John Woodrow Cox is a reporter for the Washington Post and along with members of his team looked into what exactly happened to a 14 year old boy in order to make him open fire at school. The story is called The making of an alleged school shooter: Missed warnings and years of neglect and we learn more in today's Ross File.  Warning: the topic of suicide is discussed in this interview 

Sound Transit expansion continues to be a hot button issue and the co founders of Smart Transit are calling for a pause on the expansion efforts, despite being big believers in public transit.     

Who decided what is and isn't recylable and just how powerful is that decision? ProPublica's Lisa Song covered this and she discusses her findings with Dave Ross

Jim Walsh joins us for a conversation about the recent primary election results in Washington as well as a conversation about the power and responsibilities of government.     

Democratic Political Strategist Cathy Allen chats with Dave Ross and Colleen O'Brien about Tim Walz joining Kamala Harris on the Democratic Presidential ticket, what makes him a good Vice Presidential candidate, and why she would like to see him debate JD Vance.

Washington GOP Political Analyst Randy Pepple speaks to Dave Ross and Colleen O'Brien about Tim Walz as a Vice Presidential candidate for the Democratic Party and why he believes Donald Trump does not need to debate Kamala Harris.

 A topic that we think about a lot here locally -- fentanyl addiction...it is ugly, dangerous, and running rampant throughout the country, especially here in Seattle, in fact, last year in King County there were reportedly 1,060 fentanyl related deaths, a record high. Dr. Christian Lüscher from the University of Geneva is looking into the fentanyl crisis. He is visiting the Allen Institute to explain his work surrounding how the drug impacts the human brain. 

There is research now to show that social connections can help heal physical ailments -- and those findings are outlined in a book titled "The Connection Cure" by author Julia Hotz...a look at "social prescriptions" being given to people in countries around the world like Finland -- we spoke to Julia, who described some of the common social prescriptions...

Can we use AI and security cameras to prevent shootings before they happen? And if we can, what does that mean for our privacy? We talk to Sam Alaimo, one of the co-founders of ZeroEyes software

D.W. Gibson, author of "One Week to Change the World" on how the "Battle of Seattle" formed, what it said about the nature of mass protests and local law enforcement.

Dr. Neal Chatterjee from the UW Medicine Heart Institute on his research into using AI to predict potential cardiac arrest.

New York Times Investigative Reporter David Fahrenthold weighs in on the June 27th debate and whether President Biden should remain in the running. He also comments on the lengths that can be taken with Presidential immunity. 

Amy Smith, Acting Chief of CARE Seattle joins Dave to talk about the new Community Assisted Response and Engagement program in the city.

Dave and Bob Kettle talk about what the city is doing to try to crack down on dangerous street racing. Bob Kettle is the Chair of the Seattle City Council Public Safety Committee.

Onur Bakiner, PhD, has been working on a research project examining the impact of emerging technologies on fundament rights. His research addresses AI risks and harms, proposed solutions to address them, and evidence for how well those solutions work.

It's a weekend full of music at Pike Place Market and we learn about Buskaram with Davin Steadman, Jim Page and Hannah Rames

Of all of the new and scary dangers associated with AI, one that is immediately pressing is how it can be used to create confusion in a political election... There is currently a bill being argued in Congress, authored by our own state's Congressman Derek Kilmer looking to combat the use of deceptive AI in politics, we spoke with Kilmer about the bill and the power of AI

New variants, new names, what is the latest when it comes to COVID-19? UW virologist, Dr. Keith Jerome brings us the latest update and what we need to know this summer. 

As GOP conventions take place across the country ahead of the 21st century, the most recent one in Texas caught the eye of Dave Ross, host of Seattle's Morning News. In an effort to learn more about Christian Nationalism and the role it plays in the Texas GOP, Dave speaks with Robert Downen of the Texas Tribune. 

In her latest piece for ProPublica, "Toxic Gaslighting: How 3M Executives Convinced a Scientist the Forever Chemicals She Found in Human Blood Were Safe" Sharon Lerner highlights the messy story of major manufacturing company 3M attempting to cover up their dangerous chemicals being found in people's blood.

Tacoma Community College has become the latest partner with GreenFlower... offering a certification to break into the $2 billion dollar industry.  Green Flower CEO Max Simon says the jobs are plentiful. 

Dave Ross sits down with State Senator Mark Mullet, candidate for Governor of Washington.

Dave Ross sits down with Dave Reichert, candidate for Governor of Washington 

Dave Ross sits down with Semi Bird, candidate for Governor who was endorsed by the Washington GOP. 

How important is "walkability" for you in a city? We spoke to Nat Henry , a former UW researcher turned entrepreneur who created a interactive walkability map of neighborhoods in Seattle The website: close.city

Hotter days, higher pollution, more dangerous weather events: all of this and more is physically changing us from the inside out, and we don’t even realize it. THE WEIGHT OF NATURE: How a Changing Climate Changes Our Brains by Clayton Page Aldern isn’t a book about climate anxiety—it’s a book about brain health and brain chemistry, and the physicality of our response in this organ to the climate crisis. We sit down with the author to discuss. 

Medical oncologist Dr. Elizabeth Comen tells us about the hisotry of medical care for women in the United States. She explains how misguided information and practices have drastically altered the health of generations of women. She explores this further in her book "All in Her Head: The Truth and Lies Early Medicine Taught Us About Women’s Bodies and Why it Matters Today"    

We saw a report that Senator Joe Nguyễn was using AI to "crush reports", so we wanted to know what that means. How can artificial intelligence be used to help our lawmakers? On the other hand, what are the rules that should be in place? That's what the senator is working on as well. 

"Nick Miroff is the Department of Homeland Security reporter for the Washington Post. He is the co-author of a recent article titled, 'Trump vs. Biden on immigration: 12 charts comparing U.S. border security'. Nick sat down with Dave to talk about the growing migrant concern at the border, and what can be done by US lawmakers to address the significant uptick in the flow of illegal migrants."

Seattle City Prosecutor and Author of Sleeping in the Daytime Christopher Stockwell joins us for a conversation about recovery. How did Christopher's experience growing up lead him to becoming a prosecutor, and how does that experience influence him today? Plus, what about the idea of professional jurors?     

Judy Lash Balint, Correspondent for the Jewish News Syndicate and author of "Jerusalem Diaries" talks to Dave about her perspective in Jerusalem on the conflict happening there, how Israeli citizens are being displaced by the war, and misconceptions on the relationship between the Israeli government and the people of Palestine

Franke Abe, author of We Hereby Refuse, a graphic novel about the incarceration of Japanese Americans, joins Dave to discuss his book and the stories behind it. This is a look into the experience of Japanese Americans during World War 2. 

Last week 8 bridges were blocked across the United States, including here in Seattle. The protestors were, and continue, to call for a cease fire in the War in Gaza. To learn more about why the group Jewish Voice for Peace took that action, we spoke with the leader of the Seattle chapter, Eliana Horn. 

David Goldenkranz has a new book out about a subject that you probably have heard about, White Male Privilege. So... what exactly is it and why does Goldenkranz believe it is worse than we thought? Dave Ross sits down with Goldenkranz to discuss.  

With Congress in recess, 9th district Representative Adam Smith visited the studio for a conversation covering multiple topics. Representative Smith gives his thoughts on the war in the Middle East, immigration and the southern border and what it's really like in working in the current Congress.     

Author of Growing Up In Public joins us to discuss the impact of social media on kids. While there are areas of concerns, Dr. Heitner says the internet can actually be a tool that helps kids in their careers and finding a sense of identity and community. The question remains, how much sharing, is too much sharing?   Learn more about Growing Up In Public at devorahheitner.com

There's many untold stories of the people who fled Afghanistan in the summer of 2021. "Stranger Becomes Neighbor" looks at the fallout from the fall of Kabul, and introduces us to refugees as they adapt to life in the US. These are folks who risked so much helping US troops in Afghanistan. It is hosted by Andrea Smardon, of KSL in Salt Lake City and she is our guest for this episode See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The plastic problem, one that continues to make headlines about the impact of plastics on our environment, bodies and more. But what if you could have plastics, that are stronger than concrete, that are produced as a net negative? That's what Eleftheria Roumeli, Assistant Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at UW is working on and joins us to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Jody Hall has a new pop-up at SEATAC Airport, serving coffee with adaptogenic mushrooms in it. Her company, Wunderground Coffee and Mushrooms provides innovative wellness in the form of mushroom coffee. Wunderground offers products that are performance-enhancing, build focus, and boost brain power."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"David Fahrenthold and Dave touch on the current standstill in discussions on the US debt crisis. Will the country avoid default before the June 1st deadline? Also, E. Jean Carroll has filed another civil case against Donald Trump for his comments on social media during her initial suit against him. What would be the results if the second suit is successful? David and Dave discuss..."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kimmy Siebens understands what it takes to be a nurse and the sacrifices one must go through in order to do her job. But, going above and beyond her work responsibilities, Siebens strives to make sure everyone, housed or unhoused, has access to the care they need. Her work is helping save lives and she is speaking up on behalf of those who can't. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the conversations surrounding police reform, you may have heard about qualified immunity. Qualified immunity is a protection for police officers when they violate the constitution performing their job. Some see it as protection for our police officers doing their jobs, others see it as something that is abused and allows for violations of the law to go unpunished. Joanna Schwartz has studied qualified immunity and it's impact on the public and police. She published her findings in her new book: SHIELDED: How the Police Became UntouchableSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The budget proposal from the King County Regional Homlessness Authority is in the billions and some, like Andrea Suarez, founder and Executive Director Of We Heart Seattle, believe the city continues to move in the wrong direction. She says her organization is a bipartisan, boots on the ground group that is taking action that will help the city and the issue of homelessness, others see her work as controversial. She joins us to explain. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Technology is rapidly evolving and soon, business owners, the government and even one day, yourself will become familiar with Quantum Computing. This form of computation is changing the way people solve problems, from how to load an airplane properly to cracking encryption. What are the pros and cons of what seems like a very powerful new form of technology? CEO of IONQ Peter Chapman joins us to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Awe is all around us. From the biggest, life changing events to stopping to smell the flowers on your way to the beach. You can find awe in everything, and when you do find awe, you'd be surprised at how much it can add to your life. Dacher Keltner has been studying the idea of awe for 15 years, and has a new book, AWE: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life. He teaches Dave Ross and Colleen O'Brien that sometimes you really do need to walk and smell the roses. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The War in Ukraine has brought us, seemingly, closer to nuclear war. The closest we've been since the Cuban Missile Crisis. Comments from President Putin have raised questions such as what would the fallout be if Russia did use nuclear weapons? Is Putin really considering using weapons of that scale and how would the United States respond? Emma Belcher is the president of the Ploughshares fund, a foundation with one goal in mind, reducing the threat of nuclear weapons. She joins us to navigate the threats.