Soundside

Two candidates are running to represent Southeast Seattle, including Beacon Hill, the Chinatown-International District, Columbia City, and Rainier Beach. The District 2 seat was left vacant earlier this year when former City Councilmember Tammy Morales left the role. It’s being temporarily filled by Interim Councilmember Mark Solomon, but he’s going to step aside once voters decide which candidate they want to represent their community.  The current candidates for District 2 are campaigning on platforms that prioritize key issues, like gun violence, housing and homelessness. We'll dig into the ways they differ so you can make an informed decision when you reach for your ballots.   Guests: Adonis Ducksworth, the communications and policy advisor at the Seattle Department of Transportation Eddie Lin, an assistant attorney for the Seattle City Attorney’s office Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We open this weekend's warmup with a fun chat about the TASVEER FILM FESTIVAL.  Soundside's Libby Denkmann spoke with Tasveer Executive Director Rita Meher about what everyone can expect for this year's festival, and what exciting things they've got coming soon! Then producer Jason Burrows takes it away with the standard issue warmup. LINKS: Tasveer Film Festival SPORTS! Mariners vs Tigers - Game 5 - Fri 10/10 5:08p Seattle Reign - Fri 10/10 vs Bay FC UW Husky Men’s Football - FRI 10/10 vs Rutgers Seattle Sounders - SAT 10/11 vs Real Salt Lake Seattle Kraken - Sat 10/11 vs LV Golden Knights Love Letters writing workshop Roller Boogie at Pier 66 2025 Cascadia Poetry Festival 9 Cider 'n' Gold HAUNTED - Tacoma Art Museum Seattle Meowtropolitan  - Pumpkin Carving Halloween Train Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vocal pro-Palestinian protests have been happening within one of the Seattle area’s biggest industries. Groups of tech workers at various companies have campaigned to end their employer’s relationships with the Israeli government. One such group, called No Azure for Apartheid, has occupied the Microsoft campus and disrupted corporate events.   Guests: Hossam Nasr - former Microsoft employee and organizer with No Azure for Apartheid Relevant Links: The Guardian: Microsoft blocks Israel’s use of its technology in mass surveillance of Palestinians Geekwire: Inside the Microsoft protests: Fired engineer speaks out on Palestine, Israel, AI, and big tech KUOW: Microsoft employees protest company’s contract with Israeli intelligence organization   Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The news hit like a gulp of bitter cold brew: Seattle-based Starbucks announced last month the company would be closing hundreds of stores and laying off another 900 corporate employees.  Tuesday, October 7th, it was reported that another 369 employees will be laid off here in Washington State in December due to store “closures.” This follows a restructuring plan laid out by CEO Brian Niccol. Here to walk us through the latest out of SBUX HQ is Heather Haddon. She covers restaurants for the Wall Street Journal, and has been following this story all year. GUEST: Heather Haddon RELATED LINKS:  Starbucks’s Roller Coaster Week of Job Cuts and Store Closures Starbucks to Close Stores, Lay Off 900 More Corporate Employees   Has Your Starbucks Barista Been Acting Especially Friendly Lately? Here’s Why.   Message from Brian: An Important Update - About Starbucks  Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today marks two years since Hamas and several other Palestinian militant groups carried out multiple coordinated attacks in Israel - killing over a thousand people. Around 250 Israelis were taken hostage.  It was a day of unconscionable atrocities and hatred. And war has only made the horrors grow. Israel’s military campaign has killed more than 66,000 Palestinians, according to the United Nations. Last month the United Nations Human Rights Commission declared that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. Locally we see a lot of activism around America’s support for Israel and American business’  involvement in Israel and Gaza.  But, what do things look like inside Israel right now? And will a ceasefire, if it happens, or the return of hostages, change the picture in Israel? Guest: Liora Halperin is a Professor of International Studies and History, and Distinguished Endowed Chair of Jewish Studies, at the University of Washington, and she’s the Director of the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Near and Middle Eastern Studies. Related stories: Israel at War With Itself - NYT Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wildfire smoke is deadly and getting deadlier. A recent study published in Nature estimates that if warming continues at the current rate, smoke exposure could kill 70,000 Americans a year by 2050… and researchers expect that Washington could feel some of the biggest impacts.  