Greetings Fellow Creatures of Earth! I'm Chris Hansen, your host for the KPQ Morning Update and Jack-of-all-radio-trades at Townsquare Media in Wenatchee, Washington. I'm a broadcast media veteran who thoroughly enjoys his work and strives to make a positive impact on the world every time I take to the airwaves. In my spare time, I like to write, draw and podcast. I also love immersing myself in philosophical thought to mixtapes of cheesy rock music on long drives to nowhere in particular - I'm a silent marauder of the long and endless highway! I am also fond of animals and stargazing, and I love chasing thunderstorms when the opportunity presents. And I still collect CDs and vinyl records, as well as clever talismans from forgotten antique stores and really cool shoes. I look forward to being with you on the radio very soon...
Chris Hansen
WA Fish & Wildlife Acquiring 300+ Acres in Okanogan Co.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has agreed to purchase 339 acres of land in Okanogan County for habitat conservation.
The WDFW recently approved acquisition of the property just east of Riverside near McLoughlin Falls in the Sinlahekin Wildlife Area...
House Bill Aims to Ban Assault-Style Weapons
A bill has been introduced in the Washington House of Representatives that would outlaw the sale and manufacturing of assault rifles in the state.
HB 1240 identifies 29 specific makes and models of firearms which would fall under the ban and also includes a long litany of language related to the prohibition of the specific features these and other assault-style weapons possess...
NCW’s Year of the Rabbit
Last Sunday marked the Lunar New Year in China - and in terms of Chinese astrology - the beginning of the Year of the Rabbit.
The Chinese zodiac consists of twelve different animals which are all symbolic to an entire calendar year in China, unlike the Western zodiac whose assortment of critters only receive a single month to offer their heavenly influence annually...
WA’s 7th District Reps. Bridging Divide Between East & West
Now that the boundaries of Washington's 7th Legislative District have been expanded to make it the largest and most rural voting jurisdiction in the state, Reps. Joel Kretz and Jacqueline Maycumber have an even bigger job ahead of them in trying to convey the needs of Eastside residents to a largely-Westside set of lawmakers...
12th District Reps. Making Inroads with New Constituents
Washington's two representatives from the state's 12th Legislative District are still adjusting to working on behalf of voters west of the Cascades.
Last February, the district's boundaries were expanded to include portions of King and Snohomish Counties, making it the only one of Washington's 49 legislative jurisdictions to span the geographical and political divide between the state's two sides.
Chelan Co. Pushing for Feasibility Study for Regional Aquatic Center
The Chelan County Board of Commissioners is pushing for a feasibility study to be conducted regarding the potential construction of a new regional aquatic center.
"In order to determine if we should have an aquatic center, we need to conduct this study," says commissioner Tiffany Gering...
RSV Cases On the Rise in Chelan & Douglas Counties
As cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) continue to increase nationwide, so too do the number of infections in North Central Washington.
Over the past 90 days, Washington's Rapid Health Information Network has reported 223 cases of the illness in Chelan and Douglas Counties...
Log Truck Dumps Load, Blocks SR-28
Traffic on State Route 28 was snarled Thursday morning after a semi-truck lost control and crashed.
The incident occurred just west of Ephrata at around 3:00 a.m.
Washington State Patrol Trooper, Collin Cumaravel, says it was the truck’s cargo that caused the biggest issue.
“...
Wenatchee School District Using Pandemic Safeguards to Improve Air Quality in Classrooms
The Wenatchee School District is keeping an eye on the region’s air quality in an effort to protect the health of its students and staff.
Spokesperson, Diana Haglund, says the district has been able to use some of its safeguarding implements from the COVID pandemic to help keep the air clean during the region’s recent smoke-filled days.
“Becaus...
Health Officials Say Monkeypox Could Arrive in NCW Anytime
Local health officials are preparing for the arrival of monkeypox in North Central Washington.
Dr. James Wallace, interim health officer with the Chelan-Douglas Health District (CDHD) says it’s just a matter of time until a greater number of infections are reported beyond the state’s more populated areas.
“We hav...