Advertise on podcast: RANGE

This week we unpack the results — so far — of a little thing called the American Midterm Election, an event that several guys with graphs on Twitter have been calling (paraphrasing) the most significant shift to the left since Watergate Erin and Daniel discuss the national blue wave — was it big enough to be (we're sorry for this) a Blue-nami? If folks on the MechaHitler site were comparing Trump to Nixon, Blue-nami seems like a fair characterization. We obviously also discuss coastal conditions locally, where we may not have been completely inundated like the Great Missoula Floods, but Washington's 5th district at least seems like beachfront property for the first time since, what, the early '90s? Across many county races, Democrats are neck and neck. Funny how, just a few months ago, when Vicky Dalton announced her retirement as Auditor, many people wondered when the next time a Dem would win a county-wide race. Turns out the answer might be now, maybe? All of that and a heaping helping of the rakish wits and delightful banter you expect from your friendly neighborhood worker-owned newsroom.

RANGE's Val Osier and Aaron Hedge talk about the recent revelations of intrigue in the Spokane County Prosecutor's Office — challenger Danny Tarkenton faces off against current Prosecutor Preston McCollam, who fired Tarkenton from her position as deputy prosecutor. Articles discussed in this episode: https://www.rangemedia.co/county-settled-with-prosecutor-challenger-after-she-alleged-her-boss-violated-due-process-rights/ https://www.rangemedia.co/prosecutor-candidates-weigh-public-safety-cash-domestic-violence-police-accountability/

RANGE's Daniel Walters and Erin Sellers are joined by Maeve Griffith to discuss all things 2026 midterms in Spokane. Michael Baumgartner, Carmela Conroy, ballot measures, voting by mail: you name it, we talk about it in this episode.

Dana Matthews and Steven Smith from KYRS public radio join RANGE's Aaron Hedge to discuss independent media, public radio, and the landscape of broadcast and print journalism in an increasingly algorithmic world. Support KYRS: https://kyrs.org/donate/

InvestigateWest's Wilson Criscione and RANGE's Daisy Savala Magaña join Luke Baumgarten for a discussion of their piece detailing the events that led to Rob Curley's suspension from the Spokesman-Review this summer. https://www.rangemedia.co/rob-curley-spokesman-review-newsroom-revolt/

Reporter Daniel Walters joins Val to talk about AI and his recent articles on the use of LLMs in Spokane politics and media, including at RANGE.

RANGEr Aaron Hedge talks with Hayden Tank, host of the Bible Lore Podcast, about Zeal, a recently planted church in downtown Spokane that has caused some controversy for revoking the lease of a homeless outreach ministry, and for its anti-LGBT doctrinal positions. Then, Hayden talks about his own journey out of Evangelicalism and why he still loves the Bible. Read Aaron's reporting on Zeal here: https://www.rangemedia.co/prophecy-spiritual-warfare-and-controversy/ And check out The Bible Lore Podcast here: https://patreon.com/biblelorepodcast

RANGE reporter Aaron Hedge joins Val to discuss a proposed AI data center in Airway Heights, and then housing development and conservation efforts in Latah Valley along Highway 195. Articles discussed in this episode: https://www.rangemedia.co/spokane-county-residents-mobilize-as-data-centers-eye-region/ https://thorpe.rangemedia.co/ https://www.rangemedia.co/fire-evacuees-face-gridlock/

On this week’s episode, Erin Sellers interviewed fellow RANGE reporter Daisy Zavala Magaña about her recent (and upcoming) reporting. In the first half of the show, the two of them talked about Daisy’s recent stories on a state-wide law enforcement mask ban. This mask ban was passed by the Washington State Legislature to keep ICE agents from wearing masks in our communities when they do immigration enforcement. Despite this, there’s been an increase of masked ICE officers making arrests. In the second half of the show, Erin and Daisy talked about an upcoming story she’s working on about a local Colombian baker. Find relevant articles below: ‘Who is not enforcing this?’: ICE officers continue to mask up despite state ban (Daisy Zavala Magaña, RANGE Media) Los oficiales de ICE continúan usando máscaras a pesar de la prohibición estatal (Daisy Zavala Magaña, RANGE Media) Check out this week's Free RANGE episode on YouTube!

