“I’m not ruling out a run.” That’s what Governor Inslee told POLITICO on Monday during a stop in Chicago (is that Chicago, Washington? Oh, no, he’s out of state again). “I think our country needs a Democratic Party to produce a nominee who’s going to really be committed to climate change and defeating climate change and creating a clean energy economic message and clean energy jobs.” Wait, who is he talking about? (POLITICO)

The state Dept. of Labor will release a draft rule this week to make a large number of currently exempt salaried employees eligible for overtime. The current rule allows employers to exempt from overtime rules any employee who meets one of a range of criteria, and is paid a salary that is at least $24,000 per year. One proposed update to the rule would be to raise the salary threshold to just under $40,000. (Washington State Wire)

A patient at Western State Hospital choked a nurse, then bit off part of her ear. This is just the latest in a string of attacks on health care workers at the hospital. Workers say the wards are short-staffed, which makes them dangerous, and they are opposed to having violent patients moved to less-secure wards. (KIRO 7)

Clallam County Prosecutor Mark Nichols asked a federal judge to dismiss the civil sexual harassment lawsuit filed against him by a former office manager. Nichols argued that Tina Hendrickson, the accuser, has not presented any evidence he sexually harassed her under the Equal Protection Clause. Earlier this year U.S. District Court Judge Benjamin Settle postponed the trial, which is now set to begin December 11. (Peninsula Daily News)

The city of Seattle plans to appeal a federal rule that would limit how much cities could charge telecom providers to set up 5G technology. “This will increase costs and impose an unreasonable burden on local governments,” the city said in a statement. Funny how Seattle city leaders react so quickly to burdens imposed on them. If only they could find a lesson buried in there somewhere. (Seattle Times)

Teachers in Montesano unanimously voted to authorize a strike, as they continue to work without a contract. “I’m sorry there’s not enough money in this world to pay you what you’re worth. But we only have this pot that we’ve got to provide services for all of our students and every piece of the puzzle has to come out of that pot,” Board Member Tiffany Schweppe said. Teachers are frustrated with the lack of contract progress, with one saying, “Those other districts, 10 miles away, are saying we value you more…” (The Vidette)

Vice President Mike Pence stumped in Spokane yesterday for Cong. Cathy McMorris Rodgers. Pence called her “one of the most important national voices in Washington, D.C.” to a crowd at the Spokane Convention Center. Pence said Democratic challenger Lisa Brown “is too liberal for this district” and that a Brown win would help make “make Nancy Pelosi speaker of the U.S. House.” (Associated Press)

Members of the Wapato community have a number of questions for Juan Orozco, former mayor and current city administrator. A group called Coalition of Wapato Residents for Open Government is organizing a protest against alleged misconduct by the city administrator. A member of the group, Gilberto Lopez, said, “Most recently a lady contacted me saying she had been critical of the city and codes showed up at her business. People feel harassed by him. They’re quite intimidated or scared.” (Yakima Herald-Republic)

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