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
Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices:
HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
US Senator Murray (Washington State) is Chosen as a Leader of Deficit Panel (NY Times)
Palouse Wind Named Defendant in Wind Farm Case (Renewables Biz)
Wind Power a ‘Dud’ During Last Week’s Heat Wave (Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives)
“Megaloads” Big for Port of Pasco & Local Economy (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
Aberdeen Biodiesel Plant Humming 24 Hours a Day (Seattle Times)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- “Megaloads” Big for Port of Pasco & Local Economy
- Longview Coal Export Flap - Groups Sue Millennium over Alleged Clean Water Act Violations
- After Three Years of Red, Chelan County PUD is Back in Black
- Douglas County PUD Lineman Recovering from High-Voltage Jolt
- Editorial – Columbia Falls Aluminum: Lucy & the Aluminum Football
- Contract Approved for Grant PUD Manager
- Meet Pacific Gas & Electric’s new CEO: Anthony Earley, Jr.
- Sacramento Municipal Utility District Bond Rating Upgraded
- Tennessee Valley Authority Loses Notch (Downgraded) in S&P Backwash
- Mason County PUD 3 - Shelton Springs Tree Trimming: Thursday
- Solar Storms: New Solar Flare is Largest in Years
- Texas - Repairs Left Power Grid Vulnerable
- EPA Rule Forces Duke Energy to Close Another Coal Plant
- $2 Billion Hit - New Nuclear Policy Takes Toll on German Utility’s Results
- Feds Say Westinghouse Electric’s New Reactor Design is Safe, Sets Stage for Approval
- New Mexico - Taos Kit Cason Command Center Seeks Tenants; Electric Cooperative on Hook for 10K A Month
- No Obama, But Movie Star & Former US Senator Coming to Port Angeles for Start of Dam Removals
- Northern Pikeminnow Reward Catch Levels Dropped Off This Past Week
- Winthrop, WA - Salmon-Safe Farm Celebration Planned for Aug. 21
- Oregon – Bridge Creek Project Aims to Enhance Habitat, Fish Passage
- Slow & Steady Goes the Effort to Restore the Columbia River Gorge’s Western Pond Turtles
- Mason County Sells Bonds for Belfair Sewer Project
- LOTT Expected to Hike Sewer Fees
- Water Wars - Northern California Counties Denied Priority Water Rights
- Palouse Wind Named Defendant in Wind Farm Case
- Wind Power a ‘Dud’ During Last Week’s Heat Wave
- Critics Turn Up Heat on Seattle Wood Burner
- Tanana - Tiny City in Yukon Takes a Giant Renewable Step
- Montana - Visitors Study Renewable-Energy Projects
- Oregon’s Public Universities Plan to Go Solar
- Grape Solar Now Available in Home Depot
- Balancing the Grid with Pumped Storage
- Efficiency, Renovations Are New Focus for Habitat for Humanity of Kitsap
- Edmonds a Leader in Conservation after Recent Honors
- Imparting Energy Smarts to Young Consumers
- Polar Bear Scientist Faces New Questions
- Aberdeen Biodiesel Plant Humming 24 Hours a Day
- Ford Focus Electric to Come with Home Solar Option
- Colorado - Skeptics Question Viability of Beetle Kill Industry
- Clean Energy to Power Star Trek Theme Park
- Cable, Satellite Companies Lose Record Number of Subscribers
- Police Investigate Verizon Sabotage Claims
- Clearwire May Be in Trouble - And Sprint Frankly May Not Give a Damn
- Anonymous Says It Will Take Down Facebook on November 5
- Apparently, Small ISPs & Rural Telcos Love Google Apps
- Sacramento Municipal Utility District Ranked in List of Best Places to Work for IT
- US Senator Murray (Washington State) is Chosen as a Leader of Deficit Panel
- Market Issues Don’t Worry State Pension Plan Managers
- Fed to Keep Interest Rate Near Zero for Two Years
- Plane above Wall Street: ‘Thanks for the Downgrade. You Should All Be Fired’
- Special Session for Washington State Legislature?
- Oregon State Archivists Warn of Lack of Preparedness
- Fatal Crash Near Belfair
- Belfair Woman Dies in Crash Near Victor
- New Radar Weather Station Looking Off Washington State Coast
- Researchers, UW Scientists Forecast Volcano Eruption
- Washington State Drivers Top List for Those Who Buckle Up
- Shelton’s Newest FM Signal Has Local License, Local Programming
- Tri-Cities: Geek Central? We’re 11th on a National List
WORD OF THE DAY
Sarcophagus • \sar-KOFF-uh-guss\ • Noun - A stone coffin; broadly: coffin
Word Origin from Merriam-Webster
Body-eating coffins might sound like the stuff of horror films, but “flesh-eating stone” does play a role in the etymology of “sarcophagus.” That creepy-sounding phrase is a literal translation of “sarkophagos,” the Greek word that underlies our English term. It’s not clear whether the Romans truly believed that a certain type of limestone from the region around Troy would dissolve flesh (and thus was desirable for making coffins). That assertion came from Roman scholar Pliny the Elder, but he also reported such phenomena as dog-headed people and elephants who wrote Greek. But there’s no doubt that the ancient Greek word for the limestone, “sarkophagos,” was formed by combining “sark-,” meaning “flesh,” with a derivative of “phagein,” a verb meaning “to eat.”
SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
“Megaloads” Big for Port of Pasco & Local Economy (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
Longview Coal Export Flap - Groups Sue Millennium over Alleged Clean Water Act Violations (Longview Daily News, WA)
After Three Years of Red, Chelan County PUD is Back in Black (Wenatchee World, WA)
Douglas County PUD Lineman Recovering from High-Voltage Jolt (Wenatchee World, WA)
Editorial – Columbia Falls Aluminum: Lucy & the Aluminum Football (Flathead Beacon, Kalispell, MT)
Contract Approved for Grant PUD Manager (Wenatchee World, WA)
Meet Pacific Gas & Electric’s new CEO: Anthony Earley, Jr. (Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, CA)
Sacramento Municipal Utility District Bond Rating Upgraded (Sacramento Business Journal, CA)
Tennessee Valley Authority Loses Notch (Downgraded) in S&P Backwash (Chattanooga Times Free Press, TN)
Mason County PUD 3 - Shelton Springs Tree Trimming: Thursday (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Solar Storms: New Solar Flare is Largest in Years (Christian Science Monitor)
Texas - Repairs Left Power Grid Vulnerable: As demand soared last week, many plants couldn’t contribute (Houston Chronicle, TX)
EPA Rule Forces Duke Energy to Close Another Coal Plant (Charlotte Business Journal, NC)
$2 Billion Hit - New Nuclear Policy Takes Toll on German Utility’s Results (NY Times)
Feds Say Westinghouse Electric’s New Reactor Design is Safe, Sets Stage for Approval (Associated Press)
New Mexico - Taos Kit Cason Command Center Seeks Tenants; Electric Cooperative on Hook for 10K A Month (Taos News, NM)
FISH & WILDLIFE
No Obama, But Movie Star & Former US Senator Coming to Port Angeles for Start of Dam Removals (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
Northern Pikeminnow Reward Catch Levels Dropped Off This Past Week (Seattle Times)
Winthrop, WA - Salmon-Safe Farm Celebration Planned for Aug. 21 (Wenatchee World, WA)
Oregon – Bridge Creek Project Aims to Enhance Habitat, Fish Passage (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
Slow & Steady Goes the Effort to Restore the Columbia River Gorge’s Western Pond Turtles (Oregonian, Portland)
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Mason County Sells Bonds for Belfair Sewer Project (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
LOTT Expected to Hike Sewer Fees (Olympian, WA)
Water Wars - Northern California Counties Denied Priority Water Rights (Courthouse News Service)
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Palouse Wind Named Defendant in Wind Farm Case (Renewables Biz)
Wind Power a ‘Dud’ During Last Week’s Heat Wave (Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives)
Critics Turn Up Heat on Seattle Wood Burner (KING-TV, Seattle)
Tanana - Tiny City in Yukon Takes a Giant Renewable Step “...By harvesting local wood for energy, the city is becoming more efficient & self-sufficient. The plan is to reap wider benefits by sharing their experience with other rural communities…” (Huffington Post)
Montana - Visitors Study Renewable-Energy Projects (Great Falls Tribune, MT)
Oregon’s Public Universities Plan to Go Solar (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
Grape Solar Now Available in Home Depot (Sustainable Business Oregon)
Balancing the Grid with Pumped Storage (Renewable Energy World)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
Efficiency, Renovations Are New Focus for Habitat for Humanity of Kitsap (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
Edmonds a Leader in Conservation after Recent Honors (The Weekly Herald, Edmonds, WA)
Imparting Energy Smarts to Young Consumers (NY Times)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Polar Bear Scientist Faces New Questions (National Public Radio)
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI
Aberdeen Biodiesel Plant Humming 24 Hours a Day (Seattle Times)
Ford Focus Electric to Come with Home Solar Option (USA Today)
Colorado - Skeptics Question Viability of Beetle Kill Industry (Real Aspen, CO)
Clean Energy to Power Star Trek Theme Park (Silicon Republic)
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Cable, Satellite Companies Lose Record Number of Subscribers (USA Today)
Police Investigate Verizon Sabotage Claims (WCVB-TV, Boston, MA)
Clearwire May Be in Trouble - And Sprint Frankly May Not Give a Damn (Broadband Reports)
Anonymous Says It Will Take Down Facebook on November 5 (Washington Post)
Apparently, Small ISPs & Rural Telcos Love Google Apps (GigaOM)
Sacramento Municipal Utility District Ranked in List of Best Places to Work for IT (Sacramento Business Journal, CA)
POLITICS & GOVERNANCE
US Senator Murray (Washington State) is Chosen as a Leader of Deficit Panel (NY Times)
Market Issues Don’t Worry State Pension Plan Managers (Olympian, WA)
Fed to Keep Interest Rate Near Zero for Two Years (Associated Press)
Plane above Wall Street: ‘Thanks for the Downgrade. You Should All Be Fired’ (Gawker – Beware of PG-13 language in the comment section)
Special Session for Washington State Legislature? (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)
Oregon State Archivists Warn of Lack of Preparedness (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
GENERAL NEWS
Fatal Crash Near Belfair (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Belfair Woman Dies in Crash Near Victor (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
New Radar Weather Station Looking Off Washington State Coast (Associated Press)
Researchers, UW Scientists Forecast Volcano Eruption (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)
Washington State Drivers Top List for Those Who Buckle Up (Seattle Times)
Shelton’s Newest FM Signal Has Local License, Local Programming (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Tri-Cities: Geek Central? We’re 11th on a National List (Tri-City Herald, WA)
DIVERSIONS
Biologists Grow Replacement Sphincters in Mice
Extreme Couponer Arrested for Stealing 185 Newspapers
Are These Really the 25-Best Ice Cream Shops in the Country?
Girl Can’t Stop Giggling After Brain Surgery
SONG OF THE DAY
Neil Sedaka - Laughter in the Rain
