Today in Mississippi January 2024 Local Pages by American MainStreet Publications

FOR MEMBERS OF ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES OF MISSISSIPPI

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FOXY SQUIRRELS JANUARY

2024

PICTURE THIS: TREE HUGGING

ULYSSES S. GRANT’S

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News and Notes

NASA tests in-flight capability of Artemis Moon rocket engine

NASA conducted the third RS-25 engine hot fire in a critical 12-test certification series Nov. 29, demonstrating a key capability necessary for flight of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket during Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. NASA is conducting the series of tests to certify new manufacturing processes for producing RS-25 engines for future deep space missions, beginning with Artemis V. Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris technologies company and lead engines contractor for the SLS rocket, is incorporating new manufacturing techniques and processes, according to a NASA Stennis news release. Crews pivoted the RS-25 engine around a central point during the almost 11-minute (650 seconds) hot fire on the Fred Haise Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The gimbaling technique is used to control and stabilize SLS as it reaches orbit. During the Nov. 29 test, operators also pushed the engine beyond any parameters it might experience during flight to provide a margin of operational safety. The 650-second test exceeded the 500 seconds RS-25 engines must operate to help power SLS to space. The RS-25 engine also was fired to 113% power level, exceeding the 111% level needed to lift SLS to orbit. The ongoing series will stretch into 2024 as NASA continues its mission to return humans to the lunar surface to establish a long-term presence for scientific discovery and to prepare for human missions to Mars. Four RS-25 engines fire simultaneously to generate a combined 1.6 million pounds of thrust at launch and 2 million pounds of thrust during ascent to help power each SLS flight. NASA and Aerojet Rocketdyne modified 16 holdover space shuttle main engines, all proven flightworthy at NASA Stennis, for Artemis missions I through IV. Every new RS-25 engine that will help power SLS also will be tested at NASA Stennis. RS-25 tests at the site are conducted by a combined team of NASA, Aerojet Rocketdyne, and Syncom Space Services operators. Syncom Space Services is the prime contractor for Stennis facilities and operations.

Electric co-ops are catching on in Africa In sub-Saharan Africa, scenes from the early days of the electric cooperative movement in America are being replayed. Like U.S. farmers in the 1930s and ’40s, people in Liberia, Uganda, and Zambia are partnering with NRECA International to prove once again that the co-op model can bring light to remote rural communities that are largely ignored by private investors. And they are beginning to overcome skepticism from some government officials and lending institutions about whether rural residents with limited education and experience can govern their own power companies. “The first day we went to see the [government] regulators, some laughed at us,” recalls Charles Matovu, general manager of the Kyegegwa Rural Electricity Cooperative Society, located about 120 miles west of Kampala in Uganda. “They said, ‘I can’t believe they think they can do this.’ Even the community members could not believe that we the people could manage this business.” Co-ops have a long history of overcoming doubters, says Dan Waddle, senior vice president of NRECA International. “In the U.S., the first option was not to create electric co-ops,” he says. “The government offered loans to investor-owned utilities in urban areas to go out and serve rural communities, but very few of them took those loans. The co-op model was their second choice.” It took a great deal of public education, Matovu says, to convince his community that electric co-ops could work as successfully as they have in the U.S. and other nations throughout the world, including the Philippines, Bangladesh, and Latin America. Today, KRECS, which began operating a decade ago, serves about 9,000 people connected to the national grid. Last year, NRECA International

co-financed a solar-powered minigrid with CoBank to provide power to 120 homes in a small farming village about 20 miles from Kyegegwa. Power from the co-op has allowed people to start their own small businesses, use computers inside their homes, keep food and drinks refrigerated, visit internet cafes, do schoolwork at night, and undergo treatments at local medical centers, Matovu says. New schools, religious centers and government offices have opened as a result of economic development spurred by access to electricity, and there is growing demand to expand the co-op’s service. “There’s been a big change in the lifestyle of people,” Matovu says. “People do believe in co-ops and appreciate them now.” – NRECA

With the power of electricity, Henry B. Williams serves customers at his grocery store in Totota, Liberia. (Photo courtesy NRECA International)

2024 | JANUARY 5

“Improving the quality of life for all those we touch.”

Reliable power for today — and tomorrow Ringing in a new year sparks a sense of renewed hope and optimism about the future. As the CEO of 4-County Electric Power Association, for me, it’s a time to reflect on where we are and where we’re going. At the heart of this reflection, I think about ways we can better serve you, the members of the cooperative. Our team at 4-County is always looking ahead, exploring ways to innovate and utilize new technologies to improve our services. As our nation increasingly relies on electricity to power the economy, keeping the lights on has never been more important. We’re committed to powering — and empowering — our community at a cost local families and businesses can afford. So how are we working to ensure reliable and affordable power while adapting to a changing energy landscape and our community’s evolving needs? One critical component of reliable power is the mix of energy resources used to generate the electricity that keeps the lights on across our service area. You may not realize it, but 4-County doesn’t generate electricity. Instead, we purchase it from our energy provider, TVA, and from there, we distribute it to homes and businesses throughout our community. In addition to managing a reliable energy mix, 4-County is using technology to enhance our local grid, limit service disruptions and improve outage response times. Advanced metering technology, also known as AMI, enables twoway communication between the co-op and consumers. Plans are in the works to upgrade our AMI technology to help pinpoint the

exact location of the outage, analyzing damaged or tampered meters. AMI helps 4-County save money with real-time data and ultimately improves power reliability for our entire community. Proactive tree trimming is another way we limit service disruptions. Scheduled trimming keeps power lines clear from overgrown limbs that are likely to fall. Inspections of lines and vegetation have allowed us to reduce labor and equipment costs while bolstering reliability. Through these inspections, we can accurately monitor the health and growth of trees and identify potential problems. One of the best methods for improving our services to you is monitoring trends and leading practices from other electric co-ops in the Southeast and across the country. Learning from other co-ops is one of the many benefits of the cooperative business model because for us, it’s about cooperation, not competition. As we turn our focus to 2024, 4-County will continue working to provide the reliable, affordable electricity you expect and deserve — for today and tomorrow. Happy New Year!

by Brian Clark CEO/General Manager

Sign up for Bank Draft or E-Bill today Get paid to make your life easier with two convenient 4-County Electric Power Association options. For example, the co-op will give you $25 to pay your bill by Automatic Bank Draft. Bank Draft is easy and saves you from having to mail in your payment or driving to a 4-County office each month. So do yourself — and your wallet — a favor and sign up for Bank Draft today. Members who sign up for Automatic Bank Draft will receive a $25 credit to their electric bill. To keep the credit, members must remain on the Automatic Bank Draft program for 12 consecutive months. Members who have previously been on the Bank Draft program within the past 12 months are not eligible to receive the $25 credit. And 4-County members can consider this option, too. Signing up for E-Bill is a convenient and efficient way of doing business.

How can signing up for E-Bill make your life better? It’s paperless. That means less clutter for you, and it won’t get lost or delayed in the mail. It’s convenient. You will get an e-mail notification each month when your bill is ready. You can review your account at any time and easily print bills when needed. It’s good for everyone. The fewer bills 4-County has to print, the less cost to members. That helps keep rates low. Less paper also means less waste, and that is great for our environment. Those 4-County members signing up for E-Bill will get a one-time $5 credit. For more information on the Bank Draft or E-Bill programs, call 4-County at 1-800-431-1544. 2024 | JANUARY

cooperative YOUTH LEADERS

The resulʦ are in! MAGGIE MARTIN

GABY BAUMBACH

Who will be the leaders of tomorrow? For that answer, take a look at the children of today. And if the 2024 4-County Cooperative Youth Leadership contestants are a reflection on that statement, the future is a bright one, indeed. Sixteen young leaders from the 4-County service area, selected as winners to represent their schools, competed in the Cooperatives Youth Leaders program, Nov. 8 at the 4-County Corporate Center. Four high school juniors were selected to represent the cooperative at the 2024 Cooperative Youth Leaders Workshop, sponsored by the Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi, in Jackson Feb. 21-23. Maggie Martin, a student at Starkville Academy, was the firstplace winner. Gaby Baumbach, a student at Heritage Academy, was the second-place winner. There was a tie for third place. Tyler Phillips, a student at Columbus Christian Academy, was a third-place winner, and Olivia Gundy of French Camp Academy received third-place honors. In addition to participating in the Cooperative Youth Leaders Workshop, the four overall winners will travel to Washington, D.C., for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Youth Tour from June 15 to June 21. The 16 candidates competed for the opportunity to win the expense-paid trips. Nominated as the winners for his or her high school, each student completed an application reflecting school

16 JANUARY | 2024

TYLER PHILLIPS

LIV GUNDY

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 16 students at 4-County’s Corporate Center. 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 for their respective schools, were Karsyn Grantham of East Webster High School, Reese Williams of Hebron Christian School, Isabella Allison of New Hope High School, Kennedy Bearden of Starkville High School, John Reese Staten of Choctaw County High School, Skylar Harris of West Point High School, Jackson Wallace of Victory Christian Academy, Locke Myers of Oak Hill Academy, Lucy Turnage of Starkville Christian School, Madison Minor of Columbus High School, Hailley Ingram of West Lowndes High School, and Taylor Billups of Golden Triangle Early College High School. Brad Barr, 4-County’s Cooperative Youth Leaders program coordinator, applauded the efforts of all 16 candidates. “All of the candidates were outstanding. We can definitely look forward to a bright future if these young leaders are any indication. I believe they are. They were strong representatives of their families and schools,” Barr said.

4-COUNTY ELECTRIC POWER ASSOCIATION

2024 ANNUAL MEETING SCHEDULE OF DEADLINES ANNUAL MEETING DATE • THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2024 • 70 DAYS (Thursday, March 28)

Deadline for Board of Directors to appoint Nominating Committee (Elections & Credentials Committee typically appointed same time as Nominating). The Districts up for election this year are • District 2 • The territory served or to be served within the boundaries of Oktibbeha County, MS. • District 3 • The territory served or to be served within the boundaries of Clay and Monroe Counties, MS. • District 6 • The territory served or to be served within the boundaries of Chickasaw and Webster Counties, MS.

• Prior to 60 Days (Friday, April 5) (60 days = Sunday, April 7) Nominating Committee meets, nominates Director election candidates

• 60 Days (Friday, April 5) (60 days = Sunday, April 7) Deadline for nominations postings in all 4-County Offices

• 60 Days (Friday, April 5) (60 days = Sunday, April 7) Deadline for Nominations by Petition. Must be delivered to the 4-County Corporate office by noon

• 30 Days (Tuesday, May 7)

Deadline for Mailing Ballot/Proxy to membership

• 15 Days (Wednesday, May 22)

Deadline for notifying Credentials and Election Committee to serve and date of meeting

• 6 Days (Friday, May 31)

(144 hours) Deadline for receipt of ballots/proxies is noon

• *150 days (Monday, Jan. 8, 2024)

Earliest date for eligible Nomination by Petition signatures

Members who wish to qualify for board elections may submit a nomination by petition. Details can be found at www.4county.org or by calling 1-800-431-1544.

Holiday programs about giving back 4-County/FASTnet employees, members and customers made things a little easier for area families during the recent Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Local organizations joined 4-County members and employees in November to collect 2,000 food items for donation to the Salvation Army. The co-op’s inaugural Fill a Bucket program was a huge success, according to co-op officials. Those donating to the program brought canned goods, boxed items, and pull-tab items to 4-County offices. 4-County offers a special thank you to Baptist Student Union members from Mississippi University for Women and East Mississippi Community College Golden Triangle (pictured at right) for their substantial contribution to the food drive. All donations were placed in 4-County bucket trucks at the co-op’s Corporate Center and Starkville offices. Donations were delivered to local Salvation Army food banks. And in December, employees, members, and customers collected nearly 300 toys for the Toys for Tots program. Toys for Tots, a charitable organization offered through the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves, has maintained a partnership with 4-County the last 11 holiday seasons. “These programs are a great way to give back,” said 4-County CEO Brian Clark. “We’re always excited to participate in programs that make things a little easier for people in our service area.” 2024 | JANUARY

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

Baker comes from the land down under It’s approximately 10,000 miles from the coast of Australia to Columbus. But despite the rather large separation in distance, Caitlin Baker says, the two areas share an affinity for the great outdoors. Interesting fact about Caitlin? She was born in the United States but lived most of her first seven years in Australia. Her dad was an Aussie, and her mom is from Columbus. She still has family in Australia. Caitlin remembers it well. “In our backyard, you could see all kinds of wild animals: kangaroos, koalas, poisonous snakes, and lizards. It was something,” she said. When she came back to the states, Caitlin brought her Australian accent with her. “It only took me a few years for my southern voice to take over,” she said with a laugh. In her spare time, she enjoys outdoor activities. “I was a tomboy growing up. I like to hunt and fish. It’s peaceful to be out there.” Today, Caitlin lives in Ethelsville, Alabama, with her husband, Hayes, and their son, Colvin, 2. “I stay pretty busy doing mom stuff,” she said.

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Caitlin began working at 4-County in July 2022 as a member service representative. “I like being able to help others. I can help clarify information to our members, helping them with their individual situations.” Caitlin takes, on average, between 85 to 90 calls each day. She has an associate degree from East Mississippi Community College. And she plans to study Business Administration soon at Mississippi State University. Caitlin and family attend Mineral Springs Baptist Church in McShan, Alabama. Prior to 4-County, she worked for over three years as a loan assistant/ customer service representative at the Bank of Commerce in Columbus. The co-op is her home away from home. “I feel very appreciated and rewarded. We put the members first. That’s the most important thing,” she said. “We meet their needs.” 4-County’s dedication to system upgrades are making day-to-day activities more efficient. “I look forward to coming to work every day.”

CENTRAL ELECTRIC POWER ASSOCIATION

A tradition of dependable, hometown service since 1937 CARTHAGE: 601-267-5671 | PHILADELPHIA: 601-656-2601 | RANKIN: 601-829-1201 | SEBASTOPOL: 601-625-7422

107 EAST MAIN STREET • CARTHAGE, MS 39051

2023 5 Years

Justin Anderson Earl Browning Mason McDill Chris Verry Brad Watkins

10 Years

Kent Chamblee Hanna Watson

15 Years Jeff Holder

20 Years

Phillip Crosby Suzanne Johnson Allyson Kirkwood Darrin Pickett Randall Pugh

25 Years David Boyd

30 Years

35 Years

Danny Burnett Donnie Shepard Mike Shepard

40 Years Jim Caldwell

50 Years

Wanniese Whitehead

Kevin Greene

Thank you for your years of service to Central Electric Power Association.

2024 | JANUARY

MEET YOUR 2024

MISSISSIPPI

ELECTED OFFICIALS 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.

CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION

SENATORS

REPRESENTATIVES

NOW AVAILABLE A free, interactive legislative app for Mississippi

ROGER WICKER

United States Senator

TRENT KELLY First District

BENNIE G. THOMPSON Second District

The Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi offers an easy-to-use mobile app of Mississippi’s state and federal elected officials. Look for “ECM Legislative Roster” in the Apple App Store. An Android version is also

CINDY HYDE-SMITH United States Senator

MICHAEL GUEST Third District

MIKE EZELL Fourth District 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

I TAWA M B A

PONTOTOC

COAHOMA

QUITMAN

YA L O B U S H 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

C H O C TAW

HOLMES

OKTIBBEHA

AT TA L A

HUMPHREYS

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

LOWNDES

MONTGOMERY

WA S H I N G T O N

NOXUBEE WINSTON

SHARKEY

YA Z O O MADISON

LEAKE

NESHOBA

KEMPER

SCOTT

NEWTON

LAUDERDALE

SMITH

JASPER

CLARKE

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

16 JANUARY | 2024

HARRISON

HANCOCK

available through Google Play.

SENATE

Sen. Lydia Chassaniol District 14: Attala, Carroll, Grenada, Leﬂore, and Montgomery counties Address: P.O. Box 211 Winona, MS 38967

Sen. Jenifer Branning

Sen. Josh Harkins

District 18: Leake, Neshoba, and Winston counties

District 20: Rankin County

Address: 235 W. Beacon St. Philadelphia, MS 39350

Address: P.O. Box 320374 Flowood, MS 39232

Sen. Tyler McCaughn

Sen. Rod Hickman

Sen. Brian Rhodes

District 31: Lauderdale, Newton, Rankin, and Scott counties

District 32: Kemper, Lauderdale, Noxubee, and Winston counties

District 36: Rankin and Smith counties

Address: P.O. Box 28 Newton, MS 39345

Address: 2829 Jefferson St. Macon, MS 39341

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Rep. Kenji Holloway District 27: Attala, Leake, Madison, and Scott counties

Rep. C. Scott Bounds

District 44: Leake and Neshoba counties

Address: 143 Yellow Creek Dr. Carthage, MS 39051

Address: 45 Carla Dr. Philadelphia, MS 39350

Rep. Brent Powell

Rep. Lee Yancey

District 59: Rankin County

District 74: Rankin County

Address: P.O. Box 5454 Brandon, MS 39047

Address: P.O. Box 4215 Brandon, MS 39047

Rep. Mark Tullos

Rep. Billy Adam Calvert

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

District 83: Kemper, Lauderdale, and Newton counties Address: P.O. Box 5774 Meridian, MS 39320

Sen. Bradford Blackmon District 21: Attala, Holmes, Leake, and Madison counties Address: P.O. Box 105 Canton, MS 39046

Address: 1021 Antioch-Shiloh Rd. Pelahatchie, MS 39145

Rep. Keith Jackson

Rep. Jason White

District 45: Kemper, Lauderdale, Neshoba, and Winston counties

District 48: Attala, Carroll, Holmes, and Leake counties

Address: 95 Zachary Rd. Preston, MS 39354

Address: P.O. Box 246 West, MS 39192

Rep. Celeste Hurst

Rep. Randal (Randy) Rushing

District 75: Madison, Rankin, and Scott counties

District 78: Leake, Newton, and Scott counties

Address: P.O. Box 475 Sandhill, MS 39161

Address: P.O. Box 424 Decatur, MS 39327

18 JANUARY | 2024

P.O. BOX 188 • LYON, MS 38645 662-624-8321 • FAX 662-624-8327 • www.coahomaepa.com • cepa@coahomaepa.com

Keeping trees and branches at a safe distance from power lines reduces the potential for weather-related outages.

by Scott Flood

Severe weather events have always presented the biggest challenges to power reliability and safety. Electric co-ops take proactive steps to prepare lines and equipment for severe weather damage.

While scientists and policymakers debate the causes of our wild weather, electric co-ops are diligently working to prepare for it. From coast to coast, cooperatives are taking steps to harden the vital infrastructure that delivers electricity to our members’ homes, farms and other businesses. Co-ops have been upgrading equipment and our connections to the nation’s electric power grid, so we can better withstand disaster-level events. We’re also taking steps to prevent damage from happening in the first place. For example, you may have noticed our emphasis on tree trimming and other vegetation management strategies. Keeping trees and branches at a safe distance from power lines reduces the potential for weather-related outages. Like you, we’re sometimes sad to see our favorite trees trimmed, but many of the outages we handle every year happen when trees tangle with power lines. As drought conditions contribute to wildfires in places where

they’ve previously been rare, we also need to plan for the possibility of similar fires in our area. Keeping vegetation away from power lines and equipment helps us prevent wildfires and limit their spread. Hardening our infrastructure will include a long list of other strategies. We’re paying more attention to the condition of our system. If one of our power poles is damaged or otherwise weakened, strong winds might bring it down and leave a big area of our community in the dark. That’s why we keep an eye on all our poles and install more durable replacements when necessary. When our crews aren’t fixing problems, they’re working just as hard to prevent them from happening. Those poles and the wires connecting them are frequent targets for lightning, so we can protect the local power grid by installing devices that safely divert surges caused by lightning strikes. Power outages are just one way extreme weather can affect your energy costs. Weather extremes in one part of the country can have significant effects on energy availability and costs elsewhere. As winter temperatures drop in many areas, the demand for heating drives market energy prices up, and not-for-profit electric co-ops may have to pass those higher costs along to members. You and your neighbors can help us limit the impact of those higher costs by shifting your energy use during peak times. For example, instead of running the dishwasher in the early evening when energy costs are highest, set it to run while everyone’s asleep and rates are lower. The more members who help by reducing energy use at peak times, the less everyone will have to pay for energy. Considering the impact of potential weather disasters and implementing steps to prevent damage is just one more example of your electric cooperative’s dedication to making sure your power is always ready when you need it most. Scott Flood writes on a variety of energy-related topics for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. 2024 | JANUARY 15

M E E T Y O UR

STATE LEGISLATORS SENATE

Sen. Reginald Jackson

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Rep. Cedric Burnett

Rep. Dan Eubanks

District 11: Coahoma, Desoto, Quitman, Tate, and Tunica counties

District 9: Coahoma, Desoto, Quitman, Tate, and Tunica counties

District 25: DeSoto County

Address: P.O. Box 258 Marks, MS 38646

Address: P.O. Box 961 Tunica, MS 38676

Address: P.O. Box 184 Walls, MS 38680

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

Sen. Sarita Simmons District 13: Bolivar, Sunflower, and Tallahatchie counties Address: P.O. Box 1813 Cleveland, MS 38732

Sen. Michael McLendon District 1: Desoto County

Rep. Orlando W. Paden

Rep. Robert Sanders

District 26: Bolivar, Coahoma, and Sunflower counties

District 29: Bolivar and Sunflower counties

Address: P.O. Box 1626 Clarksdale, MS 38614

Address: P.O. Box 4088 Cleveland, MS 38732

Rep. Tracey Rosebud District 30: Grenada, Sunflower, and Tallahatchie counties Address: P.O. Box 236 Tutwiler, MS 38963

Address: 2245 Memphis St. Hernando, MS 38632

Sen. David Jordan District 24: Leflore, Panola, and Tallahatchie counties Address: 504 Bowie Lane Greenwood, MS 38930 16 JANUARY | 2024

NOTICE TO Annual Meeting of Members MEMBERS Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at 10 a.m.

Coahoma Electric Power Association’s

Coahoma Electric’s Headquarters, Coahoma, MS

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.

NOW AVAILABLE

A free, interactive legislative app for Mississippi

It’s easy to know your elected officials.

CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION

IMPORTANT NOTICE to our agricultural account holders ROGER WICKER

CINDY HYDE-SMITH

TRENT KELLY

BENNIE G. THOMPSON

MICHAEL GUEST

MIKE EZELL

United States Senator

First District

Third District

United States Senator

Second District

Coahoma Electric Power Association needs to receive a Utility Exemption Affidavit from all agricultural account holders. The Affidavit ensures that all accounts that are agricultural in nature are being taxed at the appropriate rate. The Mississippi Department of Revenue requires an Affidavit to be filed and maintained at the electric cooperative to verify compliance. The forms can be found in the web page of the Revenue Department at www.dor.ms.gov or at the Association’s office at 340 Hopson Street, Lyon, MS. Should anyone have a question, all calls can be directed to our Customer Service Representatives at 662-624-8321.

Fourth District

2024 | JANUARY

18 JANUARY | 2024

FOR TODAY IN MISSISSIPPI INFORMATION, CALL 877-769-2372

Where our members have the power

WWW.COASTELECTRIC.COOP

Communicators: April Lollar, Merilee Sands & Sarah Belk

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Happy New Year from our team at Coast Electric and CoastConnect! We hope 2024 will be a year of peace and prosperity for you and your loved ones. For your cooperative and internet service provider, 2024 promises to be a time of continued growth. Coast Electric is increasing its capacity to meet the needs of a growing membership, and CoastConnect is connecting more subscribers every day. When we began construction on CoastConnect at the end of 2020, we predicted it would take at least six years to complete construction. Now, just a little more than three years later, we are reaching the end of our initial construction process. It’s been an exiting few years, and we are proud of the work we’ve done so far. With each step, more of our members

have access to high-speed internet service and the advantages that brings. My pledge to you in the new year is that we will continue to focus on providing the highest level of service our members and subscribers deserve. We appreciate you for supporting both companies along the way. We are eager for the new opportunities that lie ahead in 2024.

by Ron Barnes President and CEO

Rising Energy Costs On Jan. 1, Coast Electric enacted a rate change for members that increased energy costs approximately 4-6% on monthly bills. As a not-for-profit cooperative, Coast Electric does not profit from higher costs. The increase is a pass-through cost that covers the rising cost of materials and power generation. Coast Electric works with Cooperative Energy, the company that generates power for 11 Mississippi electric distribution cooperatives, to get the best price for the power delivered to homes and businesses of Coast Electric members. Additionally, co-op employees are doing all they can to control costs and lessen the impact on members. In every department, every employee is focused on managing expenses. You can view our rate schedules and learn more about the charges that make up your monthly bill on www.coastelectric.coop.

CONTEST

Coast Electric wants you to reduce your energy use and see savings on your energy costs. Each month, you will have an opportunity to register to win a prize that will help you reduce the energy consumption in your home. All you have to do is visit www.coastelectric.coop and fill out our entry form. It only takes a few seconds, and you could win a prize that helps you save!

Congratulations to Jennifer Benfield, the winner of our November Reduce Your Use prize! 2024 | JANUARY

MEET YOUR 2024 MISSISSIPPI

ELECTED OFFICIALS Coast 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.

TATE REEVES Governor

DELBERT HOSEMANN Lieutenant Governor

congressional delegation U.S. SENATORS

ROGER WICKER

425 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510

16 JANUARY | 2024

CINDY HYDE-SMITH

702 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE

MIKE EZELL Fourth District

443 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515

NOW AVAILABLE

A free, interactive legislative app for Mississippi

It’s easy to know your elected officials.

SENATE

Sen. Angela Burks Hill District 40: Pearl River and Stone counties

Sen. Philman Ladner District 46: Hancock and Harrison counties

Sen. Joseph M. “Mike” Seymour District 47: Harrison, Jackson, and Stone counties

Sen. Michael Thompson District 48: Hancock and Harrison counties

Sen. Joel R. Carter, Jr. District 49: Harrison County

Sen. Scott DeLano District 50: Harrison County

Rep. Stacey Hobgood-Wilkes District 108: Pearl River County

Rep. Zachary Grady District 115: Harrison County

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Rep. Jim Estrada District 33: Harrison County

Rep. Timmy Ladner District 93: Hancock, Pearl River, and Stone counties

Rep. Jay McKnight District 95: Hancock and Harrison counties

Rep. Jansen Owen District 106: Lamar and Pearl River counties

Rep. Kevin W. Felsher District 117: Harrison County

Rep. Greg Haney District 118: Harrison County

Rep. Jeffrey Hulum III District 119: Harrison County

Rep. Casey Eure District 116: Harrison County

Rep. Richard Bennett District 120: Harrison County

Rep. Carolyn Crawford District 121: Harrison County

Rep. Brent Anderson District 122: Hancock County

2024 | JANUARY

NEW DIAMON D H E A D S U B STAT I ON

Meets Needs of Growing Community Residents in Diamondhead have likely noticed new construction near Rouses. Coast Electric employees are building a new substation to serve Diamondhead residents. The new substation will increase capacity and enhance reliability of our electric distribution system serving the citizens of Diamondhead. Construction on the new substation began after data showed that the existing Diamondhead substation was operating at 92% of its capacity while providing service to 5,500 members. A few of the existing substation’s circuits are serving more than 1,100 members, over 160% above the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Utility Services’ guidelines that Coast Electric follows in their system design. Overloading equipment at substations increases the risk of equipment failure and extended outages for members. “Diamondhead is an area of our service territory that sees consistent growth in homes and businesses,” said Coast Electric President and CEO Ron Barnes. “As the city grows, it is necessary for us to grow along with it and ensure a reliable source of energy for our members. The new substation will ensure our members in Diamondhead receive reliable electric service.”

VISIT

WWW.COASTCONNECT.COM to learn about our world-class speeds and hometown service.

SLOW INTERNET

IS SO LAST YEAR!

18 JANUARY | 2024

Delta Electric’s new IVR phone number is 662-743-4425 – USE IT ANY TIME 24/7

✓GET ACCOUNT INFO ✓MAKE A PAYMENT ✓REPORT AN OUTAGE ✓MAKE AN ARRANGEMENT

Keeping trees and branches at a safe distance from power lines reduces the potential for weather-related outages.

by Scott Flood

Severe weather events have always presented the biggest challenges to power reliability and safety. Electric co-ops take proactive steps to prepare lines and equipment for severe weather damage.

As drought conditions contribute to wildfires in places where they’ve previously been rare, we also need to plan for the possibility of similar fires in our area. Keeping vegetation away from power lines and equipment helps us prevent wildfires and limit their spread. Hardening our infrastructure will include a long list of other strategies. We’re paying more attention to the condition of our system. If one of our power poles is damaged or otherwise weakened, strong winds might bring it down and leave a big area of our community in the dark. That’s why we keep an eye on all our poles and install more durable replacements when necessary. When our crews aren’t fixing problems, they’re working just as hard to prevent them from happening. Those poles and the wires connecting them are frequent targets for lightning, so we can protect the local power grid by installing devices that safely divert surges caused by lightning strikes. Power outages are just one way extreme weather can affect your energy costs. Weather extremes in one part of the country can have significant effects on energy availability and costs elsewhere. As winter temperatures drop in many areas, the demand for heating drives market energy prices up, and not-for-profit electric co-ops may have to pass those higher costs along to members. You and your neighbors can help us limit the impact of those higher costs by shifting your energy use during peak times. For example, instead of running the dishwasher in the early evening when energy costs are highest, set it to run while everyone’s asleep and rates are lower. The more members who help by reducing energy use at peak times, the less everyone will have to pay for energy. Considering the impact of potential weather disasters and implementing steps to prevent damage is just one more example of your electric cooperative’s dedication to making sure your power is always ready when you need it most. Scott Flood writes on a variety of energy-related topics for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. 2024 | JANUARY

MEET YOUR

STATE LEGISLATORS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Rep. Robert Sanders

Rep. Tracey T. Rosebud

Rep. Otis Anthony

District 29: P.O. Box 4088 Cleveland, MS 38732

District 30: P.O. Box 236 Tutwiler, MS 38963

District 31: P.O. Box 962 Indianola, MS 38751

Rep. Solomon Osborne

Rep. M. Kevin Horan

Rep. Karl Oliver

District 34: 1500 Gateway Grenada, MS 38901

District 46: P.O. Box 95 Winona, MS 38967

Rep. Bryant W. Clark

Rep. Jason White

Rep. Willie Bailey

District 47: 271 Clark Road Pickens, MS 39146

District 48: P.O. Box 246 West, MS 39192

District 49: P.O. Box 189 Greenville, MS 38702

Rep. John W. Hines Sr.

