Thursday, April 14, 2016

Energy News Digest for April 14, 2016

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for April 14, 2016

NOAA Issues La NiƱa Watch as Tropical Pacific Temperatures Tank (Washington Post)

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Powerful Earthquake in Japan Leaves Two Dead, At Least 45 Injured (USA Today)

Judge Says Energy Companies Bilked California Out of $1.1 Billion on Electricity Deals (Sacramento Bee, CA)

British Columbia: Four High Voltage Power Poles in Surrey Cut Down with a Chainsaw (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

Solar Energy Surge in Washington Leads to Reduced Incentives – See Visit to Mason PUD 3’s Community Solar (Northwest Public Radio)

Sardine Fishery Shutdown Continues (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Judge Says Energy Companies Bilked California Out of $1.1 Billion on Electricity Deals
  • British Columbia: Four High Voltage Power Poles in Surrey Cut Down with a Chainsaw
  • New Ferndale Smelter Energy Deal Made to Benefit Bonneville Power Administration, Alcoa – Comment Period through April 22
  • Grays Harbor PUD Getting Pushback on Rate Restructuring
  • Coding Error Leaves Seattle Landlord with $2,000 in Former Tenant’s Delinquent Bills
  • Cowlitz PUD Warns of Mail Scam
  • Mason PUD 3 Investigating Customer Service Office in Belfair Business Core
  • Two New, Five Upgraded, Substations on Grant PUD Construction Schedule
  • Will a Big Bankruptcy Dim Chance of Washington Coal Port?
  • Slideshow: This Is How Portland General Electric Generates Power
  • FEMA: Attack on the Electric Grid Will Hurt Residential Areas Longest
  • Utilities Move Ahead with Plan to Stash Spare Equipment in Case of Disasters, Attacks
  • Report: Without Nuclear, U-S States Face Struggle to Meet Carbon Goals
  • South Africa: Burnt Copper Theft Suspect Lied, Say Cops
  • Sardine Fishery Shutdown Continues
  • Columbia & Snake Sockeye Decimated by 2015’s Warm Rivers
  • New Tribal Village on Columbia River Included In Federal Appropriations Bill
  • Washington State Governor to Host 30,000 Bees
  • Solar Energy Surge in Washington Leads to Reduced Incentives – See Visit to Mason PUD 3’s Community Solar
  • Be Careful When It Comes to That Rooftop Solar Tax Credit
  • Report Says Clean Energy in British Columbia Produces Green Power & Sustainable Jobs
  • Why a Large West Coast Electric Utility Acquired Dublin’s Delta Energy
  • March Was Earth’s 11th-Straight Warmest Month on Record
  • Climate Change Resolution Passed By Clallam County Commissioners
  • Canada: National Climate Change Report Warns of Storm Surge Risks on British Columbia’s Coast
  • Apple’s App Store is About to Go Green in a Big Way
  • Personal Data Stolen from Olympia School District Employees
  • President Obama Names Appointees to New Cyber Commission
  • Facebook to Speed Wireless Internet in San Jose
  • iPad vs. Paper: Teachers Report Big Difference
  • Why Do Older People Love Facebook? Let’s Ask My Dad
  • Three Social Image Tools That Increase Exposure & Engagement
  • Portland Trail Blazers Engage in Twitter Feud over Name
  • Washington State Audition on Trial – Dramatic Moment as Prosecution Rests Its Case in Troy Kelley Trial
  • Washington Lawmakers Consider Cutting Taxes for Beer & Booze
  • Powerful Earthquake in Japan Leaves Two Dead, At Least 45 Injured
  • City of Shelton OKs Site Plan Application for Sierra Pacific Sawmill
  • Mason County Commissioners, Sheriff Divided over Budget Issues
  • Despite Steady Job Growth, Washington’s Unemployment Rate Remains 5.8 Percent – Mason County at 8.5 Percent
  • Mason General Hospital, Shelton Schools Form Health Science Academy
  • State Considers Raising Speed Limit to 75 on I-90 in Eastern Washington State
WORD OF THE DAY

Modus Operandi • \MOE-dus opp-er-RAND-ee\ • noun – A method of procedure; especially: a distinct pattern or method of operation that indicates or suggests the work of a single criminal in more than one crime

“No gentlemen, we are not dealing with a crazed criminal here,” purred Detective Poirot as he absentmindedly stroked his moustache. “What we have here is a person who is so fixed in their modus operandi that they would not change their ways even if confronted with the most secure lock box in the world.” “Non, mon ami, your lunches have not been stolen by a wayward squirrel, crazed dog, or even a trained capuchin monkey…they have been stolen by only one person….your copy repairman: Rick!” (Insert surprised gasp here)

