The Energy News Digest for January 5, 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

Nuclear Power Ventures Heat Up Around Washington State (Washington State Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/01/02/nuclear-power-ventures-heat-up-around-washington-state/

Germany: Activist Group Says It Was Behind Berlin Fire That Cut Power to Thousands (British Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c78v984ywgeo

Big Tech’s Fast-Expanding Plans for Data Centers Are Running into Stiff Community Opposition (Associated Press)

https://courthousenews.com/big-techs-fast-expanding-plans-for-data-centers-are-running-into-stiff-community-opposition/

Wyoming: Backer of Controversial Seminoe Pumped Hydroelectric Project Proposes New Tack (WyoFile)

https://wyofile.com/backer-of-controversial-seminoe-hydroelectric-project-proposes-new-tack/

Offshore Wind Companies Challenge Trump Anti-Wind Orders (The Hill, Washington, DC)

https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/5670336-offshore-wind-trump-court-challenge/

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.        Nuclear Power Ventures Heat Up Around Washington State

2.        Germany: Activist Group Says It Was Behind Berlin Fire That Cut Power to Thousands

3.        California: Modesto Man Electrocuted, Killed by Touching MID Transformer Line

4.        Three Maryland Men Charged with Stealing Millions in Copper Materials Linked to Organized Crime, Deputies Say

5.        Puget Sound Energy Electric, Natural Gas Rates Go Up

6.        WA State: Car Suspended in the Air After Driver Hits Downed Power Lines in Mason County

7.        ESIG Task Force Recommends Transmission Reforms for a More Reliable, Efficient Grid

8.        Negative Prices for Electricity Are Getting More Common in Europe & Consumer Costs Have Dipped—While Americans Face Rising Energy Bills

9.        Oregon:100 Years of Albany Hydro: Is This the End?

10.     Offshore Wind Companies Challenge Trump Anti-Wind Orders

11.     Wyoming: Backer of Controversial Seminoe Pumped Hydroelectric Project Proposes New Tack

12.     California Water District Plans Up to 21 GW of Solar on Land Fallowed Due to Water Shortages

13.     New California Fee Seeks to Increase Collection, Recycling of Lithium Batteries

14.     U.S. Senate Bill Would Strip Broadband Funding

15.     Big Tech’s Fast-Expanding Plans for Data Centers Are Running into Stiff Community Opposition

16.     Artificial Intelligence Data Centers Are Forcing Dirty ‘Peaker’ Power Plants Back into Service

17.     $126 Million Incentive Program for Zero-Emission Trucks Nears Launch in WA

18.     Tesla Loses Title as World’s Biggest Electric Vehicle Maker as Sales Fall for Second Year in a Row

19.     Kansas Co-op Wins National Electric Vehicle Award for Education, Infrastructure Efforts

20.     Energy Critical in 2026 WA Legislative Session, Ybarra Says

21.     Winter Storm Warning: Tough Travel Over the Oregon Mountains Midweek

22.     Up to Four Feet of Snow Expected in the Washington Cascades This Week

23.     Guest Essay: Building Up Idaho’s Energy Infrastructure

24.     Guest Essay: Before Alaska Becomes an Artificial Intelligence Data Farm, Be Sure to Read the Fine Print

Word of the Day

Solar System \SOE-lerr SIS-tum\ Noun - The sun together with the group of celestial bodies that are held by its attraction and revolve around it; also: a similar system centered on another star.

When did unpermitted mystical creation become OK in someone’s backyard, on their roof, or in the arid desert? “I just installed a solar system at my house,” puffed the spectacled, weekend handyman to his awestruck neighbor. “Wow,” the bystander exclaimed. “How many planets does it have, and are any of them inhabited?”

