Steve Scher

Warm yourself by the fireside with us this morning. Steve Scher is kicking back before Christmas with Santa Claus, Jimmy Stewart, Frosty the Snowman and you!

Attend Weekday's holiday fireside chat by sharing your favorite holiday traditions, games and tasty delights with us. No holiday gathering is complete without laughter too.

'Tis the time of year for a good party, and you're invited to ours! Join us as Steve Scher hops aboard our horse-drawn sleigh with Frosty the Snowman, Jimmy Stewart, Charlie Brown, Ebenezer Scrooge and, of course, Santa Claus.  

Bring your favorite traditions, games and culinary delights. Tell Santa what you're hoping for this year, and help keep Frosty cold.

It’s Friday — time to talk over the week’s news with Joni Balter, Eli Sanders and Knute Berger. A new Pew poll conducted after the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn., finds "modest change" in American opinion of gun control and gun rights. Have we reached a national moment of reflection on guns? Also this week, the field of Seattle mayoral candidates expanded by two, as former Seattle City Councilmember Peter Steinbrueck and neighborhood activist Kate Martin announced their campaigns. What stories caught your attention this week? Call us at 206.543.5869 or write to weekday@kuow.org.

This time of year, Christmas lights add color to the night. Candles are lit to celebrate Hanukkah, "the festival of lights.” The world's major religions each use light to represent big ideas. The Interfaith Amigos join us to explain the religious meaning of light.

Earlier this month King County Executive Dow Constantine signed some of the state's first same-sex marriage licenses and spoke against a plan to run more coal trains through Seattle. We'll ask him about these and other stories impacting our region. Have a question for the King County executive? Call 206.543.5869 or write to weekday@kuow.org.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 28 reporters have been killed Syria this year — making it one of the most dangerous places on earth for the media to cover. What makes reporting from Syria so dangerous, and why do journalists continue to risk their lives for the story? 

Vancouver Sun political correspondent Vaughn Palmer brings us the latest news from Canada. Robert Horton reflects on the best holiday films. Then, we review the latest economic news with Seattle Times columnist Jon Talton.

Officials have not yet released any information on the mental state of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooter, but anecdotal reports about his behavior and character have led people to diagnose him with a myriad of mental illnesses. At what point does conjecture lead to stigmatization of people with mental illness? Is it fair to connect violence with mental illness? We talk about it with Dr. Jennifer Stuber of the School of Social Work at the University of Washington.

Highlights from Dr. Struber's interview available here.
 

Seattle City Councilmember Bruce Harrell says he wants to explore the idea of a ballot initiative to let cities pass their own gun laws. Cities are not currently allowed to regulate guns beyond existing state law. We'll talk with Harrell about what changes he'd propose for Seattle, and hear reaction from Joe Waldron of the Gun Owners Action League of Washington.

There are rumors of progress in Washington, DC, in the talks over how to move forward on spending and taxes, but House speaker John Boehner says Republicans have a "Plan B" just in case. We hear the latest on the fiscal cliff talks from Jill Jackson of CBS News.