The Energy News Digest for February 23, 2026

The Northwest Public Power Association sponsors The Energy News Digest. 

The News Digest on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X (formerly known as Twitter) will bring breaking news throughout the week.

Subscribe to The Energy News Digest.

Joel Myer, Communicator Emeritus, edits the Energy News Digest.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

PacifiCorp to Pay $575 Million to Resolve Federal Government’s Claims Over Wildfires in Oregon, California (Associated Press)

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/pacificorp-pay-575m-resolve-federal-000607370.html

Silicon Valley Is Building a Shadow Power Grid for Data Centers Across the U.S. (Washington Post – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/silicon-valley-building-shadow-power-140406982.html

Idaho Power & Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative Announce Agreement to Transfer Ownership of Idaho Power’s Oregon Service Area (Elkhorn Media Group, LaGrande, OR)

https://elkhornmediagroup.com/idaho-power-and-oregon-trail-electric-cooperative-announce-agreement-to-transfer-ownership-of-idaho-powers-oregon-service-area/

Columbia River Chinook Fishing Season Predicts Lower Numbers, But Stronger Returns (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/columbia-river-chinook-fishing-season-predicts-lower-numbers-stronger-returns/LLTBCAJTINCTDEI2526ARPG4KI/

‘Shelter in Place’ Advisory Expanded for Americans in Mexico (USA Today – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/widespread-shelter-place-order-place-145441048.html

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      PacifiCorp to Pay $575 Million to Resolve Federal Government’s Claims Over Wildfires in Oregon, California

2.      Silicon Valley Is Building a Shadow Power Grid for Data Centers Across the U.S.

3.      Idaho Power & Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative Announce Agreement to Transfer Ownership of Idaho Power’s Oregon Service Area

4.      Idaho: Co-op Proposal Touted as Way to Slash Electricity Costs in McCall

5.      California: San Francisco Seeks Breakaway from Pacific Gas & Electric to Create Public Utility

6.      Inside WA’s Messy Breakup with Montana Coal Country

7.      Man Gets Prison Time for Sabotaging Substation in Oregon

8.      Nevada: Las Vegas Police Investigate Terrorism Event After Vehicle Rammed into Power Substation

9.      U.S. Military Airlifts Small Reactor as Trump Pushes to Quickly Deploy Nuclear Power

10.   Nuclear Power: ‘Just a Couple of Guys’: How a Little-Known Company Could Score Big from a Trump Trade Deal

11.   New U.S. Electric Generating Capacity Expected to Reach a Record High in 2026

12.   U.S. Electric Co-ops Call for Action on Grid Reliability

13.   Oregon: Ochoco Irrigation District Awarded $1 Million for Floating Solar Project Near Prineville

14.   Columbia River Chinook Fishing Season Predicts Lower Numbers, But Stronger Returns

15.   New Southern Resident Orca Calf Spotted in Strait of Juan De Fuca

16.   Luck & Hard Work Align in Success for Cowlitz River Smelt Dippers

17.   Cost of Trump’s Coal Push Plays Out in Dollars, Noise & Health

18.   Inconsistent Lake Pend Oreille Levels Shrink Region’s Economy, Study Says

19.   WA State: Kennewick Irrigation District Upgrades Canals, Reservoirs as Drought Threat Looms

20.   Threat of a Colorado River Lawsuit Looms. Here’s How Utah Is Preparing.

21.   U.S. Energy Chief Says International Energy Agency Must ‘Drop’ Focus on Climate Change

22.   Who Pays for Power – Trump Adviser Drops Bombshell on Meta, Microsoft

23.   California: State Lawmaker Calls on Imperial County Officials to Halt Controversial Data Center Project

24.   National Lab in WA Has Key Role in Trump AI Mission to Transform Science

25.   The Great American Weather Tragedy: Excellent Forecasts but Poor Societal Response

26.   ‘Shelter in Place’ Advisory Expanded for Americans in Mexico

27.   Millions Are Stuck at Home Due to Blizzard Warnings & Travel Shutdowns in Northeastern U.S.

28.   Copper Wire Theft Disrupts Light Rail Service in South King County for Second Time in Nine Days

29.   Guest Essay: Removing Snake River Dams Could Have Surprising Benefits

30.   Guest Essay: The Ghosts of Nuclear Past, Present, & Future: Can You Tell Them Apart?

31.   WA State: Thurston County Wants to Grade Your Home’s Energy Before Letting You Sell It

Word of the Day

Recurring \rih-KURR-ring\ Verb – 1: To happen, come up, or show up again or repeatedly 2: to return to one's attention or memory 3: to return in thought or discourse.