Energy & Utility Issues

1.        Nuclear Power Ventures Heat Up Around Washington State (Washington State Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/01/02/nuclear-power-ventures-heat-up-around-washington-state/

2.        Germany: Activist Group Says It Was Behind Berlin Fire That Cut Power to Thousands (British Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c78v984ywgeo

3.        California: Modesto Man Electrocuted, Killed by Touching MID Transformer Line (Modesto Bee, CA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.modbee.com/news/local/article314085604.html

4.        Three Maryland Men Charged with Stealing Millions in Copper Materials Linked to Organized Crime, Deputies Say (WTOP Radio, Washington, DC)

https://wtop.com/loudoun-county/2025/12/three-men-charged-with-stealing-millions-in-copper-materials-linked-to-organized-crime-according-to-police/

5.        Puget Sound Energy Electric, Natural Gas Rates Go Up (Snoqualmie Valley Record, WA)

https://www.valleyrecord.com/northwest/puget-sound-energy-electric-natural-gas-rates-go-up/

6.        WA State: Car Suspended in the Air After Driver Hits Downed Power Lines in Mason County (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/car-suspended-by-power-lines-after-driver-crashes-into-power-pole-mason-county/A34T7ATKOREULMYWPD3P23EG74/

7.        ESIG Task Force Recommends Transmission Reforms for a More Reliable, Efficient Grid (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/esig-task-force-recommends-transmission-reforms-for-a-more-reliable-effici/808749/

8.        Negative Prices for Electricity Are Getting More Common in Europe & Consumer Costs Have Dipped—While Americans Face Rising Energy Bills (Fortune Magazine)

https://fortune.com/2026/01/01/negative-prices-electricity-european-union-solar-wind-spain-france-germany-us-energy-bills/

9.        Oregon:100 Years of Albany Hydro: Is This the End? (Hasso-Hering News, Albany, OR)

https://hh-today.com/100-years-of-albany-hydro-is-this-the-end/

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

10.     Offshore Wind Companies Challenge Trump Anti-Wind Orders (The Hill, Washington, DC)

https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/5670336-offshore-wind-trump-court-challenge/

11.     Wyoming: Backer of Controversial Seminoe Pumped Hydroelectric Project Proposes New Tack (WyoFile)

https://wyofile.com/backer-of-controversial-seminoe-hydroelectric-project-proposes-new-tack/

12.     California Water District Plans Up to 21 GW of Solar on Land Fallowed Due to Water Shortages (PV Magazine)

https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2026/01/02/california-water-district-plans-up-to-21-gw-of-solar-on-land-fallowed-due-to-water-shortages/

13.     New California Fee Seeks to Increase Collection, Recycling of Lithium Batteries (San Mateo Daily Journal, CA)

https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/state/new-california-fee-seeks-to-increase-collection-recycling-of-lithium-batteries/article_05340d1d-83dd-4674-a695-6389150b839a.html

London Calling –Telecommunications

14.     U.S. Senate Bill Would Strip Broadband Funding (Pacific Northwest Ag Network)

https://pnwag.net/strip-broadband-funding/

The Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity

15.     Big Tech’s Fast-Expanding Plans for Data Centers Are Running into Stiff Community Opposition (Associated Press)

https://courthousenews.com/big-techs-fast-expanding-plans-for-data-centers-are-running-into-stiff-community-opposition/

16.     Artificial Intelligence Data Centers Are Forcing Dirty ‘Peaker’ Power Plants Back into Service (Reuters)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/ai-data-centers-are-forcing-dirty-peaker-power-plants-back-into-service/ar-AA1SUMxP

I Sing the Car Electric

17.     $126 Million Incentive Program for Zero-Emission Trucks Nears Launch in WA (Washington State Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/01/05/126m-incentive-program-for-zero-emission-trucks-nears-launch-in-wa/

18.     Tesla Loses Title as World’s Biggest Electric Vehicle Maker as Sales Fall for Second Year in a Row (NBC News)

https://www.nbcnews.com/business/autos/tesla-loses-title-worlds-biggest-ev-maker-sales-fall-rcna251932

19.     Kansas Co-op Wins National Electric Vehicle Award for Education, Infrastructure Efforts (National Rural Electric Cooperative Association)

https://www.electric.coop/kansas-co-op-wins-national-ev-award-for-education-infrastructure-efforts

