Podcasts about seatac

Rich and Greg Komen decided they wanted a empire and then went a built it. Not the normal path, but… Cinnabon! Dave Young: Welcome to the Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not so secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector, and storyteller. I’m Stephen’s sidekick and business partner, Dave Young. Before we get into today’s episode, a word from our sponsor, which is, well, it’s us, but we’re highlighting ads we’ve written and produced for our clients. So here’s one of those. [Maven Roofing Ad] Dave Young: Hey, welcome back to the Empire Builders Podcast. Dave Young here alongside Stephen Semple and today we’re going to unpack the story of Cinnabon. Stephen Semple: Yes. Dave Young: Now Stephen told me the topic for today. He said, “Now I know you know about this one.” And then he said Cinnabon. And I’m like, “You know, actually I don’t.” Stephen Semple: Really? Dave Young: I’m really more … You know what I’m really more interested in is why you- Stephen Semple: Have you never gone to a shopping mall? Dave Young: … why you think I would know Cinnabon? Just one look at me and you go, “That guy’s seen some Cinnabon.” Stephen Semple: Well, they only have like 1,800 locations. Dave Young: Okay. Here’s the deal. Here’s the deal. Remember I spent the first 50 years of my life in a town that didn’t have a mall. Stephen Semple: I know, but you’ve grown up since then, Dave. Dave Young: I know. Stephen Semple: They’re still around. It’s not like … Dave Young: They’re around, but we would steer our children away from the Cinnabon when we went to a mall. It was like, “No, we’re not just making you all sticky with frosting.” So the times I’ve had any kind of Cinnabon product, and they’re in what, Wendy’s or places now. Maybe it’s not Wendy’s. Is it Wendy’s? Stephen Semple: I’m not sure. Dave Young: They’re somewhere, you can buy Cinnabon stuff. Maybe it’s Taco Bell. I don’t know. Again, remember, I’m not as familiar with Cinnabon as you thought I was. Dive right in, Stephen. Stephen Semple: You’re getting kind of defensive here, Dave. Dave Young: Edumicate us on the Cinnabons. Stephen Semple: Well, they are now like 1800 locations worldwide, 50 countries. They’re now part of go to foods, huge margins in this type of business. And what’s really interesting, all built around one product. And they sell over two million buns a day, just huge. But this is a very different story than pretty much all of the other stories we’ve done because most of the stories we’ve done have started with a problem that the entrepreneur faced. They solved that problem and turned it into a business. Many of them did not start with, “I’m going to do this thing and make it a business.” It’s like, “I’m going to do this thing. Oh, I should turn it into a business.” Dave Young: “Oh, hey, look, people seem to like this.” Yeah. Stephen Semple: Right. It was started by Rich Komen and his son, Greg. And Rich was an entrepreneur who had been involved basically in the food industry, developing franchises, things along that lines. And he got into the food business after graduating because he saw concessions in the malls and said, “These are crappy.” Dave Young: Right. Yeah. Stephen Semple: Because this was back in the early 80s when malls were just … And the food court in the mall was just sort of getting going. And he saw- Dave Young: Like a pretzel or a corn dog. Stephen Semple: He saw the growth potential and so his idea was to develop a food offering, but he was a retail strategist, not a baker. And he set out to create a product that he wanted to be so irresistible it could sell itself in this super competitive environment, the shopping mall, right? Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: So it was built all from the perspective of the consumer, not the kitchen. And what he wanted to do is have an idea that right from the start he could take national. So it’s 1985 and Rich and Greg Komen, who are [inaudible 00:04:53] father and son team wanted to just basically build this national company and he saw this growth potential in the food court space. He saw that exploding and he had been approaching actually a lot of malls to get a spot in the mall and he finally got one who was willing to give him a chance. Now he needed a concept. This guy kind of went about it in a weird way. I’ll get the mall space and then I’ll find the concept. Dave Young: I’ll find something to sell people. People seem to like these cinnamon rolls. Well, all right, yeah. Stephen Semple: So he’s literally on a business trip to Kansas City and he stumbles across this single kiosk selling this sweetbread that’s in a spiral with a glaze and cinnamon called T.J. Cinnamons. Dave Young: T.J. Cinnamons. Okay. Stephen Semple: Yeah. Which is owned by Rice and his wife, Joyce. Rice is a cameraman. Joyce is a school teacher. Rich wants to buy the franchising rights and turn it into a national chain. Dave Young: Wow. Stephen Semple: And he pitches them on the idea of moving fast and building big. He’s so confident that he’s going to get the rights he commits to that lease in the food stall of the shopping mall. They get a little overwhelmed. Dave Young: No kidding. Stephen Semple: And tell Rich, “We need to kind of think about this,” and they actually decide no. Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: Now Rich has got a little bit of a dilemma. He’s opening in six months and he’s got no name, no recipe. He’s got nothing. Dave Young: Well, look- Stephen Semple: He’s got nothing. Dave Young: Here’s what I know. Ask any grandma in America, find 20 of them and just pick the one that’s got the best recipe. Stephen Semple: Well, what he does is he enlists Jerilyn Brusseau who’s known for exceptional baked goods. Because remember, he is from the industry. And so he and his son go about trying to develop a better bun that’s richer, tastier, sweeter than T.J. Cinnamons. It’s like they want to beat T.J. Cinnamons, but trial after trial after trial after trial, they come up short. Tons of recipes, rejects all of them because here’s the other problem is the baking time is taking 30 minutes and what they know is … This is back in the day when customers would tolerate 14 minutes. We’re not going to tolerate that today. So they tried to accelerate the baking, crank the oven temperature, widen the trays. Everything was unworkable. Now here’s the advantage that we have with the fact we’ve got somebody from outside of the baking industry because here’s what Rich discovers is that if it cooks for 14 minutes, the internal temperature gets to 165 degrees, which is considered safe. But by industry standards, it’s not fully cooked, but it’s fluffy, it’s soft, it’s a bit chewy. Dave Young: It’s gooey. Stephen Semple: It’s gooey. And he’s like, “I think this is better.” Dave Young: Yeah, absolutely. Nobody wants a fully baked cinnamon roll. Stephen Semple: Right. But here’s where the problem- Dave Young: Take a bunch of the Pillsbury, pop the thing open and you put them in a pie pan and the ones in the center are the ones everybody’s grabbing, not the baked up dry ones around the edges. Stephen Semple: Right. But here’s the problem. Because it doesn’t do the full baking, the cinnamon flavor was lacking. So they did all sorts of experiments with all sorts of different cinnamons till they came across Sumatra cinnamon. Dave Young: Sumatra cinnamon. Okay. Stephen Semple: Yeah. Because it’ll create that cinnamon flavor without the excessive heat. Other cinnamons needed the heat. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: So now they got a recipe and they need a name. So they go with bon, which is French for good. Dave Young: It’s good. Yes. Stephen Semple: And cinnamon. Cinnabon. Dave Young: Yeah. I love it. Stephen Semple: And add world-famous because why not? Dave Young: Oh, so it was world-famous from the beginning? Stephen Semple: It was world-famous from the beginning. Dave Young: Stay tuned. We’re going to wrap up this story and tell you how to apply this lesson to your business right after this. [Using Stories To Sell] Dave Young: Let’s pick up our story where we left off and trust me you haven’t missed a thing. Stephen Semple: So now they got a recipe and they need a name. So they go with bon, which is French for good. Dave Young: It’s good. Yes. Stephen Semple: And cinnamon. Cinnabon. Dave Young: Yeah, I love it. Stephen Semple: And add world-famous because why not? Dave Young: Oh, so it was world-famous from the beginning? Stephen Semple: It was world-famous from the beginning. Dave Young: Sure. Cinnamon and good. Everybody loves those. Everybody knows cinnamon and good. Stephen Semple: Yeah. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: So December 4th, 1985, the first Cinnabon opens in the Seattle SeaTac Mall and it’s an event. They put on a show. Watch the ingredients being mixed, rolled. There’s this cream cheese frosting and it does great. $500 sales in the first day and the second day was even better. Now, Rich learns that T.J. Cinnamon, who rejected him, have decided to franchise and go into malls. Dave Young: Okay. Yeah, sure they did. Stephen Semple: Sure they did. And look, no mall’s going to take both. So he needs to do something that stand out because he’s got to be the better choice. So they decide, he and his son decide they need to use smell. Because anytime the ovens opened or whatnot, they notice the smell and a crowd would gather. So they were like, “Okay, how do we create smell?” Well, they can’t turn off the ventilation. That’s against code. So the first thing it did was they installed systems with lowest possible ventilation allowed. But even then the smell is coming in waves. So they came up with this idea. Why don’t we just bake sugar and cinnamon? Dave Young: Yeah, bake that all the time. Stephen Semple: Bake that all the time. And that’s what they decided to do. So they started baking sugar and cinnamon. When you walk past a Cinnabon, there’s this wafting, delicious, incredible, fresh baked smell coming out of the store that competes with everyone. Like you know it’s there. You haven’t turned the corner in the mall yet and you know it’s there. Dave Young: When you’re walking through a mall with four little children, you smell it and then you’re like, “Hey, let’s walk on the other side to …” Stephen Semple: As far as I know, they are really the first business that I’ve been able to come across that has used scent as part of their marketing tactic. And they basically bottled one of the most delicious scents possible; sugar and cinnamon. Dave Young: I love it. Stephen Semple: By 1998, there’s 500 locations. They’re doing $300 million in sales and they sell for $65 million to the American Retail Group. And Greg, the son, gets to keep eight locations of his choice because he wants to keep running stuff. And then they went on to being the success that they are today. But the thing that I love was there was an advantage to them not being from the baking industry because that whole thing of by a baker, it’s not fully cooked. To them it was like, “Well, it’s done in the speed we need it done. And in fact, it tastes better.” Dave Young: There’s a lot of baked goods that kind of felt like … My oldest daughter in particular made really good toll-house chocolate chip cookies and never baked them fully because they were harder to get off the pan and once they cooled down, they solidified a bit, but they were delicious. They were just soft. And so smarter than professional bakers. Stephen Semple: Yeah. Sometimes you need that outside perspective that makes you think about things differently. But then from a marketing perspective, the other part that I loved is from a marketing perspective, you’re in a mall and back in those days, malls had tons of traffic, good malls still do and they still thought about, how do I attract people to my product? And it was the scent. Dave Young: We tell business owners all the time that good location and good signage is permanent advertising, right? Stephen Semple: Right. And they upped it by adding the smell. Dave Young: Well, the smell is the advertisement. Stephen Semple: Like good location, good signage. And this [inaudible 00:14:04] smell. Dave Young: Yeah, I’m saying that the smell is another sign. Stephen Semple: Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. Dave Young: It’s a sign you don’t have to have your eyes open to see. Stephen Semple: They could have ignored it going, “Yeah, well, when we open the oven…” I loved his observation of, “When we open the oven all of a sudden it attracted people. How do we create this smell all the time?” And I just love the fact that … And I never knew this. I never realized what they just do is bake cinnamon and sugar all day long. I had no idea. Dave Young: I got to try that [inaudible 00:14:35]. Stephen Semple: Just throw a bunch of that in the bottom of the oven and let’s go. I thought it was brilliant. Dave Young: What’s the recipe for that? How long do you leave it in? Is it going to burn? I don’t know how that works, but I love it. Stephen Semple: Oh, in terms of the cinnamon and sugar? I have no idea. I have no idea. Dave Young: Yeah. It’s amazing. So I just made myself a note that I’m going to mention this story the next time I teach Portals in September. Stephen Semple: Oh, there you go. Dave Young: So Portals and the 12 Languages of the Mind. The 12 languages of mind includes smell. It’s an actual language. And this is a great … It’s hard to come up with an example of using smell in marketing. Stephen Semple: Well, especially where these guys are so purposeful about it. They literally went down the path of, “How do we make this happen?” It wasn’t an accident. It wasn’t a byproduct. It was, “Okay, how do we actually make this so it’s happening all the time and that smell is always there?” Dave Young: Yeah. Stephen Semple: You’re right. It is hard to come up with an example. So that’s awesome that you’ll be able to use that for Portals. Dave Young: Yeah, that’ll be fun. It’s in September. If you want to take the Portals class, look at wizardacademy.org. Stephen Semple: It’s an awesome class. I took it and it’s a fabulous class that really gets you thinking about things differently. Dave Young: It’s fun. Stephen Semple: Yeah, it is a fun class. Real, really fun class. Dave Young: All right. Well, thank you for the Cinnabon story. This is sort of a short episode. Anything else you want to ramble about? Stephen Semple: I just want to say folks go over to wizardacademy.org and click on classes and absolutely try to take Dave’s Portal class. It’s a phenomenal class and you’ll get a chance to meet Dave in person. Dave Young: And it’s fun. It’s a weird woo-woo class. I love it. Stephen Semple: Yeah. Dave Young: I love teaching it. I love the material. Always have. Stephen Semple: All right. Awesome. Dave Young: I can’t wait to meet the … Look, let’s have the whole podcast audience show up. That would be fun. Stephen Semple: There you go. Dave Young: Everybody is welcome. Stephen Semple: Everyone, come on down. Hey, before you guys go, I just have one thing I just would like to just add. It’s a little bit of a thought to challenge you in your business. We’ve talked a lot in this episode on Cinnabon about smell and using smell in marketing and it’d be really easy to fall into this trap. Look, what I do is advertising consulting and it’ll be really easy to go, “Oh, I can’t use that idea because my business is advertising consulting.” So here’s what I want you to do. Let’s change our thought. I’m going to challenge all of us a little bit, including myself. Here’s what the question I want you to ask. Given that I’m in advertising consulting, how could I use smell to market my business? Ask yourself that question, just insert your business. Given that I am X business, how could I use smell in the marketing of my business? Just ask yourself that question, let it sit in the mind. Let’s see what happens in the next little while. And hey, you get some really cool [inaudible 00:17:33] insight, share them with me. I’m going to let you go now. Thanks. Dave Young: Thanks for listening to the podcast. Please share us, subscribe on your favorite podcast app and leave us a big, fat, juicy five star rating and review at Apple Podcasts. And if you’d like to schedule your own 90-minute empire building session, you can do it at empirebuildingprogram.com.

