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Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories
Seattle Mayor Signs $4
Billion Skagit River Dams Settlement (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
Drought Emergency Now
Covers 12 of Oregon’s 36 Counties After Third Declaration This Year (KATU-TV,
Portland, OR)
‘Burning Longer, Moving
Faster.’ WA Prepares for What Could Be Bad Wildfire Year (Tacoma News-Tribune,
WA – Via Yahoo! News)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/burning-longer-moving-faster-wa-123000476.html
Bill to Facilitate the
Development of Hydropower Signed into Law (Daily Energy Insider)
Several States
Considering Ban on Legal Personhood for Artificial Intelligence (National
Public Radio)
News
Highlights (See Stories Below)
1.
Seattle Mayor Signs $4 Billion Skagit River Dams
Settlement
2.
Skagit Hydropower Settlement – Agreement Guides
Seattle Power Source Supplying 20% of City Electricity, New Priorities
3.
Bill to Facilitate the Development of Hydropower
Signed into Law
4.
News Release: U.S. Rep. Newhouse/Sen. Daines
‘Build More Hydro’ Bill Signed into Law
5.
Port of Moses Lake Power Generation Project
Moving Forward
6.
The Yakama Nation Says It Feels Pushed Aside for
Energy Developments. They’re Working to Protect Sacred Sites
7.
SW Power Pool, PJM, California ISO Anticipate
Being Able to Meet Power Demand This Summer
8.
A Big Dam Fight – Michigan’s Second-Largest
Utility Is Holding a Fire Sale – On Hydroelectric Dams.
9.
EPA Defends Axing $7 Billion Solar Program
10.
WA State: Orcas Power & Light Receives
Conditional Use Permit for Decatur Island Solar Expansion Project
11.
Solar to Surpass Coal in Texas Power Generation
in 2026, EIA Says
12.
We Bet You Can’t Guess Which States Rely Most on
Wind & Solar
13.
Why Your Dad’s Old Rules on Energy Still Matter
Today in WA.
14.
Fish Take a Spin at Cle Elum Dam’s Spiral Helix
15.
Drought Emergency Now Covers 12 of Oregon’s 36
Counties After Third Declaration This Year
16.
WA State: Clallam PUD Urges Water Conservation
Amid Growing Drought Concerns
17.
Utah’s Negotiator on Colorado River Says Feds
May Make Short-Term Decision for States
18.
‘Perfect Storm’ Rainfall Comes to the Pacific Northwest
19.
Verizon CEO Still Sees Satellite as a Complement
to Terrestrial
20.
Several States Considering Ban on Legal
Personhood for Artificial Intelligence
21.
‘Not in My Backyard’: California to Surpass 300
Data Centers Despite Local Opposition
22.
Oregon Agency Reviewing Unauthorized Artificial
Intelligence Use After Worker Sends Email Citing Reddit to Explain State Law
23.
WA State: With Initial Goal Met, The
Spokesman-Review Starts Ownership Shift from Cowles to Nonprofit
24.
Star Catcher Raises $65 Million to Build First
Power Grid in Space
25.
Bureau of Land Management Just Rescinded This
Public Lands Rule – Conservation No Longer Considered Among ‘Multiple Uses
& Sustained Yields’ of Federal Lands
26.
‘Burning Longer, Moving Faster.’ WA Prepares for
What Could Be Bad Wildfire Year
27.
Mason County Is One of Fastest Growing Micro
Areas in the Country, New Census Data Shows
28.
Guest Essay: Idaho’s U.S. Sen. Frank Church
Wrote BPA’s Rulebook. It Demands Reliable Power, Too.
29.
Guest Essay: Kurt Miller – More Spill, Less
Hydropower: The Electric Grid Tradeoffs Washington Can’t Ignore
30.
Guest Essay: Canada’s Hydro Power Problem Is All
the Barriers Blocking It
31.
Guest Essay: Why Is the U.S. Walking Away from
Energy Efficiency?
Word of the Day
Hubris /HYOO-briss/ Noun – Exaggerated pride or self-confidence.
“Don’t get too excited,” chirped Euripides to his overproud
assistant. “Just because your poetry is being quoted in the Athenian
marketplace today, doesn’t mean you won’t be cursed around town tomorrow.”
“Beware of hubris,” he warned. “Those whom the gods would destroy, they first raise up.”
(That’s not the exact quote, but it is in the same vein: “Whom the Gods would destroy they first make mad.”)
Or “pride goeth before a fall.”
Energy
& Utility Issues
1.
Seattle Mayor Signs $4 Billion Skagit River Dams
Settlement (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
2.
Skagit Hydropower Settlement – Agreement Guides Seattle
Power Source Supplying 20% of City Electricity, New Priorities (KOMO News, Seattle,
WA)
3.