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aging... something every person dreads, what does it mean for your physical and well being? Can you rely on just having "good genes"? Rose Kenney, author of Age Proof: The New Science of Living a Longer and Healthier Life s has been studying the aging process and she sits down with KIRO News Radio's Dave Ross to discuss the different aging processes, healthy ways to age, "brain training" games and how policy makers use age data to make decisions.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are plenty of well-understood risk factors for homelessness; addiction, mental illness, poverty.  But it turns out that even in places where the poverty rates are some of the highest in the nation, homelessness doesn't necessarily follow. One of the biggest risk factors for homelessness is actually pretty simple: it's the cost of housing. Academic Gregg Colburn and data journalist Clayton Aldern are the authors of the new book Homelessness is a Housing Problem. They join KIRO Newsradio's Dave Ross to talk about their research on rent spikes and real estate bidding wars in cities like Seattle and San Francisco, where tents are on the sidewalks in front of million-dollar homes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's no surprise to anyone that Americans today are deeply divided. How do we have conversations with the people we vehemently disagree with on, well — everything? Journalist Mónica Guzmán is the liberal daughter of Mexican immigrants who voted — twice — for Donald Trump. She joins KIRO Radio's Colleen O'Brien and Dave Ross to discuss an organization that's been putting people from all across the political spectrum in the same room to talk about everything from stolen elections to the Black Lives Matter movement. Her book is I Never Thought of It That Way, available for purchase here. Mónica Guzmán will be in conversation with political cartoonist David Horsey at Seattle's Town Hall on March 22nd, 2022. Tickets available here. And you can find a Braver Angels event to attend here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Gleb Yemetz is a cardiac surgeon. He has been living with his staff at a hospital in Kyiv since the invasion began, performing emergency surgeries for the critically wounded. Dave Ross spoke with him on the evening of February 28th ... day 5 of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Dr Yemetz describes Russian advances on the city of Kyiv, the situation inside his hospital and the threat of nuclear war.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nearly three times as many people die in school mass shootings when an armed officer is present. That's the finding of a study of every case since 1980, led by Hamline University professor Dr. Jillian Peterson. Dr. Peterson joins Dave Ross to discuss why more weapons means more violence, even the hands of "the good guys," what to expect when kids are back in school after a year of pandemic stress, isolation and minimal socialization, and what prevention looks like before we reach the point of barricading classroom doors.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Searching for signs of life on another planet, choosing which rocks to bring back to Earth: and all from the comfort of home? That's life right now for Dr. Melissa Rice, who is a member of all three Mars rover science teams and a geology professor at Western Washington University. After the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover successfully touched down on February 18th, Dr. Rice calls in to chat with Dave Ross about what it means to be on "Mars Time," which sounds much worse than jetlag, and how this mission could help humans visit the Red Planet in the not-too-distant future.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sara Nelson, co-owner of Fremont Brewing, has just announced her campaign for Position 9 on Seattle City Council. She calls KIRO Radio's Dave Ross to explain why the council needs at least one small business owner in the room. Her priorities include getting back to basics like fixing potholes, holding the council accountable on budgeting, and restarting some long lost environmental protection measures.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As cases of the novel coronavirus reach new heights, you might be pinning your hopes on finding a vaccine. Dr. William Haseltine is here to shatter that illusion: but luckily, he doesn't think we actually need a vaccine to start dining out, hooking up and dancing in clubs again. Dr. Haseltine is a former professor and researcher at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health, the founder and president of ACCESS Health International, and an esteemed virologist who may just make an appearance on the next coronavirus task force. He sits down with Dave Ross to explain why the current vaccines everyone is racing to develop aren't going to be a perfect protection from the virus. But at-home tests and earning $500 a day to stay quarantined might help us get this under control the way Wuhan, China has.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why do we let white collar criminals get away with their crimes? That's the question Jennifer Taub sets out to answer in her new book, Big Dirty Money, after wondering why no one was arrested during the 2008 subprime mortgage crisis. Taub sits down with KIRO Radio's Dave Ross to answer questions about Trump's tax returns, the sneaky loopholes being slipped into each federal coronavirus relief package, and how we can fight corruption and protect the whistleblowers at companies like Wells Fargo and Purdue Pharma, where early intervention would have saved money, jobs and even lives.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As two renowned military strategists faced off against each other at the Battle of Gettysburg, they took opposite approaches for rallying their troops, with pivotal consequences for the Civil War. How do the lessons learned during this historic battle still apply today? Jeff McCausland recounts this story, and other lessons he's learned about leadership during his time in the military, in a new book: Battle Tested! co-authored with Tom Vossler.  Dr. Jeff McCausland is a retired Colonel from the U.S. Army, former Dean of Academics at the U.S. Army War College, and a National Security Consultant for CBS News - which means he's been a frequent guest with Dave Ross on Seattle's Morning News.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

KIRO Radio's Dave Ross sits down with biologist and data scientist Carl Bergstrom as well as director of the University of Washington's Center for an Informed Public Jevin West, to discuss misinformation during the pandemic.  From bad communication strategies from local and world leaders, to conspiracy theories spreading online with nefarious ends, Bergstrom and West are here to, well, call it out. Their new book Calling Bullsh*t is available now.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dave Ross has been getting emails about the current protests: emails saying that the civil rights movement is behind us, and justice has already been achieved. That things aren't that bad. So why is the average net worth of a white family nearly 10x greater than that of a Black family? Shawn Rochester joins to explain the history of economic inequality in this country as briefly as he possibly can. Rochester is the author of The Black Tax: The Cost of Being Black in America, and CEO and founder of several organizations that provide financial education and advice to empower Black business leaders and consumers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thomas W. Jones is the founder and senior partner of a venture capital investment firm, with a long career in corporate America. But when Dave Ross first heard of him, Jones was an armed revolutionary, staging an occupied protest with classmates at Cornell University to demand a black studies curriculum and the resignation of the university president. So Dave sits down with his fellow Cornell alum to reflect on racial progress in the years since, and discuss what Jones thinks of this new wave of young protesters raging against the system.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Uttam Mukherjee and Aakanksha Sinha are the husband and wife team behind Spice Waala, an Indian restaurant in Capitol Hill that doesn't serve your typical Americanized tikka masala. They opened a brick and mortar storefront in 2019 ... and then the pandemic hit. Aakanksha, a professor at the University of Washington who researches food justice, and Uttam, with his background in the corporate business world, talk to Dave Ross about how they've stepped up for their community with meal donations, navigated the delivery fees and uncertainty of apps like GrubHub and UberEats, and stayed positive while trying to save their business.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do we create a stable middle class in America? Dave Ross calls entrepreneur and investor Nick Hanauer, who argues that taxing big business and the rich, like him, makes a lot of sense - especially in a pandemic.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Katrina Johnson is the cousin of Charleena Lyles, who was killed in 2017 during an encounter with police in her apartment.  She talks with Dave Ross about the ongoing protests in Seattle, including a vigil for Charleena and other victims of police brutality that Johnson organized in Magnuson Park, an event hundreds attended. With a background working with police officers in Seattle's Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program and fighting for justice for her cousin through the inquest process, Johnson demands accountability from the Seattle Police Department and city leadership. Johnson is organizing a March for Accountability at Magnuson Park this Sunday, June 28th: more information about how to participate here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Several years ago, the city of Camden, New Jersey completely disbanded their entire police department and union - then rebuilt both from the ground up. So Dave Ross calls Camden Freeholder Director Lou Cappelli Jr., an architect of the program, to find out how they did it and what policing in Camden looks like now.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As people take to the streets to protest anti-Black racism despite the continued risk of coronavirus, many health experts have signed an open letter to support the movement, calling racism itself as a public health crisis. Add to this the data showing a disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on minority populations, and the conversation about racism and community health has been cast in an urgent new light. So Dave Ross calls Edwin Lindo, a scholar of Critical Race Theory and the Associate Director for the University of Washington's Center for Leadership and Innovation in Medical Education (CLIME). He also hosts The Praxis Podcast, which addresses racism as a health issue.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Should an unreviewed, self-published info booklet about coronavirus be available on Amazon Kindle? Alex Berenson, former New York Times journalist and current spy novel writer, made waves this week when his first installment of three booklets called "Unreported Truths About COVID-19 and Lockdowns" was abruptly removed from Amazon's self-publishing platform, without explanation. The ensuing debate about censorship eventually reached Elon Musk and then Jeff Bezos himself. Now it's coming directly to you. Listen to Dave Ross interview Alex Berenson and ask: are you a fringe Covid denier?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The use of force by police in America has come under sharp criticism in the wake of the death of George Floyd.  What is our way forward? Dave Ross asks that question of the person who trains police, Sue Rahr. She was the King County sheriff, and is now the executive director of the Washington Criminal Justice Training Commission, which certifies police and corrections officers in our state.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you need to wear a mask while you hike? Should grocery stores be avoided at all costs? To help us adjust to this new normal and all of the uncertain (and sometimes conflicting) guidelines, Dave Ross calls epidemiologist Erin Bromage at the University of Massachusetts. Bromage specializes in translating science and research into plain English, and can tell us everything scientists know so far about how the coronavirus really spreads - and how to calculate your own risk.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Several months ago, KIRO Radio's Dave Ross interviewed activist and friend Jeff Siddiqui about his experience receiving a heart transplant. You can listen to Jeff's story here. During that interview, Jeff told Dave he wanted to meet and thank the family of the person who donated his heart. Corrie Schumacher heard Jeff's interview on the radio. Her son, 22 year old Sam Schumacher, had passed away in a tragic accident, and was a registered organ, eye and tissue donor. Corrie was inspired by Jeff's story to write letters to all four of the people her son's donations had saved - not yet knowing that Jeff himself was the recipient of her son's heart. Jeff and Corrie cannot meet in person because of the coronavirus, but they spoke to Dave about their experience meeting virtually, and the legacy Sam left behind with his choice to donate. April is National Donate Life Month. If you are interested in registering as an organ donor, you can do so through LifeCenter Northwest.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The COVID-19 pandemic's peak number of cases seems to be hitting Seattle over Easter weekend and Passover Seder. Boyd Matheson, Opinion Editor of Deseret News, does a (remote!) interview with Dave Ross to discuss the intersection of faith and science during turbulent times.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Keith Jerome is on the front lines of the coronavirus outbreak in Washington state.  He's not only the Head of Virology at the University of Washington's Department of Laboratory Medicine. He's also a member of the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. His lab just received federal approval to start running tests for COVID-19 locally. He'll tell you everything you need to know about how the virus spreads, how to protect yourself against it, and how close we are to a vaccine.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dave Ross is joined in the studio by reporter Hanna Scott and car whisperer Chris Sullivan to ask Matthew Metz why he wants to ban gas-powered cars.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It doesn't just take peak athletic form to become a star athlete in the NFL and a household name. It takes mental conditioning, too. Dave Ross interviews Trevor Moawad, the guy who has been Russell Wilson's mental conditioning coach for years. Moawad grew up in the Pacific Northwest, and his dad, Bob Moawad, was an original contributor to 'Chicken Soup for the Soul.'  Moawad will talk about how staying in the present and keeping a neutral mindset can help anyone excel both personally and professionally. And he'll talk about why he refuses to listen to country music, too. Moawad's book is called It Takes What It Takes: How to Think Neutrally and Gain Control of Your Life.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Senator Bernie Sanders has become a serious contender to win the Democratic nomination. So Dave Ross talked to Derek Thompson from The Atlantic about why Sanders' campaign is so appealing to young people. And, they discuss why Democrats over 65 might be hypocrites for preferring Joe Biden to the new wave of democratic socialism sweeping the progressive left.