While KIRO host Ursula Reutin noted the letters could potentially be sent to people’s workplaces, KIRO host Gee Scott thinks that’s taking it too far, but would rather have the cars posted in the newspaper.

“Sending it to your job —I think that’s a bit too far. However, if you guys want to do, like back in Craigslist days, like if we missed each other, or help want it, and all that kind of stuff, just do something in The Seattle Times and put a section, post these cars right there so we can all see it,” Gee shared on “The Gee and Ursula Show” on KIRO Newsradio. “I’d like that better than posting it and sending it to your job.”

“Whoa, wait, what — you want the ‘Dear John’ letter posted in the classifieds?” Ursula questioned.

“Oh yeah, have a link that we could go to so we can see all the people,” Gee replied.

“You think it’s going too far to go to the workplace, but you would put it out there for even more people to see than just your workplace?” Ursula asked again.

“Yeah,” Gee responded.

‘John Letters’ to ‘John of the month’?

His idea, instead of displaying a “student of the month,” is to have a “John of the month.”

“So every November 1, or every first of the month, we have a time where we talk about the ‘John of the month.’ Hey, this week’s ‘John of the month’ is Billy. Oh, Billy looks like he works at Boeing. And then, you know, we talk about it,” Gee quipped.

So far this month, the city has sent out at least 21 letters to drivers.

Seattle Police Department (SPD) Detective Maurice Washington explained that sex trafficking relies on demand.

“It’s a billion-dollar industry, it’s a $56 billion industry in the U.S. alone,” Washington told KIRO 7.

Ursula agreed that action needs to be taken.

“I think it is an awful problem. I think that there are these young girls who are being taken advantage of on Aurora. And it’s just sickening,” she said.

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to Gee and Ursula on “The Gee and Ursula Show” weekday mornings from 9 am to 12 pm on KIRO Newsradio.

When I was a kid in the ’70s and early ’80s, Halloween costumes were … simpler. By “simpler,” I mean problematic.

We didn’t buy them at Target or Spirit Halloween. We raided Dad’s closet, stole Mom’s eyeliner, and hoped for the best.

One year, I went as a “hobo.” Twice, actually. I didn’t even know what that word meant. I just knew it involved rumpled old dirty clothes, charcoal smudged on my cheeks, and a stick with a red handkerchief on the end.

That was just what kids did back then. You dressed as a train-hopping drifter and went door-to-door asking for candy.

Another year, I went as a ghost. White sheet. Two holes for eyes.

Today? Yeah, that’s a hard no.

More than a few kids had paper feather headbands and plastic tomahawks. Bows and arrows. Can you imagine that today?

And every year, someone’s dad showed up in a giant sombrero and a fake mustache with a plastic six-shooter on their hip. Back then, it got laughs. Today, it would get a meeting with HR.

It was a different time.

For us kids, we didn’t think in terms of “problematic.” We thought in terms of “cheap.”

What are the costumes today that, 40 years from now, will make people cringe?

Maybe the kid dressed as a “social media influencer” who carries a selfie ring light and a fake sponsorship deal.

Or the “AI robot” costume, which will seem really offensive once the machines are running the planet.

Or the “tech billionaire” outfit: hoodie, sneakers, emotional detachment. An easy costume now, a scandal later.

Still, I love Halloween. I love that for one night, everyone steps outside themselves. Just some more literally than others.

And I especially love seeing the kids who come to our door.

We didn’t have a lot of money growing up, but I made myself a promise back then: When it was my turn to hand out candy, I’d do it right. No fun-size nonsense. Full-size bars.

And tonight, I’m keeping that promise. We’ve got the big Snickers. The big M&M’s. The full-size 100 Grand bars.

So have fun tonight, get a designated driver, and may your costume, whatever it is, still be socially acceptable in 40 years.

That’s the commentary for Oct. 31. Text us at (888) 973-5476 or leave a comment at MyNorthwest.

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

Follow @https://twitter.com/kirocharlie

Five trillion. That’s more than the GDP of Japan. More than the entire economy of the United Kingdom. One company, making computer chips that power artificial intelligence, is now worth more than nations that have existed for centuries.

Let’s give credit where it’s due. Nvidia didn’t stumble into this. They saw the AI revolution coming and built the shovels for the gold rush. Every ChatGPT query, every AI image generator, every machine learning model runs on their hardware. They bet everything on a future where computers would need to think, and they were right.

Wall Street is throwing a party. The stock split. The records broken. The analysts are upgrading their price targets. Five trillion dollars! American innovation at its finest.

Meanwhile, Amazon announced 14,000 job cuts this week. Many right here in our backyard. Fourteen thousand people are wondering if their jobs are gone. And those are just the ones we know about. More cuts are coming.

You see the disconnect? We’re celebrating the company that builds the AI hardware while the people whose jobs AI will replace are updating their resumes. We built the machines that think, and we’re cheering the stock price while they learn to do our jobs.

We used to think automation would take factory jobs and leave the office workers alone. Wrong. AI is coming for the spreadsheet jockeys, the middle managers, the analysts, the writers. If your job involves sitting at a computer and thinking, well, computers can think now. And they don’t need health insurance.

