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.
THE NEWS DIGEST ON TWITTER
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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
Congress Could Breathe New Life into Yucca Repository (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
Moody’s: US Downgrade Would Trigger 7,000 Municipal Ratings Cuts “…Other top-rated issuers include…the Tennessee Valley Authority, and Bonneville Power Administration (Business Insider)
REC Silicon Suing Grant County over Taxes - $600 Million difference cited (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
US Interior Secretary Ken Salazar Approves Central Oregon’s First Wind Energy Farm (Oregonian, Portland)
Belfair Sewer Fallout – North Mason Sheriff’s Office Asked to Relocate (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Congress Could Breathe New Life into Yucca Repository
- 55 More People Sue Pacific Gas & Electric over San Bruno Blast
- Pacific Gas & Electric Says It Won’t Blame San Bruno Blast Victims for Losses They Suffered in the Disaster
- San Francisco Threatens Suit over Pacific Gas & Electric, Calls Pipeline Regulation Lax
- Alaska - Governor Signs Bill Allowing Alaska Energy Authority to Pursue Major Dam Project
- Arizona - Cooperatives Join to Fight for Share of Hoover Power
- Lithuania Wins on Germany’s Nuclear Exit with Hitachi Offer
- 40 Fish Populations Subject to Overfishing, But Federal Officials Say Progress Being Made
- Reducing Fecal Coliform, Poisons Among Puget Sound Health Goals
- Yakima River Basin Water Flows Well Short of Record
- Why the Colorado River Stopped Flowing
- REC Silicon Suing Grant County over Taxes - $600 Million difference cited
- US Interior Secretary Ken Salazar Approves Central Oregon’s First Wind Energy Farm
- Vast Wind Energy Proposal Could Kill Endangered Birds
- Ameresco Quantum Partners with North Mason School District in Belfair, WA to Reduce Water Usage by over 50 Percent
- Talks End Between Xcel, City of Boulder, CO over Wind Farm
- Feds to Refine Plan on Solar Development Zones
- California - Solar Company Offers Prize to State’s Biggest Energy Hog
- Op/Ed - When It Comes to Health, Wind Power Blows Away the Alternative
- Puget Sound Energy Kicks Off Rock the Bulb Tour with Free Light Bulbs Saturday
- Energy Innovation & the Battle of the BULB
- Innovative Ideas to Keep Cool, Save Energy
- Study Shows Forests Have Bigger Role in Slowing Climate Change
- California State Rules to Power Growing Plug-in Car Market
- Portland Moving to Ban Plastic Bags at Stores
- Comcast Bans Heavy Internet User for One Year
- Google Earnings Jump as Social Network Hums
- Feel Bad About Your Broadband? Canada Has It Worse
- Amazon’s Sales-Tax Referendum Challenged by California Lawmakers
- Microsoft Accidentally Published New Social Project
- The Internet Is Changing How You Remember
- Moody’s: US Downgrade Would Trigger 7,000 Municipal Ratings Cuts
- Standard & Poor’s Warns of Downgrade if No Debt Deal Reached
- Moody’s Places US AAA Government Bond Rating & Related Ratings on Review for Possible Downgrade
- Belfair Sewer Fallout – North Mason Sheriff’s Office Asked to Relocate
- California Driver Pleads No Contest in Tumwater Tourists’ Deaths
- Oregon Arsonist in Earth Liberation Front Case Sentenced for Probation Violation
- Washington State Rep: Missing Sonics Costing State $100 Million Per Year
- ‘Home Alone’ Character Actor Roberts Blossom Dies
WORD OF THE DAY – SPECIAL EDITORIAL EDITION
Op/Ed - Four Reasons Why American Media Should Lowercase ‘Internet’ (Christian Science Monitor)
SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Congress Could Breathe New Life into Yucca Repository (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
55 More People Sue Pacific Gas & Electric over San Bruno Blast (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
Pacific Gas & Electric Says It Won’t Blame San Bruno Blast Victims for Losses They Suffered in the Disaster (SF Chronicle)
San Francisco Threatens Suit over Pacific Gas & Electric, Calls Pipeline Regulation Lax (SF Chronicle)
Alaska - Governor Signs Bill Allowing Alaska Energy Authority to Pursue Major Dam Project (Associated Press)
Arizona - Cooperatives Join to Fight for Share of Hoover Power (Douglas Dispatch, AZ)
Lithuania Wins on Germany’s Nuclear Exit with Hitachi Offer (Bloomberg News)
FISH & WILDLIFE
40 Fish Populations Subject to Overfishing, But Federal Officials Say Progress Being Made (Associated Press)
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Reducing Fecal Coliform, Poisons Among Puget Sound Health Goals (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
Yakima River Basin Water Flows Well Short of Record (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)
Why the Colorado River Stopped Flowing (National Public Radio)
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
REC Silicon Suing Grant County over Taxes - $600 Million difference cited (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
US Interior Secretary Ken Salazar Approves Central Oregon’s First Wind Energy Farm (Oregonian, Portland)
Vast Wind Energy Proposal Could Kill Endangered Birds (Reuters)
Ameresco Quantum Partners with North Mason School District in Belfair, WA to Reduce Water Usage by over 50 Percent (News Release, Ameresco Quantum)
Talks End Between Xcel, City of Boulder, CO over Wind Farm (Minneapolis/St Paul Business Journal)
Feds to Refine Plan on Solar Development Zones (Associated Press)
California - Solar Company Offers Prize to State’s Biggest Energy Hog (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
Op/Ed - When It Comes to Health, Wind Power Blows Away the Alternative (Huffington Post)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
Puget Sound Energy Kicks Off Rock the Bulb Tour with Free Light Bulbs Saturday (KING-TV, Seattle)
Energy Innovation & the Battle of the BULB (Washington Post)
Innovative Ideas to Keep Cool, Save Energy (National Public Radio)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Study Shows Forests Have Bigger Role in Slowing Climate Change (Reuters)
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI
California State Rules to Power Growing Plug-in Car Market (SF Chronicle)
Portland Moving to Ban Plastic Bags at Stores (Associated Press)
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Comcast Bans Heavy Internet User for One Year (KING-TV, Seattle)
Google Earnings Jump as Social Network Hums (USA Today)
Feel Bad About Your Broadband? Canada Has It Worse (GigaOM)
Amazon’s Sales-Tax Referendum Challenged by California Lawmakers (Seattle Times)
Microsoft Accidentally Published New Social Project (KING-TV, Seattle)
The Internet Is Changing How You Remember (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
POLITICS & GOVERNANCE
Moody’s: US Downgrade Would Trigger 7,000 Municipal Ratings Cuts “…Other top-rated issuers include…the Tennessee Valley Authority, and Bonneville Power Administration (Business Insider)
Standard & Poor’s Warns of Downgrade if No Debt Deal Reached - Could raise borrowing costs…for loans that use the Treasury rate as a benchmark (Reuters)
Moody’s Places US AAA Government Bond Rating & Related Ratings on Review for Possible Downgrade (Moody’s Investor Service)
GENERAL NEWS
Belfair Sewer Fallout – North Mason Sheriff’s Office Asked to Relocate (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
California Driver Pleads No Contest in Tumwater Tourists’ Deaths (Seattle Times)
Oregon Arsonist in Earth Liberation Front Case Sentenced for Probation Violation (Associated Press)
Washington State Rep: Missing Sonics Costing State $100 Million Per Year (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)
‘Home Alone’ Character Actor Roberts Blossom Dies (SF Chronicle)
DIVERSIONS
Eden Wood, Six-Year-Old Beauty Queen, Retires from Pageant Circuit
North Dakota Might Not Technically be a State
Pyramid Brewing Admits It Made a Naming Mistake
Aggressive Bee Swarms Torment California Neighborhood for Weeks, Kill Family Dog
SONG OF THE DAY
Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells
