game by about 20 minutes. but after the game started, the lights went out again. early in the second quarter at about 6:43. that put the game on hold for another 16 minutes. robert lyles was standing by at candle stick to show us what went wrong. robert. >> reporter: officially, pg and e says that there's an investigation underway and they are working with the city and county of san francisco as well as candle stick owners to figure out why there was a power outage. even though the 49ers won 20-3 tonight, this blackout might already be a black eye for the city of san francisco. at first, the sellout crowd thought it was a prelude to tonight's kickoff of the much talked about monday night matchup. until thousands of niners fans kept cheering, pulling out their cell phones hoping electronic candle light at candle stick would e lym illuminate what was next. the public address system went dead and so did a national tv broadcast. back up generators sent limited stadium electricity to a couple towering emergency lights. they illuminated san francisco cops scrambling for security crams to handle the thousands inside while referees backed off the gridiron. everyone totally confused. espn recorded a small explosion as the national kickoff was delayed. crews found a downed power line. that does not mean they are at fault for this black eye. >> it could be any number of things. it could be equipment that is done by pg and e or equipment owned by candle stick. >> the power was restored in 20 minutes. so firework at the entrance of the pittsburgh steelers. this game was back on tv, but the national luster was short lived. just before 7:00 in the second quarter, the stadium lights went black yet again. pausing the national broadcast at least 15 minutes. but the fans refused to leave and the 49ers refused to talk about the blackout on camera. and with pg and e doubting responsibility, the real question tonight, who fumbled? >> well there were more than 69,000 fans inside the park tonight and millions watching from home. so with the combination of those two, could this blackout mean these are now the santa clara 49ers. >> i can hear it already. conneddering up why this happened and the timing and everything. but we'll have to wait and see what officially pg and e tells us. >> absolutely. >> thank you robert. pg and e and most experts said time and time again. those new smart meters are perfectly fine. enough people complained, sometimes loudly, that tonight, kit tells us pg and e has done a big about face. kit. >> well, elizabeth, pg and e says they should be listening to their customers. if you want to, you can get rid of your smart meter. critics say this is progress, but it's not enough. >> customers who have battled with pg and e say today's news is a glimmer of hope. >> should they choose not to participate in the program, that they have the meter of their choice, because that's what is important to our customers and make sure they get that. >> it's an opt out program, if you still have an analog, you'll have to tell pg and e you want to keep it. either way, there will be a reinstallation and monthly fee. >> that would cover things like, meter installations, of course, reading the meters on a monthly or shorter or longer basis. >> pg and e took a pr hit when they cut off power to customers who complained of health problems and removed the smart meters on their own. left her in the dark with no heat as temperatures were near freezing. critics say pg and he and e were embarrassed. >> they lied to me so many times. >> earlier this month, sheen was part of a handful of customers who dumped their smart meters off at a local office. employees got spooked, called police, and closed the branch. sheen was told the company would reinstall an analog meter and put in a digital one. critics might say that you're trying to have your cake and eat it, too. >> we already have an analog meter. they took it off our house to go find that one and put it back on. >> and so pg and e expects less than 1% of the customers to get rid of the smart meters. as far as the fees go, we have seen fees range anywhere from $90 to $300 and the monthly fee range from $15 to $50. elizabeth. >> thank you. high speed chase and a crash turned interstate 580 into a parking lot today. it all started about 2:00 this afternoon when two suspected car thieves tried to outrun police at the stone ridge mall in pleasantton. they headed west on 580, reaching speeds of 100 miles per hour before crashing at the castro valley boulevard exit. is this what was left of the get away car. no one was seriously injured. police arrested the suspects. seven-year-old boys felt 60 feet from a ski lift at sugar bowl. resort tells us the boy landed on some rocks that were covered by a thin layer of snow. he had severe head injuries and is in critical condition. not clear exactly why or how he fell. >> take a good look at your next paycheck because starting in just two weeks, you could be taking home less money. congress actually republicans in the house of representatives are holding up the payroll tax cut extension. danielle nottingham tells us what's the problem. >> lawmakers are still trying to resolve the standoff over the payroll tax cut. the house now plans to vote tuesday and is poised to reject the senate deal that would extend the tax break until february. >> our members do not want to punch and do a two month short- term fix where we have to come back and do this again. >> the ayes are 89, the nays are 10. >> when senators approved the bipartisan deal over the weekend -- >> we'll get it done. >> they expected their colleagues in the house to follow suit, but conservatives balked insisting on a full year extension of the cut. >> they sent us over an insult to the american people. >> the house speaker wants senate and house leaders to meet to iron out a new agreement, but harry reid is refusing. saying he won't reopen negotiations until the house passes the senate bipartisan deal. >> democratic senator already back home with his constituents echoed frustration with house republicans. >> negotiating with some of these folks is sort of like trying to pin jell-o on the wall. they keep moving the goal posts further back and further back and further back. >> tax cuts expire december 31. danielle nottingham, cbs news, washington. >> in north korea, supporters of the nation's late dictator are mourning their death. they brave the winter cold to pay respects to kim jong-il. a mourning period went in effect. his death has world leaders watching north korea closely. >> my biggest concern is a potential military clash between the north and south provocation by the north. >> all indications are that the late dictator son will take over as north korea's leader. after almost nine years, 4500 american lives lost, and more than 100,000 iraqis killed, the war in iraq is finally over. the last u.s. combat troops rolled from iraq into kuwait over the weekend. cbs's jim a and xe lrod left. >> his third tour in iraq was to become his last. >> hopefully it's the last time i have to fire a weapon in iraq. >> his platoon would be driving out on the last convoy. the gunner in his vehicle, mcdun nay would have to stand behind his machine gun in the desert cold for five hours to get to the border. but after a total of nearly two years in iraq, if that was the price of leving, he was thrilled to pay it. >> it's going it be the first time i have actually driven across the border. it's going to be almost kind of a relief, knowing this place is no longer where i'm at. >> the convoy traveled by cover of night and arrived at the border at first light. eight years, eight months, and 28 days after the start of the iraq war, we are moments from crossing the border into kuwait. the soldiers in this transport vehicle will be among the very last u.s. troops to leave iraq. >> while some vehicles crossed the border, horns blaring, he followed strict orders not to show boat. >> it's definitely an amazing feeling to know that the biggest mission of my military career went smoothly without any hickups and we were able to get across safely. >> almost immediately, his attention turned to one last mission. getting home to his wife and three children for christmas. >> i was just trying to picture them on the field, running across. i have a feeling. it's going to be amazing. >> it looks like kristen and thousands of other troops fresh from iraq will make it just in time. cbs news, camp virginia, kuwait. forget job satisfaction in the 40s and dropping. and never mind the movement to force her out. oakland's mayor does have major support. why labor unions say they are on her side. the trees have to go so the butterflies can stay. we'll show you the multimillion dollar mulching project. >> and doing it just because they can. how people across the country and now the bay area are getting the exact gift they want from total strangers. >> may not be getting the exact weather condition you want, but tonight it will be clear and cold followed by sunny skies tomorrow. the rain and the lack of it as eyewitness news continues. quan. some powerfu ... here's something we haven't heard lately. some powerful people. the alameda county labor union is backing the mayor against the recall effort. the union represents 100,000 county workers and says the money the city would have to spend on a recall would be wasteful. >> the recall efforts are designated to get rid of elected officials who are corrupt, who are misusing finances. who are getting paybacks. mayor quan is none of those. >> weather you are liberal, moderate, or conservative. >> the most recent cbs 5 poll showed that 47% of oakland voters supported the recall while 34% oppose it. chain saws busy in the headlands. crews are clearing several kinds of trees from hawk hill. those trees are not native to the area and they are being removed to create more habitat for the endangered blue butterfly. wetlands and butterfly habitats were lost over the last two years. >> know where the next answer is in science will come from? will it come from fungus? it's always important to look at the larger picture and try to maintain as much of the natural world as it was given to us. >> federal government kicked in more than $8 million for the road and trail construction. part of that money being used to restore the mission blue butterflies habitat. that work will continue into next month. >> we have been enjoying nice, cool, crisp, clear conditions. but we really need some rain, right? >> we certainly do. we'll be sharing the precipitation of normal. they are quite alarming. very disturbing actually, but right now, something that is quite beautiful. it's our live cbs 5 weather camera looking out where today 52 degrees. about 4 degrees below average for this time of the year. tonight, some crisp conditions, check out oakland, already dipping down to 39 degrees. we have a little slight wind. but san francisco at 48. once that wind relaxes, the numbers will plummet big time. in fact, we will have areas of widespread frost tonight. over the weekend, it will be sunny and seasonal. not the weekend, rather this entire week, leading into the weekend for christmas eve and christmas day. no rain and no snow in tahoe. these are the stats. san francisco 49% of where we should be. last year at 110. santa rosa 123% of normal. today 42%. we need the rain. not going to see any. high pressure is the key component, providing us with lots of sunshine, lots of clarity. mild days and chilly nights. 30 degrees overnight in santa rosa. 29 in napa. temperatures in the 30s and low 40s bay side. 35 degrees across the santa clara valley. it will be below freezing throughout the trivalley. tomorrow, with an offshore flow out of the northeast and easterly, 5 to 10 miles per hour. it is not a spare the air day, but some very stagnant air. temperature wise into the 50s and low mid 60s. go ahead with an outside number of 64 degrees. very little temperature change each and every day. what we do have going on is the few inside leaders that will move to the north and east. so that's where we'll increase a few clouds on your christmas day well into monday. other than that, we could get a little dusting of snow in the high sierra. i'm not looking at anything measurable for skiing or snow boarding. the good news is, it's cold enough in tahoe for them to continue to make the snow at night. >> we talked about the ski resorts losing business. but i know a will the of people up there. the roofers, the painters, the guys paying concrete who are happy their season has been extended. >> . >> right. >> st. nick does it in a night and across the country, people are doing it at k mart. >> how people are buying christmas for strangers. [ monica ] i'm away on a movie shoot and it hasn't been going exactly as planned. cut. cut! [ monica ] i thought we'd be on location for 3 days -- it's been 3 weeks. so i had to pick up some more things. good thing i've got the citi simplicity card. i don't get hit with a fee if i'm late with a payment... which is good because on this job, no! bigger! [ monica ] i may not be home for a while. [ male announcer ] the new citi simplicity card. no late fees. no penalty rate. no worries. no late fees. no penalty rate. from 20 leading brands, including tully's. it's the way to brew everyone's favorite cup in under a minute. way to brew. maybe you heard about this new phenomenon happening across the country this christmas season. it involves what is known as lay away angels. tonight, these angels have been doing their thing in the bay area. >> these are all from saturday. >> receipts on the wall indicate the lay away angels who flown into the k mart paying off thousands of dollars in someone else's debt. boxes for pickup filled with clothes and toys are paid for by strangers. the gesture started in the midwest last week and has gained momentum nationwide. these angels and secret santas are making christmas brighter for other families. >> they look. they see toys and i want to pay that off. >> the balance is usually a penny. marty assumes the role of one of santa's elves. >> you love making those calls? >> oh yes. makes me cry sometimes. >> most are stunned. one man was angry thinking he was being harassed. >> won't you stop calling me, i'm coming in to pay, just not now. i say sir, i'm not calling about that. your lay away has been paid off. >> what did he say? >> are you joking? >> norma says some give a few dollars, some give hundreds. the ma orty don't seem wealthy. >> she told me, i'm not rich. but i have a little extra to give so i want to give. >> k mart seems to be the favorite spot, perhaps because the chain has had a lay away program for decades. word is spreading so quickly, it seems around the clock, somewhere an angel is getting its wings. >> that is a beautiful thing that people still have love in their hearts to help others. >> that's wonderful. i wish someone would do that for me. >> most of these don't want anything in return. in fact, they won't even accept a receipt so they can claim the donation on their taxes. cbs 5. >> facebook now has a new home. the social network site has officially moved into its new headquarters. employees were welcomed with the familiar like sign. facebook has about 2,000 people working on the campus. the new arrival may also boost local businesses. >> i'm pretty excited. hopefully we -- we are waiting for it. >> come on over, huh? >> finally. >> the company plans to launch face bucks to encourage employees to leave the campus and spend money in the community. facebook plans to add 7,000 more employees to the new location. it was lights out for the 49ers and i don't mean the power. domination sensation and the nation, if they didn't believe it before, they do now. we're next. dominating laces? really? slip-on's the way to go. more people do that, security would be like -- there's no charge for the bag. thanks. i know a quiet little place where we can get some work done. there's a three-prong plug. i have club passes. [ male announcer ] now there's a mileage card that offers special perks on united, like a free checked bag, united club passes, and priority boarding. thanks. ♪ okay. what's your secret? ♪ [ male announcer ] the new united mileageplus explorer card. get it and you're in. if there wasn't a reason to not like candle stick anymore, it's over. >> right. >> all the critics are falling apart. a little embarrassing it see this place. >> it was there in 1989 when the earthquake hit. everybody believed if that place is still standing, the rest of the bay area must be okay. i mean, it survived that earthquake, remember? tonight, two more power outages, but the important thing s the 49ers looked awfully good in those power outages. after losing two out of the past three, the 49ers showed they are among the nfl's elite with a dominating performance. start the clock. delayed 20 minutes after the power went out before the game. ben roth lis burger threw for over 300 yards, but had three picks. lays out his six interceptions for the season. 49ers jumped out to a 6-0 lead. second quarter, the lights go out again. this time a 16 minute delay. that 6-3 in the third. alex smith rolls out, wide open verna davis who had two big catches earlier in the drive. from there, the defense turned on the pressure. one of his 2 1/2 sacks. justin smith comes up with a fumble. the 49ers beat the steelers 20- 3. >> after the lights went out for the second time, was there any concern on the team's part that we may not get this game in? >> we were up 6-0, so let's just call it a night. let's get home early and you know, have a good night. but instead, a lot later night. it's good. any time you can come away with a win, it's great. >> and after the game, the coach jim harbaugh said alex smith is a probowl quarterback, or should be considered for the game in honolulu and you think how far we've come since the beginning of the season. >> you have guys. >> aaron rogers and matt stafford. >> it speaks volumes of how much that quarterback has progressed. >> probably moved from the top six or seven. >> maybe harbaugh is blowing his own horn. >> exactly. they look good. >> that does it for eyewitness news at 10:00. >> we'll have more highlights from the game at 11:00. the news is always on cbssf.com.