State Representative Joyce McDonald (R-Puyallup) announced yesterday that she will not seek reelection, saying she’d like to spend more time with her husband. The 25th District rep also served two terms on the Pierce County Council. (The News Tribune)

From the “you could make this up but why would you” file, UW-Bothell is offering a course to help students navigate the emotional rollercoaster of climate change. Jennifer Wren Atkinson, the course lecturer, said, “We haven’t had to spend any time debating whether climate change is actually happening. It’s more, ‘What’s my personal responsibility for this, and how do I develop the personal resources to navigate it?’” She also said she thinks tears and emotional moments are “our starting point” for the course. (The Seattle Times)

With his text messages case now costing Pierce County taxpayers over $1 million, Prosecutor Mark Lindquist is the poster boy of Sunshine Week (in a bad way). With newspapers and open government advocates around the state highlighting government transparency and accountability this week, the News Tribune calls Lindquist’s attempts to hide key text messages “a crusade of non-disclosure” and notes: “Lindquist’s case stands apart in the hall of shame because he’s a serial offender and should know better.” (The News Tribune)

A federal judge gave Seattle’s plan for police reforms a thumbs-up yesterday. Earlier this year U.S. District Judge James Robart said the city was in full compliance but asked for a written plan to ensure reforms stay locked in place. The police department reform case stretches back more than five years. (The Seattle Times)

A long-time opponent to Sound Transit’s light rail expansion (ST3) is now the vice chairman on the transit board. Rob Lucas, the mayor of Steilacoom, is likely to stick out as pretty well the only dissenting voice on the board. He was appointed by Pierce County Executive Bruce Dammeier. Lucas may be the first critic on the board since Ron Sims didn’t re-appoint Rob McKenna because McKenna wasn’t an ST1 cheerleader. (The Seattle Times)

The Washington State Court of Appeals ruled that local governments can bar marijuana sales. The case comes out of Clark County, which doesn’t allow marijuana sales in unincorporated areas. Clark is one of 86 cities and counties in the state to have either suspensions or prohibitions on state-licensed marijuana businesses. (The Columbian)

The state capital budget included $1 million earmarked to help Ostrom’s Mushroom Farms relocate a facility to Sunnyside. “The total number is a little less, but it should be enough for the Port of Sunnyside and Ostrom’s,” Rep. Chandler said. (Yakima Herald-Republic)

The City of Spokane is now officially exploring options for a publicly-owned municipal broadband network. Councilman Breean Beggs, the sponsor of the plan, said he is hoping for a system where the city would invest in the groundwork for other service providers and help lower prices for consumers. (The Spokesman Review)

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