I’m not anti-profit. I’m not even anti-Nvidia. They took risks, they innovated, and they deserve rewards. But when one company controls all the computer chips that make AI work, we should probably pay attention. This is like if one company owned all the railroads during the Industrial Revolution. Or all the oil wells. Or all the phone lines. Oh, wait.

Actually, we’ve been here before

Remember when Boeing was Seattle’s crown jewel? When Microsoft could do no wrong? The concentration of power feels great when the stock is rising. It feels different when that single point of failure actually fails.

We keep hearing AI will make life easier, more productive, more efficient. So far, it’s mostly made a handful of people beyond wealthy, while everyone else worries about their mortgage. Nvidia’s CEO is worth over $100 billion. The software engineer in Redmond is wondering if AI can code better than she can. The customer service rep in Bellevue knows AI can already do his job.

I’ve been a tech worker. Many of my friends are in the industry. Tech workers with families, mortgages, and kids in school. They’re watching Nvidia’s valuation climb and their own job security crumble. They’re not celebrating the five trillion. They’re wondering what happens when the AI they helped build no longer needs them.

The irony is perfect. We created machines that can think, so we wouldn’t have to work as hard. Now those machines are making a handful of people unimaginably rich while the rest of us work harder just to stay relevant.

We built thinking machines to solve our problems. Instead, they’re solving us right out of our jobs.

Five trillion dollars says this is just the beginning, 14,000 pink slips agree.

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

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This time, it was westbound I-90 near Cle Elum. An oversized load slammed into the bridge, shut down the highway for hours, and forced backups through the mountains for days. It was the third bridge strike in recent months. State Route 167. Highway 410. At this point, you wonder if our bridges are shrinking or if truck drivers just stopped looking up.

King County Council Vice Chair Reagan Dunn has had enough. He’s proposing what he calls the Stupid Motorist Law. Over-height drivers would face bigger fines and pay for the damage they cause, plus the economic ripple effects. We’re talking millions in repairs annually, not to mention the thousands of people stuck in traffic, wondering why they’re not moving.

Hard to argue with the logic. If your truck won’t fit under a bridge, maybe check before you leave. Revolutionary concept, I know. But it got me thinking: If we’re going to legislate stupidity on the roads, why stop at trucks?

How about the Stupid Merging Law? For the driver who speeds up to block someone from merging, then slams the brakes 10 seconds later. Or the person who merges onto I-5 doing 40 mph like they’re joining a funeral procession.

The Stupid Rain Law

Every October, the first drizzle hits and half of Seattle drives like water is a new invention. “Rain? Seattle? I’ve never seen such a thing. Better speed up and follow the car in front of me closely.”

The Stupid Roundabout Law

Apparently, we still need this one. You yield BEFORE entering, not after. And if you stop in the middle to think about it, you’ve already failed.

The Stupid Pedestrian Law

Let’s go multimodal. The Stupid Pedestrian Law covers anyone crossing mid-block at night, wearing all black, staring at their phone like cars don’t exist if you don’t look at them.

The Stupid Cyclist Law

The Stupid Cyclist Law is for riders who treat red lights as suggestions and bike lanes as optional. Nothing says “share the road” like ignoring every rule that makes sharing possible.

The truth is, we would all qualify for at least one of these. Everyone has done something careless, impatient, or just plain dumb that made someone else’s drive or ride worse. The difference is that when you do it behind the wheel of a truck taller than a bridge, it costs real money and sometimes real safety.

And maybe that’s the real point here. Not punishment, but a reminder that our decisions behind the wheel have consequences. Your impatience becomes someone’s three-hour delay. Your inattention becomes damaged roadways. Your “I thought it would fit” becomes another I-90 closure.

Reagan Dunn’s proposal makes sense because some mistakes are too expensive to keep making. But honestly? If we all just paid a little more attention and were a little less stupid about how we get around, we wouldn’t need a law at all.

Until then, maybe check if your truck fits under the bridge. Just a thought.

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

Follow @https://twitter.com/kirocharlie

We’ve had Katie on the show. She’s thoughtful, and she genuinely cares about people getting priced out of Seattle. I get the appeal. The housing math in this city is brutal: the median home price is $885,000, you need a down payment of $175,000, about $5,000 a month, and an income of around $200,000 to qualify.

How many young couples have that? Right. So when Wilson says there’s another way, people listen.

Katie Wilson’s proposed solutions to Seattle’s problems

Her answer? Social housing, rent control, using public land for affordable development, redirecting money toward getting people housed now instead of waiting years for new construction.

Young voters heard someone who gets their urgency. Older voters heard ideas that haven’t worked before and worry about what comes next.

Let’s talk experience. Wilson runs the Transit Riders Union. No paid employees, an approximate $200,000 budget, and they’ve lost money three years running. She doesn’t draw a salary.

When I see Wilson running for mayor, I think of Loren Culp running for governor. Remember him? A conservative small-town police chief, managed one officer, cared about his community. But we knew the jump to running a state government was too big. Now progressives are making a similar leap with Wilson.

She’s equally passionate, but a job managing a staff of volunteers isn’t preparation for running Seattle either. Different sides of the political spectrum, same question about readiness. Just because you agree with someone’s political leanings doesn’t mean they’re qualified to do the job. Experience matters, even when the person shares your values.

Wilson is 43 years old and has never held a steady-paying job for more than a couple of years. Most people her age have decades of work history, meeting deadlines, and dealing with difficult bosses. That experience matters when you’re asking to be everyone else’s boss.

Her husband doesn’t have a job. Her parents are helping pay for daycare while Wilson campaigns for mayor. Look, that’s real life for a lot of people, and it explains why she connects with struggling voters. But running a major American city with a $9 billion budget and 41 departments?  The skill gap here is enormous. We’re talking about two completely different worlds.

Here’s the thing about being mayor: it’s not just about identifying problems. It’s about fixing them. Every day. Police, fire, utilities, transportation, housing, and human services. Union contracts. Federal requirements. Dozens of decisions that affect real people in real time. It’s a lot, and it could be overwhelming for someone with such little experience. Good intentions don’t balance budgets or keep streets safe.

If she wins, I hope her first call is to someone who knows how to balance a budget. Her second call should be to someone who’s managed a large group of paid employees. Her third should probably be to someone who’s actually worked in government.

Because it looks increasingly likely Seattle’s about to elect someone whose management experience is with a staff of volunteers and a budget smaller than what the city spends on coffee.

That’s the commentary for October 28, 2025. Text us at 888-973-5476 or leave a comment at MyNorthwest.com.

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

Follow @https://twitter.com/kirocharlie

As I’ve mentioned, I don’t do endorsements. Even if I did, I don’t live in Seattle, so I don’t get a vote. But I work here, and like hundreds of thousands of others who commute into this city every day, I have to deal with the consequences of its leadership.

Bruce Harrell ran as the moderate choice. The pragmatist who would restore some common sense after years of battles at City Hall. Nearly four years in, let’s look at what he’s actually delivered.

Seattle’s crime improvements fall short of expectations

Crime is down. That’s real. Homicides fell 41%. Shootings dropped 29%. The city finally hired more than a hundred officers after years of hemorrhaging police.

But context matters too. Crime fell from crisis levels. It’s better, but “better than terrible” isn’t exactly a campaign slogan. Property crime is still near record highs. Businesses are still dealing with break-ins. Progress? Yes. Problem solved? Not even close.

Harrell championed a billion dollars for affordable housing. Sounds impressive until you realize Seattle’s been throwing money at housing for decades. What’s different now? The median home price is $885,000. Rents that were supposed to stabilize are climbing again. A billion dollars bought us… more of the same.

The homelessness response has been particularly frustrating. The city conducted hundreds of encampment sweeps. The camps come back within weeks. It feels as though we’re not solving homelessness; we’re just moving it around, and spending $125 million a year to do it.

The political numbers tell their own story. Harrell’s approval ratings are underwater. His primary showing was weak for an incumbent. Seattle hasn’t reelected a mayor in twenty years. The iPhone didn’t even exist yet. This is a city that keeps hoping the next mayor will finally fix things, then realizes they can’t or won’t.

Keep in mind, Harrell has enjoyed advantages that previous mayors didn’t. The economy recovered. Federal money poured in. The most extreme voices on the council lost their seats. If there was ever a moment for a moderate mayor to show that pragmatic governance works, this was it.

Instead, we got incremental improvements that don’t match the scale of the problems. Yes, crime is down from pandemic peaks. Yes, some housing is being built. Yes, the city is functioning. But “functioning” isn’t enough when people are looking for tangible change.

Tomorrow, we’ll look at Katie Wilson and her very different vision for Seattle. To be clear, different doesn’t mean better. But when the current approach isn’t connecting, voters often decide that different is worth the risk. And that’s Harrell’s real problem.

Seattle hasn’t reelected a mayor in twenty years. At some point, you have to wonder if the problem isn’t the mayors. It’s that voters keep asking for miracles from mortals. I wonder if Bruce Harrell will be the latest to learn that lesson.

That’s the commentary for October 27, 2025. Text us at (888) 973-5476 or leave a comment at MyNorthwest.

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

Follow @https://twitter.com/kirocharlie

KIRO host Jake Skorheim shared his own experience with a food vendor outside the stadium.

“My son and I went to a Mariners game, like, a month and a half ago, and we walked right by one, and I see this guy, he’s like, flinging up hot dogs. He’s pulling hot dogs out of a backpack, shoving them on the grill. And I’m thinking to myself, there’s just no way that this is a safe way to store food,” Jake said on “The Jake and Spike Show” on KIRO Newsradio.

According to KING 5, there has been a surge in illegal food carts, with King County shutting down 27 carts in 2023, but then shutting down 111 in 2024 — a 300% spike.

“They’re not licensed, they’re not legal, they’re not healthy,” KIRO host Spike O’Neill remarked.

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Legendary Mariners broadcaster Rick Rizzs recapped how proud he is of the team, his favorite moment throughout the season, and what’s on deck for next year on “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio.

“Oh, what a year. It was the best year on the field in the history of the franchise. But it came to a disappointing end a few nights ago in Toronto,” Rizzs said. “They were just so close they could touch it, and that’s the hard part to deal with. They were just one win away from playing in the World Series.”

Mariners finish among the top teams in the league

As Rizzs looked back on the Mariners’ journey towards the postseason and deep, hard-fought battle through it, he couldn’t help but take a moment to recognize the Mariners as one of the premier teams in baseball.

