Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Energy News Digest for March 3, 2015

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for March 3, 2015

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Ex-Puget Sound Energy Employee Charged in Theft of $32,000 in Copper Wire (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA - Paywall Advisory)

Labour Group Objects to BC Hydro’s Plan for Non-Union Peace River Dam Workforce (Globe & Mail, Canada)

What Happens When a Solar Eclipse Takes 30GW of Solar Off-Line? (The Energy Collective)

Strong Runs of Columbia River Chinook Projected (KVEW-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

Sale of Longview Simpson Mill to Interfor Corporation Finalized (Longview Daily News, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  1. Ex-Puget Sound Energy Employee Charged in Theft of $32,000 in Copper Wire
  2. Labour Group Objects to BC Hydro’s Plan for Non-Union Peace River Dam Workforce
  3. Greens Fight Giant Pacific Northwest Oil Terminal on Columbia River
  4. Mason PUD 3 Engineer – From Shelton, CT to Shelton, WA, Mark is Saving Lives
  5. Grays Harbor Power Outages Down in 2014
  6. Past Tense Oregon: Oregon’s Post-War Economy Directly Tied to Columbia River Dams
  7. Utility Says Latest Delays to Georgia Nuclear Plant to Cost Additional $1 Billion
  8. Outage Safety – A Wilsonville Company’s Quest to Keep the (Traffic) Lights On
  9. Strong Runs of Columbia River Chinook Projected
  10. California Drought: State to Boost Water Deliveries after Feds Pull Back
  11. What Happens When a Solar Eclipse Takes 30GW of Solar Off-Line?
  12. Editorial: Wind Farm Tax System Seems to be Flawed
  13. Commentary: Ericksen’s Bill Would Gut Energy Act under the Guise of Climate Action
  14. Rollback of renewable-energy standards dies in Colorado Legislature
  15. Oregon House Republicans Float Clean Fuels Alternative that Would Gut Energy Trust Budget
  16. Day-Tripping Pot-Tour Startups See Wine-Industry Future
  17. Two Headlines Perfectly Sum Up Everything Wrong with American Drug Policy
  18. Oregon’s Legal Pot May Mean Drug Dog No Longer with the Force
  19. February Was One of the Most Bipolar Months in U-S Weather History
  20. Seeds of War – Global Warming Helped Trigger Syria’s Bloody Civil War
  21. How an Oregon Forest is Helping Chevy Meet Its Carbon Goals
  22. Seattle is Third – How Portland Compares to Detroit for Electric Vehicles
  23. Tax Breaks for Google Fiber, Comcast & Data Centers Sail through Oregon Senate
  24. After Net Neutrality Vote, Wheeler Turns to Salesmanship
  25. N Carolina: U-S Senator Moves to Overturn FCC Ruling on Local Broadband
  26. Telemedicine Making Sense for More Doctors & Patients
  27. Google, Facebook Give Updates on Contrasting Plans to Connect Rest of World
  28. Wi-Fi Everywhere May Let You Roam Free from Your Mobile Carrier
  29. ‘Puzzling’ Stickers Found at School Revealed to be Marketing Stunt
  30. Sixteen Ways to Use Social Media to Promote Your Event
  31. Washington Lt. Governor Tosses Two-Thirds Rule for ‘New’ Taxes
  32. Washington State Senate Passes $15 Billion Transportation Package, Gas Tax Hike
  33. Sale of Longview Simpson Mill to Interfor Corporation Finalized
  34. Environmental Groups Sue Port of Seattle over Shell Oil Fleet
  35. North Mason’s Faith in Action is Taking Action on New Senior Center
  36. Police: Thieves Preyed on Seahawks Fans during Playoff Game
  37. Homeless Man Caught Stealing $10,000 in Radio Broadcasting Equipment
WORD OF THE DAY

Tu Quoque • \TOO-KWOH-kwee\ • Noun - A retort charging an adversary with being or doing what he or she criticizes in others

“Golly,” exclaimed the fresh-faced liberal arts college student, “writing these environmentalist pamphlets to educate our brethren about the dangers of wood-fired power plants almost Thoreauesque!” The subtle tu quoque of the wool-clad group was lost them as they huddled close to the crackling, open-hearth wood fire for warmth in their off-grid house.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Ex-Puget Sound Energy Employee Charged in Theft of $32,000 in Copper Wire (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA - Paywall Advisory)

Labour Group Objects to BC Hydro’s Plan for Non-Union Peace River Dam Workforce (Globe & Mail, Canada)

Greens Fight Giant Pacific Northwest Oil Terminal on Columbia River (Courthouse News Service)

From Shelton, CT to Shelton, WA, Mark is Saving Lives (BloodWorks NW – One of Mason PUD 3’s engineers gets kudos!)

