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Uri and Viola visit the Deep South Communities in Mississippi are accustomed to dealing with the aftermaths of storms, tornadoes and hurricanes. When you call the Deep South home, it comes with the territory. But last month our state grappled with something that happens much less frequently — winter storms. On Feb. 14 — Valentine’s Day — the state was hit by Winter Storm Uri and then, just a few days later, Winter Storm Viola blasted its way through before we had time to pick up the pieces from Uri. The power outages were severe. Because the storms struck one after the other, some of the electric cooperative systems and members were impacted by both. During Viola, outages peaked at 110,000 homes and businesses with no power. Electric cooperatives live and serve by The Cooperative Way — seven core principles. One of those principles is Cooperation Among Cooperatives. Mutual aid assistance between Mississippi’s electric cooperatives as well as from co-ops from nearby states was the key to restoring power as quickly, safely and efficiently as possible. State co-ops sent work crews to other Mississippi co-ops to assist in power restoration. Some of the crews sent to help were exhausted after working long hours on the first storm. Additional challenges arose when co-op work crews from other states were sent to Mississippi and they had to maneuver through icy roads and find lodging when hotels were packed with local residents seeking power and heat. The out of state work crews were limited because the outages created by the two storms crippled areas from Texas to the east coast.

But thanks to mutual aid and cooperation among cooperatives, power was restored to our members in a safe and timely manner. And although we think of our linemen as our rock stars — and they are — they couldn’t do their jobs without the support of the cooperative employees who work behind the scenes. Co-op workers take outage calls, set up meals and post social media to keep members informed of the latest news. Co-op warehouse workers make sure our linemen have all the tools and materials they need to perform their tasks safely and efficiently. Co-op dispatchers ensure planning for outage repair for optimal results. Workers in co-op shops make sure the trucks and vehicles are running properly for outage response. Substation technicians go out before the bad weather arrives to preemptively make sure equipment is ready for the incoming storm event. Each cooperative works as a team to make sure our communities experience safe power delivery. In that spirit, we want to thank our members for your patience and our cooperative employees for your hard work and dedication.

Mississippi is... “Where I’m from” I am from front porch swings, from pond raised catfish and creek banks. I am from the modest dwelling on the hill. I am from clothes hanging out on the line, from Ford truck beds, and from screen doors. I am from the vegetable gardens, the play forts in the woods. I’m from family holiday gatherings and humbleness, from the Wardens and the Mitchells. I’m from the bended knees and lifted prayers. From love never fails and all in God’s timing. I’m from the small things make the biggest memories, the God on the mountain is still God in the valley. I’m from hard work and sacrifice. From chicken n’ dumplings and Mississippi mud cake. From the long line of love.

by Michael Callahan Executive Vice President/CEO Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi

I am from the small community, off the beaten path in south Mississippi.

by Naomi Colson a resident of Benndale and a member of Singing River Electric

What’s Mississippi to you? What do you treasure most about life in our state? Send your brief thoughts to Today in Mississippi, news@ecm.coop or mail to P.O. Box 3300, Ridgeland, MS 39158

in this issue

5 southern gardening Visiting your independent garden center

7 scene around the ‘sip A look at special people and places in Mississippi

11 outdoors today

Spring is almost here

12 local news 18 feature

Remembering Lynyrd Skynyrd ‘s historic Mississippi plane crash

on the menu Corned beef St. Patrick would be proud of

The Official Publication of the Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi

Vol. 74 No. 3

OFFICERS Kevin Bonds - President Eddie Howard - First Vice President Randy Carroll - Second Vice President Ron Barnes - Secretary/Treasurer Michael Callahan - Executive Vice President/CEO EDITORIAL STAFF Ron Stewart - Senior VP, Communications Steven Ward - Editor Chad Calcote - Creative Director/ Manager Elissa Fulton - Communications Specialist Rickey McMillan - Graphic Designer Kevin Wood - Graphic Designer Chris Alexander - Administrative Assistant EDITORIAL OFFICE & ADVERTISING 601-605-8600

Acceptance of advertising by Today in Mississippi does not imply endorsement of the advertised product or services by the publisher or Mississippi’s electric power associations. Product satisfaction and delivery responsibility lie solely with the advertiser. • National advertising representative: American MainStreet Publications, 800-626-1181

Circulation of this issue: 486,319

Non-member subscription price: $9.50 per year. Today in Mississippi (ISSN 1052-2433) is published 12 times a year by Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi Inc., P.O. Box 3300, Ridgeland, MS 39158-3300, or 665 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, MS 39157. Phone 601-605-8600. Periodical postage paid at Ridgeland, MS, and additional office. The publisher (and/or its agent) reserves the right to refuse or edit all advertising. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 507.1.5.2) NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: send address corrections to: Today in Mississippi, P.O. Box 3300, Ridgeland, MS 39158-3300

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On the cover Six people died when Lynyrd Skynyrd’s plane crashed in Gillsburg on Oct. 20, 1977. For years, fans drove to the tiny Mississippi community to try and find the site. A group of local fans and crash rescuers have created a monument that memorializes the band and what happened on that horrible night. Photo by Chad Calcote.

And we think you’re going to love ours. So let’s work together: As electric cooperatives, we were built by the communities we serve—and by members just like you. 4 TODAY | MARCH 2021

One advantage of shopping at independent garden centers is their experience with local and regional plant selections and growing information.

Garden and landscape planning for the 2021 season continues to move forward as we get closer to the day we can get back out into the garden full time. If 2020 showed us one good thing, it’s that huge numbers of people discovered the joys and benefits of gardening. As the calendar moves into better gardening weather, I hope most of the new gardeners from 2020 will continue their gardening practices. This means there could be some horticultural shortages, so planning becomes even more important. That’s where becoming an intentional gardener will result in more garden enjoyment. All intentional gardeners must decide where to buy landscape and garden plants. When putting my gardening skills to work in my home landscape, I often want to buy plants. When it’s time to shop, I like to patronize the local, independent garden centers. Sure, I could and sometimes do go to the big box or home improvement stores, but there is a huge difference between plant material bought from these sources and independent garden centers. Now, I’m not knocking the selection of plants at these stores, and the quality of plants is really good most of the time. But most of these stores don’t individually order plants for their garden departments. It’s most common for these companies to have buyers in regional corporate offices contracting with big growers to supply their stores. For example, there’s a huge greenhouse grower outside of Auburn, Alabama, and this one facility supplies plants for more than 100 locations of a familiar home improvement store. There are advantages of shopping at your local independent garden centers. You can count on working with a knowledgeable staff. Many independents pride themselves for having experience with local and regional plant selections and growing information. Don’t hesitate to ask questions because they’ll have answers and suggestions for you to be successful. These professionals are happy to give you personal assistance with your plant purchases. Many independent garden centers are associated with design and build or landscape maintenance divisions. They can offer a high level of services available besides the basic plant material.

Local garden centers offer personal assistance and sometimes personalities such as Bob, the guard cat.

The plant selections at independent garden centers are usually more extensive than those found at other outlets. And if they don’t have what you’re looking for, many will try to source it for you. Independent garden centers typically work with an assortment of wholesale growers. Having a grower network like this can really be a benefit to the home gardener. The last point I want to make maybe should have been my first. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic and associated quarantines threatened the independent garden centers as businesses. In Mississippi, we were extremely fortunate that gardens centers were deemed essential and could remain open. That situation could have changed at a moment’s notice. Independent garden centers rely on the customer base of the home gardener, as sales of consumer horticulture products account for 100% of their revenue. These sales are less than 5% of revenue for the big box stores. I want to encourage all of us to be intentional and support our local independent garden centers this year.

by Dr. Gary Bachman Gary Bachman, Ph.D., Extension/Research Professor of Horticulture at the Mississippi State University Coastal Research and Extension Center in Biloxi. He is also host of “Southern Gardening” radio and TV programs. He lives in Ocean Springs and is a Singing River Electric member.

MARCH 2021 | TODAY 5

VERSION #______________ RON Date_____ Approved Revisions Requested STEVEN Date_____ Approved Revisions Requested CHAD Date_____ Approved Revisions Requested ELISSA Date_____ Approved Revisions Requested CHRIS Date_____ Approved Revisions Requested ARTIST ___________ Date_____ Approved Revisions Requested

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THE MISSISSIPPI STATE GUARD Mississippians serving Mississippians by 2nd Lt. Andrew Bryson What is a volunteer? A volunteer is a person who donates their money, time, and resources to a project or organization. The Mississippi State Guard (MSSG) is a little-known branch of the Mississippi Military Department. The group is an all-volunteer force, only paid if called to state active duty. It falls under the Mississippi National Guard and its purpose is to augment the state’s national guard in time of need and or to take over the mission of the national guard should they be called to federal service. Should the MSSG be activated, it falls under the 66th National Guard Troop Command, but as it is not a federal organization, any overseas deployment is unlikely. There is also no contractual requirement to join and its members can resign at any time, and the MSSG operates like a brotherhood. However, it should be noted that if deployed (deployments consist of state or national emergency home side), its soldiers then fall under Mississippi Code of Military Justice rules. There are three brigades divided based on their location for convenience — one each in north, central and south Mississippi. The MSSG is always looking for prior military, current or prior law enforcement (as many of the units are military police), medical and clerical professionals. There is a place for everyone, and you do not have to be prior military or be a first responder to find a place with the MSSG. Recruits with no prior military training will go through Initial Entry Training which lasts about 4 months and is completed during monthly drills.

