News Digest for October 1, 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

Infrangible • \in-FRAN-juh-bul\ • adjective – 1: not capable of being broken or separated into parts *2: not to be infringed or violated (From Merriam-Webster)

“There they are,” whispered Amber, “The infrangible twins.” “I know,” said Bernice, “you can never tell if they’re there” “Not intangible, you dolt,” muttered Amber. “They’re infrangible; you never see them apart.”

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

La Nina developing in Pacific Ocean (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_090607WAB_la_nina_SW.a97b15f8.html

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Pennsylvania – Who's going to pull the plug on rising use of electricity? With electricity bills across most of Pennsylvania set to jump in a couple of years when rate caps expire, a scramble is on at the Capitol to see how that might be averted. (Bucks County Courier Times)
http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/103-09292007-1415689.html

Governors say West must remove barriers to electric transmission (San Diego Union-Tribune)
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/20070927-1753-wst-governors-electricity.html

British Columbia – Electric companies: Run-of-river independent power projects have gained environmental steam, but are they really the right way to go? (The Georgia Straight)
http://www.straight.com/article-111552/electric-companies

The Nuclear Option – Two new reactors are proposed, as subsidies lure builders. If the first nuclear power plant proposal in 29 years doesn't flower into an industry renaissance, it probably won't be because of the environmentalists. It'll be because of the costs. (US News & World Report)
http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/national/2007/09/28/with-subsidies-on-hand-industry-proposes-new-reactors.html

Arizona – Natural gas customers pay for energy-saving rebates – State utility regulators voted recently to implement a rebate program designed to save energy even though critics said it would raise money from all ratepayers to subsidize a few. (East Valley Tribune)
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/98588?source=rss&dest=STY-98588

German deputy minister slams EU energy regulation plans (Yahoo! News)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071001/bs_afp/germanyeuenergyregulate_071001075619

New York City – Con Ed Rate Request Criticized. Queens lawmakers called yesterday for state utility regulators to reject Con Edison’s request for a $1.2 billion rate increase. (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/01/nyregion/01mbrfs-coned.html?ex=1348977600&en=4540859efd963636&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT

Dems step up on salmon issues as Republican Craig loses support – The surprising fall of Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, removes a longtime obstacle to efforts by Democrats and environmentalists to promote salmon recovery on Northwest rivers. (The Columbian, note the link at the bottom of the story)
http://www.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP09292007news205862.cfm

See the Sultan River flush with pink salmon today – Thousands of salmon migrate up rivers in Snohomish County to spawn every year. But most pink salmon come back only every two years. “…The Sultan River gets a big run of pink salmon partly because it has a hydroelectric dam upstream…that keeps the water level high downstream in summer…” (Everett Herald)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20070929/NEWS01/709290054

Fishing for data on the Snake River (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/tch/local/v-rss/story/9346009p-9260553c.html

Inconvenient Youths – 'Mom, we gotta buy a hybrid!' Kids are becoming the green movement's stealth weapon, pressuring their parents on everything from light bulbs to composting. Inside the push to create the littlest eco-warriors. (Wall Street Journal)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119101716857043113.html?mod=hpp_us_leisure

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Oregon – Wave energy meetings scheduled. Oregon really is catching the wave: wave energy, that is. (Bandon Western World)
http://www.theworldlink.com/articles/2007/09/29/news/doc46fe77082cc9b892350684.txt

Ethanol’s Boom Stalling as Glut Depresses Price – The ethanol boom of recent years, which spurred a frenzy of distillery construction, record corn prices, rising food prices and hopes of a new future for rural America, may be fading. (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/30/business/30ethanol.html?ex=1348804800&en=5a445a4ca77d01c0&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

All About: Solar energy (Cable News Network)
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/10/01/solar.energy/index.html?section=cnn_latest

How Much Power Can We Get From The Earth? Congress is debating whether geothermal power is the answer to the nation's energy crunch. That debate is especially relevant in the West. (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/how-much-power-can-we-get-earth/

CONSERVATION

Idaho Power offers free energy conservation classes (Idaho Statesman)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/business/story/168906.html

Environmental groups criticize Tennessee Valley Authority’s energy conservation plan (Daily Comet, Louisiana)
http://www.dailycomet.com/article/20070929/APN/709290782

Minnesota – Capitol lights back on after governor ends energy-saving blackout. The lights illuminating the state Capitol building will be back on, after a two-month blackout designed to cut energy costs. (KARE-TV, Minneapolis/St. Paul)
http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=266296

Residents in Bend subdivision may vote on outdoor clothesline – The residents of an upscale Bend subdivision may get the chance to vote on whether their neighbors should be allowed to hang their laundry on outdoor clotheslines. (Associated Press)
http://www.examiner.com/a-962522~Residents_in_Bend_subdivision_may_vote_on_outdoor_clothesline.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Hollywood sending mixed messages on global warming (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/movies/333586_greenhollywood29.html

On Warming, Bush Vows U.S. 'Will Do Its Part' (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/28/AR2007092800079.html?nav=rss_business

D.C. Area Outpaces Nations in Pollution – High Carbon Emission Blamed On Coal Plants – The Washington area produces more carbon dioxide than several medium-size European countries, according to a new estimate of local emissions (Washington Post – insert cynical comment about governmental bloviating here)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/29/AR2007092900959.html?nav=rss_email/components

San Francisco Chronicle Forum – New Zealand charges ahead in race to address climate change “…California's place at the vanguard of green politics and economics, while vital and hugely significant, does not match the hype…”
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/10/01/EDGBSAN1O.DTL&feed=rss.opinion

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Minnesota – Fiber optics for all of St. Paul? Should St. Paul spend $200 million to connect everybody in town to a fiber-optic cable? (The Pioneer Press)
http://www.twincities.com/opinion/ci_7036427?nclick_check=1

North Kansas City celebrates fiber-optic network – North Kansas City is now one of the most technologically advanced cities in the country, officials said last week at a celebration of the city’s $8 million fiber-optic network. (The Kansas City Star)
http://www.kansascity.com/news/neighborhood/northland/story/289968.html

The Night The TVs Go Out – The industry has tried to get the word out, but many consumers still aren't getting the message: In a year and a half, millions of television screens could go dark. “…Not the fancy high-definition TVs or those connected to cable or satellite. But the 70 million sets relying on rooftop or "rabbit ears" antennas will end up showing nothing but snow…” (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/28/AR2007092801769.html?nav=rss_technology

GENERAL NEWS

When all lines go down in an emergency, one channel still remains – Chaos broke loose at the South Seattle Community College, where experts and volunteers simulated a citywide emergency on Saturday during a drill aimed to answer the question - what do you do when all lines of communication are down? (KOMO-TV)
http://www.komotv.com/news/local/10130626.html

North Mason School Board Races Attracting Money, Criticism (Kitsap Sun, may require free registration)
http://kitsapsun.com/news/2007/sep/29/nm-school-board-races-attracting-money-criticism/

Woman accepts plea agreement in Tumwater murder case. The victim's body was discovered in his pickup truck, which was abandoned in a ditch near Shelton. (Associated Press)
http://www.examiner.com/a-965088~Woman_accepts_plea_agreement_in_Tumwater_murder_case.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines

New Passport Rules In Effect Today (KNDO-TV, Tri Cities)
http://www.kndu.com/Global/story.asp?S=7150307

Penalties likely for parents in Lacey area sports fight – Several parents involved in a fight after a youth football game last weekend are likely to face consequences from the Black Hills Junior Football League, its president said Sunday. (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/231553.html

DIVERSIONS

Police: 4 teens hurt in Seattle bus assault – Seattle police say four teenagers picked the wrong man to harass on a Metro bus late last night.
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/230797.html
Searching for Me, Myself and I – Ever Googled yourself and found someone who has your name—and a very different life? You've just met your Googlegänger.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21050562/site/newsweek/?from=rss

Off-color fence dispute leaves $85,000 stain – Caramel: It's the shade Marc and Kristina Weiss used to stain a 12-foot section of cedar fence at their Redmond town home. And it's a stain that proved impossible to get out, even after members of the town-home association's board insisted on piña colada.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/eastsidenews/2003911813_redmondfence29e.html

Thief nailed selling a million stolen screws – A German factory worker stole over a million screws from his employer and skewed the market with his cheap stolen goods, police said Friday.
http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=oddlyEnoughNews&storyid=2007-09-28T174221Z_01_L28904607_RTRUKOC_0_US-GERMANY-SCREWS.xml&src=nl_usmorningdigest