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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
Snow Turns to Frigid Temperatures in the Pacific Northwest
(Associated Press)
Already-Endangered WA State Salmon May Take a Hit from
Flooding (Crosscut Seattle)
https://crosscut.com/environment/2021/12/already-endangered-wa-salmon-may-take-hit-flooding
WA State Sen. Jeff Wilson’s Bill Would Relaunch Solar Energy
Incentives for Homes (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
California: Billions of Dollars Coming for Broadband
Upgrades, Seeking to Close Digital Divide for North Coast Residents (Santa Roza
Press-Democrat, CA)
Canada’s First New Nuclear Reactor in Decades Is an American
Design. Will It Prompt a Rethink of Government Support? (The Globe & Mail,
Canada)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)
1.
Canada’s First New Nuclear Reactor in Decades Is
an American Design. Will It Prompt a Rethink of Government Support?
2.
New Mexico Lawmakers Want to Study Costs,
Benefits of Public Power
3.
Montana Governor’s Apprenticeship Ratio Proposal
Sparks Concerns
4.
WA State: Chelan PUD Looking for Long Term
Contract to Sell its Surplus Power
5.
Infrastructure Bill to Aid U.S. Tribes with
Water, Plumbing
6.
What New York City’s Ban on Gas-Powered Heat
Could Mean for the Future of Clean Energy
7.
Battle Between Urban & Rural Power Providers
Could Hit Electric Bills Across Kansas
8.
National Labs to Help 21 Public Utility
Commissions Pondering Grid Transformations
9.
Guest Essay: Don’t Burn Money to Fight Climate
Change
10.
3 Out of 4 Americans Support Community
Broadband, Yet 19 States Still Ban or Hinder Such Networks
11.
WA State Sen. Jeff Wilson’s Bill Would Relaunch
Solar Energy Incentives for Homes
12.
Montana’s Largest Wind Farm Underway Near Miles
City
13.
Efforts to ‘Solarize Corvallis’ Lands Its First
Local Business, Block 15
14.
Pacific Gas & Electric May Slash Credits to
Homes with Excess Solar Power. Where Do Modesto & Turlock Irrigation
Districts Stand?
15.
The U.S. Wants More Clean Energy Projects on
Public Lands. One Wyoming Wind Farm Shows It’s Not That Easy
16.
Tips On Saving Money on Your Power Bill This
Winter
17.
Already-Endangered WA State Salmon May Take a
Hit from Flooding
18.
Young Salmon Found a Haven During the Pacific
Northwest’s Sweltering Summer. What That Means for Their Future
19.
WA State: Yakima Water Woes Need More Storage
Options, Advocacy Group Says
20.
New NOAA Reports on Alaska’s Oceans Highlight
Disruptive Warming Trends
21.
WA State: U.S. Rep. Newhouse Critical of Gaps in
Gov. Inslee’s Climate Proposal
22.
How Climate Change Is Affecting the Wine &
Champagne Supply
23.
California: Billions of Dollars Coming for
Broadband Upgrades, Seeking to Close Digital Divide for North Coast Residents
24.
Alaska: Tlingit & Haida to Pilot Tribal
Broadband Internet Service in Wrangell
25.
Chinese Citizens Slam Musk Online After Space
Station Near-Misses with Internet Satellites
26.
Outlets Hurt by Dwindling Public Interest in
News in 2021
27.
Tacoma Light & Water Co. Illuminates Tacoma
Streets on December 26, 1886
28.
Canada’s First Zoo-Based Biogas Facility
Produces Clean Renewable Electricity at Toronto Zoo
29.
Council Pushes Spokane Mayor to Collect Utility
Tax on County Residents – Will She?
30.
Idaho Leads Country in Population Growth Rate
for Fifth Year in a Row
31.
Snow Turns to Frigid Temperatures in the Pacific
Northwest
32.
Heavy Winds Could Bring Blowing Snow, Dangerous
Wind Chills to North Central Washington State
33.
Snowy, Icy Roads in Portland Metro Area; More
Snow & Freezing Temperatures on the Way
34.
Oregon Winter Storm Updates: Long-Term Freeze
with More Snow Forecast in Valley, 6,700 without Power
35. Major Storm Dumps Snow, Closes Mountain Routes in California
WORD OF THE DAY
Rubicon \ROOB-ih-kahn\ Noun - A bounding or limiting line; especially: one that when crossed commits a person irrevocably.
“You have crossed the Rubicon, grasshopper,” intoned the beefy tiddlywinks coach to his wiry young apprentice. “The callouses you gained on the amateur circuit show you are now ready to enter the ring of honor on the professional tour.” “May God protect your soul.”
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
1.
Canada’s First New Nuclear Reactor in Decades Is
an American Design. Will It Prompt a Rethink of Government Support? (The Globe &
Mail, Canada)
2.
New Mexico Lawmakers Want to Study Costs,
Benefits of Public Power (Associated Press)
3.
Montana Governor’s Apprenticeship Ratio Proposal
Sparks Concerns (KPVI-TV, Pocatello, ID)
4.
WA State: Chelan PUD Looking for Long Term
Contract to Sell its Surplus Power (KPQ-Radio, Wenatchee, WA)
https://www.kpq.com/chelan-pud-looking-for-long-term-contract-to-sell-its-surplus-power/
5.
Infrastructure Bill to Aid U.S. Tribes with Water,
Plumbing (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)
6.
What New York City’s Ban on Gas-Powered Heat
Could Mean for the Future of Clean Energy (National Public Radio)
7.
