Civic Cocktail

Is Seattle dying or trying? That question - arising from a KOMO News special on the impacts of substance abuse and homelessness - sparked a lively conversation hosted by Joni Balter. Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes shares some of the public's discontent, but says the documentary failed to mention effective city programs. KOMO News Director Bill Dallman says the report's nontraditional approach gave a voice to frustrated residents and police. Thea Oliphant-Wells, a public-health manager who battled addiction and homelessness, highlighted the effectiveness of evidence-based interventions and suggested a treatment option for those who refuse assistance. Then, the conversation took on a more lighthearted tone as local NPR radio personalities Bill Radke and Luke Burbank offered a humorous take on Seattle's changing culture, from the zipper merge to tech-boom tensions.