Soundside

The forecast for the weekend is sunshine & 80 degrees, so Soundside producer Jason Megatron Burrows wants YOU to get outside & DO STUFF!! LINKS: MARINERS - Fri/Sat/Sun - vs Tampa Bay Edmonds Block Party West Seattle Glass Float Hunt Ananda Mela Coupeville Arts & Crafts Festival WA Midsummer Renaissance Faire! Jacques ze Whipper Secret Show Festival At Mt Si Sundae Runday Tunnel Maratho...

Happy post-election day to all those who celebrate! Maybe you're the type who eagerly awaits each wave of results, or maybe it's something you've already forgotten about. Regardless, pat on the back to everyone who made the time to turn in a ballot.  Now... we might make you question the way you formed your decisions -- especially if you asked ChatGPT, Gemini or Grok for elections information...

For 12 years, researchers in Washington and British Columbia have been tracking down a mystery.  Along the Pacific coast, sea stars were dissolving into goo. This phenomenon was given a name: sea star wasting disease and it killed billions of these marine creatures.  For more than a decade, scientists studied the wasting disease but couldn’t figure out why it was happening.  A...

If you’ve spent much time on social media here in Washington, you’ve likely seen a headline like this one: Office Workers Secretly Waiting for Landing Seaplane to Decapitate Paddleboarder That gem comes from “The Needling,” which describes itself as Seattle’s only real fake news. It’s the comedy creation of Lex Vaughn, the site’s founder and editor since 2...

It’s primary election day. If you fail to perform that most sacred civic duty of a free democracy, you won’t be alone. In fact, you’re in the majority. King County expects that just 35% percent of registered voters will send in a ballot for this primary. Is it fair when so few voters make decisions for everyone else?  Guest:  Zoltan Hajnal, professor of political scienc...

When Governor Bob Ferguson’s chief strategy officer, Mike Webb, left his position in March, Ferguson said in a statement, quote, “I wouldn’t be governor without Mike.” Webb resigned after allegations surfaced of a hostile work environment. Ferguson told the Washington State Standard that he takes allegations against a team member seriously, quote “no matter how close...

Yes, we’re talking about tariffs again.  Many of the world’s countries are awaiting the impact of new American tariffs, which are slated to take effect on Thursday. One country, however, is experiencing it now. The Trump Administration bumped up tariffs on Canadian goods to 35%, and that new rate went into effect on Friday. Trump said he made the change, in part, because of Canada...

For over 60 years the quiz game show Jeopardy has been a beloved part of people’s lives. Washington native Ken Jennings says, growing up, the show sparked his love of trivia. It’s a passion that led him to a 74 game winning streak in 2004, and a victory at the Greatest of All Time tournament – so we can officially call him The GOAT. Eventually, he even won the title of “hos...

The Western United States is in the midst of fire season. Here in Washington, the Burdoin Fire in the Columbia Gorge has burned more than 10,000 acres. The Bear Gulch Fire on the peninsula has closed portions of Olympic National Park. Leading up to this summer, governors and lawmakers raised concerns about cuts to the US Forest Service, which fights wildland fires. Brooke Rollins is head of the US...

It’s not just your imagination: Matcha is actually getting harder to track down these days.   The green drink has become a hot commodity in the past few years, blowing up on TikTok and taking up more real estate on your favorite coffee shop’s menu. Japan’s tea industry has struggled to keep pace with the fervor. There’ve been reports of a global shortage and price...

Do you hear that sound? It’s a bird, it’s a plane… Wait, yep, that is DEFINITELY  a plane, because the Blue Angels are practicing. Which reminds me, Seafair Weekend is here! Let’s get the skinny on all the things to do with Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows!! LINKS: SEAFAIR WEEKEND FESTIVAL Hydroplane Races Car Show Blue Angels Fleet Week SPORTS!! Mariners vs...

The Seattle City Council confirmed 14 members to the Renters’ Commission on Tuesday, following a controversial delay after Councilmembers Rob Saka and Sara Nelson failed to show up for a previous vote on Commission appointments.  Their absence forced an unusual cancellation of the vote because the housing committee didn’t reach quorum. Some people think this was influenced by an e...

The NEW AGE movement isn't just about crystals, suburban yoga studios, dubious medical cures and positive affirmations – though there’s plenty of all of that to be found on YouTube.   The concept of changing your mindset, accessing a higher spiritual power or vibration – and ushering in a utopia is a powerful and enduring promise that emerges again and again in America.&nbsp...

What does the Northwest sound like to you?  Is it the tide rolling over a rocky beach? The wind across the Palouse? A ferry horn echoing across the Puget Sound? On Soundside, we occasionally ask field recordists about their iconic sounds of northwest.   Today, we'll hear from acoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton, also known as the Sound Tracker. He brought a recording from inside a driftwoo...

When you get on the bus, do you think about the driver behind the wheel?  If you rode the 8 bus recently, your driver might have been Desiree Andersen, otherwise known as @desinthepark . During her more than two years driving, she also went to grad school for social work. That helped give her extra insight into the needs of the people she drives.  And she shared those insights on Ti...

A policy change from the Trump Administration could fundamentally change the federal government’s relationship with climate change. The proposal, announced on Tuesday, would overturn the Environmental Protection Agency’s  "endangerment finding” – which, in 2009, determined that greenhouse gases are harmful to people and the environment. It's the basis for emissions reg...

Summer is a great season for adventures with your favorite pup. The sun is shining. The lakes are glistening. The grass is only partially dead.  But – just like your human kids, furry members of the family need you to keep a watchful eye out for warm-weather hazards Soundside called in an expert here to help. GUEST: Seattle Humane Society Senior Veterinarian Dr. Lauren Restis RELATED LI...

People are clucking about the Little Red Hen. The cherished country music bar in Green Lake could close at the end of July, after nearly 100 years in business.  The Little Red Hen first opened its doors in 1933 in Phinney Ridge, before moving to Green Lake. Today the bar’s a community hub where customers line dance, sing karaoke and enjoy bluegrass jam sessions.  Fun fact, it was a...

The Trump Administration is attempting to revamp homelessness policy in the United States. Late last week, the president signed an executive order that, among other things, ends federal support for policies that employ the “housing first” model. It also calls for an increase in involuntary commitments for people with mental health conditions or substance use disorders. The order aims t...

Something interesting happened – or rather, didn’t happen – last week at a Seattle City Council committee meeting.  There was supposed to be a vote on member appointments to the Seattle Renters’ Commission. That commission has seats for 15 members but currently only has five.  The vote didn’t happen. That’s because Council President Sara Nelson and Cou...

New research published in the Journal of Comparative Psychology documents multiple cases of wild orcas across different oceans – apparently trying to share their prey with humans.  KUOW's Gabriel Spitzer talked with Jared Towers about this research. Towers is the executive director of Bay Cetology, a team of marine biologists based in Alert Bay, British Columbia. He’s one of the a...

Soundside Producer Jason Burrows here... Libby Denkmann is ON VACATION, and speaking of enriching one's life and existence by engaging in fulfilling activities outside of the work environment, here's the big list of all the cool stuff you can do this weekend: LINKS: Seafair Torchlight Run 2025 Seafair Torchlight Parade 2025 Bite of Seattle Children's Film Festival Seattle 2025 Renton River Days Ur...

Change is coming to our cryptocurrency market. Last Friday, President Trump signed the GENIUS Act, the country’s first major cryptocurrency law.  It will create a regulatory framework for stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency that’s value is tied to assets like the U.S. dollar. Supporters say the bill will  modernize our financial system , but others say the legislation won&r...

The Seattle School Board is extending the search for a new superintendent, past the original deadline to hire someone by the fall. That means the district will not have a permanent leader when its roughly 50,000 students come back in the fall.  We review why the school board wants more time for the search, and what that delay means for students, teachers and parents.  Editor's Note: KUOW...

Last week, well-known labor organizer Alfredo Juarez Zeferino – nicknamed Lelo – announced he would “voluntarily depart” after being held for months in Tacoma’s ICE processing center. KUOW Race, Identity, and Immigration Reporter Gustavo Sagrero Álvarez was there when Zeferino’s lawyer told supporters outside the ICE facility what Lelo had decided. Guest:...