Today in Mississippi June 2019 Local Pages by American MainStreet Publications

Periodical postage (ISSN 1052 2433)

News for members of Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi

pages 12-13

Cuisine & a lifetime dream

page 5

Q&A on life, learning & leadership

page 9

Summer vacation page 19

10 I Today in Mississippi

June 2019

Central Electric

A tradition of dependable, hometown service since 1937

Power Association

April 18 storm ripped through Central Electric service area Tornadoes, strong thunderstorms and damaging winds hit central Mississippi on Thursday, April 18. Central Electric Power Association experienced sustained power outages in Attala, Leake, Neshoba, Scott, Rankin, Newton and Kemper counties and promptly mobilized their field operations staff. CEPA worked through the night to restore power. On Thursday, April 18, 2019 around 6:30 p.m., 27,745 of the 36,344 Central Electric members were without power. At the onset of the storms, source power was lost to South Philadelphia, Crossroads, Pearl River, Leake, Singleton, Kosciusko, Twin City and Ludlow substations. TVA transmission lines to the above mentioned substations were energized on Friday morning, April 19.

Assistance arrived on Friday, April 19 and Saturday, April 20 to aid in power restoration to approximately 76 percent of Central Electric’s power system. Central Electric would like to thank: Alcorn County EPA, North East EPA, Natchez Trace EPA, Tallahatchie Valley EPA, Coahoma EPA, Tishomingo County EPA, Yazoo Valley EPA and Northcentral EPA for their

assistance in rebuilding our power system. As of 8:00 p.m., Tuesday, April 23, all power had been restored to all members that could safely receive power. General Manager Brian Long praised CEPA employees along with the employees from eight cooperatives in Mississippi. “To restore power to 27,745 members in 5 days with the damage Central Electric sustained is a great accomplishment,” he said. Central Electric Power Association would like to thank the membership for their patience and support during the April restoration efforts. Central Electric Power Association serves over 36,000 member-consumers in a seven-county area in central Mississippi, including Attala, Kemper, Leake, Neshoba, Newton, Rankin and Scott counties.

Outages, by the numbers: Total meters out by day Thursday, April 18 – 27,745 Friday, April 19 – 9,000 Saturday, April 20 – 3,800 Easter Sunday, April 21 – 1,900 Monday, April 22 – 1,100

THANK YOU! Alcorn County EPA, North East EPA, Natchez Trace EPA, Tallahatchie Valley EPA, Coahoma EPA, Tishomingo County EPA, Yazoo Valley EPA and Northcentral EPA

IUKA, MISS.

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CENTRAL ELECTRIC POWER ASSOCIATION will be closed Thursday, July 4

Independence Day In case of a power outage or emergency, please call 1-866-846-5671. CEPA Dispatcher on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

June 2019

Today in Mississippi

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

FOUNDATION

Scholarship Recipients

The Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi Foundation was created by the electric cooperatives of Mississippi in 2005. In an effort to give back to the communities they serve, the Foundation provides scholarships for post-secondary and vocational education to accredited institutions for qualifying high school seniors. For the fall of 2019, the Foundation awarded scholarships to dependents of employees of participating electric cooperatives. Five Central Electric employee’s children who are entering college this fall were awarded the ECM Foundation Scholarships. Central Electric wants to congratulate each recipient on receiving this scholarship.

Abbie Shoemaker Abbie Shoemaker is the daughter of Jeremy and Nikki Shoemaker. She is a graduate of Pisgah High School. Abbie enjoys playing the piano and singing, baking and working with individuals with special needs. She is excited to serve the Lord on a mission trip to Costa Rica this summer. Abby plans to attend Hinds Community College to pursue a degree in nursing, specializing in developmental disability nursing.

Alana Patterson

Alana Patterson is the daughter of Neil and Jessica Patterson. She is a graduate of Leake Academy. She enjoys all things dance and spending time with family and friends. Alana attends Freeny Baptist Church where she actively participates in youth group activities. Alana plans to attend Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and the University of Southern Mississippi to pursue a degree in marketing and a minor in dance choreography.

Congratulations

Noah Pickett

Noah Pickett is the son of Darrin and Linda Pickett. He is a graduate of Neshoba Central High School. Noah enjoys golf, bowling, hunting and lifeguarding at Geyser Falls Water Park. Noah plans to attend East Central Community College and Mississippi State University to pursue a degree in criminal justice.

Tanner Wilcher

Tanner Wilcher is the son of Jimmy and Cyndi Wilcher. He is a graduate of Leake Central High School. He enjoys spending time with family and friends. He attends Mt. Carmel Baptist Church where he enjoys being involved with the youth group. Tanner plans to attend East Central Community College to pursue a degree in criminal justice, with plans to attend the police academy.

Clancy Scott

Clancy Scott is the daughter of Jerrell Scott and the late Lynn Scott. She is an honor graduate of Leake Academy. She enjoys basketball, riding horses and spending time with family and friends. Clancy plans to attend East Central Community College and the University of Mississippi to pursue a degree in pharmacy.

10 Today in Mississippi

June 2019

Manager’s Message

Coahoma Electric to retire 2018 capital credits W. Keith Hurt General Manager

Unlike an investor-owned utility, which operates to make profit for investors, Coahoma Electric is a member-owned cooperative and does not operate for profit. Revenue generated from members’ bills is first used to pay for operating expenses, and remaining funds are invested in the utility system. The invested funds represent the member-owners’ economic participation

Questions about capital credits? You may go to our website at www.coahomaepa.com and click on the Member Services Tab (at the top), then click on Capital Credits. There you will find information pertaining to Capital Credits. You must have been a member in 2018 to be eligible.

and are allocaed to the members in the form of capital credits. On June bills, Coahoma Electric will provide a bill credit for active members with a capital credit retirement total of less than $50. Refunds greater than $50 will be processed the last week in June, and checks will be mailed.

Don’t have internet? Please contact us at 662-624-8321.

TAKE CONTROL OF We expect summers to be hot, but most of us do all we can to keep our homes as comfortable as possible, even as outdoor temperatures edge thermometers upward. When it comes to electricity, each of us has the power to help control our costs–– we just have to make thoughtful choices to make energy savings pay off in dollars and cents.

Shade the sunlight

Look toward the west. If you don’t have trees, a porch overhang or awnings shading windows exposed to afternoon sun, there’s a good chance radiant heat could be driving up indoor temperatures and adding to your overall cooling costs. Window coverings can help. Blinds or shades can deflect intense sunlight, and draperies lined with a thermal radiant barrier can block up to 95 percent of sunlight and 100 percent of ultraviolet rays.

Increase airflow

Comfort and cooling are easier to maintain when we take advantage of air flow. A ceiling fan can pull warm air up above your living zone, making a difference during summer months. The evaporative effect of circulating air blowing across our skin makes us more comfortable, but that benefit completely disappears when we leave the room, so turning fans off in unoccupied rooms will save energy. HVAC filters have a lot to do with airflow through your heating and cooling systems. Dirty filters restrict circulation through your returns, requiring your cooling system to work harder. If you can see dirt in a filter, it’s likely 50 percent clogged. Follow the manufacturer’s

Today in Mississippi

recommendations on replacing disposable filters or cleaning permanent ones. If you’ve got pets, consider checking them more frequently.

Shift activities

You can save money and electricity by time-shifting some of the most energy-intensive activities away from peak energy use periods that normally occur during the hottest hours of the day. Cooking, doing laundry and using power tools can increase both heat and humidity inside your home, making it harder to reach or maintain a comfortable temperature. Remember, controlling energy costs will always work better with buy-in from everyone in the household. • One open window anywhere can be like an uncapped chimney, pulling the conditioned air you pay to cool outside. • A gaming system, computer or big screen television left on but unwatched produces nearly as much heat as it does when it’s in use. • Lighting and ventilation fans add convenience and provide benefits when they are needed but when left on and unattended, they use energy. • A bag of ice poured into a cooler will chill summer beverages as effectively and less expensively than an aging refrigerator in a hot garage.

Coahoma Electric’s

Text Notification Service will keep you in the KNOW!

• Due date • Past due • Outage check • Outage restoration • Profile change

Text notifications are easy!

June 2019

Update your mobile number!

COAHOMA ELECTRIC WISHES YOU AND YOUR FAMILY A SAFE AND HAPPY HOLIDAY!

COAHOMA ELECTRIC POWER ASSOCIATION will be closed Thursday, July 4

Independence Look for the Coahoma EPA App in

Update your mobile phone number today by going to www.coahomaepa.com, then clicking on “Pay My Bill Online” then “My Account.” You can also call us at 662-624-8321 or use our App.

Day Crews will be on call throughout the holiday weekend. Call 662-624-8321 to report an outage.

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June 2019

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

Where our members have the power

TAKE CONTROL OF

CEO’s message

Although summer doesn’t officially begin until the end of the month, temperatures are soaring and that means bills will be higher. Heating and cooling costs make up more than half of your bill each month and outside temperatures impact how Ron Barnes often and for how long your President and CEO AC unit runs. While none of us can control the weather, we can do small things that will ensure we aren’t spending more than necessary. We’ve got some great tools on www.coastepa.com that can help you see what a difference you can make by choosing to be more efficient. Our energy use analysis tool allows you to enter information about your home and how you use energy and view a report about what kinds of things you can do to use less energy and save. Some suggestions for savings have costs associated with them but there are many low- and no-cost ways to save, too. For example, bumping up that cool setting on your thermostat by a couple of degrees can help you use less energy. Waiting to wash dishes and

laundry until your machines are full is another tip that doesn’t cost you a thing. Turning off ceiling fans when you leave the room or unplugging items that are making your meter spin, even when you aren’t using them, can help you save, too. Of course, when your AC has been working hard all day, these changes might not seem to make a big dent in your energy use, but I challenge you and your family to find ways to manage your use this summer. And don’t take on all the responsibility alone to reduce the energy use in your home; make savings a family-friendly activity. Challenge your kids to find three items they can unplug when they aren’t using them. Ask them to watch the adults in the house to make sure they are turning off lights and fans when they leave a room. My favorite energy savings tip is to sign up for Coast Electric’s Time of Use (TOU) program. If you switch your energy use to off-peak hours, you can really save every month. Peak hours in the summer are from 3 p.m. - 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Use that time to get outside and take a walk, cool off in the sprinkler or use your grill to cook dinner. TOU is a great tool that can help you unplug and recharge with your family this summer!

This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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I Glow 5K Run

COAST ELECTRIC WISHES YOU AND YOUR FAMILY A SAFE AND HAPPY HOLIDAY!

COAST ELECTRIC will be closed Thursday, July 4

Independence Day Dispatchers will be on duty throughout the weekend and crews will be on call. If you have an outage, please use our free CE on the Go app for quick and easy outage reporting or call 877-769-2372.

June 2019

Today in Mississippi

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Reduce Your Use contest

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

June’s Reduce Your Use prize announcement Do you have a water heater that is outside? Maybe in your garage? When it comes to energy use, your water heater is typically the second highest energyconsuming appliance in your home. Tank water heaters are usually insulated well enough to keep water inside the tank at the desired temperature for a few hours; but if your tank is outside the home’s thermal boundary, the water heater loses heat much more quickly than it would inside. Heat will always try to find its way to cold. If the tank is exposed to colder temperatures outside the thermal boundary, there are measures you can take to ensure heat stays inside the tank. This month’s Reduce Your Use giveaway is a water heater blanket and 12 inches of pipe insulation.

Wrapping your water heater tank in this insulation blanket and insulating any exposed piping greatly increases the level of thermal boundary your water heater has. The longer you can keep the water warm, the less your water heater has to run. That means you reduce your energy use and save money. If you would like more information on energy savings or if you would like to sign up for Coast Electric’s Time of Use program call 1-877-769-2372 or email call@coastepa.com. Also, please remember to like Coast Electric on Facebook and Twitter to stay informed about upcoming events and next month’s Reduce Your Use giveaway.

Visit www.coastepa.com to enter Reduce Your Use! Remember to visit us online each month for a chance to win! Winners will be announced in future issues of Today in Mississippi and on our social media channels.

April’s Reduce Your Use contest winner!

community spotlight Congratulations to Robin Rodriguez, the winner of our April Reduce Your Use prize! Robin won a water heater timer!

Board member named top community leader Touch A Truck Coast Electric employees had a blast showing off cool trucks and tools to future members – and maybe future line workers – at the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce Touch A Truck event this spring!

Congratulations to Gordon Redd for receiving a One Coast award for being one of our area’s top community leaders! Besides being the owner of Redd Pest Control, Mr. Redd is a Coast Electric Board Member, an active member of his church and a community volunteer. We are proud to have a leader like Mr. Redd represent your interests on the Coast Electric Board.

Habitat for Humanity Women’s Build The sound of saws and the scent of saw dust were in the air as a team of Coast Electric and Chemours employees spent a day helping Habitat for Humanity build a home in Gulfport. This is Coast Electric’s second year to participate in the Women’s Build.

Egg drop Look out below! Students at East Hancock Elementary were able to test the devices they designed to keep eggs from cracking with help from one of Coast Electric’s linemen.

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June 2019

Operation

Round Up

DOING GREAT T

Organizations with various missions an there was a common thread for each r members who made these grants possible receiving funds from Coast

This spring, 14 deserving organizations in our communities received the first grants ever awarded as part of Coast Electric’s Operation Round Up program. The generosity of Coast Electric members made it possible to award more than $71,000 in grants to local organizations whose mission is to improve the quality of life in the communities we serve. Grants are awarded quarterly. The next round of recipients will be announced in August.

“On behalf of the USO Gulf Coast, I want to thank the members yourselves to support your community through this co-op. It’s a as members of this co-op. Thank you all for everything you are

1st Quar

All funds st

A $4,000 Operation Round Up grant was awarded to the Whisper of Hope Foundation for raptor enclosures.

Manna Ministries Pine Grove Volunteer Fire Department Crossroads Food Pantry Hope Haven of Hancock County Friends of the Animal Shelter Starfish Café Work Incentive Program Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestra Back Bay Mission CASA of Harrison County United Service Organization

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

Total donations fro

Heartfelt gra

June 2019

Today in Mississippi

THINGS TOGETHER

nd programs received Round Up grants, but recipient – gratitude for the Coast Electric e. Read what the recipients had to say about t Electric's Community Trust. “I can’t say how grateful Friends of the Animal Shelter is to the Coast Electric members who have been so generous, so this money is available to the residents of Hancock County and to our fourlegged friends too.”

s of Coast Electric for your generosity to be able to think beyond a wonderful opportunity for us to come together as a community doing to support our service members and their families.”

“Round Up puts money back into our community and Back Bay Mission is blessed to be part of that.”

“It’s the members of Coast Electric who round up and the money goes back into the community that make this possible. Our program is a great program for that because we are going to put people to work in the community.” - Goodwill Industries of South Mississippi

“I want to give a huge thank you to all the members that have donated that extra two cents a month, three cents, 10 cents, or whatever your donation was. Those pennies make dollars, and those dollars become $10, and then it’s $100. Before you know it, a week is paid for in our program. Keep doing what you are doing because there are a lot of organizations that are small like ours that depend on your giving like the widow’s mite because that’s what makes a difference.” - Starfish Cafe Work Incentive Program

“If it was not for you sharing your funds and giving hope to the hopeless, this would be impossible.” - Teen Challenge of Mississippi, inc.

rter Operation Round Up Grant Recipients

tay in our community to make a difference for our friends and neighbors!

$5,000 (lab/medical supplies) $8,000 (outfit search and rescue trailer) $5,000 (food supplies) $3,000 (school uniforms for public school students) $6,000 (spay/neuter program) $6,000 (tuition for three students in the workforce program) $2,000 (youth orchestra program) $7,000 (food supplies) $4,300 (train CASA volunteers) $8,000 (programs and services for military personnel/families)

Goodwill Industries of South Mississippi Whisper of Hope Foundation Wild at Heart Rescue Teen Challenge of Mississippi, Inc.

om Coast Electric members to our community

atitude for YOU - our members

$5,500 (workforce training equipment) $4,000 (raptor enclosures) $5,000 (food/medical supplies) $5,000 (life-skills program scholarships) “We here at Wild at Heart would like to thank every member who has donated for Round Up to give animals their much-needed food and medications.”

$71,800

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June 2019

Storm ready! EMERGENCY RESOURCES www.coastepa.com www.fema.gov www.msema.org www.ready.gov

www.nhc.noaa.gov www.gomdot.com www.weather.com/newscenter/stormwatch

OUTAGE REPORTING COAST ELECTRIC 24-Hour Outage Call Number: 877-769-2372 • Download the CE on the Go app for instant outage reporting • View an outage map at www.coastepa.com

GENERATOR SAFETY If you plan to use a generator following a storm, always think safety first. • Never connect a generator to your home’s wiring. This can energize power lines, endangering our workers and even you! It is best to connect generators by using a transfer switch, or connect appliances directly to the generator. • Operate your generator outdoors, NOT in a garage, storage room or near your open window. Always read the instructions first. • Do not operate your generator while standing in wet conditions.

• Do not attempt to fill your generator’s fuel tank while it is operating. • Do not tamper with the engine’s speed adjustment. This could cause a fire. • Be sure the generator you have selected has ample capacity to supply the lighting, appliances and equipment you plan to connect. • Have a charged fire extinguisher nearby as a precaution.

Members with special needs Your electric service provider cannot guarantee uninterrupted electric service. Members who use medical equipment or have special needs that require electric service should make plans to be in a location that can provide uninterrupted service. Contact the Emergency Management Agency in your area for assistance.

After the storm

• Treat all downed lines as energized. Beware of downed lines hidden by debris. • Report all downed lines immediately by calling your local electric cooperative. If there is immediate danger, call 911. • Prevent generator back feed. Plug any appliances or equipment directly into the generator. Keep the machine in an open area to reduce carbon monoxide emissions. • Avoid areas where line crews are working. • Do not stop crews to report an outage. Instead, call us at 877-769-2372 or use the CE on the Go mobile app.

THINK SAFETY FIRST!

COAST ELECTRIC MISSISSIPPI POWER Poplarville

PEARL RIVER 59 COUNTY

Picayune

HANCOCK COUNTY 49 Gulfport Kiln

Bay Saint Louis

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Staying Connected:

www.coastepa.com Mobile App: CE on the Go www.facebook.com/coastelectric www.twitter.com/coastelectric @CoastElectric on Instagram

HARRISON HARRISON COUNTY COUNTY

June 2019

Today in Mississippi

598 S. Beach Boulevard, Bay St. Louis

One-mile fun run begins at 8 p.m. 5K begins at 8:30 p.m. Like Coast Electric Ready, Set, Glow 5k on Facebook for information about how you can register for the race.

Today in Mississippi

June 2019 USE IT ANY TIME

Delta Electric’s new IVR phone number is 662-743-4425.

24/7

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

TAKE CONTROL OF We expect summers to be hot, but most of us do all we can to keep our homes as comfortable as possible, even as outdoor temperatures edge thermometers upward. When it comes to electricity, each of us has the power to help control our costs– we just have to make thoughtful choices to make energy savings pay off in dollars and cents.

Shade the sunlight

Increase airflow

Tip of the

Month

Want to light up your outdoor space without increasing your energy use? Try outdoor solar lights! They’re easy to install and virtually maintenance free. Remember, solar lights work best when the solar cells receive the manufacturer's recommended hours of sunlight. Source: energy.gov

recommendations on replacing disposable filters or cleaning permanent ones. If you’ve got pets, consider checking them more frequently.

Shift activities

DELTA ELECTRIC WISHES YOU AND YOUR FAMILY A SAFE AND HAPPY HOLIDAY!

DELTA ELECTRIC POWER ASSOCIATION will be closed Thursday, July 4

INDEPENDENCE DAY

June 2019

SUMMER STORMS WE ARE PREPARED FOR

restore power to as many members as possible in the shortest amount of time. We start by mobilizing our line crews and other critical staff. Every phone line available is utilized to take your outage report calls. When transmission lines, which serve tens of thousands of people, are damaged at the generation and transmission level, it can affect the time it takes to restore power locally; but this does not stop our line workers from going out to assess and repair damage in our local communities immediately. Delta Electric Power Association’s line crews inspect substations to determine if the problem starts there, or if there could be an issue down the line. If the root of the problem is at the substation, power can be restored to thousands of members. Next, line crews check the service lines that deliver power into neighborhoods and communities. Line crews repair the damaged lines, restoring power to hundreds of people. If you continue to experience an outage, there may be damage to a tap line outside of your home or business. Make sure you notify Delta Electric, so crews can inspect these lines.

Today in Mississippi

SAFE

keeping you

DURING AND AFTER

SUMMER STORMS No one knows electrical safety better than the experts who practice it every single day. Delta Electric Power Association encourages you to practice safety with these reminders – for during and after a summer storm:

AVOID WIRES AND WATER When lightning strikes a home during a storm, the electrical charge can surge through pipes and utility wires. That means you can get zapped if you’re touching water or any device that’s plugged in, whether it’s a landline phone or toaster.

SKIP THE MAKESHIFT SHELTER During a storm, it's tempting to take cover under a picnic gazebo or golf cart, but in open-sided structures with no conductors to channel strikes, a bolt's path of least resistance to the ground could be you. On top of that, these structures raise your risk of a lightning strike because of their height. Keep moving toward suitable shelter.

PORTABLE GENERATORS Take special care with portable generators, which can provide a good source of power, but if improperly installed or operated, can become deadly. Do not connect generators directly to household wiring. Power from generators can back-feed along power lines and electrocute anyone coming in contact with them, including co-op line workers making repairs. It’s best to hire a qualified, licensed electrician to install your generator and ensure that it meets local electrical codes.

FLOODED AREAS Stay away from downed power lines and avoid walking through flooded areas. Power lines could be submerged and still live with electricity. Report any downed lines you see to Delta Electric Power Association by calling 662-453-6352 immediately.

ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT Never use electrical equipment that is wet – especially outdoor electrical equipment, which could be a potential danger after a summer storm. Water can damage electrical equipment and parts, posing a shock or fire hazard.

We will do our best to avoid power outages, but sometimes Mother Nature has other plans.

Delta Electric has served our local community since 1938, and safety for our members is our number one concern.

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We’re listening

Dixie Electric is an equal opportunity employer and provider.

You’re asking; I read recently that “listening is often the only thing needed to help someone.” For the last several years, we have spent time listening to you, our members. For example, we offered more ways for you to pay your bill, using our SmartHub app, online payment system or Prepay. As you may be aware, the state legislature passed the Broadband Enabling Act to allow electric cooperatives, like Dixie Electric, to offer high speed internet service. Many of you have asked; therefore, we are in the process of researching and studying the feasibility of offering this service. In late June or July, you may receive a survey by

phone or email. The goal of this survey is to gauge our members’ interests and needs for high speed internet. Offering high speed internet is a major decision for our board and management, so this is just one of several studies and research projects that will guide our decision. Also, in September of this year, our publication, Today in Mississippi, will convert to a magazine. We are excited about this change and look forward to continuing to offer you a nice monthly publication for your enjoyment, as well as information on your electric cooperative and changing electric power needs. In conjunction with this change, we will conduct a

ENERGY FAIR

readership survey to find out your interests as we evolve our publication. Randy Smith We know that food General Manager features and recipes are very popular aspects of the current newspaper; we would like to know what other interests you have and how we can provide that information to you. Again, if you receive an email or phone call gauging your interests, please respond. We want to make this publication beneficial to you. We want to hear from you, so we can meet your needs. We’re listening.

Join us for Dixie Electric’s

Helping our community save energy

Tuesday, June 25 E FREublic at the Petal Lowe’s

to the p

Thursday, June 27

in Waynesboro at Gatlin’s Building Supply

Friday, June 28 at the Laurel Lowe’s

All locations: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

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Shade the sunlight

Increase airflow

June 2019

Today in Mississippi

recommendations on replacing disposable filters or cleaning permanent ones. If you’ve got pets, consider checking them more frequently.

Shift activities

MAINTAINING RELIABLE SERVICE Right-of-way clearing projects underway

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.

Here are the substations and surrounding communities that are either currently being cleared or will be cleared soon:

Sharon substation: North Laurel, Sharon and Hoy

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Dixie Electric continues to support Relay for Life Survivor: Power versus Cancer was the theme for Dixie Electric’s tent at Relay for Life. It was a perfect theme to celebrate those who have overcome cancer or walked through cancer with a loved one. Dixie Electric’s own Brandy Lister shared her story on why she supports Relay and admires the Survivor in her life. “My Mom, Dianne Montague, is why I Relay. In November 2011 she was diagnosed with breast cancer . . . and came through her surgery with little pain and no complications. She has been cancer free for seven years now. We give all the praise to God. I donate to the American Cancer Society because research is an important part of finding a cure.” Dixie Electric employees, retirees and family members supported the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life in

Jones County on Friday, April 26, at the Laurel Sportsplex and on Friday, May 3, at Relay Park in Petal. They enjoyed the festivities and believe in the hope that the American Cancer Society brings to those affected by cancer. Dixie Electric supports the American Cancer Society and other worthy organizations because it upholds Cooperative Principle 7: Concern for Community. At the Jones County event, Dixie Electric donated more than $10,000, and in Petal, Dixie Electric donated nearly $4,000, bringing the electric cooperative’s donation to the American Cancer Society to over $14,000. Dixie Electric received first place in the following categories for the Jones County event: most funds raised, best campsite, best banner and best presentation of cancer facts at

Employees, directors and their family members walked the track at the Laurel event for the company lap.

the “Survivor” television show, themed te also placed third for its baton at the Jones The Petal district office employees tied and received first place for the most mone ness. They received second place in best c and t-shirt design. The American Cancer Society is the na nity-based voluntary health organization d nating cancer as a major health problem b cer, saving lives and diminishing suffering through research, education, advocacy an the American Cancer Society hosts Relay different communities.

The emp

June 2019

Today in Mississippi

ent! Dixie Electric s County Relay. d for best campsite ey raised by a busicancer facts, baton

ationwide commudedicated to elimiby preventing cang from cancer d service. Each year for Life in many Sally Grafton, far right, is a cancer survivor and retiree of Dixie Electric.

Employees light lanterns to honor those who have survived cancer or to remember those who lost their battle.

ployees and directors in Petal are preparing for the company lap at the early May event.

Directors Allen Sledge and Robert Smith carried the batons around the track to shine a light on cancer.

Dixie Electric personnel fried fish and hushpuppies for both Relay events.

