Legislative leaders in Olympia previewed the upcoming session with reporters Thursday, and their comments spell trouble ahead for Gov. Jay Inslee’s agenda. Speaker Frank Chopp (D-Seattle) said a carbon tax was unlikely to pass in the short session, and Senate Majority Leader Sharon Nelson (D-34) wouldn’t commit to one either. House Majority Leader Pat Sullivan (D-47) also threw cold water on the idea that teacher salaries must be raised dramatically this year, as Inslee is proposing. (The News Tribune)

Gov. Inslee wants everyone to know: He really, really doesn’t like the idea that the federal government might enforce federal marijuana laws in Washington. “We will use every single power at our disposal to preserve and protect the mission statement Washington State voters gave us,” Inslee said in a news conference. Former A.G. Rob McKenna told KIRO’s Ron and Don that Inslee can disagree all he wants, but he doesn’t actually have the power to stop prosecutions. (The Seattle Times)

The Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe may open a marijuana store next month after gaining approval from the state Liquor and Cannabis Board. (MyNorthwest)

Infrastructure damage from the Amtrak derailment has been estimated at more than $40 million according to federal officials. Additionally, medical costs and lawsuits could surge pass Amtrak’s $295 million liability cap. Total, the accident took three lives and injured 62 more people. (The Olympian)

Injured Amtrak conductor Garrick Freeman is suing the company, claiming the railroad did not provide safe working conditions before last month’s derailment. Freeman was riding in the lead locomotive when the accident occurred and “was there solely to familiarize himself.” He now faces up to two months in a rehab facility following the crash. (The Seattle Times)

The lead engineer from the Amtrak crash has not been interviewed by the National Transportation Safety Board yet because of the injuries he and other crew members sustained during the crash. “It’s really uncertain what their recovery schedule is going to be,” spokesperson Peter Knudson said. (The Seattle Times)

Mark Putnam, executive director of the homelessness agency for King County, is stepping down at the end of this month. He expressed frustration that the agency is saddled with responsibility but still lacks authority over the region’s homelessness response to make needed changes. (The Seattle Times)

The Longview School District did not violate the constitutional rights of the five former students who claimed an elementary school in the district placed them in isolation booths, according to a decision made recently by a federal jury. They were seeking $18 million in damages. (The Spokesman-Review)

Lighthouse Resources sued Washington state on Wednesday in Tacoma’s federal court over the state’s delays and permit denials for the Millennium Bulk Terminals-Longview project. (The Spokesman-Review)

The Yakima County Office of Emergency Management sent landslide notices to people living near the base of Rattlesnake Ridge, warning them that a slow-moving landslide has been making its way down the ridge at 1.4 feet per week. I-82 is vulnerable to the slide. Residents are urged to evacuate but many are refusing. (MyNorthwest)

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