Hi friends, another weekend is upon us with PLENTY to go and see and do.

LINKS:
Timber! Outdoor Music Festival - Carnation, WA
4 Days Of Aloha - Vancouver, WA
Redmond Derby Days - Redmond, WA
Renton River Days - Renton, WA
Bite of Seattle - Seattle Center
Kaiser Permanente Seafair Torchlight Run 2026
Alaska Airlines Seafair Torchlight Parade 2026
SIFF Film Center - Horsegirls
CID Food Walk | Seattle Chinatown-International District
Summer 2026 - Urban Craft Uprising
Seattle Scottish Highland Games 2026
The Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire - Feast of Fools!

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to donate.kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes
Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Hi friends, another weekend is upon us with PLENTY to go and see and do.
LINKS:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://timbermusicfest.com/">Timber! Outdoor Music Festival</a> - Carnation, WA</li>
<li><a href="https://www.4daysofaloha.com/">4 Days Of Aloha</a> - Vancouver, WA</li>
<li><a href="https://www.redmond.gov/1138/Derby-Days">Redmond Derby Days</a> - Redmond, WA</li>
<li><a href="https://www.rentonwa.gov/Government/Departments-and-Offices/Parks-and-Recreation/Parks-and-Recreation-Events/Renton-River-Days">Renton River Days</a> - Renton, WA</li>
<li><a href="https://biteofseattle.com/">Bite of Seattle</a> - Seattle Center</li>
<li><a href="https://www.seafair.org/torchlight-run/">Kaiser Permanente Seafair Torchlight Run 2026</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.seafair.org/torchlight-parade/">Alaska Airlines Seafair Torchlight Parade 2026</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.siff.net/cinema/in-theaters/horsegirls">SIFF Film Center - Horsegirls</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.seattlechinatownid.com/experiences/food-walk-series">CID Food Walk | Seattle Chinatown-International District</a></li>
<li><a href="https://urbancraftuprising.com/summer-2026/">Summer 2026 - Urban Craft Uprising</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.sshga.org/the-games/">Seattle Scottish Highland Games 2026</a></li>
<li><a href="https://washingtonfaire.com/weekend-themes/">The Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire</a> - Feast of Fools!</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://donate.kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">donate.kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a> Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Soundside

Another weekend brings with it another big selection of activities to go take part in! What will YOU get up to this weekend?

Soundside's Weekend Warmup: Derby Days, River Days, and HORSEGIRLS!

Seattle’s Comprehensive Plan has hit a snag. 

The plan is the set of zoning changes that plans the city’s future growth – the current one in the works outlines a lot more housing density in the city. State law requires such a plan be in place, but Seattle’s has been delayed by administrative appeals from two groups.  

On Wednesday, we spoke with Seattle councilmember Eddie Lin about his proposal to eliminate one of the paths people have to appeal the plan under the State Environmental Policy Act. Jennifer Godfrey filed one of the appeals currently delaying implementation, and formed the group Orca Nexus, which is advocating for more environmental review of Seattle’s zoning changes. 

They claim the Comprehensive Plan’s Environmental Impact Statement did not fully evaluate the environmental impact of greater housing density on trees and runoff. They say removing trees will increase pollutants that could harm humans, salmon and especially endangered Southern Resident killer whales. 

Guest:

Jennifer Godfrey 

Related Links: 
Conservation Groups Join Push Against Seattle Growth Plan
This change will let Seattle address climate change, housing shortage
Seattle Poised to Remove SEPA Review Hurdle for Most Housing Projects
Residents and activists clash over plan to curb SEPA appeals at Seattle hearing