Some researchers say the study points to some of the strongest evidence so far that climate change is endangering people in the United States. Smoke pollution can cause coughing and throat irritation, but it can also lead to long-term respiratory and heart issues.  The West Coast in particular is expected to see the biggest increases in smoke pollution.  So we’re bringing you another “ask a doctor” segment, where we ask medical professionals to give us the information we need to stay healthy.  GUEST: Dr. James Wallace, a family medicine physician and the health officer for Okanogan County.  RELATED LINKS:  Wildfire Smoke Will Kill Thousands More by 2050, Study Finds The Fifth Season — Clean Air Methow Telling the story of wildfire smoke risks Washington Smoke Blog Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a bid to make progress on homelessness during the pandemic, Seattle began housing people in a shelter at the Civic Hotel, just a few blocks from the Space Needle. The space offered wraparound services and, unlike some other shelters, didn’t require its clients to be sober.  And all in all, it seemed like things were going pretty well. Then Seattle stopped sending people there. Rooms were empty, despite the fact that the city had committed millions of dollars to keep using the building. A new investigation digs into why the city stopped using the Civic Hotel… and the complicated journey to finding a replacement.  Guest: Ashley Hiruko, an investigative reporter at KUOW and a fellow with ProPublica.  Related stories:  KUOW - Seattle paid for shelter beds that it left vacant despite a massive need for housing Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes. Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seattle Public Schools have only been back in session for about a month, but it’s already been a busy year for the district.  We wanted to get caught up on what’s been happening, so we reached out to Interim Superintendent Fred Podesta for a conversation last week.  We talked with him about school lunch protests, the budget, and a proposed pilot program to bring a school engagement officer back to one Seattle high school.  Guest Fred Podesta, interim superintendent, Seattle Public SchoolsThank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week renowned primatologist Jane Goodall died at the age of 91.  Goodall spent 65 years studying wild chimpanzees in Tanzania. Her work showed that chimpanzees make and use tools, and have emotions, empathy and their own culture. She changed our understanding of the world around us.  But it went far beyond just that - in her later life Goodall was an advocate: for conservation, human rights, animal welfare, and a number of other issues.  Myron Shekelle is a primatologist and senior instructor at Western Washington University. And he previously worked with Goodall - he assisted with founding the Jane Goodall Institute in Singapore. Guest: Myron Shekelle, is a primatologist and senior instructor at Western Washington University Related stories: WWU primatologist spearheaded campaign to nominate Jane Goodall for Nobel Peace Prize - Cascadia Daily News Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re talking about the future of a big job today: King County Executive.Whichever candidate is elected to this position will oversee the sheriff’s department, manage public health, transportation, public housing, and jails… according to the King County website, they’ll lead one of the largest regional governments in the United States. The last time we had an open race for King County Executive, Barack Obama was about to become President. And everyone was talking about some new Washington-based movie called “Twilight.” Today, two county leaders are vying for the job. Guests: Claudia Balducci is a member of the King County Council. She represents District 6, which includes Bellevue, Mercer Island, and Redmond. She is an attorney who previously served as Mayor of Bellevue, she was a Bellevue city council member, and Director of the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention for King County. Girmay Zahilay is chair of the King County Council, representing District 2, which includes Skyway, Allentown, and the University District. He’s also an attorney and founded the non-profit Rising Leaders, which offers mentorship and leadership training for middle school students. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Major League Baseball playoffs started this week and the Mariners, once again, did not take the field.  But this year, that’s actually a good thing.  Your Seattle Mariners finished on top of their division for the first time in nearly a quarter century and have a first round bye in the playoffs. The team’s first ALDS game is Saturday.  It has been an absolute rollercoaster of a season. Cal Raleigh led the charge and put up an impressive 60 home runs in the regular season.  He’s one of the favorites to win the American League MVP.  The M’s have had a few new faces join the team, notably trade deadline acquisition Josh Naylor, and the vibe got a shot in the arm as the team brought Geno Suarez back…  The last time the Seattle Mariners won the American League West pennant, Ichiro was in his rookie year, the team won 116 games, and a guy named Dan Wilson was the catcher.  Dan Wilson is NOW the Manager of the M’s, and he’s led the team to their first AL West championship since 2001. He sat down with Soundside host Libby Denkmann Thursday morning. GUEST: Mariners Manager Dan Wilson RELATED LINK: Official Seattle Mariners Website Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We didn't have time on the broadcast, but don't worry... Soundside producer Jason Megatron Burrows has all the events for you to enjoy this weekend. LINKS: Oktoberfest Northwest - Washington State Fair Event Center Oktoberfest - Leavenworth Washington OktoBEARfest - Woodland Park Zoo 2025 Tacoma Greek Festival  OysterFest The Northwest Chocolate Festival U District Chow Down & Street Party HAUNTED HOUSES: Haunted Forest of Maple Valley Nile Nightmares Haunted House - Mountlake Terrace Georgetown Morgue - SoDo My Haunted Forest - Kitsap Stalker Farms - Snohomish Maris Farms Haunted Woods | Haunted Adventure in Buckley, WA Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who is an apology for? The answer is more obvious when the person you’re apologizing to is standing in front of you. You want their forgiveness. Or for them to feel better. Or for you to feel better. But when the people who were hurt, or those who hurt them, are long gone – what does apologizing actually accomplish? That’s one of the questions behind a recent essay in the New Yorker. It’s called “The Ritual of Civic Apology,” by Beth Lew-Williams. Lew-Williams is a Professor of History and Director of the Program in Asian American Studies at Princeton University. She begins her essay by recounting a talk she gave in Tacoma, a few years ago. It was about the forced expulsion of Tacoma’s Chinese residents in November 1885. And the city’s attempts to apologize for it, generations later. Guest: Beth Lew-Williams is Professor of History and Director of the Program in Asian American Studies at Princeton University. Her new book “John Doe Chinaman: A Forgotten History of Chinese Life under American Racial Law” published in September of this year Related stories: The Ritual of Civic Apology - The New Yorker Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes. Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s finally fall, which means the return of colorful flannels, blundstones, and the occasional raincoat. These are the clothes that have come to define Seattle fashion… which, if you haven’t heard, is bad. That’s at least according to a longheld stereotype about our city’s aesthetic.  People like to make fun of the way Seattle-ites dress. They’ve labeled our fashion sense as Normie. Uninspired. Boring.  We’re asking two local fashion experts to weigh in on whether Seattle is an unstylish city… or if locals just earned a bad rap in their attempt to stay warm and dry.   Guest: Clara Berg, a fashion historian and Curator of Collections at the Museum of History & Industry. Andrew Hoge, a creative director and fashion writer in Seattle. Related stories:  KUOW - Seattle: Do you dress like you're going to have a 'hiking emergency'? Seattle Is a Fashion Capital: The History of Its Grunge, Gorp, and Graffiti Scenes Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes. Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The federal government is headed for a shutdown. Congressional leaders from both parties met with President Trump yesterday at the White House. They failed to make progress towards a funding deal. Democrats say they want to reverse some Medicaid cuts that Republicans passed earlier this year – and extend tax credits for people on Obamacare plans. Meanwhile, Republicans falsely claim that their colleagues across the aisle are shutting down the government to fund healthcare for unauthorized immigrants.  Barring a last minute breakthrough in the Senate, the government will shut down for the first time in almost 7 years just after midnight tonight.  Guest: Representative Suzan DelBene (WA-01) Relevant Links: NPR: Here's what a government shutdown could affect around the country Politico: Johnson, Jeffries dug in ahead of shutdown deadline NYT: The deadlock over funding the government is growing uglier. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Trump designated antifa as a domestic terrorist organization last week.  