“At the very end of the year, the last few days of the season, there are only three teams left standing. The Mariners were one of those three teams, and I think we have to take a lot of pride in that,” Rizzs said. “It was a remarkable season by this baseball team, and one that I’ll never forget. A tremendous year by this baseball team.”

The Mariners’ 2025 season was filled with favorable moments, including Catcher Cal Raleigh’s record-breaking home run totals and Home Run Derby crown, and Gold Glove nominee Julio Rodriguez’s fourth straight 20 home run, 20 stolen base season, but one shining moment stood alone for Rizzs.

“Jorge Polanco’s base hit in the bottom of the 15th inning to win the Division Series and send the Mariners to the American League Championship was, in my mind, the biggest moment. It kept the season alive, you know?” Rizzs said. “47,000 fans going crazy in T-Mobile Park was so much fun. There were so many great moments this year, but that stands out.”

While the team heads toward a brief off-season and prepares to report for Spring Training in February, co-host Charlie Harger asked Rizzs if we will hear him back in the broadcast booth for the Mariners’ highly anticipated 2026 campaign.

“Oh yeah, oh yeah, I’m coming back. It’s been a great run, and the best thing that has ever happened to me was Dave Niehaus,” Rizzs said. “I got here in 1983 as a young broadcaster. David liked my tape, and it was the greatest thing in the world that happened to me. I got a chance to raise my family and grandkids here because of David,

“I’ve had an incredible run. I love this organization and the fans. The fans have been so great to meet,” Rizzs continued. “You’re talking to a 71-year-old guy who’s living his dream, and I hope everybody has a chance to say that someday about what they do for a living. I love this game, and yeah, I’ll be back.”

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to “Seattle’s Morning News” with Charlie Harger and Manda Factor weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. on KIRO Newsradio. Subscribe to the podcast here.

The Republican position? “We’ve passed a clean funding bill 11 times. Democrats keep blocking it because they want healthcare subsidies extended. This is extortion. Open the government first, then we’ll talk healthcare.”

The Democratic position? “Those Affordable Care Act subsidies expire Nov. 1. Twenty-four million people are about to see their premiums double. Also, you cut Medicaid in July. Fix it now, or we don’t budge.”

Both sides are right, both sides are wrong

You know what? They’re both right. And they’re both being ridiculous.

Keep in mind, recent polling shows 77% of all Americans, including 56% of Trump supporters, want these subsidies extended.

Republicans, you control everything. You could include the healthcare stuff and pass it tomorrow. Yes, it would feel like giving in to Democratic demands, but you’re the majority. How about you rename a few provisions, add a requirement to audit the system to find inefficiencies, approve it, and say, “We fixed the Democrats’ mess.” Your base will eat it up.

Democrats, you’re blocking paychecks for 1.4 million workers to protect healthcare subsidies. Yes, healthcare is important. Yes, those premium hikes would hurt people. But you’re literally stopping paychecks today to prevent premium increases next month. How about letting the paychecks flow and making this a campaign issue? “Republicans doubled your premiums” writes itself.

And let’s be real: Both parties are reading from the other side’s old playbook. In the 2018 shutdown, Democrats begged Republicans to think about federal workers. Now Republicans are begging Democrats to think about federal workers. Back then, Republicans said the wall was worth the fight. Now Democrats say healthcare is worth the fight. You’ve all swapped jerseys and pretend we don’t notice.

While Congress debates, workers decide which bill to skip

Healthcare IS important. Keeping the government open IS important. But while you’re having this philosophical debate, 80,000 federal employees in Washington state alone are having a different debate: which bill to skip this month.

And remember, furloughed federal workers will eventually get their back pay. It’s the law. But the contractors, the people who clean the offices, run the cafeterias, and provide security? They’re just out of luck. Those paychecks are gone forever.

To any functional adult remaining in Congress: Turn off the cable news. Meet face to face. Skip the press conference. Do the math. Then keep the government open.

Day 22 and counting.

Fun fact: Members of Congress never miss a paycheck during shutdowns.

Sure makes it easier to take principled stands when the principle doesn’t cost you anything.

That’s the commentary for Oct. 22. Text us at (888) 973-5476 or leave a comment at MyNorthwest.

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

Follow @https://twitter.com/kirocharlie

If you don’t like sports, stick with me, because this is actually a story about what happens when the boss finally invests in the team and you get this close to the promised land.

Sometimes that’s how progress works. It just happens to involve grown men throwing a ball really hard, and one devastating loss last night.

Seattle has never been to a World Series, ever. We’re talking 48 years of “maybe next year.” But last night? Last night we were right there. Game 7 of the ALCS, nine innings away. That’s closer than we’ve ever been.

We’ve been reminded of futility since Griffey left, since A-Rod left, since Randy left, since Felix never got a ring. We’re basically the corporate department that keeps losing its best people to Google because management wouldn’t spring for standing desks and decent coffee.

Except this year, they finally bought the standing desks.

The budget meeting that actually worked

John Stanton is our team owner. Nice guy, local, made his money in wireless communications, genuinely seems to care. For years, he has run the Mariners with a close eye on the bank account.

Jerry Dipoto, our general manager since 2015, is like that middle manager who’s brilliant at making Excel work miracles but keeps getting told there’s no budget for the good printer paper, until this year.

