Grappling with addiction problems

Staff Reporter

Articles by Ashley Archibald

Reporter’s Notebook: 911 outage, federal government shutdown and Sawant offers a Viadoom solution

by Ashley Archibald | January 2nd, 2019

Who you gonna call?

Communities across the United States got an unwelcome surprise the night of Dec. 27 when CenturyLink, one of the nation’s largest telecommunications companies, revealed that a “malfunction” had taken out emergency service calls in many communities.

State Supreme Court rules against EPIC’s effort to defund youth jail

by Ashley Archibald | January 2nd, 2019

A young marcher carries a “No New Children’s Jail” sign at the 2015 MLK March in Seattle. Real Change file, 2015

The Washington State Supreme Court ruled against an organization that has been fighting to stop a new youth detention facility in the central district for the past six years.

Reporter’s Notebook: Affordable housing plan, tech companies billed and new Seattle leaders

by Ashley Archibald | December 26th, 2018

Homes for the holidays

Mayor Jenny Durkan announced a new $75 million investment in affordable housing on Monday that would build or preserve an estimated 1,400 affordable homes.

The Mayor’s Office touted it as the largest single-year increase in affordable housing in Seattle’s history.

Seattle and Bellingham remember our homeless neighbors who died in 2018

by Ashley Archibald | December 26th, 2018

People gather around the Tree of Life in Victor Steinbrueck Park on Dec. 21 to remember those who died on the streets of King County in 2018. Photo by Matthew S. Browning

On Dec. 21, the northern hemisphere experiences the longest stretch of prolonged darkness of the year. In Seattle, the sun dipped toward the horizon at 4:20 p.m. In the last dying rays of natural sunlight, a group gathered around a tall, bronze statue marked with cutouts of leaves on the north end of Victor Steinbrueck Park.

The Tree of Life, as it is called, stands in remembrance of homeless people who lost their lives in Seattle and King County, and the winter solstice is the day that communities around the country do the same.

Policy, funding and business join forces to solve homelessness

by Ashley Archibald | December 26th, 2018

A person finds shelter at a bus stop in the International District when temperatures dip in the low 40s. File photo by Ted Mase

First it was the 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness. Then leadership from the city of Seattle and King County came together to declare a state of emergency. Now, there is a new effort to shore up a “fragmented” response and create a unifying agency that can coordinate the fight against homelessness across the region.

Reporter’s Notebook: Safeco Field naming rights, Gov. Inslee releases budget and city misconduct office created

by Ashley Archibald | December 19th, 2018

What’s in a name?

Three million dollars. That’s how much Forbes Magazine forecasts that the Mariners will get for naming rights to the facility formerly known as Safeco Field. Wednesday morning communications company T-Mobile announced they have a secured a deal with the baseball team. If approved, the sports venue will known will be lnown as T-Mobile Park for the next 25 years.

Hard-working Real Change vendors remember holidays past

by Ashley Archibald | December 19th, 2018

On December 17 vendors, staff and volunteers gathered together at Seattle Labor Temple for our annual holiday party. Photo by Jon Williams

“Wanted: Frosty the salesman” read the sign printed on 8.5” x 11” paper on the double doors of the Seattle Labor Temple’s main hall. Somewhere in the room, a Real Change staff member had hidden the small plush snowman, complete with miniature vendor badge.

Whoever found it won a prize, one of many handed out at the annual Real Change Holiday Party, one of the few times of the year where vendors, staff, board members and volunteers gather for a couple of hours over food, drink and games to celebrate the organization and each other.

Congress’ farm bill sets aside billions for food assistance

by Ashley Archibald | December 19th, 2018

There’s something about a countdown clock that inspires Congress to pass legislation.

With just weeks until the 116th Congress gavels in, the members of the 115th are busy passing bipartisan legislation, including a long-awaited farm bill that received overwhelming support in both houses of Congress.

This is a big deal for needy individuals and households because the $867 billion bill maintains the food benefit program that provides nutrition assistance to Washington households with a maximum monthly income of $1,005 for a single person and $2,050 for a family of four.

Reporter’s Notebook: increased home density recommended by commission, private email usage and green card proposal

by Ashley Archibald | December 12th, 2018

The Seattle Planning Commission recommends denser housing in areas zoned for single-family homes. Photo courtesy Pixabay

Dustbin of history

The Seattle Planning Commission recommended that city leadership consider opening up areas of the city currently zoned for single-family homes to denser types of housing. The move would create opportunities for more housing in a growing city.

Strategies include loosening rules around minimum lot sizes, enlarging denser urban village zones and allowing home conversions, among others.

Grappling with addiction problems

by Ashley Archibald | December 12th, 2018

The nation is in the middle of a epidemic of opioid drug abuse. What are local, state and federal officials doing to address the crisis?

Illustration by Jon Williams, Real Change

It isn’t hard to administer the naloxone nasal spray.

Hold it to the patient’s nasal passageway and press the plunger. That’s about it. It’s a lifesaving drug that turns around the effects of opioids, be they prescribed or otherwise. There is a trick, of course. Naloxone is effective only if you are there when the overdose happens.

That’s why health care professionals distribute naloxone to people who use: They aren’t going to be able to save themselves, but maybe they can be saved by someone else if things go too far.