Soundside

The scene opens on a dusty street. Weathered wooden buildings with false fronts line either side of the street, as two gunslingers line up at high noon. A lone tumbleweed drifts across the street… which, actually, is the problem we’re here to discuss today.  Tumbleweeds, also known as Russian thistle, are an invasive plant here in the United States. And for people in Central and Eastern Washington, they’re a nuisance that can clog roads and pose a potential fire hazard.  So when reporter Anna King found that these invasive plants were being sold online as elegant decor – she was understandably curious about why. She joined Soundside to discuss her recent reporting on how tumbleweeds are managed, and how they spread so far. Guests: Anna King, reporter for the Northwest News Network covering Washington and Oregon mainly East of the Cascades. Related Links: Tumbleweeds sold for big bucks on popular home decor website causes chuckles in the Northwest - Northwest Public Broadcasting (nwpb.org) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For generations, native Chinook salmon have made their spring migration up the Columbia River… But over the past few decades, as their population has dwindled, salmon have been overtaken by a non-native species of fish hailing from the East Coast - THE SHAD. Shad runs now number in the millions, while just about 700 thousand native Chinook make the trip up the Columbia each year.  What’s behind the rise of this East Coast interloper? Humans, of course.  But the effects of Shad on the local ecosystem? Well, that’s a bit more complicated. Soundside host Libby Denkmann sat down with Seattle Times environment reporter Lynda Mapes to find out more about the "Chrome Tide." GUEST: Seattle Times environment reporter Lynda Mapes RELATED LINK: There’s a new top fish of the Columbia River — and it doesn’t mind the warm water | The Seattle Times See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The U.S. presidential race has undergone a big transformation.  But has anything changed for Democrats who voted "uncommitted" in Washington state's presidential primary? As the party prepares to nominate Vice President Kamala Harris in a virtual role call vote, an uncommitted delegate says Harris needs to show more separation from President Biden on the war in Gaza before she will earn his support. Guest: Yaz Kader, uncommitted delegate for Washington’s 7th congressional district, which encompasses most of Seattle and Burien, as well as Vashon Island, Lake Forest Park, Shoreline, and Normandy Park. Relevant links: Seattle Times: WA to send 2 ‘uncommitted’ delegates to Democratic National Convention Washington State Standard: Harris snags support of Washington Democratic delegates See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Each year we can count on the reliable passing of the seasons: the leaves falling in Autumn, winter blooming into spring, and if you’re following tech, the reliable attempt – yet again – at a federal data privacy bill in the U.S. Congress.  Back in April, two Washington legislators – Democrat Senator Maria Cantwell and Republican Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers – announced to much fanfare that they would be leading the charge this year with newly drafted legislation called the American Privacy Rights Act.  "Researchers project that if current trends continue, companies training large language models may run out of new publicly available high-quality data to train AI systems as early as 2026," said Senator Cantwell in a hearing on the issue earlier this month. "So without a strong privacy law, when the public data runs out, nothing stopping it from using our private data..." As AI systems and their developers are hungry for more data, companies are starting to ask consumers to provide it -- often without ethical guidelines in place.  In the hearing, Senator Cantwell called AI advancements “...fuel on a campfire in the middle of a windstorm," citing concerns with deepfakes, data security, price gauging, and data transparency. "Privacy is not a partisan issue," said Senator Cantwell. "According to Pew Research, the majority of Americans across the political spectrum want more support for regulation. I believe our most important private data should not be bought or sold without our approval..." Will concerns driven by AI be push tech regulation to the finish line? To hear more about this latest attempt and if this effort might make it through, Soundside’s Libby Denkmann caught up with AI researchers Jacob Metcalf and Jennifer King.  Guests: Dr. Jacob Metcalf is a researcher at the nonprofit Data & Society, where he studies and consults with companies on ethical AI practices.  Dr. Jennifer King is a privacy and Data Policy Fellow at the Stanford Institute for Human Centered Artificial Intelligence.  Related Links: Lawmakers unveil new bipartisan digital privacy bill after years of impasse - The Verge White Paper Rethinking Privacy in the AI Era: Policy Provocations for a Data-Centric World | Stanford HAI The Ethical Dilemma at the Heart of Big Tech Companies (hbr.org) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a move aimed at curbing street racing, the Seattle City Council recently approved stricter penalties for people who participate in, or are spectators of, the activity.  A blog post by the city specifically noted a street racing event from July of last year as an influence on the legislation. Three people were wounded and one was killed during the race in Capitol Hill, after someone opened fire on a crowd of spectators. City Attorney Ann Davison, who worked in partnership on the bill, called street racing a growing problem in the area.  But some have argued that the legislation is overkill, when the state already instituted new laws around street racing earlier this year.   Guest: Seattle City Councilmember Bob Kettle (District 7)   Relevant links: Seattle City Council Blog: Seattle City Council adopts new tools to fight illegal street racing Statement from Councilmember Kettle: While Seattle Police don’t have specific on data on street racing, my constituents have increasingly raised concerns about these incidents. The feedback has been amplified by the media coverage of the late night disruption to neighborhoods, shootings and injuries during these dangerous gatherings.  On July 23, 2023, three people were wounded by gunfire and one person was fatally shot during an unlawful racing event in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. And during a weekend in June, a pair of illegal racing events resulted in the tragic shooting death of 22-year-old man, multiple shooting injuries, and a car striking a pedestrian. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are 28 candidates running for Governor in the August 6th Primary. So, if you’re a Washington voter and feeling a little overwhelmed, you’re not alone. On Soundside we’re keeping it simple. This week we’re interviewing the top 4 candidates in terms of polling and fundraising. So far, we’ve spoken with Dave Reichert, Bob Ferguson, and Mark Mullet.They all want to replace Democratic Governor Jay Inslee, who’s been in office for almost a dozen years.  All these candidates have very different ideas about where the state should be headed.  The final candidate is Semi Bird. Bird is a former Richland School Board member and a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and the Army, where he served as a Green Beret and earned a Bronze Star.  Guests: Semi Bird, former Richland School Board member Relevant Links: Tri City Herald: Controversial Richland School Board Member Announces Bid for Washington Governor in 2024 Seattle Times: WA GOP endorses Semi Bird for governor at Trump-dominated convention KUOW: Republican gubernatorial candidate Semi Bird responds to accusations of "stolen valor" See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All this week we're talking to the top polling candidates running for governor in Washington state.  Voters, when you finally crack that August 6th primary ballot envelope open, you will see there are 28 people vying for governor of the Evergreen State, that's a lot so we're talking to the four men who lead the pack in fundraising and polling, and next up is Washington State’s current Attorney General, Bob Ferguson. Ferguson is a Democrat. He was first elected Attorney General in 2012 and before that he was a King County Councilmember. Guests Bob Ferguson, Attorney General of Washington Relevant Links: Washington State Standard: Man in the middle: Ferguson tries to strike a balance on policing Washington State Standard: Attorney General Bob Ferguson formally enters 2024 race for Washington governor Seattle Times: Ferguson laser-focused on Reichert at state Democratic convention  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the first time in 12 years, there is no incumbent running for Governor in the state.And since Gov. Jay Inslee decided he would not seek a fourth term in office, dozens of candidates have thrown their hat in the ring to replace him.This week I’m talking to the four men who lead the pack in fundraising and polling.  Next on the list, Democratic state Senator Mark Mullet. Mullet represents Washington's 5th legislative district in Olympia. He also owns an ice cream parlor and pizza shop in Issaquah. Guests: State Senator Mark Mullet (WA-05) Relevant Links Washington State Standard: Mullet looks to seize middle lane in 2024 governor’s race Washington State Standard: Heating up: Mullet goes after Ferguson for once backing drug decriminalization  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vice President Kamala Harris is quickly gaining momentum as a potential successor for President Joe Biden in November. But there’s still one major event that will define this year’s Democratic campaign: The Democratic National Convention.  The convention will take place from August 19-22 in Chicago. President Biden, who clinched his primary victories, would typically seize the opportunity to discuss policy and outline the party's platform for the final stretch of the election.  But with his departure from the race, the focus of the convention may be very different. To analyze the implications of Biden’s decision to not run for reelection and how the Democratic could move forward, Soundside was joined by James Long. Long is a professor of political science at the University of Washington, and a co-founder of the Political Economy Forum there. Guests: James Long, professor of political science at the University of Washington, and a co-founder of the Political Economy Forum. Related Links: Washington Post: How Democrats can pick a new candidate, step by step Yahoo News: DNC panel to meet in public to set ‘transparent, fair’ framework to pick presidential nominee See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The political landscape is shifting rapidly this week.  Just days after President Biden announced he would not seek re-election, the Democratic party is getting in line behind the Vice President. According to an Associated Press survey, Vice President Kamala Harris has earned enough delegate support to become the Democratic nominee for President. And now, as she takes center stage, the spotlight on Harris has intensified. And the floodgate of criticism from Republicans has opened.Some of these attacks have focused on what you’d expect – like her work on immigration, or the Biden Administration’s record on inflation. But some notable criticism has also focused on factors outside of the Vice President’s control: Harris’ race, and gender.  On Monday, Republican Representative Tim Burchett of Tennessee called Harris “our DEI Vice President” in a post on X. DEI as in, “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.” And the Washington State GOP posted yesterday on the same platform that Harris was “unqualified to lead,” adding, “Antimeritocratic DEI is not building back better, it's setting us further back.” With the first Black and Asian woman – and only the second woman ever– headed to be the nominee of a major political party, how will racist and sexist tropes play a role in this campaign season? And how are Black and Asian women gearing up to confront them?   Guest:  Washington State Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.