In August 2024, a ransomware attack shut down baggage systems, flight displays, and Wi-Fi at Sea-Tac Airport. What did it reveal about how executives think about cyber investment? And why is “how much more security do we need?” the wrong question to ask after a major incident? Let's find out with our guest Stephanie Warren, Assistant Director of Information Security at the Port of Seattle, who lived through that attack and came out the other side with hard-won lessons about executive decision-making under pressure. Your hosts are Kip Boyle, CISO with Cyber Risk Opportunities, and Jake Bernstein, Partner with K&L Gates. LinkedIn profile – https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-warren-0746343/

Today's show starts from the top addressing the topic of vices with Eric confessing to his weekly 12oz can of cider, such depraved morality. Whereas Stacy started drinking cocktails slowly but joined select social drinking especially once at her lake house. Stacy visited Austin this week while Eric once watched MTV's Austin Stories. Stacy also waited almost two hours for Franklin's Barbeque while Eric is still waiting for Arby's to have the meats! One thing they both have in common is their wariness about roller coasters. While at Six Flags in Fiesta, Texas Stacy rode the Ferris wheel which is less impressive than Eric riding the Ferris wheel at the iconic Coney Island. As for Cultural Blindspots, Stacy continued her theme of movies involving apartments by watching, The Apartment. She was struck by the empathy and modernity of the movie. Eric watched two movies on both sides of the spectrum: Heat and Sky King. The first is a classic cops and robbers movie with Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro, while the second is a documentary about an airline ground agent who stole a plane from SeaTac and took the ride of his life. As for their topic of the week, unsurprisingly Stacy has far more foibles than Eric, he's just socially awkward sometimes. DAMTT is on Facebook and Instagram as @dontaskme to talk or email asking@dontaskmetotalk.com Next Time: Reality TV: Entertaining or Social Commentary

An insane blood libel from Nicholas Kristof and The New York Times. Why Anti-Semitism is never actually about the Jews. // Big Local: Northshore School Board has voted to end Bothell High School’s school resource officer program. If you’re flying out of Sea-Tac this summer, travel experts warn you should brace yourself for higher prices. ICE has fired back over the State of Washington’s request to inspect the Tacoma ICE facility. // You Pick the Topic: Trump has a new country he’s considering granting statehood to.

