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.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Energy Northwest Columbia reactor slips to 85 pct
- Jury Rejects TransAlta Claim in Crane Trial
- Airway marker on high voltage lines shot out
- Fitch Rates Eugene Water and Electric Board, Oregon Electric Utility 'A+'; Outlook Stable
- Mason County PUD No. 3 Tree Trimming On The South Shore To Begin Tuesday
- Calpine Corp. rejects NRG Energy bid
- The Energy Challenge – Mounting Costs Slow the Push for Clean Coal
- Climate Enters Debate over Nuclear Power
- Texans can expect high summer electric bills
- Marylanders for Reliable Power mobilizes to push for energy grid upgrades
- Large businesses decry power rate hike in Maryland
- Another Story About IDT Energy's Door-To-Door Scams
- Spring Chinook season extended through June
- Upper Willamette closes for Chinook
- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife puts Chinook in Powder River
- Canadian smelter spills acid into Columbia River
- Klamath Falls, Ore., officials concerned about levee leaks
- Seattle Times Op/Ed – Rainwater harvesting: Washington ahead of California
- Trader sues biodiesel maker Imperium, seeking millions
- British Columbia firm hopes to harness California wind
- Turbine makers generate profits
- Wind power outlook weak in Europe, report says
- Interest in Southwest Washington wind farms blows in
- The big chill on carbon offsets –lawmakers should consult the UN's abysmal record in this slippery type of trading
- Washington Post Columnist – Carbon Chastity
- Washington Post Columnist – Letting Cap-and-Trade Work
- Under Pressure, White House Issues Climate Change Report
- Home energy use contributes more to Washington, D.C. area's carbon footprint than traffic
- You emit what you eat (Snicker, chortle, giggle, hee hee!)
- F.C.C. Considering Free High-Speed Internet Network Plan
- Hackers raid Comcast Web portal
- Kevin Martin Defends Shoddy Broadband Record
- Time Warner Cable Pretends Cable Is Fiber
- Media Defender's PR Problem Gets Worse
- State Senator Linda Parlette Announces Decision To Run Again
- State Senator Mike Hewitt announces run for third term
- Arrests made in Ephrata for scrap metal thefts
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Garrulous • \GAIR-uh-lus\ • adjective – 1: pointlessly or annoyingly talkative *2: wordy
Edward was spellbound. The amateur saxophonist had heard about diaphragmatic breathing, and how it could be used to extend a held note almost indefinitely. Until now he had not seen it in practice. The long-winded, garrulous diatribe by the Flat Earth Society’s main spokesman went on for at least fifteen minutes…with no apparent pause for a breath.
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Energy Northwest Columbia reactor slips to 85 pct (Reuters)
http://in.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idINN2945224920080529
Jury Rejects TransAlta Claim in Crane Trial (The Chronicle, Centralia)
http://www.chronline.com/story.php?subaction=showfull&id=1212083341&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1&
Airway marker on high voltage lines shot out – Federal government offers reward for information on Cathlamet vandalism (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/05/30/area_news/doc483f8d87c2f09921176473.txt
Fitch Rates Eugene Water and Electric Board, Oregon Electric Utility 'A+'; Outlook Stable (BusinessWire)
http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20080529006206&newsLang=en
Mason County PUD No. 3 Tree Trimming On The South Shore To Begin Tuesday (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/selectmoduleid/3468/ArticleID/93/reftab/1632/Default.aspx
Calpine Corp. rejects NRG Energy bid (Houston Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2008/05/26/daily31.html?ana=from_rss
The Energy Challenge – Mounting Costs Slow the Push for Clean Coal (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/30/business/30coal.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Climate Enters Debate over Nuclear Power (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/30/business/30nuke.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Texans can expect high summer electric bills (The Dallas Morning News)
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/053008dnbuswholesalepower.3eb22724.html
Marylanders for Reliable Power mobilizes to push for energy grid upgrades (Baltimore Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2008/05/26/daily28.html?ana=from_rss
Large businesses decry power rate hike in Maryland (Washington Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2008/05/26/daily25.html?ana=from_rss
Another Story About IDT Energy's Door-To-Door Scams (The Consumerist – Note: comment section may include PG-13 language)
http://consumerist.com/tag/scams/?i=5011647&t=another-story-about-idt-energys-door+to+door-scams
FISH & WILDLIFE
Spring Chinook season extended through June (Yakima Herald-Republic)
http://www.yakimaherald.com/stories/4530
Upper Willamette closes for Chinook (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/fishing/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/sports/1212114332258500.xml&coll=7
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife puts Chinook in Powder River “…the trap below Hells Canyon Dam caught more fish than Oregon and Idaho hatcheries needed for this year's Chinook crop…” (Baker City Herald, via the Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1415245~ODFW_puts_chinook_in_Powder_River.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Canadian smelter spills acid into Columbia River (The Associated Press, via the Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1415853~Canadian_smelter_spills_acid_into_Columbia_River.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
Klamath Falls, Ore., officials concerned about levee leaks (KFLS Radio, via the Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1415934~Klamath_Falls__Ore___officials_concerned_about_levee_leaks.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
Seattle Times Op/Ed – Rainwater harvesting: Washington ahead of California
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/365081_wateronline30.html?source=rss
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Trader sues biodiesel maker Imperium, seeking millions (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004447055_imperium30.html?syndication=rss
British Columbia firm hopes to harness California wind (The Globe and Mail)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080530.RWESTERN30/TPStory/Business
Turbine makers generate profits (The Financial Post, Canada – They like those renewable energy mandates!)
http://www.financialpost.com/money/story.html?id=550916
Wind power outlook weak in Europe, report says (CNET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-9954873-54.html
Interest in wind farms blows in – Southwest Washington is likely to see wind turbines on the horizon thanks to burgeoning demand for renewable energy in the region (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/05/05292008_Interest-in-wind-farms-blows-in.cfm?newsletter=1
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
The big chill on carbon offsets – Before Congress attacks global warming with a cap on greenhouse gases – and then allows firms to pollute if they buy "carbon offsets" elsewhere – lawmakers should consult the UN's abysmal record in this slippery type of trading (Christian Science Monitor)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0529/p08s01-comv.html
Washington Post Columnist – Carbon Chastity – The First Commandment of the Church of the Environment
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/29/AR2008052903266.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns
Washington Post Columnist – Letting Cap-and-Trade Work – How Free Credits Increase the Cost of Cutting Carbon Emissions
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/29/AR2008052903263.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns
Under Pressure, White House Issues Climate Change Report (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/30/washington/30climate.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
Home energy use contributes more to Washington, D.C. area's carbon footprint than traffic (Washington Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2008/05/26/daily38.html?ana=from_rss
You emit what you eat (Nature Reports – What an unfortunate, but biologically correct, headline!)
http://www.nature.com/climate/2008/0806/full/climate.2008.49.html
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
F.C.C. Considering Free High-Speed Internet Network Plan (The Associated Press, via the NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/business/AP-Internet-Service-FCC.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Hackers raid Comcast Web portal (The Denver Post)
http://www.denverpost.com/extremes/ci_9415709
Kevin Martin Defends Shoddy Broadband Record – You apparently have to put his failure in full context (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Kevin-Martin-Defends-Shoddy-Broadband-Record-94857
Time Warner Cable Pretends Cable Is Fiber – Guess it's cheaper than upgrading “…who needs to upgrade…when you can just confuse customers into thinking that hybrid fiber/coax connections are the same thing as fiber to the home?...” (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Time-Warner-Cable-Pretends-Cable-Is-Fiber-94845
Media Defender's PR Problem Gets Worse – After they knock a legitimate video website offline (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Media-Defenders-PR-Problem-Gets-Worse-94851
GENERAL NEWS
STATE SENATOR LINDA PARLETTE ANNOUNCES DECISION TO RUN AGAIN – 12th District State Senator Linda Evans Parlette announced on today's KPQ morning update that she plans to seek a third term. Parlette says there are a number of challenges facing the area that if re-elected she will continue to work on. One of the biggest facing our area is the rise in assessments of property values. (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee)
State Senator Mike Hewitt announces run for third term (The Union Bulletin, Walla Walla)
http://www.union-bulletin.com/articles/2008/05/30/local_news/080529local06hewittannounce.txt
Arrests made in Ephrata for scrap metal thefts (Columbia Basin Herald)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/05/29/news/news02.txt
DIVERSIONS
Condoleezza Rice enlists in Kiss Army fan club
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080530/ap_en_ot/people_rice_kiss
Researchers Say Stonehenge Was a Family Burial Ground – Conclusion Runs Counter to Long-Held Theories
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/29/AR2008052901973.html?nav=rss_nation
Flight hopping boy won't face new charges
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_053008WAB_semaj_no_new_charges_JM.43ac69df.html
Man's Quirky Marriage Proposal Triggers UFO Alert
http://www.kirotv.com/news/16425828/detail.html
Town's Mayor, A Dog, Dies At Age 12
http://www.kirotv.com/family/16425878/detail.html
Friday, May 30, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Energy News Digest for May 29, 2008
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.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- TransAlta Crane Accident Case Winds Down
- Hearing Set for Chehalis Power Plant Sale
- Chelan PUD ratepayers to have say in setting rates
- Liquefied Natural Gas supporters state their case to Oregon
- Global Demand Squeezing Natural Gas Supply
- Blame the birds for Northern Wasco PUD power outage
- National Power pulls plug, drops customers – Some 15,000 former National Power Co. customers affected
- Hartford Courant Editorial – Politicians Let Electricity Bills Short-Circuit
- Kansas – Westar seeks 15 percent hike in electric rates
- North Carolina commissioners oppose Alcoa 50-year license for Yadkin River project
- Tennessee Woman Dies in Iron Lung After Power Failure
- Call Before You Dig – Pacific Gas & Electric crew accidentally causes nitrogen gas leak
- Energy Pulse Commentary – Keep Your Utility Customers on the Line
- Wenatchee World Opinion – Good work for salmon at sea
- Chinook fishery opens Sunday
- Anglers find steelhead run has been picking up for summer
- Draft EIS for Makah whaling unveiled
- Humpback whale delights Tacoma spectators
- New study links aquifer warming to Columbia River
- Spring cleaning – Awash with mountain snowmelt, area rivers have swept tons of debris downstream
- Centralia to Hike Utility Rates – Consultants: Increase Water Rates by 20 Percent, Wastewater by 14 Percent
- Geothermal prospector hopes to tap central Oregon's Newberry Crater
- Montana – Views on wind farm sought
- US Department of Energy to invest $2.3 million to Idaho renewable energy zones
- The Sacramento Municipal Utility District gives Sacramento County more than $300,000 in solar incentives
- Winery goes solar with 'Floatovoltaics'
- Home economics 101 – …you have a lot of control over how much gas, electricity and water you consume
- Carbon footprint: Seattle is 6th-best in U.S. – Hydropower gives us an edge in disputed study
- Puget Sound area among the greenest in the nation
- Chelan, Douglas and Grant County PUDs host controversial Greenpeace founder
- Pressure On Senators To Support Climate Change Bill Grows
- Climate Change Could Negatively Impact U.S. Crops
- How Fast Is Your State's Broadband? Who knew that Delaware was a broadband juggernaut?
- Centurytel Finally Tells Users Their Browsing History's For Sale
- Small Wyoming Town To Be Better Connected Than Many Cities
- Yahoo: We’re not ‘under siege’ – But CEO acknowledges partnership with Microsoft being discussed
- The Real Fight Over Fake News – “The Daily Show” is a bellwether for the evolution of Internet video
- 7 Tower Deaths in 5 Weeks – Three of which were on AT&T projects
- NW Businesses Look For Ways To Save On Fuel
- Idaho Primary Picks Candidates To Replace US Senator Larry Craig
- Copper Wire Stolen From East Bremerton Business
- Wood theft means jail time
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Arriviste • \a-rih-VEEST\ • noun – One that is a new and uncertain arrival (as in social position or artistic endeavor)
The stockholders’ meeting dropped into stunned silence. The former public power executive, the energy company’s designated arriviste, had casually remarked that perhaps the well-being of customers should come before profits. After the deathly silence, hearty laughter ensued.
