Issuu

News for members of Magnolia Electic Power Association

Billups nostalgia

Periodical postage (ISSN 1052 2433)

drives diner concept

Guy Billups III

MFWC cookbook supports heart health

Historic school to be preserved

Today in Mississippi

September 2018

Retiring inactive lines reduces co-op costs

In an effort to reduce costs for Magnolia Electric Power, and due to RUS (Rural Utility Services) guidelines, MEP is working to retire inactive lines and services. However, our members that may have inactive MEP facilities on their property can keep them in place if they adhere to policy and agree to pay a monthly minimum fee. “Although MEP has always maintained a policy of retiring inactive services, RUS recently tasked MEP to remove inactive services from our system, where possible, to help control maintenance cost and needless inventories,” said Manager of Engineering and Operations Aaron Achord. “At this time, MEP records show as many as 4,500 inactive accounts,” said Achord. “These accounts are ones that have been disconnected and the member has received a final bill. Some of these power lines I am talking about have been inactive for as long as five years and in some cases we have no information who the current property owner is,” said Achord. Although MEP has always worked at retiring power lines that are no longer in use, RUS, who is a federal agency and sets guidelines over electrical cooperatives nationally, are now requiring MEP to remove the unused lines that were identified during an operational audit. However, MEP knows there are some members who would like to keep the powerlines that are on their property in place, so the minimum bill has become a compromise. “According to RUS and National Electric Safety Code (NESC), we have to maintain and upkeep these lines to current safety standards. Our ROW costs are one of our highest expenses at MEP. “Trimming these unused power lines create additional costs to the company,” Achord explained. “In addition, restoration expenses are increased because these lines have to be patrolled before we can restore

power to an area.” Another viewpoint is that the facilities that are sitting unused can be used in a better capacity. “The MEP inventory at vacant locations can be recycled. For example, a transformer costs approximately $1,200 and when it is hanging on a pole not serving a purpose, it is not doing anyone any good. MEP could move that inventory and use it to serve someone else at a different location, thereby eliminating the purchase of a new transformer and keeping costs down to the company and eventually to the MEP members,” Achord said. Retiring idle lines and services means removing all of our facilities from the property, which includes poles, wires, transformers, anchors, and meters, if they are present. “We have been working on this program aggressively for a year, and extremely aggressively for the last two months because there are so many inactive lines out there,” said Achord. “James Jackson, with our Engineering Department, is heading up this program.” Jackson, who has been working on this project for the last five years, checks in to any locations that are identified as inactive during an annual inspection service provided by a contracted service. Once any location is identified and checked out, Jackson will send a crew to the location to remove the MEP facilities. “As members of a cooperative, we should remember MEP was formed by a spirit of helping deliver electricity at an affordable cost to all members. MEP is calling on this spirit from the membership again to help keep cost down,” said Jackson. “If you, as a member have an idle service, (a service on which no one is paying a minimum monthly bill), and you would like to keep the line or service in place for future use, MEP is asking you to call our office and start monthly payments on the idle account,” Jackson said. “Thank you so much for your efforts to help control this needless expense.” If you have any questions, please contact James Jackson at 601-684-4011.

September 2018

Today in Mississippi

10a

WhyYouth Tour? should you

apply for

It’s sponsored by Magnolia Electric Power. Your electric coop completely covers the costs of Youth Tour, including airfare, hotels, meals and attractions.

Meet new people!

Approximately 80 of your peers from around Mississippi go on this tour each year. But why just make friends with teens from your home state when there’s over 1,800 students around the country that go on Youth Tour?

It’s a lot of fun! If you are currently a high school junior, why stay home this summer, when you can tour the nation’s capital city. You’ll see every thing that Washington, D.C., has to offer.

Meet your congressmen. This tour gives students an incredible experience to meet their congressmen personally and have the opportunity to talk with them about issues in their communities.

You gain leadership experience and can put it on your resume. All of the students that attend this tour have been selected as leaders in their community.

All official entry forms must be returned to MEP by September 19, 2019. Call Lucy Shell at (601) 684-4011, or visit your guidance counselor for more information.

6. Traveling is exciting! There are many places and adventures to seek on this tour.

Learn about govenment

Emerse yourself in American history.

10b

Today in Mississippi

September 2018

Lofton wins the GOLD! By Elissa Fulton

Over 4,000 athletes and coaches met in Seattle, Wash., in early July to compete in the 2018 Special Olympics Summer Games. Mississippi sent more than 30 athletes, along with volunteers to compete in various competitions for the gold. One of those athletes is Brookhaven’s Garrett Lofton who competed in the weightlifting competition. While in junior and senior high school, Garrett regularly lifted weights while playing on the Enterprise football and basketball teams. In his junior year, he was one of several students who tried to start a weightlifting team. Unfortunately, he and his peers were unable to get enough interest in the sport to form the team. However, he bought a weight lifting set for $80 and started working out in his back yard several days a week. Although he’s no longer in high school, for the past three years he has been completely dedicated to the sport. During any regular week, Garrett will lift weights a few times per week. However, when he is prepping for a meet, he is in the gym at least four times per week. He has always worked out at home until he started winning medals. That’s when Snap Fitness stepped in and gave him a membership to prep before meets. Garrett attended a conference several years ago and received a brochure about the Special Olympics. It was there that he discovered the competitions and realized he could excel at his hobby while competing for medals. He won the gold at the 2018 Special Olympics of Mississippi (SOM) state games at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, and won a lottery to compete in the national games. Mississippi athletes won 28 gold medals, five

bronze medals and a silver medal in numerous sporting events at the national games in Washington state. Garrett took home four of those gold medals. Garrett was beside himself with elation when he found out that he would be attending the games. “Actually, my mom pranked me. She told me that we were going shopping and we had to stop by the [Moose] lodge and drop some things

off,” he said. “So of course, I go in, and everyone surprised me. They congratulated me and told me that I was going to Seattle.” The Brookhaven Loyal Order of Moose raises money each year for SOM. According to Garrett’s father, Charles Lofton, it’s the primary organization that they

raise funds for. After the Lofton’s were informed that their son would be attending the national games for 2018, they contacted the lodge about a surprise announcement for their son. When it came time for the athletes to travel to Seattle, the SOM organization met in Jackson on June 29, to begin their Olympic travels. They met at the state Capitol building for an exciting sendoff. A police escort then guided the bus to the Louisiana border where they went on to fly out of New Orleans for a week of competitions in Seattle. The athletes stayed in the dormitories at the University of Washington, where the games were held. On the first day of arrival, Garrett attended assessments and declared his weight class. He went on to compete during the first day of the games. “I actually declared as a 53 kilo lifter. That’s 110 pounds. There was no one else in my weight class, so they bumped me up,” said Garrett. “I weighed in at 123.4 pounds, while everyone else was weighing in at 127-128. But it was just me and two other guys. Both of them were from the state of Washington.” Garrett didn’t let their weight class advantage get in his way, but it was no easy feat winning the gold. He took first in each division, lifting 160 pounds on squats, 160 pounds on bench press and 225 pounds on dead lifts, with a fourth medal awarded for a triple combination. Back home in Mississippi, the television stations were giving updates on the athletes daily and Garrett, his coach Richard Clayton, and the rest of the Mississippi athletes

September 2018

Today in Mississippi 10c

“Seattle was very cool and very big, and it was the furthest my dad and I had ever traveled.”

Garrett is pictured in the top photo accepting his medal after winning the gold. Garrett is shown dead lifting in the photo above. Right: Lofton and teammate Jessie Wimms are pictured with Coach Richard Clayton (Photos submitted by Charles Lofton).

received a lot of publicity for their hard work and victories. “This was also the first time that we had two power lifters to go and compete in all three events,” said Garrett. “The previous two that went just competed in bench and dead lifts. When I first started power lifting, that was the very first year they ever did squats because it is just a little more dangerous. But not only that, we were also the first two to sweep our weight classes.” Although Garrett will not be attending the World Games in Abu Dhabi this year, he is eager to defend his title in the state games next year, and again in Orlando four years from now. “Unfortunately, I’m not going to Worlds this year because Mississippi did not draw a Worlds slot. We drew that slot in sailing,” said Garrett. “While I was there [Seattle] I actually got a chance to meet a guy who is going to the world competitions this

year. He’s going to Abu Dhabi from Ohio. And believe it or not, his name is Garrett too.” While lodging in the trendy college U District of Seattle, SOM arranged additional activities so that the players and volunteers were able to explore the city. A Major League Baseball game at Mariners stadium and a Fourth of July dance were highlights of the trip; and Garrett loved that he could see the Space Needle from his room. Garrett and his father Charles agree that the SOM organization and its volunteers, as well as the national organization did a fantastic job of arranging the event. Athletes from ages 8 to 70 competed. “This was the 50th Anniversary for Special Olympics, and there was a man who had competed in the first Special Olympics, who competed in these games,” said Garrett. “Seattle was very cool and very big, and it was the furthest my dad and I had ever traveled.”

Garrett met friends and other lifters while he was in Seattle, and feels a lot of pride for his hard work and accomplishments. He plans to continue competing as long as he can. “Mississippi was one of the smaller groups there, but we did really good in Seattle,” said Garrett. State games are every year, national games are every four years, and the world games are every two years. For more information about SOM, visit www.specialolympicsms.org.

10d

Today in Mississippi

September 2018

The Power in Preparation Preparation is the key to success in many things we do in life. Planning, practice and thoughtful assessment provide opportunities to work out potential problems in advance. September is National Preparedness Month, and the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency is encouraging all of us to prepare for emergencies. But most of us do better when we prepare for the routine, the extraordinary and the unexpected. For electric cooperatives in Mississippi, preparation plays a huge role in ensuring that our members have the electricity they need as soon as they flip a light switch or start an appliance. When a co-op crew pulls a truck into a loading bay, warehouse workers have already pulled the parts and equipment needed for that crew’s scheduled day’s work. When a member services representative discusses balanced billing by telephone, they’re helping a member with preparations to ease the impact of seasonal high bills. When meteorologists call for exceptionally hot or cold weather, electric co-ops work closely with their generation and transmission cooperatives (G&Ts) to ensure adequate supplies of electricity are reserved to meet anticipated demand. Mississippi’s electric co-ops are constant-

TIP of the

Month

ly preparing for the future. Engineers and construction crews design, build and upgrade the electric system to move electricity from power plants and substations to farms, homes and businesses. All of these actions prepare electric coops to deal with the daily challenges of meeting the electricity needs of their members. But working together, we put in just as much effort preparing for the uncertainties posed by flooding, tornadoes, wildfires, hurricanes, high winds, blizzards and ice storms. Electric coops maintain and constantly update emergency response plans. Employees train for major events and know in advance what their primary and secondary roles would be. Electric co-ops also subscribe to mutual aid agreements. That’s why you see trucks and crews from co-ops in other states in your communities when major power outages occur. We also work with state and national officials to help ensure that crews can get to your communities when they are needed and have the lodging, food and support necessary to work effectively far from home. September may be National Preparedness Month, but Mississippi’s electric cooperatives are committed to preparedness every day––for the routine, the extraordinary and the unexpected.

MEP new rates go into effect Magnolia Electric Power members will see their first significant rate change since before 1970, due to changes in the way wholesale power costs are being billed to the cooperative. “The main reason for the rate adjustment is to align our revenue with our wholesale cost of power from Cooperative Energy and our local operating environment,” said Tony Nettles, MEP manager of accounting and finance. Nettles further explained, the wholesale power costs rates have become more demand-based rates instead of kWh-based rates. MEP purchases its power from Cooperative Energy, a generation and transmission cooperative owned by 11 electric cooperatives in Mississippi. The facility is located in Hattiesburg. “Over the past several years the power supplier, Cooperative Energy, has changed its rates to be demand-based rates. Magnolia’s rates did not assure recovery of power cost during certain months as most MEP’s rates were based solely on kWH. This adjustment in rates will help us better recover our power cost,” Nettles said. To explain, a kW “demand” is a measurement of the member’s maximum amount of power that has to be generated and be available on MEP’s power lines at the service entrance to insure and serve that member’s required load at any given point of the day. If you turned on 10-100 watt lights at one time your demand is 1000 watts or 1kW demand. Some residential members may see a slight reduction in their residential rate due to the new rates. “A residential member using about the same use will have a lower bill with the new rate compared to the old rate,” he said. The modifications will also bring change for MEP’s commercial accounts/public building rates. The changes will help to bring commercial accounts more in line with the costs to supply electricity to their institutions. “Commercial and public building accounts will see the introduction of a small demand charge ranging from $1 to $3 per kW, currently this charge is at approximately $18 per kW from Cooperative Energy, MEP’s power supplier,” Nettles explained. Cost of service and rate studies are an ongoing focus of MEP and will be a continued process over the next several years to make sure our power costs and operations costs are aligned with the rates. If you have any further questions about the new rate structure, please contact our office and speak with Tony Nettles, Aaron Achord or Amanda McKenzie.

Turn off kitchen, bath and other exhaust fans within 20 minutes after you’re done cooking or bathing. When replacing exhaust fans, consider installing high-efficiency, low-noise models. Source: energy.gov

September 2018

Today in Mississippi 11

DEER ZONES For a complete listing of hunting seasons, bag limits and other legal restrictions, go to www.mdwfp.com.

White-tailed Deer DELTA, NORTHEAST, EAST CENTRAL, AND SOUTHWEST ZONES METHOD

SEASON DATES

LEGAL DEER

Archery Youth Gun (15 and under) Antlerless Primitive Weapon

Oct. 1 - Nov. 16 Nov. 3 - Jan. 31

Either-Sex on private and open public land. Either-Sex on private and authorized state and federal lands. Legal bucks only after Nov. 17 on authorized state and federal lands. Antlerless Deer Only on private lands.