Age requirements are 18 to 65 and you must be able to pass a background investigation. The units drill one weekend a month and one week per year at different military facilities in the state. The 3rd for example trains at Camp Shelby near Hattiesburg. The troops sleep in barracks and eat at an assigned dining facility and kitchen. Its officers and staff train the troops to meet any mission that may arise, and it is often said “we train for possibilities not probabilities.” To produce well rounded troops, the State Guard trains constantly. At a recent drill for the State Guard’s 3rd Brigade, troops trained on the M9 on the range simulator and conducted HUMVEE rollover training. Previous trainings have included topics such as search and rescue, FEMA certification, land navigation, military policework (since the primary job for the Mississippi State Guard is military police) and CPR certification. State Guard members are professional and serious about what they are doing. In these troubled times the state guard may be more important than any time in its history and they are looking for volunteer soldiers who want to serve their state and country. If you are looking for a way to get more involved in your community, the Mississippi Guard could be a great way to do it. For more information, visit www.msstateguard.us. 2nd Lt. Andrew Bryson is a member of the Mississippi State Guard. 10 ⁄ 3

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Cooperative Energy wins national Arbor Day award by Steven Ward When Wes Graham first inspected Cooperative Energy’s rights-of-way 16 years ago, he did not see a challenge but an opportunity. An opportunity to change how vegetation management was accomplished. And now, both National and state officials have taken notice. The Hattiesburg-based generation and transmission cooperative was recently named a Tree Line USA utility for 2021. The designation, awarded to Cooperative Energy by the Mississippi Forestry Commission, reflects the cooperative’s commitment to implementing best practices in caring for trees along its rights-of-way. Cooperative Energy is currently the only utility in Mississippi with this status. “I think this is a testament to Cooperative Energy and what we do here. It’s an honor and privilege to do this work and show people that we are good stewards of other people’s land,” said Graham, a transmission field biologist and Cooperative Energy’s right-of-way (ROW) program supervisor. Tree Line USA is a national program of the Arbor Day Foundation. Utilities must meet five program criteria to earn the designation: provide quality tree care, administer annual worker training, conduct tree planting and public education, facilitate a tree-based energy conservation program, and host an Arbor Day celebration. The award illustrates how the Cooperative Energy ROW team works to ensure that trees and utilities can co-exist for the benefit of communities, citizens and the cooperative’s consumer-members.

8 TODAY | MARCH 2021

Cooperative Energy’s right-of-way team maintains approximately 28,000 acres of rights-of-way across the state using integrated vegetation management techniques that control growth through environmentally-sound and cost-effective control methods. Graham and fellow team members Tommy Garrard, Brad Morris and William Murphy work diligently to balance the cooperative’s needs as a utility with their commitment to the environment. “This work lends itself to increasing reliability to our members. Outages will be minimized as a result,” Graham said. In many cases, the cooperatives are already doing a lot of the ROW work required for the award. “I’m just proud to represent the state in this way and it’s a reflection of our entire company. It really is a team effort. And it shows our members that we are doing our Wes Graham due diligence,” Graham said. Jeff Bowman, Cooperative Energy’s president and CEO, said the designation aligns with the cooperative’s mission. “Trees which are properly planted and maintained result in lower line clearance costs, improved rights-of-way management, lower peak energy demand and increased reliability of service,” Bowman said in a news release. Cooperative Energy generates and transmits electricity to 11 member-owned electric distribution cooperatives. The 11 electric cooperatives own and maintain more than 57,000 miles of distribution lines and provide service to approximately 432,000 home and businesses throughout 55 counties.

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He was grand and gaudy and gigantic and entirely capable, by his simple presence, of soothing wounded spirits and mitigating dour moods. The week before there was snow. That was grand as well. But now this bird — deep black with a brilliant red head, its crown proudly pileated. Some white between the red and black. He was a pileated woodpecker, one of the more commanding birds flitting about the woodlands. My daddy called them Indian Hens. No matter the name, I was early on enamored of them. And that call! It was and is unnerving, enchanting. And here he was, on an elm and then an oak, where snow was last week. I wished for his call. The situation would have been ornamented had he called, but he didn’t. I watched in awe. And that admirable observation somehow prompted my mind toward thoughts of spring. It was still some distance away that day, that day of the bird and that week after snow, but spring was coming. In fact, by the time these words are published, there are likely serious hints of spring budding from lawns and pastures and woods edges. And from tree branches. Even though Mississippi can sneak in the surprise snow or freeze or sleet-slicked walkways in March, time is short for the arrival of true spring. Anglers and hunters are considering their potential and upcoming pursuits and how these relate to spring. The hunter will likely turn attention to turkeys. This bird is the premier candidate at such a time. There are some outdoors types among us who lose sleep and mental faculties in love with and planning for and frustration over this magnificent marvel. A strutting and gobbling tom is a thing of majesty — posturing and pirouetting, iridescent

hues shimmering in morning light. And turkeys are challenging. Often it is that a hunter walks from the woods dejected, burdened with the heavy load of failure. Then again, failure is seldom true failure. To simply see a bird strut or hear him answer a cluck or yelp from the hunter’s calling is a mighty reward. Add to that a pleasant spring morning, and the word failure is an affront to the blessings just experienced. And fishing can be good in March. This in all probability applies to those seeking crappie. Depending upon weather conditions and water temperature, crappie may be in the shallows, preparing and tending beds. If they are not there because water temperatures are still a bit low, they most likely are holding near drops and shelves between deep and shallow. But some prospecting can point the way, and once fish are found they will generally be in abundance. Spring is here or certainly on the way. Whatever your springtime outdoor pursuit, the time for it is close at hand. And while out there, keep an eye and ear attuned for the pileated woodpecker. Location of such will enhance any outing.

by Tony Kinton Tony Kinton has been an active outdoors writer for 30 years. He lives in Carthage and is a Central Electric member. Visit www.tonykinton.com for more information.

There are few sights more captivating than strutting turkeys on a spring morning.

MARCH 2021 | TODAY 11

BRINGING THE POWER WWW.SOU THERN PIN E.COOP | P.O. BOX 60 | 1349 1 H WY. 28 | TAYLO R SVIL L E, MS 39 16 8 | 800.231 .524 0

ELECTRICITY BRINGS EVERYDAY VALUE Because I work at Southern Pine, I think a lot about electricity. Most people, though, do not give it much thought. They expect the lights to turn on when they flip a switch, their cellphone to charge when they plug it in, and the coffee pot to work each morning. We just do not think much about it because it is usually there. Because many have been spending more time at home recently, we have likely been using more energy. We are fortunate that in our country, we have the expectation of an endless supply of power with uninterrupted service. Most of the time, that is exactly what is delivered. The only time we think about electricity is when the power goes out or when the monthly bill arrives. Given how electricity powers our modern lifestyle every day, it is a great value, especially compared to other standard services and expenses. For example, think back to the cost of groceries 10 years ago or your water bill. Compared to most other consumer goods, the cost of electricity has remained mostly flat at Southern Pine. Like many of you, I use a cell phone to stay connected, and I subscribe to internet services to enjoy more viewing options. Many of us consider these necessities for modern-day life, even though they are expensive. We can see what we’re getting for our money, and we willingly pay the price for those services. In contrast, when we use electricity, we don’t necessarily “see” all we are getting for our money. Considering what electricity does for us, it’s a tremendous value for our quality of life and our budgets. The average rent increase 12 TODAY | MARCH 2021

was nearly 4% from 2014-2019, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index (CPI). Medical care costs increased by 3% during this time, and education was not too far behind at 2.6%. So, where did electricity rank? According to the CPI, electricity increased by less than half a percentage point, 0.4%. The bottom line: electricity brings everyday value. Considering that electricity is something that we all use around the clock, I’m very proud of Southern Pine’s track record of keeping the cost of electricity low. At the same time, we are striving to increase our service reliability, reduce outages, and attempting to keep up with the costs of inflation, which is a great challenge. We are continually working to improve our operations to ensure a more reliable and resilient grid. We recognize the past months have been challenging for many of our members, and we are here to help. If you have questions about your account or are looking for ways to save energy at home, please give us a call or visit www. southernpine.coop. Southern Pine is your electric co-op, and our sole purpose is to serve you and our community’s needs. That’s the everyday value of Bringing the Power.

by Chris K. Rhodes President / CEO Southern Pine Electric

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Brandon District: Experienced and Dedicated

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by Eddie Mitchell “Bringing the Power” is how Southern Pine Electric began its journey. This slogan sums up our mission to provide electricity to rural areas. In 1994, the Brandon District was one of four districts where offices were located to make it convenient for our members to pay bills, establish services and for us to address any concerns our members may have. Our district office services more than 20,000 meters in Rankin, Scott, Simpson and Smith counties. We not only provide electricity for residential areas but to large retailers, poultry processing plants, chicken farms, automobile dealerships, restaurants and churches. The Brandon District is unique and diverse, with 42 employees consisting of three-line crews, engineering staff, warehouse personnel, member service representatives, and a staff mechanic. We also use contractors to keep our rights-of-way clear of trees and brush that may interfere with electricity flow. Brandon has the experience, knowledge, and determination to provide safe and reliable services. In extreme weather conditions or other emergencies, we have the resources to help restore power where needed as safely and quickly as possible. Southern Pine is using new technology to manage our outages. Members have asked us, “What are the things on the line that blink sometimes?” These are called fault indicators, which help the servicemen find the reason for the outage. For example, the fault indicators help identify whether a line is down, a pole is broken, or other reasons and helps determine the location of the problem. The year 2020 was challenging for our cooperative with tornadoes, the effects of seven different hurricanes and the COVID-19 virus. 14 TODAY | MARCH 2021

Even though our cooperative did not feel the direct effects of these destructive hurricanes, we sent our crews out to assist our sister cooperatives. These challenges have taught us we have to “keep on keeping on” and be ready at any moment to deal with whatever circumstance may arise. I am so thankful to work with experienced and dedicated individuals who don’t back down from the challenges of Bringing the Power. Our purpose for going to work every day is to ensure a continuous flow of electricity to every member we serve. I will end by remembering Marcus Martin, our cooperative board member, who passed away in November. Mr. Martin helped spread Southern Pine’s vision of Bringing the Power.

