Soundside

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March 23 · 13 min
Hear It Again: Seattle's first Thai coffee shop
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 Thank 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.
March 19 · 5 min
Soundside's "Weekend Warmup" for Mar 19-22
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 Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 18 · 18 min
Front Page: Mayor Wilson making policy waves, DHS funding is still up in the air, and Venezuela stuns in the World Baseball Classic
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: 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 Thank 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.
March 18 · 14 min
Meet Brandi Fullwood, the new host of Seattle Eats!
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 Thank 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.
March 18 · 24 min
Meet the Seattle nonprofit working to help trans people relocate to Washington
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 Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 17 · 16 min
Renters, pretty soon your lease could say if you're at risk of flooding
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 Thank 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.
March 17 · 10 min
Former WA congressional candidate turned Trump official resigns in protest of Iran war
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’ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 17 · 24 min
Author says diversity efforts need to change in the wake of DEI
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 Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 16 · 21 min
Front Page: Soundside listeners sound off about the Millionaire's Tax, the potential return of the Sonics, and a Golden night at the Oscars
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: 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 Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 16 · 35 min
A privacy advocate reflects on 30 years of fighting the good (digital) fight
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 Thank 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.
March 12 · 6 min
Soundside's "Weekend Warmup" - 3/12-15
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 Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 12 · 13 min
Soundside's 2026 Oscars Preview!
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 Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 11 · 12 min
Peptides are everywhere. What are they?
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 Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 11 · 17 min
Teenage girls keep tearing their ACLs. It doesn't have to be that way.
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- Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 10 · 28 min
A ferry ride and an unsettling offer launches us into the new novel, "Whidbey"
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 Links Somebody 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- Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 10 · 22 min
The push to protect polyamorous families in the Puget Sound
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 Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 10 · 23 min
Congressman Adam Smith on war with Iran
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 Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 9 · 25 min
Front Page: Gas Prices, the Millionaire's Tax, Daylight Savings Time, and the Opera
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: 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 Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 6 · 4 min
Soundside's "Weekend Warmup" - 3/5-8
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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 5 · 17 min
Anthropic–Pentagon contract dispute raises questions about AI's use in the military
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 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.