Energy News Digest for October 1, 2012

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

Obama Blocks Chinese Company from Buying Oregon Wind Farms (Associated Press)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Obama-blocks-Chinese-company-from-buying-Ore-wind-farms-171876551.html

Barbs Exchanged at Forum over Thurston County PUD Power Vote (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2012/09/28/2267239/barbs-exchanged-over-pud-power.html

JPMorgan Case Shows Why Energy Trading Schemes Are Chronic Problem (Los Angeles Times, CA)

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hiltzik-20120930,0,2080850.column

Poulsbo Gets Kitsap PUD’s Pilot Fiber-Optic Broadband Program (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2012/sep/30/poulsbo-gets-pilot-fiber-optic-broadband-program/

Op/Ed - Oregon Should Join the Collaboration to Save Salmon (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2012/09/oregon_should_join_the_collabo.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• JPMorgan Case Shows Why Energy Trading Schemes Are Chronic Problem
• PacifiCorp Violated Open Access Rules, FERC Staff Allege
• Barbs Exchanged at Forum over Thurston County PUD Power Vote
• Puget Sound Energy - A Closer Look: The Other Player in Debate over Proposition 1 in Thurston County’s November Election
• Aging Cranes at Pacific Northwest Hydroelectric Dams Get New Life
• Idaho – PacifiCorp’s Ashton Dam Work Enters Final Stages
• Puget Sound Energy’s Receives OK to Increase Energy Assistance for Low-Income Households
• Electrical Pole Burns & Snaps, Kills Power in Sections of Tacoma
• Puget Sound Energy Names Vice President of Energy Supply Operations
• Grand Coulee Dam Visitor’s Center to Move during Power Line Work
• Greg Abel of Mid American Energy Warns About the Rush to Export Natural Gas & Lack of National Energy Policy
• Op/Ed - Oregon Should Join the Collaboration to Save Salmon
• Op/Ed - Progress & the Quest for Peace on the Columbia River
• White Salmon Homecoming Marks River’s New Direction
• Alaska Flooding’s Effect on Salmon Will Be Seen Later
• B-C Supreme Court Upholds Right of Anti-Salmon Farm Activist to Make Defamatory Remarks
• Fish & Game Permit Proposal Roils Private California Lake Owners
• 200,000 Gallons of Sewage Dumped into Mt. Rainier Waterfall
• Toxic Algae - Public Is Warned to Avoid Contact with Black Lake
• Obama Blocks Chinese Company from Buying Oregon Wind Farms
• Idaho Utility & Wind Power Generators Still Battling Over Wind Energy Curtailment
• Buffett Company Grabs Two California Wind Projects
• Olympia-Area Residents Get a Look at Benefits of Going Solar
• Portland General Electric Gets Green Light from Oregon PUC to Issue Renewables RFP
• Michigan - Holland Mayor Calls Renewable Energy Proposal 3 ‘Special Interest Activity at Its Worst’
• Denmark Renewable Energy Generation 40.7% of Electricity Produced in 2011, Wind Energy 28.1%
• Flashback - Nearly 92 Percent of Mason County PUD 3 Electricity Comes from Renewable Sources
• Ikea Plans to Sell Only LED Lights Worldwide to Cut Emissions
• Puget Sound Energy Offers Energy Efficiency Upgrades
• Obama Administration Marks 1 Million Homes Weatherized Under the Stimulus
• British Columbia’s Brilliant Energy Future Springs from an Old-Fashioned Idea
• Why British Columbia Should Keep the Carbon Tax & Raise It
• Asteroid Dust Cloud Could Act as Sunshade, Fight Climate Change on Earth, Researchers Suggest
• Demand Response: Green Energy’s Gateway Drug?
• Charging Ahead on an Electric Highway
• Poulsbo Gets Kitsap PUD’s Pilot Fiber-Optic Broadband Program
• Iran Swipe at Web Brings Angry Reply
• U-S Supreme Court Rejects Appeal of Washington State’s Top-2 Primary
• Supreme Court to Delve into More Divisive Issues
• Mason County Commissioner Candidates Debate Sewer, Public Safety
• Fleeing Mason County Suspect Caught after Swimming Across Lake Kokanee
• Cost of Washington State Driver’s License Nearly Doubles Beginning Today
• Ethics Fines Pending - Elusive Evergreen State College Professor Found in Chile
• No Significant Rainfall in Sight for the Next Ten Days
• El Nino Could Bring Bad News for Skiers
• City of Shelton Releases “K” Street Construction Schedule

