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.
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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
Washington Gets Tenth Congressional Seat as Population Grows (Seattle Times)
What’s Driving Gas Prices Higher? (Kansas City Star, MO)
Lewis County - Major Permit Issued for $250 Million Doty Area Wind Farm (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)
Company Wins Bid to Splice Chelan PUD Fiber Optics (Wenatchee World, WA)
Bonneville Power Administration Lobbying for Relief from Fish & Wildlife Restraints (Magic Valley News, Twin Falls, ID)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
· Audit Questions Pacific Gas & Electric Gas Line Inspections
· Snoqualmie Falls Plant No. 2: Restoring a Renewable Resource
· Poll: 19 Percent of Consumers Have a High Opinion of Their Utility
· Constellation Energy Chairman, COO Retires
· Bonneville Power Administration Lobbying for Relief from Fish & Wildlife Restraints
· Cheaper Way to Find Spotted Owls: Dogs?
· Salmon Projects Funded in Skamania, Clark Counties
· Lewis County - Major Permit Issued for $250 Million Doty Area Wind Farm
· Sea Breeze & Bonneville - Wind Diversity Study Lays Foundation for Greater US-Canada Collaboration on Renewable Energy Projects
· BLM: Wind Development Okay on Public Land
· Editorial - Renewables & Rate Hikes
· Editorial - A Loud Chorus on Biomass
· California - Forest Service Study Suggests Yreka Biomass Feasible
· Georgia Power Moves Forward on Plans to Covert Coal Plant to Biomass
· New Hampshire - Wood-Burning Power Plant Fined for Pollution
· Geothermal Heating & Cooling Systems Help Tame Energy Bill
· Last Potential Barrier to Implementation of EPA Climate Rules Falls
· Google Project Keeping an Eye on Environment
· Visions of Emissions Trading Fading in Puff of Smoke
· Op/Ed - Should Washington State be a Resource Colony or Clean-Energy Leader?
· More Ethanol Not So Good for All Engines
· Couple Makes Cross-Country Trip Fueled by Vegetable Oil
· Company Wins Bid to Splice Chelan PUD Fiber Optics
· Oregon - Pendleton’s Chances for Data Center Shy on Power
· Divided FCC Adopts Rules to Protect Web Traffic
· Washington Gets Tenth Congressional Seat as Population Grows
· Officials Agree: Ferry Fares Can’t be Raised without Lawmaker Vote
· Olympia City Councilwoman Karen Rogers’ Community Meetings Under Fire
· Nick Handy Retiring as State Elections Director
· Belfair Man Suspected of Robbing Port Orchard Credit Union
· City of Shelton Adopts 2011 Budget with No Cuts to Police
· To Replace Reception Center at Shelton - Senator Wants to Turn Maple Lane into Prison Processing Center
· Fall Had It All, But Winter Offers Rain, Rain & Rain
· What’s Driving Gas Prices Higher?
· Nativity Scene Gets OK at Washington State Capitol
· REI to Open Olympia Store This Spring
WORD OF THE DAY
Ekphrasis • \EK-fruh-sis\ • Noun - A literary description of or commentary on a visual work of art
“Lay-dees and Genn-tell-men,” howled the side show barker. “ Through the magic of ekphrasis, the ancient art of mind-pictures, the amazing Bartholemew will take you on a tour of the FAY-MOSS Loooover museum of gay Pair-EEE...using only the power of his voice…and the sorcery of your very own inward looking eye you will see the works of masters past and present. Now, give me your five bucks, close your eyes, and we shall begin…”
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Audit Questions Pacific Gas & Electric Gas Line Inspections (San Francisco Business Times)
Snoqualmie Falls Plant No. 2: Restoring a Renewable Resource (Renewable Energy World)
Poll: 19 Percent of Consumers Have a High Opinion of Their Utility (Electric Light & Power)
Constellation Energy Chairman, COO Retires (Electric Light & Power)
FISH & WILDLIFE
Bonneville Power Administration Lobbying for Relief from Fish & Wildlife Restraints (Magic Valley News, Twin Falls, ID)
Cheaper Way to Find Spotted Owls: Dogs? (Oregon Public Radio)
Salmon Projects Funded in Skamania, Clark Counties (Vancouver Columbian, WA)
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Lewis County - Major Permit Issued for $250 Million Doty Area Wind Farm (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)
Sea Breeze & Bonneville - Wind Diversity Study Lays Foundation for Greater US-Canada Collaboration on Renewable Energy Projects (Renewable Energy Magazine)
BLM: Wind Development Okay on Public Land (Sustainable Business Oregon)
Editorial - Renewables & Rate Hikes (Midwest Energy News)
Editorial - A Loud Chorus on Biomass (Baker City Herald, OR)
California - Forest Service Study Suggests Yreka Biomass Feasible (Siskiyou Daily News, Yreka, CA)
Georgia Power Moves Forward on Plans to Covert Coal Plant to Biomass (WGST Radio, Atlanta, GA)
New Hampshire - Wood-Burning Power Plant Fined for Pollution (Nashua Telegraph, NH)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
Geothermal Heating & Cooling Systems Help Tame Energy Bill - Despite federal subsidy, idea isn’t taking hold in Inland Northwest (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Last Potential Barrier to Implementation of EPA Climate Rules Falls (NY Times)
Google Project Keeping an Eye on Environment (Sioux Falls Argus-Leader, SD)
Visions of Emissions Trading Fading in Puff of Smoke (Globe & Mail, Canada)
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI
Op/Ed - Should Washington State be a Resource Colony or Clean-Energy Leader? (Seattle Times)
More Ethanol Not So Good for All Engines (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
Couple Makes Cross-Country Trip Fueled by Vegetable Oil (Longview Daily News, WA)
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Company Wins Bid to Splice Chelan PUD Fiber Optics (Wenatchee World, WA)
Oregon - Pendleton’s Chances for Data Center Shy on Power (Associated Press)
Divided FCC Adopts Rules to Protect Web Traffic (Associated Press)
POLITICS & GOVERNANCE
Washington Gets Tenth Congressional Seat as Population Grows (Seattle Times)
Officials Agree: Ferry Fares Can’t be Raised without Lawmaker Vote (KING-TV, Seattle)
Olympia City Councilwoman Karen Rogers’ Community Meetings Under Fire - Some express concern over use of city staff & website for councilwoman’s meetings (Olympian, WA)
Nick Handy Retiring as State Elections Director (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
GENERAL NEWS
Belfair Man Suspected of Robbing Port Orchard Credit Union (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
City of Shelton Adopts 2011 Budget with No Cuts to Police (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
To Replace Reception Center at Shelton - Senator Wants to Turn Maple Lane into Prison Processing Center (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
Fall Had It All, But Winter Offers Rain, Rain & Rain (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
What’s Driving Gas Prices Higher? (Kansas City Star, MO)
Nativity Scene Gets OK at Washington State Capitol (Olympian, WA)
REI to Open Olympia Store This Spring (Olympian, WA)
DIVERSIONS
Court Won’t Protect Trademarking of Chocolate Bunnies - Bunnies, mice & reindeer aren’t protected species when they’re made of chocolate, a European Union court ruled Friday.
Japan Bio-Scientists Produce ‘Singing Mouse’
America’s Last Sleigh Bell Maker Finds Success in Modern Age
SONG OF THE DAY
Loggins & Messina - House at Pooh Corner
