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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
Major Outage at Amazon Tuesday Disrupts Businesses Across
the U.S. (Associated Press)
California: Ex-Los Angeles Utility Head Admits Taking Bribes
in Billing Scandal (Associated Press)
Wind Developer Joins $3 Billion Transmission Project Poised
to Be ‘Backbone’ for Western Power Markets (Utility Dive)
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/anschutz-wind-transwest-wyoming-nevada-transmission-line/611062/
More Than 50 Earthquakes Strike Off Oregon Coast; No
Tsunamis Expected (Oregonian, Portland, OR)
Water Use Drops 13% as California Preps Mandatory Cutbacks
(Courthouse News Service)
https://www.courthousenews.com/water-use-drops-12-as-california-preps-mandatory-cutbacks/
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)
1.
California: Ex-Los Angeles Utility Head Admits
Taking Bribes in Billing Scandal
2.
Wind Developer Joins $3 Billion Transmission
Project Poised to Be ‘Backbone’ for Western Power Markets
3.
Utility Giants Agree to No Longer Share
Sensitive Records ICE Used to Track the Public
4.
Natural Gas Bills Could Rise 50% or More, Warns
Montana PSC
5.
Texas Officials Order Power Plant Operators to
Prepare for Winter Hazards
6.
Building Electrification Momentum Grew in U.S.
Cities in 2021
7.
Fitch Ratings 2022 Outlook: U.S. Public Power
& Electric Cooperatives
8.
The West’s Nuclear Mistake
9.
‘Awesome Day’: Co-op Pulls Out All the Stops for
Young Cancer Survivor
10.
Hydro Review: Executive Interview with Kurt
Miller, Northwest RiverPartners
11.
How Public Power Communities Are Shaping the
Future of Utilities
12.
Feds Investigating Tesla Over Claims Related to
Solar Panel Fire Risks
13.
Feds Propose Tougher Light Bulb Efficiency
Standard, Finalizes Testing Waiver Rule
14.
Oregon’s Coho Salmon Run Breaks Record,
Steelhead Numbers Decline
15.
Retreating Glaciers Could Create New Salmon
Habitat, British Columbia Study Shows
16.
Montana: Dam Malfunction Leaves Upper Madison
River Trout High & Dry
17.
Idaho: New Niagara Springs Sturgeon Hatchery
Receives National Award
18.
Water Use Drops 13% as California Preps
Mandatory Cutbacks
19.
WA State: Officials Hopeful for More Snow as
Winter Approaches, Even as Yakima Basin Snowpack Below Average
20.
WA State: Tacoma Adopts Climate Action Plan to
Eliminate Carbon Emissions & Save $4 Billion by 2050
21.
Snow May Vanish for Years at a Time in Mountain
West with Climate Warming
22.
Panel: Consider Tinkering with Oceans to Suck up
More Carbon
23.
Meet the New Climate Refugee in Town: Coyotes
24.
Which States Are Ready to Handle the Influx of
Federal Funds for Expanding Broadband?
25.
Research Report: Broadband Drives Growth in
Women-Led Rural Entrepreneurship
26.
Major Outage at Amazon Tuesday Disrupts Businesses
Across the U.S.
27.
WA State: Email Promised Tacoma Schools Staff
Amazon Holiday Discount. It Was Fake, Sent by District
28.
Major U.S. Utilities Plan Nationwide Charging
Network, Anticipating 22 Million Electric Vehicles by 2030
29.
Grants Will Fund Electric Vehicle Charging
Stations Across Montana
30.
Elon Musk Calls for End to Government Subsidies
Now That They’ve Made Him Rich
31.
News Publishers, Including Seattle Group, Sue
Google & Facebook Over Market Dominance
32.
Instagram Launches Tool Urging Teens to Take a
Break
33.
Boss Says Sorry for ‘Blundered’ Zoom Firing of
900 Staff
34.
More Than 50 Earthquakes Strike Off Oregon
Coast; No Tsunamis Expected
35. Christmas Tree Trouble: Fires, Weather, Supply Chain Issues Lead to Higher Prices, Shortages at Local Lots
WORD OF THE DAY
Bouleversement \bool-vares-suh-MONG\ Noun - 1: reversal 2: a violent disturbance: disorder.
A hush fell over the green cathedral “Forest of the Seven Hemlocks.” Birds, insects, even the large denizens stilled their voices in anticipation of the impending bouleversement to be visited upon their domain. A sickly yellow light feebly filtered into the glens and copses that would soon be pummeled by rain, lightning, and other weather curses. The crushing weight of the silence was almost as heavy as the anticipation that preceded the storm.
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
1.
California: Ex-Los Angeles Utility Head Admits
Taking Bribes in Billing Scandal (Associated Press)
oised to Be ‘Backbone’ for Western Power Markets (Utility Dive)
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/anschutz-wind-transwest-wyoming-nevada-transmission-line/611062/
3.
Utility Giants Agree to No Longer Share
Sensitive Records ICE Used to Track the Public (Washington Post – Paywall
Advisory)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/12/08/utility-data-government-tracking/
4.
Natural Gas Bills Could Rise 50% or More, Warns Montana
PSC (KTVQ-TV, Billings, MT)
https://www.ktvq.com/news/montana-news/natural-gas-bills-could-rise-50-or-more-warns-montana-psc
5.
Texas Officials Order Power Plant Operators to Prepare
for Winter Hazards (National Public Radio)
6.