Bill to Facilitate the Development of Hydropower
Signed into Law (Daily Energy Insider)
4. News
Release: U.S. Rep. Newhouse/Sen. Daines ‘Build More Hydro’ Bill Signed into Law
(U.S. Representative Newhouse, U.S. Senator Daines)
5. Port
of Moses Lake Power Generation Project Moving Forward (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses
Lake, WA)
6. The
Yakama Nation Says It Feels Pushed Aside for Energy Developments. They’re Working
to Protect Sacred Sites (Northwest Public Broadcasting)
7. SW
Power Pool, PJM, California ISO Anticipate Being Able to Meet Power Demand This
Summer (Utility Dive)
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/spp-pjm-caiso-summer-outlook-blackout/819957/
8. A
Big Dam Fight – Michigan’s Second-Largest Utility Is Holding a Fire Sale – On
Hydroelectric Dams. (Politico)
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/power-switch/2026/05/11/a-big-dam-fight-00914670
Renewable Energy & Self Storage
9.
EPA Defends Axing $7 Billion Solar Program (Courthouse
News Service)
https://courthousenews.com/epa-defends-axing-7-billion-solar-program/
10.
WA State: Orcas Power & Light Receives
Conditional Use Permit for Decatur Island Solar Expansion Project (The Orcasian,
Eastsound, WA)
11.
Solar to Surpass Coal in Texas Power Generation in
2026, EIA Says (Reuters)
12.
We Bet You Can’t Guess Which States Rely Most on
Wind & Solar Power (Canary Media)
https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/wind/which-states-most-wind-solar-power
Conservation & Efficiency
13.
Why Your Dad’s Old Rules on Energy Still Matter
Today in WA. (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)
https://kpq.com/ixp/1135/p/energy-saving-habits-community-washington/
Fish & Wildlife
14.
Fish Take a Spin at Cle Elum Dam’s Spiral Helix
(KNKX Radio, Tacoma, WA)
Water, Water, Anywhere?
16.
WA State: Clallam PUD Urges Water Conservation
Amid Growing Drought Concerns (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)
17.
Utah’s Negotiator on Colorado River Says Feds
May Make Short-Term Decision for States (Utah News Dispatch)
18.
‘Perfect Storm’ Rainfall Comes to the Pacific Northwest
(Cliff Mass Weather Blog)
https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2026/05/perfect-storm-rainfall-comes-to.html
London Calling –Telecommunications
19.
Verizon CEO Still Sees Satellite as Complement
to Terrestrial (Broadband Breakfast)
https://broadbandbreakfast.com/verizon-ceo-still-sees-satellite-as-compliment-to-terrestrial/
HAL’s Internet Café
21.
‘Not in My Backyard’: California to Surpass 300
Data Centers Despite Local Opposition (TCD – Via Yahoo! News)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/not-backyard-california-surpass-300-190000219.html
22.
Oregon Agency Reviewing Unauthorized Artificial
Intelligence Use After Worker Sends Email Citing Reddit to Explain State Law (The
Oregonian, Portland, OR)
Public Relations, Marketing & Media
23.
WA State: With Initial Goal Met, The Spokesman-Review
Starts Ownership Shift from Cowles to Nonprofit (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA
– Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/may/12/with-goal-met-the-spokesman-review-starts-ownershi/
Barrel O’ Green Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science
24.
Star Catcher Raises $65 Million to Build First
Power Grid in Space (Power Magazine)
https://www.powermag.com/star-catcher-raises-65-million-to-build-first-power-grid-in-space/
Politics, Governance, and Management
25.
Bureau of Land Management Just Rescinded This
Public Lands Rule – Conservation No Longer Considered Among ‘Multiple Uses &
Sustained Yields’ of Federal Lands (Deseret News, Salt Lake City, UT)
Other Things to Know About Today
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/burning-longer-moving-faster-wa-123000476.html
27.
Mason County Is One of Fastest Growing Micro
Areas in the Country, New Census Data Shows (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)
Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi
28.
Guest Essay: Idaho’s U.S. Sen. Frank Church Wrote
BPA’s Rulebook. It Demands Reliable Power, Too. (Idaho Capital Sun)
29.
Guest Essay: Kurt Miller – More Spill, Less
Hydropower: The Electric Grid Tradeoffs Washington Can’t Ignore (Renewable
Energy World)
30.
Guest Essay: Canada’s Hydro Power Problem Is All
the Barriers Blocking It (The Financial Post)
https://financialpost.com/opinion/canada-hydro-power-problem-barriers-blocking
31.
Guest Essay: Why Is the U.S. Walking Away from Energy
Efficiency? (Utility Dive)
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/policy-makers-energy-efficiency-energy-star/819228/
Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer
Spuds in Space? NASA-Backed Research Grows Potatoes in Moon-Like
Soil at Oregon State University
Way Out of Network – Neanderthals May
Have Drilled Out a Cavity 59,000 Years Ago
https://www.npr.org/2026/05/13/nx-s1-5815047/neanderthal-tooth-dentistry-cavity-drill
Japanese Snack Packages Turning Black-And-White as Iran War
Depletes Ink Supply
https://www.opb.org/article/2026/05/13/japanese-snack-packages-turning-black-and-white/
Why Hacky Sack Is Suddenly Trending Among Gen Z
https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/other/why-hacky-sack-is-suddenly-trending-among-gen-z/ar-AA235lhv
Song of the Day
Little Jimmy Dickens – Take an Old Cold Tater & Wait
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBi_CyJe604
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