Soundside

What do changes at the US Forest Service mean for the Pacific Northwest?

The U.S. Forest Service says it’s going ahead with a major overhaul of the way it manages the nation’s forests. The plans, announced last week, include moving agency headquarters from Washington, D.C., to Salt Lake City, Utah. The Forest Service will close or repurpose its regional offices, including the Pacific Northwest one, and create 15 state offices. It will also close dozens of research facilities. GUEST: Christine Peterson RELATED LINK: Forest Service overhaul sows confusion, concern - High Country News 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.

Front Page: ICE arrests, Caterpillar bonds and Fred Meyer's handleless bags

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: Jane C. Hu, a journalist and the host of City Cast Seattle. Related links: Latest ICE data shows surge in immigration arrests in WA • Washington State Standard Advocates praise WA for selling off $62M in Caterpillar bonds | The Seattle Times Why WA Sold Off Caterpillar Bonds, Measles in Seattle, and a Pro-Tax Millionaire - City Cast Seattle Why Did the Greenwood Fred Meyer Stop Offering Paper Bags with Handles? | 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.

Sounds of the Northwest: Pacific chorus frogs

On occasion, we welcome field recordists from the area to share a sound they think is exemplary of the Pacific Northwest. Today, we have a sound from frequent contributor Gordon Hempton aka the Sound TrackerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Detained over reoffense concerns on McNeil Island, some face victimization

This segment includes discussion about sexual assault. Washington state’s Special Commitment Center sits on McNeil Island in the Puget Sound. It’s operated by the Washington Department of Health and Social Services and houses about 150 people who were detained or committed there – sometimes for decades – after they committed acts of sexual violence. It isn’t a criminal facility, but a civil one. There used to be a prison on the island but that closed in 2011. Today, many of the people at the facility on McNeil have developmental or other disabilities. They’re supposed to be receiving sex offender treatment. Some lack the ability to understand that treatment or the implications of their actions. While the state keeps people on McNeil Island for fear they will re-offend, some people at the center have become victims of sexual assault while under state care. A recent investigation by the Seattle Times looked at so-called vulnerable adults at the Special Commitment Center and how the state decides who warrants protection when someone is both a perpetrator and victim. Guest: Rebecca Moss, investigative reporter at the Seattle Times who writes about McNeil Island in a series called “Uncommitted” Relevant Links: The Seattle Times: For 23 years, WA has detained a man for a crime he can’t understand The Seattle Times: Behind The Seattle Times’ investigation into McNeil Island abuses See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"We tend to feel it first" - WA farmers are facing a fertilizer and fuel shock

Andy Juris grew up on a wheat farm in Klickitat County, in southern Washington near the Oregon border, watching his dad and his grandpa work together on the farm. Andy is a fourth generation farmer – he understands the difficulties of the industry. But he says, in the past few months, things have changed. Andy’s farm machinery uses a lot of diesel, so, like everyone, he’s feeling the pain at the pump. Since the U.S. and Israel started their bombing campaign against Iran, and Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, diesel prices have hit record highs in Washington state. More than diesel, though, he’s really worried about the global fertilizer supply – much of which comes through the Strait. Guests: Andy Juris, a fourth-generation wheat farmer in Klickitat County, Washington Randy Fortenbery, the Thomas Mick Endowed Chair in Small Grain Economics at Washington State University Related stories: Washington ranks last in farmer take-home pay in 2024 - Capital Press Farmers see fertiliser price surge as Iran war blocks exports, threatening losses - Reuters 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.