1. You know what they say about stopped clocks... The libertarian Washington Policy Center approves wholeheartedly of a proposal by liberal Seattle Rep. Reuven Carlyle (D-36) to require the state to appoint an "educational liaison" to foster children between grades 6 and 12 who meet certain criteria, with the goal of improving graduation rates among foster children. Currently, fewer than half (!) of all foster children graduate high school. 

"While it involves minimal up-front cost, in the long run the bill would clearly save money," the WPC's Paul Guppy writes. 

I couldn't agree more. Now let's see the WPC apply that kind of logical thinking to things like social welfare programs, health care, and transportation spending!

2. It turns out that a photo that shot around the world taken in the immediate aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing features a Lake Stevens man—78-year-old runner Bill Iffrig, who was knocked down by the blast, KOMO reports. Iffrig, who has completed more than 40 marathons, was not badly hurt. Here's the photo, taken by the AP for the Boston Globe:

3. Mars Hill Church pastor David Fairchild offers a rather unique explanation for the bombing, My Northwest reports: "An insane rebellion against our Creator God"

"We may blame this barbarism on religion, economics, politics, and even mental maladies," Fairchild writes. "Though influential, the underlying sin behind every sin is treason against the One who made us for love and flourishing."

4. As promised, Gov. Jay Inslee has proposed legislation that would strengthen state DUI laws in the wake of several recent DUI fatalities, the AP reports.The proposal would prohibit people from buying alcohol for ten years after their third drunk-driving conviction; require an ignition-interlock device after someone is charged with DUI, rather than after they're convicted; and would set mandatory minimum jail times for second and third offenses.

State Rep. Roger Goodman (D-45) has expressed concern that increased penalties could require the state to build a new prison to house all the new DUI inmates. 

5. Finally, in today's obligatory Sonics update, the big news is that, as the AP reports, NBA commissioner David Stern says the NBA's 30-member board of commissioners won't make a decision on whether the Sacramento Kings will come to Seattle or stay in California this week as previously announced.

Investor groups in Seattle and Sacramento have been bidding, rebidding, and upping the stakes on the team's fate for months now in a convoluted dance that will culminate in a vote by the NBA board. Seattle needs 23 of the board's 30 votes to approve the sale of the team to investor Chris Hansen.

In somewhat less momentous news, Mayor Mike McGinn announced today that Hansen and the city have inked a deal for the Sonics to rent KeyArena while the new arena is under construction, assuming Hansen's bid prevails. Under the agreement, Hansen would guarantee the city $2 million in rent per year (plus at least $750,000 if the city gets an NHL team), plus $3 million in physical improvements to the arena.

The agreement also stipulates that the jobs currently done by city workers at KeyArena would continue to be done by city workers, under the same union contracts and working conditions. The PI.com has more on today's announcement.