Energy News Digest for June 1, 2011

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.

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

THE NEWS DIGEST ON TWITTER

Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices:

http://twitter.com/energydigest

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Elwha Dam Powerhouse Crew Finishing Mission with Shutdown at 8 AM Today (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20110601/news/306019985/dam-powerhouse-crew-finishing-mission-with-shutdown-at-8-am-today

Cheapest Electricity in the Entire Country - But many challenges face PUDs in North Central Washington (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2011/jun/01/cheapest-electricity-in-the-entire-country-but/

Idaho PUC to Hear Oral Arguments in Wind Dispute (North American Wind Power)

http://www.nawindpower.com/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.7971

Germany’s Move Away from Nuclear Power Could Spread to US (Tulsa World, OK)

http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/article.aspx?subjectid=49&articleid=20110601_49_E1_CUTLIN412147&allcom=1

Washington State Retirees Fight for Cost of Living Increases - The Retired Public Employees Council says the state might be obligated to continue the increases (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/05/31/1670025/retirees-fight-for-colas.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Germany’s Move Away from Nuclear Power Could Spread to US
• Germany Moves to Shutter Nuclear Power Stations
• Germany Nuclear Power Substitute? Coal from Australia
• Solar Stocks Surge on Germany’s Anti-Nuke Vow
• No Damage from Lightning-Caused Outage in Chelan County
• Electricity Restored on Tahuya River Rd - 229 Mason PUD 3 Customers Affected during Emergency Equipment Repair
• Fitch Rates Energy Northwest Electric Revenue & Refunding Bonds ‘AA’; Outlook Stable
• Mason PUD 3 Commission Report for May 31, 2011
• Arizona Utilities Want to Give ‘Decoupling’ a Whirl
• Washington, DC - Thousands in Dark, Cooling Centers Open amid Heat Wave
• United Kingdom - Shale Gas Firm Halts Drilling After Earth Tremor
• Opportunity in the Internet’s Voracious Energy Appetite
• Canadian Utility Fortis to Buy Vermont Power Company for $470 Million
• Barriers to Investment in North American Electricity Infrastructure Will Saddle Consumers with Higher Electricity Costs
• Socializing Transmission Costs
• Cheapest Electricity in the Entire Country - But many challenges face PUDs
• Power of Water - Public Utilities’ Harvest of Megawatts Fuels Economic Growth
• Hydro: The Profit Sweetener
• Editorial - Electricity Gives Us a Powerful Advantage
• Elwha Dam Powerhouse Crew Finishing Mission with Shutdown at 8 AM Today
• Two Elwha River Dams Unplugged on Wednesday
• Glut of Fish Means Copper River Salmon Bargain
• Saving White Oak Trees … By Climbing Them?
• High Water Levels on Columbia River Prompt Warning for Riverfront Parks, Docks, Boat Launches
• Idaho PUC to Hear Oral Arguments in Wind Dispute
• Dayco Installs Its First Tri-Cities Residential Wind Turbine
• New Hampshire - Debate over Biomass Plant Heats Up: Regulators suspend order for approval
• Oregon - Solar Power for a More Sustainable Spud
• Canada - Solar Power Industry Seeks Higher Profile, Government Support
• Already Part of Local Renewable Stock, Wind Energy Poised for Growth in San Diego
• Hydropower Tunnel under Niagara Falls
• Maine - Hydroelectric Dams’ Owner May Sell Operations to Belfast
• Making the Case for Spinning Reserve on the Grid
• How Close Are Large-Scale Ocean Energy Projects? – Snohomish PUD on the Panel
• Ideas to Reduce Energy Costs
• Did NJ Governor Chris Christie Just Doom US Climate Policy?
• Will Recovering Global Economy Thwart Efforts to Curb Global Warming?
• Electric Car Fast-Chargers Coming to I-5 in Oregon
• Are GM Dealerships Gaming Chevy Volt Tax Credit?
• Fiji Water Nixes Suit over Green Drop Labels
• Apple to Unveil iCloud Next Week - Meet Your Newest Cap Eater
• Microsoft Cloud Service Office 365 Launches in June
• Dell Wants to Buy ‘Everything around Data Centers’
• Wi-Fi to Overtake Wired Network Traffic by 2015
• The FCC Needs More Fixes, Fewer Excuses for the National Broadband Map
• Slate Misses the Real Story about Broadband Data & the FCC
• Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt Thinks Lack of Response to Facebook Was His Biggest Mistake
• Data Security with Cloud Computing
• Protect Your Wireless Network
• Washington State Retirees Fight for Cost of Living Increases
• Getting Married Doesn’t Count as Looking for Work, Washington State Reminds
• Sex Change Benefits Proposed for Portland Workers
• Woman Accused in Fraud Scam - JBLM soldiers among those she allegedly recruited to pay bills fraudulently: military exchanges, Tacoma Public Utilities & other businesses victimized
• Washington State Representatives Debolt, Alexander Boycott Maple Lane Closing Ceremony
• Port of Shelton Approves Mason Area Fair Agreement
• City of Shelton’s “K” Street Restoration
• World Health Organization: Cellphones Possibly Carcinogenic
• Head to Head: Is the Rise of New Electronic Social Media Progress or Distraction?
• America’s Looming Helium Crisis - No, Really

