Soundside

In May of 2001, a building on the University of Washington’s Seattle campus went up in flames, in the middle of the night.  It was the work of arsonists. An eco-sabotage group known as the Earth Liberation Front took credit for the attack. For group members, voting and publicly demonstrating wasn't enough to allay their fears of climate catastrophe. The group had three core principles:...

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 Relat...

Revenue in Washington State’s cannabis industry has been declining since it’s peak in 2021. What’s going on? Marijuana farmers say part of the problem is, they have too much pot. Guest:  Aaron Pickus - Media Spokesperson for Washington CannaBusiness Association Michael Dykstra - Mount Baker Homegrown (Marijuana grower based in Bellingham)  Relevant Links:  Oversupp...

Comics publisher Fantagraphics is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. It began as “The Comics Journal” – one of the first magazines that reviewed comics with a critics eye. At the time, it took an adversarial role against the big players in the comic industry: DC and Marvel. It tried to push comics into the realm of art instead of idle time waster for kids. And then it gr...

How much soccer have you been watching these days? For millions of American soccer fans (and probably billions elsewhere), the World Cup has already been memorable: Cabo Verde advancing against the odds, Messi setting records, the U.S. team displaying some world-class offensive magic. In fact ALL of the host countries’ teams – USA, Canada and Mexico – have made it to the knockout...

The 21st Century Road to Housing Act, is kind of like a Washington D.C. unicorn, because it passed on a bipartisan basis. Both Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D) and Rep. Dan Newhouse R) were part of strong majorities supporting the legislation.  The bill is a collection of measures focusing on the supply side of the housing equation: things that might make it easier for prospective owners to buy a hom...

Hiking can be hard. So can trail running. Even harder than both of those? Performing a rescue in the woods.  That’s why Seattle Mountain Rescue is using exoskeleton legs, under the brand name Hypershell, that you can wear on your legs to basically...  help you move .  The hope is that these mechanical legs will help the volunteer rescue team navigate rough terrain and steep in...

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: sports journalist and author of the...

A new estimate for the number of unhoused people in King County is out.  Over the past two years, the new data shows a 9% increase in the homeless population on any given night in King County, and over 18,000 homeless people in the region. One of the standout data points?  The new count also suggests a nearly 11 percent decrease in the number of Indigenous people who are unhoused in our...

Seattle will celebrate Pride this weekend: there's the parade downtown on Sunday and Pride Fest on Broadway in Capitol Hill. It's the culmination of a month of celebrations across the state, including one of the units at the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla. We caught up with one of the organizers of Pride there, which took place earlier this month. Guest:  Jennifer Jaylee, one of...

Our Thursday tradition continues with a big list of all the things to do outside of the Pride & World Cup of it all this weekend... That said, there ARE a ton of Pride & World Cup events, so don't miss out if that's your jam too! LINKS: Trans Pride Seattle   Seattle PrideFest   Seattle PrideFest - Capitol Hill   Seattle PrideFest - Seattle Center   Seattle Pride - Parad...

Has something like this happened to you before?  You’re on a hike with someone, maybe a romantic partner, and you start slowing down, or want to take a break, but your partner wants to push on. Eventually, you’re left behind as your partner goes ahead without you. And this situation has consequences for the relationship. If so, you’re not alone.  The phrase “Alpin...

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 political reporter Jim...

What do you know about Bellingham? Possibly that it’s renowned for its proximity to outdoor activities like skiing, mountain biking, and hiking, or it’s home to Western Washington University and a robust music and craft beer scene.  What about that it has a thriving boomerang throwing community? It’s not only thriving, but world renowned. Western Washington University is sen...

New data from King County shows putting people in housing without preconditions like drug treatment has had some significant benefits .  The report comes from the King County Department of Community and Human Services and shows a decrease in jail bookings among those in permanent supportive housing programs between 2021-2025.  Seattle has been a national leader in using such “ Hous...

As Americans age, they have a few options for care in their later years, like moving in with a family member or into an assisted-living facility.  Or aging in place.... Increasingly, with the assistance of AI.  Steven Blum is a writer from Seattle now based in Austria. He published a piece about his aging father, who lives alone in Seattle and is being monitored through Sensi. ...

The long saga of whether Seattle can or should allow housing to be built near the stadiums in Sodo is ... still going.  This wrestling match has to do with a couple blocks to the south of T-Mobile Park. The debate was restarted in 2025, when the Seattle City Council passed a bill from then-Seattle City Council president Sarah Nelson. It allowed residential use in the small strip of land next...

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 Lewis - Journalist and owner of...

We’ve been having a lot of fun with the World Cup, and with Team USA taking on Australia on Friday at Seattle Stadium, things are going to be BUSY in downtown Seattle…  But, if you’re looking to get out of the city, Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows is here with a bunch of options for your Juneteenth & Father’s Day weekend! LINKS: WORLD CUP - Juneteenth Ma...

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: Melissa Santos Related Links: ...

Have you ever taken a close look at the University Bridge? Specifically those little towers on either side? Earlier this year, depending on which one you looked at, you might have seen a person hanging out. Maybe you waved at her.    That was Vivian Cho. She was one of two people that Seattle picked to serve as this year’s Bridge Artists in Residence.   It’s a progr...

For Sonia Raman, becoming head coach of a WNBA basketball team wasn’t originally in the plans. Sure, she grew up playing the sport. But when her college career ended, she went on to earn a JD/a degree from Boston College Law School. And then, she did what many of us do: she got a regular office job. So how do you go from working for the US Department of Labor, to starting this year as head c...

The green card application process has become more confusing in recent weeks. In May, the Trump administration sent out a memo saying applicants inside the U.S. would need to leave the country and apply from their home country.  The change could have affected tens of thousands of Washington residents, some of whom have waited years to complete the last step to become a U.S. citizen. But then,...

Aurora Avenue North has been the site of escalating gun violence that police say is driven by sex trafficking. Last week, Mayor Katie Wilson, City Attorney Erika Evans, and Council President Joy Hollingsworth held a news conference to announce next steps.  They include using civil orders to take guns away from sex traffickers and closing side streets. Hanging over all of this is whether the c...

Burrowing Shrimp dig into the sand and make tunnels underground. In doing so they kick up about a handful of sand up to the surface everyday, and bury clams and oysters.  That’s a problem for shellfish farmers. Researchers at the University of Washington found a new way to get rid of the pests with the help of concrete vibrators.  Guests:  Jennifer Ruesink,   a biology pr...