Briefs: PG&E rates rising in new year

Pacific Gas & Electric Co. rates for electricity and natural gas will rise slightly in 2012, though company officials said the overall price will still be below the rate of inflation over the last five years.

Residential natural gas rates will go up by 1.8 percent on average for residential customers in January compared to December, though they'll be .3 percent below a year earlier. Electrical rates will rise by 2.4 percent on average for homes between December and January, and be 2.9 percent higher than a year earlier.

The rate hikes will help the utility reduce the number of power failures, improve call center responsiveness and upgrade system safety, the utility said in a press release.

Raising rates is not connected to PG&E costs stemming from the 2010 San Bruno disaster, which is being covered by shareholders, the utility said.

YUBA-SUTTER

Government offices closed

Government offices at all levels — city, county, state and federal — and financial institutions are closed Monday in observance of New Year's Day.

Schools are also closed.

Yuba-Sutter Transit will operate as scheduled today, but there is no service Monday. The business office is also closed.

Daily delivery of the Appeal-Democrat and Recology's trash collection service are not affected by the holiday, though the business offices are closed Monday.

BEALE

Colonel promoted to Barksdale

The operations group commander for the 940th Operations Group at Beale Air Force Base has been named the new wing commander for the 307th Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana.

Col. Jonathan Ellis, who came to Beale in 2005 as the commander of the 13th Reconnaissance Squadron, assumed command of the 940th in 2008. In his role at Beale, he oversees integration for five geographically separated operation squadrons in support of Air Combat Command, Pacific Air Forces and the Air Force Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency, according to his online biography.