Politics, Governance, and Management

20.     Energy Critical in 2026 WA Legislative Session, Ybarra Says (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

https://columbiabasinherald.com/news/2026/jan/05/energy-critical-in-2026-wa-legislative-session-ybarra-says/

Other Things to Know About Today

21.     Winter Storm Warning: Tough Travel Over the Oregon Mountains Midweek (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.koin.com/weather/winter-storm-warning-tough-travel-over-the-mountains-midweek-01052026/

22.     Up to Four Feet of Snow Expected in the Washington Cascades This Week (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/weather/winter-storm-warning-heavy-snow-cascades/281-50997c33-22c2-48aa-90e0-bc5710a0bee8

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

23.     Guest Essay: Building Up Idaho’s Energy Infrastructure (Idaho State Journal)

https://www.idahostatejournal.com/townnews/hydrography/opinion-building-up-idahos-energy-infrastructure/article_a5283444-6230-557f-acbd-70d0e76219cb.html

24.     Guest Essay: Before Alaska Becomes an Artificial Intelligence Data Farm, Be Sure to Read the Fine Print (Anchorage Daily News, AK)
https://www.adn.com/opinions/2026/01/03/opinion-before-alaska-becomes-an-ai-data-farm-be-sure-to-read-the-fine-print/

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

Bluefin Tuna Fetches Record $3.2m at Tokyo Auction

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/bluefin-tuna-fetches-record-3-081953186.htm

Artificial Intelligence-Generated Police Report States Utah Officer Was Turned into a Frog

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/01/05/Heber-City-Police-Department-AI-program-officer-frog/9641767634540/

Sniffing Cities: Researcher Uses ‘Smell Walks’ to Map the World’s Scents

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/smellscape-atlas-9.7031519

Escaped Monkey Causes Chaos Inside Tennessee Music Store

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/01/05/escaped-monkey-music-store-Trade-Center-Morristown-Tennessee/9181767626784/

Song of the Day

Dimitri Tiomkin – The Old Man and the Sea (Soundtrack Suite)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iTn8Ftq9Sg

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 Decembruary 31, 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

California Regulators Order Edison to Look for Fire Risks on Its Old Transmission Lines (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via MSN)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/california-regulators-order-edison-to-look-for-fire-risks-on-its-old-transmission-lines/ar-AA1Thx5a

Lake Powell Drops 36 Feet in One Year as Water Crisis Deepens (KSTU-TV, Salt Lake City, UT)

https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/southern-utah/lake-powell-drops-36-feet-in-one-year-as-water-crisis-deepens

Oregon Faced a Huge Obstacle in Adding Green Energy. Here’s What Changed This Year (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/12/30/oregon-renewable-energy-transmission-lines/

Understanding Seal Predation on Salmon (Northwest Treaty Tribes)

https://nwtreatytribes.org/understanding-seal-predation-on-salmon/

A Lightbulb Moment – December 31, 1879: Thomas Edison Demonstrates His Greatest Invention

https://thisdayofhistory.com/2025/12/30/december-31-1879-thomas-edison-demonstrates-his-greatest-invention/

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      California Regulators Order Edison to Look for Fire Risks on Its Old Transmission Lines

2.      California: Lower Bills for Pacific Gas & Electric Customers in 2026

3.      Idaho Power Receives Approval for $110 Million Rate Increase Effective January 2026

4.      BC Hydro Rates to Climb 3.75% In Each of Next Two Years

5.      What Happens When Utilities Raise the Fixed Charge & Lower the Energy Charge?

6.      Attorneys Spar in Motion to Dismiss Boardman to Hemingway Power Line Lawsuit

7.      Utah Fortunately Finishes Last in Study of States Most Likely to Experience Prolonged Power Outages

8.      Oregon Faced a Huge Obstacle in Adding Green Energy. Here’s What Changed This Year

9.      Understanding Seal Predation on Salmon

10.   Lake Powell Drops 36 Feet in One Year as Water Crisis Deepens

11.   California Will Start 2026 Far Below Peak Snowpack

12.   2025 Was One of Three Hottest Years on Record, Scientists Say

13.   Congress Active with Broadband Bills

14.   WA State: Data Centers Possible Hidden & Dangerous Impacts to the Tri-Cities

15.   Stargazing Calendar 2026: Late-Night Eclipse & a Christmas Eve Supermoon

16.   Flu Is Rising Rapidly, Driven by a New Variant. Here’s What to Know

Wish of the Day

Best Wishes on a Wonderful 2026.