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
TransAlta Crane Accident Case Winds Down – Centralia Plant: Attorney Hopes Jury Will Award $21 Million For Lost Revenue (The Chronicle, Centralia)
http://www.chronline.com/story.php?subaction=showfull&id=1211998239&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1&
Hearing Set for Chehalis Power Plant Sale – Natural Gas Facility: State Board to Discuss Permit Transfer from Suez-Tractebel to PacifiCorp (The Chronicle, Centralia)
http://www.chronline.com/story.php?subaction=showfull&id=1211998118&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1&
Chelan PUD ratepayers to have say in setting rates (The Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080528/NEWS04/716488754/1001
Liquefied Natural Gas supporters state their case to Oregon (The Examiner)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1413617~LNG_supporters_state_their_case_to_Ore_.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
Global Demand Squeezing Natural Gas Supply (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/29/business/29gas.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
Blame the birds for Northern Wasco PUD power outage – Persistent nesting pair creates power tangle downtown heading into Memorial Day weekend (The Dalles Chronicle)
http://www.thedalleschronicle.com/news/2008/05/news05-28-08-02.shtml
National Power pulls plug, drops customers – Some 15,000 former National Power Co. customers are in the process of being switched to two other Houston electricity providers (Houston Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2008/05/26/daily19.html?ana=from_rss
Hartford Courant Editorial – Politicians Let Electricity Bills Short-Circuit
http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/editorials/hc-panzarella0529.artmay29,0,671804.story
Kansas – Westar seeks 15 percent hike in electric rates – It will cost an additional $10 a month to cover the costs of new power plants and wind farms and to help the company recover from winter storms (Associated Press, via Yahoo! News)
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080528/ks_westar_rate_hike.html?.v=1
North Carolina commissioners oppose Alcoa 50-year license for Yadkin River project (Pittsburgh Business Times)
http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2008/05/26/daily16.html?ana=from_rss
Tennessee Woman Dies in Iron Lung After Power Failure (Fox News)
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,359304,00.html
Call Before You Dig – Pacific Gas & Electric crew accidentally causes nitrogen gas leak in north San Jose (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9413969?source=rss
Energy Pulse Commentary – Keep Your Utility Customers on the Line
http://www.energypulse.net/centers/article/article_display.cfm?a_id=1747
FISH & WILDLIFE
Wenatchee World Opinion – Good work for salmon at sea “…there are three possibilities for their ultimate fate: They can simply disappear, which happens to a great many for reasons not understood. They can survive all these travails and tortures and return to their native stream to spawn. Or, they can be caught, sold and eaten….”
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080528/OP03/473390065/1025/rss1025
Chinook fishery opens Sunday (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2004444600_fish29.html
Anglers find steelhead run has been picking up for summer (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/outdoors/story/462639.html
Draft EIS for Makah whaling unveiled (KONP Radio, Port Angeles)
http://www.konp.com/local/3666
Humpback whale delights Tacoma spectators (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_052808ENB_humpback_whale_tacoma_KC.3c867d1e.html
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
New study links aquifer warming to Columbia River (The Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080528/NEWS04/410875836
Spring cleaning – Awash with mountain snowmelt, area rivers have swept tons of debris downstream, making for hazardous boating and lots of scooping at Columbia River dams (Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080528/NEWS04/349275065/1001
Centralia to Hike Utility Rates – Consultants: Increase Water Rates by 20 Percent, Wastewater by 14 Percent (The Chronicle, Centralia)
http://www.chronline.com/story.php?subaction=showfull&id=1211998640&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1&
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Geothermal prospector hopes to tap central Oregon's Newberry Crater – Increased demand and higher electricity costs energize Davenport Power's plans, but past environmental concerns remain (The Oregonian – will supporters send opponents a case of BANANAS “Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything”)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1212035131177450.xml&coll=7
Montana – Views on wind farm sought – Travelers driving Interstate 90 west of Big Timber may one day glimpse wind turbines at the Coyote Wind project (The Billings Gazette)
http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/05/28/news/state/37-windfarms.txt
US Department of Energy to invest $2.3 million to Idaho renewable energy zones (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://uaelp.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&PUBLICATION_ID=22&ARTICLE_ID=330010&C=ENVIR&dcmp=rss
The Sacramento Municipal Utility District gives Sacramento County more than $300,000 in solar incentives (Sacramento Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2008/05/26/daily18.html?ana=from_rss
Winery goes solar with 'Floatovoltaics' (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/29/MNFS10VCNQ.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea
CONSERVATION
Home economics 101 – Fixed costs aside, you have a lot of control over how much gas, electricity and water you consume every month (Colorado Springs Gazette)
http://www.gazette.com/articles/economics_36784___article.html/home_.html
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Carbon footprint: Seattle is 6th-best in U.S. – Hydropower gives us an edge in disputed study “…Oregon, Washington and Idaho also have relatively cheap energy, but have ‘a conservation ethic’ that means they waste less of it…” (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/364940_footprint29.html?source=rss
Puget Sound area among the greenest in the nation (KIRO Radio, Seattle)
http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=59364
Here’s a link to the Brookings Institute Study (Links to PDF File)
http://media.kentucky.com/smedia/2008/05/29/08/carbonfootprint_brief.source.prod_affiliate.79.pdf
Chelan, Douglas and Grant County PUDs host controversial Greenpeace founder (The Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080528/NEWS04/831056337/1005
Pressure On Senators To Support Climate Change Bill Grows – Six days before a major bill to address climate change is expected to hit the floor of the U.S. Senate (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/2199-pressure-senators-support-climate-change-bill-grows/
Climate Change Could Negatively Impact U.S. Crops (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/environment/May-June-08/Climate-Change-Could-Negatively-Impact-U-S--Crops.html
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
How Fast Is Your State's Broadband? Who knew that Delaware was a broadband juggernaut (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/How-Fast-Is-Your-States-Broadband-94832
Centurytel Finally Tells Users Their Browsing History's For Sale – Trial may move into full NebuAD launch starting in July (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Centurytel-Finally-Tells-Users-Their-Browsing-Historys-For-Sale-94829
Small Wyoming Town To Be Better Connected Than Many Cities – Powell, Wyoming, Population 5,500, breaks ground on fiber project (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Small-Wyoming-Town-To-Be-Better-Connected-Than-Many-Cities-94814
Yahoo: We’re not ‘under siege’ – But CEO acknowledges partnership with Microsoft being discussed (The Associated Press, via the News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/business/story/375339.html
The Real Fight Over Fake News – “The Daily Show” is a bellwether for the evolution of Internet video (NY Times)
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/29/the-real-fight-over-fake-news/index.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
7 Tower Deaths in 5 Weeks – Three of which were on AT&T projects (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/7-Tower-Deaths-In-5-Weeks-94803
GENERAL NEWS
NW Businesses Look For Ways To Save On Fuel – We might be at a “tipping point.” Gas has gotten so expensive that companies are changing how they do business – to save on fuel (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/2197-nw-businesses-look-ways-save-fuel/
Idaho Primary Picks Candidates To Replace US Senator Larry Craig (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/2195-idaho-primary-picks-candidates-replace-sen-craig/
Copper Wire Stolen From East Bremerton Business (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/may/28/copper-wire-stolen-from-east-bremerton-business/
Wood theft means jail time – A 37-year-old Amanda Park man was sentenced to more than a year in prison Monday for trying to sell timber stolen from Rayonier property (The Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/05/28/local_news/03news.txt
DIVERSIONS
Mars Weather Report from the Phoenix Space Probe
http://www.space.gc.ca/asc/eng/exploration/phoenix_weather1.asp
Potty-Mouths On Job Get Thumbs-Down In Poll – More than 80 percent of executives are averse to working with a foul-mouthed colleague, an online poll finds
http://www.kirotv.com/money/16414016/detail.html
Magazine Names Unhealthiest Drinks – Healthy-Seeming Liquids Can Pack Calories
http://www.kirotv.com/health/16413443/detail.html
Twin, separated at birth, sues for mix-up
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080528/od_nm/twin_dc;_ylt=AhJCMEdWKNDf_316hwCo.e3tiBIF
Japanese scientists create microscopic noodle bowl (Insert diet food portion joke here…)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080529/ap_on_sc/odd_japan_smallest_ramen_bowl;_ylt=AkPS4orZDyjpG7s38bURW0DtiBIF
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- TransAlta Crane Accident Case Winds Down
- Hearing Set for Chehalis Power Plant Sale
- Chelan PUD ratepayers to have say in setting rates
- Liquefied Natural Gas supporters state their case to Oregon
- Global Demand Squeezing Natural Gas Supply
- Blame the birds for Northern Wasco PUD power outage
- National Power pulls plug, drops customers – Some 15,000 former National Power Co. customers affected
- Hartford Courant Editorial – Politicians Let Electricity Bills Short-Circuit
- Kansas – Westar seeks 15 percent hike in electric rates
- North Carolina commissioners oppose Alcoa 50-year license for Yadkin River project
- Tennessee Woman Dies in Iron Lung After Power Failure
- Call Before You Dig – Pacific Gas & Electric crew accidentally causes nitrogen gas leak
- Energy Pulse Commentary – Keep Your Utility Customers on the Line
- Wenatchee World Opinion – Good work for salmon at sea
- Chinook fishery opens Sunday
- Anglers find steelhead run has been picking up for summer
- Draft EIS for Makah whaling unveiled
- Humpback whale delights Tacoma spectators
- New study links aquifer warming to Columbia River
- Spring cleaning – Awash with mountain snowmelt, area rivers have swept tons of debris downstream
- Centralia to Hike Utility Rates – Consultants: Increase Water Rates by 20 Percent, Wastewater by 14 Percent
- Geothermal prospector hopes to tap central Oregon's Newberry Crater
- Montana – Views on wind farm sought
- US Department of Energy to invest $2.3 million to Idaho renewable energy zones
- The Sacramento Municipal Utility District gives Sacramento County more than $300,000 in solar incentives
- Winery goes solar with 'Floatovoltaics'
- Home economics 101 – …you have a lot of control over how much gas, electricity and water you consume
- Carbon footprint: Seattle is 6th-best in U.S. – Hydropower gives us an edge in disputed study
- Puget Sound area among the greenest in the nation
- Chelan, Douglas and Grant County PUDs host controversial Greenpeace founder
- Pressure On Senators To Support Climate Change Bill Grows
- Climate Change Could Negatively Impact U.S. Crops
- How Fast Is Your State's Broadband? Who knew that Delaware was a broadband juggernaut?
- Centurytel Finally Tells Users Their Browsing History's For Sale
- Small Wyoming Town To Be Better Connected Than Many Cities
- Yahoo: We’re not ‘under siege’ – But CEO acknowledges partnership with Microsoft being discussed
- The Real Fight Over Fake News – “The Daily Show” is a bellwether for the evolution of Internet video
- 7 Tower Deaths in 5 Weeks – Three of which were on AT&T projects
- NW Businesses Look For Ways To Save On Fuel
- Idaho Primary Picks Candidates To Replace US Senator Larry Craig
- Copper Wire Stolen From East Bremerton Business
- Wood theft means jail time
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Arriviste • \a-rih-VEEST\ • noun – One that is a new and uncertain arrival (as in social position or artistic endeavor)
The stockholders’ meeting dropped into stunned silence. The former public power executive, the energy company’s designated arriviste, had casually remarked that perhaps the well-being of customers should come before profits. After the deathly silence, hearty laughter ensued.
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
TransAlta Crane Accident Case Winds Down – Centralia Plant: Attorney Hopes Jury Will Award $21 Million For Lost Revenue (The Chronicle, Centralia)
http://www.chronline.com/story.php?subaction=showfull&id=1211998239&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1&
Hearing Set for Chehalis Power Plant Sale – Natural Gas Facility: State Board to Discuss Permit Transfer from Suez-Tractebel to PacifiCorp (The Chronicle, Centralia)
http://www.chronline.com/story.php?subaction=showfull&id=1211998118&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1&
Chelan PUD ratepayers to have say in setting rates (The Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080528/NEWS04/716488754/1001
Liquefied Natural Gas supporters state their case to Oregon (The Examiner)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1413617~LNG_supporters_state_their_case_to_Ore_.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
Global Demand Squeezing Natural Gas Supply (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/29/business/29gas.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
Blame the birds for Northern Wasco PUD power outage – Persistent nesting pair creates power tangle downtown heading into Memorial Day weekend (The Dalles Chronicle)
http://www.thedalleschronicle.com/news/2008/05/news05-28-08-02.shtml
National Power pulls plug, drops customers – Some 15,000 former National Power Co. customers are in the process of being switched to two other Houston electricity providers (Houston Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2008/05/26/daily19.html?ana=from_rss
Hartford Courant Editorial – Politicians Let Electricity Bills Short-Circuit
http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/editorials/hc-panzarella0529.artmay29,0,671804.story
Kansas – Westar seeks 15 percent hike in electric rates – It will cost an additional $10 a month to cover the costs of new power plants and wind farms and to help the company recover from winter storms (Associated Press, via Yahoo! News)
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080528/ks_westar_rate_hike.html?.v=1
North Carolina commissioners oppose Alcoa 50-year license for Yadkin River project (Pittsburgh Business Times)
http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2008/05/26/daily16.html?ana=from_rss
Tennessee Woman Dies in Iron Lung After Power Failure (Fox News)
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,359304,00.html
Call Before You Dig – Pacific Gas & Electric crew accidentally causes nitrogen gas leak in north San Jose (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9413969?source=rss
Energy Pulse Commentary – Keep Your Utility Customers on the Line
http://www.energypulse.net/centers/article/article_display.cfm?a_id=1747
FISH & WILDLIFE
Wenatchee World Opinion – Good work for salmon at sea “…there are three possibilities for their ultimate fate: They can simply disappear, which happens to a great many for reasons not understood. They can survive all these travails and tortures and return to their native stream to spawn. Or, they can be caught, sold and eaten….”
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080528/OP03/473390065/1025/rss1025
Chinook fishery opens Sunday (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2004444600_fish29.html
Anglers find steelhead run has been picking up for summer (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/outdoors/story/462639.html
Draft EIS for Makah whaling unveiled (KONP Radio, Port Angeles)
http://www.konp.com/local/3666
Humpback whale delights Tacoma spectators (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_052808ENB_humpback_whale_tacoma_KC.3c867d1e.html
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
New study links aquifer warming to Columbia River (The Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080528/NEWS04/410875836
Spring cleaning – Awash with mountain snowmelt, area rivers have swept tons of debris downstream, making for hazardous boating and lots of scooping at Columbia River dams (Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080528/NEWS04/349275065/1001
Centralia to Hike Utility Rates – Consultants: Increase Water Rates by 20 Percent, Wastewater by 14 Percent (The Chronicle, Centralia)
http://www.chronline.com/story.php?subaction=showfull&id=1211998640&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1&
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Geothermal prospector hopes to tap central Oregon's Newberry Crater – Increased demand and higher electricity costs energize Davenport Power's plans, but past environmental concerns remain (The Oregonian – will supporters send opponents a case of BANANAS “Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything”)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1212035131177450.xml&coll=7
Montana – Views on wind farm sought – Travelers driving Interstate 90 west of Big Timber may one day glimpse wind turbines at the Coyote Wind project (The Billings Gazette)
http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/05/28/news/state/37-windfarms.txt
US Department of Energy to invest $2.3 million to Idaho renewable energy zones (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://uaelp.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&PUBLICATION_ID=22&ARTICLE_ID=330010&C=ENVIR&dcmp=rss
The Sacramento Municipal Utility District gives Sacramento County more than $300,000 in solar incentives (Sacramento Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2008/05/26/daily18.html?ana=from_rss
Winery goes solar with 'Floatovoltaics' (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/29/MNFS10VCNQ.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea
CONSERVATION
Home economics 101 – Fixed costs aside, you have a lot of control over how much gas, electricity and water you consume every month (Colorado Springs Gazette)
http://www.gazette.com/articles/economics_36784___article.html/home_.html
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Carbon footprint: Seattle is 6th-best in U.S. – Hydropower gives us an edge in disputed study “…Oregon, Washington and Idaho also have relatively cheap energy, but have ‘a conservation ethic’ that means they waste less of it…” (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/364940_footprint29.html?source=rss
Puget Sound area among the greenest in the nation (KIRO Radio, Seattle)
http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=59364
Here’s a link to the Brookings Institute Study (Links to PDF File)
http://media.kentucky.com/smedia/2008/05/29/08/carbonfootprint_brief.source.prod_affiliate.79.pdf
Chelan, Douglas and Grant County PUDs host controversial Greenpeace founder (The Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080528/NEWS04/831056337/1005
Pressure On Senators To Support Climate Change Bill Grows – Six days before a major bill to address climate change is expected to hit the floor of the U.S. Senate (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/2199-pressure-senators-support-climate-change-bill-grows/
Climate Change Could Negatively Impact U.S. Crops (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/environment/May-June-08/Climate-Change-Could-Negatively-Impact-U-S--Crops.html
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
How Fast Is Your State's Broadband? Who knew that Delaware was a broadband juggernaut (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/How-Fast-Is-Your-States-Broadband-94832
Centurytel Finally Tells Users Their Browsing History's For Sale – Trial may move into full NebuAD launch starting in July (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Centurytel-Finally-Tells-Users-Their-Browsing-Historys-For-Sale-94829
Small Wyoming Town To Be Better Connected Than Many Cities – Powell, Wyoming, Population 5,500, breaks ground on fiber project (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Small-Wyoming-Town-To-Be-Better-Connected-Than-Many-Cities-94814
Yahoo: We’re not ‘under siege’ – But CEO acknowledges partnership with Microsoft being discussed (The Associated Press, via the News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/business/story/375339.html
The Real Fight Over Fake News – “The Daily Show” is a bellwether for the evolution of Internet video (NY Times)
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/29/the-real-fight-over-fake-news/index.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
7 Tower Deaths in 5 Weeks – Three of which were on AT&T projects (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/7-Tower-Deaths-In-5-Weeks-94803
GENERAL NEWS
NW Businesses Look For Ways To Save On Fuel – We might be at a “tipping point.” Gas has gotten so expensive that companies are changing how they do business – to save on fuel (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/2197-nw-businesses-look-ways-save-fuel/
Idaho Primary Picks Candidates To Replace US Senator Larry Craig (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/2195-idaho-primary-picks-candidates-replace-sen-craig/
Copper Wire Stolen From East Bremerton Business (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/may/28/copper-wire-stolen-from-east-bremerton-business/
Wood theft means jail time – A 37-year-old Amanda Park man was sentenced to more than a year in prison Monday for trying to sell timber stolen from Rayonier property (The Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/05/28/local_news/03news.txt
DIVERSIONS
Mars Weather Report from the Phoenix Space Probe
http://www.space.gc.ca/asc/eng/exploration/phoenix_weather1.asp
Potty-Mouths On Job Get Thumbs-Down In Poll – More than 80 percent of executives are averse to working with a foul-mouthed colleague, an online poll finds
http://www.kirotv.com/money/16414016/detail.html
Magazine Names Unhealthiest Drinks – Healthy-Seeming Liquids Can Pack Calories
http://www.kirotv.com/health/16413443/detail.html
Twin, separated at birth, sues for mix-up
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080528/od_nm/twin_dc;_ylt=AhJCMEdWKNDf_316hwCo.e3tiBIF
Japanese scientists create microscopic noodle bowl (Insert diet food portion joke here…)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080529/ap_on_sc/odd_japan_smallest_ramen_bowl;_ylt=AkPS4orZDyjpG7s38bURW0DtiBIF
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Energy News Digest for May 28, 2008
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.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Richland residents won't see rebate for electricity until at least August
- Barbed Wire Doesn't Stop Lewis County Wire Thieves
- In Vermont, a Debate Swirls Around an Aging Nuclear Plant
- Activist group sues to stop Florida Power & Light plant
- State of Vermont releases draft energy plan
- United Kingdom – Blackouts hit hundreds of thousands as generators fail
- Energy Pulse Commentary – Deregulation: 'Oh Captain, My Captain!' Who's Charting the Course?
- Kitsap Salmon Projects Struggle With Delays, Costs
- Canada – The long road home for Fraser River sockeye
- Lawsuit Challenges City And Developer Water Rights
- Woodland looking into repairs to keep Horseshoe Lake at proper levels
- Cantwell, Inslee focus on acidic oceans at Seattle hearing
- Environmentalists Overpowering Developers in Fight to Save Natural Areas
- Portland General Electric launches renewable energy Web site
- Renewable Energy in the U.S.: Sneaking in the Backdoor or Walking Through the Front?
- Putting wind to work on farms
- Hybrids are hot, but some drivers are concerned about the high cost of replacing that gas-saving battery
- Duke Energy to debut 'smart meters' in Indiana
- Illinois – Incentives provide buzz to energy-efficiency effort
- Get used to high food costs, water shortages – Climate report offers a dire look at next 50 years in U.S.
- Seattle Post Intelligencer Editorial – Global Warming: At critical mass
- Study examines underground carbon dioxide storage in northeastern British Columbia
- Seattle Times Guest Columnist – A step in the right direction on national climate policy
- Everett Herald Editorial – Fast Internet service shouldn't be urban-only
- Report: State of Broadband According to Akamai
- Study: Web-video viewers to top 1 billion by 2013
- Wireless Broadband Boosts Economy
- Kansas – Cable system ushers in digital era
- Dell misled customers, judge rules
- AT&T Utility Cabinets in Connecticut Need Landowner Approval
- Agreement may mean end of cable set-top boxes
- Mason County: Family dog found shot 6 times
- State Senator Dan Swecker faces open-heart surgery
- Dow Chemicals: Country in "true energy crisis"; ups prices
- King County’s investing tactics faulted
- Metal jungle gym stolen from Kelso school
- Walla Walla District of Army Corps of Engineers to get new commander
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Heliolatry • \hee-lee-AH-luh-tree\ • noun – Sun worship
“Boy, those ancient religions and their sun worship,” scoffed Tiffani to her deeply tanned companion. “How they would have the gall to worship the sun as a god and arrange their lives around its heavenly path is beyond me,” she sighed as she slathered on another layer of sunscreen to ward off the affects of another four hours spent on sunbathing. Her unwitting heliolatry would be her undoing ten years later.
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Richland residents won't see rebate for electricity until at least August (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/901/story/196184.html
BARBED WIRE DOESN'T STOP LEWIS COUNTY WIRE THIEVES – It seems wire thieves will stop at nothing, including stealing thousands of feet of barbed wire to get at the copper wire. Someone took off with 6,000 feet of barb wire fence during the theft off the Fisher Road in the Winlock area. It had been tied to the copper wire belonging to the Lewis County PUD. (KELA Radio, Centralia)
In Vermont, a Debate Swirls Around an Aging Nuclear Plant – After part of a cooling tower collapsed last August, the company that runs it blamed rotting wooden timbers that it had failed to inspect properly (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/28/business/28nuke.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
Activist group sues to stop Florida Power & Light plant (South Florida Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2008/05/26/daily10.html?ana=from_rss
State of Vermont releases draft energy plan (Burlington Free Press)
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080528/NEWS01/805280314/1009
United Kingdom – Blackouts hit hundreds of thousands as generators fail – Seven power stations shut down. The unscheduled stoppages were regarded as an unprecedented sign of the fragility of Britain’s power infrastructure (The Times Online)
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article4016552.ece
Energy Pulse Commentary – 'Oh Captain, My Captain!' Who's Charting the Course? “…With the pending expiration of rate caps in states that embarked on restructuring…We are all going to be paying more for electricity. A lot more….”
http://www.energypulse.net/centers/article/article_display.cfm?a_id=1752
FISH & WILDLIFE
Kitsap Salmon Projects Struggle With Delays, Costs (The Kitsap Sun, Bremerton)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/may/27/kitsap-salmon-projects-struggle-with-delays/
Canada – The long road home for Fraser River sockeye (Chilliwack Progress)
http://www.bclocalnews.com/opinion/19285674.html
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Lawsuit Challenges City And Developer Water Rights – Environmentalists and tribes are challenging the water rights of cities and home-builders granted under a 2003 Washington State law (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/2181-lawsuit-challenges-city-and-developer-water-rights/
Woodland looking into repairs to keep Horseshoe Lake at proper levels (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/05/28//area_news/doc483cc03ff1c5f342166496.txt
Cantwell, Inslee focus on acidic oceans at Seattle hearing (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004442320_pugetsound28m.html?syndication=rss
Environmentalists Overpowering Developers in Fight to Save Natural Areas (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/environment/May-June-08/Environmentalists-Overpowering-Developers-in-Fight-to-Save-Natural-Areas.html
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Portland General Electric launches renewable energy Web site (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/05/26/daily10.html?ana=from_rss
Renewable Energy in the U.S.: Sneaking in the Backdoor or Walking Through the Front? (Renewable Energy World Online)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/recolumnists/story?id=52490
Putting wind to work on farms – Financing company MMA Renewable Ventures is branching into wind energy, betting places like family farms are underserved (CNET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-9952638-54.html
Assaulted Batteries – Hybrids are hot, but some drivers are concerned about the high cost of replacing that gas-saving battery (Newsweek Magazine – Wow, the editor had to REALLY reach for that PUN-ishing headline)
http://www.newsweek.com/id/138808?from=rss
CONSERVATION
Duke Energy to debut 'smart meters' in Indiana (Business Courier of Cincinnati)
http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2008/05/26/daily19.html?ana=from_rss
Illinois – Incentives provide buzz to energy-efficiency effort (The Chicago Tribune)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-wed-notebook-comed-ameren-may28,0,6496458.story
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Get used to high food costs, water shortages – Climate report offers a dire look at next 50 years in U.S. (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/364800_climate28.html?source=rss
Seattle Post Intelligencer Editorial – Global Warming: At critical mass
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/364777_g2g8ed.html?source=rss
Study examines underground carbon dioxide storage in northeastern British Columbia
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=28b15589-844e-46f4-9d26-c265c15b5c15
Seattle Times Guest Columnist – A step in the right direction on national climate policy
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2004442764_golden28.html?syndication=rss
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Everett Herald Editorial – Fast Internet service shouldn't be urban-only
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080528/OPINION01/489599619/-1/rss05
Report: State of Broadband According to Akamai (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/05/27/report-state-of-broadband-according-to-akamai/
Study: Web-video viewers to top 1 billion by 2013 (CNET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9952659-7.html
Wireless Broadband Boosts Economy (NY Times)
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/27/wireless-broadband-boosts-economy/index.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Kansas – Cable system ushers in digital era: Company won’t leave analog TVs behind (Lawrence Journal & World)
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2008/may/28/cable_system_ushers_digital_era/
Dell misled customers, judge rules – Conduct called 'bait advertising' (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Post Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/364808_dell28.html?source=rss
AT&T Utility Cabinets in Connecticut Need Landowner Approval – CT Attorney General applauds anti 'lawn fridge' ruling (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/ATT-VRADs-in-CT-Need-Landowner-Approval-94782
Agreement may mean end of cable set-top boxes (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9394886?source=rss
GENERAL NEWS
Mason County: Family dog found shot 6 times (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/19309024.html
State Senator Dan Swecker faces open-heart surgery (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/461598.html
Dow Chemicals: Country in "true energy crisis"; ups prices (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/05/28/financial/f054806D81.DTL&feed=rss.business
King County’s investing tactics faulted – The County must take "rapid and forceful action" to bring its troubled $4.5 billion investment pool up to industry standards “…Investments totaling $207 million are in default…” (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004442314_investments28m.html?syndication=rss
Metal jungle gym stolen from Kelso school (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/05/28//area_news/doc483cc8dbba181588482052.txt
Walla Walla District of Army Corps of Engineers to get new commander (The Union Bulletin, Walla Walla)
http://www.union-bulletin.com/articles/2008/05/27/local_news/080527local03corps.txt
DIVERSIONS
"Flintstones" arrested in car emissions protest
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN2737843420080527?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews
Pot bust gone awry – Boy, they REALLY make tourists feel welcome here!
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUST16792520080527?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews
Hair Patrol: Barber Ticketed For Monday Work
http://www.kirotv.com/irresistible/16403332/detail.html
Car Chase Scenes Race For Title Of Greatest
http://www.kirotv.com/automotive/16332399/detail.html
Lawmakers Are Telling People to Pull Up Their Pants – Saggy pants may be a fashion trend, but lawmakers and school officials around the U.S. say the fad is indecent and want it banned
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/politics/May-June-08/Lawmakers-Are-Telling-People-to-Pull-Up-Their-Pants.html
Car Surfing Lands Man In Hospital, Police Say “…a classic case of what happens with alcohol, a vehicle and stupidity…"
http://www.kirotv.com/news/16408537/detail.html
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Richland residents won't see rebate for electricity until at least August
- Barbed Wire Doesn't Stop Lewis County Wire Thieves
- In Vermont, a Debate Swirls Around an Aging Nuclear Plant
- Activist group sues to stop Florida Power & Light plant
- State of Vermont releases draft energy plan
- United Kingdom – Blackouts hit hundreds of thousands as generators fail
- Energy Pulse Commentary – Deregulation: 'Oh Captain, My Captain!' Who's Charting the Course?
- Kitsap Salmon Projects Struggle With Delays, Costs
- Canada – The long road home for Fraser River sockeye
- Lawsuit Challenges City And Developer Water Rights
- Woodland looking into repairs to keep Horseshoe Lake at proper levels
- Cantwell, Inslee focus on acidic oceans at Seattle hearing
- Environmentalists Overpowering Developers in Fight to Save Natural Areas
- Portland General Electric launches renewable energy Web site
- Renewable Energy in the U.S.: Sneaking in the Backdoor or Walking Through the Front?
- Putting wind to work on farms
- Hybrids are hot, but some drivers are concerned about the high cost of replacing that gas-saving battery
- Duke Energy to debut 'smart meters' in Indiana
- Illinois – Incentives provide buzz to energy-efficiency effort
- Get used to high food costs, water shortages – Climate report offers a dire look at next 50 years in U.S.
- Seattle Post Intelligencer Editorial – Global Warming: At critical mass
- Study examines underground carbon dioxide storage in northeastern British Columbia
- Seattle Times Guest Columnist – A step in the right direction on national climate policy
- Everett Herald Editorial – Fast Internet service shouldn't be urban-only
- Report: State of Broadband According to Akamai
- Study: Web-video viewers to top 1 billion by 2013
- Wireless Broadband Boosts Economy
- Kansas – Cable system ushers in digital era
- Dell misled customers, judge rules
- AT&T Utility Cabinets in Connecticut Need Landowner Approval
- Agreement may mean end of cable set-top boxes
- Mason County: Family dog found shot 6 times
- State Senator Dan Swecker faces open-heart surgery
- Dow Chemicals: Country in "true energy crisis"; ups prices
- King County’s investing tactics faulted
- Metal jungle gym stolen from Kelso school
- Walla Walla District of Army Corps of Engineers to get new commander
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Heliolatry • \hee-lee-AH-luh-tree\ • noun – Sun worship
“Boy, those ancient religions and their sun worship,” scoffed Tiffani to her deeply tanned companion. “How they would have the gall to worship the sun as a god and arrange their lives around its heavenly path is beyond me,” she sighed as she slathered on another layer of sunscreen to ward off the affects of another four hours spent on sunbathing. Her unwitting heliolatry would be her undoing ten years later.
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Richland residents won't see rebate for electricity until at least August (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/901/story/196184.html
BARBED WIRE DOESN'T STOP LEWIS COUNTY WIRE THIEVES – It seems wire thieves will stop at nothing, including stealing thousands of feet of barbed wire to get at the copper wire. Someone took off with 6,000 feet of barb wire fence during the theft off the Fisher Road in the Winlock area. It had been tied to the copper wire belonging to the Lewis County PUD. (KELA Radio, Centralia)
In Vermont, a Debate Swirls Around an Aging Nuclear Plant – After part of a cooling tower collapsed last August, the company that runs it blamed rotting wooden timbers that it had failed to inspect properly (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/28/business/28nuke.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
Activist group sues to stop Florida Power & Light plant (South Florida Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2008/05/26/daily10.html?ana=from_rss
State of Vermont releases draft energy plan (Burlington Free Press)
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080528/NEWS01/805280314/1009
United Kingdom – Blackouts hit hundreds of thousands as generators fail – Seven power stations shut down. The unscheduled stoppages were regarded as an unprecedented sign of the fragility of Britain’s power infrastructure (The Times Online)
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article4016552.ece
Energy Pulse Commentary – 'Oh Captain, My Captain!' Who's Charting the Course? “…With the pending expiration of rate caps in states that embarked on restructuring…We are all going to be paying more for electricity. A lot more….”
http://www.energypulse.net/centers/article/article_display.cfm?a_id=1752
FISH & WILDLIFE
Kitsap Salmon Projects Struggle With Delays, Costs (The Kitsap Sun, Bremerton)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/may/27/kitsap-salmon-projects-struggle-with-delays/
Canada – The long road home for Fraser River sockeye (Chilliwack Progress)
http://www.bclocalnews.com/opinion/19285674.html
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Lawsuit Challenges City And Developer Water Rights – Environmentalists and tribes are challenging the water rights of cities and home-builders granted under a 2003 Washington State law (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/2181-lawsuit-challenges-city-and-developer-water-rights/
Woodland looking into repairs to keep Horseshoe Lake at proper levels (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/05/28//area_news/doc483cc03ff1c5f342166496.txt
Cantwell, Inslee focus on acidic oceans at Seattle hearing (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004442320_pugetsound28m.html?syndication=rss
Environmentalists Overpowering Developers in Fight to Save Natural Areas (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/environment/May-June-08/Environmentalists-Overpowering-Developers-in-Fight-to-Save-Natural-Areas.html
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Portland General Electric launches renewable energy Web site (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/05/26/daily10.html?ana=from_rss
Renewable Energy in the U.S.: Sneaking in the Backdoor or Walking Through the Front? (Renewable Energy World Online)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/recolumnists/story?id=52490
Putting wind to work on farms – Financing company MMA Renewable Ventures is branching into wind energy, betting places like family farms are underserved (CNET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-9952638-54.html
Assaulted Batteries – Hybrids are hot, but some drivers are concerned about the high cost of replacing that gas-saving battery (Newsweek Magazine – Wow, the editor had to REALLY reach for that PUN-ishing headline)
http://www.newsweek.com/id/138808?from=rss
CONSERVATION
Duke Energy to debut 'smart meters' in Indiana (Business Courier of Cincinnati)
http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2008/05/26/daily19.html?ana=from_rss
Illinois – Incentives provide buzz to energy-efficiency effort (The Chicago Tribune)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-wed-notebook-comed-ameren-may28,0,6496458.story
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Get used to high food costs, water shortages – Climate report offers a dire look at next 50 years in U.S. (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/364800_climate28.html?source=rss
Seattle Post Intelligencer Editorial – Global Warming: At critical mass
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/364777_g2g8ed.html?source=rss
Study examines underground carbon dioxide storage in northeastern British Columbia
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=28b15589-844e-46f4-9d26-c265c15b5c15
Seattle Times Guest Columnist – A step in the right direction on national climate policy
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2004442764_golden28.html?syndication=rss
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Everett Herald Editorial – Fast Internet service shouldn't be urban-only
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080528/OPINION01/489599619/-1/rss05
Report: State of Broadband According to Akamai (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/05/27/report-state-of-broadband-according-to-akamai/
Study: Web-video viewers to top 1 billion by 2013 (CNET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9952659-7.html
Wireless Broadband Boosts Economy (NY Times)
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/27/wireless-broadband-boosts-economy/index.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Kansas – Cable system ushers in digital era: Company won’t leave analog TVs behind (Lawrence Journal & World)
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2008/may/28/cable_system_ushers_digital_era/
Dell misled customers, judge rules – Conduct called 'bait advertising' (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Post Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/364808_dell28.html?source=rss
AT&T Utility Cabinets in Connecticut Need Landowner Approval – CT Attorney General applauds anti 'lawn fridge' ruling (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/ATT-VRADs-in-CT-Need-Landowner-Approval-94782
Agreement may mean end of cable set-top boxes (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9394886?source=rss
GENERAL NEWS
Mason County: Family dog found shot 6 times (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/19309024.html
State Senator Dan Swecker faces open-heart surgery (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/461598.html
Dow Chemicals: Country in "true energy crisis"; ups prices (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/05/28/financial/f054806D81.DTL&feed=rss.business
King County’s investing tactics faulted – The County must take "rapid and forceful action" to bring its troubled $4.5 billion investment pool up to industry standards “…Investments totaling $207 million are in default…” (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004442314_investments28m.html?syndication=rss
Metal jungle gym stolen from Kelso school (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/05/28//area_news/doc483cc8dbba181588482052.txt
Walla Walla District of Army Corps of Engineers to get new commander (The Union Bulletin, Walla Walla)
http://www.union-bulletin.com/articles/2008/05/27/local_news/080527local03corps.txt
DIVERSIONS
"Flintstones" arrested in car emissions protest
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN2737843420080527?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews
Pot bust gone awry – Boy, they REALLY make tourists feel welcome here!
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUST16792520080527?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews
Hair Patrol: Barber Ticketed For Monday Work
http://www.kirotv.com/irresistible/16403332/detail.html
Car Chase Scenes Race For Title Of Greatest
http://www.kirotv.com/automotive/16332399/detail.html
Lawmakers Are Telling People to Pull Up Their Pants – Saggy pants may be a fashion trend, but lawmakers and school officials around the U.S. say the fad is indecent and want it banned
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/politics/May-June-08/Lawmakers-Are-Telling-People-to-Pull-Up-Their-Pants.html
Car Surfing Lands Man In Hospital, Police Say “…a classic case of what happens with alcohol, a vehicle and stupidity…"
http://www.kirotv.com/news/16408537/detail.html
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Energy News Digest for May 27, 2008
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.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- What sale of Puget Sound Energy will mean to you
- Most consumers oppose Puget Sound Energy sale
- Montana – Columbia Falls Aluminum Company may cut back production
- Seattle Times Editorial – Daydreaming through the nuclear-power night
- Tri-City Herald Editorial – More than sound bite on nuclear policy, please
- Beetle paratroopers deployed to fight invasive Scotch broom
- South Dakota – Possible struggle shaping up on electricity for oilseed plant
- Canadian View: Salmon deal sells out fishermen, B.C. trollers say
- Tacoma News Tribune Opinion – Putting the fate of salmon first
- Yakima Herald-Republic Op/Ed – Historic salmon deal really more of the same
- Yakima Herald-Republic Opinion – Tribes right to focus on rivers, not litigation
- Aid on its way to salmon industry
- Changes in store for Wenatchee steelhead
- Lousy Salmon Causes an Upset
- 8 million gallons of raw sewage pour into Seattle creek
- State to mull Lake Roosevelt summer water distribution
- Montana Dam Is Breached, Slowly, to Restore a Superfund Site
- Gregoire, Rossi battle for eco-credentials
- State biodiesel plant struggles – Grays Harbor facility delays
- The Columbian Editorial – In Our View: Questions in the wind
- Electricity coming out of the air
- Geothermal sites the new hot spots for Oregon power
- Desert sun's reflection a growing energy source
- Greening Parking Lots With Solar Trees
- San Jose Mercury News Editorial: Clean-energy tax incentives must be renewed
- Siemens slush fund for bribes detailed – may extend across many company divisions
- Iowa – Electric co-ops strive for energy efficiency
- How Green Is the College? Time the Showers
- Canada – Carbon tax gaining support across Canada
- Seattle Times Columnist – Science at the bend of climate change
- San Francisco Chronicle Editorial – A first in pollution fees
- Tacoma’s Click! Network might raise its rates
- Louisiana – Faster service set for ’09
- Google this: Search engine giant opens N.C. facility
- Infrastructure matters
- Seattle Times Guest Columnist – We need a national broadband policy
- The Tennessean Op/Ed – Free up localities to build broadband infrastructure
- Comcast, Qwest Annoyed With Twin Cities Wi-Fi Plans
- Comcast 'Pruning' Rural Markets
- Secret Las Vegas Supercompany Serves All Major Carriers
- Global Dreams for a Wireless Web
- Internet companies have their heads in the 'clouds'
- Weyerhaeuser gets tax break – A $182 million tax break for Weyerhaeuser Co
- North Mason School Board Selected New Board Member
- Pennies, Nickels worth Their Metal under New House Bill
- The fortunes of Idaho's Silver Valley pick up with metal prices, ski resort
- Corn price is factor in rising movie ticket prices
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Eschatology • \ess-kuh-TALL-oh-gee\ • noun – 1: a branch of theology concerned with the final events in the history of the world or of humankind 2 a belief concerning death, the end of the world, or the ultimate destiny of humankind; specifically: any of various Christian doctrines concerning the Second Coming, the resurrection of the dead, or the Last Judgment
“Golly Frank” exclaimed Dilton. “I’m considered somewhat of an expert in my tiddlywinks circle in the study of eschatology.” “But I’ve never heard the theory that the earth is to be swallowed by a gigantic space platypus when, or if, Don Knotts receives an honorary Oscar.”
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
What sale of Puget Sound Energy will mean to you – By year's end, Puget Sound Energy customers could be paying their electricity and natural-gas bills to a utility owned by an Australian investment bank and Canadian pension funds (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/459031.html
Most consumers oppose Puget Sound Energy sale (The Olympian, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1410230~Most_consumers_oppose_Puget_Sound_Energy_sale.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
Montana – Columbia Falls Aluminum Company may cut back production “…The price of power has brought this situation about…” (The Daily Inter Lake)
http://www.dailyinterlake.com/articles/2008/05/24/news/news03.txt
Seattle Times Editorial – Daydreaming through the nuclear-power night
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2004434976_vesely25.html?syndication=rss
Tri-City Herald Editorial – More than sound bite on nuclear policy, please – We'd like to know a great deal more than we do about the specifics of the presidential candidates' views on nuclear power.
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/962/story/193806.html
Beetle paratroopers deployed to fight invasive Scotch broom – Officials dropped 3,500 beetles west and east of Salem to fight the prolific weed along public lands and Bonneville Power Administration rights-of-way (Salem Statesman Journal)
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080524/NEWS/805240332/1001
South Dakota – Possible struggle shaping up on electricity for oilseed plant (Black Hills Pioneer)
http://bhpioneer.com/articles/2008/05/24/news//doc4836e6817e7fe456092239.txt
FISH & WILDLIFE
Canadian View: Salmon deal sells out fishermen, B.C. trollers say – U.S. to pay Canada $30-million in compensation for lost fishing rights in what some are calling 'sweetheart deal' (Globe and Mail)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080524.BCTREATY24/TPStory/National
Tacoma News Tribune Opinion – Putting the fate of salmon first – Last week’s international pact to sharply cut the catch of Chinook salmon migrating from Washington is one of those good news, bad news situations
http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/story/372079.html
Yakima Herald-Republic Op/Ed – Historic salmon deal really more of the same
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/4381
Yakima Herald-Republic Opinion – Tribes right to focus on rivers, not litigation
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/4380
Aid on its way to salmon industry – Fishermen aren't the only ones who can benefit from $170 million fund (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/364655_salmon27.html
Changes in store for Wenatchee steelhead – Changes are coming in the way endangered steelhead trout are raised in the upper Columbia River region. (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004438635_wenatcheesteelhead26m.html
Lousy Salmon Causes an Upset – Sea lice from Norwegian-run salmon farms are killing off vital wild salmon stocks in Canada and Chile, according to a delegation that visited Oslo last week. It accuses Norway's government of complicity (Inter Press Service)
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=42510
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
8 million gallons of raw sewage pour into Seattle creek (KING-TV. Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_052508WAB_sewage_spill_SW.2b772711.html
State to mull Lake Roosevelt summer water distribution – The state is diving into the details of how, when and to whom it will distribute new summer water supplies from Lake Roosevelt (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/901/story/194584.html
Montana Dam Is Breached, Slowly, to Restore a Superfund Site (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/27/science/27dam.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
Gregoire, Rossi battle for eco-credentials (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/364687_greengov27.html
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
State biodiesel plant struggles – Grays Harbor facility delays (The News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/372091.html
The Columbian Editorial – In Our View: Questions in the wind “…the rush toward renewable energy sources could be expanding into Clark County. We welcome it. But, plenty of questions surround this week’s stunning development…”
http://www.columbian.com/opinion/news/2008/05/05232008_In-Our-View-Questions-in-the-wind.cfm?newsletter=5
Electricity coming out of the air – Power costs have people looking into individual wind energy systems “…but Carroll County tweaked its zoning ordinance earlier this month to allow residents to install the systems. And the state has begun offering grants to help people pay for them...” (Baltimore Sun)
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/carroll/bal-te.ca.wind25may25,0,6598695.story
Geothermal sites the new hot spots for Oregon power (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9390409?source=rss
Desert sun's reflection a growing energy source (Bloomberg News, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004435638_solarmirrors24.html
Greening Parking Lots With Solar Trees (EcoGeek)
http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/1665/
San Jose Mercury News Editorial: Clean-energy tax incentives must be renewed
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9390434?source=rss
Siemens slush fund for bribes detailed (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004439845_siemens27.html?syndication=rss
CONSERVATION
Iowa – Electric co-ops strive for energy efficiency (Des Moines Register)
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080527/OPINION04/805270304/1038/Opinion
How Green Is the College? Time the Showers (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/26/education/26green.html?th&emc=th
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Canada – Carbon tax gaining support across Canada (Canwest News Service)
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=c28d5cd4-5404-4ade-a748-0352268d392c
Seattle Times Columnist – Science at the bend of climate change
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2004435287_riley27.html
San Francisco Chronicle Editorial – A first in pollution fees
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/26/ED2T10S5HC.DTL&feed=rss.opinion
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Tacoma’s Click! Network might raise its rates – The increase is needed primarily to pay for rising programming costs (The News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/372812.html
Louisiana – Faster service set for ’09 – Lafayette Utilities readies fiber optic lines (WBRZ-TV)
http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/19200579.html
Google this: Search engine giant opens N.C. facility (WRAL)
http://www.wrallocaltechwire.com/business/local_tech_wire/news/story/2924623
Infrastructure matters – As the municipal fiber project in Provo, Utah, transforms into a more vertically integrated model, it illustrates some of the flaws in a particular brand of muni broadband commonly referred to as “wholesale-only.” (Telephony Online)
http://telephonyonline.com/access/commentary/infrastructure-broadweave-veracity-0521/
Seattle Times Guest Columnist – We need a national broadband policy (Ron Simms)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2004435284_simsop27.html?syndication=rss
The Tennessean Op/Ed – Free up localities to build broadband infrastructure
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080523/OPINION01/805230381/1007/OPINION
Comcast, Qwest Annoyed With Twin Cities Wi-Fi Plans – Government wants speeds that are faster than the upgrades these businesses offer (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Comcast-Qwest-Annoyed-With-Twin-Cities-WiFi-Plans-94723
Comcast 'Pruning' Rural Markets – 46 markets across eight states (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Comcast-Pruning-Rural-Markets-94753
Secret Las Vegas Supercompany Serves All Major Carriers – Massive low cost broadband data center making plans to rule the world (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Secret-Las-Vegas-Supercompany-Serves-All-Major-Carriers-94716
Global Dreams for a Wireless Web – An entrepreneur is trying to cover the Earth with Web access, one hot spot at a time. But his big idea is encountering equally big obstacles (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/25/technology/25web.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
Internet companies have their heads in the 'clouds' – Tech businesses find computing resources outside their own walls (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/364657_cloud27.html
GENERAL NEWS
Weyerhaeuser gets tax break – A $182 million tax break for Weyerhaeuser Co., tucked inside the farm bill (McClatchy Newspapers, via the Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/business/story/460728.html
NORTH MASON SCHOOL BOARD SELECTED NEW BOARD MEMBER – The North Mason School Board of Directors selected a new school board member Thursday evening. Mike Gaudio of Victor will represent district five. He will be sworn in at the next school board meeting June 12 and will serve the remainder of the term of former school board member Nena Andrews. Andrews resigned in April citing personal reasons. Mike Gaudio is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. Through the Air Force he earned a bachelor's degree in business and went on to earn an MBA, both from the University of Washington. Gaudio said he decided to seek the school board position as a way to give back to the community. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
Pennies, Nickels worth Their Metal under New House Bill – Bill calls for pennies and nickels to be mostly steel (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/Americas/May-June-08/Pennies--Nickels-Aren-t-Worth-the-Metal-They-re-Minted-With.html
The fortunes of Idaho's Silver Valley pick up with metal prices, ski resort (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004440062_kellogg27.html?syndication=rss
Corn price is factor in rising movie ticket prices (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004435762_cornfilm24.html
DIVERSIONS
It's a dog's life for abandoned kittens – Mother Chihuahua adopts litter
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=d2fa92e8-d7bf-48a0-9e9d-1f8f894d4b6f
Minor Leaguer Traded For 10 Baseball Bats In Texas
http://www.kirotv.com/news/16389824/detail.html
Mel Brooks Blazes Wacky Trail (12 Minutes, National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90801438&ft=1&f=7
Skydiver's balloon takes off without him
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080527/ap_on_re_ca/canada_high_skydiver_3
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- What sale of Puget Sound Energy will mean to you
- Most consumers oppose Puget Sound Energy sale
- Montana – Columbia Falls Aluminum Company may cut back production
- Seattle Times Editorial – Daydreaming through the nuclear-power night
- Tri-City Herald Editorial – More than sound bite on nuclear policy, please
- Beetle paratroopers deployed to fight invasive Scotch broom
- South Dakota – Possible struggle shaping up on electricity for oilseed plant
- Canadian View: Salmon deal sells out fishermen, B.C. trollers say
- Tacoma News Tribune Opinion – Putting the fate of salmon first
- Yakima Herald-Republic Op/Ed – Historic salmon deal really more of the same
- Yakima Herald-Republic Opinion – Tribes right to focus on rivers, not litigation
- Aid on its way to salmon industry
- Changes in store for Wenatchee steelhead
- Lousy Salmon Causes an Upset
- 8 million gallons of raw sewage pour into Seattle creek
- State to mull Lake Roosevelt summer water distribution
- Montana Dam Is Breached, Slowly, to Restore a Superfund Site
- Gregoire, Rossi battle for eco-credentials
- State biodiesel plant struggles – Grays Harbor facility delays
- The Columbian Editorial – In Our View: Questions in the wind
- Electricity coming out of the air
- Geothermal sites the new hot spots for Oregon power
- Desert sun's reflection a growing energy source
- Greening Parking Lots With Solar Trees
- San Jose Mercury News Editorial: Clean-energy tax incentives must be renewed
- Siemens slush fund for bribes detailed – may extend across many company divisions
- Iowa – Electric co-ops strive for energy efficiency
- How Green Is the College? Time the Showers
- Canada – Carbon tax gaining support across Canada
- Seattle Times Columnist – Science at the bend of climate change
- San Francisco Chronicle Editorial – A first in pollution fees
- Tacoma’s Click! Network might raise its rates
- Louisiana – Faster service set for ’09
- Google this: Search engine giant opens N.C. facility
- Infrastructure matters
- Seattle Times Guest Columnist – We need a national broadband policy
- The Tennessean Op/Ed – Free up localities to build broadband infrastructure
- Comcast, Qwest Annoyed With Twin Cities Wi-Fi Plans
- Comcast 'Pruning' Rural Markets
- Secret Las Vegas Supercompany Serves All Major Carriers
- Global Dreams for a Wireless Web
- Internet companies have their heads in the 'clouds'
- Weyerhaeuser gets tax break – A $182 million tax break for Weyerhaeuser Co
- North Mason School Board Selected New Board Member
- Pennies, Nickels worth Their Metal under New House Bill
- The fortunes of Idaho's Silver Valley pick up with metal prices, ski resort
- Corn price is factor in rising movie ticket prices
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Eschatology • \ess-kuh-TALL-oh-gee\ • noun – 1: a branch of theology concerned with the final events in the history of the world or of humankind 2 a belief concerning death, the end of the world, or the ultimate destiny of humankind; specifically: any of various Christian doctrines concerning the Second Coming, the resurrection of the dead, or the Last Judgment
“Golly Frank” exclaimed Dilton. “I’m considered somewhat of an expert in my tiddlywinks circle in the study of eschatology.” “But I’ve never heard the theory that the earth is to be swallowed by a gigantic space platypus when, or if, Don Knotts receives an honorary Oscar.”
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
What sale of Puget Sound Energy will mean to you – By year's end, Puget Sound Energy customers could be paying their electricity and natural-gas bills to a utility owned by an Australian investment bank and Canadian pension funds (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/459031.html
Most consumers oppose Puget Sound Energy sale (The Olympian, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1410230~Most_consumers_oppose_Puget_Sound_Energy_sale.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
Montana – Columbia Falls Aluminum Company may cut back production “…The price of power has brought this situation about…” (The Daily Inter Lake)
http://www.dailyinterlake.com/articles/2008/05/24/news/news03.txt
Seattle Times Editorial – Daydreaming through the nuclear-power night
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2004434976_vesely25.html?syndication=rss
Tri-City Herald Editorial – More than sound bite on nuclear policy, please – We'd like to know a great deal more than we do about the specifics of the presidential candidates' views on nuclear power.
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/962/story/193806.html
Beetle paratroopers deployed to fight invasive Scotch broom – Officials dropped 3,500 beetles west and east of Salem to fight the prolific weed along public lands and Bonneville Power Administration rights-of-way (Salem Statesman Journal)
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080524/NEWS/805240332/1001
South Dakota – Possible struggle shaping up on electricity for oilseed plant (Black Hills Pioneer)
http://bhpioneer.com/articles/2008/05/24/news//doc4836e6817e7fe456092239.txt
FISH & WILDLIFE
Canadian View: Salmon deal sells out fishermen, B.C. trollers say – U.S. to pay Canada $30-million in compensation for lost fishing rights in what some are calling 'sweetheart deal' (Globe and Mail)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080524.BCTREATY24/TPStory/National
Tacoma News Tribune Opinion – Putting the fate of salmon first – Last week’s international pact to sharply cut the catch of Chinook salmon migrating from Washington is one of those good news, bad news situations
http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/story/372079.html
Yakima Herald-Republic Op/Ed – Historic salmon deal really more of the same
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/4381
Yakima Herald-Republic Opinion – Tribes right to focus on rivers, not litigation
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/4380
Aid on its way to salmon industry – Fishermen aren't the only ones who can benefit from $170 million fund (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/364655_salmon27.html
Changes in store for Wenatchee steelhead – Changes are coming in the way endangered steelhead trout are raised in the upper Columbia River region. (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004438635_wenatcheesteelhead26m.html
Lousy Salmon Causes an Upset – Sea lice from Norwegian-run salmon farms are killing off vital wild salmon stocks in Canada and Chile, according to a delegation that visited Oslo last week. It accuses Norway's government of complicity (Inter Press Service)
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=42510
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
8 million gallons of raw sewage pour into Seattle creek (KING-TV. Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_052508WAB_sewage_spill_SW.2b772711.html
State to mull Lake Roosevelt summer water distribution – The state is diving into the details of how, when and to whom it will distribute new summer water supplies from Lake Roosevelt (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/901/story/194584.html
Montana Dam Is Breached, Slowly, to Restore a Superfund Site (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/27/science/27dam.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
Gregoire, Rossi battle for eco-credentials (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/364687_greengov27.html
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
State biodiesel plant struggles – Grays Harbor facility delays (The News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/372091.html
The Columbian Editorial – In Our View: Questions in the wind “…the rush toward renewable energy sources could be expanding into Clark County. We welcome it. But, plenty of questions surround this week’s stunning development…”
http://www.columbian.com/opinion/news/2008/05/05232008_In-Our-View-Questions-in-the-wind.cfm?newsletter=5
Electricity coming out of the air – Power costs have people looking into individual wind energy systems “…but Carroll County tweaked its zoning ordinance earlier this month to allow residents to install the systems. And the state has begun offering grants to help people pay for them...” (Baltimore Sun)
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/carroll/bal-te.ca.wind25may25,0,6598695.story
Geothermal sites the new hot spots for Oregon power (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9390409?source=rss
Desert sun's reflection a growing energy source (Bloomberg News, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004435638_solarmirrors24.html
Greening Parking Lots With Solar Trees (EcoGeek)
http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/1665/
San Jose Mercury News Editorial: Clean-energy tax incentives must be renewed
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9390434?source=rss
Siemens slush fund for bribes detailed (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004439845_siemens27.html?syndication=rss
CONSERVATION
Iowa – Electric co-ops strive for energy efficiency (Des Moines Register)
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080527/OPINION04/805270304/1038/Opinion
How Green Is the College? Time the Showers (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/26/education/26green.html?th&emc=th
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Canada – Carbon tax gaining support across Canada (Canwest News Service)
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=c28d5cd4-5404-4ade-a748-0352268d392c
Seattle Times Columnist – Science at the bend of climate change
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2004435287_riley27.html
San Francisco Chronicle Editorial – A first in pollution fees
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/26/ED2T10S5HC.DTL&feed=rss.opinion
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Tacoma’s Click! Network might raise its rates – The increase is needed primarily to pay for rising programming costs (The News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/372812.html
Louisiana – Faster service set for ’09 – Lafayette Utilities readies fiber optic lines (WBRZ-TV)
http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/19200579.html
Google this: Search engine giant opens N.C. facility (WRAL)
http://www.wrallocaltechwire.com/business/local_tech_wire/news/story/2924623
Infrastructure matters – As the municipal fiber project in Provo, Utah, transforms into a more vertically integrated model, it illustrates some of the flaws in a particular brand of muni broadband commonly referred to as “wholesale-only.” (Telephony Online)
http://telephonyonline.com/access/commentary/infrastructure-broadweave-veracity-0521/
Seattle Times Guest Columnist – We need a national broadband policy (Ron Simms)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2004435284_simsop27.html?syndication=rss
The Tennessean Op/Ed – Free up localities to build broadband infrastructure
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080523/OPINION01/805230381/1007/OPINION
Comcast, Qwest Annoyed With Twin Cities Wi-Fi Plans – Government wants speeds that are faster than the upgrades these businesses offer (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Comcast-Qwest-Annoyed-With-Twin-Cities-WiFi-Plans-94723
Comcast 'Pruning' Rural Markets – 46 markets across eight states (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Comcast-Pruning-Rural-Markets-94753
Secret Las Vegas Supercompany Serves All Major Carriers – Massive low cost broadband data center making plans to rule the world (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Secret-Las-Vegas-Supercompany-Serves-All-Major-Carriers-94716
Global Dreams for a Wireless Web – An entrepreneur is trying to cover the Earth with Web access, one hot spot at a time. But his big idea is encountering equally big obstacles (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/25/technology/25web.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
Internet companies have their heads in the 'clouds' – Tech businesses find computing resources outside their own walls (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/364657_cloud27.html
GENERAL NEWS
Weyerhaeuser gets tax break – A $182 million tax break for Weyerhaeuser Co., tucked inside the farm bill (McClatchy Newspapers, via the Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/business/story/460728.html
NORTH MASON SCHOOL BOARD SELECTED NEW BOARD MEMBER – The North Mason School Board of Directors selected a new school board member Thursday evening. Mike Gaudio of Victor will represent district five. He will be sworn in at the next school board meeting June 12 and will serve the remainder of the term of former school board member Nena Andrews. Andrews resigned in April citing personal reasons. Mike Gaudio is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. Through the Air Force he earned a bachelor's degree in business and went on to earn an MBA, both from the University of Washington. Gaudio said he decided to seek the school board position as a way to give back to the community. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
Pennies, Nickels worth Their Metal under New House Bill – Bill calls for pennies and nickels to be mostly steel (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/Americas/May-June-08/Pennies--Nickels-Aren-t-Worth-the-Metal-They-re-Minted-With.html
The fortunes of Idaho's Silver Valley pick up with metal prices, ski resort (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004440062_kellogg27.html?syndication=rss
Corn price is factor in rising movie ticket prices (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004435762_cornfilm24.html
DIVERSIONS
It's a dog's life for abandoned kittens – Mother Chihuahua adopts litter
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=d2fa92e8-d7bf-48a0-9e9d-1f8f894d4b6f
Minor Leaguer Traded For 10 Baseball Bats In Texas
http://www.kirotv.com/news/16389824/detail.html
Mel Brooks Blazes Wacky Trail (12 Minutes, National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90801438&ft=1&f=7
Skydiver's balloon takes off without him
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080527/ap_on_re_ca/canada_high_skydiver_3
Friday, May 23, 2008
Energy News Digest for May 23, 2008
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.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Juneau Power Crisis Brings Stark Savings Measures
- Liquefied Natural Gas Opponents Fighting On Two Fronts
- Oregon Land Owners Sue Over Trespass By Liquefied Natural Gas Pipeline Surveyors
- Dodson to retire as NW Natural boss
- Italy to reverse policy and build nuclear power stations
- Crane collapses at Kansas City-area power plant – Construction site the scene of another fatal accident
- News Release – NorthWestern Corporation Announces Authorization of Share Buyback Program
- Calpine shares rise on news of takeover bid
- Texas – Electricity users would have to pay for smart meters under plan
- Australia – Electricity workers warn of more strikes
- Yippee for deregulation! European businesses braced for bumper energy bills
- New US-Canada salmon agreement proposed
- Proposed US/Canadian salmon-treaty changes would allow more Chinook to return to Washington rivers
- Sali: Proposals to breach dams politicizes science – Action will not increase salmon runs, study says
- Michigan – Something's fishy at the zoo: giant salmon on tour
- Un-Damming Elk Creek – Controversial Rogue River dam to make way for salmon
- Washington scientists in search of orca poop
- Record pikeminnow trumps cash reward
- Acidified ocean water rising up nearly 100 years earlier than scientists predicted
- Montesano Wastewater an award winner
- Montana – Hi-Line wind farm eyes fall finish
- Oregon wave power proposal moves forward in Douglas County
- No Green R.E.I. for Seattle – Solar panels not in the cards
- South Dakota – Ardor welcome on wind energy – But state official calls Obama's estimates 'overly generous'
- First offshore wind turbine to be buoyed off Norway
- Massachusetts – Rebate heats up interest – Solar panels gain with state's boost
- Grease slipping into wrong hands
- Vail Resorts implements mandatory cut in energy usage
- Getting The Light Switches of the World to Chat Amongst Themselves
- Ontario – Round up those old fridges; Energy-conservation initiative in its second year in Orillia
- British Columbia – Air quality laws could threaten greenhouses – Bad Biomass
- Factoring Your Carbon Footprint Into Summer Travel Plans
- Report: Chesapeake Bay threatened by sea-level rise
- San Francisco Chronicle Op/Ed – Energy matters
- Broadweave Replacing All iProvo Gateways
- Next-generation Net may be hard to get – Access requires fiber-optic line extension
- Yahoo buy not a strategy in itself: Microsoft CEO
- Yahoo Nominates Existing Board
- Fairfax Tech Firms Settle Software Suit
- Sign of the times: Beyond $4 for fuel
- Are we there yet? With Gas Prices Rising and the Planet Warming, Is It Time To Drive 55 Again?
- Nesting bald eagles delay Whidbey Island road work
- New state buildings on hold as cost climbs
- High Court Allows State Tax Breaks For Bonds
- Thieves cut down old maples for rare wood
- Department Of Transportation Says Airlines Can't Charge Extra Baggage Fees After Ticket Purchase
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Propensity • \pruh-PENN-suh-tee\ • noun – An often intense natural inclination or preference
“Will you PLEASE knock that off!!” screamed Felicity at her seatmate on the red-eye flight from Seattle to London. At the start of the flight, the person in the middle seat immediately showed a propensity to make small, sharp, barking noises whenever the snack and drink cart lumbered by. That and the passenger’s amazing ability to scratch behind her ears with her foot did little to endear Felicity to the un-named traveler.
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Juneau Power Crisis Brings Stark Savings Measures (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90755754
Liquefied Natural Gas Opponents Fighting On Two Fronts – Opponents of liquefied natural gas took their case to court Thursday. They also appealed to the shareholders of Northwest Natural (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/2163-lng-opponents-fighting-two-fronts/
Oregon Land Owners Sue Over Trespass By Liquefied Natural Gas Pipeline Surveyors (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/2151-land-owners-sue-over-trespass-pipeline-surveyors/
Dodson to retire as NW Natural boss (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/05/19/daily36.html?ana=from_rss
Italy to reverse policy and build nuclear power stations (AFP)
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hZGswYutZT7VbpOco_kwdO_Kj71w
Crane collapses at Kansas City-area power plant – Construction site the scene of another fatal accident in 2007 (The Associated Press, via the San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/05/23/national/a073920D34.DTL&feed=rss.news
News Release – NorthWestern Corporation Announces Authorization of Share Buyback Program (PR Newswire, via Yahoo!)
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/080523/aqf021.html?.v=49
Calpine shares rise on news of takeover bid (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9346668?source=rss
Texas – Electricity users would have to pay for smart meters under plan – residential customers would have to pay around $2.35 per month for the next 11 years for their new meters (Dallas Morning News)
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/052308dnbusoncormeters.1addf0d8.html
Australia – Electricity workers warn of more strikes – Queensland electricity workers are set to hold another 24-hour strike after a break down in wage negotiations between unions and Energex (Fairfax Media Service)
http://margaretriver.yourguide.com.au/news/national/national/general/electricity-workers-warn-of-more-strikes/775397.aspx
Yippee for deregulation! European businesses braced for bumper energy bills – British businesses are facing mammoth energy bills this year as record oil prices drive up gas and electricity costs across Europe (Reuters)
http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlebusiness.aspx?type=businessNews&storyid=2008-05-22T143637Z_01_L22794456_RTRUKOC_0_UK-BRITAIN-ENERGY.xml
FISH & WILDLIFE
New US-Canada salmon agreement proposed – The U.S. and Canada have reached a new 10-year agreement to prevent over fishing of salmon off the western coast of Canada and southeast Alaska (Associated Press, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004432326_apwstsalmontreaty3rdldwritethru.html?syndication=rss
Proposed US/Canadian salmon-treaty changes would allow more Chinook to return to Washington rivers (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004431717_websalmontreaty.html?syndication=rss
Sali: Proposals to breach dams politicizes science – Action will not increase salmon runs, study says (Capital Press)
http://www.capitalpress.info/main.asp?SectionID=67&SubSectionID=617&ArticleID=41845&TM=35707.66
Michigan – Something's fishy at the zoo: giant salmon on tour (The Saginaw News – watch, as children move through the alimentary canal…come out whole on the other side!)
http://www.mlive.com/business/index.ssf/2008/05/somethings_fishy_at_the_zoo.html
Un-Damming Elk Creek – Controversial Rogue River dam to make way for salmon (Eugene Weekly)
http://www.eugeneweekly.com/2008/05/15/news1.html
Washington scientists in search of orca poop (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_052208ENV_orcas_return_KS.1c399d37.html
Record pikeminnow trumps cash reward (The Spokesman Review, via the Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/outdoors/story/457124.html
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Acidified ocean water rising up nearly 100 years earlier than scientists predicted (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004431933_webacidocean22m.html?syndication=rss
Montesano Wastewater an award winner – After treatment, the city’s sewer water is cleaner than the Wynooche River it is discharged into (The Daily World)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/05/22/local_news/10news.txt
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Montana – Hi-Line wind farm eyes fall finish (Great Falls Tribune)
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080522/NEWS01/805220302/1002
Oregon wave power proposal moves forward in Douglas County (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1405452~Wave_proposal_moves_forward_in_Douglas_County.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
No Green R.E.I. for Seattle – Last week, the Kent-based outdoor gear retailer REI announced plans to install solar technology at 10 percent of its stores nationwide—but Seattle didn't make the cut (Seattle Weekly)
http://www.seattleweekly.com/2008-05-21/news/no-green-r-e-i-for-seattle.php
South Dakota – Ardor welcome on wind energy – But state official calls Obama's estimates 'overly generous' (The Argus Leader)
http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080523/NEWS/805230317
First offshore wind turbine to be buoyed off Norway (CNET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-9950231-54.html
Massachusetts – Rebate heats up interest – Solar panels gain with state's boost (Boston Globe)
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/05/22/rebate_heats_up_interest/
Grease slipping into wrong hands – A few years ago, drums of used french fry grease were of interest only to a small network of underground biofuel brewers, who would use the slimy oil to power their souped-up antique Mercedes’ (Associated Press, via the San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9356423?source=rss
CONSERVATION
Vail Resorts implements mandatory cut in energy usage (The Associated Press, via the Denver Post)
http://www.denverpost.com/ci_9350504?source=rss
Getting The Light Switches of the World to Chat Amongst Themselves (NY Times)
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/21/arm-getting-the-light-switches-of-the-world-to-chat-amongst-themselves/index.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Ontario – Round up those old fridges; Energy-conservation initiative in its second year in Orillia (The Orillia Packet)
http://www.orilliapacket.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1039664
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
British Columbia – Air quality laws could threaten greenhouses – Bad Biomass: “…target emissions from wood boilers and make bigger polluters pay more…” (Vancouver Sun)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/business/story.html?id=d92c1282-89be-4de4-8aba-f0ae4f6e8380
Factoring Your Carbon Footprint Into Summer Travel Plans (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/2149-factoring-your-carbon-footprint-summer-travel-plans/
Report: Chesapeake Bay threatened by sea-level rise (USA Today)
http://www.usatoday.com/weather/climate/2008-05-22-rising_chesapeake_bay_N.htm?csp=34
San Francisco Chronicle Op/Ed – Energy matters: The eighth-grade class at the Julia Morgan School for Girls in Oakland worked on a service-learning project this year where each group of girls researched a topic surrounding global warming. Here they share their findings with readers
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/23/EDNR10QGT4.DTL&feed=rss.opinion
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Broadweave Replacing All iProvo Gateways – After company discovers flawed units cause phone problems (Broadband Reports – iProvo keeping mum on make of gateways)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Broadweave-Replacing-All-iProvo-Gateways-94666
Next-generation Net may be hard to get – Access requires fiber-optic line extension (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/364243_internet23.html?source=rss
Yahoo buy not a strategy in itself: Microsoft CEO (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idUSL2344815620080523?feedType=nl&feedName=usbusinessearly
Yahoo Nominates Existing Board – The company nominated 9 of its 10 existing directors for re-election to its board, setting the stage for a showdown with dissident shareholders at its annual meeting, which has been postponed until late July (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/23/technology/23yahoo.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
Fairfax Tech Firms Settle Software Suit – A Fairfax County technology company has agreed to pay a rival $4.5 million to settle a lawsuit accusing it of stealing computer software (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/20/AR2008052001713.html?nav=rss_technology
GENERAL NEWS
Sign of the times: Beyond $4 for fuel – For the first time, regular unleaded gasoline sold for more than $4 per gallon at some South Sound stations Thursday (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/457441.html
Are we there yet? With Gas Prices Rising and the Planet Warming, Is It Time To Drive 55 Again? (Wired Magazine)
http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/05/with-gas-prices.html
Nesting bald eagles delay Whidbey Island road work (Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1405866~Nesting_bald_eagles_delay_Whidbey_Island_road_work.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
New state buildings on hold as cost climbs – A new complex of state buildings on the Capitol Campus will cost at least $110 million more than expected – and possibly a lot more than that (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/457436.html
High Court Allows State Tax Breaks For Bonds (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/19/AR2008051900945.html?nav=rss_nation
Thieves cut down old maples for rare wood (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komotv.com/news/local/19183164.html
Department Of Transportation Says Airlines Can't Charge Extra Baggage Fees After Ticket Purchase (The Consumerist)
http://consumerist.com/tag/airlines/?i=5010464&t=department-of-transportation-says-airlines-cant-charge-extra-baggage-fees-after-ticket-purchase
DIVERSIONS
Lost Parrot Able To Give Vet Name, Address – Missing Parrot Returned To Owners
http://www.kirotv.com/family/16349573/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible
Theft just days after being released from prison gets Ocean Shores man sent back for stealing a generator from an Aberdeen
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/05/22/local_news/07news.txt
Baby owls get new home after accidental trip from Ellensburg to Shelton
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/457429.html
Indiana Jones makes communists see red
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN2320354420080523?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews
Locksmith in Longview cracks safe that baffled feds, MIT
http://www.examiner.com/a-1405977~Lacksmith_in_Longview_cracks_safe_that_baffled_feds__MIT.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Juneau Power Crisis Brings Stark Savings Measures
- Liquefied Natural Gas Opponents Fighting On Two Fronts
- Oregon Land Owners Sue Over Trespass By Liquefied Natural Gas Pipeline Surveyors
- Dodson to retire as NW Natural boss
- Italy to reverse policy and build nuclear power stations
- Crane collapses at Kansas City-area power plant – Construction site the scene of another fatal accident
- News Release – NorthWestern Corporation Announces Authorization of Share Buyback Program
- Calpine shares rise on news of takeover bid
- Texas – Electricity users would have to pay for smart meters under plan
- Australia – Electricity workers warn of more strikes
- Yippee for deregulation! European businesses braced for bumper energy bills
- New US-Canada salmon agreement proposed
- Proposed US/Canadian salmon-treaty changes would allow more Chinook to return to Washington rivers
- Sali: Proposals to breach dams politicizes science – Action will not increase salmon runs, study says
- Michigan – Something's fishy at the zoo: giant salmon on tour
- Un-Damming Elk Creek – Controversial Rogue River dam to make way for salmon
- Washington scientists in search of orca poop
- Record pikeminnow trumps cash reward
- Acidified ocean water rising up nearly 100 years earlier than scientists predicted
- Montesano Wastewater an award winner
- Montana – Hi-Line wind farm eyes fall finish
- Oregon wave power proposal moves forward in Douglas County
- No Green R.E.I. for Seattle – Solar panels not in the cards
- South Dakota – Ardor welcome on wind energy – But state official calls Obama's estimates 'overly generous'
- First offshore wind turbine to be buoyed off Norway
- Massachusetts – Rebate heats up interest – Solar panels gain with state's boost
- Grease slipping into wrong hands
- Vail Resorts implements mandatory cut in energy usage
- Getting The Light Switches of the World to Chat Amongst Themselves
- Ontario – Round up those old fridges; Energy-conservation initiative in its second year in Orillia
- British Columbia – Air quality laws could threaten greenhouses – Bad Biomass
- Factoring Your Carbon Footprint Into Summer Travel Plans
- Report: Chesapeake Bay threatened by sea-level rise
- San Francisco Chronicle Op/Ed – Energy matters
- Broadweave Replacing All iProvo Gateways
- Next-generation Net may be hard to get – Access requires fiber-optic line extension
- Yahoo buy not a strategy in itself: Microsoft CEO
- Yahoo Nominates Existing Board
- Fairfax Tech Firms Settle Software Suit
- Sign of the times: Beyond $4 for fuel
- Are we there yet? With Gas Prices Rising and the Planet Warming, Is It Time To Drive 55 Again?
- Nesting bald eagles delay Whidbey Island road work
- New state buildings on hold as cost climbs
- High Court Allows State Tax Breaks For Bonds
- Thieves cut down old maples for rare wood
- Department Of Transportation Says Airlines Can't Charge Extra Baggage Fees After Ticket Purchase
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Propensity • \pruh-PENN-suh-tee\ • noun – An often intense natural inclination or preference
“Will you PLEASE knock that off!!” screamed Felicity at her seatmate on the red-eye flight from Seattle to London. At the start of the flight, the person in the middle seat immediately showed a propensity to make small, sharp, barking noises whenever the snack and drink cart lumbered by. That and the passenger’s amazing ability to scratch behind her ears with her foot did little to endear Felicity to the un-named traveler.
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Juneau Power Crisis Brings Stark Savings Measures (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90755754
Liquefied Natural Gas Opponents Fighting On Two Fronts – Opponents of liquefied natural gas took their case to court Thursday. They also appealed to the shareholders of Northwest Natural (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/2163-lng-opponents-fighting-two-fronts/
Oregon Land Owners Sue Over Trespass By Liquefied Natural Gas Pipeline Surveyors (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/2151-land-owners-sue-over-trespass-pipeline-surveyors/
Dodson to retire as NW Natural boss (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/05/19/daily36.html?ana=from_rss
Italy to reverse policy and build nuclear power stations (AFP)
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hZGswYutZT7VbpOco_kwdO_Kj71w
Crane collapses at Kansas City-area power plant – Construction site the scene of another fatal accident in 2007 (The Associated Press, via the San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/05/23/national/a073920D34.DTL&feed=rss.news
News Release – NorthWestern Corporation Announces Authorization of Share Buyback Program (PR Newswire, via Yahoo!)
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/080523/aqf021.html?.v=49
Calpine shares rise on news of takeover bid (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9346668?source=rss
Texas – Electricity users would have to pay for smart meters under plan – residential customers would have to pay around $2.35 per month for the next 11 years for their new meters (Dallas Morning News)
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/052308dnbusoncormeters.1addf0d8.html
Australia – Electricity workers warn of more strikes – Queensland electricity workers are set to hold another 24-hour strike after a break down in wage negotiations between unions and Energex (Fairfax Media Service)
http://margaretriver.yourguide.com.au/news/national/national/general/electricity-workers-warn-of-more-strikes/775397.aspx
Yippee for deregulation! European businesses braced for bumper energy bills – British businesses are facing mammoth energy bills this year as record oil prices drive up gas and electricity costs across Europe (Reuters)
http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlebusiness.aspx?type=businessNews&storyid=2008-05-22T143637Z_01_L22794456_RTRUKOC_0_UK-BRITAIN-ENERGY.xml
FISH & WILDLIFE
New US-Canada salmon agreement proposed – The U.S. and Canada have reached a new 10-year agreement to prevent over fishing of salmon off the western coast of Canada and southeast Alaska (Associated Press, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004432326_apwstsalmontreaty3rdldwritethru.html?syndication=rss
Proposed US/Canadian salmon-treaty changes would allow more Chinook to return to Washington rivers (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004431717_websalmontreaty.html?syndication=rss
Sali: Proposals to breach dams politicizes science – Action will not increase salmon runs, study says (Capital Press)
http://www.capitalpress.info/main.asp?SectionID=67&SubSectionID=617&ArticleID=41845&TM=35707.66
Michigan – Something's fishy at the zoo: giant salmon on tour (The Saginaw News – watch, as children move through the alimentary canal…come out whole on the other side!)
http://www.mlive.com/business/index.ssf/2008/05/somethings_fishy_at_the_zoo.html
Un-Damming Elk Creek – Controversial Rogue River dam to make way for salmon (Eugene Weekly)
http://www.eugeneweekly.com/2008/05/15/news1.html
Washington scientists in search of orca poop (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_052208ENV_orcas_return_KS.1c399d37.html
Record pikeminnow trumps cash reward (The Spokesman Review, via the Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/outdoors/story/457124.html
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Acidified ocean water rising up nearly 100 years earlier than scientists predicted (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004431933_webacidocean22m.html?syndication=rss
Montesano Wastewater an award winner – After treatment, the city’s sewer water is cleaner than the Wynooche River it is discharged into (The Daily World)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/05/22/local_news/10news.txt
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Montana – Hi-Line wind farm eyes fall finish (Great Falls Tribune)
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080522/NEWS01/805220302/1002
Oregon wave power proposal moves forward in Douglas County (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1405452~Wave_proposal_moves_forward_in_Douglas_County.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
No Green R.E.I. for Seattle – Last week, the Kent-based outdoor gear retailer REI announced plans to install solar technology at 10 percent of its stores nationwide—but Seattle didn't make the cut (Seattle Weekly)
http://www.seattleweekly.com/2008-05-21/news/no-green-r-e-i-for-seattle.php
South Dakota – Ardor welcome on wind energy – But state official calls Obama's estimates 'overly generous' (The Argus Leader)
http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080523/NEWS/805230317
First offshore wind turbine to be buoyed off Norway (CNET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-9950231-54.html
Massachusetts – Rebate heats up interest – Solar panels gain with state's boost (Boston Globe)
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/05/22/rebate_heats_up_interest/
Grease slipping into wrong hands – A few years ago, drums of used french fry grease were of interest only to a small network of underground biofuel brewers, who would use the slimy oil to power their souped-up antique Mercedes’ (Associated Press, via the San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9356423?source=rss
CONSERVATION
Vail Resorts implements mandatory cut in energy usage (The Associated Press, via the Denver Post)
http://www.denverpost.com/ci_9350504?source=rss
Getting The Light Switches of the World to Chat Amongst Themselves (NY Times)
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/21/arm-getting-the-light-switches-of-the-world-to-chat-amongst-themselves/index.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Ontario – Round up those old fridges; Energy-conservation initiative in its second year in Orillia (The Orillia Packet)
http://www.orilliapacket.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1039664
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
British Columbia – Air quality laws could threaten greenhouses – Bad Biomass: “…target emissions from wood boilers and make bigger polluters pay more…” (Vancouver Sun)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/business/story.html?id=d92c1282-89be-4de4-8aba-f0ae4f6e8380
Factoring Your Carbon Footprint Into Summer Travel Plans (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/2149-factoring-your-carbon-footprint-summer-travel-plans/
Report: Chesapeake Bay threatened by sea-level rise (USA Today)
http://www.usatoday.com/weather/climate/2008-05-22-rising_chesapeake_bay_N.htm?csp=34
San Francisco Chronicle Op/Ed – Energy matters: The eighth-grade class at the Julia Morgan School for Girls in Oakland worked on a service-learning project this year where each group of girls researched a topic surrounding global warming. Here they share their findings with readers
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/23/EDNR10QGT4.DTL&feed=rss.opinion
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Broadweave Replacing All iProvo Gateways – After company discovers flawed units cause phone problems (Broadband Reports – iProvo keeping mum on make of gateways)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Broadweave-Replacing-All-iProvo-Gateways-94666
Next-generation Net may be hard to get – Access requires fiber-optic line extension (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/364243_internet23.html?source=rss
Yahoo buy not a strategy in itself: Microsoft CEO (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idUSL2344815620080523?feedType=nl&feedName=usbusinessearly
Yahoo Nominates Existing Board – The company nominated 9 of its 10 existing directors for re-election to its board, setting the stage for a showdown with dissident shareholders at its annual meeting, which has been postponed until late July (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/23/technology/23yahoo.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
Fairfax Tech Firms Settle Software Suit – A Fairfax County technology company has agreed to pay a rival $4.5 million to settle a lawsuit accusing it of stealing computer software (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/20/AR2008052001713.html?nav=rss_technology
GENERAL NEWS
Sign of the times: Beyond $4 for fuel – For the first time, regular unleaded gasoline sold for more than $4 per gallon at some South Sound stations Thursday (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/457441.html
Are we there yet? With Gas Prices Rising and the Planet Warming, Is It Time To Drive 55 Again? (Wired Magazine)
http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/05/with-gas-prices.html
Nesting bald eagles delay Whidbey Island road work (Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1405866~Nesting_bald_eagles_delay_Whidbey_Island_road_work.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
New state buildings on hold as cost climbs – A new complex of state buildings on the Capitol Campus will cost at least $110 million more than expected – and possibly a lot more than that (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/457436.html
High Court Allows State Tax Breaks For Bonds (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/19/AR2008051900945.html?nav=rss_nation
Thieves cut down old maples for rare wood (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komotv.com/news/local/19183164.html
Department Of Transportation Says Airlines Can't Charge Extra Baggage Fees After Ticket Purchase (The Consumerist)
http://consumerist.com/tag/airlines/?i=5010464&t=department-of-transportation-says-airlines-cant-charge-extra-baggage-fees-after-ticket-purchase
DIVERSIONS
Lost Parrot Able To Give Vet Name, Address – Missing Parrot Returned To Owners
http://www.kirotv.com/family/16349573/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible
Theft just days after being released from prison gets Ocean Shores man sent back for stealing a generator from an Aberdeen
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/05/22/local_news/07news.txt
Baby owls get new home after accidental trip from Ellensburg to Shelton
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/457429.html
Indiana Jones makes communists see red
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN2320354420080523?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews
Locksmith in Longview cracks safe that baffled feds, MIT
http://www.examiner.com/a-1405977~Lacksmith_in_Longview_cracks_safe_that_baffled_feds__MIT.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
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