WORD OF THE DAY

Bombinate • \BOM-buh-nayt\ • Verb - Buzz, drone

Harry’s Haggis Hut was nearly crushed by the Friday rush of customers, clamoring for their weekend helping of sheep’s innards & oatmeal…all encased and cooked in the unfortunate ruminant’s stomach. The crowd’s calls for haggis were unrelenting, their bombinating presence drowning out the orders at the nearby “Cooked Cricket Shack.”

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

JPMorgan Case Shows Why Energy Trading Schemes Are Chronic Problem (Los Angeles Times, CA)

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hiltzik-20120930,0,2080850.column

PacifiCorp Violated Open Access Rules, FERC Staff Allege (American Public Power Association)

http://www.naylornetwork.com/app-ppd/articles/index-v2.asp?aid=191980&issueID=26857

Barbs Exchanged at Forum over Thurston County PUD Power Vote (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2012/09/28/2267239/barbs-exchanged-over-pud-power.html

Puget Sound Energy - A Closer Look: The Other Player in Debate over Proposition 1 in Thurston County’s November Election (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2012/09/30/2268691/puget-sound-energy-a-closer-look.html

Aging Cranes at Pacific Northwest Hydroelectric Dams Get New Life (Bonneville Power Administration)

http://www.bpa.gov/corporate/BPANews/ArticleTemplate.cfm?ArticleId=article-20120928-01

Idaho – PacifiCorp’s Ashton Dam Work Enters Final Stages (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/2012/09/29/2267956/ashton-dam-work-enters-final-stages.html

Puget Sound Energy’s Receives OK to Increase Energy Assistance for Low-Income Households (Electric Energy Online)

http://www.electricenergyonline.com/?page=show_news&rss=1&id=166902

Electrical Pole Burns & Snaps, Kills Power in Sections of Tacoma (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/09/29/2314393/electrical-pole-burns-and-snaps.html

Puget Sound Energy Names Vice President of Energy Supply Operations (Trading Charts)

http://futures.tradingcharts.com/news/futures/Puget_Sound_Energy_names_vice_president_of_energy_supply_operations_186355493.html

Grand Coulee Dam Visitor’s Center to Move during Power Line Work (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2012/sep/28/dam-visitors-center-to-move-during-powerline-work/

Greg Abel of Mid American Energy Warns About the Rush to Export Natural Gas & Lack Of National Energy Policy (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/09/greg_abel_of_mid_american_ener.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Op/Ed - Oregon Should Join the Collaboration to Save Salmon (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2012/09/oregon_should_join_the_collabo.html

Op/Ed - Progress & the Quest for Peace on the Columbia River (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2012/09/progress_and_the_quest_for_pea.html

White Salmon Homecoming Marks River’s New Direction (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://www.opb.org/news/article/white-salmon-homecoming-marks-rivers-new-direction/

Alaska Flooding’s Effect on Salmon Will Be Seen Later (Associated Press)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2012/sep/29/floodings-effect-on-salmon-will-be-seen-later/

B-C Supreme Court Upholds Right of Anti-Salmon Farm Activist to Make Defamatory Remarks (Vancouver Sun, B-C)

http://www.timescolonist.com/news/Supreme+Court+upholds+right+anti+salmon+farm+activist+make/7316356/story.html

Fish & Game Permit Proposal Roils Private California Lake Owners (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/09/30/4866937/fish-and-game-permit-proposal.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

200,000 Gallons of Sewage Dumped into Mt. Rainier Waterfall (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Man-diverts-200000-gallons-of-sewage-into-Mt-Rainier-waterfall-171848511.html

Toxic Algae - Public Is Warned to Avoid Contact with Black Lake (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2012/09/29/2268171/public-is-warned-to-avoid-contact.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Obama Blocks Chinese Company from Buying Oregon Wind Farms (Associated Press)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Obama-blocks-Chinese-company-from-buying-Ore-wind-farms-171876551.html