Our catcher, Cal Raleigh, walked into contract negotiations last March and basically said what we’ve all wanted to say. Paraphrasing here: “I’ll stay, but only if you actually invest in making the team, you know, actually competitive.”

Picture the one employee who actually knows how everything works, finally speaking up.

The message was clear: Stop being cheap, stop pretending we’re competing when we’re not. Actually try.

And here’s the beautiful part: They did.

From store-brand to name-brand baseball

Stanton opened the checkbook. It wasn’t Dodgers money, but more like finally upgrading from store-brand to name-brand cereal money, but for Seattle, this was revolutionary.

Dipoto got to shop in the actual store instead of the clearance rack at the Outlet Collection. They brought in Josh Naylor, brought back Eugenio Suárez, and pushed payroll up to $160 million.

It’s like your boss finally gave you that $10 million budget increase you asked for. Your PowerPoints have animations now, and your spreadsheets don’t crash. The TPS reports are printed on actual paper instead of recycled napkins. You didn’t win the contract this quarter, but for the first time, you were actually in the room when they made the decision. That’s progress.

Most of us are told to “be creative with resources,” which is corporate for “figure it out.” But this year, Cal Raleigh asked for actual rocket parts and got them. The rocket flew higher than it ever has. It just didn’t quite reach orbit. Yet.

John and Jerry, this is working. You got us to Game 7 of the ALCS, one game from the World Series. That’s not failure; that’s foundation. Keep listening and investing. Cal was right, we were right, and you were right to trust us.

The Seattle Mariners are going to the World Series. Maybe not this year. But if you keep this up? Soon.

Time to rub a little dirt into the wound us fans got last night. We have more baseball to play.

That’s the commentary for Oct. 21. Text us at (888) 973-5476 or leave a comment at MyNorthwest.

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

Follow @https://twitter.com/kirocharlie

As a resident near Edmonds, KIRO host Spike O’Neill noted his frustration with potentially removing the 1% property tax cap on “The Jake and Spike Show” on KIRO Newsradio, further stating that the initiative was created with the thought of tax raises through other avenues.

“It sucks. I’m glad [Hunter] is doing so well, I’m glad he can afford another 5% of his home’s value coming out of his pocket, but respectfully, you should walk a mile in my shoes,” Spike said. “I think they voted to cap it at 1% knowing some foresight that other things are also going to be raised. You can’t come at them from every side. You can’t dip your hand in every pocket. They should keep the cap.”

“It seems like he’s not speaking for the average person. The average person is sick of property taxes,” KIRO host Jake Skorheim said. “I think [Hunter] is way off, which is why I’m glad he’s not in the office anymore.”

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to “The Jake and Spike Show” weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

As the petition called for country singer George Strait as a substitute, KIRO host Gee Scott divulged his personal dissatisfaction with the choice and summarized why many viewers across the U.S. may oppose the selection on “The Gee and Ursula Show” on KIRO Newsradio.

“My daughter loves Bad Bunny, a lot of people do, but I am actually on the side of the Conservatives and whoever out there,” Gee said. “In 2020, it was Shakira and Jennifer Lopez, 2021 was The Weeknd, and in 2022 it was Dr. Dre, Snoop, and Eminem. People are thinking, ‘Can we get something for us next time?’ Then you gave them Kendrick Lamar last year, and they pushed the limits.

“I’m not saying George Strait, but Jay Z, who makes the decision, can you give us something? Give some love,” Gee continued. “You’re going to hit me with Kendrick Lamar last year, and I didn’t understand that. Then you hit me with Bad Bunny, I’m not going to understand that either.”

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to Gee and Ursula on “The Gee and Ursula Show” weekday mornings from 9 am to 12 pm on KIRO Newsradio.

For me, it starts with good, hearty wheat bread. Not that soft, sugary stuff pretending to be healthy. The kind with little seeds that make you feel like you’re doing something good for your body while you’re about to eat half a jar of peanut butter.

Chunky peanut butter. Always chunky. The kind that fights back. If your forearm doesn’t get a workout spreading it, you’re doing it wrong.

And raspberry jam. Never grape. Raspberry. Preferably that Danish kind that comes in the navy-blue plastic bucket. It’s like the champagne of jam. If you know, you know.

Now, here’s the secret. Peanut butter on both sides of the bread. Keeps the bread from getting soggy. I’m always surprised when people don’t know this.

But then comes the part that divides families.

The controversial choice to use the same knife for the same sandwich

After I finish the peanut butter, I don’t get a new knife for the jelly. Nope. I wipe the knife clean, and I dip it right in. Half of you just gasped while the other half is applauding. And I know who you gaspers are. You’re the people who use a separate, dedicated spatula just for mayonnaise.

Look, I’m not trying to start trouble. I just hate being wasteful. Why dirty another knife? Why make the dishwasher run early? I’m not here to keep Big Dishwasher in business. I swear, every time I grab a second knife, I can hear the dishwasher groan. I start worrying: is this the knife that finally tips it over the edge?

Like, one more utensil and suddenly we’re calling a plumber and taking out a second mortgage. It drives my wife absolutely insane.

