Soundside

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How solitary confinement affects the mental health of WA State inmates Aug 20, 2024

Show notes

The Washington State Department of Corrections has pledged to stop the use of solitary confinement in state prisons, in most cases. And the agency says it has made progress on that goal.
But a recent report from the agency’s own independent watchdog, the Office of the Corrections Ombuds, says isolating inmates for extended periods of time is still a widespread practice.

The findings, published in June, showed more than 1 in 5 people incarcerated in state prison at the time of the report had served a significant amount of time in solitary.

The Ombuds also highlighted 176 suicide attempts over the last decade by people in solitary. 14 of those were fatal.

The report was requested by WA State lawmakers who are working to END solitary confinement because of its effects on the mental health of inmates.

To find out more, Soundside talked to WA State Standard reporter Grace Deng.

GUEST: Grace Deng - WA State Standard

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Weekend rain a welcome relief as wildfire burns near Stehekin Aug 20, 2024

Show notes

The summertime is usually the peak season for tourists in Stehekin, Washington – a small community of around 100 people at the north end of Lake Chelan. It’s only accessible by boat or floatplane, making it an ideal place for a lakeside getaway or entry into the North Cascades wilderness.

But the geography and topography that make Stehekin unique are now posing challenges as the Pioneer Wildfire continues to threaten the town. Since it started June, the fire has grown to tens of thousands of acres, and at one point spread to within 100 feet of buildings near Stehekin. Many of the areas residents have stayed, but no structures have burned.

Soundside caught up with Stan Hinatsu about the latest on the fire. Hinatsu is the public information officer on the latest incident management team -- one of six -- responding to the Pioneer and Easy Fires.

Guests:

Stan Hinatsu, Public Information Officer with the Pioneer/Easy Fire incident response team

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Fewer WA children are in foster care amid state effort to keep families together Aug 19, 2024

Show notes

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families, which oversees the state’s foster care system, celebrated a milestone last week:

The number of children in foster care has dipped below 5,000. That’s down significantly from 9,171 kids in foster care in 2018 – a reduction of more than 50% in six years.

This is seen as progress among experts who have pushed for states nationwide to keep children with their parents whenever possible. Splitting up families can do lasting harm to kids and disproportionately affects people of color.

But critics of the approach say the policy shift has created a situation where the state may be leaving children in harmful situations too long, especially when parents struggle with addiction or mental health issues.

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.

Guests:

Nina Shapiro, social issues reporter at the Seattle Times

Relevant Links:

Seattle Times: Why WA’s foster care system is shrinking fast
Seattle Times: Is Washington state taking too many children from their parents? Movement seeks to overhaul foster care

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Hear It Again: He broke his neck diving into a pool. 20 years later, new technology is helping him recover Aug 19, 2024

Show notes

For decades, the road to recovery after a spinal cord injury has meant years of physical therapy. The goal is often small but meaningful improvements in body function.

Being able to stretch your fingers that much farther, or grip just a bit harder.

Jon Schleuter’s path began after he broke his neck diving into a pool 20 years ago.

Soundside's Libby Denkmann and Alec Cowan spoke with Schleuter in May.

You can check out the original story, complete with photos here: https://www.kuow.org/stories/things-are-happening-new-tech-offers-groundbreaking-recovery-in-spinal-injuries

GUESTS:

Jon Schlueter
Chet Moritz

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New COVID study finds pandemic mandates did, in fact, save lives Aug 16, 2024

Show notes

A new study out of the University of Virginia combined data from all 50 states to see how COVID restrictions did or didn’t reduce pandemic deaths.

Despite criticism – even today – that COVID restrictions were tyrannical and unnecessary, the paper shows that states with more stringent mask and vaccine mandates did in fact save lives, and that states without those measures could have prevented excess deaths had they followed similar strictures.

While hindsight is, in this case, literally 2020 – the study should inform our response to future pandemics.

Soundside spoke with the paper's author, Christopher Ruhm, about the findings. Ruhm is a professor of Public Policy and Economics at the University of Virginia’s Batten School of Leadership and Public policy.

Guests:

Christopher Ruhm, professor of Public Policy and Economics at the University of Virginia’s Batten School of Leadership and Public policy.

Related Links:

How State Policies Impacted Death Rates During COVID | Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy | University of Virginia

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For Seattle drag performers, sick days are not an option Aug 15, 2024

Show notes

For many performers, a missed show can mean a huge pay cut.

Drag queens, comedians, musicians, and other entertainers are mostly independent contractors, which means no employer provided health insurance or sick time.

Now, local drag queen Betty Wetter, as well as the dance duo Drama Tops, and Velocity Dance Center, have come together to create the Queer Sick Pay Fund.

The Fund is meant to provide queer nightlife performers in the Seattle area with sick pay and resources when they have to miss a gig.

Guest:

Seattle drag queen Betty Wetter

Relevant Links:

Velocity Queer Sick Pay Fund page

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Updates are coming to this 60-year-old treaty guiding the Columbia River Aug 14, 2024

Show notes

The Columbia River is undoubtedly one of the most important rivers in the Northwest. Today, its irrigation provides water for the farms of Central Washington; it’s a vital waterway for salmon; and it provides a critical source of hydroelectric power.

The river is split between the U.S. and Canada, and its headwaters begin in British Columbia. For the last 60 years, one treaty -- the Columbia River Treaty -- has dictated how the two nations manage the river and its dams. But that treaty is quickly approaching an important deadline this September, and if nothing changes, terms in the treaty become less favorable to the United States.

In the last month, stakeholders on both sides of the border have come to an "agreement in principle" on an update to the Columbia River Treaty. Negotiations over changes in the treaty have been in the works for the last6 years.

It’s probably something you haven’t heard about before – but it’s a critical piece of the future of the Columbia River and everything that depends on it. This week Soundside’s Libby Denkmann caught up on the treaty’s latest with Nigel Bankes, professor emeritus of law at the University of Calgary.

Guests:

Nigel Bankes, professor of law emeritus at the University of Calgary

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An Indigenous CEO says "time is ticking" to help Native elders heal from government-run boarding schools Aug 14, 2024

Show notes

For 150 years, the United States government operated boarding schools that separated Native American children from their families and communities. The government's goal was to eradicate native languages and culture. At least 17 US Indian boarding schools existed in Washington State.

A new report from the Department of Interior outlines the scale and impact of the government's effort. It identifies by name almost 19,000 native children who were sent to boarding schools across the US and roughly 1000 children who died in the boarding school system, including 60 in Washington State.

While the report is among the first of its kind, native leaders are saying it's just a start towards understanding the impact of these schools. Deborah Parker, a citizen of the Tulalip tribes and Chief Executive of the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition, talks about where things stand in light of the new report.

Guests: Deborah Parker, Chief Executive of the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition

Relevant links: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/60-native-children-from-northwest-died-in-u-s-boarding-schools-among-nearly-1000-deaths-nationwide/

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/30/us/politics/native-american-boarding-schools.html

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.

Exploring the intersection of art and landscape in the Pacific Northwest Aug 14, 2024

Show notes

A new show from Cascade PBS looks at the way artists in the Pacific Northwest incorporate their surroundings into drawings, tapestry, and pottery.

‘Art by Northwest’ showcases local artists inspired by the landscapes and culture of their communities. Each episode explores the stories behind their work, reflecting the unique essence of the Pacific Northwest.

"What I hope for the series is that people see how artists are translating their landscape into their work," says host Brangien Davis.

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.

Guest:

Brangien Davis, host of Art by Northwest and Crosscut's arts and culture editor

Relevant Links:

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Marysville Schools are facing a 'critically declining financial condition,' but is far from the only district with budget challanges Aug 14, 2024

Show notes

There are a lot of stories about the financial challenges facing schools right now: Seattle School District has a $100 million budget gap they need to close and they’re going to be shuttering schools to make ends meet.

Bellevue School District also closed schools to shore up its budget last year.

Other districts are looking at million dollar shortfalls and considering school closures or ending programs.

But Marysville School District is facing a particularly challenging landscape.

"They have a critically declining financial condition," said Washington State Auditor Pat McCarthy. Her office reviews the finances of all 295 school districts in the state.

Their report on Marysville’s finances made headlines when it was published last week. McCarthy compared Marysville's situation to Vader School District, which dissolved in 2007 because of severe financial problems.

So what is going on at Marysville and how does it fit into the larger landscape of budget challenges at districts statewide?

Guest: