Friday, April 19, 2013

Energy News Digest for April 19, 2013


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THE NEWS DIGEST WORD CLOUD

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for April 19, 2013

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

U-S Senate Energy Committee Gives Ernest Moniz Thumbs-Up for Energy Post (Politico)

PUD Commissioners from Pend Oreille, Pacific, Chelan & Lewis Counties Assume Leadership Positions for Statewide PUD Association (Washington PUD Association)

SolarWorld Germany Projects More Huge Losses - With No Effect on Oregon Operations, Hillsboro Spokesman Says (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

Europe’s Carbon Market Crisis: Why Does it Matter? (National Geographic)

Controversial Dredge Mining Ban Advances in Oregon Senate for Fish-Bearing Streams (Oregon Public Radio)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • U-S Senate Energy Committee Gives Ernest Moniz Thumbs-Up for Energy Post
  • PUD Commissioners from Pend Oreille, Pacific, Chelan & Lewis Counties Assume Leadership Positions for Statewide PUD Association
  • EPA Faces Possible Suits to Force Issuance of Greenhouse Gas Standards for Power Plants
  • Winter Storms Put a Dent in Chelan PUD Outage Stats
  • The Poor Spend Twice as Much of Their Income on Energy as Rich Do
  • Wahkiakum PUD Considers Rate Hike
  • Montana - Sun River Electric Cooperative Recounts Steady Year
  • Europe Faces a Crisis in Energy Costs
  • Hydroelectric Power Growing Worldwide, New IHA Report Says
  • Pacific Gas & Electric Named Among “Best of the Best” Companies in the Energy Industry
  • Controversial Dredge Mining Ban Advances in Oregon Senate for Fish-Bearing Streams
  • Fishing Plan Must Better Account for Anchovy
  • More Salmon Time on the Snohomish
  • Feds Say 10 of 49 Endangered Deer Died During Relocation from Cathlamet
  • Feds Hit Lower Willamette Group with $125,500 Penalty on Portland Harbor Cleanup
  • Water Gauge Tells 100-Year-Old Tale
  • Fraser River Dredging to Start in June
  • SolarWorld Germany Projects More Huge Losses
  • California Leads U-S in Solar-Related Jobs
  • Wind Power Will Raise Costs for Coal, Gas Generators
  • Solar Wins in Louisiana Net Metering Fight
  • The Greenest Organizations in the U-S: Who Uses the Most Renewable Energy?
  • South Sound Ductless Answers Questions about Ductless Heat Pumps
  • Clark County Program to Help Seniors Trim Energy Expenses
  • U-S Department of Energy Publishes Methods for Determining Energy Efficiency Savings for Specific Measures
  • Europe’s Carbon Market Crisis: Why Does it Matter?
  • Municipality Approved to Make Electricity from Mink Manure
  • Energy Efficiency First Wins Small Green Business of the Year
  • Relentless & Disruptive Innovation Will Shortly Affect U-S Electric Utilities
  • City of Port Angeles Replacing Computers with “Cloud” System
  • A Failing Grade for Broadband
  • North Carolina - A Peek inside Google’s Lenoir Data Center
  • Verizon & Washington D-C in Nasty Fight over Copper Upkeep
  • AT&T Offers $250,000 Reward for Information in Vandalism to San Jose Fiber Optic Cable
  • Facebook Throws Down Efficiency Gauntlet with Real-Time Data & Open-Source Dashboards
  • New Mexico Motel Where Microsoft Began Being Redeveloped
  • Seattle Mariners Field Winning Social Media Strategy
  • How Famous Logos Have Changed Over Time
  • Oregon Juror Jailed for Texting During Trial
  • State House Approves Bill to Protect Job Applicants from Giving Up Passwords
  • Do the Dangers Behind a Massive Texas Fertilizer Plant Explosion Lurk in Washington State?
  • Boeing to Cut Up to 1,700 Engineering Jobs, With Up to 700 Layoffs
  • Belfair Bypass Makes Project Funding List
  • Chief Deputy Dean Byrd Retires from the Sheriff’s Office
  • Idaho Nuke Workers Claim Retaliation after Exposure
  • Marathon Runner Witnesses Boston & Texas Disaster
  • Seahawks Schedule Released: Four Prime-Time Games

WORD OF THE DAY

Nepenthe • \nuh-PENTH-ee\ • Noun - 1: a potion used by the ancients to induce forgetfulness of pain or sorrow 2: something capable of causing oblivion of grief or suffering

“This ‘Nepenthe’ brand of neuralyzer is horrible,” groused Special Agent “J” to his partner, Special Agent “K”. “People don’t forget stuff, they actually remember it more vividly.”

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

U-S Senate Energy Committee Gives Ernest Moniz Thumbs-Up for Energy Post (Politico)

PUD Commissioners from Pend Oreille, Pacific, Chelan & Lewis Counties Assume Leadership Positions for Statewide PUD Association (Washington PUD Association)

EPA Faces Possible Suits to Force Issuance of Greenhouse Gas Standards for Power Plants (American Public Power Association)

Winter Storms Put a Dent in Chelan PUD Outage Stats (Wenatchee World, WA)

The Poor Spend Twice as Much of Their Income on Energy as Rich Do (Yahoo! News)

Wahkiakum PUD Considers Rate Hike (Wahkiakum Eagle, Skamokawa, WA)

Montana - Sun River Electric Cooperative Recounts Steady Year (Choteau Acantha, Choteau, MT)

Europe Faces a Crisis in Energy Costs (NY Times)

Hydroelectric Power Growing Worldwide, New IHA Report Says (Renewable Energy World)

Pacific Gas & Electric Named Among “Best of the Best” Companies in the Energy Industry (Electric Energy Online)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Controversial Dredge Mining Ban Advances in Oregon Senate for Fish-Bearing Streams (Oregon Public Radio)

Fishing Plan Must Better Account for Anchovy (Courthouse News Service)

More Salmon Time on the Snohomish (Everett Herald, WA)

Feds Say 10 of 49 Endangered Deer Died During Relocation from Cathlamet (Longview Daily News, WA)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Feds Hit Lower Willamette Group with $125,500 Penalty on Portland Harbor Cleanup (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

Water Gauge Tells 100-Year-Old Tale - Readings are useful to a wide range of groups (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Fraser River Dredging to Start in June (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

SolarWorld Germany Projects More Huge Losses - With No Effect on Oregon Operations, Hillsboro Spokesman Says (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

California Leads U-S in Solar-Related Jobs (Sacramento Bee, CA)

Wind Power Will Raise Costs for Coal, Gas Generators (Reuters)

Solar Wins in Louisiana Net Metering Fight (Renewable Energy World)

The Greenest Organizations in the U-S: Who Uses the Most Renewable Energy? (Renewable Energy World)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

South Sound Ductless Answers Questions about Ductless Heat Pumps (Thurston Talks, Olympia, WA)

Clark County Program to Help Seniors Trim Energy Expenses (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

U-S Department of Energy Publishes Methods for Determining Energy Efficiency Savings for Specific Measures (American Public Power Association)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Europe’s Carbon Market Crisis: Why Does it Matter? (National Geographic)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Municipality Approved to Make Electricity from Mink Manure (Atlantic Farm Focus, Canada)

Energy Efficiency First Wins Small Green Business of the Year (Thurston Talks, Olympia, WA)

Relentless & Disruptive Innovation Will Shortly Affect U-S Electric Utilities (Forbes Magazine)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

City of Port Angeles Replacing Computers with “Cloud” System (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

A Failing Grade for Broadband - Education technology can’t fulfill its promise if students can’t get online (Slate Magazine)

North Carolina - A Peek inside Google’s Lenoir Data Center (Triad Business Journal, NC)

Verizon & Washington D-C in Nasty Fight over Copper Upkeep (Washington Business Journal, DC)

AT&T Offers $250,000 Reward for Information in Vandalism to San Jose Fiber Optic Cable (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Facebook Throws Down Efficiency Gauntlet with Real-Time Data & Open-Source Dashboards (GigaOM)

New Mexico Motel Where Microsoft Began Being Redeveloped (Associated Press)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Seattle Mariners Field Winning Social Media Strategy (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

How Famous Logos Have Changed Over Time (Gizmodo)

Oregon Juror Jailed for Texting During Trial (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

State House Approves Bill to Protect Job Applicants from Giving Up Passwords (Seattle Times, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

Do the Dangers Behind a Massive Texas Fertilizer Plant Explosion Lurk in Washington State? (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

Boeing to Cut Up to 1,700 Engineering Jobs, With Up to 700 Layoffs (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Belfair Bypass Makes Project Funding List (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Chief Deputy Dean Byrd Retires from the Sheriff’s Office (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Idaho Nuke Workers Claim Retaliation after Exposure (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Marathon Runner Witnesses Boston & Texas Disaster (Talking Points Memo)

Seahawks Schedule Released: Four Prime-Time Games (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

DIVERSIONS

Legal Marijuana Attracts Tourists to Washington, Colorado for ‘Stoner Holiday’

Why Would Anyone Buy a Bow Tie-Shaped Beer Can That Actually Gives You Less Beer?

New Star Wars Film Yearly from 2015

Injectable LEDs Send Light Coursing Through Your Brain

SONG OF THE DAY

10CC - Dreadlock Holiday

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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.

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.

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Energy News Digest for April 18, 2013


SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENERGY NEWS DIGEST

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

THE NEWS DIGEST TWITTER FEED

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

THE NEWS DIGEST WORD CLOUD

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for April 18, 2013

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

U-S Senate Declares April 18 National Lineman’s Appreciation Day (American Public Power Association, Mason County PUD No. 3, Shelton, WA)

Oregon Kills First Salmon-Eating Sea Lion of 2013 at Bonneville Dam (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

Bonneville Power Administration Plan Would Share Costs of Wind-Power Shutdown – BPA proposes to share the costs of shutting down wind turbines when energy production exceeds demand (Seattle Times, WA)

Speed Matters — Google Fiber Brings One-Gig Internet to Provo, UT (Provo Daily Herald, UT)

Facebooking with Coworkers? 40% Will Do Something Wrong (Portland Business Journal, OR)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • U-S Senate Declares April 18 National Lineman’s Appreciation Day
  • Columbia River Treaty - Power Play among Friends
  • Northern California Consumers Asked to Conserve Energy after Transformer Vandalism
  • California Legislators Blast Public Utilities Commission - Safety & Utility Relationships Cited
  • Hawaii Electric Light Company Looks to “Smart” Technology for Meter Reading
  • Arizona Department of Public Safety Says Copper Thefts May Date Back to 2006
  • American Public Power Association Stresses Importance of Municipal Bonds in Comments to House Panels
  • Department of Energy, Bonneville Power Administration; Notice of Petition for Declaratory Order
  • Electric Cable a Lifeline for Idled Symbol of Korean Cooperation
  • Oregon Kills First Salmon-Eating Sea Lion of 2013 at Bonneville Dam
  • Oregon Will Try to Trap Sea Lions That Have Gotten Through Bonneville Dam
  • At First Foods Ceremonies along the Columbia River, Prized Spring Chinook is Scarce
  • Bonneville Power Administration Considering Tribes' Proposed Hatchery
  • Oregon Rivers Too Hot for Salmon? Deal Seeks Cooler Water
  • Two Mason County Shellfish Areas Added to Threatened List
  • West Richland Underbills Residents for Utility Services
  • 'Elwha: A River Reborn' Tells Story of Dam Removal on Olympic Peninsula River
  • Bonneville Power Administration Plan Would Share Costs of Wind-Power Shutdown
  • Louisiana on the Brink of Dismantling Net Metering
  • Rooftop Solar Vs. Utilities: The San Antonio Episode
  • The Experts: How Should Governments Encourage Energy Conservation?
  • Can We Afford a Carbon Tax?
  • Kitsap Bank kicks off Go Green challenge on Earth Day
  • Speed Matters — Google Fiber Brings One-Gig Internet to Provo, UT
  • Buying iProvo - Google Fiber Takes On New Challenge: Obtaining an Already Existing System
  • Telecom Companies Constantly Upgrade Networks
  • Facebooking with Coworkers? 40% Will Do Something Wrong
  • Just Who Uses Social Media? A Demographic Breakdown
  • Five Things Kobe Bryant Can Teach Us about Social Media
  • Why This Simple Government Website Was Named the Best Design of the Year
  • Budgets Could Force Washington State Special Session
  • Washington State Rep. DeBolt Steps Down as State House Republican Leader
  • Inside Politics: How the Democrats Won the Election But Lost Olympia
  • Texas: Fertilizer Plant Blast Injures Hundreds
  • Texas Fertilizer Plant Explosion Captured in Terrifying Video
  • It Could Happen: King County Prepares for Possible Bird Virus Pandemic
  • 911 Operators Sound Alarm Over Washington State Lawmakers' Plan to Raid Budget
  • Washington State's March Unemployment Rate Breaks Three-Month Holding Pattern
  • Moses Lake Carbon Fiber Plant Readies Second Line for BMW