WORD OF THE DAY

Deleterious • \dell-uh-teer-ee-uss\ • Adjective - Harmful often in a subtle or unexpected way

“Hey man, is that a third ear growing out of the side of your head,” shouted a pizza-faced hoodlum at the cell-phone addicted businessman who was standing at a mid-town taxi stand. Bartholomew had been so infatuated with his constant cell conversations over the past year that he had not noticed the deleterious results of his addiction. “Well, at least it’s not a tumor,” he mumbled under his breath.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/mapclick.php?textfield1=47.213805&textfield2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=shelton%2c%20wa%2c%20usa

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Germany’s Move Away from Nuclear Power Could Spread to US (Tulsa World, OK)

http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/article.aspx?subjectid=49&articleid=20110601_49_E1_CUTLIN412147&allcom=1

Germany Moves to Shutter Nuclear Power Stations (National Public Radio)

http://www.npr.org/2011/05/31/136829606/germany-moves-to-shutter-nuclear-power-stations?ft=1&f=2

Germany Nuclear Power Substitute? Coal from Australia (Huffington Post)

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2011/06/01/germany-nuclear-energy_n_869536.html

Solar Stocks Surge on Germany’s Anti-Nuke Vow (Associated Press)

http://money.msn.com/business-news/article.aspx?feed=AP&date=20110531&id=13711251

No Damage from Lightning-Caused Outage in Chelan County (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2011/may/31/no-damage-from-lightning-caused-outage/

Electricity Restored on Tahuya River Rd - 229 Mason PUD 3 Customers Affected during Emergency Equipment Repair (Mason County PUD No. 3)

http://www.masonpud3.org/Newsdisplay.aspx?NewsID=871

Fitch Rates Energy Northwest Electric Revenue & Refunding Bonds ‘AA’; Outlook Stable (BusinessWire)

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110531007117/en/Fitch-Rates-Energy-Northwest-Electric-Revenue-Refunding

Mason PUD 3 Commission Report for May 31, 2011 (Mason County PUD No. 3)

http://www.masonpud3.org/Newsdisplay.aspx?NewsID=872

Arizona Utilities Want to Give ‘Decoupling’ a Whirl - utilities are beginning to ask regulators to “decouple” their prices from the volume of their sales, which proponents said will encourage conservation (Arizona Republic, Phoenix)

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/business/articles/2011/06/01/20110601biz-efficiency0601.html

Washington, DC - Thousands in Dark, Cooling Centers Open amid Heat Wave (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post_now/post/electricity-regulator-out-of-electricity/2011/05/31/AGZ5YvFH_blog.html

United Kingdom - Shale Gas Firm Halts Drilling After Earth Tremor (Reuters)

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/06/01/uk-britain-shale-cuadrilla-idUKTRE75024H20110601

Opportunity in the Internet’s Voracious Energy Appetite: The Cloud Begins with Coal - And Fracking “…Watch a live stream of a Major League Baseball game…and you…are using about as much energy as driving about 30 miles in your favorite car…” (Forbes Magazine)

http://blogs.forbes.com/markpmills/2011/05/31/opportunity-in-the-internets-voracious-energy-appetite-the-cloud-begins-with-coal-and-fracking/

Canadian Utility Fortis to Buy Vermont Power Company for $470 Million (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2015187631_apusfortis.html

Barriers to Investment in North American Electricity Infrastructure Will Saddle Consumers with Higher Electricity Costs (Fraser Institute)

http://www.fraserinstitute.org/research-news/news/display.aspx?id=17575

Socializing Transmission Costs (Energy Biz)

http://www.energybiz.com/article/11/05/socializing-transmission-costs

WATER POWER SPOTLIGHTED IN THE WENATCHEE WORLD

Cheapest Electricity in the Entire Country - But many challenges face PUDs in North Central Washington (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2011/jun/01/cheapest-electricity-in-the-entire-country-but/

Power of Water - Public Utilities’ Harvest of Megawatts Fuels Economic Growth (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2011/jun/01/power-of-water-public-utilities-harvest-of/

Hydro: The Profit Sweetener (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2011/jun/01/hydro-the-profit-sweetener/

Editorial - Electricity Gives Us a Powerful Advantage (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2011/jun/01/electricity-gives-us-a-powerful-advantage/

FISH & WILDLIFE

Elwha Dam Powerhouse Crew Finishing Mission with Shutdown at 8 AM Today (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20110601/news/306019985/dam-powerhouse-crew-finishing-mission-with-shutdown-at-8-am-today

Two Elwha River Dams Unplugged on Wednesday (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2015202387_elwha02m.html

Glut of Fish Means Copper River Salmon Bargain (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=490289

Saving White Oak Trees … By Climbing Them? (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://ecotrope.opb.org/2011/05/treeversing-oak-savannah-without-touching-the-ground/

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

High Water Levels on Columbia River Prompt Warning for Riverfront Parks, Docks, Boat Launches (NCWTV)

http://www.ncwtv.com/news/local/High-water-levels-on-Columbia-River-prompt-warning-for-riverfront-parks-docks-boat-launches-122904479.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Idaho PUC to Hear Oral Arguments in Wind Dispute (North American Wind Power)

http://www.nawindpower.com/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.7971

Dayco Installs Its First Tri-Cities Residential Wind Turbine (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.kndu.com/story/14758945/dayco-installs-its-first-residential-wind-turbine

New Hampshire - Debate over Biomass Plant Heats Up: Regulators suspend order for approval (Associated Press)

http://www.concordmonitor.com/article/259927/debate-over-biomass-plant-heats-up

Oregon - Solar Power for a More Sustainable Spud (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/solar-power-more-sustainable-spud/

Canada - Solar Power Industry Seeks Higher Profile, Government Support - Clean energy expert cautions advocates on headwinds, “delusions” (Vancouver Sun, BC)

http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Solar+power+industry+seeks+higher+profile+government+support+clean+energy+expert+cautions+advocates/4870413/story.html

Already Part of Local Renewable Stock, Wind Energy Poised for Growth in San Diego (San Diego Daily Transcript, CA)

http://www.sddt.com/Green/article.cfm?SourceCode=20110527czl

Hydropower Tunnel under Niagara Falls (Renewable Energy Focus)

http://www.renewableenergyfocus.com/view/18260/hydropower-tunnel-under-niagara-falls/

Maine - Hydroelectric Dams’ Owner May Sell Operations to Belfast (Bangor Daily News, ME)

http://new.bangordailynews.com/2011/05/28/news/hydroelectric-dams%E2%80%99-owner-may-sell-operations-to-belfast/

Making the Case for Spinning Reserve on the Grid (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2011/05/making-the-case-for-spinning-reserve-on-the-grid?cmpid=rss

How Close Are Large-Scale Ocean Energy Projects? – Snohomish PUD on the Panel (Lexology)

http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=9686fcec-1f35-417f-852f-bf27e9e311af

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Ideas to Reduce Energy Costs (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2011/jun/01/ideas-to-reduce-energy-costs/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Did NJ Governor Chris Christie Just Doom US Climate Policy? (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/did-chris-christie-just-doom-us-climate-policy/2011/05/31/AGQicWFH_blog.html

