The Energy News Digest

Wednesday, October 21, 2026

The Energy News Digest for October 21, 2026

Sponsored by the Northwest Public Power Association, edited by Joel Myer, Communicator Emeritus.

Explore Some of Public Power’s Biggest Challenges in January

Don’t miss NWPPA’s January conference series: Wildfires: What Utilities Need to Know, the Data Center and Load Growth Summit, and the Power Supply Conference. These deep-dive events help utility professionals better understand emerging challenges, share strategies, and prepare for the future. A special discount is available when you attend two or all three events. To receive the discount, please email registration@nwppa.org to register rather than signing up on NWPPA’s website.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Washington State Regulators Step Closer to Backing Most of Avista’s Proposed Electricity Rate Boost (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/oct/21/state-regulators-step-closer-to-backing-most-of-av/

Trump Administration Reignites Battle Over Salmon, Dams in Columbia River (Courthouse News Service)

https://www.courthousenews.com/trump-admin-reignites-battle-over-salmon-dams-in-columbia-river/

Geothermal Lease Sale on Federal Land in Nevada Nets $4.8 Million (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/geothermal-lease-sale-blm-nevada-nextera/833603/

Oregon: Umatilla Declares Emergency Over Lost Revenue from Gov. Kotek’s Data Center Permit Pause (States Newsroom)

https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/umatilla-declares-emergency-over-lost-revenue-gov-koteks-data-center-permit-pause

United Nations Report Highlights Significant Increase in U.S. Climate Pollution (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/10/21/u-s-greenhouse-gas-emissions-grew-the-most-of-any-g20-country-last-year/

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1. Washington State Regulators Step Closer to Backing Most of Avista’s Proposed Electricity Rate Boost

2. Trump Administration Reignites Battle Over Salmon, Dams in Columbia River

3. Rock Island Dam Monitoring Boost Tracks Concrete Growth, Guides Preventive Work

4. Outrage Grows as Some Los Angeles Residents Report Water & Power Bills Spiking by Thousands of Dollars

5. News Release: Energy Department Announces New Investments to Strengthen America’s Power Grid & Lower Electricity Costs

6. Geothermal Lease Sale on Federal Land in Nevada Nets $4.8 Million

7. This Geothermal Startup Produced a Tiny Bit of Power from the Seafloor

8. Oregon Weighs Plans for a 488-MW Wind Farm & Matching Battery System Across 11,500 Acres of

9. An Oregon Irrigation Reservoir Could Gain a Second Job as a 1-MW Floating Solar Power Plant Near Prineville

10. Anchorage Picks Contractor for Early Design Work on Potential Waste-to-Energy Plant

11. Planning for Continued Solar Growth in Idaho

12. Summer-Peaking States Could Save Big with Heat Pumps, Report Says

13. New Calf Born to Endangered Southern Resident Orcas in British Columbia

14. Birds & Utilities: Coexistence & Conservation Strategies

15. United Nations Report Highlights Significant Increase in U.S. Climate Pollution

16. Portland Proposes Tracking & Curbing Buildings’ Greenhouse Gases

17. Wyoming: Private Property Condemnation for Proposed Alkali Dam on Hold for Water Board Election

18. What Would Happen to the Colorado River If Hoover Dam Were Removed?

19. Bringing More Beavers to Watersheds Is a Powerful Drought-Fighting Tool, Experts Say

20. WA State: Pole Attachments – Clallam Commissioners Delay Decision on Astound’s $478,000 Request

21. Fed Sees Artificial Intelligence Boom Adding to Inflation Headache, But Others May Pay for the Medicine

22. First-of-a-Kind Federal Lab in Tri-Cities to Use Artificial Intelligence to Speed Scientific Discovery

23. Oregon: Umatilla Declares Emergency Over Lost Revenue from Gov. Kotek’s Data Center Permit Pause

24. Spokane County Commissioners Pass Resolution Extending Data Center Development Pause

25. Utah Energy Providers Have ‘Mature’ Cybersecurity Protocols, But There Are Gaps, Audit Says

26. Seattle Taxpayers Could Spend More Than a Decade Paying Off Electric Vehicle Chargers

27. A Kelvin Wave Raised Sea Levels on the West Coast. More Are Coming

28. Important Milestone: The Current El Niño Has Hit Its Peak Early

29. Flood Watch Issued as Pacific Storm Reaches Southern California

30. Thanksgiving Weather Outlooks Released: What Will It Be Like in the PNW?

31. Oregon Forces Bonneville Power Administration Rate Hike on Electric Co-op Members

32. Poll: Data Center Companies Should Pay for Power System Upgrades

33. Guest Essay: Idaho Helped Start the Nuclear Age. We Should Help Write What Comes Next.

Word of the Day

Guerdon /GURR-dun/ Noun – Reward, recompense.

