Washington state’s proposed marijuana rules were released yesterday, and critics are already weighing in. Plus, Republican legislators are pushing for education reform. David Hyde gets all the details from Olympia correspondent Austin Jenkins.

The White House has received a lot of criticism this week over three issues that have gained national attention. A series of emails were released by the White House in relation to the Benghazi hearing. The IRS seems to have been targeting political leaning groups, in particular conservative ones, for audits. Journalists from the Associated Press had their phone records obtained by the government without their knowledge. How do these latest controversies effect the political climate in Washington D.C.?

Also, Washington Governor Jay Inslee has unveiled his top three budget priorities for the special session, the National Transportation Safety Board wants to lower the legal alcohol limit to 0.05, and 400 people showed up to a King County Council meeting this week to object to the potential cuts in bus service.

Finally, will this be the last time that Eli Sanders, C.R. Douglas and Knute Berger have to talk about the NBA, the Sacramento Kings and the Sonics on our panel?

Write to us at weekday@kuow.org to tell us what news stories you have been following this week.

Democratic activists in the city of Seattle last night began picking favorites in the Seattle mayoral election. Incumbent mayor Mike McGinn didn’t make their list.

The 46th District Democrats was the first local party organization to endorse in the race. The 46th Legislative District includes parts of north Seattle, Shoreline, and Kenmore.

 New News In Biotechnology
The American Society of Clinical Oncology conference is convening in two weeks. At the conference physicians and drug makers will be discussing the emergence of cancer immunotherapy. Also, local diagnostic companies have been cultivating a rich understanding of the human genome. Their discoveries are leading to new diagnostic tests and treatments. Luke Timmerman, national biotech editor for Xconomy brings us the latest news in biotechnology.  

A Conversation With Paul Reiser
Paul Reiser is an actor, writer and stand-up comedian.  Television fans fondly remember him for the NBC series Mad About You which he co-created and starred in.  He’s also author of three books, most recently "Familyhood," about his life as a married father of two boys.  

Weekend Weather Forecast
Nick Bond joins us with a look at the weekend weather.

A random drawing: That’s how the Washington State Liquor Control Board proposes choosing applicants for marijuana retail licenses. And it’s drawing major criticism from existing medical marijuana providers.

The blue whale is believed to be the largest animal ever to exist. But nobody remembers number two. Fin whales are the second-largest animals on the planet, weighing in at around 80 tons.

She wanted their daughter to get a nice Catholic education. He wanted to send her to learn about Scientology on a cruise ship. Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise are a very public example of interfaith marriage, but they represent some trends Naomi Schaefer Riley discusses in her new book, “’Til Faith Do Us Part: How Interfaith Marriage is Transforming America.”

Most notably, 45 percent of marriages in the United States are between people of different religions — and these unions can often lead to unhappiness. By conducting interviews with married (and divorced) couples, Riley explores why interfaith couples tend to be less happy than others and why certain combinations are more likely to lead to failed marriages. She spoke at Seattle’s Town Hall on April 10, 2013.

National Bike to Work Day is May 17. That means lots more cyclists on the roads. Washington drivers should be even more careful, not only for safety reasons, but also because of a recent change to Washington state law.

When Monica Wesolowska’s newborn child wouldn’t stop crying, he was taken in for observation. Soon Wesolowska and her husband had to make a tough decision about their son’s life. She shares her experiences and insight with David Hyde.