Today in Mississippi January 2018 Local Pages by American MainStreet Publications

News for members of Electric Cooperatives in Mississippi

MISSISSIPPI

CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM OPENS IN JACKSON page 4

12 Good cooking funds

good works in Ellisville

14 Picture This: Readers’ best photos of 2017

Periodical postage (ISSN 1052 2433)

18 Yesterday’s road trips

10 Today in Mississippi January 2018

The Mississippi Legislature

Central Electric Power Association A tradition of dependable, hometown service since 1937 www.centralepa.com

convenes in January for the 2018 session Central Electric Power Association salutes Mississippi’s senators and representatives who represent our state in Washington, D.C., and at our state capitol in Jackson. We appreciate their dedication and willingness to serve in the spirit of public service to help shape the future of our state.

Carthage 601-267-5671 • Philadelphia 601-656-2601• Rankin 601-829-1201 • Sebastopol 601-625-7422

congressional delegation REPRESENTATIVES

SENATORS

SENATE Sen. Terry C. Burton District 31: Lauderdale, Newton and Scott counties Address: 101 Rew St. Newton, MS 39345 Family: Wife: Darleen Allday; Children: Ben Jones and Dawn Jones Powell Years in Legislature: 27

Sen. Barbara Blackmon THAD COCHRAN

TRENT KELLY

BENNIE G. THOMPSON

United States Senator

First District

Second District

ROGER WICKER

United States Senator

Distr and W Addr Phila Fami Brann Years

Sen

Distr Gren Talla coun Addr Wino Fami Child Years

HOUSE OF REPRESENTA

GREGG HARPER

STEVEN PALAZZO

Third District

Fourth District

Thank you!

District 21: Attala, Holmes, Leake, Madison and Yazoo counties Address: 374 North West St. Canton, MS 39046 Family: Husband: Edward Blackmon Jr.; Children: Madison Edward, Bradford Jerome; Grandchild: Enyla Chenise Years in Legislature: 15

Sen Bra

MARSHALL

DESOTO

ALCORN

BENTON

T I P PA H

TISHOMINGO PRENTISS

TAT E TUNICA

UNION

PA N O L A

L A FAY E T T E

LEE

PONTOTOC

COAHOMA

QUITMAN

YA L O B U S H A

I TAWA M B A

CALHOUN

TA L L A H AT C H I E

MONROE

C H I C K A S AW

B O L I VA R

GRENADA LEFLORE

C L AY WEBSTER

CARROLL

SUNFLOWER

LOWNDES MONTGOMERY

WA S H I N G T O N

C H O C TAW

HOLMES

Rep. Mark Baker

Rep. C. Sco Bounds

District 74: Rankin County Address: 244 Dominion Prkwy., Brandon, MS 39042 Family: Wife: Lady Collins; Child: Chase Years in Legislature: 15

District 44: Le Neshoba count Address: 45 Ca Philadelphia, M Family: Wife: J Cheatham Years in Legisl

Rep. Randal (Randy) Rushing

Rep. Kenne Walker

District 78: Leake, Newton and Scott counties Address: P.O. Box 424 Decatur, MS 39327 Family: Wife: Lea Ann Kline; Children: Carrie, William, Katherine Years in Legislature: 7

District 27: At Madison and Y Address: P.O. Box 265 Carthage, MS 3 Years in Legisl

OKTIBBEHA

AT TA L A

NOXUBEE

HUMPHREYS WINSTON

SHARKEY

YA Z O O MADISON

LEAKE

NESHOBA

SCOTT

NEWTON

LAUDERDALE

SMITH

JASPER

CLARKE

KEMPER

ISSAQUENA

RANKIN

HINDS WA R R E N

CLAIBORNE COPIAH

SIMPSON

JEFFERSON

COVINGTON LINCOLN ADAMS

L AW R E N C E

FRANKLIN

LAMAR WILKINSON

AMITE

WAY N E

JONES

JEFFERSON D AV I S

PIKE

for a job well done to all our representatives and senators who represent constituents residing in our service area.

FORREST

PERRY

GREENE

MARION

WA LT H A L L

GEORGE

PEARL RIVER STONE

JACKSON HARRISON

HANCOCK

n. Jenifer anning

rict 18: Leake, Neshoba Winston counties ress: 235 W. Beacon St. adelphia, MS 39350 ily: Husband: Chancy ning; Ethan, Ellis, Evan s in Legislature: 3

It’s easy to know your elected officials January 2018

A free, interactive legislative app for Mississippi The Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi offers free versions of the 2018 Mississippi Legislative Roster app. We hope they will be helpful in your involvement with state government. Our easy-to-use mobile app provides information on Mississippi’s state and federal elected officials. Look for “Mississippi Legislative Roster” in the Apple App Store. An Android version is also available through Google Play.

Sen. Josh Harkins District 20: Rankin County Address: P.O. Box 320374 Flowood, MS 39232 Family: Wife: Andrea Scales; Children: Emerson, Carlysle Years in Legislature: 7

rict 14: Attala, Carroll, nada, Leflore, Montgomery, ahatchie and Yalobusha nties ress: P.O. Box 211 ona, MS 38967 ily: Husband: Emmett; dren: Mimi, Mary Rae s in Legislature: 12

ATIVES

eake and ties arla Dr. MS 39350 Jennifer

lature: 15

eth

ttala, Leake, Yazoo counties

39051 lature: 3

Today in Mississippi

Now available

n. Lydia Chassaniol

ott

Rep. Michael T. Evans District 45: Kemper, Lauderdale, Neshoba, and Winston counties Address: 1147 Mount Harmony Rd. Preston, MS 39354 Family: Wife: Heather Luke; Child: Hannah Years in Legislature: 7

Rep. Tom Miles District 75: Rankin and Scott counties Address: 807 Hwy. 35 S. Forest, MS 39074 Years in Legislature: 7

Rep. Jason White

Rep. Brent Powell

District 48: Attala, Carroll, Holmes and Leake counties Address: P.O. Box 246 West, MS 39192 Family: Wife: Jolynn McLellan; Children: Sara, John, Carlyn Years in Legislature: 7

District 59: Rankin County Address: P.O. Box 5454 Brandon, MS 39047 Family: Wife: Natasha Goff; Children: Blake, Mattie Frances Years in Legislature: 6

Today in Mississippi

January 2018

The Mississippi Legislat

convenes in January for the 2018

Coahoma Electric Power Association salutes Mississippi’s senators and representative Washington, D.C., and at our state capitol in Jackson. We appreciate their dedication of public service to help shape the future of our state.

Electric Power Association

Providing affordable, reliable electricity to our members since 1937.

CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION

SENATE

Sen. Robert L. Jackson District 11: Coahoma, Panola, Quitman and Tunica counties Address: P.O. Box 383 Marks, MS 38646

THAD COCHRAN

ROGER WICKER

TRENT KELLY

United States Senator

First District

HOUSE OF RE Rep. Cedric Burnett

Thank you!

# #

BENNIE G. THOMPSON

Second District

District 9: Coahoma, Quitman, Tate and Tunica counties Address: P.O. Box 961 Tunica, MS 38676

GREGG HARPER

STEVEN PALAZZO

Third District

Fourth District

for a job well done to all our representatives and senators who represent constituents residing in our service area.

MARSHALL

DESOTO

ALCORN

BENTON

T I P PA H

TISHOMINGO PRENTISS

TAT E TUNICA

UNION

PA N O L A

L A FAY E T T E

LEE

PONTOTOC

COAHOMA

QUITMAN

YA L O B U S H A

I TAWA M B A

CALHOUN

TA L L A H AT C H I E

MONROE

C H I C K A S AW

B O L I VA R

GRENADA LEFLORE SUNFLOWER

C L AY WEBSTER

CARROLL

LOWNDES MONTGOMERY

WA S H I N G T O N

C H O C TAW

HOLMES

NOXUBEE

AT TA L A WINSTON

2 YA Z O O MADISON

LEAKE

NESHOBA

SCOTT

NEWTON

LAUDERDALE

SMITH

JASPER

CLARKE

KEMPER

ISSAQUENA

RANKIN

HINDS WA R R E N

CLAIBORNE COPIAH

SIMPSON

JEFFERSON

COVINGTON LINCOLN ADAMS

L AW R E N C E

FRANKLIN

AMITE

WAY N E

JONES

JEFFERSON D AV I S LAMAR

WILKINSON

PIKE

FORREST

PERRY

GREENE

MARION

WA LT H A L L

GEORGE

PEARL RIVER STONE

JACKSON HARRISON

HANCOCK

Coahoma Electric Power Asso

Annual Meeting of M

OKTIBBEHA

HUMPHREYS

SHARKEY

Notice to Membe

Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018, at 1 at Coahoma Electric’s Training Lyon, Miss.

January 2018

Today in Mississippi I 11

It’s easy to know your elected officials

ture

Now available

8 session

A free, interactive legislative app for Mississippi

es who represent our state in n and willingness to serve in the spirit

The Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi offers free versions of the 2018 Mississippi Legislative Roster app. We hope they will be helpful in your involvement with state government. Our easy-to-use mobile app provides information on Mississippi’s state and federal elected officials. Look for “Mississippi Legislative Roster” in the Apple App Store. An Android version is also available through Google Play.

Sen. Derrick T. Simmons District 12: Bolivar, Coahoma and Washington counties Address: P.O. Box 1854 Greenville, MS 38702

EPRESENTATIVES Rep. Dan Eubanks District 25: DeSoto County Address: P.O. Box 184 Walls, MS 38680

ers ciation’s

Members

100 a.m. g Center,

Rep. Orlando W. Paden District 26: Bolivar and Coahoma counties Address: 3731 Stovall Rd. Clarksdale, MS 38614

Statement of Nondiscrimination Coahoma Electric Power Association is an equal opportunity provider and employer. If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866)632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov.

10 I Today in Mississippi

January 2018

The Mississippi Legislature convenes in January for the 2018 session Where our members have the power

Communicators: April Lollar and Merilee Sands For Today in Mississippi information, call 877-7MY-CEPA (877-769-2372) www.coastepa.com

Coast Electric Power Association salutes Mississippi’s senators and representatives who represent our state in Washington, D.C., and at our state capital in Jackson. We appreciate their dedication and willingness to serve in the spirit of public service to help shape the future of our state.

Congressional Delegation

PHIL BRYANT Governor

THAD COCHRAN United States Senator

TATE REEVES Lt. Governor

ROGER WICKER

United States Senator

SENATE

Sen. Angela Burks Hill

Sen. Philip Moran

District 40: Marion and Pearl River counties Address: 54 Watts Rd. Picayune, MS 39466 Years in Legislature: 7

District 46: Hancock and Harrison counties Address: 18403 Old Joe Moran Rd., Kiln, MS 39556 Years in Legislature: 7

Sen. Joseph M. “Mike” Seymour District 47: Jackson, Pearl River and Stone counties Address: 15417 Indian Fork Rd. Vancleave, MS 39565 Years in Legislature: 3

HOUSE OF REPR

Rep. Timmy Ladner

Rep. Patricia H. Willis

District 93: Hancock, Pearl River and Stone counties Address: 6 Michael D. Smith Rd. Poplarville, MS 39470 Years in Legislature: 7

District 106: District 95: Lamar and Hancock and Pearl River counties Harrison counties Address: 545 Otho Davis Rd. Address: Lumberton, MS 39455 5565 Diamondhead Dr. East Years in Legislature: 3 Diamondhead, MS 39525 Years in Legislature: 6

Rep. John G. Corley

STATEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer. If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 6907442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov.

STEVEN PALAZZO

United States Representative Fourth District

Rep. Scott DeLano

Rep. Greg Haney

District 117: Harrison County Address: P.O. Box 4524 Biloxi, MS 39535 Years in Legislature: 9

District 118: Harrison County Address: 106 45th St. Gulfport, MS 39507 Years in Legislature: 7

Rep. Sonja Williams-Barnes District 119: Harrison County Address: 2317 Searle Ave. Gulfport, MS 39057 Years in Legislature: 7

January 2018

Today in Mississippi

It’s easy to know your elected officials

Now available A free, interactive legislative app for Mississippi The Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi offers free versions of the 2018 Mississippi Legislative Roster app. We hope they will be helpful in your involvement with state government. Our easy-to-use mobile app provides information on Mississippi’s state and federal elected officials. Look for “Mississippi Legislative Roster” in the Apple App Store. An Android version is also available through Google Play.

Special Election to be held Dec. 19 Senate Seat District 49: Harrison County

Sen. Debbie Dawkins

Sen. Thomas A. Gollott

District 48: Harrison County Address: 111 Lang Ave. #3 Pass Christian, MS 39571 Years in Legislature: 19

District 50: Harrison County Address: 235 Bay View Ave. Biloxi, MS 39530 Years in Legislature: 51

Coast Electric Service Area and

SENATE DISTRICTS

RESENTATIVES

LAMAR FORREST

PERR

PEARL RIVER

GEORGE

STONE

JACKSON HARRISON

46 HANCOCK

Rep. Stacey Wilkes

Rep. Jeffrey S. Guice

Rep. Randall Patterson

Rep. Casey Eure

District 108: Pearl River County Address: P.O. Box 1018 Jackson, MS 39215 Years in Legislature: 2

District 114: Harrison and Jackson counties Address: 1208 Iola Rd., Ocean Springs, MS 39564 Years in Legislature: 10

District 115: Harrison County Address: 1352 Kensington Dr. Biloxi, MS 39530 Years in legislature: 15

District 116: Harrison County Address: 11820 Sleeping Deer Lane Saucier, MS 39574 Years in Legislature: 8

Coast Electric Service Area and

HOUSE DISTRICTS 106 PEARL RIVER

03 93 108

Rep. Richard Bennett

Rep. Carolyn Crawford

District 120: Harrison County Address: 20108 Daugherty Road Long Beach, MS 39560 Years in Legislature: 11

District 121: Harrison County Address: 23155 Stablewood Circle Pass Christian, MS 39571 Years in Legislature: 7

Rep. David Baria District 122: Hancock County Address: 153 Main Street Bay St. Louis, MS 39520 Years in Legislature: 11

HARRISON

122

119

121

114 118

HANCOCK

GEORGE

116 STONE

120

117

115

JACKSON

Today in Mississippi

January 2018

The Mississippi Legislature convenes in January for the 2018 session Delta Electric Power Association salutes Mississippiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s senators and representatives who represent our state in Washington, D.C., and at our state Capitol in Jackson. We appreciate their dedication and willingness to serve in the spirit of public service to help shape the future of our state.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Rep. M. Kevin Horan

Rep. John W. Hines Sr.

Rep. Karl Oliver

1500 Gateway Grenada, MS 38901

P.O. Box 114 Greenville, MS 38703

P.O. Box 95 Winona, MS 338976

Rep. Jason White

Rep. Willie Bailey

P.O. Box 246 West, MS 39192

P.O. Box 189 Greenville, MS 38702

Rep. Abe Marshall Hudson Jr. 207 RT Hollingsworth Shelby, MS 38774

SENATORS Sen. Willie Simmons

Sen. David L. Jordan

Sen. Lydia Chassaniol

P.O. Box 297 Cleveland, MS 38732

504 Bowie Lane Greenwood, MS 38930

P.O. Box 211 Winona, MS 38967

Meet Your State Legislator

January 2018

Today in Mississippi

It’s easy to know your elected officials

Rep. Sara Richardson Thomas 512 B.B. King Road Indianola, MS 38751

Rep. Bryant W. Clark 271 Clark Road Pickens, MS 39146

Rep. Willie J. Perkins Sr.

Rep. Robert Huddleston

P.O. Box 8404 Greenwood, MS 38935

P.O. Box 63 Sumner, MS 38957

Sen. Eugene S. “Buck” Clarke

Sen. Gary Jackson

Sen. Derrick T. Simmons

P.O. Box 40 French Camp, MS 39745

P.O. Box 1854 Greenville, MS 38702

P.O. Box 668 Hollandale, MS 38748

Today in Mississippi I January 2018

Dixie Electric is an equal opportunity employer and provider.

Snowstorm reminds us to always be prepared and thankful The snow on Friday, Dec. 8, caused outages, but also provided a reason for us to be thankful. Electric power is something that we all take for granted; me included. The snowstorm in early December certainly reminded us how much we all rely on it. I wish that we could promise continuous electric service all the time. We make every effort to clear the rightof-way and maintain our system, but, even with those efforts, outages occur. I encourage you to take a moment and think about the December wintery weather Randy Smith and ways to prepare your General Manager family for outages. We often remind you to prepare for hurricane season, but this wintery mix reminds us to prepare for all types of weather. Next, I would like to thank our employees for their service to our members. Our engineering and operations personnel worked long hours for three days to restore power to the more than 9,600 members who lost service. Cold conditions, like this snow storm,

are some of the most difficult to work in, and our employees braved these tough conditions to restore your service. I’m also appreciative of our employees who answered phone calls, prepared food or responded to you on social media. People tend to think about linemen and how hard they work during situations like this, but our employees work hard daily because they realize that the electric power business brings quality of life to each of us. I’ve mentioned before how we have agreements with other electric cooperatives to assist one another in disasters and major outages. We’ve certainly used those agreements this year. In January, crews came to assist us in the aftermath of a devastating tornado that struck Forrest and Perry counties. Over the summer and fall, we were asked to send crews to assist with restoration due to the numerous hurricanes that hit the U.S. We responded by sending crews to electric cooperatives in Florida and closer to home in Mississippi. For the second time this year, we asked for assistance from other cooperatives, and they responded to our needs.

I'm very thankful for the crews that came to help, including those from other electric cooperatives, MDR Construction and the right-of-way crews. I certainly want to express to each of them how much we appreciate these companies for supporting us. It is a sacrifice for these individuals to work long hours and to be away from their families, yet they did that to restore power. Finally, I want to thank our members for their patience and encouragement. I know that many of you were cold and uncomfortable as you waited for us to restore your service, but you offered words of thankfulness to our employees as they worked. We also received emails and messages on social media. It's so much easier and rewarding when the work you do is appreciated. Thank you for that. The snow was beautiful, yet it brought challenges. Hopefully, the New Year will be calm, but if we have another major outage event, I’m confident that our employees, other cooperatives and contract linemen and right-of-way crews will be ready to respond.

January 2018 Today in Mississippi

10a

REPORT AN OUTAGE ONLINE THROUGH OUR ONLINE OUTAGE MAP prepared.dixieepa.com

Visit prepared.dixieepa.com and click on the Outage Viewer.

Click on Report Outage. You can report your outage using one of these three options:

Account Number Phone Number Meter Number

Click submit, and your outage is reported.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s as simple as that!

10b

Today in Mississippi

Snowstorm

January 2018

bl an

s of seven ne in portion li er w o p f o 00 miles . nearly 5,0 es g ta u o d re ado, it is te used by a torn sed a few scat counties. ca u e ca g y ta el u ss k o li ro e an ac rms av es hen we have . Thundersto snow would h re caused numerous outag ea “W ar d ze li ca one lo areas, r mo trees and ly affect some Five inches o ally focused in al area because su ic e u p ic ty rv se f ea o rs ar re t e r ti h lt u s en weig ugh o rent. ed south By Lydia Wa Dixie Electric’ lly pines, break under the that move thro untouched. This was diffe , snow blanket in Dixie 8 . ec f o D , 0 ia e 0 ay ec d ,6 On Fri ee limbs, esp more than 9 ross literally th others remain en counties tr , v t ac n u se o b l o ad al re rn g te sp in af es ct g fe Friday ally,” all outa ower. n pine tree Mississippi, af the snow. By hese were sm dled individu ere without p T now laying o an S w h . s e e ea er b th b ar , ie to y e em ix el ic ad m at D rv h s f that nfortun Electric’s se Dixie Electric’ k three days, utilizing all o entire system ly beautiful. U n ai g rt n o ce o . al to es as el g w n n n o n branches Restorati ith added. line had to be eering perso brought challe m in er S g w w , o o en ay p sn d d e e es an m fn th o sa n f ed tand o e On W weight me cases, th would break ctric’s operatio struction contractors, righ so b le E m In li a er se th . au peratives mes, bec ine Con area Dec. 6, wea er electric coo with MDR L aired several ti crew left the p th e o re th s m o A en fr e. s m n s li ew forecast County and take e power s, and cr would break take down th ciation, Alcorn ower le way crew b o ib m ss ss li A o p er er a th w o o is ed P an n tio me places, th oast Electric restoring it, ce Electric P C r so ra te T In af . ez f n o ch ai g at ag in N e . and ration ower lin light dust Electric Power nemen to assist with resto ut the same p o , ay d ri p o F n co li o t several times. ectric snow n sen el ed io er rr at u th ci trimming the o o cc o e ss at e A th th cl f n o cy o e e n as iv o re at e to ci pre assisvitalis are th Dec. 8, up “I’m always ap emen when we need their power lines) is Storms like th e th d n u er o n th ar li o d n inch. O ives who send asked to assist f-way (the area f-way is cleared of trees an o at n ter ee h g b ri e v e’ w e right-o 0 mile this year ded assisThursday, th portant. The e nearly 5,00 tance. Twice Now, we nee im th . n ly d o n ti u o ra to o ar w st e re re cl ith eneral -year cy forecast g cooperatives w limbs on a six to help us,” G e serves. er y th B e . er es w ch derDixie Electric d they e two in n an li , er ce n w raying the un o ta p sp f d . o id an , s sa n b o h o m . it li dy Sm s and allenges essary Friday aftern Manager Ran “Clearing tree s own set of ch ensive, but nec p it es ex as h ch is e in g es n w ta en li o u ta v o five to se ath of the sn Every major f-way, this ou around power rm o tsh te h af ru g b e ri th ed in s, ss in n e lt f alleng ly mainta e locatio had fallen acro sive and difficu The biggest ch ges in separat ithout proper n ta te W u ex o s i. re u p o o ip m er al ss u m si n much the nu e individ south Mis could have bee ith said. process. Thes f storm was o w o o ss sl tw ro a r ac o n o ti ad ch ra Sm spre An in making resto outages were our linemen,” Line Foreman Guy Shelton, Apprentice Linemen Matthew Spiers and Jack Payne pull wire to replace a power line after the snow.

January 2018

Today in Mississippi

ankets south Mississippi nd brings challenges

Far left: A visiting lineman carries new wire for a power line. Left: Lineman Charles Houpt removes debris on Friday, Dec. 8, as the snow is falling. Above: Lineman from Alcorn County Electric changes a power line in the Landrum community in Jones County.

Alcorn County Electric crew survey the area to set up their equipment.

. age for

9,600 PERSONNEL working

SNOW OUTAGE BY THE NUMBERS

During the heavy snow, a Dixie Electric bucket truck is responding to outage calls.

MEMBERS without power

70 in the field

broken

POLES

DAYS to restore power

10c

10d

Today in Mississippi January 2018

The Mississippi Legislature convenes in January for the 2018 session Dixie Electric Power Association salutes Mississippi’s senators and representatives who represent our state in Washington, D.C., and at our state capital in Jackson. We appreciate their dedication and willingness to serve in the spirit of public service to help shape the future of our state.

Proudly serving members since 1938

It’s easy to know your elected officials

Now available

congressional delegation U.S. SENATORS

A free, interactive legislative app for Mississippi

The Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi offers free versions of the 2018 Mississippi Legislative Roster app. We hope they will be helpful in your involvement with state government.

THAD COCHRAN

ROGER WICKER

113 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510

555 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510

U.S. REPRESENTATIVES

Our easy-to-use mobile app provides information on Mississippi’s state and federal elected officials. Look for “Mississippi Legislative Roster” in the Apple App Store. An Android version is also available through Google Play.

GREGG HARPER Third District 2227 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515

STEVEN PALAZZO Fourth District 2349 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515

January 2018

KNOW YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS #

senate

Sen. Videt Carmichael

Sen. Juan Barnett

Sen. Joey Fillingane

Sen. Chris McDaniel

District 33: Clarke and Lauderdale counties Address: 5396 Springhill Loop Meridian, MS 39301

District 34: Forrest, Jasper and Jones counties Address: P.O. Box 407 Heidelberg, MS 39439

District 41: Covington, Forrest, Jefferson Davis, Lamar and Smith counties Address: 8 Westbrook Dr. Sumrall, MS 39482

District 42: Forrest and Jones counties Address: 506 South Court St. Ellisville, MS 39437

Sen. Dennis DeBar Jr District 43: George, Greene and Wayne counties Address: P.O. Box 1090 Leakesville, MS 39451

house of representatives

Rep. Mark K. Tullos

Rep. Omeria Scott

Rep. Shane Barnett

Rep. Gary V. Staples

Rep. Donnie Scoggin

District 79: Jasper and Smith counties Address: P.O. Box 505 Raleigh, MS 39153

District 80: Clarke, Jasper and Jones counties Address: 615 East 19th St. Laurel, MS 39440

District 86: Greene, Perry and Wayne counties Address: P.O. Box 621 Waynesboro, MS 39367

District 88: Jasper and Jones counties Address: 366 Forest Rd. Laurel, MS 39443

District 89: Jones County Address: 1203 Pine St. Ellisville, MS 39437

Rep. Noah Sanford District 90: Covington, Jefferson Davis and Simpson counties Address: P.O. Box 1900 Collins, MS 39428

Rep. Percy Watson

Rep. Larry Byrd

District 103: Forrest County District 104: Forrest County Address: P.O. Box 1767 Address: 17 Byrd Road Hattiesburg, MS 39401 Petal, MS 39465

Rep. Roun McNeal District 105: George, Greene and Perry counties Address: P.O. Box 1435 Leakesville, MS 39451

Sen. Billy Hudson District 45: Forrest and Perry counties Address: 27 Troon Circle Hattiesburg, MS 39401

Today in Mississippi

January 2018

The Mississippi Legislature

convenes in January for the 2018 session

East Mississippi Electric Power Association salutes Mississippiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s senators and representatives who represent our state in Washington, D.C., and at our state capitol in Jackson. We appreciate their dedication and willingness to serve in the spirit of public service to help shape the future of our sta

congressional delegation SENATORS

REPRESENTATIVES

SENATE Sen. Jenifer Branning District 18: Leake, Neshoba and Winston counties Address: 235 W. Beacon St. Philadelphia, MS 39350 Family: Husband: Chancy Children: Ethan, Ellis, Evan Years in Legislature: 3

THAD COCHRAN

TRENT KELLY

BENNIE G. THOMPSON

United States Senator

First District

Second District

HOUSE OF REPRES Rep. Joey Hood

ROGER ROGERWICKER WICKER United UnitedStates States Senator Senator

District 35: Attala, Choctaw, Webster and Winston counties Address: P.O. Box 759 Ackerman, MS 39735 Family: Wife: Cynthia Children: Jonah, Owen Years in Legislature: 7

GREGG HARPER

STEVEN PALAZZO

Third District

Fourth District

Thank you!

MARSHALL

DESOTO

Rep. Jason White ALCORN

BENTON

T I P PA H

TISHOMINGO PRENTISS

TAT E TUNICA

UNION

PA N O L A

L A FAY E T T E

LEE

PONTOTOC

COAHOMA

QUITMAN

YA L O B U S H A

I TAWA M B A

CALHOUN

TA L L A H AT C H I E

MONROE

C H I C K A S AW

B O L I VA R

GRENADA LEFLORE

WEBSTER

CARROLL

SUNFLOWER

C L AY

LOWNDES MONTGOMERY

WA S H I N G T O N

C H O C TAW

HOLMES

OKTIBBEHA

AT TA L A

NOXUBEE

HUMPHREYS

District 48: Attala, Carroll, Holmes, and Leake counties Address: P.O. Box 246 West, MS 39192 Family: Wife: Jolynn Children: Sara, John, Carlyn Years in Legislature: 7

WINSTON

SHARKEY

YA Z O O MADISON

LEAKE

NESHOBA

SCOTT

NEWTON

LAUDERDALE

SMITH

JASPER

CLARKE

KEMPER

ISSAQUENA

RANKIN

HINDS

Rep. Greg Snowden

WA R R E N

CLAIBORNE COPIAH

SIMPSON

JEFFERSON

COVINGTON LINCOLN ADAMS

L AW R E N C E

FRANKLIN

LAMAR WILKINSON

AMITE

WAY N E

JONES

JEFFERSON D AV I S

PIKE

for a job well done to all our representatives and senators who represent constituents residing in our service area.

FORREST

PERRY

GREENE

MARION

WA LT H A L L

GEORGE

PEARL RIVER STONE

JACKSON HARRISON

HANCOCK

District 83: Lauderdale County Address: P.O. Box 3807 Meridian, MS 39303-3807 Family: Wife: Renee Children: Emily, Katie Years in Legislature: 19

It’s easy to know your elected officials

January 2018

Today in Mississippi

Now available

ate.