See instant karma

Pee on an electric fence

A painful guerdon

Energy & Utility Issues

1. Washington State Regulators Step Closer to Backing Most of Avista’s Proposed Electricity Rate Boost (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/oct/21/state-regulators-step-closer-to-backing-most-of-av/

2. Trump Administration Reignites Battle Over Salmon, Dams in Columbia River (Courthouse News Service)

https://www.courthousenews.com/trump-admin-reignites-battle-over-salmon-dams-in-columbia-river/

3. Rock Island Dam Monitoring Boost Tracks Concrete Growth, Guides Preventive Work (Cashmere Valley Record, WA)

https://www.cashmerevalleyrecord.com/stories/rock-island-dam-monitoring-boost-tracks-concrete-growth-guides-preventive-work,193147

4. Outrage Grows as Some Los Angeles Residents Report Water & Power Bills Spiking by Thousands of Dollars (KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, CA)

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/ladwp-power-water-bills-outrage-los-angeles/

5. News Release: Energy Department Announces New Investments to Strengthen America’s Power Grid & Lower Electricity Costs (U.S. Dept. of Energy)

https://www.energy.gov/articles/energy-department-announces-new-investments-strengthen-americas-power-grid-and-lower

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

6. Geothermal Lease Sale on Federal Land in Nevada Nets $4.8 Million (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/geothermal-lease-sale-blm-nevada-nextera/833603/

7. This Geothermal Startup Produced a Tiny Bit of Power from the Seafloor (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/geothermal/geothermal-startup-power-seafloor-drilling

8. Oregon Weighs Plans for a 488-MW Wind Farm & Matching Battery System Across 11,500 Acres of Farmland (Energies Media)

https://energiesmedia.com/oregon-wind-farm-battery-system/

9. An Oregon Irrigation Reservoir Could Gain a Second Job as a 1-MW Floating Solar Power Plant Near Prineville (The Pulse)

https://www.ecoportal.net/en/oregon-irrigation-reservoir-gain-solar/43208/

10. Anchorage Picks Contractor for Early Design Work on Potential Waste-to-Energy Plant (Anchorage Daily News, AK – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/anchorage/2026/10/20/anchorage-picks-contractor-for-early-design-work-on-potential-waste-to-energy-plant/

11. Planning for Continued Solar Growth in Idaho (Pacific NW Ag Network)

https://pnwag.net/solar-growth-in-id/

Conservation & Efficiency

12. Summer-Peaking States Could Save Big with Heat Pumps, Report Says (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/heat-pumps-electric-rates-grid-utilization-rmi/833570/

Fish & Wildlife

13. New Calf Born to Endangered Southern Resident Orcas in British Columbia (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/new-southern-resident-orca-calf-bc-9.7390117

14. Birds & Utilities: Coexistence & Conservation Strategies (Transmission & Distribution World)

https://www.tdworld.com/transmission-reliability/blog/55404888/making-room-for-wildlife

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

15. United Nations Report Highlights Significant Increase in U.S. Climate Pollution (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/10/21/u-s-greenhouse-gas-emissions-grew-the-most-of-any-g20-country-last-year/

16. Portland Proposes Tracking & Curbing Buildings’ Greenhouse Gases (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2026/10/portland-proposes-tracking-and-curbing-buildings-greenhouse-gases.html

Water, Water Anywhere?

