Soundside

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May 7 · 20 min
When will new WA ferries set sail?
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 Thank 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.
May 6 · 25 min
Rep. Jayapal on Iran, ICE funding and progressive Dems vs. establishment Dems
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. Guest Rep. Pramila Jayapal, represents Washington's 7th district Related Links House 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 Thank 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.
May 5 · 32 min
Bassist Melissa Auf der Maur on joining Hole and why she stepped away from music
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. Guest Melissa 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 Links Auf 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 Thank 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.
May 5 · 15 min
Why Washington's credit outlook dropped to 'negative'
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 Thank 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.
May 5 · 15 min
What Stacey Abrams thinks about a recent SCOTUS decision and the Voting Rights Act
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 Thank 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.
May 4 · 19 min
Hiking and camping could look different this year after budget cuts
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 Thank 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.
May 4 · 12 min
Bringing R2-D2 from the screen to real life with Pacific Northwest Droid Builders
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’ Thank 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.
April 30 · 29 min
Rep. Michael Baumgartner on why he supports Trump's approach to the Iran war
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 Thank 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.
April 30 · 4 min
Soundside's Weekend Warmup: Star Wars, Sequim, SEAF!
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 Thank 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.
April 29 · 21 min
Front Page: Tacoma ICE facility, AI tech layoffs, City Council on public drug use
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: 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 Thank 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.
April 29 · 29 min
Ask A Doc: What is perfect skin, anyway?
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 Atlantic The 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 Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
April 28 · 51 min
What does the future of Sound Transit light rail look like in the region?
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 Thank 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.
April 27 · 23 min
Marijuana research may reach new heights as Trump Administration reclassifies medical cannabis
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 Thank 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.
April 27 · 25 min
Front Page: KCRHA, gig worker pay, and high school accessibility aids
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: 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 Thank 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.
April 23 · 22 min
Is it worth it to host the World Cup? It depends.
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? Thank 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.
April 23 · 6 min
Soundside's Weekend Warmup - Indie Bookstore Day, The Carnival of Cocktails, and the Seattle Torrent's final game of the season!
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! Thank 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.
April 22 · 28 min
The PNW-India relationship, from Cosmic Crisp apples to tech
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 Thank 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.
April 22 · 19 min
Front Page: UW investigated, data center drama, and pickleball pushback
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: 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 Thank 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.
April 21 · 13 min
American healthcare workers consider careers north of the border
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 Thank 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.
April 21 · 20 min
One Medical, a new lawsuit and Amazon's ambitions for health care
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 Links Amazon’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. Thank 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.