Front Page - Tuesday Sept 8

The Big Hole part 1

The Big Hole part 2

We dig into a giant hole in downtown real estate: the story behind why a full city block has remained undeveloped for more than 20 years.

Plus: Libby and David break down today’s top headlines.

Today on the show: Former Seattle Deputy Mayor Tim Burgess, Seattle City Councilmember Eddie Lin, and Director of the Washington Center for Real Estate Research, Professor Steven Bourassa 

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. 

We dig into a giant hole in downtown real estate: the story behind why a full city block has remained undeveloped for more than 20 years.
Plus: Libby and David break down today&rsquo;s top headlines.
Today on the show: Former Seattle Deputy Mayor Tim Burgess, Seattle City Councilmember Eddie Lin, and Director of the Washington Center for Real Estate Research, Professor Steven Bourassa&nbsp;
<hr>
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.&nbsp;

Soundside leads the Puget Sound conversation with smart questions, lively debates, and direct access to the region's most influential voices. Timely, insightful, and unmistakably local, it's where the Pacific Northwest comes to dig into the news.

Soundside leads the Puget Sound conversation with smart questions, lively debates, and direct access to the region's most influential voices. Timely, insightful, and unmistakably local, it's where the Pacific Northwest comes to dig into the news.

Soundside

Seattle has a problem with forever projects... This one looks like a big hole in the ground.

The City Hall Pit: Why a hole in downtown Seattle has persisted for more than 20 years

New ProPublica reporting reveals how a new AI tool, made by Anthropic, is reportedly detecting software bugs faster than Microsoft can address them. And the clock to patch those vulnerabilities is ticking fast. 

Soundside talked with ProPublica tech reporter Renee Dudley about her reporting on this issue, and how it's raising major questions about the security of the wider U.S. tech industry, and products consumers rely on daily. 

Related Links

Anthropic’s New AI Model Can Identify More Software Bugs Than Ever. Microsoft Is Struggling to Fix Them Fast Enough. - ProPublica

Editor's note: Microsoft is a financial supporter of KUOW, but we cover them like we do any other company. 

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.

New ProPublica reporting reveals how a new AI tool, made by Anthropic, is reportedly detecting software bugs faster than Microsoft can address them. And the clock to patch those vulnerabilities is ticking fast.&nbsp;
Soundside talked with ProPublica <a href="https://www.propublica.org/people/renee-dudley">tech reporter Renee Dudley</a> about her reporting on this issue, and how it's raising major questions about the security of the wider U.S. tech industry, and products consumers rely on daily.&nbsp; Related Links <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/anthropic-mythos-microsoft-software-vulnerabilities">Anthropic&rsquo;s New AI Model Can Identify More Software Bugs Than Ever. Microsoft Is Struggling to Fix Them Fast Enough.</a>&nbsp;-&nbsp;ProPublica
Editor's note: Microsoft is a financial supporter of KUOW, but we cover them like we do any other company.&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://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.

An Anthropic-created AI tool has reportedly exposed a record number of vulnerabilities in Microsoft's software

Inside the race to fix bugs in Microsoft's software

Soundside is going on a working hiatus for the month of August, but we'll be back and better than ever the day after Labor Day... 

But until then, Soundside producer Jason Megatron Burrows has a bunch of events to keep you busy until we're back!

LINKS:
Seattle Mariners vs Tampa Bay
CAPITOL HILL BLOCK PARTY
Edmonds Block Party
CatVideoFest 2026
Sherlock Jr at Magnolia Lutheran Church
Seattle Tattoo Expo
Get Sauced: Mountlake Terrace
Seahawks vs. Cowboys Preseason Game
WA State Garlic Fest
Dragonflight GameCon
Cake at Remlinger Farms
PAX West 2026

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.

Soundside is going on a working hiatus for the month of August, but we'll be back and better than ever the day after Labor Day...&nbsp;
But until then, Soundside producer Jason Megatron Burrows has a bunch of events to keep you busy until we're back!
LINKS:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.mlb.com/mariners/schedule/2026-08">Seattle Mariners vs Tampa Bay</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.capitolhillblockparty.com/">CAPITOL HILL BLOCK PARTY</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://edmondsblockparty.com/">Edmonds Block Party</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.siff.net/cinema/in-theaters/cat-vid-fest-26">CatVideoFest 2026</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.magnolialutheranchurch.com/upcoming-events">Sherlock Jr at Magnolia Lutheran Church</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.seattletattooexpo.com/">Seattle Tattoo Expo</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.makinglocal.com/get-sauced-2026">Get Sauced: Mountlake Terrace</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.seahawks.com/game-day/2026/pre/seahawks-vs-cowboys/">Seahawks vs. Cowboys Preseason Game</a></li>
<li><a href="https://wastategarlicfest.com/">WA State Garlic Fest</a></li>
<li><a href="https://dfgamecon.org/">Dragonflight GameCon</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.stgpresents.org/events/cake/">Cake at Remlinger Farms</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://west.paxsite.com/en-us.html">PAX West 2026</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.

Soundside is off for a month, BUT... we've still got events for you to enjoy in this edition of the Weekend Warmup!

Soundside's Weekend Warmup - the one before we're off for a month!

If you didn’t know, we are in the middle of an El Niño. Scientists say it has the potential to be one of the strongest in recent years. 

This is the weather pattern in the Pacific Ocean that periodically pushes warm water toward the West Coast. 

El Niños cause all kinds of problems, including worsening Washington droughts.

And they can be a real pain for the region’s fishing industry.   

Guests
Bob Alverson, general manager of the Fishing Vessel Owners' Association
Anthony Rogers, a fisheries economist at Ocean Conservancy 

Related links: 
The 2026 El Niño Is on Track to Be the Strongest on Record | WIRED
Record-breaking El Niño could gut California’s crab and salmon fleets | Los Angeles Times
What a ‘very strong’ El Niño could mean for WA | The Seattle Times

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.

If you didn&rsquo;t know, we are in the middle of an El Ni&ntilde;o. Scientists say it has the potential to be one of the strongest in recent years.&nbsp;
This is the weather pattern in the Pacific Ocean that periodically pushes warm water toward the West Coast.&nbsp;
El Ni&ntilde;os cause all kinds of problems, including worsening Washington droughts. And they can be a real pain for the region&rsquo;s fishing industry.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Guests
<ul>
<li>Bob Alverson, general manager of the Fishing Vessel Owners' Association</li>
<li>Anthony Rogers, a fisheries economist at Ocean Conservancy&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Related links: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/climate-lab/what-a-very-strong-el-nino-could-mean-for-wa/"></a><a href="https://www.wired.com/story/2026-el-nino-the-strongest-in-150-years/">The 2026 El Ni&ntilde;o Is on Track to Be the Strongest on Record | WIRED</a><a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/climate-lab/what-a-very-strong-el-nino-could-mean-for-wa/"></a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2026-07-29/record-breaking-el-nino-could-gut-californias-crab-salmon-fleets">Record-breaking El Ni&ntilde;o could gut California&rsquo;s crab and salmon fleets | Los Angeles Times</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/climate-lab/what-a-very-strong-el-nino-could-mean-for-wa/">What a &lsquo;very strong&rsquo; El Ni&ntilde;o could mean for WA | The Seattle Times</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&nbsp;is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Fisheries once again have to - weather - this weather event.  And scientists say it could be a strong one. 

The City Hall Pit: Why a hole in downtown Seattle has persisted for more than 20 years

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