Will Recovering Global Economy Thwart Efforts to Curb Global Warming? (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2011/0531/Will-recovering-global-economy-thwart-efforts-to-curb-global-warming

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Electric Car Fast-Chargers Coming to I-5 in Oregon (Associated Press)

http://www.kndu.com/Global/story.asp?S=14776090

Are GM Dealerships Gaming Chevy Volt Tax Credit? (National Legal & Policy Statement)

http://nlpc.org/stories/2011/04/25/taxpayer-rip-dealerships-taking-chevy-volt-tax-credit

Fiji Water Nixes Suit over Green Drop Labels (Courthouse News Service)

http://www.courthousenews.com/2011/05/31/36964.htm

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Apple to Unveil iCloud Next Week - Meet Your Newest Cap Eater (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Apple-to-Unveil-iCloud-Next-Week-114462

Microsoft Cloud Service Office 365 Launches in June (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/microsoftpri0/2015193438_microsoft_cloud_service_office_365_launches_in_jun.html

Dell Wants to Buy ‘Everything around Data Centers’ (Austin Business Journal, TX)

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2011/05/31/dell-wants-to-buy-everything-around.html

Wi-Fi to Overtake Wired Network Traffic by 2015 (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/broadband/cisco-wifi-vni-report/

The FCC Needs More Fixes, Fewer Excuses for the National Broadband Map (Slate Magazine)

http://www.slate.com/id/2295880/

Slate Misses the Real Story about Broadband Data & the FCC - The FCC responds to the Slate article “Map to Nowhere.” (Slate Magazine)

http://www.slate.com/id/2295855/

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt Thinks Lack of Response to Facebook Was His Biggest Mistake (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/former-google-ceo-eric-schmidt-thinks-lack-of-response-to-facebook-was-his-biggest-mistake/2011/05/31/AGRS7tFH_story.html

Data Security with Cloud Computing (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20110601/biz/110529836/-1/rss03

Protect Your Wireless Network (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/kimkomando/2011-05-27-wireless-network-security_n.htm?csp=34tech

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State Retirees Fight for Cost of Living Increases - The Retired Public Employees Council says the state might be obligated to continue the increases (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/05/31/1670025/retirees-fight-for-colas.html

Getting Married Doesn’t Count as Looking for Work, Washington State Reminds (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/06/01/1688179/getting-married-doesnt-count-as.html

Sex Change Benefits Proposed for Portland Workers (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/122952033.html

GENERAL NEWS

Woman Accused in Fraud Scam - JBLM soldiers among those she allegedly recruited to pay bills fraudulently: military exchanges, Tacoma Public Utilities & other businesses victimized (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/06/01/1671276/woman-accused-in-scam.html

Washington State Representatives Debolt, Alexander Boycott Maple Lane Closing Ceremony (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/05/31/1671157/debolt-alexander-boycott-maple.html

Port of Shelton Approves Mason Area Fair Agreement (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/7739-port-approves-fair-agreement

City of Shelton’s “K” Street Restoration (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/7741-qkq-street-restoration

World Health Organization: Cellphones Possibly Carcinogenic (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2011-05-31-cellular-radiation-cancer_n.htm

Head to Head: Is the Rise of New Electronic Social Media Progress or Distraction? (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/06/01/3667329/is-the-rise-of-new-electronic.html

America’s Looming Helium Crisis - No, Really (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/americas-looming-helium-crisis-no-really/2011/05/31/AGZIBdFH_blog.html

DIVERSIONS

40 Years Later: Collectors Keyed Up over Ford Pinto

http://www.npr.org/2011/05/31/136824864/40-years-later-collectors-keyed-up-over-ford-pinto?ft=1&f=2

Walt Disney Surrenders to Navy’s SEAL Team 6

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304066504576345752703592770.html?mod=ITP_marketplace_0

Circus Elephants Help with Joplin Cleanup

http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/2011/05/31/circus-elephants-help-with-joplin-cleanup/

Family Fights Kitsap County over Safety of Tree House

http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=490078

SONG OF THE DAY

Carly Simon - Boys in the Trees

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOdROKjoR7w

Energy News Digest for May 31, 2011

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.

