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State lawmakers reluctantly let the sunshine in

caption: Olympia's books are back in the light.
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Olympia's books are back in the light.

Last year, lawmakers were forced to put their conversations back on the books. How’s the new tunnel working out? Icy conditions may have contributed to a tragic accident on UW campus, and an artist reckons with her own mother’s untimely death. Lastly, we hear a little of Brandi Carlile’s music ahead of the Grammys.

Listen to the full show by clicking the play button above, or check out one of the show’s segments below. You can also subscribe to The Record on your favorite podcast app.

Senator Jamie Pedersen on transparency

Last year, lawmakers in Olympia rushed to exempt themselves from the Public Records Act. It was passed 48 hours after it became public. It included a clause that prevented court challenges, and another one meaning that it would take effect immediately after Governor Inslee sign it. But, after intense pressure from journalists and advocates: he didn’t. Senator Jamie Pederson talks about the aftermath, and what this session holds for transparency.

SR 99 Tunnel

It was a strange week for SR 99. The tunnel is open, but there’s still an unfinished ramp. Its first day was a snow emergency, so traffic was unusually low. Yesterday was the most realistic rush hour test – and there was a four mile backup. Heather Marx, Director of Downtown Mobility at Seattle Department of Transportation, tells us how this new $3B tunnel is working out.

UW Slip and Fall

Yesterday, a young woman died at the University of Washington after slipping and hitting her head on a campus sidewalk. It was the first day students were back on campus after two snow days, and some speculate that icy walkways might have been the culprit. What is the university’s responsibility in situations like this? We asked Greg Colburn, personal injury attorney at Colburn Law in Issaquah.

Susan Lieu, 140 Pounds

Artist Susan Lieu weighs 140 pounds. It’s the same as what her mother weighed when she went in for cosmetic surgery and never came out. Her one woman show about the surgery and its continued reverberations is called “140 Pounds: How Beauty Killed My Mother.” It will run from February 7th through the 17th at the Theater off Jackson.

Grammy nominated Brandi Carlile

Brandi Carlile is the most nominated female artist at this year’s Grammy Awards. She’s come a long way from Ravensdale. We hear about the nominations, and some of her music.

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