     Time circles the drain

     Pleasant memories remain

     Bad ones flushed away

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      California Regulators Order Edison to Look for Fire Risks on Its Old Transmission Lines (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via MSN)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/california-regulators-order-edison-to-look-for-fire-risks-on-its-old-transmission-lines/ar-AA1Thx5a

2.      California: Lower Bills for Pacific Gas & Electric Customers in 2026 (MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/economy/lower-bills-for-pg-e-customers-in-2026/ar-AA1Tjunk

3.      Idaho Power Receives Approval for $110 Million Rate Increase Effective January 2026 (Investing Magazine)

https://www.investing.com/news/sec-filings/idaho-power-receives-approval-for-110-million-rate-increase-effective-january-2026-93CH-4426399

4.      BC Hydro Rates to Climb 3.75% In Each of Next Two Years (Global News, Canada)

https://globalnews.ca/news/11085319/bc-hydro-rate-increase/

5.      What Happens When Utilities Raise the Fixed Charge & Lower the Energy Charge? (PV Magazine)

https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2025/12/30/what-happens-when-utilities-raise-the-fixed-charge-and-lower-the-energy-charge/

6.      Attorneys Spar in Motion to Dismiss Boardman to Hemingway Power Line Lawsuit (Baker City Herald, OR)

https://bakercityherald.com/2025/12/29/attorneys-spar-in-over-motion-to-dismiss-idaho-power-co-lawsuit-to-use-private-property-for-b2h-power-line/

7.      Utah Fortunately Finishes Last in Study of States Most Likely to Experience Prolonged Power Outages (Cache Valley Daily, UT)

https://www.cachevalleydaily.com/utah-fortunately-finishes-last-in-study-of-states-most-likely-to-experience-prolonged-power-outages/article_6ec5d353-49d0-42ea-9d33-f2a61351d4e2.html

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

8.      Oregon Faced a Huge Obstacle in Adding Green Energy. Here’s What Changed This Year (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/12/30/oregon-renewable-energy-transmission-lines/

Fish & Wildlife

9.      Understanding Seal Predation on Salmon (Northwest Treaty Tribes)

https://nwtreatytribes.org/understanding-seal-predation-on-salmon/

Water, Water, Anywhere?

10.   Lake Powell Drops 36 Feet in One Year as Water Crisis Deepens (KSTU-TV, Salt Lake City, UT)

https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/southern-utah/lake-powell-drops-36-feet-in-one-year-as-water-crisis-deepens

11.   California Will Start 2026 Far Below Peak Snowpack (KTVU-TV, Oakland, CA)

https://www.ktvu.com/news/california-will-start-2026-far-below-peak-snowpack

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

12.   2025 Was One of Three Hottest Years on Record, Scientists Say (Associated Press)

https://www.seattlepi.com/business/2025-was-one-of-three-hottest-years-on-record-a21266899

London Calling –Telecommunications

13.   Congress Active with Broadband Bills (Pots & Pans)

https://potsandpansbyccg.com/2025/12/30/congress-active-with-broadband-bills/

The Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity

14.   WA State: Data Centers Possible Hidden & Dangerous Impacts to the Tri-Cities (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

https://610kona.com/ixp/134/p/tri-cities-data-centers-concerns/

Barrel O’ Green Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science

15.   Stargazing Calendar 2026: Late-Night Eclipse & a Christmas Eve Supermoon (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/weather/2025/12/stargazing-calendar-2026-late-night-eclipse-and-a-christmas-eve-supermoon.html

