Weekday

Increases in tuition and investment shortfalls have left Washington state's Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) program with a nearly 20 percent funding gap. Senate Majority Leader Rodney Tom says it's time for the state to get out of the prepaid tuition business. Tom says that if everyone now enrolled in the program wanted their money right now, the program would be short $631 million. The State Actuary puts the chances of GET not being able to meet its obligations at about one percent. Should Washington state end the GET program? We take a closer look.

The return of NBA basketball to Seattle appears closer than ever. Investor Chris Hansen announced on Monday that he's reached an agreement with the Maloof family to buy a controlling interest in the Sacramento Kings. The deal still needs formal approval from the NBA’s owners. Meanwhile, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson is hopeful he can keep the team in town. How do you put a number on a pro basketball franchise? We talk with Smith College economist Andrew Zimbalist.

It’s Friday — time to talk over the news with Knute Berger, Joni Balter and Eli Sanders. A new AP-GfK poll finds support for tighter gun laws as President Obama announces his plan for action and the NRA digs in for a fight. Lawmakers in Olympia get down to business and Governor Jay Inslee takes office in the first full week of the state legislative session. Plus, Seattle City Councilman Bruce Harrell joins the race for mayor. What stories caught your attention this week? Write to us at weekday@kuow.org.

The comedy “In Living Color” turned David Alan Grier into a well-known comic actor, but he started his career singing on Broadway. Last year, he returned to Broadway to play Sporting Life in “Porgy and Bess.” David Alan Grier has performed for over 30 years, from stand-up comedy to competing on "Dancing with the Stars." He joins us in the KUOW studios.

The debate over guns moved ahead in Washington, D.C., this week as President Obama called on Congress to strengthen America’s gun laws. In Seattle, officials are aiming to get illegal guns off the street by holding a buyback. Do buybacks work? We talk with King County Executive Dow Constantine about the push to reduce gun violence. Plus, the saga of the Sacramento Kings basketball team continues. Will they or won’t they come to Seattle? King County’s Executive Dow Constantine joins us. Have a question? Email us at weekday@kuow.org.

Since 2006, more than 40,000 soldiers, police officers, traffickers and citizens have died in Mexico’s bloody drug war — from the mountains where pot and poppies are grown to the streets of Mexico City. Journalist Ioan Grillo tracks the rise of the cartels and their increasing influence north of the border in his book, "El Narco." He joins Steve Scher with a report from the front lines of the Mexican drug war.

Vancouver Sun political correspondent Vaughn Palmer brings us the latest news from Canada, film critic Robert Horton joins us with a look at the movies, and Geekwire's Todd Bishop talks Windows 8, Amazon's new mp3 offer and the region's top tech startups.

Just over one month after the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, President Obama and Vice President Biden are set to announce their plan for action on reducing gun violence. We'll carry the President's remarks live from the White House and hear what Beth Flynn of Washington Ceasefire and Phil Watson of the Second Amendment Foundation have to say about his proposals.

Think you’ve seen a healthy ocean in your lifetime? You probably haven’t. National Geographic's explorer-in-residence Dr. Enric Sala studies marine ecosystems to understand the past and present ocean, and to plan for the future. He also works to protect pristine seas that still exist. How are the world's oceans doing? And what can be done to reverse the damage? We’ll find out what’s missing from the ocean landscape.

Religion is changing. In recent years we’ve seen the rise of evangelical and nondenominational churches, and the Internet has turned charismatic religious leaders into celebrities as famous and revered as rock stars. Among them is Pastor Rob Bell, who has captured the attention of millions with his hip look, presentation and inclusive teachings. Some Evangelical Christians consider him “dangerous,” but Time Magazine voted him one of "2011’s Most Influential People." Who is Rob Bell and what does his ministry say about the future of the evangelical and Christian church? We talk with the University of Washington's James Wellman about "Rob Bell and a New American Christianity."