• 'Loud and Powerful': Taiko drummers link tradition, identity and activism in Seattle
    Trending

    ‘Loud and Powerful’: Taiko drummers link tradition, identity and activism in Seattle

    May 30, 2026 - By 

    Local performers in Seattle highlight taiko drumming as a powerful symbol of cultural resilience, identity, and solidarity. SEATTLE — Taiko drumming, described by local performers and community members as more than a traditional Japanese art form—it is also a message of cultural resilience and resistance. “Taiko is actually a form of culture, cultural resistance and resilience,” said Stanley Shikuma. Shikuma, a Sansei and senior member of Seattle Cocon Taiko and leader of the Kazi Taiko Youth Group, has been involved in taiko since moving to Seattle in 1981. He explained that taiko is a Japanese word for drum and a…

  • Vermont becomes first U.S. state to ban paraquat herbicide over possible link to Parkinson’s
    Trending

    Vermont becomes first U.S. state to ban paraquat herbicide over possible link to Parkinson’s

    May 29, 2026 - By 

    The Michael J. Fox Foundation praised Vermont’s ban as a public health milestone. WASHINGTON — Vermont became the first U.S. state to ban the weed-killing herbicide paraquat dichloride this week after lawmakers pointed to research that claims the chemical increases the risk of Parkinson’s disease. Gov. Phil Scott signed H. 739, “an act prohibiting the use and sale of the herbicide paraquat,” into law on Tuesday after the paraquat ban passed in bipartisan votes from both chambers of the Vermont General Assembly. This story continues below. Leadership at the Michael J. Fox Foundation, a Parkinson’s disease nonprofit,…

  • As Ballard Link remains in limbo, brewers fight industry downturn with focus on short-term improvements
    Trending

    As Ballard Link remains in limbo, brewers fight industry downturn with focus on short-term improvements

    May 26, 2026 - By 

    The district is a prominent tourist attraction, boasting one of the densest clusters of breweries in the U.S. Will it persist, despite headwinds and uncertainty? SEATTLE — One of the first breweries to open in what is now Ballard’s brewery district took a chance on an industrial neighborhood that looked very different than it does today. When Reuben’s Brews opened in 2012, co-founder Adam Robbings said the area east of 15th Avenue Northwest and north of Leary Way had little in the way of a brewery scene. Within a few years, more breweries followed, helping transform a pocket of industrial…