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Bylaws govern Dixie Electricâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s board Section 4.03. Tenure & Qualifications. (a) At each annual meeting of the members, approximately one-third (1/3) of the total number of directors shall be elected by ballot, by and from the members, to serve for a term of three (3) years as provided by law. If the election of directors shall not be held at the annual meeting or if such annual meeting is not held, each director shall hold office until his or her successor shall have been qualified and elected. If there is no individual who has been duly nominated and qualified as set forth in Section 4.04, the director shall hold office until his or her successor shall have been qualified and elected. The Association will make reasonable attempts to qualify candidates and hold the election for the successor as set forth in Section 4.04 as soon as practicable. (b) At any meeting, ballots shall not be necessary in the event the number of persons nominated for directors does not exceed the number of directors to be elected, but in such case if there be no objection, the directors may be elected in any other proper manner. Drawing by lot shall resolve, where necessary, any tie votes. (c) No person shall be eligible to become or remain a director or to hold any position of trust in the Association who is not an active member in good standing of the Association, has not been a bona fide resident of the district from which they are to be elected for one year immediately preceding the nomination to directorship, or who is in any way employed by or financially interested in a competing enterprise. (d) No person shall be eligible to become or remain a director who has been finally convicted of a felony or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude. (e) In order to be eligible to become or remain a director of the Association, a person must be a member of the Association and receiving service therefrom at his or her primary residential abode, and not be a close relative as defined in Section 4.08 of an employee, incumbent director, or the director being replaced. When a membership is held jointly by a married couple, either one but not both may be elected a director; provided, however that neither one shall be eligible to become or remain a director or to hold a position of trust in the Association unless both shall meet the qualifications hereinabove set forth. No person shall take or hold office as director who is the incumbent of or a candidate for any elective county, beat, district, school district, municipal or state public office for which a salary is paid. (f) In order to be eligible to become or remain a director of the Association, a person must have the legal capacity to enter into a binding contract. (g) In order to be eligible to become or remain a director of the Association, a person must not have been an employee of the Association for at least three (3) years and must not be a close relative, as defined in Section 4.08, to a current employee of the Association. (h) Upon establishment of the fact that a nominee for director lacks eligibility under this Section or as may be provided elsewhere in these bylaws, it shall be the duty of the chair presiding at the meeting at which such nominee would be otherwise voted upon to disqualify such nominee. Upon establishment of the fact that any person being considered for, or already holding, a directorship or other position of trust in the Association lacks eligibility under this Section, it shall be the duty of the Board of Directors to withhold such positions from such persons, or to cause them to be removed therefrom, as the case may be. (i) Nothing in this section contained shall, or shall be construed to, affect in any manner whatsoever, the validity of any action taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors, unless such action is taken with respect

to a matter which is affected by the provisions of this section and in which one or more of the directors have an intent adverse to that of the Association. Section 4.04. Nominations by Petition and Credentials and Election Committee. (a) Nominations by Petition. Except for Association employees or their spouses, twenty-five (25) members acting together, may nominate by petition a candidate for Director by submitting a petition for nomination between June 1 and 5 p.m. on the last business day in July of that year. Any petition for nomination shall contain the name and address of the nominee and be submitted on a form designated and provided by the Association. Each member signing such petition shall place thereon the date of signing, printed name, address, account number, telephone number and service location of the member. For a nomination by petition to be placed on the notice of the membersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; meeting, it shall be received at the Associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s headquarters no later than 5 p.m. on the last business day in July of that year and be approved by the Credentials and Election Committee. No member may submit more than one petition for nomination and no member may nominate more than one candidate. Petitions by joint members will only be counted as one petition and in the event a married couple attempts to nominate two different people, only the first received petition will be accepted. The Secretary must mail with the notice of the meeting or separately a statement of the number of Board members to be elected and the names of the candidates nominated by petition. (b) Credentials and Election Committee. In order to carry out its duty to approve eligibility for membership on the Board of Directors, and to review the Director election process, the Board of Directors may appoint a Credentials and Election Committee consisting of not less than five (5) nor more than seven (7) members who shall be selected from different Districts so as to ensure equitable geographic representation. Members of the Credentials and Election Committee may serve for a three (3) year term with an initial term to be set so that approximately a third (1/3) of the Committee will be appointed each year. Members of the Credentials and Election Committee may serve a second consecutive three (3) year term if so appointed. Individuals who have already served two (2) consecutive terms on the Credentials and Election Committee are not eligible to serve again until they have been off of the Committee for at least one (1) three (3) year term. Said appointment shall be made during the month of May or June. No existing Association employees, agents, officers, Directors or known candidates for Director, and close relatives (as hereinafter defined) or members of the same household of existing Association employees, agents, officers, Directors or known candidates for Director may serve on such committee. In the event of the failure of the Board to appoint said Credentials and Election committee, then the President or his or her designee may appoint said committee in the month of July or at such appropriate time. It is the responsibility of the Credentials and Election Committee to appoint a chair for the Committee. The Credentials and Election Committee shall meet at a time and place to be determined by the majority of the members of the Committee. It may be the responsibility of the Committee to pass upon all questions that may arise with respect to the registration and qualifications of members in person or by proxy, the regularity of all petitions for nominations of Directors, the qualifications of all nominees for directors, to count all ballots cast in any election or other ballot vote taken, and to rule upon the effect of any ballots irregularly marked. In the exercise of its responsibility, the Credentials and Election Committee may have available to it the advice of counsel provided by the Association. In the] event a written protest or objection is filed concerning any election,

June 2019 I Today in Mississippi

elections such protest or objection shall be filed during, or within three (3) business days following the adjournment of the meeting in which the voting is conducted. The Credentials and Election Committee shall thereupon be reconvened, upon notice from its chair, not less than seven (7) business days after such protest or objection is filed. The Committee shall hear such evidence as is presented by the protestor(s) or objector(s), who may be heard in person, by counsel, or both, and shall hear any opposing evidence; and the Credentials and Election Committee, by a vote of a majority of those present and voting, shall, within a reasonable time, but not later than thirty (30) calendar days after such hearing, render its decision, the result of which may be to affirm the election, to change in part the outcome thereof, or to set it aside entirely. The Credentials and Election Committee decision (as reflected by a majority of those actually present and voting) on all matters covered by this Section shall be final. (c) In the event of any meeting of the members at which directors shall not be elected, the Board of Directors may nevertheless appoint a Credentials Committee with authority to pass upon all applicable matters herein provided as well as any other matters or questions which may be referred to it by the Chair of the meeting or by the Board of Directors. The President of the Board, or the President’s designee, shall preside at and conduct all meetings of the Members with full authority to act or refer any questions deem appropriate to the aforesaid Committee for decision. (d) Notwithstanding anything in this section contained, failure to comply with any of the provisions of this section shall not affect in any manner JASPER CLARKE whatsoever the validity of any COUNTY COUNTY election of directors. COVINGTON COUNTY

Collins

WAYNE COUNTY

Ellisville JONES COUNTY

Richton Hattiesburg

PERRY COUNTY

FORREST COUNTY

Notice of Dixie Electric’s Director Qualification Period Candidates seeking election to represent Districts 1 or 5 on the board of directors for Dixie Electric must visit Dixie Electric’s headquarters office at 1863 Highway 184, Laurel, Miss., and obtain a Director Qualification Packet during business hours between June 1 and July 31. The forms and petitions in the packet must be completed and returned by close of business on

July 31, 2019.

SAFE

Keeping you

DURING AND AFTER

SUMMER STORMS No one knows electrical safety better than the experts who practice it every single day. Dixie Electric encourages you to practice safety with these reminders – during and after a summer storm:

FLOODED AREAS Stay away from downed power lines and avoid walking through flooded areas. Power lines could be submerged and still live with electricity. Report any downed lines you see to Dixie Electric by calling 601-425-2535 or 888-465-9209 immediately.

At Dixie Electric, safety for our members is our number one concern. To learn more about our safety programs visit dixieepa.com or myelectriccooperative.com/safety.

Today in Mississippi

June 2019

East Mississippi Electric Power Association Louisville 662.773.5741

Meridian 601.581.8600

Quitman 601.776.6271

DeKalb 601.743.2641

A MESSAGE FROM YOUR CEO

Rural broadband update Much work has been done since the passage of Mississippiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Broadband Enabling Act in January. We continue to review feasibility studies providing cost estimates for a variety of broadband mediums. These include fiber to the home, wireless point-to-point and satellite connections. East Mississippi Electric Power Association study teams have attended over two dozen meetings locally, regionally and nationally, gathering as much information as possible from other cooperatives that have entered the broadband business, as well as those that are exploring the same path. Each evaluation confirms daunting challenges regarding technology life cycles, implementation cost, personnel training and utilization, debt coverage requirements and expense levels. Costs are projected to range from $21,500 to $35,000 per mile of installed fiber along our existing distribution feeders, which translates to $7,000 to $12,000 of capital expenditures per subscribing customer. The debt coverage alone could cost $55 to $95 per month per subscriber before any other expenses are added to the monthly bill. The legislation was very specific in designating all efforts and costs associated with expanding broadband

services must be through a stand-alone business and cannot impact the electric distribution system and member electric service costs or revenues. The broadband enterprise must develop a business plan that supports the needed debt, constructs the fiber, projects the expenses, markets the products, projects the subscription rate and recovers all the cost through a competitive rate structure. Our employees are proud of the work we do to provide elecCEO Randy Carroll tric service to you each day. We know how to build power lines and services, maintain the distribution system, respond when the weather takes a bite out of us, and we deliver the energy that enhances lives. On average, we do all of this at a daily cost per member that is less than a glass of tea at your favorite restaurant. This is our commitment to you, our members. We will not do anything that negatively impacts the quality of service we provide to our communities, friends and neighbors. Despite feedback from many who say it cannot be

done in a competitive broadband business, be assured before we move into a new business, we will understand the business, be able to provide the expected service quality, respond as quickly and provide as much value as we do with the electric system. The critical questions seem to be, how many members are interested in subscribing to broadband service and at what price? Without this, we cannot answer the feasibility questions and debt coverage questions for the lending institutions. Without knowing where interested members are located on the system, we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t predict where fiber is needed and desired. Without knowing the price point where members are interested in the service, we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t project revenues and determine how expenses can be covered. So, in July, we will partner with the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) to conduct a member survey to gauge the interest in broadband service from you, our members. We hope to contact members throughout the counties we serve, and we respectfully ask that you take the call and respond openly and frankly to the questions. The responses you provide will be key to determine the next steps of the evaluation.

June 2019

Power at your fingertips Check out East Mississippi Electric Power Association’s new website at EMEPA.com to find everything you need to manage your account, use energy wisely and safely, report power outages and stay up-to-date with our latest news and info. We know you are busy, so our website offers convenient, easy to use options at the click of a button. Visit EMEPA.com today to feel the power at your fingertips.

Today in Mississippi

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DOWNLOAD SMARTPHONE APP EMEPA’s smartphone app makes it easier than ever to stay in touch with us and conduct normal transactions on the go. You can access your account, view daily energy use, weather data, receive account notifications, and pay your bill and more, all straight from your smartphone. Download the free app by searching EMEPA in the Apple App store or Google Play store, or click the download link at EMEPA.com under Payment Options.

LOG-IN TO MY ACCOUNT

ACCESS YOUR EMEPA MEMBER HANDBOOK

Use EMEPA.com to view your account information, set up notifications and alerts, pay your bill and much more through My Account. Simply click the My Account button at the top right on the homepage and click New User under Login to follow the prompts to set up your account. You will need your account number handy to get setup.

VIEW RATE SCHEDULE

REPORT AN OUTAGE

PAY ONLINE

If the power goes out, report your outage online at EMEPA.com’s Quick Links or by smartphone app. Make sure to keep your contact number up to date, and call from the number associated with your account for the greatest ease in reporting an outage.

• Register and make payments 24/7 online at EMEPA.com. See how to log-in above. • Make a secure payment 24/7 from your smartphone with EMEPA’s free mobile app. • After setting up a payment profile and opting into text alerts on your account, simply text PAY to 352667. • Prepay: Eliminate a monthly bill with our new convenient pay-as-you-go power. Talk to a Member Service Representative for details or to sign up.

VIEW OUR OUTAGE MAP View current outages with just a click of a button through EMEPA’s outage map located under the Quick Links at EMEPA.com or on your smartphone app.

You can access the full EMEPA member handbook online at EMEPA.com under myEMEPA.

You can access EMEPA’s rate schedule online at EMEPA.com under myEMEPA.

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June 2019

TAKE CONTROL OF We expect summers to be hot, but most of us do all we can to keep our homes as comfortable as possible, even as outdoor temperatures edge thermometers upward. When it comes to electricity, each of us has the power to help control our costs––we just have to make thoughtful choices to make energy savings pay off in dollars and cents.

Shade the sunlight

Increase airflow

Tip of the

Month

disposable filters or cleaning permanent ones. If you’ve got pets, consider checking them more frequently.

Shift activities

Contact us for details on programs that can help you control energy costs and avoid seasonal billing challenges. EMEPA WISHES YOU AND YOUR FAMILY A SAFE AND HAPPY HOLIDAY!

East Mississippi Electric Power Association will be closed Thursday, July 4

INDEPENDENCE DAY Dispatchers will remain on duty and crews will be on call throughout the holiday. Visit emepa.com or call 601-581-8600 to report an outage.

