Network.

Seattle Now is KUOW's flagship daily news podcast. Seattle Now brings you quick headlines, smart analysis, and award-winning local news. New episodes every weekday morning and afternoon. Start and end your day with Seattle Now, from KUOW and the NPR Network.

Seattle Now

A stretch of Highway 2 reopens, lawmakers want to fix a loophole in WA's plastic bag ban, and downtown Seattle's getting a retail shakeup.

Monday Evening Headlines

If you’re going to get by in this world, understanding how money works can help a lot. 

Yet, financial education is not a high school graduation requirement in Washington. 

That could change under a new proposal from state lawmakers.

KUOW’s Zaki Hamid talks with UW’s Helen Andrews about why the effort has been so challenging.

We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. 

Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.

 

If you&rsquo;re going to get by in this world, understanding how money works can help a lot.&nbsp;
Yet, financial education is not a high school graduation requirement in Washington.&nbsp;
That could change under a new proposal from state lawmakers.
KUOW&rsquo;s Zaki Hamid talks with UW&rsquo;s Helen Andrews about why the effort has been so challenging.
We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. <a href="https://www.kuow.org/donate/seattlenow">Tap here</a> to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed.&nbsp;
Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at <a href="mailto:seattlenow@kuow.org">seattlenow@kuow.org</a>, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or<a href="https://www.kuow.org/feedback"> leave us feedback online</a>.
&nbsp;

Should financial education be required for WA students?

It’s the last week of 2025 and so much happened!

Our summer was defined by a rogue rat mosaic in Cal Anderson Park.

Starbucks closed its fanciest store in Seattle: the Capitol Hill Roastery.

Seattle’s nude beach Denny Blaine now has a fence between the clothed and unclothed.

And Seattle elected its youngest mayor ever while pushing out its more moderate incumbents.

There’s a lot to reflect on, and thankfully our friends over at Week in Review took the time to look back on the year for their Year in Review event.

Bill Radke hosted the panel of Libby Denkmann, Phyllis Fletcher, and Sandeep Kaushik.

Mayor elect Katie Wilson and Attorney General Nick Brown were there too.

We're bringing you an excerpt from the evening.

We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed.

Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.

It&rsquo;s the last week of 2025 and so much happened!
Our summer was defined by a rogue rat mosaic in Cal Anderson Park.
Starbucks closed its fanciest store in Seattle: the Capitol Hill Roastery.
Seattle&rsquo;s nude beach Denny Blaine now has a fence between the clothed and unclothed.
And Seattle elected its youngest mayor ever while pushing out its more moderate incumbents.
There&rsquo;s a lot to reflect on, and thankfully our friends over at Week in Review took the time to look back on the year for their Year in Review event.
Bill Radke hosted the panel of Libby Denkmann, Phyllis Fletcher, and Sandeep Kaushik.
Mayor elect Katie Wilson and Attorney General Nick Brown were there too.
We're bringing you an excerpt from the evening.
We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kuow.org/donate/seattlenow">Tap here</a> to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed.
Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:seattlenow@kuow.org">seattlenow@kuow.org</a>, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or<a href="https://www.kuow.org/feedback"> leave us feedback online</a>.

It’s the last week of 2025 and so much happened! Our summer was defined by a rogue rat mosaic in Cal Anderson Park.  Starbucks closed its fanciest store in Seattle: the Capitol Hill Roastery.  Seattle’s nude beach Denny Blaine now has a fence between the clothed and unclothed.  And Seattle elected its youngest mayor ever while pushing out its more moderate incumbents.  There’s a lot to reflect on, and thankfully our friends over at Week in Review took time to look back on the year for their Year in Review event.  Bill Radke hosted the panel of Libby Denkmann, Phyllis Fletcher, and Sandeep Kaushik.  Mayor elect Katie Wilson and Attorney General Nick Brown were there too.  We're bringing you an excerpt from the evening.

KUOW’s 2025 Year in Review Live

Today, we’re bringing you the best from another KUOW show, Soundside.

A lot has changed during Sara Nelson’s time in Seattle government.

She was a centrist outlier on a progressive city council when she was first elected in 2021. 

But the dynamics changed: Nelson ended up running the show as council president, after a moderate slate of candidates swept the 2023 election. 

Now - her time in office is coming to an end.

Next month, there will be a new, more progressive representative in the citywide Position 9 seat that Nelson’s held the past four years. Nonprofit leader Dionne Foster will take Nelson’s place after winning by a wide margin of votes in November. 

Last week, Nelson spent an hour with Soundside to reflect on her tenure and the direction Seattle politics is moving.

Listen to more Soundside here.

Soundside is produced by Sarah Leibovitz, Jason Burrows, Gabrielle Healey, Hans Anderson, Jed Kim and Maleeha Syed.

We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed.

Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.

Today, we&rsquo;re bringing you the best from another KUOW show, Soundside.
A lot has changed during Sara Nelson&rsquo;s time in Seattle government.
She was a centrist outlier on a progressive city council when she was first elected in 2021.&nbsp;
But the dynamics changed: Nelson ended up running the show as council president, after a moderate slate of candidates swept the 2023 election.&nbsp;
Now - her time in office is coming to an end.
Next month, there will be a new, more progressive representative in the citywide Position 9 seat that Nelson&rsquo;s held the past four years. Nonprofit leader Dionne Foster will take Nelson&rsquo;s place after winning by a wide margin of votes in November.&nbsp;
Last week, Nelson spent an hour with Soundside to reflect on her tenure and the direction Seattle politics is moving.
<a href="https://www.kuow.org/podcasts/soundside">Listen to more Soundside here.</a>
Soundside is produced by Sarah Leibovitz, Jason Burrows, Gabrielle Healey, Hans Anderson, Jed Kim and Maleeha Syed.
We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. <a href="https://www.kuow.org/donate/seattlenow">Tap here</a> to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed.
Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:seattlenow@kuow.org">seattlenow@kuow.org</a>, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or<a href="https://www.kuow.org/feedback"> leave us feedback online</a>.

Today, we’re bringing you the best from another KUOW show, Soundside.  A lot has changed during Sara Nelson’s time in Seattle government.  She was a centrist outlier on a progressive city council when she was first elected in 2021.   But the dynamics changed: Nelson ended up running the show as council president, after a moderate slate of candidates swept the 2023 election.   Now - her time in office is coming to an end.  Next month, there will be a new, more progressive representative in the citywide Position 9 seat that Nelson’s held the past four years. Nonprofit leader Dionne Foster will take Nelson’s place after winning by a wide margin of votes in November.   Last week, Nelson spent an hour with Soundside to reflect on her tenure and the direction Seattle politics is moving.

Monday Evening Headlines

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