Energy News Digest for January 6, 2016

Occasionally get out the feather duster to clear the cache & history of your internet browser. It will help when trying to access news sites that count your visits.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for January 6, 2017

Small Craft Advisory for Puget Sound & Hood Canal

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Snow & Freezing Rain Possible for Mason County This Weekend (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/23322

Bonneville Power Administration Load Tops 10,000 MW on Winter Storm (Platts)

http://www.platts.com/latest-news/electric-power/houston/bonneville-power-administration-load-tops-10000-21517800

Avista Spent $10 Million on Idaho Energy Efficiency Programs (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2017/jan/04/avista-spent-10-million-on-idaho-energy-efficiency/

ESA-Listed Chum Salmon Below Bonneville Dam Show Good Spawning Rate – Flows Maintained to Cover Redds (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/438156.aspx

Northwest Cable News Set to Go Off Air Friday Night (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2017/jan/06/northwest-cable-news-set-to-go-off-air-friday-nigh/

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Bonneville Power Administration Load Tops 10,000 MW on Winter Storm
• Daily Energy Demands in North Central Washington State Hit All-Time Highs Again
• Grant PUD Electrical System Demand Hits Winter Record
• Near Record Demand for Electricity in Centralia
• Nuclear Power in Washington State Continues to Break Records
• Grays Harbor PUD Customers Victim of Scam Once Again
• Dozen Years Enough for Washington State UTC Commissioner Jones
• Power Returns to Vegas’ Rio Casino After Week of Issues
• ESA-Listed Chum Salmon Below Bonneville Dam Show Good Spawning Rate
• Idaho’s Sage Grouse Lawsuit Dismissed by Federal Judge
• Washington State Offers Steelhead License Plates to Help Fund Conservation of Native Steelhead
• ‘Salmon Cannon’ Gives Fish a Boost Over Dams
• Oregon PUC Release Guidelines for Energy Storage Mandate
• Avista Spent $10 Million on Idaho Energy Efficiency Programs
• How Much Marijuana Was Sold in 2016? A Lot!
• What Another Ice Shelf Collapse Might Mean for Antarctica & the Planet
• Falcons, Drones, Data: A Winery Battles Climate Change
• All That Glitters is Not Green: Costa Rica’s Renewables Conceal Dependence on Oil
• Northwest Cable News Set to Go Off Air Friday Night
• KOMO Cuts Positions in Its Newsroom
• Snapchat Stats Are Bogus, Fired Snap Employee Says
• Obama Was Too Good at Social Media
• Stop Using the Phrase Creative Writing
• Lawmakers Seek to Ban Use of Handheld Devices by Drivers
• Washington State Congresswoman DelBene Gets Coveted Seat on House Ways & Means Committee
• A Record 75 Straight Months of Job Growth Under Obama
• Snow & Freezing Rain Possible for Mason County This Weekend
• Forecasters: Cold Temps Could Bring Snow This Weekend
• 18 Dogs Killed in Fire at Warehouse-Like Building Near Tumwater
• City of Shelton – Mason Street Water Main Break
• Montana Not Able to Pay STEM Scholarship Winners for Their Awards
• Inslee Proclaims January 6, 2017 “Seahawks Blue Friday”

WORD OF THE DAY

Anachronism • \ uh-NAH-kruh-nizz-um\ • noun - 1: an error in chronology; especially: a chronological misplacing of persons, events, objects, or customs in regard to each other 2: a person or a thing that is chronologically out of place; especially: one from a former age that is incongruous in the present 3: the state or condition of being chronologically out of place.

Bobby had to smile every time he filled out a form for a software upgrade for his turbo charged office PC. The order forms were only available as multi part NEC documents. The irony of this anachronism was not lost on him, especially since the documents required him to use his 1949 Royal Standard typewriter to fill them out.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Bonneville Power Administration Load Tops 10,000 MW on Winter Storm (Platts)

http://www.platts.com/latest-news/electric-power/houston/bonneville-power-administration-load-tops-10000-21517800

Daily Energy Demands in North Central Washington State Hit All-Time Highs Again (North Central Washington Life, East Wenatchee, WA)

http://www.ncwlife.com/daily-energy-demands-in-ncw-hit-all-time-highs/

Grant PUD Electrical System Demand Hits Winter Record (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, Wa)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/article/20170106/ARTICLE/170109947

Near Record Demand for Electricity in Centralia (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2017/01/near-record-demand-for-electricity-in.html

Nuclear Power in Washington State Continues to Break Records (Forbes Magazine)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2017/01/06/nuclear-power-in-washington-state-continues-to-break-records/#770a01a27686

Grays Harbor PUD Customers Victim of Scam Once Again (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

http://www.kxro.com/pud-customers-victim-scam/

Dozen Years Enough for Washington State UTC Commissioner Jones (South Sound Business Examiner)

http://www.businessexaminer.com/blog/January-2017/Dozen-years-enough-for-UTC-commissioner/

Power Returns to Vegas’ Rio Casino After Week of Issues (Associated Press)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/power-returns-to-vegas-rio-casino-after-week-of-issues/2017/01/06/d99af66e-d432-11e6-9651-54a0154cf5b3_story.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

ESA-Listed Chum Salmon Below Bonneville Dam Show Good Spawning Rate – Flows Maintained to Cover Redds (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/438156.aspx

Idaho’s Sage Grouse Lawsuit Dismissed by Federal Judge (Associated Press)

http://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/idahos-sage-grouse-lawsuit-dismissed-by-federal-judge/

Washington State Offers Steelhead License Plates to Help Fund Conservation of Native Steelhead (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/438151.aspx

‘Salmon Cannon’ Gives Fish a Boost Over Dams (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/2017/01/salmon-cannon-gives-fish-a-boost-over-dams.html

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Oregon PUC Release Guidelines for Energy Storage Mandate (Utility Dive)

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/oregon-puc-release-guidelines-for-energy-storage-mandate/433462/

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Avista Spent $10 Million on Idaho Energy Efficiency Programs (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2017/jan/04/avista-spent-10-million-on-idaho-energy-efficiency/

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

How Much Marijuana Was Sold in 2016? A Lot! (Washington Post)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/on-small-business/wp/2017/01/06/how-much-marijuana-was-sold-in-2016-a-lot/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

What Another Ice Shelf Collapse Might Mean for Antarctica & the Planet (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2017/0106/What-another-ice-shelf-collapse-might-mean-for-Antarctica-and-the-planet

Falcons, Drones, Data: A Winery Battles Climate Change (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/05/business/california-wine-climate-change.html?ref=energy-environment&_r=0

SCIENCE SWIMS IN A BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

All That Glitters is Not Green: Costa Rica’s Renewables Conceal Dependence on Oil (The Guardian, UK)

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/05/costa-rica-renewable-energy-oil-cars

MARKETING & MEDIA

Northwest Cable News Set to Go Off Air Friday Night (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2017/jan/06/northwest-cable-news-set-to-go-off-air-friday-nigh/

KOMO Cuts Positions in Its Newsroom (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

http://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/komo-cuts-positions-in-newsroom/

Snapchat Stats Are Bogus, Fired Snap Employee Says (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2017/01/05/fired-snapchat-employee-lawsuit-fake-metrics/96213136/

Obama Was Too Good at Social Media (Atlantic Magazine)

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/01/did-america-need-a-social-media-president/512405/

Stop Using the Phrase Creative Writing – It’s time to stop devaluing the forms of writing most people engage in (Slate Magazine)

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/inside_higher_ed/2017/01/let_s_banish_the_phrase_creative_writing.html

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Lawmakers Seek to Ban Use of Handheld Devices by Drivers (Associated Press – Glanced over at a driver this morning who appeared to be watching sports videos while driving down the road)

http://www.khq.com/story/34196533/lawmakers-seek-to-ban-use-of-handheld-devices-by-drivers

Washington State Congresswoman DelBene Gets Coveted Seat on House Ways & Means Committee (Seattle Post Intelligencer, WA)

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/politics/article/Rep-DelBene-gets-coveted-seat-on-House-Ways-and-10838669.php

A Record 75 Straight Months of Job Growth Under Obama (KCPQ-TV, Seattle/Tacoma, WA)

http://q13fox.com/2017/01/06/final-tally-obama-created-11-3-million-jobs/

GENERAL NEWS

Snow & Freezing Rain Possible for Mason County This Weekend (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/23322

Forecasters: Cold Temps Could Bring Snow This Weekend (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/weather/article/Cold-temps-could-bring-snow-this-weekend-10838540.php

18 Dogs Killed in Fire at Warehouse-Like Building Near Tumwater (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

http://www.kiro7.com/news/local/25-dogs-believed-dead-after-warehouse-like-building-fire-near-tumwater/481641207

City of Shelton – Mason Street Water Main Break (City of Shelton Facebook Page, WA)

https://www.facebook.com/cityofsheltonwa/posts/675052532666857

Montana Not Able to Pay STEM Scholarship Winners for Their Awards (Associated Press)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2017/jan/06/montana-not-able-to-pay-stem-scholarship-winners-f/

Inslee Proclaims January 6, 2017 “Seahawks Blue Friday” (KNDO/KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.nbcrightnow.com/story/34195537/inslee-proclaims-january-6-2017-seahawks-blue-friday

BIRDBRAINS – DIVERSIONS

Hawks Unleashed on Crows in Downtown Portland

http://koin.com/2017/01/05/hawks-unleashed-on-crows-in-downtown-portland/

Facebook Post – Who’s There? Mason PUD 3’s Infrared Inspection Finds High-Powered Owl

https://www.facebook.com/MASONPUD3/posts/1210911912329239

Unique Glass Penny from World War II Sells for $70,000

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2017/jan/06/possibly-unique-glass-penny-from-world-war-ii-sell/

Watch a Man’s Beautiful Waterfall Proposal End in Disaster

http://time.com/4624200/waterfall-proposal-fail/

SONG OF THE DAY

Leonard Cohen - Bird on a Wire

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8fT7rnRotY

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

Links in the news digest lead to current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links. There may be paywall barriers, unless you are willing to fork over some dough or if you have a clean browser history.

