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
Bremerton Fiber Optic Cable Cut Knocks Out Service for Wave Broadband Customers (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
Montana Residents Upset with Lack of Yellowstone River Spill Information (USA Today)
Lewis County PUD Set to Consider Possible Double Digit Rate Hike (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)
University of Washington Tacoma Study: Salmon Often Mislabeled (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
Wednesday Was Hottest of 2011 So Far (Seattle Times)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Lewis County PUD Set to Consider Possible Double Digit Rate Hike
- Columbia River PUD Readies for Rate Hike
- Idaho Power Predicts Low Growth in Electricity Demand over 20 Years
- Hungry Horse Dam Started with a Bang
- Natural Gas Use for Electricity Generation Jumps; Trade Group Defends Shale Gas Potential
- New York - Dirtier Air & Higher Costs Possible if Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant Closes, Report Says
- Haste vs. Procrastination on Nuclear Waste
- Virginia - Bird Flies on to Electric Line; Thousands Lose Power
- Georgia Power Fights Copper Theft with “Fingerprinted” Wire
- University of Washington Tacoma Study: Salmon Often Mislabeled
- Feds Seek Comments on Pygmy Rabbit Plan
- Big, Crafty Raccoon Dining at Walla Walla Aviary
- Montana Residents Upset with Lack of Yellowstone River Spill Information
- Public Meeting on Tap for Mason County’s Belfair Sewer Policy
- Urination Saga in Portland Reservoir Reveals Gap in Protecting Water Supply after 9/11
- Op/Ed - A Chance to Reclaim California’s Hetch Hetchy Valley
- Port Townsend Shines on Solar Tour This Saturday
- Oregon Governor’s Biomass Fable
- New Hampshire - How Negotiations Failed to Save the Berlin Biomass Plant
- Wisconsin - Oneidas’ Proposed Waste-to-Energy Facility on Green Bay’s West Side Faces Scrutiny from Feds, Activists
- Are Rooftop Wind Turbines a Good Deal?
- US Backs Project to Produce Fuel from Corn Waste
- United Nations Reports Surging Investments in Renewable Energy
- Itron, Avista Testing to Demonstrate Smart Grid Reliability
- GOP Bill Weakens Light Bulb Efficiency Law
- Canada - Consumers Will Pay to Reduce Greenhouse Gases
- Officials Doubt Washington State’s Rank in Litter Control
- Oregon Could Lead in Green Chemistry, Portland State Study Says
- Turns Out Airplanes Help Make Rain Near Airports
- Guest Blog: To Print or Not to Print? What Really Matters to Forests
- Animal Rights Groups Disagree, Scramble to Define ‘Humane’ in Egg Debate
- Bremerton Fiber Optic Cable Cut Knocks Out Service for Wave Broadband Customers
- Mason-Kitsap County Broadband Outage
- What Do We Do Without Cable TV & Internet? Much of Peninsula Finds Out with Outage
- Montana Too - Phone Service Goes Out for Six Hours
- Call Center in Pasco to Close
- Can You Get Broadband in Washington State? New Map Helps You Find Out
- California Affiliates Hurt by Tax Bill Targeting Amazon.Com
- Arizona Officials Help Amazon Celebrate Third Facility
- Amazon to Build Fourth Distribution Center in Indiana
- New Round of Layoffs Begins in Washington State Government
- Four Washington State Initiatives Likely to Meet Friday Signature Deadline
- Proposal Would Cut Washington Timber Payments
- Wednesday Was Hottest of 2011 So Far
- Earth Liberation Front? Ex-Olympia Man Suspected in Arson Arrives from China
- Study Calls Oregon Best for Manufacturing
- Beware Giant Hogweed & Its Burning, Blinding Sap
- Machu Picchu in Danger from Too Many Tourists
WORD OF THE DAY
Axiomatic • \acks-see-uh-MATT-ick\ • Adjective - 1: Taken for granted: self-evident 2: based on or involving an axiom or system of axioms
“My fellow gentlemen,” roared Cyrano de Bergerac, “My axiomatic argument about the existence of true love is as plain as the nose on my face!” The muffled laughter from the group of ruffians was exactly the response that the large-nosed orator was seeking.
SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Lewis County PUD Set to Consider Possible Double Digit Rate Hike (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)
Columbia River PUD Readies for Rate Hike (St. Helens Chronicle, OR)
Idaho Power predicts low growth in electricity demand over 20 years (Idaho Statesman, Boise)
Hungry Horse Dam started with a bang (Hungry Horse News, MT)
Natural Gas Use for Electricity Generation Jumps; Trade Group Defends Shale Gas Potential (The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City)
New York - Dirtier Air & Higher Costs Possible if Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant Closes, Report Says (NY Times)
Haste vs. Procrastination on Nuclear Waste (NY Times)
Virginia - Bird Flies on to Electric Line; Thousands Lose Power (WHSV-TV, Harrisonburg, VA)
Georgia Power Fights Copper Theft with “Fingerprinted” Wire (Atlanta Business Journal)
FISH & WILDLIFE
University of Washington Tacoma Study: Salmon Often Mislabeled (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
Feds Seek Comments on Pygmy Rabbit Plan (Associated Press)
Big, Crafty Raccoon Dining at Walla Walla Aviary (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Montana Residents Upset with Lack of Yellowstone River Spill Information (USA Today)
Public Meeting on Tap for Mason County’s Belfair Sewer Policy (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
Urination Saga in Portland Reservoir Reveals Gap in Protecting Water Supply after 9/11 (Washington Post)
Op/Ed - A Chance to Reclaim California’s Hetch Hetchy Valley (SF Chronicle)
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Port Townsend Shines on Solar Tour This Saturday (Port Townsend Leader, WA)
Oregon Governor’s Biomass Fable (Natural Resource Report)
New Hampshire - How Negotiations Failed to Save the Berlin Biomass Plant (New Hampshire Public Radio)
Wisconsin - Oneidas’ Proposed Waste-to-Energy Facility on Green Bay’s West Side Faces Scrutiny from Feds, Activists (Green Bay Press-Gazette, WI)
Are Rooftop Wind Turbines a Good Deal? (Midwest Energy News)
US Backs Project to Produce Fuel from Corn Waste (NY Times)
United Nations Reports Surging Investments in Renewable Energy (Associated Press)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
Itron, Avista Testing to Demonstrate Smart Grid Reliability (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
GOP Bill Weakens Light Bulb Efficiency Law (The Hill)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Canada - Consumers Will Pay to Reduce Greenhouse Gases, Says Quebec Minister (Winnipeg Free Press, Manitoba)
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI
Officials Doubt Washington State’s Rank in Litter Control (Vancouver Columbian, WA)
Oregon Could Lead in Green Chemistry, Portland State Study Says, But ‘Fragmented’ Approach Hinders Progress (Oregonian, Portland)
Turns Out Airplanes Help Make Rain Near Airports - Strange cloud holes appear after planes take off & land (Associated Press)
Guest Blog: To Print or Not to Print? What Really Matters to Forests (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
Animal Rights Groups Disagree, Scramble to Define ‘Humane’ in Egg Debate (Oregonian, Portland)
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Bremerton Fiber Optic Cable Cut Knocks Out Service for Wave Broadband Customers (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
Mason-Kitsap County Broadband Outage (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
What Do We Do Without Cable TV & Internet? Much of Peninsula Finds Out with Outage (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
Montana Too - Phone Service Goes Out for Six Hours (The Daily Interlake, Kalispell, MT)
Call Center in Pasco to Close (Tri-City Herald, WA)
Can You Get Broadband in Washington State? New Map Helps You Find Out (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
California Affiliates Hurt by Tax Bill Targeting Amazon.Com (Sacramento Bee, CA)
Arizona Officials Help Amazon Celebrate Third Facility (NW Cable News)
Amazon to Build Fourth Distribution Center in Indiana (Associated Press)
POLITICS & GOVERNANCE
New Round of Layoffs Begins in Washington State Government (Associated Press)
Four Washington State Initiatives Likely to Meet Friday Signature Deadline (Seattle Times)
Proposal Would Cut Washington Timber Payments (Puget Sound Business Journal)
GENERAL NEWS
Wednesday Was Hottest of 2011 So Far (Seattle Times)
Earth Liberation Front? Ex-Olympia Man Suspected in Arson Arrives from China (Olympian, WA)
Study Calls Oregon Best for Manufacturing (Portland Business Journal)
Beware Giant Hogweed & Its Burning, Blinding Sap (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
Machu Picchu in Danger from Too Many Tourists (SF Chronicle)
DIVERSIONS
Three California Women Accused of Using School PTA to Recruit Investors in Get-Rich-Quick Scam
First the Crows, Now Pigeons Remember That You Hate Them, Will Probably Plot Revenge Later
Man, These People Really Hate PowerPoint
SONG OF THE DAY
Hedwig’s Theme (Listen closely enough & you can hear shades of Star Wars, Indiana Jones, et. al. – Thanks John Williams)
