Nintendo Switch 2: Reno mom first in line to preorder latest console
A 65-year-old mom in Reno lined up for hours to be the first to preorder the Nintendo Switch 2 at a GameStop store.
The follow-up to the massively popular Nintendo Switch console is here.
Nintendo Switch 2 launches on June 5. The video game system retails for $449.99. The system bundled with the game “Mario Kart World” retails for $499.99.
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Some major retailers have announced that they’re reserving in-store and online stock for customers who were unable to secure a preorder.
Here’s what to know in Washington.
Best Buy
The electronics retailer Best Buy said select stores will open at 12:01 a.m. ET on June 5 for the Nintendo Switch 2 launch. That means participating stores in Washington will open at 9:01 p.m. PT on June 4, according to a Best Buy news release.
“In addition to pre-order pickups at opening, Best Buy stores will also have a limited number of consoles, games and accessories available for walk-in customers,” the news release states.
The store provided a “late-night store openings” tool showing that multiple Washington locations will be participating, though the company warns that “store events are subject to change without notice.”
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Here are the Washington Best Buys that are participating in the late-night Switch 2 openings, according to the tool:
Bellevue
Bellingham
Burlington
Everett
Federal Way
Issaquah
Kennewick
Lynnwood
Marysville
Northgate
Olympia Capital Mall
Puyallup
Silverdale
Spokane North
Spokane Valley
Tacoma
Tukwila
Yakima
Target
Target’s website lists the Nintendo Switch 2 as out of stock, but it says the system will be available for purchase in-store on June 5 and online on June 6.
There are 38 Target locations in Washington, according to the company’s store directory.
Gamestop
Video game store Gamestop will be holding launch events for the Nintendo Switch 2 beginning at 3 p.m. local time on June 4, according to the company’s website. Like Best Buy, systems will be available at participating locations at 9 p.m. PT on June 4.
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“Didn’t pre-order the Switch 2? Don’t worry, we’ll have MORE available at midnight!” Gamestop’s website states.
Gamestop released a tool to find locations participating in the Nintendo Switch 2 launch event here. The tool shows that multiple stores with Washington zip codes are participating.
Walmart
For those who didn’t snag a preorder through Walmart, the company’s website has a countdown stating Nintendo Switch will be available at Walmart.com on June 4 at 9 p.m. PT
Customers can sign up to receive alerts when the item is in stock.
Amazon
Amazon did not offer Nintendo Switch 2 preorders through its website in the U.S., and the retailer isn’t listed on Nintendo’s website for “how to buy” the system.
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Costco
Costco’s website states it will be offering a Nintendo Switch 2 bundle including the “Mario Kart World” game and a 12-month Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership. It will be available to purchase on June 5, according to the website.
The product page says “prices may vary,” and the bundle is expected to be in stock and available for purchase soon. Check back again later.”
There are 34 Costco warehouses in Washington, according to the company’s website.
A new University of Washington study detected a parasitic tapeworm that can infect domestic dogs and humans in the intestines of one-third of coyotes surveyed in Washington. In this provided photo, a coyote (not part of the study) is pictured in a Seattle park in fall 2025.
Courtesy Samantha Kreling/University of Washington
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Researchers in Washington state have found that about a third of the local coyotes studied have a species of tapeworm. These can be passed to dogs, and in rare instances humans. These parasites are also present in foxes and other canid urban wildlife. Domestic dogs can also contract them, and it can be years before the symptoms of the severe disease they cause are detected, making diagnosis and treatment difficult. In rare instances, dogs can spread the tapeworms to humans. We talk with Yasmine Hentati, the study’s lead author who recently got her doctorate in environmental and forest science from the University of Washington. She shares more about these parasites and the relative risks for people and dogs.