Gun (with dogs)

Nov. 17 - Dec. 1

Nov. 5 - 16

Either-Sex on private land. Legal Bucks only on open public land. Either-Sex on private land. Legal Bucks only on open public land. Weapon of choice may be used on private land with appropriate license. Either-Sex on private land. Legal Bucks only on open public land.

Primitive Weapon

Dec. 2 - 15

Gun (without dogs)

Dec. 16 - 23

Gun (with dogs)

Dec. 24 - Jan. 16

Archery/Primitive Weapon

Jan. 17 - 31

METHOD

SEASON DATES

LEGAL DEER

Archery

Oct. 15 - Nov. 16

Either-Sex on private and open public land.

Youth Gun (15 and under)

Nov. 3 - Feb. 15

Either-Sex on private and authorized state and federal lands. Legal bucks only after Nov. 17 on authorized state and federal lands.

Gun (with dogs)

Nov. 17 - Dec. 1

Either-Sex on private land. Legal Bucks only on open public land.

Dec. 2 - 15

Either-Sex on private land. Legal Bucks only on open public land. Weapon of choice may be used on private land with appropriate license.

SOUTHEAST ZONE

In all zones: For youth fifteen (15) years of age and younger hunting on private lands and authorized state and federal lands, all three (3) of their three (3) buck bag limit may be any antlered deer.

Primitive Weapon Gun (without dogs)

Dec. 16 - 23

Either-Sex on private land. Legal Bucks only on open public land.

Gun (with dogs)

Dec. 24 - Jan. 16

Either-Sex on private land. Legal Bucks only on open public land.

BAG LIMITS: Antlered Buck Deer: The bag limit on antlered buck deer is one (1) buck per day, not to exceed three (3) per annual season. Legal bucks must meet the antler criteria within the appropriate deer management zone.

Antlerless Deer: Private lands: The bag limit on Northeast, Delta and East Central, and Southwest Zones antlerless deer is three (3) per annual season. The bag limit on Southeast Zone antlerless deer is one (1) per day, two (2) per annual season.

Jan. 17 - 31 Archery/Primitive Weapon Feb. 1 - 15

Small Game SEASON

SEASON DATES

DAILY BAG LIMIT

Youth Squirrel*

Sept. 24 - 30

Squirrel - Fall Season

Oct. 1 - Feb. 28

Squirrel - Spring Season

May 15 - June 1

SEASON

SEASON DATES

DAILY BAG LIMIT

Rabbit

Oct. 13 - Feb. 28

Bobwhite Quail

Nov. 22 - Mar. 2

Frog

April 1 - Sept. 30

25/NIght

Raccoon

July 1 - Sept. 30

1 per Party/Night

Opossum, Raccoon, and Bobcat

Oct. 1 - Oct. 31 (Food and sport) Nov. 1 - Feb. 28 (Food, sport, and pelt)

5/Day; 8/Party No Limit

Trapping

Nov. 1 - Mar. 15

No Limit

U.S. Forest Service National Forests: The bag limit is one (1) per day, not to exceed three (3) per annual season except in the Southeast Zone which is two (2) per annual season.

Either-Sex on private land. Legal Bucks only on open public land. Weapon of choice may be used on private land with appropriate license. Legal Bucks only on private and open public land. Weapon of choice may be used on private land with appropriate license.

*On private lands and authorized state and federal lands only in those areas open for squirrel hunting.

Dove â€˘ White-winged & Mourning Dove (North Zone) ** Sept. 1-Oct. 7; Oct. 27 Nov. 7; Dec. 22 - Jan. 31 (South Zone)*** Sept. 1-9; Oct. 6-Nov. 7; Dec. 15-Jan. 31 **(Dove North Zone) Areas north of U.S. Hwy 84 plus areas south of U.S. Hwy 84 and west of MS Hwy 35 ***(Dove South Zone) Areas south of U.S. Hwy 84 and east of MS Hwy 35.

Fall Turkey SEASON

DATES

BAG LIMIT

FALL (SEE OPEN AREAS)

OCT. 15 - NOV. 15

TWO (2) TURKEYS, EITHER SEX

Open Areas: In the following counties or portion of counties, on private lands where the landowner/lease holder completes a fall turkey hunting application and provides a copy of the property deed or lease agreement at a MDWFP Regional Office or the Jackson Office. Delta Zone: Bolivar County - west of the main Mississippi River levee and those lands east of the main Mississippi River levee known as 27 Break Hunting Club; Coahoma, Desoto, Issaquena, Tunica, and Washington counties - west of the main Mississippi River levee. North-Central Zone: Benton, Lafayette, Marshall, Panola, Tippah, and Union counties.

Southwest Zone: Adams, Amite, Claiborne, Copiah, Hinds, Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, Madison, Warren, Wilkinson, and Yazoo counties.