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
Rain, Rain, and Then Snow in the Forecast (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
Longview Coal Terminal Opponents Grill Montana Governor at Cowlitz County Commissioners’ Meeting (Longview Daily News, WA)
Wind Turbines Blow Out Cash for Schools (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
Nearly 50 House Republicans Offer Bill to Block EPA Climate Rules (The Hill)
NOAA Fisheries Service Proposes Habitat Protection for Pacific Smelt (Associated Press)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
· Longview Coal Terminal Opponents Grill Montana Governor at Cowlitz County Commissioners’ Meeting
· Seattle City Light Finds Nine More Shock Hazards
· Spokane - SNAP Expecting Federal Aid for Energy Assistance: 4,000 More Households to Receive Help
· California – Pacific Gas & Electric to Ignore Marin County Moratorium on Smart Meters
· Doc Hastings at a Crossroads on Energy
· Oregon - Kulongoski & Kroger at Standoff on Probe Involving State Energy Officials
· Oregon - Emerald PUD Board Adopts Four-Day Week
· Snohomish PUD Awards Local School District with Mini Grants for Science Projects
· Douglas PUD Names New Officers
· Seattle Public Utilities Service Now Offered in Multiple Languages
· Feds Put Nation’s Pipeline Operators on Notice
· U.S. Nuclear Output Little Changed as Illinois Reactor Slows
· Uranium Mill in Colorado Gets License
· Canada - Alleged Dangers of Power Towers at Issue
· NOAA Fisheries Service Proposes Habitat Protection for Pacific Smelt
· Hatchery-Steelhead Fishing Better Than in Recent Years
· Let Them Run - Protecting Canadian Salmon Runs Could Benefit Parks & Communities
· Hundreds More Birds Found Dead in Western Kentucky - Tests Rule Out Diseases, Poison
· Wind Turbines Blow Out Cash for Schools
· Op/Ed - Scenic Area Is No Place for Wind Turbines
· Maryland - Offshore Wind Isn’t the Cheapest or Most Reliable Green Energy
· Illinois - Clayton Enacts Permanent Wind Energy Development Restrictions within 1.5 Miles of Town
· SoloPower Proposes 500 Oregon Jobs
· With Solar Power, It’s Green vs. Green
· California - Why Not Solar Power in the Desert? Here’s Why
· Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Project Pushes Energy Efficiency
· Coming Soon: Net-Connected Ovens, Washing Machines & More
· Five Myths about Green Building
· China Improves Energy Efficiency 20 Percent in Five Years
· Nearly 50 House Republicans Offer Bill to Block EPA Climate Rules
· Climate Lens: Politics, Hype, & Science
· Oregon - Clearing the Air: Oakridge Residents Get Help Reducing Wood Stove Pollution
· GM-Powermat Deal Turns Cars into Cordless Chargers
· Nashville Utility Maps Likely Buyers of Electric Cars
· Green Power for the Empire State Building
· Oregon & Washington - Frontier Plans Massive FiOS Cable TV Rate Hike
· Court Gives Google another Shot at Federal Contract Won by Microsoft
· MySpace Poised for Massive Layoffs
· AT&T on Track with New High-Speed Network in 2011
· Consumers Not Quite Clear on What 4G Means
· Broadband over Power Line Trial in United Kingdom
· Gregoire Wants New Education Department; School’s Chief Not Happy
· New Washington State Transportation Tax?
· Tweets, Facebook Posts Straddle Fine Line for Public Servants
· Pension Fund Losses Hit States Hard, Data Show
· Mason County Elected Officials to Meet with Legislative & Congressional Reps Today
· Washington State Senator Linda Parlette on Budget Committee
· Rain, Rain, and Then Snow in the Forecast
· Change in Weather Brings End to Thurston County Burn Ban
· Kitsap County Tree Cutter Plunges to Death When Harness Malfunctions
· Thieves Swipe 3,100-Pound Propeller, But Not for Long
· Dick Pust, Longtime Voice of KGY, Leaves Station amid Financial Restructuring
WORD OF THE DAY
Eavesdrop • \EEVES-drop\ • Verb - To listen secretly to what is said in private
The arched roof of the 1800 era US House chambers in Washington, DC provided at one time a secret way for opposing Congressmen to hear the nefarious plotting of their counterparts. “This is a most excellent spot for eavesdropping,” mused Congressman John Quincy Adams of Massachusetts, as he leaned back in his creaking, wooden chair. “The whispered conversations bounce most effectively off the ceiling, directly to my desk in this esteemed chamber.”
From Merriam Webster: Originally this word had nothing to do with snooping. Eavesdrop started off literally: first it referred to the water that fell from the eaves of a house, then it came to mean the ground where that water fell. Eventually, eavesdropper described someone who stood within the eavesdrop of a house to overhear a conversation inside. Over time, the word obtained its current meaning: “to listen secretly to what is said in private.”
SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Longview Coal Terminal Opponents Grill Montana Governor at Cowlitz County Commissioners’ Meeting (Longview Daily News, WA)
Seattle City Light Finds Nine More Shock Hazards (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
Spokane - SNAP Expecting Federal Aid for Energy Assistance: 4,000 More Households to Receive Help (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
California – Pacific Gas & Electric to Ignore Marin County Moratorium on Smart Meters (SF Chronicle)
Doc Hastings at a Crossroads on Energy “…The end goal…is for Interior to support an ‘all-of-the-above’ plan that maximizes U.S. energy production from coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear plants and — when not supported by new mandates or subsidies — renewables sources such as wind & the sun (Politico)
Oregon - Kulongoski & Kroger at Standoff on Probe Involving State Energy Officials (Oregonian, Portland)
Oregon - Emerald PUD Board Adopts Four-Day Week (Creswell Chronicle, OR)
Snohomish PUD Awards Local School District with Mini Grants for Science Projects (Mukilteo Beacon, WA)
Douglas PUD Names New Officers (Wenatchee World, WA)
Seattle Public Utilities Service Now Offered in Multiple Languages (Seattle Times)
Feds Put Nation’s Pipeline Operators on Notice (SF Chronicle)
U.S. Nuclear Output Little Changed as Illinois Reactor Slows (Bloomberg News)
Uranium Mill in Colorado Gets License (NY Times)
Canada - Alleged Dangers of Power Towers at Issue (Courthouse News Service)
FISH & WILDLIFE
NOAA Fisheries Service Proposes Habitat Protection for Pacific Smelt (Associated Press)
Hatchery-Steelhead Fishing Better Than in Recent Years (Seattle Times)
Let Them Run - Protecting Canadian Salmon Runs Could Benefit Parks & Communities (Conservation Magazine)
Hundreds More Birds Found Dead in Western Kentucky - Tests Rule Out Diseases, Poison (KIRO TV, Seattle)
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Wind Turbines Blow Out Cash for Schools (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
Op/Ed - Scenic Area Is No Place for Wind Turbines (Examiner.Com)
Maryland - Offshore Wind Isn’t the Cheapest or Most Reliable Green Energy (Baltimore Sun, MD)
Illinois - Clayton Enacts Permanent Wind Energy Development Restrictions within 1.5 Miles of Town (Quincy Herald Whig, IL)
SoloPower Proposes 500 Oregon Jobs (Sustainable Business Oregon)
With Solar Power, It’s Green vs. Green (Sharenet)
California - Why Not Solar Power in the Desert? Here’s Why (San Diego Union-Tribune, CA)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Project Pushes Energy Efficiency (Tri-City Herald, WA)
Coming Soon: Net-Connected Ovens, Washing Machines & More (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
Five Myths about Green Building (The Tyee, Canada)
China Improves Energy Efficiency 20 Percent in Five Years (Associated Press)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Nearly 50 House Republicans Offer Bill to Block EPA Climate Rules (The Hill)
Climate Lens: Politics, Hype, & Science (Washington Post)
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI
Oregon - Clearing the Air: Oakridge Residents Get Help Reducing Wood Stove Pollution (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)
GM-Powermat Deal Turns Cars into Cordless Chargers (USA Today)
Nashville Utility Maps Likely Buyers of Electric Cars (Associated Press)
Green Power for the Empire State Building (NY Times)
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Oregon & Washington - Frontier Plans Massive FiOS Cable TV Rate Hike (Oregonian, Portland)
Court Gives Google another Shot at Federal Contract Won by Microsoft (Associated Press)
MySpace Poised for Massive Layoffs (Los Angeles Times, CA)
AT&T on Track with New High-Speed Network in 2011 (SF Chronicle)
Consumers Not Quite Clear on What 4G Means (GigaOM)
Broadband over Power Line Trial in United Kingdom - Companies claim 200 Mbps connectivity; that isn’t (Broadband Reports)
POLITICS & GOVERNANCE
Gregoire Wants New Education Department; School’s Chief Not Happy (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
New Washington State Transportation Tax? Voters may be asked for more
State leaders discuss possibility of November ballot measure (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
Tweets, Facebook Posts Straddle Fine Line for Public Servants (KING-TV, Seattle)
Pension Fund Losses Hit States Hard, Data Show (NY Times)
Mason County Elected Officials to Meet with Legislative & Congressional Reps Today (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Washington State Senator Linda Parlette on Budget Committee (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)
GENERAL NEWS
Rain, Rain, and Then Snow in the Forecast (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
Change in Weather Brings End to Thurston County Burn Ban (Olympian, WA)
Kitsap County Tree Cutter Plunges to Death When Harness Malfunctions (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
Thieves Swipe 3,100-Pound Propeller, But Not for Long (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
Dick Pust, Longtime Voice of KGY, Leaves Station amid Financial Restructuring (Olympian, WA)
DIVERSIONS
Starbucks Gives Logo a New Look
Chaser the Border Collie: The Smartest Dog in the World? (Time Magazine)
What Your Gait Says About Length of Your Life
You Should Definitely Buy Cameron’s House from “Ferris Bueller”
Marni Nixon: Hollywood’s Voice ‘Ghost’
SONG OF THE DAY
Nat King Cole Trio - You’re the Cream in My Coffee