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A recent New York Times article put nearly identical textbooks from California and Texas side by side. It revealed some startling differences, with each state choosing to interpret certain parts of US history (slavery, the Second Amendment) pretty differently. Seattle's Morning News had some questions about how textbooks are selected for the public schools here in Washington state. So Dave Ross sat down with Kathleen Vasquez, the Literacy and Social Studies program manager at Seattle Public Schools.  Turns out, choosing a textbook is a pretty involved process, heavily dependent on community input. What goes into raising an all-American, patriotic young citizen? Especially when you might be tempted cherry-pick history, to make America sound 'great' again?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dave Ross talks with Washington Post reporter Carol Leonnig about her new book, co-authored with Philip Rucker, 'A Very Stable Genius: Donald J. Trump's Testing of America.' Talking to over 200 sources inside the Trump Administration, the president's closest confidantes and allies have now turned against a White House they call reckless, chaotic and presenting a clear and present danger to America's stability at home and abroad. On Wednesday, Jan 29 at 7pm, Dave Ross will discuss the book with Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker at the Broadway Performance Hall in Seattle. Tickets can be purchased here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dave Ross talks to District 3 Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant, a democratic socialist who defeated Amazon's outsized campaign spending in her last election. Sawant wants to reignite enthusiasm across the city for a tax on the very largest of Seattle's corporations - and the revenue would fund solutions to Seattle's now infamous homelessness and housing crisis.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When a deeply held belief of ours is challenged, our brainwaves show the same stress and panic as if we're being chased by a bear. We see it as a life or death threat, and it triggers a fight or flight response. But when we're having an easy conversation with someone at a party, our brainwaves actually sync up. Dave Ross talks with Kate Murphy, author of "You're Not Listening," about how to sync our brainwaves more than chase each other with bears. She has some great advice about how to be a good listener - and how to make sure other people want to listen to you, too.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jeff Siddiqui has been on the program before, speaking to you as an activist on behalf of the Muslim community. But today, he joins us to tell the harrowing story of receiving a heart transplant this summer.  He'll talk to Dave Ross about what it was like to go from feeling absolutely fine to having a heart attack, his experience waiting on the national donor list, and the feeling of receiving another person's heart that saved his life.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nathan Vass drives an overnight Metro bus route through Seattle's downtown core. He's also a filmmaker, an artist, and now, an author. On his well-known blog, Nathan tells stories about the people he encounters along his route, and that blog is now a book, called "The Lines That Make Us." Nathan joins Dave Ross in the studio to tell us some of those stories, and explain why he's stuck around on one of the least popular routes as long as he has.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dave Ross calls New York Times reporter Sabrina Tavernise to discuss her recent article, 'No One Believes Anything.' Tavernise interviewed people across America who are overwhelmed by the amount of filtering and critical reading necessary to understand a 24-hour, internet-based and clickbait-driven news cycle. So instead, they're turning off their TV's, unsubscribing from national papers and trying to tune it all out. Why is this new era of news driving everyone so crazy - either far to the right, far to the left, or frozen in the middle? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Melissa Godoy joins Dave Ross to talk about a persistent toxic mold problem that has been sickening military families like hers at Joint Base Lewis-McChord and elsewhere. Hear the full interview, including how Lincoln Military Housing allegedly threatened those who are speaking out, the costs that are prohibiting those who want to relocate off post from finding other housing, and the 30 families who have decided to sue.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parents are trying to save a program for their children in Seattle Public Schools called the Highly Capable Cohort. It's an advanced track of separate classes and different lessons for students who have first been deemed by their parents as "gifted," and then tested to make sure they meet program standards. Why would a rigorous program for children who are testing above their grade level be yanked by the district? Because the program's secrecy and inaccessibility is steeped in systemic racial bias. Dave Ross consults Dr. Pedro Noguera, an expert on public education globally and a fierce advocate for truly equitable schools. His opinion might be different than you would think.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dave Ross sits down with Admiral James Stavridis, former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO, to discuss holding a steady moral compass during turbulent times. His latest book is Sailing True North, a portrait of the lives and careers of ten historic naval commanders. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dave Ross hosts a heated debate between State Senator Shelly Short and former State Representative Jesse Wineberry over Referendum 88, on your ballot this morning. Hear Senator Short and Rep. Wineberry argue the merits of a change that would allow public institutions to consider race, age and gender as a factor, when all other qualifications are equal, in hiring decisions and university admissions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After weathering conservative backlash to a draft of Seattle's "ethnic math" curriculum that went viral, the designer of the "math is racist" program joins Dave at the KIRO Radio studio. Tracy Castro-Gill is the Ethnic Studies Program Manager for Seattle Public Schools. The program could be taught in local math classes by spring 2021.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whistleblowers might be all over the news right now thanks to Trump's Ukranian quid pro quo.  But Tom Mueller has been researching the strange reality of turning your boss over to authorities, and the massive price you'll pay for it, for the past seven years. He's spoken with over 200 whistleblowers, and 1,000 experts. Now he talks with Dave Ross about the resulting book, Crisis of Conscience. They discuss the whistleblowers who tried to prevent 9/11, but instead found the FBI at their front doors with guns. And the employees at Boeing who called an FAA hotline months before any plane crash.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thomas Chatterton Williams talks with Dave Ross about how his view of himself, as a black American and prolific writer on race issues, shifted after he moved to France, married a white woman, and then gave birth to blonde haired, blue eyed children. What did it mean to be black if his children didn't look black at all? And how can we shift our understanding and discussion of what it means to be black, or white? The book is Self Portrait in Black and White.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dave Ross talks with award-winning poet and MacArthur Fellow Richard Kenney, a professor at the University of Washington. His new book of poetry, Terminator, examines how one should navigate the challenges of our modern world (with wit, and a bit of humor). They read several of Kenney's poems aloud, including an unpublished one about our "Commander in Tweet," and discuss the risk Kenney took years ago to become a poet. Can poetry really be taught, and how do you know if you're any good?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why has shoplifting, a seemingly minor crime, escalated in recent years? People are growing more desperate, more brazen - and the safety of store workers and bottom lines of businesses are at stake. Dave Ross talks with Roger Goodman, who represents Kirkland and Redmond in the Washington state legislature, and Judge David Larson, a civil court judge in Federal Way.  Rep. Goodman chairs the House Public Safety Committee, and Judge Larson deals with shoplifting theft convictions in his court on a regular basis. Having seen how the system works firsthand, they have some ideas, and opinions, about what will really work to stop repeat offenders.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An illegal immigrant was arrested in connection with a gang murder at a Bellevue park. He'd committed other non-violent offenses before this, but local law enforcement did not turn him over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Why? Dave Ross talks with Nathalie Asher, who is the director of ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations. They'll discuss Seattle's role as a sanctuary city, how ICE tracks and finds the people it wants to deport, and deporting people who have been arrested but not yet convicted of a crime.