Beware of phone scams!

Electric utilities across the nation, including some cooperatives, are noticing an increase in attempted phone fraud. Often times, the caller will say they work for a particular utility, threatening immediate disconnection if they don’t receive payment over the phone. Black Warrior EMC will never call to threaten immediate disconnection and demand over the phone payments by credit card or request a member’s bank account information!

How to recognize a scam call:

1. The caller threatens immediate disconnection. Sometimes the caller will claim a crew is already en route to disconnect service.

BWEMC makes several attempts to contact members regarding any overdue bills. Disconnection is a last resort, not a first step in the process.

2. The caller insists on a prepaid debit card (often a Green Dot card) as the only acceptable form of payment.

If

BWEMC accepts several different forms of payment. A Member must already have their account set up by them in order to process any form of electronic payment. We DO NOT set up your bill pay portal.

3. The caller asks for credit card numbers, account numbers, balances or other personal information.

BWEMC Members should never give out personal information over the phone to a suspicious caller.

a member receives any call that is suspicious... HANG UP!

Then call our office at 1-800-242-2580 to inquire and report the call.

Field representatives will be clearly identified by uniform and cannot take electronic forms of payment. We do not accept hand-to-hand card payments, or e-checks.

Black Warrior EMC

Black Warrior EMC will once again participate in the Electric Cooperative Foundation scholarship program. To qualify, the student must be a graduating high school senior who is the dependent of a BWEMC member.

The award is good for four years and can be used for anything that can be purchased through the school–tuition, books, room and board, etc. The money is awarded directly to the school of the student’s choosing. Applications are available from high school guidance counselors, at the Black Warrior EMC office in Demopolis, or by calling the office at 334-289-0845

The deadline for applications is February 17, 2023.

My husband loved to build things out of wood. He built houses, churches and trains. I’m so proud. SUBMITTED by Nyoka Chandler, Guntersville.

I made this for my grandson. My first time building a rocking horse. SUBMITTED by Ray Bell, Newville.

I’ve been wood carving for about 30 years. SUBMITTED by Jerry Cochran, Summerdale.

Stephan H. Scott made this boat from a pine tree that fell on our property after a storm and named the boat after his grandmother. SUBMITTED by Marilyn Scott, Elberta.

One of my ancestors whittled this. All of it is one piece - no pieces of it are separate. SUBMITTED by Rhonda Mosley, Andalusia.

A friend of mine did this woodburning of my dog, Gypsy, from the included picture. SUBMITTED by Susie Burgess, Hartselle.

My Daddy made heart shaped jewelry boxes out of cedar for every female in his family. SUBMITTED by Joyce Pickett, Fitzpatrick.

| Deadline: February 28

Co-ops respond to devastating severe weather

Numerous strong to severe thunderstorms cut through central Alabama on Jan. 12, and several of those storms spawned significant tornadoes, according to the National Weather Service. An EF3 tornado that tracked from Autauga County into western Chambers County had a longtrack path of over 76 miles and was at least 1,500 yards wide; this tornado caused seven fatalities and 16 injuries.

This storm left more than 9,000 Central Alabama EC members without power, and the co-op needed to replace more than 300 poles. Several sister co-ops responded to help Central Alabama with the restoration of power: Dixie EC, Marshall-DeKalb EC, Tallapoosa River EC, Baldwin EMC, Clarke-Washington EMC, Cullman EC, Coosa Valley EC, Black Warrior EMC and Wiregrass EC sent a total of 85 men as well as trucks and materials to the affected areas in Central Alabama’s territory. They were in place by the morning of Jan. 13, and all were released by the evening of Jan. 15.

But several co-ops had their own damage to contend with. Black Warrior EMC, Pioneer EC, Southern Pine EC, Clarke-Washington EMC, Joe Wheeler EMC, South Alabama EC, Pea River EC and others saw large-scale outages from the band of storms that tore through Alabama.

Alabama’s co-ops always stand ready to help sister co-ops both in-state and across the Southeast after a devastating weather event.