Building Electrification Momentum Grew in U.S. Cities
in 2021 (Utility Dive)
7.
Fitch Ratings 2022 Outlook: U.S. Public Power &
Electric Cooperatives (Fitch Ratings)
8.
The West’s Nuclear Mistake – No government that
really regarded climate change as its top energy priority would close nuclear
plants before the end of their useful lives (Atlantic Magazine)
9.
‘Awesome Day’: Co-op Pulls Out All the Stops for
Young Cancer Survivor (National Rural Electric Cooperative Association)
https://www.electric.coop/awesome-day-co-op-pulls-out-all-the-stops-for-young-cancer-survivor
SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI
10.
Hydro Review: Executive Interview with Kurt
Miller, Northwest RiverPartners (Hydro Review)
11.
How Public Power Communities Are Shaping the
Future of Utilities (American Public Power Association)
https://www.publicpower.org/blog/how-public-power-communities-are-shaping-future-utilities
RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE
12.
Feds Investigating Tesla Over Claims Related to
Solar Panel Fire Risks (Austin American-Statesman, TX)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
13.
Feds Propose Tougher Light Bulb Efficiency
Standard, Finalizes Testing Waiver Rule (Utility Dive)
FISH & WILDLIFE
14.
Oregon’s Coho Salmon Run Breaks Record,
Steelhead Numbers Decline (Oregonian, Portland, OR)
15.
Retreating Glaciers Could Create New Salmon
Habitat, British Columbia Study Shows (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/glaciers-salmon-habitat-1.6276784?cmp=rss
16.
Montana: Dam Malfunction Leaves Upper Madison
River Trout High & Dry (Montana Free Press)
https://montanafreepress.org/2021/12/01/dam-malfunction-halves-madison-river-flow/
17.
Idaho: New Niagara Springs Sturgeon Hatchery
Receives National Award (KMVT-TV, Twin Falls, ID)
https://www.kmvt.com/2021/12/08/new-niagara-springs-sturgeon-hatchery-receives-national-award/
WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?
18.
Water Use Drops 13% as California Preps
Mandatory Cutbacks (Courthouse News Service)
https://www.courthousenews.com/water-use-drops-12-as-california-preps-mandatory-cutbacks/
19.
WA State: Officials Hopeful for More Snow as Winter
Approaches, Even as Yakima Basin Snowpack Below Average (Yakima Herald-Republic,
WA – Paywall Advisory)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
20.
WA State: Tacoma Adopts Climate Action Plan to
Eliminate Carbon Emissions & Save $4 Billion by 2050 (Tacoma News Tribune,
WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article256324442.html
21.
Snow May Vanish for Years at a Time in Mountain
West with Climate Warming (Washington Post – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021/12/03/snow-water-resources-california/
22.
Panel: Consider Tinkering with Oceans to Suck up
More Carbon (Associated Press)
23.
Meet the New Climate Refugee in Town: Coyotes (Bloomberg
News)
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-12-06/how-climate-change-forces-wildlife-into-cities
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
24.
Which States Are Ready to Handle the Influx of Federal
Funds for Expanding Broadband? (Nevada Current)
25.
Research Report: Broadband Drives Growth in
Women-Led Rural Entrepreneurship (The Daily Yonder)
THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY
26.
Major Outage at Amazon Tuesday Disrupts
Businesses Across the U.S. (Associated Press)
27.
WA State: Email Promised Tacoma Schools Staff Amazon
Holiday Discount. It Was Fake, Sent by District (Tacoma News Tribune, WA – Paywall
Advisory)
https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article256401521.html
I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC
28.
Major U.S. Utilities Plan Nationwide Charging
Network, Anticipating 22 Million Electric Vehicles by 2030 (Utility Dive)
29.
Grants Will Fund Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
Across Montana (Montana Public Radio)
30.
Elon Musk Calls for End to Government Subsidies
Now That They’ve Made Him Rich (Gizmodo)
https://gizmodo.com/elon-musk-calls-for-end-to-government-subsidies-now-tha-1848173699
PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA
31.
News Publishers, Including Seattle Group, Sue Google
& Facebook Over Market Dominance (GeekWire)
32.
Instagram Launches Tool Urging Teens to Take a Break
(Associated Press)
33. Boss Says Sorry for ‘Blundered’ Zoom Firing of 900 Staff (British Broadcasting Corporation)
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-59573146
OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY
35.
Christmas Tree Trouble: Fires, Weather, Supply
Chain Issues Lead to Higher Prices, Shortages at Local Lots (Spokesman-Review, Spokane,
WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/dec/08/trimming-the-trees-leads-to-shortage-this-christma/
GUARDING THE GRIDIRON – DIVERSIONS
Kaila Olin Embraces Trail-Blazing Role as First Woman to Officiate
State-Title Football Game in Washington State
Six-Pack of Beernaments? Miller Lite Offers Drinkable
Ornaments to Hang Up This Christmas
Half a Billion in Bitcoin, Lost in the Dump
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/12/13/half-a-billion-in-bitcoin-lost-in-the-dump
Oreo Wine? Barefoot Teams Up with Cookie Brand for Red Wine with
Hints of Chocolate
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/food/2021/12/07/oreo-cookie-barefoot-wine/6419947001/
SONG OF THE DAY
The Beatles – Baby, You’re a Rich Man
