Alec Cowan
Senior Podcast Producer
About
Alec Cowan is a senior podcast producer at KUOW, where he works on Booming and other podcast projects.
Alec has worn many hats at KUOW. He helped launch Soundside and brought many eclectic stories to the program, from a late-night patrol with real life superheroes to the sewing machine sounds of an artisanal sail loft. Additionally, he was previously a producer for The Record with Bill Radke and the Primed podcast.
Before joining KUOW, Alec worked in NPR's Story Lab, where he helped pilot the Louder Than a Riot podcast and assisted in producing a story on volunteerism in Iraq for Rough Translation. Originally from Grand Junction, Colorado, his roots in the Northwest begin in Eugene, where he studied English and philosophy at the University of Oregon and worked as a news reporter for NPR member station KLCC. He is likely neglecting his saxophone, growing book collection, and expanding personal project list in favor of boosting his online Xbox ranking.
He's proud to be KUOW's unofficial "boat guy."
Location: Seattle
Languages Spoken: English
Pronouns: he/him/his
Podcasts
Stories
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Remembering the music that put Grand Coulee on the map
80 years ago Washington state was forever changed by the Grand Coulee Dam. The Dam still provides tons of hydropower today, and created a reservoir for farmers to divert and use as the breadbasket of the state today. When it was finally completed in January of 1943, US Government officials enlisted folk music legend Woody Guthrie to write a series of 26 songs about the dam. It’s a quirky moment in US and music’s history – but it produced instant classics that many will recognize, like “Roll on Columbia.”
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When power is cheap, crypto moves in. The fallout in rural WA is complex
Take a drive along the Columbia River and you’re bound to see towering dams that produce the bulk of our state’s hydropower. That energy is a point of pride for many Washingtonians – it’s plentiful, clean, and renewable. If you have direct access to that power, your electric bill is probably pretty darn cheap. In recent years the promise of that dirt-cheap electricity has brought swarms of cryptocurrency miners to small towns throughout Central and Eastern Washington. At times, that’s led to some rather unneighborly feelings.
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What does SCOTUS' ruling against affirmative action mean for WA?
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday overturned more than four decades of legal precedent by declaring affirmative action unconstitutional. What does it mean for Washington?
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Seattle Mountain Rescue celebrates first home base in North Bend
For 75 years, Seattle Mountain Rescue has relied on a constellation of volunteers and a mixed bag of resources to help lost hikers and injured adventurers. As King County has exponentially grown, the demand for Mountain Rescue services has too. Now, for the first time, the non-profit will have a base of operations in North Bend.
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WA Secretary of Transportation on roads, bridges, and ferries
You may be hitting the road soon to enjoy some of the many beautiful parts of Washington State. But projects are underway throughout the state, including highway maintenance, reduced ferry services, and bridge repairs.
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Sound it Out: An update on expanded school oversight
Each week we ask for your thoughts about our stories — where they've succeeded and where they can improve. Today, we're revisiting a segment we aired on the state's expanded oversight over "nonpublic agencies."
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Rare and resilient: Sunflower sea stars found on Oregon Coast
Staff at the Oregon Coast Aquarium regularly search nearby Yaquina Bay for ocean life. On a recent voyage, they came across a big surprise – a group of 25 sunflower sea stars.
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Yakima looks to 'Housing First' approach as homelessness grows
Solutions to homelessness are becoming more of a political issue – especially for a strategy known as “Permanent Supportive Housing,” or “Housing First.” This policy emphasizes getting people into housing as a first step toward solving more chronic issues like mental health or addiction. For decades this approach has had bipartisan support. But recent challenges from Republicans at the federal level are threatening the avenues for local programs to tap into national funds.
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WA Legislature expands public school oversight of private special ed schools
Students with special education needs face an uphill battle in Washington state. The state has a constitutional obligation to provide basic education for all students. But Washington is among the majority of states facing a shortage of special education teachers.
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Spokane weighs how much authority to give its police ombudsman
The City of Spokane is taking a hard look at police oversight after a major report about the conduct of the Chief of Police hit roadblocks in the mayor’s office. It looked at allegations that the police chief was giving a group of downtown Spokane business owners “special access” to public records. The release of the Ombudsman’s report, and recommendations, set off a firestorm at City Hall with some wondering just how much authority the watchdog’s office should have.