Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

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: 

Mike Lewis - Journalist and owner of the Streamline Tavern in Seattle

Related stories:
Soccer beacon Seattle shines on the World Cup stage - The Athletic
Empty Rooms and Plunging Prices: World Cup Tourism Is Off to a Slow Start - NYT
Public entities across the state are spending around $120 million to host the World Cup, according to a KUOW analysis - KUOW
A huge WA immigration law firm rises and falls: The inside story - Seattle Times
Why Did Every Starbucks Barista in Korea Have to Take a History Lesson? - 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.

Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.
It&rsquo;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: 
Mike Lewis - Journalist and owner of the Streamline Tavern in Seattle
Related stories:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7377136/2026/06/19/world-cup-seattle-us-soccer-city/">Soccer beacon Seattle shines on the World Cup stage - The Athletic</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/19/travel/world-cup-tourism-us-canada-mexico.html">Empty Rooms and Plunging Prices: World Cup Tourism Is Off to a Slow Start - NYT</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/washington-state-is-spending-120-million-on-the-world-cup-will-it-be-worth-it">Public entities across the state are spending around $120 million to host the World Cup, according to a KUOW analysis - KUOW</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/a-huge-wa-immigration-law-firm-rises-and-falls-the-inside-story/">A huge WA immigration law firm rises and falls: The inside story - Seattle Times</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/22/world/asia/south-korea-starbucks-tank-day-controversy-closure.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share">Why Did Every Starbucks Barista in Korea Have to Take a History Lesson? - NYT</a></li>
</ul>
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to <a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>
Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Soundside

Every week we talk about the most fascinating stories in the news and what they say about the Pacific Northwest. We call it Front Page.

Front Page: is Washington good for soccer, but bad for billionaires? Plus an immigration law firm crackdown, and Starbucks snafu in South Korea

New data from King County shows putting people in housing without preconditions like drug treatment has had some significant benefits. 

The report comes from the King County Department of Community and Human Services and shows a decrease in jail bookings among those in permanent supportive housing programs between 2021-2025. 

Seattle has been a national leader in using such “Housing First” initiatives.

But funding for those programs is at risk, to the tune of $26 million – that’s after the Trump administration released a new rule earlier this month, requiring providers to move away from Housing First programs in order to qualify for HUD grants next year.

What more does this data analysis show? And what's lost if federal funding goes away?

Guest

Jelani Jackson, acting director for the Housing & Community Development division within the King County Department of Community and Human Services

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.

<a href="https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/WAKING/bulletins/41c4b1c">New data from King County</a> shows putting people in housing without preconditions like drug treatment <a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/homeless/housing-first-leads-to-fewer-jail-visits-king-county-data-shows/">has had some significant benefits</a>.&nbsp;
The report comes from the King County Department of Community and Human Services and shows a decrease in jail bookings among those in permanent supportive housing programs between 2021-2025.&nbsp;
Seattle has been a national leader in using such &ldquo;<a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/housing-first-seattle-history-homelessness-homeless">Housing First</a>&rdquo; initiatives.
But funding for those programs is at risk, <a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/homeless/new-hud-rules-put-26m-of-king-countys-homelessness-funding-at-risk/">to the tune of $26 million</a> &ndash; that&rsquo;s after the Trump administration released a new rule earlier this month, requiring providers to move away from Housing First programs in order to qualify for HUD grants next year. What more does this data analysis show? And what's lost if federal funding goes away?
Guest Jelani Jackson, acting director for the Housing &amp; Community Development division within the King County Department of Community and Human Services Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to <a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>
Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Jail bookings declined by nearly 27 percent for people in the first year after entering housing, according to the latest data from King County.

Unpacking how supportive housing could affect the number of King County jail visits

As Americans age, they have a few options for care in their later years, like moving in with a family member or into an assisted-living facility. 

Or aging in place.... Increasingly, with the assistance of AI. 

Steven Blum is a writer from Seattle now based in Austria. He published a piece about his aging father, who lives alone in Seattle and is being monitored through Sensi. 

It’s an AI device that’s constantly listening for signs of distress. It’s supposed to detect if Blum’s dad has fallen. 

It was an option that made sense, because his father doesn’t want to move out of his home. He isn’t alone. 

Last year, the Pew Research Center asked older Americans what they would do if they couldn’t live by themselves anymore. 

Around 60% said that they’d rather stay in their homes and have someone care for them, instead of moving into an assisted living facility or a nursing home.  

As Americans enter their later years, AI could be part of their care. 

