The Stranger’s morning news roundup. by Nathalie Graham
Digging in His Heels: King County Assessor and alleged stalker John Wilson said he will not resign his role nor end his campaign to become the King County Executive despite new allegations of harassment from his ex-domestic partner. He told KUOW he wouldn’t leave public life, yet did not deny any of the allegations against him in court filings. Strange decision! This will make our Stranger Election Control Board meeting very interesting!
Is this why you feel like shit? That summer cold clogging your nose and itching your throat could be a new COVID-19 variant spotted in Washington last week. The virus keeps on mutating, though public health experts (on the state level, who still believe in science) aren’t too concerned about the new strain’s dangers. Current vaccines are expected to remain effective against it, and it doesn’t lead to more severe illness than other recent strains. “But I think with any new variants, we really do need to monitor them,” Dr. Herbert Duber, regional medical officer with the state Department of Health, told KUOW.
More Microsoft layoffs: Three weeks after laying off over 6,000 workers, or 3 percent of its workforce globally, Microsoft is taking the axe to another 305 employees.
ICYMI: Councilmember Cathy Moore is resigning. Moore cited health issues as her reason for stepping down a year and a half into her four-year term.
Another perfect day on deck: It’ll be 70 degrees and sunny. You deserve that.
Thar she blows: Sicily’s Mount Etna spewed volcanic ash and lava and sent tourists scrambling for safety. No casualties were reported.
The Mount Etna video today is incredible.
@wutangforchildren.bsky.social
— Carl Quintanilla (@carlquintanilla.bsky.social) June 2, 2025 at 3:27 PM
A Rough Night at Homer: Beacon Hill’s hottest restaurant, Homer, will be closed temporarily after a fire in the building’s duct system charred the ceiling so badly you can stare up into the apartment above the restaurant. The owners hope to reopen in two weeks, but it might take as long as a month.
14 Indicted on Drug-Trafficking Charges: The Seattle Police Department, FBI, and Drug Enforcement Agency teamed up for an 18-month investigation into a drug-trafficking conspiracy that extended throughout the West Coast with roots in Seattle’s Chinatown International District’s high drug-use areas. Earlier this year, they seized “111 kilos of cocaine, 19 kilos of fentanyl powder, 250,000 fentanyl pills, and 4 kilos of heroin” worth $ 3 million from these groups. Now, investigators have obtained 14 federal indictments against the men involved, however three still remain at large.
Call the Peony Police: Disaster struck the University of Michigan when 250 of its 800 peony plants were intentionally cut during peak bloom, the flowered heads decapitated and left on the ground. No group has claimed credit for the vandalism, but a piece of paper left behind mentioned the war in Gaza, saying “Palestinian lives deserve to be cared for. More than these flowers,” according to CBS News. The flowers will grow back since the roots remain intact.
Stabbing at Oregon Homeless Shelter: On Sunday evening, a man carried out a mass stabbing at a Salem, Oregon shelter run by Union Gospel Mission. The alleged stabber was new to the facility, having only stayed Saturday night. Officials say he was in the middle of signing up for another night stay when he got into a fight and he pulled out a knife. The man stabbed one staff member and 11 shelter guests. Five of the victims remain in critical condition.
King of the Hill Star Killed in Apparent Hate Crime: Jonathan Joss, 59, the voice of John Redcorn on King of the Hill, was killed outside of his Texas home on Sunday after an altercation with a neighbor. He was shot multiple times. According to Joss’ husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, their home burned down earlier this year after two years of homophobes threatening to light their house on fire. Police did not investigate the threats, he wrote. The two of them returned to their old home to check the mail, and they found one of their dog’s skulls and a harness positioned “in clear view.” After they responded emotionally, a neighbor approached and yelled “violent homophobic slurs at us,” de Gonzalez wrote. He lifted a gun and started shooting. De Gonzalez said Joss pushed him out of the way and saved his life. Joss died at the scene. The San Antonio Police Department is investigating, but said in a statement that currently there is “no evidence to indicate Mr. Joss’ murder was related to his sexual orientation.” Sure.
Meanwhile: The federal government ordered Washington DC’s Dupont Circle park to close from Thursday to Monday. Conveniently, this is WorldPride’s Pride celebration weekend and Dupont Circle park is a central location in DC’s LGBTQ neighborhood where people historically have gathered during pride. Don’t let them take your voice this month. But, also be careful. The bigots are out and proud this year, too.
Weathering a Different Kind of Storm: Meteorologist John Morales went on this tv news yesterday and explained how Trump administration cuts to science, including the National Weather Service, is impacting his ability to give accurate weather forecasts especially when big storms are concerned.
Cuts have consequences, illustrated. As seen on TV 📺
— John Morales (@johnmoralestv.bsky.social) June 2, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Relevant: David Richardson, the Trump-appointed acting head of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), told FEMA staff he didn’t know the US had a hurricane season. He, unsurprisingly, has no experience managing natural disasters. Hurricane season started on Sunday.
Boulder Attacker Charged with Hate Crime: The 45-year-old man attacked people at Boulder, Colorado event about freeing Israeli hostages. He used a flamethrower and shouted, “Free Palestine.” Of course, the Trump administration is zeroing in on the man’s immigration status; from Egypt, he came to the US in 2022 and overstayed his tourist visa. They will undoubtedly use this as a way to justify their deportation efforts. In the meantime, the man was charged with a federal hate crime for what the FBI called “an act of terrorism.”
Things Remain Grim in Gaza: Israeli troops shot and killed 27 people waiting for food at an Israeli-backed foundation. These were civilians. This is now the third instance in as many days that Israel has blatantly mowed down civilians.
