Today in Mississippi December 2021 Local Pages by American MainStreet Publications

CENTRAL ELECTRIC POWER ASSOCIATION

A tradition of dependable, hometown service since 1937 CARTHAGE: 601-267-5671 | PHILADELPHIA: 601-656-2601 | RANKIN: 601-829-1201 | SEBASTOPOL: 601-625-7422

107 EAST MAIN STREET • CARTHAGE, MS 39051

CENTRAL ELECTRIC WILL HOLD ITS

Annual M ting

M A R C H 1 5 , 2 0 2 2 AT T H E C A R T H AG E C O L I S E U M In accordance with the laws of the State of Mississippi and the bylaws of the Association, four directors will be elected for three-year terms. Members will elect one director from Leake County, one director from Neshoba County, one director from Newton County, and one minority member at large.

SECTION 4.04. Nominations (a) It shall be the duty of the Board to appoint, not less than sixty (60) days nor more than ninety (90) days before the date of a meeting of the members at which Board members are to be elected, a Committee on Nominations consisting of three (3) members who shall be selected from the given areas from which Board members are to be elected so as to insure equitable representation. No existing Cooperative employees, agents, officers, directors or known candidates for director, and close relatives (as hereinafter defined) or members of the same household of existing Cooperative employees, agents, officers, directors or known candidates for director may serve on such committees. The committee shall receive and consider any suggestion as to nominees submitted in writing by members of the Cooperative. The committee, keeping in mind the principle of equitable representation, shall prepare a list of nominations for Board members, and submit its list to the Secretary not less than thirty (30) days nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the annual meeting. (b) Any fifty (50) or more members who are in good standing, are from the given area from which a Board member is to be elected, and acting together, may nominate a Director candidate for the area by petition. Any such petition for nomination must be submitted on a form designated and provided by the Cooperative. Each member signing such petition shall place thereon the date of signing, address, account number and service location of the member. Such nominations made by petition, if any, shall be delivered to the Secretary not less than forty-five (45) days nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the annual meeting. Such nominations shall be posted by the Secretary

at the same place where the list of nominations made by the Committee on Nominations is posted. A member may not make more than one (1) nomination by petition for each vacancy. If a member signs more than one petition for a director vacancy, then the signature of the member bearing the latest date of signing by the member will be considered and any previously dated signature by the member on any other petition(s) will be deemed invalid, null and void. If a member signs more than one petition on the same date, all signatures of the member bearing the same date of signing will be deemed invalid, null and void. (c) The Secretary shall prepare and post at the principal ofﬁce of the Cooperative at least twenty (20) days before the meeting a list of nominations for Board members. The Secretary shall be responsible for mailing with the notice of the meeting or separately, but at least ten (10) days before the date of the meeting, a statement of the number of Board members to be elected and the counties they will be elected from and represent, and the name and address of each of the candidates nominated by the Committee on Nominations or by petition. A report from the Committee of Nominations and other annual meeting information will appear in the March issue of Today in Mississippi. As a member-owner of Central Electric Power Association, you have a right to participate in the annual meeting to hear the latest cooperative news and to elect the board of directors. Mark your calendar for March 15, 2022 and plan to attend Central Electric’s annual meeting at the Carthage Coliseum on Highway 16 in Carthage.

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Revisions Requested Revisions Requested STEVEN Date_____ Approved Revisions Requested ARTIST ___________ Date_____ Approved Revisions Requested

VERSION #______________ CHRIS Date_____ Approved

If you haven’t strung your twinkle lights, be sure to use LED light strands. LEDs consume far less energy than incandescent lights, and they can last 40 holiday seasons. They’re also safer because they’re made with epoxy lenses, not glass, making them more resistant to breaking, and they’re cool to the touch, so no burnt ﬁngers! If you missed Santa’s memo about energy-saving LEDs, and your holiday lights are already up, you can still save on lighting costs. All you need is a programmable light timer. Most models cost between $10 to $25 and can be purchased

Approved

If you haven’t made the switch to LED holiday lights, it’s time. LEDs can last 40 holiday seasons, and they’re safer than incandescent holiday lights.

Revisions Requested

at local retail stores. With a light timer, you can easily program when you want your holiday lights turned on and off, which will save you time, money, and energy. If you’re using a timer for exterior lighting, make sure it’s weatherproof and intended for outdoor use. If Clark Griswold’s décor style is a bit much for your taste, consider a more natural approach. Many Christmas tree farms, and local retailers, give away greenery clippings from recently trimmed trees. With a little twine, extra ornaments, and sparkly ribbon, you can create beautiful garlands and wreaths to hang over your front door or windows. To add extra twinkle at night, you can install solar-powered spotlights to illuminate your new (essentially free!) greenery. Solar spotlights can vary in price, but you should be able to purchase a quality set of four for about $30, and because they run on natural energy from the sun, there’s no additional cost to your energy bill. Regardless of how you decorate your home for the holidays, there are plenty of ways to save energy throughout the season. Visit Central Electric’s website for additional energy-saving tips.

LYDIA Date_____

Whether you’ve already decked your halls or you’re just getting started, there’s still time to incorporate energy savings into your holiday décor planning.

CHAD Date_____

for an energy-wise home

Approved

Holiday Décor Tips

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MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

FROM OUR CO-OP FAMILY TO YOURS, WISHING YOU A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON AND A JOYOUS NEW YEAR. Central Electric Power Association will be closed Dec. 24 and 27 for Christmas and Dec. 31 for New Year’s Eve. To report an outage, please visit www.centralepa.com and click on Report An Outage, call 601-267-3043, or text the word OUT to 866-846-5671 if you are enrolled in the outage texting service. A dispatcher is on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Energy efﬁciency tip of the month

Heading out of town for the holiday season? Remember to unplug electronics that draw a phantom energy load. Some gadgets like TVs, phone chargers, gaming consoles, and toothbrush chargers use energy when plugged into an outlet — even when they’re not in use.

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by Bonnie A. Coblentz A 100% fatal, transmissible, neurogenerative disease has entered the Mississippi white-tailed deer population, and hunters play a big part in controlling this disease. Chronic wasting disease, or CWD, is a prion disease that is easily transmissible to deer through saliva, feces, urine, or a contaminated environment. The amount of positive material needed to infect deer 100% of the time is the size of one very ﬁne grain of sand. Bronson Strickland, wildlife specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said CWD’s almost permanent effects make it dangerously different than other diseases.

“Hemorrhagic disease is viral and common among the deer population, but while it can be catastrophic in certain locations and years, that disease cycle has an endpoint,” Strickland said. “This does not happen with CWD.” “More importantly, there is no annual end point, such as the arrival of cold weather,” Strickland said. “Once the disease becomes entrenched in a population, it is very difﬁcult, if not impossible, to do anything about it.” William McKinley, deer program coordinator with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, said the disease is similar to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, or mad cow disease. Unlike mad cow disease, which transmits to humans at a very low rate, CWD has never been known to transmit to humans. In CWD’s 16-to 20-month incubation period, infected animal shows no signs of disease. “When the animal becomes clinical, they begin to stumble, are listless, lose weight, and forget common things,” McKinley said. Physically, the disease causes holes to form in the brain, and when a hole is formed in a region that controls a function critical to life, the animal dies. “Animals typically die within 6-8 weeks of showing symptoms,” McKinley said. “They spread the disease even when they show no symptoms.”

The first positive case in the state was detected in February 2018 in Issaquena County. Since then, there have been 83 positive deer reported in the state in eight counties: Issaquena (2), Pontotoc (1), Marshall (20), Benton (56), Panola (1), Tallahatchie (1), Tippah (1), and Alcorn (1). “Our state wildlife agencies can’t manage the disease to keep it from spreading if they don’t know where it is, and if you eat your venison, testing it first gives you peace of mind,” Strickland said. He said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that there have been no reported cases of CWD infection in people, but some animal studies raise concerns that there may be a risk to humans. To keep CWD numbers in check, wildlife specialists have determined that the best management practices are to lower deer density and eliminate practices that encourage deer to congregate. “Supplemental feeding does not cause CWD, but it facilitates its spread as deer concentrate in certain areas, such as around a feeder,” he said. When CWD is unmanaged, few deer live to reach the older age classes. Trophy bucks with boast-worthy antlers could become a thing of the past. Hunters are encouraged to bring the heads of all deer harvested for free testing at one of 46 drop-off sites across the state. Store the meat in coolers before processing until CWD test results are back, a process that usually takes about a week. When handling deer, such as when field dressing a harvested animal, wear latex gloves and minimize contact with the nervous system — the brain and spinal column. “That’s where the highest concentrations of prions are found,” McKinley said. “If you like to saw off the antlers, we recommend you keep that tool separate to prevent possible cross contamination.” Bonnie A. Coblentz is a writer and editor with the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

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P.O. BOX 188 • 340 HOPSON STREET • LYON, MS 38645 662-624-8321 • FAX 662-624-8327 • www.coahomaepa.com • cepa@coahomaepa.com

Holiday Décor Tips for an energy-wise home

also safer because they’re made with epoxy lenses, not glass, making them more resistant to breaking, and they’re cool to the touch, so no burnt ﬁngers! If you missed Santa’s memo about energy-saving LEDs, and your holiday lights are already up, you can still save on lighting costs. All you need is a programmable light timer. Most models cost between $10 to $25 and can be purchased at local retail stores. With a light timer, you can easily program when you want your holiday lights turned on and off, which will save you time, money, and energy. If you’re using

a timer for exterior lighting, make sure it’s weatherproof and intended for outdoor use. If Clark Griswold’s décor style is a bit much for your taste, consider a more natural approach. Many Christmas tree farms, and local retailers, give away greenery clippings from recently trimmed trees. With a little twine, extra ornaments, and sparkly ribbon, you can create beautiful garlands and wreaths to hang over your front door or windows. To add extra twinkle at night, you can install solar-powered spotlights to illuminate your new (essentially free!) greenery. Solar spotlights can vary in price, but you should be able to purchase a quality set of four for about $30, and because they run on natural energy from the sun, there’s no additional cost to your energy bill. Regardless of how you decorate your home for the holidays, there are plenty of ways to save energy throughout the season. Visit Coahoma Electric’s website for additional energy-saving tips. If you haven’t made the switch to LED holiday lights, it’s time. LEDs can last 40 holiday seasons, and they’re safer than incandescent holiday lights.

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Manager’s Message Coahoma Electric Power Association’s Board of Directors recently approved the retirement of the 1991 capital credits of $200,149.05. Members who are eligible to receive capital credits should receive a check in the mail or a credit to their bill in December. Checks may not be received until the middle of December due to printing and postal timelines. It is the goal of the board and management to continue to return capital credits on an annual basis to the members of the cooperative.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! FROM OUR CO-OP FAMILY TO YOURS, WISHING YOU A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON AND A JOYOUS NEW YEAR. Coahoma Electric Power Association will be closed Dec. 23 and 24 for Christmas and Dec. 31 for New Year’s Eve.

Energy efﬁciency tip of the month

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FOR TODAY IN MISSISSIPPI INFORMATION, CALL 877-7MY-CEPA (1-877-769-2372) WWW.COASTEPA.COM

Where our members have the power

Merry Christmas! I love everything about this time of year. Just the thought of the holiday season brings a smile to my face and evokes a sense of comfort and nostalgia. It’s a time of reﬂection. I’m grateful for my own family as well as my co-op family. At Coast Electric and CoastConnect, we’re driven by a sense of mission and purpose. Our team feels a strong connection to our community and our members because we live here too. Our companies have the privilege of lighting your Christmas trees, powering the kitchens that cook meals for family gatherings, and connecting you to loved ones, even if they are far away. What a great responsibility that is. It’s one our employees take seriously. We know we exist to provide you with the highest level of service possible, and we will always work to improve our service and your lives. For co-ops to function as they are intended, we need member participation. It’s crucial not only in our operations, but

Communicators: April Lollar & Merilee Sands

also for our community. We can’t tell you how much we appreciate those of you who contribute to our Operation Round Up program. Because of you, we’ve been able to fund grants for charitable organizations that are helping our community. We’ve also been able to contribute more than ever to our Share Your Blessings energy assistance program. Your change is helping your friends and neighbors in life-changing ways. I hope that knowledge warms your heart this holiday season. I wish you and your loved ones peace, joy and prosperity. Speaking on behalf of our team at Coast Electric and CoastConnect, I know the future will be bright, because of you.

by Ron Barnes President and CEO

Kiln Lobby Closing Beginning January 2022, the lobby of our Kiln office will be permanently closed to walk-in traffic. We offer convenient options to serve members with our drivethru lanes and payment kiosk. There are convenient options to conduct business with us on our CE on the Go app, via text, over the phone, and online at coastepa.com. Our other five office locations will remain open to members if you need in-person service.

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Reduce Your Use Contest Coast Electric wants you to reduce your energy use and see savings on your energy costs. Each month, you will have an opportunity to register to win a prize that will help you reduce the energy consumption in your home. All you have to do is visit www.coastepa.com and fill out our entry orm. It only takes a few seconds, and you could win a prize that helps you save!

DON’T TAMPER WITH YOUR ELECTRIC METER Meter tampering can result in electric shock, is illegal, and affects costs for other members.

Congratulations to Michael Murrell, the winner of our November Reduce Your Use prize!

Energy efficien y

Coast Electric’s board recently increased the fee for investigating incidents of meter tampering to $500 to cover investigation costs.

tip of the month

Never break a meter seal.

Heading out of town for the holiday season?

Never open a meter base.

Remember to unplug electronics that draw a phantom energy load. Some gadgets like TVs, phone chargers, gaming consoles and toothbrush chargers use energy when plugged into an outlet — even when they’re not in use.

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Never remove a meter or alter an entrance cable in any manner. If you suspect someone is tampering with their meter, please contact us.

877-769-2372

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Annual Meeting Highlights Youth Leadership Scholarship Winners Congratulations to our Annual Meeting prize winners!

Members learn more about high-speed internet service with CoastConnect.

Congratulations to our Youth Leadership Scholarship Winners. From left, Lauren Carothers and Jada Hall of Gulfport High School, Melanie Kellar from Picayune Memorial High School, Eugenie Saunders from Our Lady Academy, Megan Marie from St. Patrick Catholic High School, and Emma Stiglets from Hancock High School. These six students were selected to receive $2,500 scholarships.

We would like to thank all those who attended our Annual Meeting as well as those who registered by proxy. Your participation in our meeting and election process are critical to co-op success.

Director Elections At Coast Electric’s Annual Meeting, Richard Dossett of Pearl River County, James Baldree of Hancock County and Charles Lopez of Harrison County were elected to serve our members for another term. Our board members ran unopposed and received the following number of votes from members who registered their proxy online, in our ofﬁces or who voted at the meeting:

Richard Dossett, Pearl River County ......................... 11,779 James Baldree, Hancock County ............................... 11,779 Chuck Lopez, Harrison County ................................... 11,779 Board Chair Doug Mooney announces the capital credit retirement.

CAPITAL CREDITS Board Chair Doug Mooney announced at the meeting that members would receive a capital credit retirement of $4,666,924. In addition, our generation and transmission cooperative, Cooperative Energy, is retiring $1,591,145 in capital credits to Coast Electric, who will retire these funds to our members. That makes more than $6.2 million in capital credit retirements to members this year, and brings Coast Electric’s lifetime retirement to more than $80 million. Checks will be mailed to eligible members this month. If you have questions about your capital credit allocations, you can view them by logging onto your account on www.coastepa.com.

Did you miss it?

Congratulations

Congratulations to our members who won credits on their electric bills by either attending our Annual Meeting or registering online, in one of our ofﬁces or by mail. $100 Bill Credit Winners: Maureen Hodges Theresa Wilson Carolyn Montz David Malley Kenneth Burlette Thomas Williams Gretchen Lee James Lagasse Brian Shaw Kerry Welsh Linda Carter Freddie Parker Veva Haas Burgetown Church Rodney Gresham

Gift Cards: Jesus Flies — $25 Walmart Card Bobby Green — $25 Walmart Card *Cards donated by Arkansas Electric Cooperatives

Sunkist Country Club — $100 Home Depot Card Nathan Webb — $100 Home Depot Card

Grand Prize Winners: Attendance Michael Dickinson — $250 Coast Electric Bill Credit Cathy Wilson — $500 Coast Electric Bill Credit Riley Ann Norman — $1000 Coast Electric Bill Credit Proxy Registration Randa Craig — $250 Coast Electric Bill Credit John Moran — $500 Coast Electric Bill Credit Miriam Spiers — $1000 Coast Electric Bill Credit

No worries! Our meeting was recorded and is available on our YouTube channel. Search for Coast Electric Power Association.

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Holiday Décor Tips for an energy-wise home

If Clark Griswold’s décor style is a bit much for your taste, consider a more natural approach. Many Christmas tree farms, and local retailers, give away greenery clippings from recently trimmed trees. With a little twine, extra ornaments and sparkly ribbon, you can create beautiful garlands and wreaths to hang over your front door or windows. To add extra twinkle at night, you can install solar-powered spotlights to illuminate your new (essentially free!) greenery. Solar spotlights can vary in price, but you should be able to purchase a quality set of four for about $30, and because they run on natural energy from the sun, there’s no additional cost to your energy bill. Regardless of how you decorate your home for the holidays, there are plenty of ways to save energy throughout the season. Visit Coast Electric’s website for additional energy-saving tips. If you haven’t made the switch to LED holiday lights, it’s time. LEDs can last 40 holiday seasons, and they’re safer than incandescent holiday lights.

If you missed Santa’s memo about energy-saving LEDs, and your holiday lights are already up, you can still save on lighting costs. All you need is a programmable light timer. Most models cost between $10 to $25 and can be purchased at local retail stores. With a light timer, you can easily program when you want your holiday lights turned on and off, which will save you time, money and energy. If you’re using a timer for exterior lighting, make sure it’s weatherproof and intended for outdoor use.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! FROM OUR CO-OP FAMILY TO YOURS, WISHING YOU A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON AND A JOYOUS NEW YEAR. Coast Electric Power Association will be closed Dec. 24 and 27 for Christmas and Dec. 31 for New Year’s Eve.

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Delta Electric’s new IVR phone number is 662-743-4425 – USE IT ANY TIME 24/7

✓GET ACCOUNT INFO ✓MAKE A PAYMENT ✓REPORT AN OUTAGE ✓MAKE AN ARRANGEMENT

Holiday Décor Tips Four ways to

for an energy-wise home

If you haven’t made the switch to LED holiday lights, it’s time. LEDs can last 40 holiday seasons, and they’re safer than incandescent holiday lights.

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MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! FROM OUR CO-OP FAMILY TO YOURS, WISHING YOU A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON AND A JOYOUS NEW YEAR. Delta Electric Power Association will be closed Dec. 23 and 24 for Christmas and Dec. 31 for New Year’s Eve.

Energy efﬁciency tip of the month

Three options to pre-register for ﬁber internet service and voice services

DELightSpeed.coop 662-477-1975 or info@delightspeed.coop DECEMBER 2021 | TODAY 11

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“Powering communities and empowering lives” Dixie Electric is an equal opportunity employer and provider.

dixieepa.com | defastlink.net | prepared.dixieepa.com | AFTER HOURS: 888-465-9209 | 601-425-2535 dixieepa.com

@DixieElectricMS

@DixieEPA

@dixie_electric

Season’s Greetings from Dixie Electric I believe that every organization should be driven by a mission and a sense of purpose. At Dixie Electric, our mission is you. Our team feels a strong connection to our community and our members, because we live here too. While many of our community-focused programs and activities, such as our 12 Days of Christmas fundraiser for the foster backpack programs, ramp up this time of year, we have several programs and services in place to help our members year-round. I’d like to remind you about some of these offerings in hopes you’ll find them beneficial. We hope you’ll take advantage of SmartHub, an app that empowers you to monitor, manage, and pay your energy bill conveniently through your phone. Another service we offer is prepaid metering, which is intended to help budget your monthly energy costs. Dixie Electric members can pay for electricity before it’s used, then use the electricity until the credit expires. We also offer energy efficiency programs to save you money and energy. Comfort Advantage offers cash incentives to members who build energy-efficient homes or replace the heating/ cooling system in their existing home with an energy-efficient heat pump. In addition to helping members save today, we’re also focusing on the future. We’ve covered much ground this year, bringing

ﬁber-to-the-home high-speed internet to over 2,000 Dixie Electric members. We are encouraged by the fantastic response we’ve received and are excited to continue to link members with DE Fastlink. Lastly, we take great pride in the investment we make into our local youth. Dixie Electric has logged countless hours supporting schools, youth clubs, and programs. Each year, through our Youth Tour program, we send high school juniors to Washington, D.C. for a week-long immersion to experience democracy in action. At the heart of all of these programs is you — the members we proudly serve. Looking back, I’m grateful for so many wonderful community partners and for the positive impact we can continue to make. This holiday season, I wish you and your family peace, joy, and prosperity. Speaking on behalf of our team at Dixie Electric, I know the future will be bright because of you.

by Randy Smith General Manager

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! FROM OUR CO-OP FAMILY TO YOURS, WISHING YOU A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON AND A JOYOUS NEW YEAR. Dixie Electric Power Association will be closed Dec. 23 and 24 for Christmas and Dec. 31 for New Year’s Eve. Call 888-465-9209 or use the SmartHub app to report a power outage or emergency. Servicemen are on call. 10 TODAY | DECEMBER 2021

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On Oct. 23, Stan Pickering was voted by the membership to represent District 4 on the Dixie Electric board of directors. “Dixie Electric has been a cornerstone institution in our communities for generations,” said Pickering. “I am honored that the membership has allowed me the opportunity to serve in this capacity. I look forward to working alongside the existing members of the board to ensure the best possible electrical service and work environment for Dixie Electric’s members and employees.” Stan and his wife, Brittney, own Chick-ﬁl-A on 16th Avenue in Laurel. Prior to Chick-ﬁl-A, Stan was a banker for 15 years. Stan received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Mississippi College. He is a previous board member for the Jones County Chamber of Commerce and a previous member and president of the Kiwanis Club of Laurel. “We are excited to have Stan join the board of directors, and we look forward to the knowledge he brings to the table,” said Dixie Electric Board President Robert Smith. Stan and Brittney have three children and live in Laurel. They are members of First Baptist Church of Laurel, where Stan serves as a deacon.

2. Can the “Vote Now” button online be made more visible? Online voting is conducted through our software provider SmartHub. We have passed this suggestion on to them. We recommend voting through our SmartHub mobile app, as the “Vote Now” button is very easy to locate.

3. Why aren’t there more candidates to choose from on the ballot? Any member is eligible to seek election to the board of directors in the district where they reside by meeting the qualifications as prescribed in Dixie Electric’s ByLaws. We place the qualifications and instructions in Today in Mississippi May through July. If you see a district with only one name listed on the ballot, it is because only one member qualified to be placed on the ballot in that district.

4. Why do you offer a ballot and a proxy? We offer our members multiple ways to exercise their right to vote in our annual board elections. If members are familiar with the candidates seeking election, they generally feel comfortable voting by ballot. Members who are unfamiliar with the candidates seeking election may prefer to vote by proxy to allow the board of directors, or someone else, to vote on their behalf.

Online Voting Resources Candidate biographies are conveniently located in the online voting process for review before selecting a candidate. The district map and biographies are also listed at dixieepa.com for review before beginning the voting process online.

2021 Annual Meeting Overall winner ($500 bill credit) District 1 — Tishina Smith, Laurel

Online winner ($250 bill credit) District 4 — Hannah Starr, Laurel

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DISTRICT WINNERS ($250 BILL CREDITS EACH) District 1 District 2 District 3 District 4 District 5 District 6 District 7

Revisions Requested Approved

CHAD Date_____

There are seven board directors representing seven districts who serve three-year terms, meaning they are re-elected every three years.

Revisions Requested STEVEN Date_____ Approved Revisions Requested ARTIST ___________ Date_____ Approved Revisions Requested

Stan Pickering Joins the Board of Directors for Dixie Electric

1. Why was my district not up for election this year?

Approved

At the annual meeting, Robert Smith and Faye Bonner were re-elected to serve on the board of directors. The membership voted Stan Pickering to represent District 4 on the board of directors, and Mack Mauldin, who retired, was presented a plaque for his service. General Manager Randy Smith gave a brief overview of the cooperative, including an update on the expansion of DE Fastlink. He also discussed the $1.6 capital credit retirement and how the cooperative has overcome operation hurdles during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Revisions Requested

Dixie Electric held their annual membership meeting on Oct. 23 in person and virtually at dixieepa.com. Opportunities for voting began online in late August and by mail-in balloting in September. More than 6,100 members participated in the board elections, the most in over 40 years, surpassing last year’s historic vote to amend the Certification of Incorporation to allow Dixie Electric to provide high-speed internet services. This rise in participation can be attributed to members having access to vote for the first time through the SmartHub app. For each vote cast or proxy submitted, Dixie Electric’s board of directors agreed to donate $1 to be divided equally among the Christian Food Mission in Laurel, Petal Children’s Task Force, and the Samaritan Closet and Pantry in Waynesboro. Each of these beneficiaries will receive a donation of $2,040.

LYDIA Date_____

HOLDS HISTORIC VOTING

Frequently asked questions during the 2021 annual board elections

VERSION #______________ CHRIS Date_____ Approved

ANNUAL MEETING

John Burch, Petal Marsha Chatsko, Moselle Webber Tisdale, Ellisville Robert Sumrall, Laurel Lilly Priester, Laurel Harold Nobles, Waynesboro Charlston Jones, Waynesboro

11/17/21 3:02 PM

Youth Leadership University For more than a decade, 11th grade students from local high schools have attended Dixie Electric’s Youth Leadership University to learn about cooperatives, the electric power industry, and to expand their leadership skills. The educational and interactive activities included break-the-ice games, the KaHoot! game about cooperatives, a legislative panel discussion, visiting our dispatch center to learn about power outages and broadband, learning about the tough job of a lineman, and a presentation and hands-on project on the fl w of electricity. Thirty-one high school juniors, representing 10 high schools, attended the funfilled d y on Nov. 3. Youth Leadership University is the fir t step in the leadershipbuilding process. From this group, judges selected 18 students to participate in a one-on-one interview process to choose two students to represent Dixie Electric as the 2022 Youth Leadership Winners. These two students will attend a three-day leadership workshop in Jackson in March and a weeklong, all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. in June. “Youth Leadership University is always a fun day here at Dixie Electric,” said Community Relations Coordinator Pollyanna Magee. “Each year, we get an amazing group of kids,

and this year was no exception. Their excitement, personalities, and participation are what make the day such a success.” During the morning session, Magee led the students in several rounds of games to get to know one another. The students also heard a presentation from Cooperative Energy’s Tori Geiger, who explained how power is generated, transmitted, and distributed to the members of Dixie Electric. The morning session ended with a panel discussion from state legislators. Representatives Dale Goodin, Donnie Scoggin,

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Robin Robinson, and Larry Byrd visited with the students and answered questions about current events, such as education, COVID mandates, and the state’s mental health and addiction crisis. Trael Hinton, Youth Leadership winner from 2016, spoke to the students about his experience going to Washington, D.C. and how the program helped shape him into who he is today. Johan Gonzalez from Petal High School and Kelton Hosey from West Jones High School were chosen to represent Dixie Electric as the 2022 Youth Leadership winners. These students will have the opportunity to meet and interact with other Youth Leadership winners at the Youth Leadership Workshop in Jackson, which is organized and hosted jointly with the other electric cooperatives in Mississippi. They will also travel to Washington, D.C. in June 2022 to interact with Youth Leadership winners from all across the United States.

2022 Youth Leadership winners

Johan Gonzalez

Kelton Hosey

Petal High School

West Jones High School DECEMBER 2021 | TODAY 13

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Moultrie W800 Deer Camera

Lowe’s Gift Card

Academy Gift Card

Crawÿ sh Boil Steam Kit 100 Quart

Wildgame Deer Feeder + 2 bags of corn

iRobot Braava 380t Advanced Robot Mop – Wet Mopping and DryCleaning Modes, Large Spaces (value of $223)

Bed Bath & Beyond Gift Card (value of $125)

30’’ Blackstone Griddle with Hood and Counter (value of $320)

Calphalon 10-piece Cookware Set

50-inch TCL TV

Outdoor Heater with Propane Bottle

Visa Gift Card

(value of $75)

(value of $100)

(value of $110)

(value of $140)

(value of $155)

(value of $200)

(value of $215)

(value of $370)

(value of $400)

Tickets are $25 each. Buy four tickets for $100 and receive a ÿ fth bonus ticket! • First drawing will be Thursday, Dec. 2, and continue each weekday through Friday, Dec. 17. • Only 500 tickets will be sold. • Winning tickets will stay in the drawing, allowing the opportunity to win multiple days.

CLEARING TREES AND LIMBS FOR RELIABLE SERVICE

Pole inspections are underway

Dixie Electric Power Association clears trees, limbs, and underbrush from the area around and below the power lines, called the right-of-way. Right-of-way clearing decreases the number of outages and reduces the risk of someone coming in contact with the power lines. Clearing the right-of-way protects individuals from the hazards of electricity and makes power restoration quicker and safer for both Dixie Electric’s members and personnel.

Osmose Utilities Services will be performing inspection and maintenance on some of Dixie Electric Power Association’s poles. Inspections began in November and will continue for approximately four months. The general areas to be inspected are the Eastabuchie, Moselle, Ellisville, and New Hope areas. This work will generally consist of excavating a hole about 18-inches deep around the poles to inspect them and applying a preservative and/or remedial treatment to the poles as needed. The purpose of the inspection and treatment is to identify poles that do not meet industry strength standards and to extend the useful life of all others. All Osmose contract workers will be identiﬁable by their yellow and orange Osmose work vests and hard hats. Osmose vehicles should be marked with Osmose Utility decals as well as Dixie Electric Power Association “Contractor” decals.

Clearing project underway • Petal substation: Petal, Sunrise, Hillcrest, and Macedonia • North Petal substation: Eastabuchie, Glendale, and Petal • Ellisville Junction substation: Pecan Grove, Ovett, and Tuckers Crossing

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Co-op Connection Business Spotlight Use your Co-op Connections card for holiday shopping!

Food & Dining

Health & Beauty

Florist & Gifts

• Buddy’s Food and Fuel • Burrito Express • Chili’s in Petal • Cow & Coop’s • Dickey’s Barbeque Pit • Jitters Coffeehouse and Bookstore • KaRazy Kones • KaRock’s • Lee’s Coffee & Tea • Mi Casita Grill • Mi Casita Mexican Restaurant • Phillips Drive In • Pizza Inn of Waynesboro • Poppa’s Cajun Creamery • Poppa’s Original Wharf Seafood • Quickway Market, LLC • Reyes Mexican Grill & Bar • Sake Café • Shug’s Cookie Dough & Candy Bar • The Catﬁsh Wagon Restaurant • The Dinner Bell • The Knight Butcher • The Smokehouse of Laurel • Walker’s Dairy Bar • Zaxby’s of Petal

• Ellis & Walters Dental Care • Epic Styles • Richard Williams at Wade’s Barber Shop • Wells Pharmacy • Women’s Pavilion of South Mississippi, PLLC

• Doris Tanner’s Florist, Inc. • Four Seasons Florist • Quinn Pharmacy & Gifts • Randall Blake Florist & Gifts • Sweet Blossom

Shopping • Allie’s on Magnolia Boutique • Carter’s Jewelry of Petal • City Home Center • Heart and Sole Boutique • Miss Behavin • Quarter Century • Rhinestone Ranch • Rubies Home Furnishing • Sassy Scrubs • Southern Lace Boutique • The Boutique on Central • The Cotton Boll • The Pink Anchor • Windy Hollow Farms & Nursery

Services • 601 Graphics & Gear, LLC • A1 Graphics • Break-A-Way, Inc. • C&C Welding • Dayon Tree Service, Inc. • Gatlin’s Building Supply • H and S Construction • Hall’s Welding Service, LLC • HOC (The Wheel Shop) • Jensen Computer Technologies • Let’s Make Something Fabric Shop • Michael Jordan Construction, LLC • P&B Fencing • Primerica, Inc. • Sawmill Monogramming • Vorteck Pest Control

Download the free Co-op Connections app in the App Store to use your digital card and to view individual discounts. DECEMBER 2021 | TODAY 15

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DeKalb 601-743-2641 • Louisville 662-773-5741 • Quitman 601-776-6271 • After-Hours Outages, Call 601-581-8600

MEMBER OWNED. LOCALLY OPERATED. THAT’S THE COOPERATIVE DIFFERENCE.

A MESSAGE FROM YOUR CEO

Providing committed service through the holidays Each year around this time, our house becomes a hectic place ﬁlled with cleaning and eagerly preparing for our family members anticipated arrival. In addition to our adult sons, daughtersin-law, and young grandchildren, the “cousins” from all around the country make the annual Thanksgiving trip to Meridian. This year we hosted relatives from New York, St. Louis, Dallas, Houston, Hattiesburg, Tupelo, Clinton, Gulfport, Birmingham, and Atlanta. It is a fun time ﬁlled with remembrances of some who have gone to be with our Lord, excitement as we meet the new additions, and celebration as we laugh with all and learn what is happening in their lives. Meals are planned and shared starting Wednesday night before Thanksgiving and continue until our last guest has departed. As the last relative heads home from the Thanksgiving feast, we put those things away and begin the preparations for Christmas. While the crowd is smaller at Christmas, we still pour ourselves into choosing the right gifts and meals we will enjoy with our immediate family members. So why put so much planning into our holidays? Planning ensures we will not have disappointments or distractions interfering with the things we enjoy doing with our family members over the holidays. Planning for the simple things, like where everyone will sleep and what will be served at each meal, ensures all our visitors enjoy their stay as much as we enjoy having them. Here at East Mississippi Electric Power Association, we also understand the importance of planning. Planning provides direction in the facilities we build to meet our member’s electrical load requirements both individually and collectively all along the 5,700 miles of distribution lines we maintain. Distribution system planning is a long-term process. It requires developing electrical load projections 10 to 20 years into the future. These long-range plans are then broken down into construction work

plans of about two to three years. The planning work that goes into making sure the lines are adequate daily ensures the holiday loads will be reliable and affordable to you, our members. The addition of East Mississippi Connect has raised the need for planning to new levels. Our team has steadily built fiber along the distribution lines, added services to homes, and installed equipment to serve this new member need. Over 875 miles of fiber have been constructed with more than 2,500 members enjoying broadband speeds only dreamed of in rural areas until now. You are making this endeavor a success and we thank you for your support. All through the holidays, we will have dedicated employees ready to respond at a moment’s notice should the need arise. Many times, we have worked Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day to restore service when storms or accidents happen. Our workforce planning process ensures we have educated and well-trained employees that not only design, build, and maintain the system, but can restore service when it is interrupted. I have said many times that electric cooperative family life is not just a job, it is a calling. Much like firemen and police officers, our employees run toward trouble when it happens, and their entire family supports the effort. So, as you enjoy time with your family and friends this holiday season, know that EMEPA and our TEAM are well prepared and ready to provide the services needed to empower your lives and provide pathways for success to our communities.

by Randy Carroll CEO — East Mississippi Electric Power Association

10 TODAY | DECEMBER 2021

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EMEPA to retire $2.2 million in capital credits East Mississippi Electric Power Association’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce the retirement of capital credits for the year 1991 totaling $2,246,216.41. As a not-for-proﬁt electric cooperative, we belong to the communities we serve, so any excess revenues are shared back with the members. EMEPA plans our rate structure to provide the lowest possible rates for our members throughout the year without excess after operational expenses are paid. However, any operating margins that do remain are allocated to members receiving service during the year. These margins are called capital credits.

EMEPA uses capital credits to invest in the operations of the cooperative and the purchasing of bucket trucks, poles and wire, among other items. This reduces the need for loans and related expenses and helps to keep power costs low, which beneﬁts all members. The amount retired to members is decided by the Board of Directors on a 30-year rotation and depends on EMEPA’s ﬁnancial condition and strategic plan for growth and operations. This is just one way we are making a cooperative difference in service to you and our community. If you have any questions concerning this return, please give us a call at 601-581-8600.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! FROM OUR CO-OP FAMILY TO YOURS, WISHING YOU A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON AND A JOYOUS NEW YEAR. East Mississippi Electric Power Association will be closed Dec. 23 and 24 for Christmas and Dec. 31 for New Year’s Eve.

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Holiday Décor Tips for an energy-wise home

Whether you’ve already decked your halls or you’re just getting started, there’s still time to incorporate energy savings into your holiday décor planning. If you haven’t strung your twinkle lights, be sure to use LED light strands. LEDs consume far less energy than incandescent lights, and they can last 40 holiday seasons. They’re also safer because they’re made with epoxy lenses, not glass, making them more resistant to breaking, and they’re cool to the touch, so no burnt ﬁngers! If you missed Santa’s memo about energysaving LEDs, and your holiday lights are already up, you can still save on lighting costs. All you need is a programmable light timer. Most models cost between $10 to $25 and can be purchased at local retail stores. With a light timer, you can easily program when you want your holiday lights turned on and off, which will save you time, money, and energy. If you’re using a timer for exterior lighting, make sure it’s weatherproof and intended for outdoor use. If Clark Griswold’s décor style is a bit much for your taste, consider a more natural approach. Many Christmas tree farms, and local retailers, give away greenery clippings from recently trimmed trees. With a little twine, extra ornaments, and sparkly ribbon, you

can create beautiful garlands and wreaths to hang over your front door or windows. To add extra twinkle at night, you can install solar-powered spotlights to illuminate your new (essentially free!) greenery. Solar spotlights can vary in price, but you should be able to purchase a quality set of four for about $30, and because they run on natural energy from the sun, there’s no additional cost to your energy bill. Regardless of how you decorate your home for the holidays, there are plenty of ways to save energy throughout the season. Visit EMEPA’s website for additional energy-saving tips. If you haven’t made the switch to LED holiday lights, it’s time. LEDs can last 40 holiday seasons, and they’re safer than incandescent holiday lights.

EMEPA Service Awards December 2021 Thank you for your dedication to delivering the energy to empower lives of our more than 37,000 members in east Mississippi. With a combined total of 510 years of service, the following employees celebrated service anniversaries in 2021.

40 Year Awards

35 Year Awards

30 Year Awards

25 Year Awards

20 Year Awards

10 Year Awards

Ernie Pippin

Keith Hales Frankie Hardy Allan Hogan Britt Pevey Chad Rainer Gloria Welch Jackie McClendon

David Akin Mike Hull

Ches Brewer Dennis Cochran Corey Godwin Jeff Rigdon Janice Tinsley

15 Year Awards Dave Miller

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Jerry Webb Jamie Sistrunk Mike Fuller Brent Mabry Pam Tanner

5 Year Awards

Johnny Carpenter Gary Davidson Mike Kennedy Zack Sciple

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The coolest

SMART HOME DEVICES

for your holiday list

Get the scoop on the latest tech gadgets Remember when giving voice commands to a computer was something that only happened in a sci-fi movie? That technology is now reality, and thanks to the latest smart home devices, you can even control many items and functions in your home with your voice. We gathered a list of some of 2021’s coolest gadgets — and there is something for everyone! If you have East Mississippi Connect’s lightning-fast internet, connecting and running these devices will be a breeze. Here are some of our favorite 2021 smart home gadgets: • Ever wished your floors would just clean themselves? Get an iRobot Roomba 694 for the next best thing. This robotic vacuum works with Google and Alexa, so it’s easy to control. It learns your cleaning habits and preferences, suggests schedules, and does an amazing job cleaning different surfaces. • Got a music lover in the family? The Amazon Echo Studio smart speaker comes with top-notch sound quality and can even adjust to the acoustics of the room, so the music lover in your family will always get the best sound. • Want to keep an eye out for package thieves? With the Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight Camera, you can get peace of mind and keep real-life Grinches away. This smart camera captures highquality images. It can also send you movement notifications and it features the ability for the owner to call a friend, activate a siren, or even call 911. • Need a thermostat that can actually save you money? Get a Google Nest Learning Thermostat and connect it to Alexa to control your home’s temperature with ease. This smart thermostat can learn your preferences, make

adjustments, and help track energy use. Did we mention you can also control it from your phone via the Nest app? • Looking for the perfect gift for your pooch? The smart device industry did not forget about our beloved pets and this smart dog treat dispenser takes the cake! You can connect the WOpet Dog Treat Dispenser to your phone and use the app to give your dog a treat even when you are not home. The device’s high-quality camera lets you see your pet when you are away and it works in low-light or no-light situations. • Need to get better sleep? Try a smart bed that can actually help you catch more z’s. The Sleep Number 360 Smart Bed not only adjusts itself to be ﬁrmer or softer according to your movements, but it can also track your sleep and offer suggestions to help you sleep better. • A smart … what?! Even the bathroom can be turned into a smart room. The Kohler Veil smart toilet offers a hands-free opening and closing system. It also comes equipped with a night light, a heated seat, a warm-air drying system, an automatic deodorizer, and a UV-light, self-cleaning function. Nothing wrong with a little comfort when nature calls!

We hope these ideas help you ﬁnd the perfect gadget for the techie in your life. Remember, most smart devices require a strong internet connection in order to work properly. East Mississippi Connect has the speed and reliability you’ll need. 601-581-8800 | EastMSConnect.com

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Johnny Johnson, President • Mike Banks, Vice President Marty Crowder, Secretary/Treasurer • Bill Bell • John E. “Jay” Gilliland Jr. • Bruff Sanders • Kenneth Seitz

Merry Christmas from 4-County Christmas! I love everything about this time of year. Just the thought of this season brings a smile to my face and evokes a sense of hope, peace, comfort, and nostalgia. It’s a time of reﬂection. I’m grateful for my own family as well as my co-op family. At 4-County, we’re driven by a sense of mission and purpose. Our team feels a strong connection to our community and our members, because we live here too. While many of our community-focused programs and activities such as Toys for Tots and Warm Neighbors ramp up this time of year, we have several programs and services in place to help our members year-round. We hope you’ll take advantage of our online billing services. You can get a look at your daily electric use, billing history, and set up alerts and reminders about your 4-County account. You can also download our mobile app for your iOS or Android device. Another service we offer is PrePay, a program intended to help budget your monthly energy costs. 4-County members can pay for electricity before it’s used, then use the electricity until the credit expires. During the time period paid for, you’ll receive regular feedback on your balance. We also offer energy efﬁciency programs to save you money and energy. From energy audits to energy use calculators to programs designed to save you 10 TODAY | DECEMBER 2021

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energy, to low cost no hassle tips, we’ve got something for everyone. The 4-County Foundation helps our communities be the best they can be. Since February 2015, participating 4-County members’ utility bills have been rounded up to the nearest dollar. About $1.5 million dollars in grants have been awarded to non-proﬁt organizations in our service area. But maybe the most important investment we make is in our local youth. 4-County has logged hundreds of volunteer hours supporting schools, youth clubs and programs. Each year, through our Youth Tour program, we send a group of high school juniors to Washington, D.C. for a week-long immersion to experience democracy in action. At the heart of all of these programs is you — the members we proudly serve. Looking back, I’m grateful for so many wonderful community partners and for the positive impact we can continue to make. This Christmas season, I wish you and your loved ones joy and prosperity. Speaking on behalf of our team at 4-County, I know the future will be be bright, because of you. Merry Christmas!

by Brian Clark CEO/General Manager

FASTnet celebrates 2,000th customer 4-County Electric Power Association’s new broadband subsidiary, FASTnet, began operations about a year ago. FASTnet ofﬁcials celebrated hooking up their 2,000th customer on Nov. 11. Robert Cunningham of Noxubee County was the lucky customer. In celebration, he and his wife, Libby, received a few electronic goodies and a celebratory cake at the 4-County Corporate Center in Mayhew.

“It’s amazing how peoples’ lives are being transformed by FASTnet,” 4-County/FASTnet CEO Brian Clark told those attending the brief ceremony. “It’s really humbling to hear the Cunningham family and other customers talk about how reliable, high-speed Internet is allowing them to do things like see a doctor or work from home.” Northern District Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley and State Sen. Chuck Younger attended the event and joined the Cunninghams in applauding the co-op’s efforts to bring broadband to its members. For more information on FASTnet and its services, call 1-800-431-1544.

11/18/21 4:17 PM

4-County taking Toys for Tots donations Employees and members of 4-County Electric Power Association are busy filling b xes for Toys for Tots in an effort to make Christmas a little better and brighter for area children. Toys for Tots, a charitable organization offered through the U.S. Marine Corps, has maintained a partnership with 4-County the last nine holiday seasons. Last year, employees and members dug deep and collected nearly 300 toys for distribution in 4-County’s service area. “This is a great Christmas project. We have a few weeks left to donate toys. It would be great to have these boxes busting at the seams with toys,” said 4-County Communications Coordinator Brad Barr. “We’re always excited to team up with the Marine Corps Toys for Tots project. A lot of children identifie

by Toys for Tots wouldn’t have the same Christmas experience without the help of this charitable organization and organizations like 4-County.” Toys for Tots drop-off boxes are located in 4-County offi es this month through Dec. 14. Participants in this project are not required to donate toys for children of a specific ag or gender. “All we ask is that you drop off a new, unwrapped toy in one of the boxes located in the 4-County offi e nearest you,” Barr explained. Again, the deadline for dropping off toys is Dec. 14. Toys for Tots personnel will pick up the items by the end of that day. Call Barr at 1-800-431-1544 for more information about the Toys for Tots project. (Note: Special arrangements to pick up toy donations can be made by calling Brad).

Christmas Safety • If you have a live tree, keep it hydrated! Check the tree stand water level every other day. • Beware of overloaded electrical outlets and extension cords. They are major fi e hazards. • Don’t leave burning candles unattended. Blow them out after use. • Check smoke alarms to ensure they are working. • Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, boiling, grilling, or broiling food. • Keep a cell phone and portable charger with you at all times while travelling (in case of emergency). • Keep extra cold weather gear, food, water, warm clothing, a flashlight, an i e scraper, blankets, and medications in your vehicle (in case of emergency).

Merry Christmas from your 4-County team DECEMBER 2021 | TODAY 11

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have own workshops by Brad Barr Ryan Sparks, Paula Fleming, and Jerry Stennett may not be Santa’s helpers, but the trio of area artisans are busy in their own workshops this Christmas season. And they’re doing it the old-fashioned way — by using their hands. Those tired of the latest high-tech this and high tech-that will appreciate their back-to-the-basics creations. Join these Christmas Craftsmen (and women) as they take us back to a simpler time. Ryan Sparks started honing his arts and crafts skills as a child under the watchful eye of his grandfather. The duo worked in Paw Paw’s workshop (a converted portion of a single-wide trailer), creating toy cars, bird houses, and other creations. Today, Ryan (now grown and an engineer) continues the family legacy using tools inherited from his grandfather. Ryan lives in Starkville with his wife, Bekah, and their 11-year-old son, Reed. Father and son are carrying on Paw Paw’s legacy. “It’s great to put your heart into something and see a totally different creation come out of it.” Reed, with a few quick lessons from Ryan, is making his own toy, wooden cars. “I get to feel how my dad felt when Paw Paw was teaching him how to build cars. It’s fun,” the young craftsman said. Paw Paw’s workshop is up and running in the family garage, Ryan said. He often makes wooden crosses and pulpits/lecterns for churches. He even makes cutting boards and cheese slicers. How does the process work? It all starts with a block of wood, usually walnut. Ryan uses a band saw to cut the wood, shapes, and sands it, and then treats the ﬁnished product. “It’s very rewarding,” he said. “The real joy is making something that someone else appreciates.” Fellow artisan Paula Fleming lives in Lowndes County with her husband, Patrick, and their two sons, Daulton and Patrick. The Painting Lady, as Paula is known in these parts, often hosts arts and crafts parties in the area. “I enjoy the fellowship,” Paula said. “This is my stress relief. I love a paint party. I can have 40 women doing the same painting, and they’ll all turn out different. Everyone has their own artistic vision.” An accountant for the First Baptist Church of Columbus, she began her artistic journey in high school, using pastel chalks. Paula classiﬁes her work as “pop art.” Her colorful acrylic creations, displayed on canvas and wood, take the form of door hangers, paintings, and ornaments. Many of her creations have Christian themes. She makes Nativity scenes and angel ornaments. This year, Paula has

prepared about 500 ornaments and 200 door hangers. “It’s a joyful time to create,” she said of the Christmas season. Paula creates them all in a 30 by 50 workshop behind the family’s home. “This is my happy place,” she said. Jerry Stennett, better known as The Happy Carver, has his own shop in Columbus. The retired surgeon is a wood carver, working frequently with green woods to create bowls and spoons. The creative process can be lengthy, sometimes requiring days for the wood to dry. Jerry began woodworking several years ago. His father had good carpentry skills. “I picked up a few things from him,” he said with a smile. Jerry and his wife, Teresa, have four sons, Drew, Josh, Owen, and Will as well as one daughter, Laura. This time of year, he carves out Santa ornaments. He hand paints those. And he carves out sleek, wooden birds. “This is a spin-off of woodworking. I wanted to do something that was a little more artistic.” He enjoys seeing a wooden log turn into something special. Jerry uses a little walnut or flax seed oil to treat the finished product. Good motor skills are needed to carve wood, he said. “You’ve got to be good with your hands,” Jerry, a veteran of 38 years in surgery, stressed. Jerry finds wood here and there (sometimes by the side of the road) to use in his projects. He has created hundreds of items in his 16- by 20-foot basement shop. “It’s very relaxing,” Jerry said of his time in the shop. In fact, he added, it can be a time of prayerful meditation or a chance to listen to a good sermon. “You forget about all the troubles in the world.” “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” – Luke 2:14

12 TODAY | DECEMBER 2021

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Ideas come to life at Weir Elementary

Bringing ideas to life has taken on a new meaning for second grade students in Mrs. Julie Chase’s Weir Elementary School classroom. Just ask Lailah Jabori. “It’s amazing,” the young student said, leaning in close to watch one of the school’s new 3-D printers in action. The 4-County Foundation recently awarded a $2,931 grant to Weir Elementary, used to purchase two 3-D printers. In just two weeks, the second graders have brought a variety of ideas to life, including an adjustable phone holder, objects like spheres and rectangles for use in mathematics, and even a puzzle of the brain. How does it work? The 3-D machine uses hot, molten plastic to form student designs created on a computer. Students get to watch the process throughout the day, as objects on the computer screen come to life when the plastic gradually forms on a plate in the 3-D machine. Once a novelty in many classrooms, 3D printers are a cutting-edge classroom tool thanks to an increased focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), advanced technology, lower costs and more products and services geared toward K-12 education. Weir Elementary Principal Robbie Denson said the curriculum makes mathematics and science relevant to everyday life through hands-on projects that show students how the skills they are learning in the classroom can apply to real-world applications. “The options available as far as what you can design are nearly limitless,” Denson said.

Chase said students will research a topic, then build their designs on a computer program. Most objects are created within a school day. “The 3-D printers are a great enhancement to our lesson plans,” Chase explained. “And it’s really fun. We shake, rattle, and roll,” with these projects, she added. The two printers are available to the school’s 140 1st-6th grade students 4-County believes in helping the communities it serves. That’s why the cooperative launched the 4-County Foundation, a community service program. Since February 2015, participating 4-County members’ utility bills have been rounded up to the nearest dollar; a $125.78 bill, for example, becomes $126. Now, that’s an average of only 49 cents per member, per month. That may not seem like much. But when you multiply those contributions by the thousands of member participants, that’s a lot of pennies! To date, the 4-County Foundation has distributed over $1.5 million dollars to service organizations in the Golden Triangle area. For more information on the 4-County Foundation, call 1-800-431-1544 or go to 4county.org.

14 TODAY | DECEMBER 2021

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EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

Barr preaches co-op gospel Brad Barr lives by a communication creed. “Everyone has a story to tell,” Brad said recently. “You just have to tell it.” And that’s exactly what Brad does daily. Barr is the communications coordinator at 4-County and has been with the electric cooperative for two decades. As the co-op’s communications coordinator, Brad is responsible for writing, photography, design work, community and employee interaction, and developing programs. “I enjoy them all, in different ways,” Brad said. “Seeing any kind of project from start to finish is kind of like putting together a puzzle. When you put the last piece in and it fits, that’s kind of special.” One of Brad’s jobs is providing the writing and photography that appears in this magazine. He considers the Today in Mississippi work crucial to 4-County’s mission to help keep members informed. “Our members always know what’s going on at the cooperative,” Brad said. “I like the multi-faceted components of what I do. I get to work with every employee, at some time or another. That’s pretty cool. Obviously, I enjoy the creative part of my job. And quality of work is always important to me.” The Collins native earned his Certified Cooperative Communicator designation in 2004. He is the recipient of the Bill Leonard, W2SKE Professional Media Award. Brad is fortunate to have coordinated 34 National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) Spotlight on Excellence winning entries. He’s served on NRECA’s Communication Board of Directors and is also a former president of the communications division of the Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi. Brad is a former communicator in the health care industry, serving as director of public relations for a national home health care company (working in California, Colorado, Utah, Idaho and Mississippi) and as director of marketing and admissions for a Mississippi nursing and rehabilitation center. Brad is a former journalist. He has received honors from the Golden Triangle Advertising Federation, the Public Relations Association of Mississippi, the

Southern Public Relations Federation, the Mississippi Press Association, and the Associated Press. A public relations and marketing graduate of The University of Southern Mississippi, Brad lives in Columbus with his wife, Melinda, and their two daughters, Chloe, 17, and Abby, 13. He is active in First Baptist Church of Columbus, serving as a deacon, and with the Columbus Kiwanis Club, having served as president and on its board of directors. “My Christian faith is most important to me. I want to be the same person every day of the week, not just on Sunday.” Brad enjoys spending time with his family, ﬁshing, reading, art, watching sports and collecting old stuff. He is also a “Dance Dad.” “My girls are competitive dancers, and we travel all over supporting them. I’ve learned to appreciate it. It’s a unique combination of athleticism, exercise, musicality and art,” Brad said. One of his favorite public relations exercises is to feature 4-County linemen. “They are the backbone of 4-County. What they do is dangerous, and our guys do it better than anyone else. And the rest of us are glad to support them.” Brad said one of the reasons he loves working at 4-County is because the cooperative business model is great. “I love the fact that we are an integral part of our communities. And 4-County has enabled me to take care of my family. I will always be grateful for that.” “We’ve got a great organization — our board of directors, management, employees, and members. And I’m thankful to be a part of it.”

Norris joins 4-County team Chris Norris of Starkville has joined the 4-County Electric Power Association team as an Apprentice Lineman 4 on Tim Adkins’ Corporate Center crew. The Hamilton, Alabama-native previously worked as an Apprentice Lineman for the City of Starkville. Chris is a graduate of the Apprentice Lineman Program at Calhoun Community College in Alabama. Chris Norris

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His hobbies include any kind of hunting. He also helps take care of horses, cows, and hunting dogs at the family home in Alabama.

Welcome to 4-County, Chris! DECEMBER 2021 | TODAY 15

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P: 3027 HIGHWAY 98 WEST, SUMMIT 39666 | M: P.O. BOX 747, McCOMB 39649

www.MEPCoop.com

| REPORT OUTAGES 601-684-4011 | PAY BY PHONE 1-877-779-7740

and Twitter

Holiday Décor Tips for an energy-wise home

a timer for exterior lighting, make sure it’s weatherproof and intended for outdoor use. If Clark Griswold’s décor style is a bit much for your taste, consider a more natural approach. Many Christmas tree farms, and local retailers, give away greenery clippings from recently trimmed trees. With a little twine, extra ornaments, and sparkly ribbon, you can create beautiful garlands and wreaths to hang over your front door or windows. To add extra twinkle at night, you can install solar-powered spotlights to illuminate your new (essentially free!) greenery. Solar spotlights can vary in price, but you should be able to purchase a quality set of four for about $30, and because they run on natural energy from the sun, there’s no additional cost to your energy bill. Regardless of how you decorate your home for the holidays, there are plenty of ways to save energy throughout the season. Visit Magnolia Electric Power’s website for additional energy-saving tips. If you haven’t made the switch to LED holiday lights, it’s time. LEDs can last 40 holiday seasons, and they’re safer than incandescent holiday lights.

10 TODAY | DECEMBER 2021

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Revisions Requested Approved

CHAD Date_____ Revisions Requested STEVEN Date_____ Approved Revisions Requested ARTIST ___________ Date_____ Approved Revisions Requested

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! FROM OUR CO-OP FAMILY TO YOURS, WISHING YOU A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON AND A JOYOUS NEW YEAR. Magnolia Electric Power will be closed Dec. 24 and 27 for Christmas and Dec. 31 for New Year’s Eve.

tip of the month

Remember to unplug electronics that draw a phantom energy load. Some gadgets like TVs, phone chargers, gaming consoles, and toothbrush chargers use energy when plugged into an outlet — even when they’re not in use.

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Revisions Requested

LYDIA Date_____

Heading out of town for the holiday season?

VERSION #______________ CHRIS Date_____ Approved

Energy efﬁciency

Approved

Call 601-684-4011 or use the SmartHub app to report a power outage or emergency. Linemen will be on call.

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AMORY – P.O. BOX 300 - 50408 GREENBRIAR ROAD – 662-256-2962 • CALEDONIA – 746 MAIN STREET – 662-356-4100

Holiday Décor Tips for an energy-wise home

a timer for exterior lighting, make sure it’s weatherproof and intended for outdoor use. If Clark Griswold’s décor style is a bit much for your taste, consider a more natural approach. Many Christmas tree farms, and local retailers, give away greenery clippings from recently trimmed trees. With a little twine, extra ornaments, and sparkly ribbon, you can create beautiful garlands and wreaths to hang over your front door or windows. To add extra twinkle at night, you can install solar-powered spotlights to illuminate your new (essentially free!) greenery. Solar spotlights can vary in price, but you should be able to purchase a quality set of four for about $30, and because they run on natural energy from the sun, there’s no additional cost to your energy bill. Regardless of how you decorate your home for the holidays, there are plenty of ways to save energy throughout the season. Visit Monroe County Electric’s website for additional energy-saving tips. If you haven’t made the switch to LED holiday lights, it’s time. LEDs can last 40 holiday seasons, and they’re safer than incandescent holiday lights.

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MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! FROM OUR CO-OP FAMILY TO YOURS, WISHING YOU A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON AND A JOYOUS NEW YEAR. Monroe County Electric Power Association will be closed Dec. 24 and 27 for Christmas and Dec. 31 for New Year’s Eve.

Energy efﬁciency tip of the month

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For more information about Today in Mississippi, contact Michael Bellipanni at 662.895.2151. northcentralelectric.com

NorthcentralEC

@Northcentral_EC

Great people, strong community As we ease into the holiday season, it’s easy to focus on “the moment.” Christmas gatherings, shopping, college football bowl season, family, and having to be somewhere all the time. It can be quite hectic. I’ve found that this is also a great time to slow down, look back on the year, and reflect on the great experience it has been. Even though this year brought an improvement on the pandemic that riddled 2020, it did start off with some difficulties. A strong winter freeze and snowstorm blanketed the nation in February and had us somewhat “stumbling out of the gate.” Fortunately, your electric cooperative and our generation partners were prepared for the February freeze, and we persevered with limited issues. 2020 was practically defined by the COVID-19 pandemic. Negotiating the pandemic was a challenge emerging from the numerous shutdowns and addressing the pent-up demand for products and services. We are feeling the effect of this now in 2021 with longer delivery times for equipment and materials needed to sustain our growth and maintain our system. A highlight of this past year has been that Northcentral

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! FROM OUR CO-OP FAMILY TO YOURS, WISHING YOU A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON AND A JOYOUS NEW YEAR.

Northcentral Electric Cooperative will be closed Dec. 24 and 27 for Christmas and Dec. 31 for New Year’s Eve.

Connect, your high-speed internet affiliate, maintained steady progress as we closed in on 200 miles of fiber constructed and 1,200 customers served. This has been a giant step in providing a service much needed in our community. It may appear odd that my first paragraph references “great experience,” and then all our challenges are detailed. All the issues have been, or are being, remedied by great people and a strong community. It’s the resiliency of the employees of Northcentral and the communities we serve. This is where I draw my greatest satisfaction in reviewing the previous year; not the challenges life has thrown at us, but the willingness as a community to work together to overcome them. Merry Christmas and stay safe!

by Kevin Doddridge General Manager/CEO

Pre-register now for high-speed FIBER internet, served by folks you know!

northcentralconnect.com Connect with CONNECT! northcentralconnect northcentralconnect northcentral_c

10 TODAY | DECEMBER 2021

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Holiday Décor Tips for an energy-wise home Whether you’ve already decked your halls or you’re just getting started, there’s still time to incorporate energy savings into your holiday décor planning. If you haven’t strung your twinkle lights, be sure to use LED light strands. LEDs consume far less energy than incandescent lights, and they can last 40 holiday seasons. They’re also safer because they’re made with epoxy lenses, not glass, making them more resistant to breaking, and they’re cool to the touch, so no burnt ﬁngers! If you missed Santa’s memo about energy-saving LEDs, and your holiday lights are already up, you can still save on lighting costs. All you need is a programmable light timer. Most models cost between $10 to $25 and can be purchased at local retail stores. With a light timer, you can easily program when you want your holiday lights turned on and off, which will save you time, money, and energy. If you’re using a timer for exterior lighting, make sure it’s weatherproof and intended for outdoor use. If Clark Griswold’s décor style is a bit much for your taste,

consider a more natural approach. Many Christmas tree farms, and local retailers, give away greenery clippings from recently trimmed trees. With a little twine, extra ornaments, and sparkly ribbon, you can create beautiful garlands and wreaths to hang over your front door or windows. To add extra twinkle at night, you can install solar-powered spotlights to illuminate your new (essentially free) greenery. Solar spotlights can vary in price, but you should be able to purchase a quality set of four for about $30, and because they run on natural energy from the sun, there’s no additional cost to your energy bill. Regardless of how you decorate your home for the holidays, there are plenty of ways to save energy throughout the season. Visit Northcentral Electric’s website for additional energy-saving tips. If you haven’t made the switch to LED holiday lights, it’s time. LEDs can last 40 holiday seasons, and they’re safer than incandescent holiday lights.

2021 Northcentral Annual Meeting Report The 71st Annual Meeting of the members of Northcentral Electric Cooperative convened in person on Oct. 27, 2021, at 2 p.m., in their auditorium at 4600 Northcentral Way in Olive Branch. While some members came to register their votes in person, Rita Hobbs, chairperson of the Cooperative’s Election Committee for the 2021 election reported that a quorum was not met by count of proxy or persons present. Therefore, no business of the cooperative could be conducted, including director elections. 28,942 notices had been mailed to the membership, and, therefore, pursuant to the By-Laws it would take 1,447 persons present or voting by proxy for the requirements of a quorum. Only 1,334 votes and proxies were registered, there-

by falling short of the Cooperative’s quorum requirement. Three board members were nominated by the members of their respective districts to run for re-election and were uncontested in those elections. Their nominations were certiﬁed by the Elections and Credentials Committee on Sept. 28, 2021. Because the Cooperative’s Annual Meeting quorum requirement was not met, the following directors were seated again to three-year terms: Don Dickerson of District 2, Morris Thompson of District 6, and Julie Niblett of District 9. Northcentral’s General Manager and CEO Kevin Doddridge presented the 2021 Annual Report for the Cooperative. Mr. Doddridge then addressed questions from the ﬂoor of those attending, and the meeting was adjourned. DECEMBER 2021 | TODAY 11

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11/19/21 9:23 AM

PAY BILLS or REPORT OUTAGES: 855-2PRVEPA (855-277-8372) COLUMBIA: 601-736-2666 | HATTIESBURG: 601-264-2458 | PURVIS: 601-794-8051 | WIGGINS: 601-928-7277 Member owned. Locally operated. That’s the cooperative difference. • Visit us online at www.PRVEPA.com.

End of Year Recap Dear Pearl River Valley EPA Member, As we move into the final month of 2021, we are still living through unique and extraordinary times. It’s hard to believe that we are nearly two years into this world changed by the pandemic. Many aspects of our lives — the ways we work, learn, spend our down time, and stay in touch with loved ones — are vastly different than they were in pre-COVID life. But one factor is shared throughout: They all rely on access to reliable and affordable high-speed internet. I’m pleased to let you know that throughout 2021, we have made great progress in bringing service to our communities. It started at the beginning of the year with our announcement that PearlComm Fiber had received more than $25 million in federal funding from the Federal Communications Commission’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) auction. Shortly after, with this funding secured, Pearl River Valley EPA quickly turned its attention to making our fiber broadband project happen; hiring contractors, getting estimates for construction, and meeting with installers. Our employees have held weekly meetings to discuss all areas of business including marketing strategy, pricing, and operations for our Pearl River Valley EPA’s new subsidiary, PearlComm Fiber. After months of preparation behind the scenes, it was finally time to begin the building process of our world-class fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network. Construction began this past June. The fiber to the home buildout will be completed in phases, and it is anticipated to reach 100% of our service territory by 2026. Currently, the project is in Phase One, which includes Foxworth, Columbia, and Maxie. We are proud of all that we’ve accomplished to date (Nov. 18, 2021). • 150 total miles of fiber built • 2 fiber huts installed that light the fiber for our communications

At Pearl River Valley EPA, our sole reason for offering high-speed internet services through PearlComm Fiber is to meet the needs of members like you. We are working as quickly as possible to reach all of our members with lightning-fast fiber broadband so you will no longer have to rely on DSL, fixed wireless, or satellite internet to stay connected online. Fiber-fast internet packages start as low as $54.95 a month for speeds of up to 100 Mbps — symmetrical uploading and downloading — with no data caps or throttling back on speed. Gigabit speed is also available for our power users for $79.95 per month. If you haven’t already pre-registered at PearlCommFiber.net, we encourage you to let us know you’re interested in service! Pre-registration is the easiest way to get notifications and service updates sent directly to your email when internet becomes available in your area. It does not automatically subscribe you to service. Feel free to reach out to us at any time with questions or concerns: Call us at 601-736-2666, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pearl River Valley EPA and PearlComm Fiber are committed to the Mississippi communities we serve. We appreciate everyone’s patience as we continue our broadband journey and look forward to connecting thousands of customers in 2022! Thank you as always for your support.

Wishing you and your loved ones the best of the holiday season!

by Matthew Ware CEO/General Manager

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35 years of Youth Leadership Over the last 35 years, the Youth Leadership Program through the Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi has provided students in our area with a life changing opportunity. Every year, Pearl River Valley Electric choses two students to represent the cooperative at a leadership workshop in Jackson and for a week-long trip to Washington, D.C. Unfortunately, in the last couple of years due to the pandemic, we haven’t been able to send students to Washington, D.C. Instead, we offered a scholarship. However, for this year, the program is tentatively heading back to Washington, D.C. Since this is the ﬁrst year in a while that we have had the opportunity to send students to Washington, D.C., Pearl River Valley Electric decided to do the selection of its students a little differently. Instead of doing our essay contest, we held our ﬁrst Cooperative University. Cooperatives across the state have adopted the Cooperative University model as a way of choosing their students and educating them about electric cooperatives and the power industry. Nineteen students from 11 school and home school programs sent students to the Columbia National Guard Armory on Oct. 26, 2021. The University was a day-long event that included leadership and team building exercises and speakers from Pearl River Valley Electric, the Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi, and Cooperative Energy. Students were able to take part in linemen exercises and discussed important topics with area legislators. “I have been a part of this program for 35 years and each year I am impressed with the level of talent that area schools send us,” said Terri Ervin, engineering, and operations secretary. “This program

provides a chance for students to visit our nation’s Capital and learn aspects of leadership that many wouldn’t be able to experience without this program.” Judges interviewed all 19 students and chose two winners. This year’s winners are Abigail Hammons and Connor Gibson of Oak Grove High School. Abigail is the daughter of Mark and Amanda Hammons. She is active in the Oak Grove Warrior Band and is a member of the Key Club, the Beta Club, and the Spanish Club. She volunteers her time at Immanuel Baptist Church, helping with youth groups and children’s church. Connor Gibson is the son of Ronnie and Jennifer Gibson. He is active in politics and has helped various candidate’s campaigns and serves as the state chairman for the Mississippi Teenage Republicans. He is also a staff member for the Oak Grove High School yearbook. He has also served as the president for the National Junior Honor Society. Abigail and Connor will join thousands of other students from around the country in June to attend the National Rural Electric Youth Tour in Washington, D.C. There they will have opportunities to meet their Congressional members and do lots of other site seeing. Abigail Hammons

Connor Gibson

Thanks to all the students who participated in our ﬁrst Cooperative University! Abigail Hammons – Oak Grove HS Anna Hutson – Home Anna Mattox – Columbia Academy Baleigh Holston – FCAHS Brennan Johnson – PCS Caroline Shappley – PCS Connor Gibson – Oak Grove HS Cooper Moree – Columbia Academy Devyn Peters – Columbia High Eric Bridges – Jefferson Davis County HS

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Gracie Sanders – East Marion High School Hallie Haddox – Columbia High Joseph Flowers – FCAHS Katherine Ladner – Purvis High School Lauren McKay – Stone High School Natalie Davis – Sacred Heart Samantha Alliston – Sacred Heart Tyla Johnson – Jefferson Davis County HS Tyler Hudson – Purvis High School DECEMBER 2021 | TODAY 11

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Scholarship winners This year, 187 students who live in PRVEPA’s 12-county service area received Round Up for Education Scholarship awards for the fall 2021 semester. Of those receiving scholarships, Pearl River Community College had 88 students, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College had 45, and Jones College had 28. PRVEPA honored those students at PRCC, MGCCC and Jones College campuses in November. Round Up for Education Scholarships also went to an

additional 26 students attending nine other state community colleges. Each student received $500. Thank you to all the members who are supporting the Round Up program and helping to improve the quality of life for everyone living in the communities we serve. After nine years, 1,838 students have received a total of more than $1.4 million in scholarships. The 2022 Round Up for Education Scholarship application is now available online at PRVEPA.com.

Join us on Facebook and Twitter Pearl River Valley Electric is on social media. Keep up to date with PRVEPA news and receive information on outages. Simply search for @MyPRVEPA on Facebook and Twitter to follow us.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! FROM OUR CO-OP FAMILY TO YOURS, WISHING YOU A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON AND A JOYOUS NEW YEAR. Our ofﬁces will be closed Dec. 24 and 27 for Christmas and Dec. 31 for New Year’s. Dispatchers will be on duty. 12 TODAY | DECEMBER 2021

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PONTOTOC 662-489-3211 • Fax: 662-489-5156

BRUCE 662-983-2727 • Fax: 662-983-1335

P.O. Drawer 718 • 12 South Main Street, Pontotoc, MS 38863

P.O. Box 415 • 129 South Newberger Street, Bruce, MS 38915

Happenings at Pontotoc Electric From continuing education to helping our community, Pontotoc Electric serves our members most effectively by working together.

Our crews wore pink hard hats in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness and members of our PEPA family who currently are or have battled this disease. Breast cancer is the most common cancer globally. In 2021, an estimated 281,500 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women in the United States. (source: breastcancer.org)

Pontotoc Electric created a donation drop off to help the Pontotoc County Department of Human Services. We collected quick-ﬁx meals and snacks that could be provided to children coming into DHS custody. Many times, children may be hungry when they are taken to DHS, and we hope these donations will make a difference!

Congratulations to Seth Moss for moving up to Year One and Brandon Jenkins for moving up to Year Four in the lineman apprenticeship program.

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Pontotoc Electric Manager of Technical Services and electrical engineer Nathan White recently received the President’s Award at the Pontotoc Chamber of Commerce banquet.

A group of Pontotoc Electric retirees and their spouses enjoyed the Retiree Luncheon on November 4. We appreciate the years of service and hard work each of them put into Pontotoc Electric.

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Enjoy these great recipes from our employees and retirees! Beef Cheese Ball

Nuts and Bolts

Makes 8 cups

Leah and Robert Mitchell, Assistant Foreman

Sue Cook, PEPA Retiree

INGREDIENTS 2 packages cream cheese 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce ½ can dried beef 1 teaspoon Accent 1 bunch green onions

INGREDIENTS 4 cups Cheerios 1 ½ cups mixed nuts 1 ½ cups seasoned croutons 1 cup pretzel sticks ½ cup salad oil 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce ½ teaspoon garlic salt ¼ teaspoon salt

Mix all ingredients together with ﬁngers and mold into a ball. Cut other ½ can dried beef into squares and roll ball in this. Serve with crackers.

Easy-As-Pie Cheese Straws

Yields 5 dozen

Lavonia Lackey, Manager of Customer Accounts INGREDIENTS 1 (11 ounce) package pie crust mix ½ teaspoon ground red pepper ¼ teaspoon dry mustard 1 (5 ounce) jar sharp process cheese spread Process all ingredients in a food processor for 30 seconds or until mixture forms a ball, stopping occasionally to scrape sides. Use a cookie press ﬁtted with a bar-shaped disc to shape dough into 2 ½ inch straws following manufacturer’s instructions. Or divide dough in half, and shape each portion into a 7-inch log; wrap in plastic wrap and chill one hour. Cut logs into ¼ inch slices. Place cheese straws on greased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes or until golden. Place on wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container.

Heat oven to 275 degrees. In an ungreased 9”x13” baking pan, mix Cheerios, nuts, croutons, and pretzel sticks. Blend remaining ingredients. Pour over cereal mixture; mix well. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Baked Cheddar Bacon Spread Betty Armstrong, PEPA Retiree INGREDIENTS 2 packages softened cream cheese 2 cups sour cream 4 cups shredded cheddar 1 medium chopped onion 2 tablespoon mayonnaise 1 pound crumbled bacon Beat cream cheese, sour cream, onion, and mayonnaise until smooth. Fold in bacon and 3 cups cheddar cheese. Pour into 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned. Serve with assorted crackers.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! FROM OUR CO-OP FAMILY TO YOURS, WISHING YOU A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON AND A JOYOUS NEW YEAR. Pontotoc Electric Power Association will be closed Dec. 23 and 24 for Christmas and Dec. 31 in observance of the New Year’s holiday. Call 662-489-6711 (Pontotoc) or 662-933-2727 (Bruce) to report outages or emergencies. DECEMBER 2021 | TODAY 11

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BRIAN HUGHEY

Bringing power and energy services to local communities

Public Relations Specialist

LORRI FREEMAN, APR

STEPHANIE CHISHOLM

Manager of Public Relations

For more information, call 601-947-4211 or 228-497-1313.

www.singingriver.com

AMANDA PARKER

General Manager & CEO

@singingriverelectric

Public Relations Assistant

SRE is an equal opportunity employer and provider.

@SRECooperative

A MESSAGE FROM YOUR CEO

@singingriverelectric Energy Tips

Taking a quick look back As we near the end of another year, I want to take a moment to reflect on your electric cooperative’s accomplishments during 2021. To say the past 11 months have been challenging would be an understatement. As expected, the Singing River Electric family stepped up to the challenge and continued to meet our members’ needs. The year began with sustained cold temperatures from Winter Brian Hughey General Manager Storms Uri and Viola, & CEO affecting many residents across the country. Fortunately, the extreme cold temperatures and frozen precipitation experienced by those north of our service area never made it to us, thus sparing any damage to our distribution system. Later in the year, Tropical Storm Claudette and Hurricane Ida caused damage to our system resulting in more than 12,000 member outages. Singing River Electric’s team of employees safely and efficiently restored power following both storms. From a daily operations standpoint, our employees implemented system upgrades, defined in our long-range work plan, to allow for projected load growth on our distribution system. Some examples include: beginning construction on the Cumbest Bluff substation, upgrading copper lines to the more durable aluminum wire, and upgrading to tie lines to allow for better system reliability. Equally important was performing necessary maintenance on our distribution system. Over the past year, our linemen continued conducting line inspections to address any deficiencies on the system. Singing River 10 TODAY | DECEMBER 2021

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Electric partnered with Cooperative Energy to use infrared technology to inspect substations during the summer heat. These inspections identified potential issues early and allowed SRE to make proactive repairs, which reduced outages and inconveniences to members. Office employees implemented a new pre-pay program, allowing members to pay as they go. During the summer, SRE announced plans for fiber construction. This plan included the construction of a fiber backbone connecting our 44 substations and three offices, allowing our operations team access to real-time information to further reduce outage response time. Additionally, three fiber-to-the home pilot projects were announced, and nearly 2,000 potential high-speed internet subscribers patiently wait for the design and construction process to be completed. Results of the pilot projects will guide our staff and board of directors as to how to move forward. SRE continued its support for our communities through programs that provide education, assistance and value to members, such as Neighbors Helping Neighbors grant and energy assistance programs, boat ramp and park cleanup events, and a variety of youth leadership and educational programs. As your electric cooperative, we will continue our efforts of enriching the communities we serve. Even with the uncertainty associated with the pandemic, I’m proud to say our employees continued to step up to all challenges over the past year. On behalf of the Singing River Electric family, I wish you a blessed Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Jeff Gray Energy Services Representative gray@singingriver.com

Bright and efﬁcient decorative lighting This holiday season, consider replacing older light strings with new Energy Star LED lights. LED light strings use 75 percent less energy than conventional incandescents and come in a variety of styles and colors for both inside and outside use. In fact, the energy used to light just one incandescent bulb can power two 24-foot strings of LED holiday lights.

You can save even further by installing a timer for outdoor holiday lighting and decorations. Program the timer to turn on in the evenings and cut off later at night when you go to bed. There’s also the safety beneﬁt. Energy Star decorative LED holiday lighting is cool to the touch, which reduces risk of ﬁre. For more information, visit www.singingriver.com or www.energystar.gov.

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MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

MORE THAN 77,000 MEMBERS COUNT ON SRE TO DELIVER

ENERGY THAT EMPOWERS LIVES. Don’t forget to look for your Capital Credits.

singingriver.com/SmartHub

Capit

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its In

side

PRES ORTE FIRS D TU.S. PO CLASS M AIL ST MAILE AGE PAID ZIP CO D FROM PERM DE 63366 IT NO . 358

SRE’s Board of Directors approved the retirement of more than $2.5 million in SRE capital credits to the membership for the year 1995. Cooperative Energy also retired credits to SRE members for the year 1991 and partial returns for the years 1994, 2006 and 2007. Capital credits less than $300 will be credited on December member bills. Credits greater than $300 will be mailed to SRE active members as a check. Visit singingriver.com/capital-credits for additional information.

Our ofﬁces will be closed Dec. 23 and 24 in honor of the Christmas holidays and Dec. 31 for the New Year’s holiday. Dispatchers will be on duty for emergencies and power outages. Use your SmartHub app to see billing information, make payments and see a live outage map.

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may your holidays be merry & bright Get in the spirit this holiday season with decorative holiday lighting. Here are a few tips to save money and electricity while sharing the joy of the season.

• Switch to LED light strands – EnergyStar-rated decorative light strands use • • •

75 percent less electricity than incandescent strands. Use a timer and have them turn off at bedtime – This is the same concept as your pool timers in the summer. By limiting the time the lights are on, you limit the electricity used and the holiday costs. Decorate without electricity – Many beautifully decorated yards use wooden decorations. These are both festive and use no electricity. Get reﬂective – Shiny ornaments, tinsel and mirrors can multiply the effects of lighting without using more energy.

Looking for ways to be safe? Throw away light strands that have frayed cords. Do not use more than three light strands. Plug outdoor lighting into ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI).

Give Joy this holiday season

Round up your electric bill and help a neighbor in need this holiday season and year round. It’s easy! Simply check the NHN Energy Assistance box on bill payment stub, sign up using the SmartHub app on any mobile device, go online and visit singingriver.com/give-joy or call any SRE ofﬁce and request to be enrolled in Neighbors Helping Neighbors Energy Assistance giving. Donations average only $6 per year and yet bridge the gap for the elderly and those needing a helping hand.

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SRC fiber construction update We had previously planned to have our first fiber subscriber receive fiber internet service by late October or early November 2021. That projected date has been delayed to December due to late summer/early fall construction rain delays and difficulty receiving permits for one railroad crossing and National Forest Service land. Singing River Connect could have provided service to the SRC subscribers who have enrolled to date in mid-November if the railroad permit had been received in a timely manner. It was originally due back to SRC on October 21. As of publication time, the National Forest Service land permit is expected mid-December, and the railroad crossing permit is expected to be received at any moment. The good news is fiber construction is progressing well in all three pilots (outside of National Forest Service land) and with the 400-mile distribution ring. Construction crews will be able to complete the work in 20 percent of pilot project land that is in the National Forest shortly after the permit is received. For more information on Singing River Connect fiber internet, search your address and submit your information at www.singingriverconnect.com or call and speak to a SRC fiber CSR at 877-272-6611.

ONE

Fiber lines must be constructed on electric poles from SRE’s Lucedale office to the pilot areas and back to the office to provide fiber.

TWO

The construction process involves many parts including engineering, make-ready work, construction, splicing, drops and installation.

THREE

We experienced some ﬁber construction delays due to increased rainy days, time needed to obtain railroad and National Forest land permits and more.

FOUR

Fiber line construction moves quicker than you think, usually 25 miles/wk. SRC plans to light up subscribers in our ﬁrst pilot area this month.

877-272-6611 for service support

singingriverconnect.com

Give joy this holiday season through the Neighbors Helping Neighbors Energy Assistance program Long-time Jackson County employee Peggy Brazzle found herself unable to pay all her bills after a medical procedure. “I was really short on cash last month and was not able to pay all of my rent or my electric bill. Then a friend told me about Catholic Charities of South Mississippi,” Brazzle explained.

Once her paperwork was complete, the charity was able to help her with her electric bill and rent. “We all need a little help sometimes and I am grateful that people give when they can—it sure helped me out in my time of need,” she added. Are you looking for a way to help your community? Simply round up your monthly electric bill with the Neighbors Helping Neighbors Energy Assistance (NHNEA) program. The program rounds up member bills to the nearest whole dollar and averages only $6 per year. It’s one of the easiest and least expensive ways to make a difference. Coordinated by United Way for Jackson and George Counties and administered through Catholic Charities of South Mississippi, all proceeds for NHNEA go to help your neighbors, who need short-term help paying their electric bill. It’s easy to donate; simply check the NHN Energy Assistance box on bill payment stub, sign up using the SmartHub app, or call any SRE ofﬁce and request to participate. DECEMBER 2021 | TODAY 13

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BRINGING THE POWER WWW.SOU THERN PIN E.COOP | P.O. BOX 60 | 1349 1 H WY. 28 | TAYLO R SVIL L E, MS 3916 8 | 800.231 .524 0

Let’s Focus on the True Meaning of Christmas Some of the best memories many of us have are from Christmas celebrations throughout the years. The presents may soon be forgotten, but the memories of fun with family and friends are what make Christmas a wonderful time. Ask anyone, child, or adult, what they got for Christmas last year or in years past. In most cases, the answers are not easily recalled. Ask the same person what they remember about past Christmases, and they’re quick to tell you about time spent with family. While Christmas can be a great time with family and friends, it can also be hectic and expensive. This can lead to a very stressful time of year. Stress of the holidays can come quickly when we focus on the commercial side of Christmas. This year let’s all try to focus on the true meaning of Christmas – the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ. Let’s avoid the traps of the commercial holiday season such as worrying about ﬁnding the perfect gifts. Don’t let the holiday stress creep in because the gifts will not be remembered in the end. With supply chain issues this year, choose to have a simpler holiday, and create more memories that will last a lifetime. So many of us are blessed with good lives and thankful hearts, but we should remember that this time of year can be difﬁcult for others. For some, loneliness and isolation are

constant, depression and sadness are real, and families are missing a loved one during the holidays. For others, the struggle of having enough food on the table or a roof over their head is genuine. Some of our members are facing challenges that only get heightened during the holidays. There are a lot of ways we can make a difference. Let’s show the love of Christ by serving others as he would. There’s no act too small to make a huge impact. Something as simple as a visit can make a signiﬁcant difference for a lonely person. Invite someone to church or to join your family for the holidays and help them create new Christmas memories. It’s a choice we won’t regret. On behalf of the Southern Pine employees and directors, I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

by Chris K. Rhodes President/CEO Southern Pine Electric

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G R

Christmas Memories

524 0

Angela Jordan — Front row, L to R, Erin, Angela Jordan, Brooke, Blake Back row, L to R, Trevor and Ethan

Karen Moseley — L to R, Karen Moseley, Kaiser, Camden, Trey, and Sage

DeDee Taylor — DeDee Taylor’s grandchildren, L to R, Haiden, Zaiden, and Farrah

Mandy Stanley — L to R, Austin, Jenna, Mandy Stanley, and Chuck

Lisa Boone — L to R, Lucy, Delton, Hannah, Ken, Trenton, Lisa Boone, Chase, and Charlie

Merry Christmas!

The photograph, “Boots in the Air,” by Matt Bush represents 104 pairs of boots on the ground ‘Bringing the Power’ to our members. Whether during a storm or during the calm of a quiet, peaceful December night, Southern Pine employees are working to brighten the homes and lives of our members and communities.

WWW.SOUTHERNPINE.COOP | 800.231.5240 | P.O. BOX 60, TAYLORSVILLE, MS 39168

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The Essential and Unifying Message of Christmas by Darnell Moffett, Pastor Calvary Missionary Baptist Church Every year, around this time, a change occurs in the music that permeates our lives. Regardless of the preferred music genre, Christmas songs will play nonstop over the airwaves for a few weeks. Popular songs such as “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” and “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” will dominate the weekly Billboard charts as they usher in the holiday mood. No one can deny the nostalgia these songs produce, as thoughts of snowfla es, presents, and reindeer flood the mind But something is missing concerning the real “reason for the season” that other songs capture. Songs like “Joy to the World,” “Away in a Manger,” and “Silent Night” offer a much deeper message that is especially relevant in today’s highly divided world. This message, however, can only be understood through a knowledge of the virgin birth, righteous life, sacrificia death, and victorious resurrection of the One whom the lyrics reference — Jesus Christ. Jesus was born into a world divided between two peoples — Jews and Gentiles. This Biblical distinction was about more than Jews being the separated people of God. Acts 10 and 11 testify to the fact that there was deep-seated hostility between the two races that seemed an almost impossible barrier to overcome. That is, until Jesus. His blood that was shed on the cross not only reconciled sinners back to God, but also reconciled us to one another. In Ephesians 2:14, Paul writes, “For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.” The blood of Jesus Christ created a new race of man that

is called the church. 1 Corinthians 12:13 tells us that Christian baptism identifies us with this n w race: “Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.” This connection does not mean Christians ignore, deny, or trivialize each other’s differences. It simply means that our differences do not define us sin e all divisions are void through the finished ork of Jesus Christ. All barriers have faded away. All distinctions are lost. Whether you are young, old, tall, short, male, female, rich, poor, Jewish, or Gentile, it does not matter because all Christians are considered God’s children and loved equally. “For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus,” writes Paul in Galatians 3:26. He goes on to say, “And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.” John sums it up in Revelation 5:9, “...For [Christ was] slaughtered, and [His] blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation...” All of this is the essential and unifying message of Christmas. As Christmas songs inevitably begin to saturate our lives this holiday season, let them remind us not only of eggnog, sleigh bells, and mistletoe, but of the spiritual harmony that affirm the bond between us in Christ. Let them remind us of the unifying message of Christmas — that Christ shed His blood to bring us all together before God. If Christ can sacrifi e so much for us, then surely, we can abandon our prejudices and strive to live in a way that prioritizes unity in Him over all our differences.

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EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT:

DENISE CLEVELAND

In July 2009, Denise joined the Southern Pine family as a district operations clerk and has felt blessed to be here ever since. Denise makes a difference every day, according to Jamie Baucum, Newton district manager, because she handles a multitude of duties and wears lots of hats. He said she is known for getting things done and she genuinely cares for the safety of the men out in the field as if th y were her own. “Whether she is dispatching outages, processing work orders, or setting up a new account, she just knows how to take care of business. Denise cares about the members and puts them at the forefront of everything she does” Baucum said. Denise loves Southern Pine and is willing to tell anyone who will listen just how much. “I want to make a difference, and the fact that Southern Pine literally makes the difference between darkness and light in our members’ lives is amazing to me. I get to work in a place that is fun, exciting, and does good in the world,” Denise said. She makes that difference in the lives of all she touches. Denise grew up in Oregon and spent summers in Mississippi visiting her grandparents. She is thankful for a beautiful childhood, and truly believes every child deserves a great childhood. Denise worked hard to make sure her daughters, Aubrie and Deann, could say the same about theirs. “I wanted my girls to know that the world was bigger than the south, but if you end up in the south, it truly is an amazing place,” she said. Denise, and her husband of 40 years, Bobby, made sure they knew that by taking them on vacations around the country. Denise said, “I may drive an older car, but we were going to take those family trips.” That’s a tradition she upholds even today. Each summer, Denise and Bobby take the family on a trip to a different part of the country. The family has grown with a sonin-law, Luke, and two grandchildren, Jacob and Annley, but that only adds to the fun on these trips. She lights up when talking about her family trips and how much she loves her family. In her spare time, Denise loves to spend time with her grandchildren and their friends, as well as the college kids from her Sunday School class. A member of County Line Baptist Church in Union, Denise volunteers her time to help the youth with music, and she loves it. She is so proud of the young people she works with and is thankful for the time she gets to spend with the kids. Her love of music was born in her at an early age when she traveled with her Daddy’s men’s gospel group. Denise played the piano for the group and has even played on several albums the group recorded. “I feel like music speaks to some people better than conversation does,” she said. Whether it’s through words or music, Denise communicates her kindness and compassion to the world every day. Her dedication to her family, church family, and Southern Pine family always shows through.

“Whether she is dispatching outages, processing work orders, or setting up a new account, she just knows how to take care of business. Denise cares about the members and puts them at the forefront of everything she does.”

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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT:

Southern Pine Member Dot Holder’s Christmas Cabin is a Joy to See

Dot Holder’s love of Christmas started at an early age. Her mother loved Christmas and always tried to make it memorable. That is what drives Dot to go all out for the holidays — to honor her mother. Dot decorates her home, just as most people do, but she goes above and beyond at the cabin that used to be her childhood home. The home was moved in 2010 from the Calhoun community in Jones County to 864 Lake Mike Conner Road in Collins. Then the real work began as Dot completely gutted the home’s interior and began restoring and transforming it to the cabin it is today. The wood floors, wood ceilings, and walls are all original, but the change was dramatic. She worked tirelessly refinishing the parts of the home that remained and making it into the cabin of today. Now, Dot uses it to celebrate the holidays. “It is my Christmas gift to everyone,” she said. As you approach the cabin, the first thing you see is the beautifully decorated front porch, inviting you to swing for a while and enjoy the setting. What awaits inside is even more of a surprise. Every inch of the place exudes the Christmas spirit. Dot’s face lights up with joy as she talks about her childhood home that’s now a celebration of Christmas. For her, it is an annual labor of love. She said it usually takes her and her family and friends about two weeks to finish it, but she is thrilled to do it and wouldn’t have it any other way.

