Soundside

Yesterday, thousands of Washingtonians dug through the pile of mail sitting on their hallway table. They found their primary ballot - maybe even their voter pamphlet - and took time to vote. Congratulations to all who did. Wear that new “I voted” sticker with pride. Because there were a lot of important things to consider in this year’s primary election: come January we’ll have a new Governor, a n...

Have your friends been canceling on you because they’re sick? Coworkers on prolonged absence because your entire team came down with a bug? Feeling a sniffle yourself lately?  This summer, The CDC says more than a dozen states across the US are seeing “very high” spikes  in COVID cases. But now that we’re a few years past the pandemic, what’s the responsible amount of time to stay home from work,...

It’s track and field week at the Paris Olympics. Yesterday, the women’s 800 wrapped up with Keeley Hodgkinson of Great Britain taking the top spot.  As exciting as an Olympics track event always is, it didn’t compare with nearly 100 years ago, when women were first allowed to run this race . Then, it was a media frenzy.  And not because of the pure awe at elite runner’s abilities. Instead, at the...

The Paris 2024 Olympics are in full swing.  Tomorrow (Wednesday the 7th) is the final day of competition for the artistic swim teams - better known to many by the sport’s old name: synchronized swimming. This is the first time in 16 years that the American team has qualified for the Olympics. And, two members of that team come from right here, in Seattle. They both got their start at the same club...

It’s primary election day. Over a million Washingtonians have already turned in their ballots.   If you’re not one of those early voters, you’re not alone. About 80% of registered voters have opted to wait until the last few hours, if they’re voting at all.  Perhaps it’s procrastination; perhaps you plumb forgot. Maybe you just really prefer casting a ballot in-person on election day , you traditi...

When I say the one percent, what do you think of? Is it the ultrawealthy? A phrase coined during the Occupy Movement? Is it the second wateriest form of milk on the market? This story is about a different group of one percenters, it’s primary election season, after all, and we’re talking about voters who have their ballots rejected in Washington. Over the last decade, around 99 percent of cast bal...

Fueled by dry weather and high temperatures, wildfires across the Northwest have now burned more than 1 million acres.  On Friday, Governor Jay Inslee declared a statewide emergency to unlock more firefighting resources.  As of now, those dozens of fires across Washington and Oregon have put thousands of people under evacuation notice. But for cattle ranchers across the plains of the Northwest int...

Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison and Councilmember Cathy Moore say they have a plan to give the city a new tool to help fight drug trafficking and prostitution.  Last Thursday they introduced a pair of ordinances that would create a number of “safe zones” in the city -- typically called Stay out of Drug Areas (or SODA) and Stay Out of Areas of Prostitution (or SOAP) zones. The legislation hearken...

We’re headed back to Washington’s 3rd Congressional District – which includes the southwest corner of the state, from Long Beach to Mount Adams, and from Yelm down to Vancouver. It’s expected once again to be the site of one of the closest House races in the country – the Cook political report rates it as one of only 22 “tossup” contests in 2024. Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez flipped the seat i...

There has been an onslaught of news in Seattle’s theater community.  Earlier this year, Seattle Rep announced it was laying off the majority of its artistic staff. The non-profit theater’s subscription base is half of what it was before the pandemic. And that isn’t the only change in the theater world: The 5TH Avenue Theatre is shutting down its new works program. ACT Theatre is exploring a merger...

August is right around the corner and that means schools are getting ready for the academic year. While kids are hanging onto a few more weeks of summer, voters are getting ready to determine who will oversee Washington’s public schools.  The incumbent, Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal, is facing some challengers in the primary on August 6.    Guest: Washington State Standard rep...

The scene opens on a dusty street. Weathered wooden buildings with false fronts line either side of the street, as two gunslingers line up at high noon. A lone tumbleweed drifts across the street… which, actually, is the problem we’re here to discuss today.  Tumbleweeds, also known as Russian thistle, are an invasive plant here in the United States. And for people in Central and Eastern Washington...

