Best Soundside Podcasts (2025)

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"Frankly I love this town" - City Council President Sara Nelson says goodbye 50:42

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1d ago50:42

50:42

A lot has changed during Sara Nelson’s time in Seattle government. She was a centrist outlier on a progressive city council when she was first elected in 2021. But the dynamics changed: Nelson became the center of power, and ended up running the show as council president, after a moderate slate of candidates swept the 2023 election. She helped over…

1
Front Page: Flooding, affordability and Dave Ross sings 31:37

2d ago31:37

31:37

Every Monday on Soundside we catch you up on the top stories that are fascinating right now – and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. 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 for…

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Kiss Merry Kill: Holiday Edition 31:34

1d ago31:34

31:34

The holidays: a time to gather with friends and family, to enjoy one another’s company as we light candles or sit by a tree and contemplate the year’s passing. It’s also a time to argue with said friends and family about some really dumb stuff. Is Die Hard a holiday movie? Should Mariah Carey officially be crowned “Queen of Christmas?” Has there ev…

1
Red Light Vintage could close for good. A familiar face is trying to keep it alive. 5:28

6d ago5:28

5:28

Seattle may have to say goodbye to a longstanding vintage shop in the new year. Red Light Vintage & Costume sits in the heart of the University District. It has been a fixture in Seattle’s fashion scene since it opened in the mid 90s. Now the shop could close because owner Niz Marar is retiring. He’s hoping to sell the business before his lease exp…

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Yay books! Soundside's 2025 in letters 27:09

5d ago27:09

27:09

There are only a few weeks left in 2025. That means for those of you who resolved, at the beginning of the year, to do more reading — it's crunch time. Did you actually put down your phone long enough to get through a book this year? It's not too late. Many great books came out this year. If you need suggestions for something to read or to give to …

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Soundside's "Weekend Warmup" - Dec 18-21 4:30

6d ago4:30

4:30

The end of the year is just around the corner, and with the next two Thursdays each being holidays, this is the final Weekend Warmup of the Year! LINKS: TNF! Seahawks vs Rams Thurs 12/18 The 29th Annual Model Train Festival - Washington State Historical Society Opens Fri 12/19 - runs through Jan 1, 2026 2025 Winter Beer Fest – WA Brewers Guild Fri/…

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Flooding in WA: Skagit County's 40-year old flood maps and a dog kennel evacuation 14:12

7d ago14:12

14:12

Skagit County has been hit by multiple waves of catastrophic flooding over the past week. Amid the devastation, there is a bright spot: A floodwall in Mount Vernon successfully held off the Skagit River as it rose to a record 37.7 feet. That floodwall only exists because it sits in an area determined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be…

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Flooding in WA: Pacific evacuation, levee breach and more 19:37

7d ago19:37

19:37

Approximately 10,000 people are still under evacuation notice after multiple levee failures across Western Washington. In King County: flood controls have breached in the last 48 hours. As of this morning, residents in the city of Pacific, east of Tacoma, are under a "go now" evacuation order after a flood control breach on the nearby White River. …

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What might an "in-house" deportation fleet mean for DHS & ICE? 18:07

8d ago18:07

18:07

The Department of Homeland Security may be shifting its approach to deportation flights by ICE. According to reporting by the Washington Post, DHS recently signed a contract to purchase six Boeing 737 planes. Currently, ICE primarily uses charter planes for deportations. This purchase suggests the agency has plans to expand its capacity to deport p…

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Front Page: Flooding, food prices, and one really old quarterback 15:52

9d ago15:52

15:52

Every Monday on Soundside we catch you up on the top stories that are fascinating right now – and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. 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 for…

1
Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes weighs in on the police shooting in Othello and a new mayor-elect 24:31

12d ago24:31

24:31

It’s been a busy year for the Seattle Police Department. A new chief was sworn in, the longstanding federal consent decree ended and the city reached a new contract with the Seattle Police Officers Guild that changes how it can approach unarmed crisis response. Plus, a new mayor will take office in January. Mayor-elect Katie Wilson announced this w…

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Flooding in WA: Skagit County, Gov. Ferguson's emergency response and more 33:33

13d ago33:33

33:33

Catastrophic flooding continues to threaten Washington. Around 100,000 people in Western Washington have been advised to evacuate. Hundreds of Washington National Guard members have been tapped to help with response efforts. And Gov. Ferguson declared a statewide emergency in response to the flooding. We talked to three KUOW reporters about what th…

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Soundside's "Weekend Warmup" - Dec 12-14 4:43

12d ago4:43

4:43

Hey Soundside Listeners! Because our entire show was focused on flood coverage with the Governor's press conference, and live conversations with KUOW reporters Joshua McNichols, John Ryan, and Casey Martin, we decided to skip the Weekend Warmup on the air this week, and drop it here on the podcast feed instead. Stay safe, check KUOW.org for updates…