Other Things to Know About Today

16.   Flu Is Rising Rapidly, Driven by a New Variant. Here’s What to Know (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/flu-subclade-k-cdc-vaccine-ca9bd270ca70602775168b0b651e3b2a

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

A Lightbulb Moment – December 31, 1879: Thomas Edison Demonstrates His Greatest Invention

https://thisdayofhistory.com/2025/12/30/december-31-1879-thomas-edison-demonstrates-his-greatest-invention/

$400,000 Worth of Lobster Stolen En Route to Costco Stores, Shipper Says

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/lobster-stolen-en-route-costco-stores-rcna251110

Thieves Drill into German Bank Vault & Empty 3,000 Safety Deposit Boxes

https://www.oregonlive.com/nation/2025/12/thieves-drill-into-bank-vault-and-empty-3000-safety-deposit-boxes-in-germany.html

Rowing Team Crossing Atlantic Ocean Stops to Rescue Sea Turtle

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2025/12/29/Worlds-Toughest-Row-Call-to-Earth-sea-turtle-rescue/2021767025095/

Song of the Day

I See the Light - Tangled Soundtrack

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chDDxukoT1M&list=RDchDDxukoT1M

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 Decembruary 29, 2025

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

A Bomb Cyclone Brings Blizzards & Dangerous Wind Chills to the Midwest

https://apnews.com/article/winter-weather-blizzard-storm-cb49c60e237aa67d7a296d04da78193b

The U.S. May Have a Secret Weapon Against Rising Electricity Prices (Washington Post – Via Yahoo! News)

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/u-may-secret-weapon-against-185617742.html

Clark County Residents Say They’ll Get All the Burdens & None of the Benefits of Proposed PacifiCorp Transmission Line (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/12/27/clark-county-proposed-pacificorp-transmission-line/

A Year of Grace Remaining, Spokane Pivots on Its Energy Generating Trash Incinerator (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/dec/25/a-year-of-grace-remaining-spokane-pivots-on-its-en/

Oregon Launches Rebate Program to Help Businesses Pay for Electric Fleet Vehicles (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/12/25/oregon-truck-owners-electric-vehicles-gas-powered/

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      The U.S. May Have a Secret Weapon Against Rising Electricity Prices

2.      Clark County Residents Say They’ll Get All the Burdens & None of the Benefits of Proposed PacifiCorp Transmission Line

3.      Pacific Gas & Electric Chief Praises Service Restorations as San Francisco Supervisor Blasts Repeated Outages

4.      A Power Outage Can Turn Dangerous Fast. Here’s How to Prepare

5.      USDA Intervenes in California Hydropower Decommissioning as FERC Reviews Potter Valley Project

6.      Oregon: Portland General Electric, Tribes Replace Valves at Round Butte Hydropower Dam

7.      A Year of Grace Remaining, Spokane Pivots on Its Energy Generating Trash Incinerator

8.      Experts Make Astonishing Discovery After Installing Solar Panels Above Rooftop Gardens: 'Can Have a Function'

9.      Idaho’s Fort Hall Is One Example of How Broadband Gaps Create Health Gaps, Too

10.   WA State: Data Center Development Plans Underway in West Richland

11.   ‘The Past Gives Comfort’: Finding Refuge on Analog Islands Amid Deepening Digital Seas

12.   Oregon Launches Rebate Program to Help Businesses Pay for Electric Fleet Vehicles

13.   Gmail To Let Users Change Their Addresses While Keeping Data

14.   Head of WA Department of Commerce Is Leaving

15.   A Bomb Cyclone Brings Blizzards & Dangerous Wind Chills to the Midwest

Word of the Day – Joel’s Horrible Haiku

Decembruary /dee-SEM-brew-air-ee/ Noun – The days between Christmas and New Year’s when absolutely nothing gets done. Nor is it expected to.

