HANDS-ON WITH VAN GOGH
Did you know one of the most cutting-edge places for technology is right up the road at your local electric cooperative?
While it may seem surprising to think of your electric co-op as a high-tech leader, it’s part of a way of doing business that has been finding new approaches to solving modern problems for nearly 100 years.
Electric co-ops were originally created to solve one of the most basic and complex of needs and desires — making light out of darkness.
That legacy still works today, and its why time is set aside each October to recognize National Co-op Month. It’s a reminder that business succeeds not just through competition, but also through cooperation.
Just as co-ops first brought electricity to unserved rural areas nearly a century ago, today many of them are working to bring high-speed internet service to their local Mississippi communities.
In the early part of the last century, America’s cities were being transformed by this new thing called electricity. But outside the municipal boundaries, people could only look with envy at the glow from over the horizon. Setting poles and stringing power lines miles outside of town for one or two customers was deemed too expensive.
Luckily, go-getters in America’s rural communities believed they could solve the problems that kept the power companies from connecting them to modern society.
They called their friends and neighbors together and started forming their own utilities. They were community-based organizations, democratically-run, not-forprofit businesses called cooperatives. Today, there are more than 900 electric co-ops in the U.S. In Mississippi, there are 25 electric cooperatives that distribute power to more 1.8 million people via service to more than 820,000 meters around the state.
It wasn’t easy, especially at first. They got a huge boost when, after getting the attention of some key politicians, the federal
government created the Rural Electrification Administration (REA). The REA made loans available, helping finance expensive utility construction. It provided technical consulting, developing engineering techniques to carry electricity longer distances. The agency drew up model co-op bylaws and even went on the road with tent shows to demonstrate how to use the latest conveniences like electric ovens and washing machines.
But the biggest innovation is simply the co-op itself, and the notion of a utility with only one mission — to make life better for its members, who are also its customers.
Electric co-ops didn’t spring from a national directive or organization. They are truly homegrown products of what local people wanted for their community. In fact, America’s first rural cooperative was hatched right here in Mississippi. The idea was born in the back room of a furniture store in Corinth. Members of the community partnered with the Tennessee Valley Authority — who just started producing cheap hydroelectric power — and began the Alcorn County Electric Power Association. The first power pole was raised on the ACE Power system in 1934.
Although the formation of the REA in 1935 helped smooth the way forward, it was local community initiatives over the next three decades that finally brought electric service to nearly everyone.
The story of electric co-ops is of a true grassroots movement of unique, homegrown organizations. The one characteristic that applies to all of them is that they care for and listen to the local members they serve.
We hope you enjoy the October issue.
by Michael Callahan Executive Vice President/CEO Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi
Send us photos of a beautiful Mississippi tree. Maybe it’s a tree on your land, or one in or near your neighborhood, or at some other location in Mississippi you have visited. Maybe it’s a group of trees. Let us know the location of the tree. The photos must be high-resolution JPG files of at least 1 MB in size. Please attach the photo to your email and send it to news@ecm.coop. Each entry must be accompanied by photographer’s name, address, and co-op.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Nov. 29. Select photos will appear in the Jan. 2024 issue.
The Official Publication of the Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi
OFFICERS
Randy Carroll - President
Ron Barnes - First Vice President
Tim Perkins - Second Vice President
Brian Hughey - Secretary/Treasurer
Michael Callahan - Executive Vice President/CEO
EDITORIAL STAFF
Lydia Walters - VP, Communications
Steven Ward - Editor
Chad Calcote - Creative Director
Kevin Wood - Graphic Designer
Alan Burnitt - Graphic Designer
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Steve Temple - Social Media Director
Kendle Dean - Administrative Assistant
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Today in Mississippi (ISSN 1052-2433) is published 12 times a year by Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi Inc., P.O. Box 3300, Ridgeland, MS 39158-3300, or 665 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, MS 39157. Phone 601-605-8600. Periodical postage paid at Ridgeland, MS, and additional o ce. The publisher (and/or its agent) reserves the right to refuse or edit all advertising. The magazine is published for members of subscribing co-ops. The magazine is a bene t of membership.
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Pearl River Glass Studio owner Andrew “Andy” Cary Young at his Jackson studio. Photo by Chad Calcote.
Central Electric Power Association, Coahoma Electric Power Association, Coast Electric Power Association, Delta Electric Power Association, Dixie Electric Power Association, East Mississippi Electric Power Association, 4-County Electric Power Association, Magnolia Electric Power, Monroe County Electric Power Association, Natchez Trace Electric Power Association, North East Mississippi Electric Power Association, Northcentral Electric Cooperative, Pearl River Valley Electric Power Association, Pontotoc Electric Power Association, Singing River Electric, Southern Pine Electric, Southwest Electric, Tippah Electric Power Association, Twin County Electric Power Association, and Yazoo Valley Electric Power Association.
Ten Mississippi electric cooperatives held voting drives at community colleges around the state Sept. 19 to get more students involved in the democratic process.
The voting drives are part of the Co-ops Vote MS campaign, an initiative of the state’s electric cooperatives to get members more involved in the decisions that a ect their communities. Elections are important for determining the future course of Mississippi.
4-County Electric, Coahoma Electric, Coast Electric, Dixie Electric, Northcentral Electric, Singing River Electric, Southern Pine Electric, Southwest Electric, Tallahatchie Valley EPA, and Cooperative Energy all held the voting drives at eight community colleges.
Co-ops Vote MS is the initiative, and this is the message:
You have the POWER to Register. Be informed. Vote.
The program’s website is www.coopsvotesms.com.
The website features quick links to important voting information including where to register to vote, our current elected o cials, what elections are occurring this year, and videos of statewide elected o cials talking about the importance of voting, and what they do on a day-to-day basis.
Below is the state’s voting calendar for the rest of 2023.
OCT. 9 – DEADLINE: Applicants who register in-person in the Circuit or Municipal Clerk’s O ces today are eligible to vote in the Nov. 7, 2023, General Election.
OCT. 10 – All mailed voter registration applications must be postmarked by this date.
NOV. 7 – General Election Day and Regular Special Election Day. Polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Each year, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s RE magazine spotlights 20 bright, driven, community-minded cooperative employees from around the country.
One of this year’s RE magazine “Co-op Rising Stars” is Dixie Electric Network Administrator Heath Ishee of Laurel.
Ishee made the list of 20 from a pool of 170 nominated candidates this year.
Ishee started working at Dixie Electric at the beginning of the pandemic. Around that time, the co-op was conducting feasibility studies for a proposed subsidiary, DE Fastlink, to provide broadband internet service.
The co-op leaned heavily on Ishee’s background as
a system engineer at a propane company, but he soon oversaw the deployment of DE Fastlink’s network — on top of his regular IT duties.
“Ishee’s “can-do attitude, dedication, knowledge and adaptability were invaluable,” says Communication Manager Amanda Mills. “We were moving at such a quick pace to keep up with federal requirements, and Heath became vital to our operations for both Dixie Electric and DE Fastlink.”
The co-op rolled out a successful pilot project to 100 members at the end of 2020 and signed up another 3,000 by the end of 2021. Today, DE Fastlink has about 14,000 subscribers.
Nearly 47,000 comments were submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency in August by electric cooperative consumermembers as part of a grassroots campaign organized by Voices for Cooperative Power opposing the agency’s proposed power plant rule.
The strong response to the ongoing campaign by. NRECA’s grassroots platform reflects the importance of the issue to co-ops and their members, said Patrick Ahearn, NRECA’s political a airs director.
“This is an issue that every co-op and consumer-member has a stake in, because it a ects the reliability and a ordability of their electricity,” he said.
The EPA’s proposed rule aims to essentially eliminate carbon dioxide emissions from power plants by 2035. NRECA leaders say it puts electric reliability at risk and will raise costs for consumers by setting unrealistic,
unachievable goals that rely on still-developing technologies like carbon capture and storage and hydrogen as a fuel.
Co-op consumer-members, co-op employees and other advocates can send a letter to the agency or share their opposition on Facebook.
The letter, addressed to EPA Administrator Michael Regan, concludes by saying, “I join with electric co-ops across the country in standing firmly against EPA’s proposal. It would undermine decades of work to reliably keep the lights on across the nation and could lead to life-threatening blackouts. These new regulations don’t work for my family, my community, or our nation’s economy.”
Ivy Prater, NRECA’s program manager for grassroots technology, said “it’s important that our side is being heard.” NRECA
An old wheelbarrow turned into a beautiful container planting adds a whimsical, country feel to any garden space. My friend Tim has a wheelbarrow planter in his yard. He painted the wheelbarrow a traditional dark green and placed it on an old tree stump. This means the stump was also recycled — as a planter pedestal. Its size and height provide the perfect surface for the recycled wheelbarrow planter.
Because of its height, Tim selected trailing plants to fill the wheelbarrow planter.
The leaves of creeping Jenny are small and rounded with wavy edges. They line up opposite each other on thin, trailing stems. The circular leaves are smooth and shiny, and some say they look like a string of small coins.
Creeping Jenny’s foliage ranges from lime green in part- to full-sun to soft chartreuse in shade. As it continues to grow, it will cascade over the sides of the wheelbarrow and flow down the tree stump.
In the back of the planter, Tim added Rio purslanes for a pop of color with their yellow, magenta, orange, and scarlet blooms. These plants grow up to 8 inches tall and spread to 18 inches. The stems are purplish-green, and the leaves are bright green.
A tropical hibiscus is nestled in the center of the planter. Its dark green foliage and bright yellow blooms add height and beauty to the planter combination.
Here are the steps you can follow to create a beautiful wheelbarrow planter of your own.
To prepare the wheelbarrow, drill drainage holes in the bottom. This is very important because too much water can cause root rot, and the plants will die.
Next, decide if you want to paint the wheelbarrow or leave it in its natural state. Painting a metal wheelbarrow helps to preserve it, so it will last for many years. This is where you can be creative and use your artistic talents.
Then, select a good bagged potting soil mix and fill the wheelbarrow with soil to about 1 inch from the top. You can make your own blend of potting soil using equal parts peat moss, compost, and sand, or use a similar blend of organic ingredients.
Finally, select plants for your new planter. Consider using filler, thriller, and spiller plants.
Filler plants take up the middle space in the planter and fill out the arrangement. Coleus is a great choice as a filler plant, as its kaleidoscope of colors adds beauty and appeal.
A spiller plant’s main role is to sprawl out and over the planter to soften its edges and tumble toward the ground. In addition to creeping Jenny, potato vine and verbena make good spiller plants.
Thriller plants add height and interest to a planter. Papyrus, dwarf canna lilies and hibiscus are just a few plants that can be used as thrillers in a planter.
As you can see, an old, recycled wheelbarrow can make a beautiful container planter. Consider adding one to your landscape.
by Dr. Eddie Smith
An old wheelbarrow turned into a beautiful container planting adds a whimsical, country feel to any garden space.Any old container that can hold soil can be recycled as a planter. This old wheelbarrow found new life sitting on a tree stump.
In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt famously hunted bears in the Mississippi Delta. By 1932, the bear population dropped drastically, and the state put the animals under full protection, which is still in e ect today.
By 2002, bears numbered about 50 in the state. Then, the population bloomed to several hundred today. Often, a young male wanders many miles looking for its own home territory and a mate. These wanderers could show up anywhere.
“The Mississippi bear population is definitely increasing,” reported Anthony Ballard, the black bear program leader for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks. “We will probably have more than 100 bear sightings in 2023.”
Generally, American black bears live in the northern third of the state and the Louisiana subspecies occupies the rest. Most people cannot tell the subtle di erences between the two just by looking at them.
“Most bears live along the Mississippi River,” Ballard explained. “Another population lives in southeastern Mississippi. The Pascagoula River area has plenty bears. People are more likely to see a bear in that part of Mississippi than anywhere else.”
In the southern Delta, bears primarily live in Warren and Issaquena counties. In the northern Delta, Bolivar County hosts a good population. Another pocket lives in Adams and Wilkinson counties.
“A Mississippi bear would likely measure about 33 to 36 inches at the shoulder,” Ballard detailed. “When standing on its hind legs, it might be five feet to a little over six feet tall. The largest one on record came from Wilkinson County. It was a 468-pound roadkill.”
During the fall, bears gorge themselves to fatten up before winter. An adult male probably weighs between 250 to more than 300 pounds. A typical female runs about 100 to 200 pounds.
The Mississippi bear population is definitely increasing. We will probably have more than 100 bear sightings in 2023.Photo courtesy of Victoria Darden Garland
Large, powerful carnivores, bears can inflict serious injury, but they usually try to avoid people. Normally, a bear detects a human and moves away without the person ever knowing it.
“Any wild animal can be dangerous, but we haven’t had any bear attacks in Mississippi,” Ballard said. “The last thing a bear wants to do is get in conflict with a human. They just want to be left alone. The exception is when a bear gets habituated to food and becomes possessive of that food. That’s when people and bears have problems.”
As sportsmen chase game this fall, they could encounter bears. A hunter might kill a deer, but a bear gets to it first. If that bear wants the deer, most people let it have the animal. Sometimes, hunters use a vehicle to scare the bear away and retrieve the deer.
“If the bear doesn’t move on, make a lot of noise,” Ballard advised. “Speak in a loud voice. Maintain eye contact. Don’t run. That could trigger a predator response and a chase. Be as confident as possible and ease o in another direction. We want to protect the people of Mississippi and the bears at the same time.”
by John N. Felsher
John N. Felsher is a professional freelance writer, broadcaster, photographer, and editor who lives in Alabama. An avid sportsman, he’s written more than 3,300 articles for more than 170 different magazines on a wide variety of outdoors topics. Contact him at j.felsher@hotmail.com.
People who spot a bear in Mississippi can report it at www.mdwfp.com/wildlife-hunting/black-bear-program.
Photos courtesy of Anthony Ballard of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks.
Black bear cub in hollow tree den.
by Steven Ward
The eyes and mind are the traditional tools a museum visitor utilize when experiencing an artist’s work in that setting.
“Please do not touch” signs are usually the dictated etiquette in a museum.
But a recent Vincent van Gogh exhibit at the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art in Laurel is interactive, so children can take a more hands-on approach to experiencing the art of the Dutch post-impressionist painter.
Van Gogh for All is an interactive family exhibition that puts visitors into his artwork, said Lauren Rogers Museum of Art Director George D. Bassi.
The exhibition, which opened in August, is open to the public until Nov. 5.
The exhibit was developed by the Dolores Kohl Education Foundation in Chicago as a way for children to learn first-hand about the artist and his paintings. There are multi-media components allowing visitors to immerse themselves into his paintings, as well as opportunities for children and adults to draw and color their own portraits and still-life paintings in the style of Van Gogh, Bassi said.
The exhibit includes large-scale reproductions of his most famous paintings, a replica of his art studio, and a brief animated movie about Van Gogh and his life. Additionally, the museum has created an introductory gallery that features an illustrated timeline of Van Gogh’s life along with information about two pieces in the LRMA collection that were copied by Van Gogh.
The feedback and reactions to the exhibit from both children and adults have been excellent.
“It is most rewarding to see multi-generational groups of families taking photos immersed in Van Gogh’s art. The response from school districts across south Mississippi has been phenomenal, and there are one or more school groups a day booked during the twelve-week run of the exhibit,” said Hillary Steinwinder, the museum’s curator of education.
Bassi said the strongest reaction has been to the 12 -foot-wide interactive projection of one of Van Gogh’s most famous paintings, “Starry Night.”
“The favorite portion of the exhibit seems to be the interactive “Starry Night” installation that allows visitors the ability to control and move a large-scale projection of the famous painting using a touchscreen. It is mesmerizing,” Bassi said.
Laurel’s Lauren Rogers Museum of Art has a reputation for landing innovative and important collections and exhibits.
The Lauren Rogers Museum of Art opened to the public in 1923 as a memorial to a young man with a promising future in the fledgling town of Laurel. Princeton-educated and recently married, Lauren Eastman Rogers was primed to take his place with the Eastman Gardiner Lumber Company when he died in 1921 at the age of 23 from complications of appendicitis. In the wake of this tragedy, Lauren’s family created the museum in his memory as a testament to his spirit, his ability, and the promise of his future.
The favorite portion of the exhibit seems to be the interactive “Starry Night” installation that allows visitors the ability to control and move a largescale projection of the famous painting using a touchscreen. It is mesmerizing.
Building additions and renovations completed in 1925, 1983, and 2013 brought the museum to its present size of 29,000 square feet. The museum features eight galleries for its permanent collections, three galleries for temporary exhibitions, a studio, and an art reference library. The museum thrives as a community-minded art museum that opens its collections to the public six days a week, sponsors an extensive education outreach program, and presents exhibitions that bring outstanding examples of the visual arts to South Mississippi.
For more information about the museum and the Van Gogh exhibit, visit www.lrma.org.
Last month, the Tennessee Valley Authority — the people that generate the electricity you use, and we sell, and the people who regulate us — announced they were raising rates. There’s no doubt that’s a tough blow to all of us. Prices on everything are on the rise, and that’s one of the big reasons for the increase. But there are other considerations in play as well. One of the biggest drivers is $15 billion in investments to build new power generation and to upgrade existing plants. It’s a good news/bad news scenario in a way. The bad news is that TVA needs to increase its capacity quickly. The good news is that the need is there because of unprecedented growth in the Valley. We see it here almost every day. With the recent additions of the SDI aluminum mill, Altech Tube, the new Fed-Ex facility, and other large commercial entities, plus the steady residential and small commercial growth, our service territory alone is facing a continued and increasing demand for power. That is happening while older carbon-based plants are being retired, meaning we are losing baseload generation at the same time as we’re seeing strong growth.
So, while TVA is already implementing an increase, we here at 4-County are considering an increase of our own. Why now? Just like every other business, we have seen our costs go up considerably over the past few years. The basic materials we use, things like transformers, wire, and poles have all increased in price, in some cases costing three times or more what they did just two years ago. Interest rates are up, so money is more expensive to borrow, and long-term debt is a key to the electric co-op business model.
For years, we have done everything we can to avoid this. We have been fiscally responsible enough to not have had an overall 4-County rate increase in nine years. We even absorbed a 1.5% rate increase from TVA in 2016 that typically would have been passed through to you, the ratepayer. But the time may have finally come where all the e ciencies and prudent financial decisions can’t keep up with inflation. I promise you that if we enact an increase, we will continue to work diligently to minimize its impact on you; we will continue to find ways to increase e ciencies and we will continue to work to try and avoid future increases.
In the meantime, we stand ready to answer your questions, to give you tools and advice to save power, and minimize your bill as much as possible. We appreciate your support as our member-owners, and we want you to rest assured we are working every day with your best interests in mind and at heart.
Electric cooperatives were created to serve their members. Because we’re a co-op, we’re able to adapt to our community’s unique needs.
That’s the power of co-op membership.
by Brian Clark CEO/General ManagerOCTOBER IS NATIONAL CO-OP MONTH
“Improving the quality of life for all those we touch.”
t was three years ago this month when 4-County hung the first cables of what would become FASTnet, our fiber broadband subsidiary. In that time, FASTnet has grown to more than 3,200 miles of fiber hung and more than 14,000 customers. This month also marks the end of FASTnet’s mainline construction phase. That means the entire service territory is now fiber ready — a goal that 4-County wasn’t expecting to hit until early 2024. Even better than beating the timeline is the fact that the project is on-budget, as well. To mark the milestone, 4-County’s Manager of Marketing Jon Turner sat down with CEO/ General Manager Brian Clark to get his perspective on the project’s success so far, as well as a peek into the future.
TURNER: We’re coming to the end of the buildout. That’s a big deal, isn’t it?
CLARK: It’s a huge deal. You know we really struggled three years ago with making this decision. Hard to believe it’s been three years. I think the big thing that stands out now is that it was definitely the right decision. Hearing now from our members and FASTnet customers, they are happy because frankly, a lot of people wouldn’t have this service that we o er now had we not moved forward. There’s no other product out there right now that’s as good or reliable as fiber all the way into the home. It’s the gold standard now and if you are a 4-County member, other than the few neighborhoods we skipped for economic and competitive reasons, you’ll have access to the service. So now we’re crossing the finish line in Weir and the downside, which we take seriously, is that so many people want this service that we can’t build it to them in a week. We’ve built this entire system in the timeframe that we’ve done and connected more than 14,000 customers and we still have 1,500 people waiting. Now, when the dust settles and we’re caught up, whether that’s six months, a year, whatever, when you call and want service, we want to be able to get you service in a few days, if not that day. We’re just not there yet, because we’ve grown so fast. That’s the plus and minus of it all, really. We’ve grown so fast it is kind of a pain point.
TURNER: As the CEO of two companies serving tens of thousands of members and customers, you have a lot to deal with. What have been the challenges for you over the last three years?
CLARK: Probably the balance between hiring employees for FASTnet or using contractors. You don’t want to over hire at the beginning when things are heavy and then have to lay somebody o , but you to have enough employees and contractors to supply the membership’s demand. You also want to make sure that you’re not putting too much more on existing employees. And then, what’s the long-term e ect of that? If you hire a contractor, or an employee, at some point that’s going to sunset until you figure out what
Hard to believe it’s been three years. I think the big thing that stands out now is that it was definitely the right decision.
your new normal is. And I think we’ve done a really good job of balancing the two. We’ve had good contractors and great employees who have taken on more work. To be honest, there were some employees who may have needed a little more to do, but there were lots more who rose to the challenge and sought out more responsibility. But I think putting all that together — balancing that — has probably been the biggest challenge.
TURNER: I want to circle back to something. To have accomplished what we have in literally two and half years — a really short time frame in the scheme of things — to do this so much quicker than expected while staying on our budget especially in these challenging times where costs keep rising and supplies can be hard to get, how proud are you of what we’ve been able to accomplish?
CLARK: Very proud. Think about this. There have been many industries that have looked at coming here to the service territory and haven’t decided yet or some that have and still haven’t done anything concrete — and who started the process before we ever even thought about broadband and fiber and yet, here we are. We’ve gone from fiber broadband not even being on our radar to building a subsidiary to building out a network and supplying our service to more than 14,000 people all while doing it with the honesty, integrity, and service that people are used to seeing from 4-County. And a lot of teamwork both inside the building and out. That’s the beautiful part about the cooperative model. FASTnet
may be a for-profit entity but it is owned by the co-op. There were sister cooperatives in other states who had started before we did and were further down the road from us. And we visited several of them and learned what to do, and what not to do from them. We reached out to people who’d been in the marketplace, especially our consultants Irby with Ge Smith and Patrick Reams who helped us get to where we are today. We don’t know everything yet, but we know a whole lot more than we did three years ago. And we’ll continue to grow and learn.
TURNER: Any final thoughts?
CLARK: I humbly want to thank the employees for all the work that they do every day. This hasn’t been easy on anyone here. And none of this — and I mean none of this at all — makes sense without everybody being behind it. The employees have done a great job and members have been patient with us. The most beautiful part of this to me, besides having a product that people really want, is to see the employees grow and take on new roles. It may seem like a cliché or that I have to say this because I’m the CEO, but everything we do adds value. I’ve worked at places, and you probably have too, where it’s just a job. But when you’re providing internet and you’re providing electricity and you’re supporting not-for-profit groups through the Foundation, it all has such a big impact and has such a good feeling to it. And I think, I hope, that that’s what we all feel here every day.
That’s the beautiful part about the cooperative model. FASTnet may be a for-profit entity but it is owned by the co-op.
4-County Electric Power Association members and other power distributor customers across the region are likely to see a slight increase in their power bills as the Tennessee Valley Authority is enacting a 4.5 % rate increase. In addition, TVA is announcing that a separate COVID-19-related federal assistance program is ending.
TVA is in the process of building more generation infrastructure to meet growing capacity needs in the Valley. And there are a few older generation plants that are going o ine. These cost factors are leading to the increase in rates. The rate hike, e ective Oct. 1, translates to about a $3.50 rate increase per month to the average residential account.
The TVA rate increase will not mean more money for 4-County, according to 4-County CEO Brian Clark. “It is an increase on what TVA charges us for power and we will pass that on directly to our members,” Clark said. “We know times are tough for many of our members and we are always looking for ways to help them conserve energy and save money on their bills. We have many energy e ciency programs that include financing and cash incentives. We also look for ways to work more e ciently and to use technology to help us cut costs wherever we can,” Clark said. Call 1-800-431-1544 or go to www.4county.org for more information.
The great news, co-op o cials stress, is that much of the need for increased capacity is driven by unprecedented growth in the Valley. “We see it here almost every day,” Clark
said. “With our recent large-scale and small-scale industrial and commercial additions, our service area alone is facing a continued and increasing demand for power,” he added.
In a separate rate-related matter, TVA’s Pandemic Recovery Credit (established in 2020) is ending Oct. 1. That temporary discount provided a monthly 2.5 % wholesale power cost credit to 4-County and each of the other 152 regional power companies TVA serves, as well as TVA direct-serve customers and large customers served by power companies. That discount was an average of about $2 per month per residential member.
4-County, in response to rising costs for supplies and equipment (many costs have tripled in price since the onset of COVID-19 in 2019) are alerting members that the co-op is likely looking at a slight rate increase of its own (see manager’s column on page 15). “For years, we have done everything we can to avoid this,” Clark said. “We have been fiscally responsible enough to not have had an overall 4-County rate increase in nine years. We even absorbed a 1.5% rate increase from TVA in 2016 that typically would have been passed through to you, the ratepayer. But the time may have finally come where all the e ciencies and prudent financial decisions can’t keep up with inflation. I promise you that if we enact an increase, we will continue to work diligently to minimize its impact on you; we will continue to find ways to increase e ciencies and we will continue to work to try and avoid future increases.”
For more information, call 1-800-431-1544.
I
Purvis, MS - If you experience numbness or tingling in your hands, arms, legs, or feet or if you experience shooting or burning pain, this is important.
Please read this carefully
Peripheral Neuropathy is when small blood vessels in the hands, arms, feet or legs become diseased and tiny nerves that keep the cells and muscles working properly shrivel up and die.
Early-warning symptoms include tingling and numbness, mild loss of feeling in your hands, arms, legs or feet, inability to feel your feet, which increases your risk of foot-injury and falling
More Advanced Symptoms Include...
Loss of coordination & dexterity, which puts you at increased risk of accidents
Inability to feel clothing like socks and gloves
High risk of falling, which makes walking dangerous, and makes you more dependent on others
Burning sensations in your arms, legs, hands or feet that may start mild, but as nerves and muscles die, may feel like you're being burned by a blow torch.
Ignore the early warning signals long enough and you risk progressive nerve damage leading to muscle wasting, severe pain, loss of balance and a lot of staying at home wishing you didn't hurt
When every step is like walking on hot coals, sitting still may be the only thing you feel like doing But there's little joy in sitting still all day long
Now here's the scary part....
Nerve damage CAUSES cell damage Cell damage SPEEDS UP nerve degeneration
Without treatment this can become a DOWN-WARD SPIRAL that accelerates.
The damage can get worse fast Mild symptoms intensify Slight tingling, numbness or lack of feeling can turn into burning pain.
Before you know it, damage can become so bad you hurt all the time
Unless this downward spiral is stopped and nerves return to proper function - the damage to nerves and cells in the affected area can get so bad your muscles begin to die right along with the nerves and cells. And that sets the stage for weakness, loss of mobility, disability, and dependence on others.
If you have early warning signs of peripheral neuropathy, (tingling &/or numbness, loss of feeling or pain) it's CRITICAL you get proper treatment
It's critical, because with proper treatment the symptoms can often be reversed Without it, you are playing Russian Roulette with your health
Once your nerve loss reaches 85%, odds are there's nothing any doctor can do to help.
The most common method your doctor may recommend to treat neuropathy is prescription drugs
Drugs like Gabapentin, Lyrica, Cymbalta, & Neurontin are often prescribed to manage the pain But, damaged nerves and dying cells do not heal on their own
Pain pills do not restore healthy nerve function. They just mask the pain as the nerves continue to degenerate and cells and muscle continue to die.
Taking endless drugs and suffering terrible side effects that may damage your liver & kidney and create even more problems, is not a reasonable path. You deserve better. Three things must be determined to effectively treat neuropathy 1) What is the underlying cause? 2) How much nerve damage has been sustained? 3) How much treatment your condition will require? With proper treatment, shriveled blood vessels grow back & nerves can return to proper function How much treatment you may need depends on your condition
At Purvis Chiropractic we do a complete neuropathy sensitivity exam to determine the extent of your nerve damage The exam includes a detailed sensory evaluation, extensive peripheral vascular testing, & a detailed analysis of the findings.
Dr Rob Acord, D C will be offering this complete neuropathy sensitivity exam for $47 This special offer goes away at the end of this month as we have a limited number of exam appointments available
Call Now to Schedule Your Complete Neuropathy Sensitivity Exam with Dr. Rob Acord, D.C. (601) 794-0081
105 Main Street Purvis, MS 39475
Pearl River Glass Studio isn’t exactly a household name. But if you live anywhere in Mississippi, you’ve likely seen its work — even if you didn’t realize it. And its contribution to the state’s artistic reputation only continues to grow.
From new or restored stained glass to contemporary works, Pearl River Glass Studio has completed more than 3,000 projects for churches, museums, hospitals, schools, businesses, and homes since its inception nearly 50 years ago.
As one of the premiere glass studios in the nation, it also has been tapped for projects across much of the South as well as Detroit, Boston, and beyond.
“Glass is just a real fascinating material,” said Andrew “Andy” Cary Young, founder of the Jackson-based studio, “but it’s really been grossly underrated as an art form.”
The 71-year-old has spent his entire career working toward
shattering that perception — experimenting and innovating every step of the way.
In Memphis, the studio is finishing a massive restoration and memorial project at the historic Clayborn Temple. The church played an instrumental role in the sanitation workers’strike that preceded the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King.
“We are creating a significant piece of public art for the city of Memphis that people from all over the world are going to come and see,” Young said.
If the studio hadn’t started experimenting with fused glass in the late 1970s, way ahead of the curve, the mural component would have not only been artistically limited, but cost-prohibitive, Young said.
Its most recent project, started late this summer, is the restoration of the stained glass windows in the skylight of the Mississippi House of Representatives. This follows the restoration of more than 100 of the capitol’s stained glass windows in 2015.
We are creating a significant piece of public art for the city of Memphis that people from all over the world are going to come and see.
The studio’s starting-out story, like many in Mississippi, was a humble one.
Young was the top landscape architect graduate from Louisiana State University when he returned home to Jackson. But the 22-year-old, who also had a minor in art, had taken one stained glass class while there and was hooked.
In 1975, he opened Andrew Young Design Services in a small garage in downtown Jackson. But he knew his vision was no one-man show. College roommate Reggie DeFreese, who trained in stained glass, joined him a few months later. After a brief time on North State Street, the renamed Pearl River Glass Studio moved to its present location, 142 Millsaps Ave., in 1976.
Young said the $200 a month for 2,000 square feet “kept us going in the early years, because we were always able to pay the rent.”
Eventually, the studio bought the space and continued to expand to its current five buildings for a total of 17,000 square feet. There is a gallery along with facilities and equipment for kiln form glass, acid etching, glass painting, and even a water jet for precision cutting.
With annual revenue topping a million dollars, it employs about 15 to 20 people at any given time, mostly artists in their own right.
Betsy Bradley, director of the Mississippi Museum of Art in Jackson and former executive director of the Mississippi Arts Commission, has known Young since the 1980s.
She’s not only seen the studio’s large projects, but individual works like ornaments, vases, plates, and garden art available for purchase.
“I think he’s very egalitarian in his approach,” said Bradley, “creating beautiful glass to be a part of people’s daily lives wherever they are.”
Young’s work with glass, particularly outside established boundaries, “is pretty remarkable,” she said.
The studio has come up with a process that makes outdoor public glass installations shatterproof, as exemplified in a project for the museum.
But the bread and butter of the studio’s work is stained glass windows for churches.
“The work they do is important,” Bradley said. “Their work really does enhance people’s spiritual lives,” and considering the number of churchgoers in Mississippi, “it a ects a whole lot of people.”
The way Young has brought in apprentices, she added, also has “shaped a lot of careers,” from both the artistic and business side. “He’s made a real contribution to people aspiring to make a living as artists.”
FAMILY: Children Abigail, 23; Charlie, 22
EDUCATION: Bachelor of Landscape Architecture, LSU; Education for Ministry degree, University of the South, Sewanee, Tenn.; studies with Ludwig Scha rath, H.G. Von Stochausen and master iconographer Vladislav Andrejev; grant-funded travel to Europe to visit gothic cathedrals and glass companies
AWARDS: Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, 2002; The Craftmen’s Guild of Mississippi Lifetime Achievement Honoree, 2016; Innovate Mississippi’s New Venture Challenge Business Plan Winner, 2017; Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters: Noel Polk Lifetime Achievement Award, 2018
FREE STUDIO TOURS: Available during business hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, individuals or groups, 601-353-2497
LEARN MORE, VIEW PORTFOLIO: pearlriverglass.com
GARDENING AND PAINTING/UPCOMING PUBLIC EVENTS: Home yard tour as part of Fondren’s second annual garden Tour, Oct. 7, 8, fondrengardentour.com; “Searching for Abstraction” paintings, Municipal Art Gallery, Jackson, Oct. 26 through November
Rob Cooper, 47, is one of those artists.
First stepping into the studio as a high school student working on a stained glass assignment, he later did summer work while attending college. He returned to the studio after studying at the Maryland Institute College of Art.
Over the last decade he has specialized in glass painting — portraits or imagery needed for projects.
A career at the studio while pursuing his own work has been an ideal creative situation, he said. His wife, artist Wendy Eddleman-Cooper, started working there after time at the Wolfe Studio in Jackson.
Cooper said one draw is Young himself.
“He knows so much, traveled, seen so many di erent styles of glass,” Cooper said. “He’s fearless, not afraid to try something new. He’s inspiring to be around.”
Larry Albert of Albert and Robinson Architects out of Hattiesburg became acquainted with Young in the mid-1990s and has worked with him on several projects, including the Ogletree Alumni House at The University of Southern Mississippi.
“He raises the bar for other artists,” Albert said. “When I think of Andy, my mind’s eye sees him mentoring a studio full of glass artists.”
That is a scenario that Young embraces not only for himself but also for other artists, as part of the recently formed Pearl River Glass Conservatory.
Being set up as a nonprofit teaching and educational arm, it is designed to continue Young’s goal from decades ago: “That if there is any technique that we can do with glass that can further our ability to express ourselves as artists, we want to master it.”
MISSISSIPPI STATE CAPITOL stained glass restoration, Jackson
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MISSISSIPPI ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCE, stained glass window, Meridian
CHRIST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH stained glass windows, Vicksburg
FORREST GENERAL CANCER CENTER HEALING GARDEN, Hattiesburg
ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC CHURCH windows, Starkville
BETH ISRAEL CONGREGATION Gus Herman Memorial Holocaust Garden, Jackson
MISSISSIPPI MUSEUM OF ART Art Garden sculpture, Jackson
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH windows restoration, Laurel
TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH windows restoration, Natchez
OUTLETS OF MISSISSIPPI architectural glass, Pearl
CHRIST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, GARDEN , , , , , ,
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Corn stalks make for a beautiful, simple fall decor. But corn has more to o er in the autumn months. While corn on the cob remains delicious year-round, there are various ways to cook with corn kernels, including in the skillet, salads, soups, sides, and more. Here are some simple ways to serve up more corn this fall.
Reinvent boiled kernel corn by cooking it in a skillet. Skillet corn is crispy, chewy, buttery, and easy to prepare. Melt a little butter in a large nonstick pan or skillet over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add enough kernelled corn (fresh, frozen, or canned) to cover the bottom and salt and pepper to taste. Cook on medium heat, stirring often, for 20 to 40 minutes. Frozen kernels take longer to cook, and canned corn should be well drained. Add Cajun seasoning, diced jalapenos, crushed garlic, or fresh herbs like parsley to try new flavors. Taste as you go and stop once the corn is to your liking.
Keep the skillet and elevate a weeknight dinner by making a corn sauté or succotash. Succotash is a Thanksgiving tradition for some,
but it doubles as a ready-in-minutes weeknight side, pairing well with baked chicken. If you like street corn in the summer, bring that to the fall dinner table by quickly sauteing corn and bell pepper with a big squeeze of Sriracha and a handful of crumbled Cotija or feta cheese.
Corn is naturally sweet, making it suitable for desserts. You must leave your comfort zone to put corn dishes on the dessert table, but don’t knock it until you try it! Sweet corn and corn meal make yummy cookies, crips, pudding, and cake. Pastel de elote uses typical cake ingredients: flour, eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract, with some recipes including condensed milk and cinnamon. Canned corn kernels are usually drained and blended into a smooth consistency before adding to the batter. Authentic pastel de elote is often drizzled with a caramel sauce and served with ice cream or whipped cream.
Few things compare to fresh summer corn, yet kernelled corn can be on the table year-round. Next time there’s a lonely can of corn in your pantry, consider turning it into one of these fall-approved recipes.
30 oz frozen corn kernels
1-3 tablespoons of butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
Melt butter in a large skillet or jumbo cooker
Add frozen corn, salt, and pepper
Cook over medium high heat for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring often, until caramelized and browned. Listen for “popping” to know that the corn is cooking high enough. Stir often to avoid burning. Corn should be browned and chewy, but not burnt.
Serve hot
Garnish with fresh parsley (optional)
Rebecca Turner
½ pound bacon diced
2 large shallots sliced thin
1 medium sweet bell pepper orange, red, or yellow
1 medium onion diced
1 jalapeno (optional) finely chopped
2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 cup frozen lima beans
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add the diced bacon. Fry the bacon, stirring occasionally, until it has rendered its fat and is crisp. Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with a paper towel.
Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat.
