Soundside

KUOW News and Information
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Soundside

Get to know the PNW and each other.

  1. 9 HR. AGO

    Can a river have rights? Everett is finding out

    This past election, voters in Everett approved an initiative (24-03) that granted the Snohomish River watershed legally enforceable "rights." 24-03 is part of a broader legal trend called the “rights of nature" movement, an environmental legal theory gaining traction around the world in places like Ecuador, India, and Australia. Here in the United States, communities in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida have tried giving some bodies of water these extended legal designations -- like the right to exist, right to flow, and right to regenerate and flourish -- which proponents say add a layer of protections not covered by regulations. 24-03 passed with 57 percent of the vote. The success of these efforts, however, has been watered down and challenged by courts and legislatures over issues of jurisdiction and scope -- issues voiced by skeptics of the initiative this past election.  Soundside visited Everett to talk with proponents and opponents about what these new rights could mean for the Snohomish River now that they've been approved by voters. Additionally, Soundside spoke with a global expert in river rights and policy about how this legal theory works, and where Everett's initiative fits within the broader global movement for environmental personhood.  Guests: Holly James and Abi Ludwig, Standing for Washington, a political action committee advocating for the legal rights of nature in Washington.  David Toyer, Toyer Strategic Advisors, a land use and economic development consulting firm in Everett.  Dr. Erin O'Donnell, a world-renowned expert in water policy and law. She’s a Senior Lecturer and ARC Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne Law School in Australia.  Related links: City in Washington Votes to Grant Local River Legally Enforceable Right to Exist Initiative Text - Snohomish River Watershed Now Has Legal Rights See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    31 min

  2. 11 HR. AGO

    Contentious debate over the Comprehensive Plan comes to city council

    The Seattle City Council is starting its year by taking on one of  any city’s most controversial policy debates: growth.  The Comprehensive Plan is now in front of the council. It dictates where and how Seattle can grow over the next two decades.  Past comprehensive plans have concentrated growth in areas dubbed “Urban Villages” – places along major arterials, like Columbia City, Othello, Lake City, and Ballard. They largely kept neighborhoods with single family homes unchanged. The current plan continues that legacy, but allows for more density in around 30 newly designated “neighborhood centers.” This comes as Seattle continues efforts to comply with a state law that mandates denser single family zoning. Guest: Councilmember Joy Hollingsworth, who represents Seattle's 3rd District Relevant Links: KUOW: How will Seattle's next comprehensive plan shape the city? KUOW: Seattle's growth plan inches toward more housing, draft by draft Seattle Times: Fault lines emerge as Seattle council takes up housing plan See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    15 min

  3. 1 DAY AGO

    Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell on city budgets, the comprehensive plan, and more

    Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell is running for re-election in 2025.  He’s hoping to break the long running streak of single term mayors in Seattle like Mike McGinn, Ed Murray, and Jenny Durkin. The election is still nearly a year away, and in the meantime, the mayor will  finish the last year of his term addressing a long list of issues: public safety, the future of downtown, and the implementation of a new comprehensive plan.  The mayor sat down with Soundside host Libby Denkmann to discuss his plans for 2025. Guest: Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell Relevant links: Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell is running for re-election in 2025 - KUOW Seattle’s next police chief: Mayor appoints Shon Barnes of Madison, Wisconsin to lead - 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 Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    35 min

  4. 1 DAY AGO

    Dangerous highs from highly potent cannabis

    Marijuana has been recreationally legal here in Washington since 2012, and it's become big business for the state.  Last year sales topped $1 billion, and the state earned hundreds of millions in taxes on marijuana. As the drug’s popularity in the state has increased, so has its potency. As this episode's guest would say, it’s not your dad’s weed. Now, doctors are seeing more harmful, and sometimes fatal consequences from overuse of marijuana.  KUOW online editor and producer Stephen Howie has reported a deep dive on the subject and he’s here to explain how a new generation of weed is impacting a new generation of users. Guest: Stephen Howie, KUOW online editor/producer Relevant link: KUOW - Weed sick: High-potency cannabis leads to ER visits, illnesses for some users 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.

    15 min

  5. 5 DAYS AGO

    Soundside's "Weekend Warmup" - Jan 9th-13th

    Our first week back after the holiday break has been jam-packed with all the news that’s fit to print… or read out loud into a microphone, whatever. Now that the weekend is nearly here, it’s time to sail away & relax a little…  In that spirit, here’s our resident “Cruise Director,” Producer Jason Megatron Burrows live from the Lido Deck with everything exciting happening this weekend! EVENTS:  Bridge to Bridge Fake Race at 14th Avenue NW Boat Ramp Unicorns & Rainbows 5k at Green Lake Park Crystal Mountain Takeover | Seattle Kraken Tacoma Comedy Club | Pablo Francisco Tacoma Comedy Club | Trae Crowder Neptune Theater - Nate Jackson PBR Spokane | Spokane Arena Radiant Reflections: Celebrating the Beauty of the African Diaspora - Bainbridge Island Museum of Art  National Geographic LIVE: Diving the Great Barrier Reef | Benaroya Hall As always, if you'd like to suggest an event for future installments of the Weekend Warmup, shoot us an email - SOUNDSIDE@KUOW.ORG 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.

    5 min

  6. 5 DAYS AGO

    Washington state sends firefighters, engines to help battle LA fires

    Five people have died and thousands of homes have burned in wildfires sweeping across the Los Angeles area.  Five separate fires are burning in the county - the Palisades fire, Eaton fire, Hurst fire, Lidia and Sunset fires. The Palisades and Eaton Fires are some of the most destructive in the region’s history.  Local resources are stretched thin – but some help is on the way from Washington.  Dozens of engines and more than 100 firefighters from local agencies have committed to travel to help battle the blazes in L.A. Many are already on their way.  Guests: Ben Peeler, Assistant Chief for Clark Cowlitz Fire Rescue Hilary Franz, Washington state's Public Lands Commissioner. She heads the Department of Natural Resources, which is also sending engines to Southern California  Relevant links: What to know about thousands of evacuations and homes burned in Los Angeles area fires - AP 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.

    14 min

  7. 5 DAYS AGO

    Washington sheriffs may face pressure between federal agencies and state law under Trump administration

    President Elect Donald Trump has promised mass deportations of undocumented immigrants on day one of his administration. Removing the approximately 11.7 million people living in the United States without authorization would take a massive operational effort -- and likely require cooperation from both state and local governments. Right now, most Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests in the U.S. happen because of a hand off from local law enforcement. But that kind of cooperation is restricted in Washington state.        2019’s Keep Washington Working Act  broadly limits state and local law enforcement from assisting with federal immigration proceedings. But Trump allies are already ramping up the pressure on local leaders in places like California and D.C. with similar sanctuary laws in place: Stephen Miller’s America First Legal Foundation announced last month that it had identified hundreds of elected officials in sanctuary jurisdictions who it claimed could be held civilly liable for obstructing federal immigration enforcement.   As the new Trump Administration takes office, Washington state’s elected sheriffs will be among those officials feeling the squeeze between federal agencies, and state law.  Guest: Steven Strachan, Executive Director of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs Relevant Links:  WASPC Statement on local law enforcement involvement in immigration issues   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.

    15 min

  8. 6 DAYS AGO

    The Housing First Approach: A Documentary

    As the Trump administration prepares to take office, a fight is brewing over the future of homelessness in America. For about a decade now, the federal government has pushed a strategy called Housing First. It's designed to get people off the streets and into permanent homes... even when they have serious problems with mental illness or substance use. Seattle was one of the earliest adopters of this approach, back in the nineties. But, over the past few years, a growing chorus of critics — mostly on the political right — has questioned Housing First. They want to go back to a time when efforts to fight homelessness focused more on getting people into treatment and having them "earn" access to subsidized housing by changing their behaviors. Now some of those critics are about to come to power in the White House, like Vice President elect JD Vance. You've probably heard of Project 2025. It's the conservative Heritage Foundation's plan for Trump's second term. It calls for an end to Housing First — a move that would upend the nation's homelessness strategy. KUOW's Will James has covered homelessness for years. He wanted to know: What is at the heart of this backlash against Housing First? And, with homelessness reaching record levels, do the critics have a point? Is it time to change course? If so, where do we go from here? Will spent months digging into these questions and brings us this original, freshly-reported documentary, which we're sharing with you for the first time today. The story starts right here in Seattle... because this city is intertwined with the history of Housing First and now, the movement against it. 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. Guests:Will James, KUOW Audio Documentary Producer Related Links: KUOW - Lost Patients See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    53 min
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4.6
out of 5
57 Ratings

About

Get to know the PNW and each other.

Information

  • Creator
    KUOW News and Information
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    108
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 KUOW News and Information
  • Show Website
    Soundside

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