Street Report

Nominated for Four EMMYs This time last year, I was on the sidelines after being fired from KOMO News. My former station CAVED to pressure from far-left activists and media hacks who accused me of promoting the Proud Boys after I live tweeted a peaceful march in Olympia. I was about to leave #Seattle and explore other news opportunities. That is until Discovery Institute’s Center on Wealth and Poverty (@DiscoveryCWP, @DiscoveryInst1) took a major gamble and offered me a media fellowship to continue my journalism. Today, my team and I were nominated for FOUR #NWEMMY awards, one of the highest honors for excellence in TV/online broadcast journalism. Even if we don’t take home any hardware at the @natasnw award ceremony, Read More ›

Search for Solutions #Burien council meeting is expected to be packed again Monday evening. Neighbors and biz owners are demanding an immediate solution to address the homeless encampment expanding in the main business corridor. Several new tents popped up over Easter weekend. Drug use is rampant. One camper got arrested. Volunteers at Hope Community Christian Church are trying to help, even offering to convert part of their building into a detox center. But they’re running into red tape and bureaucratic obstacles at City Hall. Meanwhile, @burien city leaders are calling on King County officials to step in and give them more resources. Is anyone working together? @KCCouncil @kcexec @KC_RHA @GovInslee @JoeMcDermottWA @DiscoveryCWP Finding More Foil and Needles New location, same Read More ›

Final Look I was there on Wednesday when King County crews started clearing out this SODO encampment, a shell of it’s former self. Hard to imagine at one point there were at least 40 people living here. This location has seen fires, fights, drug overdose deaths, and been a source of crime in the neighborhood. It was also going to be one of the parcel’s used for Dow Constantine’s (@kcexec) failed HOMELESS MEGAPLEX before #Chinatown-ID residents fought back. No sign of Councilmember Tammy Morales (@CMTammyMorales) as encampment sweeps continue in #Seattle. @MayorofSeattle @GovInslee @seattlecouncil @KCCouncil @CMSaraNelson @CMTMosqueda @D5Juarez @KC_RHA

Tranq Fentanyl is Here in Seattle Go to #Chinatown-ID right now, and you will see several people with rotting flesh walking around in a zombie like stupor. DEA (@deahq,@DEASEATTLEDiv) confirms it. Jay Yanamura is one of the patriarchs in the community and has started documenting this disaster in the making. #CID remains ground zero for the drug addiction crisis. Just listen to him lay out what he and other senior citizens have to deal with every single day. He also continues to call out Councilmember Tammy Morales (@CMTammyMorales) for not being around during their “time of need.” #Seattle @MayorofSeattle @cmkshama @GovInslee @kcexec @JoeMcDermottWA @seattlecouncil @KCCouncil @KCPubHealth @CMSaraNelson @CMTMosqueda @D5Juarez @SeattleFire @SeattlePD This is Insane “Because xylazine is not an opioid, Read More ›

Homeless Arson Suspect in Court Thursday morning Arthur Arakelov faced a judge for the first time. He’s accused of torching dozens of boats in Lake Union last month and causing millions of dollars in damage. He pleaded not guilty. Meanwhile, #Seattle‘s homeless community remains in shock over these allegations and supporters say this was likely an accident. He’s being held on $100K bail and is due in court again later this month. @mayorofseattle @D5Juarez @kcexec @seattlecouncil @KCCouncil @GovInslee @CMSaraNelson @CMTMosqueda @seattlePD @SeattleFire More from SPD Body Cam It appears Arakelov was cooperative and wanted to get out of the cold. He was treated on site and taken to the hospital. #Seattle Surveillance Video Look at the orange glow. Authorities say Read More ›

Volunteers have been working to move people living in tents outside Burien City Hall into shelter. But they tell me that only a few accepted the offer. Most simply moved down the street to a new plot of land. Murphy Shaw and Joseph Riverson are with Hope Christian Community Church, one of several ministries helping these homeless men and women. “We’re gonna be here, we’re gonna keep ministering to them,” Riverson told me. As frustrated neighbors and business owners sharply critiqued city leaders at a council meeting for being unprepared for the growth of this new encampment, Riverson decided to take action. “I’m pitching a tent right here,” said Riverson, who is trying to build trust and relationships in the Read More ›

Now What? Sweeps continue Monday morning in #Seattle. It’s the only way to keep these dangerous encampments from becoming a liability for neighborhoods like Fremont. Once again, We Heart Seattle (@weheartseattle) and Andrea Suarez (@weheartfounder) tackling some of the most difficult cases. But when severe mental illness and drug addiction are in play, even the most well intentioned outreach becomes an exercise in futility. Listen to “Angel’s” story. This is also why “housing first” will not work for people like her. She’s been given pretty much all the options from tiny houses to apartments. She’s burned all bridges. Every lawmaker about to craft homelessness policy must listen to this. What will be done about the most extreme cases? This has Read More ›

Horrifying Discovery For the past few months, I have been following We Heart Seattle (@weheartseattle) founder Andrea Suarez (@weheartfounder) and her volunteers across #Seattle as they clean up this city and try to save homeless men and women living on the streets. But this past week, I was out of pocket when Suarez discovered the decomposing body of a 54 year old man in a tent right next to @TMobilePark as the @Mariners were getting ready for the season opener. Sunday afternoon, I went back to finally see where this all happened. Suarez says this must be a wake up call for this entire city and a call to action. @GovInslee @kcexec @MayorofSeattle @seattlecouncil @KCCouncil @CMTammyMorales @CMSaraNelson @CMTMosqueda @D5Juarez @KC_RHA

Breaking Woman dying after drug overdose was saved by four bystanders Sunday afternoon in #Chinatown-ID. TRUE HEROES. They teamed up to call 911, started chest compressions, and administered NARCAN. @SeattlePD and @SeattleFire arrived and took over. This is near the notorious Little Saigon drug den and open air black market which I have spotlighted for more than a year. It continues to thrive. Authorities say these types of close calls happen daily in #Seattle. In many cases, the addicts die. Why is this still being allowed on our streets? *We need to find the bro on the bike and the fella wearing the Air Jordan cap. They played a massive role but took off before I could get their story Read More ›