Sunday, June 30, 2013

Longtime Local Lewis County Radio Personality Retiring (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)


( CENTRALIA ) –  It’s KELA radio’s 75th anniversary this year.  A longtime station employee, Steve Richert, has been working on the local airwaves since the station was marking it’s 33rd anniversary.  Now, the local product – a WF West grad – is retiring. Richert began his career at KELA in 1971.   He’s done nearly every job in the station since and worked his way up to Operations Manager.  Richert has been in the business long enough to see the industry’s transition away from records and tape which were replaced with computers and digital audio.  Steve also has had to deal with repeated floods at the station. Three of them left the station severely damaged.  Steve leaves KELA after 42 years, which is impressive since the broadcast industry average for radio is just seven years.

Friday, June 28, 2013

Record-Breaking Heat Possible in Washington State (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Columbia River Treaty in the Works - Draft Plan Updates Priorities, Concerns (Associated Press)

Whistling Ridge Energy Project - Washington Supreme Court Hears Wind Farm Case (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Chinese Firm Is Charged in Theft of Wind Turbine Software (NY Times)

BC Hydro Fires Workers Accused of Helping Steal Power (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for June 28, 2013


Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Rate Hikes Approved for Puget Sound Energy (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

FERC Criticized on Pacific Northwest Planning Order (Electric Co-op Today)

Boeing Meeting Its Goals in Cutting Energy Use (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

FCC Finalizes Effort to Make Available $485 Million for Rural Broadband in USF Reform Effort (Bloomberg News)

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for June 25, 2013


Special Weather Statement - Downpours & Threat of Thunderstorms Expected Today

Effective:  6:05 AM
Expires: 6:15 PM

A moist and unstable air mass will result in bursts of heavy rain during the day today. These downpours could produce a quarter of an inch of rain in less than 30 minutes. There will also be a risk of thunderstorms this afternoon over the interior, or east of the Olympic range, but a lightning strike cannot be ruled out elsewhere. Any thunderstorms that do develop today will have the potential to produce torrential rainfall that could cause minor flooding. Gusty winds of 35 to 40 mph will also be a possibility with the thunderstorms. This will be a situation similar to that of Tuesday afternoon.

Thursday will be a transition day from mild, wet weather to drier and warmer conditions. High pressure aloft will build over the region Friday and continue through this weekend. Daytime temperatures are forecast to climb into the mid-70s to mid-80s over much of the area, but not as warm on the coast due to light onshore flow. Although the air mass will undergo drying during this period, it will still remain relatively moist near the surface. This will make it feel warmer than it actually is. If you are thinking about escaping the heat, please remember that area rivers are still too cold to swim in. They are also a bit swollen or running swift from recent rains. Be water safe and wear your life jacket.

Local Target Areas:        
  • ·         Hood Canal Area (North Mason County)
  • ·         Olympics
  • ·         Southwest Interior (South Mason County

Other Areas of Concern:
  • ·         Admiralty Inlet Area
  • ·         Central Coast
  • ·         East Puget Sound Lowlands
  • ·         Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca
  • ·         Everett and Vicinity
  • ·         Lower Chehalis Valley Area
  • ·         North Coast
  • ·         San Juan County
  • ·         Seattle, Bremerton Area
  • ·         Tacoma Area
  • ·         West Slopes Central Cascades and Passes
  • ·         West Slopes Northern Cascades and Passes
  • ·         Western Skagit County
  • ·         Western Strait of Juan De Fuca
  • ·         Western Whatcom County

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for June 25, 2013


Summer Chum Salmon Symposium Scheduled for Shelton (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

Posted June 24, 2013 at 7:04 p.m.

SHELTON - The status and future of Hood Canal summer chum, a threatened species, will be reviewed during a symposium Thursday in Shelton.

Salmon experts have been working to restore this unique stock of salmon since before it was placed on the Endangered Species List in 1999. Changes to commercial fishing helped reduce harvest, and a hatchery supplementation program boosted the overall population. Now, Hood Canal summer chum is considered on the path to recovery.

Thursday’s symposium, sponsored by the Hood Canal Coordinating Council, will review the health of the stock and its habitat along with changes in harvest management and supplementation. Speakers are scheduled to provide new information on ocean productivity, climate effects and the likelihood of recovery. Some topics are fairly technical, but everyone is invited to attend.

