Community Archives - Northwest Public Broadcasting

Funding for local poet laureate inspires international collaboration

By Lauren Gallup September 18, 2024

At food establishments across Redmond, diners this month will find a unique accompaniment to their orders; poems. Penned by local writers as well as poets from international Cities of Literature, the poems expound on community, harvest and lineage. Redmond’s poet laureate, Ching-In Chen, is leading the project, called Read Local Eat Local, It kicks off on Thursday Sept. Read More

Washington Legislature poised to get big makeover in 2024 elections. Here’s why.

By NWPB April 30, 2024

By: Jeanie Lindsay, Northwest News Network People running for office in Washington will begin submitting official paperwork next week to get on the ballot – and an unusually high number […]Read More

Public health conducting needs survey for north central Idaho

By Rachel Sun March 7, 2024

Residents in north central Idaho have the chance to influence what health and social service programs are available in their community through the end of March.Read More

Mr. WSDOT — the man who’s helped make road alerts interesting and ‘artistic’ — is heading to a new job

By Lauren Gallup February 21, 2024

Mr. WSDOT's goodbye cartoon. (Credit: WSDOT on Facebook)

When Mike Allende started managing social media for the Washington State Department of Transportation, he was told “don’t be boring.” “Boring” is probably the last word any one would use to describe Allende’s approach to the job, which massively grew engagement while he worked there. Known by some fans as Mr. WSDOT, he’s the man behind the most followed state department Read More

PNW: a pinball paradise (mostly), how a Tri-Cities man is solving the ‘inland drought’

By Courtney Flatt January 5, 2024

A man in a black shirt that says "legalize death saves" is standing in front of a multicolored Deadpool pinball machine.

Brent Bowen started playing pinball as a kid in the Tri-Cities. Now, he owns seven pinball machines and hopes to start a league in the Tri-Cities, where there’s a dearth […]Read More

Othello teens want tourism, tech-start ups as town decides future with economic grant

By Lauren Paterson November 20, 2023

Hands of multiple teenagers rest upon a brown table as teens use pipe cleaners and pom poms alongside documents.

Othello teens brainstorm ideas for what kinds of activities and jobs would be most interesting to them at The Lighthouse Community Center. (Credit: Marci Miller / Rural Development Initiatives) Listen […]Read More

Fundraiser set up for University of Idaho professor falsely accused of planning student murders

By Lauren Paterson July 14, 2023

Portrait of Rebecca Scofield. She wears a periwinkle suit and black top with long blonde hair.

Professor Rebecca Scofield is an associate professor of history and chairs the University of Idaho history department. She lives in Moscow with her husband and two young children. (Credit: Stefanie […]Read More

Palouse Gay Baseball: A queer space of one’s own

By Rachel Sun June 14, 2023

A young baseball player wearing a black ball cap grins toward the right of frame. They wear two necklaces, one silver metal and one green bead, and a botanical tattoo of leaves encircle their neck. They crouch, with a baseball mitt in one hand. In the background a field of blurred out grass is visible.

As the United States sees an increase in the number of anti-gay, anti-trans laws, one group of LGBTQ+ people on the Palouse is making its own space for queer joy and community Read More

Badger Mountain Challenge: A unique running community, a changing landscape

By Annie Warren May 3, 2023

Runners wearing water bottle backpacks, hats, headbands, headphones, and long sleeves walk toward finish line and smile toward the camera.

Badger Mountain Challenge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQTyTxkMOS0&list=PL6pHcbVJ2q0GlWFInFMhze7AALPhxA-zs&index=42The annual Badger Mountain Challenge brings together an extraordinary community of people who celebrate running and support each other on this unique, treasured and threatened ultramarathon course […]Read More

Social media sleuths disrupt Moscow homicides investigation and community

By Lauren Paterson December 19, 2022

Flowers and signs are piled up on a University of Idaho sign with white snow all around the brick sign.

Despite the snow, flowers and gifts continue to pile up in honor of the four University of Idaho students killed last month. (Credit: Lauren Paterson / NWPB) Listen (Runtime 4:40) […]Read More

“You build community and you connect us.”

