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E
CooperaN
COOPERATIVE
ws
News
Wisconsin
ENERGY Cooperative
contents August 2020
News
6
News
4
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
BRIEFS
Co-op leader named to broadband task force.
8 15 28 30
10
On the
COVER
Video could save lives.
Photo courtesy of Beth Alesch, Riverland Energy Cooperative.
Co-op employee in the right place.
CEO MESSAGE
Co-ops lead the charge.
MY CO-OP
Find out what’s happening at your local electric cooperative.
CLASSIFIEDS
Buy, sell, and trade with readers from across Wisconsin.
SAFETY SMARTS
What’s your appliance safety IQ?
20
23
Delightful
DETOURS
See these rural roadside attractions.
Recipes
Nice and light for a hot summer night.
30
Kids &
CRITTERS
Cute co-op kids get cozy with their critters.
13
SOCIAL DISTANCING HOME ENERGY USE
A large percentage of home electricity usage goes towards heating and cooling air and water. Focus on these areas for big energy savings.
43% WATER 12% Heating and Cooling Air and Water
AIR 31%
Electricity Usage in American Homes August 2020
WECN August20TOC.indd 1
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LETTER FROM
THE EDITOR Right place, right time
Carol Blaken, a longtime electric co-op employee, was in the right place at the right time. Dana Kelroy, Editor As you will see in our story “License to Live” on page 10, Carol and her husband likely saved a teen driver’s life after witnessing a car vs. utility pole crash while on their way to a Wisconsin Badgers football game. Unaware of the danger of a downed, live power line, the driver almost made deadly electrical contact. Inspired by the day’s events, Carol and a group of staff from some of Wisconsin’s electric cooperatives created a safety video and driver’s education curriculum, also titled “License to Live.” Our cover image this month, courtesy of Beth Alesch of Riverland Energy Cooperative, shows the actual filming of that safety video. The most important point to remember in a crash with a utility pole or any other electrical equipment is to always assume the ground is energized. Stay in your vehicle until utility professionals have confirmed that the power is off. Only if the vehicle is smoking or on fire should you attempt to exit the vehicle. As you can see on the cover, make a clean jump from the car without touching it. Then, hop with feet together or shuffle, keeping your feet on the ground as far as you can—preferably 50 or more feet away. The key is keeping your feet close together; the greater your feet are apart, the greater your chance of getting electrocuted. I encourage all readers to view the video and share it with the teen drivers in your household. It could just save a life.
August 2020 Vol. 81 No. 2 The Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News (Formerly Wisconsin R.E.C. News) has been published monthly and distributed since July 1940 to members of Wisconsin’s non-profit, consumer-owned rural electric cooperatives. It is available to non-members for $10 per year or $28 for three years. Members pay $6.93 per year. Published by the Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association, 222 W. Washington Ave., Ste. 680, Madison, WI 53703. Steve Freese, president & CEO. USPS number: 688-480. Postmaster: please send address changes to Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News, 222 W. Washington Ave., Ste. 680, Madison, WI 53703. Periodicals postage paid at Pontiac, Ill. Send correspondence to Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News, 222 W. Washington Ave., Ste. 680, Madison, WI 53703. Phone (608) 467-4650. Web site: www.wecnmagazine.com. Co-op Members: Please send address changes to your local electric co-op. Contact information can be found on page 18. Steve Freese Dana Kelroy Mary Erickson Julie Lund Ann Bailey Geri Miller Jennifer Taylor
Top: Carol Blaken at a Badger game. Above and left: Screenshots from the “License to Live” video shows the proper way to exit the vehicle—feet together.
4
WECA president & CEO editor associate editor contributing writer graphic designer advertising consultant editorial assistant
For advertising opportunities please email ads@weca.coop. The appearance of advertising does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services advertised. We reserve the right to refuse advertisers. Please recycle
Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News
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NEWS BRIEFS PROPOSAL IN CONGRESS COULD SAVE MILLIONS FOR ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES
Bipartisan members of Congress have proposed the Flexible Financing for Rural America Act, which would allow electric cooperatives and small rural telecom providers to refinance their Rural Utilities Service (RUS) debt at lower interest rates. The measure is intended to support rural communities and critical infrastructure providers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and would amount to approximately $2 million per year in savings for the average rural electric cooperative. The bill was introduced in the Senate and companion legislation was introduced in the House. Representative Ron Kind (D-Wisconsin) has been in communication with the Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association about the impact of the pandemic on electric cooperatives, and has signed on to support the measure.
CLARK APPOINTED TO GOVERNOR’S BROADBAND TASK FORCE
Governor Tony Evers announced the creation of the Governor’s Task Force on Broadband Access, aimed at increasing access to reliable broadband across the state. Shannon Clark, CEO & general manager of Richland Electric Cooperative, is among those named to the committee. Clark has been instrumental in efforts to help electric cooperatives navigate the process of bringing broadband to more of their members. The Task Force will bring recommendations and strategies related to broadband expansion in underserved areas to the governor by June 30, 2021.
EAST CENTRAL ENERGY ANNOUNCES NEW PRESIDENT AND CEO
East Central Energy’s board of directors announced the selection of Justin Jahnz to serve as the co-op’s next president and CEO. Jahnz previously served as manager of energy services & strategic projects at the co-op. He replaces Steve Shurts, who retires August 3. Jahnz is the fifth president/CEO in the co-op’s 84 years of service. 6
Jahnz has 20 years of experience in the electrical industry, including 12 at East Central Energy. He has served on planning teams for Great River Energy and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, has also been an industry leader in the promotion of electric vehicles, and has developed many strategic projects in the area of load growth to benefit members.
BLISTERING HEAT, WORKING FROM HOME, MEANS SUMMERTIME SPIKE IN ELECTRIC USE The extension of persons working from home due to the pandemic, in combination with a solid heat wave in July, means higher electric bills for many people across the country. According to analyst estimates and the U.S. Department of Energy, summer power bills will be up about 25 percent due to people stuck at home because they’re either unemployed or working remotely and depending on air conditioners during this blistering hot summer. In spite of the current heat wave, U.S. electricity consumption is expected to be down by a record 4.3 percent in 2020 due to coronavirus-linked lockdowns, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). EIA projected total U.S. power demand will drop to 3,730 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) in 2020 from 3,896 billion kWh in 2019 before rising to 3,785 billion kWh in 2021. That compares with an all-time high of 4,003 billion kWh in 2018, according to federal data going back to 1949. If power consumption falls as expected in 2020, it would be the first time since 2012 that total demand declines for two consecutive years.
ESSAY CONTEST SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE
All Wisconsin high school students and current college freshmen (2019–2020) whose primary residence is served by an electric cooperative are eligible to enter the 2020 WECA Essay Contest, which offers cash scholarships of $1,000, $500, and $250 for the top three winners. Students interested in entering the contest must submit a 600- to 1,200-word essay in response to a question related to electric cooperatives and youth involvement. Entries must be postmarked by August 26, 2020. For more information, contact Tina Walden at tina@weca.coop.
Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News
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LEADING T
THE CHARGE
Steve Freese President and CEO
houghts of a new school year are in the air, and many rural Wisconsin residents are unsure how to plan for the back-to-school madness that usually occurs each August. With the shift from in-person classrooms to virtual, at-home learning environments at the end of the last school year, no one exactly knows what this school year will look like. What does seem inevitable, though, is that at least some elements of the 2020–21 school year will depend on an internet connection. The pandemic only underscores the need for high-speed internet, with many rural residents forced to work from home or facilitate virtual learning for their school-age children. Some of Wisconsin’s electric cooperatives have been partnering in bringing high-speed broadband to underserved areas of rural Wisconsin. In January, and before the scope and magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic were even known, the Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association identified expanding broadband as one of its top legislative priorities for the coming year. Since then, electric co-op leaders have made progress on this issue at every level.
Local In the March 2020 issue of this publication, we featured the story “Getting Up to Speed,” which profiled Chippewa Valley Electric Cooperative’s (CVEC) efforts to bring high-speed broadband to its members. The co-op’s efforts, through an entity called Ntera, had been outpacing expectations for expansion before the pandemic. In hindsight, they are glad they were able to get into as many homes as they did. “We made a lot of folks happy,” said Russ Falkenberg, director of IT & member services at CVEC, referring to members with newly installed high-speed access when the need was at its highest. And the need will only continue to grow. Falkenberg also said that cellular providers are swamped and unpractical, underscoring the need for the resiliency of a fiber network. Ntera continues to expand its territory and work with more rural leaders to meet the need. “Our goal is to serve every Chippewa Valley Electric member and the surrounding communities,” said Falkenberg.
8
State Governor Tony Evers created the Governor’s Task Force on Broadband Access in mid-July. The task force will advise the governor and state legislature on broadband actions and policy, including strategies for successfully expanding high-speed internet access. “The task force will bring together experts from across the state to research and recommend solutions that state leaders can adopt to connect every person in Wisconsin,” said Governor Tony Evers. Shannon Clark, CEO and general manager at Richland Electric Cooperative, has been named as one of those experts on the task force. Clark brings considerable expertise to the table, including his experience launching the consortium that became Genuine Telecom, a telecommunications company providing telecommunications services including high-speed internet to businesses and homes in the Richland County area. Clark also serves as board chairman for the National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative. “I’m honored to serve Wisconsin in this capacity. For over 20 years, I’ve tried to drive home the point that policy decisions can incentivize rural broadband deployment or hamper it. The economics of deploying ubiquitous broadband throughout Wisconsin is challenge enough—we’ve got to ensure that policy drives broadband deeper into rural Wisconsin, not create barriers,” said Clark. Federal
On the national level, electric cooperatives pushed the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to require Rural Digital Opportunity Fund bidding areas to be based on census block groups, which will help electric co-ops better compete for FCC funding. The commission also voted to prohibit low earth orbit satellite projects from bidding in the gigabit tier. Both orders are in support of requests made by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. It’s likely some form of online learning will still be necessary for the upcoming school year as the pandemic situation is still so fluid. The 2020 spring semester exposed just how much the lack of rural broadband is causing a great divide between rural and urban communities and putting rural kids behind academically. As always, Wisconsin’s electric cooperatives are working to close that divide. Eighty-plus years ago, we did it by bringing electricity into rural areas. Today, we’re putting in extra effort to help expand broadband access into rural Wisconsin communities.
Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News
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LICENSE TO
LIVE
How some Wisconsin electric cooperatives turned a scary situation into a national educational campaign
I
t was a couple of years ago when Carol Blaken, member relations manager at Jackson Electric Cooperative, was on her way to Madison for a football game with her husband when the car behind them rolled over and snapped a utility pole. The teen driver got out of the vehicle and narrowly missed contact with a live wire. When he tried to go back to the car for his cell phone, Blaken stepped in to stop him. This driver was lucky, but the lack of knowledge about the danger of the situation left Blaken and her husband stunned. “My husband and I talked about this accident on our two-hour drive to Madison,” Blaken said. “What if the power lines fell on the vehicle? What if the driver touched the lines? So many ‘What ifs’ ... the outcome could have been so much different. It could have been deadly.” Blaken’s experience was the catalyst behind what has become the “License to Live” initiative, an educational campaign aimed at making drivers of all ages aware of the dangers of crashes involving utility lines and equipment.
10
Blaken approached Benjamin Bella, safety & compliance coordinator for a group of four western Wisconsin electric cooperatives, and he ran with the idea. Backed by funding from the Federated Rural Electric Insurance Exchange, they put together a group of representatives from Adams-Columbia Electric Cooperative, Eau Claire Energy Cooperative, Jackson Electric Cooperative, Oakdale Electric Cooperative, Riverland Energy Cooperative, the Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association, and Safe Electricity. Together they decided the best way to communicate the message was to create an educational video that clearly demonstrates the dangers, and what to do when you are involved in a crash involving power lines or equipment. In the video, Ramon Kohnert, a veteran firefighter and EMT with Whitehall Fire Department, recalls a crash he responded to in which the victim was not so lucky. At this scene, a man crashed into a utility pole, got out of the car, and in spite of warnings from neighbors, literally tripped onto a live wire.
Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News
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“When he hit those power lines, he was actually on fire,” Kohnert recalls. “His knees were on fire. His arm was on fire. There was a wire coming across his belly. It was pretty ugly.” What happened next was even more terrifying. A young firefighter grabbed an extinguisher and ran toward the victim, while the wire was still live. “I yelled at him,” Kohnert recalls. “I said, STOP! Put that extinguisher down and come back the same way you went in!” Had he not listened, he could have become another victim. The “License to Live” campaign is aimed at making sure people know exactly what to do when your car comes into contact with a utility pole or wire, including • STAY in your vehicle and call 911 • ONLY get out of the vehicle if it is on fire
•
•
IF you must get out, jump from the vehicle with both feet together, and shuffle your feet on the ground as you move away from the scene ALWAYS assume all wires and equipment are electrified
The License to Live video also shows a reenactment that demonstrates what to do, and what not to do. “Our goal throughout this entire project has been simple—education and awareness,” said Bella. “We knew if we could put together a quality product illustrating what to do during a car vs. pole emergency, it WILL save lives.” “I knew a project like this was important to be a part of,” said Beth Alesch, manager of communications at Riverland Energy Cooperative. “When talking to high school kids about what do to in a situation like
“ WE KNEW if we could put together
A QUALITY PRODUCT
illustrating
WHAT TO DO during a car vs. pole
emergency, it WILL save lives.
”
—Ben Bella this, it’s surprising how many don’t know what to do. If we can reach any age group with this campaign, we could possibly save lives. I’m so happy to be
Top row, left: The video crew consisted of the talent, representatives from Elevate Media, Beth Alesch, Carol Blaken, Ben Bella, and Ashley Miller. Facing page: Setting up the production equipment.
August 2020
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a part of it.” The cooperative representatives developed curriculum-based education materials to go along with the video. Safe Electricity, an organization of numerous utility companies focused on public safety and energy conservation education, is hosting the materials on its website. “A big part of what we do is provide life-saving and electrical safety information to our nearly 500 cooperative, municipal, and IOU members to educate their communities, families, friends, and loved ones,” said Erin Hollinshead, executive director of Safe Electricity. “Education on electrical hazards prevents accidents and fatalities from occurring. In fact, the job of spreading electrical safety messages is never done; there is always one more person to reach.” The planning committee is working to potentially get the information incorporated into driver’s education curriculum, and they are launching the educational campaign and releasing the video this month. It will be provided to all Wisconsin electric cooperatives to share with members and media. “At Eau Claire Energy Cooperative, we too often hear of and respond to automobile accidents that involve a utility pole or transformer box,” said Monica Obrycki, chief administrative officer at Eau Claire Energy Cooperative. “Ideally, these incidents would not happen at all, but the reality is that they do. This video will help educate young drivers on what to do if this happens to them.” “It is my hope that drivers and passengers, no matter
what age, benefit from this video,” said Blaken. “And I hope the driver’s education instructors find value in teaching this very important lesson. In spite of the dire circumstances, that victim in Kohnert’s crash survived the accident, but suffered critical injuries. “I don’t know who was watching out for him, but he started to moan, and I remember his right shoulder coming up.” Kohnert said. The man suffered burns that required amputation of both legs—injuries that could have been prevented had he recognized the danger he was in, and made the choice to stay in his car.—Julie Lund, photos courtesy of Beth Alesch, Riverland Energy To learn more about License to Live and view the video, go to: https://safeelectricity.org/license-to-live/
Scan the coded square below with your smartphone camera to watch the video
Left: Riverland Energy Cooperative Project Manager Bill Mason and Lineman Marc Mades set the pole (and break it) to set up the scene for the safety video. Right: An actor shoots a scene where she tells a bystander to “stay back.”
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Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News
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MANAGING HOME ENERGY USE through a summer of SOCIAL DISTANCING
I
f you want to make the best use of your efforts to save money on your energy bill, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) can show you where to start. Nearly half of the electricity Americans use in their homes, 43 percent, goes to heating and cooling air and water. Nearly a third of our electric use, 31 percent, goes to running our heating and air conditioning systems. Another 12 percent powers our water heaters. In second place for residential electricity use is a grab bag of appliances and lighting. One-fifth of the electricity we use in our homes goes to refrigeration (6 percent), lighting (5 percent), clothes drying (4 percent), and TV and video games (4 percent). That means if you want to get the quickest and biggest return on energy savings, focus on how you use your
heating and cooling system, and your water heater. That’s according to Keith Dennis, VP of consumer member engagement for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). “Turning off an LED light bulb may come to mind when you think about saving energy,” he says. “But in the grand scheme of things, looking at EIA’s numbers, it’s adjusting your thermostat that’s going to make the biggest difference.” Other appliances and devices consume even smaller shares of our total energy use. Eight percent of residential electricity use comes from a combination of computers, freezers, washing machines, dishwashers, and cooking appliances. Other home energy users include a range of devices like small appliances, exterior lights, outdoor grills, and spa heaters. August 2020
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How COVID-19 is Impacting Energy Use Even with the recent
disruptions to daily life during the COVID-19 pandemic, the advice to focus on heating and cooling to save energy holds up. EIA has started revising its energy use predictions for 2020, and because of business closures and social distancing, they project that electricity sales to commercial and industrial customers will decline 6.5 percent. With more people staying home, you might expect residential sales to increase, and they will, but not enough to overcome the weather. Even with more people staying home and using more heating and air conditioning, the weather is expected to be mild enough that EIA projects a 1.3 percent decline in residential electric sales this year. However, those predictions could well be adjusted depending on how quickly businesses reopen, and whether they adopt new ways of operating. With so many unknowns in 2020 patterns of energy use, EIA’s forecast tried to imagine what’s going on inside our homes in order to make their projections for the year. Their May 2020 Short Term Energy Outlook says that as a result of the actions to control the spread of COVID-19, use of household electronic equipment will increase, and other uses of electricity, such as cooking or water heating, may also increase. Residential air conditioning use during summer months is also likely to increase.
Small Adjustments for Significant Savings During summer
months, setting your thermostat a few degrees higher than normal can make
43% WATER 12% Heating and Cooling Air and Water
AIR 31%
Electricity Usage in American Homes 14
Even though many of us are spending more time at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Energy Information Administration projects that 2020 residential energy use will decline by 1.3 percent. But those projections may change depending on how quickly businesses reopen and Americans get back to work. If you’re looking to reduce energy use, monitor how you cool and heat your home, which is where the biggest potential for saving energy lies. Photo courtesy of Scott Van Osdol
... TO MAKE THE BIGGEST
DIFFERENCE
in energy use––even during a
GLOBAL PANDEMIC
PAY ATTENTION TO HOW YOU
heat and cool your home. That’s where the biggest
potential for saving energy lies. a significant difference in energy use. The Department of Energy recommends setting your thermostat to 78 degrees or higher when possible. Consumers can achieve additional energy savings by investing in a smart or programmable thermostat. In addition to monitoring your thermostat, Dennis suggests keeping an eye on another significant energy user, your water heater. According to the Department of Energy, lowering your water heater temperature to 120 degrees is an easy way to save energy, and for every 10 degrees reduced, consumers can save 3-5 percent on water heating costs. Dennis also recommends replacing an older, less efficient water
heater with a newer, energy efficient model, which could pay for itself in the long run. For persistently high energy bills, Dennis recommends contacting your local electric co-op for a more thorough evaluation of your home and how you use energy. Consumers can also find a wide range of additional ways to save energy at www.energystar.gov. Small changes to energy use habits, like turning off lights when you leave a room or unplugging devices when not in use, can help you save. But to make the biggest difference in energy use–– even during a global pandemic––pay attention to how you heat and cool your home. That’s where the biggest potential for saving energy lies. Paul Wesslund writes on consumer and cooperative affairs for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the national trade association representing more than 900 local electric cooperatives. From growing suburbs to remote farming communities, electric co-ops serve as engines of economic development for 42 million Americans across 56 percent of the nation’s landscape.
Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News
WECN August20Feature2.indd 2
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Fried Rice with Shiitakes and Asparagus
Nice & Light
Recipe and photo reprinted with permission from Ale Graf at Brown Sugar & Vanilla. www.brownsugarandvanilla.com
1 tsp plus 2 Tbsp oil, neutral taste 2 cups chopped asparagus, small pieces 1 cup (about 5–7 fungi) shiitake mushrooms sliced, stems removed 2–3 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp grated fresh ginger 4 cups cooked rice 1/4 cup soy sauce 1 Tbsp sesame oil 1 Tbsp rice vinegar 1 tsp chili paste or Sriacha sauce (can be found in Asian section of grocery store). Pinch of sea salt
for a
Hot Summer Night
In a large skillet add 1 teaspoon of oil and the asparagus. Let them cook for 3–5 minutes until they are cooked, but crunchy and delicious. When done, put on a serving platter and set aside. In the same pan, add the mushrooms, moving constantly until cooked through and slightly caramelized. Remove from pan and put next to the asparagus. In the same pan add 2 more tablespoons neutral oil and add the garlic and ginger; leave it for 30 seconds, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Add the rice and move until it is warm. In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and chili. Add it to rice and mix carefully. Add the mushrooms and asparagus, then add a pinch of salt. Test for seasoning and serve immediately.
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Lemongrass Tea Recipe and photo reprinted with permission from wikiHow. (www.wikihow.com/Make-Lemongrass-Tea) 4 cups water 1/4 cup sugar (optional) 2 cups lemongrass stalks (rinse well) Milk, cream, honey, ginger, and/or lime (optional)
TIP: If you want to make the
tea in a teapot, boil the water, then pour the boiling water and the chopped lemongrass into the teapot. Cover the teapot with a towel or tea cozy and let the mixture steep for 5–10 minutes or until it becomes fragrant. You will still want to strain it before pouring.
Hit the stalks with the flat side of your knife blade to bruise them–this releases the fragrant oil inside. Carefully give the lemongrass stalks a rough chop and trim away the leaves. The pieces should be about 1⁄2-inch to 1-inch long. (If you’re using home-grown lemongrass, you can use the leaves, but there’s no need to bruise them. Since lemongrass is often sold already cut if you buy it at a grocery store, the number of stalks you’ll need will vary.) Bring water to a boil over high heat in a medium-sized saucepan. Once the water reaches a rapid, rolling boil, carefully drop in the chopped lemongrass. If you need to, give it a stir with a long-handled spoon to ensure the lemongrass is completely submerged, then let it steep in the boiling water for about 5 minutes. Pour the tea through a fine mesh strainer or colander into your cup, a teapot, pitcher (if serving iced), or other container. Once you’ve strained it, you can enjoy the tea as soon as it’s cool enough to drink. Add sugar or honey to taste. OPTIONS:
• Slice off a piece of fresh ginger that’s about 1-inch long; scrape off the peel, then drop it into the water while you’re boiling the lemongrass. This will give it a warm, spicy flavor. • If you prefer iced tea, place your pitcher of lemongrass tea into the refrigerator for an hour or so. For best results, serve the chilled tea over ice. • To make sweetened iced tea, stir in 1/4 cup sugar before you place the tea in the refrigerator. • If you want to amp up the citrus taste, squeeze a wedge of lime over your tea. • Add milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream. This adds a creamy mouthfeel to your tea. The amount you use depends on how much you like, but it’s best to start with about 1 tablespoon.
Egg Drop Soup A classic take out dish you can make at home in just 15 minutes. Seriously comforting, better than the restaurant version and so easy to make. Recipe and photo reprinted with permission from Erin Sellin, owner, Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts. For more recipes by Erin, visit www.dinnersdishesand desserts.com 4 cups chicken broth 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, grated 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 1 Tbsp cornstarch
3 Tbsp water 2 whole eggs, beaten 2 green onions, thinly sliced
Mix together chicken broth, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, salt, and pepper in a saucepan. Heat over high heat until soup starts to simmer. In a small bowl mix together cornstarch and water. Add to broth mixture, stirring to combine. Cook for 1–2 minutes until soup start to thicken slightly. Taste the broth and adjust the seasonings if necessary. Using a spatula to stir the broth in a clockwise direction. Slowly pour in the beaten eggs while continuing to stir to form the long ribbons. Serve immediately, garnished with sliced green onions. NOTES:
You can substitute 1 teaspoon ground ginger for the fresh ginger.
Avocado Citrus Salad with Marinated Onion Recipe and photo reprinted with permission from the National Onion Association (www.onions-usa.org). MARINATED ONIONS
Peel and thinly slice onion. Combine rice vinegar, honey, and water in jar with tight lid; shake until well blended. Add onion slices to the jar. Shake jar to coat onions in liquid, then refrigerate overnight or for at least 6 hours. If necessary, shake the jar 2–3 times during the 6 hours to be sure the onions marinate evenly.
DRESSING AND SALAD
1 Tbsp honey Endive and/or small romaine lettuce spears 1 avocado, halved, pitted and skin removed 1 grapefruit, peeled and sliced into circles, seeds removed Marinated onions
1 medium red onion 1/4 cup rice vinegar 1/4 cup honey 1/4 cup water
2 oranges 1/2 cup olive oil 1/4 cup rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
DRESSING Grate 2 teaspoons of orange peel. Combine grated orange peel, oil, vinegar, and honey in a small jar with a lid. SALAD For each serving, arrange endive and/or romaine leaves in a spoke-like fashion on individual plates. Slice avocado. Pare and slice oranges and grapefruit into circles; remove seeds. Portion oranges, avocado, and grapefruit pieces onto the center spokes of endive and/or romaine. Lift marinated onions from liquid with a fork and transfer to the top of each salad. Drizzle with dressing before serving. August 2020
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RECIPE EXCHANGE Submit your favorite recipes to be featured on our reader recipe page. Email to jennifer@weca.coop. For bonus recipes, go to http://wecnmagazine.com/recipes/. An incomplete version of this recipe appeared in our July 2020 issue. This reprint contains the recipe in its entirety. We regret the error.
Rhubarb Cake
Marilyn Hines, Ellsworth BASE LAYER
4–5 cups rhubarb, chopped MIDDLE LAYER
6 Tbsp butter or margarine 1-1/2 cups sugar 1 cup milk 2 cups flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt TOP LAYER
2 cups sugar 2 Tbsp corn starch 1/2 tsp cinnamon Dash of nutmeg 2 cups hot water; boiling
BOTTOM LAYER: Line a 9-x13-inch pan with chopped rhubarb. MIDDLE LAYER: Cream butter or margarine with 1-1/2 cups sugar. Add milk, flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour batter over rhubarb. TOP LAYER: Mix together 2 cups of sug-
ar, corn starch, cinnamon, and nutmeg and pour on top of batter. Pour 2 cups boiling water over top of ingredients in pan. Bake at 350 degrees until done; approximately 60 minutes. Serve with whipped cream topping or ice cream.
Snow Sauce for Fresh Fruit Platter Romayne Lindstrom, Iola
2 (3 oz) pkgs cream cheese, room temperature 1/4 cup milk 1/3 cup sugar 2 tsp lemon juice 1 tsp almond extract 1 tsp grated lemon rind Mix all ingredients and chill. Serve with fresh fruit as an appetizer or light dessert. 22
Maraschino Cherry Nut Cake Patricia Mullens, Friendship
3/4 cup butter or margarine 1-1/2 cups sugar 3 eggs, separated 3 cups sifted cake flour 3 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup milk 1/3 cup chopped, drained red maraschino cherries (about 16 cherries) 1/2 cup chopped pecans 1/4 tsp almond flavoring
Cream butter or margarine, add sugar gradually and cream well together. Add egg yolks and beat thoroughly. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together and add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Add well-drained maraschino cherries, nuts, and almond flavoring. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. With a rubber spatula or a spoon, fold in the egg whites with an ‘up-andover’ motion. Grease two 9-inch cake pans and divide batter evenly into each. Bake in oven at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool on racks until pans are cool enough to handle. Turn out on racks and cool before frosting.
Fruit Pizza
Rosetta Gruss, Marshall
1 can pineapple chunks, drain and reserve juice 1 can mandarin oranges, drain and reserve juice 2 Tbsp corn starch 1 pkg of sugar cookie dough 8 oz cream cheese, softened 1/3 cup sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 kiwis, peel, halve lengthwise, and slice 1/2 pint strawberries, sliced 1 cup grapes, sliced in half
REQUESTS
from our
READERS
Frost with either 7-Minute or butter frosting. Decorate with red maraschino cherries and green spearmint leaf gumdrops.
7-MINUTE FROSTING:
2 egg whites, unbeaten 1-1/2 cups sugar 1/8 tsp salt 1/3 cup cold water 1 Tbsp light corn syrup 1 tsp vanilla
Place egg whites, sugar, salt, water, and corn syrup in top of double boiler. Place over boiling water and heat constantly with a large double rotary beater or electric mixer at high speed until frosting will stand in peaks, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat; beat in vanilla. Quickly spread on cake. BUTTER FROSTING:
1/4 cup butter (or margarine) 2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar 1/8 tsp salt 3 tbsp cream 1 tsp vanilla
Cream butter (or margarine) until soft. Slowly stir in 1 cup sugar and salt. Add additional sugar alternately with cream, beating thoroughly after each addition until creamy and smooth. Beat in vanilla. Additional cream may be added to give frosting spreading consistency. In a large pan, add the pineapple and mandarin juices. Add cornstarch; cook until thickened. Set aside and cool. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread cookie dough on a 14-inch pizza pan. Bake for 12–14 minutes. Cool completely. In a mixing bowl, cream together cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Spread over cookie dough. Arrange fruit on top. Cover with thickened juice. Keep refrigerated until ready to use. You can also use a 9-x13-inch cookie sheet; your pieces will be square shaped.
If you have a request of your own, or would like to submit a recipe for publication, please write to Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News, What’s Cooking? 222 West Washington Ave., Suite 680, Madison, WI 537032719 or contact us via our website, www.wecnmagazine.com. Thanks!
Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News
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WISCONSIN FAVORITES
Delightful DETOURS Take a closer look at these rural roadside attractions
W
e’ve taken quite a journey through “Wisconsin Favorites” over the years. With this longstanding regular feature of the Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News, we aim to discover and promote the many wonderful places to see and things to do in the small communities and rural areas served by Wisconsin’s electric cooperatives. In doing so, we’ve logged a lot of miles, visiting the unique attractions that make rural Wisconsin a great place to explore. Often we find unexpected surprises in pursuit of larger stories—special Claire little spots that define d’Loon an area, tucked here Fred’s Concrete Park and there just off the beaten path. These Cornell Pulpwood Stacker mini attractions often Old Abe Birthplace have historical or UFO Capital of Wisconsin cultural significance, Laura Ingalls Chatty Belle & Wilder Cabin Wisconsin Pavilion or they’re just plain Rock in the House fun and quirky enough to make them worth a stop if you happen to be driving by. Even better, they’re mostly free, although sometimes donations are appreciated. World’s Biggest M This month, we’re shining a light on some of these roadside attractions that make a distinctive mark on rural Wisconsin. If you’re driving about, stop and take a closer look. You might just find that it truly isn’t the destination that matters—it’s the journey. August 2020
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The World’s Biggest M
If you’ve driven down Highway 151 in Grant County, in Scenic Rivers Energy Cooperative territory, you’ve no doubt noticed the huge white M built along the side of Platte Mound four miles northeast of the city of Platteville. And unless you’re familiar with the area’s history, you’ve no doubt wondered what that big letter M stands for. The giant M is a symbol of the area’s lead-mining history and of the nearby University of Wisconsin-Platteville, which started out as the Wisconsin Mining School. According to UW-Platteville documentation, the M first appeared in 1936 when a couple of Wisconsin Mining School students stomped the letter out in the snow on the mound. The following spring, another student suggested constructing a permanent stone M into the mound, one that would bring bragging rights as the country’s biggest M—even bigger than Colorado School of Mines’ M that was 200 feet high. Completed in the fall of 1937, Platteville’s M is still something to brag about. At 241 feet high and 214 feet wide, it’s touted as The World’s Biggest M, offering a spectacular view that extends into Illinois and Iowa for those who are care to climb the 266 steps to the top. With a newly renovated parking area at its base, the M is accessible year-round, although the steps are not groomed during winter months.
Rock in the House
Traveling north along the Great River Road, you’ll pass through the Mississippi River community of Fountain City, in Riverland Energy Cooperative’s territory. Just off of Highway 35 you’ll come across the turn-off to the Rock in the House. And yes, we do mean Rock in the House. This isn’t the more widely known House on the Rock in Spring Green, with all the bizarre collections. This is indeed the Rock in the House, and it’s exactly what the name implies—a (very huge) rock inside a house. This unusual attraction got its most unusual start on April 24, 1995, when a 55-ton boulder rolled down the hillside behind the house belonging to Maxine and Dwight Anderson and into what was the Andersons’ master bedroom. The Andersons, who thankfully weren’t injured, sold their house to a local real estate developer who kept the house exactly as it was on that fateful day—furniture, big rock, and all—and turned the home into an attraction. Visitors can turn into the parking lot and walk around to the back of the house to see the boulder embedded in the hole
24
it tore through the back wall. Inside, photos and newspaper accounts of the crash are on display. Handwritten notes provide details, including a sign pointing to what was, remarkably, the only window in the house that broke when the boulder burst through. The house is unstaffed, and the requested $2 admission is collected on an honor system. As you drive away, we guarantee you’ll eye the signs along the highway warning folks to “be aware of falling rocks” a little more warily.
Laura Ingalls Wilder Cabin
Farther north on the Great River Road is Pepin, in Pierce Pepin Cooperative Services’ territory. This little village is famous as the hometown of Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the beloved “Little House in the Big Woods” series that chronicles her life growing up in a westward-bound, pioneering family. Pepin is the official starting point of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Highway, linking Wilder sites across the Midwest, and it was the official starting point of Wilder’s life. Seven miles northwest of Pepin, on County Road C, is the Little House Wayside, located at the site where Wilder was born in 1867. The centerpiece of this three-acre park is a re-creation of the one-room log cabin where Wilder was born, and where the first book in her series was set. The cabin is open every day, year-round, for self-guided tours. The surrounding park has picnic tables and fresh water, but not in the log cabin—that’s just as it would have been when Laura and her family lived there, with no electricity and no running water. Spending a moment inside this charming little cabin will leave you feeling like a pioneer.
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UFO Capital of Wisconsin
While Pepin County’s claim to fame is its link to a young pioneer who grew to become a highly successful children’s author, neighboring Pierce County’s notable connection is with a very different sort of frontier experience. This county is home to Elmwood, a village that’s known as the UFO Capital of Wisconsin. According to local history, the community’s chief of police at the time, George Wheeler, spotted an extraterrestrial object of some kind in the area in 1975. Multiple sightings were recorded in the years that followed, with some of the locations marked today with signs announcing “UFO Sighting at this spot” and a list of when and by whom the sighting occurred. It’s fair to assume that not all Elmwood residents are believers, but all seem to have embraced the village’s unique UFO connection. In non-pandemic years, large crowds gather for the community’s annual UFO Days held during the last weekend in July. But even now, it’s fun to pass through Elmwood and stop at Sailer’s Meats on the west side of town, where a cluster of metal flying saucers and alien statues makes for some fun selfies.
WISCONSIN FAVORITES
place as part of the Wisconsin exhibit at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York. For many years, visitors would put a quarter in Chatty Belle’s voicebox and listen to her cite impressive statistics about the state’s dairy industry, including the fact that if she were a real cow, at her size, she’d be able to produce 270 pounds of milk a day. These days Chatty is mostly quiet, but she’s still a sight to behold. Equally impressive is the Wisconsin Pavilion right next to her, with its distinctive round shape and teepee-like top. This historic building was Wisconsin’s exhibit at the New York World’s Fair from 1964–65. Its odd shape symbolizes the state’s native history, with mosaic scenes of Native Americans on the walls and
a spire with giant letters spelling Wisconsin rising from the top. This pavilion is now home to a local radio station, with a cheese store on the ground level offering some of the delicious dairy products Chatty Belle has been chatting up for years.
Birthplace of Old Abe
Back toward the west, in the community of Jim Falls, located northeast of Eau Claire within Chippewa Valley Electric Cooperative’s territory, you’ll find another fiberglass statue of an oversized creature. This one is a replica of Old Abe, the legendary war eagle that served as mascot of the 8th Regiment of Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry in the Civil War. There are likenesses of the famous eagle all over
World’s Largest Talking Cow
A detour east along Highway 10 will take you to Neillsville, in Clark Electric Cooperative’s territory. This is where you’ll find Chatty Belle, the World’s Largest Talking Cow. Chatty is a fiberglass statue standing 16 feet tall, seven times the size of a normal cow of her breed. She’s been an enduring symbol of this dairy community for five decades since she was brought over from her original
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the Chippewa Valley, but this 10.5-foot-tall statue is especially distinctive because of its location in Old Abe’s birthplace. It was in this area where Old Able was hatched and captured as an eaglet by the Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe in 1861. Just a half mile north of Jim Falls, on Highway 178, you’ll come across a wayside located on the site of the Tom McCann farm, where Chief Sky traded the young eagle for a bushel of corn. The eagle came to mean so much to the McCann family that when the 8th Regiment was organized for Civil War duty, McCann, who was unable to serve himself due to an infirmity of sorts, reportedly offered his eagle’s services as a mascot instead, reasoning that “someone from the family ought to go.” Old Abe would serve in 42 skirmishes over three years and go on to live a long and famous life, living his retirement years in the Wisconsin State Capitol, where he presided over political rallies and other events. His likeness continues to preside over Wisconsin today.
Pulpwood Stacker
A little farther north, a looming metal structure towering at an angle for 175 feet into the sky presides over the city of Cornell, where Chippewa Valley Electric Cooperative is headquartered. This massive steel structure— the heart of the Mill Yard Park where the city’s visitor’s center is located—is an historic pulpwood stacker, built in 1911–12 for the Cornell Wood Products Co. Once a key tool of the paper milling industry, the Cornell pulpwood stacker is believed to be the last of its kind in the world and is listed in the State and National Register of Public Places. Although now a relic, in its time, this pulpwood stacker represented modernization as it mechanized the labor-intensive task of stockpiling logs. The wood would then be floated down a sluice to the paper mill where it was reduced to pulp and converted to paper. The stacker ceased operating in 1971, but it still stands in proud tribute to the once-booming logging industry that flourished in northern Wisconsin. It’s also impressive as simply a feat of engineering, leaning as it does at a 45-degree angle maintained by counterweights.
Fred Smith Concrete Park
More impressive manmade creations await a little farther north at the Wisconsin Concrete Park on Highway 13 in Phillips, in Price Electric Cooperative’s territory. We deliberated long and hard over including this site as a roadside attraction, because we consider this
26
place to be a destination in itself, especially when combined with one of the art classes or other events that are held regularly in the adjoining classroom building. In fact, the entire compound has been a Wisconsin Favorites topic all its own (March 2014). However, the park alone, filled with whimsical concrete sculptures and free to the public year-round during daylight hours, makes for a perfect pit stop. And how do you not include a park that’s been identified by Travel Wisconsin as one of the Seven Manmade Wonders of Wisconsin? The Wisconsin Concrete Park is more of an outdoor folk museum, housing 237 concrete and mixed-media sculptures created by retired lumberjack Fred Smith and installed throughout his 16-acre property. A self-taught artist, Smith created all the life-size statues in a brief but prolific stretch starting when he was 62. Many of the statues reflect significant moments or changes in Smith’s lifetime, while others just seem to have been created for fun. Visitors can explore the statues up close and decide for themselves what they all mean.
Claire d’Loon
There’s no question about the meaning of the giant bird that greets you was you enter Mercer, in Bayfield Electric Cooperative’s territory. Located on the Turtle Flambeau Flowage and boasting more than 200 lakes in the area, Mercer is billed as the Loon Capital of the World, with the highest concentration of nesting loon pairs in the continental United States. Of all these loons, one stands out—way out. Claire d’Loon is a 16-foot, 2,000-pound loon statue perched proudly outside the Mercer Chamber of Commerce building on Highway 51. Claire can’t quite claim the title of “World’s Largest Loon,” but she is, however, the “World’s Largest Talking Loon,” demonstrating loon calls with a recently restored voice box. And although it’s not an official title, she is also very likely the world’s most photographed loon, judging from the many selfies and group photos she appears in. From cabins to UFOs to giant fiberglass birds, our list of roadside attractions covers a big variety of sites, but we know it’s just a small sampling of the many interesting little places that await in rural Wisconsin. If there’s an attraction in your area that you’d like to share, please go to wecnmagazine.com and upload a photo and a brief description. We’d love for this journey to last a little longer!—Mary Erickson
Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News
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CLASSIFIEDS MISCELLANEOUS
COLLECTOR BUYING WAR SOUVENIRS: German, Japanese, U.S. weapons, medals, helmets, daggers, swords, military items. 715-213-4565. WANTED: DEER TAGS, back tags. Trapping, bear, hunting licenses. Otter, bobcat, fisher tags. Old traps. David Schober, W4234 Rock Creek Rd., Loyal, WI 54446. 715-255-9284. USED BILLBOARD VINYLS/TARPS: Possible sizes available: 14x48=$50, 10x36=$28.80, 10x30=$24. Expired billboard faces, hemmed. Shipping and tax not included in listed price. MUST CALL FOR AVAILABILITY PRIOR TO PICK UP 800-536-7446. Vinyls can also be picked up at Jones Sign, 1711 Scheuring Road, De Pere, WI 54115. R.V. 2019 CATALINA 8’w x 38’L with 3 slide outs. At Pine Cove Resort on Castle Rock Lake, Wi. $30,000 or offer. Call 414-322-2964. ENGLISH SPRINGER SPANIEL PUPPIES. AKC registered. Vet checked, first shots, tails docked and dew claws removed. Call or text 715-579-2547. FOR SALE: Two-person elevated deer blind. All enclosed with sliding windows & 10 steps with handrails for easy access. Cost over $600 to build. You remove, $300. 608-432-8614. FOR SALE: 1958 Working Sea King boat motor. Model #CG 7003A; 5hpr, open-drip carburetor, includes stand and manual. $100. Menomonie. 715-235-0255.