She’ll open the jam jar, see that little peanut-buttery swirl, and act like she’s discovered a crime scene. It’s like I’ve defiled the kitchen. I say I’m saving water. She says I’m a monster.

She’ll hold it up like evidence. “CHARLIE… what is THIS?” I respond, “That is efficiency.”

“That is disgusting,” she retorts.

I tried to explain it’s no big deal, but she looks at me like I’d just confessed to putting ketchup on ice cream.

But you know what? This is what real relationships are built on. Not the big stuff. Not communication or trust. It’s this. The eternal question: Do you need two knives for one sandwich?

And for those of us brave enough to say no, we are the unsung heroes of the kitchen. Saving water. Saving soap. Saving marriages. Because if love can survive a little cross-contamination, it can survive anything.

Next time, we’re tackling something even more divisive: The top sheet and why it’s not optional, it’s civilization. Unfortunately, I’m apparently the only person in my house who believes in it.

That’s the commentary for Oct. 17. Text us at (888) 973-5476 or leave a comment at MyNorthwest.

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

Wilson shared a post on social media discussing the price of pizza, which garnered more than 96,000 views. This prompted Mayor Harrell to release a campaign video explaining his deep ties to Seattle, accompanied by a touch of music from Nirvana and some pivotal Mariners highlights from recent years.

KIRO host John Curley laid out the two candidates’ participation in social media in full on “The John Curley Show” on KIRO Newsradio, concluding that Wilson’s success on various social media platforms has led Mayor Harrell to follow suit.

“Apparently, social media is rearing its ugly head, or pretty head, when it comes to the mayoral race in Seattle,” Curley said. “I guess Harrell is slowly starting to make his way into social media, because he realized that Katie Wilson has done so well with that pizza thing she put on TikTok or Instagram, and Bruce decided he’s going to start flexing his Seattle roots on TikTok.”

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to John Curley weekday afternoons from 3 – 7 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

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It used to bug me. Now? I wear it like a badge of honor.

Labeling fact-based criticism as “derangement” is a lazy deflection. We call out his actions because the stakes are real — and what’s transpired under this administration is alarming. All of it is also public record.

In the past nine months alone, President Trump has acted less like a public servant and more like a strongman. He’s invoked emergency powers to sidestep Congress, he’s thrown out career officials in favor of loyalists, and continues to attack journalists, calling them the enemy of the people.

Just this week, dozens of reporters handed in their badges in protest of the Pentagon’s new rules that would force them to sign away their independence.

These moves are aimed at consolidating power, silencing dissent, and chipping away at the very checks and balances that keep our democracy alive.

This should be worrisome to EVERYONE.

Trump has also gone after civil rights and diversity programs under the guise of being anti-woke.

And while his administration is handing out billions of dollars overseas — including a $20 billion package to Argentina — the U.S. government is now in its 15th day of a shutdown, with hundreds of thousands of federal workers missing paychecks. At the same time, deep cuts are hitting special education, food assistance, and other vital programs that serve the most vulnerable here at home.

Let’s not forget: he’s the first convicted felon to serve in the White House, he was found liable for sexual abuse and defamation, attempted to overturn a legitimate election, and called the January 6 rioters “patriots” — later pardoning them. He’s weaponized the Justice Department to punish opponents, and he rewards loyalists and grifters while firing anyone who dares to say “no.”

That’s a lot … but it doesn’t stop there.

He’s mocked scientists, turned public health into a culture war, pushed anti-trans policies, and demonized immigrants — all while using racial dog whistles. It’s been lucrative for him—he’s enriched himself by billions.

Meanwhile, working families are still struggling with grocery prices, and the Epstein files remain locked away.

If there’s a syndrome at play here, it’s Trump Denial Syndrome — the refusal to see corruption, cruelty, and authoritarian behavior even when it’s right in front of you.

Blind loyalty doesn’t make someone virtuous or more attractive. It makes them complicit. Too many right-wing influencers and media figures profit from that complicity. Their silence isn’t neutrality — it’s cowardice and a total grift.

That’s why dissent matters.

Democracy doesn’t die from outrage. It dies from apathy.

No, I don’t have Trump Derangement Syndrome.

I have a functioning moral compass — and I refuse to apologize for using it.

Listen to Gee and Ursula on “The Gee and Ursula Show” weekday mornings from 9 am to 12 pm on KIRO Newsradio. 

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Funding for the ad placement of Mayor Harrell’s commercial came from some of Seattle’s biggest names, including Mariners majority owner John Stanton, Tod Leiweke, part-owner of the Kraken, and Brad Smith, the vice chair and president of Microsoft.

“These are big names. There’s a reason why these folks want Mayor Bruce Harrell to keep his job,” KIRO host Jake Skorheim said on “The Jake and Spike Show” on KIRO Newsradio. “They’re not necessarily saying they think he’s the best mayor in the history of the town, or even the best option. But of these candidates, they seem to think Harrell is the better option than Katie.”

“It’s a better option for their particular business interests,” KIRO host Spike O’Neill responded. “That’s what the election cycles are all about. Giving to the candidate who’s going to help your business, and your employees do better.”

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Mayoral race heats up

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and mayoral candidate Katie Wilson have participated in numerous debates leading up to the general election, discussing various Seattle-based topics.

Wilson earned nearly 51% of the vote in the August primary, compared to Harrell’s 43%.

