Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Energy News Digest Addendum - 11/26/2008

Judge OKs plan to kill sea lions - A federal judge ruled the government can kill up to 85 sea lions a year at Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River, where they gather to eat Chinook salmon (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_112608ORB_sea_lion_ruling_LJ.55988c2.html

Energy News Digest for November 26, 2008

The News Digest will be giving thanks for all the information it can eat this Thanksgiving weekend. As such, Thursday and Friday will be down days. Please count your blessings also.

All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- Grays Harbor County PUD Contract Reduces “Slice”
- Snohomish County PUD More Prepared For Winter
- Clark Public Utilities considers water, electric rate hikes
- Mason County PUD No. 3 Gets a Bond Rating Increase
- Reliant Energy Backs Away From Financing
- California woman who couldn't afford power dies from generator fumes
- $70 Million More Going To Salmon Disaster Aid
- Canada - Salmon Prospects Slightly Brighter For 2009
- Washington State Sues Feds Over Hanford Cleanup
- East Jefferson County Water Planning Seeks a Balance
- Mount Baker Offers Little Snow to Be Grateful For
- Hydropower Generator Mimics Fish
- White House Prods Allies to Oppose Limits on Greenhouse Gases
- Climate Crisis Energizes Radical Environmentalists
- San Francisco Chronicle Op/Ed - We Need A Big Green Jobs Machine
- The Great White Way Tries to Turn Green
- Utah's Utopia Tries to Stay Afloat - Decides to focus on small businesses
- Georgia - CityNet Consultant Will ‘Dig Deeper’ on Municipal network
- Final Mason County Election Results
- Economy is a Main Concern of Washington Residents
- State Auditor Dings Mason County over Financial Accounting
- California - Three Poisoned By Carbon Monoxide in Paramount Home

These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest

WORD OF THE DAY

hypaethral • \hye-PEETH-rul\ • adjective - *1: having a roofless central space 2: open to the sky

Anastasia was captivated by her host’s Tulsa home. “I love the hypaethral feeling of your courtyard, even down to moving your furniture outside she enthused.” A major faux pas on her part. Seems the fellow lives in tornado alley, and the roof had been violently removed by a recent twister.

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast and Weather Alerts
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?textField1=47.213805&textField2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=Shelton%2C%20WA%2C%20USA

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Grays Harbor County PUD Contract Reduces “Slice” (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/11/25/local_news/06news.txt

Snohomish County PUD More Prepared For Winter (Everett Herald)
http://heraldnet.com/article/20081126/NEWS01/711269779

Clark Public Utilities considers water, electric rate hikes - Several options are proposed; effect on bills would be similar (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://columbian.com/article/20081126/BIZ01/711269984/-1/BIZ

Mason County PUD No. 3 Gets a Bond Rating Increase (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/selectmoduleid/3468/ArticleID/5671/reftab/1632/Default.aspx?title=P.U.D._3_GETS_A_BOND_RATING_INCREASE

Reliant Energy Backs Away From Financing - Sale of Business Segments Reduced Need for Capital (Associated Press)
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/081126/reliant_energy_financing.html?.v=1

California woman who couldn't afford power dies from generator fumes (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_11073223?source=rss

FISH & WILDLIFE

$70 Million More Going To Salmon Disaster Aid (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1711159~_70_million_more_going_to_salmon_disaster_aid.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines

Canada - Salmon Prospects Slightly Brighter For 2009: Fisheries and Oceans Canada says the salmon returns in 2009 will be no worse than this year (Vancouver Sun, BC)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/business/story.html?id=4fa69576-8497-4e50-9feb-259635135d12

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Washington State Sues Feds Over Hanford Cleanup
http://www.examiner.com/a-1711133~Wash__sues_feds_over_Hanford_cleanup.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines

East Jefferson County Water Planning Seeks a Balance (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20081126/news/311269988

Mount Baker Offers Little Snow to Be Grateful For (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/snowsports/2008437414_mtbaker26.html?syndication=rss

RENEWABLE ENERGY & CONSERVATION

Hydropower Generator Mimics Fish (EE Times)
http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=212200403

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

White House Prods Allies to Oppose Limits on Greenhouse Gases (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/25/AR2008112502743.html?nav=rss_nation

Climate Crisis Energizes Radical Environmentalists (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008437722_apclimateradicals.html?syndication=rss

San Francisco Chronicle Op/Ed - We Need A Big Green Jobs Machine
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/26/EDHN14BDV9.DTL&feed=rss.opinion

The Great White Way Tries to Turn Green (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/26/theater/26gree.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Utah's Utopia Tries to Stay Afloat - Decides to focus on small businesses (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Utahs-Utopia-Tries-To-Stay-Afloat-99301

Georgia - CityNet Consultant Will ‘Dig Deeper’ on Municipal network - A “flawed business plan” presented by the initial consultant as one reason that he needs more time (Tifton Gazette, GA)
http://www.tiftongazette.com/local/local_story_330215939.html

GENERAL NEWS

Final Mason County Election Results (Mason County Auditor)
http://wei.secstate.wa.gov/mason/Elections/ElectionResults/Pages/ElectionResults.aspx

Economy is a Main Concern of Washington Residents (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=4629

State Auditor: Mason County Has Inadequate Control over Financial Accounting and Reporting (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/selectmoduleid/3468/ArticleID/5672/reftab/1896/Default.aspx?title=STATE_AUDITOR:_MASON_COUNTY_HAS_INADEQUATE_CONTROL_OVER_FINANCIAL_ACCOUNTING_AND_REPORTING

California - Three Poisoned By Carbon Monoxide in Paramount Home (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1711196~3_poisoned_by_carbon_monoxide_in_Paramount_home.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

DIVERSIONS

Colorado Noise Polluters Sentenced to Annoying Music
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/Americas/2008/November/Colorado-Noise-Polluters-Sentenced-to-Annoying-Music.html

On This Day: King Tut’s Tomb Discovered (Well, technically: rediscovered)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/entertainment/On-this-Day--King-Tut-s-Tomb-Discovered.html

Holiday Fun Can Mean Constipation for Kids - Travel, Treats, Playtime Can Break Bathroom Routine
http://www.kirotv.com/health/18151075/detail.html

Court says lukewarm food hot enough for prison
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/25/BA8914CBHP.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Energy News Digest for November 25, 2008

All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- Moody’s Investor Service Upgrades Mason County PUD No. 3 Bond Rating
- Tacoma Public Utility’s going to pay you for a change
- For WPUDA Building - Tacoma firms receive Design-Build award
- Texas - Many electric bills still a mess in the wake of Ike
- FERC issues four reliability orders to strengthen grid
- Conservation Groups Challenge Owl Recovery Plan
- Man's Plan Brings Salmon Back To Local Creeks
- Tougher State Law Means More Puget Sound Burn Bans
- Environmental Groups Target Former Alcoa Site’s Landfill
- Yesterday's Reynolds Metals pollution slows today's economy
- Allocating Water in North Idaho
- Tri-Cities in prime position to develop clean energy technologies
- Sun rising on California's power horizon
- Slump May Limit Moves on Clean Energy
- Six Electric cooperatives unite for Iowa wind farm
- Hot Home Wind Turbines You Can Actually Buy
- The Car of the Future - but at What Cost?
- Spain City Sets Up Solar Cemetery
- City Of Olympia Reduces Emissions
- Washington State Mussels Lose Out As Carbon Dioxide Changes Ocean
- Is it always greener to take public transportation?
- Internet access lags in rural areas in Montana
- Telcos Desperately Try To Keep Landlines Relevant
- 80% of Broadband Users Will Be Wireless By 2013
- Cause of Shelton Timber Bowl Fire Likely Electrical
- Operators of scorched Shelton bowling alley vow to rebuild

These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest

WORD OF THE DAY

Skullduggery • \skull-DUGG-ur-ree\ • noun - Underhanded or unscrupulous behavior; also: a devious device or trick

Unfortunately for the corporate leader, the skullduggery of his support staff had so undermined his credibility with the stockholders that everything he said at the annual meeting was met with loud peals of laughter. Initially he though that they were laughing along with him at some large, inside joke. That is, until his aide whispered in his ear, “Sir, they’re not laughing WITH you, they’re laughing BESIDE you. And that’s a BIG difference.”

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast and Weather Alerts
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?textField1=47.213805&textField2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=Shelton%2C%20WA%2C%20USA

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Moody’s Investor Service Upgrades Mason County PUD No. 3 Bond Rating (Mason County PUD No. 3)
http://www.masonpud3.org/News/display.asp?NewsID=482

Tacoma Public Utility’s going to pay you for a change - It will be Christmas in February for Tacoma Power customers (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/548416.html

For WPUDA Building - Tacoma firms receive National Design-Build award (Tacoma Daily Index)
http://www.tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1427663&more=0

Texas - Many electric bills still a mess in the wake of Ike (Houston Chronicle, TX)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6130962.html

FERC issues four reliability orders to strengthen grid (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://uaelp.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&PUBLICATION_ID=22&ARTICLE_ID=346294&C=INDUS&dcmp=rss

FISH & WILDLIFE

Conservation Groups Challenge Owl Recovery Plan (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/35062724.html

Man's Plan Brings Salmon Back To Local Creeks (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/35049784.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Tougher State Law Means More Puget Sound Burn Bans (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/18051645/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=news

Environmental Groups Target Former Alcoa Site’s Landfill (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://columbian.com/article/20081125/NEWS02/711259958/-1/NEWS

Daily News Editorial - Yesterday's Reynolds Metals pollution slows today's economy (Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/11/25/editorial/doc492b3f7518cca274029096.txt

Allocating Water in North Idaho (NW Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=4619

RENEWABLE ENERGY & CONSERVATION

Sen. Cantwell says Tri-Cities in prime position to develop clean energy technologies (Tri-City Herald, WA)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/kennewick_pasco_richland/story/395856.html

Sun rising on California's power horizon (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/25/BUVI14B645.DTL&feed=rss.business

Slump May Limit Moves on Clean Energy (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/25/world/25climate.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

Six Electric cooperatives unite in historic support for Iowa wind farm (Lancaster Eagle Gazette)
http://www.lancastereaglegazette.com/article/20081124/UPDATES01/81124026

Hot Home Wind Turbines You Can Actually Buy - Plus One You Wish You Could (Treehugger.com)
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/11/five-home-wind-turbines-you-can-actually-buy.php

The Car of the Future - but at What Cost? Hybrid Vehicles Are Popular, but Making Them Profitable Is a Challenge (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/24/AR2008112403211.html?nav=rss_email/components

Spain City Sets Up Solar Cemetery - Solar panels are carefully angled to make them less obtrusive to families: A Spanish city has found an unusual place to generate renewable energy - the local cemetery (BBC)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7745673.stm

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

City Of Olympia Reduces Emissions (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/living/story/673761.html

Washington State Mussels Lose Out As Carbon Dioxide Changes Ocean (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97412198&ft=1&f=1001

Trains vs. Planes vs. Automobiles - Is it always greener to take public transportation? (Slate Magazine)
http://www.slate.com/id/2205330/?from=rss

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Internet access lags in rural areas in Montana (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/11/25/financial/f072147S44.DTL&feed=rss.business

Telcos Desperately Try To Keep Landlines Relevant (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Telcos-Desperately-Try-To-Keep-Landlines-Relevant-99299

Ericsson: 80% Of Broadband Users Will Be Wireless By 2013 (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Ericsson-80-Of-Broadband-Users-Will-Be-Wireless-By-2013-99286

GENERAL NEWS

Cause of Shelton Timber Bowl Fire Likely Electrical (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/selectmoduleid/3468/ArticleID/5661/reftab/1632/title/CAUSE_OF_TIMBER_BOWL_FIRE_LIKELY_ELECTRICAL/Default.aspx

Operators of scorched Shelton bowling alley vow to rebuild (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/35030059.html

DIVERSIONS

NY Public Toilets Feature TVs, Tuxedoed Attendants
http://www.kirotv.com/news/18050724/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible

Caught Snapping - That Cell May Be a Steal, but Don't Shoot Yourself in the Face
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/21/AR2008112103612.html?nav=rss_technology

Seuss lawyers stop holiday Who-ville in Louisville
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/entertainment/2008433395_webwhoville25.html?syndication=rss

Man Wins Two Cars In 10 Days - Luck Includes NFL Tickets From Drawing
http://www.kirotv.com/automotive/18143132/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible

Monday, November 24, 2008

Energy News Digest for November 24, 2008

All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- Latest foe in customer’s anti-tax crusade is the Grays Harbor PUD
- Worker Electrocuted by Power lines Identified
- Yakama Tribe in a power position
- Energy Pulse Commentary - Whipping up Support for Transmission
- Chelan County PUD - Local engineers society names first woman president
- Salmon proposal upsets gillnetters
- Camas man’s methods to restore salmon unconventional, effective
- Salmon, owls might have ally in White House
- Canada - Green groups blast increases in salmon farms
- Salmon farming in Maine mounting a strong comeback
- Oregonian Op/Ed - Farmed fish: Almost organic, and always polluting
- Puget Sound cleanup criticized - Scientists say plan headed for failure
- Lack Of Funding Slows Research, Cleanup Of Sound
- Judge says Yelm must prove it has water
- Workers warn of problems at Brightwater Sewer Plant
- California experts fear 3rd straight dry winter likely
- Cowlitz County Panel mulls wind turbine rules
- Despite obstacles, Pickens is not giving up on wind energy
- Hawaii Reporter Op/Ed - Wind Power: The 'Green' Myth
- Wyoming group points out where to build wind
- Cow power - Digester makes dairy man a believer
- Palm Desert loan program giving contractors seeds to grow business
- Sacramento City manager pushes waste-to-energy proposal
- Rhode Island - Boosting renewable energy
- Problems Plague U.S. Flex-Fuel Fleet
- News Release - Light Up the Holidays Safely and Efficiently
- Alcoa encourages energy conservation
- Cheap Green: Energy and Ovens
- No electricity? Connecticut island now energy independent
- Oregonian Op/Ed - Seizing our chance in the midst of crisis
- Obama urged to create 'Green New Deal'
- Port of Quincy Confirms it Has Significant Fiber Optics Capacity
- Remote Wyoming towns home to broadband jobs
- A Quick Peek at the Internet Growth Charts
- AT&T To Pay $17 Million For Universal Service Fund Over-Charges
- Layoffs leave Silicon Forest less populated
- Eight Alarm Fire - Shelton's Bowling Alley Burns Down
- 20% cuts may be ahead for state colleges
- How much does Obama know about the West?
- Senators prepare to tutor Obama on Hanford
- Who from here might serve in Obama administration?
- Washington's new area code delayed until 2012
- Washington cities can add $20 car tab fee

These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest

WORD OF THE DAY

Non sequitur • \NON SEK-witt-ter\ • noun - 1: an inference that does not follow from the premises *2: a statement (as a response) that does not follow logically from or is not clearly related to anything previously said

For about an hour the conversation about long-term power contracts, direct service industry subsidies, fish and wildlife costs, and residential exchange flowed along about as smoothly as could be expected. Suddenly nearly all persons in the board room suffered whiplash as a burly, oddly-dressed guest (whom no one remembered inviting) started riffing with non sequiturs about minutiae involving Dungeons and Dragons, World of Warcraft, and the latest “Star Trek” convention that was to be held downtown, featuring Malachi Throne, a minor character who played in three 1966 “Trek” episodes.

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast and Weather Alerts
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?textField1=47.213805&textField2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=Shelton%2C%20WA%2C%20USA

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

His crusade continues - The latest foe in Stan Trohimovich’s decades-long anti-tax crusade is the Grays Harbor PUD. ..He has withheld payment of taxes, fees and the 13 percent charge for the Bonneville Power Administration’s Residential Exchange (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/11/23/local_news/01news.txt

Worker Electrocuted By Power lines Identified (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/18027219/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=news

Yakama Tribe in a power position - Local irrigation system could benefit if Yakamas become a player in the Northwest energy game (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2008/11/23/tribe-in-a-power-position

Energy Pulse Commentary - Whipping up Support for Transmission
http://www.energypulse.net/centers/article/article_display.cfm?a_id=1877

From Chelan County PUD - Local engineers society names first woman president (Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081123/NEWS04/711249987

FISH & WILDLIFE

Salmon proposal upsets gillnetters - Low numbers would favor sport anglers (Associated Press)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/389150_salmon24.html?source=rss

Fighting for fish - Camas man’s methods to restore salmon unconventional, effective (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://columbian.com/article/20081123/NEWS02/711239994/-1/NEWS

Salmon, owls might have ally in White House (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/government/story/547417.html

Canada - Green groups blast increases in salmon farms (Victoria Times-Colonist)
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=8d74a9a7-764f-4a6c-998f-ddb6789040a6

