EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. — Thousands of PG&E customers in El Dorado County remain without power as the utility company continues their work under heavy snow conditions.
Some Pollock Pines homeowners like Dennis Ownes have decided to take the phrase "your friendly neighbor" to the next level by shoveling snow out the way for his neighbors so they can get to the pharmacy. Retirees and the elderly make up the majority of the population at the Whispering Pines apartments.
"Her medicine is over there. She has not had it in a few days, and she is sick,” he said.
No matter how hard homeowners work to clear the snow from their homes, it remains a never-ending task for people like Sharee Butterfield, who is trying to figure out her next move after heavy snow caused a tree to fall into her house.
"In five different places, I have tree limbs inside my house,” she said.
Her neighbor, Jeanie Kludjin, is wishing she had a generator to power her home.
“I called PG&E and they said someone was in Pollock Pines, but the news is saying it could be Jan. 10 before it is turned on,” Kludjin said.
With miles of public and private roads to be cleared of snow, it's unclear when all power will be restored. Over at Ace Hardware, generators have been flying off the shelf.
"I think we have one more 8kw generator in the back. We blew through lots of generators yesterday,” said Ace Hardware employee Dave Cambel.
The supply chain is limited in this mountain community, and as more people dig out of their homes, they will be looking to stock up on food, fuel, and other scarce necessities.
“I’ve been melting snow because there is no bottled water. Can’t find it because the city folks are buying it all up,” said Dennis Owens, another resident.
On a positive note, the bus service has started back up, running and picking people up where roads are clear in Pollock Pines.
