Soundside

Bankruptcy is an unfortunate reality for thousands of Americans every year, but cities declaring bankruptcies are far more rare.  Since the 1930s, municipality bankruptcies have only happened around 700 times in the U.S. And in Washington State it’s only happened once, until this week when the city of Cle Elum declared itself insolvent in bankruptcy court, saddled with significant debt. How significant? 26 million dollars, more than five times the town’s annual budget. Guest: Seattle Times reporter Jim Brunner Relevant Links:  Cle Elum considers bankruptcy amid $22M debt in development dispute Cle Elum declares bankruptcy over $26M debt 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’ve been celebrating Pride all month with a TON of events across the state, but now, we’ve hit critical mass, because it’s PRIDE WEEKEND! There is SO MUCH happening, so let's get to it: LINKS: Indigiqueer Festival Trans Pride Seattle Seattle Dyke March PRIDE-FEST: Capitol Hill Seattle Pride Parade 2025 PRIDE-FEST: Seattle Center Dungeons and Drag Queens at The Crocodile Brewology - Pacific Science Center Fairy Fest - Lakewold Gardens Buckley Log Show 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.

Washington State started conducting all-mail elections in 2014 and it’s mostly been smooth sailing since then.  But a national explosion of vote-by-mail during the 2020 election due to Covid sparked a partisan backlash against the practice. President Trump made claims that voting by mail would lead to widespread fraud, accusations that grew louder after he lost that election to President Biden. Now the Washington State Republican Party has officially come out against vote-by-mail, with Chairman Jim Walsh saying “We want to get back to in-person voting.” Sam Reed is a Republican and was the 14th Secretary of State in Washington, retiring in 2013. He's also the godfather of vote-by-mail in Washington State. And he regrets nothing.  Guest: Former WA Secretary of State Sam Reed Relevant links:  WAGOP Joins Regional Movement to END Vote-By-Mail The History of Voting and Elections in Washington State 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.

A festival celebrating the city’s only river won't happen this year.  The organization hosting the Duwamish River Festival shut the August celebration down, due to concerns about Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in South Park, the neighborhood where the festival usually takes place.  We talk about the decision with the head of the Duwamish River Community Coalition, the organization that usually runs the festival. Guest Paulina Lopez, executive director of the Duwamish River Community Coalition Related links Seattle festival canceled due to ICE concerns, The Seattle Times Envisioning a cleaner Duwamish River in South Park, Soundside (2022) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over the last three years, the shortage of public defenders in Washington state has built to a crisis. It’s been taking a toll on the lawyers who represent clients that need representation but can’t afford it. Since that representation is promised in the U.S. and state constitutions, these lawyers are a critical aspect of the legal system.  When there aren’t enough lawyers, people wait in jail. Last year, the ACLU of Washington sued Yakima County for denying defendants their sixth amendment right to an attorney. The county has struggled to hire new public defenders for years. To address the lack, public defenders proposed a counterintuitive solution: lower the number of cases public defenders can take on. They say doing so will  reduce burnout and increase recruitment. This month, the Washington State Supreme Court signed on to dramatically reduced caseload limits for defenders.  Guests:  Daniel Beekman, reporter at the Seattle Times Bob Boruchowitz, professor from practice at Seattle University School of Law and director of the Defender Initiative Relevant Links:  Seattle Times: WA Supreme Court orders much lower caseloads for public defenders  Seattle Times: WA adds public defender dollars but ‘nowhere near’ enough, counties say Seattle Times: Washington Bar approves much lower caseloads for public defenders 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.

A ceasefire between Israel and Iran appears to be holding at this hour.President Trump spoke briefly to reporters this morning on the White House lawn.  He used an expletive and said he was unhappy that the two countries had both initially violated the agreement to pause attacks. More than a week after Israel kicked off the new war with Iran, Trump intervened on Saturday by ordering a U.S. strike on three Iranian nuclear sites. This morning the president has been re-posting messages on social media from supporters calling his handling of the conflict “an overwhelming…victory” and “a historic masterclass.” But a member of Washington's congressional delegation disagrees.  Guest: Adam Smith is a House Democrat who represents parts of Bellevue and Seattle all the way to Auburn and Federal Way. Related links: Democrats Forge Ahead With Efforts to Reach War Powers Vote Amid Shaky Cease-Fire - 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.

Washington state is taking quick action to meet its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. As part of it, last year the state spent $45 million dollars to help lower income people buy or lease electric vehicles.  To do this, they lowered the barrier for getting a rebate – all you needed to do was self-report your income or say you were enrolled in an assistance program, and the dealer would discount thousands of dollars from the price.  But a new investigation from Cascade PBS has found that some of the money didn’t go towards the people it was intended for. Guest: Elizabeth Whitman, freelance journalist Relevant Links: Cascade PBS: WA spent $45M to boost electric vehicle use — with mixed results 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.

A new book examines the theory that lead and arsenic poisoning may have affected the brain development of serial killers like Ted Bundy and Gary Ridgway.  Childhood exposure to these poisons might provide a partial explanation for these horrific crimes. The book is “Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers.”  It’s part memoir; part examination of anthropology, criminology, and also the ecological history of the Pacific Northwest. Guest Caroline Fraser, author of “Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers.” She grew up on Mercer Island and won the Pulitzer Prize for her biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder in 2018.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Upstairs at Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture, MoPop, right now you can take a trip through the musical genres and artists that trace the arc of Black history in America, from gospel foremothers like Rosetta Tharpe and Mahalia Jackson, to the soul songs of Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder. The exhibit is called Never Turn Back: Echoes of African American Music. Soundside host Libby Denkmann caught up with curator Adeerya Johnson for a tour of the exhibit. GUEST: Adeerya Johnson, Associate Curator at MoPop RELATED LINK: Never Turn Back: Echoes of African American Music | Museum of Pop Culture 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 are officially in the summer busy season. Solstice, pride, Juneteenth — if you’re looking for something to do this week, have no fear, there’s something for you. Soundside is off tomorrow for Juneteenth, so we're bringing you an EARLY edition of the WEEKEND WARMUP.  Here with stuff to do this weekend is Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows! LINKS:  Juneteenth | Atlantic Street Center NAAM | Juneteenth Juneteenth — ACLT Summer of Soul Series Juneteenth 2025 | Mercer Island, Washington Juneteenth 2025 | Shoreline City Hall Juneteenth - Stewart Heights Park, Tacoma 2025 Juneteenth Commemoration - Washington State Historical Society Washington Brewers Fest   MOPOP - 25th Anniversary Fremont Solstice Parade Fremont Fair Summer Bonsai Solstice | Pacific Bonsai Museum  Marysville Strawberry Festival Wenatchee River Bluegrass Festival 2025 Georgetown Pride 2025 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.