The closing of a calendar year again brings to state attorney-general watchers that unique annual enjoyment of handicapping the festive square-dancing match-up between big bad utilities trying to raise consumers' rates and fight-the-man AGs trying to stop them.

But some power companies, it seems, are determined to snatch away even that meager ration of reportorial holiday fun. A few have even smartened-up to where they're negotiating rate pacts instead of getting smacked around in court by AGs with an eye on the next gubernatorial vote. Scrooges.

So a shake of the bells at Spokane, WA-based power company Avista, nominated for this year's LNL Grinch Award for their lack of festive spirit. These buzz-killers actually got AG Rob McKenna's Public Counsel Section to agree on a $21.5 million cut in its original rate rise request for 2008, dropping it to $33.5 million, we reported today.

Someone at Avista must have remembered what happened to the utility 10 months ago, when the state's regulating body rejected outright the company's proposed rate-revenue increase of $28.9 million for 2007 after the AG's office opposed. And maybe its rejection two weeks ago of Avista's initially-proposed $55 million increase for next year jogged a few more memories.

What next? More utilities figuring out there's no odds butting heads with ambitious state attorneys-general over grandma's power bill?

Might as well watch College Bowl games.