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NEAL MEADOWS

“We are just like a big family of brothers and sisters”

There are just some people who can always put a smile on your face. Neal Meadows is undoubtedly one of them. This hard-working warehouseman at the Brandon District can make anyone laugh or feel at ease. Neal has been a part of the team at Southern Pine Electric for over 23 years and has never failed at making work fun for his coworkers and himself. The best part of working at Southern Pine is the people, according to Neal. “We are just like a big family full of brothers and sisters. We fight, we argue, we play, and we work together, but at the end of the day, we all love and respect each other,” he said. Neal is a jokester and is proud of the fact that he “can meddle with anyone and everyone,” and he is right, he can, but with a goodnatured kindness. There is more to Neal than jokes, though. He is a dedicated employee and a hard worker. According to his supervisor, Tony Prestage, “He is the most dependable employee I have ever encountered. He is the first one in the office to open and make coffee, and he is the last one to leave and lock up most days. There’s never a dull moment when Neal is around.” Neal said he loves working at Southern Pine and helping his coworkers. One of his favorite parts of the job is traveling to different worksites to haul materials to the crews. When he is not at work for Southern Pine, Neal stays busy on his farm. “There’s always lots to do on the farm, so that keeps me pretty busy, and when I’m not working, I’m fighting fires,” said Neal. District Manager Eddie Mitchell said Neal is good-natured, well known, and a hardworking lifelong resident of Rankin County. “He is a farmer and has served as a volunteer firefighter with Evergreen Volunteer Fire Department for most of his adult life. These are a few of the qualities that make him invaluable to the Brandon District,” said Mitchell. Neal has a lot to be grateful for these days, he said. “I am thankful for beating my aneuryism and for all of the love and support from my Southern Pine family during my fight with lung cancer,” said Neal. Many years ago, he faced an aneuryism that caused him to lose his speech and sight. He was so sure he would die that he wrote a note for his family in case they found him. After a successful surgery, he recovered completely. Neal is thankful, and with good reason. He is now battling lung cancer, but the prognosis is good, and his treatments have been successful. Through his fight with lung cancer, his happiness has always shined through and he never missed a beat on the job. Neal has been married to his wife, Melissa, for just over a year now, and together they have a big, blended family. Together, Neal and Melissa have four adult children and 10 grandchildren ranging from 1 to 18. They are members of Andrew Chapel Methodist Church. MARCH 2021 | TODAY 15

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT:

STRONGHOPE COUNTRY STORE – THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITY IN COPIAH COUNTY

Dollar General. “The only The Stronghope Country thing that’s delivered is gas Store is the heart of this little because we are so far out, community in Copiah County so I make lots of trips to get and has been for over 80 supplies and what people years. A 10-minute drive from need,” she said. During the Wesson, the store is located pandemic, it has been a on a winding country road real challenge. “There was a surrounded by farms and point when I, like most of us, pastures in Stronghope. Greg and Lee Lockhart, with their children, Lindsey, Logan, and Levi couldn’t get what we needed. Greg and Lee Lockhart Many places were only selling bought the store two years one loaf of bread at a time, and stuff like that,” she said. However, ago because they knew it needed to remain open for the comafter the initial rush on groceries, things calmed down, Lee said. munity to thrive. Driven by strong work ethics, these two own The Lockharts have been fortunate because the pandemic has and operate the store, a chicken farm and a cattle farm. Lee is a not hurt their business. radiology technician by trade and recently stopped working fullLee said the best part of owning and operating the store is time in that field, but that does not mean things will slow down seeing people and talking to her friends and neighbors. She also for her. Now, due to the pandemic, she has added home-school adds that it gives her three children something to do because teacher to her job titles. She does all this with a smile and a kind she and Greg strive to teach them to have the same strong work word for her customers and her neighbors. ethic as they do. “We want them to know the value of hard work,” “We just have a great community with neighbors watching out she said. for each other. We are a small but close community,” Lee said. According to Harold “Sach” James, a customer and friend who The people of this community love and protect each other in all kinds of ways, she said. “When it’s dark outside, and we’re closing lives in Stronghope, “If we didn’t have the store, we wouldn’t have a community.” James is a regular who visits the store daily up the store, if someone from the community sees us alone, and even has “his” chair ready for him. He grew up around the they’ll pull over to make sure we get locked up safely,” she adds. store. “This is where we would wait for the school bus when I “The store is vital to Stronghope because we are 10 minutes away from Wesson, 30 minutes from Monticello, 30 minutes from was a kid, then when I got older, I’d play pool and hang out here,” Brookhaven, and 15 minutes from Hazlehurst, so we try to keep he said. Over the years, the store has had different owners and even the things that customers need so they won’t have to drive so far other buildings, but one thing has remained steadfast. Strongto get it,” Lee said. hope Country Store has always been around for the community. Getting what the community needs is not always easy. The With owners like Greg and Lee Lockhart, it will be here for the store receives gas deliveries, but Lee must provide all the other community for many years to come. items in the store through frequent trips to Wal-Mart, Sam’s and 16 TODAY | MARCH 2021

COOPERATIVE DAY OF SERVICE On Jan. 19, Southern Pine, in conjunction with electric cooperatives across Mississippi, participated in the annual Cooperative Day of Service. Each year, on or around Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Cooperative Energy and Mississippi cooperatives honor King’s legacy by serving others. Southern Pine participated in four activities across our membership territory to serve our members. Over 40 employees volunteered to assist Sustaining Grace Recovery Ministry in Collins with demolition of the interior of a house that was donated to the ministry. Volunteers also worked in the yard to prepare the property for those it will be serving. The house will eventually include an office, food and clothing closets, and meeting facilities and is expected to be fully operational in late spring 2021. In addition to the Sustaining Grace project, Southern Pine employees cleaned some of Mississippi’s roadways in Brandon and Newton. Working in conjunction with the City of Brandon,

employees cleaned a two-mile section of highway beginning at our Brandon District office. In Newton, working in conjunction with the Newton County Sheriff’s Department, employees cleaned a two-mile section of highway beginning at our Newton District office. Southern Pine employees also participated in a canned food drive. The food was donated to local food pantries throughout our service territory. “Cooperative Day of Service, honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., serves as a reminder that we should all do all we can to help our communities and we’re honored to be a part of this day,” said Chris K. Rhodes, president and CEO of Southern Pine Electric. “With over 160 employees participating, we were thrilled with the response and they’ve certainly made a tremendous impact today.”

MARCH 2021 | TODAY 17

Photos by Chad Calcote

by Steven Ward They were first responders before the official first responders arrived on the scene. Dennis Wilson, Bobby McDaniel and Dwain Easley all lived close to the pine treescattered terrain in Gillsburg where a plane crashed the night of Oct. 20, 1977. Wilson, McDaniel, Easley and others in the area had no idea who was on the plane and, frankly, they didn’t care. They just wanted to help any survivors. The plane was transporting the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd from Greenville, South Carolina to a concert in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Convair CV-240 passenger plane ran out of fuel and crashed right after dusk in the woods of Gillsburg. The crash killed Lynyrd Skynyrd lead singer and songwriter Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, Gaines’ sister, Cassie Gaines, a backup singer, assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick and the pilot and co-pilot. Wilson, McDaniel and Easley — all in their early 20s at the time — carried bodies and survivors from the plane through

the swampy and muddy muck of the ground to a nearby road. The plane was carrying 26 people. Six were killed and 20 survived. Today, about 800 yards from the actual site of the crash, fans of the band and tourists have a place to go to pay their respects to the people who lost their lives that night and to visit a spot where a piece of somber rock history was made. Thanks to the efforts of Wilson, McDaniel, Easley and other members of The Lynyrd Skynyrd Monument Project Board, a plane crash memorial was erected and opened to the public in October 2019. “At the time of the crash, I was not familiar with Lynyrd Skynyrd, however, thousands of people were,” said Wilson, 70, a board member of Magnolia Electric Power, the electric cooperative that provides service to the Gillsburg area. “The monument has been visited by fans from 45 states and eight foreign countries. Fans and followers will continue to visit the monument for years to come. I think it will have a very positive impact on our local economy here,” Wilson said. MARCH 2021 | TODAY 19

McDaniel, 65, is the president of the monument board. His family farm is near the crash site. McDaniel said he and some of the other crash rescuers liked to get together on the anniversary each year at the plane crash site. They often discussed wanting to get a sign or highway marker posted near the site because it was so hard for people to find. “We set a deadline of one year and kept expanding our project. The initial sign location was approved on state property beside Highway 568. But we changed the focus from a sign to a granite marker,” McDaniel said. The group encountered various roadblocks until Dwain Easley and his wife Lola Easley donated some of their private land near the crash site for the monument on Easley Road. The board started a GoFundMe account to help raise thousands of dollars for the project. The board also garnered financial help from the current Lynyrd Skynyrd band, McDaniel said. The monument includes three 14-foot-wide, 8-foot-tall black granite monuments with drawings of the band and text that tells the history of Lynyrd Skynyrd and what happened on the night of the crash.

The six steps leading up to the monument each represent lives lost on October 20.

“Freebird” – Lynyrd Skynyrd, lyrics by Ronnie Van Zant

A collection of the memorabilia from the 1977 Lynyrd Skynyrd winter tour. In the future, there is a plan for a museum to display items from the band, their tours and the last flight on October 20, 1977. From left: Magnolia Electric board member Dennis Wilson, Dwain Easley and Bobby McDaniel.

20 TODAY | MARCH 2021

Visit lynyrdskynyrdmarker.com for more information about the monument or to make a donation.

The gamechanger for the monument was when Mississippi lawmakers, led by State Rep. Becky Currie, R-Brookhaven, passed a bill to put exit signs on Interstate 55 alerting motorists to the Gillsburg/ Magnolia exit as the location of the monument. Currie, who was a nursing student at the time of the crash and worked at Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center in McComb as a currier, was at the hospital that night in 1977. “So I knew all of the people that worked getting the monument together. Many I had seen that night bringing people to the ER,” Currie said. “I am now a registered nurse and member of the Mississippi House of Representatives and if I could do one more thing for a band I loved it was my honor to make sure a sign was erected to mark the monument and hope that people would see it and come and spend some time there,” she said. McDaniel said the monument gets up to 40 to 50 visitors a day during the week and more than 100 visitors on weekends, according to their guestbook. Many of those visitors credit the

interstate signs for their decision to stop, he said. McDaniel and Wilson said it’s possible that the monument will be expanded in the future to include a small museum nearby. “Southwest Mississippi doesn’t get a lot of positive press or new industry. The Lynyrd Skynyrd Monument is a positive thing that brings some good people and nice compliments to the Magnolia/Gillsburg area,” McDaniel said. Wilson, McDaniel and Easley were there at the beginning of a nightmarish time in rock history when a tragic disaster occurred in their backyard. “Once we arrived on the scene, we were focused on helping the survivors get medical treatment. It seemed like a vast undertaking at the time due to the remote location and very limited equipment that we had,” Wilson said. “However, we were just country folks helping a few people that needed help. That’s just what we do,” Wilson added. Today, they are still there trying to do the right thing for the band, their fans and their community.

MARCH 2021 | TODAY 21

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Jake Mangum comes from a family of athletes. Jake’s dad, John Jr., was a speedy quarterback at Magee High School before signing with Alabama. He was later a standout player for the Crimson Tide as a defensive back. John Jr. then played for the Chicago Bears for nine seasons. Jake’s grandfather played at Ole Miss and Southern Mississippi before heading to pro football. “Big John” played two years with the Boston Patriots of the American Football League. Jake’s uncle Kris played at Alabama and then transferred to Ole Miss, where he became an All-SEC selection at tight end. Kris also followed into the family business playing for the Carolina Panthers for 10 seasons. Jake decided that baseball, not football, was his future heading into his sophomore year at Jackson Prep. He decided to give up the “Friday Night Lights” to concentrate full-time on baseball. It has worked out pretty well for the first two-time winner of the C-Spire Ferris Trophy given to the Most Outstanding College Baseball Player in Mississippi by the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. Today, Jake is a professional baseball player playing for the Brooklyn Cyclones in the NY-Penn League in Class A baseball. The Cyclones are affiliated with the New York Mets baseball organization. “My plan is to play pro ball as long as I can, and hopefully that is a very long time,” said Mangum. Before heading to Brooklyn and the bright lights, Jake made a four-year stop in Starkville. Many thought Jake might head to his dad’s alma mater Alabama out of Jackson Prep to play his collegiate baseball. “I really prayed about it, but in the end, I thought Mississippi State was where I was being led to go.” Jake went on to say, “Starkville is the best place to be. Everyone knows everybody there. It is a big college in a small town, and it was an awesome experience,” said Mangum. Jake was given the nickname “The Mayor” by one of his Mississippi State baseball teammates because he seemed to know everyone around town.

“I tell everyone that playing baseball at Mississippi State was the best four years of my life.” His MSU baseball career under John Cohen, however, did not start out as he had expected. “The entire team ranks every player on the fall roster before leaving for Christmas break. I was ranked second from the bottom.” He was surprised at the ranking because he thought he had had a decent fall season. “I knew I could hit, so my goal was to just get on the field.” He proved himself worthy as he ended up hitting .427 in SEC games, was named the SEC Freshman of the Year and was awarded the Ferris Trophy. Mangum continued his extraordinary baseball play for the next three seasons and finished his career ranked No. 4 in NCAA history with 383 hits. He also broke the MSU and SEC hit records. Mangum broke the SEC hits record at home in front of his elated family and Bulldog fans. Though the hit was special, Mangum confessed his relief at having the pressure of breaking the record over with. He had been constantly reminded everywhere he went by his loyal fans of the impending moment. Mangum led the Bulldogs to the College World Series in his final two seasons, and he stated that is the Mississippi State way. “My one regret is that we didn’t win the National Championship.” Mangum, however, is confident that the Bulldogs will finally realize their ultimate dream of winning the National Championship.

by Dale McKee Dale McKee is a Waynesboro native who has been writing sports in Mississippi since 1973. Contact him at ddmckee18@yahoo.com.

MARCH 2021 | TODAY 23

‘Mississippi State was the best four years of my life’

with Martha Hall Foose

Corned Beef Brisket: A St. Patrick’s Day Tradition

Corned beef on St. Patrick’s Day is an American tradition. Though many people think of it as being straight from the Isles, it is almost certainly a dish developed by the Irish who settled in New York. Cooking the meat in a tightly sealed dish in the oven keeps the meat tender and flavorful. Giving 24 TODAY | MARCH 2021

it a bit of time under the broiler browns the tangy mustard crust. Any leftovers can find their way diced into a potato hash topped with sunny side up eggs or thinly sliced and piled high on a deli-style Reuben sandwich on rye with sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Russian dressing.

