The Energy News Digest for August 24, 2026

The Northwest Public Power Association sponsors The Energy News Digest. 

The News Digest on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X (formerly Twitter) will deliver breaking news throughout the week so you can stay informed.

Subscribe to The Energy News Digest to keep up with the latest updates.

Joel Myer, Communicator Emeritus, edits The Energy News Digest.

Get the Early-Bird Rate for the 3 C’s Conference

Join customer service, credit, and collections professionals Oct. 13-15 in Anchorage, Alaska, for NWPPA’s 3 C’s Conference. This year’s conference will help you strengthen your communication skills, build resilience, prevent fraud, create a positive workplace culture, and more. Register by this Saturday, Aug. 29, to receive the early-bird rate and save $100.

To get even more value from your trip to Anchorage, come a day early for the optional pre-conference workshop, “Are You Talking to Me? Team Communication Strategies That Work.” Separate registration is required, and the early-bird deadline for the course ends this Friday, Aug. 28.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

As Colorado River Reservoirs Plummet, The Trump Administration Orders Water Cuts (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/colorado-river-reservoirs-plummet-trump-160111429.html

Conservation Group Speaks Out Against TransAlta Centralia Gas Plant, Claims It’s An ‘Expensive Retreat from Clean Energy Progress’ (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

https://chronline.com/stories/conservation-group-speaks-out-against-transalta-centralia-gas-plant-claims-its-an-expensive,406903

FCC Considers Cuts to Funds for Internet Access at Schools & Libraries (Christian Science Monitor)

https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2026/0820/fcc-e-rate-libraries-schools

What We Know So Far About the Hacking Campaign Against U.S. Water Systems (Cybersecurity Dive)

https://www.cybersecuritydive.com/news/what-we-know-so-far-about-the-hacking-campaign-against-us-water-systems/828374/

Tesla Is Pulling the Plug on Its Solar Roof Tiles (Gizmodo)

https://gizmodo.com/tesla-is-pulling-the-plug-on-its-solar-roof-tiles-2000801552

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      Conservation Group Speaks Out Against TransAlta Centralia Gas Plant, Claims It’s An ‘Expensive Retreat from Clean Energy Progress’

2.      Fall River Electric Backs New Power Plant to Keep Eastern Idaho’s Lights On

3.      Idaho Power to Sell Its Oregon Service Territory for $154 Million to Eastern Oregon Utility

4.      Thousands in Truckee, North Lake Tahoe Region Lost Power Due to Hawk Fire in Nevada

5.      America’s Hydropower Challenge Goes Beyond the West

6.      Protecting the Grid from Wildfires

7.      Tesla Is Pulling the Plug on Its Solar Roof Tiles

8.      WA State: Quincy Solar Energy Center – Tapping into the Sun

9.      Let There Be Sunlight: Vatican Plans Solar & Agriculture Plant to Cover Its Electricity Needs

10.   Hot Bites Bring Buoy 10 Rule Change, Offshore Salmon Closure

11.   Fall-Run Chinook Salmon Return to Olympia’s Deschutes River, Viewable from 5th Ave Bridge

12.   Record Gray Whale Deaths Hit Close to Home for Makah Tribe

13.   Osprey Nests: When a Conservation Success Story Literally Catches Fire, The Utilities Caught in the Middle Have to Choose Between Power & Wildlife.

14.   Earth Is Simmering in Its Hottest Water Temps on Record, and That’s Bad for Fish & Us

15.   World’s Oceans Hit Hottest Temperature on Record in August

16.   As Colorado River Reservoirs Plummet, The Trump Administration Orders Water Cuts

17.   Nevada Files Suit Over Colorado River Plan

18.   NASA Data Feeds River Forecasts as Snow Drought Effects Linger

19.   FCC Considers Cuts to Funds for Internet Access at Schools & Libraries

20.   What We Know So Far About the Hacking Campaign Against U.S. Water Systems

21.   UK Power Facility Disabled for Days After Suspected State-Linked Cyberattack

22.   Are Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Polluting the Air That You Breathe in WA?

23.   Is Vine Coming Back? Here’s What to Know

24.   Near-Total Lunar Eclipse Is Coming Up with the Americas in Prime Position

25.   Ontario’s Doug Ford Says Canada Should Be Ready to Cut Electricity, Critical Minerals to U.S. If Trade Fight Worsens

26.   Why One Highway Exploded This Summer — And Why Many More Are at Risk

27.   Guest Essay: The Future of the Northwest’s Power Grid Is at Risk. Where Is the Leadership?

28.   Guest Essay: The $15 Million Question: How Many Lower Snake River Dam Studies Are Enough?

Days of Our Lives – Today Is Hydropower Day

Cheers to Hydropower Day. Celebrate the water cycle that keeps power flowing every single day!

