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
Elwha Dams’ Historic Removal Begins (Seattle Times)
Thieves Hit Two BPA Substations; One in Washington State, a Second in Oregon (Bonneville Power Administration)
Idaho Sockeye Salmon Count Beats Expectations (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
Scores of Sea Lions Killed at British Columbia Fish Farms in First Three Months of 2011 (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)
Pacific Northwest Lobbying Firm, McBee Strategic Consulting, Has Ties to Solyndra Scandal (Seattle Times)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Thieves Hit Two BPA Substations; One in Washington State, a Second in Oregon
- Avista Requests Two Annual Price Adjustments in Washington
- Idaho - Rupert Tweaks Bonneville Power Administration Contract, Talks Parking Problem
- Alliance Seeking Stable Power Rates
- Montana - Dedication Ceremony Held at Highwood Generating Station
- Montana - Judge Clears Way for Trial in Electric Co-Ops’ Dispute
- News Release - Bill Introduced in Congress to Repeal Risky Stimulus Loans by Western Area Power Administration
- Alcoa Announces Iowa Aluminum Plant Expansion – Thanks to Incentive Programs
- New Hampshire - NRC Rejects Petition to Suspend Nuke Plant Licensing Activities
- Tennessee Valley Authority’s Defense against Coal Ash Spill Lawsuits Goes to Trial in Knoxville Federal Court
- San Diego Blackout Sparks Questions About Energy Generation
- Elwha Dams’ Historic Removal Begins
- Elwha River - Hammer Punches Hole in Glines Canyon Dam as Demolition Begins
- Workers Start Dismantling Dams in Washington State
- The Elwha Dams, Part 6 - The Secrets Beneath the Departing Lakes
- Scores of Sea Lions Killed at British Columbia Fish Farms in First Three Months of 2011
- Salmon Migrating Into the Eastern Portions of the Columbia River
- Idaho Sockeye Salmon Count Beats Expectations
- Fish to be Rescued from Texas River Amid Drought
- California - Calaveras Dam Replacement to Begin Amid Retrofit
- Pacific Northwest Lobbying Firm, McBee Strategic Consulting, Has Ties to Solyndra Scandal
- Market Risks Are Seen in Energy Innovations
- US Clean Energy Loan Program Could Double
- Report: Bloom Energy Valued at Almost $3 Billion
- Solar Power Technology Explained
- United Kingdom - Offshore Wind Turbines Will Attract Killer Starfish, Warn Oyster Fishermen
- United Kingdom Approves Welsh 299 MW Biomass Plant
- Do People Support Efficiency? Depends On How You Ask
- A Warming Climate May Lead to More Extreme Weather in the Northwest
- City Of Portland to Vote on Oregon Sustainability Center’s Fate
- Is the Green Jobs Movement Kaput?
- Deschutes Brewery is Recognized by the EPA for Its Commitment to Green Power
- Op/Ed – Chelan County: We Have the Fiber They All Want
- Netflix Shares Plunge as Subscribers Flee Rate Hike
- Report: Yahoo Contacted by Possible Bidders
- Approve T-Mobile - AT&T Merger, Dems Tell Obama
- Gartner: Google Gmail Now a Viable Alternative to Microsoft in Business E-Mail Market
- UN Report: 1 In 8 Worldwide Have Mobile Broadband
- McAfee: Heidi Klum ‘Most Dangerous’ Celeb to Search on Web
- Special Session Near-Certain after $1.4 Billion Revenue Loss
- Washington State Senator/County Commissioner Tim Sheldon Reduces His Salaries
- Mason County Commissioner District 3 Appointment Process Coalesces
- State Representative Mark Miloscia to Run for State Auditor
- Opposing Sides in Tacoma Teachers Strike to Go Before Judge
- Washington State’s School Districts Brace for Even More Cuts
- Tumwater Mail Plant that Employs 120 Could Close
- Metal Thieves Leaving Lewis County Tire Piles
- Fall in the Air: Snow Level Drops at the Cascades
- Pacific Northwesterners Are Using Less Gas
- Shelton Man Wins $1 Million in Washington State Lottery
- Survey: Americans Don’t Know Constitution, Civics
- Stockpiles of Money That Nobody Wants
- JP Patches’ Last Public Appearance is Saturday
WORD OF THE DAY
Syncopate • \SINN-Kuh-Payt\ • Verb - 1a: To shorten or produce by syncope b: to cut short: clip, abbreviate 2: to modify or affect (musical rhythm) by syncopation
Listen to “Satisfaction” from the Rolling Stones: “I…can’t…get…no…satisfaction”
SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Thieves Hit Two BPA Substations; One in Washington State, a Second in Oregon (Bonneville Power Administration)
Avista Requests Two Annual Price Adjustments in Washington “…Residential & small-farm customers…could receive a $2.03, or 2.64 percent, decrease…due to an increase in benefits …from the Bonneville Power Administration’s Residential Exchange Credit program…” (Market Watch)
Idaho - Rupert Tweaks Bonneville Power Administration Contract, Talks Parking Problem (Twin Falls Times-News, ID)
Alliance Seeking Stable Power Rates (Klamath Falls Herald & News, OR)
Montana - Dedication Ceremony Held at Highwood Generating Station (KRTV-TV, Great Falls MT)
Montana - Judge Clears Way for Trial in Electric Co-Ops’ Dispute (Billings Gazette, MT)