17. Wyoming: Private Property Condemnation for Proposed Alkali Dam on Hold for Water Board Election (WyoFile)

https://wyofile.com/private-property-condemnation-for-proposed-alkali-dam-on-hold-for-water-board-election/

18. What Would Happen to the Colorado River If Hoover Dam Were Removed? (World Atlas)

https://www.worldatlas.com/rivers/what-would-happen-to-the-colorado-river-if-hoover-dam-were-removed.html

19. Bringing More Beavers to Watersheds Is a Powerful Drought-Fighting Tool, Experts Say (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/beavers-drought-western-us-colorado-river-605cfffb016e87f62b954be148332d18

London Calling –Telecommunications

20. WA State: Pole Attachments – Clallam Commissioners Delay Decision on Astound’s $478,000 Request (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

https://www.myclallamcounty.com/2026/10/20/clallam-commissioners-delay-decision-on-astounds-478000-request/

HAL’s Internet Café

21. Fed Sees Artificial Intelligence Boom Adding to Inflation Headache, But Others May Pay for the Medicine (MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/fed-sees-ai-boom-adding-to-inflation-headache-but-others-may-pay-for-the-medicine/ar-AA2fz5L5

22. First-of-a-Kind Federal Lab in Tri-Cities to Use Artificial Intelligence to Speed Scientific Discovery (Tri-City Herald, WA – Via MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/technology/tech-companies/1st-of-a-kind-federal-lab-in-tri-cities-to-use-ai-to-speed-scientific-discovery/ar-AA2fHzkF

The Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity

23. Oregon: Umatilla Declares Emergency Over Lost Revenue from Gov. Kotek’s Data Center Permit Pause (States Newsroom)

https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/umatilla-declares-emergency-over-lost-revenue-gov-koteks-data-center-permit-pause

24. Spokane County Commissioners Pass Resolution Extending Data Center Development Pause (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

https://www.khq.com/news/spokane-county-commissioners-pass-resolution-extending-data-center-development-pause/article_5aa7de61-3fb2-4b91-9b26-966d91a2e5aa.html

25. Utah Energy Providers Have ‘Mature’ Cybersecurity Protocols, But There Are Gaps, Audit Says (States Newsroom)

https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/utah-energy-providers-have-mature-cybersecurity-protocols-there-are-gaps-audit-says

I Sing the Car Electric

26. Seattle Taxpayers Could Spend More Than a Decade Paying Off Electric Vehicle Chargers (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_fc9623e8-d10a-4de6-bf98-84862671667f.html

Barrel O’ Green Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science

27. A Kelvin Wave Raised Sea Levels on the West Coast. More Are Coming (KNKX Radio, Tacoma, WA)

https://www.knkx.org/2026-10-19/a-kelvin-wave-raised-sea-levels-on-the-west-coast-more-are-coming

28. Important Milestone: The Current El Niño Has Hit Its Peak Early (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2026/10/important-milestone-el-nino-has-hit-its.html

Other Things to Know About Today

29. Flood Watch Issued as Pacific Storm Reaches Southern California (KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, CA)

https://ktla.com/news/california/flood-watch-issued-as-pacific-storm-reaches-southern-california/

30. Thanksgiving Weather Outlooks Released: What Will It Be Like in the PNW? (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.koin.com/weather/thanksgiving-weather-outlooks-pnw-oregon-washington/

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

31. Oregon Forces Bonneville Power Administration Rate Hike on Electric Co-op Members (Oregon Rural Electric Cooperative Association)

https://www.oreca.org/news-releases/oregon-forces-bpa-rate-hike-on-electric-co-op-members/

32. Poll: Data Center Companies Should Pay for Power System Upgrades (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_6bdb2fee-7c64-4cf6-9df7-5bdb3aec57b0.html

33. Guest Essay: Idaho Helped Start the Nuclear Age. We Should Help Write What Comes Next. (Idaho Capital Sun)

https://idahocapitalsun.com/2026/10/21/idaho-helped-start-the-nuclear-age-we-should-help-write-what-comes-next/

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

62-Year-Old Grandma from Idaho Breaks Weightlifting Record

https://www.kcra.com/article/62-year-old-grandma-from-idaho-breaks-weightlifting-record/74194330

The Orionid Meteor Shower Is Coming. Here’s How & When to Watch

https://www.seattlepi.com/living/the-orionid-meteor-shower-is-coming-here-s-how-a22485616

Humorous Campaign Signs Propel ‘Unqualified’ Man to City Council

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/10/19/canada-Kelowna-city-council-unqualified-candidate-funny-signs/9581792429340/

Rental Company Lime Says Its E-Bikes Are ‘Not for Jousting’

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/10/21/lime-rental-ebikes-jousting/1741792603106/

Song of the Day

The Moody Blues – Knights in White Satin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2VH5-rqWzI

Roll the Credits…

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Monday, October 19, 2026

The Energy News Digest for October 19, 2026

Sponsored by the Northwest Public Power Association, edited by Joel Myer, Communicator Emeritus.

Explore Some of Public Power’s Biggest Challenges in January

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Washington State Releases Dam-Breaching Study Results – Agency Projects Breaching to Cost Billions (Whitman County Gazette, WA)

https://www.wcgazette.com/story/2026/10/15/news/state-releases-dam-breaching-study-results/47135.html

U.S. Is Reviving Shuttered Nuclear Plants to Meet Growing Electricity Demand & to Power Data Centers (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/climate-nuclear-power-reactors-21dd249d5e03667b6d4c06687777c859

U.S. Small-Scale Solar Generation Has Quadrupled in the Last Decade (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=68324

Microsoft Cuts Purchases of Carbon Removals by 80% (Yahoo! News)

https://finance.yahoo.com/technology/ai/articles/microsoft-cuts-purchases-carbon-removals-194134192.html

Walleye Numbers in the Snake River Are Increasing Rapidly. That Could Be a Problem for Salmon & Steelhead (Northwest Public Broadcasting)

https://www.nwpb.org/local/2026-10-14/walleye-numbers-in-the-snake-river-are-increasing-rapidly-that-could-be-a-problem-for-salmon-and-steelhead

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1. Washington State Releases Dam-Breaching Study Results – Agency Projects Breaching to Cost Billions

2. U.S. Is Reviving Shuttered Nuclear Plants to Meet Growing Electricity Demand & to Power Data Centers

3. State Officials Offered to Store Nuclear Waste. Then Residents Found Out.

4. As Utah Pushes Nuclear Power, Some Environmental & Tribal Groups Push Back

5. Alaska Seeks Suppliers for $413 Million Cook Inlet Undersea Power Cable

6. Richland Approves Power Agreements to Support Industrial Development at Clean Energy Park

7. WA State: More Concerns Aired About Enloe Dam Removal

8. Ontario to Import U.S. Electricity This Winter, Months After Ford Threatened to Cut Power Exports

9. U.S. Small-Scale Solar Generation Has Quadrupled in the Last Decade

10. U.S. Clean Energy Jobs Fell in 2025 For the First Time in Years

11. United Kingdom: Turning the Tides – Could Hidden Sea Power Energize Our Coastal Towns?

12. A New Report Just Busted Another Myth About Heat Pumps

13. Walleye Numbers in the Snake River Are Increasing Rapidly. That Could Be a Problem for Salmon & Steelhead

14. Salmon Are Returning to the Upper Klamath River After 100 Years

15. Canada: Eels Keep Dying in Hydro Dam Turbines. A New Design Could Change That

16. This Seaweed Invasion Is So Big You Can See It from Space

17. Microsoft Cuts Purchases of Carbon Removals by 80%

18. 17 Groups Sue Montana Public Service Commission to Require Considering Climate Change

19. Arizona Moves to Join Lawsuit Against Federal Colorado River Plan

20. California Delta Tunnel Opponents Renew Fight to Rework Massive Water Project

21. Drought, Heat Wave Leaves Mount Hood Barren by Early Fall

22. Ookla Speeds by State

23. Californians Accuse Pacific Gas & Electric of Violating Privacy by Routing Calls Through Artificial Intelligence

24. As They Consider New Data Centers, States Target Water Use

25. Hybrid Vehicle Sales Rise While Battery Electric Sales Remain Lower After Tax Credit Expiration

26. In An Age of News Deserts & Ghost Papers, What’s Next for McClatchy?

27. A Kelvin Wave Is Raising Sea Levels Along the West Coast

28. Bipartisan Permitting Bill in Congress Could Speed Energy Projects, But Draws Green Critics

29. Early Winter Weather Predictions Released by NOAA: What That Means for the PNW

30. Guest Essay: Kitsap Voters Deserve Answers Before Attempting a Utility Takeover

31. Guest Essay: Puget Sound Energy Is Spending Millions to Keep Kitsap from Having a Choice

32. Washington Energy Debate Centers on Clean Energy Deadlines, Rising Utility Costs

33. Guest Essay: Columbia River PUD – Understanding How Regional Dam Decisions Affect Your Electric Rates

Word of the Day

Horripilation \haw-rip-uh-LAY-shuhn\ Noun – The act or process of the hair bristling on the skin, as from cold or fear; goose flesh.

Although he was unaware of its meaning, Fredo was the victim of an instant onset of horripilation at the Cuban New Year’s Eve party. It all started with an innocent kiss from his younger brother…followed by the chilling “I know it was you, Fredo…” Everything after that, except for the little hairs on the back of his neck standing up, was a blur.

Energy & Utility Issues

1. Washington State Releases Dam-Breaching Study Results – Agency Projects Breaching to Cost Billions (Whitman County Gazette, WA)

https://www.wcgazette.com/story/2026/10/15/news/state-releases-dam-breaching-study-results/47135.html

2. U.S. Is Reviving Shuttered Nuclear Plants to Meet Growing Electricity Demand & to Power Data Centers (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/climate-nuclear-power-reactors-21dd249d5e03667b6d4c06687777c859

3. State Officials Offered to Store Nuclear Waste. Then Residents Found Out. (Washington Post – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/state-officials-offered-store-nuclear-090000861.html

4. As Utah Pushes Nuclear Power, Some Environmental & Tribal Groups Push Back (KSTU-TV, Salt Lake City, UT)

https://www.fox13now.com/news/politics/as-utah-pushes-nuclear-power-some-environmental-and-tribal-groups-push-back

5. Alaska Seeks Suppliers for $413 Million Cook Inlet Undersea Power Cable (Homer News, AK)

https://www.homernews.com/2026/10/18/alaska-seeks-suppliers-for-413m-cook-inlet-undersea-power-cable/

6. Richland Approves Power Agreements to Support Industrial Development at Clean Energy Park (KAPP-TV, Yakima, WA)

https://www.applevalleynewsnow.com/news/richland-approves-power-agreements-to-support-industrial-development-at-clean-energy-park/article_14f9b4a9-d951-4242-a300-f5c964b8e392.html

7. WA State: More Concerns Aired About Enloe Dam Removal (Methow Valley News, Twisp, WA)

https://methowvalleynews.com/2026/10/15/more-concerns-aired-about-enloe-dam-removal/

8. Ontario to Import U.S. Electricity This Winter, Months After Ford Threatened to Cut Power Exports (Yahoo! News)

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/ontario-import-u-electricity-winter-184018676.html

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

9. U.S. Small-Scale Solar Generation Has Quadrupled in the Last Decade (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=68324

10. U.S. Clean Energy Jobs Fell in 2025 For the First Time in Years (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/clean-energy-jobs/trump-us-employment-falls-data-2025

11. United Kingdom: Turning the Tides – Could Hidden Sea Power Energize Our Coastal Towns? (British Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8y56y6xg9n9o

Conservation & Efficiency

12. A New Report Just Busted Another Myth About Heat Pumps (Grist Online)

https://grist.org/solutions/a-new-report-just-busted-another-myth-about-heat-pumps/

Fish & Wildlife

13. Walleye Numbers in the Snake River Are Increasing Rapidly. That Could Be a Problem for Salmon & Steelhead (Northwest Public Broadcasting)

https://www.nwpb.org/local/2026-10-14/walleye-numbers-in-the-snake-river-are-increasing-rapidly-that-could-be-a-problem-for-salmon-and-steelhead

14. Salmon Are Returning to the Upper Klamath River After 100 Years (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/10/15/salmon-upper-klamath-river-repopulation/

15. Canada: Eels Keep Dying in Hydro Dam Turbines. A New Design Could Change That (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/climate/what-on-earth-eels-hydro-dams-9.7381506

Environmental Afflatus – Clean Up on Aisle Three

16. This Seaweed Invasion Is So Big You Can See It from Space (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.7380591

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

17. Microsoft Cuts Purchases of Carbon Removals by 80% (Yahoo! News)

https://finance.yahoo.com/technology/ai/articles/microsoft-cuts-purchases-carbon-removals-194134192.html

18. 17 Groups Sue Montana Public Service Commission to Require Considering Climate Change (Daily Montanan)

https://dailymontanan.com/2026/10/15/17-groups-sue-montana-public-service-commission-to-require-considering-climate-change/

Water, Water Anywhere?

19. Arizona Moves to Join Lawsuit Against Federal Colorado River Plan (Utah News Dispatch)

https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2026/10/16/repub/arizona-moves-to-join-lawsuit-against-federal-colorado-river-plan/

20. California Delta Tunnel Opponents Renew Fight to Rework Massive Water Project (Courthouse News Service)

https://courthousenews.com/california-delta-tunnel-opponents-renew-fight-to-rework-massive-water-project/

21. Drought, Heat Wave Leaves Mount Hood Barren by Early Fall (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/10/16/drought-heat-mount-hood-glaciers-oregon-portland/

London Calling –Telecommunications

22. Ookla Speeds by State (Pots & Pans)

https://potsandpansbyccg.com/2026/10/16/ookla-speeds-by-state/

HAL’s Internet Café

23. Californians Accuse Pacific Gas & Electric of Violating Privacy by Routing Calls Through Artificial Intelligence (Courthouse News Service)

https://courthousenews.com/californians-accuse-pge-of-violating-privacy-by-routing-calls-through-ai/

The Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity

24. As They Consider New Data Centers, States Target Water Use (National Council of State Legislatures)

https://www.ncsl.org/state-legislatures-news/details/as-they-consider-new-data-centers-states-target-water-use

I Sing the Car Electric

25. Hybrid Vehicle Sales Rise While Battery Electric Sales Remain Lower After Tax Credit Expiration (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=68325

Public Relations, Marketing & Media

26. In An Age of News Deserts & Ghost Papers, What’s Next for McClatchy? (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kuow.org/topics/business/2026-10-15/in-an-age-of-news-deserts-and-ghost-papers-whats-next-for-mcclatchy

Barrel O’ Green Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science

27. A Kelvin Wave Is Raising Sea Levels Along the West Coast (National Public Radio)

https://www.npr.org/2026/10/16/nx-s1-5996667/a-kelvin-wave-is-raising-sea-levels-along-the-west-coast

Politics, Governance, and Management

28. Bipartisan Permitting Bill in Congress Could Speed Energy Projects, But Draws Green Critics (States Newsroom)

https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/bipartisan-permitting-bill-congress-could-speed-energy-projects-draws-green-critics

Other Things to Know About Today

29. Early Winter Weather Predictions Released by NOAA: What That Means for the PNW (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.koin.com/news/early-winter-weather-predictions-released-by-noaa-what-that-means-for-pnw/

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

30. Guest Essay: Kitsap Voters Deserve Answers Before Attempting a Utility Takeover (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA – Via MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/voters-deserve-answers-before-attempting-a-utility-takeover-opinion/ar-AA2eoF9i

31. Guest Essay: Puget Sound Energy Is Spending Millions to Keep Kitsap from Having a Choice (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/pse-spending-millions-keep-kitsap-171703875.html

32. Washington Energy Debate Centers on Clean Energy Deadlines, Rising Utility Costs (Washington State Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/10/16/washington-energy-debate-centers-on-clean-energy-deadlines-rising-utility-costs/

33. Guest Essay: Columbia River PUD – Understanding How Regional Dam Decisions Affect Your Electric Rates (Columbia County Spotlight, OR)

https://columbiacountyspotlight.com/2026/10/15/columbia-river-pud-understanding-how-regional-dam-decisions-affect-your-electric-rates/

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

U.S. Company Announces Progress Toward Resurrecting the Extinct Dodo

https://www.reuters.com/science/us-company-announces-progress-toward-resurrecting-extinct-dodo-2026-10-14/

Luna, A Small Dog Missing for Over a Month in Yellowstone, Is Reunited with Her Owners

https://apnews.com/article/yellowstone-lost-dog-national-parks-24a0c2c74d7455ae5b07ba6de133ff52

What Time Is It on the Moon?

https://www.npr.org/2026/10/18/nx-s1-6003578/what-time-is-it-on-the-moon

Expedition to Find Amelia Earhart’s Missing Plane Comes Up Empty

https://www.yahoo.com/news/science/articles/expedition-amelia-earharts-missing-plane-014816302.html