In 2006, the NW Energy Coalition successfully ran an initiative to require “electricity companies in the state to shift to at least 15 percent renewable energy by 2020.” Now the same group is pushing a new proposal to “prohibit providers from adding electrical capacity from non-renewable sources.” If the proposal does not receive legislative approval, the group will launch a campaign initiative.

Washington voters defeated Initiative 732 – a carbon tax proposal – back in November. But, voters’ decision has not deterred extreme greenies from attempting to realize their carbon tax dreams. New pushes for a carbon tax include that of Democrat state Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon who introduced legislation (HB 1646) – with the support of Far-Left group, Alliance for Jobs and Clean Energy – that would impose a tax of $15 per ton of carbon emissions.

Yesterday, the Mercer Island City Council voted to sue Sound Transit and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). The suit is the result of the city’s frustration over the looming loss of “direct access to I-90 high-occupancy vehicle lanes by solo drivers” and the “loss of the access ramps from Island Crest Way” due to the construction of light rail scheduled for this summer.

Seattle-based Nordstrom is seeking to do damage control after its decision to drop Ivanka Trump’s line. The retail giant insists that its decision was based on business rather than politics. Hoping to step away from the political fray, Nordstrom released internal data that reveals the fashion line dropped “32 percent last fiscal year, and plunged more than 70 percent in the second through fourth weeks of October, compared to a year earlier.”

The Seattle City Council voted unanimously to extend city employees paid parental leave from four to twelve weeks. The extension will cost taxpayers an additional $2.6 million per year. Interestingly, when Socialist Kshama Sawant introduced a similar proposal last year, it was voted down.

About 100 protesters gathered outside Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers’ Spokane office yesterday. Far-Left group Washington CAN organized the protest against Republicans’ intentions to repeal Obamacare. Of course, given the law’s overall unpopularity, the protest quickly became about President Trump – surprise, surprise.

While attending a charity event at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich was forced to leave his gun in the car. Knezovich reacted by referring to the incident as “a new level of insanity.” He blamed “bureaucracy and bureaucrats run wild.” Well, after raising legitimate questions concerning the arena’s strict no-weapons policy, Knezovich has an answer: the rule does not apply to the police force. Arena staff have apologized for the incident.

Deputy King County Prosecutor Manka Dhingra announced her intention to run for state Senate in the 45th LD’s special election. As Shift WA pointed out, the Democrat is a controversial figure who is on record referring to Republicans as racists and misogynists, and casting Republican women with the label of “self hate.” Shift’s exposure of Dhingra did not sit well with the Seattle P.I. – now a left-leaning blog. The P.I. attacked Shift for exposing Dhingra but – of course – made no reference to her controversial comments.

Under new legislation, all edible marijuana-laden food and beverage products sold in retail locations must have a label informing consumers that the product is “not for kids.” The new label will depict a red hand, a written warning, and a number for the Washington Poison Center. Why warning labels do not already appear on products earns this story an “out of left field” label.