     Silent snow comes down

     Giver of power, comfort

     Nature’s timeless gift

https://www.sas.usace.army.mil/Media/News-Releases/Article/4576274/us-army-corps-of-engineers-recognizes-national-hydropower-day/

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      Conservation Group Speaks Out Against TransAlta Centralia Gas Plant, Claims It’s An ‘Expensive Retreat from Clean Energy Progress’ (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

https://chronline.com/stories/conservation-group-speaks-out-against-transalta-centralia-gas-plant-claims-its-an-expensive,406903

2.      Fall River Electric Backs New Power Plant to Keep Eastern Idaho’s Lights On (East Idaho News, Idaho Falls, ID)

https://www.newsbreak.com/east-idaho-news-294731909/4845211916416-fall-river-electric-backs-new-power-plant-to-keep-eastern-idaho-s-lights-on

3.      Idaho Power to Sell Its Oregon Service Territory for $154 Million to Eastern Oregon Utility (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/08/22/idaho-power-sell-oregon-service-territory/

4.      Thousands in Truckee, North Lake Tahoe Region Lost Power Due to Hawk Fire in Nevada (CBS News)

https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/truckee-donner-utility-customers-power-outage-hawk-fire/

5.      America’s Hydropower Challenge Goes Beyond the West (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/hydropower/hydropower-drought-west-lake-mead

6.      Protecting the Grid from Wildfires (Idaho National Laboratory)

https://inl.gov/feature-story/protecting-the-grid-from-wildfires/

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

7.      Tesla Is Pulling the Plug on Its Solar Roof Tiles (Gizmodo)

https://gizmodo.com/tesla-is-pulling-the-plug-on-its-solar-roof-tiles-2000801552

8.      WA State: Quincy Solar Energy Center – Tapping into the Sun (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA – via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/science/articles/tapping-sun-195400518.html

9.      Let There Be Sunlight: Vatican Plans Solar & Agriculture Plant to Cover Its Electricity Needs (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/vatican-build-100-million-renewable-energy-plant-sources-say-2026-08-22/

Fish & Wildlife

10.   Hot Bites Bring Buoy 10 Rule Change, Offshore Salmon Closure (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/sports/2026/08/hot-bites-bring-buoy-10-rule-change-offshore-salmon-closure.html

11.   Fall-Run Chinook Salmon Return to Olympia’s Deschutes River, Viewable from 5th Ave Bridge (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)

https://komonews.com/news/local/salmon-return-to-olympia-deschutes-river-habitat-conservation-clean-water-stream-team-fall-run-chinook-salmon-heritage-park

12.   Record Gray Whale Deaths Hit Close to Home for Makah Tribe (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/tech/science/environment/makah-tribe-grapples-with-record-gray-whale-deaths/281-a0d041f6-c98f-4818-b66e-ed90b08f3866

13.   Osprey Nests: When a Conservation Success Story Literally Catches Fire, The Utilities Caught in the Middle Have to Choose Between Power & Wildlife. (Science Blog)

https://scienceblog.com/b-osprey-nests-on-american-power-poles-can-weigh-200-pounds-and-set-the-poles-they-sit-on-alight-and-one-burning-nest-in-may-cut-power-to-3500-cape-cod-homes-while-sixth-graders-sat-a-standardized-exa/

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

14.   Earth Is Simmering in Its Hottest Water Temps on Record, and That’s Bad for Fish & Us (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/hottest-oceans-climate-change-el-nino-fisheries-9dd6ecf3b358a89d2b3a5468d69dbdbc

15.   World’s Oceans Hit Hottest Temperature on Record in August (The Guardian, UK)

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/aug/24/worlds-oceans-hit-hottest-temperature-on-record-in-august

Water, Water Anywhere?

16.   As Colorado River Reservoirs Plummet, The Trump Administration Orders Water Cuts (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/colorado-river-reservoirs-plummet-trump-160111429.html

17.   Nevada Files Suit Over Colorado River Plan (Courthouse News Service)

https://courthousenews.com/nevada-files-suit-over-colorado-river-plan/

18.   NASA Data Feeds River Forecasts as Snow Drought Effects Linger (NASA)

https://science.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/goddard/nasa-river-forecasts-snow-drought/

London Calling –Telecommunications

19.   FCC Considers Cuts to Funds for Internet Access at Schools & Libraries (Christian Science Monitor)

https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2026/0820/fcc-e-rate-libraries-schools

The Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity

20.   What We Know So Far About the Hacking Campaign Against U.S. Water Systems (Cybersecurity Dive)

https://www.cybersecuritydive.com/news/what-we-know-so-far-about-the-hacking-campaign-against-us-water-systems/828374/

21.   UK Power Facility Disabled for Days After Suspected State-Linked Cyberattack (Cybersecurity Dive)

https://www.cybersecuritydive.com/news/uk-power-facility-disabled-Iran-cyberattack/828599/

I Sing the Car Electric

22.   Are Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Polluting the Air That You Breathe in WA? (KONA Radio, Pasco, WA)

https://610kona.com/ixp/1135/p/ev-charging-pollution-concerns-wa/

Public Relations, Marketing & Media

23.   Is Vine Coming Back? Here’s What to Know (KCRA-TV, Sacramento, CA)

https://www.kcra.com/article/vine-coming-back-explained/73509848

Barrel O’ Green Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science

24.   Near-Total Lunar Eclipse Is Coming Up with the Americas in Prime Position (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/lunar-eclipse-moon-sun-3c47d7a9f1a7f1a5e6c96456e44395b8

Politics, Governance, and Management

25.   Ontario’s Doug Ford Says Canada Should Be Ready to Cut Electricity, Critical Minerals to U.S. If Trade Fight Worsens (Associated Press)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/us--canada-tariffs-144311118.html

Other Things to Know About Today

26.   Why One Highway Exploded This Summer — And Why Many More Are at Risk (Washington Post – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/weather-news/articles/why-one-highway-exploded-this-summer--and-why-many-more-are-at-risk-090000195.html

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

27.   Guest Essay: The Future of the Northwest’s Power Grid Is at Risk. Where Is the Leadership? (Washington State Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/08/21/the-future-of-the-northwests-power-grid-is-at-risk-where-is-the-leadership/

28.   Guest Essay: The $15 Million Question: How Many Lower Snake River Dam Studies Are Enough? (Cascade Policy Institute)

https://cascadepolicy.org/economic-opportunity/chelsea-martin-the-15-million-question-how-many-lower-snake-river-dam-studies-are-enough/

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

How More Than 1,000 Artifacts Were Found in a Dumpster, Then Returned to Mexico

https://www.npr.org/2026/08/21/nx-s1-5939849/how-more-than-1-000-artifacts-were-found-in-a-dumpster-then-returned-to-mexico

Buc-ee’s Chain Draws Outcry in Ohio for Launching Fight Over a Mini Mart’s Beaver Logo

https://apnews.com/article/bucees-ohio-trademark-lawsuit-beaver-mini-mart-7aceb65a23ffdf0514df67fbe3cc6b91

German Finger Wrestling Championships Held in Bavaria

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/08/24/germany-german-finger-wrestling-championships/3481787591764/

World's Fastest Motorized Clog Shoe Exceeds 70 MPH

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/08/21/netherlands-Guinness-World-Records-fastest-motorized-clog-shoe/7791787326752/

Song of the Day

James Taylor – Mexico

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcBvOH5Zv1w

Links & Paywall Advisory

The links in The Energy News Digest point to current news stories. Since media websites are updated often, some links might stop working over time.

I try to select stories that you can read without a subscription. Your experience may be different. The news source will let you know if there might be a paywall. Clearing your browser history and cookies can sometimes help you access these sites.

The Energy News Digest for August 19, 2026

The Northwest Public Power Association sponsors The Energy News Digest. 

The News Digest on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X (formerly Twitter) will deliver breaking news throughout the week so you can stay informed.

Subscribe to The Energy News Digest to keep up with the latest updates.

Joel Myer, Communicator Emeritus, edits The Energy News Digest.

Sign Up for NWPPA’s Substation Boot Camp

Gain hands-on experience and practical knowledge at NWPPA’s Substation Boot Camp: Field Operations, Oct. 6-8 in Seattle, Washington. Designed for lineworkers, substation personnel, and distribution engineers, this immersive training covers switching operations, electrical fundamentals, grounding and bonding, safety leadership, and handheld meter use. Register by Aug. 22 to get the early-bird rate and save $120.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Idaho Power Seeking Approval from Idaho PUC to Sell Oregon Service Territory (Daily Energy Insider)

https://dailyenergyinsider.com/news/53445-idaho-power-seeking-approval-from-idaho-puc-to-sell-oregon-service-territory/

Eastern WA Utility Can Take Private Land for Data Center Power Lines, Judge Rules (Tri-City Herald, WA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/eastern-wa-utility-private-land-235558786.html

Cyberattacks on Water Facilities Test U.S. Defenses, Reveal Gaps (Christian Science Monitor)

https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Military/2026/0818/cyberattacks-iran-water-utilities

Broadband Bills Have Increased for Nearly Half of Americans. Most Say Service Still Stinks (PC Magazine)

https://www.pcmag.com/news/isp-cost-quality-survey-2026

The Bateman Island Causeway Is Gone. Now, There’s a ‘Surprising’ Number of Sockeye Returning to the Yakima River (Northwest Public Broadcasting)

https://www.nwpb.org/local/2026-08-12/the-bateman-island-causeway-is-gone-now-theres-a-surprising-number-of-sockeye-returning-to-the-yakima-river

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      Idaho Power Seeking Approval from Idaho PUC to Sell Oregon Service Territory

2.      Eastern WA Utility Can Take Private Land for Data Center Power Lines, Judge Rules

3.      Northwest Council Proposes 11 GW of New Generation, 5 GW Storage by 2032

4.      Montana Public Service Commission Says NorthWestern’s Energy Plan ‘Deficient’

5.      Police: Oregon Coast Power Line Thieves Could Face Terrorism Charges

6.      WA State: Seattle City Light Sees Uptick in Phone Scams

7.      Port of Long Beach Signs Deal to Build Small Offshore Nuclear Reactors

8.      Michigan: Lineman Dies While on the Job, Investigation Underway

9.      Data Center Gas Plants to Boost U.S. Power Emissions by 20%

10.   The Western Energy Market Must Shift as Power Flows Evolve, Say Experts

11.   WA State: Jupiter Power to Seek State Approval for Snoqualmie Battery Site

12.   Canada Bets Big on Hydro and Wind Power

13.   California: How Much Do Your Electricity Bills Go Up When It’s Hot? We Crunched the Numbers

14.   The Bateman Island Causeway Is Gone. Now, there’s a ‘Surprising’ Number of Sockeye Returning to the Yakima River

15.   The Salish Sea Is the Place to Be for Orcas This Summer. What’s Behind This Trend?

16.   Why Beavers Are the Real Stars of This Oregon City Watershed Restoration Project

17.   The Historic Willamette Falls Locks Closed 15 Years Ago. This Group Is Trying to Reopen Them

18.   Lake Powell Sinks to Record Low as Colorado River Crisis Deepens

19.   Colorado River Crisis Threatens Crops, Not Wyoming’s Dam Plans, Experts Say

20.   WA State: Grant County Farm Water Fight with Ecology Headed to WA State Supreme Court

21.   California Company Tests Cloud Seeding in Pendleton, Oregon

22.   Broadband Bills Have Increased for Nearly Half of Americans. Most Say Service Still Stinks

23.   Millions of Comcast WiFi Routers Can Now Tell When You’re Moving Around the House

24.   Young Adults in the U.S. Are Increasingly Wary of Artificial Intelligence, Concerned It Will Take Jobs

25.   Which Artificial Intelligence Chatbot Did This School Use to Make Such a Ridiculous Map?

26.   Cyberattacks on Water Facilities Test U.S. Defenses, Reveal Gaps

27.   The Market for Used Electric Vehicles ‘Is So Hot’ Right Now

28.   China’s Unitree Unveils ‘Superman’ Robot as Fervor Builds Ahead of Shanghai Debut

29.   California Gubernatorial Candidate Pledges Two Hours of Free Power a Day

30.   What Will Winter Weather Be Like in WA? ‘Very Strong’ El Niño in Forecast

31.   ‘A Well-Oiled Machine’: Wire Theft Rings Are Outpacing WSDOT’s Efforts to Protect I-5 Infrastructure

32.   Opinion: Spokane – Now a River Stopped Flowing: NW Nature Seems to Be Squealing

Word of the Day

Gesamtkunstwerk • \guh-ZAHMT-koonst-verk\ • Noun - From German. The total work of art, meaning the architect designs everything, from soup to nuts.

The architect, as an artist, began the meeting with bright-eyed exuberance. His vision, his gesamtkunstwerk, was to be the crowning achievement…a shining structure in the dusty, Midwest town that would be a beacon for students everywhere. By the time the design had been festooned with folk art and rustic, rural design suggestions… his vision had dwindled into a thousand-square-mile collection of kitsch. ‘Great,’ he mused. ‘I started with the Guggenheim and wound up with Green Acres.’

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      Idaho Power Seeking Approval from Idaho PUC to Sell Oregon Service Territory (Daily Energy Insider)

https://dailyenergyinsider.com/news/53445-idaho-power-seeking-approval-from-idaho-puc-to-sell-oregon-service-territory/

2.      Eastern WA Utility Can Take Private Land for Data Center Power Lines, Judge Rules (Tri-City Herald, WA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/eastern-wa-utility-private-land-235558786.html

3.      Northwest Council Proposes 11 GW of New Generation, 5 GW Storage by 2032 (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/northwest-council-proposes-11-gw-of-new-generation-5-gw-storage-by-2032/828171/

4.      Montana Public Service Commission Says NorthWestern’s Energy Plan ‘Deficient’ (The Daily Montanan)

https://dailymontanan.com/2026/08/18/public-service-commission-says-northwesterns-energy-plan-deficient/

5.      Police: Oregon Coast Power Line Thieves Could Face Terrorism Charges (KPTV-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.kptv.com/2026/08/18/police-oregon-coast-power-line-thieves-could-face-terrorism-charges/

6.      WA State: Seattle City Light Sees Uptick in Phone Scams (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://mynorthwest.com/crime-blotter/seattle-city-light-scam/4267080

7.      Port of Long Beach Signs Deal to Build Small Offshore Nuclear Reactors (CBS News)

https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/port-of-long-beach-signs-deal-to-build-small-offshore-nuclear-reactors/

8.      Michigan: Lineman Dies While on the Job, Investigation Underway (KTUU-TV, Anchorage, AK)

https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/08/18/lineman-dies-while-job-investigation-underway/

9.      Data Center Gas Plants to Boost U.S. Power Emissions by 20% (Fortune Magazine)

https://fortune.com/2026/08/18/data-center-gas-plants-to-boost-u-s-power-emissions-by-20/

10.   The Western Energy Market Must Shift as Power Flows Evolve, Say Experts (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/the-western-energy-market-must-shift-as-its-flows-evolve-say-experts/828263/

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

11.   WA State: Jupiter Power to Seek State Approval for Snoqualmie Battery Site (Snoqualmie Valley Record, WA)

https://www.valleyrecord.com/2026/08/18/jupiter-power-will-seek-state-approval-for-snoqualmie-battery-site/

12.   Canada Bets Big on Hydro and Wind Power (Inside Climate News)

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/17082026/canada-hydro-wind-power-investments/

Conservation & Efficiency

13.   California: How Much Do Your Electricity Bills Go Up When It’s Hot? We Crunched the Numbers (The San Francisco Chronicle, CA – Via MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/general/how-much-do-your-electricity-bills-go-up-when-it-s-hot-we-crunched-the-numbers/ar-AA2auaYe

Fish & Wildlife

14.   The Bateman Island Causeway Is Gone. Now, there’s a ‘Surprising’ Number of Sockeye Returning to the Yakima River (Northwest Public Broadcasting)

https://www.nwpb.org/local/2026-08-12/the-bateman-island-causeway-is-gone-now-theres-a-surprising-number-of-sockeye-returning-to-the-yakima-river

15.   The Salish Sea Is the Place to Be for Orcas This Summer. What’s Behind This Trend? (KNKX Radio, Tacoma, WA)

https://www.kuow.org/animals/2026-08-19/the-salish-sea-is-the-place-to-be-for-orcas-this-summer-whats-behind-this-trend

16.   Why Beavers Are the Real Stars of This Oregon City Watershed Restoration Project (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/clackamascounty/2026/08/why-beavers-are-the-real-stars-of-this-oregon-city-watershed-restoration-project.html

Environmental Afflatus – Clean Up on Aisle Three

17.   The Historic Willamette Falls Locks Closed 15 Years Ago. This Group Is Trying to Reopen Them (The Oregonian, Portland, OR – Via MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/the-historic-willamette-falls-locks-closed-15-years-ago-this-group-is-trying-to-reopen-them/ar-AA2aiYLv

Water, Water Anywhere?