Willie the wildebeest awoke with a start. The recurring dream that had haunted his dark nights had returned. In his nocturne wanderings, he had been transformed into a humanoid biped, wandering aimlessly in packs of hundreds through concrete jungles…going hither and thither…not knowing the destination, or the reason for his travels. “The horror, the horror,” he muttered.

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      PacifiCorp to Pay $575 Million to Resolve Federal Government’s Claims Over Wildfires in Oregon, California (Associated Press)

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/pacificorp-pay-575m-resolve-federal-000607370.html

2.      Silicon Valley Is Building a Shadow Power Grid for Data Centers Across the U.S. (Washington Post – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/silicon-valley-building-shadow-power-140406982.html

3.      Idaho Power & Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative Announce Agreement to Transfer Ownership of Idaho Power’s Oregon Service Area (Elkhorn Media Group, LaGrande, OR)

https://elkhornmediagroup.com/idaho-power-and-oregon-trail-electric-cooperative-announce-agreement-to-transfer-ownership-of-idaho-powers-oregon-service-area/

4.      Idaho: Co-op Proposal Touted as Way to Slash Electricity Costs in McCall (Valley Lookout, McCall, ID)

https://valleylookout.com/2026/02/19/mccall-intrigued-by-public-electricity-proposal-to-create-task-force/

5.      California: San Francisco Seeks Breakaway from Pacific Gas & Electric to Create Public Utility (Courthouse News Service)

https://courthousenews.com/san-francisco-seeks-breakaway-from-pge-creation-of-public-utility/

6.      Inside WA’s Messy Breakup with Montana Coal Country (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/northwest/inside-wa-s-messy-breakup-with-montana-coal-country/article_fbf94fe6-d85f-587d-8375-7ff3bc9d8eca.html

7.      Man Gets Prison Time for Sabotaging Substation in Oregon (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2026/02/man-gets-prison-time-for-sabotaging-substation-in-oregon.html

8.      Nevada: Las Vegas Police Investigate Terrorism Event After Vehicle Rammed into Power Substation (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/las-vegas-boulder-city-cec28b585a8fe780005fa47bdb156970

9.      U.S. Military Airlifts Small Reactor as Trump Pushes to Quickly Deploy Nuclear Power (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/nuclear-power-microreactor-energy-pentagon-9b4bf19cfc38560ca14cf652fa9a3806

10.   Nuclear Power: ‘Just a Couple of Guys’: How a Little-Known Company Could Score Big from a Trump Trade Deal (Politico)

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/23/energy-company-trump-japan-trade-deal-00791916

11.   New U.S. Electric Generating Capacity Expected to Reach a Record High in 2026 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=67205

12.   U.S. Electric Co-ops Call for Action on Grid Reliability (Coop News)

https://www.thenews.coop/us-electric-co-ops-call-for-action-on-grid-reliability/

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

13.   Oregon: Ochoco Irrigation District Awarded $1 Million for Floating Solar Project Near Prineville (Central Oregon Daily News)

https://www.centraloregondaily.com/news/prineville/ochoco-irrigation-district-floating-solar-1m-funding/article_1808ad6d-ce86-49ea-a7cf-746260a8a41c.html

Fish & Wildlife

14.   Columbia River Chinook Fishing Season Predicts Lower Numbers, But Stronger Returns (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/columbia-river-chinook-fishing-season-predicts-lower-numbers-stronger-returns/LLTBCAJTINCTDEI2526ARPG4KI/

15.   New Southern Resident Orca Calf Spotted in Strait of Juan De Fuca (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)

https://komonews.com/newsletter-daily/new-southern-resident-orca-calf-spotted-with-l-pod-in-strait-of-juan-de-fuca-puget-sound-orcas-new-calfs-2026-whale-research-wild-life-western-washington-friday-harbor

16.   Luck & Hard Work Align in Success for Cowlitz River Smelt Dippers (Washington State Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/02/23/luck-and-hard-work-align-in-success-for-cowlitz-river-smelt-dippers/

Environmental Afflatus – Clean Up on Aisle Three

17.   Cost of Trump’s Coal Push Plays Out in Dollars, Noise & Health (Bloomberg News – Via MSN)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/government/cost-of-trump-s-coal-push-plays-out-in-dollars-noise-and-health/ar-AA1WlyZh

Water, Water, Anywhere?

18.   Inconsistent Lake Pend Oreille Levels Shrink Region’s Economy, Study Says (Bonner County Daily Bee, ID)

https://bonnercountydailybee.com/news/2026/feb/22/inconsistent-lake-levels-shrink-regions-economy-study-says/

19.   WA State: Kennewick Irrigation District Upgrades Canals, Reservoirs as Drought Threat Looms (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

https://keprtv.com/news/local/kennewick-irrigation-district-upgrades-canals-reservoirs-as-drought-threat-looms

20.   Threat of a Colorado River Lawsuit Looms. Here’s How Utah Is Preparing. (Utah News Dispatch)

https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2026/02/22/threat-of-a-colorado-river-lawsuit-looms-heres-how-utah-is-preparing/

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

21.   U.S. Energy Chief Says International Energy Agency Must ‘Drop’ Focus on Climate Change (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/us-energy-chief-says-iea-163023300.html

HAL’s Internet Café

22.   Who Pays for Power – Trump Adviser Drops Bombshell on Meta, Microsoft (Yahoo! News)

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/trump-adviser-drops-bombshell-meta-201300241.html

23.   California: State Lawmaker Calls on Imperial County Officials to Halt Controversial Data Center Project (KPBS Broadcasting, San Diego, CA)

https://www.kpbs.org/news/environment/2026/02/19/state-lawmaker-calls-on-imperial-county-officials-to-halt-controversial-data-center-project

24.   National Lab in WA Has Key Role in Trump AI Mission to Transform Science (Tri-City Herald, WA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/national-lab-wa-key-role-130000404.html

Barrel O’ Green Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science

25.   The Great American Weather Tragedy: Excellent Forecasts but Poor Societal Response (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2026/02/the-great-american-weather-tragedy.html

Other Things to Know About Today

26.   ‘Shelter in Place’ Advisory Expanded for Americans in Mexico (USA Today – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/widespread-shelter-place-order-place-145441048.html

27.   Millions Are Stuck at Home Due to Blizzard Warnings & Travel Shutdowns in Northeastern U.S. (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/us-east-coast-winter-storm-blizzard-c32d60af1f146359664d6688a2dcdada

28.   Copper Wire Theft Disrupts Light Rail Service in South King County for Second Time in Nine Days (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/copper-wire-theft-disrupts-light-rail-service-in-south-king-county-for-2nd-time-in-9-days/ar-AA1WR3mc

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

29.   Guest Essay: Removing Snake River Dams Could Have Surprising Benefits (Tri-City Herald, WA – Via MSN)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/government/removing-snake-river-dams-could-have-surprising-benefits-opinion/ar-AA1WQdkF

30.   Guest Essay: The Ghosts of Nuclear Past, Present, & Future: Can You Tell Them Apart? (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/ghosts-of-nuclear-past-present-future-Joshua-Skov/806941/

31.   WA State: Thurston County Wants to Grade Your Home’s Energy Before Letting You Sell It (KTTK Radio, Seattle, WA)

https://seattlered.com/seattle-red/jason-rantz-opinion/thurston-county-climate-home/4116757

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

What 42 Massive & Decaying Presidential Heads Say About America

https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/government/what-42-massive-and-decaying-presidential-heads-say-about-america/ar-AA1WrtoG

When in Rome: Budapest Pizzeria Offers Time-Travel Twist with Ancient Rome-Inspired Pie

https://apnews.com/article/hungary-ancient-rome-pizza-896056031e34081a2fa76ae563438116

Six Planets Will Parade Across the Night Sky at the End of February

https://www.seattlepi.com/living/6-planets-will-parade-across-the-night-sky-at-the-a21840029

Mr. Clean ‘Retiring’ After Nearly 70 Years

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/news/mr-clean-retiring-after-nearly-70-years/ar-AA1WLUSc

Song of the Day

Dean Martin – That’s Amore

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4866HEQLLW4

Links & Paywall Advisory

Links in The Energy News Digest are for current stories. Media organizations frequently update their websites, which can cause broken links.

Although I choose stories that are accessible without paying a subscription, individual experiences may vary. Media attribution includes information about possible paywall restrictions. Regularly clearing your browser’s history and cookies may help you access certain paywall sites.

The Energy News Digest for February 18, 2026

The Northwest Public Power Association sponsors The Energy News Digest. 

The News Digest on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X (formerly known as Twitter) will bring breaking news throughout the week.

Subscribe to The Energy News Digest.

Joel Myer, Communicator Emeritus, edits the Energy News Digest.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Portland General Electric Spends Nearly $2 Billion to Expand in Washington, Acquiring 140,000 Customers from PacifiCorp (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/02/17/portland-general-electric-pacificorp-oregon-washington/

Columbia Generating Station Back Online (Energy Northwest)

https://www.energy-northwest.com/news-releases/columbia-generating-station-back-online/

Public Health, Green Groups Sue EPA Over Repeal of Rule Supporting Climate Protections (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/trump-climate-change-epa-clean-air-act-27a69e8e349bd8cc7091af202b81517c

The Colorado River Crisis Is Here – States Fail to Reach a Deal; Lake Powell Deadpool Appears Imminent (Land Desk)

https://www.landdesk.org/p/the-colorado-river-crisis-is-here

WA State: 5,700 Acre (Nine Sq. Miles) Grant Co. Solar Projects Moving Forward (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

https://columbiabasinherald.com/news/2026/feb/18/grant-co-solar-projects-moving-forward/

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      Portland General Electric Spends Nearly $2 Billion to Expand in Washington, Acquiring 140,000 Customers from PacifiCorp

2.      PacifiCorp to Sell Its Washington Power Plants, Wind Farms — A ‘Divorce’ Cheered by Utah Leaders

3.      Columbia Generating Station Back Online

4.      PacifiCorp Tries To Trim Potential Losses as Oregon Wildfire Litigation Grinds On

5.      Oregon: Judge – Feds Can’t Be Sued Over Power Line Decision Before Holiday Farm Fire

6.      The Bonneville Power Administration Releases First Official Forecast of Expected Financial Performance for FY 2026

7.      Lawmakers Push for Federal Nuclear Innovation Campus in Tri-Cities Region

8.      The Future of American Nuclear Energy Just Touched Down in Utah

9.      U.S. Natural Gas Production to Reach Record Highs in 2026 & 2027

10.   What’s Behind Your Eye-Popping Power Bill? We Broke It Down, Region by Region.

11.   News Release: Western Energy Imbalance Market Surpasses $8 Billion in Total Benefits Since Inception

12.   WA State: 5,700 Acre (Nine Sq. Miles) Grant Co. Solar Projects Moving Forward

13.   Fear of Farmland Loss Slows Solar & Wind Development

14.   California Lawmakers Eye 'Plug-In Solar' to Help Renters Cut Energy Costs

15.   Lawmakers Say ‘Virtual Power Plants’ Could Help Oregon. Utilities Say They’re Already Here

16.   Southern California Air Board Rejected Pollution Rules After Artificial Intelligence-Generated Flood of Comments

17.   The Colorado River Crisis Is Here – States Fail to Reach a Deal; Lake Powell Deadpool Appears Imminent

18.   Can Washington State Recover from Its 'Abysmally Low' Mountain Snowpack?

19.   Public Health, Green Groups Sue EPA Over Repeal of Rule Supporting Climate Protections

20.   As U.S. Abandons Climate Fight, Washington State Feels the Heat to Do More

21.   Amazon's $5 Billion Data Center in Walla Walla Region to Boost Economy & Job Market

22.   Data Center Growth Has Helped Pacific Gas & Electric Cut Rates 11% Since 2024, CEO Says

23.   As Electricity Costs Rise, Everyone Wants Data Centers to Pick Up Their Tab. But How?

24.   Data Centers: Your New Neighbor?

25.   Ford Unveils New Details on Its Cheaper Electric Vehicle Platform. First Up, a Midsize Pickup.

26.   Washington State Launches New Program to Encourage Trucking Companies to Switch to Electric

27.   Is Social Media Over for Creatives? Or Have We Just Woken Up to What It Is?

28.   California, Colorado & Washington Sue Trump Administration to Unlock Funding for Clean Energy Projects

29.   Meta to Spend $65 Million in 2026 to Boost Politicians Who Favor Artificial Intelligence – Report

30.   Washington House Approves Bill to Give Spokane’s Energy-Generating Trash Incinerator More Time to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

31.   WA Fish & Wildlife Saga Deepens with Claims of Collusion

32.   Another Storm Arrives in Southern California, Bringing Fierce Wind, Rain & Heavy Snow

33.   Guest Essay: Washington’s Competitive Edge Is Eroding

34.   Guest Essay: A New Space Race—The U.S. Looks to Lunar Nuclear Power

35.   Editorial: Set Deadline for Chemical in Tires That’s Killing Coho Salmon

Word of the Day

Contumacious \conn-too-MAY-shush\ Adjective - Stubbornly disobedient: rebellious.

