The Energy News Digest for September 2, 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.

Programming Note

The Energy News Digest will be on a time-out in the corner on September 7 and September 9.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Why Finding Missing Workers from Nepal’s Hydropower Tunnels Is Proving to Be Difficult (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/nepal-flash-floods-hydropower-tunnels-missing-workers-e7554ef73393ae96eb0a5d07866e532f

Falling Lake Mead Threatens Hoover Dam’s Power Output (KNXV-TV, Phoenix, AZ)

https://www.abc15.com/news/falling-lake-mead-threatens-hoover-dams-power-output

The U.S. Built More Grid Batteries Last Quarter Than Ever Before (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/batteries/us-built-more-grid-batteries

Climate Change Past the Point of No Return, UN Says, as Worst Impacts Are Now Unavoidable (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/unep-climate-paris-global-warming-9.7329305

An Island Is Floating Around a British Columbia Reservoir — And It Keeps Disappearing (Global News, Canada)

https://globalnews.ca/news/12044932/floating-island-bc-williston-resevoir/

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      Why Finding Missing Workers from Nepal’s Hydropower Tunnels Is Proving to Be Difficult

2.      Falling Lake Mead Threatens Hoover Dam’s Power Output

3.      The Pacific Northwest Has a Copper Theft Problem

4.      Refreshed Strategic Plan Sharpens Bonneville Power Administration’s Focus on Accelerated Grid Expansion, Ratepayer Protection

5.      Montana Regulators Order NorthWestern Energy to Redo 20-Year Power Plan after Review Finds Gaps

6.      Economic Growth Is Stunted in Wyoming Due to Lack of Electrons, Industrial Customers Say

7.      British Columbia Energy Ministry Says Four Calculation Mistakes Led to $1.5 Billion Budget Error

8.      Man Accused of Shooting at Tree Removal Workers in Oregon City Appears in Court

9.      Alaska: Fall Storm Season Is Near – Here Are Some Ways to Prepare

10.   Small Nuclear Reactors Could Be America’s Next Power Move

11.   The U.S. Built More Grid Batteries Last Quarter Than Ever Before

12.   California: Vacaville Battery Storage Project Draws Hours of Opposition at Final Public Hearing

13.   WA State: Snohomish PUD to Celebrate Opening of South Everett Solar Project

14.   Wind Energy Benefits North Dakota. So Why Has the State Soured on It?

15.   Coho Salmon Fishing Reopens Off Columbia River with Weekend Window

16.   How a Klamath Basin Bird Crisis Brings Old Water Rivals Together

17.   Climate Change Past the Point of No Return, UN Says, as Worst Impacts Are Now Unavoidable

18.   Colorado River Drought Lawsuits May Dampen Wyoming Dam Plans

19.   Reining in Big Tech: How California Lawmakers Plan to Regulate Artificial Intelligence & Social Media

20.   WA State: More Data Centers Possible for Klickitat County

21.   Google Just Escaped a Breakup of Its Ad Tech Empire

22.   Social Media Companies Are Trying Harder to Know Which Users Are Kids

23.   An Island Is Floating Around a British Columbia Reservoir — And It Keeps Disappearing

24.   California Assembly Kills Wildfire Liability Plan Gov. Newsom Agreed to with Legislators

25.   Montana: Judge Confirms PSC Commissioner Will Remain Suspended

26.   Above-Average Rainfall Forecast for the West as El Niño Kicks into Gear

27.   Choosing the Least Bad Option: Local Blackouts vs. Catastrophic Wildfires

28.   Washington Creates a New Tool to Address Transmission Bottlenecks

Word of the Day

Defile \dih-FILE\ Verb/Noun – 1 - Verb: to make unclean or impure: as - a: to corrupt the purity or perfection of, debase; b: to make physically unclean, especially with something unpleasant or contaminating d: to violate the sanctity of, desecrate e: sully, dishonor 2 – Noun: a narrow passage through mountains, a narrow passage or gorge.

The troop of spelunkers entered the defile leading to the yawning entrance of the infamous “Cave of the Intestinally Distressed Bats.” Only the tour guide knew what they would find. Only the adventurers with excellent vocabularies realized too late the origin of the cavern’s name and the reason the tour included heavy discounts on dry cleaning at the small nearby town’s single laundry establishment.

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      Why Finding Missing Workers from Nepal’s Hydropower Tunnels Is Proving to Be Difficult (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/nepal-flash-floods-hydropower-tunnels-missing-workers-e7554ef73393ae96eb0a5d07866e532f

2.      Falling Lake Mead Threatens Hoover Dam’s Power Output (KNXV-TV, Phoenix, AZ)

https://www.abc15.com/news/falling-lake-mead-threatens-hoover-dams-power-output

3.      The Pacific Northwest Has a Copper Theft Problem (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kuow.org/economy/2026-09-02/the-pacific-northwest-has-a-copper-theft-problem

4.      Refreshed Strategic Plan Sharpens Bonneville Power Administration’s Focus on Accelerated Grid Expansion, Ratepayer Protection (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/about/newsroom/news-articles/20260831-refreshed-strategic-plan-focus-accelerated-grid-expansion-ratepayer-prot

5.      Montana Regulators Order NorthWestern Energy to Redo 20-Year Power Plan after Review Finds Gaps (The Cool Down)

https://www.thecooldown.com/green-business/northwestern-energy-revise-power-plan-montana/

6.      Economic Growth Is Stunted in Wyoming Due to Lack of Electrons, Industrial Customers Say (Wyofiles)

https://wyofile.com/economic-growth-is-stunted-in-wyoming-due-to-lack-of-electrons-industrial-customers-say/

7.      British Columbia Energy Ministry Says Four Calculation Mistakes Led to $1.5 Billion Budget Error (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-gas-royalty-budget-error-9.7328419

8.      Man Accused of Shooting at Tree Removal Workers in Oregon City Appears in Court (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.koin.com/local/clackamas-county/man-accused-of-shooting-at-tree-removal-workers-in-oregon-city-appears-in-court/

9.      Alaska: Fall Storm Season Is Near – Here Are Some Ways to Prepare (KNOM Radio, Anchorage, AK)

https://knom.org/2026/08/31/fall-storm-season-is-near-here-are-some-ways-to-prepare/

10.   Small Nuclear Reactors Could Be America’s Next Power Move (Christian Science Monitor)

https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2026/0902/nuclear-power-data-centers

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

11.   The U.S. Built More Grid Batteries Last Quarter Than Ever Before (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/batteries/us-built-more-grid-batteries

12.   California: Vacaville Battery Storage Project Draws Hours of Opposition at Final Public Hearing (CBS News)

https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/vacaville-battery-storage-project-final-public-hearing/

13.   WA State: Snohomish PUD to Celebrate Opening of South Everett Solar Project (Everett Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.heraldnet.com/2026/09/01/pud-to-celebrate-opening-of-south-everett-solar-project/

14.   Wind Energy Benefits North Dakota. So Why Has the State Soured on It? (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/wind/wind-energy-north-dakota-benefits

Fish & Wildlife

15.   Coho Salmon Fishing Reopens Off Columbia River with Weekend Window (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/sports/2026/09/coho-salmon-fishing-reopens-off-columbia-river-with-weekend-window.html

16.   How a Klamath Basin Bird Crisis Brings Old Water Rivals Together (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/09/01/klamath-basin-southern-oregon-bird-crisis-water-rivals-botulism/

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

17.   Climate Change Past the Point of No Return, UN Says, as Worst Impacts Are Now Unavoidable (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/unep-climate-paris-global-warming-9.7329305

Water, Water Anywhere?

18.   Colorado River Drought Lawsuits May Dampen Wyoming Dam Plans (WyoFile)

https://wyofile.com/colorado-river-drought-lawsuits-may-dampen-wyoming-dam-plans/

HAL’s Internet Café

19.   Reining in Big Tech: How California Lawmakers Plan to Regulate Artificial Intelligence & Social Media (Los Angeles Times, CA – via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/reigning-big-tech-california-lawmakers-005701389.html

20.   WA State: More Data Centers Possible for Klickitat County (Goldendale Sentinel, WA - Paywall Advisory)

https://www.goldendalesentinel.com/news/more-data-centers-possible-for-county/article_b656c420-736c-4751-be22-209654a24211.html

Public Relations, Marketing & Media

21.   Google Just Escaped a Breakup of Its Ad Tech Empire (Yahoo! News)

https://finance.yahoo.com/media-advertising/articles/google-just-escaped-breakup-ad-164423335.html

22.   Social Media Companies Are Trying Harder to Know Which Users Are Kids (Associated Press)

https://abcnews.com/amp/Technology/wireStory/social-media-companies-harder-users-kids-136105662

Barrel O’ Green Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science

23.   An Island Is Floating Around a British Columbia Reservoir — And It Keeps Disappearing (Global News, Canada)

https://globalnews.ca/news/12044932/floating-island-bc-williston-resevoir/

Politics, Governance, and Management

24.   California Assembly Kills Wildfire Liability Plan Gov. Newsom Agreed to with Legislators (KCRA-TV, Sacramento, CA)

https://www.kcra.com/article/newsom-special-session-wildfire-liability-legislature-deal-killed/73583690

25.   Montana: Judge Confirms PSC Commissioner Will Remain Suspended (Daily Montanan)

https://dailymontanan.com/2026/08/31/judge-confirms-psc-commissioner-will-remain-suspended/

Other Things to Know About Today

26.   Above-Average Rainfall Forecast for the West as El Niño Kicks into Gear (KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, CA)

https://ktla.com/weather/above-average-rainfall-forecast-for-the-west-as-el-nino-kicks-into-gear/

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

27.   Choosing the Least Bad Option: Local Blackouts vs. Catastrophic Wildfires (The Institute for Western Energy)

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/choosing-least-bad-option-local-blackouts-veexc

28.   Washington Creates a New Tool to Address Transmission Bottlenecks (Davis Wright Tremaine LLP)

https://www.dwt.com/blogs/energy--environmental-law-blog/2026/09/washington-electric-transmission-authority-sb-6355

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

13-Year-Old Sells 1-of-1 Gold Jimothy Rookie Card for More Than $21,000 on eBay

https://mynorthwest.com/local/jimothy-rookie-card-auction/4271045

Pugs in Wigs, Suits & Capes Vie for Top Prize at Packed Portland Pooch Pageant

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/pugs-in-wigs-suits-and-capes-vie-for-top-prize-at-packed-portland-pooch-pageant/ar-AA2bbYWo

Over 100 Colonel Sanders Artifacts Sold at Auction, Totaling Nearly $300,000

https://www.wlky.com/article/colonel-sanders-memorabilia-sold-auction/73295779

Man Balances 254 Toilet Paper Rolls on His Head

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/08/31/Guinness-World-Records-toilet-paper-balanced-254/8661788191506/

Song of the Day

Henhouse Five Plus Two (Ray Stevens) - In the Mood

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vxdQwVuago

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 31, 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.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Nepal Teams Seek Hundreds Trapped in Hydropower Tunnels After Deadly Floods (The Guardian, UK)

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/31/nepal-tibet-floods-rescuers-hundreds-trapped-hydropower

Wildfire in Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Is Now Top Priority in the Nation (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/tech/science/environment/fire-okanogan-wenatchee-national-forest-top-priority/281-a7d68459-1578-4555-89cf-0aaf5dc0debb

President Trump Declares Emergency, Moves to Block Some Foreign-Made Equipment from Grid (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/trump-declares-emergency-moves-to-block-some-foreign-made-equipment-from-g/828959/

U.S. Says Chinese Hackers Broke into Justice Department, NASA, Federal Reserve, Senate (Reuters – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/us-says-chinese-hackers-broke-into-justice-department-nasa-federal-reserve-senate-224727358.html

Oregon: E-Bike Injuries Up 250% in Eugene Area as Popularity, Complaints Surge (Eugene Register-Guard, OR – Via Yahoo!)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/e-bike-injuries-250-eugene-110110251.html

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      Nepal Teams Seek Hundreds Trapped in Hydropower Tunnels After Deadly Floods

2.      President Trump Declares Emergency, Moves to Block Some Foreign-Made Equipment from Grid

3.      Montana: NorthWestern Customers Report ‘Significant Increase’ in Bills; PSC Reviewing Complaints

4.      ‘I Saw the Dust Kick Up’: Worker Says He Was Inches from Bullet After Man Allegedly Shot at Tree Removal Crew

5.      WA State: City of Lacey Underestimates Power Bill by $1.7 Million. What Caused the Spike?

6.      Army to Spend $2 Billion to Build Nuclear Microreactors at 5 Bases as U.S. Seeks to Ramp Up Nuclear Power

7.      The Northwest Power & Conservation Council Requests Public Comment on Its Draft Ninth Power Plan by October 16.

8.      Collaboration Could Be a Win-Win for Cascading Hydropower

9.      Engineers Sent Robotic ‘Sensor Fish’ Through a Columbia River Dam, Then Subjected 5,767 Young Salmon to the Same Pressure Drop — Revealing That Turbine Blades Are Rarely What Kill Them

10.   Quagga Mussels Detected Again in Idaho, But Numbers Are Down as Ag Department Makes Eradication Push

11.   Yellowstone National Park to Conduct Invasive Species Removal to Preserve Cutthroat Trout

12.   WA State: ‘This Event Looks to Be Extreme’: Low Oxygen Linked to ‘Extensive’ Hood Canal Fish Kill

13.   Skagit PUD Program Shares Surplus Water Rights with Farmers. Should It Continue?

14.   California Lawmakers Reach Deal in High-Stakes Fight Over Regulating Data Centers

15.   U.S. Says Chinese Hackers Broke into Justice Department, NASA, Federal Reserve, Senate

16.   Artificial Intelligence Agents Are Hacking Without Human Oversight. How Did We Get Here?

17.   Tim Cook Shares Emotional Farewell on Final Day as Apple CEO

18.   Oregon: E-Bike Injuries Up 250% in Eugene Area as Popularity, Complaints Surge

19.   British Columbia: Electric Vehicle Charger Thefts on the Rise as Value of Copper Reaches Record High

20.   Electric Heavy-Duty Trucks Will Be Able to Run from Baja to Canada, West Coast Leaders Pledge

21.   California Sues Trump Administration Over Offshore Wind Payments

22.   California Lawmakers Strike Wildfire Deal That Leaves Out Most of Newsom’s Big Demands

23.   Thousands of State Workers Set to Walk Out Monday as Contract Talks Stall

24.   Wildfire in Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Is Now Top Priority in the Nation

25.   With Cool/Wet Weather Ahead, The Wildfire Threat Will Rapidly Decline over the Pacific Northwest

26.   Old Farmer’s Almanac 2026 Forecasts ‘Mostly Mild’ Winter

27.   Wooden versus Metal Poles

Word of the Day

Sangfroid \sawn-FWAH\ Noun – Self-possession or imperturbability, especially under strain – Etymology: French sang-froid, literally, cold blood

“Watch what happens when I open this breaker,” cackled the scientist. Instantly, the entire eastern seaboard went dark, sparking a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission study into the hiring of “mad scientists with sangfroid tendencies.” Unfortunately, it also spawned 250 new regulations as part of the National Energy Reliability Corporation’s rule-making activities.

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      Nepal Teams Seek Hundreds Trapped in Hydropower Tunnels After Deadly Floods (The Guardian, UK)

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/31/nepal-tibet-floods-rescuers-hundreds-trapped-hydropower

2.      President Trump Declares Emergency, Moves to Block Some Foreign-Made Equipment from Grid (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/trump-declares-emergency-moves-to-block-some-foreign-made-equipment-from-g/828959/

3.      Montana: NorthWestern Customers Report ‘Significant Increase’ in Bills; PSC Reviewing Complaints (The Daily Montanan)

https://dailymontanan.com/2026/08/27/northwestern-customers-report-significant-increase-in-bills-psc-reviewing-complaints/

4.      ‘I Saw the Dust Kick Up’: Worker Says He Was Inches from Bullet After Man Allegedly Shot at Tree Removal Crew (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.koin.com/local/clackamas-county/i-saw-the-dust-kick-up-worker-says-he-was-inches-from-bullet-after-man-allegedly-shot-at-tree-removal-crew/

5.      WA State: City of Lacey Underestimates Power Bill by $1.7 Million. What Caused the Spike? (The Olympian, WA – Via MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/lacey-underestimates-power-bill-by-1-7-million-what-caused-the-spike/ar-AA2b7R1L

6.      Army to Spend $2 Billion to Build Nuclear Microreactors at 5 Bases as U.S. Seeks to Ramp Up Nuclear Power (ABC News)

https://abcnews.com/US/wireStory/army-spend-2b-build-nuclear-microreactors-5-bases-135985595

7.      The Northwest Power & Conservation Council Requests Public Comment on Its Draft Ninth Power Plan by October 16. (Northwest Power & Conservation Council)

https://www.nwcouncil.org/energy/ninthpowerplan/

8.      Collaboration Could Be a Win-Win for Cascading Hydropower (National Laboratory of the Rockies)

https://www.nlr.gov/news/detail/program/2026/collaboration-could-be-a-win-win-for-cascading-hydropower

Fish & Wildlife

9.      Engineers Sent Robotic ‘Sensor Fish’ Through a Columbia River Dam, Then Subjected 5,767 Young Salmon to the Same Pressure Drop — Revealing That Turbine Blades Are Rarely What Kill Them (Space Daily)

https://spacedaily.com/b-engineers-sent-robotic-sensor-fish-through-a-columbia-river-dam-then-subjected-5767-young-salmon-to-the-same-pressure-drop-revealing-that-turbine-blades-are-rarely-what-kill-them-their/

10.   Quagga Mussels Detected Again in Idaho, But Numbers Are Down as Ag Department Makes Eradication Push (Washington State Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/08/27/repub/quagga-mussels-detected-again-in-idaho-but-numbers-are-down-as-ag-department-makes-eradication-push/

11.   Yellowstone National Park to Conduct Invasive Species Removal to Preserve Cutthroat Trout (Idaho Capital Sun)

https://idahocapitalsun.com/2026/08/31/repub/yellowstone-national-park-to-conduct-invasive-species-removal-to-preserve-cutthroat-trout/

Environmental Afflatus – Clean Up on Aisle Three

12.   WA State: ‘This Event Looks to Be Extreme’: Low Oxygen Linked to ‘Extensive’ Hood Canal Fish Kill (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/tech/science/environment/low-oxygen-kills-extensive-hood-canal-marine-life/281-79a67d43-5a78-491a-9fe1-1a6b05fbe432

Water, Water Anywhere?

13.   Skagit PUD Program Shares Surplus Water Rights with Farmers. Should It Continue? (Cascadia Daily News)

https://www.cascadiadaily.com/2026/aug/27/skagit-pud-program-shares-surplus-water-rights-with-farmers-should-it-continue/

HAL’s Internet Café

14.   California Lawmakers Reach Deal in High-Stakes Fight Over Regulating Data Centers (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/california-lawmakers-reach-deal-high-212527708.html

The Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity

15.   U.S. Says Chinese Hackers Broke into Justice Department, NASA, Federal Reserve, Senate (Reuters – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/us-says-chinese-hackers-broke-into-justice-department-nasa-federal-reserve-senate-224727358.html

16.   Artificial Intelligence Agents Are Hacking Without Human Oversight. How Did We Get Here? (KCRA-TV, Sacramento, CA)

https://www.kcra.com/article/ai-agents-hacking-how-did-it-happen/73571406

17.   Tim Cook Shares Emotional Farewell on Final Day as Apple CEO (Mashable)

https://mashable.com/tech/tim-cook-shares-emotional-farewell-final-day-apple-ceo

I Sing the Car Electric

18.   Oregon: E-Bike Injuries Up 250% in Eugene Area as Popularity, Complaints Surge (Eugene Register-Guard, OR – Via Yahoo!)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/e-bike-injuries-250-eugene-110110251.html

19.   British Columbia: Electric Vehicle Charger Thefts on the Rise as Value of Copper Reaches Record High (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/ev-charger-thefts-rise-9.7323039

20.   Electric Heavy-Duty Trucks Will Be Able to Run from Baja to Canada, West Coast Leaders Pledge (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/electric-heavy-duty-trucks-able-100000966.html

Politics, Governance, and Management

21.   California Sues Trump Administration Over Offshore Wind Payments (Utility Dive – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/california-sues-trump-administration-over-103856138.html

22.   California Lawmakers Strike Wildfire Deal That Leaves Out Most of Newsom’s Big Demands (States Newsroom)

https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/california-lawmakers-strike-wildfire-deal-leaves-out-most-newsoms-big-demands

23.   Thousands of State Workers Set to Walk Out Monday as Contract Talks Stall (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/thousands-state-workers-set-walk-out-monday/3USMAJW5XZBRPBDMBAV6HZO3KQ/

Other Things to Know About Today

24.   Wildfire in Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Is Now Top Priority in the Nation (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/tech/science/environment/fire-okanogan-wenatchee-national-forest-top-priority/281-a7d68459-1578-4555-89cf-0aaf5dc0debb

25.   With Cool/Wet Weather Ahead, The Wildfire Threat Will Rapidly Decline over the Pacific Northwest (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2026/08/with-coolwet-weather-ahead-wildfire.html

26.   Old Farmer’s Almanac 2026 Forecasts ‘Mostly Mild’ Winter (USA Today – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/us-says-chinese-hackers-broke-into-justice-department-nasa-federal-reserve-senate-224727358.html

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

27.   Wooden versus Metal Poles (Pots & Pans)

https://potsandpansbyccg.com/2026/08/28/wooden-versus-metal-poles/

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

Pope Leo Officially Has a White Sox Pope Hat, And It’s Glorious

https://www.mlb.com/news/pope-leo-xiv-gifted-pope-hat-from-white-sox-giveaway

50,000 Cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon Vanish in Beer Heist

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/50-000-cans-pbr-vanish-222445116.html

Finally, An Economic Indicator You Can Eat – The Humble Corn Dog

https://www.npr.org/2026/08/30/nx-s1-5949338/finally-an-economic-indicator-you-can-eat

Five Pounds & One Crown Heavier: We Have Our First-Ever Fat Marmot Week Winner

https://www.kcra.com/article/fat-marmot-week-2026-winner/73569881

Song of the Day

Marvin Gaye – Wherever I Lay My Hat (That’s My Home)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4w6bud1Mag

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.