Electric logistics firm Zeem Solutions celebrated some good reliability news at ACT Expo last week, after its commercial charging depot at LAX hit a huge milestone, surpassing 350,000 successful charging sessions as one of the highest-throughput charging facilities in the US. "What the 350,000-session milestone really measures is reliability at scale," says Rick Eckert, Vice President of Operations at Zeem Solutions. "Every one of those sessions represents a fleet vehicle that needed to get back on the road on time. The fact that we have been able to deliver that consistently, across an increasingly diverse set of vehicles and duty cycles, is what gives our customers the confidence to expand their electric fleets and gives us the confidence to invest in the next generation of depots." Zeem's message has consistently been that that reliability isn't just about making sure EV chargers work when you plug your car into them (and, for the record, Zeem's do, with the first 4 months of 2026 delivering more than 75,000 charging sessions and dispensing a whopping 3.2 million kWhs of electricity). To Zeem, reliability includes knowing the industries your customers work in and understanding what your partners need. To that end, Zeem is bringing an unprecedented level of operational expertise, with contracted and pre-scheduled charging sessions allowing Zeem to maintain a 98% charger uptime to accommodate a mix of light-duty, medium-duty, and class 8 vehicles on one site, while also providing 24/7/365 valets to rotate out charged units, perform visual inspections on fleet vehicles, and provide regular maintenance and as-needed repairs. Parking, security, and cleaning services are also included. "You learn a tremendous amount from 350,000 commercial charging sessions, and those lessons have shaped Zeem 2.0 as we bring our proven model directly to customer fleet sites," explains Paul Gioupis, Founder and CEO of Zeem Solutions. "Five years of operating commercial EV charging at scale has taught us what drives uptime, where execution matters most, and why reliability is non-negotiable. The future of transportation depends on infrastructure that performs every day in real-world fleet operations, and Zeem is delivering that today at scale." All of this charging has also shown a huge environmental impact, with the 350,000 EV charging session milestone avoiding an estimated 5.6 million kg of CO2 emissions – equivalent to burning 634,831 gallons of gasoline or powering more than 1,100 average US homes for a full year. Zeem plans to open charging depots to serve the SeaTac and Long Beach commercial fleet markets next, and is actively developing additional facilities nationwide to meet the needs of the growing electric vehicle fleet. We had a chance to sit down with Paul at last week's ACT Expo in Las Vegas, where we talked charging, maintenance, incentives, Tesla Semi, and a whole lot more as Zeem's Eastward expansion rolls on. Check it out, at top, then let us know what you think of Paul's plans in the comments. Or, if you prefer listening to interviews, check out the audio-only version, below. SOURCE | IMAGES: Zeem. If you're considering going solar, it's always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it's free to use, and you won't get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.  Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you'll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

In August 2018, Richard "Beebo" Russell stole a Horizon Air Bombardier Q400 aircraft from SeaTac International Airport. A new documentary tells his story through the eyes of his friends and family, who opened up for the first time since their 2018 statement. Guest Patricia E. Gillespie, documentary filmmaker and director of #SKYKING Related links The Seattle Times: ‘#SkyKing’ director talks Hulu documentary about Richard ‘Beebo’ Russell 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.

Jim Walsh says hundreds of undelivered King County ballots were dumped near a Renton strip mall. A Seattle influencer was attacked while out on a run. China is warning its own citizens about traveling to the United States via Sea-Tac airport. // Iran made some important concessions in the Strait of Hormuz today which lead to a great day on Wall Street. // A family that was attacked by a river otter has settled with the Port of Bremerton.

Strait of Hormuz open / China issues Sea-Tac airport travel warning / As Seattle pedestrian deaths rise, traffic safety program to get audit / Bothell police investigate downtown massage parlors // As fuel prices rise, a new technique of gas theft is spreading // FLEX FRIDAY!

Industrial Advisors Podcast: Travis Hale on Pacific Northwest Industrial Development, Class A Flight to Quality, and Land/Entitlement Challenges On this episode of the Industrial Advisors podcast, Bill Condon and Matt McGregor interview Travis Hale, partner at Panattoni Development, about Pacific Northwest industrial development. Hale describes a continued flight to "new" Class A product, noting that 2015-era Class A can now be first-gen and may see rent declines while brand-new Class A is pushing rents. He outlines Panattoni's I-5 corridor activity across Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, citing roughly 14 million SF across 34 Seattle-office projects, about five new starts this year, and key developments including Fred310 in Frederickson, Des Moines Creek/Seattle Gateway near SeaTac, and Mount Vista in Ridgefield/Vancouver. They discuss market vacancy (about 10% Seattle, 6.8% Portland), big-box demand, tight land supply, multi-year entitlements, improving equity conditions, and the organizational impact of Bart Brynestad's retirement and his "get it leased" philosophy. 0:00 The flight to quality in industrial real estate 2:45 Introducing Travis Hale and Panattoni Development 5:30 Current projects and the big box market outlook 8:15 Understanding vacancy rates and rent growth 11:00 Land competition and the entitlement process 14:30 Pioneering new markets and job distribution 17:45 The state of equity and capital markets 20:15 Regional trends and the legacy of Bart Brynestad

Have you heard of a hoodoo and do you know where they come from? Do you know why Bryce is not really a canyon? If you spit on the top of weeping rock do you know how long it will take to come back out? Jamie brings all the Utah parks facts back from her guide training trip there.Then we talk a little about making time for creative pursuits including a (super early) indie game Clay and oldest are developing which is a cozy, pixel art vanlife sim game, and Jamie's amazing watercolor landscapes and how she might share them!Also discussed: A whole neighborhood of vacation houses in Utah, a harrowing trip home from SeaTac, and Emerald City ComicCon.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoodoo_(geology)https://www.emeraldcitycomiccon.com/Thanks for listening! Please let us know what you think! You can find LFTR at http://lettersfromtheroadpod.com, and you can email us at lettersfromtheroadpod@gmail.com.If you feel like kicking us a few bucks you can Become a PenPal and chat with us and others in the PenPals Discord. Get full access to Letters From the Road at lettersfromtheroad.substack.com/subscribe

King County workers are livid about returning to the office. Lime is employing new AI technology to prevent its scooters in Seattle from riding on sidewalks. Guest: King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn on a new report that the county was paying contractors despite warnings about misused funds. // Big Local: There have been no ICE agents at SeaTac airport, which has so far avoided the long lines seen around the country. A lawsuit alleges that a 6-year-old Puyallup girl with autism was repeatedly tied to a chair by school staff. A Renton man is suing the city for alleged excessive force used against him by the police department. // You Pick the Topic: Charles Barkley encourages parents to ‘whoop’ their children when they misbehave.

4pm: Trump Rejects Exit Ramp on TSA Spending Impasse // Is ICE coming to Sea-Tac Airport? Here’s what we know // What to know about the SAVE America Act // Supreme Court appears ready to limit mail-in balloting ahead of midterms // Trump shares his updated feelings on Joe Kent // California's Over-Budget $114 Million Wildlife Bridge Has Become the Latest Symbol of a State That Can't Stop Making Headlines // Latest on Ernie “Mack” Makinson

From New York to Phoenix, at least fourteen major airports across the country will see ICE agents deployed today, according to White House border Czar Tom Homan. The immigration agents are being sent to bolster TSA staffing amid an ongoing partial federal government shutdown. In many places, that has led to security checkpoint lines that stretch for blocks and have travelers waiting hours to get to their flights. But it’s been a different picture at SEA Airport, at least for now. Guest: Port of Seattle Commissioner Sam Cho Related links: Support SEA TSA Workers During the Government Shutdown! - gofundme 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.

What exactly is the Democrats’ opposition to voter ID? The GOP is still struggling to get its act together and pass the SAVE America Act. // Big Local: TSA workers at SeaTac are starting to feel the pinch as a result of the government shutdown. // Guest: Sebastien Lai discusses his father, Jimmy Lai, who remains imprisoned in Hong Kong. Sebastian explains why he believes the president’s upcoming trip to China presents a critical opportunity to press for his father’s release.

The income tax heads to Bob Ferguson’s desk. Seattle Times cartoonist Dave Horsey reduces female officials to ‘Barbies,’ brands Jewish Stephen Miller ‘Mein Kampf Ken.’ President Trump offers life advice to young people. // Big Local: An Edmonds sushi restaurant is having some refigeration issues after copper pipes. Snowy conditions are causing problems at SeaTac airport. // Fridays with Jake Skorheim

Stability appears to have returned in Mexico after days of violence. On Sunday a Mexican military raid killed cartel boss Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, more commonly known as El Mencho. In response, members of his Jalisco New Generation Cartel created havoc throughout the nation - lighting cars and buildings on fire, ransacking businesses, and setting up blockades along major roadways throughout the country. According to authorities at least 62 people have died since Sunday - including cartel members, security officers, and civilians. Flights to and from Seatac to various airports in Mexico were cancelled, as the US government recommended that all US citizens and residents shelter in place. Guest: Vanessa Freije is an Associate Professor of International Studies, and she’s the chair of Latin American and Caribbean Studies at the University of Washington. She's currently based in Mexico City. Related stories: Mexico Is Caught Between Trump and the Cartels - NYT What to Know About the Cartels Operating in Mexico - 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.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ICE will be at the World Cup, director says, and left-wing media seems… shocked. Hiring is off to a good start in 2026. A former WaPo staffer doesn’t understand how layoffs work. // Big Local: A judge ordered a Spokane woman accused of sending death threats to a Minneapolis FBI agent to be put in home detention. Tacoma children’s hospital closed its gender clinic. Sea-Tac airport has finally concluded a massive two-year $500 million project. // You Pick the Topic: Protesters in LA gathered around a restaurant because they thought ICE agents were dining there, but they turned out to be TSA agents. Bruce Springsteen released a new Trump protest song.

On Today's Episode:Arwen and Aly drive from Port Angeles to SeaTac, WA and recant their time at Orcacon 2026Our social media:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Seattle-based Tommy Bahama is closing its lone store in the Emerald City. Tom Homan says the Trump Admin is not backing down in Minneapolis. Democrats continue to use Nazi rhetoric about federal law enforcement. Jason had an awkward encounter with King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci. A state worker blasts Governor Bob Ferguson for his outrageous ICE email. // Big Local: A judge ordered a Spokane woman accused of sending death threats to a Minneapolis FBI agent to be put in home detention. Tacoma children’s hospital closed its gender clinic. Sea-Tac airport has finally concluded a massive two-year $500 million project. // You Pick the Topic: Protesters in LA gathered around a restaurant because they thought ICE agents were dining there, but they turned out to be TSA agents. Bruce Springsteen released a new Trump protest song.

The radical antisemitic students that stormed a UW engineering building last year are getting off scot-free. Activists in Minnesota continue to try and disrupt ICE operations. Trump isn’t backing down on Greenland. // Big Local: Profanity at basketball game leads Tahoma High to remove its student section. Is it SEA airport or Sea-Tac airport? An online debate rages on. // You Pick the Topic: Rep. James Clyburn tells the ladies of The View that Republicans are trying to bring back slavery.

If you’ve taken a trip through Sea-Tac Airport lately, you’ll notice that things are under construction. From widening roadways to revamping the C Concourse, there are a lot of changes being made ahead of this summer’s World Cup… and not a lot of time to do it. Patricia Murphy interviews Seattle Times Business Reporter Lauren Rosenblatt, and we’ll hear them break down the Sea-Tac construction jam. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Caleb @BirdRespecter (Kill The Computer, 60 Minute Drill) joins Brian and Josh to tell the story of Richard “Beebo” Russell, a man who walked off his job as a baggage handler at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport one day in 2018 to steal an airplane. Russell and his ill-fated flight quickly became a cause célèbre among some of the darkest corners of the internet, continuing to this day. This episode tries to figure out how and why that happened. Note: This episode deals with suicide and racist extremism. Caleb: Bluesky // Twitter // Linktree Kill The Computer: June and Caleb talk about the ways in which internet culture spills out into the real world; good and bad. Patreon // Spotify // Apple Podcasts // Bluesky // YouTube Media referenced this episode: “The Sky Thief: Beebo Russell's Last Flight” by Tim Dickinson. Rolling Stone, June 24, 2021. “I Worked With Richard Russell at Horizon Air, and I Understand Why He Did What He Did” by Todd Bunker. The Stranger, August 17, 2018. “‘Airplane of opportunity'? Richard Russell raised pilot's suspicions a year before Sea-Tac plane heist” by Lewis Kamb. The Seattle Times, September 12, 2018. “Sea-Tac air traffic controller faced ‘one in a million' scenario with stolen plane” by Daniel Beekman and Michelle Baruchman. The Seattle Times, August 11, 2018. “FBI: Richard Russell, who stole plane from Sea-Tac, acted alone, crashed on purpose; motive a mystery” by Lewis Kamb. The Seattle Times, November 9, 2018. “Human remains, flight data recorder found among wreckage of stolen plane on Ketron Island” by Stacia Glenn. The News Tribune, August 13, 2018. “Airline job was way for man who crashed stolen plane to visit Alaska” by Adam Lynn, Alexis Krell, Sue Kidd, Lauren Smith and Craig Sailor. The News Tribune, August 12, 2018. “White nationalists and the ‘Sky King'” by Martin McKenzie-Murray. The Saturday Paper, August 18, 2018. FBI press release on investigation from November 2018 Redacted FBI report from the investigation Music used in this episode: Anticipation by Drill Folly Lookin' For That Orca (Beebo's Song) by Johny Maudlin TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com Interstitial: The first seven pages of “The Hidden Enemy,” written and performed by Josh Boerman with music by Sean Callery from 24

In this truncated hour, Tim Gaydos discusses how the holiday travel at SeaTac has been mayhem as the airport undergoes new construction projects.  

URSULA'S TOP STORIES: Get ready for rain // SeaTac neighbors opposing expansion // ICE atrocities in WA // Women's unpaid labor // WE NEED TO TALK. . . Gee wants to turn ove 

The Olympic pipeline is running again, SeaTac is getting a new city hall, and Seattle businesses had a good holiday weekend. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Paige Browning. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

 What’s Trending: Victoria Taft in for Jason Rantz! Ukraine and Russia appear to have reached a peace deal over the war that has costed thousands of lives. It is the biggest travel time of the year and there is one problem, people dressing like they are going to bed on the plane. In good news, it looks like the source of the fuel leak at SEATAC airport has been found. // The indictments have been dropped against James Comey and Letitia James over an invalid US Attorney appointment. The Principle of Echo Shaw Elementary School in Oregon has a huge problem with the arrests being made by ICE comparing them to the gestapo. // Sen. Patty Murray is back at it again by attacking President Trump and his administration for the limiting of SNAP benefits. She says those cuts were done in order for billionaires to get better tax breaks. 

We explore why ⁠BNSF Railway opposes the proposed UP-NS mega-merger⁠, arguing it would eliminate competitive options for shippers and fail the strict Surface Transportation Board standard requiring mergers to actively enhance competition. The air freight sector faces an immediate capacity crisis due to two simultaneous events hitting just before peak season. Learn how the extended grounding of MD-11 freighters—following the discovery of fatigue cracks after a fatal UPS crash—⁠has led to indefinite pilot furloughs at Western Global Airlines⁠, while a BP pipeline leak near Everett, Washington, forced United Airlines to ⁠place a temporary embargo on most narrowbody cargo shipments at Sea-Tac airport⁠. Financial pressure continues in the trucking sector, exemplified by the ⁠Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing of P. Judge & Sons⁠, a legacy firm whose high vehicle out-of-service rate (46.2%) stood out as significantly worse than the national average. Conversely, bipartisan regulatory relief may be coming for drivers in cold climates through the ⁠"Cold Weather Diesel Reliability Act of 2025,"⁠ which aims to prevent automatic engine shutdowns in extreme cold (below 12° F) by requiring the EPA to authorize the suspension of derate functions. Finally, we examine the intense cross-border risk in Mexico, where massive highway blockades across more than 20 states are snarling major corridors, causing anticipated transit and customs delays. These widespread protests, ⁠driven by truckers demanding action against rampant cargo theft and police extortion⁠, underscore the critical necessity for supply chain professionals to diversify planning and build resilience against simultaneous regulatory, financial, and physical threats across all transportation modes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

URSULA'S TOP STORIES // GUEST: Chris Sullivan on the massive 18-month dealy in I-405 widening project // How digital price tags could change the future of grocery shopping

On today's Daily Puck Drop, Jason “Puck” Puckett and Jim Moore, the Go-2-Guy start off the show with high praise for Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Grey Zabel.  Puck wants BOTH to immediately be inducted into the Seahawks Ring of Honor!   The Seahawks were supposed to have a “get right” game but it sure didn't look that way against the Titans.  Puck and Jim also touched in on Cam Ward's performance, ESPN's wet dream of having the Cowboys win and Shedder Sanders and why does everyone think that Justin Wilcox is such a great coach??Puck heads back to the Seahawks for the “Dugar Report” with Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic.   Mike is at Sea-Tac and he and Puck discuss JSN's game and what makes him so good and so appreciated by his teammates.   Sam Darnold struggled against the Titans, should Seahawks fans be worried.  They gush about Grey Zabel and the mentality that he plays with and why defensive coordinators haven't figured out JSN?“On This Day…”  Wilt Chamberlain, and we lose two prominent entertainers from the movie industry and television. Puck wraps up with, “Hey, what the Puck!?”     The beauty of high school sports and playing with your buddies. (1:00) Puck and Jim  (37:15) Michael-Shawn Dugar, The Athletic (1:04:39) “On this Day…” (1:06:24)  “Hey, What the Puck!?”

GUEST: Perry Cooper, SeaTac, tells us about new happenings at the airport that could improve your next experience // AGREE TO DISAGREE: Too early for Christmas trees? // WE HEAR YOU! and WORDS TO LIVE BY

Unfortunately, staffing shortages as a result of the government shutdown will affect SeaTac airport. Trump announced a new deal with pharma companies to reduce the price of weight loss drugs. // Seattle Indivisible calls for boycott of Microsoft Game Pass for not condemning a meme it didn’t create. // Washington classrooms are increasingly using AI.

3pm: Updated Election Results; Next ballot drop expected at 4pm // King County estimates 102,000 ballots yet to be counted; roughly 60,000 in Seattle // ‘Housing First’ in Washington: A Decade of Failure and Tragedy // Video Guest – Buddy the Elf // “Elf - The Musical” opens at Fifth Avenue Theater on November 21st // Sea-Tac Airport cancellations likely as FAA slashes 10% of flights

We're back, baby! The Washington Brewers Guild‘s 2025 Washington Craft Beer Summit took place this week in SeaTac, Washington, bringing nearly 100 Washington breweries together under one roof to meet with vendors, attend expert lectures,... The post Episode 166: Live from the 2025 Washington Craft Beer Summit  appeared first on Grit & Grain Podcast.

URSULA'S TOP STORIES: DOJ won't prosecute Boeing; judge tosses case // SeaTac among airports FAA will cancel flights at // SFD HR director suing after getting fired // Microsoft is changing policies of working with IDF // WOULD YOU RATHER 

Sea-Tac is one of many airports around the country feeling the effects of the government shutdown. As SNAP benefits dry up, Seattle considers putting emergency funds into local food banks. Seattle and Tacoma restaurants are giving out free meals to SNAP recipients. WA among worst states for job availability work-related stress according to a new study. // It seems like far-left candidates are poised for victories in New York and Seattle tomorrow night. Do Republicans in Virginia and New Jersey have any chance? // Democrats continue to try and shift blame for the government shutdown to the GOP.

UW has removed a job posting after Jason revealed their DEI requirement in the application process. Alaska Airlines acknowledged that their customer service has been lacking. Alaska is opening a business class lounge at SeaTac. // Patty Murray is getting dunked on for a very dumb video she posted about the shutdown. Pramila Jayapal is slamming the GOP for taking away SNAP benefits, but the problem is she voted to shutdown the government. // Democrats’ green energy fantasy is driving the Pacific Northwest toward blackouts.

Sea-Tac airport is refusing to play a TSA video featuring DHS Secretary Kristi Noem that blames the Democrats for the shutdown. Incredibly irresponsible comments from Chris Murphy. Is he trying to get someone killed? Former Obama National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes is trying to downplay Trump’s accomplishments in the Middle East. // LongForm: GUEST: Jorge Ventura (NewsNation) on the Portland unrest. // Quick Hit: Former Biden Administration officials are trying to take credit for the Gaza peace deal.

What’s Trending: UW professor Cliff Mass gets called names after his blog releases opposing carbon tax initiative. Trump calls for China to investigate Biden, MSNBC is losing their mind. Jason is going to complain about Sea-Tac when he returns to the show, and a Huffington Post reporter lies about the whistleblower complaint.  

6pm: Video Guest – Mir Kaissar – Bloomberg Columnest, Economics // To Fix Retirement Crisis, Give Every Baby $10,000 // Candace Owens comes up with new theory on Charlie Kirk, says Tyler Robinson has been framed, everything is a lie // John Took a Taxi from SeaTac

3pm: I Was Thinking: John’s Acting Try-Out at Ithaca College // This Day in History: 1982 - Cyanide-laced Tylenol kills first three of seven victims // John Took a Taxi from SeaTac

4pm: Guest – Jim Walsh – State Rep and Chairman of The WA state Republication Party // WA election chief refuses to comply with Dept. of Justice request for voter rolls // Hobbs' defiance of Dhillon's DOJ letter asking for voter roll data.  // Walsh suspects Brown & Ferguson are setting Hobbs up to be the fall guy on the voter data issue. // Reykdal's quadruple-down on K-12 transgender issues is motivating conservatives to act. // Charlie Kirk. The event in AZ yesterday. The event in Olympia yesterday. // People calling, texting--stopping me at Safeway--asking what they can do. They want to act. Don't know what action to take. // All the 'Biblical signs' pointing to the Rapture coming TOMORROW as believers spread fears the end is night //  “RaptureTok” is going wild with the news // A timeline of raptures past // John Breaks Down the Economics of Uber VS Taxis from SeaTac

6pm: Guest – Jim Walsh – State Rep and Chairman of The WA state Republication Party // WA election chief refuses to comply with Dept. of Justice request for voter rolls // Hobbs' defiance of Dhillon's DOJ letter asking for voter roll data.  // Walsh suspects Brown & Ferguson are setting Hobbs up to be the fall guy on the voter data issue. // Reykdal's quadruple-down on K-12 transgender issues is motivating conservatives to act. // Charlie Kirk. The event in AZ yesterday. The event in Olympia yesterday. // People calling, texting--stopping me at Safeway--asking what they can do. They want to act. Don't know what action to take. // This Day in History: 1948 - The Berlin Airlift begins // All the 'Biblical signs' pointing to the Rapture coming TOMORROW as believers spread fears the end is night //  “RaptureTok” is going wild with the news // A timeline of raptures past // John Breaks Down the Economics of Uber VS Taxis from SeaTac

More from Kash Patel’s congressional hearing yesterday. The city of Portland seems to have sided with Antifa. // Big Local: SeaTac is attempting improve its less-than-stellar reputation. An Issaquah woman accused in the murder of her boyfriend says she was hearing voices. A Skagit County restaurant owner has plead guilty for trafficking black bear parts. // You Pick the Topic: Kamala Harris has revealed who she really wanted to be her running mate.

Border Czar Tom Homan said ICE is going to be increasing operations in sanctuary cities like Seattle and Portland. Protesters performed a nude sit-in at Seattle’s Denny Blaine Park. New tolls are coming to the SR 509 expressway in SeaTac so get ready to pay more to get to the airport. 988 hotline workers in Idaho are pretending a new parental consent law will prevent suicidal children from getting the care they need. // The three-day weekend has Jason feeling extra chipper this week. Jason paid for his Vegas trip with house money. SeaTac had record-setting Labor Day travel over the weekend. // Kristi Noem had her responses edited by CBS’s ‘Face the Nation’ on Sunday.

The Katherine Massey Book Club @ The C.O.W.S. hosts the 10th and final study session on Gregg Olsen's If You Loving You Is Wrong, which investigates the criminal, Tragic Arrangement between White Puget Sound schoolteacher Mary Kay Letourneau and her 12-year-old non-white student, Vili Fualaau. When speaking with the late Neely Fuller Jr. many years ago about why it's incorrect for White people to engage in sexual activity with non-white people, he cited the Letourneau case. The founder of counter-racism science knew all the tacky details of this case and how it corroborates his counter-racist code, which prohibits sexual activity between White and non-white people. Last week, we heard another round of people declare that Vili was a foul-mouthed, baggy-pants-wearing hoodlum who really didn't care about Mary Kay. Gregg Olsen talks a bit more trash about Steve Letourneau, and finds more White people to say that Vili and his entire non-white family were poor, uncouth non-white people who were beneath the highfalutin Letourneaus. Gus and listeners were appalled by this Racist diatribe since we remember the Letourneau house was in foreclosure, they begged Mary Kay's mother for money, and couldn't even afford to keep gas in the family vehicle. Steve couldn't have that much clout slinging luggage at SeaTac airport. #ChildRape INVEST in The COWS - http://paypal.me/TheCOWS Cash App: http://cash.app/$TheCOWS Call: 720.716.7300 Code: 564943#

After a WSU Trump supporter was assaulted over a hat, a judge is sending the attacker (a WSU grad student) to jail. Crime is rampant in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood. Sea-Tac airport is bracing for Labor Day travel. Voter registration numbers for the Democrats are dismal. President Trump issued an executive order aimed at ending cashless bail. // The Democrats continued to show that they’re completely out of touch at the annual DNC summer meeting. The great redistricting fight continues. // Trump is rolling out the National Guard all across the country to crack down on illegal immigration.

Seattle media seems very upset that the city is allowing a worship concert to be held at Gas Works Park. The family of the victim of a shooting at Golden Gardens Park over the weekend is in disbelief after the alleged shooter was released just hours later. SeaTac airport has a new security protocol that it hopes will help people get to their flights faster. The Seattle Times has a story about ‘tree equity.’ // Some very bad voter registration news for Democrats by way of the New York Times. // Kristi Noem says the southern border wall will be painted black in order to attract heat and make it harder to climb. It’s national radio day.

The Washington State Fair has rejected the Pierce County GOP from having a booth despite having participated in the event before. The inmate that escaped custody at Sea-Tac airport has been found. Seattle has finally cleared the problematic homeless encampment in Lake City after a double homicide, but the homeless will inevitably return. Guest: UW atmospherics scientists Cliff Mass on the cooler and wetter weather headed our way this weekend. // Democrats are taking the bait on the issue of crime in Washington D.C. A man attacked federal law enforcement with a sandwich. // ChatGPT gave dietary advice to a man that almost killed him.

Another inmate escaped custody at SeaTac airport. An Eastern Washington man had his car stolen in Seattle on his first day of cancer treatment. Washington has a new virtue signaling program to certify ‘LGBTQ+-owned’ businesses. // The MAHA Commission is looking to make school lunches healthier. Democrats continue to pretend to be upset that Trump wants to fight crime in DC. // YouTube is exploring using AI for age verification.

An Alaska Airlines IT outage has led to grounded flights and irate passengers at SeaTac airport. A SkyWest commercial flight almost collided with a military bomber over North Dakota. LA Mayor Karen Bass doesn’t think that any illegal immigrants should be deported. The suspect that drove a car into a crowd of people in LA is a convicted felon that was out on parole. // Big Local: All Northbound lines on I-5 near Arlington are open again after they were closed due to a brush fire. A hiker from Spokane learned a hard lesson when he made a social media post asking for women to hike with him. // You Pick the Topic: The jokes wrote themselves when WNBA players wore shirts that said “Pay Us What You Owe Us” over the weekend.