Occasionally get out the feather duster to clear the cache & history of your internet browser. It will help when trying to access news sites that count your visits.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for January 5, 2017

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Energy Northwest’s Richland Nuclear Plant Sets Generation Record (Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/hanford/article124544564.html

Governor’s Report: Salmon Remain in Trouble in Washington State (Associated Press)

http://mynorthwest.com/503587/governors-report-salmon-remain-in-trouble-in-washington/

Kootenay Mayors Urge ‘Strong Stand’ on Columbia River Treaty (Arrow Lake News, BC)

http://www.arrowlakesnews.com/news/407953536.html

NOAA Challenged the Global Warming ‘Pause’ –New Research Says the Agency Was Right (Washington Post)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/01/04/noaa-challenged-the-global-warming-pause-now-new-research-says-the-agency-was-right/

Generators, Space Heaters Going Fast Due to Frigid Weather (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

http://www.kgw.com/news/local/generators-space-heaters-going-fast-due-to-frigid-weather/382247979

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Energy Northwest’s Richland Nuclear Plant Sets Generation Record
• Kootenay Mayors Urge ‘Strong Stand’ on Columbia River Treaty
• Bonneville Power Administration Line Crew Works to Restore Power in Icy Eugene
• Southwest Power Pool Seeks DOE Approval for Electricity Sales into Canada
• Natural Gas: Wild Winter Burns Traders Betting on Models That Can’t Keep Up
• Fitch: Declining Consumption Is Manageable for U-S Public Power
• Governor’s Report: Salmon Remain in Trouble in Washington State
• Comment Deadline on Columbia River Dam Review Extended
• Lawmakers Back Columbia River Salmon Reforms
• A Tour of One of America’s Most Toxic Rivers
• U-S Yanks Funds from Unbuilt New Jersey Windmill Farm
• Generators, Space Heaters Going Fast Due to Frigid Weather
• Oregon: Can You Sell a Home with Marijuana Plants? Best to Pull Them Out, Say Experts
• NOAA Challenged the Global Warming ‘Pause’ –New Research Says the Agency Was Right
• Are We Dialing Down Nuclear Power at Precisely the Wrong Time?
• Report: Google Fiber Could Be Spun Off or Sold in 2017
• Another Verizon Exec Has Doubts Over Yahoo Deal
• Hulu Live TV Service to Launch in Months for Under $40
• Coast Guard Suspends Search for Missing Kayaker Near Allyn
• Flu Levels Reach “Epidemic” Levels in Washington State
• Hang in There! Frigid Weather Slowly Giving Way to Warmer Temps
• Mason County to Open Mental Health Triage Facility
• Here Are All of the Kmart, Sears, & Macy’s Stores Closing This Spring
• Olympic College President to Retire

WORD OF THE DAY

Senary • \SENN-uh-ree \ • adjective – Of, based on, or characterized by six: compounded of six things or six part

“Seymore, you insidious dolt!” thundered the Asian Studies professor to the cowering student. “Any idiot knows that a haiku doesn’t have a senary bone in its body. The first line is always five syllables, the second seven and the third, five.”

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Energy Northwest’s Richland Nuclear Plant Sets Generation Record (Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/hanford/article124544564.html

Kootenay Mayors Urge ‘Strong Stand’ on Columbia River Treaty (Arrow Lake News, BC)

http://www.arrowlakesnews.com/news/407953536.html

Bonneville Power Administration Line Crew Works to Restore Power in Icy Eugene (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/news/newsroom/Pages/BPA-line-crew-works-to-restore-power-in-icy-Eugene.aspx

Southwest Power Pool Seeks DOE Approval for Electricity Sales into Canada (Utility Dive)

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/southwest-power-pool-seeks-doe-approval-for-electricity-sales-into-canada/433343/

Natural Gas: Wild Winter Burns Traders Betting on Models That Can’t Keep Up (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-01-04/wild-winter-burns-traders-betting-on-models-that-can-t-keep-up

Fitch: Declining Consumption Is Manageable for U-S Public Power (American Public Power Association)

http://www.publicpower.org/Media/daily/ArticleDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=47307

FISH & WILDLIFE

Governor’s Report: Salmon Remain in Trouble in Washington State (Associated Press)

http://mynorthwest.com/503587/governors-report-salmon-remain-in-trouble-in-washington/

Comment Deadline on Columbia River Dam Review Extended (Daily Astorian, OR)

http://www.dailyastorian.com/Local_News/20170104/comment-deadline-on-columbia-river-dam-review-extended

Lawmakers Back Columbia River Salmon Reforms (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2017/jan/05/lawmakers-back-columbia-salmon-reforms/

