Public Safety · Tuolumne County
Six days after Pacific Gas and Electric Co. shut off power to more than 7,000 customers in Tuolumne County due to fire weather warnings, PG&E representatives met with county supervisors to address resident concerns. Supervisors questioned the decision-making process as many residents along the Highway 108 corridor reported little wind during the outages. PG&E officials cited red flag warnings, low humidity, and wind patterns on higher elevations like Mount Elizabeth as justification for the shutoffs. The utility confirmed that damage to infrastructure was found during post-event patrols and advised affected customers to file claims for economic losses.
Local Politics · Tuolumne County
Tuolumne County supervisors unanimously approved a five-year, $1.8 million agreement with Axon to upgrade body-worn cameras, Tasers, and digital evidence storage for the Sheriff’s Office. The contract includes AI-assisted report writing and drone capabilities, though Sheriff David Vasquez stated no automated license-plate readers or autonomous surveillance drones are included. Supervisors raised concerns about data privacy and AI accuracy, while residents urged a slower rollout of new software technologies.
Public Safety · Sonora, CA
Rain and thunder began before 1 p.m. Wednesday in downtown Sonora, marking the area's first measurable precipitation of the new water year that began Oct. 1. Forecasters expected a quarter- to half-inch of rain for Sonora and other Sierra foothill communities through Thursday, with isolated thunderstorms capable of producing lightning, small hail, brief heavy rain, gusting winds, and brief funnel clouds. Caltrans and the National Park Service temporarily closed Sonora Pass on Highway 108 at Kennedy Meadows Road and Ebbetts Pass on Highway 4 at Lake Alpine reservoir at 8 a.m. Wednesday; Tioga Pass on Highway 120 in Yosemite National Park was scheduled to close at 5 p.m. Wednesday with 4 to 6 inches of snow forecast. Reopenings for the passes were not scheduled, though agencies emphasized closures are meant to be temporary. Sunny skies with cooler temperatures were expected to return Saturday and Sunday.