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Everywhere you look is filled with the sights of the holid ys, and each room in the cabin is lit up with lights and scenes of Christmas. From nativities to the Santa collection to snowmen and elves — there’s something for all ages. Being in the cabin makes everyone feel like a kid again. Dot can’t help but smile as she watches others experience her “Christmas Cabin” for the fir t time. “There’s always something new. People who come back for another visit always see something they missed the fir t visit,” Dot said. She enjoys sharing the place with her family and friends, but she also invites others to see it. If you would like to schedule a visit, please call Dot at 601-517-1753.

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Adams • Amite • Claiborne • Copiah • Franklin Hinds • Jefferson • Lincoln • Wilkinson Southwest Electric is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

P.O. Box 5 • 18671 Highway 61 • Lorman, MS 39096 | 601-437-3611 | 800-287-8564 | Fax: 601-437-8736 | Email: info@swepa.coop southwestelectric.coop

Southwest Electric

SWElectricCoop

sw_electric_coop

Southwest Electric

Winter Safety Tips for a safer home

Space Heaters

Christmas Lights

As the weather turns colder, many homeowners rely on electric space heaters to keep their homes warm and cozy. Unfortunately, many portable heating units pose ﬁre hazards if safety standards are not adhered to. The National Fire Protection Agency claims that over 40% of home ﬁres involve space heaters.

Christmas lights are a common decoration in our homes over the holidays, but they can also pose a ﬁre hazard.

Keep these tips in mind as you decorate: • Use a surge protector to avoid voltage spikes. • Connect no more than three sets of stringed lights together. • Turn off or unplug your lights when you leave your home and when you go to bed. • Use appropriate extension cords for indoor and outdoor lights. • Stay 10 feet away from any power lines if decorating outside. It is very important to have smoke detectors installed in every room or at least on every floor. Test them regularly. This is your first line of defense in getting out of your home if a fire starts. Also, have a fire escape plan and make sure every family member knows it. Safety is a priority for Southwest Electric. We hope our Members enjoy this Christmas season and stay safe this winter.

Keep the following safety tips in mind this winter as you use a space heater: • Keep ﬂammable items away from the heater. • Establish a 3-foot perimeter to prevent injuries to children and pets.

If you haven’t made the switch to LED holiday lights, it’s time. LEDs can last 40 holiday seasons, and they’re safer than incandescent holiday lights.

• Turn it off when you leave the room and when you go to bed. • Monitor to ensure that it does not overheat. 10 TODAY | DECEMBER 2021

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Revisions Requested Approved Approved

Dispatchers will remain on duty and crews will be on call throughout the holidays. Use the SmartHub app or call 800-287-8564 to report an outage.

11/17/21 2:59 PM

Revisions Requested

FROM OUR COOPERATIVE FAMILY TO YOURS, WISHING YOU A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON AND A JOYOUS NEW YEAR. Southwest Electric will be closed Dec. 23, 24 and 31 for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.

Set your thermostat at 68 degrees for maximum energy efﬁciency.

LYDIA Date_____

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

When temperatures drop, your heating system must work harder and run longer.

VERSION #______________ CHRIS Date_____ Approved

t Electric

CHAD Date_____

Southwest Electric has approved the installation of meter-mounted transfer switches for use by our Members. A meter-mounted transfer switch allows you to connect a portable generator to the meter base. This will eliminate the danger of potentially backfeeding electricity on our power lines. After our serviceman installs the transfer switch between the meter and the meter base, the homeowner can plug in the power supply cable directly from the generator to the switch for use when service is disrupted. The switch enables electricity from the generator to power your home. When service is restored, the homeowner is responsible for turning the generator off and unplugging it. This will allow normal service to resume. There is no fee for our serviceman to install the meter-mounted transfer switch. After purchasing a switch, the Member must initiate a service order by calling 800-287-8564 and complete the agreement. At this time, GenerLink is the only brand of metermounted transfer switch approved by Southwest Electric’s Engineering Department. Any other brand of meter-mounted transfer switch must receive approval prior to installation by Southwest Electric.

Revisions Requested STEVEN Date_____ Approved Revisions Requested ARTIST ___________ Date_____ Approved Revisions Requested

Meter-Mounted Transfer Switch Installation for Portable Generators

P.O. BOX 206 • 109 EAST COOPER ST. | RIPLEY, MS 38663 | OFFICE & REPORT OUTAGES — 662-837-8139 | PAY BY PHONE — 662-212-5233 FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK

TWITTER

AND INSTAGRAM

VISIT US ONLINE @ WWW.TIPPAHEPA.COM

Season’s greetings from Tippah Electric Power Association The holiday season is always a time of reflection. I’m grateful for my own family as well as my co-op family. At Tippah Electric Power Association, we are driven by a sense of mission and purpose. Our team feels a strong connection to our community and our members, because we live here too. While many of our community-focused programs and activities, such as Toys for Tots or Angel Tree, ramp up this time of year, we have programs in place that help our members give back year round through their electric bill. I’d like to remind you about some of these offerings in hopes you’ll find them beneficial. Members can add to their monthly electric bill donations to the Good Samaritan Center and/or My Choices in Ripley, Mississippi. To date, My Choices has collected over $20,000 through electric bill donations. In addition to helping members give back to their community, we’re focusing on the future through TEPAConnect High Speed Internet. Since opening, we have connected 1,874 customers with several more waiting for service. Our hopes are that TEPAConnect will help with online learning and provide

entertainment to our members with the high-speed internet we offer. We certainly appreciate the patience that our customers have had while waiting for us to complete our network. At the heart of all of these programs is you — the members we proudly serve. Looking back, I’m grateful for so many wonderful community partners and for the positive impact we can continue to make. This holiday season, I wish you and your loved ones peace, joy, and prosperity. Speaking on behalf of our team at Tippah Electric Power Association, I know the future will be bright, because of you.

by Tim Smith General Manager

ANNUAL MEETING THURSDAY, DEC. 9 5:30 P.M.

TIPPAH ELECTRIC’S OFFICE 109 East Cooper Street RIPLEY

(662) 587-9055 304-B E. Jefferson Street, Ripley

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212-5233

by Cindy Jones, Ofﬁce Manager – TEPAConnect

INGREDIENTS 4 or 5 chicken breasts, boiled and cubed 2 cans of mixed vegetables 2 cans of cream of chicken soup Chicken broth Small to medium chopped onion 2-rolled pie crusts Salt and pepper to taste Boil chicken, then cube it. Save chicken broth for later. In a separate pan, combine cubed chicken, mixed vegetables, cream of chicken soup, onion, salt, pepper, and chicken broth. You want to add enough chicken broth that mixture is soupy. Bring mixture to a boil. In an oven safe dish, spray non-stick coating to the bottom of the 9x13 pan, unroll one pie crust and bake according to directions until the crust starts to brown. Take out of the oven and add mixture to the top of the crust, add second pie crust to the top and dab with butter. Place pan back in the oven for 30 minutes or until the crust turns brown.

by Kela Johnson, Assistant Ofﬁce Manager and TNS Operator Tippah Electric Power Association

INGREDIENTS CRUST: 2 cups vanilla wafers, crushed 1 stick of margarine, melted 1 cup ﬁnely chopped pecans (optional) Mix together and press in 9x13 pan SECOND LAYER: 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 cup powdered sugar 2 cups cool whip Mix together and spread over crust THIRD LAYER: 4 egg yolks 2 cans Eagle Brand condensed milk ¾ cup fresh lemon juice Beat egg yolks. Add Eagle Brand milk. Add lemon juice. Spread over the second layer. Top with small cup of cool whip. Refrigerate. No bake, easy, and delicious!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! FROM OUR CO-OP FAMILY TO YOURS, WISHING YOU A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON AND A JOYOUS NEW YEAR. Tippah Electric Power Association will be closed Dec. 23 and 24 for Christmas and Dec. 30 and 31 for New Year’s. Call 662-837-8139 or use the TEPA Mobile app to report a power outage or emergency. Servicemen are on call. DECEMBER 2021 | TODAY 11

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twincoepa.com SERVING MORE THAN 12,600 ELECTRIC METERS IN SEVEN DELTA COUNTIES

@twincoepa

Hollandale - 662-827-2262 | Belzoni - 662-247-1909 | Greenville - 662-334-9543 | Rolling Fork - 662-873-4233 | REPORT OUTAGES 866-897-7250

Holiday Décor Tips for an energy-wise home

a timer for exterior lighting, make sure it’s weatherproof and intended for outdoor use. If Clark Griswold’s décor style is a bit much for your taste, consider a more natural approach. Many Christmas tree farms, and local retailers, give away greenery clippings from recently trimmed trees. With a little twine, extra ornaments, and sparkly ribbon, you can create beautiful garlands and wreaths to hang over your front door or windows. To add extra twinkle at night, you can install solar-powered spotlights to illuminate your new (essentially free!) greenery. Solar spotlights can vary in price, but you should be able to purchase a quality set of four for about $30, and because they run on natural energy from the sun, there’s no additional cost to your energy bill. Regardless of how you decorate your home for the holidays, there are plenty of ways to save energy throughout the season. Visit Twin County Electric’s website for additional energy-saving tips. If you haven’t made the switch to LED holiday lights, it’s time. LEDs can last 40 holiday seasons, and they’re safer than incandescent holiday lights.

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Revisions Requested STEVEN Date_____ Approved Revisions Requested ARTIST ___________ Date_____ Approved Revisions Requested

CHAD Date_____

Approved

Revisions Requested

COOK UP ENERGY SAVINGS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! FROM OUR CO-OP FAMILY TO YOURS, WISHING YOU A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON AND A JOYOUS NEW YEAR.

tip of the month

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Revisions Requested

LYDIA Date_____

Heading out of town for the holiday season?

VERSION #______________ CHRIS Date_____ Approved

Energy efﬁciency

Approved

Twin County Electric Power Association will be closed Dec. 23 and 24 for Christmas and Dec. 31 for New Year’s Eve.

11/17/21 2:49 PM

TWITTER

662-746-4251 — OFFICE & REPORT OUTAGES • 866-484-4277 — PAY BY PHONE

VISIT US ONLINE @ WWW.YAZOOVALLEY.COM

Small town, big fun!

by Jason Patterson A helicopter circled above the open field dropping bags of candy attached to parachutes to the delighted crowd of costumed children below. Sounds of laughter filled the air in this normally quiet community. Satartia’s population was recorded at 46 in the 2020 census, but there were hundreds of people present for the Pumpkin Fall Fest. The Halloween event included a trunk-or-treat where volunteers decorated their spaces, handed out candy, and had a chili cooking contest. The Tri-Community Volunteer Fire Department brought some firetrucks for the children to inspect and the pastor of the local Baptist church, with his wife, dressed up as Pat and Vanna from “Wheel of Fortune.” The response exceeded everyone’s expectations. It wasn’t the first time an enormous crowd has gathered at the old Satartia Gin property. In 2019, following the Yazoo Backwater Flood, a festival to raise funds for relief efforts filled the village with supporters, and raised over $100,000. That was twice as much as the goal.

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Big things are happening in Mississippi’s smallest incorporated community. One thing that’s hard not to notice when passing through the village is the catﬁsh sculpted from a 5,000-pound white oak log. Bentonia artist Alexander Brown was inspired to create the sculpture by “Eli: The Pride of the Yazoo River,” a children’s book written by Danny Brown. Danny Brown, an Illinois native, came up with the idea for the story years ago while crossing the Satartia bridge over the Yazoo River as a traveling salesman. “It started as a bedtime story for my son,” Brown said. “I started to wonder about the possibility of a giant ﬁsh being in that water.” The idea initially served as inspiration for bedtime stories for his son, but Brown eventually put the story on paper and submitted it to a publisher. The story was initially rejected, but Brown dusted it off 30 years later and tried again. This time he was successful and the publisher lined up an artist to illustrate the book. Danny Brown mailed a copy of his completed work to Satartia.

Bags of candy attached to parachutes fall from the sky after being dropped from a helicopter.

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The book ended up in the hands of Todd Hart, whose family’s roots in Satartia go back ﬁve generations. Todd was excited to see his family home featured in the book and it helped him realize that there is something special about the tiny community. He and his father, Irma Newell Hart, helped establish Moving Satartia Forward, a nonproﬁt community organization. The group has been working to secure a boat ramp for Satartia and has been making plans for many upcoming community events. Hart said things really started taking off when Michele Harris came aboard. “She really knows how to organize things and get people together,” he said. “We have a group of people who have some good ideas and they’re not afraid to try new things. One thing we’ve learned already is that if you have events that are fun, people will come.” Up next is the Christmas celebration. Organizers are planning to have a parade, music, and food. The event will be held Dec. 10 at 6 p.m. The theme of the parade is “Believe!” Follow the Moving Satartia Forward Facebook page to keep up with new events.

Author Danny Brown, Irma Newell Hart, and artist Alexander Brown are pictured with the catﬁsh Alexander Brown sculpted from a 5,000-pound white oak log. The sculpture was inspired by Danny Brown’s children’s book titled “Eli: The Pride of the Yazoo River.”

Children dressed in Halloween costumes enjoy the festivities at an event hosted by Moving Satartia Forward.

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