Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Energy News Digest for March 17, 2020 – The Home Alone Edition


The Energy News Digest is available online. The “Hot Shots” edition of the news digest is available on Facebook, and on Twitter.

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS




HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

States, Utilities Pledge to Keep Water Flowing Amid Coronavirus (Bloomberg News)

Mnuchin: President Trump Wants Checks Sent to Public in Virus Response (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

Courts Agree with Grant PUD over Transaction Processors’ Rate Hike (CoinGeek)

Florida, Utah, Washington State Approve Bills to Boost Electric Vehicles (Utility Dive)

Frontier’s Buyer Will Name Its Oregon Telecom Business Ziply Fiber (Oregonian, Portland)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

1.        States, Utilities Pledge to Keep Water Flowing Amid Coronavirus
2.        Franklin PUD to Suspend Power Shutoffs, Close Lobby in Response to Coronavirus Outbreak
3.        Puget Sound Energy Won’t Disconnect Gas, Electric Service during Coronavirus Crisis, Company Says
4.        Courts Agree with Grant PUD over Transaction Processors’ Rate Hike
5.        California Court OKs Pacific Gas & Electric’s $23 Billion Financing Packag
6.        Frontier’s Buyer Will Name Its Oregon Telecom Business Ziply Fiber
7.        The Dirty Secret of Coaxial Broadband
8.        Jeff Burbrink: Electricity Was the Broadband of the 1930s
9.        Washington State Climate Activists Disappointed by Session Outcome: New Goals Set – Action Lags Behind
10.     EIA Analysis Shows How Carbon Fees Would Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emissions in the Near Term
11.     Florida, Utah, Washington State Approve Bills to Boost Electric Vehicles
12.     Groups Warn Discarded Single-Use Coronavirus Face Masks Are Bad for the Environment
13.     Clallam County Commissioners Considering a Fund for Social Media Campaign to Support Local Businesses
14.     Mnuchin: President Trump Wants Checks Sent to Public in Virus Response
15.     Washington State Commerce Director Lisa Brown: Patronize Businesses as Best You Can Safely
16.     14 Washington State Legislators Leaving Their Seats in 2021
17.     Bay Area Orders ‘Shelter in Place,’ Only Essential Businesses Open in Six Counties
18.     Mason County Offices Limiting Public Access
19.     Tribes Begin Shutting Down Casinos to Slow Spread of Coronavirus
20.     Spirit Mountain, Chinook Winds, Other Oregon Casinos Remain Open; Washington’s Ilani Closes until April
21.     Oregon Gov. Brown: Close Restaurants, Bars to Fight Coronavirus
22.     Online ‘Phishing’ Attacks Expected to Target Housebound Staffers as COVID-19 Spreads
23.     Amazon to Hire 100,000 Workers as Online Orders Surge on Coronavirus Worries

WORD OF THE DAY – HORRIBLE CELTIC HAIKU

Crwth /KROOTH/ Noun – An ancient Celtic stringed instrument that is plucked or bowed

Playing “Celtic Ray”
The crwth’s jangling strings sing out
We’re Irish today!


BEHIND CLOSED DOORS – UTILITIES & COVID-19

1.      States, Utilities Pledge to Keep Water Flowing Amid Coronavirus (Bloomberg News)

2.      Franklin PUD to Suspend Power Shutoffs, Close Lobby in Response to Coronavirus Outbreak (KVEW-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

3.      Puget Sound Energy Won’t Disconnect Gas, Electric Service during Coronavirus Crisis, Company Says (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

4.      Courts Agree with Grant PUD over Transaction Processors’ Rate Hike (CoinGeek)

5.      California Court OKs Pacific Gas & Electric’s $23 Billion Financing Package (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

6.      Frontier’s Buyer Will Name Its Oregon Telecom Business Ziply Fiber (Oregonian, Portland)

7.      The Dirty Secret of Coaxial Broadband “…copper networks the coaxial networks are getting old & a network built around 1970 is now fifty years old…” (Pots & Pans)

8.      Jeff Burbrink: Electricity Was the Broadband of the 1930s (Goshen News, In)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

9.      Washington State Climate Activists Disappointed by Session Outcome: New Goals Set – Action Lags Behind (KNKX-Radio, Tacoma, WA)

10.   EIA Analysis Shows How Carbon Fees Would Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emissions in the Near Term (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

11.   Florida, Utah, Washington State Approve Bills to Boost Electric Vehicles (Utility Dive)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

12.   Groups Warn Discarded Single-Use Coronavirus Face Masks Are Bad for the Environment (The Hill, Washington, DC)

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

13.   Clallam County Commissioners Considering a Fund for Social Media Campaign to Support Local Businesses (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

14.   Mnuchin: President Trump Wants Checks Sent to Public in Virus Response (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

15.   Washington State Commerce Director Lisa Brown: Patronize Businesses as Best You Can Safely (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

16.   14 Washington State Legislators Leaving Their Seats in 2021 (Washington State Wire)

SICKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN

17.   Bay Area Orders ‘Shelter in Place,’ Only Essential Businesses Open in Six Counties (SF Chronicle)

18.   Mason County Offices Limiting Public Access (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

19.   Tribes Begin Shutting Down Casinos to Slow Spread of Coronavirus (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

20.   Spirit Mountain, Chinook Winds, Other Oregon Casinos Remain Open; Washington’s Ilani Closes until April (Oregonian, Portland)

21.   Oregon Gov. Brown: Close Restaurants, Bars to Fight Coronavirus (Associated Press)

22.   Online ‘Phishing’ Attacks Expected to Target Housebound Staffers as COVID-19 Spreads (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

GENERAL NEWS

23.   Amazon to Hire 100,000 Workers as Online Orders Surge on Coronavirus Worries (Reuters)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Tom Brady Makes It Official: He’s Leaving the Patriots

Newport Police Ask Residents Not to Call 911 over Toilet Paper Shortages

Urban Coyotes Eat Lots of Cats — And Human Garbage, Study of Their Poop Reveals

Cheerful Masks Help Battle Coronavirus in Bulgaria

SONG OF THE DAY

Celtic Ray - Van Morrison

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

Links in the news digest lead to current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links.