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New ProPublica reporting reveals how a new AI tool, made by Anthropic, is reportedly detecting software bugs faster than Microsoft can address them. And the clock to patch those vulnerabilities is ticking fast.

Soundside talked with ProPublica tech reporter Renee Dudley about her reporting on this issue, and how it's raising major questions about the security of the wider U.S. tech industry, and products consumers rely on daily.

Related Links

Anthropic’s New AI Model Can Identify More Software Bugs Than Ever. Microsoft Is Struggling to Fix Them Fast Enough. - ProPublica

Editor's note: Microsoft is a financial supporter of KUOW, but we cover them like we do any other company.

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Soundside is going on a working hiatus for the month of August, but we'll be back and better than ever the day after Labor Day...

But until then, Soundside producer Jason Megatron Burrows has a bunch of events to keep you busy until we're back!

LINKS:

Seattle Mariners vs Tampa Bay
CAPITOL HILL BLOCK PARTY
Edmonds Block Party
CatVideoFest 2026
Sherlock Jr at Magnolia Lutheran Church
Seattle Tattoo Expo
Get Sauced: Mountlake Terrace
Seahawks vs. Cowboys Preseason Game
WA State Garlic Fest
Dragonflight GameCon
Cake at Remlinger Farms
PAX West 2026

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to donate.kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes
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If you didn’t know, we are in the middle of an El Niño. Scientists say it has the potential to be one of the strongest in recent years.

This is the weather pattern in the Pacific Ocean that periodically pushes warm water toward the West Coast.

El Niños cause all kinds of problems, including worsening Washington droughts.

And they can be a real pain for the region’s fishing industry.

Guests

Bob Alverson, general manager of the Fishing Vessel Owners' Association
Anthony Rogers, a fisheries economist at Ocean Conservancy

Related links:

The 2026 El Niño Is on Track to Be the Strongest on Record | WIRED
Record-breaking El Niño could gut California’s crab and salmon fleets | Los Angeles Times
What a ‘very strong’ El Niño could mean for WA | The Seattle Times

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to donate.kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Long summer nights with the Mariners on the radio are a rite of passage in the Pacific Northwest.

This weekend the team is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and whether you grew up with the M’s as a kid during the glory days of Ken Griffey Jr. in the Kingdome, just started following as the Big Dumper was breaking records last season, or stuck with the team, faithfully, through a 20 year playoff drought, one voice has stood out.

Rick Rizzs started with the Mariners back in 1983... He had a brief stint in Detroit, coming back to Seattle in ‘95 where he put in a record breaking 41 years with the team

He announced earlier this year that he would be retiring at the end of the 2026 season, and this week sat down with Soundside producer Jason Burrows.

GUEST: Rick Rizzs

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Should the president of Seattle’s teachers union keep her position?

That’s the question on the minds of many local teachers and parents.

Last week, parents of a student of Ibijoke Idowu began the process of pursuing a civil lawsuit against the teacher and the district, claiming she had physically harmed their child.

This follows a Seattle Public Schools investigation, released in June, which concluded that Idowu “more likely than not” grabbed the student hard enough to cause bruising.

Idowu was elected to lead the Seattle Education Association while she was on leave pending the results of this probe.

Idowu has denied allegations of misconduct.

Guest:

KUOW education reporter Noel Gasca

Related stories:

Demands for Seattle teacher’s union president to resign intensify amid student abuse allegations - KUOW
Seattle teacher, union president, responds to report she ‘likely’ harmed student - Seattle Times
Petition to initiate RECALL of SEA President Ibijoke Idowu-Holiday - change.org
Petition support Idowu: Protect Devoted Educator from targeted harassment, intimidation & cultural bias! - change.org

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Police took a 15-year old into custody in connection to a mass shooting at the Seattle Center that left three dead and several others injured. Police later said that 15-year old had a “ghost gun."

This refers to a type of firearm that’s often assembled at home and manufactured without a serial number.

In charging documents, prosecutors allege the teenager fired into the crowd. Police say the gun doesn’t appear to be involved the deaths of two bystanders from last week.

Washington is a leader in trying to prohibit ghost guns.

Back in 2022, the state passed a law to ban them. Earlier this year, lawmakers prohibited the unlawful manufacture of guns using 3-D printers or CNC milling machines.

And yet, ghost guns continue to be a concern here in the state.

Guest: Garen Wintemute is the founding director of the Centers for Violence Prevention at UC Davis in California. He's also an emergency department attending physician.

Related links:

15-year-old Seattle Center shooting suspect charged with first-degree assault; prosecutors seek adult trial | KUOW
Ghost gun used in Seattle Center shooting, police say | The Seattle Times
Ghost guns explained—how they are made, used? | FOX 13 Seattle
Bullets from 15-year-old's gun did not kill 2 Seattle Center victims, according to early findings | KUOW

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We are officially deep into a Pacific Northwest summer: we’ve already experienced wildfire smoke, 90 degree temperatures and for the unlucky amongst us, you may have also have seen small black ants crawling across your kitchen counters and floors.

I’m talking about odorous house ants. So named because of the smell they emit when they are squished (I won’t say by who).

These little guys are annoying, and they’re everywhere this time of year. I even saw a Reddit post referring to Seattle as being “placed on top of a giant ant hill”. Now, that’s not actually true… but it can certainly feel like it around now.

That’s because, if you live in a city like Seattle, you actually are in an ideal ant environment, one that has led to the little insect’s proliferation.

So before we get mad at odorous house ants, maybe it’s best to understand this creature? Maybe instead of a war on ants… we can make peace.

Guest:

Todd Murray, the Director of Washington State University's Puyallup Research and Extension Center

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The Washington state Clemency and Pardons Board hears cases of people currently incarcerated and makes recommendations to the governor for commutations.

These recommendations can allow someone to leave prison before their sentence is completed. In Washington state law, someone’s case would need to be “extraordinary” in order to qualify.

Last year, the board heard a little over 30 cases and recommended 10 people for commutations. Governor Ferguson rejected all of the cases, some of which had the support of every board member.

The Governor has approved pardons for some people who had already completed their sentences and his office said he was "considering the recommendation of the board while also accounting for victim impacts and public safety."

His approach hasn’t sat well with members of the Clemency and Pardons Board.

Guests:

Raymond Delos Reyes, chair of the Washington Clemency and Pardons Board

Dan Berger,professor at the University of Washington-Bothell and director of the Washington Prison History Project

Relevant Links:

Cascadia Daily News: Governor’s disrespect for clemency process extends mass incarceration

KOMO: Case questions Washington's clemency process after governor rejects board's recommendation

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Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

It’s our chance to talk about the latest news with a rotation of plugged-in journalists and guests, taking a look at the headlines from the weekend and the stories that we'll be following as the week moves forward.

Guest: Mike Carter, senior reporter on the law and justice team at The Seattle Times

Related Links:

Washington wildfires destroy homes, force thousands to evacuate | KUOW
Seattle mayor describes what she wants in new police chief | The Seattle Times
4 takeaways from Mayor Wilson after Seattle Center shooting, police chief's exit | KUOW
Man pinned by police at WA hospital died as doctor, nurses watched | The Seattle Times

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to donate.kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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17 large wildfires continue to burn across Washington state.

In Spokane, three major fires sparked on Saturday, collectively burning over 8,000 acres and 700 structures.

67,000 people are under evacuation orders.

KUOW reporter Paige Browning joined Soundside with the latest.

Guest:

KUOW reporter, newscaster, and Seattle Now host Paige Browning

Related stories:

More than 700 to 1,100 structures lost in three Spokane fires; officials searching for 14 people - Spokesman Review
‘Particularly Dangerous Situation’: Washington’s fire season off to roaring start - KUOW

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The future of Washington’s new “millionaires tax” is at stake this election season. And not JUST the ballot measure asking voters to weigh repealing the tax in November. The justices on the state Supreme Court will decide a separate legal challenge to that historic measure.

In a highly unusual scenario: five of the court’s nine seats are up for election this fall. Tuesday’s primary will determine the candidates for FOUR of those races.

Soundside's final look at the Washington State Primary Ballot takes a closer look at these four races for seats on the WA State Supreme Court.

GUEST: Jonathan Martin - Former Seattle Times editor who now writes for the Washington Observer. Also, The Cascadia Daily News recently announced he’ll be their new editor-in-chief starting in September.

RELATED LINKS:

https://www.washingtonsupremecourt.org/
League of Women Voters of Washington - Supreme Court Candidates
Washington Supreme Court elections, 2026 - Ballotpedia
The independent money comes out to play - WA Observer

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Here’s a number for you: 108,170. That is the number of times immigration enforcement has attempted to look up a Washington license plate number and been denied since November of last year.

That number comes from the state and it’s one that Governor Bob Ferguson has been touting, citing the value of guarding resident’s data from the federal government.

While the number seems high, does it mean a difference in enforcement actions?

Guest:

Gustavo Sagrero, KUOW’s Race, Identity, and Immigration Reporter

Relevant Links:

KUOW: WA has blocked over 100,000 federal attempts to access license plate data

KUOW: This Seattle-area mechanic offers free tows for vehicles left behind after ICE arrests

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to donate.kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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As we do EVERY Thursday, Soundside has your list of all the best ways to decompress this weekend...

LINKS:

Cinema Therapy LIVE!
THE PRINCESS BRIDE
ECSFF - Short Film Festival
Michael Mann's Manhunter: The Final Cut
Lake City Summer Festival & Parade
Kite Festival | Pierce County, WA
Seattle Paddle Rave
U-District Boba Fest
Seafair Weekend Festival 2026
Magnolia Summerfest
Flock Fiber Festival
2026 Junior League Softball World Series
Cats & Dawgs Kirkland Classic
Mariners vs Twins!

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to donate.kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Police have one 15-year-old suspect in custody in connection to the mass shooting at Seattle Center on Sunday.

Earlier this week, a King County Superior Court Judge found probable cause for three counts of first-degree assault and a single count of second-degree illegal possession of a firearm.

The suspect remains in juvenile detention. An arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, where the defendant will hear charges filed against them.

But the legal process may become more complicated due to the alleged suspect’s age.

Judge J. Mike Diaz explains how juvenile court works, and the major differences between that and adult court – in the wake of the mass shooting at Seattle Center.

Guest:

J. Mike Diaz was a King County Superior Court judge from 2018-2022, and served a term as the Chief Judge of King County's Patricia H. Clark Children & Family Justice Center. Former governor Jay Inslee appointed him to the Court of Appeals in 2022. He's also an adjunct professor of Law at Seattle University Law School and taught juvenile law at the Washington Judicial College.

Related Stories:

15-year-old Seattle Center shooting suspect charged with first-degree assault; prosecutors seek adult trial - KUOW

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to donate.kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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People in Seattle are still processing a mass shooting on Sunday that left three dead.

It happened on the final day of the Bite of Seattle, a lively food festival that draws thousands of attendees every year.

A day after the shooting, Arron Murphy-Paine helped organize a vigil at the Seattle Center, where the shooting happened.

His son, Amarr Murphy-Paine, was shot and killed outside of Garfield High School in 2024 while he was breaking up a fight. That case remains unsolved.

Murphy-Paine sat down with Soundside to reflect on the Seattle Center shooting.

Guest: Arron Murphy-Paine

Related links:

Community mourns victims of Seattle Center shooting as police search for another suspect | KUOW
Overall gun violence down, but doubling among youth in King County | Snoqualmie Valley Record
2 years after shooting death, family works to build a more just and peaceful Seattle | KUOW

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to donate.kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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More information is still emerging about the Seattle Center shooting. For now, we know that police have said they believe at least two people participated in the shooting.

Police have one suspect in custody, who is just 15 years old. Police have also claimed the shooting could be gang-related.

The alleged suspect’s age furthers concerns about Seattle-area youth and gun violence.

Earlier this week, Mayor Katie Wilson spoke about steps the city is taking to prevent gun violence, including violence intervention and community support. Soundside spoke with two experts working on this issue in our region about the shooting and their response.

GuestsPaul Patu, co-founder of Urban Family
Dominique Davis, founder and CEO, Community Passageways Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to donate.kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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We’re continuing our coverage of Sunday’s shooting at Seattle Center, where three people were killed and several more wounded.

A 15 year old suspect is in custody.

Police say they believe a 19 year old who is one of the deceased was also involved in the shooting.

Seattle's mayor, and chief of police, held a press conference during the noon hour about the investigation.

Guest:

KUOW reporter Paige Browning

Related stories:

Live updates: Community mourns victims of Seattle Center shooting as police search for another suspect - KUOW

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to donate.kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

Guest: Marcus Harrison Green, founder of the South Seattle Emerald and co-host of the podcast “In the Meanwhile."

Related links:

Live updates: 3 dead in Seattle Center shooting; 1 suspect in custody as police search for another | KUOW
Live: Seattle police say third shooting suspect among deceased | The Seattle Times

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to donate.kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Wanna go see a movie?

We could check out what’s playing at The Beacon…. Or Majestic Bay…

…. Or….

We could pop by the old QFC on 15th Avenue on Capitol Hill.

That’s where a local community group has been hosting movie nights for the past few months.

This QFC stands for the “Quality Film Club.” It convenes every other Thursday… in the Quality Flea Center. (You can see how they’re keeping the spirit of QFC alive).

This club is just one of the many ways that its co-organizers are creating community. And all of it is facilitated by their access to this abandoned grocery store.

Guest: Josh Okrent, a co-organizers of the Quality Film Club. He’s also the “Big Cheese” of the Punk Rock Flea Market.

Related links:

The Quality Film Club: Capitol Hill’s newest movie theater is in an abandoned grocery store | CHS Capitol Hill Seattle News
Two Seattle QFC Redevelopments Run Into Concerns Around Height and Parking | The Urbanist
Can the Punk Rock flea market save the soul of Seattle? | Seattle | The Guardian

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to donate.kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Seattle’s Comprehensive Plan has hit a snag.

The plan is the set of zoning changes that plans the city’s future growth – the current one in the works outlines a lot more housing density in the city. State law requires such a plan be in place, but Seattle’s has been delayed by administrative appeals from two groups.

On Wednesday, we spoke with Seattle councilmember Eddie Lin about his proposal to eliminate one of the paths people have to appeal the plan under the State Environmental Policy Act. Jennifer Godfrey filed one of the appeals currently delaying implementation, and formed the group Orca Nexus, which is advocating for more environmental review of Seattle’s zoning changes.

They claim the Comprehensive Plan’s Environmental Impact Statement did not fully evaluate the environmental impact of greater housing density on trees and runoff. They say removing trees will increase pollutants that could harm humans, salmon and especially endangered Southern Resident killer whales.

Guest:

Jennifer Godfrey

Related Links:

Conservation Groups Join Push Against Seattle Growth Plan
This change will let Seattle address climate change, housing shortage
Seattle Poised to Remove SEPA Review Hurdle for Most Housing Projects
Residents and activists clash over plan to curb SEPA appeals at Seattle hearing

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to donate.kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Hi friends, another weekend is upon us with PLENTY to go and see and do.

LINKS:

Timber! Outdoor Music Festival - Carnation, WA
4 Days Of Aloha - Vancouver, WA
Redmond Derby Days - Redmond, WA
Renton River Days - Renton, WA
Bite of Seattle - Seattle Center
Kaiser Permanente Seafair Torchlight Run 2026
Alaska Airlines Seafair Torchlight Parade 2026
SIFF Film Center - Horsegirls
CID Food Walk | Seattle Chinatown-International District
Summer 2026 - Urban Craft Uprising
Seattle Scottish Highland Games 2026
The Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire - Feast of Fools!

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It’s a war of definitions, and Kalshi just lost a battle. On Monday, a King County Superior Court judge issued a preliminary injunction against the “prediction market” company. Judge John McHale found Washington state is likely to succeed in proving Kalshi is actually an online gambling site. Those are illegal here in Washington. The lawsuit was brought by Attorney General Nick Brown, who also scored another victory on Monday with a temporary pause on Paramount's acquisiton of Warner Brothers.

Guest:

Attorney General Nick Brown

Related Links:

WA judge halts Kalshi ‘prediction market’ over state gambling laws

AG Brown, coalition temporarily block Warner Bros./Paramount merger as lawsuit proceeds

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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The economics behind the most popular video games are, in a word, staggering.

Case in point: Grand Theft Auto 6 is slated to be released later this year, and according to IGN, it made $260 MILLION dollars during the first week of pre-orders. Some analysts estimate that the game could rake in about 5 BILLION dollars during its launch week.

But don’t expect to have a hard copy to cherish for your collection – developer Rockstar Games announced last month that GTA 6 will only be available to download.

Industry giant Sony says it too will soon be ditching discs. The company said earlier this month that it plans to discontinue physical game disc production for new PlayStation games starting in 2028.

Sony says it’s reflecting a broader shift in consumer preference toward digital downloads.

And this shift has consequences for local small businesses: With no discs to sell and trade, stores, especially ones that sell used games, will reap less revenue.

Adam David owns Big Red’s Retro Games in Silverdale. He says he’s not surprised by these decisions:

“Your newer, younger consumer doesn’t care about a physical disc. Your next generation of game players, they've grown up on digital, and at the same time they're too young to see the ramifications down the road of having just a digital library and the fact that, you know, it can be taken away from you”

What are the ramifications and ripple effects when an industry changes the way we buy its products?

It’s something Seattle-area journalist Jacob Robbins has been pondering – he wrote about the disappearance of physical media in games for his new Substack newsletter entitled “Side Quests.”

GUEST: Jacob Robbins

RELATED LINKS:

It’s Going to Be the Biggest Video Game Launch Ever. These Seattle Game Stores Aren’t Happy.
GTA 6 Predicted to Make Up to $5.2 Billion in Sales by End of Launch Week After Securing an Estimated $260 Million via Preorders
'Commercially It Just Makes Sense' - No GTA 6 Disc Decision Explained

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to donate.kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes
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Haven’t heard about Seattle’s comprehensive plan recently?

Well, the city council is supposed to be working on it, but the process is on hold because of appeals.

Just to catch you up: The comprehensive plan is a set of zoning changes that are supposed to be a blueprint for future growth. It’s required by state law. It usually means allowing more housing density. One thing this iteration of the plan would do is change zoning laws to allow for six story buildings in neighborhood centers across the city.

The appeals that are currently putting the plan on hold are based on the State Environmental Policy Act or SEPA.

City Councilmember Eddie Lin, who chairs the Land Use and Sustainability Committee, said that the current phase of the Comprehensive Plan will be delayed into late 2026 or possibly next year.

He’s proposing a change that’s working its way through city council. It would limit these types of appeals.

Guest:

Seattle City Councilmember Eddie Lin

Relevant Links:

Seattle Times: This change will let Seattle address climate change, housing shortage

KOMO: Residents and activists clash over plan to curb SEPA appeals at Seattle hearing

Seattle Times: Seattle’s history shows why zoning appeal process matters

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Here on Soundside, we're covering Washington’s most competitive races ahead of the Aug. 4 primary election.

Historically, one of the tightest in the state is the 3rd Congressional District in Southwest Washington. This area includes Clark, Cowlitz, Lewis, Pacific, Wahkiakum and Skamania Counties. It also covers a small part of Thurston County.

It’s one of the few swing districts left in the country. Voters there have gone for Trump, but they have also repeatedly chosen a Democrat to represent the district in the House.... over a Republican.

Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez currently holds the seat and is running for re-election. She faces a few challengers, like Brent Hennrich. He's campaigning to her left as a progressive alternative.

Guest: Brent Hennrich, a progressive challenger running to represent Washington's 3rd Congressional District

Related links:

Minority Democrats in 20th District endorse progressive alternative for Congress | The Daily Chronicle
What’s fueling the far-left surge? ‘Democrats themselves hate the party’ | The Seattle Times
Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez challenged from left, right, center | The Columbian

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to donate.kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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State regulators are still investigating the Nippon Dynawave Packaging plant to see what went wrong and whether the catastrophe that killed 11 workers in Longview could have been prevented.

The investigation is expected to be concluded by the end of the year ans it’ll determine whether the facility could face penalties or even criminal charges. It will also likely face civil lawsuits on behalf of workers and families.

Guest:

Vanessa Waldref, former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington who is representing families and workers affected by the disaster.

RELATED LINKS:

The Last Picture Shows
The Last Picture Shows - Trailer
Seattle filmmaker’s documentary finds hope in small-town movie theaters

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to donate.kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Roger Rogoff is the new U.S. Attorney in the Western District of Washington.

Or he was.

He started this morning, but was fired by President Trump less than an hour after being sworn in. Rogoff is a former King County Superior Court judge and a former federal prosecutor. He was appointed to be the U.S. Attorney by the Western District’s federal judges.

His firing has set off an expected legal fight that will once again pit the President against the judiciary with no clear idea what the future holds.

Guest:

UW Professor of Law Liz Porter

Related Links:

Seattle Times: Judges appoint new U.S. attorney in Seattle, setting up Trump showdown

Seattle Times: Judges seek to appoint U.S. attorney in Seattle as Trump pick’s term nears end

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to donate.kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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For this round of interviews before the primary, Soundside is focusing on candidates who have raised more than $50,000 to fund their campaign.

Guest

John Duresky, retired Air Force major and former project control officer at the Hanford nuclear site

Related Links

Meet the 11 people who want to replace Dan Newhouse in Congress - Yakima Herald-Republic

4th Congressional District candidates discuss healthcare, cost of living - Columbia Basin Herald

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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In 2023, Seattle voters were presented with a new approach to housing:

Mixed income public housing where rent from higher earning tenants would offset the rent of people making below the area median income. It was dubbed social housing by its supporters.

Seattle voters approved the idea and then, a couple years later, chose to give it a lot of money through a new tax on employers who pay individual salaries over $1 million dollars.

Now, the rubber is hitting the road, Seattle’s Social Housing Developer purchased its first property in June. Soundside recently went to see the apartment building in Belltown and met with Tiffani McCoy, the interim CEO of the social housing developer.

Guest:

Tiffani McCoy, interim CEO of the Seattle Social Housing Developer

Relevant Links:

Seattle Times: Seattle’s first social housing building draws more than 10K applicants

The Urbanist: Seattle Social Housing Developer Acquires First Building near Pike Place Market

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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For this round of interviews before the primary, Soundside is focusing on candidates who have raised more than $50,000 to fund their campaign.

Guest

Republican State Senator Matt Boehnke

Related Links:

Displaced residents react to Upriver Fire - KHQ
Rare black bear attack on Mount Si injures hiker, shuts down mountain - King 5
WA falls again in national education ranking - Washington State Standard
More Washington kids are uninsured as child well-being slips - Axios
World Cup 2026: Tiny ‘designated protest zones’ pop up around Seattle Stadium - Seattle Times

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Have you ever taken a close look at the University Bridge? Specifically those little towers on either side?

Earlier this year, depending on which one you looked at, you might have seen a person hanging out. Maybe you waved at her.

That was Vivian Cho. She was one of two people that Seattle picked to serve as this year’s Bridge Artists in Residence.

It’s a program that the city runs annually. Artists are invited to hang out in a bridge tower for months, either on the Fremont or the University Bridge. At the end of these stints, they showcase art that they created during their residencies.

Vivian's artwork went up at King Street Station in early June.... so we took a trip back to November, when we visited her in the bridge tower studio.

Guest: Vivian Cho, one of Seattle's Bridge Artists in Residence

Related links:

Big News from the Bridges: Meet the 2025 Bridge Artists in Residence! - Art Beat

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For Sonia Raman, becoming head coach of a WNBA basketball team wasn’t originally in the plans.

Sure, she grew up playing the sport. But when her college career ended, she went on to earn a JD/a degree from Boston College Law School. And then, she did what many of us do: she got a regular office job.

So how do you go from working for the US Department of Labor, to starting this year as head coach for the Seattle Storm?

Guest:

Seattle Storm head coach Sonia Raman

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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The green card application process has become more confusing in recent weeks.

In May, the Trump administration sent out a memo saying applicants inside the U.S. would need to leave the country and apply from their home country.

The change could have affected tens of thousands of Washington residents, some of whom have waited years to complete the last step to become a U.S. citizen.

But then, the week following that announcement – the Trump administration appeared to partially walk back the change.

The back-to-back announcements panicked many hoping to get their green cards. A lot of unanswered questions remain, so Soundside spoke with a Seattle immigration attorney about how she's working through this moment.

Guest

Tahmina Watson, founding immigration lawyer with Watson Immigration Law

Related Links
Actually, Most Immigrants Won’t Need to Leave U.S. to Get Green Cards, D.H.S. Says - The New York Times

Stephen Miller’s New Attack on Green-Card Applicants Is Simply a Scare Tactic - Slate

What Trump’s dramatic green card announcement means for WA - The Seattle Times

'Confusion and uncertainty.' Washington green card hopefuls react to new policy hurdle - KUOW
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Aurora Avenue North has been the site of escalating gun violence that police say is driven by sex trafficking.

Last week, Mayor Katie Wilson, City Attorney Erika Evans, and Council President Joy Hollingsworth held a news conference to announce next steps.

They include using civil orders to take guns away from sex traffickers and closing side streets.

Hanging over all of this is whether the city should use stay out of areas of prostitution or SOAP law.

Guest:

Former Seattle City Council member and King County Superior Court Judge Cathy Moore

Relevant Links:

KUOW: How three key players view the narrative about sex work and gun violence on Aurora Avenue

Seattle Times: Seattle moves to take guns from traffickers on Aurora as mayor closes streets

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Burrowing Shrimp dig into the sand and make tunnels underground. In doing so they kick up about a handful of sand up to the surface everyday, and bury clams and oysters.

That’s a problem for shellfish farmers. Researchers at the University of Washington found a new way to get rid of the pests with the help of concrete vibrators.

Guests:

Jennifer Ruesink,a biology professor at the University of Washington and the senior author of a recent paper on the technique.
Ken Wiegardt, a 5th generation oyster grower with Jolly Roger Oysters in Willapa Bay.

Links:

A new method could help Washington shellfish farmers control a pesky shrimp - UW News

Immobilization of Burrowing Shrimp (Neotrypaea californiensis) by Vibrocompaction as a Pest Control Strategy for Shellfish Farms - Journal of Shellfish Research

Shellfish growers’ request to use neonicotinoid pesticide too risky for Washington’s environment - Department of Ecology of Washington State

Jennifer L. Ruesink - University of Washington

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Even in one of the U.S.'s most non-religious areas, early data suggests more people in the Seattle area are converting to Roman Catholicism.

The archdiocese of Seattle keeps tallies on catechumens, which refers to a person who will be baptized, confirmed and receive Holy Communion. In 2026, the archdiocese already reports over 1070 catechumens, across more than 130 parishes, a 17 percent increase over last year and a 40 percent increase since 2024.

We spoke with a handful of recent converts to Catholicism from around the Seattle area about why each of them converted, and what role faith plays in their lives now.
GuestKevin Brown, Graduate Program director and a lecturer in the Department of Religious Studies at Gonzaga University. He also currently serves as the editor of the Proceedings of the Catholic Theological Society of America.
Related LinksRoman Catholic Churches See a Surge of New Converts - The New York Times

National Rise in Catholicism Conversions Makes its Way to the Puget Sound - The Seattle Spectator Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

Guest: Soundside Producer Maleeha Syed

Related Links:

Was the World Cup win over Paraguay the best in USMNT history?
At Gonzaga, a glimpse of Salah and a city's day of wonder
After Somali referee denied entry, Seattle organization returns World Cup tickets
Seattle moves to take guns from traffickers on Aurora as mayor closes streets
WA weather: Highs in Seattle area could touch 90 on World Cup game day

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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If you’ve ever walked around First Hill in Seattle, you might have noticed the Stimson Green Mansion on the corner of Seneca and Minor Avenue.

The house is celebrating its 125th year. It used to be home to some of the most influential and first families of Seattle.

Guest:

Chris Moore - Executive Director of the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation
Abby Armato - Public Programs Specialist of the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation

Related Links:

Stimson-Green Mansion - Washington Trust for Historic Preservation
Stimson-Green Mansion - History Link
Joshua Green - History Link
First Hill Park - First Hill Improvement Association

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For the first time in 16 years, a new King County Executive gave a state of the county address.

Executive Girmay Zahilay was in Federal Way last night to outline the work he has done in his first six months in office and look forward to what he plans to accomplish in the next 3 and a half years of his term.

Zahilay spoke about new investments in childcare, homelessness, and mental healthcare, amid the rapidly shifting federal environment over the last year and a half.

He also acknowledged the need to build trust after recent troubling audits looking into KCRHA and the county’s Department of Community and Human Services.

Guest:

King County Executive Girmay Zahilay

Relevant Links:

Seattle Times: Zahilay wants more King County childcare funding, bus service, housing

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There's so much to do this weekend, so LET'S GET TO IT:

LINKS:

Salmon Bay FC vs FC Olympia - Public Radio Night!
Brass Screw Consortium
Seattle Pride Classic 2026
Pride Ice Skate
Lifelong Pride Gala
Washington Brewers Fest 2026
Beacon Arts Street Fairs
Viking Tour – Poulsbo Rotary Club
Furry 5K

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

Note: Microsoft is a financial supporter of KUOW, but we cover them like we do any other company.

Guest

Catharine Smith, KUOW politics editor Related Links

Seattle data center ban heads to Mayor Wilson's desk - KUOW

Transgender ballot initiative could require genital exams for WA secondary school students - KUOW

School cellphone ban proposed by WA governor, superintendent - The Seattle Times

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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We’re just over six months into Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson's tenure, which means the honeymoon period’s in the rear view mirror. Voters have gotten a look at how her administration is handling some of the biggest issues facing the city:

How ready is Seattle to host its first World Cup game on Monday?
What happened to those 500 shelter beds that were supposed to be added before the games
How is the Mayor taking criticism from the business community over some of her progressive messaging?
How will Wilson, as a former transit rider organizer, prioritize moving people throughout the city?

Guest:

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson

Relevant Links:

Seattle Times: Mayor Wilson agrees to turn on stadium-area cameras ahead of World Cup

Politico: The World Cup’s biggest policy bet

Seattle Times: Seattle mayor pitches sales tax increase to boost bus service

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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In Washington, many families that have children with disabilities are supposed to have help with care. Actually finding that help, though, can be incredibly difficult.

The struggle some families have experienced and the lengths they're going to to try to make it better.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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If you’re a TV news viewer in Seattle, there’s a REALLY good chance you know this signoff:

“Lori Matsukawa, KING 5 News”

Lori spent 36 years as one of KING 5’s most celebrated news anchors, before retiring in 2019. Now, she has written a memoir which takes readers from rural Oahu, to Stanford University, and from the skies above Mt. St. Helens as it erupted to the Imperial Palace of Japan.

Lori Matsukawa’s book is titled “Being There: Memoir of an Asian American Journalist.”

GUEST: Lori Matsukawa

LINK: Being There: Memoir of an Asian American Journalist by Lori Matsukawa

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

Guest

Chase Hutchinson, film critic and journalist

Related Links

Sound Transit study suggests fare gates at 14 busy stations by 2030 - The Seattle Times
Sound Transit Recommends Fare Gates at 14 Stations for Initial Pilot - The Urbanist
‘Backrooms’ and ‘Obsession’ Boost Movie Theaters to Major Win at May Box Office - The Hollywood Reporter
SIFF bringing back 70mm screenings for Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ - The Seattle Times

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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On Saturday night, more than 100 people who live around Aurora Avenue North in Seattle marched to protest gun violence in their neighborhood.

It was organized to call attention to the escalating number of shootings neighbors and law enforcement say are related to sex trafficking in the Aurora corridor.

In desperation, some neighbors recently took matters into their own hands and put up makeshift street barriers to try to stop people from driving through neighborhoods.

The city council has begun working on legislation that would allow the city to close off streets at the discretion of the chief of police. The hope is that this would help curb violence.

But on Saturday, neighbors expressed anger that the city isn’t doing more to stop shootings and to help the victims of sex trafficking.

So what’s happening on Aurora? And what is being done to fix it?

Guests:

Alex Voorhees, Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for King County.
Audrey Baedke, executive director of SAFE in Washington.
Amber with Green Light Project.

Related links:

Seattle officials introduce bill to help residents battle gun violence | The Seattle Times
Seattle City Council proposal would use street closures to curb gun violence | KUOW
Why Sex Trafficking Persists on Aurora | Seattle Met
North Seattle businesses demand action after Aurora Avenue shooting leaves community shaken | KING 5

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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It’s Thursday, and like we do every week, we like to look ahead at what there is to do over the weekend.

And we do that by turning to the biggest nerd in the business, Soundside Producer Jason Burrows...

LINKS:

Seattle Pride in the Park
Paws & Pride Dog Walk
Northwest Pinball and Arcade Show
NORTHWEST NOIR: NWFF's 2026 Annual Gala
DubSea Fish Sticks 2026
Cascade PBS Ideas Festival
Kent Nerd Party 2026
Duvall Days
2026 Anacortes Waterfront Festival
Point Defiance Flower & Garden Festival
The "Sound of Sunshine" Steel Orchestra Concert

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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For 16 years, Ada’s Technical Books in Capitol Hill was THE place to find eclectic books, grab a coffee and co-work with other folks in the neighborhood, play a game out on the street side tables, or just hang out and read a book.

But like a lot of our favorite books, the ending often arrives before you’re ready, and Ada’s story is no different. The bookstore and cafe will be closing at the end of the week, and many Ada’s faithful will MOURN its loss.

Ada’s was built to be a place of community that encouraged curiosity and learning.

You learn a lot yourself, when you run a business for so long, and Soundside is happy to have the chance to glean wisdom from the co-owner of Ada’s Technical Books.

GUEST: Danielle Hulton

RELATED LINK: Capitol Hill bookstore Ada’s will close; Fuel coffee chain up for sale

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Washington is more than five months into a new pilot program that has been using AI to screen requested procedures for people enrolled in Medicare.

It’s called the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (WISeR) program, which incentivizes private companies to deny procedures.

Washington lawmakers and medical professionals say the program has led to denials and delays in care for older residents.

All of this is covered in a new story from KUOW that looks at the pushback to this pilot program.

Guest: Stephen Howie, a senior online editor and reporter at KUOW

Related links:

Washington seniors face denied, delayed care under AI Medicare review program | KUOW

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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We won’t have a full explanation for the implosion at a Longview paper processing mill for a while.

The disaster left 11 people dead, and released thousands of gallons of white liquor, which is a highly corrosive chemical used to break down wood chips into pulp.

The tragedy highlights the risks when people work in close proximity with large quantities of dangerous chemicals. The plant is one of several big industrial facilities in the area.

Reporter Kyra Buckley looked into the pulp and paper mill industry and its safety record for Oregon Public Broadcasting.

Related LinksLongview mill tragedy highlights dangerous nature of wood product manufacturing - Kyra Buckley, Oregon Public Broadcasting

After Explosion, Mourning Mixes With Dread Over a Paper Mill’s Future - Anna Griffin, Aaron West The New York Times

WA agencies lacked role inspecting failed chemical tank in Longview mill disaster - Washington State Standard Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

Guest:

David Kroman, Seattle Times city hall reporter

Related stories:

Bob Kettle says Mayor Wilson is legally required to turn on CCTV cameras - Seattle Times
Mayor Katie Wilson pitches sales tax increase for transit - Seattle Times
Giant warehouse planned for Wild Waves property in Federal Way - Federal Way Mirror
Car drives onto elevated light rail tracks in Seattle - KING5

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Just like many other celebrities, Bill Gates has a stylist. His sweaters, button-downs and glasses are meant to portray someone calm and approachable, current and former employees say.

His clothing choices show how carefully he's crafted an image as a global philanthropist, in the decades since co-founding Microsoft.

But maintaining Gates’s image has become more difficult, due to persistent inquiries about his relationship with the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. That relationship is also affecting his major philanthropic efforts with the Seattle-based Gates Foundation.

Reporter Emily Glazer investigated the mounting backlash against Bill Gates over revelations in the Epstein files and the ways Gates’s team has tried to manage his image.

Guest

Emily Glazer, enterprise reporter at The Wall Street Journal

Related Links

Bill Gates Spent Years Crafting His Image. Now It’s Cracking. - The Wall Street Journal

Bill Gates Apologizes to Foundation Staff Over Epstein Ties - The Wall Street Journal

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible!

Right now, we're asking for listeners to give us a full review of the show. Tell us where we could improve, or what you've enjoyed at kuow.org/feedback.

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The dream of light rail to Ballard just took a big hit. The Sound Transit Board voted last week on how to move forward with expanding the system and how to cover a $34 billion dollar budget shortfall over the next two decades.

After a marathon voting session, the board moved forward with several major projects. Those include: finishing rail to Everett and Tacoma, building a West Seattle extension, adding a new station at Graham Street, and making a new line between Issaquah and Kirkland (though, the delivery target is now 2050).

You may have heard the board did not, however, prioritize getting light rail to Ballard. Instead, under the new plan, the line will stop at Seattle Center.

Guest:

Seattle City Council Member Dan Strauss

Relevant Links:

The Urbanist: Sound Transit Board OKs Major ST3 Update, Casting Ballard into Limbo

KUOW: Sound Transit board shelves Ballard extension, saves South Seattle stations

Seattle Times: Ballard light rail idea rejected while Sound Transit OKs other lines

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible!

Right now, we're asking for listeners to give us a full review of the show. We want to know what you like, what you hate: Tell us your hot takes. kuow.org/feedback.

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Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

Guest
Angela Poe Russell, a veteran journalist and the playwright behind "Aviatrix."

Related LinksSeattle Times: Seattle officials introduce bill to help residents battle gun violence

Axios: Seattle's economic engine is starting to sputter

Aviatrix | Seattle Public Theater

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible!

Right now, we're asking for listeners to give us a full review of the show. We want to know what you want from the show, so share your thoughts with us at kuow.org/feedback.

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The men’s FIFA World Cup starts next week! Seattle will host six games, including one featuring the U.S. team.

Soundside has discussed the politics of the World Cup, how these giant events can impact a city, and other weighty FIFA-related topics. You can find all of those conversations below.

But we haven't talked about the actual game yet.

Who’s playing, who’s expected to do well and could our own US team actually pull out a better-than-expected this year?

Guest

Leander Schaerlaecken, author, The Long Game - U.S. Men's Soccer and Its Savage, Four-Decade Journey to the Top, or Thereabouts.

Related Links

As the World Cup arrives in Seattle, so do the contradictions - Soundside

Is it worth it to host the World Cup? It depends. - Soundside

How Good Is This World Cup Squad, Really? - The New Yorker

Leander Schaerlaecken's columns for The Guardian

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible!

Right now, we're asking for listeners to give us a full review of the show. We want to know what you like, what you hate: Tell us your hot takes. kuow.org/feedback.

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This case was seen as a test case for harsher enforcement by the Trump administration against protestors, and now there’s a verdict. Three anti-ICE protestors have been found guilty of federal conspiracy charges. The case had to do with a demonstration outside of the Spokane ICE office last June.

The protest was part of a wave of anti-immigration actions that popped up across the country. The day after the protest in Spokane, the Trump Administration started cracking down on immigration protests by instructing prosecutors to charge non-violent demonstrators with conspiracy.

So what happens now to these convicted protestors? And what does this mean for future political marches or demonstrations?

Guest:

Erin Sellers, reporter with RANGE Media, a media organization that covers the Inland Northwest.

Related Links:

Jury finds Spokane 3 protesters guilty of federal conspiracy charges - Range Media
Inside the federal trial of 3 Spokane anti-ICE protesters - KUOW
Conspiracy Trial Will Test Trump’s Aggressive Tactics Against Protesters - New York Times
Six of the Spokane 9 accept plea deals - Range Media
Prosecutors told to prioritize, publicize cases tied to Trump immigration protests - Reuters

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible!

Right now, we're asking for listeners to give us a full review of the show. We want to know what you want from the show, so share your thoughts with us at kuow.org/feedback.

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What do you think of when you see Mount Rainier?

Some of us think, "Oh wow, I can see Mount Rainier. Must be really clear out today. Pretty."

Some people, though, look at its snow-capped peaks and see a challenge, a life goal -- something they may climb one day, braving cold and oxygen deprivation. To able to say they've done it.

And then there is Simon Kearns, who looks at Mount Rainier as something to absolutely dominate.

That's what he did in early May, when he set a new speed record for climbing Washington state’s tallest peak on foot.

He traveled the nearly 9,000 vertical feet to the summit and back in three hours, 43 minutes and 52 seconds.

Kearns joined Soundside to talk about what it was like shattering the previous record by more than half an hour.

Guest: Simon Kearns, a mountain guide at RMI Expeditions.

Related links:

Mount Rainier climber sets new speed record | The Seattle Times
Simon Kearns Smashes Mount Rainier FKT by Over 30 Minutes | Outside Magazine

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible!

Right now, we're asking for listeners to give us a full review of the show. We want to know what you want from the show, so share your thoughts with us at kuow.org/feedback.

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As many as 11 people are dead in Longview, Washington after a chemical tank implosion at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Plant earlier this week.

Officials also confirmed yesterday that the Columbia River is contaminated due to the disaster.

Washington’s governor is calling this the deadliest industrial tragedy in the state’s modern history.

Guest:

Erik Neumann, the Southwest WA Bureau Chief for Oregon Public Broadcasting

Related Links:

Longview paper mill disaster could be ‘deadliest industrial tragedy in modern Washington state history,’ governor says - OPB

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible!

Right now, we're asking for listeners to give us a full review of the show. We want to know what you want from the show, so share your thoughts with us at kuow.org/feedback.

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It’s the FINAL Thursday in May, meaning that we’re just mere MOMENTS away from the BEST WEEKEND OF YOUR LIFE, so far, this week.

Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows is here with more stuff than we can fit in a normal Weekend Warmup:

LINKS:

Bark! The Musical
HONK! Fest West
Mason County Forest Festival
Glazer's PhotoFest
Battle on the Bank
Sally Ride: A New Opera About Queer Love and the First American Woman in Space
Pollinator Fest 2026
Run to End Weekend Hunger 5K

THE STUFF WE DIDN'T GET TO:

Brandi Carlile - Echoes Through the Canyon
14th Annual Seattle Asian American Film Festival
Trae Crowder at Emerald City Comedy Club
Seattle Mariners vs Arizona D-Backs
Stamp & Scrapbook EXPO
Seattle Spring - Renegade Craft

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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It’s a drug you see doctors on “The Pitt” give patients in the ER for pain relief or sedation.

It’s also what cast members on the reality show “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” take to connect with their spouses.

And it's what some Americans use to treat their depression.

Ketamine has gotten negative press in the past few years, like in 2023, when “Friends” co-star Matthew Perry died from “the acute effects of ketamine.”

We sat down with a doctor to learn more about this substance that’s showing up more and more in popular culture …and in Seattle, which is home to several ketamine clinics.

This is part of our recurring “Ask a Doctor” segment, where we ask medical professionals to help us understand health news and trends.

Guest: Dr. Nathan Sackett, an assistant professor in the University of Washington School of Medicine and addiction psychiatrist

Related links:

She Hoped Ketamine Would Rewire Her Brain. She Didn’t Live to See It Work. | WSJ
Center for Novel Therapeutics in Addiction Psychiatry
As ketamine clinics emerge in Seattle to treat mental illness, so does debate about safety and regulations | The Seattle Times
Ketamine Use on the Rise in U.S. Adults; New Trends Emerge | UC San Diego Today

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In Spokane, an ongoing federal trial is raising questions about the Trump administration’s legal strategy regarding political protesters.

Three people are charged with conspiracy to impede or injure federal officers during an anti-ICE protest last June.

They were part of a demonstration that was trying to stop ICE agents from moving two Venezuelan immigrants from the ICE office in Spokane to the Tacoma Northwest Detention Center.

If convicted, each of the three could face up to six years in federal prison. It’s a test case for the use of conspiracy charges against protestors. The Trump administration has used the tactic several times recently in prosecutions of anti-ICE protestors.

Guest

Erin Sellers, reporter at RANGE Media, a media organization covering the Inland Northwest Related Links

All of RANGE Media's trial coverage - Erin Sellers,

Conspiracy Trial Will Test Trump’s Aggressive Tactics Against Protesters - Anna Griffin, The New York Times
Right now, we're asking for listeners to give us a full review of the show. Fill out our survey! We want to know what you want to hear, so share your thoughts with us at kuow.org/feedback.Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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This whole thing started because Sedro-Woolley high school teacher Linsey
Kitchens saw the people in her life struggle with the Internet. Specifically, she saw
them struggle with what to believe and how to engage their critical thinking skills.

Whether that was a teenager in her classroom, convinced that if they bought a
protein powder from their favorite influencer, it would make them stronger and
more popular. Or the senior citizens in her life, who went down rabbit holes of
conspiracy theories online. Or fell for online scams.

So Kitchens became obsessed with teaching media literacy to people of all ages.
She even won a fellowship at the University of Washington’s Center for an
Informed Public where she studied how teachers can incorporate media literacy
into their classrooms.

This past spring, she created a day-long event where teens and seniors could spend
the day together, at what you might call a “giant skills swap.” The teenagers gave
presentations about how AI scrapes information from reliable and unreliable
sources.While the seniors gave presentations about animal rescue and how to fix a
flat tire.

But the event almost didn’t happen, because one of those groups was scared to
engage with the other group.

SoundSide’s Kyle Norris was at the event, called “Ageless Intelligence,” and has
this story.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible!

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The organization charged with managing the regional response to homelessness is facing an existential crisis.

Some local elected leaders have called for the dissolution of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority after a damning forensic audit from consulting firm Clark Nuber released last month.

The audit reported the agency has lost track of at least $8 million dollars, incurred $4 million of questionable administrative costs, and at one point operated with a negative cashflow of $44 million dollars.

The review found the $200 million dollar agency, which started operations in 2021, didn’t have the necessary oversight, accounting practices or internal financial controls to handle large amounts of public money appropriately.

King County and the City of Seattle fund the bulk of KCRHA. Now, the city and county are at a decision point: reform the agency or shut it down. And that decision is likely to come this summer.

KCRHA released a corrective action plan on Friday that outlines steps the agency will take over the next 60 days in response to the audit.

Guest:

Kelly Kinnison, CEO of King County Regional Homelessness Authority

Relevant Links:

KUOW: King County homelessness agency board votes to tighten purse strings following damning audit

AXIOS: Seattle-area homelessness agency at risk after audit

KCRHA Corrective Action Plan

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Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

Guest

Todd Bishop, editor and co-founder of Geekwire

Related stories

Meta cuts nearly 1,400 jobs in Seattle area, 20% of local workforce, in sweeping AI revamp - Geekwire
Pope Leo Warns of Risks From A.I. in 42,300-Word Encyclical - NYT
SpaceX is churning out 70 Starlink satellites a week in Redmond, and other tidbits from its IPO filing - Geekwire
A viral video says booking a flight at a library is cheaper. We investigated. - Washington Post

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Ultra-processed foods are everywhere. But we aren’t supposed to eat them.

At least, that’s the current discourse around these foods, which can include soda, instant oatmeal and sliced bread.

Research has found that diets high in ultra-processed foods are linked to diabetes, obesity, heart disease and many cancers.

That's a hard pill to swallow, considering that roughly 70% of our grocery store products are ultra-processed, according to the Yale School of Public Health.

So we want a little more clarity on what these foods are, how they could impact us and if it’s really so bad to snack on a granola bar (or order the occasional hot dog at a baseball game).

Guest: Dr. Neelendu Dey, a gastroenterologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and associate professor of gastroenterology at the University of Washington School of Medicine.

Related links:

Ultra-Processed Foods Information Sheet | Yale School of Public Health
Ultra-processed food: Five things to know | Stanford Medicine News Center
What Are Ultra-Processed Foods? | Johns Hopkins | Bloomberg School of Public Health

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What a week, right? But hey… We’ve got a long weekend ahead of us, and since Memorial Day is the unofficial start of Summer, it’s exciting to see that there’s… rain in the forecast for Monday.

Well, either way - rain or shine, Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows is here with a ton of fun stuff to do this weekend!

LINKS:

Inaugural Ballard Book Crawl
Lost the Plot Mobile Books
Bremerton by the Book
Page 42 BookstoreSmut & Sips
Book Recommendations thanks to @beckybooksandbeads!
Trailhead Direct - Begins Saturday!
Whidbey Ren Faire
Festival | Northwest Folklife

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Black women face higher rates of uterine fibroids compared to white women. They’re less likely to get accurate diagnoses for endometriosis.

And they’re twice as likely to die from uterine cancer than white women.

Dr. Kemi Doll considers these disparities part of the evidence for a broader health crisis in gynecological care for Black women.

Why hasn’t the medical community done more to address these problems? And how can patients and practitioners navigate a system that consistently overlooks Black women?

Doll's new book, "A Terrible Strength: The Hidden Crisis of the Black Womb and Your Survival Guide to Healing,” works to answer those questions.

Guest: Dr. Kemi Doll, aprofessor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Washington and the author of "A Terrible Strength."

Related links:

A Terrible Strength by Kemi Doll | Penguin Random House
Spotlighting a common female cancer, and a health disparity - UW Medicine Newsroom
Why Black women are at greater risk for fibroids and endometrial cancer | Scientific American
Understanding the gynecological health crisis facing Black women | Science Friday

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Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

Guest
Jim Brunner, political reporter for The Seattle Times

Related LinksDuffy Defends Road Trip Reality Show In Tense Senate Hearing
Foes of WA high-earners income tax launch repeal initiative

Meet the Seattle woman behind a national effort to end same-sex marriage
Seahawks’ Jaxon Smith-Njigba gets his trophy — but for wrong award

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Sports superfans may seem to have been born bleeding their teams’ colors, but really, they’re created.

It happens around formative events: a buzzer-beating come-from-behind win, a once-in-a-generation athlete or a championship season.

This year probably saw a few Seattle uberfans get converted during the Seahawks’ dominating Superbowl performance.

Tonight, some more sports fanatics may be formed. Game 4 of the Professional Women’s Hockey League finals begins in a few hours, and new champions could be crowned.

Sadly, Seattle’s PWHL team, the Torrent, is not among those vying for the title. But the team still managed to capture its own share of superfans during their inaugural season.

One of those is our producer Jason Burrows. If you’ve noticed that we mentioned the Torrent a lot this year, it’s because of him.

We decided to let him have one more go, talking about his new favorite team. We were more than a little surprised to learn how far he has fallen.

RELATED LINKS:

Seattle Torrent | Home | PWHL
Season Ticket Memberships | Seattle Torrent
Seattle Torrent • Instagram
Gloves Off Seattle | Instagram
365 HOCKEY GIRL | Instagram

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Tacoma author Tamiko Nimura's father died when she was just 10 years old.

Among the things he left behind was an unpublished manuscript about his family’s incarceration at the Tule Lake camp for Japanese Americans.

Nimura ultimately made a pilgrimage to Tule Lake in 2014, to see where her father was forced to spend part of his childhood.

She used her father's manuscript and her own experience to write a new book called “A Place for What We Lose: A Daughter’s Return to Tule Lake,” which is out now.

GuestTamiko Nimura, author, “A Place for What We Lose: A Daughter’s Return to Tule Lake”Related LinksExploring Tamiko Nimura’s New Book “A Place For What We Lose” - Densho

Nimura's event in Seattle on June 6th

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In April 2024, the Everett School District launched a third-party investigation into a teacher at Henry M. Jackson High School over allegations of an inappropriate physical relationship with a student.

Later that year, the teacher resigned. Not long after, he voluntarily gave up his K-12 teaching license.

That decision stopped further investigation and the gears of oversight meant to provide transparency about problem teachers. And the teacher soon got a faculty job at a nearby community college.

Guests

Moe Clark, investigative reporter for InvestigateWest
Eliza Aronson, investigative reporter for The Daily Herald in Everett

Related links

InvestigateWest: An Everett teacher resigned over a relationship with a student. Shoreline Community College hired him months later.

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From high ticket prices to questions about how the games are used by authoritarian leaders to bolster nationalism, the World Cup coming to town raises questions about the organization running the event. FIFA has also been dogged by scandal over host country selection and TV marketing rights.

But, it's the World Cup – probably the biggest sporting event of all – and one that is so fun to watch.

So how do we relate to a game that is both beautiful and run by an entity as complicated as FIFA?

Guest:

Jules Boykoff, professor of Political Science at Pacific University and the author of the forthcoming book Red Card: The 2026 World Cup, Sportswashing and the FIFA Greed Machine

Relevant Links:

Red Card: An excerpt from Jules Boykoff's new book on the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Jules Boykoff’s ‘Kicking’ Is Clear-Eyed And Warm-Hearted

‘Green card for the planet’? Fifa’s World Cup is on pace to be a climate catastrophe

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Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

Guest: Melissa Santos - Axios

Related Links:

UW student Juniper Blessing, 19, remembered as ‘full of life’
Seattle weighs pause on large data centers
An AI hate wave is here
Five large data centers eyed for Seattle
His daughter called him crying, and then another voice got on the phone. Only one of them was real

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Ben Shuldiner just hit 100 days in his role as the superintendent of Seattle Public Schools.... and he’s had to tackle some pretty big issues in that short window.

Like a budget deficit, which could be as much as $100 million.

And student safety, after two Rainier Beach High School students were shot and killed at a bus stop in January.

And screen time in the classrooms (Shuldiner recently implemented a new cell phone policy limiting student screen time during the school day)

Shuldiner sat down for a live interview to answer a whole bunch of questions from us here on Soundside and from our listeners.

Guest: Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Ben Shuldiner

Related links:

Can new superintendent Shuldiner the burden of Seattle Public Schools? | KUOW
100 days for Seattle’s new superintendent. How is he doing? | The Seattle Times
Seattle’s new superintendent takes aim at administrative bloat | The Seattle Times
Why U.S. Test Scores Are in a ‘Generation-Long Decline’ | The New York Times

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It might not be the prettiest weekend, but there ARE a lot of things to do! Go enjoy your weekend!

LINKS:

Seattle International Film Festival
GeekCraft Expo
Viking Fest
Seattle Pierogi Fest 2026 – Polish Home Association
The Seattle Super Saunter
U District Street Fair
Mariners vs San Diego Padres
Reign vs NJ/NY Gotham FC
Sounders vs LA Galaxy
Storm AWAY vs Indiana Fever

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If you’re planning to head across the border to Canada for a weekend trip this summer, you've got to pack the essentials. Keys, wallet and of course your phone.

But you may want to also consider something new – who might want to take a look at that phone as you cross the border.

Last fiscal year, Customs and Border Protection reported a 16% increase in searches of digital devices compared to 2024.

Should you expect your phone to be searched at the border? And what steps can you take to protect your data?

In February, Soundside broadcast a conversation with New York Times reporter Gabe Castro-Root and talked about some of those questions.

GUEST: Gabe Castro-Root, New York Times

RELATED LINKS:

Phone Searches at the Border Are Up: How to Protect Your Privacy
Traveling to the U.S. Under Trump: Visas, Border Control and What to Know
Border Search of Electronic Devices at Ports of Entry

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Spring is here which means a malignant force is around us, stalking our parks, beaches and grassy medians.

I’m talking about the Canada Goose. You turn a corner and you see two geese and small goslings.

They hiss, they honk, they’re aggressive, their poop closes Lake Washington swim spots and, I hate to implicate you, but they are here because of us.

Western Washington wasn’t home to abundant year round Canada Geese until the mid to late 20th century. Humans purposefully moved them here in an operation dubbed “Mother Goose.”

Guest:

David B. Williams, author and historian of books like Wild in Seattle: Stories at the Crossroads of People and Nature and the newsletter The Streetsmart Naturalist

Relevant Links:

History Link: Operation Mother Goose begins to distribute Canada geese across the state starting on April 11, 1968

The Street Smart Naturalist: Operation Mother Goose

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In 2019, Washington became the first state in the country to legalize human composting as an alternative to burial and cremation.

That same year, entrepreneur Micah Truman founded Return Home, a funeral home that built the world’s first large-scale human composting facility in Auburn, Washington.

A new documentary tells the story of how Truman, who set out to disrupt the funeral industry for profit, discovered meaning in this new vision for death care.

Guest(s)

JJ Gerber, director of "The Life We Leave"

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Yesterday, we spoke with KUOW reporter Anna Boyro Weyrauch about the social media maelstrom that has taken over Seattle.

I am talking about the drama between the Laurelhurst neighborhood and Seattle Children’s Hospital over helicopter landings.

When we talked about this yesterday – we were curious to hear how the whole saga had unfolded from the perspective of someone living in Laurelhurst. Did the average resident even know about this policy?

How did they feel being at the center of the online firestorm?

Well, I asked for feedback and you delivered.

Relevant Links:

KUOW: How online scrutiny is changing Seattle Children's and Laurelhurst's helipad policy

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Well, yes, they're back on the court. Seattle's WNBA team played their first regular season game Friday night.

But the team has changed a lot since last season. They lost two key veteran players.

But a new coach and two first-round draft picks could mean an exciting year for the Storm.

And as more people are watching the WNBA, the players start this season with a new union contract – with new salary increases and other new benefits to match.
GuestMaitreyi Anantharaman, staff writer for Defector, an employee-owned sports and culture website. Related Links
Role Players, Ring Chasers, And A Shadow GM: Your Guide To The 2026 WNBA Season - Defector

How Can You Not Be Romantic About Women’s Basketball? - Defector Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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In 2021, Microsoft set an aggressive emissions goal:

100 percent of its electricity would come from renewable sources or be matched by zero-carbon energy purchases, 100 percent of the time.

This was a big pledge – one that went farther than its existing net-zero emissions goal. But a lot can change in six years … Now, the company appears to be weighing a retreat.

According to recent reporting by Bloomberg, Microsoft is considering delaying or dropping its 100 percent renewable electricity pledge because of energy intensive data center build outs.

This isn't the only scaling back the company has been doing with its carbon goals.

GUEST: Alastair Marsh

LINKS:

Microsoft Reconsiders Clean-Energy Pledge Made Harder by AI
How Microsoft Spooked the Global Carbon Removal Market
Microsoft will be carbon negative by 2030
6 projects that helped Microsoft meet its renewable energy goal

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A cookbook from a Seattle author takes readers into the food and history of the Cham, an ethnic group in Vietnam and Cambodia.

Nurhaliza Mohamath is a writer, storyteller, culture worker..... and the author of "“My Cham Tongue," which promises readers “a taste of an ancient kingdom through family recipes."

Mohamath stopped by Soundside to share why she wanted to publish the book... and why she wanted it to go beyond the food.

Guest: Nurhaliza Mohamath, the author of "My Cham Tongue"

Related links:

My Cham Tongue
In a New Cookbook, Author Nurhaliza Mohamath Serves Up Cham Cuisine and Culture | South Seattle Emerald
'My Cham Tongue' seeks to unite people through Cham cuisine Real Change
Cham Refugee Community: A Photo and Video Portrait of Generational Wealth-Building | South Seattle Emerald

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For decades, Seattle Children’s Hospital has been restricted from using its helipad except when transporting a child who is critically ill or facing a life-threatening emergency. These restrictions come from an agreement between the hospital and the nearby neighborhood of Laurelhurst. The old agreement became the subject of new scrutiny on Reddit and now a change may be in the works.

Guest

Anna Boiko-Weyrauch, general assignment reporter at KUOW

Related links

KUOW: Seattle Children's and Laurelhurst neighborhood agree to change controversial helicopter landing policy

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Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

Guest: Ryan Packer - Contributing Editor at The Urbanist

Related Links:

Seattle Children's and Laurelhurst neighborhood agree to change controversial helicopter landing policy
Noisy protest calls out limits on airlifts to Seattle Children's
Sound Transit Board Grapples with Plan to Rebalance ST3
Somers Proposal Keeps Rail to Everett and Tacoma On Track, Stops Short of Ballard
Seattle Sound Transit Leaders Rally to Avoid Light Rail Delays
Who doesn’t want WinCo store to open in North Seattle?

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You know, it really feels like THIS WEEKEND is the first REAL weekend of Spring... Let’s get out & enjoy it!

LINKS:

Seattle International Film Festival
Seattle Beer Week
Maifest - Leavenworth Washington
Get Intimate with the Shrub-Steppe | KEEN
World Migratory Bird Day Celebration! · Seward Park Audubon Center
Beat the Bridge for Breakthrough T1D
Spring Walk n Wag
Penn Cove Water Festival
18th Annual Flower Festival - Pike Place Market
BonsaiFEST! | Pacific Bonsai Museum
Sounders vs San Diego FC
Seattle Reign vs Washington Spirit - MOTHER’S DAY

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The 52nd Annual Seattle International Film Festival begins this evening, bringing 11 days of movie magic back to the Pacific Northwest.

Over 200 films from more than 70 countries are on the docket, with features, shorts, documentaries, and – for the brave at heart – SECRET screenings on both Sundays of the festival.

It’s been a tough year for SIFF, the organization that runs the festival...

The closure of the Egyptian Theater in Capitol Hill and layoffs loom large, while staffing issues and contract negotiations with SIFF’s Cinema Workers’ Union remain unresolved. Those talks have been put on hold until after the Festival.

This year’s fest kicks off at the Paramount Theater with Boots Riley’s “I Love Boosters,” tonight at 7pm.

GUEST: Megan Leonard - SIFF’s Festival Programming Manager

LINKS:

Seattle International Film Festival
SIFF 2026 Program
Programmers' Picks: Megan Leonard on SIFF 2026

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After visiting the shipyard in Florida where three new ferries will be built, WSF Executive Director Steve Nevey is feeling optimistic about a new boat coming on line in 2030 to assist with the agency's ailing fleet.

Guest:

Steve Nevey, the Executive Director of the Washington State Ferry System

Relevant Links:

Seattle Times: WA gets just 2 bids to build new electric ferries, and the prices are in

Seattle Times: Ferguson selects Florida shipbuilder to build WA fleet of electric ferries

Seattle Times: WA governor’s $1B borrowing plan to buy new ferries sinks in Legislature

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The House just wrapped a federal government shutdown fight, a deadline to authorize military action against Iran came and passed and further afield a state Senate primary in Indiana has launched predictions about the redistricting fights rippling across the nation.

Soundside talked with Rep. Pramila Jayapal about the latest from the other Washington.
GuestRep. Pramila Jayapal, represents Washington's 7th district Related LinksHouse Democrats’ Primary Endorsements Divide the Party -The New York Times

‘A betrayal’: Democrats fume at establishment wading into primaries - The Washington Post

Senate GOP unveils $72 billion proposal to fund ICE, Border Patrol through 2029 - The Hill
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If you look on the cover of Hole's album "Celebrity Skin," you'll see her right away.

Melissa Auf der Maur is standing to the left of Courtney Love. The 1998 album is the first one she recorded with the band. She joined in 1994 after bassist Kristen Pfaff died, and she played with them around the world, from a music festival in Australia to Tuktoyaktuk, a village in the Arctic Circle.

But after a few years, Auf der Maur left Hole. She went on to have a highly successful career in music, including as bassist for the Smashing Pumpkins. She’s collaborated with many musicians and built a career as a solo artist. She’s also a photographer – a craft she studied in her university days.

And now, she’s an author. Auf der Maur’s new book is called “Even The Good Girls Will Cry: A 90s Rock Memoir.” It chronicles her early life in Montreal and her time with Hole, and how she started making her own music.

She stopped by KUOW while she was in Seattle on her book tour and told us just how she "liv[ed] through this.

GuestMelissa Auf der Maur - musician, author, photographer

Melissa Auf der Maur's '90s song picks

Tragic Carpet Ride - Polvo

Doe - The Breeders

Out Of Focus - Love Battery

Use Once and Destroy - Hole (the one Courtney calls Melissa's song)

Followed The Waves - Melissa Auf der Maur
Related LinksAuf der Maur's interview with The Ringer's Bandsplain

Melissa Auf der Maur, a ’90s Rock Linchpin, Is Spilling Her Stories - The New York Times

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What happens when a state spends beyond its means?

Moody’s and Fitch, two of the three major credit rating agencies, recently moved Washington’s credit outlook from “stable” to “negative.”

So it turns out that you're not the only one keeping your spending in check and trying to bump up your credit score...

Because states have to worry about that, too.

Guest: Mike Pellicciotti, Washington State Treasurer

Related links:

Moody’s and Fitch revise Washington’s credit outlook down from stable to negative | Washington Research Council
State treasurer warns Washington credit rating at risk, cites reserves, tax debate | KOMO News
No, WA isn’t going bust. But falling credit outlook raises red flags | The Seattle Times

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The nation is still reckoning with a Supreme Court decision last week that critics say renders a key aspect of the Voting Rights Act useless.

The court ruled that Louisiana illegally used race in the way it drew its district map.

It has wider implications for how all such maps are drawn. Some states, including Florida, have already moved to change their maps. This is all happening mere months before the midterm elections.

KUOW's Paige Browning talked with voting rights activist Stacey Abrams about her take on the decision, about her opinion on voter apathy and why she stepped back from the national stage. Guest

Stacey Abrams, lawyer, former Georgia Democratic state legislator, founder of the American Pride Rises Network and the 10 Steps Campaign Related Links

Louisiana v. Callais - Supreme Court decision

Supreme Court Strikes Down Louisiana Map, Another Blow to Voting Rights Act - The New York Times

Stacey Abrams on how voter suppression threatens democracy - Code Switch, NPR
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This year, Washington cut more than $500,000 from the state’s Department of Natural Resources.

These budget cuts are going to mean campground closures, less trail maintenance and dirtier bathrooms at a lot of popular trailheads.

Many are wondering how it’ll impact their outdoors time, because the Department of Natural Resources maintains a lot of land.

We checked in with The Mountaineers to hear how they're feeling about these cuts.... and then we called up the Department of Natural Resources to figure out what all this means for outdoor recreation.

Guests:

Tom Vogl, CEO of The Mountaineers
Dave Upthegrove, Commissioner of Public Lands

Related links:

State Budget Cuts Prompt DNR to Reduce Recreation Services | Department of Natural Resources
Popular I-90 trailheads, bathrooms will feel budget crunch, WA says | The Seattle Times
The Mountaineers - Explore, Learn, Conserve
WA Department of Natural Resources to close four campgrounds after lawmakers cut funding | Washington State Standard

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May the Fourth Be With you, because today is Star Wars Day!

For nearly 50 years, the Star Wars franchise has captured the hearts of SO MANY sci-fi and fantasy fans. And for a lot of people, it’s all about the droids… R2-D2 and C-3PO, to be precise.

This past weekend, that love of droids was on full display at both the Museum of Flight, and at Barnes & Noble in Northgate, where we caught up with James Adams of the Pacific Northwest R2 Builders Club.

He and his fellow club members build and demonstrate life-sized replicas of the beloved droids. Some of them can be driven around using remote control. The R2 unit James brought to Northgate looks and sounds just like what you see on the screen. It’s a hit with kids who fawn over it.

"Seeing the kids really light up – and it’s a type of character that is very easy for people to kind of let their imagination fill in the little bit of blank. So when you have a little kid come up, and you just see their eyes light up. They can’t see that there’s somebody remote controlling the device, so to speak, but instead to them it’s just R2-D2, the little guy from the movie that they like. And just seeing that, it’s like, it is them genuinely meeting the character and not standing next to an object, it never, it never gets tiring."

Speaking of kids, droid builders say it’s a great opportunity to get people excited and involved with STEM projects. For this Star Wars Day, we wanted to learn more about the craft and dedication that goes into making these droids, so we’re speaking with Dr. Scott Ransom!

He’s got a lot of expertise in robots. That’s because he’s a Director of a research center at Northwestern University that researches and develops robotic hands.

GUEST: Dr. Scott Ransom is Director of Industry and Innovation at the Center for Human Augmentation via Dexterity at Northwestern University

RELATED LINKS:

Astromech.net
R2Northwest: Pacific Northwest R2 Builders Club
For R2-D2 builders in the Seattle area, ‘it’s a joy to see this thing bring so much happiness’

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Members of Congress from Washington state are almost unified in their condemnation of the Iran war, which passed the two-month mark this week.

But the two House Republicans on the east side have been supportive of President Trump’s decision to strike Iran starting Feb. 28th.

One of them is Rep. Michael Baumgartner, a Republican representing Washington's 5th Congressional District.

Baumgartner has been a vocal champion of the war, calling it “important and necessary.”

Guest: Rep. Michael Baumgartner, a Republican who represents Washington’s 5th Congressional District, which includes Spokane, Walla Walla, and Pullman.

Related links:

Washington lawmakers react to U.S. attacks on Iran | KREM 2
Trump threatened to wipe out Iran. Here’s how WA lawmakers responded | The Seattle Times
Rep. Michael Baumgartner on U.S. Strategy in War With Iran | Video | C-SPAN

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If you still don't have any plans for this weekend, fear not. The Weekend Warmup is here to help with a whole bunch of ideas for fun things to do around the region this weekend.

LINKS:

Seattle May Day 2026
Seattle Black Film Festival
Sequim Irrigation Festival
Mariners vs KC Royals
Kentucky Derby Day Party at Emerald Downs
May the Fourth | The Museum of Flight
Seattle Erotic Art Festival
PNW Burlesque Festival

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Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

Guest: Cat Smith, KUOW politics editor

Related links:

Public Safety Committee 4/28/2026 | Seattle Channel
Washington state says Geo Group refuses to let health inspectors into detention facility | KING 5
Behind Meta’s Huge Layoffs Is a Relentless Shift Toward AI | WSJ

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A plethora of social media influencers and affordable, high-quality products means the quest for so-called “perfect skin” seems more attainable than ever.

Poreless, plump, unwrinkled, acne-free: Companies are ready to sell you something to make those attributes a reality for you.

But does anyone really need a 20-step skincare routine? And when do our efforts start to do us harm – either physically or mentally?
Guests

Dr. Sarah Sung, The Perq Dermatology

Arabelle Sicardi, beauty writer, author of You've Got Lipstick on Your Chin and The House of Beauty: Lessons from the Image Industry
Related Links

The Best Skin-Care Trick Is Being Rich - Amanda Mull, The AtlanticThe Classist Implications of ‘Bad Skin’ - Jaya Saxena, Racked

The House of Beauty: Arabelle Sicardi exposes the dark side of the industry- Dazed Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Sound Transit is looking at potential cuts and readjustments to its ST3 plan. Voters approved the vision for the next phase of regional transit nearly a decade ago.

But last year, Sound Transit announced it was somewhere between 30 and 40 billion dollars in the hole. At a Sound Transit retreat in March, board members were presented with the reality that they may need to drop planned stations or entire lines in Ballard, Issaquah, Everett, and Tacoma.

So what happens next? And how will affected communities respond?

Guest:

Ryan Packer, contributing editor at The Urbanist

Kristina Walker, Tacoma City Councilmember, Chair of the Sound Transit Board Rider Experience and Operations Committee, and chair of Pierce Transit

Mark Mullet, Issaquah Mayor

David Scott, board chair of Seattle Subway

Relevant Links:

The Urbanist: Three More Takeaways from a Pivotal Sound Transit Board Retreat

The Urbanist: Snohomish County Has Sound Transit's Regional Rail Spine Top of Mind

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The Trump Administration is changing federal cannabis policy.

On Thursday acting Attorney General Todd Blanche signed an order reclassifying medical marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug.

That puts the drug in the same category as substances like ketamine and anabolic steroids.

Now, this doesn’t mean cannabis is legal nationwide, and people with convictions related to marijuana won’t see their charges dropped. But officials say it’ll allow for more research into cannabis for medical use.

For distributors in the 40 states that have medical marijuana systems already in place, it could mean tax benefits and less hoops to jump through when selling cannabis.

This reclassification does not impact recreational marijuana. But advocates say it could be a sign of bigger changes to come.

Guest:

Dr. Susan Ferguson, Director of the Addictions, Drug & Alcohol Institute at the University of Washington

Related links:

Justice Department Places FDA-Approved Marijuana Products and Products Containing Marijuana Subject to a Qualifying State-issued License in Schedule III, Strengthening Medical Research While Maintaining Strict Federal Controls
Federal Marijuana Rescheduling Will End Discrimination In Housing, Healthcare And Employment For Medical Cannabis Patients (Op-Ed) - Marijuana Moment
SAM CONDEMNS IN THE STRONGEST POSSIBLE TERMS THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S ILLEGAL DIRECTIVE ON MARIJUANA RESCHEDULING - Smart Approaches to Marijuana

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Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

Guest: David Kroman - Seattle Times City Hall Reporter

Related Links:

Lawmakers call for dissolving King County homelessness agency following audit
Seattle, county officials demand reform to homeless authority, file for dissolution
Analysis adds to debate over Seattle’s delivery driver wage law
Spokane Valley teen takes it upon himself to create sensory aid for blind classmate

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In less than two months, Seattle will begin hosting matches for the 2026 World Cup.

And, like in the 10 other U.S. host cities, there is a lot of excitement here about this mega international sporting event coming to town.

... But there's likely some trepidation, too, as people think ahead to the congested streets, possible transit hangups and big crowds.

Seattleites could be tempted to ask, how did we get roped into this and will it be worth it?

We called up a sports economist for answers.

Guest:

Victor Matheson, a professor at College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts

Related links:

"The Economics of the World Cup" by Victor Matheson
The World Cup is around the corner. Are cities and states prepared? • Stateline
Why Host The Olympics When History Shows It's Likely A Money Pit? : The Indicator from Planet Money : NPR
KUOW - Will this summer's World Cup be an economic win for Seattle?

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Hey, it's your weekly roundup of everything worth going out & doing this weekend!

HOST: Soundside producer Jason Megatron Burrows

LINKS:

Seattle/King County Clinic at Seattle Center
Washington State Apple Blossom Festival
Melissa Auf der Maur: Even the Good Girls Will Cry, A '90s Rock Memoir
Professional Bull Riding - Tacoma Dome
The Pancakes & Booze Art Show
Carnival of Cocktails — Seattle Cocktail Week 2026
Seattle Independent Bookstore Day
The Tacoma Flea
Seattle Seawolves Rugby vs Chicago Hounds
Seattle Sounders vs FC Dallas
Seattle Reign vs Utah Royals
Seattle Torrent vs Montreal Victoire
- Pre-game "Tailgate" will be held at the corner of 1st Ave N & Lenny Wilkins Way from 4pm until the doors open at 5:30!

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If you’ve walked through Westlake Park recently, perhaps you’ve noticed the new statue of Swami Vivekananda, a philosopher and Hindu monk.

Vivekananda is credited with introducing yoga and the Vedanta philosophy to a global audience.

That statue is a gift to the city from the government of India.

People from India represent more than 10 percent of Washington’s foreign-born residents. As of 2024, nearly 95,000 King County residents were born there.

The statue is part of a broader cultural diplomacy initiative, according to the consulate general in Seattle.

The diplomatic outpost opened two years ago, and India's consul general in Seattle joined Soundside to talk about the relationship between the Pacific Northwest and India.

Guest

Consul General Prakash Gupta
Related Links

America's First Guru - PBS

Trump’s Changes Lock Some Employers Out of H-1B Visa Program & As H-1B Visa Program Changes, Skilled Foreign Workers Consider Leaving U.S. - The New York Times

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Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

Guest: Greg Kim, reporter for the Climate Lab at The Seattle Times who writes about the intersection of climate, energy and business.

Related links:

DOJ investigating University of Washington over antisemitism concerns - Washington State Standard
Five large data centers eyed for Seattle - Seattle Times
Gates Foundation to Cut 20% of Staff, Review Epstein Ties - WSJ
More than 30 pickleball courts in Seattle could be gone under Parks and Rec proposal - KOMO

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Canada needs healthcare workers, but there just aren't enough of them in the country. So they've amped up their efforts to recruit medical professionals from other countries, especially the United States.

And Canada is seeing quite a bit of success. Last year, the British Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons reported licensing three times the number of American physicians than they had the year before.

One person trying to recruit Americans to work in Canada is Tod Maffin. Tod is a former national CBC radio host and producer. He now runs a newsletter and podcast called Mirror Falls. And he's one of the organizers of the Nanaimo Healthcare Infusion this weekend.

Guest:

Tod Maffin, former national CBC radio host and producer. He now runs a newsletter and podcast called Mirror Falls

Relevant Links:

KUOW: US healthcare workers encouraged to consider the charms of Canada

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A California doctor is suing primary care provider One Medical, claiming she was fired in part for retaliation for raising concerns about patient care.

Amazon owns One Medical, it bought the company in 2023.

The service offers telemedicine and in-person locations and Amazon Prime members are able to access a One Medical membership at a discount.

The company’s goal is to use technology to make primary care as convenient as home delivery.

Our guest writes that this recent lawsuit, however, “pulls back the curtain on Amazon’s entrée into healthcare.”

Guest

Caroline O'Donovan, AI and Big Technology senior Reporter, The San Francisco Standard

Related LinksAmazon’s One Medical fired a doctor who raised safety concerns, lawsuit says- The San Francisco Standard

Leaked documents reveal patient safety issues at Amazon’s One Medical - The Washington Post

Full statement from a OneMedical spokesperson

One Medical is committed to excellent patient care and a supportive workplace. We welcome feedback from our team members every day—it's essential to how we improve. Using general observations from individuals unfamiliar with this matter to attempt to validate lawsuit allegations is misleading. Our investigation into the concerns found no safety issues and patients received quality care, and this is in fact a serious workplace conduct matter, despite attempts to frame it otherwise.

We dispute the allegations in this complaint, and this employee was not terminated in response to raising safety concerns. One Medical is committed to maintaining the highest standards of patient care, and we fully investigate and take appropriate action to resolve concerns and do not retaliate against employees who raise them. While we cannot comment on the specifics of this personnel matter, we work hard to maintain a respectful workplace for all team members and are confident in the thoroughness of our investigation and outcome.

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The January shooting of two teenage boys in Seattle's Rainier Beach neighborhood devastated its residents. The incident also amplified a split between people who believe surveillance cameras could help keep residents safe, and those who remain concerned about how data from the cameras gets used.

Guest

Jacquelyn Jimenez Romero, freelance reporter for the South Seattle Emerald

Related links

South Seattle Emerald: What Safety Looks Like in South Seattle Depends on Who You Ask

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Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

Guest: Angela Poe Russell, a veteran journalist and the playwright behind "Aviatrix."

Related links:

Five large data centers eyed for Seattle | The Seattle Times
Is Starbucks breaking up with Seattle? | The Seattle Times
Sue Bird, Megan Rapinoe announce separation on social media| ESPN
Aviatrix | Seattle Public Theater

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In August 2018, Richard "Beebo" Russell stole a Horizon Air Bombardier Q400 aircraft from SeaTac International Airport. A new documentary tells his story through the eyes of his friends and family, who opened up for the first time since their 2018 statement.

Guest

Patricia E. Gillespie, documentary filmmaker and director of #SKYKING

Related links

The Seattle Times: ‘#SkyKing’ director talks Hulu documentary about Richard ‘Beebo’ Russell

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KUOW journalist Isolde Raftery has taken us back in time, to Seattle’s Garfield High School 26 years ago.

In her podcast, "Adults in the Room", she tells listeners about a rumor about a teacher named Tom Hudson. The rumor was that Hudson was sexually abusing a student.

Mr. Hudson was a popular teacher at Garfield. He taught biology and led a student outdoors program. At the time, Isolde and her best friend Ella Hushagen reported the rumor of alleged abuse for the Garfield student newspaper.

And just a few months after the news broke, Mr. Hudson died by suicide.

Decades later, Isolde and Ella wanted to know what really happened. So they started to investigate.

That investigation turned into a (so far) seven-episode podcast called "Adults in the Room."

We talked to Isolde about how the podcast is being received and what comes next for "Adults in the Room."

Guest:

Isolde Raftery, a managing editor at KUOW and the host of "Adults in the Room."

Related links:

KUOW - Focus: Adults in the Room

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Hey, it's your weekly roundup of everything worth going out & doing this weekend!

HOST: Soundside producer Jason Megatron Burrows

LINKS:

Mariners vs Texas Rangers
Seattle Torrent vs Vancouver Goldeneyes
Seattle Sounders vs St Louis City SC
Indoor Plant Festival
Oddmall Emporium of the Weird: SPRUNG
Tilted Thunder Roller Derby
POP Cats Seattle 2026: Pacific Northwest’s Ultimate Cat Convention
International Children's Friendship Festival
Science Fiction + Fantasy Short Film Festival
RSD 2026 List | RECORD STORE DAY

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Looking for something to do this weekend?

How about… a perimenopausal comedy cabaret featuring killer whales?

Intiman Theatre is running a production called "The Orca Show." It’s a play that explores the lead character’s experience with perimenopause.

Along the way she bonds with someone who can truly understand what she’s going through: An orca whale.

The writer and performer behind "The Orca Show" stopped by to share how she came up with the concept for her play, which is showing at The Intiman Cabaret at the Erickson Theatre from April 16 to April 19.

Guest:

Aysan Celik, the writer and performer behind "The Orca Show"

Related links:

The Orca Show | Intiman Theatre
Killer whales have menopause. Now scientists think they know why | Nature

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Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what those stories say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

Guest

Melanie Henshaw, Indigenous affairs reporter at InvestigateWest, Mvskoke (Creek) Nation citizen

Related links

Portland Mayor Keith Wilson requests millions from other counties for homeless shelters as cash dries up in Multnomah County - The Oregonian

Katie Wilson’s big shelter promise has looming deadline, few details - The Seattle Times.

Trump backs Braun to unseat WA’s Gluesenkamp Perez in US House race - Washington State Standard

Washington courts rarely discipline guardians ad litem accused of misconduct in custody cases & Parents, advocates say guardians ad litem need more guardrails. These Washington reforms could help - Kelsey Turner. InvestigateWest

Belfair tow driver hikes into deep woods to rescue Uber Eats driver stranded by GPS - KING 5

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A stoic philosopher assembles a coven of middle aged single women in her Manhattan apartment building, she is working for an uber-wealthy family and feeling “wide and well," when she is suddenly drawn into a mysterious romance that takes her into the world of possible art thieves, weapons dealers and double agents, one of whom she happens to be falling for.

This all goes down while she desperately tries to reconcile her beloved Epictetus and Seneca with her increasingly emotional choices.

Okay, maybe you haven’t heard that one.

That’s understandable, because Maria Semple’s new novel, Go Gentle, just came out this week. Semple is the bestselling author of Where’d You Go, Bernadetteand Today Will Be Different, both set in Seattle. And Semple will be appearing at Town Hall Seattle on Saturday, April 18th.

Guest:

Maria Semple, author of Go Gentle

Relevant Links:

Maria Semple with Ken Jennings at Town Hall Seattle on April 18th

The Art of Living: The Classical Manual on Virtue, Happiness, and Effectiveness by Sharon Lebell

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Artist Bootsy Holler joined Seattle's punk and grunge scene while it was taking off. Then, she documented the genesis of the “post-grunge” independent music boom of the early 2000s.

She photographed many of the bands that would go on to define the “indie” scene: like Death Cab for Cutie, Fleet Foxes, Gossip, Modest Mouse, Interpol and more.

Whether the bands are onstage or in a portrait, her photos are full of movement, life and quirk. When you see them, you feel like you can almost hear the microphone feedback and smell the sweaty crowd at the Crocodile or El Corazon.

Her new book is "Making It: An Intimate Documentary of the Seattle Indie, Rock & Punk Scene, 1992–2008".

Guest

Bootsy Holler

Related links

Bootsy Holler’s photobook is a tribute to the golden era of indie rock (flying bassists and attitude included) - It's Nice That

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The animated short film ‘Tulip’ opens as many stories do - with "once upon a time."

The tale might sound familiar. It begins with a woman finding a tiny baby girl, curled up at the center of a blooming flower. Soon, Tulip climbs out her window and sets off on an adventure in her own backyard – meeting the many creatures that call it home as she tries to find her way back to her own.

The film is a take on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale Thumbelina. Each scene is awash in bright colors and textures.

Every part of Tulip - from the characters to the sets and backgrounds - is made by hand, most of it in felt, and brought to life using the time-intensive technique of stop motion animation.

And the lush, green backgrounds may look familiar - the co-directors behind the film are based here in Western Washington.

Tulip was originally released in 2020. It screened at film festivals like the Annecy International Animation Festival and the Seattle International Film Festival.

Now, for the first time, anyone can watch the short on YouTube.

Guests:

Andrea Love is a stop motion animator based in Port Townsend. She was co-director for Tulip, and also headed up fabrication & animation.
Phoebe Wahl is an illustrator and children’s book author based in Bellingham. She was the co-director, lead set and character designer, and script writer for Tulip.

Related links:

Watch 'Tulip' on Youtube

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Federal lawmakers are returning from their Spring Break tomorrow, when the House goes back in session. And, what a two week recess it has been.

The President threatened Iran with destruction of its “whole civilization,” and then agreed to a cease fire. That cease fire is now in doubt after peace talks failed in Islamabad over the weekend and the U.S. military began a blockade of Iranian ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

Meanwhile, congress is still battling over whether to fund the Department of Homeland Security with future pay for TSA agents and other workers in doubt.

And Cuba saw a brief respite from a U.S. oil blockade that has led to nationwide blackouts. My next guest says U.S. policy amounts to collective punishment of the Cuban people and she’s calling for formal negotiations to begin.

Guest:

Representative Pramila Jayapal

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Opponents of Washington’s new income tax on high earners are looking to fight the law on a couple of fronts: on the ballot, and in court.

And last week, Citizens Action Defense Fund, a conservative nonprofit, filed a legal challenge to the tax in Klickitat County Superior Court, claiming the tax violates the state’s constitution.

We talk to one of the attorneys representing the plaintiffs in that suit against the so-called “millionaires tax.”

Guest

Rob McKenna, former Washington State Attorney General, 2012 Republican candidate for governor

Related Links

New lawsuit challenges constitutionality of Washington’s ‘millionaires tax’ - KUOW

Opponents sue to block WA’s new ‘millionaires tax’ - The Seattle Times

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Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

GUEST: David Kroman

LINKS:

Seattle’s economic outlook is in choppy waters, but officials hopeful
City Inside/Out: Inside Mayor Katie B. Wilson’s first 100 days
Seattle, World Cup boosters say Trump’s actions likely to hurt tourism
Mariners unveil broken Ichiro statue outside of T-Mobile Park

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We’re just a few months away from the World Cup’s kick off. The United States is one of the host countries, along with Mexico and Canada.

Host cities like Seattle are getting ready to welcome players, coaches, officials, families and fans from all around the world…..

At least, the ones who are still comfortable traveling to the United States, which has taken a number of steps many see as unwelcoming to outside visitors.

Travel bans, visa restrictions and expanded immigration arrests have left some people wondering if traveling to the United States right now is worth it… even to see their countries compete.

Guest:

Albert Samaha, a journalist who reported on how players are feeling about this year's World Cup in light of the Trump administration's immigration policies.

Related links:

How World Cup Players Are Navigating Trump’s Immigration Crackdown | The New Yorker

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Let's get out & do something this weekend! Here are all the events fit to print!

HOST: Soundside producer Jason Megatron Burrows

LINKS:

Fin de Fest - Latin Film Festival
MARINERS vs Houston Astros
Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival
Spring Fair | Washington State Fair Event Center
NW Model Hobby Expo
SDFF 2026 - Deaf Spotlight
WA State Toy Show
2026 Tea Festival - April 11th | Cascadia Tea Fest
iDiOM Theater - “All Our Tragic” 4 part series
Dungeons and Drag Queens Brunch Show
SIFF 2026 Annual Volunteer Meeting

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The U.S. Forest Service says it’s going ahead with a major overhaul of the way it manages the nation’s forests.

The plans, announced last week, include moving agency headquarters from Washington, D.C., to Salt Lake City, Utah.

The Forest Service will close or repurpose its regional offices, including the Pacific Northwest one, and create 15 state offices. It will also close dozens of research facilities.

GUEST: Christine Peterson

RELATED LINK: Forest Service overhaul sows confusion, concern - High Country News

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Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

Guest:

Jane C. Hu, a journalist and the host of City Cast Seattle.

Related links:

Latest ICE data shows surge in immigration arrests in WA • Washington State Standard
Advocates praise WA for selling off $62M in Caterpillar bonds | The Seattle Times
Why WA Sold Off Caterpillar Bonds, Measles in Seattle, and a Pro-Tax Millionaire - City Cast Seattle
Why Did the Greenwood Fred Meyer Stop Offering Paper Bags with Handles? | The Stranger

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On occasion, we welcome field recordists from the area to share a sound they think is exemplary of the Pacific Northwest.

Today, we have a sound from frequent contributor Gordon Hempton aka the Sound Tracker

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This segment includes discussion about sexual assault.

Washington state’s Special Commitment Center sits on McNeil Island in the Puget Sound. It’s operated by the Washington Department of Health and Social Services and houses about 150 people who were detained or committed there – sometimes for decades – after they committed acts of sexual violence.

It isn’t a criminal facility, but a civil one. There used to be a prison on the island but that closed in 2011.

Today, many of the people at the facility on McNeil have developmental or other disabilities. They’re supposed to be receiving sex offender treatment. Some lack the ability to understand that treatment or the implications of their actions.

While the state keeps people on McNeil Island for fear they will re-offend, some people at the center have become victims of sexual assault while under state care.

A recent investigation by the Seattle Times looked at so-called vulnerable adults at the Special Commitment Center and how the state decides who warrants protection when someone is both a perpetrator and victim.

Guest:

Rebecca Moss, investigative reporter at the Seattle Times who writes about McNeil Island in a series called “Uncommitted”

Relevant Links:

The Seattle Times: For 23 years, WA has detained a man for a crime he can’t understand

The Seattle Times: Behind The Seattle Times’ investigation into McNeil Island abuses

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Andy Juris grew up on a wheat farm in Klickitat County, in southern Washington near the Oregon border, watching his dad and his grandpa work together on the farm.

Andy is a fourth generation farmer – he understands the difficulties of the industry.

But he says, in the past few months, things have changed.

Andy’s farm machinery uses a lot of diesel, so, like everyone, he’s feeling the pain at the pump. Since the U.S. and Israel started their bombing campaign against Iran, and Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, diesel prices have hit record highs in Washington state.

More than diesel, though, he’s really worried about the global fertilizer supply – much of which comes through the Strait.

Guests:

Andy Juris, a fourth-generation wheat farmer in Klickitat County, Washington
Randy Fortenbery, the Thomas Mick Endowed Chair in Small Grain Economics at Washington State University

Related stories:

Washington ranks last in farmer take-home pay in 2024 - Capital Press
Farmers see fertiliser price surge as Iran war blocks exports, threatening losses - Reuters

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This year we’re trading in our smartphones for corded landlines and dial-up internet! Right?

Well, maybe not. But people have definitely been trying to use their phones less.

Digital cameras and refurbished iPods have gotten more popular in the past few years, especially in younger generations.

And on TikTok there’s the trend of “analog bags” – people filling their bags with knitting sets, books and other screen-free activities to avoid the temptation of reaching for their phones.

All of that sounds nice. But at the end of the day it’s really hard to get away from our phones because they do everything for us! And those algorithms are so good at drawing us in.

Meta and YouTube were recently found liable in a landmark case after a woman accused the companies of fueling her social media addiction, beginning when she was a child.

But what’s it like, and how hard is it, to give up on digital convenience? We’re going to ask a couple of experts for tips on how to use our phones a little less.

Guests:

Julianne Bell is a staff culture writer at The Stranger.
Jordan McMahon is a technology writer for The Strategist. He also writes a newsletter called “Rebooting.”

Related links:

My So-Called Luddite Life | The Stranger
Rebooting | Jordan McMahon | Substack
What Is an Analog Bag? Inside the TikTok Trend Fighting Digital Burnout | Business Insider
Why people are buying iPods again | Axios

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Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

GUEST: Omari Salisbury – founder of Converge Media and host of The Big O Show

LINKS:

Hundreds sign petition to honor Rainier Beach High students killed in January
Katie Wilson Talks Mayoral Transition and Transparency
Mayor Wilson Town Hall on Security & Surveillance
Rahwa Ogbe Keshi Habte, Seattle community organizer, dies at 42
Mariners Launch “Steelhead Sundays” to Honor Black Baseball Legacy in Seattle
Celebrating the Legacy of the Seattle Steelheads

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April Fool’s Day is thankfully behind us, and while they DO say that “April Showers bring May Flowers,” it looks like we’ve got a partly sunny weekend ahead…

Let’s check out what there is to do in the next few days!

HOST: Soundside producer Jason Megatron Burrows

LINKS:

Norwescon
Sakura-Con
Seattle's Easter Swing
Women Made Film Festival in Everett, WA
The Stranger Presents: The 2026 Undisputable Champions of Comedy!
93rd Annual Daffodil Festival Grand Floral Parade
Seattle Torrent vs NY Sirens at MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

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Has something like this happened to you before?

You’re on a hike with someone, maybe a romantic partner, and you start slowing down, or want to take a break, but your partner wants to push on.

Eventually, you’re left behind as your partner goes ahead without you. And this situation has consequences for the relationship.

If so, you’re not alone.

The phrase “Alpine Divorce” was coined in a short story about a murderous husband over 100 years ago - but TikTok has lately adopted the label for less dastardly scenarios.

In a recent viral post, a woman sobs as she climbs down a mountain - saying “he left me”.

The video has thousands of comments, many of which share similar stories of being left behind on the trail.

But how common is Alpine Divorce? And is it actually a bad thing to spend some solo time on the trail?

Guest:

Alaina Demopoulos, daily features writer for the Guardian

Related stories:

Women are being abandoned by their partners on hiking trails. What’s behind ‘alpine divorce’? - The Guardian

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The King County Council has made some moves lately to limit federal immigration enforcement within the county. Last week, council expanded on Executive Girmay Zahilay’s order that bars ICE and other agencies from using county property to make arrests .

And earlier in the month, the council passed an emergency moratorium on new ICE detention facilities. Those include holding centers for people awaiting deportation.

How much of an impact will these new laws have against the administration’s push for detention and deportation?

Guests:

King County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda

King County Councilmember Jorge Barón

Relevant Links:

KUOW: King County bans immigration detention facilities, joining other Western Washington cities

Seattle Times: King County Council votes to ban ICE from county property

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

GUEST: Austin Jenkins, national reporter covering tech policy in the states for Pluribus News, now part of State Affairs and host of Inside Olympia

RELATED LINKSTrump signs a new executive order on voting. Experts say he lacks the authority
WATCH: Rejected: WA SOS will not process referendum to repeal income tax lawWashington passes new AI laws to crack down on misinformation, protect minorsWashington’s space economy powers the Artemis II moonshot

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Late last year, an atmospheric river caused devastating flooding across Western Washington.

Today, some estimate the region-wide damages may be over a billion dollars.

For parts of Whatcom County, it was the second major flood in less than five years. And they are looking for solutions.

New reporting from the New York Times highlights how communities around the Nooksack River are debating how to mitigate damage from future flooding:

Dredge the river of sediment now? Or attempt a more ambitious plan to return the river to its natural state?

In many ways the conversation pits farmers’ and homeowners’ concerns against environmental advocacy and tribal rights.

GUEST: Bernard Mokam is a news assistant for the New York Times

LINK: As Northwest Flooding Worsens, Conflicting Interests Stymie Solutions

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“Learn to Code.”

A decade ago that slogan was everywhere as computer programming was seen as a job that not only paid well, but almost guaranteed job security, especially in a tech hub like Seattle.

But in the last four years, more than 700,000 tech workers have been laid off.

And while overhiring during the pandemic, and rising interest rates, are believed to have sparked most of these layoffs, another issue is changing coding forever – artificial intelligence.

GUEST: Clive Thompson is a tech and science writer who recently spoke with more than 70 software developers for the New York Times magazine about how AI is reshaping the future.

The piece is called “Coding After Coders: The End of Computer Programming as We Know It”

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A couple years ago, Seattle passed a law to pay delivery drivers more for their labor.

The policy guaranteed these gig workers minimum compensation. The idea was to protect people working for apps like Uber Eats and DoorDash.

…. And it stirred up some big reactions.

Delivery companies protested the change. Restaurant owners said the policy hurt business. And some City Councilmembers considered rolling the law back just a few months after it went into effect.

After all that fuss…. researchers have found that the pay for these drivers hasn’t actually changed that much.

Guest:

Andrew Garin, an Associate Professor of Economics at Carnegie Mellon University.

Related links:

KUOW - Seattle's gig worker law was supposed to boost pay. It did at first, until orders dropped
Wage standard for Seattle delivery drivers at an impasse | The Seattle Times
KUOW - Seattle has a new gig worker minimum wage. Who's benefiting and who's footing the bill?

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Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

GUEST: Congresswoman Suzan DelBene

RELATED LINKS:

House GOP leaders push DHS funding bill through May
TSA Pay to Resume, but ICE Could Remain at Airports, Homan Says
Trump Renews Energy Site Threats After Claiming Progress in Peace Talks
'A lot of votes may not count': Supreme Court appears ready to upend WA mail-in ballot rules for federal races by November 2026
Huge Crowds Turn Out To Finally Ride Light Rail Across Lake Washington

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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It’s Opening Day at T-Mobile Park.

In just hours, Mariners fans will be back in the stands, ready to cheer on the team as they look to improve on last year’s record-breaking playoff run. The M’s won the AL West, but fell agonizingly short of the World Series…

It’s an interesting feeling, being a Mariners fan right now. First of all, our nachos float in a souvenir ferry boat container.

SECONDLY, our expectations are really high! Gone are the days of the tried and true “well, hopefully we’ll make the playoffs.”

NOW, the faithful are expecting greatness, we’ve SEEN how good this team can be, and we’re ready for more…

Here to either temper our expectations -or- bolster our enthusiasm, maybe even make us a bit delusional, is editor-in-chief of Lookout Landing

GUEST: Kate Preusser

RELATED LINKS:

Mariners Opening Weekend
Opening Day Power Rankings
If it all goes right | Lookout Landing
If it all goes wrong | Lookout Landing

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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It's beautiful here in the U-District, and as it is when it's nice outside, we want to go do stuff this weekend!

As we do every Thursday, Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows is here with all the events fit to print and worthy of your excitement!

HOST: Soundside producer Jason Megatron Burrows

LINKS:

Mariners Opening Weekend
Puck Place Market 2026
Seattle Torrent vs Ottawa Charge
Onda Origins Coffee/Seattle Torrent
Rain Country Dance Association - 2026 Emerald City Hoedown
Seattle No Kings- March 28
Celebrate the new Crosslake Connection! | Sound Transit
Stand By Me: The Film and Its Stars 40 Years Later
Bellingham Children’s Film Festival
Spring Salon Fundraiser 2026 - Key to Change
Moving Stories – TDOV

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Amanda Ogle's car got stolen in 2017, and she fought for over a year to get it back from a Seattle towing company. Her bill? $21,684.

Ogle was unhoused at the time, so her 1991 Camry wasn’t just a way to get around; it was her home.

Her case attracted coverage in The Seattle Times and elsewhere, and now her saga is the plot of a movie, Tow, starring Rose Byrne.

Guests: Amanda Ogle, her child Avery Ogle and her lawyer Kevin Eggers, who are all portrayed in the film.

Related Links:

A towing outrage made Amanda Ogle a Seattle celebrity. Here’s the twist

A $21,634 bill? How a homeless woman fought her way out of tow-company hell

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Just this morning, the NBA Board of Governors approved exploring two possible expansion teams in Seattle and Las Vegas.

Yes, you’re allowed to squeal, but listen carefully: this is not a done deal, the team is not back yet.

But here's why one sportswriter (and Sonics enthusiast) won't be apologizing to any Thunder fans in Oklahoma City anytime soon.

Guest

Danny O'Neil, sportswriter

Related LinksOKC wants apology before giving back Sonics history? Are you kidding? - The News Tribune

The Dang Apostrophe (Danny's newsletter)NBA owners vote to explore Vegas, Seattle expansion bids - ESPN Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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If you watch HBO's hit series "The Pitt', you'll actually see a real-life nurse on screen: Ned Brower. He plays nurse Jesse Van Horn.

Brower is an actor with real-life ER experience.

Two careers are usually enough for most people. But he's also a musician. He started working as an EMT and later became a nurse after making his name with the band Rooney.

Brower’s new project is the electro-pop band, Bloodwerk. Listen to one of their singles, Truth Will Tell, here.

Guest

Ned Brower, nurse, actor and musicianRelated Links
‘The Pitt’ star Ned Brower strikes balance between nursing and acting - The Seattle Times

On ‘The Pitt,’ Ned Brower’s Nurse Jesse Has Captured the Hearts of Fans — Now He Wants Their Ears - Rolling Stone

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From New York to Phoenix, at least fourteen major airports across the country will see ICE agents deployed today, according to White House border Czar Tom Homan.

The immigration agents are being sent to bolster TSA staffing amid an ongoing partial federal government shutdown.

In many places, that has led to security checkpoint lines that stretch for blocks and have travelers waiting hours to get to their flights.

But it’s been a different picture at SEA Airport, at least for now.

Guest:

Port of Seattle Commissioner Sam Cho

Related links:

Support SEA TSA Workers During the Government Shutdown! - gofundme

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Washington, like the entire country, has been hit hard by fentanyl.

in 2025, King County has recorded more than 650 overdose deaths involving the synthetic opioid, which can be 50 times stronger than heroin.

650 is a devastating number but it’s actually down from a peak in 2023, when more than 1,000 people died from fentanyl-related overdoses in the county. The drop mirrors a downward trend that we’ve seen across the entire country…

But the crisis is still overwhelming many communities.

A biotech company called ARMR Sciences is hoping to solve at least one piece of this very complicated puzzle: Instead of reversing these overdoses, they want to stop them from happening in the first place... through a fentanyl vaccine.

This segment first aired in December of 2025.

Also - We wanted to share a response we got from a listener about our update on Kratom.

In case you missed it, Kratom is a plant from Southeast Asia that can have psychoactive effects. You’ve probably seen the signs for it - they’re plastered on just about every smoke shop in the city.

We previously spoke with UW Medicine researcher Caleb Banta Green about what we know about kratom.

And we replayed a short bit of that conversation last week in an update…. Because Spokane and Spokane Valley recently banned the sale of the substance.

We also asked you to give us your thoughts on Kratom and whether it should be a banned substance.

Erik from Bothell responded with a really interesting personal take on the substance, and its effects.

GUESTS:

Dr. Colin Haile, a research associate professor at the University of Houston and he’s also one of the co-founders of ARMR Sciences.
Erik from Bothell

RELATED LINKS:

A Fentanyl Vaccine Is About to Get Its First Major Test | WIRED
Scientists Create a Vaccine Against Fentanyl

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

GUEST: Mike Lewis - Freelance Journalist

RELATED LINKS:

Is ICE coming to Sea-Tac Airport? Here’s what we know
Kraken acquire majority stake in Climate Pledge Arena before NBA meeting
Why the potential return of the Sonics to Seattle has never felt closer
WA governor prepares to meet with NBA commissioner as hopes rise for Sonics’ return
Kevin Durant Talks LEAVING OKC Thunder & OWNING the Sonics!
“It Was Time”: Dolores Huerta’s First Interview After “Devastating” Cesar Chavez Expose - Latino USA
Cesar Chavez allegations remind us we must hold all abusers accountable
After shocking revelations, WA leaders reconsider Cesar Chavez recognition
Seattle light rail is about to do something audacious and unique to transit
Sound Transit's Budget-Balancing Ideas All Stop Short of Delivering Rail to Ballard

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Seattleites can now buy drinks from the city’s first Thai coffee shop: Nudibranch Coffee, which opened its doors on Capitol Hill in February.

The shop serves drinks that reflect Thailand’s popular flavors and hot climate. We're talking tangerine-iced Americanos and Coconut Clouds (the latter has coconut water, espresso and sweet cream floated on top).

Before the shop officially opened its doors, we were able to steal some time from the busy owners to hear how the vision for Seattle’s first Thai coffee shop came together.

Guests:

Emily Sirisup and Cole Arnesen, two of Nudibranch Coffee's founders

Related links:

Nudibranch Coffee | Explore Thai Coffee Today
Nudibranch Wants to Be Seattle’s First Thai Coffee Shop | Eater Seattle
Nudibranch will bring Thai coffee to former Capitol Hill vegan doughnut shop | CHS Capitol Hill Seattle News

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It is GREY and WET here in Western Washington, so let’s get out & do some STUFF this weekend!

As we do every Thursday, Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows is here with all the events fit to print and worthy of your excitement!

HOST: Soundside producer Jason Megatron Burrows

LINKS:

Taste of Iceland Seattle 2026 | A Festival of Food, Music & Culture
Plate of Nations
BrainFest with Allen Institute - Pacific Science Center
Steamy in Seattle 2026 - Clarion West
Torrent vs Boston
U-District NIGHT BLOSSOM Festival
Columbia City Night Market | Go All Night!
Bands Stand With Gaza - The Vera Project
Band of Horses at the Showbox
Seattle's French Fest
PROJECT HAIL MARY - Jason says GO SEE IT!

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

GUEST: Seattle Times reporter David Kroman

RELATED LINKS:

Katie Wilson pauses Seattle city employees’ AI tool rollout
Slow downtown recovery testing Seattle’s pragmatic progressives
2026 State of Downtown: Mayor Katie Wilson
Senate Democrats Block D.H.S. Funding Again Over Enforcement Guardrails
NYTimes breaks down the White House’s latest offer
POLITICO: One month later, WH and Democrats no closer to ending the DHS shutdown
Mariners’ Randy Arozarena issues statement after WBC drama with Cal Raleigh
Josh Naylor Explains Canada/USA Exchange With Mariners Teammate Cal Raleigh, Tough Loss vs. USA
GENOOO! Eugenio Suárez rocks a GO-AHEAD DOUBLE in the 9th inning for Team Venezuela

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Listen up food lovers (or KUOW lovers….. You can hear this one, too).

KUOW’s Seattle Eats podcast has a new host. The show covers Seattle’s food scene and digs into topics like the cuisine at the Seahawks’ Lumen Field… the mortadella sandwich renaissance …. and the skyrocketing price tag for coffee.

The show has also gone beyond Seattle, taking listeners to explore Bellevue’s Chinese food scene. And bar hopping in Tacoma.

Now, though, there’ll be a slightly new flavor (ba dum tss), because Brandi Fullwood is taking over hosting duties from Tan Vinh. She sat down with Soundside to talk about stepping into the new role.

Guests:

Brandi Fullwood, the host of Seattle Eats.

Related links:

KUOW - Seattle Eats
KUOW - KUOW announces Brandi Fullwood as new host of "Seattle Eats"
Bar Bayonne
L'Oursin
George Coffee & Pastries
Szechuan Fish
THE HIDEOUT
Lenox
Pantry & Deli — Greenbank Store

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Last month, Kansas passed a law requiring that the gender listed on all driver’s licenses and birth certificates match the person’s sex at birth.

Similar laws have been adopted by other states.

But Kansas is the first state to have made its law retroactive. Meaning that any person who previously changed their gender marker no longer has a valid license or birth certificate. With no grace period. 1,700 Kansans woke up to find their documents were no longer valid.

Invalidating government-issued I.D. is just one of the ways transgender rights have been rolled back by recent state and federal policy changes.

And that’s part of what’s prompting trans people to move to states with more legal protections. Including Washington.

One Seattle nonprofit is working to help trans people living in conservative states to relocate.

Guests:

Adalyn - currently in the process of relocating to Seattle with Traction's help
Michael Woodward - Executive Director of Traction, or “Trans Community Action,” a non-profit based here in Seattle.
Aspen Coyle - Program Manager for Traction’s Project Open Arms, designed to assist trans people moving to Western Washington.

Related Links:

TRACTION website
- How to volunteer with Traction
- Traction events

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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It’s only been a few months since historic flooding devastated parts of Western Washington, where affected homeowners are still recovering.

Many renters also suffered losses from the floods. And unlike homeowners, they may have had little idea they were at risk.

In Washington, home sellers are required to tell potential buyers if their properties are located on a flood plain. But landlords don’t have to do the same for renters.

A bill recently passed by state lawmakers could change that, by requiring that rental leases include disclosures if a unit is at risk of flooding.

The bill still needs to be signed by Governor Ferguson. If that happens, landlords will have to add disclosures to leases starting in 2027.

Guests:

Alexis Weisend is a business reporter for the Seattle Times. Her reporting on this gap in renter protection was the inspiration for the legislation.

Related links:

6237-S SBR FBR 26
Washington historic floods uncover critical gap in renter protection | The Seattle Times
WA approves bill requiring landlords to disclose flood risk to renters | The Seattle Times

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Joe Kent, former Washington State congressional candidate and Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, has resigned from his position in protest of the Iran war. In his resignation letter to President Trump, Kent said Iran posed no imminent threat to the US and the war serves no benefit to the American people.

He blamed pressure from Israel, and misinformation in the media, which he claimed deceived Trump into striking Iran. This is the first high-profile resignation in the administration tied to the war that is now in its third week. What could this signal both for the war and Trump's as-yet unshakeable base?

Guest: Seattle Times reporter Jim Brunner

Related Articles:

Joe Kent resigns, says Iran posed ‘no imminent threat’

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The Trump administration is escalating efforts to eliminate “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” programs.

Last Monday, Politico reported that the administration is proposing to change requirements within the General Services Administration so that any entity hoping to receive federal dollars via things like grants, loans, or insurance, would need to fall in line with federal standards that ban DEI based policies and programs.

According to the notice, over 220,000 entities would be impacted by this change.

It’s the latest in a long line of actions by the Trump Administration to remove Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programming and policies from both public organizations and private companies.

For many, the moves have been a retreat from the goal of creating more inclusive education and work spaces.

Some argue that DEI programs were flawed to begin with.

Guest:

Dr. Ralina L. Joseph is Vice Provost of Inclusive Excellence and Professor of African American Studies at UCLA. Her newest book is “Racial Exhaustion: how to move through racism in the wake of DEI”.

Related stories:

Trump’s under-the-radar plan to crack down on DEI - Politico
The University of Michigan Doubled Down on D.E.I. What Went Wrong? - NYT
Former Goldman Sachs CEO says DEI programs are ‘counterproductive,’ arguing ‘you’re branding the people in that program’ - Fortune

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

GUEST: Melissa Santos - Axios

RELATED LINKS:

After 93 years and a 25-hour filibuster, Washington finally has an income tax, and billionaires are already packing their bags
Washington state lawmakers pass ‘millionaire’s tax’ - POLITICO
Washington's new income tax faces hurdles - Axios
Sources: NBA set for 1st vote in Las Vegas-Seattle expansion - ESPN
The 98th Academy Awards 2026

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Cindy Cohn can remember using punched cards for computing during her college years in Iowa. She can tell you about watching the rise of the internet and home computing with her techie friends in San Francisco.

She can also recall the times she’s stood in court, working to protect someone’s right to put encrypted code on the internet, or the fight against the NSA’s mass surveillance system after 9/11 and the Patriot Act.

Cohn has led the Electronic Frontier Foundation for 25 years. That’s a non-profit that advocates for privacy and free speech.

This year, she announced she is leaving her role, but not before putting out a memoir she hopes will inspire others to take up the work…

GUEST: Cindy Cohn, author of Privacy’s Defender: My Thirty-Year Fight Against Digital Surveillance.

RELATED LINKS:

Cindy Cohn | Town Hall Seattle - Tues 3/17
Privacy's Defender - Cindy's Book
Cindy Cohn Is Leaving the EFF, but Not the Fight for Digital Rights | WIRED
The Big Idea: Cindy Cohn

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How are YOU dealing with the time change? For many of us, it has felt like we’ve been moving through a gelatinous cube all week, but hey!! The Weekend is here!

Let’s shake off the funk, brave the weather, and go do something fun!

HOST: Soundside producer Jason Megatron Burrows

LINKS:

Pi Day Dash
Pi Day Community Math Festival
Kat Robichaud’s Misfit Cabaret “Circus” | The Triple Door
Quilters Anonymous - Quilt Show
Seattle Golf Show
Wings Over Water | Northwest Birding Festival
Firebird | March 13 -22, 2026 | Pacific Northwest Ballet
St Patrick’s Day Parade
Irish Festival Seattle
Emerald City Irish Film Festival
Mariners 50: Community & Baseball (MoPop)

Also, let us know - where do you fall in the Quilters vs Golfers venn diagram? AND where is your favorite pie in the region? Email us! - soundside@kuow.org

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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The time has finally come: the glitz, the glamor, the many prediction market bets you can place about who will have the most glitz and glamor - The Oscars are this Sunday.

The Academy is expected to hand some sparkly hardware to an auteur director with an expansive vision and biting political critique.

The question is, will it be Ryan Coogler for his historic, lyrical vampire story, Sinners?

Or... Will it be Paul Thomas Anderson, the film bro favorite with a sprawling political thriller about resisting fascism – One Battle After Another?

Sorry to F1 stans but THAT is the race to watch…

GUEST: Seattle film and television critic Chase Hutchinson.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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These days, many internet influencers are promoting a wellness trend that sounds like something you might remember from high school bio: peptides.

They’re being sold as ways to improve skin, reverse aging – basically, peptides have become THE answer to your choice of wellness issues.

But most of what’s hawked on Instagram or TikTok is not approved by the FDA. .

That could change: Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently said on Joe Rogan’s podcast that he wants to relax restrictions on many peptides.

In the meantime, people are accessing them through methods that some experts say are…. dangerous.

Guests:

Alex Hogan, a senior multimedia producer at STAT News and the host of STATus Report

Related links:

Inside the world of internet peptides | STAT News
Peptides Are the New Wellness Cure-All | Intelligencer
Why 'Anti-Aging' Peptide Shots Are Trending on Social Media | TIME
Peptides take off as a DIY treatment but is that a good idea? : NPR

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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According to reporting in the New York Times Magazine, young female athletes are 3 to 6 times more likely than boys to tear their ACLs.

And the recovery period can be grueling. Surgery is usually involved, rehab can take a year or longer. Which is a lot of time, at that age, for players to remain on the sideline. But there are effective ways to prevent so many ACL tears. For example, FIFA, soccer’s governing body, has signed off on a series of exercises and warmups that have proven to reduce injury risk.

Yet that injury prevention protocol hasn’t taken off in girls sports. Even though women’s sports are exploding in popularity, and more girls are playing sports, plenty of coaches and players don’t even know it’s possible to prevent these injuries.

Why do so many teenage girl athletes tear their ACLs? And why do coaches, parents and players often fail to do the prevention work, strength exercises, etc. that might help protect vulnerable limbs?

Guest:

Seattle high schooler and soccer player Edie Welch
Reporter Craig Welch

Related stories:

Why Are So Many Teen Girls Still Tearing Their A.C.L.s? - The New York Times Magazine

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes-

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It's not a spoiler to say someone gets murdered in T Kira Madden's new book, "Whidbey." But what happens next? You'll have to read and find out.

Whidbey is expansive, detailed and visceral. It makes readers wonder about questions of justice, forgiveness, belief and unconditional love.

We talk with Madden about how the island inspired her new literary thriller**.

Guest**

T Kira Madden, author of "Whidbey"
Related LinksSomebody Killed Her Assailant. Was Justice Served? - The New York Times

T Kira Madden Casts a Spell - Elle

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes-

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Last month, Olympia became the first city in Washington, and one of just a handful in the country, to pass explicit protections for polyamorous families.

The city passed two ordinances in late February that establish protections for people in diverse family and relationship structures.

Supporters say the changes are aimed at protecting these community members against discrimination and unfair housing practices.

Similar efforts are underway in multiple cities across the west coast.

More than 60% of people who responded to a 2025 survey on non-monogamy said they experienced discrimination or stigma in at least one domain, like healthcare or employment.

We spoke to an advocate who backed these ordinances -- and who's hoping to bring similar change to Seattle.

Guests:

Jessa Davis is the executive director for the Seattle Coalition for Family and Relationship Equity

Related links:

First WA city with protections for polyamorous families | The Olympian
In the Northwest, polyamory finds something new: legal protection | The Seattle Times
Polyamorous protections moving ahead in Portland as council reaffirms LGBTQ safe harbor status | oregonlive.com
2025 Community Survey Report | OPEN (Organization for Polyamory and Ethical Non-monogamy)

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Residents of Tehran were warned to stay indoors yesterday [SUN], as black smoke blanketed parts of the Iranian capital city. It comes after Israel attacked dozens of fuel depots in the city of 10 million people.

The U.S. and Israel continued to launch airstrikes against Iran over the weekend.

And the conflict continues to impact many nations. Today, NATO member Turkey said it shot down a second Iranian missile.

Closer to home: two men have been charged with attempting to support the Islamic state after they tried to set off homemade bombs at a far-right protest near Gracie Mansion, the home of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

None of the devices detonated.

Obviously, this continues to be a fast-moving situation. This morning, Congressman Adam Smith sat down with Soundside to share his thoughts on what’s been happening so far in Iran and across the globe.

Guest:

Adam Smith represents Washington's 9th congressional district and is the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

Guest: KUOW Politics Editor, Cat Smith

Related Links:

With the Straight of Hormuz Closed, the Long-Feared Persian Gulf Oil Squeeze Is Upon Us
WA ‘millionaires tax’ proposal haunted by 1933 court decision
British Columbia Moving to Permanent Daylight Saving Time, Changing Clocks for the Last Time Sunday
Timothée Chalamet & Matthew McConaughey | Variety & CNN Town Hall

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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We’ve come to the end of another week here at Soundside, the end of Winter is right around the corner, and there is a LOT to do before we ‘Spring Forward’ on Sunday.

Let’s talk about it! Here’s Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows

LINKS:

Emerald City Comic Con
Tacoma Beer Week
Winthrop Hot Air Balloon Round Up
Oops All Goalies!
Lunar New Year Celebration | Seattle Chinatown-International District
Penn Cove Musselfest
Northwest Record Show

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Hours before the United States launched strikes on Iran, there was another big story at the Pentagon:

The Department of Defense designated Anthropic, the U.S.-based AI company, a supply chain risk. This was shortly after President Trump ordered all federal agencies to stop using Anthropic technology.

The announcement came as DoD and the AI company failed to reach a deal on how Anthropic technology could be used in classified networks.

The sticking points in contract negotiations? Two use cases: Mass domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons.

Anthropic had a $200 million contract with the Pentagon – and its Claude AI model was reportedly used in the operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Out of the shambles of the Anthropic negotiation.The Pentagon quickly announced a deal with its rival, Open AI.

The contract dispute points to the increasing role of AI in the military and what safeguards may exist for its use both domestically and in war.

Guest:

Bill Howe, associate professor at the University of Washington’s Information School. He runs UW’s Responsibility in AI Systems and Experiences center

Relevant Links:

NYT: How Talks Between Anthropic and the Defense Dept. Fell Apart

WSJ: What’s Really at Stake in the Fight Between Anthropic and the Pentagon

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There’s a major reshuffling of leadership happening at one of the videogame industry’s top companies.

After 38 years at Microsoft, Phil Spencer is stepping away from his role as CEO of Microsoft Gaming.

His was an incredibly long tenure, and it’s leaving many to wonder what it means for XBox, Microsoft Gaming, and gamers alike.

GUEST: Todd Bishop - Co-Founder of Geekwire

LINKS:

Xbox chief Phil Spencer retiring after 38 years at Microsoft; Asha Sharma named new gaming CEO
Who is Asha Sharma? A closer look at Microsoft’s surprise pick to lead the Xbox business
Analysis: The best thing that the new Xbox CEO can do is ... nothing

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

Guest:

Paul Queary - Editor and Publisher at The Washington Observer

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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WNBA fans, mark your calendars for March 10th. That's a key deadline that could determine when the teams actually hit the court.

If the league and players can’t shake hands on a new collective bargaining agreement, or CBA, by next Tuesday, the 2026 season could be delayed.

The Seattle Storm's Nneka Ogwumike is president of the WNBA players' union, and she's led the union as labor negotiations have progressed for over a year. The two sides are months past their original deadline for a deal.

We talk about the key issues driving bargaining with a reporter covering the league.

Guest
Sabreena Merchant, staff writer, The Athletic
Related LinksWNBA’s new CBA offer boosts pay, fast-tracks max deals for stars like Caitlin Clark, AP source says - The Associated Press

Kelsey Plum sees WNBA's offer as a 'win,' but CBA talks continue - ESPN

What a March CBA deal would mean for WNBA free agency, expansion and the draft - The Athletic

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes
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Much of your technology - your phone, your kid’s ipad, your electric car… wouldn’t function without computer chips.

They’re basically tiny pieces of silicon semiconductor wafers that drive our tech-focused economy.

And their supply chain is highly centralized. Most chips come from just one country, Taiwan. And Taiwan is in a very delicate geopolitical position.

China has claimed sovereignty over the island democracy since the founding of the PRC, in 1949.

If China ever decided to exert its claims using military force – that could put chip production in danger. Potentially leading to the largest economic downfall since the Great Depression.

According to documents obtained by the New York Times, it’s an issue tech companies here in the US have known about for years, and have largely tried to ignore.

Guest:

Tripp Mickle, Silicon Valley reporter for the New York Times

Related stories:

The Looming Taiwan Chip Disaster That Silicon Valley Has Long Ignored - NYT
Nvidia’s Quarterly Profit Hits $43 Billion on Strong A.I. Chip Sales - NYT

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Bill Gates has been under scrutiny since the Justice Department released files that put his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein on display.

….. But these files also show that Epstein’s connections within the company Gates co-founded, Microsoft, were more widespread than previously known.

Epstein built relationships with several of Microsoft’s top executives. He traded gifts and advice with them, and even invited some to his island.

And, through these big players, Epstein also got access to the inner workings of the company.

Guests:

Karen Weise, a technology correspondent for The New York Times who’s based in Seattle

Related links:

How Jeffrey Epstein Ingratiated Himself With Top Microsoft Executives - The New York Times
Records show deeper ties between Epstein, ex-Microsoft exec Myhrvold | The Seattle Times

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There are many people who would describe themselves as resisting fascism.

But, for a small group, “antifa” is more than just a label.

In his new book, journalist Christopher Mathias reports that for self-identified members of antifa, the bulk of their work actually involves infiltrating right-wing extremist groups.

Often, this takes the form of intelligence gathering online. In some cases it means disguising themselves for in-person operations: becoming members, showing up, getting peoples’ real names and plans.

One man did just that in the Seattle area. Mathias tells his story in a new book.

Guest

Christopher Mathias, journalist covering antifa and the far right, author, "To Catch A Fascist: The Fight to Expose the Radical Right"
Related Link

What’s behind the White House’s anti-antifa order - Soundside, KUOW

White nationalists claimed WA man doxxed them. How a judge responded - Tacoma News Tribune

Antifa used to unmask neo-Nazis, now it’s exposing ICE: ‘Predators don’t get anonymity’ - The Guardian

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Local Iranian community members gathered at a vigil Sunday afternoon at Seattle City Hall to share art, music, dance and healing conversation.

The stated purpose of the event was to memorialize those who lost their lives during the Islamic Republic’s deadly crackdown on protesters in January, which had a death toll estimated in the tens of thousands.

With the U.S. and Israel striking Iran over the weekend, the event also provided a place to process the beginning of war.

The event was organized by the Seattle Isfahan Sister City Advocacy group.

ALSO: analysis of the widening conflict in the Middle East with Reşat Kasaba, professor at the University of Washington’s Jackson School of International Studies.

RELATED LINKS:

Iran Hits Back Across the Mideast, Targeting U.S. Bases and Allies
Hegseth insists the Iran conflict is 'not Iraq' and is 'not endless'
What to Know About the Widening Fallout From the Bombing of Iran
Push from Saudis, Israel helped move Trump to attack Iran

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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The Sound Transit system is updating, maybe you've heard.

After three new light rail stations opened up south of Seattle in December, the light rail is set to start running across Lake Washington about a month from now.

But budget issues may complicate plans for the future lines. We'll get into that and much more.

Guest:

Dow Constantine, CEO of Sound Transit

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It’s the FINAL Thursday of February, and MARCH starts this weekend.

Two of our Soundside producers are celebrating their birthdays this weekend, (Happy Birthday Maleeha Syed and Gabi Healy!!)

Women’s hockey is BACK at Climate Pledge Arena, AND it’s the final days of Black History Month, so let’s go out & do some stuff!!

Here’s Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows to get us caught up on all that’s happening!

LINKS:

Mad Science: A night of Improv and Laughter
Seattle Torrent vs Toronto Scepters
Kraken vs Canucks
Sea Slug Animation Festival 2026
Poulsbo Blues & Jazz Festival
Tacoma Beer Week Events
Free Rose Pruning Demonstration - Woodland Park Zoo
Doughboys - Seattle Theatre Group
4th Annual Black Makers & Creatives Art Exhibit
Iranian Vigil & Solidarity Art Exhibition

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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These days people are using AI chatbots for everything.

These chatbots have a wealth of information at their metaphorical fingertips. But the accuracy of the information that they offer us is, well, questionable.

But it makes sense why some people turn to AI for medical advice.

They’re usually free, which gives them an upper hand when healthcare in the United States is so expensive.

They’re also easy to access, so people can get their questions answered immediately, instead of waiting for an opening at their doctor’s office.

And they’re trained to be empathic, which is especially appealing to patients who don’t feel valued in medical settings.

In this "Ask a Doctor" segment, we explore the world of health advice and chatbots with two medical professionals.

Guests:

Angad Singh is a family medicine physician. He's also an Associate Chief Clinical Information Officer and Clinical Associate Professor at UW Medicine.
Danielle Bitterman is an assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School and Clinical Lead for Data Science and AI at Mass General Brigham.

Related links:

A.I. Chatbots Are Changing How Patients Get Medical Advice - The New York Times
How to Use ChatGPT for Health Advice | Right as Rain
Health Advice From A.I. Chatbots Is Frequently Wrong, Study Shows - The New York Times

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

Guest:

Jane C Hu - journalist and host of City Cast Seattle

Related stories:

City Council weighs in on mayor’s pick for Seattle’s highest-paid job - Seattle Times
Seattle FIFA World Cup 2026: What it takes to rent your home on Airbnb - Seattle Times
Why ‘No Right Turn on Red’ Signs Are Multiplying. Plus, Seattle’s Best Places To Cry and Criminal Drones - City Cast Seattle
Murals by henry bring joy to Seattle, but it took decades to get there - KUOW

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In 1999, student journalists at Garfield High School heard a rumor. It was about a beloved teacher named Tom Hudson.

He taught biology. He ran a popular outdoors program. And, according to the rumor, he sexually abused students.

The journalists broke the news of these allegations for their school newspaper…. And chaos unfolded.

The reporters faced pressure to step down from the paper. Their schoolmates turned on them. Their teacher was placed on leave.

And, just a few months after everything blew up, Mr. Hudson died by suicide.

“Adults in the Room” is a new series from KUOW that explores the questions that went unanswered 27 years ago: Did Mr. Hudson really abuse these students? Or did these young journalists act irresponsibly, at the expense of a teacher’s life?

Guests:

Isolde Raftery is a managing editor at KUOW. She's also the host of “Adults in the Room" and one of the student journalists who broke the news on these allegations at Garfield.

Related links:

KUOW - Focus: Adults in the Room
KUOW - Two Seattle girls learn a secret at their high school. Their lives change forever
KUOW - In 'Adults in the Room,' a KUOW investigative journalist re-reports the story that's haunted her for nearly three decades

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Stability appears to have returned in Mexico after days of violence.

On Sunday a Mexican military raid killed cartel boss Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, more commonly known as El Mencho.

In response, members of his Jalisco New Generation Cartel created havoc throughout the nation - lighting cars and buildings on fire, ransacking businesses, and setting up blockades along major roadways throughout the country.

According to authorities at least 62 people have died since Sunday - including cartel members, security officers, and civilians.

Flights to and from Seatac to various airports in Mexico were cancelled, as the US government recommended that all US citizens and residents shelter in place.

Guest:

Vanessa Freije is an Associate Professor of International Studies, and she’s the chair of Latin American and Caribbean Studies at the University of Washington. She's currently based in Mexico City.

Related stories:

Mexico Is Caught Between Trump and the Cartels - NYT
What to Know About the Cartels Operating in Mexico - NYT

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Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

Guest:

Seattle Times reporter Jim Brunner

Related stories:

T.S.A. Says PreCheck Will Remain Operational at Airports - NYT
Sen. Cantwell, WA elections officials slam Trump-backed voter ID bill - Seattle Times
In Washington State, Democrats Consider Breaking a Taboo: Taxing the Rich - NYT

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Every month at the Washington State Penitentiary, a group of incarcerated journalists meets up to pick a theme for their news magazine.

The paper is called Top of the Mountain. It details the goings on in the prison as well as recipes for the food you can buy at the commissary, advice from long time residents, and interviews with the formerly incarcerated.

Top of The Mountain started after three people committed suicide in the unit. The goal was to be a way to form connection. It has grown into a labor of love.

We spoke with the founder of Top of The Mountain and a reporter there about the paper and what it means to the prison community

Guests:

Jennifer Jaylee, founder of Top of the Mountain

Jeffrey McKee, writer for Top of the Mountain

Relevant Links:

Prison Journalism Project: My Job at a Washington State Prison Newsmagazine

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Bruce Lee wasn’t born an icon. First, he was a baby, born in San Francisco and then a kid in Hong Kong who followed his father into acting.

And it wasn’t a straight line from child star to groundbreaking Hollywood action star who broke stereotypes about Asian Americans.

Lee’s adult life in America started when he moved to Seattle, still a teenager – where he studied at the University of Washington, washed dishes at a restaurant, and eventually opened his own gung fu schools. He also met his wife, Linda, once a martial arts student.

His five years in Seattle were formative for Lee both in terms of learning about America, but also about himself and honing his cross-cultural philosophy.

That’s the subject of a new play at Seattle Children’s Theater called Young Dragon: A Bruce Lee Story, it runs through March 22nd.

Guest:

Shannon Lee, founder and chair of the Bruce Lee Foundation and author of Be Water, My Friend: The Teachings of Bruce Lee

Relevant Links:

Seattle Children's Theater page

Bruce Lee Foundation website

Seattle Times: Seattle Children’s Theatre Bruce Lee play fights on after Kennedy Center canceling

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Many federal immigration officers are reportedly in the process of packing up and leaving the Twin Cities. Border Czar Tom Homan said Sunday that Operation Metro Surge is drawing down.

The months-long campaign led to intense protest. Two American citizens were shot and killed by immigration enforcement officers during the operation.

Local prosecutors have been trying to investigate those shootings but they say they have been rebuffed by the federal government.

Earlier this week, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said it was denied access to evidence by the FBI meanwhile, Hennepin County prosecutors in Minneapolis are crowdsourcing evidence from people who videotaped one of the shootings.

Like local officials everywhere, King County is navigating a shifting relationship with the federal government and the possibility that an immigration enforcement surge could happen here.

Guests:

Leesa Manion, King County Prosecuting Attorney

Gary Ernsdorff, Supervising Attorney at the Special Operations Unit

Relevant Links:

KCPAO: Manion Reaffirms Commitment to Protecting King County from Unlawful Deployment of ICE

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Thursdays... What a concept!

Let’s get out of the house this weekend & do some fun stuff!

“What fun stuff?” you may ask… and with that answer is Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows!

LINKS:

Northwest Flower & Garden Festival
Seattle Home & Garden Show
Wintergrass Festival
Black History Month Soirée 2026 - Bainbridge Island Museum of Art
Lunar New Year Family Festival | Seattle Art Museum
Cupid's Undie Run at The Dock in Fremont
Cardi B - Climate Pledge Arena

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Fighting wildland fires is dangerous enough. The smoke exposure, changing conditions and mental health risks can be daunting, for even experienced firefighters.

But federal wildland firefighters across the country were also wearing pants containing potentially dangerous PFAS chemicals, according to reporting this month from ProPublica.

Officials at the U.S. Forest Service knew about that risk for years, before it became public knowledge.

In Washington, fire seasons are starting earlier and lasting longer and just last year, western Washington experienced its largest fire in a generation.

Reporter Abe Streep covered all of this for ProPublica, and he talked with KUOW's Paige Browning.

Related Links

Firefighters Wore Gear Containing “Forever Chemicals.” The Forest Service Knew and Stayed Silent for Years.

“It Feels Impossible to Stay”: The U.S. Needs Wildland Firefighters More Than Ever, but the Federal Government Is Losing Them

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer deaths for Americans under the age of 50, according to a paper published last month in JAMA.

This research backs up a trend that doctors have been seeing for a while now: Colon cancer isn’t just a disease that affects older people.

Just last week, James Van Der Beek, who played Dawson on “Dawson’s Creek” died of colorectal cancer. He was 48 years old.

In the past few years, more health organizations have followed the American Cancer Society in lowering the recommended age for colon cancer screenings from 50 to 45 years old.

And more recently, there’s been a trend online that encourages people to start “fibermaxxing”... which is just a fancy way of telling them to eat more fiber.

We talk to a doctor about this trend and the symptoms to look out for when it comes to colon cancer.

Guests:

Dr. Rachel Issaka, director of the colorectal cancer screening program for the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and UW Medicine

Related links:

Leading Cancer Deaths in People Younger Than 50 Years | Breast Cancer | JAMA | JAMA Network
Colorectal Cancer Is Now the Top Cause of Cancer Death in Younger People - WSJ

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

Guest:

Seattle Times reporter David Kroman

Related stories:

Seattle Seahawks begin sale process, less than 2 weeks after winning Super Bowl - NYT
Katie Wilson promises shelter, focus on public safety in first year of office - Seattle Times
Tension rising over how to spend revenue from proposed WA income tax - Washington State Standard

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Last week, President Trump announced he was overturning the Environmental Protection Agency’s "endangerment finding.” That finding is a scientific conclusion signed by the EPA in 2009. It determined that greenhouse gases are harmful to people and the environment, and it allowed the EPA to regulate heat trapping emissions like carbon dioxide and methane.

The current Presidential administration says that climate change is a “hoax” and that environmental regulations hinder the economy.

Current EPA head Lee Zeldin is praising the move by Trump. Environmental activists and democratic lawmakers took no time to denounce the decision, saying that it will harm public health and lead to intensifying climate change related catastrophes, such as wildfires, heatwaves, and flooding.

And, of course, there’s a court challenge.

California Governor Gavin Newsom stated that California intends to sue the federal government over this change – potentially leading to a drawn out, years long battle to determine what the EPA can and cannot do when it comes to greenhouse gas regulation. Washington attorney general Nick Brown has promised something similar.

But how could its repeal change climate science and policy in the United States? And what does it mean for Washington?

Guests:

David Battisti - Professor of Atmospheric and Climate Science and Tamaki Endowed Chair at the University of Washington
Former Washington State Governor Jay Inslee

Related stories:

As U.S. abandons climate fight, Washington state feels the heat to do more - KUOW
Trump Administration Erases the Government’s Power to Fight Climate Change - NYT
Future of Washington state’s climate-pollution fund up in the air - KUOW

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Another one of Seattle’s iconic movie theaters has been sold. This time, the Boeing IMAX theater.

The theater’s six story tall and 80 foot wide screen has endeared itself to local movie goers since it opened nearly 30 years ago.

Pacific Science Center sent out an email last week confirming they are selling the Boeing Imax, and a parcel of land equaling nearly a quarter of its footprint at Seattle Center.

The buyer is a familiar neighbor: The Space Needle.

And Space Needle leaders said, through a statement, they intend to keep operating the theater.

GUEST: Chase Hutchinson - Freelance writer & film critic

RELATED LINKS:

Pacific Science Center’s Boeing IMAX Theater to Be Sold to Space Needle
Seattle’s Pacific Science Center to sell IMAX theater, part of property
PacSci Real Estate Transaction - Pacific Science Center

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Happy almost-Valentine’s day to all who celebrate.

It’s a time for love, of course. For fancy dinners. Cute notes. And hopefully, for some, a time for intimacy.

We review some of the research, and get some advice, on our burning questions about sex, love and relationships.

Guest

Professor Nicole McNichols, author, You Could Be Having Better Sex: The Definitive Guide to a Happier, Healthier, and Hotter Sex Life,@nicole_thesexprofessor

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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What a WEEK!

Are your voices recovering from the Seahawks parade? Or from yelling at the Olympics on t-v like me?

Let’s get out there and do something FUN, or cute and sweet, for Valentine’s Day weekend!

Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows here with almost all of the lovely options we've got for the weekend!

LINKS:

The Atomic Bombshells: J’ADORE 17 Year Anniversary at Triple Door
Winter Festival | Early Music Seattle
Noir City - SIFF
After Hours Premier: No Pressure Valentines - Seattle Aquarium
Busch Light PBR Everett
Comedy of Love: A Valentine's Day Improv
Disenchanted! | Tacoma City Theaters
Science After Dark - Pacific Science Center
Get a Friday the 13th Tattoo at One of These Seattle Shops

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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When you use dating apps, there’s a lot of pressure to make an impression in the mere moments you have before someone decides whether you’re worth the effort.

So, as frustrating as it can be, we understand that there’s a fair bit of truth-bending involved in finding love online:

Like pictures with really flattering angles or exaggerations of interests.

All’s fair in love and/or exciting-but-sometimes-brief-and-often-regretted romance.

Butis it fair if someone’s using AI to make basic conversation?

A growing number of daters report asking ChatGPT – or one of a flurry of new “AI dating assistant” startups – to craft questions and answers on dating apps.

Was that witty repartee in your DMs generated by a bot? How much has dating been co-opted by digital wingmen, and what does it mean for the future of digital romance?

Guest:

Henry Chandonett, reporter for Business Insider

Relevant Links:

Business Insider: The Rise of the AI Wingman

The Guardian: ‘I realised I’d been ChatGPT-ed into bed’: how ‘Chatfishing’ made finding love on dating apps even weirder

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SEA...HAWKS!

Need we say more? Surely by now, you know that your Seattle Seahawks won the Super Bowl this year.

KUOW's Noel Gasca was on the scene of the Seahawks Victory Parade in downtown Seattle, she talked with us about what she saw.

GuestNoel Gasca, reporter, KUOW

Related LinksSeattle's 12s celebrate Super Bowl champion Seahawks

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

Guest:

Author of the Savage Love column and host of the Savage Lovecast Podcast, Dan Savage

Related Stories:

As US Olympians call for tolerance and LGBTQ rights, some face Trump attacks and online hate - NPR
‘Heated Rivalry’ Reaches 10.6 Million Viewers in The U.S. With Audience Increasing by Over 100% Since Finale - Variety

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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The retail operator for Eddie Bauer’s North American stores has filed for bankruptcy.

Depending on how things turn out, the outdoor gear brand could see the closure of nearly 200 stores across the United States and Canada. The Seattle Times also reports that the company's store operator plans to close its headquarters in Seattle and lay off 60 workers.

This isn’t the first sign of trouble for the Seattle-based business, which faced bankruptcy proceedings in 2003 and 2009.

This latest filing won’t affect the company’s wholesale, manufacturing or online operations -- so it’s not like the brand’s going away completely.

But the news still feels pretty big….

Because once upon a time, not too long ago, Eddie Bauer was a premiere spot for outdoor gear. It outfitted the first American to summit Mount Everest.

And there was a time when it was quite the fashion statement to walk into work with an Eddie Bauer puffer.

As the company faces an uncertain future, we decided to reflect on its legacy.

Guests:

Clara Berg, a fashion historian and Curator of Collections at MOHAI.

Related links:

Our Story – Eddie Bauer
Eddie Bauer to close its Seattle headquarters, lay off 60 workers | The Seattle Times
Eddie Bauer: From Outdoor Staple to Bankruptcy Watch - Business Insider
Retail operator of Eddie Bauer files for bankruptcy, will keep stores open during restructuring | AP News
Eddie Bauer store operator files for bankruptcy, seeks sale | Reuters

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Like many private companies, Nike has implemented diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in its workplace. The Trump Administration has long been a vocal critic of such policies.

On the first day of his second term, President Trump signed an executive order, titled “Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing.“

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently disclosed it's investigating Nike for “systemic allegations of DEI-related intentional race discrimination” against white workers.

Nike does have regional ties – with headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. But... this is Nike: “Just Do It” and Air Jordans. We’re talking about a global entity, and this investigation could have wide ranging implications for employment practices nationwide.

Guests:

Rebecca Davis O'Brien, a labor reporter at The New York Times

Related links:

EEOC Files Subpoena Enforcement Action Against NIKE | U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Nike, Accused of Bias Against White Workers, Is Under Federal Investigation - The New York Times
What to Know About the Federal Investigation Into Nike - The New York Times
Nike and Trump’s Supporters Have Been on a Collision Course for Years - The New York Times

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Eviction cases hit an all time high in King County last year. It’s the latest data point in an ongoing trend. Since the Covid era eviction moratorium ended in 2022, the number of people facing eviction proceedings has risen every year.

This is happening even as rents have remained relatively flat.

Hanging over all of this is budget tightening in Olympia state lawmakers are planning a multi million dollar cut to legal assistance for tenants.

Are we at a crisis point when it comes to the number of evictions in our state?

Links:

Seattle Times: King County, WA eviction levels hit an all-time high, again

Guest:

Alexis Weisend, real estate reporter at the Seattle Times

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If you’re a Seahawks fan, Sunday’s big game was glorious domination.

For the rest of the hundred-and-thirty-million plus viewers the defensive showcase was maybe a bit of a snooze.

But football fans had other ways to amp up the excitement:

Betting cold hard cash.

It’s impossible to avoid hearing about betting when you’re watching most sporting events in the US these days -- let alone the biggest game of the year.

According to the American Gambling Association, Americans were expected to wager $1.76 billion dollars on this year’s Super Bowl. That’s a near 27% increase over last year.

Now, sports betting is still illegal in Washington state outside of tribal casinos.

But, as the mobile betting market has expanded legally into more and more states, alternative means for placing bets have become increasingly popular - even in states like Washington.

And according to my next guest, that market isn’t just shaping how we watch the game. It’s changing the game itself.

Guest:

Danny Funt covers sports betting as a contributor at the Washington Post, and he’s the author of the new book “Everybody Loses: The Tumultuous Rise of American Sports Gambling”

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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It’s a whirlwind of emotions this today for Seahawks players and fans.

Seattle wasn’t supposed to dominate its division, or field another historic defense, or win the Super Bowl for the second time in team history.

But that’s exactly what happened this season, culminating in yesterday’s 29-13 victory over the New England Patriots.

From the trophy presentation at Levi's Stadium to the triumphant confines of Seattle bars … KUOW’s Natalie Akane Newcomb brings us this audio postcard.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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At the start of every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

Guest: KUOW Politics Editor Cat Smith

Related Links:

Super Bowl 2026: Dominant Seahawks show they’re here to stay
Review: Bad Bunny brought Puerto Rico's history and culture to a revolutionary Super Bowl show
Super Bowl LIX averages record audience of 127.7 million viewers
Trump, Bad Bunny and Puerto Rico’s Perennially Broken Power Grid - POLITICO
Trump bashes Bad Bunny’s halftime spectacle - POLITICO
"Good Will Dunkin' : The Pilot"
Seahawks owner Jody Allen isn’t a placeholder. She’s an essential leader
When the Seattle Seahawks sell, will any tech execs step up for the 12s?

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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This weekend, Seattleites will be able to buy drinks from the city’s first Thai coffee shop: Nudibranch Coffee, which is set to open its doors Feb. 7 on Capitol Hill.

The shop will serve drinks that reflect Thailand’s popular flavors and hot climate. Nudibranch also plans to host low-cost community events at the shop, like guest chef nights and gallery walks.

This cafe-slash-community-space is just a few days away from opening its doors...

But we were able to steal some time from the busy owners to hear how the vision for Seattle’s first Thai coffee shop came together.

Guests:

Emily Sirisup and Cole Arnesen, two of Nudibranch Coffee's founders

Related links:

Nudibranch Coffee | Explore Thai Coffee Today
Nudibranch Wants to Be Seattle’s First Thai Coffee Shop | Eater Seattle
Nudibranch will bring Thai coffee to former Capitol Hill vegan doughnut shop | CHS Capitol Hill Seattle News

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Every Thursday, Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows brings you the highlights for how to spend your weekend... And there are a couple of big events happening THIS WEEKEND, right?

Maybe something sports related?

LINKS:

Olympic Opening Ceremony
Olympic Women's Hockey @ Rough & Tumble Ballard
- Full Watch Party Schedule
Ear Hustle | Town Hall Seattle
Eagle Festival | Arlington, WA
Enumclaw Wine & Chocolate Festival
Chocolate “Escape Room” challenge
Washington State Gaming Expo / Anime Washington
The Grave Plot Film Fest
Seahawks at Patriots Super Bowl LX Game Center

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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From now through 2027, various lanes over the Ship Canal Bridge in Seattle will close, making an already-challenging traffic situation worse.

WSDOT has encouraged travelers to Seattle, especially commuters, to consider using the bus instead of clogging the freeway with more cars.

But that might be a hard sell. Perennial concerns about safety, reliability, and access have plagued King County Metro, and other transit options.

And elsewhere in the city, Mayor Katie Wilson has called for a dedicated lane for the crosstown Route 8 bus.

We're talking about it all, plus putting your questions (and complaints) to the general manager of King County Metro.

Guest

Michelle Allison, general manager, King County Metro

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

Guest: Axios Twin Cities newsletter co-author Kyle Stokes

Related stories:

Trump administration pulling 700 immigration agents from Minnesota - Axios
How Minnesota's rapid responders track ICE agents in real time - Axios
Melinda French Gates reacts to new details about Bill Gates in the Epstein files - NPR

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Should you have to show your ID to watch porn online?

A proposal introduced in the State Legislature this month would require it.

If it passes, Washington will join over 20 states that already require age verification.

Critics have said the law makes users vulnerable to data breaches and that content about LGBTQ people can be flagged as sexual, instead of educational, among other issues.

So far, the bill hasn’t made it out of the House Consumer Protection and Business committee. But meanwhile, the core question remains: What to do about the access kids have to harmful sexual materials on an ever-changing internet?

Guests

Shauna Sowersby, state politics reporter at The Seattle Times

Nicole McNichols, associate teaching professor at the University of Washington, @nicole_thesexprofessor

LinksHB 2112 - 2025-26, establishing an age minimum to access certain adult content online
WA age verification bill targets access to online adult content - The Seattle Times

The Age-Gated Internet Is Sweeping the US. Activists Are Fighting Back - Jason Parham, Wired

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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In a medical setting, if staffers think a patient is violent or threatening, they may restrain them to a hospital bed. Or inject them with a sedative.

In some cases, they might also use a spit hood.

This is a mesh or cloth covering that goes over a patient’s head. It was patented for law enforcement to use during arrests. Critics of these devices consider them dehumanizing…. And in some cases, dangerous.

In the past decade, at least five people in the United States died in medical care incidents involving spit hoods. And the FDA doesn’t classify them as medical devices, which means they aren’t subjected to safety regulations.

This all comes to us in a new investigation from The Seattle Times. The reporting looks at how spit hoods are used in medical facilities across the country.

Guests:

Hannah Furfaro, a mental health reporter at the Seattle Times and the journalist behind “Shrouded in Secrecy.”

Related links:

Shrouded in Secrecy: An investigation from The Seattle Times | The Seattle Times
When hospitals use spit hoods on patients, no one is watching | The Seattle Times
Where and how spit hoods are used across the U.S. | The Seattle Times
How safe are spit hoods — and do they actually work? | The Seattle Times
How spit hood use could be made safer, according to experts | The Seattle Times

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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You’ve heard a lot over the past few weeks about federal agents and how they’re policing the public in Minneapolis.

But let’s talk about how people in Washington are currently most likely to interact with Customs and Border Protection: At the border.

At those crossings, there is the potential, for your phone, or other devices, to be searched.

Last fiscal year, Customs and Border Protection reported a 16 percent increase in searches of digital devices compared with 2024.

Maybe you’re planning to head to Canada for a weekend trip, or maybe to the warm weather of Mexico during our dark and dreary winter,

Should you expect your phone to be searched at the border? And what steps can you take to protect your data?

GUEST: Gabe Castro-Root, New York Times

RELATED LINKS:

Phone Searches at the Border Are Up: How to Protect Your Privacy
Traveling to the U.S. Under Trump: Visas, Border Control and What to Know
Border Search of Electronic Devices at Ports of Entry

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Seattle Public Schools has a new Superintendent.

Ben Shuldiner was the only finalist for the position, and the Seattle School Board unanimously approved his contract back in November.

On Sunday he stepped into the role early after two teenagers, who are believed to be SPS students, were shot and killed at a bus stop in Rainier Valley. The shooting happened near both South Shore PK-8, and Rainier Beach High School.

Soundside sat down with Shuldiner to get his response to the shooting, and to preview his priorities for leading the largest school district in Washington.

Guest:

Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Ben Shuldiner

Related stories:

2 teen boys killed at bus stop on Rainier Avenue in Seattle - KUOW
Seattle School Board names lone superintendent finalist, a district leader recruited from Michigan - KUOW
No cops at Garfield High. Seattle School Board rejects plan to revive resource officer program - KUOW

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At the start of every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

Guest: KUOW Reporter, Producer, and Documentary Podcast Creator Will James

Related stories:

2 teen boys killed at bus stop on Rainier Avenue in Seattle
Seattle-area businesses, students join national general strike
Seattle CHOP verdict: City must pay $30.5 million to family of slain teen
Grammys 2026: Zach Top leads WA winners

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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“The Chronology of Water” is a new movie that dives into the story of a woman’s life, told through scattered memories.

It’s the first feature film directed by Kristen Stewart. And it tackles heavy themes that the protagonist experiences firsthand, like sexual abuse and drug addiction.

But it also explores the beauty in that life, like the escape she finds in competitive swimming, which lands her a college scholarship… And later, a passion for storytelling that she discovers in a creative-writing class.

“The Chronology of Water” may be a work of art, but it isn’t a work of fiction.

It’s adapted from the real-life story of Lidia Yuknavitch, an Oregon author who published a memoir with the same title in 2011.

The film is screening at SIFF on Jan. 30 and Feb. 1.

Guests:

Lidia Yuknavitch, the author of "The Chronology of Water"

Related links:

The Chronology of Water | Lidia Yuknavitch | Hawthorne Books
‘The Chronology of Water’ Author Lidia Yuknavitch on Having Her Memoir Adapted by Kristen Stewart | Vogue
“The Chronology of Water” Is an Extraordinary Directorial Début | The New Yorker
The Chronology of Water | SIFF

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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The last few weeks, Seattle commuters have been weathering I-5 maintenance on the Ship Canal Bridge. The traffic is bad, the timeline is long … yeah, it’s not fun.

Maybe this will help ease the frustration while you wait in traffic. It could be worse: we could need a whole new bridge.

That’s the situation for the I-5 span over the Columbia River, at the border of Washington and Oregon. Parts of the crossing are over 100 years old, and local leaders have discussed a replacement for decades.

Planning between Washington and Oregon started twenty years ago … the project hasn’t broken ground yet, and cost estimates have recently ballooned.

But the I-5 bridge replacement got good news from the Coast Guard this month that could make it a tad less pricey.

Guests:

Carley Francis, Interim Program Administrator for the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program

Related links:

Interstate Bridge Replacement Program
Washington State Is Losing Control of the Columbia Interstate Bridge Replacement Megaproject » The Urbanist
Coast Guard OKs new I-5 bridge over Columbia River without movable span • Washington State Standard

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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We’re a week away from the start of the OLYMPICS! It’s the final week of January, and I’m amazed that it feels simultaneously like New Year’s Eve was just yesterday, but also that this month has felt like an entire year long.

Let’s do something FUN this weekend! Here with all the stuff to do is Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows!!

LINKS:

Washington Sportsmen's Show
Tacoma Home + Garden Show
Heated Rivalry Rave | Neumos
sQuatch Fest + Galactic Fest 2026
For Your Consideration - SIFF
The Chronology of Water - SIFF
Battle of the Sound: Seattle Thunderbirds vs Everett Silvertips
Tacoma Tattoo Expo 2026
Seattle Wedding Show
Drag Queen Bingo - Chuck’s Hop Shop Seward Park

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Seattle’s new city attorney, Erika Evans has been on the job for a little over 3 weeks – one of several newly elected officials moving the city in a more progressive direction.

We’re discuss a range of topics - from drug laws and diversion, to federal immigration enforcement in the city.

And a quick reminder about the city attorney’s duties: They enforce Seattle’s laws, prosecute misdemeanor crimes and defend the city in court.

Guest:

Seattle City Attorney Erika Evans

Related storieS:

Seattle doubles down on diversion — not charges — for public drug use - KUOW
Ferguson, Brown pledge legal action if ICE violates WA residents’ rights - Seattle Times

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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The Trump Administration might be dialing down some of its most confrontational immigration enforcement operations focused on the Twin Cities.

Alex Pretti, a 37 year old VA nurse, was shot and killed on Saturday by Customs and Border Patrol agents. It was the second deadly shooting in one month by immigration officers in Minnesota.

Federal officials said Pretti “approached U.S. Border Patrol officers with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun.” Pretti did have a gun on him, which he was legally licensed to carry. Video of the scene does not show him brandishing the weapon and he appeared to be disarmed before he was shot by CBP.

After several members of his administration spent the weekend defending the agents’ actions, President Trump on Monday relieved Border Patrol’s Gregory Bovino of command duties in Minnesota and put border czar Tom Homan in charge.

Governor Tim Walz said in a statement that he spoke with Homan this morning and they agreed to the need for “an ongoing dialogue.”

Since the Pretti killing, some Republicans in congress have signaled rare criticism of the President’s policies. Some called for an independent investigation and appear to be pushing to de-escalate the situation in Minnesota.

Meanwhile, there is a showdown in Congress this week over funding for DHS – fueled by outrage over the events in Minneapolis – and it’s all leading to a potential federal government shutdown looming on Friday.

Guest:

Rep. Pramila Jayapal - U.S. Representative from Washington's 7th District

Relevant Links:

NPR: In the wake of Alex Pretti's death, Congress appears on track for a partial shutdown

NPR: Tensions escalate in Minnesota after another killing

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Minnesota courts are reportedly overwhelmed by the number of civil rights lawsuits being filed by immigrants and observers interacting with ICE and CBP during “Operation Metro Surge.”

Politico has documented more than 2,400 cases across the country, in which judges have rejected the administration’s detention policy.

Across our own state local police departments have put out statements about what they can and cannot do when ICE comes to their communities.

In the wake of the 2020 murder of George Floyd, many Police Departments were challenged to renew their focus on civil rights – to avoid the kinds of shootings, injuries, and lawsuits we see around ICE and Border Patrol right now.

According to reporting by The Atlantic and the Wall Street Journal, that’s led to a rift between federal agents and police officers, as they see ICE using tactics previously denigrated by the Justice Department in the wake of George Floyd.

But what are police officers able to do when confronting potential civil rights violations by federal agents?

Guest:

Tahir Duckett is the Executive Director of the Center for Innovations in Community Safety at Georgetown Law. The center runs the ABLE project, which teaches police how to intervene during civil rights violations by fellow law enforcement officers

Related stories:

Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement (ABLE) Project - Georgetown Law
Police and ICE Agents Are on a Collision Course - The Atlantic
Police Who Once Backed ICE’s Mission Are Losing Faith in Its Tactics - Wall Street Journal

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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The federal government wants parents to breastfeed more.

In a press conference last month, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. argued that infant formula falls short in comparison to breast milk.

And in a strategy report published last September called “Make Our Children Healthy Again," the White House said it would “work to increase breastfeeding rates.”

In some corners, these initiatives and comments have ruffled feathers – with critics arguing the emphasis was tantamount to shaming women who can’t or choose not to breastfeed.

But they also got us thinking about the science behind the breast milk versus infant formula debate …. and why it’s still so controversial when people have been feeding their babies since, well… forever.

Guests:

Janelle Guirguis-Blake, a practicing family physician in Tacoma and clinical professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine.

Related links:

The-MAHA-Strategy-WH.pdf
RFK Jr. is investigating infant formula. Here’s what’s at stake | CNN
Breastfeeding and Health Outcomes for Infants and Children: A Systematic Review | Pediatrics | American Academy of Pediatrics
HHS, FDA Announce Operation Stork Speed to Expand Options for Safe, Reliable, and Nutritious Infant Formula for American Families | FDA

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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At the start of every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

Guest:

Seattle Times reporter David Kroman

Related stories:

'Not our America.' Washington state leaders condemn federal shootings in Minnesota - KUOW
Super Bowl 60 is set and it's a rematch from 11 years ago: Patriots vs. Seahawks - KUOW

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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You know what they say... where there's a weekend, there's a warmup.

And here with all the random stuff you can do this weekend is Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows!

LINKS:

Edible Books — Shorelake Arts
GameSymphonic with Eímear Noone | Seattle Symphony
Pacific NW Reptile & Exotic Animal Show
Jet City Roller Derby 20th Anniversary Season Game 1
5th Annual Viking Beard Competition
Anaheim Ducks at Seattle Kraken - Fri 1/23 - 7pm
New Jersey Devils at Seattle Kraken - Sun 1/25 - 12pm
Seattle Torrent vs Vancouver Goldeneyes - Sun 1/25 - 3pm IN DENVER
Seahawks NFC Championship Game - Seahawks vs LA Rams - Sun 1/25 - 3:30

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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When you visit the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma, you’ll see a red circular structure with a four-letter phrase written across the top: “This Is Native Land.”

It’s the name of the museum’s permanent exhibit that opened in October. The phrase is a reminder that you’ve probably seen many times...

But don’t be lulled into thinking you’ll know what to expect. It has been given a new lens.

We went to Tacoma a few months ago to talk with the curators behind "This Is Native Land" about how the exhibit came together... and how it challenges the typical ways that museums portray Indigenous people.

Guests:

Todd Clark, tribal liaison for the Washington State Historical Society and co-curator of “This Is Native Land.”
Danica Sterud Miller,associate professor of American Indian Studies at the University of Washington Tacoma and co-curator of "This Is Native Land."

Related links

This Is Native Land - Washington State Historical Society
Washington State History Museum opens new exhibit, 'This is Native Land' | Puyallup Tribe
‘This is Native Land' explores Washington state history through contemporary art | KNKX Public Radio

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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For over 30 years (since 1995) Ira Glass has been one of, if not THE voice of public radio.

His show, This American Life, has won Peabody awards, the first ever audio journalism Pulitzer. And it’s also shaped generations of listeners and audio makers. As an early adopter of podcasting (2006), the show was for many a first foray into digital listening. It spawned major hits like Serial, which led to a boom in documentary podcasting.

But the world of audio has changed a lot in recent years.

Ira Glass shares his thoughts with Soundside.

And he’s coming to the Mount Baker Theater in Bellingham this weekend (Saturday, January 24th) to share some of his secrets: the show is called “An Evening with Ira Glass: Seven Things I've Learned”

Guest:

Host and executive producer of This American Life, Ira Glass

Related Links:

Mount Baker Theatre Presents An Evening with Ira Glass: Seven Things I've Learned
Ira Glass Explains Why I’m Listening to Podcasts Wrong | SubwayTakes Uncut - Youtube
Ira Glass plays a nicer version of himself on the radio - NPR

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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There’s not a lot of places like Seattle Center...

Where else can you take in the opera, a professional hockey game, and an iconic tourist attraction (y’know, the pointy one with a disk on top,) plus a world-famous radio station, and Mission Impossible: Final Reckoning on a six story movie screen… all in the same place?

The 13 square block campus draws over 10 million visitors each year, but supporters argue that the city has been taking Seattle Center for granted.

The campus is scattered with aging buildings and creaky infrastructure… And it’s unclear where money to fix up the center will come from.

In short, Seattle Center is in the middle of a crossroads.

David Kroman reports for the Seattle Times. Along with Margo Vansynghel, he co-bylined a story about the issues facing Seattle Center and a proposed path forward.

GUEST: David Kroman

RELATED LINK: Seattle Center is fraying. Will the city pay to fix it?

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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At the start of every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

Guest:

KUOW reporter Casey Martin

Related stories:

ICE Arrest of a Citizen, Barely Dressed, Sows Fear in Twin Cities - NYT
Seattle police directive clarifies officers’ role as ICE rumors rise - Seattle Times
In act of ICE resistance, Seattleites make hundreds of ‘whistle kits’ - Seattle Times
Mayor Wilson Announces Executive Orders to Accelerate Shelter and Improve Transit - Office of the Mayor
A more clean and comfortable ride: Why Link is moving to vinyl seats - Sound Transit
Seahawks had ‘right intent’ with 49ers ticket resale notice that upset fans - Seattle Times

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Seismic activity at sporting events is nothing new to Seattle fans.

Many of us remember Marshawn Lynch’s 2011 BEAST-QUAKE. Seahawks fans revel in Lumen Field’s reputation for noise when opposing teams are on offense…

Even T-Mobile Park has experienced its fair share of shaking. Earlier this year when the Mariners made it to the playoffs, the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network was on site to measure the bone rattling when the M’s hit home runs.

And this past weekend, they were at the 49ers game with a live stream where fans could keep tabs on how much shaking was going on...

GUEST: Harold Tobin - Director of the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network and WA State Seismologist

RELATED LINKS:

PNSN 2026 Seahawks vs 49ers
PNSN - Seahawks on Instagram
Seahawks fans’ roar over 49ers rivaled ‘Beast Quake,’ scientists say

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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In recent years, Washington state has made two major policy changes to keep more birth families together.

Since then, fewer kids in Washington have been taken from their birth families, especially infants. But over the same time period, more babies and children from families who’ve been investigated by child welfare workers have died.

That’s why critics say those changes have made children less safe and should be reversed.

Read the full story: Washington made it harder for CPS to separate families. Critics say kids are less safe

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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How comfortable are you with AI in your news?

The Tacoma News Tribune, Tri-City Herald, Bellingham Herald, the Olympian. For over a century all of these local papers have brought in-depth reporting and local news to their communities.

But new policies instituted by publisher McClatchy Media have left reporters at the papers worried that the company is adopting artificial intelligence tools for efficiency’s sake, at the cost of accurate information.

Union members from the Idaho and Washington State Newsguild, a group of five McClatchy owned papers in the region (that includes the four from WA and The Idaho Statesman), are demanding that the publisher change its policy on how it uses artificial intelligence to produce and collate content.

Guests:

Kristine Sherred is the food reporter at the Tacoma News Tribune, and chair of the WA state newsguild

Links:

To our readers: How we are using AI in our newsrooms - Miami Herald
The McClatchy News Group Is Pushing AI. Their Union Is Pushing Back. - The Stranger

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Another week down, only... 50 left to go in 2026.

If you need a bit of distraction from your doom scrolling, we’ve got just the thing…

Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows is here with local events you can check out over the next few days, plus some really great stuff coming up to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr Day…

LINKS:

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS vs San Francisco 49ers - Saturday 5pm
Seattle Torrent vs Boston Fleet - Sun 7pm
Seattle Kraken vs Pittsburgh Penguins - Mon 2pm
Seattle Retro Fest
Monster Jam | Tacoma Dome
Fat Con
Kidstock! 2026 | Edmonds Center for the Arts
Follow the Yellow Brick Road: An Oz Film Festival
2026 Winterhop Brewfest

MLK Day Events:

Annual Community Celebration of MLK | Seattle Colleges - Fri 1/16
2026 MLK Day March & Celebration on January 17 - Parkways - Sat 1/17
26th Annual Expansions MLK Unity Party and Live Broadcast - Sun 1/18
MLK Celebration 2026 - Bainbridge Island Museum of Art - Sunday 1/18
Events | SCBHC - Everett, WA Sun 1/18 - Celebration + Mon 1/19 - March & Rally
MLK Day — Seattle MLK Jr Organizing Coalition - Mon 1/19
NAAM | Annual Martin Luther King Day Celebration 2026 - Mon 1/19

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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The state’s general fund budget is in trouble, as is its transportation budget. Inflation, higher than expected costs, lower than anticipated revenues, state services scheduled to expand. If you listen to KUOW, you’re probably aware of whythe state is facing budget shortfalls.

This next segment is about a bright spot in the state’s budget: the money generated from the cap and invest system. That’s part of the Climate Commitment Act which voters upheld in 2024.

Here’s how it works: The state sets a limited amount of emissions allowed each year by major companies that’s the cap.

Companies that emit more than they’re supposed to have to buy an allowance in a state-run auction. The latest auction generated $394 million dollars. The money is supposed to go towards climate investments like air quality monitors, electric vehicle chargers, and public transportation projects.

But Governor Ferguson recently proposed using more than half billion dollars of that money to fund another program: The Working Families Tax Credit. It’s a refund that gives money back to low-and-medium income state residents.

Meanwhile, Republicans, perhaps seeing an opening with the governor’s proposal, want to use the money to offset utility costs for schools.

Environmental groups are already pushing back against the Governor’s proposal.

The budget fight has come for this big pot of money and we’re going to hear two perspectives on this issue today.

Guests:

Todd Myers, Vice President of Research at Washington Policy Center

Reuven Carlyle, Founder of Earth Finance, former state senator, and architect of the Climate Commitment Act

Relevant Links:

Seattle Times: A budget ‘rat hole’? Political fight over WA climate money intensifies

Washington State Standard: WA governor calls for tapping reserve fund and climate law cash to fill budget hole

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Tensions across the country remain high one week after an ICE agent shot and killed Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis.

The shooting has sparked nationwide protests, including in the Seattle area. Accounts of what happened have split along political lines.

Since the shooting, the administration is doubling down on its immigration crackdown in the Twin Cities. The number of federal immigration enforcement agents deployed to Minnesota is expected to reach 3,000 in the coming days, the largest operation in U.S. history, according to DHS.

U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal joined us to share her thoughts on the events that unfolded this past week.

Guests:

Pramila Jayapal, U.S. Representative for Washington's 7th Congressional District.

Related links:

How 3,000 federal agents would compare to 10 largest Twin Cities police forces - The Minnesota Star Tribune
New poll reveals voter sentiments on fatal ICE shooting of Renee Good - USA TODAY
Trump officials defend federal agents after ICE shooting - The Hill
Kidnapped and Disappeared: Trump's Deadly Assault on Minnesota - Rep. Pramila Jayapal's Youtube page

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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This week, the U.S. Supreme Court is hearing arguments in two cases challenging state bans on trans athletes competing in girls' and women's sports.

Twenty-seven states have bans on trans girls and women competing in school sports consistent with their gender identity.

But Washington passed a law in 2007 that protects trans athletes' participation in school sports. It was the first state to do so.

For more than a decade, that law received very little attention. But in recent years, questions about fairness, the athletic advantages conferred by testosterone, and the sanctity of women’s sports have become fiery political issues.

And for the first time, a few trans athletes have won competitions, including Verónica Garcia, a runner from Spokane Valley. In May, she repeated as the state 2A high school girls champion in the 400 meters.

Last month, she was the subject of an extensive profile in the Washington Post that explored her life as she was finishing high school and competing in track and field for the last time

Reporter Casey Parks followed Verónica for a year.

We spoke to them both for almost two hours. This episode is the condensed version of that conversation.

Guests

Verónica García, college student and runner

Casey Parks, reporter, The Washington Post

Related Links

For young transgender runner, racing wasn’t the hardest thing - The Washington Post (Casey's piece)

Heywood you sign this? Let's Go WA is working on two new initiatives - Soundside, KUOW

WA Democrats won’t hold hearings on parental rights, trans athlete initiatives - Washington State Standard

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Doctors have long recommended regular cervical cancer screenings. Traditionally doctors perform these exams using a speculum, which often say is uncomfortable and, for many, quite painful.

Some recent developments could make a large number of these screenings easier.

In early January, the Health Resources and Services Administration, which is part of the Department of Health and Human Services, updated its guidelines to say that self-administered tests are an acceptable way to screen for human papillomavirus. HPV is a sexually-transmitted disease that causes the majority of cervical cancer cases.

OB-GYNs are hopeful that at-home testing will make cervical cancer screenings easier to access…. and significantly more comfortable.

Guests:

Dr. Linda Eckert, professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Washington School of Medicine

Related links:

New Guidelines Endorse Self-Swab Alternative to Pap Smear for Cervical Cancer Testing - The New York Times
Cervical Cancer Risk Factors | Cervical Cancer | CDC
The FDA has approved an at-home HPV test. What you need to know : NPR

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Every Monday on Soundside we catch you up on the top stories that are fascinating right now – and what they say about the Pacific Northwest.

GUEST: Paige Browning - KUOW News Anchor & Podcast Host

RELATED LINKS:

After Minneapolis killing, protests in Seattle, U.S. demand: ‘ICE out’
Valdez introduces bill to ban face-concealing masks by law enforcement in response to masked ICE raids
Gov Bob Ferguson’s 6 Request Bills
WA Democrats won’t hold hearings on parental rights, trans athlete initiatives
Here’s What to Know About the Protests in Iran
Iran Edges Closer to a Revolution That Would Reshape the World
NFL playoffs: Seahawks will host 49ers in NFC divisional round
Seahawks continue crackdown on resale of season tickets

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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From new transportation fees to requirements for closed captions in movie theaters, you might have already noticed the effects of several new laws and taxes with a January 1 start date.

And we’re about to begin a new legislative session on Monday, January 12th.

In Olympia, lawmakers are facing a yawning budget shortfall and uncertain funding from the federal government.

We review the new laws we need to follow and preview the upcoming session.

GUESTS

Jake Goldstein-Street, reporting, Washington State Standard

RELATED LINKS

Gerrymander Washington state? Democrats want to talk about it - KUOW
These new laws and taxes take effect in Washington state on Jan. 1 - Washington State Standard

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We’ve reached the end of our first full week of 2026, and it’s time to get out there & do something FUN.

LINKS:

2025 Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour - Northwest Film Forum
David Horsey | Elliott Bay Book Company
OrcaCon Tabletop Games Convention
Seattle Travel and Adventure Show
Great Train Show 2026 - Ridgefield, WA
Seattle Bach Festival
Jules Maes Saloon - Prohibition Party
Seattle Torrent vs Minnesota Frost
- Official Watch Party at Rough & Tumble Ballard

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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A lot has changed in Seattle in the last 7 days.

The city has a new mayor, a new city attorney, two new council members, and, as of Tuesday afternoon, a new city council president.

District 3 representative Joy Hollingsworth won unanimous support yesterday from her colleagues to lead the council over the next two years.

The stakes of leading the city are always high, but this looks to be an especially packed year: there’s the ongoing project of finishing the city’s growth plan, another budget deficit to contend with…. and the World Cup (and its hordes of fans) landing here in June. Not to mention the potential for federal policy changes that could impact city government.

So - how will the city council navigate 2026 and beyond?

GUEST:

Seattle City Council President Joy Hollingsworth

RELATED LINKS:

Councilmember Hollingsworth calls for action after violence on Capitol Hill - Seattle City Council Blog
Seattle OKs New Growth Plan, but Biggest Zoning Battles Lie Ahead - The Urbanist
Katie Wilson is officially Seattle's mayor. Her agenda: affordability, housing, and workers' rights - KUOW

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Less than a week after the U.S. captured Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, the Coast Guard seized two oil tankers accused of violating U.S. sanctions. One of the vessels, seized in the North Atlantic, was registered in Russia.

The Trump Administration is leaning on Venezuela to open up its oil industry to U.S. companies and oust the influence of Russia and China. President Trump said Tuesday that Venezuela will turn over 30 to 50 million barrels of oil to the U.S.

As this new era of interventionism unfolds, Greenland also appears to have returned to the top of the White House’s agenda.

We talked to Rep. Adam Smith, the Democratic ranking member on the House Armed Services Committee, about all of that and more.

NOTE: News is developing quickly, and we spoke to Rep. Smith just after 10am PT. Head to npr.org or KUOW for the latest updates.

GUEST:

Rep. Adam Smith, Democrat, Washington's 9th district

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It has been three days since the United States captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in an audacious military raid.

It was a sudden and intense escalation of an ongoing campaign by the United States to oust Maduro.

Maduro, and his wife Cilia Flores, appeared in a Manhattan court yesterday in an arraignment hearing over drug trafficking and weapons charges. Those charges were central to the government’s rationale for capturing Maduro.

But since Maduro’s capture, the Trump administration has focused on the Venezuelan oil industry and threatened other countries in Latin America like Cuba, Columbia and Mexico.

GUESTS:

Jenaro Abraham, Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at Gonzaga University
Marines Scaramazza, reporter and manager of Latino Herald, based in Lynnwood

RELATED LINKS:

NPR: 7 takeaways from Trump's incursion into Venezuela

Seattle Times: After Maduro’s capture, Venezuelans in WA ask: ‘Should we be happy?’

Al Jazeera: Trump’s bid to commandeer Venezuela’s oil sector faces hurdles, experts say

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Being a movie buff in Seattle feels a little… unsettled right now.

That’s because there’s been a lot of changes at SIFF, the Seattle International Film Festival, which has been the vanguard when it comes to all things movies.

The organization announced Monday, it was undergoing an organizational restructuring, including some layoffs.

This follows a somewhat tumultuous year for SIFF. For more, we're joined by...

GUESTS:

Chase Hutchinson, critic and freelance reporter, who often covers SIFF for the Seattle Times

RELATED LINK:

SIFF announces more layoffs, organizational restructuring | The Seattle Times

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There are plenty of headwinds affecting affordable housing construction and maintenance right now. Building costs are going up, and federal funding is uncertain. Affordable housing providers in Seattle and beyond have struggled as COVID-era rent subsidies disappeared.

Colleen Echohawk has been thinking about these issues a lot. She is the new CEO of Community Roots Housing, a Public Development Authority that manages over 2,300 affordable housing units in Seattle. They’re set to open more units in 2026, so we spoke to her about her plans for the organization.

Echohawk is also a member of the transition team for Mayor Katie Wilson, co-chairing the a group working on affordable housing and community needs.

Guest

Colleen Echohawk, CEO, Community Roots Housing

Related Links

Seattle’s affordable housing industry is in crisis. The city faces tough choices - The Seattle Times (June 2025)

Seattle doubles bailout for ailing affordable housing sector - The Seattle Times (December 4th, 2025)
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Every Monday on Soundside we catch you up on the top stories that are fascinating right now – and what they say about the Pacific Northwest.

Guest:

Geekwire contributing editor, journalist, and owner of the Streamline Tavern - Mike Lewis

Related stories:

Maduro and wife plead not guilty to narco-terrorism charges - NPR
Trump wants U.S. oil companies in Venezuela. Here's what to know - KUOW
Katie Wilson is officially Seattle's mayor. Her agenda: affordability, housing, and workers' rights - KUOW
Seattle-area Somalis seek officials’ help with daycare doxxing, immigration crackdown - KUOW

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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It’s New Year’s Eve. At midnight, many of us will be raising glasses, kissing loved ones, and trying to remember the words to “Auld Lang Syne.”

That song, if you don’t recall, begins with a question: “Should old acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?”

We here at Soundside say, NO! We will remember.

This year, we brought on a couple new producers, and they have been fantastic additions to our team! I am super excited to see how they help us grow.

But we will never forget those who helped us get here. So, today, we’re playing back some of the great work by former Soundside producers.

RELATED LINKS:

'Thousands of stiches, all by hand': a look at Puget Sound's artisan sailmakers
Remembering Soul Radio-o-o-o-o-o-o 1250 KYAC - Seattle
How the Olympic marmot became Washington's fuzziest state symbol

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This week, we’re revisiting some of our favorite segments of the year.

And today, we're talking about transit. And translators.

A now-former King County Metro Bus driver tells us what passengers should know when they ride the bus. But more importantly, we got some insight into why the 8 in downtown Seattle is so often called the late bus.

Plus, we sat down with a Seattle-based translator to discuss her National Book Award-nominated work translating the novel We Computers into English.

She said that translating the poetry and the prose in this book was like running a triathlon.

We're taking a trip with two local women who helped us get from point A to point B in 2025.

Guests

Desiree Andersen, former King County Metro bus driver, @desinthepark
Shelley Fairweather-Vega, Seattle-based translator of Hamid Ismailov's

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It’s the holidays and, to round out 2025, the Soundside team is sharing some of our favorite conversations we had on the show this year.

For this episode, we devoted the entire hour to a conversation we originally aired last month on Bruce Lee.

This year, author Jeff Chang published an in-depth biography on Lee’s life. It's called “Water Mirror Echo: Bruce Lee and the Making of Asian America." In it, Chang shows how the rise of Bruce Lee mirrored the rise of Asian American identity.

In this interview, we talked about Lee’s life in Seattle; his rise in Hollywood; and how his short life left an imprint on Asian Americans that can be felt to this day.

RELATED LINK:

"Water Mirror Echo" explores the life, and legacy, of Bruce Lee
Book Review: ‘Water Mirror Echo,’ by Jeff Chang - The New York Times

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Christmas Eve begins our holiday break here on Soundside. We’re taking some time off to enjoy the holidays with our friends and family… or to just eat lots of good food while staying indoors.

But we’ve still got plenty of jam packed shows ready for you.

Today - we’re focusing on local businesses here in the Pacific Northwest.

RELATED LINKS:

A tech startup helping the visually impaired "watch" sports with their fingertips
Will people always love Costco?
At 75, Cougar Gold canned cheese is still a Washington state favorite
The lights go down... for now... on the Grand Illusion Cinema

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A lot has changed during Sara Nelson’s time in Seattle government.

She was a centrist outlier on a progressive city council when she was first elected in 2021. But the dynamics changed: Nelson became the center of power, and ended up running the show as council president, after a moderate slate of candidates swept the 2023 election.

She helped oversee pandemic-era recovery, worked with two different mayoral administrations and two very different presidential administrations during her time on the council.

Now - her time in office is coming to an end.

Next month, there will be a new, more progressive representative in the citywide Position 9 seat that Nelson’s held the past four years. Nonprofit leader Dionne Foster will take Nelson’s place after winning by a wide margin of votes in November.

Between passing a police contract, approving phase one of the city’s Comprehensive Plan, and putting forward a bill to change how consultants work with the city – Nelson has been busy during her last month in office.

And last week she spent an hour with Soundside to reflect on her tenure and the direction Seattle politics is moving.

GUESTS:

Sara Nelson, outgoing position 9 Seattle City Councilmember and City Council President

RELATED LINKS:

Seattle passes new transparency law aimed at political consultants - Seattle Times
New Seattle Police contract includes pay boost, increased use of unarmed crisis responders - KUOW

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Every Monday on Soundside we catch you up on the top stories that are fascinating right now – and what they say about the Pacific Northwest.

GUEST: Former KIRO-FM host Dave Ross

TODAY'S TOPICS:

Flooding
- Seattle Times: A damaged King County levee awaited fixes for years. Then it failed.
- NBC News: Federal grants for flood mitigation work sat on hold as storms inundated Washington state
Affordability
- NYTimes: How Democrats Used One Word to Turn the Tide Against Trump
- NYTimes: These Young Adults Make Good Money. But Life, They Say, Is Unaffordable.
Dave Ross parody songs

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The holidays: a time to gather with friends and family, to enjoy one another’s company as we light candles or sit by a tree and contemplate the year’s passing.

It’s also a time to argue with said friends and family about some really dumb stuff.

Is Die Hard a holiday movie? Should Mariah Carey officially be crowned “Queen of Christmas?” Has there ever been a good Hanukkah song?

You’ll be debating hard hitting questions like this. And on Soundside, we’re here to help you win the argument.

It’s our gift to you.

Today – We’re pitting three movies, songs, and local events against each other to determine a winner, in a totally original game we’re calling “Kiss Merry Kill.”

And of course that’s merry like Santa is - with an E.

HOLIDAY FARE DISCUSSED:

Movies

Deck the Halls (2006)
The Happiest Season (2020)
A Diva’s Christmas Carol (2000)

Music

The Christmas Shoes by NewSong
Mistletoe by Justin Bieber
Puppy for Hanukkah by Daveed Diggs

Events

The Bait Shop holiday light show
SantaCon
The Seattle Christmas Market
Sitting on Santa's lap at the Bellevue Square Mall

GUESTS:

Betty Wetter is a Seattle drag queen, and host of monthly drag variety show Tush! at the Clock-out Lounge
Juno Men is a comedian, and co-host of the Moth Storytelling Slam here in Seattle

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Seattle may have to say goodbye to a longstanding vintage shop in the new year.

Red Light Vintage & Costume sits in the heart of the University District. It has been a fixture in Seattle’s fashion scene since it opened in the mid 90s.

Now the shop could close because owner Niz Marar is retiring.

He’s hoping to sell the business before his lease expires at the end of January. If he can’t find a buyer, fashion lovers will have to let go of this cherished spot.

We talk to Marar about his final few weeks at Red Light... and hear from the person who's trying to keep it alive by buying the shop before the lease ends.

GUESTS:

Niz Marar, owner of Red Light Vintage & Costume
Tacee Webb, co-founder of Red Light Vintage & Costume

RELATED LINKS:

Red Light Vintage – vintage & costume
Red Light Revival: New classes, events, & memberships! — Kickstarter

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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There are only a few weeks left in 2025. That means for those of you who resolved, at the beginning of the year, to do more reading — it's crunch time.

Did you actually put down your phone long enough to get through a book this year? It's not too late.

Many great books came out this year. If you need suggestions for something to read or to give to someone who really ought to be reading more, we've got you covered.

GUESTS:

Misha Stone, reader services librarian, Seattle Public Library
Spencer Ruchti, author events manager, Third Place Books

RELATED LINKS:

Our list of books we loved! Yes, it's a Google Doc.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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The end of the year is just around the corner, and with the next two Thursdays each being holidays, this is the final Weekend Warmup of the Year!

LINKS:

TNF! Seahawks vs Rams
- Thurs 12/18
The 29th Annual Model Train Festival - Washington State Historical Society
- Opens Fri 12/19 - runs through Jan 1, 2026
2025 Winter Beer Fest – WA Brewers Guild
- Fri/Sat - 12/19-20
Hell’s Belles at the Croc
- Sat 12/20
United Indians Native Art Market » United Indians of All Tribes Foundation - Daybreak Star
- Sat/Sun - 12/20-21
Seattle Torrent vs Boston Fleet
- Sun 12/21 - 2pm

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Skagit County has been hit by multiple waves of catastrophic flooding over the past week.

Amid the devastation, there is a bright spot: A floodwall in Mount Vernon successfully held off the Skagit River as it rose to a record 37.7 feet. That floodwall only exists because it sits in an area determined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be at highest risk of flooding.

Many residents of Skagit county might be unaware of the current flooding risk to their homes or businesses – because, according to The Seattle Times, Skagit County’s flood maps haven’t been updated in 40 years.

We'll hear from Lulu Ramadan, who reported on these flood maps, before turning to Kristiana de Leon, who had to evacuate malamutes amid flooding along the Puyallup River last week.

GUESTS:

Lulu Ramadan, an investigative reporter at The Seattle Times
Kristiana de Leon of the Washington Alaskan Malamute Adoption League

RELATED LINKS:

Skagit County flood maps showing high-risk areas are 40 years old | The Seattle Times
Washington Alaskan Malamute Adoption League – We pull for them

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Approximately 10,000 people are still under evacuation notice after multiple levee failures across Western Washington.

In King County: flood controls have breached in the last 48 hours. As of this morning, residents in the city of Pacific, east of Tacoma, are under a "go now" evacuation order after a flood control breach on the nearby White River. A levee was breached yesterday in Tukwila and Kent, the evacuation order for the area is no longer in effect.

Guests:

Casey Martin, KUOW reporter

Josh Baldi, water and land resources division director for King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks

Relevant Links:

KUOW live updates

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The Department of Homeland Security may be shifting its approach to deportation flights by ICE.

According to reporting by the Washington Post, DHS recently signed a contract to purchase six Boeing 737 planes.

Currently, ICE primarily uses charter planes for deportations. This purchase suggests the agency has plans to expand its capacity to deport people using its own fleet.

What implications does this have for immigration enforcement and the way detainees are moved in and out of the United States?

GUEST:

McKenzie Funk - Reporter at ProPublica covering immigration, privacy and climate change

RELATED LINKS:

DHS inks contract to create its own fleet of 737 jets for deportations
Inside ICE Air: Flight Attendants on Deportation Planes Say Disaster Is “Only a Matter of Time”
At Seattle’s Boeing Field, Real-Time Video Offers a Rare Glimpse of America’s Troubled Deportation Flights
Avelo Airlines, a New ICE Air Contractor, Faces Backlash in Connecticut

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Every Monday on Soundside we catch you up on the top stories that are fascinating right now – and what they say about the Pacific Northwest.

GUEST: KUOW Politics Editor Cat Smith

TODAY'S TOPICS:

Flooding
- Live updates: Western Washington braces for more rain and flooding this week - KUOW
Canlis
- A market of extremes: How 2026 will impact restaurant winners and losers - Restaurant Dive
Grandpa Rivers & the Indianapolis Colts
- Philip Rivers hadn't played an NFL game in 5 years. The grandfather nearly upset a Super Bowl contender. - NBC

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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It’s been a busy year for the Seattle Police Department.

A new chief was sworn in, the longstanding federal consent decree ended and the city reached a new contract with the Seattle Police Officers Guild that changes how it can approach unarmed crisis response.

Plus, a new mayor will take office in January.

Mayor-elect Katie Wilson announced this week that she planned to retain Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes, despite some rumors to the contrary.

Soundside's Libby Denkmann talked with Barnes on the morning of Thursday, December 11th, about the incoming administration, the recent policing shooting in Othello, and more.

Note: Starting at 7:45 in the interview, Barnes cites several statistics about a drop in crime. We asked SPD for more information about the decreased crime percentages, and they said Barnes is referencing the first 11 months of 2025 compared to 2024. But in reference to homicides, the information SPD gave us cites 2019 as the last comparable year, and the reduction is actually 36 percent, instead of 35 percent, as Barnes states.

Guest
Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes

Related Links

Seattle City Council approves new police contract, boosting pay and expanding crisis response -KUOW

Seattle police video shows officers fatally shooting allegedly armed man - The Seattle Times

Seattle City Council Approves Police Contract as South End Mourns Killing in Othello - South Seattle Emerald Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Catastrophic flooding continues to threaten Washington.

Around 100,000 people in Western Washington have been advised to evacuate.

Hundreds of Washington National Guard members have been tapped to help with response efforts.

And Gov. Ferguson declared a statewide emergency in response to the flooding.

We talked to three KUOW reporters about what they're seeing on the ground and what we need to know about this weather event.

CORRECTION: As of 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 11, approximately 100,000 people were advised to evacuate across Western Washington. An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Skagit County issued immediate evacuation orders to 100,000 residents.

GUESTS:

KUOW Reporter Joshua McNichols
KUOW Reporter John Ryan
KUOW Reporter Casey Martin

RELATED LINKS:

KUOW - Live updates: 100,000 evacuated in historic Skagit Valley flood in Washington state
KUOW - Western Washington faces 'catastrophic' flooding as two atmospheric rivers dump heavy rain
Live: Flooding in WA’s Skagit, Snohomish rivers prompt road closures, evacuations | The Seattle Times
Skagit River creeps toward Mount Vernon flood wall | The Seattle Times

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Hey Soundside Listeners!

Because our entire show was focused on flood coverage with the Governor's press conference, and live conversations with KUOW reporters Joshua McNichols, John Ryan, and Casey Martin, we decided to skip the Weekend Warmup on the air this week, and drop it here on the podcast feed instead.

Stay safe, check KUOW.org for updates, and look in on your neighbors.

With that said, please enjoy this podcast exclusive Weekend Warmup!

LINKS:

SPORTS!
- Seahawks vs Indianapolis Colts - Sun 1:25pm
- Buffalo Sabres at Seattle Kraken - Sun 5pm
- Seattle Torrent vs Ottawa Charge - Wed 7pm
WildLanterns: Night Owls (21+) - Fri 12/12
Mozart & Mutts: Annual Holiday Concert - Fri 12/12
Jurassic Quest | Washington State Fairgrounds
The Naughty Novel Social Club: Krampus Edition
DEAF SANTA CLAUS - Sun 12/14

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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At 38 years old, Girmay Zahilay is King County’s youngest-ever executive.

He’s coming in after the long tenure of his predecessor Dow Constantine, who ran the county for nearly 16 years. Zahilay was sworn in early to replace the temporary acting executive who’s been in charge since Constantine stepped down in March.

He says he’s ready to “completely change” the office. The King County Executive oversees all kinds of important services like the sheriff’s department, public health, transportation, public housing, and jails.

So what will that change look like? And what could it mean for King County?

GUESTS:

King County Executive, Girmay Zahilay

RELATED LINKS:

Sworn in early, Exec Zahilay is ready to shake up King County - KUOW

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On Wednesday morning, we spoke with the mayor of Auburn and the city manager in Carnation about flooding in their cities and what they expect to happen next.

GUESTS:

Nancy Backus, mayor of Auburn, WA
Rhonda Ender, city manager, Carnation, WA

RELATED LINKS:

‘Catastrophic’ flooding expected in King, Snohomish, Skagit counties -The Seattle Times
Western Washington faces 'catastrophic' flooding as two atmospheric rivers dump heavy rain - KUOW

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Washington, like the entire country, has been hit hard by fentanyl.

So far this year, King County has recorded more than 650 overdose deaths involving the synthetic opioid, which can be 50 times stronger than heroin.

But the crisis is still overwhelming many communities.

GUESTS:

Dr. Colin Haile, a research associate professor at the University of Houston and he’s also one of the co-founders of ARMR Sciences.

RELATED LINKS:

A Fentanyl Vaccine Is About to Get Its First Major Test | WIRED
Scientists Create a Vaccine Against Fentanyl

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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For weeks, King County homelessness service providers have been staring down a majorly disruptive change to how they currently operate.

The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development said in November that it intended to redirect billions of dollars in grants that house homeless people. This was in line with President Trump’s rejection of “housing first,” the practice that aims to get people stabilized in long-term housing before addressing mental health issues or addiction. It's guided policy in this region and across the United States for decades.

The Trump Administration’s announcement put $65 million in federal grant money for King County in doubt.

And it left local leaders scrambling. The county called providers together last week to discuss the change. Washington state and roughly 20 states sued, and later, so did King County and local homeless service providers.

But yesterday, 90 minutes before a court hearing, HUD withdrew the new requirements around grants.

Sounds like a rollercoaster, right? Providers in the area are breathing a sigh of relief. Though, the last-minute shift signifies the complicated task of planning homelessness response, one that relies on federal dollars, when massive changes are taking place in Washington, D.C.

GUEST:

Kelly Kinnison, CEO of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority

RELATED LINKS

KCRHA: Changes to Federal Funding will Increase Unsheltered Homelessness in King County
Seattle Times: King County has 3 plans for Trump’s homelessness funding changes

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A disturbing image shared by Senator Patty Murray has been reverberating across the internet.

It shows a man’s torso, his right side covered in wounds - lacerations, scratch marks, bite marks - after he was mauled by an immigration agent’s canine. Blood splatters the sheets below him.

The man, Wilmer Toledo-Martinez of Vancouver, Washington, was detained outside his home last month by federal agents.

Senator Murray and Wilmer’s family are calling for his release – and calling out the violent treatment he received at the hands of immigration officers.

GUEST

Olia Catala is Wilmer Toledo-Martinez’s attorney, and the owner of Catala Immigration PLLC

RELATED LINKS

Senator: ICE dog attack on WA man ‘should shock the conscience’ - Seattle Times
Vancouver man speaks for first time since viral video of ICE arrest - OPB

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We could tell this next story with numbers. There is a lot of data.

But at its core: This is a story about Native American kids.

And how year after year, law enforcement and lawmakers in Olympia allow these children to be arrested and jailed at far higher rates than their white peers.

Those experiences as children have lasting consequences well into adulthood.

State officials and lawmakers know there’s a problem. But advocates say they haven’t done enough to stop it.

GUEST

Melanie Henshaw - Indigenous affairs reporter, InvestigateWest

RELATED LINKS

Native American children significantly more likely to be arrested, detained in Washington
Native American kids less likely than others in WA to be offered second chance in juvenile court, data shows
Most children charged as adults in Washington are youth of color

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It’s June 26th, 2020, and a group of protesters stands in the midst of the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest. They’re talking to another group of people, including a city employee, about city sanitation workers getting access to the area.

Towards the front of the group stands a 16 year old boy, wearing a grey baseball cap, a hoodie, and a surgical mask. He taps a protest organizer’s shoulder, so they’ll know he wants to speak.

What you’re hearing is some of the last known footage of Antonio Mays Jr before he was shot and killed, just days later, in the CHOP zone.

That death contributed to the end of the Occupied Protest in 2020.

The video - was livestreamed by Omari Salisbury of Converge Media, and remained on Youtube all these years. The fact that it shows Antonio was only recently rediscovered, shortly before a civil trial that could shed more light on Antonio’s death .

That civil trial, stemming from a lawsuit the teen’s father filed against the City of Seattle, is set to begin this week.

Guests:

Omari Salisbury, founder of Converge Media

Will James, KUOW reporter and producer

Relevant Links:

Converge Media: Reflections on the Rediscovered Dignity of Antonio Mays Jr.

Converge Media: The Tape: Rediscovering Humanity in the Shadow of CHOP

KUOW: Victim of unsolved Seattle CHOP killing featured in newly unearthed video

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Every Monday on Soundside we catch you up on the top stories that are fascinating right now – and what they say about the Pacific Northwest.

GUEST: Seattle Times city hall reporter David Kroman

TODAY'S TOPICS:

ICE K-9 Attack
- Senator: ICE dog attack on WA man ‘should shock the conscience’ - Seattle Times
Energy troubles loom large
- As WA’s coal ban looms, Montana wind fills only some of the energy gap - Seattle Times
Frank Gehry Dies
- Frank Gehry, Titan of Architecture, Is Dead at 96 - NYT
FIFA World Cup schedule announced
- 2026 FIFA World Cup schedule: Seattle matches’ times, matchups unveiled - Seattle Times

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GLP-1 drugs that are commonly used to treat diabetes and obesity, like Ozempic and Wegovy – are in big demand.

And they’re going to be more affordable.

The Trump administration recently negotiated deals to lower the prices of these drugs. It seems like some details still need to be ironed out…. but from the looks of it, many Americans who use Medicare will be able to access GLP-1s at a fraction of their original cost. According to one of the deals, some Medicare patients will be able to get GLP-1s for a $50 copay.

So it’s safe to assume as costs come down, these drugs are only going to get even more popular….

And we want to know more about them. In this latest “ask a doctor” segment, we’re asking two physicians to answer all of our burning questions.

GUESTS:

Dr. Scott Hagan, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine, who studies obesity.
Dr. Mara Gordon, a family physician based in Philadelphia. She also writes about the culture of medicine and authors the “Real Talk With a Doc” column for NPR.

RELATED LINKS:

Medicare negotiated lower prices for 15 drugs, including 71% off Ozempic and Wegovy : Shots - Health News : NPR
Ozempic is making me rethink how to be a body-positive doctor : Shots - Health News : NPR

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It’s already the first weekend of December, and I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for some holiday cheer to lighten up these cold, rainy days.

Thankfully, like Santa soaring past with his reindeer, here with all the stuff that’s worth doing this weekend is Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows!!

LINKS:

Year in Review 2025 | Town Hall Seattle
WTO/99 - Northwest Film Forum
21st Annual Urban Craft Uprising Winter Show
Figgy Pudding Caroling Competition | PMSC-FB
KRAMPUS BREMERTON
Seattle SantaCon
Scintillating sci-fi striptease
Kraken vs Detroit - Sat 12/6
Kraken vs Minnesota - Mon 12/8

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Shortly after the shooting of two national guard troops in Washington, D.C., the Trump Administration said it was pausing asylum decisions and halting visas for Afghan immigrants.

The alleged shooter is Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a Bellingham resident who came to the U.S. from Afghanistan in 2021.

The motive for the attack is unknown. One victim – 20 year old Sarah Beckstrom – was killed in Wednesday’s shooting.

The attack has prompted the Trump administration to supercharge restrictions on migrants from 19 countries, primarily ones in Africa and the Middle East. And it has left many others in this country fearful about their future as the federal government turns new scrutiny on green cards and asylee statuses that have already been granted.

We’re trying to get a sense of how policy actions may impact immigrant communities, so we’re speaking with Luis Cortes Romero. He is an immigration lawyer and managing partner at Novo Legal Group.

A note:

After our taping, on Tuesday evening, the Department of Homeland Security announced a pause for all immigration applications for people from 19 countries deemed "high risk."

Those are the same 19 countries Luis and I discussed that were under some previous restrictions: mainly African and Middle Eastern nations, including Sudan, Somalia and Iran -- also Venezuela, Haiti, and more.

DHS says this requires "all aliens meeting the criteria undergo a thorough re-review process."

GUESTS:

Luis Cortes Romero is an immigration lawyer and managing partner at Novo Legal Group.

RELATED LINKS:

Shooting of National Guard members prompts flurry of U.S. immigration restrictions - PBS
Trump pauses immigration applications for 19 nations on travel ban list - Washington Post

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Have you ever wanted a pet raccoon?

Well, here’s a possible sign that dream is slowly approaching: a new study published in the journal Frontiers in Zoology suggests raccoons are getting closer to domestication.

The study is not definitive yet, and more research is required. But it all has to do with researchers observing a shorter snout on the animals we affectionately refer to as trash pandas.

GUEST

Marina Wang, freelance journalist

RELATED LINKS

Raccoons Are Showing Early Signs of Domestication - Scientific American

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Seattle’s brand new Professional Women’s Hockey team, the newly christened Seattle Torrent, faces off against the New York Sirens tonight at Climate Pledge Arena…

Tonight’s game is the third ever for the team, and their growing fan base has both high hopes and big expectations as the season gets started.

Soundside Producer Jason Burrows sat down with Libby Denkmann ahead of tonight's game to talk about how things are going!

RELATED LINKS:

Seattle Torrent lose PWHL debut to Vancouver Goldeneyes in overtime
Seattle Torrent drop PWHL home opener to Minnesota before record crowd
Seattle Torrent vs Minnesota Frost
Inaugural Home Opener Post Game Press
365 HOCKEY GIRL | PWHL (@365_hockeygirl) • Instagram

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Twenty-six years ago, this week over 40,000 people came to Seattle to protest at the World Trade Organization's ministerial conference.

Labor organizers, farmers, and environmental groups planned and executed peaceful action against what many saw as anti-democratic elements of the WTO, and the profound risks from the unfettered expansion of global trade.

At events from Memorial Stadium to the waterfront and marches in downtown Seattle, advocates for the global south joined arms with American steelworkers, decrying the outsourcing of jobs.

Ultimately, the “Battle of Seattle” pushed trade policy to the front page.

But for many, the enduring memories from that week in Seattle are the clouds of tear gas deployed by police and broken windows at downtown businesses.

A new documentary called WTO/99 tries to capture the events on the ground as they happened. It’s composed entirely of archival footage. And it highlights the way narratives around power and protest are shaped by media images.

GUEST: Ian Bell, director, WTO/99

RELATED LINKS:

Soundside's conversation with DW Gibson, author of "One Week to Change the World," about the WTO protests
Where to watch WTO/99

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Some rare bipartisanship is emerging in congress: it focuses on questions about the legality of a September 2nd U.S. strike on a boat in the Caribbean. 11 people were killed, including two men who initially survived the first strike, but were killed by a follow-up attack. This operation was the start of a campaign of strikes the Trump Administration says it is waging to protect Americans from drugs smuggled by narco-terrorists.

GUEST: Representative Adam Smith (WA-09), ranking member on the House Armed Services Committee

RELATED LINKS:

NPR: Congress steps in as questions mount over who authorized a second strike at sea
NPR: As strikes on alleged drug boats grow, so do questions about their legality and goal

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We have a new thing we’re trying out on Mondays on Soundside. We're calling it Front Page.

GUEST: KUOW politics reporter Scott Greenstone.

TODAY'S TOPICS:

National Guard Shooting in Washington D.C.
- Noem says National Guard shooting suspect was 'radicalized' in the U.S.
Seattle Traffic
- Why Seattle traffic got worse in 2024
- Light rail’s push to Federal Way gives students, workers front-door access
Pigeons
- Why Sound Transit is waging a ceaseless battle against birds

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Dr. Robert Jones is the new president of our region’s largest educational and research hub. He took the helm at the University of Washington in August, and when we sat down recently, he shared a bit about his background and path to Seattle.

Jones says his parents were sharecroppers farming peanuts and cotton in southwest Georgia.

“Where most people would tell you the last thing you should have anything to do with if you grew up as a son of sharecroppers. I was innately curious about science, and particularly became very curious about plants”

It’s ultimately what set him on his academic path: Crop physiology.

“And in my case, it was corn, and the whole goal was to understand the impact of environment on physiological processes that would be disrupted and cause a reduction in the yield of a major agricultural crops under a global climate change scenario.

This was before the term global climate change was coined, and so that's what I spent 34 and a half years trying to understand, how do we make corn more tolerant to heat and drought stress?

And that basic physiological research has led to what is now most of the major agricultural crops being able to withstand temperatures and drought longer than they ever had before in the modern history of production agriculture.”

Jones spent more than three decades teaching and doing research at the University of Minnesota. He later led the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where the enrollment grew by 25% and they launched a new medical school during his tenure.

The University of Washington has a similar enrollment size to Illinois – more than 60-thousand students and 30-thousand faculty and staff.

So Soundside wanted to hear from the new university president… Roughly 100 days into his tenure, what’s his read on the biggest challenges and opportunities facing the school?

We should note we are a self-sustaining service of the University of Washington, with editorial independence.

GUEST: University of Washington President, Dr. Robert Jones

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On the show today, we’re getting you ready for Thanksgiving leftovers with a little leftovers of our own. We’re pulling some of our favorite segments from Soundside past out of the fridge, and warming ‘em up for you.

Up first: edible plants are all around us in the Pacific Northwest. We'll hear how one local author became obsessed with helping people identify tasty greens and stay safe foraging for mushrooms and leafy goodies.

Also on the show: for over 60 years the quiz game show Jeopardy has been a beloved part of people’s lives. Washington native Ken Jennings says, growing up, the show sparked his love of trivia. It’s a passion that led him to a 74 game winning streak in 2004, and eventually a job behind the podium as host.

Meanwhile he’s translated his trivia expertise into his own game - called Kennections. It’s a weekly puzzle he writes for Mental Floss.

GUESTS:

Natalie Hammerquist, herbalist, expert forager, and author of Edible Plants of the Pacific Northwest and Medicinal Plants of the Pacific Northwest
Ken Jennings, host of Jeopardy and author of The Complete Kennections: 5,000 questions in 1,000 puzzles

RELATED LINKS:

The many joys (and a few potential dangers) of foraging in the PNW
Soundside "kennects" with Ken Jennings

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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This week we’re going back into the archives to dig up some of our favorite Soundside segments.

And with Thanksgiving just days away, this episode is all about food and drink!

We'll revisit conversations we had this year on the trend of people drinking less alcohol these days....

.... The sweet apple variety that has left a bitter taste in some farmers’ mouths (spoiler: it's the honeycrisp)....

...And the shortage of matcha, which has blown up on social media and dominated coffee shop menus lately.

GUESTS:

Emily Ritchie, executive director of the Northwest Cider Association.
Malcolm Purinton, assistant teaching professor of history at Northeastern University.
Bill Clark runs the Diamondback Acres farm with his wife, Angell, in Chelan.
Jeannie Liu, owner of Miro Tea.
Bettina Makalintal, senior reporter at Eater.

RELATED LINKS:

Liquor before beer, best to steer clear? Why people are drinking less these days
Honeycrisp apples are the worst (just kidding, but they are tough to grow)
A lot of people love matcha... And that's causing some problems

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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This week, we’re re-airing some of our favorite stories from the past year.

First up on today's show: The Seattle Torrent played their very first professional women’s hockey game on Friday night, but before they even had a name, we talked with their General Manager Meghan Turner about bringing the team to the city.

Later, we’ll play an interview with the author of the literary mystery “Murder by the Book.”

Finally, we’ll get a peek inside a Pow Wow through the lens of a kid who just wants to play his game!

GUESTS:

Meghan Turner - General Manager, Seattle Torrent
Amie Schaumberg
Joey Clift

RELATED LINKS:

No name, lots of game: Women's pro hockey comes to Seattle
Spoiler Alert: Someone dies in Amie Schaumberg's "Murder by the Book"
Filmmaker Joey Clift talks about the inspiration behind the animated short POW!
- Watch POW! via First Nations Experience - Pow!

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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A big controversy is gripping many Washington towns right now: automated license plate readers.

Flock Safety, a technology and surveillance company, operates cameras in cities and counties across the nation.

Those license plate readers take pictures of vehicles and their license plates – pictures that can be used by police to solve crimes.

But questions about who has access to the cameras is leading several jurisdictions to turn off their automated licence plate readers.

GUESTS:

KUOW producer Hans Anderson
Flock Safety chief legal officer, Dan Haley
Phil Neff, a research coordinator at the University of Washington Center for Human Rights
Redmond Police Chief Darrell Lowe
Beryl Lipton, a senior investigative researcher at the Electronic Frontier Foundation

RELATED LINKS:

Washington Court Rules That Data Captured on Flock Safety Cameras Are Public Records - Electronic Frontier Foundation
Redmond turns off Flock Safety cameras after ICE arrests - The Seattle Times
Immigration agencies accessed WA law enforcement license plate data, report finds - KUOW

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Yes, turkey is an iconic centerpiece. But it’s a challenge.

Turkeys take hours to cook (let alone, defrost!). The results can be dry, flavorless slabs of meat.

If you believe online discourse, a growing number of bold omnivores are calling it quits on Thanksgiving turkey.

And from an animal welfare perspective, there’s a lot of waste and carnage associated with "the national holiday of meat-eating."

We asked Soundside's audience about whether they're moving on from turkey -- and what they might make instead.

GUESTS: Marina Bolotnikova, deputy editor, Vox's Future Perfect

Thanks to KUOW’s Paige Browning for all her help and hard work on this segment.

RELATED LINKS:

8 million turkeys will be thrown in the trash this Thanksgiving

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On Monday, Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez stood on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives and fought her own party.

The subject of the disagreement? Whether or not a fellow Democratic member of congress, Chuy Garcia of Illinois, had crossed ethical lines and rigged the 2026 election for his chief of staff. By, among other things, announcing his retirement after the filing deadline.

Gluesenkamp Perez introduced a nonbinding resolution to disapprove of the maneuver, to the apparent surprise of Democratic leadership.

After speaking out, she was skewered by many of her fellow party members. One called her opposition a “cheap political stunt”

Gluesenkamp Perez is known for bucking the party. Just last week she was one of only 6 House Democrats who voted to end the federal shutdown.

She also represents one of the few purple districts in the country: Washington’s 3rd, which includes Lewis, Cowlitz, Clark and Skamania County.

GUEST:

Marie Gluesenkamp Perez represents Washington’s 3rd congressional district, which includes Lewis, Cowlitz, Clark and Skamania County

RELATED LINKS:

Scoop: House Dem infighting poised to get even worse - Axios
After fierce fight, WA lawmaker secures US House rebuke of fellow Democrat - WA state standard
End of shutdown ignites new round of sparring among WA’s congressional lawmakers - WA state standard

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While it has been so nice being back behind the microphone this week after a little time off, we’ve got Thanksgiving ahead of us!

And since we won’t have a show NEXT Thursday, Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows is doing double duty this week with an extra large Weekend Warmup…

THIS WEEK:

Seattle Christmas Market
Julefest 21+ Night Market
Renegade Craft Fair - Seattle Winter
Warren Miller's Sno-ciety | McCaw Hall
Heart - Climate Pledge Arena

NEXT WEEK:

SPORTS
- PWHL Home Opener! Seattle Torrent vs Minnesota Frost - Fri 11/28
- UW Men’s Football vs Oregon Ducks - Sat 11/29
- Kraken vs Edmonton - Sat 11/29
- Seahawks vs Vikings - Sun 11/30
- Seattle Marathon - Sun 11/30
GeekCraft Expo
NOVEMBER ART MARKET — Duwamish Tribe

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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In the week since Katie Wilson officially became Seattle’s mayor-elect, there have suddenly been a lot of think pieces about her from the national press.

Editorial boards at the Washington Post and Wall Street Journal have taken a certain “doom mongering” stance on another socialist winning office. The President of the United States added his two cents, and called her a communist.

Wilson’s election is making waves in a year when both democrats and democratic socialists scored high profile wins across the country.

But let’s be honest: national reporting is usually scant here in the PNW, and pretty late to the game. KUOW listeners – many of them, have been clued into this race for weeks if not months.

What we haven't heard is the inside story of the Wilson campaign – how the team took a newcomer to electoral politics – a policy wonk, whose style she herself has called “pretty dumpy” – and got her elected mayor.

And what does the future look like for progressives in a city with a historically fickle electorate?

Two key figures from the Wilson campaign team joined Soundside to share their view on how it all went down.

GUESTS:

Katie Wilson campaign manager Alex Gallo Brown
WinPower strategies political consultant, and Katie Wilson’s consultant, Jake Simpson

RELATED LINKS:

Trump threatens Seattle’s World Cup, calls Mayor-elect Wilson ‘communist’ - Seattle Times
Seattle’s coming socialist experiment - Washington Post
Seattle Elects Mamdani West - Wall Street Journal
Katie Wilson is the new mayor but confronts the same challenges - Seattle Times

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Earlier this year, researchers at the University of Washington published a paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on the spotted ratfish, sometimes called a ghost shark.

It’s one of the most common fish you’ll find in the Puget Sound and it has teeth in an unexpected place. The study’s authors say that, not only is this unusual, but it also tells us something very interesting about evolution.

GUEST:

Karly Cohen, post-doctoral researcher at Friday Harbor Labs

RELATED LINKS:

PNAS: Teeth outside the jaw: Evolution and development of the toothed head clasper in chimaeras

Smithsonian: This Deep-Sea Fish Has Teeth on Its Forehead—and It Uses Them for Sex

University of Washington: This common fish has an uncommon feature: Forehead teeth, used for mating

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Air traffic controllers are getting paid again, now that the longest government shutdown in U.S. history is over.

Air traffic controllers dominated headlines during the shutdown as they continued to work their stressful jobs without pay. Some of them took on side gigs to make up for lost income. And as the shutdown dragged on, controller shortages led to flight delays and cancellations around the country.

Now things are slowly getting back to normal, as the FAA lifts restrictions on air traffic ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.

Steph Winder of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association tells us how controllers are doing now that they're out of shutdown mode.

GUEST:

Steph Winder, Northwest Mountain Regional Vice President of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association

RELATED LINKS:

Trump Wants $10K Bonus for Air Traffic Controllers Who Didn't Call Out - Business Insider
Air traffic controllers warn of ‘tipping point’ during shutdown : NPR
FAA to Lift Government Shutdown-Related Flight Restrictions - WSJ

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If you purchased or rode an e-bike in the last 10 years, there’s a good chance it was a Rad Power Bike.

The company, based in Seattle, was one of the first to popularize e-bikes with the general public, and grew to be the largest electric bike company in North America.

But now, the company is on the brink of collapse. A spokesperson told Geekwire last week that Rad faces potential closure as early as January due to “significant financial challenges.”

After virtually building the e-bike industry, and seeing demand quadruple during the pandemic, what went wrong for Rad Power Bikes?

And can they recover?

GUEST:

Geekwire editor Taylor Soper

RELATED LINKS:

The rise and fall of Rad Power Bikes: From breakout success to the brink of shutdown - Geekwire
Rad Power Bikes faces possible shutdown as it tries to survive ‘significant financial challenges’ - Geekwire

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In 2023, Bellevue organizer Mubarak Elamin made the decision to bring his mother to the United States.

At the time, she was living in Sudan, where a brutal war had broken out between the country’s army, the Sudanese Armed Forces, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

The situation deteriorated into what the U.N. has called one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises.

Thousands have been killed and millions displaced. Some regions are suffering from famine. In January, the United States declared Sudan was experiencing a genocide.

And despite this upheaval, Mubarak says it seems like a lot of people don’t know what's going on in Sudan.

GUEST:

Mubarak Elamin, a Sudanese community organizer in Bellevue
Nisrin Elamin, assistant professor of Anthropology and African Studies at the University of Toronto

RELATED LINKS:

Sudan war: A simple guide to what is happening
WA’s Sudanese community suffering amid war that’s displaced millions | The Seattle Times
The State Of The Civil War In Sudan : 1A : NPR

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Unionized Starbucks workers have started their fourth day on strike.

Workers walked off the job in over 40 cities last week.

And this year’s strike has gotten attention from high-profile politicians. Both Seattle mayor-elect Katie Wilson and New York's mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani called on customers to boycott the coffee chain.

Last week, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) urged Starbucks to cut a deal with the union.

So what’s holding up negotiations?

GUEST:Casey Martin, KUOW reporter covering the strike

RELATED LINKS:

Unionized Starbucks' workers strike in Seattle, across the country

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You’re probably heard the term “microplastics.” And you’ve probably also heard that they’re bad for you.

A write up from Stanford Medicine says, quote, “they’re in the water we drink, the food we eat, the clothes we wear and the air we breathe.”

But what exactly are they?

A local doctor is helping us understand what exactly these particals are, and how or if we should avoid them.

GUEST:

Dr. Sheela Sathyanarayana, a professor of pediatrics and adjunct professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the University of Washington and the Seattle Children's Research Institute

RELATED LINKS:

Microplastics and our health: What the science says - Stanford Medicine

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In early October, film buffs around the region received some bittersweet news…

The historic Egyptian Theater in Capitol Hill – which had been closed for repairs – would not reopen as a public theater. The Seattle International Film Festival decided to end its lease, saying it was a difficult decision but that it just wasn’t financially feasible.

This comes on the back of the closing of the Grand Illusion and AMC 10 theaters in the U-District.

In an era of streaming services and movie studio consolidations… What DOES it take to keep the independent theater scene thriving?

GUESTS:

Beth Barrett - Artistic Director SIFF
Kenny Alhadeff - Owner, Majestic Bay Theater
Chase Hutchinson - Freelance Writer and Movie Critic

RELATED LINKS:

For SIFF, Seattle’s Cinerama was a marquee purchase. Has it paid off?
SIFF lays off staff amid financial challenges
Seattle movie theater update: SIFF will end lease at historic Egyptian

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Here at Soundside, we've got lots of plans this weekend. Paige Browning is playing in a Kickball tournament, while Jason is planning on cheering for her... Supervising Producer Sarah Leibovitz is doing LAUNDRY... What joy!

As for YOU, here are all your options from this week's Weekend Warmup...

LINKS:

SIFF Cinema Italian Style 2025
Sew, Quilt, Needlework, Craft, Expo & Festival in Puyallup
Gobble Up Northwest! - Urban Craft Uprising
Seattle International Auto Show
The 2025 DB Cooper Conference
Seattle Kraken vs San Jose Sharks
Gilman Village 2025 Winter Fest
Grit City Comic Show
UW Huskies Men’s Football vs Purdue
Death and Music | Town Hall Seattle

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Seattle has been a target of anti-car activism since at least the early 1960s, when the construction of I-5 carved up the Chinatown International District.

Washington architect Paul Thiry said the creation of the freeway signaled when Seattle started to lose its identity as a city.

But what would a less car-centric Seattle actually look like? Whom would it benefit? And is it even feasible?

The hosts of "The War on Cars" podcast join "Soundside" for more. They’ve co-written a new book: “Life After Cars: Freeing Ourselves From the Tyranny of the Automobile.”

They’re both based in Brooklyn, New York, but joined KUOW's Paige Browning in our Seattle studio.

GUESTS:

Sarah Goodyear, host, The War on Cars podcast
Doug Gordon, host, The War on Cars podcast

RELATED LINKS:

What Comes After the ‘War on Cars’? - Bloomberg
‘Life After Cars’ with Sarah Goodyear and Doug Gordon - Why Is This Happening? The Chris Hayes Podcast

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Seattleites have been closely watching election results for nearly a week since polls closed. That’s because the city’s mayoral candidates were in a tight race. Longtime Seattle politician and current Mayor Bruce Harrell is trying to win a second term. His challenger is Katie Wilson, a Democratic socialist who has never held elected office before.

Last night’s vote tally gave more clarity about who is likely to lead the city next year.

GUEST: Cat Smith, KUOW Politics Editor

RELATED LINKS:

KUOW: Wilson’s lead increases in Seattle mayoral race, leaving Harrell further behind

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Bruce Lee holds a special place in Seattle’s heart – and Seattle played a key role in Bruce Lee’s life.

He attended the University of Washington. He taught martial arts around the city. And after his tragically young death, at the age of 32, Lee was buried at Lake View Cemetery on Capitol Hill.

A biography by author Jeff Chang traces this journey alongside the cultural and political context in which Lee was becoming the international icon he is today.

It’s called “Water Mirror Echo: Bruce Lee and the Making of Asian America.”

In the book Chang shows how the rise of Bruce Lee mirrored the rise of Asian American identity and the ways that they each shaped each other.

GUEST:

Jeff Chang, author of "Water Mirror Echo"

RELATED LINKS:

Book Review: ‘Water Mirror Echo,’ by Jeff Chang - The New York Times
‘Water Mirror Echo’ explores how Bruce Lee still shapes Asian America
Remembering Bruce Lee, and his time in Seattle, on the 80th anniversary of his birth | The Seattle Times

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After a monthslong search, the Seattle Public Schools district finally has a new superintendent.

The Seattle School Board voted to name Ben Shuldiner as the lone finalist for the role. Shuldiner is currently the superintendent of the Lansing School District in Michigan.

He’ll be the fourth superintendent in the last decade.

Back in March, former superintendent Brent Jones announced he was planning to step down from the position … and would have left in September. Instead, he went on medical leave in May and since then the role has been filled by an interim superintendent.

Shuldiner's appointment comes during a period of turmoil for the district, which has been facing a budget shortfall and grappling with issues around school safety. KUOW's Sami West tells us about her takeaways from her conversation with him this week.

Guest:

Sami West, KUOW reporter who has been following the ongoing search for a new superintendent at Seattle Public Schools.

Related Stories:

KUOW - Seattle School Board names lone superintendent finalist, a district leader recruited from Michigan
KUOW - Seattle School Board moves 2 unnamed finalists forward in superintendent search
KUOW - Seattle Public Schools to hunt for new leader as Superintendent Jones steps down

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Seattle's pro women's soccer team have returned to the National Women's Soccer League playoffs.

Seattle Reign play the Orlando Pride on Friday in a win-or-go-home match. But do the Reign have the potential to make a deep playoff run?

Soundside producer Gabrielle Healy gets into it.

Plus, everything you need to know about coach Laura Harvey and ChatGPTgate.

Guest

Susie Rantz, writer for Sounder at Heart covering Seattle Reign

Related Links

All even in Orlando, 1-1 - Sounder at Heart

The constant amidst chaos: Lauren Barnes’ Reign - Sounder at Heart

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It’s weekends like these where you WANT a solid plan for what to do, so you’re not just stuck sulking about the weather.

And while Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows may be on his way to sunny Florida AS WE SPEAK for a weekend in Tampa, he still left us with a smattering of potential options:

LINKS:

Port Gamble Ghost Conference
Best of the Northwest Fall Show 2025 - Seattle
NW's Largest Garage Sale & Vintage Sale
Brew: A Clue-Themed Winter Beer Festival
America's Test Kitchen Live at Food Fight with Rachel Belle
GeekGirlCon - 15th Year!
Captain Slinky Presents Oddmall Emporium of The Weird
Light the Forest: Pilchuck Glass School
Seahawks vs. Cardinals
SIFF Talking Pictures: Ken Jennings presents Quiz Show

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It’s getting harder for unhoused people in Tacoma to find a place to spend the night. Last week, the city council there voted narrowly, 5-to-4, to expand buffer zones where encampments are not allowed.

The new ban, which went into effect this week, includes areas within two blocks of public schools, parks, libraries, and most of downtown and Hilltop. Critics say this only makes it harder for people to find a place to sleep.

Guest: Tacoma News Tribune reporter Cameron Sheppard

Related Links:

How will Tacoma’s encampment-ban expansion impact plans to address homelessness?

In a split vote, Tacoma council decides fate of homeless camping-ban expansion

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In April, 25-year-old Alex Kuhnhausen died of a bacterial infection he contracted at Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla. This isn’t unheard of – last year, there were 39 deaths reported in Washington prisons.

But the details of Alex Kuhnhausen’s decline and death raise questions about decisions by prison officials and medical staff; decisions that many believe contributed to his death.

Guest: Reporter Brandon Block

Related Links:

How a WA prison turned a treatable ailment into a death sentence

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When you step into the Seattle Asian Art Museum’s new exhibit… you feel small.

You’re surrounded by light, blocks of color reaching across the floor, creeping up the walls. The art takes up space, immersing you in light and shadow, as though you’ve entered another world. Steel cubes carved with meticulous designs hang from the ceiling. Papercraft covered in embroidery line the walls. What looks like a giant doily hangs from strings by the entrance.

All lit to project intricate patterns across the space.

This is "Geometry of Light," an exhibit the museum opened in late August. The artist behind it is Anila Quayyum Agha, the first Pakistani American to ever have a solo exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum.

She talked to Soundside about her art, what it's like to be the first Pakistani American to have an exhibit at the museum and what she hopes people take away from "Geometry of Light."

Guest

Anila Quayyum Agha, the artist behind "Geometry of Light."

Related links:

Anila Quayyum Agha: Geometry of Light | Seattle Art Museum
Anila Quayyum Agha Uses Patterns to Break Patterns - The New York Times
About — Anila Quayyum Agha

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As voters head to the polls amid a contentious mayoral race in Seattle, we’re looking to the past to try to answer a lingering question.

It’s hard to win reelection as a Seattle mayor. The last time it happened was nearly two decades ago.

Why has it been so long?

We're going directly to the source for more: Democrat Greg Nickels was mayor of Seattle for two terms, between January 1, 2002 and December 31, 2009. He served on the King County Council for 14 years prior to his election.

KUOW's politics editor Cat Smith brings us that conversation.

Related Links

Outgoing Mayor Greg Nickels leaves stamp on Seattle - The Seattle Times, published in 2009

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TRIGGER WARNING - SELF HARM INVOLVING CHILDREN

In 2022, the body of 13-year-old Jay Taylor was discovered behind a grocery store in Gig Harbor.

Jay had died by suicide, a tragedy that only grew more shocking when police realized he’d livestreamed the act on Instagram, encouraged by the people watching.

Jay Taylor was a victim of 764, a global online group of predators that victimizes kids, some identified to be as young as nine years old. They coerce them to send nude photos, commit self-harm and even take their own lives.

Guest: Barrett Gay, digital research analyst of domestic and international right-wing extremism at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue.

Related Links:

‘It broke me’: Inside the FBI hunt for the online predators who persuaded a 13-year-old to die
There Are Dark Corners of the Internet. Then There's 764
FBI targets 250 suspects in '764' network of online predators manipulating kids into violent, explicit videos

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The immigration detention center in Tacoma, Washington has quickly reached capacity this year under the Trump administration’s push to scale up deportations. The population inside nearly doubled in a matter of months, raising some concerns about staffing levels and reported delays for detainees accessing lawyers or medical care.

The experience for those inside detention has also shifted in some profound ways due to new policies, including cuts to legal aid programs, restrictions on who is eligible for bond and increased fees for court filings.

A new KUOW documentary, “Inside ICE Detention,” opens a window into this time of rapid transition at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma and looks into who is getting detained, how they are treated and some of the new pressures people are facing as they try to fight deportation.

The story centers on the experience of a woman named Espinoza, who was arrested during an ICE workplace raid in Kent, WA. Espinoza was four days away from getting married to her partner of 12 years when the raid happened, and she grapples with hopelessness in detention while trying to navigate a way out.

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Can you believe that we’re already at the end of October? Time is a weird soup.

This week has been jam packed with things, AND we have an election next Tuesday.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Let’s enjoy the weekend!!

LINKS:

Seattle Short King Contest
Seattle Kraken vs NY Rangers - Sat 11/1
Short Run Comix Festival
Seattle Opera - The Pirates of Penzance
Brewallup 2025
Washington State Toy Show
Sea-Meow Convention
2025 MLS Cup Playoffs - Seattle vs Minnesota - Mon 11/3
Seattle Kraken vs Chicago Blackhawks - Mon 11/3
Seattle Welcome Day - Tues 11/4

DIA DE LOS MUERTOS:

Nov. 1 — El Centro de la Raza
Nov. 1 — Phinney Center
Nov. 1 — Shoreline Recreation Center
Nov. 1 & 2 — Seattle Center
Nov. 1 & 2 — Town Hall Seattle (ticketed event)
Nov. 2 — Tacoma Art Museum

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Like so many others, Jas Ikeda struggled with the images and stories coming out of Gaza – of the widespread destruction and the growing starvation.

Like others, she felt frustrated that more wasn’t being done to help the people caught in the conflict.

Unlike most others, Ikeda has a lot of sailing experience. So when she heard about the Global Sumud Flotilla, she jumped at the chance.

The flotilla consisted of 42 small to mid-sized vessels, setting out from Spain, carrying food, supplies, and hundreds of activists. The stated goal was to challenge Israel’s blockade and show solidarity with Palestinians.

They were intercepted and detained by the Israeli military on October 1 – an outcome they knew was likely. She and the other activists were held for about six days.

The timing of Ikeda’s voyage, capture and release, coincided with a historic moment.

Just three days after Ikeda was released Israel and Hamas agreed to a deal for a ceasefire and the release of hostages. The deal, which was negotiated and pushed by the Trump Administration, included an agreement that - QUOTE - "Full aid will be immediately sent.”

Such aid would be a lifeline for Palestinians. In August, Gaza was confirmed to be under famine conditions. The ceasefire deal gave a lot of hope to aid organizations that have been stymied by the tight control Israel holds over the border.

But flare ups of violence have threatened that aid. On Tuesday, the Israeli military struck targets in Gaza, killing more than a hundred people. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of violating terms of the ceasefire.