WORD OF THE DAY

Indissoluble • \inn-dih-SAWL-you-bull\ • Adjective - Incapable of being dissolved or disintegrated; especially: incapable of being annulled, undone, or broken: permanent

Little known story: while writing the lyrics for “South Pacific’s” “Gonna Wash That Man Right out of My Hair” the renowned artist Oscar Hammerstein II was having a follicular challenge of his own. His obsessive use of Brylcream had resulted in an indissoluble mass of the petroleum-based hair dressing which took industrial solvents to remove.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

U-S Senate Declares April 18 National Lineman’s Appreciation Day (American Public Power Association, Mason County PUD No. 3, Shelton, WA)

Columbia River Treaty - Power Play among Friends (Portland Tribune, Or)

Northern California Consumers Asked to Conserve Energy after Transformer Vandalism (NBC News)

California Legislators Blast Public Utilities Commission - Safety & Utility Relationships Cited (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Hawaii Electric Light Company Looks to “Smart” Technology for Meter Reading (Hawaii Tribune-Herald, Hilo, HI)

Arizona Department of Public Safety Says Copper Thefts May Date Back to 2006 (Bloomberg News)

American Public Power Association Stresses Importance of Municipal Bonds in Comments to House Panels (American Public Power Association)

Department of Energy, Bonneville Power Administration; Notice of Petition for Declaratory Order “…conforms…to…pro forma tariff and…satisfies the requirements for reciprocity status…” (Electric Light & Power)

Electric Cable a Lifeline for Idled Symbol of Korean Cooperation (Reuters)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Oregon Kills First Salmon-Eating Sea Lion of 2013 at Bonneville Dam (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

Oregon Will Try to Trap Sea Lions That Have Gotten Through Bonneville Dam (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

At First Foods Ceremonies along the Columbia River, Prized Spring Chinook is Scarce (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

Bonneville Power Administration Considering Tribes' Proposed Hatchery (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Oregon Rivers Too Hot for Salmon? Deal Seeks Cooler Water (Associated Press)

Two Mason County Shellfish Areas Added to Threatened List (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

West Richland Underbills Residents for Utility Services (Tri-City Herald, WA)

'Elwha: A River Reborn' tells story of dam removal on Olympic Peninsula river (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Bonneville Power Administration Plan Would Share Costs of Wind-Power Shutdown – BPA proposes to share the costs of shutting down wind turbines when energy production exceeds demand (Seattle Times, WA)

Louisiana on the Brink of Dismantling Net Metering (Renewable Energy World)

Rooftop Solar Vs. Utilities: The San Antonio Episode (Grist Online)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

The Experts: How Should Governments Encourage Energy Conservation? (Wall Street Journal)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Can We Afford a Carbon Tax? (The Energy Collective)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Kitsap Bank kicks off Go Green challenge on Earth Day (Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal, WA)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Speed Matters — Google Fiber Brings One-Gig Internet to Provo, UT (Provo Daily Herald, UT)

Buying iProvo - Google Fiber Takes On New Challenge: Obtaining an Already Existing System (Associated Press)

Telecom Companies Constantly Upgrade Networks - Investment needed to outpace technology (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebooking with Coworkers? 40% Will Do Something Wrong (Portland Business Journal, OR)

Just Who Uses Social Media? A Demographic Breakdown (Mashable)

Five Things Kobe Bryant Can Teach Us about Social Media (Mashable)

Why This Simple Government Website Was Named the Best Design of the Year (Gizmodo)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Budgets Could Force Washington State Special Session (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Washington State Rep. DeBolt Steps Down as State House Republican Leader (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Inside Politics: How the Democrats Won the Election But Lost Olympia (Crosscut Seattle)

GENERAL NEWS

Texas: Fertilizer Plant Blast Injures Hundreds (Christian Science Monitor)

Texas Fertilizer Plant Explosion Captured in Terrifying Video (Mashable)

It Could Happen: King County Prepares for Possible Bird Virus Pandemic (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

911 Operators Sound Alarm Over Washington State Lawmakers' Plan to Raid Budget (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

Washington State's March Unemployment Rate Breaks Three-Month Holding Pattern (Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal, WA)

Moses Lake Carbon Fiber Plant Readies Second Line for BMW “…BMW looked around the world to find a site where it could produce the carbon fiber without burning fossil fuels, and settled on Washington’s Grant County, with its low electricity costs due to the dams it operators on the Columbia River…” (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

DIVERSIONS

Mariners Offer Vegan Chili Cheese Dog

High-Tech Bathrooms - Bathrooms Have Quickly Become the Gee-Whiz Spaces of Tomorrow

The Master Bedroom is No More - In Residential Real Estate, Bid Farewell to the 'Master Bedroom'

George Beverly Shea Dies at 104; Stirring Singer at Billy Graham Revivals

SONG OF THE DAY

George Beverly Shea - How Great Thou Art

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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.

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.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Energy News Digest for April 17, 2013


SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENERGY NEWS DIGEST

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

THE NEWS DIGEST TWITTER FEED

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

THE NEWS DIGEST WORD CLOUD

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for April 17, 2013

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Greenhouse Gas - Second Suit Targets California’s Cap-And-Trade Program (Sacramento Bee, CA)

Bonneville Power Administration Revises Oversupply Rate Proposal‏ (Albany Tribune, OR)

Conservation Groups Lists Rivers in Southern Oregon, Idaho as Most Endangered (Northwest Public Radio)

Tribe Closes Lake Quinault to Non-Tribal Fishing (Associated Press)

