OLYMPIA -- The Legislature starts the second half of the special session with the pace it maintained through most of the first half. . . if standing still can be said to be a pace.

While much of the rest of the state returns from its three-day weekend, legislators have at least a four day weekend. There is nothing on their schedules in or around the Capitol. The Senate has a pro forma session -- where a couple of members are on the floor for a brief run-through of routine business -- at noon Wednesday. The House may have a session on Thursday.

It's likely there will be more politicians in Spokane today than in Olympia.

Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell each have public events -- Murray's is on early childhood education and Cantwell's is on an item of the farm bill that helps farmers and school nutrition programs -- and state Rep. Marcus Riccelli and state Sen. Andy Billig are joining a group at the Health District Building to talk about the recent ricin investigation.

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