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
Mason County PUD 3 Says No to Bonneville Power Administration (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Sport Salmon Fishing Seasons Set: Despite a Drop in the Ocean King Quota Much Will Look Similar to Last Year (Seattle Times)
Wellinghoff Talks Up a Smarter Energy System - Wait for It: “…Wellinghoff also highlighted another potential energy disadvantage in the Northwest: the absence of a voluntary competitive energy market, which sets real-time, regional prices for power & monitors supply & demand…” (Sustainable Business Oregon)
http://www.sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2011/04/wellinghoff-talks-up-a-smarter-energy.html
Solar Energy Project for Mason County PUD No. 3? (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Washington State Lawmakers Have Less Than Two Weeks Left (Associated Press)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
· Mason County PUD 3 Says No to Bonneville Power Administration
· Chelan PUD Wins New Protections
· Wellinghoff Talks Up a Smarter Energy System – Touts “Voluntary” Free Markets
· California – San Luis Obispo County against Diablo Nuke Plant Relicensing
· Connecticut Tax Plan Could Shut Millstone Nuclear Power Plant
· Missouri – Famers Electric Cooperative Offers “Live Line Demo”
· Sport Salmon Fishing Seasons Set
· Puget Sound Salmon Seasons Similar to Last Year
· Oregon Gets Best Ocean Salmon Fishing Season in Years
· Kokanee Are Back at Lake Coeur d’Alene
· Alaska – Cook Inlet Beluga Whale Critical Habitat Assigned
· Honeybees Making a Comeback in California
· Troubled Dam Still Threatens North Dakota Town
· EPA Budget Deal Slams State, Regional Programs
· Solar Energy Project for Mason County PUD No. 3?
· Bonneville Power Administration Proposes Suspending Excess Wind Power
· The High-Wire Act of Integrating Renewables - Bonneville Power provides within-hour balancing services for wind
· Governor Kitzhaber Says It’s Time for a Ten-Year Plan on Clean Energy in Oregon
· Renewable Energy: Will New Law Help or Hurt California Economy?
· First Quarter Wind Speeds Substantially Higher Than Normal in Western US
· Florida - Commentary: Don’t Soak Customers for Big Utilities’ Green ‘Investment’
· Minnesota Legislature Pushes Hydroelectric Plant - Would Power 2,000 Homes in Minneapolis
· British Columbia Has Become Straggler in Battle against Greenhouse Gases
· NOAA Climate Service Squashed in Fiscal Year 2011
· Scientists Find Link between Global Warming & Earthquakes
· Zipcar Shares Soar in Market Debut
· First All-Electric Nissan Leafs Arrive in Kitsap
· Thurston Chamber Honors Green Businesses
· The Lawn Goodbye: A Desperate Nation Paints Its Yards Green
· Comcast Bumps Up Speed for Home-Internet Users
· FCC Begins Review of AT&T Bid to Buy T-Mobile
· US Internet Ad Revenue Hit Record in 2010
· Is Cloud Computing for Your Business?
· Washington State Lawmakers Have Less Than Two Weeks Left
· Ex-Lobbyist Selected To Replace Washington State Representative Jim Jacks
· FAA Suspends Air Controller Caught Sleeping at Boeing Field
· Washington State Jobless Rate Inches Up in March
· Japan Radiation Levels in State Drop from Minuscule to Near Zero
· Washington State Capitol Protests Drive Up Overtime Costs
WORD OF THE DAY
Microcosm • \MY-kru-cozz-um\ • Noun - 1: a little world; especially: the human race or human nature seen as an epitome of the world or the universe 2: a community or other unity that is an epitome of a larger unity
“What’s your favorite microcosm Kal-El?” Chirped Kara Zel-El. “Well, that would have to be Argo City,” Kal-El answered absently, while flipping through an old comic book.
