Libby Denkmann
Host, Soundside
About
Libby Denkmann has covered veterans' issues, homelessness, and local politics during her radio journalism career. She became the host of KUOW's Soundside in November 2021. Previously she was a producer, reporter, anchor, and host for stations KIRO, KFI, and KPCC in Seattle and Los Angeles. During a yearlong hiatus from journalism in 2011, she worked as a congressional staffer in Washington, D.C.. Libby was born in Seattle, grew up on the eastside, and graduated from the University of Washington. Her favorite things include soccer, video games, and her dog, Monty.
Location: Seattle
Languages: English, limited Japanese and Portuguese
Pronouns: she/her
Podcasts
Stories
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Environment
Objections hamper plans for Tri-Cities wind farm, other renewable energy projects in Washington state
When it was proposed in 2021, the Horse Heaven Hills wind farm was set to be the largest wind farm in Washington. Hundreds of turbines -- potentially taller than the Space Needle -- were planned for a range of rolling hills outside the Tri-Cities. But renewable projects in this area of the state have faced opposition from locals and environmentalists, meaning a potential blow to the state’s long-term renewable energy goals.
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Government
After a protest at City Hall, asylum-seekers in Seattle wonder what's next
A dramatic scene unfolded at Seattle City Hall earlier this week as several protesters were arrested for disrupting a city council meeting on Tuesday. The protesters came to demand more support for hundreds of asylum-seekers from countries including Venezuela, Angola and Congo who have been sheltering at a Tukwila church and elsewhere in King County.
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Technology
Microsoft has learned to play ball with unions. Could it rub off on other tech companies?
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Politics
What are the potential ripple effects of the Alabama IVF ruling?
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Law & Courts
Public defender shortage slows the wheels of justice in Washington state courts
Prestige TV or Hollywood legal dramas might inform the image: loose tie, crinkled suits, bags under the eyes… public defenders are stressed out, overworked and undercompensated. But something pop culture tends to overlook is how stretching these attorneys so thin affects everyday people caught up in the justice system.
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Crime
Why did it take over a year for police to investigate a missing child case?
For marginalized communities, especially ones with whom trust has been broken for so long, it’s easier for people to slip through the cracks. Often the safety nets that are meant to protect them don’t activate properly. In this story, those safeguards missed an Indigenous teenager named Kit Nelson-Mora.
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Education
What the controversy at a Washington charter school reveals about the politics of school choice
What do a former Seattle sports star, a Grammy-winning musician, and a school administrator have in common? They’re all at the center of a controversy surrounding a charter school in Des Moines, Washington: Why Not You Academy.
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Government
Puget Sound counties want modernized ferry fleets. Voters decide their fate this fall
Soundside host Libby Denkmann sits down with correspondent Tom Banse to talk about the finances behind replacing Washington's "other" ferries.
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Business
Seattle has a new gig worker minimum wage. Who's benefiting and who's footing the bill?
Starting during the pandemic, Seattle’s city council has approved a series of labor protections for delivery app drivers who work for companies like Instacart, Uber, and Doordash. An ordinance requiring a new minimum pay per mile — and more during orders — took effect on Jan. 13.
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Business
Boeing announces a 737 Max leadership shake-up. Will it be enough?
Boeing has announced a leadership shakeup on its 737 Max team: Ed Clark, the head of Boeing's 737 Max program, is leaving immediately. These changes come more than six weeks after a piece of the fuselage broke off mid-air on a Max 9 plane, leaving a gaping hole in the jet and terrifying passengers minutes after take-off from Portland.