Florida Currents July 2014 by American MainStreet Publications

Glades Electric Cooperative

J U LY 2014

Drive-Ins: The Sequel Once close to extinction, drive-in movie theaters are making a comeback—thanks, in part, to the introduction of new digital equipment. Charles Watzke, owner of the Ocala Drive-In, received one of 10 digital projection systems given away last year by the Honda Motor Co. Fans voted for the winners. Read more on page 12. PHOTO BY CINDY KLOPFER

Honoring Our Student Scholars

PAGE 4



New Laws Could Affect You and GEC PAGE 28

Technology Simplified – Bigger and BeTTer

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Have you ever said to yourself “I’d love to get a computer, if only I could figure out how to use it.” Well, you’re not alone. Computers were supposed to make our lives simpler, but they’ve gotten so complicated that they are not worth the trouble. With all of the “pointing and clicking” and “dragging and dropping” you’re lucky if you can figure out where you are. Plus, you are constantly worrying about viruses and freeze-ups. If this sounds familiar, we have great news for you. There is finally a computer that’s designed for simplicity and ease of use. It’s the WOW Computer, and it was designed with you in mind. This computer is easy-to-use, worry-free and literally puts the world at your

fingertips. From the moment you open the box, you’ll realize how different the WOW Computer is. The components are all connected; all you do is plug it into an outlet and your high-speed Internet connection. Then you’ll see the screen – it’s now 22 inches. This is a completely new touch screen system, without the cluttered look of the normal computer screen. The “buttons” on the screen are easy to see and easy to understand. All you do is touch one of them, from the Web, Email, Calendar to Games– you name it… and a new screen opens up. It’s so easy to use you won’t have to ask your children or grandchildren for help. Until now the very people who could benefit most from E-mail and the Internet are the ones that have had the hardest time accessing it. Now, thanks to the WOW Computer, countless older Americans are discovering the wonderful world of the Internet every day. Isn’t it time

you took part? Call now, and a patient, knowledgeable product expert will tell you how you can try it in your home for 30 days. If you are not totally satisfied, simply return it within 30 days for a refund of the product purchase price. Call today. • Send & Receive Emails • Have video chats with family and friends • Surf the Internet: Get current weather and news • Play games on line: Hundreds to choose from!

Call now toll free and find out how you can get the new WOW! Computer. Mention promotional code 58611 for special introductory pricing.

80992

“I love this computer! It is easy to read and to use! I get photo updates from my children and grandchildren all the time.” – Janet F.

Glades Electric

Neighbors Working for Neighbors

GEC Introduces Advanced Metering Infrastructure

Members acknowledge that $3.96, plus actual postage, is the cost to publish 12 issues a year of Florida Currents (USPS8300). Published by Ruralite Services Inc., 5605 NE Elam Young Pkwy., Hillsboro, OR 97124—a not-for-profit Oregon cooperative corporation—the magazine serves the communications needs of consumer-owned electric utilities in Florida. Preferred Periodicals postage paid at Forest Grove, OR 97116 and at additional mailing offices.

Glades Electric Cooperative is upgrading to new powerline carrier automated meters, also known as AMI. The system uses two-way digital communication through power lines between GEC and its meters. The new system will bring many benefits to GEC members.

Postmaster: Please send address corrections to 5605 NE Elam Young Pkwy., Hillsboro, OR 97124.

RELIABILITY

HOW TO CONTACT FLORIDA CURRENTS

Have a problem receiving your edition of Florida Currents? Utility members should contact the local utility office listed on the back cover. Nonmembers should contact Ruralite Services, 5605 NE Elam Young Pkwy., Hillsboro, OR 97124; (503) 357-2105; email info@floridacurrents.com. Subscription services: Nonmember subscriptions $12 (US) per year; $25 (foreign) per year. Prepayment required. Allow 4 to 8 weeks for first issue. Be sure to identify which local edition you want to receive. Extra copies: $2 each, pre-payment required. Supply is limited. Identify edition, month and year. Contact Ruralite Services. Reprint permission: Direct all requests to Ruralite Services. MANUSCRIPTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS

Please do not send unsolicited materials. If interested in writing for Florida Currents, query first. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope for writer’s guidelines. Address requests and queries to Ruralite Services. DISPLAY ADVERTISING INQUIRIES

Contact Jessah Willis National Country Market 611 S. Congress Ave. Suite 504 Austin, TX 98704 (800) 626-1181 or (512) 441-5200 www.nationalcountrymarket.com PRINTED IN FLORIDA

New meters help us locate— and respond to—outages faster and more safely.  New meters can help us improve power quality, reducing surges and blinking.  New meters mean consistent billing periods. 

EFFICIENCY With remote meter reading and reconnection, we can save time and money (and reduce air pollution).  With more detailed data about demand and use, we can distribute power more efficiently. 

AFFORDABILITY

new technology to help us serve you better

Operating more efficiently can help minimize cost increases.  GEC can use the new data to help members address high bills.  Improved detection of power theft decreases the impact of cost for all our members. 

There has been exciting progress on the advanced metering infrastructure at Glades Electric Cooperative. In May, several employees attended training on the new systems and equipment to be installed in GEC’s substations. In June, installation of the substation equipment and more than 1,000 meters began out of the Cowbone Substation near the Big Cypress Reservation. As work continues, GEC hopes to have the first of the meters online and providing readings back to the office over power lines by mid-July. The AMI system will provide increased reliability and efficiency of the electric distribution system by transferring information from the meter through the same lines that carry electricity to your home. Installation of the meters throughout GEC’s entire service territory is expected to take about 24 months. Members can expect to lose power for a few minutes on the day of installation. For more information about the AMI system and other GEC programs, please go to www. gladesec.com or call (800) 226-4024. 

Inside

July 2014 Vol. 3, No. 9

Drive-Ins: The Sequel 12

Trend Offset Printing Services 10301 Busch Drive North Jacksonville, FL 32218

Once close to extinction, drive-in movie theaters are making a comeback.

Also In This Issue Side Roads 10 In the Kitchen 16 Florida Gardener 18

Festival Roundup 22 Outdoor Pursuits 24 Parting Shot 30

Your utility pages: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32

J U LY 2 0 1 4

Glades Electric

Neighbors Working for Neighbors

Honoring Our Student Scholars Glades Electric Cooperative awards scholarships to eight seniors, sends one junior to Washington, D.C.

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Graduating from high school is a major life event for most teenagers. It marks a passage to adulthood and independence. Living in a rural community means that event becomes a community celebration. Glades Electric Cooperative is proud to contribute to that celebration by offering scholarships to our graduating high school seniors every year. To show our appreciation for the hard work and dedication these young men and women have put forth, we honored eight students at the Glades Electric Cooperative Youth Scholarship Banquet May 20 in Lake Placid. Also honored was one high school junior selected as the winner of the 2014 Washington Youth Tour contest. The scholarships are coordinated by the Glades Electric Educational Foundation, which was formed in 2000 to recognize hardworking, dedicated, achievement-oriented students and encourage brilliant and innovative young leaders in our communities. This year’s scholarship recipients fit that criteria well. Eight graduating seniors are chosen from the GEC service territory each year. Two students from Glades, Hendry, Highlands and Okeechobee counties

each receive $4,000 scholarships given during a four-year period. The scholarship funds come from the cooperative’s unclaimed capital credits. Members’ children who have maintained academic excellence and have shown leadership and involvement throughout their high school years are eligible to apply for the awards. Involvement in extracurricular activities such as sports, student government and National Honor Society are among the accomplishments reviewed as part of the selection process. Choosing scholarship winners is more difficult each year due to an increased number of applicants. This is a result of school administrators, staff and teachers encouraging students to pursue higher levels of education. Through the years, GEC has supported area schools and continues to make youth a top priority. GEC and the Glades Electric Educational Foundation are privileged to have the opportunity to help make students’ dreams a reality. This is just one of the many ways we fulfill the seven cooperative principles and continue being “Neighbors Working for Neighbors.” n

Glades Electric Cooperative Board of Trustees President Jack Coxe, right, with honorees at the Annual Scholarship Banquet. From left, Thomas Perry, Matti Bass, Victoria Burnett, Gary Demarest, Jenny Lopez, Melanie De Las Salas, Sarah Hurst and Nicholas Kielbasa.

Mattie Bass, Moore Haven High School, Glades County • GPA 4.48 • FFA, four years; current president; past treasurer and vice president • Beta Club, three years; current president and past treasurer • Academic Team; third in state • 4-H, eight years • National Honor Society, four years • Varsity track, volleyball and cheer sophomore and junior years (captain both years) • 270 hours of community service • State Girls Cutting (horse) champion past two years • One of only eight juniors selected as a

Florida Sunshine State Scholar

• Accepted to Weatherford College in

Texas; will compete on collegiate rodeo team and plans to study equine physical therapy

Thomas Perry, Moore Haven High School, Glades County • GPA 4.1 • Golf team, two years • Cross country • Basketball, six years, two as captain • Beta Club, three years • STEM Scholars, three years • Honor Roll, six years • 4-H, five years, two as team captain • FFA, two years • Academic Team

• FBLA, four years • Oldebrecht Operation Hand Up, top three in program

• Plans to attend University of Florida Jenny Lopez, Clewiston High School, Hendry County • GPA 4.91 • STEM Scholar • Varsity softball and soccer, lettered three years • Volunteer tutor • CTE program, certified telecommunications license • National Honor Society, two years • Accepted to University of Central Florida Continues on page 6 j u ly 2 0 1 4

Washington Youth Tour Representative Each year, up to two high school juniors from our service territory are selected to participate in a weeklong allexpense-paid trip to visit our nation’s capital. Sarah Hurst of Okeechobee represented Glades Electric Cooperative on this year’s Washington Youth Tour, joining other juniors from cooperatives around the nation. Students toured Washington, D.C.; learned the history of rural electrification and its importance in the development of our great nation; visited historic monuments; and met with legislators. Sarah gained lasting friendships with students from around the country who share the bond of living in rural America and being served by an electric cooperative. Sara Hurst, Okeechobee High School, Okeechobee County • Varsity volleyball, three years • Flag football • FBLA • Key Club • Community service with Teen Court, North Elementary School, Yearling Middle School, Red Cross • Big Lake Juniors club volleyball • Substance Collision member, two years • Plans to attend Ecola Bible School

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Honoring Our Student Scholars Continues from page 5

Melanie De Las Salas, Clewiston High School, Hendry County • GPA 4.43 • Volunteer, turkey and toy drives • Church outreach program • Students Helping Students, algebra I and II Nicholas Kielbasa, Okeechobee High School, Okeechobee County • GPA 3.535 • Health and Safety Expo, vice president • FFA • SWAT Club, vice president • 4-H, vice president and historian (two different clubs) • U.S. Soil & Water Conservation speech contest, first place (three years) • Farm Bureau speech contest, first place • Varsity swim team, two years • Varsity tennis team, one year • National Honor Society, three years • Drama Club, two years • FCAT Writes, one of only 21 in Florida with 6.0 three times Kayla Orr, Okeechobee High School, Okeechobee County • GPA 3.87 • Top 4 percent of Class of 2014 (2010 to present) • National Honor Society • Subject Area Award: technology

• Key Club • Marching band • Beta Club • Varsity tennis team • Academic Excellence Award • District and regional Science Fair, first place, 2010 and 2011

• American Legion Academic Award • 2010’s Most Outstanding Student Victoria Burnett, Lake Placid High School, Highlands County • GPA 5.44 • Student Government Association State Convention, project awarded first place, 2013 • Homecoming Court • Honor Roll, every grading period during high school • Ranked second in the Class of 2014 • Chairwoman on numerous committees, fundraising events and projects • National Honor Society • Co-drum major, high school band • Mason G. Smoak Foundation Youth Leadership inaugural member • LPHS Dragon Bank, vice president • Aspires to a double major in mass communications and English education at Florida State University Gary Demarest Jr., Sebring High School, Highlands County • GPA 4.577 • All-county awards in basketball, football, track and weightlifting • Upward Basketball coach and referee • Church camp counselor • Basketball and football camp counselor • Salvation Army bell ringer

Glades Electric

Neighbors Working for Neighbors

Liberty and a Better Life for All Founders of the electric cooperative movement were determined to make life better for those who followed Every July, we reflect on our country’s history and remember how the actions of a few helped shape the way we live today. The electric cooperative movement was blazed by a small group of determined people who were able to improve their quality of life and the quality of life for those who followed. Every day, Glades Electric Cooperative members and employees pay homage to the legacy of our cooperative founders. Because we are a part of an electric cooperative, we know we have the power to affect our present and shape the future, just like those who came before us. Through grassroots advocacy efforts, we help influence policy decisions that affect our communities now and for years to come. We are the catalyst for change in our communities. We leverage our collective power to get things done. The past few years, GEC has worked closely with the Florida Rural Broadband Alliance to bring high-speed Internet service to our territory. GEC also supports development of AirGlades International Airport and America’s Gateway Logistics Center, which will provide new commercial activity in the area. GEC spearheaded legislation to make our area more attractive and affordable for new businesses. More than half a million dollars in tax credits on utility bills will be available for businesses locating in rural areas needing an economic boost. We work together, partnering with other co-ops, local businesses and community organizers to achieve economic development goals—creating better opportunities and increasing the quality of life for our families and communities,

just as our founding co-op members did. Cooperatives are helping to build the next generation of leaders, sending high school students to Washington, D.C., to meet with lawmakers and get an up-close view of how our government functions. Students leave our nation’s capital energized. The unique opportunity gives them a new perspective and inspires them to make a difference in their communities. All of those things are a part of the cooperative difference. This Fourth of July, as we think about our future and how we will continue to shape our country and our society, GEC remembers what it took to bring power to our communities and the determination of those who came before us. It guides what we do today. 

SUMMER ENERGY EFFICIENCY: Myth #1: When I’m not home, keeping my air conditioner at a lower temperature throughout the day means it doesn’t have to run harder to cool my home when I return. FACT: To save energy, set your thermostat to a higher temperature during the day, and lower it when you return home. Myth #2: Closing vents on my central air conditioning system will boost efficiency. FACT: Closing vents can cause the compressor to cycle too frequently and the heat pump to overload. You also will use more energy. Myth #3: Time of day doesn’t matter when it comes to running my appliances. FACT: Time of day matters when running electrical loads. Take advantage of the delay setting and run your dishwasher at night to avoid peak times of use. Myth #4: Bigger is always better when it comes to cooling equipment. FACT: Too often, cooling equipment is not sized properly and leads to higher electric bills. A unit that is too large for your home will not cool evenly and might produce higher humidity indoors.

J U LY 2 0 1 4

Glades Electric

Neighbors Working for Neighbors

Operation Round Up Monthly Report More than 70 percent of Glades Electric Cooperative members participate in Operation Round Up. This program helps people in GEC’s service area who have exhausted normal avenues of financial assistance. Sign up today, and your electric bill will be rounded up to the nearest dollar. The extra is placed in the fund for deserving individuals and organizations. As of June 4, your Charitable Trust Board of Directors has approved $827,479.25 in disbursements. These funds have provided assistance with food, emergency lodging, disaster relief and specific

emergency needs for 540 individuals and/or families and 115 community organizations. The trust does not fund utility bills (electric, phone, water and gas) or budgets of organizations. Organizations in counties served may apply for funding for a specific need or project. The Charitable Trust Board of Directors meets monthly to review applications for funding.  If you know of people who need and deserve assistance and live within our service area, encourage or help them to complete an application. Applications can be picked up at each of our three offices: Moore Haven, Lake Placid and Okeechobee.

Tap Into Savings With the Co-op Connections Card One of the ways Glades Electric Cooperative looks out for you is with the Co-op Connections Card. The nationwide membership program is designed to save you money on everything from prescriptions and home goods to restaurant dining and hotel rooms. The card does not cost you anything. It is a benefit of GEC’s partnership with Touchstone Energy Cooperatives. To browse national and local offers, incentives and discounts that come with using the Co-op Connections Card, visit www.connections.coop. A search feature allows you to locate goods and services by zip code. Please support the local merchants who participate in the program.

Credit Winners

Kelly Brantley District 3 Ortona/Palmdale Dori Evans District 4 Lakeport Lori Thompson District 5 Venus/Hicora

David McCadam District 8 Lake Josephine

Winners should call (800) 226-4024 or sign their name on this page and mail it to:

J U LY 2 0 1 4

Beverly Eaves District 2 Hendry County

Jerry Chasteen District 7 Lorida

Nicole A. Tyrrell No. 106949-001 Lewis and Kathy Upshaw No. 108284-001

Open District 1 Moore Haven

Lee Andrus District 6 Highlands Park

$25

Florida Currents $25 Credit Glades Electric Cooperative P.O. Box 519 Moore Haven, FL 33471

Charitable Trust Board of Directors

Angela Hodges District 9 Okeechobee

Church of the Month Bethel Holiness Church

317 Monte Real Boulevard Sebring, FL 33876-8060

The next meeting of the Charitable Trust Board of Directors is June 26 at 1 p.m. in Moore Haven.