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Meet King County's new Executive: Girmay Zahilay 15:32

13d ago15:32

15:32

At 38 years old, Girmay Zahilay is King County’s youngest-ever executive. He’s coming in after the long tenure of his predecessor Dow Constantine, who ran the county for nearly 16 years. Zahilay was sworn in early to replace the temporary acting executive who’s been in charge since Constantine stepped down in March. He says he’s ready to “completel…

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Flooding in WA: Updates from Auburn and Carnation 15:15

14d ago15:15

15:15

On Wednesday morning, we spoke with the mayor of Auburn and the city manager in Carnation about flooding in their cities and what they expect to happen next. GUESTS: Nancy Backus, mayor of Auburn, WA Rhonda Ender, city manager, Carnation, WA RELATED LINKS: ‘Catastrophic’ flooding expected in King, Snohomish, Skagit counties -The Seattle Times Weste…

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This researcher is working on a fentanyl vaccine to curb overdoses and addiction 19:11

14d ago19:11

19:11

Washington, like the entire country, has been hit hard by fentanyl. So far this year, King County has recorded more than 650 overdose deaths involving the synthetic opioid, which can be 50 times stronger than heroin. 650 is a devastating number but it’s actually down from a peak in 2023, when more than 1,000 people died from fentanyl-related overdo…

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Facing uncertain federal landscape, KCRHA looks to adapt 17:31

15d ago17:31

17:31

For weeks, King County homelessness service providers have been staring down a majorly disruptive change to how they currently operate. The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development said in November that it intended to redirect billions of dollars in grants that house homeless people. This was in line with President Trump’s rejection of “…

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'He wasn't resisting' - WA man mauled by immigration enforcement canine 15:23

15d ago15:23

15:23

A disturbing image shared by Senator Patty Murray has been reverberating across the internet. It shows a man’s torso, his right side covered in wounds - lacerations, scratch marks, bite marks - after he was mauled by an immigration agent’s canine. Blood splatters the sheets below him. The man, Wilmer Toledo-Martinez of Vancouver, Washington, was de…

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Why Native American kids are getting harsher prison sentences in WA 18:10

15d ago18:10

18:10

We could tell this next story with numbers. There is a lot of data. But at its core: This is a story about Native American kids. And how year after year, law enforcement and lawmakers in Olympia allow these children to be arrested and jailed at far higher rates than their white peers. Those experiences as children have lasting consequences well int…

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New video found featuring victim of unsolved CHOP killing 40:07

16d ago40:07

40:07

It’s June 26th, 2020, and a group of protesters stands in the midst of the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest. They’re talking to another group of people, including a city employee, about city sanitation workers getting access to the area. Towards the front of the group stands a 16 year old boy, wearing a grey baseball cap, a hoodie, and a surgical mask…

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Front Page: ICE K-9 attack, what a new Montana windfarm means for WA, and the ongoing debate over Frank Gehry's MoPop 20:31

16d ago20:31

20:31

Every Monday on Soundside we catch you up on the top stories that are fascinating right now – and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. 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 for…

1
Ask a Doctor: Ozempic, Wegovy and GLP-1 drugs in general 26:20

20d ago26:20

26:20

GLP-1 drugs that are commonly used to treat diabetes and obesity, like Ozempic and Wegovy – are in big demand. And they’re going to be more affordable. The Trump administration recently negotiated deals to lower the prices of these drugs. It seems like some details still need to be ironed out…. but from the looks of it, many Americans who use Medic…

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Soundside's "Weekend Warmup" - 12/4-8 5:42

20d ago5:42

5:42

It’s already the first weekend of December, and I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for some holiday cheer to lighten up these cold, rainy days. Thankfully, like Santa soaring past with his reindeer, here with all the stuff that’s worth doing this weekend is Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows!! LINKS: Year in Review 2025 | Town Hall Seattl…

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"They're trying to reduce the amount of immigrants here" - Understanding state of immigration policy right now 29:20

20d ago29:20

29:20

Shortly after the shooting of two national guard troops in Washington, D.C., the Trump Administration said it was pausing asylum decisions and halting visas for Afghan immigrants. The alleged shooter is Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a Bellingham resident who came to the U.S. from Afghanistan in 2021. The motive for the attack is unknown. One victim – 20 ye…

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What the length of raccoon snouts has to do with domestication 9:24

21d ago9:24

9:24

Have you ever wanted a pet raccoon? Well, here’s a possible sign that dream is slowly approaching: a new study published in the journal Frontiers in Zoology suggests raccoons are getting closer to domestication. The study is not definitive yet, and more research is required. But it all has to do with researchers observing a shorter snout on the ani…

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No icy reception for Seattle's new professional women's hockey team 6:52

