Soundside

A big controversy is gripping many Washington towns right now: automated license plate readers. Flock Safety, a technology and surveillance company, operates cameras in cities and counties across the nation.  Those license plate readers take pictures of vehicles and their license plates – pictures that can be used by police to solve crimes.  But questions about who has access to the cameras is leading several jurisdictions to turn off their automated licence plate readers. GUESTS: KUOW producer Hans Anderson Flock Safety chief legal officer, Dan Haley Phil Neff, a research coordinator at the University of Washington Center for Human Rights Redmond Police Chief Darrell Lowe Beryl Lipton, a senior investigative researcher at the Electronic Frontier Foundation RELATED LINKS: Washington Court Rules That Data Captured on Flock Safety Cameras Are Public Records - Electronic Frontier Foundation Redmond turns off Flock Safety cameras after ICE arrests - The Seattle Times Immigration agencies accessed WA law enforcement license plate data, report finds - KUOW 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 NetworkSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yes, turkey is an iconic centerpiece. But it’s a challenge.  Turkeys take hours to cook (let alone, defrost!). The results can be dry, flavorless slabs of meat.  If you believe online discourse, a growing number of bold omnivores are calling it quits on Thanksgiving turkey.  And from an animal welfare perspective, there’s a lot of waste and carnage associated with "the national holiday of meat-eating." We asked Soundside's audience about whether they're moving on from turkey -- and what they might make instead.  GUESTS: Marina Bolotnikova, deputy editor, Vox's Future Perfect Thanks to KUOW’s Paige Browning for all her help and hard work on this segment.  RELATED LINKS: 8 million turkeys will be thrown in the trash this Thanksgiving 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 NetworkSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Monday, Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez stood on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives and fought her own party. The subject of the disagreement? Whether or not a fellow Democratic member of congress, Chuy Garcia of Illinois, had crossed ethical lines and rigged the 2026 election for his chief of staff. By, among other things, announcing his retirement after the filing deadline.  Gluesenkamp Perez introduced a nonbinding resolution to disapprove of the maneuver, to the apparent surprise of Democratic leadership.  After speaking out, she was skewered by many of her fellow party members. One called her opposition a “cheap political stunt” Gluesenkamp Perez is known for bucking the party. Just last week she was one of only 6 House Democrats who voted to end the federal shutdown. She also represents one of the few purple districts in the country: Washington’s 3rd, which includes Lewis, Cowlitz, Clark and Skamania County. GUEST: Marie Gluesenkamp Perez represents Washington’s 3rd congressional district, which includes Lewis, Cowlitz, Clark and Skamania County RELATED LINKS: Scoop: House Dem infighting poised to get even worse - Axios After fierce fight, WA lawmaker secures US House rebuke of fellow Democrat - WA state standard End of shutdown ignites new round of sparring among WA’s congressional lawmakers - WA state standard 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 NetworkSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While it has been so nice being back behind the microphone this week after a little time off, we’ve got Thanksgiving ahead of us!  And since we won’t have a show NEXT Thursday, Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows is doing double duty this week with an extra large Weekend Warmup… THIS WEEK: Seattle Christmas Market Julefest 21+ Night Market Renegade Craft Fair - Seattle Winter Warren Miller's Sno-ciety | McCaw Hall Heart - Climate Pledge Arena NEXT WEEK: SPORTS PWHL Home Opener! Seattle Torrent vs Minnesota Frost - Fri 11/28 UW Men’s Football vs Oregon Ducks - Sat 11/29 Kraken vs Edmonton - Sat 11/29 Seahawks vs Vikings - Sun 11/30 Seattle Marathon - Sun 11/30 GeekCraft Expo NOVEMBER ART MARKET — Duwamish Tribe 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 NetworkSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the week since Katie Wilson officially became Seattle’s mayor-elect, there have suddenly been a lot of think pieces about her from the national press. Editorial boards at the Washington Post and Wall Street Journal have taken a certain “doom mongering” stance on another socialist winning office. The President of the United States added his two cents, and called her a communist. Wilson’s election is making waves in a year when both democrats and democratic socialists scored high profile wins across the country. But let’s be honest: national reporting is usually scant here in the PNW, and pretty late to the game. KUOW listeners – many of them, have been clued into this race for weeks if not months. What we haven't heard is the inside story of the Wilson campaign – how the team took a newcomer to electoral politics – a policy wonk, whose style she herself has called “pretty dumpy” – and got her elected mayor.   And what does the future look like for progressives in a city with a historically fickle electorate? Two key figures from the Wilson campaign team joined Soundside to share their view on how it all went down. GUESTS:  Katie Wilson campaign manager Alex Gallo Brown WinPower strategies political consultant, and Katie Wilson’s consultant, Jake Simpson RELATED LINKS:  Trump threatens Seattle’s World Cup, calls Mayor-elect Wilson ‘communist’ - Seattle Times Seattle’s coming socialist experiment - Washington Post Seattle Elects Mamdani West - Wall Street Journal Katie Wilson is the new mayor but confronts the same challenges - Seattle Times 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.

