The state Dept. of Licensing routinely gives personal license information to Immigration & Customs Enforcement, an estimated 20 to 30 times a month. Gov. Inslee ordered a temporary halt of the practice, but he signed an executive order almost a year ago that would seem to cover these situations. His order said Washington “doesn’t utilize state employees as agents of the federal immigration services.” (The Seattle Times)

Inslee never misses a chance to attack the Trump Administration, but now he wants a favor. After Interior Sec. Ryan Zinke was convinced by Florida Gov. Rick Scott to remove that state from an oil and gas drilling plan, Gov. Inslee is wondering how he can get the same deal. Inslee is requesting a meeting with Zinke, but we can’t imagine he has much pull in Trump World. (The Seattle Times)

A.G. Bob Ferguson’s office says state lawmakers are subject to public disclosure laws, same as all other elected officials. “Individual legislative offices, their officers and employees, and other legislative agencies plainly fall within this broad coverage,” deputy solicitors general Alan Copsey and Callie Castillo wrote in the court filing.

“Positive train control is not a pre-requisite for safe operation. It’s certainly a value-added safety overlay,” state Transportation Secretary Roger Millar said Wednesday when the House Transportation Committee questioned state and Amtrak officials regarding the accident last month near DuPont. He did note that it will be a federal requirement on December 31, 2018, and that it has “been around as a concept for better than 40 years.” (MyNorthwest)

A wifi-device tax that would funnel money into investigations for online crimes against children. Proposed by: Rep.  David Sawyer (D-Tacoma) | HB 2389 | in committee | (The News Tribune)

Schools with at least 70% of the student body receiving free or reduced meals would be required to move the hours when they offer breakfast from before the first bell in the morning to after. Proposed by: Rep. Monica Stonier (D-Vancouver) | HB 1508 | Passed by the House | (The Seattle Times)

A Subway franchise owner was threatened after posting signs about why he can’t participate in the $4.99 footlong promotion. If you didn’t already guess it – his business can’t afford it of the abundance of all the new taxes and regulations in Seattle. David Jones said Subway corporate placed “a very stern call last night letting me know that my life was going to get very ugly if I didn’t take the sign down.” He did. (MyNorthwest)

Seattle may open the Alaskan Way Viaduct tunnel by fall 2018, according to new predictions from contractors. You are forgiven if the project’s history of delays has left you jaded about this timetable. (MyNorthwest)

“The defamation suit brought by Mr. Urquhart is an abusive attempt… to deflect accountability, punish, retaliate against and damage the reputation of a private citizen,” a counterclaim against ex-King County Sheriff John Urquhart reads. Brian Barnes, who was paid over $160,000 to resign from the Sheriff’s Office when Urquhart was in charge, is counter-suing Urquhart after the former Sheriff called him an “organizational terrorist” and claimed Barnes helped to fuel lies against Urquhart. (The Seattle Times)

State Farm is closing its doors in Tacoma by the end of the year – taking with it potentially 1,400 jobs. Of those, potentially 1,000 of them are expected to be offered relocation opportunities from DuPont to Bloomingdale, Illinois. (The Seattle Times)

Shelton City Council candidate Jason “Dangercup” Coots says “cocaine” and “half naked girls” are his favorite things. Coots is running in the February 13^th special election. (WeTheGoverned)

Phyllis Campano, president of the Seattle Teachers Union, announced she might use a strike to close schools on Wednesday, in solidarity with striking bus drivers. Keep in mind, teacher strikes are illegal in the state of Washington. (Washington Policy Center)

Spokane County has over 10,000 active arrest warrants. Many, but not all, are from skipped court appearances. An estimated 3,000 of the warrants are for felonies. (The Spokesman-Review)

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