Salmon farming in Maine mounting a strong comeback (Associated Press)
http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/articles/2008/11/23/salmon_farming_in_maine_mounting_a_strong_comeback/

Oregonian Op/Ed - Farmed fish: Almost organic, and always polluting (Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2008/11/farmed_fish_almost_organic_and.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Puget Sound cleanup criticized - Scientists say plan headed for failure (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/388962_sound22.html

Lack Of Funding Slows Research, Cleanup Of Sound (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/18034044/detail.html?treets=sea&tid=2653595907813&tml=sea_7am&tmi=sea_7am_-1_09000111242008&ts=H

Judge says Yelm must prove it has water - Condition placed by city on subdivisions ruled illegal (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/localnewsfeed/story/672384.html

Workers warn of problems at Brightwater Sewer Plant (KOMO-TV., Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/34971969.html

California experts fear 3rd straight dry winter likely (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/22/MNV8149Q32.DTL&feed=rss.news

RENEWABLE ENERGY & CONSERVATION

Cowlitz County Panel mulls wind turbine rules (The Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/11/24//area_news/doc492ac2a7bd7b7397172848.txt

Star Telegram Op/Ed - Despite obstacles, Pickens is not giving up on wind energy (Fort Worth, TX)
http://www.star-telegram.com/business/story/1053439.html

Hawaii Reporter Op/Ed - Wind Power: The 'Green' Myth
http://hawaiireporter.com/story.aspx?3fe59302-a0ac-435f-874e-518f40d9b26d

Wyoming group points out where to build wind (Associated Press)
http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/global/story.asp?s=9400896

Cow power - Digester makes dairy man a believer (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)
http://www.yakimaherald.com/stories/2008/11/22/cow-power-digester-makes-dairy-man-a-believer

Solar boom - Palm Desert's loan program giving contractors seeds to grow their businesses (The Desert Sun, Palm Springs, CA)
http://www.mydesert.com/article/20081122/NEWS07/811220318/1013

California - Sacramento City manager pushes waste-to-energy proposal; county cautious (Sacramento Bee, CA)
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/1419145.html

Rhode Island - Boosting renewable energy (Providence Journal, RI)
http://www.projo.com/business/content/BZ_Greenstart_24_11-24-08_J7CBI89_v13.3fe6ddb.html

Problems Plague U.S. Flex-Fuel Fleet - Most Government-Bought Vehicles Still Use Standard Gas (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/22/AR2008112200886.html?nav=rss_business

News Release - Light Up the Holidays Safely and Efficiently - PSE Donates Energy-Efficient Holiday Light Strands for Customer and Community Displays (MarketWatch)
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Light-Up-Holidays-Safely-Efficiently/story.aspx?guid=%7B2A65BB1C-678F-48AF-8295-247FA06CFC7E%7D

Alcoa encourages energy conservation through Web site (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081123/NEWS04/711249990

Cheap Green: Energy and Ovens (NY Times)
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/21/cheap-green-energy-and-ovens/

No electricity? Connecticut island now energy independent. Three-acre property boasts wind turbine, solar panels and Segways (MSNBC)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27861109/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Oregonian Op/Ed - Seizing our chance in the midst of crisis
http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2008/11/seizing_our_chance_in_the_mids.html

Obama urged to create 'Green New Deal' (Boston Globe, MA)
http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2008/11/24/obama_urged_to_create_green_new_deal/

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

News Release - Port of Quincy Confirms That Quincy, WA Has Significant Fiber Optics Capacity and Availability (MarketWatch)
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Port-Quincy-Confirms-That-Quincy/story.aspx?guid=%7B896A78A3-A2A8-40E2-9732-22D88835E924%7D

Remote Wyoming towns home to broadband jobs (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008427624_btenglishteach24.html?syndication=rss

A Quick Peek at the Internet Growth Charts (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/11/24/a-quick-peek-at-the-internet-growth-charts/

AT&T To Pay $17 Million For Universal Service Fund Over-Charges (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/ATT-To-Pay-17-Million-For-USF-OverCharging-99263

Layoffs leave Silicon Forest less populated - High-tech companies in Oregon employ 2,000 fewer people than a year ago (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1227239720313090.xml&coll=7

GENERAL NEWS

Eight Alarm Fire - Shelton's Bowling Alley Burns Down (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/selectmoduleid/3468/ArticleID/5655/reftab/1632/Default.aspx?title=SHELTON'S_BOWLING_ALLEY_BURNS_DOWN

20% cuts may be ahead for state colleges, universities as bottom falls out of budget (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008425188_highered23m0.html?syndication=rss

How much does Obama know about the West? (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/kennewick_pasco_richland/story/394065.html

Senators prepare to tutor Obama on Hanford (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/kennewick_pasco_richland/story/394063.html

Who from here might serve in Obama administration? (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/connelly/389071_Joel24.html?source=rss

Washington State's new telephone area code delayed until 2012 (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1705693~State_s_new_telephone_area_code_delayed_until_2012.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines

Washington cities can add $20 car tab fee (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1708206~Washington_cities_can_add__20_car_tab_fee.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines

DIVERSIONS

Panda bites student who just wanted a hug
http://www.theolympian.com/breakingnews/story/670776.html

B.G. proposal riles animal lovers - Complaint about chickens’ smell prompts action, and angry response (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://columbian.com/article/20081121/NEWS02/711219955/-1/NEWS

Police Chase Ends With Man Up Tree For Hours
http://www.kirotv.com/news/18049737/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=news

Friday, November 21, 2008

Energy News Digest for November 21, 2008

All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- Worker Electrocuted in Seattle by Power lines
- Route for energy transmission avoids Cascade-Siskiyou monument
- Congress: Waxman win elevates energy, climate change issues
- Surprise Drop in Power Use Delivers Jolt to Utilities
- Grant PUD to fund street improvements
- Russian power sector reform under threat
- Derelict Fishing Nets Kill Sea Life, Clog Sound
- Gold prospecting in Washington State: Salmon beware
- Downer: Steelhead creep into local rivers, memories
- Stepping in when streams dry up
- California Judge won't slash water contracts to help smelt
- Calif. agrees to limit trout stocking
- S.F. Chronicle Op/Ed - The downside of the fish stock market
- Restoring Puget Sound: It's the land use, stupid!
- New Images Show Celilo Falls Still Intact
- Underwater volcano off California Coast now protected
- State Supreme Court approves Kittitas County wind farm
- Kittitas power project gets second wind
- Green building starts up five-fold
- New local website can help you save energy
- General Electric recalls more than 200,000 wall ovens
- Hawaii Governor Signs Ocean Thermal Energy Deal
- Kansas - Energy conservation grants going begging
- Brighten the Holidays with Savings and Safety Advice
- New Rule Would Discount Warming as Risk Factor for Species
- Latest business challenge is climate change
- Death bloom of plankton a warning on warming
- Google, Others Call for New Broadband, Energy Policies
- Telcos Will See a More Activist Congress
- Owning Your Own Fiber - Homes with tails
- Boeing Warns Of Impending Layoffs
- Bad economy won't stop massive road projects
- Brush-Picker Killed by Hunter
- DeFazio Says Rumors of Obama Cabinet Position are Exaggerated
- Will Credit Rating Agencies Be Monitored?
- Fugitive Oregon State Employee Herding Sheep in Iran
- Feds: FAA worker took plane, yachts as perks

These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest

WORD OF THE DAY

Flummoxed • \FLUM-uxt\ • verb – Confused

Harry was flummoxed by the lime/coconut advice of his doctor, “so, do I put the coconut in the lime, or the other way around?”

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast and Weather Alerts
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?textField1=47.213805&textField2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=Shelton%2C%20WA%2C%20USA

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Worker Electrocuted in Seattle By Power lines (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/18027219/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=news

Route for energy transmission avoids Cascade-Siskiyou monument (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1702671~Route_for_energy_transmission_avaoids_monument.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines

Congress: Waxman win elevates energy, climate change issues (Reuters)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081120/pl_nm/us_usa_congress_energy_8

Surprise Drop in Power Use Delivers Jolt to Utilities (Wall Street Journal)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122722654497346099.html

Grant PUD to fund street improvements (Columbia Basin Herald)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/11/20/news/nw4.11.20.08.txt

Russian power sector reform under threat (Associated Press)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5geGbSWkfCQyYtVams2kDspD2vgzwD94IT4I80

FISH & WILDLIFE

Derelict Fishing Nets Kill Sea Life, Clog Sound (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/18025762/detail.html?treets=sea&tid=2653595907813&tml=sea_7am&tmi=sea_7am_-1_09000111212008&ts=H

The Evergold State – Salmon beware: Are prospectors crazy to be dredging in Washington's rivers and streams? (Slate Magazine)
http://www.slate.com/id/2205110/?from=rss

Downer: Steelhead creep into local rivers, memories (The Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/11/21/this_day/doc492602daf00f1915866002.txt

Stepping in when streams dry up (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://columbian.com/article/20081120/NEWS02/711209932/-1/NEWS

California - Judge won't slash water contracts to help smelt (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/11/20/state/n151820S63.DTL&feed=rss.business

Calif. agrees to limit trout stocking (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/11/20/state/n165518S88.DTL&feed=rss.business

S.F. Chronicle Op/Ed - The downside of the fish stock market
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/20/EDP6147T95.DTL&feed=rss.opinion

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Restoring Puget Sound: It's the land use, stupid! (Crosscut)
http://crosscut.com/2008/11/21/puget-sound/18650/

New Images Show Celilo Falls Still Intact (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/3599-new-images-show-celilo-falls-still-intact/

Underwater volcano off California's Central Coast given national protection (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_11035769?source=rss

RENEWABLE ENERGY & CONSERVATION

State Supreme Court approves Kittitas County wind farm (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/388704_windfarm21.html?source=rss

Kittitas power project gets second wind (Yakima Herald Republic)
http://www.yakimaherald.com/stories/2008/11/20/supreme-court-backs-governor-kittitas-wind-power

Green building starts up five-fold (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/11/17/daily46.html?ana=from_rss

New local website can help you save energy (Port Townsend Leader, WA)
http://www.ptleader.com/Main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=22446

General Electric recalls more than 200,000 wall ovens (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=9376988

Hawaii Governor Signs Ocean Thermal Energy Deal (Environmental News Network)
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/nov2008/2008-11-20-094.asp

Kansas - Energy conservation grants going begging (Clay Center Dispatch, KS)
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20203603&BRD=1160&PAG=461&dept_id=190958&rfi=6

News Release - Brighten the Holidays with Savings and Safety Advice From the Ameren Illinois Utilities (Electric Energy Online)
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/IndustryNews.asp?m=1&id=101223

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

New Rule Would Discount Warming as Risk Factor for Species (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/20/AR2008112003465.html?nav=rss_nation

Latest business challenge is climate change - Everyone from insurers to engineering firms are looking for answers (Vancouver Sun, BC)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/business/story.html?id=3579d351-9202-437d-89fc-243a513c765b&k=46757

Death bloom of plankton a warning on warming (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/20/MNV1147VJE.DTL&feed=rss.news

