Ciara O’Rourke is a freelance writer living in Austin, Texas. A former reporter for the Austin American-Statesman, she was a 2015–16 Ted Scripps Fellow in Environmental Journalism. She’s also written for The New York Times, Playboy, and Wired, among others.

Burn Notice

Washington’s Wildfire Season Is Starting Earlier and Ending Later

Does that mean another summer of hazy skies for Seattle?

05/29/2019 By Ciara O'Rourke

Feature

Darren Berg on the Run: Inside the Biggest Ponzi Scheme in Washington State History

He owned yachts and sped around the country in Lear jets—spoils from the more than $100 million he bilked from investors—before he was convicted and sent away to serve an 18-year sentence in federal prison. Then, late last year, Darren Berg disappeared.

03/19/2018 By Ciara O'Rourke

Nonstarter Home

Seattle Is Still a Seller’s Market. But Who Can Afford to Buy?

We've so been here before.

02/27/2018 By Ciara O'Rourke

Amazon's Wandering Eye

What Does HQ2 Mean for Seattle?

Amazon is being wooed by cities across the country, and it’s giving us a case of Boeing deja vu.

02/14/2018 By Ciara O'Rourke

The Women's Issue

How Tracy Rector Uses Art to Empower Indigenous Communities

The filmmaker, curator, and community activist has helped thousands of young, budding documentary filmmakers get their start.

01/31/2018 By Ciara O'Rourke

The Present Is Female

The 50 Most Influential Women in Seattle

These are the women shaping Seattle, the region, and beyond.

01/31/2018 By Hayat Norimine, Ciara O'Rourke, Rosin Saez, Allecia Vermillion, Allison Williams, Darren Davis, and James Ross Gardner

Algorithm Nation

Artificial Intelligence Can Be Just as Biased as Humans

A growing group of data scientists is grappling with what’s fair—and how to fix it.

01/25/2018 By Ciara O'Rourke

Explainer

Get Real-Time Advice on Your Run with Sensoria's Smart Shoe

Want to run faster and farther? Maybe this Redmond company can help.

12/19/2017 By Ciara O'Rourke

A Greener Footprint

How Tesla STEM High School Defied Trump’s Paris Climate Accord Decision

If he wouldn’t reduce carbon emissions, they would.

09/20/2017 By Ciara O'Rourke

Feature

While in Custody: The Fight to Stop Jail Deaths in Washington State

When an inmate dies in Washington state, the question of who is to blame often goes unaddressed. Meet the families, and their lawyers, who want answers.

03/20/2017 By Ciara O'Rourke Photography by Mike Kane

Feature

The Other Sister

As many as 700,000 adults in the U.S. with a disability like autism live with parents or another family member who is 60 or older. What happens when those caregivers are gone? One sibling confronts her past and likely future.

10/19/2016 By Ciara O'Rourke