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ITEM 47737/69080 69030/69031 Item 69080 shown

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Item 61325 shown

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Side Roads

Discoveries Off the Beaten Path

A Tradition on the Water For Ski-A-Rees team member Lance Robbins, waterskiing is in his blood By J.M. Garlock

Postcards From Florida

Mallory Square, Key West

m Photo by Pa

Blair

Billed as “where the sun sets and the fun begins,” Mallory Square is home to shops, museums and restaurants, but is worldrenowned for its Sunset Celebration featuring food carts, arts and crafts vendors and street performers. Starting two hours before sunset, the celebration draws hundreds of tourists each night. 10

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Lance Robbins was born to be on the water. In fact, thanks to his mother, he was on the water before he was born. A physician’s assistant in a hospital cardiology department, Lance spends his weekends as a show skier with the Sarasota Ski-A-Rees. “I’ve been a member of Ski-A-Rees my entire life,” says Lance, 30. “I was introduced to the club as a very small child because my parents were part of the team before I was born. I learned how to water ski in the very shallow waters at the ski site with my dad running along the beach and pulling me on trainer skis. Most of the kids who are born into the team start at around age 2 like that.” Waterskiing is in his family’s blood. “My mother, Sandy, learned how to water ski around age 18, but didn’t join the ski team until around age 27, a year after my brother was born,” Lance says. “I came two years later. My family has been on the team ever since.” Sandy swivel skis, does the ballet line and participates in the pyramids. “She was part of the first and only all-girls four-tier pyramid,” Lance says. His father, Russell, helps with skits, runs the sound system, drives the pick-up boat and helps with maintenance. His brother, Brian, has traveled around the world waterskiing. He met his wife, Catherine, on the ski team. Both continue to ski and are teaching their 2½-year-old daughter, Peyton, how to ski. Founded in 1957, Ski-A-Rees contracted with Cypress Gardens in Sarasota to present water ski shows. Although the theme park closed, the team continues to present weekly shows at 2 p.m. Sundays, February through May. They also do about six fall shows. Performances are free. After the shows,

a bucket is passed for donations. “My favorite act at this point is probably backwards barefoot because it is one of my newest skills,” Lance says. “Otherwise, I love the pyramids because it is when everyone works together. I really enjoy being able to talk to my friends next to me and above me while we build the pyramid. Jump is a fun act, too, because all the guys like to make jokes in the corners while we set up for our stunts over the ramp.” Generally, the team consists of an almost equal number of gals and guys. Right now there are 18 members—10 women and eight men. The team practices most Saturdays and Sundays. Depending on available sunlight, some practices are weeknights. “I’ve been pretty lucky in regards to injury,” Lance says. “I only had to go to the emergency department one time due to a barefoot fall. It happens so fast that you don’t have control over it. My feet came

Discover the History of Deep-Sea Voyaging

Above, Lance Robbins skis backwards barefoot during a show. Opposite page, Lance with his parents, Sandy and Russell, who were involved with the Ski-A-Rees water ski show team before Lance was born. Photos courtesy of Ski-A-Rees

around from my backside and kicked me in the head. Luckily, I did not injure my spine and was good to go the next week.” Lance skied for SeaWorld in San Antonio, Texas, in 2007, 2008 and 2013, and is skiing there for the 2014 summer season. He was asked to ski with another team last year in China in a competition against the Chinese national team. Lance has earned acclaim, taking home the Lynn Novakofski Award for most outstanding male skier in the Southern Regional Tournament in 2011. “Show skiers are performers at heart,” Lance says. “We really enjoy what we do whether there is a crowd or not, but for some reason when the crowd is involved it really gets the adrenaline going and our showmanship really turns on. “Just this last year we had been practicing for one month prior to doing shows for an audience. During the opening pyramid of the first show we were all smiling really big and saying that we had forgotten just how much fun our sport really is while performing for an audience.”

Lance also enjoys mountain skiing. “I went snow skiing a few times,” he says, noting trips to North Carolina and Colorado. “It is also great fun.” Lance has no plans to retire—ever. “There is never a time in my life that I plan on not being a member of the Ski-A-Rees team,” he says. “Even when I can no longer ski, there are always things a person can do to help out. There is boat driving, running the sound system, announcing, running the concession stand, maintenance and many other aspects. I’m sure that I will be active in one of those aspects even into old age. “Water skiing is my life. Everything else just fills the space between my water time. I learned how to water ski before I can remember and plan on doing it until after I can remember.” n The Ski-A-Rees team is based at 1602 Ken Thompson Parkway in Sarasota. For an events schedule, team information, photos and more, visit www.skiarees.com. For information on how to become a member, or to hire the team to perform at an event, email skiarees@gmail.com or call (941) 388-1666.

Founded in 1982, the one-of-a-kind Man in the Sea Museum in Panama City Beach has collected, preserved and displayed rare diving equipment and vessels, including Sealab 1. Tested in the waters off Panama City Beach and deployed off Bermuda on July 20, 1964, Sealab 1 was the first underwater habitat developed by the U.S. Navy to research the psychological and physiological strain of living and working underwater for extended periods. Four aquanauts spent 11 days in the 40-foot cylinder. Two more experiments followed, providing information that helped advance deep-sea diving and rescue. Owned by the Institute of Diving, Man in the Sea Museum showcases the progress of underwater technology, from the earliest days of diving to the most modern underwater habitats. In addition to viewing Sealab 1, visitors to the 5,000-square-foot facility off Highway 98 can climb through a submarine, learn about different diving helmets used throughout history and discover treasures recovered from sunken ships dating from 1500.

Man in the Sea Museum is home to Sealab I, which marks its 50th anniversary this month. Photo by Pam Blair

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Drive-Ins: The Sequel Fans flock once again to nostalgic cinematic icons

popular and affordable pastime for young couples and families. “Our family has been running theaters for decades, but we never had a drive-in By Dianna Troyer and thought the property had potenGazing at the defunct Ocala Drive-In, tial,” says Charles, 62, who along with Charles Watzke and his brother John saw John, 56, bought it in 2010. “We wanted beyond its dilapidated appearance. to carry on the tradition of the great “It had 7-foot-tall weeds and a cavedAmerican drive-in for future generations in concession stand roof,” recalls Charles. to enjoy.” John found the once-thriving central After extensive remodeling, they reFlorida business on the Internet. opened it in 2011 and began showing They learned it had been open from movies seven days a week. 1948 to 2007, with spaces for 350 cars. Its “Upgrading it took longer than we 45-foot by 90-foot concrete screen—built thought and cost about $150,000,” says to withstand tropical storms—is the larg- Charles, who is planning special events to est drive-in screen in Florida and among celebrate the drive-in’s third anniversary the largest in the United States. in July. “It was a worthwhile investment of our time and money. The Watzkes envisioned restoring it to its glory days, when drive-ins were a “We’ve had tremendous community 12

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Movies arrive on an external hard drive. An access code on the thumb drive allows the movie to be played on the projector. Photo by Mike Teegarden

support. As we worked, city council members told us about their memories of coming here and wished us well. We draw from a 50-mile radius and even have people drive six hours roundtrip to come to our drive-in.” Their fan base was strong enough to win the Watzkes a free digital projection system last year through the Honda Drive-In Project. The car company

launched a national campaign to help owners make the costly conversion to new digital technology because studios are phasing out celluloid film. The project has donated 10 free digital projectors, each valued at about $80,000. Fans voted online to pick winners. “We were No. 6,” says Charles, who began using the digital system in January. “Winning that really helped us out.” Charles wonders about the longevity of the digital projector. “Computer technology changes every few years, so I’m not sure when it will have to be upgraded and replaced,” he says. “The projector put in here in 1948 still runs great.” One of the first movies Charles watched with the digital projector was “Frozen” with his grandkids. “I couldn’t believe it,” he says. “I was stuck like glue to my seat. At my age, I enjoyed it as much as they did. The story line was great. The animation was amazing, and with the new digital technology, the clarity, colors and brightness were unbelievable.” Nostalgia Lives On When they reopened the drive-in, the Watzkes wondered if kids would like drive-ins as much as they did growing up. “They do,” Charles says. “When we were kids, there were seesaws and a playground at drive-ins. Now, kids like the inflatable bounce houses. Drive-ins have changed, but one thing that hasn’t changed is people of all ages still love this

American icon.” The brothers bought the drive-in at a time when interest in them was resurging nationwide. Drive-ins had record attendance in 2013, says April Wright, director of an 85-minute documentary, “Going Attractions: The Definitive Story of the American Drive-In Movie.” Her film, released last year, celebrates the outdoor cinema as an icon of American culture. “A cultural movement is emerging among drive-in enthusiasts and families who want to return to simpler times and values,” says April, who visited the Ocala Drive-In while making her film. “Although the number of drive-ins has declined, they’re still an integral, vital and cherished part of our culture. Some have as many as 30,000 Facebook fans.” Like Charles, April appreciates new technology and nostalgia, merging both in her movie to tell why drive-ins peaked in the late 1950s at about 5,000, but declined to fewer than 400 by the 1980s. “Their shifts in popularity tell the story of how American culture and families evolved during the past 60 years,” says April, who worked on her film for seven years, crisscrossing the continental U.S. to visit 500 open or abandoned drive-ins. Her childhood memories watching movies under the stars in Illinois and her admiration of drive-in architecture motivated her. The completion of her film coincided with the 80th anniversary of the invention of drive-ins. The Rise and Demise Compelled to combine his love of movies and automobiles, Richard Hollingshead Jr., a Camden, New Jersey, businessman, invented the drive-in. In 1932, he nailed a sheet between trees in his yard and propped a movie projector on his car hood. After receiving a patent in 1933 for an arrangement of tiered ramps for cars at an outdoor theater, Hollingshead opened the first drive-in theater in nearby Pennsauken with 400 car slots.

Evan Elizabeth Thomas, left, and her best friend, Talia Rivera, enjoy movies out of the top of the sunroof. Photo by Bethe Avise

Timeless Entertainment Bethe Avise always gets the best seat in the house at the Ruskin Family Drive-In. It’s her own car where she, her granddaughter and a friend relax to watch a movie at least once a month. “We like the Ruskin because it’s familyoriented,” says Bethe, who lives in Sun City Center, a short 10-minute drive from the theater. Alcohol, drugs and rowdiness are prohibited on the grounds of the theater, open continuously since 1952. Bethe cranks open the sunroof of her Hyundai, and her granddaughter Evan Elizabeth Thomas, 7, and her best friend, Talia Rivera, climb up. “It’s inexpensive to get in, and we bring whatever snacks we like,” says Bethe. “Then we buy ice cream at the snack bar.” Growing up in Massachusetts, Bethe often went to drive-ins. “Teen-agers back then would stuff a few kids in the trunk of a car to reduce the cost of admission,” she says. “Then they’d park in the back row and pop the trunk, so their friends could jump out.” For Bethe, drive-in entertainment is timeless. “I still have a good time at a drive-in, just like I did when I was a teenager,” she says.

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Keeping the Silver Screens Lit up Under the Silver Stars Harold Spears refused to let the lights dim forever at two cherished drive-in theaters in central Florida. In 1996, the company he worked for directed him to close the drive-ins. Instead, he bought the Silver Moon, built in 1948 in Lakeland, Harold Spears saved Silver Moon and the and the Joy-Lan, opened in Joy-Lan drive-ins. 1950 just 28 miles away in Photos courtesy of Dade City. Harold Spears “I live in Lakeland, so the Silver Moon was close,” says Harold, 85, who still works the ticket booth there on Friday and Saturday nights. “The Joy-Lan was one of the first theaters I visited here, so there was some sentimentality there.” Harold formed Sun South Theatres to run the two drive-ins—a business venture he has never regretted. “I still love greeting customers, serving the public and seeing people happy,” says Harold, CEO and president of his company. “Customers come because, for many of them, drive-ins are nostalgic. Others like how bright and detailed the movies are with our new digital projectors. The picture looks better than with film.” Harold bought a digital projector for the Silver Moon a few years ago and installed one at the Joy-Lan in June 2013, financing the upgrades with earnings from the two theaters. “If you don’t convert by the end of the year, you’re out of business because studios won’t be distributing 35mm film anymore,” he says. Harold is optimistic about the future, even though drive-ins are a challenge to operate. “Weather can affect whether people come,” he says. “There’s a lot of maintenance with the grounds to keep them looking nice, which you don’t have with an indoor theater. Daylight saving time is a hard time, too, because you can’t start the film until 9. But it’s all worthwhile. Movies—especially drive-ins—are still your best entertainment. They’re better than ever.”

Other drive-ins soon opened. Infused with an infatuation for cars and movies as predominant forms of entertainment, Americans flocked to drive-ins from the 1940s through the 1960s. “A product of post-World War II optimism, the drive-in theater emerged as the 14

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perfect blend of entertainment and our car culture,” says April. “Drive-ins became an affordable destination for couples on a date or families with noisy children.” Dr. Tim Delaney, a sociology professor at State University of New York, Oswego, says, “The ’50s was a unique and

innocent decade when people felt happy and cherished the freedom and comfort their cars offered. They also loved the inexpensive, safe, relaxing entertainment of watching movies outdoors. Drive-ins reflected our societal values and norms at that time.” During their heyday in 1958, about 5,000 drive-ins were in business, says April. But by the late ’60s and ’70s, the U.S. culture began to change drastically, causing drive-in attendance to decline. “By then, televisions were in many homes, influencing how families spent their time,” says April. “During the early ’80s, people began spending their leisure time with computers, video games, cable and home video.” Economic factors also contributed to drive-in closures. From 1978 to 1988, more than 1,000 drive-in screens closed, according to the United Drive-In Theatre Owners Association. “Closings were common for several reasons,” says D. Edward Vogel, administrative secretary of the UDITOA. He grew up with drive-ins. His stepfather, Jack Vogel, an architect-engineer, designed and helped build more than 300 drive-ins, with D. Edward accompanying him on business trips. “As land values increased, many drivein owners sold their property because developers offered them more money than they could earn running drive-ins,” D. Edward says. “Also, aging owners wanted to retire. Obtaining first-run product became increasingly difficult, too.” The number of drive-ins has stabilized at 357 with 604 screens, according to UDITOA. “Right now, we’re holding on,” says D. Edward, who runs Bengies, a 750-slot drive-in open since 1956 in Baltimore. It has the largest screen in America at 52 feet by 120 feet. “I wish there were more drive-ins, but it’s heartening to see renewed enthusiasm for those still in business,” he notes. Digital Conversion During the past decades, the Watzke family has learned to adapt to changes in film presentation: from silent to sound pictures

Ocala Drive-In owner Charles Watzke with the digital projection equipment his theater won last year. Photo by Cindy Klopfer

in 1929 and, more recently, digital. “This business has come a long way,” says Charles. “Our grandfather began working in theaters in 1913, hand-cranking projectors for 25 cents a day. John and I grew up in theaters, working the ticket booth or the concession stand, whatever

Films used to be on celluloid, but are transitioning to digital. Photo by Mike Teegarden

needed to be done. Now, our kids are running theaters, and we’re training the fifth generation in the family business.” While digital conversion costs have driven some drive-in owners out of business, others have financed new systems with lease options, bank loans and creative fundraising. Many drive-in owners supplement their movie ticket revenue by renting their grounds for flea markets, craft shows, car shows, film festivals or concerts. “We have a flea market Thursday to Sunday,” says Charles. “It pays our electric bill.” As for the Ocala Drive-In’s future, the Watzkes are optimistic. “We’re a little outside Ocala, so hopefully real estate development won’t encroach on us,” Charles says. “The local enthusiasm for our drive-in has never gone away. We have customers who like

to park at the same pole every time they come. Families like coming here because a drive-in is more affordable than an indoor theater.” Based on her research, April is optimistic about the future of drive-ins. “People still believe this American icon is worth saving for generations to come,” she says. Drive-ins have a timeless appeal for Dr. Delaney, who often went to the Finger Lakes Drive-In near his hometown of Auburn, New York, when he was in high school and college. “They still offer entertainment for all ages,” he says. “What’s better than going to a movie with friends, family or a date while communing with nature? No one shushes you for talking on your cell phone or texting. The kids can be noisy or fall asleep in the car. Drive-ins are still wonderful.” n J U LY 2 0 1 4

In theâ&#x20AC;&#x201A; Kitchen

Recipes That Satisfy

Try a creative twist on salad by slightly charring romaine lettuce on the grill. Photos by Jake Hattabaugh

Master Mediterranean Grilling Abundant plates of fresh vegetables, delicate fish from the nearby sea and splashes of olive oil are hallmarks of traditional meals found in the Mediterranean. The Mediterranean diet has been embraced for thousands of years by those living along the Mediterranean Sea, and now is followed around the world as consumers discover its delicious flavor components and researchers uncover its countless health benefits.

Spicy Mustard Chicken Kebabs Âź cup plus 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard 2 tablespoons Olivextra Premium Mediterranean Blend* Âź teaspoon garlic powder 16

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1 tablespoon white wine vinegar 1 pound raw boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and black pepper 1 medium red onion, cut into 1-inch chunks

To make sauce, place 3 tablespoons mustard in a medium bowl. Add oil and garlic powder, and whisk until uniform. Cover and refrigerate. To make marinade, combine vinegar with remaining 2 tablespoons mustard in a small bowl. Stir until uniform. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the chicken and marinade in a large sealable plastic bag. Remove as much air as possible and seal. Gently knead the marinade into the chicken throughout the bag. Refrigerate for one hour. Meanwhile, if using wooden skewers,

soak four of them in water for 20 minutes to prevent burning. Alternately thread the marinated chicken and onion chunks onto the skewers. Bring the grill to medium-high heat. Brush both sides of the kebabs with the sauce. Grill the kebabs for 5 minutes with grill cover down. Flip the kebabs and grill for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. * Olivextra Premium Mediterranean Blend is a combination of canola, extra virgin olive oil and grapeseed oils

Serves 4 Courtesy of Pompeian

Grilled Romaine Salad 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 large heart romaine lettuce, halved lengthwise

2 dashes each salt and black pepper 1/4 cup tomato, diced 1/4 cup red onion, diced 1/4 cup reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled 2 tablespoons basil, finely chopped 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Bring grill to high heat. Drizzle and brush 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil onto cut sides of each romaine half. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lay romaine halves on grill, cut sides down. Grill until slightly charred, 1 to 2 minutes. Plate the romaine halves, cut sides up. Top with tomato, onion, cheese and basil. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar with the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Drizzle atop salad and serve. Serves 2

Courtesy of Pompeian

Jalapeño Peach Shrimp Skewers 2 cups canned peach slices packed in juice, drained and blotted dry 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil 2 tablespoons jalapeño pepper, chopped and seeded 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar 1 teaspoon brown sugar (not packed) ½ teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon onion powder 1/8 teaspoon salt 12 ounces (about 20) raw large shrimp, peeled, tails removed and deveined

If using wooden skewers, soak four in water for 20 minutes to prevent burning. To make sauce, place one-fourth of the peach slices in a food processor or blender. Add the rest of the ingredients except shrimp and remaining peach slices, and puree until smooth. Transfer half of the sauce to a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve. Use the other half during the cooking process. Bring grill to medium-high heat. Evenly thread the shrimp and the remaining peach slices onto the skewers.

Combine seafood with sweet peaches for an interesting combination of flavors.

Brush both sides with some of the sauce. Grill until the shrimp are cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side, brushing with sauce as they cook. Serve with refrigerated sauce for dipping. Serves 4

Courtesy of Pompeian

Lamb Loin Chops with Green Bean and Potato Salad Salad 1/2 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 lemon, zested and juiced 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half 1 pound green beans, ends trimmed and cut in half 2 pounds small red new potatoes, larger potatoes cut in half

Lamb 4 cloves garlic, minced 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper

21/2 pounds lamb loin chops (or 10 loin chops)

In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, dill, chives, salt, pepper and cherry tomatoes; set aside. In a large saucepan, bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to bowl with dressing. Add potatoes to already simmering water and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain potatoes and add to bowl. Toss to coat. Combine garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Place lamb chops on a large tray and rub garlic oil mixture over lamb loin chops; set aside while grill heats. On gas grill, turn all burners to high, close lid and heat until grates are hot, about 15 minutes. Scrape grates clean. Grill lamb chops about 6 minutes per side or until cooked to 145 for medium rare or 160 for medium. Move to a clean plate and let rest for 5 minutes. Toss the potato salad again and serve with lamb chops. Serves 6

Courtesy Tri-Lamb Group

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Florida Gardening

Advice From the Front-Yard Farmer

Mulch for Health, Weed Control My name is Dennis, and I am a selfish mulcher. I know mulching my vegetable garden will benefit my veggies in several ways. However, my No. 1 reason for doing it is because I like to fish. There is little opportunity for fishing when all my free time is consumed in the garden pulling weeds, combating disease and watering my plants. Proper mulching results in less time watering, fewer problems with disease and far fewer weeds. In fact, it is a good thing I am practicing a bit of yoga these days, because without weeds to pull I am not doing nearly as much forward bending in the garden as I once did. In addition to the extra free time I have now, mulching has resulted in less competition from weeds in my garden. Fewer weeds mean more moisture and nutrients for my veggies, so my yields have increased while my time in the garden has decreased. The use of mulch in your vegetable garden will help moderate soil temperature,

Warm-season vegetables now growing in many Florida home gardens greatly appreciate 2 to 3 inches of mulch to help roots stay cooler, maintain soil moisture and keep weeds under control. Straw and pine straw are among the more popular mulches in Florida. Photo by Dennis Gilson

keeping the roots of your plants cooler during the summer. Soil temperatures in Florida can be reduced by 10 to 20 degrees or more by using mulch on the soil surface. During the winter, mulch helps moderate those cold Florida nights in the north and central parts of the state. Mulch helps maintain the moisture in the soil, keeping your garden more evenly moist and reducing the amount of irrigation needed. Maintaining consistent soil moisture is essential to success in your Florida vegetable garden. If you are paying high water rates, mulch can be extremely cost-effective, too. Mulching helps prevent

Dennis Gilson lives and gardens in Niceville. Widely known as the Front-Yard Farmer, Dennis has grown vegetables, fruits and berries in the Florida Panhandle for more than 30 years. He shares his experience and offers timely advice at his website, FrontYardFarmer.com.

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disease by eliminating the splashing of water on your plants from the soil during rain or irrigation. It conserves nutrients, protects against soil erosion, helps control nematode damage and protects fruit by keeping it from making contact with the soil. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more, for those of us who find beauty in a growing vegetable garden, mulch enhances vegetable beds with a groomed and tidy appearance. Mulches come in many forms, both natural and synthetic. I prefer a plant-based mulch such as pine straw. Commercial pine straw is largely a leftover byproduct of Floridaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lumber industry. Natural mulch can come from your yard in the form of dried leaves or grass clippings. Other natural mulches include straw, cypress, eucalyptus, pine bark, sawdust and wood shavings. Synthetic mulches are such materials

as garden fabric and plastic (polyethylene mulch). Most natural mulches are placed on the soil surface around vegetable plants, applied to a depth of 2 to 3 inches. Pine bark can be applied to a depth of 4 inches. More is not better. Adding additional mulch beyond a few inches can obstruct the ability of water to reach and make its way into the soil. The coarser and less compacted the mulch, the better water will penetrate it. In some instances, mulch must be raked an inch or two back during irrigation for the water to reach the soil. This is especially true with lawn clippings, leaves, sawdust and wood shavings. I am not fond of using plastic or fabric in the home garden. I find it hard to maintain proper moisture in the soil when I use them. I either apply too much water or too little. Also, ants like to live under synthetic mulch. Peppers, tomatoes, okra, eggplant, Southern peas, lima beans, squash and most other warm-season veggies now growing in many Florida home gardens will greatly appreciate a good mulching. You will appreciate stronger plants, greater yield and more time to pursue your other joys in life. ď Ž

100

days of summer. days of hope. Summer is the season we’ve all been waiting for. It’s100 days of high dives, ball games and barbecues. It’s100 ways to dress a burger, catch some shade or get out of town. It’s100 chances to clear the calendar for what’s most important.

Every two seconds this summer, someone like you will need blood. Donating is quick and easy and,. like all good things this time of year, it’s worth celebrating.

What are your summer plans? This summer, there are100 chances to give hope. Choose your day to help save three lives. Donate blood.

Choose your day to give hope. redcrossblood.org

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Travel Journal

Tips for Affordable Family Adventures

Fishing On the Flats Flats fishing is an exciting way to reel in bonefish, tarpon, permit and many of Florida’s unique fish species that live in shallow-water estuaries. Whether you fish from boats, wade in the water or stay high and dry while fishing from a bridge or pier, sight casting for fish on the flats makes for a fun experience for beginner to advanced anglers. Areas of rock, gravel, sand, grass or vegetation make up the shallow-water flats. You will find them in bays, marshes or stretches of flat sandy areas near deeper waters. Flats less than eight feet deep are among the most promising. Some experts say success can be found in flats that contain stumps and grass beds. Even a slight depression in a flat or deeper dropoff along a line of mangroves may be teeming with fish. Some of the state’s best shallow-water flats are found in the Keys, the Everglades and the central Gulf Coast. Ideal fishing locations on the flats depends on the species you are fishing. For example, one of the best

How Well Do You Know Your State?  Where was the first perma-

nent Spanish settlement established in Florida? St. Augustine. It’s also the oldest European settlement anywhere in the United States.  The world’s first scheduled passenger service airline flight flew between which two Florida cities? St. Petersburg’s downtown yacht basin to Tampa.  Which town gained a reputation as a winter resort and hot spot for celebrities such as Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone, Greta Garbo and Gary Cooper? Naples rs and Convention Bureau

Photo courtesy of Citrus County Visito

opportunities for bass is found in shallow sand ditches. Crabs, shrimp and small fish often hang out in patches of sea grass and other vegetative areas within marshes or underwater reefs. Tarpon and permits are especially abundant during these hot summer days. To get the most from your flats fishing experience, hire a charter and experienced guide. They not only provide the boats, tackle, bait and instruction, they know how to read the often-subtle clues and features to find as many fish as possible. Knowing how

Kris Wetherbee is an author and award-winning recipe developer. She writes about outdoor living, travel, gardening, natural health and cooking for numerous publications, including Florida Currents. Visit her website at www.kriswetherbee.com.

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to read the waters results in more opportunities for a fun fishing adventure in the flats. Step Back in Time If you love all things archaeological, ecological and historical, grab your family and pack up the car for the Randell Research Center at Pineland. Once a major town of the native Calusa, the 50-acre permanent research and educational facility features enormous shell mounds, historic structures and remains of centuries of Indian village life. Step back in time while walking the 3,700-foot interpretive RRC Calusa Heritage Trail, which winds over and through the mounds, wetlands and canal. Be sure to take in the view from the observation platforms atop the tallest mound.

Reader Tip “There’s a planned community in the panhandle called Rosemary Beach that is a really beautiful place to celebrate holidays like the Fourth of July, especially with young kids. And the Cory Pickos Ski and Wakeboard School in Santa Rosa Beach is a great place to vacation while also learning to ski or improve your water ski skills. It’s also the home ski site of world champion and water skier of the year Regina Jaquess.” —Sarah Ristorcelli, Orlando Tell Us Your Travel Tip What’s your favorite activity each season? Where’s the best beach and why? Where do you like to go for a weekend getaway? Have a go-to hidden gem or family-friendly activity? Send your photo and travel tip in 100 words or less to info@floridacurrents.com. 

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Festival Roundup

Things to See and Do

Submit Your Celebration Want to include a family-friendly event in an upcoming listing? Send all of the details to info@floridacurrents.com. Include the date, town, times, details and a way for readers to get more information. Due to publication deadlines, please submit the item at least 60 days before the event. If you own the rights to a high-resolution photo promoting this year’s event, or from a past year’s event, please attach it along with photo credit information.

First and third Saturdays through November 15, Port St. Joe Saltair Farmers’ Market The farmers’ market is open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. with homemade crafts, local produce and entertainment at City Commons Park, Highway 98 and Cecil Boulevard. www.saltairmarket.com; (404) 906-2637

July 3-5, Key West 2nd Annual Key Lime Festival In celebration of the key lime, the three-day festival features events ranging from pie eating and baking contests to a world-record attempt for making the world’s largest pie. Events begin at 2 p.m. General admission is free. Specific events have varying costs.

July 4, Panama City The Color Run Known as the Happiest 5K on the Planet, the event is a paint race where contestants run as a team or individually and hit different color zones along the course in Pier Park. The cost is $35 a person with four or more team runners or $40 for individuals. The event starts at 8 a.m. www.thecolorrun.com/panama-citybeach

July 4, Vernon Firecracker Day Enjoy the Fourth of July with an allday celebration including a pancake breakfast, parade, kids’ events, horseshoe tournament, music and fireworks show at the Vernon sportsplex, 3230 Moss Hill Road.

www.keylimefestival.com

www.visitwashingtoncountyfl.com

July 3 through August 21, Panama City “Praise on the Bay” Dolphin Sunset Cruise Take a two-hour boat cruise on St. Andrews Bay and see dolphins and seabirds. After sightseeing, listen to a local Christian artist or band. Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for seniors 55 and older and $8 for children ages 2-11.

July 4, Port St. Joe First Fridays Art and Music Series Enjoy live music and local art at The Thirsty Goat, 501 Monument Avenue from 6 to 9 p.m.

www.captandersonsmarina.com; (850) 234-5940

(850) 229-7678

July 4, Lake Placid Fireworks Over Lake June Independence Day pyrotechnics begin at 9 p.m. www.visitlakeplacid.com

BIG ARTS Summer Arts Camp Kids ages 4 to high school will enjoy five-day art camps featuring Irish dancing and photography to general themes such as animal kingdom and beach party July 7 to August 1 in Sanibel. Each oneweek session is Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Middle and high school ages cost $80. Ages 4, 5 and grades 1-5 cost $150. Tuition assistance is available. Activities are at the BIG ARTS Center, 900 Dunlop Road. For more information, visit www.bigarts.org or call (239) 395-0900.

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July 4, Port St. Joe Fireworks Show St. Joseph Bay sparkles as Port St. Joe celebrates Independence Day. The event starts at dark. www.visitgulf.com

July 4, Panama City Beach Star Spangled Spectacular The celebration kicks off at Aaron Bessant Park’s Veteran’s Memorial Park with a salute to those who have served. Adjacent Pier Park hosts a neighborhood-style block party from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. with children’s activities, food and drinks. The Air National Guard Band of the South begins at 7 p.m. in Aaron Bessant Park’s amphitheater. The band will play up to and during the largest fireworks display along the Gulf Coast at 9 p.m., with simultaneous fireworks shows from the City Pier and the County Pier. www.visitpanamacitybeach.com

July 5, Bartow Historic Oak Hill Cemetery Tour Join the Polk County History Center on a walking tour of the cemetery where many pioneer families and Civil War veterans were laid to rest. Admission is free. Participants meet at the history center, 100 E. Main St., at 11 a.m. www.visitcentralflorida.org/events/ cemetery-tour; (863) 534-4386

July 7, Bradenton South Florida Museum Family Night The culinary arts are explored along with a manatee presentation, dance party, live star talk and a 45-minute laser show and animation called Rock Hall of Fame featuring classic rock ’n’ roll music. Events start at 4:15 p.m. at 201 10th St. W. Admission is $9 for adults and $7 for children 4-12. www.southfloridamuseum.org; (941) 746-4131

July 7-11 and 14-18, Blountstown Cabin Patch Summer Camp Children ages 9-12 are invited to a fun and educational summer camp at the Panhandle Pioneer Settlement. Sessions are 8 a.m. to noon July 7-11 and July 14-18. Each week of camp focuses on arts, crafts and gardening. The cost is $65 a week per child. Snacks are provided. Diane, (850) 674-2777; diane@ panhandlepioneer.org

goods. Drawings are planned for free guided tours of the settlement. The concession stand will be open. Janice or Diane, (850) 674-2777; diane@panhandlepioneer.org

July 20, Destin ARTwalk on the Harbor More than 50 artists showcase their paintings, jewelry, photos, watches and more the third Sunday of every month from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 102 Harbor Blvd. www.artwalkontheharbor.com

July 25-27, Lake Placid 24th Annual Caladium Festival Many varieties of caladium bulbs and plants are available for purchase—along with arts, crafts and food—at Stuart Park. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Bus tours take visitors to caladium fields. Advanced reservations are suggested. Visitor admission, parking and entertainment are free. Vendor applications are available on the Chamber website. www.visitlakeplacidflorida.com Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau

34th Annual Hemingway Days Stephen Terry, left, gives judges another look with four other finalists during the last round of the “Papa” Hemingway Look-Alike Contest at Sloppy Joe’s Bar in Key West during last year’s Hemingway Days celebration. Terry, 56, beat 125 other contestants. It was the Palm Harbor software developer’s seventh try at the competition that commemorates renowned author Ernest Hemingway. In addition to a look-alike contest, the event—which runs from Tuesday, July 15, through Sunday, July 20—features a literary competition, readings, a Saturday street fair and a three-day marlin tournament. Admission is free except for special events. For more information, visit www.fla-keys.com/hemingwaymedia. July 12, Pensacola Pensacola Beach Air Show See the world-famous Blue Angels perform over Pensacola Beach on Santa Rosa Island, 735 Pensacola Beach Blvd. The event starts with a civilian show at 1 p.m. and Blue Angels at 2 p.m. Admission is free.

July 18-19, Live Oak Smokin’ on the Suwannee BBQ Festival Spend two days soaking in the savory smells of fiery hot barbecues at the Suwannee County Fairgrounds, 1302 11th St. Gates open at 5 p.m. Admission is free.

July 19-20, Cape Coral Mango Mania Celebrate the delicious tropical fruit with mango culinary competitions, vendors and family fun held at the German-American Social Club, 2102 Pine Island Road. The event starts at 7 a.m. Admission is $6.

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www.smokinonthesuwannee.com; (386) 590-6038

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July 19-20, Lakeland Buckler’s Craft Fair Artists from around the nation sell products in a range of styles such as Victorian, folk and Southwestern at the Lakeland Center, 701 W. Lime St. Admission is $6.

July 19, Blountstown Christmas in July Craft Fair The Panhandle Pioneer Settlement hosts its Christmas in July Craft Fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. CDT. Local vendors sell handmade crafts, including quilts, handmade soap, artwork, crocheted items and baked

July 15, Barlow Lunch and Learn Lecture Series Guests are invited to bring their lunch and enjoy a 45-minute lecture. Dr. Robert Taylor discusses Florida in the Civil War at the Polk County History Center, 100 E. Main St. Admission is free. (863) 534-4386

www.bucklercraftfair.com/lakeland

July 25-28, Punta Gorda Fishermen’s Village Pirate Fest This family- and pet-friendly event takes visitors to a time when pirates ruled the seas. A pirate boat parade, pirate encampment, vendors and live music entertain guests, along with a Pirates Ball. www.fishermensvillagepiratefest. com; (561) 792-9260

July 26, Lake Placid 18th Annual Car and Bike Show The event in DeVane Park runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Registration for participants begins at 7 a.m. and closes promptly at noon. Car show T-shirts will be available for purchase. Food booths are available. Admission is free. www.visitlakeplacidflorida.com

July 27, Lake Placid 3rd Annual Airboat and Swamp Buggy Show Admission and parking are free for visitors and exhibitors for the event in DeVane Park. Registration is from 7 to 9 a.m., with judging for People’s Choice Awards from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event ends at 3 p.m. Food vendors will be on-site. www.visitlakeplacidflorida.com; (863) 441-1289

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Outdoor Pursuits

Enjoying the Natural World Around Us

Take Aim at the Season Ahead Bow hunting season is just an arrow’s fly away, especially in the southern part of the state. That means it is not too soon to start scouting areas to hunt. It is also time to start preparing yourself and your equipment for opening day. • Inspect your bow. Look for cracks or dings that may develop into cracks later. Examine the string. Replace it if there is fraying. Some avid bow hunters replace them every three or four years, whether they need it or not. • Preflight your arrows. Make sure the fletching is uniform and firmly attached. If you use aluminum arrows, check them for bends or dings that can affect accuracy. Examine carbon shafts for splintering. • You know what they say about practice. Take it seriously. Take every shot as if the target is the real thing. Develop a shooting routine that becomes second nature and keeps you in the zone, even when the adrenalin is pumping.

Archery is a skill where small adjustments make big differences. For example, many archers pull the trigger on their mechanical release with the tip of their index finger. By adjusting the release so you can wrap your finger around the trigger, you get more control and a smoother release, which translates into more accuracy. Photo by iStock/twildlife

• “Down” is the operative word. Slow down and practice your nock, draw and release in a controlled, consistent manner. Keep your head down; just as in baseball or golf, where the head goes, so goes the arrow. Also, dial down the draw weight—there is no need to pull 70 pounds when 50 pounds will do the job. • Shoot all of the angles. Practice shooting targets from different angles. That goes for various distances, too. These exercises are particularly useful if you plan to shoot from a tree stand. • Dress the part. Practice with the gear you will use in the field. That includes the bow, arrows and accessories

Many of Curtis Condon’s fondest memories involve outdoor adventures with friends and family, whether fishing with old school buddies, backpacking in the mountains of the Northwest with his sons or bird watching along the Gulf Coast with his wife. He feels fortunate to have had the opportunity to write about the outdoors and other subjects for more than 30 years.

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you will use, and the clothes you will wear. If something doesn’t work right or it’s too heavy or noisy, change it out or make a note to leave it behind on hunting day. Summer Demands a Change of Fishing Venue Bass fishing in lakes is superb in nonsummer months, but not so much in summer. Water temperatures increase and oxygen levels decrease. Those are not bass-friendly conditions. On the other hand, rivers and streams are prime fishing waters this time of year. They retain their oxygen levels and also run cooler, which make bass more active feeders. Outdoors 101: Light Sources in a Pinch Who hasn’t dropped something and fumbled in the dark trying to find it without a flashlight? Never fear. Many portable, everyday devices make excellent light sources.

Here are a few creative light alternatives for use in a pinch: • Watch backlight • Cell phone • Camera • GPS unit How many others can you think of? Two Good Florida Outdoor Reads • “A History of Fishing in the Florida Keys: Angler’s Paradise” by Bob T. Epstein. • “Glademen: Gator Hunters, Moonshiners and Skiffers” by Glen Simmons and Laura Ogden. Got a Tip or a Whopper? Send us your favorite outdoor tip, photo or story. If selected for publication in Florida Currents magazine, we will send you $25 for onetime use. When sending a photo, identify people and pets, and tell us the story behind the picture. Email your submission to info@ floridacurrents.com. 

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Glades Electric

Neighbors Working for Neighbors

EPA Regulations Impede Growth Washington needs to recognize the real impact of proposed climate rules By Jo Ann Emerson

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Around the country, families, comand disproportionately affectmunities, employers and businesses ing those regions of the U.S. most view their energy bills as costs of dependent on coal for electricity. life and simply doing business. They These areas also happen to host some of the largest manufacturing turn off lights, turn down thermocenters in the country, where lowstats and adopt energy-efficient cost electricity is critical to global practices because it saves them competitiveness. money better put toward groceries, We cannot afford regulations medications, retirement and reinthat threaten to increase energy vestments in the economy. prices, destroy jobs or hamstring The U.S. Environmental our economic recovery. Protection Agency’s regulations to By harnessing America’s ingenucurb carbon dioxide emissions from Jo Ann Emerson ity, we can do better. power plants only stand to increase This debate should be about working those energy bills. together to develop a sustainable energy future. Even though not-for-profit electric coopThis debate should be about giving utilities eratives work each day to provide affordable, the independence to experiment with technolreliable electricity to the more than 42 million ogy and the freedom to transition to that innoAmericans we serve, the latest red tape out of vative future. Washington could present a serious challenge. That’s why electric cooperatives are leading Let’s be clear: Even the most aggressive and an initiative called XPRIZE to help address the economically damaging regulations in the impact of restrictions on CO2 emissions from U.S. would have little impact on climate on a global scale. natural gas and coal-based power plants. Electric co-ops already have reduced emisThe competition focuses on taking CO2 sion rates from power plants by 10 percent from a liability to an asset by researching how and CO2 emissions specifically during the to convert CO2 emissions from a waste into past seven years. Any additional CO2 emission useful fuels, chemicals and other products with reductions we achieve would be offset rapmarket value. idly by emission increases in China, India and Leadership in a sustainable energy future other developing economies. requires us to make ambitious changes In fact, the European experience suggests together—without leaving consumers in the these regulations could undermine the admin- dark. Even though a power plant that closes istration’s environmental goals. down cannot emit carbon dioxide, it also canIn the past decade, residential electricity not incubate a new technology, give a bright prices in Germany have doubled to almost young engineer an opportunity in the energy 40 cents per kilowatt-hour—more than three industry or ensure that its community contintimes the U.S. average rate of 12.5 cents. This ues to receive reliable electricity regardless of was primarily because of preferential pricing what Mother Nature throws our way. for wind and solar power, combined with pubTo keep the power on in our communities lic opposition to nuclear energy. To help main- and empower our consumers, it is time to turn tain reliability, the country plans to build 10 the lights on in Washington and recognize the new coal plants in the next two years. real potential impact of these regulations. n EPA’s proposed regulations could put us in a Jo Ann Emerson is CEO of the National Rural Electric similar situation, dramatically increasing prices Cooperative Association.

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Glades Electric

Neighbors Working for Neighbors

State Legislation and Your Co-op How new laws could affect you and GEC

Glades Electric Cooperative and its wholesale power provider, Seminole Electric Cooperative, closely monitor new legislative initiatives at both the state and federal level. Working together, GEC, Seminole and the Florida Electric Cooperatives Association stay up to date on bills that could be signed into law and analyze how each could affect GEC and the cooperative’s members. Below is a brief overview of a few of the most relevant and recent legislative measures of interest to Florida’s electric cooperatives that could become law following governor approval and signature. Move Over Act To protect GEC crews and linemen, this potential new law—slated to be effective July 1—will require drivers to move over or slow down when utility trucks and workers are along the roadside. This makes utility vehicles entitled to the same protection as law enforcement vehicles. The penalty for those who do not slow or switch lanes would be a noncriminal infraction. Drivers Leaving the Scene After Injuring a Utility Employee If a driver of a vehicle injures a utility employee, this new legislation—scheduled to take effect July 1— will increase the penalty for a hit-and-run situation. For example, if the driver injures a utility employee and leaves the scene of the accident, the driver could be charged with a second-degree felony. If the accident were to result in death, the driver who flees the scene could be charged with a first-degree felony. Energy Policy Revision This new energy policy revision—effective July 1— will replace the word “solar” with “renewable energy

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source” in the Florida Energy Resources Statute, requiring the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to promote all renewable resources. More than 7 percent of Seminole’s energy portfolio for 2014 is from renewable sources, including landfill gas, biomass and waste-to-energy. Cybersecurity One issue seen in newspaper headlines across the country is cybersecurity and cyber threats against companies, including electric utilities. This law— effective October 1—will create a third-degree felony for anyone who knowingly, willingly and without authorization gains access to a public utility’s computer system. Further, the bill will establish a second-degree felony for an offender who tampers with the utility’s computer system, physically or electronically. Greenhouse Gas Regulations Another issue important to GEC and Seminole are greenhouse gas regulations from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency aimed at strictly controlling carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants, including Seminole’s coal-fired power plant in Putnam County.

