Soundside

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 unfai...

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 sh...

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 Rela...

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 | Seattl...

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 tech...

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 Geekw...

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: Paul Queary - Editor and Publisher a...

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 negotiation...

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...

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...

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...

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 ov...

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 Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, yo...

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 Megatr...

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.&nb...

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 - journalist and host of C...

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 fro...

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 througho...

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 Jim Bru...

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 p...

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 stu...

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 sho...

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 Ye...

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 k...

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 Cr...