Earlier this year, researchers at the University of Washington published a paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on the spotted ratfish, sometimes called a ghost shark. It’s one of the most common fish you’ll find in the Puget Sound and it has teeth in an unexpected place. The study’s authors say that, not only is this unusual, but it also tells us something very interesting about evolution.  GUEST:  Karly Cohen, post-doctoral researcher at Friday Harbor Labs RELATED LINKS: PNAS: Teeth outside the jaw: Evolution and development of the toothed head clasper in chimaeras Smithsonian: This Deep-Sea Fish Has Teeth on Its Forehead—and It Uses Them for Sex  University of Washington: This common fish has an uncommon feature: Forehead teeth, used for mating   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.

Air traffic controllers are getting paid again, now that the longest government shutdown in U.S. history is over. Air traffic controllers dominated headlines during the shutdown as they continued to work their stressful jobs without pay. Some of them took on side gigs to make up for lost income. And as the shutdown dragged on, controller shortages led to flight delays and cancellations around the country.  Now things are slowly getting back to normal, as the FAA lifts restrictions on air traffic ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. Steph Winder of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association tells us how controllers are doing now that they're out of shutdown mode. GUEST:  Steph Winder, Northwest Mountain Regional Vice President of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association RELATED LINKS: Trump Wants $10K Bonus for Air Traffic Controllers Who Didn't Call Out - Business Insider Air traffic controllers warn of ‘tipping point’ during shutdown : NPR FAA to Lift Government Shutdown-Related Flight Restrictions - WSJ 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.

If you purchasd or rode an e-bike in the last 10 years, there’s a good chance it was a Rad Power Bike.  The company, based in Seattle, was one of the first to popularize e-bikes with the general public, and grew to be the largest electric bike company in North America. But now, the company is on the brink of collapse. A spokesperson told Geekwire last week that Rad faces potential closure as early as January due to “significant financial challenges.” After virtually building the e-bike industry, and seeing demand quadruple during the pandemic, what went wrong for Rad Power Bikes? And can they recover?  GUEST:  Geekwire editor Taylor Soper RELATED LINKS: The rise and fall of Rad Power Bikes: From breakout success to the brink of shutdown - Geekwire Rad Power Bikes faces possible shutdown as it tries to survive ‘significant financial challenges’ - Geekwire 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 2023, Bellevue organizer Mubarak Elamin made the decision to bring his mother to the United States. At the time, she was living in Sudan, where a brutal war had broken out between the country’s army, the Sudanese Armed Forces, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. The situation deteriorated into what the U.N. has called one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. Thousands have been killed and millions displaced. Some regions are suffering from famine. In January, the United States declared Sudan was experiencing a genocide. And despite this upheaval, Mubarak says it seems like a lot of people don’t know what's going on in Sudan.  GUEST: Mubarak Elamin, a Sudanese community organizer in Bellevue Nisrin Elamin, assistant professor of Anthropology and African Studies at the University of Toronto RELATED LINKS: Sudan war: A simple guide to what is happening WA’s Sudanese community suffering amid war that’s displaced millions | The Seattle Times The State Of The Civil War In Sudan : 1A : NPR  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.

