Friday, August 1, 2014

Energy News Digest for August 1, 2014


SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENERGY NEWS DIGEST

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

THE NEWS DIGEST TWITTER FEED

Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices:

THE NEWS DIGEST WORD CLOUD

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for August 1, 2014

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Oregon Thunderstorms Knock Out Power, Topple Trees (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

Avista Wants to Raise Idaho Electricity Rates (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Kittitas County PUD Needs Answers on Pot Farm Electricity - Questions about using power from federal projects (The Daily Record, Ellensburg, WA)

Arizona Utility Opposing Rooftop Solar Seeking to Provide Panels - The same utility that fought residential rooftop solar, now wants to sell it to its customers (Renewable Energy World)

Google Fiber in Hillsboro: City Reaches Agreement with Google to Locate ‘Huts’ on Public Property (Oregonian, Portland)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Oregon Thunderstorms Knock Out Power, Topple Trees
  • Avista Wants to Raise Idaho Electricity Rates
  • Kittitas County PUD Needs Answers on Pot Farm Electricity
  • BC Hydro Says Its Smart Meters Safe after Fires Force SaskPower to Pull Meters
  • California: Pacific Gas & Electric Shares Plunge as Investors Ponder New Criminal Charges over San Bruno Explosion
  • Oregon Terminal Developer Gets Blessing for Astoria Based Natural Gas Exports
  • Energy Boom Brings New Focus by States on Rail, Oil Pipeline Safety
  • Energy Northwest Team Raises $30,000 in Walk
  • Utilities Installing Bull’s-Eyes at Substations to Combat Frequent Attacks
  • Kentucky Lineman on the Job - Adorable Deer Cries When You Stop Petting Its Belly
  • Outdoors: Absence of Chinook a Mystery in Strait of Juan de Fuca
  • Thousands of Anchovies Wash Up in Seaside Oregon
  • Columnist: Only in Alaska - Flack for Mine Named Governor’s Fisheries Adviser
  • $11 Million Deal Struck to Conserve Colorado River Basin
  • Arizona Utility Opposing Rooftop Solar Seeking to Provide Panels
  • Renewable Energy: Hydroelectric Dominance is Water under the Bridge
  • Energy Efficiency Rebates under Scrutiny as Cost Effectiveness is Questioned
  • Reno Is Tesla’s First Choice as a Gigafactory Site - But Elon Musk Sets a High Price Tag
  • Electric Vehicles at the Tipping Point
  • Combined Heat & Brewing Power
  • Google Fiber in Hillsboro: City Reaches Agreement with Google to Locate ‘Huts’ on Public Property
  • Should Colleges Be Broadband Hubs for Their Communities?
  • Why You Should Set Up Your Own Community Fiber Network
  • Who Has the Biggest Cloud? By Year’s End, The Answer May Surprise You
  • Judge Upholds Demand for Microsoft’s Irish Data
  • Why These Startups Think Chat Apps Are the Next Big Thing in Workplace Collaboration
  • With Comic-Con as a Backdrop, Portland-Made App Aims to Take Us to Social Media 2.0
  • What Does This Emoji Really Mean?
  • A Twitter NFL Showdown - Fan versus Fan
  • Consumerist Friday Flickr Finds
  • Eric Cantor Resigns from U-S House, Will Leave in Mid-August
  • Marijuana Might Be Legal, But Washington Employers Can Still Prohibit Workers from Using It
  • The Economics of Legalized Marijuana
  • Editorial: Mixed Messages from White House Worsen the Marijuana Muddle
  • Lacey Mother Accused of Allowing Her Children to Abuse Puppy
WORD OF THE DAY

Homophone • \HOME-uh-fone\ • Noun - A word that is pronounced like another word but is different in meaning, origin, or spelling.