Guest: Steven Blum, a writer based in Austria 

Related links: 


My Father Wants to Age in Place. AI Will Be Watching | WIRED 
Assistive tech for older adults is becoming increasingly automated. What are the privacy risks? | 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.

As Americans age, they have a few options for care in their later years, like moving in with a family member or into&nbsp;an assisted-living facility.&nbsp;
Or aging in place.... Increasingly, with the assistance of AI.&nbsp;
Steven Blum is a writer from Seattle now based in Austria. He published a piece about his aging father, who lives alone in Seattle and is being monitored through Sensi.&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s an AI device that&rsquo;s constantly listening for signs of distress. It&rsquo;s supposed to detect if Blum&rsquo;s dad has fallen.&nbsp;
It was an option that made sense, because his father doesn&rsquo;t want to move out of his home. He isn&rsquo;t alone.&nbsp;
Last year, the <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/02/26/most-older-adults-who-live-at-home-want-to-age-in-place-but-they-arent-entirely-confident-theyll-get-to/">Pew Research Center</a> asked older Americans what they would do if they couldn&rsquo;t live by themselves anymore.&nbsp;
Around 60% said that they&rsquo;d rather stay in their homes and have someone care for them, instead of moving into an assisted living facility or a nursing home.&nbsp;&nbsp;
As Americans enter their later years, AI could be part of their care.&nbsp;
Guest:&nbsp;Steven Blum, a writer based in Austria&nbsp;
Related links:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.wired.com/story/sensi-ai-seniors-home-care-aging-in-place/">My Father Wants to Age in Place. AI Will Be Watching | WIRED</a>&nbsp;
</li>
<li><a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/what-are-the-privacy-risks-of-assistive-tech-for-older-adults">Assistive tech for older adults is becoming increasingly automated. What are the privacy risks? | KUOW</a></li>
</ul>
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to <a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>
Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Steven Blum published a piece in WIRED about his father, who lives alone in Seattle and is constantly being monitored through an AI device in his home. 

The AI device that's listening to my aging dad's every move

The long saga of whether Seattle can or should allow housing to be built near the stadiums in Sodo is ... still going. 

This wrestling match has to do with a couple blocks to the south of T-Mobile Park.

The debate was restarted in 2025, when the Seattle City Council passed a bill from then-Seattle City Council president Sarah Nelson. It allowed residential use in the small strip of land next to the baseball stadium.  

The idea quickly drew backlash from port workers and truckers who operate in Sodo and Nelson’s bill eventually suffered a double-whammy of being declared illegal by a state board and later being repealed by her former colleagues on the council.  

So… conversation over, right? Turns out, no… 

Guest: 

Ryan Packer, contributing editor at The Urbanist

Relevant Links:

The Urbanist: Legal Appeal from MLB Stadium Authority Restarts Stadium District Housing Saga

The Urbanist: Council Committee Greenlights SoDo Housing Proposal Despite Strong Port Opposition

 

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.

The long saga of whether Seattle can or should allow housing to be built near the stadiums in Sodo is ... still going.&nbsp;
This wrestling match has to do with a couple blocks to the south of T-Mobile Park.
The debate was restarted in 2025, when the Seattle City Council passed a bill from then-Seattle City Council president Sarah Nelson. It <a href="https://www.theurbanist.org/seattle-council-lifts-ban-on-housing-in-stadium-district/">allowed residential use in the small strip of land</a> next to the baseball stadium.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The idea quickly drew backlash from port workers and truckers who operate in Sodo and Nelson&rsquo;s bill eventually suffered a double-whammy of being declared illegal by a state board and <a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/homeless/seattle-council-repeals-law-allowing-housing-in-sodo/">later being repealed by her former colleagues on the council</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;
So&hellip; conversation over, right? Turns out, no&hellip;&nbsp;
Guest:&nbsp;
Ryan Packer, contributing editor at The Urbanist
Relevant Links:
The Urbanist: <a href="https://www.theurbanist.org/appeal-restarts-stadium-district-housing-saga/">Legal Appeal from MLB Stadium Authority Restarts Stadium District Housing Saga</a>
The Urbanist: <a href="https://www.theurbanist.org/council-committee-greenlights-sodo-housing/">Council Committee Greenlights SoDo Housing Proposal Despite Strong Port Opposition</a>
&nbsp;
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>
Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

The long saga of whether Seattle can or should allow housing to be built near the stadiums in Sodo is ... still going. 

Front Page: is Washington good for soccer, but bad for billionaires? Plus an immigration law firm crackdown, and Starbucks snafu in South Korea

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