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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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
Salmon are Small Potatoes - Killer Whales Feast on Grey Calves, Researchers Find (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)
Elwha River - Massive Dam Tear-Down Start Only Eight Months Away; Montana Contractor Looks over Project, Housing Prospects (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
New Washington State Data Center Too Large - Consultant says state might need less than 10% of $255M building (Olympian, WA)
Longview Fibre Biomass Boiler Back on Track (Longview Daily News, WA)
Carbon Fraud May Force Longer Closure of European Union Emissions Trading (The Guardian, UK)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
· Elwha River - Massive Dam Tear-Down Start Only Eight Months Away
· Wet, Warm Weather Forces Northwest Dam Operators to Flush Water Downriver
· Vancouver-Area Neighborhood May Press Ahead on “Power Line Thruway”
· Editorial – Bonneville Power Administration Buying Time
· Lawsuit Claims Centralia Power Plant Fouling Mt. Rainier
· Southern Montana Electric Board Bickers as Highwood Power Plant Project Progresses
· Lenient Regulation Let Pacific Gas & Electric Do Faulty Natural Gas Inspections
· Northeast Utilities & NStar - Proposed Utility Deal a Big Target in New England
· Virginia - State Bill Would Cap Pole Rates Co-Ops Charge Utilities
· Best Intentions - Power Company’s Stunt Steals Texas Governor Perry’s Spotlight
· Salmon are Small Potatoes - Killer Whales Feast on Grey Calves, Researchers Find
· Roy Celebrates Salmon Homecoming Celebration without Chum Salmon
· Washington State Congressman Hastings Disappointed in Decision to not Appeal Court’s Sea Lion Ruling
· Mitchell Act Economic Impact: 17 Hatcheries, 70 Million Juveniles, Almost Half the Basin Harvest
· Washington State Fish & Wildlife Commission Approves Stricter Conservation Guidelines for Columbia River Sturgeon
· California Sea Otter Deaths Jump in 2010
· Washington State Water Commission Proposed to Streamline Department of Ecology
· Whatcom PUD - Ferndale-Area Utility District Plans $23 Million Overhaul of Water System
· Groups Sue over Air Pollution at National Parks
· Longview Fibre Biomass Boiler Back on Track
· Wisconsin - Cost Still a Hurdle for Biomass Energy Projects
· Home Fires - The World’s Most Lethal Pollution: Smoke from Family Stoves Kill Two Million People a Year
· The Sybil Effect - Ontario Wind Turbine Opponents Threaten Legal Action
· Pacific Gas & Electric Ends Bid to Buy California Wind Farm Project for $900 Million
· Dave Andrews Op/Ed - The Importance of Becoming Energy Efficient
· GreenSpace: The New Light Bulbs, Confusing But Enlightening
· Do It Yourself: Some CFL Options for Covered Fixtures
· Carbon Fraud May Force Longer Closure of European Union Emissions Trading
· Some Himalayan Glaciers Advance, Despite Warming
· “Blue Carbon” Initiatives Emerging as Promising Carbon Sinks
· Scientists Perplexed by Weird Weather Patterns
· California - Electric Cars Have Hidden Costs
· Steaming Vats of Goo - What Consumers Need to Know About Electric Car Batteries
· Marketers Opposing Oregon Plastic Bag Ban Warn of ‘Bag Police,’ Lead in Reusables
· Tests Find High Levels of Lead in Reusable Bags
· Portland - Can a City This Self-Serious Take a Joke?
· California Green Initiatives Shape Construction, Energy Usage
· New Washington State Data Center Too Large
· Outgoing Google CEO Schmidt’s Creepy Greatest Hits
· Even in the Minority, Norm Dicks Still Wields Plenty of Power in House
· King County Pays For The Rest Of The State - Is That Fair?
· Op/Ed - Linking State Spending to Where Taxes Are Generated Is a Bad Idea
· McKenna for Governor? Washington State GOP Gums Up Chances
· Two People Killed & Two Deputies Wounded in Shootout at Wal-Mart in Port Orchard
· Mason County Toddler Drowns in Rain-Swollen Creek
· Shelton City Commission to be updated on Street Lights
· Gas Prices Could Reach $4 a Gallon This Spring, Say
· Olympic Peninsula Lavender Growers Can’t Get Along
WORD OF THE DAY
Halyard • \HAL-yerd\ • Noun - A rope used to raise or lower something such as a sail or flag.
Benny’s shoulders were creaming with tiredness. The self-proclaimed captain of the tramp steamer, the “Greasy Getaway” had ordered him to spell out the opening lines of “Moby Dick” using the signal flags for the rest of the rusty flotilla of ships. The squeaking of the tackle as the halyard was pulled up and down was almost as excruciating as the aches in Ben’s shoulders.
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Elwha River - Massive Dam Tear-Down Start Only Eight Months Away; Montana Contractor Looks over Project, Housing Prospects (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
Wet, Warm Weather Forces Northwest Dam Operators to Flush Water Downriver (Columbia Basin Bulletin)
Vancouver-Area Neighborhood May Press Ahead on “Power Line Thruway” (Vancouver Columbian, WA)
Editorial – Bonneville Power Administration Buying Time: New ‘nonwire’ alternatives could postpone construction of power line in east county (Vancouver Columbian, WA)
Lawsuit Claims Centralia Power Plant Fouling Mt. Rainier (Associated Press)
Southern Montana Electric Board Bickers as Highwood Power Plant Project Progresses (Billings Gazette, MT)
Lenient Regulation Let Pacific Gas & Electric Do Faulty Natural Gas Inspections (SF Chronicle)
Northeast Utilities & NStar - Proposed Utility Deal a Big Target in New England (Associated Press)
Virginia - State Bill Would Cap Pole Rates Co-Ops Charge Utilities (Virginia Pilot, Hampton Roads, VA)
Best Intentions - Power Company’s Stunt Steals Texas Governor Perry’s Spotlight (Houston BizBlog)
FISH & WILDLIFE
Salmon are Small Potatoes - Killer Whales Feast on Grey Calves, Researchers Find (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)
Roy Celebrates Salmon Homecoming Celebration without Chum Salmon (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
Washington State Congressman Hastings Disappointed in Decision to not Appeal Court’s Sea Lion Ruling - Will Explore Options to Protect Endangered Salmon & Taxpayer Dollars (US House Natural Resources Committee)
Mitchell Act Economic Impact: 17 Hatcheries, 70 Million Juveniles, Almost Half the Basin Harvest (Columbia Basin Bulletin)
Washington State Fish & Wildlife Commission Approves Stricter Conservation Guidelines for Columbia River Sturgeon (Seattle Times)
California Sea Otter Deaths Jump in 2010 (SF Chronicle)
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Washington State Water Commission Proposed to Streamline Department of Ecology (Columbia Basin Bulletin, Moses Lake, WA)
Whatcom PUD - Ferndale-Area Utility District Plans $23 Million Overhaul of Water System (Bellingham Herald WA)
Groups Sue over Air Pollution at National Parks (Associated Press)
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Longview Fibre Biomass Boiler Back on Track (Longview Daily News, WA)
Wisconsin - Cost Still a Hurdle for Biomass Energy Projects: Concerns Persist over We Energies’ Wausau Plans (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, WI)
Home Fires - The World’s Most Lethal Pollution: Smoke from Family Stoves Kill Two Million People a Year (The Independent, UK)
The Sybil Effect - Ontario Wind Turbine Opponents Threaten Legal Action: Want Scientific Studies Are Done on Possible Adverse Health Effects (CTV Ontario, Canada)
Pacific Gas & Electric Ends Bid to Buy California Wind Farm Project for $900 Million (Power-Gen Worldwide)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
Dave Andrews Op/Ed - The Importance of Becoming Energy Efficient (Longview Daily News, WA)
GreenSpace: The New Light Bulbs, Confusing But Enlightening (Philadelphia Inquirer, PA)
Do It Yourself: Some CFL Options for Covered Fixtures (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Carbon Fraud May Force Longer Closure of European Union Emissions Trading (The Guardian, UK)
Some Himalayan Glaciers Advance, Despite Warming (Reuters)
“Blue Carbon” Initiatives Emerging as Promising Carbon Sinks (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
Scientists Perplexed by Weird Weather Patterns (Seattle Times)
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI
California - Electric Cars Have Hidden Costs: Because of the unique way in which energy bills are calculated, Californians may pay more than any other state to charge their electric cars (NBC Bay Area, CA)
Steaming Vats of Goo - What Consumers Need to Know About Electric Car Batteries (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
Marketers Opposing Oregon Plastic Bag Ban Warn of ‘Bag Police,’ Lead in Reusables (Oregonian, Portland)
Tests Find High Levels of Lead in Reusable Bags (USA Today)
Portland - Can a City This Self-Serious Take a Joke? (NY Times)
California Green Initiatives Shape Construction, Energy Usage (SF Chronicle)
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
New Washington State Data Center Too Large - Consultant says state might need less than 10% of $255M building (Olympian, WA)
Outgoing Google CEO Schmidt’s Creepy Greatest Hits (Consumerist)
POLITICS & GOVERNANCE
Even in the Minority, Norm Dicks Still Wields Plenty of Power in House (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
King County Pays For The Rest Of The State - Is That Fair? (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
Op/Ed - Linking State Spending to Where Taxes Are Generated Is a Bad Idea (Seattle Times)
McKenna for Governor? Washington State GOP Gums Up Chances (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
GENERAL NEWS
Two People Killed & Two Deputies Wounded in Shootout at Wal-Mart in Port Orchard (Seattle Times)
Mason County Toddler Drowns in Rain-Swollen Creek (KING-TV, Seattle)
Shelton City Commission to be updated on Street Lights (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Gas Prices Could Reach $4 a Gallon This Spring, Say Experts (NW Cable News Network)
Olympic Peninsula Lavender Growers Can’t Get Along (Associated Press)
DIVERSIONS
Do Pets Pose Another Threat to Safe Driving?
Parrots Caught in Snare of Crack
The Long-Overdue Movement to Abandon Caps Lock
Fitness Guru Jack LaLanne Dies at 96
SONG OF THE DAY
Sergio Mendez – Olympia
