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

RELATED LINKS:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-024-02940-9
https://www.onwd.com/therapy/arc-ex/
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-65689580https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-65689580

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: <a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/things-are-happening-new-tech-offers-groundbreaking-recovery-in-spinal-injuries">https://www.kuow.org/stories/things-are-happening-new-tech-offers-groundbreaking-recovery-in-spinal-injuries</a> 
GUESTS: 
<ul>
<li>Jon Schlueter</li>
<li>Chet Moritz</li>
</ul>
RELATED LINKS:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-024-02940-9">https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-024-02940-9</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.onwd.com/therapy/arc-ex/">https://www.onwd.com/therapy/arc-ex/</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-65689580https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-65689580">https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-65689580https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-65689580</a> </li>
</ul>

Soundside

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

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

Related Links:
Stehekin residents prepare to defend their town as Pioneer fire nears | The Seattle Times
Pioneer fire moves into Stehekin, comes within 100 feet of buildings | The Seattle Times

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:
<ul>
<li>Stan Hinatsu, Public Information Officer with the Pioneer/Easy Fire incident response team</li>
</ul>
Related Links:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/climate-lab/the-wildfire-finally-arrived-at-this-remote-wa-town-the-only-way-out-is-by-boat/">Stehekin residents prepare to defend their town as Pioneer fire nears | The Seattle Times</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/pioneer-fire-moves-into-stehekin-winds-expected-to-worsen/">Pioneer fire moves into Stehekin, comes within 100 feet of buildings | The Seattle Times</a></li>
</ul>

Weekend rain a welcome relief as wildfire burns near Stehekin

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 

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 <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. 
Guests:
<ul>
<li>Nina Shapiro, social issues reporter at the Seattle Times</li>
</ul>
Relevant Links:
<ul>
<li>Seattle Times: <a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/why-was-foster-care-system-is-shrinking-fast/">Why WA’s foster care system is shrinking fast </a></li>
<li>Seattle Times: <a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/is-washington-state-taking-too-many-children-from-their-parents-movement-seeks-to-overhaul-foster-care/">Is Washington state taking too many children from their parents? Movement seeks to overhaul foster care </a></li>
</ul>

Fewer WA children are in foster care amid state effort to keep families together

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

<a href="https://batten.virginia.edu/about/news/how-state-policies-impacted-death-rates-during-covid">A new study </a>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:
<ul>
<li>Christopher Ruhm, professor of Public Policy and Economics at the University of Virginia’s Batten School of Leadership and Public policy. </li>
</ul>
Related Links:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://batten.virginia.edu/about/news/how-state-policies-impacted-death-rates-during-covid">How State Policies Impacted Death Rates During COVID | Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy | University of Virginia</a></li>
</ul>

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

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