Soundside

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 c...

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,...

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 c...

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 pr...

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...

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: Soundside Producer Maleeha Syed Rela...

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 Progr...

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...

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...

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. Note: Microsoft is a financial supporter of...

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 th...

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/soun...

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 erupte...

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 Chase Hutchinson, film critic and jou...

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...

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 N...

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...

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...

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...

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 ha...

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...

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,...

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 journal...

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...

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 count...