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Judge Says Energy Companies Bilked California Out of $1.1 Billion on Electricity Deals (Sacramento Bee, CA)

British Columbia: Four High Voltage Power Poles in Surrey Cut Down with a Chainsaw (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

New Ferndale Smelter Energy Deal Made to Benefit Bonneville Power Administration, Alcoa – Comment Period through April 22 (Bellingham Herald, WA)

Grays Harbor PUD Getting Pushback on Rate Restructuring (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

Coding Error Leaves Seattle Landlord with $2,000 in Former Tenant’s Delinquent Bills (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

Cowlitz PUD Warns of Mail Scam (Longview Daily News, WA)

Mason PUD 3 Investigating Customer Service Office in Belfair Business Core (Mason PUD 3, Shelton, WA)

Two New, Five Upgraded, Substations on Grant PUD Construction Schedule (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

Will a Big Bankruptcy Dim Chance of Washington Coal Port? (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)

Slideshow: This Is How Portland General Electric Generates Power (Portland Business Journal, OR)

FEMA: Attack on the Electric Grid Will Hurt Residential Areas Longest (Washington Examiner)

Utilities Move Ahead with Plan to Stash Spare Equipment in Case of Disasters, Attacks (Utility Dive)

Report: Without Nuclear, U-S States Face Struggle to Meet Carbon Goals (Utility Dive)

South Africa: Burnt Copper Theft Suspect Lied, Say Cops (Independent Newspapers, South AfricaPG-13 for Graphic Images)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Sardine Fishery Shutdown Continues (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Columbia & Snake Sockeye Decimated by 2015’s Warm Rivers (Idaho Statesman, Boise)

New Tribal Village on Columbia River Included In Federal Appropriations Bill (Oregonian, Portland)

Washington State Governor to Host 30,000 Bees – Beekeepers hope to raise awareness about the decline in bee populations (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Solar Energy Surge in Washington Leads to Reduced Incentives – See Visit to Mason PUD 3’s Community Solar (Northwest Public Radio)

Be Careful When It Comes to That Rooftop Solar Tax Credit (San Diego Union-Tribune, CA)

Report Says Clean Energy in British Columbia Produces Green Power & Sustainable Jobs (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Why a Large West Coast Electric Utility Acquired Dublin’s Delta Energy (Columbus Business First, OH)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

March Was Earth’s 11th-Straight Warmest Month on Record (Mashable)

Climate Change Resolution Passed By Clallam County Commissioners (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

Canada: National Climate Change Report Warns of Storm Surge Risks on British Columbia’s Coast (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Apple’s App Store is About to Go Green in a Big Way (Mashable)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Personal Data Stolen from Olympia School District Employees (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

President Obama Names Appointees to New Cyber Commission (Washington Examiner)

Facebook to Speed Wireless Internet in San Jose (SF Chronicle)

iPad vs. Paper: Teachers Report Big Difference (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

MARKETING & MEDIA

Why Do Older People Love Facebook? Let’s Ask My Dad (NY Times)

Three Social Image Tools That Increase Exposure & Engagement (Social Media Examiner)

Portland Trail Blazers Engage in Twitter Feud over Name (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State Audition on Trial – Dramatic Moment as Prosecution Rests Its Case in Troy Kelley Trial (Northwest Public Radio)

Washington Lawmakers Consider Cutting Taxes for Beer & Booze (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

Powerful Earthquake in Japan Leaves Two Dead, At Least 45 Injured (USA Today)

City of Shelton OKs Site Plan Application for Sierra Pacific Sawmill (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Mason County Commissioners, Sheriff Divided over Budget Issues (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Despite Steady Job Growth, Washington’s Unemployment Rate Remains 5.8 Percent – Mason County at 8.5 Percent (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Mason General Hospital, Shelton Schools Form Health Science Academy (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

State Considers Raising Speed Limit to 75 on I-90 in Eastern Washington State (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Truck Dumps Human Waste on I-5 in Everett

Longview Considers Squirrel as Official City Mascot

Loch Ness Monster Is Found! (Kind of. Not Really.)

The Cost of Keeping Lenin Looking Like Lenin – Russia will spend nearly $200,000 this year to maintain the former Soviet leader’s embalmed corpse.

SONG OF THE DAY

David Byrne - And She Was

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LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.

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