Heavy Rain, Low Snow and Gusty Winds Increase the Chance of Outages

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (MPG) — Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s (PG&E) team of meteorologists is forecasting a series of winter storms over the next several days. PG&E is encouraging customers to be prepared and have a plan in case of weather-related power outages.

The storm series is shaping up to be an atmospheric river-type event with widespread heavy rain, gusty winds, and heavy, low-elevation snow, and will unfold Tuesday afternoon and continue into Thursday. The effects will be felt across the entire PG&E service area, particularly in the Sierra foothills, where snow levels could drop as low as 2,000 feet. At higher elevations, accumulation could mean several feet of snow.

“While cold temperatures, heavy mountain snow, and precipitation will deliver some much-needed moisture to our drought-impacted region, we expect this adverse weather to also result in some weather-related power outages. We’re urging our customers to stay safe and have a plan. Our team is closely watching this storm series and where it could hit the hardest so we’re ready to restore power safely and efficiently,” said PG&E Manager of Meteorology and Fire Science, Scott Strenfel.

PG&E’s meteorology team leverages its Storm Outage Prediction Model that incorporates real-time weather forecasts, 30 years of historical weather and outage data along with system knowledge to accurately predict when and where storm impacts will be most severe. This model enables the company to pre-stage crews, equipment and resources as storms approach to enable rapid response to outages.

Along the North Coast and in the Sacramento Valley, over a 48-hour period starting Tuesday night, two to four inches of rain are possible for low-elevation and urban areas, with six to eight inches of snow accumulation across elevated terrain and through the northern Sierra. In the Central and Southern Sierra, PG&E meteorologists say, heavy mountain snows will occur and gusty winds are expected to develop, with the strongest gusts peaking around 55-65 mph; in the Bay Area, this system will bring moderate to heavy rainfall and gusty winds through Thursday evening, with a slight possibility of some snow accumulation on the highest peaks of the surrounding hills.

The National Weather Service’s Sacramento office has issued a Winter Storm Watch for some areas, forecasting that snow levels could be 18-24 inches in Quincy, 24-36 inches at Yosemite National Park, 36-48 inches in Mt. Shasta City and 60-80 inches at the Tioga Pass.

Storm Safety Tips:

• Never touch downed wires: If you see a downed power line, assume it is energized and extremely dangerous. Do not touch or try to move it—and keep children and animals away. Report downed power lines immediately by calling 911 and by calling PG&E at 1-800-743-5002.
• Use flashlights, not candles: During a power outage, use battery-operated flashlights, and not candles, due to the risk of fire. If you must use candles, please keep them away from drapes, lampshades, animals and small children. Do not leave candles unattended.
• Have a backup phone: If you have a telephone system that requires electricity to work, such as a cordless phone or answering machine, plan to have a standard telephone or cellular phone ready as a backup.
• Have fresh drinking water, ice: Freeze plastic containers filled with water to make blocks of ice that can be placed in your refrigerator/freezer during an outage to prevent foods from spoiling. Blue Ice from your picnic cooler also works well in the freezer.
• Secure outdoor furniture: Deck furniture, lightweight yard structures and decorative lawn items should be secured as they can be blown by high winds and damage overhead power lines and property.
• Use generators safely: Customers with standby electric generators should make sure they are properly installed by a licensed electrician in a well-ventilated area. Improperly installed generators pose a significant danger to customers, as well as crews working on power lines. If using portable generators, be sure they are in a well-ventilated area.
• Turn off appliances: If you experience an outage, unplug or turn off all electrical appliances to avoid overloading circuits and to prevent fire hazards when power is restored. Simply leave a single lamp on to alert you when power returns. Turn your appliances back on one at a time when conditions return to normal.
• Safely clean up: After the storm has passed, be sure to safely clean up. Never touch downed wires and always call 811 or visit 811express.com at least two full business days before digging to have all underground utilities safely marked.

For the most up-to-date information on outages, please visit pge.com/outagemap

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric utilities in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with more than 23,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation’s cleanest energy to nearly 16 million people in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit www.pge.com/ and www.pge.com/en/about/newsroom/index.page

One of the only approved outdoor activities allowed during this time of Covid restrictions

FOLSOM, CA (MPG) - The Folsom Historic District is pleased to announce that the seasonal ice rink has been extended until February 15th. The community ice rink has been very well received this year, as it has been one of the only approved outdoor activities allowed during this time of Covid restrictions. 90 minute sessions begin daily at 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm and 8pm. The Ice rink crew has worked diligently to comply with all the stipulations of being open, including limiting session capacity, distancing and sanitizing handrails and skates between sessions, etc.

