Tell a firefighter "thank you" today. Credit: JoyceMarrero / Getty Images
Tell a firefighter thank you today.
Tell a firefighter “thank you” today. JoyceMarrero / Getty Images

Microsoft sued for gender discrimination: The suit dates back to 2015. Women in high-ranking engineering and technical positions at Microsoft allege that the company discriminated against them. The women allege that “evaluation practices led to reduced compensation and fewer promotion opportunities for women than their male colleagues,” reports Geekwire. Currently, the focus of the hearing is to certify the suit as a class action. If the plaintiffs can manage it, more than 8,600 women who held technical roles at Microsoft since 2012 could join the case.

Slow-going for affordable housing: By now we’ve all heard that the Seattle City Council is likely going to renege on the head tax today. That’ll be a big blow for affordable housing. Another blow is the current affordable housing delay in Northgate. The 200 units of affordable housing planned next to the future Northgate light rail station are stalled. It’s not all bad news — the county is doing this strategically to capitalize on a new state law that will give public land over with steep discounts, or for free, if it’s meant for affordable housing. That will be better for more affordable housing in the long run.

In case you actually haven’t heard about the possible head tax repeal: Read this. I’m concerned that you haven’t heard about it. Is everything okay? Were you unplugging from the news cycle for the day? That’s probably healthy. You’ve got some catching up to do before today’s council vote. Please, it’s important to be up-to-date, no matter how tired and sad it makes you. Right? Read these five takeaways from the head tax news.

Condo fire in Redmond: An apartment complex caught fire late last night in Redmond and forced between 80 and 90 people from their homes. The cause of the fire is still unknown.

North Seattle house fire kills one: At around 4:40 p.m. yesterday, firefighters rushed to put out a fire at a home on the 2100 block of Northwest 96th Street. The King County Medical Examiner confirmed on fatality.

Three people escape burning boat: Another boater rescued three people near Port Townsend after their 40-foot recreational vessel caught fire. They were rescued from the water.

Wildfire near Soap Lake: At 8 p.m. residents on the east side of Highway 17 North were told to evacuate their homes. A wildfire started nearby was on its way up and over a cliff, spurred on by the wind. The fire is estimated at 2,000 acres and is 50 percent contained. The cause of the fire is not known. Lots of fire today. What kind of omen is this? Is it fire season already?

Chaos at SeaTac Federal Detention Center: The Northwest Immigrant Rights Project is trying to meet with the 200 women sent there by immigration authorities. According to the Seattle Times, “out of the the 21 people NWIRP has talked to so far, 12 had their children taken from them.” When U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal met with 174 of those women she asked them who had been separated from their children. About 30 to 40 percent raised their hands.

Smoked out on the morning commute: We get it, you vape.

It’s gonna get hot soon: But, not today. Today is wrapped up in a perfect little below-70 degree bow.

Cheesecake Factory? More like Cheapcake Factory: Yes. I actually earned money as I wrote that pun. You know who hasn’t been earning any money? The 559 janitors from Southern Californian Cheesecake Factories who were cheated out of $4.57 million in wages and labor commissioner charges. That works out to about $8,175 per janitor.

The first family is doing great! I know you were worried about Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. I’m here to assuage those niggling fears. They’re swell! Really, just, basking in the glow of exploiting the American people for their own benefit. I am so happy for them.

There is so much to discuss regarding the North Korean summit: How are we supposed to feel seeing the American flag next to the North Korean flag? My answer is “weird.” Anyway. Donald Trump met with Kim Jong Un yesterday and claimed it went really well. But, the document they signed was short on details. Trump agreed to freeze military exercises in South Korea while negotiations continue. Kim promised to keep working on denuclearization. Dennis Rodman cried on tv while wearing a MAGA hat.

Some video highlights from the summit:

Don cracks a fat joke at lunch

Do you think Kim Jong Un ever watched MTV’s Pimp My Ride? If not, he’ll want to start after being shown the inside of the The Beast.

Trump showed a bizarre video before his press conference. I do not understand how this is not a parody. I need to know everything about Destiny Pictures immediately.

Jeff Sessions is an evil man: The Attorney General said yesterday that domestic and gang violence are not reasons for asylum. This statement overturns an Obama-era ruling that allowed more immigrant women to claim fears of abuse in immigration courts. Sessions actually reversed an immigration appeals court ruling that granted a Salvadoran woman who had suffered sexual, emotional, and physical abuse asylum.

Airstrike in Yemen reportedly hits Doctors Without Borders building: No one was hurt when a cholera treatment center was blasted by an airstrike in Yemen this morning. The new building had clear markings of a medical center. No one was inside.

Climate change could be killing off ancient African trees: The iconic African trees have branches that look like an underground root system. These baobab trees are the biggest and longest-living flowering trees. Some have been around since the time of the ancient Greeks — around 2,500 years. Nine of the 13 oldest have died over the last 12 years. Scientists believe this is a result of climate change. These trees can live to be 3,000 years old.

Preparation for the World Cup includes smiling lessons: Russia is about to play host to one of the biggest sporting events in the world. It’s trying to tackle the stereotype that its people are cold and unfriendly by teaching workers in key industries to smile. Basically, if you’re Russian and you’ll be interacting with any of the 1.4 million tourists expected to descend on the Motherland then you’ll be getting some smiling lessons. The World Cup starts on June 14th.

Headline of the week so far:Reverend Defends Clitoris In Court, Calls It God’s Antenna To The World

This little girl absolutely kills it on the drums: I’m in awe.

Tonight’s best Seattle entertainment options include: A free screening of Bill Nye: Science Guy, Whim W’Him’s final performance of the season, Transfigurate, and the delightfully cringe-worthy reading series Salon of Shame.

Reminder to send me a picture of your breakfast tomorrow before 8 a.m. to be featured in Slog AM! Send it to ngraham@thestranger.com

Nathalie Graham covers anything she finds fun, weird, or interesting. You can find a lot of that in her column, Play Date. Her work has also appeared around town in The Seattle Times, GeekWire, and the...