Soundside

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April 21 · 16 min
A split view on surveillance in Seattle's South End
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 Thank 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 20 · 28 min
Front Page: Data centers, Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe, 'Aviatrix'
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: 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 Thank 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 20 · 21 min
New documentary '#SKYKING' revisits the 2018 SeaTac plane theft
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 Thank 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 16 · 25 min
The host of 'Adults in the Room' on the impact of the series and what comes next
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 Thank 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 16 · 5 min
Soundside's Weekend Warmup - Mariners, Indoor Plants, SIFF SFF SFF, and more!
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 Thank 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 16 · 9 min
'The Orca Show' brings killer whales, killer cabaret and perimenopause to Intiman Theatre
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 Thank 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 15 · 17 min
Front Page: The Mayors Wilson, Trump endorses in WA congressional race, Belfair tow driver
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. 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 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 Thank 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 15 · 22 min
‘Go Gentle’ blends screwball comedy, romance, and stoic philosophy
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, Bernadette and 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 Thank 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 14 · 31 min
What "Making It" in the PNW indie music scene looked like
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 Thank 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 14 · 18 min
Stop motion film 'Tulip' reimagines Thumbelina in our own backyard
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 Thank 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 13 · 18 min
Rep. Pramila Jayapal on Iran, DHS funding, and U.S. blockade of Cuba
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 Thank 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 13 · 16 min
The legal argument fueling one challenge to the "millionaires tax"
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 Thank 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 13 · 16 min
Front Page: Shelter Housing, World Cup, and Ichiro's Statue
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 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 Thank 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 10 · 21 min
How the United States' travel bans, visa restrictions are shaping this year's World Cup
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 Thank 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 9 · 6 min
Soundside's Weekend Warmup - Mariners, Sumo Wrestling, and D&D!
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 Thank 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 9 · 18 min
What do changes at the US Forest Service mean for the Pacific Northwest?
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 Thank 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 8 · 24 min
Front Page: ICE arrests, Caterpillar bonds and Fred Meyer's handleless bags
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: 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 Thank 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 7 · 2 min
Sounds of the Northwest: Pacific chorus frogs
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 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
April 7 · 30 min
Detained over reoffense concerns on McNeil Island, some face victimization
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 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
April 7 · 20 min
"We tend to feel it first" - WA farmers are facing a fertilizer and fuel shock
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 Thank 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.