This is a story about the internet and our country’s political polarization.

It’s also a story about our thirst for answers, and the race to score ideological points following a tragedy.

And that rush to blame and to explain creates an environment where totally innocent people are run over by the runaway train of internet speculation, viral misinformation, and prejudice.

That’s what happened to one Seattleite a few days ago.

She’s a paralegal, and a trans woman – and last week, to a portion of the internet, her photo became the face of the shooter who assassinated Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University.

Her image went viral in right-wing social media circles, along with threatening anti-trans rhetoric. 

Obviously all of that was a lie. But the situation also had very true consequences for her life.

Guest:

• Michaela, Seattle resident

A note: We are only using Michaela's first name because of concerns about harassment.

Related stories:

• Conservatives falsely accused her of assassinating Charlie Kirk. It started with Dr. Pepper jokes - KUOW
• No, this transgender woman is not the Charlie Kirk assassin - The Advocate
• Seattle Area Trans Women Are Being Attacked by Groups of Men - The Stranger

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.

At 11am on Monday, September 15th, students at high schools across Seattle walked out of class, and headed to Seattle Public Schools’ district office downtown.

They were protesting changes to lunch times, announced last week by the district, that they say will negatively affect student experience at school.

KUOW reporter Noel Gasca was at the Seattle Public Schools district office, where students are gathering to protest, and joined us to explain.

Guest:

• KUOW reporter Noel Gasca

Related stories:

• Seattle students ready to fight ‘horrendous’ schedule change - Seattle Times
• One lunch SPS - Student led instagram page

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.

Since May 8, 1792, European colonists have called the large volcano just off the coast of Puget Sound "Mount Rainier."

It was given that name by a British explorer, Captain George Vancouver – a gift to his friend, Rear Admiral Peter Rainier. 

But prior to Vancouver’s arrival in what eventually became Washington state, the Indigenous peoples in and around the Salish Sea called it by many names.

A linguistic paper from the Puyallup Tribe of Indians traced those many names for the mountain – where they came from, and what they mean.

This conversation originally aired on May 5, 2025. 

Guests:

• Zalmai ʔəswəli Zahir, linguist and Lushootseed language teacher

Related Links: 

• Puyallup Tribal Language - Analysis of the Many Names of the Mountain
• Puyallup Tribal language consultant publishes first comprehensive analysis of the many Native names for Mount Rainier - ʔuhuyəxʷ ti dᶻixʷ pipa ʔə tiiɫ qa sdadaʔ ʔə tiiɫ skʷatač, ʔux̌alad ti ʔəswəli | Puyallup Tribe
• Puyallup Tribal Language - Culture

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.

You know what time it is. It's WEEKEND WARMUP TIME!

Links: 

• SPORTS
  • Mariners - LA Angels - 9/11-14
  • Sounders - LA Galaxy - 9/13
  • Reign - Racing Louisville FC - 9/14
  • Seahawks - AWAY vs Pittsburgh 10am 9/14
• Wallingford Bratwurst Festival
• The Chehalis Flying Saucer Party
• Seattle — Cider Summit
• Hops & Crops Music and Beer Festival - Kent
• Sip Suds & Si - North Bend
• Autumn Sip & Stroll - Gig Harbor
• Historic Downtown Snohomish Wine Walk
• Vino in the Village – Magnolia
• Black & Loud Fest at The Crocodile
• Bite of PhinneyWood | The PNA
• Local Sightings 2025 – Not One Drop of Blood - Northwest Film Forum

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.

November’s general election could bring a group of new faces to Seattle City Government. 

Today we’re diving into the race for City Council’s Position 8 seat. That’s a city-wide post, representing ALL of Seattle, as opposed to just one geographic district.

The incumbent in this race is Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck. 

She won the seat after a special election last year. Now, Rinck is widely seen as the most progressive voice on the council. In this summer’s primary, she got a whopping 78% of the vote. 

This fall, Rinck is facing off against a REPUBLICAN business owner in the general election: Rachel Savage.

GUEST: Seattle City Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck

RELATED LINKS:

• Alexis Mercedes Rinck
• ST Editorial Board - No endorsement for Seattle City Council, Position 8
• Seattle City Council Unanimously Approves "Seattle Shield Initiative" For November 2025 Vote
• Alexis Mercedes Rinck - Council | seattle.gov 

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.

A brand new contemporary art space opened up last month in downtown Seattle.

It's called Cannonball Arts, and Soundside recently got a sneak preview.

GUESTS:

• Brent Watanabe, a Seattle based artist who specializes in computer-controlled installations
• Greg Lundgren, Creative Director of New Rising Sun

RELATED LINKS:

• Cannonball Arts
• Downtown Seattle’s Bed Bath & Beyond building to become an arts center
• Real-Deal Out-There Art - The Stranger

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.

November’s general election could bring a group of new faces to Seattle City Government. 

Today we’re diving into the race for City Council’s Position 8 seat. That’s a city-wide post, representing ALL of Seattle, as opposed to just one geographic district.

Our first candidate in this Position 8 race is Rachael Savage. She’s a small business owner in Capitol Hill – she runs a crystal and incense shop on Broadway. And she’s a member of the Broadway Business Improvement Association. 

Savage is running the most conservative campaign in city politics this year, as she tries to upset incumbent Alexis Mercedes Rinck’s bid for reelection. Rinck is currently the most progressive member of Seattle’s City Council.

While this is not Savage’s first foray into city politics, it is her first time running for office.

GUEST: Rachael Savage

RELATED LINKS:

• Savage Citizens
• Capitol Hill crystal shop owner and candidate for City Council says launching initiative effort to ban homeless camping in Seattle
• Seattle City Council Position 8 candidates outline platforms

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 will it take to save the Lake City Fred Meyer? Is it even possible?

Lawmakers and local shoppers are asking those questions after Kroger announced last month that the Lake City location would be part of a wave of regional closures. 

Local residents remain worried about where people will go for prescriptions and fresh produce, especially elderly and low-income residents, who may not have access to a car.

Guest

• Paul Roberts, Seattle Times business reporter

Related Links

Lake City Fred Meyer faces closure. Lawmakers want to change that

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.

He’s back. Well, he never really left. Conservative megadonor Brian Heywood wants to put two new policy proposals in front of the Washington state Legislature next year. 

Both deal with kids in schools, specifically, with parents’ access to school records, and trans kids playing sports. 

Heywood spent millions of dollars on a slate of initiatives last year. Some of them passed the legislature, like a ban on income taxes, a loosening of restrictions on police car chases, and a law codifying parental rights to information about their kids in school. 

Other measures that Heywood sponsored went to the ballot last November. Voters rejected three of them. Those measures would have killed the state’s long-term care program, the Climate Commitment Act, and capital gains tax. 

Voters passed a fourth initiative that Heywood backed, this one was about preserving access to natural gas. But that’s been tied up in the courts and hasn’t taken effect yet.

Now, Heywood and his advocacy organization Let’s Go Washington, are announcing two new initiatives involving K-12 school policy:

 He’ll be collecting signatures for a revamped parent’s bill of rights and a ban on trans athletes in girl’s sports. Let’s Go Washington has until January to get more than 300,000 signatures. If successful, the initiatives can appear before the Legislature during the session in 2026 and may end up on your ballot after that.

Guest:

Brian Heywood, hedge fund manager and funder behind Let's Go Washington

Relevant Links:

OPB: Washington state GOP megadonor planning new round of initiatives on taxes, parents’ rights

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Almost a year ago, an Israeli soldier shot and killed Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi in the West Bank. She was a Seattle resident and a University of Washington graduate. 

We spoke to her family about their memories of her and their push for an independent investigation into her killing. 

Guest

• Hamid Ali, Ayşenur's husband
• Ozden Bennett, Ayşenur's sister

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.