Visitors will find free parking at 905 Leidesdorff St which is adjacent to the plaza where the circular ice rink is located. Each session is 90 minutes long and we encourage skaters to pre-purchase tickets online at www.folsomicerink.com so their spot on the ice is guaranteed. General admission is $15.00 which also includes the ice skate rental. Ice skating sessions sell out quickly during popular session times due to the limited capacity. Bring your family ice skating to work out some energy and enjoy the sights and sounds of this unique ice rink located around the historic railroad turntable. After your skating session we invite you to spend time in the Historic District enjoying our family-owned shops and eateries. Join the Shop Small movement and help business in the community you live in to thrive!

WASHINGTON, DC (MPG) - Younger adults living alone were more likely than older adults living alone to report symptoms of both anxiety and depression in recent weeks, according to new U.S. Census Bureau data.

The Household Pulse Survey provides insight into the mental health and well-being of adults living alone during the Coronavirus pandemic. The survey asks two questions related to symptoms of anxiety, and two questions about symptoms of depression.

Phase 3 of the survey collects data over two-week intervals, and this article relies on publicly available data collected from Oct. 28 through Nov. 9, a time period in which the Census Bureau sent invitations to 1,035,752 households and received a total of 58,729 responses.

Those between ages 18 and 29 and 30 and 44 reported higher rates of anxiety and depression. The age groups were not statistically different from each other on either measure.

SACRAMENTO COUNTY, CA (MPG) - Do you want a happy start to your new year? Why not adopt your new best friend or family member from the Bradshaw Animal Shelter? Adoptions are only $50, and the shelter has already had its first adoption of 2021! 

Sacramento County’s Bradshaw Animal Shelter's first adopted animal in 2021 is El Fuego – a 6-year-old orange tabby and domestic shorthair cat. Before arriving at the shelter, El Fuego was found as a stray just before New Year’s Eve and promptly went up for adoption. 

Shortly after El Fuego went up for adoption, he received adoption inquiries through the shelter’s adoption appointment line. He immediately won over the Bastion family by showing off his outgoing, affectionate and loving personality at his first meet-n-greet adoption appointment. El Fuego was adopted and is now enjoying his forever home and new family.

If you are interested in giving a shelter pet a second chance at a new life, the Bradshaw Animal Shelter has a wide variety of animals available to adopt today. The Bastion family may have adopted Sacramento County’s first shelter pet in 2021, but it’s not too late to adopt your new best friend or family member today! 

To schedule your adoption appointment, visit BradshawShelter.net then call the adoption appointment line at 916-875-2287, Tuesday through Sunday, between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Adoption appointments are required before arriving at the shelter. Visitors are also required to practice social distancing and wear face coverings during their visit. For more information about the shelter’s COVID-19 modified services and operations, visit their FAQ webpage.

SACRAMENTO COUNTY, CA (MPG) - The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors has unanimously approved a rate increase that will increase the cost of residential garbage, recycling and green waste services effective March 1, 2021, in the unincorporated area of Sacramento County. 

The increase - the first in 10 years - was less than staff’s recommendation and will​ partially offset the increased costs of collecting and processing recycling and green waste materials. The increase falls short of the amount required to prepare the county to fully implement a state law that requires weekly residential collection of food waste with green waste effective January 2022.

Under Tuesday’s action, rates will increase $5 a month for 30-, 60-, and 90- gallon garbage carts. An additional increase of $5 a month will go into effect Jan.​ 1, 2022. 

The Board also approved doubling the subsidy for customers who qualify for the low-income solid waste lifeline rebate program.  Effective March 1, the rebate amount will be increased from $5 per month to  $10 per month. 

While previously a source of revenue, changes in the recycling marketplace in the past few years have made collecting and processing recyclables a significant expense. Additionally, a new state regulation (SB 1383) mandates diverting organic waste (such as food scraps and soiled paper) from landfills to reduce greenhouse gases. 

When the regulation goes into effect in January 2022, the county would need to pick up green waste weekly instead of every other week and residents would be required to place food scraps and other recoverable organic waste into their green waste carts.  County supervisors expressed a desire to seek a delay in the implementation of SB 1383 or to find alternative financing for equipment and infrastructure costs associated with compliance.

The Department of Waste Management and Recycling serves about 160,000 customers in the unincorporated area of Sacramento County.​