Tagged: Radio Retrospective

A new study in the New England Journal of Medicine looks at how one Seattle medical institution has managed the state’s 2009 Death With Dignity law. The report shows how rarely Washington state residents have pursued a legal prescription to end their own life, and describes the early debate among physicians over whether to participate. We talk with study author Dr. Elizabeth Loggers of Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.

Leslie Helm was born and raised in Yokohama, Japan. Most of his family members are of European descent, and you would be hard pressed to look into his face and see his half-Japanese grandparents reflected back. When he adopted Japanese children, he started exploring his own roots. Leslie Helm takes us along on his journey as a "Yokohama Yankee" — a story that outlines the racial and economic tensions that defined US and Japanese relations for much of the 19th and 20th centuries.

As the cost of living continues to rise in the city, people are finding it harder to find an affordable place to live. To accommodate the demand, developers are building microhousing -- tiny studio apartments with private bathrooms that share a kitchen with other units. The microhouses boast affordable living in high-demand neighborhoods such as Capitol Hill and the University District. However, residents in some neighborhoods fear the developments skirt zoning laws and create too much density too fast. City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen is considering legislation that could put new restrictions on microhousing. He joins us to explain.

A plan from the court-appointed monitor overseeing Seattle’s police reforms to address biased policing and excessive use of force within the SPD was overshadowed this week by a standoff between Mayor Mike McGinn and City Attorney Pete Holmes. The two argued publicly over who has authority to act on the city’s behalf. Yesterday, Mayor McGinn said he regretted the public argument and called for a pause. L.A.-based civil rights attorney Connie Rice is advising the mayor's office as the city moves forward on a consent decree with the Justice Department. We’ll speak with her about the work so far and what she calls a “quest for trust” in Seattle.