I moved to Seattle almost two years ago, and things are falling into place. While the sight of the mountain “out” still fills me with awe, I now have my favorite grocery stores, my favorite coffee shops, my favorite place to get Thai takeout. I know which post office has the friendliest clerks, and I even gave someone directions to Lumen Field once.

Life in the city is becoming familiar. So are some of the issues that shape life here. They’ve evolved over this relatively short period of time. Covid restrictions contracted, then eased. Businesses welcomed back patrons and staff. The city’s arts scene sprung back to life as more people yearned for a good time again. But there have been many challenges: the homelessness crisis grew, affordable housing became even more elusive and the fentanyl epidemic worsened.

Our newsroom stands ready to tell the stories that reflect this moment. Washington’s assault weapons ban, a potential shift in the state’s democratic leanings this election season, public safety, the ongoing fight for abortion access — this is just a small sample of stories our newsroom will continue digging into to keep you connected to the people and policies that drive this region. Your support allows us to follow these important stories as they develop, documenting the ways they change our communities along the way.

I invite you to read on for some of our most impactful storytelling and top achievements from the past few months. Thank you for reading, thank you for listening, thank you for supporting KUOW and NPR.