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
Smoke from Alberta Wildfires Drifting into NCW
It's only mid-May but the skies over North Central Washington are already taking on an ominous murk that usually isn't seen until wildfire season is well underway.
The hazy conditions are being caused by smoke emanating from fires over 500 miles to the northeast in Alberta, Canada...
It’s Wildflower Season in Eastern WA!
In case you hadn't noticed, springtime is well underway here in Eastern Washington!...and all over the Northern Hemisphere for that matter I suppose ;-)
And as the height of the spring season arrives, the backdrop of our region's plains, hills, and mountains begin to checker with a wide variety of colors thanks to an incredible assortment of wildflowers...
Crews Respond to Same Home on Fire Two Days in a Row
Wednesday night, the Wenatchee Valley Fire Department was called to the scene of a house fire in East Wenatchee they had already responded to the previous day.
The home in the 300 block of South Jackson Ave. originally caught fire on Wednesday morning at around 6 a...
Power Outage Hits 900+ in Chelan Co. Amid Sub-Zero Temps
Update: Dec. 23, 2022 at 10:02 a.m.
Power was restored to all areas around 9:30 a.m.
Update: Dec. 22, 2022 at 4:15 p.m.
Update on the Lake Wenatchee outages on Thursday.
East Leavenworth Road: 383 customers were originally out of power, but was reduced after isolating the outage area, all power was restored by 11 a...
Chaos, Mayhem & Closures…Again on Snoqualmie Pass
The heavy snowfall in the Cascades this week might be making the landscape look like a winter wonderland, but it's creating a hellish nightmare for drivers on the state's mountain passes.
Both U.S. Highway 2 over Stevens Pass and U.S. 97 over Blewett Pass have experienced closures due to slick and treacherous conditions since Tuesday, and earlier this morning, Interstate-90 (I-90) Snoqualmie Pass
Firefighter Injured Battling Blaze Near Lake Wenatchee
One firefighter suffered minor injuries while responding to a house fire in the Lake Wenatchee area on Tuesday morning.
Crews from Lake Wenatchee Fire & Rescue were called to the Pinedrop Lane area of Chiwawa Loop Road where they were able to quickly knock down the flames.
...
Fentanyl Use Causing Issues at Chelan Co. Jail
The Chelan County Regional Justice Center is grappling with several issues being created by the proliferation of fentanyl use in the Wenatchee Valley.
The facility is still operating until quarantine protocols from the COVID-19 pandemic, which require new intakes to remain in isolation for a brief period - usually no more than two or three days - prior to joining the rest of the jail's inmate popu
Winter Weather to Make Tough Sledding Over Passes Xmas Weekend
Old Man Winter is going to make travel on the state's major roadways a treacherous undertaking for the Christmas holiday this year.
Washington State Department of Transportation (DOT) spokesperson, Lauren Loebsack, says this week's heavy snow and frigid temperatures have already created some major issues for motorists...
Police Bring Down Ring of Fentanyl Dealers in NCW
Local law enforcement officials have taken down the final players in a drug trafficking ring they say was responsible for distributing a large amount of fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine throughout North Central Washington.
The organization was comprised of five men who all have lengthy criminal histories with the distribution of illicit narcotics...