Featured

PG&E Energy Savings Programs – Part 2

Published

6 years ago

June 17, 2018

By Genoa Barrow | California Black Media

Summertime is a great time for outdoor activities but when the temperature begins to hit triple digits, many consumers will try to escape the heat by staying indoors. The additional usage of energy can cause bills to increase significantly. Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) does not want their customers to get “beat by the heat” and offers several energy savings tips and programs to help consumers save money and pay their bills.

PG&E offers different programs to those who may need extra assistance in paying their bills every month. “We’re here to support all of our customers,” says Allen Fernandez Smith, PG&E’s Manager of Low-Income Programs and Strategies.
Tandrea and Steve Thysell, a young couple living in Stockton are already utilizing programs provided by PG&E. As a social worker and substitute teacher, the Thysells say they can use all the help they can get in keeping costs down.

“We’ve been using them for about six years. They’ve helped us tremendously, along with the balance pay program, I love that program the most,” Tandrea Thysell shared.

She’s speaking of “Budget Billing,” which means PG&E will average out a customer’s energy cost, using their past history, so that they’ll see more manageable payments and avoid big spikes on their bills.

“CARE has helped lower our monthly bills consistently and made the payment manageable when they might be outrageous,” Mrs. Thysell said.

The couple also participates in PG&E’s Medical Baseline Program that provides extra energy at the lowest price for those with a qualifying medical condition. Both Tandrea and Steve Thysell use breathing apparatuses for severe asthma.
“Medical Baseline has allowed us to keep power when others may not have had it or to be warned by text or email when we were going to be without it due to our devices.” Tandrea Thysell shared.

The CARE program, Budget Billing and Medical Baseline Program are only a few of the programs offered through PG&E. PG&E has a number of assistance programs for low-income customers including the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) Program, which gives income-qualified customers a monthly discount of at least 20 percent on their gas and electric bills.

The Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) Program helps larger families and through the Energy Savings Assistance (ESA) program, income-qualified customers can receive free energy-efficient home improvements. These improvements can help reduce energy bills and improve health, safety and comfort. The ESA program is open to those who rent or own their homes and provides qualified customers with energy-saving improvements at no charge. If you’re on the CARE program, you’re also eligible for the ESA program because the guidelines are the same.

CARE income guidelines are increasing on June 1, 2018 to allow households that earn more money to participate and save. The guidelines are set by the California Public Utilities Commission.

With the 2018 change, the income threshold goes from $40,840 to $41,560 for a family of three; and from $49,200 to $50,200 for a family of four. This means more customers will be qualified to apply and receive a monthly discount.

CARE is one of PG&E’s highest satisfaction programs. An estimated 1.5 million customers are eligible and 90.5 percent of those who are eligible are taking advantage of the program’s discounts. Some 145,000 customers who are eligible have yet to enroll.

“We understand that California is a very diverse state and our customers are also very diverse with many different needs,” says Fernandez Smith, “and we want to make sure we’re meeting their needs by providing safe, reliable, affordable clean energy.”

Online resources include www.pge.com/saveenergymoney and www.pge.com/coolingcenters.

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Related Topics:energy savings Pacific Gas & Electric PG&E

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WOMEN IMPACTING THE CHURCH AND COMMUNITY

Published

16 hours ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

Juanita Matthews

Sister Juanita Matthews

55 Years with Oakland Public School District

The Teacher, Mother, Community Outreach Champion, And Child of God

Juanita Matthews, better known as “Sister Teacher,” is a walking Bible scholar. She moved to California from the great state of Arkansas in 1971. Sister Teacher has a passion for teaching. She has been a member of Bible Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church since 1971. She followed her passion for teaching, and in 1977 became the lead teacher for Adult Class #6. Her motto still today is “Once My Student, Always My Student”.

Beyond her remarkable love for the Lord, Sister Teacher has showcased her love for teaching by working for the Oakland Unified School District for 55 years, all but four of those years spent at Emerson Elementary and Child Development School. She truly cares about her students, making sure they have the tools/supplies needed to learn either at OUSD or Bible Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church.

She’s also had a “Clothes Closet Ministry” for 51 years, making sure her students have sufficient clothing for school. The Clothes Closet Ministry extends past her students, she has been clothing the community for over 50 years as well. She loves the Lord and is a servant on a mission. She is a loving mother to two beautiful children, Sandra and Andre. This is the impact this woman of God has on her church and the community.

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Bay Area

Vivian Coit, 98

Vivian Coit, a proud Dallas, Texas native made her way to the great state of California in 1943. She was a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great grandmother.

Published

16 hours ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

Vivian Coit

Celebrating A Life Well Lived

Sept. 15, 1925 ~ March 30, 2024

Vivian Coit, a proud Dallas, Texas native made her way to the great state of California in 1943. She was a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great grandmother.

In her 98 years, she had various jobs – San Francisco Naval Shipyard, elevator operator, housekeeping, a salesclerk, and supervisor for the United States Postal Service. After 27 years of service with the United States Postal Service, she retired with numerous commendations. She was a lifetime member of the National Council of Negro Women. and a devoted member of the Washington/Lincoln Alumni Association of Dallas, Texas.

On April 20 at 10:00 a.m., a life well-lived will be celebrated at Beebe Memorial Cathedral CME Church, 3900 Telegraph Ave., Oakland, CA under the leadership of Rev. Antoine Shyne.

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Commentary

Opinion: Surviving the Earthquake, an Eclipse and “Emil Amok.”

Last Friday, a 4.8 magnitude earthquake shook New York City, reported as the “biggest earthquake with an epicenter in the NYC area since 1884” when a 5.2 quake hit. A bit bigger. The last quake similar to Friday’s was a 4.9 in 1783.Alexander Hamilton felt it — 241 years ago. That’s why New Yorkers were freaking out on Friday. They were in the room where it happens.

Published

16 hours ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

In New York City, the eclipse was about 90 percent visible. Good enough for me. Though a full solar eclipse is a celestial rarity, blockages of any sort aren’t generally celebrated. My one-man play is about growing up with the eclipsed history of American Filipinos and how I struggle to unblock all that.

By Emil Guillermo

I’m a Northern Californian in New York City for the next few weeks, doing my one-man show, “Emil Amok, Lost NPR Host, Wiley Filipino, Vegan Transdad.”

I must like performing in the wake of Mother Nature.

Alexander Hamilton felt it — 241 years ago.

That’s why New Yorkers were freaking out on Friday. They were in the room where it happens.

And it just doesn’t happen that often.

Beyonce singing country music happens more frequently.

When I felt New York shake last week, it reminded me of a time in a San Francisco TV newsroom when editors fretted about a lack of news an hour before showtime.

Then the office carpeting moved for a good ten seconds, and the news gods gave us our lead story.

On Friday when it happened in NYC, I noticed the lines in the carpeting in my room wiggling. But I thought it was from a raucous hotel worker vacuuming nearby.

I didn’t even think earthquake. In New York?

I just went about my business as if nothing had happened. After living near fault lines all my life, I was taking things for granted.

Considering the age of structures in New York, I should have been even more concerned about falling objects inside (shelves, stuff on walls) and outside buildings (signs, scaffolding), fire hazards from possible gas leaks, and then I should have looked for others on my floor and in the hotel lobby to confirm or aid or tell stories.

Of course, as a Californian who has lived through and covered quakes in the 4 to 6 magnitude range, I tried to calm down any traumatized New Yorker I encountered by taking full responsibility for bringing in the quake from the Bay Area.

I reassured them things would be all right, and then let them know that 4.8s are nothing.

And then I invited them to my consoling post-Earthquake performance of “Emil Amok, Lost NPR Host…”

It was the night of the eclipse.

ECLIPSING THE ECLIPSE

For example, did you know the first Filipinos actually arrived to what is now California in 1587? That’s 33 years before the Pilgrims arrived in America on the other coast, but few know the Filipino history which has been totally eclipsed.

I was in Battery Park sitting on a bench and there was a sense of community as people all came to look up. A young woman sitting next to me had a filter for a cell phone camera. We began talking and she let me use it. That filter enabled me to take a picture of the main event with my iPhone.

For helping me see, I invited her and her boyfriend to come see my show.

Coincidentally, she was from Plymouth, Massachusetts, near the rock that says the year the Pilgrims landed in 1620.

In my show she learned the truth. The Pilgrims were second.

History unblocked. But it took a solar eclipse.

Next one in 2044? We have a lot more unblocking to do.

If you’re in New York come see my show, Sat. April 13th, 5:20 pm Eastern; Fri. April 19, 8:10 pm Eastern; and Sun. April 21st 5:20 pm Eastern.

You can also livestream the show. Get tickets at www.amok.com/tickets

About the Author

Emil Guillermo is a journalist and commentator. He does a mini-talk show on YouTube.com/@emilamok1. He wishes all his readers a Happy Easter!