WATER, THE SOURCE OF ALL LIFE

A Tour of One of America’s Most Toxic Rivers (Atlantic Magazine)

https://www.theatlantic.com/video/index/512129/a-tour-of-one-of-americas-most-toxic-rivers/

RENEWABLE ENERGY

U-S Yanks Funds from Unbuilt New Jersey Windmill Farm (Associated Press)

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/apnewsbreak-us-yanks-funds-unbuilt-nj-windmill-farm-44534038

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Generators, Space Heaters Going Fast Due to Frigid Weather (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

http://www.kgw.com/news/local/generators-space-heaters-going-fast-due-to-frigid-weather/382247979

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

Oregon: Can You Sell a Home with Marijuana Plants? Best to Pull Them Out, Say Experts (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/hg/index.ssf/2017/01/home_marijuana_plants_sale_law.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

NOAA Challenged the Global Warming ‘Pause’ –New Research Says the Agency Was Right (Washington Post)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/01/04/noaa-challenged-the-global-warming-pause-now-new-research-says-the-agency-was-right/

Are We Dialing Down Nuclear Power at Precisely the Wrong Time? (The Energy Collective)

http://www.theenergycollective.com/ftijournal/2395672/are-we-dialing-down-nuclear-power-at-precisely-the-wrong-time

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Report: Google Fiber Could Be Spun Off or Sold in 2017 (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Report-Google-Fiber-Could-be-Spun-Off-or-Sold-in-2017-138631

Another Verizon Exec Has Doubts Over Yahoo Deal (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2017/01/05/verizon-exec-has-doubts-over-yahoo-deal/95494528/

Hulu Live TV Service to Launch in Months for Under $40 (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Hulu-Live-TV-Service-to-Launch-in-Months-For-Under-40-138652

GENERAL NEWS

Coast Guard Suspends Search for Missing Kayaker Near Allyn (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/news/coast-guard-suspends-search-for-missing-kayaker-near-allyn/

Flu Levels Reach “Epidemic” Levels in Washington State (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

http://www.kxro.com/flu-levels-reach-epidemic-levels-washington/

Hang in There! Frigid Weather Slowly Giving Way to Warmer Temps (KCPQ-TV, Seattle/Tacoma, WA)

http://q13fox.com/2017/01/04/hang-in-there-frigid-weather-slowly-giving-way-to-warmer-temps/

Mason County to Open Mental Health Triage Facility (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA – Paywall Advisory)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/story/news/local/communities/mason/2017/01/04/mason-county-open-mental-health-triage-facility/95895690/

Here Are All of the Kmart, Sears, & Macy’s Stores Closing This Spring (Consumerist)

https://consumerist.com/2017/01/05/here-are-all-of-the-kmart-sears-and-macys-stores-closing-this-spring/

Olympic College President to Retire (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/23302

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Russian Sculptor Creates Giant Manure Rooster

http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-38508390

Why Is a Game 9 Innings? These Are the Backstories Behind Baseball’s Iconic Rules

http://m.mlb.com/cutfour/2016/12/16/210241338/stories-behind-baseball-rules

Lottery Scratch-Off Loser Keeps Phoning in Threats, Cops Say

https://www.yahoo.com/news/lottery-scratch-off-loser-keeps-184446413.html

Flood of Plastic Eggs Delights Children on North Sea Island

https://www.yahoo.com/news/flood-plastic-eggs-delights-kids-north-sea-island-112943081.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Earth, Wind & Fire - Got to Get You into My Life

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

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

Links in the news digest lead to current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links. There may be paywall barriers, unless you are willing to fork over some dough or if you have a clean browser history.

Energy News Digest for January 4, 2016

Occasionally get out the feather duster to clear the cache & history of your internet browser. It will help when trying to access news sites that count your visits.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for January 4, 2017

Small Craft Advisory for Puget Sound & Hood Canal

Dry Air Storm Hits the Pacific Northwest (Cliff Mas Weather Blog)

http://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2017/01/dry-air-storm-hits-pacific-northwest.html

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Dam Breaching Will Be an Option Considered for Columbia River System Study (Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/article124411819.html

Repealing the Clean Power Plan Will Bring More Lawsuits, Democratic Attorney Generals Warn (Utility Dive)

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/repealing-the-clean-power-plan-will-bring-more-lawsuits-democratic-ags-war/433289/

Trump’s Infrastructure Plans: First Fix the Bonds (American Public Power Association)

http://blog.publicpower.org/sme/?p=1151

Crab Boats Tied Up as Strike Extends Up & Down West Coast (Associated Press)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2017/jan/04/crab-boats-tied-up-as-strike-extends-up-and-down-west-coast/

Avista Offers Tips to Avoid a High Heating Bill During Cold Winter Months (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

http://www.khq.com/story/34176574/avista-offers-tips-to-avoid-a-high-heating-bill-during-cold-winter-months

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Dam Breaching Will Be an Option Considered for Columbia River System Study
• Washington State Denies Sublease for Coal Export Terminal
• President Elect Trump’s Picks for Tennessee Valley Authority Board Could Reshape Federal Agency
• Vermont Public Power Utility Quick to Isolate Potential Cyber-Threat & Share Information
• Don’t Read Too Much into the Vermont Hack Debacle
• Crab Boats Tied Up as Strike Extends Up & Down West Coast
• Researchers Bid Farewell to ‘Granny,’ The World’s Oldest Known Orca
• Flashing Lights Work Better Than Steady Ones to Keep Birds from Hitting Towers
• Data Suggests Puget Sound Aquatic Habitat Remains Healthy
• Despite Recent Storms, California’s ‘Snow Drought’ Continues
• For Cheapest Power on Earth, Look Skyward as Coal Falls to Solar
• Avista Offers Tips to Avoid a High Heating Bill During Cold Winter Months
• Final Batch of Obama Efficiency Rules Could Test Trump Administration
• Why Marijuana Marketing Will Be Bigger Than Ever This Year
• Repealing the Clean Power Plan Will Bring More Lawsuits, Democratic Attorney Generals Warn
• Tesla’s Gigafactory Starts Mass Producing Battery Cells
• The Latest: Comcast Wants to Tackle Bad Home Internet
• It’s Begun: Internet Providers Pushing to Repeal Obama-Era Privacy Rules
• Editorial The Smart Home Has Ears, And It Can’t Keep a Secret
• 2017 Arrives with a Flood of Carriage Feuds, TV Blackouts
• Frontier Drops KATU, Portland’s ABC Affiliate, Amid Spat Over Fees
• Wendy’s Owned a Twitter Troll So Hard the Harasser Deactivated Their Account
• Trump’s Infrastructure Plans: First Fix the Bonds
• Park Service Approves Proposal to Allow Ads Inside National Parks
• Man Who Used Kayak to Get to Shore Now Missing in North Mason County
• Shutty Takes Seat as Newest Mason County Commissioner
• Two Out of Every Three Kids in Shelton Live in Poverty – Here’s How You Can Help Them
• Prolific Pacific Storms Set to Punch California with Blockbuster Rain, Snow
• Man Fined $13K for Playing with High-Powered Laser
• Free Marijuana on Inauguration Day in Washington DC

WORD OF THE DAY

Abscond • \ab-SKOND\ • Verb – To depart secretly & hide oneself.

Huzzah! Shouted Arthur Dent as he absconded with the spaceship for the heart of the sun; unaware of the dangers that lurked in his in the future.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Dam Breaching Will Be an Option Considered for Columbia River System Study (Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/article124411819.html

Washington State Denies Sublease for Coal Export Terminal (Associated Press)

http://koin.com/ap/washington-state-denies-sublease-for-coal-export-terminal/

President Elect Trump’s Picks for Tennessee Valley Authority Board Could Reshape Federal Agency (Chattanooga Times Free Press, TN)

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/local/story/2017/jan/03/will-new-president-change-tvatrump-name-major/405534/

Vermont Public Power Utility Quick to Isolate Potential Cyber-Threat & Share Information (American Public Power Association)

http://publicpower.org/media/daily/ArticleDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=47291

Don’t Read Too Much into the Vermont Hack Debacle (Atlantic Magazine)

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/01/the-vermont-hack-debacle-doesnt-mean-attributing-cyberattacks-is-impossible/512078/

FISH & WILDLIFE

Crab Boats Tied Up as Strike Extends Up & Down West Coast (Associated Press)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2017/jan/04/crab-boats-tied-up-as-strike-extends-up-and-down-west-coast/

Researchers Bid Farewell to ‘Granny,’ The World’s Oldest Known Orca (Mashable)

http://mashable.com/2017/01/03/granny-oldest-killer-whale-dead/

Flashing Lights Work Better Than Steady Ones to Keep Birds from Hitting Towers (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/nation-now/2017/01/03/bird-collisions-radio-tv-cellphone-towers/96106338/

WATER, THE SOURCE OF ALL LIFE

Data Suggests Puget Sound Aquatic Habitat Remains Healthy (Associated Press)

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Data-suggests-Puget-Sound-aquatic-habitat-remains-10834394.php

Despite Recent Storms, California’s ‘Snow Drought’ Continues (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/water-and-drought/article124387999.html

RENEWABLE ENERGY

For Cheapest Power on Earth, Look Skyward as Coal Falls to Solar (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2017/jan/03/for-cheapest-power-on-earth-look-skyward-as-coal-f/

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Avista Offers Tips to Avoid a High Heating Bill During Cold Winter Months (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

http://www.khq.com/story/34176574/avista-offers-tips-to-avoid-a-high-heating-bill-during-cold-winter-months

Final Batch of Obama Efficiency Rules Could Test Trump Administration (Utility Dive)

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/final-batch-of-obama-efficiency-rules-could-test-trump-administration/433294/

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

Why Marijuana Marketing Will Be Bigger Than Ever This Year (AdWeek)

http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/why-marijuana-marketing-will-be-bigger-ever-year-175246

