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.
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TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
• City of Shelton May Turn Out Lights to Save Money
• Mason PUD 3 Commission Adopts 2010 Budget - No Retail Rate Increase
• Clark Public Utilities Cranks Up Electricity Production to Meet Demand
• Idaho Power Reports New Record for Winter Power
• Clark County residents protest new BPA line
• Columbian Editorial – Productive BPA Protest Rally
• Daily News Op/Ed - BPA Rushed Planning of Power Line
• New Substation Necessary - ‘Project Chinook’ Near Moses Lake Could Mean 200 Jobs
• Chelan PUD Settles Discrimination Suit for $500,000
• Clallam PUD Gets Enron Refunds
• Two More Seek Appointment to Jefferson County PUD Board
• BPA Seeks Senior Vice President for Power Services
• Washington State Watchdog Hands Out Clean Audits to Whatcom PUD
• Keizer City Councilors Interested in Power Plant Proposal
• Colorado - State Regulators Delay Power Line Decision
• Exxon Mobil Makes $29 Billion Bet on Natural Gas
• Georgia - Burned Man Still Hospitalized after Electric Shock
• Coalition Forms to Fight Klamath River Agreement
• Upcoming Cowlitz Sport Smelt Season Again Could Be Slim
• Bull Trout May Return to Clackamas River
• Washington State Tribe Loses Ruling on Treaty Fishing Rights
• 10 Million Gallons of Wastewater Spills into Elliott Bay
• Sewage-Soaked Madison Valley Residents Sue Seattle
• Forest Service Fined $12,000 for Smoke from Yakima Area Controlled Burn
• Panel Says Great Lakes Not Losing Extra Water Due to Dredging
• Phasing Out Wind Farm Tax Credit Divides Oregon Groups
• TV Washington Feature on Marbled Murrelet Tonight (Wednesday) at 7 PM
• Oregon - Troutdale mayor seeks stimulus assistance for wind project
• Wyoming Allows More Comment on Wind Recommendations
• Kansas - Sunflower Wind Is Suing Turbine Blade Supplier
• Contractor’s 100th Windmill Goes Up in Maine
• Report Says Wind Farms Annoying But Not Harmful
• L.A. Utility Shelves Plans for Solar Farm near Salton Sea
• NY Energy Plan Pushes Conservation, Solar & Wind
• Tampa Electric Allowed to Charge Customers Premium Prices for Solar Energy
• As California Greens, Northwest Power Gains
• Energy-Efficient Traffic Lights Can’t Melt Snow
• ‘Smart’ Device Makers: Variable Electricity Rates Needed
• US Dept. of Energy DOE Wants Water Heated More Efficiently
• Bellevue Family Cuts Power Consumption, Gains $7,500
• Frustration Mounts in Copenhagen as Talks Stall
• Police Beat Back Massed Climate Protesters
• Turning Carbon into Cash
• In Duluth, Carbon Offset Boosts the Holiday Cheer
• Study Says Big Impact of the Plug-In Hybrid Will Be Decades Away
• Soft Cheese for a Clean Planet - A foodie’s guide to planet-friendly fromage
• Quincy Hums With Data Centers & Tax Dollars, Say Summit Speakers
• Bend Broadband Launches Nation’s Fastest Wireless Service
• Privacy concerns close Pierce County septic Web page after personal data found
• F.T.C. Accuses Intel of Trying to Stifle Competition
• The Europe/Microsoft Browser Battle Ends
• Google & Bing Keep Rising While Yahoo Drops Again
• McDonald’s to Lift Fee for Internet Access
• Boeing Dreamliner Finally Takes Flight
• Washington Unemployment Rate Steady at 9.2
• Naveed Haq Guilty in Jewish Center
• Traffic Stop Nets $1.5 Million in
• Cantwell Irked With NOAA over Planned Move
• Congress - Doumit Considering Run for Baird
• Mason County Floral Greens
WORD OF THE DAY
Modicum • \MOD-ih-kum\ • noun - A small portion: a limited quantity
The debate over how much rum was necessary for the best hot butter rum quickly fractured the elves on Christmas Eve. The original Santa-approved recipe called for a “modicum” of the warming alcoholic liquid. One of the two camps defined that as meaning half a shot glass. The other, rosy-cheeked advocates called for “whatever feels right.”
