Housing & Philanthropy: The Ballmer Group is committing up to $1.5B to fund 10,000 affordable rental homes in Washington, using forgivable loans of up to $150,000 per unit and targeting families at about 50% of area median income. Energy & Climate Tech: Seattle startup Endurance Energy raised $54M to build offshore geothermal power plants tapping heat from undersea volcanoes, with a first 100-kilowatt system planned for the Juan de Fuca ridge. Aerospace Dealmaking: XLCS Partners advised Aero Controls on its acquisition by Air Transport Components, expanding an aerospace MRO platform backed by AE Industrial Partners. Local Business & Community: Issaquah launched a new local news outlet, the Issaquah Spotlight, after the Issaquah Press closed in 2017, aiming to rebuild community coverage with a weekly email report. State Policy Watch: More than 200 Washington laws take effect Thursday, including a new tax on health plans for abortion-service funding and updates tied to voting rights and retail penny phase-out guidance. Consumer & Courts: Costco is fighting a California class action over claims its rotisserie chicken ingredients are misleading, with lawyers calling the theory “fatally flawed.” Public Safety & Growth: Federal Way residents get a chance to comment on SEA Airport air-traffic impacts as the Port of Seattle reviews near-term master plan projects.