The symposium will be 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Mason County Public Works, 100 Public Works Drive in Shelton. For reservations, call 360-394-0046 or email hhuber@hccc.wa.gov.


Friday, June 21, 2013

Ex-Enron Boss Jeffrey Skilling's Sentence Cut to 14 Years (British Broadcasting Corporation)

Ex-Enron Boss Jeffrey Skilling's Sentence Cut to 14 Years (British Broadcasting Corporation)

34 State Agencies to Close if Washington State Budget Isn’t Passed (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

B-C Hydro Workers Allegedly Aided Pot Grow-Ops - Accused of installing larger transformers at homes suspected of having grow-ops (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

Ex-Enron CEO Skilling Awaits Reduction of Sentence (Associated Press)

Wyden: Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement Is Too Expensive For Congress (Northwest Public Radio)

Sockeye Run Raising Hopes for Fishing on Lake Washington (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for June 21, 2013


Thursday, June 20, 2013

British Columbia’s Financial Honeymoon Ends with Columbia River Treaty Anniversary - Payments from the U.S. that now average $220 million will be up for negotiation (Vancouver Sun, B-C)

FERC Partially Accepts Order No. 1000 Filings for ColumbiaGrid, Florida Regions (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission)

Obama Readying Emissions Limits on Power Plants (NY Times)

Making Energy Efficiency Attractive for Owners of Older Seattle Buildings (NY Times)

Budget Bill Would Make It Optional for California Local Governments to Comply with Public Records Laws (Sacramento Bee, CA)

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for June 20, 2013


Wednesday, June 12, 2013

50,000 Washington State Employees Face Furloughs as Second Special Session Begins (Associated Press)

NoaNet among Honorees - BTOP Grantees Honored for Application of Information Technology (Broadband Breakfast)

Grays Harbor PUD Officially Hires New Manager (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

Jefferson County PUD Celebrates With BPA, June 11 (Port Townsend Leader, WA)

Judge Thwarts White Salmon River Development (Sustainable Business Oregon)

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for June 12, 2013


Tent Caterpillars Plentiful this Year (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

(CHEHALIS, WA) -- Some people find them really disturbing.  Tent caterpillars are plentiful this year.  The WSU Extension Office in Chehalis says it’s from the mild winter.   The uptick in the tented-bugs also has been leading to more calls into the local office, especially if they’re found inside people’s homes. The office’s Debbie Burris says the insects are harmless, but rank pretty high on the creepy scale.  Burris says if the tree is healthy, they usually won’t do any damage.

Monday, June 10, 2013

Extreme Weather Raises Dam Safety Concerns (USA Today)

Biological Opinion Says Klamath Project Will Not Jeopardize ESA- Listed Suckers, Salmon (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

CenturyLink Says a City Rule Is Putting Seattle Behind on Broadband (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

SoloPower Moving Headquarters to Portland, Pursuing South Korean Hub (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

Getting There: LED Lights Being Installed on Interstate 90 (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for June 10, 2013


Thursday, June 6, 2013

Sierra Club Sues over Coal Dust from Uncovered Trains in Columbia River Gorge (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

Obama to Seek More Internet Aid for Schools & Libraries (NY Times)

California Officials Outraged at Transfers of PUC Attorneys Investigating Deadly San Bruno Blast (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Colorado’s Governor Signs Controversial Rural Renewable-Energy Bill (Denver Business Journal, CO)

 “…The bill also allows rural cooperatives to add a monthly surcharge, up to 2 percent…to help pay for projects needed to meet the goal…”

NEEA, Utilities & Northwest Builders Test the Market with New Homes Pilot (Herald Online)

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for June 6, 2013


Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Portland General Electric, Bonneville Power Administration, Cancel Plans for Major Transmission Line (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Idaho to Turn All Public High Schools into Wi-Fi Hotspots (Northwest Public Radio)



Grant PUD to Pay More to Raise Salmon to Offset Dams Impact (iFiber One News, Ephrata, WA)

Sequim Eyes Solar-Powered City Hall (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

U-S Soldier Pleads Guilty at Joint Base Lewis-McCord to Afghan Massacre (Associated Press)

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for June 5, 2013