Public utilities provide electric, gas, water or telephone service to customers in a specified area. Utilities have a duty to provide safe and adequate service on reasonable terms to anyone who lives within the service area on without discriminating between customers. Because most utilities operate in near monopolistic conditions, they can be heavily regulated by local, state, and federal authorities. Generally, the local and state agencies are called Public Service Commissions (PSC) or Public Utility Commissions (PUC). Municipal Utilities and Rural Electric Cooperatives may be unregulated though.
Willow Creek (formerly, China Flat) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Humboldt County, California, United States. The population was 1,743 at the 2000 census. Willow Creek sits along the Trinity River. Residents of this small mountain town are commonly referred to as "Willow Creekers". It is the Bigfoot capital of the world, and holds an annual festival in honor of the creature. Willow Creek is described as a “rugged mountain community nestled in the heart of the Six Rivers National Forest. ” This area of California is located in the Trinity/Shasta/Cascade Region, near the Oregon border, and is easily reached via State Routes 96 and 299. The upper Trinity River offers a classic Class III run with moderate rapids, followed by the Burnt Ranch Gorge, which is one of the toughest runs in the entire state. The region is the location of the Willow Creek American Viticultural Area. Organic gardens and vineries abound and welcome travelers to try their wares. Willow Creek was served for many decades by the weekly Kourier newspaper, which closed in 2006 and was quickly replaced by the Bigfoot Valley News also based in Willow Creek.