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Lynnwood Residents Rise Up Against Looming Opioid Clinic

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Weekend Recap

Powerful protest Saturday against controversial OPIOD CLINIC about to open near Boys & Girls Club. Demonstrators CALLING OUT @laurendavisWA, Acadia Healthcare, @GovInslee, and @WADeptHealth. Organizers promising ferocious fight.

Reinforcements Called

Numerous groups including #Lynnwood City Council Members and @KCGOP showed to take a stand. Protest organizers say this will be one of many demonstrations scheduled this month against Acadia Healthcare’s OPIOID CLINIC. Company is refusing to stand down.

Serious Allegations

@lynnwood Mayor Cristine Frizzell noticeably absent from rally. Council Member George Hurst couldn’t attend but in prepared statement accused Frizzell and #Lynnwood official Julie Moore of meeting w/Acadia, then failing to notify them about backroom conversations.

Community Stakeholders

While Boys & Girls Club+nearby residents could be impacted, building’s lone tenant Dr. David Buck w/Balance Epigenetic Orthodontics is really worried. #Lynnwood neighbors say methadone clinic march is happening in multiple WA communities.

Denouncing Corporate Greed

#Lynnwood Council Member Shirley Sutton says she’s experienced this Acadia Healthcare playbook before. Asking residents for patience but says she’s committed to fight. It’s a SOCIAL JUSTICE issue.

Council Consensus

#Lynnwood Council Member Julieta Altamirano-Crosby says they have no power to stop Acadia Healthcare clinic. Decision is on @WADeptHealth. Council Members say they’re shocked by total disregard for WILL OF PEOPLE by WA state leaders.

Specific Targets

Lynnwood protesters had numerous slogans about corporate greed and went after WA state officials like @laurendavisWA who is in support of clinic. @WADeptHealth will have final say and being called out to do the right thing.

Exclusive

Dr. Dat Nguyen invited to rally but also a no show. He owns building that could be home to #Lynnwood OPIOID CLINIC. Business owners in area including his tenants are asking Nguyen to reconsider deal w/Acadia Healthcare.

Boys & Girls Club on the Offensive

@BGClubsSC CRUSHING Acadia Healthcare and @WADeptHealth for failing to do proper outreach, bungling communication, +putting KIDS SAFETY at risk. Demands solution from city. I walked to club from proposed site in less than 3 min.

Parking and Security Issues

Dr. David Buck is lone tenant inside building that could be home to OPIOID CLINIC. He says it would be a logistical nightmare for patients and claims Acadia Healthcare would do a bait and switch with private security.

After Rally

Protest organizer Vivian Dong says most recent statement sent out by Acadia Healthcare makes it seem like this is done deal. She’s furious at this sense of entitlement. I am waiting for Acadia and @WADeptHealth to respond to concerns.

Jonathan Choe

Journalist and Senior Fellow, Center on Wealth and Poverty
Jonathan Choe is a journalist and Senior Fellow with Discovery Institute's Center on Wealth and Poverty, covering homelessness issues for its Fix Homelessness initiative. Prior to joining Discovery, Choe spent several years as one of the lead reporters at KOMO-TV, consistently the top rated television station in Seattle. His in depth stories on crime and deep dive investigations into the homeless crisis led to measurable results in the community, including changes in public policy. Choe has more than two decades of experience in television news behind the scenes and in front of the camera for ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS, and Tribune. He has also been nominated and honored with multiple industry awards including an Emmy. Choe spent several years teaching classes on emerging media and entrepreneurship to under privileged youth in inner city Chicago. As an independent journalist, Choe also contributes regularly to the Mill Creek View and Lynnwood Times and has reported on exclusive stories in the past year for Daily Wire and The Postmillennial.