News Release - Bill Introduced in Congress to Repeal Risky Stimulus Loans by Western Area Power Administration (US House Natural Resources Committee)
Alcoa Announces Iowa Aluminum Plant Expansion “…an incentive package…that consists of tax, financing, & research & development credits as well as training grants…” (Associated Press)
New Hampshire - NRC Rejects Petition to Suspend Nuke Plant Licensing Activities (Hampton Union, NH)
Tennessee Valley Authority’s Defense against Coal Ash Spill Lawsuits Goes to Trial in Knoxville Federal Court (Associated Press)
San Diego Blackout Sparks Questions About Energy Generation (KPBS-TV, San Diego, CA)
FISH & WILDLIFE
Elwha Dams’ Historic Removal Begins (Seattle Times)
Elwha River - Hammer Punches Hole in Glines Canyon Dam as Demolition Begins (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
Workers Start Dismantling Dams in Washington State (National Public Radio – And yes, the report mentions the Snake River Dams, sigh…)
The Elwha Dams, Part 6 - The Secrets Beneath the Departing Lakes (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
Scores of Sea Lions Killed at British Columbia Fish Farms in First Three Months of 2011 (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)
Salmon Migrating Into the Eastern Portions of the Columbia River (Seattle Times)
Idaho Sockeye Salmon Count Beats Expectations (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
Fish to be Rescued from Texas River Amid Drought (Associated Press)
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
California - Calaveras Dam Replacement to Begin Amid Retrofit (SF Chronicle)
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Pacific Northwest Lobbying Firm, McBee Strategic Consulting, Has Ties to Solyndra Scandal (Seattle Times)
Market Risks Are Seen in Energy Innovations (NY Times)
US Clean Energy Loan Program Could Double (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)
Report: Bloom Energy Valued at Almost $3 Billion (Gigaom)
Solar Power Technology Explained (NorthJersey.com, Woodland Park)
United Kingdom - Offshore Wind Turbines Will Attract Killer Starfish, Warn Oyster Fishermen (The Telegraph, UK)
United Kingdom Approves Welsh 299 MW Biomass Plant (Reuters)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
Do People Support Efficiency? Depends On How You Ask (Midwest Energy News)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
A Warming Climate May Lead to More Extreme Weather in the Northwest (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI
City Of Portland to Vote on Oregon Sustainability Center’s Fate (Sustainable Business Oregon)
http://www.sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2011/09/city-to-vote-on-oregon-sustainability.html
Is the Green Jobs Movement Kaput? (Crosscut Seattle)
Deschutes Brewery is Recognized by the EPA for Its Commitment to Green Power (Beer Advocate)
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Op/Ed – Chelan County: We Have the Fiber They All Want (Wenatchee World, WA)
Netflix Shares Plunge as Subscribers Flee Rate Hike (Associated Press)
Report: Yahoo Contacted by Possible Bidders (Washington Post)
Approve T-Mobile - AT&T Merger, Dems Tell Obama (Northwest Cable News Network)
Gartner: Google Gmail Now a Viable Alternative to Microsoft in Business E-Mail Market (
UN Report: 1 In 8 Worldwide Have Mobile Broadband (Associated Press)
McAfee: Heidi Klum ‘Most Dangerous’ Celeb to Search on Web (USA Today)
POLITICS & GOVERNANCE
Special Session Near-Certain after $1.4 Billion Revenue Loss (Olympian, WA)
Washington State Senator/County Commissioner Tim Sheldon Reduces Salaries (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Mason County Commissioner District 3 Appointment Process Coalesces (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
State Representative Mark Miloscia to Run for State Auditor (Seattle Times)
GENERAL NEWS
Opposing Sides in Tacoma Teachers Strike to Go Before Judge (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)
Washington State’s School Districts Brace for Even More Cuts (Olympian, WA)
Tumwater Mail Plant that Employs 120 Could Close (Olympian, WA)
Metal Thieves Leaving Lewis County Tire Piles (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)
Fall in the Air: Snow Level Drops at the Cascades (Associated Press)
Pacific Northwesterners Are Using Less Gas (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
Shelton Man Wins $1 Million in Washington State Lottery (Olympian, WA)
Survey: Americans Don’t Know Constitution, Civics (USA Today)
Stockpiles of Money That Nobody Wants - US keeps minting dollar coins despite dwindling interest (Wenatchee World, WA)
JP Patches’ Last Public Appearance is Saturday (Seattle Times)
DIVERSIONS
Bee Swarm Attacks Farm, Kill 1,000-Pound Hog
Tree-Climbing Goats
George Lucas’ Tweaks to ‘Star Wars’ Incurs Fans’ Wrath
‘Dad, Look What I Found!’ How Girl, 5, Dug Up Rare 160m-Year-Old Fossil with Spade
SONG OF THE DAY
Polyphonic Spree - Lithium, with Sock Puppets