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Google, Others Call for New Broadband, Energy Policies (IDG News Service)
http://www.pcworld.com/article/154262/google_others_call_for_new_broadband_energy_policies.html

Telcos Will See a More Activist Congress (GigOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/11/21/telcos-will-see-a-more-activist-congress/

Owning Your Own Fiber - Homes with tails (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Owning-Your-Own-Fiber-99230

GENERAL NEWS

Boeing Warns Of Impending Layoffs (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/18031941/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=news

Bad economy won't stop massive road projects (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008418429_transpochallenges21m.html?syndication=rss

Brush-Picker Killed by Hunter - Suspect apparently thought he was shooting at an elk (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://columbian.com/article/20081121/NEWS02/711219988/-1/NEWS

DeFazio Says Rumors of Obama Cabinet Position are Exaggerated (NW Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=4608

Will Credit Rating Agencies Be Monitored? (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97295902&ft=1&f=3

Fugitive Oregon Corrections Administrator Now Herding Sheep in Iran (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/3605-wanted-corrections-administrator-now-herding-sheep-iran/

Feds: FAA worker took plane, yachts as perks (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1703049~Feds__FAA_worker_took_plane__yachts_as_perks.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines

DIVERSIONS

Stray cats taking over Lewis County town
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_112008WAB_vader_stray_cats_SW.1d1006cef.html

'Sound Of Music' Star Rips Movie - Plummer Calls His Performance 'Most Mediocre'
http://www.kirotv.com/entertainment/18023148/detail.html?treets=sea&tid=2653595907813&tml=sea_4pm&tmi=sea_4pm_-1_06000111202008&ts=H

Cell Phone Over Man's Heart Stops Bullet
http://www.kirotv.com/family/18025267/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible

Obese have right to two airline seats
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE4AJ8G020081120?feedType=nl&feedName=usmorningdigest

Witness to three-death crash wins trauma damages - Man who suffered 'nervous shock' wins first case of its kind
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=bdcf28ae-90ce-4fd0-9e34-a54b62450a04

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Energy News Digest for November 20, 2008

All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- Strong Winds in Cascade Foothills Drop Trees, Cut Power Lines
- Jefferson PUD urged to move quickly on power franchise
- Wenatchee - First Alcoa workers notified of layoffs
- Council Hears Competing Sides In Proposed Alcoa Power Sale
- Seattle P-I Editorial - Northwest needs: Pay attention to us
- Opponents Say Federal Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing Would Pollute
- Some City of Tacoma workers underpaid, study says
- PG&E starts Colusa natural gas power plant construction
- Get those ugly chum while you can
- Most of California’s native game fish face extinction
- Changes to Species Act Are Said to Be Near
- Sea lion numbers a mixed bag
- Panel Approves First Rules for Organic Farmed Fish
- ComEd's Lake Michigan Bird-Friendly Efforts Take Flight
- Is the Northwest Running Out of Water?
- Rainwater Turns To Noxious Soup, Flows to Sound
- Crews racing to repair 30 Western Washington levees
- Seattle raises $205 million through water bonds
- Group that backs public artesian well in Olympia to disband
- Clean Energy Confronts Messy Reality
- Ocean water could bring limitless clean energy
- Wal-Mart buys wind energy supply, with a catch
- WAPA buying wind power from Basin
- Car Charging - Nissan drives a deal with Oregon
- California begins crackdown on newly illegal chimney fires
- NY Times Op/Ed - What’s the Point of Daylight Time?
- Measuring the National Carbon Footprint
- Governors Tackle Climate Change
- 'Applause' for British Columbia's carbon tax
- Top companies urge Congress to go green
- Big Green Brother - Wal-Mart tells its workers to live and breathe sustainability
- 400 Million Global Broadband Users
- Coming Soon, Fiber to All of the Netherlands
- Obama’s FCC Transition Team Co-chair
- Intuit lowers forecast for current year
- Cuts loom as Washington State faces $5.1 billion budget shortfall
- Simpson to Shut Down Local Mills for Three Weeks
- North Mason Clinic Closing Leaves Some Patients in Flux
- Christmas tree sales appear to be greening
- A Shocking Stat: 85% of Benton County on Food Stamps
- Napolitano emerges for Homeland Security job
- More Cabinet Talk
- McMorris Rodgers elected to leadership role

These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest

WORD OF THE DAY

Gravid • \GRAV-id\ • adjective - *1: pregnant 2: distended with or full of eggs

Passersby stopped and stared, astounded at Alice’s exaggerated gravid appearance. “I guess there’s no such thing as being a ‘little pregnant’,” said her awestruck partner. “But you are living proof that there is such a thing as being VERY pregnant.”

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast and Weather Alerts
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?textField1=47.213805&textField2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=Shelton%2C%20WA%2C%20USA

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Strong Winds in Cascade Foothills Drop Trees, Cut Power Lines (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/18023820/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=news

Jefferson PUD urged to move quickly on power franchise (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20081120/news/311209993

Wenatchee - First Alcoa workers notified of layoffs (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081119/NEWS04/711209939

Council Hears Competing Sides In Proposed Alcoa Power Sale (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/3596-power-council-hears-competing-sides-proposed-alcoa-power-sale/

Seattle P-I Editorial - Northwest needs: Pay attention to us: The region's need for intelligent environmental, energy and climate decisions is urgent
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/388528_nwobamaed.html?source=rss

Opponents Say Federal Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing Would Pollute (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=4588

Some City of Tacoma workers underpaid, study says - Pay scales for the city and for Tacoma Public Utilities are low for lots of jobs, high for others (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/543502.html

PG&E starts Colusa natural gas power plant construction (San Francisco Business Times)
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2008/11/17/daily74.html?ana=from_rss

FISH & WILDLIFE

Get those ugly chum while you can - Still a few of these fish available to catch in area rivers (Everett Herald, WA)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20081120/SPORTS/711209844/1004/SPORTS

Most of California’s native game fish face extinction (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/20/MN3E147V6I.DTL&feed=rss.news

Changes to Species Act Are Said to Be Near (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/19/AR2008111904585.html?nav=rss_nation

Sea lion numbers a mixed bag (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008415015_apaksealions1stldwritethru.html?syndication=rss

USDA Panel Approves First Rules For Labeling Farmed Fish 'Organic' (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/19/AR2008111903787.html?nav=rss_nation

ComEd's Lake Michigan Bird-Friendly Efforts Take Flight (Electric Energy Online)
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/IndustryNews.asp?m=1&id=101144

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Is the Northwest Running Out of Water? (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=4590

Rainwater Turns To Noxious Soup, Flows To Sound (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/18008323/detail.html?treets=sea&tid=2653595907813&tml=sea_7am&tmi=sea_7am_-1_09000111202008&ts=H

Crews racing Mother Nature to repair 30 Western Washington levees (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/34793354.html

Seattle raises $205 million through water bonds (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/388582_bonds20.html?source=rss

Group that backs public artesian well in Olympia to disband (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/breakingnews/story/667694.html

RENEWABLE ENERGY & CONSERVATION

Clean Energy Confronts Messy Reality (Wall Street Journal)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122714114743842743.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Ocean water could bring limitless clean energy (ChattahBox)
http://chattahbox.com/science/2008/11/20/ocean-water-could-bring-limitless-clean-energy/

Wal-Mart buys wind energy supply - Demands rates with no renewable energy premiums (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008414891_aparwalmartwindenergy.html?syndication=rss

WAPA buying wind power from Basin (Associated Press)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-nd-wapa-wind,0,3655003.story

Car Charging - Nissan drives a deal with Oregon (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/11/17/daily32.html?ana=from_rss

No-No Biomass – California smoke police begin crackdown on newly illegal chimney fires - Barbecue grills and outdoor pizza ovens are exempt (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_11025429?source=rss

NY Times Op/Ed - What’s the Point of Daylight Time?
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/opinion/20kotchen.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Measuring the National Carbon Footprint - How do you total up the greenhouse-gas emissions for an entire country? (Slate Magazine)
http://www.slate.com/id/2205011/?from=rss

Governors Tackle Climate Change (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97203134

'Applause' for British Columbia's carbon tax at California speech (The Province, BC)
http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=b00f5459-b65b-4dd0-81d2-0619f97610e8

Top companies urge Congress to go green - Starbucks, others to lobby for climate legislation (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/388585_green20.html?source=rss

Big Green Brother - When Wal-Mart tells its workers to live and breathe sustainability, is it (a) creepy, (b) innovative, (c) greenwashing, (d) all of the above? (Mother Jones Magazine)
http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2008/11/big-green-brother.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

400 Million Global Broadband Users - 680 million by 2013, with the biggest number in China (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/400-Million-Global-Broadband-Users-99200

Coming Soon, Fiber to All of the Netherlands (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/11/19/big-fiber-in-little-netherlands/

Obama’s FCC Transition Team Co-chair a WoW Player – Check it out! He looks like David Byrne from the “Talking Heads!” (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/11/18/obamas-fcc-transition-team-co-chair-a-wow-player/

Intuit lowers forecast for current year (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_11023850?source=rss

GENERAL NEWS

Cuts loom as state faces $5.1 billion budget shortfall - No special session planned to sort out mess (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/668120.html

Simpson to Shut Down Local Mills for Three Weeks (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/selectmoduleid/3468/ArticleID/5624/reftab/1632/title/SIMPSON_TO_SHUT_DOWN_FOR_THREE_WEEKS/Default.aspx

North Mason Clinic's Closing Leaves Some Patients in Flux (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/nov/19/nm-clinics-closing-leaves-some-patients-in-flux/?partner=RSS

Christmas tree sales appear to be greening - Growers predict the economy will keep more people home this year, boosting their business (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1227153331223220.xml&coll=7

A Shocking Stat: 85% of Benton County on Food Stamps (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities)
http://www.keprtv.com/news/local/34783929.html

Dems: Napolitano emerges for Homeland Security job (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008412319_apobamacabinet.html?syndication=rss

More Cabinet Talk - Discussions with Clintons as Obama Creates Team (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/us/politics/20obama.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

McMorris Rodgers elected to leadership role (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008411621_apwamcmorrisrodgersleadership.html?syndication=rss

DIVERSIONS

Graham School Hosting Donkey Basketball, PETA Wants It Benched
http://www.kirotv.com/news/18017983/detail.html?treets=sea&tid=2653595907813&tml=sea_7am&tmi=sea_7am_-1_09000111202008&ts=H

Mystery Meat Dumped In Town Common - Residents Concerned Meat May Be Poisoned
http://www.kirotv.com/health/18023673/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible

Retired Librarian Gives $1M Each to Her Colleges
http://www.kirotv.com/news/18016969/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible

Pot smugglers toss 5 tons of marijuana into sea
http://www.examiner.com/a-1701520~Pot_smugglers_toss_5_tons_of_marijuana_into_sea.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

Gremlin-Like Creatures Rediscovered in Indonesia - “Knew your father, I did!”
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/science/2008/November/Gremlin-Like-Creatures-Rediscovered-in-Indonesia.html

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Energy News Digest for November 19, 2008