A homophone haiku

I chased your chaste love
Your love is a sweet dessert.
Dear don’t desert me.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Oregon Thunderstorms Knock Out Power, Topple Trees (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

Avista Wants to Raise Idaho Electricity Rates (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Kittitas County PUD Needs Answers on Pot Farm Electricity - Questions about using power from federal projects (The Daily Record, Ellensburg, WA)

BC Hydro Says Its Smart Meters Safe after Fires Force SaskPower to Pull Meters (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

California: Pacific Gas & Electric Shares Plunge as Investors Ponder New Criminal Charges over San Bruno Explosion (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Oregon Terminal Developer Gets Blessing for Astoria Based Natural Gas Exports (Northwest Public Radio)

Energy Boom Brings New Focus by States on Rail, Oil Pipeline Safety (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Energy Northwest Team Raises $30,000 in Walk (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Utilities Installing Bull’s-Eyes at Substations to Combat Frequent Attacks (SNL Financial)

Kentucky Lineman on the Job - Adorable Deer Cries When You Stop Petting Its Belly (TIME Magazine)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Outdoors: Absence of Chinook a Mystery in Strait of Juan de Fuca (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, Wa)

Thousands of Anchovies Wash Up in Seaside Oregon (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Columnist: Only in Alaska - Flack for Mine Named Governor’s Fisheries Adviser (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

$11 Million Deal Struck to Conserve Colorado River Basin (Associated Press)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Arizona Utility Opposing Rooftop Solar Seeking to Provide Panels - The same utility that fought residential rooftop solar, now wants to sell it to its customers (Renewable Energy World)

Renewable Energy: Hydroelectric Dominance is Water under the Bridge (Fuel Fix)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Energy Efficiency Rebates under Scrutiny as Cost Effectiveness is Questioned (Oregonian, Portland)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Reno Is Tesla’s First Choice as a Gigafactory Site - But Elon Musk Sets a High Price Tag (Forbes Magazine)

Electric Vehicles at the Tipping Point (Sustainable Business Oregon)

Combined Heat & Brewing Power - New Belgium Brewery leads Colorado’s craft brewers down the road to sustainability (Renewable Energy World)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Google Fiber in Hillsboro: City Reaches Agreement with Google to Locate ‘Huts’ on Public Property (Oregonian, Portland)

Should Colleges Be Broadband Hubs for Their Communities? (Government Executive)

Why You Should Set Up Your Own Community Fiber Network (Gizmodo)

Who Has the Biggest Cloud? By Year’s End, The Answer May Surprise You (GigaOM)

Judge Upholds Demand for Microsoft’s Irish Data (Courthouse News Service)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Why These Startups Think Chat Apps Are the Next Big Thing in Workplace Collaboration (GigaOM)

With Comic-Con as a Backdrop, Portland-Made App Aims to Take Us to Social Media 2.0 (Portland Business Journal, OR)

What Does This Emoji Really Mean? (Seattle Post Intelligencer, WA)
http://blog.seattlepi.com/techchron/2014/07/31/what-does-this-emoji-really-mean/

A Twitter NFL Showdown - Fan versus Fan (USA Today)

Consumerist Friday Flickr Finds (Consumerist)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Eric Cantor Resigns from U-S House, Will Leave in Mid-August (Associated Press)

GENERAL NEWS

Marijuana Might Be Legal, But Washington Employers Can Still Prohibit Workers from Using It (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

The Economics of Legalized Marijuana (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Editorial: Mixed Messages from White House Worsen the Marijuana Muddle (Sacramento Bee, CA)

Lacey Mother Accused of Allowing Her Children to Abuse Puppy (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

DIVERSIONS

Blogger Fired From Language School over ‘Homophonia’

Portland Flushes Outdoor Toilet Business

‘Fire Challenge’ Fad Growing in Popularity with Teens

Cats Overrun New York Island. Lord of the Fleas?

SONG OF THE DAY

Bruce Springsteen - I'm on Fire

Mumford & Sons - I'm on Fire

John Mayer - I'm on Fire

Tori Amos - I'm on Fire

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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.

Note that as some newspapers migrate to a “paywall” system of access, some articles may not be available without forking over some cold hard credit card cash. However, some sites will allow a certain number of story accesses per month before holding out their hand. Sorry if this is an inconvenience.