The Energy News Digest for July 27, 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.

Build Your Leadership Skills in Spokane

If you are a supervisor or manager, or planning to step into a leadership role, it’s time to plan to attend NWPPA’s Leadership Skills Series. Starting in September, NWPPA will offer four Leadership Skills Series courses in Spokane, Washington: Challenging Communication (Sept. 15-16), HR Basics and Building a More Effective Workplace (Oct. 6-7), Understanding SLII Work Styles (Nov. 3-4), and Supervising Union Employees (Dec. 8-9). The early-bird rate for Challenging Communication ends Aug. 1, so don’t wait to register.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Blackout Fears Erupt as 17 U.S. States Are Placed Under Power Emergency (MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/general/blackout-fears-erupt-as-17-us-states-are-placed-under-power-emergency/ar-AA28NIEA

White House Expands Data Center Electricity Cost Pledge to Utilities, States (The Hill, Washington, DC)

https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/5984187-white-house-data-center-electricity-cost/

OpenAI Didn't Realize Its Agent Was Responsible for Hack for a Week: Report (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/openai-didnt-realize-its-agent-was-responsible-hack-week-report

Heat Dome to Deliver Extreme Temperatures, High Wildfire Risk to West (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/weather-news/articles/heat-dome-deliver-extreme-temperatures-163703998.html

A Long-Term Water Supply Forecast Predicts Shortages, Droughts in Washington's Columbia Basin (Northwest Public Broadcasting)

https://www.nwpb.org/local/2026-07-22/a-long-term-water-supply-forecast-predicts-shortages-droughts-in-washingtons-columbia-basin

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      Blackout Fears Erupt as 17 U.S. States Are Placed Under Power Emergency

2.      News Release: Energy Secretary Secures Grid Across 17 States Amid Period of Hot Weather

3.      White House Expands Data Center Electricity Cost Pledge to Utilities, States

4.      APPA Signs White House Ratepayer Protection Pledge, Corwin Attends Related Event – PNW Signatories include Public Power Council, Snohomish County PUD, and Northern Wasco County PUD

5.      Seattle City Light Customers Hit with Rate Hikes

6.      Oregonians Can Comment on a Proposed Pacific Power Rate Increase

7.      FERC Eyes ‘Grid-Enhancing Technology’ Incentives: Chairman Swett

8.      Washington State’s Clean-Energy Bottleneck Leads to Calls for Reform

9.      Scalable Geothermal Plants Are Coming to Northern Utah

10.   Canada Is Turning Forgotten Reservoirs & Toxic Mining Ponds into Floating Solar “Power Plants” That Could Generate Electricity without Using New Land

11.   Hydrostorage Uses Water — And a Lot of It

12.   For Yukon River Residents, Salmon Shortages Have Health Consequences

13.   British Columbia: Evidence Grows for Chinook Spawning in Columbia River

14.   The State of Whale Watching in Washington: What Goes into It & What Could Put It at Risk

15.   Climate Commission Proposes Bigger Goals for Storing Planet-Warming Gas in Oregon Lands, Waters

16.   A Long-Term Water Supply Forecast Predicts Shortages, Droughts in Washington's Columbia Basin

17.   Colorado River Reservoirs Hit Record Lows as Government Threatens Major Cuts

18.   A Desert Town May Run Out of Water. Others Could Face the Same Fate.

19.   OpenAI Didn't Realize Its Agent Was Responsible for Hack for a Week: Report

20.   Where Agriculture Meets Technology: Inside the Small Washington Town That Became a Data Center Hub

21.   Seattle Approves Higher Electricity Rates for New Data Centers

22.   California to Offer a Novel $3,500 Rebate for First-Time Electric Vehicle Buyers

23.   The Pickle Is In, the Squint Is Out: Here Are the Newest Approved Emoji

24.   Trump Administration Admits Grants for Clean Energy Were Canceled Based on Politics

25.   Judge Orders EPA to Fund Climate Grants, Including $20 Million for Tribe in Nevada

26.   Heat Dome to Deliver Extreme Temperatures, High Wildfire Risk to West

27.   United States Wildfires – National Map

28.   Guest Essay: Energy Reliability Is What We Need to Talk About When It Comes to Power

29.   Guest Essay: No Data Center Moratorium for Richland. Here’s Why They Can’t

30.   Guest Essay: People Are Critical Infrastructure, Too. Utilities Must Do More or Lose Talent to Tech.

Word of the Day – Horrible Haiku Edition

Behemoth /bu-HEE-muth/ Noun – 1: Often capitalized: a mighty animal described in Job 40:15-24 as an example of the power of God 2: something of monstrous size, power, or appearance.

     Odd protest puppet

     Behemoth marshmallow man

     Shouts: “S’mores are Murder.”

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      Blackout Fears Erupt as 17 U.S. States Are Placed Under Power Emergency (MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/general/blackout-fears-erupt-as-17-us-states-are-placed-under-power-emergency/ar-AA28NIEA

2.      News Release: Energy Secretary Secures Grid Across 17 States Amid Period of Hot Weather (U.S. Dept. of Energy)

https://www.energy.gov/articles/energy-secretary-secures-grid-across-17-states-amid-period-hot-weather

3.      White House Expands Data Center Electricity Cost Pledge to Utilities, States (The Hill, Washington, DC)

https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/5984187-white-house-data-center-electricity-cost/

4.      APPA Signs White House Ratepayer Protection Pledge, Corwin Attends Related Event – PNW Signatories include Public Power Council, Snohomish County PUD, and Northern Wasco County PUD (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/appa-signs-white-house-ratepayer-protection-pledge-corwin-attends-related-event

5.      Seattle City Light Customers Hit with Rate Hikes (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/seattle-city-light-customers-hit-with-rate-hikes/OHTI6HM24NEEJCOVW7D4RBCZZU/

6.      Oregonians Can Comment on a Proposed Pacific Power Rate Increase (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/07/25/pacific-power-seeking-rate-increase/

7.      FERC Eyes ‘Grid-Enhancing Technology’ Incentives: Chairman Swett (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/ferc-grid-enhancing-technology-incentives-atts-senate-hearing/825992/

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

8.      Washington State’s Clean-Energy Bottleneck Leads to Calls for Reform (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kuow.org/governing/2026-07-23/washington-states-clean-energy-bottleneck-leads-to-calls-for-reform

9.      Scalable Geothermal Plants Are Coming to Northern Utah (KSL Radio)

https://www.ksl.com/article/news/business/scalable-geothermal-plants-are-coming-to-northern-utah/51601539

10.   Canada Is Turning Forgotten Reservoirs & Toxic Mining Ponds into Floating Solar “Power Plants” That Could Generate Electricity without Using New Land (Energies Media)

https://energiesmedia.com/canada-floating-solar-power-plants-energy/

11.   Hydrostorage Uses Water — And a Lot of It (Columbia Gorge News, Hood River, OR)

https://www.columbiagorgenews.com/news/hydrostorage-uses-water-and-a-lot-of-it/article_d9cdb4b6-7918-4786-a16e-22ff90c24b35.html

Fish & Wildlife

12.   For Yukon River Residents, Salmon Shortages Have Health Consequences (Washington State Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/07/24/repub/for-yukon-river-residents-salmon-shortages-have-health-consequences/

13.   British Columbia: Evidence Grows for Chinook Spawning in Columbia River (My Kootenay Now, BC)

https://www.mykootenaynow.com/75344/news/environment/fish-wildlife/evidence-grows-for-chinook-spawning-in-columbia-river/

14.   The State of Whale Watching in Washington: What Goes into It & What Could Put It at Risk (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)

https://komonews.com/news/local/the-state-of-whale-watching-in-washington-what-goes-into-it-and-what-could-put-it-at-risk

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

15.   Climate Commission Proposes Bigger Goals for Storing Planet-Warming Gas in Oregon Lands, Waters (Oregon Capital Chronicle)

https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/07/23/climate-commission-proposes-bigger-goals-for-storing-planet-warming-gas-in-oregon-lands-waters/

Water, Water Anywhere?

16.   A Long-Term Water Supply Forecast Predicts Shortages, Droughts in Washington's Columbia Basin (Northwest Public Broadcasting)

https://www.nwpb.org/local/2026-07-22/a-long-term-water-supply-forecast-predicts-shortages-droughts-in-washingtons-columbia-basin

17.   Colorado River Reservoirs Hit Record Lows as Government Threatens Major Cuts (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/colorado-river-reservoirs-hit-record-013342094.html

18.   A Desert Town May Run Out of Water. Others Could Face the Same Fate. (Washington Post – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/weather-news/articles/desert-town-may-run-water-100000943.html

HAL’s Internet Café

19.   OpenAI Didn't Realize Its Agent Was Responsible for Hack for a Week: Report (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/openai-didnt-realize-its-agent-was-responsible-hack-week-report

20.   Where Agriculture Meets Technology: Inside the Small Washington Town That Became a Data Center Hub (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/jul/26/where-agriculture-meets-technology-inside-the-smal/

21.   Seattle Approves Higher Electricity Rates for New Data Centers (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kuow.org/governing/2026-07-22/seattle-approves-higher-electricity-rates-for-new-data-centers

I Sing the Car Electric

22.   California to Offer a Novel $3,500 Rebate for First-Time Electric Vehicle Buyers (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/electric-vehicles/california-rebate-ev-buyers

Public Relations, Marketing & Media

23.   The Pickle Is In, the Squint Is Out: Here Are the Newest Approved Emoji (C|Net News)

https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/new-approved-emoji-pickle-cracked-face/

Politics, Governance, and Management

24.   Trump Administration Admits Grants for Clean Energy Were Canceled Based on Politics (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/trump-clean-energy-grants-chris-wright-09d26d615869ce06dd6bb2c047f636cb

25.   Judge Orders EPA to Fund Climate Grants, Including $20 Million for Tribe in Nevada (Nevada Current)

https://nevadacurrent.com/briefs/judge-orders-epa-to-fund-climate-grants-including-20-million-for-tribe-in-nv/

Other Things to Know About Today

26.   Heat Dome to Deliver Extreme Temperatures, High Wildfire Risk to West (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/weather-news/articles/heat-dome-deliver-extreme-temperatures-163703998.html

27.   United States Wildfires – National Map (Current Wildfires)

https://currentwildfires.com/en/wildfires-united-states/

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

28.   Guest Essay: Energy Reliability Is What We Need to Talk About When It Comes to Power (Seattle Times, WA – Via Save Our Wild Salmon)

https://www.wildsalmon.org/news-and-media/opinion/energy-reliability-is-what-we-need-to-talk-about-when-it-comes-to-power-seattle-times-opinion.html

29.   Guest Essay: No Data Center Moratorium for Richland. Here’s Why They Can’t (Tri-City Herald, WA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/no-data-center-moratorium-richland-120000118.html

30.   Guest Essay: People Are Critical Infrastructure, Too. Utilities Must Do More or Lose Talent to Tech. (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/people-are-critical-infrastructure-too-utilities-must-do-more-or-lose-tal/824765/

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

Winnipeg Couple Becomes Unwitting Hosts to 'Musical Roommates' as Threatened Chimney Swifts Move In

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/chimney-swifts-winnipeg-protected-habitat-9.7274190

Woman Earns Guinness World Record with 106 Shark Tattoos

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/07/24/Guinness-World-Records-shark-tattoos/6641784906928/

Stuffed Donkey Returned to 5-Year-Old After Social Media Adventure

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/07/23/canada-Ferries-Churro-the-Burro-stuffed-donkey/9921784826162/

Pictures: Annual Mud Festival Opens in South Korea’s Coastal City of Boryeong

https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2026/annual-mud-festival-opens-in-south-koreas-coastal-city-of-boryeong-in-photos/

Song of the Day

Johnny Cash - I've Been Everywhere

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoIfglXAbh0

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 July 22, 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.

Build Your Leadership Skills in Spokane

If you are a supervisor or manager, or planning to step into a leadership role, it’s time to plan to attend NWPPA’s Leadership Skills Series. Starting in September, NWPPA will offer four Leadership Skills Series courses in Spokane, Washington: Challenging Communication (Sept. 15-16), HR Basics and Building a More Effective Workplace (Oct. 6-7), Understanding SLII Work Styles (Nov. 3-4), and Supervising Union Employees (Dec. 8-9). The early-bird rate for Challenging Communication ends Aug. 1, so don’t wait to register.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

California: Wildfire Survivors Angered as Utility-Funded Group Claims to Represent Them (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_efc5235c-7415-4517-8e4c-e052a3561a16.html

‘A Five-Alarm Fire’: Western Reservoirs That Supply California Fall to Record Low Levels (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/science/articles/five-alarm-fire-western-reservoirs-193703058.html

OpenAI Model Went Rogue, Hacked Another Company’s System During Testing (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/openai-test-hacks-other-model-9.7279188

A Parasite That Thrives in Warm Conditions Adds to Yukon River Salmon Woes (Alaska Beacon)

