Manufacturing jobs are declining in the nine Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative states, but manufacturing jobs elsewhere in the US have increased since 2012. That contradicts what Gov. Inslee claimed to the press about carbon tax systems last week, when he said they “do not, repeat, do not result in deindustrialization of those communities.” (For more Governor Inslee Fact-Checking, visit: Washington Policy Center)

Including: Gov. Inslee’s isn’t learning some really obvious examples of manufacturing losses from his own staff. He said, “It would be very difficult to find a place where an industry was lost because of a carbon pricing system. It simply has not happened.” But Inslee staffers meet with representatives from Tata Steel of the U.K., who gave a cheery report on meeting carbon reduction goals – just before the company shuttered its doors due to high costs. (WPC)

Including: Gov. Inslee failing to back up his own green job growth claims. Inslee, promoting his success in green job growth, told the New York Times, “It’s true in clean energy in my state, where those jobs are growing 17 times faster than the overall economy right now.” When the Washington Policy Center asked Inslee’s office if they had Washington-specific numbers to prove his bold claim, the answer: “not that I am aware of.” So, that’s called making it up. (WPC)

County courthouse security isn’t being taken seriously enough, according to a survey recently conducted by the Washington Superior Court Judges’ Association. It found that more than 20 of Washington’s courthouses don’t screen visitors for weapons. (The Seattle Times)

Sen. Doug Ericksen (R-Ferndale) said he isn’t taking a Seattle-based EPA job after all, though news reports on Friday said he was. Ericksen said he plans to run for re-election this year. (The Seattle Times)

King County Executive Dow Constantine halted five pending police shooting inquests. “In the interest of fairness to all those involved, we will pause all inquests as the Review Committee and community partners seek to better understand what works and what doesn’t, and recommend reforms,” he said. (The Seattle Times)

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan is getting serious about the search for a new police chief, telling the 25-member search committee she assembled that Seattle is “a destination where people will want to be police chief,” and that the city needs someone “who can build trust externally and internally.” (The Seattle Times)

The number of seniors driving in Washington passed the 1 million mark for the first time, with 1,037,969 people over the age of 65 possessing active drivers licenses – which is 46,000 more than last year. (The Seattle Times)

Here’s a headline that is pretty much always current: Seattle wants to pass another tax on businesses. The council is again looking to pass an employee hours tax, forming a task force for “a broadly supported recommendation for an on-going revenue source that the City could collect beginning in 2019, with the understanding that such ongoing revenue would be used to address the affordability and homelessness crisis in Seattle and the displacement of low-income residents.” (MyNorthwest)

Seattle school bus drivers are most likely headed toward another strike, writing on their website that since the “most recent offer made by their employer… has been rejected, a protracted strike by the group of over 400 drivers is all but imminent.” (MyNorthwest)

The Spokane Tribe Casino opened last night. The controversial project, first proposed in 2006, cost $40 million. (MyNorthwest)

Spokane officials are soliciting ideas to name a new foot bridge being constructed over railroad tracks between the university district and the East Sprague neighborhood. (MyNorthwest)

Billionaire Democrat Tom Steyer pledged $30 million for youth voter turnout in the upcoming midterm elections, saying, “We now know that this partisan fight has become a fierce battle for the soul of America.” Any bets on how much money he plans to pour into our state…again? (Associated Press)

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