Frank Lenzi

KIRO News Director

Frank Lenzi

News Director KIRO Radio

About

Frank Lenzi runs the newsroom at KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM. He has spent nearly two decades covering the people, politics, and problems of the Puget Sound region. He came to Seattle from Portland, Oregon in 2008 and never left. Frank’s reporting is shaped by a belief that local journalism should be useful — that a story should tell you something you didn’t know, about a place you care about, from someone willing to dig. That belief was forged in part by personal loss: his brother, Maj. Gregory L. Stone, was killed serving with the Army’s 101st Airborne Division during the Iraq War. Telling Gregg’s story — and the stories of others like him — remains the work Frank is most proud of. He is also unreasonably passionate about Depeche Mode, AC/DC, and the career of Roger Federer.

Expertise

  • Journalism
  • Radio and Web Reporting
  • Radio News Anchoring

Experience

News Director, KIRO Newsradio (December 2024 – Present)

  • Leads the KIRO Newsradio team with a focus on excellence in journalism and storytelling

Program Director/News Director, KOMO Radio (now KNWN)

  • Held roles including Morning Editor, Managing Editor, News Director, and Program Director

Managing Editor/Reporter/Anchor, AM 860 KPAM

  • Progressed from Morning Editor to Managing Editor at Portland’s news talk station

Newsroom Staff, 1190 KEX Portland

  • First commercial radio job in Portland’s heritage station newsroom

High School Radio (1991)

  • Began radio career at age 15 on a high school station

Education

Bachelor of Arts, University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication, 1997

Certifications

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Achievements & Awards

  • Led teams at KPAM and KOMO Radio that won multiple awards for breaking news, best newscast, and overall excellence

Social Media Profiles

Seattle property owners file claim over homeless encampment, say city blocked cleanup

A group of Seattle property owners has filed a claim against the city over what they describe as a growing homeless encampment marked by fires and violence. The owners say the city blocked them from clearing the property themselves.
1 day ago

Seattle street takeover shooting: Police identify everyone involved

Seattle police have identified everyone involved in a September 6 shooting connected to an illegal street takeover that left one person dead and three others wounded near 3rd Avenue and Clay Street.
6 days ago

Seattle’s Rainier Beach shooting leaves man wounded

A shooting in Seattle’s Rainier Beach neighborhood Wednesday evening left a man wounded, and the suspected shooter has not been caught, police said.
6 days ago

15 dogs, 2 cats removed from unlicensed animal rescue in Puyallup

Authorities removed 15 dogs and two cats from what they described as "deplorable conditions" at an unlicensed animal rescue at a Puyallup home on Tuesday.
6 days ago

700-pound sea lion found dead in West Seattle, shot at least 12 times, SR3 says

A 700-pound California sea lion was found dead near the mouth of the Duwamish River in West Seattle.
6 days ago

Toys ‘R’ Us will return to 3 Washington cities in October

Toys "R" Us stores will soon open at South Hill Mall in Puyallup, Seattle Premium Outlets, and Broadway Square in Spokane, most likely in October.
6 days ago

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson’s budget proposal: $50 million in cuts, no major new taxes

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson unveiled a $9.1 billion budget proposal for 2027-2028 Tuesday that includes $50 million in cuts but no major new taxes.
7 days ago

Seattle World Cup matches deliver $889 million impact, but hospitality results are mixed

The 2026 FIFA World Cup generated $889 million in economic impact for Seattle and King County, exceeding a revised forecast.
7 days ago

Bite of Seattle shooting report reveals elected officials distracted police from getting information out

A finding in SPD's after-action report on the July 26 Bite of Seattle shooting confirms officials distracted officers from getting information out.
8 days ago

‘It shouldn’t be that hard of a lift’: Seattle schools to limit screen time, pull iPads from youngest students

Seattle Public Schools will limit screen time to 30 minutes a day for students in kindergarten through second grade.
8 days ago

Washington gets $45M in VA grants to fight veteran homelessness

More than $45 million in federal funding is headed to Washington state to help homeless veterans and veterans at risk of losing their homes. The Department of Veterans Affairs said it has awarded grants to 17 community organizations across Washington for Fiscal Year 2027 as part of a record-setting national investment. “This funding is part […]
11 days ago

WA house candidate Krista Perez pleads not guilty to DUI in Tacoma court

Washington state House candidate Krista Perez, charged with DUI after a five-vehicle crash in Tacoma, appeared in Tacoma Municipal Court Friday and pleaded not guilty.
11 days ago

Downtown Seattle hit 9.2 million visits in August, surpassing pre-pandemic levels by 12%

Downtown Seattle has largely rebounded from the pandemic, according to a new report from the Downtown Seattle Association (DSA).
13 days ago

Seattle man who recruited teens for dispensary and bank robbery spree sentenced to 17 years

A Seattle man who recruited a crew of teenagers to carry out a string of robberies across the Puget Sound region has been sentenced to 17 years.
15 days ago

Microsoft’s new ‘Humanist AI’ rules ban weapons, demand human control

Microsoft released a draft framework that puts humans first, banning its AI models from imitating consciousness or exceeding human control.
15 days ago

Stabbing victim boards Sound Transit light rail train in Seattle’s Pioneer Square

A person was stabbed in Seattle's Pioneer Square neighborhood late Sunday afternoon and then boarded a northbound Sound Transit light rail train before first responders could intervene, the agency said.
16 days ago

‘A hole in the ground and a hole in the sky’: Tukwila firefighter’s 25-year connection to 9/11

Tukwila firefighter Ryan Carpenter shared how a chance meeting on a ski gondola deepened his connection to 9/11 and led him to bring WTC steel home.
18 days ago

‘It just felt right’: Puget Sound Fire couple celebrates wedding anniversary every September 11th

While many of us are reflecting on the tragic events of 9/11, some are also celebrating milestones, such as a birthday or a wedding anniversary.
19 days ago

Federal Way fire station holds unique 9/11 memorial with artifacts from all three crash sites

A 9/11 remembrance ceremony will be held in Federal Way this afternoon at one of the most unique fire stations in the country.
19 days ago

FBI offers $20,000 reward for fugitive wanted in Atlanta ICE building attack who may be in WA

A man wanted for allegedly vandalizing an ICE building in Atlanta could be traveling in Washington. The FBI offered a reward of up to $20,000 for information.
20 days ago

3 shot near Bremerton High School after fight escalates to gunfire

A fight just two blocks from Bremerton High School escalated to gunfire Friday night, leaving three people wounded.
21 days ago

VIDEO: Snohomish County deputies battle ‘really strong’ escaped goat

An escaped goat gave one Snohomish County neighborhood quite a scare — and two deputies a story they'll be telling for years.
21 days ago

Kent man wanted for rape, kidnapping arrested in drug bust

A Kent man wanted for rape and kidnapping in King County was arrested Sept. 2.
25 days ago

Firefighters disassemble car dashboard to rescue trapped kitten in Thurston County

Cat owners know their feline friends often hide, but one kitten's hiding place recently required a fire crew to take part of a car apart.
25 days ago