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

THE NEWS DIGEST ON TWITTER

Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices:

http://twitter.com/energydigest

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Germany Decides to Abandon Nuclear Power by 2022 (Associated Press)

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2011/05/30/general-eu-germany-nuclear-power_8491228.html

Bleak Outlook for Climate Change with Record CO2 output in 2010 (ZD Net News)

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/sustainability/bleak-outlook-for-climate-change-with-record-co2-output-in-2010/1584

Kittitas County: Cle Elum Solar Farm Backers: ‘All Bets Are Off’ for $350 Million Project (Yakima Herald-Republic

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2011/05/27/kittitas-solar-farm-officials-all-bets-are-off

Judge James Redden Won’t Guard Fish Farm from Grand Coulee Flow (Associated Press)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/122759569.html

End of an Era: Elwha River Turbines to be Stopped Wednesday after Nearly a Century (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20110529/news/305299983/end-of-an-era-elwha-river-turbines-to-be-stopped-wednesday-after

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Germany Decides to Abandon Nuclear Power by 2022
• Germany’s Nuclear Shutdown: A Costly Gamble
• Op/Ed - The Challenges of Managing Too Much Wind Power
• The Economic Impact of New “Clean Fuel”
• Coulee Dam - The Landscape in the Backyard Is Hydroelectric
• Tri-Cities Car Dealership Blimp Causes Fire, Knocks Out Power
• Trees Felled to Protect Clallam PUD Power Line; Sequim Property Owner Angry
• Montana - Independent Group Might Benefit City of Great Falls, Power Supplier
• Expert: Loss of Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Not Economic Apocalypse
• Cheap Gas Will Overtake Renewables, Energy Chief Warns
• New York Power Company Charges Town Honoring War Hero Flag Fee
• Follow-Up “FecalShine™” Award - New York Power Company Criticized for Charging American Flag Fee Says It Will Cover Cost
• Fraud Scheme Promised to Harness Lightning
• China Hikes Electricity Rates to Counter Shortage
• End of an Era: Elwha River Turbines to be Stopped Wednesday after Nearly a Century
• Elwha River Dam Removal Project Will Be Biggest In US History
• RV Park Owner Happy About Coming Elwha River Dams Commotion
• Judge James Redden Won’t Guard Fish Farm from Grand Coulee Flow
• New Fisheries Program Could be a Benefit for Northern Coastal Wild Steelhead
• Fish often mislabeled as wild salmon or red snapper, report finds
• $400,000 Worth of Seattle-Bound Crab Disappears
• Pollution Lower, Risks Remain for Marine Life
• Puyallup Fisherman Catches 178 Pound Halibut
• Sturgeon’s Death Highlights Threat to Ancient Fish
• Columbia River Remains under Flood Warning
• Op/Ed - Dams Are the Northwest Flood Busters
• State Puts Pressure on Chehalis Flood Group
• Crystal Mountain Sets Snow Record at 600 Inches
• Snowpack twice as deep as normal
• California - Yosemite Waterfalls Roar after Big Snows
• California’s Farm Pollution Laws Survive Challenge
• Central Washington Water Project Named for Adversary
• Kittitas County: Cle Elum Solar Farm Backers: ‘All Bets Are Off’ for $350 Million Project
• Money Blows in to a Patch of Oregon Known for Its Unrelenting Winds
• Wyoming Wind Farm Project Gets Bird Radar
• Wind Farms: Britain is ‘Running Out of Wind’
• Delaware Wind Power Project Wavers after Subsidy Cuts
• China - Wind Turbines Damage a Section of the Great Wall of China
• Companies Look for Power Way, Way Up In the Sky
• Op/Ed - Viewpoints: Solar Power Plants, Public Land? It’s a Good Match
• Huzzah! GE: Solar Cheapest Energy Form in 5 Years – Compared to What?
• Cowlitz PUD Non-Residential Customers Can Get Savings through CEEP
• Bulb Warnings Are Light on Facts
• Bleak Outlook for Climate Change with Record CO2 output in 2010
• Op/Ed - A ‘Progress’ Report on Climate Change: Is the planet now on the Titanic’s course?
• Australia - Hollywood Star Blanchett under Fire over Carbon Tax
• ‘Green’ Claims Begin to Sound Like White Noise to Consumers
• Op/Ed - Biofuels Needs (sic) Mass Support
• Op/Ed - How Electrical ‘Microgrids’ Might Revolutionize Power Transmission
• Climate Change Could Give You Brain Fungus
• CenturyLink - Name Not Ring a Bell? It Will
• Carolina Lawmakers for Anti-Municipal Broadband Laws
• What a Gigabit Network Can Do? Find Out
• Comcast to Offer $10 Broadband to Low Income Homes
• Ex-Microsoft Exec Heads Yahoo’s Return to Relevance
• Roadkill Caucus Largely Gets Its Way in Olympia
• Governor Reichert? Governor Constantine?
• Poll: Inslee Well Liked, Not a Shoe-In for Governor
• Former Congressman Baird Calls Chances of 1st District Run “Very Low”
• Simpson Lumber Company to Improve Shelton Rail Crossings
• Harrison’s Belfair Campus Builds Up Customer Base, Reaches for More
• Central Washington State - Canadian Fires Send Their Smoke to Us
• A Toast: Brinnon’s Geoduck Tavern Holds Spot on National Magazine’s List of ‘Best’

WORD OF THE DAY

Enfant Terrible • \on-fahnt tuh-REEB-luh\ • Noun - 1a: a child whose inopportune remarks cause embarrassment b: a person known for shocking remarks or outrageous behavior

2: a usually young and successful person who is strikingly unorthodox, innovative, or avant-garde

At 88, Barney was the youngest member of the “Shady Lanes Retirement Home.” Even at the time of life when it becomes OK to blithely blurt out what you really feel about something, He was considered the facility’s “Enfant Terrible” for his truly outrageous, yet painfully accurate, observations of life in the elder care wing.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/mapclick.php?textfield1=47.213805&textfield2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=shelton%2c%20wa%2c%20usa

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Germany Decides to Abandon Nuclear Power by 2022 (Associated Press)

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2011/05/30/general-eu-germany-nuclear-power_8491228.html

Germany’s Nuclear Shutdown: A Costly Gamble (Euro News)

http://www.euronews.net/2011/05/30/germany-s-nuclear-shutdown-a-costly-gamble/

Op/Ed - The Challenges of Managing Too Much Wind Power (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2011/05/the_challenges_of_managing_too.html

The Economic Impact of New “Clean Fuel” (Northwest Public Radio)

http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=8884

Coulee Dam - The Landscape in the Backyard Is Hydroelectric (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/30/us/30outhere.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Tri-Cities Car Dealership Blimp Causes Fire, Knocks Out Power (KVEW-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.kvewtv.com/article/2011/may/27/car-dealership-blimp-causes-fire-knocks-out-power/

Trees Felled to Protect Clallam PUD Power Line; Sequim Property Owner Angry (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20110529/NEWS/305299994/trees-felled-to-protect-power-line-sequim-property-owner-angry

Montana - Independent Group Might Benefit City of Great Falls, Power Supplier (Great Falls Tribune, MT)

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20110530/NEWS01/105300309/Independent-group-might-benefit-city-power-supplier

Expert: Loss of Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Not Economic Apocalypse (Brattleboro Reformer, VT)

http://www.reformer.com/ci_18168879

Cheap Gas Will Overtake Renewables, Energy Chief Warns (The Guardian, UK)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/may/30/renewables-overtaken-cheap-gas-energy

New York Power Company Charges Town Honoring War Hero Flag Fee (Fox News)

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/05/24/new-york-power-company-charges-town-honoring-war-hero/

Follow-Up “FecalShine™” Award - New York Power Company Criticized for Charging American Flag Fee Says It Will Cover Cost (Fox News)

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/05/25/new-york-power-company-says-pay-american-flag-fee/

Fraud Scheme Promised to Harness Lightning (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/may/27/fraud-scheme-promised-harness-lightning/

China Hikes Electricity Rates to Counter Shortage (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2015185644_apaschinapowershortage.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

End of an Era: Elwha River Turbines to be Stopped Wednesday after Nearly a Century (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20110529/news/305299983/end-of-an-era-elwha-river-turbines-to-be-stopped-wednesday-after

