Natural gas initiative ruled unconstitutional, Port Townsend paper mill fined over polluted wastewater, and can Mayor Wilson make housing more affordable for renters?

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

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 or on the KUOW App.

Natural gas initiative <a href="https://www.kuow.org/law/2026-09-17/natural-gas-initiative-ruled-unconstitutional-by-washington-state-supreme-court">ruled unconstitutional</a>, Port Townsend paper mill <a href="https://www.kuow.org/environment/2026-09-16/port-townsend-paper-mill-hit-with-734-000-pollution-penalty">fined</a> over polluted wastewater, and can Mayor Wilson make housing <a href="https://www.kuow.org/topics/politics/2026-09-14/seattle-mayor-wilson-still-rents-can-she-help-her-fellow-renters">more affordable</a> for renters?
It&rsquo;s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Paige Browning.
We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us.&nbsp;<a href="https://donate.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&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> or on <a href="https://meet.kuow.org/question/">the KUOW App.</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

Natural gas initiative ruled unconstitutional, Port Townsend paper mill fined over polluted wastewater, and can Mayor Wilson make housing more affordable for renters?

Thursday Evening Headlines

The Seattle Art Museum is featuring the films of Keanu Reeves this fall. On select Friday nights, SAM will screen eight of his movies in a festival they're calling "Excellent Adventures: Celebrating Keanu Reeves," at the Seattle Asian Art Museum in Volunteer Park. 

Like the greatest works of art, Keanu Reeves can be polarizing. Is he good? At acting? KUOW's Dyer Oxley spoke with local film critics Timothy Hall, The People's Critic, and Li Lai with Common Sense Media and Mediaversity. They ponder Keanu's approach to his craft and spotlight some of his lesser-known gems.



SAM Films presents “Excellent Adventures: Celebrating Keanu Reeves.” Please note, the series takes place at the Seattle Asian Art Museum.
Fri Sep 25:"Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure" (1989, d. Stephen Herek)
Fri Oct 2:"Dangerous Liaisons" (1988, d. Stephen Frears)
Fri Oct 9:"Point Break" (1991, d. Kathryn Bigelow)
Fri Oct 16:"My Own Private Idaho" (1991, d. Gus Van Sant)
Fri Oct 30:"Bram Stoker’s Dracula" (1992, d. Francis Ford Coppola)
Fri Nov 13:"Much Ado About Nothing" (1993, d. Kenneth Branagh)
Fri Nov 20:"Speed" (1994, d. Jan de Bont)
Fri Nov 27:"The Matrix" (1999, d. The Wachowskis)

The Seattle Art Museum is featuring the films of Keanu Reeves this fall. On select Friday nights, SAM will screen eight of his movies in a festival they're calling "Excellent Adventures: Celebrating Keanu Reeves," at the Seattle Asian Art Museum in Volunteer Park.&nbsp;
Like the greatest works of art, Keanu Reeves can be polarizing. Is he good? At acting? KUOW's Dyer Oxley spoke with local film critics Timothy Hall,&nbsp;<a href="https://thepeoplescriticblog.com/author/timothylhall/">The People's Critic</a>, and Li Lai with <a href="https://www.commonsensemedia.org/">Common Sense Media</a> and <a href="https://www.mediaversityreviews.com/">Mediaversity</a>.&nbsp;They ponder Keanu's approach to his craft and spotlight some of his lesser-known gems. 
SAM Films presents &ldquo;<a href="https://www.seattleartmuseum.org/whats-on/programs/sam-films">Excellent Adventures: Celebrating Keanu Reeves</a>.&rdquo; Please note, the series takes place at the Seattle Asian Art Museum.
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Fri Sep 25: <a href="https://www.seattleartmuseum.org/whats-on/events/sam-films-bill-ted-s-excellent-adventure-sep-25-26">"Bill &amp; Ted&rsquo;s Excellent Adventure"</a> (1989, d. Stephen Herek)</li>
<li aria-level="1">Fri Oct 2: <a href="https://www.seattleartmuseum.org/whats-on/events/sam-films-dangerous-liaisons-oct-2-26">"Dangerous Liaisons"</a> (1988, d. Stephen Frears)</li>
<li aria-level="1">Fri Oct 9: <a href="https://www.seattleartmuseum.org/whats-on/events/sam-films-point-break-oct-9-26">"Point Break"</a> (1991, d. Kathryn Bigelow)</li>
<li aria-level="1">Fri Oct 16: <a href="https://www.seattleartmuseum.org/whats-on/events/sam-films-my-own-private-idaho-oct-16-26">"My Own Private Idaho"</a> (1991, d. Gus Van Sant)</li>
<li aria-level="1">Fri Oct 30: <a href="https://www.seattleartmuseum.org/whats-on/events/sam-films-bram-stoker-s-dracula-oct-30-26">"Bram Stoker&rsquo;s Dracula"</a> (1992, d. Francis Ford Coppola)</li>
<li aria-level="1">Fri Nov 13: <a href="https://www.seattleartmuseum.org/whats-on/events/sam-films-much-ado-about-nothing-nov-13-26">"Much Ado About Nothing"</a> (1993, d. Kenneth Branagh)</li>
<li aria-level="1">Fri Nov 20: <a href="https://www.seattleartmuseum.org/whats-on/events/sam-films-speed-nov-20-26">"Speed"</a> (1994, d. Jan de Bont)</li>
<li aria-level="1">Fri Nov 27: <a href="https://www.seattleartmuseum.org/whats-on/events/sam-films-the-matrix-nov-27-26">"The Matrix"</a> (1999, d. The Wachowskis)</li>
</ul>

An opaque & mysterious movie star. Why we love Keanu.

My own private Keanu Reeves film fest

Today, we’re bringing you the best from the KUOW Newsroom.

First, a Seattle family is celebrating the life of Ashley Whitehead. She was one of the three people killed at the Seattle Center mass shooting in July.

Next, true battleground districts are rare in today's politics… Washington state's “swingiest” area could see a big shift this fall.

And finally, a familiar face at a rural Washington gas station has disappeared. Immigration enforcement arrested him last month. Now the small town of Conway is fighting to get him released.

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 or on the KUOW App.

Today, we&rsquo;re bringing you the best from the KUOW Newsroom.
First, a Seattle family is celebrating the life of Ashley Whitehead. She was <a href="https://www.kuow.org/crime/2026-09-16/mother-killed-at-seattle-center-mass-shooting-remembered-as-a-light-in-the-darkness">one of the three people killed at the Seattle Center mass shooting in July.</a>
Next, true battleground districts are rare in today's politics&hellip; Washington state's <a href="https://www.kuow.org/topics/politics/2026-09-14/a-bitter-battle-is-brewing-in-one-of-washington-states-last-swing-districts">&ldquo;swingiest&rdquo; area could see a big shift this fall.</a>
And finally, a familiar face at a rural Washington gas station has disappeared. Immigration enforcement arrested him last month. Now the <a href="https://www.kuow.org/immigration/2026-09-17/residents-of-this-rural-washington-town-want-their-mayor-out-of-ice-detention">small town of Conway is fighting to get him released.</a>
We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. <a href="https://donate.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> or on <a href="https://meet.kuow.org/question/">the KUOW App.</a>

Today, we’re bringing you the best from the KUOW Newsroom.  First, a Seattle family is celebrating the life of Ashley Whitehead. She was one of the three people killed at the Seattle Center mass shooting in July.  Next, true battleground districts are rare in today's politics… Washington state's “swingiest” area could see a big shift this fall.  And finally, a familiar face at a rural Washington gas station has disappeared. Immigration enforcement arrested him last month. Now the small town of Conway is fighting to get him released.

Mother killed at Seattle Center mass shooting remembered as a ‘light in the darkness,’ a bitter battle is brewing in one of Washington state’s last swing districts, and residents of this rural Washington town want their ‘mayor’ out of ICE detention

A Washington state lawmaker is in trouble for alleged harassment, new food safety regulations are coming for King County restaurants, and the city is launching an effort to increase the number of groceries in underserved neighborhoods.

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

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 or on the KUOW App. 

A Washington state lawmaker is in trouble for alleged harassment, new food safety regulations are coming for King County restaurants, and the city is launching an effort to increase the number of groceries in underserved neighborhoods.
It&rsquo;s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Paige Browning.
We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. <a href="https://donate.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> or on <a href="https://meet.kuow.org/question/">the KUOW App.</a>&nbsp;

A Washington state lawmaker is in trouble for alleged harassment, new food safety regulations are coming for King County restaurants, and the city is launching an effort to increase the number of groceries in underserved neighborhoods.   It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Paige Browning.

Thursday Evening Headlines

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