Soundside KUOW News and Information

The H5N1 bird flu continues to spread to U.S. dairy cows – affecting dozens of herds in at least ten states. The dairy industry has been hesitant to test cows for the virus. The FDA says pasteurized milk is safe to drink. A team of University of Washington and Fred Hutch Cancer Center researchers is working to track the avian influenza by sequencing the virus’ DNA found in milk from the grocery store.

Pavitra Roychoudhury, research assistant professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine who also works at the Fred Hutch Cancer Center.

Related links:


STAT: Move over, wastewater. Store-bought milk could be another way to track the bird flu outbreak in cows
USDA: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Detections in Livestock
NPR: Limited testing of raw milk for bird flu leaves safety questions unanswered
FDA: Updates on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)
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When author Noé Álvarez was growing up in Yakima, WA he remembers hearing accordion music wafting in the orchards where his parents picked fruit, at dance halls, and at house parties. But his grandfather Eulogio – a traveling accordion player – remained a figure steeped in mystery and infamy. 

The path to understanding that “ancestral tragedy” sent Álvarez across state and country borders in search of his family’s history and a deeper knowledge of the music that propelled it. That journey is detailed in Noé Álvarez’s new book, “Accordion Eulogies: A Memoir of Music, Migration, and Mexico."
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Over the last 18 months, thousands of asylum-seeking migrants have found a temporary home at the Riverton Park United Methodist Church in Tukwila.

The church isn’t set up to be a long term shelter - but with few beds open in King County’s family shelters each night - this temporary solution has become a lifeline for asylum seekers.

But how did this church become a de facto shelter for so many people?

A new report from the Seattle Times found that the first asylum seekers to seek shelter at the church were sent there by Seattle city workers, and while Seattle has a plan in place for an emergency shelter to house migrants in the city, Mayor Harrell has so far refused to implement it.

Soundside host Libby Denkmann talked to Seattle Times reporter David Kroman about what's behind this breakdown to get migrants the housing they need. 
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Almost all of the 300 mountain goats moved from Olympics to the Cascades have died

Could opting for diesel-powered over electric ferries get Washington new boats faster?

Quick tips for avoiding the crowds and enjoying the great outdoors in the PNW