Making headlines around the Northwest this morning:

• Business Unemployment Tax Breaks on Horizon
• Seattle Considers Garbage Collection Reductions
• UW Accused in Animal Welfare Complaint

State House OK's Business Tax Cuts, Benefit Boost for Unemployed

Washington businesses will get a break on unemployment taxes in a deal unanimously approved by the House of Representatives on Wednesday. 

The Grammys have been awarded since 1959, when Henry Mancini's "Peter Gunn" was the hit of the year. Some of the greats have been honored along the way, from Frank Sinatra to The Beatles to Quincy Jones.

Some not-so-greats have been honored, too. Milli Vanilli had to give theirs back-- seems they weren't actually on their award-winning record.

Immigrant rights groups are pushing back against efforts to deny driver's licenses to illegal immigrants in Washington. They rallied at the Capitol Wednesday in opposition to several legislative proposals. 

In the Capitol Rotunda, the chant was:

Safety first, driver's licenses for all.

Members of the group OneAmerica voiced opposition to the half-dozen proposals in the Washington legislature to require proof – or at least evidence of – lawful presence in the United States in order to get a driver's license.

KPLU is taking part in the second annual Western States Public Radio Online Auction. This 10-day regional event brings public radio listeners, stations, and regional businesses together for a great cause…Supporting Public Broadcasting!

The bidding begins today, so register and bid now! You can browse through a wide variety of popular items, including today's featured item: Four (lower box) tickets to a 2011 Mariners game. 

You can register and start bidding now!

The families of six Tesoro Corporation refinery workers killed in an explosion at an Anacortes site last April have filed a wrongful-death suit against the company Wednesday. 

The Seattle Times' Jim Brunner reports the suit alleges Tesoro was negligent in addressing the conditions that resulted in the blast, which killed seven people. In addition to the six families, a contractor injured in the explosion has also joined the suit.

Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius was in Seattle this week, to hear about local efforts to make the medical system more efficient.

Sebelius is in charge of implementing the new national health care law – and defending it. The Affordable Care Act has been under fierce attack by Republicans and their allies. Democrats and their supporters recently hired political strategists to launch a campaign in defense of the law.

At the same time, Sebelius has been trying to sell it across the country, alongside sympathetic mayors and governors. 

This jogger takes advantage of sunny, blue skies over downtown Tacoma on Wednesday, running along the Thea Foss Waterway near the Dock Street Marina and Museum of Glass. The sunshine drew a few dozen runners, walkers and readers during the noon lunch hour. Still on the chilly side, temperatures did reach into the mid and upper 40's this afternoon.

The National Weather Service predicts more blue skies and sun on Thursday, with highs around the region in near 50. 

Microsoft wants more engineers leading the company. According to a Bloomberg report, CEO Steve Ballmer wants his senior executives to have solid technical backgrounds in addition to business expertise. Bloomberg's Dina Bass reports the new strategy may be announced later this month. A Microsoft spokesman declined to comment.

Valentine's Day is just around the corner. So we thought it was a good time to update a story from nearly a year ago. Last March, Idaho Governor Butch Otter penned a "love letter" to Washington and Oregon businesses. He was trying to romance companies into moving to his state.

Justice, Harvest, Charlie, Tiger, Blaze, Jet and Cody recently got a reprieve.

The horses are in  Seattle Police Department's Mounted Patrol Unit. Budget cuts had threatened to eliminate their jobs. But the Seattle Police Foundation and the Seattle Hotel Association have pledged to pay for feeding, sheltering and caring for the working horses for three years.

The organizations have enough money to cover two years and are asking the public to pay for the rest. At the website, saveourhorses.net, you can make a donation.

Here's a video about the Mounted Patrol Unit produced by the Police Foundation:

Update Feb. 10, 2011 - The correct percentage of area mortgage holders "underwater" - as reported by Zillow.com - is 34.3%, not of all homeowners. This post has been updated to clarify that point.

Do you owe more on your mortgage than your house is worth? You’re not alone. One-third of homeowners in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties are “underwater” on their homes. "Negative equity" rose faster in this region than anywhere else in the country.

Washington's pension system is underfunded to the tune of nearly $7 billion. Now the State Treasurer and a bipartisan group of lawmakers say the time has come to force the legislature to pay the pension bill.

Making headlines around the Northwest this morning:

• Thousands Mourn Slain Guard as Investigations Continue
• Pierce Transit Ballot Defeated
• School Votes Mixed

Guard's Memorial Draws Huge Crowds

Our diets lay bound, gagged and locked in the trunk as Nancy and I sped toward our date with Wretched Excess.

Several thousand mourners, many of them uniformed law  enforcement officers, gathered in Everett Tuesday to pay tribute to Corrections Officer Jayme Biendl.

Biendl was killed January 29th while on duty at the state prison in Monroe. She was the first corrections officer killed in a Washington prison in over 30 years.