Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Energy News Digest for August 3, 2016

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Mason County – August 2, 2016 Primary (Mason County Elections)

Pacific Gas & Electric Trial: Prosecution Unexpectedly Drops Maximum Potential Penalty to $6 Million (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Municipal Broadband Advocates Say Comcast Lawsuit Proves Need for Public Internet Service (Geekwire)

Chelan PUD’s Diesel Switch Could Have Global Impacts (Wenatchee World, WA – Paywall Advisory)

City of Shelton Leaders Introduce New Administrator (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Pacific Gas & Electric Trial: Prosecution Unexpectedly Drops Maximum Potential Penalty to $6 Million
  • Washington Fire Crews Fight to Keep Buffer between Wildfire, Columbia Generating Station
  • Benton PUD May Increase Rates by 4.9%
  • CAISO: Energy Imbalance Market Showed $23.6 Million in Benefits for the Second Quarter
  • WSU Nuclear Reactor Program Draws Students, Researchers, & Tourists
  • Several Nonpowered Dams along the Ohio River to be Converted to Hydroelectric Dams in 2016
  • Filling the Void: How Utilities Can Embrace Diversity in an Evolving Workforce
  • Canada: Okanagan Kokanee Salmon Spawning Early this Year
  • The Oyster’s Mighty Comeback is Creating Cleaner U-S Waterways
  • Port Angeles Reverses Course on Fluoride
  • California: Sacramento Poised to Scrap Lowest Bidder Requirement in Troubled Water Meter Project 
  • Op/ED: 10 Reasons Why We Love Community Solar
  • Group Hits Back at Trump after He Says Wind Power ‘Kills All Your Birds’
  • A Malfunctioning, Flaming Wind Turbine is Actually Quite Beautiful
  • Cannabis to be Displayed & Judged at Oregon State Fair
  • Two Consultants Charged in South Dakota Tribal Pot Operation
  • Quiz: Do Your Neighbors Think You’re Running a Marijuana Operation?
  • Chelan PUD’s Diesel Switch Could Have Global Impacts
  • Pacific Gas & Electric’s Electric Vehicle Charging Plan Still Angers Industry Players – Here’s Their Alternative
  • U-S Should Probe Price Spike in Biofuels Credits: Ethanol Group
  • Municipal Broadband Advocates Say Comcast Lawsuit Proves Need for Public Internet Service
  • Comcast: Consumers Are Harmed if We Don’t Get to Charge Extra for Privacy
  • Hackers Steal $72 Million in Bitcoin from Hong Kong Exchange
  • Frontier Promising 50 Mbps Upgrades after Bungled Verizon Deal
  • Can Two Internet Relics Become Relevant?
  • Amazon May Soon Occupy Enough Seattle Office Space to Fill Eight Columbia Towers
  • Op/Ed: Utilities, Want to Engage Your Customers? There’s an App for That
  • Inside Facebook’s ‘Area 404’ Idea Factory
  • Oil & Gas Group Tries to Win over Millennials with Questionable Fracking Memes
  • McDonald’s Accused of Copying Animator’s Work for Ad Featuring Dancing Cows
  • Mason County – August 2, 2016 Primary
  • Gov. Inslee, Democrat, Will Face Republican Bill Bryant in November
  • Statewide August 2, 2016 Primary Results
  • City of Shelton Leaders Introduce New Administrator
  • Goins Resigns as Shelton Community-Economic Development Director
  • Range 12 Fire 60% Contained, 176,600 Acres of Yakima, Benton Counties Scorched
  • Starbucks Recalls Stainless-Steel Straws on Reports of Cuts
WORD OF THE DAY

Puckish • \PUCK-ish\ • adjective – Impish, whimsical

It was an ironic twist; the former hockey player had retired from the game to become a commentator for the Montreal Canadiens. It was there that he became well known for his “puckish” sense of humour.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Pacific Gas & Electric Trial: Prosecution Unexpectedly Drops Maximum Potential Penalty to $6 Million (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Washington Fire Crews Fight to Keep Buffer between Wildfire, Columbia Generating Station (Northwest Public Radio)

