January 2025 Wiregrass EC by Alabama Living

Wiregrass

Electric Cooperative

Pursuing purpose Employee Day speakers share powerful stories

WIREGRASS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE is a member-owned electric cooperative serving more than 24,000 accounts in Houston and Geneva counties in Alabama and parts of Dale, Coffee and Covington counties in southeast Alabama.

ALABAMA LIVING is delivered to some 450,000 Alabama families and businesses, which are members of 22 not-for-proﬁt, consumer-owned, locally directed and taxpaying electric cooperatives. Subscriptions are $15 a year for individuals not subscribing through participating Alabama electric cooperatives. Alabama Living (USPS 029-920) is published monthly by the Alabama Rural Electric Association of Cooperatives. Periodicals postage paid at Montgomery, Alabama, and at additional mailing ofﬁce.

ALABAMA RURAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION

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JANUARY 2025

Wiregrass Electric Cooperative and Alabama ONE collaborate to bring banking services to members in the Dothan and Samson ofﬁces.

8 Peak Demand

Winter months typically mean peak demand for electrical cooperatives. Get tips on how to beat the peak.

34 Warm up with a bowl

Nothing is better on a cold January day than a hot bowl of chili or soup. Treat yourself to one of our reader recipes!

D E P A R T M E N T S 11 29 34 40 41 46

Spotlight Around Alabama Cook of the Month Outdoors Fish & Game Forecast Cup o’ Joe ONLINE: alabamaliving.coop

ON THE COVER Look for this logo to see more content online!

VOL. 78 NO. 1

5 A new partnership

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WHALE OF A FIND

A whale skull 34 million years old found in Monroe County by Lindsey Stallworth continues to fuel interest in paleontology and hints at the possibility of a whole new species of whale.

WEC Employee Day was ﬁlled with speakers, service awards, food and rafﬂes. Payroll coordinator Blaire Padgett scoops dessert for attendees. See story Page 6.

34 WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! ONLINE: www.alabamaliving.coop EMAIL: letters@alabamaliving.coop MAIL: Alabama Living 340 Technacenter Drive Montgomery, AL 36117

Get our FREE monthly email newsletter! Sign up at alabamaliving.coop JANUARY 2025 3

Fulfilling our purpose

Board of Trustees Kip Justice District 6 President

Randy Odom District 2 Vice President Debra E. Baxley District 1 Secretary

John Clark Jr. District 3

Danny McNeil District 4

Tracy Reeder District 5

Donald Ray Wilks District 7

Sandy Wright Morris District 8 David Winstead District 9

4 JANUARY 2025

BRAD KIMBRO CEO Wiregrass Electric Cooperative Finding your purpose can really change your life and those around you. At our recent Employee Day, as we listened to inspiring stories from speakers like Walt Merrell and Tony Wood, this idea of aligning our actions with our purpose really came to life. One of the highlights was hearing from Walt, who talked about overcoming personal challenges including struggles with education, family hardships and facing a terminal diagnosis. He impressed upon us that while it’s easy to get caught up in the routines of daily life, it’s important to stay passionate about our purpose and invest our time wisely, especially with our families and communities. Instead of just going through the motions, we can strive to make a real difference every day, which is an attitude we value at Wiregrass Electric. And though we may not be perfect, it’s important to keep in mind our purpose — both individually and as a team working toward the important goal of keeping your lights on and your costs as low as possible. Walt also shared how he connected with his daughters through outdoor adventures, an area outside of his wheelhouse. It made me think about our own journey here at the co-op, how we started in the Wiregrass community in 1939 and where we’re headed in this new era of modern technology. We’re all navigating challenges and changes, but it’s through these experiences that we can persevere, build connections, find purpose and become stronger than ever before. I also want to express my gratitude to Tony from True Freedom Ministries. Hearing about his journey from addiction to helping others find freedom is always moving. His dedication to fighting the good fight and investing time wisely in family

GOT AN OUTAGE?

and personal growth aligns closely with the values we hold dear. Through faith and dedication, he’s helped countless individuals overcome addiction and rebuild their lives. Thanks to community support, including yours through Operation Round Up Foundation grants, he built Freedom House, a ministry dedicated to helping people in recovery. A recent $20,000 grant from Operation Round Up assisted with constructing a second building dedicated to helping women. Hearing about the lives changed through the ORU Foundation — a program funded by your generosity — was pretty remarkable. Since 2015, Operation Round Up has returned over $1.4 million to our communities, supporting causes and helping those in need. These testimonies reminded me of the importance of finding fulfillment in what we do. It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day routines. But let’s not forget why we’re here and the difference we’re making in our communities and our families. Whatever our role, we have purpose. Speaking of making a difference, I’m excited to share more about our new partnership with Alabama ONE Credit Union. This partnership is a step forward for us. By having Alabama ONE Credit Union offices in our Samson and Dothan operations, we’re saving money and enhancing the services we offer you, our members. For more details on the Alabama ONE Credit Union partnership and how it benefits our co-op, please turn to Page 5. In closing, I want to encourage everyone to carry forward the lessons from our Employee Day. Let’s fight the good fight, invest our time wisely and finish the race we’ve been called to run. If we can do this, I’m confident we can continue to achieve great things. n

It’s fast and easy to report power outages to Wiregrass Electric Cooperative 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Dial 888-4-MY-OUTAGE or 888-469-6882. Your outage will be automatically reported based on your phone number at your outage location.

www.alabamaliving.coop

Partnership connects

WEC members to financial services Wiregrass Electric Cooperative members have access to financial services when visiting offices in Dothan and Samson, thanks to a partnership between WEC and Alabama ONE. WEC offices in Dothan and Samson now house a full-service branch of Alabama ONE offering products such as checking and savings accounts, mortgages, land and agricultural loans, personal loans, auto loans, credit cards, insurance services and financial wellness help. Drive-thru banking is available, and ATMs are expected to be operational in the first quarter of the year. “We are thrilled to enter this partnership with Alabama ONE, which opens the door for our members to develop a relationship with a respected statewide credit union,” says Stevie Sauls, WEC vice president of member services and communication. “If they pay their electric bill at the Dothan or Samson offices, there is also the added convenience of having their financial institution on site.” Services in the two offices are scheduled for soft opening this month. The partnership with WEC is the first of its kind for Alabama ONE. Alabama ONE Credit Union merged with Alabama Rural Electric Credit Union in 2020 to serve the 23 Alabama Rural Electric Cooperatives, their employees, and members across Alabama. Today, Alabama ONE is a $1-billion plus, full-service financial institution with 30 branches statewide, 10 of which are in close proximity to electric co-op payment centers. There are now 58 Alabama counties served by the credit union. In 2020, the Alabama Rural Electric Credit Union joined the Alabama ONE family, and services were opened to employees and members of electric cooperatives around the state. The credit union has continued to grow since then to become a statewide franchise. For more information on services provided by Alabama ONE, visit alabamaone.org.

Alabama Living

WEC Service Area

Contact Information Mailing address 509 N. State Hwy 167 P.O. Box 158, Hartford, AL 36344 Phone 1-800-239-4602 Toll Free Outage “Hotline” 1-888-4-MY-OUTAGE • 1-888-469-6882 (24 hrs/day) Website www.wiregrass.coop Find us here:

Find Wiregrass Electric Co-op on Twitter (@WEC2), Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

Payment Options BY MAIL WIREGRASS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE PO BOX 70878 CHARLOTTE NC 28272-0878 WEBSITE Payments may be made 24 hrs/day by Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express and E-Check on our website at www.wiregrass.coop. PHONE PAYMENTS Payments may be made any time by dialing 1-800-239-4602. NIGHT DEPOSITORY AND KIOSKS Available at each office location. IN PERSON Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Payment kiosks are also available 24/7 in all offices. Locations: • 509 N. State Hwy. 167 • Hartford, AL 36344 • 13148 W. State Hwy. 52 • Samson, AL 36477 • 1066 Ashford Highway • Ashford, AL 36312 • 6167 Fortner St. • Dothan, AL 36305 For questions regarding sanitation service, call Houston County Sanitation Department at 334-677-4781 or Dothan City Sanitation at 334-615-3820.

JANUARY 2025 5

Finish

THE RACE you were called to

Local author inspires WEC employees to pursue purpose “At 16, I was ready to quit school and run away from home,” says Walt Merrell, standing before a room filled with Wiregrass Electric Cooperative employees during their annual Employee Day. His candor set the tone for a day centered on inspiration, reflection and the pursuit of purpose. Merrell, a district attorney in Covington County and author, recounted his challenging upbringing marked by family abuse and the early departure of his brothers. A bribe from his oldest brother convinced him to stay in school — a decision that led him to become the first in his family to graduate from high school and college. “I wanted to do something meaningful in life. I wanted to have purpose,” he says, reflecting on his thwarted attempts to join the Navy’s Judge Advocate General Corps due to medical disqualifications. After facing rejection, he worked at a law firm. “I spent years chasing money, and the longer I did, the less fulfilling my work became,” Merrell said. The turning point came with the birth of his daughter. Looking at her through the hospital window, he realized, “I spent an awful lot of time chasing something that had very little value.” This epiphany led him to refocus on his family and purpose, ultimately joining the district attorney’s office, even though it meant earning less. “We live in a world where we are trained to believe that money is the most valuable thing there is,” he told the audience. “But in fact, time is.” Merrell’s journey took another dramatic turn when he was diagnosed 6 JANUARY 2025

with terminal sarcoma and given two years to live. “The value of my time became tremendously more significant,” he said. Determined to make the most of it, he sought to bond with his daughters through outdoor adventures, despite having no prior experience. These adventures inspired his book, “Shepherding Outdoors,” which has since become a four-volume series. Each employee received a copy, symbolizing the day’s message of finding common ground and purpose. “Recognize that things are going to get tough,” Merrell says. “You’re going to have people that oppose you because you’re trying to pursue your passion with a purpose. But don’t quit. Finish the race that you were called to.” Following Merrell’s speech, Tony Wood took the stage to share his journey from addiction to becoming a beacon of hope for others. As the founder of True Freedom Ministries and Freedom House, Wood dedicates his life to helping individuals overcome addiction through faith. “I just don’t believe once somebody’s an addict, they’re always an addict,” Wood says. “Whoever the Son sets free is free indeed.” He spoke about the challenges of establishing Freedom House, which now houses 24 men and has aided 43 men and six women in their recovery journeys. Funding was a significant hurdle, but Wood expressed deep gratitude for the support from Operation Round Up, the charitable arm of WEC. Since 2015, Operation Round Up has returned over $1.4 million raised by

members to the communities it serves. Overseen by a board of nine unpaid volunteers, the program provided crucial funding to Freedom House, including a recent $20,000 grant for air conditioning at the women’s facility. “The Lord always carries His mission out one way or the other,” Wood says. WEC CEO Brad Kimbro addressed employees, emphasizing the importance of service and community. “We’re going to continue to pull on the same rope, have the same goal, have the same focus and be the best we can be for our membership because that’s what our membership deserves,” he said, acknowledging the hard work and dedication of the staff, senior leadership and board members. The day wasn’t all speeches. Employees enjoyed a catered lunch, received service awards and participated in raffles. But it was Merrell’s poignant question at the end of his speech that hung in the air: “Are you fighting the good fight?” His words served as a powerful reminder to reflect on one’s purpose and passions. The Employee Day event didn’t just offer stories of personal struggle and triumph, it challenged each person to examine their own lives and the legacy they’re building. In a world that often equates success with monetary gain, the messages from Merrell and Wood ring loudly. They urged everyone to value time over money, purpose over position and faith over fear. Or as Merrell put it, “Finish the race that you were called to find purpose in.” n www.alabamaliving.coop

C i a C W m D w t K a H

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Walt Merrell is an award-winning author, district attorney for the 22nd Judicial Circuit in Covington County and avid outdoorsman. WEC honored 16 employees for their milestone years of service. From left, Dexter Tolbert and Johnny Hudson, working foremen, share conversation at the Employee Day gathering. CEO Brad Kimbro addresses employees during the annual Employee Day event at WEC’s Hartford headquarters.

RIGHT: Tony Wood is the founder of True Freedom Ministries, which provides long-term housing and guidance for men and women in recovery.

RIGHT: Kip Justice, board president, catches up with board member Sandy Wright Morris before lunch at the Employee Day event.

Alabama Living

JANUARY 2025 7

BEAT the peak A few changes can cut household electricity demand For Wiregrass Electric Cooperative members, January and February typically bring some of the coldest temperatures of the year. As people stay indoors, thermostats go up and electric blankets come out, households — and the cooperative — hit peak demand for electricity. Why is this important? For WEC, peak demand times are from 6-9 a.m. during winter. The coldest day usually sets the system’s peak demand for power, purchased wholesale from our generation and transmission partner, PowerSouth Energy Cooperative. This peak determines the fixed price WEC pays for electricity for the next year. Part of this fixed power cost is passed on to you as a monthly residential demand charge based on your household’s contribution to the peak. But you can reduce demand during peak hours, benefiting you, your neighCompare your usage bors and your cooperative.

Average Daily Usage November 650 avg temp 38.1 kWh 8% Average Daily Usage October 47.1 kWh 720 avg temp 6% Average Daily Usage September 840 avg temp 29.6 kWh 3%

days and moments of high energy use with temperature data. When you understand your energy habits, it can be easier to lower your contribution during peak times.

§ Delay running your dishwasher or doing the laundry, especially the dryer, during peak hours. § Use a programmable thermostat to turn down the temperature during peak hours or when the house is empty. If you can’t get a smart thermostat, you can manually lower the heat setting before leaving the house.

§ Keep the heat inside your home by sealing gaps around windows and doors. Consider investing in better insulation and weatherstripping. § Set your water heater’s thermostat to 120 degrees to get a comfortable temperature for most uses. Heating water is the second-largest energy expense in most homes — the first being heating and cooling. WEC is working with PowerSouth to alert members when potential peak demand days are expected this winter. Developing energy-conserving habits now will save you money during and after the peak. n

§ Keep an eye on your usage through the WEC mobile app’s “My Usage” tool. There, you can find a chart that displays usage for the last 30 days, six months or year — or you can pick custom date ranges to look back at your

8 JANUARY 2025

www.alabamaliving.coop

| Alabama Snapshots |

Heirloom quilts

Donna Grice and granddaughter Kylie Dobbins with quilt made by Donna’s husband’s grandmother, Ruth Moak. SUBMITTED by Donna Grice, Arab.

Quilt cut and pieced from my grandmother’s collection of aprons (1930-2010) for my mother Ginger Johnson Sullivan of Hueytown. SUBMITTED by Lacey Merritt, Auburn. Ryann Lambeth with hand-pieced quilt by her grandmother Jodie Bolton from scraps of her outfits throughout her childhood. SUBMITTED by Jodie Bolton, Andalusia.

Charley proudly showing off her quilt made by her 92-yearold great-great aunt Georganne.SUBMITTED by Jessica Goodson, Monroeville.

Late Great-Aunt Jodie Jackson’s quilt.SUBMITTED by Charles Runnels, Mentone.

March theme: “My art” | Deadline: January 31 Online: alabamaliving.coop | Mail: Attn: Snapshots, P.O. Box 244014, Montgomery, AL 36124 RULES: Photos submitted for publication may also be published on our website at alabamaliving.coop and on our Facebook and Instagram pages. Alabama Living is not responsible for lost or damaged photos. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope to have photos returned. Alabama Living

JANUARY 2025 9

Spotlight | January

Whereville, AL

DeSoto State Park is one of several that will have First Day Hikes in January. PHOTO BY BILLY POPE

First Day Hikes aim to get everyone outdoors What better way to kick off the new year than by burning off those extra holiday calories in the great outdoors? First Day Hikes are part of a nationwide initiative led by America’s State Parks to encourage people to get outdoors. On New Year’s Day, hundreds of free, guided hikes will be organized in all 50 states, including several in Alabama. The distance and rigor vary from park to park, but all hikes aim to create a fun experience for the whole family. The First Day Hikes for 2025 are scheduled at the following Alabama State Parks: Cheaha, Chewacla, DeSoto, Gulf, Joe Wheeler, Lake Guntersville, Lakepoint, Monte Sano, Oak Mountain, Rickwood Caverns and Wind Creek. For more information about specific parks, visit Alapark.com; for more about the First Day Hikes, visit stateparks.org/special-programs/first-day-hikes/ Of course, if you’re unable to hike on Jan. 1, the Alabama State Parks are open year-round with more than 450 miles of trails.

Find the hidden dingbat! Our readers had fun finding the hidden gingerbread house in the photo of Sam Gay on Page 20 of the December magazine. Molly D. Smith of Andalusia wrote us that she “screamed when I found it because this is the first dingbat I’ve found since moving here in 2021! It made my entire day!” Glad we could help, Molly! Susan Johnson of Gulf Shores writes, “My family and I love making gingerbread houses. Even though we have adult children, it’s still a fun activity for all during the holiday season!” Sherry Law said she finally found the dingbat and now “my eyeballs hurt!” We hope you don’t strain your eyes this month trying to find the tea cup we’ve hidden in honor of National Hot Tea Month. Remember, it won’t be in an ad or on pages 1-8. Congratulations to Evelyn Miller of Millry, January's randomly drawn winner of a gift card from Alabama One. By email: dingbat@alabamaliving.coop By mail: Find the Dingbat Alabama Living PO Box 244014 Montgomery, AL 36124 10 JANUARY 2025

Sponsored by

Identify and place this Alabama landmark and you could win $25! Winner is chosen at random from all correct entries. Multiple entries from the same person will be disqualified. Send your answer with your name, address and the name of your rural electric cooperative, if applicable. The winner and answer will be announced in the February issue. Submit by email: whereville@alabamaliving.coop, or by mail: Whereville, P.O. Box 244014, Montgomery, AL 36124. Contribute a photo you took for an upcoming issue! Send a photo of an interesting or unusual landmark in Alabama, which must be accessible to the public. A reader whose photo is chosen will also win $25. December’s answer: In May 1844, Episcopalians in Uniontown and Marengo County united to form Union Parish. After the donation of this site in Uniontown in 1847, ladies of the congregation diligently worked to raise sufficient funds for the construction of the first church. In 1900 the frame building was replaced by a brick church through the generosity of Mrs. Maria Price Davidson as a memorial to her late husband, Alexander C. Davidson. The Holy Cross Episcopal Church is regarded as a rare example in the Deep South of the Arts and Crafts style as expressed in religious architecture. (Photo by Allison Law of Alabama Living) The randomly drawn correct guess winner is Dale Givens of Sand Mountain EC.

State holds trapping workshops The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) is offering a series of trapping education workshops during select weekends this winter. The workshops provide instruction on the historical aspects of trapping, the biology of furbearers, and how to use trapping as a sound wildlife management tool. The workshops are open to anyone ages 7 and up. A $10 registration fee applies. To register, visitoutdooralabama.com/trapping. Upcoming dates and locations: Jan. 4-5, 2025, Leeds; Jan. 1819, Atmore; Feb. 1-2, Hollywood; Feb. 15-16, Spanish Fort; Feb. 22-23, Troy. www.alabamaliving.coop

January | Spotlight

Take us along! We’ve enjoyed seeing photos from our readers on their travels with Alabama Living! Please send us a photo of you with a copy of the magazine on your travels to: mytravels@alabamaliving.coop. Be sure to include your name, hometown and electric cooperative, and the location of your photo.We’ll draw a winner for the $25 prize each month.

Frank, a Navy veteran, and Jackie Clair from Foley, members of Baldwin EMC, had their magazine as they passed by the control tower of the Atlantic Panama Canal locks. Jackie wrote that is was “so nice to have our flag on this cover with the history of the two countries.”

Mackenzie Bockhold, daughter of Don and Sandi Bockhold, members of Cullman EC, traveled to Japan where she vacationed after graduating from the chemical engineering doctoral program at Auburn University.

South Alabama EC member Pam Pearlstein traveled to Paris with her husband, Dr. Todd Pearlstein. This photo was taken on the steps of the Basilica Sacre-Coeur du Montmartre.

Roy McMullin, a member of Dixie EC from Montgomery, traveled to the Mark and Kirche Cathedral in Weisbaden, Germany. Kathryn Tipton of Ariton, a member of South Alabama EC, took her magazine to Manaus, Brazil.

John and Sue Lide, members of Pioneer EC and Baldwin EMC, went on a cruise to Nova Scotia and Port Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island with their copy. Alabama Living

Jon and Karen Drisko of Troy took South Alabama EC board member Delaney Kervin along with them when they hiked the Appalachian Trail.

Terry and Becky Hicks of Bryant, members of Sand Mountain EC, took a cruise and carried the magazine off the island of Bimini in the Bahamas. JANUARY 2025 11

A history of Alabama in ten objects

By Scotty E. Kirkland

he Alabama Department of Archives and History (ADAH), the home of our state’s history since 1901, includes the Museum of Alabama, the state’s official history museum. More than 30,000 people visit the museum every year, including thousands of schoolchildren. There they find delights and curiosities aplenty, particularly in Alabama Voices, the centerpiece exhibit that covers the dramatic unfolding of Alabama history from the dawn of the 1700s to the beginning of the 21st century. More than 800 artifacts and hundreds of images and documents tell the story of struggles over the land, the rise of a cotton economy, the Civil War and Reconstruction, industrialization, world wars, civil rights, the race to the moon and much more. A “top ten” list for an exhibit such as Alabama Voices is a subjective thing, influenced by age, personal interests and any number of persuasions. This, of course, is the beauty of a well-designed museum: There is something for everyone. In late May 2025, Alabama Voices will close temporarily for updates reflecting recent scholarship, new artifact donations and upgraded audiovisual components. This work is part of a series of improvements as the ADAH prepares to mark 125 years of service to the people of Alabama and for the 250th anniversary of the founding of the nation in 2026. The objects listed will remain on exhibit once these renovations are completed. 12 JANUARY 2025

Portrait of William McIntosh Born ca. 1775, William McIntosh was the son of Senoya of the Wind Clan and Captain William McIntosh, a trader from a prominent Georgia family. In time, young McIntosh became head of the tribal town of Coweta and an important Creek figure. Brothers Nathan and Joseph Negus, itinerant artists from Massachusetts, painted the portrait at McIntosh’s request in the spring of 1821. His clothing depicts a mixture of Native, European and American cultures, clues to his own sense of fashion and identity in an era that witnessed both the blending of cultures and sometimes violent displacement of those who first called the land of Alabama home. Four years after the portrait was completed, McIntosh was executed by order of the Creek National Council for signing an unauthorized land treaty with the U.S. government. In 1832, his son sold the portrait to the owner of a Columbus, Georgia, tavern, where it remained for 90 years until one of the owner’s descendants sold it to the ADAH in 1922. Note: The painting is currently undergoing a professional cleaning and conservation offsite. A photographic reproduction is currently on view in Alabama Voices.

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Key to the State Capitol at Cahaba Four locales served as Alabama’s capital city before Montgomery. St. Stephens was the territorial capital from 1817 to 1819. Huntsville was the temporary capital at statehood in 1819. Soon thereafter, Cahaba (sometimes spelled Cahawba) in Dallas County took the honor. It was a controversial choice but the site favored by Gov. William Wyatt Bibb. A land rush ensued. Cahaba lots that once sold for $1.25 an acre soon fetched $60. The nascent government of the state grew quickly in the Black Belt soil. By 1821, there was a well-appointed state house, multiple other buildings and businesses and more than 1,000 residents. But the bubble burst in 1825 when the Legislature voted to relocate the capital to Tuscaloosa. The streets of Cahaba quickly fell quiet. Today, little remains of this early capital city. The site is now an archaeological park managed by the Alabama Historical Commission. A “ghost structure” offers a glimpse of the state house.

Perote ballot box During the turbulent years of Reconstruction, the ballot box became a powerful symbol of both freedom and fraud. Under Congressional Reconstruction, which began in 1867, federal officials oversaw the registration of eligible Alabama voters ahead of statewide elections. Those voters included, for the first time, African American men, who were registered alongside white men as free citizens of the state. Efforts to control voting access were frequent, through various means including manipulation, intimidation and violence. This simple ballot box from Perote, Bullock County, is a reminder of a time in Alabama’s history when voting was an act of courage and a symbol of hard-won freedoms.

Textile loom

A hulking piece of machinery helps visitors understand the scale of the industrial era. Textile manufacturing is one of Alabama’s oldest industries. By the turn of the 20th century, towns like Huntsville, Opelika and Sylacauga were major cotton mill centers. In the 1930s, the Draper Corporation built this textile loom for the West Point Manufacturing Company, which operated several cotton mills in east Alabama. Before its acquisition for Alabama Voices, the loom was preserved in Langdale Mill by the City of Valley. Alabama Living

Civil War flag Members of the Young Men’s Secession Association of Mobile were presented with this flag on Dec. 18, 1860, two days after South Carolina seceded from the Union. On Jan. 5, 1861, Alabama volunteers under this flag captured Fort Morgan from Union control. The following week, delegates gathered in Montgomery and voted to secede. The flag flew above Fort Morgan until March 13, 1861. Curators swap out the Civil War flags displayed in Alabama Voices on a regular basis. The ADAH has one of the largest collections of Civil War flags in the country and a robust, privately funded conservation program. Since 1991, 28 flags have been conserved at a cost of more than $350,000. The banner of the Young Men’s Secession Association was conserved in 2009 at a cost of nearly $21,000.

B-24 propeller After the United States entered World War II in December 1941, government, industry and private citizens mobilized in support of victory. Approximately 300,000 Alabamians donned service uniforms during the war. More than 6,000 lost their lives. In Alabama, military bases expanded, and new ones appeared. Many of its shipyards, ordnance works, coal mines, iron furnaces, lumber mills and textile mills adapted to serve new wartime purposes. Four-engine B-24 Liberators were flown to Alabama for alterations at the B e c h t e l - Mc Cone-Parsons Birmingham Modification Center before deployment overseas. JANUARY 2025 13

Nudie Cohn didn’t make suits for just anyone. The Ukrainianborn tailor, who arrived in America at the age of 11, was known for his elaborate, colorful costuming of rodeo performers, actors and radio stars. A “Nudie Suit” was a flashy, sequined status symbol. Hank Williams’ “Nudie Suit” on display in Alabama Voices is conservative by Cohn’s standards. Still, the rich layers of the Hank Williams’ suit Butler County crooner abound in the exhibit case. It features the Gibson guitar he played early in his career, including some of his first appearances on the Grand Ole Opry, as well as posters and sheet music. Handwritten lyrics to the 1949 song “When You’re Tired of Breaking Other Hearts” includes a mournful reminder that the hillbilly Shakespeare’s time on earth was tragically short. “This is Hank’s own hand writing” reads a note at the bottom. The authentication was written by his mother, Jessie Skipper, after Williams died in January 1953 at the age of 29.

Robertson camera Montgomery photographer Paul Robertson witnessed history through the lens of his camera. Robertson’s photographs of civil rights protests appeared in major newspapers and magazines across the United States. In 1956, Robertson snapped an image of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. having his booking photograph taken after an arrest during the pivotal Montgomery Bus Boycott, the event which launched a decade-long period when African Americans carried out a succession of protests to claim their rights as citizens.

Harper Lee’s Medal of Freedom In 2007, President George W. Bush presented Alabama author Nelle Harper Lee with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest award given to a civilian by a president. To Kill a Mockingbird had “influenced the character of our country for the better,” President Bush said. He called the novel “a gift to the entire world.” A bestseller since its 1960 release, the book was awarded the 1961 Pulitzer Prize and adapted into an award-winning film. Lee’s literary triumph has been translated into more than 40 languages.

Museum of Alabama

(Located on the second floor of the Alabama Department of Archives and History) 624 Washington Avenue, Montgomery, AL archives.alabama.gov Museum Hours: Monday – Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed all state and federal holidays 14 JANUARY 2025

Bendolph quilting photograph One of the final images in the exhibit is a photograph of Gee’s Bend quilter Louisiana P. Bendolph, taken by Mark Gooch as a special commission by the ADAH called “Our Alabama.” Bendolph is seated in her family home, working on a quilt alongside other members of her family. The younger generations depicted are the inheritors of the Alabama quilting tradition that Bendolph and others received from their mothers and grandmothers. What better way to conclude an exhibit chronicling 300 years of Alabama—and Alabamians—than with the idea that all of us, young and old, can be the inheritors of such rich history, such boundless promise. www.alabamaliving.coop

Alabama Living

JANUARY 2025 15

Monroe County whale skull continues to fascinate By Emmett Burnett

whale skull more 34 million years old found in Monroe County continues to fuel interest in paleontology and hints at the possibility of a whole new species of whale. Lindsey Stallworth, a junior at the Alabama School of Mathematics and Science in Mobile, drew national attention when she and her biology and paleontology teacher Drew Gentry made an amazing discovery. While searching for fossils on her parents’ Monroe County property in 2023, the duo unearthed the skull. USA Today, The Washington Post, Smithsonian Magazine, television, social media, and news outlets of international note chronicled Monroe County’s whale of wonder. Today the skull resides at her school’s Paleontology Lab. Far from idle, the cranium’s story continues to evolve with research,

cleaning, and preservation. How it got here is a whale of a tale that started with a bag of shark’s teeth. In early 2023, Lindsey, then age 16, brought a bag of shells and shark teeth to school. Such artifacts are common in her Monroe County home area. “Many families in Monroe County have properties chock full of fossils, seashells, and other bone fragments,” Lindsey says. “We are used to finding these things and often compare fossils we have obtained.” She showed her collection to Gentry, who holds a Ph.D. in biology with expertise in paleontology. “I was particularly interested in the shark teeth she had,” Gentry recalls, from the Paleontology Lab which houses such ancient bones. “I asked Lindsey could she take me to where she found the teeth.”

Dr. Drew Gentry and Lindsey Stallworth with the 34 million-year-old whale skull set in plaster in Perdue Hill, in Monroe County, Alabama. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ALABAMA SCHOOL OF MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

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Lindsey excavating whale fragments at the Perdue Hill whale site. PHOTO COURTESY OF KELLEY STALLWORTH

In June 2023, the two visited the Stallworths’ property at Perdue Hill in Monroe County. Gentry recalls, “There were tiny pieces of bone scattered on the hillside. The pieces were getting bigger as we walked up the hill.” And then, there it was. Shrouded in rock and earth, the whale skull protruded from the ground like the tip of an ancient iceberg. Initially, the two did not know what it was. “When seeing it, I knew this was some sort of fossilized bone but had no idea what it might be,” Gentry recalls. Lindsey, now 17, adds about her first encounter with the head of bygone years: “I was shocked that it could actually be here. You hear about big whales and dinosaurs and all that fun stuff but never think about it being on your family’s land.”

Meticulous excavation

Many days of work ensued. Using dental picks, the two meticulously excavated the four-foot long skull from a creature that swam here when Monroe County was an ocean. Gentry estimates the whale was about 20 feet long. It could have died a natural death or it could have been eaten with its bones spit out. “Judging by the size of shark teeth, some four inches long, discovered in the area,” he says, “we are talking about sharks the size of a Greyhound bus. As the whale went down, other animals feasted on it too, causing bones to disperse all over the ocean floor.” Fast forward 34 million years to now, when Perdue Hill is not 100 feet below saltwater. Days turned into weeks of digging. In addition to the whale’s skull, other bones of its anatomy were unearthed. A tooth was discovered. “Once we found that tooth, we were able to identify that the skull belonged to a whale,” Gentry says. The discovery was taken back to the Alabama School of Mathematics and Science’s Paleontology Lab in several trips. “The discovery was so large it was moved it in several pieces,” recalls Kelley Stallworth, Lindsey’s mom, about the skull and other bones loaded in a U-Haul trailer. “The big hole the skull left is still here on our land.” The animal’s age was in part determined by a U.S. Geological data survey conducted previously on the area’s rock formations and land. In addition, Jun Ebersole, director of collections at the McWane Science Center in Birmingham, estimates the whale skull to be approximately 34 million years old, based on the soil and rock the bones were embedded in. “Actually, 34 million years is a young fossil for Alabama,” Ebersole notes. “This state has fossils dating back 500 million years.” 18 JANUARY 2025

Lindsey examines a block of chalk and clay containing portions of the whale’s lower jaw. PHOTO BY EMMETT BURNETT

He notes that the new discovery was from a time after dinosaurs and during the beginning of the age of mammals, including great big whales. The creature that possessed the head of antiquity is possibly related to a whale species, Zygorhiza kochii, according to Gentry, that lived during the Oligocene epoch period.

Years of research ahead

Gentry also notes the skull could be a new species which would make the find much more significant. All agree the research and more definitive answers about the ancient animal will take months, indeed years to process. “It’s not like what you see in ‘Jurassic Park,’” says Gentry. “Unlike the movies, ancient skeletons are rarely intact. This one is scattered all over the place.” Meanwhile, Lindsey, the daughter of Tom and Kelley Stallworth, is a high school senior. She continues her work, devoting hours daily to cleaning and researching the prehistoric being. “It had lots of teeth,” she says with a smile, while demonstrating the tedious chore of cleaning the jaw bones and dental structures. “I was amazed when I first saw the skull,” she notes. “Knowing something that old once lived on our property, was hard for me to process. I was amazed then and I am now.” She, Gentry, and others continue to visit the Monroe County site, excavating and retrieving the sea creature’s bones. The process may take years to complete. As a paleontologist, Gentry has participated in many excavations. “But I cannot think of anything that could beat this,” he says about the whale adventure. “This is right there at the top but not just from the perspective that I found something interesting. This whale has the potential to contribute great things, not just in a scientific perspective but also in a teaching perspective, getting students more engaged in paleontology.” Lindsey is considering college and career choices including biology, marine science, or fisheries. “I love the ocean. I love the water. I want to be in it and working on it,” she says. “Fish is a great resource to feed everyone. I want a career that helps the sustainability of fish.” In the summer of 2024, the team returned to Monroe County, digging, pulling out ribs, bits of skull, and shoulder girdles. The processing continues. “The bone is very flaky,” Lindsey explains, “so much care and tiny tools are used to gently scrape rock from bone.” For Lindsey Stallworth, Drew Gentry, and others involved in the task, both onsite and back in the lab, much work is ahead in a whale of a story. www.alabamaliving.coop

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First of two parts

The ever-changing, fast-growing demand for electricity How the increasing need for power affects electric co-ops and their members

By 2022, data centers accounted for 2.5% of the nation’s consumption of electricity––and by 2030, they’ll use 7.5% of all electric power. PHOTO COURTESY MANUEL GEISSINGER, PEXELS

By Scott Flood

hen rural electric cooperatives first strung power lines accounted for 2.5% of the nation’s consumption of electricity–– from farm to farm, across arroyos, and through remote and by 2030, they’ll use 7.5% of all electric power. forests less than a century ago, most members had but a Data centers and facilities like warehouses require a large, handful of light bulbs to power. With time, they added appliancsteady supply of electricity 24 hours a day. That means the electric es like refrigerators, but we’re sure they couldn’t begin to imagco-ops supplying them can’t rely on intermittent sources of elecine the number and variety tricity such as solar or wind enof electrical devices in today’s ergy to handle the additional homes and garages. load. Instead, they need more Across the U.S., people use of what’s known as baseload or a growing amount of electricalways-available power, much ity at work, at home, and with of which is currently generatthe growth of electric vehicles ed by burning fossil fuels. The (EVs), even on the road. more we depend on technoloThe demand for electricity gy, the more we’ll need reliable increased by 2.5% in 2024 and baseload generation. is expected to grow by 3.2% Yet that’s a problem, bethis year. That was after co-ops cause at the same time Amersaw a 4.8% increase in 2022. icans are using more electricThrough 2029, the nation’s ity, power providers are being peak demand is projected to forced to shut down reliable Across the U.S., people use a growing amount of electricity at work, at grow by 38 gigawatts. That home, and with the growth of electric vehicles (EVs), even on the road. sources of baseload power would be like adding another such as coal and nuclear power PHOTO COURTESY ANDERSEN EV, PEXELS California-sized state to our plants. Many large coal plants nation’s power grid. have been converted to use cleaner-burning natural gas, but othThe rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) is driving the ers have been deemed too costly to convert and are prematurely development of massive data center facilities, often placed in being shut down. More than 110 gigawatts of always-available electric co-op service territories to take advantage of inexpensive generation—enough to power about 35 million homes—is foreland and fewer neighbors to complain. By 2022, these facilities cast to retire by 2033.

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The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s forecast expects coal-fired generation to drop to half of today’s levels by 2030. Renewable energy will capture a growing share of the supply, but as noted, much renewable energy is not reliable enough to provide baseload power. As electricity powers a growing share of life’s tools and conveniences, overall demand is expected to continue its steady growth through 2050. A great example is the efficiency of electric heat pumps. Federal and other subsidies and tax advantages are powering significant growth in their share of the home heating market. In other words, at the same time everyone is using more electricity than ever, the supply of the most reliable source is drying up. Add in the uncertainty created by public policy debates around energy and climate change, and you can begin to understand why 19 states face a high risk of rolling blackouts between now and 2028. The energy industry studies demand closely because construction of all types of generation is costly and lengthy––often longer than a decade from groundbreaking to entering service. As renewables become more efficient and cheaper to produce, their share of the power mix will only continue to grow. Someday soon, battery technology may reach the point where large-scale storage of renewable generation becomes possible, but until then, we’ll need more of those always-available power sources. One more factor plays a key role in the ability of co-ops and the rest of the nation’s power industry to keep up with demand. That’s the supply chain, in which too few U.S. suppliers simply can’t keep up with the nation’s needs for power equipment. When a co-op orders new transformers, it may have to wait two years or more for delivery and pay a significantly higher price. Expect to hear more about the challenges created by record demand for electricity in the coming years. In part two of this article, we’ll examine some of the innovative ways electric co-ops are managing and preparing for demand.

Facilities like warehouses and factories require a large, steady supply of electricity 24 hours a day. PHOTO COURTESY MANDIRI ABADI, PEXELS

For more than four decades, business writer Scott Flood has worked with electric cooperatives to build knowledge of energy-related issues among directors, staff and members. Scott writes on a variety of energy-related topics for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the national trade association representing nearly 900 electric co-ops. 22 JANUARY 2025

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| Worth the drive |

Flavors Bakery lives up to its name

“Gems” are made from brioche dough and topped with a chocolate, fruit or cream cheese filling. Sweet rolls are in the background.

Any drop cookie flavor can be made into a sandwich cookie with your favorite icing flavor.

Story and photos by Allison Law

lavors Bakery, with its collection of vintage kitchen appliances, cookie tins and other decor, fits nicely in the historic warehouse in Cullman where it’s been for more than 12 years. For owner and baker Lisa Durcholz, collecting the antiques is one of her passions; “People will come in and say, ‘Oh, my mom had that,’ or ‘I had one of those.’” The vintage pieces are a lovely complement to the decor, but what brings in the patrons are the sweet and savory goodies behind the glass cases and in cookie jars, which are fresh and made from scratch every day. “I don’t do this because I’m making lots of money, because I’m not,” Durcholz says at the end of a long day at the bakery, which for her begins long before the sun comes up. “It’s here because I just love doing it.” For Durcholz, a Cullman native, the historical downtown is the perfect spot for Flavors Bakery, which sits among boutiques and other retail businesses in this redeveloped area. The bakery gets many visitors who come to shop in the area and then stop in for a treat, but “we’ve had some people who like bakeries like I do,” she says. As they’re going down I-65, they look into whether there are any bakeries around. Of course there are the regulars who are local, who come in for a specific treat or cup of coffee. “I love to see the little kids come in,” she says, though she’s been in business long enough now that the little ones aren’t so little. “Every once in a while, I’ll say, ‘how did you get so big?’”

Career move, back home

She was born and raised in Cullman, and after college ended up in Michigan, Tennessee and Indiana, where she met her husband. She worked in the information technology (IT) field, which she enjoyed, but after her husband died, she wanted to do something different. She decided to go to culinary school because she’d always loved to bake; she had lots of family still in Cullman, so she returned home to start a new career path. “The bakery that had this space, she was vacating, so the timing

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was real good,” she says. “We just put it all together, and here we are, 12 years later. It’s just kind of a passion for me.” She has four full time bakers and one part-timer, but at Flavors everybody does everything – baking, selling, running the cash register. “We have a real good crew.” Like most cooks and bakers, Durcholz started with her grandmothers and mother, who all baked. Her mom is in her 80s and still spry and active, and lives just down the street from her. Her mom liked to bake pies, but Durcholz said cookies were easier for her. The menu includes orange and cinnamon rolls (the orange is the most popular item they sell), plus muffins, cupcakes, cheesecake bars, pie bars and some savory items, such as a crustless quiche and a strata, sometimes referred to as a breakfast casserole. It’s not a gluten free environment, but they can isolate the process to offer gluten free items. The bakery uses Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free flour for cupcakes and brownies, and they can also do some vegan items. She’s occasionally asked about opening a second bakery, but that’s not even a consideration. “I wouldn’t even want to do two,” she says; as a bakery that does everything from scratch, it’s impossible to get the right consistency at another location. “There are places that take their recipes and make mixes out of them. When you have someone who has a franchise, that’s what they do.” She’s happy here. “It’s a good place. IT was good, but it wasn’t what I wanted to do forever. … It was good when I had it, and I’m always thankful.”

Flavors Bakery 101 First Ave. NE, Suite 100 Cullman, AL 35055 256-615-2283 FlavorsBakery.com Hours: Closed Sunday and Monday; 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday

Cullman

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| Alabama People |

Abbie Stockard

Making Alabama proud Like many little girls, Abbie Stockard grew up watching pageants on TV with her mom and was captivated by the contestants. They inspired her, and she hopes to inspire others as she competes for the Miss America title on Jan. 5 in Orlando, Fla. She competed as Miss Hoover to win the Miss Alabama title in June 2024 and says the last several months have been “truly incredible.” She has advocated for cystic fibrosis, her community service initiative, and has personally raised $200,000 to promote awareness for the disorder. She met with Gov. Kay Ivey and both of Alabama’s U.S. senators and has been busy emceeing local preliminary pageants across the state and lending her name to countless other fundraising and charitable causes. Though she is required to take a year off from school as Miss Alabama, she will return to her nursing school studies at Auburn University after her reign concludes. She has been a member of the Tiger Paws dance team and a student recruiter. When she graduates in December 2026 with her nursing degree, she plans to gain one to two years of critical care experience before applying to nurse anesthetist school. We asked Abbie to talk about her experiences so far, and what she’s looking forward to. – Allison Law You’ll compete in the Miss America competition in January, is that right? Yes! Miss America is in January in Orlando, Fla. We’ll be flying to Orlando with our directors on Dec. 27. After checking into our hotels, the festivities will begin the very next day! Here’s a fun fact: Last year, Ali Mims, who is now Miss Alabama’s Teen, and I were Miss Hoover and Miss Hoover’s Teen, and we took a trip to Miss America with our director. While sitting in the audience that night, we looked at each other and wondered, “What are the odds that could be us next year?” It turns out it was! This moment is extra special because we’ll be returning to Orlando together, but this time as Miss Alabama and Miss Alabama’s Teen! How are you preparing for Miss America? Preparing for Miss America involves many aspects that go beyond what’s visible on stage. There are five competition categories: On-Stage Question, Fitness, Talent, Evening Gown, and the one-on-one 26 JANUARY 2025

interview with the judges. Through media appearances and public speaking, I’m improving my skills, which helps me feel more confident. In terms of fitness, I work out three times a week with the Miss Alabama personal trainer and maintain a balanced diet to support a heart-healthy lifestyle. I am also spending a lot of time in the studio practicing my talent which is a dance routine. Mastering the gown walk is more challenging than it seems, especially with nerves involved. The interview is where I dedicate the most time, treating it like a job interview. It’s essential to be well-versed in political and global affairs, as well as understanding the Miss America opportunity inside and out. For the past month, I’ve been doing interview prep with one of our sponsors at the Miss Alabama office, and we’ll continue with mock interviews until the competition. What will you do for the talent portion? I will be performing a contemporary dance to “You Say” by Lauren Daigle. This dance is extremely special to me. It was one of my grandmother’s favorite songs, and she picked it out for me before she passed away. She would say “Abbie, whenever you hear this song, I want you to be reminded of these things. You are worthy. You are beautiful. You are strong, and never let anyone make you think otherwise.” My hope is that when I perform this piece, it will remind people of the importance of remembering your worth and staying true to who you are. What is it like to wear that beautiful crown? Wearing the Miss Alabama crown is truly an honor. I’m not just Abbie anymore, I am Miss Alabama. Once that crown is on your head, you take on a responsibility. For me, it’s a commitment to be a light, a role model, an inspiration, and a friend to everyone I meet. It’s an opportunity to use my position of influence to be a source of power and light and to help others feel seen and valued. I could never grow tired of wearing that crown! When my year is up, someone might have to hide my crown just to stop me from wearing it! Follow Abbie on Instagram at @ missamericaal. www.alabamaliving.coop

Alabama Living

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SOCIAL SECURITY

‘SSA Talks’: Benefits available to children K athleen Romig, senior advisor in the Office of the Commissioner, joins us this month on an episode of “SSA Talks” to discuss the latest Social Security benefits available to children. These include: • Survivor benefits for children if their parent dies. For more information, please read our publication titled Survivor Benefits at ssa.gov/pubs/ EN-05-10084.pdf. • Supplemental Security Income (or SSI) for children if they have a disability or blindness and their families have limited income and Kylle’ McKinney, SSA Public Affairs Specialist, can be reached by e-mail at kylle.mckinney@ssa.gov. You may also call Social Security’s tollfree number at 1-800-772-1213.

resources. Visit our SSI webpage at ssa.gov/ssi to learn more. • Child benefits also known as “family benefits” on the record of a parent receiving retirement or disability benefits. For more information, please read our publication titled Benefits for Children at ssa.gov/ pubs/EN-05-10085.pdf. • Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits for Youth with Disabilities for adults who have a disability that began before they reached age 22. These benefits are paid from their parent’s Social Security earnings record. For more information, please read our publication titled Benefits for Children with Disabilities at ssa. gov/pubs/EN-05-10026.pdf. As an advocate and the mother of a

child with disabilities, Kathleen knows well the challenges that children and their families encounter. During the episode she discusses how Social Security benefits and SSI help children. She also explains how we are taking more proactive steps to reach children who may be eligible for our benefits and programs. You can listen to the episode on our SSA Talks webpage at ssa.gov/news/audioseries.html and subscribe to receive alerts about future episodes. You can also listen to previous episodes like “Commissioner O’Malley’s Top Priorities” and “Will Social Security be there when i retire?” For more information and news about Social Security, check out our Communications Corner webpage at ssa.gov/news. Please share this with your friends and family – and post it on social media.

New Year Crossword Across 1 12-foot high feature of Mobile’s celebration of the coming of the new year, 2 words 5 Black-eyed ____ 8 Break for a rest 11 Decisions about one’s life choices for 2025 12 Not get it right 13 Overtime, abbr. 14 “We’re number ___!” 16 _____ the habit (stops doing something that needs to change) 18 Cover of protection from the rain 19 New Year’s Eve’s celebratory loud noises 22 Eternally 24 “We’re in this love together” singer, Jarreau 25 Where Montgomery’s Downtown Countdown is happening in 2024, _____ Park 28 ____ Restaurant’s Noon Year’s Eve in Gulf Shores 30 Mexican chip with a topping 32 Good grades in exams 33 Nurse, for short 34 Astound 28 JANUARY 2025

by Myles Mellor

35 ___ ___ the New Year (celebrate in a lively way)2 words Down 1 Red wine 2 Eastern is the only type harvested on Alabama’s Gulf Coast 3 Seasoned rice 4 Join in a contest 6 Coast Guard officer, abbr. 7 Seasons 9 It’s better fresh 10 Popular meat choice for the family meal on New Year’s Day in Alabama 13 Approve 15 Type of orange 17 Freight 19 Common side order 20 ____ in the New Year at the Wharf in Orange Beach, 2 words 21 Take a rest on a sofa, say 2 words 23 Sound of hesitation 24 ____ Lang Syne song 26 Mushrooms, for example 27 Chowder morsel 29 Land of the brave and free 31 Piece of a machine 33 Email subject intro

Answers on Page 45 www.alabamaliving.coop

Around Alabama The Festival of the Cranes 2025 highlights the sandhill and whooping cranes that overwinter at the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge.

Meredith’s Miracles, Covington Center Arena and Kiwanis Building. Children enjoy a meet and greet with more than 90 characters, plus souvenirs, photos, bounce houses and more. Meredith’s Miracles is a non-profit that helps south Alabama families financially during medical emergencies. Find a weekend schedule at CookiesWithCharacters.com

Mobile USS Alabama Living History Crew Drill. See history come to life when WWII re-enactors tell the stories of the original crewmen of the battleship USS Alabama and submarine USS Drum. Date may change; visit calendar for confirmation. USSAlabama.com

JANUARY

10-12

Decatur Festival of the Cranes 2025, Wheeler Wildlife Refuge. This event highlights the annual migration of the sandhill and whooping cranes, which begin arriving in the fall and stay through mid-February. An array of cultural and educational programs for all ages will be held at sites across Decatur, including the historic Princess Theater. Children’s activities, art shows and demonstrations, plus presentations on such topics as crane conservation, falconry, bats, ecotourism and Alabama cave life. FriendsOfWheelerNWR.org

Prattville Cruising the Creekwalk 5K, Doster Memorial Community Center. Begins at 9 a.m.; this year features a new race route. Search for the event’s page on Facebook.

Through Jan. 20

natural habitat. The park offers lodging and dining packages that include VIP access to presentations, discounts at the restaurant and gift shop, photo opportunities with birds of prey, engagements with featured sponsors and access to naturalists. 256-571-5440.

Foley OWA Arts and Crafts Festival, downtown OWA. Family friendly arts and crafts show with local handmade goods, live music and kids’ activities. VisitOWA.com

FEBRUARY

MARCH

Alabama Living

Auburn 4th annual War Eagle Run Fest, outside Jordan-Hare Stadium. Half marathon, 5K and kids’ mile races, ending with a post-race tailgate with music and food. Aotourism.com

14-March 4

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Guntersville Eagle Awareness Weekends at Lake Guntersville State Park. Featuring live bird demonstrations, programs by notable speakers and guided safaris for viewing eagles in their

7-8

Mobile Mardi Gras parades. Get ready for beads, Moon Pies and candy at more than 40 parades in the downtown area, culminating on March 2 (Joe Cain Day) and March 4 (Fat Tuesday). For parade maps and up-to-date information, visit Mobile.org

24-26 and 31-Feb. 2

Orange Beach 33rd annual Orange Beach Seafood Festival and MAAAC Car show, The Wharf, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Seafood, 100 arts and crafts booths, music for the whole family, a kids’ zone and a car show featuring antique, classic and hot rod vehicles all along Main Street. Event directly benefits Orange Beach schools. Free. OrangeBeachAL.gov

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Sheffield 7th annual Northwest Alabama Farm Toy Show, Clarion Inn, 4900 Hatch Blvd. 4 to 8:30 p.m. Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Buy, sell and trade farm toys; display competition, door prizes and pedal tractor raffle. Search for the event’s page on Facebook.

Birmingham GLOW WILD, an animal lantern celebration at the Birmingham Zoo. Visually stunning lantern creations of wildlife from around the world help the zoo come alive, with hundreds of animal shapes of all sizes. Event is on select nights, so check the website for more information. BirminghamZoo.com Troy Pike Piddlers Storytelling Festival 2025. Festival begins at 6:30 p.m. Friday with supper and stories at the We Piddle Around Theater in Brundidge and continues with three storytelling concerts on Saturday at 10 a.m., 2 and 6:30 p.m. at the Trojan Center Theatre on the Troy University campus. Festival features some of the country’s top storytellers and includes pre-show music by popular old-time bands. 334-403-3394.

Millbrook Millbrook Revelers Mardi Gras Festival and Parade. Festival grounds open at 9 a.m., with more than 60 vendors on site and rides for children of all ages. Parade starts at noon after the staging at Mill Creek Park, behind the Smokehouse Bar-B-Q on Main Street. MillbrookRevelers.org

15-16

Greenville Greenville Camellia Show, Wendell Mitchell Conference Center on the LBW Community College campus, 750 Greenville Bypass. Hosted by the Greenville Camellia Society. Find more information on the society’s Facebook page.

22-23

Andalusia Cookies with Characters, sponsored by

Monroeville Monroeville Literary Festival. Visit the courtroom made famous by “To Kill a Mockingbird” for captivating readings, enlightening discussions, amusing conversations and Monroeville’s famous brand of hospitality. For a schedule of events, visit MonroevilleLiteraryFestival.com

21-22

Camden Wilcox Historical Society Tour of Homes. Eight homes, two historic churches, a reception and more at this annual event. Registration will be at the Wilcox Female Institute, 301 Broad St., from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. All proceeds help preserve historic buildings throughout Wilcox County. Guest speakers will be Julie and Luke Montagu. Various tour packages available. Tickets available at Eventbrite.com; see the society’s Facebook page for more information. To place an event, e-mail events@alabamaliving. coop. or visit www.alabamaliving.coop. You can also mail to Events Calendar, P.O. Box 244014, Montgomery, AL 36124; Each submission must include a contact name and phone number. Deadline is two months prior to issue date. We regret that we cannot publish every event due to space limitations. Alabama Living on FB instagram.com/alabamaliving

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| Gardens |

Carnivorous plants are the South’s feasting flora

ondering what plants will be in vogue in 2025? According to garden experts and influencers, this is the year for colorful, lush, resilient, native, edible and something kind of new — carnivorous — plants. If the word “carnivorous” conjures disturbing images of Audrey II, the infamous man-eating Venus flytrap-like star of the hit films and Broadway show “Little Shop of Horrors,” relax. Audrey II is a fictional plant from the planet Kepler-186, which is a real planet but it’s far, far away, that’s bent on eradicating humankind. Carnivorous plants from planet Earth, however, are helpful to humankind because they provide ecological services, a degree of pest control and possess valuable medicinal qualities. They can also be beautiful and fascinating additions to our gardens and homes. Yes, they are flesh-eating, but they only have a penchant for non-human flesh from creatures such as microorganisms, insects, arthropods, crustaceans, small mammals, Katie Jackson is a freelance writer and editor based in Opelika, Alabama. Contact her at katielamarjackson@gmail.com.

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At top, a tropical pitcher plant in the Atlanta Botanical Garden traps and digests its prey in this hanging vase-like structure. Above, several of Alabama’s public gardens are working with conservation groups to safeguard some of the state’s rare and threatened native carnivorous plants. PHOTOS BY KATIE JACKSON

birds, reptiles and amphibians, which they invite over for a meal – or more correctly, to be a meal. Also called “predatory” plants, carnivorous plants aren’t murderous by nature. In fact, the International Carnivorous Plant Society distinguishes between the two: Carnivorous plants kill to eat; murderous plants kill because they can, though they

mostly kill as a means of self-protection rather than out of malice. But why do carnivorous plants need to eat meat when they can photosynthesize? Because the boggy, swampy, watery, rocky and sandy environments where they live are typically low in nitrogen, phosphorous and other essential minerals that necessary for photosynthesis and to produce leaves, roots, stems, seeds, flowers and fruit. Since these vital nutrients aren’t available in local soils and water, carnivorous plants developed ways to obtain them from other nutrient-rich sources — their neighbors. These plants are fascinating examples of the evolutionary process, including the phenomenon of convergent evolution when organisms from different locations and eras independently develop similar traits in response to similar environmental conditions across the globe. The result is that similar though unrelated carnivorous plants can be found on every continent except Antarctica. Today, some 700-800 species are known to exist representing a fascinating array of plant types including Venus flytraps, pitcher plants, sundews, butterworts and bladderworts. Because they can’t move around to hunt or gather food, carnivorous plants developed physical characteristics that allow www.alabamaliving.coop

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JANUARY 2025 31

Garden Style Trends and Themes for 2025:

wild at several Alabama preserves and them to lure, trap and digest prey. • Bold colors and lush, textured foliage public forests in Baldwin and EscamUsing color, shape, scent and nectar bia/Covington counties: Spring is a to lure in prey, the plants snare them • Native plants and wildlife/pollinator great time to see them in their full gloin a variety of distinctive traps: snapfriendly gardening ry, but many are present from Februping “jaws” (Venus flytraps), sticky/ • Fire- and drought-resistant ary through fall. Many public gardens adhesive surfaces (sundews and butlandscapes terworts), pitfall (pitcher plants), bladand arboretums also have carnivorous • Edible landscapes plant displays and often offer semider/vacuum systems (bladderworts) • Vertical gardening nars on growing and protecting these and lobster pot snares (corkscrew plants and some pitcher plants). plants. • Social spaces and outdoor “rooms” To buy native carnivorous plants, Once a creature is trapped, the plants • Sustainable and low-maintenance keep an eye out for seasonal sales use enzymes, and sometimes symbiotgardening sponsored by preservation and conic relationships with other insects and servation groups or public gardens. bacteria, to dissolve the prey’s body, which releases nutrients that the plants Some native plant and locally owned sundews and flytraps are wonderful options for water and bog gardens and in nurseries also carry native carnivorous can then absorb. outdoor containers. All three plants can plants, and you can order an array of carAlabama is home to four primary genalso do well indoors, but key to their surnivorous plants online but always vet the era: sundews, butterworts, bladderworts vival in any location is providing proper dealer to be sure they are reputable and and pitcher plants (Venus flytraps are only native to North and South Carolina’s ethical sellers. Carnivorous plants should growing conditions — a planting media that mirrors their native habitats, lots of coastal bogs). We are second only to Flornot be harvested from the wild! sunlight and a steady supply of rainwater ida in the number of native carnivorous If flesh-eating plants don’t appeal to you, (not tap water). While outdoor-grown plant species, and we have the most Sarcheck out the various 2025 garden trend racenia (the genus of pitcher plants native carnivorous plants don’t need fertilizer or lists (see an overview at left) including the to North America) pitcher plants in the feeding, those grown indoors will need to National Garden Bureau’s (ngb.org) plants world, some of which are found only in Albe fed fresh or freeze-dried insects. of the year, for additional ideas. abama and often in tiny ranges of the state. To learn more about carnivorous While we have an abundance of carnivplants, check out information provided orous plant species, two — the Canebrake the Alabama Wildlife Federation (alabamawildlife.org), Alabama Cooperative and Alabama Green pitcher plants — are federally endangered and many others are Extension System (aces.edu), the International Carnivorous Plant Society (carnivat risk from habitat loss, fire suppression, orousplants.org), the Botanical Society wild collection and the spread of invasive of America (botany.org) and other expert species. We can help protect these populations by supporting land and plant conserand professional resources. vation and research efforts, protecting and “The Carnivorous Kingdom,” a docuproperly managing private lands where mentary film by Alabama environmental these plants are found and supporting and journalist and author Ben Raines, offers a fabulous glimpse into the world of Alaabiding by laws that restrict poaching of bama’s native carnivorous plants and can these plants from public lands. be found at pbs.org. We can also enjoy carnivorous plants in You can see carnivorous plants in the our own yards and homes. Pitcher plants, At left, among Alabama’s pitcher plant havens is The Nature Conservancy’s Splinter Hill Bog Preserve in Baldwin County. Above, the bog is home to five pitcher plant species including these White-topped and Wherryi’s Sweet Red pitcher plants. PHOTOS BY KATIE JACKSON

JANUARY TIPS  Plant shrubs, trees, roses and fruit and nut trees.

 Plant hardy annuals.  Sow seed for lettuce and other leafy greens.

 Plant hardy cool season vegetables such as cabbage and caulifl wer.

 Plant cool-season annuals such as pansies and violas.

 Prune dormant deciduous trees and shrubs.

 Order seeds for the spring and summer garden.

32 JANUARY 2025

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Alabama Living

JANUARY 2025 33

| Alabama Recipes |

Bowl of

comfort Soups, stews and chilis to warm you from the inside out. Food prepared, styled and photographed by Brooke Echols

Tropical Chili

34 JANUARY 2025

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omfort food season is here! Sometimes our favorite comfort foods tend to be a bit on the rich side, especially soups like Zuppa Toscana. We lighten up this hearty and creamy soup without sacrificing the creamy fla or you love. We keep the healthy fats like heavy cream and delicious Italian sausage and simply substi- Brooke Burks tute the potatoes with our favorite starch stand-in, hearts of palm. While hearts of palm have been around a long time, it has just been in the last fi e years that it has taken the world by storm as a healthy swap for starchier veggies and pasta. Whole hearts of palm can be found in the canned vegetable section of most grocery stores near the canned asparagus and mushrooms. Alone, they even make a great snack. Paired with your favorite soup or chowder, they are a great substitute for potatoes or pasta. Getting your vegetables never tasted so good and so comforting! For more recipes visit thebutteredhome.com. Photo by The Buttered Home

Quick Low -Carb Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana (Tuscan Soup)

COOK OF THE MONTH

2 tablespoons avocado oil 1 pound Italian sausage, ground 1/2 cup red onion, diced 2 tablespoons fresh garlic, minced 3 cups chicken broth, low sodium 14 ounces hearts of palm, sliced 12 ounces baby spinach, fresh 1 teaspoon oregano, dried 1 teaspoon basil, dried 1 cup heavy cream Shredded Parmesan cheese for garnish Red pepper flakes for garnish

Juanita Graham, Franklin EC

Using the sauté function on the instant pot, allow it to heat up. Add 2 tablespoons of avocado oil. Brown Italian sausage, onions and garlic. Drain if needed and return to the instant pot. Turn off the sauté function. Add oregano, basil, chicken broth and sliced hearts of palm. Mix well. Add in baby spinach in small bunches, stirring in well to wilt. Put the lid on, seal the vent and cook on normal or high pressure for 6 minutes. Allow the pressure to naturally release and carefully release the vent to make sure all pressure is gone before removing the lid. Slowly stir in heavy cream. Serve garnished with red pepper flakes and shredded parmesan cheese. *This recipe can also be done in a Dutch oven on the stove top. Follow all of the normal directions for browning the vegetables and sausage. Add everything in except for the heavy cream, cheese and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for 30 minutes uncovered. Add in the heavy cream as normal and garnish with red pepper flakes and Parmesan.

Alabama Living

Tropical Chili 1 pound white ground turkey 1 1.25-ounce package hot chili seasoning mix ½ cup prepared yellow mustard ½ cup maple syrup 1 15-ounce can Del Monte pineapple tidbits in juice, undrained 1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chilies, mild 1 10-ounce can Bush’s Best Chili Magic Chili Starter Optional toppings: sour cream, cheese, green onions Cook turkey in a 3-quart Dutch oven on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, with a long-handled spoon. Drain off fat, add chili seasoning, stir well; add mustard and syrup, stir well. Add pineapple and tomatoes, stir well. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, stir occasionally. Cover with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes. Add Chili Magic. Cook an additional 5 minutes, stir. Remove from heat. Serves 5.

May theme: Condiments (dips, dressings, sauces, seasoning and rub blends) | Enter by: February 7 recipes@alabamaliving.coop | alabamaliving.coop Attn: Recipes, P.O. Box 244014 Montgomery, AL 36124

JANUARY 2025 35

Onion Soup 1 stick unsalted butter 4 tablespoons olive oil 8 onions, sliced 6 cups beef broth 1 tablespoon dried thyme Salt and pepper, to taste 1 teaspoon rosemary Loaf French bread 1-2 cups mozzarella cheese 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated On medium to low heat, add butter and olive oil to a medium saucepan. Add onions, stirring occasionally until onions are tender, careful not to burn. Add beef broth, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper. Let simmer over medium heat for around 30-45 minutes, checking after 30 minutes for taste and tenderness. Preheat oven to broil. Slice French bread into about ½-1-inch slices. Butter bread and toast in broiler. Ladle soup into oven-safe bowls, place a slice of French bread on top of soup. Add mozzarella cheese and top with grated Parmesan. Place under broiler until cheese is bubbling, remove and serve warm. Angela Davis and Chasity Rodger Southern Pine EC

All-American Cheeseburger Soup 1 1 1 2 2 2

pound ground beef medium onion, chopped stalk celery, chopped cloves garlic, minced tablespoons all-purpose flour 14.5-ounce cans reduced-sodium beef broth 2 medium potatoes, scrubbed and coarsely chopped 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained 1 8-ounce package shredded cheddar and American blend cheese 1 6-ounce can tomato paste ¼ cup ketchup 2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard 1 cup whole milk Toasted buns or rolls, optional In a 4-quart Dutch oven cook beef, onion, celery and garlic over medium heat until meat is browned and vegetables are tender, breaking up meat with 36 JANUARY 2025

a wooden spoon; drain off fat. Sprinkle flour over beef mixture; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Stir in broth and potatoes. Bring to boiling, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in tomatoes, cheese, tomato paste, ketchup and mustard. Cook and stir until cheese is melted and smooth and soup just comes to gentle boiling. Stir in milk; heat through. If desired, serve with toasted buns and cheeseburger toppings. Bridget Braswell Peeler Cullman EC

Broccoli and Cheddar Chicken Soup 4-6 chicken breasts 3 carrots, diced 2-3 stalks celery (optional), diced 1 medium onion, diced 1 tablespoon butter 2-3 teaspoons flour 4-5 cups chicken or vegetable stock 1 head broccoli 3-5 cloves garlic Salt and pepper Dash of paprika 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard Dash of turmeric 3-4 small potatoes 3/4 cup white rice 1 bay leaf Heavy cream Extra sharp cheddar Nutmeg (optional) dash First boil chicken breasts, removing chicken to cool and reserving stock. Cook carrots and celery if you are using celery. Next, sauté onions in butter on medium heat. Slowly add flour to hot chicken stock. Add carrots, broccoli, garlic, salt, pepper, paprika, Dijon mustard, turmeric, potatoes, rice, bay leaf and all your ingredients until done. Add cream and cheese. Ready to serve. Tip: Add cheese to individual bowls so when you heat it back up you won't have to worry about it burning and sticking to bottom of the pot.

Onion Soup

Dickie’s Brunswick Stew 1 6-pound hen 1 3-pound pork roast 2 cups ketchup 3 cups chicken broth 3 medium onions 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 2 large cans tomatoes 2 cans whole kernel corn, drained Potatoes, diced 2 cups butterbeans Black pepper, to taste ½ teaspoon red pepper, optional Hot sauce, to taste Boil hen and save 3 cups broth to use in stew; boil pork. Let hen and pork cool, then pull meat from bones and cut into pieces. Mix all ingredients together and cook slowly for 3 hours. Stir often as it will burn and stick to the bottom of the pan. Sylvia B. Clark Baldwin EMC

Amanda Moss

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Alabama Living

JANUARY 2025 37

| Consumer Wise |

Uncover savings with a DIY energy audit Q: A:

How do I perform an energy audit on my home?

Next, look in the attic, while wearing a dust mask, to make sure it’s insulated. You may be able to see enough from the access area A home energy audit may sound daunting, but it can be using a cellphone with the flash on to take pictures. Use the tape as easy as creating a checklist of improvements based on measure to check the depth of the insulation. It should be a minwhat you see around your home. imum of 12 inches deep. This can vary depending on the type of Here’s what you’ll need to find opportunities to save energy insulation used and your geography. Insulation can become compacted over time. It should be evenand money: a flashlight, dust mask, tape measure and cooking ly distributed throughout the attic. Loose fill or blown-in insulathermometer. I recommend taking notes on your phone or a tion should be fluffy and evenly dispersed. Rolled batt insulation notepad. should fit tightly together First, check the heating without gaps. and cooling equipment. DeAlso, exterior walls should termine the age and efficienbe insulated. If your home cy of the equipment by lookis older than the 1960s, the ing up the model number on walls are probably not insuthe nameplate. The average lated. Homes from the 1960s lifespan of HVAC equipment or 1970s likely need more inis 10 to 30 years, depending sulation. Sometimes you can on the type of equipment and see wall insulation by removhow well it’s maintained. If ing an outlet cover or switch your equipment is older, it plate and using a flashlight may be time to budget for an to look for insulation inside upgrade. Check the filter and the wall cavity. Turn off the replace it if needed. power at the electrical panel Then, check the envelope to avoid the risk of electric of your home, which sepashock. Wall insulation can be rates the heated or cooled blown in from the inside or areas from the exterior, for the outside of the home. This drafts and air leakage. Feel is a job for a professional. around windows and trim for If you have a basement any drafts. Pay special attenor crawlspace, head there tion to spots where different next. Unfinished basements building materials come toshould have insulation on gether. Check under sinks for the rim joists, at minimum. gaps around pipes. Seal with This is the area between the weatherstripping, caulk or top of the foundation and expanding foam as needed. the underside of the home’s Make sure to replace infirst-story floor. Use closedcandescent or compact flucell spray foam or a combinaorescent bulbs with LEDs. tion of rigid foam and spray LEDs use significantly less Start your do-it-yourself energy audit by gathering household tools, including foam to insulate rim joists. energy and last longer than a flashlight, dust mask, tape measure and cooking thermometer. Crawl spaces should have intraditional incandescent PHOTO COURTESY MIRANDA BOUTELLE sulation on the underside of bulbs. the floor between the floor joists. Insulation should be properly Check for leaking faucets and make sure aerators and showsupported in contact with the floor with no air gaps. Water pipes erheads are high-efficiency models in good condition. The galand ductwork should also be insulated. lons-per-minute (GPM) ratings should be etched onto them. To Lastly, check the temperature of your water by running it for reduce wasted energy from using more hot water than needed, three minutes at the faucet closest to your water heater. Then fill a aerators should be 0.5 to 1.5 GPM, and showerheads should cup and measure with a cooking thermometer. Hot water should be no more than 2 GPM. be between 120 and 140 degrees. You can reduce the temperature on your water heater to reduce energy waste and prevent scalding. Miranda Boutelle is the chief operating offi er at Efficienc Services Once your home energy audit is finished, review your findings Group in Oregon, a cooperatively owned energy efficienc company. and start prioritizing home energy efficiency projects. For stepby-step instructions, visit energy.gov/save.

38 JANUARY 2025

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Alabama Living

JANUARY 2025 39

| Outdoors |

Hypothermia can strike anyone with tragic results

labama people worry more about hurricanes than snowblood flow to the skin and makes the skin feel warmer. That transstorms, but the entire state gets frosty at times. People unfer of blood cools internal organs and weakens a body’s ability to prepared for the cold can develop hypothermia, and while warm itself. Alcohol also affects a person’s decision-making ability, which could already be diminished by the cooling temperature. rare, deaths do occur. “In 2022, Alabama had 18 deaths related to hypothermia and If you encounter someone who may be at risk of hypothermia, remove any wet clothing and get that person to an external heat 10 in 2021,” says Dr. Wes Stubblefield, a pediatrician and medisource. Direct skin-to-skin contact with a warm, unaffected percal officer for the Alabama Department of Public Health. “Older son can help. If possible, build a fire. If near a vehicle or building, adults and younger children, especially infants, are more susceptible to hypothermia.” get inside and out of the wind. Turn a heater on if available. Keep the victim moving. Give the victim hot liquids, like coffee, tea or Hypothermia occurs when a body’s core temperature drops too low. Normally, a human body maintains a temperature of about soup, to help raise the body temperature. 98.6 degrees. Falling body temperatures can impair functions and Hunters, fishermen, hikers and others who enjoy outdoors even cause death. Hypothersports probably suffer the mia can even occur at temperagreatest risk of hypothermia. tures as high as 45 degrees. Boaters could fall into the water or get drenched by spray. “Hypothermia is caused by a Hunters and hikers walking in combination of factors,” Stubthe woods could sweat, soaking blefield says. “One factor is air their inner layer of clothing. temperature. The other is wind chill. If a person’s skin is wet That could cause chilling proband exposed, that person can lems as darkness approaches. develop hypothermia.” “Most of us Alabamians don’t know how to dress approWater dissipates heat. Wind priately for cold weather,” the blows heat away from a body. doctor says. “People don’t unAs a body cools muscles rapidly contract and relax as it derstand what it means to keep attempts to warm itself. People one’s head warm. Heat radiates begin to shiver. Jaw muscles from a person’s head.” also contract and relax, causing To dress properly in the extreme cold, the CDC recommends you wear An ice or snowstorm can teeth chattering. knock down powerlines, shuta hat, a scarf or knit mask that covers the face and mouth, mittens or “The body cuts off the blood gloves, a water-resistant coat, water-resistant boots and several layers of ting off power to affected arsupply to the skin to save vital loose-fitting clothing. eas. Linemen must go out in organs and a person starts to all types of weather to restore power and communications. Biting winds can batter workers up shiver,” Stubblefield says. “A person’s hands and feet get cold. Infants and older adults have less muscle tissue, so they have less on high poles. “Our employees must work in every type of weather,” says Jeff ability to compensate for heat loss.” Whatley, statewide safety specialist for the Alabama Rural ElecAs the body chills, people become disoriented. They feel extric Association. “When sleet makes driving hazardous, our peohausted and drowsy. One’s skin could turn bright red but feel cold ple are still out working in it. No matter how cold or how much to the touch. The person might deny a problem exists or even resist help. Some people become belligerent in their denial. precipitation, we must restore power because people’s lives de“As the brain starts to get cold, it impairs judgment,” Stubblepend on it.” Linemen must dress appropriately for any situation. During field says. “People have memory loss and slur their speech. It’s alcold weather, they wear layers and add or remove articles as necmost like they are drunk. If the body temperature drops below 95 essary. In addition, linemen must only wear all-natural fabrics like degrees, that person needs immediate medical attention. If people don’t get warm, they can lose consciousness. If a person passes cotton to avoid possible burns in the event of an electrical flash. In the winter, people who work outdoors need to wear thickout, that person might stop breathing as the body shuts down.” er, bulkier clothing to keep warm, but linemen often can’t do Many people drink alcohol to warm themselves. Alcohol causthat because several layers can inhibit their movements around es vasodilation, or a widening of blood vessels. This increases high-voltage power lines. When cold weather hits, watch out for each other, especially John N. Felsher is a professional freelance writer who lives in when you’re outdoors. Check on relatives, friends and neighbors. Semmes, Ala. He also hosts an outdoors tips show for WAVH Keep everyone safe. FM Talk 106.5 radio station in Mobile, Ala. Contact him at j. Find more information on hypothermia at cdc.gov/winfelsher@hotmail.com or through Facebook. ter-weather/prevention/index.html. 40 JANUARY 2025

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You’ve read and laughed along with Hardy Jackson for 10 years in the pages of Alabama Living, and now you can have 48 of his best columns all in one place! We are offering this first-ever compilation of the favorite author’s work, illustrated by the talented Dennis Auth. Just scan the QR code here, or use this form to order your copy today!

RETURN WITH $21.95 PER COPY CHECK PAYABLE TO ALABAMA LIVING MAIL TO: Alabama Living PO Box 244014 Montgomery, AL 36124 ONLINE: www.alabamaliving.coop Recipient’s Name:_____________________________ Street:_ ____________________________ City:_ ______________________________ Zip:________________________________ Phone:_ ____________________________ E-mail:_____________________________

DOUG HANNON’S FISH & GAME FORECAST 2025 JANUARY

We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Th Fr

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

FEBRUARY

Sa Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Th Fr

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

EXCELLENT TIMES A.M.

NA 1:06 - 3:06 1:54 - 3:54 2:42 - 4:42 3:30 - 5:30 4:18 - 6:18 5:06 - 7:06 5:54 - 7:54 6:42 - 8:42 7:30 - 9:30 8:18 - 10:18 9:06 - 11:06 9:54 - 11:54 10:18 - 12:18 10:42 - 12:42 11:30 - 1:30 NA A.M.

1:06 - 3:06 1:54 - 3:54 2:42 - 4:42 3:30 - 5:30 4:18 - 6:18 5:06 - 7:06 5:54 - 7:54 6:42 - 8:42 7:30 - 9:30 8:18 - 10:18 9:06 - 11:06 10:42 - 12:42 11:30 - 1:30 NA 1:06 - 3:06 1:54 - 3:54 2:42 - 4:42 3:30 - 5:30 4:18 - 6:18 5:06 - 7:06 5:54 - 7:54 6:42 - 8:42 7:30 - 9:30 8:18 - 10:18 9:06 - 11:06 9:54 - 11:54 10:18 - 12:18 10:42 - 12:42

GOOD TIMES

MOON STAGE

12:42 - 2:42 1:30 - 3:30 2:18 - 4:18 3:06 - 5:06 3:54 - 5:54 4:42 - 6:42 5:30 - 7:30 6:18 - 8:18 7:06 - 9:06 7:54 - 9:54 8:42 - 10:42 9:30 - 11:30 10:18 - 12:18 10:42 - 12:42 11:06 - 1:06 NEW MOON 11:54 - 1:54 12:42 - 2:42 PM

1:30 - 3:30 2:18 - 4:18 3:06 - 5:06 3:54 - 5:54 4:42 - 6:42 5:30 - 7:30 6:18 - 8:18 7:06 - 9:06 7:54 - 9:54 8:42 - 10:42 9:30 - 11:30 11:06 - 1:06 FULL MOON 11:54 - 1:54 12:42 - 2:42 1:30 - 3:30 2:18 - 4:18 3:06 - 5:06 3:54 - 5:54 4:42 - 6:42 5:30 - 7:30 6:18 - 8:18 7:06 - 9:06 7:54 - 9:54 8:42 - 10:42 9:30 - 11:30 10:18 - 12:18 10:42 - 12:42 11:06 - 1:06 NEW MOON

6:45 - 8:15 7:33 - 9:03 8:21 - 9:51 9:09 - 10:39 9:57 - 11:27 10:45 - 12:15 11:33 - 1:03 NA 1:09 - 2:39 1:57 - 3:27 2:45 - 4:15 3:33 - 5:03 4:21 - 5:51 4:48 - 6:28 5:09 - 6:39 5:57 - 7:27 6:45 - 8:15

7:09 - 8:39 7:57 - 9:27 8:45 - 10:15 9:33 - 11:03 10:21 - 11:51 11:09 - 12:39 11:57 - 1:27 12:45 - 2:15 1:33 - 3:03 2:21 - 3:51 3:09 - 4:39 3:57 - 5:27 4:45 - 6 ;15 5:11 - 6:41 5:33 - 7:03 6:21 - 7:51 7:09 - 8:39

7:33 - 9:03 8:21 - 9:51 9:09 - 10:39 9:57 - 11:27 10:45 - 12:15 11:33 - 1:03 NA 1:09 - 2:39 1:57 - 3:27 2:45 - 4:15 3:33 - 5:03 5:09 - 6:39 5:57 - 7:27 6:45 - 8:15 7:33 - 9:03 8:21 - 9:51 9:09 - 10:39 9:57 - 11:27 10:45 - 12:15 11:33 - 1:03 NA 1:09 - 2:39 1:57 - 3:27 2:45 - 4:15 3:33 - 5:03 4:21 - 5:51 4:48 - 6:28 5:09 - 6:39

7:57 - 9:27 8:45 - 10:15 9:33 - 11:03 10:21 - 11:51 11:09 - 12:39 11:57 - 1:27 12:45 - 2:15 1:33 - 3:03 2:21 - 3:51 3:09 - 4:39 3:57 - 5:27 5:33 - 7:03 6:21 - 7:51 7:09 - 8:39 7:57 - 9:27 8:45 - 10:15 9:33 - 11:03 10:21 - 11:51 11:09 - 12:39 11:57 - 1:27 12:45 - 2:15 1:33 - 3:03 2:21 - 3:51 3:09 - 4:39 3:57 - 5:27 4:45 - 6 ;15 5:11 - 6:41 5:33 - 7:03

The Moon Clock and resulting Moon Times were developed 40 years ago by Doug Hannon, one of America’s most trusted wildlife experts and a tireless inventor. The Moon Clock is produced by DataSport, Inc. of Atlanta, GA, a company specializing in wildlife activity time prediction. To order the 2023 Moon Clock, go to www.moontimes.com. Alabama Living

JANUARY 2025 41

r u o T h t u o Y 2025

Applications being accepted for interested high school juniors Each year, Wiregrass Electric Cooperative sends local students on a journey designed to teach them about their cooperative, their state and themselves. WEC will select 10 high school juniors to attend the 2025 Montgomery Youth Tour this spring. The cooperative will then choose two of those students to visit the nation’s capital in June. Applications are currently being accepted and can be found online. The deadline to apply is Jan. 10. Applicants must be dependents of WEC members. Sponsored by local electric cooperatives across the state, as well as the Alabama Rural Electric Association and

the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the annual tours include visits to historic sites and with legislators and a chance to meet students from all around the state and country. The 2025 Montgomery Youth Tour will be held March 11-13, while the National Youth Tour is scheduled for June 16-22. Students selected for the Montgomery Youth Tour will receive a $1,000 scholarship from WEC. The two students chosen to travel to Washington, D.C., will receive an additional $500 scholarship each.

Local students selected by Wiregrass Electric Cooperative attended the 2024 Montgomery Youth Tour. Applications for the 2025 youth tour are being accepted until Jan. 10.

ECF scholarship applications 42 JANUARY 2025

One of the many ways Wiregrass Electric Cooperative shows its commitment to its communities is through scholarship opportunities for local high school students. And each year, WEC awards a $1,000 scholarship through its Electric Cooperative Foundation to a high school senior who plans to pursue post-secondary, technical or vocational education after graduation. To qualify, the applicant must be a dependent child of a WEC member. Applications are submitted to the ECF office. Deadline to apply for the 2025 ECF scholarship is Feb. 21. Applications are available at any WEC office as well as from high school guidance counselors or online. www.alabamaliving.coop

‘Love thy neighbor’

FOOD PANTRY MANAGER DOES HIS PART TO KEEP LOCALS FROM GOING HUNGRY James Shiver sees a need in the community and does his part to help fill it, managing the Mims Hill Church Food Pantry in Geneva County. Every Wednesday and Friday, Shiver hands out groceries to those in need at the church his grandparents founded in 1964. The Mims Hill Church Food Pantry, which started about six years ago, gives out about 100 bags of groceries a month. “Plus, I get calls two or three times a week from people needing groceries,” he says. One of Shiver’s biggest challenges is often convincing others that local people would go hungry without help from a food pantry — such as the woman trying to feed her six grandchildren who live with her or a widow who was evicted after her husband died. “I guess it’s like the greatest commandment, love thy neighbor, basically,” Shiver says. “When I was growing up, people always helped me.” Shiver cooks and serves soup twice a month during colder months and volunteers at food pantries in New Brockton and Ozark. On the second Tuesday of each month, Shiver and other volunteers distribute groceries to those who pull

through a car line at the Trinity Church parking lot across from the Geneva County Farm Center. The group has handed out groceries to as many as 308 people in one day, Shiver says. There are 1,100 people registered to receive food during the monthly event. When the farm center parking lot became too crowded, Shiver says Trinity Church’s pastor didn’t hesitate to offer the church’s parking lot. Local high schools have even allowed students to volunteer.

“That’s what it’s about, everybody working together,” Shiver says. Shiver was recognized as a Silent Hero of the Wiregrass, a program that honors those whose efforts help make their community better. It is a partnership between WTVY and Wiregrass Electric Cooperative’s Operation Round Up Foundation. Shiver received a $1,000 grant, money he put back into the food pantry. The Mims Hill Church Food Pantry, located at the church on State Highway 85 in Geneva, is open on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Call 334-791-7663 for more information. Shiver says the Wiregrass Area Food Bank makes it possible for him to provide the assistance he offers. “I couldn’t have done it without them furnishing the groceries,” Shiver says. n

ABOVE: James Shiver bags food for people visiting the Mims Hill Church Food Pantry. RIGHT: In addition to volunteering at area food pantries, Shiver also makes and serves soup to those who want it. Alabama Living

JANUARY 2025 43

| Our Sources Say |

Jimmy V and Jackson – Revisited L

ast week I watched the 2024 version of Jimmy V Week that showcases some of the best basketball teams across the country to raise money for the V Foundation to support cancer research and cures. As usual, Coach Jimmy Valvano’s speech at the 1993 ESPY Awards, given while accepting the Arthur Ashe Courage and Humanitarian Award, was shown. If you have never heard it, you should take the time to look it up and watch. It is one of the most passionate, emotional and moving talks I have ever heard. This month I revisit an article I wrote in January 2018 after watching that year’s Jimmy V Week. Also, as I did seven years ago, I honor the life and courage of Jackson Conway, a very remarkable young man. Coach Valvano was a former head basketball coach who won an NCAA National Championship at North Carolina State in 1983. However, in 1993, he was in the final stages of his battle with bone cancer. Despite being close to death, he was still engaged with raising money for cancer research. He had to be assisted to the podium by his two close friends, Dick Vitale and Mike Krzyzewski. However, at the podium, Coach Valvano came to life and was full of energy and passion saying, “I am fighting cancer. Time is very precious to me. I don’t know how much I have left, and I have some things that I would like to say.” He told the ESPY Awards gathering, “There are three things we all should do every day. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. Number three is, you should have your emotions moved to tears — could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that’s a full day. That’s a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you’re going to have something special.” Coach Valvano talked about the Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research and the importance of raising money for cancer research. He said of the help you give, “It may not save my life. It may save my children’s lives. It may save someone you love. The Foundation’s motto is ‘Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.’ That’s what I’m going to try to do every minute that I have left.” Finally, in leaving the stage, he said, “I gotta go, and I got one last thing and I said it before, and I want to say it again. Cancer can take away all my physical abilities. It cannot touch my mind, it cannot touch my heart and it cannot touch my Gary Smith is President and CEO of PowerSouth Energy Cooperative.

44 JANUARY 2025

soul. And those three things are going to carry on forever.” Cancer took Coach Valvano two weeks later. There are many memorable speeches, but every so often there is a speech in the most extraordinary of circumstances that stands the test of time — a speech that continues to move people to tears and motivates them in ways they had never imagined. A speech that stays with you forever. Coach Valvano’s speech is one of those. In December 2017, I had the honor to first meet Jackson Conway. He was from Evergreen, Alabama, was 14 years old, at that time a freshman at Sparta Academy, played all sports, liked hunting and fishing, was an avid Alabama football fan, and had cancer. His cancer was diagnosed as Ewing sarcoma with a tumor on his jawbone and deposits in his lungs. We flew Jackson and his family to M.D. Anderson in Houston for treatments. Doctors removed the tumor and a large section of his right jawbone. They replaced his jawbone with a bone graft from his right lower leg, which left him with a terrible scar and in a walking boot. They also took his lower right teeth and left him with a scar under his right jaw. He was a very likable, handsome and intelligent young man. A young man that could just as easily could have been mine or yours, instead of Kristy and Terry Conway’s. He was upbeat about his situation. He talked about playing sports and deer hunting. He talked about his recent trip to Tuscaloosa, attending an Alabama football practice, spending time with the players, meeting Coach Saban, hanging out in Coach Saban’s office, and trying on his practice hat. He gave the players wristbands that had his name and favorite bible verse, Jackson Conway Jeremiah 29:11. Some of the players, including quarterback Jalen Hurts, wore Jackson’s wristbands in the game against Mercer that November. They sent him messages of encouragement. Through his treatment, Jackson was a rock of faith. He told his family, “I know I am going to be OK. Don’t worry, I am going to win this.” Jackson followed Coach Valvano’s call. He never gave up. He never quit. Jackson did all he could to help the rest of us to believe. However, God brought Jackson home on March 8, 2021 after a long hard fight without surrendering. Jimmy Valvano lost his life, and Jackson Conway’s life was lost, too. But, another person or another child’s life may still be saved. There are still thousands of people with cancer with long, hard fights in front of them. A contribution to the V Foundation is a good start. All proceeds go to cancer research and treatment. Visit www.v.org for more information. I hope you have a good month and hope you will never give up. www.alabamaliving.coop

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| Cup o’ Joe |

The 58-year-old grudge L

ater this month, the college playoffs and Super Bowl will be over. That means no more office football pools until next September. Football and office pools go together like peanut butter and crackers. Even Baptists know how they work: Everyone buys a square with a random number for each team. If your numbers match the last two digits of both team’s final score, you win the cash. And I can’t think about office pools without thinking about my dad. This story began on January 1, 1966. Alabama was playing Nebraska in the Orange Bowl for the National Championship. But there was another reason the game was so important. My dad was participating in a huge office pool. Since this was such a big game, the price of the squares were $25 each - an unheard-of number back then. This made the total winnings $2,500. Adjusted for inflation, that would be over $23,000 today. My dad didn’t draw good numbers: Alabama 9, and Nebraska 7. Consequently, the money wasn’t on his mind as kickoff approached. From the get-go, Bear Bryant’s team kept Nebraska dizzy. Alabama kicked on-sides kicks, passed from the end zone, and even threw the ball to their linemen. Nebraska was ill-prepared for such an onslaught, so Bama took a comfy 24-7 halftime lead. As the bands played, Dad was doing math. If Nebraska could finish with 7, 17, 27, or 37 points, he was halfway there. But, Alabama would need to score 15 or 25 more points to come up with a total ending in 9, Dad’s winning number. Highly unlikely. The third quarter began with Nebraska scoring a touchdown and missing a two-point conversion. 24-13. Alabama answered with a TD and made their two-point conversion. 32-13. Dad’s legs began twitching. Another touchdown by Alabama, and two more by Nebraska, and he would hit the jackpot. When the fourth quarter started, Nebraska moved down Joe Hobby is a standup comedian, a syndicated columnist, and a long-time writer for Jay Leno. He’s a member of Cullman Electric Cooperative and is very happy now that he can use Sprout from his little place on Smith Lake. Contact him at jhobby2000@aol.com.

46 JANUARY 2025

the field, scored and made the PAT. 32-20. Dad began pacing as Bama shredded Nebraska’s defense. Another easy TD made the score 39-20 with very little time left. Once Alabama kicked off, my father began cheering for Nebraska like an alumnus from Omaha. The Cornhuskers drove into Alabama territory, and with time winding down, scored a touchdown. Dad leaped, did a pirouette, and began doing a little jig. Our den was a joyous place. It’s 39-26! He began singing, ”Kick the PAT and it’s cash for me! Then my father saw Nebraska Coach Bob Devaney holding up two fingers. They were going for two. The dancing and singing stopped. Darkness fell over the room. Instantly, my father became the Spawn of Satan. His face turned red. His eyes bulged. He began cursing loudly. My dog ran out of the room. This was not stuck-in-traffic, gonna-be-late-for-the-movie, kind of cursing. What came out of my Dad’s mouth was something I had never heard before. He was using words that I still don’t know today. A few years later, I went to see “The Exorcist,” and was struck by the similarity between the possessed girl and my father. I was terrified, but strangely found myself admiring this outburst. If anger and rage was art, then dad was Michelangelo. Nonetheless, I was torn between staying in the den with Beelzebub, or hiding under my bed with the dog. I kept my seat. Mother walked in from the kitchen and watched in silence. Clearly, she did not approve of this insanity, but allowed it to go on for a few minutes. Wisely, Mom was letting steam out of the pressure cooker. Finally, she spoke. “James, that’s enough.” He wasn’t ready to give it up. “That stupid,^%#~*%#, Devaney! He didn’t even have to go for two! I was going to use some of that money to buy Joe a car next year!” Whaaat? Now it was personal. I had become collateral damage. My head snapped around, and I yelled, “That low-life, piece of crap, fat excuse of a football coach, Bob Devaney!” For the record, the game ended 39-28. Dad didn’t get the money, and I didn’t get the car, but I got a story to tell for the rest of my life. And for the record, I still don’t like Nebraska much either. www.alabamaliving.coop

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