“We need a mayor’s office that is responsive and effective, and right now we are failing,” Wilson said during an opening statement of an Oct. 3 debate. “We cannot have another four years when the rates of unsheltered homelessness go up and up and up. I cannot keep watching families like mine move out of the city because they cannot afford to live here … I know that together we can build a city that we can all believe in.”

Harrell, who served on the Seattle City Council from 2008 to 2020 before becoming mayor, has been exhibiting his experience as both a lawmaker and a Seattle native, having grown up and attended school in the city before assuming a leadership role.

“I need four more years to right the ship, and we’ve laid the foundation for it,” Harrell said.

It’s been a contentious race, marked by numerous allegations and controversies between the two. Harrell and his campaign team claimed that Harrell’s skin was edited to a different color in a photo posted by Common Power, which Kate Wilson and her campaign team later promoted.

Wilson was also accused of falsifying an endorsement from Claude Burfect, a prominent civil rights activist who was the first vice president of the Seattle-King County National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Earlier this year, former Seattle Deputy Mayor Monisha Harrell accused Mayor Bruce Harrell of sexism and running a toxic office where sexism was the apparent norm. Monisha is the mayor’s niece.

Listen to “The Jake and Spike Show” weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

KIRO host Spike O’Neill shared what it was like for him to ski for the first time at 31 years old.

“Horrifying, and then the most gratifying and invigorating feeling of being able to control yourself rolling down a hill. It’s an amazing feeling everybody should experience at some point in time,” he said on “The Jake and Spike Show” on KIRO Newsradio. “And we’re so blessed here in the Northwest, when we get snow, and we’re getting snow pretty regularly.”

Spike highlighted that people don’t have to travel very far out of the Seattle area to ski.

“You’re an hour out of town. Almost any direction you can get water skiing and snow skiing in the same day, and that’s the only place in the world you can do that,” he said.

KIRO host Jake Skorheim pointed out the various options for skiing in the area.

“We have Snoqualmie, which is great. If you’re out on Highway 2, you can head out to Stevens Pass. There’s Crystal Mountain over on the east side, there’s Baker,” he said.

Looking at the forecast, Jake noted that a weak La Niña is expected for winter, which typically brings cooler, wetter, and snowier conditions.

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to “The Jake and Spike Show” weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

We’ve been talking for years about the sex trade on Aurora Avenue in North Seattle. Women being trafficked. Women being kept drugged and dependent. Pimps fighting over territory with actual shootouts. And the neighbors? They’re fed up.

These aren’t statistics. These are families trying to live their lives while women stumble through traffic at all hours. Johns picking up sex workers and pulling into residential side streets. Parents have told me they’ve had to explain to their young children why there are naked people in the car outside their driveway.

Think about that. Your kid is asking what those people are doing — in front of your house.

For years, almost nothing has been done. Police cite one john, maybe two. But the operation continues. The violence continues. The exploitation continues.

Time for SPD to try something different

But now, the Seattle Police Department (SPD) is trying something different. And I’m here for it.

KOMO reported that detectives are sending warning letters to the registered owners of vehicles they observe picking up sex workers. The letter is blunt: “A vehicle registered to your name was observed by detectives with the Seattle Police Department Human Trafficking Unit on Aurora Avenue N. engaged in suspected illegal sexual exploitation activity.”

They include photos. Details. Time and location. No arrest, no criminal charge. Just a, “We saw you. We know what you were doing. And now everyone at your address will know too.”

That’s why women need to check the mail. Because often the family has no idea. The husband who says he’s working late. The boyfriend who’s “running errands.” The dad who’s supposedly at the gym. This letter shows up, and suddenly, there are questions to answer.

Good. There should be questions.

Look, I get that some people will say this is overreach. That it’s an accusation without due process. Fair point. But here’s what else is true: traditional enforcement hasn’t worked. The arrests don’t stick. The fines don’t deter. The problem gets worse.

Meanwhile, real people are suffering. The women being trafficked aren’t choosing this life. They’re victims. Studies show most were first trafficked as teenagers. Many suffer from PTSD as severely as combat veterans. The pimps keep them dependent on drugs, move them city to city, and control every aspect of their lives.

And the neighborhoods? They’ve become open-air markets for human misery. Kids can’t play outside. Residents find needles and condoms in their yards. They hear gunshots as pimps fight over territory.

So yes, I support these letters. Name them. Shame them. Make them explain to their wives, their girlfriends, their families what they were doing on Aurora at midnight.

To the men getting these letters: This isn’t “Pretty Woman.” This is real exploitation. Real violence. Real victims. You’re not customers. You’re predators enabling a cycle of abuse.

And to everyone else: Check your mail. Because sunlight is the best disinfectant, and it’s time to shine a light on Aurora.

Is public shaming the answer? Maybe not. But after years of looking the other way, at least it’s something.

That’s the commentary for Oct. 14. Text us at (888) 973-5476 or leave a comment at MyNorthwest.

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

Follow @https://twitter.com/kirocharlie

It’s a small example of an issue we need to have an adult conversation about.