Battle Between Urban & Rural Power Providers
Could Hit Electric Bills Across Kansas (Wichita Eagle, KS)
https://www.kansas.com/news/state/article256789862.html
8.
National Labs to Help 21 Public Utility
Commissions Pondering Grid Transformations (Daily Energy Insider)
SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI
9.
Guest Essay: Don’t Burn Money to Fight Climate
Change (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA – Paywall Advisory)
10.
3 Out of 4 Americans Support Community
Broadband, Yet 19 States Still Ban or Hinder Such Networks (Techdirt)
RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE
11.
WA State Sen. Jeff Wilson’s Bill Would Relaunch
Solar Energy Incentives for Homes (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
12.
Montana’s Largest Wind Farm Underway Near Miles
City (Billings Gazette, MT – Paywall Advisory)
13.
Efforts to ‘Solarize Corvallis’ Lands Its First
Local Business, Block 15 (Corvallis Gazette-Times, OR)
14.
Pacific Gas & Electric May Slash Credits to
Homes with Excess Solar Power. Where Do Modesto & Turlock Irrigation
Districts Stand? (Modesto Bee, CA)
https://www.modbee.com/news/local/article256636011.html
15.
The U.S. Wants More Clean Energy Projects on
Public Lands. One Wyoming Wind Farm Shows It’s Not That Easy (KSUT Radio, Ignacio,
CO)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
16.
Tips On Saving Money on Your Power Bill This
Winter (KMVT-TV, Twin Falls, ID)
https://www.kmvt.com/2021/12/24/tips-saving-money-your-power-bill-this-winter/
FISH & WILDLIFE
17.
Already-Endangered WA State Salmon May Take a Hit
from Flooding (Crosscut Seattle)
https://crosscut.com/environment/2021/12/already-endangered-wa-salmon-may-take-hit-flooding
18.
Young Salmon Found a Haven During the Pacific
Northwest’s Sweltering Summer. What That Means for Their Future. (Seattle Times,
WA – Paywall Advisory)
WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?
19.
WA State: Yakima Water Woes Need More Storage
Options, Advocacy Group Says (Northwest News Network)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
20.
New NOAA Reports on Alaska’s Oceans Highlight
Disruptive Warming Trends (Anchorage Daily News, AK – Paywall Advisory)
21.
WA State: U.S. Rep. Newhouse Critical of Gaps in
Gov. Inslee’s Climate Proposal (KPQ-Radio, Wenatchee, WA)
https://www.kpq.com/newhouse-critical-of-gaps-in-inslees-climate-proposal/
22.
How Climate Change Is Affecting the Wine &
Champagne Supply (Yahoo! News)
https://news.yahoo.com/global-warming-affecting-wine-supply-053844536.html
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
23.
California: Billions of Dollars Coming for Broadband
Upgrades, Seeking to Close Digital Divide for North Coast Residents (Santa Roza
Press-Democrat, CA)
24.
Alaska: Tlingit & Haida to Pilot Tribal Broadband
Internet Service in Wrangell (KINY Radio, Juneau, AK)
25.
Chinese Citizens Slam Musk Online After Space
Station Near-Misses with Internet Satellites (Reuters)
https://news.yahoo.com/chinese-citizens-slam-musk-online-105555814.html
PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA
26.
Outlets Hurt by Dwindling Public Interest in News
in 2021 (Associated Press)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/outlets-hurt-dwindling-public-interest-050811424.html
27.
Tacoma Light & Water Co. Illuminates Tacoma Streets
on December 26, 1886. (HistoryLink)
https://www.historylink.org/File/5020
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE
28.
Canada’s First Zoo-Based Biogas Facility
Produces Clean Renewable Electricity at Toronto Zoo (Toronto Star, Ontario,
Canada)
OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY
29.
Council Pushes Spokane Mayor to Collect Utility
Tax on County Residents – Will She? (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall
Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/dec/26/council-pushes-spokane-mayor-to-collect-utility-ta/
30. Idaho Leads Country in Population Growth Rate for Fifth Year in a Row (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/dec/25/idaho-leads-country-in-population-growth-rate-for-/
WHITHER THE WEATHER
31.
Snow Turns to Frigid Temperatures in the Pacific
Northwest (Associated Press)
32.
Heavy Winds Could Bring Blowing Snow, Dangerous
Wind Chills to North Central Washington State (KPQ-Radio, Wenatchee, WA)
https://www.kpq.com/heavy-winds-could-bring-blowing-snow-dangerous-wind-chills-to-ncw/
33.
Snowy, Icy Roads in Portland Metro Area; More Snow
& Freezing Temperatures on the Way (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)
34.
Oregon Winter Storm Updates: Long-Term Freeze with
More Snow Forecast in Valley, 6,700 without Power (Salem Statesman-Journal, OR)
https://news.yahoo.com/oregon-winter-storm-updates-icy-155553528.html
35.
Major Storm Dumps Snow, Closes Mountain Routes in
California (Associated Press)
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS
Idaho: ‘Talk About Your Squirrel Assassin’: Squirrels Eating
Holiday Lights Around the Treasure Valley
Drawing Bought for $30 At Estate Sale Is Actually Worth $50
Million
https://nypost.com/2021/12/15/drawing-bought-for-30-is-actually-worth-50-million/
Texas Woman’s Stolen Class Ring Returned 18 Years Later
https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2021/12/27/San-Antonio-class-ring-found-18-years/6181640624668/
Idaho Man Juggles Blindfolded for 32 Minutes to Break Own Guinness
Record
SONG OF THE DAY
Starbuck – Moonlight Feels Right
