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
Puget
Sound Energy Answers Critics on Storm Response - Company handled 478,000
outages at cost of $55 million so far; customers still paying for 2006 storm
expenses (Olympian, WA)
Activists Sue to Stop Killing of Pacific
Northwest Sea Lions (Reuters)
Seven
States Fight California Rule over Ethanol Carbon Scores (USA Today)
Washington State Budget Writers Discuss
Alternatives (Associated Press)
Impact
of Curtailment on Wind Economics “…study…revealed that 2009 wind generation
curtailment varied significantly by jurisdiction…as low as 1 percent in the
Midwest Transmission System Operator’s (MISO) control area to as high as 16
percent and 10 percent in Texas and Alberta, Canada respectively….” (Renewable Energy World)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Puget Sound Energy Answers Critics on Storm Response
- Oregon Power Line Corridor Targeted For Update
- Video - Mason County PUD 3 Warehouse & Shop: Old & New
- Eugene Water & Electric Board Weighs Raising Price of Power, Water
- Man Pleads Innocent in $1 Million Theft from City of Seattle Utilities
- Pacific Northwest National Lab in Richland, Washington Will Lay Off 45 People
- US Needs New Nuclear Plants to Retain Expertise, Browner Says
- Renewable Hydropower Could Supply All of Africa’s Electricity
- Co-ops Increasingly Offer Live Chat
- Activists Sue to Stop Killing of Pacific Northwest Sea Lions
- More Salmon Are in the Lower Columbia, But No Fishing for Anyone Tuesday
- Op/Ed - ‘Hi! I’m a Nutria’
- Impact of Curtailment on Wind Economics
- USDA Recognizes Energy Efficient Grays Harbor Businesses
- Puget Sound Energy, 21 Acres & Cascadia Community College Dedicate Energy Monitoring Project
- Solar Industry Faces Subsidy Cuts in Europe
- Commerce Department to Rule Whether China Illegally Subsidized Solar Imports to US
- United Kingdom - Biomass Plant Will Gobble Up Imported Wood
- House Panel to Cite New Flaw in Energy Loans
- California - Energy Rebate Program Helps Replace 178K Appliances, HVAC Systems
- The Siren Song of Energy Efficiency
- LEDs Might Boost Milk Production
- Seven States Fight California Rule over Ethanol Carbon Scores
- Chelan County PUD Numbers Favor Revamping Fiber Plan
- LightSquared Tries to Revive Broadband Network
- Look! It’s Yet another Effort to Save DSL
- Job Seekers Getting Asked for Facebook Passwords
- Microsoft Fires Bing Marketing Execs
- The NSA's $2 Billion New Utah Snooping Warehouse
- Washington State Budget Writers Discuss Alternatives
- Washington State Rates B-Minus for Integrity; Is Number Three
- US Supreme Court Says State of Maryland Can't Be Sued over Sick Leave
- Editorial - Don't Confuse Race for Washington State’s First Congressional District
- Mason County Emergency Communications Leadership Changing
- Judge Rules Liquor Initiative is Constitutional; Foes Plan Appeal
- Washington State Auditor: Manager's Contract Puts Belfair Water District at Risk
- Lacey - Danials Loop Shooting Leaves One Dead, Two Hurt
- Alternating Traffic on Hwy 3 near Shelton until Further Notice Says WSDOT
- Rain-Weary Seattleites Fleeing to Sunnier Climates on First Day of Spring
- A Whole New Meaning to Gas Guzzling – Thieves Stealing Fuel Right from Your Tank
- Mariners Groundskeepers Turn to Artificial Light to Grow Field Grass
- Teens Texting More, Talking Less on Cell Phones
WORD OF THE DAY
Diplopia • \dip-LOW-pee-yuh\
• Noun - A disorder of vision in which two images of a single object are seen
because of unequal action of the eye muscles called also double vision
Lou and Mick were
at an impasse. Lou, a graduate of New York’s Monroe Community College, wanted
to use the technical name “Diplopia” in the song they were co-writing. Mick,
who was nearly always correct about these things, admonished his band mate that
even though the word had the same amount of syllables as “Double Vision,” it
just didn’t sound correct.
SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Puget
Sound Energy Answers Critics on Storm Response - Company handled 478,000
outages at cost of $55 million so far; customers still paying for 2006 storm
expenses (Olympian, WA)
Oregon
Power Line Corridor Targeted For Update - The Bonneville Power Administration
considers replacing high-voltage wires and poles from Albany to Eugene (Eugene
Register-Guard, OR)
Video
- Mason County PUD 3 Warehouse & Shop: Old & New (Mason Web TV, Shelton,
WA)
Eugene
Water & Electric Board Weighs Raising Price of Power, Water (KVAL-TV,
Eugene, OR)
Man
Pleads Innocent in $1 Million Theft from City of Seattle Utilities (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)
Pacific
Northwest National Lab in Richland, Washington Will Lay Off 45 People (Associated
Press)
US
Needs New Nuclear Plants to Retain Expertise, Browner Says (Bloomberg News)
Renewable
Hydropower Could Supply All of Africa’s Electricity (Grist Online)
Co-ops
Increasingly Offer Live Chat (Electric Co-op Today)
FISH & WILDLIFE
Activists Sue to Stop Killing of Pacific
Northwest Sea Lions (Reuters)
More Salmon Are in the Lower Columbia, But No
Fishing for Anyone Tuesday (Oregonian, Portland)
Op/Ed - ‘Hi! I’m a Nutria’ (NY Times)
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Impact
of Curtailment on Wind Economics “…study…revealed that 2009 wind generation
curtailment varied significantly by jurisdiction…as low as 1 percent in the
Midwest Transmission System Operator’s (MISO) control area to as high as 16
percent and 10 percent in Texas and Alberta, Canada respectively….” (Renewable Energy World)
USDA
Recognizes Energy Efficient Grays Harbor Businesses (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)
Puget
Sound Energy, 21 Acres & Cascadia Community College Dedicate Energy
Monitoring Project (Bothell Reporter, WA)
Solar
Industry Faces Subsidy Cuts in Europe (Washington Post)
Commerce
Department to Rule Whether China Illegally Subsidized Solar Imports to US (Talking
Points Memo)
United
Kingdom - Biomass Plant Will Gobble Up Imported Wood (Earth Techling)
House
Panel to Cite New Flaw in Energy Loans (NY Times)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
California - Energy Rebate Program Helps Replace 178K
Appliances, HVAC Systems (Los Angeles Business, CA)
The Siren Song of Energy Efficiency (NY Times)
LEDs Might Boost Milk Production (Electric Co-op
Today)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Seven
States Fight California Rule over Ethanol Carbon Scores (USA Today)
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Chelan County PUD Numbers Favor Revamping Fiber
Plan - Utility presents options to public at community meetings this week (Wenatchee
World, WA)
LightSquared Tries to Revive Broadband Network (Associated
Press)
http://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/LightSquared-tries-to-revive-broadband-network-3418653.php
Look! It’s Yet another Effort to Save DSL (GigaOM)
Job Seekers Getting Asked for Facebook Passwords (Associated
Press)
Microsoft Fires Bing Marketing Execs (Puget Sound
Business Journal, WA)
The NSA's $2 Billion New Utah Snooping Warehouse
Four 25k Square Foot Halls, $40 Million Annual
Power Bill (Broadband Reports)
POLITICS & GOVERNANCE
Washington State Budget Writers Discuss
Alternatives (Associated Press)
Washington State Rates B-Minus for Integrity; Is Number
Three (Olympian, WA)
US Supreme Court Says State of Maryland Can't Be
Sued over Sick Leave (Associated Press)
Editorial - Don't Confuse Race for Washington State’s
First Congressional District (Seattle Times)
GENERAL NEWS
Mason County Emergency Communications Leadership
Changing (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Judge Rules Liquor Initiative is Constitutional;
Foes Plan Appeal (Seattle Times)
Washington State Auditor: Manager's Contract Puts Belfair
Water District at Risk – Rates could go up under termination/resignation
scenario (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
Lacey - Danials Loop Shooting Leaves One Dead, Two
Hurt - Suspect sought; injured may leave hospital; possible money dispute cited
(Olympian, WA)
Alternating Traffic on Hwy 3 near Shelton until Further
Notice Says WSDOT (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Rain-Weary Seattleites Fleeing to Sunnier Climates on
First Day of Spring (KING-TV, Seattle)
A Whole New Meaning to Gas Guzzling – Thieves
Stealing Fuel Right from Your Tank (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
Mariners Groundskeepers Turn to Artificial Light to
Grow Field Grass (KING-TV, Seattle)
Teens Texting More, Talking Less on Cell Phones (Seattle
Post-Intelligencer)
DIVERSIONS
Sun,
Snow Globes Ignite Couch in Oregon Home
'Smuggler':
None-Too-Subtle License Plate Nets Aspiring Drug Runner
Helium
Stocks Run Low; And Party Balloons Are to Blame - The world supply of helium,
which is essential in research and medicine, is being squandered, say
scientists
Samsung,
Research in Motion Sued for Using Emoticons ;(
SONG OF THE DAY
Willie
Nelson - Blue Skies
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGZDwxnjG1g
