Portland, Ore. - The Bonneville Power Administration has reduced its expectations for hydroelectric power revenue this year by more than $200 million because of new forecasts for a continued depressed runoff in the Columbia Basin. 

Based on the forecasts, BPA now estimates it will finish the fiscal year with a loss of $6 million in modified net revenues instead of the $231.9 million in positive revenues projected at the start of the fiscal year in October. BPA markets power from dams in the Federal Columbia River Power System, and water serves as the fuel that turns hydroelectric turbines. 

BPA compiled the new estimates as part of its Quarterly Business Review. However, runoff projections have further declined since the estimates were developed. 

“This is a very serious decline that impacts our power supply and therefore our finances,” said BPA Administrator Steve Wright. “We’re hopeful that the outlook will improve, but we cannot count on it. The reality is that water is the fuel that provides much of the Northwest’s electricity.” 

Top notch athletes throughout the world are in the final stages of training for the 21st Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia.  As the world prepares for this fury of sporting spectacle, professionals of another sort are training around-the-clock to provide maritime safety and security throughout the region during the games.

The U.S. Coast Guard will be assisting its Canadian counterparts with security measures for the areas surrounding Vancouver, to include the maritime U.S./Canadian border.

It’s a tall order considering the San Juan Island chain on the U.S. side of the border is peppered with more than 170 islands and Canada has its own island chain north of U.S. waters leading into the Vancouver region.

Coast Guard planning for the security of the Winter Olympics, certain to draw millions to the region, has been coordinated between the U.S. and Canada for more than a year and the Coast Guard has been actively training with Canadian personnel since 2007. 

Raymond, WA - Alexandra Webster, a student at Raymond High School, was among 247 talented juniors from across the state who have been accepted into the first phase of Washington Aerospace Scholars (WAS). These 247 students are currently participating in Phase One of WAS: distance learning with a NASA-designed curriculum covering the history of space exploration, the Space Shuttle, the International Space Station, the Moon, and Mars. From January through May, the Scholars will complete ten lessons – submitting quizzes, math solutions, essays, and graphics concerning these topics every other week. These students will independently select a topic of interest for a final project combining an essay with a graphic. They are also competing for a space in one of our four summer residency sessions.

Shelton, WA - Mason County Sheriff’s Deputies are investigating a bank robbery that occurred at about 11:10 AM this morning at the Allyn Branch of Kitsap Bank located at 18343 E. State Route #3 in Allyn.

Investigators say a lone white male walked into the bank armed with a black automatic handgun and demanded money.  The bank teller told investigators the suspect said “Don’t follow me or I’ll put a bullet in you.”  The suspect got away with an undisclosed amount of cash.  No one in the bank was injured.

A Witness outside of the bank saw the suspect leave the bank on foot and was last seen in the direction of Wheelwright Road.   One witness reported seeing the dye pack explode and pink smoke emanate from the front of the suspect as he fled.

The suspect is described as a white male in his 40s, about 5-10 inches tall wearing a two tone baseball cap, a khaki jacket, blue jeans and white tennis shoes.  Investigators noted the suspect will probably have pink dye on his person or clothing.

Shelton, WA - The Mason County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Team will be stepping up enforcement at railroad crossing grades in the County.  This announcement is in conjunction with Simpson Lumber’s announcement that railroad operations will resume in mid February after a year long hiatus.  

Simpson Lumber suspended railroad operations west of the Park Street Interchange because of a bridge wash out over Goldsbourgh Creek near South 8th Street in December of 2007.  Since that time efforts by Simpson Lumber Company to reopen the rail line have been ongoing.  The railroad will reopen after the new bridge is set into place on the newly installed abutments.  Railroad Superintendent, Jerry Gregerson says “the bridge is scheduled to be set in place on February 2.”

Simpson officials and Sheriff’s Office traffic team members along Shelton Police and Washington State Patrol are going to be paying particular attention to grade crossing safety.  Participating law enforcement agencies will be citing motorists for violations during the next few weeks.

Aberdeen, WA - The Port of Grays Harbor yesterday celebrated the first shipment of Chrysler vehicles setting sail from Grays Harbor to Asia on the MV Positive Passion. Executive Director at the Port of Grays Harbor Gary Nelson said "It's a great day for the Port, and the Community here in Grays Harbor to have this new line of business"

With a couple hundred cars on the lot, the Port held a ribbon cutting ceremony at the dock of Terminal 4 "They just started between Christmas and News Years started arriving, but there's more and more cars coming in every day, I think in February we're expecting to ship about two thousand cars".

The Port plans to place bids for GM imports, next quarter. Nelson said the port expects about two vessel calls per month from Chrysler when the exports hit full speed.

OLYMPIA - Twin Harbors beach will open for razor clam digging today, followed by openings at three other beaches this weekend after a new round of marine toxin tests showed the clams there are safe to eat.

Long Beach, however, will remain closed to digging due to high levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) detected in the clams.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) delayed making a final decision on digs at Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks after high PSP levels were found at Long Beach.  

The Olympic National Park also approved a dig scheduled at Kalaloch Beach, based on the results of a new round of marine toxin tests.