GUESTS:

Jas Ikeda - Washington resident, and member of the Global Sumud Flotilla
Mara Kronenfeld - Executive Director of the UNRWA USA National Committee

LINKS:

Israel takes steps to shut down international aid groups in Gaza and the West Bank
This Weekend’s Violence in Gaza Shows How Fragile the Cease-Fire Really Is
What aid organizations say is needed in Gaza amid Israel-Hamas ceasefire plan - ABC News
How fast can much needed food and aid get to Palestinians?
Netanyahu Orders Strikes in Gaza, as Israel Says Hamas Violated Cease-Fire
More Food Reaches Gaza, but It’s Still Not Enough

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Washington State highways and bridges are in need of a serious refresh. That’s according to a WSDOT official who told the Washington State Transportation Commission this month:

“We are in the early stages of critical failure due to lack of funding.” - Troy Suing, Director, Capital Program Development and Management, Washington State Department of Transportation

“Preservation” generally refers to the long-term work needed to sustain already existing infrastructure. WSDOT says it’ll need an additional $8 billion dollars over the next decade to do that work.

Jerry Cornfield at the Washington State Standard reported that while the Legislature did approve a 15.5 BILLION dollar budget for the next two years…. less than a billion dollars was earmarked for preservation over that time. That’s well short of the $1.6 Billion needed to keep pace with the wear and tear put on our state’s infrastructure.

GUEST: Senator Marko Liias - Chair of the WA State Senate Transportation Committee

LINKS:

‘Early stages of critical failure’: Funding outlook is grim for WA road upkeep - WA State Standard
Meeting Agenda – October 14-15, 2025 – Washington State Transportation Commission
Washington State Transportation Commission - Meeting Video
Move Ahead Washington
Legislature approves bipartisan plan to fund Washington state transportation future

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Update, 11:45 am, 10/31: Two federal judges have ordered the Trump administration to fund SNAP using the USDA's contingency funds. Read more from The Associated Press.

_________________________________________________________________________________

10/29: More than 1 in 10 people in Washington state rely on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Most of those recipients are in households with children.

And all of them will get cut off from those benefits on October 31st if the partial federal government shutdown doesn’t end by then.

This week, Governor Ferguson said he’d direct over 2 million dollars in weekly food aid to state food banks should the shutdown continue.

That program will start November 3rd.

But is that enough to make up for the loss of SNAP benefits?

Guest

Alexandra Yoon-Hendricks, race and equity reporter, The Seattle Times

Related Links

WA to direct $2.2 million a week to food banks as SNAP cutoff nears - The Seattle Times

WA SNAP benefits to run out Nov. 1 if government shutdown persists - The Seattle Times

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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed U.S strikes on four more boats in waters near South America. The attacks happened Monday off the coast of Colombia in the eastern Pacific Ocean.

Hegseth claimed without citing evidence, “the four vessels were known by our intelligence apparatus, transiting along known narco-trafficking routes, and carrying narcotics.”

Including this week’s, the strikes have killed nearly 60 people. Democrats say the President is using the military to carry out extrajudicial killings.

We get the latest on why these strikes are happening.

Guest

Joshua Keating, senior correspondent covering foreign policy and world news, Vox

Related Links

Is the US about to attack Venezuela? - Vox

A Timeline of Trump’s Strikes on Vessels He Says Are Smuggling Drugs - The New York Times

The Real Target of Trump’s War on Drug Boats - The New Yorker

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Amazon confirmed this morning it is cutting 14,000 employees from its corporate workforce.

In a letter sent to employees earlier today, the Senior Vice President of “People Experience and Technology” – basically, HR – at Amazon quoted CEO Andy Jassey, saying “we want to operate like the world’s largest startup… by reducing layers, increasing ownership, and helping reduce bureaucracy.”

This may only be the beginning of cuts within the company. According to Reuters, this round of workforce reduction could include as many as 30,000 positions. That would be the largest staffing reduction in the company’s history.

There are indicators that Amazon’s business is booming. Cloud computing sales increased 17.5% in the second quarter.

The company is planning to hire 250,000 seasonal employees, anticipating big holiday sales.

So - why now? What is Amazon’s goal with these cuts, and what are they aiming to build for the future of the company?

Guest:

Todd Bishop, co-founder of Geekwire, and a business and technology reporter

Related stories:

Amazon confirms 14,000 corporate job cuts, says push for ‘efficiency gains’ will continue into 2026 - Geekwire
Amazon and the media: Inside the disconnect on AI, robots and jobs - Geekwire
Amazon Plans to Replace More Than Half a Million Jobs With Robots - NYT

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It’s Day 28 of the federal government shutdown – just a few days away from this becoming the longest-running shutdown in U.S. history… And air traffic controllers working without pay are feeling it.

Today, the nation’s roughly 13,000 air traffic controllers are getting their first zero-dollar paycheck since the government shutdown began on October 1.

Some of them say they’re considering side gigs, like driving for Uber or DoorDash, to make up for lost income. And thousands of flights have been delayed over the past few days because of controller absences.

The shutdown is only the latest in a long list of frustrations bogging these workers down. Understaffing has been troubling the industry for years – including here in Washington state.

An aviation expert explains what it takes to become an air traffic controller, the hardships that come with this profession and where the shutdown fits into all of this.

Guest:

Margaret Wallace, an assistant professor of Aviation Management at Florida Institute of Technology. Wallace also worked as an air traffic controller for the U.S. Air Force for more than a decade.

Related stories:

Air Traffic Controllers Are Bargaining Chips in Government Shutdown - Business Insider
High stress, salary: What it takes to become an air traffic controller
Flight delays worsen due to air traffic controller shortage amid shutdown
How the nation's air traffic controller shortage affects Washington state - Axios Seattle

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If you’ve ever hung out in Oregon’s Fort Stevens State Park, you’ve probably come face to face with the Peter Iredale shipwreck.

The British vessel crashed onto the coast in 1906 and has stayed there ever since. Today it has become quite the tourist attraction.

But for all its notoriety, the Peter Iredale is just one of more than 2,000 shipwrecks that happened along a dangerous stretch of coastline in the Pacific Northwest. And with many of these wrecks came conflict.

A new documentary explores how shipwrecks led to tension - and, sometimes, violence - between Indigenous communities and colonists in the Pacific Northwest.

Guest:

Anna King, a senior correspondent for Northwest Public Broadcasting and the director of “WRECKED.”

Related stories:

Wrecked: Sinking ships and colliding cultures on the Northwest Coast
More Than 100 Died When the S.S. Valencia Wrecked in the ‘Graveyard of the Pacific’—Learn Why This Stretch of Coastline Has Claimed Thousands of Ships

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At a time when Starbucks is closing 200 of its stores and Amazon plans to replace half a million jobs with robots, one Seattle business has been surprisingly resilient: Costco.

In 1983, Costco opened its first store in Seattle and today it’s the third largest retailer in the world, with more than 900 stores globally. But while Costco is known for its devoted customer base and generosity towards its employees, how long is that kind of growth, and good will, sustainable?

Guest: New Yorker reporter Molly Fischer

Related Links: Can the Golden Age of Costco Last?

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We may not be watching the Mariners in the World Series this weekend, but that doesn't mean there aren't awesome things to do...

LINKS:

Tacoma Holiday Festival
Dustin Nickerson at the Neptune
Seattle Kraken vs Edmonton Oilers
2025 PSMS Annual Wild Mushroom Show
Seattle Coffee Festival
AI & Democracy - Women’s University Club

SPOOKY STUFF:

Washington State Horror Con
Fashionably Undead: The Goopening
KEXP Kids' Halloween Dance Party
Pumpkin Bash - Woodland Park Zoo
The Museum of Fright
GWAR | Showbox Presents

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It can be easy to make jokes about the split realities of the “Portlandia” sketch you could make out of those images, and the scene President Trump describes when he talks about the Rose City- a place, quote, “where they kill people and destroy the city.”

But, with an appeals court ruling this week clearing the way for Oregon National Guard troops to deploy to Portland – what are things like in the city right now?

And what can we learn from the people attempting to find common ground between the realities described by Portlanders, and the dire tales spun by our President?

Guest

Anna Griffin, Pacific Northwest bureau chief, New York Times

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes.

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Consider yourself cordially invited to Brendan Healy’s memorial service.

That’s because the Seattle playwright is sharing his experience of living with, and dying from, a terminal illness.

His newest play is called "Eulogy, or How to Plan Your Own Funeral (and have fun doing it!)"If you go, you’ll get a front-row seat to remembrances of Healy’s life. But the play also promises audiences pictures of puppies, so there’s a little bit of something for everyone.

He’s putting the production on through Pony World Theatre, which he co-founded in 2009. It opens on October 23 at 12th Avenue Arts, so we caught up with Brendan before he hits the stage.

Guest:

Brendan Healy, the Seattle playwright behind "Eulogy, or How to Plan Your Own Funeral (and have fun doing it!)"

Related links:

Seattle playwright navigates living with terminal illness in new show | The Seattle Times
Pony World Theatre

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Today, we heard an announcement of a proposed Seattle Police union deal that could open the door to expanded use of police alternatives.

There’s also been some positive news on the city budget – to the tune of about $14 million in unexpected revenue on the horizon. And the City Council recently approved a sales tax increase to fund public safety priorities.

Lots of City Hall business to review with Seattle Times reporter David Kroman — and we also talk elections.

Guest

David Kroman, reporter, The Seattle Times

Related Links

Election 2025: Mayor Bruce Harrell and challenger Katie Wilson debate

Seattle council approves sales tax increase for public safety

Seattle officers ‘undermining’ city’s police alternative, report says

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What do dwarf mallow and dandelion have in common? Sure, most people would consider both of these plants weeds, but they're also both found in Natalie Hammerquist's new book, Edible Plants of the Pacific Northwest. Hammerquist is an expert forager who makes YouTube videos about plants in the PNW. We took a trip with her to sample a veritable salad bar growing in between pavers and along the path of the Beacon Food Forest.

Guest:

Natalie Hammerquist, herbalist, expert forager, and author of Edible Plants of the Pacific Northwest and Medicinal Plants of the Pacific Northwest

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Seattle hasn't had a two term mayor since Greg Nickels, who won a second term nearly two decades ago.

Incumbent Mayor Bruce Harrell is trying to break the streak of one term mayors. He was elected to the position in 2021. He previously served on the Seattle city council for 12 years.

His opponent is Katie Wilson. She founded the nonprofit Transit Riders Union and serves as its chair.

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Wanna scare an apple farmer?

Just say one word: “Honeycrisp.”

We're kidding…. But they do make farmers' lives harder.

That’s according to a recent story in the Wall Street Journal calling the variety a “farmer’s nightmare.” And that’s tough because they’re one of the most popular apples on the market. People can’t seem to resist their sweet, crunchy flavor.

So there’s high demand for the apple… but honeycrisps are pretty demanding in return: They’re apparently thin-skinned. They bruise easily. And they’re susceptible to disease.

Washington is the biggest apple producer in the entire country, so we asked a farmer in Chelan if this apple variety is rotten right to the core.

Guest:

Bill Clark runs the Diamondback Acres farm with his wife, Angell, in Chelan.

Related links:

About Us – Chelan Ranch
America’s Favorite Apple Is a Farmer’s Nightmare - WSJ
Gala is Washington state's top apple this season - Axios Seattle

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In a few months, Washingtonians on Medicare could see additional hurdles when it comes to getting approval for their procedures and care. .

That’s because the Trump Administration is exploring the use of prior authorizations to assess whether medical services are necessary for a patient. If it isn’t, the procedures may not be covered.

Prior authorization is a common practice in the insurance industry but not in Medicare. The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services says the tool will help weed out waste and fraud. And it says it will use AI to help make eligibility decisions.

Washington is one of six states that will pilot the program, starting in January.

GUEST: Darius Tahir - Correspondent for KFF News

RELATED LINKS:

AI Will Soon Have a Say in Approving or Denying Medicare Treatments
Health Care AI reviews rolling out for Medicare in WA for some procedures
WISeR (Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction) Model

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Shelley Fairweather-Vega is a Seattle-based translator.

She’s responsible for the English edition of Uzbek writer Hamid Ismailov’s novel “We Computers.”

For that work, Fairweather-Vega is a finalist for a 2025 National Book Award in the translated literature category.

She wrote in the afterword to “We Computers,” that she tried to find room in the plot for the poetry, and room for the poetry in the plot.

We talk with her about her work and the community of translators around the Puget Sound.

Guest

Shelley Fairweather-Vega

Related Links

We Computers: A Conversation with Hamid Ismailov and Shelley Fairweather-Vega - Yale University Press

2025 National Book Awards: Seattle writer, translator longlisted - The Seattle Times

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Who will be Seattle’s next top lawyer?

The city attorney enforces Seattle’s laws, prosecutes misdemeanor crimes and defends the city in court.

After a summer primary, former assistant U.S. attorney Erika Evans emerged as the challenger to incumbent City Attorney Ann Davison.

They debate at KUOW in front of a live studio audience.

Guests

Ann Davison, incumbent Seattle city attorney

Erika Evans, candidate for city attorney

Related links

City Inside/Out: Seattle City Attorney Race

Will Seattle reelect its conservative City Attorney? (published before the summer primary) - Cascade PBS

Trump has become the focal point in Seattle city attorney race - The Seattle Times

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Your weekend has arrived, we're ALL celebrating HUMPY, and we're anticipating that very first Mariners World Series... But, there are a bunch of other things happening, so let's get to it!

LINKS:

SPORTS!!
- Mariners!! - Thurs/Fri at home, (Sun/Mon in Toronto if needed)
- Reign vs Utah Royals FC
- Seahawks vs Houston - MNF!
SIFF DocFest - starts Thurs 10/16, ends 10/23
Seattle Antiquarian Book Fair
Seattle Oddities & Curiosities Expo 2025
Slack Key Seattle Festival
Seattle No Kings - Oct 18
No Kings - FULL MAP
Seattle Opera - The Pirates of Penzance
Northwest Record Show

SPOOKY STUFF:

Haunted Skies | The Museum of Flight
Hoot 'n' Howl | Northwest Trek Wildlife Park
Zoo Boo | Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
Family Mask Workshop at Dabble

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Demonstrators are gearing up for another nationwide No Kings Day Protest this weekend against President Donald Trump.

If you don’t know what we’re talking about, here’s a tagline on the event’s website to catch you up to speed: “Reclaiming Democracy, Rejecting Authoritarianism.”

For years, Americans on the left have called Trump an authoritarian. And for a lot of people, his second go in the White House has only reinforced these labels.

In the past year, Trump has pardoned rioters who tried to keep him in office after a free and fair election; deployed the National Guard to major U.S. cities against the wishes of state governors; and called for the prosecution of his critics by the U.S. Justice Department.

But does Trump’s expansion of executive authority make him… and authoritarian? Or a fascist, as some argue? Two experts from the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies hash it out with us.

Guest:

Scott Radnitz, Herbert J. Ellison Professor of Russian and Eurasian Studies at the University of Washington
Daniel Bessner, Anne H.H. and Kenneth B. Pyle Associate Professor in American Foreign Policy at the University of Washington and co-host of American Prestige

Related stories:

U.S. is sliding toward authoritarianism, hundreds of scholars say : NPR
Trump Vows to Prosecute Political Enemies — Who’s Next? | TIME
What is fascism? Experts unpack the ideology : NPR

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Two candidates are running to represent the city of Seattle in one of our two city-wide Council seats.

And 2026 will be a big year for the council – we’ve got a looming budget deficit, potential federal funding cuts, and, of course, the continuous threat of federal troops being sent to our fair city.

The first candidate is a familiar name – incumbent Sara Nelson was elected to the position 9 seat in 2021. She is the city council president, and a co-founder of Fremont Brewing.

Her opponent is Dionne Foster - former executive director of the nonprofit Washington Progress Alliance, which advocated for a statewide capital gains tax. Foster is also a former policy advisor for the city.

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Americans are reading less for pleasure these days.

That’s according to research from the University of Florida and University College London. And it’s not a little dip - we’re talking a 40% drop in daily leisure reading for people 15 and older over the past two decades.

This shift is especially prevalent for specific groups, like Black Americans, people with lower incomes, and people in rural areas.

We dug deeper into the findings from this study... and took a closer look at Seattle's reading habits.

Guest:

Jill Sonke, co-director of the EpiArts Lab at the University of Florida.
Brooke Bosley, co-founder of the Black Futures Book Club.
Spencer Ruchti, author events manager for Third Place Books.

Related stories

Reading for pleasure in free fall: New study finds 40% drop over two decades News | University of Florida
Fewer People Are Reading for Fun, Study Finds - The New York Times

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It’s been quite a week for one Seattle scientist, after getting an unexpected late-night call from a Swedish phone number last week.

That call turned out to bring good news: Dr. Mary Brunkow is sharing this year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

She’s being honored for research she did decades ago; work that would eventually loom large in developing ways to treat autoimmune disease and cancer.

We’ve asked Dr. Brunkow to reflect a bit on what that work looks like in hindsight, and what it means to share this honor…

GUEST: Dr. Mary Brunkow

RELATED LINKS:

She didn’t believe she won the Nobel — until a photographer showed up at her Seattle door
Mary E. Brunkow – Facts – 2025 - NobelPrize.org
UW alum awarded Nobel Prize in Medicine – Be Boundless

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Two candidates are running to represent Southeast Seattle, including Beacon Hill, the Chinatown-International District, Columbia City, and Rainier Beach.

The District 2 seat was left vacant earlier this year when former City Councilmember Tammy Morales left the role. It’s being temporarily filled by Interim Councilmember Mark Solomon, but he’s going to step aside once voters decide which candidate they want to represent their community.

The current candidates for District 2 are campaigning on platforms that prioritize key issues, like gun violence, housing and homelessness.

We'll dig into the ways they differ so you can make an informed decision when you reach for your ballots.

Guests:

Adonis Ducksworth, the communications and policy advisor at the Seattle Department of Transportation
Eddie Lin, an assistant attorney for the Seattle City Attorney’s office

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We open this weekend's warmup with a fun chat about the TASVEER FILM FESTIVAL.

Soundside's Libby Denkmann spoke with Tasveer Executive Director Rita Meher about what everyone can expect for this year's festival, and what exciting things they've got coming soon!

Then producer Jason Burrows takes it away with the standard issue warmup.

LINKS:

Tasveer Film Festival
SPORTS!
- Mariners vs Tigers - Game 5 - Fri 10/10 5:08p
- Seattle Reign - Fri 10/10 vs Bay FC
- UW Husky Men’s Football - FRI 10/10 vs Rutgers
- Seattle Sounders - SAT 10/11 vs Real Salt Lake
- Seattle Kraken - Sat 10/11 vs LV Golden Knights
Love Letters writing workshop
Roller Boogie at Pier 66
2025 Cascadia Poetry Festival 9
Cider 'n' Gold
HAUNTED - Tacoma Art Museum
Seattle Meowtropolitan - Pumpkin Carving
Halloween Train

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Vocal pro-Palestinian protests have been happening within one of the Seattle area’s biggest industries. Groups of tech workers at various companies have campaigned to end their employer’s relationships with the Israeli government. One such group, called No Azure for Apartheid, has occupied the Microsoft campus and disrupted corporate events.

Guests:

Hossam Nasr - former Microsoft employee and organizer with No Azure for Apartheid

Relevant Links:

The Guardian: Microsoft blocks Israel’s use of its technology in mass surveillance of Palestinians

Geekwire: Inside the Microsoft protests: Fired engineer speaks out on Palestine, Israel, AI, and big tech

KUOW: Microsoft employees protest company’s contract with Israeli intelligence organization

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The news hit like a gulp of bitter cold brew: Seattle-based Starbucks announced last month the company would be closing hundreds of stores and laying off another 900 corporate employees.

Tuesday, October 7th, it was reported that another 369 employees will be laid off here in Washington State in December due to store “closures.”

This follows a restructuring plan laid out by CEO Brian Niccol.

Here to walk us through the latest out of SBUX HQ is Heather Haddon. She covers restaurants for the Wall Street Journal, and has been following this story all year.

GUEST: Heather Haddon

RELATED LINKS:

Starbucks’s Roller Coaster Week of Job Cuts and Store Closures
Starbucks to Close Stores, Lay Off 900 More Corporate Employees
Has Your Starbucks Barista Been Acting Especially Friendly Lately? Here’s Why.
Message from Brian: An Important Update - About Starbucks

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Today marks two years since Hamas and several other Palestinian militant groups carried out multiple coordinated attacks in Israel - killing over a thousand people. Around 250 Israelis were taken hostage.

It was a day of unconscionable atrocities and hatred. And war has only made the horrors grow. Israel’s military campaign has killed more than 66,000 Palestinians, according to the United Nations. Last month the United Nations Human Rights Commission declared that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza.

Locally we see a lot of activism around America’s support for Israel and American business’ involvement in Israel and Gaza.

But, what do things look like inside Israel right now?

And will a ceasefire, if it happens, or the return of hostages, change the picture in Israel?

Guest:

Liora Halperin is a Professor of International Studies and History, and Distinguished Endowed Chair of Jewish Studies, at the University of Washington, and she’s the Director of the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Near and Middle Eastern Studies.

Related stories:

Israel at War With Itself - NYT

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Wildfire smoke is deadly and getting deadlier. A recent study published in Nature estimates that if warming continues at the current rate, smoke exposure could kill 70,000 Americans a year by 2050… and researchers expect that Washington could feel some of the biggest impacts.

Some researchers say the study points to some of the strongest evidence so far that climate change is endangering people in the United States. Smoke pollution can cause coughing and throat irritation, but it can also lead to long-term respiratory and heart issues.

The West Coast in particular is expected to see the biggest increases in smoke pollution.

So we’re bringing you another “ask a doctor” segment, where we ask medical professionals to give us the information we need to stay healthy.

GUEST: Dr. James Wallace, a family medicine physician and the health officer for Okanogan County.

RELATED LINKS:

Wildfire Smoke Will Kill Thousands More by 2050, Study Finds
The Fifth Season — Clean Air Methow
Telling the story of wildfire smoke risks
Washington Smoke Blog

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In a bid to make progress on homelessness during the pandemic, Seattle began housing people in a shelter at the Civic Hotel, just a few blocks from the Space Needle. The space offered wraparound services and, unlike some other shelters, didn’t require its clients to be sober.

And all in all, it seemed like things were going pretty well.

Then Seattle stopped sending people there. Rooms were empty, despite the fact that the city had committed millions of dollars to keep using the building.

A new investigation digs into why the city stopped using the Civic Hotel… and the complicated journey to finding a replacement.

Guest:

Ashley Hiruko, an investigative reporter at KUOW and a fellow with ProPublica.

Related stories:

KUOW - Seattle paid for shelter beds that it left vacant despite a massive need for housing

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Seattle Public Schools have only been back in session for about a month, but it’s already been a busy year for the district.

We wanted to get caught up on what’s been happening, so we reached out to Interim Superintendent Fred Podesta for a conversation last week.

We talked with him about school lunch protests, the budget, and a proposed pilot program to bring a school engagement officer back to one Seattle high school.

Guest

Fred Podesta, interim superintendent, Seattle Public Schools

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Last week renowned primatologist Jane Goodall died at the age of 91.

Goodall spent 65 years studying wild chimpanzees in Tanzania. Her work showed that chimpanzees make and use tools, and have emotions, empathy and their own culture. She changed our understanding of the world around us.

But it went far beyond just that - in her later life Goodall was an advocate: for conservation, human rights, animal welfare, and a number of other issues.

Myron Shekelle is a primatologist and senior instructor at Western Washington University.

And he previously worked with Goodall - he assisted with founding the Jane Goodall Institute in Singapore.

Guest:

Myron Shekelle, is a primatologist and senior instructor at Western Washington University

Related stories:

WWU primatologist spearheaded campaign to nominate Jane Goodall for Nobel Peace Prize - Cascadia Daily News

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We’re talking about the future of a big job today: King County Executive.

Whichever candidate is elected to this position will oversee the sheriff’s department, manage public health, transportation, public housing, and jails… according to the King County website, they’ll lead one of the largest regional governments in the United States.

The last time we had an open race for King County Executive, Barack Obama was about to become President. And everyone was talking about some new Washington-based movie called “Twilight.”

Today, two county leaders are vying for the job.

Guests:

Claudia Balducci is a member of the King County Council. She represents District 6, which includes Bellevue, Mercer Island, and Redmond. She is an attorney who previously served as Mayor of Bellevue, she was a Bellevue city council member, and Director of the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention for King County.
Girmay Zahilay is chair of the King County Council, representing District 2, which includes Skyway, Allentown, and the University District. He’s also an attorney and founded the non-profit Rising Leaders, which offers mentorship and leadership training for middle school students.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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The Major League Baseball playoffs started this week and the Mariners, once again, did not take the field.

But this year, that’s actually a good thing.

Your Seattle Mariners finished on top of their division for the first time in nearly a quarter century and have a first round bye in the playoffs. The team’s first ALDS game is Saturday.

It has been an absolute rollercoaster of a season. Cal Raleigh led the charge and put up an impressive 60 home runs in the regular season. He’s one of the favorites to win the American League MVP.

The M’s have had a few new faces join the team, notably trade deadline acquisition Josh Naylor, and the vibe got a shot in the arm as the team brought Geno Suarez back…

The last time the Seattle Mariners won the American League West pennant, Ichiro was in his rookie year, the team won 116 games, and a guy named Dan Wilson was the catcher.

Dan Wilson is NOW the Manager of the M’s, and he’s led the team to their first AL West championship since 2001. He sat down with Soundside host Libby Denkmann Thursday morning.

GUEST: Mariners Manager Dan Wilson

RELATED LINK: Official Seattle Mariners Website

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We didn't have time on the broadcast, but don't worry... Soundside producer Jason Megatron Burrows has all the events for you to enjoy this weekend.

LINKS:

Oktoberfest Northwest - Washington State Fair Event Center
Oktoberfest - Leavenworth Washington
OktoBEARfest - Woodland Park Zoo
2025 Tacoma Greek Festival
OysterFest
The Northwest Chocolate Festival
U District Chow Down & Street Party

HAUNTED HOUSES:

Haunted Forest of Maple Valley
Nile Nightmares Haunted House - Mountlake Terrace
Georgetown Morgue - SoDo
My Haunted Forest - Kitsap
Stalker Farms - Snohomish
Maris Farms Haunted Woods | Haunted Adventure in Buckley, WA

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Who is an apology for?

The answer is more obvious when the person you’re apologizing to is standing in front of you.

You want their forgiveness. Or for them to feel better. Or for you to feel better.

But when the people who were hurt, or those who hurt them, are long gone – what does apologizing actually accomplish?

That’s one of the questions behind a recent essay in the New Yorker. It’s called “The Ritual of Civic Apology,” by Beth Lew-Williams.

Lew-Williams is a Professor of History and Director of the Program in Asian American Studies at Princeton University.

She begins her essay by recounting a talk she gave in Tacoma, a few years ago.

It was about the forced expulsion of Tacoma’s Chinese residents in November 1885. And the city’s attempts to apologize for it, generations later.

Guest:

Beth Lew-Williams is Professor of History and Director of the Program in Asian American Studies at Princeton University. Her new book “John Doe Chinaman: A Forgotten History of Chinese Life under American Racial Law” published in September of this year

Related stories:

The Ritual of Civic Apology - The New Yorker

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It’s finally fall, which means the return of colorful flannels, blundstones, and the occasional raincoat.

These are the clothes that have come to define Seattle fashion… which, if you haven’t heard, is bad.

That’s at least according to a longheld stereotype about our city’s aesthetic.

People like to make fun of the way Seattle-ites dress. They’ve labeled our fashion sense as Normie. Uninspired. Boring.

We’re asking two local fashion experts to weigh in on whether Seattle is an unstylish city… or if locals just earned a bad rap in their attempt to stay warm and dry.

Guest:

Clara Berg, a fashion historian and Curator of Collections at the Museum of History & Industry.
Andrew Hoge, a creative director and fashion writer in Seattle.

Related stories:

KUOW - Seattle: Do you dress like you're going to have a 'hiking emergency'?
Seattle Is a Fashion Capital: The History of Its Grunge, Gorp, and Graffiti Scenes

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The federal government is headed for a shutdown. Congressional leaders from both parties met with President Trump yesterday at the White House. They failed to make progress towards a funding deal.

Democrats say they want to reverse some Medicaid cuts that Republicans passed earlier this year – and extend tax credits for people on Obamacare plans. Meanwhile, Republicans falsely claim that their colleagues across the aisle are shutting down the government to fund healthcare for unauthorized immigrants.

Barring a last minute breakthrough in the Senate, the government will shut down for the first time in almost 7 years just after midnight tonight.

Guest:

Representative Suzan DelBene (WA-01)

Relevant Links:

NPR: Here's what a government shutdown could affect around the country

Politico: Johnson, Jeffries dug in ahead of shutdown deadline

NYT: The deadlock over funding the government is growing uglier.

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President Trump designated antifa as a domestic terrorist organization last week.

He followed up with a memo directing the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force to investigate individuals and groups engaged in political violence and intimidation.

Trump cited antifa as a reason to mobilize 200 Oregon National Guard troops, which are expected to arrive in Portland within the next week.

The president claimed ICE facilities in the city “were under siege from attack by Antifa and other domestic terrorists.”

So what is behind these anti-antifa moves by the White House? And what exactly is antifa?

Correction: At 15:26, the event Mathias is talking about actually takes place in Forks, the town where Twilight is set. It did not take place in the town in which Twin Peaks was set. Read more about what happened here.

Guest

Christopher Mathias, reporter, author of the upcoming book “To Catch a Fascist”

Related links

Trump's new anti-antifa panic is the start of something much more dangerous — MSNBC

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When homicide detective Ian Carter arrives at the scene of a murder, the victim is posed to look like Ophelia from Hamlet. Not that any of the detectives on the scene realize that...

The person who will crack open that clue, and other twisted literary references, is on the other side of their Oregon college town; English professor Emma Reilly. She’s struggling to get to class on time, and sensitive about avoiding the “absent minded professor” trope.

It’s the beginning of the new novel “Murder by the Book,” by author Amie Schaumberg… who lives in Spokane and happens to be an English professor herself. The narrative shifts between the perspectives of Detective Carter and Professor Reilly, and as the mystery unfolds, we see the crime through different lenses - Literary, Artistic, and Forensic…

GUEST: Amie Schaumberg

RELATED LINKS:

Amie Schaumberg, Author
Writing Neurodivergence in Crime Fiction
Murder by the Book – HarperCollins
Washington author’s debut novel admires and interrogates literature

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Rena Priest is best known for her poetry. As Washington’s poet laureate between 2021 and 2023, she traveled around the state doing readings and spreading awareness of poetry. She was the first Indigenous poet to hold that role and is a member of the Lummi Nation. Now, she’s bringing her keen observations and sharp wit to non-fiction. She’s the author of a new collection of essays, titled Positively Uncivilized.

In the book Priest explores the history of broken treaties, battles over fishing rights, and struggles with cultural erasure that compose the bedrock of the modern Coast Salish native experience. She also challenges the non-Native reader to experiment with perspective: for example, what if we maintained the kind of spiritual relationship with the natural world that put us in community with salmon, instead of above them?

The title of the book itself speaks to the types of stories Priest tells. “Uncivilized” is a term that was, for generations, used to denigrate native people. But also one that had been reclaimed by Priest’s family and used in a playful way.

Priest is reading at Third Place Books Ravenna on Monday September 29 at 7:00 pm.

Guest:

Rena Priest, author of Positively Uncivilized

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Christian Sidor is a professor in the UW Department of Biology and curator of Vertebrate Paleontology at the Burke. And for the last 18 years, he’s been traveling back and forth to Zambia and Tanzania, collecting fossils from the Permian period.

The Permian lasted about 47 millions years and ended 252 million years ago with the Triassic Period.

Sidor has found a lot of Permian specimens. Last month he and his collaborators co-edited a series of 14 articles on the animals they’ve discovered during their field work.

So, we wanted to go check out some of these new, ancient animals.

Guest:

Christian Sidor: professor in the UW Department of Biology and curator of Vertebrate Paleontology at the Burke

Related stories:

Fresh fossil finds in Africa shed light on the era before Earth’s largest mass extinction - UW News

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Congress is barreling toward a government shutdown and Democrats are weighing whether they should use their leverage in this negotiation.

They want to extend Obamacare subsidies and potentially roll back some cuts to Medicaid. President Trump has threatened mass firings of federal workers in the event of a shutdown.

All of this is going on as the country is grappling with a rise in political violence – and political rhetoric that blames the other side for the problem.

Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal joined Soundside to talk more about all of this.

Guest:

Pramila Jayapal, U.S. Representative for Washington's 7th Congressional District.

Related stories:

Arizona lawmaker calls for WA congresswoman to be executed for urging Trump protests • Washington State Standard
Vance says US 'headed to a shutdown' after meeting with Democrats | Reuters

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It’s crush season in Washington, a time when grape growers and winemakers are usually very busy, working insane hours to make new wine.

But a huge percentage of the state’s highest quality wine won't get made this year.

Sluggish wine sales have meant growers are letting some of their best fruit rot, sometimes right on the vine.

And Washington growers and winemakers alike are concerned about the future of their businesses.

We talk about what's behind the wine glut.

Guest

Anna King, senior correspondent for Northwest Public Broadcasting

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The Mariners have made the playoffs as the AL West champs, and they're facing the Dodgers for the final games of the regular season, but hey... there's ALWAYS more to do this weekend! Check it out:

LINKS:

SPORTS!!
- Mariners vs Dodgers - Final games of the season! Fri/Sat/Sun
- UW Huskies vs The Ohio State Buckeyes Sat 12:30p
- Sounders vs Vancouver Whitecaps Sat 7:30pm
- Reign vs NC Courage Sun 5pm
- Kraken vs Calgary Flames - Preseason Game #2 MON 7pm
Prosser Balloon Rally
Festa Italiana Seattle
Northwest Tea Festival
Enumclaw BBQ, Brews, & Brats
Bellingham SeaFeast
Seattle Opera - Costume Sale
Musical Migration - Crossings
Danny Elfman's Music From the Films of Tim Burton with the Seattle Symphony
Hitchcock Hotel 2025 — Can Can Culinary Cabaret
Unicorn: Burn Relief Fundraiser | Neumos
- Unicorn Staff Fire Relief Fund

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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This week, we're looking at the special election in Washington’s 5th Legislative District, which covers Issaquah to Enumclaw.

State Sen. Victoria Hunt, a Democrat, was appointed to the seat and is running to keep her job this fall.

Republicans think they could flip this district. They’d like to claw back a little power from Democrats, who currently hold majorities in both the state House and Senate.

We talk with Sen. Victoria Hunt about her campaign.

Guest

State Sen. Victoria Hunt, Washington's 5th Legislative District

Related Links

On The Ballot: Chad Magendanz, 5th Legislative District - KUOUW

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Did you catch Kimmel last night? It was his first night back after Disney pulled him off air about a week ago.

Most likely, you only saw it after the fact. That's because Sinclair Broadcasting, which owns 38 ABC affiliates, including KOMO here in Seattle, announced earlier this week that they would continue to pre-empt Jimmy Kimmel Live! until further notice.

Kimmel’s show was suspended by ABC after he discussed the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk during an opening monologue last week, stating that a “MAGA gang” were “desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them.”

Sinclair had previously demanded Kimmel apologize for his statement, and donate to Kirk’s conservative nonprofit - Turning Point USA.

We asked you how you felt about Sinclair’s decision to pre-empt Kimmel’s show on their stations

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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After a few marathon public comment sessions last week, the Seattle City Council is considering the final version of a comprehensive plan.

This is the document that dictates where and how the city will grow over the next two decades.

Over the last week, balancing tree canopy with growth emerged as one of the most controversial issues in the plan.

And there’s a history here:

In 2023, Mayor Harrell and the Seattle City Council passed a so-called tree protection ordinance that would limit the amount of trees developers could cut down while building new housing.

But, according to tree-canopy advocates, two years since the law went into effect tree-cutting has only increased.

Just in August an average of 73 trees were being cut down each week.

So what went wrong? Or – is the law working exactly as intended?

Guest:

Robert McClure is a journalist and co-founder of InvestigateWest

Related stories:

Developers’ tree-cutting pace surges under contested Seattle tree protection ordinance - InvestigateWest
Seattle claims to ‘protect’ hundreds of trees that were never threatened - InvestigateWest

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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NASA announced its next batch of potential astronauts this week. Out of 8,000 applicants, just ten were chosen to attend the two year training program, including Lauren Edgar from Sammamish. When those astronaut candidates complete the training, they will be eligible for missions to low earth orbit, the moon, and Mars.

Guest:

Lauren Edgar, NASA astronaut candidate

Relevant Links:

NASA Selects All-American 2025 Class of Astronaut Candidates

NASA Astronaut Candidate Lauren A. Edgar

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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What happens when you become the target of hate, spread across wide swaths of the media? Of a movement that is as frightening and violent as it is just factually wrong?

You might want life to go back to normal. But those who’ve experienced this know things can’t ever be the same.

A Belligham resident told us about her experience.

Guest:

Jenn Mason, owner of WinkWink sex shop in Bellingham, sex educator, and school board director

Related stories:

Right-wing trolls harassed this Bellingham sex educator. Then she reached across the divide - KUOW

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This week, we're looking at the special election in Washington’s 5th Legislative District, which covers Issaquah to Enumclaw.

State Sen. Victoria Hunt, a Democrat, was appointed to the seat and is running to keep her job this fall.

Republicans are hoping to flip a couple of seats in the legislature and claw back some lawmaking power from Democrats, who currently hold majorities in both the House and Senate

Former State Rep. Chad Magendanz is challenging Hunt for the 5th district’s Senate seat. Magendanz is a Republican and served this district for two terms in the state House until he lost in 2016.

We talk with him about his campaign.

Guest

Chad Magendanz, former state representative, and candidate for state Senate in the 5tth LD

Related Links

On The Ballot: State Sen. Victoria Hunt, 5th Legislative District

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Log onto Instagram and you’ll see videos of celebrity interviews, food recipes and, lately, homes for sale.

These days realtors are leaning more on social media to show property listings. They take their audience on immersive tours and give details about a home’s price, features and neighborhood.

These posts get plenty of attention from casual viewers, but they do also attract potential buyers.

A real estate agent shares how she's using social media to sell homes around the city.

Guest:

Candace Hagen, a real estate agent in Seattle.

Related stories:

Seattle-area real estate agents go where homebuyers scroll | The Seattle Times

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes.

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There's a flurry of health news happening these days: Decisions and announcements being made at federal agencies. State governments vowing to fight changes.

It can be hard to know what the impacts will be at the ground level.

We're going to set aside some time every now and then to check in with doctors and medical professionals about the latest developments -- and what they mean for you.

In this segment, we're digging into the latest news on childhood vaccinations: Last week, a vaccine panel formed by Health and Human Services head Robert F. Kennedy Jr. met to discuss policy regarding measles, Covid-19 and Hepatitis B.

There were a variety of actions taken by the panel -- some votes taken, some NOT taken. Two local doctors help us make sense of what all of this means.

Guest:

Dr. Helen Chu, a professor of medicine at UW Medicine.
Dr. Amanda Kost, chief of service of family medicine at Harborview Medical Center.

Related stories:

How RFK Jr.’s hand-picked CDC advisory panel voted on COVID vaccines and more | PBS News
RFK Jr.’s Vaccine Panel Votes Down Its Own Proposal to Require Prescriptions for Covid-19 Shots | WIRED
CDC's vaccine advisers add COVID vaccine rules in contentious meeting : Shots - Health News : NPR

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes.

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There is a disconnect between the high level of homelessness in Seattle and the high number of affordable housing units that are sitting unused at the moment. As of the end of last year, nearly 11% of affordable housing in the city were empty – more than 2700 apartments. .

That’s more than five times the number of vacancies compared to 7 years ago.

So what happened?

Well, for many, affordable housing is, ironically, no longer the affordable option. A flattening of rents overall has made these units less desirable than many other market rate options. But even though these units are sitting empty, it’s unlikely they will be opened for Seattle’s growing homeless population.

Guest: Seattle Times homelessness reporter Greg Kim

Links:

Why thousands of Seattle’s affordable-housing apartments became vacant

Homeless people visited ER less after moving into King County’s hotels

Bracing for cuts, King County Housing Authority pulls back

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Well, with Fall officially beginning at 11:19 on Monday morning, we’ve reached the FINAL weekend of the summer. How will YOU be celebrating the end of the season?

Are you sad to see the summer slip away, or are you excited for the Autumnal goodness that the season change brings?

Either way, we’ve got Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows here with nearly EVERY option available!

LINKS:

West End Beer Fest - Spokane
Oktoberfest | Rotary Club of Edmonds
Fremont Oktoberfest
Whidbey Island Cider Festival | PRI
Saint Demetrios Greek Festival
The Seattle Pancakes & Booze Art Show
Seattle's Art Walk Marathon
Seattle Iranian Festival
GOT SOLE - Sneaker Swap Meet
Ice Cube - Climate Pledge Arena
Billy Idol - Climate Pledge Arena
Kraken vs Canucks - Pre-Season
Seahawks vs NO Saints
Savannah Bananas vs The Firefighters
The Spitfire Grill - Black Box Theatre | Edmonds College

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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In 2019, the remote plains of Harney County, Oregon made national news. Scattered amongst groves of ponderosa pine were a handful of mutilated cattle. The cows had an almost surgical removal of their tongues and other organs.

But the most astounding thing is that the scenes where these cattle were found were pristine. No tracks. And not one drop of blood – the carcasses were drained dry.

The documentary will screen at the Northwest Film Forum's Local Sightings film festival in Seattle on Saturday, September 20th.

Guests:

Anna King, senior correspondent for Northwest Public Broadcasting
Jackson Devereux and Lachlan Hinton, directors of "Not One Drop of Blood."

Related Links:

Not One Drop of Blood
Local Sightings 2025 – Not One Drop of Blood
'Not One Drop Of Blood': Cattle Mysteriously Mutilated In Oregon : NPR

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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A state Senate seat in Washington’s 26th district is looking like a barn burner. The district covers Gig Harbor, Bremerton, Port Orchard and the Key Peninsula. And Republicans see this race as a way to chip away at the Democratic majority in the Senate. Republican state Representative Michelle Caldier has served the district for 6 terms in the House. She’s trying to unseat Democratic state Senator Deb Krishnadasan who was appointed to the position last year. And the race is tight, 1,000 votes separated the two candidates in the primary election.

Guest:

State Representative Michelle Caldier, candidate for state Senate in the 26th LD

Relevant Links:

WA State Standard: New leader in electoral battle for WA state Senate seat

WA Observer: Mostly-Microsoft money headed for hot legislative races

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Washington’s great outdoors are famous for breathtaking mountain views, crystal blue lakes and…. roads? You could start seeing more of that last one on your hikes and camping trips in the coming years.

That’s because President Trump is trying to get rid of the Roadless Rule. It’s a 2001 federal policy that prohibits road construction and logging in protected national forests and grasslands. A repeal of the policy could impact close to 45 million acres in the United States, including around 2 million in Washington.

The administration says the rule is too restrictive, gets in the way of wildfire risk management and hurts economic development in rural areas. In late August, the federal government opened a public comment period for the proposed rescission. People have until Friday, September 19th, to share their thoughts.

So far, the news has ignited major backlash from wildlife advocates, outdoor enthusiasts, and tribes. But others are in favor of the federal administration's proposal to repeal the rule. A few people share why they're either backing the policy's overturn or fighting for its preservation.

Guest:

Alyssa Macy, a citizen of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs
Nick Smith, public affairs director for the American Forest Resource Council
Lia Brewster, Sierra Club conservation campaign strategist

Related stories:

Trump's push to end "Roadless Rule" could open some of Utah's wild places to logging - Axios Salt Lake City
Trump agencies move to repeal roadless rule, open public lands
Roadless Rule repeal moves ahead; would affect 2M acres in Washington

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes.

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A new school year has started; kids are sharpening pencils and breaking in backpacks. Many are also getting used to another new tool: Artificial Intelligence.

A slew of tech companies have been offering free or low-cost AI products to schools that will purportedly engage students and help them learn, while also aiding teachers with their day-to-day responsibilities. In a survey by the Consortium for School Networking, more than 50% of districts across the nation said they were training teachers in how to use AI.

But are these tools actually creating a better learning environment? And who stands to benefit from their growth in American education? We talk to reporter and author Vauhini Vara about her new deep dive into this issue.

Guest: Reporter and author Vauhini Vara

Related Links:

How Chatbots and AI Are Already Transforming Kids' Classrooms

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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In May, King County prosecutors filed sexual assault charges against a King County sheriff’s deputy.

They said he raped a 17-year-old girl.

Prosecutors claim the abuse started while the two were alone on a ride-along in his police SUV while she was participating in Explorers, a national youth mentorship program, with the Burien Police Department.

And that allegation mirrors a disturbing pattern of abuse within Explorers programs at law enforcement agencies nationwide.

We talk with a reporter who has investigated the program about what she found.

Guest

Lakeidra Chavis, former reporter, The Marshall Project

Related Links

In Police Youth Program, Abuse Often Starts When Officers Are Alone With Teens in Cars - The Marshall Project

King County sheriff’s deputy charged with rape, sexual misconduct - The Seattle Times

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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A Senate seat in Washington’s 26th district is looking like a barn burner. The district covers Gig Harbor, Bremerton, Port Orchard and the Key Peninsula. And Democrats are hoping to keep that district from flipping.

Democratic state Senator Deb Krishnadasan is the appointed incumbent in this fight. She finished the primary about 1,000 votes ahead, setting up an incredibly tight race for this November.

She’ll square off against Republican state Representative Michelle Caldier, who has served the district for 6 terms in the House.

It’s a classic Republican versus Democrat race with the potential to diminish Democratic control in the Senate.

Guest:

State Senator Deb Krishnadasan from Washington's 26th Legislative District

Relevant Links:

WA State Standard: New leader in electoral battle for WA state Senate seat

WA Observer: Mostly-Microsoft money headed for hot legislative races

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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This is a story about the internet and our country’s political polarization.

It’s also a story about our thirst for answers, and the race to score ideological points following a tragedy.

And that rush to blame and to explain creates an environment where totally innocent people are run over by the runaway train of internet speculation, viral misinformation, and prejudice.

That’s what happened to one Seattleite a few days ago.

She’s a paralegal, and a trans woman – and last week, to a portion of the internet, her photo became the face of the shooter who assassinated Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University.

Her image went viral in right-wing social media circles, along with threatening anti-trans rhetoric.

Obviously all of that was a lie. But the situation also had very true consequences for her life.

Guest:

Michaela, Seattle resident

A note: We are only using Michaela's first name because of concerns about harassment.

Related stories:

Conservatives falsely accused her of assassinating Charlie Kirk. It started with Dr. Pepper jokes - KUOW
No, this transgender woman is not the Charlie Kirk assassin - The Advocate
Seattle Area Trans Women Are Being Attacked by Groups of Men - The Stranger

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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At 11am on Monday, September 15th, students at high schools across Seattle walked out of class, and headed to Seattle Public Schools’ district office downtown.

They were protesting changes to lunch times, announced last week by the district, that they say will negatively affect student experience at school.

KUOW reporter Noel Gasca was at the Seattle Public Schools district office, where students are gathering to protest, and joined us to explain.

Guest:

KUOW reporter Noel Gasca

Related stories:

Seattle students ready to fight ‘horrendous’ schedule change - Seattle Times
One lunch SPS - Student led instagram page

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Since May 8, 1792, European colonists have called the large volcano just off the coast of Puget Sound "Mount Rainier."

It was given that name by a British explorer, Captain George Vancouver – a gift to his friend, Rear Admiral Peter Rainier.

But prior to Vancouver’s arrival in what eventually became Washington state, the Indigenous peoples in and around the Salish Sea called it by many names.

A linguistic paper from the Puyallup Tribe of Indians traced those many names for the mountain – where they came from, and what they mean.

This conversation originally aired on May 5, 2025.

Guests:

Zalmai ʔəswəli Zahir, linguist and Lushootseed language teacher

Related Links:

Puyallup Tribal Language - Analysis of the Many Names of the Mountain
Puyallup Tribal language consultant publishes first comprehensive analysis of the many Native names for Mount Rainier - ʔuhuyəxʷ ti dᶻixʷ pipa ʔə tiiɫ qa sdadaʔ ʔə tiiɫ skʷatač, ʔux̌alad ti ʔəswəli | Puyallup Tribe
Puyallup Tribal Language - Culture

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You know what time it is. It's WEEKEND WARMUP TIME!

Links:

SPORTS
- Mariners - LA Angels - 9/11-14
- Sounders - LA Galaxy - 9/13
- Reign - Racing Louisville FC - 9/14
- Seahawks - AWAY vs Pittsburgh 10am 9/14
Wallingford Bratwurst Festival
The Chehalis Flying Saucer Party
Seattle — Cider Summit
Hops & Crops Music and Beer Festival - Kent
Sip Suds & Si - North Bend
Autumn Sip & Stroll - Gig Harbor
Historic Downtown Snohomish Wine Walk
Vino in the Village – Magnolia
Black & Loud Fest at The Crocodile
Bite of PhinneyWood | The PNA
Local Sightings 2025 – Not One Drop of Blood - Northwest Film Forum

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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November’s general election could bring a group of new faces to Seattle City Government.

Today we’re diving into the race for City Council’s Position 8 seat. That’s a city-wide post, representing ALL of Seattle, as opposed to just one geographic district.

The incumbent in this race is Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck.

She won the seat after a special election last year. Now, Rinck is widely seen as the most progressive voice on the council. In this summer’s primary, she got a whopping 78% of the vote.

This fall, Rinck is facing off against a REPUBLICAN business owner in the general election: Rachel Savage.

GUEST: Seattle City Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck

RELATED LINKS:

Alexis Mercedes Rinck
ST Editorial Board - No endorsement for Seattle City Council, Position 8
Seattle City Council Unanimously Approves "Seattle Shield Initiative" For November 2025 Vote
Alexis Mercedes Rinck - Council | seattle.gov

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A brand new contemporary art space opened up last month in downtown Seattle.

It's called Cannonball Arts, and Soundside recently got a sneak preview.

GUESTS:

Brent Watanabe, a Seattle based artist who specializes in computer-controlled installations
Greg Lundgren, Creative Director of New Rising Sun

RELATED LINKS:

Cannonball Arts
Downtown Seattle’s Bed Bath & Beyond building to become an arts center
Real-Deal Out-There Art - The Stranger

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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November’s general election could bring a group of new faces to Seattle City Government.

Today we’re diving into the race for City Council’s Position 8 seat. That’s a city-wide post, representing ALL of Seattle, as opposed to just one geographic district.

Our first candidate in this Position 8 race is Rachael Savage. She’s a small business owner in Capitol Hill – she runs a crystal and incense shop on Broadway. And she’s a member of the Broadway Business Improvement Association.

Savage is running the most conservative campaign in city politics this year, as she tries to upset incumbent Alexis Mercedes Rinck’s bid for reelection. Rinck is currently the most progressive member of Seattle’s City Council.

While this is not Savage’s first foray into city politics, it is her first time running for office.

GUEST: Rachael Savage

RELATED LINKS:

Savage Citizens
Capitol Hill crystal shop owner and candidate for City Council says launching initiative effort to ban homeless camping in Seattle
Seattle City Council Position 8 candidates outline platforms

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What will it take to save the Lake City Fred Meyer? Is it even possible?

Lawmakers and local shoppers are asking those questions after Kroger announced last month that the Lake City location would be part of a wave of regional closures.

Local residents remain worried about where people will go for prescriptions and fresh produce, especially elderly and low-income residents, who may not have access to a car.

Guest

Paul Roberts, Seattle Times business reporter

Related Links

Lake City Fred Meyer faces closure. Lawmakers want to change that

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He’s back. Well, he never really left. Conservative megadonor Brian Heywood wants to put two new policy proposals in front of the Washington state Legislature next year.

Both deal with kids in schools, specifically, with parents’ access to school records, and trans kids playing sports.

Heywood spent millions of dollars on a slate of initiatives last year. Some of them passed the legislature, like a ban on income taxes, a loosening of restrictions on police car chases, and a law codifying parental rights to information about their kids in school.

Other measures that Heywood sponsored went to the ballot last November. Voters rejected three of them. Those measures would have killed the state’s long-term care program, the Climate Commitment Act, and capital gains tax.

Voters passed a fourth initiative that Heywood backed, this one was about preserving access to natural gas. But that’s been tied up in the courts and hasn’t taken effect yet.

Now, Heywood and his advocacy organization Let’s Go Washington, are announcing two new initiatives involving K-12 school policy:

He’ll be collecting signatures for a revamped parent’s bill of rights and a ban on trans athletes in girl’s sports. Let’s Go Washington has until January to get more than 300,000 signatures. If successful, the initiatives can appear before the Legislature during the session in 2026 and may end up on your ballot after that.

Guest:

Brian Heywood, hedge fund manager and funder behind Let's Go Washington

Relevant Links:

OPB: Washington state GOP megadonor planning new round of initiatives on taxes, parents’ rights

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Almost a year ago, an Israeli soldier shot and killed Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi in the West Bank. She was a Seattle resident and a University of Washington graduate.

We spoke to her family about their memories of her and their push for an independent investigation into her killing.

Guest

Hamid Ali, Ayşenur's husband
Ozden Bennett, Ayşenur's sister

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School starts up this week for some districts in our region, others started last week – before Labor Day!

For some students, gym classes may include a surprising throwback: The Presidential Fitness Test.

President Trump reestablished the program over the summer. It had been quietly phased out in 2013 by President Obama, and people are split over the value and impact of this test.

Teachers and fitness experts alike have criticized the test, suggesting it’s not effective in helping students develop healthier lifestyles, and at worst – some argue it encourages bullying and anxiety over body image.

We wanted to talk with an actual physical education teacher – NOT a gym teacher – about the return of the Presidential Fitness Test.

GUEST: Teri Garrett, a P.E. teacher at Lindbergh High School in Renton, with over 30 years of experience teaching Physical Education, around the Puget Sound.

RELATED LINKS:

Fact Sheet: President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, and the Reestablishment of the Presidential Fitness Test
Remember running the mile in school? The Presidential Fitness Test is coming back
Can President Trump Run a Mile? | The New Yorker
Trump revives the Presidential Fitness Test alongside professional athletes at White House

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All good things must come to an end, and while that includes things like MoPop's Nirvana exhibition, it also means the work week is coming to a close.

With that in mind, here's Soundside producer Jason Megatron Burrows with all the things you could be doing this weekend!

LINKS:

Seahawks vs 49ers - 1:05 pm Sunday 9/7
Seattle Storm vs NY Liberty - 7:00 pm Friday 9/5
SEA-Nordic Film Festival
Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival
Mukilteo Lighthouse Festival
BrickCon 2025
Nirvana Exhibition Closing | Museum of Pop Culture
Ai Weiwei | Seattle Art Museum

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Last week, the parents of a 16-year-old boy who died by suicide sued OpenAI, the company that owns ChatGPT. They say the bot fed into their son’s suicidal ideation, giving him technical advice on how to commit the act and even encouraging him to hide his plans.

The tragedy highlights the dark side of the emotional dependence some people have developed with AI. What potential power does AI hold over its users, and what safeguards will help us navigate this transitional period in tech history?

Guest: Oren Etzioni, Professor Emeritus of Computer Science at the University of Washington

Links:

A Teen Was Suicidal. ChatGPT Was the Friend He Confided In.

ChatGPT to get parental controls after teen user’s death by suicide

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Monsanto has settled with more than 200 people in Monroe, Washington, who were exposed to PCBs -- toxic chemicals once produced by the company.

Students, parents and staff at the Sky Valley alternative school in Snohomish County, had filed lawsuits against Monsanto starting in 2018, after reporting significant illnesses. The amount of the settlement has not been revealed, but it looks to possibly be the largest settlement over PCB exposure at a single site.

Guest: Seattle Times reporter Lulu Ramadan

Related Links:

Monsanto settles with over 200 exposed to chemicals in Monroe school

Monsanto must pay $857M in PCB lawsuit at Monroe, WA, school, jury finds

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If you’re a news junkie (or social media user) your feeds have likely been inundated lately with headlines and videos of immigration officers taking people into custody across our region.

Like the story about federal agents arresting two people working to tame the Bear Gulch fire near Lake Cushman. Or the arrest of a Washington National Guard veteran who has lived in the U.S. for decades… who was taken into custody during his citizenship interview.

And we might see activity ramp up: Donald Trump’s border czar Tom Homan recently told reporters that Seattle and other cities with “sanctuary” policies will soon see more immigration raids.

We want to get a better understanding of ICE’s activity in Washington– and if we can expect it to change in the near future.

Guest:

Elizabeth Benki, directing attorney at the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project.

Related stories:

More ICE raids coming to Seattle, elsewhere, Trump border adviser says | The Seattle Times
ICE detains veteran during US citizenship interview | king5.com
Border Patrol: Firefighters arrested at Bear Gulch fire illegally entered U.S. | The Seattle Times

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In 22 states, people subject to certain domestic violence protection orders must surrender their guns.

Washington State has had that requirement since 2014, when lawmakers unanimously voted to strip abusers of their guns.

But not all judges here have been enforcing that law.

That’s because of a 2022 appeals court decision that led many judges and judicial officers to view it as unconstitutional.

Now, a new ruling in a separate case may provide more clarity and keep more guns out of the hands of alleged abusers. Maybe.

Guest:

Kelsey Turner is an investigative reporter at InvestigateWest

Related stories:

Some Washington judges aren’t ordering accused abusers to surrender guns. A new court ruling could change that. - Investigate West

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If you’ve driven from Seattle to Mount Rainier this summer, you might’ve had to find a different route from normal – one that misses the town of Wilkeson.

Since April, this Pierce County town of just under 500 people has been cut off from a major source of economic activity: Through traffic, due to the closure of the Fairfax Bridge a few months ago.

And, to add insult to injury, another key bridge is also closed. The White River Bridge was blocked off following a crash involving a semitruck.

Wilkeson Councilmember Jayme Peloli says her town is suffering due to these closures.

She’d been calling for Washington’s governor to issue an emergency proclamation in order to seek federal dollars to reimburse state efforts to fix these bridges.

Yesterday, he did just that, in an effort to address the White River Bridge closure. We talk with Peloli about what's been going on in Wilkeson.

Guest

Jayme Peloli, Wilkeson councilmember

Editor's note: We received a statement from WSDOT after this episode aired on the radio. It reads, in part:

"The Governor’s emergency proclamation is the first step in WSDOT seeking federal funds for repairs to the White River Bridge. While this does not guarantee that WSDOT will receive funding from the Federal Highway Administration, we believe the bridge strike qualifies as a catastrophic failure from an external cause under the statute, and we will actively pursue emergency reimbursement. Securing this funding will help ensure that state dollars can go further as we balance the many pressing needs across our transportation system."

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It’s Thursday, and on Thursdays, we hear from Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows with everything worth doing this weekend... but he's on vacation so here's Producer Shane Mehling instead.

WA State Fair
BUMBERSHOOT
PAX West 2025
Seattle Indies Expo
Dave Matthews’ Annual takeover of The Gorge
Cypress Hill at Marymoore Park
Blackberry Festival
Olympia Harbor Days

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Have you been at a party recently and found yourself reaching for sparkling water instead of a glass of wine? Join the club.

A new Gallup poll found that Americans are drinking less than ever before. Only 54% of U.S. adults are reporting that they consume alcohol. That’s a record low since the survey company started asking about people’s drinking habits back in 1939.

And young people are drinking less than older Americans, a trend we’re seeing in our region, too: The Seattle Times reports that young people - especially young men - are reporting lower alcohol consumption than other age groups in the area.

We want to know how local businesses are navigating this -- and what could be behind this shift.

Guest:

Emily Ritchie, executive director of the Northwest Cider Association.
Malcolm Purinton, assistant teaching professor of history at Northeastern University.

Related stories:

U.S. Drinking Rate at New Low as Alcohol Concerns Surge | Gallup
How much do adults in Seattle drink? Here’s what new data shows | The Seattle Times

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The story of Amanda Knox has been told many times, and there have been several versions: there were the sensational allegations laid out by an Italian prosecutor, of a University of Washington exchange student who, in 2007, murdered her British roommate as part of a sex-game-gone wrong.

That story landed Knox in Italian prison for almost four years; that story was fiction. Then, there were the clickbaity tabloid exploits of “Foxy Knoxy,” a sex-obsessed “luciferina.” This story, which is also wrong, kept Knox confined in another way: branded with a reputation she couldn’t shake.

There were also Lifetime Movies, documentaries and countless books, including a couple by Knox herself, that told the true story of a young woman wrongly convicted and caught up by legal and media forces larger than herself.

Now, for the first time, she is using a scripted TV series to tell her story the way she wants.

She is the Executive Producer of a new series called The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox. By the way, the series is also EP’d by Monica Lewinsky.

The first two episodes are available now on Hulu.

Guest:

Amanda Knox, Executive Producer of The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox

Relevant Links:

New York Times: For a ‘Twisted Tale,’ Amanda Knox and Grace Van Patten Became One

Seattle Times: Amanda Knox reclaims her story in Hulu’s ‘Twisted Tale’ series

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Governor Ferguson continues to defy demands from the Trump Administration to end Washington’s “sanctuary state” policies.

But lawmakers say there’s one place here where protections for immigrants are falling short: state prisons.

That, says Tacoma state Representative Sharlett Mena, means the state isn’t doing everything it could to keep Washingtonians safe.

According to reporting from the Washington State Standard, dozens of lawmakers are calling for the state Department of Corrections to change the way it interacts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

That effort may see some headwinds, however. Governor Bob Ferguson and Attorney General Nick Brown both say they don’t see any need to alter state policy.

Guests:

Washington State Standard reporter Jake Goldstein-Street

Related stories:

Washington governor and AG stand by state prison notifications to ICE - Washington State Standard
As DOJ threatens WA over sanctuary laws, state officials double down on protections - KUOW

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President Trump has threatened to sign an Executive Order that would end mail-in voting in America.

His comments last week come at a time when the President is suggesting multiple ways to help Republicans hold onto Congress in the 2026 midterms. Nearly a third of national ballots came through the mail in the 2024 election. And the Washington State legislature required vote-by-mail starting in 2011.

Secretary of State Steve Hobbs talks to us about what President Trump can do and defends Washington State voting security.

Guest: Secretary of State Steve Hobbs

Related stories:

FDA recommends concentrated Kratom be scheduled as illicit substance | The Hill
What to know about changes to kratom sold in Seattle | Axios Seattle
Kratom & 7-OH: What do we know about use, safety, and overdose risk? | Addictions, Drug & Alcohol Institute (University of Washington)
What is 7-OH? Opioid-like product may get banned by FDA | USA TODAY

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So far in 2025, Seattle is on track for a decline in homicides for the second year in a row.

The city’s finally catching up to other parts of the country that started to see drops in lethal violence a few years ago, according to a new story published in The Seattle Times.

The country saw a surge in homicides when the pandemic hit. Seattle was no exception, and the violence continued. The city experiencing one of its deadliest years on record in 2023.

But lately things have been trending in a safer direction for the city and King County as a whole.

Guest:

Sara Jean Green, reporter at The Seattle Times.

Related stories:

Seattle is seeing fewer homicides, catching up with national trend | The Seattle Times
KUOW - Seattle passes grim milestone with record high homicides | KUOW
Seattle had 'highest number of murders in 26 years' in 2020 | MyNorthwest

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Pre-season football is here. The Seattle Seahawks have a rejuvenated roster, but they are far away from being a pre-season favorite for the Superbowl. So, let’s remember some good times: I’m talking a Superbowl win, a Superbowl loss, the Legion of Boom, Beast Mode ... in the early 2010s, the Seahawks were a football juggernaut.

And now, they’re the subject of a new book called The Franchise: Seattle Seahawks: A Curated History of the Legion of Boom Era.

Guest:

Michael-Shawn Dugar, staff writer at The Athletic and author of The Franchise: Seattle Seahawks: A Curated History of the Legion of Boom Era

Michael-Shawn Dugar will be at Elliot Bay Books on Tuesday August 12th and Third Place Books Seward Park on Monday August 25th

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Two familiar Republican names from last year’s election are back in the news: Joe Kent and Pete Serrano.

They’re not running for election, but they may be finding success instead with federal appointments.

Kent is a former Green Beret who ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. House twice in District 3. The Senate approved his appointment as director of the National Counterterrorism Center late last month.

Serrano was the mayor of Pasco and ran for Washington Attorney General against Nick Brown. It was reported last week that he is the presumptive pick to take over as U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.

For many candidates who lose statewide office, a failed campaign is the end of the line, so how have these GOP candidates from a deep blue state been able to give new life to their political careers?

Guest:

Jim Brunner, Seattle Times political reporter

Relevant Links:

Seattle Times: Senate confirms former WA candidate Joe Kent to counterterrorism post

Seattle Times: Former GOP AG candidate chosen as Eastern Washington’s U.S. attorney

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Sound Transit has a busy few years ahead.

Trains are set to start running to Federal Way in December, but a long-awaited east side expansion across Lake Washington has been delayed again – to at least April 2026.

That comes as riders and public transit enthusiasts alike are clamoring for additional light rail service to Ballard, West Seattle and beyond.

Amid all of this, Sound Transit has a new CEO, former King County Executive Dow Constantine.

Constantine came to KUOW for a long conversation about the future of Sound Transit and to answer several questions from our audience.

Guest

Dow Constantine, CEO of Sound Transit

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Salmon recovery efforts have had mixed success in Washington, where salmon habitat and spawning routes have been disrupted for generations.

But what if human consumption wasn't part of that equation? What if the salmon we eat were no longer wild-caught in the ocean or pulled out of a farm?

What if that salmon was grown in a lab?

Starting in late August, you could try some at one Seattle restaurant, so we're talking about the future of cultivated fish and meat.

Guests

Frida Garza, staff reporter, Grist Claire Bomkamp, senior lead scientist for cultivated meat and seafood at The Good Food Institute (GFI), a nonprofit advocating for alternative proteins

Editor's note: A previous version of this text described The Good Food Institute as an advocacy group for alternative proteins. We've updated the Claire's title to note GFI's nonprofit status.

Links

Want to try lab-grown salmon? The US just approved it. - Grist

No bones, no scales, no problem: The first lab-grown salmon sold in the U.S. - The Washington Post

Lab-Grown Salmon Set to Hit the Menu at Hot Seattle Oyster Bar - Bloomberg

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The forecast for the weekend is sunshine & 80 degrees, so Soundside producer Jason Megatron Burrows wants YOU to get outside & DO STUFF!!

LINKS:

MARINERS - Fri/Sat/Sun - vs Tampa Bay
Edmonds Block Party
West Seattle Glass Float Hunt
Ananda Mela
Coupeville Arts & Crafts Festival
WA Midsummer Renaissance Faire!
Jacques ze Whipper Secret Show
Festival At Mt Si
Sundae Runday
Tunnel Marathons
Omak Stampede
Issaquah Film Festival
SIFF CatVideoFest 2025
SIFF Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (40th Anniversary)
SIFF 'n' Stitch: 10 Things I Hate About You

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Happy post-election day to all those who celebrate!

Maybe you're the type who eagerly awaits each wave of results, or maybe it's something you've already forgotten about. Regardless, pat on the back to everyone who made the time to turn in a ballot.

Now... we might make you question the way you formed your decisions -- especially if you asked ChatGPT, Gemini or Grok for elections information.

Today the University of Washington announced the results of a study looking at the potential influence artificial intelligence can have on our political decision making.

It’s something that’s coming up a lot these days as AI becomes more prevalent. So we want to know what exactly this new study found - and if we should be worried about the results.

Guest:

Jillian Fisher, lead author of the study.

Related stories:

Could AI tilt the outcome of elections? - The Economist
How artificially-generated content could dominate the 2026 campaign - The Boston Globe

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For 12 years, researchers in Washington and British Columbia have been tracking down a mystery.

Along the Pacific coast, sea stars were dissolving into goo. This phenomenon was given a name: sea star wasting disease and it killed billions of these marine creatures.

For more than a decade, scientists studied the wasting disease but couldn’t figure out why it was happening.

A new paper published this week in Nature Ecology and Evolution details a likely culprit.

Guest:

John Ryan, KUOW environment reporter

Relevant Links:

KUOW: Scientists crack the case of the melting sea stars. It only took a decade

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If you’ve spent much time on social media here in Washington, you’ve likely seen a headline like this one:

Office Workers Secretly Waiting for Landing Seaplane to Decapitate Paddleboarder

That gem comes from “The Needling,” which describes itself as Seattle’s only real fake news. It’s the comedy creation of Lex Vaughn, the site’s founder and editor since 2018 – longevity enough to lampoon two presidential elections.

Thursday night, she’ll be at SIFF Cinema Downtown, as part of its Talking Pictures series. Vaughn has chosen to screen and discuss Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.

Today, Soundside is pleased to have her on to talk about how she came to be Seattle’s fake news maven, as well as what it means to do satire in 2025.

GUEST: Lex Vaughn - Founder & Editor of The Needling

LINK:The Needling

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It’s primary election day. If you fail to perform that most sacred civic duty of a free democracy, you won’t be alone. In fact, you’re in the majority.

King County expects that just 35% percent of registered voters will send in a ballot for this primary. Is it fair when so few voters make decisions for everyone else?

Guest:

Zoltan Hajnal, professor of political science at UC San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy

Relevant Links:

New York Times: Why Does No One Vote in Local Elections?

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When Governor Bob Ferguson’s chief strategy officer, Mike Webb, left his position in March, Ferguson said in a statement, quote, “I wouldn’t be governor without Mike.”

Webb resigned after allegations surfaced of a hostile work environment.

Ferguson told the Washington State Standard that he takes allegations against a team member seriously, quote “no matter how close that person is to me.”

Now, new reporting by Axios reveals that the Governor may have known about concerns about his longtime aid years before Webb resigned.

Guest:

Melissa Santos, Axios Seattle reporter

Related stories:

Gov. Ferguson knew of concerns about top aide years ago, audio confirms - Axios Seattle
WA governor admits ‘stupid’ decision to invite former top aide on state plane - Seattle Times
Scoop: Ferguson's office was told of allegations against top aide years ago - Axios Seattle

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Yes, we’re talking about tariffs again.

Many of the world’s countries are awaiting the impact of new American tariffs, which are slated to take effect on Thursday.

One country, however, is experiencing it now. The Trump Administration bumped up tariffs on Canadian goods to 35%, and that new rate went into effect on Friday.

Trump said he made the change, in part, because of Canada’s failure to curb the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs into the U.S.

Now 35% sounds intense, but a lot of Canadian goods are actually exempt from the increase because of a trade agreement between the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

It’s kind of confusing to know exactly what these tariffs mean for our neighbor to the north, so we asked Thomas Davidoff, an associate professor at the University of British Columbia, to help us understand.

Guest:

Thomas Davidoff, an associate professor in the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business.

Related stories:

With new tariffs hitting, WA tallies costs of trade war | The Seattle Times
Murray says Trump's Canadian tariffs could cause costly rift with WA - KUOW

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For over 60 years the quiz game show Jeopardy has been a beloved part of people’s lives.

Washington native Ken Jennings says, growing up, the show sparked his love of trivia. It’s a passion that led him to a 74 game winning streak in 2004, and a victory at the Greatest of All Time tournament – so we can officially call him The GOAT.

Eventually, he even won the title of “host” of Jeopardy.

Meanwhile he’s translated his trivia expertise into his own game - called Kennections. It’s a weekly puzzle he writes for Mental Floss.

And while you can no longer get a home game of Jeopardy, you can bring home Kennections in Jennings’ latest book: The Complete Kennections: 5,000 questions in 1,000 puzzles.

Guest:

Ken Jennings, host of Jeopardy and author of The Complete Kennections: 5,000 questions in 1,000 puzzles

Related stories:

The Complete Kennections: 5,000 Questions in 1,000 Puzzles

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The Western United States is in the midst of fire season. Here in Washington, the Burdoin Fire in the Columbia Gorge has burned more than 10,000 acres. The Bear Gulch Fire on the peninsula has closed portions of Olympic National Park.

Leading up to this summer, governors and lawmakers raised concerns about cuts to the US Forest Service, which fights wildland fires. Brooke Rollins is head of the USDA, which oversees the Forest Service. She told Fox News that the agency’s ability to fight fires hasn’t been affected by the cuts. But new reporting from ProPublica has found that the agency is facing staffing issues that could affect its ability to respond to fires.

Editor's Note: KUOW incorrectly stated that the Burdoin Fire had burned more than 100,00 acres, the correct number was more than 10,000 acres.

Guest:

Abe Streep, reporter at ProPublica's Southwest Bureau

Relevant Links:

ProPublica: The Forest Service Claims It’s Fully Staffed for a Worsening Fire Season. Data Shows Thousands of Unfilled Jobs.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes.

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It’s not just your imagination: Matcha is actually getting harder to track down these days.

The green drink has become a hot commodity in the past few years, blowing up on TikTok and taking up more real estate on your favorite coffee shop’s menu. Japan’s tea industry has struggled to keep pace with the fervor. There’ve been reports of a global shortage and price hikes.

In this episode, we hear about Miro Tea's experience of the shortage before checking in with Bettina Makalintal, a senior reporter at Eater, who gave us a broader look at what's going on with matcha.

Guest:

Jeannie Liu, owner of Miro Tea
Bettina Makalintal, senior reporter at Eater

Related stories:

A Matcha Shortage Hits TikTok’s Favorite Japanese Tea Brands | Eater
It’s not easy finding green as matcha shortage hits Seattle shops | The Seattle Times
Matcha: World's thirst for the tea swallows global supplies

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes.

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Do you hear that sound? It’s a bird, it’s a plane… Wait, yep, that is DEFINITELY a plane, because the Blue Angels are practicing. Which reminds me, Seafair Weekend is here!

Let’s get the skinny on all the things to do with Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows!!

LINKS:

SEAFAIR WEEKEND FESTIVAL
- Hydroplane Races
- Car Show
- Blue Angels
- Fleet Week
SPORTS!!
- Mariners vs Rangers - Fri/Sat/Sun
- Reign vs Angel City FC - Fri
- Storm - vs LA Sparks Fri / Indiana Fever Sun
- Sounders vs Club Santos Laguna - Sun
Kite Festival | Pierce County, WA - Sat/Sun
Watershed Festival- The Gorge Amphitheater - FRI/SAT/SUN

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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The Seattle City Council confirmed 14 members to the Renters’ Commission on Tuesday, following a controversial delay after Councilmembers Rob Saka and Sara Nelson failed to show up for a previous vote on Commission appointments.

Their absence forced an unusual cancellation of the vote because the housing committee didn’t reach quorum. Some people think this was influenced by an email former councilmember Cathy Moore sent, urging her former colleagues to delay the vote.

In this episode of Soundside, we catch up with Councilmember Mark Solomon, who was appointed to Seattle’s District 2 seat after Tammy Morales left the position in January.

He's also serving as vice chair of the Housing and Human Services Committee... and is one of the people Moore tried to email before that first vote.

Guest:

Mark Solomon, Seattle City Councilmember appointed to represent District 2.

Related stories:

Seattle City Council members stymie appointments to renters commission | The Seattle Times
Nelson, Saka Boycott Housing Committee, Blocking Seattle Renters Commission Appointments » The Urbanist
Seattle council keeps renter’s commission without landlords | The Seattle Times

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes.

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The NEW AGE movement isn't just about crystals, suburban yoga studios, dubious medical cures and positive affirmations – though there’s plenty of all of that to be found on YouTube.

The concept of changing your mindset, accessing a higher spiritual power or vibration – and ushering in a utopia is a powerful and enduring promise that emerges again and again in America.

And the American New Age movement has deep ties to Washington State and the West.

Journalist Leah Sottile examined the history of several spiritualists and new age leaders – some may say cult leaders – in a new book published earlier this year.

It’s called Blazing Eye Sees All: Love Has Won, False Prophets, and the Fever Dream of the American New Age.

GUEST: Leah Sottile

RELATED LINKS: Book Review: ‘The Instability of Truth,’ by Rebecca Lemov; ‘Blazing Eye Sees All,’ by Leah Sottile

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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What does the Northwest sound like to you?

Is it the tide rolling over a rocky beach? The wind across the Palouse? A ferry horn echoing across the Puget Sound?

On Soundside, we occasionally ask field recordists about their iconic sounds of northwest.

Today, we'll hear from acoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton, also known as the Sound Tracker.

He brought a recording from inside a driftwood log on the Washington coast.

Guest:

Gordon Hempton, acoustic ecologist and Emmy Award winning sound recordist

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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When you get on the bus, do you think about the driver behind the wheel?

If you rode the 8 bus recently, your driver might have been Desiree Andersen, otherwise known as @desinthepark. During her more than two years driving, she also went to grad school for social work. That helped give her extra insight into the needs of the people she drives.

And she shared those insights on TikTok, where she started posting during a break between driving shifts.

But Andersen is now shifting gears. This month, she left her job at King County Metro. We talked with her about what's next.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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A policy change from the Trump Administration could fundamentally change the federal government’s relationship with climate change.

The proposal, announced on Tuesday, would overturn the Environmental Protection Agency’s "endangerment finding” – which, in 2009, determined that greenhouse gases are harmful to people and the environment.

It's the basis for emissions regulations on vehicles, power plants, and the oil and gas industries under the Clean Air Act.

Washington has been at the vanguard of climate regulations – last year, voters chose to keep our carbon auction system in place, and our attorney general is fighting to preserve plans to ban sales of most non-electric vehicles in Washington by 2030.

So, what could this EPA proposal mean for Washington’s climate policies? And where does Washington stand amid the flurry of deregulatory moves and cuts to green energy subsidies by the Trump Administration?

Guest:

Jay Inslee, former Governor of Washington state

Related stories:

In Game-Changing Climate Rollback, E.P.A. Aims to Kill a Bedrock Scientific Finding - NYT
Democrats can win over young Trump voters. Here’s how. - Washington Post

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes.

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Summer is a great season for adventures with your favorite pup.

The sun is shining. The lakes are glistening. The grass is only partially dead.

But – just like your human kids, furry members of the family need you to keep a watchful eye out for warm-weather hazards

Soundside called in an expert here to help.

GUEST: Seattle Humane Society Senior Veterinarian Dr. Lauren Restis

RELATED LINKS:

First aid tips for pet owners | American Veterinary Medical Association
Seattle dog park to close to remove potentially deadly plant
Dogs will be allowed on Seattle’s light rail

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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People are clucking about the Little Red Hen.

The cherished country music bar in Green Lake could close at the end of July, after nearly 100 years in business.

The Little Red Hen first opened its doors in 1933 inPhinney Ridge, before moving to Green Lake. Today the bar’s a community hub where customers line dance, sing karaoke and enjoy bluegrass jam sessions.

Fun fact, it was also featured in the Stone Temple Pilots’ music video for the song, “Plush.”

Now a lease dispute between the bar’s owner and the landlord could shut it down.

In response, community members - and avid country music and dance fans - have banded together to try to keep the bar open.

Guest:

Gage Clark, a patron trying to save the Little Red Hen.

Related stories:

Fans of Little Red Hen, banjos and fiddles in hand, rally to save Seattle honky-tonk - KUOW
At this Green Lake dive bar, karaoke is a cathartic, unifying experience - The Seattle Times
Little Red Hen facing closure after 92 years amid lease dispute - KING 5
I Dance To Forget | Freddy Luongo - Bandcamp

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes.

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The Trump Administration is attempting to revamp homelessness policy in the United States. Late last week, the president signed an executive order that, among other things, ends federal support for policies that employ the “housing first” model. It also calls for an increase in involuntary commitments for people with mental health conditions or substance use disorders. The order aims to drastically change how cities and states respond to the homelessness crisis.

Guest:

Will James, host of KUOW's Lost Patients, an award-winning podcast about homelessness and mental illness in Seattle

Relevant Links:

NPR: Trump signs an executive order to make it easier to remove homeless people from streets

KUOW: Lost Patients

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Something interesting happened – or rather, didn’t happen – last week at a Seattle City Council committee meeting.

There was supposed to be a vote on member appointments to the Seattle Renters’ Commission. That commission has seats for 15 members but currently only has five.

The vote didn’t happen. That’s because Council President Sara Nelson and Councilmember Rob Saka failed to attend, leaving the committee shy of its three-member quorum. That sparked a lot of outrage, including from Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck, who had this to say:

“This isn’t a committee meeting any more. This is just a community meeting. It is council members’ chartered responsibility to be at these meetings. This is literally our job, so I find it deeply frustrating that people took time to leave their jobs in the middle of the day, yet not every member of the committee could show up to do theirs.”

Many people have criticized the council members’ absence – and some are asking whether political motivations were involved.

Soundside sat down with Seattle Times reporter David Kroman, and Seattle Renters' Commission Interim Co-Chair Kate Rubin to discuss.

GUESTS:

David Kroman - Seattle Times City Hall Reporter
Kate Rubin - Interim Co-Chair, Seattle Renters' Commission

RELATED LINKS:

Seattle City Council members stymie appointments to renters commission
Housing & Human Services community discussion
Seattle Renters' Commission

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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New research published in the Journal of Comparative Psychology documents multiple cases of wild orcas across different oceans – apparently trying to share their prey with humans.

KUOW's Gabriel Spitzer talked with Jared Towers about this research. Towers is the executive director of Bay Cetology, a team of marine biologists based in Alert Bay, British Columbia. He’s one of the authors of the study.

Links

These orcas have been trying to feed people, new research shows - The Seattle Times
Orcas are bringing humans gifts of food – but why? - CNN

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Soundside Producer Jason Burrows here... Libby Denkmann is ON VACATION, and speaking of enriching one's life and existence by engaging in fulfilling activities outside of the work environment, here's the big list of all the cool stuff you can do this weekend:

LINKS:

Seafair Torchlight Run 2025
Seafair Torchlight Parade 2025
Bite of Seattle
Children's Film Festival Seattle 2025
Renton River Days
Urban Craft Uprising Summer Show
Front Street Arts Festival | Jansen Art Center
Timber! Outdoor Music Festival
Emerald City Comedy Club - Ron Funches
Seattle Scottish Highland Games

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Change is coming to our cryptocurrency market.

Last Friday, President Trump signed the GENIUS Act, the country’s first major cryptocurrency law.

It will create a regulatory framework for stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency that’s value is tied to assets like the U.S. dollar. Supporters say the bill will modernize our financial system, but others say the legislation won’t do enough to protect consumers.

Here in Washington, crypto has a… mixed reputation. Last month Spokane’s city council voted to ban crypto ATMs from within city limits. And, in rural Washington, cryptomining operations have led to concerns about environmental impact and energy costs.

But, crypto also has supporters in our tech hub state. And the digital funds have played a part in some of our elections – like last year, when a crypto PAC gave close to $1.5 million for ads supporting Democratic State Senator Emily Randall.

So, what does this new regulation mean for Washington state?

Guest:

Brady Dale, a cryptocurrency reporter at Axios.

Related stories:

Why PNW officials are only now deciding crypto mining regulation - The Seattle Times
2 Democrats, 1 Republican face off in competitive WA 6th District race - The Seattle Times

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes.

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The Seattle School Board is extending the search for a new superintendent, past the original deadline to hire someone by the fall.

That means the district will not have a permanent leader when its roughly 50,000 students come back in the fall.

We review why the school board wants more time for the search, and what that delay means for students, teachers and parents.

Editor's Note: KUOW incorrectly stated that former Seattle School Board director Vivian Song represented District 2. She represented District 4. Additionally, Song claims the district failed to file for a special election, which could’ve allowed her to continue legally serving. (The district refused to comment on the issue of her residency and whether it failed to file for a special election.)**

Guest

Sami West, online editor/reporter, KUOW

Links

When will Seattle Public Schools get its next superintendent? Not this fall - KUOW

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Last week, well-known labor organizer Alfredo Juarez Zeferino – nicknamed Lelo – announced he would “voluntarily depart” after being held for months in Tacoma’s ICE processing center.

KUOW Race, Identity, and Immigration Reporter Gustavo Sagrero Álvarez was there when Zeferino’s lawyer told supporters outside the ICE facility what Lelo had decided.

Guest:

KUOW Race, Identity, and Immigration Reporter Gustavo Sagrero Álvarez

Related stories:

WA farm labor organizer ends his deportation fight after 4 months in ICE detention - KUOW
Union farmworker organizer 'Lelo' denied bond to leave Tacoma ICE lockup - KUOW

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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All this week, Soundside is interviewing the most competitive candidates for Seattle Mayor ahead of the August 5th primary election. Today, we hear from Joe Mallahan, a former T Mobile executive and candidate for mayor in 2009.

Guest:

Joe Mallahan, candidate for Seattle Mayor

Links:

Sound Politics: Bruce Harrell vs. Everyone

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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The war in Ukraine is causing tremendous and likely lasting psychological damage to generations of its young people.

One of those traumas is caused by what’s tantamount to kidnapping by the Russian government. According to a new report by the think tank GlobSec, there have been nearly 20,000 (19,546) cases of what it calls “forcibly transferred or deported children.”

These children are taken from their homes and placed in camps or with Russian families.

I’m talking with two people who are associated with the report:

Eric Trupin is a psychologist and a professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He wrote the forward for the report, which is titled “Stolen Generations: a systemic violation of Ukraine’s Future.”

For the last two years, Dr. Trupin also trained mental health providers in Ukraine in how to use poetry and other techniques to help young people process emotions and cope with intense trauma.

It’s a project that was created originally as a way to help rehabilitate young incarcerated people in Seattle.

Guest:

Eric Trupin is a psychologist and a professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine
Iuliia Osmolovska is Head of the GLOBSEC Kyiv Office

Related stories:

Stolen Generation a Systematic Violation of Ukraine’s Future - Globsec

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes.

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All this week, Soundside is interviewing the most competitive candidates for Seattle mayor ahead of the August 5th primary election. Today, we hear from Ry Armstrong, an actor, union chair, and co-director of the non-profit of Seattle.

Guest:

Ry Armstrong, candidate for Seattle Mayor

Links:

Sound Politics: Bruce Harrell vs. Everyone

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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All this week, Soundside is interviewing the most competitive candidates for Seattle Mayor ahead of the August 5th primary election. Today, we hear from current Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell.

Guest:

Bruce Harrell, Mayor of Seattle

Links:

Sound Politics: Bruce Harrell vs. Everyone

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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All this week, Soundside is interviewing the most competitive candidates for Seattle Mayor ahead of the August 5th primary election. Today, we hear from Katie Wilson, the co-founder and executive director of the Transit Rider's Union.

Guest:

Katie Wilson, candidate for Seattle Mayor

Links:

Sound Politics: Bruce Harrell vs. Everyone

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Local and national organizations alike are still absorbing the historic implications of the Republican tax and spending law known as the One Big, Beautiful Bill.

President Trump signed the legislation on July 4th. The law makes the Trump tax cuts of 2017 permanent, and increases spending on border security and energy production, among many other measures.

It also includes significant cuts to government assistance programs, like SNAP and Medicaid.

Soundside reached out to several local leaders to ask how the One Big Beautiful Bill will affect their work.

Guests:

Gloria Hatcher-Mays, executive director of the Rainier Valley Food Bank
Malou Chávez, executive director of Northwest Immigrant Rights Project
Bob Ferguson, Washington governor
Jacqueline Barton True, vice president of advocacy and rural health for the Washington State Hospital Association
Cathy Bambrick, administrator for Astria Toppenish Hospital

Related stories:

Potential for 'pretty dire consequences' for WA health care due to Trump's budget bill - Kitsap Sun
WA officials warn ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ will wreak havoc on Medicaid system - Tacoma News Tribune

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes.

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You might have noticed that Mount Rainier’s been looking a little…. Bald lately.

People on social media have been posting about how Washington’s favorite sight looks less snowy than usual. Some of them are saying they’ve never seen the mountain look this bare in their lives.

Rainier definitely sheds some snow in the warmer months. And Washington has been getting hit with some pretty serious heat lately.

Many of us know that climate change is a thing, so how much of that is playing into the mountain’s sleek peak? (Basically, how much dread should we be feeling about this?)

Soundside asked a glaciologist to explain what's happening up there.

Guest:

Dr. Mauri Pelto, director of the North Cascade Glacier Climate Project.

Related stories:

The mountain is out: Mount Rainier shows rocky face after record-breaking heat, snow melt - seattlepi.com
Mount Rainier’s glaciers are disappearing. What happens when they’re gone? - Tacoma News Tribune

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes.

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Imagine a cartoon show where the characters talk back to you. That's the premise for "Cartoon Mess Live", a live comedy show by Seattleite Tom DesLongchamp.

DesLongchamp is basically a puppeteer, doing improv alongside a cohost named Duck. It’s like if you could see the person operating Elmo, and the pair of them had a late night talk show. But also Elmo is a 2-dimensional cartoon.

DesLongchamp sat down with Soundside host Libby Denkmann to discuss his show, and why it's so hard to describe.

Guest:

Tom DesLongchamp, creator of "Cartoon Mess Live"

Related links:

Cartoon Mess Live at The Rabbit Box

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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The weekend is upon us, and Soundside producer Jason Burrows is here with all the events fit to broadcast.

LINKS:

SPORTS!
- Seattle Mariners vs Houston Astros
- Seattle Sounders vs San Jose Earthquakes
- Seattle Reign vs Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds
Sandsations Sand Sculpture Festival - Long Beach, WA
Seattle Arab Festival
2025 Seattle Bon Odori
Seafair Chinatown Parade
Indian Days Powwow
CAPITOL HILL BLOCK PARTY
Darrington Bluegrass Festival
Cartoon Mess LIVE
King County Fair - Enumclaw
Seattle Boba Fest
GeekFest West - Everett
TRAFFIC ALERT - NB I-5 totally closed from I-90 to 45th Ave (U-District)

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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We’re closing in on the deadline for President Trump’s rescission package.

Senate Republicans have until this Friday to pass the package with a simple majority. If they don’t, they’ll face a Democratic filibuster that they’ll need 60 votes to overcome.

On Tuesday, the Senate voted to advance rescissions with a 51-50 vote – Vice President JD Vance was the tie breaker. Republican Senators Collins, Murkowski, and McConnell all voted no.

Today, Senators will have up to 10 hours of debate before the final floor vote – if they pass the package, it will then head back to the House for a vote, before going to the President’s desk. Again, this all needs to happen by the end of Friday.

So that’s a lot of procedural details, but let’s get to the nitty gritty:

If this passes, the Administration would claw back $9 billion dollars in previously approved funding – most of which is intended for global health programs and foreign aid projects.

It would also rescind more than $1.1 billion dollars currently budgeted for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, or CPB.

You’re listening to public radio right now - so you’re probably well aware that those dollars include funding for KUOW, as well as other local public radio and TV stations, which receive support from the CPB.

What exactly would the impact of rescission be for Seattle stations? Can public media survive these cuts? And, with news becoming increasingly fragmented, should taxpayers still pay for public media?

We’re putting those questions to leaders of local public media organizations.

Guests:

Kerry Swanson is interim CEO of KUOW
Rob Dunlop is CEO and President of Cascade PBS
Ethan Raup is CEO and President of KEXP

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Marie Gluesenkamp Perez represents Washington’s 3rd District, which encompasses Clark, Cowlitz, Lewis, Pacific, Wahkiakum, and Skamania counties and a smidge of Thurston County.

It’s a relatively rural district that has voted for President Trump three times.

Somehow, she has been able to convince a good number of those Trump voters to ALSO send her, a Democrat, to Congress.

And that’s put Gluesenkamp Perez in a unique and small club of Democrats being asked to diagnose their party’s problems and come up with a vision for the future.

So what does it take to lead from a vulnerable seat, and what are the lessons Democrats can draw from what’s happening in Southwest Washington?

One of those might be – figure out the solution to the gerontocracy in Congress.

GUEST: Rep. Marie Gluesenkam Perez

RELATED LINKS:

House Democrat floats radical solution to Congress' age problem
Gluesenkamp Perez Statement on Senate Passage of Budget Reconciliation Bill
How a Red-District Democrat Is Navigating Trump | The Ezra Klein Show
Yes, Car Headlights Are Too Damn Bright

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Yesterday, a King County Judge ordered the city of Seattle to come up with a plan to end “nudity as constituted” at the park.

Denny Blaine has been the city’s most well known nude beach for decades – and is a beloved LGBTQ+ community gathering space.

This order follows a series of attempts by neighbors of the park to end nudity at Denny Blaine.

And it’s a move supporters of the nude beach say would be a “sanitization of queer spaces” in an increasingly gentrified city.

Guests:

Seattle Times City Hall reporter David Kroman

Related stories:

Judge orders an end to nudity at Seattle’s Denny Blaine Park, for now - Seattle Times
Community members give Denny Blaine Park play area proposal a dressing down - KUOW
‘I share your disgust.’ Texts show Seattle Mayor Harrell, rich neighbor discussing Denny Blaine - KUOW

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Actor Matthew Law has walked the halls of ABC's Abbott Elementary, piloted a spaceship in an episode of Star Wars: Ahsoka and played "The Cynic" in the "This Is Me... Now: A Love Story” the Jennifer Lopez movie musical.

Law hails from Washington. He was born in Yakima and grew up in Seattle, where he attended Greenwood Elementary and Ballard High School. And he's a filmmaker too, directing and writing several short films for his “True Story” series.

Soundside caught up with him during a break in his shooting schedule.

Guests

Matthew Law, actor

Links

‘Abbott Elementary’ actor Matthew Law on Seattle upbringing, ‘True Story’ -The Seattle Times

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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King County’s health department has published innovative and educational comic strips about public health issues for more than 15 years.

The county hires local comics artists to tackle issues such as long term covid, preparing for a natural disaster and how to deal with a failing septic system.

Meredith Li-Vollmer is the heartbeat behind this popular project, which she founded in 2008.

She says the visual and hand drawn style of storytelling helps make potentially dry information palatable. The county has also found that comics are an effective way to communicate with people who speak English as a second language. In fact, some of King County’s comic books have been printed into more than 20 languages.

But the program almost didn’t happen. Had Li-Vollmer listened to her high school art teacher who was unkindly critical of her artwork.

Guest:

Meredith Li-Vollmer, Risk Communication Specialist at Public Health - Seattle & King Countt

Related stories:

A comic-book approach to public health. King County's winning formula - KUOW
King County Health comics

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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The Seattle City Council recently approved a $2 million dollar loan for the city’s social housing developer. That’s a public development authority that will manage publicly financed housing in the city. It can serve people who make up to 120% of the area median income.

Voters overwhelmingly supported the creation of the social housing developer in 2023. They also approved a funding plan for the developer in February that pays for it by putting in place a new tax on companies with high income earners. Next year, the social housing developer is anticipated to receive an estimated $50 million dollars from that tax.

In the meantime, Mayor Bruce Harrell requested the $2 million dollar loan, saying the money would go towards keeping the organization running and potentially acquiring new property this year. As of now, the developer doesn’t own any. In its early stages, the developer has been dogged by concerns that it hasn’t proven it can get this money out the door and into housing and questions about whether it’s serving the city’s greatest need by using public money to provide housing for people making more than the median income for the area.

Guest:

Roberto Jimenez, CEO of Seattle’s Social Housing Developer

Links:

KUOW: Why someone earning over $100,000 could qualify for Seattle’s affordable housing

Seattle Times: Seattle’s social housing developer struggles with ‘growing pains’

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Seattle hockey fans rejoice! There is a new professional women’s team to root for, starting this fall.

The name of the team? Well … that’s yet to be determined, but there are many things we DO know about this upcoming third season of the Professional Women’s Hockey League.

This year, for the first time, the league is expanding into the Pacific Northwest, with teams in Vancouver and Seattle. There’ll now be 8 teams total vying for the “Walter Cup.”

And things are moving FAST at PWHL Seattle: Players have been drafted, head coach Steve O’Rourke has been hired.

There’s still a lot to be figured out, and the person making many of those decisions will be the new general manager Meghan Turner, who was the assistant GM of the Boston Fleet before being tapped for the head job here in Seattle.

Guest: Meghan Turner, General Manager of PWHL Seattle

Related Links:

PWHL Turns To Turner To Lead New Seattle Women’s Team
PWHL Seattle GM Meghan Turner working to ‘create a community’

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Soundside is taking a break this week. Don’t worry - we’ll be back with new episodes next week.

Until then, we’re bringing you some of our favorite stories from the show.

Relevant Links:

Pacific Drive captures the creepy of the Olympic Peninsula
Hear Ye, Hear Ye, there's trouble brewing at the Renaissance Faire!
Touring the history of Black music at MoPop's "Never Turn Back: Echoes of African American Music"

WEEKEND WARMUP LINKS:

2025 Queer and Trans Film Festival — Three Dollar Bill Cinema
Ballard SeafoodFest
NW Tune-Up Festival
Japan Fair
West Seattle Summer Fest
Redmond Arts Festival
Bluegrass From the Forest
CID Celebration
Summer Celebration 2025 | Mercer Island, Washington
Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Soundside is taking a break this week. Don’t worry - we’ll be back with new episodes next week.

Until then, we’re bringing you some of our favorite stories from the show.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Relevant Links:

Can you solve the mystery of the Oakville blobs?
The new food that has beekeepers "buzzing"
How a Spokane woman became a hall of fame foosball player

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It's summer vacation week on Sounside. But that doesn't mean we're out of your podcast feed.

Senior producer Gabrielle Healy shares some of her favorite recent Soundside segments.

We’re talking about everything from the unsung heroes of the early Seattle rap scene with music writer Novocaine132 to your rights if you encounter ICE.

Plus, Seattle Eats talks about the Emerald City's best slice of pizza.

Guests

Novocaine132, author of "The Birth of Seattle Rap."
Henry Hwang, a directing attorney for Northwest Immigrant Rights Project

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Soundside is taking a break this week. Don’t worry - we’ll be back with new episodes next week.

Until then, we’re bringing you some of our favorite stories from the show.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Relevant Links:

Seattle's new Civic Poet finds parallels between political language and verse
Deciding to See: The View from Nathan's Bus
Those little red hummingbird feeders are driving the bird's evolution

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Have you ever walked into a bookstore, lonely and single, and hoped you’d meet the love of your life?

We know there are at least a few of you out there.

That's part of the setup for Moira Macdonald’s debut novel “Storybook Ending.” It’s a story about loneliness, friendship, reading – and of course, the singular pleasure of spending time between the shelves of a cozy book shop in Seattle.

The spot in question, titled “Read the Room”, is based on Ravenna’s Third Place Books, one of Macdonald's regular haunts.

We talk to Macdonald, the longtime Seattle Times arts critic, about writing her novel, her recommendations for great summer reads and Seattle's best movie theaters.

And a note - this conversation first aired in June.

Guest

Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times arts critic and debut novelist

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From new statewide legislation freezing rent hikes at up to 10 percent for most tenants, to the Seattle City Council banning the use of algorithmic rent fixing, there's a lot of news to keep in mind if you’re a renter or a landlord.

And summer is moving season – prompting lots of questions about the rights for renters regarding repairs, fees and beyond. We review some frequently asked questions for renters in Seattle.

Guest

Teo Popescu, design, graphics, and data editor at KUOW

Related links

What are your rights as a Seattle renter? Here are the basics

Note: KUOW's explainer serves as an overview of the most frequently asked questions about renter rights in Seattle. For a complete guide, review the Seattle renters handbook and the Seattle renters resource page, visit nonprofits like the Tenants Union, or call the Renting in Seattle helpline at: 206-684-5700.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Libby may be out today, but … We’ve made it to the end of the work week!

And since tomorrow is a holiday, you’re probably trying to figure out what to do with a whole THREE DAYS of free time in front of you… But don’t worry, I’ve got the big list of everything to do on the 4th of July and BEYOND!

WELCOME to the Weekend Warmup!

LINKS:

FIREWORKS!!!
- Arlington — Quake Park 10 p.m.
- Bellevue — Downtown Park 10:05 p.m.
- Carnation — Remlinger Farms 9:45 p.m.
- Everett — Port Gardner Bay 10:15 p.m.
- Federal Way — Celebration Park 10:15 p.m.
- Kenmore — Log Boom Park 10 p.m.
- Kent — Lake Meridian Park 10 p.m.
- Kingston — Mike Wallace Park 10:15 p.m.
- Marysville — Ebey Waterfront Park 10 p.m.
- Sammamish — Sam. Commons 10 p.m.
- Seattle — Lake Union 10:15 p.m.
- Snoqualmie — Community Park 9:45 p.m.
- Steilacoom — offshore 10:30 p.m.
- Tacoma — Ruston Way 10 p.m.
- Tumwater — Tumwater Valley Golf 10:15 p.m.
PARADES!
- Arlington — 5 p.m. (kids 4:30 p.m.)
- Bainbridge Island — 1 p.m.
- Bothell — 12 p.m. (kids 11:15 a.m.)
- Burien — 11 a.m.
- Carnation — 11:30 a.m. (kids 11 a.m.)
- Dupont — 10 a.m.
- Edmonds — 12 p.m. (kids 11:30 a.m.)
- Enumclaw — noon
- Everett — 11 a.m.
- Issaquah — 11 a.m.
- Kingston — 12 p.m.
- Kirkland — 12 p.m. (kids 11:30 a.m.)
- Tumwater — 11 a.m.
Seattle Center’s 40th Annual Naturalization Ceremony
Civic Engagement! Write your elected officials!
SPORTS!
- Seattle Mariners vs Pittsburgh Pirates
- Seattle Sounders vs Columbus Crew
Pioneer Square Fest
Fairhaven Chicken Festival - Bellingham
The Empire Strips Back: A Burlesque Parody

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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The Senate passed the Big Beautiful Bill, sending it back to the House of Representatives for a final vote on Donald Trump’s sweeping spending package.Aside from extending Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, the legislation includes cuts to Medicaid and food assistance, caps on student loans, and higher fees on people going through the legal immigration process. It also increases spending on defense and border security, limits taxes on workers who earn tips and increases the child tax credit.Republican lawmakers are quickly trying to pass the bill by July 4, when Trump said he wants to see it on his desk.Soundside checked in with a few Seattle-area Congress members who are trying to stop the bill from passing into law.

Guests:

Suzan DelBene represents Washington’s 1st congressional district and chairs the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
Pramila Jayapal represents Washington’s 7th congressional district.

Related stories:

Senate passes Trump’s megabill after pulling all-nighter - POLITICO
The winners (and losers) in Trump's 'big beautiful' tax bill - USA TODAY

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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On Friday, the Supreme Court ruled that a Maryland couple could pull their child out of classes where the material involved books with LGBTQ themes.

The six conservative justices ruled that parents should not be required to expose their children to class materials that go against their religious beliefs.

Coincidentally, almost exactly one hundred years ago – in July 1925 – there was another famous legal debate over what kids learn in the classroom that took place in Tennessee.

The so-called Scopes Monkey Trial was ground zero for one of America’s first culture wars: The debate over whether or not evolution should be taught in schools.

Guest:

Alexander Gouzoules, associate professor at the University of Missouri School of Law and co-author of The Hundred Years' Trial: Law, Evolution, and the Long Shadow of Scopes v. Tennessee

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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2025 has been a busy year for Danni Askini.

As Executive Director of the Gender Justice League, Askini is involved in multiple lawsuits fighting Trump Administration policies related to trans rights.

She’s also the co-chair of the Washington Families for Freedom coalition, created this year to fight potential state ballot measures that could impact trans youth.

And – by the way – she’s the Executive Director of Trans Pride Seattle, which just hosted its annual celebration at Seattle’s Volunteer Park on Friday.

Danni Askini and fellow trans rights activists are confronting a rapidly shifting landscape.

Include President Trump’s executive orders banning trans people in the military, targeting funding for hospitals that provide gender affirming care for minors, and declaring the U.S. only recognizes two “immutable biological” sexes

And Supreme Court decisions including last week’s ruling the effectively upholds bans on trans healthcare for minors in 27 states, which has opened the door to re-considering states right to ban Medicaid from covering gender-affirming care for adults.

Day by day, trans rights are changing and eroding, in a way that’s hard for even a plugged in advocate to keep track of.

We sat down on Monday afternoon to talk about it all.

Guest:

Danni Askini: Executive Director of the Gender Justice League, co-chair of the Washington Families for Freedom coalition, and the Executive Director of Trans Pride Seattle.

Related stories:

The Cass Review
An Evidence-Based Critique of “The Cass Review” on Gender-affirming Care for Adolescent Gender Dysphoria
Utah lawmakers’ own study found gender-affirming care benefits trans youth. Will they lift the treatment ban? - The Salt Lake Tribune

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Idaho’s governor has ordered that flags be flown at half-staff following the killing of two firefighters, and wounding of a third, in Coeur d’Alene yesterday.

Firefighters were responding to a grass fire in a natural area with hiking and mountain biking trails.

When they arrived, a man opened fire, in what the local county sheriff is calling an ambush.

And a note: this interview was taped at 11:30am. Information may have changed by the time you're hearing this.

Guest:

Kaye Thornbrugh is a reporter with Coeur d’Alene Press

Related stories:

Sheriff: Suspected shooter ambushed firefighters who asked him to move vehicle - Coeur d'Alene Press
Fire chief: 'It's going to be a long road' - Coeur d'Alene Press

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Skamania County Sheriff Summer Scheyer says she has a problem.

As more visitors get into the great outdoors in her rural Washington county, more and more people are calling for help, and requiring search and rescue operations.

Scheyer says things need to change:

She’s announced plans for an ordinance that would impose a fine on anyone who requires a search and rescue due to what she terms “reckless” or “negligent” actions.

But is it fair to expect hikers in need of help to pay for assistance?

We talk with her about that question and more.

Guest

Summer Scheyer, sheriff of Skamania County.

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Civil rights groups are scrambling to get ahead of a looming change to the status of babies born to immigrant parents without permanent legal status.

Unless additional legal actions are successful, there are just a few weeks until the Trump administration’s restrictions on birthright citizenship are set to take effect in a majority of states across the country, following a Supreme Court ruling on Friday.

Washington was one of several states challenging President Trump’s executive order limiting birthright citizenship.

But while the SCOTUS ruling didn't directly address the Trump administration's restrictions on birthright citizenship, the ruling has wide implications for the power of the judicial branch to rein in the executive.

We talk with Washington's Attorney General, Nick Brown, about SCOTUS rulings, universal injunctions and birthright citizenship.

Guest:

Washington Attorney General Nick Brown

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Voters will pick a new King County Executive this November.

And the race has taken a dramatic turn as candidate and current King County Assessor John Wilson has been repeatedly accused of stalking and harassment. Last month his ex fiancee and domestic partner Lee Keller was granted a second restraining order against him.

Members of the King County Council have called on Wilson to resign, which he has rebuffed.

Wilson has vehemently denied all allegations of domestic violence and stalking. He says he and Keller have a “stormy” relationship and that many of her allegations are incorrect.

Guest:

KUOW politics reporter Scott Greenstone

Related stories:

King County assessor says he won't resign amid stalking allegation scandal - KUOW

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Bankruptcy is an unfortunate reality for thousands of Americans every year, but cities declaring bankruptcies are far more rare.

Since the 1930s, municipality bankruptcies have only happened around 700 times in the U.S. And in Washington State it’s only happened once, until this week when the city of Cle Elum declared itself insolvent in bankruptcy court, saddled with significant debt.

How significant? 26 million dollars, more than five times the town’s annual budget.

Guest: Seattle Times reporter Jim Brunner

Relevant Links:

Cle Elum considers bankruptcy amid $22M debt in development dispute

Cle Elum declares bankruptcy over $26M debt

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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We’ve been celebrating Pride all month with a TON of events across the state, but now, we’ve hit critical mass, because it’s PRIDE WEEKEND! There is SO MUCH happening, so let's get to it:

LINKS:

Indigiqueer Festival
Trans Pride Seattle
Seattle Dyke March
PRIDE-FEST: Capitol Hill
Seattle Pride Parade 2025
PRIDE-FEST: Seattle Center
Dungeons and Drag Queens at The Crocodile
Brewology - Pacific Science Center
Fairy Fest - Lakewold Gardens
Buckley Log Show

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Washington State started conducting all-mail elections in 2014 and it’s mostly been smooth sailing since then.

But a national explosion of vote-by-mail during the 2020 election due to Covid sparked a partisan backlash against the practice. President Trump made claims that voting by mail would lead to widespread fraud, accusations that grew louder after he lost that election to President Biden. Now the Washington State Republican Party has officially come out against vote-by-mail, with Chairman Jim Walsh saying “We want to get back to in-person voting.”

Sam Reed is a Republican and was the 14th Secretary of State in Washington, retiring in 2013. He's also the godfather of vote-by-mail in Washington State. And he regrets nothing.

Guest: Former WA Secretary of State Sam Reed

Relevant links:

WAGOP Joins Regional Movement to END Vote-By-Mail

The History of Voting and Elections in Washington State

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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A festival celebrating the city’s only river won't happen this year.

The organization hosting the Duwamish River Festival shut the August celebration down, due to concerns about Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in South Park, the neighborhood where the festival usually takes place.

We talk about the decision with the head of the Duwamish River Community Coalition, the organization that usually runs the festival.

Guest

Paulina Lopez, executive director of the Duwamish River Community Coalition

Related links

Seattle festival canceled due to ICE concerns, The Seattle Times
Envisioning a cleaner Duwamish River in South Park, Soundside (2022)

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Over the last three years, the shortage of public defenders in Washington state has built to a crisis. It’s been taking a toll on the lawyers who represent clients that need representation but can’t afford it. Since that representation is promised in the U.S. and state constitutions, these lawyers are a critical aspect of the legal system.

When there aren’t enough lawyers, people wait in jail. Last year, the ACLU of Washington sued Yakima County for denying defendants their sixth amendment right to an attorney. The county has struggled to hire new public defenders for years.

To address the lack, public defenders proposed a counterintuitive solution: lower the number of cases public defenders can take on. They say doing so will reduce burnout and increase recruitment.

This month, the Washington State Supreme Court signed on to dramatically reduced caseload limits for defenders.

Guests:

Daniel Beekman, reporter at the Seattle Times

Bob Boruchowitz, professor from practice at Seattle University School of Law and director of the Defender Initiative

Relevant Links:

Seattle Times: WA Supreme Court orders much lower caseloads for public defenders

Seattle Times: WA adds public defender dollars but ‘nowhere near’ enough, counties say

Seattle Times: Washington Bar approves much lower caseloads for public defenders

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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A ceasefire between Israel and Iran appears to be holding at this hour.

President Trump spoke briefly to reporters this morning on the White House lawn.

He used an expletive and said he was unhappy that the two countries had both initially violated the agreement to pause attacks.

More than a week after Israel kicked off the new war with Iran, Trump intervened on Saturday by ordering a U.S. strike on three Iranian nuclear sites.

This morning the president has been re-posting messages on social media from supporters calling his handling of the conflict “an overwhelming…victory” and “a historic masterclass.”

But a member of Washington's congressional delegation disagrees.

Guest:

Adam Smith is a House Democrat who represents parts of Bellevue and Seattle all the way to Auburn and Federal Way.

Related links:

Democrats Forge Ahead With Efforts to Reach War Powers Vote Amid Shaky Cease-Fire - NYT

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Washington state is taking quick action to meet its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

As part of it, last year the state spent $45 million dollars to help lower income people buy or lease electric vehicles.

To do this, they lowered the barrier for getting a rebate – all you needed to do was self-report your income or say you were enrolled in an assistance program, and the dealer would discount thousands of dollars from the price.

But a new investigation from Cascade PBS has found that some of the money didn’t go towards the people it was intended for.

Guest:

Elizabeth Whitman, freelance journalist

Relevant Links:

Cascade PBS: WA spent $45M to boost electric vehicle use — with mixed results

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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A new book examines the theory that lead and arsenic poisoning may have affected the brain development of serial killers like Ted Bundy and Gary Ridgway.

Childhood exposure to these poisons might provide a partial explanation for these horrific crimes.

The book is “Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers.”

It’s part memoir; part examination of anthropology, criminology, and also the ecological history of the Pacific Northwest.

Guest

Caroline Fraser, author of “Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers.” She grew up on Mercer Island and won the Pulitzer Prize for her biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder in 2018.

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Upstairs at Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture, MoPop, right now you can take a trip through the musical genres and artists that trace the arc of Black history in America, from gospel foremothers like Rosetta Tharpe and Mahalia Jackson, to the soul songs of Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder.

The exhibit is called Never Turn Back: Echoes of African American Music.

Soundside host Libby Denkmann caught up with curator Adeerya Johnson for a tour of the exhibit.

GUEST: Adeerya Johnson, Associate Curator at MoPop

RELATED LINK: Never Turn Back: Echoes of African American Music | Museum of Pop Culture

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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We are officially in the summer busy season.

