Soundside

Latest Episodes:

Front Page: Venezuela, Somali daycares, and Seattle's new mayor, Katie Wilson Jan 05, 2026

Show notes

Every Monday on Soundside we catch you up on the top stories that are fascinating right now – and what they say about the Pacific Northwest.
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:

Geekwire contributing editor, journalist, and owner of the Streamline Tavern - Mike Lewis

Related stories:

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.

Host Picks: Sailmaking, Soul Radio, and the Olympic Marmot Dec 31, 2025

Show notes

It’s New Year’s Eve. At midnight, many of us will be raising glasses, kissing loved ones, and trying to remember the words to “Auld Lang Syne.”

That song, if you don’t recall, begins with a question: “Should old acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?”

We here at Soundside say, NO! We will remember.

This year, we brought on a couple new producers, and they have been fantastic additions to our team! I am super excited to see how they help us grow.

But we will never forget those who helped us get here. So, today, we’re playing back some of the great work by former Soundside producers.

RELATED LINKS:

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.

Producer Picks: Transit & Translators Dec 30, 2025

Show notes

This week, we’re revisiting some of our favorite segments of the year.

And today, we're talking about transit. And translators.

A now-former King County Metro Bus driver tells us what passengers should know when they ride the bus. But more importantly, we got some insight into why the 8 in downtown Seattle is so often called the late bus.
Plus, we sat down with a Seattle-based translator to discuss her National Book Award-nominated work translating the novel We Computers into English.

She said that translating the poetry and the prose in this book was like running a triathlon.

We're taking a trip with two local women who helped us get from point A to point B in 2025.

Guests

Desiree Andersen, former King County Metro bus driver, @desinthepark
Shelley Fairweather-Vega, Seattle-based translator of Hamid Ismailov's

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.

Producer Picks: Bruce Lee, the international icon who holds a special place in Seattle's heart Dec 29, 2025

Show notes

It’s the holidays and, to round out 2025, the Soundside team is sharing some of our favorite conversations we had on the show this year.

For this episode, we devoted the entire hour to a conversation we originally aired last month on Bruce Lee.

This year, author Jeff Chang published an in-depth biography on Lee’s life. It's called “Water Mirror Echo: Bruce Lee and the Making of Asian America." In it, Chang shows how the rise of Bruce Lee mirrored the rise of Asian American identity.

In this interview, we talked about Lee’s life in Seattle; his rise in Hollywood; and how his short life left an imprint on Asian Americans that can be felt to this day.

RELATED LINK:

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.

Producer Picks: Tactile Basketball, Costco, Cougar Gold, and the Grand Illusion Cinema Dec 25, 2025

Show notes

Christmas Eve begins our holiday break here on Soundside. We’re taking some time off to enjoy the holidays with our friends and family… or to just eat lots of good food while staying indoors.

But we’ve still got plenty of jam packed shows ready for you.

Today - we’re focusing on local businesses here in the Pacific Northwest.

RELATED LINKS:

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.

"Frankly I love this town" - City Council President Sara Nelson says goodbye Dec 23, 2025

Show notes

A lot has changed during Sara Nelson’s time in Seattle government.

She was a centrist outlier on a progressive city council when she was first elected in 2021. But the dynamics changed: Nelson became the center of power, and ended up running the show as council president, after a moderate slate of candidates swept the 2023 election.

She helped oversee pandemic-era recovery, worked with two different mayoral administrations and two very different presidential administrations during her time on the council.

Now - her time in office is coming to an end.

Next month, there will be a new, more progressive representative in the citywide Position 9 seat that Nelson’s held the past four years. Nonprofit leader Dionne Foster will take Nelson’s place after winning by a wide margin of votes in November.

Between passing a police contract, approving phase one of the city’s Comprehensive Plan, and putting forward a bill to change how consultants work with the city – Nelson has been busy during her last month in office.

And last week she spent an hour with Soundside to reflect on her tenure and the direction Seattle politics is moving.

GUESTS:

Sara Nelson, outgoing position 9 Seattle City Councilmember and City Council President

RELATED LINKS:

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.

Front Page: Flooding, affordability and Dave Ross sings Dec 23, 2025

Show notes

GUEST: Former KIRO-FM host Dave Ross

TODAY'S TOPICS:

Flooding
- Seattle Times: A damaged King County levee awaited fixes for years. Then it failed.
- NBC News: Federal grants for flood mitigation work sat on hold as storms inundated Washington state
Affordability
- NYTimes: How Democrats Used One Word to Turn the Tide Against Trump
- NYTimes: These Young Adults Make Good Money. But Life, They Say, Is Unaffordable.
Dave Ross parody songs

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.

Kiss Merry Kill: Holiday Edition Dec 22, 2025

Show notes

The holidays: a time to gather with friends and family, to enjoy one another’s company as we light candles or sit by a tree and contemplate the year’s passing.

It’s also a time to argue with said friends and family about some really dumb stuff.

Is Die Hard a holiday movie? Should Mariah Carey officially be crowned “Queen of Christmas?” Has there ever been a good Hanukkah song?

You’ll be debating hard hitting questions like this. And on Soundside, we’re here to help you win the argument.

It’s our gift to you.

Today – We’re pitting three movies, songs, and local events against each other to determine a winner, in a totally original game we’re calling “Kiss Merry Kill.”

And of course that’s merry like Santa is - with an E.

HOLIDAY FARE DISCUSSED:

Movies

Music

Events

GUESTS:

Betty Wetter is a Seattle drag queen, and host of monthly drag variety show Tush! at the Clock-out Lounge
Juno Men is a comedian, and co-host of the Moth Storytelling Slam here in Seattle

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.

Red Light Vintage could close for good. A familiar face is trying to keep it alive. Dec 19, 2025

Show notes

Seattle may have to say goodbye to a longstanding vintage shop in the new year.

Red Light Vintage & Costume sits in the heart of the University District. It has been a fixture in Seattle’s fashion scene since it opened in the mid 90s.

Now the shop could close because owner Niz Marar is retiring.

He’s hoping to sell the business before his lease expires at the end of January. If he can’t find a buyer, fashion lovers will have to let go of this cherished spot.

We talk to Marar about his final few weeks at Red Light... and hear from the person who's trying to keep it alive by buying the shop before the lease ends.

GUESTS:

Niz Marar, owner of Red Light Vintage & Costume
Tacee Webb, co-founder of Red Light Vintage & Costume

RELATED LINKS:

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.

Yay books! Soundside's 2025 in letters Dec 18, 2025

Show notes

There are only a few weeks left in 2025. That means for those of you who resolved, at the beginning of the year, to do more reading — it's crunch time.

Did you actually put down your phone long enough to get through a book this year? It's not too late.

Many great books came out this year. If you need suggestions for something to read or to give to someone who really ought to be reading more, we've got you covered.

GUESTS: