Does Mayor Bruce Harrell Heart Elon Musk? Plus, Seattle Fights Over Totem Poles and Trees

What do you call it when Mayor Bruce Harrell raises eyebrows with alleged praise for Trump advisors, a totem pole stands in the way of a park opening, and a tree divides a neighborhood? Just another week in Seattle!   In this episode, we dive into Mayor Harrell's comments at a downtown business event, where he appeared to praise tech advisors to Donald J. Trump like Elon Musk. Was it an off-script gaffe, a calculated appeal to the business community, simply a fact about tech innovation leaders, or something else entirely? We discuss the comments, the context and what it might mean for Seattle politics.Then, we explore the battle between historic preservationists and the city over totem poles that has kept the newly renovated Victor Steinbrueck Park shuttered. What should happen to the contested poles? It's a classic Seattle story of process, history, identity, and bureaucracy. Finally, we look at the heated debate over "Grandma Brooks' Cedar" in Ravenna. When is it right to save a tree, and when is it time to let go? We debate the story of conflict between neighbors, activists, and the family of the woman who lived alongside the tree for decades.  Our editor is Quinn Waller. Send us a text! Note that we can only respond directly to emails [email protected] to Uncle Ike's pot shop for sponsoring this week's episode! If you want to advertise please contact us at [email protected] the showYour support on Patreon helps pay for editing, production, live events and the unique, hard-hitting local journalism and commentary you hear weekly on Seattle Nice.