On this week’s episode, Val Osier interviewed Daniel Walters about his recent stories from the 2026 Spokane GOP convention. They talked about what happened at the convention, Daniel’s experiences while sitting outside of it, and more. Find relevant articles below: The Spokane GOP is deeply divided on whether the party is more unified than ever (Daniel Walters, RANGE Media) We reported directly outside of the 2026 Spokane GOP convention because we didn’t want to pay $100 (Daniel Walters, RANGE Media) Check out this week's Free RANGE episode on YouTube!

On this week’s episode, we’re bringing you a pre-recorded interview between RANGE reporter Aaron Hedge and Brittany Anderson, a local activist who’s calling for governmental transparency about officials’ conversations with data center developers. The two of them talked about: what brought Brittany into this work and why it’s important to her, the information she learned from her public records requests and what it led her to, the moratorium on data center development at both the Spokane County and City levels and what they mean, and the continuing fight for transparency from the local government about data center development. Find relevant articles here: Spokane County reverses course, approving four-month data center pause (Aaron Hedge, RANGE Media) Commissioner Al French on data centers: ‘Spokane County is not closed for business’ (Aaron Hedge, RANGE Media) Who? Where? We don’t know, but Avista is entertaining a large data center (Aaron Hedge, RANGE Media) Check out this week's Free RANGE episode on YouTube!

On this week’s episode, RANGE staff Aaron Hedge, Pascal Bostic, and Yong-Yu Huang went on the air to talk about the Spokane Complex Fires, its impact on our communities, and other recent news. Read the stories mentioned at the links below: Last week, the Spokesman-Review benched its top editor. Now, its union has voted no confidence (Aaron Hedge, Daniel Walters, Yong-Yu Huang, and Luke Baumgarten, RANGE Media) As evacuation zones shrink, some have already spent thousands seeking shelter (Yong-Yu Huang, RANGE Media) Spokane area homeowners could lose insurance, adding insult to injury (Yong-Yu Huang, RANGE Media) Owner of pets lost after flames: ‘God knows where they are’ (Yong-Yu Huang, Aaron Hedge, and Sandra Rivera, RANGE Media) Alleged Spokane arsonist Farinacci’s bond upped to $2 million, four more counts added (Yong-Yu Huang, RANGE Media) Tragedy vultures (Aaron Hedge, RANGE Media) If the Old Trails Fire was arson, climate change was its accomplice (Daniel Walters, RANGE Media) Former Spokane Zephyr players say club ‘cut corners,’ undercounted hours (Yong-Yu Huang, RANGE Media) Check out this week's Free RANGE episode on YouTube!

For this week’s episode, we’re bringing you a pre-recorded interview between RANGE editor Luke Baumgarten and Riley Connors, the host of CONNORSversations. According to the show’s website, CONNORSversations “is a live show, with a live studio audience, filmed on location at The Chameleon, the only venue crazy enough to give this thing a chance.” Listen on for a full conversation about CONNORSversations! Check out this week's Free RANGE episode on YouTube!

On this week’s episode, RANGE reporter Erin Sellers was joined by Haydon Ramirez, the Eastern Washington Organizer from The Washington Bus. The Washington Bus is a youth-led organization that works to build civic engagement through leadership development, education, organizing, and voter mobilization. Erin and Haydon talked about their experiences with politics, how The Washington Bus builds up the youth’s civic engagement through their programs, and their recent policy priorities. They also talked about Spokane’s Spiciest Candidate Forum, which we’re partnering with The Washington Bus to put on! The candidate forum will be on Thursday, July 30, 2026 from 5-8pm at the Overbluff Cellars in the Washington Cracker Building (304 W Pacific Ave). (Psst: you can get your tickets here!) Check out this week's Free RANGE episode on YouTube!

This week's episode features a pre-recorded conversation between reporters from the Seattle-based outlet, CHUM News, and some of the RANGE team! RANGE reporters Daisy, Luke, and Erin gathered at a park in Wenatchee with worker-owners Adam Willems and Meron Menghistab from CHUM to swap stories from respective hometowns, talk about news items that had statewide significance, and dive into a couple of news stories that folks said they would be interested in hearing about. Find the preview episode and information on the project here: The POD: Best of CHUMs Check out this week's Free RANGE episode on YouTube!