Listen to Seattle’s Morning News w/ Charlie Harger and Manda Factor every weekday at 5am on 成人X站 Newsradio 97.3 FM or go to MyNorthwest.com to learn more!

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鈥淚t’s criminally negligent,鈥� Dahlen told 成人X站 Newsradio bluntly, standing outside one of his sober-living recovery homes in Kent. 鈥淲e鈥檙e losing people at an alarming rate. Fentanyl is killing people every day in ways we’ve never seen.鈥�

It鈥檚 a strong claim, but in Washington state, the statistics back him up. According to preliminary Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data, to see opioid-related overdose deaths increase between May 2023 and April 2024.

Meanwhile, nationwide, those numbers are finally going down.

What’s going wrong here?

In King County, the prevailing wisdom is . The idea: if you provide safer conditions, such as needle exchanges, fentanyl testing strips, safe consumption supplies, and wait patiently, many struggling with addiction will eventually opt into treatment voluntarily.

said this approach is compassionate, realistic, and non-judgmental. It reduces immediate harm, like infections or overdoses. But Dahlen sees something else entirely.

the Public Health 鈥� Seattle and King County, more than 1,000 people died of drug overdoses in 2024. It鈥檚 the second-highest death total in recorded history, only surpassed by overdose deaths in 2023. Back in 2015, only 324 people died in the county from overdoses.

Trends in overdose deaths that occurred in King County in 2015-2024. (Image courtesy of Public Health – Seattle King County)

鈥淟etting people smoke fentanyl is the worst thing a state or city can do,鈥� Dahlen said, frustration visible on his face. 鈥淭hey call it kindness, but it鈥檚 the opposite. It鈥檚 killing people, and it鈥檚 devastating families.鈥�

He would know. Dahlen spent 17 years trapped in opioid addiction himself before becoming sober. For the past 14 years, he鈥檚 dedicated his life to helping others achieve sobriety through what he calls a 鈥渇amily-first, community-first鈥� approach.

Battlefield Addiction takes a different approach to curb drug use

Battlefield Addiction is deliberately different. Dahlen and his team coach families on intervention strategies designed to disrupt drug use immediately. This isn’t about gentle encouragement; it鈥檚 about urgency and accountability.

鈥淚f someone is smoking fentanyl in one of our homes, we get it out of their hands and watch them with Narcan until they’re OK,鈥� Dahlen explained. 鈥淥ur approach starts with sobriety. Not tomorrow, not next year鈥攖oday.鈥�

It鈥檚 a stark contrast to policies championed in Seattle and King County, where supportive housing facilities , focusing on housing stability first, with recovery second.

But Dahlen argued the drugs today, especially fentanyl and meth, are fundamentally different than the opioids of the past.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not dealing with the heroin of five or ten years ago,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he is killing people overnight. This is an emergency.鈥�

Washington state鈥檚 rising overdose rates seem to back up Dahlen鈥檚 urgency. Despite record spending on harm reduction and supportive housing, the numbers are moving in the wrong direction.

Washington opioid deaths nearly doubled since 2019

As reported by the in the last six years, opioid drug overdose deaths in the state have nearly doubled.

“17,502 Washington residents died from a drug overdose over the past 15 years (between 2007 and 2021); 68% of those deaths involved an opioid,” DOH’s website stated. “Since 2019, the annual number of opioid drug overdose deaths has nearly doubled, from 827 deaths in 2019 to 1619 in 2021.”

So what does Dahlen recommend?

鈥淚鈥檇 ask our politicians and lawmakers: are there behaviors we鈥檙e doing right now that perpetuate addiction?鈥� he asked. 鈥淎re we handing out pipes, foils, making it easier for people to steal and continue their addiction? Yes. And it’s making things worse.鈥�

Critics often dismiss abstinence-focused programs like Battlefield Addiction . Dahlen shakes his head at the notion.

鈥淭his isn’t about morality. It鈥檚 about saving lives,鈥� he said. 鈥淚’ve never had anyone come back angry that we helped get them sober. People thank the cops who arrested them. People thank their families who intervened. For me, it was my father who held me accountable. He saved my life.鈥�

Dahlen knows he’s swimming upstream politically. King County leaders and addiction experts overwhelmingly favor harm reduction, citing decades of research showing its benefits. But Dahlen insists there鈥檚 a crucial difference between harm reduction that saves lives and enabling that prolongs suffering.

鈥淵ou can鈥檛 allow someone to continue smoking fentanyl and call that kindness,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t’s not harmful to ask someone to stop. It鈥檚 necessary.鈥�

Battlefield Addiction to host fundraiser

That鈥檚 why Battlefield Addiction is raising its voice, and some much-needed funds, at Roegner Park in Auburn on May 10. It鈥檚 part outreach, part advocacy, aiming to shift public perception and remind people that abstinence-based recovery programs still exist, and they still work.

鈥淲e want families to understand that real recovery is possible,鈥� Dahlen said passionately. 鈥淓ven if you’ve been using fentanyl, even if things feel hopeless, you can get sober and have a productive life afterward.鈥�

In King County, where compassion has become synonymous with harm reduction, Dahlen鈥檚 message is provocative. He argues compassion must include accountability and swift intervention, not simply a comfortable place to continue using.

鈥淒on鈥檛 listen to the addiction,鈥� he told families directly. 鈥淒on’t let the drugs tell you how to treat your loved one. You have to intervene, create boundaries, create urgency. It鈥檚 the only way to save their lives.鈥�

Art Dahlen is used to being labeled a contrarian or harsh. But he brushes off those labels. After nearly three decades grappling with addiction personally and professionally, he says the truth is simpler.

鈥淔entanyl kills,鈥� he said firmly. 鈥淧retending that gently waiting (for someone to seek treatment) is a humane approach isn’t kindness. It’s neglect.鈥�

Listen to聽鈥淪eattle鈥檚 Morning News鈥�聽with Charlie Harger and Manda Factor weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. on 成人X站 Newsradio. Subscribe to the podcast聽here.

“Without federal regulations, the marketplace is the wild, wild west,” Weisbaum said on “Seattle’s Morning News” on 成人X站 Newsradio Thursday. “The way I see it, the government is supposed to protect the vulnerable from predatory business practices, whether that’s using deceptive advertising and making dangerous products, or selling financial products that cause financial harm. And the way they do that is by having rules that tell businesses what they can and cannot do, and then if they break the rules, they have to do enforcement actions.”

Weisbaum: Marketplaces left unchecked are ‘very dangerous’

Weisbaum said agencies are being decimated because of a reduction in staff, rules are being taken off the books, and the government is saying they are not going to enforce the rules. Adding that businesses left unchecked can be “very dangerous” for the consumer.

“I see a much more open marketplace and businesses being able to take advantage of consumers,” he shared. “And I find that very sad, because my job is to protect people.”

When asked what his advice would be to the consumer, Weisbaum responded: “I really don’t think there’s anything we can do, even me. I mean, you have to be more careful with what you do. But the problem is, we don’t have the ability to know what’s going on in the marketplace like a federal regulator does. We can’t spot this stuff.”

“I just hope people who feel strongly about this and want the government to do something to protect them鈥攚ill let their lawmakers know, will let the administration know, and just realize that all rules aren’t bad,” he added. “You get rid of bad rules. You keep good rules because they’re there to protect us all. At least that’s my two cents.”

Listen to聽鈥淪eattle鈥檚 Morning News鈥�聽with Charlie Harger and Manda Factor weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. on 成人X站 Newsradio. Subscribe to the podcast聽here.

Listen to Seattle’s Morning News w/ Charlie Harger and Manda Factor every weekday at 5am on 成人X站 Newsradio 97.3 FM or go to MyNorthwest.com to learn more!

Listen to Seattle’s Morning News w/ Charlie Harger and Manda Factor every weekday at 5am on 成人X站 Newsradio 97.3 FM or go to MyNorthwest.com to learn more!

Democrats in the Washington State Senate pushed through a massive $12 billion tax package over the weekend, despite an explicit call from Ferguson to scale back the level of taxes.

“There’s a lot of word-smithing going on right now. The governor and his supporters have said that they’re not keen on the so-called wealth tax, which is an increase in the expansion of the state’s capital gains tax,” Rep. Jim Walsh, the Chair of the state鈥檚 Republican Party, said on “Seattle’s Morning News” on 成人X站 Newsradio. “They’ve also said they’re backing off of the property tax increase proposals they made. And that’s true. It’s narrowly true that they’re backing off of those, but they are refiling them with slightly different mechanics.”

Instead, according to Walsh, property taxes could be raised by increasing the local portion of the property tax bill, instead of the state part. Other taxes that would be increased under the $12 billion budget plan are the business and occupation tax and the state’s sales tax, all while gas and diesel are going to go up to approximately six more cents a gallon. Walsh is calling it “a basket of tax increases.”

“I really believe (budget cuts) are not necessary if we just hold our budgets at their current levels,” Walsh added. “We don’t need these new taxes. We don’t have to cut anything.”

Gov. Bob Ferguson’s signature not required to pass laws

“How do you feel the governor is interacting with leaders of both parties?” Manda Factor, co-host of “Seattle’s Morning News,” asked Walsh.

“Better than what the previous guy did, I’ll grant Ferguson that,” Walsh responded. “He is talking to all sides, and that’s a good thing. He’s sort of a clever guy who plays some clever word games. He has said he won’t sign the tax proposals that are currently on the table. Well, in our state, the governor doesn’t have to sign a bill for it to become law.”

In the state of Washington, if the governor doesn’t sign a bill, it can still become law in 30 days without his signature.

“So what we really need Ferguson to do is commit to vetoing some of these tax hike proposals, and he hasn’t done that yet,” Walsh said. “All he’s saying is, I won’t sign this one or that one or the other one, and that’s not good enough because the legislature can pass them and they become law without his signature.”

Listen to the full conversation here:

Listen to聽鈥淪eattle鈥檚 Morning News鈥�聽with Charlie Harger and Manda Factor weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. on 成人X站 Newsradio. Subscribe to the podcast聽here.

In an April 11 letter, the Trump administration called for sweeping reforms at Harvard, including changes to leadership, admissions policies, and diversity audits, according to .

Harvard fights Trump’s grant freeze

Former Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna joined “Seattle’s Morning News” on 成人X站 Newsradio with Charlie Harger and Manda Factor to share his thoughts on the trajectory of the lawsuit.

“Essentially, they’re trying to exert control over the academic policies of the university; for example, they want to make sure that all viewpoints are represented in education. Doesn’t seem that controversial?” McKenna said. “On the other hand, we’ve always relied on universities to make those decisions, and they cloak all this under a campaign against anti-Semitism.”

When Harger asked McKenna if the lawsuit sets a precedent for the Trump administration’s relationship with other schools, he said it is likely something that other universities will be watching.

“I think many other universities will be watching Harvard closely,” McKenna said. “Other universities are stepping up to at least voice their support for Harvard; Yale, for example. So this is a huge test case. High stakes for sure.”

Listen to the full conversation below:

Listen to聽鈥淪eattle鈥檚 Morning News鈥�聽with Charlie Harger and Manda Factor weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. on 成人X站 Newsradio. Subscribe to the podcast聽here.

Listen to Seattle’s Morning News w/ Charlie Harger and Manda Factor every weekday at 5am on 成人X站 Newsradio 97.3 FM or go to MyNorthwest.com to learn more!

However, this led 成人X站 Newsradio contributor Angela Poe Russell to question what the best approach is regarding homelessness, mentioning that fewer tents do not necessarily mean fewer people on the streets.

“A lot of the homeless advocates are saying that this has not reduced the number of homeless people, that it’s just pushed them back into the woods,” she said on “Seattle’s Morning News” Monday. “And I don’t know鈥攐n one hand, I think research has shown us that when people are OK, there are some people who fall in hard times, and I think we need to support everybody鈥攖hen there are those people who there is a drug issue, and until they are made to feel uncomfortable, change doesn’t happen.”

Poe Russell highlighted the complex situation.

“I struggle with, I think we need to help. I think pushing people back deeper into the woods is not the answer. But I also think letting them continue on the sidewalks, in our streets, and our parks is not OK,” she said.

Would making homeless uncomfortable help get them off Seattle streets?

Charlie Harger, co-host of “Seattle’s Morning News,” said the dilemma is something he’s been researching.

“This is a housing first approach,” he explained. “This is a harm reduction approach, and you key into making people feel uncomfortable. That’s one thing that they are attempting not to do when going specifically to help people who are drug addicted and homeless. We’re not talking about somebody who’s in tough times, but people who are in active addiction and strong addiction. Right now, the approach is, “Hey, let’s get you a house, a roof over your head, and we’ll deal with the addiction later.'”

However, Harger mentioned that making people feel uncomfortable could be beneficial.

“I’m hearing from a lot of advocates who say, ‘Listen, we actually need to make people feel a little uncomfortable,’ and maybe that’s when they start getting help, and it’s a long, long-range fix, instead of just having people move into the woods and continue using.”

Listen to the full conversation below:

Listen to聽鈥淪eattle鈥檚 Morning News鈥�聽with Charlie Harger and Manda Factor weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. on 成人X站 Newsradio. Subscribe to the podcast聽here.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, is spearheading the efforts in identifying the root causes of the childhood chronic disease epidemic, which includes the increase in autism among kids.

Leland Vittert, anchor of NewsNation’s prime-time “On Balance,” weighed in on the recent study on “Seattle’s Morning News.”

“We should all want to know why, but we don’t want to stigmatize autism,” Vittert said. “We should celebrate people who are living with it. We should help people who are living with it. I’ve heard people say, ‘Well, it’s your superpower’ or whatever. OK, two things can be true at once. One, we should do everything to help people who are living with autism, whether it be severe autism or other forms on the spectrum, and give them the help they need.”

News anchor diagnosed with autism at young age

Vittert was diagnosed with autism at a very young age. His book, “: A Dedicated Father, A Grateful Son, and My Journey with Autism” (set to be released Sept. 30) documents his father’s role in raising him while he dealt with autism.

“On the other hand, we should acknowledge that it would be great if this weren’t an issue anymore, “Vittert added. “People say we shouldn’t stigmatize it. Well, I would love for my child not to have to worry about having autism. There is a genetic component. It’s obviously something I’ve thought about. If we can understand environmental factors that make it more likely to occur or a more severe occurrence of it, and prevent that, why wouldn’t we do that?”

Listen to the full conversation here:

Listen to聽鈥淪eattle鈥檚 Morning News鈥�聽with Charlie Harger and Manda Factor weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. on 成人X站 Newsradio. Subscribe to the podcast聽here.

Listen to Seattle’s Morning News w/ Charlie Harger and Manda Factor every weekday at 5am on 成人X站 Newsradio 97.3 FM or go to MyNorthwest.com to learn more!

Listen to the Gee and Ursula Show every weekday at 9am on 成人X站 Newsradio 97.3 FM. Listen to 成人X站 Newsradio 97.3 FM or go to MyNorthwest.com to learn more!

Listen to Seattle’s Morning News w/ Charlie Harger and Manda Factor every weekday at 5am on 成人X站 Newsradio 97.3 FM or go to MyNorthwest.com to learn more!

Listen to the Gee and Ursula Show every weekday at 9am on 成人X站 Newsradio 97.3 FM. Listen to 成人X站 Newsradio 97.3 FM or go to MyNorthwest.com to learn more!

Listen to Seattle’s Morning News w/ Charlie Harger and Manda Factor every weekday at 5am on 成人X站 Newsradio 97.3 FM or go to MyNorthwest.com to learn more!

Listen to the Gee and Ursula Show every weekday at 9am on 成人X站 Newsradio 97.3 FM. Listen to 成人X站 Newsradio 97.3 FM or go to MyNorthwest.com to learn more!

Listen to Seattle’s Morning News w/ Charlie Harger and Manda Factor every weekday at 5am on 成人X站 Newsradio 97.3 FM or go to MyNorthwest.com to learn more!

“Let’s talk about your first three months on the job. How is it going?” Charlie Harger, host of Seattle’s Morning News on 成人X站 Newsradio, asked Brown. “What’s it been like for you?”

“Well, just kind of slow and boring for the first three months,” Brown joked. “No, it’s been great. I always tell my team, it’s so fun to be in a job where you walk in and everything you’re doing has importance. It impacts people’s lives. It feels weighty and significant, and I’m loving the job. Really proud to be part of that team.”

With Nick Brown replacing Bob Ferguson after he became the next governor of Washington, Brown now operates and controls the largest public law firm in the state, and the second-largest public law firm on the West Coast.

Whether it’s the dismantling of the libraries agency, interference over funding, or overhauling elections, Brown’s first few months as attorney general has been defined by his fight against the Trump administration.

“My job and my oath is to defend Washington law. I made an oath to defend our Constitution and the U.S. Constitution,” Brown said. “Every time that we’re looking at a potential legal action against any federal administration, we first say, ‘Does this break the law? Are Washingtonians harmed? Are we the right venue to bring those challenges?’ And if those three things match up, then we will bring those cases.

“Unfortunately, we’ve seen time and time again where the President of the United States and his administration is breaking the law, is harming Washingtonians, and we are the right venue to bring a lot of those cases,” Brown continued. “I understand that does not make everybody happy.”

Navigating the state budget crisis

Governor Bob Ferguson鈥檚 plan for $7 billion in budget cuts over the next four years received plenty of criticism as it intends to reduce state payrolls and institute furlough days after the wealth tax proposal died.

Dozens of protesters representing the group “Workers Strike Back” made their way into the Washington State Capitol building Wednesday to protest the proposed cuts.

“The state is facing a really significant budget hole, and that is a big challenge for the legislature and for the governor to try to find ways to make cuts and raise revenue to fill that hole,” Brown said. “But some of the proposals that were on the board earlier this session would have a devastating impact on our agency. We’re talking about furloughs for state workers. We have cuts to our general fund budget, which would cut back on the criminal justice work that we do. Cutting that fund would mean we would just do less of that work, and so I’m really hopeful that the legislature finds a way to get the necessary funding to make sure that they’re not cutting the services that Washingtonians have come to expect.”

Listen to the full conversation here:

Listen to聽鈥淪eattle鈥檚 Morning News鈥�聽with Charlie Harger and Manda Factor weekday mornings from 5-9 a.m. on 成人X站 Newsradio. Subscribe to the podcast聽here.

Listen to Seattle’s Morning News w/ Charlie Harger and Manda Factor every weekday at 5am on 成人X站 Newsradio 97.3 FM or go to MyNorthwest.com to learn more!

Listen to the Gee and Ursula Show every weekday at 9am on 成人X站 Newsradio 97.3 FM. Listen to 成人X站 Newsradio 97.3 FM or go to MyNorthwest.com to learn more!

The case involves tagging on the Interstate 5 (I-5) wall near the Yesler Overpass in Seattle. The latest charge is part of a broader effort to hold graffiti vandals accountable.

Prosecutors have charged five individuals in connection with vandalism attributed to the group known as MSP.

One person was charged Monday, while the other four have pleaded not guilty.

Law enforcement cracks down on graffiti in King County

Last December, multiple people were charged with a total of 34 graffiti-related felonies in King County.

“Defendants are innocent until proven guilty in court, but prosecutors believe they have a pretty strong case,” Casey McNerthney, Director of Communications at the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, told “Seattle鈥檚 Morning News” on 成人X站 Newsradio.

He said Seattle Police have been investigating the matter for months.

“It鈥檚 been a big effort from the mayor鈥檚 office with Bruce Harrell, and they are as frustrated by it as your listeners are,” he shared.

McNerthney emphasized that proving graffiti crimes can be challenging.

“A key is showing not only the identity of the folks who are doing this, but their locations too,” he said. “Having video evidence and having GPS evidence is helpful. Ultimately, you’ve got to show beyond a reasonable doubt that this is the person who did it.”

While jail sentences for graffiti crimes tend to be short due to state law designating them as property crimes, McNerthney stressed the importance of securing financial restitution.

鈥淲hether that’s (for) taxpayers for the Washington State Department of Transportation property with these walls, or whether you’re a business large or small, or whether you’re a property owner. You know, I’ve never heard a property owner, or a business owner say, oh, it’s just graffiti,鈥� he said.