Inside Olympia

Onthis episode of Inside Olympia:  Austin Jenkins sits down with Karen Hanan, longtime director of the Washington State Arts Commission on the eve of her retirement.

On this episode of Inside Olympia:  Host Austin Jenkins goes one-on-one with the Director of the Washington State Labor and Industries Joel Sacks.

On this episode of Inside Olympia:  Host Austin Jenkins discusses the future of local news with Kaarin Austin, Founding Director of the Washington News Fund and Matt Powers, Professor of Communication at the University of Washington.

On this episode of Inside Olympia ... How is Washington State regulating the liquor and cannabis industries in an era of declining alcohol sales and market pressures in the marijuana industry? What's driving the market disruptions? And where are the tension points? On the program this week, Will Lukela, Director of the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board and Justin Nordhorn, the agency's Director of Policy and External Relations.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping government, business and daily life, raising urgent questions about trust, transparency and accountability. Arthur Jago from the University of Washington Tacoma and former Seattle Chief Technology Officer Rob Lloyd, now executive director of the Center for Digital Government and the Center for Public Sector AI, discuss AI’s promise and risks, from algorithmic discrimination and workforce disruption to cybersecurity, public services, emotional reliance on chatbots, and the future role of humans in decision-making.

On this episode of Inside Olympia:  Host Austin Jenkins sits down with Former Executive Editor at The Seattle Times and current president of the WA Coalition for Open Government 

On this episode Inside Olympia: Austin Jenkins sits down for an exit interview with former WA State Supreme Court Justice Barbara Madsen.

This week’s Inside Olympia examines the unintended harms of the foster care system, featuring The Seattle Times reporter Claudia Rowe, who shares insights from her research on what happens to children after they are removed from their homes.

This week on Inside Olympia ... Washington State Ferries Assistant Secretary John Vezina and WSDOT Passenger Rail Manager Kirk Fredrickson outline plans to manage heavy summer travel demand ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Officials detail ferry fleet readiness, staffing and backup capacity, while rail leaders say they sought an additional Amtrak coach to meet demand. Long-term fixes remain years away, including new ferries, while new Airo trainsets for Amtrak Cascades are expected to roll out in phases beginning in late 2026.

What is it like being a new state legislator? How do you learn to navigate the statehouse? How do you get a bill passed? What are the challenges and opportunities that come with being new? And after one session, what are the lessons learned? Host Austin Jenkins interviews first-term State Representatives April Connors of the Tri-Cities, Travis Couture of Allyn, Sharlett Mena of Tacoma, and Julio Cortes of Everett.