News for members of Northcentral Electric Power Association
Billups nostalgia
Periodical postage (ISSN 1052 2433)
drives diner concept
Guy Billups III
14
MFWC cookbook supports heart health
15
Historic school to be preserved
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Today in Mississippi
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September 2018
From the CEO
For more information on Today in Mississippi, contact Michael Bellipanni at 662-895-2151.
2018 Annual Meeting and Board of Directors Election The Northcentral Electric Power Association Annual Meeting of the Members will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 24, this year in the Northcentral Electric auditorium. Besides summarizing the work of past year, as well as future projects, a major current business task at the Annual Meeting is the election of three members of the Board of Directors. This year, board members are to be elected from District 2, District 6 and District 9 of our system area. A general description of the area served in District 2 would be the 1984 city limits of the City of Olive Branch. District 6 generally covers the area south and west of the new U.S. Hwy 78 and east of Coldwater River and north of Pigeon Roost Creek, except the area with the 1984 corporate limits of the City of Byhalia. District 9 represents the area served by the Association in DeSoto County, which constitutes an at-large district. More detailed descriptions can be found in Section 4.02 of the Northcentral Electric bylaws. Current board members representing these districts are: Don Dickerson – District 2, Morris Thompson – District 6 and Julie Niblett of District 9. Nominations to the Board of Directors, whether incumbent or a new candidate, will be made by twenty-five (25) or more members from the district. Nominations to the Board of Directors, whether incumbent
or new candidate, will be made by the membership. Any twentyfive (25) or more members from the district from which a director is to be elected shall make a nomination by signing a nomination form with the nominee’s name and district stated on the form. Nomination forms can be picked up from the receptionist’s desk in the Northcentral Electric Administrative Building. Nominations must be completed as required and received in the office no later that 5:00 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 24, 2018. The Elections and Credentials Committee will meet Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018, to verify the candidate nominations. A list of the valid nominations will be posted at the Northcentral office. Members can vote either by proxy prior to the Annual Meeting or in person by ballot at the Annual Meeting. Proxies will be mailed Oct. 4 and must be received in the Northcentral office no later than 2:00 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 22, 2018. The Elections and Credentials Committee will review the proxies for validation beginning at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 22, 2018. For more details on the Board of Directors elections, the Annual Meeting, or the nomination process, a copy of the Northcentral Mississippi Electric Power Association bylaws can be found under the “My Cooperative” section on Northcentral Electric’s website, www.northcentralepa.com.
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Moving from August into September we see significant change. It’s a time of transition. William Faulkner tells us that August often gives us a foretaste of Fall. Kids are off to school, and the sounds of high school band rehearsal is in the air, as is the promise of a great year. A lot of change can take place in this transitional period. At Northcentral, we are committed to maintaining the quality service that we have provided our Members over the last 68 years with an eye to the future and the promise of change. The services we have offered have been of great benefit to those we serve, but we must continue to evaluate other products and services that Kevin Doddrige could enhance your General Manager/CEO quality of life. Northcentral must be able to change to properly serve our members who own us. The necessity that formed Northcentral was the need for electricity. This product enhanced the quality of life for the homes and farms in this area and provided the fuel for economic growth. We feel that high speed internet is potentially the next greatest thing that your cooperative can provide. High speed internet, through cooperative fiber and provided on a cost basis, is the next step to developing our rural areas and maintaining or urban ones. We will continue to work with our elected officials to find the best path to this. We truly feel that this is the next service we can provide to propel Mississippi from the unenviable 50th position. How do we plan to keep you informed on the change and transitions taking place at Northcentral? Check out our podcast, Northcentral Nfused, set to roll out in September. Stay tuned to our social media and be on the lookout for a new and improved website coming this fall! A good football coach and greater man once said, “Things never stay the same, you’re either getting better or getting worse. Those that attempt to tread water too long eventually drown.” At Northcentral we are not content to just tread water. We will continue to explore those products and services that your cooperative can and should provide. We’ll do this in a responsible and safe manner… Check out the podcast!
September 2018
Why
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Today in Mississippi
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10a
should you
enter the essay
contest for
1.
Youth Tour?
It’s sponsored by Northcentral Electric. Your electric coop completely covers the costs of two trips, including airfare, hotels, meals and attractions.
2. 3.
It’s a lot of fun!
Meet new people!
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.
6. Traveling is fun! There are many places and adventures to seek throughout your life.
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?
4.
5.
You gain leadership experience. All of the students that attend this tour have been selected as leaders in their community. That’s over 1,800 potential contacts for your future.
Northcentral Electric Power Association is sponsoring the 33rd annual essay contest on rural electrification. The theme for the essay is “Electric Cooperatives: Meeting the Needs of the People-Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.” The contest is open to all high school junior class members, including home-schooled students. Parents or guardians of participants are not required to be members of Northcentral Electric Power Association. Winning students will receive an allexpense-paid trip to the Youth Leadership Workshop held February 27-March 1, 2019, in
7.
American history
So, why not emerse yourself in a city filled with American history?
Jackson, Miss. At the workshop, the students will join other essay winners from other electric power associations to learn about memberowned cooperatives and how they operate. They will also learn about state government and meet with elected officials. The three-day seminar will include inspirational speakers and plenty of fun and fellowship. Students will also vie for an opportunity to spend a week in Washington, D.C., June 15-21, 2019, at the Washington Youth Tour. For additional information and contest rules, contact Michael Bellipanni at Northcentral Electric by calling 662-895-2151.
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Today in Mississippi
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September 2018
Career
Technical Center is no ordinary vocational program
Cory Uselton Superintendent of DeSoto County Schools
Phillip Sublett Director of CTC and principal of CTC East Campus
Allyson Killough Principal of CTC West Campus
By Elissa Fulton Northcentral Electric Power Association has a vested interest in the communities we serve. As a not-for-profit electric cooperative run by its members, we take every opportunity to highlight and support programs that are improving the quality of life in the communities we live, work and play. Education and training is one of our seven cooperative principles, and we believe it is the most important start we can give to our youth. The DeSoto County School District knows the importance of career education as well. It is indeed shown in the work and effort that has been dedicated to the Career Technical Center (CTC). DeSoto County Schools offer two campuses for students to learn vocational programs. But it’s not just traditional Vo-Tech as we have been accustomed to in the past. CTC is offering state of the art facilities and programs for high school juniors and seniors to get ahead in their career paths. “Technical education is something that has been evolving over the last several years,” said Cory Uselton, superintendent of DeSoto County School District. “Obviously it’s going to keep changing in the future. We’ve really put a strong emphasis on promoting the programs because it is important for our students and parents to know what we have to offer. Some of the programs that we have, we will see students go straight into the workforce and we have partnerships with companies that recruit our students straight out of high school. And then you have some students that are planning to go to college, and this is going to be their major. So we are trying to appeal to both sets of students.” Uselton pointed out that one of the main selling points for the economic council when attracting new industries to the area is public education. “Businesses coming to the area want to know that they are going to have an educated work force and a good school system for their children,” he said. “It’s also important for a school district to have partnerships with our industries. Especially with the career technical side of it, because our students get hands on education. We are able to offer a prepared workforce for those industries. But at the same time, those industries can assist our school district, so we are always looking for partnerships and ways that we can develop our program, and ways that we can better prepare students to be able to work as soon as they graduate from high school.” The DeSoto County School District’s program
began like many other vocational programs, and it was known as Vo-Tech. In 1998, Phillip Sublett, director of career technical education and principal at CTC East Campus, was teaching in the Vo-Tech program at Southaven High School. He was asked to become the director of the program and he rapidly began to see the shift to the Career Technical Center that is available today. As program director and principal of the East Campus, he has a unique situation. “I have to do what’s best in the interest of this campus as its principal, but I also have to do what’s best for the program as a whole. It can be a real challenge,” said Sublett. Under Sublett’s leadership, career technical education has developed by leaps and bounds and there are now two campuses that offer a wide variety of classes from Health Sciences to Digital Media and Culinary Arts. The CTC East Campus is offering five classes to the students at Center Hill High School, Branch High School. “When the students come throu They earn four elective credits on t earn one credit each semester,” said On the west side of the district, CTC West. The West Campus is a Horn Lake, Hernando, DeSoto Ce offers eight programs. Killough wa High School before joining the CT students’ success and knows she ha cal education. She works diligently relations.
September 2018
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Today in Mississippi
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10c
Left: Digital Media Technology is designed for students who wish to develop, design and implement projects in the field of digital media. They learn basic skills in computer graphics, audio production, multimedia, and animation. Below: Robotics and Engineering students work on the fundamentals of problem solving, program design, algorithms, and programming.
The Health Sciences cources offer training for students to work in entry-level positions or to be in the health care field. Students earn their certification in CPR and are required to complete 100 hours of clinical experience during their senior year. Students in Health Sciences go on to study a broad range of fields in college from EMT’s to physician levels.