Pend Oreille County to Get Broadband (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Bonneville Power Administration Revises Oversupply Rate Proposal‏
  • California - Power Trouble? Pacific Gas & Electric Substation Hit by Vandalism, Could Impact Valley Businesses
  • Chelan PUD & Entiat Celebrate Launch of Improvements for City’s Popular Riverfront Park
  • Deferrals Leave Duke Energy with No Federal Income Tax Payment
  • Colorado - Boulder Chamber of Commerce Urges New City Vote on Municipalization
  • Natural Gas Prices Rise from Historic Lows, Easing Pressure on Renewable Energy & Coal
  • Pennsylvania - Montco Man Headed to State Prison for Stealing Copper from PECO Substations
  • West Virginia - Copper Crisis: 911 Center Theft Unacceptable
  • U-S Rethinks How to Respond to Nuclear Disaster
  • A Clear, Comprehensive Overview of the U-S Electricity System
  • Op/Ed - Should Utilities Be Required to Bury Power Lines to Protect Them?
  • Tribe Closes Lake Quinault to Non-Tribal Fishing
  • New Protections Proposed For Giant Pacific Octopus in Puget Sound
  • Burien Whale Raising Stink; City Gets Job of Removing It
  • Conservation Groups Lists Rivers in Southern Oregon, Idaho as Most Endangered
  • Elwha: The Olympics’ Greatest River Being Restored & Reborn
  • Colorado - Renewable Energy Bill Could Hurt Rural Co-Ops
  • Wal-Mart Works to Cut $1 Billion from Annual Energy Costs
  • Transformation of Industrial Energy Management Systems Could Benefit Utility Bottom Line
  • Ten Energy Efficiency Tips for Your Spring Cleaning
  • Do LED Bulbs Make Turkeys Happy? Minnesota Farmer Smiling Either Way
  • Greenhouse Gas - Second Suit Targets California’s Cap-And-Trade Program
  • A Portrait of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions
  • Panel: Ocean Acidification Threatening Sea Life Here
  • Rural Electric Co-Ops Go Green
  • Celebrate Earth Day at the Greenest Office Building in Your Neighborhood… And the World
  • Pend Oreille County to Get Broadband
  • Google Gmail, Drive & Other Services Disrupted for Some Users
  • As FCC Chairman Leaves Post, Challenges Persist in Broadband Expansion
  • America’s Broadband Networks Are ‘Passports to Economic & Social Citizenship’
  • Why the Cloud is Threatened by Unprofitability
  • Verizon to Extend Phone-Upgrade Waiting Period
  • Wi-Fi-Phobes Flee to West Virginia Mountains
  • U-S Internet Ad Revenue Grows 15 Percent in 2012
  • Why Brands Should Be Human on Social Media
  • Washington State Legislature - Final Push Made for $8.4 Billion Roads Plan
  • Washington State Patrol Says Crime Lab Manager Falsified Work
  • Circuit Board, Pressure Cooker Lid Recovered in Boston Bombing
  • Image of Lake Stevens Runner in Boston Will Be Sports Illustrated Cover
  • Seattle Playfield Knocked Out of Service by Massive Copper Theft
  • Phone Companies No Longer Have to Print Directories
  • 100th Anniversary of John Tornow’s Death; Site Dedication/Memorial
  • Sunday April 21 - Grand Opening of Oakland Bay Park & Celebration of the 4th Annual Earth Day on Oakland Bay
  • Nevada Buses Hundreds of Mentally Ill Patients to Cities around Country
  • NBA Delays Vote on Kings’ Future in Sacramento

WORD OF THE DAY

Surd • \SERD\ • Adjective - 1: lacking sense: irrational 2: voiceless - used of speech sounds

Surd – Description of a person afraid of radio waves from Wi-Fi transmitters who calls “Papa Murphy’s” on their cellphone to place a pickup order for a family sized cowboy pizza on de-light crust. Then spends the next half hour on the cell phone (while driving to the store) talking about their upcoming twentieth tanning session.

Word Origin via Merriam Webster Dictionary - Both “surd” and its more common cousin “absurd” come from the Latin word “surdus,” meaning “unhearing, deaf, muffled, or dull.”

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Bonneville Power Administration Revises Oversupply Rate Proposal‏ (Albany Tribune, OR)

California - Power Trouble? Pacific Gas & Electric Substation Hit by Vandalism, Could Impact Valley Businesses (Silicon Valley Business Journal, CA)

Chelan PUD & Entiat Celebrate Launch of Improvements for City’s Popular Riverfront Park (North Central Washington TV)

Deferrals Leave Duke Energy with No Federal Income Tax Payment (Charlotte Business Journal, NC)

Colorado - Boulder Chamber of Commerce Urges New City Vote on Municipalization (Boulder Daily Camera, CO)

Natural Gas Prices Rise from Historic Lows, Easing Pressure on Renewable Energy & Coal (Associated Press)

Pennsylvania - Montco Man Headed to State Prison for Stealing Copper from PECO Substations (Journal-Register, Admore, PA)

West Virginia - Copper Crisis: 911 Center Theft Unacceptable (Bluefield Daily Telegraph, WV)

U-S Rethinks How to Respond to Nuclear Disaster (NY Times)

A Clear, Comprehensive Overview of the U-S Electricity System (Grist Online)

Op/Ed - Should Utilities Be Required to Bury Power Lines to Protect Them? (Wall Street Journal)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Tribe Closes Lake Quinault to Non-Tribal Fishing (Associated Press)

New Protections Proposed For Giant Pacific Octopus in Puget Sound (Northwest Public Radio)

Burien Whale Raising Stink; City Gets Job of Removing It (Associated Press)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Conservation Groups Lists Rivers in Southern Oregon, Idaho as Most Endangered (Northwest Public Radio)

Elwha: The Olympics’ Greatest River Being Restored & Reborn (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Colorado - Renewable Energy Bill Could Hurt Rural Co-Ops (Fort Morgan Times, CO)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Wal-Mart Works to Cut $1 Billion from Annual Energy Costs (Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal, WA)

Transformation of Industrial Energy Management Systems Could Benefit Utility Bottom Line (Fierce Energy)

10 Energy Efficiency Tips for Your Spring Cleaning (Earth Techling)

Do LED Bulbs Make Turkeys Happy? Minnesota Farmer Smiling Either Way (Midwest Energy News)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Greenhouse Gas - Second Suit Targets California’s Cap-And-Trade Program (Sacramento Bee, CA)

A Portrait of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Panel: Ocean Acidification Threatening Sea Life Here (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Rural Electric Co-Ops Go Green - Electric cooperatives have served rural Americans for generations. Some are taking advantage of their member-owned status to begin weaning their regions off of fossil fuels (Christian Science Monitor)

Celebrate Earth Day at the Greenest Office Building in Your Neighborhood… And the World (Central District News, Seattle, WA)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Pend Oreille County to Get Broadband (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Google Gmail, Drive & Other Services Disrupted for Some Users (Financial Post, Canada)

As FCC Chairman Leaves Post, Challenges Persist in Broadband Expansion (Bloomberg News)

America’s Broadband Networks Are ‘Passports to Economic & Social Citizenship’ (Huffington Post)

Why the Cloud is Threatened by Unprofitability (GigaOm)

Verizon to Extend Phone-Upgrade Waiting Period (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Wi-Fi-Phobes Flee to West Virginia Mountains (Broadband Reports)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

U-S Internet Ad Revenue Grows 15 Percent in 2012 (Associated Press)

Why Brands Should Be Human on Social Media (Mashable)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State Legislature - Final Push Made for $8.4 Billion Roads Plan (Everett Herald, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

Washington State Patrol Says Crime Lab Manager Falsified Work (Associated Press)

Circuit Board, Pressure Cooker Lid Recovered in Boston Bombing (Associated Press)

Image of Lake Stevens Runner in Boston Will Be Sports Illustrated Cover (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Seattle Playfield Knocked Out of Service by Massive Copper Theft (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

Phone Companies No Longer Have to Print Directories (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

100th Anniversary of John Tornow’s Death; Site Dedication/Memorial (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Sunday April 21 - Grand Opening of Oakland Bay Park & Celebration of the 4th Annual Earth Day on Oakland Bay (Mason County PUD No. 3, Shelton, WA)

Nevada Buses Hundreds of Mentally Ill Patients to Cities around Country (Sacramento Bee, CA)

NBA Delays Vote on Kings’ Future in Sacramento (Sacramento Bee, CA)

DIVERSIONS

It’s Official: Just the Taste of Beer Makes Your Brain Happy

(“Beer is proof that god loves us and wants us to be happy” -- Benjamin Franklin. Note: the actual quote was attributed to wine, but some wit changed it to beer. The sentiment is still a nice one: “…We hear of the conversion of water into wine at the marriage in Cana as of a miracle. But this conversion is, through the goodness of God, made every day before our eyes. Behold the rain which descends from heaven upon our vineyards; there it enters the roots of the vines, to be changed into wine; a constant proof that God loves us, and loves to see us happy. The miracle in question was only performed to hasten the operation, under circumstances of present necessity, which required it…” – In a letter dated 1779, while in Paris, France.)

Pat Summerall, Legendary NFL Announcer, Dies at 82

Prankster Pretends to Pee on Rich Guy’s Ferrari after He Illegally Parks in Handicap Spot (PG-13 Content)

Most Kids Curse Before They Learn the Alphabet - Foul-mouthed parents are largely to blame, according to a new book

SONG OF THE DAY

NFL Films Theme song - Classic Battle

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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.

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.