Rep. Timaka James-Jones

District 32: P.O. Box 8175 Greenwood, MS 38935

District 50: P.O. Box 114 Greenville, MS 38703

District 51: 210 Central St. Belzoni, MS 39038

NOW AVAILABLE The Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi offers an easy-to-use mobile app of Mississippi’s state and federal elected officials. Look for “ECM Legislative Roster” in the Apple App Store. An Android version is also available through Google Play.

A free, interactive legislative app for Mississippi

It’s easy to know your elected officials.

SENATORS Sen. Sarita M. Simmons

Sen. David L. Jordan

District 13: P.O. Box 1813 Cleveland, MS 38732

District 24: 504 Bowie Lane Greenwood, MS 38930

Sen. Lydia Chassaniol

Sen. Joseph Thomas

District 14: P.O. Box 211 Winona, MS 38967

District 22: 820 Prentiss Avenue, Yazoo City, MS 39194

Sen. Bart Williams

Sen. Derrick T. Simmons

District 15: 901 Lynn Lane Starkville, MS 39759

District 12: P.O. Box 1854 Greenville, MS 38072

Sen. Bradford Blackmon District 21: P.O. Box 105 Canton, MS 39046

2024 | JANUARY

Electric rates to increase January 1 Delta Electric works hard not to increase electric rates and has kept rates unchanged since January 1, 2018, exactly six years ago. Due to factors outside of Delta Electric’s control, electric rates will have to increase to cover surging operating costs. Effective January 1, 2024, all fixed monthly customer charges will increase by $5.00, along with increases to the associated per kWh energy charges. Since the inception of the COVID pandemic, inflationary pressures have affected businesses worldwide. Delta Electric has been forced to deal with that as well. The materials and services that are essential to running an electric utility have seen enormous price increases and long delivery times. Due to the higher cost of doing business, wholesale electric power rates have increased, and the actions of the Federal Reserve have caused a substantial increase in the cost of capital. We work hard to keep our customers informed, our prices as low as possible, and our service second to none. Also, because we are nonprofit, revenue more than expenses is returned to our customers annually as a capital credit return when financial conditions permit. Since 1989 we have returned nearly $78 million in excess revenue to our customers. As a nonprofit organization, Delta Electric is committed solely to our customers. We provide power, when, and where, customers need it, and at the most affordable price possible.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

TIP OF THE MONTH During winter months, ensure your home is well sealed to reduce the need for excessive heating. Seal air leaks around your home and add insulation where needed to save up to 10% on annual energy bills. Install weather stripping on exterior doors and apply caulk around windows. Check attic insulation levels and hire a qualified contractor if additional insulation is required. Source: energystar.gov

DELightSpeed.coop 662-477-1975 or info@delightspeed.coop

“Powering communities and empowering lives” Dixie Electric is an equal opportunity employer and provider.

dixieepa.com | defastlink.net | prepared.dixieepa.com | 601-425-2535 dixieepa.com

@DixieElectricMS

@DixieEPA

@dixie_electric

Enhancing your Member Experience

IN THE NEW YEAR

At Dixie Electric, it’s always our goal to provide you with resources and tools to enhance your member experience. As we step into a new year, I want to update you on a few new developments and remind you of existing resources available to you. I am pleased to announce the rollout of our newly updated website, designed to provide you with a fresh and modernized interface that is easily accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities and language barriers. The revamped website extends beyond a platform for paying your bills or reporting power outages. I encourage you to explore its many benefits, particularly the comprehensive safety and energy efficiency information it offers. Our commitment to you extends beyond powering your homes—it includes providing you with knowledge to make informed decisions about your energy use. Visit our new website dixieepa.com today to experience the enhancements firsthand. An existing resource that is available to you is our energy calculators, also located on our website. These tools empower you with insights into where your energy dollars are going, enabling you to make adjustments that can lower your monthly energy use – and your bill. In addition, the free SmartHub mobile and desktop application goes beyond facilitating bill payments; it offers a portal for members to access information on their individualized energy consumption, billing history, and more. This tool gives our members a deeper understanding of their energy use patterns, fostering greater control and efficiency in managing their bills.

In our commitment to keeping you connected, we will continue to connect our members with DE Fastlink high-speed internet. In addition, we are preparing to expand DE Fastlink’s services to rural areas outside of our footprint that are currently unserved or underserved. We are dedicated to ensuring that our community has the connectivity it needs for work, education, and staying connected with loved ones. Looking ahead, community remains at the heart of our mission. In the new year, we will continue our efforts to support the communities we serve. Whether through educational initiatives, community events, or supporting local charitable organizations, we are committed to being a positive force for good. As we embark on this journey into 2024, I want to express my gratitude for your continued trust and partnership. Together, we will continue to build a brighter future for our communities. We are here with you and for you, every step of the way. On behalf of the Dixie Electric and DE Fastlink team, I’d like to wish you and your family a Happy New Year filled with joy, laughter, and exciting possibilities.

by Randy Smith General Manager

Visit DEFASTLINK.NET

MEET YOUR 2024 MISSISSIPPI

ELECTED OFFICIALS

Dixie Electric Power Association salutes Mississippi’s elected officials 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.

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

I TAWA M B A

PONTOTOC

COAHOMA

QUITMAN

YA L O B U S H A

1 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

HUMPHREYS

NOXUBEE WINSTON

SHARKEY

YA Z O O MADISON

LEAKE

NESHOBA

KEMPER

SCOTT

NEWTON

LAUDERDALE

SMITH

JASPER

CLARKE

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

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

TATE REEVES Governor

DELBERT HOSEMANN Lieutenant Governor

COngrESSIOnAL DELEgATIOn U.S. SENATORS

ROGER WICKER

425 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510

16 JANUARY | 2024

CINDY HYDE-SMITH

702 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510

U.S. REPRESENTATIVES

MICHAEL GUEST Third District

450 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515

MIKE EZELL Fourth District

443 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515

NOW AVAILABLE

A free, interactive legislative app for Mississippi

It’s easy to know your elected officials.

SENATE

Sen. Jeff Tate

District 33: Clarke and Lauderdale counties Address: 169 Springhill Rd. Meridian, MS 39301

Sen. Juan Barnett

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

Sen. Joey Fillingane District 41: Covington, Marion, Lamar, and Walthall counties Address: 8 Westbrook Dr. Sumrall, MS 39482

Sen. Robin Robinson District 42: Forrest, Greene, Jones, and Wayne counties Address: P.O. Box 1963 Laurel, MS 39441

Sen. Dennis DeBar, Jr.

Sen. Chris Johnson

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

District 45: Forrest and Perry counties Address: P.O. Box 18247 Hattiesburg, MS 39404

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Rep. Omeria Scott

Rep. Troy Smith

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

District 84: Clarke, Jasper, and Newton counties Address: 320 Smith Ridge Lane Enterprise, MS 39330

Rep. Noah Sanford

Rep. Percy Watson

District 90: Covington, Forrest, Jefferson Davis, Jones, and Simpson counties Address: P.O. Box 1900 Collins, MS 39428

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

Rep. Shane Barnett

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

Rep. Larry Byrd

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

Rep. Charles Blackwell District 88: Jones County Address: 50 Blackwell Loop Ellisville, MS 39430

Rep. Donnie Scoggin

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

Rep. Elliott Burch

District 105: George, Greene, and Perry counties Address: P.O. Box 1215 Lucedale, MS 39452

2024 | JANUARY

MEMBER VOTING Spreads Holiday Cheer

In the spirit of giving back, Dixie Electric’s 2023 annual board elections made its community a little brighter this holiday season. By bridging the two cooperative principles, Concern for Community and Democratic Member Control, Dixie Electric aided in feeding those with food insecurities for the holidays. Dixie Electric members had the opportunity to vote in the annual board elections beginning in late August in several different ways: online, by mail, or in person. Dixie Electric is an electric cooperative and is democratically controlled by its members, allowing members to vote on the candidate they believe will best serve the co-op’s needs.

Dixie Electric Board Member Sears Ward presents Christian Food Mission of Laurel with a donation of $2,190.

As an incentive to drive voter participation, the Dixie Electric Board of Directors voted to donate $1 for every vote cast during the elections. Due to 6,570 members casting their votes, Dixie Electric was able to donate $2,190 each to three local food pantries: Christian Food Mission of Laurel, Samaritan’s Closet and Pantry of Waynesboro, and the Petal Children’s Task Force. Behind these numbers are the unsung heroes – the members who took a moment to cast their votes. Their collective contribution enabled Dixie Electric to make this meaningful donation. Dixie Electric wants to offer a sincere thank you and extend its gratitude to each member who took the time to vote.

Dixie Electric Board Member Faye Bonner presents Samaritan’s Closet and Pantry of Waynesboro with a donation of $2,190.

Dixie Electric Board Member Allen Sledge presents Petal Children’s Task Force with a donation of $2,190.

Beware of Energy Hogs! They may be small and cozy, but they're also energy hogs! Space heaters use more energy than central heating units and can drive up the cost of your electric bill. Use space heaters in small spaces and for short periods of time. Never try to heat a room with a space heater when central heat is available. For electrical safety, keep space heaters three feet away from anything flammable including papers, clothing and rugs.

CLEARING TREES AND LIMBS FOR RELIABLE SERVICE Dixie Electric Power Association clears trees, limbs, and underbrush from the area around and below the power lines, called the right-of-way. Right-of-way clearing decreases the number of outages and reduces the risk of someone coming in contact with the power lines. Clearing the right-of-way protects individuals from the hazards of electricity and makes power restoration quicker and safer for both Dixie Electric’s members and personnel.

CLEARING PROJECTS UNDERWAY

Cleo: Cleo, Poole Creek, Mill Creek, Strengthford, Myrick Glade: Glade, Myrick, Tuckers Crossing

18 JANUARY | 2024

DeKalb 601-743-2641 • Louisville 662-773-5741 • Quitman 601-776-6271 • After-Hours Outages, Call 601-581-8600

MEMBER OWNED. LOCALLY OPERATED. THAT’S THE COOPERATIVE DIFFERENCE.

Reliable power for today

A N D TO M O R R OW A MESSAGE FROM YOUR CEO Ringing in a new year sparks a sense of renewed hope and optimism about the future. As the CEO/general manager of East Mississippi Electric Power Association, for me, it’s a time to reflect on where we are and where we’re going. At the heart of this reflection, I think about ways we can better serve you, the members of the cooperative. Our team at EMEPA is always looking ahead, exploring ways to innovate and utilize new technologies to improve our services. As our nation increasingly relies on electricity to power the economy, keeping the lights on has never been more important or challenging. We’re committed to powering — and empowering — our communities at a sustainable, reliable, resilient, and affordable level. So how are we working to ensure reliable and affordable power while adapting to a changing energy landscape and our community’s evolving needs? One critical component of reliable power is a mix of energy resources used to generate the electricity that keeps the lights on across our system. You may not realize it, but EMEPA doesn’t generate electricity. Instead, we purchase it from our energy wholesalers: Mississippi Power Company and the Tennessee Valley Authority. From there, we distribute it to homes and businesses throughout our community. These wholesale power providers increasingly use more electricity generated from renewable energy sources, but it requires a diverse energy mix to ensure reliable power that’s available to our members whenever they need it.

In addition to managing power purchases, EMEPA is using technology to enhance our local grid, reduce service disruption times and improve outage response. Advanced metering technology, also known as AMI, enables twoway communication between the co-op and consumers. In the event of a power outage, AMI notifies me and our team of where the outages are taking place. AMI helps EMEPA save time with real-time data, and ultimately improves power reliability for our entire community. Proactive tree trimming is another way we limit service disruptions. Scheduled trimming keeps power lines clear from overgrown limbs and trees that are likely to fall. Continuous inspection of lines and vegetation allows us to bolster reliability by finding hot spots needing trimming. As we turn our focus to 2024, EMEPA will continue working to provide the reliable, affordable electricity you expect and deserve — for today and tomorrow.

by Randy Carroll CEO — East Mississippi Electric Power Association

EAST MISSISSIPPI ELECTRIC POWER ASSOCIATION

will be closed on Monday, Jan. 15, 2024, in observance of

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY A dispatcher will be on duty. 2024 | JANUARY

Meet your 2024 Mississippi Elected Officials

CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION U.S. SENATORS

East Mississippi 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.

ROGER WICKER

United States Senator

CINDY HYDE-SMITH United States Senator

U.S. REPRESENTATIVES 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

I TAWA M B A

PONTOTOC

COAHOMA

QUITMAN

YA L O B U S H 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

OKTIBBEHA

AT TA L A

HUMPHREYS

NOXUBEE WINSTON

SHARKEY

YA Z O O MADISON

LEAKE

NESHOBA

KEMPER

SCOTT

NEWTON

LAUDERDALE

SMITH

JASPER

CLARKE

ISSAQUENA

RANKIN

HINDS WA R R E N

CLAIBORNE

COPIAH

SIMPSON

TRENT KELLY First District

BENNIE G. THOMPSON Second District

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

for a job well done to all our representatives and senators who represent constituents residing in our service area. 16 JANUARY | 2024

MICHAEL GUEST Third District

MIKE EZELL

Fourth District

P: 3027 HIGHWAY 98 WEST, SUMMIT 39666 | M: P.O. BOX 747, McCOMB 39649

www.MEPCoop.com

| REPORT OUTAGES 601-684-4011 | PAY BY PHONE 1-877-779-7740

and Twitter

Magnolia Electric returns over

$2.5 MILLION CAPITAL CREDITS to members

The Magnolia Electric Power Board of Directors has announced that the cooperative has recently retired $2,504,940.25 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.” Capital Credits are one of the things that separate a not-for-profit electric cooperative, like Magnolia Electric Power, from investor-owned electric utilities, explained Smith. There is a list on the MEP website at MEPCoop.com of older Capital Credits that MEP has been unable to return due to incorrect member addresses. Please be sure to check the list to see if you or a family member’s name is on the list. If you have not received your patronage refund or should find your name/a family name on the website list, please contact the office at 601-684-4011. Since 1960, MEP has refunded a total of $62,170,930.93 in capital credits to its members. Magnolia Electric Power was established in 1938. The cooperative employs 104 full-time employees, maintains over 4,990 miles of power lines and serves more than 33,027 meters.

INTRODUCING A

NEW LOOK FOR SMARTHUB

COMING IN JANUARY! With SmartHub Members can • view use by day, week, billing period, and year

• set up credit card auto pay

• report outages

• get billing and outage notifications

• make payments

• review billing history

MEET YOUR 2024 MISSISSIPPI

elected oFFicials

Magnolia Electric Power 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.

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

I TAWA M B A

PONTOTOC

COAHOMA

QUITMAN

YA L O B U S H A

1 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

HUMPHREYS

NOXUBEE WINSTON

SHARKEY

YA Z O O MADISON

LEAKE

NESHOBA

KEMPER

SCOTT

NEWTON

LAUDERDALE

SMITH

JASPER

ISSAQUENA

RANKIN

HINDS WA R R E N

CLAIBORNE

COPIAH

SIMPSON

CLARKE

JEFFERSON

COVINGTON LINCOLN ADAMS

L AW R E N C E

FRANKLIN

JEFFERSON D AV I S LAMAR

WILKINSON

AMITE

WAY N E

JONES

PIKE

FORREST

PERRY

GREENE

MARION

WA LT H A L L

GEORGE

PEARL RIVER STONE

JACKSON HARRISON

HANCOCK

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

TATE REEVES Governor

DELBERT HOSEMANN Lieutenant Governor

congressional delegation U.S. SENATORS

ROGER WICKER

425 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510

16 JANUARY | 2024

CINDY HYDE-SMITH

702 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510

U.S. REPRESENTATIVES

BENNIE THOMPSON Second District

2466 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515

MICHAEL GUEST Third District

450 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515

SENATE

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Sen. Albert Butler Sr.

Rep. Vince Mangold

Rep. Sam C. Mims V

District 37: Adams, Claiborne, Copiah, Franklin, Hinds, and Jefferson counties

District 53: Franklin, Lawrence, Lincoln, and Pike counties

District 97: Adams, Amite, Franklin, and Pike counties

Address: P.O. Box 1018 Jackson, MS 39215

Rep. Jeffery Harness

Rep. Daryl L. Porter Jr.

Address: P.O. Box 614 Port Gibson, MS 39150

Sen. Gary Brumfield District 38: Adams, Amite, Pike, Walthall, and Wilkinson counties Address: P.O. Box 184 Magnolia, MS 39652

District 85: Claiborne, Franklin, Jefferson, and Warren counties Address: P.O. Box 758 Fayette, MS 39069

District 98: Pike and Walthall counties Address: P.O. Box 772 Summit, MS 39666

Sen. Jason Barrett

Rep. Becky Currie

Rep. Bill Pigott

District 39: , Amite, Franklin, Lawrence, Lincoln, and Pike counties

District 92: Copiah, Lawrence, and Lincoln counties

District 99: Lamar, Lawrence, Marion, and Walthall counties

Address: P.O. Box 729 Brookhaven, MS 39602

Address: 407 Oliver Dr. Brookhaven, MS 39601

Sen. Joey Fillingane

Rep. Angela Cockerham

District 41: Covington, Lamar, Marion, and Walthall counties

District 96: Adams, Amite, Pike, and Wilkinson counties

Address: 8 Westbrook Dr. Sumrall, MS 39482

Address: P.O. Box 613 Magnolia, MS 39652

Sen. Andy Berry District 35: Copiah, Jefferson Davis, Lawrence, and Simpson counties Address: P.O. Box 1018 Jackson, MS 39215

Address: 92 Pigott Easterling Rd. Tylertown, MS 39667

Magnolia Electric Power business office will be closed on Monday, Jan. 15, 2024, for

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY In observance of MLK Day, MEP has joined with Cooperative Energy and will be participating in their Cooperative Day of Service. Employees of MEP will be holding a food drive through Friday, Jan. 19, 2024, as part of the observance. The food collected will help to restock local food pantries. If any MEP member would like to make a donation, please drop your food item off at the office.

In case of an outage or an emergency, a dispatcher will be on duty, and linemen will be on call. 2024 | JANUARY 17

2024 Magnolia Electric Power Annual Meeting Preliminary Notice of Annual Meeting of Members

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. By-Laws Governing the Association: 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 seventy-five (75) 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. 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 meeting 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

Dear Member, This is a preliminary notice of the Annual Meeting of Magnolia Electric Power to be held March 21, 2024, 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

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 2024 Annual Meeting in the mail at a later date.

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 Five District Two District Seven Jackie Daley Bettye Causey Lee Fortenberry Syble Davis Bobbie Power Robert Knippers Gloria Thames Linda Tiller Charles “Chuck” Rimes Jr.

AMORY – P.O. BOX 300 - 50408 GREENBRIAR ROAD – 662-256-2962 • CALEDONIA – 746 MAIN STREET – 662-356-4100

Keeping trees and branches at a safe distance from power lines reduces the potential for weather-related outages.

by Scott Flood

Severe weather events have always presented the biggest challenges to power reliability and safety. Electric co-ops take proactive steps to prepare lines and equipment for severe weather damage.

MEET YOUR 2024 MISSISSIPPI

elected oFFicials

Monroe County 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.

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

I TAWA M B A

PONTOTOC

COAHOMA

QUITMAN

YA L O B U S H 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

HUMPHREYS

NOXUBEE WINSTON

SHARKEY

YA Z O O MADISON

LEAKE

NESHOBA

KEMPER

SCOTT

NEWTON

LAUDERDALE

SMITH

JASPER

CLARKE

ISSAQUENA

RANKIN

HINDS WA R R E N

CLAIBORNE

COPIAH

SIMPSON

JEFFERSON

COVINGTON LINCOLN ADAMS

L AW R E N C E

FRANKLIN

JEFFERSON D AV I S LAMAR

WILKINSON

AMITE

WAY N E

JONES

PIKE

FORREST

PERRY

GREENE

MARION

WA LT H A L L

GEORGE

PEARL RIVER STONE

JACKSON HARRISON

HANCOCK

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

TATE REEVES Governor

DELBERT HOSEMANN Lieutenant Governor

congressional delegation U.S. SENATORS

ROGER WICKER

425 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510

16 JANUARY | 2024

CINDY HYDE-SMITH

702 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510

U.S. REPRESENTATIVES

TRENT KELLY First District

2243 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515

MICHAEL GUEST Third District

450 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Rep. Rickey Thompson District 16 Chickasaw, Lee, and Monroe counties Address 191 County Road 301 Shannon, MS 38868

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

Rep. Karl Gibbs

Rep. Andy Boyd

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

District 37 Clay, Lowndes, and Monroe counties Address P.O. Box 1018 Jackson, MS 39215

Rep. Jonathan (Jon) Lancaster District 22 Chickasaw, Monroe, and Pontotoc counties Address 463 CR 85 Houston, MS 38851

SENATE

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

Rep. Dana Underwood McLean

Sen. Charles A. (Chuck) Younger

District 39 Lowndes and Monroe counties Address 332 Williamsburg Rd. Columbus, MS 39705

District 17: Lowndes, Monroe, and Oktibbeha counties Address 1213 Younger Rd. Columbus, MS 39701

NOW AVAILABLE A free, interactive legislative app for Mississippi Rep. Kabir Karriem District 41 Lowndes County Address P.O. Box 1018 Jackson, MS 39215

2024 | JANUARY

by Miranda Boutelle

My winter energy bills are typically higher. Can you offer advice on how to lower bills during colder months?

Colder weather can increase energy use and bills since heating accounts for the highest wintertime energy consumption in most homes.

Do you use electric resistance space heaters to heat a room or small The amount of energy used to heat your home depends on your section of your home? If so, you may see an increase on your electric equipment, how you use it and the efficiency of your home’s shell — bill. For example, let’s say you use a 1,500-watt electric space heater the building components that separate the indoors from the outdoors. to warm your living room while you watch It’s important to know how your home TV or read a book. Operating that space is heated so you can make informed heater for two hours a day at the U.S. decisions on your energy use. It also average electricity rate of about 16 cents helps you prepare for upcoming bills and per kilowatt-hour will cost you about $15 avoid surprises that impact your budget. a month. Operating that same space heater A forced-air furnace is the most common for 12 hours a day will cost you about $90 type of heating system and is fueled by a month. natural gas, propane, oil or electricity. If you choose to use space heaters, use Heat pumps are growing in popularity them safely. Keep them 3 feet away from and available for forced-air systems. If anything flammable, do not leave them you have a forced-air system, check the unattended, and plug them directly into the filter regularly and replace when it’s dirty. outlet, not an extension cord or power strip. Ductless heat pumps, or mini-splits, Just as we put on a windbreaker to keep boilers, radiant heat, baseboard heaters cold winds from blowing through a sweater, and electric resistance heaters are other your home also benefits from blocking common heating system types. air movement. Air sealing can make a big If you don’t know what type of system improvement in the comfort of your home as you have, find the model number of well as provide energy savings. A common air your equipment and look it up online. sealing practice is applying weatherstripping You’ll find information about the kind of to exterior doors and windows. You can also system, how efficiently it operates, and seal around plumbing penetrations to help recommendations for servicing it, which Operating an additional heat source to warm a room or section of a home may increase your monthly electric bills. eliminate drafts. A gap often exists between can improve system efficiency. the drywall or wood and the plumbing pipes We use energy to make our homes and drains. Filling these gaps with expanding foam can reduce drafts comfortable. The easiest and lowest-cost way to save money on in bathrooms and kitchens. heating is to keep your thermostat as low as your comfort will allow. Cold, windy winter days are the perfect time to find opportunities The closer your home’s temperature is to the outdoor temperature, for air sealing. Rattling doors or moving curtains can indicate air the less energy is used. leakage. Air leakage can occur where two different materials come The U.S. Department of Energy recommends a thermostat setting together, like drywall and trim work. Cracked plaster and gaps in of 68 degrees in the winter while you are awake and lower when drywall can also cause drafts. Sealing the gaps saves energy and you are asleep or away from home. Keep in mind that setting the improves comfort. temperature too low can cause pipes to freeze or moisture issues As outdoor temperatures dip this winter, take a few proactive steps in some geographic locations. to maintain comfort in your home and keep your energy bill in check. Adding an additional layer of clothing, slippers, or a hat can keep you comfortable in a cooler home. Miranda Boutelle is the chief operating officer at Efficiency Services Group in Oregon. 18 JANUARY | 2024

North East Mississippi ELECTRIC POWER ASSOCIATION

For more information about Today in Mississippi, contact Sarah Brooke Bishop or Marlin Williams at 662-234-6331

nemepa.org

NEMEPA

@NorthEastPower

Annual Meeting held Dec. 9 North East Mississippi Electric Power Association’s Annual Meeting was held in person on Dec. 9, 2023, at 1 p.m. in the NEMEPA Auditorium. The meeting covered topics such as an update on the association and NE SPARC, the financial report, and Board elections. North East was excited to visit with our members at the Annual Meeting. If you missed the Annual Meeting in person, you can still watch it online at www.nemepa.org.

DIRECTOR ELECTIONS Official ballots were mailed and at NEMEPA’s Annual Meeting, three of the cooperative’s directors were re-elected to the board. Gene Hartley of Oxford (District 6), John Briscoe of Oxford (District 8), and Billy Ray Brown of Oxford (District 9) will continue to serve as directors.

Congratulations to our winners! Members who attended the Annual Meeting in-person were eligible for prizes, as well as those that sent in their mail-in ballots or turned in a proxy. Prize winners from voting in the election were randomly selected by our accounting firm, Franks, Franks, Wilemon, and Hagood. The winners of the mail-in ballots were as follows:

The winners of those who turned in a proxy were as follows:

The winners who attended the Annual Meeting were as follows:

S J Fisher III • 50” TV

Kara Cook • 50” TV

Doug Gean • 50” TV

William Ray Nicholas $500 NEMEPA/SPARC Bucks

Hiram M. Cooper $500 NEMEPA/SPARC Bucks

Roger Franck $500 NEMEPA/SPARC Bucks

Elliott Lumber Co. $250 NEMEPA/SPARC Bucks

John Drewery $250 NEMEPA/SPARC Bucks

Cynthia White $250 NEMEPA/SPARC Bucks

Sara Moore $250 NEMEPA/SPARC Bucks

Lisa L. Tatum $250 NEMEPA/SPARC Bucks

Yocona Community Center $250 NEMEPA/SPARC Bucks

Lawrence Hoskins $100 NEMEPA/SPARC Bucks

Harald Grisham $100 NEMEPA/SPARC Bucks

Ruthie Vaughn $100 NEMEPA/SPARC Bucks

Terry James $100 NEMEPA/SPARC Bucks

Michael Page $100 NEMEPA/SPARC Bucks

Robert E. Vaughn $100 NEMEPA/SPARC Bucks

Robert Barnard $100 NEMEPA/SPARC Bucks

Eddie Moak $100 NEMEPA/SPARC Bucks

James Turner $100 NEMEPA/SPARC Bucks

2024 | JANUARY

16 JANUARY | 2024

North East Mississippi Electric Power Association hosted our second annual Cooperative University on Nov. 1. Juniors from three local high schools attended the event to learn about cooperatives, the electric power industry, and to expand their leadership skills. During the morning session, students heard from Keith Hayward, North East Power CEO/general manager, and expanded their knowledge about their local cooperative and the seven cooperative principles. They also explored leadership with Marlin Williams, North East power manager of member services, and participated in fun team-building exercises to put their skills into action. From there, students learned about the Tennessee Valley Authority and the how power is generated, transmitted, and distributed to members of NEMEPA. TVA also provided hands-on demonstrations to reinforce what they were taught. Finally, the students gained appreciation for our linemen by learning what happens when there is a power outage and why safety is a top priority to us from Justin Smith, North East manager of engineering. They also got to try some of the skills our linemen use every day. From this group, judges selected students to represent North East Power for the Cooperative Youth Leaders program. Those selected will attend a leadership workshop in Jackson in February and a tour of Washington, D.C. in June.

Cooperative University

NORTH EAST MISSISSIPPI EPA HOSTS

2024 | JANUARY

Meet your 2024 Mississippi Elected Officials

NOW AVAILABLE

North East Mississippi Electric Power Association salutes Mississippi’s senators and representatives who represent our members at the 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.

A free, interactive legislative app for Mississippi The Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi offers an easy-to-use mobile app of Mississippi’s state and federal elected officials. Look for “ECM Legislative Roster” in the Apple App Store. An Android version is also available through Google Play.

SENATE

Sen. Kathy L. Chism District 3: Benton, Marshall, Pontotoc, Prentiss, and Union counties

Sen. Benjamin Suber District 8: Calhoun, Chickasaw, Lafayette, Pontotoc, and Yalobusha counties

Sen. Nicole Akins Boyd District 9: Lafayette and Panola counties

Sen. Neil Whaley District 10: Lafayette, Marshall, Tate, and Union counties

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

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

Rep. Sam J. Creekmore IV District 14: Union County

18 JANUARY | 2024

Rep. Josh Hawkins District 10: Lafayette and Panola counties

Rep. Andy Stepp District 23: Calhoun, Lafayette, Pontotoc, and Webster counties

Rep. Clay Deweese District 12: Lafayette County

Rep. Kevin Horan District 34: Carroll, Grenada, Lafayette, and Yalobusha counties

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

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

For more information about Today in Mississippi, contact Michael Bellipanni at 662.895.2151. northcentralelectric.com

NorthcentralEC

@Northcentral_EC

Reliability in 2024 The keyword for the electric industry going into 2024 is Reliability, Reliability, followed by more Reliability. Winter Storm Elliot produced drastically falling temperatures in December 2022, that resulted in rolling blackouts throughout the Tennessee Valley. TVA has worked to avoid a similar scenario this winter, but will it be enough? The recently released North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s Winter Assessment places the Tennessee Valley as an area of elevated risk in the event of extreme weather. At issue is the fact that electricity demand is growing, but supply is not. This concern is not limited to TVA alone. The reasons: Functional power generation facilities are being shut down, and environmental policies pertaining to new construction slow the process. While not opposed to environmental considerations, we need to be reasonable in the timeliness of required permits and construction. As a friend of mine explained, “We’re tearing down the old barn before building the new one.”

Northcentral will do all we are able to avoid last winter’s blackouts. From a communications and operations standpoint, we’ll be better. We’ll learn from December 2022, but we’ll also put it behind us. To quote the movie “Forrest Gump,” “Don’t you just love New Year’s? You get to start all over.” Even though we don’t require a “start over” at Northcentral, we do look forward to an energized kick start to 2024. Happy New Year. Happy birthday, Elvis. Stay safe.

by Kevin Doddridge General Manager/CEO

Northcentral ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

will be closed on

Monday, Jan. 15, 2024, in observance of

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY. 2024 | JANUARY

EMPOWERING CONNECTIONS

Dale Carnegie was a renowned American writer, lecturer, and the developer of courses in self-improvement, sales, public speaking, and interpersonal skills. His book “How to Win Friends and Influence People” was written nearly 90 years ago and remains one of the best-selling self-help books of all time. Carnegie’s development courses have been employed by top businesses, non-profits, and government entities since 1912. The resurgence of the Dale Carnegie course at Northcentral Electric Cooperative has not only brought back the classic approach to professional development but has also redefined workplace dynamics within the organization. Marking its return after 12 years, this comprehensive training initiative has left a lasting mark on the participants and the cooperative. The program is comprised of 12 weekly three-hour sessions and brought together 27 employees from all departments, including Northcentral Connect. This cross-functional collaboration was designed to break down silos and foster meaningful connections. Linemen collaborated with customer service representatives and system operators shared experiences with accountants, creating a vibrant learning environment that transcended the typical confines of day-to-day work interactions. Carnegie Managing Partner and Trainer Daren Howard set the tone for the course, promising participants that they would be “amazed at what you learn about people during this course.” The course challenged employees to step out of their comfort zones. From sharing personal anecdotes to participating in role playing exercises, participants discovered the power of vulnerability and genuine connection. Lineman Ethan Davis encapsulated the transformative nature of the course, emphasizing, “Everybody is human, and we are more alike than we realize. This course helps [us] with not just what to say in situations but also how to navigate them.” The impact of the Dale Carnegie course extends beyond the co-op’s departments, as Staff Accountant Michelle Doole attested, “It was the connections that we all gained that worked best for me.” This sentiment underscores the broader application of the course’s teachings in everyday life, emphasizing the development of interpersonal skills that go beyond professional settings. “These participants show the depth of our bench in the next generation for Northcentral,” says CEO/General Manager Kevin Doddridge. “It’s important for our people to know more about

16 JANUARY | 2024

each other, not just professionally, but personally. Our current management team won’t be here forever, and we need to give these future leaders the tools to grow within Northcentral equipped with strong connections.” He stressed the importance of fostering strong personal connections among team members, echoing the core principle of the Dale Carnegie course – “changing how people see themselves so they can change how the world sees them.” While public speaking was a component, the emphasis on group sessions allowed participants to share ideas, provide feedback, and strengthen the sense of camaraderie within the organization. The Nov. 30 graduation ceremony served as a testament to the participants’ growth and achievements. Each participant delivered a final presentation, reflecting on their learnings and outlining their plans for personal and professional improvement in the next six months. Planning Engineer Matt Proll encapsulated the sentiments of many stating, “This has definitely improved my personal and professional lives. Just empathizing with other people and understanding their point of view. Public speaking was something I would just go to great lengths to avoid.” The pinnacle of the ceremony was the Highest Award for Achievement, where participants voted for the colleague who exhibited overall improvement, active participation, and constructive feedback. Lineman Ethan Davis emerged as the deserving recipient, a testament to his growth in confidence and public speaking skills. Davis expressed his gratitude saying, “I’m still shocked I won this award and very honored that my peers voted for me. I never thought I could stand up in front of a group of people and speak. But each week, it seemed easier, and I grew confident and started to enjoy myself.” For organizations considering the Dale Carnegie course, Northcentral Electric Cooperative’s success story serves as a compelling endorsement. The course’s ability to forge connections, enhance communication skills, and instill confidence will not only benefit Northcentral’s internal relationships, but also those relationships with our members. More information on bringing the Dale Carnegie course to the workplace is available at dalecarnegie.com, offering a gateway to a transformative journey for both individuals and organizations alike.

Back row, L to R: Jody Morgan, Stephen Pannell, Matt Sones, Josh Feathers, and Hunter Canady Front row, L to R: Matt Proll, Joseph Branson, Kennedy Willis, Jim Davis, David Willett, Adam Conway, and Steven Shoffner

These participants show the depth of our bench in the next generation for Northcentral. It’s important for our people to know more about each other, not just professionally, but personally. Back row: Caitlin Luke, Rachel Ufferman, Michelle Doole, and Dee Russum Front row, L to R: Chris Thomley, Hannah Tyner, Lauren Presley, Lynn McAdams, and Ja’Brece Rounds

Director of Finance & Administration Mark Nichols presents a certificate of completion to IT Support Engineer Pete Nelson.

Carnegie’s Daren Howard and Mark Nichols present the top award to Lineman Ethan Davis.

Not Pictured: Cordell Eason, Ricardo Machin, Bobby Johnson, and Justin Jaggers

2024 | JANUARY

MEET YOUR 2024 MISSISSIPPI

ELECTED OFFICIALS

Northcentral Electric salutes Mississippi’s elected officials 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. Michael W. McLendon

Sen. David Parker

Sen. Nicole Akins Boyd

Sen. Neil Whaley

Sen. Kevin Blackwell

District 1: DeSoto County

District 2: DeSoto County

District 9: Lafayette and Panola counties

District 10: Lafayette, Marshall, Tate, and Union counties

District 19: DeSoto County

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Rep. John Faulkner

Rep. Justin Keen

Rep. Kimberly Remak

District 5: Benton, Lafayette, and Marshall counties

District 6: DeSoto County

District 7: DeSoto County

Rep. John T. (Trey) Lamar III

Rep. Rodney Hall District 20: DeSoto County

District 8: Lafayette and Tate counties

NOW AVAILABLE

A free, interactive legislative app for Mississippi

Rep. Jeff Hale

Rep. Bill Kinkade

District 24: DeSoto County

District 52: DeSoto and Marshall counties

18 JANUARY | 2024

PAY BILLS or REPORT OUTAGES: 855-2PRVEPA (855-277-8372) COLUMBIA: 601-736-2666 | HATTIESBURG: 601-264-2458 | PURVIS: 601-794-8051 | WIGGINS: 601-928-7277 Member owned. Locally operated. That’s the cooperative difference. • Visit us online at www.PRVEPA.com.

Employees recognized for service anniversaries Twenty Pearl River Valley Electric employees reached years-of-service milestones in 2023. During an employee gathering in November, the honorees were recognized for their efforts, dedication, and service to the Association and its members.

5 YEARS

Derrick Bell Nate Stafford Trey Ware

25 YEARS

Tammy Langston

Wes Cooley George Cutrer Johnny Finnan Kevin “Shorty” Herring Chris Till Keith Yawn

15 YEARS

30 YEARS

10 YEARS

Gavin Daughdrill Jon Mark Rayborn Kristie Robertson

20 YEARS

Nathan Brown

Tommy Baughman Anthony L. Harris Roger Stringer

5 YEARS

10 YEARS

15 YEARS

Derrick Bell, Nate Stafford, Trey Ware

Tammy Langston

Gavin Daughdrill, Kristie Robertson, Jon Mark Rayborn

25 YEARS

Wes Cooley, George Cutrer, Kevin Herring, Chris Till, Keith Yawn

30 YEARS

35 YEARS

Tommy Bond Rusty Rawls Debra S. Smith

Tommy Baughman, Roger Stringer, Anthony Harris

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK AND X Pearl River Valley Electric is on social media. Keep up to date with PRVEPA news and receive information on outages. Simply search for @MyPRVEPA on Facebook and X to follow us.

Tommy Bond, Debra Smith, Rusty Rawls

Pearl River Valley ELECTRIC POWER ASSOCIATION

will be closed on

Monday, Jan. 15, 2024, in observance of

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY. A dispatcher will be on duty. 2024 | JANUARY

MEET YOUR 2024

MISSISSIPPI ELECTED OFFICIALS The Mississippi Legislature convenes in January for the 2024 session. Pearl River Valley Electric Power Association salutes Mississippi’s senators and representatives who represent our members 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.

CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION

SENATE

SENATORS

ROGER WICKER

United States Senator

Sen. Andy Berry

Sen. Jason Barrett

District 35: Copiah, Jefferson Davis, Lawrence, and Simpson counties

District 39: Amite, Franklin, Pike, Lawrence, and Lincoln counties

Sen. Angela Burks Hill

Address: P.O. Box 1018 Jackson, MS 39215

Address: P.O. Box 729 Brookhaven, MS 39602

Sen. Joey Fillingane

Sen. Dennis DeBar, Jr. Sen. John A. Polk

District 41: Covington, Lamar, Marion, and Walthall counties

District 43: George, Greene, and Wayne counties

District 40: Pearl River and Stone counties Address: 54 Watts Rd. Picayune, MS 39466

CINDY HYDE-SMITH United States Senator

REPRESENTATIVES

Address: 8 Westbrook Dr. Sumrall, MS 39482

TRENT KELLY First District

Second District

District 45: Forrest and Perry counties

Third District

Address: 53 Tidewater Rd. Hattiesburg, MS 39402

BENNIE G. THOMPSON

Sen. Chris Johnson

MICHAEL GUEST

Address: P.O. Box 1090 Leakesville, MS 39451

District 44: Lamar County

MIKE EZELL

Fourth District

Address: P.O. Box 18247 Hattiesburg, MS 39404

Sen. Joseph M. “Mike” Seymour District 47: Harrison, Jackson, and Stone counties Address: 15417 Indian Fork Rd. Vancleave, MS 39565

NOW AVAILABLE

A free, interactive legislative app for Mississippi

It’s easy to know your elected officials.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Rep. Vince Mangold District 53: Franklin, Lawrence, Lincoln, and Pike counties

Rep. Joseph “Bubba” Tubb District 87: Forrest and Lamar counties

Address: P.O. Box 1018 Jackson, MS 39215

Address: 6597 Highway 98 Suite B Hattiesburg, MS 39042

Rep. Bill Pigott

Rep. Ken Morgan

District 99: Lamar, Lawrence, Marion, and Walthall counties

District 100: Lamar and Marion counties

Rep. Noah Sanford

Rep. Bob Evans

Rep. Timmy Ladner

District 90: Covington, Forrest, Jefferson Davis, Jones, and Simpson counties

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

District 93: Hancock, Pearl River, and Stone counties

Address: P.O. Box 1900 Collins, MS 39428

Rep. Kenneth “Kent” McCarty

Rep. Missy Warren McGee

District 101: Lamar County

District 102: Forrest and Lamar counties

Address: 1640 Hwy. 587 Morgantown, MS 39483

Address: 13 Leaf Ln. Hattiesburg, MS 39402

Rep. Larry Byrd

Rep. Elliot Burch

Rep. Jansen Owen

District 104: Forrest County

District 105: George, Greene, and Perry counties

District 106: Lamar and Pearl River counties

Address: 17 Byrd Rd. Petal, MS 39465

Address: P.O. Box 1215 Lucedale, MS 39452

Address: P.O. Box 249 Poplarville, MS 39470

Address: 92 Pigott Easterling Rd. Tylertown, MS 39667

Address: P.O. Box 636 Monticello, MS 39654

Address: P.O. Box 1018 Jackson, MS 39215

Rep. Percy W. Watson District 103: Forrest County Address: P.O. Box 1767 Hattiesburg, MS 39401

Address: P.O. Box 19089 Hattiesburg, MS 39404

Rep. Ronald Steve Lott

Rep. Jeffrey Guice

District 107: George and Stone counties

Address: 1208 Iola Rd. Ocean Springs, MS 39564

Address: 125 Ashton Dr. Lucedale, MS 39452

District 114: Jackson County

2024 | JANUARY

by Miranda Boutelle

My winter energy bills are typically higher. Can you offer advice on how to lower bills during colder months?

Colder weather can increase energy use and bills since heating accounts for the highest wintertime energy consumption in most homes.

PONTOTOC 662-489-3211 • Fax: 662-489-5156

BRUCE 662-983-2727 • Fax: 662-983-1335

P.O. Drawer 718 • 12 South Main Street, Pontotoc, MS 38863

P.O. Box 415 • 129 South Newberger Street, Bruce, MS 38915

PEPA and employees provide foster care bags with 2nd Gratitude Project For the second year, Pontotoc Electric has delivered items to those in need as part of its Gratitude Project. During the month of October, employees were asked to donate money or items such as school supplies, hygiene items, pajamas, and toys for children being taken into foster care. PEPA donated drawstring bags to hold the items collected. A total of 25 bags were made up, with 15 going to Pontotoc’s

Department of Human Services, and the other 10 bags to Bruce’s Child Protective Services. With “Concern for Community” as one of our Seven Cooperative Principles, PEPA is proud to assist those in need each year. PEPA General Manager Frankie Moorman said, “Our employees gave from their hearts, and I am thankful to work with individuals who see a need and work toward a solution.”

Meterman Jimmy Williamson and Service Clerk Kollette Loggins fill bags with items for foster children.

PEPA HR Manager Jennifer Johnson (far right) delivered bags to representatives at the Pontotoc County Department of Human Services.

PEPA was proud to be a part of the Pontotoc Christmas parade on December 4. Apprentice Lineman Clay Kidd drove the parade route in our bucket truck, along with special helper (Clay’s son) Ellis Kidd.

2024 | JANUARY

MEET YOUR 2024 MISSISSIPPI

ELECTED OFFICIALS

Pontotoc 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.

NOW AVAILABLE A free, interactive legislative app for Mississippi TATE REEVES

DELBERT HOSEMANN

Governor

Lieutenant Governor

CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION

ROGER WICKER United States Senator

16 JANUARY | 2024

CINDY HYDE-SMITH United States Senator

TRENT KELLY First District Representative

SENATE

Sen. Kathy L. Chism

Sen. Chad McMahan

Sen. Benjamin A. Suber

District 3: Benton, Marshall, Pontotoc, Prentiss, and Union counties Address: 1506 Moss Hill Drive New Albany, MS 38652

District 6: Itawamba and Lee counties Address: P.O. Box 1018 Jackson, MS 39215

District 8: Calhoun, Chickasaw, Lafayette, Pontotoc, and Yalobusha counties Address: P.O. Box 8 Bruce, MS 38915

Sen. Nicole Akins Boyd

Sen. Neil Whaley

District 9: Lafayette and Panola counties Address: 113 Sivley Street Oxford, MS 38655

District 10: Lafayette, Marshall, Tate, and Union counties Address: 661 Tippah River Rd. Potts Camp, MS 38659

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Rep. Beth Luther Waldo

Rep. Steve Massengill

District 15: Pontotoc County

District 13: Benton, Lafayette, Marshall, Pontotoc, and Union counties

Address: 4004 Highway 9 South Pontotoc, MS 38863

Address: 1322 Hwy. 5 Hickory Flat, MS 38633

Rep. Jerry Turner

Rep. Jonathan “Jon” Lancaster

District 18: Lee and Prentiss counties

District 22: Chickasaw, Monroe, and Pontotoc counties

Address: 1290 Carrollville Ave. Baldwyn, MS 38826

Rep. Andy Stepp District 23: Calhoun, Lafayette, Pontotoc, and Webster counties Address: P.O. Box 650 Bruce, MS 38915

Address: 463 CR 85 Houston, MS 38851

Rep. Sam Creekmore District 14: Union County Address: 1315 South Central Avenue New Albany, MS 38652 2024 | JANUARY

Enjoy these great recipes from our employees and retirees! It’s a new year, and a great time to try these tasty soups as you get cozy during the cold weather months. Add a garden salad and a loaf of crusty bread for a flavorful meal.

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Potato Cheese Soup

Sue Cook (PEPA Retiree)

Jennifer Johnson (PEPA HR Manager)

INGREDIENTS 1 /2 cup Wesson oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1 /2 teaspoon minced garlic 1 /4 cup all-purpose flour 1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped

/4 teaspoon pepper 2 (14 oz) cans chicken broth 1 /4 cup chopped fresh basil 1 teaspoon sugar 1 /2 teaspoon salt 1 /4 teaspoon dill weed 1

In saucepan, in hot oil, sauté onion and garlic until tender. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients. Stir until well blended. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. In a blender or food processor, puree until smooth. Makes 6 cups.

INGREDIENTS 4 tablespoons margarine 1 cup water 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 can cream of potato soup 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 2 1 /4 2 2 /3 1

(5 oz) can evaporated milk chicken bouillon cubes teaspoon pepper tablespoons water cup milk cup new potatoes, chopped

Combine margarine, 1 cup water, bouillon cubes, and pepper and bring to boil. Dissolve cornstarch into the 2 tablespoons of water and stir into mixture. Add potato soup, new potatoes, evaporated milk, and milk. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Add cheese and cook slowly until melted. Pour into bowls and top with grated cheese, chopped green onions, and bacon.

Wild Rice Soup

Chili

Mary Williamson (PEPA Collections Manager)

Curtis (PEPA Retiree) and Seretha Gregory

INGREDIENTS 2 tablespoons butter or margarine 1 med. carrot, coarsely shredded 1 small green pepper, chopped 1 /2 teaspoon salt 1 /4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, if desired 1 (10 1/2 oz) can condensed chicken broth 1 1/2 cups canned or frozen cooked wild rice 1 /3 cup slivered almonds, toasted

2 1 1 /4 1 /4 1 1 1 /4

med. stalks celery, sliced med. onion, chopped cup Bisquick teaspoon pepper cup water cup half and half cup chopped fresh parsley

In 3-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add celery, carrot, onion, and bell pepper. Cook about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Stir in Bisquick, salt, pepper, and thyme. Stir in water, broth, and wild rice. Heat to boiling, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in half and half, almonds, and parsley. Heat until just hot. Do not boil. Makes 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS 2 pounds ground beef 2 cans tomato sauce 1 /2 cup chopped jalapeno peppers 1 can kidney beans 2 cans chopped tomatoes 1 can Ro-tel tomatoes 1 can chili beans 1 packet chili seasoning Cook ground beef and drain. Add all other ingredients and let cook 30 minutes.

Our locations will be closed on Monday, Jan. 15, 2024, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. A Pontotoc Electric dispatcher is on duty 24 hours per day, seven days per week. To report a power outage after hours or during the holiday, please call 662-489-6711 (Pontotoc) • 662-983-2727 (Bruce) 18 JANUARY | 2024

PEPA retirees recently posed for a photo after enjoying lunch as appreciation for their years of service to the company.

BRIAN HUGHEY

General Manager & CEO Bringing power and energy services to local communities

AMANDA PARKER, CCC

For more information, call 601-947-4211 or 228-497-1313. www.singingriver.com

@singingriverelectric

PR and Marketing Specialist

@SRECooperative

Ways to save this winter filter can clog your system and make it work harder. Other ways to save include making sure attic ductwork is sealed and properly insulated, making sure attic insulation is rated appropriately, keeping curtains and shades open during the day to let the sun in, applying weatherstripping around doors and caulk around windows, and keeping the fireplace flue closed when not in use. It is possible to curtail kilowatt-hour use and maintain or lower your power bill in cold weather. Singing River Electric has many resources and tools available for our members and works to partner with you for energy savings. For more information, visit singingriver.com/ ways-to-save.

by Brian Hughey General Manager and CEO

Manager of PR and Marketing

SAMUEL GOFF

PR and Marketing Coordinator

SRE is an equal opportunity employer and provider.

A MESSAGE FROM YOUR CEO

As we enter the peak of the winter season, it is a good time to remind ourselves of ways to save on our electric bill. Cold weather, especially extended and extreme cold, can cause higher electric bills because it takes more energy to heat a home than to cool one. Depending on the type of heating system you own, about 50% of your electric bill is a direct result of heating your home. Setting your thermostat to 68 degrees or lower during winter days will result in energy savings. Programmable thermostats are a great tool used by many members to automatically adjust the temperature, even when no one is home. With heat pumps, manually raising your thermostat by more than two degrees at a time may cause your auxiliary heat to turn on – resulting in the need for more energy. When increasing the temperature in your home, it is recommended to do it one-to-two degrees at a time, let the heating unit catch up, and then continue to raise the temperature incrementally until the desired temperature is reached. To keep your system operating efficiently, it is important to replace air filters monthly. A dirty

LORRI FREEMAN, APR

@singingriverelectric

Energy Tips

Gabe Robbins

Energy Services Representative robbins@singingriver.com

Space heaters use more energy than you think Portable space heaters are meant to do exactly as their name says: heat a small space. Although they are convenient and affordable, the cost of operating an electric space heater can take a toll on your energy bill. Just two space heaters can use the same amount of power as a 3-ton high-efficiency electric heat pump! If your home is energy efficient but you’re cold-natured and want a specific room to be cozier than the rest, a space heater may work. Remember to use a properly sized space heater and only use it in small spaces that you’re occupying. Shut doors in that room to keep the warmth contained in your space. Purchase a newer model that includes the most current safety features and make sure it carries the Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL) label. Place the heater on a level surface away from furniture, blankets and foot traffic when in use. Always keep children and pets away from space heaters. Consider alternative ways to stay warm like extra layers of clothing or UL-approved electric blankets. If you have hardwood or tile floors, lay down area rugs to provide additional insulation and maintain warmth. For additional energy-saving measures rather than relying on space heaters for supplemental warmth, visit singingriver.com/ ways-to-save.

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 located at 11187 Old 63 South and obtain a director qualification packet. The forms and petitions included must be completed, and the packet returned by the close of business on the last business day of February (Thursday, February 29, 2024).

Pathways2Possibilities Interactive and hands-on career exploration for 8th graders

elebrating its 10th year, the annual Pathways2Possibilities (P2P) Career Expo is an opportunity for our employees to share their knowledge about the many career opportunities available in the energy industry. Singing River Electric employees participated in the P2P event on November 1516 at the Mississippi Coast Convention Center in Biloxi. Making up the Energy Pathway were Singing River Electric, Cooperative Energy, Coast Electric, Mississippi Power, and Chevron. Students enjoyed a true hands-on experience where they performed tasks like climbing a power pole and framing a pole—all while wearing rubber lineman gloves. They also experienced role-play at the member service representative booth and learned about fiber internet from our fiber technicians at the Singing River Connect booth. The P2P event is a unique opportunity for both students and SRE employees. It provides our employees with a way to mentor area youth and give back—which also fulfills our seventh cooperative principle – Concern for Community. Almost 7,000 8th graders from area schools and homeschool associations were introduced to careers in energy, aerospace, agriculture, finance, hospitality, information technology, construction, and other industries. 16 JANUARY | 2024

Inside the Energy Pathway, students learned about the importance of customer service through interactive role-play, had their picture made from inside a lineman’s bucket, and experienced climbing a pole in a lineman’s gear.

Background on P2P Gulf Coast P2P now serves to educate eighth graders in Mississippi, Tennessee and South Carolina. It was started by members of the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce Education Issues Manager Group. They attended a career expo in Alabama called Worlds of Opportunity (WOO) and decided to bring this career fair to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. P2P debuted on November 13-14, 2013, covering the 133,000 square-feet of the Mississippi Coast Convention Center. Singing River Electric began its P2P participation at this event. It was attended by 6,000 8th graders and became an instant success, expanding to the Tupelo, Delta and northwest Mississippi areas. This was followed by career fairs in Tennessee and North Carolina. For more information, visit pathways2possibilities.org.

Fiber Construction Timeline

STEP 1: Make-ready engineering

Examine. Design.

Forts Lake, Helena, Escatawpa South and Helena Industrial substation areas

STEP 2: Make-ready construction

Planning the most eﬃcient approach to ﬁber deployment. Benndale and Wade substation areas

STEP 3: Construction

Building a network from the ground up.

Rocky Creek, Lucedale South, Leakesville, Joe Batt and Vancleave substation areas

STEP 4: Splicing

Connecting the dots.

Sand Hill, Big Point (Highway 613 S feeder), and Frank Snell substation areas

STEP 5: Service drop & drop splicing

The last outdoor step. Almost there…

SR CONNECT SPONSORS COFFEE FOR GEORGE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL VETERAN’S DAY PROGRAM We are partnering with our local communities in many ways, including assisting with the recent Veteran program at George County High School. When you see the SRC logo and our employees out and about, stop by and say hi! We work in the communities we call home, and that’s what makes giving back such a natural effort. If you don’t have SRC’s fiber internet, visit www.singingriverconnect.com/ signup to search open fiber service areas or to sign up TODAY! We recently met the milestone of 6,000 active subscribers and are building more than 180 miles of fiber construction each month.

Big Point (Highway 613 N and Three Rivers feeders), Cumbest Bluﬀ, State Line, Kittrell and McLain substation areas and all previously opened ﬁber areas

STEP 6: Installation

The speed of light, right to your home.

State Line, Kittrell, McLain, Big Point (Highway 613 N and Three Rivers feeders), Cumbest Bluﬀ substation areas and all previously opened ﬁber areas

SR Connect is delivering lightning-fast, fiber internet. New fiber areas are announced by electric substation and feeder. You can search open fiber areas and your address for service at singingriverconnect.com/signup. To find out which SRE substation and feeder serves your home, Scan here! text SRE MSR during business hours at 228-591-9166.

singingriverconnect.com

ProtectIQ®

SAFEGUARD YOUR DIGITAL LIFE Defend against online threats with ProtectIQ®

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.

Meet your 2024 Mississippi Elected Officials

CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION

TATE REEVES

Governor

DELBERT HOSEMANN Lieutenant Governor

MICHAEL WATSON

Secretary of State

ROGER WICKER United States Senator

CINDY HYDE-SMITH United States Senator

MIKE EZELL United States Representative Fourth District

MISSISSIPPI SENATE

Sen. Robin Robinson District 42: Forrest, Greene, Jones, and Wayne counties Address: P.O. Box 1963 Laurel, MS 39441

Sen. Dennis DeBar, Jr.

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

AVAILABLE!

District 45: Forrest and Perry counties Address: P.O. Box 18247 Hattiesburg, MS 39404

Sen. Joseph M. “Mike” Seymour

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

Sen. Scott Delano

District 50: Harrison County Address: P.O. Box 4524 Biloxi, MS 39535

Sen. Jeremy England

District 51: Jackson County Address: P.O. Box 6363 Vancleave, MS 39565

Rep. Shane Barnett

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

★

Sen. Brice Wiggins

District 52: Jackson County Address: P.O. Box 922 Pascagoula, MS 39568

MISSISSIPPI HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

A free, interactive legislative app for Mississippi

The Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi offers a free, easy-to-use mobile app, which provides information on Mississippi’s state and federal elected officials. Look for “ECM Legislative Roster” in the Apple App Store. An Android version is also available through Google Play.

Sen. Chris Johnson

★

Rep. Elliott Burch

Rep. Ronald Steve Lott

Rep. Manly Barton

Rep. Jeramey Anderson

Rep. Jimmy Fondren

Rep. John O. Read

Rep. Henry B. “Hank” Zuber III

Rep. Jeffrey S. Guice

Rep. Zachary Grady

Rep. Casey Eure

District 105: George, Greene, and Perry counties Address: P.O. Box 1215 Lucedale, MS 39452

District 112: Jackson County Address: 2396 Robert Hiram Dr., Gautier, MS 39553

District 107: George and Stone counties Address: 1125 Ashton Dr. Lucedale, MS 39452

District 113: Jackson County Address: 503 Minor Lane Ocean Springs, MS 39564

District 109: George and Jackson counties Address: 7905 Pecan Ridge Dr. Moss Point, MS 39562

District 114: Jackson County Address: 1208 Iola Rd. Ocean Springs, MS 39564

District 110: Jackson County Address: P.O. Box 311 Escatawpa, MS 39562

District 115: Harrison County Address: P.O. Box 6326 D'Iberville, MS 39540

District 111: Jackson County Address: 906 Convent Ave. Pascagoula, MS 39567

District 116: Harrison County Address: 11839 Sleeping Deer Lane, Saucier, MS 39754

BRINGING THE POWER WWW. SOUTHER NPI NE.COOP | P.O. BOX 60 | 1 349 1 H WY. 28 | TAY LO R SV ILLE , MS 39 1 6 8 | 8 0 0.2 3 1 .524 0

Reliable Power for Today – and Tomorrow Ringing in a new year tends to renew optimism about the future. As the CEO of Southern Pine Electric, I use this time to reflect on where we are and where we’re going. I also think about ways we can serve you better. Our team at Southern Pine is always looking ahead, exploring ways to innovate and utilize new technologies to improve our services. As our nation increasingly relies on electricity to power the economy, keeping the lights on has never been more critical. We’re committed to powering–and empowering–our community at a cost local families and businesses can afford. So, how are we working to ensure reliable and affordable power while adapting to a changing energy landscape and our community’s evolving needs? We’re increasingly using more electricity generated from renewable energy sources. However, we still depend on a diverse energy mix to ensure reliable power is available to our members whenever they need it. In addition to managing a reliable energy mix, we are using technology to enhance our local grid, limit service disruptions, and improve outage response times. We currently use tablets, iPads, and iPhones to access mobile workforce programs, outage maps, advanced metering technology, and supervisory control and data acquisition technology that helps us to better respond to the needs of our members. These programs assist employees with monitoring, navigating, communicating, and safely assessing power outages. Utilizing these technologies has proven to be a valuable resource when improving reliability. Distribution Automation, or DA, is a group of technologies including communication networks, switches, information, and sensors which a

utility utilizes for monitoring, managing, and controlling the electric distribution system. This group of technologies affords a utility the ability to automatically collect, analyze, optimize, and control switching operations of the electric distribution system to improve the overall operational efficiency. Our team at Southern Pine is currently in the process of implementing Distribution Automation to further improve the reliability of our consumers. Advanced metering technology, or AMI, enables two-way communication between the co-op and consumers. In the event of a power outage, AMI helps pinpoint the exact location of the outage and can even analyze damaged or tampered meters. AMI helps us save money with real-time data and ultimately improves our community’s power reliability. Proactive right-of-way trimming is another way we limit service disruptions. Scheduled trimming keeps power lines clear from overgrown limbs that might fall. We made tremendous strides in right-of-way clearing last year and plan to continue our aggressive efforts in 2024. As we look ahead to 2024, Southern Pine will continue striving to provide the reliable, affordable electricity you expect and deserve– for today and tomorrow.

A NEW WAY TO MANAGE YOUR ACCOUNT

President/CEO Southern Pine Electric

A NEW WAY TO MANAGE YOUR ACCOUNT

SOUTHERN PINE ELECTRIC

ELECTRIC WAY

by Chris K. Rhodes

EASILY MANAGE YOUR ACCOUNT ON THE GO

Manage your account, pay your bill, report outages and more from our new mobile app. SOUTHERN PINE ELECTRIC

ELECTRIC WAY

MOBILE APP Manage your account, pay your bill, report outages andAPP more from our MOBILE new mobile app. 2024 | JANUARY

Southern Pine 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.

CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION SENATORS

SENATE

REPRESENTATIVES

Sen. Josh Harkins

ROGER WICKER United States Senator

CINDY HYDE-SMITH United States Senator

TRENT KELLY Congressional First District

MICHAEL GUEST Congressional Third District

BENNIE G. THOMPSON Congressional Second District

MIKE EZELL Congressional Fourth District

We use Facebook, X and Instagram to post information on how to become more energy efficient, safety tips and to inform members about special events throughout the year. During weather-related events, these sites provide storm preparation details and outage information. However, social media is not the most efficient means toreport an outage, as it is not monitored 24-7.

MyPower is an online tool that allows members to check energy use, view previous bills and set a monthly electricity-use budget. The site also provides an easy-to-use method for reporting an outage and allows you to email questions or comments to Southern Pine. To sign up for MyPower, visit southernpine.coop and click on the MyPower icon in the center of the home page.

District 20: Rankin County

Sen. Dean Kirby District 30: Rankin County

Sen. Tyler McCaughn

District 31: Lauderdale, Newton, Rankin, and Scott counties

Sen. Juan Barnett

Sen. Andy Berry

Sen. Albert Butler

Sen. Brian Rhodes

Sen. Jason Barrett

Sen. Joey Fillingane

District 34: Forrest, Jasper, and Jones counties

District 36: Rankin and Smith counties

Sen. Chris Johnson District 45: Forrest and Perry counties

District 35: Copiah, Jefferson Davis, Lawrence, and Simpson counties

District 39: Amite, Franklin, Lawrence, Pike, and Lincoln counties

District 37: Adams, Franklin, Claiborne, Copiah, Hinds, and Jefferson counties

District 41: Covington, Lamar, Marion, and Walthall counties

NOW AVAILABLE

A free, interactive legislative app for Mississippi

It’s easy to know your elected officials.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Rep. Kenji Holloway

Rep. Fred Shanks

Rep. Gene Newman

District 27: Attala, Leake, Madison, and Scott counties

District 60: Rankin County

District 61: Rankin County

Rep. Celeste Hurst

Rep. Gregory Holloway Sr.

Rep. Price Wallace

Rep. Lance Varner District 62: Copiah, Rankin, and Simpson counties

District 76: Copiah and Hinds counties

District 77: Rankin and Simpson counties

District 78: Leake, Newton, and Scott counties

Rep. Steve Horne

Rep. Billy Adam Calvert

Rep. Troy Smith

Rep. Noah Sanford

District 81: Clarke, Lauderdale, and Newton counties

District 83: Kemper, Lauderdale, and Newton counties

District 84: Clarke, Jasper, and Newton counties

District 90: Covington, Forrest, Jefferson Davis, Jones, and Simpson counties

Rep. Lee Yancey

Rep. Mark Tullos

Rep. Omeria Scott

Rep. Bob Evans

Rep. Becky Currie

District 68: Hinds and Rankin counties

Rep. Randy Rushing

District 75: Madison, Rankin, and Scott counties

Rep. Zakiya Summers

District 79: Jasper, Rankin, Scott, and Smith counties

District 74: Rankin County

District 80: Clarke, Jasper, and Jones counties

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

District 92: Copiah, Lawrence, and Lincoln counties

THANK YOU

for a job well done to all our representatives and senators who represent constituents residing in our service area! Rep. Percy Watson District 103: Forrest County

2024 | JANUARY

Southern Pine Electric Celebrates

85 YEARS Southern Pine Electric held its annual membership meeting on Thursday, November 9, 2023, at 2 p.m. and marked the cooperative’s 85th anniversary. Before the meeting, Southern Pine employees welcomed members at booths focused on electric safety, conservation, member services, and more. Members had the opportunity to visit the health fair sponsored by Green Eye Clinic and Covington County Hospital, enjoy a fried catfish lunch, and visit member spotlight booths that highlighted members and their products from each district. The Cotton Blossom Singers from Piney Woods School started the meeting with a beautiful vocal performance. Chris Rhodes, president and CEO of Southern Pine Electric, opened the meeting, speaking to members of 2023 challenges and accomplishments. He also discussed the substantial rise in the cost of materials and equipment required to provide electric power. Guest speaker NRECA Board President Tony Anderson spoke about the history of electric cooperatives, particularly Southern Pine. Darnell Moffett followed with a rousing message about unity. Then, the business portion of the meeting was held, closed out by students from Maranatha School’s choir. Lucky members won electricity bill credits, quilts, and one member won the retired Southern Pine fleet truck. “The very reason we exist is because of our members,” said Rhodes. “We appreciate our members taking time from their busy schedules to attend the meeting and show support for their co-op. Without members, there is no Southern Pine.” Over 600 members attended the meeting to cast their ballots for three directors who were up for reelection. Greg Sullivan of Covington County, Richard Thoms of Newton County, and Charles Lowe of Copiah County were all elected to serve three-year terms.

18 JANUARY | 2024

AT ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING

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

P.O. Box 5 • 18671 Highway 61 • Lorman, MS 39096 | 601-437-3611 | 800-287-8564 | Fax: 601-437-8736 | Email: info@swepa.coop southwestelectric.coop

Southwest Electric

SWElectricCoop

sw_electric_coop

Southwest Electric

EMPLOYEES EARN SERVICE AWARDS Every December, Southwest Electric recognizes our employees and their years of service to our cooperative’s Members. In December 2023, twelve employees were recognized and received awards noting their years of service.

35 years

Jr Keller

30 years

25 years

Jason Delaney

Tena Anderson

David Strittman

20 years

Tina Strittman

10 yyears

Riley Carson

Amanda Cranfield

Benito Foster

15 years

Tim Collins

Frank May

5 years

Chad Buckley

Doug Tanksley 2024 | JANUARY

MEET YOUR 2024 MISSISSIPPI

elected oFFicials

Southwest 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.

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

I TAWA M B A

PONTOTOC

COAHOMA

QUITMAN

YA L O B U S H A

1 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

HUMPHREYS

NOXUBEE WINSTON

SHARKEY

YA Z O O MADISON

LEAKE

NESHOBA

KEMPER

SCOTT

NEWTON

LAUDERDALE

SMITH

JASPER

CLARKE

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

WA LT H A L L

GEORGE

PEARL RIVER

TATE REEVES Governor

DELBERT HOSEMANN

GREENE

MARION

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

STONE

JACKSON HARRISON

HANCOCK

Lieutenant Governor

congressional delegation U.S. SENATORS

ROGER WICKER

425 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510

16 JANUARY | 2024

CINDY HYDE-SMITH

702 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510

U.S. REPRESENTATIVES

BENNIE THOMPSON Second District

2466 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515

MICHAEL GUEST Third District

450 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515

NOW AVAILABLE

A free, interactive legislative app for Mississippi

SENATE

Sen. Albert Butler, Sr.

Sen. Gary Brumfield

Sen. Jason Barrett

District 37: Adams, Claiborne, Copiah, Franklin, Hinds, and Jefferson counties

District 38: Adams, Amite, Pike, Walthall, and Wilkinson counties

District 39: Amite, Franklin, Lawrence, Lincoln, and Pike counties

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Rep. Vince Mangold

Rep. Stephanie Foster

District 53: Franklin, Lawrence, Lincoln, and Pike counties

District 63: Hinds County

Rep. Becky Currie District 92: Copiah, Lawrence, and Lincoln counties

Rep. Gregory L. Holloway, Sr.

Rep. Jeffery Harness

District 76: Copiah and Hinds counties

District 85: Claiborne, Franklin, Jefferson, and Warren counties

Rep. Robert L. Johnson, III

Rep. Angela Cockerham

Rep. Sam C. Mims, V

District 94: Adams, Franklin, and Jefferson counties

District 96: Adams, Amite, Pike, and Wilkinson counties

District 97: Adams, Amite, Franklin, and Pike counties

2024 | JANUARY

2023 cooperative University

Students built a model of the power process and explained how electricity is generated at the power plant and distributed to their homes.

held in Port Gibson Southwest Electric held its 7th annual Cooperative University on Dec. 5 at the Myers-Marx Building in downtown Port Gibson. Eighteen students from ten schools competed to become the 2024 representatives for Southwest Electric. The students had a full day of learning about electricity, the history of rural electric cooperatives and the cooperative business model, as well as hearing from elected officials. They had handson experience tying wire to a cross-arm, holding tools the lineworkers use, seeing the inside of a transformer and learning how a meter works. Out-of-town judges chose a smaller group of students to return Dec. 6 for interviews. This is the 36th year that Southwest Electric has participated in the Cooperative Youth Leaders program administered by the Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi.

Lineman Justin May and Apparatus Crew Leader Michael Johnson showed students the materials that are attached at the top of a pole. Students were able to wear lineman gloves to tighten bolts and tie wire.

Ava Calcote • Brookhaven Academy Avery Fleming • Natchez High School Avery Sellers • Loyd Star Attendance Center Cara Carberry • Franklin County High School Emma Massey • Adams County Christian School Georneya Garrett • Brookhaven High School Jade June • Wilkinson County Christian Academy Ja’Kobe Brown • Jefferson County High School Justice Allen • Natchez High School Kelis Morris • Natchez Early College Academy Kennedy Davis • Port Gibson High School Knox Leggett • Loyd Star Attendance Center Ja’Lacika King • Jefferson County High School Nathan Poole • Brookhaven Academy Patty Jo Hickman • Adams County Christian School Peyton Bell • Natchez Early College Academy Pictured in the front row from left to right are Port Gibson Mayor Willie White, and state legislators, Senator Albert Butler, Representative Vince Mangold, Representative Jeffery Harness, and Senator Jason Barrett. Students had the opportunity to talk to the elected officials and ask them questions.

18 JANUARY | 2024

Raynee Durr • Brookhaven High School Xavien Felton • Franklin County High School

P.O. BOX 206 • 109 EAST COOPER ST. | RIPLEY, MS 38663 | OFFICE & REPORT OUTAGES — 662-837-8139 | PAY BY PHONE — 662-212-5233 FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK

TWITTER

AND INSTAGRAM

VISIT US ONLINE @ WWW.TIPPAHEPA.COM

Reliable power for today

and tomorrow

Ringing in a new year sparks a sense of renewed hope and optimism about the future. As the CEO of Tippah EPA, for me, it’s a time to reflect on where we are and where we’re going. At the heart of this reflection, I think about ways we can better serve you, the members of the cooperative. Our team at Tippah EPA is always looking ahead, exploring ways to innovate and utilize new technologies to improve our services. As our nation increasingly relies on electricity to power the economy, keeping the lights on has never been more important. We’re committed to powering — and empowering — our community at a cost local families and businesses can afford. So how are we working to ensure reliable and affordable power while adapting to a changing energy landscape and our community’s evolving needs? One critical component of reliable power is the mix of energy resources used to generate the electricity that keeps the lights on across Benton, Tippah, and Union Counties in Mississippi, as well as Hardeman County in Tennessee. You may not realize it, but Tippah EPA doesn’t generate electricity. Instead, we purchase it from our energy provider, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), and from there, we distribute it to homes and businesses throughout our community. Tippah EPA is also using technology to enhance our local grid, limit service disruptions, and improve outage response times. Advanced metering technology, also known as AMI, enables two-way communication between the co-op and consumers.

In the event of a power outage, AMI helps pinpoint the exact location of the outage and can even analyze damaged or tampered meters. AMI helps Tippah EPA save money with realtime data, and ultimately improves power reliability for our entire community. Proactive tree trimming is another way we limit service disruptions. Scheduled trimming keeps power lines clear from overgrown limbs that are likely to fall. Scheduled maintenance and updates to our infrastructure is key to keeping our system running smoothly and providing reliable electricity to our members throughout our service area. One of the best methods for improving our services to you is monitoring trends and leading practices from other electric coops in Mississippi and across the country. Learning from other co-ops is one of the many benefits of the cooperative business model because for us, it’s about cooperation, not competition. As we turn our focus to 2024, Tippah EPA will continue working to provide the reliable, affordable electricity you expect and deserve — for today and tomorrow.

by Tim Smith General Manager

2023 | DECEMBER

Easy Broccoli Bacon Salad

INGREDIENTS

12 slices cooked bacon, crumbled 1 large head of broccoli, cut into florets 1 cup raisins 1 small red onion, chopped ¼ cup sunflower seeds

DRESSING INGREDIENTS ½ cup mayonnaise 1⁄3 cup white sugar

3 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Combine bacon, broccoli raisins, onion, and sunflower seeds in a large bowl. Whisk mayonnaise, sugar, and red wine vinegar together in a small bowl until dressing is smooth; pour over the broccoli mixture and stir to coat.

Dawn Rinehart Customer Service TEPA Office

Fruit Salad

INGREDIENTS

2 bananas 1 20oz can of pineapple tidbits 1 15oz can of mandarin oranges 1 23oz container of sliced strawberries with sugar 1 21oz can of peach pie filling Thaw the container of frozen strawberry slices. Drain the cans of pineapple tidbits and mandarin oranges. Mix together the can of peach pie filling, strawberries, and mandarin oranges. Save the bananas to slice up last and add to the mix before serving. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve!

Hannah Trull Customer Service TEPAConnect

& HAPPY NEW YEAR Tippah Electric Power Association will be closed Dec. 25 and Dec. 26 for Christmas, and Jan. 1 and 2 for New Year’s Day. Call 662-837-8139 or use the TEPA Mobile app to report a power outage or emergency. Servicemen are on call.

16 DECEMBER | 2023

TEPA Lineman

TEPA then & now 1960s

2023

TIPPAH ELECTRIC POWER ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL MEETING NOTICE Tippah Electric Power Association will hold its annual meeting on Thursday, December 14, 2023, 5:30 p.m. at the Tippah Electric office at 109 E. Cooper St., Ripley, MS 38663.

2023 | DECEMBER

Did you know? You may qualify for federal assistance, making your phone and internet more affordable.

Lifeline

Lifeline is a federal program dedicated to making phone and internet service more affordable for low-income households. This benefit provides eligible consumers with a monthly discount of up to $9.25. Check online at https://www.lifelinesupport.org/get-started to see if you qualify.

Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)

The Affordable Connectivity Program is a FCC benefit program that helps ensure that households can afford the broadband they need for work, school, healthcare, and more. The benefit provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households. Check online at https://www.fcc.gov/acp to see if you qualify. If you have any questions about these programs, please call the TEPAConnect ofﬁce at 662-587-9055.

Lightning-Fast Speeds! - No installation fee - No equipment fee - No contract to sign

Call 662-587-9055

Residential Packages PACKAGE

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$64.95/month

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$74.95/month

Ultra

1000/1000 Mbps

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$49.95 + tax & fees

Phone service with internet package

$24.95 + tax & fees

twincoepa.com SERVING MORE THAN 12,600 ELECTRIC METERS IN SEVEN DELTA COUNTIES

@twincoepa

Hollandale - 662-827-2262 | Belzoni - 662-247-1909 | Greenville - 662-334-9543 | Rolling Fork - 662-873-4233 | REPORT OUTAGES 866-897-7250

ELECTRIC CO-OPS ARE PREPARING FOR EXTREME WEATHER by Scott Flood

From the earliest days of electricity, weather has presented the biggest challenges to reliability and safety. Severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, and ice events have long put power lines and Mississippi’s co-op crews to the test. If you’ve thought storm events seem to be more frequent and more intense these days, you’re not wrong. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which tracks weather and climate disasters causing more than $1 billion in damage, reported an annual average of 18 such events between 2018 and 2022. That compares to an average of just 8.1 major disasters per year from 1980 to 2017. While scientists and policymakers debate the causes of our wild weather, electric co-ops are diligently working to prepare for it. From coast to coast, cooperatives are taking steps to harden the vital infrastructure that delivers electricity to our members’ homes, farms and other businesses. Co-ops have been upgrading equipment and our connections to the nation’s electric power grid, so we can better withstand disaster-level events. We’re also taking steps to prevent damage from happening in the first place. For example, you may have noticed our emphasis on tree trimming and other vegetation management strategies. Keeping trees and branches at a safe distance from power lines reduces the potential for weather-related outages. Like you, we’re sometimes sad to see our favorite trees trimmed, but many of the outages we handle every year happen when trees tangle with power lines. As drought conditions contribute to wildfires in places where they’ve previously been rare, we also need to plan for the possibility of similar fires in our area. Keeping vegetation away from power lines and equipment helps us prevent wildfires and limit their spread. Hardening our infrastructure will include a long list of other strategies. We’re paying more attention to the condition of our system. If one of our power poles is damaged or otherwise weakened, strong

winds might bring it down and leave a big area of our community in the dark. That’s why we keep an eye on all our poles and install more durable replacements when necessary. When our crews aren’t fixing problems, they’re working just as hard to prevent them from happening. Those poles and the wires connecting them are frequent targets for lightning, so we can protect the local power grid by installing devices that safely divert surges caused by lightning strikes. Power outages are just one way extreme weather can affect your energy costs. Weather extremes in one part of the country can have significant effects on energy availability and costs elsewhere. As winter temperatures drop in many areas, the demand for heating drives market energy prices up, and not-for-profit electric co-ops may have to pass those higher costs along to members. You and your neighbors can help us limit the impact of those higher costs by shifting your energy use during peak times. For example, instead of running the dishwasher in the early evening when energy costs are highest, set it to run while everyone’s asleep and rates are lower. The more members who help by reducing energy use at peak times, the less everyone will have to pay for energy. Considering the impact of potential weather disasters and implementing steps to prevent damage is just one more example of your electric cooperative’s dedication to making sure your power is always ready when you need it most. Scott Flood writes on a variety of energy-related topics for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

TRUE PATRIOTS Congratulations to Rolling Fork’s Tracy and Tim Harden for their Fox Nation Patriot Award! Tracy and Tim own Chuck’s Dairy Bar and Tim is a Twin County meter reader. Read this month’s cover story about everything they went through in 2023.

2024 | JANUARY

M E E T Y OU R 2 0 2 4 MISSISSIPPI

elected oFFicials Twin County 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.

TATE REEVES Governor

DELBERT HOSEMANN Lieutenant Governor

congressional delegation U.S. SENATORS

ROGER WICKER

425 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510

16 JANUARY | 2024

CINDY HYDE-SMITH

702 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE

BENNIE THOMPSON Second District

2466 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515

NOW AVAILABLE

A free, interactive legislative app for Mississippi

It’s easy to know your elected officials.

SENATE

Sen. Derrick T. Simmons

Sen. Joseph Thomas

Sen. W. Briggs Hopson III

District 12: Bolivar, Coahoma, and Washington counties

District 22: Humphreys, Madison, Sharkey, and Yazoo counties

District 23: Issaquena, Madison, Warren, and Yazoo counties

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Rep. Willie L. Bailey

Rep. John W. Hines Sr.

District 49: Washington County

District 50: Bolivar, Issaquena, and Washington counties

Rep. Timaka James-Jones

District 51: Holmes, Humphreys, Leflore, Sharkey, and Yazoo counties

Rep. Kevin Ford District 54: Issaquena, Warren, and Yazoo counties

2024 | JANUARY

by Miranda Boutelle

My winter energy bills are typically higher. Can you offer advice on how to lower bills during colder months?

Colder weather can increase energy use and bills since heating accounts for the highest wintertime energy consumption in most homes.

TWITTER

662-746-4251 — OFFICE & REPORT OUTAGES • 866-484-4277 — PAY BY PHONE

VISIT US ONLINE @ WWW.YAZOOVALLEY.COM

Yazoo Valley earns 5 stars for voting program Yazoo Valley Electric Power Association has earned the 5-Star Co-op designation by the National Rural Electric Cooperatives Association for its work promoting the Co-ops Vote Program. Co-ops Vote is a non-partisan program designed to encourage members to participate in the election process and to inform them about the elections. Yazoo Valley earned the 5-Star designation by promoting the Co-ops Vote program online and in print and giving presentations to local civic clubs about the program and upcoming state and local elections. Yazoo Valley Electric encourages member participation in the democratic process on the local, state, and federal levels. Michael Neely, general manager of Yazoo Valley Electric Power Association, said it is important for Yazoo Valley’s members to be informed and involved in elections.

“Have you heard the phrase, ‘If you’re not seated at the table, you’re probably on the menu,’” Neely asked. “Basically, it means that if you are not represented at the decision-making table, you are in a very vulnerable position. As in business, individual households are similarly affected by the result of political elections. Elections have consequences, so it is vitally important for everyone to get out to vote. It is the best way to make your voice heard.” NRECA is the national organization that represents the nation’s 900-plus not-for-profit, consumer-owned electric cooperatives. Learn more about Co-ops Vote and subscribe to updates at www.coopsvotems.com.

Elections have consequences, so it is vitally important for everyone to get out to vote. It is the best way to make your voice heard. — MICHAEL NEELY —

2024 | JANUARY

MEET YOUR 2024 MISSISSIPPI

elected oFFicials

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.

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

I TAWA M B A

PONTOTOC

COAHOMA

QUITMAN

YA L O B U S H 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

HUMPHREYS

NOXUBEE WINSTON

SHARKEY

YA Z O O MADISON

LEAKE

NESHOBA

KEMPER

SCOTT

NEWTON

LAUDERDALE

SMITH

JASPER

CLARKE

ISSAQUENA

RANKIN

HINDS WA R R E N

CLAIBORNE

SIMPSON

COPIAH

JEFFERSON

COVINGTON L AW R E N C E

LINCOLN ADAMS

FRANKLIN

JEFFERSON D AV I S LAMAR

WILKINSON

AMITE

WAY N E

JONES

PIKE

FORREST

PERRY

GREENE

MARION

WA LT H A L L

GEORGE

PEARL RIVER STONE

JACKSON HARRISON

HANCOCK

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

TATE REEVES Governor

DELBERT HOSEMANN Lieutenant Governor

congressional delegation U.S. SENATORS

ROGER WICKER

425 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510

16 JANUARY | 2024

CINDY HYDE-SMITH

702 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510

U.S. REPRESENTATIVES

BENNIE THOMPSON Second District

2466 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515

MICHAEL GUEST Third District

450 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515

NOW AVAILABLE

A free, interactive legislative app for Mississippi

It’s easy to know your elected officials.

SENATE

Sen. Bradford Blackmon

District 21: Attala, Holmes, Leake, and Madison counties Address: P.O. Box 105 Canton, MS 39046

Sen. Joseph Thomas

District 22: Humphreys, Madison, Sharkey, and Yazoo counties Address: 820 Prentiss Ave. Yazoo City, MS 39194

Sen. W. Briggs Hopson III

District 23: Issaquena, Madison, Warren, and Yazoo counties Address: 1201 Cherry St. Vicksburg, MS 39183

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Rep. Bryant W. Clark

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

Rep. Oscar Denton

District 55: Warren County Address: 5024 Rollingwood Estates Dr. Vicksburg, MS 39180

Rep. Timaka James-Jones

District 51: Holmes, Humphreys, Leflore, Sharkey, and Yazoo counties Address: 201 Central St. Belzoni, MS 39038

Rep. Kevin Ford

District 54: Issaquenna, Warren, and Yazoo counties Address: 206 Willow Way Vicksburg, MS 39183

Rep. Lawrence Blackmon

District 57: Madison and Yazoo counties Address: Not available

2024 | JANUARY

Chris Clay

Allan Bigford

Josh Nordquist

Garret McClellan

Rick Robinson

Taylor Arinder

Pole top rescue training a top priority 18 JANUARY | 2024

Yazoo Valley Electric Power Association recently completed pole top rescue training where employees had to climb a utility pole and safely lower a life-sized dummy. The training, which is conducted annually, is designed to teach employees how to rescue an injured coworker in the event of an accident. Yazoo Valley Safety Coordinator Paul Buxton said it’s training that he hopes no one ever needs to use, but it could save someone’s life.

My Opinion

The difference between leaders and politicians On Jan. 2, all the public officials we elected in 2023 will begin their term in office. For some, it will be the beginning of what has been multiple terms in their office, so it will be no different than past years. For others, it is a new beginning filled with hope, big ideas, and lists of things they want to accomplish over the next four years. As someone who has taken office both as a rookie and then four years later as a veteran, I have felt what both groups will be experiencing that day. My hope for these elected officials, both new and seasoned, is that they lay the politics aside and focus on leadership. Mississippi doesn’t need politicians; we need leaders. There is a big difference between the two. Politicians take positions based on polls. Politicians try to decipher what is the “correct” (i.e., what will help me raise money to get reelected) side of an issue and then jump up in front of the masses and act like they are leading them. In contrast, leaders rely on bedrock principles that form the foundations of their beliefs. When deliberating on an issue, leaders study the facts and determine what is best for their constituents not what is popular. During times of conflict, leaders cling to their principles — a foundation that makes them strong. The reason we don’t have many leaders, especially in both our state and federal governments, is because leadership comes with a cost. Most times, the cost is one many politicians cannot stomach and are not willing to pay. First, as a leader, you will have to make decisions that will negatively impact people who you care about. That is a fact and is the most important thing that leaders should understand. Politicians shy away from those decisions for fear of losing votes while leaders press forward doing what is right. Second, as a leader, you will be disliked, despite your best efforts to do the best for the most amount of people. Thanks to social

media, sometimes that dislike will morph into hate. While politicians are constantly seeking approval, leaders learn to live with the negativity that comes from simply doing your job. Third, as a leader, you will be misunderstood and will not always have the chance to defend yourself. Even with social media you cannot reach everyone. As a young public service commissioner, I was struggling with a decision that I needed to make. I knew the right decision would not be a popular one and would negatively affect many of my constituents along the Gulf Coast. Exasperated and stressed, I ventured next door to my fellow commissioner’s office. Nielsen Cochran was not only a fellow public service commissioner but also a friend and mentor. I explained my situation to Nielsen and how I was struggling with what to do. Nielsen slowly took a drag off his Marlboro and gave me quite possibly the best advice I’ve ever been given. “Michael, you need to do the right thing, whatever you believe that to be. If doing the right thing costs you this job, well then, this damn job isn’t worth having.” I continue to live by this advice today. So, to all our elected officials, please, be the leaders that the great state of Mississippi desperately needs. Do the things that need to be done to make Mississippi a better place to live, work, and raise a family. If doing that cost you your job, it was not your fault. The job just wasn’t worth having. Good luck and God bless.

Photo by Delta Electric member Tisha Vaughan of McCarley.

Mississippi is... A strange new land to explore, never thought of Mississippi before. Now I’m here, tasting the catﬁsh and beer. Meeting neighbors and making friends, I like all of the trees and love the way the roads bend. Mostly in church on Sundays, of course, singing the beautiful old hymns til I’m hoarse. Lots of new critters I must endure, but if I watch my step, I will not need a cure. I think I’ll stay a while in this muggy, hot place, will tell the snow up north I’ll be late.

by Elizabeth G. Shamblin, a resident of Hattiesburg, and a member of Pearl River Valley Electric

What’s Mississippi to you?

by Michael Callahan Executive Vice President/CEO Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi

What do you treasure most about life in our state? Send your brief thoughts to Today in Mississippi, news@ecm.coop or mail to P.O. Box 3300, Ridgeland, MS 39158 Submit your beautiful digital photo of life in Mississippi to Today in Mississippi, news@ecm.coop

2024 | JANUARY 3

Get to know your

Download a free, interactive legislative app for Mississippi Look for “ECM Legislative Roster” in the Apple App Store. An Android version is also available through the Google Play Store. The Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi offers an easy-to-use mobile app, which provides information on Mississippi’s state and federal elected officials.

Android

Apple