21d ago6:52

6:52

Seattle’s brand new Professional Women’s Hockey team, the newly christened Seattle Torrent, faces off against the New York Sirens tonight at Climate Pledge Arena… Tonight’s game is the third ever for the team, and their growing fan base has both high hopes and big expectations as the season gets started. Soundside Producer Jason Burrows sat down wi…

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The WTO/99 protests, filmed by those who were there 34:11

22d ago34:11

34:11

Twenty-six years ago, this week over 40,000 people came to Seattle to protest at the World Trade Organization's ministerial conference. Labor organizers, farmers, and environmental groups planned and executed peaceful action against what many saw as anti-democratic elements of the WTO, and the profound risks from the unfettered expansion of global …

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Who's responsible for 'double tap' boat strike? 'We want to find out,' says Rep. Adam Smith 17:04

22d ago17:04

17:04

Some rare bipartisanship is emerging in congress: it focuses on questions about the legality of a September 2nd U.S. strike on a boat in the Caribbean. 11 people were killed, including two men who initially survived the first strike, but were killed by a follow-up attack. This operation was the start of a campaign of strikes the Trump Administratio…

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Front Page: National Guard shooting, Seattle traffic gets worse, and pigeon poop 20:25

23d ago20:25

20:25

We have a new thing we’re trying out on Mondays on Soundside. We're calling 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 reporter Scott Greensto…

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How the new UW President plans to navigate the challenges facing U.S. universities 29:41

23d ago29:41

29:41

Dr. Robert Jones is the new president of our region’s largest educational and research hub. He took the helm at the University of Washington in August, and when we sat down recently, he shared a bit about his background and path to Seattle. Jones says his parents were sharecroppers farming peanuts and cotton in southwest Georgia. “Where most people…

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Producer Picks: Foraging in the PNW and Kennections 50:32

28d ago50:32

50:32

On the show today, we’re getting you ready for Thanksgiving leftovers with a little leftovers of our own. We’re pulling some of our favorite segments from Soundside past out of the fridge, and warming ‘em up for you. Up first: edible plants are all around us in the Pacific Northwest. We'll hear how one local author became obsessed with helping peop…

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Producer Picks: Drinking less, honeycrisps and the matcha shortage 50:46

29d ago50:46

50:46

This week we’re going back into the archives to dig up some of our favorite Soundside segments. And with Thanksgiving just days away, this episode is all about food and drink! We'll revisit conversations we had this year on the trend of people drinking less alcohol these days.... .... The sweet apple variety that has left a bitter taste in some far…

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Producer Picks: PWHL Seattle, Murder by the Book, and POW! 50:39

1M ago50:39

50:39

This week, we’re re-airing some of our favorite stories from the past year. First up on today's show: The Seattle Torrent played their very first professional women’s hockey game on Friday night, but before they even had a name, we talked with their General Manager Meghan Turner about bringing the team to the city. Later, we’ll play an interview wi…

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Washington cities turn off Flock cameras after public records ruling and UW report 22:10

1M ago22:10

22:10

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 ques…

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Sound It Out: Time to quit the Thanksgiving turkey? 6:39

1M ago6:39

6:39

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 as…

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"You don't have to fight me on this" - Gluesenkamp Perez on being booed by her own party 17:12

1M ago17:12

17:12

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, an…

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Soundside's "Weekend Warmup" - Nov 20-23 and Nov 28-30 5:24

1M ago5:24

5:24

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 Ren…

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From pizza to policy: how Katie Wilson won this year's mayoral race 47:05

1M ago47:05

47:05

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 c…

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Common PNW fish, uncommon feature: teeth on its forehead 14:21

1M ago14:21

14:21

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 unusua…

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How air traffic controllers are doing post shutdown 9:37

1M ago9:37

9:37

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 …

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Is Rad Power Bikes powering down? 16:20

1M ago16:20

16:20

If you purchased 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 l…

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What's happening in Sudan? 17:46

1M ago17:46

17:46

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 l…

1
Why your local Starbucks might be closed today 9:12

1M ago9:12

9:12

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 Pa…

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Ask a doctor: Microplastics edition 18:52

1M ago18:52

18:52

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…

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Lights, Camera, Closures? - The state of independent movie theaters in Seattle 28:42

1M ago28:42

28:42

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. Th…

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Soundside's "Weekend Warmup" - Nov 13-16 4:58

1M ago4:58

4:58

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, Need…

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Imagining a Seattle with fewer cars 35:34

1M ago35:34

35:34

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 …

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Katie Wilson is likely Seattle's next mayor after latest vote count 9:56

1M ago9:56

9:56

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. …

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"Water Mirror Echo" explores the life, and legacy, of Bruce Lee 50:27

1M ago50:27

50:27

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 a…

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Everything we know about Ben Shuldiner, the lone finalist for Seattle Public Schools superintendent 19:45

2M ago19:45

19:45

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 su…