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to donate.kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Seattle&rsquo;s Comprehensive Plan has hit a snag.&nbsp;
The plan is the set of zoning changes that plans the city&rsquo;s future growth &ndash; the current one in the works outlines a lot more housing density in the city. State law requires such a plan be in place, but Seattle&rsquo;s has been delayed by administrative appeals from two groups.&nbsp;&nbsp;
On Wednesday, we spoke with Seattle councilmember Eddie Lin about his proposal to eliminate one of the paths people have to appeal the plan under the State Environmental Policy Act. Jennifer Godfrey filed one of the appeals currently delaying implementation, and formed the group Orca Nexus, which is advocating for more environmental review of Seattle&rsquo;s zoning changes.&nbsp;
They claim the Comprehensive Plan&rsquo;s Environmental Impact Statement did not fully evaluate the environmental impact of greater housing density on trees and runoff. They say removing trees will increase pollutants that could harm humans, salmon and especially endangered Southern Resident killer whales.&nbsp;
Guest:
Jennifer Godfrey&nbsp;
Related Links:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.theurbanist.org/conservation-groups-join-push-against-seattle-growth-plan/">Conservation Groups Join Push Against Seattle Growth Plan</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/this-change-will-let-seattle-address-climate-change-housing-shortage/">This change will let Seattle address climate change, housing shortage</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.theurbanist.org/seattle-poised-to-remove-sepa-review-hurdle-for-most-housing-projects/">Seattle Poised to Remove SEPA Review Hurdle for Most Housing Projects</a></li>
<li><a href="https://komonews.com/news/local/residents-and-activists-clash-over-plan-to-curb-sepa-appeals-at-seattle-hearing-state-environmental-policy-act-city-council-action">Residents and activists clash over plan to curb SEPA appeals at Seattle hearing</a></li>
</ul>
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible!&nbsp;If you want to help out, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://donate.kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">donate.kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes </a>Soundside&nbsp;is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Housing is complicated, and residents care about it! Soundside heard from Jennifer Godfrey, who has filed an appeal which has delayed the city's implementation of the Comprehensive Plan.

Why a Seattle Symphony bassist started a fight with City Hall over housing density and orcas 

It’s a war of definitions, and Kalshi just lost a battle. On Monday, a King County Superior Court judge issued a preliminary injunction against the “prediction market” company. Judge John McHale found Washington state is likely to succeed in proving Kalshi is actually an online gambling site. Those are illegal here in Washington. The lawsuit was brought by Attorney General Nick Brown, who also scored another victory on Monday with a temporary pause on Paramount's acquisiton of Warner Brothers. 

Guest:

Attorney General Nick Brown

Related Links:

WA judge halts Kalshi ‘prediction market’ over state gambling laws

AG Brown, coalition temporarily block Warner Bros./Paramount merger as lawsuit proceeds

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.

It&rsquo;s a war of definitions, and Kalshi just lost a battle. On Monday, a King County Superior Court judge issued a preliminary injunction against the &ldquo;prediction market&rdquo; company. Judge John McHale found Washington state is likely to succeed in proving Kalshi is actually an online gambling site. Those are illegal here in Washington. The lawsuit was brought by Attorney General Nick Brown, who also scored another victory on Monday with a temporary pause on Paramount's acquisiton of Warner Brothers.&nbsp;
Guest:
Attorney General Nick Brown
Related Links:
<a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/business/wa-judge-halts-kalshi-prediction-market-over-state-gambling-laws/">WA judge halts Kalshi &lsquo;prediction market&rsquo; over state gambling laws</a>
<a href="https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/ag-brown-coalition-temporarily-block-warner-brosparamount-merger-lawsuit">AG Brown, coalition temporarily block Warner Bros./Paramount merger as lawsuit proceeds</a>
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.

On Monday, a King County Superior Court judge issued a preliminary injunction against the “prediction market” company Kalshi. 

Attorney General Nick Brown discusses his lawsuits against Kalshi and Paramount

The economics behind the most popular video games are, in a word, staggering. 

Case in point: Grand Theft Auto 6 is slated to be released later this year, and according to IGN, it made $260 MILLION dollars during the first week of pre-orders. Some analysts estimate that the game could rake in about 5 BILLION dollars during its launch week.

But don’t expect to have a hard copy to cherish for your collection – developer Rockstar Games announced last month that GTA 6 will only be available to download.  

Industry giant Sony says it too will soon be ditching discs. The company said earlier this month that it plans to discontinue physical game disc production for new PlayStation games starting in 2028. 

Sony says it’s reflecting a broader shift in consumer preference toward digital downloads.

And this shift has consequences for local small businesses: With no discs to sell and trade, stores, especially ones that sell used games, will reap less revenue.  

Adam David owns Big Red’s Retro Games in Silverdale. He says he’s not surprised by these decisions:

“Your newer, younger consumer doesn’t care about a physical disc. Your next generation of game players, they've grown up on digital, and at the same time they're too young to see the ramifications down the road of having just a digital library and the fact that, you know, it can be taken away from you”

What are the ramifications and ripple effects when an industry changes the way we buy its products?

It’s something Seattle-area journalist Jacob Robbins has been pondering – he wrote about the disappearance of physical media in games for his new Substack newsletter entitled “Side Quests.” 

GUEST: Jacob Robbins

RELATED LINKS: 
It’s Going to Be the Biggest Video Game Launch Ever. These Seattle Game Stores Aren’t Happy.
GTA 6 Predicted to Make Up to $5.2 Billion in Sales by End of Launch Week After Securing an Estimated $260 Million via Preorders
'Commercially It Just Makes Sense' - No GTA 6 Disc Decision Explained

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go todonate.kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes
Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

The economics behind the most popular video games are, in a word, staggering.&nbsp;
Case in point: Grand Theft Auto 6 is slated to be released later this year, and according to IGN, it made $260 MILLION dollars during the first week of pre-orders. Some analysts estimate that the game could rake in about 5 BILLION dollars during its launch week.
But don&rsquo;t expect to have a hard copy to cherish for your collection &ndash; developer Rockstar Games <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/grand-theft-auto-vi-digital-only-no-disc-rip-physical-media-1236629695/">announced last month</a> that GTA 6 will only be available to download. &nbsp;
Industry giant Sony says it too will soon be ditching discs. The company said earlier this month that it plans to discontinue physical game disc production for new PlayStation games starting in 2028.&nbsp;
Sony says it&rsquo;s reflecting a broader shift in consumer preference toward digital downloads.
And this shift has consequences for local small businesses: With no discs to sell and trade, stores, especially ones that sell used games, will reap less revenue. &nbsp;
Adam David owns <a href="https://bigredsretrogames.com/">Big Red&rsquo;s Retro Games</a> in Silverdale. He says he&rsquo;s not surprised by these decisions:
&ldquo;Your newer, younger consumer doesn&rsquo;t care about a physical disc. Your next generation of game players, they've grown up on digital, and at the same time they're too young to see the ramifications down the road of having just a digital library and the fact that, you know, it can be taken away from you&rdquo;
What are the ramifications and ripple effects when an industry changes the way we buy its products?
It&rsquo;s something Seattle-area journalist Jacob Robbins has been pondering &ndash; he wrote about the disappearance of physical media in games for his new Substack newsletter entitled &ldquo;<a href="https://sidequestsbeyond.substack.com/">Side Quests</a>.&rdquo;&nbsp;
GUEST: Jacob Robbins
RELATED LINKS:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://sidequestsbeyond.substack.com/p/its-going-to-be-the-biggest-video">It&rsquo;s Going to Be the Biggest Video Game Launch Ever. These Seattle Game Stores Aren&rsquo;t Happy.</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/gta-6-predicted-to-make-up-to-52-billion-in-sales-by-end-of-launch-week-after-securing-an-estimated-260-million-via-preorders">GTA 6 Predicted to Make Up to $5.2 Billion in Sales by End of Launch Week After Securing an Estimated $260 Million via Preorders</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/no-gta-6-disc-decision-will-make-some-gamers-angry-but-analysts-say-commercially-it-just-makes-sense">'Commercially It Just Makes Sense' - No GTA 6 Disc Decision Explained</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://donate.kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">donate.kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a> Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Grand Theft Auto 6 is slated to be one of the biggest game releases in history, but it won't be sold on a physical disc. What does this shift away from physical media mean for the gamers who only download a game, and the used game stores who rely on trade-ins and the resale market?

Soundside's Weekend Warmup: Derby Days, River Days, and HORSEGIRLS!

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