Revisions Requested Approved

CHAD Date_____ Revisions Requested Approved Revisions Requested

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or spray lightly with oil. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Cut in the butter with a couple of forks or a pastry blender until the mixture looks like uncooked oatmeal. Make a well in the center and add 1 ½ cups of the buttermilk and the egg. Stir with a sturdy spoon until you have a shaggy dough. Tip the dough out on to a lightly floured surface and knead gently to bring the dough together. Form into a 6-inch round loaf. Place on the baking sheet. Brush the top of the loaf with the remaining 1 tablespoon of buttermilk. With a serrated knife cut a shallow X in the top of the loaf. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Bake for 35 minutes until loaf is deep golden brown and sounds hallow when thumped. Cool on a wire rack.

STEVEN Date_____

INGREDIENTS 4 cups all-purpose flour 1⁄3 cup sugar 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut in small pieces 1 ½ cups plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk, divided 1 large egg, beaten

Approved

Place wrack in middle position of oven. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 by 13 baking pan with oil. Rinse corn beef in cold water and pat dry. Place the corned beef fatty side up in the baking pan. Combine mustard, brown sugar and vinegar in a small bowl. Brush mustard mixture over the top and sides of the corned beef. Sprinkle packet of seasoning (if included) or pickling spice over the surface of the beef. Cover baking pan tightly with foil tenting slightly so foil does not touch surface of beef. Bake 3 hours or until beef is tender with an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Remove the foil and set oven on broil. Broil the beef until browned on top. Allow the corned beef to rest for 15 minutes before slicing against the grain. Serve with sautéed cabbage, carrots, and onions, if desired.

Irish Soda Bread

RON Date_____

INGREDIENTS 1 (approximately 3 pound) whole corned beef brisket ¼ cup whole grain mustard 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoons pickling spice blend (such as the McCormick brand if spice packet is not included in corned beef packet)

This plump, golden loaf is easy to make and doesn’t require any time to rise. The piping hot loaf can be on the table in under an hour. Try adding ¼ cup toasted nuts, dried fruits or cheese to this recipe to make it your own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Martha Hall Foose, the author of “Screen Doors & Sweet Tea: Recipes and Tales of a Southern Cook,” won the James Beard Award for American Cooking. Her latest collaboration is “A Good Meal is Hard to Find: Storied Recipes from the Deep South” with Amy C. Evans. Martha makes her home in the Mississippi Delta with her husband and son. She is a member of Yazoo Valley Electric Power Association.

MARCH 2021 | TODAY 25

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It was after midnight. The flashlight lay on the floor of the darkened room. There were five or six of us standing around watching it. One of the crew called out, “On the count of three, turn on this flashlight. One. Two. Three.” And the flashlight lit up by itself! “If you want us to leave, turn it off.” And all of a sudden, the room was totally dark again. Only we didn’t leave. Someone else called out, “If you’re a female, light the light again.” And it lit. Someone else asked, “What’s your name?” Now, I’m new to ghost hunting, but even I figured that would be a tough question to answer by just turning a flashlight on or off, unless they spelled it out in Morse code. This was a ghost investigation. Why was I there? Well, there are a lot of ghost hunting television shows running right now and one of the people I work with at the TV station knows a guy who is the head of a paranormal group. They do “investigations” of old houses, hotels, theaters and places like that all the time. So, a few of us tagged along with his group to see what we could see — or what we COULDN’T see, as would be the case with ghosts. I guess I come by ghost hunting through heredity. My granddaddy tracked down every ghost story he could in Itawamba County. He WANTED to see a ghost. It would prove that there is life after death. He never found anything that he couldn’t explain. In the back of our minds, we have the idea that we’d like to do our own version of a ghost hunting TV show but different from the ones already running. We’re still working on how that would actually look.

I think there is a desire to prove life after death. Even the disciple Thomas wouldn’t believe Jesus had risen from the dead unless he could see for himself. When he saw, he believed. And it didn’t take a flashlight blinking, either. Years ago, I did a story about one of the old tour homes in Natchez that was supposed to be haunted. I interviewed the manager. She lived on the premises. So, after the home closed for tours for the day, she would be there all alone until the next morning. I had to ask her if there was anything to the ghost stories. She told me about a few of her experiences. And as I was leaving, I asked her if it would be okay to run some of her ghost tales on television. She said, “By all means. It helps so much with security!” So maybe that can be our take — we’re not ghost hunting — we’re helping with security to scare people so they would never try to break in. ‘Course, any house that scary I’d never go into in the first place. But it may work. Blink once if you think you’d watch a show like that.

by Walt Grayson Walt Grayson is the host of “Mississippi Roads” on Mississippi Public Broadcasting television and the author of two “Looking Around Mississippi” books and “Oh! That Reminds Me: More Mississippi Homegrown Stories.” He lives in Brandon and is a Central Electric member. Contact him at walt@waltgrayson.com.

MARCH 2021 | TODAY 27

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