Elwha River Dam Removal Project Will Be Biggest In US History (Associated Press)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/may/29/elwha-dams-power-down/

A-Listers Invited to Elwha River Dam Removal (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/05/29/1668962/a-listers-invited-to-elwha-river.html

RV Park Owner Happy About Coming Elwha River Dams Commotion (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20110531/news/305319989/rv-park-owner-happy-about-coming-elwha-river-dams-commotion

Judge James Redden Won’t Guard Fish Farm from Grand Coulee Flow (Associated Press)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/122759569.html

New Fisheries Program Could be a Benefit for Northern Coastal Wild Steelhead (Seattle Times, WA)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/reeltimenorthwest/2015187780__a_program_that_would.html

Fish often mislabeled as wild salmon or red snapper, report finds ((Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/05/30/1669478/fish-often-mislabeled-as-wild.html

$400,000 Worth of Seattle-Bound Crab Disappears (Associated Press)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/may/28/400000-worth-seattle-bound-crab-disappears/

Pollution Lower, Risks Remain for Marine Life (Seattle Times, WA)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2015176223_stormwater29m.html

Puyallup Fisherman Catches 178 Pound Halibut (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=488840

Sturgeon’s Death Highlights Threat to Ancient Fish (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2015185373_apeusavingthesturgeon.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Columbia River Remains under Flood Warning (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/clark-county/index.ssf/2011/05/columbia_river_remains_under_flood_watch_accompanied_by_sharp_increase_in_bridge_lifts_lowland_inund.html

Op/Ed - Dams Are the Northwest Flood Busters (Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal)

http://kpbj.com/business_weekly/2011-05-30/dams_are_the_northwest_flood_busters

State Puts Pressure on Chehalis Flood Group - Panel won’t get needed funding if it has no plan, say lawmakers (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/05/31/1670142/state-puts-pressure-on-chehalis.html

Crystal Mountain Sets Snow Record at 600 Inches (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/122762799.html

Snowpack twice as deep as normal - Skiers, rafters rejoice, but season stalled for hikers, campers (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/05/28/1667469/snowpack-twice-as-deep-as-normal.html

California - Yosemite Waterfalls Roar after Big Snows (Associated Press)

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/05/29/3661784/yosemite-waterfalls-roar-after.html

California’s Farm Pollution Laws Survive Challenge (Courthouse News Service)

http://www.courthousenews.com/2011/05/27/36923.htm

Central Washington Water Project Named for Adversary (Northwest Public Radio)

http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=8886

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Kittitas County: Cle Elum Solar Farm Backers: ‘All Bets Are Off’ for $350 Million Project (Yakima Herald-Republic

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2011/05/27/kittitas-solar-farm-officials-all-bets-are-off

Money Blows in to a Patch of Oregon Known for Its Unrelenting Winds (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/31/us/31wind.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Wyoming Wind Farm Project Gets Bird Radar (Casper Star-Tribune, WY)

http://trib.com/news/state-and-regional/article_b311736f-6c38-5940-88e3-165cccd9b696.html

Wind Farms: Britain is ‘Running Out of Wind’ - Despite the freak gales that battered parts of the country last week, climate experts are warning that many of Britain’s wind farms may soon run out of puff (The Daily Telegraph, UK)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/windpower/8545306/Wind-farms-Britain-is-running-out-of-wind.html

Delaware Wind Power Project Wavers after Subsidy Cuts (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/Latest-News-Wires/2011/0527/Wind-power-project-wavers-after-subsidy-cuts

China - Wind Turbines Damage a Section of the Great Wall of China (Shanghai Daily, China)

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/nsp/National/2011/05/31/Wind%2Bturbines%2Bdamage%2Ba%2Bsection%2Bof%2BGreat%2BWall/

Companies Look for Power Way, Way Up In the Sky (Associated Press)

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_18166897

Op/Ed - Viewpoints: Solar Power Plants, Public Land? It’s a Good Match (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/05/29/3660040/viewpoints-solar-power-plants.html

Huzzah! GE: Solar Cheapest Energy Form in 5 Years – Compared to What? (Phoenix Business Journal, AZ)

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/blog/business/2011/05/solar-as-the-cheapest-form-of-energy.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Cowlitz PUD Non-Residential Customers Can Get Savings through CEEP (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/opinion/article_98d17554-8983-11e0-9335-001cc4c03286.html