He followed up with a memo directing the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force to investigate individuals and groups engaged in political violence and intimidation. Trump cited antifa as a reason to mobilize 200 Oregon National Guard troops, which are expected to arrive in Portland within the next week. The president claimed ICE facilities in the city “were under siege from attack by Antifa and other domestic terrorists.” So what is behind these anti-antifa moves by the White House? And what exactly is antifa?  Correction: At 15:26, the event Mathias is talking about actually takes place in Forks, the town where Twilight is set. It did not take place in the town in which Twin Peaks was set. Read more about what happened here. Guest Christopher Mathias, reporter, author of the upcoming book “To Catch a Fascist” Related links Trump's new anti-antifa panic is the start of something much more dangerous — MSNBC Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When homicide detective Ian Carter arrives at the scene of a murder, the victim is posed to look like  Ophelia from Hamlet. Not that any of the detectives on the scene realize that...The person who will crack open that clue, and other twisted literary references, is on the other side of their Oregon college town; English professor Emma Reilly. She’s struggling to get  to class on time, and sensitive about avoiding the “absent minded professor” trope. It’s the beginning of the new novel “Murder by the Book,” by author Amie Schaumberg… who lives in Spokane and happens to be an English professor herself. The narrative shifts between the perspectives of Detective Carter and Professor Reilly, and as the mystery unfolds, we see the crime through different lenses - Literary, Artistic, and Forensic… GUEST: Amie Schaumberg RELATED LINKS:  Amie Schaumberg, Author Writing Neurodivergence in Crime Fiction Murder by the Book – HarperCollins Washington author’s debut novel admires and interrogates literature Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rena Priest is best known for her poetry. As Washington’s poet laureate between 2021 and 2023, she traveled around the state doing readings and spreading awareness of poetry. She was the first Indigenous poet to hold that role and is a member of the Lummi Nation. Now, she’s bringing her keen observations and sharp wit to non-fiction. She’s the author of a new collection of essays, titled Positively Uncivilized. In the book Priest explores the history of broken treaties, battles over fishing rights, and struggles with cultural erasure that compose the bedrock of the modern Coast Salish native experience. She also challenges the non-Native reader to experiment with perspective: for example, what if we maintained the kind of spiritual relationship with the natural world that put us in community with salmon, instead of above them?  The title of the book itself speaks to the types of stories Priest tells. “Uncivilized” is a term that was, for generations, used to denigrate native people. But also one that had been reclaimed by Priest’s family and used in a playful way. Priest is reading at Third Place Books Ravenna on Monday September 29 at 7:00 pm.  Guest: Rena Priest, author of Positively Uncivilized Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christian Sidor is a professor in the UW Department of Biology and curator of Vertebrate Paleontology at the Burke. And for the last 18 years, he’s been traveling back and forth to Zambia and Tanzania, collecting fossils from the Permian period. The Permian lasted about 47 millions years and ended 252 million years ago with the Triassic Period.  Sidor has found a lot of Permian specimens. Last month he and his collaborators co-edited a series of 14 articles on the animals they’ve discovered during their field work. So, we wanted to go check out some of these new, ancient animals. Guest: Christian Sidor: professor in the UW Department of Biology and curator of Vertebrate Paleontology at the Burke Related stories: Fresh fossil finds in Africa shed light on the era before Earth’s largest mass extinction - UW News Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Congress is barreling toward a government shutdown and Democrats are weighing whether they should use their leverage in this negotiation. They want to extend Obamacare subsidies and potentially roll back some cuts to Medicaid. President Trump has threatened mass firings of federal workers in the event of a shutdown. All of this is going on as the country is grappling with a rise in political violence – and political rhetoric that blames the other side for the problem.  Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal joined Soundside to talk more about all of this. Guest: Pramila Jayapal, U.S. Representative for Washington's 7th Congressional District.  Related stories:  Arizona lawmaker calls for WA congresswoman to be executed for urging Trump protests • Washington State Standard Vance says US 'headed to a shutdown' after meeting with Democrats | Reuters Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes. Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.