Soundside

Remlinger Farms in Carnation, Washington, is a 350-acre working farm. It’s celebrated for its family-friendly attractions, including amusement parks, petting zoos, berry picking, pumpkins, hayrides. There’s an on-site cafe and brewery.  And now it’s become the Seattle area's hottest new concert venue.  Partnering with Seattle Theater Group, the farm is hosting a brand-new concert series. The 6000-capacity outdoor space has booked performers like Portugal the Man, Mt. Joy and Elvis Costello.  BUT tensions are brewing between the farm and some vocal community members who oppose its existence. GUEST: Michael Rietmulder | The Seattle Times RELATED LINKS: Remlinger Farms’ new music venue has small Carnation concerned | The Seattle Times Alleged hit-and-run incident at Remlinger Farms under investigation | The Seattle Times Facebook Statement by Remlinger Farms See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Like a lot of Washingtonians right now, we're doing our best to stay cool.  Sometimes going outside is unavoidable, and in that case, it means doing everything you can to avoid sun damage.  That means applying - and reapplying lots of sunscreen. But lately, some people on social media platforms like Tiktok, have been trying to convince their audiences to do the opposite. You don’t have to have a medical degree to know: that kind of advice is wrong, and it’s having a worrying impact.  Here to help us tackle these sunscreen myths - and answer some of your burning questions about sunscreen, is Dr. Lindsay Gunnell, a dermatologist at with UW Medical. Guests: Dr. Lindsay Gunnell, UW Medical dermatologist Related Links: Some Tiktok influencers are maligning sunscreen. Here's what to know about the claims.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Washington voters this year are contemplating a wide-open race to replace the state’s Attorney General. The Attorney General manages the state's largest public law firm, overseeing a staff of attorneys charged with representing public agencies and defending the rights of Washington residents, covering issues including consumer protection, civil rights, environmental regulations, and antitrust.  This year’s race is an especially interesting one. The current Attorney General, Bob Ferguson, is running for governor. That means that without an incumbent, the office will see its first new A.G. in 12 years.  This week Soundside is interviewing the three candidates who all want to be the state’s next top lawyer.  First up: Pete Serrano is a city council member serving as mayor of Pasco, Washington. He’s a co-founder of the legal nonprofit, The Silent Majority Foundation, and he’s endorsed in the Attorney General race by the Washington GOP.  Guests: Pete Serrano, city council member serving as mayor of Pasco, Washington. Related Links: What is an attorney general? They’re more attorney than general Who are the three candidates running for WA attorney general? Washington Supreme Court will hear Gator’s Custom Guns case on high-capacity magazine ban The Republican who wants to be Washington’s next attorney general See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oh, voter. You are going to be asked to watch so many races in the coming months. There is, of course, the presidential race, which is sucking the air out of the room. There's also governor, attorney general, congressional seats, state house representatives, land’s commissioner, and, because you live in the great state of Washington, citizen’s initiatives. And, if you don’t have enough to think about, there is a new initiative likely headed to your ballot.  It will roll back the state’s efforts to move away from this fossil fuel. And it would ban any proposed bans on natural gas. Guest: Jerry Cornfield, state government and politics reporter at the Washington State Standard Relevant Links: Washington State Standard: Initiative opponents target the millionaire behind the measures Washington State Standard: Builders launch initiative to block Washington’s natural gas phase-out Washington State Standard: Washington’s heat pump push hits a snag  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Perhaps you’ve noticed a lot of construction on Seattle streets this year: new bike lanes along MLK, fresh pavement and bus shelters on Madison Street, and sidewalk replacements across the city. That’s because the Seattle Department of Transportation has money to spend.  In 2015, voters passed a $930 million transportation levy called “Move Seattle.” And initially, Seattle was slow moving that money out the door. “Move Seattle” expires this year and Seattle voters will likely be deciding on whether to raise their property taxes again for a new transportation levy this fall. And this one is clocking in at over $1.5 billion. Tomorrow, the city council plans to vote on the final version of a Seattle transportation levy that will appear on ballots in November. Guests: Greg Spotts, Director of the Seattle Department of Transportation Related Links: The Urbanist: SDOT Sprints Toward the End of the Move Seattle Era Seattle Times: Sidewalks top of mind for Seattle’s priciest-ever transportation levy KUOW: $1B for sidewalks, bike lanes, and road repairs: Seattle transportation levy ahead See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, is a policy President Obama enacted by executive order in 2012.  It’s had a rocky legal journey, but when it was still accepting new applications, DACA was open to undocumented young people who graduated from high school or served in the military and were brought to the U.S. as children.  