This week’s Newsmaker interview is with Senator Doug Ericksen who has represented the 42nd District since 1999 – first as a House member for 12 years, and then as a Senator.  Ericksen is the ranking minority member on the Senate Energy, Environment, and Technology Committee, where he sees many of the misguided and ineffective climate change policies of the extreme left and big government liberals.  Ericksen talks with Shift about dams, a low carbon fuel standard, Governor Inslee, taxes, and out of touch Seattle legislators. (Shift)

It must be a slow news day – or he just doesn’t want to talk about shootings in Seattle, and other liberal policy failures – but Governor Zero took to email today to trumpet “Good news about our ferry system”. Turns out that “good news” was an Executive Order he signed…over two years ago! And, that order is to move the state ferry system to a zero emissions fleet by…2040. Once again, Inslee highlights his favorite way of governing – issues orders that don’t take effect until he is long out of office, don’t identify how much it will actually cost taxpayers to fulfill his order, and take credit for making things happen, even though has really happened. Gee, why didn’t this approach take off in the Democratic Presidential Primary?

Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers says her focus now is on taking a more prominent role in lawmaking. Rep. McMorris Rodgers stepped down as the Republican House leadership’s third-ranking member after the 2018 elections, and is now positioned to become the first woman to lead the party’s membership on the chamber’s Energy and Commerce committee. Assuming, of course, that she is re-elected this November. (Spokesman-Review)

Shift told you so last fall – and now it’s official that Councilwoman Karen Stratton violated ethics code with letter on behalf of marijuana retailer. Now that the election is over, Spokane’s Ethics Commission has found that City Councilwoman Karen Stratton indeed violated three provisions of the city’s ethics code when she sent a letter to Pasco advocating on behalf of a Spokane marijuana retailer hoping to locate there.” Of course, Shift readers saw that developing story last September. (Spokesman-Review)

The Tri-Cities leading economic development organization – TRIDEC – has a new leader after 16 years. Karl Dye will take over TRIDEC’s reins next month, moving from a role in Lewiston-Clarkston economic affairs, and bringing with him experience both in Eastern Washington and working with the Department of Energy. He will succeed Carlo Adrian as TRIDEC President. (Tri-City Herald)