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At a recent Seattle City Council meeting, chief deputy Marc Garth Green made a comment that shocked councilmembers Teresa Mosqueda and Kshama Sawant: that some of the sex workers on Aurora Avenue have told him they "enjoy" what they're doing. So Dave Ross and reporter Hanna Scott consult a local expert, Melodie Reece. She's the co-founder of a harm reduction and sex worker’s rights organization in Seattle (POC- SWOP) that hands out snacks, water, and offers services to street-based sex workers and drug users on the Aurora corridor in north Seattle. She has a masters in public policy from the University of Washington. They discuss the reasons behind the visible increase in sex work on the streets of Seattle in the last six months.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dave Ross talks with Derek Kilmer, representative of Washington's 6th Congressional District, about a recent poll that says Congress is less popular than head lice, colonoscopies and Nickelback. They discuss what Kilmer has been doing to bridge the partisan divide (which includes flying to Arkansas) and actually pass some legislation.  And finally - what is the mood in Washington D.C. around impeaching President Trump?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Julie Blacklow, a well-known Seattle broadcast journalist with KING-TV and one of the first women to work in television news in America, has written her autobiography - Fearless: Diary of a Badass Reporter.  Badass may be an understatement. Julie sits down with Dave Ross to recount her interactions with famous names over the years - Richard Nixon, Oprah, Tina Turner, and Chuck Berry, among others. She once stormed out of an interview with a surly Jennifer Lopez, and partied with porn stars on a yacht in California after being seduced by a source. And that barely scratches the surface!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The odds are stacked against former inmates the day they're released from prison. Opportunities for a job, let alone a new career path, are few and far between. Dave Ross talks with Shelly Klier, a former inmate and addict with 14 felonies, who had been to prison three times. Now, she's a successful welder and graduate of the Post Prison Education Program, a local nonprofit that provides funding for former prisoners to attain a post-secondary education. Shelly tells the story behind her addiction, repeat offenses and incarceration, and how she managed to turn her life around completely, in spite of it all. This episode is part of ongoing coverage on the work of the Post Prison Education Program. You can listen to an interview with Ari Kohn, founder of the program, here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new nationwide study shows that Americans would rather drive themselves than use autonomous cars. Even in traffic! Don MacKenzie is a senior author of the study and an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Washington, where he also leads the Sustainable Transportation Lab. He talks with Dave Ross about the implications of his study as the development of self-driving cars seems to move full speed ahead. What does the future of transportation look like - and what's a transportation researcher's dream scenario?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dave talks with Saul Cornell, chair of the history department at Fordham University and former director of the Second Amendment Research Center, to discuss his idea for gun control: tax them! We hear from the historian himself that there was a time when the US government told you not only where you were allowed to carry your gun, but also how to store your gun, who could buy a gun, and even took people's guns away!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dave Ross and Colleen O'Brien talk with Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times reporter Jodi Kantor, who, alongside reporter Megan Twohey, uncovered 25 years of sexual harassment allegations against Harvey Weinstein and precipitated the #MeToo Movement.  Jodi Kantor details their investigation: how they booked secret interviews with A-list actresses, the clandestine ways Weinstein fought to bury and discredit the story, and the system of silent settlements for sexual harassment that women are still pressured to sign every day across the country.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jim Downs, a historian and professor at Connecticut College, talks with Dave Ross about a devastating but little-known smallpox epidemic that affected former slaves immediately after the Civil War. The widespread illness was minimized for political reasons - and Jim argues we see the same rationale repeating today in our healthcare policy debates. How do politics and policy actually affect real people in their daily lives? Dave and Jim discuss the Democrat's 2020 campaign towards universal healthcare, and the crisis at our southern border. You can purchase Jim's book, "Sick from Freedom: African American Suffering During the Civil War and Reconstruction" here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Does Google bias its search results, putting its own services first and monopolizing ... well, the internet? Dave Ross asks a lawyer - professor John Kirkwood from the Seattle University School of Law. They discuss the massive investigation launched against Google this week, and what this antitrust action means for other tech giants, like Amazon and Facebook. All in less than 15 minutes!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ibram X Kendi is a historian, a New York Times bestselling author, the founding director of the Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American University, and a columnist for The Atlantic. His latest book, How to Be an Antiracist, upends the idea that most people today aren't racist. In fact, you're probably racist. But don't panic, and don't delete this podcast episode - everyone's racist, Kendi says, including, at one point, himself. Racism is deeply embedded in our society and even our personal relationships, and we can't just ignore it and hope it will go away. We have to confront it. We have to be anti-racist. Ibram X Kendi has an event at Seattle's Town Hall on Saturday, September 14th with Ijeoma Oluo. It's currently sold out - but we have it on good authority that there will be a standby line at the door.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dave talks with Sean Carroll, a theoretical physicist at CalTech who hosts the popular podcast Mindscape. His new book, Something Deeply Hidden, dives into the bizarre and unsettling theory of quantum physics - the idea that you are not the only version of yourself in the universe. Copies of you are generating thousands of times every single second, at every point where something that could have happened to you, didn't - no matter how small.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dave talks with Emily Bancroft, CEO of the Seattle-based nonprofit VillageReach. Her organization has started using drones to deliver vaccines, medicine and lab results to rural clinics in the Democratic Republic of Congo.  But the technology, while efficient and effective, is costly - and how do residents know that the drones are bringing life-saving drugs rather than being used as weapons of war?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jeramie Booker emailed the show, asking to provide a different perspective on Washington's homelessness issue.  Booker has been living in an RV camper for over a year and struggling to find affordable and permanent housing. He doesn't do drugs. He's clean shaven. He's self-employed full-time as a handyman in Everett. And yet his credit is shot, and he can't afford the skyrocketing costs of rent.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dave Ross talks with author and business reporter Christopher Leonard about his seven years of research into the inter-workings of Koch Industries, an American company so big, it's perhaps unknowingly part of your life every day. Leonard's new book is called Kochland: The Secret History of Koch Industries and Corporate Power in America. He'll be in Seattle for a book event at Town Hall on Friday, Sept. 6th, 7:30 pm.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jeffery Robinson runs the ACLU Trone Center for Justice and Equality, and for a long time, he's been giving speeches about the way America's history of racism and white supremacy has been hidden from school textbooks throughout the country. Those speeches, which are part of a tour called Who We Are, are being turned into a documentary film. Robinson is also a part-time Seattle resident, so he sits down with Dave Ross in the studio to talk about why this painful part of our nation's history is being hidden from us, and what we stand to gain by confronting it head on. Robinson has an event at Town Hall on Wednesday, August 21st at 4pm. It's sold out, but keep an eye on the Who We Are homepage - a second event will be scheduled soon. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who are the people trying to commit mass shootings, and how can they be stopped? Dave talks with Garen Wintemute, the director of the Violence Prevention Research Program at UC Davis in Sacramento. Wintemute and his team, including Julia Schleimer, researched extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs), or "red flag laws" - a way for community members and family to alert local police to a would-be assailant's plans and disarm them.  Their resulting study released just yesterday turned up a fascinating array of cases: including one in which the FBI worked with local police. Wintemute and Dave talk legality, and discuss the study's conclusion: that zero of the 21 cases where an ERPO was filed ended in a mass shooting.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How has the sudden rise of social media, full of purposefully misleading information from bad actors, completely shifted the way we get our news and information? Is there such a thing as being too skeptical of what we see and read online? Dave Ross talks with Kate Starbird, a former professional basketball player in the WNBA for the Seattle Storm, and now an associate professor at the University of Washington where she researches online rumors and crisis informatics. Dr. Starbird is also a Co-Principal Investigator at the UW's Center for an Informed Public.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dave Ross sits down with Pramila Jayapal to discuss everything from a possible impeachment of the president to the Congresswoman's recent op-ed about her personal experience with abortion.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ari Kohn runs the Post-Prison Education Program, which provides scholarships to former inmates and community mentorship while they earn degrees. Their graduates have a recidivism rate of only 7.8%, compared to the Department of Correction's average of 33.5%. Recently, Facebook miscategorized the group as a political organization, preventing them from advertising one of their fundraising events on the platform. The mistake took months for Kohn to undo, and brings up questions about how Facebook has been watching for Russian interference since the 2016 election. How are stringent standards without seemingly much oversight affecting us on a community level?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Retired Colonel Jeff McCausland is CBS Radio's national security consultant. He visited the studios at KIRO to talk with Dave Ross about cybersecurity, threats from North Korea, Russia and the Middle East, and challenges with modern military recruitment. If you'd like to zoom in on specific analysis, here's what you can expect throughout this episode: Iran 1:48 North Korea 9:50 Middle East 12:50 Russia 15:20 Military Recruitment 17:52See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dave talks with journalist Marshall Allen about his latest investigative piece for ProPublica, in which he uncovers a shockingly easy loophole that allows anyone - including people with criminal backgrounds - to send bills to your health insurance.  Some of the biggest companies, including Aetna, United and Cigna, pay 96-99% of bills automatically. And they lose millions of dollars to fraud each year.  Hear parts of the story that didn't make it on air: like the bizarre way one scammer finally got caught after he managed to charge insurance companies $25 million over the course of four years.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael Friedson is the co-founder and executive editor of The Media Line, an American news agency covering the Middle East. He talks with Dave about how the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has become an American political issue, goes over some quick background on the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS), and discusses what we can expect and hope for if Congresswoman Ilhan Omar is able to arrange a trip to the region.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bumper-to-bumper traffic, an entirely new neighborhood in South Lake Union and a long line at the original Starbucks. Who on earth would want even more people in Seattle? Well, Tom Norwalk would! He's the President and CEO of Visit Seattle, and he sings the praises of our rainy little city in places as far away as Australia and Tokyo.  He sits down with Dave to talk about why tourism in Seattle is a good thing, gives us a sneak peek of some new tourist attractions coming to town, and talks about some of the reasons that overtourism - which is becoming a major problem in European cities - isn't really an issue in the United States.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Robert Ostrom was happy to retire from his job as a nurse and nurse anesthetist after 20+ years working in operating rooms in Seattle. Then he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. The health insurance he had switched to for his retirement considered the cancer a pre-existing condition, and that's when Robert found out that the life-saving medication he was taking, Zytiga, would cost as much as $11,000 out of pocket, every month. Robert talks with Dave about how he found a workaround, and what he wants other people to know if they find themselves in a similar bind.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dave Ross talks with Nada Bakos, who worked as a "targeter" in the CIA tracking terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. They discuss the escalating tension with Iran, why she considers climate change one of our biggest national security threats, and how Trump's tweets are giving volatile foreign leaders like Putin and Kim Jong Un a dangerously intimate view into our nation's psyche. Nada Bakos will discuss her new book The Targeter: My Life in the CIA, Hunting Terrorists and Challenging the White House at Seattle's Town Hall on Sunday, June 30th.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anna Fifield gained access to Kim Jong Un's inner circle in hopes of uncovering truths about a man shrouded in myth and propaganda at the front of an authoritarian regime. She talked to the aunt and uncle who posed as his parents when he was growing up in Switzerland, Dennis Rodman's entourage, and the Japanese sushi chef who worked in the royal family's household when Kim Jong Un was a child.  Fifield is the Beijing bureau chief for the Washington Post, and her book, The Great Successor: The Divinely Perfect Destiny of Brilliant Comrade Kim Jong Un is out today. She will be in Seattle for a Town Hall event on Sunday, June 16th at 7:30 pm. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malia Burns is the principal of Summit Sierra, a charter school in the International District. Tonight, her very first class of high school seniors is graduating. 98% have been accepted to at least one four-year college or university, and between Summit Sierra and their sister high school in Tacoma, the students have received over $3 million in grants and scholarships. Dave and Malia discuss opening more charter schools, their policy of not allowing teachers to unionize, and the cost of Summit Sierra compared to a traditional public school.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An national survey from the American Medical Association found that 44% of physicians experience burnout.  It's a startlingly high percentage for a profession that we all rely upon to keep ourselves healthy. And it hasn't always been like this. Dave Ross sits down with Dr. Carrie Rose to discuss the leading causes behind physician burnout that make it a distinctly modern phenomenon. Dr. Rose practices family medicine, a specialty that experiences one of the highest rates of burnout at 47%.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tony Horwitz passed away suddenly on May 27th during his tour for his latest book, Spying on the South: An Odyssey Across the American Divide. Horwitz was a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist for the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, and he also authored Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War.  Dave spoke with Horwitz during the Seattle stop of his book tour just a few weeks ago. They discussed Horwitz's journey retracing the steps of Frederick Law Olmsted across the south, and how to bridge the partisan divide at this particular moment in our nation's history.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dave talks with Kathleen Belew, whose new book Bring the War Home: The White Power Movement and Paramilitary America gives historical context to the visible white power movement we're seeing resurge during Trump's presidency. This movement is not new. They're militarized. They're extremely organized online, and created an early version of Facebook for themselves years before Zuckerberg went to Harvard. Belew sees the white power movement as a cellular terrorist organization that is fundamentally anti-American. Kathleen Belew is an assistant professor of U.S. History at the University of Chicago. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Washington in 2005.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alexis Hiniker and Jason Yip research the relationships people have with technology, and they have a program where they work alongside children to come up with new designs. They noticed that the kids described lot of technology as "creepy." But what exactly does "creepy" mean? Hiniker and Yip interviewed them about it, and found fascinating answers about what makes kids uncertain or concerned about artificial intelligence and smart home devices. As this technology becomes more deeply integrated into all of our lives and also increasingly complex, how do we make sure it's not, well ... creepy? Hiniker and Yip are both assistant professors at The University of Washington's Information School.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stephanie Ranade Krider is the Executive Director of Ohio Right to Life, a politically strategic pro-life organization. Dave asks her what life would look like for the most vulnerable women in states like Alabama if the constitutional right to abortion were overturned.