Transit & Housing: Sound Transit opened its $240M Pinehurst light-rail station in North Seattle, but critics say it’s a costly stop in a low-ridership area that was originally tied to delayed mid-rise housing plans and lacks parking, with projections stretching far into the 2050s. Defense & Aerospace Jobs: Shield AI is building the runway-independent X-BAT autonomous fighter-jet manufacturing hub in Des Moines, targeting 4,000 regional jobs by the early 2030s. Rail Modernization: Amtrak Cascades began passenger service with new Siemens-built Airo trainsets, adding higher capacity and touchless accessibility on Seattle-area routes. Retail Logistics: Amazon is rolling out new heavy-and-bulky shipping options for sellers, including less-than-truckload labels and regional delivery pricing. Business Software M&A: Fraxion acquired Yellow Dog Software to expand from procure-to-pay into inventory management for hospitality, sports, food and beverage, and retail. Consumer Protection: Washington Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer fined USAA and Allstate $230,000 total over auto claim handling and premium transparency rules. Local Media: Lotus Seattle reshaped KNWN/KVI weekday programming with new leadership and added finance/politics shows starting Oct. 5. Tech Funding: Seattle’s Kanu AI raised $11.7M to turn employee workflows into custom enterprise software. Healthcare/Work Safety: A new report highlights the artificial-stone silicosis crisis, calling it preventable but deadly for countertop workers.