Unionized Starbucks workers have started their fourth day on strike.  Workers walked off the job in over 40 cities last week.  And this year’s strike has gotten attention from high-profile politicians. Both Seattle mayor-elect Katie Wilson and New York's mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani called on customers to boycott the coffee chain.  Last week, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) urged Starbucks to cut a deal with the union.  So what’s holding up negotiations?  GUEST: Casey Martin, KUOW reporter covering the strike RELATED LINKS:  Unionized Starbucks' workers strike in Seattle, across the country 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.

You’re probably heard the term “microplastics.” And you’ve probably also heard that they’re bad for you.  A write up from Stanford Medicine says, quote, “they’re in the water we drink, the food we eat, the clothes we wear and the air we breathe.” But what exactly are they?  A local doctor is helping us understand what exactly these particals are, and how or if we should avoid them. GUEST: Dr. Sheela Sathyanarayana, a professor of pediatrics and adjunct professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the University of Washington and the Seattle Children's Research Institute RELATED LINKS: Microplastics and our health: What the science says - Stanford Medicine 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 early October, film buffs around the region received some bittersweet news… The historic Egyptian Theater in Capitol Hill – which had been closed for repairs – would not reopen as a public theater. The Seattle International Film Festival decided to end its lease, saying it was a difficult decision but that it just wasn’t financially feasible.  This comes on the back of the closing of the Grand Illusion and AMC 10 theaters in the U-District.  In an era of streaming services and movie studio consolidations… What DOES it take to keep the independent theater scene thriving? GUESTS:  Beth Barrett - Artistic Director SIFF Kenny Alhadeff - Owner, Majestic Bay Theater Chase Hutchinson - Freelance Writer and Movie Critic RELATED LINKS:  For SIFF, Seattle’s Cinerama was a marquee purchase. Has it paid off? SIFF lays off staff amid financial challenges Seattle movie theater update: SIFF will end lease at historic Egyptian 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.

Here at Soundside, we've got lots of plans this weekend. Paige Browning is playing in a Kickball tournament, while Jason is planning on cheering for her... Supervising Producer Sarah Leibovitz is doing LAUNDRY... What joy! As for YOU, here are all your options from this week's Weekend Warmup...  LINKS:  SIFF Cinema Italian Style 2025 Sew, Quilt, Needlework, Craft, Expo & Festival in Puyallup Gobble Up Northwest! - Urban Craft Uprising Seattle International Auto Show The 2025 DB Cooper Conference Seattle Kraken vs San Jose Sharks Gilman Village 2025 Winter Fest Grit City Comic Show UW Huskies Men’s Football vs Purdue Death and Music | Town Hall Seattle 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 has been a target of anti-car activism since at least the early 1960s, when the construction of I-5 carved up the Chinatown International District. Washington architect Paul Thiry said the creation of the freeway signaled when Seattle started to lose its identity as a city. But what would a less car-centric Seattle actually look like? Whom would it benefit? And is it even feasible?  The hosts of "The War on Cars" podcast join "Soundside" for more. They’ve co-written a new book: “Life After Cars: Freeing Ourselves From the Tyranny of the Automobile.” They’re both based in Brooklyn, New York, but joined KUOW's Paige Browning in our Seattle studio.  GUESTS:  Sarah Goodyear, host, The War on Cars podcast Doug Gordon, host, The War on Cars podcast RELATED LINKS:  What Comes After the ‘War on Cars’? - Bloomberg ‘Life After Cars’ with Sarah Goodyear and Doug Gordon - Why Is This Happening? The Chris Hayes Podcast 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.

Seattleites have been closely watching election results for nearly a week since polls closed. That’s because the city’s mayoral candidates were in a tight race. Longtime Seattle politician and current Mayor Bruce Harrell is trying to win a second term. His challenger is Katie Wilson, a Democratic socialist who has never held elected office before.  Last night’s vote tally gave more clarity about who is likely to lead the city next year.  GUEST: Cat Smith, KUOW Politics Editor RELATED LINKS:  KUOW: Wilson’s lead increases in Seattle mayoral race, leaving Harrell further behind 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.

Bruce Lee holds a special place in Seattle’s heart – and Seattle played a key role in Bruce Lee’s life. He attended the University of Washington. He taught martial arts around the city. And after his tragically young death, at the age of 32, Lee was buried at Lake View Cemetery on Capitol Hill.   A biography by author Jeff Chang traces this journey alongside the cultural and political context in which Lee was becoming the international icon he is today. It’s called “Water Mirror Echo: Bruce Lee and the Making of Asian America.” In the book Chang shows how the rise of Bruce Lee mirrored the rise of Asian American identity and the ways that they each shaped each other.  GUEST: Jeff Chang, author of "Water Mirror Echo"  RELATED LINKS:  Book Review: ‘Water Mirror Echo,’ by Jeff Chang - The New York Times ‘Water Mirror Echo’ explores how Bruce Lee still shapes Asian America Remembering Bruce Lee, and his time in Seattle, on the 80th anniversary of his birth | The Seattle Times 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.

After a monthslong search, the Seattle Public Schools district finally has a new superintendent.  The Seattle School Board voted to name Ben Shuldiner as the lone finalist for the role. Shuldiner is currently the superintendent of the Lansing School District in Michigan.  He’ll be the fourth superintendent in the last decade.  Back in March, former superintendent Brent Jones announced he was planning to step down from the position … and would have left in September. Instead, he went on medical leave in May and since then the role has been filled by an interim superintendent.   Shuldiner's appointment comes during a period of turmoil for the district, which has been facing a budget shortfall and grappling with issues around school safety. KUOW's Sami West tells us about her takeaways from her conversation with him this week. Guest: Sami West, KUOW reporter who has been following the ongoing search for a new superintendent at Seattle Public Schools.  Related Stories: KUOW - Seattle School Board names lone superintendent finalist, a district leader recruited from Michigan KUOW - Seattle School Board moves 2 unnamed finalists forward in superintendent search KUOW - Seattle Public Schools to hunt for new leader as Superintendent Jones steps down 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's pro women's soccer team have returned to the National Women's Soccer League playoffs. Seattle Reign play the Orlando Pride on Friday in a win-or-go-home match. But do the Reign have the potential to make a deep playoff run?  Soundside producer Gabrielle Healy gets into it. Plus, everything you need to know about coach Laura Harvey and ChatGPTgate.  Guest Susie Rantz, writer for Sounder at Heart covering Seattle Reign Related Links All even in Orlando, 1-1 - Sounder at Heart The constant amidst chaos: Lauren Barnes’ Reign - Sounder at HeartSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s weekends like these where you WANT a solid plan for what to do, so you’re not just stuck sulking about the weather.  And while Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows may be on his way to sunny Florida AS WE SPEAK for a weekend in Tampa, he still left us with a smattering of potential options: LINKS: Port Gamble Ghost Conference Best of the Northwest Fall Show 2025 - Seattle NW's Largest Garage Sale & Vintage Sale Brew: A Clue-Themed Winter Beer Festival America's Test Kitchen Live at Food Fight with Rachel Belle GeekGirlCon - 15th Year! Captain Slinky Presents Oddmall Emporium of The Weird Light the Forest: Pilchuck Glass School Seahawks vs. Cardinals SIFF Talking Pictures: Ken Jennings presents Quiz Show 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 getting harder for unhoused people in Tacoma to find a place to spend the night. Last week, the city council there voted narrowly, 5-to-4, to expand buffer zones where encampments are not allowed.  The new ban, which went into effect this week, includes areas within two blocks of public schools, parks, libraries, and most of downtown and Hilltop. Critics say this only makes it harder for people to find a place to sleep. Guest: Tacoma News Tribune reporter Cameron Sheppard Related Links: How will Tacoma’s encampment-ban expansion impact plans to address homelessness? In a split vote, Tacoma council decides fate of homeless camping-ban expansionSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.