The program has given roughly 800,000 people access to things like a driver’s license, a social security number, and a work permit. When the Trump Administration came into office, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that things would be changing. "I am here today to announce that the program known as DACA under the Obama administration is being rescinded." ~Former AG Jeff Sessions That was September, 2017.  Within hours, immigration attorney Luis Cortes Romero – a DACA recipient himself based in Kent, Washington – helped assemble a team of legal heavy-hitters and plaintiffs who were committed to taking on the Trump Administration in federal court.  Cortes Romero and his colleagues took the fight all the way to the highest court in the land and successfully defended DACA.  In the process, he became the first undocumented person to help argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court.  Now, Luis Cortes Romero is the subject of a new documentary, called “From Here/From There (De Aquí/De Allá)”, which premieres on the PBS series VOCES tomorrow, Tuesday, July 9th.GUEST: Luis Cortes Romero RELATED LINKS:  ‘From Here/From There’ (De Aqui/de Alla): The Extraordinary Journey of Luis Cortes Romero – People's World  Luis Cortes-Romero, a lawyer and DACA recipient, on his team's Supreme Court victory. Small Step Could Bring Big Relief to Young Undocumented Immigrants Biden Gives Legal Protections to Undocumented Spouses of U.S. Citizens - The New York Times  Trump says foreigners who graduate from US colleges should get green cards | Reuters See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Soundside is revisiting a few of our favorite stories this holiday week, and today, we’re taking an architectural tour of Seattle.  First stop, the backstory behind Capitol Hill’s iconic Volunteer Park Reservoir – which isn’t just a pretty pool, but an emergency stopgap.  Then, the often-overlooked story of legendary architect Minoru Yamasaki as told by his granddaughter, Katie Yamasaki, author of "Shapes, Lines, and Light: My Grandfather's American Journey." And finally, we’ll visit a Seattle secret garden and fall in love with the backstory that made it possible.  Guests: Jennifer Ott, chair of the Volunteer Park Trust Alex Chen, director of drinking water at Seattle Public Utilities Katie Yamasaki, author of "Shapes, Lines, and Light: My Grandfather's American Journey." Ben Streissguth, caretaker of Streissguth Garden Relevant Links:  KUOW: Why is there a reservoir in Volunteer Park? KUOW: Serenity, surprise, and delight: sharing the legacy of architect Minoru Yamasaki KUOW: The love story that grew Seattle's 'secret garden' See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Soundside team is on a break this week for the 4th of July holiday, so we’re revisiting some of our favorite segments of the year. First up, when Seattle writer and illustrator Tessa Hulls started drafting the story of her grandmother’s life, she wanted to take on the role of neutral narrator, but that didn't last long. We’ll hear about her graphic novel, Feeding Ghosts, and the complicated family history she unraveled.  And then, we'll speak with the director of a documentary about renowned translator Bill Porter aka Red Pine. Guests: Tessa Hulls, author of Feeding Ghosts Ward Serrill, filmmaker behind Dancing with the Dead Bill Porter, translator and author Relevant Links KUOW: In 'Feeding Ghosts,' author, illustrator Tessa Hull recounts a healing journey across generations KUOW: A Port Townsend man went searching for hermits. Now he's a celebrity in China See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Soundside team is taking some time off this 4th of July week; some of us are on vacation, and others are working on upcoming shows.  We’re going to revisit some of our favorite segments, and the hardworking producers who make Soundside, will be making the picks. Producer Noel Gasca's picks: Lily Gladstone chronicles Blackfeet Nation's reunion with buffalo in new SIFF documentary In 'Thunder Song,' a Coast Salish punk creates her own form of medicine Guests: Lily Gladstone, Oscar nominee and executive producer of Bring Them Home Sasha taqwšəblu LaPointe, author of "Thunder Song: Essays" and “Red Paint: The Ancestral Autobiography of a Coast Salish Punk.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For months, one creature of the night has been drawing the fascination and exasperation of city leaders, police officers, and residents of one of Seattle’s trendiest neighborhoods. Some call him The Belltown Hellcat. Maybe you’ve caught a glimpse of his souped-up 2023 Dodge Charger Hellcat zipping by, or the car’s revving and backfiring has kept you from getting a decent night of sleep. Or you could be one of his roughly 760 thousand Instagram followers – watching as he posts clips of his late night or early morning drives - going upwards of 100 miles per hour. Needless to say, city officials and police are not pleased. And requests of him to quiet down - have been ignored. Since March, Hudson has been hit with two charges of reckless driving. And last week, a Seattle Municipal Court Judge fined him over $83 thousand dollars for not removing the noise-enhancing modifications that violate the city’s noise laws. Seattle Times reporter Paige Cornwell joins Soundside host Libby Denkmann to share an update on how the Hellcat ended up in hot water. Guests: Paige Cornwell - Reporter for The Seattle Times See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.