PLANTS & SHRUBS MCKAY NURSERY COMPANY-WISCONSIN GROWN SINCE 1897. Provider of quality shade & ornamental trees, fruit & flowering trees, evergreens, shrubs, perennials, ground cover & vines. Design services & delivery available. Contact Eric at ezlandscapewi@gmail.com or call 608-909-1962 “Your McKay Independent Sales & Service Provider.”
REAL ESTATE
UPPER MICHIGAN. 1800’ of Lakeshore, 35 acres, pristine lake. Near trout streams, golf, casino, ski, snowmobile trails. Surrounded by Ottawa Forest. Very private. $297,000. 715-495-2081 or 715-495-3244. FOR SALE: 40+ acres; cabin, pole building, new holding tank, stream, 2 ponds, no utilities. New Lisbon area. $150,000 or offer. Call 414-322-2964. HUNTERS/SNOWMOBILERS/HORSES PARADISE in Marathon County. Beautiful 3 bedroom/3.5 bathroom home in 14 acres + 43 additional acres available. Trophy whitetails and turkeys abundant. Also great place to raise horses. Google 201696 Bentley Road, Rosholt WI 54473 to see many pictures and all details. This was formerly 2117 Birch Road, Rosholt WI. Call Hocking Real Estate Services 715-571-1295.
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FOR SALE: HOME, 2,500 SQ FT LIVING SPACE, apple orchard, raspberry farm on 5-1/2 acres in the Town of Dewey, Portage County, 54482. 3,000 sq ft out building. Heated portion was used as a vehicle restoration and paint shop. 715-341-0725. VACATION RENTALS—Chippewa Flowage in Hayward, WI. A private 4-bedroom / 2-bath is available, and also a 3-bedroom / 1-1/2 bath is available. Docks at both locations. Year-round rentals. On snowmobile and ATV trails. Contact Jen at 715-558-2759. VACATION RENTAL. Cape Coral, FL. Beautiful 3 bedroom home on gulf access canal. 10,000lb boat lift. Weekly rental or more. Call Al. 608-295-7433.
REACH MORE THAN 181,000 MAILBOXES EACH MONTH Advertise with us! ads@weca.coop
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Classified ads reach more than 181,000 mailboxes. RATES: For non-members of Wisconsin rural electric co-ops: one insertion, $25 minimum (up to 20 words); additional words, $1.25 each. For members of Wisconsin rural electric co-ops: one insertion, $14 minimum (up to 20 words); additional words, $.70 each. Count name, address, and phone number as part of ad. Please include zip code. FOR PROOF OF MEMBERSHIP, please include your address label from your copy of the magazine. FREQUENCY DISCOUNTS: 2% discount for 3 months; 5% for 6 months; 10% for 12 months. DEADLINE: 1st of the month prior to the month in which the ad is to appear. All classified ads must be paid in advance. There is no agency discount on classifieds. Make check or money order payable to: WECA. Mail to: WECN, Attn. Jennifer, 222 W. Washington Ave., Ste. 680, Madison, WI 53703. Ph: 608-467-4638. Email jennifer@weca.coop. We reserve the right to refuse ads.
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YOUNG MEMBERS
Kids and Critters August 2020
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1. Henry is all smiles as he meets an animal at the fair. Photo submitted by Henry’s grandmother Laura Bennett, a member of Riverland Energy.
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2. Emberly is picture perfect with one of her great-grandmother’s kittens. Photo submitted by Kaylyn Taylor, a member of Central Wisconsin Electric. 3. Tenley and Boone the dog watch dad mow the lawn. Photo submitted by Tina Nosgovitz, a member of Oconto Electric. 4. Ward and Brandy wait out a long summer rain. Photo submitted by Ward’s grandparents Rick and Terry Reneau, members of Price Electric.
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Upload photos directly
to the new wecnmagazine.com through the “Submit a photo” tab. Send photos of kids with animals, along with a brief description, to WECN Magazine, 222 W. Washington Ave., Suite 680, Madison, WI 53703. Please include the name of your electric co-op. Photos will be returned. If in good-resolution, electronic format, photos may also be uploaded via wecnmagazine.com through the “Submit a photo” tab. By submitting, sender implies that he/ she has rights to and owns the image, and grants WECN permission to use the image. By submitting, the parent or legal guardian also authorizes us the right to publish the image.
What’s Your Appliance Safety IQ?
Clothes Dryer Children have been electrocuted when hiding behind dryers; some pets also like to nap there. Install a childproof lock on the laundry room door, as well as on your washer and dryer—especially front-loading models. Clean lint screen between loads, and thoroughly clean the vents and duct system at least twice a year. Make sure hoses, seals and connec�ons do not leak and are secure.
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Refrigerator
Hot Water Heater
Follow the manufacturer’s instruc�ons for maintenance.
Make sure your hot water heater is well-maintained.
Clean the coils every six months to a year.
Make sure it does not have excessive pressure buildup by tes�ng the relief valve (or have it tested) at least once a year.
Keep an eye out for dust or lint under or behind your fridge and remove it to let your refrigerator breathe. If you have young children in your home, make sure your refrigerator is not a �pping hazard. Consider using an appliance anchor that secures your tall appliance to the wall.
Ensure vents are connected securely and that the correct parts are used to avoid carbon monoxide produc�on. Have all components of the appliance inspected regularly (at least once a year) by a technician.
Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News
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