Lewisburg High School and Olive
ugh this program, it’s for two years. their high school diploma. They d Sublett. Allyson Killough is the principal of available to students of Southaven, entral and Lake Cormorant and as the principal at Olive Branch TC team. She is passionate about the as found her calling in career techniy in community and business
“I try to take the lead on working with the community,” said Killough. “If I can make a partnership happen, I’m going to get the instructor involved to continue the relationship, because the instructor knows what they need for the classroom. We try to get businesses involved not just with monetary donations, but also with mentorship.” When selecting programs for CTC, there must be a workforce need within the DeSoto County area. “As someone said to me recently, we don’t have an agriculture program here because we don’t harvest cotton here, we harvest rooftops,” said Killough. “And that is so very true. There’s such a need in DeSoto County for contractors because of all the residential growth.” Even the building at the West Campus, which is the newest facility of the two campuses, was designed as a teaching tool. To visit the
campus, the halls look like a very modern design, however it’s a very clever design. “The HVAC is exposed in the ceiling, which is a part of the construction classes. “The wires represent Information Technology. The acoustical tiles represent Digital Media and working with sound. And the metal fabrication over the windows represent our welding program. So this design became a teaching tool in itself,” said Killough. Not only do the instructors teach career technical courses, but they also offer student services to those struggling academically in high school. ACT preparation, college applications, resumes – all of these services are offered at CTC to help students to be successful and find a career that is right for them. “A really neat thing with career technical education is, you may have a student who is struggling at the high school and not really finding their fit, but they can come here and work on an engine and be a rock star! That’s so exciting because you can help these students find their way. They can find what they love to do and can be successful and fulfill the workforce need that we have,” said Killough. “When I got this job, I kept hearing it was the best kept secret. It is, but let’s not let it be a secret anymore, because this is a great opportunity for our students and our employers to know that they can come in and help work with our kids, and have some great employees coming out in the field.” The DeSoto County School District is dedicated to workforce development. Eighth graders will attend the DeSoto County Pathways 2 Possibilities Career Fair on Oct. 16-17, offered by the DeSoto County Economic Development Council, to highlight career options to the middle schoolers. Pathways 2 Possibilities will be open to juniors and seniors in the afternoon. As a title sponsor of the career fair, Northcentral encourages business leaders in the community to get involved with the local schools and partner with them to help our students have the brightest future they can have. "Site consultants and company executives constantly emphasize the need for an able and ready workforce. I think that this is why Mississippi has been so successful in the economic development game,” said Kevin Doddridge, general manager/CEO of Northcentral Electric. “Our folks have a strong work ethic, and our state's community college system leads the country in preparing them to go right into the workforce. Programs offered at Career Technical Centers give our students a running start into the fields that they enjoy." For more information about the complete list of programs offered at the Career Technical Centers, how to apply or how to become involved as a business mentor, vistit the East Campus at www.ctce.desotocountyschools.org or the West Campus at www.ctcw.desotocountyschools.org.
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Today in Mississippi
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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 constantly preparing for the future. Engineers and con-
struction 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 co-ops 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 co-ops 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.
Statement of non-discrimination Northcentral Mississippi Electric Power Association is subject to the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended; and the rules of the U.S. Department of Agriculture which provide that no person in the United States on the basis of race, color, national origin, age or handicap shall be excluded from participation in, admission or access to, denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any of its organization’s programs or activities. The person responsible for coordinating this organization’s nondiscrimination compliance efforts is Kevin Doddridge, General Manager/CEO. Any individual, or specific class of individuals, who feels that this organization has subjected them to discrimination may file a written complaint with this organization; or the Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250; or the Administrator, Rural Utilities Service, Washington, D.C. 20250. Complaints must be filed within 180 days after the alleged discriminatory action, or by such later date to which the Secretary of Agriculture or the Administrator of RUS extends the time for filing. Identity of complainants will be kept confidential except to the extent necessary to carry out the purposes of the rules and regulations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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pay your bill with your smartphone keep up with multiple accounts view your billing history view payment history track your use
September 2018
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Today in Mississippi
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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
Primitive Weapon
Dec. 2 - 15
Nov. 5 - 16
Gun (without dogs)
Dec. 16 - 23
Gun (with dogs)
Dec. 24 - Jan. 16
Archery/Primitive Weapon
Jan. 17 - 31
METHOD
SEASON DATES
Archery
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. 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.
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.
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.
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
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.
Small Game SEASON
SEASON DATES
Youth Squirrel*
Sept. 24 - 30
8
Squirrel - Fall Season
Oct. 1 - Feb. 28
8
DAILY BAG LIMIT
Squirrel - Spring Season
May 15 - June 1
4
SEASON
SEASON DATES
DAILY BAG LIMIT
Rabbit
Oct. 13 - Feb. 28
8
Bobwhite Quail
Nov. 22 - Mar. 2
8
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.
LEGAL DEER
*On private lands and authorized state and federal lands only in those areas open for squirrel hunting.
Dove • 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.