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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

Stories

  • barred owl generic

    Why the feds want to cull barred owls in the Pacific Northwest

    In an effort to protect the native northern spotted owl, U.S. Fish and Wildlife officials announced 500,000 barred owls need to be culled throughout the Pacific Northwest over the next 30 years. But some conservationists worry the effort might be too late.

  • caption: From turtle crossings to butterfly migrations, "Crossings" covers the ways in which roads damage -- and benefit -- ecosystems across the country.

    Hear it Again: Roads devastated our ecosystems. But they might also save them

    There’s something so romantic about roads, if you’re a human. Nature might have something else to say about them. While connecting people and communities, roads have rerouted centuries-old migration routes. Roads grant us access to some of the most scenic corners of the planet, and at the same time, offer access to their destruction.

  • caption: Patrol cars and ambulances are shown at the intersection of Third Avenue and Pine Street on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020.

    Is Seattle's new drug law working?

    It's been about six weeks since Seattle's new law against public drug use and possession went into effect. The ordinance was written to bring the city in line with a new state law that treats things like having or using fentanyl in public as a gross misdemeanor. One of the directives handed down to Seattle Police is to emphasize diversion when enforcing the law. So how does that work? And how is the effort going?

  • caption: An elections worker feeds ballots into a ballot sorting machine on Wednesday, October 28, 2020, at King County Elections in Renton.

    Why didn't more Washingtonians vote in the 2023 election?

    Turnout for this year’s November election was the lowest on record since Washington started keeping track in 1936. Statewide, 36.41% of registered voters returned their ballot in 2023. That beats the previous low of 37.1%, held in another odd-year election — 2017, and the one before that, 38.52% in 2015. So, what is it with odd-year elections and low voter turnout?

  • caption: Alaska Airlines planes parked at gates with Mount Rainier in the background at sunrise, on March 1, 2021, at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Seattle.

    Will regulators stop the Alaska Hawaiian merger?

    Seattle-based Alaska Airlines announced over the weekend it plans to buy Hawaiian Airlines. The $1.9 billion merger would solidify Alaska's position as the nation's fifth largest carrier, if federal regulators don't block the deal.

  • ferry seattle generic

    WA's ferry network is stretched thin, how will it recover?

    If you’ve tried to catch a boat regularly lately, you know Washington state’s ferry system is struggling. Many vessels are 40 to 50 years old. The Tilikum is 63 years old. Just 14 of the agency’s 21 ships are currently sailing. A third of the fleet is out of service. Several routes are on reduced service or running smaller boats.