WE ARE PREPARED FOR

June 2019

Keeping you SUMMER STORMS

Summer is here, school is out and families are gearing up for a few months of fun and relaxation. While summer brings much fun in the sun, it can also bring the occasional severe storm. In the event of a power outage, you can trust that East Mississippi Electric Power Association is ready to respond. The major cause of most power outages comes from damage to power lines due to falling trees and branches. We work year round – through right-ofway clearing – to ensure power lines in our service territory stand little risk of being damaged by trees, branches or other types of vegetation. Despite our best efforts, during major storms, damage can occur to transmission lines, substations and distribution power lines. When this happens, our first priority is to safely restore power to as many members as possible in the shortest amount of time. We start by mobilizing our line crews and other critical staff. Every phone line available is utilized to take your outage report calls. When transmission lines, which serve tens of thousands of people are damaged at the generation and transmission level, it can affect the time it takes to restore power locally; but this does not stop our line workers from going out to assess and repair damage in our local communities immediately. EMEPA’s line crews inspect substations to determine if the problem starts there, or if there could be an issue down the line. If the root of the problem is at the substation, power can be restored to thousands of members. Next, line crews check the service lines that deliver power into neighborhoods and communities. Line crews repair the damaged lines, restoring power to hundreds of people. If you continue to experience an outage, there may be damage to a tap line outside of your home or business. Make sure you notify EMEPA, so crews can inspect these lines.

We will do our best to avoid power outages, but sometimes Mother Nature has other plans.

Today in Mississippi 10c

SAFE

DURING AND AFTER

SUMMER STORMS No one knows electrical safety better than the experts who practice it every single day. EMEPA encourages you to practice safety with these reminders – for during and after a summer storm:

EMEPA has served our local community since 1938, and safety for our members is our number one concern. To learn about our safety programs call 601-581-8600.

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June 2019

At East Mississip ppi Electric Power Associa ation, we help you find more ways to save energy, save mooney and help the environment. So small savings today lea ad to big savings tomorrow. Conta act us at 601-581-8600 to learn more.

EMEPA to hold

Nanih Waiya receives TVA STEM grant

81st Annual Meeting East Mississippi Electric Power Association will conduct its 81st Annual Meeting of the membership Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019 at EMEPA’s Meridian Auditorium. Notices will be mailed later this summer to invite you and all EMEPA members to attend our annual meeting. The Annual Meeting will inform our members of the actions taken during the past year in addition to conducting the Association’s business and the election of three directors. In accordance with the bylaws of East Mississippi Electric Power Association, a quorum of the membership must be represented in

person or by proxy in order to conduct the business meeting and hold the election of the directors. Any member of EMEPA may obtain a complete set of bylaws by contacting their district office in Louisville, DeKalb, Quitman or the main office in Meridian. Mark your calendar for Saturday, Oct. 5 and make plans to attend our 81st Annual Meeting. If you have any questions about the Annual Meeting or just want to know more, please contact EMEPA’s Marketing and Communication Department at 601-581-8624 or visit our website at www.emepa.com.

Nanih Waiya Attendance Center was recently awarded a $1,000 grant from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The grant program aims to provide funding to educators developing STEM projects in the Tennessee Valley. TVA received more than 240 grant applications from schools across its seven state service area with 161 grants awarded. Preference was given to schools that explored TVA’s primary areas of focus: environment, energy, economic and career development and community problem solving. TVA is EMEPA’s wholesale power provider for Kemper and Winston counties.

June 2019 I Today in Mississippi

Comforts Powering our community means more than providing the energy to turn on the lights, air conditioning system and other necessary devices. Electricity is a critical need, but it takes more than poles, wires and kilowatt-hours to make a community. At East Mississippi Electric Power Association, we believe we have a special bond and obligation to be an integral part of the communities we serve. That is why we volunteer a day each month to serve the communities where we live, work and play. On Wednesday, May 22, 18 EMEPA employees volunteered at Creature Comforts Clarke County building kennels, painting and completing needed outdoor maintenance. Additionally, employees donated supplies such as pet food and cat litter to the shelter.

If you have ideas about how we can better serve our communities, please contact us at ContactUs@emepa.com.

Brent Mabry, Brent Lofton, Greg Long, Stephanie Mimbs and Christy Roberts work to build kennels for the animals at Creature Comforts.

Above: EMEPA employees volunteered at Creature Comforts Clarke County in May as part of our We Care Commitment employee volunteer program. Right: David Morris, Lyle Keenan and Eliot Smith help make needed repairs to the facilities.

David Morris and Mark Weaver make the finishing touches on the kennels.

Today in Mississippi

June 2019

www.4county.org • 1-800-431-1544

Board of Directors John E. “Jay” Gilliland Jr., President • Mike Banks, Secretary/Treasurer • Ernest H. “Bud” Tumlinson

Johnny Johnson, Vice President Bill Bell • Kenneth Seitz • Marty Crowder

YOUR COOPERATIVE

HERE’S AN IDEA

By Brian Clark, CEO/General Manager

The value of member engagement Most consumers would not equate active involvement with their electric company and helping their community. But 4-County Electric Power Association is not an ordinary utility company. We’re a co-op, and our business model is meant to serve the members and the community in which it operates – not to make a hefty profit for investors five states away. 4-County’s customers are more than consumers; they are members of the cooperative. And herein lies the difference. Our core purpose and mission is to provide safe, reliable and affordable power to our members. But as a co-op, we are motivated by service to the community, rather than profits. After meeting our annual expenses, we invest any margin back into the co-op. We depend on the guidance and perspective of our members and board of Brian Clark directors to help set priorities for the co-op and guide governance decisions. At our annual meeting, we provide information to our members, interacting with them to help gain insight on future goals and considerations. Our board of directors is comprised of members who live and work in our service area, for they are in a position to know where community investments are most needed. 4-County is controlled by members who actively participate in setting policies and making decisions. This is why we value your participation in our annual meeting, held June 6, and in other co-op events.

4-County has numerous ongoing programs that impact the community. Every summer, for example, we participate in the Youth Leadership Program and take local high school students to the nation’s capital to meet with lawmakers, enabling students to learn firsthand how our democracy works. This year’s four delegates – Ethan Sevier of Columbus Christian Academy, Ben Brown of Starkville Academy, Carrington Davis of New Hope High School and Zachary Wilson of Columbus High School – are leaving June 15 for Washington, D.C. And, our 4-County Foundation community service program has awarded numerous grants, totaling more than $800,000, to organizations in our area. Decisions and criteria for determining these programs are based on member guidance and feedback. We recognize the vital role 4-County plays in energizing our local economy. But to continue to innovate and more effectively serve the community, we rely on you, our members, to provide guidance. We value your perspective, and we cannot operate effectively and help our community thrive without you. Please let your voice be heard. For more information about how you can become more involved, call 1-800-431-1544.

Please make room for roadside crews When the power goes out, so do 4-County Electric Power Association’s line crews. Linemen are the first to respond after an outage occurs, and they work tirelessly to restore power to the communities we serve. If you’re traveling and see one of our crews on the side of the road, we kindly ask that you move over if possible and give them a little extra space to work. We deeply care about the safety of all, and this extra precaution ensures just that. If you approach a crew while traveling on a two-lane road, moving over to the next lane might not be an option. In this case, we simply ask that you slow down when approaching roadside crews. If you approach a crew while traveling on a four-lane road, and safety and traffic conditions allow, we ask that you move over into the far lane. Utility crews aren’t the only ones who could use the extra space. Emergency responders, such as police officers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians, often find themselves responding to emergency situations near busy roadways. We ask that you follow the same procedures mentioned above to help keep these crews safe. There’s plenty of room for all. Let’s work together to keep everyone safe on our local roadways.

Co-op Connections Card saves Since the Co-op Connections Card was unveiled in September 2011, 4-County members have saved over $718,239 on prescription drugs through April. Look here each month to see the savings total!

June 2019

Today in Mississippi I 10a

Broadband Update

things The more

change...

stthae y

The more they

same

Rain, sleet or snow! For 80 years, 4-County employees have done what it takes to keep em the liights on. Technology, equipment and training may have changed, but our commitment to serviice has not.

We are Powered by you ...the 4-County members!

In the few months since the Mississippi Legislature passed a law allowing electric cooperatives to provide broadband services, 4-County has been hard at work. We have commissioned two feasibility studies to help us make a decision on what we can do to help solve the issue of helping our members get reliable, high speed internet. As you know, this decision is not one that can be made quickly. Both studies have shown that the initial cost to roll out fiber to the home across the service territory would be just over $116 million. If 4-County were to take that step, the vast bulk of the funding would have to be guaranteed by 4-County and its members, many of whom wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t necessarily be broadband customers. With our 5,484 miles of line and an estimated 30 percent of members who would take the service that equates to a cost of about $21,000 a mile or $10,000 a member to bring fiber to the home. Quite frankly, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not an investment that we feel comfortable making without doing our due diligence. We continue to look at the numbers, talk with other cooperatives around the country (the few who have started broadband as well as the ones who are thinking about it) and look for other solutions to bringing internet to those who need it. We are well aware of the need for a reliable internet solution in many places we serve, and we take that seriously. If it seems as if we are moving slowly, please remember that until the law changed in late January, we were not legally able to be in the broadband business. With a price tag of close to $120 million, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not a decision we can enter into lightly. It deserves study, deliberation and a consensus as to what makes the best sense for 4-County, our members and our service territory. We will continue to update you on our progress. If you have questions, please contact us at 1-800-431-1544 or info@4county.org.

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Today in Mississippi

June 2019

4-COUNTY ELECTRIC POWER ASSOCIATION

TAKE CONTROL OF We expect summers to be hot, but most of us do all we can to keep our homes as comfortable as possible, even as outdoor temperatures edge thermometers upward. When it comes to electricity, each of us has the power to help control our costs– we just have to make thoughtful choices to make energy savings pay off in dollars and cents.

Shade the sunlight

Increase airflow

Tip of the

Month

your returns, requiring your cooling system to work harder. If you can see dirt in a filter, it’s likely 50 percent clogged. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations on replacing disposable filters or cleaning permanent ones. If you’ve got pets, consider checking them more frequently.

Shift activities

4-COUNTY ELECTRIC WISHES YOU AND YOUR FAMILY A SAFE AND HAPPY HOLIDAY!

4-COUNTY ELECTRIC POWER ASSOCIATION will be closed Thursday, July 4

Independence Day To report a power outage on holidays and after office hours, call 1-800-431-1544.

June 2019

For after-hours outages, call 1-800-431-1544

WE ARE PREPARED FOR

and other critical staff. Every phone line available is utilized to take your outage report calls. When transmission lines, which serve tens of thousands of people, are damaged at the generation and transmission level, it can affect the time it takes to restore power locally; but this does not stop our line workers from going out to assess and repair damage in our local communities immediately. 4-County’s line crews inspect substations to determine if the problem starts there, or if there could be an issue down the line. If the root of the problem is at the substation, power can be restored to thousands of members. Next, line crews check the service lines that deliver power into neighborhoods and communities. Line crews repair the damaged lines, restoring power to hundreds of people. If you continue to experience an outage, there may be damage to a tap line outside of your home or business. Make sure you notify 4-County, so crews can inspect these lines.

Keeping you

Today in Mississippi

10c

SAFE

DURING AND AFTER

SUMMER STORMS No one knows electrical safety better than the experts who practice it every single day. 4-County Electric Power Association encourages you to practice safety with these reminders – during and after a summer storm:

FLOODED AREAS Stay away from downed power lines and avoid walking through flooded areas. Power lines could be submerged and still live with electricity. Report any downed lines you see to 4-County Electric Power Association by calling 1-800-431-1544 immediately.

ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT We will do our best to avoid power outages, but sometimes Mother Nature has other plans.

Never use electrical equipment that is wet – especially outdoor electrical equipment, which could be a potential danger after a summer storm. Water can damage electrical equipment and parts, posing a shock or fire hazard.

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Today in Mississippi

June 2019

Watts Happening This listing of area events is compiled from information provided by area chambers of commerce and visitors’ bureaus. The events listed are subject to change. Please call to confirm dates, times and additional details. THURSDAY, JUNE 6 West Point Farmers’ Market; Mossy Oak Outlet, Hwy. 45 Alternate; 5 to 6:30 p.m.; details, (662) 494-5121. Monthly Gallery Opening and Reception; Main Gallery of Columbus Arts Council, 501 Main St.; 5:30 to 7 p.m.; details, (662) 328-2787. Summer Reading Ages 3-6; Columbus Lowndes Public Library, 314 Seventh St. N.; 10 a.m.; continues each Thursday through July 25; details, (662) 329-5300. FRIDAY, JUNE 7 TKO Farming Ribbon Cutting; 458 Kennedy Rd. in McCool; 12 noon; details, (662) 770-1552. SATURDAY, JUNE 8 Starkville Community Market; 503 E. Lampkin St.; 7:30 to 10:30 a.m.; details, (662) 323-3322. Possum Town Quilters; Rosenzweig Arts Center, 501 Main St. in Columbus; 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; continues the second and fourth Saturday of each month; details, (662) 328-2787. FRIDAY, JUNE 14 Script to Screen: Comprehensive Filmmaking Workshop for Teens; McComas Hall on the campus of Mississippi State University in Starkville; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; details, (662) 323-3322. Movie Showing of “Stagecoach”; Rosenzweig Arts Center, 501 Main St. in Columbus; 7 p.m.; details, (662) 328-2787. MONDAY, JUNE 24 Project P.L.A.Y. Performance; Starkville Community Theatre, 108 E. Main St.; 7 to 9 p.m.; details, (662) 323-3322. SATURDAY, JUNE 22 Children’s Heritage & Education Festival; J.L. King Senior Memorial Park, 400 N. Long St. in Starkville; details, (662) 323-3322.

Cooperation among cooperatives evident Sometimes when much is lost, much is gained. That’s the reality for 660 children at Riverside Elementary School in Marianna, Florida. When Hurricane Michael swept through their area six months ago, it left in its wake destruction, devastation and darkness. Today, their lights are shining bright, their community is rebuilding and they have gained a new appreciation for their fellow man. Riverside Principal Chris Franklin and his students recently sent 4-County letters and notes of appreciation for the cooperative’s October/November 2018 assistance in restoring power to their storm-damaged area. Two 4-County crews assisted West Florida Electric, based in Graceville, and serving 28,000 meters in four counties. West Florida estimated that there were 8,500 poles damaged due to the hurricane. 4-County’s Tommy Reed said the area was “hammered” by the winds, waves and rains associated with the storm. “Those folks were in dire straits,” Reed said. “The conditions were less than ideal, but that brings out the best in us. We were glad to power through and get their lights back on. They were An electrical substation converts electricity to a lower voltage so it can be safely routed and delivered to your home. Because so appreciative.” high-voltage power runs through substation equipment, please avoid substation areas and the fences that surround Franklin said in his letter, “We are them. Keep the following safety tips in mind: forever grateful for your organization sending people from their homes and comfort to work to restore and, in some cases, rebuild our power grids. We began to cheer and wave when we saw the bucket trucks arrive. While here, you worked continuously until it was Ne N eve er fly k kites s or drones near ar electrical el e e ect ec cttrri ctri ric cal c a subs s sta t tions. tions If you do and done. Our power was restored in an th tthe he kit he ki k te kite eo orr dr dron o one gets caught inside incredible timeline that still amazes th tthe he h e ffenc enc ce, let le et et u us s ret etrieve it for you. Never relea lease metallic balloo lloon oo oon ons ons ns us today.” near substation tions. ons ns. If ns. If the tth he h ey yg get et c et caught ca aug ught gh ght in the equipment qui qu uip ui p pm me m ent e nt or or lli lines, lin iin nes n es s,, the tth h he ey can ey 4-County has a reciprocal agreement cause use se p po ower er o out outages ou utta utag ages age es s.. with the other electric power cooperatives to provide help for each other in times of crisis. “What we learned through this is that there is still kindness in people of this world,” Franklin said. “We saw relief come from all over the country as we worked to give families some sense of normalcy. Even though it has been six months, we want If you see ee a sub s bstation fen ence or transf ans ormer cab binet that is open you to know that we will never forget or looks to be vandalized, please your sacrifice and generosity toward Teach youngs Te ou ters to stay away contact us immediately y.. from electricall subs ubstattion fences. us. Thank you for your help, kindness The area is dangerous, and these and perseverance to get us up and fences are NOT for climbing. going again.”

Stay Aw Away from Electrical Substations

June 2019

Today in Mississippi

Johnny Mitchener follows in special footsteps Tinkerer? By definition, it is: Adapting or adjusting something in the course of making repairs or improvement. It’s a title that Johnny Mitchener is happy to claim. “Daddy and I always tinkered with things. The repair shops would go out of business if they were relying on us,” Johnny said. Much of his free time is spent in a shop adjacent to his home in Noxubee County. There, he most often can be found restoring or “tinkering” on his 45-year-old Jeep CJ-5. “There’s always something to do,” he said with a grin. Johnny, 4-County maintenance crew leader, began working at the cooperative in July 1985, just a few months after his late father, Tommy, retired from the Association. Tommy was a longtime 4-County employee who retired as district manager of 4-County’s Macon office. Johnny, who came to 4-County after a stint as an air conditioning technician, has progressed from ground man to journeyman lineman to his current position. If you total up their years of service to 4-County, Johnny and Tommy have been a part of the cooperative for 70 of its 80 years. “That’s kind of special,” Johnny said. “We were best friends. He played a big influence on me wanting to work at 4-County.” A Macon native, Johnny graduated from Central Academy. He later graduated from Hinds Community College where he studied heating and air conditioning. He worked for seven years as an air conditioner technician before making his way to 4-County in 1985. His first position at the cooperative was ground man at the Macon

Customer Service Center. He worked under Jimmy Ricks, and Oscar Boykin was the district manager. Johnny and his wife, Ann, live in Macon. They attend Cooksville Methodist Church in Noxubee. They have one daughter, Beth, who lives in the Tupelo area with her husband, Josh Jarvis, and their four-year-old son, Liam. Needless to say, Johnny and Ann enjoy keeping Liam. “You have to be on your toes,” Johnny said with a laugh. Johnny enjoys dove, turkey and squirrel hunting. “But, mostly, I enjoy the fellowship with hunting buddies,” he said. He also enjoys his job. “You’re never in the same area all the time,” Johnny explained. “And I enjoy interacting with the members, trying to do the best job I can to serve them.” Line work, he stressed, is obviously an important aspect of member service. “It’s important to make sure the lights stay on,” Johnny added. “We want to do everything we can to maintain the system and keep the outages down.” Johnny has enjoyed being part of the co-op’s technological changes through the years. “Computer mapping, for example, makes things a lot better and more up to date than we used to have.” He considers it a privilege to be a sounding board for the younger linemen. “Everyone needs someone they can come to for advice,” Johnny said. Johnny said that 4-County is a special place. “Everyone’s always treated me well,” he added. “It’s a great place to work.”

Celebrating AMERICA TOGETHER

4-County Journeyman Lineman Keith Monahan assisted the co-op’s Partner in Progress, West Lowndes Elementary School, just prior to Memorial Day by replacing the school’s flags. The co-op donated the flags to the school.

# #

Today in Mississippi

June 2019

Shade the sunlight

Increase airflow

Tip of the

Month

it’s likely 50 percent clogged. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations on replacing disposable filters or cleaning permanent ones. If you’ve got pets, consider checking them more frequently.

Shift activities

MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC POWER WISHES YOU AND YOUR FAMILY A SAFE AND HAPPY HOLIDAY!

Magnolia Electric Power business office will be closed Thursday, July 4

INDEPENDENCE DAY In case of a power outage or emergency, please call 601-684-4011. MEP’s answering service and crews will be on standby for any outages during the holiday.

WE ARE PREPARED FOR

SUMMER STORMS Summer is here, school is out and families are gearing up for a few months of fun and relaxation. While summer brings much fun in the sun, it can also bring the occasional severe storm. In the event of a power outage, you can trust that Magnolia Electric Power is ready to respond. The major cause of most power outages comes from damage to power lines due to falling trees and branches. We work year round – through right-of-way clearing – to ensure power lines in our service territory stand little risk of being damaged by trees, branches or other types of vegetation. Despite our best efforts, during major storms, damage can occur to transmission lines, substations and distribution power lines. When this happens, our first priority is to safely restore power to as many members as possible in the shortest amount of time. We start by mobilizing our line crews and other critical staff. Every phone line available is utilized to take your outage report calls. When transmission lines, which serve tens of thousands of people are damaged at the generation and transmission level, it can affect the time it takes to restore power locally; but this does not stop our line workers from going out to assess and repair damage in our local communities immediately. Magnolia Electric Power’s line crews inspect substations to determine if the problem starts there, or if there could be an issue down the line. If the root of the problem is at the substation, power can be restored to thousands of members. Next, line crews check the service lines that deliver power into neighborhoods and communities. Line crews repair the damaged lines, restoring power to hundreds of people. If you continue to experience an outage, there may be damage to a tap line outside of your home or business. Make sure you notify Magnolia Electric Power, so crews can inspect these lines. We will do our best to avoid power outages, but sometimes Mother Nature has other plans.

Thank You! Letters

June 2019

Today in Mississippi

from Florida students

On October 10, 2018, the unprecedented Hurricane Michael swept through the panhandle of Florida and caused widespread damage to many communities. In the cooperative spirit of helping its neighbors, electric cooperatives from surrounding states sent linemen to help in the crisis. Six months later, Florida is still recovering from the effects of the storm. J. Chris Franklin, principal of Riverside Elementary in Marianna, Fla., and pastor of First Assembly of God in Cottonwood, Fla., had the 660 students of the elementary school write letters of appreciation to those who aided in the aftermath of the storm. MEP wanted to share a few of those special letters with our members.

THANK YOU! to our members

When major storms like Hurricane Michael impact our neighboring cooperatives, our line workers are ready to assist, and they do it with a servant’s heart. There are times when MEP is hit with storms that damage our distribution system and we need assistance as well. South Mississippi has seen its fair share of storms and we want to thank our members for your patience, as well as our sister cooperatives that came to our aid. We are grateful!

The many Facebook messages we received during the storm was encouraging for our linemen and staff. Thank you for your support! CONTRACTORS

Pike Electric & Kinco Electric

“Like” us on Facebook / Magnolia Electric Power

Today in Mississippi

June 2019

Providing affordable, reliable electricity to our members since 1936.

MONROE COUNTY TAKE CONTROL OF

ELECTRIC POWER ASSOCIATION

We expect summers to be hot, but most of us do all we can to keep our homes as comfortable as possible, even as outdoor temperatures edge thermometers upward. When it comes to electricity, each of us has the power to help control our costs – we just have to make thoughtful choices to make energy savings pay off in dollars and cents.

Shade the sunlight

Increase airflow

Tip of the

Month

recommendations on replacing disposable filters or cleaning permanent ones. If you’ve got pets, consider checking them more frequently.

Shift activities

MONROE COUNTY ELECTRIC WISHES YOU AND YOUR FAMILY A SAFE AND HAPPY HOLIDAY!

MONROE COUNTY ELECTRIC POWER ASSOCIATION

will be closed Thursday, July 4

INDEPENDENCE DAY Crews will be on call throughout the holiday weekend. Call 662-256-2962 to report an outage.

June 2019

Today in Mississippi

Monroe County Electric

ANNUAL MEETING set for August 6, 2019, in Amory Notice is hereby given that the official 2019 Annual Meeting of the Members of Monroe County Electric Power Association will be held in the association’s boardroom in Amory at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2019, to take action on the following matters:

• The reports of officers, directors and committees • The election of two directors of the association from District 1 and one director from District 2 • All other business that may come before the meeting Nominations for directors are selected by a nomination committee as stated in Article IV, Section 4 of the association’s bylaws. However, any 50 or more members from any of the five districts may make other nominations from their respective districts in writing over their signatures at the same time the nomination committee shall meet, which will be at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, June 18, 2019. Further information concerning the election of directors will be furnished to members upon request to the association.

WE ARE

PREPARED FOR

SUMMER STORMS

tens of thousands of people are damaged at the generation and transmission level, it can affect the time it takes to restore power locally; but this does not stop our line workers from going out to assess and repair damage in our local communities immediately. Monroe County Electric’s line crews inspect substations to determine if the problem starts there, or if there could be an issue down the line. If the root of the problem is at the substation, power can be restored to thousands of members. Next, line crews check the service lines that deliver power into neighborhoods and communities. Line crews repair the damaged lines, restoring power to hundreds of people. If you continue to experience an outage, there may be damage to a tap line outside of your home or business. Make sure you notify Monroe County Electric, so crews can inspect these lines.

We will do our best to avoid power outages, but sometimes Mother Nature has other plans.

Today in Mississippi

June 2019

Musicians u

Children’s

For more information on Today in Mississippi, contact Michael Bellipanni at 662-895-2151.

A MESSAGE FROM THE CEO

Northcentral offers career options for high school graduates By the time you read this, high school graduations will have taken place, caps lay on the floor and post-graduate decisions have begun. College will be the choice of many graduates. It was for me and turned out to be a great decision and some of the best four years of my life. For many, however, 12 years of formal education is enough. The desire to start a career is greater than that of continuing a structured education. If the truth be known, the demand for trade-specific jobs is at an all-time high in Mississippi, and for many, the time to enter the workforce is now. It Kevin Doddridge is encouraging to know General Manager/CEO that the training to teach work-ready skills is close and affordable. Northcentral is pleased to partner with Northwest Mississippi Community College

to offer a series of courses to better prepare individuals to pursue a degree in line construction. A lineman training school will begin this fall, with much of the “hands-on” training to be done at Northcentral’s training facility. Through this program, there is also the opportunity to obtain an associate’s degree. Lineman work is a great career with competitive pay and limitless opportunity. We also have another great opportunity, as Northcentral has partnered with a variety of local musicians and Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital to produce Musicians for Le Bonheur, a compilation album, with sales that will solely benefit the work done at Le Bonheur. There are so many great opportunities to learn and serve in our area. Sometimes you just have to look for them. As one great quote reminds us, “Once in a while you get shown the light, in the strangest of places, if you look at it right.”

CHECK OUT OUR PODCAST

fused Video and audio episodes can be found on Apple podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean and our social media channels.

By Elissa Fulton Music can heal. This sentiment is indeed true for many of the patients of Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, which provides services for many children from north Mississippi. For nearly a decade, Mid-South musicians have come together to raise money and awareness, as well as the spirits of the patients and family members through a joint-project called Musicians for Le Bonheur. While pursuing a minor in music in college, Justin Jaggers, Northcentral media specialist, headed this project as a part of his degree requirement. “We started this in 2010,” he said. “As a bass player, I was a wannabe rock star trying to promote my own music, so I and a few people had the idea to cross-promote our music for charity. I put together a Battle of the Bands, and we raised $1,500 in one night, and Musicians for Le Bonheur developed from there. My father was already heading a local bike race for the hospital, so we had a crazy idea to do a double compilation album and involve local musicians from the Memphis music scene to donate original music and their time by playing music onsite at the hospital.” Involving nearly 40 musicians and planning 25 shows was a huge undertaking for just a small group of people. Jaggers also began to heavily focus on his career in media after graduate school, and the music project slowly dissolved by 2015. Two years ago, he began his career with Northcentral. When seeing how much significance Northcentral places on charity and giving back to the community as a part of the “It is in our nature cooperative spirit and culture, as a co-op to serve our Jaggers decided to try reviving community. In that same the project and pitched the idea spirit of service, Le Bonheur of a Northcentral sponsorship has touched so many lives to CEO Kevin Doddridge. An avid music fan himself, in DeSoto and Marshall Doddridge was quick to jump counties.” on the opportunity to support – Kevin Doddridge/General Manager/CEO this worthwhile community effort. “It is in our nature as a co-op to serve our community,” said Doddridge. “In that same spirit of service, Le Bonheur has touched so many lives in DeSoto and Marshall counties. This project will not only benefit the work done at Le Bonheur, but also lift the spirits of patients and families, as well as help promote local musicians.” The economic backing from Northcentral will allow the program to continue, and Jaggers is confident that it will flourish. From the beginning, Jaggers has fronted all of the production costs himself, while trying to recoup expenses from album sales

June 2019

use talents to benefit

Today in Mississippi

Hospital

and have money left over to benefit the hospital. It became a hardship, but he truly believes in the cause. Once word spread of the Musicians for Le Bonheur revival, it did not take long for the musicians to start

signing up to assist. There are 22 original songs ready to go onto an album and plenty of musicians ready to entertain patients and families at the hospital. Performance dates are scheduled for once a month, May through August. Northcentral employees are also eager to volunteer on those special performance days. “The biggest inspirations are from these artists that want to visit the kids and perform for them and get to know them by sharing their time,” Jaggers said. “It’s been incredible to watch.” Jaggers admits that what makes this project special is the musicians. He intends to continue working with local artists. “What’s so amazing about this album is it’s rock, blues, country, jazz, reggae, electronic dance and all kinds of stuff,” he said. “I think we’ve kind of wrapped around what all Memphis and the Mid-South has to offer as far as music goes. It’s just an eclectic mix of music. Obviously, we would not be able to do this without Northcentral this year, because it gets expensive, and now that we have this backing, we can really focus on doing something great again.” The Grove Recording Studio and L. Nix Mastering are also volunteering their talents and resources for the project. The Grove Recording Studio is donating studio time for artists interested in contributing, and L. Nix will master the final CD. One hundred percent of the proceeds generated from the album will go to Le Bonheur’s Children’s Hospital. For more information about Musicians for Le Bonheur or how to become involved visit, musiciansforlebonheur.com or email info@musiciansforlebonheur.com.

Musicians for Le Bonheur’s 2019 album release dedicated to late musician By Justin Jaggers The Musicians for Le Bonheur project works because of the dedicated musicians that step up, put their careers on hold for a moment and use their talents to help out a great cause. They recognize their talents can help others, and they have big hearts. There was no one with a bigger heart than Omar Higgins. Omar and his brothers, Joseph and David, were in the reggae group, The Chinese Connection Dub Embassy, and agreed to be a part of Musicians for Le Bonheur back in 2013. They signed up to honor their mother, who was a nurse at

than you do. This teaches Le Bonheur Children’s us. It solidifies the Hospital. For three message to us personally, consecutive years, just to be thankful for the they wrote and family that we have and recorded songs that the friends that we have they donated to the in this world we live in.” project. They also On April 18, 2019, performed countless Omar Higgins Omar passed away at the fundraiser shows and age of 37. His presence brought smiles to the faces of patients and families at the was felt throughout the Mid-South music scene, and he will be forever hospital with yearly visits. missed. It is with great respect that Omar said of his experiences at Le Bonheur, “We always complain Musicians for Le Bonheur dedicates their 2019 album release in Omar’s about our daily lives and the stuff honor. We hope to continue his we got going on. We don’t take into consideration or look towards spirit of charity, compassion and acceptance. others that have it a little worse

10 Today in Mississippi

June 2019

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

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

To pay bills or report outages:

855-2PRVEPA (855-277-8372) Member owned. Locally operated. That’s the cooperative difference.

Visit us online at www.PRVEPA.com

Shade the sunlight

Increase airflow

EASY! Reporting a power outage can be

recommendations on replacing disposable filters or cleaning permanent ones. If you’ve got pets, consider checking them more frequently.

Shift activities

Visit www.PRVEPA.com for more

energy efficiency tips.

Pearl River Valley Electric wishes you and your family a safe and happy holiday! PEARL RIVER VALLEY

PRVEPA’s outage reporting system automatically recognizes your account if your phone number is correct.

ELECTRIC POWER ASSOCIATION

Update your contact information today by going to www.PRVEPA.com and clicking on “Manage My Account.” You can also call us or write it on your next payment stub.

INDEPENDENCE DAY

will be closed Thursday, July 4

Crews will be on call throughout the holiday. Call 855-2PRVEPA (855-277-8372) to report an outage.

June 2019 Today in Mississippi

Hurricane season begins June 1 and ends Nov. 30 Every summer, people in south Mississippi brace themselves for the potential threats brought on by hurricane season. The 2019 hurricane season begins June 1 and continues through November 30. “We are committed to providing our member-consumers with dependable and safe service in all kinds of weather,” said Randy Wallace, manager of Pearl River Valley Electric Power Association. “Once a hurricane reaches the Gulf of Mexico, we will be prepared and ready to work our plan in case a storm affects our service area.” PRVEPA members should also make plans to protect life and property if a hurricane threatens our region this season (see box to the right). Visit www.PRVEPA.com for more safety information.

2019HURRICANE NAMES Andrea Barry Chantal Dorian

Erin Fernand Gabrielle Humberto

Imelda Jerry Karen Lorenzo

Melissa Nestor Olga Pablo

Rebekah Sebastien Tanya Van

Wendy

Start thinking now about the supplies you will need to make it through an extended power outage. No doubt there are numerous other items necessary to meet the specific needs of your family. And don’t forget about pets. • Water – at least one gallon daily per person for 3-7 days • Non-perishable packaged or canned food and juices – enough for each person for 3-7 days • Special food for infants or the elderly • Non-electric can opener • Toiletries • Cooking tools/fuel • Flashlight/batteries • Paper plates/plastic utensils • Blankets/pillows, etc. • Clothing – seasonal, rain gear, sturdy shoes • Full tanks of gas in vehicles • First aid kit complete with prescription drugs • Radio – battery operated NOAA weather radio • Cash – banks and ATMs may not be open after a storm • Important documents – include items such as insurance, medical records, bank account numbers and Social Security cards, and store all in a water proof container

Be sure to use emergency generators safely Read these tips before you connect Whenever a storm interrupts electric service, especially for an extended period of time, many south Mississippi residents and business owners use emergency generators to help keep food refrigerated and to operate lights and other appliances. Several million portable or standby generators are now in use around the country. However, it is critical that any auxiliary generator is hooked up properly and used correctly and safely. “Generators can help make life bearable after a natural disaster,” said Kurt Brautigam, manager of member services. “We cannot stress enough, however, how important it is that proper safety precautions be taken in order to prevent accidents that could affect consumers, their family members and neighbors, or our line workers.” A permanently-installed standby generator must be wired into a house by a qualified electrician using a transfer switch, which prevents electricity from backfeeding onto power lines whenever the generator is in use. Putting electric current out on lines that are thought to be de-energized can cause serious injury to utility restoration crews or anyone else coming into contact with those lines. Portable, temporary generators should never be attached to a home’s circuit breakers, fuses or outlets, and there are other important safety considerations whenever they are in use.

“The improper use of generators can lead to serious injuries or death, it’s that simple,” Brautigam noted. “That is why it’s so important to follow directions.” • Before you try to start a new generator, read and follow all manufacturer operating instructions. Make sure it is properly installed and grounded. Standby generators must have a transfer safety switch installed by a professional. • Portable generators should never be plugged directly into a home outlet or electrical system – use an extension cord to plug appliances into an outlet on the generator. • Never operate a generator in a confined space, such as a garage. Generators produce gases, including deadly carbon monoxide. They require proper ventilation. • Generators pose electrical risks, especially when operated in wet conditions. Operate a generator under an open, canopy-like structure on a dry surface. Always ensure that your hands are dry before touching a generator. • When you refuel a generator, make sure the engine is cool in order to prevent a fire, should the tank overflow. • Be sure to keep children and pets away from the generator, which could burn them. Visit www.PRVEPA.com or www.SafeElectricity.org for more information on the safe use of portable and standby generators.

Standby generators need to be installed with safety in mind Standby generators provide emergency power for many businesses and critical need situations such as hospitals, nursing homes, fire and police departments. Standby generators are installed permanently and are hardwired into the building’s electrical system. Standby generators must be installed by a licensed electrician and meet the requirements of local ordinances and the National Electrical Code.

Contact Pearl River Valley Electric We’re here to serve you. If you have questions about portable or standby generators, please contact us. We can help you find a safe, reliable solution to your emergency power needs.

Today in Mississippi

June 2019

Em “Pioneers In America’s Rural Electrification”

warns members of scam payment sites

A group of in 2

Pontotoc Electric

Pontotoc Electric is warning members of scams on the Internet that direct members to another site to make their electric bill payment. Some of the websites even use the Pontotoc Electric logo to make them appear official. These alternate payment sites may hold a member’s payment for days or even weeks before sending the payment to Pontotoc Electric. In some cases, payment may not ever reach Pontotoc Electric. Members should protect themselves from these scam sites by making payments only through www.pepa.com. Pontotoc Electric General Manager Chuck Howell said alternate sites may cause unnecessary problems for PEPA members. “These sites may hold a member’s money for a period of time causing the member’s account to fall into collections. When a member pays

Sedric Benford, 5 years Apprentice Lineman

using a scam site, we don’t know they’ve paid, and that can negatively impact the member’s bill and possibly even their service. If a member is presented with a method of payment that is different than how they’ve paid in the past, they should use caution. It could be an effort to send them to another site. As the old saying goes, ‘If something doesn’t look right, it probably isn’t.’ ”

Pontotoc Electric provides the online payment option through its official website to offer convenience to its members while safeguarding their information and processing their payments in a timely manner. Members who have any questions about making their online payments may call 662-489-3211 (Pontotoc) or 662-983-2727 (Bruce).

Jimmy Will

Member Servic

WE WISH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY A SAFE AND HAPPY HOLIDAY!

PONTOTOC ELECTRIC POWER ASSOCIATION will be closed Thursday, July 4

INDEPENDENCE DAY To report power outages or emergencies, please call 662-489-6711 (Pontotoc) or 662-983-2727 (Bruce). A Pontotoc Electric dispatcher is on duty 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

John Fleming Journeyman Lineman

June 2019

Today in Mississippi

Pontotoc Electric celebrates

mployee Service Anniversaries

f nine Pontotoc Electric employees from Pontotoc and Bruce celebrates service anniversaries 2019. We thank these employees for their years of dedicated service to our members.

Wes Hillhouse, 5 years

Cody Laster, 5 years

Tyler Parker, 5 years

Teresa Petty, 5 years

Apprentice Lineman

Receptionist

liamson, 5 years

ces Rep/Meterman

James Elzie, 20 years

Jennifer Standifer, 20 years

Ferrell Gates, 40 years

General Foreman

Office Assistant

Staking Technician

In last monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lineworker appreciation article, we inadvertently left out two members of our crew. We apologize to Journeyman Lineman John Fleming and Collector/ Meterman (former lineman) Billy Jack Stewart for the error. We thank them for their service to Pontotoc Electric and its members! Billy Jack Stewart Collector/Meterman

Thank You...

for your years of service to the members of Pontotoc Electric

10 I Today in Mississippi I June 2019 Pay Bill Report Outages

Brian Hughey, General Manager & CEO Lorri Freeman, APR, Manager of Public Relations Amanda Parker, Public Relations Specialist For more information, call 601-947-4211, 228-497-1313 or visit our website at singingriver.com. SRE is an equal opportunity employer and provider.

Check Energy Use

Round Up Bill

View Outage Map

CEO’s Message

Protecting a free-flowing treasure

Brian Hughey General Manager & CEO Singing River Electric

We are fortunate to live in an area where waterways are readily available for our enjoyment. The Pascagoula River, sometimes referred to as the Singing River, is formed by the joining of the Leaf and Chickasawhay Rivers in northwest George County. The river runs right through the heart of George and Jackson counties. Its

80-mile length makes it the largest free-flowing river and preserve this waterway for generations to come. in the contiguous United States. The Last month, Singing River Electric employees Pascagoula River basin joins the volunteered in the annual Renew Our Rivers “We Escatawpa River before emptying cleanup. This year’s event yielded more than are fortunate into the Gulf of Mexico. 8 tons of debris from the lower Pascagoula to live in an area Personally, I view this natural River after heavy rains forced river levels to where waterways are resource as a treasure and a major be higher than normal. readily available for part of my life. Like many of you, Your cooperative helped partner and host this our enjoyment.” I have fond memories of growing event at Gautier City Park. There are plans to up along the banks of this river system. expand this event to include upstream areas of the It contributes to the enjoyment of a variety of Pascagoula River in an effort to help protect one outdoor activities, which leads to the need to take steps of our communities’ most precious resources.

Join us for our

2019 Annual Membership Meeting

Thursday, June 27

11187 Old 63 South, Lucedale Energy Fair – 3:00-6:00 p.m. Registration – 4:30 p.m. Membership Meeting – 6:00 p.m. Return your proxy or vote online using the SmartHub app or at singingriver.com for a chance to win one of six $250 prizes or the $500 grand prize.

June 2019 Today in Mississippi 10a

RECORD-BREAKING COLLECTION FOR

2nd ANNUAL

Renew Our Rivers Cleanup of Lower

Pascagoula River

Singing River Electric partnered with Mississippi Power Company and Cable One for the 2nd Annual Renew Our Rivers cleanup of the lower Pascagoula River. Fifteen SRE employees joined the near 50 volunteers who headed out on boats to clean the waterways and reach more of the river system. The project launched from Gautier City Park and Pier and covered the lower Pascagoula River Basin area. “We enjoyed the opportunity to clean up the river and are proud that we were able to be so successful,” said SRE Right-of-Way Coordinator Nick Greer. Greer coordinated Renew Our Rivers cleanup efforts for SRE. Initial reports from the event show volunteers were able to pick up around eight tons of trash and debris. This is two tons more than the 2018 inaugural year and many tons over the one-to-two ton average collected at Renew Our Rivers events held at other locations. Renew Our Rivers is a national award-winning environmental stewardship program. Piloted in 2005 by Mississippi Power Company, the initiative was created to clean waterways, educate the public and raise awareness on the protection and preservation of our area’s valuable community resources. Prior to this year’s event, the community effort had collected more than 362 tons of debris from approximately 20 different waterways in south Mississippi. “Growing up in south Mississippi, you learn at a young age to leave no trace – to pick up after yourself and leave it how you found it, or better,” said SRE General Manager and CEO Brian Hughey. “Trash still finds its way to the water by flying off vehicles and boats and floating down the river, so we do our part to clean it up and protect our beautiful natural resources.”

#community

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Today in Mississippi

June 2019

Singing River Electric Energy Fairs

Singing River Electric members who attended the Fontainebleau/Ocean Springs Energy Fair on April 24 and the Greene County Energy Fair on May 15 left ready to conquer many energyefficiency projects in their homes. These events featured information on home improvements, lighting, heating and cooling, the cooperative’s SmartHub app, solar power and electric vehicles. “Our goal is to bring custom advice and expert knowledge to our members where they live,” said Singing River Electric Manager of Energy Services and Economic Development Nick DeAngelo. “Each year we work to move the Energy Fairs around so our members from different parts of the service area can

all participate locally at some point.” Attendees saw and touched wall sections with different insulation types, received one-on-one advice on DIY efficiency projects and home building and learned about rebates available when converting to an electric heat pump. They also experienced the look, feel and sound of an electric vehicle thanks to Cooperative Energy.

Lucedale Energy Fair June 27 SRE Lucedale Office

3:00-6:00 p.m. 11187 Old 63 South, Lucedale

June 2019

Today in Mississippi

10c

Helping Southern Pine Electric after tornadoes On the morning of Friday, April 19, an 11-man crew from Singing River Electric traveled to Puckett to assist Southern Pine Electric after several tornadoes touched down in their service area. Southern Pine Electric had more than 10,000 outages throughout three counties with nearly 60 broken poles. Linemen

replaced several broken poles and picked up lines brought down by the severe weather. They returned home on the afternoon of April 20. Singing River Electric remains ready to answer the call of fellow electric cooperatives in need, as we live out the 6th Cooperative Principle: Cooperation Among Cooperatives.

Members of the Singing River Electric team traveled to Puckett to help with tornado damage.

MEET THE CREDENTIALS AND ELECTION COMMITTEE Members of your community As an electric co-op, we belong to the communities we serve. We are led by member-consumers like you who understand and listen to our community. Members serve on our Credentials and Election Committee, which is appointed by the board according to geographic representation. The committee reviews and approves board candidates, oversees board elections and sees first-hand the efforts made to be transparent when conducting the business of our electric co-op.

Singing River Electric Credentials and Election Committee members (clockwise from left): Milton Driskell, Obie Wells, Linda Eckford, Richard Fleming and Marvin Blankinchip. (Not pictured - Phil Busby.)

Member led

10d I Today in Mississippi

June 2019

How your local electric cooperatives are hellping communities shine. m

e ar

. it in l

MY HOME

MY BUSINESS

MY MEMBERSHIP

d i e re

MY COMMUNITY

MY CO-OP

www.singingriver.com

Check out SREâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new website

DID YOU KNOW? The My Membership track on the new website is a quick and easy reference location for our Member Service Guide, Membership Agreement and Cooperative Bylaws. It also lists many of the benefits of co-op membership.

Live Weather Outage Map

Download Our SmartHub App

Info on Capital Credits

Access Bylaws

Your Board of Directors

June 2019

Today in Mississippi

Take charge of your power bill with the SmartHub app Our SmartHub app is the fastest and most accurate way to report a power outage, view a LIVE outage map or monthly energy use, and pay your electric bill. Member account information is easily accessible, and you can even view past bills.

Download the SmartHub app from the iPhone App Store or the Android Marketplace.

NHN Community Grant Recipients Greene County High School NEW BOOKS INCREASE READING CHOICES

Greene County High School students have 138 new books to read in the coming school year. The schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s library received a Singing River Electric Neighbors Helping Neighbors Community Grant to purchase the books and will have them cataloged and ready for check out in August 2019. Reading incentives are in place through the Accelerated Reading program.

L.T. Taylor Intermediate School CHROMEBOOKS ENHANCE CLASSROOM LEARNING

Students at L.T. Taylor Intermediate School have 15 new Chromebooks to enhance their classroom learning thanks to a NHN Community Grant from Singing River Electric. Discovery activities, internet research and multimedia projects are only a few of the ways students will put these technology tools to use.

10 Today in Mississippi June 2019

It’s that time of the year… Summertime in Mississippi is starting to settle in. The cool nights of spring have given way to warmer temperatures, but even now, there is no better place to be than outside. My wife and I enjoy this time of year. The kids are out of school, so the homework routine can be replaced with a back-yard football game. It’s my time to put my love of grilling on full display, and except for the occasional buzzing mosquito, there is no place I’d rather be. All too often, the tranquil evening is interrupted by the distant roll of thunder, and I start to worry about outages on the system. For the most part, I love this weather, but in this industry, summer weather patterns tend to keep us up at night … literally. Thunderstorms during this time of the year are often severe and can quickly throw a wrench in the plans of those in their path. We do all we can at Southern Pine to prepare for these events, but no technology or improvements to the system can withstand massive trees on the line, lightning strikes and thunderstorms with Jason S. Siegfried wind gusts upwards of 50-60 mph, which are common President/CEO during our summer months. Mix in our dense forests, swamps and rough terrain, and thunderstorm related outages are almost guaranteed to be significant. We know the inconvenience that power outages cause our members, no matter how brief. While we always stand ready to respond to these outages, there are things that you, our members, can do to help us in trying to limit the damage caused to our system. First and foremost, if you see dead trees or limbs or any other objects that could fall on or damage a primary electric line, please report it so that we can take the steps to remove the hazard before the storm strikes. Remember that while no one likes to have trees cut on their property, power outages will occur if Southern Pine cannot maintain clear rights-of-way. There are also steps you can take to secure your comfort during an outage. If you plan to use a generator, know how to safely operate it before the storm strikes. Have enough emergency supplies on hand to last until our crews can restore the power. If you, or someone in your home, requires medical equipment, be sure to have an ample backup energy source or have a contingency plan in place to meet your medical needs and that of your family. Southern Pine cannot guarantee an uninterrupted power supply. As much as we dislike power outages, they will occur, and we need to be prepared. Being prepared requires effort, but you will be glad you did it when the lights go out. Be a good neighbor, check on family, friends and especially the elderly or those who live alone. Know that just as soon as it is safe, we will be out there working to restore the power as quickly as we can. It’s that time of the year, but by working together we will continue to Bring the Power, even through the storms.

Spring storms cause large scale outages Severe weather hit Southern Pine’s service territory on Thursday, April 18. The National Weather Service confirmed at least 40 tornadoes touched down across Mississippi. Southern Pine linemen, servicemen and support personnel, along with crews from other cooperatives and contract companies, restored power to more than 20,000 members. At the peak of our outages, Southern Pine had 22,654 members without power. Almost half of those outages occurred in Rankin County due to tornadoes and straight-line winds bringing down poles and power lines. Power was completely restored by the evening of Saturday, April 20. Southern Pine would like to thank its employees and the following organizations who helped restore power in record time:

Alcorn Electric Power Association Chain Electric Company Delta Electric Power Association Dixie Electric Power Association

MDR Construction Inc. Runnels Contracting Singing River Electric W.A. Kendall & Co. Inc.

June 2019 Today in Mississippi

Southern Pine offers convenience when paying In todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fast-paced world, we offer more convenient options to pay on your Southern Pine account than ever before. Our website, www.southernpine.coop, offers a Pay My Bill link to pay by credit card, debit card or e-check with no service fee. Also, on our website is a MyPower link where you can create an online account with Southern Pine. Through MyPower, you can set up your account on bank draft or sign up for paperless billing if you prefer to receive your bill through email. A bank draft form is also available on our website. Simply mail us the completed form with a voided check. Once your account is on bank draft, your payment debits automatically on your due date each month without any action required by you. In addition to our website, you may pay your Southern Pine bill over the phone by calling 1-800-231-5240 and following the prompts. You should have your account number and last four digits of your social security number available during the call. Of course, you are still welcome to pay by mail in the envelope enclosed with your bill or by visiting any of our office locations. With your account information, you may utilize any of our drive-thru locations to expedite your payment process. A dropbox is also located at each of our offices as it may be more convenient for you to drop off a payment before or after work when our offices may be closed.

How your local electric cooperatives are helping communi u ties shine.

. .

Today in Mississippi

June 2019

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

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

www.southwestelectric.coop

Southwest Electric

sw_electric_coop

SWElectricCoop

Southwest Electric employees volunteered at the

Hog Wild Family Festival & BBQ Cookoff on Saturday, May 25. This is the fifth year that employees have volunteered at this Brookhaven event.

Chris Cunningham (left) won the blue RTIC 20 cooler, and Quinn Jordan (right) won the 4,000 mAh power bank. All money raised from the sale of drinks and raffle tickets went to the Lincoln County volunteer fire departments.

Natchez Electric and Southern Electric Works have agreed to offer discounts on whole home generator installations exclusively to our Members.

Employees and family members who volunteered (from left to right): Dustin Matthews, Norvell Davis, Jeremy and Angie Smith, Les Southerland, Deb McGee and Kevin Bonds. Not pictured are Roysheda Davis and Leah and Bud Ross.

SOUTHWEST ELECTRIC WISHES YOU AND YOUR FAMILY A SAFE AND HAPPY HOLIDAY!

Southwest Electric’s office will be closed Thursday, July 4, for

Independence Day

Natchez Electric & Supply Co., Inc. Contact Ricky Long or Mike Harrigill 601-442-2711 Generac Power Systems www.generac.com

Southern Electric Works Contact Reggie Allen 601-833-8323 Kohler Power www.kohlerpower.com

• $200 Member installation discount

• $250 Member installation discount

• Free estimates

• $100 rebate for referring a friend

• Local service

• Free estimates

• Annual maintenance plans available

• Local service

• 5 year limited warranty

• Annual maintenance plans available • 5 year limited warranty

Dispatchers will remain on duty and crews will be on call throughout the holiday. Call 1-800-287-8564 or use the SmartHub app to report an outage.

For more information, visit the Generac and Kohler websites

Southwest Electric will be closed at noon on Thursday, June 13.