Last week, Steve spoke to Tony’s mom, Diane, outside the municipal courthouse in Everett. She had just spoken to a judge after Tony was released from jail again because he wasn’t mentally competent to stand trial. Diane said Tony caused several disturbances that week:

“Tuesday, he went to Glenwood Elementary School. He pressed the button, they let him in. They saw that he wasn’t all there, and they escorted him out with no problem. Then they had a lockdown. Then, about 3:15 in the afternoon, he went back to the school at the door, and they called the police. The police put handcuffs on him, and they let him go. Yesterday, he went to the Navy base, telling them that he was with the CIA and FBI and all that good stuff. They arrested Tony,” she said.

Tony’s mom begged the judge to send her son to somewhere like Fairfax Hospital, where he can get intensive treatment. She told the judge she worries he might hurt someone. The judge said his hands were tied, and they were. The judge released him. No bail. No mandated follow-up.

Tony’s previous crimes

Steve reported that Tony was convicted of first-degree robbery in 2008. The judge told him that he’s now a felon who can’t ever have a gun after he gets out of prison.

In 2015, The Everett Herald reported Tony used a 40-caliber Smith and Wesson to blow out a window at Everett Community College while high on meth. Got two and a half years for that.

And Tony’s case isn’t an outlier. Not even close.

There was that guy last year who stabbed 10 people over two days in the International District. His attorney called him “fully delusional.” A judge ordered a mental health evaluation.

There’s the man who killed 80-year-old Ruth Dalton in Madison Valley. Dragged her with her own car. He was found mentally unfit to stand trial.

Think about that list. Stabbings. A homicide. We’re not even talking about the recent transit and hatchet attacks and transit violence. The system is struggling to deal with this.

The cops think their hands are tied. The judges think their hands are tied. They’re probably right. In Washington, if someone is found incompetent, judges often must release them unless the state can quickly place them. And we don’t have enough secure treatment beds.

Something needs to change

I don’t have all the answers. But what we’re doing isn’t working. I want to have a conversation, and I’m willing to acknowledge I could be dead wrong.

But should Washington build more humane, secure medical settings where people in crisis go before they hurt someone? Not jail, but not optional. A therapeutic place with locked doors, licensed staff, and clear rules.

This is a question for our conversation. What if release wasn’t automatic? Release could come after stability is demonstrated. With supervised follow-through. Medications. Appointments. Case managers who actually show up. If someone stops treatment and the risk returns, they go back to the facility quickly. Not optional.

I get it. Forced care is serious. The guardrails would have to be incredibly tight. Lawyers. Independent reviews. A clear path out when someone proves they can stay well.

Yes, it will be expensive. Maybe the idea is flawed. But what is the cost of doing nothing?

We can be compassionate and careful at the same time. But if my idea isn’t right, let’s hear yours. Because what we’re doing now isn’t working. It’s time for an adult conversation.

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

Follow @https://twitter.com/kirocharlie

But then I got to thinking about arenas. The biggest arenas. The best arenas. And who better knows arenas, or stadiums, in this awkward metaphor, than Seattle Mariner superstar Cal Raleigh? After all, he’s the one literally calling the shots, every pitch, every play, the brain behind the mask. He knows what it takes to win when it feels like the whole city is about to lose its mind.

And that’s why I’m turning my back on that whole “not endorsing” thing. Sorry, Bruce. Sorry, Katie. I know you’re the actual candidates for mayor of Seattle, but I am officially endorsing Cal Raleigh for the mayor of Seattle.

He’ll protect home plate. He’ll lift the city on his shoulders and bring us all to victory. A vote for Cal Raleigh is a home run for civic pride.

And yes, I know some of you are thinking, “You’re just jumping on the Big Dumper bandwagon.” Yes. Yes, I am. Because if anyone can clean up this town, it’s the Big Dumper.

Now, I realize he has no desire to be mayor. And frankly, it would probably be bad, really bad, for the Mariners if he took the job, but I can’t help but think he’d make the good calls. The tough calls. Like knowing when it’s time to pull a pitcher or a department head.

So, how about this? Cal could do both. He could be the mayor of the 18th-largest city in the country in his spare time. Call the balls and strikes within city policy, then make the lineup card.

Let’s talk logistics regarding Cal Raleigh’s tenure as Seattle mayor

When he’s off on a road trip or catching a 99-mile-an-hour fastball somewhere in Texas, the team’s beloved mascot, Mortimer “Mariner” Moose, can run things. The moose doesn’t travel, has a great smile for ribbon cuttings, and can’t possibly make things worse. If that’s somehow unconstitutional, we can all just promise to be really cool until Mayor Cal gets back.

I know, this whole mayor idea has no chance of happening. But neither did that 15-inning miracle on Friday night, and look how that turned out. If the Mariners can pull that off, maybe Seattle can too.

Maybe, with Cal Raleigh at the helm, we can get through our extra innings as a city, together, one exhausted, but hopeful fan base at a time.

So let’s get the bumper stickers ready: “Finally, a Mayor Who Can Handle the Heat.” “No Errors. No Excuses. No graffiti on I-5.” “Make Seattle Safe at Home.” “Big Dumper, Bigger Dreams.”

Because at this point, if anyone deserves to call the shots around here, it’s the guy who’s been calling them from behind the plate all season long.

And next time, I’ll give you my full endorsement of Jorge Polanco for city attorney.

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

Follow @https://twitter.com/kirocharlie