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Mason County PUD 3 Says No to Bonneville Power Administration (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Chelan PUD Wins New Protections (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)
Wellinghoff Talks Up a Smarter Energy System - Wait for It: “…Wellinghoff also highlighted another potential energy disadvantage in the Northwest: the absence of a voluntary competitive energy market, which sets real-time, regional prices for power & monitors supply & demand…” (Sustainable Business Oregon)
http://www.sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2011/04/wellinghoff-talks-up-a-smarter-energy.html
California – San Luis Obispo County against Diablo Nuke Plant Relicensing; Sits Near Two Earthquake Fault Lines (KSWB-TV, Monterrey, CA)
Connecticut Tax Plan Could Shut Millstone Nuclear Power Plant (Reuters)
Missouri – Famers Electric Cooperative Offers “Live Line Demo” So Emergency Workers Won’t Be In For A Shock (Gallatin North Missourian)
FISH & WILDLIFE
Sport Salmon Fishing Seasons Set: Despite a Drop in the Ocean King Quota Much Will Look Similar to Last Year (Seattle Times)
Puget Sound Salmon Seasons Similar to Last Year (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
Oregon Gets Best Ocean Salmon Fishing Season in Years (Oregonian, Portland)
Kokanee Are Back at Lake Coeur d’Alene (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
Alaska – Cook Inlet Beluga Whale Critical Habitat Assigned (Courthouse News Service)
Honeybees Making a Comeback in California (SF Chronicle, CA)
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Troubled Dam Still Threatens North Dakota Town (Associated Press)
EPA Budget Deal Slams State, Regional Programs (NY Times)
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Solar Energy Project for Mason County PUD No. 3? (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Bonneville Power Administration Proposes Suspending Excess Wind Power (KING-TV, Seattle)
The High-Wire Act of Integrating Renewables - Bonneville Power provides within-hour balancing services for wind (Intelligent Utility)
Governor Kitzhaber Says It’s Time for a Ten-Year Plan on Clean Energy in Oregon (Oregonian, Portland)
Renewable Energy: Will New Law Help or Hurt California Economy? (Christian Science Monitor)
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2011/0413/Renewable-energy-Will-new-law-help-or-hurt-California-economy
First Quarter Wind Speeds Substantially Higher Than Normal in Western US (Renewable Energy World)
Florida - Commentary: Don’t Soak Customers for Big Utilities’ Green ‘Investment’ (Palm Beach Pilot, FL)
Minnesota Legislature Pushes Hydroelectric Plant - Would Power 2,000 Homes in Minneapolis (University of Minnesota)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
British Columbia Has Become Straggler in Battle against Greenhouse Gases (Vancouver Sun, BC)
NOAA Climate Service Squashed in Fiscal Year 2011 (Washington Post)
Scientists Find Link between Global Warming & Earthquakes (Alternet)
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI
Zipcar Shares Soar in Market Debut (Associated Press)
First All-Electric Nissan Leafs Arrive in Kitsap (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
Thurston Chamber Honors Green Businesses - Chamber honors 31 that are super Earth-friendly (Olympian, WA)
The Lawn Goodbye: A Desperate Nation Paints Its Yards Green (Grist Online)
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Comcast Bumps Up Speed for Home-Internet Users (USA Today)
FCC Begins Review of AT&T Bid to Buy T-Mobile (Washington Post)
US Internet Ad Revenue Hit Record in 2010 (Associated Press)
Is Cloud Computing for Your Business? (Everett Herald, WA)
POLITICS & GOVERNANCE
Washington State Lawmakers Have Less Than Two Weeks Left (Associated Press)
Ex-Lobbyist Selected To Replace Washington State Representative Jim Jacks (Associated Press)
GENERAL NEWS
FAA Suspends Air Controller Caught Sleeping at Boeing Field (Seattle Times)
Washington State Jobless Rate Inches Up in March (Seattle Times)
Japan Radiation Levels in State Drop from Minuscule to Near Zero (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
Washington State Capitol Protests Drive Up Overtime Costs (Olympian, WA)
DIVERSIONS
Seattle Teacher Renames Easter Eggs ‘Spring Spheres’? Maybe Not, Officials Say
Ohio Voters to Get Ponchos to Cover School Gear
Funeral Home Patrons Find ‘Walking Dead’ Billboard Offensive for Some Reason
Czech President Will Never Again Be Short Of Pens, Is About To Be Mailed Thousands
SONG OF THE DAY
Michael Jackson – Thriller
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEHsIcsjtdI