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Repealing the Clean Power Plan Will Bring More Lawsuits, Democratic Attorney Generals Warn (Utility Dive)

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/repealing-the-clean-power-plan-will-bring-more-lawsuits-democratic-ags-war/433289/

SCIENCE SWIMS IN A BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Tesla’s Gigafactory Starts Mass Producing Battery Cells (Tech Crunch)

https://techcrunch.com/2017/01/04/teslas-gigafactory-starts-mass-producing-battery-cells/

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

The Latest: Comcast Wants to Tackle Bad Home Internet (Associated Press)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/business/article124457019.html

It’s Begun: Internet Providers Pushing to Repeal Obama-Era Privacy Rules (Washington Post)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2017/01/04/its-begun-cable-companies-are-pushing-to-repeal-obama-era-internet-privacy-rules/

Editorial The Smart Home Has Ears, And It Can’t Keep a Secret (Los Angeles Times, CA)

http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-amazon-echo-surveillance-20170104-story.html

MARKETING & MEDIA

2017 Arrives with a Flood of Carriage Feuds, TV Blackouts (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/2017-Arrives-With-a-Flood-Of-Carriage-Feuds-TV-Blackouts-138643

Frontier Drops KATU, Portland’s ABC Affiliate, Amid Spat Over Fees (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2017/01/frontier_drops_katu_portlands.html

Wendy’s Owned a Twitter Troll So Hard the Harasser Deactivated Their Account (BuzzFeed)

https://www.buzzfeed.com/ryanhatesthis/wendys-owned-this-twitter-troll-so-hard-they-deactivated

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Trump’s Infrastructure Plans: First Fix the Bonds (American Public Power Association)

http://blog.publicpower.org/sme/?p=1151

Park Service Approves Proposal to Allow Ads Inside National Parks (Consumerist)

https://consumerist.com/2017/01/04/park-service-approves-proposal-to-allow-ads-inside-national-parks/

GENERAL NEWS

Man Who Used Kayak to Get to Shore Now Missing in North Mason County (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA – Paywall Advisory)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article124495444.html

Shutty Takes Seat as Newest Mason County Commissioner (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.ifiberonenewsradio.com/news/local_news/shutty-takes-seat-as-mason-county-commissioner/article_1e0b0f08-d205-11e6-91a0-d328469c2acb.html

Two Out of Every Three Kids in Shelton Live in Poverty – Here’s How You Can Help Them (Olympian, WA – Paywall Advisory)

http://www.theolympian.com/news/local/education/article124305184.html

Prolific Pacific Storms Set to Punch California with Blockbuster Rain, Snow (Mashable)

http://mashable.com/2017/01/04/california-atmospheric-river-storms-flooding/

Man Fined $13K for Playing with High-Powered Laser (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

http://mynorthwest.com/502741/13k-for-playing-with-high-powered-laser/

Free Marijuana on Inauguration Day in Washington DC (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

http://www.kgw.com/news/local/free-marijuana-on-inauguration-day/381795540

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Marlin Drags Fisherman into Remote Waters Off Australia

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-38400913

Man’s Front Door Bricked Up as He Sleeps

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38502720

Why One Penny May Be Worth More Than $30,000

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2017/0103/Why-one-penny-may-cost-more-than-30-000

Forget Smart Meter RF – There’s Something Out There: Mysterious Fast Radio Bursts Originate from Distant Dwarf Galaxy

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/sciencefair/2017/01/04/fast-radio-bursts-dwarf-galaxy/96153394/

SONG OF THE DAY

The Carpenters – Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yTkrdsg4Qo

SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENERGY NEWS DIGEST

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LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

Links in the news digest lead to current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links. There may be paywall barriers, unless you are willing to fork over some dough or if you have a clean browser history.

Energy News Digest for January 3, 2017

Occasionally get out the porta-vac to clear the cache & history of your internet browser. It will help when trying to access news sites that count your visits.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for January 3, 2017

Small Craft Advisory for Puget Sound & Hood Canal

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Cold Temperatures Forecast for Western Washington State (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2017/01/cold-temperatures-forecast-kela-radio.html

Puget Sound Energy’s 24-Hour Power Restoration Guarantee Starts January 1 (KING-TV, Seattle, WA – Read the fine print)

http://www.king5.com/mb/news/local/puget-sound-energys-24-hour-power-restoration-guarantee-starts-january-1/380450636

Historical Sites Enter Debate Over Dams (Associated Press)

http://www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/4947753-151/historical-sites-enter-debate-over-dams

Feds Say Vermont Utility Was Infiltrated by Russian Hackers (Utility Dive)

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/fbi-dhs-say-vermont-utility-was-infiltrated-by-russian-hackers/433122/

Washington State Sees Healthy Snowpack Levels (Associated Press)

http://www.khq.com/story/34167014/washington-state-sees-healthy-snowpack-levels

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Puget Sound Energy’s 24-Hour Power Restoration Guarantee Starts January 1
• Historical Sites Enter Debate Over Dams
• Chelan PUD Approves Rock Island Dam Modernization
• Plans for Bend-Area Hydroelectric Project Keep Churning
• Biomass Testing Delayed at Boardman Coal Plant
• Idaho Approves Avista Electricity Rate Hike
• Flathead Electric Cooperative Gets Ready for the Big Chill
• Peace River Dam Inspections Find Issues During Hydroelectric Project’s Construction
• How will Rick Perry run the Department of Energy?
• Deterioration of Iraq’s Massive Mosul Dam Reaches Crisis Point
• Columbia Fishing Fees Could Jump 69 Percent
• Washington State Sees Healthy Snowpack Levels
• New Yellowstone Irrigation Dam Challenged Over Sturgeon Worries
• Just Over 264 Million Gallons - Massive Water Loss from Vancouver Aquifer Blamed on Contractor Error
• British Columbia: Sewage Controversy in Greater Victoria Finally Circled the Drain in 2016
• Klickitat PUD Utility Advises Ways to Cut Bill
• Tips to Save Energy, Money During Colder Weather
• Making Your Home Energy Efficient Without Breaking the Bank
• Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Others Call on Treasury to Make It Easier for Marijuana-Related Businesses to Bank
• Now That Pot’s Legal in California, Here’s How to Grow It Indoors & Outdoors
• Feds Say Vermont Utility Was Infiltrated by Russian Hackers
• Orcas Island: How a Group of Neighbors Created Their Own Internet Service
• Distracted Driver Sues Apple Over a Fatal Car Crash – Was Using ‘FaceTime’ App
• Bitcoin Jumps Above $1,000 for First Time in Three Years
• BPA Moves the Journal Online After 27 Years in Print
• Twitter Might Let Users Edit Tweets Someday
• France Gives Workers the Right to Avoid Work Email After Hours
• Washington State Senator Says He’s Tapped for Trump Transition Team
• Cold Temperatures Forecast for Western Washington State
• Public Works: Mason Road Restrictions Possible During Deep Freeze
• Seattle Was Colder Than Alaska’s Arctic Coast This Morning
• India’s Call-Center Talents Put to a Criminal Use: Swindling Americans

WORD OF THE DAY

Ichthyomania • \ick-thee-oh-MANE-ee-yah\ • An excessive fascination with fish.

Ichthyomancy • \ick-thee-oh-MAN-see\ • 1. Divination by means of the heads or entrails of fishes. 2. Divination by examining the heads and/or entrails of fish for prophetic signs or processing the next fish caught.

Bradford was in heaven. As a rabid ichtyomnaniac, working in the fish processing plant let him play with his semi-frozen charges as if they were ventriloquist dummies. “Hi Folks!” He would exclaim while working the little fish mouths at lunch. It was when he started using ichthyomancy in an attempt to predict the annual salmon runs in the Columbia River that his co-workers started to avoid him like week-old chum.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Puget Sound Energy’s 24-Hour Power Restoration Guarantee Starts January 1 (KING-TV, Seattle, WA – Read the fine print)

http://www.king5.com/mb/news/local/puget-sound-energys-24-hour-power-restoration-guarantee-starts-january-1/380450636

Historical Sites Enter Debate Over Dams (Associated Press)

http://www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/4947753-151/historical-sites-enter-debate-over-dams

Chelan PUD Approves Rock Island Dam Modernization (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

http://kpq.com/pud-approves-rock-island-dam-modernization/

Plans for Bend-Area Hydroelectric Project Keep Churning – Application processes continue for proposal at Wickiup Dam (Bend Bulletin, OR)

http://www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/4940768-151/plans-for-hydroelectric-project-keep-churning

Biomass Testing Delayed at Boardman Coal Plant (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2017/jan/02/biomass-testing-delayed-at-boardman-coal-plant/

Idaho Approves Avista Electricity Rate Hike (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/dec/29/idaho-approves-avista-electricity-rate-hike/

Flathead Electric Cooperative Gets Ready for the Big Chill (KPAX-TV, Missoula, MT)

http://www.kpax.com/story/34167450/flathead-electric-cooperative-gets-ready-for-the-big-chill

Peace River Dam Inspections Find Issues During Hydroelectric Project’s Construction (Globe & Mail, Canada)

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/site-c-inspections-find-issues-during-hydroelectric-projects-construction/article33465803/?cmpid=rss1

How will Rick Perry run the Department of Energy? (Utility Dive)

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/how-will-rick-perry-run-the-department-of-energy/433089/

Deterioration of Iraq’s Massive Mosul Dam Reaches Crisis Point (National Public Radio)

http://www.npr.org/2017/01/02/507922310/deterioration-of-iraqs-massive-mosul-dam-reaches-crisis-point

FISH & WILDLIFE

Columbia Fishing Fees Could Jump 69 Percent (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://m.tdn.com/lifestyles/hunting-and-fishing/columbia-fishing-fees-could-jump-percent/article_1c366886-0b13-5d41-88af-626f88c590e8.html

WATER, THE SOURCE OF ALL LIFE

Washington State Sees Healthy Snowpack Levels (Associated Press)

http://www.khq.com/story/34167014/washington-state-sees-healthy-snowpack-levels

New Yellowstone Irrigation Dam Challenged Over Sturgeon Worries (Associated Press)

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/633571633d1c44f3ab7498ee39f578e8/new-yellowstone-dam-challenged-over-sturgeon-worries

Just Over 264 Million Gallons - Massive Water Loss from Vancouver Aquifer Blamed on Contractor Error (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

http://www.timescolonist.com/news/b-c/massive-water-loss-from-vancouver-aquifer-blamed-on-contractor-error-1.6085302

British Columbia: Sewage Controversy in Greater Victoria Finally Circled the Drain in 2016 (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/victoria-sewage-plant-1.3914690?cmp=rss

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Klickitat PUD Utility Advises Ways to Cut Bill (Goldendale Sentinel, WA)

http://www.goldendalesentinel.com/story/2016/12/28/news/utility-advises-ways-to-cut-bill/8360.html

Tips to Save Energy, Money During Colder Weather (My Edmonds News, WA)

http://myedmondsnews.com/2017/01/tips-to-save-energy-money-during-colder-weather/

Making Your Home Energy Efficient Without Breaking the Bank (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/making-your-home-energy-efficient-without-breaking-the-bank-1.3918924?cmp=rss

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Others Call on Treasury to Make It Easier for Marijuana-Related Businesses to Bank (Consumerist)

https://consumerist.com/2017/01/03/sen-elizabeth-warren-others-call-on-treasury-to-make-it-easier-for-marijuana-related-businesses-to-bank/

Now That Pot’s Legal in California, Here’s How to Grow It Indoors & Outdoors (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/entertainment/living/home-garden/article123185979.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Feds Say Vermont Utility Was Infiltrated by Russian Hackers (Utility Dive)

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/fbi-dhs-say-vermont-utility-was-infiltrated-by-russian-hackers/433122/

Orcas Island: How a Group of Neighbors Created Their Own Internet Service – Powered by radios in trees, homegrown network serves 50 houses (Ars Technica)

http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/11/how-a-group-of-neighbors-created-their-own-internet-service/

Distracted Driver Sues Apple Over a Fatal Car Crash – Was Using ‘FaceTime’ App (San Antonio Business Journal, TX)

http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2017/01/03/distracted-driver-sues-apple-over-a-fatal-car.html

Bitcoin Jumps Above $1,000 for First Time in Three Years (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-markets-bitcoin-idUSKBN14M0IF

MARKETING & MEDIA

BPA Moves the Journal Online After 27 Years in Print (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/news/newsroom/Pages/BPA-moves-the-Journal-online-after-27-years-in-print.aspx

Twitter Might Let Users Edit Tweets Someday (Consumerist)

https://consumerist.com/2016/12/30/twitter-might-let-users-edit-tweets-someday/

France Gives Workers the Right to Avoid Work Email After Hours (KCPQ-TV, Seattle/Tacoma, WA)

http://q13fox.com/2017/01/02/france-gives-workers-the-right-to-avoid-work-email-after-hours/

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State Senator Says He’s Tapped for Trump Transition Team (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://www.opb.org/news/article/donald-trump-washington-senator-don-benton/

GENERAL NEWS

Cold Temperatures Forecast for Western Washington State (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

http://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2017/01/cold-temperatures-forecast-kela-radio.html

Public Works: Mason Road Restrictions Possible During Deep Freeze (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.ifiberonenewsradio.com/news/local_news/public-works-mason-road-restrictions-possible-during-deep-freeze/article_1a858f94-cf70-11e6-80b6-df2ddd7c12ab.html

Seattle Was Colder Than Alaska’s Arctic Coast This Morning (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

http://mynorthwest.com/502017/seattle-coldest-day/

India’s Call-Center Talents Put to a Criminal Use: Swindling Americans (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/03/world/asia/india-call-centers-fraud-americans.html?_r=0

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

‘Hollyweed’: Prankster Alters LA’s Landmark Sign

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-california-hollywood-prank-idUSKBN14L1BL

WSU Socks Recalled after Surprise Text Printed on the Inside – ‘Go Dawgs’

http://q13fox.com/2016/12/30/wsu-socks-recalled-after-surprise-text-printed-on-the-inside-go-dawgs/

Baggage Handler Locked in Cargo Hold Gets Free Ride on United Flight

http://gizmodo.com/baggage-handler-locked-in-luggage-compartment-gets-free-1790706192

Woman Leaves Entire $1.2 Million Estate to Animal Shelter

https://www.yahoo.com/news/woman-leaves-entire-1-2-million-estate-animal-194728472.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Jewel - Leaving on a Jetplane

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYhhDr-i07A

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

Links in the news digest lead to current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links. There may be paywall barriers, unless you are willing to fork over some dough or if you have a clean browser history.