Steve Wright

Bonneville Power Administration on Friday announced a whopping 46% electricity rate increase for its wholesale customers in the Pacific Northwest but lauded vigorous conservation and load-reduction agreements for sparing the region a rate hike that was expected to top 250%. "Normally, a 46% wholesale rate increase is not something to cheer about. But in this case, it's an outstanding accomplishment," said Steve Wright, acting administrator of Portland, Ore.

Federal agencies, citing a severe drought in the Northwest and concerns over power supplies, have dropped plans to spill water at major dams in the region, a move that will hamper the downstream migration of young salmon to the Pacific Ocean. The Bonneville Power Administration, the federal agency that markets electricity from huge dams along the Columbia and Snake rivers, said the move was necessary to maintain the reliability of the electric system serving the West.

Organizers of a new nonprofit Thousand Oaks program to help fledgling environmentally sensitive companies recruited new corporate sponsors Wednesday during a luncheon at the Civic Arts Plaza. Key backers--including GTE, Southern California Edison and the city of Thousand Oaks--urged Conejo Valley businesses to support the novel effort to keep alive small companies that use recycled products, create software for environmental programs or improve the environment in some way.

As suspected, Raider Coach Art Shell has diabetes. That diagnosis was made by Dr. Stephen Corday after two days of tests. Shell, who was hospitalized Monday night, checked out of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on Wednesday and is expected to be at the team's morning practice today. "He has adult diabetes," said Corday of Shell. "But he does not need insulin. If he takes his medication and sticks to his diet and changes his lifestyle and loses weight, his abnormality will dramatically improve.

Americans cranking up air conditioners in the Northeast on Thursday sparked record demands for electricity, while the heat wave prompted officials at Harvard University to shut down the school for only the second time because of weather. Utilities in Massachusetts and Rhode Island asked customers to cut back on the use of electricity. Some warned they would shut off power in selected areas for periods of 60 to 90 minutes if the public failed to trim consumption.

It will be the third game in 12 days for the Raiders. The San Diego Chargers played Monday night, chasing San Francisco quarterback Steve Young from end to end, so you know they are thrilled about tonight's final exhibition game at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium. The game is important for selected rookies and veterans fighting to make the final 47-man roster. Thirteen players from each team must be trimmed Monday, when regular-season rosters are set.

Singapore Telecommunications Ltd., Southeast Asia's largest phone company, has agreed to offer $9.9 billion for Cable & Wireless Optus Ltd. to gain a third of Australia's mobile phone market, bankers familiar with the plans said Sunday. Telecom Corp. of New Zealand also wanted to buy Australia's No. 2 phone company, while Britain's Vodafone Group quit the bidding Sunday, saying regulatory hurdles were too high.

The Raiders have contacted the Houston Oilers about acquiring holdout defensive end Sean Jones, the Houston Post is reporting in its Sunday edition. "Yes, the Raiders have expressed interest," Oiler General Manager Mike Holovak told the newspaper. Holovak said three teams--the Raiders, Washington Redskins, and Denver Broncos--have inquired about Jones, but that the Oilers want a comparable defensive lineman in return.

It's understandable if some celebrants were a little confused at the birthday party for the town of Napoleon, Mo. The 271 citizens of the town, about 25 miles east of Kansas City, marked both its centennial and its sesquicentennial, which officially was last year. The confusion stems from name changes by early settlers. Marlene Strodtman, a resident since 1948, said two farmers started the town in 1836, naming it Poston's Landing. Several years later, its name was changed to Napoleon.

A large menorah erected in a south Orange County town green to foster better understanding of the Jewish faith and Hanukkah was destroyed by vandals, a sheriff's official said Saturday. The menorah -- a 150-pound steel model 15 feet high and 10 feet wide -- had been placed in Ladera Ranch, a planned community near Mission Viejo, earlier this month. Sometime between 10 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m.