An Anacortes, Washington, school bus driver and middle school science teacher were named recipients of the school district’s 2026 Champions in Education Award, earning $5,000 grants in recognition of their contributions to students and school communities.

Anacortes School District north of Seattle announced that school bus driver Gail LeBoutillier and middle school science teacher Theresa McCartney were selected as this year’s award recipients through a partnership between the district and Barrett Financial.

Now in its second year, the Champions in Education Award recognizes employees who demonstrate excellence in serving students and supporting schools. The program provides two annual grants of $5,000, one to a certificated staff member and one to a classified or non-represented employee.

LeBoutillier, who has worked as a school bus driver in the district since 2018, was named the Classified/Non-Represented Staff Employee of the Year.

School Bus Driver & Teacher Are Champions in Education

According to Anacortes School District, LeBoutillier was recognized for her commitment to student well-being, communication with families and efforts to create a safe and welcoming environment for students during their daily transportation to and from school.

District officials said her individualized support for students and proactive communication help ensure a positive transportation experience.

“Gail LeBoutillier is recognized for her exceptional care, communication, and commitment to student well-being,” the district said in a news release announcing the award.

McCartney, who was named the Certificated Staff Employee of the Year, was recognized for her work in science education and student engagement.

The district said McCartney creates inclusive, student-centered learning experiences that emphasize accessibility, hands-on instruction, and high expectations for students. Officials also cited her leadership beyond the classroom, including mentoring staff, supporting curriculum development and participating in district initiatives.

Recipients of the Champions in Education Award are selected based on several criteria, including impact on students, commitment to equity and inclusion, innovation, collaboration and professional growth.

District officials said the award is intended to recognize employees who go above and beyond their regular responsibilities to strengthen school communities and support student success.

The 2026 award cycle drew significant participation from district employees. According to the district, 90 staff members were nominated for the honor, and 34 submitted proposals outlining how they would use the grant funding to benefit students.

LeBoutillier plans to use her grant to purchase sensory items, art materials and positive behavior support for students who ride district buses. McCartney plans to invest in hands-on science materials, classroom engagement tools and student enrichment opportunities, including supplies for Anacortes Middle School’s Fun Interest Groups program.

The district said the annual award reflects its ongoing commitment to recognizing employees whose work has a meaningful impact on students, families and schools throughout the community.

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Related: Celebrating the Unsung Heroes: California’s Top School Bus Drivers Honored

The post Champions in Education Award Honors Washington School Bus Driver, Teacher appeared first on School Transportation News.

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A $458 million tax incremental financing district the city of Port Washington approved in November 2025 for a massive data center will not be altered. However, future TIFs could allow voter input if a judge sides with voters instead of business and trade groups.

In an April 7 referendum, Port Washington voters approved giving residents a say in  approving tax incremental financing districts of more than $10 million. That only applies to future projects, not the $458 million TIF the city already approved for the data center for OpenAI and Oracle. 

What’s more, a judge reviewing a legal challenge from business and trade groups could strike down the referendum. 

The bottom line: Voters might be allowed to give input on approving TIFs, but the ordinance is facing legal challenge, is not set in stone and doesn’t affect the data center already under construction.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

Sources

• City of Port Washington: Notice of referendum
• Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Port Washington passes TIF referendum proposed by data center skeptics
• Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce: MMAC, regional stakeholders file suit against Port Washington

Did Port Washington voters stop a $458 million data center project? is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources held a public hearing Tuesday on a request from the AI data center company Vantage for an air quality permit to operate 45 diesel backup generators at the company’s proposed hyperscale data center in Port Washington.

The department has already granted a preliminary approval to the permit request. Members of the public complained at the virtual hearing that the DNR chose not to conduct a full environmental impact assessment — despite southeastern Wisconsin’s existing classification as a high air pollution region. 

Michael Greif, an attorney with Midwest Environmental Advocates, said that all 45 generators operating at once for one hour would emit the same amount of nitrogen oxides as more than 5 million cars driving over one mile of nearby Interstate 43 — or seven times the hourly nitrogen oxide emissions for all of Ozaukee County. Exposure to nitrogen oxides have been tied to respiratory issues such as asthma. 

“It is also one of the first hyper scale AI data centers proposed in Wisconsin,” Grief said. “So it raises new and unreserved questions about energy use, climate impacts, air pollution and public health, and for all those reasons and more, DNR is legally required to prepare an EIS for the Vantage data center.”

Residents of the area put it more simply, complaining about the air pollution they’re already dealing with every day. 

“Our lakeshore is at capacity,” Sheboygan resident Rebecca Clarke said. 

Many speakers also expressed frustration at their lack of a voice in the state’s surge in data center development and proposals. 

“This community has not been given a fair process,” Port Washington resident Carri Prom said. “We’ve been speaking about this process for months. We’ve largely been ignored, and yet, here we are.”

The air pollution permit is one of the DNR’s few chances to weigh in on a data center proposal that has drawn widespread opposition in Port Washington and across the state. The Public Service Commission, the agency that regulates utility companies in Wisconsin, has given the public little confidence it will do enough to prevent electric bills from increasing.

Local zoning boards and city councils, enticed by the promise of property tax revenue, have often signed off on data centers after agreeing to non-disclosure agreements to keep the details away from their constituents. 

“I think things are very backwards, and that we’re proceeding with all of these projects before we even have any idea of how to protect residents,” said Sarah Zarling, an environmental organizer who’s been involved in the data center fight. 

Over the past year, as the number of data centers operating, under construction or proposed has continued to increase, public opposition has grown. Multiple pieces of legislation for regulating data centers were proposed by lawmakers of both parties, yet none passed  before legislators adjourned for the year. Data centers have become a big issue in the Democratic primary for governor and a number of environmental groups have called for a moratorium on data center development until stricter regulations can be put into law. 

Brett Korte, a staff attorney at Clean Wisconsin, told the Wisconsin Examiner in a statement after Tuesday’s hearing that the disconnected government approval process only highlights Wisconsin’s lack of a coherent plan.

“One of the pressing issues related to the data center boom currently underway in Wisconsin is that there is no overarching plan to ensure they don’t harm communities in our state,” he said. “Nor is there even an effort to fully understand the harm they will cause. Local governments make zoning decisions, the PSC approves the construction of power plants and transmission lines, and the DNR implements water regulations and issues air permits.” Yet no state office is responsible for looking at all of the issues raised by data centers at once.

Korte added that a better process for planning future renewable energy sources, stronger carbon emission standards and a more concrete plan for achieving Gov. Tony Evers’ goal of powering the state with 100% clean energy by 2050 would help the state better manage data center growth. 

“No one is asking: Do the benefits of data centers outweigh their environmental harm?” he continued. “That is why Clean Wisconsin continues to call for a pause on data center construction until the state has a comprehensive plan to regulate their development.”

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SEATTLE, Wash. — Zonar, a leader in smart fleet management and compliance solutions, today announced it has become the first telematics provider certified by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to support Clean Truck Check (CTC) compliance through OEM-installed vehicle integrations. With 14+ years of the Zonar V4 telematics box installed on approximately 400,000 Freightliner Cascadia, Thomas Built Buses, and Western Star trucks at the factory, any fleet operating these vehicles in California today can immediately access the solution.

A first in the industry, this expanded executive order allows fleets operating California CTC-regulated vehicles to meet emissions compliance requirements without physically connecting to the vehicle’s diagnostic port or installing additional aftermarket hardware.

Why Zonar’s CARB Emission Solution Is Different

CARB’s Clean Truck Check regulation requires non-gasoline vehicles over 14,000 lbs operating in California to submit emissions data on a recurring schedule. Until now, compliance typically required:

Manual scans at a shop or yard.

Third-party service providers.

Vehicle downtime and scheduling complexity.

Zonar’s newly approved certification introduces a new compliance pathway.

With this executive order, OEM-installed and hardwired Zonar devices, already embedded in supported vehicles, can automatically collect and submit required emissions data directly to CARB. No shop visits. No plug-in scans. No operational disruption.

Zonar is the only provider whose CARB executive order explicitly permits compliance via a hardwired vehicle harness, not just a direct OBD connection.

Who This Impacts

With large and distributed fleets facing increasing compliance frequency, moving to four checks per year beginning in 2027, this certification directly benefits:

Fleets operating in California subject to CARB Clean Truck Check requirements.

OEM-equipped vehicles, including factory-installed telematics configurations.

School transportation, transit, and commercial fleets seeking to reduce downtime and compliance risk.

Mixed and transitioning fleets, where OEM-equipped vehicles can now meet compliance requirements without operational inconsistency.

Fleets can now achieve CARB compliance automatically, in the background, using hardware already installed in their vehicles, either as a standalone emissions solution or alongside Zonar’s broader telematics, diagnostics, and maintenance offerings.

First to Market Again
Zonar was the first telematics provider certified by CARB as a continuously connected Clean Truck Check solution and is now the first, and only, provider approved for OEM-installed and hardwired configurations.

This milestone reflects years of close collaboration with CARB, OEM partners, and Zonar’s in-house engineering team to meet the most rigorous regulatory and technical standards.

“CARB compliance is becoming more frequent, more complex, and more disruptive for fleets—but it doesn’t have to be,” said Amit Anand, SVP of Product at Zonar. “Because we design our own hardware, work directly with OEMs, and partner closely with CARB, we were able to deliver a solution no one else in the market could. This certification removes downtime, eliminates guesswork, and allows fleets to stay compliant automatically using technology they already have.”

Why Zonar’s OEM-Certified CARB Emission Solution Changes the Experience for Fleets

With Zonar’s Emission Check, fleets experience:

No downtime for compliance scans.
Earlier detection of emissions issues within CARB’s compliance window.

Lower cost compared to manual or third-party scans.

Future-readiness as CARB enforcement and inspection frequency increases.

With enforcement tied to vehicle registration, roadside inspections, ports, and rail yards, CARB compliance is no longer optional. Zonar’s solution helps fleets meet these requirements proactively and seamlessly, reducing risk while keeping vehicles on the road.

To learn more about the CARB Clean Truck Emissions Check, go to https://www.zonarsystems.com/solutions/carb-clean-truck-emissions-check/.

About Zonar Systems:
Zonar combines a unified fleet management platform with reliable telematics hardware and always-on human support giving mission-critical fleets precise, trustworthy data to improve safety, ensure compliance and reduce operating costs. Proven every day in pupil transportation, where it safeguards millions of children, Zonar’s technology and partnership deliver the trust, transparency and confidence public-sector, field service and vocational fleets need to perform when it matters most. To learn more, go to www.zonarsystems.com.

The post Zonar Becomes First Telematics Provider Approved for OEM-Based California Air Resources Board Clean Truck Check Compliance appeared first on School Transportation News.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: California’s demand for zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) is surging despite federal attempts to derail the Golden State’s pursuit of a 100% clean energy future. A record 29.1% of all new cars purchased in Q3 of 2025 were ZEVs. SACRAMENTO — Today, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that Californians purchased 124,755 zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) in the third …

The post California Smashes ZEV Sales Record in Q3   appeared first on Alternative Energy HQ.

RNG Remains the Most Immediate, Cost-Effective Way to Decarbonize Heavy-Duty Transportation Washington, DC – Last calendar year marked the fifth consecutive year that commercial fleets in the State of California fueled by bio-CNG (renewable natural gas, or RNG) achieved a carbon-negative transportation outcome, according to a report released today by The Transport Project (TTP) and RNG Coalition alongside partner California Renewable Transportation Alliance (CRTA). Lowest …

The post RNG-Fueled Fleets in California Mark Five Years of Carbon-Free Outcomes appeared first on Alternative Energy HQ.