Idaho Utility & Wind Power Generators Still Battling Over Wind Energy Curtailment (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2012/09/idaho-utility-and-wind-power-generators-still-battling-over-wind-energy-curtailment?cmpid=rss

Buffett Company Grabs Two California Wind Projects (AOL Energy)

http://energy.aol.com/2012/10/01/buffett-company-grabs-two-california-wind-projects/

Olympia-Area Residents Get a Look at Benefits of Going Solar (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2012/09/29/2268264/olympia-area-residents-get-a-look.html

Portland General Electric Gets Green Light from Oregon PUC to Issue Renewables RFP (SNL Financial)

http://www.snl.com/Interactivex/article.aspx?CdId=A-15891983-11558

Michigan - Holland Mayor Calls Renewable Energy Proposal 3 ‘Special Interest Activity at Its Worst’ (Michigan Live)

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2012/09/city_hall_roll_call_holland_ma.html

Denmark Renewable Energy Generation 40.7% of Electricity Produced in 2011, Wind Energy 28.1% (CelanTechnica)

http://cleantechnica.com/2012/09/28/danish-renewable-energy-generation-wind-energy-generation-percentage/

Flashback - Nearly 92 Percent of Mason County PUD 3 Electricity Comes from Renewable Sources (Mason County PUD No. 3)

http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?newsid=1076

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Ikea Plans to Sell Only LED Lights Worldwide to Cut Emissions (Bloomberg Businessweek)

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-10-01/ikea-plans-to-sell-only-led-lights-worldwide-to-cut-emissions

Puget Sound Energy Offers Energy Efficiency Upgrades (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2012/10/puget-sound-energy-offers-energy.html

Obama Administration Marks 1 Million Homes Weatherized Under The Stimulus (Forbes Magazine)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/justingerdes/2012/09/30/obama-administration-marks-1-million-homes-weatherized-under-the-stimulus/

British Columbia’s Brilliant Energy Future Springs from an Old-Fashioned Idea (Vancouver Sun, B-C)

http://www.vancouversun.com/Opinion/Op-Ed/Opinion+brilliant+energy+future+springs+from+fashioned+idea/7317681/story.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Why British Columbia Should Keep the Carbon Tax & Raise It (Vancouver Sun, B-C)
http://www.vancouversun.com/business/should+keep+carbon+raise/7319836/story.html

Asteroid Dust Cloud Could Act as Sunshade, Fight Climate Change on Earth, Researchers Suggest (Huffington Post)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/30/asteroid-dust-cloud-sunshade-fight-climate-change_n_1926698.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Demand Response: Green Energy’s Gateway Drug? (Forbes Magazine)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/williampentland/2012/09/30/demand-response-green-energys-gateway-drug/

Charging Ahead on an Electric Highway (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/30/automobiles/on-an-electric-highway-charging-into-the-future.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Poulsbo Gets Kitsap PUD’s Pilot Fiber-Optic Broadband Program (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2012/sep/30/poulsbo-gets-pilot-fiber-optic-broadband-program/

Iran Swipe at Web Brings Angry Reply (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2019301833_apmliran.html

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

U-S Supreme Court Rejects Appeal of Washington State’s Top-2 Primary (Associated Press)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Supreme-Court-rejects-appeal-of-states-top-2-primary--172092691.html

Supreme Court to Delve into More Divisive Issues (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2012/09/30/supreme-court-new-term/1600191/

Mason County Commissioner Candidates Debate Sewer, Public Safety (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2012/sep/28/mason-county-commissioner-candidates-debate/

GENERAL NEWS

Fleeing Mason County Suspect Caught after Swimming Across Lake Kokanee (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Fleeing-Mason-Co-suspect-escapes-by-swimming-across-lake-171927171.html

Cost of Washington State Driver’s License Nearly Doubles Beginning Today (Northwest Cable News Network)

http://www.nwcn.com/news/172097001.html

Ethics Fines Pending - Elusive Evergreen State College Professor Found In Chile (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwpr.org/post/elusive-evergreen-state-professor-found-chile

No Significant Rainfall in Sight for the Next Ten Days (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Dry-weather-to-continue-on-into-October-172015851.html

El Nino Could Bring Bad News for Skiers (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2012/sep/29/el-nino-could-bring-bad-news-for-skiers/

City of Shelton Releases “K” Street Construction Schedule (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/7523

DIVERSIONS

California Kids Football League Hit with Bounty Scandal

http://www.oregonlive.com/today/index.ssf/2012/09/kids_football_league_hit_with.html

Did You Know Bluetooth Was Named for a Danish King?

http://mashable.com/2012/10/01/bluetooth-history/

Long Beach Couple Finds Buried Treasure

http://www.q13fox.com/news/kcpq-long-beach-couple-finds-buried-treasure-20121001,0,7414882.story

Crazed fan bites Danny Bonaduce at Skagit Valley Casino

http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=1038443

SONG OF THE DAY

Burton Cummings - Break It to Them Gently

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1ZZgG3dbsU

Energy News Digest for September 28, 2012

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

Mid-Columbia Group Forms to Fight Higher Electric Bills from Unneeded Power (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/09/28/2116893/mid-columbia-group-forms-to-fight.html

American Wind Manufacturers Lay Off 1,100 Workers in One Month, Citing Expiring Wind Tax Credit (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2012/09/american-wind-manufacturers-lay-off-1100-workers-in-one-month-citing-expiring-wind-tax-credit?cmpid=rss

Washington State Wildlife Agents Finish Job of Eliminating Wolf Pack (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Wildlife-agents-kill-alpha-male-in-wolf-pack-in-NE-Wash-171607141.html

Strong Summer Chum Run Reported for Union River (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2012/sep/27/strong-summer-chum-run-reported-for-union-river/

Court’s Decision Shuts Off Wenatchee’s Tax on Chelan PUD Water Service (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2012/sep/28/courts-decision-shuts-off-wenatchees-pud-water-tax/

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Mid-Columbia Group Forms to Fight Higher Electric Bills from Unneeded Power
• Chelan PUD to Drop Columbia River by Four Feet for Turbine Tests
• Editorial - Utilities’ Sustainability Efforts Worthy of Applause
• Flashback - PUD 3 Exceeds Energy Efficiency Goals in Washington State Renewable Energy Law
• Puget Sound Energy Seeks to Decrease Natural Gas Prices for Winter
• Awash with Natural Gas, Industry Eyes Exporting Fuel
• U-S Utilities May Return to Coal as Natural Gas Prices Rise
• Entergy Sues Feds over Nuclear Waste
• U-S Group Studying Breach at Canada’s Schneider Unit
• Washington State Wildlife Agents Finish Job of Eliminating Wolf Pack
• Strong Summer Chum Run Reported for Union River
• Volunteers Celebrate New Chambers Creek Fish Ladder
• Cedar River Sockeye Spawning Egg Take Already More than Double What It Was Last Year
• Compact Approves Tribal, Non-Tribal Commercial Fisheries; Steelhead Return Below Ten-Year Average
• Court’s Decision Shuts Off Wenatchee’s Tax on Chelan PUD Water Service
• Dysfunctional Oregon Water District Loses Insurance for Board Members’ Behavior
• Water Costs Getting More Expensive
• Water Purchase Deal Clears Major Hurdle for Hemisphere’s Largest Desalination Plant in California
• American Wind Manufacturers Lay Off 1,100 Workers in One Month, Citing Expiring Wind Tax Credit
• SoloPower’s Portland Factory Jobs Will Pay an Average $51,000
• Survey: Oregon Coast Residents Support Wave Energy
• What the Future of Wave Energy Looks Like
• Central Oregon’s Newberry Geothermal Project Will Use Hot Rocks to Make Steam
• Jerry Brown Oks Bills to Expand Renewable Energy in California
• Why the Natural Gas Lobby is Wooing the Clean Power Industry
• Kilowatt Challenge Spurs Landlords to Trim Energy Use
• My Nissan Leaf Life: How I Almost Leased One Online - Until My Wife Found Out
• Comcast Binges on Wi-Fi Hotspots in California
• FCC Moves Ahead with Airwaves Auction
• Washington State Lt Governor Brad Owen Fined $1,000 for Failing to Submit Finance Reports
• Washington State Congressional Race - Kilmer Has Strong Lead over Driscoll in 6th District
• Mason County Commissioner Candidates Debate
• Shelton Man Arrested After Listing Stolen Truck for Sale Online
• Smoke Lingers from Shelton Area Brushfire
• Woman Who Left Baby in Olympia Hospital’s Trash Gets Ten Years
• Mason County Trail Closed Because of Aggressive Goats to Reopen Monday
• Park Officials: Go Ahead & Hit Goats with Rocks
• Grapeview Teacher Honored for Saving Friend’s Life
• Washington State’s Minimum Wage Increases 15 Cents Next Year
• Refs Cheered at First NFL Game Following Lockout
• Mars Rover Uncovers Evidence of Water Flows

