Whidbey plane crashes

Three military crew members apparently died when their plane crashed in Eastern Washington on a training flight from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. Lincoln County Sheriff Wade Magers told KOMO that no one survived the crash around 9 a.m. in a field near Harrington. The crew was on a routine training mission with an EA-6B Prowler, an electronic warfare plane.

Sims won't run

Ron Sims this morning ruled out running for mayor of Seattle. The former King County executive told KUOW's Steve Scher that he and his wife want to work on global issues, including clean water and health. "I want this to be a great city, I really do," Sims said. "But the answer is no." It's must be a relief for Mayor Mike McGinn and his election challengers. But there will be a lot of disappointed voters: Sims tied McGinn in a recent poll of voters. Without even trying.

Another self-inflicted WSDOT injury

The Washington State Department of Transportation this afternoon issued a report saying that human error caused the heavy damage to the ferry Walla Walla in a November accident. The department says the ferry remains out of service until at least next month as it undergoes $3 million in repairs. The report confirms that extremely basic procedures to protect lives and the ship weren't properly followed. Late last month, the department reported major mistakes on the construction of concrete pontoons for the reconstruction of the Highway 520 floating bridge.

Transportation push

The Downtown Seattle Association, labor and business leaders today renewed their efforts to win a state transportation financing package that includes a mechanism for King County to raise extra money for local needs. In a statement prepared for the group's press event at Pioneer Square this morning, King County Executive Dow Constantine said, “Half the payroll in this state is here in King County. To keep and grow those jobs, we must be able to move people and goods — and that means saving Metro bus service and maintaining our roads and bridges."

Yes, but it might have been nice if the state had tipped city transportation supporters that another embarrasing overspending-due-to-negligence report was coming.

Inslee on guns

Gov. Jay Inslee went to the floor of the state House of Representatives today to urge passage of a bill requiring background checks on all gun sales, including at gun shows and in private sales. Crosscut's Tom James is following the story to see if the measure comes to a vote today. If the bill clears the House, it would still need Senate approval.

Sports acquisitions

The Seattle Seahawks have reportedly acquired a wide receiver, Percy Harvin, from the Minnesota Vikings. The Sounders apparently reached a deal with Obafemi Martins, the forward for a Spanish team whom they had been pursuing — desperately, given their lack of scoring over the first two games of the season.

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