Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices:
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.
HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
Highway 106 Closed due to Mudslides (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Washington State Legislators Hack $700M from Budget in One-Day Special Session (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
Mason County PUD 3 Commission (expected) to Adopt 2011 Budget Tuesday Morning (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Port Angeles - Biomass Boiler Called Crucial To Way Nippon Mill Can Survive, Thrive In Future (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
Quincy Data Center Air Quality Permit Challenged (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
· Mason County PUD 3 Commission (expected) to Adopt 2011 Budget Tuesday Morning
· Rise of Bonneville Power Administration Power Costs Could Drive Up Rates
· Op/Ed – Energy Transmission: Bonneville Power Administration Should Do What’s Right
· More Coal in Cowlitz County Commission Stockings?
· Kootenai Electric & Avista: Beware of Door-to-Door Sales in the Area
· Permit Process for Coal-Fired Plant in Kansas Draws Criticism
· Court Green Lights Lawsuit Seeking to Open Yucca Nuclear Repository
· Olympic National Park Plans Party for Removal of Elwha River Dams
· Spring Chinook Forecast on Columbia River “Above Average”
· Draft Environmental Assessment on Lake Trout Netting on Flathead Lake Delayed
· California - Invasive Species Pose Threat to Human Health, Scientists Warn
· Oregon - Bend Under Fire for Its Water Use
· Why It’s Cool To Have a Fungus Among Us
· Port Angeles - Biomass Boiler Called Crucial to Way Nippon Mill Can Survive, Thrive in Future
· Op/Ed - Protecting Sea Life: New Marine Reserves, Wave Energy a Bad Mix for Oregon
· Concerns About Eagles Stymie Billions of Dollars in Wind Farm Development
· New Mexico - Wind Power versus Vistas: Residents Want 3-Mile Setback
· John Deere Sells Wind Power Business to Exelon
· Solar vs. Trees Pits Neighbor Against Neighbor
· How Much Coal Does It Take to Run a Light Bulb?
· Electric Vehicles May Bring New Sticker Shock: Multiple Mileage Ratings
· Savings Will Lure Americans to Electric Cars
· Maine Gets Most Federal Biofuel Help of Any State
· Quincy Data Center Air Quality Permit Challenged
· Iowa - Waterloo City Council Asked to Help Telecom Firm
· Dots Don’t Connect for Faulty Maps Used to Sell Oregon Radio Network to Lawmakers
· Amazon: Web Problem Due to Hardware, Not Hackers
· Internet “Do Not Track” Could Revolutionize Online Ad Industry
· Qwest Changes Tune on Offering TV
· Net Neutrality Lobbying to Peak This Week
· Washington State Legislators Hack $700M from Budget in One-Day Special Session
· State Snags Money Meant for School Jobs
· Hundreds of Washington State Government Hires Since March Despite Freeze
· Leader of Influential Building Industry Association of Washington to Leave Post
· State Lawmaker Wants to Increase Transparency of PACs
· Congressional Membership - Size Matters, Lawsuit Says of US House
· City of Quincy Plans Internet-Based Meetings
· How Years of Overspending Drove Lynnwood Deep into the Red
· Highway 106 Closed due to Mudslides
· Record Rain Fell in Shelton Sunday
· Flood Warning Remains in Effect for Skokomish
· Washed-Out Road Cuts Off 200 People in Kitsap County
· River Locks Closure Means Gas Prices on the Rise
WORD OF THE DAY
Comity • \COMM-muht-tee\ • noun - Friendly civility: courtesy
“God rest ye comity gentlemen,” NO NO NO thought the unknown author “that makes it sound like a ‘Friar’s Roast’.”
SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Mason County PUD 3 Commission (expected) to Adopt 2011 Budget Tuesday Morning (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Rise of Bonneville Power Administration Power Costs Could Drive Up Rates (West Yellowstone News, MT)
Op/Ed – Energy Transmission: Bonneville Power Administration Should Do What’s Right (Longview Daily News, WA)
More Coal in Cowlitz County Commission Stockings? (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)
Kootenai Electric & Avista: Beware of Door-to-Door Sales in the Area (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)
Permit Process for Coal-Fired Plant in Kansas Draws Criticism (Kansas City Star, MO)
Court Green Lights Lawsuit Seeking to Open Yucca Nuclear Repository (Associated Press)
FISH & WILDLIFE
Olympic National Park Plans Party for Removal of Elwha River Dams - demolition expected to begin in September (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
Spring Chinook Forecast on Columbia River “Above Average” - Anglers can look forward to another fairly good Columbia River spring Chinook fishing season (Seattle Times)
Draft Environmental Assessment on Lake Trout Netting on Flathead Lake Delayed (Columbia Basin Bulletin)
California - Invasive Species Pose Threat to Human Health, Scientists Warn (Sacramento Bee, CA)
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Oregon - Bend Under Fire for Its Water Use (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
Why It’s Cool To Have a Fungus Among Us (USA Today)
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Port Angeles - Biomass Boiler Called Crucial to Way Nippon Mill Can Survive, Thrive in Future (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
Op/Ed - Protecting Sea Life: New Marine Reserves, Wave Energy a Bad Mix for Oregon (Oregonian, Portland)
Concerns About Eagles Stymie Billions of Dollars in Wind Farm Development (Associated Press)
New Mexico - Wind Power versus Vistas: Residents Want 3-Mile Setback for Utility-Scale Project (Santa Fe New Mexican, NM)
John Deere Sells Wind Power Business to Exelon (Electric Light & Power)
Solar vs. Trees Pits Neighbor Against Neighbor (iStock Analyst)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
How Much Coal Does It Take to Run a Light Bulb? (Midwest Energy News)
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI
Electric Vehicles May Bring New Sticker Shock: Multiple Mileage Ratings - How do you gauge fuel economy when there’s no gasoline? Government agencies can’t agree (Los Angeles Times, CA)
Savings Will Lure Americans to Electric Cars (National Public Radio)
Maine Gets Most Federal Biofuel Help of Any State (Bangor Daily News, ME)
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Quincy Data Center Air Quality Permit Challenged (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
Iowa - Waterloo City Council Asked to Help Telecom Firm (The Courier, Waterloo, IA)
Dots Don’t Connect for Faulty Maps Used to Sell Oregon Radio Network to Lawmakers (Oregonian, Portland)
Amazon: Web Problem Due to Hardware, Not Hackers (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
Internet “Do Not Track” Could Revolutionize Online Ad Industry (USA Today)
Qwest Changes Tune on Offering TV - Starts pushing politicians again for greased TV market entry (Broadband Reports)
Net Neutrality Lobbying to Peak This Week (Washington Post)
POLITICS & GOVERNANCE
Washington State Legislators Hack $700M from Budget in One-Day Special Session (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
State Snags Money Meant for School Jobs - $208 Million Deal Redirects Federal Funds (Olympian, WA)
Hundreds of Washington State Government Hires Since March Despite Freeze - Agencies routinely get permission to fill open positions (Olympian, WA)
Leader of Influential Building Industry Association of Washington to Leave Post (Associated Press)
State Lawmaker Wants to Increase Transparency of PACs (Associated Press)
Congressional Membership - Size Matters, Lawsuit Says of US House (USA Today)
City of Quincy Plans Internet-Based Meetings (Wenatchee World, WA)
How Years of Overspending Drove Lynnwood Deep into the Red (Everett Herald, WA)
GENERAL NEWS
Highway 106 Closed due to Mudslides (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Record Rain Fell in Shelton Sunday (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Flood Warning Remains in Effect for Skokomish (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Washed-Out Road Cuts Off 200 People in Kitsap County (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
River Locks Closure Means Gas Prices on the Rise (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
DIVERSIONS
‘Ship of the Line’ - Sailing to Fantasy & Back
Now Playing in a Sky Near You: Winter Meteor Show
Gender Neutral Bible Flops in the Tri-Cities
War over Christmas, et al - The Tinseling of the Lobby
SONG OF THE DAY
Poco - Crazy Love