For generations, native Chinook salmon have made their spring migration up the Columbia River… But over the past few decades, as their population has dwindled, salmon have been overtaken by a non-native species of fish hailing from the East Coast - THE SHAD. Shad runs now number in the millions, while just about 700 thousand native Chinook make the trip up the Columbia each year.  What’s behind th...

The U.S. presidential race has undergone a big transformation.  But has anything changed for Democrats who voted "uncommitted" in Washington state's presidential primary? As the party prepares to nominate Vice President Kamala Harris in a virtual role call vote, an uncommitted delegate says Harris needs to show more separation from President Biden on the war in Gaza before she will earn his suppor...

Each year we can count on the reliable passing of the seasons: the leaves falling in Autumn, winter blooming into spring, and if you’re following tech, the reliable attempt – yet again – at a federal data privacy bill in the U.S. Congress.  Back in April, two Washington legislators – Democrat Senator Maria Cantwell and Republican Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers – announced to much fanfare th...

In a move aimed at curbing street racing, the Seattle City Council recently approved stricter penalties for people who participate in, or are spectators of, the activity.  A blog post by the city specifically noted a street racing event from July of last year as an influence on the legislation. Three people were wounded and one was killed during the race in Capitol Hill, after someone opened fire...

There are 28 candidates running for Governor in the August 6th Primary. So, if you’re a Washington voter and feeling a little overwhelmed, you’re not alone. On Soundside we’re keeping it simple. This week we’re interviewing the top 4 candidates in terms of polling and fundraising. So far, we’ve spoken with Dave Reichert , Bob Ferguson , and Mark Mullet . They all want to replace Democratic Governo...

All this week we're talking to the top polling candidates running for governor in Washington state.  Voters, when you finally crack that August 6th primary ballot envelope open, you will see there are 28 people vying for governor of the Evergreen State, that's a lot so we're talking to the four men who lead the pack in fundraising and polling, and next up is Washington State’s current Attorney Gen...

For the first time in 12 years, there is no incumbent running for Governor in the state. And since Gov. Jay Inslee decided he would not seek a fourth term in office, dozens of candidates have thrown their hat in the ring to replace him. This week I’m talking to the four men who lead the pack in fundraising and polling.  Next on the list, Democratic state Senator Mark Mullet. Mullet represents Wash...

Vice President Kamala Harris is quickly gaining momentum as a potential successor for President Joe Biden in November. But there’s still one major event that will define this year’s Democratic campaign: The Democratic National Convention.  The convention will take place from August 19-22 in Chicago. President Biden, who clinched his primary victories, would typically seize the opportunity to discu...

The political landscape is shifting rapidly this week.  Just days after President Biden announced he would not seek re-election, the Democratic party is getting in line behind the Vice President. According to an Associated Press survey, Vice President Kamala Harris has earned enough delegate support to become the Democratic nominee for President. And now, as she takes center stage, the spotlight o...

For the first time in 12 years, the Governor’s race in Washington is wide open, with no incumbent running. Three-term Governor Jay Inslee is stepping aside, and there are four clear frontrunners to replace him. This week we’ll hear from the men vying to replace Governor Inslee, and first up is Dave Reichert. Reichert formerly served as King County Sheriff and represented Washington’s 8th Congressi...

Public opinion polling. It’s never been more consequential for the direction of our democracy – or more scrutinized. For weeks, journalists, pundits and politicians have debated the available data on the outcomes of a head-to-head rematch between President Joe Biden and former-President Donald Trump.  Those numbers had appeared increasingly troubling for Democrats. And the polling data, in the end...

On Sunday, President Joe Biden announced he would not be running for re-election, and would instead endorse Vice President Kamala Harris. A lot of the news coverage in the last twenty four hours has focused on how party officials from both sides of the aisle are considering the President’s decision to step down from race.  But those aren’t the people who will ultimately be deciding the outcome of...

Vice President Kamala Harris is headed to visit campaign staff in Wilmington, Delaware this afternoon. This of course, comes as she works to consolidate Democratic support for her abbreviated campaign for the party’s presidential nomination.  It once seemed beyond the realm of possibility that President Biden would leave the campaign stage. For weeks he insisted he was up to the task of defeating...