     Decembruary

     Lazy days at the year’s end

     Nothing’s going on

https://joelshorriblehaiku.blogspot.com/

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      The U.S. May Have a Secret Weapon Against Rising Electricity Prices (Washington Post – Via Yahoo! News)

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/u-may-secret-weapon-against-185617742.html

2.      Clark County Residents Say They’ll Get All the Burdens & None of the Benefits of Proposed PacifiCorp Transmission Line (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/12/27/clark-county-proposed-pacificorp-transmission-line/

3.      Pacific Gas & Electric Chief Praises Service Restorations as San Francisco Supervisor Blasts Repeated Outages (Patch San Francisco, CA)

https://patch.com/california/san-francisco/pg-e-chief-praises-service-restorations-sf-supervisor-blasts-repeated

4.      A Power Outage Can Turn Dangerous Fast. Here’s How to Prepare (Associated Press)

https://www.seattlepi.com/news/a-power-outage-can-turn-dangerous-fast-here-s-a21266323

5.      USDA Intervenes in California Hydropower Decommissioning as FERC Reviews Potter Valley Project (Waterpower Magazine)

https://www.waterpowermagazine.com/news/usda-intervenes-in-california-hydropower-decommissioning-as-ferc-reviews-potter-valley-project/

6.      Oregon: Portland General Electric, Tribes Replace Valves at Round Butte Hydropower Dam (Bend Bulletin, OR – Paywall Advisory)

https://bendbulletin.com/2025/12/29/pge-tribes-replace-valves-at-round-butte-hydropower-dam/

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

7.      A Year of Grace Remaining, Spokane Pivots on Its Energy Generating Trash Incinerator (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/dec/25/a-year-of-grace-remaining-spokane-pivots-on-its-en/

8.      Experts Make Astonishing Discovery After Installing Solar Panels Above Rooftop Gardens: 'Can Have a Function' (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/experts-astonishing-discovery-installing-solar-200000901.html

London Calling –Telecommunications

9.      Idaho’s Fort Hall Is One Example of How Broadband Gaps Create Health Gaps, Too (States Newsroom)

https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/idahos-fort-hall-one-example-how-broadband-gaps-create-health-gaps-too

The Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity

10.   WA State: Data Center Development Plans Underway in West Richland (KNDO & KNDU-TV, Yakima/Tri-Cities, WA)

https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/data-center-development-plans-underway-in-west-richland/article_d7e3db46-d624-40e5-91f1-293e336f33e2.html

11.   ‘The Past Gives Comfort’: Finding Refuge on Analog Islands Amid Deepening Digital Seas (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/analog-activity-vinyl-cards-digital-a22ec5ff50c91d73fb814e48b43b2511

I Sing the Car Electric

12.   Oregon Launches Rebate Program to Help Businesses Pay for Electric Fleet Vehicles (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/12/25/oregon-truck-owners-electric-vehicles-gas-powered/

Public Relations, Marketing & Media

13.   Gmail To Let Users Change Their Addresses While Keeping Data (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/dec/28/gmail-to-let-users-change-their-addresses-while-ke/

Politics, Governance, and Management

14.   Head of WA Department of Commerce Is Leaving (Washington State Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/briefs/head-of-wa-department-of-commerce-is-leaving/

Other Things to Know About Today

15.   A Bomb Cyclone Brings Blizzards & Dangerous Wind Chills to the Midwest (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/winter-weather-blizzard-storm-cb49c60e237aa67d7a296d04da78193b

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

Cloudy Future for Bourbon Has Jim Beam Closing Kentucky Distillery for a Year

https://apnews.com/article/jim-beam-bourbon-distillery-shutdown-kentucky-a8303cd04005a9108ff43690faad421b

Brigitte Bardot Dies at 91

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/celebrity/articles/brigitte-bardot-god-created-woman-103020883.html

Skier Glides Down Mount Etna as Volcano Erupts in the Background

https://dnyuz.com/2025/12/28/skier-glides-down-mount-etna-as-volcano-erupts-in-the-background/

Illinois Teen Builds 17.32-Foot Eiffel Tower Out of Toothpicks

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2025/12/24/Guinness-World-Records-tallest-toothpick-sculpture/2651766600790/

Song of the Day

Willie Nelson – Whiskey River

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKN3kV4_0w4

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