Grays Harbor Power Outages Down in 2014 (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

Past Tense Oregon: Oregon’s Post-War Economy Directly Tied to Columbia River Dams (Oregonian, Portland)

Utility Says Latest Delays to Georgia Nuclear Plant to Cost Additional $1 Billion (Charlotte Business Journal, NC)

Outage Safety – A Wilsonville Company’s Quest to Keep the (Traffic) Lights On (Portland Business Journal, OR)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Strong Runs of Columbia River Chinook Projected (KVEW-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

California Drought: State to Boost Water Deliveries after Feds Pull Back (SF Chronicle)

RENEWABLE ENERGY

What Happens When a Solar Eclipse Takes 30GW of Solar Off-Line? (The Energy Collective)

Editorial: Wind Farm Tax System Seems to be Flawed (Ellensburg Daily Record, WA)

Commentary: Ericksen’s Bill Would Gut Energy Act under the Guise of Climate Action (The Political Junkie)

Rollback of renewable-energy standards dies in Colorado Legislature (Denver Business Journal)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Oregon House Republicans Float Clean Fuels Alternative that Would Gut Energy Trust Budget (Portland Business Journal, OR)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

Day-Tripping Pot-Tour Startups See Wine-Industry Future (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

Two Headlines Perfectly Sum Up Everything Wrong with American Drug Policy (Washington Post)

Oregon’s Legal Pot May Mean Drug Dog No Longer with the Force (Associated Press)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

February Was One of the Most Bipolar Months in U-S Weather History (Mashable)

Seeds of War – Global Warming Helped Trigger Syria’s Bloody Civil War (Mashable)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

How an Oregon Forest is Helping Chevy Meet Its Carbon Goals (Portland Business Journal, OR)

Seattle is Third – How Portland Compares to Detroit for Electric Vehicles (Portland Business Journal, OR)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Tax Breaks for Google Fiber, Comcast & Data Centers Sail through Oregon Senate (Oregonian, Portland)

After Net Neutrality Vote, Wheeler Turns to Salesmanship (NY Times)

N Carolina: U-S Senator Moves to Overturn FCC Ruling on Local Broadband (Charlotte News & Observer, NC)

Telemedicine Making Sense for More Doctors & Patients (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

Google, Facebook Give Updates on Contrasting Plans to Connect Rest of World (Associated Press)

Wi-Fi Everywhere May Let You Roam Free from Your Mobile Carrier (National Public Radio)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

‘Puzzling’ Stickers Found at School Revealed to be Marketing Stunt (KATU-TV, Portland, OR)

Sixteen Ways to Use Social Media to Promote Your Event (Social Media Examiner)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington Lt. Governor Tosses Two-Thirds Rule for ‘New’ Taxes (Northwest Public Radio)

Washington State Senate Passes $15 Billion Transportation Package, Gas Tax Hike (Associated Press)

GENERAL NEWS

Sale of Longview Simpson Mill to Interfor Corporation Finalized (Longview Daily News, WA)

Environmental Groups Sue Port of Seattle over Shell Oil Fleet (Reuters)

North Mason’s Faith in Action is Taking Action on New Senior Center (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA – Paywall Advisory)

Police: Thieves Preyed on Seahawks Fans during Playoff Game (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)

Homeless Man Caught Stealing $10,000 in Radio Broadcasting Equipment (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

DIVERSIONS

Here’s a Photo of a Weasel Riding a Woodpecker

Canadians Paying Tribute to Leonard Nimoy by “Spocking” Their Currency

DEA Agent Says Legalizing Medical Marijuana in Utah Will Lead to Stoned Rabbits

Sequim Radio Station’s “Classy” Bob Massey – Possibly Oldest Active Announcer – To Have 90th Birthday Celebrated Monday

SONG OF THE DAY

Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit

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.