Monday, December 21, 2015

Winter Solstice: Five Things to Know (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

Power Grid Is Vulnerable to Foreign Hacks – Investigation finds a dozen incidents over the past decade (Associated Press)

Comply with the Clean Power Plan? No Problem for the Pacific Northwest (E&E Publishing)

Klamath Basin Water Accords Crumble as Congress Fails to Act (Sacramento Bee, CA)

Homes with Broadband Internet Hit Plateau (USA Today)

Energy News Digest for December 21, 2015

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for December 21, 2015

Coastal Flood Advisory

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Winter Solstice: Five Things to Know (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

Power Grid Is Vulnerable to Foreign Hacks – Investigation finds a dozen incidents over the past decade (Associated Press)

Comply with the Clean Power Plan? No Problem for the Pacific Northwest (E&E Publishing)

Klamath Basin Water Accords Crumble as Congress Fails to Act (Sacramento Bee, CA)

Homes with Broadband Internet Hit Plateau (USA Today)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Power Grid Is Vulnerable to Foreign Hacks
  • Clark Public Utilities Vigilant, Has Detected No Cyberattack Yet – BPA says it too takes threats seriously
  • Answering Avista Bill Spike Questions
  • Hungry Horse Dam Looking To Modernize Its 1950s-Era Power Plant
  • NW Natural Chief Executive to Step Down Next Year
  • Key Wins for Electric Co-ops in $1.1 Trillion Federal Spending Bill
  • Scotus Case: Finding Bidders for Giant Power Plants
  • Puerto Rico’s Utility Reaches Tentative Agreement to Restructure $8.2 Billion Debt
  • Proper Storage Will Save Your Refrigerated Food
  • Environmental Group Sues Feds Over Oregon Spotted Frog
  • Tentative Agreement Reached in Dispute over Endangered Yellowstone Fish
  • Klamath Basin Water Accords Crumble as Congress Fails to Act
  • California Wants to Store Water for Farmers, but Struggles over How to Do It
  • Your Rooftop Solar Panels Might Actually Help Balance the Power Grid
  • Community Solar Brings Renewable Energy ‘To the Masses’
  • EWEB: Grant-Funded Storage, Microgrid Project to Test Resiliency in Public Power City in Oregon
  • Wind Power Spreads through Turbines for Lease
  • California Marijuana Leaders Increasingly Uniting Behind One Legalization Measure
  • The Top Ten Oregon Marijuana Licensing Myths
  • Comply with the Clean Power Plan? No Problem for the Pacific Northwest
  • Op/Ed: Wind & Renewables Are Key to Reducing Carbon Emissions
  • Op/Ed: America’s Family Forests – Our Climate Change Solution
  • A Small New England College Goes 100 Percent Solar
  • Homes with Broadband Internet Hit Plateau
  • High-Speed Internet Is a Luxury
  • Mobile Browsing Will Trump Desktop by the End of 2016, Report Says
  • Program Helps Small-Business Owners Make Money Off Wi-Fi
  • Nearly a Billion PCs Run This Notoriously Insecure Software – Now Oracle Has to Clean It Up
  • EPA ‘Won’t Back Down’ from Criticisms over Social Media Posts
  • The NFL Plans to Stream All Thursday Night Games Next Season
  • You Should Watch the Way You Punctuate Your Text Messages — Period
  • Everett Herald Online: The Din of Online Comments to Fall Silent
  • Winter Solstice: Five Things to Know
  • Snow Dumping in the Cascades as More Winter Weather Creeps In
  • One Person Dead Friday after Two-Car Crash along SR 106
  • U-S 12 over White Pass to Reopen Tuesday Evening
  • Funding Approved for Naval Base Kitsap Projects
  • Seattle Times Plans Six Percent Newsroom Budget Cut
  • Seahawks Clinch Playoff Berth with 30-13 Win over Browns
WORD OF THE DAY

Invidious ● \in-VID-ee-us\ ● Adjective – 1: tending to cause discontent, animosity, or envy 2a: unpleasant, objectionable, or obnoxious b: of a kind to cause harm or resentment.

Brandi’s invidious rejection of all green vegetables was a repulsion that extended beyond the normal version of the healthy comestibles. Even the sport varieties of vegetables were repellent to her. Purple cabbage; no thank you. White asparagus; yuck. Even the smallest touch of green to her food ticked the gag reflex. The horrific “green mint ice cream” incident was a topic that was verboten at even the most casual of family gatherings.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Power Grid Is Vulnerable to Foreign Hacks – Investigation finds a dozen incidents over the past decade (Associated Press)

Clark Public Utilities Vigilant, Has Detected No Cyberattack Yet – BPA says it too takes threats seriously (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Answering Avista Bill Spike Questions (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

Hungry Horse Dam Looking To Modernize Its 1950s-Era Power Plant (Billings Gazette, MT)

NW Natural Chief Executive to Step Down Next Year (Oregonian, Portland)

Key Wins for Electric Co-ops in $1.1 Trillion Federal Spending Bill (Electric Co-op Today)

Scotus Case: Finding Bidders for Giant Power Plants (National Conference of State Legislatures)

Puerto Rico’s Utility Reaches Tentative Agreement to Restructure $8.2 Billion Debt (Utility Dive)

Proper Storage Will Save Your Refrigerated Food (Fairbanks News Miner, AK)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Environmental Group Sues Feds Over Oregon Spotted Frog (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Tentative Agreement Reached in Dispute over Endangered Yellowstone Fish (Associated Press)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Klamath Basin Water Accords Crumble as Congress Fails to Act (Sacramento Bee, CA)

California Wants to Store Water for Farmers, but Struggles over How to Do It (NY Times)

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Your Rooftop Solar Panels Might Actually Help Balance the Power Grid (Portland Business Journal, OR)

Community Solar Brings Renewable Energy ‘To the Masses’ (Huffington Post)

EWEB: Grant-Funded Storage, Microgrid Project to Test Resiliency in Public Power City in Oregon (American Public Power Association)

Wind Power Spreads through Turbines for Lease (NY Times)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

California Marijuana Leaders Increasingly Uniting Behind One Legalization Measure (Marijuana Business Daily)

The Top Ten Oregon Marijuana Licensing Myths (Canna Law Blog)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Comply with the Clean Power Plan? No Problem for the Pacific Northwest (E&E Publishing)

Op/Ed: Wind & Renewables Are Key to Reducing Carbon Emissions (Portland Business Journal, OR)

Op/Ed: America’s Family Forests – Our Climate Change Solution (Huffington Post)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

A Small New England College Goes 100 Percent Solar (Christian Science Monitor)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Homes with Broadband Internet Hit Plateau (USA Today)

High-Speed Internet Is a Luxury – As broadband adoption stalls out, smartphone-only Internet users increasingly believe they’re at a disadvantage (The Atlantic Magazine)

Mobile Browsing Will Trump Desktop by the End of 2016, Report Says (Washington Post)

Program Helps Small-Business Owners Make Money Off Wi-Fi (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

Nearly a Billion PCs Run This Notoriously Insecure Software – Now Oracle Has to Clean It Up (Washington Post)

MARKETING & MEDIA

EPA ‘Won’t Back Down’ from Criticisms over Social Media Posts (Washington Examiner)

The NFL Plans to Stream All Thursday Night Games Next Season (Broadband Reports)

You Should Watch the Way You Punctuate Your Text Messages — Period (National Public Radio)

Everett Herald Online: The Din of Online Comments to Fall Silent (Everett Herald, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

Winter Solstice: Five Things to Know (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

Snow Dumping in the Cascades as More Winter Weather Creeps In (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

One Person Dead Friday after Two-Car Crash along SR 106 (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

U-S 12 over White Pass to Reopen Tuesday Evening (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Funding Approved for Naval Base Kitsap Projects (Associated Press)

Seattle Times Plans Six Percent Newsroom Budget Cut (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

Seahawks Clinch Playoff Berth with 30-13 Win over Browns (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

DIVERSIONS

A Peanut’s Christmas: Deleted Bible Passage Recited by Adults during School’s Play (And They Were Sore Afraid…)

Theft of Horse Hair Angers, Puzzles Owner

JJ Abrams Followed Portlander’s Four Star Wars Rules

Miss Universe Crowns Wrong Beauty Queen in Live TV Gaffe

SONG OF THE DAY

America - A Horse with No Name

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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.

Note that as some newspapers migrate to a “paywall” system of access, some articles may not be available without forking over some cold hard credit card cash. However, some sites will allow a certain number of story accesses per month before holding out their hand. Sorry if this is an inconvenience.

Friday, December 18, 2015

Energy News Digest for December 18, 2015

Energy News Digest for December 18, 2015

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for December 18, 2015

Flood Warning for Mason County

Small Craft Advisory for Puget Sound & Hood Canal

Understanding El Niño (NY Times)

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

California Billionaire Backing Washington Climate Change Effort (Associated Press)

Oregon: Warm Springs Tribes Approve Marijuana Sales in Historic Vote (Oregonian, Portland)

Rainstorms, Flood Stage Rivers Make It Difficult to Maintain Target Flows for Spawning Chum (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

Aluminum Industry Woes Felt Deeply in Washington State (Everett Herald, WA)

Mason EDC Exec: Sierra Pacific Arrival Bringing Some Jobs (South Sound Business Examiner)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Aluminum Industry Woes Felt Deeply in Washington State
  • Oily Politics: Vancouver Energy Draws New Complaint over Mailer
  • Oregon: Columbia River PUD Approves $33.8 Million Budget
  • Canada: BC Hydro Boss Orders Investigation into Misleading Statements to Utility Commission
  • Arizona’s Head Utility Regulator, Susan Bitter Smith Resigns
  • U-S Hydroelectric Power Sector Could Benefit From Pair of Incentive Programs
  • Fitch: Natural Gas Record Low is Positive for U-S Public Power
  • Widespread Grid Defection: What Are the Odds?
  • New Database Provides Monthly Inventory & Status of U-S Electric Generating Plants
  • Practice Safety around Electricity This Holiday Season
  • Rainstorms, Flood Stage Rivers Make It Difficult to Maintain Target Flows for Spawning Chum
  • Public Can Comment on Hatchery Reform Plan for Lower Columbia River
  • California: Salmon Season Ending This Week in Sacramento River
  • Non-Native Crayfish Invade Crater Lake
  • Measure Would Require Labels for Genetically Engineered Salmon
  • Snoqualmie Tribe Sues City of Snoqualmie, Mayor over Utility Agreement
  • All of a Sudden, Oregon’s Renewable Energy Future Looks Very Bright
  • Iberdrola USA, UIL Holdings Merge to Become an ‘American Energy Giant’
  • Solar Fight Flares in Florida over Institute Report
  • Editorial: Setting the Sun on a Boondoggle
  • How a Shift to LED Lighting Is Saving Sports Teams Millions of Dollars
  • Obama Administration Unveils ‘Historic’ Efficiency Rules for Air Conditioners
  • Oregon: Warm Springs Tribes Approve Marijuana Sales in Historic Vote
  • Big Win, Several Losses for Cannabis Businesses in Congressional Bill
  • Congress Tries to Clear the Air between States, Feds over Legal Pot
  • Why Supreme Court Is Asking the Federal Government about Marijuana
  • California Billionaire Backing Washington Climate Change Effort
  • Study: World’s Lake Temperatures Rising Fast, Likely to Worsen Problems Such as Algae Blooms
  • Just How Fast Is Greenland Melting?
  • Don’t Freak Out, But We Might Be Geoengineering With Contrails
  • FCC: Phone Companies Don’t Have to Share New Broadband Conduit
  • FCC Asks Comcast, AT&T & T-Mobile about ‘Zero-Rating’ Services
  • On Internet Freedoms, China Tells the World, ‘Leave Us Alone’
  • The Force Is Strong with WSDOT on ‘Star Wars’ Opening Day
  • Pandora Soars on Favorable Music Royalties Ruling
  • Governor Inslee Announces Supplemental Washington State Budget Proposal
  • Employers Applaud ‘Cadillac’ Health Tax Delay But Still Seek Repeal
  • Mason EDC Exec: Sierra Pacific Arrival Bringing Some Jobs
  • Port of Shelton Releases Tenant Employee Numbers
  • Santa Expected to Deliver 1 Million Drones This Christmas
  • Mother Teresa to Be Made a Saint after Pope OKs Miracle
  • With ‘Force Awakens,’ ‘Star Wars’ Expands Its Universe
WORD OF THE DAY

Objet Trouvéplay ● \OB-zhay – troo-VAY/ ● Noun – A natural or discarded object found by chance & held to have aesthetic value.

The objet trouvéplay
Coke bottle; Gods are crazy
Throw the thing away

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Aluminum Industry Woes Felt Deeply in Washington State (Everett Herald, WA)

Oily Politics: Vancouver Energy Draws New Complaint over Mailer (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Oregon: Columbia River PUD Approves $33.8 Million Budget (Pamplin Media Group, Portland, OR)

Canada: BC Hydro Boss Orders Investigation into Misleading Statements to Utility Commission (Vancouver Sun, BC)
http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/hydro+boss+orders+investigation+into+misleading+statements/11597399/story.html?__lsa=c1e1-ddd1

Arizona’s Head Utility Regulator, Susan Bitter Smith Resigns (Utility Dive)

U-S Hydroelectric Power Sector Could Benefit From Pair of Incentive Programs (Renewable Energy World)

Fitch: Natural Gas Record Low is Positive for U-S Public Power (BusinessWire)

Widespread Grid Defection: What Are the Odds? (American Public Power Association)

New Database Provides Monthly Inventory & Status of U-S Electric Generating Plants (U-S Energy Information Administration)

Practice Safety around Electricity This Holiday Season (Glendale Star, AZ)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Rainstorms, Flood Stage Rivers Make It Difficult to Maintain Target Flows for Spawning Chum (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

Public Can Comment on Hatchery Reform Plan for Lower Columbia River (Longview Daily News, WA)

California: Salmon Season Ending This Week in Sacramento River (Sacramento Bee, CA)

Non-Native Crayfish Invade Crater Lake (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Measure Would Require Labels for Genetically Engineered Salmon (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Snoqualmie Tribe Sues City of Snoqualmie, Mayor over Utility Agreement (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

RENEWABLE ENERGY

All of a Sudden, Oregon’s Renewable Energy Future Looks Very Bright (Portland Business Journal, OR)

Iberdrola USA, UIL Holdings Merge to Become an ‘American Energy Giant’ (North America Wind Power)

Solar Fight Flares in Florida over Institute Report (Jacksonville Business Journal, FL)

Editorial: Setting the Sun on a Boondoggle – Costly solar subsidies are an affront to the taxpayer (Washington Times)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

How a Shift to LED Lighting Is Saving Sports Teams Millions of Dollars (Forbes Magazine)

Obama Administration Unveils ‘Historic’ Efficiency Rules for Air Conditioners (The Hill, Washington , DC)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

Oregon: Warm Springs Tribes Approve Marijuana Sales in Historic Vote (Oregonian, Portland)

Big Win, Several Losses for Cannabis Businesses in Congressional Bill (Marijuana Business Daily)

Congress Tries to Clear the Air between States, Feds over Legal Pot – Nearly 60 percent of Americans support legalization (Bellingham Herald, WA)

Why Supreme Court Is Asking the Federal Government about Marijuana (Christian Science Monitor)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

California Billionaire Backing Washington Climate Change Effort (Associated Press)

Study: World’s Lake Temperatures Rising Fast, Likely to Worsen Problems Such as Algae Blooms (Associated Press)

Just How Fast Is Greenland Melting? (Christian Science Monitor)

Don’t Freak Out, But We Might Be Geoengineering With Contrails (Grist Online)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

FCC: Phone Companies Don’t Have to Share New Broadband Conduit (Broadcasting & Cable)

FCC Asks Comcast, AT&T & T-Mobile about ‘Zero-Rating’ Services (NY Times)

On Internet Freedoms, China Tells the World, ‘Leave Us Alone’ (Christian Science Monitor)

MARKETING & MEDIA

The Force Is Strong with WSDOT on ‘Star Wars’ Opening Day (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

Pandora Soars on Favorable Music Royalties Ruling (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Governor Inslee Announces Supplemental Washington State Budget Proposal (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

Employers Applaud ‘Cadillac’ Health Tax Delay But Still Seek Repeal (Associated Press)

GENERAL NEWS

Mason EDC Exec: Sierra Pacific Arrival Bringing Some Jobs (South Sound Business Examiner)

Port of Shelton Releases Tenant Employee Numbers (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Santa Expected to Deliver 1 Million Drones This Christmas (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

Mother Teresa to Be Made a Saint after Pope OKs Miracle (NY Times)

With ‘Force Awakens,’ ‘Star Wars’ Expands Its Universe

DIVERSIONS

Applebee’s Employee Returns $32K in Cash Left in Booth

Coming to the Washington State Capitol: ‘Festivus’ Display – Time for the Airing of the Grievances!

Miracle Kitten Comes Back to Life after (Nearly) Freezing to Death

Lip Balm Containing Pot Ingredient Thrown Out at Anchorage Military Base

SONG OF THE DAY

The Pretenders – Thin Line between Love & Hate


SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENERGY NEWS DIGEST

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

THE NEWS DIGEST TWITTER FEED

Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices:

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.

Note that as some newspapers migrate to a “paywall” system of access, some articles may not be available without forking over some cold hard credit card cash. However, some sites will allow a certain number of story accesses per month before holding out their hand. Sorry if this is an inconvenience.