Even after a Super Bowl win, Seattle leaders failed to clear out the downtown drug dens and black market of stolen goods. Watch as Seahawks fans try to celebrate in the streets while avoiding zombies and fentanyl addicts.
A note to readers: This is an uncomfortable story, as are my conclusions about how society might best address the situation it describes. I prize individual freedom and limited government, and recognize that sanctioning government force in the application of law can be a slippery slope. Yet, neglecting justice to avoid the risks of misapplying it is also a harmful slippery slope, and we see the destructive effects of that error in every city with permissive policies toward drug use, prostitution, and disorder. Ultimately, I can’t ignore the fact that children have a natural right to the dutiful care of their parents. With a wise and creative application of law, it may be possible to uphold a child’s rights even Read More ›
Under Siege Bellevue is under siege. A steady flow of criminals from outside the city are targeting local stores. In many instances homeless drug addicts get around using the bus, ransack businesses, then sell the items for pennies on the dollar in Seattle to purchase fentanyl. This has been going on for years. But community watch members now say it’s getting worse. Here is one of several incidents Monday evening at the QFC grocery store in the Crossroads neighborhood. Good Samaritans stepped in and forced an alleged crook to return stolen items. After being confronted, this Black woman kept saying, “I’m a n*gger. I’m a n*igger.” Some may call this vigilante justice. But there is limited security and not enough Read More ›
Politicians Look the Other Way Don’t let all the pretty Christmas lights fool you. The drug dens in downtown Seattle are roaring out of control. Look at this one in front of the Olympic Tower Apartments at the corner of 3rd Ave and Pine St. Everyone is doing fentanyl. I bumped into this young Korean American woman who’s been a regular out here for years. She’s probably in her early 30’s but now looks like she’s in her 50’s from all the drug use. This human catastrophe continues unchecked in this city and the politicians are all looking the other way. King County Public Health is also MIA. Anyone ever see Councilmember Bob Kettle walk this nightmare stretch in his Read More ›
Buying Fentanyl is “Cheaper than Kool-Aid” The latest drug encampment in Seattle is exploding out of control in Chinatown-ID. The entire area above the former Viet Wah grocery store on Jackson St. has repopulated with more than 20 tents. When I visited Monday afternoon, addicts were doing fentanyl and passed out. Everyone rejected offers for treatment. One guy said buying fetty was “cheaper than Kool-Aid.” The Sweeps Have Stopped I reported on this disaster last August. The city came in and cleared it. But with Mayor Bruce Harrell leaving office at the end of the year, it appears sweeps have slowed down to a halt in some instances. Housing First Has Failed Once again, this is not an affordable housing Read More ›
Seattle’s incoming mayor, Katie Wilson, will inherit a homelessness crisis that will define her ability to lead. Seattle’s homeless population needs more than another round of aspirational promises. They need and deserve an operational reset grounded in compassion, accountability, and the courage to confront realities the city has failed to address for years. She must replace press releases and ceremonial groundbreaking for housing that may never materialize with programs that support the homeless in reclaiming their lives from the grip of untreated mental illness, addiction, and dangerous encampments that have taken root throughout the city. The scale of Seattle’s crisis is staggering. HUD’s 2024 Point-in-Time count identified 16,868 people struggling with homelessness in King County — 7,058 sheltered and 9,810 Read More ›
Seattle’s homeless drug crisis remains a top three issue for voters. During a recent debate, Mayor Bruce Harrell and mayoral candidate Katie Wilson were asked the following: “Should homeless people be allowed to stay in tents in parks?” “Should homeless people be allowed to live in sidewalks?” “Should people be allowed to smoke or use drugs like fentanyl in public places?” The moderator was asking for a simple yes or no response. But Katie Wilson seemed to waffle and struggle.
Conditions Worse Than Ever Seattle media outlets are scared to send in reporters to spotlight ongoing crime and chaos plaguing the Little Saigon neighborhood. I don’t blame them, it’s a major safety risk. So I had to call independent journalist Nick Shirley for another perspective. Shirley agrees the conditions on the ground are now worse than ever. He noted cops rarely stop in this hood or come out of their cars to patrol the streets. It seems like Mayor Bruce Harrell has thrown in the towel on this community even though the November General Election is only two months away. But mayoral candidate Katie Wilson hasn’t shown up either, failing to seize on an opportunity to get Asian American votes. Read More ›
None of Mayor Harrell’s Policies Are Working Another horrific drug overdose death in Seattle’s Chinatown-ID. Just days after Mayor Bruce Harrell cleared the streets for his visit, all the drug hotspots have come roaring back. None of his policies are working to permanently fix this neighborhood. Meanwhile, Katie Wilson could become the city’s next mayor. She has an opportunity to share her plans to revitalize this marginalized community of color. But Wilson has yet to show up and meet with elders or business leaders. Bottom line, it appears the CID is lost regardless of who wins in November.
DESC “Bamboozles” Communities The latest Downtown Emergency Service Center building in Burien has turned into the epicenter for crime, chaos, and death. Over the weekend, two more people died of drug OD’s inside units. Then an alleged fentanyl dealer was arrested in front of this building preying on vulnerable residents. Since it’s opening last year, the Bloomside leads the city in 911 calls and is a constant drain on emergency resources. Now elected officials are warning other communities to ban DESC and other “low barrier” permanent supportive housing saying they’ve been “bamboozled.” This is exactly why President Trump signed an executive order last week pledging to defund Housing First and “harm reduction” in America’s cities. Here is a preview of Read More ›