Contumacious: the terrible twos and the terrifying teens. ‘Nuff said.

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      Portland General Electric Spends Nearly $2 Billion to Expand in Washington, Acquiring 140,000 Customers from PacifiCorp (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/02/17/portland-general-electric-pacificorp-oregon-washington/

2.      PacifiCorp to Sell Its Washington Power Plants, Wind Farms — A ‘Divorce’ Cheered by Utah Leaders (Salt Lake Tribune, UT)

https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2026/02/18/utah-applauds-pacificorps-energy/

3.      Columbia Generating Station Back Online (Energy Northwest)

https://www.energy-northwest.com/news-releases/columbia-generating-station-back-online/

4.      PacifiCorp Tries To Trim Potential Losses as Oregon Wildfire Litigation Grinds On (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2026/02/pacificorp-tries-to-trim-potential-losses-as-oregon-wildfire-litigation-grinds-on.html

5.      Oregon: Judge – Feds Can’t Be Sued Over Power Line Decision Before Holiday Farm Fire (Lookout Eugene-Springfield, OR)

https://lookouteugene-springfield.com/story/environment/2026/02/11/judge-feds-cant-be-sued-over-power-line-decision-before-holiday-farm-fire/

6.      The Bonneville Power Administration Releases First Official Forecast of Expected Financial Performance for FY 2026 (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/about/newsroom/news-articles/20260212-bpa-releases-first-official-forecast-of-expected-financial-performance-f

7.      Lawmakers Push for Federal Nuclear Innovation Campus in Tri-Cities Region (KNDO & KNDU-TV, Yakima/Tri-Cities, WA)

https://www.nbcrightnow.com/legislature/lawmakers-push-for-federal-nuclear-innovation-campus-in-tri-cities-region/article_e2a5b1e9-da95-47e3-aa86-cb4cf330df02.html

8.      The Future of American Nuclear Energy Just Touched Down in Utah (Deseret News, Salt Lake City, UT)

https://www.deseret.com/utah/2026/02/15/first-small-nuclear-reactor-lands-in-utah/

9.      U.S. Natural Gas Production to Reach Record Highs in 2026 & 2027 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=67166

10.   What’s Behind Your Eye-Popping Power Bill? We Broke It Down, Region by Region. (Grist Online)

https://grist.org/energy/power-bills-electricity-prices-state-by-state/

11.   News Release: Western Energy Imbalance Market Surpasses $8 Billion in Total Benefits Since Inception (California ISO)

https://www.caiso.com/about/news/news-releases/western-energy-imbalance-market-surpasses-8-billion-in-total-benefits-since-inception

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

12.   WA State: 5,700 Acre (Nine Sq. Miles) Grant Co. Solar Projects Moving Forward (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

https://columbiabasinherald.com/news/2026/feb/18/grant-co-solar-projects-moving-forward/

13.   Fear of Farmland Loss Slows Solar & Wind Development (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/food-and-farms/fear-farmland-loss-slows-solar-wind-development

14.   California Lawmakers Eye 'Plug-In Solar' to Help Renters Cut Energy Costs (KFMB-TV, San Diego, CA)

https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/california-lawmakers-plug-solar-renters-cut-energy-costs/509-89b1dec2-002c-4df4-9c91-8f3b63ec82d2

15.   Lawmakers Say ‘Virtual Power Plants’ Could Help Oregon. Utilities Say They’re Already Here (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/02/11/oregon-politics-energy-power-virtual-plants-senate-bill-1582/

Environmental Afflatus – Clean Up on Aisle Three

16.   Southern California Air Board Rejected Pollution Rules After Artificial Intelligence-Generated Flood of Comments (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via MSN)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/government/southern-california-air-board-rejected-pollution-rules-after-ai-generated-flood-of-comments/ar-AA1WvJX0

Water, Water, Anywhere?

17.   The Colorado River Crisis Is Here – States Fail to Reach a Deal; Lake Powell Deadpool Appears Imminent (Land Desk)

https://www.landdesk.org/p/the-colorado-river-crisis-is-here

18.   Can Washington State Recover from Its 'Abysmally Low' Mountain Snowpack? (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kuow.org/stories/washington-state-snowpack-february-2026

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

19.   Public Health, Green Groups Sue EPA Over Repeal of Rule Supporting Climate Protections (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/trump-climate-change-epa-clean-air-act-27a69e8e349bd8cc7091af202b81517c

20.   As U.S. Abandons Climate Fight, Washington State Feels the Heat to Do More (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kuow.org/stories/as-u-s-abandons-climate-fight-washington-state-feels-the-heat-to-do-more

HAL’s Internet Café

21.   Amazon's $5 Billion Data Center in Walla Walla Region to Boost Economy & Job Market (KNDO & KNDU-TV, Yakima/Tri-Cities, WA)

https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/amazons-5b-data-center-in-walla-walla-region-to-boost-economy-and-job-market/article_49a899d0-5c2d-4040-961d-a55c11d24646.html

22.   Data Center Growth Has Helped Pacific Gas & Electric Cut Rates 11% Since 2024, CEO Says (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/data-center-growth-has-helped-pge-cut-rates-11-since-2024-ceo-says/812230/

23.   As Electricity Costs Rise, Everyone Wants Data Centers to Pick Up Their Tab. But How? (Associated Press)

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/02/13/as-electricity-costs-rise-everyone-wants-data-centers-to-pick-up-their-tab-but-how/

24.   Data Centers: Your New Neighbor? (Politico)

https://www.politico.com/newsletters/power-switch/2026/02/13/data-centers-your-new-neighbor-00780829

I Sing the Car Electric

25.   Ford Unveils New Details on Its Cheaper Electric Vehicle Platform. First Up, a Midsize Pickup. (Yahoo! News)

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ford-unveils-new-details-on-its-cheaper-ev-platform-first-up-a-midsize-pickup-160039022.html

26.   Washington State Launches New Program to Encourage Trucking Companies to Switch to Electric (KXLY-TV, Spokane, WA)

https://www.kxly.com/news/washington-state-launches-new-program-to-encourage-trucking-companies-to-switch-to-electric/article_20bb779f-ce84-45a1-b03f-fe64af4a8054.html

Public Relations, Marketing & Media

27.   Is Social Media Over for Creatives? Or Have We Just Woken Up to What It Is? (Creative Boom)

https://www.creativeboom.com/insight/is-social-media-over-for-creatives-or-are-we-just-waking-up-to-what-it-is/

Politics, Governance, and Management

28.   California, Colorado & Washington Sue Trump Administration to Unlock Funding for Clean Energy Projects (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/california-colorado-washington-sue-trump-administration-unlock-funding-clean-2026-02-18/

29.   Meta to Spend $65 Million in 2026 to Boost Politicians Who Favor Artificial Intelligence – Report (Seeking Alpha)

https://seekingalpha.com/news/4553463-meta-to-spend-65m-in-2026-to-boost-politicians-who-favor-ai---report

30.   Washington House Approves Bill to Give Spokane’s Energy-Generating Trash Incinerator More Time to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/feb/17/washington-house-approve-bill-to-give-spokanes-ene/

31.   WA Fish & Wildlife Saga Deepens with Claims of Collusion (Washington State Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/02/13/wa-fish-and-wildlife-saga-deepens-with-claims-of-collusion/

Other Things to Know About Today

32.   Another Storm Arrives in Southern California, Bringing Fierce Wind, Rain & Heavy Snow (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/night-fierce-winds-rain-another-110000030.html

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

33.   Guest Essay: Washington’s Competitive Edge Is Eroding (Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business, WA)

https://www.tricitiesbusinessnews.com/articles/johnson-feb-2026

34.   Guest Essay: A New Space Race—The U.S. Looks to Lunar Nuclear Power (Power Magazine)

https://www.powermag.com/a-new-space-race-the-u-s-looks-to-lunar-nuclear-power/

35.   Editorial: Set Deadline for Chemical in Tires That’s Killing Coho Salmon (Everett Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/editorial-set-deadline-for-chemical-in-tires-thats-killing-coho/

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

Loose Dog Crosses the Finish Line at Olympic Skiing Event

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/02/18/winter-olympics-cross-country-team-sprint-dog/2311771422753/

Home Renovation Reveals Surprising Photo Under the Floor: ‘Hey, That’s My Mom’

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/home-renovation-reveals-surprising-photo-162126016.html

Famous ‘Lovers’ Arch’ in Italy Collapses into Sea on Valentine’s Day Following Severe Weather

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/famous-lovers-arch-italy-collapses-211258080.html

'Rhapsody in Blue': After a Century, Gershwin's Musical Melting Pot Still Resonates

https://www.npr.org/2024/02/12/1230433015/rhapsody-in-blue-gershwin-centennial-jazz-classical

Song of the Day

George Gershwin – Rhapsody in Blue (Leonard Bernstein)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jVh5cZ_ZvM

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