News Digest for September 26, 2007

All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.

WORD OF THE DAY

Bodacious • \boh-DAY-shuss\ • adjective – 1: outright, unmistakable *2: remarkable, noteworthy 3: sexy, voluptuous

“Just look at that bodacious, fertile farmland,” enthused Fred to his companion Darryl. But Darryl had heard only part of what Fred had said. At the word “bodacious” Fred’s mind had gone to “Dollywood”.

WEATHER
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/total_forecast/index.php?minlon=-124.8&maxlon=-120.57&minlat=46.2&maxlat=49.33&mapwidth=354&map.x=144&map.y=269

Snow expected in the passes this week – If Tuesday's soggy weather didn't tip you off, weather prognosticators are predicting a sure sign that summer is at an end -- snow is coming to the lower Cascades. (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/333129_weather26.html?source=rss

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Supreme Court to rule on Snohomish PUD energy case (Everett Herald)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20070925/NEWS01/709260001/-1/news01

Snohomish PUD case goes to Supreme Court (Seattle Times version)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/snohomishcountynews/2003903458_pudcourt26m0.html?syndication=rss

Will 'Nuclear Renaissance' Spread To Northwest? An Idaho company says it’s at least one year away from submitting the paperwork to build a nuclear power plant about an hour’s drive south of Boise. (Oregon Public Radio)
http://news.opb.org/article/will-nuclear-renaissance-spread-northwest/

Chelan PUD prepares to react to climate laws – Less than a decade from now, the Chelan County PUD could be required to pay a dirty East Coast coal-fired utility for the right to continue to operate the PUD's own diesel-powered electricity generators in remote Stehekin. (Wenatchee World)
http://www.wenworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070925/NEWS04/709250041/1001

Seattle City Light told to buy substation land now –Seattle City Light should spend millions to buy three acres in South Lake Union for a new electricity substation that may not be needed. (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003903442_powergamble26m.html?syndication=rss

WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT

Cantwell works to erase Craig's last gambit “…Last week, Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., set out to undo Craig's last gambit -- his furtive backdoor bid to use a federal spending bill to dictate water flow for Snake River fish…” (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/connelly/333167_joel26.html?source=rss

Senate Authorizes Oregon Water Projects – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Gordon Smith (R-OR) today announced the Senate passage of the Water Resources Development Act, which authorizes $96 million in federal funding for water projects in Oregon. (Salem News)
http://www.salem-news.com/articles/september252007/oregon_water_projects_092507.php

Thousands of fish go belly up as poisoning of Lake Davis starts – The poison began flowing into scenic Lake Davis early Tuesday morning, and by midday thousands of dead fish were washing ashore or floating belly-up in the northern Sierra reservoir. (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/26/MNISSD6A3.DTL&feed=rss.news

California Poisons Lake, Targeting Invasive Pike – California's Department of Fish and Game has begun poisoning Lake Davis, near the small Sierra Nevada community of Portola. (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14698649&ft=1&f=2

Oregon – Marine reserve plan sparks turf war. Commercial fishermen on the North Coast say they can't afford to have the government close any more nearshore ocean fishing grounds (The Daily Astorian)
http://dailyastorian.info/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=398&ArticleID=45492

Canada – Massive salmon kill caused by algae blooms. Around 260 tons of farmed Atlantic salmon have been killed by algae blooms at a farm in Klemtu, British Columbia, operated by Marine Harvest Canada. (FishUpdate.com)
http://www.fishupdate.com/news/fullstory.php/aid/8706/Massive_salmon_kill_caused_by_algae_blooms.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

NW Awash in Tidal Energy Projects – There’s a veritable gold rush underway on Northwest waters. Developers, governments, and utilities have staked claims on the most promising wave energy and tidal power sites. (NW Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=3256

PUD moves ahead on tidal project (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/snohomishcountynews/2003902103_tidal26n.html?syndication=rss

New Zealand Commits to 90% Renewable Electricity by 2025 “…The country already uses 70% renewable electricity, primarily hydro- and geothermal power…” (RenewableEnergyAccess.com)
http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=50075

CONSERVATION

California – 'Green' building may become the law – In their high-profile campaign against climate change, California lawmakers have set goals for curbing carbon emissions from cars, factories and power plants -- and now they are taking aim at homes and offices. (North County Times)
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/09/25/news/top_stories/11_14_569_24_07.txt

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Seattle Post-Intelligencer Editorial Board – Greenhouse Gases: Let states lead. We are proud that Washington state is following California in the effort to limit cars' greenhouse gas emissions. So, we're alarmed (but not surprised) that the Bush administration is using political tricks to block the limits.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/333107_autoed.html?source=rss

Green Dreams – Producing fuel from corn and other crops could be good for the planet–if only the process didn't take a significant environmental toll. New breakthroughs could make a difference. (National Geographic)
http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/2007-10/biofuels/biofuels.html

Alaskans pitch plea to fight global warming – Burning tundra and coastal erosion are taking a toll. (Anchorage Daily News)
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/9332497p-9247571c.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Retailer’s weak encryption exposed it to credit theft, investigation finds (News Tribune, Tacoma(
http://www.thenewstribune.com/business/story/164777.html

GENERAL NEWS

Three WA men indicted for old-growth timber theft – Three men were arrested Tuesday on a federal indictment accusing them of illegally harvesting old-growth cedar trees in Washington's Olympic National Forest. (The Associated Press)
http://www.examiner.com/a-955508~Three_WA_men_indicted_for_old_growth_timber_theft.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines

Cutting down trees...to save a nature preserve? – Some people in Renton are confused. They're watching crews cut down dozens of trees -- all in an effort to help save a nature preserve? KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komotv.com/news/local/10027191.html

New Looks for Pennies (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/26/washington/26brfs-NEWLOOKSFORP_BRF.html?ex=1348459200&en=c220a83c3ec16ff1&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

DIVERSIONS

Man Accused Of Sawing House In Half – Man Charged With Vandalism, Aggravated Menacing
http://www.kirotv.com/news/14197524/detail.html?treets=sea&tid=2653595907813&tml=sea_7am&tmi=sea_7am_1_09000309252007&ts=H

Cubs Fans Name Their Newborn Son Wrigley Fields
http://www.kirotv.com/irresistible/14191277/detail.html?treets=sea&tid=2653595907813&tml=sea_nots&tmi=sea_nots_1_01000309252007&ts=H

Pygmy goats to be allowed as pets in Seattle (Awww, how cute!
http://www.komotv.com/news/local/10012726.html

Man Buys Smoker, Finds Human Leg Inside – A man who bought a smoker Tuesday at an auction of abandoned items might have thought twice had he looked inside first.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/09/25/national/a171037D68.DTL&feed=rss.news

Don't monkey with an orangutan
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20070926/BLOG08/70925014/-1/rss01