Rules Drafted in Washington Have Local Impact

Sandia National Laboratories computer scientists Ron Minnich, foreground, and Don Rudish have run more than 1 million Linux kernels as virtual machines—an achievement that will allow cybersecurity researchers to more effectively observe behavior found in malicious botnets. They used Sandia’s Thunderbird supercomputing cluster for the demonstration. Photo courtesy of Sandia National laboratories

The Florida Legislature voted to urge the state’s congressmen to direct the EPA to consider the remaining economic life of existing fossil fuel power plants. Additionally, the Legislature urged Florida’s congressmen to direct the EPA to allow states to implement less-stringent standards or longer compliance periods, and to give states maximum flexibility on implementing the proposed rule. These rules could have a significant impact on the cost of electricity—as well as reliability—if adopted and implemented in a manner detrimental to Seminole and its members.

like most local businesses, cooperatives work through the highs and lows of a cyclical economy. When a potential economic hazard arises and we have an opportunity to affect the outcome, you better believe we do whatever we can to prevent or mitigate it. That’s why Glades Electric Cooperative is concerned about new rules coming out of the Environmental Protection Agency to limit greenhouse gases blamed for climate change. Not-for-profit electric cooperatives work every day to provide affordable, reliable electricity to the more than 42 million Americans they serve. At GEC, we steadfastly focus on ways to slow the rising cost of electricity and find ways to help you save on your electricity bill. Environmental regulations share part of the blame for rising electricity costs. Electric co-ops have invested billions of dollars in equipment to reduce air pollution already, but greenhouse gases pose a far more difficult challenge to capture—and the new technology is not ready for prime time. Equally troubling, the EPA readily admits cutting these emissions would not have much global impact on overall greenhouse gas levels. The bottom line is these regulations unfairly and disproportionately affect members of electric co-ops. They target regions of the u.S. most dependent on coal for electricity. And increasing electricity prices could endanger efforts to attract new businesses, let alone retain current ones. By harnessing America’s ingenuity, we can do better. This debate should be about working together to develop a sustainable energy future. It should be about how the government supports utilities in a collective effort to develop technologies that can reduce greenhouse gases at a justifiable and reasonable pace. That is why electric cooperatives are pushing an XPRIZE initiative (www.xprize. org/prize/tri-state-carbon-xprize) to find technologies that can turn greenhouse gases into a useful resource with market value. Creating a sustainable energy future requires us to make ambitious changes. A power plant that closes will not emit greenhouse gases, but it also won’t incubate a new technology, give a bright young engineer an opportunity or ensure its community continues to receive reliable, affordable electricity. To help our communities thrive, we need Washington to recognize the potential harm of these regulations and find a different path to a better energy future. let your voice be heard by visiting www.action.coop.

GEC, Seminole, and FECA are keeping a watch on proposed legislation, analyzing them to better understand what they could mean for Florida’s electric cooperatives and you, the member consumer. In partnership, GEC works with Seminole and FECA to ensure you continue to receive safe, reliable, affordable electricity.  j u ly 2 0 1 4

Parting Shot

Readers Share Their Special Photos

Kicking Back

Learning doesn’t always have to be done in a classroom. Sometimes it can be done in a wheelbarrow. Cherie Cousin’s youngest son, Donovan, 10, came to her for help with his homework one day. He had to do research on Teddy Roosevelt for Mrs. Busbee’s fourth-grade class. “It was a beautiful day out, and since he had been inside in a classroom all day and Teddy Roosevelt was such an outdoors man, it was only fitting that we do this research outside,” Cherie says. “He couldn’t find a chair so he pulled up the wheelbarrow and used it as a chair.” Mom reports that Donovan accomplished his mission. Specifically, he discovered that Teddy Roosevelt was a great wildlife hunter, but would not kill a bear that was tied to a tree for him to kill. “That to him was not sport,” Cherie says. Photo by Cherie Cousin, Youngstown, Florida. 

Want to See Your Photo on This Page? Florida Currents pays $25 for interesting and humorous photos printed in the magazine. We are looking for images of kids in entertaining situations, animal antics, funny signs, heartwarming expressions ... something special that says “wow” or puts a smile on your face. Not all photos are suitable for this page. The image needs to be high resolution, at least 700KB in size. Smaller file sizes are too small for good reproduction, and will not be considered. The image also needs to tell a story just by looking at it— although the odds of your photo being selected also improves if you elaborate in your submission so we understand the complete story behind the picture. Remember: Other people are sending in photos, too. What makes yours stand out?

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Offices Open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday 26733 U.S. Hwy. 27 East/P.O. Box 519 Moore Haven, FL 33471 (800) 226-4024 or (863) 946-6200 Fax: (863) 946-2150 214 SR 70 West Lake Placid, FL 33852 (800) 226-4025 or (863) 531-5000 111 SW Park St. Okeechobee, FL 34974 (800) 226-4023 or (863) 467-5111

Power Interruption Number Moore Haven..............................(800) 226-4024 Phones are answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including weekends and holidays. Please have your location or account number handy when you call.

Board of Trustees John “Jack” Coxe, President, District 8 Lake Josephine, (863) 655-3056 James “Jim” Aul, Vice President, District 7 Lorida, (863) 441-0441 Russell Henderson, Sec./Treas., District 3 Ortona and Palmdale, (863) 946-0865 Donnie Lundy, Trustee, District 1 Moore Haven, (863) 946-0402 Barney Goodman, Trustee, District 2 Hendry County, (863) 983-7324 Shannon Hall, Trustee, District 4 Lakeport and Brighton, (863) 946-3242 Ladd Bass, Trustee, District 5 Venus and Hicoria, (863) 441-2227 Lee Henderson, Trustee, District 6 Highlands Park, (863) 633-9281 Irene Lofton, Trustee, District 9 Okeechobee, (863) 467-1219 The next meeting of the Board will be at 9 a.m. July 31 at the Moore Haven headquarters office. Any changes to this schedule will be posted in the lobby of all three district offices.

Executive Staff CEO Jeff Brewington CFO Jennifer Manning Dir. of Business Development Paul McGehee Dir. of Employee Services Yvonne Bradley Dir. of Information Technologies Bradley Hill Dir. of Member Services Margaret Ellerbee Dir. of Operations Tracy Vaughn

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FL-153

CEO’s Message

Costly News Concerning EPA

I hope by now you have heard our concern about coming regulations and what they will do to our energy costs. The word is out from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and it does not look good for Florida’s citizens. At first blush, our power provider tells us although the EPA is mandating a 30 percent reduction in carbon dioxide from existing power plants across the nation, in Florida they are asking for 38 percent! The makeup of that 38 percent reduction is the real killer, with a required 90 percent reduction in CO2 emissions from coal-fired plants. Where is it supposed to come from? The EPA says from a ramp up in natural gas-fired plants and renewables. This is leading Jeff Brewington Florida into an all-eggs-in-one-basket situation. We only have two gas lines currently supplying Florida. A proposed third line is under environmental attack. What will we do if a hurricane or some other disaster disrupts those lines and our coal plants have been put out of commission by these regulations? Regarding renewables, Florida does not have the prevailing winds to support wind generation. Besides, the subsidies required to make wind power financially viable may be going by the wayside. Yes, we are the Sunshine State, but solar works only during the day. Days in which we have many rain showers and clouds diminish its production. With our 365-day growing season, we do have some capabilities for biomass renewables, but burning these fuels would add additional CO2 emissions. Sen. Rubio has recognized the cost these proposed regulations will have on our state and our nation. He has a forum where you can provide your opinion. Check out his Facebook page and website. We also have a forum available to you through the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association at www.Action.coop and www.TellEPA. com. Please take the time to use all these sources, and keep the lights on and affordable in Florida and across our nation.