Soundside

This election season we’re bringing you conversations on all of the statewide initiatives on this November’s ballot.  This week, we’re taking a deep dive into I-2124, it’s the initiative that would give WA voters the option to OPT-OUT of the WA Cares long term services insurance program. Yesterday, we talked to Elizabeth New from the WA Policy Center, who urged listeners to vote YES on I-2124. TOD...

This election season we’re bringing you conversations on all of the statewide initiatives on the November ballot.  Most recently, we looked at both sides of the Capital Gains Tax Repeal.  This week, we’re taking a deep dive into I-2124: it’s the initiative that would give Washington voters the option to OPT-OUT of the WA Cares long term services insurance program. Gov. Inslee signed the bill that...

The world premiere of Jubilee debuted at Seattle Opera with its inaugural performance over the weekend. Jubilee is a new opera honoring the Fisk Jubilee singers, a group of groundbreaking Black American singers from Fisk University, in Tennessee. Soundside's Diana Opong sat down with creator and director Tazewell Thompson, who reflected on how the seeds of the opera Jubilee were sown in his early...

When you think of the wild west, you might imagine a sheriff, keeping watch over a small, dusty town he calls home. And a posse of locals: ready to be called up to fight off cattle rustlers or moonshine smugglers who threaten to cause trouble. It’s hard to imagine something like that now, in 2024 Washington State. But, in Klickitat County, down south on the Columbia River, a sheriff's posse has be...

Since the 1963 Gideon decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, the right to a lawyer has been guaranteed to defendants facing criminal charges – even if they can’t afford to pay.  Advocates say that guarantee is in  jeopardy in our state because of a lack of personnel. Washington State public defenders are in short supply and that’s having cascading effects on the criminal legal system.  The Washington...

Tensions are rising as negotiations between Boeing and the IAM District 751 hit a stalemate. This comes amid a month-long strike, impacting 33,000 workers.  After contract discussions collapsed last week, both sides have traded accusations, leaving the future uncertain. Adding to the conflict, Boeing announced layoffs affecting around 17,000 employees – nearly 10% of its workforce – in a bid to cu...

Among the many races Seattle voters will weigh in on during the upcoming election, there’s a city council seat up for grabs. Current Position 8 Councilmember Tanya Woo is looking to defend against challenger Alexis Mercedes Rinck. While Woo and Rinck try to differentiate themselves down the home stretch, they have at least one thing in common. Both are the latest candidates to take part in an elec...

This year, few Washington races have grabbed as much attention as the one for Commissioner of Public Lands.  The commissioner heads the state Department of Natural Resources, which oversees more than $450 million in revenue and more than 5.5 million acres of public land. The agency is in charge of wildfire preparedness, forest management, and the protection of critical habitat throughout the state...

For decades, the Seattle Children’s Theatre has introduced young people from all over King County to the joy and wonder of live theater.  You can take your little ones to their first play or musical like “Cat Kid Comic Club,” or maybe an interactive dance performance.  There’s a lot going on there each year. It’s part of what makes the Children’s Theatre such a beloved institution. The theater is...

Pennsylvania's Three Mile Island is the site of the worst commercial nuclear accident in U.S. history. The nuclear plant near Harrisburg officially closed in 2019, but now, Microsoft is making a deal to restart the facility and buy all of its electricity for the next 20 years. How likely is this to actually happen? And what does this say about the future of energy and tech?  Guests: Evan Halper, b...

The Seattle School District is now planning to close just 5 schools next year. That’s down from the 21 possible closures the district had proposed earlier. The district has been teasing school closures for months as a part of its “Well Resourced Schools” plan. Seattle Schools faces a $94 million dollar budget deficit and Superintendent Brent Jones proposed closing schools to help cover that gap. A...

Since Hamas militants attacked Southern Israel on October 7, taking roughly 1200 lives, and capturing hundreds of hostages, the Israeli military has responded with overwhelming force in Gaza. Bombs and other military actions have killed nearly 42,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Most of the homes , businesses, schools and mosques in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed – and...

