Soundside

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Starbucks' CEO wants to get customers back to stores. He's also closing them. Oct 08, 2025

Show notes

The news hit like a gulp of bitter cold brew: Seattle-based Starbucks announced last month the company would be closing hundreds of stores and laying off another 900 corporate employees.

Tuesday, October 7th, it was reported that another 369 employees will be laid off here in Washington State in December due to store “closures.”

This follows a restructuring plan laid out by CEO Brian Niccol.

Here to walk us through the latest out of SBUX HQ is Heather Haddon. She covers restaurants for the Wall Street Journal, and has been following this story all year.

GUEST: Heather Haddon

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.

How Oct. 7th transformed Israeli politics Oct 07, 2025

Show notes

Today marks two years since Hamas and several other Palestinian militant groups carried out multiple coordinated attacks in Israel - killing over a thousand people. Around 250 Israelis were taken hostage.

It was a day of unconscionable atrocities and hatred. And war has only made the horrors grow. Israel’s military campaign has killed more than 66,000 Palestinians, according to the United Nations. Last month the United Nations Human Rights Commission declared that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza.

Locally we see a lot of activism around America’s support for Israel and American business’ involvement in Israel and Gaza.

But, what do things look like inside Israel right now?

And will a ceasefire, if it happens, or the return of hostages, change the picture in Israel?

Guest:

Liora Halperin is a Professor of International Studies and History, and Distinguished Endowed Chair of Jewish Studies, at the University of Washington, and she’s the Director of the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Near and Middle Eastern Studies.

Related stories:

Israel at War With Itself - 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.

Ask A Doctor: How to stay healthy as wildfire smoke gets worse Oct 07, 2025

Show notes

Wildfire smoke is deadly and getting deadlier. A recent study published in Nature estimates that if warming continues at the current rate, smoke exposure could kill 70,000 Americans a year by 2050… and researchers expect that Washington could feel some of the biggest impacts.

Some researchers say the study points to some of the strongest evidence so far that climate change is endangering people in the United States. Smoke pollution can cause coughing and throat irritation, but it can also lead to long-term respiratory and heart issues.

The West Coast in particular is expected to see the biggest increases in smoke pollution.

So we’re bringing you another “ask a doctor” segment, where we ask medical professionals to give us the information we need to stay healthy.

GUEST: Dr. James Wallace, a family medicine physician and the health officer for Okanogan County.

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.

The shelter for unhoused people that had empty rooms, despite Seattle spending millions on it Oct 07, 2025

Show notes

In a bid to make progress on homelessness during the pandemic, Seattle began housing people in a shelter at the Civic Hotel, just a few blocks from the Space Needle. The space offered wraparound services and, unlike some other shelters, didn’t require its clients to be sober.

And all in all, it seemed like things were going pretty well.

Then Seattle stopped sending people there. Rooms were empty, despite the fact that the city had committed millions of dollars to keep using the building.

A new investigation digs into why the city stopped using the Civic Hotel… and the complicated journey to finding a replacement.

Guest:

Ashley Hiruko, an investigative reporter at KUOW and a fellow with ProPublica.

Related stories:

KUOW - Seattle paid for shelter beds that it left vacant despite a massive need for housing

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.

The interim head of Seattle Public Schools on budgets, protests and beyond Oct 06, 2025

Show notes

Seattle Public Schools have only been back in session for about a month, but it’s already been a busy year for the district.

We wanted to get caught up on what’s been happening, so we reached out to Interim Superintendent Fred Podesta for a conversation last week.

We talked with him about school lunch protests, the budget, and a proposed pilot program to bring a school engagement officer back to one Seattle high school.

Guest

Fred Podesta, interim superintendent, Seattle Public Schools
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.

Remembering Jane Goodall Oct 06, 2025

Show notes

Last week renowned primatologist Jane Goodall died at the age of 91.

Goodall spent 65 years studying wild chimpanzees in Tanzania. Her work showed that chimpanzees make and use tools, and have emotions, empathy and their own culture. She changed our understanding of the world around us.

But it went far beyond just that - in her later life Goodall was an advocate: for conservation, human rights, animal welfare, and a number of other issues.

Myron Shekelle is a primatologist and senior instructor at Western Washington University.

And he previously worked with Goodall - he assisted with founding the Jane Goodall Institute in Singapore.

Guest:

Myron Shekelle, is a primatologist and senior instructor at Western Washington University

Related stories:

WWU primatologist spearheaded campaign to nominate Jane Goodall for Nobel Peace Prize - Cascadia Daily News

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.

Election 2025: King County Executive candidates debate Oct 02, 2025

Show notes

We’re talking about the future of a big job today: King County Executive.
Whichever candidate is elected to this position will oversee the sheriff’s department, manage public health, transportation, public housing, and jails… according to the King County website, they’ll lead one of the largest regional governments in the United States.

The last time we had an open race for King County Executive, Barack Obama was about to become President. And everyone was talking about some new Washington-based movie called “Twilight.”

Today, two county leaders are vying for the job.

Guests:

Claudia Balducci is a member of the King County Council. She represents District 6, which includes Bellevue, Mercer Island, and Redmond. She is an attorney who previously served as Mayor of Bellevue, she was a Bellevue city council member, and Director of the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention for King County.
Girmay Zahilay is chair of the King County Council, representing District 2, which includes Skyway, Allentown, and the University District. He’s also an attorney and founded the non-profit Rising Leaders, which offers mentorship and leadership training for middle school students.

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.

How Dan Wilson is prepping the Mariners for their 2025 playoff run Oct 02, 2025

Show notes

The Major League Baseball playoffs started this week and the Mariners, once again, did not take the field.

But this year, that’s actually a good thing.

Your Seattle Mariners finished on top of their division for the first time in nearly a quarter century and have a first round bye in the playoffs. The team’s first ALDS game is Saturday.

It has been an absolute rollercoaster of a season. Cal Raleigh led the charge and put up an impressive 60 home runs in the regular season. He’s one of the favorites to win the American League MVP.

The M’s have had a few new faces join the team, notably trade deadline acquisition Josh Naylor, and the vibe got a shot in the arm as the team brought Geno Suarez back…

The last time the Seattle Mariners won the American League West pennant, Ichiro was in his rookie year, the team won 116 games, and a guy named Dan Wilson was the catcher.

Dan Wilson is NOW the Manager of the M’s, and he’s led the team to their first AL West championship since 2001. He sat down with Soundside host Libby Denkmann Thursday morning.

GUEST: Mariners Manager Dan Wilson

RELATED LINK: Official Seattle Mariners Website

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.

Soundside's "Weekend Warmup" - Oct 2-5 Oct 02, 2025

Show notes

We didn't have time on the broadcast, but don't worry... Soundside producer Jason Megatron Burrows has all the events for you to enjoy this weekend.

LINKS:

HAUNTED HOUSES:

Haunted Forest of Maple Valley
Nile Nightmares Haunted House - Mountlake Terrace
Georgetown Morgue - SoDo
My Haunted Forest - Kitsap
Stalker Farms - Snohomish
Maris Farms Haunted Woods | Haunted Adventure in Buckley, WA

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.

What does it mean when a city apologizes? Oct 01, 2025

Show notes

Who is an apology for?

The answer is more obvious when the person you’re apologizing to is standing in front of you.
You want their forgiveness. Or for them to feel better. Or for you to feel better.

But when the people who were hurt, or those who hurt them, are long gone – what does apologizing actually accomplish?

That’s one of the questions behind a recent essay in the New Yorker. It’s called “The Ritual of Civic Apology,” by Beth Lew-Williams.

Lew-Williams is a Professor of History and Director of the Program in Asian American Studies at Princeton University.

She begins her essay by recounting a talk she gave in Tacoma, a few years ago.
It was about the forced expulsion of Tacoma’s Chinese residents in November 1885. And the city’s attempts to apologize for it, generations later.

Guest:

Beth Lew-Williams is Professor of History and Director of the Program in Asian American Studies at Princeton University. Her new book “John Doe Chinaman: A Forgotten History of Chinese Life under American Racial Law” published in September of this year

Related stories: