Soundside

If you didn’t know, we are in the middle of an El Niño. Scientists say it has the potential to be one of the strongest in recent years.  This is the weather pattern in the Pacific Ocean that periodically pushes warm water toward the West Coast.  El Niños cause all kinds of problems, including worsening Washington droughts. And they can be a real pain for the region&rs...

Long summer nights with the Mariners on the radio are a rite of passage in the Pacific Northwest.  This weekend the team is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and whether you grew up with the M’s as a kid during the glory days of Ken Griffey Jr. in the Kingdome, just started following as the Big Dumper was breaking records last season, or stuck with the team, faithfully, through a 20 yea...

Should the president of Seattle’s teachers union keep her position?  That’s the question on the minds of many local teachers and parents. Last week, parents of a student of Ibijoke Idowu began the process of pursuing a civil lawsuit against the teacher and the district, claiming she had physically harmed their child. This follows a Seattle Public Schools investigation, released in...

Police took a 15-year old into custody in connection to a mass shooting at the Seattle Center that left three dead and several others injured. Police later said that 15-year old had a “ghost gun." This refers to a type of firearm that’s often assembled at home and manufactured without a serial number.  In charging documents, prosecutors allege the teenager fired into the crowd. Po...

We are officially deep into a Pacific Northwest summer: we’ve already experienced wildfire smoke, 90 degree temperatures and for the unlucky amongst us, you may have also have seen small black ants crawling across your kitchen counters and floors. I’m talking about odorous house ants. So named because of the smell they emit when they are squished (I won’t say by who). These littl...

The Washington state Clemency and Pardons Board hears cases of people currently incarcerated and makes recommendations to the governor for commutations.  These recommendations can allow someone to leave prison before their sentence is completed. In Washington state law, someone’s case would need to be “extraordinary” in order to qualify.  Last year, the board heard a li...

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: Mike Carter, senior reporter on the...

17 large wildfires continue to burn across Washington state. In Spokane, three major fires sparked on Saturday, collectively burning over 8,000 acres and 700 structures. 67,000 people are under evacuation orders. KUOW reporter Paige Browning joined Soundside with the latest. Guest: KUOW reporter, newscaster, and Seattle Now host Paige Browning Related stories: More than 700 to 1,100 structures los...

The future of Washington’s new “millionaires tax” is at stake this election season. And not JUST the ballot measure asking voters to weigh repealing the tax in November. The justices on the state Supreme Court will decide a separate legal challenge to that historic measure.   In a highly unusual scenario: five of the court’s nine seats are up for election this fal...

Here’s a number for you: 108,170. That is the number of times immigration enforcement has attempted to look up a Washington license plate number and been denied since November of last year.  That number comes from the state and it’s one that Governor Bob Ferguson has been touting, citing the value of guarding resident’s data from the federal government.  While the numbe...

As we do EVERY Thursday, Soundside has your list of all the best ways to decompress this weekend...  LINKS:  Cinema Therapy LIVE! THE PRINCESS BRIDE ECSFF - Short Film Festival Michael Mann's Manhunter: The Final Cut Lake City Summer Festival & Parade Kite Festival | Pierce County, WA Seattle Paddle Rave U-District Boba Fest Seafair Weekend Festival 2026 Magnolia Summerfest Flock Fib...

Police have one 15-year-old suspect in custody in connection to the mass shooting at Seattle Center on Sunday. Earlier this week, a King County Superior Court Judge found probable cause for three counts of first-degree assault and a single count of second-degree illegal possession of a firearm.  The suspect remains in juvenile detention. An arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, where the def...

People in Seattle are still processing a mass shooting on Sunday that left three dead.  It happened on the final day of the Bite of Seattle, a lively food festival that draws thousands of attendees every year.  A day after the shooting, Arron Murphy-Paine helped organize a vigil at the Seattle Center, where the shooting happened.  His son, Amarr Murphy-Paine, was shot and killed out...

More information is still emerging about the Seattle Center shooting. For now, we know that police have said they believe at least two people participated in the shooting. Police have one suspect in custody, who is just 15 years old. Police have also claimed the shooting could be gang-related. The alleged suspect’s age furthers concerns about Seattle-area youth and gun violence. Earlier this...

We’re continuing our coverage of Sunday’s shooting at Seattle Center, where three people were killed and several more wounded.  A 15 year old suspect is in custody.  Police say they believe a 19 year old who is one of the deceased was also involved in the shooting. Seattle's mayor, and chief of police, held a press conference during the noon hour about the investigation. Gues...

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: Marcus Harrison Green, founder of th...

Wanna go see a movie?  We could check out what’s playing at The Beacon…. Or  Majestic Bay…  …. Or….  We could pop by the old QFC on 15th Avenue on Capitol Hill.  That’s where a local community group has been hosting movie nights for the past few months.  This QFC stands for the “Quality Film Club.” It convenes every...

Seattle’s Comprehensive Plan has hit a snag.  The plan is the set of zoning changes that plans the city’s future growth – the current one in the works outlines a lot more housing density in the city. State law requires such a plan be in place, but Seattle’s has been delayed by administrative appeals from two groups.   On Wednesday, we spoke with Seattle counc...

Hi friends, another weekend is upon us with PLENTY to go and see and do. LINKS: Timber! Outdoor Music Festival - Carnation, WA 4 Days Of Aloha - Vancouver, WA Redmond Derby Days - Redmond, WA Renton River Days - Renton, WA Bite of Seattle - Seattle Center Kaiser Permanente Seafair Torchlight Run 2026 Alaska Airlines Seafair Torchlight Parade 2026 SIFF Film Center - Horsegirls CID Food Walk | Seatt...

It’s a war of definitions, and Kalshi just lost a battle. On Monday, a King County Superior Court judge issued a preliminary injunction against the “prediction market” company. Judge John McHale found Washington state is likely to succeed in proving Kalshi is actually an online gambling site. Those are illegal here in Washington. The lawsuit was brought by Attorney General Nick B...

The economics behind the most popular video games are, in a word, staggering.  Case in point: Grand Theft Auto 6 is slated to be released later this year, and according to IGN, it made $260 MILLION dollars during the first week of pre-orders. Some analysts estimate that the game could rake in about 5 BILLION dollars during its launch week. But don’t expect to have a hard copy to cherish...

Haven’t heard about Seattle’s comprehensive plan recently?  Well, the city council is supposed to be working on it, but the process is on hold because of appeals.    Just to catch you up: The comprehensive plan is a set of zoning changes that are supposed to be a blueprint for future growth. It’s required by state law. It usually means allowing more housing density...

Here on Soundside, we're covering Washington’s most competitive races ahead of the Aug. 4 primary election.  Historically, one of the tightest in the state is the 3rd Congressional District in Southwest Washington. This area includes Clark, Cowlitz, Lewis, Pacific, Wahkiakum and Skamania Counties. It also covers a small part of Thurston County. It’s one of the few swing districts...

State regulators are still investigating the Nippon Dynawave Packaging plant to see what went wrong and whether the catastrophe that killed 11 workers in Longview could have been prevented.  The investigation is expected to be concluded by the end of the year ans it’ll determine whether the facility could face penalties or even criminal charges. It will also likely face civil lawsuits o...

After a lull earlier this year, we’re seeing a surge of immigration arrests in recent weeks across the U.S.  In the wake of two fatal shootings by ICE agents this month, the Trump administration has issued conflicting policies about how officers will conduct arrests. Fears of detainment and deportation remain high among immigrants – especially in Washington’s agricultural co...