Soundside

A couple years ago, Seattle passed a law to pay delivery drivers more for their labor.  The policy guaranteed these gig workers minimum compensation. The idea was to protect people working for apps like Uber Eats and DoorDash.  …. And it stirred up some big reactions.   Delivery companies protested the change. Restaurant owners said the policy hurt business. And some City Councilmembers considered rolling the law back just a few months after it went into effect.  After all that fuss…. researchers have found that the pay for these drivers hasn’t actually changed that much. Guest:  Andrew Garin, an Associate Professor of Economics at Carnegie Mellon University.  Related links: KUOW - Seattle's gig worker law was supposed to boost pay. It did at first, until orders dropped Wage standard for Seattle delivery drivers at an impasse | The Seattle Times KUOW - Seattle has a new gig worker minimum wage. Who's benefiting and who's footing the bill? 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.

Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page. It’s our chance to talk about the latest news with a rotation of plugged-in journalists and guests, taking a look at the headlines from the weekend and the stories that we'll be following as the week moves forward. GUEST: Congresswoman Suzan DelBene RELATED LINKS:  House GOP leaders push DHS funding bill through May TSA Pay to Resume, but ICE Could Remain at Airports, Homan Says Trump Renews Energy Site Threats After Claiming Progress in Peace Talks 'A lot of votes may not count': Supreme Court appears ready to upend WA mail-in ballot rules for federal races by November 2026 Huge Crowds Turn Out To Finally Ride Light Rail Across Lake Washington 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.

It’s Opening Day at T-Mobile Park. In just hours, Mariners fans will be back in the stands, ready to cheer on the team as they look to improve on last year’s record-breaking playoff run. The M’s won the AL West, but fell agonizingly short of the World Series…  It’s an interesting feeling, being a Mariners fan right now. First of all, our nachos float in a souvenir ferry boat container. SECONDLY, our expectations are really high! Gone are the days of the tried and true “well, hopefully we’ll make the playoffs.” NOW, the faithful are expecting greatness, we’ve SEEN how good this team can be, and we’re ready for more…  Here to either temper our expectations -or- bolster our enthusiasm, maybe even make us a bit delusional, is editor-in-chief of Lookout Landing GUEST: Kate Preusser RELATED LINKS:  Mariners Opening Weekend Opening Day Power Rankings If it all goes right | Lookout Landing  If it all goes wrong | Lookout Landing 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.

It's beautiful here in the U-District, and as it is when it's nice outside, we want to go do stuff this weekend! As we do every Thursday, Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows is here with all the events fit to print and worthy of your excitement! HOST: Soundside producer Jason Megatron Burrows LINKS:  Mariners Opening Weekend Puck Place Market 2026 Seattle Torrent vs Ottawa Charge Onda Origins Coffee/Seattle Torrent Rain Country Dance Association - 2026 Emerald City Hoedown Seattle No Kings- March 28 Celebrate the new Crosslake Connection! | Sound Transit Stand By Me: The Film and Its Stars 40 Years Later Bellingham Children’s Film Festival Spring Salon Fundraiser 2026 - Key to Change Moving Stories – TDOV 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.

Amanda Ogle's car got stolen in 2017, and she fought for over a year to get it back from a Seattle towing company. Her bill? $21,684.  Ogle was unhoused at the time, so her 1991 Camry wasn’t just a way to get around; it was her home.  Her case attracted coverage in The Seattle Times and elsewhere, and now her saga is the plot of a movie, Tow, starring Rose Byrne.  Guests: Amanda Ogle, her child Avery Ogle and her lawyer Kevin Eggers, who are all portrayed in the film.  Related Links: A towing outrage made Amanda Ogle a Seattle celebrity. Here’s the twist A $21,634 bill? How a homeless woman fought her way out of tow-company hellSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Just this morning, the NBA Board of Governors approved exploring two possible expansion teams in Seattle and Las Vegas.  Yes, you’re allowed to squeal, but listen carefully: this is not a done deal, the team is not back yet. But here's why one sportswriter (and Sonics enthusiast) won't be apologizing to any Thunder fans in Oklahoma City anytime soon. Guest Danny O'Neil, sportswriter Related LinksOKC wants apology before giving back Sonics history? Are you kidding? - The News Tribune The Dang Apostrophe (Danny's newsletter)NBA owners vote to explore Vegas, Seattle expansion bids - ESPNThank 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.

If you watch HBO's hit series "The Pitt', you'll actually see a real-life nurse on screen: Ned Brower. He plays nurse Jesse Van Horn.  Brower is an actor with real-life ER experience.  Two careers are usually enough for most people. But he's also a musician. He started working as an EMT and later became a nurse after making his name with the band Rooney.   Brower’s new project is the electro-pop band, Bloodwerk. Listen to one of their singles, Truth Will Tell, here. Guest Ned Brower, nurse, actor and musicianRelated Links‘The Pitt’ star Ned Brower strikes balance between nursing and acting - The Seattle Times On ‘The Pitt,’ Ned Brower’s Nurse Jesse Has Captured the Hearts of Fans — Now He Wants Their Ears - Rolling Stone 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.

From New York to Phoenix, at least fourteen major airports across the country will see ICE agents deployed today, according to White House border Czar Tom Homan.  The immigration agents are being sent to bolster TSA staffing amid an ongoing partial federal government shutdown. In many places, that has led to security checkpoint lines that stretch for blocks and have travelers waiting hours to get to their flights.  But it’s been a different picture at SEA Airport, at least for now. Guest: Port of Seattle Commissioner Sam Cho Related links: Support SEA TSA Workers During the Government Shutdown! - gofundme 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, like the entire country, has been hit hard by fentanyl.  in 2025, King County has recorded more than 650 overdose deaths involving the synthetic opioid, which can be 50 times stronger than heroin.  650 is a devastating number but it’s actually down from a peak in 2023, when more than 1,000 people died from fentanyl-related overdoses in the county. The drop mirrors a downward trend that we’ve seen across the entire country…  But the crisis is still overwhelming many communities.  A biotech company called ARMR Sciences is hoping to solve at least one piece of this very complicated puzzle: Instead of reversing these overdoses, they want to stop them from happening in the first place... through a fentanyl vaccine.  This segment first aired in December of 2025.  Also - We wanted to share a response we got from a listener about our update on Kratom. In case you missed it, Kratom is a plant from Southeast Asia that can have psychoactive effects. You’ve probably seen the signs for it - they’re plastered on just about every smoke shop in the city. We previously spoke with UW Medicine researcher Caleb Banta Green about what we know about kratom. And we replayed a short bit of that conversation last week in an update…. Because Spokane and Spokane Valley recently banned the sale of the substance.  We also asked you to give us your thoughts on Kratom and whether it should be a banned substance. Erik from Bothell responded with a really interesting personal take on the substance, and its effects.  GUESTS: Dr. Colin Haile, a research associate professor at the University of Houston and he’s also one of the co-founders of ARMR Sciences. Erik from Bothell RELATED LINKS:  A Fentanyl Vaccine Is About to Get Its First Major Test | WIRED Scientists Create a Vaccine Against Fentanyl 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.

Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page. It’s our chance to talk about the latest news with a rotation of plugged-in journalists and guests, taking a look at the headlines from the weekend and the stories that we'll be following as the week moves forward. GUEST: Mike Lewis - Freelance Journalist RELATED LINKS: Is ICE coming to Sea-Tac Airport? Here’s what we know Kraken acquire majority stake in Climate Pledge Arena before NBA meeting Why the potential return of the Sonics to Seattle has never felt closer WA governor prepares to meet with NBA commissioner as hopes rise for Sonics’ return Kevin Durant Talks LEAVING OKC Thunder & OWNING the Sonics! “It Was Time”: Dolores Huerta’s First Interview After “Devastating” Cesar Chavez Expose - Latino USA Cesar Chavez allegations remind us we must hold all abusers accountable After shocking revelations, WA leaders reconsider Cesar Chavez recognition Seattle light rail is about to do something audacious and unique to transit Sound Transit's Budget-Balancing Ideas All Stop Short of Delivering Rail to Ballard 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.