It may be chilly out, but at least we've got spring flowers. Just look at these lovely peonies bursting with color!

What happens to pot dealers when marijuana becomes legal? One dealer California (where medical pot is legal) says he heard the calling: Go East, young marijuana dealer

Filmmaker Lynn Shelton says Seattle is "like the canvas that I paint everything on." And despite her fast-growing career, Shelton says she doesn't plan on leaving anytime soon:

Pot businesses used to be welcome at Seattle's Verity Credit Union. But that recently changed when the banking regulators came calling:

Why didn't homes, schools, and other buildings in tornado-ridden Oklahoma have basements? There's a reason:

What a shot! Our friend Gary Deyo, using a high-speed camera, captured this shot of a needle-popped water balloon!

What do you picture when we talk about urban farming? Probably not a towering lab farm that has never seen the light of day. But experts say these vertical "pinkhouses" are quite efficient:

An exhibit at the Burke Museum inspired one woman to try living a month free of new plastics—no bags, no bottles, no containers—which meant she had to haul glass mason jars to the store and back, and a bus no less! Here's her story:

UPDATE: The medical examiner lowered the death toll in Oklahoma to at least 24, including 7 children: This photo shows what remains of Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore, Oklahoma.

UPDATE: The monstrous tornado in Oklahoma has claimed at least 51 lives, including 20 children. And the death toll is expected to rise. Story, photos and videos:

UPDATE: At least 37 people were killed when a powerful tornado tore through Oklahoma—and not for the first time. The left photo shows the town of Moore in ruins following a tornado in May 1999 while the right photo shows the same town today. Details:

A monstrous tornado as much as a mile wide with winds up to 200 mph roared through the Oklahoma City suburbs Monday, flattening entire neighborhoods, setting buildings on fire and landing a direct blow on an elementary school. The photo below shows flattened homes. More info + video:

A Seattle butcher is giving a whole new meaning to the term "pot-bellied pig." Lately, he's been feeding marijuana to the pigs he turns into prosciutto:

We are proud to share we've been honored with several regional Society of Professional Journalists awards, including two first place awards won by our ace reporters Paula Wissel, left, and Ashley Gross!

Check out this portable classroom that's totally solar-powered, uses only rainwater, and meets the highest standard of green building design:

If crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter were allowed to sell shares of small businesses, would you bite? Currently, business owners like Seattle pillow maker Roberto Horyo can only get backers—not investors—who are rewarded with pillows for their support. Here's the story:

Thirty three years ago today, Mount St. Helens erupted, killing 57 people, knocking down a forest and filling the sky and rivers with volcanic ash. What do you remember about the blast?

Thirty three years ago today, Mount St. Helens erupted, killing 57 people, knocking down a forest and filling the sky and rivers with volcanic ash. What do you remember about the blast?

We did the math, and most young adults won't pay more for coverage under Obamacare, as economist had feared: bit.ly/13tZ4CF

BREAKING: Seattle City Council member Tim Burgess has dropped out of the mayoral race. Details:

Happy Friday! We're excited to share The Greyboy Allstars will perform LIVE in studio today at 12:15! Tune into Midday Jazz:

Workers at Sea-Tac Airport are working on a ballot initiative that would bring up the minimum wage for the airport's baggage handlers, cabin cleaners, and retail employees to $15 per hour:

Here's the state's new official logo for marijuana licenses. Latest updates on draft rules for legal pot:

The Liquor Control Board has just released a draft of the rules for the state's new legal pot industry. We'll be updating our story here:

A recent study found elevated levels of arsenic in samples of chicken purchased at grocery stores in 10 cities in the U.S. So how did the toxin get there? Experts point to arsenic-based drugs:

Once captivated by her Android phone, our reporter Ashley Gross recently switched to a "dumb phone"—a model so simple she has to text using numbers. Here's how she explains her love-hate relationship with smartphones:

He may not have reached Brazil, but he sure touched many hearts. Hundreds of condolences have surfaced online for Seattle's Richard Swanson, who was fatally struck by a car while trying to dribble a soccer ball all the way to Brazil to raise money for charity. His story:

He may not have reached Brazil, but he sure found an audience. Hundreds of condolences have surfaced online for Seattle's Richard Swanson, who planned to dribble a soccer ball all the way to Brazil. He was fatally struck by a car in Oregon Tuesday.

Climate change is sending fish to non-native waters. In British Columbia, for example, Mexico's Humboldt squids have washed ashore. "People think they are sea monsters," said one expert. Similar migrations are taking place just about everywhere:

JUST IN: NBA owners reject Chris Hansen's bid to move Sacramento Kings to Seattle: "This was not an anti-Seattle vote; this was a pro-Sacramento vote," said NBA Commissioner David Stern.

Check out this gorgeous sunset shot by our friend Tim Durkan!

Yikes! The U.S. Postal Service ranked Seattle as the second worst city for dog attacks on mail carriers:

Join in one of the biggest days of giving in our region, and support KPLU through the The Seattle Foundation's one-day Give Big Campaign: And THANK YOU, as always, for your support! (Below, jazz legend Dr. John's artistic note seen on our wall of autographs.)

How serene. Thanks to our friend Lisa Nakamura on Orcas Island for sharing this lovely shot!

We're getting our first glimpse at what health care might cost under the Affordable Care Act. Your base rate depends on where you live in the state. Check out our interactive map for more info:

This delicate bird, called a streaked horned lark, has a curious propensity for dangerous places like airports, Army training fields, and dredge spoil dumping sites. With fewer than 2,000 of these songbirds left, experts are trying to lure them to greener pastures:

What is it about bees and hexagons? Bees, after all, could build honeycombs from rectangles or squares, or triangles. Radiolab's Robert Krulwich breaks down the reason behind bee geometry:

The teachers protested, and it appears the district heard. Seattle Public Schools will let high schools scrap the MAP test starting next year:

A new survey found Americans are "so over" hipsters and their "soullessly appropriate cultural tropes from the past for their own ironic amusement." Some even think hipsters should have to pay a special tax!

Washington's largest state universities want to "redshirt" freshman engineering majors for an entire year, and they say it's a good thing. Here's why:

Eagles have wreaked havoc on the 90-some heron nests in Seattle's Kiwanis Ravine, causing the entire colony to abandon their homes—eggs, chicks and all—last week. Now, nonprofit group Heron Habitat Helpers is asking residents to keep an eye out for these birds to see where they re-nest:

An artist in New York is collecting strangers' DNA left on tossed cigarette butts and chewed-up gum, and turning them into life-sized 3-D facial portraits of their owners:

A HUGE congrats to Roosevelt High School's jazz band, who placed third at the Essentially Ellington festival! Here, the band is seen performing with Sherman Irby earlier today.

Great news! Roosevelt High School's jazz band placed in the top three at the prestigious Essentially Ellington festival! The final concert is coming up at 4:30. Watch live here:

Happy Mother's Day! When KPLU reporter Ashley Gross was growing up, her mother made her and her sisters the best Halloween costumes. "I was always grateful to my mom for those costumes, but now that I have my own kids, I am especially in awe of what she did," Ashley says.

Diversion du jour: Caption this photo of jazz dog Winston!

Great news! Three local high school jazz bands are competing in the prestigious Essentially Ellington Festival in New York this weekend! And you can watch their performances online:

Small businesses in Washington state won't be able to participate in the new health care law. Why? Not enough insurance companies were willing to sell them coverage:

Sacramento already began celebrating last month, but investor Chris Hansen just upped the ante in his bid to bring the Sacramento Kings to Seattle:

Got a Mother's Day outing planned? You'll want to stay indoors, says Cliff Mass: