1. King County Council Member Dow Constantine has apparently raised over $50,000 for his bid to become King County Executive since declaring his candidacy just under three weeks ago.

2. In a move that seems to confirm the P-I  will continue as a web-only publication, Hearst Corp. has notified several P-I reporters that they have been selected to stay on for the online only version of the paper. (The print edition is slated to close this month.)

3. The housebuyers' bill of rights legislation,  which causes a ruckus every year when Speaker of the House Rep. Frank Chopp kills it at the behest of his allies from the BIAW, is queued up for a vote in the Senate this morning.

This year's version is sponsored by Sen. Rodney Tom (D-48, Redmond, Bellevue, Clyde Hill). In the past, the bill  has been sponsored by Sen. Brian Weinstein, who resigned his seat last year in part over frustration with Chopp's ability to kill the bill in the House two years in a row.

4.  A little more on yesterday's Morning Fizz report about state Minority Leader Rep. Richard DeBolt's pastor—who gave a controversial invocation on Wednesday morning by condemning the House for conducting a "War on Marriage." 

Rep. Brendan Williams (D-22, Olympia, Tumwater) walks off the House floor in protest.

Rep. Brendan Williams walked out. "I'm appalled that we tolerate such extremism, and yet House Democrats get admonished if they're unkind to House Republicans," Williams said.

5. In the Search for an interim KC Executive, County Council Chair Dow Constantine and Vice Chair Jane Hague have proposed creating an ad hoc panel that will review candidates nominated by the Council. A candidate would have to be nominated by at least three KC Council members to qualify. The review panel would consist of the KC Sheriff, Prosecuting Attorney and KC Assessor, and the Presiding Judges of King County District Court and Superior Court. This group would be joined by one representative each from a list of civic groups, including the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce and the League of Women Voters. A final list of two to five names would be sent back to the Council for a vote by March 31.