18.   Lake Powell Sinks to Record Low as Colorado River Crisis Deepens (Accuweather)

https://www.accuweather.com/en/climate/lake-powell-sinks-to-record-low-as-colorado-river-crisis-deepens/1923659

19.   Colorado River Crisis Threatens Crops, Not Wyoming’s Dam Plans, Experts Say (Wyofile)

https://wyofile.com/colorado-river-crisis-threatens-crops-not-wyomings-dam-plans-experts-say/

20.   WA State: Grant County Farm Water Fight with Ecology Headed to WA State Supreme Court (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_359105bd-ab1b-4394-99a6-3b940e41a62e.html

21.   California Company Tests Cloud Seeding in Pendleton, Oregon (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/08/17/think-out-loud-california-company-tests-cloud-seeding-pendleton/

London Calling –Telecommunications

22.   Broadband Bills Have Increased for Nearly Half of Americans. Most Say Service Still Stinks (PC Magazine)

https://www.pcmag.com/news/isp-cost-quality-survey-2026

23.   Millions of Comcast WiFi Routers Can Now Tell When You’re Moving Around the House (Gizmodo)

https://gizmodo.com/millions-of-comcast-wifi-routers-can-now-tell-when-youre-moving-around-the-house-2000800324

HAL’s Internet Café

24.   Young Adults in the U.S. Are Increasingly Wary of Artificial Intelligence, Concerned It Will Take Jobs (Pew Research Center)

https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/08/18/young-adults-in-the-us-are-increasingly-wary-of-ai-concerned-it-will-take-jobs/

25.   Which Artificial Intelligence Chatbot Did This School Use to Make Such a Ridiculous Map? (Gizmodo)

https://gizmodo.com/which-ai-chatbot-did-this-school-use-to-make-such-a-ridiculous-map-2000800045

The Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity

26.   Cyberattacks on Water Facilities Test U.S. Defenses, Reveal Gaps (Christian Science Monitor)

https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Military/2026/0818/cyberattacks-iran-water-utilities

I Sing the Car Electric

27.   The Market for Used Electric Vehicles ‘Is So Hot’ Right Now (Grist Online)

https://grist.org/transportation/the-market-for-used-evs-is-so-hot-right-now/

Barrel O’ Green Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science

28.   China’s Unitree Unveils ‘Superman’ Robot as Fervor Builds Ahead of Shanghai Debut (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/chinese-humanoid-robot-maker-unitree-list-shanghai-august-19-2026-08-17/

Politics, Governance, and Management

29.   California Gubernatorial Candidate Pledges Two Hours of Free Power a Day (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/politics/california-becerra-pledges-free-power

Other Things to Know About Today

30.   What Will Winter Weather Be Like in WA? ‘Very Strong’ El Niño in Forecast (Tacoma News-Tribune, WA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/weather-news/articles/winter-weather-wa-very-strong-130000118.html

31.   ‘A Well-Oiled Machine’: Wire Theft Rings Are Outpacing WSDOT’s Efforts to Protect I-5 Infrastructure (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://mynorthwest.com/chokepoints/wire-theft-wsdot-i-5/4266685

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

32.   Opinion: Spokane – Now a River Stopped Flowing: NW Nature Seems to Be Squealing (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

https://www.chronline.com/stories/now-a-river-stopped-flowing-nw-nature-seems-to-be-squealing,406874

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

Jinny Lu, a Six-Year-Old Pug, Wins the 2026 Ugliest Dog Contest, Marking 50 Years of Bizarrely Beautiful Winners

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/jinny-lu-6-old-pug-163313076.html

Mariners Crushed 22-0 by Brewers in Historic Shutout Loss

https://komonews.com/newsletter-daily/seattle-mariners-major-league-baseball-milwaukee-brewers-mlb-pitching-historic-loss-randy-arozarena-grant-anderson-gary-sanchez-pitching-garrett-mitchell

NASA Images Show 60-Foot-Wide Crater on Moon After SpaceX Rocket Booster Crash

https://www.yahoo.com/news/science/articles/nasa-images-show-60-foot-225300595.html

When the Music’s Over: Columbia House Is Shutting Down After 71 Years

https://www.kcra.com/article/columbia-house-shutting-down-after-71-years/73466151

Song of the Day

Joe Cocker - You Are So Beautiful

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPkzNPmOEgQ

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