Soundside

Latest Episodes:

How the latest SCOTUS ruling on religous rights echoes the Scopes trial Jul 02, 2025

Show notes

On Friday, the Supreme Court ruled that a Maryland couple could pull their child out of classes where the material involved books with LGBTQ themes.

The six conservative justices ruled that parents should not be required to expose their children to class materials that go against their religious beliefs.

Coincidentally, almost exactly one hundred years ago – in July 1925 – there was another famous legal debate over what kids learn in the classroom that took place in Tennessee.

The so-called Scopes Monkey Trial was ground zero for one of America’s first culture wars: The debate over whether or not evolution should be taught in schools.

Guest:

Alexander Gouzoules, associate professor at the University of Missouri School of Law and co-author of The Hundred Years' Trial: Law, Evolution, and the Long Shadow of Scopes v. Tennessee

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.

Trans in 2025: Danni Askini answers our questions on sports bans, medical care and beyond Jul 02, 2025

Show notes

2025 has been a busy year for Danni Askini.

As Executive Director of the Gender Justice League, Askini is involved in multiple lawsuits fighting Trump Administration policies related to trans rights.

She’s also the co-chair of the Washington Families for Freedom coalition, created this year to fight potential state ballot measures that could impact trans youth.

And – by the way – she’s the Executive Director of Trans Pride Seattle, which just hosted its annual celebration at Seattle’s Volunteer Park on Friday.

Danni Askini and fellow trans rights activists are confronting a rapidly shifting landscape.

Include President Trump’s executive orders banning trans people in the military, targeting funding for hospitals that provide gender affirming care for minors, and declaring the U.S. only recognizes two “immutable biological” sexes
And Supreme Court decisions including last week’s ruling the effectively upholds bans on trans healthcare for minors in 27 states, which has opened the door to re-considering states right to ban Medicaid from covering gender-affirming care for adults.

Day by day, trans rights are changing and eroding, in a way that’s hard for even a plugged in advocate to keep track of.

We sat down on Monday afternoon to talk about it all.

Guest:

Danni Askini: Executive Director of the Gender Justice League, co-chair of the Washington Families for Freedom coalition, and the Executive Director of Trans Pride Seattle.

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.

What we know about Sunday's shooting in Coeur d'Alene Jul 01, 2025

Show notes

Idaho’s governor has ordered that flags be flown at half-staff following the killing of two firefighters, and wounding of a third, in Coeur d’Alene yesterday.

Firefighters were responding to a grass fire in a natural area with hiking and mountain biking trails.

When they arrived, a man opened fire, in what the local county sheriff is calling an ambush.

And a note: this interview was taped at 11:30am. Information may have changed by the time you're hearing this.

Guest:

Kaye Thornbrugh is a reporter with Coeur d’Alene Press

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.

Should hikers have to pay for their own rescue? Jun 30, 2025

Show notes

Skamania County Sheriff Summer Scheyer says she has a problem.

As more visitors get into the great outdoors in her rural Washington county, more and more people are calling for help, and requiring search and rescue operations.

Scheyer says things need to change:

She’s announced plans for an ordinance that would impose a fine on anyone who requires a search and rescue due to what she terms “reckless” or “negligent” actions.

But is it fair to expect hikers in need of help to pay for assistance?

We talk with her about that question and more.

Guest

Summer Scheyer, sheriff of Skamania County.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AG Nick Brown on birthright citizenship, SCOTUS and Washington state Jun 30, 2025

Show notes

Civil rights groups are scrambling to get ahead of a looming change to the status of babies born to immigrant parents without permanent legal status.

Unless additional legal actions are successful, there are just a few weeks until the Trump administration’s restrictions on birthright citizenship are set to take effect in a majority of states across the country, following a Supreme Court ruling on Friday.

Washington was one of several states challenging President Trump’s executive order limiting birthright citizenship.

But while the SCOTUS ruling didn't directly address the Trump administration's restrictions on birthright citizenship, the ruling has wide implications for the power of the judicial branch to rein in the executive.

We talk with Washington's Attorney General, Nick Brown, about SCOTUS rulings, universal injunctions and birthright citizenship.

Guest:

Washington Attorney General Nick Brown

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.

King County official denies accusations of stalking, says he's still running for office Jun 26, 2025

Show notes

Voters will pick a new King County Executive this November.

And the race has taken a dramatic turn as candidate and current King County Assessor John Wilson has been repeatedly accused of stalking and harassment. Last month his ex fiancee and domestic partner Lee Keller was granted a second restraining order against him.

Members of the King County Council have called on Wilson to resign, which he has rebuffed.

Wilson has vehemently denied all allegations of domestic violence and stalking. He says he and Keller have a “stormy” relationship and that many of her allegations are incorrect.

Guest:

KUOW politics reporter Scott Greenstone

Related stories:

King County assessor says he won't resign amid stalking allegation scandal - KUOW

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.

Why a Washington State town has filed for bankruptcy Jun 26, 2025

Show notes

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.

Soundside's "Weekend Warmup" - PRIDE EDITION Jun 26, 2025

Show notes

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:

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 Republican who brought vote-by-mail to Washington State still believes in it Jun 26, 2025

Show notes

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.

Why this year's Duwamish River Festival is canceled Jun 25, 2025

Show notes

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