Wildfire smoke’s health impacts have only just begun A growing body of evidence shows smoke sickens and can even kill. Is the government doing enough to protect residents? by Mara Kardas-Nelson InvestigateWest / September 21, 2020
Child care was already dysfunctional. COVID-19 could break it completely As Washington state pushes through the pandemic, a shortage of child care options forces parents and providers to make difficult choices. by Melissa Santos / September 14, 2020
As WA restaurants struggle, workers weigh physical and economic survival Beyond coronavirus exposure and making rent, service workers are likely coping with long-lasting mental health effects. by Margo Vansynghel / September 14, 2020
Already stigmatized, sex workers have fewer choices in a pandemic For years, sex workers have struggled to find safe work under tighter federal regulations. Coronavirus made that worse. by Manola Secaira / September 14, 2020
From WSU to Western, college town businesses are feeling the squeeze Online classes and no college sports spell trouble for small towns that lean on a higher ed economy. by Emily McCarty / September 14, 2020
Migrant workers leave WA farms, risking poverty instead of coronavirus Worried about a lack of COVID-19 safety precautions, visiting workers say they are prioritizing their lives in the midst of the pandemic. by Lilly Fowler / September 14, 2020
A debt crisis looms as renters turn to credit cards to stay afloat Experts worry people may be destroying their credit to make ends meet during the pandemic. by David Kroman / September 14, 2020
Side hustles become essential as jobs disappear during the pandemic Whether they lost their jobs or the nature of their work changed, these Seattleites are finding creative ways to supplement their income. by Matt M. McKnight & Dorothy Edwards / September 14, 2020
News How Tenino’s wooden money is reviving the idea of local currencies Fans of ‘complementary currency’ are betting that this Depression-era idea for keeping towns alive by printing local money can prove its worth as pandemic relief. by Peter Yeung CityLab / September 2, 2020
Support for The New Normal is provided by Comcast. The New Normal: Ballard Opera Man’s socially distanced serenades Opera singer Stephen Wall went from teaching on Zoom to performing on his east Ballard lawn. by Sarah Hoffman / July 20, 2020