WORD OF THE DAY

Dearth • \DERTH\ • Noun - 1: scarcity that makes dear; specifically: famine 2: an inadequate supply: lack

Due to dearth of time

Haiku comes to the rescue

Even poor prose helps

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

Mid-Columbia Group Forms to Fight Higher Electric Bills from Unneeded Power (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/09/28/2116893/mid-columbia-group-forms-to-fight.html

Chelan PUD to Drop Columbia River by Four Feet for Turbine Tests (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2012/sep/27/pud-to-drop-columbia-by-4-feet-for-testing/

Editorial - Utilities’ Sustainability Efforts Worthy of Applause (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA – Congratulations: you followed state law!)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/sep/28/editorial-utilities-sustainability-efforts-worthy/

Flashback - PUD 3 Exceeds Energy Efficiency Goals in Washington State Renewable Energy Law (Mason County PUD No. 3)

http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?newsid=1081

Puget Sound Energy Seeks to Decrease Natural Gas Prices for Winter (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2012/09/27/puget-sound-energy-seeks-to-decrease.html

Awash with Natural Gas, Industry Eyes Exporting Fuel (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2019281613_naturalgasexportsxml.html

U-S Utilities May Return to Coal as Natural Gas Prices Rise (Reuters)

http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/09/27/us-utilities-coal-gas-idINBRE88Q11S20120927

Entergy Sues Feds over Nuclear Waste (Forbes Magazine)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcmahon/2012/09/28/entergy-sues-feds-over-nuclear-waste/

U-S Group Studying Breach at Canada’s Schneider Unit (Reuters)

http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/09/27/us-energy-hackers-idINBRE88Q1Z120120927

FISH & WILDLIFE

Washington State Wildlife Agents Finish Job of Eliminating Wolf Pack (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Wildlife-agents-kill-alpha-male-in-wolf-pack-in-NE-Wash-171607141.html

Strong Summer Chum Run Reported for Union River (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2012/sep/27/strong-summer-chum-run-reported-for-union-river/

Volunteers Celebrate New Chambers Creek Fish Ladder (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/09/27/2312733/volunteers-celebrate-new-chambers.html

Cedar River Sockeye Spawning Egg Take Already More than Double What It Was Last Year (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.com/html/reeltimenorthwest/2019276337__now_that_the_sockeye.html

Compact Approves Tribal, Non-Tribal Commercial Fisheries; Steelhead Return Below Ten-Year Average (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/423012.aspx

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Court’s Decision Shuts Off Wenatchee’s Tax on Chelan PUD Water Service (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2012/sep/28/courts-decision-shuts-off-wenatchees-pud-water-tax/

Dysfunctional Oregon Water District Loses Insurance for Board Members’ Behavior (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/milwaukie/index.ssf/2012/09/dysfunctional_water_district_l.html

Water Costs Getting More Expensive (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/story/2012-09-27/water-rates-rising/57849626/1?csp=34money

Water Purchase Deal Clears Major Hurdle for Hemisphere’s Largest Desalination Plant in California (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/water-purchase-deal-clears-major-hurdle-for-hemispheres-largest-desalination-plant-in-calif/2012/09/27/5c8aaadc-08eb-11e2-9eea-333857f6a7bd_story.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

American Wind Manufacturers Lay Off 1,100 Workers in One Month, Citing Expiring Wind Tax Credit (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2012/09/american-wind-manufacturers-lay-off-1100-workers-in-one-month-citing-expiring-wind-tax-credit?cmpid=rss

SoloPower’s Portland Factory Jobs Will Pay an Average $51,000 (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/09/solopower_portland_factory_job.html