All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- Expert: Idaho nuclear plant unlikely this decade
- Benton PUD: Meetings to detail senior low-income discount program
- New York energy regulators still investigating trades
- Houston mayor shifts energy to electric reliability
- Florida - Goodbye meter man?
- A buffer between fish and pesticides
- Two of nine fishing-free reserves on Oregon Coast win endorsement
- With dog's help, clues to orcas' decline found in whale scat
- Salmon carcass program returns nutrients to streams
- Local fish vendor charged with two felonies
- In the West, Pine Beetles Create Business Opportunities
- Save money with energy efficiency during tough economy
- Energy forum touts simple way to conserve and save
- Tips for Saving Money Through The Winter
- OSU studies how to predict wind energy
- Interest surging in California's cow power
- Juggling the Grid for Plug-in Car
- Trapping carbon dioxide could fight climate change
- Top 10 ways to get more from your data center in 2009
- HP’s Angry E-mails Enter Microsoft Vista Lawsuit
- New forecast: State budget shortfall $4.6B
- Heavy Rain Damages Roads; Mason County Declares Emergency
- Costco shopper finds black widow spider in grapes
- Man treated for burns after fire at suspected pot operation

These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest

WORD OF THE DAY

Deportment • \dih-PORT-munt\ • noun - The manner in which one conducts oneself: behavior

Alfredo tottered into the board meeting, the stench of his stained sweat shirt and bedraggled jeans preceding his physical arrival by at least two minutes. Although his slovenly deportment was detested by all the nattily-clad salesmen on the tenth floor, none could deny that he was the best high-pressure phone salesman in the company. To a person, however, they all secretly coveted his climate controlled corner office…regardless of the four-day fumigation that would be required to make it habitable for normal humans.

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast and Weather Alerts
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?textField1=47.213805&textField2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=Shelton%2C%20WA%2C%20USA

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Expert: Idaho nuclear plant unlikely this decade (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/667351.html

Benton PUD: Meetings to detail senior low-income discount program (Tri-City Herald, WA)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/945/story/388328.html?mi_email=Tri-City%20Herald_PM+%26+Breaking+News

New York energy regulators still investigating trades (Syracuse Post Standard, NY)
http://www.syracuse.com/business/index.ssf?/base/business-14/122708889070210.xml&coll=1

Houston mayor shifts energy to electric reliability - Panel will seek ways to bolster power supply for natural disasters and reduce overall use (Houston Chronicle, TX)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/6120085.html

Florida - Goodbye meter man? OEU is installing automated devices read by radio signals, fiber optics (The Star-Banner, Ocala, FL)
http://www.ocala.com/article/20081119/articles/811191005&tc=yahoo

FISH & WILDLIFE

A buffer between fish and pesticides - NOAA Fisheries says more area needed; agriculture industry challenges ruling (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)
http://www.yakimaherald.com/stories/2008/11/18/a-buffer-betweenfish-and-pesticides

Just two of nine fishing-free reserves on Oregon Coast win endorsement (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/11/just_two_of_nine_fishingfree_r.html

With dog's help, clues to orcas' decline found in whale scat (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008408354_orca19m0.html?syndication=rss

Oregon - Salmon carcass program returns nutrients to streams (The Sandy Post)
http://www.sandypost.com/news/story.php?story_id=122706224757163300

Local fish vendor charged with two felonies - False labeling and sale of fish (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/388467_Fish19.html?source=rss

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

In the West, Pine Beetles Create Business Opportunities - dead trees can be turned into wood products — and indeed an industry has emerged over the last few years to make productive use of all that felled timber (NY Times)
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/beetles/?partner=rss&emc=rss

RENEWABLE ENERGY & CONSERVATION

News Release - Save money with energy efficiency during tough economy (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/241572/

Massachusetts - Energy forum touts simple way to conserve and save (Cape Cod Times, MA)
http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081117/NEWS/811170307

Tips for Saving Money Through The Winter (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97138575&ft=1&f=17

OSU studies how to predict wind energy (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/11/17/daily19.html?ana=from_rss

Interest surging in California's cow power (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/19/BUBE147B02.DTL&feed=rss.business

Juggling the Grid for Plug-in Car (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=4585

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Trapping carbon dioxide could fight climate change - Scientists plan to test technique in Columbia Basin (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/388399_carbonbury19.html?source=rss

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Top 10 ways to get more from your data center in 2009 (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://uaelp.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&PUBLICATION_ID=22&ARTICLE_ID=345783&C=INDUS&dcmp=rss

HP’s Angry E-mails Enter Microsoft Vista Lawsuit (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/business/2008/November/HP-s-Angry-E-mails-Enter-Microsoft-Vista-Lawsuit.html

GENERAL NEWS

New forecast: State budget shortfall $4.6B (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008410721_webstatebudget19m.html

Heavy Rain Damages Roads; Mason County Declares Emergency (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/selectmoduleid/3468/ArticleID/5609/reftab/1632/Default.aspx?title=HEAVY_RAIN_DAMAGES_ROADS;_COUNTY_DECLARES_EMERGENCY

Costco shopper finds black widow spider in grapes (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_111808WAB_costco_grapes_KC.1c81afeab.html?npc

Man treated for burns after fire at suspected pot operation (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/542570.html

DIVERSIONS

City Threatens Blind Woman Over Unpaid 1-Cent Bill
http://www.kirotv.com/news/18007907/detail.html

Down at last: Seattle Cat's weekend on power pole over - It takes two utility crews to bring Kitty to safety
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/388320_cat19.html?source=rss

Driver loses control after sneeze, hits river
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/odd_driving_while_sneezing;_ylt=AvXVNXuQeHyOfrqkMz9aWTXtiBIF

German lawmaker apologizes for blocking Wikipedia
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081119/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_germany_lawmaker_wikipedia;_ylt=AkAidJG7TCBFVJ6allVptaftiBIF