From deep inside the Emergency Operations Center, the City of Seattle announces that there is now "an ice storm warning for the Seattle area" and that "residents are strongly discouraged from travelling until conditions improve." Also:

Many sidewalks are icy. Pedestrians should use caution while walking and crossing streets. It is the responsibility of property owners to keep their sidewalks clear of ice to protect pedestrian safety. SDOT is dispatching 22 crews to activate the Pedestrian Safety Element of the Winter Response plan to clear and salt pedestrian landings, crossings, and intersections.

Cliff Mass has called himself back from a "weather overload"-induced break to monitor the situation, declaring: "Something relatively unusual and, quite frankly, dangerous is going on outside."

Because of this, all of King County government is starting later than normal, at 10 a.m. Not that much will be starting then. The King County Council is closed, Superior and District courts are closed, the county prosecutor's office is closed, and so is the department of assessments. (Great day for dodging the law and ignoring your tax bill!) Juvenile detention is operating as normal, however. Sorry, kids. So is the Water Taxi.

In Seattle, the suspension of garbage pickup continues. (Check in on the availability of other city services here.)

Mayor McGinn, from his storm command post, says: "I think it's important to be here doing my job, to make sure we're delivering the best services... I mean, that's kind of my job, right?" Correct!

Meanwhile, Rick Perry is dropping out of the presidential race.

He'll be endorsing Newt Gingrich—whose ex-wife is now speaking for the first time about Newt's desire for an open marriage, saying Newt lacks the moral character to be president. Dan says Newt was doing monogamish wrong.

Oh, and apparently Mitt Romney didn't win Iowa after all. Santorum did.

Also, what Romney's 15% tax rate says about our screwed up, 1%-oriented federal tax policy.

And finally: At noon today in Olympia, Democratic State Senator Jim Kastama, one of six undecided senators on marriage equality—and a current candidate for Secretary of State—is set to make a statement on gay marriage. Would a Democratic candidate for statewide office hold a press conference to announce a "no" vote? We'll see.