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrea Rodgers is a senior attorney with Our Children's Trust. She represents the youth plaintiffs in Juliana vs. United States, a constitutional climate lawsuit. The plaintiffs claim that the US government knew about the catastrophic effects of climate change years ago and did not act, and the resulting extreme weather events violate their rights to life, liberty and property. The case will appear before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday, June 4th in Portland, Oregon.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Philip Van Cleave is the president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, a gun-rights organization that some consider more conservative than the NRA. The Virginia Citizens Defense League supports allowing guns on school grounds and college campuses as well as in libraries, government facilities and bars,and opposes universal background checks. Dave talks with Philip about the red flag laws that have swept across states after the Parkland shooting, laws which allow a state court to temporarily take firearms away from a person if they are reported by family or police as a threat to themselves or others.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jared Diamond is a geographer, historian and author best known for his international bestseller Guns, Germs and Steel. He talks with Dave Ross about his newest book, Upheaval: Turning Points for Nations in Crisis, in which he compares how six different countries emerged from periods of immense and historic change. Dave and Jared discuss an existential crisis at the root of Jared's own life work, and that feels particularly relevant as America spirals towards a crisis of our own: can we learn from our history?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stacy Mitchell talks with Dave Ross about how federal agencies are failing to crack down on monopoly businesses like Amazon, and what we can do to protect local, independently-owned small businesses at a state level. She's the co-director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, a policy and advocacy group. They discuss a case study out of North Dakota, where every pharmacy is a small business owned by a real pharmacist, thanks to a law from the 1960s. You would struggle to find a CVS or Walmart pharmacy in the entire state, and it's led to better competition and even lower prescription drug prices.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ken Armstrong won a Pulitzer Prize for his work documenting the story of a young woman in Lynnwood who was brutally assaulted by a serial rapist. Her account was doubted by both her foster parents and the Lynnwood Police Department, and she was criminally charged with filing a false police report. Now, Armstrong examines the history of skepticism towards rape victims in A False Report: A True Story of Rape in America, co-authored with T. Christian Miller. The book is being adapted into a Netflix series, set to begin streaming on September 13th.  Ken Armstrong will receive the 2019 Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award for excellence in writing and participate in a discussion at Elliott Bay Books on Monday, May 13th at 7:00 PM.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dave sits down with Janet Napolitano, former Secretary of Homeland Security under the Obama Administration, to talk about how safe our nation really is. They discuss what border security looks like on a practical level, and also what kind of concerns we should have about cyber security as we move ahead to the 2020 presidential election.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark Titus is the director and producer of a new film, The Wild. It's about the last fully-intact wild salmon run in Alaska, and the copper mine that might threaten its existence. The Wild premieres at the Seattle International Film Festival on May 19thSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dave spoke several weeks ago on the podcast with Jesse Wineberry about Initiative 1000: an attempt to lift a prior statewide ban on affirmative action. I-1000 has since passed in the Washington state legislature, and it collected a record-breaking number of signatures to get there. This week, Dave talks with Kan Qui who, with backing from Washington Asians for Equality, filed Referendum 88 this week in an attempt to force I-1000 onto the ballot. Washington Asians For Equality has fiercely opposed I-1000, and Qui explains that he sees the initiative as a disguised attempt to discriminate against Asian-Americans at public universities. You can find Jesse Wineberry's episode about I-1000 here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Claudia Rowe is a journalist and author, here to discuss her recent piece in a series for The Seattle Times about the effects of the nation's opioid crisis on children. She talks with both Dave Ross and Colleen O'Brien about a solution out of Spokane, Washington that's so simple it's revolutionary: a residential drug treatment program that keeps parents and their children together, monitored and supported by a team of counselors and medical professionals, rather than putting children in foster care.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Benjamin "Benji" Backer is the founder and president of the American Conservation Coalition (ACC), a growing cohort of young Republicans who want to see action on climate change from their representatives. He's also a junior at the University of Washington. In the last six months, the ACC has expanded to 125 college campuses nationwide. Dave talks with Benji about how his organization is bringing older conservatives on board with protecting the environment, why he's not a fan of the Green New Deal, and how Benji is balancing school with running a national organization.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dave Ross interviews Michael Shellenberger, who considers himself a conservationist and environmentalist, and yet also thinks that wind and solar power are completely inefficient. Instead, he's been proposing (for years!) that our solution to the global energy crisis lies in nuclear power plants. He thinks nuclear gets a bad rap, and so he founded Environmental Progress, a financially independent research and policy organization that advocates for nuclear energy. He talks with Dave about why nuclear works, and why no one likes it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dave Ross talks with Gabi Zijderveld from Affectiva about the company's Affdex technology, which can instantly detect the emotion you're experiencing by analyzing your face. You can try it out yourself - they have a free app called AffdexMe - and they're working on building this into cars so you could get a warning when you're too tired to drive ... or getting road rage. This longer interview is full of fascinating information that didn't make it on air: ever heard of video games that change based on your interest level?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dave Ross talks with Robert Chang and Sharon Sakamoto, who filed an amicus brief to a case the Supreme Court will hear today about whether or not a question about citizenship status can appear on the 2020 census. Robert Chang is the executive director of the Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality at Seattle University School of Law, and Sharon Sakamoto was born inside a concentration camp during the Japanese-American internment. They discuss the ways in which the census was used to locate and target Japanese-Americans for internment during World War II, despite promises of anonymity.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ralph Taylor talks with Dave Ross about the case he is attempting to submit to the Supreme Court. How does the government determine what race you are, and is there a possibility that white people are taking advantage of the Minority Business Enterprise certification program, or other racial equity programs, not just in Washington State but nationwide?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Marty Makary, a surgical oncologist and Johns Hopkins health policy expert, talks with Dave Ross about the major problems in the American healthcare system and his vision for how to combat it while maintaining a free market. His book The Price We Pay which will be released this fall and the website Restoring Medicine are both part of his effort to get hospitals, physicians and citizens involved in confronting a confusing and broken system.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dave Ross speaks with award-winning reporter and author of There Are No Children Here, Alex Kotlowitz, about his newest book, An American Summer. Kotlowitz spent six years embedded in some of Chicago's most turbulent, violent neighborhoods while reporting for this book, and he tells Dave the stories of some of the people he met there, people living on a daily basis in a culture of pervasive gun violence.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Valerie Jarrett, former senior advisor to President Barack Obama, talks with Dave Ross about the Affordable Care Act, immigration policy, community policing and some stories from her time in the Oval Office. Her new book, Finding My Voice, just made the New York Times Best Sellers list.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.