ONLINE VERSION AVAILABLE AT

www.ecm.coop

Sen. Terry C. Burton District 31: Lauderdale, Newton and Scott counties Address: 101 Rew St. Newton, MS 39345 Family: Wife: Darleen Children: Ben Jones, Dawn Jones Powell Years in Legislature: 27

SENTATIVES Rep. Carl L. Mickens District 42: Lowndes, Noxubee and Winston counties Address: P.O. Box 427 Brooksville, MS 39739 Family: Wife: Cheryl Child: Carl L. II; Years in Legislature: 3

Sen. Sampson Jackson II

Sen. Videt Carmichael

District 32: Kemper, Lauderdale, Noxubee and Winston counties Address: P.O. Box 686 DeKalb, MS 39328 Family: Wife: Patricia Children: Kalvin B., Kieth K., Sampson III Years in Legislature: 27

District 33: Clarke and Lauderdale counties Address: 5396 Springhill Loop Meridian, MS 39301 Family: Wife: Donna Children: Kaycee Crane, Fredie Jr. Years in Legislature: 19

Rep. Loyd B. (Rob) Roberson

Rep. Michael T. Evans

District 43: Oktibbeha and Winston counties Address: 212 E. Main St. Starkville, MS 39759 Family: Wife: Karen Children: Kelly, Marley, Jack, Eli Years in Legislature: 7

Rep. Omeria Scott

Rep. Steve Horne

District 80: Clarke, Jasper and Jones counties Address: 615 E. 19th St. Laurel, MS 39440 Family: Husband: Charles Years in Legislature: 26

District 81: Clarke and Lauderdale counties Address: 5904 Causeyville Rd. Meridian, MS 39301 Family: Wife: Suzy Children: Lauren, Tommy, Hunter Years in Legislature: 15

Rep. William E. Shirley, Jr. District 84: Clarke, Jasper, and Newton counties Address: 911 CR 140 Quitman, MS 39355 Family: Wife: Benita Children: Kristan, Klaire, Kaylin Years in Legislature: 7

Rep. Shane Barnett District 86: Green, Perry and Wayne counties Address: P.O. Box 621, Waynesboro, MS 39367 Years in Legislature: 3

District 45: Kemper, Lauderdale, Neshoba and Winston counties Address: 1147 Mount Harmony Rd. Preston, MS 39354 Family: Wife: Heather Child: Hannah Years in Legislature: 7

Rep. Charles L. Young, Jr. District 82: Lauderdale County Address: P.O. Box 5393 Meridian, MS 39302 Family: Child: William Years in Legislature: 7

Today in Mississippi

January 2018

Board of Directors

www.4county.org • 1-800-431-1544

Marty Crowder, President John E. “Jay” Gilliland Jr., Vice President Johnny Johnson, Secretary/Treasurer Mike Banks Bill Bell Kenneth Seitz Ernest H. “Bud” Tumlinson

YOUR COOPERATIVE

Here’s An Idea

Ringing in the New Year, reflecting on the old one By Joe Cade CEO/General Manager As we move into 2018, it is a good time to take stock of what happened over the last 12 months and look forward to what lies ahead. A new year always brings new challenges as well as new opportunities. And we always strive to be able to respond to each. But I’d like to take some time to talk about some of the things we’ve accomplished in 2017, before we start moving ahead. Everyone here at your cooperative has worked diligently for our members, and I’d like to point out a few highlights. First of all, our 4-County Foundation has been in existence fewer than three years. And I’m proud to say that in December, the Foundation passed the $500,000 mark for donations. That’s more than half a million dollars. That means that area children will do better in school, local fire and rescue groups will respond faster and more efficiently to emergencies, and law enforcement will be safer as they protect and serve. Our communities will be better and that’s all thanks to your generosity. It is amazing that for an average cost of less than 50 cents a month, we can all make such a huge impact. In 2017, we also wrapped up our Extreme Energy Makeover project. With a $3.8 million grant from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), we were able to do free energy efficiency upgrades on

265 homes across the 4-County service territory. More than 93 percent of those homes have seen a reduction in electric use following the work. We are proud to have made a difference in these members’ lives, and we are working to find ways to continue projects like this one. At the same time, we’ve supported area businesses by working with TVA to provide services and incentives. In the past year we’ve helped bring close to $1 million to local business and industry in the form of projects and programs designed to keep them competitive and able to provide jobs for our members. Things aren’t slowing down. In 2018, we expect to bring two new substations online. Bluefield Substation in Oktibbeha County will help us keep up with residential growth there as well as be available for potential industrial development. In Clay County, the Montpelier substation will have a big impact on reliability, especially in rural areas of the county’s western part. We can’t do these types of things by sitting still. You know, 4-County is really a large and complex operation. We have a total electric plant valued at more than $280 million. That’s a lot of wire and poles and transformers and substations. Our job every day is to make sure all of that is running reliably and to do it in the most cost-effective ways possible. We know that costs continue to climb, but we do our dead level best to mitigate those costs while still providing you with the service and reliability you expect. Happy New Year!

Keep bills down, comfort up Keep your electric bills down and your comfort level up this winter by following a few simple guidelines: • Set the thermostat at the lowest comfortable temperature and leave it there. Wear warm clothes around the house instead of dressing for summer. • Keep all doors and windows closed and make sure to check the caulking and weather stripping. • Keep heating vents clear of obstructions. • Turn off heat and close doors to unused rooms if you have individual room heat. • If you have a fireplace, close the damper when it’s not in use. This will keep heat from going up and out of your chimney.

Facebook is effective co-op info vehicle 4-County Electric Power Association is on Facebook. Don’t miss the latest in 4-County information. From energy efficiency tips to recipes, the 4-County Facebook page has it all. The site will be updated with news, photos, promotions and anything and everything else the cooperative’s members and employees might be interested in. For those members already on Facebook, please become a Facebook fan of 4-County and encourage others to join this exciting communication tool.

4-County offices closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day Co-op offices will be closed Monday, Jan. 15, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Members should call 1-800-431-1544 for outages or questions.

Co-op Connections Card saves Since the Co-op Connections Card was unveiled in September 2011, 4-County members have saved over $625,720 on prescription drugs through December.

Look here each month to see the savings total!

January 2018

4-County Foundation reaches milestone in giving The 4-County Electric Power Association Foundation has reached a milestone, exceeding $500,000 in gifts to organizations in the cooperative’s nine-county service area. Figures total about $503,000 dispersed among 111 organizations (since the program’s inception in February 2015), including recipients at December’s 4-County Foundation meeting: Golden Triangle Outdoors ($10,000 toward construction of a Miracle League Ball Field at Propst Park in Columbus); Choctaw County Schools ($6,725 toward the purchase of 25 Chromebook tablets); The Salvation Army, Columbus Corps ($3,911.80 toward the purchase of an ice machine for a food pantry and items for an Angel Tree program); Starkville Area Arts Council ($1,545 for funds to assist with art supplies); Volunteer Starkville ($551.33 for funds to assist with First Responders Appreciation Day); and the Frank P. Phillips Memorial YMCA ($9,000 in funds to start up a Parkinson’s disease program). “This is a monumental achievement for the 4-County Foundation. It really is making a difference in the communities 4-County serves, all because of the generosity of the cooperative’s members,” said Jon Turner, 4-County marketing and public relations manager.

4-County believes in helping the communities it serves. That’s why the cooperative launched the 4-County Foundation, a community service program. Since February 2015, participating 4-County members’ utility bills have been rounded up to the nearest dollar; a $125.78 bill, for example, becomes $126. Now, that’s an average of only 48 cents per participating member, per month. That may not seem like much. But when you multiply those contributions by the thousands of member participants, that’s a lot of pennies! Just a few cents a month, for each member that participates, over the course of a year makes a huge difference for organizations like Contact Helpline throughout communities in the 4-County service area. Who decides on the dispersing of funds? 4-County Foundation board members (individuals selected from throughout the cooperative service area) decide and handle fund requests. “This program is all about helping communities and people,” Turner said. “It’s a convenient, inexpensive way for 4-County, its members and other participants to help. Those pennies quickly add up to dollars that make a huge difference to these organizations and individuals,” he said. For more information, call 1-800-431-1544.

Golden Triangle Outdoors, $10,000

Choctaw County Schools, $6,725

Starkville Area Arts Council, $1,545

4-County answers Christmas call of duty Christmas was a little brighter for some area families thanks to the efforts of 4-County Electric Power Association employees and members. For the ninth straight year, co-op employees and members dug deep and offered their time and money to do some Christmas shopping for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program. About 200 gifts were collected. “Participating in the Toys for Tots campaign is always a highlight for us during the Christmas season,” 4-County CEO Joe Cade and his granddaughter, Gracie Brooke said 4-County Communications Coordinator Cade, have made Toys for Tots shopping a family tradition Brad Barr. “It never ceases to amaze me how each year. our employees and members respond to a call for help. These efforts make Christmas a little bigger, better and brighter for some area children.” Toys for Tots personnel distributed the gifts throughout 4-County’s service area.

Volunteer Starkville, $551.33

Salvation Army, $3,911.80

Today in Mississippi

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Today in Mississippi

January 2018

4-COUNTY ELECTRIC POWER

YOUTH TOUR Lake Little of Starkville Academy took home thirdplace honors. In addition to participating in the Youth Leadership Workshop, they will travel to Washington, D.C., for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Youth Tour of the Capital, June 10-16. The 17 candidates competed for the opportunity to win the expense-paid trips. Nominated by his/her high school, each student completed an application reflecting school and extracurricular activities. The application also included several short essay questions. A panel of three judges affiliated with the Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi interviewed each of the 17 students at 4-County’s Corporate Center Nov. 1. “All 17 candidates were truly outstanding,” said 4-County’s Brad Barr, Youth Tour coordinator. “We are looking forward to Haley, Clay and Lake representing us on local, state and national levels through this wonderful leadership development program.”

PROGRAM Who is poised to take charge and be tomorrow’s leaders today? Look no further than participants in the 2018 4-County Electric Power Association Youth Leadership Program. Seventeen young leaders from the 4-County service area, selected as winners to represent their schools, competed in the Youth Leadership Program Nov. 1 at the 4-County Corporate Center. Three high school juniors were selected to represent the cooperative at the 2017 Youth Leadership Workshop, sponsored by the Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi, in Jackson Feb. 21-23. Haley Fye, a student at Starkville High School, was the first-place winner. Clay Walters, a student at Heritage Academy, was the second-place winner.

The purpose of the local youth program is to provide leadership development and training opportunities for young 4-County members and to educate a future generation about the cooperative form of business. Other students participating in the 4-County program, selected as winners of their respective schools, were Erin Fenderson, representing Victory Christian Academy; Macy Sparks, representing West Lowndes High School; Elizabeth Easterling, representing Columbus Christian Academy; Rachel Lafayette, representing Columbus High School; Nicole Hollis, representing New Hope High School; Reagan L. Freeman, representing Oak Hill Academy; McKinsey Wedel, representing Hebron Christian School; Caroline Crosson, representing the HomeSchool Program; Gracie McBrayer, representing Caledonia High School; Shelby Grice, representing Golden Triangle Early College High School; Halle Ruth Stevenson, representing Choctaw County High School; J.B. Harrell, representing West Point High School; Laura Parish, representing East Webster High School; and Emory Peacock, representing French Camp Academy.

FIRST PLACE

SECOND PLACE

THIRD PLACE

Haley Fye

Clay Walters

Lake Little

Starkville High School

Heritage Academy

Starkville Academy

January 2018

Today in Mississippi

R ASSOCIATION

R DELEGATES CHOSEN

Rachel Lafayette

Caroline Crosson

Elizabeth Easterling

Erin Fenderson

Reagan Freeman

Columbus High School

HomeSchool Program

Columbus Christian Academy

Victory Christian Academy

Oak Hill Academy

Shelby Grice

J.B. Harrell

Nicole Hollis

Gracie McBrayer

Laura Parish

Golden Triangle Early College High School

West Point High School

New Hope High School

Caledonia High School

East Webster High School

“We are looking forward to Haley, Clay and Lake representing us on local, state and national levels through this wonderful leadership development program.”

– Brad Barr

Emory Peacock

Macy Sparks

Halie Ruth Stevenson

McKinsey Wedel

French Camp Academy

West Lowndes High School

Choctaw County High School

Hebron Christian School

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Today in Mississippi

January 2018

4-County rights-of-way contract crews begin work 4-County Electric Power Association contract rights-of-way crews are working in the Sturgis, Maben and Oktoc portions of the co-op’s service area this month. The contract crews began working in December. Crews will display a 4-County sign on their equipment. Deviney contract crews will work on portions of Highway 12 from Bradley to the Oktibbeha and Choctaw county lines, on MorganTown Road, on Craig Springs Road, on Sturgis-Maben Road and nearby areas. W.A. Kendall con-

tract crews will work in the Maben area, including Highway 15 N. to Johnson Road, on Colony Road, on Highway 389 and its intersecting roads in Chickasaw County. Lewis Tree Service will work along Oktoc Road in Oktibbeha County in late December into January 2018. This work will take place along Oktoc Road north of Mount Olive Road, in the Poorhouse Road area, and along parts of Artesia Road and parts of Old Highway 25. For more information, call 4-County at 1-800-431-1544.

4-County pole inspections begin A 4-County Electric Power Association contract crew has begun work in the co-op’s Choctaw County service area. Osmose Inc. is treating and inspecting wooden 4-County poles. The work involves inspecting and treating wooden poles in the area, primarily around Highway 15 north and south of Ackerman. This work will take about three weeks. Crews will then move to Oktibbeha County where they will work in the Oktoc Substation area. The inspection and work require digging around poles, which means Osmose employees will sometimes be working in 4-County members’ yards and/or properties. The workers will be wearing clothing clearly identifying them as Osmose workers, and their trucks will also have 4-County contractor signs. For more information, call 4-County at 1-800-431-1544.

Watts Happening This listing of area events is compiled from information provided by area chambers of commerce and visitors’ bureaus. The events listed are subject to change. Please call to confirm dates, times and additional details.

SATURDAY, JAN. 13

SATURDAY, JAN. 18

Possum Town Quilters; Rosenzweig Arts Center in Columbus, 501 Main St.; 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; details, (662) 328-2787.

Starkville Frostbite Half Marathon; Starkville Frostbite Half Marathon; Main Street in Starkville; details, (662) 323-3322.

4-County welcomes three to co-op team Three new employees have joined the 4-County Electric Power Association team. Corey Kilgore of Columbus, Allen Baty of Hamilton and Clark Sanders of Carrolton joined the cooperative in November. Kilgore comes to 4-County from B&B Electric where he served as a lineman. He is a graduate of East Mississippi Community College’s lineman training program. His hobbies include duck hunting. Baty comes to 4-County from Monroe County Electric Power Association where he served as a lineman. He enjoys hunting and fishing. Sanders comes to 4-County from Railway Logics. He is a recent graduate of the Mississippi Delta Community College lineman training program. Clark enjoys hunting and fishing. Welcome aboard, guys!

Allen Baty

Clark Sanders

Corey Kilgore

January 2018

Today in Mississippi

KNOW YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS A listing of elected officials, along with their addresses, is being provided for the convenience of readers who wish to contact them.

U.S. Senators

Loyd B. (Rob) Roberson II, 212 E. Main

Thad Cochran, 113 Dirksen Senate Office

St., Starkville, MS 39759; District 43 – Oktibbeha, Winston counties.

Building, Washington, DC 20510. 202-2245054.

Jeff C. Smith, 1013 Prince George, Colum-

Roger Wicker, 555 Dirksen Senate Office

bus, MS 39701; District 39 – Lowndes, Monroe counties.

Building, Washington, DC 20510. 202-2246253.

U.S. Congressmen

Trent Kelly, District 1, 1721 Longworth

Preston E. Sullivan, 1601 CR 410,

2018 Legislative Session

House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515. 202-225-4306.

Okolona, MS 38860; District 22 – Chickasaw, Pontotoc counties.

Cheikh Taylor, 383 Steele Road, Starkville, MS; District 38 – Clay, Lowndes, Oktibbeha counties.

State Senators

Bennie Thompson, District 2, 2466 Ray-

Hob Bryan, P.O. Box 75, Amory, MS 38821; District 7 – Itawamba, Lee, Monroe counties.

burn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515. 202-225-5876.

Gregg Harper, District 3, 2227 Rayburn

Angela Turner Ford, P.O. Drawer 1500, West Point, MS 39773; District 16 – Clay, Lowndes, Noxubee, Oktibbeha counties.

House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515. 202-225-5031. Steven Palazzo, District 4,

Gary Jackson, P.O. Box 40, French Camp,

2349 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515. 202-225-5772.

State Officials

MS 39745; District 15 – Choctaw, Montgomery, Oktibbeha, Webster counties.

son, MS 39205. 601-359-3150.

DeKalb, MS 39328; District 32 – Kemper, Lauderdale, Noxubee, Winston counties.

Sampson Jackson II, P.O. Box 686,

Gov. Phil Bryant, P.O. Box 139, Jack Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, P.O. Box 1018,

Russell Jolly, 369 Highway 47, Houston,

Jackson, MS 39215. 601-359-3200.

Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann,

MS 38851; District 8 – Calhoun, Chickasaw, Lee, Pontotoc, Yalobusha counties.

Heber Ladner Building, 401 Mississippi St., Jackson, MS 39205. 601-359-1350.

Charles A. (Chuck) Younger, 1213

Attorney General Jim Hood, Walter Sillers

Building, 550 High St., Suite 1200, Jackson, MS 39201. 601-359-3680.

Treasurer Lynn Fitch, P.O. Box 138, Jack-

son, MS 39205. 601-359-3600.

State Auditor Stacey E. Pickering, P.O.

Box 956, Jackson, MS 39205. 601-576-2800. Commissioner of Agriculture and Com-

merce Cindy Hyde-Smith, 121 North Jefferson St., Jackson, MS 39201. 601-359-1100.

Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney, P.O. Box 79, Jackson, MS 39205. 601-3593569.

Younger Road, Columbus, MS 39701; District 17 – Lowndes, Monroe counties.

State Representatives

Jim Beckett, P.O. Box 722, Bruce, MS

38915; District 23 – Calhoun, Grenada, Lafayette and Webster counties.

Karl Gibbs, 5543 George Walker Road, West Point, MS 39773; District 36 – Clay, Monroe counties.

Chris Brown, 33112 Highway 45 N., Net-

Joey Hood, P.O. Box 759, Ackerman, MS 39735; District 35 – Attala, Choctaw, Webster, Winston counties.

tleton, MS 38858; District 20, Itawamba, Lee, Monroe counties.

39215; District 41 – Lowndes County.

Gary Chism, P.O. Box 2343, Columbus,

MS 39704; District 37 – Clay, Lowndes, Oktibbeha counties.

Kabir Karriem, P.O. Box 1018, Jackson, MS

Carl L. Mickens, P.O. Box 427, Brooksville, MS 39739; District 42 – Lowndes, Noxubee, Winston counties.

To contact state senators: Mississippi State Senate, State Capitol, P.O. Box 1018, Jackson, MS 39215; 601-359-3267. To contact state representatives: Mississippi House of Representatives, State Capitol, P.O. Box 1018, Jackson, MS 39215; 601-359-3770.

Today in Mississippi I January 2018

Bylaws governing the association For the purposes of electing directors, hearing and passing upon reports covering the previous fiscal year, and transacting such other business, the Annual Meeting of the members of Magnolia Electric Power shall be held in March each year, at such place in one of the counties of Mississippi within which the Association serves. At each Annual Meeting of the members, approximately one-third (1/3) of the total number of directors shall be elected by ballot, by and from the members, to serve for a term of three (3) years as provided by law. Article IV, Section 4.04, (a) Committee on Nominations. It shall be the duty of the Board to appoint, no less than sixty (60) calendar days nor more than one hundred and twenty (120) calendar days before the date of the meeting of the members at which directors are to be elected, a committee on nominations from each district from which a director is to be elected, consisting of not less than 3 nor more than 5 members who shall be selected from different sections of the district so as to insure equitable geographic representation. No existing Association employee, agents, officers, directors or known candidates for director, and close relatives (as hereinafter defined) or members of the same household of existing association employees, agents, officers, directors or know candidates for director may serve on such committees. The committees shall receive and consider any written suggestion as to nominees submitted by members of the Association. The committee shall prepare and post at the principal office of the Association at least fifty (50) calendar days before the meeting a list of nominations for board members. (b) Nominations by Petition. Any fifty (50) members acting together may make other nominations by petition and the Secretary shall post at least fifty (50) calendar days before the meeting such nominations at the same place where the list of nominations by the committees are posted. Any petition for nomination shall be submitted on a form designated and provided by the Association. Each member signing such petition shall place thereon the date of signing, address, and account number of the member. The Secretary shall mail with the notice of the meeting or separately a statement of the number of board members to be elected and the names of candidates nominated by the committees and the names of candidates nominated by petition, if any. Nominations made by the committees and nominations by petition, if any, received at least five (5) calendar days before the meeting shall be included on the official ballot. Article IV, Section 4.03, Director Qualifications (Summarized) 1. Active member in good standing of the Association. 2. Bona fide resident of the district from which

they are to be elected or must be a permanent and year-round resident within or in close proximity to an area served by the Association that no more than one (1) such person may serve on the Board of Directors at the same time as set out in Section 4.03(e). 3. Must not be employed by or financially interested in a competing enterprise. 4. Must not have been finally convicted of a felony or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude. 5. Must not be a relative to the third degree by blood or marriage as defined in Section 4.08 of an employee, incumbent director, or the director being replaced. 6. No person shall take or hold office as a director who is the incumbent of or a candidate for any elective public office. 7. When a membership is held jointly by a married couple, either one, but not both, may be elected a director. 8. No person shall be eligible to become or remain a director of, or to hold any other position in trust in the Association who does not have the legal capacity to enter into a binding contract. Article III, Section 3.05, Voting. Each member who is not in a status of suspension as provided for in Section 2.01, shall be entitled to only one vote upon each matter submitted to a vote at any meeting of the members at which a quorum is present. A member may vote in person or by proxy. At a meeting of the members where directors are to be elected, all members present in person or by proxy may cast one vote for each director to be elected; each member may vote their own vote plus those proxies executed in their favor, pursuant to Section 3.07 of these bylaws. Voting by members other than members who are natural persons shall be allowed upon the presentation to the Association, prior to or upon registration at each member, of satisfactory evidence entitling the person presenting same to vote. At all meetings of the members all questions shall be decided by a majority of the members voting thereon, except as otherwise provided by law or by the Association’s Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws. Members may not cumulate their votes. Article III, Section 3.06, Proxies. At all meetings of the members, a member may vote by proxy executed in writing by the member, subject to the provisions hereinafter set forth, provided, however, any member holding and intending to vote a proxy must file the executed proxy at the Association's headquarters, not less than five (5) business days prior to the meeting. The proxy must have entered thereon the account number of the member appointed to vote the proxy. If one person shall receive electric service through two (2) or more meters at different premises, he or she shall be entitled to not more than one (1) vote at any meet-

ing of the members. No proxy shall be voted at any meeting of the members unless it shall designate the particular meeting at which it is to be voted, and no proxy shall be voted at any meeting other than the one so designated or any adjournment of such meeting. No proxy shall be voted by anyone except a member. No more than ten (10) proxies may be assigned to other members. No restriction shall apply to the number of proxies assigned to the Board of Directors who shall vote the proxies assigned to them according to the will of the majority of the members of the Board of Directors. The presence of a member at a meeting of the members shall revoke a proxy theretofore executed by that member, and such member shall be entitled to vote at such meeting in the same manner and with the same effect as if the proxy had not been executed. In case of a joint membership, a proxy may be executed by either spouse. The timely presence of either spouse at a meeting of the members shall revoke a proxy theretofore executed by (either of) them and such joint member or members shall be entitled to vote at such meeting in the same manner and with the same effect as if a proxy had not been executed. A standard proxy form shall be used which identifies the member by name and account number, in order to assure authenticity and facilitate the tabulation of votes. If the proxy form of a member is lost, stolen, or destroyed, the

Association shall furnish the member with a replacement proxy form upon request, provided that the member executes a revocation of the lost, stolen or destroyed form, to be witnessed by an employee of the Association. Blank proxy forms will not be distributed in bulk to any member. Only the proxy form issued by the Association shall be valid. Article III, Section 3.07, Representative Voting. Legal entity organizations and nonlegal entity organizations which are members of the Association may be represented at any meeting of the members and may vote only as follows: (a) any director, officer or general manager may represent and cast the one vote of a corporation; (b) a trustee, steward, deacon, clerk, or pastor may represent and cast the one vote of a church; (c) a school trustee, principal or superintendent may represent and cast the one vote of a school; (d) or any other association or organization not a legal entity may be represented by and have its one vote cast by any person who is a trustee, or manager or part owner, or any officer of such association or organization. Respectfully, John McCabe, Secretary A complete set of bylaws is available at the association’s headquarters upon request. You will receive official notice of the 2018 Annual Meeting in the mail at a later date.

Dear Member, This is a preliminary notice of the Annual Meeting of Magnolia Electric Power to be held March 22, 2018, at the Auditorium at Magnolia Electric Power headquarters, which is located at 3027 Highway 98 West, Summit, in Pike County, Mississippi. At that meeting, directors from Districts two, five and seven are to be elected to three-year terms. District two is “all that portion of the certificated area of the Cooperative which lies north of Mississippi State Highway No. 24 and west of the east boundary line of Amite County, and south of the north boundary line of Amite County, all being in Amite County, Mississippi.” District five includes “all that portion of the certificated area of the Cooperative (a) situated in Lawrence County which lies south of a line beginning at the northwest corner of Section 18, Township 6 North, Range 10 East, and runs thence east to the eastern boundary of Lawrence County, and (b) is situated in Lincoln County and is located east of the Illinois Central Railroad Company main line right-of-way and south of a line which begins at the northeast corner of Section 13, Township 6 North, Range 9 East, Lincoln County, Mississippi, and runs thence west to said Illinois Central Railroad right-of-way, being partly in Lincoln County and partly in Lawrence County, Mississippi. District seven is described as “all that portion of the certificated area of the Cooperative which lies within Pike County and is located south of the boundary line between Township 2 North and Township 3 North, all being in Pike County, Mississippi. In connection with the election of directors scheduled for the meeting, the following members have been appointed by the Association’s board, pursuant to Association bylaws, as members of the Nominating Committee:

District Two

District Five

District Seven

Bettye Causey Bobbie Power Linda Tiller

Doris Alexander Jackie Daley Gloria Thames

Carol Fortenberry Robert Knippers Charles “Chuck” Rimes, Jr.

Magnolia Electric announces more than $2.98 million Capital Credits for members January 2018

The Magnolia Electric Power Board of Directors has announced that the cooperative has recently retired $2,976,367 in Capital Credits to its members. Patronage refund checks were put in the mail in early December; therefore, MEP’s eligible members should have received their patronage capital refund checks by now. “Capital Credits represents the amount remaining after all operating, maintenance and general expenses are deducted from the total amount members paid on their

electric bill during the fiscal year,” said General Manager Darrell Smith. “It is the member’s investment in the association’s physical plant including poles, substations, and other equipment. “Capital Credits are allocated to members each year based on power use and the amount of your capital credit check is a percentage of these allocations,” he said. “We are proud to be able to return these capital credits to our members,” Smith added. Capital Credits are one of the

things that separate a non-profit electric cooperative, like Magnolia Electric Power, from investor-owned electric utilities, explained Smith. “Returning Capital Credits is very important to us. In fact, in an effort to refund Magnolia Electric Power Capital Credits checks that have been returned to the cooperative by the post office for invalid addresses, we provided a list on our MEP website of those names of members and former members that have had Capital Credits checks returned to us,” Smith said. “The response to the list was

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overwhelming and we were able to provide outstanding Capital Credits to some members we have not had a chance to do in years past.” There is an updated list on the MEP website at MEPCoop.com Since 1960, MEP has refunded a total of $46,038,719 in capital credits to its members. Magnolia Electric Power was established in 1938. The cooperative employs 91 full-time employees, maintains over 4,700 miles of power lines and serves more than 31,650 meters.

Frequently asked questions about capital credits

Why is it

important to keep reserves?

We all depend on electricity every day. When power goes out, members expect, and need their power to be restored as soon as possible and the cooperative must maintain the financial means to make that happen. Retirement of capital credits must be done prudently and in the best interest of the cooperative. Retiring too much in any particular year can necessitate a corresponding increase in rates, as well as adversely impact the cooperative’s ability to borrow funds that are required to operate without incurring further rate increases.

What are... capital credits?

Member-owned cooperatives like Magnolia Electric are not-for-profit organizations, which are operated for the benefit of their members. Accordingly, if there are revenues in excess of operating costs and expenses, those funds are credited to a member’s capital account based on their patronage. Such funds, which are also called “capital credits,” are the lifeblood that enables cooperatives to satisfy the future growth and power needs of its members.

What

How do Magnolia Electric Power

is Magnolia Electric Power’s history on retiring capital credits? Since 1960, MEP has refunded a total of $46,038,719 in capital credits to its members.

How much is returned to members? The amount returned to members is decided by our local board of directors and depends upon the financial condition of the cooperative and its strategic plan for growth and operations.

members earn capital credits,

or how are they calculated?

Each member is allocated capital credits based on how much energy they get from the cooperative. The more energy a member purchases, the greater the amount of capital credit allocated to the member’s account.

Who makes decisions

regarding capital credits?

Each cooperative has a local board of directors. The board members are all members of the cooperative and motivated by a desire to maintain reliable service at a fair rate. The board decides how to use the capital provided by the members and the amount, if any, that may prudently be retired to members.

10b

Today in Mississippi

January 2018

The Mississippi Legislature convenes in January for the 2018 session Magnolia Electric Power salutes Mississippiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s senators and representatives who represent our state in Washington, D.C., and at our state capital in Jackson. We appreciate their dedication and willingness to serve in the spirit of public service to help shape the future of our state.

SENATE

congressional delegation

Sen. Bob Dearing District 37: Adams, Amite, Franklin and Pike counties Address: 305 Melrose Montebello Pkwy., Natchez, MS 39120 Years in Legislature: 35

Representatives

senators

Sen. Tammy Felder Witherspoon

District 38: Adams, Amite, Pike Walthall and Wilkinson counties Address: 420 N. Clark Ave Magnolia, MS 39652 Years in Legislature: 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENT THAD COCHRAN

TRENT KELLY

United States Senator

First District

ROGER WICKER

Second District

GREGG HARPER

STEVEN PALAZZO

Third District

Fourth District

United States Senator

BENNIE G. THOMPSON

MARSHALL

DESOTO

ALCORN

BENTON

T I P PA H

TISHOMINGO PRENTISS

TAT E

TUNICA

UNION

PA N O L A

L A FAY E T T E

LEE

PONTOTOC

COAHOMA

QUITMAN

YA L O B U S H A

I TAWA M B A

CALHOUN

TA L L A H AT C H I E

MONROE

C H I C K A S AW

B O L I VA R

GRENADA LEFLORE

WEBSTER

CARROLL

SUNFLOWER

C L AY

LOWNDES MONTGOMERY

WA S H I N G T O N

C H O C TAW

HOLMES

OKTIBBEHA

NOXUBEE

AT TA L A

HUMPHREYS WINSTON

SHARKEY

YA Z O O MADISON

LEAKE

NESHOBA

SCOTT

NEWTON

LAUDERDALE

SMITH

JASPER

CLARKE

KEMPER

ISSAQUENA

RANKIN

HINDS WA R R E N

CLAIBORNE COPIAH

SIMPSON

JEFFERSON

COVINGTON LINCOLN ADAMS

L AW R E N C E

FRANKLIN

LAMAR WILKINSON

AMITE

WAY N E

JONES

JEFFERSON D AV I S

PIKE

FORREST

PERRY

GREENE

MARION

WA LT H A L L

GEORGE

PEARL RIVER STONE

JACKSON HARRISON

HANCOCK

Rep. Vince Mangold

Rep. Becky Currie

District 53: Franklin, Jefferson Davis, Lawrence, Lincoln and Pike counties Address: P.O. Box 1018 Jackson, MS 39215 Years in Legislature: 3

District 92: Copiah, Lawrence and Lincoln countie Address: 407 Oliver Dr Brookhaven, MS 39601 Years in Legislature: 11

Rep. David W. Myers District 98: Pike and Walthall counties Address: P.O. Box 311 McComb, MS 39648 Years in Legislature: 23

Thank you!

Rep. Bill Pigott

District 99: Lamar, Marion and Walthall countie Address: 92 Pigot Easterling Rd Tylertown, MS 39667 Years in Legislature: 11

for a job well done to all our representatives and senators who represent constituents residing in our service area.

January 2018

Today in Mississippi I 10c

It’s easy to know your elected officials A free, interactive legislative app for Mississippi

Now available

The Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi offers free versions of the 2018 Mississippi Legislative Roster app. We hope they will be helpful in your involvement with state government.

r n

Sen. Sally Doty

e es r. 1 1

District 40: Marion and Pearl River counties Address: 54 Watts Rd. Picayune, MS 39466 Years in Legislature: 7

TATIVES

www.ecm.coop

Sen. Angela Burks Hill

District 39: Copiah, Lawrence, Lincoln and Wathall counties Address: 183 Oak Hill Dr. Brookhaven, MS 39601 Years in Legislature: 7

, s . 2 3

ONLINE VERSION AVAILABLE AT

Rep. Angela Cockerham

Rep. Sam C. Mims V

District 96: Adams, Amite, Pike and Wilkinson counties Address: P.O. Box 613 Magnolia, MS 39652 Years in Legislature: 13

District 97: Adams, Amite, Franklin and Pike counties Address: P.O. Box 1018 Jackson, MS 39215 Years in Legislature: 15

n es tt d. 7 1

Brookhaven 84

LINCOLN COUNTY FRANKLIN COUNTY

Bogue Chitto 98

Jayees

Smithdale AMITE COUNTY

LAWRENCE COUNTY

Summit

PIKE COUNTY

WALTHALL COUNTY

McComb

MARION COUNTY

Liberty

Tylertown Osyka

Snowstorm

10d

Today in Mississippi

January 2018

power lines—and causing more outages. Additional crews from electric cooperatives and utility contractors came to help. By around noon Saturday, more than 115 linemen and right-of-way workers were clearing debris, rebuilding lines and restoring power to MEP members.

The unexpected intensity of the Dec. 8 snowstorm in south Mississippi not only caused power outages for Magnolia Electric Power members but also underscored the importance of the cooperative’s year-round right-of-way clearing efforts. MEP’s storm-related outages peaked at 13,000 during the four-day event. Snow-laden limbs or trees crashing onto power lines caused most of the outages. “The first day, Dec. 8, saw us getting members’ power restored only to see it get knocked off again,” said Aaron Achord, MEP’s manager of Engineering and Operations. “We had problems with the trees beyond our power line rights-of-way. That’s why we must keep a 30- to 40-foot right-of-way cleared along all our lines. Clearing less than that would only create additional outages for our members.” Seven utility poles were broken in the snow storm and around 20 meter boxes pulled from the sides of members’ homes, Achord reported.

The Turning Point

‘As Lights Came On, More Would Go Out’

By around 8 a.m. Friday, Dec. 8, MEP members had reported some 6,000 power outages throughout the the cooperative’s service area due to the snowy conditions. MEP crews immediately headed out into the weather to begin restoring power in all areas. Crews found that trees were bending and breaking under the weight of the snow, thus falling on the power lines. “Early into the snowfall that morning, we realized how bad this was going to be and started making phone calls to get help with restoration,” Achord said. “In other words, we went into emergency restoration mode.” By Friday afternoon, additional crews began arriving to help. Despite the extra help, crews were fighting a losing battle; the workers would re-energize a power line only to have another falling tree or limb knock it out of service again.

blankets south Mississippi

“As lights came back on, more would go out, keeping the number around 13,000 through Saturday morning,” Achord said. By 6:30 p.m. Friday, more than 100 men were working to restore power to MEP members. They continued late into the night before going home to rest. Upon reporting to work at 6 a.m. Saturday, they found the outage number had grown overnight to 11,700. Undeterred, the men climbed into their trucks and headed out to battle the elements and restore power. Outage numbers began to drop, yet climbed higher by noon Saturday. Although the snow was melting, trees and limbs that had been weighed down by the snow were now popping back up, getting tangled in (or snapping) the

The turning point in MEP’s emergency restoration work came Saturday afternoon. Outage numbers began to drop, signaling a downward trend. By 6 p.m., outages had fallen to 7,800. Crews continued working into the night, and at 10 p.m. MEP reported 7,100 outages. The workers went home to rest before returning at 6 a.m. Sunday, when more help was expected, Achord said. By Sunday morning, the crews were working on smaller group outages and single outages. By Sunday night, with 175 workers in the field, the number of outages had dropped to 2,037. At dawn on Monday, crews were ready to tackle the remaining 2,045 outages. By 1 p.m., the outage number was 815; by 6 p.m. it was 34. More help had come to MEP’s aid, bringing the number in the field to 187 workers. By 10:30 p.m. Monday, MEP reported that all electric power had been restored to every meter that could receive it.

Grateful for Assistance

MEP thanks the following electric cooperatives that came to our aid: • Central Electric, Carthage • Coahoma Electric, Lyon • Coast Electric, Kiln • Northcentral Electric, Olive Branch • North East Mississippi Electric, Oxford

• Pearl River Valley Electric, Columbia • Southwest Mississippi Electric, Lorman • Tallahatchie Valley Electric, Batesville • Twin County Electric, Hollandale. MEP thanks the Pike and Kinco crews who answered our call for help, and right-of-way crews from Barnes Right-of-Way and Deviney, who helped clear lines for repairs to be made. MEP also appreciates the following businesses and people who helped feed the crews and MEP employees as they worked long hours: Star Drive In, Carlos Gray, Cindy Gray and Nona Deer; Golden Corral, Kristi Orr; and Sugar Rush Baking Co. LLC. “I appreciate the efforts our employees and the crews that came in to aid us put in to getting everyone’s electric power restored,” said Darrell Smith, MEP general manager. “I also want to thank all of our members for having patience during this storm.”

January 2018

Today in Mississippi

Sometimes things are not always as they appear...

During the recent snow storm, these photos were taken south of the town of Magnolia. As the sun was dropping behind the trees and the cold, dampness of the early evening air was rising, an electric cooperative crew from Coast Electric worked on a downed Magnolia Electric power line. At first, the average person would think “it’s just a broken power line on the road.” But on deeper inspection by the crew, they found hidden in the woods that a pine limb had broken a second line. Walking the damaged line out, the crew followed the power line, through a wide patch of bramble, bushes and young trees, eventually coming to the middle of a pasture, where they found the line was broken in several places. This Coast Electric crew worked together to get the single-phase line and neutral restored to the pole, so that

the electricity could once again flow through it. And while the Coast crew worked on the line, a MEP crew and a Deviney ROW crew were working down the road. All three crews were working as a team to see that the electric power was restored to just this one road in south Pike County. This is just one example of all the teams who worked tirelessly to restore power to our members on every road and community in our service area who lost their electricity due to the a severe snowstorm. Every outage during the snow event was important to us at MEP as our crews, and our visiting crews, worked to quickly and safely restore the power to our members.

Today in Mississippi

January 2018

Monroe County

The Mississippi Legi

ELECTRIC POWER ASSOCIATION

Monroe County Electric Power Association salutes Mississippi represent our state in Washington, D.C., and at our state capi dedication and willingness to serve in the spirit of public serv

CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION

convenes in January for the

SENATE

Sen. Ch (Chuck

District 1 Monroe c Address: Columbu

# THAD COCHRAN

ROGER WICKER

TRENT KELLY

United States Senator

Congressional First District

HOUSE OF

Rep. Donnie Bell District 21: Itawamba and Tishomingo counties Address: 836 Tucker Rd. Fulton, MS 38843

BENNIE G. THOMPSON Congressional Second District

GREGG HARPER

STEVEN PALAZZO

Congressional Third District

Congressional Fourth District

T h an k Y

January 2018

Today in Mississippi

It’s easy to know your elected officials

slature

Now available

e 2018 session

pi’s senators and representatives who itol in Jackson. We appreciate their vice to help shape the future of our state.

harles A. k) Younger

17: Lowndes and counties 1213 Younger Rd. us, MS 39701

Sen. Hob Bryan District 7: Itawamba, Lee and Monroe counties Address: P.O. Box 75 Amory, MS 38821

REPRESENTATIVES

Rep. Chris Brown

Rep. Karl Gibbs

Rep. Jeffrey (Jeff) Smith

District 20: Itawamba, Lee and Monroe counties Address: 33112 Hwy 45 N Nettleton, MS 38858

District 36: Clay and Monroe counties Address: 5543 George Walker Rd. West Point, MS 39773

District 39: Lowndes and Monroe counties Address: 1013 Prince George Columbus, MS 39701

You . . .

for a job well done to all our representatives and senators who represent constituents residing in our service area.

Today in Mississippi

January 2018

The Mississippi Legi

convenes in January for t

Northcentral Electric Power Association salutes Mississippi’s sen Washington, D.C., and at our state capitol in Jackson. We apprec of public service to help shape the future of our state.

SENATORS Sen. Chris Massey

Sen. David Parker

Sen. Neil Whaley

District 1: DeSoto County Address: P.O. Box 208 Nesbit, MS 38651 Education: Northwest Miss. Community College Occupation: Homebuilder Family: Wife: Cathy Herron Children: Katie, Dalton, Morgan Years in Legislature: 7

District 2: DeSoto County Address: 4889 Bobo Place Olive Branch, MS 38654 Education: Christian Brothers University, Southern College of Optometry Occupation: Optometrist Family: Wife: Ashleigh Children: Allie, Jack, Luke, Jude Years in Legislature: 6

District 10: Marshall and Tate countie Address: 661 Tippah River Rd. Potts Camp, MS 38659 Education: Potts Camp High School Occupation: Small Business Owner and Cattleman Family: Wife: Leslee Children: Saxton, Mary Neilee First Year in Legislature

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Rep. John T. (Trey) Lamar III

Rep. John Faulkner

Rep. Steve Masseng

District 8: Lafayette and Tate counties Address: 214 S. Ward St. Senatobia, MS 38668 Education: University of Mississippi, Mississippi College School of Law, Washington University Occupation: Attorney Family: Wife: Jill Anthony Children: Jefferson “Ford” Hannaford, John Brantley, Sarah Suzanne “Annie” Years in Legislature: 7

District 5: Benton, Lafayette, Marshall, and Tate counties Address: P.O. Box 5955 Holly Springs, MS 38634 Education: Holly Springs High School, Army School of Nursing, Strayer University Occupation: Youth Counselor Family: Children: Bryah, Kyana, Jonathyn Years in Legislature: 6

District 13: Benton, Lafayette Marshall and Union counties Address: 1322 Hwy. 5 Hickory Flat, MS 38633 Education: Northeast Miss. Community College Occupation: Maintenance Su Big M Trucking Family: Wife: Dina Whiteside Children: Quinn, Collin Years in Legislature: 7

Rep. Steve Hopkins

Rep. Ashley Henley

Rep. Dan Eubanks

District 7: DeSoto County Address: 1205 Worthington Dr. Southaven, MS 38671 Education: Northwest Mississippi Community College, University of Mississippi Occupation: FedEx, Service and Quality Assurance Family: Wife: Beckie West Children: Emily, Andrew, Callison Years in Legislature: 3

District 40: DeSoto County Address: 2128 Brookhaven Dr. Southaven, MS 38671 Education: Northwest Mississippi Community College, University of Mississippi Occupation: Teacher Family: Husband: Brandon Henley Child: Landen Years in Legislature: 3

District 25: DeSoto County Address: P.O. Box 184 Walls, MS 38680 Education: Killgore College; University of Arkansas Occupation: Dir., CLC and Loc Advent Presbyterian Church; Eubanks Sound Productions Family: Wife: Corey Child: Eli Years in Legislature: 3

January 2018

Today in Mississippi

It’s easy to know your elected officials

islature

the 2018 session

nators and representatives who represent our state in ciate their dedication and willingness to serve in the spirit

Sen. Kevin Blackwell

District 19: DeSoto and Marshall counties Address: P.O. Box 1412 Southaven, MS 38671 Education: San Diego Mesa College; National University, Medical College of Virginia Occupation: Healthcare Executive and Business Owner Family: Wife: Vicki Children: Victoria, Danielle, Keegan Years in Legislature: 3

DeSoto County ill

Rep. Dana Criswell

Rep. Jeff Hale

District 6: DeSoto County Address: P.O. Box 1321 Olive Branch, MS 38654 Education: Delta State University; University of Louisiana-Monroe Occupation: FedEx Pilot Family: Wife: Julie Children: Janine Smith, Ella, Veronica, Josiah, Lena Years in Legislature: 3

District 24: DeSoto County Address: 2303 Westwind Dr., Nesbit, MS 38651 Education: Northwest Miss. Community College Occupation: Sales Family: Wife: Traci Children: Josh, Vivian, Colbi Years in Legislature: 3

pervisor,

cal Missions, Owner,

Senate Districts

House Districts Rep. Bill Kinkade

Rep. Robert Foster

District 52: DeSoto and Marshall counties Address: 71 Peachtree Rd. Byhalia, MS 38611 Education: University of New Mexico Occupation: Vice President, Champion Awards and Apparel Family: Wife: Debbie Children: Sarah, Joseph Grandchildren: 3 Years in Legislature: 3

District 28: DeSoto County Address: P.O. Box 1018 Jackson, MS 39215 Education: University of Mississippi Occupation: President, Cedar Hill Farm Family: Wife: Heather Children: Libby, Hayes Years in Legislature: 3

Marshall County 13

5 13

House Districts

Senate District

Today in Mississippi

January 2018

Like us on Facebook by searching for “North East Power”

2017 Annual Membership meeting

10 PR 2050 • Oxford, MS 38655 662-234-6331 • Toll Free: 877-234-6331 • Fax: 662-234-0046

North East Mississippi Electric Power Association’s annual meeting was held Saturday, December 9, 2017, at the Oxford Conference Center. There were 1,425 members participating in the annual meeting by voting in person, by absentee ballot, or by proxy. Elected at the annual meeting were Gene Hartley, representing District 6, Jim Q. Tatum, representing District 8, and Billy Ray Brown, representing District 9.

WINNERS OF PROXY PRIZES $100 NEMEPA Dollars • Dennis Freeouf • Casey Graham • Jerry Walter Gardner • Marilyn Ash 50” LED TV • Jerry Gardner WINNERS OF ABSENTEE BALLOT PRIZES $50 $100 NEMEPA Dollars NEMEPA Dollars • Reba Willard • Paula Childress • Christine Frostenson • Jamie Lee Shaw • Letitia Williams • Steven Carr • Glenn Williams • Rusty Pinion 50” LED TV • Kaleel Rahaim

Winners of prizes in attendance Front row (left to right) Shelia Joslin, Kirstie Manning, J. Dreher Harris, Kenneth Hodge, Carolyn Hodge Back Row (Left to Right) Raymond Brown, Thaxton Methodist Church, Robert Collier, Mud Creek Water Association, Larry McQuary

under construction North East Mississippi Electric Power Association is

Construction has begun on the renovations of our headquarters. Please forgive us for any inconvenience. We ask you to please use caution when visiting our office during this construction phase.

Thank you for your patience.

$50 NEMEPA Dollars • John Egerson • Don Davis, Jr • Alan Smith • Joseph Conlee

January 2018

Now available

convenes in January for the 2018 session North East Electric Power Association salutes Mississippi’s senators and representatives who represent our state in Washington, D.C., and at our state capitol in Jackson. We appreciate their dedication and willingness to serve in the spirit of public service to help shape the future of our state.

# SENATE

Sen. Nickey Browning District 3: Benton, Pontotoc and Union counties

Sen. Gray Tollison District 9: Lafayette and Panola counties

Sen. Neil Whaley District 10: Marshall and Tate counties

Rep. John Faulkner District 5: Benton, Lafayette, Marshall and Tate counties

Rep. Jay Hughes District 12: Lafayette County

Rep. Nolan Mettetal District 10: Lafayette, Panola and Tallahatchie counties

# HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Rep. Steve Massengill District 13: Benton, Lafayette, Marshall and Union counties

. . . u o Y T h an k Rep. Mac Huddleston District 15: Pontotoc County

Today in Mississippi

It’s easy to know your elected officials

The Mississippi Legislature

Rep. Margaret Ellis Rogers District 14: Union County

for a job well done to all our representatives and senators who represent constituents residing in our service area.

10 Today in Mississippi

January 2018

2018

Meet Your State Legislators

Member owned. Locally operated. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the cooperative difference.

PRVEPA Contact Information: Columbia: 601-736-2666 Hattiesburg: 601-264-2458

Purvis: 601-794-8051 Wiggins: 601-928-7277

The Mississippi Legi

convenes in January for the

Pearl River Valley Electric Power Association salutes who represent our member-owners in Washington, Jackson. Their spirit of public service, selfless dedication and t are vital to maintaining the quality of life we all enjo

SENATE

To pay bills or report outages:

855-2PRVEPA (855-277-8372) Visit us on line at www.PRVEPA.com

PRVEPA DISTRICTS & SENATE DISTRICT MAP 41 39 45 40

Sen. Sally Doty

Sen. Joey Fillingane

Sen. Dennis DeBar Jr.

Sen. Angela

District 39: Copiah, Lawrence, Lincoln and Wathall counties Address: 183 Oak Hill Dr. Brookhaven, MS 39601

District 41: Covington, Forrest, Jefferson Davis, Lamar and Smith counties Address: 8 Westbrook Dr. Sumrall, MS 39482

District 43: George, Greene and Wayne counties Address: P.O. Box 1090 Leakesville, MS 39451

District 40: Pearl River Address: 54 Picayune, M

Rep. Missy McGee

Rep. Larry Byrd

Rep. Timmy Ladner

Rep. Bob

District 102: Forrest and Lamar counties Address: P.O. Box 19089 Hattiesburg, MS 39404

District 104: Forrest County Address: 17 Byrd Road Petal, MS 39465

District 93: Hancock, Pearl River and Stone counties Address: 6 Michael D. Smith Rd. Poplarville, MS 39470

Rep. Douglas D. McLeod

Rep. Bill Pigott

Rep. Roun McNeal

Rep. Noa

District 107: George and Stone counties Address: 1211 Bexley Church Rd. Lucedale, MS 39452

District 99: Lamar, Marion and Walthall counties Address: 92 Pigott Easterling Rd. Tylertown, MS 39667

District 105: George, Greene and Perry counties Address: P.O. Box 1435 Leakesville, MS 39451

District 90 Jefferson Simpson Address: P Collins, M

house of representat

PRVEPA DISTRICTS & REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT MAP 90

102 103

100

District 91: Cop Jefferson Davis, Simpson Address: P. Monticello,

101

87 105

99 104 106

107

January 2018 Today in Mississippi

It’s easy to know your elected officials

islature the senators and representatives D.C., and at our state capitol in

time and efforts on our behalf oy as Mississippians.

a Burks Hill

Sen. Billy Hudson

Sen. John A. Polk

Sen. Joseph M. “Mike” Seymour

Marion and r counties 4 Watts Rd. MS 39466

District 45: Forrest and Perry counties Address: 27 Troon Circle Hattiesburg, MS 39401

District 44: Forrest, Lamar and Pearl River counties Address: 53 Tidewater Rd. Hattiesburg, MS 39402

District 47: Jackson, Pearl River and Stone counties Address: 15417 Indian Fork Rd. Vancleave, MS 39565

Rep. John Corley

Rep. Chris Johnson

Rep. Vince Mangold

Rep. Ken Morgan

piah, Covington, , Lawrence and counties .O. Box 636 MS 39654

District 106: Lamar and Pearl River counties Address: 545 Otho Davis Road Lumberton, MS 39455

District 87: Forrest and Lamar counties Address: P.O. Box 18247 Hattiesburg, MS 39404

District 53: Franklin, Jefferson Davis, Lawrence, Lincoln and Pike counties Address: P.O. Box 1018 Jackson, MS 39215

District 100: Lamar and Marion counties Address: 1640 Hwy. 587 Morgantown, MS 39483

ah Sanford

Rep. Brad A. Touchstone

Rep. Percy W. Watson

0: Covington, n Davis and n counties P.O. Box 1900 MS 39428

District 101: Lamar County Address: 84 Windstone Hattiesburg, MS 39402

District 103: Forrest County Address: P.O. Box 1767 Hattiesburg, MS 39401

b Evans

Now available

e 2018 session

tives

Today in Mississippi

January 2018

The Mississippi Legislature convenes in January for the 2018 session Pontotoc Electric Power Association salutes Mississippiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s senators and representatives who represent our state in Washington, D.C., and at our state capitol in Jackson. We appreciate their dedication and willingness to serve in the spirit of public service to help shape the future of our state.

PHIL BRYANT Governor

Sen. Nickey Browning District 3: Benton, Pontotoc and Union counties Address: P.O. Box 1051 Pontotoc, MS 38863 Years in Legislature: 23

TATE REEVES

Lieutenant Governor

CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION

THAD COCHRAN United States Senator

ROGER WICKER United States Senator

SENATE

TRENT KELLY Congressional First District

HOUSE OF REP Rep. Jim Beckett District 23: Calhoun, Grenada, Lafayette and Webster counties Address: P.O. Box 722 Bruce, MS 38915 Years in Legislature: 15

Rep. Margaret Ellis Rogers District 14: Union County Address: 619 Owen Rd. New Albany, MS 38652 Years in Legislature: 15

January 2018 I Today in Mississippi

It’s easy to know your elected officials

Sen. Russell Jolly District 8: Calhoun, Chickasaw, Lee, Pontotoc and Yalobusha counties Address: 369 Hwy. 47 Houston, MS 38851 Years in Legislature: 8

Sen. Gray Tollison District 9: Lafayette and Panola counties Address: P.O. Box 1358 Oxford, MS 38655 Years in Legislature: 23

PRESENTATIVES Rep. Mac Huddleston District 15: Pontotoc County Address: P.O. Drawer 300 Pontotoc, MS 38863 Years in Legislature: 11

Rep. Preston Sullivan District 22: Chickasaw and Pontotoc counties Address: 1601 CR 410 Okolona, MS 38860 Years in Legislature: 15

Rep. Steve Massengill District 13: Benton, Lafayette, Marshall and Union counties Address: 1322 Hwy. 5 Hickory Flat, MS 38633 Years in Legislature: 7

10 I Today in Mississippi I January 2018 Pay Bill

Mike Smith, General Manager & CEO Lorri Freeman, APR, Manager of Public Relations Amanda Parker, Public Relations Specialist

Report Outages

Check

Singing River Electric is an equal opportunity employer and provider.

Energy Use For more information, call 601-947-4211/228-497-1313 x 2251 or visit Contact Us our website at www.singingriver.com

Round Up Bill

View Outage Map

New Year, New Bulb – Value of LED light bulbs

CEO’s Message

“Retirement comes as a blessing”

Mike Smith General Manager and CEO Singing River Electric

For many of us, an important goal in life is to be blessed with a job and career we enjoy, and later be able to retire from that career. I can truthfully say that I have been blessed to have

experienced that as my career is coming to a close. My journey began in 1970 when I began working part-time for Singing River Electric as an engineering student. After graduating from Mississippi State in 1975, I began my career fulltime as an electrical engineer with Singing River Electric. Since that time, I have had the opportunity to work in many roles, with my last three and a half years as general manager and CEO. In the last 47 years, our cooperative has grown in size and has made great strides in quality and reliability of service and embraced technology to

improve the services we offer. We have also been very active in improving the quality of life of our members through industry, education and health care projects in the communities where we live and work. I appreciate the opportunity to have been a part of such an outstanding cooperative during my career. As I have told our employees many times, along with our members, we are a family. However, it is now time for me to spend more time with my wife, children and grandchildren and begin a new chapter in my life. Thank you for the privilege of being part of Singing River Electric for these many years.

Jeff Gray Member Services Representative gray@singingriver.com

Ring in the New Year with a new bulb. Light Emitting Diode or LED bulbs are the most efficient choice for your home or business. Manufactured to replace traditional incandescent and compact florescent or CFL bulbs, LEDs last about 15 times longer and save about $80 in electricity costs over their lifetime. LED bulbs are also safer to operate since they produce very little heat. When choosing an LED bulb, look for an Energy Star certified bulb. You can choose bulbs that have the color, lumens and watts that most closely matches the lamp fixture and your activity. A 9-watt LED will replace a 60-watt incandescent and will burn for 25,000 hours instead of 1,000 hours for an incandescent according to Energy.gov. For more information, visit singingriver.com and join our efficiency and conservation conversations on Facebook (Singing River Electric) and Twitter (SRECooperative).

Notice of Singing River Electric Director Qualification Period Candidates seeking election to the board of directors for Singing River Electric Cooperative must visit Singing River Electric’s Lucedale office (11187 Old 63 South) and obtain a Director Candidate Packet. The forms and petitions in the packet must be completed and returned by close of business on the last business day in February (Wednesday, February 28).

January 2018

Today in Mississippi 10a

SMITH TO RETIRE

as manager of Singing River Electric

Mike Smith will retire this month after 47 years at the cooperative and 42 years of full-time service. He began working for Singing River Electric in 1970 as an engineering co-op student from Mississippi State University. After graduating with an engineering degree in 1975, Smith began working full-time in the Lucedale office and he received his professional engineering (PE) license in 1979. During this time period, Smith was one of four engineers employed by the electric cooperative. He and former Singing River Electric manager Lee Hedegaard were hired on the same day and were responsible for many daily duties including running crews and staking power lines. Constructing Substations Singing River Electric has committed through the years to build its own substations. Not every utility or electric cooperative does this; most contract the work to other companies. Over the years, Smith and fellow engineers consulted on SRE’s long-range work plan as they decided where new substations were needed and began constructing them, a process still practiced today. Building the substations from the ground up allows engineers and linemen to better know their make-up and understand how each piece of equipment operates. This knowledge brings confidence when entering the substation in the middle of the night to respond to an outage. SRE members benefit from the employee’s familiarity shown when handling these complex structures. Adopting Automated Metering Another area where Singing River Electric forged a new path was embracing technology to improve service. The utility was one of the first electric cooperatives in Mississippi to adopt automated meters in 2005, although the process started many years before. Mike Smith positioned Singing River Electric as a top electric cooperative in the state through the early adoption of this technology. He implemented several programs that had a significant impact on the co-op’s electric and cus-

tomer service functions. The first was automated metering. Back in the 1970s and early 80s, meter readers carried paper books where they cataloged the meter readings and returned to the office to transfer information. In the late 80s the books were replaced by handheld devices. Singing River Electric worked to convert and computerize the maps. Just prior to Hurricane Katrina, Singing River Electric’s management made the decision to adopt automated metering. The storm helped speed up this effort as many of the meters along the Gulf Coast were destroyed and had to be replaced. The new meters allowed the cooperative to increase efficiency in billing and offered more detailed usage data that could be passed along to the member to help them become more energy efficient. Implementing Outage Management/IVR Also implemented by Smith were the Outage Management System (OMS) and the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) automated phone system. IVR allows SRE members to access their account information and make a payment by phone at any time, day or night. Smith also wanted to give members the opportunity to report power outages using this automated phone method. To make this happen, SRE first converted its paper mapping system to a computer program and then used a computer model to bring OMS online. Today, members report outages via phone and through the

SmartHub app thanks to OMS. This system helps SRE dispatchers quickly assign a serviceman or crew to an outage and predicts how many members are affected. Members can also opt to receive a call back to verify if power is restored. Promoting Economic Development Singing River Electric has been an economic development partner in Mississippi for many years, and Smith was instrumental in this effort. SRE applied to be part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant (REDLG) program. Through this program, USDA provides funds to SRE to

re-lend to organizations that are retaining or creating jobs in the communities served. SRE concentrated on industrial, education and health care projects. To date, SRE has awarded more than $6M in REDLG loans and grants. REDLG funds were also used to create a revolving loan program in 2013. To date, SRE has awarded more than $1M in low-interest loans locally to foster economic development in Jackson, George and Greene counties. Building Community Smith was born and raised in George County and has lived his life as advocate for his home town. He has served as Rotary president and could be seen selling tickets at the George County Fair and helping with the annual Christmas parade, as well as led the board of directors for the George County Economic Development Foundation for many years. His work with the United Way for Jackson & George Counties included serving as campaign chairperson, president of the board, and executive board member to ensure both Jackson and George counties were equally represented. However, the activity closest to his heart was his work with his church. Smith and his wife, Selina, devoted much of their lives to music ministry and working with children and youth in their church.

Brian Hughey will assume the responsibilities of general manager and CEO on January 5. Brian has worked at SRE for more than 20 years. He has an electrical engineering degree from Mississippi State University. "While Mike has served as a professional engineer and CEO, it is his gift as an educator that will leave an everlasting mark on our employees," said Hughey. "We are well positioned for the future because of his vision, leadership, and commitment to our cooperative. I will carry on his vision in this ever-changing industry."

10b I Today in Mississippi I January 2018

RESTORING POWER FOLLOWING

Hurricane Nate made two landfalls along the Gulf Coast, first in southeast Louisiana late Saturday, Oct. 7, and the second shortly after midnight in Biloxi, Mississippi, on Sunday Oct. 8. A Category 1 storm with wind speeds of 85 miles per hour, Nate was the fastest moving storm cutting its path across the Gulf of Mexico at 23 miles per hour. Singing River Electric’s service area was in the northeast quadrant of the storm, which had the potential for tornadoes and increased surge. “This was a fast moving storm, which meant we had to move faster with our planning,” said Singing River Electric General Manager and CEO, Mike Smith.

“Utilizing our weather resources at the University of South Alabama Weather Center, activating our storm plan and working in conjunction with the Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi, we were able to position Singing River Electric in the best possible way to face the storm.” As the winds died down Sunday morning, Singing River Electric’s outage management system displayed about 33,000 meters without power. This is slightly less than half of the 74,000 meters served. Additional help had been secured over the previous day and crews from eight Mississippi electric co-ops began arriving on Sunday afternoon to assist. Along

with contract crew members, the additions more than tripled Singing River Electric’s outside work force and allowed the co-op to work quickly when making restorations. By early Monday morning, only 1,500 meters were still without power, and by early evening that same day, power had been restored to all that could be accessed by truck. “I am particularly proud of our linemen and grateful for the additional help,” said Smith. “Many Singing River Electric members never lost service. For the remaining membership, we worked hard, safe and fast to restore power and get everyone back to normal as quickly as possible.”

A Singing Riv Electric crews mak storm repairs ne Leakesvi

System engineer Tom Davis, above, discusses an outage with dispatcher Danielle Byrd. SRE customer service representative Mandye Feranda, right, answers member calls.

Sand Hill serviceman Matt Davis works off Steer Hollow Road in Leakesville after Hurricane Nate.

January 2018 I Today in Mississippi I 10c

Serviceman Ryan Bounds removes a limb from a power line in the Shipman community in George County.

Hurricane warnings visible to I-10 travelers prior to storm landfall.

ver kes ear ille.

Thank You! Mississippi Electric Co-ops who volunteered to assist SRE’s efforts after Hurricane Nate:

Serviceman James Helton works late in the evening on Sunday to restore service off Gollot Road in Ocean Springs.

• Delta Electric • 4-County Electric • East Mississippi Electric • Northcentral Electric

• Magnolia Electric • Pearl River Electric • Dixie Electric • Tombigbee Electric

Apprentice lineman IV Chance Adams works at Coda and Pollock Ferry Road.

10d

Today in Mississippi

Janaury 2018

The Mississippi Legislature convenes in January for the 2018 session

Singing River Electric salutes Mississippi’s senators and representatives who represent our state in Washington, D.C., and at our state capitol in Jackson. We appreciate their dedication and willingness to serve in the spirit of public service to help shape the future of our state.

SENATE

Sen. Dennis DeBar Jr.

Sen. Billy Hudson

District 43: George, Greene and Wayne counties Address: P.O. Box 1090 Leakesville, MS 39451 Years in Legislature: 7

District 45: Forrest and Perry counties Address: 27 Troon Circle Hattiesburg, MS 39401 Years in Legislature: 11

Sen. Joseph M. “Mike” Seymour District 47: Jackson, Pearl River and Stone counties Address: 15417 Indian Fork Rd. Vancleave, MS 39565 Years in Legislature: 3

Sen. Michael Watson

Sen. Brice Wiggins

District 51: Jackson County Address: P.O. Box 964 Pascagoula, MS 39568 Years in Legislature: 11

District 52: Jackson County Address: P.O. Box 922 Pascagoula, MS 39568 Years in Legislature: 7

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Rep. Shane Barnett

Rep. Roun McNeal

District 86: Greene, Perry and Wayne counties Address: P.O. Box 621 Waynesboro, MS 39367 Years in Legislature: 3

District 105: George, Greene and Perry counties Address: P.O. Box 1435 Leakesville, MS 39451 Years in Legislature: 3

Rep. Douglas D. “Doug” McLeod District 107: George and Stone counties Address: 1211 Bexley Church Rd. Lucedale, MS 39452 Years in Legislature: 7

Rep. Manly Barton District 109: George and Jackson counties Address: 7905 Pecan Ridge Dr. Moss Point, MS 39562 Years in Legislature: 7

Rep. Jeramey D. Anderson District 110: Jackson County Address: P.O. Box 311 Escatawpa, MS 39562 Years in Legislature: 6

Rep. Charles Busby District 111: Jackson County Address: 470 Willow St. Pascagoula, MS 39567 Years in Legislature: 7

AVAILABLE! A free, interactive legislative app for Mississippi. The Electric Cooperative of Mississippi offers free versions of the 2018 Legislative Roster. We hope they will be helpful in your involvement with state government. Rep. John O. Read District 112: Jackson County Address: 2396 Robert Hiram Dr. Gautier, MS 39553 Years in Legislature: 26

Rep. Henry B. “Hank” Zuber III District 113: Jackson County Address: 429 Hanley Rd. Ocean Springs, MS 39564 Years in Legislature: 19

Rep. Jeffrey S. Guice District 114: Harrison and Jackson counties Address: 1208 Iola Rd. Ocean Springs, MS 39564 Years in Legislature: 10

Our easy-to-use mobile app provides information on Mississippi’s state and federal elected officials. Look for “Mississippi Legislative Roster” in the Apple AppStore. An Android version is also available through Google play.

Janaury 2018

10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Quick Tips to Avoid High Winter Bills Looking to lower your bills this winter? Use the 10 tips below to conserve energy.

Seal air leaks and insulate well to prevent heat from escaping and cold air from entering your home. Reduce waste heat by installing a programmable thermostat. Turn off lights when not in use.

Lower your water heater temperature. The Dept. of Energy recommends using the warm setting (120 degrees) during fall and winter months. Unplug electronics like kitchen appliances and TVs when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re away. Open blinds and curtains during the day to allow sunlight in to warm your home. Close blinds and curtains at night to keep cold, drafty air out.

Use power strips for multiple appliances, and turn off the main switch when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re away from home.

Wash clothes in cold water, and use cold-water detergent whenever possible.

Replace incandescent light bulbs with LEDs, which use at least 75 percent less energy. Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy

Today in Mississippi

10 I Today in Mississippi I January 2018

The Mississippi Legislature

Southern Pine Electric salutes Mississippi’s senators and in Jackson. We appreciate their dedication and willingne

Grandmother’s advice still rings true today I hope you have been able to get 2018 started in good fashion. Many of us start the New Year with the ambition of turning over a new leaf, but some of us roll our eyes at the very mention of New Year’s resolutions. I know I’m guilty of it. The reason why I do is so many of those resolutions have fallen by the wayside. My intentions to grow a better version of me tend to get pushed aside by the demands of a busy life. I can hear my late grandmother now saying, “Time flies and you better Jason S. Siegfried remember to stop and President/CEO smell the roses!” Well, I wish I could tell her how right she was. Nowadays there is always something to do with work, or with the equally busy schedules of my wife and children, that quickly consumes the days of the week. I’m often left wondering where the time has gone, and if I actually accomplished the important things I set out to do. I know I’m not alone in this dilemma. It’s one of those extremely frustrating parts of life when we lose focus on what’s important, whether it be spending quality time with our family, or all too often, spending time investing in ourselves. The hustle and bustle of everyday life push us to forego opportunities to continue our education or pursue a healthier lifestyle. We quickly lose sight of accomplishing our goals at the expense of meeting the expectations of others. As parents we inherit this responsibility to put the needs of our family ahead of our own.

This, in turn, drives an overwhelming commitment to our careers so that we can rest in comfort knowing that we provide the best life possible for them. Regardless of the number of ballgames we have to attend, the countless recitals or the never-ending list of other social functions, we make sure that our children can participate in any and every way. We place these hectic schedules first, and forsake those chances to improve upon ourselves. In essence, we let life get in the way. This New Year provides another opportunity to pursue a resolution. Whether it’s to live healthier, to give a little more, or to just spend more time relaxing, the commitment must be accompanied by a can-do, never-quit attitude that doesn’t fade away as we fall back into our normal, busy routine. This goes beyond New Year resolutions to even those once-in-a-lifetime chances to accomplish something dear to us. We must not look for excuses to not follow our own ambitions. Being selfless is an attribute admired by all, and in this day and time it’s becoming more and more rare. Nonetheless, I plead for you not to forget about yourself. Don’t overlook those opportunities to accomplish your own dreams. Take the chance, and know that your family will support you, just as you support them. Be proud of what you have been able to provide, and reward your hard work accordingly. Most of all, make the commitment to Bring the Power back to your own life. From each and every one of us at Southern Pine Electric, we wish you a happy New Year, and we look forward to the opportunities and adventures that 2018 has to offer.

MYPOWER IS NOW ACTIVE MyPower is now active. The improved MyPower is more user friendly and offers additional features for members to utilize. MyPower is still the great online tool that allows members to check their account, daily use, view previous bills, report an outage plus pay their bill. Visit www.southernpine.coop and click on the MyPower logo to sign up today.

SENATE

Sen. Terry C. Burton

Sen. Joey Fillingane

Sen. Sally Doty

District 31: Lauderdale, Newton and Scott counties

District 41: Covington, Forrest, Jefferson Davis, Lamar and Smith counties

District 39: Copiah, Lawrence, Lincoln and Walthall counties

Sen. Billy Hudson

Sen. John A. Polk

Sen. Dean Kirby

District 45: Forrest and Perry counties

District 44: Lamar and Pearl River counties

District 30: Rankin County

# # # Sen. Chris Caughman

Sen. Albert Butler Sr.

Sen. Juan Barnett

District 35: Copiah, Rankin and Simpson counties

District 36: Claiborne, Copiah, Hinds and Jefferson counties

District 34: Forrest, Jasper and Jones counties

Thank you!

for a job well done to all our representatives and senators who represent constituents residing in our service area.

Sen. Josh Harkins District 20: Rankin County

January 2018 I Today in Mississippi

convenes in January for the 2018 session representatives who represent our state in Washington, D.C., and at our state capitol ss to serve in the spirit of public service to help shape the future of our state.

HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES

Rep. Mark Tullos

Rep. Becky Currie

Rep. Gregory Holloway Sr.

Rep. Bob Evans

Rep. Gary Staples

Rep. Omeria Scott

District 79: Jasper and Smith counties

District 92: Copiah, Lawrence and Lincoln counties

District 76: Claiborne, Copiah and Hinds counties

District 91: Copiah, Covington, Jefferson Davis, Lawrence and Simpson counties

District 88: Jasper and Jones counties

District 80: Clarke, Jasper and Jones counties

Rep. Randy Rushing

Rep. William Shirley Jr.

Rep. J. Andy Gipson

Rep. Tom Miles

Rep. Donnie Scoggin

Rep. Larry Byrd

District 78: Leake, Newton and Scott counties

District 84: Clarke, Jasper and Newton counties

District 77: Rankin and Simpson counties

District 75: Rankin and Scott counties

District 89: Jones County

District 104: Forrest County

Rep. Missy McGee

Rep. Chris Johnson

Rep. Tom Weathersby

Rep. Noah Sanford

District 102: Forrest and Lamar counties

District 87: Forrest and Lamar counties

District 62: Copiah, Rankin and Simpson counties

District 90: Covington, Jefferson Davis and Simpson counties

Rep. Mark Baker

Rep. Ray Rogers

Rep. Brent Powell

District 74: Rankin County

District 61: Rankin County

District 59: Rankin County

Today in Mississippi

January 2018

P.O. Box 5 • 18671 Highway 61 • Lorman, MS 39096 601-437-3611 or toll-free 1-800-287-8564 • Fax: 601-437-8736

Adams • Amite • Claiborne • Copiah • Franklin Hinds • Jefferson • Lincoln • Wilkinson Southwest Electric is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

YOUTH LEADERSHIP

Cooperative University Southwest Electric held its second Cooperative University on Monday, Nov. 13. Cooperative University is part of the selection process for the Youth Leadership Program. Students from all schools in Southwest Electric’s service area were chosen by their school’s guidance counselors or teachers to attend Cooperative University. Copiah-Lincoln Community College hosted 21 students from 10 schools. Southwest is proud to be a part of this program for 31 years.

2017 Cooperative University participants: D'Ashia Bernard, Natchez High School Vincent Bonds, Jr., Natchez Early College Academy Aaliyah Cain, Jefferson County High School Danielle Culbert, Brookhaven High School Shaylin Green, Wesson Attendance Center Justin Guadagno, Natchez Early College Academy Mallory Hinson, Cathedral Catholic School

Shakia Houston, Jefferson County High School Charles Hunt, Franklin County High School Wyatt Johnson, Franklin County High School Raven Jones, Hazlehurst High School Nicholas Lambert, Wisdom From His Word School Noah Lambert, Wisdom From His Word School Damira McGruder, Cathedral Catholic School

Tierra Robinson, Natchez High School Blake Rutland, Adams County Christian School A'Dasia Scott, Natchez High School Kaitlyn Shelley, Franklin County High School Breanna Sullivan, Wesson Attendance Center Sherry Washington, Jefferson County High School Kayla Wimley, Natchez High School

State legislators, Rep. Vince Mangold, Rep. Sam Mims and Sen. Albert Butler (front row, left to right), spoke to the students about their experiences in state politics and their reasons for running for their seats. The students asked several questions about their positions on key issues and how they make their decisions.

January 2018 I Today in Mississippi

We started the day with a presentation from Kevin Bonds, CEO/General Manager, about electricity and the history and purpose of rural electric cooperatives. The students learned that rural electric cooperatives like Southwest are owned by Members, the Members elect the Board of Directors and the Members benefit from ownership in the form of capital credits.

The students participated in a game. They were having so much fun that they did not realize it was a learning activity. They took turns introducing each other and telling the entire group about the person facing them. By the time the game was finished, they interacted with each student.

The students ended the day with outside activitiesâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; meeting linemen and touring the Co-Lin campus. Lineman Apprentice Steven King, Meter Technician Vell Davis and Crew Foreman Jackie Dotson (left to right) show the students the tools, protective equipment and trucks a lineman uses.

Elissa Fulton from Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi gave an overview of the Youth Leadership Program. She talked about the highlights of the trips to Jackson, Miss., and Washington, D.C. The students chosen for this program will meet their state legislators and hear speeches from the governor and lieutenant governor. They will also meet their U.S. congressman and at least one of the U.S. senators. Morgan Baskin, Keâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Shawn Brinkley and Donavan Leonard, Southwestâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s representatives for the 2016-2017 school year, spoke to the students about their experiences in our state and national capitals. They expressed to the students their excitement for the program and the once-in-a-lifetime opportunities they had in Jackson and Washington, D.C.

Tonya Williams from Cooperative Energy spoke to the students about how electricity is generated at the power plants using different types of fuel, transmitted down the transmission lines through the substation and finally distributed to homes and businesses. The students then demonstrated their listening and creative skills by building with arts and craft supplies a generation, transmission and distribution system, as well as their public speaking skills to explain their project.

Serviceman Frank Carradine talked to the students about service work, climbing poles, checking voltage and restoring outages. He demonstrated the supersqueeze that enables a lineman to climb a pole and prevents him from falling.

10a

10b

Today in Mississippi

January 2018

The Mississippi Legislature convenes in January for the 2018 session Southwest Electric Power Association salutes Mississippiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s senators and representatives who represent our state in Washington, D.C., and at our state capitol in Jackson. We appreciate their dedication and willingness to serve in the spirit of public service to help shape the future of our state.

# PHIL BRYANT Governor

TATE REEVES Lt. Governor

CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION

THAD COCHRAN United States Senator

BENNIE THOMPSON

ROGER WICKER United States Senator

GREGG HARPER

United States Representative United States Representative Third District Second District

SENATE

Sen. Albert Butler Sr. District 36: Claiborne, Copiah, Hinds and Jefferson counties Years in Legislature: 9

Sen. Bob Dearing District 37: Adams, Amite, Franklin and Pike Counties Years in Legislature: 35

Rep. Vince Mangold District 53: Franklin, Jefferson Davis, Lawrence Lincoln and Pike counties Years in Legislature: 3

Rep. Deborah Butler Dixon District 63: Hinds, Warren and Yazoo counties Years in Legislature: 7

Rep. Becky Currie District 92: Copiah, Lawrence and Lincoln counties Years in Legislature: 11

Rep. Robert L. Johnson III District 94: Adams, Franklin and Jefferson counties Years in Legislature: 26

HOUSE OF REPRE

January 2018 I Today in Mississippi

It’s easy to know your elected officials

Sen. Tammy Felder Witherspoon District 38: Adams, Amite, Pike, Walthall and Wilkinson counties Years in Legislature: 3

Sen. Sally Doty District 39: Copiah, Lawrence, Lincoln and Wathall counties Years in Legislature: 7

Rep. Gregory L. Holloway Sr. District 76: Claiborne, Copiah and Hinds counties Years in Legislature: 19

Rep. Chuck Middleton District 85: Claiborne, Franklin, Jefferson and Warren counties Years in Legislature: 23

ESENTATIVES

Serving our Cooperative Members P.O. Box 5 • 18671 Highway 61 • Lorman, MS 39096 601-437-3611 or toll-free 1-800-287-8564 • Fax: 601-437-8736

Adams • Amite • Claiborne • Copiah • Franklin Hinds • Jefferson • Lincoln • Wilkinson

Rep. Angela Cockerham District 96: Adams, Amite, Pike and Wilkinson counties Years in Legislature: 13

Rep. Sam C. Mims V District 97: Adams, Amite, Franklin and Pike counties Years in Legislature: 15

10c

OUTAGES Snowstorm 10d

Today in Mississippi

January 2018

Caused by

South Mississippi was hit with a snowstorm in the early morning hours of Friday, December 8. Snow can be beautiful the way it blankets everything around us in white, but it can also wreak havoc on trees and power lines. The snowstorm left many Members without power. The snow itself does not causes outages. Trees heavy with snow can break or bend and touch power lines. When this occurs, electricity interruptions cause the breakers or fuses to blow. Crews were

immediately dispatched to cover the service area and get the lights back on. Crews from Central Electric, a cooperative in Carthage, and Twin County Electric, a cooperative in Hollandale, answered the call for help. We also called in a contract crew from Killen Contractors. When all of Southwest’s outages had been restored, Southwest sent eight linemen to Magnolia Electric, a cooperative in McComb, to assist with their restoration efforts.

All crews worked to late into the night to restore power to as many members as possible Friday night. This crew arrived late Friday night to work on Fords Creek Road in Wilkinson County.

By Saturday afternoon, most of the snow had melted, but restoration efforts did not stop.

Anytime • Anywhere • Any weather

STAY CONNECTED: @SWElectricCoop

Restoration efforts continued Saturday morning. Pictured above left are employees answering phones and above right coordinating outage restoration. Power was restored as quickly as possible to Members despite rough terrain, deep snow and cold temperatures.

sw_electric_coop

SCAM

Janaury 2018 I Today in Mississippi

HOW TO SPOT A

Don’t become a victim.

In one of the most common scams, a caller may:

OFF Pretend to be from

Threaten to turn off power

Southwest Electric. Your caller ID may even display Southwest Electric’s name.

to your home or business within an hour.

Demand immediate payment or a payment fee often by prepaid debit or credit card.

SUSPECT A SCAMMER? Here’s what to do if the call seems suspicious: 1. Hang up. 2. Call Southwest Electric at 800-287-8564. 3. Call the police.

DO NOT pay over the phone if immediate payment is demanded to avoid a disconnection. DON’T FALL FOR THE CALL!

10 I Today in Mississippi I January 2018

Twin County Electric Power Association For after-hours outages, call 866-897-7250 The power of working together PHIL BRYANT Governor

The Mississippi Legisla

convenes in January for the 20

Twin County Electric Power Association salutes Mississippiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s senators an represent our state in Washington, D.C., and at our state Capitol in Jacks dedication and willingness to serve in the spirit of public service to help

SENATE

TATE REEVES

Lieutenant Governor

CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION

# Thank you! #

THAD COCHRAN

United States Senator

ROGER WICKER United States Senator

BENNIE THOMPSON

Sen. Derrick T. Simmons

Sen. Eugene S.

District 12: Bolivar, Coahoma and Washington counties

District 22: Bolivar, Humph Washington and Yazoo cou

Rep. Willie L. Bailey

Rep. John W. Hi

District 49: Washington County

District 50: Bolivar, Issaque counties

Rep. Rufus E. Straughter

Rep. Oscar Dent

District 51: Humphreys, Sharkey and Yazoo counties

District 55: Warren County

HOUSE of

Congressional Second District

for a job well done to all our representatives and senators who represent constituents residing in our service area.

ature

018 session

It’s easy to know your elected officials

January 2018

Today in Mississippi

Now available

d representatives who son. We appreciate their shape the future of our state.

ONLINE VERSION AVAILABLE AT

www.ecm.coop

“Buck” Clarke

Sen. W. Briggs Hopson III

Sen. David L. Jordan

Sen. Willie Simmons

hreys, Madison, Sharkey, unties

District 23: Issaquena, Warren and Yazoo counties

District 24: Grenada, Holmes, Humphreys and Tallahatchie counties

District 13: Bolivar, Sunflower and Tallahatchie counties

REPRESENTATIVES

ines Sr.

Rep. Kevin Ford

ena and Washington

District 54: Issaquena, Warren and Yazoo counties

ton

Rep. M. Kevin Horan District 34: Carroll, Grenada, Holmes, Leflore and Tallahatchie counties

Today in Mississippi I January 2018

The Mississippi Legislature convenes in January for the 2018 session Yazoo Valley Electric Power Association salutes Mississippi’s senators and representatives who represent our state in Washington, D.C., and at our state capitol in Jackson. We appreciate their dedication and willingness to serve in the spirit of public service to help shape the future of our state.

ELECTRIC POWER ASSOCIATION

congressional delegation SENATORS

REPRESENTATIVES

THAD COCHRAN

TRENT KELLY

BENNIE G. THOMPSON

United States Senator

First District

Second District

SENATE Sen. Barbara Blackmon District 21: Attala, Holmes, Leake, Madison and Yazoo counties Address: 374 North West St. Canton, MS 39046 Years in Legislature: 15

HOUSE OF REPRES Rep. Kenneth Walker District 27: Attala, Leake, Madison and Yazoo counties Address: P.O. Box 265 Carthage, MS 39051 Years in Legislature: 3

ROGER WICKER

GREGG HARPER

STEVEN PALAZZO

United States Senator

Third District

Fourth District

It’s easy to know your elected officials

Now available

Rep. Kevin Ford District 54: Issaquena, Warren and Yazoo counties Address: New address First Year in Legislature

# Thank you!

January 2018

Today in Mississippi

for a job well done to all our representatives and senators who represent constituents residing in our service area.

Sen. Eugene S. (Buck) Clarke

Sen. W. Briggs Hopson III

Sen. David Jordan

District 22: Bolivar, Humphreys, Madison, Sharkey, Washington and Yazoo counties Address: P.O. Box 668 Hollandale, MS 38748 Years in Legislature: 15

District 23: Issaquena, Warren and Yazoo counties Address: 1201 Cherry St. Vicksburg, MS 39183 Years in Legislature: 11

District 24: Grenada, Holmes, Humphreys, Leflore and Tallahatchie counties Address: 504 Bowie Ln. Greenwood, MS 38930 Years in Legislature: 26

SENTATIVES Rep. Bryant W. Clark

Rep. Jason White

Rep. Rufus Straughter

District 47: Attala, Holmes and Yazoo counties Address: 271 Clark Rd. Pickens, MS 39146 Years in Legislature: 15

District 48: Attala, Carroll, Holmes, and Leake counties Address: P.O. Box 246

District 51: Humphreys, Sharkey and Yazoo counties Address: 107 Van Buren St. Belzoni, MS 39038 Years in Legislature: 23

Rep. Oscar Denton

Rep. Deborah Butler Dixon

District 55: Warren County Address: 5024 Rollingwood Estates Drive, Vicksburg, MS 39180 Years in Legislature: 6

District 63: Hinds, Warren and Yazoo counties Address: P.O. Box 106 Raymond, MS 39154 Years in Legislature: 7

West, MS 39192

Years in Legislature: 7