By Ashley Beard September 28, 2022

“You build community and you connect us.” Debby Parker Bellingham, WA This is Debby Parker from Bellingham. I want to tell you that public radio is my medium of choice […]Read More

University President, Community & Developer Reach Tentative Agreement Over Historic Building

By Lauren Gallup August 4, 2022

The Parkland School building, owned by Pacific Lutheran University, that community members are trying to save from demolition. Photo from June 21 presentation by the Pierce County Landmarks & Historic Preservation Commission.

After months of pushback from Parkland community members over the sale of the historic Parkland School building, the stakeholders have reached a decision to please all. In a letter to two Pierce County council members, Pacific Lutheran University President Alan Belton outlined the tentative agreement. Read More

Environmental Equity Concerns Over Proposed Tacoma Warehouse

By Lauren Gallup July 8, 2022

The proposed site plan for the Bridge Industrial warehouse in the Tacoma Mall Neighborhood.

The Tacoma Mall Neighborhood has seen health impacts from a lack of green space. Now a warehouse proposal the city is considering has some residents concerned that the problems will only get worse.Read More

Artists Bring People And Kids Together For Tacoma’s BLM Mural Project Design

By Lauren Gallup July 8, 2022

Images of the mural design, which will cover Tacoma's Tollefson plaza, created by Dionne Bonner.

Later this summer, Tacoma’s downtown Tollefson Plaza will be transformed into the first Black Lives Matter mural sanctioned by the city and other partners. The project is designed to acknowledge police brutality of Black people and racial inequities that came to nationwide attention after the murder of George Floyd in 2020. Read More

Organizers Of Tacoma’s Juneteenth 253 Celebration Seek To Make The Holiday A Memorable Celebration

By Lauren Gallup June 17, 2022

A poster for this year's Juneteenth 253 Celebration in Tacoma's Wright Park, courtesy of Candace Wesley.

There are lots of ways to celebrate Juneteenth weekend in Tacoma this year. “There's no excuse for anyone not to celebrate Juneteenth because our city is going to be full of festivities,” says Candace Wesley, one of the organizers of Tacoma’s Juneteenth 253 Celebration.Read More

Washington’s Oldest Juneteenth Celebration Started In Pasco

By Dori Luzzo Gilmour June 16, 2022

Family and Friends Celebrating Juneteenth Listen (Runtime 1:24) Read The longest running Juneteenth celebration in Washington is in Pasco. Back in 1978 there was a reunion for family and friends […]Read More

The Taste Of Tacoma Has A New Flavor & Some Tacomans Aren’t Happy About It

By Lauren Gallup June 6, 2022

Point Defiance Park in Tacoma, where the Taste of Tacoma had been traditionally held for over 30 years. Now the Taste is moving to the state fairgrounds — and getting a new name. Photo by Lauren Gallup.

Umi Wagoner says he’s not a scone guy. Wagoner is, however, a lifelong fan of The Taste of Tacoma, an event traditionally held over a summer weekend, in Point Defiance Park, with food vendors, arts and knick knacks for perusing and live music.Read More

27 Years of Hilltop Artists On Display At GATHER Exhibit

By Lauren Gallup May 24, 2022

Museum goers admire "Ofrenda" by David Rios, one of the pieces in the GATHER: 27 Years of Hilltop Artists exhibit at the Tacoma Art Museum. Photo by Peter Berkley.

In the year 2005, Trenton Quiocho was a Tacoma high school student who signed up for a glassblowing elective. The class, taught by the organization Hilltop Artists, would set him on a trajectory to a career in glass art. Read More

What Does Peace Mean to You? ‘Traverse Talks’ Episode 26 – With Peace Campaigner Kwabi Amoah-Forson

By Ashley Beard May 24, 2022

Over the shoulder photo of Kwabi sitting across from Sueann/ kwabi has on e hand out stretched and he appears to explain something to Sueann. She listens in the foreground.

Photo of Kwabi Amoah-Forson recording Traverse Talks in the KTVI Tacoma studios on December 4, 2021. Peace campaigner and humanitarian, Kwabi Amoah-Forson, journeyed across America asking people what “peace” means […]Read More

Classical Music Venues With Non-Classical Histories: Trillium Woods Farm

By Gigi Yellen July 30, 2021

Who needs a concert hall when there’s a barn nearby? Or a brewery? Or an old electric power plant? The Northwest is home to some classical music venues with decidedly non-classical histories. This is the story of Trillium Woods Farm, home of Concerts in the Barn.Read More