Https://Alaskabeacon.Com/2026/07/22/A-Parasite-That-Thrives-In-Warm-Conditions-Adds-To-Yukon-River-Salmon-Woes/

As E-Bikes Surge in Popularity in Oregon, So Do the Safety Issues (Central Oregon Daily News, Bend, OR)

https://www.centraloregondaily.com/news/regional/as-e-bikes-surge-in-popularity-in-oregon-so-do-the-safety-issues/article_f2d8946b-e9b2-5c88-ae5b-7ab719c94dbc.html

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      California: Wildfire Survivors Angered as Utility-Funded Group Claims to Represent Them

2.      Idaho-Wyoming Nuclear Industry Partnership Set to Receive $31 Million Federal Award

3.      Idaho: Could Nuclear Energy Power the Magic Valley? Jerome County Wants to Find Out

4.      Consumer Advocacy Groups Formally Challenge San Diego Gas & Electric’s Proposal to Raise Rates in 2028

5.      Oregon VCP Campaign Builds Strong Grassroots Support for Protecting Hydropower

6.      811 Says Broadband Companies Hold Some Responsibility for Recent Utility Strikes

7.      Toxic Gas Slows Efforts to Rescue 13 Workers Trapped in India Hydropower Tunnel

8.      FERC Commissioners Defend Large-Load Interconnection Orders, Back Hydropower Licensing Streamlining Before Senate Energy Panel

9.      Nevada: Clark County, Nonprofits Launch Effort to Ease Conversion to Solar

10.   A Parasite That Thrives in Warm Conditions Adds to Yukon River Salmon Woes

11.   First Floating Wetland in Seattle Aims to Turn the Tide for Salmon

12.   Idaho’s Brownlee & Hells Canyon Reservoirs Under Health Advisory

13.   Carbon Dioxide Emissions from U.S. Power Sector Rose 4% Last Year

14.   ‘A Five-Alarm Fire’: Western Reservoirs That Supply California Fall to Record Low Levels

15.   Expected Colorado River Pact Seen as Step in Right Direction

16.   Angry Crowd Confronts Oklahoma Water Regulators Over Dams

17.   Stranded Houseboats & Grounded Cruise Ships: Europe’s Rivers Are Shrinking amid Heat & Drought

18.   Following Data Center Boom, Oregon for First Time Considers Charging Use Fees for Undersea Cables

19.   California Approves $74 Million for Rural Broadband Expansion

20.   FCC Revises Broadband Nutrition Label Rules

21.   OpenAI Model Went Rogue, Hacked Another Company’s System During Testing

22.   As E-Bikes Surge in Popularity in Oregon, So Do the Safety Issues

23.   Spokane Police Warn Families After Kids Ride E-Motorcycles

24.   Need Backup Power? Automakers Want You to Look No Further Than Their Vehicles in Your Driveway

25.   B.C. Hydro Aims to Add 2,500 Public Electric Vehicle Charging Ports by 2035

26.   News Release: U.S. Sen. Murkowski & Colleagues Lead Efforts to Bolster Made-In-America Hydropower

27.   New Calif. Law Supported by NCPA Extends Current Policy to Ensure Public Power Customers Receive Full Value of Project

28.   Montana Gov. Gianforte Seeking Applications for Temporary Public Service Commission Appointment

29.   Idaho Has Spent More Than $20 Million on Wildfire Suppression so Far This Year as Conditions Worsen

30.   Tropical Storm Moisture Will Bring Precipitation to the Northwest During the Driest Time of the Year

31.   Second Day of Heat, Hazy Skies Before Cooler Air Moves In

32.   Portland Heat Reaches Triple Digits; Wednesday Another Scorcher

33.   Old Farmer’s Almanac Fall 2026 Forecast: What You Can Expect Where You Live

34.   New GM of Idaho Falls Power Details How New Peaking Plant Will Benefit Utility, Customers

Word of the Day

Frisson \free-SON (ends with kind of a nasally-French pronunciation)\ Noun - A brief moment of emotional excitement: shudder, thrill.

My cat leaped onto my lap – in a tense pose of frisson – looking for the bird she thought was hiding in my mouth.  The one that was just whistling the guitar solo from “Sultans of Swing.”

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      California: Wildfire Survivors Angered as Utility-Funded Group Claims to Represent Them (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_efc5235c-7415-4517-8e4c-e052a3561a16.html

2.      Idaho-Wyoming Nuclear Industry Partnership Set to Receive $31 Million Federal Award (Idaho Capital Sun)

https://idahocapitalsun.com/briefs/idaho-wyoming-nuclear-industry-partnership-set-to-receive-31m-federal-award/

3.      Idaho: Could Nuclear Energy Power the Magic Valley? Jerome County Wants to Find Out (KIVI-TV, Nampa, ID)

https://www.kivitv.com/jerome/could-nuclear-energy-power-the-magic-valley-jerome-county-wants-to-find-out

4.      Consumer Advocacy Groups Formally Challenge San Diego Gas & Electric’s Proposal to Raise Rates in 2028 (KPBS Broadcasting, San Diego, CA)

https://www.kpbs.org/news/quality-of-life/2026/07/21/consumer-advocacy-groups-formally-challenge-sdg-es-proposal-to-raise-rates-in-2028

5.      Oregon VCP Campaign Builds Strong Grassroots Support for Protecting Hydropower (National Rural Electric Cooperative Association)

https://www.electric.coop/oregon-vcp-campaign-builds-strong-grassroots-support-for-protecting-hydropower

6.      811 Says Broadband Companies Hold Some Responsibility for Recent Utility Strikes (WFMJ-TV, Youngstown, OH)

https://www.wfmj.com/news/local-news/811-says-broadband-companies-hold-responsibility-for-recent-utility-strikes/article_e7c8f48c-f6a9-49c5-9c3f-0d70bd96c161.html

7.      Toxic Gas Slows Efforts to Rescue 13 Workers Trapped in India Hydropower Tunnel (Courthouse News Service)

https://courthousenews.com/toxic-gas-slows-efforts-to-rescue-13-workers-trapped-in-india-hydropower-tunnel/

8.      FERC Commissioners Defend Large-Load Interconnection Orders, Back Hydropower Licensing Streamlining Before Senate Energy Panel (Daily Energy Insider)

https://dailyenergyinsider.com/hearing-summaries/53142-ferc-commissioners-defend-large-load-interconnection-orders-back-hydropower-licensing-streamlining-before-senate-energy-panel/

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

9.      Nevada: Clark County, Nonprofits Launch Effort to Ease Conversion to Solar (Nevada Current)

https://nevadacurrent.com/2026/07/21/clark-county-nonprofits-launch-effort-to-ease-switch-to-solar/

Fish & Wildlife

10.   A Parasite That Thrives in Warm Conditions Adds to Yukon River Salmon Woes (Alaska Beacon)

Https://Alaskabeacon.Com/2026/07/22/A-Parasite-That-Thrives-In-Warm-Conditions-Adds-To-Yukon-River-Salmon-Woes/

11.   First Floating Wetland in Seattle Aims to Turn the Tide for Salmon (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/first-floating-wetland-seattle-saltwater-aims-turn-the-tide-for-salmon/281-b7872ef8-4978-4354-a733-515554c0d38e

Environmental Afflatus – Clean Up on Aisle Three

12.   Idaho’s Brownlee & Hells Canyon Reservoirs Under Health Advisory (Idaho Capital Sun)

https://idahocapitalsun.com/briefs/idahos-brownlee-and-hells-canyon-reservoirs-under-health-advisory/

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

13.   Carbon Dioxide Emissions from U.S. Power Sector Rose 4% Last Year (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/carbon-dioxide-emissions-electric-power-eia/825805/

Water, Water Anywhere?

14.   ‘A Five-Alarm Fire’: Western Reservoirs That Supply California Fall to Record Low Levels (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/science/articles/five-alarm-fire-western-reservoirs-193703058.html

15.   Expected Colorado River Pact Seen as Step in Right Direction (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_efc5235c-7415-4517-8e4c-e052a3561a16.html

16.   Angry Crowd Confronts Oklahoma Water Regulators Over Dams (States Newsroom)

https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/angry-crowd-confronts-oklahoma-water-regulators-over-dams

17.   Stranded Houseboats & Grounded Cruise Ships: Europe’s Rivers Are Shrinking amid Heat & Drought (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/weather-news/articles/stranded-houseboats-shrunken-rivers-netherlands-083025958.html

London Calling –Telecommunications

18.   Following Data Center Boom, Oregon for First Time Considers Charging Use Fees for Undersea Cables (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/07/22/oregon-coast-data-center-boom-undersea-cables-use-fees/

19.   California Approves $74 Million for Rural Broadband Expansion (Inside Towers)

https://insidetowers.com/california-approves-74-million-for-rural-broadband-expansion/

20.   FCC Revises Broadband Nutrition Label Rules (Fierce Network)

https://www.fierce-network.com/broadband/fcc-revises-broadband-nutrition-label-rules

HAL’s Internet Café

21.   OpenAI Model Went Rogue, Hacked Another Company’s System During Testing (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/openai-test-hacks-other-model-9.7279188

I Sing the Car Electric

22.   As E-Bikes Surge in Popularity in Oregon, So Do the Safety Issues (Central Oregon Daily News, Bend, OR)

https://www.centraloregondaily.com/news/regional/as-e-bikes-surge-in-popularity-in-oregon-so-do-the-safety-issues/article_f2d8946b-e9b2-5c88-ae5b-7ab719c94dbc.html

23.   Spokane Police Warn Families After Kids Ride E-Motorcycles (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

https://www.khq.com/news/spokane-police-warn-families-after-kids-ride-e-motorcycles/article_eb905ce6-bfac-4d99-b82f-ceff10febbd4.html

24.   Need Backup Power? Automakers Want You to Look No Further Than Their Vehicles in Your Driveway (Associated Press)

https://www.seattlepi.com/business/need-backup-power-automakers-want-you-to-look-no-a22355347

25.   B.C. Hydro Aims to Add 2,500 Public Electric Vehicle Charging Ports by 2035 (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/2-500-public-ev-charging-ports-b-c-2035-9.7278520?cmp=rss

Politics, Governance, and Management

26.   News Release: U.S. Sen. Murkowski & Colleagues Lead Efforts to Bolster Made-In-America Hydropower (Sen Lisa Murkowski – AK - News Release)

https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowski-and-colleagues-lead-efforts-to-bolster-made-in-america-hydropower

27.   New Calif. Law Supported by NCPA Extends Current Policy to Ensure Public Power Customers Receive Full Value of Project (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/new-calif-law-supported-ncpa-extends-current-policy-ensure-public-power-customers-receive-full-value

28.   Montana Gov. Gianforte Seeking Applications for Temporary Public Service Commission Appointment (KTVH-TV, Helena, MT)

https://www.ktvh.com/news/gianforte-seeking-applications-for-temporary-public-service-commission-appointment

Other Things to Know About Today

29.   Idaho Has Spent More Than $20 Million on Wildfire Suppression so Far This Year as Conditions Worsen (States Newsroom)

https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/idaho-has-spent-more-20m-wildfire-suppression-so-far-year-conditions-worsen

30.   Tropical Storm Moisture Will Bring Precipitation to the Northwest During the Driest Time of the Year (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2026/07/tropical-storm-moisture-will-bring.html

31.   Second Day of Heat, Hazy Skies Before Cooler Air Moves In (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)

https://komonews.com/newsletter-daily/heat-advisory-hot-weather-above-90-degrees-western-washington-seattle-forecast-safety-air-quality-alert-smoky-hazy-skies

32.   Portland Heat Reaches Triple Digits; Wednesday Another Scorcher (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/weather/2026/07/portland-heat-reaches-triple-digits-wednesday-another-scorcher.html

33.   Old Farmer’s Almanac Fall 2026 Forecast: What You Can Expect Where You Live (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2026/07/old-farmers-almanac-fall-2026-forecast-what-you-can-expect-where-you-live.html

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

34.   New GM of Idaho Falls Power Details How New Peaking Plant Will Benefit Utility, Customers (American Public Power Association)

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1452280/episodes/19509544

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

Wreckage of Pan Am Plane Found in Ocean 74 Years After Crash Off Puerto Rico: "Changed Aviation Forever"

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pan-am-plane-crash-wreckage-found-clipper-endeavor-puerto-rico/

Woman Gives Birth to Rare Identical Quadruplet Girls in Australia

https://ktla.com/news/rare-identical-quadruplet-girls-in-australia/

Alberta’s Aquatic Ecosystems Are Being Put at Risk by Illegal Dumping of Goldfish

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-goldfish-dumping-water-9.7277437

Poulsbo, WA Teen Wins $2,000 Scholarship in Duct Tape Dress Contest

https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/poulsbo-duct-tape-prom-dress

Song of the Day

Don McLean – Wonderful Baby

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wuvj1K8X3xo

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