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Cold Spring Harbor played Port Washington in a Nassau boys lacrosse game on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
Credit: David Meisenholder
Andrew Ioannou of Cold Spring Harbor shoots against Port Washington during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
Credit: David Meisenholder
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Daniel Touhy of Cold Spring Harbor changes direction while looking to evade the Port Washington defense during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
Credit: David Meisenholder
Max Eynon of Port Washington makes a save against Cold Spring Harbor during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
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Matt Kammer of Cold Spring Harbor deflects a shot for a save against Port Washington during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
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Credit: David Meisenholder
Colby Koeningsberger of Cold Spring Harbor advances the ball against Port Washington during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
Credit: David Meisenholder
Rex O’Connor of Cold Spring Harbor controls the ball late in the 4th quarter against Port Washington during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
Credit: David Meisenholder
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Andrew Ioannou of Cold Spring Harbor runs past Jimmy Gannon of Port Washington during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
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Dylan Reilly, left, and Rex O’Connor of Cold Spring Harbor celebrate after a goal during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
Credit: David Meisenholder
Dylan Reilly of Cold Spring Harbor rips a shot on goal against Port Washington during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
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Colby Koeningsberger #2 of Cold spring harbor looks for an open teammate to pass to against Port Washington during a league 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026
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Andrew Ioannou of Cold Spring Harbor looks to dodge Jimmy Gannon of Port Washington during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
Credit: David Meisenholder
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Rex O’Connor, left, and Jake Telesco of Cold Spring Harbor celebrate after a goal against Port Washington during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
Credit: David Meisenholder
Dylan Reilly of Cold Spring Harbor controls the ball against Port Washington during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
Credit: David Meisenholder
Roy Testa of Cold Spring harbor looks for an open teammate against Port Washington during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
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Credit: David Meisenholder
Roy Testa of Cold Spring Harbor advances the ball against Port Washington during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
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Jake Feinstein of Port Washington puts pressure on Rex O’Connor of Cold Spring Harbor during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
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Rex O’Connor of Cold Spring Harbor looks to dodge the Port Washington defense during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
Credit: David Meisenholder
Harry Eynon of Port Washington comes around the crease against Cold Spring Harbor during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
Credit: David Meisenholder
Goalie Matt Kammer of Cold Spring Harbor advances the ball after a save against Port Washington during a Nassau League 1B boys lacrosse game at Port Washington on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
An aviation safety bill seeking to address lessons learned from last year’s midair collision of a jet with an Army helicopter near the nation’s capital is up for a vote Tuesday evening in the House, but key senators and the families of the 67 victims think the bill needs to be strengthened.
The House bill, called the Alert Act, has the backing of key industry groups. The National Transportation Safety Board said recently that the legislation, since amended, now addresses its recommendation to require all aircraft flying around busy airports to have key locator systems that let pilots know more precisely where other aircraft are flying around them.
The NTSB has been recommending the new technology systems since 2008, and Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy has said such a system would have prevented the collision of the American Airlines jet and Army Black Hawk helicopter that sent both aircraft plunging into the icy Potomac River.
Two key House committees unanimously advanced the bill last month. The bill is now being brought up for a full House vote under rules that won’t allow any amendments. But victims’ families said they want to make sure the bill has strict timelines to guarantee the reforms will be completed. And they worry the House bill would allow military flights to continue flying without broadcasting their locations on routine training flights and not just secret missions.
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“January 29, 2025 made clear what is at stake. The 67 lives lost that day should be honored with an improved system that prevents this from happening again,” the main families group said Tuesday in a new statement. “And the flying public should not have to wait longer than necessary for those protections to be in place.”
Sponsored by Republican Sam Graves and Democrat Rick Larens, the legislation needs to secure two thirds of House support to advance to the Senate. Separate legislation called the ROTOR Act that the Senate crafted came up one vote short in the House. Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell have also said the Alert Act still needs to be improved.
Earlier this year, the NTSB’s Homendy sharply criticized the original version of the bill as a “watered down” measure that wouldn’t do enough to prevent future tragedies. But the board said the revised version would now address the shortcomings their investigation identified and require the Federal Aviation Administration, Transportation Department and the military to take needed actions.
National Transportation Safety Board members at a hearing in late January were deeply troubled over years of ignored warnings about helicopter traffic dangers and other problems, long before the collision.
Everyone aboard the American Airlines jet, flying from Wichita, Kansas, and the helicopter died when the two aircraft collided. It was the deadliest plane crash on U.S. soil since 2001, and the victims included 28 members of the figure skating community.
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A helicopter route in the approach path of a Reagan National Airport runway didn’t ensure enough separation between helicopters and planes landing on the airport’s secondary runway, and the route wasn’t reviewed regularly, the board said. The poor design of that route was a key factor in the crash along with air traffic controllers relying too much on pilots seeing and avoiding other aircraft.
The bill now requires planes to have Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast In systems that can receive data about the locations of other aircraft. Proponents of the use of such systems said they would have alerted the pilots of an American Airlines jet sooner about the impending collision with the Black Hawk helicopter. Most planes already have the complementary ADS-B Out systems that broadcast their locations.
The NTSB cited systemic weaknesses and years of ignored warnings as the main causes of the crash, but Homendy has said that if both the plane and the Black Hawk had been equipped with ADS-B In and the systems had been turned on, the collision would have been prevented. The Army’s policy at the time of the crash mandated that its helicopters fly without that system on to conceal their locations, although the helicopter involved in this crash was on a training flight, not a sensitive mission.