Solstice, pride, Juneteenth — if you’re looking for something to do this week, have no fear, there’s something for you.

Soundside is off tomorrow for Juneteenth, so we're bringing you an EARLY edition of the WEEKEND WARMUP.

Here with stuff to do this weekend is Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows!

LINKS:

Juneteenth | Atlantic Street Center
NAAM | Juneteenth
Juneteenth — ACLT Summer of Soul Series
Juneteenth 2025 | Mercer Island, Washington
Juneteenth 2025 | Shoreline City Hall
Juneteenth - Stewart Heights Park, Tacoma
2025 Juneteenth Commemoration - Washington State Historical Society
Washington Brewers Fest
MOPOP - 25th Anniversary
Fremont Solstice Parade
Fremont Fair
Summer Bonsai Solstice | Pacific Bonsai Museum
Marysville Strawberry Festival
Wenatchee River Bluegrass Festival 2025
Georgetown Pride 2025

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Boys and ghouls, allow me to tell you about the mad doctor who injects himself with an experimental serum, turning the scientist into a hideous monster that terrorizes a hospital.

This twisted tale is from the mind of Richard Lyford, a 19-year-old indie filmmaker in Seattle, who wrote, directed and starred in the short horror film The Scalpel.

But he wasn’t influenced by horror legends like John Carpenter or Wes Craven or George Romero.

No, The Scalpel was filmed in 1936, and film historians considered it lost for almost 90 years.

It’s now been restored and re-edited, and been accepted to more than 150 film festivals throughout the country.

Guest: Composer Ed Hartman

Related Links:

Trailer for The Scalpel

Lost 1936 Seattle film saved by local composer takes festival circuit by storm

Zion Film Fest

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

The Scalpel Festival Run

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Israel and Iran continue to trade missile and drone attacks as the war stretches into its fifth day.

This conflict started last week with Israeli airstrikes that targeted top military commanders and nuclear facilities in Iran.

Here in the Seattle area, members of the Iranian diaspora are experiencing a familiar anxiety: Trying to keep tabs on friends and family during a bloody conflict.

We talk to four members of Seattle's Iranian diaspora and get additional analysis on the conflict from a Washington, D.C.-based expert.

Guests

Omid Roustaei, The Caspian Chef, cookbook author and Iranian-American psychotherapist

Rep. Darya Farivar, Washington state Representative, D-46

Aria Fani, director of the Persian and Iranian Studies Program at the University of Washington

Faraz Zarghami, also known as DJ Dancing Faraz

Alex Vatanka,senior fellow, Middle East Institute

Related links

The Washington Post: Israeli attacks leave Iranians fearful and hopeful

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Have you ever walked into a bookstore, lonely and single, and hoped you’d meet the love of your life?

We know there are at least a few of you out there.

The spot in question, titled “Read the Room”, is based on Ravenna’s Third Place Books, one of Macdonald's regular haunts.

We talk to Macdonald, the longtime Seattle Times arts critic, about writing her novel, her recommendations for great summer reads and Seattle's best movie theaters.

Guest

Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times arts critic and debut novelist

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Millions of Americans across the country gathered over the weekend in support of “No Kings Day”, a nationwide protest against the Trump Administration.

Marches were planned to contrast with a military parade at the nation’s capital, commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Army.

The events also coincided with President Trump’s birthday.

And it all came after a week of escalating tensions between the federal government and California officials, where immigration raids had prompted clashes between protestors and police… and Trump had called in the military against the wishes of the state’s governor.

Across Washington on Saturday, cities from Olympia, to Wenatchee, even passengers on a ferry from Bainbridge island had “No Kings” protests.

We wanted to get a sense of what the protests felt like across the state - and how the momentum of crowd participation could spark further action.

Guests:

KUOW reporter Casey Martin
Seattle University assistant professor of law Pilar Margarita Hernández Escontrías
Former Spokane city council president Ben Stuckart

Related stories:

LIVE: Crowds descend on Seattle for ‘No Kings’ protests - KUOW
Mysterious notice tells immigrants to check in at Seattle-area federal building. Several get detained - KUOW
Tukwila police fire pepper balls on protesters at unusual ICE check-in - Seattle Times
More than 30 arrested at immigration protest in Spokane sparked by arrest of 2 immigrants - Spokesman Review

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Lawmakers in D.C. are still working on President Trump's big beautiful bill.

That's the budget reconciliation measure focused on extending his first term tax cuts, boosting defense spending and immigration enforcement and cutting some spending.

Should it become law, it's expected to cut into benefits for millions of Americans – specifically, federal food assistance programs. It's expected to slice hundreds of billions from SNAP, or food stamps.

Around 10 percent of Washington state's population get SNAP benefits, per the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Washington State Standard estimates tens of thousands in the state could lose federal food aid if the bill passes.

We hear from the executive director of a Seattle food bank about the proposed cuts to SNAP and how they could affect the food bank’s operations and clients.

And we get an update on the bill's progress from a D.C.-based reporter.

Guests

Orion Donovan Smith legislative reporter, Washington, D.C. Bureau, The Spokesman-Review

Gloria Hatcher-Mays executive director, Rainier Valley Food Bank

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Well, I don't know about YOU, but President Trump has big weekend plans:

On Saturday, he's going to be enjoying a military parade in honor of the 250th anniversary of the Army, which also happens to fall on his birthday.

There are hundreds of protests planned in cities across the country as counter-programming to this parade. They're organized under the umbrella of the "No Kings" theme. That includes here in Washington State, and the No Kings website says 80 protests are planned in places from Anacortes to Walla Walla.

The Kitsap Sun has a list of where those are happening on Saturday and how to stay safe at KitsapSun.com

But not to worry, there are a TON of other weekend events coming up:

LINKS:

Black Night Market — Friends of Waterfront Park
Brass Screw Consortium - Port Townsend
Maple Valley Days - Lake Wilderness Park
An Evening with John Cusack & Screening of "High Fidelity" - Tacoma
Seattle Flying Dragon Boat Club - South Lake Union Park

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This weekend, the FIFA Club World Cup descends on Seattle.This isn’t the big tournament that pits national teams against each other that’s coming in 2026.

Instead, this tournament features club teams from around the world. Spectators in Seattle will be able to see storied squads take the pitch throughout June.

For clubs, there is big money at stake but the majority of that money, at least when it comes to Major League Soccer, is set to go to the clubs’ owners.

U.S. players, including ones with the Seattle Sounders, won’t see much of it. So players have been speaking out about, what they call, a cash grab. U.S. fans of the beautiful game are now following an ugly contract dispute.

Guest:

Pablo Mauer, staff writer at the Athletic

Relevant Links:

The Athletic: Sounders protest MLS’ Club World Cup player payout cap, backed by MLSPA

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The Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire is the largest ren faire in the state. It will bring out fairies, pirates, knights in shining armor, and more for five weeks, starting in mid-July, near the Skykomish River outside of Monroe.

It has a whole lot of fans including one of our colleagues at KUOW, Vicky VanHout. She says Ren Faires are all about dressing up in medieval garb, dancing to medieval themed music, archery, and axe throwing. A celebration of cosplay and history together!

But, not everyone is happy with the state of the faire. They say something’s amiss, and it’s not the pirates hitting the grog too hard or Mistress Tiddlywinks’ donkey breaking into the cabbage patch…

The Village of Merriwick, AKA the fictional home of the Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire, is at the center of a new investigative report in the summer edition of Seattle Met.

The story details a series of allegations about management’s treatment of volunteer staff and questions about their financial priorities, as well as bigger questions about changes that some argue are sacrificing the “soul” of the Faire.

We reached out to both Washington Renaissance Arts & Education Society and Wandering in Time Productions for their response to Nathalie’s story. They declined an interview, but they did send us a statement:

"Wandering in Time Productions is a Pacific Northwest institution, employing nearly 120 full-time, part-time, and contract staff. Its partnership with the Washington Renaissance Arts & Education Society has WITP providing essential services to help produce a high-quality, immersive event each year. In 2024, WITP assumed responsibility for guild and entertainer payments and transitioned to a more equitable contractor model, reinforcing its commitment to fairness and sustainability.

WITP, in partnership with the WRAES, puts its heart and soul into bringing an extraordinary production to life each summer. Putting on a high-quality event that welcomes approximately 10,000 visitors daily takes time, effort and significant financial resources. Like many businesses across Washington, the Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire has felt the impact of rising production costs. As a result, we have had to make difficult decisions, including increases to ticket prices and a more selective vendor invitation process to ensure the Faire’s continued success. We have also adopted policies, such as quiet hours, meant to ensure that the greatest number of our guests and participants are as comfortable as possible.

WITP is also aware that, in past years, a small number of vendors, staff and entertainers have acted in ways that do not reflect the values of our community. When concerns were brought to our attention, WITP responded quickly and decisively based on available information. WITP remains committed to creating a safe, respectful and welcoming environment for all.

WITP and WRAES look forward to welcoming all our guests this summer, especially those who have attended for generations, to create magical and memorable experiences together.

Our focus remains on creating a safe, inclusive and memorable experience for the many guests, vendors, entertainers and staff who make the Faire possible each year."

GUEST: Nathalie Graham - staff writer at The Stranger and freelancer with Seattle Met

RELATED LINK: Fear and Loathing at the Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire

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The Trump Administration’s efforts to deport more unauthorized immigrants have led to protests in major cities across the United States. Evidence of stepped-up immigration enforcement can also be seen at the U.S.-Canada border. But it’s not always drawing protests or media attention.

A family of six at the Blaine border crossing was detained earlier this year. The family, originally from southwestern Africa, was held by Customs and Border Protection in a windowless cell, with a toilet, for more than three weeks – with no news stories and few people aware of their situation.

The ACLU is now involved in the case.

Guest: Troy Brynelson, reporter for Oregon Public Broadcasting

Related Links:

‘Like a jail cell’: Family of six detained at Washington state border facility for more than three weeks

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For a long time, if you wanted to know what the future looked like for Washington’s climate policies, you just had to look at California.

The Golden State put a carbon auction in place in 2012. 10 years later, state lawmakers here set up our own cap and trade system.

California passed legally binding emissions goals in 2006. Washington did that about a decade later.

And let’s talk car sales: California passed a law that will ban the sale of most gasoline powered vehicles by 2035. Washington passed a similar law a few years ago.

But now, California’s law has come under the crosshairs of the federal government and that may hamper both states’ ability to meet ambitious goals to decarbonize.

Guest:

Conrad Swanson, climate reporter for the Seattle Times

Related Links:

Seattle Times: Did Congress just revoke WA’s gas car ban?

Stateline: Major legal brawl may decide what types of cars Americans can buy

Cal Matters: US Senate blocks California’s electric car mandate in historic vote

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When the University of Washington began searching for a new president back in 2015, they did what you might expect:

They started a nationwide hunt, looking for the best fit to lead an institution known at the time, more for its research than for its classes.

It turns out the answer was right at home.

Ana Mari Cauce had been at the University of Washington since 1986, in various teaching and leadership roles, starting as an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology.

Cauce entered the office as the first openly gay, first Latina, and first woman to lead the largest University in the state.

And during her time in the office, the UW has changed a lot. There was a global pandemic and move to online learning. Campus-wide Pro-Palestine protests brought national attention to the school as students clashed with university administrators.

Key for sports fans, The Huskies left the PAC-12 conference, joining the Big 10.

Add to that – in the last few months, defunding moves, international student visa cancellations and further threats from the federal government.

Now, Cauce’s ten years at the helm of the University of Washington is coming to the end.

What has she learned from her tenure?

And what advice does she have for her successor as he prepares to take over?

Guest:

Ana Mari Cauce, President of the University of Washington

Related Stories:

Trump Has Targeted These Universities. Why? - New York Times
UW president warns of budget crisis, potential layoffs - KUOW
ED, HHS, and GSA Initiate Review of Anti-Semitic Activity at the University of Washington - HHS.gov
What comes next for the pro-Palestine protesters at UW? - KUOW

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Seattle is gearing up to host some big events this summer – from music festivals to early World Cup matches. The Sounders will host their first FIFA Club World Cup match on Sunday June 15 at Lumen Field.

June is also Pride Month, with all kinds of LQBTQ+-focused celebrations planned throughout the city.

It’s a time when law enforcement agencies are tasked with keeping people safe, and respecting free expression.

And that balance has gotten extra difficult in recent weeks here in Seattle, after duelling protests by queer demonstrators and their allies and fundamentalist Christian groups.

So we wanted to invite the Seattle Police Department, and the city of Seattle on to talk about how they’re approaching public safety this summer.

And a note: this conversation was recorded on Friday, prior to this weekend’s protests in Los Angeles, and the mobilization of the National Guard.

Guests:

Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes
Seattle Chief Public Safety Officer Natalie Walton-Anderson

Related stories:

Cal Anderson protest: No charges (yet), Parks says nope to August, FBI threat, and ‘mostly silent’ vigil planned outside Seattle church - Capitol Hill Seattle Blog
8 more arrests at dueling protests, this time at Seattle City Hall - Seattle Times
14 indicted on charges of drug trafficking in Chinatown International District - Seattle Times

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ICE enforcement raids led to violent clashes between protestors and law enforcement in Los Angeles this weekend.

President Trump mobilized the National Guard in response. This was against the wishes of the state’s Governor, Gavin Newsom -- it’s the first time a President has done so since the 1960s.

Both Newsom and L.A. mayor Karen Bass have vocally criticized the move, with Newsom calling it an “unmistakable step toward authoritarianism.”

Over 50 people were arrested this weekend. More protests are planned today.

It’s something we’re watching closely here in Seattle, a Democrat-led city in a heavily Blue state with its own history of showdowns with the Trump Administration.

Relevant Links:

CalMatters: With troops and protests, Trump’s feud with California moves to the streets of LA

CalMatters: Gavin Newsom asks Trump to withdraw troops from Los Angeles as protests intensify

Guest:

Nigel Duara, LA-based reporter for CalMatters

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President Trump deployed 2,000 California National Guard troops in Los Angeles this weekend.

Protests had broken out in response to aggressive local immigration enforcement activity.

California’s attorney general now says the state will sue the president over this.

But here in Washington, is the state prepared for widespread protests or presidential mobilization of the national guard?

We spoke with Washington Attorney General Nick Brown, a Democrat, on Monday morning about those questions.

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If you’re not up for driving all the way to Astoria Oregon for the Goonies, and would rather stick closer to home this weekend, never fear - we’ve got you covered!

Here with almost every event, festival, and concert happening this weekend is Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows!

LINKS:

Steel Magic Northwest - "Here Comes the Sun"
Northwest Pinball and Arcade Show - Tacoma
Indigenous People Festival - Seattle Center
Kent Nerd Party 2025
Duvall Days Festival
SCOTTISH GATHERING - Blaine
Maritime Gig Festival - Gig Harbor
2025 Anacortes Waterfront Festival
Seattle Pride in the Park 2025
Science Fiction + Fantasy Short Film Festival
Fiber Fusion Northwest - Monroe
The Stranger's Burger Week

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Let’s talk foosball. You know, the table top game with the little soccer guys. Maybe you’re a hot shot at your local bar. You have a few tricks up your sleeve. And maybe they’ve even won you a couple beers over the years.

But we warn you: You are in an entirely different league from Spokane resident Lotus Leong-Chesbrough. She has won real money playing foosball. She’s been coy about saying how much, but it's at least in the six figures.

She’s also claimed two foosball world titles and, in 2018, was inducted into the Table Soccer Hall of Fame. Later this month she's headed to Spain for the World Cup. And she expects to win.

Guest:

Lotus Leong-Chesbrough

Related Stories:

‘The battle of the fittest on the table’: Two Spokane women to compete in foosball World Cup next month

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Chris Vance was a Republican for 37 years. During that time he served as the chair for the Washington State Republican Party, a Metropolitan King County Councilmember and a state representative.

But then Donald Trump descended down that golden escalator.

Vance left the GOP in 2017 as President Trump was reshaping the Party in his image. Since then Vance has considered himself in exile… flirting with independent candidates and openly supporting Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.

So it might come as a surprise that he is returning to the party and calling himself a Republican once again. This time, though, he’s part of a new group called Our Republican Legacy. They say they want to establish a big tent inside the Party to advance a more traditionally Republican agenda.

Guest:

Chris Vance, a senior adviser for the group Our Republican Legacy

Related Links:

A rallying cry for a post-MAGA future from a Republican in exile

Our Republican Legacy

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Last month Pierce County resident Tuan Thanh Phan was deported.

That wasn’t unexpected for Tuan or his family - he was planning on starting a new life in Vietnam after he was deported. His permanent residency was revoked in 2009, nearly ten years after he was convicted of first degree murder and second degree assault.

The surprise was where he went. He wasn’t going to Vietnam, his birth country.

Instead, Tuan ended up on a flight to South Sudan. That was redirected to Djibouti.

The flight was part of a push by the Trump administration to remove convicted visa holders from the U.S. – back to countries that aren’t their own.

Now Phan's wife is sounding the alarm - she hasn't heard from her husband since he was sent to Djbouti.

Guest:

KUOW Race, Identity, and Immigration Reporter Gustavo Sagrero Álvarez

Related Stories:

A Pierce County man expected to be deported to Vietnam. Instead, ICE routed him to South Sudan - KUOW

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In D.C. the president’s Big Beautiful Bill is facing a contentious fight in the Senate. Governor Ferguson recently signed over 400 bills into law.

But there was other bill related news in recent weeks and we went to see someone who has been right in the middle of it.

Alejandro Rico Guevara is one of the foremost researchers on hummingbird bills. He has spent years studying how hummingbirds use their beaks to feed and fight.

But his latest research looked at how human actions seem to be driving a high-speed example of evolution in hummingbird bills.

Alejandro is an Assistant Professor of Biology at the University of Washington, and he’s the co-author of a study published last month in Global Change Biology. It shows how hummingbird feeders have influenced the size and shape of hummingbird bills in a matter of decades.

Guest:

Alejandro Rico Guevara, Assistant Professor of Biology at the University of Washington

Relevant Links:

NPR: Backyard feeders changed the shape of hummingbird beaks, scientists say

Global Change Biology: Supplemental Feeding as a Driver of Population Expansion and Morphological Change in Anna's Hummingbird

Smithsonian: California’s Hummingbirds Have Changed Their Beaks in Response to Backyard Feeders, Study Finds

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Cathy Moore is stepping down from the Seattle City Council.

She announced the decision yesterday afternoon, citing health and personal reasons.

Moore has been in office for a year and a half, and leaves district 5 - which includes Greenwood, North Gate and Lake City - down an elected representative.

Why has Moore decided to step down after such a short tenure, and what does it mean for Seattle’s city council?

Guest:

David Kroman, city hall reporter for the Seattle Times

Related stories:

Councilmember Moore to step down - Seattle City Council Blog
Seattle City Councilmember Cathy Moore is stepping down - Seattle Times

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When Washington state legalized marijuana back in 2012, one of the big goals was to displace the black market, bring weed out of the shadows, and take the power away from dealers and traffickers.

But more than a decade later, the ILLEGAL weed industry is still thriving in Washington, and that’s taking a toll on LEGAL cannabis businesses.

Meanwhile, the SYSTEM for keeping track of legally produced weed is broken. That has raised concerns about diversion into the black market, as well as lost money, product safety, and more.

Tim Gruver Wrote about the “fuzzy math of tracking dark weed” for The Washington Observer

GUEST: Tim Gruver - Washington Observer

RELATED LINK: The fuzzy math of tracing dark weed

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Fifteen years ago, actor Pam Nolte received a phone call from a friend who worked at the Greenwood Senior Center in Seattle. Her friend asked if she’d be willing to create an improv class specifically for people with early stage memory loss.

Pam was intrigued. She had zero experience with improv. But had personal experience dealing with her mother’s experience with Alzheimer's disease.

Pam eventually created a gentle and slower-paced improv class. Participants play improv games that tap into their long term memories and their senses, and instructors ask them questions like “what are some sounds you hear in the springtime?” or “what was an activity you loved to do as a kid?”

The class then builds off these prompts, to create longer form improv games.

Students and instructors say the class is a unique experience for people with early stage memory loss, who in the real world are often told “no.” For example, when their doctor tells them they can no longer drive. But in improv class, students are met with a resounding “yes!” to whatever ideas they come up with. And they’re given space and time if they forget what they’re saying mid-sentence.

Experts say improv class offers real benefits for anyone who wants to keep their mind and memory in good shape.

GUESTS:

Pam Nolte, actor and co-founder of Taproot Theatre Company
Dr. Danny Fisher, Memory and Brain Wellness Center at Harborview
Students and instructors from the “improv for memory loss” class

RELATED LINKS:

Taproot Theatre Company’s “Re-ignite the Mind” Class
The Upfront Theatre’s “Minds Alive!” class in Bellingham

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When you buy a fruit, a vegetable, a carton of almond milk - you might assume it’s an animal free product.

But all of those foods, and many more, rely on one small but mighty member of the animal kingdom: the bee.

Bees – especially honeybees – are an important part of any working farm. They pollinate everything from papayas to cucumbers to coffee beans.

Like cows, pigs, or chickens, these little buzzy workers are considered livestock: cared for and managed by farmers and beekeepers so that you can have food on your plate.

But, unlike other livestock, there is one thing farmers haven’t been able to do for their bees: provide nutritious, human-made feed when flowers aren’t blooming.

Until now.

Last month scientists unveiled a new food source designed for livestock bee colonies. They say it could help bee survival rates across the world.

Guest:

Brandon Hopkins is the P.F. Thurber Endowed Distinguished Professor of Pollinator Ecology at Washington State University, and ran the trials for this new food. He also co-authored a study on the food source

Related stories:

New pollen-replacing food for honey bees brings new hope for survival - WSU Insider
A nutritionally complete pollen-replacing diet protects honeybee colonies during stressful commercial pollination—requirement for isofucosterol - The Royal Society

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GAMERS REJOICE - The day that Mario, Pokémon, & Zelda fans have been looking forward to is right around the corner: The Switch 2 from Nintendo is out on THURSDAY, June 5th!!

The second generation of Nintendo’s flagship console has been highly anticipated for years, but the launch announcement was NOT without controversy.

Nintendo announced the new console back in January, but it wasn’t until last month that details came out about games, pricing, and licensing.

It was revealed that instead of buying the GAMES THEMSELVES at your friendly local game store, the cartridge you buy is merely a KEY to download the game from Nintendo’s digital storefront, which caused quite the stir among the Nintendo faithful…

We reached out to Nintendo of America last week to get their response to the question about “right to repair” in WA State, and we’ll update this story as soon as they respond.

GUEST: Ryan DiVittorio - Writer at CBR.com

RELATED LINK: It's the End of an Era for Game Ownership and Physical Media

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The day 65-year-old Julie Leon died was the hottest day ever recorded in Washington State history. Her death was officially ruled as hyperthermia, or overheating.

Officially, more than 100 people died in the state due to that extreme 2021 heat wave, but many experts believe the number of deaths exceeds 400. Last week, Julie’s daughter, Misti Leon, filed a lawsuit, pointing the finger at who she thinks is responsible: big oil.

The lawsuit claims that oil and gas companies have been knowingly misleading the public for more than 50 years about the effects of fossil fuels on the climate. It says this deception has made them trillions of dollars, while leading to the deaths of people like Julie Leon.

Guest:

Korey Silverman-Roati, a Senior Fellow at the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia Law School

Related Links:

Oil companies face a wrongful death suit tied to climate change
Leon v. Exxon Complaint PDF
Oil Companies Are Sued Over Death of Woman in 2021 Heat Wave

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It isn't officially summer, but it sure does feel like it in the Pacific Northwest. The sun is out and maybe you're planning on laying out by the water this weekend. But what to listen to as the warm season nears?

Well, we have something that might help you. We rounded up a panel of local music experts to give you some fresh recommendations for songs to check out.

Michael Reitmulder:

Deep Sea Diver, Billboard Heart

Sea Lemon, Diving for a Prize

Bunnie on the Board:

Sailorr, Soft Girl Summer

Envi Jordan, "Tonight"

Shaboozey, "Horses & Hellcatts"

Cameron Lavi Jones

OBGMS, "Get Up"

Orgone, "I Sold My Heart to the Junkman" ft. Cyril Neville

Liv Victorino, "Neighborhood"

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:

Bunnie on the Board -live and studio audio engineer and Seattle Music Commissioner

Michael Reitmulder - Seattle Times music writer

Cameron Lavi Jones, lead singer and guitarist of Seattle band King Young Blood and co-creator of the Black and Loud music festival

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You know who we haven't discussed on this show in a while?

The Boeing company.

They're the 2nd biggest private employer in this state.

It’s good we haven't talked about ’em because when we do, it's usually bad news.
The fatal crashes a few years ago, the door panel blowing out last year, the machinist strike.

The US Senate held a whistleblower hearing and the title was “Examining Boeing’s Broken Safety Culture: Firsthand Accounts.” - Not a great sign.

So how is Boeing doing now?

Well, the stock price is up 20% this year, Qatar Airlines is buying 210 new jets, and Boeing might not face criminal charges after all for those fatal crashes - something the victims’ families are angry about.

Let’s catch up on Boeing...

GUESTS:

Lauren Rosenblatt, Seattle Times business reporter covering Boeing
Richard Aboulafia, managing director of AeroDynamic Advisory

RELATED LINKS:

Federal prosecutors confirm they may drop Boeing criminal charge
MAX crash families say DOJ is handing Boeing ‘get out of jail free’ card
Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems furloughs workers on 737 program
Boeing nears Spirit AeroSystems takeover after move by Airbus
Boeing is nearly back on its feet — just in time for Trump trade war hit
Boeing sets new values after ‘brutal’ employee feedback

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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It has been a short week for most of us, thanks to Memorial Day.

Here we already approaching another weekend, nd with ALMOST everything you need to know to keep yourself busy, we've got Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows!!

LINKS:

Mariners- Nationals on Thurs, Minnesota Twins on Fri/Sat/Sun
Sounders- Minnesota United FC on Sunday
Storm- Fri vs Atlanta/Sun vs Las Vegas
Salmon Bay FC- FRI vs Tacoma
Rat City Roller Derby- Home Team Championships Saturday
Two Dykes and a Mic - Fri/Sat
Mason County Forest Festival - Fri/Sat/Sun in Shelton, WA
HONK! Fest West
Bite of Greece Seattle
Stamp & Scrapbook EXPO - Puyallup
Paws & Pride Dog Walk - Bellevue Downtown Park

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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The Trump Administration’s health policies are upending years of advice about COVID vaccines. Since they’ve been available, experts have recommended the shot to almost everyone. The vaccines are safe and they work.

But now federal agencies are taking a much narrower approach. Health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. just announced the vaccines won't be recommended for children or healthy pregnant people. And the FDA plans to approve booster shots only for older adults and people with extra risk factors.

We talk more about all of that with an expert on COVID-19, Dr. Helen Chu. Chu doesn't agree with the recommendations.

"I think the reason why we have COVID vaccines for young children and for pregnant persons is because they know we know that they work, that they're safe, they're effective," Chu says. "These are populations that are at high risk for severe disease."

Guest

Dr. Helen Chu, professor of medicine at the University of Washington. She’s run several landmark studies of how COVID spreads.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Federal funding for research from the National Science Foundation is being awarded at the slowest rate in 35 years, according to an investigation from the New York Times.

Since the start of Trump’s second term, cuts to National Institutes of Health and NSF grants have totaled more than 1.5 billion, according to the research publication Science.

Republicans have justified these cuts by claiming the administration is rooting out wasteful spending, or left-wing ideology run amok.

And these attacks, along with threats of funding freezes for universities, have reportedly created a culture of fear for researchers. It’s left scientists wondering: do I speak up about what’s happening? Or do I stay quiet, in hopes my funding might be restored?

One Seattle researcher with a lot of experience in political communication and information systems is saying: speak up.

Guest:

Kate Starbird is the co-founder of the University of Washington’s Center for an Informed Public. She’s also a professor at the Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering (HCDE).

Related stories:

Trump’s ‘fear factor’: Scientists go silent as funding cuts escalate - Science
Trump Has Cut Science Funding to Its Lowest Level in Decades - NYT
To understand right-wing media’s power, study improv and theater of influencers - Seattle Times

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Jason Megatron Burrows is out this week, so Shane NoCoolNickname Mehling rattles through some of the best things to do this Memorial weekend.

Northwest Folk Life
Seattle Black Nerd Fest
Second Breakfast - Hobbit Feast and Painting Party!
Charcuterie Board Workshop
Kevin Diers Benefit Show

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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When you ride a Metro bus that Nathan Vass is driving, you might notice a few things.

It starts with when you get on the bus: he makes a point of saying hello to every passenger who climbs aboard.

Once you grab a seat, you’ll see he’s also on the intercom, announcing every single stop. When he isn’t orienting riders, he’s chatty and talks with people sitting at the front of the bus. And when you step off the bus he says goodbye.

What you may not notice is that Nathan is noticing everything happening around him: the conversations he’s having and the regulars who show up every day.

He often writes about his interactions and those stories are compiled in a new book called “Deciding to See: The View from Nathan’s Bus.”

The book is a collection of dozens of narratives of daily interactions across the city, touching on loss, joy, and connection on a King County Metro bus.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guest:

Nathan Vass, author of Deciding to See: The View from Nathan's Bus

Relevant Links:

Seattle Times: Nathan Vass brings readers onto his bus in new book ‘Deciding to See’

KUOW: This Seattle bus driver decided to be extra nice to his passengers. Here's how it went

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The United States spends 30 billion dollars on foster care each year. Yet, according to author Claudia Rowe, the results have too often been damaging for the children in that system.

The award-winning journalist claims our child welfare system is dangerously dysfunctional: by disconnecting kids from their biological families and extended networks, she says, foster care severs attachments that are important for healthy brain development.

Her new book, Wards of the State: The Long Shadow of American Foster Care, is a deep dive into what she says is a pipeline from foster care to crime, drug addiction, homelessness and prison.

Guest:

Claudia Rowe

Related Links:

‘Wards of the State’ is a devastating look at the foster care system

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Recent ICE enforcement activity has made headlines across the region.

This week, federal immigration agents arrested 17 people at a manufacturer in Kent.

And The Seattle Times reports ICE officers appeared to arrest at least 3 people at a Seattle immigration court.

But if you're stopped by ICE, everyone is entitled to certain rights and protections by law, no matter what your legal status is.

In case you could use help knowing what those rights are, we speak to one Seattle immigration attorney about your rights if ICE shows up at your door, what not to do if you're pulled over by ICE, bystander rights and more.

Guest

Henry Hwang, one of the directing attorneys for Northwest Immigrant Rights Project

Related Links

NPR: What basic rights do people have if ICE stops them? A lawyer explains

WBUR and NPR: 'Never seen anything like this': An immigration attorney on the arrest of a Tufts student

The Seattle Times: Here’s what advocates are telling WA immigrants about ICE raids

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Governor Ferguson was kind of a wild card as legislators worked on shoring up a $16 billion budget gap this year.

The Democratic governor had been unusually friendly to Republicans and signaled he was open to their ideas for how to fill the deficit.

Meanwhile, Democrats in the state house and senate have publicly insisted that they have a good relationship with the governor, even as he shot down some of their proposals to generate revenue, like a new wealth tax.

The weeks of wondering whether the Governor would make major changes to the Democrat-passed general fund and transportation budget are finally over. Yesterday afternoon, the Governor gave his approval to nearly all of the budget proposals.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guest:

Paul Queary, editor and publisher of The Washington Observer

Relevant Links:

The Washington Observer: Ferguson tacks left and embraces the Legislature

KUOW: Gov. Ferguson signs new WA budget into law, leaving bulk of tax increases intact

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Several law enforcement agencies across the country have decided to replace a popular model of pistol due to concerns about misfires – the guns have been reported to fire accidentally, even when in their holsters.

Washington’s police academy earlier this year banned the firearm at all its training facilities. It’s a move that’s drawn protest from several local police departments.

In some cases, when agencies choose to replace the guns, they aren’t being sent to a landfill, or a recycling center.

Instead, they’re being sold to dealers, who may put them back in circulation to the public.

That’s the latest from a new report from Mother Jones and The Trace, a nonprofit newsroom covering gun violence in America.

Guest:

Ava Sasani is the assistant editor of The Data Hub - an initiative by The Trace, the only newsroom dedicated to reporting on gun violence. She’s also the co-author of the story “A Gun Deemed Too Dangerous for Cops, but Fine for Civilians” - created in partnership with Mother Jones.

Related Stories:

A Gun Deemed Too Dangerous for Cops, but Fine for Civilians - Mother Jones
One of America’s Favorite Handguns Is Allegedly Firing On Its Owners - The Trace
WA police departments oppose academy's 'outrageous' ban on Sig Sauer P320 handguns - King5

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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In one of the most deadly local climbing accidents in recent memory, four men fell roughly 400 feet while climbing in the Northern Cascades on May 10th.

One man survived, Anton Tselykh.

The tragedy has caused grief – and prompted questions – in the local climbing community.

And while some of the accident’s details are still unclear, it made us wonder about the impact of a loss like this on the climbing community, rock climbing safety, and what climbers should know about the North Cascades.

Guest

James Pierson, director of operations for the American Alpine Institute

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Signs of the frosty relationship between the United States and Canada are everywhere: from additional checkpoints at border crossings, to fewer Blue Jays fans showing up to T-Mobile Park to see their team play here recently.

Rhetoric from the President about making Canada the 51st state and tariffs have put a wedge between the two countries.

And the effects of this split are spiraling to how we manage natural resources that cross the border.

The Columbia river system - which touches British Columbia, Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and Montana - is a major water and power source for the US. For 61 years, the two countries have worked closely to control floods and manage hydropower on the river.

When President Trump came back into office in January, Canadian and American officials were weeks away from updating the Columbia River Treaty.

But now, discussions have ground to a halt.

Guest:

Karen Weise,technology correspondent with the New York Times

Related stories:

A Crucial River Treaty Is Tangled in Trump’s Feud With Canada - New York Times
Updates are coming to this 60-year-old treaty guiding the Columbia River - KUOW

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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If you’ve logged into TikTok or Instagram in recent weeks, you may have heard that the port is empty.

Social media videos have been popping up claiming that Seattle’s port has no cargo ships docked. And Seattlites are pointing the finger at the continuous threat of new tariffs.

But is that actually the case?

KUOW labor and economy reporter Monica Nickelsburg headed to the port to find out in the newest episode of KUOW's Booming podcast.

Guest:

Monica Nickesburg is KUOW’s labor and economy reporter. She’s also the co-host of Booming, KUOW’s economics podcast.

Related stories:

Whiplash at the Port of Seattle - KUOW
Weekly NWSA Volumes & Metrics Report - Northwest Seaport Alliance

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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The Trump administration's federal cuts have put billions of dollars for scientific research and thousands of research jobs at risk.

They could also be imperiling laboratory animals.

Scientists around the country are concerned that funding cuts could mean prematurely ending research involving mice, dogs, nonhuman primates, and more.

Like many others, the University of Washington is a research institution that relies on animal subjects for its studies. If these studies are unable to continue, scientists will have to consider euthanizing these animals.

That could mean setbacks to all sorts of health-related experiments, including ones related to cancer and Alzheimer’s.

Guest

Sally Thompson-Iritani assistant vice provost for Animal Care, Outreach and Three Rs (reduction, refinement and replacement) in the Office of Research at the University of Washington

Related Links

The New York Times: Lab Animals Face Being Euthanized as Trump Cuts Research

The Washington Post: Trump’s deep cuts to health research put lab animals at risk, scientists say

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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If you're looking for exciting things to do this weekend, Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows is here with MOST of the stuff you can get up to.

Okay, SOME of the stuff you can get up to.

Also, one quick correction: Jason erroneously said University AVE instead of University WAY when talking about the U-District Street Fair - it's here in the U-District, NOT in Downtown Seattle.

LINKS:

POW! Screening at the Tulalip Reservation
Seattle International Film Festival!!
- Meet Me Here SIFF Episode!
Never Turn Back Exhibit Opening Party: Soul Train Revival
Smash Putt - FINAL WEEKEND
Rig-a-palooza 2025
Dozer Days
Amazing Bubble Man
POP Cats Seattle 2025
U District Street Fair
Viking Fest - Poulsbo, WA
The Seattle Super Saunter
Gays Eating Garlic Bread in the Park

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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It’s a story we can all relate to… Three generations in a car, headed to a family event. The parents are excited; their kid is not. And Grandma? She’s asleep in her wheelchair.

In the short animated film “POW!”, this particular family is Native American, and they’re headed to a powwow, where Jake desperately searches for an outlet to charge his gaming device… as his parents try to get him to participate in the festivities…

“POW!” is a funny, touching slice of life for young Native Americans. It will be screened both this weekend at the Tulalip Reservation, and next week at SIFF as part of the “Family Picture Show!”

GUEST: Filmmaker Joey Clift - Comedian, Emmy and Peabody nominated TV writer, director, as well as an enrolled member of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe.

RELATED LINKS:

POW! Trailer
Tulalip Reservation Screening
SIFF "Family Picture Show"

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Over the last 10 years Washington has passed a bevy of climate laws aimed at reducing the state’s carbon emissions.

That includes a carbon auction, a ban on coal in the state’s energy mix, and a requirement that the state reach net zero emissions by 2045.

But during that same period, energy production from renewable sources has actually declined slightly.

Oregon has set its sights on net zero emissions by 2050. It, too, has seen sluggish growth in renewable energy.

Both states rely on the Bonneville Power Administration to move energy across the state.

A new investigation from Oregon Public Broadcasting and ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network, found that the Bonneville Power Administration's aging grid may be stymieing decarbonization efforts in the Northwest.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:

Monica Samayoa, climate reporter at OPB

Tony Shick, investigative editor and reporter at OPB

Links:

How the Pacific Northwest’s dream of green energy fell apart

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New research has brought us a little closer to answering a key question about consciousness: How does the brain create the experience of self-awareness?

The problem was first posed by Aristotle, over 2000 years ago.

KUOW editor and longtime science journalist Gabriel Spitzer tells us more about that research and the Seattle scientist at the center of it.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Founded in 1890 in the Central District, Bartell Drugs may be entering its final days.

Its parent company, the national pharmacy chain Rite Aid, exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy late last year, but continues to struggle financially. Now, the fewer than 30 Bartell Drugs and around 100 Rite Aids will be sold or closed forever.

This continued hemorrhaging of retail pharmacy stores will likely be felt most acutely in lower-income neighborhoods. A 2022 UW study already put the number of Washingtonians with low-access to pharmacies at 1.2 million.

Guests:

Alex Halverson, Seattle Times business reporter

Dr. Dima Qato, professor at the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy.

Links:

Why the new Rite Aid bankruptcy could kill Seattle’s Bartell Drugs

Filling a prescription in the Seattle area? Put on comfortable shoes and be ready to wait

Reforming Markets to Strengthen Independent Pharmacies

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Washington’s youth prisons are facing a crisis of overcrowding.

The state’s two medium and maximum security youth prisons – Green Hill School in Chehalis, and Echo Glenn Children’s Center in Snoqualmie – have both consistently met or surpassed their maximum capacity for residents in recent years.

When the 2025 Washington legislative session began, lawmakers had lots of potential solutions.

From custody transfers, to increased diversion programs, to early release petitions - lawmakers brought a bevy of bills attempting to fix overcrowding at youth detention centers.

But now, with the session at an end… some of those key bills have not passed.

What happened, and where does it leave Washington’s youth detention centers?

Guests:

Jake Goldstein-Street, reporter with the Washington State Standard
Dr. Eric Trupin, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Washington Medical School. He’s also a child psychologist who has worked with incarcerated youth for decades

Related stories:

No fixes on horizon for crowding crisis in WA’s youth prisons - Washington State Standard
Washington lawmakers confront juvenile detention overcrowding crisis - Washington State Standard

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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On May 2nd, Governor Bob Ferguson signed into law a new requirement that clergy of all faiths become mandatory reporters of child abuse. It’s a move that’s especially controversial for the Catholic Church because of the sacrament of confession.

Up until now, admitting to crimes during confession, in a private conversation with a priest, retained similar legal protections as attorney-client privilege. In a statement criticizing the new law, Seattle Archbishop Paul Etienne said the law violates the “seal of confession," and any priest who reports information received in confession “will be excommunicated from the Church.”

Guest:

Dr. Russell Powell, the Father John Topel Endowed Scholar for Catholic Thought and Justice at the Seattle University School of Law.

Links:

Abuse survivors defend WA law that feds slam as ‘anti-Catholic’

Federal Courts: First Amendment and Religion

‘Excommunicated’: WA Archdiocese pushes back against mandatory reporting law, DOJ investigating

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Are men okay?

It’s a question sometimes asked in jest, but recent data has caused some experts to worry about American men and boys.

Men are going to and graduating from four year colleges at lower rates than women. Men age 25-54 are participating in the workforce at a lower rate than ever before. And, data from 2023 suggests young men are spending significantly more time alone than they did in 2019.

And this concern comes as influencers like the Tate brothers and Joe Rogan keep taking up space in the manosphere – a network of podcasters and influencers pushing a version of masculinity that many people consider toxic.

So how do you navigate healthy masculinity, and raising young men, in 2025?

We talk with our expert panel about how to raise boys in 2025.

Guests:

Don Cameron, executive director of Seattle CARES Mentoring Movement
Jerad Koepp, Native student program specialist for North Thurston Public Schools, 2022’s Washington Teacher of the Year
Keren Landman, independent reporter, former health reporter for Vox

Related Links:

Mentor sign up form for Seattle CARES, the next mentor trainings take place on May 31st and August 27th
How to talk to boys so they grow into better men, a Vox article by reporter Keren Landman
Men are lost. Here’s a map out of the wilderness. A 2023 Washington Post opinion piece on this topic, by Christine Emba

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Kevin Diers was an announcer and engineer here at KUOW. You could hear his work all over the station, behind shows like Morning Edition and All Things Considered.

He had a big footprint in the radio and music scene here in Seattle, for many years: Kevin was a long time host of Metal Shop and Loud and Local at KISW.

On KISW’s Instagram page, the band The Home Team wrote: "Kevin was the biggest supporter of local bands and music... He put us on when no one else would, and consistently uplifted the local scene with Loud & Local. He will be missed.”

Kevin was also part of the team at DEFY wrestling, a Seattle-area pro-wrestling promoter where he hosted a DEFY podcast.

Kevin was a gentle soul. He was kind and built community wherever he went. And he leaves a huge hole in our hearts. We miss you, Kevin.

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Should Seattle city council members have to recuse themselves if a policy proposal would directlyhelp orharm their self interests?

That’s been the guidance here in Seattle for the last 40 years.

But a new proposal from City Council member Cathy Moore could change that.

The idea to change ethics rules for the council comes ahead of contentious debates related to tenant protections and eviction laws in the city.

And it’s set to go before the council’s governance committee today, Thursday May 8th.

Guest:

Seattle Times city hall reporter David Kroman

Related stories:

Seattle City Council to consider changing ethics code for votes - Seattle Times

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Thanks for checking out the Weekend Warmup - We have a LOT going on this weekend.

First of all, Sunday is Mother's Day. Second of all, the Mariners are starting a home stand against the Blue Jays on Friday. Let's go!

LINKS:

Seattle Mariners Schedule
USAF Band of the Golden West - Bellingham
USAF Band of the Golden West - Mercer Island
Seattle Beer Week
43rd Annual Beat the Bridge
World Migratory Bird Day | Seward Park Audubon Center
Penn Cove Water Festival
Pierogi Fest 2025
Seattle Art Book Fair
BonsaiFEST! | Pacific Bonsai Museum
SIFF 'n' Stitch: Mamma Mia!
Sinners - SIFF Cinema Downtown
NEXT WEEK: Never Turn Back Opening Party: Soul Train Revival | Museum of Pop Culture

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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More than three decades ago, tiny blobs of gelatinous goo of unknown origin rained down on the small Grays Harbor community and captured national headlines.

The cause of the strange phenomenon, and even what the blobs were made of -- remains an enigma. It was even the subject of an episode of the TV show Unsolved Mysteries. (Watch the episode here.)

No one knows what they were. But last month they returned.

Guests:

Alli McCrite
Tom Paulson, former reporter for the Seattle P-I

Related Links:

Oakville blobs return? Resident says she and neighbors saw mysterious blobs falling from the sky once again last week
The Day Blobs Rained Down on Oakville

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Yesterday, Seattle-based author Tessa Hulls won a Pulitzer Prize for her graphic novel "Feeding Ghosts."

Hulls' first published book starts with her Chinese grandmother, Sun Yi, a journalist and author who fled Shanghai after the Communist Revolution.

Then, the narrative shifts -- to her mother Rose, the daughter of a Swiss diplomat, essentially raised in a Hong Kong boarding school after her mother was institutionalized.

And finally to Hulls herself, who is trying to bring peace to her family ghosts.

10,000 Things host and author Shin Yu Pai sat down Hulls for Soundside last year. We're re-sharing our original interview to highlight Hulls' big achievement.

Guest:

Tessa Hulls, Pulitzer Prize winning author of Feeding Ghosts

Related stories:

In 'Feeding Ghosts,' author, illustrator Tessa Hull recounts a healing journey across generations - KUOW
Seattle author Tessa Hulls wins 2025 Pulitzer Prize - Seattle Times

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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King County has its first new Executive in 15 years.

Dow Constantine, who held the position since 2009, was chosen as the CEO of Sound Transit earlier this year. He stepped away from the Executive job at the end of March.

In his place, Shannon Braddock is leading the county until a new executive is elected this November. Before this she worked mostly behind the scenes in various roles for the county over the last 15 years, including Deputy County Executive.

County business waits for no one and Braddock is holding the position at a challenging time. King County is facing a roughly $150 million dollar general fund budget deficit and is dealing with uncertainty over federal grants.

How does Braddock intend to lead the second largest government in the state of Washington?

Well, she has a blueprint for that. At yesterday’s council meeting, she released her 200 day plan for her time in office.

Guest:

Shannon Braddock, King Count Executive

Relevant Links:

Seattle Times: Shannon Braddock is King County’s first new leader in 15 years. Who is she?

Seattle Times : Maneuvering and lack of trust as King County seeks a new executive

The Urbanist: King County Council Appoints Shannon Braddock Acting Executive in Constantine’s Wake

PublicCola: Could a Sales Tax Hike for Criminal Justice Programs Save the County’s Budget?

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In the face of staff cuts, funding freezes, and threats to zero out its budget – Head Start has survived… for now.

This program serves almost 800,000 kids throughout the country –15,000 in Washington State alone. Many of these children are low-income, disabled or in foster care.

A Trump Administration budget proposal leaked in April put all Head Start funding on the chopping block. Providers in multiple states, including Washington, filed a lawsuit last week, aiming to halt the elimination of the program and actions, they say, further undermine it.

But on Friday there was a bit of a reprieve: the Administration’s budget summary did not list Head Start as one of their defunding targets, and an official told reporters there would be no changes to the program.

But the lawsuit will continue. And, according to supporters, this dismantling of the program has been in the works for a while.

Guest:

Joel Ryan, the Executive Director of the Washington State Association of Head Start.

Links:

Head Start survives Trump administration budget proposal

WA Head Start staff locked out and let go due to Trump cuts

Washington ACLU sues Trump administration over attempts to dismantle free Head Start preschool program

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In the new Netflix documentary “Bad Influence”, 11 teenagers recount their experiences working with Piper Rockelle, who was herself a child influencer.

All of the teens were former “squad members” of the Youtuber. They described performing scripted scenes in front of the camera - like fake “dating” scenarios, or pranks.

They also described feeling violated by some of the videos, and behind the scenes interactions with Rockelle’s mother, Tiffany Smith - who’s also her manager. And they described not knowing how to say “no” when placed in a situation where they felt uncomfortable.

“Bad Influence” is one of two recently released documentaries about the impact being a “kidfluencer” can have on children, as well as on their families.

There’s also the new Hulu documentary, “The Devil in the Family: The Ruby Franke Story”.

The documentaries are bringing a lot of attention to the potential dangers of kidfluencing and the work many are doing to rein in the industry.

One person who is pushing for changes is Chris McCarty. They founded “Quit Clicking Kids”, a non-profit dedicated to stopping the monetization of minors on social media, as a high school senior.

Now, as a college student at the University of Washington, McCarty has helped shape legislation in multiple states focused on regulating the kidfluencer industry.

They were also featured in Netflix’s “Bad Influence: the dark side of kidfluencing”.

Guest:

Chris McCarty, founder of Quit Clicking Kids

Related stories:

Kids, Inc. - NYT
Piper Rockelle Has a Lot to Say About That Netflix Documentary - Rolling Stone

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In the 2010s, the video game industry saw an ENORMOUS boom, with annual revenues jumping from 80 billion dollars to TWO HUNDRED billion over that decade, according to a report by investment research group Epyllion.

But in recent years, that exponential growth hit a plateau.

“Games were so successful both prior to & during 2020 & 2021, that they set kind of impossible standards for 2023 & 2024… And when the uptick flattened, it was seen as a tremendous failure.”

That’s video game writer and creator Alanah Pearce from her recent video titled, “The games industry is screwed.”

While the industry remains profitable, volatility has shaken investors and large game studios – and created major instability for workers.

Last week, EA, which has a local footprint in Kirkland, announced a new round of layoffs – affecting hundreds of employees including workers at Respawn, the studio behind games like Apex Legends and the Star Wars: Jedi series.

Things are changing for consumers, too: Microsoft recently announced that it’s raising prices across the entire XBOX platform, … hot on the heels of Nintendo announcing price hikes for its Switch 2 games.

The gaming industry appears to be at a crossroads.

GUEST: Jason Schreier, author & reporter at Bloomberg

RELATED LINKS:

The games industry is screwed.
Electronic Arts Lays Off Hundreds, Cancels ‘Titanfall’ Game - Bloomberg
Apex Legends and Star Wars: Jedi Dev Respawn Cancels Another Incubation Project, Around 100 Employees Impacted - IGN
Players Have Too Many Options to Spend $80 on a Video Game - Bloomberg
PRESENTATION: The State of Video Gaming in 2025

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Seattle city leaders were met with some less than ideal news this month: the city is facing a $241 million dollar budget shortfall over the next two years.

And maybe you’re thinking, hey didn’t city council use the Jump Start tax to fill the $250 million budget gap this year? Surprise: that was a whole other budget deficit.

But Seattle is far from the only municipality facing a shortfall. King County is facing a $150 million gap. Tacoma? It had to fill a $24 million hole late last year. Spokane County? $20 million short. Yakima? $9 million. Cle Elum is filing for bankruptcy (a very rare move that has only happened once in the history of the state).

So what is going on with local governments across the state?

Guests:

Candice Bock, director of government relations at the Washington Association of Cities
John Rennie Short, Professor Emeritus of Public Policy at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Related stories:

A fiscal crisis is looming for many US cities - The Conversation

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Since May 8, 1792, European colonists have called the large volcano just off the coast of Puget Sound "Mount Rainier."

It was given that name by a British explorer, Captain George Vancouver – a gift to his friend, Rear Admiral Peter Rainier.

But prior to Vancouver’s arrival in what eventually became Washington state, the Indigenous peoples in and around the Salish Sea called it by many names.

A recent linguistic paper from the Puyallup Tribe of Indians traced those many names for the mountain – where they came from, and what they mean.

Guests:

Zalmai ʔəswəli Zahir, linguist and Lushootseed language teacher

Related Links:

Puyallup Tribal Language - Analysis of the Many Names of the Mountain
Puyallup Tribal language consultant publishes first comprehensive analysis of the many Native names for Mount Rainier - ʔuhuyəxʷ ti dᶻixʷ pipa ʔə tiiɫ qa sdadaʔ ʔə tiiɫ skʷatač, ʔux̌alad ti ʔəswəli | Puyallup Tribe
Puyallup Tribal Language - Culture

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After a week of gloom & drizzle, we’ve finally got a 70 degree day or three in the forecast! We won’t talk about what’s happening with Saturday’s weather, it knows what it did…

THAT SAID - if you need a few more excuses to go out & do things, we’ve got you covered!

Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows is here with a VERY SPECIAL Weekend Warmup.

LINKS:

May Day in Seattle 2025
Seattle Erotic Art Festival
Port Townsend Victorian Festival
FCBD 2025 Comic Books
Store Locator - Free Comic Book Day
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi - Spokane Symphony
Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back | bellingham.org
May the Fourth | The Museum of Flight
May the Course be with You 5k
All Ages Star Wars Trivia Night

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For people addicted to fentanyl, the desire to quit is often overshadowed by the fear of withdrawal. Incredible nerve pain, diarrhea, chills, vomiting. It’s been likened to the worst flu you’ve ever experienced.

Buprenorphine, the medication often used to aid in easing addiction, can trigger withdrawal symptoms, making it tough for patients to continue treatment.

Here in Seattle, Downtown Emergency Service Center, or DESC, has been trying a new method of administering buprenorphine to ease treatment and curb cravings -- and it’s showing some promising results.

Guests:

Jeremy Hoog, senior nurse manager at DESC's Opioid Recovery and Care Access.
Carson Bell is a care navigator at DESC.

Related Links:

Substance Use Disorder Treatment - DESC
Seattle nonprofit rolling out potential ‘game changer’ for fentanyl addiction | The Seattle Times

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A new law waiting to be signed by the governor would give you more options when your technology breaks.

House Bill 1483 establishes a “right to repair” for consumer electronics, including tech like phones, laptops, and home appliances.

Its partner bill in the Senate (SB 5680) also establishes the right to repair electric wheelchairs.

This is part of a larger, nationwide movement to create more accessible technology. If the governor signs these bills into law, Washington will be the seventh state to have a right to repair on the books.

But, what exactly will this mean for Washingtonians? And how could this change things when your phone next takes a dive into Lake Washington?

Guests:

Representative Mia Gregerson was the lead sponsor of House Bill 1483. She represents Washington’s 33rd district, which includes Burien, Normandy Park, Seatac, Des Moines, and parts of Renton
Amanda Miller, Executive Director of South King Tool Library

Related Links:

Repair Economy Washington

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When tech companies began announcing advanced artificial intelligence systems like ChatGPT, there was widespread enthusiasm. AI was going to make mundane jobs more efficient; it was going to reshape entire industries and creative processes; and it was going to free up time for humans to do things that were, well, more human – things like creating art.

But in the last few years, it’s been artists themselves raising the alarm around automation. Some see AI as a cool new tool, or another color on the palette; others argue it’s an existential threat to industries that were already struggling to stay afloat.

For local theater director Ryan Guzzo Purcell, the bleeding edge of AI in art is something we can’t approach from an either/or point of view. His latest production with The Feast is a reinterpretation of “The Adding Machine,” a 100 year old play about automation by playwright Elmer Rice.

A new version of the play at Seattle University’s Lee Performing Arts Center updates that notion for modern times, leaning into the question of dealing with automation by incorporating AI at practically every level: the stage design, the production – even the performances.

Soundside producer Alec Cowan spoke with Purcell to learn more about the intersection of technology and stagecraft after attending a showing last October.

GUEST: Ryan Guzzo Purcell, artistic director at The Feast, a Seattle theater company, and director of "The Adding Machine: A Cyborg Morality Play."

RELATED LINKS:

What's Next | The Feast (the-feast.org)
The Adding Machine: A Cyborg Morality Play - Seattle University
How Seattle theater company The Feast’s play using AI turned out | The Seattle Times
KUOW - Artists vs. AI: where innovation meets unwelcome imitation

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Today marks the 100th day of Donald Trump’s presidency.

How about some more numbers:

Since taking office, the President has signed more than 140 executive orders, pushing major policy shifts on issues from immigration, to climate policy, and DEI in schools and workplaces .
As of Monday, court rulings have blocked or paused Trump policies 128 times, according to the New York Times.
The administration enacted high tariffs on around 60 countries before walking that back and going with a much lower rate on most countries – with 1 major exception: China.
Under Trump, immigration authorities have used a 1798 law designed for wartime to deport people accused of being gang members without hearings. Even with these aggressive tactics, experts are skeptical that the administration is on track to expel 1 million people a year, as Trump promised.

And here’s one more number: 0. That’s the branches of government that Democrats control. They’ve been on the sidelines during this rapid and expansive change to the federal government.

Guest:

Representative Suzan DelBene (WA-01)

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Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall has headed up the King County Sheriff’s Department since 2022.

The King County Sheriff’s Department serves unincorporated King County and 12 contract cities, in addition to policing King County Metro buses and Sound Transit trains.

Since she took over the role, overall crime numbers have been trending in a positive direction – felony referrals were down by a quarter in 2024 compared to 2019.

And new data from the King County Prosecutor’s office released this morning says that in the first quarter of 2025, the county saw the lowest number of shots fired incidents since 2021.

But Sheriff Cole-Tindall has been sounding the alarm about staffing challenges as King County is facing down a budget shortfall of at least $150 million dollars. Proposed cuts to the sheriff’s department budget total more than 30 million dollars over the next two years.

Sheriff Cole-Tindall joined Soundside host Libby Denkmann in-studio today to discuss these issues, and to answer listener questions on public safety, immigration enforcement, homelessness response and more.

GUEST: King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall

RELATED STORIES:

Early 2025 data shows crime dropping in Seattle - Axios
King County Sheriff's Office reduces staffing amid budget constraints - KOMO
King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall reaffirms department’s commitment to immigrant rights - b-town blog
King County Sheriff’s lawsuit over Burien camping ban thrown out by federal judge - KUOW

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The debate over how to address homelessness in Spokane continues to simmer after a decision this month from Washington’s Supreme Court.

The ruling struck down Proposition 1, a camping ban introduced by a citizen-led initiative that was overwhelmingly passed by Spokane voters in 2023.

The court’s decision wasn’t based on the merits of the camping ban, but rather on whether the citizens of Spokane had the power to take such action in the first place.

Now, the legal ripples of this decision are stirring up fierce emotions over regulating homelessness in Spokane, and are raising questions over how much say citizens can have in local policy at large.

Guests:

Emry Dinman, city hall reporter for the Spokesman Review.

Related Links:

Homeless camping ban struck down by state Supreme Court
Spokane City Council declines to reinstate Prop 1 after state Supreme Court strikes it down

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Companies have increasingly shifted the responsibility of saving for retirement onto workers. Pension plans have mostly disappeared from the private sector, in favor of 401k style plans.

For example, the Boeing Machinist union tried unsuccessfully get their pension plan reinstated during last year’s strike.

For most public employees, including Washington state workers, though, Pensions are still an option.

But not all public pensions are created equal. Some allow workers to potentially increase their pension checks by logging a lot of overtime in their highest paid years.

The result is a big ongoing cost to the state of Washington.

Seattle Times data reporter Manuel Villa combed through 20 years of payroll data on this practice by City of Seattle workers: specifically police and firefighters.

GUEST: Manuel Villa - Seattle Times data reporter on the investigations team

RELATED LINKS:

Inflated Seattle public pensions for retirees cost tens of millions
How WA public pensions work: retirement funding, risks, ‘spiking’
Try our WA public pension ‘spiking’ calculator | The Seattle Times

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Do you ever wonder why you turn to Google so often to search for a recipe or a news article or how to properly use a semicolon?

If you ask Alphabet, Google’s parent company, they’ll tell you it’s because they just have the best results.

The Department of Justice has a different take: it filed an antitrust case against the company in 2020 accusing Google of using its power as the pre eminent online search engine to stifle competition.

The government won last year, when a federal judge ruled against Google. This week, both the company and the D-O-J have returned to court to argue for what they believe the remedy should be for these monopolistic practices.

Depending on what’s decided in a D.C. courthouse, there could be big changes in store for one of tech’s biggest juggernauts.

Guest:

Douglas Ross,professor of law at the University of Washington

Relevant Links:

New York Times: U.S. Asks Judge to Break Up Google

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Have you been outside this week? It’s GORGEOUS.

If you need a few more excuses to go out & do things, then you’re in luck.

We’ve got Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows here with one or two or three more reasons to leave your house

LINKS:

Seattle/King County Clinic - Seattle Center
Crescendo: A Symphonic Celebration of Washington Landscapes
Seattle Independent Bookstore Day
Jet City Roller Derby vs RCRD's Grave Danger
PBR Unleash the Beast | Tacoma Dome
Run Like the Wind Running Festival
Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
Washington State Apple Blossom Festival

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Vauhini Vara’s new essay collection opens with a heart to heart with ChatGPT.

In her prompt, she asks the program to give her feedback on a few chapters of her upcoming book.

“I’m nervous,” she tells it.

“That’s completely understandable,” it responds with a cheery exclamation point. “Sharing your writing can feel really personal, but I’m here to provide a supportive and constructive perspective. Take your time, and whenever you’re ready, I’ll be here to discuss it with you.”

So begins a high tech odyssey through old Google searches, Amazon product reviews, social media profiles and experiments with artificial intelligence. Along the way, Vara explores the technology that came of age alongside her, including her teenage years on Mercer Island and college experience at Stanford, and how her relationship with it has changed over time.

The book is part-memoir, part critique of how tech companies have positioned their products as “collaborators,” or even companions, in our lives.

Every couple chapters, Vara invites the large language model to respond to her writing. It’s just one of the ways she breaks form in the book.

It’s called “SEARCHES: Selfhood in the Digital Age.” Vara will be speaking about the book with the University of Washington's Emily M. Bender at The Elliot Bay Book Company on Wed. April 23 at 7pm. Guests:

Vauhini Vara, author

Related Links:

Elliott Bay Book Company | Events 45368
Vauhini Vara

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On Monday, the Department of Education announced that it will resume collections on defaulted loans on May 5th. That’s after a five year pause started in the midst of the covid pandemic.

More than 42 million people in the United States have student loans through the federal government.

And, according to the Department of Education, five million have not made a payment in the last year.

Experts warn that this push for repayment will put loan holders in difficult financial situations and could have a big impact on an already unstable economy.

GUEST: Stacy Cowley, business reporter for the New York Times

RELATED LINKS:

Millions of Student Loan Borrowers Are Behind on Payments
Education Department Will Resume Collections on Student Loan Debt
Trump administration to resume collections on student loan borrowers in default

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"Our world is changing. It's changing rapidly. Like, we can see climate changing our world as we speak, but also, we're losing nature at unprecedented rates, and there's an equity crisis as well."

That was University of Washington professor Phil Levin two years ago. At the time, he’d just been tapped by the Biden Administration for a one of a kind mission: writing the most all encompassing review ever of nature throughout the entirety of the United States.

“The National Nature Assessment,” as it was called, was to be a wide ranging report on the state of and potential threats to the U.S.’s varied ecosystems.

"Now is the time to break down the silos between climate, nature, and equity and bring them together... and I can't think of anything else I would want to do and anything else that would be more meaningful to me in my life and more valuable I think for the country."

Over two years, Levin worked at the White House and coordinated a massive team of authors and federal agencies. The team was ready to submit their first draft of the assessment in February this year, before they heard from the Trump administration that the whole project was being shut down.

Since then, the scientists involved in the National Nature Assessment have pushed forward to complete their work – with or without the White House’s blessing.

Guests:

Phil Levin, professor in the University of Washington College of the Environment

Related Links:

KUOW - Seattle area scientist leads U.S. efforts toward 'holistic picture' of the climate crisis
Opinion | We Found a Work Around to Trump Defunding Science - The New York Times
Trump Killed a Major Report on Nature. They’re Trying to Publish It Anyway. - The New York Times

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The Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments over an executive order ending birthright citizenship.

President Trump signed that order in his first days in office. A federal judge in Seattle temporarily blocked the Trump administration from enforcing the order nationwide. And two other legal challenges – in federal courts in Massachusetts and Maryland – also prompted injunctions.

Now the Supreme Court will decide whether a 125 year old constitutional right to citizenship for people born in the United States to non-citizen parents is guaranteed.

Guest:

Luis Cortes Romero, immigration lawyer and partner at Novo Legal

Relevant Links:

SCOTUS Blog: Justices will hear arguments on Trump’s effort to end birthright citizenship

NYT: Supreme Court to Hear Arguments on Trump Plan to End Birthright Citizenship

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The Pentagon is roiling over yet another Signal group chat.

No, not that one with the Trump Administration national security team that accidentally included an editor at the Atlantic. This is… another Signal group chat scandal.

The New York Times reports that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth shared operational details for a March 15th U.S. strike on the Houthis in Yemen with a group of 13 people.

They allegedly included his personal lawyer, brother, and wife.

This comes while Hegseth’s team is dealing with staffing turmoil: Three staffers were recently fired over allegations they leaked to the press.

Another former senior staffer wrote in Politico that there is a “full-blown meltdown at the Pentagon.”

GUEST: Adam Smith represents Washington’s 9th congressional district. It includes parts of Seattle, Bellevue, Renton, Kent and Federal Way. He’s also the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee.

RELATED LINKS:

Hegseth Said to Have Shared Attack Details in Second Signal Chat
Pete Hegseth Faces Heat After New Signal Chat Emerges and Claim of Pentagon ‘Chaos’
Former Top Pentagon Spokesperson Details ‘Month From Hell’ Inside the Agency
The White House is looking to replace Pete Hegseth as defense secretary - NPR

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An old faded rice cooker. A blue two piece suit. A vial of water from the Ganges River.

For the past four years, Poet Shin Yu Pai’s podcast, Ten Thousand Things, has explored how objects – from the extraordinary to the mundane, the literal to the figurative – communicate stories of Asian American meaning, identity, and culture.

As of last month, the stories in the series have broken out of podcast players and become a new exhibit in Seattle’s Wing Luke Museum.

The exhibit includes objects that will be familiar to listeners of the series – as well as some new items that will be featured in upcoming episodes.

Soundside’s Alec Cowan joined Shin Yu Pai at the Wing Luke Museum to talk about the exhibit.

Guests:

Shin Yu Pai, writer, curator, and host of Ten Thousand Things.

Related Links:

EXHIBIT: Ten Thousand Things — Wing Luke Museum
KUOW - Ten Thousand Things with Shin Yu Pai

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News has not been good lately for research universities in the United States.

The Trump Administration has proposed slashing the National Institutes of Health Budget by about half – eliminating tens of billions of dollars for the largest public funder of biomedical research in the world.

The White House had earlier announced a 15 percent cap on indirect costs for NIH grants. That money goes towards facility maintenance at research institutions and university presidents say the move will greatly hinder their ability to do “critical” research.

And the agency said it would freeze or cancel grants related to vaccine hesitancy, transgender health, and Covid.

The White House has also targeted funding for HHS and the National Science Foundation, and it’s revoked more than a thousand student visas at schools around the country.

As researchers at American universities face an uncertain future, other countries are doing their best to lure scientists away.

Is the U.S, set to face a brain drain as top talent moves overseas or into other fields?

Guests:

Carl Bergstrom, Professor of Biology at the University of Washington

Neel Patel, Opinion Editor at the New York Times

Relevant Links:

New York Times: America’s Brightest Minds Will Walk Away

The Week: America's academic brain drain has begun

WA State Standard: Trump’s research cuts threaten to set off a wave of university brain drain

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“With dignity, but like any Christian, because the bishop of Rome is a pastor and a disciple, not a powerful man of this world.”

That’s part of the instructions from Pope Francis to “lighten” the formality of his funeral arrangements. Francis wrote about his wish for a simpler ceremony in his autobiography, published earlier this year.

The attitude reflected his wish that the church move closer to regular people and its mission of serving the marginalized, including migrants and the poor.

Pope Francis died this morning at the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta. He was 88.

He was a unique figure in Catholic history. He was the first Latin American pontiff, having been a Cardinal in Argentina.

And he was a decided pivot from the previous leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI. Where Pope Benedict was a traditionalist prior to stepping down from the position, Pope Francis spent his years pushing for a more inclusive vision of the Catholic Church.

He was also the first member of the Jesuit order to be elected to the papacy.

Guest:

Dr. Catherine Punsalan-Manlimos, Vice President for Mission Integration at Seattle University

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The Trump administration is pushing for more logging on public land, pledging to boost America’s domestic supply of wood products and increase wildfire resilience.

In March, the President issued an executive order directing federal agencies to begin finding ways to expand timber production by 25% over the next few years.

Last week, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins sent a memo establishing an “emergency situation determination” covering more than 112 million national forest acres. That includes five national forests in Washington state.

Rollins identified these acres as having either high wildfire risk or declining forest health – allowing timber harvesting to be fast-tracked through environmental regulations. The USDA boasted the memo would “increase timber outputs, simplify permitting, remove National Environmental Policy Act processes” and “reduce implementation and contracting burdens.”

Big picture, more than half of the land managed by the U.S. Forest Service is now opening for logging. Soundside spoke with Kristen Boyles from Earthjustice Northwest, Travis Joseph with the American Forest Resource Council, and Tom DeLuca from Oregon State University's College of Forestry to get their thoughts on the recent changes to federal forest management.

Guests:

Kristen Boyles, managing attorney for Earthjustice Northwest, a non-profit environmental law organization.
Travis Joseph, president of the American Forest Resource Council, a trade association representing those who work with public timber in the Western United States.
Thomas DeLuca, dean of the College of Forestry at Oregon State University.

Related links:

Trump proposed cutting the Northwest’s national forests. So what happens next? | The Seattle Times
National forests face less protections, more logging, Trump admin says

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It's CONVENTION WEEKEND... But also Easter Weekend... And the start of Bellingham Beer Week, and National Park Week.

It's the Weekend Warmup! Enjoy!

LINKS:

Norwescon
Sakura-Con
Bellingham Beer Week
National Park Week
Climate Pledge Arena – Phish
Spring Fair | Washington State Fair Events Center
Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
KUOW - Meet Me Here

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We are three weeks into the Major League Baseball season and one of the main story lines of the nascent season is the bats.

On the second day of the season, the New York Yankees hit 9 home runs against the Milwaukee Brewers. Many of the Yankees players were using a new type of bat – shaped kind of like a bowling pin. This bat bulges at the center and narrows at the end. It’s called a torpedo bat.

Of course, traditionalists don’t love the new bat (let’s be real, some people hate change). But Major League Baseball says the bats do meet regulations … which say bats must be “a smooth, round stick not more than 2.61 inches in diameter at the thickest part and not more than 42 inches in length.”

How does the torpedo bat work? Fortunately for us, there is a wealth of baseball knowledge in our own backyard to answer that question.

The Sports Science Laboratory at Washington State University "specializes in the dynamics of bat and ball collisions."

Guest:

Lloyd Smith, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and director of the Sports Science Laboratory

Links:

NPR: How do 'torpedo bats' work? We asked baseball physicists to explain

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The James Beard Award has been a kingmaker in the food business since the 1980s. Even getting a nomination can be life-changing.

Chef Jay Blackinton – a punk musician and self-described wannabee skateboarder – has been nominated seven times. He’s self-taught and runs a buzzy two-man kitchen on Orcas Island. And this year, he’s been named a James Beard Award finalist in the Best Chef: Northwest and Pacific category.

Seattle restaurants Archipelago and Atoma are also finalists in the Outstanding Hospitality and Best New Restaurant categories, respectively.

Not a single eatery from Washington state has taken home the big prize in the past three years.If Chef Blackinton wins, it could change the fate of his restaurant, which is both nurtured and challenged by its remote location.

Guest:

Jay Blackinton is the head chef at Houlme in Eastsound on Orcas Island, and is a James Beard Award Finalist for Best Chef: Northwest and Pacific category

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Mindie Lind is a Seattle-based musician.

In a new short animated film called "View from the Floor", Lind and co-director Megan Griffiths explore Mindie’s life as an artist grappling with imposter syndrome. Mindie was born without legs. And as she came of age, she couldn’t shake the idea that the praise and attention she received was more about her disability, and people looking to create “inspiration porn,” rather than her talent.

View from the Floor debuted at Sundance this year and is available to view online now through the New York Times.

Guests:

Mindie Lind, co-director of "View from the Floor"
Megan Griffiths, co-director of "View from the Floor"

Related Links:

View From the Floor website
The View From the Floor: After appearing on “Maury” 25 years ago, a singer without legs questions why she’s seen as inspirational - New York Times

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Today, a federal judge reprimanded the Trump Administration over its failure to comply with a court order to facilitate the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the United States.

Abrego Garcia is a 29 year old Salvadoran citizen who is married to a U-S citizen and was living in Maryland when he was mistakenly deported despite being under court-ordered protection from being sent back to El Salvador. The Trump Administration blamed an “administrative error.”

U.S. District Court Judge Paula Xinis called the administration’s actions “wholly illegal from the moment it happened.”

Her ruling was partially upheld in a unanimous decision by the Supreme Court, released on Thursday – which said the government must “facilitate” Abrego Garcia’s release from custody in El Salvador.

But so far, the Trump administration is not making moves to get him back.

In a court filing on Monday, a Department of Homeland Security official wrote, basically – it’s out of our hands: "DHS does not have authority to forcibly extract an alien from the domestic custody of a foreign sovereign nation."

Yesterday, President Trump met with El Salvador’s President, Nayib Bukele.

At the meeting, both leaders said they would not act to release Abrego Garcia from prison.

So, is the Administration ignoring a ruling from the highest court in the land? And where does that leave our constitutional democracy?

Guest:

Eric Schnapper, professor of law at the University of Washington

Relevant Links:

WaPo: The deportation standoff sending the U.S. toward a constitutional crisis

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In an executive order called “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” President Trump criticizes Smithsonian exhibits that examine how race interacts with power and privilege. He claims they “portray American and Western values as inherently harmful and oppressive.”

The executive order also threatens to take away funding from exhibitions within the Smithsonian Museum network that promote what the administration is calling “a divisive, race-centered ideology.”

Under President Trump’s order, a number of federally funded museums could lose government support unless they make changes to their programming.

But there are smaller organizations that are forging ahead to preserve American history—including history about race.

Guest:

Stephanie Johnson Toliver, the President of the Black Heritage Society of Washington

Related stories:

The latest battleground in the fight for America’s story - Washington Post

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A harried emergency room doctor rushes between patients; his waiting room is filled to the brim with sick and injured people, he’s dodging a RAT infestation, all while overseeing a new crop of residents getting up to speed on their ER rotation.

AND oh yes… sparring with a hospital administrator who’s reminding him: He needs to get those patient satisfaction scores up.

It’s all in the day in the life of Dr. Robby of “The Pitt,” the fictional Pittsbourgh Emergency Department at the heart of HBO’s buzzy new streaming show.

The show has received praise from medical pros, and close readings from fans who say it portrays the financial pressure of ERs in a new and compelling way.

One of those fans is the host and creator of the "An Arm and A Leg" podcast - a show about the cost of healthcare in America, co-produced with KFF Health News and distributed in partnership with KUOW.

GUEST: Dan Weismann

RELATED LINKS:

An Arm and A Leg Podcast
A Real-Life ER Doctor Examines The Pitt
‘The Pitt’ Has Impressed Real Doctors With Its Accuracy - The New York Times
'The Pitt' Wins Praise From Pittsburgh ER Staff for Being 'Most Realistic'
"ER" Sues "The Pitt"

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For years now, members of Seattle's political establishment have been trying to fix one particular street corner: 12th and Jackson, in Little Saigon. This corner is an example of what city leaders call "hot spots" — tiny sections of the city that are home to disproportionate amounts of crime and disorder.

A report by the city last year found there were more than a hundred crimes targeting people and overdoses - mainly from fentanyl - at or around 12th and Jackson over a one-year period.

And it's been this way for years. Leaving residents and business owners in this historically Asian-American community begging for help from the city.

KUOW's Will James wanted to know: What's driving the crisis on display at 12th and Jackson? Why has it persisted for so long? And is there a solution to these problems that seem so intractable?

Will spent months visiting this corner and getting to know some of the people who congregate there, trying to answer these questions.

Read the full story: Fentanyl fuels a persistent ‘hot spot’ at Seattle’s 12th and Jackson. What will it take to fix it?

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Pride is one of the events of the summer here in Seattle.

Thousands of people gather in the city throughout the month of June for parties, themed events, and of course a huge parade celebrating and elevating the LGBTQIA+ community here in the Pacific Northwest.

But this year, those events may look a little different. And that may be due to pressure from the other Washington.

In his first few months in office, President Trump has called for an end to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs in both the public and private sector..

He’s also pushed forward multiple executive orders focused on limiting the rights of transgender Americans, including access to healthcare.

Now, Pride organizations across the country are seeing a decline in sponsorship dollars as they prepare for this year’s events.

Guests:

Egan Orion, Executive Director of Seattle PrideFest
Patti Hearn, Executive Director of Seattle Pride
Danni Askini, Executive Director Gender Justice League and Trans Pride Seattle

Related Links:

Seattle PrideFest website
Seattle Pride website
Trans Pride Seattle website

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Certain names linger on the lips of ardent Seattle fans who still rock Supersonics Green & Gold:

Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp. Detlef Schrempf and Nate McMillan. Ray Allen and Kevin Durant… Players who evoke wistfulness and nostalgia.

Other names bring notes of bitterness, and regret for Sonics faithful:

Howard Schultz. The man who sold the team… And Clay Bennett – the man who bought them and soon moved them to Oklahoma City.

The team pulled up stakes 16 years, five months, and 12 days ago … but who's counting?

Why are many Seattle-ites still hung up on the team that broke their hearts nearly two decades ago? And what REALLY went wrong to make Seattle lose its NBA franchise?

Most lifelong fans could spin their version of events … but the one we’re asking also happens to be an award-winning journalist and the host of a podcast called “Sonic Boom: How Seattle Lost its Team.”

The show was recently re-released by The Ringer, and it remains relevant for anyone who wants to understand the history of the NBA in Seattle and when and how the Sonics could return.

GUEST: Jordan Ritter Conn - Senior Staff Writer at The Ringer

RELATED LINKS:

Sonic Boom: How Seattle Lost Its Team - The Ringer
SuperSonics | The Seattle Times

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Trapped in the never ending cycle of, “what do YOU want to do? I dunno, what do YOU want to do?”

Well, the weekend is nigh, and Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows is here with everything YOU need to enjoy your time away from work…

LINKS:

Scott Shoemaker’s :Probed! – Intiman Theatre
Rick Steves, Ann Powers, J. Kenji López-Alt, and Pedro the Lion — Live Wire Radio
Roméo et Juliette | April 11 - 20, 2025
Record Store Day - Seattle Stores
SIFF & Stitch - Labyrinth
Free Oral Cancer Screening - UW Red Square

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More than 500 law firms across the United States have signed a legal brief supporting Perkins Coie in a fight against President Trump.

The Seattle-based law firm was targeted last month by the Trump Administration with a sweeping Executive Order. The order directs the federal government, in almost all cases, to not hire Perkins Coie or use contractors associated with the firm.

This is just one of the law firms that has recently been targeted by Trump, mostly due to past actions or associations that the President disagrees with.

And not all firms are fighting back.

Guest:

Defense attorney and Serious Trouble co-host Ken White

Related Links:

Inside the Law Firm That Decided to Fight Back Against Trump’s Attack

Judge Halts Trump Order Targeting Law Firm Perkins Coie

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW. You help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes.

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“Patient A,” as she is identified in court documents, artificially conceived a child at the University of California San Francisco Center for Reproductive Health.

She had carefully selected the sperm donor – it was the same one used for her other child.

But she later found out through a genetic database and a private investigator that the doctor who oversaw the procedure, Christopher Herndon, had allegedly used his own sperm in the insemination.

By the time "Patient A" learned what he had done, Herndon was practicing in Seattle and would continue to practice for five months after Patient A filed a complaint with the state medical commission.

The case highlights the complicated balance between patients rights and due process for doctors.

Guest:

Katie Campbell, KUOW editor and reporter

Relevant Links:

KUOW - A Seattle doctor was investigated for fertility fraud. The case highlights tension between patient, physician rights

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Five years ago, Washington found itself at the leading edge of a once-in-a-century pandemic. The rapid spread of COVID, and the lockdowns that followed, shaped our communities, our health and our work for years to come.

In this hour long special, we reflect on how the pandemic changed our region and how its effects still show up in our every day lives.

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The price of eggs is the talk of the town, and has been, for months. Earlier this year, a dozen eggs could cost you up to eight dollars a carton. Today, you can find them for cheaper. However, farmers continue to deal with the leading cause of that high price tag: the avian flu.

To get a local perspective on the disease and the strain it’s putting on egg production, we reached out to a few Washington state poultry farmers.

Guests:

Jennie Watkins, owner of Ananda Hills Farm & Fibers

John Bellow, owner of SpringRain Farm & Orchard

Related Links:

Bird flu is taking a massive toll on wild animals, researchers find

Bird flu kills sandhill cranes in northern Indiana

Bird flu Q&A: What to know to help protect yourself and your pets

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Amazon is taking a crack at satellite internet.

On Wednesday, the Seattle based tech company plans to launch the first 27 satellites of Project Kuiper. The company bills this as the start of a “constellation” of satellites providing internet all over the world.

In all, it plans to launch more than 3,000 satellites by 2029.

Amazon is trying to take market share from Elon Musk’s Starlink, which has dominated the satellite internet industry since it came online in 2019.

Guest:

Jonathan O’Callaghan - Science journalist who covers space for Scientific American, NYT, the BBC, and Nature.

Relevant Links:

MIT Technology Review: Amazon is about to go head to head with SpaceX in a battle for satellite internet dominance

GeekWire: Amazon and ULA get set to launch batches of satellites for Project Kuiper network

SciAm: The Risky Rush for Mega Constellations

SciAm: The FCC’s Approval of SpaceX’s Starlink Mega Constellation May Have Been Unlawful

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Troublemakers is one of the groups behind #TeslaTakedown, an escalating campaign of peaceful protests outside Tesla dealerships across the country. They’re targeting Musk as his Department of Government Efficiency continues to slash federal jobs and restructure agencies, purportedly in an effort to root out waste, fraud and abuse.

The peaceful activism, along with scattered incidents of vandalism against Tesla dealerships and cars, appears to be making a dent in the finances of the wealthiest man on earth. Musk has publicly lashed out against these protests, claiming without evidence that wealthy bad actors are paying people to show up.

Valerie Costa, a Seattle-based co-founder of Troublemakers, is familiar with these allegations. Last month, Musk claimed on his platform X that Costa’s group was funded by the Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue.

The next day he linked to an interview with her and simply stated, “Costa is committing crimes.” This has upended her life but it hasn’t deterred her activism.

Guest:

Valerie Costa

Related Links:

A Tesla protester targeted by Elon Musk speaks out: 'I have to protect myself'

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The Trump Administration is poised to slap worldwide tariffs on friend and foe alike…. Sending Wall Street reeling today.

And the president’s crackdown on unauthorized immigration has arrived in Washington, with the first big ICE raid of a workplace in our state in Bellingham.

There’s plenty of news out of D.C. hitting home for Western Washington, and joining Soundside host Libby Denkmann the view from congress is Pramila Jayapal. She represents WA’s 7th congressional District, including most of Seattle.

GUEST: Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA 7th District)

RELATED LINK:

Immigration officials raid Bellingham roofing company, arresting 37 | The Seattle Times

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Seattle has tried, and is still actively trying, many different approaches to addiction treatment: law enforcement diversion programs, housing first, medication assisted treatment, drug court, outreach work, the list goes on.

Now, the city has added another attempt to that list by piloting a new program that aims to get people into treatment faster by expanding access to private rehabs.

Guest:

David Kroman, Seattle Times city hall reporter

Related stories:

Seattle pilot program expands access to private substance use treatment - Seattle Times

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50 years ago, on Friday, April 4th 1975, two guys from Seattle launched a software company in a strip mall in Albuquerque NM..

That business would soon relocate to Redmond, Washington… and those Lakeside kids, Bill Gates and Paul Allen, did all right. The Windows operating system would go on to dominate the personal computer industry.

Today, Microsoft is one of the most profitable companies in the world. And its presence laid the groundwork for the Puget Sound region as a hub for engineering and technical talent.

The path to where we are now had some bumps: Antitrust problems, and product flops. But after 5 decades the company endures, and thrives – as one of the biggest players in the emerging AI space.

Holding onto that status, and figuring out the next big thing in the tech world, isn’t easy.

In light of the big 50-milestone, KUOW labor and economy reporter Monica Nickelsburg recently sat down with Microsoft’s vice chair and president Brad Smith to discuss the past, and the future, of the company.

Guest:

Monica Nickelsburg, KUOW labor and economy reporter and co-host of the Booming podcast

Related Links:

Booming - KUOW
Tax the rich? Not so fast, say Microsoft, other Washington state businesses - KUOW
Microsoft turns 50: A look back at everything from the Altair to the Zune - NPR

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You’ve maybe heard that Washington state’s operating budget has a big hole… in the 12 to 15 billion dollar range?

Well, that’s not the only fiscal crater lawmakers are trying to fill.

The transportation budget is underfunded by around $1 billion dollars right now, with a bigger deficit projected down the road, if nothing changes.

Lawmakers say that would put the brakes on a lot of big projects, including maintenance and highway construction on I-5 and I-90.

A blueprint to fill the budget gap passed the state Senate over the weekend.

The proposal would increase the gas tax by 6 cents.

There are also a bevy of smaller taxes and fees on the table: they could affect you if you ride ferries, drive on 520, go to big concerts, and much more.

Guest:

Senator Marko Liias, represents Washington’s 21st legislative district and is chair of the Senate Transportation Committee

Links:

WA State Standard: WA state Senate OKs gas tax hike and budget built on billions of new taxes

Seattle Times: WA transportation budget lays out options: All cuts or new taxes, fees

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President Trump is readying new tariffs that will reportedly be his most aggressive trade policy move yet.

The White House is ready to move PAST a scandal involving the Administration’s top national security officials discussing war plans on the encrypted messaging app Signal.

And meanwhile, Democrats are facing anger from their own voters who are deeply displeased with how the party is responding to Trump and his policies.

One Seattle-area Democrat has emerged as a high profile critic of the direction of his party – he says things need to change. And he’s catching flack from the left for some of his recent interviews.

That’s Congressman Adam Smith.

Guest:

Adam Smith represents Washington’s 9th congressional district. It includes parts of Seattle, Bellevue, Renton, Kent and Federal Way. He’s also the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee

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As a resident of a state, you are guaranteed certain rights by your state constitution. In Washington, for example, we have a right to religious freedom and free elections. Oregon is looking at guaranteeing the right for all citizens to live in a healthy environment – including a stable climate. The state legislature is debating whether to have voters weigh in on the change.

If that guarantee does pass, it would allow state residents to sue Oregon if they are denied this right. And it would become part of an international effort to hold governments legally liable for accelerating climate change.

Guest:

Alex Baumhardt, reporter at Oregon Capital Chronicle

Relevant Links:

Oregon Capital Chronicle: Oregonians ask Legislature to let voters decide on constitutional right to healthy climate

Oregon Capital Chronicle: U.S. Supreme Court declines to revive landmark climate suit brought by young Oregonians

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The Washington State Legislature is in the process of hammering out the transportation budget, which is estimated to have a BILLION dollar shortfall over the next two years. according to Transportation Committee Chairman Senator Marko Liias.

Down in Olympia, both the House and Senate have each been working on their own respective bills aimed at addressing the funding gap to get things like highway infrastructure built and maintained…

One provision in the Senate’s bill – which passed on Saturday – has raised alarms for folks in the business of selling E-Bikes.

Soundside host Libby Denkmann is joined by Seattle Bike Blog editor & founder, Tom Fucoloro to talk about why E-Bike shop owners aren't excited about the current proposal.

GUEST: Tom Fucoloro

RELATED LINKS:

Already facing uncertainty from Trump’s tariff threats, an e-bike tax ‘would be awful’ for Washington’s struggling bike shops – Seattle Bike Blog
State Budget Proposals Focus on Highway Expansion in Both Chambers - The Urbanist
WA may be getting new highways — for cyclists | The Seattle Times
SB 5801 Washington State Legislature

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Bellevue-based startup OneCourt says its devices enable the “first tactile sports broadcasts." The goal is to give a deeper game experience for sports fans who are visually impaired, and to deliver it in real time.

A social media influencer recently went viral when he took the tablet for a spin at a Trailblazers game. Portland was the first NBA team to provide OneCourt devices at every home game, but more have followed. And OneCourt's goal is to see its devices at every major sporting event in the world.

Guests:

Kunal Mehta and Jerred Mace from OneCourt

Related Links:

OneCourt website

Blind guy welcoming accessibility to the NBA on a new level

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The fight over fluoride in drinking water is not new – it’s been around ever since public programs began in the 1940s.

But now, there is a push to end fluoridation programs. United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F Kennedy Jr has criticized fluoridation, claiming it contributes to a host of afflictions, including bone cancer and thyroid disease.

Around the country, some areas are taking actions to end fluoridation.

Last week, Utah became the first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water. That is slated to take effect on May 7th.

Here in Washington, the southwestern cities of Camas and Longview are both considering banning fluoride.

Guest:

Dr. Charlotte Lewis is a pediatrician at Seattle’s Children's Hospital. She’s also a professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington’s School of Medicine, where her work is focused on increasing access to dental care and expanding pediatricians' understanding and involvement in oral health.

Relevant Links:

Utah Becomes First State to Ban Fluoride in Public Water - NYT
Longview City Council looking to 'punt' fluoride decision to voters - Lower Columbia Currents
Camas could be the first community in Washington to remove fluoride from drinking water - The Columbian

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In the United States, immigrants do not have the right to legal representation in the same way American citizens do. But it’s a different story for children who come to this country alone, thanks to the federally funded Unaccompanied Children Program. It provides legal representation to more than 26,000 children by contracting with non-profit legal aid organizations throughout the country.

On March 21, the Trump Administration sent out a stop-work notice that some organizations are calling a near-termination of the program. The move means children as young as toddlers may be expected to represent themselves in very complicated immigration hearings. In response, a number of organizations that assist kids in the immigration system sued the Trump Administration.\

Thousands of unaccompanied minors have been placed with sponsors across the Pacific Northwest over the past decade, and the ending of contracts supporting them will have very real impacts on people and courts in our region.

Guests:

Matt Adams, Legal Director of the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project

Related Links:

Trump Administration Halts Funding for Legal Representation of Migrant Children
Coalition of more than 100 Legal Organizations Denounce Government’s Termination of Unaccompanied Kids Program
White House reportedly halts funding for legal aid for unaccompanied migrant children

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Seattle is taking on one of the more contentious issues to regularly pass through city hall: the Comprehensive Plan. That plan dictates where and how the city will add more people.

And previous plans concentrated new apartments and condos along busy streets with access to transit.

But why docities like Seattle have to engage in this planning exercise at all? It goes back to a law called the Growth Management Act.

Guests:

Joe Tovar, Associate Professor in the planning department at the University of Washington and Western Washington University

Karen Wolf, Interim Program Director of the College of Built Environments at the University of Washington

John Landis, Professor Emeritus of City & Regional Planning at the University of Pennsylvania

Relevant Links:

One Seattle Comprehensive Plan: https://www.seattle.gov/opcd/one-seattle-plan

KUOW: https://www.kuow.org/stories/how-will-the-next-comprehensive-plan-shape-seattle

KUOW: https://www.kuow.org/stories/where-should-seattle-build-homes-for-newcomers-49ae

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It has been a long week, we’ve seen SUNSHINE, we’ve had the threat of TORNADOES, and now it’s time to sit back, relax, and enjoy our weekend…

Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows is here with everything YOU need to know about what to do to beat the rainy blues…

LINKS:

Seattle Mariners OPENING NIGHT! - First pitch is at 7:10
Book Event - TILT w/ Emma Pattee - Third Place Books Ravenna
The Spokane Rock Rollers 64th Annual Gem & Mineral Show
Bellingham Children’s Film Festival
Helles Belles W Girls N Roses
Spelling Bee 2025 | Town Hall Seattle
Seattle Restaurant Week
Lynnwood Dining Month - Starts Tuesday April 1st!

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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23andMe, the San Francisco tech company known for its direct-to-consumer genetic testing, announced Sunday it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

That’s raised a lot of privacy concerns over the genetic records it holds of roughly 15 million customers. The company said that while in bankruptcy court, that data will be handled with the same level of privacy.

But California Attorney General Rob Bonta released a statement that suggested Californians should consider “directing 23andMe to delete their data and destroy any samples of genetic material.”

Guest:

Washington Post tech columnist Geoffrey Fowler

Related Links:

Delete your DNA data from genetics company 23andMe right now - The Washington Post

How to delete your 23andMe data after the company filed for bankruptcy

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Yesterday was one of those days that makes you feel like maybe, just maybe, winter is finally over.

Here in Seattle, the sun was shining, the cherry trees blossoming, it was in the 60s… And yes, now there are severe thunderstorms and potential tornado level winds heading our way this afternoon.

But – once those storms are over, it’ll be the perfect time to get back out into the garden and clean up the mess those winds will have left behind. And maybe even start planning your planting for the season.

And we’re here to help.

Guest:

Ciscoe Morris, gardening expert, TV and radio personality, and author

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"No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider."

You may not totally understand what that means, but some say these are the 26 words that made the internet what it is today. And congress may be ready to repeal them.

Written and passed in 1996, the law Section 230 shields websites from being held responsible for the content users post. In other words, platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Reddit can’t be sued for what people share there. But now, a growing bipartisan group of lawmakers believes Section 230 goes too far and are considering a repeal.

The impact? … It could totally reshape the way the internet works.

Guest:

UW Professor of Political Science Victor Menaldo

Relevant Links:

Section 230: Friend, not foe, of free speech

The Twenty-Six Words That Created the Internet

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Dujie Tahat can be described in many ways: a poet, a critic, podcast host, and political consultant. In addition to all those titles, they can now add a new descriptor: Seattle’s Fifth Civic Poet.

Guest:

Dujie Tahat, Seattle Civic Poet

Links:

Poetry Foundation: salat to be read from right to left

Northwest Review: All American Ghuzal

Four Way Review: BALIKBAYAN FILLED WITH THEORY

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Humans have changed a lot from our cave dwelling days, but one thing that has stayed the same is our need for connections with others.

Maybe it’s not so much the need for protection from animal predators anymore, or cooperating to take down a mammoth. Still, our evolution has instilled in us the need to connect with others. And we don’t do so well when that connection gets tenuous.

Vivek Murthy, the former U.S. Surgeon General, called loneliness an epidemic in this country. Chronic social isolation has been linked to depression, anxiety, heart disease, dementia, and even premature death.

A Gallup poll last year found that one in five people reported feeling lonely every day, making social isolation a public health issue. But there is a cure: making meaningful connections. One program at a Seattle bookshop is stepping in to help.

Guests:

Andrey Sklyar, the creator and host of Decent Social Skills: Steering Personal Conversation

Related Links:

30 Charts That Show How Covid Changed Everything — NYT
Decent Social Skills: Steering Personal Conversations — Ada’s Technical Books
US surgeon general Vivek Murthy: ‘Loneliness is like hunger, a signal we’re lacking something for survival’ — The Guardian

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW. You help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes.

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For the past 80 years, the Fulbright Program has supported scholars, artists, writers, and professionals in connecting with international institutions to do cutting-edge work. At its heart, the Fulbright is an exchange program that funds research and projects outside of participants’ countries. It aims to build international relationships and cultural competency between Americans and the rest of the world. However, the recent federal funding freezes and layoffs have impacted several educational exchange programs, bringing its future into question.

Funding has begun to trickle back in, but many have been affected by the freeze on federal grants to the Fulbright and other programs related to the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs—including the Gilman Scholarships, the Critical Language Scholarship, and the IDEAS program and some fear the impacts could have long lasting consequences.

In this segment, we discuss what the Fulbright is, why it matters, and who might be affected by funding freezes affecting international research.

Guests:

Nicolás Kisic Aguirre, sound artist and PhD student at the University of Washington
Anita Ramasastry, the Henry M. Jackson Professor of Law and Senior Advisor and Director of Faculty Engagement in the Office of Global Affairs at the University of Washington.

Related Links:

Study-Abroad Funding Is Paused, Leaving Some Students Stranded — NYT
Funding freeze leaves Fulbright and study-abroad scholars stranded — Washington Post

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This Saturday, March 22nd, the Wing Luke Museum will hold a gala that honors its namesake.

Wing Luke was born in 1925 in China. He moved to Seattle at age 6, and grew up helping his family run their laundromat and store. In 1962, he became the first person of color on Seattle’s City Council.

Wing Luke would have turned 100 last month, but he died tragically at an early age.

In his short time, he made lasting impacts to Seattle – many of which are still felt today.

Guests:

Ruby Luke, Wing Luke's sister
Cynthia del Rosario, Wing Luke’s niece
Faith Ireland, former Justice on the Washington State Supreme Court
Ron Chew, journalist and former director of the Wing Luke Museum

Related Links:

The archival audio in that story came from the Seattle Municipal Archives
Wing Luke Legacies: Celebrating Community

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Last year, pro-Palestinian “liberation zones” popped up all over American campuses, demanding that universities divest from Israel and advocating for an end to the war in Gaza. Now, ICE’s arrest and detainment of Mahmoud Khalil, a leader in Columbia University’s student protests, has created a climate of fear and frustration among student protesters across the country.

Khalil was arrested and forced into an unmarked car before being taken to a detention facility in Louisiana. He has not been accused of a crime. This case deals calls norms of immigration law into question. But also, importantly, how the government interprets our constitution’s First Amendment is at stake.

Guest: Juliette Majid, former student activist, and Genevive Lakier, Professor of Law at the University of Chicago.

Related Links:

How a Columbia Student Activist Landed in Federal Detention — NYT

I am a Palestinian political prisoner in the US. I am being targeted for my activism — The Guardian

The Case of Mahmoud Khalil — The New Yorker

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW. You help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes.

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If you are looking outside, seeing a little sunshine peeking through the rain, some tulip bulbs starting to sprout, maybe you have some buds on your flowering trees...

You might be thinking, "What can I do to really get in the Spring spirit today?"

Well, Producer Jason Megatron Burrows is here to help you fill your weekend with whimsy and get out there and enjoy the first day of Spring.

LINKS:

Spring Equinox Potluck at Golden Gardens
Spring Equinox Art Party at Freeway Park
Seattle Moisture Festival at Broadway Performance Hall
The Seattle Pop Punk Festival 2025
Freedom Day - NAAM
Bruce Wells' Beauty and the Beast
Georgetown Bites & Sites
Match Schedule | Seawolves Rugby
2025 Schedule Release | SoundersFC.com

CORRECTION: The Big Climb 2025 is taking place at the Columbia Center downtown, rather than the Space Needle.

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Washington’s Democratic lawmakers are pushing forward with a promise they made last year to change a law they saw as problematic … but that they helped pass anyway.

The law in question came from a voter initiative, commonly known as the Parents’ Bill of Rights. It was a Republican-led effort to increase parents’ ability to monitor their kids’ school records, including medical and mental health and counseling.

Many were concerned that it erodes students’ privacy protections – especially for LGBTQ students. Last week, House Democrats advanced a bill that would amend some of the changes. It follows similar actions taken by Senate Democrats last month.

Republican lawmakers are, unsurprisingly, unhappy about the moves. They say schools will be able to keep parents in the dark about serious issues with their children.

GUEST:

Seattle Times reporter Sofia Schwarzwalder

RELATED LINKS:

New initiative aims to shield WA Parents’ Bill of Rights from revision

WA Parents’ Bill of Rights advances out of House after heated debate

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Every Monday, Demar, Red, Cambo, Anthony and Vik give listeners a glimpse of life inside the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla on their podcast Concrete Mama.

The show focuses on the experience of being incarcerated. Three of the hosts are currently at Washington State Penitentiary, two were formerly incarcerated there. They all share their perspectives and explore the complexities of prison relationships, re-entry, and day to day life for people at the penitentiary.

Guest:

Vik Chopra, co-host and showrunner of Concrete Mama and co-founder of Unincarcerated Productions

Links:

Concrete Mama: The Podcast

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes.

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For a year and a half, Monisha Harrell served as Senior Deputy Mayor of Seattle – the number two position in the executive office. The last name she shares with the Mayor, Bruce Harrell, is no coincidence. Monisha Harrell is the mayor’s niece.

She was the first Black lesbian senior deputy mayor in the City of Seattle’s history, and she also says that her tenure with the city was marred by bullying and sexism.

Guest:

Ashley Hiruko - KUOW investigative reporter

Links:

KUOW: Monisha Harrell breaks silence on her uncle – and former boss – Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell

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WWAMI is an acronym for Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho… and it refers to a program created by the University of Washington that allows dozens of medical students from those states to study at the UW School of Medicine.

The aim is to produce highly-skilled doctors who will go back and practice in rural, underserved areas of the Western U.S. But not everyone is happy with the 54-year-old program.

Two bills have been introduced in the Idaho legislature: one that decreases the state’s participation in WWAMI and one that severs it completely.

Guest:

Emina Gulbis, an Idaho native and WWAMI student and in her fourth-year of medical training, who recently wrote in defense of Idaho’s participation in WWAMI

Relevant Links:

WWAMI has a vital role in the health care infrastructure of the state of Idaho

Idaho considers end to 50-year physician-training partnership with University of Washington over ‘Idaho values’

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The state’s Department of Natural Resources says it’s coming up with backup plans to address the growing threat of serious wildfires in Washington. This, as it's typically close working relationship with federal forest managers has frayed under the Trump Administration.

Some of this started in mid-February, when the U.S. Department of Agriculture cut thousands of probationary employees at the U.S. Forest Service. The USDA is in charge of stewarding places like the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and the Gifford-Pinchot National Forest.

Altogether, about 2,000 employees across the country were fired. The USDA emphasized that no “operational firefighters” had been let go, and argued the critical work of responding to wildfires would not be interrupted.

But an organization called Grassroots Wildland Firefighters estimated that three-quarters of the employees laid off hadsecondary wildland firefighting duties, meaning firefighting wasn’t their primary job, but they were pulled in to fight fires as needed.

Soundside has heard directly from laid off workers at the Forest Service based here in Washington who have wildland firefighting certifications of various levels. They say they are in limbo right now, even after there have been multiple court orders to reinstate fired federal workers -- at least, temporarily. They’re ringing alarm bells about the loss of manpower for this fire season.

All of this puts Washington’s DNR into a tough spot. The department oversees wildfire prevention and response on state lands, usually working closely with the federal government. Soundside was joined by Dave Upthegrove, Washington's Commissioner of Public Lands, and State Forester George Geissler.

Guests:

Dave Upthegrove, Washington's Commissioner of Public Lands
State Forester George Geissler

Related Links:

Fired Forest Service, Park Service workers say cuts will be felt on fire lines - ABC News
USDA Reinstates Terminated Forest Service Workers with Pay | News | bozemandailychronicle.com
USDA Status Update on Probationary Employees | Home

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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The federal government will be funded through September after several Senate Democrats joined Republicans in passing a continuing resolution late last week. However, the deal provoked a huge backlash against Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who organized a handful of Democrats to avert a government shutdown. House Democrats from Nancy Pelosi to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wanted their Senate counterparts to maximize one of the party’s only points of leverage under a Republican-controlled Congress and White House. And if that meant shutting the government down, then so be it. But it was not to be.

Guests:

Congresswoman Emily Randall of Washington’s 6th district.

Related Links:

Trump signs spending bill to avoid a government shutdown — NPR
Trump says the U.S. is in a 'period of transition' — and more takeaways from this week — NPR
Pramila Jayapal says a government shutdown would be GOP's mess. "That's on them"— KUOW

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW. You help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes.

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TGIF, amirite? I mean, yeah, it’s Thursday, but I know you’re thinking about it.

Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows is here to help you make your weekend epic.

LINKS:

Taste Washington - Every day, from March 13–17
- The Grand Tasting
Nosferatu with Radiohead: A Silent Synced Film
Seattle Reign FC - Home Opening Match vs Gotham FC
- Seattle Reign FC Game Days | Hatback Sports Bar & Grill - ALL AGES
- Rough & Tumble Pub - ALL AGES
St. Patrick's Day Dash
SIFF 'n' Stitch: Hairspray
A Trip to Outer Space - Seattle Symphony - NEXT SATURDAY

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Breakthrough Energy, a collection of organizations founded by Bill Gates in 2015, announced a slew of staffing cuts this week.

These organizations focus on accelerating things like sustainable energy and other environmental technologies. They had a promising beginning with a range of wealthy investors joining Gates to provide funding.

But now, dozens of employees have been let go. And according to some, it’s a signal that one of the world’s most climate-conscious billionaires is rethinking his strategy in the face of an adversarial Congress and President.

Guest:

David Gelles, a climate reporter for The New York Times

Related Links:

Climate Group Funded by Bill Gates Slashes Staff in Major Retreat - The New York Times

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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The One Seattle Comprehensive Plan is working its way through city council. It dictates how the city will grow over the next twenty years, including where density is allowed.

While the details are still being worked out, the comprehensive plan has a new type of zoning: Neighborhood Centers. This part of the plan could affect up to 30 neighborhoods in Seattle – including places like Montlake, Madrona and Queen Anne – and has met with vocal opposition from many residents.

But there is one constituency that sees these neighborhood centers, and more density in general, as a lifeline: people with disabilities.

Guests:

Cecelia Black, organizer with Disability Rights Washington

Related Links:

Why Seattle’s housing density plans are a disability-rights issue | Cascade PBS

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Huckleberries appear in any number of Northwest products like ice cream, syrups, jams, teas, pies, tinctures, and vodka, but they are incredibly difficult to grow on farms.

Instead, huckleberries grow at high elevations in fields, and are found mostly in forests that have recently burned.

Native people have been picking huckleberries for generations and huckleberry harvests in the mountains are one of the major food gathering events for Tribes.

But many say a combination of federal forest management practices and commercial picking operations infringe on their treaty rights.

Guests:

Josephine Woolington, writer based in Portland
Elaine Harvey, Ḱamíłpa band member, one of the 14 bands that comprise the Yakama Nation

Relevant Links:

High Country News: The True Cost of the Huckleberry Industry

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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The Washington state House on Tuesday approved $100 million in funding aimed at helping local police departments hire more officers.

House Bill 2015 aligns with Governor Bob Ferguson’s priorities, and he’s threatened to torpedo any state budget that doesn’t include increased police funding.

It’s been a contentious budget cycle in Olympia. The state’s facing a massive shortfall -- but the progress on police funding may indicate state democrats’ willingness to cooperate with the new governor.

To break down the police funding bill, Soundside was joined by Jake Goldstein-Street, reporter for the Washington State Standard.

Guests:

Jake Goldstein-Street, reporter with the Washington State Standard

Related Links:

$100M plan for police hiring gets greenlight from Washington House • Washington State Standard
Debate heats up over Ferguson’s request for $100M to hire more police in Washington • Washington State Standard
House Bill 2015
Senate Bill 5060

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Behold the Rain-beers, a herd of giant bottles with human legs galloping majestically across the Cascade foothills.

This motif was part advertisement, part cinema — the brainchildren of Heckler Associates, a local ad agency that made Rainier Beer’s personality and brand into the stuff of Seattle legend.

Today Rainier is no longer an entirely local product — it’s owned by Pabst and brewed in California — but go to any antique shop and you’re destined to find beer memorabilia sporting that red calligraphy “R” hearkening from the golden age of Rainier Beer.

It was this mythologizing that drove director Isaac Olsen to make a full documentary film about the commercials and the small firm that put them on the national stage.

Rainier: A Beery Odyssey is showing at SIFF Film Center this week through Thursday, March 13, and other Washington locations through April.

Soundside host Libby Denkmann caught up with Olsen to hear more about his odyssey of making the film.

Guests:

Isaac Olsen, director of Rainier: A Beer Odyssey.

Related Links:

Find showtimes and locations for the film here: https://www.rainierbeermovie.com/

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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The government’s about to run out of money.

There’s an ongoing, multi-fronted showdown in the courts over who has the power to cut federal spending after it’s been appropriated.

And also a little bit of a trade war brewing with new U.S. tariffs on Canadian steel just announced.

Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal shares her view from the House of Representatives with Soundside.

*Note: since this conversation aired, President Trump has halted his plan to double tariffs on Canadian metals.

Guest:

Congresswoman Pramila Jayapalrepresents Washington’s 7th congressional district, which ranges from Lake Forest Park to White Center

Related Links:

Trump halts doubling of tariffs on Canadian metals, after Ontario suspends electricity price hikes - AP
New deputy FBI director Dan Bongino previously called for imprisoning Democrats - NPR

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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On March 10, 2025, Soundside aired a segment about a high number of deaths among people detained at the South Correctional Entity, commonly known as SCORE. After it aired, our staff was contacted by a SCORE official, who objected to two claims made in our broadcast.

One, was an assertion that reports regarding unexpected fatalities that occurred at the facility were not posted within the required timeframe and that some reports remained outstanding. After looking into the Washington State Department of Health website, including searches on the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine, it appeared that at least some, if not all, of the required reports had been posted in the weeks before our segment aired. The improper labeling of these reports by date of death instead of publication date on DOH’s website may have contributed to the oversight. Members of our team, including the show’s editor, had background discussions with the reporter we interviewed and the SCORE official who raised the issue, and were satisfied that our segment contained errors.

The second assertion was that the mortality rate quoted in the segment for detainees at SCORE was inaccurate, because while 11 deaths in a two year period is arguably high, according to the Department of Justice, it is not enough of a basis to extrapolate a statistically clear comparison with other rates. While the original reporting pointed out this caveat, our broadcast did not.

Because the central framing of our segment was that SCORE “has had over three times the average in-custody death for Washington jails,” we felt it was not possible to correct the errors and decided instead to remove the segment audio from our podcast feed and issue a clarification on the show’s site.

We did not find reason to question the bulk of the reporting that originally aired on SCORE’s recent record of deaths in custody, concerns from family members of those who died, and the troubling reports of conditions at the jail from people who were held there and a former employee of WellPath.

We plan to address this on-air in an episode of Soundside in the near future.

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Artificial intelligence is starting to underpin everything we do, whether we like it or not. And at the highest levels, companies like Google and Open AI are saying their AI is on the verge of crossing a humanlike threshold that we’ve only seen in science fiction.

This is prompting all kinds of conversations about sentience and the possible dangers of a superintelligent computer system.

But the definition of “Artificial General Intelligence,” or AGI, is controversial.

And many researchers aren’t even sure today’s programs have our common understanding of “intelligence” at all. They argue ChatGPT isn’t really thinking -- it's just really good at predicting the next sequence in a pattern (and copying someone else along the way).

So what makes something intelligent? Or alive, for that matter?

For Google’s Blaise Agüera y Arcas, the most interesting piece of examining AI breakthroughs has been how they connect to the evolution of life on earth.

In his new book, What is Life? he argues for a broadened definition of “intelligence,” to include things like single celled organisms and even basic tools. And he says humans’ development of technology -- most recently, AI -- is part of a long history of symbiotic relationships that have pushed our evolution forward.

Guests:

Blaise Agüera y Arcas, Vice President and CTO of Technology and Society at Google, where he leads a team called “Paradigms of Intelligence” researching the intersection of AI, biology, and philosophy. Author of What is Life, the first part of a broader work on intelligence at large.

Related Links:

What is Intelligence? | Antikythera

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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It’s the end of the week for us here at Soundside, and we’ve been making our weekend plans.

That means if you’re searching for something to keep you occupied this weekend, you’re in the right place.

Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows is here in the nick of time to give you all the highlights.

LINKS:

Emerald City Comic Con
Sequim Sunshine Festival
Penn Cove Mussel-Fest
Seattle Opera - The Magic Flute
Carnival Of Cocktails
Tacoma Beer Week
5th Annual Alki Beach Winter Beer Festival
Asian Comics: Evolution of an Art Form Opening Party

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70,000. That’s the number of jobs the Department of Veterans Affairs will cut over the next six months. This comes from an internal VA memo leaked to the public this week.

It’s the latest in a series of mass layoffs conducted by the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.

In a video released yesterday, VA Secretary Doug Collins said that the changes are necessary to make the department more efficient, accountable, and transparent.

But, In another video released last month Collins promised that health care services and benefits would not be cut, and that 300,000 positions at the department had been labeled “mission critical” to ensure that services would not be interrupted.

Hundreds of thousands of veterans in Washington state receive healthcare, disability compensation or pensions from the VA. The state has five VA hospitals in Seattle, Tacoma, Walla Walla, Spokane and Vancouver, as well as more than a dozen outpatient clinics.

So now, many are wondering - what will these cuts look like, and how will they impact the largest integrated healthcare system in the United States.

Guest:

Orion Donovan Smith, DC Correspondent for the Spokesman Review

Related Links:

Trump administration to cut more than 80,000 jobs at Department of Veterans Affairs, internal memo says - Spokesman Review
Mann-Grandstaff loses more VA workers as part of Trump administration’s downsizing plans - Spokesman Review

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In the 1980s, Seattle's music scene was hooked on disco. The success of "Saturday Night Fever" meant venues opted for groovy vinyl over live band performances, and songs like Chic's "Good Times" were on constant rotation. That made room for a similar but modified version of the song's simple breakbeat by a group called The Sugarhill Gang, who quickly brought "rapping" to a nationwide audience.