Bulb Warnings Are Light on Facts (St Petersburg Times, FL)

http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/national/bulb-warnings-are-light-on-facts/1172556

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Bleak Outlook for Climate Change with Record CO2 output in 2010 (ZD Net News)

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/sustainability/bleak-outlook-for-climate-change-with-record-co2-output-in-2010/1584

Op/Ed - A ‘Progress’ Report on Climate Change: Is the planet now on the Titanic’s course? (The Daily Interlake, Kalispell, MT)

http://www.dailyinterlake.com/article_90a97bfa-8993-11e0-9097-001cc4c002e0.html

Australia - Hollywood Star Blanchett under Fire over Carbon Tax (Sydney Morning Herald, AUS)

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/hollywood-star-blanchett-under-fire-over-carbon-tax-20110529-1faow.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

‘Green’ Claims Begin to Sound Like White Noise to Consumers (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2011/may/28/green-claims-begin-to-sound-like-white-noise-to/

Op/Ed - Biofuels Needs (sic) Mass Support (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/may/28/biofuels-needs-mass-support/

Op/Ed - How Electrical ‘Microgrids’ Might Revolutionize Power Transmission (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/05/29/3660062/the-conversation-how-electrical.html

Climate Change Could Give You Brain Fungus (Grist Online)

http://www.grist.org/climate-change/2011-05-27-global-warming-could-give-you-brain-fungus-video

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

CenturyLink - Name Not Ring a Bell? It Will (Seattle Times, WA)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2015160628_centurylink29.html

CenturyLink Urges Employees to Thank North Carolina Lawmakers for Anti-Municipal Broadband Laws (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/CenturyLink-Urges-Employees-to-Thank-North-Carolina-Lawmakers-114428

What a Gigabit Network Can Do? Find Out (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/broadband/chattanooga-shows-what-a-gigabit-network-can-do/

Comcast to Offer $10 Broadband to Low Income Homes (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Comcast-to-Offer-10-Broadband-to-Low-Income-Homes-114455

Ex-Microsoft Exec Heads Yahoo’s Return to Relevance (Seattle Times, WA)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2015176564_btyahooshift30.html

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Roadkill Caucus Largely Gets Its Way in Olympia (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20110529/news01/705299942/-1/rss02

Governor Reichert? Governor Constantine? (Crosscut Seattle)

http://crosscut.com/blog/crosscut/20336/Updated:-Gov.-Reichert--Gov.-Constantine-/

Poll: Inslee Well Liked, Not a Shoe-In for Governor (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/2011/05/28/poll-inslee-well-liked-not-a-shoe-in-for-governor/

Former Congressman Baird Calls Chances of 1st District Run “Very Low” (Seattle Times, WA)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politicsnorthwest/2015164704_baird_calls_chances_of_1st_dis.html

GENERAL NEWS

Simpson Lumber Company to Improve Shelton Rail Crossings (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/7665-simpson-to-improve-rail-crossings

Harrison’s Belfair Campus Builds Up Customer Base, Reaches for More (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/may/27/ptwo-years-after-opening-belfair-clinic-parties-sa/

Central Washington State - Canadian Fires Send Their Smoke to Us (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2011/may/30/canadian-fires-send-their-smoke-to-us/

A Toast: Brinnon’s Geoduck Tavern Holds Spot on National Magazine’s List of ‘Best’

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20110530/news/305309995/a-toast-brinnon-8217-s-geoduck-tavern-holds-spot-on-national

DIVERSIONS

June, July Bring Bizarre Solar, Lunar Eclipses

http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/2011/05/30/june-july-bring-solar-lunar-eclipses/

Pregnant Cow Rescued from Benton County Dam

http://www.keprtv.com/news/local/122809129.html

Skeleton Unearthed in Italy Might be ‘Mona Lisa’s’

http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/2011/05/29/skeleton-unearthed-in-italy-might-be-mona-lisas/

Parents Touch Off Debate by Refusing To Reveal Four-Month-Old Baby’s Sex

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_18155594

SONG OF THE DAY

The Who - Who Are You?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdLIerfXuZ4