Today in Mississippi March 2021 Local Pages by American MainStreet Publications

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

Important Notice to all Central Electric Power Association Members

Annual meeting vote by mail process Due to COVID-19, the Board of Directors has determined that Central Electric Power Association will not hold its annual membership meeting in March 2021. As pursuant to Central Electric Power Association’s bylaws, Section 4.02 (b) and in order to provide each Central Electric member an opportunity to vote in a director election, we will offer a vote by mail process. An information sheet with “how-to-vote” details and the official ballot was mailed to all Central Electric members the week of February 22, 2021. Also enclosed was a self-addressed, postage paid envelope for members to return their ballot. Your official ballot must be received via mail no later than March 16, 2021. The election results will be published in the April issue of Today in Mississippi.

12 TODAY | MARCH 2021

In accordance with the laws of Mississippi and the bylaws of the association, members will elect three directors for three-year terms: one director from Neshoba County, one director from Rankin County and one director from Scott County. Central Electric members who return their ballot will be eligible to win one of the following prizes: slow cooker, coffee maker, clock/ radio, electric skillet, electric can opener, toaster, popcorn machine, ice cream machine, coffee percolator or iron. There will be 10 winners drawn from each of our four districts: Carthage, Philadelphia, Sebastopol and Rankin County. The board, management and staff of Central Electric appreciate the patience and understanding of our membership during these challenging times and remind each of you to be safe.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer. If you wish to file a Civil Rights Program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, found

BALANCE SHEETS 2020

2019

Electric Plant In service – at cost Construction work in progress Total electric plant

$ 178,709,016 6,429,296 $ 185,138,312

$ 172,205,847 6,310,825 $ 178,516,672

Less accumulated provision for depreciation Electric plant, net

94,104,531 $ 91,033,781

88,862,291 $ 89,654,381

may also write a letter containing all the information requested in the

$ 124,036,329

560,053

$ 123,638,172

Long-Term Liabilities Notes payable Total long-term liabilities

TOTAL EQUITIES & LIABILITIES

793,820 88,062,897 $ 88,856,717

786,740 86,896,476 $ 87,683,216

$ 22,348,867 $ 22,348,867

$ 24,098,098 $ 24,098,098

Call 8-1-1 or make a request online two to three days before your work begins. The operator will notify the utilities affected by your project.

2. WAIT Wait two to three days for affected utilities to respond to your request. They will send a locator to mark any underground utility lines.

2-3

3. CONFIRM Confirm that all affected utilities have responded to your request by comparing the marks to the list of utilities the 8-1-1 call center notified.

4. RESPECT $

1,918,964 6,622,777 3,023,377 117,729 641,216 72,212 $ 12,396,275

$ $

432,163 2,307 434,470

$ 124,036,329

876,855 6,747,210 2,901,286 118,612 579,548 70,102 $ 11,293,613

$ $

560,679 2,566 563,245

$ 123,638,172

Respect the markers provided by the affected utilities. The markers are your guide for the duration of your project.

5. DIG CAREFULLY If you can’t avoid digging near the markers (within 18-24 inches on all sides, depending on state laws), consider moving your project location.

MARCH 2021 | TODAY 13

STEVEN Date_____

1. NOTIFY

Revisions Requested

432,149

$ 20,766,125 $ 1,000,000 6,250,632 90,334 1,778,638 159,745 532,673 $ 30,578,147

Approved

Equities Memberships Earnings reinvested in system assets Total equities

Other Liabilities Advances from TVA Other long-term liabilities Total other liabilities

Working on an outdoor project? Careless digging poses a threat to people, pipelines and underground facilities. Always call 8-1-1 first. Here are five easy steps for safe digging:

RON Date_____

$ 21,025,034 $ 1,000,000 5,629,994 63,625 1,856,595 155,187 440,115 $ 30,170,550

EQUITIES & LIABILITIES

Current Liabilities Current maturities of notes payable Accounts payable - trade Customer deposits Accrued taxes Accrued unpaid vacation Other current liabilities Total current liabilities

5 STEPS FOR SAFE DIGGING

Source: call811.com

Deferred Charges

TOTAL ASSETS

888,327 32,475 1,923,789 1,000 $ 2,845,591

VERSION #______________

Current Assets Cash and temporary investments Short-term investments Accounts receivable - members Accounts receivable - others Materials and supplies Prepaid expenses Other current assets Total current assets

888,327 32,475 1,478,047 1,000 $ 2,399,849

Revisions Requested

Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax

Approved

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400

CHAD Date_____

form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at

(202) 690-7442 or by email at program.intake@usda.gov.

Other Assets Investments in associated organizations CSA stockholder loan receivable Economic development loan receivable CoBank membership Total other assests

Approved

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

ASSETS

Revisions Requested

STATEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION

From left to right: Johnny Watkins (16 Years), Mike Stewart (44 years), Brian Long, Lindell Tucker (18 years), and Leran Ealy (40 years).

118

Winter storms left many in central Mississippi without power Due to winter storms, Central Electric Power Association (CEPA) experienced sustained power outages throughout its seven-county service area. CEPA promptly mobilized their field operations staff to restore power as safely as possible. With significant damage to power lines throughout the seven-county service area, icy conditions made travel and power restoration difficult. Crews worked as quickly and safely as possible to restore power to its members. CEPA wants to thank the membership for their patience and support during this historical storm. Restoration efforts were still ongoing at time of press. 14 TODAY | MARCH 2021

University is searching for young writer to award full-ride scholarship Belhaven University in Jackson is honoring alum and welllonger a concern for a young person and their family.” known author Angie Thomas by helping young aspiring writers Belhaven will award one incoming freshman a full-ride scholin a major way. The Angie Thomas Writers Scholarship will arship, which will cover tuition, room and board at the university provide a full-ride scholarship to one incoming creative writing for four years. Other applicants may receive scholarships as part major and additional scholarship of the program. Scholarship appliawards to other applicants. cations are due March 15, 2021 and Now in its second year, these the winner will be selected on April scholarships are named in hon15, 2021. Interested students can or of Thomas, author of the New visit gobelhaven.com/angie to learn York Times best-selling novels, “On more about the requirements and to the Come Up” and “The Hate U apply. Give.” Her first book, “The Hate U Belhaven University President Give,” was developed into a major Roger Parrott said, “Angie has motion picture from Fox 2000, and shown us all that a voice of signifThomas is working as a producer icance can reach and change the Interested students can visit on the film version of “On the Come world. I can’t wait to see which gobelhaven.com/angie to learn more Up.” Belhaven student is next to become about the requirements and to apply. “It means the world to me to a writer of distinction.” have a scholarship in my honor and to know that Belhaven has “This scholarship provides a door to four years of personal this level of pride for me,” Thomas said in a news release. “Even and creative growth,” Chair and Professor of Creative Writing more than that, it’s incredible to know that this could play a Randall Smith said in the release. He advised and taught huge role in a young writer’s life. That alone is an honor.” Thomas when she studied at Belhaven. Thomas is encouraging students to apply and believes there Smith anticipates meeting the scholarship winners and adds, are many young writers who need the extra support to make “In our writing program, we emphasize participating in an estheir dreams of authorship a reality. “The pandemic has affected tablished and welcoming community of gifted writers who want so many families financially, and suddenly many students may to help each other grow as writers. We will work hard to help not know how to pay for college,” said Thomas. “I’m thankful them define and pursue their unique mission, calling, and career that the Angie Thomas Writers Scholarship exists so that it’s no in life.” MARCH2020 2021 | TODAY 15 DECEMBER

P.O. BOX 188 • 340 HOPSON STREET • LYON, MS 38645 662-624-8321 • FAX 662-624-8327 • www.coahomaepa.com • cepa@coahomaepa.com

Don’t forget to Spring Forward on Sunday, March 14 at 2:00 a.m.

Energy eﬀicient How landscaping can help you save energy by Pat Keegan and Amy Wheeless Late winter and early spring are great times to think about changes you want to make to your home’s landscape. While the goal of most lawn and garden projects is to bring beauty to your outdoor space, a well-designed project can also improve your energy bill, increase the overall value of your home and provide additional benefits, such as reduced noise pollution, optimized water use and cleaner air around your home. The two best strategies for improving the energy efficiency of your home with landscaping are to incorporate shading in the summer and wind blocking in the winter.

planting trees, consider the expected shape and height of the mature trees and where they will shade your home. A tree with a high mature height planted on the south side of a home, for example, will provide all-day roof shading in the summer, while a lower tree on the west side of your home can protect your home from the lower afternoon sun. Plant trees an appropriate distance away from your home so they do not disrupt your foundation or your roof as they grow. While it will be five to 10 years before a newly planted tree will begin providing shade to your roof, it can start shading windows immediately. Incorporate other plants to provide near-term shade. Shrubs, bushes and vines can quickly shade Summer shading windows and walls. According to the U.S. Department of Also consider any paved areas around your Energy, shading your home is the most home and how you can shade them during cost-effective way to reduce heat gain from the summer. Think about walking across your the sun and reduce your air conditioning driveway barefoot on a hot July afternoon — costs in the summer. Having more plants if your driveway or patio is unshaded, it is and trees in your yard can reduce the air An arbor or trellis over a door or window can provide temperature by up to 6 degrees Fahrenheit. both an interesting focal point and summer shade. probably quite difficult. That absorbed heat Photo Credit: Ruth Hartnup Planting deciduous trees on the south, is also reflecting onto your home, causing your southwest and west sides of your home can reduce heat during air conditioner to work even harder. You can use trees, hedges hot summer months, while allowing sunlight through during the and other landscaping structures such as arbors to shade fall and winter, when the trees have lost their leaves. When these paved areas. 12 TODAY | MARCH 2021

5 STEPS FOR SAFE DIGGING Wind-blocking techniques If your home is in an open area without many structures around it, cold winter winds may be increasing your heating bills. A windbreak on your property can help deflect these winds over your home. The most common type of windbreak uses a combination of conifer (evergreen) trees and shrubs to block wind from the ground to the top of your home. For the best windbreak effect, plant these features on the north and northwest sides of your home at a distance of between two and five times the height of the mature trees. Incorporating a wall or fence can further assist with the wind break. Another insulating technique is to plant shrubs and bushes closer to your home, but at least one foot away. The space between these plants and your home is “dead air space,” which helps insulate your home during winter and summer months. The particular landscaping strategies you should focus on will depend on your climate zone. If you live in a hot climate, you should focus on maximizing shading to your roof and windows for much of the year, while a home in a hot, humid climate will want to maximize summer shade. Regardless of where you are located, if you live near power lines, the chart below can be helpful to determine how far away newly planted trees should be from these lines before making any final design decisions to your yard. This column was co-written by Pat Keegan and Amy Wheeless of Collaborative Efficiency. For more ideas on energy efficient landscaping, please visit: www.collaborativeefficiency.com/ energytips.

Working on an outdoor project? Careless digging poses a threat to people, pipelines and underground facilities. Always call 8-1-1 first. Here are five easy steps for safe digging: Source: call811.com

1. NOTIFY Call 8-1-1 or make a request online two to three days before your work begins. The operator will notify the utilities affected by your project.

2. WAIT Wait two to three days for affected utilities to respond to your request. They will send a locator to mark any underground utility lines.

2-3

3. CONFIRM Confirm that all affected utilities have responded to your request by comparing the marks to the list of utilities the 8-1-1 call center notified.

4. RESPECT Respect the markers provided by the affected utilities. The markers are your guide for the duration of your project.

5. DIG CAREFULLY If you can’t avoid digging near the markers (within 18-24 inches on all sides, depending on state laws), consider moving your project location.

Plant the right tree in the right place Trees beautify our neighborhoods, and when planted in the right spot, can even help lower energy bills. But the wrong tree in the wrong place can be a hazard...especially to power lines. LARGE TREES

SMALL TREES

40-45 feet from lines Red Maple, Spruce, Lacebark Elm, White Oak, Hemlock, Shagbark Hickory

30-35 feet from lines Bradford Pear, Carolina Silverbel, Golden Raintree, Ornamental Cherry, Saucer Magnolia, Serviceberry, Sourwood, Fraser Fir, Winter King Hawthorne, Redbud, Flowering Dogwood, Kousa, Japanese Lilac, Ornamental Crabapple, Dogwood, Stewartia

For more tips on smart tree planting in our community, visit www.ArborDay.org.

Avoid planting anything within 20-30 feet of the power lines.

MARCH 2021 | TODAY 13

FOR TODAY IN MISSISSIPPI INFORMATION, CALL 877-7MY-CEPA (1-877-769-2372) WWW.COASTEPA.COM

Where our members have the power

Communicators: April Lollar & Merilee Sands

A message from your CEO You often hear us talk about the cooperative difference at Coast Electric. We believe our business model sets us apart from other utilities. We adhere to seven guiding cooperative principles that reflect core values like honesty, service and community concern. These values create a culture that puts our members first and focuses on improving our communities. Because our company is led and owned by our members, your feedback is invaluable. Every year, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association conducts a scientific survey of our members to determine the areas you are most satisfied with and those areas where you would like to see improvements. We learn a lot from our survey results, and, among the findings, we receive a score on the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). This year, Coast Electric received an all-time high score of 90. A 90 puts your electric cooperative in the top tier of electric service providers in our country!

While this score is certainly something to celebrate, we know there are opportunities to improve our service. We will use these results, as well as information from our regular quality monitoring surveys and any other feedback you give us, to ensure we are providing the highest level of service. Please make sure to view some of the results from our member satisfaction survey on page 14 and know that your opinion matters to us. I am always listening and enjoy hearing from our members.

by Ron Barnes President and CEO

Charge It! Our Kiln Headquarters on Highway 603 is now home to a charging station for electric vehicles! The station offers DC Fast Charge and Level 2 charging. The chargers are discoverable on the PlugShare app and the Greenlots app. Drivers who download the Greenlots app will be able to pay for charging services via the app or anyone can use the credit card payment system on the charging station.

Don’t forget to

Sunday, March 14 at 2:00 a.m.

Approved

CHAD Date_____ Revisions Requested

STEVEN Date_____

Approved

exist. Rural residents will be afforded the same access that others in more densely populated areas have had for years. It’s exciting to see CoastConnect bridging the digital divide, allowing opportunities for education, healthcare and economic growth in our communities.” Coast Electric previously received $6.1 million dollars in matching grants for a pilot broadband project under the Mississippi Electric Cooperatives COVID-19 Grant Program from $1.2 billion of CARES Act federal stimulus funds allocated to Mississippi. Since receiving that grant and the forming of CoastConnect, more than 750 customers in Pearl River County have been connected and are receiving high-speed internet service with symmetrical upload and download speeds of 100 megabits or 1 gigabit, with no data caps.

• Salem substation area southeastern Pearl River County By the end of October 2021 • Necaise substation area in northern Hancock County To be announced later in 2021 These dates indicate when CoastConnect will be able to schedule service installations to all potential customers in the areas served by the substation indicated. Installation to homes and businesses will be ongoing. Additional areas will be announced near the end of 2021. The goal is to have all Coast Electric areas in service by 2026. To sign up for service, visit www.CoastConnect.com.

MARCH 2021 | TODAY 13

RON Date_____

The construction process for CoastConnect follows Coast Electric’s electric system. Fiber huts are installed at Coast Electric substations and fiber lines are built out of the substation, following the path of electric lines. CoastConnect is currently installing service for residents in the areas of Coast Electric’s Derby and Crossroads substations in northern Pearl River County. Construction of phase 1 continues with plans to expand service in the following areas: • McNeil substation area in central Pearl River County By the end of May 2021 • Spence substation area in east central Pearl River County By the end of July 2021

VERSION #______________

Construction schedule for 2021

Approved

Revisions Requested

CoastConnect has been awarded a $7.86 million grant from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to expand its high-speed fiber internet system. The grant will be awarded over a 10-year period, for an annual total of $786,567.99. Funds will be used to expand CoastConnect’s system to areas the FCC has designated as unserved or underserved in Harrison, Hancock and Pearl River counties. CoastConnect participated in the FCC’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Auction (RDOF Auction) as a member of the Rural Electric Cooperative Consortium. The RDOF Auction concluded on Nov. 25, 2020, with 180 winning bidders being awarded a total of $9.2 billion over 10 years. Mississippi’s winning RDOF Auction bidders received the second highest amount of state support at $495 million, with California receiving the highest amount at $695 million. The Rural Electric Cooperative Consortium won $1.1 billion of nationwide FCC support in 22 states and $220.6 million of FCC support in Mississippi alone. Under FCC communication rules, CoastConnect was prohibited from publicly disclosing its RDOF Auction results until now. “Receiving these funds will greatly benefit residents in Pearl River, Hancock and Harrison counties,” said CoastConnect and Coast Electric CEO Ron Barnes. “Improving the economy and quality of life in the communities we serve is Coast Electric’s mission. CoastConnect, our highspeed internet subsidiary, is helping us fulfill that mission by bringing opportunities to rural areas that previously didn’t

Revisions Requested

Broadband announcement

Coast Electric ranks high in ACSI score

Each year, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association takes a scientific survey to measure Coast Electric members’ satisfaction with various aspects of service. Coast Electric uses these results to determine what you are pleased with and what areas could use improvements. We are pleased to announce that this year, your cooperative received a score of 90 on the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) — our highest score ever! Coast Electric employees work to achieve a high level of service with every interaction with our members and are

proud of these excellent results, which put Coast Electric among the highest rated utilities in the nation.

What is the ACSI?

The four measures that make up the ACSI score are overall satisfaction, comparison to ideal utility, likelihood of choosing and extent expectations are met. Overall satisfaction among Coast Electric’s residential members is excellent. Eighty-one percent gave us a top rating of nine or 10 compared to 78% in 2019. Members were asked to evaluate

17 performance quality attributes related to member service, electric service, communication, billing and cost. All were rated above 4.50 on a 5-point scale while having friendly, courteous employees remains the highest rated attribute. While the survey results show a high level of satisfaction among our members, there are always opportunities for improvement. We will work to identify these opportunities and find ways to improve in those areas to continue providing excellent service to our members.

ACSI MEASURES Extent live up to expectation

Overall Satisfaction

Comparison to an ideal utility

Member Service

1-5 Scale: 1 = Very Poor, 5 = Excellent

Likelihood of choosing

Social Responsibility 1-5 Scale: 1 = Very Poor, 5 = Excellent

EASY TO REACH

BEST INTEREST AT HEART

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

Co-op Norm: 4.58

Co-op Norm: 4.38

Co-op Norm: 4.56

RESOLVING ANY ISSUES OR PROBLEMS

COMMUNICATING; KEEPING MEMBERS INFORMED

ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN

Co-op Norm: 4.53

Co-op Norm: 4.45

Total: 4.56

Total: 4.61

Total: 4.57

Electric Service

Total: 4.66

RESTORING POWER QUICKLY

Co-op Norm: 4.55

Total: 4.67

Co-op Norm: 4.49

Employees

1-5 Scale: 1 = Very Poor, 5 = Excellent

MINIMIZING LONGER OUTAGES

Total: 4.72

Total: 4.61

Co-op Norm: 4.52

HIGHLY-TRAINED, PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES

Total: 4.76

Co-op Norm: 4.66

MINIMIZING BLINKS, MOMENTARY OUTAGES

FRIENDLY, COURTEOUS EMPLOYEES

Co-op Norm: 4.50

Co-op Norm: 4.70

Total: 4.63

Competes

Total: 4.81

Cooperative Competes grant awarded for the Sea Force career exploration program in Harrison County Cooperative Energy, Coast Electric’s generation and transmission provider, together with Coast Electric and the 10 other member distribution cooperatives it serves, recently announced the award of a Cooperative Competes grant to the Harrison County Development Commission for the Sea Force career exploration program. “Exposing students at a young age to career pathways is one of the best ways we can ensure economic growth in our community,” said Ron Barnes, Coast Electric president and CEO. “Assisting with funding of the Sea Force program allows us to tangibly invest in the next generation workforce.” The Harrison County Development Commission founded the Sea Force career exploration program in 2019. Sea Force is a novel approach to career exploration in Harrison County. The program involves partnerships with local high schools and businesses to match students with career pathways in the region. Gulfport, Long Beach, Pass Christian, Harrison County and Biloxi school districts recommend high school juniors and seniors to participate in the program. Students participate in job interviews at their choice of business, and if a good fit, are hired. Most importantly, the Sea Force program is at no cost to students or businesses. The Harrison County Development Commission pays the students’ wages for the duration of their work.

Funds from grants like the Cooperative Competes program help make the program possible. “Sea Force is the ultimate win/win because students are given exposure to careers in our region, and businesses are provided access to quality talent at no additional cost,” said Bill Lavers, director of the Harrison County Development Commission. “However, the program wouldn’t be possible without the financial support of partners like Coast Electric and Cooperative Energy.” The Cooperative Competes initiative, aimed at increasing community competitiveness, was unveiled in early 2019. A component of the initiative allows economic development organizations to apply for grant funds to support industrial property, workforce or community development efforts throughout Mississippi. These funds are provided jointly by Cooperative Energy’s 11 member distribution cooperatives. “Many times Cooperative Competes funds are used for property development or industrial marketing, something much needed across the state,” said Barnes. “However, the opportunity to use grant funds to invest in our youth is even more exciting, because we’re potentially changing lives.” For more information about Sea Force visit seaforcems.org. For more information about Cooperative Competes visit www.cooperativeenergy.com/economic-developmentcooperative-competes/.

MARCH 2021 | TODAY 15

In February, record-breaking cold temperatures and winter storms tested our nation’s electrical grid. Coast Electric’s wholesale power provider, Cooperative Energy, headquartered in Hattiesburg, is part of the Midcontinent Independent System Operators (MISO), a regional reliability coordinator. MISO is responsible for maintaining the balance of the electric grid across much of the middle United States and parts of Canada. A combination of extreme temperatures and the loss of power generating plants in neighboring states caused an imbalance in the regional system, affecting Mississippi. Coast Electric members were not affected by the controlled outages, also known as rolling blackouts, required by MISO to balance the regional grid. Coast Electric did ask members to manage their energy use during the extreme cold to help relieve the strain on the regional power grid. We are appreciative of everyone who did their part to help.

High bills Even though Coast Electric members weren’t affected by controlled outages due to strain on the grid, energy use greatly increased for most members, even those who are diligent about energy efficiency measures.

Why did energy use increase? Heating systems make up nearly half of your electric bill. The colder it is, the harder your system works. For example, if your heat setting is 68 degrees and it is 50 degrees outside, your heater only has to make up a difference of 18 degrees to reach your desired inside temperature. When it’s 19 degrees outside, as it was in February, your heater now has to make up a 49-degree difference between the outside temperature and the temperature setting inside your home. When energy use increases, your bill will reflect that increased use and be higher.

Bill assistance If you need help paying your bill, you can apply for assistance through our Share Your Blessings program. While typically available for residential members only, Share Your Blessings funds are available to commercial members through June. Coast Electric extended the program to include businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Contact Catholic Charities at 855-847-0555. All recipients are screened to ensure there is a verified need and 100% of Share Your Blessings funds go to help Coast Electric members. Share Your Blessings is funded by Coast Electric’s Operation Round Up program.

Coast Electric crews assist Southern Pine Electric Last fall, when Hurricane Zeta roared through the Gulf Coast, Southern Pine Electric crews traveled to the coast to help Coast Electric crews with power restoration. Last month, our crews repaid the favor after winter storms left 27,000 Southern Pine Electric members without service. Cooperatives like Coast Electric and Southern Pine Electric are guided by a set of principles, one of which is Cooperation Among Cooperatives. Wherever co-op members are served, the co-op network is at work for you, especially in times of need. Thanks to all of our crew members who were able to assist Southern Pine Electric in their time of need.

16 TODAY | MARCH 2021

in preservation grants awarded

Wechsler School, Meridian, Lauderdale County — $277,154 for interior and exterior rehabilitation. (Old) Monticello Elementary, Monticello, Lawrence County — $40,000 for structural repairs and asbestos report and abatement. Stephen D. Lee House, Columbus, Lowndes County — $25,600 for front porch roof replacement. Tennessee Williams House, Columbus, Lowndes County — $35,000 for rebuilding of the front porch. (Old) Madison County Jail, Canton, Madison County — $250,250 for rear wall repair and roofing. Marion County Courthouse, Columbia, Marion County — $225,940 for window restoration. Isaac Chapel (Rosenwald School), Byhalia, Marshall County—$268,744 for interior and exterior restoration. Noxubee County Library, Macon, Noxubee County — $200,044 for clay tile roof replacement and exterior restoration.

Franklin County Courthouse

Noxubee County Library

Pontotoc County Courthouse, Pontotoc, Pontotoc County — $239,753 for window and masonry restoration. Quitman County Courthouse, Marks, Quitman County — $184,792 for exterior and interior rehabilitation. (Old) Vicksburg Library, Vicksburg, Warren County — $103,370 for electrical upgrades, window and door restoration, and boiler removal. Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation, Vicksburg, Warren County — $89,056 for repair to the auditorium’s south wall.

Natchez City Hall

(Old) Madison County Jail

MARCH 2021 | TODAY 17

CHAD Date_____ Revisions Requested

Franklin County Courthouse, Meadville, Franklin County — $144,388 for window and masonry restoration, and reroofing of the jail.

Approved

G.L. Hawkins Elementary, Hattiesburg, Forrest County — $35,200 for roof repairs.

STEVEN Date_____

Chickasaw County Courthouse, Houston, Chickasaw County — $226,677 for repairs to the roof and other interior repairs.

Revisions Requested

Corinth Coliseum Theater, Corinth, Alcorn County — $236,234 for replacement of the roof and ADA upgrades.

Approved

Natchez City Hall, Natchez, Adams County — $157,056 for replacement of the roof.

RON Date_____

House on Ellicott’s Hill, Natchez, Adams County — $210,400 for restoration of the front gallery of the building.

Approved

The grant awards are as follows:

VERSION #______________

The Board of Trustees of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History recently awarded nearly $3 million on behalf of the Community Heritage Preservation Grant program to 18 preservation and restoration projects from across the state. The Community Heritage Preservation Grant program, authorized and funded by the Mississippi Legislature, helps preserve and restore historic courthouses and schools in Certified Local Government communities and other historic properties. “The Legislature has saved hundreds of significant Mississippi properties through this program,” MDAH Director Katie Blount said in a news release. “The Department of Archives and History is grateful for the Legislature’s support and pleased to be able to help preserve these local treasures.” Grant awards are paid on a reimbursable basis upon the successful completion of the entire project or at the time of the completion of preestablished phases of the project. Prior to application, all buildings must have been designated Mississippi Landmarks. Only county or municipal governments, school districts, and nonprofit organizations granted Section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service may submit applications. To become a Certified Local Government, a community must adopt a preservation ordinance establishing a preservation commission in accordance with federal and state guidelines. Once the commission has been established, application for CLG status may be made to the National Park Service through the Department of Archives and History. MDAH works closely with local government officials and citizens to help them create and manage a workable local historic preservation program.

Revisions Requested

Nearly $3 Million

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

Delta Electric’s broadband subsidiary announces additional funding and expansion of fiber internet service Delta Fiber LLC, Delta Electric’s wholly owned broadband subsidiary doing business as DE LightSpeed, announced that it is expanding its existing high-speed, fiber internet network to additional areas of Delta Electric’s service territory over the next two years. Areas that will get the internet service in 2021 include: southwest Carroll County, southwest Grenada County, northern Holmes County, and eastern Leflore County. In 2022, additional areas of southern Carroll County and northern Holmes County along with most of Montgomery County and part of southern Grenada County will be included in the expansion. We are very excited about In the summer expanding our fiber internet of last year, service and building on the Delta Electric success of our Carroll County received matching CARES Act pilot broadband project. grant funds from the state of Mississippi in the amount of $4.9 million to fund a pilot broadband project in northern Carroll County. DE LightSpeed began connecting Delta Electric customers to its high-speed internet service during the week before Thanksgiving. This pilot broadband project is expected to be complete by March 31, 2021. DE LightSpeed is offering residential and business fiber internet service with maximum speeds of 1000 Meg or Gigabit service. During November 2020, Delta Fiber LLC participated in the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) auction as a member of the Rural Electric Cooperative Consortium, put together by Delta Fiber’s national partner, Conexon. Delta Fiber LLC was a winning 12 TODAY | MARCH 2021

bidder for $46.9 million of RDOF grant support over 10 years for broadband expansion to designated FCC underserved or unserved locations within Delta Electric’s service territory. “We are very excited about expanding our fiber internet service and building on the success of our Carroll County pilot broadband project,” said David O’Bryan, general manager of Delta Electric. “We ask for patience from our customers as we work to expand this essential service to other parts of our service territory and we encourage all customers in these areas to pre-register for this high-speed, fiber internet service as soon as possible so that we will know who is interested,” O’Bryan said. Delta Electric customers in these expansion areas can pre-register by going to delightspeed.coop, emailing info@ delightspeed.coop or by calling 662-477-1975.

DE LightSpeed High-Speed Internet Checks Off All the Boxes for Delta Electric Residential Customers • • • • • • • •

Fiber Internet to the Home No Contracts 1000 Meg Max Speed Up & Down Unlimited Data & No Data Caps Low $100 Installation Fee Wi-Fi Cellphone Calling Free Mobile App Free 24/7 Technical Support

DE LightSpeed Coverage Map VISIT DELIGHTSPEED.COOP TO SIGNUP!

Internet Service Available Only to Delta Electric Members in Shaded Areas

Delta Electric Power Association Annual Meeting of the Members Tuesday, April 13, 2021, 10 a.m. • Greenwood Elks Lodge 1010 Sgt. John Pittman Drive, Greenwood All members of Delta Electric Power Association are urged to attend the Annual Meeting of Members on Tuesday, April 13, 2021. Registration will begin at 9:30 a.m. with the meeting to follow at 10 a.m. at the Greenwood Elks Lodge at 1010 Sgt. John Pittman Drive, Greenwood. Participation of Delta EPA members in the annual meeting is

important to elect directors, receive and pass on reports covering the operation of the association and to transact other business that may come before the meeting. With a few exceptions provided by the bylaws, only members will be admitted to the meeting. Seating, however, will be available for members’ families who wish to attend.

What to do if you can’t attend the meeting It is important to the successful operation of the association that its members either attend this meeting in person or sign, date and send in the original proxy form that was mailed Jan. 8 to each member. The proxy must be executed and mailed in or delivered in person to the secretary of the association at the association’s office at 1700 Highway 82 West in Greenwood. The proxy must be received by the secretary of the association no later than April 2, 2021 to be valid. Members must vote on the original printed forms; copies will not be accepted. Any member who has misplaced the original proxy may request another by calling the nearest Delta Electric Power Association office. Under the bylaws of the association, each member is entitled to one vote.

MARCH 2021 | TODAY 13

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

dixieepa.com | defastlink.net | prepared.dixieepa.com | AFTER HOURS: 888-465-9209 | 601-425-2535 @DixieElectricMS

@DixieEPA

@dixie_electric

Committment to rural communities means many things Over the years, you’ve heard me talk about how Dixie Electric is different — because we’re a cooperative. Our business model sets us apart from other utilities because we adhere to seven guiding cooperative principles and reflect on our service for the greater good of the community. Electric cooperatives, including Dixie Electric, have a unique place in our country’s history. In the 1930s, we brought electricity to rural areas when for-profit electric companies believed serving rural areas was too costly. Today, we are bringing high-speed internet to rural areas. Once again improving the quality of life for those living in rural areas because high-speed internet provides opportunities for distance learning, telemedicine and online job prospects. In addition to the announcement last month that we are expanding DE Fastlink services across our service territory, I’m pleased to let you know that we have secured approximately $21 million in grant funding from the Federal Communications Commission through their Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. Although I am excited to make this announcement, these funds will only cover a portion of the costs to deploy highspeed internet.

12 TODAY | MARCH 2021

Over the past few months, we have received several questions about the cost of high-speed internet affecting electric rates. I would like to reassure you that state law prevents us from funding internet service through electric rates. For more information about our high-speed internet services, visit DEFastlink.net. As you may know, we have always been committed to serving our community. The COVID-19 pandemic has required us to adjust our community service plans, but at the same time, not lose focus on the necessity of being a partner to our community in tough times. In January, we participated, along with other electric cooperatives, in the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Day of Service. Our employees prepared 220 backpacks for children who are entering foster care in local communities. Living out the cooperative principle of Concern for Community is critical to our mission.

by Randy Smith General Manager

DE Fastlink expansion: What you need to know

Dixie Electric’s board of directors approved the expansion of DE Fastlink’s high-speed internet services across Dixie Electric’s service area. Expansion means that more than 3,000 miles of fiber optic cable will be installed on existing power poles. Building this high-speed internet network will take approximately four to five years to complete.

What type of services can I purchase from DE Fastlink? DE Fastlink, LLC offers high-speed internet and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone services through fiber optic cable. Customers can bundle packages that include both services. Pricing is available at defastlink.net.

Will DE Fastlink high-speed internet make my electric rates go up? DE Fastlink is a stand-alone service and will not affect members’ electric rates. In fact, state law requires the two businesses to be separate. The fiber installation project has already received grant funding, and management will continue to look for other opportunities for grant funding and/or low interest loans.

When and how do I sign-up for internet or VoIP services? Customers will be able to sign up once it is announced that their area is available for service to be installed. A construction schedule is being developed. DE Fastlink will provide information on areas

ready to receive service as construction progresses. Information will be provided on DE Fastlink’s social media pages, by direct mail and at defastlink.net. Currently, only members in the pilot project area, in southeastern Jones and northwestern Perry counties, can sign up.

Why is fiber the most reliable? Fiber-to-the-home is more reliable than other types of networks and less prone to interference and complications from lightning and other natural elements. Fiber optic systems, like DE Fastlink’s infrastructure, use tiny strands of glass that carry data (the internet) using light waves, resulting in much faster speeds than traditional copper lines.

Other internet services limit my data each month. Will DE Fastlink limit my internet service? There are no data limits with DE Fastlink internet packages. Also, this high-speed internet service is symmetrical, meaning that the upload speed is the same as the download speed. If you subscribe to the 100 MBPS service, then you will get that speed whether downloading or uploading.

Compare PRICE. Compare SPEED. Compare SERVICE. You’ll see there’s really NO COMPARISON.

DE Fastlink packages start at just $64.95 for 100 Mbps speed! High-speed internet from DE Fastlink is coming soon! Don’t sign a contract with any other service provider without comparing packages. DE Fastlink will give you blazing speed, great rates and a reliable network — all backed by local people you know and trust.

Preregister today at www.DEFastlink.net or call 833-521-FAST (3278).

MARCH 2021 | TODAY 13

Plant the right tree

in the right place

Trees beautify our neighborhoods, and when planted in the right spot, can even help lower energy bills. But the wrong tree in the wrong place can be a hazard...especially to power lines. LARGE TREES

SMALL TREES

40-45 feet from lines Red Maple, Spruce, Lacebark Elm, White Oak, Hemlock, Shagbark Hickory

For more tips on smart tree planting in our community, visit www.ArborDay.org.

Avoid planting anything within 20-30 feet of the power lines.

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 • Petal substation: Petal, Sunrise, Hillcrest and Macedonia • Clara substation: Clara, Big Creek and Waynesboro • Burr Creek substation: Moselle, Union and Ellisville • Hoy substation: North Laurel, Hoy, Moss, Shady Grove, Matthews and Springhill Road

14 TODAY | MARCH 2021

Preparing backpacks for children in foster care Each year in conjunction with Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Dixie Electric participates in Cooperative Day of Service. Inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.’s message of service, employees from cooperatives across the state of Mississippi serve the communities where they live and work. This year, Dixie Electric’s employees prepared 220 backpacks for children placed in foster care in Jones, Forrest, Perry, Wayne and Clarke counties. Many times, when a child enters foster care, they only have the clothes on their backs. Filled with items such as toys, clothing, diapers, toiletries and personal hygiene products, these backpacks are designed to help make the transition into foster care easier for the child and the foster family receiving them. For more information about how to contribute to the foster backpack program, contact the

Mississippi Department of Human Services. Dixie Electric, in conjunction with Cooperative Energy, Coast Electric, Magnolia Electric, Singing River Electric and Southern Pine Electric, participated in the 2021 Cooperative Day of Service. Each cooperative chose different volunteer opportunities in their respective communities. “Electric cooperatives continually look for opportunities to improve the quality of life for Mississippians,” said Lydia Walters, communications manager. “Cooperative Day of Service was created, along with our fellow electric cooperatives, to give our employees an opportunity to volunteer and directly give back to the communities we serve, which are also the places we call home.”

Don’t forget to

Sunday, March 14 at 2:00 a.m. MARCH 2021 | TODAY 15

on the Feb. 16 rolling outages What is a rolling outage, and why did it happen? A rolling outage occurs when there is imbalance in the electric power grid system, and it is necessary to shut off the flow of electric energy in patterns across the electric grid. This can happen for several different reasons, including extreme weather situations, high demand for electric energy, the loss of generating plant(s) or the loss of either transmission or distribution power lines; it could also be a combination of reasons.

What happened on the night of Feb. 16, 2021? Dixie Electric Power Association receives its electricity from Cooperative Energy, which generates and transmits wholesale power to 11 distribution cooperatives in Mississippi. Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), the regional reliability coordinator for Cooperative Energy, is responsible for maintaining the balance of the electric grid across much of the mid-United States and parts of Canada. A combination of extreme cold temperatures and the loss of generating plants in neighboring states caused an imbalance in the regional system, affecting Mississippi as well as other states. Cooperative Energy and Dixie Electric were directed by MISO to enact rolling outages to methodically reduce the electric load on the system until it could be rebalanced. The decision to enact rolling outages is not made locally and is a directive to protect the electric power grid across multiple states, hopefully preventing more extensive and prolonged outages. All Cooperative Energy units were running continuously and generating more electricity than was being consumed by its members; however, the loss of generating units across the southern United States placed a significant strain on the entire

16 TODAY | MARCH 2021

electric grid. The demand for electricity was at an all-time high due to bitterly cold temperatures and the winter storm. This situation was not the result of any shortage of electricity in Mississippi but came about because of issues across other southern states.

How often does this happen? On Feb. 16, 2021, rolling outages occurred for the first time in 80 years on Dixie Electric and Cooperative Energy’s systems. A formal plan is in place for rolling outages because, as we saw with the Feb. 16 event, Dixie Electric and Cooperative Energy may receive a directive to implement outages for regional grid stability.

Why didn’t we receive notice? As we’ve discussed, there was a critical need to balance the electric grid, which caused an immediate need to respond. The situation on the night of Feb. 16 evolved so quickly that Cooperative Energy had to initiate outages before Dixie Electric and other electric cooperatives were notified. Ideally, members would be asked to conserve electric energy, and that rolling outages were a possibility. Unfortunately, the notice to reduce energy use and the need for rolling outages came back-to-back with little time to inform the public on Feb. 16, 2021.

As a member of Dixie Electric, what can you do to help the situation? In extreme weather situations — hot, cold or storm related — members of Dixie Electric can conserve their energy use to help prevent rolling outages. As we’ve discussed, this may not solve all the issues, but it can be a preventive measure. Consider lowering/raising your thermostat, depending on the season, and avoid using large appliances or electronics.

in preservation grants awarded

Franklin County Courthouse

Noxubee County Library

Natchez City Hall

(Old) Madison County Jail

MARCH 2021 | TODAY 17

CHAD Date_____ Revisions Requested

Franklin County Courthouse, Meadville, Franklin County — $144,388 for window and masonry restoration, and reroofing of the jail.

Approved

G.L. Hawkins Elementary, Hattiesburg, Forrest County — $35,200 for roof repairs.

STEVEN Date_____

Chickasaw County Courthouse, Houston, Chickasaw County — $226,677 for repairs to the roof and other interior repairs.

Revisions Requested

Corinth Coliseum Theater, Corinth, Alcorn County — $236,234 for replacement of the roof and ADA upgrades.

Approved

Natchez City Hall, Natchez, Adams County — $157,056 for replacement of the roof.

RON Date_____

House on Ellicott’s Hill, Natchez, Adams County — $210,400 for restoration of the front gallery of the building.

Approved

The grant awards are as follows:

VERSION #______________

Revisions Requested

Nearly $3 Million

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.

Keeping the lights on A MESSAGE FROM YOUR CEO My first role model was my dad who taught me to work hard, give my best, always seek to improve myself and provide the product customers want and need as he worked in his small business. When the opportunity presented itself, he encouraged me to go to work at the electric cooperative in Clarke County he had been a member of all his life. He recognized East Mississippi Electric Power Association as a community-oriented organization and felt it would be a long-term relationship. “After all,” he said, “What is the first thing you do when you walk into a room?” You turn on the lights. When I started my career at EMEPA, I thought turning the lights on meant taking an application for service to a new home, staking the new line, trimming the right-of-way, loading the materials and building the service. When ice storms, tornados or hurricanes came and took down the lines, we worked to build everything back and again turn the lights on. Turning on the lights is still one of the primary services we provide for our members, but today’s electric cooperative must be successful at so much more. Increased regulations, Mississippi Public Service Commission requirements, tax implications and reporting standards have increased exponentially. Accounting standards, engineering standards, reliability standards, safety requirements, human resource reporting, media and public relations expectations, legislative interactions and economic development involvement are just as demanding as keeping the lights on for our members. Over the last two years, fiber-to-the-home has joined the list. Just as “turning the lights on” is what we have done for more

than 82 years, today we are “bringing the light” to homes through fiber-optic lines that allow our members to communicate at speeds previously unavailable in our area. The Federal Communications Commission recently awarded East Mississippi Connect, LLC $38.600,320.90 in grant funding to be received over a ten-year period. These funds were part of the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) to expand fiber-tothe-home broadband internet service for our members. This award follows the CARES Act funds received in 2020 totaling $6,062,890.39, which our local legislators helped secure. The combination of these two awards totals over $44 million toward the $113 million total cost of this project. Securing the funding is a big first step. Now we must provide additional proof that our plan, supported by numerous engineering design documents and financial resources and projections, will be as successful as predicted. Ultimately, you are the key to making this project successful. EMEPA and East Mississippi Connect are simply the vehicles by which you will make our communities better. Visit www.eastmsconnect.com and sign up for service. We are working hard and giving you our best effort as we aim to improve our communities and provide services that empower lives.

by Randy Carroll CEO — East Mississippi Electric Power Association

Don’t forget to

Sunday, March 14 at 2:00 a.m. 12 TODAY | MARCH 2021

Revisions Requested Approved

power safely and as quickly as possible to all members. “We have not experienced this much damage to our system since Hurricane Katrina,” said EMEPA CEO Randy Carroll. “Our team faced immense challenges, and we are proud of the effort they’ve made to restore service to our members.” As frustrating as it is to be without electricity, your patience during the recovery is exceeded only by your willingness to help your neighbors in need. At press time, EMEPA crews continue to work to restore power to all members.

Southern Clearing

Prentiss County Electric Power Association

Meridian Communication College Lineman Training Program

MDR Construction B&B Electrical Contractors

Davidson Hauling

Our local business partners and emergency service personnel also provided valuable assistance. We are grateful to all who assisted us in helping our community recover. MARCH 2021 | TODAY 13

RON Date_____

Northcentral Electric Cooperative

VERSION #______________

EMEPA thanks the crews from the following organizations for assistance during the restoration process:

Approved

Revisions Requested

STEVEN Date_____

Approved

On Monday, Feb. 15, east Mississippi was hit by Winter Storm Uri bringing frigid temperatures, freezing rain, snow and icy conditions. East Mississippi Electric Power Association’s electric system suffered more than 8,000 outages as the winter storm passed through our area. By the afternoon of Wednesday, Feb. 17, crews were finishing up restoration work on the final outages when we were again struck by Winter Storm Viola. The second wave of freezing rain, ice and winds, knocked power out to 24,839 EMEPA members. Damage assessment teams, engineering teams, right-of-way and line crews and other support staff worked tirelessly in harsh conditions to restore

CHAD Date_____

DOUBLE ICE STORMS

Revisions Requested

EAST MISSISSIPPI RECOVERS FROM

bring increased energy use East Mississippi Electric Power Association officials expect the highest wholesale and retail electric bills of the winter season as a result of February’s ice storm and freezing temperatures and a colder than average December and January. These cold temperatures bring higher energy bills as heating equipment inside members’ homes and businesses are challenged to fight the unusually cold weather. Higher bills in the winter season is common. If your heating unit is set to 68 degrees and the temperature is 60 degrees outside, your unit only has to make up an 8-degree difference. Consider a 30-degree night, your unit must make up a 38-degree difference, causing the heating unit to cycle on/off more often to raise and maintain the desired temperature of 68 degrees. The lows we experienced in our area in February potentially resulted in as much as a 50-degree difference. It is also important to note that high bills can be a sign that there may be issues within the home. These issues can range from freezing cold air leaking into the home through windows or door facings, heating elements 14 TODAY | MARCH 2021

going bad within your unit, no skirting around mobile homes or malfunctioning heating strips. Insulating attics, caulking windows and doors and letting sunshine in during the daylight hours to add heat are all things you can do to save money on your energy bill. Energy efficiency is a solid investment benefiting both EMEPA and our members. Download our free smartphone app and monitor your daily energy use. This will help you see when you are using the most electricity and maintain control of your electric use. More energy tips and resources can be found at EMEPA.com/mysavings.

Fiber is the future. Find out how it can change yours at EastMSConnect.com.

East Mississippi Connect awarded additional grant funds to close service area’s digital divide A five-year project launched in 2020 by EMEPA created East Mississippi Connect to bring broadband internet service to 37,000 customers in eastern Mississippi. Thanks to a $6 million CARES Act grant, the initial buildout of this $113 million project spanning EMEPA’s entire service area began last fall. Also, the utility secured $38.6 million in funding through the Federal Communications Commission’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, or RDOF. “We are excited to see how this much needed service transforms the lives of our members, as well as our local businesses,” EMEPA CEO Randy Carroll said. “With additional grant funding from RDOF, we’re able to continue building our fiber network to deliver high-speed fiber-to-the-home internet service until we reach every part of our service area.”

In addition to fast fiber internet, East Mississippi Connect will also offer Voice over Internet Protocol — known as VoIP — phone service to members. VoIP uses the fiber internet connection for phone service. In addition to being an affordable, effective phone option for all members, VoIP will allow small businesses to access more advanced phone technology. Calls can be transferred from office phone to mobile, and conversations over text, voice and conference can all happen in the same application.

MARCH 2021 | TODAY 15

EMEPA preps for 8th annual East Mississippi Electric Power Association is preparing to host its 8th annual Shoot For A Cure scheduled for Thursday, April 15 and Friday, April 16 at Binachi Shooting Sports in Lauderdale County. Last year, EMEPA employees and supporters raised $23,000 for the American Cancer Society and the Anderson Cancer Center’s Cancer Patient Benevolence Fund through this premier fundraising event.

In addition to the Shoot For A Cure event, EMEPA will be raffling off a Glock G43 9mm handgun donated by Thomas Gun and Pawn and a H&R Pardner Pump 12-gauge shotgun donated by Rock House Gun and Pawn. Tickets are $1 and can be purchased at any EMEPA office. For more information on Shoot For A Cure or to register a team or sponsor, contact Margaret Brewer at 601-581-8602 or mbrewer@emepa.com.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY POLICY STATEMENT EAST MISSISSIPPI ELECTRIC POWER ASSOCIATION – Meridian, Miss. This policy is in conformance with the requirement of Presidential Executive Order 11246, the Age Discrimination Employment Act, the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Act, the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Equal Pay Act, Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and all other civil rights related to laws and regulations that have or may be enacted, as amended. It is the policy of EMEPA not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, disability or because he or she is a protected veteran. It is also the policy of EMEPA to take affirmative action to employ and to advance in employment, all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, pay secrecy, disability or protected veteran status, and to base all employment decisions only on valid job requirements. This policy shall apply to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, upgrading, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, recall, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation and selection for training, including apprenticeship, at all levels of employment. Employees and applicants of EMEPA will not be subject to harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, disability or because he or she is a protected veteran. Additionally, retaliation, including intimidation, threats, or coercion, because an employee or applicant has objected to discrimination, 16 TODAY | MARCH 2021

engaged or may engage in filing a complaint, assisted in a review, investigation, or hearing or have otherwise sought to obtain their legal rights under any federal, state, or local EEO law is prohibited. As chief executive officer of EMEPA, I am committed to the principles of affirmative action and Equal Employment Opportunity. In order to ensure dissemination and implementation of Equal Employment Opportunity and affirmative action throughout all levels of the company, I have selected Sherry Wallace, director of human resources, as the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) manager for EMEPA. One of the EEO manager’s duties will be to establish and maintain internal audit and reporting systems to allow for effective measurement of EMEPA’s programs. In furtherance of EMEPA’s policy regarding Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity, EMEPA has developed a written Affirmative Action Program which sets forth the policies, practices and procedures that EMEPA is committed to in order to ensure that its policy of nondiscrimination and affirmative action is accomplished. This Affirmative Action Program is available in the human resources office for inspection by any employee or applicant for employment upon request, during normal business hours. Interested persons should contact Sherry Wallace for assistance. We request the support of all employees in accomplishing Equal Employment Opportunity. ___________________________ Randy E. Carroll, Chief Executive Officer East Mississippi Electric Power Association Dated: 01/28/2019

in preservation grants awarded

Franklin County Courthouse

Noxubee County Library

Natchez City Hall

(Old) Madison County Jail

MARCH 2021 | TODAY 17

CHAD Date_____ Revisions Requested

Franklin County Courthouse, Meadville, Franklin County — $144,388 for window and masonry restoration, and reroofing of the jail.

Approved

G.L. Hawkins Elementary, Hattiesburg, Forrest County — $35,200 for roof repairs.

STEVEN Date_____

Chickasaw County Courthouse, Houston, Chickasaw County — $226,677 for repairs to the roof and other interior repairs.

Revisions Requested

Corinth Coliseum Theater, Corinth, Alcorn County — $236,234 for replacement of the roof and ADA upgrades.

Approved

Natchez City Hall, Natchez, Adams County — $157,056 for replacement of the roof.

RON Date_____

House on Ellicott’s Hill, Natchez, Adams County — $210,400 for restoration of the front gallery of the building.

Approved

The grant awards are as follows:

VERSION #______________

Revisions Requested

Nearly $3 Million

BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Johnny Johnson, President • Mike Banks, Vice President • Marty Crowder, Secretary/Treasurer • Bill Bell • John E. “Jay” Gilliland Jr. • Bruff Sanders • Kenneth Seitz

FASTnet living up to its name 125. At press time for this issue of Today in Mississippi, that is the number of customers taking advantage of services from our FASTnet broadband subsidiary. It’s a really big deal considering we have built FASTnet from scratch, starting about six months ago. Our three pilot programs are moving along as planned, and we announced last month we are set to receive some $35.5 million in federal dollars to assist in bringing internet to all of our members. We are working right now on our final construction plan, and we expect to have a timeline soon. That timeline will let you know when you can expect to get internet service from FASTnet. While I hope everyone is excited about the chance to get the fastest, most reliable internet available, I want to remind you that some folks will get the service early, some will be later and some will be last. That’s just the way it has to be. Everyone can’t be first. But rest assured that our final plan will be one that allows us to get service out as quickly as we can, as economically as possible. We want members to take our service. We need members to take our service. That is how this broadband project will ultimately be successful. That leads me back to our pilot programs. As most of you know, we received a $6 million matching grant from the state of Mississippi to do three limited pilot programs in rural areas of our service territory. We jumped at the chance to provide service in unserved and underserved areas that really need high speed internet, especially with outside funding helping to mitigate the cost of the project. Typically, those areas would be among the last to get service. The pilots gave us a chance to get them first. But with those dollars came some restrictions, especially with who was eligible to receive service right away. Those restrictions are frustrating for some people. They see the fiber being hung and neighbors getting service when they cannot. I know it can be difficult to see someone get something you can’t, but I promise we 12 TODAY | MARCH 2021

will make internet service available to any member who wants it. As I said earlier, it will come sooner for some than others, but it will come. And as frustrating as it may be for those members who are close to the pilot areas but aren’t eligible right now, we’ve got the infrastructure in place. And we need customers to make the project successful, so you can guarantee that we’ll be working to hook you up just as soon as is possible. In the meantime, remember that one of the big concerns about getting into broadband was the cost. With the money from the pilots and the federal funding, we are now able to offset more than $40 million of the total project costs. That is a really big deal and something that helps mitigate a lot of risk to 4-County members. To sum all this up, broadband is coming. If you are not in the pilot areas, be patient. We’ll get to you as quickly as we can. We should have our timetable for buildout complete in the next couple of months and that will give each of you an idea of when you can expect service. And we encourage you to try FASTnet when you can. We think you’ll appreciate the fastest, most reliable internet around, brought to you by people you’ve trusted for more than 80 years. And last, but certainly not least, we’re very thankful to our members for the support shown to us during the two February winter storms (see related article on page 14) that hit our service area. We battled through some tough conditions to get the power back on. Our linemen and members of our support team rolled up their sleeves and got the job done. But we couldn’t have done it without the unwavering support of our members. Again, thank you!

by Brian Clark CEO/General Manager

The Cooperative Way 4-County Electric Power Association, and all electric cooperatives falling under the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, has committed to operate under the Seven Cooperative Principles, also known as the Cooperative Way. Here they are: 1. Open and Voluntary Membership .2. Democratic Member Control 3. Members’ Economic Participation 4. Autonomy and Independence 5. Education, Training, and Information 6. Cooperation Among Cooperatives 7. Concern for Community

People you trust bringing you the speed you need

• NO DATA CAPS • NO CONTRACTS • NO HASSLE

• • • •

FAST 200

FAST 500

FAST GIG

200 Mbps Up & Down

500 Mbps Up & Down

1 Gig Up & Down

Supports multiple devices Streams HD to multiple devices Downloads quickly Speeds up to 200 Mbps

$55

• • • •

Supports 10+ devices Great for online gaming Transfers large files quickly Speeds up to 500 Mbps

• • • •

Unlimited devices No lagging or buffering All the speed you could need Speeds up to 1G

$80

$65

Includes Wi-Fi ready router

*Includes incentives for e-bill and bank draft sign-up

Life is hard enough these days without having to worry about your internet service. That’s why you need ! FASTnet reserves the right to charge construction costs and/or implement a long-term agreement when needed.

Get started today!

To sign up or get more information, call 1-800-431-1544 • www.4cfastnet.com

Cold hands, warm hearts for Valentine’s Day 2021 Hearts were warm but hands were colder for 4-County Electric Power Association linemen this Valentine’s Day as significant accumulations of sleet, ice and snow hit the co-op’s service area, causing challenging outages. Two winter storms hit the service area in one week. Temperatures began plummeting in the evening hours of Feb. 14 as the first winter storm made its way into the Golden Triangle and surrounding counties. At the height of the first storm, about 1,300 members were without power. Ice-encased limbs falling onto power lines caused much of the damage. Conditions made power restoration a little difficult. Linemen restored power to all members the afternoon of Feb. 16. However, the major blow to the system came the next day when the second winter storm blasted the service area. Ice and broken limbs downed power lines throughout the territory, leaving (at its height) about 10,000 without power. Tombigbee Electric Power Association assisted 4-County in the latter days of the restoration. Power was restored to most members by Feb. 19. “We’re thankful to our members for the support they provided us during this winter storm. Our linemen and members of our support team responded as they always do, rolling up their sleeves and getting the job done under some difficult

weather conditions. And we’re thankful to our friends from Tombigbee Electric Power Association for their help,” said 4-County CEO Brian Clark. 4-County officials encourage members to keep the cooperative’s outage reporting number on hand, 1-800-431-1544.

Check into this election

Shuffield presented with leadership scholly

Key dates are upcoming for the 2021 4-County Electric Power Association Board election. Three seats, District 2 (Oktibbeha County), District 3 (Clay and Monroe counties) and District 6 (Choctaw and Webster counties) are on the ballot this year. The co-op’s nominating committee will announce their nominations Friday, April 2. The committee puts forth one candidate for each seat up for election. Other candidates can also run by completing a nomination by petition. The window for collecting signatures began in January and lasts through noon, April 2. For a petition form and more information on the process, please visit our website at http://www.4county.org/ nomination-by-petition-for-board-of-directors/ or call Jon Turner at 662-245-0708.

Memory Shuffield of Maben, a 2020 4-County Electric Power Association Youth Tour delegate, recently received a $500 scholarship for his achievements in the youth leadership program. Memory was one of two students from around the state who were selected for overall leadership awards. Presenting the check at Memory’s school, Starkville Academy, is 4-County Communications Coordinator Brad Barr, administrator of the co-op’s youth leadership program.

14 TODAY | MARCH 2021

We need your info At 4-County Electric Power Association, we are constantly striving to improve our operational efficiency so we can provide the most reliable electric service possible for our members. We rely on data for nearly every aspect of our operations, which is why we need your help. By making sure we have your most accurate and complete contact information, we can continue to provide the high level of service that you expect and deserve. Accurate information enables us to improve member service and enhance communications for reporting and repairing outages. It also allows co-op members to receive information about other important programs, events and activities. Up-to-date contact information can potentially speed up the power restoration process during an outage. For example, the phone number you provide is linked to your service address to our outage management system. This means when you call to report an outage, our system recognizes your phone number and matches it with your account location. Accurate information helps our outage management system predict the location and possible cause of an outage, making it easier for our crews to correct the problem. While we always do our best to maintain service, we occasionally plan outages to update, repair or replace equipment. In these instances, we can provide advance notification to

affected members through automated phone messages, text messages or email, if we have your updated contact information and communication preferences. Keeping the co-op updated with your information also helps us when there’s a question about energy use or billing. Emails and text messages are also used to notify registered members of any changes in co-op event details. In addition, discrepancies on your account can be taken care of promptly if 4-County has accurate account information. Many of you have been members of the co-op for years, and it’s likely that your account information hasn’t been updated for some time. We recognize that many members now use a cell phone as their primary phone service, and we might not have that number in our system. We will never share this information with any third parties. It is only used by 4-County to send important information to you. Please take a moment to confirm or update your contact information by calling 1-800-431-1544. By doing so, you will be helping us improve service and efficiency so we can better serve you and all members of the co-op.

4-County vets embrace new challenges Two veteran 4-County Electric Power Association employees recently received new responsibilities at 4-County Electric Power Association. Howie Critcher, a 27-year cooperative team member, was selected to fill the position of manager of outside fiber planning and networking for FASTnet, 4-County’s new broadband subsidiary. Howie started his career as a Lineman Apprentice 4. He later received promotions to journeyman lineman, lead lineman, network support technician, network administrator, and information technology administrator. “Howie’s knowledge and experience in line work and network administration will prove valuable as he transitions to his new position,” said 4-County CEO Brian Clark. “He is a smart, hard-working and trusted employee. Howie will do a great job.” Jima Branning, a 12-year cooperative team member, was selected to fill the position of Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer. She takes over for Emily Bratton, a 13-year 4-County veteran, who retired in January. Jima started her co-op career as a roving customer service representative and, later, as an accounting clerk.

Jima Branning

Howie Critcher

“Jima’s knowledge and experience in customer service and the accounting department will prove valuable as she transitions into her new position,” Clark said. “Jima is sharp, pays close attention to details and has the best of intentions for 4-County. I know I can count on Jima. She’ll do a great job.” MARCH 2021 | TODAY 15

4-County, TVA assist area schools with COVID-19 relief efforts 4-County Electric Power Association and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) recently distributed $10,000 in COVID-19 relief funds to five Lowndes County school organizations. Annunciation Catholic School, Columbus Christian Academy, the Lowndes County School District, Victory Christian School and Heritage Academy each received $2,000 from the utility officials. TVA’s Community Care Fund was started by the power generation giant to match grants made by 4-County and other

power distributors for COVID-19 relief. 4-County’s funds were made available through the co-op’s foundation efforts. Since February 2015, participating 4-County members’ utility bills have been rounded up to the nearest dollar; a $125.78 bill, for example, becomes $126. Now, that’s an average of only 49 cents per member, per month. That may not seem like much. But when you multiply those contributions by the thousands of member participants, that’s a lot of pennies! For more information on the 4-County Foundation, call 1-800-431-1544.

Annunciation School grant

Lowndes County Schools grant

Columbus Christian Academy grant

Heritage Academy grant

16 TODAY | MARCH 2021

Victory Christian School grant

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

Green thumb helped Tuggle grow Jonathan Tuggle’s had a green thumb since he was a little kid. It’s never been a problem, Jonathan stressed. In fact, it was a good thing for a kid whose family owned a greenhouse business. “I was free labor,” he said with a laugh. “But, seriously, in a family business it’s all hands on deck. That’s how we made it work.” Growing up in the New Hope community of Lowndes County in a maze of seven acres of greenhouses, he learned the ins and outs of controlling the sometimes-fragile growing environment for plants. “This plant takes a certain amount of water. These flowers require a certain temperature. These seeds take a certain amount of time to germinate. I learned a little of it all,” Jonathan said. As a teenager, his career interests began to grow in another direction. “Electricity was fascinating to me. After exploring it further, I was hooked,” he said. Jonathan graduated from New Hope High School and began working for the City of Columbus Light and Water Department, where he served for seven years as a lineman. He joined the 4-County Electric Power Association team in March 2007, working on Randy Tennyson’s Corporate Center construction crew. Jonathan advanced to journeyman lineman in 2009. In 2018, Jonathan began serving in his current position as substation technician. His duties include testing and maintaining line equipment, to include regulators and breakers. He also assists in maintaining 4-County’s substations. Jonathan has served on 4-County’s hot line demonstration team. He lives in the New Hope community with his wife, Shelley, and their daughter, Haven, a senior at Heritage Academy who recently signed to play soccer at Mississippi University for Women. The

family attends First Baptist Church in Columbus. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family and hunting the occasional deer. But a lot of his time has centered on area soccer fields, serving as a volunteer coach. His interest in soccer began when Haven’s interest in soccer began. They have learned and enjoyed the game together. “She started as a little girl. I really didn’t know anything about soccer but somebody asked me to help one day. And the rest is history.” His on-the-job training has led him to assist in coaching Heritage Academy’s soccer team and various travel teams. Jonathan also receives plenty of training at work. “It’s a job that keeps me sharp and challenges me to be better each and every day,” he said of being a substation technician. “There’s always something new to learn. Technology changes things pretty fast. I enjoy it.” 4-County is truly a home away from home, he added. “This is my family away from my family. We’re supportive of each other at work and away from work. It’s a special place to be.”

Smith joins 4-County team Tyler Smith of Nettleton has joined the 4-County Electric Power Association team. Smith will serve as an Apprentice Lineman 4 at the 4-County Corporate Center, working on Eric Yarbrough’s Corporate Center Construction Crew. Prior to 4-County, he worked as a band saw operator at a furniture manufacturing plant in the Tupelo area. Tyler is a graduate of Nettleton High School, where he also enjoyed playing sports. He took general studies courses

at Itawamba Community College. And he later graduated from East Mississippi Community College’s Lineman Training Program. In his spare time, he enjoys hunting, fishing and playing basketball.

Welcome to the 4-County team, Tyler!

MARCH 2021 | TODAY 17

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

2021 Board Elections underway, deadline March 18 Magnolia Electric Power’s 2021 Annual Meeting has been canceled due to the ongoing pandemic and the Executive Order called by Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves restricting the number of people who can meet. However, the MEP board elections will go on. The decision to cancel the meeting was not an easy one. “We wanted to follow Governor Reeves’ directives and we cannot plan ahead to have our Annual Meeting due to the restrictions on the number of people who can gather,” said General Manager Darrell Smith. “However, our Board of Directors election process will go on as normal.” “Throughout this entire year, the safety of our members, employees and board members has been our highest priority,” Smith said. “Our Annual Meeting brings in nearly 200 people and we do want to continue to do everything we can to keep everyone as safe as possible.” Running unopposed for their districts are: John McCabe, District 2; Pat Ard, District 5; and Hollis Alford, District 7. John McCabe is a life resident, businessman and farmer in the Zion Hill community in north Amite County. He currently serves on the board.

Why send in a proxy? By sending in your proxy, you are still participating in Magnolia Electric Power’s Board Elections. As a member of an electric cooperative, that is one of many things that make us different from other electric companies. Please take the time to fill out the proxy and mail it in.

Here is a checklist to help you understand the proxy: • Three candidates have been nominated from their respective districts by a nominating committee. For anyone who wants to know more about the candidates, please see the brochure that is enclosed in the proxy envelope for additional information, or read more about them in our board election story above. • If you leave the Representative’s Name line blank, then the Board of Directors will serve as your proxy. They will cast your vote for you. If you wish to direct the board to vote for a certain nominee, then you would need to check that name. Don’t forget to sign the proxy before you drop it in the mail. There is an envelope provided to mail it to an accounting firm who will oversee all of the proxies. • If you wish to name someone to be your proxy then you need to put their name on the Representative’s Name line, then sign the 12 TODAY | MARCH 2021

Pat Ard is a dairyman and life resident of the Ruth Community of Lincoln County. He is a current board member. Hollis Alford is a farmer and life resident of the Progress Community of Pike County. He currently serves on the board. “We appreciate everyone’s patience during this difficult time. We have kept the power on through some quite trying times during 2020, including tornadoes in the spring and a hurricane in the fall,” Smith said, “and now an ice storm in February 2021.” “After the election results have been made official, I will give a report on the election and share information that I would normally discuss at the Annual Meeting,” Smith said. “I would ask that our members look for the proxies that dropped in the mail on February 10 and be a part of our election process by sending in your proxies,” he concluded. By sending in your proxy, a member can be eligible for the drawing for free electricity. Also, anyone who sends in a proxy will received a 2022 MEP calendar in the mail around August/ September 2021. To be eligible for the drawing, the signed proxy must be received at Miller and Company, a Brookhaven accounting firm, by March 18 to be valid for the elections.

Leave blank if you want the board to serve as your proxy.

If you would like to designate a representative to serve as proxy, put their name here. 2021 PROXY

By signing this proxy in the yellow box at the bottom of this form, I hereby appoint the Board of Directors of Magnolia Electric Power as my agent and proxy for the Board Elections of Magnolia Electric Power Association, with full authority to cast my vote upon all matters for the Association. OR, I do not appoint the Board of Directors as my agent but instead appoint as my agent and proxy to represent me in the election: You can direct either the Board of Directors, or the person voting your proxy, the way you want by marking one or more of the votes. Districts up for election are:

_________________________________________________________________________ Representative’s Name (Must be a Magnolia Electric Power member.)

District 2 ❏ John McCabe District 7 ❏ Hollis Alford

District 5 ❏ Pat Ard

___________________________________________ (CARD MUST BE SIGNED FOR VOTE TO COUNT) To be valid, the last day to receive this proxy is March 18, 2021.

Sign your name. 131925_MAG_PROXY_khh.indd 1

53644

1/19/21 8:32 AM

proxy and drop it in the envelope that was provided and mail it to the accounting firm. • Above all matters, regardless if you let the board serve as your proxy, or you designate a proxy, you MUST SIGN your proxy before dropping it in the envelope provided or it will be invalid. Your proxy includes you in a drawing for prizes.

2021

❆

❆ ❆

The February 2021 Winter Ice Storms will be remembered for several years. Magnolia Electric Power experienced its first outages from the frozen precipitation in the early morning hours of Monday, February 15. Linemen were sent into the field to begin working these first outages. The initial outages were centered in Pike, Walthall and Lawrence counties. Working conditions were not the best as the ice continued to cover everything, making roads hard to travel, therefore making it difficult to respond to outages quickly. But the linemen kept at it and tried to restore power to as many members as they safely could. Due to the severe weather conditions, the outage numbers would go up and down over Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The height of the outages numbered around 9,000. Wednesday afternoon brought in another round of ice that struck further north and caused additional outages in Amite, Franklin, Lincoln and Lawrence counties. On Wednesday, MEP had outages down to 2,500 before the second storm hit and sent the outage numbers upward. It was Thursday before MEP got to a turning point when the weather made it a little easier to get work done. MEP started with 4,758 outages that morning and were able to lower the number to 1,023 by 8:45 p.m. that night. Crews reported to work at 6 a.m. on Friday and reduced the number to 25 outages that night. On Saturday, February 20, crews were dispatched bright and early and all meters able to receive power were energized that afternoon.

___

alid,

53644

/19/21 8:32 AM

These photos show a few of our cooperative heroes who worked tirelessly through adverse conditions to restore power to our members. We appreciate the patience of our membership during these difﬁcult times.

MARCH 2021 | TODAY 13

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

Don’t forget to Spring Forward on Sunday, March 14 at 2:00 a.m.

How landscaping can help you save energy by Pat Keegan and Amy Wheeless Late winter and early spring are great times to think about changes you want to make to your home’s landscape. While the goal of most lawn and garden projects is to bring beauty to your outdoor space, a well-designed project can also improve your energy bill, increase the overall value of your home and provide additional benefits, such as reduced noise pollution, optimized water use and cleaner air around your home. The two best strategies for improving the energy efficiency of your home with landscaping are to incorporate shading in the summer and wind blocking in the winter.

Working on an outdoor project? Careless digging poses a threat to people, pipelines and underground facilities. Always call 8-1-1 first. Here are five easy steps for safe digging: Source: call811.com

1. NOTIFY Call 8-1-1 or make a request online two to three days before your work begins. The operator will notify the utilities affected by your project.

2. WAIT Wait two to three days for affected utilities to respond to your request. They will send a locator to mark any underground utility lines.

2-3

3. CONFIRM Confirm that all affected utilities have responded to your request by comparing the marks to the list of utilities the 8-1-1 call center notified.

4. RESPECT Respect the markers provided by the affected utilities. The markers are your guide for the duration of your project.

5. DIG CAREFULLY If you can’t avoid digging near the markers (within 18-24 inches on all sides, depending on state laws), consider moving your project location.

SMALL TREES

40-45 feet from lines Red Maple, Spruce, Lacebark Elm, White Oak, Hemlock, Shagbark Hickory

For more tips on smart tree planting in our community, visit www.ArborDay.org.

Avoid planting anything within 20-30 feet of the power lines.

MARCH 2021 | TODAY 13

P.O. Box 609 • 555 East Madison St. • Houston, MS 38851

662-456-3037 • Fax: 662-456-2086 • www.ntepa.com

Little Birdie pillows are made locally in Calhoun City, using sublimated dye.

by Elissa Fulton Everything changed for the Hardins of Calhoun City in 2015. Susan Hardin was teaching and Tony Hardin was making stadium signs, bleacher cushions and other products using collegiate licenses he had secured. With six kids to support through college, and all the worries of any parents, God had an amazing plan in store for them. In 2015, three of the Hardins’ daughters were attending Mississippi State University and all were involved in sororities. Since their dad, Tony, had been using dye sublimations to make collegiate products, they asked him to make pillows using the collegiate designs to give to their friends as gifts. Tony was able to get approval from the Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC) to begin making pillows to sell since their girls’ friends seemed to like them. Once the pillows were in local gift stores and vendor markets, everyone wanted them. That’s when the Hardins stepped up their production and Susan went to her first wholesale market. After the success of the Mississippi Wholesale Market in Jackson, she decided to try the Atlanta Wholesale Market. 12 TODAY | MARCH 2021

“I’ve said since the beginning, this has been a total God thing,” said Susan. “After the success of the Jackson market, I took my then, 16-year-old son to the Atlanta market to help me. Before the market began, a man said a few encouraging words and then he prayed. I’ll never forget him asking God to not only let us have a good market, but to allow the blessing to pour out beyond anything we ever imagined. That’s when I thought to myself, ‘Why would I just want to break even by paying for my booth or to take just a few orders?’ I said my own little prayer right then and said to myself, I’m going to believe in this.” Susan left her son at the market and went to a local office supply store to pick up pens and generic order pads when he called her in a panic. People were lining up at their booth to purchase their product while she was gone. “That’s how little we knew about what we were doing,” said Susan. “I went to market with a sack of pillows and my son and we didn’t even have a wholesale price or anything to write down orders on. That’s why I say it’s been a God thing, because we’ve given the control over to Him ever since, and He will ultimately take it where it will go.”

“I’ve said since the beginning, this has been a total God thing.” The Hardins have certainly operated on faith since that day and their business has grown by leaps and bounds. That’s when it came time to name their company, and today, the Little Birdie company makes more than 1,000 pillows per day in their manufacturing plant in Calhoun City. The pillows are shipped all over the 50 states in America. Little Birdie is also a family business. One of their daughters, Sara, lives in Dallas and works for a refugee ministry that aids legal refugees with assimilating into American life. She is very creative, and she makes the designs, whether from designs she paints and watercolors, or from graphic designs that the company pays licensing rights to use. They also have licensing rights for 12

All of the pillow designs are printed onto paper that is then transferred to fabric through a heating process. The dyes are burned into the fabric which will not peel off in the transfer process. Little Birdie has thousands of designs or can use customized designs for their customers.

colleges now. “Our business has also been able to support Sara’s ministry because her job is sustained by fundraising,” said Susan. “She does all of our designs and we do new designs twice a year — for the summer market season and the winter market season.” The Hardins’ boys have helped after school and in the summer’s and their youngest daughter is now working after school. Many of their extended family members help with the business as well. Before COVID-19 began, the Hardins had just signed a contract with a rep group that sells their products all over the country. Because of this, despite the pandemic and the inability to attend markets, their business has continued to grow. “We are growing, but we are metering our growth as to not outgrow our capacity,” said Tony. “When you sign with a rep group, you are committed to deliver, and we don’t ever want to overextend ourselves or not be able to meet demand.” The Little Birdie company employs an average of 25 people but will increase during peak seasons. “I always knew I wanted to do dye sublimation,” said Tony. “I just needed a product that would take off. We always joked around that the girls took over my business. But it has really taken off.” And take off it has. Recently, the company has been featured twice on Steals and Deals with host Jill Martin on the Today Show. Occasionally, the Hardins will catch a glimpse of their pillows while watching television shows, too. With Susan handling all of the business and sales, Tony handles the manufacturing. Tony is fulfilling his dream of working with dye sublimation while Susan loves working for herself. Little Birdie pillows can be found in cities all over the country and in local gift shops. The company also takes custom orders, or you can browse their website for seasonal, collegiate and hometown line pillows at littlebirdiearts.com.

MARCH 2021 | TODAY 13

PUBLIC NOTICE Shawn Edmondson General Manager

Mississippi cooperatives secure grant funding for rural broadband A lot can change in a year! My article last year on broadband was pretty bleak. The cost was enormous and, after our survey, there didn’t seem to be enough interest to support it. Now, after the Mississippi Electric Cooperatives Broadband COVID-19 grant program in July and the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) in November, we have over 200 miles of fiber installed and are getting ready to connect our first customers. Excitement is high within our organization and among our membership. To say last year was wild is a drastic understatement. Starting with the pandemic, which came in the middle of a system-wide electric meter changeout; then finding out that the state was setting aside $65 million for electric cooperatives to fund broadband pilot projects. The state grant came with a year-end deadline for installing the CARES Act portion of the pilot projects, so Natchez Trace EPA had to move quickly. We went from a dead-stop in August, to 27 construction crews by December in order to meet our deadline. We will continue to finish the project and connect customers in our original pilot project in Webster County, while starting a new project in Chickasaw County. We will first have to find a suitable location for a fiber hut and then build south down Highway 15 in order to tie in to the Webster County project. This will give us an alternate feed in case our carrier goes down or our system is damaged. There was no funding available for Calhoun County. The current Federal Communications Commission (FCC) maps show that Calhoun County is adequately served. Hopefully, this mistake will be corrected by the FCC for future grants. In the mean time, we will build and market our Webster and Chickasaw county projects in order to sign up enough customers to make it possible to fund expansion into Calhoun County. Things are moving fast here at Natchez Trace EPA and they don’t look like they’ll slow down anytime soon. Our employees have really stepped up. Michele Brown said, “You can’t wring your hands and roll up your sleeves at the same time.” Our employees definitely rolled up their sleeves. Keeping 27 crews busy requires a lot of behind the scenes work that our employees have taken on, besides their regular daily duties with the electric co-op. You can keep up with our progress at https://www.facebook.com/NTSpark. It is pretty special to be able to walk in the shoes of our Natchez Trace EPA founding fathers, who provided a much needed service to rural communities that the incumbent utilities deemed too expensive. 14 TODAY | MARCH 2021

Notice of Annual Meeting The Annual Meeting of the members of the Natchez Trace Electric Power Association (“Association”) will be held at 7 p.m. on April 26, 2021 in the Eupora High School Auditorium in Eupora, Miss. Among the business to come before the members are (a) hearing and passing upon reports covering the previous fiscal year and (b) the election of three directors. Each member in good standing is entitled to one vote upon each matter submitted to vote at the meeting of the members. A member may vote in person or by proxy through official mail ballot provided by the Association. The Committee on Nominations are: Perry Bailey, Calhoun City; Dan Burchfield, Eupora; Billy M. Gore, Vardaman; Max Johnson, Mantee; Walter B. Meek III, Eupora; Bobby Mooneyham, Houston; Leon Morris, Woodland; Charley V. Porter, Houston; and Michael Watkins, Calhoun City. This committee receives and considers suggestions as to nominees for director, submitted by members of the association. The Committee met in the board room at the Association’s Houston office, 551 East Madison Street, at 6 p.m. on February 9, for the purpose of selecting nominees for consideration for the board. The Committee will prepare and post at the Houston, Calhoun City and Eupora offices of the Association at least 45 days before the Annual Meeting a list of their nominations for board members. The Association’s secretary mails with the notice of the Annual Meeting, or separately, a statement of the board members to be elected and the names and addresses of the candidates. Only those nominations made by the Committee, or by petition as hereinafter described, will be valid. Any 50 members acting together may make nominations by petition and the secretary will post such nominations at the same place where the list of nominations by the committee on nominations is posted. Any petition for nomination shall be submitted at least 45 days before the Annual Meeting on a form designated and provided by the Association. Each member signing such petition shall place thereon the date of signing, address, member’s number and service location of the member. Nominations made by petition, if any, received at least 45 days before the meeting shall be included on the official ballot.

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

NorthcentralEC

@Northcentral_EC

A message from your CEO As I write this, I’m watching the snow melt from the roughly 10 inches of precipitation received this third week of February. The last time I saw snow like this was the winter of 1987-88. I’ll be fine waiting another 33 years for the next one. I am especially pleased that during a week that saw this snowfall, as well as multiple days of temperatures never getting out of the teens, our distribution grid performed outstandingly. Relatively few outages in these conditions demonstrate the importance of our maintenance program, diligence and know-how in power restoration and the want to service our community. Our relationship with our power provider, Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), also demonstrated a partnership focused on exceeding our communities’ expectations. The diverse fuel makeup of their generation assets kept our power supply at needed levels, and our community was able to safely and comfortably stay at home as was needed. There are many true heroes who worked together to pull this off. As much as I dislike these weather events, they still remind me of the incredible sense of community our area still possesses. People helping people whose vehicles are stuck in the snow.

12 TODAY | MARCH 2021

Those heroes on state, county and city road crews attempting to keep them in operation. Not to mention those who simply check on those unable to get out to get assurance of their safety. The spirit of community has also been demonstrated through Northcentral’s role of providing assistance to other electric co-ops throughout the state during this time. As I write, Northcentral crews are providing assistance to areas in and around Louisville, Miss. I am pleased that we can provide this help, as I know they will respond in kind when we need them. Now, let’s look ahead to March and the approach of Spring. Time for the crack of the bat, the appearance of flowers and the smell and taste of boiled crawfish. Be safe.

by Kevin Doddridge General Manager/CEO

Cutting the Cord by Justin Jaggers

If you’ve tuned in to our podcast, attended an annual meeting or talked to the man, you may have heard our CEO and General Manager Kevin Doddridge tell a story about the early days of electric cooperatives. When co-ops first brought electricity to farms, people didn’t yet realize all it could do. They would see a light and think it was handy while the sun was down; but the farmer and his family soon discovered the lifestyle improvements of refrigerators to store food and handier items to automate their lives. These families had to see first-hand what was being brought to the home. Something similar could be said about high-speed Internet services being brought to homes by Northcentral Connect. We’re now far more advanced than rural families of yesteryear. However, emerging technologies realized by the expansion of high-speed internet continue to improve our lives. In 2021, it is our goal to focus our Today in Mississippi articles to showcase these technologies that you can now enjoy as Connect services are deployed in our area. This month, we will be focusing on what we can do for your television. Three years ago, I started with a cable service (who I won’t name) that offered a package price of roughly $60 per month. Some of these companies are known for offering an “introductory price,” so you can expect an increase in price after six to 12 months. But after 18 months, my bill had crept to nearly triple what I was originally paying. l went from paying $60 a month to $160. Because I had access to higher internet speeds at my home, I decided to “cut the cord” and went with streaming services. With my home internet service and subscribing to Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max and Disney+, I now save about $60 per month and haven’t missed out on my favorite programming. Northcentral Connect wants to be a trusted advisor to help you do the same. Streaming services and entertainment providers are ample. Even the major networks like CBS, FOX and NBC are offering their own streaming services. There are packages with no advertisements, add-ons for premium services and bonus gifts. This provides many options and may create some anxiety for those afraid of missing out on their favorite TV channels. There is a handy tool on our website called the “Streaming TV Genius.” This is where we can help you decide what streaming service is right for you. The 1 gigabit speed of Northcentral Connect’s service will ensure that you can enjoy your streaming without that annoying buffering wheel. The Streaming TV Genius helps you to decide what’s right for you based on several criteria. How many options are there, you might ask? Try over 400 quadrillion! Follow

the “Cut the Cord” link at northcentralconnect.com to get started! On the left side of the app, you can choose from several popular channels. As you select each channel, the options narrow down. Local channels are also available and are listed first. Sometimes you may hear about local channels having disputes with traditional satellite or cable providers, so streaming is an option to avoid losing your local programming. At the top of the app, there are “refine” options that will allow you to prioritize a lower cost package versus a channel package that offers more options (you never know what you might discover). The second slider allows you to see how many people can watch at the same time. This is important if you have multiple family members watching television at the same time. Several popular streaming services offer one or two streams at the basic price level, but premium packages will allow for four to five devices to stream programming at the same time. There’s also an option that filters out what packages include digital video recording (DVR) services. This is a great option to consider, so you don’t have to plan your life around a television schedule. You can also keep those DVR recordings for multiple viewings. Finally, the “device” drop-down menu will allow you to select the device you will be using in order to stream these services. For example, HBO Max doesn’t allow for streaming on LG televisions right now, so it would filter out that streaming service if you only had an LG device. Also, streaming services and programming providers offer apps on Apple devices, Android devices and even video game systems like the Nintendo Switch. This handy feature allows you to be sure what service will work on the devices you have connected to your high-speed internet service. It will also recommend devices that you can purchase for your TV to view those services such as a Roku or FireTV Stick. There are also clickable special offers and discounts available for streaming services and devices. Still nervous about getting the right service? At Northcentral, we are happy to help you make a decision. Remember, our customer service representatives can answer any question you may have about Northcentral Connect Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call us at 662.932.3500. We’re working hard to constantly expand our service network and get more members connected. Make sure that you visit northcentralconnect.com to pre-register your address and see where we are building fiber internet services in our area. MARCH 2021 | TODAY 13

Lawson leads

with clear vision for future of MCSD by Elissa Fulton When Roy Lawson was appointed the Marshall County School District (MCSD) Superintendent in January 2020, he certainly had enough challenges without adding a pandemic and a school shut down to that list. He came from Tishomingo County, where he had a proven track record of success in a top-rated school district and had monumental plans to restructure MCSD and prove that it could too, be successful. So far, he is pleased with the progress. Lawson’s love of education is deep-rooted. When he was in second grade, his parents divorced. His mother moved from southern Illinois to Corinth to raise her three boys as a single mother. Though Lawson had family members that were role models, it was Coach Mike Lewis at Biggersville Elementary School and Coach Rowsey at Biggersville High School that helped to shape his future. Coach Lewis encouraged Lawson to be involved in athletics and Coach Rowsey was a basketball and baseball coach at the high school. “I always knew I wanted to be like them,” said Lawson. “And that’s what led me into education and coaching.” After high school, Lawson attended North East Community College where he earned an associate’s degree. From there, he went on to major in education at Mississippi State University. In 2008, he attended the University of North Alabama where he earned his master’s degree in education and leadership. After teaching and coaching for many years another mentor, Roger Moore, convinced him to start on the administration track. He was offered the assistant principal job at Iuka Middle School, where he worked with his friend, colleague and advisor, Christie Holly. Each job he took pushed him further until he was appointed the Superintendent at MCSD. Lawson has been preparing for this role his whole career. He has the experience and the training through the Mississippi School Board Association’s Superintendent’s Academy. Lawson has a real passion for education and creating an 14 TODAY | MARCH 2021

atmosphere conducive for success for every student. For the 2,800 students in the MCSD, it is his mission that they all have the tools to become successful. For an area seeing much economic growth, he understands the importance of a strong school district. The school board has tasked Lawson with proving success within the district that is comprised of eight schools: Byhalia Elementary School (K4), Byhalia Middle School (5-8), Byhalia High School (9-12), H.W. Byers Elementary (K-4), H.W. Byers High School (5-12), Galena Elementary School (K-6), Mary Reid Elementary (K-3) and Potts Camp Attendance Center (4-12). Though on paper, the school district is not far from demonstrating success, Lawson’s approach is bottom up so that success will last long past his supervision. “We have to lay the foundation for how this district is going to be successful,” said Lawson. “I want Marshall County to be one of the better school districts in the state, and just getting the points for a letter grade doesn’t accomplish that goal. We have to get the community to see the value in what they are getting when the board of education gives us money in the school district. It’s an investment in the community.” Lawson’s initial goals have been centered around four major

objectives: 1. curriculum, 2. safety, 3. developing private partnerships and 4. creating a career and technical center for the school district. 1. Curriculum: Lawson’s plans to revamp the curriculum has been successful, and it’s been accomplished by cutting the budget by nearly 10% to be able to save for long-term expansion. Every department has felt those cuts, but the long-term vision should be well worth the present cuts. Mississippi schools received funds through the Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief (ESSER) as a part of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Appropriations Act (CRRSA) in December 2020. This first round of relief funds went to revitalize the mathematics curriculum for MCSD. The curriculum was changed, and new books were purchased. There is also a plan in place to upgrade the English language arts for the 2021-22 school year. In addition, the virtual learning model has been upgraded to offer relief for teachers juggling too many responsibilities. The 2021-22 school year will see an online school dedicated to only virtual learning so that teachers may resume focusing on their in-person instruction. This online school will continue to use the Canvas online learning platform. 2. Safety: The main priority in any school district is to keep the students safe at all times and another one of Lawson’s major goals is to secure resource officers that are solely employed by the school district. Lawson was able to secure a $40,000 Mississippi Community Oriented Policing Services (MCOPS) grant to aid with this effort. The school will hire officers and will maintain its own police force to aid with traffic control, transporting students to and from the remedial school, keeping doors and gates locked at all times and patrolling the grounds. The ESSER grants were also able fund the purchase of Clorox 360 machines to clean the buildings as a safety measure against the ongoing COVID-19 virus. 3. Developing private partnerships: Another goal for Lawson is to improve community relations and develop private partnerships with industries in the area. Marshall County is seeing tremendous growth in economic development. The school district has already secured four partnerships with Niagara Water, Blue Mountain College, Rust College. Amazon has also donated needed supplies and items for the school district’s use. Lawson and his staff will continue working with the community to secure support for each of the schools. 4. Career and Technical Center (CTC): Career and technical centers provide hands-on training for skilled trade careers. Though the CTC is in the infancy stages of discussions and development, Lawson believes that putting people to work in the area brings a tax base, more homes and more businesses and will be an added benefit for the MCSD. In addition to Lawson’s four major goals, he was tasked with improving the district’s facilities through an $8 million bond. Though the school district worked with an architectural firm to determine costs of building and upgrading facilities, those projections totaled more than $42 million. The bond money

was used to replace heating and cooling systems, replace windows and roofs in all of the existing schools to prevent further leaks, repair structural damage and replace a water well to meet standards set by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ). Lawson feels that all these initial goals are vital to the success of the MCSD and the community. Though he is only contractually obligated for a two-year term, he does believe in going to bat for the students that he is responsible for right now and hopes to continue his efforts to lay a foundation for future MCSD students and teachers. As a passionate MSU fan, Lawson said while pointing to a hand-written note from former MSU head coach Sylvester Croom, “I don’t know how long I’ll be here, but I may be the Sylvester Croom of Marshall County,” he said. “I may be the one that cleans it up, while someone else hits the homerun. And I’m okay with that. The important thing is to set the foundation to change the course of education for the students in this part of the state — and to always follow through.”

Roy Lawson with his wife, Abbie, and son, Kamden.

MARCH 2021 | TODAY 15

North East Mississippi ELECTRIC POWER ASSOCIATION For more information about Today in Mississippi, contact Marlin Williams or Tracie Russell at 662-234-6331

nemepa.org

NEMEPA

@NorthEastPower

North East Fiber, LLC wins RDOF auction A MESSAGE FROM YOUR GENERAL MANAGER/CEO of our members now have online access to education, telework, For all of the catastrophes we experienced in 2020, this year is shaping up to be a remarkable time for North East Power and telehealth and more entertainment options from home. The CARES Act money along with the RDOF Auction funds its wholly owned subsidiary, North East Fiber, LLC, branded as have been vital in moving this enterprise along speedier than North East SPARC. SPARC stands for Serving People Across we ever thought possible. We have actively worked to find Rural Communities. grants to offset costs and provide the best possible service for The project began last March and was slated to be a threeour membership. On the next page, you will find answers about year project. Fortunately, because of the support we have North East Fiber, LLC, and how these funds will aid in our progreceived from the Mississippi Legislature, we’ve been able to ress. I would like to thank all of our members for your support move it along much quicker than anticipated. of our electric cooperative and our broadband subsidiary. Our The North East Power membership voted to take on this mission is to make rural life better for those we serve. costly project to be able to provide the modern necessities that high-speed internet offers to its rural residents. In the way that the cooperative model has proven successful for elecNorth East MS EPA Service Territory tricity, we are certain this same spirit will guide us into the future with broadband. Recently, North East Fiber, LLC was chosen as a winning bidder for $12.7 Tippah Benton Tate million in grant support from the Federal Marshall Communications Commission (FCC). This grant will be spread over 10 years and will go toward expanding the high-speed broadband service to areas deemed unserved or underserved by the commission Union and placed in the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) Auction. North East Fiber, LLC participated in the FCC’s RDOF Auction as a member of the Rural ElecPanola tric Cooperative Consortium, which was organized by North East Fiber’s national partner, Conexon. The RDOF money, along with the Pontotoc CARES Act funds that we received from the Mississippi Legislature, has made rural broadband a reality. We would like to Yalobusha thank our legislators for recognizing this Calhoun need in our communities and offering us North East SPARC - Rural Digital Opportunity Fund the opportunity to serve our members in Census Blocks Won this capacity. The tireless efforts of our legislators and staff have made this state- Map showing entire North East service territory as well as RDOF census blocks that were of-the-art fiber network a success. Many won (shaded brown).

North East Power • Service Territory

OLD HWY 7

5 HWY 31

7 HWY

HW Y

HWY 6

HW Y3

HWY 328

HWY 31

HWY 331

HWY 334

Y9 HW

Y HW

12 TODAY | MARCH 2021

Q z Tippah

Benton Tate

Marshall

Fall Summer

5 HWY 31

OLD HWY 7

Q z Union

Summer

HW Y

Panola

Q z

Y HW

Q z

Q Q z z z Q

Q HWY HWY 30 z 31 5 zz Q Q Q z Q z

HWY 6

Fiber Complete

Summer

Fall HWY 328 5

Yalobusha

Legend

Pontotoc

HWY 31

Q z HWY 331

Q z HWY 334

Y9 HW

How does the auction work? The FCC designates areas with a value attached to each. It is a declining block auction, meaning that once the auction begins, the value continues to decline until bidders drop out and an organization eventually wins the auction.

Fiber Construction - January 2021 Fiber Construction January 2021

7 HWY

What is the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF)? RDOF is a resource initiative intended for the FCC to aid with funding for the buildout of rural broadband networks. For many years the FCC has designated tax money from telephone users to be auctioned off by bidders. In the past, it was used to build out telephone networks in rural areas for 911 services through Connect America Funds. Those auctions came in phases. This particular RDOF auction was specifically designed for organizations willing to provide broadband in unserved and underserved rural areas.

31 HWY

HW Y

Calhoun Fiber Complete

WoodsonRidge

Taylor/WestOxford

Waterford How did North East Fiber, LLC, win Cornersville these auctions? North East Fiber, LLC, did not go in and RDOF blocks separated by their respective network zones. bid on these areas alone. It took a lot of work by our engineering and design partners, infrastructure, so these funds will aid in paying our debts back Conexon. Conexon put a consortium of co-ops together across quicker if the number of customer subscribers stay high as the United States and initiated the bidding process to win the expected. We are a cooperative, so we are not looking for cash census blocks. Conexon distributed those out to the participatprofits. Any excess of funds will go into the system to maintain ing cooperatives that serve specific areas. a state-of-the-art system with high quality technology. At that point, we could possibly look at lower rates in the future. How much grant money was won through the auction? North East Fiber, LLC, was one of several cooperatives in What is Conexon? Mississippi to win these auctions. A total of $12.7 million was Conexon is our fiber-to-the-home partner. They have worked awarded to North East Fiber, LLC. A total of $495 million was awarded to organizations within Mississippi, second only behind with North East Fiber, LLC from the ground up with feasibility studies, managing construction, training employees, helping to California. Of those funds, $327 million was awarded to Mississecure funds and customer service. As the first company in the sippi cooperatives and $220 million of that was through our United States to build fiber for rural electric cooperatives, they Rural Electric Cooperative Consortium. The opportunities that are now helping other cooperatives achieve success. They have the money will provide for Mississippi is vast. a customer service facility based in Kansas City and are skilled in helping rural residents on the customer service line. If you reHow much area has NE SPARC covered to date? ceive our products and have any issue, you know who to call. In Our broadband company has hit a milestone. We have now connected more than 2,000 customers to our network. Of those partnership with Conexon, we strive every single day to provide an excellent customer service experience. 2,000 customers, 1,600 are in unserved and underserved areas. We have close to 800 miles of fiber installed, which is more than 50% of the entire project in just under one year. That’s a remarkable achievement by our employees. Reference the map above to see where we are actively serving our members. Oxford

How will these funds aid the membership? The $12.7 million that was awarded will be paid out over the next 10 years. We should start receiving that revenue by the end of the year. We have had to borrow money to build the

by Keith Hayward General Manager/CEO

MARCH 2021 | TODAY 13

Summer shading

you can shade them during the summer. Think about walking across your driveway barefoot on a hot July afternoon — if your driveway or patio is unshaded, it is probably quite difficult. That absorbed heat is also reflecting onto your home, causing your air conditioner to work even harder. You can use trees, hedges and other landscaping structures such as arbors to shade these paved areas.

Wind-blocking techniques If your home is in an open area without many structures around it, cold winter winds may be increasing your heating bills. A windbreak on your property can help deflect these winds over your home. The most common type of windbreak uses a combination of conifer (evergreen) trees and shrubs to block wind from the ground to the top of your home. For the best windbreak effect, plant these features on the north and northwest sides of your home at a distance of between two and five times the height of the mature trees. Incorporating a wall or fence can further assist with the wind break. Another insulating technique is to plant shrubs and bushes closer to your home, but at least one foot away. The space between these plants and your home is “dead air space,” which helps insulate your home during winter and

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, shading your home is the most cost-effective way to reduce heat gain from the sun and reduce your air conditioning costs in the summer. Having more plants and trees in your yard can reduce the air temperature by up to 6 degrees Fahrenheit. Planting deciduous trees on the south, southwest and west sides of your home can reduce heat during hot summer months, while allowing sunlight through during the fall and winter, when the trees have lost their leaves. An arbor or trellis over a door or window can provide When planting trees, consider the expectboth an interesting focal point and summer shade. Photo Credit: Ruth Hartnup ed shape and height of the mature trees and where they will shade your home. A tree with a high mature summer months. height planted on the south side of a home, for example, will The particular landscaping strategies you should focus on will provide all-day roof shading in the summer, while a lower tree on depend on your climate zone. If you live in a hot climate, you the west side of your home can protect your home from the lower should focus on maximizing shading to your roof and windows for afternoon sun. much of the year, while a home in a hot, humid climate will want to Plant trees an appropriate distance away from your home maximize summer shade. so they do not disrupt your foundation or your roof as they Regardless of where you are located, if you live near power lines, grow. While it will be five to 10 years before a newly planted the chart below can be helpful to determine how far away newly tree will begin providing shade to your roof, it can start shading planted trees should be from these lines before making any final windows immediately. Incorporate other plants to provide neardesign decisions to your yard. term shade. Shrubs, bushes and vines can quickly shade winThis column was co-written by Pat Keegan and Amy Wheeless of dows and walls. Collaborative Efficiency. For more ideas on energy efficient landAlso consider any paved areas around your home and how scaping, please visit: www.collaborativeefficiency.com/energytips. 14 TODAY | MARCH 2021

Winter storms left many in central Mississippi without power North East Power experienced very few outages as a result of Winter Storm Uri that hit northeast Mississippi, compared to our sister cooperatives in central Mississippi that were hit by both winter storms Uri and Viola. We experienced just a few electric load issues due to high electric use during the freezing temperatures. Our right-of-way crews work through the year to keep the power lines clear from debris and tree limbs. Their continuous efforts aided greatly with limited power outages during the historical storm. We thank them for their daily efforts.

North East Power sent 14 linemen to Central Electric Power Association in Carthage, who aided with storm restoration. Mutual aid during storms is one of the many things that distinguish electric cooperatives. We are always willing to aid our sister cooperatives, and when we have substantial outages, they are always willing to help us. It’s what makes your electric cooperative unique. We want to thank the many line workers that battled frigid temperatures to restore power from coast to coast.

NE SPARC surpasses 2,000 active customers! All Enterprise zones have recently been opened, as well as Brittany Woods 224. The Sardis Lake area is scheduled to be completed very early in March with other zones to soon follow. Currently NE SPARC is averaging more than 100 installs per week as we ramp up production to meet demand. “Our service is excellent. We take a great deal of pride in knowing we are supplying a product that people need so desperately,” said Randall Abel, manager of engineering and operations for North East Power. All Mississippi CARES Act grant areas have fiber completed. We are in the final checkout phases of the two remaining zones that are not currently active. We are now focused on the Woodson Ridge, Cornersville, West Oxford, Taylor and the Waterford areas for primary fiber installation. “These zones have a tremendous gap in broadband availability and we intend to fill it. We’re going to do our utmost to compress a 40-month project into 24 months. Our goal is to have fiber constructed to every part of our system by the end of 2021. It’s going to be challenging but our team is working hard to make it happen,” Abel said. North East Fiber, LLC currently surpassed 800 miles of lit fiber. The total project build out is in excess of 1,600 miles.

MARCH 2021 | TODAY 15

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

Trees beautify our neighborhoods, and when planted in the right spot, can even help lower energy bills. But the wrong tree in the wrong place can be a hazard...especially to power lines. LARGE TREES

SMALL TREES

40-45 feet from lines Red Maple, Spruce, Lacebark Elm, White Oak, Hemlock, Shagbark Hickory

For more tips on smart tree planting in our community, visit www.ArborDay.org.

Avoid planting anything within 20-30 feet of the power lines.

MARCH 2021 | TODAY 13

Revisions Requested

STEVEN Date_____ Revisions Requested

Plant the right tree in the right place

Approved

Sunday, March 14 at 2:00 a.m.

Approved

Revisions Requested

Don’t forget to

Approved

Beginning Monday, March 1, our Bruce office will open at 7:30 a.m. We look forward to serving you Mondays through Fridays from 7:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Remember, in addition to making payments at our Bruce office or the drive-thru there, we also offer other payment options such as online payments and bank drafts. Check out pepa.com to learn more. If you have questions, please call us at 662-983-2727.

CHAD Date_____

New opening time for PEPA’s Bruce office

RON Date_____

If your home is in an open area without many structures around it, cold winter winds may be increasing your heating bills. A windbreak on your property can help deflect these winds over your home. The most common type of windbreak uses a combination of conifer (evergreen) trees and shrubs to block wind from the ground to the top of your home. For the best windbreak effect, plant these features on the north and northwest sides of your home at a distance of between two and five times the height of the mature trees. Incorporating a wall or fence can further assist with the wind break. Another insulating technique is to plant shrubs and bushes closer to your home, but at least one foot away. The space between these plants and your home is “dead air space,” which helps insulate your home during winter and summer months. The particular landscaping strategies you should focus on will depend on your climate zone. If you live in a hot climate, you should focus on maximizing shading to your roof and windows for much of the year, while a home in a hot, humid climate will want to maximize summer shade. Regardless of where you are located, if you live near power lines, the chart below can be helpful to determine how far away newly planted trees should be from these lines before making any final design decisions to your yard. This column was co-written by Pat Keegan and Amy Wheeless of Collaborative Efficiency. For more ideas on energy efficient landscaping, please visit: www.collaborativeefficiency.com/ energytips.

VERSION #______________

Wind-blocking techniques

Ranch Crackers

Curtis (PEPA Retiree) and Seretha Gregory

Cajun Cabbage

Mary Williamson Collections Manager

4 sleeves saltine crackers 1 c canola oil 1 pkg dry ranch dressing mix

1 to 2 tbsp red pepper flakes

Mix oil, dressing mix and red peppers well. Half the mixture. Mix half mixture with two sleeves of crackers and the other half of the remaining mixture with the two remaining sleeves of crackers. Toss in bowl with hands. Cover bowl for two hours. Flip bowl over one turn every 15 minutes. Cover tightly.

1 onion 1/2 c vinegar 1/2 c water 1 can diced Rotel Smoked cocktail sausages

1 head cabbage 1 bell pepper 1/3 c sugar 1 tbsp oil Salt and pepper

Put oil in skillet. Add other ingredients (except sausages) and simmer until cabbage is tender. Add sausages and simmer until sausages are hot.

Lemon Pound Cake

Charlie’s Meat Casserole

PEPA Retiree

Director of Finance and Accounting

Sue Cook

1 yellow cake mix 1 c sour cream 1/3 c oil

1 pkg Jello instant lemon pudding 4 eggs

Mix together and pour into tube pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes or until done.

Jeanna Sorto

3 cans crescent rolls 2 lbs ground beef, browned and drained

2 c shredded mozzarella 1 jar Ragu spaghetti sauce

Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray. Line dish with 1/2 of cresent roll dough and bake at 375 degrees for 6 minutes. Mix Ragu and drained ground beef well. Spread mixture over partially cooked crescent rolls. Cover with shredded mozzarella cheese. Spread remaining uncooked crescent rolls over top to seal off. Bake at 375 degrees for 11 minutes or until golden brown.

Check it out! March 1, 1935 — At midnight between Thursday, February 28, 1935, and Friday, March 1, 1935, the Tennessee Valley Authority read a meter on a primary metering point located on State Highway 6 at the Lee-Pontotoc County line and officially transferred its interests in the electric distribution system to Pontotoc County Electric Power Association. Pontotoc County Electric Power Association became the second oldest rural electric cooperative in the United States. 14 TODAY | MARCH 2021

We’ve redesigned our site to make it easier to find the information you need, with a new, updated format. www.pepa.com

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

Pearl River Valley EPA subsidiary PearlComm awarded over $25 million for broadband service Pearl River Valley Electric Power Association’s wholly-owned subsidiary, PearlComm, has secured more than $25 million through the Federal Communications Commission’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) Phase I auction to launch and deploy gigabit speed-capable broadband service. Pearl River Valley Electric previously announced the formation of the fiber broadband entity and its intent to launch a fiber-tothe-home (FTTH) network to serve 100% of the 51,000-plus homes and businesses in the EPA’s 12-county electric service territory. The funds secured through the RDOF auction will enable PearlComm to more quickly build out the network to members, providing them with the economic, community and lifestyle benefits of reliable and affordable world-class internet service. PearlComm’s five-year deployment will encompass 4,700 miles of fiber offering access to FTTH broadband throughout the entire territory served by the co-op. PearlComm’s 100% fiber network will be dependable and robust, and unlike many technology mediums, allow for ultra-fast speeds for both downloading and uploading. This symmetrical (up and down) speed and the power of fiber allows multiple users and devices at the same time without any service degradation. The fiber network will enable access to many critical services, the needs for which, have been so illuminated by the 12 TODAY | MARCH 2021

pandemic – remote learning, working from home, staying connected with loved ones and virtual doctor visits among them. “Our mission to make lives and communities better through affordable, reliable and quality services carries through to our fiber broadband service,” Pearl River Valley Electric General Manager Matthew Ware said. “We are extremely pleased by our success in the RDOF auction and look forward to leveraging that funding to benefit all our members.” Pearl River Valley Electric was a member of the Rural Electric Cooperative Consortium, a bidding entity of over 90 cooperatives coordinated and led by rural fiber-optic network design and construction management leader Conexon to secure RDOF funds. Overall, Conexon’s RECC was awarded $1.1 billion, enabling electric cooperatives across 22 states to deliver world-class FTTH service to over 2 million rural Americans. “The Mississippi electric power association broadband story is an extremely positive one,” Conexon Partner Randy Klindt said. “Through the efforts of EPAs such as Pearl River Valley, lives and communities are being changed for the better. We are proud that Matthew and his team chose to participate in our consortium and congratulate them on their auction success.” PearlComm plans to begin construction of its fiber network this summer, with the goal of providing service to Pearl River Valley Electric members by the third quarter of 2021.

maintains reliability and aesthetics In almost 82 years, Pearl River Valley Electric’s distribution system has grown to meet the demand of over 51,000 members. The system now includes more than 6,000 miles of power lines throughout a 12-county service area. To maintain the integrity of the system and to ensure public safety, PRVEPA runs an extensive right-of-way program. We want members to understand that maintaining right-of-way (ROW) is not an inconvenience, it’s a necessity. Controlling vegetation within our ROW assures safe access for employees when they are troubleshooting outages and repairing downed power lines. Clearing brush and other low-growing vegetation is accom-

plished by a combination of trimming and cutting trees, bushhogging and herbicide application. We use off-the-shelf, nonrestrictive herbicides because they are effective, economical and environmentally friendly. They are not harmful to humans, pets or livestock. Managing vegetation in this way also allows native grasses and wildflowers to grow, thereby improving the aesthetics and wildlife habitat along the ROW. The map below shows where contract crews will be clearing trees, removing underbrush and mowing ROW in the upcoming months. Please visit the technical services category in our help center on our website www.prvepa.com for a more detailed map. 0

0.75

1.5

3 Miles

Pearl River Valley EPA 2021 R.O.W. Program

49 £ ¤

Sources: Esri, HERE, Garmin, USGS, Intermap, INCREMENT P, NRCan, Esri Japan, METI, Esri China (Hong Kong), Esri Korea, Esri (Thailand), NGCC, (c) OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS User Community

MARCH 2021 | TODAY 13

In Memoriam: Anita Meadious

5 STEPS FOR SAFE DIGGING Working on an outdoor project? Careless digging poses a threat to people, pipelines and underground facilities. Always call 8-1-1 first. Here are five easy steps for safe digging: Source: call811.com

Pearl River Valley Electric unfortunately said goodbye to a long-time employee and friend, Anita Meadious, who passed away on Feb. 1, 2021. Anita began work at Pearl River Valley Electric in 2009 as a Customer Service Representative and immediately found success in the role due to her positive attitude and genuine desire to help every member. Anita will be remembered by her co-workers for her vivacious personality and kindness towards her fellow employees and members. “Anita always had a smile for every employee and member that she met. I along with our employees extend our deepest sympathies to the Meadious family,” said Matthew Ware, general manager of Pearl River Valley EPA. “Anita was loved by employees and members alike and will be remembered forever.” Anita is survived by her husband, Eugene, three daughters, Anisha, Precious, and Keirra and her four grandchildren, Presleigh, Chazlynn, Carleigh, and Chanzelor.

1. NOTIFY Call 8-1-1 or make a request online two to three days before your work begins. The operator will notify the utilities affected by your project.

2. WAIT Wait two to three days for affected utilities to respond to your request. They will send a locator to mark any underground utility lines.

2-3

3. CONFIRM Confirm that all affected utilities have responded to your request by comparing the marks to the list of utilities the 8-1-1 call center notified.

4. RESPECT Respect the markers provided by the affected utilities. The markers are your guide for the duration of your project.

5. DIG CAREFULLY If you can’t avoid digging near the markers (within 18-24 inches on all sides, depending on state laws), consider moving your project location.

Plan landscaping correctly Planting your landscaping properly can ensure that it does not adversely impact Pearl River Valley Electric’s infrastructure. PRVEPA’s system has ROW widths ranging from 30 feet (for most single-phase lines) to 50 feet (for 3-phase lines). When landscaping nears power lines, choose shrubs or small trees and keep them spaced outside of the right-of-way. See chart below for spacing. There are also restrictions about what can be planted around pad-mounted transformers and other underground facilities. Be sure to allow the required clearance shown on the transformer to provide adequate access to equipment. To be specific, do not plant anything closer than 10 feet from the transformer’s

lock side and no closer than 4 feet on the remaining sides. If vegetation is planted within these areas, PRVEPA crews may have to clear enough space to create a safe working environment to perform maintenance operations. Remember, before doing any landscaping in the vicinity of your transformer, you must call 811 (the Mississippi one-call number) at least two working days before breaking ground. By then, all underground utilities can be marked with flags or paint. If you have any questions regarding ROW clearances, maintenance and proper landscaping, please contact your local PRVEPA office.

Plan before Planting 20-30 FEET FROM LINE Flowering Dogwood, Japanese Lilac, Kousa, Dogwood, Ornamental Crabapple, Redbud, Stewartia

30-35 FEET FROM LINE Bradford Pear, Carolina Silverbell, Golden Raintree, Ornamental Cherry Saucer Magnolia, Serviceberry, Sourwood, Winter King Hawthorne

SMALL TREES

MEDIUM TREES

40-45 FEET FROM LINE Red Maple, Shagbark Hickory, Lacebark Elm, White Oak, Hemlock, Spruce

LARGE TREES

.com

Ice storm causes

MAJOR OUTAGES Pearl River Valley Electric, along with other cooperatives across the state, faced a historic winter storm that included freezing rain, sleet, snow, and frigid temperatures. The February 15 ice storm brought extensive outages and damage to Pearl River Valley Electric’s infrastructure in Marion County, Lawrence County, Jeff Davis County, Walthall County and Lamar County. At the height of the storm, we had over 3,500 members without power. Over the course of three days, linemen and servicemen battled through inclement weather to restore power. Most of the damage came from limbs and trees coming down on power lines. We would also like to thank MDR and Looks Great Services for their help in our restoration efforts.

PRVEPA crews along with Looks Great Services survey damage.

Above: PRVEPA Line Crew Foreman Tony Baughman and his line crew work to restore power near Society Hill in Jeff Davis County.

MARCH 2021 | TODAY 15

BRINGING THE POWER WWW.SOU THERN PIN E.COOP | P.O. BOX 60 | 1349 1 H WY. 28 | TAYLO R SVIL L E, MS 39 16 8 | 800.231 .524 0

ELECTRICITY BRINGS EVERYDAY VALUE Because I work at Southern Pine, I think a lot about electricity. Most people, though, do not give it much thought. They expect the lights to turn on when they flip a switch, their cellphone to charge when they plug it in, and the coffee pot to work each morning. We just do not think much about it because it is usually there. Because many have been spending more time at home recently, we have likely been using more energy. We are fortunate that in our country, we have the expectation of an endless supply of power with uninterrupted service. Most of the time, that is exactly what is delivered. The only time we think about electricity is when the power goes out or when the monthly bill arrives. Given how electricity powers our modern lifestyle every day, it is a great value, especially compared to other standard services and expenses. For example, think back to the cost of groceries 10 years ago or your water bill. Compared to most other consumer goods, the cost of electricity has remained mostly flat at Southern Pine. Like many of you, I use a cell phone to stay connected, and I subscribe to internet services to enjoy more viewing options. Many of us consider these necessities for modern-day life, even though they are expensive. We can see what we’re getting for our money, and we willingly pay the price for those services. In contrast, when we use electricity, we don’t necessarily “see” all we are getting for our money. Considering what electricity does for us, it’s a tremendous value for our quality of life and our budgets. The average rent increase 12 TODAY | MARCH 2021

was nearly 4% from 2014-2019, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index (CPI). Medical care costs increased by 3% during this time, and education was not too far behind at 2.6%. So, where did electricity rank? According to the CPI, electricity increased by less than half a percentage point, 0.4%. The bottom line: electricity brings everyday value. Considering that electricity is something that we all use around the clock, I’m very proud of Southern Pine’s track record of keeping the cost of electricity low. At the same time, we are striving to increase our service reliability, reduce outages, and attempting to keep up with the costs of inflation, which is a great challenge. We are continually working to improve our operations to ensure a more reliable and resilient grid. We recognize the past months have been challenging for many of our members, and we are here to help. If you have questions about your account or are looking for ways to save energy at home, please give us a call or visit www. southernpine.coop. Southern Pine is your electric co-op, and our sole purpose is to serve you and our community’s needs. That’s the everyday value of Bringing the Power.

by Chris K. Rhodes President / CEO Southern Pine Electric

Revisions Requested

$1 OF ELECTRICITY CAN GET YOU:

1680 HOURS

OF LED LAMP LIGHTING

8 HOURS

OF BREWING COFFEE

44 HOURS

6 HOURS

OF MICROWAVING

120 HOURS

138 HOURS OF LAPTOP USAGE

COMING SOON: TEXT MESSAGING FOR OUTAGES Make sure your contact information is current and that we have a cell phone number so you can easily and quickly report outages and receive outage notifications! You can update your information at www.southernpine.coop by emailing info@southernpine.coop or calling 1-800-231-5240. MARCH 2021 | TODAY 13

RON Date_____

OF CEILING FAN USAGE

Approved

Revisions Requested

OF SHOWS ON AN LCD TV

STEVEN Date_____

Approved

Revisions Requested

OF SMARTPHONE CHARGING

840 HOURS

CHAD Date_____

Approved

VERSION #______________

G R

Brandon District: Experienced and Dedicated

Brandon District Team

by Eddie Mitchell “Bringing the Power” is how Southern Pine Electric began its journey. This slogan sums up our mission to provide electricity to rural areas. In 1994, the Brandon District was one of four districts where offices were located to make it convenient for our members to pay bills, establish services and for us to address any concerns our members may have. Our district office services more than 20,000 meters in Rankin, Scott, Simpson and Smith counties. We not only provide electricity for residential areas but to large retailers, poultry processing plants, chicken farms, automobile dealerships, restaurants and churches. The Brandon District is unique and diverse, with 42 employees consisting of three-line crews, engineering staff, warehouse personnel, member service representatives, and a staff mechanic. We also use contractors to keep our rights-of-way clear of trees and brush that may interfere with electricity flow. Brandon has the experience, knowledge, and determination to provide safe and reliable services. In extreme weather conditions or other emergencies, we have the resources to help restore power where needed as safely and quickly as possible. Southern Pine is using new technology to manage our outages. Members have asked us, “What are the things on the line that blink sometimes?” These are called fault indicators, which help the servicemen find the reason for the outage. For example, the fault indicators help identify whether a line is down, a pole is broken, or other reasons and helps determine the location of the problem. The year 2020 was challenging for our cooperative with tornadoes, the effects of seven different hurricanes and the COVID-19 virus. 14 TODAY | MARCH 2021

Even though our cooperative did not feel the direct effects of these destructive hurricanes, we sent our crews out to assist our sister cooperatives. These challenges have taught us we have to “keep on keeping on” and be ready at any moment to deal with whatever circumstance may arise. I am so thankful to work with experienced and dedicated individuals who don’t back down from the challenges of Bringing the Power. Our purpose for going to work every day is to ensure a continuous flow of electricity to every member we serve. I will end by remembering Marcus Martin, our cooperative board member, who passed away in November. Mr. Martin helped spread Southern Pine’s vision of Bringing the Power.

Brandon District Member Services

MEET SOUTHERN PINE EMPLOYEE:

NEAL MEADOWS

“We are just like a big family of brothers and sisters”

There are just some people who can always put a smile on your face. Neal Meadows is undoubtedly one of them. This hard-working warehouseman at the Brandon District can make anyone laugh or feel at ease. Neal has been a part of the team at Southern Pine Electric for over 23 years and has never failed at making work fun for his coworkers and himself. The best part of working at Southern Pine is the people, according to Neal. “We are just like a big family full of brothers and sisters. We fight, we argue, we play, and we work together, but at the end of the day, we all love and respect each other,” he said. Neal is a jokester and is proud of the fact that he “can meddle with anyone and everyone,” and he is right, he can, but with a goodnatured kindness. There is more to Neal than jokes, though. He is a dedicated employee and a hard worker. According to his supervisor, Tony Prestage, “He is the most dependable employee I have ever encountered. He is the first one in the office to open and make coffee, and he is the last one to leave and lock up most days. There’s never a dull moment when Neal is around.” Neal said he loves working at Southern Pine and helping his coworkers. One of his favorite parts of the job is traveling to different worksites to haul materials to the crews. When he is not at work for Southern Pine, Neal stays busy on his farm. “There’s always lots to do on the farm, so that keeps me pretty busy, and when I’m not working, I’m fighting fires,” said Neal. District Manager Eddie Mitchell said Neal is good-natured, well known, and a hardworking lifelong resident of Rankin County. “He is a farmer and has served as a volunteer firefighter with Evergreen Volunteer Fire Department for most of his adult life. These are a few of the qualities that make him invaluable to the Brandon District,” said Mitchell. Neal has a lot to be grateful for these days, he said. “I am thankful for beating my aneuryism and for all of the love and support from my Southern Pine family during my fight with lung cancer,” said Neal. Many years ago, he faced an aneuryism that caused him to lose his speech and sight. He was so sure he would die that he wrote a note for his family in case they found him. After a successful surgery, he recovered completely. Neal is thankful, and with good reason. He is now battling lung cancer, but the prognosis is good, and his treatments have been successful. Through his fight with lung cancer, his happiness has always shined through and he never missed a beat on the job. Neal has been married to his wife, Melissa, for just over a year now, and together they have a big, blended family. Together, Neal and Melissa have four adult children and 10 grandchildren ranging from 1 to 18. They are members of Andrew Chapel Methodist Church. MARCH 2021 | TODAY 15

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT:

STRONGHOPE COUNTRY STORE – THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITY IN COPIAH COUNTY

Dollar General. “The only The Stronghope Country thing that’s delivered is gas Store is the heart of this little because we are so far out, community in Copiah County so I make lots of trips to get and has been for over 80 supplies and what people years. A 10-minute drive from need,” she said. During the Wesson, the store is located pandemic, it has been a on a winding country road real challenge. “There was a surrounded by farms and point when I, like most of us, pastures in Stronghope. Greg and Lee Lockhart, with their children, Lindsey, Logan, and Levi couldn’t get what we needed. Greg and Lee Lockhart Many places were only selling bought the store two years one loaf of bread at a time, and stuff like that,” she said. However, ago because they knew it needed to remain open for the comafter the initial rush on groceries, things calmed down, Lee said. munity to thrive. Driven by strong work ethics, these two own The Lockharts have been fortunate because the pandemic has and operate the store, a chicken farm and a cattle farm. Lee is a not hurt their business. radiology technician by trade and recently stopped working fullLee said the best part of owning and operating the store is time in that field, but that does not mean things will slow down seeing people and talking to her friends and neighbors. She also for her. Now, due to the pandemic, she has added home-school adds that it gives her three children something to do because teacher to her job titles. She does all this with a smile and a kind she and Greg strive to teach them to have the same strong work word for her customers and her neighbors. ethic as they do. “We want them to know the value of hard work,” “We just have a great community with neighbors watching out she said. for each other. We are a small but close community,” Lee said. According to Harold “Sach” James, a customer and friend who The people of this community love and protect each other in all kinds of ways, she said. “When it’s dark outside, and we’re closing lives in Stronghope, “If we didn’t have the store, we wouldn’t have a community.” James is a regular who visits the store daily up the store, if someone from the community sees us alone, and even has “his” chair ready for him. He grew up around the they’ll pull over to make sure we get locked up safely,” she adds. store. “This is where we would wait for the school bus when I “The store is vital to Stronghope because we are 10 minutes away from Wesson, 30 minutes from Monticello, 30 minutes from was a kid, then when I got older, I’d play pool and hang out here,” Brookhaven, and 15 minutes from Hazlehurst, so we try to keep he said. Over the years, the store has had different owners and even the things that customers need so they won’t have to drive so far other buildings, but one thing has remained steadfast. Strongto get it,” Lee said. hope Country Store has always been around for the community. Getting what the community needs is not always easy. The With owners like Greg and Lee Lockhart, it will be here for the store receives gas deliveries, but Lee must provide all the other community for many years to come. items in the store through frequent trips to Wal-Mart, Sam’s and 16 TODAY | MARCH 2021

COOPERATIVE DAY OF SERVICE On Jan. 19, Southern Pine, in conjunction with electric cooperatives across Mississippi, participated in the annual Cooperative Day of Service. Each year, on or around Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Cooperative Energy and Mississippi cooperatives honor King’s legacy by serving others. Southern Pine participated in four activities across our membership territory to serve our members. Over 40 employees volunteered to assist Sustaining Grace Recovery Ministry in Collins with demolition of the interior of a house that was donated to the ministry. Volunteers also worked in the yard to prepare the property for those it will be serving. The house will eventually include an office, food and clothing closets, and meeting facilities and is expected to be fully operational in late spring 2021. In addition to the Sustaining Grace project, Southern Pine employees cleaned some of Mississippi’s roadways in Brandon and Newton. Working in conjunction with the City of Brandon,

employees cleaned a two-mile section of highway beginning at our Brandon District office. In Newton, working in conjunction with the Newton County Sheriff’s Department, employees cleaned a two-mile section of highway beginning at our Newton District office. Southern Pine employees also participated in a canned food drive. The food was donated to local food pantries throughout our service territory. “Cooperative Day of Service, honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., serves as a reminder that we should all do all we can to help our communities and we’re honored to be a part of this day,” said Chris K. Rhodes, president and CEO of Southern Pine Electric. “With over 160 employees participating, we were thrilled with the response and they’ve certainly made a tremendous impact today.”

MARCH 2021 | TODAY 17

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

STORM SAFETY Not only do spring showers bring flowers, but they also often bring thunderstorms and tornadoes. Now through the summer months, thunderstorms can quickly appear and often spur tornadoes in the afternoon and evening hours. Being prepared and knowing what to do before, during and after a storm can save your life. PREPARE NOW Before a storm arrives, create an emergency plan so your family knows what to do, where to go and what they will need to protect themselves. Sign up for your community’s warning system, if it is available. The Emergency Alert System and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provide emergency alerts, so make sure you have a weather radio and fresh batteries. Identify nearby, sturdy buildings close to where you live, work or play. Make sure that limbs or trees are cut or trimmed away from your home to prevent them falling onto the structure. SURVIVE DURING Remember the old saying: when thunder roars, go indoors! Go immediately to the nearest sturdy building. Listen to the weather alerts and be prepared to make changes in your emergency plan to adapt to the current situation. Avoid using running water or landline telephones as electricity could pass through plumbing and phone lines. Unplug your appliances and any electronic devices to protect them from electrical current. BE SAFE AFTER Listen to your weather radio and reports from local authorities to determine if it is safe to go outside. Once outside, always be aware of your surroundings and avoid downed power lines and fallen trees. Following these simple tips could save you or your loved one’s life. Source: www.ready.gov

Powering Up After an Outage When a major storm or natural disaster causes widespread damage, extended outages may result. Our line crews work long, hard hours to restore service safely to the greatest number of Members in the shortest time possible. Here’s the process we follow for every outage, small or large:

1. High-Voltage Transmission Lines: Transmission lines that supply power to substations rarely fail. But when damaged, they must be repaired before other parts of the system can operate.

2. Distribution Substation:

A substation can serve hundreds or thousands of Members. Line crews inspect substations to determine if problems stem from transmission lines feeding into the substation or the substation itself.

3. Three-Phase Lines: The next thing we check are three-phase lines, often called circuits. These lines carry power to large groups of Members.

4. Single-Phase Lines: If outages persist after all three-phase lines in the area are repaired, then singephase lines are inspected. These lines run along side streets and smaller roads.

5. Tap or Service Lines: If your home remains without power, the tap line between a transformer and your home may need to be repaired.

Lineman Apprenticeship Program Congratulations to Riley Carson and Jake Knight for completing the First Class level and to Chad Buckley, Dillon Grifﬁn and Braden Smith for completing the Apprentice Class I level.

Riley Carson

Jake Knight

Chad Buckley

Dillon Grifﬁn

Braden Smith

RIGHT-OF-WAY Right-of-way trimming has begun in the purple area indicated on the map. This long-term project may take several months to complete. Delta Tree Services Inc. has been contracted to complete most of this work. Southwest crews will also be working in the area. In addition to normal tree trimming at least 15 feet on either side of the power lines, Southwest will be removing trees that have grown into, or are leaning into, the right-of-way. This will help prevent damage, reduce the number of outages and improve reliability for our Members. If you have any questions about this project, please contact us at 800-287-8564.

Don’t forget... SPRING FORWARD on March 14 at 2 a.m.

Home Generator Program

Natchez Electric and Southern Electric Works have agreed to offer discounts on whole home generator installations exclusively for our Members. Natchez Electric offers a $200 Member installation discount on its Generac generators. Southern Electric Works offers a $250 Member installation discount on its Kohler generators and a $100 rebate for referring a friend. Both companies offer free estimates, local

Contact Mike Harrigill 601-442-2711

service, annual maintenance plans and a five-year limited warranty. While neither company offers financing, these discounts are available exclusively for Southwest Electric Members. Visit our website at southwestelectric.coop/ generator-program to learn more about the generators offered, contact a company of your choice, utilize a home calculator and even download a printable brochure.

Contact Lonnie Woods 601-833-8323 MARCH 2021 | TODAY 13

BRIAN HUGHEY

Bringing power and energy services to local communities For more information, call 601-947-4211 or 228-497-1313.

www.singingriver.com

General Manager & CEO AMANDA PARKER LORRI FREEMAN, APR Public Relations Specialist Manager of Public Relations SRE is an equal opportunity employer and provider.

@singingriverelectric

A MESSAGE FROM YOUR CEO

Extreme cold and loss of generation units force an unprecedented power outage

Brian Hughey General Manager & CEO

With demand for electricity at an all-time high due to record-setting cold from the winter storms, generation resources were placed under significant strain in mid-February when power reliability coordinator, Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), lost

generation units. MISO is tasked with maintaining power reliability for Cooperative Energy members and other utilities in a 15-state area. Singing River Electric purchases power from Cooperative Energy and is one of their 11 member systems. To ensure reliability across MISO’s footprint, a balance is required between generation and customer or member demand. The expansive and extreme cold across the nation and the loss of units on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, upset this balance causing an unprecedented, critical shortage of electricity. MISO directed Cooperative Energy to initiate strategic, brief outages to prevent a more extensive and prolonged power outage and to protect the balance and stability of the grid. This was the first time in Cooperative Energy’s 80-year history that several of its member systems, including Singing River Electric, would experience a forced outage due

12 TODAY | MARCH 2021

to a generation shortage. Little notice was given to Cooperative Energy to perform the task of choosing which substation in each system would have power interrupted based on their load. The outage for Singing River Electric members in the Benndale community lasted approximately two hours before engineers were notified to begin repowering the area. Singing River Electric had no prior notice of the location of the outage. If we had, we would have been able to notify residents in the area. We are working with Cooperative Energy to review the forced outage and communication plan to ensure a more immediate and comprehensive communication in the future. Singing River Electric’s distribution system held up exceptionally well, even with the extreme temperatures. There were no significant outages, prior to the forced generation outage, within our service area due to the cold. Our prayers went out to members of the Mississippi cooperatives who had lengthy power outages due to heavy sleet, snow and extreme cold temperatures following the winter storms. Singing River Electric answered the call for help by sending a crew of 13 linemen to help restore outages at Magnolia Electric Power in McComb. We are quick to help others because we know how blessed we are to receive aid following a major storm.

@SRECooperative

Energy Tips

Nick DeAngelo

Manager of Energy Services and Economic Development deangelo@singingriver.com

Cash in on spring savings As temperatures warm, harness the power of the sun and increase energy savings. While conducting energy audits this time of year we often encounter homes that are operating heating or

cooling when there is no need. By simply turning off your air conditioning system and opening a window, you can take advantage of free solar energy. Considering heating and cooling accounts for up to 60% of the power bill, this simple measure can add up to significant savings. For more energy tips, visit singingriver.com/ways-tosave.

Pascagoula River Audubon Center

City of Gautier

City of Ocean Springs

Right-of-Way Coordinator Nick Greer presents bareroot seedlings to Becky Stowe with the National Conservancy of George and Greene County.

Conservation

“I live and work in these communities, so conservation is a privilege.” SRE donates hardwood bareroot seedlings locally as part of Miss. Arbor Day activities.

rees work as windbreaks, prevent soil erosion and provide shade, building materials and more. Arbor Day is a celebration of these majestic tall plants and is observed to promote education, conservation and planting of trees across the nation. Mississippi adopted Arbor Day as the second Friday in February in 1926. The national holiday is the last Friday in April, but Mississippi chose its day to coincide with the best tree planting weather in the southeast region. To join other Mississippians in Arbor Day celebrations, Singing River Electric purchased 1,700 hardwood, bareroot seedling trees to donate to our local communities. “Conservation and beautification are important to us all,” said Right-of-Way Coordinator Nick Greer. “As a Singing River Electric employee and member, I live and work in these communities, so conservation is a passion and a privilege.” The Nature Conservancy, Pascagoula River Audubon Center and the cities of Ocean Springs and Gautier received the seedlings. Singing River Electric employees also participated with planting trees at Lucedale City Park. For more information on SRE’s conservation efforts, visit singingriver.com/my-community. MARCH 2021 | TODAY 13

6th Co-op Principle

Cooperation Among Cooperatives SRE sends crews to assist MEP following winter storms Uri and Viola. hick, cold sheets of ice covered roads and bridges making it nearly impossible to drive around most of central and north Mississippi following two winter storms that trekked across the nation in mid-February. Ice as thick as plastic water bottles coated tree branches causing them to snap, fall and break power lines. “Electric cooperatives across the state had 46,422 power outages total following Winter Storm Uri and a total of 110,269 outages after Winter Storm Viola,” stated Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi’s Vice President of Safety and Loss Control Gerald Gordon. “The combination of storms has by far been the worst damage since the 1994 ice storm in the Delta, and this event covered more than triple the land mass.” On Tuesday, Feb. 16, Singing River Electric answered Magnolia Electric Power’s call for assistance and sent 13 linemen and seven vehicles to McComb, Miss. Within hours, SRE crews were working to trim limbs and rehang power lines to restore power in

the Tylertown area. “The damage to the power lines is mostly from broken tree limbs,” said Singing River Electric crew supervisor James Chipley. “We have seen few broken poles, which is good.” Singing River Electric’s response to help Magnolia Electric Power (MEP) follows MEP’s effort to restore power in George County following Hurricane Zeta in late October 2020. “Electric cooperatives have a reciprocal agreement to assist each other following storms. It’s the sixth cooperative principle and it has allowed Singing River Electric to grow from 180 employees to 1,000 in times of great need,” said Singing River Electric General Manager and CEO Brian Hughey. “Our crews line up to go when any storm heads toward our region, and we know what it’s like to be the ones in need.” At the time of publication, the SRE crews had been assisting MEP for about a week. For more information on electric cooperatives and our storm plan, visit singingriver.com.

Winter Storm Uri hits on 2/15, MEP has around 9,000 meters out.

SRE sends 13 linemen and seven trucks to assist MEP.

Second winter storm (Viola) hits late on Wed., 2/17; MEP outages rise to 4,758.

MARCH 2021 | TODAY 15

SRE fiber project Member update As stated in the January issue of the Today in Mississippi member magazine, Singing River Electric’s Board of Directors recently approved a plan to build its first fiber project(s), including a 400-mile fiber ring connecting all the co-op’s substations and offices, and participate in its first fiber-to-the-home pilot project. Singing River Electric is working closely with its consultant, Conexon, to move forward with the fiber project.

SRE March update

Supporting technical education SRE NHN Grant assists Gautier High School’s unmanned aerial systems classes NHN Community Grants Neighbors Helping Neighbors (NHN) Community Grants help Singing River Electric merge efforts with the hard work of those within our communities. Since the program’s inception in 2001, $304,708 has been awarded to local non-profits in local communities.

Gautier High School received a $1,998.98 Singing River Electric Neighbors Helping Neighbors Community Grant. Funds purchased a quadcopter drone with accessories for use by students in the unmanned aerial systems (USA) classes. Students who complete the two-year program have the knowledge to pass the commercial remote pilot test and have a portfolio showing flight hours and missions flown. Class participants learn video editing software for the footage they capture and create maps and 3D images with photos taken.

For more information on SRE NHN Community Grants and how to apply, visit singingriver.com/my-community. Grants for up to $2,500 are awarded to nonproﬁts in SRE’s service area three times a year in January, May and September. 16 TODAY | MARCH 2021

• SRE’s broadband project manager will be onsite at the co-op beginning in March. • Your co-op is currently working on fiber make-ready engineering and construction plans. • The project manager has begun driving through some of SRE’s service area. Should you see his truck, this does not mean you will be getting fiber soon. • Constructing the fiber ring and pilot projects will take time. Fiber will need to be installed on power poles and within substation buildings or huts constructed in substations to support the project before service can be offered to members. • SRE is not yet ready to announce pilot project locations or begin pre-registering for fiber service.

We are committed to keeping our members informed of the this project and managing expectations. Keep reading this Today in Mississippi monthly magazine, referring to the website at www.singingriver.com/ broadband and joining conversations on social media to stay informed.

Facebook/Instagram @singingriverelectric Twitter @SRECooperative

in preservation grants awarded

Franklin County Courthouse

Noxubee County Library

Natchez City Hall

(Old) Madison County Jail

MARCH 2021 | TODAY 17

CHAD Date_____ Revisions Requested

Franklin County Courthouse, Meadville, Franklin County — $144,388 for window and masonry restoration, and reroofing of the jail.

Approved

G.L. Hawkins Elementary, Hattiesburg, Forrest County — $35,200 for roof repairs.

STEVEN Date_____

Chickasaw County Courthouse, Houston, Chickasaw County — $226,677 for repairs to the roof and other interior repairs.

Revisions Requested

Corinth Coliseum Theater, Corinth, Alcorn County — $236,234 for replacement of the roof and ADA upgrades.

Approved

Natchez City Hall, Natchez, Adams County — $157,056 for replacement of the roof.

RON Date_____

House on Ellicott’s Hill, Natchez, Adams County — $210,400 for restoration of the front gallery of the building.

Approved

The grant awards are as follows:

VERSION #______________

Revisions Requested

Nearly $3 Million

SERVING MORE THAN 12,600 ELECTRIC METERS IN FIVE DELTA COUNTIES Hollandale - 662-827-2262 | Belzoni - 662-247-1909 | Greenville - 662-334-9543 | Rolling Fork - 662-873-4233 | REPORT OUTAGES 866-897-7250

March – a month of fun and traditions Traditions are important, particularly to us Southerners. Traditions are unique but also have a magical way of binding us together generationally, with other regions, different ethnicities and cultures. Traditions start out with a historical purpose and usually include a bit of fun over the years. During the month of March, there are two traditional “holidays” that definitely unite us, gives us something to share with our younger family members and takes us back to our own childhood.

Read Across America! In terms of traditions, this one is fairly new in the USA. On March 2, schools across the nation will honor Dr. Seuss and his birthday with a week of activities devoted to reading. Every child, and adult, in America can most likely recite a Dr. Seuss book by heart. Dr. Seuss is known as one of the most influential authors of children’s books. Read Across America Day, was inaugurated by the National Education Association (NEA). On March 2, 1998, the first Read Across America Day was celebrated. Since then, it has become an annual event. For at-home fun, read Dr. Seuss’ books and visit www.seussville. com. Did you know? Dr, Seuss was really Theodor Seuss “Ted” Geisel? Born March 2, 1904, Geisel was an American children’s author, political cartoonist, illustrator, poet, animator and filmmaker. Dr. Seuss penned and illustrated more than 60 books including his first published book, “To Think I Saw It on Mulberry Street.” Which is your favorite? 12 TODAY | MARCH 2021

What would March be without St. Patrick’s Day? It’s the one day when EVERYONE is Irish. Think back to your childhood. Did you want to be that child who didn’t wear green on March 17, and chance getting pinched? Who remembers fervently looking for a four-leaf clover to have good luck? St. Patrick’s Day actually started centuries ago. St Patrick, one of the patron saints of Ireland, is said to have died on March 17, in or around the year 493. He grew up in Roman Britain, but was captured by Irish raiders and taken to Ireland as a slave when he was 16 years old. After some years he returned to his family and entered the church, like his father and grandfather before him. He later returned to Ireland as a missionary and worked in the north and west of the country. Did you know? The world’s shortest St Patrick’s Day Parade is 98 feet and is held in Hot Springs, Ark., on Bridge Street. The world’s longest and one of the oldest St Paddy’s Day parade is held in New York City lasting over six hours with more than 100,000 participants. You can start your own family traditions and have fun celebrating Dr. Seuss and St Patrick’s Day in your home. And, it’s March! Don’t forget to fly a kite!

Twin County Employees Retire

Calendar March 1

Twin County has long-honored traditions. One that we love is to honor retiring employees with a special recognition for their years of service with the reading of a Resolution of Retirement. Recently, Twin County honored two long-time employees for their dedication to the co-op and its Members. Leslie B. Hassett and Ellis Sims were vital to the operations of Twin County. They will be missed and we wish both Leslie and Ellis many happy adventures in retirement.

National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day

March 2 Read Across America Day and Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss

March 4 National Hug a Military Service Person Day

March 8 International Women’s Day

March 14 Spring Forward with Daylight Savings Time

March 17 St. Patrick’s Day Leslie Boykin, accountant, receives her TCEPA Resolution from Tim Perkins, General Manager for 30 years of service.

Tim Perkins presents Ellis Sims, groundman with his TCEPA Resolution upon retirement for more than 21 years of service.

March 20 First day of Spring and International Day of Happiness

March 28 Palm Sunday

March 29

We think our employees are the best! Twin County is fortunate to have employees dedicated to the association. We would like to recognize the following employees for their years of service to the company and the Members we serve. Traditionally, Twin County recognizes employees at its annual Service Awards Dinner. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the awards dinner was not held.

National Vietnam Veteran’s Day

March 31 World Backup Your Device Day

Ways to pay your Twin County Electric bill • Pay online at www.twincoepa.com Leslie B. Hassett Cathy Ables

Brian Cochran Gene Newton

Jeremy Fuller

Russ Stewart

(fees apply)

• Pay on the SmartHub APP Twin

Carol Moss

Co EPA (fees apply) Search Twin Co EPA from the Apple Store or Android Marketplace Mail to P.O. Box 158, Hollandale, MS 38748 Pay at your local Twin County office in person or drop payment in the dropbox

Alex Swanagan, Jr.

If you need to make payment arrangements, contact your local Twin County office.

• •

Ken Bagley

J R Miller

*Remember, winter storms #Uri and #Viola may cause increased electricity use. MARCH 2021 | TODAY 13

TWITTER

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

VISIT US ONLINE @ WWW.YAZOOVALLEY.COM

Everyday heroes keep Yazoo County residents protected by Elissa Fulton With the same spirit that electric cooperatives fill a fundamental need in rural communities, the volunteer fire department also plays an essential role for rural life. For Yazoo Valley employees Jimmy Wayne Pettis and Eric Woods, they take this need to heart and both aid with the volunteer fire departments in their communities. Pettis serves at the Tri-Community department and Woods serves at the department in Holly Bluff. They both view this responsibility as a necessity and challenge other community members to take on the responsibilities of keeping our communities safe. “If we don’t do it, who’s going to do it?” asked Pettis. “I view it from the Golden Rule: love thy neighbor as thy self.” Woods stated, “I like to think if I was lying on the side of the road one day and I need help, that someone will come and help me.” The truth is, without the willingness to serve from current volunteers, our communities could be facing this real possibility. And the future of volunteer fire departments depends on those willing to assist. Both Pettis and Woods work full-time careers at Yazoo Valley Electric, and there are days that it’s tough to handle both responsibilities. However, both agree that Yazoo Valley Electric supports their efforts and knows the importance of the mem12 TODAY | MARCH 2021

bership and compassion in their times of need and misfortunes. “I can remember a recent event, when Eric and I were both paged to a scene around midnight and at 5:30 the next morning, we had to go home and shower before working a full day at Yazoo Valley,” said Pettis. “Thankfully we work for an organization that supports our mission.” There are eight districts in Yazoo County with volunteer fire departments. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) director for Yazoo County is Jack Willingham. “Without these volunteers, you risk leaving your rural residents unprotected,” said Willingham. “The county does not have a full-time paid fire department. Not only do these volunteers give rural residents protection and life safety and response when needed, when it otherwise would not be, it can also help the community itself by improving insurance ratings and by saving them money. As these departments continue to improve, insurance ratings will improve, which in the long term can save thousands of dollars for county residents.” Pettis and Woods both said that Willingham has been instrumental in securing federal grants and modern equipment for the fire stations that were really needed. Training is also available for all volunteers. “Each district, depending on how many volunteers they have and how many calls they answer per year, will factor into a fire

Volunteers from left to right: Durwood Pettis, Jimmy Wayne Pettis, Eric Woods and Jack Willingham

rating that affects homeowner’s insurance rates,” said Woods. Pettis added, “There is criteria that the county has to meet and sometimes you’ll see bond issues help with the costs of these efforts. Before volunteer fire departments began, we didn’t have the equipment that the City has. So, if there was a wreck at the county line, there wasn’t a lot you could do at a scene until the City showed up with the apparatuses that are needed. Today, the city fire department doesn’t respond more than five miles outside of the city limits, so everything that happens in the county is strictly on the volunteer departments.” In the past, local volunteer fire departments have taken much criticism for response times. However, the response times are dependent upon who may be closest — which makes the need for volunteers even more important. Firefighting and rescue operations are not the only skills the departments need. Departments need nurses and medical personnel, people to flag roads during accidents, those who keep up with the whereabouts of all volunteers when fighting fires, those who can help the team stay hydrated or even to help console victims during times of crisis. It’s a community effort and one that is desperately needed. There is also an enormous need for fundraising. According to Pettis and Woods, the departments run on very small annual budgets. Approximately $15,000-$20,000 is what the departments are given each year to buy fuel, maintain vehicles and keep needed life-saving equipment. The departments are responsible for vehicle and boating accidents, fires, rescue missions and much more, but when the funds are depleted, the departments face challenges to protect county residents. Yazoo Valley Electric has recently held training classes for volunteers on electrical safety and plan to continue supporting this effort led by Paul Buxton, Yazoo Valley Electric’s

safety coordinator. “The electrical training has been very beneficial,” said Pettis. “Eric and I know the dangers of electricity, but when you show up on a scene, you often have blinders on. For those that don’t know about electricity, and they show up on a scene with a car that has hit an electricity pole and there’s wire down everywhere, they are usually focused on what’s happening and not what’s around them, like hot lines.” Pettis added, “We are fortunate that we live in the Bible Belt and that churches and communities support those who fall on tough times. But we need the community to support the volunteer fire departments through volunteerism and donations. The departments have workdays and cleanup days at each fire station if you can’t volunteer full time. But it takes the whole community to care for those in need.” For more information about volunteering and supporting your local volunteer fire department, call Jack Willingham at 662-746-1569 or email yazoocoema@yazoocounty.ms.gov.

Higher winter bills? Higher bills in the winter are common. The average low for our area in both December and January were in the mid-30s. These low temps cause your heating unit to work harder. Here is why: If your heating unit is set to 68 degrees and the temperature is 60 degrees outside, your unit only has to make up an 8-degree difference. Consider a 30-degree night, your unit must make up a 38-degree difference, causing the heating unit to cycle on and off more often to raise and maintain the desired temperature of 68 degrees. Higher bills in the winter can also come as a shock and increase significantly in value from one month to the next, because the previous bills in both October and November are generally low due to milder temperatures in our region during those months. An average household will go from running neither heat nor air to running heat continuously. It is also important to note that high bills can also be a sign that there may be issues within the home. These issues can range from freezing cold air leaking into the home through windows or door facings, heating elements going bad within your unit, no skirting around mobile homes or malfunctioning heating strips. Here are some solutions to combating high winter bills: 1. Download our free mobile app and monitor your daily energy use. This will help you see when you are using the most electricity and give you more ability to control your electric use. 2. Just like we need an annual checkup, so does your air conditioning/heating unit. Be sure to have a certified electrician give your unit a tune-up each year to ensure that it is working properly. 3. Keep your thermostat as low as possible in the winter. The Department of Energy suggests no higher than 68 degrees. 4. Install a timer on your hot water heater. A common myth is that your hot water heater only runs when it is being used. A hot water heater, without a timer, will run all day to keep the water in the tank at the temperature you have set; meaning it is running even while you sleep. 5. Avoid using space heaters in your home. They use a lot of electricity. 6. Sign up for budget billing. Members who do not have a past-due bill and pay their monthly bills on time qualify for our budget billing program, which allows you to know how much your bill will be each month with no surprises. This amount is figured based on a yearly average of your monthly bills and is adjusted annually.

If you have questions or concerns about your bill, call us at 662-746-4251. 14 TODAY | MARCH 2021