Civic Cocktail - Civic Cocktail: Downtown Seattle: Rebuilding a Troubled Superstar

Civic Cocktail: Downtown Seattle: Rebuilding a Troubled Superstar

05/05/21 • 44 min

After struggling through the pandemic, social unrest, and an ongoing homelessness crisis, what is the state of downtown Seattle? Bob Donegan, president of Ivar's restaurants tells host Joni Balter that 2020 was grim, but he's encouraged by the crowds returning to the city. The number of visitors to Pike Place Market is a good example. Donegan says, "In April and May it had none. Last month, Pike Place Market was averaging 10,000 to 12,000 visitors a day." And more people coming downtown will help battle the perception the area is unsafe. Brian Surratt, the former director of Seattle's Office of Economic Development and current Vice President of Alexandria Real Estate says, "Downtown has been vacant for so long when you don't have bodies walking through and interacting with each other, you're going to notice a lot of these issues." He also blames national media reports for doom and gloom descriptions of Seattle after last summer's protests. But both men agree one thing could help jumpstart the recovery, and they say the City of Seattle could actually play a pivotal role.

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Civic Cocktail: State of Our Democracy: Pramila Jayapal & Suzan DelBene

The President and Congressional Democrats are moving fast to work through a list of major projects demanded by the American public. Two U.S. House members from Washington state, helping to lead the way, speak to host Joni Balter about the challenges ahead. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, chair of the Progressive Caucus, says "I just watched the American Rescue Plan go through with not a single Republican vote when 76% of Americans believe it was the right thing to do." Democrats hope the multi trillion-dollar plan to revamp the nation's crumbling infrastructure will have more bipartisan support. Rep. Suzan DelBene, chair of the New Democrat Coalition, which includes 94 congressional moderates says, "We have great needs across our country...long-term going forward we want to make sure we are getting things done for the American people." Other subjects discussed include gun control, the future of the filibuster, immigration policy, and what each congress member believes is the biggest threat to democracy.
This episode of Civic Cocktail is the third in a multi-part series on "The State of Our Democracy."

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Civic Cocktail: Naomi Ishisaka + Kurt Streeter + Jasmyne Keimig

George Floyd's murder sparked a movement, forcing this nation to acknowledge and confront systemic racism. But how much has changed in the year since Floyd was killed? Seattle Times Assistant Managing Editor Naomi Ishisaka tells host Joni Balter, "this is part of an arc of work that's been ongoing... and while momentum has slowed, progress has been made." New York Times columnist Kurt Streeter warns, "Any movement for change that specifically regards African Americans can expect a pushback, and of course that's happening." And Jasmyne Keimig, staff writer for The Stranger says, "The defund conversation has pushed the center of gravity... but there's still an overwhelmingly uphill battle to implement real change." All three journalists also agreed the flood of misinformation coming from various news outlets is troubling since it allows false narratives to take hold which are then accepted as fact.