Liz Jones
Editor
About
Liz Jones is an editor for daily news, features and special projects. She started at KUOW in 2005 and worked primarily as a reporter until 2018. Her coverage largely focused on immigration and underrepresented communities.
Her work has also been heard on national shows including NPR’s Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Here & Now, PRI's The World, Latino USA, Snap Judgment, The Takeaway and BBC News Service.
She is a NW native who's also lived in Spain, Peru, NYC and Ritzville, WA.
Location: Seattle
Languages: English, Spanish
Pronouns: she/her
Podcasts
Stories
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Boy Scouts’ List Of Alleged Child Abusers Opened To Public
A court-ordered release of the Boy Scout’s so-called “perversion files” lists 25 men in Washington state. The complete files identify more than 1,200 Scout volunteers who were accused of child abuse and banned from the organization. These once-secret documents give the pubic an unprecedented look inside the scouting organization.
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Campaigns For And Against Gay Marriage Bank On Opposite Strategies
Washington is one of four states that will vote on same-sex marriage in just a few weeks. History is on the line, as one of these states could be the first to approve gay marriage by a vote of the people. The campaigns on both sides are intensifying efforts to connect with voters but there’s a stark contrast in their strategies.
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Wanted: Citizens To Oversee Seattle Police Reforms
Applications are now available to serve on Seattle’s new, court-ordered Community Police Commission. This citizen oversight board is part of the city’s agreement with the Department of Justice about police reforms.This is not exactly a new idea. Seattle’s created civilian panels in the past to monitor police and propose changes. But City Council Member Nick Licata says this new one has a key difference.“This one is very specific,” Licata says. “This one is basically saying, is the police department conforming to the reforms that are necessary to make our police department more accountable to our citizens?”Another difference with this commission is that it’s a mandate from the Department of Justice. Their investigation last year found Seattle police routinely used excessive force, often against minorities and mentally ill people.The city’s now entered into a settlement to make some fixes, with the oversight of an independent monitor. The council’s public safety committee has drafted legislation about the role of this new commission. They’ve gotten input from community leaders. One of the main questions that’s come up is whether this task force will have any direct say in the reforms. Licata says it depends on the definition of "direct say."“They will certainly be monitoring the police department, and for that matter they will review the reports and recommendations of the monitor,” he says. “They have the ability to issue their own reports. So, they will be a very public figure and they will have access to all the information. So in that sense, yes, they will definitely have a say.”Licata also wants the commission to be able to address the federal court directly about Seattle’s compliance with the settlement. But that’s up to the judge.Seattle officials are still figuring out staff support for this citizen commission and whether the volunteer members will earn a stipend. The deadline to apply is November 1. The council’s public safety committee plans to vote Thursday on an ordinance to create the new commission.
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Free Downtown Bus Shuttle Draws Few Riders
People who ride the bus around Seattle are adjusting to major service changes this week. One huge shift is the end of the ride-free zone downtown.