June 2019

Today in Mississippi

Southwest Mississippi Electric Power Association annual meeting The annual meeting of Southwest Mississippi Electric Power Association Members will be held at the Holiday Inn, 1212 Brookway Boulevard, Brookhaven, Miss., at 10 a.m., August 7, 2019. The meeting is being held for the purpose of electing directors, hearing and passing upon reports covering the previous fiscal year and transacting other such business as may come before the meeting. Bylaws outline meeting procedures Article III, Meetings of Members Section 3.01. Annual Meeting For the purposes of electing directors, hearing and passing upon reports covering the previous fiscal year, and transacting such other business as may properly come before the meeting, the annual meeting of the members shall be held in August each year, at the general office of the Association or at such place in one of the counties of Mississippi within which the Association serves, as the Board of Directors shall order; PROVIDED, that for sufficient cause the Board of Directors may decide to hold the annual meeting in July or September. Failure to hold the annual meeting at the designated time and place shall not work a forfeiture or dissolution of the Association. It shall be the responsibility of the Board of Directors to make adequate plans and preparation for the annual meeting, and to encourage attendance by the membership at these meetings. Section 3.02. Special Meetings Special meetings of the members may be called by at least four (4) directors or upon written request signed by at least 10% of the members, and it shall thereupon be the duty of the Secretary to cause notice of such meeting to be given as hereinafter provided. Special meetings of the members may be held at any place within one of the counties of Mississippi within which the Association serves, as specified in the notice of the special meeting. Section 3.03. Notice of Membersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Meetings Written or printed notice stating the place, day and hour of the meeting, and in case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called, shall be delivered not less than seven (7) calendar days nor more than twenty (20) calendar days before the date of the meeting, either personally, electronically, or by mail, by or at the direction of the Secretary, or by the directors or members calling the meeting, to each member. If directors are to be elected at such meeting, the notice of members' meeting shall include a statement of the number of directors to be elected, the districts from which they are to be elected, or that the candidate is at-large, and the names of the candidates nominated by the committee on nominations and of any candidates nominated by petition pursuant to Section 4.04(b). Unless contained with such notice, no matter may be acted upon at that meeting which requires the affirmative votes of at least a majority of the members. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be delivered when deposited in the United States mail, addressed to the member as it appears on the records of the Association, with postage thereon prepaid. The failure of any member to receive notice of an annual or special meeting of the members shall not invalidate any action which may be taken by the members at any such meeting. Section 3.04. Quorum 250 members present in person or by valid proxy shall consti-

tute a quorum at a regular or special meeting of the members. If less than a quorum is present at any meeting of members, the presiding officer of the meeting may, without a motion, declare the meeting adjourned and closed, or he or she may hold the meeting open for not longer than thirty minutes to see if a quorum is present within that time; and meeting shall automatically be adjourned and closed if a quorum shall not be present at the end of said thirty-minute period. The members present at the meeting at which a quorum is not present shall not have the power to take any kind of action, including, but not by way of limitations, adjourning said meeting to another time and place. At all meetings of the members, whether a quorum be present or not, the Secretary shall annex to the meeting minutes, or incorporate therein by reference, a list of those members who registered as present in person or who were represented by valid proxies. Section 3.05. Voting Each member who is not in a status of suspension, as provided for in Section 2.01, shall be entitled to only one vote upon each matter submitted to a vote at any meeting of the members at which a quorum is present. A member may vote in person or by proxy. No person not a member, except the spouse of a member, shall be allowed as proxy. At a meeting of the members where directors are to be elected, all members present in person or by proxy may cast one vote for each director to be elected; each member may vote their own vote plus those proxies executed in their favor, pursuant to Section 3.06 of these bylaws. Voting by members other than members who are natural persons shall be allowed upon the presentation to the Association, prior to or upon registration at each member meeting, of satisfactory evidence entitling the person presenting same to vote. At all meetings of the members, all questions shall be decided by a majority of the members voting thereon, except as otherwise provided by law or by the Association's Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws. Members may not cumulate their votes. Section 3.06. Proxies At a meeting of the members, a member may vote by proxy executed in writing or electronically (when available by the Association) by the member, subject to the provisions hereinafter set forth, provided, however, any member holding and intending to vote a proxy must file the executed proxy at the Association's headquarters, not less than five (5) calendar days prior to the meeting. The proxy must have entered thereon the account number of the member executing the proxy. If one person shall receive electric service through two (2) or more meters at different premises, he or she shall nevertheless be entitled to only one (1) vote at any meeting of the members. No proxy shall be voted at any meeting of the members unless it shall designate the particular meeting at which it is to be voted, and no proxy shall be voted at any meeting other than the one so designated or any adjournment of such meeting. No proxy shall be voted by anyone except a member. No member shall vote as proxy for more than 250 members at any meeting of the members. The presence of a member at a meeting of the members shall revoke

a proxy theretofore executed by that member, and such member shall be entitled to vote at such meeting in the same manner and with the same effect as if the proxy had not been executed. A standard proxy form shall be used which identifies the member by name and account number, in order to assure authenticity and facilitate the tabulation of votes. If the proxy form of a member is lost, stolen, or destroyed, the Association shall furnish the member with a replacement proxy form upon request, provided that the member executes a revocation of the lost, stolen or destroyed form, to be witnessed by an employee of the Association. Blank proxy forms will not be distributed in bulk to any member or other person. Only the proxy form issued by the Association shall be valid. Section 3.07. Representative Voting Legal entity organizations and non-legal entity organizations which are members of the Association may be represented at any meeting of the members and may vote only as follows: (a) any director, officer or general manager duly authorized in writing may represent and cast the one vote of a corporation; (b) a trustee, steward, deacon, clerk, or pastor, duly authorized in writing may represent and cast the one vote of a church; (c) a school trustee, principal or superintendent duly authorized in writing may represent and cast the one vote of the school; (d) and any other association or organization not a legal entity may be represented by and have its one vote cast by any person duly authorized in writing who is a trustee, or manager or part owner, or any officer of such association or organization. Section 3.08. Order of Business The order of business at the annual meeting of the members and, so far as practicable at all other meetings of the members, shall be essentially as follows, except as otherwise determined

HINDS COUNTY

CLAIBORNE COUNTY

COPIAH COUNTY

JEFFERSON COUNTY LINCOLN COUNTY

FRANKLIN COUNTY

ADAMS COUNTY

AMITE COUNTY

WILKINSON COUNTY

Service area

by any officer of the Association who is presiding at such meeting: 1. Report on the existence of a quorum. 2. Reading of the notice of the meeting and proof of the due publication or mailing thereof, or the waiver or waivers of notice of the meeting. 3. Reading, or the waiver thereof, of unapproved minutes of previous meetings of the members and the taking of necessary action thereon. 4. Presentation and consideration of reports of officers, directors, and committees. 5. (a) Receive report of Committee on Nominations. (b) Secretary to present petitions filed and posted for the nominations of directors. (c) Receive report of Credentials and Elections Committee. (d) Election of Directors. 6. Unfinished Business. 7. New Business. 8. Adjournment.

Non-discrimination statement Southwest Mississippi Electric Power Association is an equal opportunity provider and employer. In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA's TARGET Center at (202)720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800)877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_ filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Today in Mississippi

June 2019

TWIN COUNTY ELECTRIC POWER ASSOCIATION

TAKE CONTROL OF

We expect summers to be hot, but most of us do all we can to keep our homes as comfortable as possible, even as outdoor temperatures edge thermometers upward. When it comes to electricity, each of us has the power to help control our costs—we just have to make thoughtful choices to make energy savings pay off in dollars and cents.

Shade the sunlight

filters or cleaning permanent ones. If you’ve got pets, consider checking them more frequently.

Increase airflow

Tip of the

Month

Shift activities

TWIN COUNTY ELECTRIC WISHES YOU AND YOUR FAMILY A SAFE AND HAPPY HOLIDAY!

TWIN COUNTY ELECTRIC POWER ASSOCIATION will be closed Thursday, July 4

INDEPENDENCE DAY To report a power outage on holidays and after office hours, call 866-897-7250.

June 2019

For after-hours outages, call

866-897-7250

WE ARE PREPARED FOR

and other critical staff. Every phone line available is utilized to take your outage report calls. When transmission lines, which serve tens of thousands of people, are damaged at the generation and transmission level, it can affect the time it takes to restore power locally; but this does not stop our line workers from going out to assess and repair damage in our local communities immediately. Twin County Electric Power Association’s line crews inspect substations to determine if the problem starts there, or if there could be an issue down the line. If the root of the problem is at the substation, power can be restored to thousands of members. Next, line crews check the service lines that deliver power into neighborhoods and communities. Line crews repair the damaged lines, restoring power to hundreds of people. If you continue to experience an outage, there may be damage to a tap line outside of your home or business. Make sure you notify Twin County Electric, so crews can inspect these lines.

Keeping you

Today in Mississippi

SAFE

DURING AND AFTER

SUMMER STORMS No one knows electrical safety better than the experts who practice it every single day. Twin County Electric Power Association encourages you to practice safety with these reminders – during and after a summer storm:

FLOODED AREAS Stay away from downed power lines and avoid walking through flooded areas. Power lines could be submerged and still live with electricity. Report any downed lines you see to Twin County Electric by calling 662-827-2262 immediately.

ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT We will do our best to avoid power outages, but sometimes Mother Nature has other plans.

Today in Mississippi

June 2019

Yazoo Valley Electric Power Association Manager of Member Services: Dennis McFee For Today in Mississippi information, call 662-746-4251 or email dmcfee@yazoovalley.com

Mississippi purchases sizeable WMA for hunt By Dennis McFee In the summer of 2018, the State of Mississippi acquired 17,000+ acres of bottomland hardwood habitation, much of which is located in Yazoo Valley Electric’s service territory in Issaquena County and parts of Warren County. It is the largest piece of land purchased by the state in over 40 years. The land, named The Phil Bryant Wildlife Management Area, was acquired from the Anderson-Tully Company. Prior to the sale, the land was leased and managed by several hunting clubs near Steele Bayou. This addition to the state’s Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) surrounds the Mahannah WMA and will provide exclusive hunting enough to see the place in person and to be able to walk opportunities to the state’s residents through a draw sysacross it,” he said. “The cypress trees are so big you can’t tem. “The land connects to Mahannah WMA, and the reach around them, and it is an area where you can truly purchase essentially doubled the size of that area,” said enjoy wildlife and nature. You can’t hear the sounds of Captain Scottie Jones, Mississippi Department of the cities, towns or communities and there’s no noise or Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks (MDWFP). traffic sounds. The scenery is truly extraordinary.” Jones has worked for the MDWFP for 21 years and According to Jones, the wildlife bureau has worked feels privileged to have worked for several bureaus within hard to come up with a hunt plan for the area since the agency. He is acquiring the land. now employed in “There will be some “You can’t hear the sounds the administrative units that are similar of the cities, towns or offices in Jackson. to the way that communities and there’s no Jones has been an Mahannah WMA avid hunter since operates,” he said. noise or traffic sounds. The scenery childhood and “There will be deer is truly extraordinary.” realizes the unique hunting draws, and —Captain Scottie Jones opportunities that some areas will be this tract of land strictly archery only offers for wildlife conservation in Mississippi. walk-in areas. ATVs and UTVs will only be allowed for “There are so many opportunities that come with this game retrieval and designated trails. There is a tremenasset. The tract of land is so rare because it’s bottomland dous amount of hunting and recreational opportunities hardwoods, and you just don’t find areas like this anythat will be available in this area. Those who want to more, especially in a continuous block of land,” he said. experience different areas of the WMA will be able to put “The state will be able to enhance our natural resources. in for different draws each year.” It is covered with oxbow lakes and water fowl, as well as Jones is quite certain that the land will bring non-resihunting and fishing, and will provide a real opportunity dents to the area looking to explore the land for its natufor sportsmen in Mississippi.” ral beauty. “This is a positive thing, and I think that the Jones reminisces about growing up in the area and people of Mississippi and surrounding states that want to hunting around Mahannah WMA. “I’ve been fortunate visit here will have a place to go and enjoy.”

Unfortunately, the recent Delta flooding has halted plans for opening the area for hunting. “Mahannah WMA and the new Phil Bryant WMA is in an area that acts as a bowl that concentrates all of the lower Delta flooding,” said Jones. “Surprisingly, even though the flooding is affecting the area right now and the wildlife has to find higher ground, once the water is gone, it always regenerates vegetation there for sustaining the wildlife population. The wildlife always seems to make its way back to the area. We are looking forward to some excellent hunting conditions in the near future.” The MDWFP maintains a Facebook page and Jones encourages those that are interested in the hunting draws to follow their page to look for social media information regarding the next draw. The department also lists information online at www.mdwfp.com. “If someone is fortunate enough to get drawn, they will certainly have a quality hunt,” said Jones.

June 2019 I Today in Mississippi

A Mississippi Electric Cooperative

ting and leisure

Phil Bryant WMA Proposed Hunt Plan Backwoods Unit • 4 subunits Deer, waterfowl and small game • Group hunting and camping • Draw a party of 4 per hunt (16 hunters per hunt) • Wednesday - Sunday • Every other week starting October 1 - January 14 • Group bag limit of 4 legal bucks and 8 antlerless deer

Buck Bayou Unit Deer draw hunts (same as Mahannah) • October – archery only • November/December – Gun • January 1 - 14 – Open archery hunting • Small game seasons same as Mahannah Waterfowl Hunts • 41 units on Mahannah and Buck Bayou • Monday, Wednesday and Saturday

Ten Point Deer Draw Hunts • Thursday - Sunday • October/November – Archery • December – Gun • Youth/Handicapped only – December 26 - January 12, Waterfowl and small game – open on days not deer hunting (Monday - Wednesday)

Goose Lake • Boating or walk-in access only Deer Draw Hunts • Thursday - Sunday • October 3 - January 12 – Archery Waterfowl and Small Game – Monday - Wednesday

General Regulations

Deer • Season bag limit – 3 deer, of which only 1 may be a legal buck (Antler Criteria of 16/20) • Mandatory CWD sample submission for all antlerless deer

Trapping • January 1 - February 28, daily

Fishing • From October 1 - January 14, fishing is allowed on small game/waterfowl hunting days

ATV Use • Retrieval only • Designated road and trails only

Horses • Prohibited October 1 - January 14. • From January 15 - September 30, designated roads and trails for recreational use only

High Water/Flooding • Mahannah and Phil Bryant WMAs will be closed to all activities, except waterfowl hunting, at 82 ft. on the SB landside gauge • Waterfowl hunting shall open daily on 10 Point and Goose Lake units during the waterfowl season after 82 ft. on the SB landside gauge • Waterfowl hunting is draw only on Mahannah and Buck Bayou Units during the waterfowl season after 82 ft. on the SB landside gauge

YAZOO VALLEY ELECTRIC WISHES YOU AND YOUR FAMILY A SAFE AND HAPPY HOLIDAY!

Yazoo Valley “The MDWFP always puts a best foot forward and pursues tracts of land when an opportunity arises to enhance and preserve the hunting traditions of our state. There is nothing like watching a bunch of mallards come through those cypress trees and oxbow lakes. There are areas back there that are truly remarkable in terms of scenery. The Phil Bryant WMA is going to continue to enrich our traditions and preserve this natural resource that we have here in Mississippi.”

Electric Power Association will be closed Thursday, July 4

Independence Day To report a power outage on holidays and after office hours, call 662-746-4251.