Survey: Oregon Coast Residents Support Wave Energy (Sustainable Business Oregon)

http://sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2012/09/survey-oregon-coast-residents-support.html

What the Future of Wave Energy Looks Like (Forbes Magazine)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidferris/2012/09/27/no-one-agrees-what-a-wave-energy-harvester-looks-like/

Central Oregon’s Newberry Geothermal Project Will Use Hot Rocks to Make Steam (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://www.opb.org/news/article/newberry-geothermal-project-will-use-hot-rocks-to-make-steam/

Jerry Brown Oks Bills to Expand Renewable Energy in California (Los Angeles Times, CA)

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/california-politics/2012/09/jerry-brown-signs-renewable-energy-bills.html

Why the Natural Gas Lobby is Wooing the Clean Power Industry (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/cleantech/why-the-natural-gas-lobby-is-wooing-the-clean-power-industry/

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Kilowatt Challenge Spurs Landlords to Trim Energy Use (Portland Business Journal, OR)

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/real-estate-daily/2012/09/kilowatt-challenge-spurs-landlords-to.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

My Nissan Leaf Life: How I Almost Leased One Online - Until My Wife Found Out (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/In-Gear/2012/0928/My-Nissan-Leaf-life-How-I-almost-leased-one-online-until-my-wife-found-out

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Comcast Binges on Wi-Fi Hotspots in California (Gigaom)

http://gigaom.com/mobile/comcast-binges-on-wi-fi-hotspots-in-california/

FCC Moves Ahead with Airwaves Auction (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-tech/post/fcc-moves-ahead-with-airwaves-auction/2012/09/28/ed35132c-0988-11e2-858a-5311df86ab04_blog.html?wprss=rss_technology

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State Lt Governor Brad Owen Fined $1,000 for Failing to Submit Finance Reports (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/2012/09/27/2266460/lt-gov-owen-fined-1000-over-finance.html

Washington State Congressional Race - Kilmer Has Strong Lead over Driscoll in 6th District (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Kilmer-strong-lead-6th-District-poll-171605731.html

Mason County Commissioner Candidates Debate (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/7504

GENERAL NEWS

Shelton Man Arrested After Listing Stolen Truck for Sale Online (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/7498

Smoke Lingers from Shelton Area Brushfire (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.com/news/news-page/40165-smoke-lingers-from-brushfire

Woman Who Left Baby in Olympia Hospital’s Trash Gets Ten Years (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2012/09/27/2266313/mother-who-gave-birth-in-trash.html

Mason County Trail Closed Because of Aggressive Goats to Reopen Monday (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=930071

Park Officials: Go Ahead & Hit Goats with Rocks (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=956820

Grapeview Teacher Honored for Saving Friend’s Life (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2012/sep/27/grapeview-teacher-honored-for-saving-friends/

Washington State’s Minimum Wage Increases 15 Cents Next Year (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2012/09/28/2267097/states-minimum-wage-increases.html

Refs Cheered at First NFL Game Following Lockout (U-S News & World Report)

http://www.usnews.com/news/sports/articles/2012/09/28/refs-cheered-at-first-nfl-game-following-lockout

Mars Rover Uncovers Evidence of Water Flows (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/story/2012/09/27/mars-rover-curiosity-finds-proof-mars-had-water/57848954/1?csp=34news

DIVERSIONS

Pilot Boyfriend Uses Fake Plane Emergency Over Chicago to Propose

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/15430863-418/pilot-boyfriend-uses-fake-plane-emergency-over-chicago-to-propose.html

Ultimate Toy Boat Comes Together in Tacoma Shop (Now, say “toy boat” ten times really fast!)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/09/27/2312616/ultimate-toy-boat-comes-together.html

New Jersey Woman Accused of Cancer Scam for Wedding, Cash

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/sep/27/nj-woman-accused-of-cancer-scam-for-wedding-cash/

Global Warming Is Solved: Just Make Snow Out of Sewage (Note: story &  comments may have PG-13 language & content….especially of a scatological nature…)

http://gawker.com/5946888/global-warming-is-solved-just-make-snow-out-of-sewage

SONG OF THE DAY

Christopher Cross – Sailing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9NkBxxHxAc