As Ben Camp tells the story, “Rapper’s Delight” – rap’s first hit – made an imprint in Seattle and kicked off a vibrant local scene connecting Sir-Mix-A-Lot to Macklemore.

Camp, who writes under the name of Novocaine132, has been covering music in the city since the 1990s – and he recently published his first book, “The Birth of Seattle Rap.”

Soundside producer Alec Cowan caught up with the writer to hear more about the book and Seattle’s pre-grunge music scene – starting with why it was disco that gave way to hip hop.

Guests:

Novocaine132, author of "The Birth of Seattle Rap."

Related Links:

The Birth of Seattle Rap: Novocaine 132

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Surge pricing. When there is a lot of demand for rideshares, fares can double or triple their usual rate – or even more.

But a first-of-its-kind bill is looking to slow the surge in Washington State. SB 5600 would cap surge pricing and make sure drivers get more of a share of those extra dollars.

The bill was inspired by the expected flood of attendees Seattle will be handling during the 2026 World Cup games, but it would also apply to other large events. Rideshare companies say this will only increase prices for everyone. But drivers, like Kyle Graham, think this will only benefit drivers and passengers.

Guest:

Uber, Lyft and DoorDash driver Kyle Graham.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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On Sunday, comedian Bowen Yang joined other actors onstage at the Academy Awards, dressed in his costume from the movie 'Wicked' -- to praise the artist who dreamed it up.

It’s hard to list all the projects the award-winning costume designer Paul Tazewell has been responsible for on Broadway, but here’s a sample:

Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk, The Color Purple musical, In The Heights, and Hamilton - for which he won a Tony.

On screen, he won an Emmy for his work on The Wiz! Live.

And now, Tazewell has an Oscar to add to his list of accolades.

Soundside host Libby Denkmann sat down with Tazewell when he was in town back in February, and in light of his win, we thought we would revisit that conversation.

He was here for a new production at the Pacific Northwest Ballet.... an organization he has a long history with. His costumes for Kent Stowell's Swan Lake, which debuted in 2003, are still in use.

This time around, Paul Tazewell created the lavish costumes for the company's re-imagined Sleeping Beauty -- from ball gowns and dinner jackets to tutus.

Guest:

Costume Designer Paul Tazewell

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President Trump will address a joint session of congress tonight – it is his first major speech since his inauguration.

Washington Democrats have been reeling since he took office a month and a half ago. The latest issue they are sounding the alarm on is tariffs: taxes on Mexican and Canadian goods went into effect this morning. President Trump ordered a 25% tax levied on foreign goods from the United States’ two largest trading partners.

The US also once again raised tariffs on its third largest trading partner, China, with an additional 10% tariff.

Meanwhile, Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency is continuing to fire thousands of federal employees.

Guest:

Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland represents Washington’s 10th district and is a member of the Armed Services Committee. She represents areas like Olympia, JBLM, and parts of Tacoma.

Related Links:

Washington Rep. Marilyn Strickland weighs in on cuts to federal programs, workforce - KOMO
Strickland on MSNBC Politics Nation: Job Cuts, Loyalists, and Fear. This Is Trump 2.0 - MSNBC

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The Democratic Republic of Congo is a country in the center of Africa. It’s home to spectacular things, like: a majority of the Congo Basin rainforest, the second largest in the world, with magnificent flora and fauna found nowhere else on earth, and a population of one hundred million people belonging to 250 ethnic groups who speak more than 200 languages. The country also has an estimated $24 trillion worth of untapped minerals.

That fact has put Congo in the center of international conflict for generations. However, over the last few months, a rebel militia called M23 has taken control of multiple cities in Eastern Congo. These conflicts have reverberated far and wide, as Congolese people displaced by fighting have sought refuge around the world. For those escaping conflict, being granted asylum is only the first step in building a new life.

Guests:

Floribert Mubalama, the founder and CEO of the Seattle-based Congolese Integration Network
Francoise Milinganyo, the Executive Director of Congolese Integration Network
University of Washington lecturer Dr. Francis Abugbilla

Related Links:

Why Are Congo and Rwanda at War? —NYT

Martin Gordon, Anglican bishop of Goma, calls for peace in the DRC —NPR

Congolese Integration Network Seattle

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As a Mariner’s fan, it’s tradition to quibble with offseason moves.

But there has been ONE personnel change that the majority of longtime fans are cheering.

Not on the field, mind you… but in the Broadcast booth.

Angie Mentink is joining a roster of former players providing color commentary during TV broadcasts, becoming the first woman in Mariners history to have this regular gig.

There’s been lots of shifting around on the broadcast side for the M’s: Longtime voice of the Mariners Dave Sims left us for the Yankees, (just like Ichiro, THE PAIN,) so Aaron Goldsmith will take over the main play-by-play position.

And joining Angie as analysts are, Mariner Hall of Famer Jay Buhner, former catcher Dave Valle, and former pitcher Ryan Rowland-Smith.

Angie Mentink is one of the first women to play professional baseball, in addition to being a hall of fame UW softball player. She’s been a member of the organization for nearly 30 years and is making history as the first permanent female analyst in the booth for the M’s.

GUEST: Angie Mentink

RELATED LINKS:

Angie Mentink to make Mariners broadcasting history; Jay Buhner returns, Mike Blowers out | The Seattle Times
Angie Mentink Breaks Barriers as Seattle Mariners’ First Female Color Analyst

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How much will Seattle change under the Trump administration? And what options does the city have to keep the policies it prioritizes?

The city depends on the feds for millions of dollars in funding -- impacting services like transportation, law enforcement and emergency preparedness.

Threats to cut off federal grants have left some local politicians considering how to prepare for an uncertain future.

This week, Seattle city councilmember Alexis Merceredes Rinck will chair the first meeting of the council’s new Select Committee on Federal Administration and Policy Changes.

In other words - she’s gathering together a group of people to try to answer what happens next under the Trump administration’s many changes.

Guest:

Alexis Mercedes Rinck, Position 8 city councilmember

Related Links:

Seattle City Council to host first committee meeting on safeguarding city from federal policy changes - Seattle City Council Blog
How will Seattle prepare for potential Trump cuts? - KUOW

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There is a lot going on in D.C. right now, and elected officials are working overtime to negotiate ahead of a looming government shutdown deadline.

As the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee and the senior senator from Washington state, Senator Patty Murray is leading the charge on funding negotiations.

At the same time, budget talks are happening about how much the federal government will spend and on what priorities. Looming over all of this is the question of whether the government will meet its obligations because federal funding expires on March 14th.

Guests:

Senator Patty Murray

Related Links:

Senate Democrat: Musk, Trump ‘proving every single day they do not know what they are doing’ — The Hil

Sen. Patty Murray on the state of the Senate —1A

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW. You help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes.

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Clad in a big, bulky menswear suit, “Julia” Mozhdeh Rahmanzaei stomps around the stage at the Theater off Jackson in Seattle’s Chinatown International District.

She glares over a fake beard, holding audience members’ gazes, and shakes the program for this very play in one hand. The actor and playwright is channeling the censorship she experienced in her home country of Iran.

As a young artist in Tehran, her theater work repeatedly ran up against the strict rules of government monitors – who shut down several of her shows, including her master’s thesis and performance, which discussed limitations of physical performance for women actors.

Julia left Iran three and a half years ago to study for a Masters of Fine Arts in Acting at the University of Washington. In Seattle, she’s acted in several local productions, including “The Moors” at the University of Washington and “The Forgotten History of Mastaneh,” at Taproot Theater and Seattle Public Theater.

This weekend is the debut of her autobiographical solo show, called, “I am an Actress, Where is my Country?” It traces her struggle to express herself under Iran’s repressive theocratic regime – and find her place both legally and as an artist in the U.S.

Libby Denkmann sat down with Julia Rahmanzaei and director and dramaturge Leah Adcock-Starr during rehearsals this week.

Guests:

Julia Rahmanzaei, actor and writer for "I am an Actress, Where is my Country?"
Leah Adcock-Starr, director and dramaturge

Related Links:

I am an Actress, Where is my Country? - Theatre Off Jackson

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It’s the end of the week, the sun is shining, and maybe you’re thinking “I’m ready to get out there and explore! Meet new people, make new friends… at least until it starts raining again.”

Well, rain or shine - If you’re searching for something to keep you occupied this weekend, you’re in the right place.

Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows is here in the nick of time to give you all the highlights.

Nat Geo Live: From Roots to Canopy, Nalini Nadkarni, Thurs 27 February, Port Angeles

A fascinating exploration of the science and wildlife hanging out above us in the forests. Featuring NatGeo explorer & tree canopy ecologist, Nalini Nadkarni, a UW alum and the inspiration for the Explorer Barbie Dolls.

Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE | Meany Center, Thursday 27 February - Sunday 2 March, U-District, Seattle

The performance focuses on the integration of traditional African dance with contemporary choreography and spoken word. Brown uses movement as a way to reinforce the importance of community in African American culture and to acquaint audiences with the beauty of traditional African forms and rhythms.

Seattle International Dance Festival, Friday 28 February - Saturday 1 March; Thursday 8 - Friday 9 March, Capitol Hill, Seattle

This year’s mini-fest will fuse Urban, Ballet, Modern, and traditional Indian forms in a riveting mix of cultures and movement.

Good Time Girls History In The Spotlight, Friday 28 February, Bellingham

Sip cocktails in a cabaret setting while these sassy storytellers present well-researched theatrical tales and historic photographs from Bellingham's beloved and only remaining historic playhouse, the Mount Baker Theatre. Enjoy illustrated tales of celebrated moments, iconic performances, colorful characters, and local lore.

James Dean Movies at The SIFF Downtown, Friday 29 February - Thursday 6 March, Downtown, Seattle

If you’ve never seen any of them, like our host Libby Denkmann, get yourself to the theater & check them out. These movies are legends for a reason…

Whatcom Farm Expo, Saturday 29 March, Lynden

A plethora of speakers and events with topics ranging from “Holistic Pasture Management,” to “Buying your first Tractor,” and “Getting started with Beef!”

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Seattle Public Schools is considering closing Stevenson Elementary School amid declining enrollment.

One longtime parent there is pushing back and trying to change its name to better reflect the school’s Japanese-American history.

That’s the kind of opening line you might hear on Soundside if the events of the book Supersonic were real.

The book is fiction, but it reflects the very real ethos of a city constantly reinventing itself through boom and bust cycles across generations.

At the center of the story is Sami Hasegawa-Stalwarth, a PTA president with a deep history in the city.

But Supersonic also takes us through the city’s history, to see the connections across generations. We meet a gold rush conman, aerospace workers building the Supersonic transport, a stay at home dad trying to open the city’s first legal cannabis dispensary, and the Native people who have called this area home since time immemorial.

Guest:

Thomas Kohnstamm, author of Supersonic

Links:

Third Place Books event info for Thomas Kohnstamm reading on Thursday, February 27

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What do The Brutalist, Emilia Pérez, Dune Part II, and A Complete Unknown have in common?

Yes, they’re all films nominated for Oscars at this Sunday’s ceremony. But they share something else – all of these films used Artificial Intelligence tools in some form during production.

For the Brutalist and Emilia Pérez, AI was employed to alter actor’s voices while singing, or speaking Hungarian. For Dune and A Complete Unknown, AI tools changed actor or stunt double’s appearances.

AI usage in film has been controversial for years. In 2023, both the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA, the screen actors guild, went on strike – picketing in part over concerns regarding AI.

But now, the red carpet will be full of directors and producers who relied on AI in small ways in their journey to the Oscars.

So what does this say about the state of the film industry? Will this lead, as some have warned before, to the death of the movies?

Guest:

Brett Halperin is a University of Washington doctoral student in human centered design and engineering, and cinema and media studies.

Related Links:

‘AI is Soulless’: Hollywood Film Workers Strike and Emerging Perceptions of Generative Cinema - ACM Digital Library
Q&A: How AI is changing the film industry - UW News
Oscars Consider Requiring Films to Disclose AI Use After ‘The Brutalist’ and ‘Emilia Pérez’ Controversies - Variety

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Earlier this year Edmonds state Representative Strom Peterson put forward a bill to potentially change the state’s flag.

HB 1938 would have created a committee tasked with redesigning the Washington’s iconic green and yellow banner – which is the only one with a presidential profile on it.

According to the bill’s language, the due date for a new design would be sometime in 2028 – after which, voters would decide through a referendum whether to adopt it.

Peterson says his idea isn’t about controversy over our state’s namesake; it’s mainly about the way it looks. Peterson says that the times, and the state, have changed in the century since then. So maybe it’s time the flag changes too.

But HB 1938 has hit a roadblock. The bill failed to pass out of committee last week, meaning Peterson will have to wait another year before trying again.

There’s been a recent wave of flag redesigns across the United States. Minnesota and Utah adopted new state flags in 2024. Maine voters went the other way and rejected a new sleeker design for their flag. Mississippi also recently updated its state flag – it included the Confederate battle flag up until 2021.

But even with the bill tabled, what makes for a good flag? It’s something that vexillologist Ted Kaye thinks a lot about. Kaye is the author of “Good Flag, Bad Flag: how to Design a Great Flag" and is also the secretary for the North American Vexillological Association.

Soundside was joined by Rep. Peterson and Kaye to discuss the state's banner legislation.

Guests:

State Representative Strom Peterson, D-Edmonds, sponsor of HB 1938.
Ted Kaye, secretary for the North American Vexillogical Association and author of "Good Flag, Bad Flag: How to Design a Great Flag."

Related Links:

Bill summary: Washington State Legislature
Home - North American Vexillological Association
Bills that didn’t survive the WA Legislature’s first major deadline • Washington State Standard

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Imagine if, after being convicted of a crime as an adult, you were forced to serve additional time for crimes you committed as a minor. That is the reality for many incarcerated people in Washington state.

You might remember hearing about the passing of a state law back in 2023 that prevented people’s juvenile felonies from increasing their sentence terms as an adult. Well, that bill had a catch. It excluded those who are currently incarcerated, leaving behind more than 700 eligible people.

A few weeks ago, a new bill was introduced to amend this oversight. Some say implementing the law could be complicated—and problematic. Others feel strongly that it would help address the disproportionalities in our justice system.

Guests:

Rep. Chris Stearns of Washington’s 47th Legislative District
Investigate West reporter Aspen Ford

Related Links:

WA bill that would reduce sentences for inmates with juvenile felonies moves through Legislature — Investigate West

Washington lawmakers debate who benefits from juvenile sentencing reforms — KUOW

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW. You help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes.

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Have you checked your mail today? It’s that special time, every two years, when Seattleites get 100 bucks from the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission. I’m talking about democracy vouchers!

That money’s not for you, though. It’s for political candidates you want to support in November’s election.

And it’s a big one: Not only is the Mayor up for reelection. So is the City Attorney. There are also 3 seats on the Seattle City Council in contention.

Two of those are citywide positions, currently held by Council President Sara Nelson and brand new council member Alexis Mercedes Rinck. Both of them are seeking reelection.

The third seat is District 2, in southeast Seattle which is held by newly appointed council member Mark Solomon.

These five races are all eligible to receive campaign funding via Democracy Vouchers…

GUEST: David Kroman | The Seattle Times

RELATED LINKS:

Democracy Voucher Program
Participating Candidates
Have democracy vouchers delivered on their promise to make Seattle elections fairer?

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal has made clear he has no intention of changing course based on one of the new directives from the Trump Administration.

Earlier this month, the Department of Education issued a so-called Dear Colleague letter, which stated that any institutions receiving federal funds from that Department would be required to eliminate all race-based programs – including Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs – or risk losing federal funds. Washington’s K-12 schools receive 7 percent of their funding from the Department of Education.

Reykdal responded with his own letter last week, stating in part that he has: “Advised Washington’s school districts that they should not make changes to their existing policies, practices, and programming in accordance with this letter.”

Guest:

Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal

Relevant Links:

KUOW: 'We are not going backward.' Washington schools chief tells districts to maintain DEI programs despite Trump threat
Seattle Times:WA superintendent tells schools to stand firm on ‘race-based’ programs

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Today marks the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

More than 500 Ukrainians and supporters gathered this weekend in Downtown Seattle to show solidarity and share their fears about Ukraine’s future.

The third anniversary of the war comes as President Donald Trump has mused over upending America’s commitment to Ukraine’s defense.

U.S and Russian officials met in Saudi Arabia last week for bilateral talks, including discussion of the future of Ukraine. Notably absent at the table – anyone from Ukraine.

Trump also falsely said last week that Ukraine started the war – which began with Russia’s invasion.

And in a post on Truth Social, Trump accused Ukraine's President, Volodomir Zelenskyy, of being a “dictator without elections” - writing, “Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left.”

The dramatic shift in rhetoric from the U.S. has left European leaders and Ukranians scrambling to understand what will happen next.

Guests:

KUOW producer Natalie Akane Newcomb
Dr. Lena Surzhko Harned, an associate teaching professor of Political Science at Pennsylvania State University. She is also the associate director and a faculty affiliate of the Public Policy Initiative at Penn State Behrend.

Related links:

In pushing for Ukraine elections, Trump is falling into Putin-laid trap to delegitimize Zelenskyy - The Conversation

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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KUOW has uncovered a controversial period in the life of Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell -- one that he's rarely discussed in public.

In 1996, while at a casino in Iowa, Harrell brandished a gun in a late-night confrontation over a parking spot. Harrell was arrested over the incident before the charges were dismissed five months later.

He says he was racially profiled in the events leading up to the arrest.

KUOW’s reporting is the first local coverage of Mayor Harrell’s run-in with the law. It comes at an important moment because this year, Harrell is up for reelection.

The reporting on the incident comes from KUOW investigative reporter Ashley Hiruko, who joined Soundside to share her reporting.

Guests:

Ashley Hiruko, KUOW investigative reporter

Related Links:

KUOW - Seattle Mayor Harrell was arrested in 1996 for pulling gun during parking lot confrontation

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Wednesday on Soundside, host Libby Denkmann asked if your shopping habits had changed in recent months.

Recent polling by the Guardian found that a large portion of Americans have changed where they're purchasing due to their political affiliations or beliefs.

Have you changed where you spend cash based on the political situation?

Lots of you responded, and Soundside shares your comments.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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If you enjoy skiing, you probably know it takes more than just some skis, boots and poles to slide down a hill.

It also takes money, sometimes a lot of it.

Tickets at Washington's big ski resorts run from $65 to $150 a day.

That's not the case at Badger Mountain ski area in Central Washington. There, the price is a mere $15 a day.

That's because the hill is a nonprofit entirely run by volunteers.

Alex Rochester, KUOW's digital community outreach coordinator and resident skier, headed up to Badger Mountain to find out how this community keeps skiing ALIVE, in this report which originally aired in March 2023.

Related Links:

Volunteers keep skiing affordable at Badger Mountain

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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It’s the end of the week, and the first time in a while where there’s not a Super Bowl, Valentine, or President’s Day to keep you busy.

If you’re searching for something to keep you occupied this weekend, you’re in the right place.

Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows is here in the nick of time to give you all the highlights…

LINKS:

Between Two Worlds - David Lynch Musical Tribute
The REAL Twin Peaks Fest in North Bend
Black Restaurant Week
Lunar New Year Celebration | Seattle Chinatown-International District
Black Art Takeover - Northwest African American Museum
Winter Mead Festival at Skål Beer Hall
Almost Live! (Almost an Exhibit)

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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DEI policies – short for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion – have been in the crosshairs since President Donald Trump arrived back in the White House.

Many corporations have been proactively choosing to downsize their DEI programs or eliminate them completely. But one company is facing a unique level of backlash: Target.

The retail giant announced last month it would eliminate multiple DEI projects, including hiring goals, and its Racial Equity Action and Change program which focused on investing in and carrying products from Black and minority-owned businesses.

Critics of these moves have been calling for boycotts of the red bullseye but it may end up hurting those businesses Target has helped.

Guests:

Timeka Tounsel, Associate Professor of Black Studies in Communication at the University of Washington.

Relevant Links:

Black faith leaders call for Target boycott for backing off diversity initiatives
Target retreated on DEI. Then came the backlash
In age of racial reckoning, Ralph Lauren partners with Morehouse and Spelman grads on vintage Black fashion styles

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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KEXP DJ Tory J (AKA Tory Johnston) is the co-host of Sounds of Survivance, a show featuring indigenous artists from all over the world.

Johnston explains how he ended up feeling inspired to host the show, why he feels it's important to showcase these artists, and he plays some of the incredible music that can be heard on his show.

Guest:

Tory Johnston (DJ Tory J), host of Sounds of Survivance on KEXP.

Related Links:

Sounds of Survivance
Samantha Crain
Liv Rion

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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It hasn’t even been a month since President Donald Trump was sworn into office, but the sudden and drastic changes he – and Elon Musk – have ordered are being felt at every level of the federal government.

Thousands of federal workers got notice over the weekend that they were being terminated – in departments ranging from the U.S. Forest Service to the CDC and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

The judiciary has slowed some of the biggest Trump moves, like ending birthright citizenship or withholding billions in federal funding. But the President’s nominees have been largely confirmed and Musk personnel mostly continue to have access to critical government systems.

So what can the Democratic Party do to put guardrails around this administration?

Guest:

US Representative Rick Larsen (Washington State’s 2nd Congressional District since 2001)

Links:

Rep. Larsen's website

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For decades, a Washington law has empowered prosecutors to pursue felony charges against those who assault healthcare workers. Which, on a base level, makes sense. Healthcare workers don’t want to be harmed while doing their jobs.

But some are worried that a potential felony charge – which would apply to both physical attacks, and typically minor offenses like spitting on someone – doesn’t prevent those attacks from happening and moves those with severe mental health challenges into a criminal justice system that worsens their condition.

That’s led state lawmakers to propose an adjustment to the law broadening the penalties for those who assault healthcare workers – which would exempt people experiencing mental health crisis.

The bill – HB 1220 – passed out of committee last week and is now headed to the full House.

Seattle Times’ investigative reporter Sydney Brownstone has been following the story.

Guests:

Sydney Brownstone, investigative reporter for the Seattle Times

Related Links:

Health care worker assault law could see reform this year | The Seattle Times
A law to protect WA health care workers keeps patients in crisis | The Seattle Times
Find HB 1220 here

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Today, there is a Spotify playlist for any genre, mood, or activity you could ever think of. But, in the not-so-distant past, you’d have to tune your AM or FM radio until you found a sound you liked.

If you wanted to hear soul music in Seattle circa 1970, there was one local station that would never disappoint. It was called KYAC, and it was a true rarity at the time. The station was Black owned and operated from 1965 to 1981.

The small station has an outsized legacy in both our city and the country at large. It was the first station in Seattle to play a rap song — the iconic “Rapper’s Delight” by The Sugarhill Gang.

In fact, it was so beloved that when the station was eventually sold, listeners held a funeral for it. For Black History Month, producer Lauren Williams went back in time to 1970s Seattle to ask folks about what it was like to work at and listen to KYAC during its heyday.

Guests:

Vivian Phillips, founder of Arte Noir and former KYAC DJ
Sheila Locke, event DJ and former KYAC DJ
Jas Keimig, Seattle-based arts reporter.

Related Links:

How Seattle rap crashed the mainstream by swimming against the current — NPR
For three decades, this Seattle DJ electrified the airwaves, paving the way for future Black radio personalities. — Black Arts Legacies
Black History of the Northwest — KUOW

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But the most astounding thing is that the scenes where these cattle were found were pristine. No tracks. And not one drop of blood – the carcasses were drained dry.

That detail became the inspiration for a documentary by co-directors Jackson Devereux and Lachlan Hinton, and reporter Anna King. Their documentary film – three years in the making – is titled “Not one Drop of Blood,” and it’s being announced as the headliner today for the Film Fort festival – part of Tree Fort in Boise.

Soundside was joined by Anna King, alongside co-directors Lachlan Hinton and Jackson Devereux, to discuss the film and the mystery haunting Harney County, Oregon.

Guests:

Anna King, senior correspondent for Northwest Public Broadcasting
Jackson Devereux and Lachlan Hinton, directors of "Not One Drop of Blood."

Related Links:

Not One Drop of Blood
'Not One Drop Of Blood': Cattle Mysteriously Mutilated In Oregon : NPR

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Universities, cancer centers and hospitals will soon go under the knife, if the Trump Administration gets its way. Last Friday, the National Institutes of Health announced they would immediately slash four billion dollars of funding for research institutes across the country.

This would directly impact at least 70 research facilities in Washington State.

Critics of the plan have said it would severely hamper medical progress in the US that could be felt for decades. 22 attorneys general filed suit to stop the action, and on Monday a federal judge put a hold on the cuts for those 22 states, then made the pause nationwide.

But the fate of this funding is still uncertain.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guest(s):

Dr. Helen Chu, a board certified physician with UW Medicine and a UW professor of Medicine and Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Related Links:

Proposed NIH funding cuts leave WA research institutions fearing ‘fiscal chaos’

What’s at stake for Washington’s flagship research institutions in the legal battle over NIH funding

Supplemental Guidance to the 2024 NIH Grants Policy Statement: Indirect Cost Rates

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It’s Valentine’s Day weekend,

So if you’re looking for a great idea for something to do with your sweetie, OR you just want to avoid the love-birds as much as possible, Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows has you covered…

EVENTS:

Wonderland Gear Exchange — Pitch-A-Trailmate
Psychic Medium: Travis Holp
FUN & FLIRTY - The Crocodile
Science After Dark: Valentine's Day at Pacific Science Center
Mars Love Affair: A Night with Mary Roach | The Museum of Flight
Noir City - SIFF Cinema Downtown
Wild At Heart - Central Cinema
Akira - SIFF Cinema Uptown
Prom Date Mixtape: "Friday I'm in Love" - 8th Annual Valentines Ball at High Dive
I'm Not Ok!: An Emo & Pop Punk Anti-Valentine's Day Dance Party at High Dive

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On the campaign trail last year, Dave Upthegrove promised that if elected to Commissioner of Public Lands, he would preserve forests starting on day one.

Well, Upthegrove is now in charge of the state’s Department of Natural Resources – sworn in last month – and he held true to his promise. On Jan. 15 – day one – Upthegrove announced he would be pausing logging sales on what the state calls “mature” forestland. These are forests that were last logged before World War II – not old enough to be designated “old growth, ”but host a diverse range of plants and animals.

While considered a win by conservationists, his plan was met with concern from those dependent on revenue from public trust timber sales to fund schools and county services in the state – something mandated by the state’s constitution.

Commissioner Upthegrove recently spoke with Soundside host Libby Denkmann about his plans to balance preservation with that mandate.

Guests:

Dave Upthegrove, Commissioner of Public Lands

Related Links:

Commissioner Upthegrove Calls “Timeout” on Harvesting Older State Forests | WA - DNR
New WA lands commissioner orders pause on logging sales for some older forests • Washington State Standard
Lands commissioner’s logging ‘pause’ upsets a careful calculation | The Seattle Times

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The Urban Raptor Conservancy's Ed Deal and Patti Loesche are running a decades long study on the population health of Cooper's Hawks in Seattle.

What does that involve? Spending a lot of time looking for and observing the city's hawks.

This piece originally aired in October of 2024.

Guests:

Patti Loesche, co founder of the Urban Raptor Conservancy
Ed Deal, co founder of the Urban Raptor Conservancy

Related Links:

Urban Raptor Conservancy Website
KUOW: What's that screeching? Maybe a hungry young Cooper's Hawk

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Have you tucked into a romance novel lately? If not, you might be in the minority of readers.

Romance sales are soaring. Last year, they grew twice as fast as the rest of the fiction market.

In the past, the genre’s commercial value was widely accepted - romance books have always been big sellers. But now, its literary merit is being recognized, too.

So this Valentine’s Day, there’s more reason than ever to find love in a stack of books. And we won’t leave you hunting.

GUESTS:

Charlie Hunts, owner of Charlie’s Queer Books in Seattle
Ren Rice, owner of The Romance Era Bookstore in Vancouver, WA
Jenna Zarzycki, a librarian with the King County Library System

RELATED LINKS:

NPR producer shares her pick of romance novels from our annual Books We Love list — KUOW
A surprising genre of romance novels is gaining popularity — KUOW
The Romance Era Bookshop
Charlie’s Queer Books

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Local author David B. Williams’ Seattle Walks: Discovering History and Nature in the City leads readers through loops and one-way strolls, traversing terrain ranging pockets of downtown, to North and West Seattle.

Each walk tells a story, exploring how Seattle came to be the city it is today through both big and small details. But in the years since it was first published in 2017, the city has changed -- in more ways than one. Williams wanted his walks to reflect the history of that change too.

A new edition of Seattle Walks releases today with routes both new and familiar. To understand the changes in the book and on the ground, Soundside host Libby Denkmann joined Williams on one of his newly designed walks – a stroll through Seattle's Central District.

Guests:

David B. Williams, author of Seattle Walks: Discovering History and Nature in the City.

Related Links:

Seattle Walks

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The Trump Administration’s moves to downsize the federal workforce and reshape agencies around the president’s “America First” agenda are repeatedly running into stop signs as challenges to these policies hit the courts.

But at least one federal judge says it’s not playing out that way in the case he’s overseeing – the Administration is not fully complying with his temporary restraining order to stop the freeze on federal grants.

It sets up a standoff between two branches of government.

Meanwhile, the third branch of government is gearing up for a fight.

Guest:

Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal is a Democrat who represents Washington’s 7th District, including Seattle and surrounding areas from Shoreline to Burien.

Related Links:

White House Failed to Comply With Court Order, Judge Rules - New York Times

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For years, Grant County sat on enough clean hydroelectricity to power more than a million homes. Then came the tech companies, interested in the cheap and plentiful electricity. They built data centers all over rural Washington to help fuel the modern internet.

The data centers use so much energythat in the next few years, Washington state could struggle to keep up with local electricity needs.

Washington’s new governor, Bob Ferguson, has taken notice.

Last week, he signed an executive order to evaluate data centers’ impact on energy use, state tax revenue, and job creation.

The executive order follows a Seattle Times and ProPublica investigation into the impacts of the state’s power-guzzling data center industry.

The report looked into the sustainability of data centers, the jobs surrounding them, and a controversial tax incentive that helps them proliferate.

Guests:

Seattle Times investigative reporters Sydney Brownstone and Lulu Ramadan

Related Links:

WA governor orders team to study data centers’ energy, tax, jobs impact - The Seattle Times
Data centers guzzle power, threatening WA’s clean energy push - The Seattle Times
Gov. Bob Ferguson’s Executive Order - WA.gov

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A growing body of research shows that cell phones inhibit learning and distract students in class. But should they be banned in schools? It’s a question that districts across Washington state are struggling with.

Last year State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal issued guidance that basically said… yes. It encouraged districts statewide to adopt policies that would restrict cell phone use by students.

But many districts have yet to adopt these kinds of uniform restrictions, leaving parents, students and teachers in the dark about how this issue will be handled. We speak with some of the lawmakers tangling with this and physician and documentarian who thinks this is a crisis we need to face head on.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests: State Rep. Stephanie McClintock, State Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos, Dr. Delaney Ruston

Relevant Links:

WA bill would limit cellphone use in schools

Banned from school? Teens picture life without cellphones

Screenagers documentary series

Away For The Day

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Mark Solomon might be a new name to you. But it’s time to get to know him if you live in Seattle. Because last month, he was appointed to fill the District 2 seat on the City Council.

He’s taking over from Tammy Morales, who stepped down in January - two years before the end of her term.

After five rounds of voting, Solomon beat out six other finalists for the seat. He will now represent an area spanning from the Chinatown-International District to Rainier Beach.

Solomon has said that he won’t run for the District 2 position in this November’s election.

So - why did he apply for this position? And what does he plan to do during his relatively short time in office?

Guest:Interim District Two city Councilmember Mark Solomon

Related Links:

Seattle City Council taps SPD crime prevention coordinator to fill District 2 seat - KUOW

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Residents of Altadena, California are facing difficult choices in the wake of the devastating Eaton fire, which started just over a month ago in the foothills northeast of Los Angeles.

Rebuild, or sell their properties to developers and leave the neighborhood?

Angela King is KUOW’s host of Morning Edition, and she grew up in Altadena..

She recently took a trip back to her hometown to take stock of the wildfire damage – and document the resiliency of the community.

Check out Angela's full story here.

GUEST: Angela King

RELATED LINKS:

Love letter from Altadena: KUOW host revisits hometown in wake of LA fires
Grammy-nominated singer Aloe Blacc performs at event encouraging Eaton Fire victims not to sell - CBS Los Angeles
First Altadena property with home destroyed by Eaton Fire hits market, sells within days - CBS Los Angeles
Stevie Wonder “Smile Please”

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For over 50 years, the little theater at the corner of 50th & University Way has been showing movies to passionate filmgoers.

And in that span, it’s changed owners, it was renamed, and for the past 20 years, has been the longest running completely volunteer run cinema in the country.

But like all good things, the Grand Illusion’s time at its current location has come to an end.

The owners announced back in 2023 that the site was for sale, and that they would not be extending the Grand Illusion’s lease beyond January 31st, 2025.

But that didn’t deter either the volunteers OR patrons from selling out the final week of screenings, with some intrepid fans waiting in the rain for HOURS before the final screening of 1985’s RE-ANIMATOR on 35mm.

And this isn’t the END of the Grand Illusion - the staff have been working hard to find a new location here in the U-District, and they’ve got a few events scheduled in partnership with the Northwest Film Forum and Central Cinema.

Soundside Producer Jason Burrows headed down the street to the Grand Illusion to find out how folks were feeling about the closing of this particular chapter of the storied theater’s history…

GUESTS:

Brian Alter - Executive Director
Richard Gilbert - General Manager
Spencer Sundell - Lead Projectionist
Trevor Brandt - Lead Programmer

RELATED LINKS:

The Grand Illusion is Moving
Seattle’s Grand Illusion Cinema closing this winter, hopes to relocate - Seattle Times
Seattle's Grand Illusion Cinema, indie film buff favorite, faces uncertain future following $2.3 million sale - KUOW
Grand Illusion Cinema (@gicinema) • Instagram

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He just may be the most celebrated travel writer and show host of our time.

When he’s not touring the hidden gems of Europe, Rick Steves spends a lot of his days in Edmonds, his hometown since he was 12. Did you know he was in the Husky marching band in college?

Steves may not have known back then that he would dedicate his life to travel writing, but there were hints. One was a journal he kept when he made a life changing trip in his 20’s. That journal has become a new book titled “On the Hippie Trail: Istanbul to Kathmandu and the Making of a Travel Writer.” And it came out this week.

We’ve asked the travel guru, philanthropist and social activist to join us to discuss his career, his new book, and his view of geopolitics.

GUEST: Rick Steves

RELATED LINKS:

Istanbul to India by Bus
The Rick Steves guide to life - Washington Post

Book Tour Events:

Feb. 24 at Village Books in Bellingham
Feb. 25 at Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park
Feb. 26 at Town Hall Seattle

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U.S. foreign aid is in the crosshairs of the Trump administration. Workers at USAID woke up on Wednesday to an order putting nearly all personnel of the foreign assistance agency on administrative leave starting Friday.

This follows a day-one executive order by the President to “reevaluate” foreign aid the United States sends so that it aligns with his “America First” agenda.

Within the week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio put a stop-work order on all foreign aid. That was later amended to exempt “life-saving” assistance like food and medicine, but employees and contractors say it isn’t clear which programs qualify for waivers.

It’s left organizations that provide services like HIV treatment, famine relief, and landmine removals scrambling to make sense of what comes next.

However, there are vocal critics of the new administration’s foreign aid policy. Democratic lawmakers rallied at USAID headquarters on Tuesday and are questioning the legality of the plan.

Guest:
Congressman Adam Smith of Washington’s 9th District and ranking member on the House Armed Services Committee.

Related links:
Landmine removal group pauses work after foreign aid freeze

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After just a few years on the market, a new wave of GLP-1 drugs approved for weight loss have upended what we know about obesity.

By now, these are household names: Mounjaro. Wegovy. Zepbound… and yes, Ozempic.

A Kaiser Family Foundation poll found that one in 8 American adults reported trying a GLP-1 medication. “Body by Ozempic” has become a punchline on red carpets.

Doctors and regulators have a strong body of evidence that GLP-1 drugs are remarkably effective at promoting weight loss and controlling diabetes.

But new research looking at millions of patients in the VA medical system has suggested they may have surprising effects on a range of other medical conditions – from cognitive diseases like Alzheimer’s to substance use disorder. The new data also found possible side effects that were not previously known.

Soundside spoke with Dr. David Cummings, professor of medicine in the Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition at the University of Washington, about recent data dives into the widespread use of GLP-1 medications, and what those studies tell us about how we can rethink obesity.

Guests:

Dr. David Cummings, professor of medicine in the Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition at the University of Washington.

Related Links:

Sweeping review suggests weight-loss drugs’ effect on 175 conditions - The Washington Post
End of the Line for BMI? Experts Propose New Obesity Definition - Newsweek
Most people quit Ozempic within one year. Here's why.

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On Tuesday the Senate Finance Committee voted to move forward with Robert F Kennedy Jr.’s nomination for Secretary of Health and Human Services.

His nomination now heads to the Senate floor, where he’s expected to be confirmed.

As the secretary of the HHS, Kennedy would have oversight over 11 agencies including the FDA, the CDC and the National Institutes of Health.

Kennedy has come under fire from both Democrats and Republicans for some of his controversial beliefs – the most contentious being his extensive history of anti-vaccine work and rhetoric.

Kennedy has in particular focused on Gardasil, the HPV vaccine. A lawyer by trade, he has helped facilitate hundreds of potential lawsuits aimed at pharmaceutical company Merck, which manufactures the drug.

The vaccine is nearly 100% effective against cancers caused by the human papillomavirus – most notably cervical cancer.

Kennedy has criticized the vaccine, calling it ‘dangerous and defective’ and claiming it can ‘increase the risk of cervical cancer.’

Guest:

Dr. Linda Eckert, a professor in the University of Washington School of Medicine, Women's Health Division of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. A leading expert in cervical cancer prevention, she's written a new book titled ENOUGH: Because We Can Stop Cervical Cancer.

Relevant Links:

NYT: Committee Sends R.F.K. Jr.’s Health Secretary Nomination to Full Senate

Associated Press: RFK Jr. kept asking to see the science that vaccines were safe. After he saw it, he dismissed it

BBC: Fact-checking RFK Jr's views on health policy

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The United States is drastically retooling its foreign aid to meet a new presidential administration's “America First” goals.

The State Department will reportedly absorb the foreign aid agency USAID, which is also a target of Elon Musk’s government efficiency agency, DOGE. Democrats say this move by the Trump Administration is illegal and unconstitutional and congress would need to act to make major changes to the agency.

This is only the latest in a series of steps to claw back money Congress has approved to fund agencies helping people outside America’s borders.

Money for a diverse set of causes like HIV prevention, anti-narcotics training, and famine relief immediately stopped flowing after a stop work order was issued by the State Department.

Some of that work has since resumed after a temporary waiver was granted for life saving medical treatment, shelter and food assistance – but the abrupt shutdown had already disrupted many aid organizations ability to pay staff and continue operations.

And the stop work order is still in effect for most organizations, including here in the Pacific Northwest.

Guest:

Crystal Oswald-Herold, program director at PeaceTrees Vietnam

Relevant Links:

NYT: U.S. Halt to Foreign Aid Cripples Programs Worldwide

WaPo: Trump moves to wrest control of USAID as Musk says, ‘We’re shutting it down’

Slate: Why It’s A Huge Deal That Trump Is Trying to Shut Down USAID

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The threat of a trade war against the United States' nearest neighbors is off for now.

Last week President Donald Trump said he was placing a 25% tariff on goods from North American trading partners Mexico and Canada.

In an executive order, Trump said he was using the United States’ economic leverage to push the countries into better border enforcement. He also said he was seeking to balance out a trade deficit. The announcement led to widespread anxiety and confusion across US borders.

However, yesterday we learned that tariffs on Mexico have been paused for a month after negotiations with Mexico’s president Claudia Sheinbaum, who activated 10,000 national guard members to the US border on Monday.

In a last minute deal, Canada also announced their U.S. tariffs were pausing for 30 days after outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced he was appointing a “fentanyl czar” to tackle drug trafficking.

The saga has rankled the historic friendship between the two countries—one with which Washington has deep ties.

Guests:

Laurie Trautman, director of the Border Policy Research Institute with Western Washington University based in Bellingham
Joshua McNichols is a reporter here at KUOW and the co-host of “Booming,” a podcast about the local economy

Related Links:

Booming - An economy podcast from a city that (almost) never stops growing

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When Brian Niccol took the helm as CEO of Starbucks last fall, his mandate was to reverse a decline in customer traffic.

He’s been rolling out changes in recent weeks. Niccol announced last month that the coffee chain would be reversing its open-door policy as part of something called the “Coffee House Code of Conduct.”

That means no more sitting on the coffee house WiFi or squatting at a table without purchasing something. And yes, this will include use of the company’s restrooms (just about the only ones you reliably find on nearly every corner.)

Niccol took the reins of the company last fall amid lagging foot traffic, and the code of conduct is just one of the changes aiming to right the company’s wobbling ship.

To discuss the changes and their impact on Starbucks' business, Soundside was joined by Julie Creswell, business reporter for the New York Times, where she covers the food industry.

Guests:

Julie Creswell, business reporter for the New York Times, where she covers the food industry.

Related Links:

Starbucks Reports Weak Earnings as It Tries to Woo Back Customers - The New York Times
Starbucks announces several changes, including plans to cut some menu items
Starbucks reverses its open-door policy | AP News

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In his storied career, Paul Tazewell has dressed American revolutionaries, a scarecrow and a tinman, and witches with a penchant for pink and green. It’s hard to list all the projects the award-winning costume designer has been responsible for on Broadway, but here’s a sample: Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk, The Color Purple musical, In The Heights, and Hamilton, for which he won a Tony.

On screen, he won an Emmy for his work on The Wiz! Live. Tazewell has two Oscar nominations: One for 2021’s West Side Story and most recently for Wicked, Part 1. His relationship with Seattle goes back to the early 2000s – the tutus he created for Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Swan Lake are still in use today.

And Tazewell is back in town with a new PNB collaboration. He’s created the lavish costumes – from ballgowns and dinner jackets to tutus – for the company’s new production of The Sleeping Beauty.

Guest:

Paul Tazewell, costume designer for PNB's The Sleeping Beauty

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Shon Barnes stepped into the role last week, officially taking the reins from interim Chief Sue Rahr.

Barnes was previously the Chief of Police in Madison, Wisconsin. You may have seen him on the news late last year, when a shooting at the Abundant Life Christian School in Madison thrust the community, and its police department, into the spotlight.

In Madison, Barnes was known for his advocacy for community policing, and body cameras.

Now, Barnes will be leading in a city with a population almost three times as large as Madison. What are his goals for the city of Seattle?

Guest:

Shon Barnes, new Seattle Police Chief

Relevant Links:

"I feel like a foster parent." Outgoing chief Sue Rahr on hiring, leadership, and sexism at SPD - KUOW

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For decades, the Hanford Site in central Washington produced plutonium for the United States’ nuclear arsenal. But since its operations were shuttered, starting in the 1960s, the site has become an ongoing headache for regulators in charge of cleaning up its radioactive waste.

Today, there are 177 underground storage tanks housing 56 million gallons of the country’s most toxic radioactive waste at Hanford. It’s expected to cost billions of dollars over the next several decades to completely dispose of it.

However, Project 2025 – a political initiative authored by a think tank called the Heritage Foundation – could change the current plan for Hanford, and its waste.

Project 2025 is a political initiative considered to be a policy blueprint for the Trump administration, though President Trump ended up distancing himself from some of its policies during the height of its attention during his campaign last year.

Since being elected, however, he’s also brought on some of the project’s architects for cabinet nominees. That includes Russell Vought, who authored a chapter of Project 2025 and is going through confirmation hearings to lead the Office of Management and Budget. While not yet confirmed, Vote’s been credited as the architect of the federal funding freeze that sent many federal agencies into chaos this week.

Soundside was joined by reporters Anna King and Jeanie Lindsay to discuss the project's strategy for dealing with Hanford's waste, and if Project 2025 has any bearing on President Trump's second term in office.

Guests:

Anna King, senior correspondent for Northwest Public Broadcasting based in Richland.
Jeanie Lindsay, KUOW's state government reporter based in Olympia.

Related Links:

KUOW - Project 2025 and Hanford: What Trump’s second term could mean for WA’s toxic sludge
Washington state, federal agencies finalize agreement for tank waste cleanup at Hanford - Northwest Public Broadcasting

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The weekend is tantalizingly close to being a reality, only a FEW hours away... So, why not get started making plans RIGHT NOW!?

Fortunately, Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows is here as usual to give you a sneak peek at what's happening around town!

LINKS:

5th Annual Fremont Soupocalypse - Thursday through Sunday
Fatlesque Fest NW - Thursday through Saturday at the Triple Door
Strange Brewfest - Friday & Saturday in Port Townsend
Puppy Prov - Saturday at Comedy Sportz
The Gits Seattle Record Release Party - Saturday at Seattle Center

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Sue Rahr’s tenure as Seattle’s Chief of Police is coming to an end.

The interim chief took over the office during a rocky moment for SPD: she inherited a police officer staffing crisis and a workplace where senior staff had filed legal complaints over their treatment, alleging discrimination and sexism on the job .

Rahr’s appointment to the position happened the same week, last June, as a deadly school shooting at Garfield High, setting off a series of discussions about public safety at schools, and in the Central District.

And she was also in the awkward position of taking over the department from a chief who was initially demoted, and then fired for not being truthful about his alleged affair with a subordinate.

It’s been an eventful almost 8 months.

Chief Rahr sat down with Soundside host Libby Denkmann to discuss what’s changed during her time in leadership, and what still needs to happen at SPD.

Guest:

Outgoing Seattle Police Chief Sue Rahr

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Happy Lunar New Year!

Today marks the beginning of the Year of the Snake.

And it’s an extra special Lunar New Year in Washington, because this year, for the first time, it’s a state holiday.

Festivities have already been happening in many places, but the festival officially goes for the next 15 days, with celebrations all over the state.

For Chinese and other Asian cultures, a critical part of these celebrations is lion dancing.

Soundside went to 51-year-old lion dancing school Mak Fai Dragon and Lion Dancing Association in Seattle to visit dancers preparing for their busy season.

Guests:

Han Eckleberg, Mak Fai member (lion dancing and kung fu)

Martin Leu, Mak Fai member (lion tail player)

Related Links:

Seattle Lion Dance | Mak Fai

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Journalists are struggling to keep up with the breakneck pace of major policy decisions coming out of the White House.

At Soundside, we have to prioritize how our team approaches the firehose of news. And for the past week we’ve been asking you, the audience, to give us feedback about how you want the show to handle covering the Trump Administration 2.0.

And boy, did you deliver. We’ve been flooded with calls and emails.

Requests ranged from completely skipping coverage, to reporting in moderation, to a mandate to keep our heads down and do the coverage, no matter how tough it is. Soundside has been taking all of your feedback into consideration.

It’s safe to say, most newsrooms are working to figure out how to cover the President. To get the local view we spoke to KUOW News Director Jason Pagano, and to get a look at the national scene, we sat down with Washington Post reporter Jeremy Barr.

GUESTS:

KUOW News Director Jason Pagano
Washington Post media reporter Jeremy Barr

RELATED LINKS:

How our local newsroom plans to cover the second Trump administration - KUOW
How should the news industry cover Trump? Ten top journalists weigh in. - The Washington Post

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Most of President Trump’s closest allies appear to be cheering on his major changes to immigration policy – which have been numerous.

These include executive orders suspending America’s refugee resettlement program, ramping up and expediting deportations, halting asylum claims and canceling existing appointments, and more.

But one program has exposed a major rift in MAGA world over the role of foreign workers, especially in tech: H-1B visas.

Trump’s inner circle is feuding over the future of the visas, which let companies hire foreign workers with hard-to-find skills, granting them temporary permission to live and work in the U.S.

There were more than 470,000 applications entered for 85,000 spots in the latest H-1B visa lottery. The battle has been heated and sometimes downright nasty. Elon Musk and similar tech moguls say the visas are vital to fostering innovation. Meanwhile, Steve Bannon and other right-wing influencers argue H-1Bs lets companies replace American workers with cheaper foreign labor.

All of this has led to a lot of questions about the future of the program during the second term of a president who once took steps to restrict H-1B visas -- but now says he has “always liked” them.

That’s got big resonance here in the Puget Sound region, where some of the companies with the most approved H-1B petitions are located.

To discuss the climate around H-1B visas, Soundside was joined by Jerry Lopez, CTO of Noise Figure Research, a Renton-based tech company; Andrew Kreighbaum, immigration reporter at Bloomberg Law; and Tahmina Watson, an immigration lawyer with Watson Immigration Law.

Guests:

Jerry Lopez, CTO of Noise Figure Research, a Renton-based tech company
Andrew Kreighbaum, immigration reporter at Bloomberg Law
Tahmina Watson, immigration lawyer with Watson Immigration Law

Related Links:

Why Trump’s Inner Circle Is So Divided on H-1B Visas: QuickTake
H-1B Workers' Kids Would Lose Citizenship Under Birthright Order
H-1B visas power the tech industry. But experts say that's not necessarily because of a talent gap. - CBS News
H1-B visas hurt one type of worker and exploit another. This mess must be fixed » Senator Bernie Sanders

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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In 2023, Seattle City Council waded into controversy by passing a long overdue tree protection ordinance. The law regulates whether homeowners can remove trees on their property and designates certain trees as “protected.”

This is all amidst a city goal to increase tree canopy. But that “protected” label is often misleading, according to a new story out in InvestigateWest about how the city is counting its trees.

Guest:

Robert McClure, co-founder of InvestigateWest

Relevant Links:

InvestigateWest: Seattle claims to ‘protect’ hundreds of trees that were never threatened

InvestigateWest: How developers helped shape Seattle’s controversial tree protection ordinance

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Former Auburn police officer Jeffrey Nelson has been sentenced to 16 years and 8 months in prison.

The decision was handed down Thursday, after Nelson was convicted of second-degree murder and first-degree assault for the killing of 26 year old Jesse Sarey.

And this represents a milestone: Nelson is the first Washington police officer to be charged and convicted for the use of deadly force while on duty since the passage of the law enforcement reform ballot measure, Initiative 940.

Guest:

Amy Radil, KUOW reporter covering politics, government, and law enforcement

Relevant Links:

Ex-Auburn cop gets nearly 17 years in prison for 2019 murder of Jesse Sarey - KUOW
Auburn police officer’s murder trial tests new state law for police misconduct - KUOW

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What does it take to run a thriving business in Washington?

Lately, for a number of business owners around the Sound , the answer seems to be “too much.”

January has seen the closure of a number of long time Black owned businesses in the Seattle area – including Jackson’s Catfish Corner and Flowers Just-4-U in Seattle’s Central District, Plum Bistro in Capitol Hill, La Familia in Des Moines, and Nate Jackson’s Super Funny Comedy Club in Tacoma.

When faced with a rising number of Black-owned businesses saying “we can’t do this anymore” Converge Media didn’t just stand by. They launched a campaign to turn things around.

This month, the local media organization announced a push to support Black businesses across the Sound.

Converge Media's Besa Gordan tells us about the effort and the struggles she's hearing from Black business owners.

Guest:

Besa Gordon, the host of Back2Besa on Fox13 and FOX Soul/Personality and Digital Manager with Converge Media

Related Links:

Support Black Businesses - Converge Media

Flora & Fauna: A Pioneer Square Gem Struggles Amidst Economic Downturn

Ashanti Mayfield and Creamy Cone Cafe at a Crossroads

Besa's recs:

Intentionalist Buy Black Card
Umami Kushi - Yuzu Kosho | Curry Bread | Seattle Yakitori
Flora + Fauna
Moe Vegan Seattle Best 100% Vegan Soul Food
Fat's Chicken and Waffles | Southern Food | Seattle, WA, USA

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Washington lawmakers are once again considering legislation to cap rent increases across the state. This year’s iteration would limit rent hikes to 7 percent over a 12 month period – with exemptions like new construction.

A similar bill was introduced last year, it died in committee in the senate. Since then, a couple of those “no” votes have left office. And supporters say that this year is the time to finally pass a rent increase cap into law. But Republicans and trade groups argue that this legislation would deter construction and make the housing shortage worse.

Guests:

Senator Emily Alvarado, represents Washington's 34th Legislative District and introduced the rent stabilization bill (HB 1217)

Greg Cerbana, vice president of public relations and government affairs at Weidner Apartment Homes and volunteer with the Washington Multi-Family Housing Association

Relevant Links:

Axios: Washington Legislature weighs limiting rent increases

Washington State Standard: Washington lawmakers revive plan for state cap on rent increases

Seattle Times: Bill to cap WA rent increases passes first House hurdle

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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The week isn’t over, but I know a lot of us are wishing it were. Well, if we’re so focused on the weekend, why not get an early start making plans?

Fortunately, Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows is here to give us an early look at what’s happening around town.

LINKS:

For Your Consideration - SIFF Cinema Downtown
Napoleon Dynamite Live - Spokane
Bellingham Folk Festival
The Disabled List 3rd Annual Comedy Festival
Lunar New Year Celebration at The Bellevue Collection
Lunar New Year Celebration at Westlake Park
Têt in Seattle – Vietnamese Lunar New Year

OTHER EVENTS NOT MENTIONED:

Harlem Globetrotters 2025 World Tour
Miss Behaved True Tales Of Women Behaving Badly And Living Boldly
Dungeons & Drag Queens at The Crocodile

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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According to recent government reporting, Native Americans have medical debt that is double the national average.

That’s despite the fact that the federal government is under a legal and moral obligation to provide healthcare to registered members of federally recognized tribes.

In many cases, the debt stems from medical care the Indian Health Service was unable to provide but was supposed to pay for when members sought care elsewhere.

The resulting debt damages credit scores and adds to health disparities that impact many indigenous communities, including high costs and poor access to care.

Indigenous Affairs reporter Melanie Henshaw has been covering problems with healthcare access for InvestigateWest and joins Libby to share her reporting.

Guest:

Melanie Henshaw, InvestigateWest Indigenous Affairs Reporter

Relevant Links:

Native Americans face double the average medical debt, report finds — often for bills that aren’t their responsibility | InvestigateWest

Colville tribal citizens left on the hook when Indian Health Service doesn’t pay medical bills | InvestigateWest

Report lays bare stark disparities in health care outcomes for Native Americans in Washington | InvestigateWest

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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The new documentary, Resident Orca, brings viewers inside the very personal work of Tribal elder Squil-le-he-le Raynell Morris and her allies as they fight for Sk'aliCh'ehl-tenaut's, also known as Tokitae, release.

In recent years, people of the Lummi Nation tried to secure the return of the orca to her home waters, the Salish Sea. They consider her a family member.

Sk'aliCh'ehl-tenaut's story gained national attention as efforts to get her home ramped up. And you may be familiar with the sad ending to her life – but you’ve never seen Sk'aliCh'ehl-tenaut's story like this. The movie will play at Pickford Film Center on Saturday January 25.

Guest:

Squil-le-he-le Raynell Morris, Tribal Elder with the Lummi Nation

Sarah Sharkey Pierce, co-director of Resident Orca

Simon Schneider, co-director and cinematographer of Resident Orca

Relevant Links:

Resident Orca website

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At this hour, TikTok is once again available to its millions of U.S. users – brought back to life, for at least 75 days, by the President who once tried to kill it.

It’s been a long and confusing road to get here.

Congress passed a law last April to force TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to sell the social media app or face a ban in the U.S.. On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously upheld that ban, which was set to go into effect on Sunday.

TikTok then went dark on Saturday, when users were greeted with a message that read: “Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now.”

Shortly afterwards, a hopeful update appeared in that popup message:
“We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office.”

The app was back in service Sunday, after about 14 hours offline for U.S. users.

President Trump sealed a reprieve for TikTok with the stroke of his Sharpie on Monday, signing an executive order delaying the enforcement of the federal ban for 75 days.

It’s just another stop on the long road toward a potential all-out ban of the Chinese-owned app for U.S. users -- and the President’s latest actions raise a host of political, legal and cultural questions.

Soundside was joined by a panel of experts to break down what's next.

Guests:

Ben Brody, a technology reporter for Punchbowl News based in D.C.
Jessica Maddox, associate professor of digital media at the University of Alabama.
Joseph Tomain, senior lecturer at Indiana University Bloomington.

Related Links:

TikTok Starts Working Again After Trump Says He Will Stall a Ban - The New York Times
KUOW - As Congress pushes potential TikTok ban forward, users wonder what happens next
Supreme Court upholds TikTok ban, threatening app’s existence in the U.S. : NPR

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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The state supreme court is right now weighing the future of high-capacity gun magazine sales in Washington. Last week, the court heard arguments in Washington v. Gator’s Custom Guns. At issue is whether a 2022 law banning magazines with more than 10 rounds is constitutional. Complicating the matter is a recent U.S. Supreme Court cases that sets out a new originalist rule for restrictions on guns.

Guest:

Jake Goldstein Street, reporter at the Washington State Standard

Relevant Links:

Washington State Standard: State and gun shop clash at WA Supreme Court over high-capacity magazine ban

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Twenty-four hours after returning to office, the Trump administration is already facing its first lawsuit from Washington state.

State Attorney General Nick Brown says he has filed a challenge to President Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship for the children of unauthorized immigrants.

It was one of dozens of orders President Trump signed during his first day back in the big chair, ranging from renaming a mountain, to pulling the U.S. out of the Paris climate agreement.

Guest:

KUOW politics reporter and Sound Politics co-host Scott Greenstone

Relevant Links:

Washington state AG sues Trump administration over order to end birthright citizenship - KUOW
Trump to make historic move towards revoking birthright citizenship - KUOW
WA Proud Boy Ethan Nordean has 18-year sentence commuted by Trump - KUOW

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The University of Washington'sCoastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team, or COASST, is a network of nearly a thousand volunteers who walk beaches in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and California. Those citizen scientists are counting dead birds and their work has been critical to understanding the effects of warming ocean waters on the marine ecosystem.

Guests:

Julia Parrish, Associate Dean at the University of Washington's College for the Environment and founder of COASST

Carl Haynie, COASST volunteer

Relevant Links:

COASST Website

Science: ‘Blob’ heat wave killed millions of seabirds—and they haven’t bounced back

New York Times: Ocean Heat Wiped Out Half These Seabirds Around Alaska

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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This month marks 10 years since the Kalakala was removed from the shores of Tacoma and demolished.

The ferry, which looked a little like if the Titanic was mixed with a spaceship, was once the symbol of Seattle - a shiny, chrome vision of the future.

While the Kalakala is gone, it’s far from forgotten.

There’s even a song that follows the journey of the Kalakala: from its creation to its eventual demise.

And the story of the song itself is filled with twists and turns.

We sat down with the people behind this song to hear why they’ve spent years dedicated to remembering the Kalakala

Guests:

Jack Broom, former Seattle Times reporter
Jon Pontrello, Seattle musician

Relevant Links:

Roll On Kalakala and Other Seaworthy Tunes Album Release Show - The Rabbit Box
Jon Pontrello - Roll On Kalakala (Lyrics by Jack Broom)
Roll On, Kalakala, Roll On - The Seattle Times

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As we prepare for the holiday weekend, some folks are heading out of town, while others are looking locally for ways to celebrate the life & legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr…

Producers Jason Megatron Burrows & Brooklyn Jamerson-Flowers are here with an early look at what's happening this weekend!

LINKS:

Monster Jam - Tacoma Dome - Tacoma, Fri-Sun
Seattle Sister Cities Soup Sampling - Capitol Hill, Saturday
The Aluminum Show - Olympia, Sunday
NAAM | Annual Martin Luther King Day Celebration 2024
Seattle MLK, Jr. Coalition MLK Day 2025
Painting the Town Red: A MLK Day Tribute to Billie Holiday at The Royal Room

Other events we couldn't get to:

MLK Celebration: With Liberty & Justice, For Whom? - Bainbridge Island Museum of Art - Bainbridge Island, Sunday
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration - Washington State Historical Society
Celebrating Dr. King’s Legacy | United Way of King County
An Evening Honoring Dr. King’s Legacy - Olympia, Friday

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The game “Pacific Drive” came out last year from Seattle-based Ironwood Studios, and it made a BIG splash for the company.

So much so that Hollywood is taking notice: “Saw” creator James Wan’s production company announced last month it has optioned Pacific Drive to develop it into a television series.

The Pacific Northwest is home to some major power players in the videogame industry. But this is a big win for an indie game studio.

The game pays homage to the our region, with a setting that feels familiar: the Olympic Peninsula, in 1998. Albeit an alternate timeline, extra creepy version of the peninsula.

We wanted to learn more about the role of the Pacific Northwest in the game’s creation, and what success means for this local independent company.

GUEST: Cassandra Dracott - CEO & Creative Director of Ironwood Studios, the team behind the game Pacific Drive.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

RELATED LINKS:

Pacific Drive
‘Pacific Drive’ TV Series Based on Indie Survival Game in the Works From James Wan - Variety
‘Pacific Drive’ takes players on supernatural adventure in the Pacific Northwest - OPB
The Pacific Northwest in video games: It’s always weird | Polygon

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For over a week now, Los Angeles has been devastated by aggressive wildfire that are expected to be the most costly in California’s history.

While many have already seen their communities burned, we won’t know the full extent of the damage for weeks.

Already, thousands of families are wondering how they are going to recover and rebuild.

Central to that question is how much of the costs insurance will cover.

And it comes as California is going through a home and renter’s insurance crisis.

Guest Levi Sumagaysay has been covering California’s economy and its insurance market for CalMatters breaks down the crisis and some potential solutions.

Guest:

Levi Sumagaysay, CalMatter Economy Reporter

Relevant Links:

LA fires could worsen California’s stressed insurance market

Can California fix its home insurance market? - CalMatters

California fire insurance: FAIR Plan going through growing pains - CalMatters

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It’s as American as Apple Pie:

You come home from the hospital - maybe it was an accidental slice with your kitchen knife, or maybe something more serious. And as you recover… you wait. For thousands of dollars in medical bills.

It’s a problem that radio reporter Dan Weissman had long been familiar with, due to a pre-existing condition.

Learning how to navigate the arcane system behind those bills has become a full time gig for Weissman. He’s the host of An Arm and a Leg, a podcast exploring why healthcare costs so damn much.

The show has been running since 2018, and starting this Thursday we’re very excited to welcome it to the KUOW family of podcasts.

Guest:

Dan Weissman, host of An Arm and A Leg

Relevant Links:

An Arm and a Leg website

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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This past election, voters in Everett approved an initiative (24-03) that granted the Snohomish Riverwatershed legally enforceable "rights."

24-03 is part of a broader legal trend called the “rights of nature" movement, an environmental legal theory gaining traction around the world in places like Ecuador, India, and Australia.

Here in the United States, communities in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida have tried giving some bodies of water these extended legal designations -- like the right to exist, right to flow, and right to regenerate and flourish -- which proponents say add a layer of protections not covered by regulations. 24-03 passed with 57 percent of the vote.

The success of these efforts, however, has been watered down and challenged by courts and legislatures over issues of jurisdiction and scope -- issues voiced by skeptics of the initiative this past election.

Soundside visited Everett to talk with proponents and opponents about what these new rights could mean for the Snohomish River now that they've been approved by voters. Additionally, Soundside spoke with a global expert in river rights and policy about how this legal theory works, and where Everett's initiative fits within the broader global movement for environmental personhood.

Guests:

Holly James and Abi Ludwig, Standing for Washington, a political action committee advocating for the legal rights of nature in Washington.
David Toyer, Toyer Strategic Advisors, a land use and economic development consulting firm in Everett.
Dr. Erin O'Donnell, a world-renowned expert in water policy and law. She’s a Senior Lecturer and ARC Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne Law School in Australia.

Related links:

City in Washington Votes to Grant Local River Legally Enforceable Right to Exist
Initiative Text - Snohomish River Watershed Now Has Legal Rights

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The Seattle City Council is starting its year by taking on one of any city’s most controversial policy debates: growth.

The Comprehensive Plan is now in front of the council. It dictates where and how Seattle can grow over the next two decades.

Past comprehensive plans have concentrated growth in areas dubbed “Urban Villages” – places along major arterials, like Columbia City, Othello, Lake City, and Ballard. They largely kept neighborhoods with single family homes unchanged.

The current plan continues that legacy, but allows for more density in around 30 newly designated “neighborhood centers.” This comes as Seattle continues efforts to comply with a state law that mandates denser single family zoning.

Guest:

Councilmember Joy Hollingsworth, who represents Seattle's 3rd District

Relevant Links:

KUOW: How will Seattle's next comprehensive plan shape the city?

KUOW: Seattle's growth plan inches toward more housing, draft by draft

Seattle Times: Fault lines emerge as Seattle council takes up housing plan

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Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell is running for re-election in 2025.

He’s hoping to break the long running streak of single term mayors in Seattle like Mike McGinn, Ed Murray, and Jenny Durkin.

The election is still nearly a year away, and in the meantime, the mayor will finish the last year of his term addressing a long list of issues: public safety, the future of downtown, and the implementation of a new comprehensive plan.

The mayor sat down with Soundside host Libby Denkmann to discuss his plans for 2025.

Guest:

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell

Relevant links:

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell is running for re-election in 2025 - KUOW
Seattle’s next police chief: Mayor appoints Shon Barnes of Madison, Wisconsin to lead - KUOW

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Marijuana has been recreationally legal here in Washington since 2012, and it's become big business for the state.

Last year sales topped $1 billion, and the state earned hundreds of millions in taxes on marijuana.

As the drug’s popularity in the state has increased, so has its potency.

As this episode's guest would say, it’s not your dad’s weed.

Now, doctors are seeing more harmful, and sometimes fatal consequences from overuse of marijuana.

KUOW online editor and producer Stephen Howie has reported a deep dive on the subject and he’s here to explain how a new generation of weed is impacting a new generation of users.

Guest:

Stephen Howie, KUOW online editor/producer

Relevant link:

KUOW - Weed sick: High-potency cannabis leads to ER visits, illnesses for some users

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Our first week back after the holiday break has been jam-packed with all the news that’s fit to print… or read out loud into a microphone, whatever.

Now that the weekend is nearly here, it’s time to sail away & relax a little…

In that spirit, here’s our resident “Cruise Director,” Producer Jason Megatron Burrows live from the Lido Deck with everything exciting happening this weekend!

EVENTS:

Bridge to Bridge Fake Race at 14th Avenue NW Boat Ramp
Unicorns & Rainbows 5k at Green Lake Park
Crystal Mountain Takeover | Seattle Kraken
Tacoma Comedy Club | Pablo Francisco
Tacoma Comedy Club | Trae Crowder
Neptune Theater - Nate Jackson
PBR Spokane | Spokane Arena
Radiant Reflections: Celebrating the Beauty of the African Diaspora - Bainbridge Island Museum of Art
National Geographic LIVE: Diving the Great Barrier Reef | Benaroya Hall

As always, if you'd like to suggest an event for future installments of the Weekend Warmup, shoot us an email - SOUNDSIDE@KUOW.ORG

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Five people have died and thousands of homes have burned in wildfires sweeping across the Los Angeles area.

Five separate fires are burning in the county - the Palisades fire, Eaton fire, Hurst fire, Lidia and Sunset fires. The Palisades and Eaton Fires are some of the most destructive in the region’s history.

Local resources are stretched thin – but some help is on the way from Washington.

Dozens of engines and more than 100 firefighters from local agencies have committed to travel to help battle the blazes in L.A.

Many are already on their way.

Guests:

Ben Peeler, Assistant Chief for Clark Cowlitz Fire Rescue
Hilary Franz, Washington state's Public Lands Commissioner. She heads the Department of Natural Resources, which is also sending engines to Southern California

Relevant links:

What to know about thousands of evacuations and homes burned in Los Angeles area fires - AP

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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President Elect Donald Trump has promised mass deportations of undocumented immigrants on day one of his administration. Removing the approximately 11.7 million people living in the United States without authorization would take a massive operational effort -- and likely require cooperation from both state and local governments.

Right now, most Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests in the U.S. happen because of a hand off from local law enforcement. But that kind of cooperation is restricted in Washington state.

2019’s Keep Washington Working Act broadly limits state and local law enforcement from assisting with federal immigration proceedings. But Trump allies are already ramping up the pressure on local leaders in places like California and D.C. with similar sanctuary laws in place:

Stephen Miller’s America First Legal Foundation announced last month that it had identified hundreds of elected officials in sanctuary jurisdictions who it claimed could be held civilly liable for obstructing federal immigration enforcement.

As the new Trump Administration takes office, Washington state’s elected sheriffs will be among those officials feeling the squeeze between federal agencies, and state law.

Guest:

Steven Strachan, Executive Director of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs

Relevant Links:

WASPC Statement on local law enforcement involvement in immigration issues

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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As the Trump administration prepares to take office, a fight is brewing over the future of homelessness in America.

For about a decade now, the federal government has pushed a strategy called Housing First.

It's designed to get people off the streets and into permanent homes... even when they have serious problems with mental illness or substance use. Seattle was one of the earliest adopters of this approach, back in the nineties.

But, over the past few years, a growing chorus of critics — mostly on the political right — has questioned Housing First.

They want to go back to a time when efforts to fight homelessness focused more on getting people into treatment and having them "earn" access to subsidized housing by changing their behaviors.

Now some of those critics are about to come to power in the White House, like Vice President elect JD Vance.

You've probably heard of Project 2025. It's the conservative Heritage Foundation's plan for Trump's second term. It calls for an end to Housing First — a move that would upend the nation's homelessness strategy.

KUOW's Will James has covered homelessness for years. He wanted to know: What is at the heart of this backlash against Housing First?

And, with homelessness reaching record levels, do the critics have a point? Is it time to change course?

If so, where do we go from here?

Will spent months digging into these questions and brings us this original, freshly-reported documentary, which we're sharing with you for the first time today.

The story starts right here in Seattle... because this city is intertwined with the history of Housing First and now, the movement against it.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:
Will James, KUOW Audio Documentary Producer

Related Links:

KUOW - Lost Patients

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In an effort to curb gun crime, Tacoma announced last year that it was turning to a tool called ShotSpotter.

ShotSpotter is a form of Gun Detection Technology (GDT), which uses a series of acoustic microphone sensors to track loud bangs, booms, and pops in a designated area. Once those "dynamic events" are triggered, a human classifier verifies the sound was a gunshot and alerts local police. The entire process happens within 60 seconds or less.

The idea is that it’s a faster and more accurate way to alert police to gunshots, compared with relying on 911 calls. That, then, allows police to get to a more targeted crime scene sooner, and have more evidence to ideally solve the crime.

SoundThinking, the company that runs ShotSpotter, says the technology has been used in more than 180 cities globally.

However, the technology has been controversial in several large cities. Houston’s mayor called ShotSpotter a “gimmick” when he announced plans to scrap the city’s contract. After years of debate over its effectiveness, Chicago ended its use of Shotspotter in September.

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell advocated for years for using an acoustic gunshot detection technology in Seattle before backing off his plan to fund a pilot program last year.

Tacoma is moving forward with ShotSpotter, thanks to an $800,000 grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance. That grant will fund three different kinds of technology aimed at improving the city’s ability to investigate gun crimes. The police department is on the verge of piloting ShotSpotter in a two square mile area around Hosmer Street, in South Tacoma.

Tacoma Police told us the city's ShotSpotter rollout is now slated for Spring 2025.

But some in the city are concerned about the cost and accuracy of ShotSpotter, and say it might lead to greater police presence and surveillance in communities that have long suffered from over policing.

To learn more, Soundside spoke with a group of community advocates who've spoken against the technology at ShotSpotter information sessions in Tacoma; Alfred Lewers Jr., the Senior Director of Trauma Response and Community Engagement at SoundThinking; and Eric Piza, a professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Northeastern University in Boston who's studied the use of ShotSpotter in major cities like Chicago and Kansas City.

Guests:

Latasha Palmer, community advocate and board secretary of the Hilltop Action Coalition.
Bunchy Carter, minister of defense for the Black Panther Party in Tacoma.
Oneida Arnold, long term member of The Conversation 253, a Tacoma and South Sound community group.
Alfred Lewers Jr., senior director of trauma response and community engagement at SoundThinking, the company that oversees ShotSpotter.
Eric Piza, professor of criminology and criminal justice at Northeastern University in Boston.

Related links:

Tacoma residents voice concerns about gunshot detection pilot program during public forum | king5.com
ShotSpotter FAQs - City of Tacoma
I studied ShotSpotter in Chicago and Kansas City – here’s what people in Detroit and the more than 167 other cities and towns using this technology should know
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell shelves plans for ShotSpotter technology | The Seattle Times

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Amazon employees are back in the office five days a week, five years after Covid-19 shook up work as we know it; as the company’s so-called Return-To-Office policy took effect on Thursday, January 2nd.

Amazon is the largest private employer to roll back its pandemic-era work from home policy.

So, what will this mean for both employees AND local businesses in the hubs where Amazon resides?

Monica Nicklesburg tackled this question for KUOW as the resident Labor & Economy Reporter, she’s also the co-host of the KUOW podcast BOOMING, and she joined Soundside host Libby Denkmann to break down how those employees are feeling about this shift.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

RELATED LINK:

Culture-building or cost-cutting? Amazon's return-to-office order raises questions, fears

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It’s been five years since Covid 19 began spreading around the world from its origin in Wuhan, China. In that emergent time of the pandemic, there was widespread concern about clusters of the virus, in Italy, then Iran, then an outbreak at a nursing home in the Pacific Northwest. By March of 2020, an unprecedented international phenomenon took place: countries began closing their borders.

When the World Closed its Doors by Laurie Trautman and Edward Alden looks at how this international effort disrupted the lives of people who had grown reliant on movement between countries; from migrant workers to cross-border families.

Guest:

Laurie Trautman, Director of the Border Policy Research Institute at Western Washington University

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Washington lawmakers are facing an estimated $12 billion dollar budget deficit as they prepare to go back to work next week. How to cover that gap is the big story heading into the session.

Majority Democrats are already floating possibilities for new taxes to bridge the difference between spending and revenue. And while the budget is undoubtedly the biggest challenge – lawmakers are also expected to be tackling sticky issues like rent increase caps and education funding.

Guest:

Washington State Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen (WA 43 - Seattle)

Relevant Links:

KUOW: ‘A perfect storm’: Inside Washington’s massive budget gap

Washington State Standard: Making sense of Washington’s multi-billion dollar budget hole

Seattle Times: WA’s 2025 legislative session will feature new faces, big budget gap

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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2025 is officially here - and with that comes a whole lotta new: new resolutions, new goals, and a new page a day pull away calendar on your desk at work.

But even with all this new to look forward to - at least one thing will stay the same in 2025: we’ll be here to bring you the news coverage you rely on and trust every day.

Soundside reached out to the KUOW newsroom to ask reporters about the big stories they’ll cover this year.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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He’s no longer rolling up to Franklin High School in a blue Oldsmobile Super 88 with homemade white wall tires, or knocking out accounting tests on the University of Washington campus, but Kenny G is still in touch with his Seattle roots -- even after selling more than 75 million records worldwide.

The iconic sax-man played a run of sold-out shows at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley over the turn of the new year. In case you couldn’t make it to a show, the story of how Kenneth Gorelick of Seward Park became one of the best-selling instrumentalists of all time is chronicled in Kenny G’s new memoir, “Life in the Key of G.”

The book explores the craft of saxophone playing and the mind of a meticulous artist, always striving to improve. Readers also get some unexpected stories -- like how Kenny G once tried his best to get fired from Whitney Houston’s tour, or the time Elton John gave him a “pinch” of approval.

Soundside's Libby Denkmann caught up with Kenny from his LA studio ahead of his return to Jazz Alley.

Guests:

Kenny G

Related Links:

Kenny G

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Soundside will be off the air on Tuesday and Wednesday this week. We will be back with some fresh new stories Jan. 2.

For today, we’ve revisiting a mix of some of Soundside producer Alec Cowan's favorite segments from this past year, including his patrol with a pair Seattle's "real-life superheroes" and the musicians keeping jazz music alive in Seattle.

We also have one newstory for you, courtesy of producer Jason Megatron Burrows. 2024 was the 50th Anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons. Burrows explored how the game is staying up to date after 5 decades of gameplay, and its attempt to stay relevant in 2025.

Hear and read the original stories below.

Stories Featured:

KUOW - A night on patrol with Seattle's 'real-life superheroes'
KUOW - Jazz has a storied past in Seattle. But what about its future?
KUOW - Soundside looks back at the 50th Anniversary of D&D

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The tabletop role playing game Dungeons & Dragons was first published in 1974.

5 decades later, there’s a new ‘edition’ of the game out, and D&D has changed dramatically from its origins in a little house in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

The anniversary is happening at a delicate time for the company, Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro. Arguably the first modern tabletop role playing game is, today, fighting for market share – squaring off against a horde of fierce competitors seeking to lure players away to different adventures.

So what’s the Renton-based publisher doing to remain on top?

Producer Jason Megatron Burrows is our resident “dungeon master” here at Soundside. He spent 2024 celebrating the 50th anniversary of the game at events around the country.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

RELATED LINKS:

Dungeons & Dragons turns 50 this year. Here’s what the game has meant to you - NPR
Dungeons & Dragons' New Core Rulebooks Want to Show, Not Tell - IGN

GUESTS:

Chris Perkins - Creative Director at Wizards of the Coast
Ginny Di - YouTube D&D Creator

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The Soundside team is taking the week off to rest and prepare for some upcoming shows we’re working on in the new year.

So in the meantime, we're going to revisit two of Libby's segments from 2024.

And to do that, we're going back in time, to the Seattle of the 1990s.

We’ll look back on the music of grunge band The Gits, and hear from the band’s former drummer about his decision to revisit and reclaim the group's history.

And later, we’ll revisit the story of a bank robber that feels practically ripped from the silver screen.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

STORIES FEATURED:

Mia Zapata and The Gits are often defined by a tragic murder, drummer Steve Moriarty's book tells a different story about the band
Netflix's new hit "How To Rob a Bank" chronicles Seattle in the 90's

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All this week, Soundside has heard from local sound artists about their quintessential sounds of the Pacific Northwest.

We’ve heard coyotes howling across the Methow Valley, the bygone squeak of a metro bus, and the rhythm of melting snow.

Along the way we’ve asked for your favorite Northwest sounds. You sent us some good ones – the sound of North Cascades rain on a tent, and a chorus of frogs croaking in Marymoor Park.

You also wrote in with your favorites: the grinding of espresso, the crack of Ken Griffey Jr.’s bat, and the mechanical sounds of fog horns, light rail doors, and Boeing airplanes.

Thank you for all your submissions, and happy holidays.

Related Links:

KUOW - What is the quintessential NW sound? For Perri Lynch Howard, it's coyotes in the Methow
KUOW - What does the NW sound like? Perhaps an old metro bus
KUOW - Listening to the rhythm of snow melting in the Pacific Northwest

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Are your music listening habits stuck in a rut? Did you open your Spotify Wrapped and realize you listened to the same five songs on an endless loop?

Maybe you want to mix it up in 2025, and become more acoustically adventurous.

Soundside is here to help you out - we've rounded up a panel of local music experts to give you some fresh recommendations for albums to check out before we head into the new year.

GUESTS:

Bekah Flynn, senior publicist, international promotions manager, and A&R representative at Sub Pop Records.
Cameron Lavi-Jones, lead singer and guitarist of King Young Blood.
Kevin Diers, host of Metal Shop and Loud and Local on 99.9 KISW.

Bekah's picks:

Frenching the Bully - The Gits
Billboard Heart - Deep Sea Diver
Grim Iconic...(Sadistic Mantra) - J.R.C.G
Exotic Birds of Prey - Shabazz Palaces
Robed in Rareness - Shabazz Palaces
Right Back to It - Waxahatchee

Cam's picks:

Honest Bloom - Brenna Bruce
Psychotic Spew - Black Ends
Take Care - Big Xtha Plug
Play For Someone You Love - i///u
We Talk to Birds - Beautiful Freaks
SORRY, IT'S OVER - The OBGMs
Neighborhood - Liv Victorino

Kevin's picks:

For WHAT Reason! - Fastbacks
Guardian of The Universe (The Final Hope) - Oxygen Destroyer
The Crucible of Life - The Home Team
Verses In Oath - Hulder
I Never Lie - Zach Top

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Soundside is about to take a long and well deserved break, we’ve got some best-of shows planned for the holiday week, and we’re just generally excited to go DO some fun STUFF!

And in that spirit, here’s somebody who has ALL the stuff worth doing: producer Jason Megatron Burrows with a few sneak peeks of things to keep you occupied through Christmas Day!

LINKS:

The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show
Spokane Valley Summer Theatre - Big Band Christmas
Bellingham's Holiday Dockside Market
XMAS ACTION MYSTERY TRIPLE FEATURE | The Beacon
Capitol Hill's Christmas Dive Bar

If you would like to suggest events for us to talk about in upcoming "Weekend Warmups," please send Jason an email at SOUNDSIDE@KUOW.ORG

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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After almost 20 years in public office, Derek Kilmer is stepping down from his role as U.S. Representative for WA's 6th district.

The Representative was chair of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress - sometimes called the “Fix Congress Committee” - from 2019 to 2023.

He’s also the former chair of the New Democrat Coalition - a caucus of centrist democrats with a pro-businesses, moderate approach to fiscal issues.

In other words - he’s a guy who spent a lot of time trying to figure out ways to make things work in the House, and how to get members to work across the aisle.

Now, Kilmer is moving on to the Rockefeller Foundation in the new year as Senior Vice President for the organizations newly created U.S. Program & Policy team.

But, how does he feel about the congress he’s leaving behind? How do you fix a body that seems to be getting more broken by the day?

Guest:

Derek Kilmer, outgoing US Representative for Washington's 6th district

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Around 3:00am today, a King County Metro driver was fatally stabbed near the 4100 block of University Way in Seattle’s U-District.

At a press conference this morning, King County Executive Dow Constantine said that the loss is being felt by everyone in county transit.

"We are not always able to keep what's happening out on the streets away from the transit that operates on those streets," said Constantine. "We are doing everything that we can, and will continue to ramp up our efforts, to make sure that transit is safe for everyone. Including, especially, for our brave operators who are out on the streets every day."

Greg Woodfill is the local president of the Amalgamated Transit Union #587. He said he’d like to see more regional resources dedicated to transit safety.

"I don't have all the answers. This is a difficult, societal problem. What I know is that we're not doing enough," said Woodfill. "This is bigger than Metro, this is bigger than Seattle, this is the whole community that we serve."

The attack comes just a couple days after Metro cut service to a cluster of stops around 12th Avenue South and South Jackson Street in the Chinatown International District because of ongoing “safety concerns.”

For the latest, Soundside was joined by KUOW reporter Ann Dornfeld, who attended a press conference with transit and public officials in Tukwila this morning.

Guests:

Ann Dornfeld, reporter on the KUOW investigations team.

Related links:

KUOW - King County Metro bus driver killed in fatal U District stabbing
King County Metro cites safety in closing Little Saigon bus stops | The Seattle Times

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has fired former Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz. The decision was announced Tuesday in a letter from the mayor to the Seattle City Council.

Ashley Hiruko is a KUOW investigative reporter who has been covering news about former Chief Diaz for the past year. She joined Soundside's Libby Denkmann to give a little more insight into what’s happening at Seattle's Police Department.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

GUEST: Ashley Hiruko

RELATED LINKS:

Star Wars-themed love letter torpedoed former Chief Diaz's career
Seattle mayor fires former Police Chief Adrian Diaz, cites affair
Seattle police chief contender in national spotlight after Wisconsin school shooting leaves 3 dead
Seattle police watchdog head resigns in ‘mutual’ agreement with Mayor Harrell, city says

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The light touch of tea glasses. Jasmine vines. Cigarette kisses.

These are some of the images the Redmond-based poet, essayist, and translator Lena Khalaf Tuffaha conjures of Palestine in her most recent poetry collection, Something About Living.

Last month, the collection earned Tuffaha the National Book Award for poetry.

Through her poems, Tuffaha chronicles the legacy of violence and colonialism in Palestine’s history, while also bringing readers into a homeland that is rich with beauty, family connections, and vivid storytelling.

GUEST:

Lena Khalaf Tuffaha, author of Something About Living

RELATED LINK:

Lena Khalaf Tuffaha's author bio
Something About Living publisher information

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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What does the Northwest sound like to you? It’s a question we’ve asked local sound artists. And this week, we’ve been sharing some of their sound choices.

Yesterday, Christopher DeLaurenti played a recording of the bygone squeak of a metro bus.

Our next piece of tape comes from Gordon Hempton.

Guest:

Gordon Hempton, acoustic ecologist and Emmy Award winning sound recordist

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What does the Northwest sound like to you? It’s a question we’re asking local sound artists. And, over the next week, we’ll be hearing some of those sounds.

Yesterday, Perri Lynch Howard shared the sound of coyotes in the Methow Valley.

Today’s sound has a bit more of a metropolitan flare. This sound originally appeared on a compilation called phongraphy.org 1 on and/OAR records

Guest:

Christopher DeLaurenti, Seattle born composer and phonographer

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Breakups are always hard. Especially when you’re two of the largest grocery mega-conglomerates in the country.

Last week two judges – including a federal judge in Oregon and a superior court judge based in Seattle – officially blocked a merger between grocery chains Kroger and Albertsons. The companies had argued they needed to unite to compete with the likes of Wal-Mart.

While an appeal is possible, Albertsons has backed out of the merger altogether and is now suing Kroger for $600 million over legal fees and the shareholder value it claims it lost in the merger attempt.

It’s a big deal for the state of Washington, and not only because Governor-Elect Bob Ferguson sued to stop the merger as Attorney General. He argued it would lower competition in the industry and raise grocery prices.

It was also a big deal because it would’ve meant the likely sale of 124 grocery stores here – the most of any state – to a third-party company.

So... the big grocery merger is dead a major victory for Ferguson and FTC chair Lina Khan, who’s credited with reviving the federal government’s role in antitrust enforcement.

But this is also an inflection point for the future of antitrust. President Trump has tapped new leaders for the FTC and the Justice Department’s antitrust division.

Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee is wrapping up a hearing on “A Bipartisan Path Forward for Antitrust," where Senator Amy Klobuchar says she hopes to highlight the ways Democrats and Republicans can work together on tackling anti-competitive monopolies, including in the tech industry.

So what happened to spoil the Kroger-Albertsons partnership plans, and will the next big merger go forward under Trump?

Soundside spoke with John Kirkwood, a professor at Seattle University School of Law. He’s a nationally-renowned antitrust expert and established the first antitrust policy office at the FTC.

Soundside also spoke with Stacy Mitchell, the co-executive director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. The group opposed the Albertsons-Kroger merger. Mitchell wrote two recent articles in The Atlantic exploring the history of food deserts what the merger's failure means for the FTC going forward.

Guests:

John Kirkwood, professor at Seattle University School of Law. He’s a nationally-renowned antitrust expert and established the first antitrust policy office at the FTC.
Stacy Mitchell, co-executive director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Related links:

Read Stacy Mitchell's story in The Atlantic here: The Hidden Cause of Food Deserts - The Atlantic
Lina Khan Goes Out With a Bang - The Atlantic
Building an oasis in a rural WA ‘food desert’ | The Seattle Times
KUOW - Albertsons calls off merger with Kroger. Now what?

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Emily Randall has been a “person to watch” in Washington politics for a while now.

Randall’s first electoral victory was in 2018, when she flipped a Republican held state Senate seat in the 26th district.

Now, Randall is headed to Congress. Last month, she won the election to become the U.S. Representative-elect for Washington’s 6th district. That includes both peninsulas, most of Tacoma, and counties including Kitsap, Mason, and Grays Harbor.

Randall is heading to the other Washington where, unlike this one, Republicans control the House, Senate and executive branch. And Democrats are weighing their options for how to maintain any semblance of power in the new administration.

Guest:

Emily Randall, U.S. Representative-elect for Washington's 6th district

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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What does the Northwest sound like to you? Is it light drizzle on you window? The sound of waves pushing against rocky beaches or dry grass blowing in the Palouse.

It’s a question that we’ve asked local sound artists in the area. And, over the next week, we’ll be hearing some of those sounds.

Today, we take you to the Methow Valley.

Guest:

Perri Lynch Howard - Independent artist based in the Methow Valley

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Washington State has a brand-new Superfund site: the Upper Columbia River. It’s the latest development in the federal government's attempts to force a Canadian company to pay for pollution that flowed down stream into U.S. waters.

So what’s the next step for cleaning up the river? Well, it’s a long process, which Seattle-ites can see in their own backyard. Cleanup is also beginning on another Superfund site, the Duwamish Waterway, nearly a decade after the EPA released a plan.

Guest:

Isabella Breda, Seattle Times Environment Reporter

Links:

Seattle Times: Upper Columbia River in northeast WA listed as a Superfund site

Seattle Times: Full cleanup begins at Lower Duwamish Superfund site

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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For the first time in 24 years, Washington has a new state Insurance Commissioner stepping into the role.

Patty Kuderer is currently a state senator representing the 48th district, which covers areas including Redmond, Bellevue, and Medina.

She’ll become Washington’s 9th insurance commissioner in January.

It’s a big job - Kuderer will be in charge of licensing and regulation for every insurance industry in the state, as well as handling consumer complaints, and lobbying the legislature to change laws that impact Washingtonian’s insurance policies.

Today, we’re focusing on just one part of the job: health insurance.

Because Kuderer is jumping in at an interesting time: she’ll be taking office at the same time the second Trump term begins – which could have major implications for how healthcare is managed. The president-elect has tried to repeal the Affordable Care Act, and changes are expected to subsidies and regulation under the new administration.

Meanwhile, the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson and subsequent wave of vitriol toward the healthcare industry is bringing problems in the American healthcare industry into sharper focus.

Guest:

Patty Kuderer, currently a state senator representing the 48th district. She’ll become Washington’s 9th insurance commissioner in January.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Once again, thanks for listening to Soundside during our Winter Fundraising Drive!

Here at Soundside, we work really hard to bring you the news, like our conversation with Seattle City Council President Sara Nelson, and shows like Sound Politics, but we also like to keep things fun!

So, in that spirit, here’s somebody who loves fun: producer Jason Megatron Burrows with a few sneak peeks of things to keep you occupied this weekend…

LINKS:

Christmas Parade of Boats - Friday - South Lake Union to the Ballard Bridge & Back!
Back to the Future The Musical - Now through Dec 22nd.
THE SNOW QUEEN - Spokane, Friday Night
Handmade LEGO Ornaments - Bellingham, Saturday
SIFF Cinema Downtown’s First Birthday Bash: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory - Saturday

If you would like to suggest events for us to talk about in upcoming "Weekend Warmups," please send Jason an email at SOUNDSIDE@KUOW.ORG

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Toxicity. Gaslighting. Undermining.

These are some of the ways Seattle City Councilmember Tammy Morales has described the behavior of her colleagues since she announced her resignation last week. She’s vacating her position three years before her term ends.

"When I raise the issues on the dais, I am met with this seething anger just for expressing my policy priorities or my perspective," Morales said.

Morales’ resignation letter raised red flags about the inner workings of city hall, and highlighted several concerns she had about the council behind the scenes.

That includes allegations that the current council interfered with non-partisan Council Central Staff who provide objective policy analysis, and an observation that she had witnessed a significant departure of institutional knowledge over the last year because of staff departures.

Now, Seattle City Council President Sara Nelson is responding to Morales' allegations.

GUEST:

Seattle City Council President Sara Nelson

RELATED LINKS:

'Gaslighting and manipulation.' Why Tammy Morales is leaving Seattle City Council - Soundside
Seattle City Councilmember Tammy Morales steps down, citing harmful work environment - KUOW

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Spokane mayor Lisa Brown is raising red flags about a plan to move liquid nuclear waste from Hanford through her city.

She wrote a letter to the federal Department of Energy, the EPA, and Washington’s Department of Ecology asking those agencies to reconsider a plan for trucks filled with the waste to travel Eastbound I-90 out of Washington on their way to Utah and Texas.

The 2,000 gallons set to be moved are just a tiny portion of the 56 million gallons sitting under the Hanford site, north of the Tri-Cities, that needs to be disposed of.

This may feel like a Cold War-era legacy but today, nuclear energy is making a comeback. And as the Hanford story shows, even with all of this new buzz around nuclear, there is still no long-term place to put all the radioactive byproduct.

Guests:

John Stang, reporter covering Hanford for Cascade PBS

Allison Macfarlane, director at the University of British Columbia’s School of Public Policy and Global Affairs and a former chair of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Links:

Crosscut: Spokane doesn’t want feds to truck nuclear waste through the city

Scientific American: Nuclear Waste Is Piling Up. Does the U.S. Have a Plan?

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Come January, when lawmakers sit down for the new legislative term in Olympia , there will be several new faces.

More than a dozen legislators make up the new freshman class, and they’ll be facing what some have described as a ‘perfect storm’: the state is bracing for an anticipated 10 to 12 billion dollar budget gap.

It’s been nearly 15 years since Washington faced a fiscal shortfall this significant.

Back then, at the center of finding the cuts, and compromises, to deal with it -- was state representative and then-Speaker of the House -- Frank Chopp, of Washington’s 43rd Legislative District.

But lawmakers won’t be drawing on Chopp’s negotiating expertise this time around. He announced back in March that he would not be running for reelection.

Throughout his tenure in Olympia, Chopp championed new laws related to housing, homelessness, and mental health – still just as relevant today as when he was first elected, in 1994.

GUEST:

Representative Frank Chopp

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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King County continues to ramp up its behavioral health services following the approval of a $1.25 billion by voters.

With the latest development being the launch of an expanded and streamlined mobile crisis team-program last week.

Guest:

Taylor Blatchford, engagement reporter for the mental health project at the Seattle Times

Relevant links:

Seattle Times:King County expands mobile teams that bring care to people in crisis

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Stories about the newspaper industry struggling - aren’t necessarily breaking news.

Over the last 10 to 15 years, we’ve read and listened to plenty of coverage about the challenges news organizations are facing: corporate buyouts and layoffs, and the rise of social media misinformation.

But now, there’s another challenge local news journalists have to watch out for - artificial intelligence.

Ryan Haas is a news editor and podcast producer for Oregon Public Broadcasting. He recently reported on an alarming instance of – not just fake news – but rather an entirefake news outlet.

GUEST:

Ryan Haas, news editor and podcast producer for Oregon Public Broadcasting

RELATED LINKS:

AI slop is invading Oregon's local journalism - OPB

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In fall of 2023, San Juan County transitioned to a 32-hour work week for county employees.

It was meant to keep the county within its budget while staying conscious of the cost-of-living in San Juan.

One year later, the county released a check-in report based on resident and employee feedback. So, how’s the new system working out?

San Juan County Manager Jessica Hudson joined Soundside to give us insights into what the county discovered.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

GUESTS:

Kelsey Venegas
Jessica Hudson - San Juan County Manager

RELATED LINKS:

32-Hour Work Week | Engage San Juan County
32-Hour Work Week - One Year Report

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Pianist Salo was a longtime member of a Seattle post-rock band called “Joy Wants Eternity.” Their music was instrumental -- and all of it was made close to ten years ago. The band went their separate and amicable ways in 2015.

So, imagine Salo’s surprise when just this year, Joy Wants Eternity was listed as a collaborator on a new project: an album from a musician called the “Illusory Explainer. An album they didn’t actually collaborate on.

Both the band and their fans were confused. If the group didn’t help make the music, then who did?

It’s something podcast producer Roddy Nikpour has been looking into. He detailed the possible use of generative music A.I. in a recent story for KEXP.

Guests:

Roddy Nikpour, assistant teaching professor at Arizona State University and a podcast producer for KEXP.

Related Links:

Find Nikpour's story on Joy Wants Eternity here: AI-Generated Music Is Siphoning Streams from Artists in Seattle and Beyond

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Seattle City Council Member Tammy Morales is leaving her post. She announced last week she is resigning from the council.

Morales has represented Seattle’s 2nd District, which includes Yesler Terrace, the CID, Beacon Hill, Rainier Valley and Rainier Beach, since 2019.

Her last day in the seat will be January 6th.

It’s a surprise decision considering Morales was re-elected to a four year term just last year.

In a letter to her constituents, Morales leveled criticisms about at toxic environment on the council and the toll the job has taken on her personally over the past year - "For the last 11 months, this Council has eroded our checks and balances as a Legislative department and undermined my work as a policymaker."

Guest:

District 2 Seattle City Council Member Tammy Morales

Relevant Links:

Morales letter to her constituents
City Councilmember Tammy Morales Will Leave the Council In January - Publicola

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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For '90s kids, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were the dominant force in twin fiction. Over the years, other generations have been fascinated by characters like Wrigley's Doublemint Twins, or Hayley Mills and Lindsay Lohan in the 1961 and 1998 versions of the film "The Parent Trap," respectively.

Twins are rich narrative terrain and raise questions about individuality.

"They're a natural kind of hook for a bunch of questions about human life in general," said Helena de Bres, a professor at Wellesley College and author of "How to Be Multiple: The Philosophy of Twins."

Her identical twin, Julia de Bres, illustrated the book. Together, they explored the twin experience through a philosophical lens and examined free will, love, and personal identity.

"I think people are fascinated because we're just kind of cute and unusual and trippy, but also because we raise these really big questions just by standing there," Helena de Bres said.

Stories about twins go back to antiquity: Castor and Pollux, Romulus and Remus, and Hercules and Iphicles all represent binaries that describe human nature.

"You can use twins narratively to explore a whole range of different contrasts, or different ways of living or being," Helena de Bres said. "So they're just really useful for getting at some of these questions. They're also easily used for comic purposes — you know, that whole switcheroo thing [of] twins switching places. Identity confusion is really ideal for theatrical treatments."

Whether twins fit neatly into those binaries is a different story. Helena de Bres said she believes that twin binaries are a created to differentiate between children who people can't tell apart.

"We're going to decide, maybe randomly, maybe on a little bit of a clue that this is the quiet one. And then the quiet one takes that up and starts acting into that role. And it is a self-fulfilling prophecy," she said.

Guest:

Helend de Bres, author of "How to Be Multiple: The Philosophy of Twins"

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Thanksgiving may be over, but there is still so much to celebrate this month.

We're about 3 weeks out from Christmas and Hanukkah, then there's all the New Year festivities.

If your calendar isn't already packed with wintry, holiday fun, we've got you covered.

Soundside Producer Brooklyn Jamerson-Flowers made a list of weekend events for you to add to your list of end of year goodness. She even checked it twice.

LINKS:

Christmas Tree Lightings:

Friday: Des Moines
Friday: Duvall
Saturday: West Seattle
Saturday: Snoqualmie
Saturday: Redmond
Saturday: Bellingham
Saturday: Port Orchard
Saturday: Vashon

Craft Fairs:

Urban Craft Uprising - Seattle Center Exhibition Hall
Creative Avenue Final Holiday Market - The Depot, Anacortes

Performances:

Billie Eilish - Climate Pledge Arena
God is a Scottish Drag Queen: A Christmas Special - The Washington Center for the Performing Arts & Rialto Theater

ETC:

Krampusnacht Bremerton
Mozart & Mutts - Old Stove Brewing

If you would like to suggest events for us to talk about in upcoming "Weekend Warmups," please send Jason an email at SOUNDSIDE@KUOW.ORG

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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It can be challenging for anyone to stay on top of their mental health.

One organization in Bellingham has come up with a creative solution to make it easier for its clients to access consistent therapy.

Lydia Place has turned a Ford Transit cargo van into a therapy office on wheels.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:

Cassidy Schroeder, Lydia Place mental health clinician
Amanda Doell, Lydia Place mental health clinician

Relevant Links:

Bellingham nonprofit offers therapy on wheels - KUOW

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Winter is here. The nights are long, cold, and let’s face it … dark.

Instead of scrolling endlessly on Netflix, maybe rewatching Hot Frosty (you know, the one about the magical snowman who turns into a hot dude), why not escape into a good book instead?

If you’re not sure where to start, no worries, we got you.

We’ve got a panel of book nerds ready with some book recommendations to help you get through the season.

Guests:

Heidi Daniel, Executive Director of King County Library System

Robert Sindelar, Third Place books managing partner

Katie Campbell, editor and reporter at KUOW who runs the station’s book club

Book Recommendations:

Miss Silver Series by Patricia Wentworth

On the Calculation of Volume by Solvej Balle

Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune

The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean

Seattle Samurai: The Book by Kelly Goto

Twenty Four Seconds from Now ...: A Love Story by Jason Reynolds

Spooky Lakes: 25 Strange and Mysterious Lakes that Dot Our Planet by Geo Rutherford

CABIN: Off the Grid Adventures with a Clueless Craftsman by Patrick Hutchison

Playground by Richard Powers

Horror Movie by Paul G. Tremblay

The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth by Zoë Schlanger

The Comfort Book by Matt Haig

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Today, there was a surprise announcement from Seattle City Councilmember Tammy Morales.

After 5 years on the council, Morales, the representative for the 2nd District, said she is resigning, effective January 6th.

KUOW Investigative reporter Ashley Hiruko gives us some insight into the decision and the council.

Guest:

Ashley Hiruko, KUOW Investigative Reporter

Related Links:

KUOW - Seattle City Councilmember Tammy Morales steps down, citing harmful work environment

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Tacoma can sometimes feel like a place for the little-er guy. Where an aspiring entrepreneur can start a small business without the hyper expensive rents and other daily costs of a city like Seattle.

But, according to recent reporting by the News Tribune, one city regulation may be stifling small food businesses in Grit City.

And it has to do with some of the … greasier parts of the job.

Most cities, including Seattle and Tacoma, require restaurants to install machines that prevent grease, fat, and other materials from washing down the drains and into the sewer system.

But, what those traps look like, and how much they cost, can vary greatly, depending on where a business is located. And that can mean business owners look elsewhere when considering a new space.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guest:

Kristine Sherred, Food Reporter at The News Tribune

Related Links:

Rigging the system.’ Is Tacoma’s grease-trap policy killing its small-restaurant scene? - The News Tribune
Tacoma contends restaurant grease traps are vital. Is its oversight of them lacking? - The News Tribune
As pandemic ravaged restaurants, Tacoma tightened rules for offering food delivery - The News Tribune
City of Tacoma response to grease trap stories, courtesy of Maria Lee (Media & Communications Office):
The City recognizes that for new small business owners, the cost and logistical challenges of installing a GGI can be significant. The policy aims to balance environmental protection with economic development. While the City has worked diligently with this community on outreach, the City also recognizes that the challenges faced by some small business owners suggests a need for ongoing dialogue between the City and the business community to explore potential solutions that support both objectives. At this point in time, staff are analyzing potential changes to the City’s Side-Sewer and Sanitary Sewer Availability Manual and FOG Program. The need for these changes was recognized in 2023 as part of broader City comprehensive planning efforts, and analysis began in earnest as early as the second quarter of 2024. Once staff has completed its analysis, and those recommendations are presented to the City Manager and the City Council, that same information will also be shared with the public.

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Seattle Public Schools continues to stare down a $100 million budget deficit.

It’s a problem that’s sparked frustration, protests, and even a legal battle over the district’s leadership.

Plans to close schools drew a lot of backlash— and have been shelved, for now.

Yet, the question remains: how will the district balance its books?

To help answer that question and a few more is KUOW’s education reporter Sami West.

Guest:

Sami West, KUOW Education Reporter

Related Links:

KUOW - Judge throws out attempted recall of Seattle School Board president

KUOW - Seattle Public Schools drops contentious closure plan following months of waffling amid backlash

KUOW - What the election means for school funding in Washington state

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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It’s Giving Tuesday, a day to take a pause from the holiday hustle and bustle, and give back to our community through charitable causes.

One way a lot of people like to give back is by donating food or money to their local food bank.

While grocery prices are stabilizing, grocery prices are up about 20% compared to four years ago.

So how is inflation impacting food banks ahead of this holiday season? We put together a panel of three food bank organizers to get a better understanding of how inflation is impacting their day to day work, and the communities they serve.

GUESTS:

Otis Pimpleton, food services manager for the Rainier Valley Food Bank
Eric Williams, team member at Second Harvest Inland Northwest
Jan Coen, founder and food bank coordinator for the Gig Harbor Peninsula FISH Food Bank

RELATED LINKS:

Rainier Valley Food Bank
Second Harvest Inland Northwest
Gig Harbor Peninsula FISH Food Bank & Community Services

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Since the late 1800s, logging has been a major industry in the Pacific Northwest, and its impact on the region's economy and environment have been significant.

For the towns that depend on logging, the profession comes with a lot of pride. But it’s also one of the most dangerous jobs in the United States. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, roughly 4 in 100,000 people die from injury at work. For loggers, it’s more than 10 times as much.

Logging has always been dangerous work. But how it can be done safely is still something many are trying to figure out.

To learn more, Soundside spoke with Kurtis Lee, economics correspondent for the New York Times, and the University of Washington's Dr. Marissa Baker.

Guests:

Kurtis Lee, economics correspondent for the New York Times.
Dr. Marissa Baker, assistant professor in the University of Washington’s Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences.

Related Links:

Read Kurtis Lee's story on logging in Oregon here:

Logging Is the Deadliest Job, but Still an Oregon Way of Life - The New York Times

Read Dr. Marissa Baker's research on logging here:

Determinants of Stress, Fatigue, and Injury Risk for Loggers and Log Truck Drivers | Pacific Northwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center
Job Satisfaction in the Logging Industry | Blogs | CDC

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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This year marks the 25th anniversary of the WTO protests in Seattle, a raucous action by 50,000 protesters who descended on the city in the fall of 1999. Their aim? Shutting down a conference of top decision makers at the World Trade Organization.

When this coalition of activists succeeded in stopping the WTO’s opening ceremonies, the “Battle of Seattle” became an inflection point in a growing struggle between advocates for free trade – and groups fighting for the rights of labor, farmers, the environment and more.

Comprising over 100 interviews, author DW Gibson’s book, One Week to Change the World, tells a new oral history of the protest through the eyes of people who participated.

This segment originally aired on Soundside in June.

Guests:

DW Gibson, journalist and author of One Week to Change the World.

Related Links:

One Week to Change the World | Book by DW Gibson | Official Publisher Page | Simon & Schuster

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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If you’re a parent with kids in public school, you’re likely familiar with the "lunch crunch." Across the state, a growing squeeze on lunchtimes is leading many students to eat lunch quickly -- if at all.

A recent investigation from KING 5 reveals that many schools are falling short of meeting recommended lunch time benchmarks. This is critical time that helps kids stay full and focused throughout the day.

Soundside's Diana Opong was joined by Chris Ingalls, KING 5 investigative reporter, to discuss his recent story on how much time students have to eat lunch throughout Washington state.

Guests:

Chris Ingalls, investigative reporter for KING 5.

Related links:

Read Ingalls' KING 5 investigation here: School lunch time crunch for Washington students | king5.com

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Fantasy football season is well underway, with many players excited about the upcoming playoffs.

I know next to nothing about fantasy football and had to get a primer from Soundside Producer Alec Cowan, who is playing in KUOW’s league.

He says it’s essentially regular people trying their hand at being NFL managers: drafting players, and forming rosters for each game. There are elaborate points systems based on how NFL players do each week.

There’s a reason why people take part in fantasy leagues – to feel closer to friends, family or to spend time with coworkers.

For people who are incarcerated, fantasy football creates a connection to the outside world.

Guest:

Antoine Davis, an incarcerated journalist in Washington State, pastor, and Inside Director of Organizing for Look2Justice.

Relevant Links:

Defector: What Fantasy Football Means To Incarcerated Managers

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Soundside is taking a break this week to celebrate Thanksgiving. Don’t worry - we’ll be back with new episodes next week.

Until then, we’re bringing you some of our favorite stories from the show.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Stories Featured:

Artists vs AI: Indie creators are noticing the emergence of artificial art
'It’s like you have 80 sisters.' Rat City Roller Derby hearkens back to indie Seattle roots
Yakima Canutt: The Washington cowboy who became a stuntman

Weekend Warmup Links:

Seattle's Turkey Trot
Spokane "Huffin' for the Stuffin'"
Arlington "Run Your Buns Off"
Other Turkey Trots
- Bellingham
- Mukilteo
- Woodinville
- Gig Harbor
- Tacoma
Seattle’s Christmas Market
WINTERFEST at Seattle Center
Kumail Nanjiani at the Moore Theater
Cyndi Lauper at Climate Pledge Arena

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Soundside is taking a break this week to celebrate Thanksgiving. Don’t worry - we’ll be back with new episodes next week.

Until then, we’re bringing you some of our favorite stories from the show.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Relevant Links:

One option for slowing climate change? Block out the sun
Seattle Synchro's small but mighty part in this year's Olympic games
For Seattle drag performers, sick days are not an option
A man, a dog, a mission to Ukraine

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The first days of Robert Lester’s ambitious canoe journey started with a lot of walking. That start was in Butte, Montana on Silver Bow Creek -- the starting point of a 1300-mile trip through the Columbia River basin to the Pacific Ocean.

Lester made the trip in a two seat canoe. He was joined by 18-year-old Braxton Mitchel, who’d never canoed beforehand.

That journey took 55 days and is the focus of a new documentary from Lester and director Neil Larson, titled “The Columbia River Canoe Project.” At its heart is a story about ambition – both from the canoers themselves, and humans who have drastically changed the river with massive projects like dams.

Canoer Robert Lester and director Neil Larson joined Soundside to talk about the project ahead of local screenings in West Seattle, Edmonds, and Bainbridge Island Nov. 22-24.

Guests:

Robert Lester, canoer and focus of "The Columbia River Canoe Project."
Neil Larson, director of "The Columbia River Canoe Project."

Find information about local showings here: Columbia River Canoe Project — Mountain King

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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It’s been a week! The headlines, the bomb cyclone, being stuck without electricity... A LOT of us could use a way to disconnect and do something FUN this weekend, so to help with that, we’ve enlisted our resident Culture Nerd to find the best events!

So, once again, here’s producer Jason Megatron Burrows with a few sneak peeks of things to keep you occupied this weekend…

LINKS:

Vitamin String Quartet
- Thursday - Seattle
- Friday - Bellingham
- Saturday - Spokane
- Sunday - Portland, OR (SOLD OUT)
Composing Iran - Seattle Symphony
CUDDLE TACOMA - Thresholds Collective, Tacoma
44th Annual Seattle International Comedy Competition - Bellingham
Home Team Harvest Food & Funds Drive - Multiple Locations
WICKED at SIFF Cinema Downtown
GLADIATOR II

If you would like to suggest events for us to talk about in upcoming "Weekend Warmups," please send Jason an email at SOUNDSIDE@KUOW.ORG

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Lucidity is a new opera staging its west coast premiere at the Seattle Opera tonight.

The performance takes a deeper look at the personal impacts that a dementia diagnosis has on an individual, and their family.

The opera follows Lili, a former singer who has a bit of a diva streak. Her adopted son, Dante, pauses his career as a pianist to care for his mom.

Together, they navigate Lili’s declining memory, her ability to perform, and her struggle to hold onto the thing at the center of her life: music.

It’s a role that Lucy Shelton, the soprano portraying Lili, was gifted by her friend Laura Kaminsky, who wrote the opera for her.

Shelton does not have dementia, but she has navigated the dynamic between aging and singing over a five decade career.

GUEST: Lucy Shelton, portrays Lili in Lucidity.

RELATED LINKS:

Lucidity - Seattle Opera

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Seattle has a rich jazz history -- and you can’t talk about it without mentioning legends like Ray Charles and Quincy Jones. Both artists knew each other, as they grew their music chops right here in Seattle. Of course, we can’t forget to mention Kenny G.

In the 1920s and 1930s jazz clubs were an escape during prohibition, and many of them lasted long after prohibition ended. For almost 45 years, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley has not only been one of the preeminent jazz clubs in Seattle, but also in the country.

Whether you’re someone who likes to go out to the club or not, you’ve probably heard of Seattle’s Jazz Alley. Tucked away down a literal alley, the all ages jazz club has showcased performances by jazz greats like Tower of Power, and American Blues Musician Taj Mahal, who will be returning for his annual Thanksgiving residency.

Soundside host Diana Opong caught up with Ari Dimitriou and his father, John Dimitriou – who is still running the club at 75 years old. They discussed the origins of Jazz Alley and the future of the iconic family business.

Plus... while Jazz Alley is undoubtedly the face of the genre in Seattle, it isn’t the only establishment looking to keep jazz alive.

Seattle has a wealth of new talent – local high schools like Bothell, Garfield, and Roosevelt are regular finalists in national competitions. But the journey from a local school band to a big stage like Jazz Alley is long and difficult.

One local organization – the Seattle Jazz Fellowship – is looking to change that. Soundside producer Alec Cowan visited a jam session to hear about the importance of local bandstands for musicians and jazz-enjoyers alike.

