Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Energy News Digest for October 13, 2015

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for October 13, 2015

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Water Rights Pit Growth against Rivers (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

Three Priest Rapids Dam Workers Still Hospitalized (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

Has Renewable Energy Hit Hard Times? (Christian Science Monitor)

DOE: Climate Change Poses a Threat to Grid Resiliency (Utility Dive)

Lower Gas Prices Means No Social Security Increase Next Year (Associated Press)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Three Priest Rapids Dam Workers Still Hospitalized
  • Electricity Groups Ask FERC to Issue Order Clarifying New Energy Market in the Pacific Northwest
  • British Columbia: BC Hydro on the Lookout for Drought-Damaged Trees
  • Early Alaska Snow Knocks Out Co-op Power
  • Pacific Gas & Electric PG&E Urges Safe Digging Practices as Customers Rush to Complete Outdoor Projects before Storm Season
  • America’s Newest Nuke Plant Shows Why Nuclear Power is Dying in the U-S
  • How ‘Grid Neutrality’ Can Build the Backbone for the Modern Grid
  • Warm Springs Salmon Program Monitors Spawning Nests
  • Chesapeake Crabbers Face Changing Workforce, Murky Future
  • Water Rights Pit Growth against Rivers
  • Evidence Mounts for El Niño That Could Ease California Drought
  • A Culture of Nagging Helps California Save Water
  • Has Renewable Energy Hit Hard Times?
  • Big Utilities Enter Market for Small Rooftop Solar
  • Clean Energy Collective Debuts Program to Enable Investor Owned Utilities to Rate Base Community Solar
  • Customer Ownership in Community Solar Could Mean More Savings
  • Montana Wind Gusts Topple Wind Turbine – Local Damage Reports Surprisingly Low
  • Mason County Considers Limiting Pot Shops
  • DOE: Climate Change Poses a Threat to Grid Resiliency
  • Report: Utilities Don’t Plan to Join Fight against EPA’s Clean Power Plan
  • Comcast Tests Program That Proactively Calls Customers to Fix Problems
  • It’s Not Just Twitter: Snapchat Is Laying Off Workers, Too
  • Facebook Tests Shopping Section
  • Twitter Removes Accounts over Sharing of Sports Videos
  • Lower Gas Prices Means No Social Security Increase Next Year
  • Court Orders Restitution from Mason County Man Who Altered River’s Course
  • Here’s More Fallout from the Mild Winter – Rats
  • Steve Sarkisian, Former UW Coach, Fired from Job as USC Football Coach
  • Belfair Snowboard Company Will Stick to Making Wax Manufacturing
  • Canada: Vancouver Renters Being Squeezed Out by Landlords’ ‘Renovictions’
WORD OF THE DAY

Modus Operandi • \MOE-dus opp-er-RAND-ee\ • Noun – A method of procedure; especially: a distinct pattern or method of operation that indicates or suggests the work of a single criminal in more than one crime

“No gentlemen, we are not dealing with a crazed criminal here,” purred Detective Poirot as he absentmindedly stroked his moustache. “What we have here is a person who is so fixed in their modus operandi that they would not change their ways even if confronted with the most secure lock box in the world.” “Non, mon ami, your lunches have not been stolen by a wayward squirrel, crazed dog, or even a trained capuchin monkey…they have been stolen by only one person….your copy repairman: Rick!” (Insert surprised gasp here)

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Three Priest Rapids Dam Workers Still Hospitalized (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

Electricity Groups Ask FERC to Issue Order Clarifying New Energy Market in the Pacific Northwest (American Public Power Association)

British Columbia: BC Hydro on the Lookout for Drought-Damaged Trees (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

Early Alaska Snow Knocks Out Co-op Power (Electric Co-op Today)

Pacific Gas & Electric PG&E Urges Safe Digging Practices as Customers Rush to Complete Outdoor Projects before Storm Season (PG&E Currents)

America’s Newest Nuke Plant Shows Why Nuclear Power is Dying in the U-S (Los Angeles Times, CA)

How ‘Grid Neutrality’ Can Build the Backbone for the Modern Grid (Utility Dive)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Warm Springs Salmon Program Monitors Spawning Nests (Oregonian, Portland)

Chesapeake Crabbers Face Changing Workforce, Murky Future (Reuters)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Water Rights Pit Growth against Rivers (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

Evidence Mounts for El Niño That Could Ease California Drought (Associated Press)

A Culture of Nagging Helps California Save Water (NY Times)

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Has Renewable Energy Hit Hard Times? (Christian Science Monitor)

Big Utilities Enter Market for Small Rooftop Solar (Associated Press)

Clean Energy Collective Debuts Program to Enable Investor Owned Utilities to Rate Base Community Solar (Utility Dive)

Customer Ownership in Community Solar Could Mean More Savings (American Public Power Association)

Montana Wind Gusts Topple Wind Turbine – Local Damage Reports Surprisingly Low (Billings Gazette, MT)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

Mason County Considers Limiting Pot Shops (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

DOE: Climate Change Poses a Threat to Grid Resiliency (Utility Dive)

Report: Utilities Don’t Plan to Join Fight against EPA’s Clean Power Plan (Utility Dive)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Comcast Tests Program That Proactively Calls Customers to Fix Problems (Consumerist)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

It’s Not Just Twitter: Snapchat Is Laying Off Workers, Too (Washington Post)

Facebook Tests Shopping Section (Triangle Business Journal, NC)

Twitter Removes Accounts over Sharing of Sports Videos (NY Times)

GENERAL NEWS

Lower Gas Prices Means No Social Security Increase Next Year (Associated Press)

Court Orders Restitution from Mason County Man Who Altered River’s Course (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

Here’s More Fallout from the Mild Winter – Rats (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

Steve Sarkisian, Former UW Coach, Fired from Job as USC Football Coach (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

Belfair Snowboard Company Will Stick to Making Wax Manufacturing (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA – Paywall Advisory)

Canada: Vancouver Renters Being Squeezed Out by Landlords’ ‘Renovictions’ (Globe & Mail, Canada)

DIVERSIONS

Woman Live Streams Herself Drunk Driving on Periscope

There He Goes Again: Pleasant Hill Farmer Wins another World Championship for Weightiest Pumpkin

A Little “Onion” Satire for Tuesday: Beaver Overthinking Dam

Americans Are Expected to Spend $6.9 Billion on Halloween This Year

SONG OF THE DAY

Frank Sinatra - High Hopes

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their websites 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.