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
Washington State - Alcoa to Restart Third Smelter Line (Wenatchee World, WA)
Columbia-Snake shipping issues tangled up in climate debate “…Lewiston’s Port hopes it can develop a long term market to ship overs-sized loads up the Snake…” (Not without the Snake River Dams, Rocky - Idaho Statesman, Boise)
EPA Faces First Volley from the US House (NY Times)
Chance of Mason County Snow Pushed Back to Saturday Night (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Fact Check: Mass Bird, Fish Deaths Occur Regularly (Associated Press)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
· Washington State - Alcoa to Restart Third Smelter Line
· Alcoa to Restart Ferndale, Wenatchee Smelters
· Alcoa’s Fourth Quarter Profit Seen Strong on Rising Demand
· Columbia-Snake Shipping Issues Tangled Up in Climate Debate
· Coal Exports - The Burning Question in Washington State
· Avista to Lower Long Lake Reservoir
· More Seattle Streetlights Found Emitting Voltage, Total Now at 25
· Temporary Refinery Shut Down in Anacortes After Power Outage
· Chelan PUD Customers Still ‘Owners’
· Feds Sue Pennsylvania Coal Plant Operators over Pollution
· Georgia - Cobb Electric Cooperative Chief Released from Jail
· California Public Utilities Commission Could Get Pro-Consumer Majority
· Hold That Megawatt! - “Frequency Regulation,” an Esoteric But Increasingly Important Element of the Electric System, Is Getting a New Competitor
· Bottlenose Dolphin Spotted in Puget Sound
· Fact Check: Mass Bird, Fish Deaths Occur Regularly
· State Authorizes $1.9 Million for 16 Salmon Recovery Projects in South Sound
· Oregon - Butte Falls Hatchery’s Days Are over, Future Still in Doubt
· California - Bioengineered Salmon: State Bill Seeks Clear Label
· Retiring Biologist Comments on the Plight of the Sturgeon
· Belfair - Inmates Restoring Hood Canal Habitat Also Cultivate a New Life
· Lakes a Big Source of Climate-Warming Gas: Study
· Oregon Poised to Adopt the Strictest Standard for Toxic Water Pollution in the US
· New Utility to Oversee Water on Camano, Whidbey
· Editorial - Basic Survival: Water Supply & Quality
· Chicken Plant Isn’t Liable for City’s Water Utility Money Woes
· Cape Wind Gets Permit for Work in Fed Waters
· Pumped Hydro: Is it TOO Green?
· An Energy Efficiency Initiative Modeled on Portland Ideas & Innovations Will Use the City as a Testing Ground
· EPA Faces First Volley from the US House
· EPA Wants to Issue Texas Greenhouse Gas Permits
· Carbon Dioxide, the Bane of Environmentalists, Is in Demand in the Oil Industry
· Banned Four Loko Being Recycled into Auto Fuel
· Telephone Company Merger Generates Little Pacific Northwest Static
· FCC Head Urges Swift Action on Spectrum Crunch
· Gregoire Proposes Turning Washington State Ferries over to New Regional District
· US Senator Murray’s Chief of Staff Stepping Down
· Washington State Representative Sharon Tomiko Santos Pleads Guilty in DUI Arrest
· Stop Crying Wolf About Municipal Bonds: They’re (Mostly) Fine
· Chance of Mason County Snow Pushed Back to Saturday Night
· Washington State Governor Rescinds Order Directing State Workers to Stop Opening Mail
· ‘Mega’ Millionaires Claim Prize - Ephrata Couple Picked Numbers Based on Birthdays
· Web Gaining on TV as Americans’ Main News Source
· Belfair - ‘The Pen Man’ Leads a Double Life
· From MSNBC - Bat Survivors of Australian Floods
WORD OF THE DAY
Stalwart • \STAWL-wart\ • Adjective - Marked by outstanding strength & vigor of body, mind, or spirit
“I double dog dare you to wear this wool shirt all day…WITHOUT a protective undergarment,” cackled the demonic fashion designer to her seemingly stalwart assistant.
SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Washington State - Alcoa to Restart Third Smelter Line (Wenatchee World, WA)
Alcoa to Restart Ferndale, Wenatchee Smelters (Seattle Times – Public utilities expect a “Thank-You” note from Alcoa)
Alcoa’s Fourth Quarter Profit Seen Strong on Rising Demand (Reuters)
Columbia-Snake Shipping Issues Tangled up in Climate Debate “…Lewiston’s Port hopes it can develop a long term market to ship overs-sized loads up the Snake…” (Not without the Snake River Dams, Rocky - Idaho Statesman, Boise)
Coal Exports - The Burning Question in Washington State: Officials are considering whether to allow the U.S. West Coast’s first major coal export facility (Los Angeles Times, CA)
Avista to Lower Long Lake Reservoir (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
More Seattle Streetlights Found Emitting Voltage, Total Now at 25 (KING-TV, Seattle)
Temporary Refinery Shut Down in Anacortes After Power Outage (Associated Press)
Chelan PUD Customers Still ‘Owners’ (Wenatchee World, WA)
Feds Sue Pennsylvania Coal Plant Operators over Pollution (Associated Press)
Georgia - Cobb Electric Cooperative Chief Released from Jail: Cobb County grand jury indicted him on 31 counts of racketeering & theft (Atlanta Journal Constitution)
California Public Utilities Commission Could Get Pro-Consumer Majority (Los Angeles Times, CA)
Hold That Megawatt! - “Frequency Regulation,” an Esoteric But Increasingly Important Element of the Electric System, Is Getting a New Competitor (NY Times)
FISH & WILDLIFE
Bottlenose Dolphin Spotted in Puget Sound (Associated Press)
Fact Check: Mass Bird, Fish Deaths Occur Regularly (Associated Press)
State Authorizes $1.9 Million for 16 Salmon Recovery Projects in South Sound (Olympian, WA)
Full Project List (Including $435,000 Mason County Projects) Available at the Link Below (PDF File)
Oregon - Butte Falls Hatchery’s Days Are over, Future Still in Doubt (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
California - Bioengineered Salmon: State Bill Seeks Clear Label (SF Chronicle)
Retiring Biologist Comments on the Plight of the Sturgeon (Longview Daily News, WA)
Belfair - Inmates Restoring Hood Canal Habitat Also Cultivate a New Life (KING-TV, Seattle)
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Lakes a Big Source of Climate-Warming Gas: Study (Reuters)
Oregon Poised to Adopt the Strictest Standard for Toxic Water Pollution in the US (Oregonian, Portland)
New Utility to Oversee Water on Camano, Whidbey (Everett Herald, WA)
Editorial - Basic Survival: Water Supply & Quality (Seattle Times)
Chicken Plant Isn’t Liable for City’s Water Utility Money Woes (Courthouse News Service)
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Cape Wind Gets Permit for Work in Fed Waters (Associated Press)
Pumped Hydro: Is it TOO Green? (Renewable Energy World)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
An Energy Efficiency Initiative Modeled on Portland Ideas & Innovations Will Use the City as a Testing Ground (Oregonian, Portland)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
EPA Faces First Volley from the US House (NY Times)
EPA Wants to Issue Texas Greenhouse Gas Permits (Associated Press)
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI
Carbon Dioxide, the Bane of Environmentalists, Is in Demand in the Oil Industry (NY Times)
Banned Four Loko Being Recycled into Auto Fuel (Inhabitat – “It’s a dessert topping…It’s a floor wax!”)
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Telephone Company Merger Generates Little Pacific Northwest Static (Oregon Public Radio)
FCC Head Urges Swift Action on Spectrum Crunch (Reuters)
POLITICS & GOVERNANCE
Gregoire Proposes Turning Washington State Ferries over to New Regional District (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
US Senator Murray’s Chief of Staff Stepping Down (Associated Press)
Washington State Representative Sharon Tomiko Santos Pleads Guilty in DUI Arrest (Seattle Times)
Stop Crying Wolf About Municipal Bonds: They’re (Mostly) Fine (Christian Science Monitor)
GENERAL NEWS
Chance of Mason County Snow Pushed Back to Saturday Night (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Washington State Governor Rescinds Order Directing State Workers to Stop Opening Mail (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
‘Mega’ Millionaires Claim Prize - Ephrata Couple Picked Numbers Based on Birthdays (Olympian, WA)
Web Gaining on TV as Americans’ Main News Source (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
Belfair - ‘The Pen Man’ Leads a Double Life (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
From MSNBC - Bat Survivors of Australian Floods (OMG, How Cute! – Energy News Digest)
DIVERSIONS
Tumbleweeds Invade Kennewick
Oops: Man’s Dream Home Accidentally Demolished
Eleven Funny Fine-Print Warnings - Check Out the Hilarious Safety Precautions on These Product Labels
New documents: Hitler-mocking dog enraged Nazis
SONG OF THE DAY
Sons of the Pioneers - Tumbling Tumbleweeds