Renewable Energy is Not Causing Energy Cost Spikes, Coal is Washington, D.C. – Today, Donald Trump published on Truth Social that “Any State that has built and relied on WINDMILLS and SOLAR for power are seeing RECORD BREAKING INCREASES IN ELECTRICITY AND ENERGY COSTS.” This is false.   Energy Innovation reported that “states with the largest increases in wind and …

The post Trump Spreads Desperate Lies to Deflect Blame for High Energy Prices appeared first on Alternative Energy HQ.

Washington, D.C. – According to reporting, the Environmental Protection Agency plans to rescind all $7 billion of Solar For All grants.   The Solar For All grant was passed into law as part of the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022 to expand access to affordable and reliable solar energy to low-income regions across the country. 60 projects have been …

The post EPA Plans to Rescind Solar For All Funding appeared first on Alternative Energy HQ.

The following commentary was written by Kelley Trombley, senior manager of state policy at Ceres. See our commentary guidelines for more information.

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This campaign season, the state of Washington was a battleground for energy and climate policy. The pitched fight over Initiative 2117 became one of the most expensive ballot measures in state history, drawing millions of dollars in political funding to each side of the issue, which would have repealed Washington’s Climate Commitment Act to end its nation-leading cap-and-invest system. In its first year alone, the policy has driven $2.2 billion into projects designed to protect the state from the effects of climate change while fighting pollution, but faced opposition from those who argued it hurt the economy. 

Yet it was some of the top employers in the state – and for that matter on the planet – that urged voters to keep the program in place. Amazon, Microsoft, and REI were among the many companies urging a no vote. And in the end, voters agreed, decisively defeating the ballot measure by a wide margin. It turns out that this kind of climate action is actually an economic boon. 

The strong showing of corporate support for the CCA shouldn’t be surprising. Take it from me and my colleagues at Ceres, a sustainability nonprofit that works with businesses and investors across the country on sustainability issues. Over the last decade, leading businesses have increasingly come to recognize that climate and clean energy policies are key economic drivers. Business leaders have rallied to support them – from the federal Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, marking the nation’s largest-ever investment into confronting climate change, to ambitious legislation in states across the U.S., including here in Washington. 

To understand why, just think about what businesses need to prosper. Reliable and affordable electricity to power their operations. Good transportation networks to ensure people and goods can get where they need to be. Infrastructure investment and job growth to bolster local economies. Market-based systems to efficiently solve pressing economywide problems. And, last but not least, a healthy workforce. 

The CCA is delivering all of that.  

By putting a cap on carbon pollution designed to all but eliminate it by 2050, the policy uses basic economic principles to address the challenge and financial risks of climate change. It promises to reduce impacts such as floods, drought, heatwaves, and severe storms that threaten pillars of the economy that businesses depend on, such as infrastructure, facilities, supply chains, and workforces. Not only that, the CCA is also investing in improving and fortifying many of those very things: its revenue is being used to improve and modernize energy and transportation infrastructure, invest in energy efficiency, and protect communities from climate impacts. Repealing it was projected to cost some 45,000 good-paying jobs and do $9 billion in economic damage. 

Businesses understood the CCA is about protecting and strengthening our economic future, one that we are all in together. And voters did too. By voting no, Washington has signaled to companies across the U.S. that it is acting to address a major economic challenge and is investing in solutions that businesses of the future will rely on.  

There’s a lesson here for state policymakers around the country, especially those committed to strengthening their communities as an attractive and reliable place to conduct business. The private sector will continue to seize business opportunities as clean energy investment grows, and states will find broad support when they address the economic imperative to reduce pollution and advance clean power, transportation, and building policies. In Washington, voters made it abundantly clear that their “no” vote wasn’t about just protecting the climate. It was about protecting the economy as well. 

Commentary: Why businesses stood up for Washington state’s cap-and-invest policy is an article from Energy News Network, a nonprofit news service covering the clean energy transition. If you would like to support us please make a donation.