August 2022 Wiregrass

Stories | Recipes | Events | People | Places | Things | Local News August 2022

Wiregrass

Electric Cooperative

HIBACHI JOE

Dothan chef serves up hot meals during dark times

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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 420,000 Alabama families and businesses, which are members of 22 not-for-profit, consumer-owned, locally directed and taxpaying electric cooperatives. Subscriptions are $12 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.

POSTMASTER send forms 3579 to: Alabama Living, P.O. Box 244014 Montgomery, Alabama 36124-4014.

Winning photos

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ALABAMA RURAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION

AREA President Karl Rayborn Editor Lenore Vickrey Managing Editor Allison Law Creative Director Mark Stephenson Art Director Danny Weston Advertising Director Jacob Johnson Graphic Designer/Production Coordinator Brooke Echols

ADVERTISING & EDITORIAL OFFICES:

340 TechnaCenter Drive Montgomery, Alabama 36117-6031 1-800-410-2737 For advertising, email: advertising@areapower.com For editorial inquiries, email: contact@alabamaliving.coop NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE:

American MainStreet Publications 611 South Congress Ave., Suite 504 Austin, Texas 78704 1-800-626-1181 www.AMP.coop www.alabamaliving.coop USPS 029-920 • ISSN 1047-0311

Drew Senter’s photo of a Baldwin County sunrise was one of several reader photos taking Honorable Mention honors in our 2022 Photo Contest.

Printed in America from American materials

AUGUST 2022

Light shining on flag football

Donation bolsters access to youth sports league.

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WWII vet honored

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Hibachi Joe is on a mission behind the grill

Romay Davis, age 102, recently received a national award at the National WWII Museum for her unique wartime service.

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Chef supports communities in crisis one plate at a time.

D E P A R T M E N T S 11 Spotlight 25 Around Alabama 28 Outdoors 29 Fish & Game Forecast 30 Cook of the Month 38 Hardy Jackson’s Alabama ONLINE: alabamaliving.coop ON THE COVER

Look for this logo to see more content online!

VOL. 75 NO. 8

Hibachi Joe specializes in big portions of steak, shrimp and chicken with fried rice and grilled vegetables.

For more, see page 34.

34 WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

ONLINE: EMAIL: MAIL:

www.alabamaliving.coop letters@alabamaliving.coop Alabama Living 340 Technacenter Drive Montgomery, AL 36117

Get our FREE monthly email newsletter!

Sign up at alabamaliving.coop AUGUST 2022 3

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READY TO SERVE, RAIN OR SHINE Board of Trustees Tracy Reeder District 5 President

David Winstead District 9 Vice President Debra E. Baxley District 1 Secretary

Randy Odom District 2

John Clark Jr. District 3

Danny McNeil District 4

Kip Justice District 6

Donald Ray Wilks District 7

LES MORELAND CEO Wiregrass Electric Cooperative On Oct. 10, 2018, 68 mph winds tore through our communities, snapping over 500 power poles and knocking out electricity to 85% of our members. Hurricane Michael spent a few hours destroying what this cooperative had spent years building. The scope of damage was beyond anything I’d ever seen in my career.

Springing into action

If there was a time to feel lost, that moment would have been it. Instead, your cooperative sprang into action the moment the winds died down.

Over nine days, crews rebuilt 60 miles of electric service, restoring power to 18,000 people. We didn’t do it alone. More than 200 helpers from cooperatives all across Alabama showed up to work long hours and sleep on cots to give you and I electricity again.

We were able to move quickly and decisively because we had a plan. Hurricane Michael was devastating, and we were surprised, but no one was unprepared. The same is true today. Hurricane season lasts from June 1 to Nov. 30, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting above-normal activity this year.

We pray to avoid hurricanes, but we are ready to respond should one arrive. Our Emergency Operations Plan, outlining the specific roles played by each department before, during and after a storm, is revisited regularly.

I hope you practice preparedness with your own family. On Page 8 of this magazine you’ll find an article featuring simple tips to help weather a large storm. After Hurricane Michael, we were able to restore power to large areas of our membership quickly. But, because of the extensive damage, some were out for over a week. Are you prepared, today, for a week without electricity?

Service through preparedness

Greg McCullough District 8

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Allen Langford, Plant Specialist, helps assemble a new pole. WEC is constantly building and rebuilding its distribution system to serve you better.

Preparedness is one of the central ways we serve. Some plans start years before a storm ever hits — for example, our right-ofway maintenance program. This crew cycles through our entire service area trimming limbs away from power lines. This work can stop an outage, or keep multiple outages from being even worse.

Planning extends beyond storms. Our cooperative diligently plans the electric system which powers our homes and businesses. We look at population growth and anticipate the needs of our members so we can continue to provide affordable, reliable electricity.

When we see a new need in our area, we develop a new plan to help. Our partnership to bring fiber optic internet service to the Wiregrass took months of work, but today we’re seeing the fruits of that labor.

More broadly, we’re always planning new ways to serve and improve the Wiregrass. On Pages 6-7 of this issue, you’ll read about WEC donating the labor and materials to light up multiple flag football fields. These lights are going to help hundreds of people come together to enjoy a competitive sport and their community.

Serving our members and living out our cooperative mission looks very different depending on the day. Some days, our linemen are responding to historic damage after a Category 5 hurricane. On another day, those same linemen are stringing lines to help our kids enjoy a new flag football field. And I firmly believe that both are all part of the plan. n

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HIT THE LINKS Inaugural golf tournament tees off to grow Operation Round Up’s impact Wiregrass Electric Cooperative’s first golf tournament is right around the sand trap.

Whether you’re a pro golfer or amateur, you can join a four-person team — or start your own — to participate in WEC’s Operation Round Up Charitable Golf Tournament on Sept. 8 at the Highland Oaks Golf Course in Dothan.

Since 2015, WEC’s Operation Round Up Charitable Foundation has benefited local communities. Through members’ generosity, the foundation annually provides more than 20 scholarships, fulfills dozens of emergency grant requests and donates to hospitals, first responder units and school programs.

About 85% of WEC’s members volunteer to round their monthly bills to the next-highest dollar. While the most any one member will contribute in a year is $12, the foundation collects more than $120,000 annually, which is then disbursed to worthy causes through grants, big and small. The initiative is a testament to the generosity of co-op members. One of the primary goals of cooperatives is to work for the sustainable development of communities through policies and programs accepted by members.

Operation Round Up has handed out hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships to local students and helped fund training and equipment for first responder agencies, playground equipment for local schools, hospital equipment at Southeast Health and emergency assistance to victims of local natural disasters, among other projects.

In addition, WEC began a partnership with WTVY for Silent Heroes of the Wiregrass, a program that provides money and recognition to unsung local organizations

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)

and individuals who help members of the community.

These monies pour back into communities in various ways, leaving lasting impacts that better the quality of life for future generations. With your help, that impact can be taken a little further — and there’s fun and prizes involved.

Locally owned businesses and vendors are providing numerous door prizes for the event, in addition to cash prizes that will be awarded to the top three teams in net scoring and the team with the top overall gross scorer. There will also be prizes for winners of the longest drive, the closest shot to the pin and the bucket truck ball drop competition. n

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 Inc. Department 1340, P.O. Box 2153 Birmingham, AL 35287-1340 WEBSITE Payments may be made 24 hrs/day by Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express and E-Check on our website at www.wiregrass.coop.

WHEN: Sept. 8

PHONE PAYMENTS Payments may be made any time by dialing 1-800-239-4602.

REGISTRATION begins at 10 a.m. with lunch at 11 a.m. Shotgun start is at noon.

NIGHT DEPOSITORY AND KIOSKS Available at each office location.

EVENT INFO

WHERE: Highland Oaks Golf Course, Dothan COST: $500 per four-person team HOW TO REGISTER: Find the registration form at wiregrass.coop.

EMAIL Bethany Retherford at bretherford@wiregrass.coop for more information.

IN PERSON Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Payment kiosks 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.

PARTNER WITH US! SPONSORSHIPS ARE STILL AVAILABLE AT THREE LEVELS: platinum, $5,000; gold, $2,500; and silver, $1,500. Hole sponsorships, which are $150, are also still available. For more information or to make a commitment, email Bethany Retherford at bretherford@wiregrass.coop.

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Light shining on flag football Donation bolsters access to youth sports league A donation from Wiregrass Electric Cooperative is shining a light on prominent community outreach ministry, Upward Sports, and its flag football league. By contributing labor, poles and other resources to field lighting at Memphis Baptist Church, WEC is helping give the flag football program new life.

Field lighting installed this spring will enable the church to host games and practices on weekday nights instead of just Saturday mornings. The Rev. Jim Tate, pastor of Memphis Baptist Church, believes the new hours will give more children the opportunity to play.

“We were having games in September and October every year on Saturday mornings and would sometimes have 200 to 300 people on our fields,” Tate says.

“The problems with that were that it could get very hot and people have other things going on during the weekends. We came to realize we could get more participation if we could do our games at night so we started looking at different possibilities.”

Lighting it up

It would take a significant investment to light up five or six football fields, and several options were considered. Church leaders realized permanent lighting fixtures were more cost effective than procuring rentals and reached out to their electric provider

for assistance for the project because they wanted it “done right,” Tate says.

After learning about the project, WEC agreed to lend a hand — quite literally.

The labor, technical expertise and light poles helped Memphis Baptist shave costs for the proposed project and ultimately make it a reality.

“This is a way to bring families in the community together, to share the gospel with kids and give them something fun to do in a wholesome environment,” Tate says. “I don’t know that we could have done it and offered the league at night without Wiregrass Electric providing labor, materials and equipment for the project.”

Upward

Upward Sports partners with churches around the country to leverage athletic opportunities in their communities. Many different sports — cheerleading, basketball, volleyball and more — are offered through the program and vary depending on the host church.

Volunteers coach the players, teaching them how to play the game and about sportsmanship and teamwork. Coaches also share the gospel.

Memphis Baptist Church recently partnered with Bethel Baptist Church, both located on Dothan’s south side, to maximize the ministry’s impact. The basketball

league is now hosted at Bethel Baptist, which has a large indoor gym, and the flag football league is exclusively coordinated at Memphis Baptist. Both churches also have programs for cheerleaders.

Any child can sign up to participate in the program. Costs are minimal since Upward is a not-for-profit ministry and any dollars made through fundraising and concession sales are absorbed back into the program. Money from fees generally goes to uniforms, while other revenue streams help buy equipment and fund scholarships made available to low-income families.

Lending a hand

WEC’s involvement wasn’t just about helping a member organization, but about community outreach and economic development.

“This is a great program that provides kids a chance to play a competitive sport in a safe environment,” says Brad Kimbro, WEC’s chief operating officer. “We know that more opportunity for recreational activities drives decision-making when families think about relocating somewhere.

Obviously, we want them to consider the Wiregrass area, so we were happy to partner with Memphis and give them the support they needed on this project.

“We hope families take advantage of this or other activities and allow their kids

Field lighting installed at Memphis Baptist Church campus will enable the sports ministry to hold Upward Sports flag football league games at night.

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to explore the awesome extracurricular activities available to them in the Wiregrass and connect with other families.

There’s no better way to get plugged in and engaged with one’s community.”

The effort was coordinated by Bobby Camp, a longtime church member and electrician, who assisted with purchase orders and led a team of volunteers to help with electrical work. His company, JM Electric Supply Co., also supplied some of the material for the project.

“The outreach that it will allow the church to have because of the Upward football program — the tentacles will go a lot further than our church and our community,” Camp says. “It’s just another tool to bring people here for them to know Jesus.”

Flag football on the rise

Flag football is growing in popularity locally and abroad, and Jason Wright, league director for Memphis Baptist Church’s sports ministry, is thankful that children in west Houston County will get a chance to play.

Currently, it’s the only flag football program available in that area of Dothan and Houston County.

“This gives them another opportunity to play a competitive sport,” Wright says. “This lighting gives us the opportunity to be flexible with the timing of when we offer the games instead of having to do everything during the day.

Now, we can hold them at night with concessions and everything like a traditional football game.

“The fields and crowd capacity were already there. We’re grateful for Wiregrass

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(Above) The Rev. Jim Tate speaks to a crowd during a ceremony commemorating the donation of labor and equipment by Wiregrass Electric Cooperative, JM Electric, and the efforts of Memphis Baptist Church volunteers for the field lighting project.

(Right) Tate leads the crowd in prayer during the ceremony.

Electric’s assistance in helping us be able to use this as an asset to our community.”

WEC will be able to use the field to stage its trucks or other contractor and co-op vehicles in the area, assisting with electrical repairs after severe weather events. n

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HURRICANE season is here Linemen are ready to respond to outages It’s hurricane season, and when severe weather strikes, Wiregrass Electric Cooperative is prepared. Severe weather affects thousands of people each year, especially in the South, and the Wiregrass area is no stranger to the effects of hurricanes, tropical storms and heavy rains.

§ Secure loose rain gutters and downspouts. § Tape, board up and shutter windows when a storm is imminent to prevent shattering.

For more tips on staying safe before, during and after a severe weather event, check out the Weather Page at wiregrass.coop. n

Ready for anything Even when bad weather catches WEC by surprise — like last year’s string of tornadoes — linemen are ready 24/7 to restore power after a storm. WEC also takes steps to help prevent outages, like the right-of-way maintenance program in which our servicemen routinely trim tree limbs and cut back undergrowth to protect power lines from falling branches and brush fires.

WEC has great partnerships with privately owned companies that help get service restored quickly after major outages. Mutual aid agreements through the Alabama Rural Electric Association of Cooperatives allow other power providers to send help when needed, and WEC is proud to return the favor when others need our assistance.

Last year, the WEC service area saw some impacts from severe weather, but our neighbors in Louisiana suffered heavy damage and widespread outages as a result of Hurricane Ida in August. When that happened, WEC linemen crews headed out to help, collectively spending 101 days lending a hand in the Pelican State. Assisting those in need when disaster strikes is the cooperative way, and WEC will always be prepared to turn the lights back on both on the homefront and elsewhere.

WEC linemen assist with restoration efforts in storm-battered Louisiana following Hurricane Ida in August 2021.

Prepare before the storm

People who know what to do before and after strong storms hit can significantly reduce harm to themselves and their property.

WEC wants you to be knowledgeable about severe weather and provide you with steps you can take to protect yourself and your family.

Remember, the time to plan is now, not when severe weather hits.

Here are a few ways you can prepare for severe weather before it hits: § Fill up your cars’ gas tanks. § Prune dead tree limbs. § Learn evacuation routes.

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WIREGRASS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE APP Resources available anywhere you go Benefits of our website at your fingertips include: § See how many outages are in your area in real time. § Track your energy usage. § Pay your bill online.

Search “Wiregrass Electric Mobile” in the Apple App Store or Google Play. www.alabamaliving.coop

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| Alabama Snapshots |

My Boat Anchored off New Bight, Cat Island, in The Bahamas. Our boat’s name: Rainbow’s End. SUBMITTED by Alfred Coombe, Foley.

Spent many hours enjoying my boat and catching fish.

SUBMITTED by Dewitt Scott, Slocomb.

Graves family enjoying Lake Martin. Krystle, Brianna, Braxton, Kenedi, Kenley, Kage, Maddox and Kenneth. SUBMITTED by Kamie Graves, Opelika.

Grandkids on the pontoon boat in the Warrior River. SUBMITTED by Tammy Collins Brand, Oak Grove.

October theme: “Cotton Fields” Deadline to submit: August 31 Online: alabamaliving.coop Mail: Attn: Snapshots P.O. Box 244014 Montgomery, AL 36124 Alabama Living

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Just my speed! SUBMITTED by Melissa Manjone, Silverhill.

SUBMIT to WIN $10!

RULES: Alabama Living will pay $10 for photos that best match our

theme of the month. Photos 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.

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Spotlight | August

Find the hidden dingbat!

Co-op representatives visit with lawmakers in D.C. Directors and managers of Alabama rural electric cooperatives met with members of the state’s congressional delegation, including Sen. Tommy Tuberville, in Washington, D.C., in June to discuss issues important to the electric cooperative industry.

Endangered historical sites sought for Places in Peril Each year, the Places in Peril program calls public attention to a select number of Alabama’s threatened historical and archeological sites. Places in Peril is a listing of some of these properties and seeks to raise awareness of them in an effort to create meaningful solutions and generate support for their preservation.

If there’s an irreplaceable historic building or site in your area threatened by demolition or neglect, this may be your opportunity to save it. Nominations will be accepted through Sept. 30, 2022. Each submission will be evaluated for its significance and level of threat.

Through a partnership, the Alabama Historical Commission and the Alabama Trust have created this program to become a catalyst for preservation. Alabama Heritage magazine publishes the Places in Peril listing each year.

For more information, visit ahc.alabama.gov and click on “protect and serve” and click “Places in Peril.”

A good night’s rest important for job safety Sleep deprivation can be more than a nuisance during the workday. Healthy sleep patterns ensure safe practices in all aspects of daily living. The safety staff of the Alabama Rural Electric Association notes these hazards associated with sleep deprivation: Responses are delayed; higher risk of making errors; judgment can be affected; can lead to poor communication; and can affect your mood.

Some tips to increase good sleep: maintain a healthy diet; exercise regularly; and limit time on electronic devices prior to going to sleep.

Whether it’s driving, operating machinery or basic interactions with co-workers and consumer-members, sleeping well increases daily success.

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We probably received more phone calls and emails (and even comments on our Facebook page!) about June’s hidden dingbat than any other. Several folks accused us forgetting to hide it. But we did, and we admit, it was a hard one and not easily seen without some magnification. The airplane was “flying” on the hook of the fishing lure on Page 48.

Congratulations to the 55 readers who actually found it, and to the randomly drawn winners Randy and Debbie McKinley of Atmore, members of Southern Pine EC, who said they had to use a magnifying glass to spot it. At least one reader, 9-year-old Bronner Nyberg of Wetumpka, found it quickly, reports Amanda Nyberg. But several of you wrote to us about your repeated efforts to find the plane, including David L. Ihde of Opp, who thought he spotted it in a photo on page 34 in the bushes, or on the earrings on Judy Snead on Page 23.

“Finally after looking at the picture of the fishing lure about 50 times, I noticed the dingbat on the left side of the metal hook at the head of the lure. A truly excellent hide and a real challenge to find!” Don Henby of Andalusia described it as “perhaps your most devious concealment to date. I usually find it soon, but this time was hard so I decided to enter for the first time.”

For the July issue, we took it easier on you readers! The hotdog was in plain view in the photo of the musicians on Page 16.

Congratulations to our randomly drawn winner, Jenell Fuller of Elba, a member of Covington EC. This month, we’ve hidden a chocolate chip cookie, in recognition of National Chocolate Chip Cookie Month, so get yourself one for a snack and start looking!

Remember, it won’t be in an ad and it won’t be on Pages 1-8.

Sponsored by

By mail: Find the Dingbat Alabama Living PO Box 244014 Montgomery, AL 36124 By email: dingbat@alabamaliving.com www.alabamaliving.coop

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August | 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.

Whereville, AL

The Gresham children of Loxley took their magazine on a short annual apple picking trip to Fort Mountain in north Georgia. They are members of Baldwin EMC.

Susan and John Rutledge of Ider, members of Sand Mountain EC, recently visited the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy and took their magazine along.

Matthew & Julie Timberlake of Enterprise carried their magazine with Buc-ee’s on the cover to a real Buc-ee’s in Terrell, Texas. They are members of Covington EC.

Russ and Phyllis Porter took their magazine on a trip to Mystic, Connecticut, where they saw the statue of John J. Kelley, US National Marathon champion, Olympian, and 2002 Hall of Fame inductee.

They are members of Baldwin EMC. David Butler and Sue Suggs from Lincoln, members of Coosa Valley EC, traveled to the Dry Tortugas National Park and took Alabama Living along. The park and Fort Jefferson are 70 miles west of Key West, Florida.

Alabama Living

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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.

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.

July’s answer: The “globe,” as it’s known, sits along Highway 11 between Fort Payne and Collinsville, in the Collbran community. It’s permanently mounted in front of Little River Outfitters, owned by Kennith Wigley and his daughter. (Note: Internet searches for Little River Outfitters will direct you to an unrelated Tennessee business.) Reached by phone at his business, Wigley gave Alabama Living the background on the interesting landmark.

As many readers noted, the globe is related to the Shriners organization. Lettering on one side of the globe says, “The man with the red fez is on top of the world.” Wigley says originally there was a life-size statue of a Shriner on top, but it has not been found.

The globe was originally located at the Southeastern Shrine command in Florida, and “a tornado got it and sent it across Florida,” Wigley says.

A collector friend of Wigley came across the globe at some point. Wigley, himself a Shriner, bought it from the friend about 20 to 25 years ago, who had it transported in pieces to northeast Alabama. He had the pieces bolted together and bolted to a concrete pad; fortunately, no tornadoes have taken it away since.

“We’ve been lucky,” Wigley says with a chuckle.

He’s had the map and the lettering repainted three times so far and is getting ready to have it repainted again to battle the wear and tear from the elements. He says people stop to take photos of the landmark almost daily.

The winner for the June contest (the Jesse Owens sculpture) is Mardre Williams of Central Alabama EC. The randomly drawn correct guess winner for the “globe,” the July landmark, is Leslie Gibbins of Southern Pine EC. AUGUST 2022 11

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Photo conte 2022

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big thank you to all the talented Alabama Living readers who entered our sixth annual photo contest this year! More than 150 photos were entered by photographers from all parts of the state, from the mountains of north Alabama to the sun-kissed Baldwin County beaches. We asked for and accepted entries on our website from May 1-31, and you answered the call.

As in past years, we asked for photos in one of four categories: Alabama Travels, Animals, People and Seasons. We limited the entries to two per category, per photographer, so each photogra-

pher could enter up to eight photos total.

Each first-place winner gets $100, and many of the honorable mentions are shown in the following pages. But really, the winners are all of our readers who get to see some of the photographic talents of our state’s residents.

Our judge, Julie Bennett, is an award-winning photojournalist based in central Alabama. She is on staff at the Media Production Group at Auburn University and teaches photojournalism in the College of Liberal Arts.

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First place

ANIMALS Arthur Davis, Baldwin EMC Judge’s comment: The composition of this photo is spectacular, with the curve of the branch and the angle of the bird. The colors are eyecatching and the detail is sharp.

Honorable mention

PEOPLE Lindsey Green, Arab EC; photo of her grandmother, Ozell Green Judge’s comment: Super nice portrait. The honesty and detail in her face make for an interesting shot and I instantly want to know more about her.

Honorable mention

ANIMALS Susan Allison, Baldwin EMC Judge’s comment: I love the composition of this photo. It focuses on a part of the butterfly we don’t often think about because we are usually distracted by that beautiful wingspan.

Alabama Living

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First place

SEASONS Brent Eanes, Theodore, Ala. Judge’s comment: The lighting in this photo is amazing. I love that the photographer took this photo from the shadow side, giving that caterpillar a glow and providing us with a view of spring we don’t often see.

Honorable mention ALABAMA TRAVELS Arthur Davis, Baldwin EMC Judge’s comment: What a great angle! Very unique take on how to enjoy one of Alabama’s lakes. Well done.

Honorable mention

SEASONS Anjana Henry, Joe Wheeler EMC Judge’s comment: I can’t help being chilly just looking at this one. The frozen pyramid framing the blue bird is a super nice touch along with the icicles.

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Alabama Living

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Honorable mention ALABAMA TRAVELS Drew Senter, Baldwin EMC Judge’s comment: This is simply beautiful. The shadows and highlights captured here really do magic hour justice. Lovely detail.

Honorable mention ALABAMA TRAVELS Kacy Sloat, Clarke-Washington EMC Gracie Sloat, 10 Judge’s comment: I feel like I’m there, or at least wishing I was. Nice work on the exposure here … that snow white sand can be difficult to work with in the midday sun.

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First place ALABAMA TRAVELS Carlee Davis, Tallapoosa River EC Chad Greene and Sarah Grace Chapman Judge’s comment: There is so much energy and action packed into this frame.

Nice work stopping all that motion and I love the natural late-afternoon light filtering in behind them.

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Alabama Living

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Alabama centenarian

nationally recognized for unique WWII service

By Minnie Lamberth

T

o say that Romay Johnson Davis has led an interesting months,” the museum’s Silver Service Medallion description notlife would be an understatement of the century – and that ed. “Davis and her 6888th Battalion colleagues sorted, repackwouldn’t even cover the amount of time she has been on aged, and redirected an average of 5.85 million pieces of correthis earth. spondence per month. In comparison, another unit processed “I enjoyed, I guess, just about everything I’ve ever done,” the only 624,000 pieces in December 1944. The 6888th’s high pro102-year-old Montgomery resident says. “I have lots of memoductivity continued in Rouen and Paris, France.” ries, lots of special memories of special people.”

Davis’ primary responsibility was still as a driver, in both EnDavis is one of six surviving members of an all-Black Women gland and France. “When an officer needed to go somewhere, one Army Corps (WAC) unit, the 6888th Central Postal Directory of the drivers would take them,” she says. However, she also sortBattalion, which deployed overseas in 1945 to sort a backlog of ed mail when not on the road. “That’s what we were there for, to mail for servicemen far from home. The six are slated to receive a get the mail situated and on its way to the men.”

Congressional Gold Medal, thanks to The unit was deactivated when it legislation signed by President Biden returned to the states. Yet Davis had in March 2022. many more years of accomplishments As the oldest survivor, Davis reahead of her. While in New York, ceived a Silver Service Medallion in she met and married Jerry Davis, a June from the National WWII MuseLowndes County native who was a um during a ceremony in New Orlecarpenter for the New York subway ans. According to the museum website, system. She also graduated from New the medallion is awarded to “veterans York’s Traphagen School of Fashion and those with a direct connection to and embarked on a 30-year career in World War II who have served our fashion design with Glen of Michigan, country with distinction and continue a children’s clothing manufacturer. “I to lead by example.” That’s a descriplearned a lot about fashion, how to tion that fits her well. make patterns, put them together,” she Born Oct. 29, 1919, Davis grew up in says. “I guess I had a knack for design, King George County, Virginia, as the making things. It was easy – very, very only girl among five brothers. She was interesting.” She later earned a master’s working in Washington, D.C., at the degree in education from New York U.S. Mint when World War II began, University and also worked in real esand shortly after that, all her brothers tate. had joined the military. “When I was When her husband retired in 1999, the last one left, I asked if I could go Davis moved with him back to his too,” Davis recalled. She become part home state of Alabama, and she still of the newly created Women’s Army stayed busy. She earned a TaekwonCorps, attending boot camp at Camp do black belt in her 70s, and after her Breckinridge in Kentucky. husband passed away, she went back There, she trained to become a drivto work at a Winn-Dixie grocery store er. It seemed like a better choice than when she was 80 years old and worked her other options. “I grew up in the Romay Davis, 102, was honored with the Silver Service part-time until age 101. “I enjoyed becountry, with sheep and flowers and Medallion at the National WWII Museum in New Orleans ing at the store,” she says. in June. Here she’s shown with one of the student animals and birds,” she explains. “I leadership award recipients at the ceremony.

In addition to national recognitions, like the outdoors.” So when she was Davis has also been celebrated in her PHOTO COURTESY THE NATIONAL WWII MUSEUM asked what she wanted to do, she said, adopted hometown. For her 101st “I don’t want to clerk. I don’t want to cook. I don’t want to clean birthday in 2020, she was the honoree of a parade that culminata house unless I have to. So driving is the only thing left.” As a ed with the reading of commendations from Gov. Kay Ivey and result, she spent a lot of her military service outdoors. a proclamation from Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed declaring Davis was assigned to serve in a specialized unit made up of her birthday as “Romay Davis Day.” 855 African-American women who were given the task of sorting Southeastern Groceries, Inc., the parent company of Winn two years’ worth of backlogged mail. They started in February Dixie grocery stores, also named the Romay Davis Belonging, 1945 in Birmingham, England, and worked around the clock to Inclusion and Diversity Grant in her honor. The company will sort nearly 18 million pieces of mail in a record-breaking effort. announce grant recipients shortly before Oct. 29, when Davis will “The Army gave them six months, and they did it in only three turn 103.

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Alabama Living

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FA L L F O OT BA L L F OR E C A ST

In 1849, French writer Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr made a profound statement: “The more that things change, the more they stay the same.” Old Jean-Baptiste must have been watching the SEC Network.

There have been three major changes in Southern college football in the last 55 years. In the late 60s, the recruitment and signing of African American athletes improved and changed the direction of college football forever. The other two changes happened in the last couple of years: the open transfer portal and the advent of N.I.L. (Name, Image and Likeness).

This fall, Alabama will have four new offensive transfer starters who started last year at Georgia Tech, Vandy, Louisville and Georgia. Their best corner started last fall at LSU. The rich get richer when you mix these players with top-ranked recruiting classes. In a touch of irony, Auburn may start a transfer quarterback from Texas A&M who beat Bama after they lost Bo Nix to the transfer portal and Oregon.

Game program sales are expected to be high just to keep up with the roster changes.

N.I.L. has allowed the athletes to “cash in” on their social media popularity. Basically, the NCAA has taken the NASCAR approach: “Have at it boys!” Some players are legally earning hundreds of thousands of dollars. Unfortunately, in some corners, a bidding war has ensued for players.

2021 ALABAMA Recap: Nick Saban has brought the Tide program to the point that anything EXCEPT winning the National Championship is a disappointing season. Last year, for the first time in 25 tries, one of his former assistant coaches beat the former boss when Jimbo Fisher’s A&M Aggies won in College Station. Bama went on to beat Georgia for the SEC championship only to lose the Natty to former assistant Kirby Smart’s Georgia Bulldogs. Quarterback Bryce Young won the Heisman Trophy as a sophomore. His Heisman moment was the final drive against Auburn in the Iron Bowl for the win.

2021 AUBURN Recap: First year coach Bryan Harsin led the Tigers to a 6-7 record that could very easily have been a 10-win season. There were only two noncompetitive games: Georgia and Texas A&M. Failure to “finish” cost the Tigers in four of the losses. A questionable failed fade pass from the 2-yard line against Penn State. Lost 28-20. Against South Carolina, going for 4th and 1 in the 2nd quarter, leading by 7. Incomplete pass. Lost 2117. Against Alabama, sacked Bryce Young 7 times but allowed him to drive the length of the field and convert 4th downs. If Auburn makes a first down on 3rd and 1 from the 37-yard line, they are rolling Toomer’s Corner. Bama wins in 4 overtimes, 24-22.

Against Houston in the Birmingham Bowl, the Tigers needed just one stop for a winning season. Lost 17-13.

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SEC Prediction: In the last 15 years, the gap between the favorites in each division has never been wider. Alabama in the West and Georgia in the East have distanced themselves from the rest of the pack. In the past, you could predict that one of the divisions was going to be a tossup. Not this year.

SEC East Prediction: 1. Georgia 2. Kentucky 3. Tennessee 4.

Florida 5. South Carolina 6. Missouri 7. Vandy. The battle is for the runner-up position. Kentucky is solid. The Vols are on the rise but have to play Bama. How long will it take Billy Napier to get the Gators on the right path?

SEC West Prediction: 1. Alabama 2. Texas A&M 3. Ole Miss 4. Arkansas 5. LSU 6. Auburn 7. Mississippi State. Bama has October 8 circled, when A&M comes to town. The Aggies have recruited great but must get more consistent. Ole Miss will be the surprise team due to all the transfers.

Alabama Outlook: The Tide will enter the fall as the number 1 team in every poll. Why? They have the reigning Heisman Trophy quarterback; the most dominating defensive player in Will Anderson; the Greatest Coach of All Time in Nick Saban. The schedule is favorable with A&M in Tuscaloosa. The defense has a chance to get back to the dominating days of the past. 12-0. SEC champion.

Auburn Outlook: In an unusual schedule, the Tigers play their first 5 games at home. They have to be at least 4-1 when they travel the next week to Georgia. Running back Tank Bigsby is one of the best in the SEC when he stays healthy.

Owen Pappoe has to step up as the defensive leader. Auburn fans are going to get more restless if programs like A&M, Arkansas, Ole Miss and LSU pass them by. 7-5 record.

CFP Playoffs: Pencil in Alabama and Ohio State. The other 2 slots will be between Georgia, Clemson, Utah, and Notre Dame.

Prediction: Bama beats Clemson in Peach Bowl. Ohio State beats Utah in the Fiesta Bowl. Alabama beats Ohio State for the National Championship 37-24. Rammer Jammer once again!

Brad Bradford is a former football staff member at Alabama and Louisville. His wife Susan Moseley Bradford is a former Auburn cheerleader. His blogs can be found at hairinabiscuit. com. Brad is also an author and motivational speaker. Contact him at coachbradbradford@gmail.com

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Alabama Living

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| Gardens |

Watering wisely will help your lawn and garden through a hot summer Water of course is essential not just for our lawns and gardens but for all life on Earth, so it’s important to use this precious natural resource in a careful, sustainable way.

Judicious water usage also saves us time and money. But developing a smart, affordable irrigation plan seemed intimidating to me until I couched it in terms of plants, soils and equipment.

Water requirements vary among plant species and their locations in the landscape, which means a single yard may have a variety of different irrigation needs. For example, the bank of mop-head hydrangeas planted in a sunny, dry spot along my carport and the herbs growing in pots on my patio need frequent watering to survive. In contrast, the well-established oak-leaf Well-placed drip irrigation can deposit water directly onto hydrangeas growing in a shady the roots of plants rather than on their foliage. spot near my house, my beds PHOTO COURTESY ALABAMA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SYSTEM of native wildflowers and even ack in June when the weather was the warm-season grasses in my lawn rareespecially hot and dry and my house ly, if ever, need watering. Knowing this, was full of grandchildren, I pulled I set up hoses and sprinklers based on out an old oscillating sprinkler thinking zones, which has made watering more I’d efficiently water my plants and my much convenient and efficient. grandkids at the same time. It was soon Soil types also impact watering choices, obvious that the sprinkler was fine enterand a single yard may include an assorttainment for the children but far from adment of different soil types and condiequate for my plants. tions. My landscape has areas of clay and The device’s arching sweep of water sand but also spots naturally rich in orcertainly cooled off the kiddos but more ganic matter. By knowing which soil types droplets wafted off into the air than landare where, I adjusted the rate and pressure ed on the lawn or surrounding plants and of my irrigation equipment so water didn’t hardly any of that moisture reached the run off or run through the soils too quickplants’ roots where it was needed most. ly. I also used mulches to increase water Imagining the summer ahead would be retention around the base of some plants hot and possibly droughty, I decided it and I plan to amend my soils with organic was time to up my irrigation game. matter this fall.

B

Katie Jackson is a freelance writer and editor based in Opelika, Alabama. Contact her at katielamarjackson@gmail.com.

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Correction in July column: Endangered green pitcher plants are found only in five northeast Alabama counties (Cherokee, DeKalb, Etowah, Jackson and Marshall).

Technology, too, is important, and it has improved exponentially since I bought that old sprinkler head. These days we have access to high-tech automated systems and smart controllers that can help us time irrigation applications based on factors such as rainfall and soil moisture. And a variety of more efficient hoses and sprinklers are also available to make manual irrigation easier and more effective. I’ve been making small investments in better equipment, which I hope will provide big returns.

By understanding the importance of these three factors, we can all develop wiser watering plans for the rest of this year and into the future. If you want to delve deeper into those plans, check out the Alabama Cooperative Extension System’s Alabama Smart Yard Landscape page at aces.edu, and click on “topics,” then “landscaping.” Also see a posting on drought tolerant landscapes.

For personal advice, contact your county Extension office or Master Gardeners group or talk to someone with your local water utility office for guidance.

In the meantime, here are a few simple ways to water wisely without making a huge investment of time or money.

• Water in the early morning (preferably 4 to 7 a.m.).

• Place irrigation hoses and sprinklers to deposit water directly onto the roots of plants rather than on their foliage.

• Ensure sprinklers are watering plants (and possibly grandchildren) rather than concrete and asphalt.

• Repair leaks in hoses, sprinklers and irrigation systems and around spigot connections.

• Group plants with similar watering needs together whenever possible.

• Replace thirsty plants, including lawn grasses, with native and drought-tolerant species.

• Use natural mulches in garden beds and around newly planted trees and shrubs to retain more soil moisture.

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Alabama Living

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SOCIAL SECURITY

Social Security is ready when you’re ready to retire

W

hen you think you’re ready to retire, we’re here to help you make an informed decision about when to apply for benefits. You should decide based on your individual and family circumstances.

Would it be better for you to start getting benefits early with a smaller monthly amount over a longer period? Or perhaps wait for a larger monthly payment over less time? The answer is personal and depends on several factors, such as your current and anticipated cash needs, health, and your family history on longevity. Most importantly, you should study your future financial needs and obligations, and estimate your future Social Security benefit.

The best and easiest way to estimate your future Social Security benefits is with a personal my Social Security account. You can create your free account at ssa.gov/myaccount. Use your account to see how much you might receive each month based on the age Kylle’ McKinney, SSA Public Affairs Specialist, can be reached by email at kylle.mckinney@ssa.gov.

August Across 1 Barbecue sauce popular in North Alabama (3 words) 8 “___ made some beans” 10 Goes with 5 down, 2 words 12 Loudspeaker system 14 Alabama _____, cocktail 17 Indian corn 18 Banana _____ (desserts) 21 Includes in a recipe 24 ____ ____ tomatoes, 2 words 28 Added line to a letter, abbr.

30 Barbecue offering 32 Yellowhammer drink ingredient 33 Much-used greens in Alabama dishes 34 Cake featured on our May cover 35 Cooks in a way Down 1 Creates a dish quickly, 2 words 2 Cocktail addition 3 Distinct period 4 Well-known beer, in slang 5 Iconic Southern dish, goes with 10 across 6 Not tasted yet 7 Former 9 Actor Kilmer of ‘’Top Gun’’ 11 Compass direction, abbr.

13 Sushi offerings 15 Kid’s pie stuff 16 Tractor-trailer 19 Preserved, in a way (with fruit) 20 Complain to 22 Guacamole or fondue, e.g.

23 Red wine 24 Top pick, informally 25 Water bird 24 AUGUST 2022

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at which you want to start receiving benefits.

We encourage you to weigh all the factors carefully before deciding when to begin receiving Social Security benefits. This decision affects the monthly benefit amount you will receive for the rest of your life and may affect benefits for your survivors.

Social Security’s online retirement resources

Whether you’re ready to learn about, apply for, or manage your retirement benefits, our online resources make it easy for you to find the information you need. How easy? You can do it from your computer, tablet, and even smartphone!

On our website, you can: • Get our publications.

• Estimate your benefits with one of our many calculators.

• Find your Full Retirement Age. • Learn about benefits for a spouse and family members.

• Apply for benefits.

• Mange your benefits once you start receiving them.

You and your loved ones can discover all these resources at ssa. gov/retirement.

crossword 26 Red or black beans’ partner 27 Zero

by Myles Mellor 29 Fries, salad, etc.

31 Rich cake with rum

Answers on Page 37 www.alabamaliving.coop

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Around Alabama

SEPTEMBER

2-4

Bessemer Gem and Mineral Show, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Bessemer Civic Center, 1130 Ninth Ave. SW. $5 adults, $3 teens and under 12 free. Browse through more than 100 tables of unique gem, mineral and fossil specimens from a variety of vendors. Search the event’s page on Facebook.

3

Arab SugarFest 2022, Arab City Park.

Morning begins with Sugar Rush 5K run, which leads into the marketplace arts and crafts juried vendors show. Food trucks on site all day.

Cornhole tournament, Miss SugarFest Pageant, Sweetie Pie kids’ area and more. Classic car cruise-in and live music on stage begins at 4 p.m.

Night ends with fireworks show. ArabCity.org or see the event’s page on Facebook.

The Franklin County Watermelon Festival will be Aug. 19-20.

AUGUST

5-6

Cullman Rock the South, York Farms, 1872 County Road 469.

Known as “The Biggest Party in the South,” this two-day concert event features country music star headliners Morgan Wallen and Alabama, as well as other music acts including Hardy, Jamey Johnson, Koe Wetzel, Jimmie Allen and Colt Ford. RockTheSouth.com

5-6

Athens 30th annual Piney Chapel American Farm Heritage Days, 20147 Elkton Road. Sponsored by the Piney Chapel Antique Engine and Tractor Association, this family event will include antique power exhibits, a tractor ride and fish fry on Friday and wheat threshing exhibits. $5 admission; 12 and under free. Free parking. Gates open at 7 a.m. Search for the public group on Facebook.

5-6

Killen Killen Founder’s Day at Killen Park. The town’s version of a block party has fun for the entire family, including music, food and a car show from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

Search for the event’s page on Facebook.

5-14

Opelika Opelika Theatre Company’s production of Disney’s “Newsies,” Southside Center for the Arts, 1103 Glenn St. The musical is inspired by the real-life 1899 Newsboy Strike and captures the strength of young people when they join together and stand up to injustice.

OpelikaTheatreCompany.com

13

Dothan Wiregrass Museum of Art’s Yard Party for Art. The museum’s annual art, music and tech festival on the museum grounds. Gates open at 6 p.m. with the first music act at 6:30 p.m.; music continues until 10:30-11 p.m. Enjoy the art installations at the museum as well as yard games and an energetic lineup of original music. Food and drink vendors will be onsite. Presale tickets are $20 until Aug. 10. YardPartyForArt.com Alabama Living

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13

Mobile USS Alabama living history crew drill, USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park, 2703 Battleship Parkway. Every other month, historical re-enactors dress in WWII period uniforms to demonstrate what life aboard ship was like during wartime. Check ussalabama.com to confirm drill date or call 800-GANGWAY.

19-20

Russellville 41st annual Franklin County Watermelon Festival. This free family event in downtown includes food, vendors, a car and truck show, 5K and one-mile fun run, tractor show and kids’ area with rides and games. Live music each evening on the main stage. And of course, plenty of watermelon to eat and associated contests.

256-332-1760 or FranklinCountyChamber.org

26-27

Troy 30th annual Pike County Cattlemen Rodeo, Cattleman Park. Gates open at 5 p.m. Friday with the rodeo at 7:30; gates open at 4 p.m. Saturday, with a family Western festival at 5 p.m. and rodeo at 7:30 p.m. Tickets $10 in advance or $12 at the door; 12 and under free with accompanying adult.

PikeCountyCattlemen.org

27

Fyffe UFO Day, Fyffe Town Park, 9 a.m.

This annual event features a full day of musical entertainment, food and craft vendors, children’s activities and inflatables, antique tractors, cars and bikes and hot air balloons.

Search for the event on Facebook.

27

Montgomery fifth annual Hog Days of Summer BBQ and Music Festival, 2 p.m. at Union Station Train Shed, sponsored by the Druids Charity Club. Music on two stages, spanning blues, country, rock and Americana influences. Barbecue from the River Region’s best restaurants. See the event’s Facebook page.

4-5

Cullman Smith Lake Park Sweet Tater Festival. 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sunday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday (Labor Day). Live entertainment, food vendors, arts and crafts vendors and of course sweet taters both days. Car show from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday.

Admission $5 per person, and armband allows for entry both days. Search for Smith Lake Park or Cullman County Parks on Facebook.

9-10

Huntsville 2022 Whistlestop Festival, John Hunt Park. Festival opens at 4 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday.

Multiple barbecue competitions, tastings and live music. WhistlestopWeekend.com or call 256-564-8100.

9-10

Jasper 2022 Foothills Festival, entertainment district of downtown Jasper. 5 to 10:30 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 10:30 pm. Saturday. Live music begins at 5 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. Saturday; headliner is the Drive-By Truckers at 9:30 p.m. Saturday. Free.

FoothillsJasper.com

23-25

Springville Homestead Hollow Festival, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Learn about early Alabama history and pioneer living with live demonstrations about wood carving, blacksmithing, wood stove cooking, tours of original cabins and more. Plenty of children’s activities and food vendors on site.

HomesteadHollow.com Call or verify events before you make plans to attend. Due to the changing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, some events may change or be canceled after press time.

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.

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AUGUST 2022 25

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| Consumer Wise |

Ready, set, (your) thermostat!

The U.S. Department of Energy recommends setting your thermostat to 78 degrees in the summer when you are home and awake, and warmer at night or when away.

Smart thermostats are easy to program, can learn your preferences and set a schedule that automatically adjusts the temperature.

PHOTOS COURTESY MARK GILLILAND, PIONEER UTILITY Resources

Q: A:

schedule that automatically adjusts the temperature. Some have geofencing, which adjusts the temperature based on the distance your smartphone is from home.

How do I operate my thermostat to use less energy and still be comfortable?

Heating and cooling account for about half the energy used in a typical home, so it’s a great place to use less energy.

When used wisely, your thermostat can help reduce wasted energy.

Here’s some information on thermostat types, common operational misconceptions and best practices you can start today.

Types of thermostats

Mechanical thermostats are easy to control by adjusting a dial or sliding switch. The downfall is you must make temperature adjustments manually, which is easy to forget. They are inefficient because they typically heat or cool the home beyond the set point.

If your cooling is set to 72 degrees, a mechanical thermostat may actually cool your home to 70 degrees before it turns off, wasting energy. Then it might not come on again until the home reaches 74 degrees. That four-degree temperature change is noticeable and can lead people to adjust the thermostat setting down even more, which wastes more energy.

Also, some mechanical thermostats contain mercury. You can determine that by removing the front plate and looking for small glass bulbs. If your thermostat contains mercury, replace it and find a way to properly recycle it.

Digital thermostats are more accurate, efficient and some are programmable, which is a great option for people who don’t have internet or don’t want their thermostat data tracked.

Smart thermostats—which require an internet connection— are Wi-Fi-enabled and can be controlled using a smartphone app.

Programming is easier, and you can track and manage use and temperature data. However, that data is shared with the manufacturer.

Smart thermostats can learn your preferences and set a Miranda Boutelle is the vice president of operations and customer engagement at Efficiency Services Group in Oregon, a cooperatively owned energy efficiency company. She also writes on energy efficiency topics for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the national trade association representing more than 900 local electric cooperatives.

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Misconceptions about thermostats

A common misconception is the higher you turn your thermostat up or down, the faster your home’s temperature will change.

Turning your thermostat down to 55 degrees to cool your home faster is like repeatedly pushing the elevator button and expecting it to come faster.

It’s likely you will forget you adjusted it and waste energy by over heating or cooling the home. Set your desired temperature for heating and cooling or program your thermostat so you don’t make extreme adjustments.

Many people believe it takes more energy to heat or cool a house instead of leaving it the same temperature. The larger the temperature variance between inside and outside, the more energy your system uses. Setting your thermostat 7 to 10 degrees from its normal setting for eight hours a day can save up to 10% a year on your energy bill, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

Best practices

Use these heating and cooling tips from the DOE to add efficiency and savings to your home: • Set it to 78 degrees in the summer when you are home and awake, and warmer at night or when away. Set your thermostat to 68 degrees in the winter when you are home and awake, and cooler at night or when you are away.

• Upgrade to a programmable or smart thermostat that automatically adjusts the temperature throughout the day and when you leave the house.

• When on vacation, set your thermostat to 85 degrees in the summer and 55 degrees in the winter.

• In the summer, fans allow you to set your thermostat about 4 degrees warmer without feeling it. Remember, fans cool people, not rooms, so turn them off when you leave a room.

Use your thermostat to optimize energy efficiency and find a balance between comfort and affordability. www.alabamaliving.coop

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Alabama Living

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| Outdoors |

Invasive aquatic plant can threaten waterways

T

he Mobile Area Water and Sewer System closed Big Creek ing all five Gulf Coast states. In Alabama, people first discovered Lake when it discovered giant salvinia growing in the 3,600giant salvinia growing in two ponds in Auburn in 1999. Soon after acre reservoir near Semmes. that, people identified it in the Tallapoosa and Chattahoochee watersheds as well as ponds in Lee, Montgomery, Greene, Pickens, MAWSS officials sprayed the lake with herbicide to kill the noxious plant and built a boat washing facility near the only landing Russell and Sumter counties. on the water-supply reservoir. The impoundment on the EscatawMore recently, researchers detected it in Gainesville Reservoir pa River watershed partially reopened to fishing and boating in and backwater sections of the Tombigbee River. A pond in Autauga County contained a bad infestation. Giant salvinia in the June 2022 after remaining closed for 10 months. People must wash Elk River, which flows into the Tennessee River, probably died out their boats and trailers before launching into Big Creek Lake to from cold. As a tropical plant, giant salvinia thrives in warm water, curtail the spread of the invasive plant. but a hard freeze could kill it.

“We sprayed the giant salvinia with an EPA-approved product,” “The occurrence of giant salvinia is sporadic in Alabama,” says Bud McCrory, MAWSS director. “We’ll never get giant salvinia out of the lake completely, but we’re going to try to mitigate Armstrong says. “We eliminated it in certain areas and weather how it spreads. The boat washing will help reduce our risk at some took care of it in other places. We’ve had reports of it in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta in expercentage.” treme southern Alabama.

Native to southeastern I would not be surprised if Brazil, this aquatic fern it’s in some backwater argrows extremely rapidly. eas with limited flow in the In ideal conditions, it can delta. It’s a freshwater plant double in size in less than a so it probably can’t handle week and quickly dominate too much salt like in Moportions of any freshwater bile Bay.” system. Once established, The plant probably came giant salvinia chokes out to the U.S. for aquariums native plants and reduces or water gardens. When dissolved oxygen levels in people no longer wanted the water. to maintain an aquarium, “Giant salvinia grows they probably dumped it at such a high rate that it into the nearest stream, shades out the bottom,” pond or lake. In addition, says Dave Armstrong, the flood conditions can overAquatic Nuisance Species flow ponds and water garCoordinator for the Alabama Division of Wildlife Giant salvinia is an aggressive, fast-growing exotic that chokes out native plants and dens, washing the plants and Freshwater Fisheries. can kill everything beneath it that depends on sunlight to survive. into nearby rivers.

“It’s amazing how deep this Giant salvinia can surPHOTO COURTESY ALABAMA DIVISION OF WILDLIFE AND FRESHWATER FISHERIES vive out of water for up to a stuff will grow. It grows to year. In addition, the plant clings to boat hulls and trailers. When where there’s very little sunlight. It grows in layers upon itself until someone launches a boat carrying the plant into another system, it completely fills in a small pond from top to bottom.” the invader multiples prolifically in its new home. People also theOne of the most aggressive aquatic plants, this fast-growing exotic can grow so thick that boats cannot pass. It blocks the sunorize that particles can attach to the legs and feet of wading birds light, killing everything beneath it that depends upon sunlight to like herons and egrets. Once established, the plant rapidly takes survive. over portions of that waterbody.

“When giant salvinia covers the surface, it kills the plankton,” “The main way this plant spreads is by sticking to boat hulls Armstrong says. “All fish require plankton, at least when they’re and trailers,” Armstrong says. “It’s so clingy it’s almost like Velcro. young. Small fish, prey for larger fish, eat plankton. If the plant Little eggbeater-like hairs on the leaves grab onto anything. Birds reduces phytoplankton and zooplankton in a system, fish won’t ingest it and spread it that way. Once it gets into a system, spraying get enough food to it.” masses of it is the only way to control it.”

To help curb the spread of giant salvinia and other noxious exThis noxious invader currently exists in at least 11 states includotic plants, always wash boats and trailers or anything else before launching into another waterbody. To report giant salvinia infesJohn N. Felsher is a professional freelance writer who lives in Semmes, Ala. He also hosts an outdoors tips show for WAVH FM tations, contact Dave Armstrong at 251-331-7050 or email Dave.

Talk 106.5 radio station in Mobile, Ala. Contact him at j.felsher@ Armstrong@dcnr.alabama.gov. See giant salvinia on outdooralhotmail.com or through Facebook. abama.com and other internet sources.

28 AUGUST 2022

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DOUG HANNON’S FISH & GAME FORECAST 2022 AUGUST

Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

SEPTEMBER

Th Fr 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 29 30

EXCELLENT TIMES A.M.

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

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

GOOD TIMES

MOON STAGE

PM

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

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

AM

PM

2:09 - 3:39 2:57 - 4:27 3:45 - 5:15 4:33 - 6:03 5:21 - 6:51 5:48 - 7:18 6:09 - 7:39 6:57 - 8:27 7:45 - 9:15 8:33 - 10:03 9:21 - 10:51

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

AM

PM

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

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

We apologize for the discrepancy in the calendar dates and the days of the week in the forecast charts in last month’s magazine. The dates were correct, although they did not correspond to the correct days of the week. Thanks to the readers who let us know!

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 2022 Moon Clock, go to www.moontimes.com.

Alabama Living

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AUGUST 2022 29

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| Alabama Recipes |

S

Primed for

Peppers

Food styling and photos: Brooke Echols

ummer and fall are the prime seasons for fresh peppers, whether you’ve grown them in your garden or picked some up at your local farmer’s market. “They are low in calories and burst in flavor,” says Sheree Taylor, Human Sciences Regional Extension Agent for the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. “Peppers can be crisp, sweet or spicy.” Not to mention they come in green, red, orange or yellow colors and sometimes a bit of all four.

All colors of peppers have nutritional benefits, Taylor says, but red peppers actually have higher antioxidant and phytonutrient levels, because they are riper. They also supply more potassium, Vitamin C and folate, she adds.

But all peppers are nutritious and easy to add to any meal. “People can slice them, eat them raw, grilled, sauteed or roasted. When preparing foods with peppers, be mindful that boiling or cooking them may cause a loss of 50% of the nutrients,” Taylor advises. Instead of boiling or steaming, she recommends dry heat methods such as stir-frying or roasting.

“Peppers can bring not only color to our plate, but flavor,” Taylor says. “They are packed with nutrients and can be incorporated in ways that can fit the desires of anyone’s tastebuds.”

– Lenore Vickrey Stuffed Pepper Bowl

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t your lon Agent en, red,

t levels,

When Instead

d in ways

r Bowl

Cook of the Month: Louis Toth, Arab EC

T

here are many great ways to use peppers in delicious ways. My favorite way is to make Brooke Burks a dish sweet and colorful. In the summer, I like to keep things light and delicious, so using multi-colored bell peppers in dishes is a great way to do that. As pleasing to the eye as the tummy, these peppers quickly steal the show! Enjoy! Find more easy recipes like this one from Brooke at thebutteredhome.com.

Sheet Pan Mediterranean Chicken and Vegetables 3-4 8-ounce chicken breasts or tenderloins 1 zucchini, cut into bite-sized pieces 1 yellow squash, cut into bite-sized pieces 1-2 bell peppers, sliced, any color 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper ¼-½ cup crumbled feta cheese 1 teaspoon dried oregano 2 tablespoons minced garlic 2 tablespoons lemon juice Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place chicken on one end of a sheet pan (parchment paper optional). Dice and prep vegetables and place in a large bowl. Drizzle chicken and vegetables with a bit of olive oil and lightly season with salt and pepper. Arrange vegetables next to chicken on the sheet pan, making sure they are in a single layer.

Bake in oven for 35-40 minutes, checking often to stir vegetables or turn chicken. Chicken is done when it reaches internal temperature of 160-165 degrees. Allow to rest before serving.

While chicken and vegetables are baking, assemble ingredients for dressing. In a medium bowl, combine minced garlic, lemon juice, oregano and olive oil. Whisk together well. When protein and vegetables are done, arrange as desired on a serving platter. Drizzle dressing over chicken and vegetables right before serving and garnish with feta cheese.

Photo by The Buttered Home

Alabama Living

AL STATE AUG22.indd 31

Like many of us, Louis Toth remembers watching his mother and grandmother cook meals during Louis Toth his growing-up years. “They never wrote anything down,” he says, so using his engineering background, he recreated those favorite childhood dishes and tweaked them to his liking and those of his son’s family in Arab, where Louis moved after retiring from his job in New Jersey. His grandparents emigrated from Hungary, where dishes like stuffed peppers and stuffed cabbage rolls were staples in their diet. His winning “Stuffed Peppers” recipe calls for ground pork, which results in a sweeter flavor than the traditional ground beef. He also cooks his peppers on the stove, not the oven. “I enjoy the pork,” he says, and so do his granddaughters, who enjoy helping their granddad in the kitchen. “I also like to make meatballs with a mixture of ground beef and pork. It makes a difference in the taste.”

Stuffed Peppers 5½ quart Dutch oven or stock pot 7 medium-large, green bell peppers (other color peppers are also fine) 1 pound ground pork 1 cup raw, long grain, white rice 2 28-ounce cans tomato sauce 2 cups whole milk or half and half (or more for a creamier sauce) 2 cups water (to adjust sauce thickness) 1 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika ½ teaspoon Kosher salt Parboil rice to begin. Place rice into a strainer and rinse with cold water. Bring a large pot of water (sufficient to completely cover the raw rice and allow for its expansion during cooking) to boiling. Add rinsed rice, return to boil, then reduce heat to gently parboil the rice for 10 minutes; strain rice, rinse with cold water and let cool. Cut tops off of the peppers and carefully scoop out the seeds and membranes. In a large bowl whisk together the tomato sauce, milk and water. In another large bowl gently mix the pork, cooled rice, paprika, salt and 1/2 cup of the blended sauce together. Stuff the peppers 3/4 full with the meat mixture.

(Mixture will expand slightly when cooked.) Place stuffed peppers standing up in a tall pot or Dutch oven. Gently pour the remaining sauce mixture over the peppers to cover. (If you have any leftover filling, you can form them into meatballs and add to the pot.) Bring to boil, then reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 45 minutes. To serve: Place a pepper in a serving bowl and ladle some sauce over the pepper. Serve with white or rye bread on the side.

AUGUST 2022 31

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Stuffed Pepper Bowl 1 2 1 1 4 8 1

pound ground beef cups rice, cooked tablespoon olive oil onion, diced bell peppers, chopped ounces mushrooms, chopped 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, do not drain 1/2-1 cup beef broth or water 1 15-ounce can black beans (optional) 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese or more, to taste 2 teaspoons chili powder 2 teaspoons cumin 2 teaspoons smoked paprika 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon cilantro 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper Salt and pepper, to taste Cook rice according to package instructions. Brown beef in skillet until cooked.

Drain and set aside. Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about five minutes. Add bell pepper and cook until almost soft, about seven minutes. Add mushrooms, tomatoes, cooked beef, broth (or water), black beans if using, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to simmer for twenty minutes, adding more broth if it begins to run dry. Remove from heat. Stir in cheddar cheese until melted. Serve immediately over rice. Note: depending on temperature of pan or other factors, you may need more or less broth.

Raspberry Cream Cheese Jalapeño Peppers 9 4 1/4 18

jalapeños ounces softened cream cheese cup raspberry preserves slices bacon

Cut the jalapeños in half, scrape the seeds and ribs from the pepper. Combine raspberry preserves and softened cream cheese. Fill each pepper boat with cream cheese and raspberry preserves. Wrap each pepper with bacon and place on a baking pan. Preheat grill to 350 degrees and place peppers on the indirect side of grill for 30 minutes until the bacon is crisp and the cheese bubbly.

Kirk Vantrease Cullman EC

Peppers and Onions Skillet 1 pound ground beef or turkey 1/2 yellow green and red bell peppers, chopped 1 medium onion, chopped 1 zucchini squash, chopped 1 tablespoon cooking oil 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon garlic powder Cook meat and drain, then sauté chopped vegetables for 10-15 minutes.

Add in one tablespoon oil, add meat back in with seasoning and cook for 10 minutes.

Lends Dodd Joe Wheeler EMC

Be creative with your peppers:

• Chop a variety of colors and add to salads with greens, pasta salad or tuna • Saute with onions as a side dish • Add to omelets, quiche or pizza

Raspberry Cream Cheese Jalapeno Peppers

Kelsey Rumler Wiregrass EC

Holiday Cookie

CONTEST

Calling all bakers! Do you have a favorite holiday cookie recipe or special cookies you take to all the holiday parties and cookie exchanges? Share your favorite holiday cookie recipes with us for a chance to win!

Enter online at www.alabamaliving.com. Each entry must include your name, address and phone number as well as the name of your electric cooperative.

Entries may also be mailed to Alabama Living Cookie Contest, PO Box 244014, Montgomery, AL 36124. Entry deadline is September 2, 2022.

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Submit to win $50!

Recipes can be developed by you or family members. You may even adapt a recipe from another source by changing as little as the amount of one ingredient. Chosen cooks may win “Cook of the Month” only once per calendar year. To be eligible, submissions must include a name, phone number, mailing address and co-op name. Alabama Living reserves the right to reprint recipes in our other publications.

Themes and Deadlines:

November: Turkey leftovers | August 5 December: Holiday Cookie Contest | September 2 January: Kids who cook | October 7

3 ways to submit:

Online: alabamaliving.coop Email: recipes@alabamaliving.coop Mail: Attn: Recipes P.O. Box 244014 Montgomery, AL 36124

www.alabamaliving.coop

7/14/22 12:03 PM

Alabama Living

AL STATE AUG22.indd 33

AUGUST 2022 33

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Hibachi Joe is on a mission behind the grill

Dothan chef serves up hot meals during dark times

Hibachi Joe says his heart overflows with a love for God and providing for those in need. That’s why he cooks big and gives even bigger.

Joe — who does not use a surname but is known to many as “Joe Cook” — is renowned in the Wiregrass for his impressive skills as a private chef. However, he is perhaps more well known for packing up his grill for solo trips to areas affected by natural disasters, civil unrest and tragedy.

Once there, he cooks up big portions of shrimp, steak, chicken, fried rice and grilled veggies for dozens — sometimes hundreds — of people in need of a hot meal.

“God gave me the gift of cooking,” Joe says. “It's just my passion … God always has a mission for me to tackle, and He’ll provide and He’ll bless me.”

Heart for cooking

Recently, Joe went to Uvalde, Texas, to serve people affected by the unimaginable sudden losses of fourth-grade students and teachers killed by a lone gunman. He also traveled to Washington, D.C., in the days after the Jan. 6 riot to serve homeless people there.

His latest recognition from the community is due to his missions to areas left devastated by severe weather events like hurricanes, tornadoes and flooding. Since his grill is powered by propane, he can get to work in areas where businesses and homes don’t have electricity to prepare and store food. He cooks for first responders, displaced people, linemen and anyone else who needs a hot meal.

“The smile on their face when they eat my food, that makes it worth it,” Joe says.

Help during hurricane aftermath

Hibachi Joe was selected as a winner of the Silent Heroes of the Wiregrass award, a partnership between Wiregrass Electric Cooperative and WTVY. As part of the program that honors local unsung heroes and organizations, Joe was presented with a $1,000 check from WEC’s Operation Round Up Foundation to continue carrying out his good work.

“Joe really epitomizes the Silent Heroes program because he’s not doing it for recognition, but for God’s glory,” Brad Kimbro, WEC’s chief operating officer, says. “Specifically, being in the electric utility world, I know what he’s done when all these hurricanes have hit in the past and how he’s offered his time and services to go and prepare food for those in need.

Joe grills shrimp at his restaurant, Hibachi Joe’s, located on Montgomery Highway in Dothan.

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(Above) Wiregrass Electric Cooperative Chief Operating officer Brad Kimbro, left, and WTVY’s Taylor Pollock, right, congratulate Hibachi Joe on being named a winner of the Silent Heroes of the Wiregrass award. The honor comes along with a $1,000 check on behalf of WEC’s Operation Round Up Foundation. (Right) Joe prepares the grill.

“He’s going to places with no restaurants to serve our first responders and our linemen who are sleeping in their trucks,” Kimbro adds. “He doesn’t do it for the recognition, but he is certainly deserving of it.”

Joe, who spent much of his childhood in war-torn Cambodia where he often went hungry because of food scarcity, feels a calling to help people who are suffering.

“God just has a way of using me in the right place at the right time,” Joe says. “I feel blessed to get to do what I do every day here in Dothan.

I couldn’t do it without the support of people in the Wiregrass.”

Community enthusiasm

When people in the community talk about Hibachi Joe, they often mention his humor, humility, generosity and dedication to his craft.

So, when Joe feels the need to serve others, people in the community support his effort any way they can — whether it’s by offering words of Alabama Living

032_CVR.indd 51

support or encouragement as he livestreams his long, arduous journeys on Facebook or lending a helping hand.

When Joe feels called to help, he may stay up all night preparing food at his carry-out restaurant in Dothan before leaving in his food truck and often driving long distances to cook fresh food for people coping with disaster.

“The people that support me really energize me to do what the Lord has chosen me to do,” Joe says. “I don’t do this for attention or anything. I do it because I have been so blessed in my life and God has called me to use my gift to help others.

“I just thank Wiregrass Electric and WTVY for honoring me and believing in me,” he adds. “People think I do a good job and think I’m a hero, but I don’t feel that way. I just feel like God calls me, and I just show up. He gives me the strength, and He gives me everything I need to travel and be safe.” n AUGUST 2022 35

7/15/22 11:18 AM

| Our Sources Say |

A plan W

e’ve always heard, “You need a plan to get anything done.”

That is taught in all business schools and recognized by people who don’t manage anything other than their own lives.

My favorite quote about “plans” is from the noted philosopher and past world heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson: “Everybody has a plan until they get hit in the mouth.”

Most of us in following our plans have found Mike is right.

We start with a plan, something goes sideways, and we find ourselves adrift.

Climate movement plans -- whether the Paris Accord, Net Zero Carbon Emissions by 2050, elimination of all fossil fuels, the immediate mandate of electric vehicles, or others -- are really all different concepts promoted by different people and groups with various motives. For instance, some groups feel nuclear power is a great substitute for fossil fuels because it is carbon-free. Other groups totally reject nuclear power as too dangerous or too expensive, or those groups are concerned about nuclear waste.

In addition to already disjointed directions and inconsistency of climate plans, the entire climate movement was punched in the mouth by Vladimir Putin and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Serious people are now questioning how the most basic concepts of climate plans can be achieved.

I commented in an earlier article about Biden Climate Czar, John Kerry, and his comments regarding the Russian invasion of Ukraine and how he hoped the invasion didn’t result in lost focus on climate change actions. The comment (while just silly as thousands of people were being killed in an invasion) demonstrates a lack of understanding of energy basics and how energy is used. For instance, how effective will an electric tank be? How could you recharge it in the middle of a battle? Gasoline or diesel fuel are much better wartime solutions. Equally so, how about electric helicopters or airplanes? And you can’t rely on systems only developed for wartime. Supply chains and delivery systems must be developed and maintained for normal commerce – not during times of war.

A plan to reduce carbon emissions must meet certain parameters and have specific economic attributes to succeed against punches in the mouth from Russia, the weather, or the economy.

A successful plan must recognize that success and wealth are built on readily available and affordable energy. This country was built on cheap energy, and its success will always depend on cheap energy. Some in the climate movement feel cheap energy is ruining the world and that energy must be restricted for the good of humanity. That philosophy is counter to global devel-

opment and prosperity, and it will never be embraced by the people of the world.

A successful plan must also include provisions to bring affordable energy to third world countries and emerging nations.

Denying developing nations access to affordable energy by restricting energy growth to only renewable sources is morally wrong. As one African leader recently said, “No country has been built on solar and wind energy.”

A successful plan also must recognize the Second Law of Thermodynamics. Energy is neither created nor destroyed.

It merely changes form. And each time energy changes form, some of it is lost and cannot be converted to electric energy.

Current plans naively demand for curtailment of fossil fuels by a certain date not too far into the future and a switch to renewable energy sources like solar and wind. The facts of energy are enough to show that the world will never be completely powered by renewable energy. It is too intermittent. Unlike fossil-fuel fired generators, solar and wind do not have the rotating mass needed to support the stability of the electric grid.

Too many in the climate movement think setting certain dates to eliminate fossil fuel use will somehow drive new technology and result in a seamless transition. That is just not the case.

There needs to be a serious plan for a successful transition.

Any viable path to a carbon constrained future will require “investable” technology. Business always drives transitions, and it requires long horizons to recover research and development costs and capital. Constantly changing plans and directions will not attract the long-term investments necessary to accomplish the goal.

Successful plans will also have to bridge political lines and be acceptable to Democrats and Republicans. Both parties must step back from radical positions to find workable, affordable and practical compromises. The extreme “shut it down now” or “we will never change” positions will only lead to further polarization and no viable solutions. Success will never be found behind sidewalk bullhorn politics.

The climate change movement has met its Mike Tyson moment. How plans are developed in the future will dictate the direction and success of global energy policy. How the movements and the counter-movements react will decide if any de-carbonization plan will be successful.

The Ukraine war presents an opportunity to redesign the global energy future, but I am not optimistic. I expect most everyone will continue to double down on silly and impossible plans that keep getting hit in the mouth.

I hope you have a good month.

Gary Smith is President and CEO of PowerSouth Energy Cooperative.

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Illustration by Dennis Auth

| Hardy Jackson's Alabama |

Precious memories, and a few surprises S

ome folks are collectors.

My mother and father were accumulators.

Daddy was 93 when he claimed his 50-yard-line seat in that great Jordan-Hare Stadium in the sky. Mama was 98 when she joined him. That gave them a lot of time to collect. And they did.

Once, and only once, did Daddy let me organize and cull his collection. My wife helped.

In his storage shed, we found jars in which he kept balls of twine, seed catalogs, and insecticide long since banned by the EPA. We also found a bunch of empty halfpint whiskey bottles, which were full when he went hunting on a cold winter morning.

As we carted off “stuff ” to the dump, I heard Daddy mourn “my treasures, my treasures.”

He never let us do a clean-out again. Instead, he saved what he could and told us, with unmasked glee, that we would have to deal with it after he was gone.

Harvey H. (Hardy) Jackson is Professor Emeritus at Jacksonville State University. He can be reached at hhjackson43@gmail.com

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Only we didn’t. We kept it where it was because Mama wanted it that way.

As the years passed, she added to the collection.

What a collection it was.

Daddy’s mother loved stamps, and as her children traveled the world defeating our nation’s enemies and occupying their countries, they sent her letters – stamped.

Daddy inherited that passion, so the stamps and envelopes and albums were crammed into a filing cabinet for me to sort through.

Like her mother before her, Mama kept a diary – which was mostly a daily account of what they ate, the weather, and who visited. Thrown in were bits of local gossip, and an occasional reference to family doings, good and not-so-good.

I found things I could not explain: two Japanese Pesos, currency Japan printed for use in the occupied Philippines. Daddy served in Europe. Who gave him these?

A miniature photo of a young man in what appears to be a Confederate uniform. He is holding a wicked looking knife. Who was he?

Mama’s senior high picture. Why had I never seen it before? Cute as a button, she was. I know why Daddy cut her out of

the herd. Not that I was surprised. She was Miss Grove Hill of 1934. I know – I found the sash she wore.

Then there was the letter Mama wrote to Daddy just after she learned that the attack on Pearl Harbor had changed everything.

And tax returns. The accountant told me to keep 7 years, so into the big black trash bags went a decade or more of cancelled checks, receipts, and “thank you for your donation” notes, records of two lives well lived.

Among the things they kept was my grandmother’s 1953 application to begin collecting Social Security. The government sent her $26 a month. Not much, but with chickens, a garden in the back yard, family and friends nearby, she got along fine on that.

The books my folks accumulated for no purpose other than they enjoyed them were donated to the public library.

I also found a list directing me to give such-and-such to so-and-so, which I dutifully did.

And I paid off Mama’s pledge to their church.

Many precious memories. And even some surprises. www.alabamaliving.coop

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