
Peter O'Dowd
Senior Editor, Here & Now
Peter O'Dowd is the senior editor for Here & Now. He has a hand in most parts of the show — he edits and produces segments, travels the country to report stories and plan the show's remote broadcasts, and regularly fills in as host.
Peter is based in Arizona and covers stories important to the Southwest, including the ongoing drought on the Colorado River. As the former news director of KJZZ in Phoenix, he helped establish a news operation with bureaus that spanned much of the U.S.-Mexico border. As an editor and reporter, he’s followed the nation’s housing market and the ongoing debate over immigration reform.
He got his start in broadcasting at Wyoming Public Radio. He's a graduate of Georgetown and Columbia universities.
Recently published

Former ICE director weighs in on immigration agents' tactics
John Sandweg, who served as acting director under President Obama, says ICE has taken a "confrontational approach" in cities like Chicago.

Confusion at Joshua Tree National Park and others as government shutdown continues
As the government shutdown enters a third week, confusion abounds in many federal departments and agencies. Among the places left in limbo are America's many national parks.

Tough decisions when the cost of pet ownership soars
The cost of caring for an animal is skyrocketing.

How to prevent CTE on and off the football field
Late last month, a medical examiner in New York confirmed the man who shot and killed four people at a Manhattan office tower had the degenerative brain disease known as...

Boundaries are important in any relationship. But how do you set them?
Psychologists say a boundary isn’t about controlling someone else. It’s about setting up rules for your own behavior.
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'They're still people': System reforms often aren't enough to prevent jail deaths
On May 18, 2024, Richard Graham was booked into the Louisville Metro jail. He didn’t survive the night.

Jails struggle to prevent overdose deaths as fentanyl is smuggled in, and treatment isn't available
Jails may seem secure, but people who run them have a very hard time keeping drugs out. Those drugs often lead to overdoses.

Suicide is a leading cause of death in the U.S. prison system. How can jails reduce risk factors?
Numbers out of the Justice Department show that most suicides in jail happen shortly after booking — nearly half of them within the first week.

FCC commissioner calls Trump's threat to pull broadcast licenses 'a campaign of censorship'
In an interview with Here & Now, Anna Gomez said the Federal Communications Commission doesn't have the constitutional authority to revoke the licenses of broadcasters who air content critical of...

How to stop being a people pleaser
People-pleasing can be harmful to your mental health. How can you start putting yourself first?