Guests:

John and Ari Dimitriou, who founded and operate Jazz Alley in Seattle.
Thomas Marriott, jazz trumpeter and founder of the Seattle Jazz Fellowship, a nonprofit supporting mentorship and playing opportunities for local jazz musicians.
Roman Goron, local jazz pianist.

Related Links:

How Seattle’s Jazz Alley, now 43, became a premier destination | The Seattle Times
Jazz Has a New Home in Seattle. One Caveat: The Place Is ‘For Lease.’ - The New York Times
3 Seattle-area high schools make finals of 2024 Essentially Ellington jazz band competition | The Seattle Times

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Bird flu has spread at astonishing speed and with little discretion for what it infects.

Since first emerging, the strain of H5N1 has infected wild birds, commercially raised chickens, seals, dairy cows, and, yes, even humans.

Late last week, Woodland Park Zoo announced that a red breasted goose died in a suspected case of bird flu. The zoo quickly isolated birds and restricted access to them.

Meanwhile, just north of Washington in British Columbia, a teenager was hospitalized in critical condition after contracting bird flu. The teen had no known contact with infected animals.

This comes after 11 Washington farm workers contracted the virus in October.

As the Northwest sees notable bird flu events, how much do we need to be concerned?

Guest:

Dr. Peter Rabinowitz, professor, physician, and director of the University of Washington’s Center for One Health Research.

Relevant Links:

KUOW: With the U.S. bird flu outbreak uncontained, scientists see growing risks

KUOW: Bird flu is now spreading to cattle. Should Washington dairy farmers be worried?

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Back in 2021, following calls for police reform after the murder of George Floyd, Washington state did something unique.

Legislators created a state-funded agency to investigate instances of serious or fatal police use of force – even ones that had happened in the past.

Many believe the Office of Independent Investigations has potential to improve trust between marginalized communities and law enforcement.

But some say it’s taking the office too long to get going. So far, the OII hasn’t officially launched a single investigation.

Melanie Henshaw, an Indigenous Affairs reporter at InvestigateWest, spoke to reform advocates and agency officials about the obstacles that are keeping the office from quickly meeting its intended purpose.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

GUEST:

Melanie Henshaw, Indigenous Affairs reporter for InvestigateWest

RELATED LINKS:

Three years, no investigations: A slow start for Washington office tasked with probing police violence - InvestigateWest

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In the aftermath of the 2024 election, Democrats are confronting a possible existential threat: The erosion of support among important demographic groups, particularly Latinos.

An example close to home helps illustrate the shift: In the 14th Legislative District, in the Yakima Valley, a newly redrawn map was supposed to strengthen Latino representation in the state House and Senate.

Republicans even challenged the map in court, alleging it was built to win seats for Democrats.

But as the dust settles, Republicans are poised to sweep the 14th District, new map and all.

So what’s happening here, and what’s driving changes in Latino voting patterns?

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:

Sophia Jordán Wallace is a political science professor at the University of Washington. She specializes in Latino politics and politics of race and ethnicity, among other things

Relevant Links:

The role of the Latino vote in the 2024 election - NPR
In a purple Pacific Northwest pocket three Latina candidates face tough House races - NPR
Late hardball from the WSRP - Washington Observer

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One of the most closely watched congressional races of the 2024 election happened here in Washington State, with Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez facing off once again against Donald Trump-endorsed Republican Joe Kent.

The district went for Trump in the presidential race, but held on to the Auto Shop owner-turned-Congresswoman for another term.

And she’s here to talk about the win, what Democrats can learn from it, and her legislative priorities in office.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

GUEST: Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez

RELATED LINKS:

Gluesenkamp Perez, Golden Introduce Bill to Establish Bipartisan Electoral Reform Select Committee
US Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez on what her win means and what comes next - OPB
Marie Gluesenkamp Perez Wants Fellow Democrats to Look in the Mirror - The New York Times
She won in a red district. Her blunt message to fellow Dems | CNN Politics

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Washington state is about to get a new top lawyer.

Former U.S. Attorney Nick Brown defeated Pasco Mayor Pete Serrano earlier this month to become the state’s next Attorney General.

Brown is an Army veteran who also served as general counsel to Governor Jay Inslee.

When he’s sworn in in January, he’ll be stepping into the high-profile job just as the stakes get even higher: Washington state had a history of legal clashes with the last Trump Administration, over everything from the Muslim ban to environmental protections and the Affordable Care Act.

So how is the next Attorney General thinking about confrontations with Trump 2.0?

He sat down with Soundside's Libby Denkmann to discuss the job ahead, his thoughts on Matt Gaetz as the US Attorney General, and his time on the reality show, Survivor.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

GUEST: Attorney General elect Nick Brown

RELATED LINKS:

Ferguson and other WA Democrats prepare for new era of showdowns with Trump - Washington State Standard
Four areas where Trump’s policies and WA’s priorities could clash - Washington State Standard
The race for WA Attorney General: Nick Brown - Soundside's interview prior to the election

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Washington voters justupheld the state’s new capital gains tax — which places a 7% tax on the sale of long-term assets like stocks and bonds.

Now, the Seattle City Council is looking at a proposal to create its own capital gains tax for the city itself. Instead of benefitting schools, like the state tax, this revenue would fund things like rental assistance.

But so far, the idea is not being universally embraced by city leadership. Seattle City Councilmember Cathy Moore sits down with Soundside host Libby Denkmann to discuss why she thinks the capital gains tax idea is right for Seattle.

GUEST: Seattle City Councilmember Cathy Moore (District 5)

RELATED LINKS:

Seattle could get its own baby capital gains tax - KUOW

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Canoe journeys are rigorous, challenging trips that go for hundreds of miles.

Each year, canoe “families” from different tribal nations paddle between villages on the Salish Sea, joining local celebrations and ceremonies along the way. They camp at each stop until reaching that year’s destination tribal site.

For indigenous people who take part, it’s an important way to connect with their culture as well as other tribes. It’s also a chance to explore nature and their own inner strength.

The Lummi Youth Canoe Family took its last journey in 2019. Now, two brothers are trying to revive the group.

Raven and Free Borsey first joined the Lummi Youth Canoe Family in 2013.
The twin brothers say joining the group as teenagers changed their trajectory in life and gave them a better understanding of the natural world.

Now, more than a decade after their first canoe trip, the twin brothers have received the Bullitt Prize, a $100,000 dollar grant from Washington Conservation Action aimed at developing young environmental leaders in the state, under the age of 35.

Their goal is bringing the trips back for new generations of Lummi youth and expanding the programming year round.

Guests:

Raven Borsey, Bullitt Prize Recipient

Free Borsey, Bullitt Prize Recipient

Relevant Links:

Bullitt Prize info

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Students, parents, and educators are still waiting to find out how the Seattle School Board will vote on a proposal to close four elementary schools in the district.

But in the meantime - a group of SPS parents believe it's time to take matters into their own hands: they’ve launched an effort to recall school board president Liza Rankin.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

GUEST: Sami West - education reporter for KUOW

RELATED LINKS:

Seattle School Board president faces recall over handling of school closures -KUOW

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann is still on a high from her experience at the USHER show on Sunday, but we're looking forward to what’s happening THIS weekend...

Producer Jason Megatron Burrows is here to help you get a jump on making plans with “THE WEEKEND WARMUP!”

LINKS:

SIFF Presents SHREK WEEK!!
Shrek the Musical - Spokane
Shrek the Musical - Bellingham
First Annual Veteran Art Show - Spokane
Field Notes: Artists Observe Nature Opening Celebration - Tacoma
Haunted Farmers Market - Tacoma
The DB Cooper Conference - Tukwila

If you would like to suggest events for us to talk about in upcoming "Weekend Warmups," please send Jason an email at SOUNDSIDE@KUOW.ORG

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Back in 2017, President Donald Trump arrived in office touting big promises about immigration.

Remember building a wall and making Mexico pay for it? Or defunding sanctuary cities?

Trump had mixed success fulfilling those pledges, though not for lack of trying. Many of his policy goals couldn’t get past the courts, or Congress.

During the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump made even more immigration-related promises: mass deportations, ending birthright citizenship for some, and tightening the U.S.’s green card application process.

Now, with more experience and savvy, the Trump administration is positioning itself to hit the ground running.

So are people on the other side of the immigration fight.

Here to discuss lessons from Trump’s first presidency and preparations for a second term are two Puget Sound-area immigrant advocates.

Matt Adams is legal director for the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project.

And Vanessa Reyes (they/them) is a policy manager for the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network.

American Immigration Council - Mass Deportation: Devastating Costs to America, Its Budget and Economy

New York Times: Judge Tosses Out Biden Program for Undocumented Spouses

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Election results are still coming in for Washington’s tightest races.

Most of the voter initiatives went down to defeat this year. But one -- Initiative 2066 -- is poised for success.

It targets natural gas regulations by rolling back pieces of a big law forcing Puget Sound Energy to explore electrification and likely knocking down new building codes that makes installing natural gas in new construction harder.

It’s passing by a slim margin: just over 3 percentage points.

But not so fast, because opponents of 2066 say they’re gearing up to take the issue of natural gas from the ballot to the courts. They plan to file a legal challenge over the constitutionality of the initiative.

Soundside was joined by guests from both the YES and NO on 2066 campaigns to hear their thoughts on the election results and where the initiative is headed next.

Guests:

Molly Gallagher, Statewide Poverty Action Network, and Leah Missik, the acting Washington Director of the nonprofit Climate Solutions (No 2066)
Jan Himebaugh, director of external affairs at the Building Industry Association of Washington (Yes 2066)

Related Links:

KUOW - Will natural gas be turned off in Washington state? Voices for and against Initiative 2066
Misleading methane gas initiative barely passes after days of “too close to call” - NO on 2066
BIAW celebrates Initiative 2066 election results protecting natural gas choice - Building Industry Association of Washington

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Donald Trump has vowed to take a number of actions on his first day in the oval office. He’s promised mass deportations, increased tariffs, and deregulation.

While some home builders see a potential silver lining in deregulation, other policies could raise the cost of building and that might affect housing supply in an area with a housing shortage.

Guest:

Heidi Groover, real estate report at the Seattle Times

Relevant Links:

Seattle Times: What Seattle-area housing market should expect as Trump returns

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Getting an interview for a new job has always been tough.

For candidates, the challenge is crafting a cover letter and resume that make you stand out. For employers, the challenge is often volume. Finding the right candidate with the right qualifications – in a stack of applications.

Now, inject AI into the mix. Large Language models (LLMs for short) are being used to help automate some of the tedium of sorting through candidate resumes.

But in a new study from the University of Washington, even the most cutting-edge AI is showing bias.

Soundside was joined by Kyra Wilson, doctoral student at the University of Washington Information School. Wilson co-authored the study with Aylin Caliskan, assistant professor in the iSchool.

Guests:

Kyra Wilson, doctoral student at the University of Washington Information School.

Related Links:

AI tools show biases in ranking job applicants’ names according to perceived race and gender | UW News
View of Gender, Race, and Intersectional Bias in Resume Screening via Language Model Retrieval

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Washingtonians voted down three tax-related initiatives that would have repealed the state’s cap and trade program, made the state’s long term care program optional, and repealed the state’s new capital gains tax.

Those lost by large margins. One initiative passed, it protects access to and use of natural gas.

All four initiatives were backed by hedge fund manager Brian Heywood, who put $6 million into signature gathering. Heywood claimed that the policies he was trying to repeal amounted to taxes on Washingtonians.

And historically, Washington voters have been receptive to initiatives that cut their taxes.

$30 car tabs? Bring it on said voters in 1999, 2002, and again in 2019.

Require a super majority to pass new taxes in the state legislature? We’ll have some of that, said voters in 2007 and 2012.

Limit property tax increases? Why not? Said voters in 2000 and 2001.

So what went wrong this time?

That’s what we’re asking my next guest, a longtime anti-tax activist who has used the initiative process many times to successfully limit local government’s ability to collect money.

Guest:

Tim Eyman, anti-tax activist

Relevant Links:

KUOW: Most of his initiatives failed, but Washington Republicans still call him a winner

KUOW: Washington’s natural gas initiative wins, but court challenges could be next

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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A 37-year old man remains in custody at King County Jail at this hour, held on $2 million dollars bail. He’s awaiting charges connected to the stabbing of up to 9 people in Seattle’s Chinatown International District and South Jackson street on Thursday and Friday.

While setting bail, the judge noted the suspect had a warrant out for his arrest and a history of multiple felonies, including robbery, theft and attempted burglary.

A police spokesman described the attacks as random assaults. Several victims were hospitalized with multiple stab wounds.

CID and Little Saigon community members and business leaders are speaking out after the attacks, saying the community needs more law enforcement and social services support to deal with problem areas like 12th and Jackson – where residents have long complained of safety problems due to crime and rampant drug use.

Quynh Pham is the Executive Director of Friends of Little Saigon, a community development organization focused on the Vietnamese community in the Chinatown/International District, and spoke with Soundside's Libby Denkmann.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

GUEST: Quynh Pham - Executive Director of Friends of Little Saigon

RELATED LINKS:

$2M bail set for ‘unprovoked’ mass stabbing suspect in Seattle - Seattle Times
Seattle Chinatown International District mass stabbing: What we know - Seattle Times

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It’s been a big week. I know many of you listeners would like it to end. Or maybe you’re just always really excited for the weekend.

Producer Jason Megatron Burrows is here with the “Weekend Warmup” to help you get a jump on making plans.

LINKS:

SIFF!!
The Art of Studio Ghibli
Cinema Italian Style
Seattle Polish Film Festival
GeekGirlCon
USHER - Saturday & Sunday
BELLINGHAM - Bellwood Farms Cider Festival
SPOKANE - Eddie Izzard - The REMIX Tour: The First 35 Years

If you would like to suggest events for us to talk about in upcoming "Weekend Warmups," please send Jason an email at SOUNDSIDE@KUOW.ORG

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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U.S. stocks soared after Donald Trump clinched the presidency early Wednesday morning.

And another market jumped to a record-high as well: cryptocurrency.

The price of Bitcoin has topped $76,000 as of Thursday morning, and behind this record breaking value is a belief from digital currency enthusiasts that the president-elect will roll back Biden-era regulations on cryptocurrency.

And the crypto-industry was far from a passive observer in this year’s election. It spent more than a hundred million dollars on candidates who took cryptocurrency-friendly stances, including here in Washington State.

Guest:

Brady Dale, crypto reporter for Axios

Related links:

Bitcoin traders' next mark: bitcoin at $100,000 - Axios
The big moments in Biden's crypto crackdown - Axios
Crypto cash helps propel Trump, other allies to 2024 election victory - The Washington Post
Wealthy industry donors fuel Trump's conversion on cryptocurrency - The Washington Post
Bitcoin Surges to Record as Crypto Investors Cheer Trump Win - The New York Times

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As Donald Trump’s transition team gears up for his second administration, Democrats are spending the days after the election processing their major defeats – with a dash of second-guessing and finger-pointing about what went wrong for Kamala Harris.

Here in Washington, Governor-elect Bob Ferguson held a press conference this morning laying out plans to battle Trump on a number of fronts, including immigration, reproductive rights, and LGBTQ+ protections.

To talk about how those battles could play out, Soundside was joined by Scott Lemieux. Lemieux is an associate teaching professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Washington.

Guests:

Scott Lemieux, associate teaching professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Washington.

Related Links:

Donald Trump has sweeping plans for a second administration. Here's what he's proposed
Kamala Harris was a good candidate who ran a very good campaign in a fiercely anti-incumbent environment - Lawyers, Guns & Money

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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“Kamala is for they/them. President Trump is for you”.

In the weeks before the election, it was a line that echoed over and over in advertisements that ran during football games, the World Series, and prime time network television. It was paired with footage of border crossings, claims about trans girls participating in youth sports, and Vice President Harris talking about federal prisoners having access to gender-affirming medical care.

And, according to reporting from the New York Times, these pro-Trump television spots were highly effective: Ultimately, analysis from Kamala Harris’ leading super PAC found the ad shifted the race 2.7 percentage points in Trump’s favor, among audiences who saw it.

Now that Trump has won the election, local trans community members are worried about what that message means for their future: with another Trump administration on the horizon, will he make good on the promise that he’s not for “they/them”?

Guest:

Eve Palay, a Bainbridge Island resident, and a representative of Rainbow Crew NW, a resource for the West Sound LGBTQ+ community, and she’s a member of other Trans groups around the West Sound.

Relevant Links:

Ingersoll Gender Center
Lavender Rights Project

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Democrats across the country today are waking up to a sea change in national politics and a realignment of political coalitions once considered solidly blue.

But closer to home, Washington state is moving further to the left.

Local Democrats appear headed for a sweep of statewide offices, and most of the conservative-backed initiatives on the ballot are losing.

But, not everything is so clear cut.

Questions remain, including: Will voters ditch new regulations on natural gas? Will an anti-Trump Republican keep his seat in Congress? And who will join our state Supreme Court?

Discussing what we know, what we don’t, and what it all means, is a panel of political experts.

Guests:

Political consultant with Fincher consulting, and host of the Hacks and Wonks Podcast, Crystal Fincher
Former Washington state attorney general Rob McKenna
Editor and publisher of the Washington Observer, Paul Queary

Relevant Links:

November 5, 2024 General Election Results - Washington Secretary of State

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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We’re continuing to watch election results today, but many things are clear: Donald Trump will retake the presidency, and he’ll be backed by a Republican controlled Senate. Control of the House of Representatives remains up in the air. Dozens of races around the country are too close to call.

We might not know the outcome of these battleground contests for several days or even weeks, but the potential for Democrats to flip the House is a rare glimmer of hope for a party that experienced crushing defeats on Tuesday.

The picture is very different in Washington state, which, if anything, turned an even deeper shade of blue.

Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, who represents Seattle and the surrounding area, won her reelection bid handily, beating her opponent by about 70 percentage points, as of now.

So how will Representative Jayapal, the Progressive Caucus Chair and outspoken Trump critic, approach the next two years in office?

Guests:

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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It’s election day … officially.

But don’t hold your breath, everyone. We’re still possibly days away from knowing the results of many races, both local and national.

Even so, we wanted to get a sense of how voters in Washington have been feeling and thinking about the choices on the ballot this season. KUOW has been speaking with people across the political spectrum, to get their takes on what’s driving their decisions.

Guest:

Alex Rochester, KUOW digital community outreach producer

Related links:

What do Democratic, Republican, and Independent Washington state voters think about the 2024 ballot? - KUOW

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Months and months of anticipation – or maybe dread? – have led to today. Election day.

Over the coming days and weeks, there will continue to be a lot of talk about candidates, polls, the state of democracy. But we also want to recognize the emotional difficulty of election day... of election season.

Politics can leave a lot of people bitter and divided. It’s cost treasured relationships and led to feelings of anger, contempt, and fear. Bridging divides and finding common ground aren’t simple or easy. Over the past year, Mónica Guzmán and April Lawson have been thinking a lot about how to do it.

Mónica Guzmán works with Braver Angels, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to political depolarization. Her podcast – produced in partnership with KUOW – is called "A Braver Way."

Guests:

Mónica Guzmán is a senior fellow at Braver Angels.
April Lawson is the cofounder of Insight Debate and Dialogue.

Related Links:

Braving the unknown: Your election survival guide - Braver Angels
Consumed by the news? How to stay sane in a polarized election - Braver Angels

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Americans are at the polls right now voting for the next president – among a lot of other important state and local races.

And if you’re highly engaged in the outcome of Donald Trump versus Kamala Harris – you’re not just casting a ballot. You’re reading, watching and listening to tons of content about this presidential race, and in some cases agonizing over public polling in the weeks leading up to election day.

This year, the polls are showing one thing: neither candidate holds a clear edge.

So how can you avoid getting burned by faulty expectations?

And how should we prepare for the rush of election night and the cascade of state-by-state returns we’re about to experience?

Guest:

Armin Thomas is a political analyst at Split Ticket, a non-partisan election analysis firm

Relevant Links:

Our Final Forecast - Split Ticket
Why Washington is a bellwether for the presidential election - KUOW

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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He was one of the greatest musical minds of the 20th century… and he hailed from Seattle.

Songwriter, composer, arranger and producer Quincy Jones, died yesterday at the age of 91.

The 28-time Grammy winner moved to the Pacific Northwest at the age of 10 and eventually graduated from Garfield High School.
Jones credited Seattle's musical openness with shaping his style. He met Ray Charles here. In a typical night, they would play across the city, from the tony Seattle Tennis Club to hangouts on Jackson Street, which was in the city's red light district, playing classical, jazz, marches, and pop music.

Jones played jazz trumpet.

Quincy Jones described his time in Seattle for PBS' “American Masters” in 2021:

"We had to play everything with school. We played Sousa. And you play classical music and Debussy… on the jobs… Ray Charles, we, played Debussey on some of the jobs and we had to play Big Fat Butterfly parody, a parody on a poor butterfly. We had to play absolutely everything."

That musical openness and genre defying attitude was a thread that he carried throughout his life.

In the 50's, Jones played with some of the jazz greats, including Herbie Mann, Zoot Sims, Hank Jones and Charles Mingus on Evening in Paris from his 1957 LP, “This Is How I Feel About Jazz."

A few years later Jones played with Ray Charles on "One Mint Julep."

But soon, Jones was branching out stylistically.

He left an indelible mark on the music industry through his film scores... And while Soul Bossa Nova wasn't specifically WRITTEN for Austin Powers, it certainly became known as the theme song for the "International Man of Mystery..."

He arranged songs for legends like Frank Sinatra.

And in the 70's, when funk was EVERYWHERE, Jones turned it into gold, including the track "The Streetbeater," which became the theme song to Sanford & Sons...

In the 80's Jones famously produced Michael Jackson's meteoric rise to stardom, with tracks like "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough."

He butted heads with Jackson on the opening to Billie Jean... (He thought it was too long, Jackson disagreed.)

And made the notorious phone call that got Eddie Van Halen in the studio to play guitar on "Beat It..."

Quincy Jones, a giant of American music, is one of few producers to have number one records in three consecutive decades, the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s...

Jones passed Sunday night at his home in Los Angeles. He was 91.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

RELATED LINK:

Quincy Jones’s Legacy in 14 Essential Songs - New York Times

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Boeing machinists are voting today on a new contract offer that could end their seven week-old strike.

More than 33,000 workers walked off the job on September 13 – after they overwhelmingly voted to reject an offer from Boeing that included a 25 percent pay increase over 4 years.

In late October, Machinists also voted down Boeing’s second offer – which would have raised wages 35 percent over four years.

Boeing says this third deal is their best and final offer. It includes a pay bump of 38 percent over four years, as well as a 12,000 dollar ratification bonus.

IAM District 751, which represents Boeing workers, has endorsed the proposal.

Guest:

Richard Aboulafia, managing director of AeroDynamic Advisory

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Seattle’s Public School District is grappling with a nearly 100 million dollar budget shortfall, as student enrollment in the district has dropped in recent years.

In a letter last month, Superintendent Brent Jones said that SPS was proposing the closure of North Beach, Sacajawea, Sanislo, and Stevens elementary schools next year, pending school board approval.

The district says the latest plan will save around $5 million dollars - much less, notably, than the close to 30 million the broader closure plan was expected to yield.

So, where will the rest of the money come from to shore up the budget?

Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Brent Jones sat down with Soundside host Libby Denkmann to talk school closures, highly capable programs, and more.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guest:

Dr. Brent Jones, Seattle Public Schools Superintendent

Relevant Links:

4 Seattle schools up for closure revealed - KUOW
Seattle Public Schools enrollment ticks up slightly as district moves ahead with closures - KUOW
School closures: No answers for my 5-year-old - Seattle Times
Seattle private school enrollment spikes, ranks No. 2 among big cities - Seattle Times

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Famous fiends like zombies, vampires, and werewolves are hallmarks of All Hallow's Eve. But how much do you know about why that is, and where those creatures come from?

It’s an origin story that’s fascinated University of Washington professor Charity Urbanski. Charity teaches medieval history at the UW, and she wrote a new book based on her research and seminars on the origins and meaning behind some of Europe’s most famous monsters. It's titled "Medieval Monstrosity: Imagining the Monstrous in Medieval Europe."

She joined Soundside to talk about the ways werewolves, revenants, and other monsters came to be popular -- and what they tell us about the people who invented them.

Guests:

Charity Urbanski, teaching professor of history at the University of Washington and author of "Medieval Monstrosity: Imagining the Monstrous in Medieval Europe."

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Do you have weekend plans yet? On Soundside, we figure it’s never too early to make plans, plus, we’re not on the air Fridays...

We’ve been looking at some of the exciting things happening around the region over the next few days.

Producer Jason Megatron Burrows has this roundup for you, in a segment that, for now, we’re calling the “Early Weekend Guide.”

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

GUESTS:

Anita Spritzer aka Johnny Marzano - Seattle Opera
Kelly Froh - Short Run Comix & Arts Festival

LINKS TO THE EVENTS LISTED:

"This is Halloween" Burlesque at the Triple Door
Skeleton Skate at Southgate Roller Rink
QUEENS OF THE NIGHT at the Seattle Opera
SeaMeowCon at Seattle Center Exhibition Hall
Short Run Comix & Arts Festival at Fisher Pavilion
Coco performed by Orquesta Folclórica Nacional de México at Benaroya Hall

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD is often perceived as a static diagnosis– one that people carry with them throughout their lives with little to no change.

But, new research may just change that view of ADHD all together. A recent study in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry suggests that ADHD symptoms can actually fluctuate over time due to influence from environmental factors. In fact, for many individuals, symptoms can mellow out year after year - especially for people who are navigating a busy life.

Guest:

Maggie Sibley, a clinical psychologist and Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine, and Seattle Children’s Hospital. She's also the lead author of the new study.

Relevant Links:

Characteristics and Predictors of Fluctuating Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in the Multimodal Treatment of ADHD (MTA) Study - The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry

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The Everett AquaSox's home for 40 years, Funko Field, is no longer in compliance with new stadium regulations implemented when Major League Baseball took over the minor leagues in 2020.

Now the city of Everett is exploring a replacement stadium that could cost up to $120 million. The city isn't shouldering the whole burden of this stadium, the state has chipped in money, along with Snohomish County, and AquaSox ownership has pledged $5 to $10 million.

The city estimates that a new stadium downtown could generate up to $55 million dollars a year, whether that makes the stadium a good investment is up for debate.

Guests:

Will Geschke - General Assignment Reporter at the Everett Herald

Nola Agha - professor at the University of San Francisco’s Sport Management Program

Relevant Links:

Everett Herald: Everett takes next step toward new AquaSox stadium

Everett Herald: Everett faces June deadline to present AquaSox stadium plan

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

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Mount Adams has been a little more active than usual lately. That’s according to researchers with the United States Geological Survey.

Now, it’s not uncommon for our northwest volcanoes to shake things up a bit. But Adams tends to be one of the sleepier “chill” giants... until now. So what’s the deal?

To dig into what these seismic shenanigans mean– and hopefully set all of our minds at ease – Soundside was joined by Alex Iezzi. Iezzi is a research geophysicist with the US Geological Survey’s Cascade Volcano Observatory.

Guests:

Alex Iezzi, research geophysicist with the US Geological Survey’s Cascade Volcano Observatory.

Related Links:

Washington’s Mount Adams is seeing unusual earthquake activity - OPB
Glacier Peak's critical monitoring delayed. What this means for WA residents

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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The investigation continues into attacks on two ballot drop boxes in Washington and Oregon.

Hundreds of ballots were damaged or destroyed early Monday morning at a drop box at a transit center in Vancouver, Washington, the other attack was on a box outside Multnomah County election officers in Portland.

Washington’s Secretary of State, Steve Hobbs called the incidents “acts of terror that aim to disrupt lawful and fair elections...”

The Vancouver ballot box that was sabotaged is in the highly competitive Third District, where Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez is facing off against Republican Joe Kent in one of the closest watched House races in the country.

Soundside got the latest information from Oregon Public Broadcasting's politics and government reporter, Dirk VanderHart, then talked election security with State Elections Director Stuart Holmes.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

GUESTS:

Dirk VanderHart - OPB Politics & Government Reporter
Stuart Holmes - State Elections Director

RELATED LINKS:

UPDATED: Clark County Auditor statement regarding ballots destroyed in ballot box - Clark County
Statement Regarding Ballot Box Incident in Vancouver, WA - Sec of State
Inslee statement on ballot dropbox attack in Clark County - Gov Inslee
2 ballot boxes set on fire in Portland and Vancouver - OPB
WA, OR ballot box fires: Here’s what we know | The Seattle Times

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Former Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz was placed on administrative leave yesterday. Diaz, who served as chief for four years, was demoted in May amid allegations that he’d hired a romantic partner to a top level advisor role. Diaz is also the subject of a handful of lawsuits asserting he discriminated against SPD staff.

Guest:

Ashley Hiruko, KUOW Investigative Reporter

Relevant Links:

KUOW:Former Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz placed on paid leave amid watchdog investigations

KUOW: A beef jerky run and alleged romantic hire: Two investigations launched into former Seattle Chief Diaz

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Three of the seats on our state’s Supreme Court will be on the ballot next week. Two of them have incumbent justices running unopposed; the race Washington voters will actually decide is for Washington Supreme Court Position 2.

The incumbent, Justice Susan Owens, who turned 75 in August, is aging out of the position because of a rule in the state’s constitution.

The position is non-partisan, so you won’t see any party labels next to the candidates’ names - but don’t worry, we’re here to help you make that decision without the “D” or “R” shorthand.

Soundside is talking to both candidates vying for the seat this week. Today, we're interviewing Judge Dave Larson. Larson has been a judge for the Federal Way Municipal Court since 2008.

Guest:

Judge Dave Larson, candidate for Washington Supreme Court Position 2.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Derrik was a 16 year old student when he was given a walk-behind trenching machine to guide through through a field.

Derrik was earning school credit with the Battle Ground School District for his work off site with the construction company Rotschy.

With no training or oversight, Derrik was severely injured by the machine, eventually losing both of his legs. He survived the work accident, and is now a senior in high school.

His story highlights big questions about work based learning programs at Washington schools, and whose job it is to make sure that teens exploring the workforce are kept safe.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:

Lizz Giordano, investigative reporter with Cascade PBS

Relevant Links:

‘Beyond failure’: WA teen loses legs at school-based work program

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The Boeing machinist’s strike is now in its seventh week. Last Wednesday, the machinist's union rejected the latest contract from the company. A major sticking point continues to be union members’ insistence that the company reinstate a pension, also called a defined-benefits plan.

This is a long-held grievance. Union president Jon Holden said that the damage from a 2014 agreement— which froze pensions in favor of a 401(k) plan —remains unresolved.

Boeing machinists aren’t alone in this fight.

Striking autoworkers also sought to restore pensions during their 2023 strike, but received only increased contributions to their 401(k)s instead.

So, why are workers so determined to reclaim pensions now and how realistic is this goal?

Guest:

Thomas Gilbert, Professor of Finance at the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business

Links:

NPR - At the heart of the Boeing strike, an emotional fight over a lost pension plan

KUOW - Why pensions are a hot button issue in the Boeing machinists' strike

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Washington voters will decide next week is who will fill the lone open seat on the Washington Supreme Court.

Supreme Court Position 2 is an open race - the incumbent, Justice Susan Owens, is retiring at the end of this year due to the state constitution’s requirement that all justices retire after the year they turn 75. The position is non-partisan.

Soundside is talking to both candidates vying for the seat on the state's highest court. Up first: attorney Sal Mungia.

Mungia is a partner at Gordon Thomas Honeywell, a law firm based in Seattle and Tacoma. He has specialized in medical malpractice, serious injury, personal injury and real estate litigation. He has also served as the President of the Washington State Bar Association.

Guest:

Sal Mungia, candidate for Washington Supreme Court Position 2.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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There’s one seat up for grabs on Seattle’s city council this November.

Typically city council seats are filled during odd-year elections.

But, when former councilmember Teresa Mosqueda was elected to the King County Council in 2023, she left a vacancy that needed filling. Tanya Woo was appointed by the council to fill the seat, until this year’s special election could determine a replacement to serve through 2025.

Position 8 represents all of Seattle, as opposed to just one geographic district.

This week, Soundside is speaking with both candidates for the office. Today, we're speaking with incumbent councilmember Tanya Woo.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:

Tanya Woo, candidate for Seattle city council position 8

Relevant Links:

The Stranger’s Endorsements for the November 5, 2024 General Election

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There’s one seat up for grabs on Seattle’s city council this November.

Typically city council seats are filled during odd-year elections.

Position 8 represents all of Seattle, as opposed to just one geographic district.

This week, Soundside is speaking with both candidates for the office. Up first is Alexis Mercedes Rinck.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:

Alexis Mercedes Rinck, candidate for Seattle city council position 8

Relevant Links:

The Times recommends: Tanya Woo for Seattle City Council Position 8

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In 2018, The North American Post, Seattle’s oldest Japanese-language newspaper, printed the final strip of Seattle Tomodachi, a comic created by Sam Goto.

Goto was a second generation Japanese-American, born in the Seattle area in 1933. He raised two girls here, working for most of his life as a dental technician.

He passed away at the age of 84, just a few months before his final comic strip was printed.

For 5 years, Goto used his pen to illustrate the Japanese American experience in the Pacific Northwest.

The strips could be funny and whimsical. But his work could also be somber and reflective, as the main character, a young boy, grows up as an outsider straddling two worlds – caught between assimilating and preserving his heritage.

These are struggles the real Sam Goto faced in his life.

Now, a retrospective of Sam’s art and life has been compiled and published in a new book, called Seattle Samurai: A Cartoonist’s Perspective of the Japanese American Experience.

Guest:

Kelly Goto, author of Seattle Samurai: A Cartoonist’s Perspective of the Japanese American Experience, and Sam Goto's daughter.

Relevant links:

Seattle Samurai book website
Remembering Sam Goto - Seattle Tomodachi cartoonist left lasting legacy - The North American Post

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Perinatal Support Washington is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. The organization was started in 1989 as a way for parents to connect and find support during those really tough and bewildering years after a new baby arrives.

The organization may be best known for its “Warm Line,” where callers are connected with peers to talk about the challenges they face – including postpartum depression and infertility.

Childcare is a central issue in the 2024 presidential election, during the vice presidential debate last month between Senator JD Vance and Governor Tim Walz, there was an extended conversation about the challenges of raising children in the United States.

There was something familiar in the fact that they were two fathers, talking about support for mothers. That’s pretty common on the Warm Line, people who work there say dads often call in with concerns about a partner before realizing they need support, too.

A recent survey from the Washington Fatherhood Council found that dads are in need of emotional and mental health support and face stigma around their roles in families, but dads are often conditioned to suppress or avoid feelings that are challenging around parenthood, which makes acknowledging the need for assistance difficult.

Guests:

Victoria Cherniak, senior warm line manager at Perinatal Support Washington

Nathan Friend, dad specialist at Perinatal Support Washington

Relevant Links:

Perinatal Support Washington (1-888-404-7763)

National Maternal Health Hotline

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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Let’s do a quick exercise. How are you feeling? Heart rate good? Optimistic about the rest of the day?

Now, how do you feel after I say the words: JURY DUTY?

Ugh! What is it about that summons in the mail that makes us cringe so much? The disruption to our schedule? The waiting around? The other jurors?

One thing that certainly doesn’t help is the insultingly low pay. Most jurors in the state of Washington have been paid $10 per day since 1959. For people just getting by, serving can be a huge financial burden. And that’s contributing to a lack of diversity among jury pools.

Pierce County Superior Court is trying out a way to make serving more attractive… by paying jurors $100 per day, in a first-of-its kind state-funded pilot program, running likely through next May.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

GUESTS:

Chris Gaddis - Pierce County Superior Court Administrator
Laurie Sale - Project Manager with the Administrative Office of the Courts with the Pierce County juror pay pilot program

RELATED LINKS:

Pierce County Launches Juror Pay Pilot, New Daily Rate Will be $100 Through May - WA State Courts
Pierce County to begin paying jurors $100 a day • Washington State Standard
2023 Statewide juror demographic survey

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For over a century, the deli meat company Boar’s Head has built its brand on a promise to customers - to only sell products based on the most exacting standards.

Boar's Head is ubiquitous in the Pacific Northwest, especially if you shop at Kroger stores. You know that logo.

But in September, Boar's Head liverwurst was uncovered as the source of the deadliest listeria outbreak in over a decade.

The problems at Boar's Head stretch up to the C-suites – where a messy family feud may be affecting the company’s response to the safety crisis.

Guest:

Chloe Sorvino, a staff writer for Forbes covering food and agriculture. She’s also the author of Raw Deal: Hidden Corruption, Corporate Greed, and the Fight for the Future of Meat.

Related links:

Inside The Chaos At Boar's Head - Forbes
Boar's Head Has Faced Multiple Lawsuits Claiming Sexual Harassment and Racial Discrimination - Forbes

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“Run, Hide, Fight."

That's the advice given to many students in the event of an active shooter at their school. Both the U-S Department of Homeland Security and the FBI support run/hide/fight as a safety protocol.

It could save a lot of lives, theoretically. According to the Gun Violence Archive and Education Week this year in the U.S., there have already been 30 school shootings that resulted in injury or death.

But - what happens when you can’t run, hide, or fight? What are you supposed to do in any kind of emergency - especially at school?

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:

Jae Kim, an Information and Referral Program Manager with The ARC of King County.
Michele Gay, co-founder of Safe and Sound Schools, a non-profit school safety advocacy and resource center.
Michael Berkenwald, Principal of Loyal Heights Elementary in Seattle

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Halfway through the season, college football has been a whirlwind for local sports fans this season.

Some may still be basking in the glory of the Washington Huskies beating the Michigan Wolverines earlier this month. And the Cougars deserve a tip of the hat for successfully keeping the Pac-2 alive…. or maybe it’s the PAC-6 now? The 6-PAC?

While fans of Washington schools are still wrapping their heads around conference moves and changes to who and where their teams play, the entire college sports world is adjusting to the new reality of how players get paid.

In 2021 it became legal for athletes to make money off of their image. This is called "Name, Image, Likeness" – or NIL. And it’s changed the ability of schools to recruit top talent, in part because of how much boosters are able to offer prospective players.

It’s something Thilo Kunkel has thought a lot about. Kunkel is a professor in the school of sport, tourism, and hospitality management at Temple University. He joined Soundside to discuss the upsides and drawbacks of the new NIL system, and how teams, schools, and the NCAA can keep up with the rapidly growing influence of money on athletics.

Guests:

Thilo Kunkel, professor in the school of sport, tourism, and hospitality management at Temple University.

Related Links:

How NIL money is paid to college athletes - Washington Post
Is NIL a good thing or a bad thing? Sports industry expert weighs in | Temple Now
KUOW - What's behind a banner season for the UW Huskies? It could be a fan 'collective'

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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There are some things that just scream Mondays. A fresh pot of coffee, fresh laundry, and a deep dive into the latest proposal for Seattle’s ongoing city growth plan.

If you’re unfamiliar, Seattle’s 20-year growth plan is basically a zoning blueprint showing how the city will make room for new residents. Mayor Bruce Harrell’s first draft came out in March, and the proposal wasn’t exactly what housing advocates were hoping for.

Soundside was joined by Ryan Packer, contributing editor to the Urbanist, who helped break down the latest proposal and how it could reshape Seattle's neighborhood density.

Guests:

Ryan Packer, contributing editor at The Urbanist.

Related Links:

Updated Seattle Growth Plan Adds Five Neighborhood Anchors, Bigger Fourplexes - The Urbanist
Mayor Harrell Releases Details of One Seattle Comprehensive Plan Update - Office of the Mayor

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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The Urban Raptor Conservancy's Ed Deal and Patti Loesche are running a decades long study on the population health of Cooper's Hawks in Seattle. What does that involve? Spending a lot of time looking for and observing the city's hawks.

Guests:

Patti Loesche, co founder of the Urban Raptor Conservency

Ed Deal, co founder of the Urban Raptor Conservancy

Relevant Links:

Urban Raptor Conservancy Website

KUOW: What's that screeching? Maybe a hungry young Cooper's Hawk

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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This election season we’re bringing you conversations on all of the statewide initiatives on this November’s ballot.

This week, we’re taking a deep dive into I-2124, it’s the initiative that would give WA voters the option to OPT-OUT of the WA Cares long term services insurance program.

Yesterday, we talked to Elizabeth New from the WA Policy Center, who urged listeners to vote YES on I-2124.

TODAY, we’re talking to the NO side.

Gov. Inslee signed the bill that created WA Cares back in 2019. It’s a kind of “social insurance plan,” which would extend a one-time benefit of $36,500 to people who pay into the program, to help them cover the cost of long-term care.

Right now, most Washington workers pay about 58 cents into the program for every 100 dollars earned. If you make $50,000 a year, that’s about 24 dollars a month.

There was a delay in getting the payroll deduction started because of COVID, then an opt-out period, so payroll deductions for the plan didn’t actually kick in until July of last year.

The first claims for WA Cares benefits can be filed starting July 1st, 2026.

A “NO” vote on I-2124 would maintain the WA Cares program as is, without an opt-out. It also preserves the legislature’s ability to revise and improve the program.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

GUEST: Cathy MacCaul is a member of Washington State’s Long-Term Services & Supports Trust Commission that helps oversee WA Cares, along with being the policy & advocacy director for AARP Washington.

RELATED LINKS:

Washington Initiative 2124, Opt-Out of Long-Term Services Insurance Program Initiative (2024) - Ballotpedia
No On I-2124
Vote ‘no’ on I-2124 and keep WA Cares participation mandatory | The Seattle Times
Editorial: Opt-out of WA Cares would cost most more later | HeraldNet.com

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This election season we’re bringing you conversations on all of the statewide initiatives on the November ballot.

Most recently, we looked at both sides of the Capital Gains Tax Repeal.

This week, we’re taking a deep dive into I-2124: it’s the initiative that would give Washington voters the option to OPT-OUT of the WA Cares long term services insurance program.

Gov. Inslee signed the bill that created WA Cares into law back in 2019. It’s a kind of “social insurance plan,” which would extend a one-time benefit of $36,500 to people who pay into the program, to help them cover the cost of long-term care.

Right now, most Washington workers pay about 58 cents into the program for every 100 dollars earned. If you make $50,000 dollars a year, that’s about 24 dollars a month.

There was a delay in getting the payroll deduction started because of COVID, then an opt-out period, so payroll deductions for the plan didn’t actually kick in until July of last year.

The first claims for WA Cares benefits can be filed starting July 1st, 2026.

A vote of "Yes" on Initiative 2124 would make the program optional, instead of a payroll tax applying to most workers with a W-2.

We’ll hear both sides of I-2124 this week: TODAY, we’re talking to the YES side.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

GUEST: Elizabeth New - Policy Analyst and the Director of the Centers for Worker Rights and Health Care at the Washington Policy Center

RELATED LINKS:

Washington Initiative 2124, Opt-Out of Long-Term Services Insurance Program Initiative (2024) - Ballotpedia
Vote ‘yes’ on I-2124 and make WA Cares participation optional | The Seattle Times
The Seattle Times editorial board recommends: Vote ‘yes’ on Initiative 2124 and give residents more choice on WA Cares

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The world premiere of Jubilee debuted at Seattle Opera with its inaugural performance over the weekend.

Jubilee is a new opera honoring the Fisk Jubilee singers, a group of groundbreaking Black American singers from Fisk University, in Tennessee.

Soundside's Diana Opong sat down with creator and director Tazewell Thompson, who reflected on how the seeds of the opera Jubilee were sown in his early years living in New York. It was during his formative years that he was introduced to the rich tapestry of spirituals through old recordings, a discovery that ignited a profound sense of connection in his life.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:

Tazewell Thompson, creator and director of the new opera, Jubilee
Marlette Buchanan, Seattle vocalist and former Fisk Jubilee singer
Dr. Agenia Clark, president of Fisk University

Related Links:

Seattle Opera - Jubilee

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When you think of the wild west, you might imagine a sheriff, keeping watch over a small, dusty town he calls home. And a posse of locals: ready to be called up to fight off cattle rustlers or moonshine smugglers who threaten to cause trouble.

It’s hard to imagine something like that now, in 2024 Washington State.

But, in Klickitat County, down south on the Columbia River, a sheriff's posse has been making the news for its growing size and the number of responsibilities it’s taking on within the community.

Advocates say the posse is filling shortfalls within the Sheriff’s budget.

Critics say it’s empowering citizens to take the law into their own hands – and allowing the sheriff to choose which laws he’ll enforce and which ones he’ll ignore.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guest:

Paul Kiefer, a freelance reporter who covered this story for Investigate West

Related Links:

In a rural stretch of Washington, a ‘constitutional sheriff’ and his growing volunteer posse provoke controversy - Investigate West

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Since the 1963 Gideon decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, the right to a lawyer has been guaranteed to defendants facing criminal charges – even if they can’t afford to pay.

Advocates say that guarantee is in jeopardy in our state because of a lack of personnel. Washington State public defenders are in short supply and that’s having cascading effects on the criminal legal system.

The Washington State Bar Association is recommending a counterintuitive solution to the shortage: they want to cap the number of cases that public defenders can take on in a year, but the plan has its detractors.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:

Jason Schwarz, Director of Snohomish County Office of Public Defense and Chair of the Washington State Bar Association, Council on Public Defense

Russell Brown, executive director of the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys

Relevant Links:

Washington State Standard: Can smaller caseloads help Washington fill its public defender ranks?

Seattle Times: WA’s public defender system is breaking down, communities reeling

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Tensions are rising as negotiations between Boeing and the IAM District 751 hit a stalemate. This comes amid a month-long strike, impacting 33,000 workers.

After contract discussions collapsed last week, both sides have traded accusations, leaving the future uncertain. Adding to the conflict, Boeing announced layoffs affecting around 17,000 employees – nearly 10% of its workforce – in a bid to cut costs.

With financial pressure mounting and workers seeking temporary employment, the big question that remains is: how close are we to a resolution, and what will it mean for the future of both the company and its workers?

Soundside was joined by Harry C. Katz, professor of collective bargaining within Cornell’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR).

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:

Harry C. Katz, professor of collective bargaining within Cornell’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR).

Related Links:

Boeing and Workers Dig In for a Long Fight, Despite Strike’s Cost - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Boeing Will Cut 17,000 Jobs in Bid to Slash Costs - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

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Among the many races Seattle voters will weigh in on during the upcoming election, there’s a city council seat up for grabs. Current Position 8 Councilmember Tanya Woo is looking to defend against challenger Alexis Mercedes Rinck.

While Woo and Rinck try to differentiate themselves down the home stretch, they have at least one thing in common. Both are the latest candidates to take part in an election experiment meant to level the financial playing field for office-seekers: Democracy Vouchers.

If you live in Seattle, there’s a good chance you opened up your mailbox during this election cycle, and pulled out an envelope containing these vouchers.

The bright blue slips of paper are kind of reminiscent of Kohl’s cash. Or Monopoly bucks.

But instead of exchanging them to buy a new sweater or to capture Park Place, you can use them to donate to candidates running for local office, like the city council, mayor, and the city attorney.

Next year, democracy vouchers are turning 10 years old.

Back in 2015, advocates made some ambitious promises about the potential of democracy vouchers: they would revolutionize campaign financing and inspire nontraditional candidates to run for office

Voters will get to decide next year if they want to extend the democracy voucher program.

So - have democracy vouchers delivered on those promises?

Soundside host Libby Denkmann sat down with one expert, Dr. Jennifer Heerwig, an associate professor at Stony Brook University in New York, to find out. Dr. Heerwig has explored the impact of democracy vouchers in Seattle with a new book she co-authored, called Democracy Vouchers and the Promise of Fairer Elections in Seattle.

Guest

Dr. Jennifer Heerwig, associate professor at Stony Brook University, and co-author of Democracy Vouchers and the Promise of Fairer Elections in Seattle.

Related links:

3 Big Ways Democracy Vouchers Changes Seattle's Elections at Town Hall Seattle

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This year, few Washington races have grabbed as much attention as the one for Commissioner of Public Lands.

The commissioner heads the state Department of Natural Resources, which oversees more than $450 million in revenue and more than 5.5 million acres of public land. The agency is in charge of wildfire preparedness, forest management, and the protection of critical habitat throughout the state.

After a crowded primary and a recount decided by just 49 votes, the top two candidates voters will be asked to decide on are Republican Jaime Herrera-Beutler and Democrat Dave Upthegrove.

Jaime Herrera-Beutler is a former congresswoman representing Washington’s 3rd congressional district in the southwest part of the state. She served from 2011 to 2023.

Dave Upthegrove is chair of the King County Council, which he has served on for 10 years.

They both joined Soundside host Libby Denkmann this week for a lively debate on the future of public lands.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:

Jaime Herrera-Beutler, former congresswoman and Republican candidate for Commissioner of Public Lands.
Dave Upthegrove, chair of the King County Council and Democratic candidate for Commissioner of Public Lands.

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For decades, the Seattle Children’s Theatre has introduced young people from all over King County to the joy and wonder of live theater.

You can take your little ones to their first play or musical like “Cat Kid Comic Club,” or maybe an interactive dance performance.

There’s a lot going on there each year. It’s part of what makes the Children’s Theatre such a beloved institution. The theater is celebrating its 50th anniversary this fall.

Soundside talked with Managing Director Kevin Malgesini about what SCT has coming up this season, along with the steps they've taken to keep the theater strong for years to come.

Host Diana Opong also chats with Karan Hanan, Executive Director of the WA State Arts Commission, about the overall health of Seattle's theater ecosystem.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

GUESTS:

Kevin Malgesini - Managing Director of Seattle Children's Theater
Karen Hanan - Executive Director of the Washington State Arts Commission

RELATED LINKS:

Seattle Children's Theatre
ArtsWA
Washington- National Endowment for the Arts

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Pennsylvania's Three Mile Island is the site of the worst commercial nuclear accident in U.S. history. The nuclear plant near Harrisburg officially closed in 2019, but now, Microsoft is making a deal to restart the facility and buy all of its electricity for the next 20 years.

How likely is this to actually happen? And what does this say about the future of energy and tech?

Guests:

Evan Halper, business reporter covering the energy transition for the Washington Post

Relevant Links:

Washington Post: Microsoft deal would reopen Three Mile Island nuclear plant to power AI

Washington Post:Three Mile Island owner seeks taxpayer backing for Microsoft AI deal

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes.

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The Seattle School District is now planning to close just 5 schools next year. That’s down from the 21 possible closures the district had proposed earlier.

The district has been teasing school closures for months as a part of its “Well Resourced Schools” plan.

Seattle Schools faces a $94 million dollar budget deficit and Superintendent Brent Jones proposed closing schools to help cover that gap.

After the announcement of which schools would close last month, the push back from parents was swift. And the School Board? Well, they weren’t on-board either. Now, with a scaled back plan, the district will need to explore other options to cover its fiscal deficit.

Guest:

Liza Rankin, President of the Seattle School Board

Links:

KUOW:Seattle Schools' proposed closures trimmed from 21 to just 5 schools after backlash

KUOW:Seattle families brace for school closures. What can we learn from last time?

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Since Hamas militants attacked Southern Israel on October 7, taking roughly 1200 lives, and capturing hundreds of hostages, the Israeli military has responded with overwhelming force in Gaza.

Bombs and other military actions have killed nearly 42,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

Most of the homes, businesses, schools and mosques in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed – and millions have been displaced.

And there is no end in sight to the bombardment.

The U.S. State Department says Hamas has refused for weeks to engage in cease-fire talks. Previously, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly stalled a cease-fire and hostage deal by adding new conditions to negotiations.

For the past 12 months, Palestinian Americans and the wider Muslim community in the Seattle area have been urging the U.S. to halt weapons transfers and funding to Israel.

On Saturday, roughly 500 protesters gathered at Pier 62 on Seattle’s waterfront to demand change.

Yesterday, we spoke with members of Seattle’s Jewish community about how they’re remembering the first anniversary of the October 7th attack on Israel.

Today, we’re speaking with members of Seattle’s Palestinian and Muslim communities about the effects of the war in Gaza.

Guests:

Akram Baioumy, an Imam with MAPS (Muslim Association of Puget Sound)
Yaz Kader, a Palestinian American and an uncommitted delegate from Washington state at the 2024 Democratic National Convention. He’s also the author of a new Op-Ed in Real Change News, called “Silencing the Palestinian voice at the local and national levels”.

Relevant Links:

Silencing the Palestinian voice at the local and national levels - Real Change

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How can personal tragedy inspire the most unlikely of people to become activists?

This question is at the heart of Norita, a new documentary screening Oct. 8 at the Seattle Latino Film Festival.

Norita takes a moving look at the life and journey of an Argentinian woman, Nora Cortiñas. She was a mother who became caught in the crosshairs of Argentina’s military dictatorship, which stretched from 1976 to 1983.

Norita’s fearless protest against the government, and search for justice, played a role in toppling the dictatorship, and she spent the rest of her life as a leading voice for human rights.

She died earlier this year in May at the age of 94.

Soundside producer Noel Gasca caught up with Melissa Daniels, a producer of Norita, about the documentary's exploration of Norita's life and legacy.

You can purchase tickets to the Seattle Latino Film Fesitval's screening of Norita here.

Guest:

Melissa Daniel, Norita producer

Related links:

Norita film homepage
Norita trailer
Nora Cortiñas, 94, a Founder of Argentina's Mothers of the 'Disappeared,' Dies - The New York Times

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The Seattle area gets a bad rap for its “frosty” social climate.

But how can that be true when we live with so many “best friends”? Furry ones, at least. There are more dogs than children in the city.

With all those canines sharing space, things can get a bit tense. Complaints run rampant about dog behavior in public, businesses that do or don’t allow animals, and, of course, politeness when picking up and disposing of their poop.

And let’s be real, this is not a conversation about dogs; it is about people who own dogs.

Today, we have two experts with us to talk about how dogs (and people) navigate space, together.

Guests:

Farrah Branson, certified trainer and the animal training manager at the Seattle Humane Society.

Alexis Devine, certified professional dog trainer and the author of the book “I Am Bunny: How a Talking Dog Taught Me Everything I Need to Know About Being Human”

Links:

I Am Bunny Instagram

Seattle Humane Society

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One year ago, Hamas militants killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel and took hundreds more hostage.

Israel’s military response has killed more than 41-thousand Palestinians in Gaza. The Gaza Health Ministry says more than half were women and children.

A second front has opened in southern Lebanon, where the Israeli military has been bombarding Iran-backed Hezbollah… which began firing rockets into Israel after October 7th.

Today, destruction, hunger, grief and displacement are the only certainties for millions of people in the path of this widening war.

This week also marks the middle of the Jewish High Holy Days.

In Jewish tradition, it’s a time meant for reflection and consideration of the year before, and preparation for the year ahead.

Today, we’re speaking with members of the Seattle-area Jewish community to hear how they’re marking the anniversary of October 7th. Tomorrow, we’ll hear how the local Palestinian community is reflecting on a year of war in Gaza.

Guests:

Rabbi Rachel Nussbaum leads the Kavana Cooperative, an independent Jewish community in Seattle
Rabbi Daniel Weiner, Senior Rabbi of Temple De Hirsch Sinai in Seattle
Kate Raphael, a member of Jewish Voices for Peace Seattle

Relevant Links:

October 7 One Year Later: Seattle's Community Commemoration - Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle
October 11th ritual and rally for Yom Kippur at the Federal Building - Jewish Voices for Peace Seattle Instagram page
Prayer of Mothers for Life and Peace - Open Siddur

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In June, the U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy declared gun violence a public health crisis.

"Gun violence has become the leading cause of death among kids and teens," Murthy said. "That was not true a decade or two decades ago, but it is true today."

And like many other communities across the country – Seattle is feeling the ripple effects of this crisis.

First Response — a new series from Cascade Public Media’s podcast Northwest Reports — takes a deeper look at how the medical professionals on the front line of this crisis are handling the influx of patients with gunshot wounds, and treating the long-term impacts of gun violence. It also looks at the impact on those medical professionals’ mental health.

Soundside caught up with the co-hosts and producers of Northwest Reports to talk about the series, and how it deepened their understanding of gun violence.

Guests:

Sara Bernard, senior producer and co-host of Northwest Reports
Maleeha Syed, producer and co-host of Northwest Reports

Related links:

First Response: The medical professionals treating gunshot wounds (Episode 1)
First Response: The hospital working to cure the gun violence cycle (Episode 2)

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When you go to vote this November, it won’t just be for President or Governor. You’ll also be voting on a group of initiatives - and these things are complicated. So we’re breaking all of them down here on Soundside this election season.

And this week, we’re turning to I-2109: aka, the measure that seeks to Repeal the Capital Gains Tax.

Passed by the legislature back in 2021, the tax took effect two years ago. It charges a 7% tax on the sales of some types of assets - things like stocks, bonds, and some types of businesses. The tax kicks in on profits exceeding $262,000.

Real estate, retirement accounts, and certain small businesses are exempt. Revenue from the tax goes towards education: the first $500m raised is earmarked for schools, early learning, and child care programs. The rest goes towards school construction and renovation.

This is a tax that’s only paid by an extremely small percentage of Washington taxpayers (.001%). 4,000 people paid Washington state capital gains taxes in 2022 - producing $786m dollars in revenue. Last year, that amount decreased to $433m.

Yesterday, we spoke with former Google engineer Vijay Boyapati about the case to vote “Yes” and repeal the capital gains tax.

Today, we’re speaking with someone from the vote “NO” on I-2109 campaign.

Guest:

Treasure Mackley is executive director of Invest in WA Now, a Seattle-based organization advocating for progressive revenue measures in Washington State - including the Capital Gains tax

Relevant Links:

Ditch Washington's Capital Gains Tax? The case for Yes on I-2109 - KUOW
Washington Initiative 2109, Repeal Capital Gains Tax Initiative (2024) - Ballotpedia

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October is Breast Cancer Awareness month -- a chance to educate people about the disease and the importance of high-quality care.

Public awareness of breast cancer has greatly improved over the past few decades. For a long time, people diagnosed with the disease tended to keep their experiences to themselves.

That’s why it was groundbreaking, 30 years ago, when NPR health reporter Joanne Silberner profiled a woman named Toby Quitsland, who was experiencing a recurrence of breast cancer.

Her story not only helped build awareness of the disease, it also helped create a special bond between Joanne and Toby’s family.

Toby’s husband Jon recently discovered that he and Joanne both now live on Bainbridge Island. He heard her being interviewed on KUOW, and he decided to mail a letter to the station in hopes of reaching her.

The Washington State Department of Health has launched Vital, a free mobile app tailored for cancer survivors. It provides valuable tools to help patients build skills for their cancer journey and recovery.
You can download the Vital app now on iPhone and Android

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes
Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

GUESTS:

Jon Quitsland
Joanne Silberner

RELATED LINKS:

https://doh.wa.gov/newsroom/introducing-vital-free-mobile-app-designed-support-cancer-survivors
https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-cancer-awareness-month/

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Soundside producer Alec Cowan spoke with Purcell to learn more about the intersection of technology and stagecraft after attending a recent showing.

Curious about seeing the play yourself? The show runs through Sunday, Oct. 6. You can find tickets here.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:

Ryan Guzzo Purcell, artistic director at The Feast, a Seattle theater company, and director of "The Adding Machine: A Cyborg Morality Play."

Related Links:

What's Next | The Feast (the-feast.org)
The Adding Machine: A Cyborg Morality Play - Seattle University
How Seattle theater company The Feast’s play using AI turned out | The Seattle Times
KUOW - Artists vs. AI: where innovation meets unwelcome imitation

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When you go to vote this November, it won’t just be for President or Governor. You’ll also be voting on a group of state initiatives - and they’re complicated. We’re breaking all of them down here on Soundside this election season.

And this week, we’re turning to I-2109: aka, the measure that seeks to Repeal the Capital Gains Tax.

Revenue from the tax goes towards education: the first $500m raised is earmarked for schools, early learning, and child care programs. The rest goes towards school construction and renovation.

This is a tax that’s only paid by an extremely small percentage of Washington taxpayers (.001). 4,000 people paid Washington state capital gains taxes in 2022 - producing $786m dollars in revenue. Last year, that amount decreased to $433m.

Supporters of the capital gains tax say that it’s providing needed funds for Washington’s education and childcare system.

Detractors say it’s a workaround for an income tax, which is illegal in Washington state. Some also fear it will drive tech entrepreneurs and companies out of the city.

Today, we're hearing from an advocate for Initiative 2109.

Guest:

Vijay Boyapati is a former Google engineer. He’s currently a software engineer and author of the book “The Bullish Case for Bitcoin”

Relevant Links:

Washington Initiative 2109, Repeal Capital Gains Tax Initiative (2024) - Ballotpedia

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The Yakama Nation has found it nearly impossible to access $32 million in a promised federal grant for an irrigation canal conversion project.

The initiative aims to transform old irrigation canals into a solar and small-scale hydropower system, which would lower electricity costs and conserve water in the Yakima Basin.

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell celebrated the project earlier this year for its potential benefits.

While incentives for renewable energy are abundant, the bureaucratic processes to implement them can be frustratingly slow.

Soundside caught up with investigative reporter Tony Schick to hear more about why the project is stalling. His recent story on the issue was produced in partnership with OPB, ProPublica, and High Country News.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:

Tony Schick, investigative reporter and editor at Oregon Public Broadcasting.

Related Links:

The Department of Energy promised this tribal nation a $32 million solar grant. It’s nearly impossible to access - OPB

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In October of 2019, an 18-year-old walked out of a Seattle police training building with an officer’s personal firearm.

It was eventually recovered - but questions remained about how the teen was able to access the firearm in the first place, as well as the quality of security at the training facility.

This isn’t the only time an SPD firearm has gone missing.

In August, SPD reported 23 missing firearms, and the department confirmed that those guns haven’t been accounted for since 2017.

This information comes from a KUOW investigation into the department.

Soundside caught up with KUOW investigative reporter Ashley Hiruko to learn more about how the guns may have gone missing.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The 2024 Seattle Mariner's season wasn't just about disappointment, it was a story about fandom, money, masochism, and, sure, losing a 10 game lead in the AL West.

We're breaking down the story lines and commiserating after a long season.

Guests:

Kate Preusser, managing editor of Lookout Landing and host of Meet at the Mitt podcast

Danny O’Neil, author of The Dang Apostrophe, a newsletter on Seattle sports

Relevant Links:

Lookout Landing: Key takeaways from Jerry Dipoto’s Game 161 meeting with the media

Seattle Times: The Mariners say payroll will increase in 2025. How much? | Analysis

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This budget cycle, the city is bracing for what could be a contentious debate over how to fund essential services and set priorities for the coming year.

With an estimated $251 million dollar budget shortfall looming, how it will address that gap has become a pressing concern.

Early last week, Mayor Bruce Harrell unveiled his office’s plan to tackle the large budget shortfall.

Guests:

Kevin Schofield, founder of SCC Insights and author of Weekend Reads in the South Seattle Emerald. Schofield is also a member of KUOW's board of directors, which does not make any editorial decisions or work directly with KUOW's newsroom.

Relevant Links:

Post Alley: Mayor Harrell's New Budget and Windfall Revenue Provoke Big Questions

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It's time to set aside that uninspired sandwich, or soggy work-from-home salad. You’ll probably also want to cancel any lunch plans you have you have this week, because a new podcast from KUOW and The Seattle Times may convince you to try something new.

"Seattle Eats with Tan Vinh" is helping listeners find the best bites in Seattle — and beyond.

Soundside caught up with Vinh to find out what inspired the long-time Seattle Times food writer to turn to podcasting, and what he looks for in a good 'ol slice of pizza.

New episodes of "Seattle Eats with Tan Vinh" drop every other Thursday, and can be heard on the KUOW app — or wherever you get your podcasts.

Guest:

Tan Vinh, Seattle Times food writer and the host of "Seattle Eats with Tan Vinh"

Related Links:

Seattle Eats with Tan Vinh - KUOW
A hot Seattle restaurant makes New York Times list of best in the U.S. - The Seattle Times
How to try Seattle's new dim sum spot and more on our food podcast - The Seattle Times

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The Boeing machinists’ strike is in its third week. On Friday, the company and the union were back at the negotiating table.

This came after Boeing made another offer earlier in the week, its “Improved Best and Final” one. It was quickly rejected.

There were criticisms that it didn’t go far enough. Also, that the company had disrespected the negotiating process by releasing the offer’s details to the media.

Meanwhile, the company has begun requiring thousands of managers and non-union employees to take one week off without pay. This will occur every four weeks as part of temporary rolling furloughs.

They’ve also implemented a hiring freeze, cut back on business travel, and reduced spending with suppliers.

Currently, 33,000 machinists are on strike, pushing for higher wages and the restoration of their pensions, among other demands.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

GUEST: Jon Holden - President of the International Association of Machinists District 751

RELATED LINKS:

Boeing, Machinists back at the negotiating table as strike enters third week | The Seattle Times
Striking Machinists find little to like in new Boeing offer, won’t vote on it | The Seattle Times
Boeing makes a 'final offer' to striking workers, but union says it's not good enough - NPR
IAM/Boeing Contract 2024 - UPDATES from the Union

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It’s been a tough few months for many local IT departments.

Last week, hackers posted a handful of files stolen from SeaTac airport on the dark web. A ransomware gang is attempting to sell a trove of stolen Port of Seattle data for 6 million dollars in Bitcoin – after the Port refused to pay up.

The cyber-attack a little over a month ago snarled travel when it took down ticketing, baggage, and other SeaTac services.

But that’s just the highest profile ransomware case in the Seattle area in recent months.

A few weeks ago, the Highline School District canceled classes because a cyberattack had wormed its way into the local system. There was also a crippling ransomware attack on Seattle Public Libraries back in May, which put their book checkout and online systems in limbo for months

For more on what’s happening – and how organizations can protect themselves –Soundside caught up with Robby Winchester, the vice president of services and a co-founder of SpecterOps, a Seattle cybersecurity company.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:

Robby Winchester on the line. He’s the vice president of services and a co-founder of SpecterOps, a Seattle cybersecurity company.

Related Links:

Hackers demand $6 million for files stolen from Seattle airport operator in cyberattack | AP News
Highline schools closing Monday because of cyberattack | The Seattle Times
Why did ransomware hackers target Seattle Public Library? – GeekWire

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Washington state has officially closed the chamber where executions took place, marking the end of capital punishment here in the state. The journey to decommission this chamber involved a lot of moving parts across all branches of government.

First, Governor Jay Inslee put a moratorium on executions in 2014, then the state Supreme Court declared the practice unconstitutional four years later, and finally, the legislature outlawed the practice last year.

Guest:

Nina Shapiro, Seattle Times reporter covering social issues

Relevant Links:

Seattle Times: WA death penalty chamber officially closes, ending tumultuous history

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Classes at the University of Washington are back in full-swing. And as students try to find their classes, and figure out what to avoid at the dining hall – the university’s administration and faculty are trying to figure out their own conundrum: How to address artificial intelligence– chatbots like ChatGPT and Gemini.

For some students and teachers, AI programs can be a useful tool. While for others, it’s another way to cheat on exams and classwork.

KUOW web editor Stephen Howie took a deeper look at the complicated relationship between AI and higher education.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes
Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guest:

KUOW web editor Stephen Howie

Relevant Links:

KUOW newsroom: Learning tool or BS machine? How AI is shaking up higher education

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As we step into fall, and back into the rain... we thought we'd revisit a segment from last year about MUSHROOMS...

Mushroom foraging is a very popular pastime here in the Pacific Northwest.

Our rainy climate helps a wide variety of the fungi thrive, as well as the community that collects them.

After all, who doesn’t love a good mushroom? Producer Alec Cowan, that’s who.

Last fall, Alec took an excursion with some amateur mycologists to learn what it takes to become a good mushroom hunter... and why he should give the fungi another chance.

You can check out Alec's original story HERE, complete with a plethora of wonderful photos from his adventure.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

RELATED LINKS:

Our local mushrooms are abundant. Here's how to forage them ethically. - KUOW
Puget Sound Mycological Society
Snohomish County Mycological Society

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Everyone is a current, former, or future teenager.

You probably know this period of life is an especially difficult time for kids. Throw in a deadly pandemic and the subsequent disruption of school and social life? It got a lot more complicated. And new research suggests COVID-19 lockdowns may have hadlasting consequences for adolescent minds.

In a new study from the University of Washington Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences (I-LABS for short), researchers found that pandemic isolation actually accelerated the aging of teen brains.

Soundside spoke with the study's lead author about what that means for the mental health of teens post-pandemic, and we can learn about teenage brain development going forward.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotesSoundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:

Neva Corrigan, the lead author of the study and a research scientist at the University of Washington’s I-LABS.

Related Links:

COVID-19 lockdowns prematurely aged teenage brains, UW study shows | UW News (washington.edu)
COVID-19 Pandemic Associated With Worse Mental Health and Accelerated Brain Development in Adolescents - National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (nih.gov)

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They’re repeated over and over in debates, speeches and media appearances during this presidential campaign: harmful lies about Haitian immigrants.

Springfield, Ohio has been at the center of the fabrications. Former President Donald Trump and his running mate JD Vance have falsely asserted that Haitian immigrants are eating people’s pets.

Despite thorough debunking by local officials, including the Republican Governor of Ohio – Trump and Vance have doubled down on these falsehoods.

The dehumanizing rhetoric didn’t exactly shock members of the Haitian diaspora in the United States, but it has saddened them and put people in Springfield at risk.

Guest:

David Zhu Pierre-Louis, founder of Kay Tita

Relevant Links:

New York Times: Far From Ohio, Haitian Americans Feel the Sting of Threats in Springfield

New York Times:Trump’s Derision of Haitians Goes Back Years

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Seattle Public Schools leadership is taking a minute to think.

Earlier this month, the district released plans to potentially close almost two dozen elementary schools to shore up a budget gap. Unsurprisingly: many parents were not thrilled with the idea. Hundreds packed a school board meeting demanding the district reconsider.

Now, Superintendent Brent Jones says he is pausing further meetings about the closures.

Guest:

Sami West, KUOW education reporter

Relevant Links:

Seattle Public Schools cancels closure meetings, is revisiting plan - KUOW
'Don't do this to our kids': Hundreds of Seattle parents rally against school closures - KUOW

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There are just a handful of weeks until the election, reports about outside interference from countries like Iran, China, and Russia are still popping up.

Recently, Microsoft shared new findings about Russian efforts to interfere with the US presidential election, with a focus on the Harris-Walz campaign.

This follows the tech giant’s announcement in August about Iranian-backed efforts aimed at Republican campaigns.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

GUEST: Maggie Miller - cybersecurity reporter for POLITICO, covering the intersection of cybersecurity and national security.

RELATED LINKS:

Russian election interference efforts targeting Harris campaign, Microsoft finds - POLITICO
Russian election interference efforts focus on the Harris-Walz campaign - Microsoft On the Issues

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As candidates prepare to make their final pitch to voters ahead of the 2024 election, former president Donald Trump is once again using lies and hateful rhetoric about immigrants to fuel his pitch to voters.

Trump has doubled down on falsehoods about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, and claimed at a rally on Saturday that migrants are “attacking villages and cities all throughout the Midwest.”

During Trump’s time in the White House, his administration pursued a policy of separating children from their families at the U.S. border to deter would-be migrants.

But even at the height of “zero tolerance,” many families weighed the risks, and made the difficult decision to leave their homes in Central America and make the dangerous trek to seek asylum in the U.S.

The new documentary 'All We Carry' tells the story of one such family: Magdiel, Mirna, and their young son, Joshua.

They fled violence in Honduras, and the camera follows as they make the difficult and dangerous journey through Mexico on foot and on cargo trains. At the U.S. border, they claim asylum.

Eventually, Magdiel, Mirna, and Joshua wind up in Seattle. With the help of a local synagogue, they begin building a new life for themselves.

But looming over them – is the question of whether or not they’ll be able to stay together, in their adopted home.

Soundside talks to journalist and director Cady Voge about 'All We Carry' and the family behind it.

All We Carry is screening this Friday, September 27th at the Northwest Film Forum’s Local Sightings Film Festival.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotesSoundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:

Cady Voge, journalist and director of 'All We Carry'

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This election season we’re taking a dive into the big races and big initiatives on your ballot this November. This week we’re taking a look at Initiative 2066 – the "Natural Gas Policies Measure."

For a quick refresher, this initiative aims to keep natural gas as a consumer option as building codes, state policies, and utility companies begin a pivot to green and clean energy.

Yesterday, Soundside heard from Leah Missik, who opposes the initiative to repeal provisions in this year’s natural gas law.

Today, Soundside heard from a supporter of the initiative: Greg Lane, the executive vice president of the Building Industry Association of Washington, which is the main sponsor of the initiative.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundsideis a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:

Greg Lane, executive vice president of the Building Industry Association of Washington.

Related Links:

Washington's Energy Choice Initiative (protectenergychoice.com)
Measure to prevent phasing out of natural gas in WA is on track for November ballot • Washington State Standard
City Inside/Out: Gas or green? Debate over natural gas heads to voters | seattlechannel.org

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New criminal penalties for drug and prostitution-related crimes within some of Seattle's busiest areas are on the way.

In an 8 to 1 decision, the Seattle City Council voted in favor of two ordinances on Tuesday, one creates “Stay Out Of Drug Area” zones – or “SODA” zones – in six areas of the city.

A Seattle municipal court judge can now order people who get arrested for drug-related crimes to steer clear of these zones or face a gross misdemeanor charge.

The other establishes a “Stay Out of Area of Prostitution” zone on Aurora Avenue North from 85th to 145th street. This new SOAP ordinance also reinstates a prostitution loitering law as a misdemeanor.

And it creates a new gross misdemeanor offense: promoting “loitering for purposes of prostitution”, meant to target sex traffickers.

Soundside hears from KUOW politics reporter Amy Radil about the enforcement power these zones give the city, and the pushback from critics.

And later, Soundside talks to Madison Zack-Wu, an organizer with Strippers Are Workers, about the concerns sex workers have raised about the legislation.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:

Amy Radil, KUOW politics and government reporter
Madison Zack-Wu, organizer with Strippers Are Workers

Relevant Links:

New 'loitering' penalties targeting Seattle drug and prostitution zones approved by City Council - Amy Radil, KUOW

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This election season we’re bringing you conversations on all of the statewide initiatives on this November’s ballot -- and this year, many of those initiatives have something to do with Washington’s ambitious goals to completely transition off of fossil fuels.

Last week we heard about Initiative 2117, which would repeal a key part of Washington’s Climate Commitment Act. Today, we’re talking about Initiative 2066.

This one’s about natural gas. If passed, the measure would repeal parts of a natural gas law passed earlier this year. In a nutshell, the law was designed to push Puget Sound Energy into developing a plan for transitioning away from natural gas.

This is where Initiative 2066 comes into the picture. It’s supported by many of the critics of this year’s natural gas law – including building and hospitality associations.

Simply speaking, the initiative is aimed at guaranteeing utility customers’ access to natural gas by repealing certain provisions in this year's earlier natural gas bill, 1589, and changing state building codes.

I-2066 would prohibit penalties for using natural gas in construction, limit the ability of building codes to discourage the use of natural gas, and keep utility officials from making planning decisions that make natural gas cost-prohibitive.

Initiative supporters have branded it a “ban” on natural gas bans.

Over the next two days, we’ll hear from a supporter of the initiative to repeal provisions in this year’s natural gas law…. and an opponent of the initiative.

For the "No" side of the issue, Soundside spoke with Leah Missik, the acting Washington Director of the nonprofit “Climate Solutions.” She’s also on the executive team for the "No on 2066" campaign.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundsideis a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:

Leah Missik, acting Washington Director of the nonprofit “Climate Solutions” and a member on the executive team for the "No on 2066" campaign.

Related Links:

NO on I-2066: Keep energy affordable in Washington (no2066.org)
Measure to prevent phasing out of natural gas in WA is on track for November ballot • Washington State Standard
City Inside/Out: Gas or green? Debate over natural gas heads to voters | seattlechannel.org

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The Seattle City Council is preparing to take a final vote today on a pair of new laws that city attorney Ann Davison and some city council members say could help the city fight drug trafficking and prostitution.

The SODA ordinance – stands for “Stay Out of Drug Areas.” It would create a new gross misdemeanor, punishable up to 364 days in jail, and a $5,000 fine, for being caught inside a designated SODA zone – if you’re subject to a judge’s order to stay out.

Soundside host Libby Denkmann talks to one man who was subject to a similar policy – in his case, a King County judge issued a several-block “Stay Out of Drug Area” order after he was arrested in 2015.

Guests:

Joe Conniff, REACH Reentry Program Supervisor at Evergreen Support Services. Conniff is also the author of Causes and Conditions: A Life Experience in Addiction and Recovery.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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As humans have built skyscrapers, factories and highways around the Puget Sound, our environment has become much noisier, and not just terrestrially.

Underwater, humans (and our large cargo ships) have a large sonic impact, too.

New research suggests that cacophony is hurting the survival of some of the original inhabitants of the Salish Sea: Southern Resident orca whales.

Orcas use a series of clicks and vocalizations to hunt down their favorite meal: Chinook Salmon. It’s sort of like a bat using echolocation.

A new study published in Global Change Biology by scientists at the University of Washington and NOAA shows how orcas’ hunting is affected by all that sound we create.

Guests:

Jennifer Tennessen,senior research scientist in the University of Washington’s Department of Biology

Relevant Links:

KUOW: Shhh! The orcas can’t hear their dinner

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Washington state parks need to be more accessible to people with disabilities.

That’s the conclusion from a U.S. Department of Justice investigation – which prompted a deal announced earlier this month to bring state parks into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Guests:

Laurel Demkovich, Washington State Standard reporter
Syren Nagakyrie, Founder and Director of Disabled Hikers

Related Links:

Washington to fix accessibility violations at its state parks - Washington State Standard
U.S Department of Justice and Washington State Parks resolve complaint over Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) violations

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33,000 Boeing factory workers walked off the job Friday, demanding higher wages and for the company to restore pensions. Most are based here in the Pacific Northwest.

The overall labor landscape in the U.S. has changed significantly since the last machinists strike 2008 – nationally, union membership remains at historically low levels, but work stoppages have increased in recent years and the number of striking workers skyrocketed in 2023.The UAW strike late last year won historic concessions for auto workers across the country.

Guests:

Richard Aboulafia, managing director of AeroDynamic Advisory

Rebecca Givan, Associate Professor of Labor Studies and Employment Relations at Rutgers University

Relevant Links:

Seattle Times: Boeing Machinists reject contract as 96% vote to strike

AP: Boeing machinists vote to strike after rejecting pay increases of 25% over 4 years

New York Times: Boeing’s Strike Halts Airplane Production at Key Plants

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K-beauty is not a niche market. Built around dewy skin with no visible pores, big eyes, a thin body, it’s the “ideal” for pop stars, celebrities, and regular people across the world.

The industry, built on Korean skincare and makeup products, is the result of “hallyu” — exporting of South Korean pop culture that the government has helped sponsor since the 1990s.

In her new book, “Flawless: Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K-Beauty Capital,” Elise Hu describes how digital filters and a booming beauty economy have transformed the industry, societal expectations, and what’s actually achievable when it comes to that “flawless” finish.

This interview originally aired on June 6th, 2023.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guest:

Elise Hu: journalist, podcaster, and author of “Flawless: Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K-Beauty Capital”

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Today is Mexican Independence Day, and we’ve got a bit of a musical treat to take us out.

Yesterday, Orquesta Northwest put on a concert at Town Hall Seattle, celebrating “El Grito” -- the day that father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla called for Mexicans to rise and fight for freedom.

The concert was part of the Mexam NW Festival, which features dozens of Mexican cultural events around the Seattle area. The festival is curated by the Mexican Consulate of Seattle and runs through October 19th.

Soundside producer Jason Burrows went to the Town Hall Seattle and caught the musicians and organizers as they were rehearsing for the performance.

GUESTS:

Paula Madrigal, Artistic Director of Orquesta Northwest
Teo Benson, Executive Director of Orquesta Northwest

Related Links:

Orquesta Northwest
Mexam NW Festival

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

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If you’ve ever tried to find a therapist who takes your insurance and failed -- you're not alone.

Many in-network providers are bailing on insurance companies, and it’s affecting access to care.

A new investigation from ProPublica surveyed over 500 therapists nationwide – compiling their answers in a new investigation called “Why I left the network”.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:

Annie Waldman, a reporter at ProPublica covering health care
Canh Tran, a clinical social worker & therapist in Seattle
Dr. Chuck Benincasa, a psychologist working in a group practice in Everett

Relevant Links:

Why I Left the Network - ProPublica
New Biden Administration Rules Aim to Hold Insurers Accountable for Mental Health Care Coverage - ProPublica
What Mental Health Care Protections Exist in Your State? - ProPublica

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For months, parents, students, and faculty at Seattle schools have been nervously awaiting news about potential elementary closures throughout the district.

Back in May, Seattle Public Schools announced it would need to close roughly 20 schools, citing a $105 million budget shortfall…

Now, the wait to know FOR SURE about the fate of Seattle schools isn’t over YET, but the elementary schools on the chopping block have been identified.

Wednesday, the district’s “Well Resourced Schools” website published two different proposals.

One would close 17 schools. The other recommends closing 21.

KUOW Education Reporter Sami West joins Soundside to break down the options at hand.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

RELATED LINK: Seattle names 21 public schools to possibly close

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You won’t see Brian Heywood’s name on your ballot this November but you will see his impact.

Heywood is a Redmond based hedge fund manager who spent millions of dollars of his own money to fund citizen’s initiatives against the state’s cap and invest system, capital gains tax, and long term care insurance program.

His PAC, Let’s Go Washington, also gathered signatures for another initiative on your ballot about natural gas regulations.

Brian Heywood joins Soundside host Libby Denkmann to discuss his attempt to rollback these policies and why he's pursuing citizen's initiatives instead of running for office.

Guest:

Brian Heywood, hedge fund manager and funder behind I-2117, I-2109, and I-2124

Relevant Links:

Seattle Times: 6 initiatives head to WA ballot with $6M support of Brian Heywood

KUOW: WA initiative supporters turn in signatures to repeal capital gains tax, carbon auctions

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To ratify, or to strike: those are the options in front of 33,000 Boeing workers this week.

On Monday, machinists at Boeing sites across the West Coast woke up to news that union leadership had reached a tentative contract agreement with the company.

The last contract was ratified 16 years ago -- in 2008.

However, not everyone is excited about the terms of the agreement.

On Thursday, those union employees will decide to take or reject the offer. If they vote it down, machinists could walk off the job later this week.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

GUEST:

Lauren Rosenblatt - Seattle Times Innovation, Technology, and Workforce issues reporter

Related Links:

Machinists union agrees on tentative contract deal with Boeing | The Seattle Times
Boeing Machinists union chief expects members will reject deal, strike | The Seattle Times
UNION RECOMMENDS ACCEPTANCE - PDF of the Contract Basics

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Last March, it was reported that the Nordstrom family was interested in once again taking their storied retail company private.

There hadn’t been much word until last week, when we finally heard a price proposal – $23 a share. Another bid by the Nordstrom family was rejected six years ago.

So - why try again now? And what is the future of this iconic Seattle brand?

Seattle Times business reporter Alex Halverson breaks it all down.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:

Alex Halverson, Seattle Times business reporter

Relevant Links:

What’s behind Nordstrom family’s $3.8B play to take control of company - Seattle Times

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This November, Washington voters will be asked to weigh in on complicated policies like a capital gains tax and a long-term care fund. Maybe the most complex one is the future of the Climate Commitment Act, an initiative on the November ballot seeks to repeal the key part of this 2021 law: the “cap-and-invest” system.

It’s essentially an auction for major polluters where companies can purchase carbon allowances – kinda like permission slips for emitting planet-warming carbon dioxide.

Over the next two days, we’ll hear from both a supporter of the initiative to repeal the cap and trade system and a defender of the Climate Commitment Act.

Yesterday, we heard from a defender of the CCA: State House Majority Leader Joe Fitzgibbon.

Today, we talk to a proponent of the initiative, who wants to dismantle the state's carbon auction: Washington Policy Center's Todd Myers.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:

Todd Myers, Vice President of Research at the Washington Policy Center.

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It’s essentially an auction for major polluters where companies can purchase carbon allowances – kinda like permission slips for emitting planet-warming carbon dioxide.

Over the next two days, we’ll hear from both a supporter of the initiative to repeal the cap and trade system and a defender of the Climate Commitment Act.

Today, we hear the defender of the CCA: State House Majority Leader Joe Fitzgibbon.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:

Representative Joe Fitzgibbon, State House Majority Leader, who helped create the Climate Commitment Act

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This week (September 8th to 14th) is National Suicide Prevention Week.

Deaths by suicide in young people have risen by more than 60% in recent decades. And in 2022, it was the second leading cause of death for people aged 10-14.

Behind that tragic statistic is a lot of nuance, though.

For example: Alaska Natives, American Indians, and White youth are more likely to take their own lives than their Asian American peers. But researchers say even that statistic masks the reality of suicide rates in Asian American young people, and that rates vary greatly by subgroup.

Soundside spoke with Dr. Anthony L. Bui, lead author of a study that looked at suicide rates in Asian American youth. Dr. Bui is also an acting assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine and a researcher at the Seattle Children’s Research Institute.

He believes that by better understanding the background of individuals at risk, we can develop culturally specific and more effective approaches to youth mental health care.

Dr. Bui's study was recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics.

During our conversation Dr. Bui noted the importance of reaching out to professionals like school therapists when you are concerned about the youth in your life.

Soundside called up one of those school-based, child mental health specialists -- Ana Short -- to learn more about what culturally appropriate health care for young people may look like in practice.

Correction notice, 2:13p.m. on Thursday, 9/12/2024: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that Ana Short worked for Internal Community Health Services. This story has been amended to the correct employer: International Community Health Services.

Guests:

Dr. Anthony L Bui, acting assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle.
Ana Short, child mental health specialist with International Community Health Services.

Related Links:

Suicide rates differ in subgroups of young Asian Americans - UW Medicine | Newsroom
More Asian young people are dying by suicide — and some subgroups are faring worse than others (nbcnews.com)

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At the turn of the 20th century, Asahel Curtis was a prolific photographer who traveled throughout Washington. His work captured the state as it underwent big changes, owing to rapid industrialization. For decades, a massive collection of Asahel’s glass plate negatives has been held at the Washington State Historical Society in Tacoma.

The plates, however, are aging. In the 1980s, historians and staff were able to digitize around 3,000 of his most essential photographs. That left about 58,000 to go. Now, thanks to renewed interest and funding, historians are working on preserving the rest of the Curtis images.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:

Margaret Wetherbee, Head of Collections at the Washington State Historical Society

Recommended Links:

Asahel Curtis Collection - Washington State Historical Society (washingtonhistory.org)
ASAHEL: The Curtis Collection | Cascade PBS

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If someone asked you to name three Rock musicians that are Black, could you?

Some people might be able to, but in general there aren’t a lot of them.

This is despite the fact that the genre traces its roots back to Black blues, gospel, and rhythm and blues artists in the United States. The rock music industry and academic scholarship of the genre instead tend to focus on white voices. That’s according to research from the University of Ottawa.

Cameron Lavi-Jones says that’s part of what inspired him to create the band King Youngblood, which he fronts. It’s also why, along with co-founder Anthony Briscoe, Lavi-Jones created Black & Loud Fest.

The Fest celebrates Black-fronted bands - especially those in genres that don’t typically feature many Black performers.

And it’s returning to Seattle for its third year: next Saturday, September 14th at the Crocodile.

Guests:

Cameron Lavi-Jones, frontman of King Youngblood, and co-founder of Black & Loud Fest

Relevant Links:

Black & Loud Fest Website

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There’s a new wrinkle in the debate over homelessness policy in the city of Burien.

Last September, Burien passed a controversial ordinance banning camping in much of the city, Meanwhile, a local church decided to step in and offer its property as a temporary encampment for the homeless. Burien requested that the church, the Oasis Home Church, get a “temporary use permit” for the encampment.

They declined to do that and are now bringing another lawsuit against the city, arguing that Burien was infringing on their religious freedom to provide a place for homeless residents to stay.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:

Anna Patrick, reporter on the Seattle Times’ Project Homelessness team

Relevant Links:

Seattle Times: Burien faces another homelessness lawsuit, this one about religion

Seattle Times: SCOTUS homelessness decisions’ impacts in Washington could be unique

Seattle Times: Burien poised to kill King County-funded shelter project

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Spokane County Commissioner Al French is facing a recall effort over his handling of disclosures of contaminated groundwater in the West Plains.

The “Clean Water Accountability Coalition” is sounding the alarm about PFAS—sometimes called 'forever chemicals’—in well water.

And let's not forget to mention that French is also running for re-election this year, adding another layer to the already heated debate.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guest:

Nate Sanford, staff writer at Inlander

Relevant Links:

Inlander: Spokane County Commissioner Al French faces recall attempt over PFAS controversy

Inlander: EPA, Ecology and Spokane officials urge West Plains residents to sign up for free PFAS testing

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One of the best coffee spots in Bellingham isn’t a cafe, at least according to some of the folks in the city’s unhoused population. Instead, it’s a casual coffee cart that pops-up twice a week, at a free lunch program, known as the Maple Alley Inn.

While the coffee is decent, the main attraction is the person running the cart. 85 year-old Ursula DeWit is known for her easy smile and exceptional listening skills. Her kindness has made a significant impact in the lives of people she serves coffee to, including seniors, veterans and families.

We’ll also hear from April Ballard who is anAssistant Professor of Environmental Health at Georgia State University about the importance of treating vulnerable populations of people with dignity.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

GUESTS:

Dr. April Ballard, Assistant Professor of Environmental Health at the Georgia State University School of Public Health
Ursula DeWitt, volunteer at the Maple Alley Inn in Bellingham

RELATED LINKS:

Background info on Maple Alley Inn
Free Lunch Program
Striving for dignity in homelessness research and outreach
Ballard Kindness Cafe

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Riders packed trains on Friday to see four new stations on the One Line, which now stops in Shoreline, Mountlake Terrace, and Lynnwood.

At the 148th Street Station, Shoreline celebrated the occasions with a marching band, speeches, and bubble machines. The suburb has been planning for this moment for years, that’s apparent when you step off the train.

Across I-5 from the light rail station, new apartment buildings are going up. Townhomes line a couple blocks near Meridian Avenue. There’s also road work to add larger sidewalks and traffic-calming roundabouts.

The city is encouraging density and building infrastructure to support more pedestrians, and this is an effort most every city in the state is struggling with.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guest:

Mayor Chris Roberts, City of Shoreline

Relevant Links:

KUOW: Light rail is helping Mountlake Terrace find its heart

The Urbanist: South Shoreline Light Rail Brings Suburban Retrofit with Thousands of Homes

Seattle Times:Lynnwood light rail is opening. Here’s what you’ll find at 4 new stations

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Being a sports fan in Washington State is akin to riding the Extreme Scream at the fair: big highs, and REAL SUDDEN LOWS.

Yes, I’m looking at you, Seattle Mariners…

With the Seahawks kicking off their regular season at home this weekend against the Denver Broncos, hope springs eternal! And it felt like a good time to check in on what’s been cooking at VMAC all summer.

The team has a new head coach, and a new slate of players… so, what should we expect?

To answer that question, we’re talking to an expert.

GUEST: Michael-Shawn Dugar

RELATED LINK: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/author/michael-shawn-dugar/

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Members of the King County Council have moved to officially say the county’s youth jail should remain open.

The council voted last week eight-to-zero in favor of a non-binding resolution to declare its support for keeping the Patricia H. Clark Children and Family Justice Center in operation – with some improvements.

The move comes just over four years after King County Executive Dow Constantine pledged to shutter the facility by 2025

It was a promise made during the summer of George Floyd racial justice protests.

At the time – Constantine said his goal was “shifting public dollars away from systems that are rooted in oppression.”

And he predicted that, “phasing out centralized youth detention is no longer a goal in the far distance.”

But since then, the goal has been getting farther down the road.

Earlier this year, the timeline for closing the jail was pushed out to 2028 at the recommendation of an advisory committee of community partners. And now, the county appears to be indefinitely delaying that push.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:

Tascha R. Johnson, Associate Executive Director of Choose 180 - a non-profit dedicated to transforming the juvenile justice system
King County Councilmember (District 9) Reagan Dunn

Relevant Links:

Youth jail should be improved, not closed, King County Council votes - KUOW

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The Democratic party is riding the Good Vibes Express after its Chicago convention.

And a look at polling averages gives them reason to celebrate: Since becoming the nominee, Vice President Harris has shaken up a relatively static presidential race: She’s now running slightly ahead of former President Trump nationwide.

In swing states, she has pulled even in key areas of the sun belt like Georgia and North Carolina.

Some analysts say you have a more concrete expression of the electorate’s mood coming from right here in Washington State.

In fact, in the last several presidential and midterm elections, Washington state’s primary has developed a reputation as a reliable bellwether for the outcome of national general elections.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guest:

Armin Thomas is a political analyst at Split Ticket, a nonpartisan election analysis firm

Relevant Links:

A Very Detailed Examination Of The Washington Primary - Split Ticket

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Washington State University's MT James Entomological Collection is the largest insect museum in the state, it holds around three million specimens.

In 2022, state legislators allocated $50,000 for the collection to digitize pollinators, like bees, moths, flies, butterflies and other insects that carry pollen.

Adding the 30,000 pollinators in WSU’s collection to a digital database will open up collaboration for researchers worldwide.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:

Elizabeth Murray, Telford Family Professor of Entomology and the director of the MT James Entomological Collection at Washington State University

Relevant Links:

Spokesman Review: WSU makes strides in digitalizing 3 million insect collection
M.T. James Entomological Collection website

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Last year, the Yakima City Council made a landmark decision by passing a proclamation to designate the month of June as LGBTQ+ Pride month.

Less than a year later, the council voted to reverse that decision.

The move was celebrated by far right religious leaders like Turning Point USA’s Charlie Kirk and Sean Feucht, who took to X to applaud the decision.

And while pride celebrations defiantly went on in the city, it’s raised a lot of concerns about the ties between public officials and prominent Christian Nationalist figures.

GUESTS:

Mai Hoang - Central and Eastern Washington reporter for Cascade PBS.
Dominick Bonny - investigative journalist based in Wenatchee.

RELATED LINK: “Under God: How Christianity Permeates Yakima City Politics.”

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For many Washington students, and parents, the school year is just about to start - if it hasn’t already.

And they're not the only ones gearing up for the new year. Teachers and school staff are about to step into a new year with all sorts of new questions about how their respective school systems will be run.

So, we wanted to check in with a panel of education experts, to hear about how they’re preparing for both an incoming class of students, and the realities of working in the Washington education system right now.

Guests:

Ibijoke Idowu, a special education teacher with Seattle Public Schools
Hilda Lail, Vancouver Public Schools Bilingual Family and Community Engagement Partnership Coordinator
Julianna Dauble, president of the Renton Education Association

Relevant Links:

Cell Phone and Smart Device Use in Schools - OSPI
SPS, city of Seattle announce safety plan before new school year - Seattle Times
Seattle school closures: Why almost every student would be affected - Seattle Times
More school resource officers coming to Renton - Kent Reporter

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Earlier this month, City of Seattle workers were told most of them will have to return to the office at least 3 days a week starting this fall. Meanwhile… a certain large tech and online retail company (named after a river in South America) has reportedly started a mulling the minimum number of hours employees must stay on site to count towards its three day in-office mandate.

These changes had us wondering – is remote work gradually eroding in the Puget Sound region?

One study looking at 2022 Census data found that a quarter of workers in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metro area worked at least part of the week remotely, away from the office.

But the past year has brought a lot of changes to employer policies around where employees have to put in their hours – and for policymakers, that’s coinciding with concern about the lasting effects of remote work on Seattle’s struggling downtown core.

For a vibe check on remote work and what the numbers tell us about its effects on Seattle, Soundside host Libby Denkmann caught up with Tracy Hadden Loh, fellow at the Brookings Institute, and Joshua McNichols, growth and development reporter for KUOW and co-host of the "Booming" podcast.

Guests:

Tracy Hadden Loh, fellow at the Brookings Institute in Washington, D.C.
Joshua McNichols, growth and development reporter for KUOW and co-host of the "Booming" podcast.

Related Links:

How to break the doom loop: Actionable insights from the Brookings Future of Downtowns learning exchange
Amazon cracks down on ‘coffee badging,’ amid return-to-office push | The Seattle Times
KUOW - Seattle ticks through to-do list to revive downtown
Seattle mayor mandates 3 days of in-office work for city employees (komonews.com)

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In the early 90s, Seattle was at the center of a sonic revolution. Grunge, a homegrown sludgy rock sound, became a global commodity. At the same time, another sound was making its mark on Seattle.

The Gits were a band on the precipice of national stardom, standing out with their punk sensibility and charismatic female vocalist, with music labels circling. But the promise of a big break came to a violent end. The band’s lead singer, Mia Zapata, was murdered in 1993. It happened in the early morning hours after a show at the Comet Tavern.

For years, in media accounts, the band was defined by that tragic night. Today, the Gits’ drummer, Steve Moriarty, says he doesn’t want an act of violence to overshadow their full story. His book, Mia Zapata and the Gits: A True Story of Art, Rock, and Revolution, tells a fuller story of the band's existence.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:

Steve Moriarty, drummer and author of Mia Zapata and The Gits: A True Story of Art, Rock, and Revolution

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Addressing homelessness is looking a little different in Thurston County these days.

The county, which includes Olympia, just became the fifth community in the nation to collect data on every single adult experiencing homelessness.

The county’s partner organization says that data includes the names and circumstances of each person counted. And the county vows to update the information monthly.

It’s part of a model called “Built for Zero”.

Guests:

Keylee Marineau, homeless response program manager at Thurston County's Office of Housing & Homeless Prevention
Garrett Grainger, Research Associate at Manchester Metropolitan University

Relevant Links:

Olympia, Wash. Becomes Fifth U.S. City to Collect Data on All Single Adults Experiencing Homelessness - PR Newswire
Blog: Five Questions Housing Analysts Should Ask About "By-Name Data" - HSA: The Forum for Housing-Related Research and Debate

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We know a few things about the woman known as Lou Graham, for sure:

She was a brothel madam in Seattle at the turn of the century. And she’s immortalized in one of the city’s popular ghost tours.

Maybe you’ve even felt her spiritual presence while passing through tunnels underneath Pioneer Square.

Beyond that, facts are sparse. But plenty of legends about Graham’s life and impact on Seattle are served up to tourists and YouTube viewers who care to search her name.

From Geographics: “Technically sex work was illegal, so Graham made sure to have the ladies registered as “seamstresses” on the books.

From Women Being Podcast:“Graham was an advocate for women’s rights and social justice, and supported the women’s rights movement, including the Seattle chapter of the NAACP. She died in 1903 a feminist icon.”

It turns out, most of that is TOTAL BUNK.
But the truth behind those fables – and a journalist’s search to find it – may be even more illuminating.

GUEST: Hanna Brooks Olson, author of “Notoriously Bad Character: The True Story of Lou Graham and the Immigrants and Sex Workers Who Built Seattle”

RELATED LINKS:

https://hannabrooksolsen.com/
The Many False Histories of Lou Graham | Medium

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Last winter, federal officials with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a program to save the perpetually threatened northern spotted owl.

The problem? Invasive barred owls are crowding out our local forest -- they're bigger, and more aggressive. The solution? Culling half a million of those owls over the next 30 years.

On its face, the issue seems pretty straightforward: barred owls are invasive, and because of them, Northern spotted owls are disappearing.

But for Jay Odenbaugh, a philosopher and ethicist, the issue brings up a bigger question: how we as humans try to intervene in a problem we're also responsible for creating.

KUOW's Diana Opong spoke with Odenbaugh about a recent op-ed he co-authored for the New York Times about how we can think more ethically about conservation.

Guests:

Jay Odenbaugh, professor of humanities at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, OR.

Related Links:

KUOW - Why the feds want to cull barred owls in the Pacific Northwest
Opinion | To Save Some Endangered Owls, Would You Kill 500,000 Other Owls? - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Feds propose shooting one owl to save another in Pacific Northwest | The Seattle Times

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At this point, most of Washington’s primary election results have been called.

Bob Ferguson will face Dave Reichert in the race for governor. Tanya Woo and Alexis Mercedes Rinck are vying for a spot on the Seattle City Council. Goodspaceguy once again failed to get onto the November ballot.

But – in one race, the drama has remained at a fever pitch as votes trickle in.
Nearly 2 million people cast ballots, but in the end, just 51 votes separated second and third place in the race to be Public Lands Commissioner.

And the fun’s not over yet.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guest:

Northwest News Network state government reporter Jeanie Lindsay

Relevant Links:

KUOW: A recount is coming in race for WA public lands commissioner

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When some people picture political conventions, they might imagine a grand stage lit up with dazzling lights, a seemingly never ending stream of speeches - and a sea of enthusiastic supporters cheering their hearts out, waving lots and lots of American flags.

Since Monday, the Democratic National Convention has been underway in Chicago.

There have been speeches and high-profile moments. like a visit from Michelle Obama and her husband, former President Barack Obama.

But there’s a whole other world at the DNC. Beyond the big speeches and VIP appearances, there’s a bustling undercurrent of activity.

From vibrant panel discussions and quirky merchandise stalls, to a crowd that’s anything but predictable—there’s a lot more happening than meets the eye.

Guests:

Mike Davis, WBEZ Theater reporter

Relevant Links:

WBEZ Chicago: At a DNC fair, Chicago's Black entrepreneurs get a moment in the spotlight

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Chances are high that you’ve never been to McNeal Island before.

Few have - the island, located in the Puget Sound, southwest of Tacoma, isn’t accessible to the general public.

The only people that are allowed are staff and pre-screened visitors at the Washington State Special Commitment Center - the first post-prison institution for people designated as sexually violent predators.

Around 515 people have been detained in the Special Commitment Center program since 1990.

But now, a new report from the Seattle Times shows that, for the first time in its history, the center is releasing more patients than it’s taking in.

What that means for these patients, and the general public, depends on who you ask.

Here to shed some light and help make sense of things is Seattle Times investigative reporter Rebecca Moss.

GUEST: Rebecca Moss - Seattle Times Investigative Reporter

RELATED LINKS:

WA confined hundreds for sexual violence. Then it quietly began releasing them. - Seattle Times
The island where WA has confined hundreds for sexual violence: What to know - Seattle Times

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Picture a historic church in Tacoma’s Proctor neighborhood, bathed in afternoon sunlight, poised for a dramatic transformation.

Julie Cain, who purchased the church in 2021, envisions turning it into affordable housing for young adults. The project aims to address local housing needs and foster a supportive community, with plans for shared rooms and communal spaces.

However, the ambitious plan has sparked mixed reactions from neighbors concerned about traffic, parking, and neighborhood changes.
Back in June, the city issued a permit for converting the church – albeit with some limitations. Neither side liked that outcome, and both sides requested a reconsideration. Yesterday, the city denied both requests. Now, no one is happy.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:

Becca Most, Pierce County reporter for the Tacoma News Tribune

Relevant Links:

Tacoma News Tribune: Affordable young adult housing proposed for old Tacoma church
Tacoma News Tribune: Proctor church conversion to shared youth housing hits snag
Tacoma News Tribune: Amici House youth project in Tacoma hits development hurdle

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When Fitz Cahall started his “Dirtbag Diaries” podcast in 2007, he was an avid outdoorsman struggling to make ends meet as a travel writer. At the time, this whole ‘on demand audio storytelling’ thing was kind of new, and Fitz saw it as a way of bringing new life to his joy of the outdoors.

Today, he’s replaced his wild life bouncing around in a van with the concrete landscape of Seattle, where he continues to host his podcast with his wife, Becca, and their team of producers. And 17 years after they first began, Fitz and crew have now adapted 30 of their favorite “Dirtbag Diaries” into a new book titled States of Adventure: Stories About Finding Yourself by Getting Lost.

Cahall recently joined Libby Denkmann to discuss the book, the last 17 years of podcasting, and how he continues to find inspiration in the great outdoors.

Guests:

Fitz Cahall, author of States of Adventure.

Related Links:

The Dirtbag Diaries - The original outdoor adventure podcast : The Dirtbag Diaries
States Of Adventure - The Dirtbag Diaries : The Dirtbag Diaries

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Imagine you are renting a property and your grass dies and gets brown (this is the Pacific Northwest, where, aside from some unseasonable August rain, it’s pretty dry all summer).

Then you get a note from your management company that letting that grass die violates the property’s rules and fines you $125. Then, on top of that, the company charges you an additional $125 for the trouble it took to put that note on your door.

These fines, so called “junk fees,” are allowed in Washington State.

A few cities like Seattle and Olympia have banned them. But those living outside areas with regulations can be subjected to a myriad of fines.

Renters claim it is a way to penalize them to the point of moving.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:

Kelsey Turner, reporter at InvestigateWest

Relevant Links:

InvestigateWest: WA renters say unregulated ‘junk fees’ are being used to retaliate, discriminate

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The Washington State Department of Corrections has pledged to stop the use of solitary confinement in state prisons, in most cases. And the agency says it has made progress on that goal.

But a recent report from the agency’s own independent watchdog, the Office of the Corrections Ombuds, says isolating inmates for extended periods of time is still a widespread practice.

The findings, published in June, showed more than 1 in 5 people incarcerated in state prison at the time of the report had served a significant amount of time in solitary.

The Ombuds also highlighted 176 suicide attempts over the last decade by people in solitary. 14 of those were fatal.

The report was requested by WA State lawmakers who are working to END solitary confinement because of its effects on the mental health of inmates.

To find out more, Soundside talked to WA State Standard reporter Grace Deng.

GUEST: Grace Deng - WA State Standard

RELATED LINKS:

Prisoners still routinely isolated in WA, despite efforts to cut solitary confinement - WA State Standard
https://oco.wa.gov/sites/default/files/OCO_SolitaryConfinementReport_Part1_June2024.pdf

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The summertime is usually the peak season for tourists in Stehekin, Washington – a small community of around 100 people at the north end of Lake Chelan. It’s only accessible by boat or floatplane, making it an ideal place for a lakeside getaway or entry into the North Cascades wilderness.

But the geography and topography that make Stehekin unique are now posing challenges as the Pioneer Wildfire continues to threaten the town. Since it started June, the fire has grown to tens of thousands of acres, and at one point spread to within 100 feet of buildings near Stehekin. Many of the areas residents have stayed, but no structures have burned.

Soundside caught up with Stan Hinatsu about the latest on the fire. Hinatsu is the public information officer on the latest incident management team -- one of six -- responding to the Pioneer and Easy Fires.

Guests:

Stan Hinatsu, Public Information Officer with the Pioneer/Easy Fire incident response team

Related Links:

Stehekin residents prepare to defend their town as Pioneer fire nears | The Seattle Times
Pioneer fire moves into Stehekin, comes within 100 feet of buildings | The Seattle Times

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The Department of Children, Youth, and Families, which oversees the state’s foster care system, celebrated a milestone last week:

The number of children in foster care has dipped below 5,000. That’s down significantly from 9,171 kids in foster care in 2018 – a reduction of more than 50% in six years.

This is seen as progress among experts who have pushed for states nationwide to keep children with their parents whenever possible. Splitting up families can do lasting harm to kids and disproportionately affects people of color.

But critics of the approach say the policy shift has created a situation where the state may be leaving children in harmful situations too long, especially when parents struggle with addiction or mental health issues.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible. If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guests:

Nina Shapiro, social issues reporter at the Seattle Times

Relevant Links:

Seattle Times: Why WA’s foster care system is shrinking fast
Seattle Times: Is Washington state taking too many children from their parents? Movement seeks to overhaul foster care

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For decades, the road to recovery after a spinal cord injury has meant years of physical therapy. The goal is often small but meaningful improvements in body function.

Being able to stretch your fingers that much farther, or grip just a bit harder.

Jon Schleuter’s path began after he broke his neck diving into a pool 20 years ago.

Soundside's Libby Denkmann and Alec Cowan spoke with Schleuter in May.

You can check out the original story, complete with photos here: https://www.kuow.org/stories/things-are-happening-new-tech-offers-groundbreaking-recovery-in-spinal-injuries

GUESTS:

Jon Schlueter
Chet Moritz

RELATED LINKS:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-024-02940-9
https://www.onwd.com/therapy/arc-ex/
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-65689580https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-65689580

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A new study out of the University of Virginia combined data from all 50 states to see how COVID restrictions did or didn’t reduce pandemic deaths.

Despite criticism – even today – that COVID restrictions were tyrannical and unnecessary, the paper shows that states with more stringent lockdown restrictions did in fact save lives, and that states with less restrictive lockdown measures could have prevented excess deaths had they followed similar strictures.

While hindsight is, in this case, literally 2020 – the study should inform our response to future pandemics.

Soundside spoke with the paper's author, Christopher Ruhm, about the findings. Ruhm is a professor of Public Policy and Economics at the University of Virginia’s Batten School of Leadership and Public policy.

Guests:

Christopher Ruhm, professor of Public Policy and Economics at the University of Virginia’s Batten School of Leadership and Public policy.

Related Links:

How State Policies Impacted Death Rates During COVID | Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy | University of Virginia

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For many performers, a missed show can mean a huge pay cut.

Drag queens, comedians, musicians, and other entertainers are mostly independent contractors, which means no employer provided health insurance or sick time.

Now, local drag queen Betty Wetter, as well as the dance duo Drama Tops, and Velocity Dance Center, have come together to create the Queer Sick Pay Fund.

The Fund is meant to provide queer nightlife performers in the Seattle area with sick pay and resources when they have to miss a gig.

Guest:

Seattle drag queen Betty Wetter

Relevant Links:

Velocity Queer Sick Pay Fund page

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The Columbia River is undoubtedly one of the most important rivers in the Northwest. Today, its irrigation provides water for the farms of Central Washington; it’s a vital waterway for salmon; and it provides a critical source of hydroelectric power.

The river is split between the U.S. and Canada, and its headwaters begin in British Columbia. For the last 60 years, one treaty -- the Columbia River Treaty -- has dictated how the two nations manage the river and its dams. But that treaty is quickly approaching an important deadline this September, and if nothing changes, terms in the treaty become less favorable to the United States.

In the last month, stakeholders on both sides of the border have come to an "agreement in principle" on an update to the Columbia River Treaty. Negotiations over changes in the treaty have been in the works for the last6 years.

It’s probably something you haven’t heard about before – but it’s a critical piece of the future of the Columbia River and everything that depends on it. This week Soundside’s Libby Denkmann caught up on the treaty’s latest with Nigel Bankes, professor emeritus of law at the University of Calgary.

Guests:

Nigel Bankes, professor of law emeritus at the University of Calgary

Related Links:

Agreement in Principle on a Revised Columbia River Treaty | ABlawg
U.S. and Canada update 60-year-old Columbia River Treaty | Cascade PBS
What’s at stake if the Columbia River Treaty were to end - OPB

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For 150 years, the United States government operated boarding schools that separated Native American children from their families and communities. The government's goal was to eradicate native languages and culture. At least 17 US Indian boarding schools existed in Washington State.

A new report from the Department of Interior outlines the scale and impact of the government's effort. It identifies by name almost 19,000 native children who were sent to boarding schools across the US and roughly 1000 children who died in the boarding school system, including 60 in Washington State.

While the report is among the first of its kind, native leaders are saying it's just a start towards understanding the impact of these schools. Deborah Parker, a citizen of the Tulalip tribes and Chief Executive of the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition, talks about where things stand in light of the new report.

Guests: Deborah Parker, Chief Executive of the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition

Relevant links: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/60-native-children-from-northwest-died-in-u-s-boarding-schools-among-nearly-1000-deaths-nationwide/

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/30/us/politics/native-american-boarding-schools.html

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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A new show from Cascade PBS looks at the way artists in the Pacific Northwest incorporate their surroundings into drawings, tapestry, and pottery.

‘Art by Northwest’ showcases local artists inspired by the landscapes and culture of their communities. Each episode explores the stories behind their work, reflecting the unique essence of the Pacific Northwest.

"What I hope for the series is that people see how artists are translating their landscape into their work," says host Brangien Davis.

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Guest:

Brangien Davis, host of Art by Northwest and Crosscut's arts and culture editor

Relevant Links:

Art by Northwest Episode 1 - Leaving the Loom: Tininha Silva
Art by Northwest Episode 2 - Collaborating With Trees: Todd Horton

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There are a lot of stories about the financial challenges facing schools right now: Seattle School District has a $100 million budget gap they need to close and they’re going to be shuttering schools to make ends meet.

Bellevue School District also closed schools to shore up its budget last year.

Other districts are looking at million dollar shortfalls and considering school closures or ending programs.

But Marysville School District is facing a particularly challenging landscape.

"They have a critically declining financial condition," said Washington State Auditor Pat McCarthy. Her office reviews the finances of all 295 school districts in the state.

Their report on Marysville’s finances made headlines when it was published last week. McCarthy compared Marysville's situation to Vader School District, which dissolved in 2007 because of severe financial problems.

So what is going on at Marysville and how does it fit into the larger landscape of budget challenges at districts statewide?

Guest:

Marguerite Roza, director of the Edunomics Lab and a Research Professor at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy

Relevant Links:

Washington State Standard: Why WA school budgets are getting tighter, and what can be done about it
KUOW: Could Marysville schools have to close amid 'uniquely perilous' financial troubles?

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Two NASA astronauts named Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, are currently stuck in space.

The pair launched in the Boeing Starliner earlier this year.

Malfunctions have delayed their return from what was originally meant to be an 8 day trip to the International Space Station. Now, they may not be back on Earth until February.

And – most galling for Boeing: They may have to hitch a ride with its competitor, SpaceX. So, what exactly happened with Boeing’s new spacecraft? And what will it take to get the Boeing Starliner back on Earth?

Guests:

Jim Hermanson, Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics at the University of Washington
Dr. Wendy N. Whitman Cobb, Professor of Strategy and Security Studies at the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies

Relevant links:

AP News: Could 2 NASA astronauts be stuck at the space station until next year? Here’s what to know
The Conversation: Boeing’s Starliner launches toward the International Space Station − an important milestone for commercial spaceflight

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While ballots are still being counted, most of the races in last week’s primary election have been decided. But one contest in particular – the race to become the next Commissioner of Public Lands for Washington state – has become surprisingly close.

The Commissioner of Public Lands runs the state Department of Natural Resources – think forest and wildfire policy, along with issues like fish hatcheries and salmon restoration.

As of last week, just a few thousand votes separated the two candidates fighting for the final spot in this November’s general election -- and even now, the race is a toss-up.

For the latest, Soundside was joined by Seattle Times' Amanda Zhou and Isabella Breda. Both Zhou and Breda are reporters for the Seattle Times Climate Lab.

Guests:

Amanda Zhou and Isabella Breda, Seattle Times staff reporters covering climate and the environment.

Related Links:

Democrat Upthegrove moves into No. 2 spot in WA lands commissioner primary | The Seattle Times
Here’s where candidates for WA lands commissioner stand on key issues | The Seattle Times

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We wanted to round out today’s show by remembering a man described as the greatest music journalist Seattle ever had- Charles R. Cross.

For over 40 years, Cross tracked the pulse of Seattle through its music.
He was also known for his biographies of local rock legends: Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, and Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart.

Cross’ family confirmed in a statement that he died on Aug. 9 of natural causes at his home in Shoreline. He was 67.

Charles was also a regular guest on KUOW. .

Our last conversation was back in January. Charles invited me over to his house to pour over archives of The Rocket - the scrappy biweekly music magazine he owned and edited.

The paper published from 1979 to 2000, and its writers were tastemakers for the whole music industry during grunge’s dizzying heights in the ‘90s. When we sat down to talk, Cross had just announced that all 336 issues of The Rocket were available online, a painstaking process that exemplified the deep love he had for the journalism and artists who helped build Seattle culture .

Here’s that conversation.

Guest:

Seattle-based music journalist Charles R. Cross

Relevant Links:

Variety: Charles R. Cross, Music Journalist Who Wrote Heralded Kurt Cobain Biography and Edited Seattle’s Alt-Weekly the Rocket, Dies at 67
The Seattle Times: Charles R. Cross, influential Seattle music journalist, dead at 67

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Primary election results continue to roll in. And sure, your head may have been turned by that flashy State Lands Commissioner race.

But if you’re a Seattle resident, a very consequential city council contest should also be on your radar.

The at-large 8th district seat is up for grabs this November. The citywide position was formerly held by Teresa Mosqueda. Last year, she won a spot on the King County Council.

Tanya Woo, a business owner and community organizer in the Chinatown International District, was appointed to the vacated city council seat earlier this year. She is now running to win that seat outright.

But a progressive challenger Alexis Mercedes-Rinck had a dominant showing in last week’s primary. And she may be on track to make Woo’s stint on the council a short one.

Guests:

David Kroman, Seattle Times staff reporter covering Seattle City Hall

Relevant Links:

Seattle Times: Seattle incumbent’s lagging primary results signal warning for general
Seattle Times: New Seattle City Council members sprint to catch up after slow start
Seattle Times:Seattle council delays vote on social housing funding initiative

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Across vast stretches of rural Washington, large boxy warehouses have popped up between fields of potatoes. They contain the humming infrastructure that the tech industry and users rely on to store documents in the cloud, access streaming videos, or perform internet searches.

It’s easy to see why companies put data centers in this part of the state: cheap hydro electricity, available land, and a friendly legislature in Olympia that provides tax breaks.

But now, all those data centers are gobbling up electricity, which will only intensify with the growth of AI technology.

And the growing demand is stretching the grid in rural counties, moving them farther away from green energy mandates from the state.

Lulu Ramadan and Sydney Brownstone are reporters at the Seattle Times who looked into the effects of data centers on the electrical grid and rural communities in a two part series.

Guests:

Lulu Ramadan, investigative reporter at The Seattle Times and a distinguished fellow with ProPublica's Local Reporting Network
Sydney Brownstone, investigative reporter at The Seattle Times

Relevant Links:

Seattle Times: Data centers guzzle power, threatening WA’s clean energy push
Seattle Times: Data centers got a huge tax break to create WA jobs. Is it paying off?

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Summer is in full swing with clogged hiking trails, packed ferries, and the smells of backyard barbeques.

But while many of you might be visiting tourist towns in the Cascades or near a Puget Sound Island, one Washington tourist town has been struggling: Point Roberts, our favorite local exclave.

It’s a peninsula, surrounded by water on three sides, and its fourth side borders Canada. Summers are usually the high points for Canadian tourists who flock to "The Point’s" beaches, or maybe they just want the cheaper gas.

But since the pandemic closed down the border, traffic and tourism has struggled to rebound.

A lot’s been written about Point Roberts and its predicament. Soundside producer Alec Cowan wanted to know how locals see the situation. He took a trip across the border and back to see how this isolated town is dealing with the dip – and all the stories about its decline.

Guests:

Brian Calder, president of the Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce
Neil King, co-owner of Kora's Corner in Point Roberts
Emma Jones, Point Roberts local
Rick Hoole, Point Roberts local with the Bald Eagle Golf Club
Tracy Evans, Point Roberts local with the Bald Eagle Golf Club
Dave Duncan, manager at the International Market in Point Roberts

Related Links:

KUOW - After two years of isolation, Point Roberts is open for business — sort of
KUOW - Ferry service boosted to U.S. exclave of Point Roberts, which is cut off by Canada

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Yesterday, thousands of Washingtonians dug through the pile of mail sitting on their hallway table. They found their primary ballot - maybe even their voter pamphlet - and took time to vote.

Congratulations to all who did. Wear that new “I voted” sticker with pride.

Because there were a lot of important things to consider in this year’s primary election: come January we’ll have a new Governor, a new Attorney General, and a new Commissioner of Public Lands, to name just a few of the big jobs up for grabs.

Today, we’re going to figure out: what we know so far about how yesterday’s primary went, and what we're still waiting to learn.

Guests:

Former Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna
Democratic political consultant Cathy Allen

Relevant Links:

Washington Primary Election Results

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Have your friends been canceling on you because they’re sick? Coworkers on prolonged absence because your entire team came down with a bug? Feeling a sniffle yourself lately?

This summer, The CDC says more than a dozen states across the US are seeing “very high” spikes in COVID cases. But now that we’re a few years past the pandemic, what’s the responsible amount of time to stay home from work, avoid the grocery store, or get the latest booster?

To help answer those questions and get the latest in covid-ettiquette, Soundside reached out to an expert.

GUEST: Dr. Amanda Casto - Infectious Disease Specialist with the University of Washington School of Medicine

RELATED LINKS:

Most people don't care about COVID anymore. That's good — and bad.
The Science Behind Why COVID-19 Tends to Spike During Summer Months

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It’s track and field week at the Paris Olympics.

Yesterday, the women’s 800 wrapped up with Keeley Hodgkinson of Great Britain taking the top spot.

As exciting as an Olympics track event always is, it didn’t compare with nearly 100 years ago, when women werefirst allowed to run this race. Then, it was a media frenzy.

And not because of the pure awe at elite runner’s abilities. Instead, at the Amsterdam Olympics of 1928, the media and many sports officials were concerned about women running competitively at all. The Boston Globe’s John Hallahan described “six competitors [who] were so exhausted that they were near collapse at the finish. All fell flat on the ground.”

But the truth of that race, and the history of women’s running, is far more complex than popular accounts would lead you to believe.

It’s a story that author Maggie Mertens tells in her new book, Better, Faster, Farther: How Running Changed Everything We Know about Women.

Guests:

Maggie Mertens, journalist and author of Better, Faster, Farther: How Running Changed Everything We Know about Women

Relevant Links:

WSJ: The Long Road to Olympic Equality for Women

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The Paris 2024 Olympics are in full swing. Tomorrow (Wednesday the 7th) is the final day of competition for the artistic swim teams - better known to many by the sport’s old name: synchronized swimming.

This is the first time in 16 years that the American team has qualified for the Olympics. And, two members of that team come from right here, in Seattle.

They both got their start at the same club - called Seattle Synchro.

Guest:

Daniela Garmendia, Head Coach at Seattle Synchro

Relevant links:

Seattle Synchro team website

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It’s primary election day.

Over a million Washingtonians have already turned in their ballots.

If you’re not one of those early voters, you’re not alone. About 80% of registered voters have opted to wait until the last few hours, if they’re voting at all.

Perhaps it’s procrastination; perhaps you plumb forgot. Maybe you just really prefer casting a ballot in-person on election day, you traditionalist, you.

Or maybe you just don’t think primary elections are all that crucial, and you’re saving it up for November.

Well, we wanted to get an update on voter participation so far for this primary…

So we’ve brought in some experts to help us go through the numbers. Their teams are busy RIGHT NOW with the huge logistical work of collecting, counting and securing ballots to provide accurate results later this week.

GUESTS:

Pierce County Elections Manager, Kyle Haugh
Clark County Auditor, Greg Kimsey

RELATED LINKS:

Current Ballot Return Statistics - WA Secretary of State
A trickle of ballots so far for Washington’s primary - WA State Standard

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Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison and Councilmember Cathy Moore say they have a plan to give the city a new tool to help fight drug trafficking and prostitution.

Last Thursday they introduced a pair of ordinances that would create a number of “safe zones” in the city -- typically called Stay out of Drug Areas (or SODA) and Stay Out of Areas of Prostitution (or SOAP) zones.

The legislation hearkens back to previous Seattle laws that were REPEALED by the Seattle City Council four years ago.

So, why bring them back now?

Soundside host Libby Denkmann sits down with KUOW reporter Amy Radil to get the latest. She covers politics, government, and law enforcement for the station.

GUEST: Amy Radil

RELATED LINKS:

Seattle officials revisit ‘exclusion zones’ to disrupt drug activity, sex trafficking - KUOW

Council Proposes Creating Huge New Zone Where Sex Workers Aren't Allowed - Publicola

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When I say the one percent, what do you think of?

Is it the ultrawealthy? A phrase coined during the Occupy Movement? Is it the second wateriest form of milk on the market?

This story is about a different group of one percenters, it’s primary election season, after all, and we’re talking about voters who have their ballots rejected in Washington.

Over the last decade, around 99 percent of cast ballots were accepted.

But of those one percent that were disqualified, the Secretary of State's office noticed a trend: certain demographic groups had higher rates of rejections than others.

That’s something the office wanted to know more about, so they teamed up with University of Washington researchers to better understand whose ballots were rejected and why.

Guest:

Scott W. Allard, Associate Dean for Research & Engagement at the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Washington

Relevant Links:

Washington State Ballots Project

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Fueled by dry weather and high temperatures, wildfires across the Northwest have now burned more than 1 million acres. On Friday, Governor Jay Inslee declared a statewide emergency to unlock more firefighting resources.

As of now, those dozens of fires across Washington and Oregon have put thousands of people under evacuation notice. But for cattle ranchers across the plains of the Northwest interior, moving their families – and their herds – is getting more and more difficult.

Soundside was joined by Anna King, who has been following a number of ranchers as they work to get their cattle away from fire. King is a Senior Correspondent with Northwest Public Broadcasting and has spent more than a decade covering ranching in the remote corners of the Northwest.

Guests:

Anna King, Senior Correspondent with Northwest Public Broadcasting
Kayce Faulkner, rancher in Burns, OR
Matt McElligot, president of the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association
Mitch Baker, rancher north of Burns, OR

Related Links:

Burnt over cattle and lands: In southeast Oregon, grief-stricken ranchers are exhausted and frustrated by wildfires - Northwest Public Broadcasting (nwpb.org)
Anna King's video on cattle fences: Good Fences (youtube.com)
Map of current Northwest fires: Wildfires rage in Oregon, Washington: Map the Pacific Northwest wildfires, evacuations (msn.com)

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We’re headed back to Washington’s 3rd Congressional District – which includes the southwest corner of the state, from Long Beach to Mount Adams, and from Yelm down to Vancouver.

It’s expected once again to be the site of one of the closest House races in the country – the Cook political report rates it as one of only 22 “tossup” contests in 2024.

Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez flipped the seat in 2022 by a slim margin: she defeated Republican Joe Kent by roughly 2600 votes.

Kent is back vying for the seat, along with another Republican challenger:

GUEST: Leslie Lewallen, a city councilmember in Camas, WA and a former King County Deputy Prosecutor.

RELATED LINKS:

Leslie Lewallen sets sights on Washington’s 3rd Congressional District seat - The Columbian
One of 2022's closest House races is primed for a rematch — with a fight over the GOP's future first - NBC
YVYV: Republican Leslie Lewallen running in Washington's Third Congressional District - KATU TV

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There has been an onslaught of news in Seattle’s theater community.

Earlier this year, Seattle Rep announced it was laying off the majority of its artistic staff. The non-profit theater’s subscription base is half of what it was before the pandemic.

And that isn’t the only change in the theater world: The 5TH Avenue Theatre is shutting down its new works program. ACT Theatre is exploring a merger with Seattle Shakespeare.

Now, to be clear, these aren’t the only theaters in town, there are many, many smaller theaters throughout King County, like Second Story Repertory in Redmond, and Green Lake’s Seattle Public Theater which has merged with Matcha Theatre Works.

But for major players like the Rep, 5TH Ave, Village Theatre, and ACT, the climb out of the pandemic has been tough.

Guests:

John Langs, Artistic Director of ACT Theatre
Sheila Daniels, Assistant Professor at Cornish College of the Arts
Aviona Rodriguez Brown, Associate Director of Engagement at 5TH Avenue Theatre and founder and CEO of ARB Consulting Arts.

Relevant Links:

Seattle Times: Seattle Rep layoffs to include majority of its artistic staff
Seattle Times: ACT Contemporary Theatre and Seattle Shakespeare Company may merge soon
Seattle Times: John Langs, artistic director of Seattle’s ACT Theatre, to step down

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Seattle Theater Group merged with Matcha Theater Works; the organization that merged with Matcha Theater Works is called Seattle Public Theater.

An earlier version of this podcast also stated that Seattle Rep and Seattle Children's Theatre merged. This overstates the recently announced partnership between these two theaters. Seattle Children's and Seattle Rep have instead combined forces on a few functionalities like box office, IT, and database administration.

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August is right around the corner and that means schools are getting ready for the academic year.

While kids are hanging onto a few more weeks of summer, voters are getting ready to determine who will oversee Washington’s public schools.

The incumbent, Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal, is facing some challengers in the primary on August 6.

Guest:

Washington State Standard reporter Grace Deng

Relevant Links:
Washington State Standard: Six quotes to sum up the second WA schools chief candidate debate

Ballot drop box locations

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The scene opens on a dusty street. Weathered wooden buildings with false fronts line either side of the street, as two gunslingers line up at high noon.

A lone tumbleweed drifts across the street… which, actually, is the problem we’re here to discuss today.

Tumbleweeds, also known as Russian thistle, are an invasive plant here in the United States. And for people in Central and Eastern Washington, they’re a nuisance that can clog roads and pose a potential fire hazard.

So when reporter Anna King found that these invasive plants were being sold online as elegant decor – she was understandably curious about why. She joined Soundside to discuss her recent reporting on how tumbleweeds are managed, and how they spread so far.

Guests:

Anna King, reporter for the Northwest News Network covering Washington and Oregon mainly East of the Cascades.

Related Links:

Tumbleweeds sold for big bucks on popular home decor website causes chuckles in the Northwest - Northwest Public Broadcasting (nwpb.org)

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For generations, native Chinook salmon have made their spring migration up the Columbia River…

But over the past few decades, as their population has dwindled, salmon have been overtaken by a non-native species of fish hailing from the East Coast - THE SHAD.

Shad runs now number in the millions, while just about 700 thousand native Chinook make the trip up the Columbia each year.

What’s behind the rise of this East Coast interloper? Humans, of course.

But the effects of Shad on the local ecosystem? Well, that’s a bit more complicated.

Soundside host Libby Denkmann sat down with Seattle Times environment reporter Lynda Mapes to find out more about the "Chrome Tide."

GUEST: Seattle Times environment reporter Lynda Mapes

RELATED LINK: There’s a new top fish of the Columbia River — and it doesn’t mind the warm water | The Seattle Times

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The U.S. presidential race has undergone a big transformation.

But has anything changed for Democrats who voted "uncommitted" in Washington state's presidential primary?

As the party prepares to nominate Vice President Kamala Harris in a virtual role call vote, an uncommitted delegate says Harris needs to show more separation from President Biden on the war in Gaza before she will earn his support.

Guest:

Yaz Kader, uncommitted delegate forWashington’s 7th congressional district, which encompasses most of Seattle and Burien, as well as Vashon Island, Lake Forest Park, Shoreline, and Normandy Park.

Relevant links:

Seattle Times: WA to send 2 ‘uncommitted’ delegates to Democratic National Convention
Washington State Standard: Harris snags support of Washington Democratic delegates

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Each year we can count on the reliable passing of the seasons: the leaves falling in Autumn, winter blooming into spring, and if you’re following tech, the reliable attempt – yet again – at a federal data privacy bill in the U.S. Congress.

Back in April, two Washington legislators – Democrat Senator Maria Cantwell and Republican Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers – announced to much fanfare that they would be leading the charge this year with newly drafted legislation called the American Privacy Rights Act.

"Researchers project that if current trends continue, companies training large language models may run out of new publicly available high-quality data to train AI systems as early as 2026," said Senator Cantwell in a hearing on the issue earlier this month. "So without a strong privacy law, when the public data runs out, nothing stopping it from using our private data..."

As AI systems and their developers are hungry for more data, companies are starting to ask consumers to provide it -- often without ethical guidelines in place.

In the hearing, Senator Cantwell called AI advancements “...fuel on a campfire in the middle of a windstorm," citing concerns with deepfakes, data security, price gauging, and data transparency.

"Privacy is not a partisan issue," said Senator Cantwell. "According to Pew Research, the majority of Americans across the political spectrum want more support for regulation. I believe our most important private data should not be bought or sold without our approval..."

Will concerns driven by AI be push tech regulation to the finish line?

To hear more about this latest attempt and if this effort might make it through, Soundside’s Libby Denkmann caught up with AI researchers Jacob Metcalf and Jennifer King.

Guests:

Dr. Jacob Metcalf is a researcher at the nonprofit Data & Society, where he studies and consults with companies on ethical AI practices.
Dr. Jennifer King is a privacy and Data Policy Fellow at the Stanford Institute for Human Centered Artificial Intelligence.

Related Links:

Lawmakers unveil new bipartisan digital privacy bill after years of impasse - The Verge
White Paper Rethinking Privacy in the AI Era: Policy Provocations for a Data-Centric World | Stanford HAI
The Ethical Dilemma at the Heart of Big Tech Companies (hbr.org)

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In a move aimed at curbing street racing, the Seattle City Council recently approved stricter penalties for people who participate in, or are spectators of, the activity.

A blog post by the city specifically noted a street racing event from July of last year as an influence on the legislation.

Three people were wounded and one was killed during the race in Capitol Hill, after someone opened fire on a crowd of spectators.

City Attorney Ann Davison, who worked in partnership on the bill, called street racing a growing problem in the area.

But some have argued that the legislation is overkill, when the state already instituted new laws around street racing earlier this year.

Guest:

Seattle City Councilmember Bob Kettle (District 7)

Relevant links:

Seattle City Council Blog: Seattle City Council adopts new tools to fight illegal street racing
Statement from Councilmember Kettle: While Seattle Police don’t have specific on data on street racing, my constituents have increasingly raised concerns about these incidents. The feedback has been amplified by the media coverage of the late night disruption to neighborhoods, shootings and injuries during these dangerous gatherings. On July 23, 2023, three people were wounded by gunfire and one person was fatally shot during an unlawful racing event in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. And during a weekend in June, a pair of illegal racing events resulted in the tragic shooting death of 22-year-old man, multiple shooting injuries, and a car striking a pedestrian.

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There are 28 candidates running for Governor in the August 6th Primary. So, if you’re a Washington voter and feeling a little overwhelmed, you’re not alone.

On Soundside we’re keeping it simple. This week we’re interviewing the top 4 candidates in terms of polling and fundraising. So far, we’ve spoken with Dave Reichert, Bob Ferguson, and Mark Mullet.

They all want to replace Democratic Governor Jay Inslee, who’s been in office for almost a dozen years.

All these candidates have very different ideas about where the state should be headed.

The final candidate is Semi Bird. Bird is a former Richland School Board member and a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and the Army, where he served as a Green Beret and earned a Bronze Star.

Guests:

Semi Bird, former Richland School Board member

Relevant Links:

Tri City Herald: Controversial Richland School Board Member Announces Bid for Washington Governor in 2024
Seattle Times: WA GOP endorses Semi Bird for governor at Trump-dominated convention
KUOW: Republican gubernatorial candidate Semi Bird responds to accusations of "stolen valor"

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All this week we're talking to the top polling candidates running for governor in Washington state.

Voters, when you finally crack that August 6th primary ballot envelope open, you will see there are 28 people vying for governor of the Evergreen State, that's a lot so we're talking to the four men who lead the pack in fundraising and polling, and next up is Washington State’s current Attorney General, Bob Ferguson.

Ferguson is a Democrat. He was first elected Attorney General in 2012 and before that he was a King County Councilmember.

Guests

Bob Ferguson, Attorney General of Washington

Relevant Links:

Washington State Standard: Man in the middle: Ferguson tries to strike a balance on policing
Washington State Standard: Attorney General Bob Ferguson formally enters 2024 race for Washington governor
Seattle Times: Ferguson laser-focused on Reichert at state Democratic convention

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For the first time in 12 years, there is no incumbent running for Governor in the state.

And since Gov. Jay Inslee decided he would not seek a fourth term in office, dozens of candidates have thrown their hat in the ring to replace him.This week I’m talking to the four men who lead the pack in fundraising and polling.

Next on the list, Democratic state Senator Mark Mullet. Mullet represents Washington's 5th legislative district in Olympia. He also owns an ice cream parlor and pizza shop in Issaquah.

Guests:

State Senator Mark Mullet (WA-05)

Relevant Links

Washington State Standard: Mullet looks to seize middle lane in 2024 governor’s race
Washington State Standard: Heating up: Mullet goes after Ferguson for once backing drug decriminalization

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Vice President Kamala Harris is quickly gaining momentum as a potential successor for President Joe Biden in November. But there’s still one major event that will define this year’s Democratic campaign: The Democratic National Convention.

The convention will take place from August 19-22 in Chicago. President Biden, who clinched his primary victories, would typically seize the opportunity to discuss policy and outline the party's platform for the final stretch of the election.

But with his departure from the race, the focus of the convention may be very different.

To analyze the implications of Biden’s decision to not run for reelection and how the Democratic could move forward, Soundside was joined by James Long. Long is a professor of political science at the University of Washington, and a co-founder of the Political Economy Forum there.

Guests:

James Long, professor of political science at the University of Washington, and a co-founder of the Political Economy Forum.

Related Links:

Washington Post: How Democrats can pick a new candidate, step by step
Yahoo News: DNC panel to meet in public to set ‘transparent, fair’ framework to pick presidential nominee

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The political landscape is shifting rapidly this week.

Just days after President Biden announced he would not seek re-election, the Democratic party is getting in line behind the Vice President.

According to an Associated Press survey, Vice President Kamala Harris has earned enough delegate support to become the Democratic nominee for President.

And now, as she takes center stage, the spotlight on Harris has intensified. And the floodgate of criticism from Republicans has opened.

Some of these attacks have focused on what you’d expect – like her work on immigration, or the Biden Administration’s record on inflation.

But some notable criticism has also focused on factors outside of the Vice President’s control: Harris’ race, and gender.

On Monday, Republican Representative Tim Burchett of Tennessee called Harris “our DEI Vice President” in a post on X. DEI as in, “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.”

And the Washington State GOP posted yesterday on the same platform that Harris was “unqualified to lead,” adding, “Antimeritocratic DEI is not building back better, it's setting us further back.”

With the first Black and Asian woman – and only the second woman ever– headed to be the nominee of a major political party, how will racist and sexist tropes play a role in this campaign season?

And how are Black and Asian women gearing up to confront them?

Guest:

Washington State Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland

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For the first time in 12 years, the Governor’s race in Washington is wide open, with no incumbent running.

Three-term Governor Jay Inslee is stepping aside, and there are four clear frontrunners to replace him.

This week we’ll hear from the men vying to replace Governor Inslee, and first up is Dave Reichert. Reichert formerly served as King County Sheriff and represented Washington’s 8th Congressional district for 14 years.

Guests:

Dave Reichert, former congressman representing Washington's 8th District

Relevant Links:

KUOW: Mainstream Republicans strike different tone than official state GOP at annual conference
Seattle Times: Reichert emphasizes law-and-order agenda at Yakima GOP conference
KUOW: It's official: Dave Reichert enters race for Washington governor

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Public opinion polling.

It’s never been more consequential for the direction of our democracy – or more scrutinized. For weeks, journalists, pundits and politicians have debated the available data on the outcomes of a head-to-head rematch between President Joe Biden and former-President Donald Trump.

Those numbers had appeared increasingly troubling for Democrats. And the polling data, in the end, reportedly made the difference for Biden in deciding to step aside.

For more insight into the implications and challenges of polling, Soundside was joined by W. Joseph Campbell, professor emeritus of communications at American University and author of “Lost in a Gallup: Polling Failure in U.S. Presidential Elections.”

Guests:

W. Joseph Campbell, professor emeritus of communications at American University and author of "Lost in a Gallup: Polling Failure in U.S. Presidential Elections."

Recommended Links:

Homepage - Emerson Polling (emersoncollegepolling.com)

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On Sunday, President Joe Biden announced he would not be running for re-election, and would instead endorse Vice President Kamala Harris.

A lot of the news coverage in the last twenty four hours has focused on how party officials from both sides of the aisle are considering the President’s decision to step down from race.

But those aren’t the people who will ultimately be deciding the outcome of this race in November.

The question is: will an influx in Democratic Party fundraising, institutional support – as well as a new narrative – be enough to engage the average American voter?

Or does the seeming momentum of the Republican Party sweep former President Tump back into office?

Guest:

Eric Liu: CEO and co-founder of Citizen University, a cross-partisan non-profit dedicated to reviving civic engagement. He’s also a former foreign policy speech writer and deputy domestic policy advisor under the Clinton Administration.

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Vice President Kamala Harris is headed to visit campaign staff in Wilmington, Delaware this afternoon. This of course, comes as she works to consolidate Democratic support for her abbreviated campaign for the party’s presidential nomination.

It once seemed beyond the realm of possibility that President Biden would leave the campaign stage. For weeks he insisted he was up to the task of defeating Donald Trump. At one point Biden even said the “Lord Almighty” would have to tell him to quit.

Meanwhile, more and more Democratic members of congress felt he needed a “come to Jesus” moment to realize he should quit the race.

It looked like a stalemate.

But then, a remarkable thing happened over the past week or so. As the President was fighting COVID, he reportedly listened to arguments he didn’t want to hear.

Some close aides and longtime allies like Nancy Pelosi brought him data: evidence that showed he was likely headed for defeat.

And Biden changed his mind. He was, as they say, "100 percent in, until he was 100 percent out."

He joins a small handful of sitting Presidents who have made such a decision.

And it’s worth saying: it is incredibly rare to willingly give up what is (arguably) the most powerful job in the world.

Now we’re all navigating this uncharted territory together.

Soundside host Libby Denkmann sat down with the Chairs of both the WA State Democrats and WA State Republicans to see how they are navigating this momentous time.

GUESTS:

Shasti Conrad: chair of the Washington State Democratic Party
State Rep Jim Walsh: chair of the Washington State Republican Party

RELATED LINKS:

https://x.com/washdems/status/1815416981086257185
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/harris-campaign-allies-calling-delegates-lock-support-before-convention-sources-2024-07-21/
https://twitter.com/WAGOP/status/1815397774969778307

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Last night in Milwaukee, Ohio senator J.D. Vance accepted the Republican nomination for Vice President of the United States and took his place as former President Donald Trump’s running mate.

Vance’s first convention speech possibly - maybe - upstaged the cameo earlier in the night from Babydog, a rotund bulldog owned by West Virginia Governor Jim Justice.

This was always going to be a big week for Republican politics – but I think it’s safe to say that there’s been even moreeyes and attention on this convention, as it’s marking the first major event for former President Donald Trump since the attempt on his life last Saturday.

Here to break down the Republican National Convention so far is Jim Brunner, politics reporter for The Seattle Times.

GUEST:

Jim Brunner, Seattle Times politics reporter

RELATED LINKS:

Top WA Republicans absent from Trump-centered RNC in Milwaukee - The Seattle Times
WA union leader welcomes Teamsters president's Amazon-bashing RNC speech - The Seattle Times
Tree hats worn by WA Republican delegates get the ax at RNC - The Seattle Times

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Washington’s 3rd Congressional District covers the southwest corner of the state, from Long Beach to Mount Adams, and from Yelm down to Vancouver.

It’s also the home of one of the most fiercely contested congressional seats in the entire country.

In 2022, Republican challenger Joe Kent defeated incumbent Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler in the Primary, but lost to Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez in the General election by roughly 2600 votes.

This time around, Gluesenkamp Perez is the incumbent. The way this primary race is shaping up, she will likely be facing either Kent or his Republican Party competition, Camas city council member Leslie Lewallen, in November.

This week, we’ve invited the leading candidates in the race on the show for interviews, to get a sense of their policy positions and vision for the future.

GUEST: Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, a Democrat in her first term representing the 3rd district of Washington State.

RELATED LINKS:

The Identity Crisis of Marie Gluesenkamp Perez - Politico
The Blue-Collar Democrat Who Wants to Fix the Party’s Other Big Problem - New York Times

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To round out today's show, we're going to meet someone who spends nearly all of his time proudly showing off our little corner of the Pacific Northwest.

As the lead naturalist for the Seward Park Audubon Center, Ed Domiguez teaches park visitors about local birds, and animals, along with plants and everything in between.

Soundside producer Jason Burrows joined Ed on one of his early bird treks back in 2022, and brings us this story of enjoying nature. Ed is still leading guided tours today -- you can learn more about upcoming tours and other programs by going to sewardpark.audubon.org.

Guests:

Ed Dominguez, Seward Park Audubon Environmental Learning Center

Related Links:

KUOW - Sharing 'a life-sustaining energy,' exploring Seward Park with naturalist Ed Dominguez
Seward Park Audubon Center

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King County is in the midst of a coordinated effort to confront gun violence. Late last week, the county announced a 100-day initiative to combat shootings in the area.

Gun violence is a national issue, and it’s the leading cause of death for children and teens in the United States, surpassing traffic collisions in 2020, and last month U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, declared gun violence a public health crisis.

Guests:

Eulethra Lisch - Director of Public Health - Seattle and King County’s Regional Office of Gun Violence Prevention
Celia Jackson - Director of Criminal Legal System Transformation in the King County Executive’s Office

Relevant Links:

King County Regional Office of Gun Violence Prevention: Community-based Resource Guide
Axios: Seattle launches initiative to reduce gun violence

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A few months ago, Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz was demoted following numerous HR complaints – and legal filings – during his time at the helm of the SPD. Those complaints include claims of discriminatory behavior by Diaz toward women and people of color. There were also rumors of a relationship with an employee.

Diaz has denied those allegations, but in May, Mayor Bruce Harrell announced that Diaz would no longer lead the department and appointed former-King County Sheriff Sue Rahr to replace him as interim police chief.

But in a recent unsigned letter sent to the Seattle City Council, a whistleblower has alleged that the department’s issues could continue even after Diaz -- because the agency tasked with holding SPD accountable hasn’t been doing its job.

KUOW’s Ashley Hiruko has been reporting on all of these developments and joined Soundside to discuss a letter confirmed to be written by a whistleblower within the Office of Police Accountability.

Guests:

Ashley Hiruko, KUOW investigative reporter

Recommended Links:

KUOW - Seattle Police watchdog heads ignored complaints against former Chief Adrian Diaz: letter to council
KUOW - Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz is being dismissed
KUOW - Interim SPD Chief talks SPD culture, school safety, and whether to bring officers back to campuses

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Where do you put juvenile offenders when correctional facilities won’t take them?

That’s the question many county judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement officials are facing after Washington’s Department of Children, Youth and Families closed both of the state’s youth correctional facilities to new inmates until further notice.

To explain what’s happening and what it means for youth who are convicted of serious crimes, Soundside was joined by KUOW investigative reporter Ann Dornfeld.

Guests:

Ann Dornfeld, KUOW investigative reporter

Related Links:

KUOW - Conflict and confusion after state suspends intake for convicted juveniles
WA suspends taking in sentenced youth at two detention centers | The Seattle Times

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Last night - President Biden sat down with NBC’s Lester Holt, and answered a question on everyone’s mind: will the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump change the election?

His answer: "I don't know. And you don't know either."

He’s right - we don’t know how last weekend’s attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump will change things.

But, at least for now, some corners are calling for unity and dialing back extreme rhetoric.

And public calls for the incumbent president to pass the torch within the Democratic Party have quieted, as attention instead turns to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

This is not the first act of political violence that has occurred in America in recent years. To name a few:

Two people died when supporters of President Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, 2021, to disrupt the certification of the presidential election.

In 2017, a gunman opened fire as Republican members of congress held a baseball practice, injuring congressman Steve Scalise.

And in 2011, another member of congress, Gabby Giffords, was shot in the head while meeting with constituents in Arizona. Six people at the event were killed.

Congressman Adam Smith represents Washington’s 9th congressional district, which includes areas from Auburn to Bellevue and parts of Seattle. He’s also a close friend of Gabby Giffords.

Congressman Smith sat down with Soundside to discuss the shooting, as well as continued calls for President Biden to step down as the Democratic nominee.

Guest:

Congressman Adam Smith, who represents Washington’s 9th congressional district, which includes areas from Auburn to Bellevue and parts of Seattle.

Related Links:

Transcript: Read the full Biden interview with Lester Holt on NBC News
Adam Smith, renegade? The promise and peril of crossing your party

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Washington’s 3rd Congressional District covers the southwest corner of the state, from Long Beach to Mount Adams, and from Yelm down to Vancouver.

It’s also the home of one of the most fiercely contested congressional seats in the entire country.

In 2022, Republican challenger Joe Kent defeated incumbent Representative Jamie Herrera Butler in the Primary, but lost to Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez in the General election by roughly 2600 votes.

This election, Kent is back for round 2, and looking to flip the district back to the GOP.

He’s once again facing off against Marie Gluesenkamp Perez in this primary election… along with another candidate from the Republican Party, – Leslie Lewellen, a councilmember in Camas, WA.

This week, we’re speaking with candidates in the race, to get a sense of their policy positions and vision for the future.

GUEST: Joe Kent, Army veteran and Republican candidate for District 3 in the U.S. House of Representatives.

RELATED LINKS:

Joe Kent is campaigning differently. Will it make a difference? - Washington State Standard
Poll: Southwest Washington’s 3rd District congressional race in a dead heat - Oregon Public Broadcasting

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The FBI is still searching for a motive in the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.

Republican and Democratic leaders have urged Americans to turn down the temperature of rhetoric that demonizes and dehumanizes political opposition
to try to take the edge off the anger and division that’s come to be standard in public discourse.

But it’s not clear everybody’s listening to that hopeful message.

We had reports that former President Trump had moderated his speech for the GOP convention in Milwaukee this week to focus on a message of unity. But this morning, Trump took to Truth Social to celebrate the dismissal of the classified documents case in Florida.

He decried what he calls a “weaponization of our Justice system.” And he claimed without evidence that the numerous legal cases against him a “conspiracy” coordinated by the “Democrat Justice Department” to hurt “Joe Biden’s Political Opponent, ME.”

So - are we back where we started?

Are the events of the past 48 hours going to lead to any change in the tone and tenor of mistrust and polarization that defines our politics in 2024?

And if so, how might that change be realized?

Soundside host Libby Denkmann spends the hour exploring these questions with a variety of experts.

Guests:

KUOW politics reporter Scott Greenstone
Former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan
Jacob Ware - a research fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, and the author of "God, Guns, and Sedition: Far-Right Terrorism in America."
Ronald Feinman - a professor at Florida Atlantic University, and the author of “Assassinations, Threats and the American Presidency: From Andrew Jackson to Barack Obama.”
Monica Guzman - host of the podcast “A Braver Way”, and a senior fellow at “Braver Angels” - a cross-partisan organization dedicated to political depolarization. She’s also the author of the book “I Never Thought of It That Way: How to have fearlessly curious conversations in dangerously divided times.”

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Voters statewide have big choices coming their way: They’re getting their ballots for the August primary starting next week, and there are a lot of candidates to decide between.

Over the last week, Soundside host Libby Denkmann has been interviewing the top candidates in the race for our state's next Attorney General.

Now, KUOW politics reporter Scott Greenstone, and former Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna are chiming in on the race so far.

And later, Greenstone will take a deeper look at whether Washington Democratic voters, and donors, are still behind President Biden.

Guests:

Scott Greenstone, KUOW politics reporter
Rob McKenna, former Washington Attorney General

Related Links:

How Washington's lawmakers, donors, and delegates could influence the Biden conversation
The race for WA Attorney General: Pete Serrano
The race for WA Attorney General: Manka Dhingra
The race for WA Attorney General: Nick Brown

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Washington voters this year are contemplating a wide-open race to replace the state’s Attorney General.

The Attorney General manages the state's largest public law firm, overseeing a staff of attorneys charged with representing public agencies and defending the rights of Washington residents, covering issues including consumer protection, civil rights, environmental regulations, and antitrust.

This year’s race is an especially interesting one. The current Attorney General, Bob Ferguson, is running for governor. That means that without an incumbent, the office will see its first new A.G. in 12 years.

This week Soundside is interviewing the three candidates who all want to be the state’s next top lawyer. Libby Denkmann spoke with Republican candidate and Pasco mayor Pete Serrano and Democratic candidate and State Senator Manka Dhingra earlier this week.

Our last candidate: Nick Brown. Brown has been General Counsel to Governor Jay Inslee and since 2021, he was the U.S. Attorney for Western Washington.

Guests:

Nick Brown, formerly general counsel to Governor Jay Inslee, and since 2021 the U.S. Attorney for Western Washington.

Related Links:

Who are the three candidates running for WA attorney general?
What is an attorney general? They’re more attorney than general
As fentanyl deaths skyrocket, U.S. attorney maintains tougher prosecution isn't the answer

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I can’t stop listening to the news, it’s stressing me out to the max, you say?

I’m literally listening to the news right now, and may be developing an anxiety-induced twitch, you say?

If that’s how you’re feeling right now, you may be in need of a little escape this summer.

Perhaps a good book is in order?

Well, if that’s the case you’re in luck because our next guests are here to hook you up with novels, non-fiction roller coasters, and storylines that’ll make you forget TikTok dances exist for a while. You’ll be like Tyla Dance what, never heard of her.

Guests:

Jenna Zarzycki, adult services librarian at King County Library
Katie Campbell, KUOW editor and reporter who runs KUOW's book club
Charlie Hunts, owner of Charlie's Queer Books in Fremont

Relevant Links:

KUOW Book Club
King County Library Summer Reading Program4

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Washington voters this year are contemplating a wide-open race to replace the state’s Attorney General.

This week Soundside is interviewing the three candidates who all want to be the state’s next top lawyer. Libby Denkmann spoke with Republican candidate and Pasco mayor Pete Serrano yesterday.

Next up is state Senator Manka Dhingra. Dhingra is a Democrat representing the state’s 45th legislative district, which includes Redmond, Kirkland, Sammamish and other parts of the Eastside. She’s also the Deputy Majority Leader in the State Senate.

Guests:

Manka Dhingra, Democrat representing the state’s 45th legislative district, which includes Redmond, Kirkland, Sammamish and other parts of the Eastside.

Related Links:

Who are the three candidates running for WA attorney general?
What is an attorney general? They’re more attorney than general
WA attorney general candidate questioned over employment claims, asked to correct website

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Remlinger Farms in Carnation, Washington, is a 350-acre working farm. It’s celebrated for its family-friendly attractions, including amusement parks, petting zoos, berry picking, pumpkins, hayrides. There’s an on-site cafe and brewery.

And now it’s become the Seattle area's hottest new concert venue.

Partnering with Seattle Theater Group, the farm is hosting a brand-new concert series. The 6000-capacity outdoor space has booked performers like Portugal the Man, Mt. Joy and Elvis Costello.

BUT tensions are brewing between the farm and some vocal community members who oppose its existence.

GUEST: Michael Rietmulder | The Seattle Times

RELATED LINKS:

Remlinger Farms’ new music venue has small Carnation concerned | The Seattle Times
Alleged hit-and-run incident at Remlinger Farms under investigation | The Seattle Times
Facebook Statement by Remlinger Farms

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Like a lot of Washingtonians right now, we're doing our best to stay cool.

Sometimes going outside is unavoidable, and in that case, it means doing everything you can to avoid sun damage.

That means applying - and reapplying lots of sunscreen.

But lately, some people on social media platforms like Tiktok, have been trying to convince their audiences to do the opposite.

You don’t have to have a medical degree to know: that kind of advice is wrong, and it’s having a worrying impact.

Here to help us tackle these sunscreen myths - and answer some of your burning questions about sunscreen, is Dr. Lindsay Gunnell, a dermatologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center.

Guests:

Dr. Lindsay Gunnell, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center dermatologist

Related Links:

Some Tiktok influencers are maligning sunscreen. Here's what to know about the claims.

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Washington voters this year are contemplating a wide-open race to replace the state’s Attorney General.

This week Soundside is interviewing the three candidates who all want to be the state’s next top lawyer.

First up: Pete Serrano is a city council member serving as mayor of Pasco, Washington. He’s a co-founder of the legal nonprofit, The Silent Majority Foundation, and he’s endorsed in the Attorney General race by the Washington GOP.

Guests:

Pete Serrano, city council member serving as mayor of Pasco, Washington.

Related Links:

What is an attorney general? They’re more attorney than general
Who are the three candidates running for WA attorney general?
Washington Supreme Court will hear Gator’s Custom Guns case on high-capacity magazine ban
The Republican who wants to be Washington’s next attorney general

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Oh, voter. You are going to be asked to watch so many races in the coming months.

There is, of course, the presidential race, which is sucking the air out of the room. There's also governor, attorney general, congressional seats, state house representatives, land’s commissioner, and, because you live in the great state of Washington, citizen’s initiatives.

And, if you don’t have enough to think about, there is a new initiative likely headed to your ballot.

It will roll back the state’s efforts to move away from this fossil fuel. And it would ban any proposed bans on natural gas.

Guest:

Jerry Cornfield, state government and politics reporter at the Washington State Standard

Relevant Links:

Washington State Standard: Initiative opponents target the millionaire behind the measures
Washington State Standard: Builders launch initiative to block Washington’s natural gas phase-out
Washington State Standard: Washington’s heat pump push hits a snag

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Perhaps you’ve noticed a lot of construction on Seattle streets this year: new bike lanes along MLK, fresh pavement and bus shelters on Madison Street, and sidewalk replacements across the city.

That’s because the Seattle Department of Transportation hasmoney to spend.

In 2015, voters passed a $930 million transportation levy called “Move Seattle.”

And initially, Seattle was slow moving that money out the door.

“Move Seattle” expires this year and Seattle voters will likely be deciding on whether to raise their property taxes again for a new transportation levy this fall.

And this one is clocking in at over $1.5 billion.

Tomorrow, the city council plans to vote on the final version of a Seattle transportation levy that will appear on ballots in November.

Guests:

Greg Spotts, Director of the Seattle Department of Transportation

Related Links:

The Urbanist: SDOT Sprints Toward the End of the Move Seattle Era
Seattle Times:Sidewalks top of mind for Seattle’s priciest-ever transportation levy
KUOW: $1B for sidewalks, bike lanes, and road repairs: Seattle transportation levy ahead

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DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, is a policy President Obama enacted by executive order in 2012.

It’s had a rocky legal journey, but when it was still accepting new applications, DACA was open to undocumented young people who graduated from high school or served in the military and were brought to the U.S. as children.

The program has given roughly 800,000 people access to things like a driver’s license, a social security number, and a work permit.

When the Trump Administration came into office, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that things would be changing.

"I am here today to announce that the program known as DACA under the Obama administration is being rescinded." ~Former AG Jeff Sessions

That was September, 2017.

Within hours, immigration attorney Luis Cortes Romero – a DACA recipient himself based in Kent, Washington – helped assemble a team of legal heavy-hitters and plaintiffs who were committed to taking on the Trump Administration in federal court.

Cortes Romero and his colleagues took the fight all the way to the highest court in the land and successfully defended DACA.

In the process, he became the first undocumented person to help argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Now, Luis Cortes Romero is the subject of a new documentary, called “From Here/From There (De Aquí/De Allá)”, which premieres on the PBS series VOCES tomorrow, Tuesday, July 9th.

GUEST: Luis Cortes Romero

RELATED LINKS:

‘From Here/From There’ (De Aqui/de Alla): The Extraordinary Journey of Luis Cortes Romero – People's World
Luis Cortes-Romero, a lawyer and DACA recipient, on his team's Supreme Court victory.
Small Step Could Bring Big Relief to Young Undocumented Immigrants
Biden Gives Legal Protections to Undocumented Spouses of U.S. Citizens - The New York Times
Trump says foreigners who graduate from US colleges should get green cards | Reuters

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Soundside is revisiting a few of our favorite stories this holiday week, and today, we’re taking an architectural tour of Seattle.

First stop, the backstory behind Capitol Hill’s iconic Volunteer Park Reservoir – which isn’t just a pretty pool, but an emergency stopgap.

Then, the often-overlooked story of legendary architect Minoru Yamasaki as told by his granddaughter, Katie Yamasaki, author of "Shapes, Lines, and Light: My Grandfather's American Journey."

And finally, we’ll visit a Seattle secret garden and fall in love with the backstory that made it possible.

Guests:

Jennifer Ott, chair of the Volunteer Park Trust
Alex Chen, director of drinking water at Seattle Public Utilities
Katie Yamasaki, author of "Shapes, Lines, and Light: My Grandfather's American Journey."
Ben Streissguth, caretaker of Streissguth Garden

Relevant Links:

KUOW: Why is there a reservoir in Volunteer Park?
KUOW: Serenity, surprise, and delight: sharing the legacy of architect Minoru Yamasaki
KUOW: The love story that grew Seattle's 'secret garden'

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The Soundside team is on a break this week for the 4th of July holiday, so we’re revisiting some of our favorite segments of the year.

First up, when Seattle writer and illustrator Tessa Hulls started drafting the story of her grandmother’s life, she wanted to take on the role of neutral narrator, but that didn't last long.

We’ll hear about her graphic novel, Feeding Ghosts, and the complicated family history she unraveled.

And then, we'll speak with the director of a documentary about renowned translator Bill Porter aka Red Pine.

Guests:

Tessa Hulls, author of Feeding Ghosts
Ward Serrill, filmmaker behind Dancing with the Dead
Bill Porter, translator and author

Relevant Links

KUOW: In 'Feeding Ghosts,' author, illustrator Tessa Hull recounts a healing journey across generations
KUOW: A Port Townsend man went searching for hermits. Now he's a celebrity in China

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The Soundside team is taking some time off this 4th of July week; some of us are on vacation, and others are working on upcoming shows.

We’re going to revisit some of our favorite segments, and the hardworking producers who make Soundside, will be making the picks.

Producer Noel Gasca's picks:

Lily Gladstone chronicles Blackfeet Nation's reunion with buffalo in new SIFF documentary
In 'Thunder Song,' a Coast Salish punk creates her own form of medicine

Guests:

Lily Gladstone, Oscar nominee and executive producer of Bring Them Home
Sasha taqwšəblu LaPointe, author of "Thunder Song: Essays" and “Red Paint: The Ancestral Autobiography of a Coast Salish Punk.”

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For months, one creature of the night has been drawing the fascination and exasperation of city leaders, police officers, and residents of one of Seattle’s trendiest neighborhoods. Some call him The Belltown Hellcat.

Maybe you’ve caught a glimpse of his souped-up 2023 Dodge Charger Hellcat zipping by, or the car’s revving and backfiring has kept you from getting a decent night of sleep. Or you could be one of his roughly 760 thousand Instagram followers – watching as he posts clips of his late night or early morning drives - going upwards of 100 miles per hour.

Needless to say, city officials and police are not pleased. And requests of him to quiet down - have been ignored. Since March, Hudson has been hit with two charges of reckless driving.

And last week, a Seattle Municipal Court Judge fined him over $83 thousand dollars for not removing the noise-enhancing modifications that violate the city’s noise laws.

Seattle Times reporter Paige Cornwell joins Soundside host Libby Denkmann to share an update on how the Hellcat ended up in hot water.

Guests:

Paige Cornwell - Reporter for The Seattle Times

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When it comes to Presidential elections, Washington state's electoral votes are about as blue as you can get. But there are still big stakes here when it comes to how national political conversations affect local races.

A recent analysis from the Cook Political Report says that the 2024 Washington gubernatorial race is shaping up to be competitive, even though a Republican hasn't been governor since the 1985.

While it may be assumed Democrats will get the votes they need to clinch the governor's mansion in Olympia, that doesn't mean voters are enthusiastic about democratic candidates, or the party's platform.

Soundside host Libby Denkmann caught up with KUOW politics reporter Scott Greenstone about his trip to the Washington state Democratic convention, where he talked to delegates about what it'll take for the party's messaging to land with voters.

Guests:

Scott Greenstone - KUOW politics reporter
Michael Kazin - Historian and professor at Georgetown University, author of "What It Took to Win: A History of the Democratic Party."

Relevant Links:

KUOW - WA Democratic Party will send ceasefire letters to Biden, party leadership

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For weeks, Seattle Public Schools families have been waiting for news about school closures. In May, the district announced plans to close 20 elementary schools to shore up its budget.

And that left parents, and students, wondering if their local school was on the chopping block. Last night was supposed to be the night they would learn which schools will close, but they’ll have to wait just a little longer to find out.

Guest:

Sami West, KUOW education reporter

Relevant Links:

KUOW: Families won't know which Seattle schools may close until fall
KUOW: Will closing schools really balance the budget for Seattle Public Schools? Parents have their doubts

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After a four year hiatus, the reality television show “Cops” is returning to Spokane County.

If you had a TV anytime in the last few decades, you know the show: shaky cameras following police busting drug deals, stopping thefts, chasing down the “bad boys”.

Paramount canceled Cops in 2020, amid the George Floyd protests.

But it didn’t take long for the show to return. ‘Cops’ began airing again in 2021 as part of Fox Nation -- Fox’s streaming service.

Now, after four years away from the limelight, Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels says now is the time to start filming again.

Guests:

Nick Gibson - county reporter for the Spokesman Review
Sean Campbell - independent investigative journalist and contributing reporter with the Garrison Project. An independent, nonpartisan organization addressing the crisis of mass incarceration and policing

Relevant Links:

Spokesman Review: https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2024/jun/18/resurrected-reality-tv-series-cops-to-return-to-sp/
Slate: https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2023/11/reality-tv-cops-on-patrol-live-pd.html

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After an 8 month search, the Seattle Art Museum has a new director and CEO: Scott Stulen comes to Seattle from Tulsa, Oklahoma where he led the Philbrook Museum.

In their announcement, SAM touted Stulen’s work expanding the role of museums in civic life by using the Philbrook as a polling place and vegetable garden.

Stulen’s hire comes at an important time for the SAM, arts organizations are still recovering from the pandemic, the museum is engaged in union negotiations with security guards, and carrying out a new strategic plan.

Guests:

Scott Stulen, incoming director and CEO of the Seattle Art Museum

Relevant Links:

KUOW: Seattle Art Museum has a new leader after 8-month CEO search
GeekWire: Seattle Art Museum’s new CEO brings innovation mindset — with an openness to AI and other tech

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An influential research team with a focus on fighting false and misleading election information online has reportedly collapsed under pressure from conservative critics.

The Stanford Internet Observatory’s future is uncertain now that the team has lost most of its staff. While Stanford told reporters in a statement that the Observatory’s work will continue under new leadership, it appears the rapid analysis work identifying election misinformation that researchers conducted during the 2020 election will not continue.

The announcement comes as disinformation work has come under fire in recent years.

Some Republicans in congress, conservative groups and influencers have said academic research designed to track and better understand rumors online amounts to a censorship campaign and a violation of their First Amendment rights. Stanford's Internet Observatory (SIO) and University of Washington researchers have also been the subject of a lawsuit from a conservative pundit and a vaccine skeptic, represented by former Trump Administration advisor Stephen Miller’s group America First Legal.

That’s a troubling development for those who are continuing the work of studying our online information ecosystem, including researchers at the University of Washington.

Soundside spoke with Kate Starbird, the co-founder of the Center for an Informed Public at the University of Washington, about what the cracks in the SIO's foundation say about the field at large.

Guests:

Kate Starbird, co-founder of the Center for an Informed Public at the University of Washington. Starbird's work focuses on misinformation and disinformation.

Links:

The Washington Post: Stanford’s top disinformation research group collapses under pressure
Politico: Challenge to Biden hectoring of social media firms appears doomed at Supreme Court
Platformer: The Stanford Internet Observatory is being dismantled

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A King County Superior Court Judge has hit the pause button on a few elements of the Parents Bill of Rights, also known as I-2081. The Friday order comes in response to a lawsuit filed by the ACLU of WA in May.

LGBTQIA advocacy groups and civil liberties organizations raised concern about the legality of the Parents Bill of Rights and its effect on students.

Jeanie Lindsay joined Soundside host Libby Denkmann to talk about which parts of the bill have been put on hold, and what this means for schools, students, and their parents.

GUEST: Jeanie Lindsay, Olympia correspondent for Northwest News Network

RELATED LINKS:

New police pursuit rules, 'parents bill of rights' become law in Washington - Northwest News Network
ACLU sues Washington to stop 'parents bill of rights' initiative from becoming law - Northwest News Network
Washington's 'parents bill of rights' law partly on hold - KUOW
Washington's Public Schools Will Continue to Protect Student Privacy and Safety - OSPI Statement

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Families of people who died on Boeing jets are renewing their calls for criminal prosecution of the company after Boeing’s CEO appeared before Congress this week.

The families are asking the Justice Department to fine Boeing the maximum – 24 billion dollars – for the dual 737 Max 8 crashes in 2018 and 2019.

The letter to the DOJ comes the day after Boeing’s David Calhoun testified before on a series of safety lapses and whistleblower complaints at the company.

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs subcommittee hearing was the first time Calhoun had faced lawmakers since the door plug of a MAX 9 ripped off an Alaska Airlines plane back in January.

Members of congress have already heard from a bevy of whistleblowers, as well aviation and engineering safety experts testifying on what’s gone wrong at the company.

Tuesday’s hearing was a rare instance of bipartisan agreement on the Hill: Calhoun faced the heat from Democrat and Republican lawmakers.

Guest:

Richard Aboulafia, managing director of AeroDynamic Advisory

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For the first time in 25 years, the Makah Tribe of Neah Bay will once again be allowed to hunt the Eastern Pacific Gray Whale.

The tribe, which is located in the northwest corner of the Olympic Peninsula, has the only treaty in the US that explicitly includes the right to hunt whales for cultural and sustenance purposes.

But, in the past 90 years, they have only been allowed to exercise that right once, in 1999, when tribal members harpooned a whale.

The ceremony was controversial: there were threats of violence, protestors on boats tried to stop the hunt. At vigils, activists held signs that said “Save the whales, kill a Makah.”

It also sparked decades of court battles, scientific reviews, and bureaucracy.

Now, following the 2021 recommendation of a judge to grant the Makah a waiver, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, also known as NOAA, has authorized a return of whaling.

Guest:

Makah Tribal Council Chairman Timothy J. Greene Sr

Relevant Links:

KNKX: https://www.knkx.org/makah-tribe-waiver-noaa-whale-hunt-marine-mammal-act-washington
The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/13/us/makah-whales-hunting-noaa.html
NOAA: https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/noaa-fisheries-authorizes-makah-tribe-to-resume-gray-whale-hunt

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School is out for the summer, and when students of two Seattle schools return in the fall, there will be some changes. Cell phones will be banned at Robert Eagle Staff Elementary and Hamilton International Middle School.

Students will check their cell phone into a small lockable pouch when they arrive at school. Districts across the state and country have taken similar actions. Florida and Indiana have passed laws requiring districts to create policies that restrict phone usage during the school day

This all comes amid a growing body of research on the impacts that smartphones have on teen learning and mental health.

Guests:

Lucía Magis-Weinberg, assistant professor at the University of Washington School of Psychology
Kris Hagal, executive director of digital learning at Peninsula School District

Links:

Seattle Times: Two Seattle schools ban cellphones
WA State Standard: Should Washington’s public schools ban students from using cellphones?
Tacoma News Tribune: Local school district bans social media use at school. Here’s how they’ll enforce it

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$395 million -- that is one judge’s estimate of how much the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community should receive in a trespassing case. The judgment is not only a monetary victory for the tribe, but points to the legal leverage Tribal governments have when it comes to protecting their sovereignty.

Guests:

Isabella Breda, environment reporter at the Seattle Times

Relevant Links:

Seattle Times: Judge orders BNSF to pay WA tribe $400M for oil train trespass
Seattle Times: A WA tribe will get paid by a railroad that trespassed. The question is how much
KUOW: BNSF Railway ordered to pay $395 million after years of trespassing on Swinomish land

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To make room for the new Sageview High School, Pasco school board members needed to make a decision: which students would go to the shiny new school, and which would stay at one of the older schools: Pasco High School, or Chiawana High?

This isn’t the first time Pasco’s school board has had to make a decision like this.

When Chiawana High opened in 2009, the district began busing some students across the city to attend the new school, instead of the nearby, much older, Pasco High.

The school boundaries they drew back then were aimed at evening out the share of lower income students at Pasco schools. To create economic diversity at the schools.

This time, the Pasco school board has taken a different approach - listening to parents value proximity over economic diversity. That's raising bigger questions about how demographics like race and income affect student learning and school performance.

Guests:

Eric Rosane: civic accountability reporter for the Tri-City Herald
Saba Bireda: Co-Founder of Brown's Promise, an organization that works to end racial and economic segregation in K-12 schools.

Related Links:

Tri-City Herald: https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/education/article289202959.html
Tri-City Herald: https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/education/article288980625.html

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This year marks the 25th anniversary of the WTO protests in Seattle, a raucous action by 50,000 protesters who descended on the city in the fall of 1999. Their aim? shutting down a conference of top decision makers at the World Trade Organization.

When this coalition of activists succeeded in stopping the WTO’s opening ceremonies, the “Battle of Seattle” became an inflection point in a growing struggle between advocates for free trade and groups fighting for the rights of labor, farmers, the environment and more.

Comprising over 100 interviews, author DW Gibson’s new book, “One Week to Change the World,” tells a new oral history of the protest through the eyes of people who participated.

Guests:

DW Gibson, journalist based in New York and author of "One Week to Change the World."

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Since the Supreme Court struck down the right to an abortion in 2022, Idaho has enacted some of the strictest abortion laws in the country. For Idaho medical students at the University of Washington, the near total abortion ban creates uncertainty about whether they will go back home to practice.

Guests:

Dr. Sarah Villarreal, associate professor at the University of Washington and practicing OB/GYN
Emina Gulbis, 4th year Idaho WWAMI medical student

Related Links:

Cascade PBS Medical residents are avoiding abortion-ban states, survey finds
KUOW Post-Roe, WA is a health care ‘sanctuary’ — for both patients and providers
Boise State Public Radio 'Idaho will suffer for this:' Doctors worry about attracting medical residents due to abortion bans

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It’s been a tumultuous few years for rental laws in Washington state.

When the pandemic caused widespread job and income losses, state, county, and city governments passed a series of protections to keep tenants housed. That included funds for back-paying rent and moratoriums on evictions.

But many of those protections have ended, and over the last year, eviction cases have spiked in the state. In King County’s court system specifically, that massive demand is leading to delays ranging from six months to a year.

Some see this bottleneck as a frustrating bureaucratic mess; but others see it as growing pains in a system that's shifting from favoring landlords to more equally representing tenants.

Soundside host Libby Denkmann spoke with Philippe Knab from the Office of Civil Legal Aid and Sean Flynn of the Rental Housing Association of Washington.

Guests:

Philippe Knab, eviction defense and re-entry program manager at the Washington State Office of Civil Legal Aid
Sean Flynn, executive director of the Rental Housing Association of Washington

Related links:

Seattle Times: King County aims to speed up some eviction cases

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Microsoft continues to face tough questions about its security protocols and commitment to safety after a whistleblower says he warned the company about a serious vulnerability involving third party software years ahead of it being exploited in the infamous SolarWinds attack.

Experts believe that it was in September of 2019 that Russian hackers gained access to SolarWinds - a network infrastructure monitoring software relied on by hundreds of thousands of computer systems across the country.

By inserting malware in a SolarWinds update, hackers got a backdoor to those systems, including Microsoft and its customers: the largest of which is the U.S. government.

They gained access to sensitive federal agencies, like the departments of Energy and Treasury.

When the hack was discovered 14 months later – it brought home the threat of cyber warfare and the ability of malicious foreign actors to find tiny weaknesses in computer code to cause major damage.

Now, new reporting by ProPublica sheds light on what Microsoft knew about the SolarWinds vulnerability before the attack – and the extent of the hackers’ access. including breaching the agency that maintains America’s nuclear weapons stockpile.

Guests:

Renee Dudley, a tech reporter at ProPublica

Related Links:

ProPublica: https://www.propublica.org/article/microsoft-solarwinds-golden-saml-data-breach-russian-hackers
ProPublica: https://www.propublica.org/article/microsoft-solarwinds-cybersecurity-house-homeland-security-hearing

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At a time when many voters are deciding which candidate to support in the August primary, voters are also witnessing very public conflicts between Democratic candidates. Ethics and finance complaints filed by gubernatorial candidate Mark Mullet against front runner Bob Ferguson point to the gulf between moderates and progressives.

Guests:

Scott Greenstone, KUOW politics reporter

Related Links:

KUOW: Bob Ferguson's campaign funds under fire from rival Democrat in governor's race
KUOW: Will the real Bob Ferguson please stand up? Name doppelgangers rattle Washington governor’s race
Seattle Times: AG Bob Ferguson faces ethics complaint in ‘three Bobs’ saga

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Seattle Police say they have stepped up their presence today on the Garfield High School campus in the Central District.

Interim Police Chief Sue Rahr told King 5 that Seattle Public Schools reached out to ask for the support – following the shooting of 17-year old Amarr Murphy-Paine on campus last week.

Parents, teachers, and students gathered at Garfield on Tuesday to talk about what safety and security needs to look like at the school.

There have been at least six shootings in and around Garfield over the past year, either on campus or within a few blocks of the school.

And one Garfield parent says she’s tired of seeing the same response from the district, over and over.

Guests:

Carol Rava is the parent of both a current and former Garfield student. She’s also a one-time Seattle Public Schools employee, and wrote an op-ed for the Seattle Times on school safety, published this week.

Related Links:

https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/stop-the-bleeding-sps-needs-to-do-better-to-keep-students-safe/
https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle/seattle-police-presence-garfield-high-school/281-2594b875-e5b1-4a30-af2d-1fd58618ed00
https://www.kuow.org/stories/mapped-shootings-around-seattle-s-garfield-high-school-this-year

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An estimated 45% of riders paid to get on the light rail in Seattle according to Sound Transit estimates from 2023.

When you tap your Orca card at one of those yellow stands, or maybe you don’t, you’re making a difference to Sound Transit’s bottom line because the organization has been hoping to rely on that revenue to make up 40% of light rail’s operating budget. Last year, only 14% of the budget was covered by fares.

It’s an ambitious goal, one that Sound Transit has had since the agency formed in the 90s. Sound Transit’s board says that goal is probably too ambitious. It’s time to revise expectations downwards to reflect the reality of lowered ridership, increasing costs, and rampant fare evasion.

Guest(s):

Ryan Packer, contributing editor at The Urbanist.

Related Links:

The Urbanist: Sound Transit Lowers Farebox Recovery Goals, Opens Door to Fare Capping, Is Sound Transit Closing In on Fare Gates for Link and Sounder?

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It was Thanksgiving in 1996. Seattle newscasters are reporting that the “Hollywood” Bandit has locked himself in an old camper in a backyard in Ravenna after robbing the Lake City branch of Seafirst Bank of over 1 million dollars in cash.

The Seattle Police and FBI Task Force that’s been hunting him for years finally have him surrounded…

But to understand how we got here, like any good crime story, we’ve gotta flash back to the beginning, where Scott Scurlock, inspired by movies like Point Break, gets the wild idea to move on from cooking meth… to robbing banks.

GUESTS: Co-Directors: Stephen Robert Morse & Seth Porges

LINKS:

https://www.netflix.com/watch/81427740
https://historylink.org/File/9043

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Western sandpipers migrate thousands of miles each year, from their breeding grounds in the upper reaches of Alaska to the coasts California and South America. One location, in particular, is an irresistible pit stop for sandpipers: a wide mud flat on the Fraser River Delta near the U.S./Canada border.

Not far away from those mud flats is one of British Columbia’s most important shipping terminals, and a new report by Seattle Times reporter Lynda Mapes says an approved expansion of that terminal could threaten the unique organisms sandpipers stop to feast on.

Guests:

Seattle Times environment reporter Lynda Mapes. Read Mapes' full reporting on sandpipers, phytoplankton, and British Columbia's push to expand a container port here.

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Community members greeted kids on their way into Garfield High School in Seattle’s Central District, after Mt. Zion Baptist Church, and the organization 100 Black Parents organized a massive show of support.

Classes started up again Tuesday morning after a shooting on campus that claimed the life of 17-year old student, Amarr Murphy-Paine.

The shooter, believed to be another high school aged boy, has not been found or identified by Seattle Police.

Monday, a 15-year-old boy pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, among other charges, in the shooting death of a classmate at Ingraham High School in North Seattle in 2022.

In the wake of that shooting, Seattle Public Schools and local elected leaders pledged to step up mental health support for students and improve safety on school campuses and in surrounding neighborhoods.

But nearby gun violence has since repeatedly shattered the peace at Garfield, putting the school on lockdown, and now another Seattle student has lost their life at school.

So – what’s the answer? How do we protect kids at school – the place where the LAST thing they should be worried about is dodging gunfire?

GUEST: DeVitta Briscoe, Gun Violence Prevention Liaison for the city of Seattle, and founder of the Black Women’s Coalition to End Violence.
LINKS:
KUOW: https://www.kuow.org/stories/gun-violence-prevention-advocate-starts-work-in-seattle-mayor-s-office
South Seattle Emerald: https://southseattleemerald.com/tag/devitta-briscoe/
Seattle Times: https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/a-lesson-from-my-losses-we-cannot-afford-to-completely-dismantle-the-police/

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Most of us are familiar with how our food grows. Fruit trees, crop plants -- they all put out blossoms. From there, honeybees spread pollen and collect nectar to grow their local hives. That buzzy work is a critical piece of agriculture, because without bees, the food we'd like to grow... won't grow.

But a recent glut of almonds in California is disrupting a bee renting ecosystem -- a "bee-cosystem," if you will -- that Northwest farmers depend on.

Soundside caught up with Anna King about her recent story on local beekeeping and its relationship with California almonds. King covers Washington and Oregon mainly east of the Cascades for the Northwest News Network.

Read Anna King's full reporting on the Washington beekeeping industry here.

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Interim Seattle Police Chief Sue Rahr has a big mandate: Hire more officers, and clean up a department culture that has led to half a dozen lawsuits from high ranking SPD officers who say they were the victims of discrimination, harassment or retaliation.

Many parents and city leaders are alsoasking what more can be done to protectkids in Seattle schools, following a shooting at Garfield High School on June 6 that left one 17-year-old student dead.

One idea that’s gained some attention – and pushback – is to bring Seattle Police Department community resource officers back to Seattle Public Schools campuses.

Soundside host Libby Denkmann sat down with Chief Rahr to discuss her vision for the Seattle Police Department, and the crisis of school safety.

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The King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) has a new leader: the agency’s board announced this week that starting Aug. 1, Kelly Kinnison will head the agency.

Kinnison is a policy director at the US Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C. and takes over at an uncertain time for KCRHA.

The agency has been without permanent leadership for more than a year after the agency’s founding CEO, Marc Dones, left in May of 2023. Additionally, the city of Seattle -- one of the KCRHA’s largest funders -- announced in February that it was pulling back financial support from the agency, and there have been calls from local officials to restructure the organization.

So what kind of agency will Kinnison be taking the helm of? Soundside is joined by Erica Barnett, co-founder and publisher at PubliCola.

Read Erica Barnett's latest reporting on the KCRHA's vote for a new permanent CEO here.
Read PubliCola's broader reporting on the KCRHA here.
Read the latest reporting from the Seattle Times' Greg Kim on the departure of the agency's interim CEO, Darrell Powell, here.

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In 2013, Amazon founder and then CEO Jeff Bezos told 60 Minutes that his company would be delivering packages via DRONE within 5 years.

It took a little bitlonger… but not much. Since December 2022, customers in College Station, Texas have been able to get small packages delivered by unmanned Amazon aircrafts.

And last week, Amazon announced that the FAA has authorized its drone program, called Prime Air, to fly even farther, beyond the view of human operators.

Amazon joins Google’s subsidiary Wing, and companies like UPS and Zipline, which have already received similar approval from the FAA.

Guests:

Matt McCardle, Director of Global Regulatory Affairs and Strategy for Amazon Prime Air
Paresh Dave, Senior Writer for Wired

Related Links:

Amazon Drone Delivery Plans Move a Small Step Forward
Amazon’s Delivery Drones Won’t Fly in Arizona’s Summer Heat
Amazon’s Drone Delivery Dream Is Crashing

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Boeing's Starliner spacecraft hit a milestone when it docked at the International Space Station on Thursday morning.

The journey to get this spacecraft off the ground in the first place was bumpy, and expensive. It ended up running seven years behind schedule, and went more than $1 billion dollars over budget.

But for many, this mission signifies a turning point for the relationship between NASA and commercial spaceflight. And, it may give Boeing the boost it needs to repair the company's public perception.

Soundside host Libby Denkmann talked to Greg Autry, the director of the Thunderbird Initiative for Space Leadership, Policy and Business at Arizona State University.

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The Wing Luke Museum in Seattle’s Chinatown International District is working to reopen after roughly two dozen staff walked out in protest. At issue: a new exhibit called “Confronting Hate Together,” which looks at how Seattle’s Black, Asian-American, and Jewish communities have faced prejudice both historically and in the present.

On the day it was set to debut, about half of the Wing Luke’s staff walked off the job.

Those workers said in a statement that parts of “Confronting Hate Together,” which the museum had been working on since before October 7th, conflated Anti-Zionism with anti-semitism. They also criticized the absence of Palestinian, Muslim and Arab voices.

Soundside host Libby Denkmann spoke with Wing Luke's executive director, Joël Barraquiel Tan, about how the museum is responding to staff’s demands while also balancing the autonomy of its partners in this project.

Guest(s):

Joël Barraquiel Tan, executive director of the Wing Luke Museum

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The Horse Heaven Wind Farm Project near the Tri-Cities could become the largest of its kind in the state.

The project, as originally planned, would span over 24 miles, and include wind turbines, solar panels, and battery storage.

But there are concerns: the land has previously been home to the endangered ferruginous hawk. It's also culturally important land to the Yakama Nation.

Those kinds of issues led a state energy council to approve the project – but scaled back, to about half the original scale. But last month, Governor Inslee essentially rejected the council’s recommendation for a smaller project.

In a letter to the Energy Facility Siting and Evaluation Council, Inslee directed the council to reconsider its recommendation – and pushed for the maximum allowable energy generation. He says that would provide about 5% of the new electricity the state will need over the next decade.

Now, the state energy council has less than 90 days to respond to the Governor’s rejection. Inslee will decide whether or not to approve what they send him.

Washington’s energy needs could grow by 20 percent by 2030… and could double by 2050.

What does an ideal energy plan look like for Washington, and what would it take to get there?

Guests:

Courtney Flatt, correspondent for NWPB and the Northwest News Network focusing on environmental, natural resources and energy issues in the Northwest
Darrin Magee, Director of the Institute for Energy Studies at Western Washington University

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It’s a gift for us in Washington to be surrounded by wildlife. You can catch sight of whales on a ferry commute, coyotes from the back deck, or ospreys diving for fish at the local park. But not all human-animal interactions are without a bit of risk.

If you happen to run into a backwoods bear or a concealed cougar, someone like Kevin O’Connor may be sent in for help. O’Connor is a wildlife conflict specialist with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and he joined Soundside to break down what you should know when it comes to our common wildlife encounters.

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A major change to U.S. immigration policy just dropped:

President Biden this morning signed an Executive Order limiting asylum claims from people who cross the border between ports of entry. This is an evolving story today as we get details of the order: but reporters who have been briefed by the Biden team say the new policy would effectively close the southern border after unauthorized crossings exceeded 2,500 in a day – so it would take effect almost immediately.

Under the order, people who cross would instead be returned to their home country or Mexico. They would still be allowed to request an appointment to seek asylum at a legal port of entry. There are exceptions for unaccompanied children and victims of trafficking.

This comes after months of negotiations on a bipartisan border bill in congress – a compromise deal that was ultimately rejected by Republican members.

Soundside host Libby Denkmann spoke with both Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and Northwest Immigrant Rights Project Executive Director Malou Chávez about today’s order, and what it will mean for the immigrants here in Western Washington who are seeking asylum.

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For 42 years - journalist and newspaper publisher Assunta Ng has been a pillar of Seattle’s Chinatown International District.

After emigrating to the United States at the age of 19 to attend the University of Washington - Assunta, together with her husband George, started two newspapers devoted to serving the local Asian American and immigrant communities: The Seattle Chinese Post, and Northwest Asian Weekly.

Assunta reported for the papers, and served as publisher - until last Friday.

Soundside producer Noel Gasca went to Ng's farewell party to understand the work and legacy of a woman often called "the unofficial mayor of Chinatown."

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In April, former Richland School Board Director and military veteran Semi Bird received the GOP's endorsement for governor.

He has since faced controversy. Last week, conservative talk show host Jason Rantz published letters pertaining to Bird’s time in the Army. In those letters, a brigadier general reprimanded Bird for wearing medals he did not earn and submitting false performance evaluation documents.

On Soundside, Bird pushed back on those claims and said his meritorious service, including earning a Bronze Star and Purple Heart, are being overshadowed by these politically motivated attacks.

Guests:

Semi Bird, candidate for Washington governor
Scott Greenstone, KUOW politics reporter

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The different factions of the Republican Party were clearly on display this past weekend, at the “Cascade Conference” in Yakima.

The conference was hosted by a group called the “Mainstream Republicans of Washington”. Their self-stated mission is to push for the election of more qualified and moderate candidates for public office. Including former congressman and King County Sheriff Dave Reichert, who took the spotlight as keynote speaker.

Mainstream Republicans of Washington has endorsed Reichert in the gubernatorial election. That’s in opposition to the official state GOP, which tapped former Richland School Board member Semi Bird.

It points to an ideological split in the party as it tries to rally to be competitive in a state where Republican support has steadily eroded in recent years.

Guest:

Jeanie Lindsay, Northwest News Network state government reporter

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Congratulations class of 2024, you've graduated from college. But now what?

If you look at statistics, new graduates today have better than average job prospects.

At a macro level, the US job market is looking good. 175,000 new jobs were added in April, and the unemployment rate remained low - at just 3.9 percent.

But, that may not be how it feels to every job seeker.

Expedia, Amazon, and Microsoft are just a few of the local tech companies that have laid off employees recently.

And it’s not just tech: there have also been layoffs at REI, Dollar Tree, and at local media organizations - like KUOW.

There are ripple effects of these layoffs. Workers with more experience are now also looking for work, along with new graduates. And that’s leading some recruiters, and job candidates, to say that finding a job is getting harder, and taking longer.

Guests:

Hart Hodges: a Professor in the Department of Economics at Western Washington University and Director of Western's Center for Economic and Business Research
Bonnie Dilber: a recruiting manager at the tech company Zapier, and content creator who talks about job searches, recruiting, and the workplace.
Briana Randall: executive director of the career and internship center at the UW Seattle campus

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann sits down with Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell to discuss Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz's removal from his job on Wednesday, under pressure from a series of lawsuits including allegations of discrimination and harassment at the department.

Sue Rahr, the former King County Sheriff and head of Washington State’s Criminal Justice Training Commission is now serving as interim chief, as a national search begins for the next head of the Seattle Police Department.

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Seattle's Cheryl Glass was a sprint car racing sensation. She won the season finale at the Skagit Speedway in 1980, took the Pacific Northwest racing world by storm, and had serious aspirations of racing in the Indy 500.

Even today, Glass remains one of the most well known Black female race car drivers in U.S. history.

But after a series of accidents and setbacks, she left the racing world. Her life came to a tragic end in 1997.

Soundside spoke with author Bill Poehler about his new book "The First Lady of Dirt: The Triumphs and Tragedy of Racing Pioneer Cheryl Glass."

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Seattle’s Chief of Police, Adrian Diaz, has been dismissed from his job. Diaz and the department have endured a flurry of allegations and lawsuits from employees over the past year. including claims of discriminatory behavior by Diaz toward women and people of color, and rumors of a relationship with an employee that roiled the department.

Hanging over all of this is the department’s ongoing struggle to recruit and retain officers.

Soundside spoke with KUOW Online Managing Editor Isolde Raftery to break down the latest. Raftery and KUOW’s Ashley Hiruko have been out in front doing watchdog reporting about Seattle’s Police Department and its chief.

Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz out; former Sheriff Sue Rahr interim
‘Appearance of segregation’ at Seattle Police Department, captain says in lawsuit
Seattle cop accuses Chief Diaz of ‘predatory behavior’ and ‘grooming’

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Seattle Public Library’s services remain limited today after a ransomware attack took much of the library’s technology systems offline.

In a blog post, the Library said it had been preparing to take computer systems down for maintenance over Memorial Day Weekend when workers discovered a ransomware event affecting the entire network.

At this point, it is unclear what the ransomware attackers are after, or how long it will take for the Seattle Public Library’s systems to be back to full operation.

Ransomware attacks against large institutions have multiplied in recent years. This week, a hacker group claimed credit for an attack on the auction house Christie’s. The group has threatened to release sensitive information about art collectors unless demands were met.

Soundside is joined by Quentin Hodgson, a senior researcher specializing in cybersecurity at RAND, a non-profit, non-partisan research organization, to discuss the proliferation of ransomware attacks in recent years.

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The H5N1 bird flu continues to spread to U.S. dairy cows – affecting dozens of herds in at least ten states. The dairy industry has been hesitant to test cows for the virus. The FDA says pasteurized milk is safe to drink. A team of University of Washington and Fred Hutch Cancer Center researchers is working to track the avian influenza by sequencing the virus’ DNA found in milk from the grocery store.

Pavitra Roychoudhury, research assistant professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine who also works at the Fred Hutch Cancer Center.

Related links:

STAT: Move over, wastewater. Store-bought milk could be another way to track the bird flu outbreak in cows
USDA: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Detections in Livestock
NPR: Limited testing of raw milk for bird flu leaves safety questions unanswered
FDA: Updates on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)

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When author Noé Álvarez was growing up in Yakima, WA he remembers hearing accordion music wafting in the orchards where his parents picked fruit, at dance halls, and at house parties. But his grandfather Eulogio – a traveling accordion player – remained a figure steeped in mystery and infamy.

The path to understanding that “ancestral tragedy” sent Álvarez across state and country borders in search of his family’s history and a deeper knowledge of the music that propelled it. That journey is detailed in Noé Álvarez’s new book, “Accordion Eulogies: A Memoir of Music, Migration, and Mexico."

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Over the last 18 months, thousands of asylum-seeking migrants have found a temporary home at the Riverton Park United Methodist Church in Tukwila.

The church isn’t set up to be a long term shelter - but with few beds open in King County’s family shelters each night - this temporary solution has become a lifeline for asylum seekers.

But how did this church become a de facto shelter for so many people?

A new report from the Seattle Times found that the first asylum seekers to seek shelter at the church were sent there by Seattle city workers, and while Seattle has a plan in place for an emergency shelter to house migrants in the city, Mayor Harrell has so far refused to implement it.

Soundside host Libby Denkmann talked to Seattle Times reporter David Kroman about what's behind this breakdown to get migrants the housing they need.

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Starting in 2018, state and federal officials began moving over 300 mountain goats from the Olympic Peninsula to the North Cascades.It was a joint project with local tribes, the Olympic National Park, Washington Fish and Wildlife, and the U.S. Forest Service. Now, more than five years later, reporting from the Everett Herald indicates the project has had mixed success. Hundreds of goats were successfully moved from the park. But it appears that most of them have since died.

GUEST: Te'Leah Van Sistine, Everett Herald

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Washington state has a plan to replace its aging ferry fleet, but it will be years before commuters notice any changes.

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Whether you’re getting ready to hit the trails for the first time, or you’re a seasoned outdoors aficionado - Soundside is here to help you get prepped for hot hiking summer.

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Homelessness policy has become a lightning rod in Burien, as the city’s approach toward people sleeping outside has drawn scrutiny and lawsuits. The latest; the city council agreed to build a pallet shelter on land owned by Seattle City Light. King County agreed to give the city a million dollars for the project, but now the city council is considering zoning restrictions that may kill the shelter plans.

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In 2015 “Our Children’s Trust” took aim at what they thought was a major contributor to ongoing climate problems: that the U.S. government had continued to permit, authorize and subsidize fossil fuel extraction. So, along with 21 plaintiffs whose ages ranged from 8 to 19 years old, they sued the U.S. government. Even though the case has never actually gone to trial after 9 years of arguments, the ambition behind the litigation has made an impact on environmental law and helped inspire other climate cases involving young people around the world.

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Author Nora Kenworthy's new book, Crowded Out: The True Costs of Crowdfunding Healthcare, looks at the complex set of experiences of people using platforms like GoFundMe to raise money for medical care and how the platform potentially shapes the world around us.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann hosts a panel discussion about the latest update to the way Google search results are presented, and the potential issues the company may face.

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The University of Washington reached an agreement with the leaders of an encampment of students protesting the war in Gaza. As part of that agreement, students had until 3 p.m. Monday to clear the area where they’ve been living.

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In a study published Monday in the journal Nature Medicine, researchers at the University of Washington and at universities in Colorado and Georgia have found that electrical stimulation on the surface of the skin, targeting the spine, can improve strength, mobility, sensation and function in the bodies of people with long term spinal cord injuries.The novel therapy is breaking the limits that many with spinal injuries have dealt with for years, and all without the need for additional surgery.

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Summer is almost here, last weekend, temperatures climbed into the 80s throughout the Puget Sound area. And for many, warm temperatures mean trips to the beach and swims in Lake Washington.

Heading out to swim this past weekend was extra sweet for some beachgoers: the community at Denny Blaine, a beach popular with Seattle’s queer community. It’s one of a handful of spots in the city where folks say they feel safe picnicking, swimming, and sunbathing in the buff.

But last fall, the beach faced an unusual threat: a playground funded by an anonymous donor.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann sits down with Mossback's Northwest host Knute Berger to talk about the Colfax, WA man who made "Stuntman" a profession - Yakima Canutt.

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KUOW Director of Community Engagement Zaki Hamid sat down with Soundside to talk about his experience speaking with students, faculty, and counter-protestors at the University of Washington about the pro-Palestine movement.

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Good news is a shrinking rarity for Boeing these days. The latest: The Department of Justice announced Tuesday that Boeing has violated a settlement related to the deadly 737 Max 8 crashes in 2018 and 2019.

The decision opens the door for potential prosecution and is the latest blow to fall for the company, which faces its most existential crisis in its 108 year history.

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New guidance from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends women should get a mammogram every other year starting at age 40 and until age 74. Guidelines last changed in 2016, and with so much at stake, it’s important to stay in the know. Soundside spoke with Dr. Janie Lee, professor of Radiology at the University of Washington and the director of breast imaging services for the UW and Fred Hutch Cancer Center, to learn more.

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As juvenile crime rates surge in King County, there is little consensus over what is causing the trend or how to respond to it.

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Melinda French Gates says she is leaving the foundation that bears her name. She announced Monday she will depart the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to focus on other charitable ventures. The foundation headquartered in Seattle is the largest philanthropic organization in the world. This year, it plans to spend 8 and half billion dollars on causes ranging from education to water sanitation. The move marks a new direction for the world of philanthropy and the Pacific Northwest’s best-known ex-power couple.

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Over the weekend news broke that in addition to current Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson, two more people named "Bob Ferguson" would also be running for governor. By Monday's withdrawal deadline, the "Bob" party looked to be winding down: both of the newcomer Bob Fergusons dropped out of the governor's race. But some officials say the shenanigan reveals a broader problem in the state's two person open primary system.

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In the podcast "Lost Patients," journalists Will James, Sydney Brownstone ,and Esmy Jimenez explored why so many people with severe mental illness in Washington state are not getting the care they need.

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If you followed Seattle news around 2008, you may remember news clips of so called "Real Life Superheroes" patrolling the city's streets.Although local heroes aren't on the evening news as much these days, a group of volunteer vigilantes are still fighting crime in the dark of the night. Soundside producer Alec Cowan recently joined two heroes on patrol to hear more about the work local superheroes are doing, and, well... why they're doing it.

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After four years of closed door negotiations, the Department of Energy, EPA, and WA Ecology released a revised plan to clean up 56 million gallons of nuclear waste at the Hanford site in Central Washington. Much of that waste will be turned into glass.

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Like many school districts across the state and country, Seattle Public Schools is staring down a shaky financial future. The district is projecting a $105 million dollar budget shortfall next school year. Soundside host Libby Denkmann talks with SPS School Board President Liza Rankin about what these potential closures could mean for educators, families, and students.

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In late April, the PTAs at Cascadia and Decatur Elementaries, two highly capable cohort schools, retained a lawyer and sent a letter to the district outlining concerns about the changes to the highly capable program.

The letter alleges that SPS doesn’t have the resources to adequately implement the neighborhood school model. And so closing the cohort schools would be a violation of a state law – one that requires districts to provide an educational program for highly capable students.

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She’s an Oscar nominee, a Golden Globe winner, and the pride of Mountlake Terrace High School. And now, Lily Gladstone has an executive producer credit for her work with "Bring Them Home" a new documentary screening at SIFF next week.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann sits down with Dr. Joachim Moeyens of UW's DiRAC Institute to talk about the algorithm that has helped discover over 27,000 new asteroids in our solar system.

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What started as an art fair made it big in 2001, when the Bellevue Arts Museum opened its brand-new building on the corner of 6th Street and Bellevue Way. But in the decades since opening its doors, BAM has struggled financially, and in recent reporting, the Seattle Times’ Margo Vansynghel found that a recent fundraiser was just one symptom of larger financial struggles.

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Proposed federal legislation is bringing attention to an understudied and overlooked part of every woman's life — menopause.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann speaks with space & science journalist Jonathan O’Callaghan about Boeing's latest scrubbed Starliner mission, and what's next.

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An historic shift to American drug policy is on the way.

The United States Drug Enforcement Administration is poised to reclassify cannabis from a Schedule I drug to Schedule III. Weed’s longtime classification has put it at odds with laws in several states, including Washington.

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Soundside heads to Hangar 30 at Magnuson Park for the 20th Anniversary of Rat City Roller Derby!

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Recent warnings have local business owners wondering: who's responsible for graffiti clean up?

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Soundside revisits a story produced by RadioActive alum Avery Styer back in 2016. Eight years ago, Avery took us to a space in Capitol Hill that had a special spot in their life - Lambert House, a community center for LGBTQ+ youth. Since that original story, Avery has aged out of the youth programs Lambert House currently offers, but that doesn’t mean they’ve moved on.

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In 2020, amid racial justice protests, King County Executive Dow Constantine vowed to close a newly-built youth detention facility in the next five years.A new county audit of the facility, called the Judge Patricia H. Clark Children and Family Justice Center, points out the complications of actually accomplishing Constantine’s goal.

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This week a Seattle federal court sentenced Changpeng Zhao -- founder and former CEO of the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, Binance -- to four months in prison. In contrast to the high-profile case of FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, who used his crypto exchange to defraud billions of dollars from its users, Zhao pled guilty to not doing more to prevent money laundering on his exchange.

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Washington ranked 33rd in preschool access for 4-year-olds. Yet Washington ranks eighth in terms of spending. So, what gives?

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In this encore broadcast, Soundside guest host Diana Opong revisits a conversation with author Stephanie Land. Land had just published a book about her experience of going to college as a single mother, and the struggles she faced working towards her degree. Her second book is titled “Class, A Memoir of Motherhood, Hunger, and Higher Education.”

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann sits down with NW News Network correspondent Anna King to talk about the impacts drought has on Farmers out in Eastern WA.

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Investigative reporter and economist Loretta Napoleoni tracks the rise of 'tech titans' in her new book, “Technocapitalism: the Rise of the New Robber Barons and the Fight for the Common Good." She argues they have used technology to become massively wealthy at a high cost to most of the rest of us.

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In Washington state, if a teacher or other certified school staff commits serious misconduct, like abuse, districts are required to report that to the state for investigation – and possibly the revocation of that person’s certification to work in schools.

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Four female Seattle police officers have told the city that they intend to sue over sexual discrimination, harassment, and a hostile work environment.

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The WIAA, which governs high schools sports in Washington, briefly flirted with loosening transfer rules for student athletes this year. The potential changes raised concerns among coaches.

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A new law that could outlaw TikTok in the U.S. in 2025 has content creators in Western Washington worried about the future of their business model.

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A film fest this weekend in Bellingham is dedicated to highlighting distinct and diverse works from women filmmakers from around the world. It’s called The CASCADIA International Women’s Film Festival and it kicked off Thursday, April 25. Soundside guest host Diana Opong caught up with a panel of CASCADIA featured directors to discuss their experiences as filmmakers, and to explore what can be done to expand representation behind the camera.

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Tens of thousands of Providence nurses, technicians, and medical assistants are about to get their slice of a big payout — totaling $220 million. That major chunk of change comes as part of a verdict in a class action wage theft lawsuit. It was filed on behalf of hourly workers against Providence Health & Services.

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Soundside host Diana Opong sits down with UW scientist Fabien Klenner to talk about the recent discoveries from Enceladus, one of the moons of Saturn.

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Scientists gathered on the flight deck of a decommissioned aircraft carrier this month to test a technology to assist with cloud brightening.

The idea is basically to make clouds more reflective so they bounce more of the sun’s rays back out to space. Theoretically cooling the earth and combating global warming.

It’s the first time such a test has taken place outdoors in the United States.

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In the final episode of Lost Patients, a partnership between KUOW and The Seattle Times, host Will James and reporter Sydney Brownstone look at stories of recovery. Soundside speaks with host Will James and reporter Sydney Brownstone about why they chose to end the series with this topic and how a date at a cemetery was the impetus for this project.

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Soundside host Diana Opong sits down with cybersecurity journalist Eric Geller & cybersecurity researcher Quentin Hodgson to talk about the recent report about security issues at Microsoft.

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Washington state Republicans gathered in Spokane over the weekend to throw support behind a candidate for governor and other key offices. After a rowdy back and forth over whether the party would endorse at all, former Richland school board member Semi Bird emerged with the official GOP stamp of approval for the governor’s race. The decision sends a message about who state party faithful see as the standard bearer for the Washington GOP: Donald J. Trump.

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The investigation into Boeing’s safety culture, and what led up to the 737 Max blowout over Portland in January has made its way to Capitol Hill.

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Soundside host Diana Opong sits down with WSU horticulturalist and fruit breeder Kate Evans to talk about the science behind creating the new WA64 apple.

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Seattle Public Schools is phasing out its highly capable cohort (HCC) model – where advanced learners go to a handful of elementary, middle and high schools in the district with curriculum that is one or two years ahead of their grade depending on the subject.

Instead, starting next school year (2024-25), the district’s replacement, called the “highly capable neighborhood model,” will be available at every school.

Under this “whole classroom” approach, teachers will be tasked with personalizing lesson plans for individual students.

Seattle Public Schools says that the current model, where kids are separated, raises equity issues, because it serves a larger share of white and Asian students than the general student population, but parents question whether additional support will materialize under the “neighborhood model.”

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann speaks with NW Insurance Council president Kenton Brice about the rising cost of auto insurance in WA State.

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"I think lots of people looking towards this Passover holiday are trying to figure out — how will I sit around a Seder table and talk about what's happening in the world today and this lens of Jewish identity, knowing that my parents, grandparents, my children, or grandchildren see the world through really, really different eyes than I do?"

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Dip into your average grocery or convenience store, and you’ll have your pick of at least a dozen different brands of bottled water.But despite being so ubiquitous in American culture today, the meteoric rise of bottled water isn't by coincidence -- and your average bottle and average tap have more in common than you might think.

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Like sour cream dolloped lovingly on a baked potato, journalist and food writer Rachel Belle finds the delicious nooks and unexpected crannies of the Pacific Northwest culinary scene.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann talks with freelance journalist Andrew Engelson about his reporting in Publicola on SPD Officer Kevin Dave's employment record at the Tucson Police Department in Arizona.

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As of last week, a long-running avian influenzas outbreak has affected more than 85 million poultry birds -- making it the deadliest avian flu in U.S. history. If that wasn’t enough cause for concern, cases of avian flu are now showing up in dairy cows and in Texas, at least one case was confirmed to have jumped from a dairy cow to a person.

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If you headed to a public library in Seattle over the weekend, you may have found your local branch was closed.

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A ruling by a King County judge over the sale of timber in Eastern King County points to the increased scrutiny the DNR faces over how it manages public lands.

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Former Congressman and King County Sheriff Dave Reichert has raised a substantial amount of cash and shows well in polling against Democratic frontrunner and state Attorney General Bob Ferguson in Washington's race for governor. But as Seattle Times’ Jim Brunner reports, Reichert may be lacking sizzle with the base heading into the state Republican Party’s convention next week.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann talks with Bill Porter aka "Red Pine" and filmmaker Ward Serril about the new film "Dancing with the Dead."

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If the Tolt River Dam failed, it would be catastrophic for the roughly 2000 people that live in Carnation. Fortunately, the city has an alarm system that would alert residents of a dam failure so they could evacuate.

Unfortunately, residents have unexpectedly and pointlessly heard that sound eight times in the last four years.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann talks election security with Jerry Cornfield of the WA State Standard and TrueMedia.org's Dr. Oren Etzioni.

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The world’s first Amazon Go store in Seattle opened on Jan. 22, 2018. The New York Times called it “A Store of the Future,” where all customers had to do was pop an item in their cart and walk out. A little over six years in the future, developers for Amazon's “Just Walk Out” technology are facing layoffs, and the technology itself is being fazed out at 40 Amazon Fresh grocery stores.

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Chili crunch is known for its punch, and now, a legal battle over the name has one local foodie fighting back against a culinary giant.

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What could bring Republicans and Democrats together? An unlikely political duo from Washington state has teamed up in the name of data privacy.

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Across the city of Seattle this month, poems from local writers are on display at storefronts, libraries, and in office buildings.

They're part of "Poetry in Place," a project from Seattle Civic Poet, Shin Yu Pai, which runs throughout April.

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The separation of Japanese American families during WWII is the focus of "Currents," a new operetta by local librettist AC Petersen and composer Jeremy Berdin.

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About 100 people were selected for a 10-month “Guaranteed Basic Income” pilot in King County that launched in the fall of 2022.

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Soundside Editor Jed Kim headed up to upstate New York to be in the path of totality for the 2024 solar eclipse.

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For a lot of people, our life-long significant other is a friend. And in a society that obsessed with finding a romantic soul mate, these platonic relationships are left in a gray area. It was after forging a strong platonic friendship that author Rhaina Cohen realized we often lack the words to talk about the variety of life-long best-friendships we can have. Cohen is the author of "The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center"

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A person is guaranteed certain rights when they come to the United States for work. They have a right to fair pay, to humane working conditions.But for fishermen, whose feet never touch solid ground, those rights don’t apply.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann talks with Seattle Times Project Homeless reporter Anna Patrick about the asylum seekers forced to camp at the Garfield HS tennis courts this week.

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Three years after Oregon residents voted to decriminalize drugs, the state is walking back that policy.

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Speaking with Soundside host Libby Denkmann, Gov. Jay Inslee said a GOP-backed initiative to overturn the Climate Commitment Act is an attempt by Republicans to allow unlimited pollution in Washington state.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann talks with Seattle Times reporter Sydney Brownstone about "Deinstitutionalization," and how that effort in the 60's and 70's attempted to refocus mental health support with community care.

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The battle between the city of Burien and King County reflects a struggle places up and down the West Coast are experiencing: trying to understand how to regulate the rising number of visibly homeless people on their streets, and what can be done to support those people.

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Today, for many people of child-bearing age, the question of whether to have a kid comes down to the simple calculus: will having kids make you happy? Does reproducing add to your overall well-being?

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Last month, joblessness our state reached its highest levels since the Covid-19 pandemic – higher than the national average. And the first thing many do when they’ve lost a job is file for unemployment benefits. But Washington’s unemployment system itself is still reeling from the one-two punch of Covid.

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Delivery App companies like UberEats, DoorDash, Instacart and Grubhub are waging a battle over a new Seattle gig worker minimum wage law that took effect in January.

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Six years ago, the state set out to create a building code to protect homes in high fire risk areas. That goal has remained elusive.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann talks with Northern State Hospital historian John Horne about some of the history surrounding the location & the gravestones he's found.

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Five new members of Seattle’s City Council said during their campaigns that they would like to audit the city budget for waste and redundancies --before raising or adding new taxes.But now, as a $230 million city budget deficit looms, the realities of a time-consuming and expensive audit process are leading those new councilmembers to back off the idea. That means they likely have to take a hard look at something they did not want to do: add new revenue through taxes.

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Hear It Again - Soundside Producer Hans Anderson talks to Burke Museum Curator of Birds Alejandro Rico Guevera about the local hummingbird population, in a story that originally aired in January.

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Public records belong to the people. That was the argument made in 1972 that spurred the Washington Public Records Act into law, opening virtually every government document to the public. But that law — widely considered one of the strongest public records laws in the country — is losing some of its teeth as legislators pile on more exemptions, according to a report recently published by the Washington Coalition for Open Government.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann sits down with aviation industry consultant Scott Hamilton to discuss Boeing's latest leadership changes, and what they mean for the future of the company.

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To understand the presidential race today, you need go back to 1976 – at least that’s the case that Ben Bradford makes. Bradford is the host and creator of Landslide, a new podcast that looks back at the insurgent campaigns of Ronald Reagen and Jimmy Carter and how they shaped the political world we know today.

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From the outside, the Seattle Police Department might seem like a welcoming place for female officers in the male dominated field of law enforcement.But women in the force are starting to tell a different story about the department – one where they feel “pigeonholed” into specific roles and face harassment and sexism.

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We’ve tapped into the well-read minds of our KUOW editors, the Seattle Public Library staff, and other friends of KUOW to bring you our new book club.

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Put simply, humans are complicated – and our feedback is subjective. Put a jacket on someone and ask them if it's warm, cold, breezy or stuffy, and you'll get a range of largely unscientific answers. To get quality data – the kind that is valuable for companies – you need a sophisticated tool. A tool that can sweat.

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A new podcast from KUOW and The Seattle Times sets out to explore why so many people with severe mental illnesses — who make up 7% of the state's population — go untreated in Washington. Episode 2 of Lost Patients focuses on "involuntary commitment," a legal mechanism that allows someone to be forced into medical treatment if they are deemed a danger to themselves, a danger to others, or are gravely disabled.

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This week marks the tenth anniversary of the Oso landslide. On March 22nd 2014, a wall of mud and debris rushing 60 miles an hour hit the neighborhood of Steelhead Haven, near the North Fork of the Stillaguamish river along Highway 530. 43 people were killed. It remains the deadliest landslide in US history.

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Former Boeing Quality Manager John Barnett's recent death has renewed conversations about whistleblower safety and impact.

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The situation in Haiti, which is caught in the grip of a weeks-long outbreak of gang violence, is “90% chaos,” according to Pierre Stanley Baptiste, the managing director and co-founder of the co-working space Impact Hub Port-au-Prince. The Impact Hub is supported by Kay Tita, a Seattle-based social impact organization that supports Haitian entrepreneurs and small business owners.

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Last week, the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to force TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell the video sharing platform within 180 days. If that doesn’t happen, TikTok could be banned from U.S. app stores and web hosting platforms. Now the legislation heads to the Senate, and its future is far from clear.

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Every 10 years, the city releases a comprehensive plan, which lays out the foundation for where and how it will grow. A new draft lays out the city's vision, but detractors say it doesn't add enough housing fast enough.

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Schools around the region are dealing with serious budget shortfalls. The Northshore School District says it’s $26 million in the red, and Seattle Public Schools is reporting a more than $100 million gap in funding. Making up that money is no easy task – and in many cases, the scarcity means cuts to programs students and parents hold dear, like AP and music classes.

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Soundside Producer Jason Burrows shares his story from Emerald City Comic Con, where he talked to artists about their thoughts on Generative AI.

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Washington state will spend an estimated $7.8 billion on restoring salmon habitat by 2030, according to a new Seattle Times report. But the potential outcome of all that spending is as murky as a stream full of silt.

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John Stockton is a basketball legend. He’s the all time NBA leader in assists – feeding passes to Jazz teammates like Karl Malone. Their partnership is still revered by superfans of a certain age.Now, Stockton is assisting another group of people: doctors who felt persecuted by Washington state’s COVID speech policies.The Hall of Fame point guard, and Spokane resident, filed a lawsuit last week against the state Attorney General’s office. The filing itself says that quote: “the purpose of this lawsuit is to protect the right of physicians to speak, and the right of the public to hear their message.”

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The results of Tuesday's presidential primary elections in Washington and elsewhere were to be expected.

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Earlier this year, the Department of Energy sought to do a survey on the total power usage of crypto operations throughout the country. But that plan was scrapped following legal pushback from those in the industry, leaving a big question mark about the impacts of crypto mining on electrical grids and greenhouse gas production.

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Seven percent of Washingtonians live with a serious mental illness - that’s the second highest level in the nation, right behind Alabama. We see evidence of this on our streets – where the intertwined issues of substance abuse and mental illness are more visible every day. A new podcast from KUOW and The Seattle Times sets out to explore why so many people with severe mental illness go untreated in Washington state.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann chats with Bellingham Public Library Director Rebecca Judd and Response Systems Manager for Whatcom County Health Malora Christensen about how the Library worked with the city and county to hire a full time mental health professional.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann sits down with Karen Weise from the New York Times to talk about Elon Musk's lawsuit against OpenAI.

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Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers is retiring. When she leaves office early next year, it will wrap a two decade career in congress for the Republican. And for the 5th District of Washington State, that longevity is par for the course.

Only four representatives have held the seat since World War II. This kind of open spot doesn’t come around all that often. And, plenty of Eastern Washington politicians are hungry for McMorris Rodgers’s soon-to-be-vacant seat.

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It wasn’t quite the Hollywood happy ending Lily Gladstone’s former teachers and classmates were hoping for when they packed into the auditorium of Mountlake Terrace High School to watch the 96th Academy Awards ceremony.

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The plight of a couple hundred asylum-seekers looking for shelter has been juggled among various community and religious organizations that are calling on elected officials to do more.

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If you read her award winning memoir, you may know Sasha taqwšəblu LaPointe as a "Coast Salish punk." Now, LaPointe is back with a new essay collection, titled "Thunder Song: Essays". In it, LaPointe takes a raw, unflinching look the complexities of indigenous identity, the punk scene, and the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann sits down with one of the organizers behind "Uncommitted WA," to talk about the reasons why they're pushing voters to choose "uncommitted delegates," on their primary election ballot.

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When asylum-seekers began showing up at the door of Tukwila's Riverton Park United Methodist Church last year, Rev. Jan Bolerjack felt it was the church's duty to care for them. But as the situation worsened over the months, the reverend said it's now more than one church, in one Washington town, can handle.

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Inher latest book, Tessa Hulls traces her maternal lineage across three generations – each haunted by the tragedies of the past; her Chinese grandmother, Sun Yi, a journalist and author who fled Shanghai after the Communist Revolution.

Then, to her mother Rose, the daughter of a Swiss diplomat, and finally, to Tessa herself, who is trying to bring peace to her family ghosts.

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Boeing reportedly has its eye on a takeover. Or maybe we should call it a family reunion?

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In Washington State, every ten years, a bipartisan commission takes the latest census data and negotiates over district lines that determine who you vote for. But in a very real sense, redistricting is about power and which voices will be heard, and catered to.The latest round of maps was finished in 2021 – but from the jump, the 15th District faced legal challenges. And in an unusual twist, it turns out one of those challenges was orchestrated by someone responsible for drawing the map in the first place.

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$1 an hour is a common wage for incarcerated people Washington according to a new report from Columbia Legal Services. The report’s authors interviewed dozens of people who are incarcerated, and they highlight what they call exploitative labor practices in state prisons.

The prisoners interviewed for the report not only made far below minimum wage, but also felt it was necessary to supplement their Department of Corrections-provided meals and hygiene products by buying protein bars, shakes, and toothpaste from the commissary.

It may take hours or, in some cases, a whole day of work to earn enough money to buy commissary goods.

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When it was proposed in 2021, the Horse Heaven Hills wind farm was set to be the largest wind farm in Washington. Hundreds of turbines -- potentially taller than the Space Needle -- were planned for a range of rolling hills outside the Tri-Cities.But renewable projects in this area of the state have faced opposition from locals and environmentalists, meaning a potential blow to the state’s long-term renewable energy goals.

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A dramatic scene unfolded at Seattle City Hall earlier this week as several protesters were arrested for disrupting a city council meeting on Tuesday. The protesters came to demand more support for hundreds of asylum-seekers from countries including Venezuela, Angola and Congo who have been sheltering at a Tukwila church and elsewhere in King County.

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On Wednesday, February 28th, Alabama’s state House is scheduled to hold a hearing on a bill designed to shield doctors who perform IVF from legal prosecution.

It's part of the continued fallout from an Alabama state supreme court ruling that declared frozen embryos are people.

There’s a similar effort in congress, from Senate Democrats – who want to extend protections for IVF nationwide.

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Prestige TV or Hollywood legal dramas might inform the image: loose tie, crinkled suits, bags under the eyes… public defenders are stressed out, overworked and undercompensated. But something pop culture tends to overlook is how stretching these attorneys so thin affects everyday people caught up in the justice system.

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For marginalized communities, especially ones with whom trust has been broken for so long, it’s easier for people to slip through the cracks. Often the safety nets that are meant to protect them don’t activate properly. In this story, those safeguards missed an Indigenous teenager named Kit Nelson-Mora.

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What do a former Seattle sports star, a Grammy-winning musician, and a school administrator have in common? They’re all at the center of a controversy surrounding a charter school in Des Moines, Washington: Why Not You Academy.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann sits down with correspondent Tom Banse to talk about the finances behind replacing WA State's "other" ferries.

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Starting during the pandemic, Seattle’s city council has approved a series of labor protections for delivery app drivers who work for companies like Instacart, Uber, and Doordash. An ordinance requiring a new minimum pay per mile — and more during orders — took effect on Jan. 13.

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Boeing has announced a leadership shakeup on its 737 Max team: Ed Clark, the head of Boeing's 737 Max program, is leaving immediately. These changes come more than six weeks after a piece of the fuselage broke off mid-air on a Max 9 plane, leaving a gaping hole in the jet and terrifying passengers minutes after take-off from Portland.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann talks to a panel of experts about Open A.I.’s Sora. What are the potential impacts of highly realistic text-to-video apps on our politics and the creative economy?

Guests:

Cade Metz, a technology reporter at the New York Times who covers artificial intelligence.

Erin Heidenreich, a filmmaker and director of the documentary films “The War To Be Her” & “Rising Sons.”

Jevin West, an associate professor at the University of Washington’s Information School and a co-founder of the Center for an Informed Public.

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With just around two and a half weeks remaining to get bills across the finish line this legislative session, a rough scene is playing out in Olympia.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann talks with Bloomberg News Tech Reporter Dina Bass about last week's XBox Business Update and the future of games exclusivity.

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Safe parking programs have gained traction in recent years – there are now an estimated dozen lots available across the state, many sponsored by churches.They’re responding to an often invisible problem: people who sleep in their vehicles, with nowhere to legally park and access a restroom. But identifying the need – and ramping up services – are two different challenges.

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Washington has reached a grim milestone again.

Last month, the state’s Traffic Safety Commission told lawmakers that Washington had at least 800 traffic fatalities last year.

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Moviegoers are beginning to return to Seattle-area theaters. But with attendance still down from pre-pandemic numbers, movie theaters are getting creative with how they draw in new customers.

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Dancers say working in Washington strip clubs carries a lot of risks, from the physical danger of aggressive customers to the thin financial margins that put dancers at an increased risk of sex trafficking.To try and mitigate some of these issues, Washington legislators are considering SB 6105 – what some are calling the “strippers' bill of rights.”

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann talks with Seattle Times food writer Jackie Varriano about Seattle's new minimum wage, and how it affects restaurant owners, employees, and customers.

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We as humans love love. We need it, in fact, and we revisit it again and again in romantic stories. But what makes a great love story? What books can reach off the page and get us a little hit of that tingly, exhilarating, butterflies-in-the stomach feeling we crave?

To find out, we went straight to the source: a romance author and a bookseller.

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In a report released last week, the Washington Department of Natural Resources says the initial sparks came from a security light mounted on an Inland Power and Light pole. Those sparks ignited nearby brush and the fire quickly raged out of control.The Gray Fire burned 10,000 acres last August, forcing thousands to evacuate and destroying hundreds of homes.

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For many, it's unimaginable that within 6 years of two deadly crashes of its 737 Max 8 jets, Boeing finds itself in yet another very visible crisis. To others it's not actually too surprising. That's because some of the lessons that should have been learned in the wake of those tragedies appear to have gone unheeded.

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"X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X," premiers on the West Coast at the Seattle Opera this month. Originally staged in 1985, the production was revitalized by a new production by the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 2023. Opening night is Saturday, Feb. 24.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann speaks with Seattle's Office of Planning & Community Development urban planner Lyle Bicknell about the proposal to create a lid on top of I-5.

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The decree came out of an agreement between the Department of Justice and Seattle Police in 2012, and included changes from officer supervision to how officers respond to people in crisis. Citing a decade of progress, federal officials moved to lift most of the consent decree from the Seattle Police Department.

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Wolves may be an apex predator, but researchers in Washington recently noticed that they’re being attacked and killed by another carnivore at the top of the food chain: Cougars.

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Cultural critic Michael Harriot is masterful at translating the complex issues of race into twitter threads you'd actually want to read. He manages to take weighty, hard topics, and make them understandable and funny. Now he has a new book out, and is coming to Seattle.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann talks with incarcerated journalist Christopher Blackwell about his 20 years in WA State Prison compared to his time at Pierce County Jail.

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Amazon is heading into yet another legal battle with federal regulators . The online retail and cloud computing giant reportedly didn't budge during final talks with the Federal Trade Commission ahead of an expected lawsuit from the agency. That cleared on of the final hurdles for the FTC to file an antitrust case against Amazon – possibly later this month.

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This week, assistant football coach, Joe Kennedy resigned from his job at Bremerton High School. Kennedy made national headlines in 2015 when he took Bremerton School District to court over his right to pray in the locker room and on the field after games.We asked you for your thoughts on the recent news, and here's what you told us.

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This week, KUOW published a big story involving a city official and allegations of corruption.Reporting on something like this isn’t easy. Following up on whispers, fact checking, getting people to talk to you – and providing the proper context. These stories are high-risk, and take a lot of time, effort, and editorial reflection.So today we wanted to dive into how – and why – KUOW reported this story. And what’s happened in the days since it was published.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann attends her FIRST wrestling event EVER, and gets a lesson in kayfabe from Defy Wrestling's Nicole Matthews, and founder Jim Perry.

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There’s something so romantic about roads, if you’re a human. Nature might have something else to say about them. Understanding the interconnected impacts of roads literally drove author Ben Goldfarb across the country as he researched his new book, “Crossings: How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of our Planet.”

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Tens of thousands of students in southwest Washington are still waiting for their school year to get started. That’s where two teacher strikes are stretching into their second weeks.

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Mobile home communities are one of the last options for affordable housing. The average price for a new home in the United States is $540,000. A manufactured home, aka a mobile home, sells for $123,300.

That’s according to the Census Bureau and HUD, but a recent trend in mobile home communities in the Northwest is making it harder for residents to afford to stay in those parks: Investors are purchasing and centralizing communities… and in the process, driving up rents.

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Two kelp farms are looking to brave some uncharted water off of Vashon Island. Some believe seaweed aquaculture could help restore critical habitat for shellfish and native algae species, on top of pioneering a sustainable agriculture business.But an environmental watchdog and Vashon neighborhood group see this new industry as an entangling threat to whales. As farms navigate the nascent permitting process, these groups are asking for more scrutiny toward an untested local industry.

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There is a renewed questions about our aging elected officials and whether we should implement age limits for politicians or other guardrail policies related to people aging in public office, but ethically, the idea becomes complicated quickly.

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KUOW Arts & Culture reporter Mike Davis dives into what makes PAX aka the "Penny-Arcade Expo" tick with two of the people who make it happen: Co-Founder Jerry Holkins & VP of Events Ryan Hartman

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Bike culture is as deeply ingrained in Seattle’s identity as coffee and Birkenstocks. But with our rainy weather and hilly terrain, Seattle — at least on paper — should’ve never become the biking haven that it is today. That’s the unlikely history that Tom Fucoloro, founder and editor of the Seattle Bike Blog, set out to explore.

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Every year, thousands of ambitious outdoors-people apply for a long-distance permit to hike the more than 2600-mile Pacific Crest Trail. But a changing climate and increasingly frequent wildfires are threatening the present, and future, of that journey.

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Spokane’s mayoral office is technically non-partisan. But controversy surrounding an embrace shared between Mayor Nadine Woodward and disgraced former state Rep. Matt Shea underscores how politics are anything but missing from the race.

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The Washington Lived Experience Coalition began in King County in 2018, and over the next 5 years that coalition grew - expanding to include Pierce, Snohomish, Cowlitz, and Clark counties. The group’s goal was to advocate for policy solutions to homelessness, and ensure that people who have experienced homelessness have a voice when policy decisions are made.

Then, last winter, that goal shifted.

For the first time, the Lived Experience Coalition ran a program that worked directly with unhoused people – moving them into hotel shelters in King County and Tacoma.

It was backed by a one million dollar grant from FEMA..

But not long after, the program ran into financial trouble, and ultimately collapsed, leaving residents of those hotels in limbo.

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For the first time ever, researchers have tested period products with actual human blood as opposed to saline solution.

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Come October, nearly 700,000 Washingtonians will be adding yet another monthly expense back to their budgets: federal student loan repayments. We talked to a student loan advocate about how to get ready and what the Biden administration's new, income-driven repayment plan means for borrowers.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann sits down with USC Professor Christian Grose to talk about the recent ruling about the 15th Legislative District map in WA State, and the legal reasons why it needs to be redrawn.

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In February 2020, Vulcan, Paul Allen’s company, announced the theater would be closing for renovations - with updates like a new carpet and kitchen equipment. Then, Vulcan announced it was completely closing it’s arts and entertainment division. That meant the Cinerama would be closed, as they said, quote - “for the foreseeable future”. It never reopened. Until now.

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22 counties filed a lawsuit against the Washington Department of Social and Health Services.

At issue: the state’s ability to provide mental health services for what are classified, “civil conversion patients.”

The lawsuit is the latest in a years long struggle to provide mental healthcare for people who interact with the criminal justice system.

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Even if you’ve played pinball in Seattle, you may never have noticed a small label on the corner of each machine.

The sticker reads: “City of Seattle Amusement Device.”

Under city code, “amusement devices” include pinball machines, arcade games, billiards tables, and jukeboxes.

But why do these licensees exist in the first place? It turns out, their history takes us back to the early 20th century and the nationwide war on vice associated with prohibition and morality laws.

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Forty-eight years ago this week, NASA made history when the Viking 1 orbiter and lander became the first spacecraft to land safely on Mars' surface and send images back to Earth. Rachel Tillman, the founder and executive director of the Viking Mars Missions Education and Preservation Project, shares her personal connection to the missions, and why she's documenting the stories of those behind the missions.

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If there’s anything we’ve learned in recent years, it’s that big talk gets you a long way in politics. And it’s lucrative - bombastic and false claims about a stolen election were enough to rally donors to shower hundreds of millions of dollars on Donald Trump’s campaign after 2020. But the truth takes a lot longer to catch up.

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With wildfire smoke blanketing the entire state, Soundside host Libby Denkmann looks at the state of fires burning near Spokane, and how prescribed burns could help mitigate the issues we face every year.

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To understand the widespread effects of climate change on the domestic level, the Biden administration announced in April that it was creating a new study, sold as the most ambitious, all-encompassing review ever of the United States' natural world. The administration tapped conservation scientist and University of Washington professor Phil Levin to lead that research.

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The Museum of Museums opened during a global pandemic. And it was like a breath of fresh air. A chance to enter another world - filled with sculptures and paintings lit in neon light. But now, three years after it first opened, the Museum of Museums is shutting down.

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Soundside host sits down with rural correspondent Anna King to talk about how dairy farmers are keeping their cows cool as the temperatures hit over 100 degrees on the other side of the Cascades.

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The first day of school is around the corner for most public school students in Washington, and in the Tri-Cities, it’s not just the parents that are doing back to school shopping.

After some unusual recall elections, the Richland School District has a whole new board member on its shopping list.

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Buying a home in Western Washington is challenging enough, even after you close, there may be 1,000 bats living in the walls of your new house, leading the local health tag the house as an imminent health hazard.

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In 2021 Oregon’s Bootleg fire burned over 400,000 acres in the southern part of the state. A good chunk of that forest area is managed by the Green Diamond timber company. But the Bootleg fire didn’t just mean a reduction in the amount of lumber Green Diamond could harvest; in recent years the company, like many other landowners and forest managers, has begun designating land for carbon offsets.

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As western Maui begins to heal after deadly wildfires, first responders are searching destroyed homes, assisting displaced people, and distributing supplies. Personnel from Washington state are on the ground for that effort.

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The Puget Sound region is home to one of the largest populations of Hawaiians outside of the islands, and many more people here have developed a connection with Hawaii while visiting the islands. Over the weekend networks of Hawaiians and supporters, communicating on social media, sprang into action to organize Seattle-area relief efforts.

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There's an unwelcome guest lurking at that late summer barbecue, or trying to tag along on the family vacation. According to the CDC, Covid cases are on the rise in several regions throughout the U.S. — including the Pacific Northwest.

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In May of this year, the City of Seattle held its first Tribal Nations Summit since 1855. That’s when Tribal representatives were coerced into signing the Treaty of Point Elliott. On Wednesday, the City of Seattle released a report about what happened at that summit, and laid out the commitments the city is making to better work with Tribal governments.

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The town of Langley on Whidbey Island has a unique tourist attraction - wild bunnies. These don’t look like your regular, run of the mill wild rabbits. Instead, they’re the cute, soft, ‘just want to squeeze them’ bunnies you’d see in a pet store. But now, those bunnies are in trouble.

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Chair of the Department of Finance and Business Economics at the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business Jarrad Harford joins Soundside host Libby Denkmann to talk about the new direction of the FTC under chair Lina Khan.

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In 2022, hydropower was responsible for two-thirds of the energy we use to light our homes and businesses here in Washington. But climate change is making hydropower less reliable these days.

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In 2018, Washington voters approved a police reform measure called Initiative 940. The new law did multiple things, including mandating that all law enforcement officers in the state take a certain number of hours of violence de-escalation training.

We’re at around the halfway point for the time set to reach compliance and departments as a whole don’t appear to be on target. A July report showed only 28 percent of officers so far have taken the in-person part of that training.

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Pour one out for the PAC-12. Or... the PAC-4. Who knows, by the end of the day it may be the PAC-2. The prestigious west coast college athletics conference imploded last week as two pacific northwest schools jumped ship for bigger rivals and even bigger paychecks. Washington and Oregon will join the Big Ten starting in 2024. But while realignment of this scale is seismic, it isn't unprecedented.

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KUOW Growth and Development reporter Joshua McNichols sits down with Soundside host Libby Denkmann to talk about all the new construction at Seattle's Waterfront.

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"Campfire Stories" collects writings about the Pacific Crest and Appalachian Trails, along with five national parks. The stories are often told from the perspectives of writers with complicated cultural connections to the places explored, juxtaposing their apprehensiveness of the wilderness with their reverence of it.

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Soundside is looking back at some of our favorite author interviews of the year.

In her new book, Flawless, author, podcast host, and journalist Elise Hu wrote about the complicated impacts of one Korean cultural export, beauty standards.

And Seattle Youth Poet Laureate and RadioActive alumni, Sah Pham, reflects on how writing is a journey of self discovery.

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Soundside is taking a look back at some of our favorite stories about the different ways we build community throughout the Pacific Northwest.

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We’ll soon know who will be competing for seven Seattle City Council seats in the November general election.

45 candidates ran in yesterday's primary but only the top two vote-getters, a total of 14 people, will move on.

After thousands of trips to ballot drop boxes, newspaper endorsements, mailboxes full of candidate brochures and election night parties, we have some early results to talk about.

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Today, Soundside is looking back on stories "Made in Washington." Well, technically, all Soundside stories are “made” in Washington. But we're talking about the art and artisanship that’s made, and inspired by, our state. Today's show will look back on Tacoma’s hunt for small, glass medallions called Monkeyshines, the poetry of Seattle’s Chinatown International District, and thousands of sail stitches, all sewn by hand.

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With this year's Primary Election less than a week away, Soundside pulled together a panel of experts to talk about the different races and issues on the ballot.

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According to the CDC, in 2020, approximately 12% of teenagers showed symptoms from experiencing a concussion. Conor Gormally was one of those kids -- in fact, he experienced multiple concussions throughout his teenage years, all of which led to differing kinds of symptoms.

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Recently, Olympia Correspondent Jeanie Lindsay took a trip to the Skagit Valley. She was there to learn about one local newspaper – the La Conner Weekly News.

What she found was an editor and publisher looking to retire and sell the paper and a lot of difficulty finding a buyer.

Washington has lost around 20 percent of its newspapers since 2004, according to a report by the League of Women Voters.

That report also notes that small town newspapers are important tools that spur civic engagement and diminishes partisanship -- so what's next for the La Conner Weekly News.

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There’s a general understanding that urban tree canopy coverage is important, especially as the climate continues to warm, but there’s also a push to add density to cities to help ease the housing crisis.

Add to that: neighbors of these trees often feel a strong connection with them… and trees can become local landmarks, or have significance for Native people.

All this makes seemingly stoic, unmoving trees an emotional flashpoints in the city.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann talks with Seattle Times investigative reporter Patrick Malone about his new story about the secret scrutiny of lesbians working on the Manhattan Project.

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Soundside rounded up a couple local music experts to weigh in on where the song of the summer is hiding, and offer some suggestions on what to add to your summer playlist.

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The Seattle Go Center was built by Kaoru Iwamoto, a professional Go player in Japan. He was playing a match during the bombing of Hiroshima, which inspired him to open centers around the world and spread intercultural exchange. Seattle's center was the last remaining, but now the organization needs to find a new home while retaining its community.

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Washington’s 15th Legislative District stretches through five counties in the south-central part of the state — including Yakima and the Tri Cities — and pretty much no one thinks its borders have been mapped correctly. After numerous legal challenges, those lines could very well change ahead of the 2024 election season.

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Flip on the news and you'll see it: record flooding in New England, record heat waves around the world. It can be hard in 2023 to look at climate issues and not feel despair. But across the country, communities are persevering through our new climate reality.

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Seattle isn't widely recognized as an epicenter of the Civil Rights Movement. But through the mid 20th-century, individuals and organizations were making national waves in a fight for recognition and equality. Those actions percolated to university life in Seattle and Pullman. The foundation of Black Studies came from the efforts of Black Students and Black Student Unions to create a space for talking about history, organizing, and black power.

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Why does Washington have the highest average gas prices in the country? Well, it's complicated.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann talks with AXIOS reporter Melissa Santos about Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant's rent control proposal.

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Long before far-right and white supremacist groups like the Patriot Front and the Washington State Three Percenters became household names, the Pacific Northwest was home to other extremist groups. As a reporter in Portland in the late 1990s, KUOW Morning Edition host Angela King covered far-right extremist organizations like the Aryan Nation.

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There’s an overgrown cemetery nestled in the farmland of the Cascade foothills of Skagit County. It’s the burial grounds for Northern State Hospital, a long-shuttered state mental institution.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann talks with KFF Health News Senior Correspondent Sarah Varney about the lawsuit filed this week against Idaho's "abortion travel ban."

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The city of Arlington was scheduled to have a Pride celebration in early June. But organizers say the city has put up new hurdles that forced the 2023 celebration to be delayed.

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Sometimes, the themes and characters within a piece of theater can feel even more relevant during the moment we’re taking it in - than the time period it was originally created. That's the case while watching actor Nicolas Japaul Bernard perform as “Hedwig” in Hedwig and the Angry Inch at ArtsWest here in Seattle.

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Supportive housing facilities can be a lifeline for people experiencing homelessness, and those searching for mental health services. Last year, the Downtown Emergency Service Center, a non-profit based in Seattle, opened Hobson Place. It’s a supportive housing building with 177 units and a clinic for residents. But some residents and staff at the facility have faced a tumultuous first year.

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Major League Baseball’s All Star Game has returned to Seattle. On Monday, Mariners prodigy Julio Rodriguez broke the home run derby record for most runs in a single round. And outside the T-Mobile Park, Seattle’s Sodo neighborhood has been transformed into an MLB playground expected to bring in 100,000 people for the festivities. But the makeover hasn’t just meant cleaning sidewalks or a new paint job.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann joins author Harriet Baskas at Kirke Park in Ballard to talk about her new book, "111 Places in Seattle That You Must Not Miss."

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Earlier this year, Seattle Children's Hospital released an independent assessment of its anti-racism action plan, which has completed it's first phase. Among several challenges within the report was the still rocky relationship with the Odessa Brown Clinic in Seattle's Central District.

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Last November, a 14 year old boy shot and killed a fellow student at Ingraham high school in Seattle. The gun that student used traveled through the hands of multiple teenagers before it reached him, starting in an unsecured closet.

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Take a drive along the Columbia River and you’re bound to see towering dams that produce the bulk of our state’s hydropower. That energy is a point of pride for many Washingtonians – it’s plentiful, clean, and renewable. If you have direct access to that power, your electric bill is probably pretty darn cheap. In recent years the promise of that dirt-cheap electricity has brought swarms of cryptocurrency miners to small towns throughout Central and Eastern Washington. At times, that’s led to some rather unneighborly feelings.

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On June 18th, the Titan submersible went missing during a dive to the Titanic shipwreck. It made international headlines and became a 24 hour news cycle obsession.

The implosion of the sub killed 5 people, including OceanGate co-founder Stockton Rush. To most of the world, the disaster was tragically sudden, but industry experts knew for years that OceanGate’s cylindrical vessel was extremely risky.

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Barbecue on the 4th of July is a time honored tradition. It's as quintessential to the holiday as fireworks and red, white and blue.

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Seattle may never have an embassy row that compares to Washington D.C., but a new player is entering the city's diplomatic community: India. We can only make Soundside because listeners support us. Make the show happen by making a gift to KUOW: https://www.kuow.org/donate/soundside

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It’s been 50 years since Elliott Bay Book Company opened its doors and there are a lot of differences between June 1973 and June 2023: Amazon and Ebooks arrived, while Borders came and went, Elliot Bay moved from its original Pioneer Square to 10th Ave on Capitol Hill, and new owners took the helm.

Through all the changes, the business remains a literary hub for the city.

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In May, the King County Regional Homelessness Authority’s Continuum of Care board made the news for its dysfunction. But some current and former members say problems have been there for years. Since 2021, 11 of the board’s 19 members have left.

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The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday overturned more than four decades of legal precedent by declaring affirmative action unconstitutional. What does it mean for Washington?

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann sits down with WA Cares Fund director Ben Veghte to talk about how the long term care plan works, and what it means before the payroll tax to fund the plan starts on July 1st.

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For 75 years, Seattle Mountain Rescue has relied on a constellation of volunteers and a mixed bag of resources to help lost hikers and injured adventurers. As King County has exponentially grown, the demand for Mountain Rescue services has too. Now, for the first time, the non-profit will have a base of operations in North Bend.

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You may be hitting the road soon to enjoy some of the many beautiful parts of Washington State. But projects are underway throughout the state, including highway maintenance, reduced ferry services, and bridge repairs.

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Each week we ask for your thoughts about our stories — where they've succeeded and where they can improve. Today, we're revisiting a segment we aired on the state's expanded oversight over "nonpublic agencies."

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Experts are warning that Washington State will be extra vulnerable to wildfire this year thanks to a combination of a dry spring season and buildup of fuels over last summer’s relatively quiet fire season.

To mitigate the damage of catastrophic fires, some researchers are pushing beyond stopping fires to stopping people from living in their destructive paths.

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Armed rebellion… aborted coup attempt… prelude to a civil war… however you label the events in Russia this weekend, they exposed deep divisions within the military forces Vladimir Putin has relied on to fight his war in Ukraine.

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With crowning, snow covered peaks and sprawling subalpine meadows, it’s no wonder why about two million people visit Mount Rainier National Park every year. But a lot of those visitors are coming by car, and park officials say it’s time to get a handle on all that congestion; they’ve put together four options that the public can weigh in on until Monday.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann sits down with producer Jason Burrows to talk about the two million dollars of Federal funding to study the railroad crossing at South Holgate St.

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Staff at the Oregon Coast Aquarium regularly search nearby Yaquina Bay for ocean life. On a recent voyage, they came across a big surprise – a group of 25 sunflower sea stars.

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In ACT Theater's Wolf Play, the audience watches as a Korean child is adopted, and then re-homed to another family. We watch as he experiences pain and confusion, and the grapples with the realities of adoption.

That's not an experience that's unique to the theater.

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King County Metro is struggling to hire and maintain the number of drivers and mechanics needed to take commuters where they need to go.

And as people return to the office, and ridership creeps upwards, that need is becoming greater and greater. Now, the agency has announced one potential solution to this workforce shortage: They plan to rehire and fast-track workers who were let go for not complying with the county’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

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The Equal Pay Act was signed into law 60 years ago. The federal legislation mandated that employers pay women the same as men, but today, women still only earn about 82 percent as much as men, and Washington has one of the highest gender pay gaps in the country.

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Solutions to homelessness are becoming more of a political issue – especially for a strategy known as “Permanent Supportive Housing,” or “Housing First.” This policy emphasizes getting people into housing as a first step toward solving more chronic issues like mental health or addiction. For decades this approach has had bipartisan support. But recent challenges from Republicans at the federal level are threatening the avenues for local programs to tap into national funds.

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In February of this year, Seattle city councilmembers voted to make Seattle the first city in the country to ban discrimination based on a person’s caste. For one supporter of the measure, it was a chance to open up about an identity that she had kept hidden.

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Hip-hop is turning 50 this summer. To celebrate, Seattle's Museum of Pop Culture is showcasing a new exhibit looking at the profound role women have had in shaping the genre.

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There is a guaranteed right to counsel for criminal defendants in the United States, but counties and cities are having a tough time hiring public defenders.

In some places, people accused of a crime are going without representation for weeks – because there aren’t enough public defenders to handle growing caseloads.

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Students with special education needs face an uphill battle in Washington state. The state has a constitutional obligation to provide basic education for all students. But Washington is among the majority of states facing a shortage of special education teachers.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann is joined by KUOW's Dyer Oxley and local author Amanda Cherry to talk all things STAR TREK in this month's edition of NO SPOILERS.

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This week, some people’s bus commutes are getting much more complicated. That’s because King County Metro is suspending service along a handful of routes. This comes ahead of the agency’s plans to reduce service by 4% in September.

Metro isn’t making these cuts because of the usual suspects: low ridership or steep budget shortfalls. Instead, they’re citing staffing shortages. The Urbanist's Doug Trumm discusses the service suspension and how the agency plans on hiring more workers.

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A “hypocrite” is one of the many words PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan has been called over the last week, after he announced a partnership between the PGA and Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf.

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At the top of the world sits what feels like a whole other realm.

It’s a place built solely of sea ice — of fissures and endless fields of white.

In her new documentary film, "Exposure," director Holly Morris captures the beauty of that world — somewhere very few people get to see — as she follows a team of 11 women from Arab and European countries attempting to reach the North Pole.

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Nursing is a fundamental expression of care, as old and foundational as human touch. It’s also a highly technical profession that underpins our modern healthcare system, weaving together biological science with emotional labor.

In her new book, journalist and author Sarah DiGregorio examines nursing’s long history and its complicated and powerful role in our lives today.

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KUOW labor & economy reporter Monica Nicklesburg joins Soundside to talk about the researcher strike happening at the University of Washington.

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In a 5-4 vote on Tuesday, the Seattle City Council rejected a policy that would have given the city attorney the power to prosecute people for possessing illegal drugs or using them in public. Now, questions remain around whether the council could see a revised policy in the future.

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This week, the city concluded a design competition, in which architects submitted proposals to convert specific buildings.

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The City of Spokane is taking a hard look at police oversight after a major report about the conduct of the Chief of Police hit roadblocks in the mayor’s office.

It looked at allegations that the police chief was giving a group of downtown Spokane business owners “special access” to public records. The release of the Ombudsman’s report, and recommendations, set off a firestorm at City Hall with some wondering just how much authority the watchdog’s office should have.

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How would you convert a local office building into residential housing? That's the assignment architects were given by the city of Seattle. The competition could bag the winner an honorarium of ten thousand dollars. And give the city workable plans to envision what the future of downtown might look like.

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Drug shortages have been troubling anxious patients over the last couple years, making medications like Adderall and Penicillin difficult to secure. Now, vital drugs for cancer patients are also in short supply. It’s leaving hospitals with difficult decisions to make about how to conserve and prioritize their supplies.

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K-beauty is not a niche market. Built around dewy skin with no visible pores, big eyes, a thin body, it’s the “ideal” for pop stars, celebrities, and regular people across the world.

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Cascade Behavioral Health Hospital in Tukwila has served an estimated 25 thousand patients in the decade it’s been open.

It offers something in extremely short supply in Washington state: inpatient psychiatric care. But now, that service is going away.

During a Thursday all-staff meeting, hospital officials announced the facility would be closing by July 31st of this year.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann sits down with author & YouTube host Matt Baume to talk about his new book, "Hi Honey, I'm Homo: Sitcoms, Specials, and the Queering of American Culture"

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann talks with Burien city council member Cydney Moore and KUOW reporter Casey Martin about the homeless sweep on Thursday June 1st.

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In 1978, Seattle began an effort to desegregate its schools. Two decades after the landmark Brown V. Board of Education ruling, it was the first major city to voluntarily take on racial segregation in schools – the enduring legacy of racist policies like redlining. For 40 years, Seattle students were bussed to schools across town in an effort to put students and schools in different parts of town on equal footing.But then, in 2007, the district’s integration policies were challenged by white parents. And ultimately deemed unconstitutional.

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Community court will soon be a thing of the past in Seattle.

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For churches that own large pieces of property, what was once a blessing can become more of a curse, especially as membership wanes.

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With the stroke of a pen last week, Governor Jay Inslee hit “reset” on years of work to decide where to build a new major airport in Western Washington.

While pockets of Pierce and Thurston Counties are breathing a big sigh of relief over the decision, many state leaders are scratching their heads about what’s next.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann talks with incarcerated journalist Christopher Blackwell about his 20 years in WA State Prison compared to his time at Pierce County Jail.

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Eli Sanders says during a Mercer Island City Council election, Nextdoor was used to spread misinformation about a candidate. And that's not the only time it's happened.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann talks to Matt Driscoll of the News Tribune in Tacoma about the person with a confirmed case of tuberculosis who has evaded authorities for over a year.

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Seattle has a new public development authority, and it has a big mission: improving access to affordable housing.

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In 2020, Sah Pham was on a road trip with her mother through Vancouver Island. Along that journey, she recorded an audio piece about her mother’s passage across the ocean from Vietnam.

That story originally aired about three years ago for KUOW's RadioActive. Since then, Pham has been named Seattle Youth Poet Laureate and is graduating from college. We catch up with Pham to talk about her latest book of poetry and the influence her mother's story has on her journey into an uncertain future.

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On Monday, a major green energy project south of Goldendale, Washington along the Columbia River took a step towards realization, securing a water quality certification that’s key for the project to progress.

But the proposed site of the upper reservoir sits on Pushpum -- a culturally significant area for the Yakama Nation– which holds treaty rights to access the area. Indigenous people in the area are wondering whether new green energy projects must repeat the injustices of the past.

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On Monday, a group of Amazon workers at the company’s Seattle headquarters announced they would be walking off the job.In messages and emails sent to fellow employees, the group said they would be walking out on May 31, one week after the company’s annual shareholder meeting.

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The vote is still being tallied. But it appears another Oregon county is Idaho-curious.

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Earlier this year, the city of Bellevue started putting together a safe parking program. The program would provide a place for people who use their vehicle as their primary residence to park that vehicle without the risk of being towed and access water, bathrooms, showers, and services,

But the program is in limbo. And not because of some of the usual suspects: NIMBY neighbors, regulatory hurdles, or an uncooperative city.

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When King County’s Regional Homelessness Authority launched in 2019, the vision was for a streamlined response to homelessness across King County. But the last few years have been bumpy for the agency.

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It’s hard to know how to talk about memory loss or dementia without overstepping or disrespecting the independent person you know and love. We speak with an expert who helps families navigate questions around these issues about common misunderstandings about brain changes.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann sits down with KUOW reporter Ruby De Luna to talk about what to expect with the potential merger between Albertsons & Kroger stores.

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The creator, writer, and host of the KUOW podcast Ten Thousand Things, Shin Yu Pai, talks about how the podcast explores the many ways Asian Americans connect with and honor their identity. Plus, we talk about two recent stories on the show about obsession and parenthood.

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When you think about country music, places like Texas, Appalachia and Nashville probably come to mind. Maybe you even know about The Bakersfield Sound, a sub-genre of country music that sprang from California.But the Pacific Northwest has a long country tradition, from honky tonks in Tacoma to radio shows in Walla Walla and dances at Whatcom County meeting halls.

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It's a bittersweet day for us here at KUOW as we say goodbye to a legend. For the last 37 years, one reporter has brought listeners to what’s felt like every corner of the state – as he’s broken news, covered politics, the environment, and told countless stories about the fascinating people around us. But after 37 years of diligent reporting, Tom is retiring.

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In the hours before Washington’s legislative session ended last month, House Democrats called a vote. It was for a fix to what’s called “The Blake Decision” -- a 2021 state Supreme Court ruling striking down Washington’s felony drug possession law. In response, legislators put in place a temporary fix that treated knowingly carrying drugs as a misdemeanor. That measure is set to expire July 1st. But as the clock ticked down on the regular session, the votes weren’t there. The State House failed to pass the bill, which threw the future of the state’s drug possession law into question – and prompted a number of cities and counties to start passing their own patchwork of regulations.

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More than 17,000 Ukrainians forced out of their country by war have resettled here in Washington State. That's according to the state’s refugee and immigration assistance office.

Some chose the Pacific Northwest because it’s known to be friendly to the LGBTQ+ community, but as KUOW's Natalie Newcomb reports, prejudice can follow people across the world.

She spoke to members of a Ukrainian family, who have waited years to get recognition and protection for their love.

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On Thursday the non-profit film and educational organization Seattle International Film Festival – aka SIFF – announced it had acquired the Seattle Cinerama, and will be bringing movies back to the very, very big screen.

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To be chosen for a National Heritage Fellowship is to be recognized as a kind of national treasure. The award is given by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and celebrates traditional and folk arts. Previous winners include folk and blues singers, woodworkers and potters. These are art forms that exemplify our past and present cultures and communities.

That’s the kind of work recent NEA fellowship winner and master basket maker Ed Carriere has done over 89 years.

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As journalists, we’re often expected to cover stories dispassionately — hiding our own thoughts and concerns out of fear of appearing biased. But we’re also humans, with life experiences, perspectives, emotions. And sometimes we can’t help but get affected by what we see. KUOW arts reporter Mike Davis recently reported on a piece that sent him on a bit of a journey.

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Camp Hope, a large homelessness encampment in Spokane, has become a battleground between city, county, and state officials. It’s also brought a lot of attention and scrutiny toward Spokane’s homelessness policies. Local officials want camp residents moved elsewhere, citing concerns with community safety and drug use. Both sides agree residents should be moved elsewhere — but just where, and when, has remained an open question.

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Solving a cold case like a decades old murder seems – on an ethical level – pretty simple. I mean, as a society we can agree that it’s important to give family closure, information about what happened to their loved one, and a suspect. But, what is the cost of that closure? Are we all willing to give up some privacy for it? To show law enforcement the data that makes you fundamentally you? And arguably the most private data we have: our genes.

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Everett is one of a growing number of Washington cities cracking down on unhoused people existing on public property. In 2021, the Everett City Council passed a “no-sit, no-lie” ordinance in a 5 to 1 vote. Now, the policy is expanding. The city council last week to give the mayor new authority to create buffer zones around social service providers anywhere in the city.

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You can take the bus to the trails! King County Metro & King County Parks have partnered to get folks out of the city & into NATURE! Soundside host Libby Denkmann sits down with The Wilderness Society's "Urban to Wild" director Kitty Craig to talk about expanding equity in the outdoors!

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Epidemiologists study sickness and disease -- the ways they spread and how we can combat them. It’s all in the interest of protecting public health. Now, more epidemiologists will be studying the many health impacts of gun violence. For the first time ever, the Springer Handbook of Epidemiology has added gun violence to its pages.How does looking at gun violence as a disease change the way we view it?

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A Seattle filmmaker spent over 25 years chronicling the effects of maternal abandonment on his younger half-brother. That journey has been released as a new documentary called "Sam Now."

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In the last few days, Governor Inslee called for a special session to address Washington’s drug possession laws - or lack thereof. He signed seven new climate and energy bills into law. And, oh yeah, he announced he’s not running for re-election next year.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann sits down with writer Rachel Leishman & actor Verona Blue to talk all things STAR WARS as we say "May the Fourth Be With You!"

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Last month, onlookers gathered at the state capitol to protest Senate Bill 5599. The bill recently cleared the Washington legislature recently, and extends emergency shelter options for youth seeking reproductive or gender-affirming healthcare. But despite its specificity, the bill has been swept into a larger battle over transgender rights.

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Summer concert calendars are filling up, festivals are coming back, and my bank account is getting a little low -- we catch up with some people working in music to find out what shows they're excited about seeing in the next few months and tips for choosing what big concert to go to.

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King County launched its Restorative Community Pathways Program in 2021. Its goal is to reduce the number of young people sent into the court system.

Instead, it connects youths accused of lower-level crimes with community groups for rehabilitation. Restorative Community Pathways has received millions of dollars in King County funding, but when KUOW investigative reporter Ann Dornfeld took a deeper look, she found the county has only loosely tracked how the nonprofits involved serve kids, and can’t say how many youth have completed diversions.

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Copper Canyon Press is a poetry only publisher in Port Townsend. It operates out of a small building in Fort Warden, but it has published some big names in the genre.

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What a Game 7 it was in Denver. Kraken Right Wing Oliver Bjorkstrand slung a prayer of a shot and made one of the luckiest deflections you’ll ever see. The momentum from that goal led the Kraken to a 2-1 victory over the defending Stanley Cup Champions, The Colorado Avalanche.

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KUOW Politics reporter David Hyde joins Soundside host Libby Denkmann to talk about Governor Inslee's announcement that he will NOT be seeking a 4th term.

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It’s been nine years since Merk Nguyen shared her father’s journey with KUOW listeners. And since then, water has taken on a whole new meaning for Merk as she’s continued to grow as a daughter, friend, and creative.

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Office hours for a college professor might not seem like the most fruitful source of inspiration, but “The Niceties” - which is currently on stage at the Intiman Theater in Seattle delivers.

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In the last hours of the session on Sunday night in Olympia, the state House failed to pass a critical fix to drug possession law in Washington. The state’s Supreme Court threw out the old felony drug possession penalty back in 2021. The temporary stopgap, which classifies drug possession as a misdemeanor, is due to expire July 1st.

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KUOW Housing Reporter Joshua McNichols walks us through the details behind how housing density can help lower housing costs through increased supply.

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KUOW Housing Reporter Joshua McNichols sits down with Soundside host Libby Denkmann to talk about a quick correction to reporting about HB 1110.

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In Seattle, it’s legal to own up to 8 chickens, or “domestic fowl”, per city lot. That can mean fresh eggs or meat, from a source you know is local and well cared for.

But it can also mean eight clucking and fussing birds living in a coop, on a small patch of lawn in a busy neighborhood.

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Across the Puget Sound region, districts are communicating a harsh reality: they are confronting fiscal shortfalls and they need to cut costs.

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Bryce Andrews grew up obsessed with the cowboy lifestyle. As a kid his parents would drive him from Seattle to Montana, where he shot his first guns on the prairie with his godfather. He eventually moved out to the Montana countryside, a city boy trying to fit in as a ranch hand.

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How do bacteria communicate? And what's the deal with pink snow? Soundside spoke with two researchers exploring the worlds of bacteria and algae to gather some insight.

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Washington's state legislative session wrapped up last night. Lawmakers in Olympia took on big issues like housing, abortion access, and gun control.

The session will also be remembered for a major piece of legislation that unraveled at the last minute: As the clock ticked down, the State House failed to pass a new drug possession law.

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There are lots of movies set in Washington, and the Pacific Northwest. Like Sleepless in Seattle, or Twilight.

But many aren't actually filmed here.

Soundside spends the day at the movies: talking local classics, and how we can get more movies produced in the PNW.

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Beth Bentley was a teacher and poet who, along with her husband -- the poet Nelson Bentley -- left an indelible mark on Seattle's literary scene. When she died in 2021, she and her son Sean were working on her final poetry collection, titled "Missing Addresses," which is set to publish this month.

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Seattle has the third largest Sephardic Jewish population in the U.S. A recent symposium at the University of Washington, “Muestros Artistas," featured six Sephardic artists — a mix of musicians, writers, and painters from across the country.

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But long before the region made its mark through indie rock and hip hop, there was another golden era of music here in the Pacific Northwest. From the 1940s to the 1960s, cities like Seattle, Olympia, and Tacoma were developing a distinctly Pacific Northwest flavor of R&B and rock and roll.

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NW News Network correspondent Anna King joins Soundside host Libby Denkmann to talk about the newest issue troubling NW ranchers - Freezing temperatures well into Spring that kill calves before they're able to get up off the ground.

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The ferry Walla Walla ran aground off Bainbridge Island over the weekend.

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Earth day began in 1970 as part of a public pressure campaign to support policies that became the Clean Air Act, the establishment of the EPA, things like that.Today the environmental movement has come so far -- is Earth Day still necessary?These environmental stewards say yes.

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Late last month, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that a deaf student could sue his Michigan school system – under the Americans with Disabilities Act – for providing inadequate services. The family of Miguel Luna Perez says his constitutional rights were violated because he was provided an ASL aide who did not, in fact, know American Sign Language. Nationwide, there’s a shortage of qualified deaf education teachers for public schools, including here in Washington.

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At its core, Soundside is about connecting with our listeners and bringing you stories you care about and that impact those of us living here in the Pacific Northwest. Each week we ask for your thoughts about our stories -- where they've succeeded and where they can improve. This week, we follow up on our coverage of HB1110.

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With the news of new National Monuments in Nevada & Texas, and a renewed push for a National Monument around Grand Canyon National Park, we revisit our conversation with McKenzie Long about her book: "This Contested Land: The Storied Past and Uncertain Future of America's National Monuments."

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The Bureau of Fearless Ideas (BFI) is one large classroom on the ground floor of the Yesler Terrace complex, a multi-use housing development in Beacon Hill. The walls are packed with language – words, rhymes, and creative affirmations. It's here that Roberto Ascalon, the poet in residence, is a mentor to new poets.

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Since 2018, Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture has given fans a first-hand look at the band’s journey through more than 1,000 artifacts directly from Pearl Jam’s members. But it’s the final curtain call for the exhibit. After five years, "Pearl Jam: Home and Away" will close on April 23.

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Hundreds of people in King County and Tacoma may soon need to vacate hotel rooms they’ve been living in for the past several months.Last year, the Lived Experience Coalition, or LEC, moved hundreds of unsheltered people into these rooms through the help of a series of federal grants.But as PubliCola’s Erica Barnett reports, the money quickly ran out. And the residents are now at risk of becoming unsheltered again.

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On September 10th, 2010, Cal Brown was executed by lethal injection at Washington State Penitentiary, in Walla Walla. He is likely to be the last person executed in Washington state.

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Soundside producer Jason Burrows sits down with Spokesman Review legislative reporter Orion Donovan-Smith to talk about the different bills introduced to help solve the problems plaguing the VA's new Electronic Health Records system in Spokane.

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In 2018, Governor Jay Inslee, hospital officials, and state lawmakers stood outside of Western State Hospital in Lakewood.They were there to make an announcement about a bold new approach to mental health care.

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If you were to take a tour of public monuments to women here in Seattle — it would be a short one.

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The plot of "The Laughter" twists and turns around issues of Islamophobia, sexism, and the changing culture of campus life. Author Sonora Jha, a Seattle University professor, discusses her newest novel and why she chose to make her main character so unlikeable.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann discusses the details of Washington State House Bill 1110 with Sightline Institute's Dan Bertolet, then talks about the impacts of the bill with representatives from Seattle, Bellevue, and Redmond.

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Koon Woon has been an important member of the Seattle poetry community for decades. He’s the publisher of Goldfish Books and Chrysanthemum Poetry Journal, as well as a formidable poet in his own right. But his poems aren’t lofty and highbrow — they're deeply rooted in his lived experiences of poverty, working-class immigrant life, and living on the margins.

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Next month, it begins again. Tourists flooding Pike Place Market, plonking their luggage onto precious light rail seats, crowding downtown bars and restaurants. Yes, we’re talking about the start of the Alaska cruise season.

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Drag superstars have become household names. RuPaul, Trixie Mattel, Bianca Del Rio, Ben DeLaCreme — chances are you’ve probably heard of at least one of them. But before Drag Race dominated the zeitgeist, there was Doris.

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In A Fever in the Heartland, National Book Award-winning author Timothy Egan tells the often overlooked story of the Ku Klux Klan's power in northern states and the testimony that brought down its most powerful leader.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann and Seattle Now producer Clare McGrane sit down with award winning author Nisi Shawl to talk about the power of Speculative Fiction!

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Today, we’re revisiting a feature story from RadioActive alum April Reyes. It’s about how one conversation with a classmate changed Reyes’s junior year, and ultimately — her life.

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Over the past 10 years, more than 30,000 refugees, from more than 70 countries have resettled in Washington state through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.

It’s one thing to welcome refugees; it’s another to make them feel at home. The Tacoma Refugee Choir has helped give that feeling to refugees, as well as immigrants and native US citizens. The members find belonging through song and so much more.

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It’s opening day for Major League Baseball, and the Mariners are back in action today hosting the Cleveland Guardians at T-Mobile Park. M’s faithful will tell you: there’s a lot to look forward to this season. But in the off-season, some of the biggest rule changes to the game came into play. The bases themselves are three inches bigger all around. Defenses can no longer move infielders to positions statistically optimized for stopping base hits. And probably the biggest change? A pitch clock designed to up the tempo and cut the downtime during at-bats.

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The Department of Natural Resources manages almost 6 million acres of the state’s forest, farm, tidelands, recreational and commercial lands. Soundside asks your questions about wildfire management and forestry, including the state's new carbon credit market and logging practices.

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How many homeless people live in Washington state? It seems like a relatively simple question — especially since it’s the basis for so many important decisions.

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Washington state has a long history with roller skating. In fact, before we were even actually a state, we were building rinks. And it goes beyond just a need to go fast and run into people.

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The Washington Mediation Association was founded 40 years ago. It's members openly embrace conflict as a useful struggle.

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Earlier this week, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Arizona v. Navajo Nation. The court’s decision could have significant implications for the water rights of tribes across the country, including here in the Pacific Northwest. Soundside guest host Kim Malcolm talked to Monte Mills, professor of law at the University of Washington, and director of the UW Native American Law Center about Arizona v. Navajo Nation, and what needs to be done to modernize treaties like the Columbia River Treaty.

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An exodus of residents from Whatcom County following the 2021 floods left attractive space for some people who can’t afford homes and are living out of RVs and cars — even though they know there’s a high risk the area will flood.

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On an occasional segment we’re calling “Whatcha listening to,” Soundside asked some local DJs, musicians, and writers to recommend a song that captures an idea. And this time, we’re asking for songs about spring.

They have delivered. As you may guess, the content in these songs can be as resonant as the season is: from driving in the rain, hearing a song you’ve heard thousands of times to new love.

Here are their recommendations to add to your spring soundtrack:

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For Soundside producer Noel Gasca, two new American Girl dolls prompted her to think about who gets to represent Seattle — even in doll form — and reexamine her own relationship with her favorite childhood toy.

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On Monday, as Howard Schultz stepped down as interim CEO of Starbucks, he sent a memo to leadership at Starbucks. It reads, in part: “As I step away, I leave you all as the stewards, in service of all of our partners. They are the heart and soul of our company — the living embodiment of human connection.” Today, “partners” — aka store baristas — at 100 Starbucks cafes are on strike.

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If you enjoy skiing, you probably know it takes more than just some skis, boots and poles to slide down a hill. It also takes money. Tickets at Washington’s big ski resorts run from $65 to $150 a day.That’s not the case at Badger Mountain Ski Area in Central Washington. There, the price is a mere $10 a day. That’s because the hill is a nonprofit, entirely run by volunteers.

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KUOW Arts and Culture reporter Mike Davis sits down with festival director Billy Ray Brewton to talk about inclusivity and GENRE as "Make Believe Seattle" makes its festival debut this weekend.

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The XFL is on its third attempt at an alternative football league. The first iteration was in 2000, and lasted for a single season. The second attempt, in 2020, was sidelined after five games due to COVID.

But there's a long history of alternative football in the spring. Will fans support the team enough to keep them afloat? And can the team attract enough fans with its unique style of play?

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Yii Kah Hoe, a Malaysian composer, soundscape artist, and current Fulbright Scholar in Residence at WSU incorporated the sounds of the Palouse into his latest composition, Of this Land.

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Sound Transit's board of directors is voting Thursday on a hotly contested issue — where to put a light rail station in the Chinatown International District.

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Wildlife Services is a federal agency that's tasked with killing and dispersing problem animals like predators that are eating ranchers' calves, birds who pose a risk to planes at airports, or even ducks that are eating endangered salmon near dams.

Ranchers and farmers call the work necessary, while conservationists see it as inhumane and ineffective.

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Gardening Legend Ciscoe Morris joins Soundside to talk about the advent of Spring and to answer listener questions.

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All of San Juan’s garbage and recycling is processed off of the island. The same goes for garbage on Orcas and Lopez islands -- it’s loaded on a train, which heads to Klickitat County. Trash from San Juan goes to Cowlitz.

It’s the reason San Juan County has the most expensive landfill trash program in the state.

But recycling is a little more complicated.

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Late last month, Amazon closed a $3.9 billion deal to acquire One Medical, a membership-based primary care practice. The provider, which was founded in 2007, leans heavily on technology for care, using things like telehealth visits and apps for scheduling appointments.The acquisition is a big step for Amazon but not a surprising one.

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There are more than 30 candidates for just 7 Seattle City Council seats in the coming election. We look at some of the best ways to stand out in a crowded field.

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Can fertilizer be sustainably made without fossil fuels? How have volcanos changed our atmosphere? We look at two recent studies that are changing our views on emissions.

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When you think about country music, places like Texas, Appalachia and Nashville probably come to your mind. Maybe you even know about California's "Bakersfield Sound."But the Pacific Northwest has a long country tradition: from honky tonks in Tacoma to radio shows in Walla Walla and dances at Whatcom County meeting halls.

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Every lunar new year, a group of volunteer artists sneak through Tacoma in the dead of night. They hide thousands of colorful glass “floats” – what look like five-to-ten-inch orbs, with an insignia stamped on the top. If you’ve been in Tacoma sometime over the past month and seen people shaking bushes, climbing trees, or turning up rocks, you’ve likely seen a collector of what are locally called “Monkeyshines.”

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann speaks with Seattle University's Albers School of Business & Economics Dean Joe Phillips about the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, and the ripple effects we might feel here in the Pacific Northwest.

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"Us," "Captain Marvel," "Guardians of the Galaxy," "The Hunger Games," "The Hateful Eight." They all have one thing in common: celebrity hairstylist Camille Friend.

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When the Seattle City Council chose to ban caste discrimination in February, they delved into a complex civil rights issue, one that businesses and institutions across the country are increasingly grappling with, too.

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Last month, the Seattle Opera held an event called “Jashin: a celebration of Afghan arts”. The event was created to highlight Afghan history, culture, and arts - topics that can be lost between constant news stories of war and violence. It was also created as a way to lead up to the Seattle Opera’s newest production: the world premier of A Thousand Splendid Suns.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann sits down with fellow KUOW nerds Dyer Oxley and Mike Davis to talk about Emerald City Comic Con, and how "The Last of Us" changed the video game adaptation landscape!

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Emergency Benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – also known as SNAP – have ended. The change in federal law affects more than half a million households in Washington – representing a loss of about 95 million dollars a month in food assistance.

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Since the 1970s, whenever people in the PNW lose their jobs en masse, Seattleites ask whether this is the next Boeing Bust. Is it time to retire the reference?

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For 150 years, the federal government operated more than 400 boarding schools for Indigenous children who had been forcibly removed from their families. One example of the brutal legacy of these boarding schools lies in Oregon, in the unmarked grave of Charlie Fiester. Soundside caught up with KUOW investigative reporter Ashley Hiruko to talk about Charlie's story.

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Over the last three years, the University of Washington has been moving its extensive plant collection from its Botany Greenhouse in Redmond to this new 20,000-foot greenhouse on campus.

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We're headed into the last leg of "The Big Dark" — that time of year when you just want to nestle inside, hang out on your couch, cling to our seasonal affective disorder lamps, and really not do much more than that. But we've almost made it through! You can sense spring if you know where to look. Why not get a head start on emerging back into everything the Pacific Northwest has to offer by checking out some local events?

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In her new book of short stories, Home is a Made Up Place, Seattle author Ronit Plank explores the intersection between fabricated characters and plots and the true life Plank lived.

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Attorney Kathy George has resigned from the Washington legislature’s Sunshine Committee.The committee’s role is to monitor the state government’s transparency laws.

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Soundside host Libby Denkmann chats with Gig Harbor Now reporter Charlee Glock-Jackson, along with Councilmember Jeni Woock about Monday's vote on Ordinance 1507, allowing Short Term Rentals in Gig Harbor.

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Under the Sixth Amendment of the US Constitution, defendants in criminal cases have the right to a jury of their peers at trial. But in Washington state, it might not always work out that way for people of color.

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Late last year, ChatGPT took the internet by storm. Many have heralded the large language model (LLM) as a new era of technology. Since ChatGPT's parent company, OpenAI, released the chat the public, other tech giants are jumping in to keep up with their own versions of the 'chatbot.'Bing, Microsoft's search engine, debuted a limited release of its helpful AI. Google is also working out the kinks in its version, named "Bard." And more tech giants are jumping in the ChatGPT pool every week.

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Since Roe v. Wade was overturned last year, lawmakers in Olympia and Boise have been pursuing vastly different goals on abortion access. Many health care providers aren't sure what they can and can't do.

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Around the country, many rural communities are dealing with the issue of “pharmacy deserts.” A combination of widespread retirements and high operating costs is leading to a shortage of pharmacists and pharmacies. In rural communities across Washington state, those in the profession are usually the first person residents see for medical care. The "Rural Health Initiative," new program at Washington State University, is looking expand access by drawing more pharmacists to smaller communities.

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February 24th marks the day agent Dale Cooper first came to the town of Twin Peaks.

And while the town may be fictional, the towns of Snoqualmie and North Bend have embraced “The Real Twin Peaks Days."

And we're also celebrating, by returning to one of our favorite stories - remembering the maestro behind the music that made Twin Peaks so iconic.

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On February 23, 2022, Ukrainians went to bed in a country on the brink. For months, Russian military forces were stationed near the border, encircling Ukraine on three sides. The U.S. intelligence community told the world to brace for an invasion. But many observers questioned if war was in Vladimir Putin’s plans. The worst-case scenario was confirmed the next morning, when Putin announced a "special military operation." Soundside host Libby Denkmann caught up with David Tagliani, a Seattleite volunteering on the ground in Ukraine with the aid organization Stay Safe UA.

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We can only make Soundside because listeners support us. Make the show happen by making a gift to KUOW: https://www.kuow.org/donate/soundside.

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Wah Mee was Washington's deadliest mass shooting. The way it was covered inflicted long term harm to the CID and Chinese American communities.

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KUOW Arts & Culture reporter Mike Davis shares what he's learned about ChatGPT after interviewing a man who used the chatbot to write & publish a novel in less than 8 hours.

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We can only make Soundside because listeners support us. Make the show happen by making a gift to KUOW: https://www.kuow.org/donate/soundside.

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“This Bitter Earth” and “The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window” are both playing this month in Seattle.

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Sibshops started in Seattle over 40 years ago. Today they take place across the United States and around the world.

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The White House says that the three flying objects U.S. fighter jets shot down last weekend were probably not spying on us — they could be benign, for research or commercial purposes. And, they originated on Earth (no aliens to see here.) That got us wondering — who’s finding these things? And why are they suddenly popping up so often, after the U.S. popped a much larger, suspected Chinese surveillance balloon earlier this month?

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Washington state produces a lot of scientific research. And all that observation, data collection, and testing of hypotheses can be hard to wade through for everyday, average, non-scientists.So we’re taking time to break down some recent findings coming out of our Washington braintrust as part of a segment we’re calling, “The Abstract.”Today we’re exploring new revelations about how animals adapt to climate change – and what that tells us about the future of ecosystems, including an unwelcome and foul-smelling new neighbor here in the Pacific Northwest, and an adorable Patagonian predator.

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Today, 16- and 17-year-olds in Washington are mostly turning to private driver’s ed companies for traffic safety courses. Up until the year 2000, nearly every school district in the state offered a driver’s ed course. But those largely faded away after the Washington legislature cut funding in 2002. And now, lawmakers are trying to confront the ramifications of that decision.

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Rent increases are common not only in the metro areas, but increasingly in smaller communities across Washington. Crosscut reporter Mai Hoang joins Soundside to talk about her latest article about housing costs in Walla Walla and Spokane.

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They’re already doing it in Tacoma. We explore that idea, along with other strategies to get people to move downtown so they can help revive it.

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In the face of climate change, some state governments are turning to an old standby: market-based solutions to try to lower carbon emissions. With the first carbon credit auction set to take place in Washington, how will the state balance industry with conservation?

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Families are reacting to the Bellevue School District's decision to recommend the consolidation of three elementary schools in the district.

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When a tsunami forms, some coastal communities can see rising water in as little as 20 minutes. In preparation, those communities have begun building tsunami evacuation towers. These towers are often built in the center of a community or near schools to give residents access to higher ground. But building these towers is expensive, and some small coastal communities are wary of signing onto their construction.

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We spoke with KUOW's Joshua McNichols, another housing PDA, and a UW professor to find out more about I-135. Ballots are due for Seattle voters on Tuesday, February 14.

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Soundside presents: NO SPOILERS - Host Libby Denkmann is joined by a panel of the nerdiest folks at KUOW to discuss Dungeons & Dragons, and the impending closure of the Regal 16 in downtown Seattle.

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At the top of the world sits what feels like a whole other realm. It’s a place built solely of sea ice — of fissures and endless fields of white.

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A new proposed five-year plan from the King County Regional Homelessness Authority has big goals and a price tag of up to $8 billion in capital costs, plus $3.5 billion for operations.

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Save A Forgotten Equine Horse Rescue Executive Director Bonnie Hammond introduces the Soundside team to Henry, as we visit the SAFE location out in Redmond.

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Saying goodbye to an old friend is never easy. In Boeing’s case, the friend is a 147-thousand-pound commercial jet with a 195-foot wingspan that changed the face of air travel forever when it debuted in 1970. A.K.A., The 747. The company last week said farewell to the last 747 to roll off its factory floor in Everett and dropped some news about future plane plans.

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After "a particularly fatal year," Seattle is expected to receive $25.7 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation to prevent traffic fatalities.

We can only make Soundside because listeners support us. Make the show happen by making a gift to KUOW: https://www.kuow.org/donate/soundside

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We can only make Soundside because listeners support us. Make the show happen by making a gift to KUOW: https://www.kuow.org/donate/soundside

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On Saturday, a new exhibit is opening at Seattle’s Museum of History and Industry.

It’s called From the Ground Up: Black Architects and Designers.

We can only make Soundside because listeners support us. Make the show happen by making a gift to KUOW: https://www.kuow.org/donate/soundside

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We can only make Soundside because listeners support us. Make the show happen by making a gift to KUOW: https://www.kuow.org/donate/soundside.

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We can only make Soundside because listeners support us. Make the show happen by making a gift to KUOW: https://www.kuow.org/donate/soundside.

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In 2020, an unprecedented wildfire nearly burned down the entire towns of Malden and Pine City. In 2021, severe flooding in Whatcom County submerged 75% of homes in Sumas. That same year, a heat dome brought record breaking triple digit temperatures to the Pacific Northwest. These climate events forever change the communities that survive them, and the changes go beyond the visible damage. Climate trauma may also be impacting people’s brains.

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We can only make Soundside because listeners support us. Make the show happen by making a gift to KUOW: https://www.kuow.org/donate/soundside

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The Archdiocese of Seattle, which covers Western Washington from the Canadian to Oregon border, announced an initiative called "Partners in the Gospel, "

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Tiktok, Youtube, Twitter, Instagram - there are lots of platforms where posting your kids can be a full-time job. And with pays for views and brand deals, a pretty lucrative one. A renewed push in Olympia would protect children against parents who reveal their private lives and growing pains on social media.

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Close to half of unhoused folks in King County live in their vehicles. The City of Seattle suspended parking enforcement during the early months of the pandemic, giving temporary respite to thousands of people who lived with the constant risk of their residences being ticketed, impounded, and potentially put up for auction.

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Seattle born Minoru Yamasaki was one of the most prominent American architects of the 20th Century.His granddaughter, Katie Yamasaki, is sharing his story with new generations of would-be architects. She’s the author and illustrator of “Shapes, Lines and Light: My Grandfather’s American Journey,” a new book about Minoru Yamasaki's life and work.

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Soundside shares listener feedback on two recent segments focused on cashless businesses and legislative privilege.

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Seismographs are picking up rumblings from sources other than earthquakes all the time. In those cases, scientists have to become detectives to track down just what created those "exotic events."

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Spokesman Review legislative reporter Orion Donovan-Smith joins Soundside to give an update on the issues faced by VA medical centers in Eastern Washington.

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The Bellevue School District says low birth rates, pandemic trends, and the high cost of living are contributing to declining enrollment. That low enrollment has the district planning to close some of its schools, but parents wonder if more can be done to save them.

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Many people will experience a miscarriage during their pregnancy journey. As some states limit abortion access or prohibit them entirely, those restrictions are also impacting the ability of health-care officials to get the training they need to take care of people whose pregnancies come to an unexpected end.

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Federal grants to help rural communities prepare for the effects of climate change are readily available, but requirements like mat

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D&D fans and publisher Wizards of the Coast are in the middle of a massive row, after a draft of the company's new license for the game was leaked. The leaked proposal would limit the degree to which third-party publishers could contribute to and profit from the game.

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Whether it’s through sharing joy or giving comfort, food plays a central role during Lunar New Year celebrations. Soundside producer Noel Gasca reached out to a few local chefs about the Lunar New Year dishes that hold a special meaning to them.

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In her new book, "Raw Deal: Hidden Corruption, Corporate Greed, and the Fight for the Future of Meat," Chloe Sorvino describes how the pandemic helped expose the cracks in our meat and dairy industries.

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The Seattle -based author floated down the Mississippi, sailed Alaska's Inside Passage, and documented failed homesteads in Montana, all while writing about being an outsider trying to figure out new places.

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A state commission tasked with finding the location for a new international airport has selected three sites, including two in rural Pierce County. Local residents and their state representatives say the proposed locations would damage the land, impact the environment and disrupt the lives of the people who live and work in the area.

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King County Council Member Jeanne Kohl-Welles joins Soundside to talk about her proposed ordinance to ban retailers from going cash free in unincorporated King County.

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New research points to a steep decline of parasites in Puget Sound fish. Climate change is the likely culprit.

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In 2019, the Washington Supreme Court ruled that state legislators are subject to the state's public disclosure law. In the last year, however, many public records requests of this nature have been denied, with records officers citing something journalists haven't heard of before: “legislative privilege.”

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Drag Queen story hours have been targeted across the country, including in Renton last month.

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The big news in the tech world today is, of course, the announcement from Microsoft that it’ll lay off roughly 10,000 employees by April. Other tech giants have already announced big reductions. Let’s run down some of the numbers: Twitter has cut 3,700 jobs. Meta — 11,000. Salesforce — 7,000. And today, Amazon begins its planned reduction of 18,000 people. While the leaders of these companies are largely blaming macro-economic conditions, each layoff is felt at the personal level.

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Big tech companies are slimming down. Amazon, Salesforce, and Twitter are just some of the companies that have announced thousands of layoffs in recent weeks. Wednesday morning, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella confirmed that the company would also be making significant layoffs.

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Journalist Erika Bolstad inherited the right to drill oil under part of her great-grandmother's homestead in North Dakota. Instead, she dug up the truth behind family legends and wrestled with the ethics of land ownership and fossil fuels in the American West.

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2,200 incarcerated people across Washington have jobs.They’re employed in prison facilities. They might be welders, food service workers, carpenters, or janitors.You may have bought something created by an incarcerated person - like your license plate.

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Every other week, we bring you a segment called "Sound it Out," to broadcast your thoughts about the show and answer questions about stories we've covered. So we’re circling back to a segment we did earlier this week about social media and Seattle Public Schools' new lawsuit.

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The center, which is run by the UW Memory and Brain Wellness Center, opened to the public this week.

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For the last year, David Tagliani has been working in Ukraine.David, along with his dog Libby, is a first responder. He’s an EMT. He does search and rescue. For years, he’s spent most of his time away from home, helping where he’s needed.But this is the first time that work has taken him to an active warzone.

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Before players get to swing a single axe, solve one puzzle or save that princess, a quality assurance tester has tried to break the game in thousands of different ways.But QA testers are also subject to difficult contract cycles, grueling schedules, and low compensation.

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We're in the second week of a new year, and it's time to check in on all those New Year's resolutions. For many people, giving up alcohol is at the top of the list.

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A new podcast from Northwest Public Radio and KUOW takes listeners to the Columbia Basin, where the value of dirt is illuminated by one family's story of deception and greed.

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On Friday Seattle Public Schools announced a sweeping lawsuit against several social media giants. The district is claiming that YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat have caused financial and operational harm because of their addictive nature. But concerns with social media extends past how addictive it is. ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok, is based in Beijing, and many U.S. officials worry that the user data it collects could be misused. That's led many states to ban the app on government devices, and some legislators want to take it a step further.

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Well-intentioned projects like guerilla crosswalks and ad hoc bike lanes are quick solutions in the face of increasing traffic fatalities. But who installs these projects and who benefits from them varies widely.

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When you throw a rock in a pond, it creates ripples. It spreads - disrupting the water further and further away from the point of entry.The experience of trauma or adversity -- especially in early childhood -- can also have a lasting ripple effect on a person’s life.

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Burlesque has been captivating and tantalizing audiences for centuries. A new festival this weekend — Fatlesque Fest Northwest — is on a mission to disrupt the perceptions that surround burlesque and rethink the medium through a fat liberation and body positive lens.

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Before this NFL season got started, things were looking grim for the Seahawks. Now the team is fighting to reach the postseason. And they’ll need a little luck to get there. Soundside host Libby Denkmann talked to The Athletic's Michael-Shawn Dugar about the highs and lows in the Seahawks season so far.

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Face it: That story you're telling your co-worker about frantically looking for rental cars while stuck at O'Hare is boring. We asked a storytelling expert how to make it a little bit more interesting.

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In 2015, Seattle CEO Dan Price became an overnight celebrity following his decision to raise the base minimum salary for all of his employees at Gravity Payments to $70,000. But some of his former employees say the glossy magazine features and talk show appearances painting him as a benevolent leader were a façade — that the day-to-day work at the company was far from glamorous.

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Washington's legislative session starts January 9, and that means state lawmakers have less than a week to maneuver for their priorities. For Democrats, those include building more housing, adding gun control measures and exploring alternatives to prosecution for drug possession.

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Today, we’re taking a look back on big moments for Seattle sports fans in 2022. Locally, the Mariners broke a 21-year playoff drought, Sue Bird played her last game for the Storm, Russell Wilson left for Denver, and the Sounders hosted — and won — the CONCACAF championship.But internationally, the year kicked off with a controversial Winter Olympics, hosted in China, and ended with a contentious World Cup and Qatar.

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The Soundside team is taking some time off this week, and while we’re away, we’re revisiting some of the episodes that made us think about the way we move throughout our region. We’ll explore why the U.S. is one of the only wealthy countries to be moving in the wrong direction on traffic deaths. Plus, those escalators in the light rail stations, they’re still giving us grief!

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Bringing babies into the world is hard work. And if you're an OB-GYN on the Kitsap Peninsula, it's recently gotten a lot harder.

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2022 was a pretty great year for music. Even if your name isn’t Beyoncé or Taylor Swift. Today, Soundside is revisiting some of our favorite stories about the musicians and tastemakers that help shape the Pacific Northwest's sound.

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The S.S. Pacific was packed full of passengers in 1875. It was charting the first steamship voyage from Seattle to San Francisco, before Washington had even achieved statehood. But after a collision with a sailing vessel called The Orpheus, the Pacific and its cargo was lost. Now after decades of searching, two local researchers think they've found it.

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After thee decades, Cameron Crowe's 'Singles,' ca

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We’ve all heard the slogan: Just do it. And it’s so powerful, because it’s such a simple idea: just put on your shoes, go outside, and run. It’s that easy. But if you’re not white, it may not necessarily be true.

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The press release simply stated that a 63-year-old man was found unresponsive in his cell minutes after being booked. But reporters Sydney Brownstone and Greg Kim of The Seattle Times went beyond the press release — they dug into this story, and uncovered a lot more about who Michael Rowland was and how he died.

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A special episode of Soundside focusing on the question: How can we grow as a region without forcing people out?

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Seattle author and doctor Patricia Grayhall went to medical school in the early 1970s, when gender discrimination and homophobia were commonplace in the field. Grayhall was forced to hide her identity as a lesbian and she faced sexism from superiors and colleagues.

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Seattle takes its poetry seriously -- so much so that it has an official civic poet. The role of the civic poet is to be an ambassador for the literary arts, fostering dialogue between communities, engaging people and connecting them with art, and, yes, writing poetry. For the last three years, that role has also been to memorialize a number of unprecedented challenges.

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On Tuesday, U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm walked up to a microphone to drop some big science news: Scientists at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California had achieved a fusion mileston.

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When you think about impactful journalism, some images may come to mind — meeting sources in dark parking lots, going undercover to bust a scam ring, entering war zones. But those images are pretty far from the usual day to day work, which involves a lot of phone calls and unanswered emails and a whole lot of perseverance.

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With just three short notes, you’re there: the lumber yard, Snoqualmie Falls, and a pie-loving detective trying to solve the murder of a high school girl in the Cascade foothills.

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Gridlock on the national level has pushed policy decisions to the states. With that shift comes an erosion of democratic norms and institutions.

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Camp Hope is the largest homeless encampment in Spokane. It’s seen as many as 600 residents -- residents that city, county, and state officials have been trying to move elsewhere. But when and where has yet to be figured out. Meanwhile, scheduled sweeps that would have cleared out the encampment have been delayed. And then, this week, a district court judge [Stanley Bastion] ruled in favor of a restraining order requested by three Camp Hope residents…Effectively stopping any sweeps by county sheriffs over the next month.

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Crosscut investigative reporter Brandon Block joins Soundside to talk about the difficulties in getting broadband internet access out to rural parts of Washington state.

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It’s hard to describe exactly what just what ChatGPT is. In the tech world you might call it an advanced natural language model. But to those on the outside, it feels like a kind of magical black box. We’ve lived with different versions of this kind of programming for a while now, but something seems different about ChatGPT, with some comparing it to a new industrial revolution, and as big as the discovery of electricity.

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In 2020, the murder of George Floyd brought national attention to the use of deadly force by police throughout the country. In Washington state's legislature, the killing of Manuel Ellis by Tacoma Police helped propel a police reform package of more than a dozen bills. One of those bills created The Office of Independent Investigations, or OII. This is the first office of its kind in the nation, and it plans to train civilian investigators to watchdog the use of deadly force by police throughout the state.

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The 90s are so in right now and the signs are everywhere: bucket hats, boy bands, and Microsoft battling a major consumer software antitrust lawsuit.

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Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers Executive Director Jamie Goen joins Soundside to talk about the potential economic disaster of their canceled crab seasons.

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Lots of people are working at this very moment to create the next social media platform to consume our time and attention, but there’s at least one person who believes that the age of social media as we know it is over. And he’s OK with that.

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If you live in an apartment, there's a good chance and algorithm is setting your rent. Many of the largest property managers in the United States use the same service where data for 13 million rental units is collected and used to recommend prices.Some tenants say that amounts to illegal collusion, and in a few places they're suing. That includes Seattle, where three lawsuits were filed in federal court last month.

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In 2018, Washington voters approved I-1639 and tthrew support behind some of the strictest gun laws in the country. Four years later, one of those laws has been difficult to implement.

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One more Democrat in the Senate might not sound like a big deal. But the result in Tuesday’s Georgia runoff election does a bit more than give the party an extra buffer vote. The 51-49 split empowers Democratic committee chairs. Like the soon-to-be head of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee: Washington Senator Patty Murray.

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There are many things that inspire people to write songs, and for local musician Tom Dyer it was his hometown of Olympia. He was so inspired that he wrote not just one song about the state capitol, but 40. They make up his latest album, Olympia - A True Story. He shared an account of the album’s genesis and creation with KUOW’s “Soundside.”

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Washington lies along a major flyway for birds. Each winter, millions of migrating birds stop in in the state on their way somewhere else.That's a cause for concern as the United States experiences the worst avian influenza outbreak in its history, with more than 50 million birds dying from the virus.

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When you’re experimenting with human brains, or even monkey brains, you’re experimenting with the organ that keeps a creature alive. It’s our brains, with all their synapses and neurons, that makes us who we are.So how do you experiment with brain technology ethically?

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The 2015 divestiture by Safeway and Albertson's, where stores were sold to a PNW grocery retailer that went bankrupt shortly after purchasing the spun off stores, is leading to extra scrutiny for the country's two biggest chains.

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Another day of testimony is underway in the trial of Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer.

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There are many barriers to receiving mental health care. It’s expensive, not always covered by insurance, and it can be difficult to find a therapist. A new report from the Seattle Times says those barriers can be even higher for people working in agriculture.

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A nationwide Adderall shortage has affected people with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder since October, and it isn't expected to end until the new year. We spoke to a psychiatrist about the factors driving the shortage and tips for getting through it.

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Students in the University of Washington Broadcast Meteorology club and class have a love of weather and take on the difficult task of communicating it clearly.

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As online rumors about the deaths of four University of Idaho students spread on TikTok and Reddit, police in Moscow, ID are trying to both investigate the case and combat misinformation.

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On Thursday, the US Senate voted to impose a labor agreement for rail workers. The measure now heads to President Biden to be signed. It will include a 24-percent increase in wages over five years, more schedule flexibility and one additional paid day off. But the measure doesn't include paid sick leave.

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If you’re riding your bike down the Burke Gilman trail through the University of Washington campus, you’ll cruise by a long row of glass buildings. Over the last three years, the University of Washington has been moving its extensive plant collection from its Botany Greenhouse in Redmond to this new 20,000-foot greenhouse on campus. This week, the University of Washington opens the upgraded greenhouse to the public.

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Nearly 19,000 people in Washington have received a letter from their insurance company, Regence, that says their coverage options might look different starting in December. It’s caused a lot of confusion and worry among policyholders, many of whom are on state-subsidized plans.

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A report by the Seattle Times looked at the infrastructure of 30 Washington state jurisdictions. In all of those cities and counties, less than half of the roads and sidewalks complied with ADA standards.

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The last confirmed grizzly bear sighting in the North Cascades was in 1996. But that could change.

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Ryan Packer of The Urbanist and Yonah Freemark of the Urban Institute join Soundside to discuss traffic fatalities both nationally and here in Washington state.

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A new investigation from The Seattle Times uncovers a memo sent from the state's police academy to the Tacoma Police Department. That memo warned the department about the behavior of a new recruit: Timothy Rankine.

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The city of Seattle is finalizing its spending plan for the next two years on Tuesday. The budget process has involved plenty of tough choices as the council is lo

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As we get ready to gather round the table with our families and friends, Soundside is bringing you a couple of our favorite stories about community.

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This Thanksgiving week we’re revisiting some of our best stories of the year so far. Today, we’re looking back on our favorite segments about images and the stories they tell about us.

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What's the difference between the mural we see outside of a light rail station, and the graffiti across the street? What is public art, and what is a nuisance? It’s a question Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and the city are wrestling with through a new initiative.

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Wahkiakum School District Superintendent Brent Freeman talks to Soundside to give us an update on the status of their lawsuit surrounding the way that schools are funded in Washington state.

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When you step into a forest, or walk along a beach, there's a lot to take in – the sound of waves crashing against the sand, birds chirping to each other in the trees. But there's a lot we don't hear, and thanks to new technology, researchers are closer than ever to translating our natural world.

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Next week is Thanksgiving, so we're taking a few minutes to get in the mood.

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In 1980, Deborah Ulrich worked as a “floater” at Boeing’s now defunct Electronics Manufacturing Facility. Back then it was located on the east side of the Boeing Field. She had a variety of tasks - dipping soldering boards in industrial solvents to clean them, and touching up patterns on circuit boards, among other duties. She was also pregnant with her daughter, Marie Riley.

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As the global economy begins to slow, companies are dialing down the risk factor, which means more layoffs. And many of those workers in the Puget Sound area are in the U.S. thanks to one document: an H-1B visa.

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Congress passed the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978 to help remedy a long history of atrocities committed against Native American families. But now three states and several individuals are challenging the law in the United States Supreme Court, arguing it's unconstitutional. The challenge mostly hinges on a major question: whether tribal membership is a political designation or a racial identity.

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KUOW Arts & Culture reporter Mike Davis takes us backstage at the 5th Ave Theater and their production of THE WIZ.

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Political reporters can finally stop refreshing results from Clark counties, Nevada and Washington. Several races are still too close to call. But the big national picture of the midterms is starting to come into focus.

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Every ten years, political district maps are reshaped based on the latest census data. Since 2013, that includes new district maps for Seattle City Council members. Growth throughout the city wasn't even, and in the case of Magnolia, some district lines won't fall evenly over traditional neighborhood lines.

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In February of this year, the Kennewick School district, in Southeast Washington, ran a levy on the ballot in their county elections. That levy didn’t pass.

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Our energy infrastructure is increasingly stressed by growing demand, extreme weather and aging parts. In the Puget Sound area utilities are also ramping up to comply with a state law that will require all electricity to come from clean sources. Those demands are setting up a massive transition in where our energy comes from, and where it will go in the future.

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For the first time, James Baldwin's 1954 play "The Amen Corner" is being staged in Seattle, at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute.

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Emergency rooms at children's hospitals are seeing dramatic increases in admissions because of RSV and other respiratory viruses, but there are complications to tracking the virus in rural communities.

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It's the day after the midterm elections. Democrats are cautiously optimistic that the predicted GOP sweep hasn't materialized. While Republicans are hoping their voters were just procrastinating. And let's be honest: we're in a frustrating zone for journalists and pundits. We want storylines and hot takes! But the truth is - a lot of these races will take time to shake out. With that in mind, KUOW news anchor and reporter Paige Browning is here to guide us through what we do and don't know as of 12:30pm on the day after the midterm elections.

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Spokesman Review reporter Orion Donovan-Smith joins Soundside to talk about the many issues facing VA healthcare centers in Washington State after they switched to the new Oracle Cerner electronic health records system.

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At one point this summer, Camp Hope swelled to more than 600 people. Today, it's shrunk to around 450 people living in tents, RVs and makeshift shelter on a dirt lot by I-90. Local and state officials agree the camp should be cleared eventually. But just how soon, and where residents will go, is at the center of a months long battle.

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Your ballpoint pen may be getting a workout. Because today is Election Day. You have until 8pm tonight to get to a ballot box. And procrastinators, you are not alone – the Secretary of State’s office says statewide, just about 39% of ballots had been returned as of Monday. That’s lagging behind early voting numbers for the same day in the last midterm election in 2018.

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It is election day in Washington state, and while we'll have to wait for returns to answer big questions like will the state have a Republican US senator for the first time since 2001? Who will win the tight Eighth District House race? How many people will bother voting for those unopposed state supreme court justices?

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In Washington state, there are many judges on the Nov. 8 ballot and the only choice voters can make in most of those races is whether to vote at all.

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Soundside producer Jason Burrows attended GeekGirlCon 2022 this weekend, and spoke with attendees about what makes this convention different, and why geek culture needs it.

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Since the 2016 presidential election, voter turnout among college students has been steadily increasing. Take the last midterms for example: In 2018, 40 percent of registered college students voted. It’s too early to tell if that trend will continue during this midterm election, but what can this trend tell us about the power of college students as a voting block?

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We know a lot about the man Hendrix became: the paratrooper who played in a band during his free time, the backup player for musicians like Sam Cooke, BB King, and Little Richard, and eventually, the world renowned rockstar. But there’s a chapter of Hendrix’s life that has gone largely unexplored: his childhood. A new production from playwright and Seattle Children’s Theatre Creative Director Idris Goodwin is inspired by Hendrix’s childhood growing up in Seattle’s Central District. It’s called “The Boy Who Kissed the Sky.”

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D’Vonne Pickett Jr. and his wife Keanna are familiar faces throughout the Central District community. When the USPS closed its office in the CD, the two founded The Postman, a shipping and mailing business.

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KUOW reporter Amy Radil joins Soundside to discuss the upcoming election for King County Prosecutor.

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Today, REI has over 15,000 employees, but in the early 1960s, one employee, Delia Cano, a Peruvian immigrant to Seattle, was responsible for sewing many of their earliest products. She recently passed, and KUOW’s Soundside spoke with two of her children about her personal and professional legacy.

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Advisory votes, referendums and initiatives, the difference between the House of Representatives and the Senate, there's a lot to learn if you plan on voting and school is one place to get that information.

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We’re just under a week out from the 2022 midterm election on Nov. 8. You’ve got until Tuesday at 8 p.m. to get that ballot into a drop box, or postmarked and in the mail. And if you’re wading through debates, political mailers, and some pretty scary attack ads, don’t panic. KUOW politics reporter David Hyde is here to help.

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University of Washington professor Yejin Choi was recently named one of this year's MacArthur Fellows. This honor is commonly known as the "Genius Grant" and awards an $800,000 stipend for recipients to use on new research. Choi works on artificial intelligence, and earlier this year Soundside spoke with her about an AI she helped build called "Delphi."

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In 2018 the National Hockey League approved an expansion team for Seattle. Early on there were several ideas for a name, from the Totems to the Metropolitans, before eventually settling on The Kraken. The Kraken's first season left a lot to be desired – they won just 27 games. But the fact that Seattle now hosts the NHL's 32nd franchise marks the end of a long road that took decades of planning.

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This Thursday, the Tasveer South Asian Film Festival is coming to town. It's a festival dedicated to films by and about South Asians.

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Evergreen trees shrouded in a light mist, a cloudy morning with an 8 a.m. sunrise, the churning sea, the rolling hills of the Palouse: landscape takes a central role in the anthology "Evergreen: Grim Tales and Verses from the Gloomy Northwest."

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One of the fun things about Halloween is - it's a day where creepy creatures that we don't usually believe in seem just a little more likely to exist. In other words, Halloween is a great day for cryptids.

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Today is Halloween, and we've got two more ghost stories to give you a chill before heading out to trick or treat...

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Last month, California legalized a burial practice called human composting. Here in Washington, the practice has been legal since 2019. It’s one of many signs that, for the first time in a long time, the funeral industry is changing.

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Researchers at the University of Washington studied visits to restaurants that identified as Black-owned on Yelp, compared to visits to restaurants without the Black-owned label. They found that across 20 cities in the United States, the support for those Black-owned businesses was inconsistent.

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Halloween is on Monday. And you may still be on the fence: Will you turn off all your lights or spend $30 and a portion of your night handing out fun-sized candy to trick or treaters? Or perhaps you're ambitious. You're going to a Halloween party. If that's the case -- what's your costume plan? Will you wait until the last minute, get frustrated and go as Ted Lasso again? It's a lot to think about. And while we can't help you figure out what to be, we can give you a little inspiration.

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Certified election observers from political parties are not new. But the appearance of self-deputized election watchers seems to be a growing trend. That includes Spokane County, where local Republican politicians have called for audits of the previous election and activists are training citizens to become ballot box observers.

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All this week we've been bringing you spooky tales from local storytellers. And for the grand finale, we've got a trio of terrifying tales sent in by you, our listeners.

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By now, if you're a registered voter in Washington State -- you should have received your November 8th ballot in the mail. And you're probably wading through the tangle of headlines in this final sprint to election day. KUOW reporter David Hyde is here to help.

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Typically, a college system would be happy to discover millions of dollars in savings. But the recent revelation that Seattle Colleges was only facing a fraction of its projected budget deficit is causing frustration among staff, who faced the threat of job loss and program cuts.

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Yesterday, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced the state had reached a $10.5 million settlement. With a chicken company.

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For the OL Reign, it's been a decade-long journey to Lumen Field. The team initially played at the Starfire Sports Stadium in Tukwila before moving to Memorial Stadium at the Seattle Center. Then there were three seasons at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma before returning to Seattle. This last weekend marked the first playoff game for the Reign in their new home, and more than 21,000 fans filled the seats. While this post-season journey ended in disappointment, The Royal Guard say they're just getting started.

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Executive director Pritz Navaratnasingam of the Seattle Regional Office of the Veterans Benefits Administration joins Soundside to talk about the PACT Act, and how veterans can check their eligibility for new benefits and get the care they need.

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The Seattle City Council put ranked choice voting on the general election ballot, giving voters the choice of changing the way elections are conducted for the mayor, city council members, and city attorney.

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On this week's Sound it Out, we dive deeper into the topic of community land trusts.

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On the night of Saturday, Oct. 8, firefighters were called in to help on the Kitsap Peninsula, but it wasn't because of a fire. Instead, an overwhelmed nurse at the ER at St. Michael Medical Center in Silverdale requested firefighters' help for managing patients.

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A blanket of smoky particles and pollution continued to smother the Puget Sound region Thursday.

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While many Puget Sound sailors are hobbyists, a lot of them live on their boats. And as prices rise across the region, there's a wave of new mariners looking to find affordable housing options on the water. But life on the Salish Sea is arduous, and not completely free of the problems we run into on land.

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As a young teenager, local author Patricia Grayhall recalls believing she was the only lesbian in Arizona. Her new memoir recounts her struggle to earn a medical degree, explore her sexuality, and weather the sexism and discrimination rampant in the medical field of the 1970s.

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Washington state's Domestic Violence Leave Act ensures that survivors of domestic violence can take the necessary time to find child care, attend court cases, or relocate. A former Amazon employee alleges that she was retaliated against by the company because she took that leave.

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Washington Post reporter Greg Jaffe joins Soundside to discuss his profile of Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz.

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Central and Eastern Washington are the sunniest areas of the state, with several large solar farms already in place. But as the energy grid overgoes a

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A state-appointed commission recently proposed expanding service at Paine Field in Everett and adding a new new airport at one of three sites in Pierce and Thurston counties. But critics say the state's airport plans contradict its goal to lower emissions.

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Editor’s note: This story contains descriptions of sexual assault and sex trafficking.

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For a long time, people on the west side of the Cascades assumed that wildland fires were an issue for those in Eastern Washington. But as conditions become drier and hotter across the western U.S., the wildfire threat is growing in all parts of the state, even the normally soggy parts.

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On Monday, Alaska officials made an unprecedented announcement. For the first time ever, they canceled the winter snow crab harvest in the Bering Sea. They also nixed the fall Bristol Bay red king crab harvest for the second year in a row.

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From trains to buses to ferries, transit agencies across the state are blaming labor shortages for recent service cuts. A group of local nonprofits and some Washington State officials say there is a solution: lower the barriers that keep formerly incarcerated people from getting jobs in the transportation industry.

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This year, more than 78 million sockeye salmon returned to the estuaries of Western Alaska, a record high and a stark contrast with most salmon populations elsewhere as urban infrastructure and rising water temperatures threaten numerous species. University of Washington professor Daniel Schindler told Soundside that sockeye salmon have been climate change winners in recent years, but why is still an answer researchers are seeking an answer to.

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Improbable? Yes. Impossible? Not for the 2022 Seattle Mariners professional baseball team. On Saturday, the M’s turned an 8-1 deficit in Toronto into a 10-9 victory for the history books. In Seattle, at T-Mobile Park, Mariners fans who gathered for the team’s official watch party were asking for a miracle. And that's when a Birkenstock appeared on a man’s head.

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It's a confusing time for gardeners. It’s fall. The days are getting shorter. Traditionally now is the time to work on winterizing your garden - preparing it for the cold, wet weather we usually see this time of year. But the soggy weather has yet to arrive. We’re expecting temperatures to continue to be in the 70s this week, and we haven’t seen serious rainfall in months. So - what should we be doing for our plants right now?

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Some classic episodes of "Almost Live!" are airing on King 5+, which could lead to a whole new generation of fans. So Soundside gathered some stars of Almost Live! to talk about the sketches that have stuck with them, and why show's popularity has endured.

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From sign stealing, to adding just a little bit of extra spit on the ball, professional baseball has created plenty of ways to fool crowds and umpires.But there's a fine line between the written and unwritten rules of the game.It makes you wonder, where is the line between innovation and cheating in baseball?

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In recent years, the small Whidbey Island town of Langley has rolled out a slew of zoning reforms, meant to encourage the production of new homes. It offers a model for the rest of Washington State. But it's also brought up big questions for residents about what they want their community to be.

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A report by the Seattle Times looked at the infrastructure of 30 Washington State jurisdictions. In all of those cities and counties, less than half of the roads and sidewalks complied with ADA standards.

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Last July, former Seattle mayor Jenny Durkin made an announcement in the face of increasing gun violence. Seattle was making an investment: $2 million in the King County Regional Peacekeepers Collective. Staff and leadership of these organizations did not consistently undergo background checks and a convicted sex offender with apparently fake credentials is running a member organization in the collective.

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The state is facing a third year of La Niña-type weather.

You likely remember some of the results of La Niña from last year - when the Pacific Northwest saw significant flooding due to all that wet weather.

And it’s not just us. This weather pattern impacts the entirety of the Western US, as well as other countries located on the Pacific - like Australia, Indonesia, and East Africa.

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Lookout Landing's Kate Preusser joins Soundside to share her experience in the locker room after the Mariners beat the A's to secure their spot in the playoffs for the first time in 21 years.

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Washington state's Covid-19 emergency order comes to an end this month. It's a signal that the state will be moving towards a business-as-usual approach to governing and managing the pandemic. But, at the same time, the pandemic isn’t over and business as usual has its own complications.

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For decades, a question about the young adult classic "Go Ask Alice" haunted this writer. Who was the author behind the "Anonymous" byline on the cover of the book?

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After more than a decade in Seattle, the former Seattle Civic Poet has left for New York.

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A new school year at the Seattle World School in the Central District has begun. New students are filling the halls, while teachers and staff welcome them with open arms... Meanwhile, at the school's health clinic, two 'patient navigators' are helping students in a different way. Just before the new year started, producer Sarah Leibovitz headed to the school to learn more...

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Washington state now gives everyone convicted of a felony the right to vote when they leave prison. But some challenges remain for people who were once incarcerated when it comes to casting their ballots.

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In 2017, catastrophic failures at the West Point Treatment Plant in Discovery Park turned into one of the worst infrastructure disasters in the region’s history – sending 30 million gallons of untreated sewage into the Sound. The Department of Ecology fined King County and ordered improvements. But smaller spills have continued: In 2018 and 2019 the plant dumped more than six million gallons of untreated or improperly treated sewage into the Puget Sound. So, the Suquamish Tribe took a big step: In 2020, it announced its intent to sue the County.

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Soundside revisits the story we aired last week about crossing the border into Canada and the help that local librarians give when navigating the ArriveCan app.

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While we were cooped up in Covid lockdowns, birds in the cities and suburbs of the Pacific Northwest were spreading their wings! And in a new University of Washington paper, ornithologists suggest that birds like crows, hummingbirds, finches, and chickadees were using a wider variety of public spaces during the early days of the pandemic. Olivia Sanderfoot was the lead researcher on the study.

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Seattle, meet your new Chief of Police. Well, new-ish.

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In the documentary "Sweetheart Deal," co-directors Elisa Levine and Gabriel Miller follow four sex workers along Seattle's Aurora Avenue. The film tells the stories of Tammy, Sara, Kristine, and Amy and their battles with drug addiction, dangerous circumstances, and a man called Laughn Elliot Doescher, the self described “Mayor of Aurora.”

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KUOW's Joshua McNichols joins Soundside to talk about the effect remote work is having on the Pacific Northwest video game industry.

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According to Dr. Chantel Prat, "The point of the brain is to take in as much information in the world around the being that it's driving, and use this information to guide that being through life in a way that maximizes its success." But how individual brains work comes down to a fascinating combination of factors, with each person's experiences changing how they engage with the world.

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KUOW Arts and Culture reporter Mike Davis joins Soundside to share his interview with Jamil Jude, director of Choir Boy at ACT Theater. Jude spoke about how he used staging and stylistic choices to shape the way teenagers attending the elite Black male prep academy, Charles R. Drew, were perceived by the audience.

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First it was a technical issue with the rocket's engines, then Hurricane Ian, but, NASA's Artemis mission will soon begin and eventually put someone on the moon for the first time in 50 years.

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On Sunday, hundreds of protestors gathered in Bellevue to demand justice for Mahsa Amini. The 22-year woman died in Iranian police custody earlier this month

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When you step into a forest, or walk along a beach, there's a lot to take in -- the sound of waves, crashing against the sand, birds chirping to each other in the trees. But there's a lot we don't hear

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The Mead School District in Spokane recently voted on policies banning "Critical Race Theory" and gender studies materials from libraries. Soundside host Libby Denkmann looks at the conversation surrounding these policies.

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Soundside talks to Rico Bembry of the Black Washingtonians Workgroup on Recreation, about the challenges faced by communities of color as they enjoy the outdoors.

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Soundside talks with David Dunphy of Seattle Mountain Rescue about their mission, and their new headquarters in North Bend.

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How two and a half years of changing restrictions and an app caused disruption to businesses and residents living along the border

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The smell of the air around the Puget Sound today is... not pleasant. Some KUOW employees described it as "like a smoked ham" or "similar to a car backfiring". So, how long will we be living with this burnt ham, car backfiring, badly-made bonfire smoke? And what is breathing it in doing to our bodies?

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Last week, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) introduced a new bill calling for the removal of "space junk." The Orbital Sustainability Act, or the ORBITS Act, aims to promote the development of technology and methods to clean up rocket and satellite debris orbiting Earth.

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Last Friday the Northwest Film Forum launched "Local Sightings" - a film festival dedicated to movies made by and about the Pacific Northwest.

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City council members, state senators and transit CEOs from around Washington are taking to sidewalks and light rail stations to better understand what it's like to not have access to a car.

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Before taking the top job at SDOT, Greg Spotts was in Los Angeles, leading the city of L.A.'s street services bureau. Soundside host Libby Denkmann spoke to Spotts about some of his priorities for the department in his first year on the job, Vision Zero, and creating a more climate-resilient transportation infrastructure.

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The Biden administration helped broker a tentative deal that will affect 120,000 rail workers across the country. While many are celebrating the aversion of a potentially disastrous shutdown, some workers have reservations about the new deal. And with a worker vote set for Thursday, rail companies are not out of the tunnel just yet.

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In 2007, Seattle's urban forest management plan set a goal for 30% of the city to be canopied, meaning covered with urban trees. However, a recent report from the city showed that Seattle's canopy actually decreased by 1.7% over the last five years -- an area roughly the size of Green Lake.

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The day is finally approaching that people in West Seattle -- and those who want to get to West Seattle -- have been waiting for. After more than two and a half years, the West Seattle bridge reopens this Sunday.

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We're a show built around you - our listeners.

Every other week, we take some time for a segment called Sound it Out, to broadcast your thoughts and answer questions about stories we've covered. This week - we're diving back into a conversation about eco-blocks.

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Author and historian Megan Asaka tells the story of Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, and indigenous laborers in her book Seattle from the Margins: Exclusion, Erasure, and the Making of a Pacific Coast City.

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It's been close to two decades since Washington state last did a "broadcast burn," a kind of prescribed burn that sweeps forest floors of potential fire fuel. Prescribed burns are gaining in use throughout fire-prone states as land managers look to imitate natural cycles and move away from a "no-burn" standard of management.

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Soundside producer Jason Burrows sits down with host Libby Denkmann to discuss the pros and cons of moving away from gas powered vehicles by 2035.

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Six members of Seattle Pacific University's Board of Trustees are facing a lawsuit regarding the university's anti-LGBTQ hiring policy. But the lawsuit doesn't follow the typical route for a case against a religious institution.

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There are probably some stories, or people, that you think you know ALL about. Writer, cultural critic, and podcast host Sarah Marshall wants you to know — you're wrong.

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Washington V. Meta, brought to court by Attorney General Bob Ferguson against Meta, Facebook's parent company, concluded that Facebook ran local political advertisements throughout Washington state without properly disclosing information about who ran them. In response to Facebook's argument that the disclosure law is unconstitutional, King County Superior Court Judge Douglass North called it "very constitutional."

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The Bolt Creek Fire started early Saturday morning north of Skykomish. Tesidents who fled the path of the fire describe ash falling from the sky. Smoke blotting out the sun. Highway 2 is still closed between Gold Bar and Skykomish and an evacuation notice remains in place for Index.

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If you stand at the intersection of Union and 23rd in Seattle's Central District, and take a look at the Midtown Square apartment complex, you'll see portraits of some of Seattle's greatest Black artists lining the exterior.

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Two years ago this week, a massive wildfire in Eastern Washington nearly destroyed the towns of Malden and Pine City. The Babb Road Fire burned 15,000 acres and hundreds of buildings. While progress has been slow, the people of Malden and Pine City are rebuilding and charting a new path forward.

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There are many ways to protect and conserve land here in Washington. Aside from our national and state parks and forests, we have wildlife refuges and conservation areas. Altogether those boundaries include millions of acres. But there’s one tool at the state’s disposal that only covers a fraction of land, while protecting vitally unique flora and fauna. These are called "natural areas" and are protected by the natural areas program.

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Tens of thousands of Seattle students are getting an extended Summer break after Seattle Public Schools educators went on strike Wednesday. It’s the latest in a long line of changes to education. There was, of course, the pandemic, which led to school closur

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Washington is phasing out the sale of new gas powered vehicles by 2035. Governor Jay Inslee announced that decision just over a week ago. It's one of a number of climate-based policies we've seen both here in Washington, and across the country in recent weeks. Governor Inslee ran on the need to address climate change in his 2020 presidential campaign. But - big as they are, are these latest steps big enough?

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KUOW Reporter Kate Walters joins Soundside to get us up to speed on the new vaccine boosters that target Omicron variants.

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For 50 years, the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute has played a vital role in fostering the talent of African American artists and performers here in Seattle. Visitors to the Central-District based arts center - many of whom live in the neighborhood - might stroll over to watch the teen summer musical, take a dance class, or tour an art exhibit. KUOW arts and culture reporter Mike Davis sat down with some of the key members behind the organization.

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The search is still on for the wreckage of a floatplane off the waters of Whidbey Island. The plane crashed on Sunday while flying from Friday Harbor to Renton. Ten people were onboard and all are presumed dead. One body was recovered on Sunday and eight adults and one child remain missing. The Coast Guard suspended search-and-rescue for the missing passengers yesterday afternoon.

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The Secretary of State is an interesting job. In a lot of ways, it’s pretty administrative. They supervise the state archives. They coordinate implementation of the state's records management laws. But what they've become most well known for is supervising and certifying state and local elections. Some say, to do that job properly, the position should be nonpartisan.

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Soundside producer Jason Burrows spent the weekend at PAX West 2022, wandering the exhibition floor, playing games, and reconnecting with friends. He brings us this snippet of how people feel about PAX.

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Annaka and I were freshman year roommates at Washington State University. About a month ago, we decided to move in together again. Annaka works mostly from home. Half of the time I also from from home. We’re still figuring out how to make the apartment a functional co-working space.

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Ecology blocks are large slabs made from recycled concrete, with grooves on the top and bottom to help form retaining walls. But on city streets and sidewalks, they form a different kind of barrier: Deterring RVs and encampments, which have proliferated in Seattle during the pandemic.

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One of our primary missions for Soundside is to make sure you're not just hearing US when you listen. You're hearing yourself, too. YOUR questions, YOUR thoughts - because you're our neighbors, you're the folks we make this for. This time, we're discussing the feedback you gave us two stories we did about potential changes to Seattle's voting system.

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Schools are starting up again, Labor Day is this weekend, the sunset is inching closer to 7 pm. We can't deny it: fall is coming. So, in these waning days of Summer, the Soundside team hit the streets to record one activity we were hoping to accomplish before the rain and clouds show up. A "Summer bucket list" item that we can check off our lists.

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Back to school means the return of a lot of kids' favorite part of the day: lunchtime. And in the Yakima Valley, there's one lunchtime staple that reigns supreme: the cheese zombie. If you grew up on the west side of the state, you've probably never heard of this doughy delight.

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The fictional tech company at the center of the new book, “The Immortal King Rao,” is called “Coconut.” It’s a rough amalgamation of Apple and Microsoft of the 1980s and 1990s, driving a personal computer revolution, and later it morphs into a Google, Amazon and Facebook avatar in the way it gobbles up peoples’ data and monetizes human interaction.

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The Seattle World School in the Central District is gearing up for the new school year. Teachers are prepping for classes, lockers and classrooms are being cleaned out and readied to welcome new students.

And, at the school's health clinic, two patient navigators are preparing to help students in a different way.

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Climate scientists say it’s now or never for governments to reassess their energy policies, before it’s too late to make a difference. The US is looking at doing just that. Earlier this month, congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes almost $370 billion dollars in climate provisions that could change how we get our energy. But will those investments bring us any closer to addressing climate change in an impactful way?

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Carolanne Walter grew up in Indianola, Iowa, home of the National Balloon Classic - a nine day hot air balloon festival held every summer. She's now the pilot of the "Happyanunoit," and along with her crew, has found a new passion in competing in national hot air balloon events. The team, known as the "Ballooney Tunes Crew," just took FIFTH PLACE at the US Women’s National Hot Air Balloon Championship out of a field of 14 pilots. That competition took place in conjunction with the National Balloon Classic in Indianola, where 115 balloons and their pilots took to the skies earlier this month.

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There's a lot more to the White House's plan than debt cancellation for folks making under $125,000 per year, including a big change in how student loans rack up interest under some repayment programs.

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Carving out a music career in any city is tough, and there are going to be highs and lows. But being a hip hop artist in Seattle comes with its own set of challenges.

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From faulty Covid test kits and rapidly changing mask recommendations at the start of the pandemic, to confusion about how many vaccine doses make one fully vaccinated, the CDC's communication has been unclear during the pandemic.

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The National Park System oversees more than 400 sites across the United States. These sites range from national parks to national forests, historical sites, and recreation areas. But the most fraught conflicts over our public lands often involve national monuments, which range from remote marine sanctuaries to millions of acres of red rock desert — all designated with a presidential signature.

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This weekend, Garfield High School will celebrate its centennial. Technically, that 100-year mark happened two years ago, but because of the pandemic, that celebration was delayed until this coming Saturday, Aug. 27.

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It can be hard in 2022 to look at climate issues and not feel despair. But across the country, communities are persevering through our new climate reality.

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The City and County of Spokane have seen an unprecedented number of gun removals so far this year. And while there are different reasons a person can have firearms removed from their home, some of this increase appears to be driven by a change in how courts are treating domestic violence protection orders.

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August Wilson's "Century Cycle," comprised of ten plays detailing and exploring the life of African Americans throughout the 1900s, is famously set in his hometown of Pittsburgh. But for the last 15 years of his life Wilson lived in Seattle, drawing inspiration from café windows and conversations at the local IHOP.

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For many, summer road trips are a rite of passage — and a chance to visit weird roadside attractions and eat a lot of fast food. But for a few Snohomish residents, their road trip came with a mission.

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When schools shut down at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Congress put aside just over $13 billion in grant money for state educational agencies. New rounds of funding were approved in December 2020 and March 2021. But roughly half of the $2.6 billion allocated for schools here in Washington hasn’t been claimed yet, data published by the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction from July shows.

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A new investigation by Kotaku details a "frat house" experience for female game testers at Nintendo of America, testimony that runs against the company's image of family friendly gaming.

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Last week, a new clinic opened its doors in Pioneer Square. The Seattle Indian Health Board's newest center is located on the bottom floor of the new ?ál?al building, which means home in Lushootseed – at the Chief Seattle Club. And with it's creation, people will now be able to receive wraparound services at the club that are all managed and run by Indigenous people.

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Approval voting has a simple premise; vote for anyone you'd like. But after that, it gets a bit more complicated.

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Soundside Producer Jason Burrows spent the weekend at Emerald City Comic Con 2022, and brings us this audiopostcard.

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Some people are trying to help ease displacement in Seattle by organizing communities and chasing grants, in order to build subsidized affordable apartments. But critics warn that we need to increase homeownership opportunities, too.

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If you've heard the show before, you know we often ask for your thoughts about our stories — where they've succeeded and where they can improve. That's because at its core, Soundside is about connecting with our listeners and bringing you stories you care about and journalism that impacts those of us living here in the Pacific Northwest.

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Emerald City Comic Con is back in-person, with attendance projected to climb toward pre-pandemic levels. But not everyone is thrilled about that.

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Running a restaurant has never been an easy business, and these last few years have been especially hard. But FX's new TV drama "The Bear" goes a level deeper than the slim financial margins that can derail a restaurant. The show has been praised for its depiction of the behind-the-scenes chaos that goes on during service.

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At 2:00pm on Saturday the U.S. Coast Guard received a distress call from a commercial fishing vessel named the Aleutian Isle. The vessel was near the San Juan Islands and taking on water. The crew onboard evacuated to a small skiff before being picked up by a good Samaritan, and the Aleutian Isle eventually sank to the sea floor, where it remains today.

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There are lots of forms of renewable energy out there. But Snohomish County is investing in something different — a kind of renewable energy you may not have heard of before. It starts out in the fields of a local dairy farm.

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In 2015, Seattle vowed to end traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2030. Making progres

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This week marks the one year anniversary of the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, following the U.S.’s military withdrawal. Life has changed for most Afghans, including those who fled the country with their families through refugee resettlement programs. Soundside caught up with one advocacy group about what the resettlement process looks like in Washington state, one year later.

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Writer, interdisciplinary artist, and former Seattle Civic Poet Anastacia-Reneé talked to Soundside about her life in Seattle, working to open doors for other artists of color, and how there is still so much more to be done.

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The Marvel film Black "Panther" has a lot to amaze audiences — stunning CGI, a roster of A-List actors. But the finer details that make Wakanda what it is aren't acted, or computer generated. They're sewn together, stitch by stitch, by an entire team off-screen.

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Professional baseball has long been a proving ground for new ways to fool crowds and umpires, From sign stealing to illegal hacking operations to a little extra spit on the ball to get the perfect curve in a pitch. But there's a fine line between innovation and cheating.

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Over one million people in Washington have a mental health condition. In February 2021, almost half of adults in Washington reported symptoms of anxiety or depression. 30% were unable to get needed counseling or therapy. A new coalition announced today by King County Executive Dow Constantine is looking to make a difference in the crisis.

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Seattle voters will decide in November whether to adopt ranked choice voting, approval voting, or to keep the electoral system as is. These new voting methods would only apply to mayoral city council and city attorney elections.

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If you spend any time driving along the coast of Washington, you’ll see Tsunami Escape Route signs leading the way to higher ground. Tokeland, WA is one of the communities in a tsunami risk zone, it's about 30 miles southwest of Aberdeen on the Washington Coast. It's ALSO home to a brand-new tsunami tower.

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This year, your student may walk into their classroom and see something new: their teacher leading a silent prayer. Right now, that's legal. That's due to a decision from the Supreme Court earlier this summer.

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Today, President Biden signed the CHIPS and Science Act. It authorizes $250 billion dollars to subsidize domestic production of semiconductors, and fund research into new semiconductor technology. Supporters of the Act say it will help deal with those supply chain issues, and make the US more competitive against foreign manufacturers. But not everyone's so sure.

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Election workers are still processing and counting ballots from last week's primary election, and some of the early results we saw on election night have shifted. Right now one of the Washington Republicans who voted to impeach President Trump is staring down defeat.

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Summer is a great time to curl up in the park with a good book. It's also a time when we start to thaw a bit from our Seattle freeze and head out to explore everything Washington has to offer. From the Palouse to the Peninsula, we have a lot of landscapes to explore. Those landscapes -- and their histories -- have inspired many of our local authors. Today Soundside speaks with some of your favorite authors about what makes Washington a literary wonderland.

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A new summer flick has entered the canon of great Pacific Northwest love stories, and this one has orcas.

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Last Monday the Biden Administration announced plans to plant more than one billion trees across the western United States to restore forests damaged by climate change. Washington State is already facing a tree seed shortage, and our state's forest nursery is racing to ramp up production.

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Seattle grocery store workers will soon see less money in their paychecks after the Seattle City Council voted to no longer require hazard pay. The move is part of a broader trend in Seattle; even as COVID continues to spread in the community, the city is moving away from some pandemic era policies that have helped people get by.

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You’re listening to Soundside on 94.9 KUOW. But today, we’re talking about a different Seattle radio station.

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Dance is an intimate artform. When the pandemic hit, and in person interaction dwindled, choreographers, dancers, and producers went in search of what they could do without a dance floor, a stage, or an audience.

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Seattle Pacific University is suing Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson over his investigation of SPU's hiring practices.

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Since 2011, Ed Dominguez has been working at Seward Park's Audubon Environmental Learning Center in one capacity or another, and has been the Lead Naturalist since 2018. After a pandemic induced year long hiatus, the center is back open, and Ed is leading groups of budding birders and long time nature lovers through the park.

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It’s August. The hottest, longest-feeling stretch of summer stands before us. It’s hard to imagine going back to school. But in just about a month, students will be returning to the classroom for a new year of learning. And so will their teachers.

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It is primary election day in Washington State, and while we'll have to wait for returns to answer big questions like what will happen to two Republican representatives who voted for impeachment, or who will make it to the general election in the purple 8th congressional district, we can look into voting itself, an act which increasingly seems under threat.

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Communities who live near the low Duwamish River have long experienced the consequences of living next to a Superfind site, including higher rates of asthma and a lower

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The World Health Organization has declared Monkeypox a "public health emergency of international concern." There are now about five thousand confirmed cases in the United States. Here in Washington, there are currently 145 confirmed Monkeypox cases.

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If you needed a Covid test in the past few years, there’s a chance you visited GS Labs. There are five GS Labs locations here in Washington. Typically they’re located in strip malls, and promise quick results and same-day appointments, even when Covid cases are surging. But a new investigation by American Public Media indicates GS Labs didn’t always carry through on those promises.

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At its core, Soundside is about connecting with our listeners and bringing you stories you care about. Interviews, reporting and features that impact our lives here in the Pacific Northwest. And part of that engagement process is asking for your thoughts about our stories -- what we got right, how we can improve. And as often as possible we turn those voicemails and messages into a segment called, "Sound It Out."

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The 7:55am ferry from Vashon to Fauntleroy in West Seattle had a hard landing near the terminal this morning. The boat hit an offshore pillar which crumpled the left end of the ferry.

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The City of Spokane voted to allow “missing middle housing” across the city earlier this month. That means it’s now legal to build duplexes, triplexes, quads and townhomes in all residential areas. KUOW’s Joshua McNichols looked into how that happened, and what kind of competition that sets up for Seattle, which also has a housing shortage.

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We're experiencing record temperatures in the Pacific Northwest this week. In Europe, unprecedented heat is fueling wildfires in Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece, France, and Germany. The new climate reality is here. For many of us, that reality is leading to feelings of hopelessness, stress, and late night doom-scrolling.

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In 2020, wineries in the Pacific Northwest had to rethink how they did business... Because of the pandemic, they couldn't keep their tasting rooms open. Wildfire smoke got into grapes and changed the way their wines tasted, and often not for the better. The supply chain wineries relied on started faltering. And, of course, our summers are getting hotter and drier. So, what does it look like to run a winery when so many elements you rely on are rapidly changing?

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120,000 Japanese Americans were forced into camps by the U.S. government during World War II. Seattle's May Namba became part of a movement to help those interned regain what they'd lost.

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Objects can sometimes tell complicated stories. An old collection of papers might be destined for the recycling, or it might tell us how someone lived and what they loved most. Plant clippings might be a hobby, or they might show a connection to home, the life of a transplant.

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Washington’s primary election is happening right now. This vote will whittle down a big field of candidates for important jobs like – Secretary of State, all state House spots and half of the state Senate positions, congressional seats and a spot in the U.S. Senate. KUOW’s David Hyde is here to walk us through what’s going on.

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The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline launched just over a week ago.

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The average person eats over 100 pounds of chicken every year. That’s more than double what we ate when the USDA first started keeping track in the 70s. And the vast majority of that chicken comes from large poultry producers - think Tyson, Foster Farms, Pilgrim’s Pride.

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Austin Jenkins brings us the latest on the "Guard The Vote" movement, led by an unsanctioned group of citizens ostensibly watching for voter fraud at the ballot box.

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If you've ever taken a walk around Volunteer Park, in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle -- you know that smack dab in the middle of this bustling public space is a pool of water. It's surrounded by a chain-link fence, with a walking path looping around the perimeter, and signs saying 'do not feed the birds'. It's not just a reflecting pool or a lake. It’s a reservoir.

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In recent months Ben Franklin Transit has been considering something unusual: cutting their own funding. In a story that includes busses, taxes, and a Tim Eyman cameo, Soundside dives into what's happening in the Tri-Cities.

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When Starbucks announced last week that that it was closing 16 stores due to what the company described as safety concerns, labor organizers at Starbucks Workers United said they spied a union busting strategy playing out.

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In her novel Fire Season, Leyna Krow weaves together three fictional accounts of life after the Spokane Fire of 1889 - following the grifters, con artists, and incompetent leaders trying to build their reputation and make a quick buck in Spokane.

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The Methow Valley starts at the east end of the Cascades, at the headwaters of the Methow River. It includes the towns of Twisp and Winthrop, as well as the unincorporated community of Mazama. Residents of the valley experience the same four seasons most of us do — spring, summer, fall, and winter. But in the last ten years, a fifth season has crept into Methow Valley life: smoke season.

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In some families, the stories of why and how our ancestors immigrated to the United States are passed from generation to generation like lore. But in others...those stories are packed away and locked shut. Those unspoken conversations around migration inspired poet Ricardo Ruiz to travel back home to eastern Washington, and interview family and friends about their experiences emigrating from Mexico to Washington farming communities.

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The pandemic has changed how and where we work. Maybe permanently.

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Washington state has more than 700 miles of hiking trails in it state parks alone, alongside hundreds more in its national parks and national forests.

With so much room to roam, keeping up with trail maintenance is a daunting task, and organizations like the forest service are constantly fighting a backlog of trail maintenance.

What goes into trail design and upkeep? And what happens when trails are left unattended?

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If you’re a fan of the hit Netflix show Stranger Things, then you know that the fantasy tabletop-role playing game Dungeons & Dragons has come roaring back into the mainstream in the past few years… But for most of its existence, D&D has had a problem.

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Soundside is on summer break, but while we're away, we're bringing you some of our best stories since we launched our show in January. Today: the best of tech.

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Washington state is no stranger to majestic and awe-inspiring wildlife. Think of the orca, the bald eagle, the mighty salmon. But hiding in the cracks of our mountains and our cities lie creatures big and small, loving and annoying.

Today, Soundside looks back on our favorite animal stories and how Washington balances

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“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

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Roughly a third of those experiencing homelessness in the region live in their vehicles. Two new pilot programs will test the viability of supervised safe parking lots for those living in their vehicles, with aims to build a long term solution for homelessness around RVs and other vehicles.

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The Metropolitan King County Council voted this week to change how we vote in King County. Here’s a hint: they want election years to be divisible by two. Voters will decide whether or not this change will be made this November, and Soundside invited Crosscut.com state politics reporter Joseph O’Sullivan and Political Science Professor Todd Donovan to discuss what this means for the county.

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Ballard is a neighborhood in transition. There’s always a new townhouse going up, a restaurant calling it quits, a new, hyper-local apothecary moving in next door. But, among all that change, one establishment has remained for the last century.

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In this second episode of A More Perfect Union, reporters from Spokane Public Radio, Northwest Public Broadcasting, KUOW, and Humanities Washington explore Latinx voting rights and civic engagement in our region.

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Abortion is still legal and protected here in Washington. But last week's Supreme Court decision on abortion rights has big implications for our neighbor to the east: Idaho.

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It's been a busy few days. The Supreme Court's conservative majority has overturned the constitutional right to an abortion, struck a blow to states’ power to regulate guns, and weakened Miranda rights. And hearings on the January 6th insurrection continue at the Capitol.

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While most have been tuned into understanding implications the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade will have on the country, the ruling on another case with local roots, Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, was issued today.

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This weekend brought a mixture of emotions for the LGBTQ+ community in Seattle. For many, it was a return to in-person Pride celebrations - including the first Seattle Pride Parade in downtown Seattle since 2019. But there was a shadow over the festivities.

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At the time of Friday's Supreme Court ruling, 13 states had trigger bans in place waiting to severely restrict or ban abortion services when they go into effect -- most within the first 30 days after the court's decision. As of now, South Dakota, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kentucky and Louisiana have already banned abortion. Here in Washington, abortion is still legal. And Attorney General Bob Ferguson says he's committed to protecting Washingtonians' right to choose.

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We've hit a new milestone in our fight against the pandemic. As of June 21, children under the age of five are finally able to receive a vaccination against COVID-19. KUOW reporter Kate Walters talked to parents getting their young children vaccinated at Seattle Children’s Hospital on the first day that doses were available.

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It's Pride Month. After two years of virtual festivities, in-person parades, concerts, and parties are finally back. Not sure where to start? We got you covered: we're taking you for a tour of Pride events around the Sound.

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“Missing middle housing” is more affordable for people to buy. It’s called the “missing middle,” because while we’ve gotten better at building low-income housing, and the market builds a lot of expensive homes already, there isn’t a lot in the middle. KUOW's Joshua McNichols spoke with University of Washington Architecture students about their ideas to make housing more affordable and more available.

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So far, on the official second day of summer - we're back to the June gloom vibe we’ve been stuck with for most of the spring. Cold, wet, and no sun in sight. But that’s supposed to change soon. It looks like there are 80-plus-degree days coming this weekend. Between the soggy weather, and the sudden shift to summer temperatures: Pacific Northwest gardeners need a pep talk. And Ciscoe Morris is here to help.

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