Tuesday, May 12, 2020

The Energy News Digest for May 12, 2020


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SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS




HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Mason County Applies for COVID-19 Recovery Variance (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Washington State Steps in to Regulate Water Temps Behind Federal Dams to Help Salmon (Northwest News Network)

BC Hydro Spills Reservoirs, Shuts Down Some Facilities as Demand Drops (Victoria Times-Colonist, BC)

Pandemic Gives Pacific Northwest Whales a Respite from Din of Underwater Noise (Northwest News Network)

Magnitude 2.6 Quake Hits Near Bremerton (KIRO News, Seattle, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.        BC Hydro Spills Reservoirs, Shuts Down Some Facilities as Demand Drops
2.        Chelan PUD Forecast for 2020 Finances, No Significant Impact from COVID
3.        Fitch Rates Energy Northwest Bonds ‘AA’; Affirms Bonneville IDR at ‘AA-’
4.        Op/Ed: Don’t Get Too Smug About British Columbia’s Hydroelectricity
5.        Washington State Steps in to Regulate Water Temps Behind Federal Dams to Help Salmon
6.        Pandemic Gives Pacific Northwest Whales a Respite from Din of Underwater Noise
7.        Alaska Salmon Processor Plans to Open for Summer Season
8.        Office of the Chehalis Basin Board to Look at Flood Reduction Options Other Than Dam
9.        Improved Hygiene During Pandemic Might Be to Blame for Muckier Wastewater Coming Out of Liberty Lake Plant
10.     Missouri River: America’s Longest River Was Recently Drier Than During the Dust Bowl. It’s Bound to Happen Again.
11.     Biggest US Solar Project Approved in Nevada Despite Critics
12.     Clean Energy, Rate Relief on Collision Course
13.     Statewide Washington Wi-Fi Hotspots Allow for Social Distancing While Using the Web
14.     Free Wi-Fi Hotspots Available in Grant, Adams Counties
15.     When Your Remote Classroom Is Your Car: How Some Rural Students Without Broadband Are Connecting
16.     Nearly 2 Million U.S. Households Cut Cable & Satellite TV During 2020 First Quarter
17.     Op/Ed: Congress Working Remotely Highlights Need for Better Broadband Connectivity, Loebsack Says
18.     Bitcoin ‘Halving’: What Does the Much-Hyped Event Mean?
19.     Tesla’s Musk Says Ready for Arrest as He Reopens California Plant Against Local Order
20.     Wenatchee World Cuts Delivery Days, Citing Pandemic Uncertainty
21.     Duck Everyone: Twitter Says Trump Is No Exception to New Coronavirus Misinformation Rules
22.     Western Governors Join Gavin Newsom in $1 Trillion Appeal to Congress for Coronavirus Aid
23.     Federal Watchdog to Examine Official’s Role in Tribal Fund Distribution
24.     Mason County Applies for COVID-19 Recovery Variance
25.     Another Positive COVID-19 Test in Mason County
26.     Three More Washington State Counties Can Ease Virus Restrictions Early
27.     Magnitude 2.6 Quake Hits Near Bremerton
28.     Mason County Public Office Filings

WORD OF THE DAY

Flotsam /FLOTT-sum/ Noun – Floating wreckage of a ship or its cargo; broadly: floating debris

Jetsam /JETT-sum/ Noun – The part of a ship, its equipment, or its cargo that is cast overboard to lighten the load in time of distress & that sinks or is washed ashore

A storm of titanic proportions pounded the south Atlantic for three straight days. Men died; ships sank. An unholy mess of flotsam that was the wreckage of a freight convoy was a deadly stew of wreckage mixed with jetsam flung overboard by the huddled group of ships to maintain buoyancy. The ill-fated craft quickly disintegrated into a mass of flotsam of what was once a mighty conveyance of goods between bustling ports of entry.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      BC Hydro Spills Reservoirs, Shuts Down Some Facilities as Demand Drops (Victoria Times-Colonist, BC)

2.      Chelan PUD Forecast for 2020 Finances, No Significant Impact from COVID (KPQ-Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

3.      Fitch Rates Energy Northwest Bonds ‘AA’; Affirms Bonneville IDR at ‘AA-’ (Fitch Ratings)

4.      Op/Ed: Don’t Get Too Smug About British Columbia’s Hydroelectricity (Salmon Arm Observer, BC)

FISH & WILDLIFE

5.      Washington State Steps in to Regulate Water Temps Behind Federal Dams to Help Salmon (Northwest News Network)

6.      Pandemic Gives Pacific Northwest Whales a Respite from Din of Underwater Noise (Northwest News Network)

7.      Alaska Salmon Processor Plans to Open for Summer Season (Associated Press)

WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?

8.      Office of the Chehalis Basin Board to Look at Flood Reduction Options Other Than Dam (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

9.      Improved Hygiene During Pandemic Might Be to Blame for Muckier Wastewater Coming Out of Liberty Lake Plant (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

10.   Missouri River: America’s Longest River Was Recently Drier Than During the Dust Bowl. It’s Bound to Happen Again. (Washington Post)

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

11.   Biggest US Solar Project Approved in Nevada Despite Critics (Associated Press)

12.   Clean Energy, Rate Relief on Collision Course (Politico)

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

13.   Statewide Washington Wi-Fi Hotspots Allow for Social Distancing While Using the Web (KIRO News, Seattle, WA)

14.   Free Wi-Fi Hotspots Available in Grant, Adams Counties (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

15.   When Your Remote Classroom Is Your Car: How Some Rural Students Without Broadband Are Connecting (WBUR Radio, Boston, MA)

16.   Nearly 2 Million U.S. Households Cut Cable & Satellite TV During 2020 First Quarter (New York Daily News)

17.   Op/Ed: Congress Working Remotely Highlights Need for Better Broadband Connectivity, Loebsack Says (Cedar Rapids Gazette, IA)

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

18.   Bitcoin ‘Halving’: What Does the Much-Hyped Event Mean? (British Broadcasting Corporation)

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

19.   Tesla’s Musk Says Ready for Arrest as He Reopens California Plant Against Local Order (Reuters)

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

20.   Wenatchee World Cuts Delivery Days, Citing Pandemic Uncertainty (NCW Life, East Wenatchee, WA)

21.   Duck Everyone: Twitter Says Trump Is No Exception to New Coronavirus Misinformation Rules (Mashable)

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

22.   Western Governors Join Gavin Newsom in $1 Trillion Appeal to Congress for Coronavirus Aid (Sacramento Bee, CA)

23.   Federal Watchdog to Examine Official’s Role in Tribal Fund Distribution (NY Times)

SICKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN

24.   Mason County Applies for COVID-19 Recovery Variance (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

25.   Another Positive COVID-19 Test in Mason County (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

26.   Three More Washington State Counties Can Ease Virus Restrictions Early (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

27.   Magnitude 2.6 Quake Hits Near Bremerton (KIRO News, Seattle, WA)

28.   Mason County Public Office Filings (Mason County Elections, Shelton)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Squirrel Captured on Video ‘Working from Home’ on Tiny Laptop in Miniature Office

11-Year-Old Bagpiper Performs for Bothell Neighbors During Stay-Home Order

Farmers Trade Potatoes to Woodinville for Toiletries

Coronavirus: Stonehenge Summer Solstice Gathering Cancelled

SONG OF THE DAY

Jonathan Edwards – Sunshine

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

Links in the news digest lead to current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links.