Soundside

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.