Briefs for Saturday

The University District Development Association has hired Juliet Sinisterra to serve as interim chief executive officer of the organization.

Sinisterra will lead daily operations of the organization while a search continues for a permanent replacement to succeed former CEO Lars Gilberts, who accepted a position with Numerica Credit Union last month.

Sinisterra, who has more than 25 years of experience in urban design and project management, most recently was economic development manager for the Downtown Spokane Partnership.

She also previously served as project manager for the city of Spokane’s Riverfront Park Master Plan and as building platform product manager for intellectual property at Katerra.

Sinisterra holds bachelor’s degrees in architecture and architectural studies from Washington State University.

The University District Development Association indicated it will post a CEO job listing to its website in the coming weeks.

U.S. trade deficit hits $71.2 billion

WASHINGTON – The U.S. trade deficit widened in May to $71.2 billion as a small increase in exports was offset by a bigger rise in imports.

The Commerce Department reported Friday that the deficit rose 3.1% from the revised April deficit of $69.1 billion. The U.S. trade deficit had hit a monthly record of $75 billion in March.

In May, exports of U.S. goods and services rose 0.6% to $206 billion. But that was offset by a 1.3% gain in imports which hit $277.3 billion.

Through the first five months of this year, the U.S. trade deficit totals $353.1 billion, up a sizable 45.8% from the deficit during the same period last year when Americans’ appetite for imported goods was being held back by the pandemic.

This year, the improving U.S. economy has increased demand for imports while the rest of the world has been recovering more slowly, dampening demand for U.S. exports.

From staff and wire reports