How can personal tragedy inspire the most unlikely of people to become activists? This question is at the heart of Norita , a new documentary screening Oct. 8 at the Seattle Latino Film Festival. Norita takes a moving look at the life and journey of an Argentinian woman, Nora Cortiñas. She was a mother who became caught in the crosshairs of Argentina’s military dictatorship, which stretched from 1...

The Seattle area gets a bad rap for its “frosty” social climate.  But how can that be true when we live with so many “best friends” ? Furry ones, at least. There are more dogs than children in the city.  With all those canines sharing space, things can get a bit tense. Complaints run rampant about dog behavior in public, businesses that do or don’t allow animals, and, of course, politeness when pi...

One year ago, Hamas militants killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel and took hundreds more hostage.  Israel’s military response has killed more than 41-thousand Palestinians in Gaza. The Gaza Health Ministry says more than half were women and children.  A second front has opened in southern Lebanon, where the Israeli military has been bombarding Iran-backed Hezbollah… which began firing roc...

In June, the U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy declared gun violence a public health crisis. "Gun violence has become the leading cause of death among kids and teens," Murthy said. "That was not true a decade or two decades ago, but it is true today." And like many other communities across the country – Seattle is feeling the ripple effects of this crisis.  First Response  — a new series from Cas...

When you go to vote this November, it won’t just be for President or Governor. You’ll also be voting on a group of initiatives - and these things are complicated. So we’re breaking all of them down here on Soundside this election season. And this week, we’re turning to I-2109: aka, the measure that seeks to Repeal the Capital Gains Tax. Passed by the legislature back in 2021, the tax took effect t...

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month -- a chance to educate people about the disease and the importance of high-quality care. Public awareness of breast cancer has greatly improved over the past few decades. For a long time, people diagnosed with the disease tended to keep their experiences to themselves. That’s why it was groundbreaking, 30 years ago, when NPR health reporter Joanne Silberner...

When tech companies began announcing advanced artificial intelligence systems like ChatGPT, there was widespread enthusiasm. AI was going to make mundane jobs more efficient; it was going to reshape entire industries and creative processes; and it was going to free up time for humans to do things that were, well, more human – things like creating art.  But in the last few years, it’s been artists...

When you go to vote this November, it won’t just be for President or Governor. You’ll also be voting on a group of state initiatives - and they’re complicated.  We’re breaking all of them down here on Soundside this election season. And this week, we’re turning to I-2109: aka, the measure that seeks to Repeal the Capital Gains Tax. Passed by the legislature back in 2021, the tax took effect two ye...

The Yakama Nation has found it nearly impossible to access $32 million in a promised federal grant for an irrigation canal conversion project.  The initiative aims to transform old irrigation canals into a solar and small-scale hydropower system, which would lower electricity costs and conserve water in the Yakima Basin. U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell celebrated the project earlier this year for its...

In October of 2019, an 18-year-old walked out of a Seattle police training building with an officer’s personal firearm. It was eventually recovered - but questions remained about how the teen was able to access the firearm in the first place, as well as the quality of security at the training facility. This isn’t the only time an SPD firearm has gone missing. In August, SPD reported 23 missing fir...

The 2024 Seattle Mariner's season wasn't just about disappointment, it was a story about fandom, money, masochism, and, sure, losing a 10 game lead in the AL West. We're breaking down the story lines and commiserating after a long season. Guests: Kate Preusser, managing editor of Lookout Landing and host of Meet at the Mitt podcast Danny O’Neil, author of The Dang Apostrophe , a newsletter on Seat...

This budget cycle, the city is bracing for what could be a contentious debate over how to fund essential services and set priorities for the coming year.  With an estimated $251 million dollar budget shortfall looming, how it will address that gap has become a pressing concern. Early last week, Mayor Bruce Harrell unveiled his office’s plan to tackle the large budget shortfall. Guests: Kevin Schof...

It's time to set aside that uninspired sandwich, or soggy work-from-home salad. You’ll probably also want to cancel any lunch plans you have you have this week, because a new podcast from KUOW and The Seattle Times may convince you to try something new.  Seattle Eats with Tan Vinh is helping listeners find the best bites in Seattle — and beyond.  Soundside caught up with Vinh to find out what insp...