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Healthcare leads 109k private sector jobs added in April, Microsoft to abandon clean energy policy for data centers, SpaceX to spend $120B on chip fab, Morgan Stanley to launch crypto trading, Pacific Power seeking interim rate increase, Federal Reserve loading up on US Treasuries, Alaska Airlines raising $500m in debt.

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PNW Market Look

As of market close 5.6.26

The Fed's total Treasury holdings are now up to $4.4 trillion, the highest since July 2024. (X)

Headline Roundup

(WA) Interlune Awarded $6.9 Million Contract from NASA for Lunar Resource Development (Interlune)
Private employers added 109,000 jobs in April (ADP)
Microsoft in Talks to Ax Energy Pledge Amid Data Center Boom (BBG)
Are Microsoft’s AI and environmental goals compatible? (KUOW)
Pacific Power seeks rare ‘interim’ rate increase, citing financial problems (ORL)
Seattle group hires firms to structure Sonics expansion bid (Komo)
Original Anthony's — plus marina, offices — sells for $46M (DJC)
Idaho Medical Cannabis Act receives over 150,000 signatures, verification process underway (IDP)
Massive commercial development breaks ground near I-84 in Meridian. What’s coming (IDS)
Wine facility with 4.5M gallons went up in flames in Central WA (ST)
Nike to close technology offices, consolidate functions in Portland, report says (PBJ)
Clark Co. was the big winner in Portland metro tax migration (PBJ)
'There is enough to go around': Give Big raises record $3.2M for Gallatin nonprofits (BDC)
UnitedHealthcare to cut prior authorization for 30% of services. Here's what to know. (Ground)
US prosecutors charge 30 with insider trading on law firm deal materials (FT)
Suterra Acquires Vestaron’s R&D Assets and Product Lines (Suterra)
Alaska Airlines to raise $500 million in debt offering as jet fuel prices surge (PBJ)

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Community Highlight

A guide to Bellingham-area breweries (CD)

McLean’s state of Boise focuses on budget, transit, housing, and touches on W. Boise library, downtown vitality (BD)

“McLean alluded to plans to develop additional homes in the areas near Micron Technology, where the Boise-based chip giant is under construction on a large-scale expansion of its manufacturing facilities on Federal Way. As BoiseDev reported, the city has discussed a proposed housing project with developer Corey Barton near the Memory Rd. Interchange called East Hollow that could add 7,000 homes, and has looked at other lands in the area that could be developed for housing.

“There’s more to learn, but the potential is significant – well-planned neighborhoods near jobs, with a mix of housing and access to parks and open space,” she said.”

Rip’s Spotlight

Washington looking for solutions to looming water challenges (WSS)

“Washington is a water state,” Sixkiller said. “Water shapes our landscapes, our communities, our economy, and for many a way of life passed down through generations. We all know that where there’s water, there’s life, but these days, we don’t have to look very hard to see that our relationship with water is changing.”

Climate change is causing precipitation in the winter to fall more as rain than snow, with less stored naturally in the mountains for the summer, when farms and fish are competing for the dwindling resource. This system, dependent on snowpack, is becoming less reliable, Sixkiller said.

By 2080, the Puget Sound region is expected to get less than half of its normal snowpack, with wintertime stream flows increasing by half and a corresponding drop in the summertime, the agency director said.”