WA homebuilding is slowing down, unlikely to keep up with growing need; Washington overdose deaths continued to rise while national trends declined, but there’s hope

AGRICULTURE

• Breeder keeps growers, consumers in mind (Capital Press)
• Washington fruit leaders expect ‘short, good’ northwest cherry harvest (The Wenatchee World)

BUSINESS, ECONOMY & LABOR

• Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems is laying off 450 after production of troubled 737s slows (MyNorthwest)
• EDITORIAL: Some advice for the Boeing board as it meets (The Seattle Times)

CANNABIS

• Justice Department formally moves to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug in historic shift (AP)

CONGRESS

• House votes to require delivery of bombs to Israel in GOP-led rebuke of Biden policies (AP)

CORRECTIONS & JAILS

• Behind bars, WA women learn to care for pets and themselves (The Seattle Times)

COURTS (FEDERAL)

• Judge tosses lawsuit aimed at removing state’s gender-affirming care for youth (MyNorthwest)

COURTS (STATE)

• ‘An injustice:’ WA Supreme Court overturns conviction of Yakama man in 1924 (Yakima Herald-Republic)
• Is Point Defiance stabbing suspect mentally fit to stand trial? Here’s what judge ruled (The News Tribune)

CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY

• Video shows I-5 road rage incident in Everett before trooper fatally shoots man (KOMO TV)
• Over 50 cars stolen daily in King, Pierce counties in April; car thefts drop 24% statewide (KOMO TV)

DRUG CRISIS

• Washington overdose deaths continued to rise while national trends declined, but there’s hope (KUOW Radio)
• More than 54,000 free opioid overdose reversal kits coming to Washington (Washington State Standard)
• EDITORIAL: Tri-Cities health leaders must come together to deliver vital addiction services (Tri-City Herald)

EDUCATION

• WA school bus law named for slain Tri-Cities driver should ‘go federal,’ says lawmaker (Tri-City Herald)
• Teens take the wheel: Truck driver shortage has public schools preparing the pipeline (KING TV)

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS & SERVICES

• Fire district in Mason County losing insurance; public calling on two fire commissioners to resign (KIRO TV)

ENVIRONMENT

• Beetles killing more trees in Washington, likely due to drought (Washington State Standard)

HEALTH CARE & HOSPITALS

• Medical residents are avoiding abortion-ban states, survey finds (Cascade PBS)
• ‘It is a crisis issue:’ Lawmakers tackle lack of affordable dental care access (KIRO TV)
• Kitsap health leaders urge Navy to restore delivery and obstetrics services, among others (Kitsap Sun)

HIGHER EDUCATION

• College students in Washington’s prisons will soon have access to federal Pell Grants (Washington State Standard)
• UW president calls for pro-Palestinian encampment to end as violent rhetoric rises (The Center Square)
• Jewish students at UW feeling threatened after latest protest graffiti (KIRO TV)
• Peninsula College sees enrollment surge (KONP Radio)

HOMELESSNESS

• Latest homeless count in King County breaks record with more than 16,000 (The Center Square)
• King County council member calls for end of regional homeless authority (KOMO TV)
• Interim CEO of King County homeless agency withdraws candidacy (The Seattle Times)
• King County puts up fencing at encampment near courthouse (FOX 13)
• This system is supposed to help people in crisis find housing. It’s broken, many say (The News Tribune)
• New emergency shelter opens for homeless families. It’s first one in this part of county (The News Tribune)
• ‘They need more than rent’: Support at Safe Stay communities helps residents address problems, exit cycle of homelessness (The Columbian)

HOUSING

• WA homebuilding is slowing down, unlikely to keep up with growing need (The Seattle Times)
• Housing boom in most of the US could ease shortage, but cost is still a problem (Washington State Standard)

LAW ENFORCEMENT

• Vancouver Officer Sahota ultimately died from gunshot wounds, not stabbing, former medical examiner testifies (The Columbian)
• Vancouver police act on tip, arrest suspect in Clark College stabbing (The Columbian)
• Auburn police officer on trial for murder, opening statements begin (MyNorthwest)
• What is a Loudermill Hearing? Seattle cop accused of killing student in crosswalk tells his story (FOX 13)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• Tacoma City Council member Ushka dies after battle with cancer (MyNorthwest)
• King County executive to seek property tax hike to aid health clinics (The Seattle Times)
• Snohomish County bans fireworks sales where setting them off is illegal (The Everett Herald)
• 6 ethics complaints filed with Clark County in past year still await investigation (The Columbian)

MENTAL HEALTH

• Seattle just got 150 psych unit beds. Is it enough to make a difference? (KUOW Radio)
• Jesse Jones: Nearly half of Americans say money woes are affecting their mental health (KIRO TV)
• Tacoma neighbors urge city to resolve ‘primal screaming’ at youth mental health facility (KING TV)

MILITARY & VETERANS

• ‘Buried at home.’ Tri-Cities is proposed new site for WA state’s 2nd veterans cemetery (Tri-City Herald)
• USS Ronald Reagan departs Japan for final Indo-Pacific patrol before relocating to Bremerton (Kitsap Sun)

OTHER STATES

• Legislative leaders head for exits in retirement surge (Pluribus News)
• Fewer Oregon kindergarteners receive school-required vaccines, worrying state health officials (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

PARKS

• Should this historical Olympic National Park chalet be saved? (The Seattle Times)
• Community to discuss plan to separate nudists from neighbors at Denny Blaine Park (FOX 13)

STATE GOVERNMENT

• Investigators: No merit to WSDOT worker claims he was forced out (The Seattle Times)

TRANSPORTATION

• WA Traffic Safety Commission unveils new messaging amid increase in fatal crashes (The Center Square)
• Transportation commission moves forward with 520 Bridge toll rate hike proposal (The Center Square)
• Washington State Ferries prepare for busy summer season, still facing shortage of boats (KING TV)
• Harvey Field seeks to reroute runway in floodplain, faces new pushback (The Everett Herald)
• EDITORIAL: Long road ahead on eliminating traffic deaths (The Columbian)

TRIBAL ISSUES

• Google Doodle honors Hank Adams, PNW hero for Native rights (The Seattle Times)

WEATHER & CLIMATE

• OPINION: U.S. must take lead in aiding climate migrants (Eskinder Negash, president and CEO of the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants/The Seattle Times)

WILDFIRE PREVENTION & RESPONSE

• Wildfire east of Yakima in mop-up, just under 50 acres in size (KNDO/KNDU)