WEATHER
Shelton Forecast & Weather Alerts
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
City of Shelton May Turn Out Lights to Save Money (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.nwcn.com/news/washington/Shelton-may-turn-out-lights-to-save-money-79348202.html
Mason PUD 3 Commission Adopts 2010 Budget - No Retail Rate Increase Anticipated (Mason County PUD No. 3)
http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?newsid=645
Clark Public Utilities Cranks Up Electricity Production to Meet Demand (Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/news/2009/dec/12/utility-cranks-up-electricity-production-to-meet/
Idaho Power Reports New Record for Winter Power (Associated Press)
Clark County residents protest new BPA line (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010512708_apwabpaline.html?syndication=rss
Columbian Editorial – Productive BPA Protest Rally: Residents speak up, BPA listens & the power line discussion continues (Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/news/2009/dec/16/productive-rally/
Daily News Op/Ed - BPA Rushed Planning of Power Line (Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/news/opinion/article_b658faf4-e7ca-11de-9381-001cc4c03286.html
New Substation Necessary - ‘Project Chinook’ Near Moses Lake Could Mean 200 Jobs (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2009/12/15/news/doc4b280f4e27117653301276.txt
Chelan PUD Settles Discrimination Suit for $500,000 (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2009/dec/15/chelan-pud-settles-discrimination-suit-for-500000/
Clallam PUD Gets Enron Refunds (Sequim Gazette, WA)
http://search.sequimgazette.com/news/article.exm/2009-12-16_pud_gets_enron_refunds
Two More Seek Appointment to Jefferson County PUD Board (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20091215/news/312159992
BPA Seeks Senior Vice President for Power Services (Renewable Energy World)
http://jobs.renewableenergyworld.com/careers/jobsearch/detail/jobId/21535075/viewType/rss
Washington State Watchdog Hands Out Clean Audits to Whatcom PUD, City of Blaine (Bellingham Herald, WA)
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/477/story/1205452.html
Keizer City Councilors Interested in Power Plant Proposal (Keizer Times, OR)
http://www.keizertimes.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=12128
Colorado - State Regulators Delay Power Line Decision (Pueblo Chieftain, CO)
http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2009/12/16/business/local/doc4b286d44ab502162424556.txt
Exxon Mobil Makes $29 Billion Bet on Natural Gas (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010509447_exxonxto15.html
Georgia - Burned Man Still Hospitalized after Electric Shock – Was trying to restore his disconnected electrical service (Augusta Chronicle, GA)
http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/latest/lat_703985.shtml?v=1540
FISH & WILDLIFE
Coalition Forms to Fight Klamath River Agreement (Oregonian, Portland)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/12/coalition_forms_to_fight_klama.html
Upcoming Cowlitz Sport Smelt Season Again Could Be Slim (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)
Bull Trout May Return to Clackamas River (Courthouse News Service)
http://www.courthousenews.com/2009/12/14/Bull_Trout_May_Return_to_Clackamas_River.htm
Washington State Tribe Loses Ruling on Treaty Fishing Rights (Courthouse News Service)
http://www.courthousenews.com/2009/12/14/Tribe_Loses_Ruling_on_Treaty_Fishing_Rights.htm
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
10 Million Gallons of Wastewater Spills into Elliott Bay (KING-TV, Seattle)
Sewage-Soaked Madison Valley Residents Sue Seattle (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/413272_madisonvalley14.html?source=pimail
Forest Service Fined $12,000 for Smoke from Yakima Area Controlled Burn (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)
Panel Says Great Lakes Not Losing Extra Water Due to Dredging (Associated Press)
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Phasing Out Wind Farm Tax Credit Divides Oregon Groups (Oregonian, Portland)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2009/12/phasing_out_wind_farm_tax_cred.html
TV Washington Feature on Marbled Murrelet Tonight (Wednesday) at 7 PM (TV Washington)
http://www.tvw.org/search/theimpact.cfm?eventtype=1&CFID=3101507&CFTOKEN=85585796&bhcp=1
Oregon - Troutdale Mayor Seeks Stimulus Assistance for Wind Project (Daily Journal of Commerce, OR)
http://djcoregon.com/news/2009/12/14/troutdale-mayor-seeks-stimulus-assistance-for-wind-project/
Wyoming Allows More Comment on Wind Recommendations (Associated Press)
Kansas - Sunflower Wind Is Suing Turbine Blade Supplier (Hutchinson News, KS)
http://www.hutchnews.com/Newsbriefs/wind2009-12-14T20-58-58
Contractor’s 100th Windmill Goes Up in Maine (Associated Press)
Report Says Wind Farms Annoying But Not Harmful (Vancouver Sun, BC)
http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Wind+farms+annoying+harmful+Report/2344246/story.html
L.A. Utility Shelves Plans for Solar Farm Near Salton Sea – Utility is troubled by the costs of the project (Los Angeles Times, CA)
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-la-solar16-2009dec16,0,2282198.story
NY Energy Plan Pushes Conservation, Solar & Wind (Associated Press)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ihzA7tP3Wfr_FRwIstgZCKlrt0NwD9CK0EJ80
Tampa Electric Allowed to Charge Customers Premium Prices for Solar Energy (St. Petersburg Times, SFL)
CONSERVATION
As California Greens, Northwest Power Gains (Crosscut Seattle)
http://crosscut.com/2009/12/15/energy-utilities/19443/
Energy-Efficient Traffic Lights Can’t Melt Snow (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121498684&ft=1&f=3
‘Smart’ Device Makers: Variable Electricity Rates Needed (CNET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10414993-54.html
US Dept. of Energy DOE Wants Water Heated More Efficiently (Courthouse News Service)
http://www.courthousenews.com/2009/12/14/DOE_Wants_Water_Heated_More_Efficiently.htm
Bellevue Family Cuts Power Consumption, Gains $7,500 (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/video/featured-videos/Bellevue-Family-Drops-Power-Gains-7500-79357037.html
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Frustration Mounts in Copenhagen as Talks Stall (Time Magzine)
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1929071_1929070_1948020,00.html
Police Beat Back Massed Climate Protesters (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/17/science/earth/17climate.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
Turning Carbon into Cash - How the carbon-offsets market is turning Wall Street traders & an African stove maker into unlikely business partners.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/226941?from=rss
In Duluth, Carbon Offset Boosts the Holiday Cheer (Duluth News Tribune, MN)
http://wcco.com/wireapnewsmn/In.Duluth.paying.2.1369106.html
BARELL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI
Study Says Big Impact of the Plug-In Hybrid Will Be Decades Away (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/15/business/15hybrid.html
Soft Cheese for a Clean Planet - A foodie’s guide to planet-friendly fromage (Slate Magazine)
http://www.slate.com/id/2237779/?from=rss
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Quincy Hums With Data Centers & Tax Dollars, Say Summit Speakers (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2009/dec/14/quincy-hums-with-data-centers-and-tax-dollars-say/
Bend Broadband Launches Nation’s Fastest Wireless Service (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Bend-Broadband-Launches-Nations-Fastest-Wireless-Service-106018
Privacy concerns close Pierce County septic Web page after personal data found (News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/government/story/995705.html
F.T.C. Accuses Intel of Trying to Stifle Competition (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/17/technology/companies/17chip.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
The Europe/Microsoft Browser Battle Ends (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2009/12/16/the-europemicrosoft-browser-battle-ends/
Google & Bing Keep Rising While Yahoo Drops Again (NY Times)
McDonald’s to Lift Fee for Internet Access (Associated Press)
GENERAL NEWS
Boeing Dreamliner Finally Takes Flight (Olympian, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/1072523.html
Washington Unemployment Rate Steady at 9.2 Percent (Associated Press)
Naveed Haq Guilty in Jewish Center Shooting (Associated Press)
Traffic Stop Nets $1.5 Million in Cocaine (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010516830_webcocaine15.html?syndication=rss
Cantwell Irked With NOAA over Planned Move (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/12/14/daily20.html
Congress - Doumit Considering Run for Baird Seat (Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2009/12/15/local_news/doc4b27daa88e656970200325.txt
Mason County Floral Greens - Making the Arrangements for a World Market (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/dec/12/making-the-arrangements-for-a-world-market/?partner=RSS
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS
Man Turns Christmas Lights Into Guitar Hero Game
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-10414561-71.html?tag=nl.e703
AP Exclusive: Tourists Enjoy White House Breakfast
http://www.kirotv.com/politics/21977124/detail.html
Sonic Manager Arrested on Charges of Cooking Meth at Restaurant
http://www.slashfood.com/2009/12/11/sonic-meth-bust/
Kelso: Bowhunter Shoots Prowler in Buttocks with Arrow
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/995710.html
SONG OF THE DAY
Harry Nilsson - Me & My Arrow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tgL4p4d1Yo