Benton PUD May Increase Rates by 4.9% (KNDO/KNDU-TV, Tri Cities, WA)

CAISO: Energy Imbalance Market Showed $23.6 Million in Benefits for the Second Quarter (Utility Dive)

WSU Nuclear Reactor Program Draws Students, Researchers, & Tourists (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Several Nonpowered Dams along the Ohio River to be Converted to Hydroelectric Dams in 2016 (The Energy Collective)

Filling the Void: How Utilities Can Embrace Diversity in an Evolving Workforce (Utility Dive)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Canada: Okanagan Kokanee Salmon Spawning Early this Year (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

The Oyster’s Mighty Comeback is Creating Cleaner U-S Waterways (National Public Radio)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Port Angeles Reverses Course on Fluoride (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

California: Sacramento Poised to Scrap Lowest Bidder Requirement in Troubled Water Meter Project (Sacramento Bee, CA)

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Op/ED: 10 Reasons Why We Love Community Solar (Forbes Magazine)

Group Hits Back at Trump after He Says Wind Power ‘Kills All Your Birds’ (Washington Examiner)

A Malfunctioning, Flaming Wind Turbine is Actually Quite Beautiful (Gizmodo)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

Cannabis to be Displayed & Judged at Oregon State Fair (Marijuana Business Daily)

Two Consultants Charged in South Dakota Tribal Pot Operation (Associated Press)

Quiz: Do Your Neighbors Think You’re Running a Marijuana Operation? (Washington Post)

SCIENCE SWIMS IN A BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Chelan PUD’s Diesel Switch Could Have Global Impacts (Wenatchee World, WA – Paywall Advisory)

Pacific Gas & Electric’s Electric Vehicle Charging Plan Still Angers Industry Players – Here’s Their Alternative (Greentech Media)

U-S Should Probe Price Spike in Biofuels Credits: Ethanol Group (Reuters)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Municipal Broadband Advocates Say Comcast Lawsuit Proves Need for Public Internet Service (Geekwire)

Comcast: Consumers Are Harmed if We Don’t Get to Charge Extra for Privacy (Consumerist)

Hackers Steal $72 Million in Bitcoin from Hong Kong Exchange (Gizmodo)

Frontier Promising 50 Mbps Upgrades after Bungled Verizon Deal (Broadband Reports)

Can Two Internet Relics Become Relevant? (The Atlantic Magazine)

Amazon May Soon Occupy Enough Seattle Office Space to Fill Eight Columbia Towers (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

MARKETING & MEDIA

Op/Ed: Utilities, Want to Engage Your Customers? There’s an App for That (Utility Dive)

Inside Facebook’s ‘Area 404’ Idea Factory (USA Today)

Oil & Gas Group Tries to Win over Millennials with Questionable Fracking Memes (Mashable)

McDonald’s Accused of Copying Animator’s Work for Ad Featuring Dancing Cows (Consumerist)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Mason County – August 2, 2016 Primary (Mason County Elections)

Gov. Inslee, Democrat, Will Face Republican Bill Bryant in November (Northwest Cable News Network)

Statewide August 2, 2016 Primary Results (WA Secretary of State)

GENERAL NEWS

City of Shelton Leaders Introduce New Administrator (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Goins Resigns as Shelton Community-Economic Development Director (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Range 12 fire 60% contained, 176,600 acres of Yakima, Benton counties scorched (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

Starbucks Recalls Stainless-Steel Straws on Reports of Cuts (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Teachers Share the Most Ridiculous Things Parents Have Ever Said to Them

Tagalog in California, Cherokee in Arkansas – What language does your state speak? (Slate Magazine)

Private Company Wins U-S Clearance to Fly to the Moon

Pit Bull Stabbed Five Times While Saving Woman from Attacker

SONG OF THE DAY

Bonnie Tyler – Holding Out for a Hero

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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.