Add the shallots and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally until tender. Add the bell pepper, onion and jalapeños and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
8 ears sweet white corn, husked (4 cans sweet corn)
1 ¾ cups softened butter, plus more for baking dish
5 eggs
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
½ cup milk
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-inch cake pan. Chill in the freezer.
Cut kernels from ears of corn with a sharp knife. (Or drain canned corn, well.)
Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
Combine eggs, condensed milk, milk, and corn kernels in a blender, blend until smooth. Transfer egg mixture to a bowl with butter and mix well.
Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt into a large bowl.
Add egg mixture and mix well to combine.
Remove cake pan from freezer. Grease and flour again.
Pour batter into the prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack.
½ cup fire roasted chilies diced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 large tomato seeded and diced
3 scallions sliced thin
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Mix in the frozen corn and lima beans and stir until they’re almost completely defrosted, then stir in the diced chiles and cook for 1-2 minutes more.
Season the succotash with salt, pepper, and apple cider vinegar. Taste for seasoning, adjusting as needed.
Remove the succotash from the heat. Stir in the tomato, scallions, bacon, and parsley. Transfer to a serving dish and enjoy!
by Rebecca TurnerRebecca Turner is an author, registered dietitian, radio host, television presenter and a certified specialist in sports dietetics with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. A lifelong Mississippian, she lives in Brandon and has spent the last decade offering no-nonsense nutrition guidance that allows you to enjoy good health and good food. Her book, “Mind Over Fork,” challenges the way you think, not the way you eat. Find her on social media @RebeccaTurnerNutrition and online at www.RebeccaTurnerNutrition.com.
Events open to the public will be published free of charge as space allows. Submit details at least two months prior to the event date. Submissions must include a phone number with area code for publication. Email to news@ecm.coop. Events are subject to change.
2023 Dancing Rabbit Festival. Oct. 7. Macon. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Downtown Macon, 505 Je erson St. The event features entertainment, arts and crafts vendors, and food vendors. Details: 662-726-4456.
44th Zonta Arts & Crafts Festival. Oct. 7. Pascagoula. Opening ceremonies begin at 9 a.m. Food and family fun until 5 p.m. Delmas Avenue. Details: 228-229-9908.
Trades Day Flea Market/Farmers Market. Oct. 14. Nov. 11. Ovett. Downtown Ovett. 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Vendors are welcome and lots are free. Details: 601-817-1092 or email at ricobay@gmail.com.
Barnyard Marketplace. Oct. 14, Nov. 11, and Dec. 9. Poplarville. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Come shop the field of vendors, including crafts, food, plants, boutiques, specialty items, jewelry, handsewn purses, baked goods, woodworks and more. 295 Buck Kirkland Rd. Details: 504-234-3579 or barnyardmarketplace504@gmail.com.
Mississippi State Fair. Oct. 5-15. Jackson. Nationally recognized musical and comic artists will perform inside the Mississippi Coliseum including country music star Josh Turner, Mississippi native and winner of “The Voice,” Todd Tilghman, R&B singer Cupid, country artist ERNEST, comedian Rita Brent, Motown and R&B legends The Commodores, Mississippi native Kayla Berry, and Grammy-nominated Christian artist Jeremy Camp. The fair will also host a talent competition that will allow winners and runners-up to vie for a chance to win a VIP Executive Producer audition for “American Idol.” Details: www.msstatefair.com.
Landrum’s Homestead Fall Festival. Oct. 14 and 15. Laurel. On Oct. 14, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 15, from noon to 5 p.m. Step back in time for a walking tour of the past. Working homestead with over 85 buildings, ole tyme games, demonstrations, wagon rides, woodcarving, blacksmithing, shooting gallery, gem mining, cake walk, and scavenger hunt. Beautiful fall photo spots and homemade ice cream. 1356 Highway 15 South, Laurel.
Admission: $15. Children 3 and under are free. Details: 601-649-2546 or www.landrums.com.
Barn Sale Antiques and Collectibles. Oct. 20 and 21. Purvis. From 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event will be held at 4799 Old Hwy 11. More than 80 vendors with trailer loads of antiques and collectibles. Parking is $2 per car. Good for both days. $2.00 Parking Fee per car, good for both days. Details: 601-818-5886 or 601-764-4762.
Holiday Extravaganza Gift Show. Oct. 28. Meridian. The show will be held at the Lauderdale County Agri-Center from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. One of the largest gift shows in the area with over 100 vendors in one location. Start or finish your Christmas shopping. Details: 601-480-1776. Missions Market Place. Nov. 4. Puckett. Put on by the Puckett Methodist Women’s group. Proceeds to help children on the autism spectrum that attend the Center Ridge Outpost summer camp. Funds will also go to our Friends in Need campaign to help those with cancer and other medical expenses. The day will include vendors with handmade items, a rummage sale, ra e items, and a soup lunch café for $5. Frozen casseroles will also be sold to help you get through the Thanksgiving and Christmas season. Table space is available for $25. The event starts at 8 a.m. and ends at 2 p.m. at Puckett Methodist Church, 6412 Highway 18. Details: 601-214-7837 or the church o ce at 601-591-5570.
Highland Games and Celtic Music Festival. Nov 11 and 12. Gulfport. Two full days of Scottish culture, food, music, and athletics. Sanctioned Highland Athletic competitions on both days and three award-winning bagpipe bands from three di erent states. Two stages of Celtic music and dance featuring: The Kiltlifters (from Hawaii), Highland Reign (from Indiana), The Jollies, Blarney Coast, Celtic Crossroads, The Crescent and Clover Celtic Band, Emerald Accent, New Orleans Celtic Harp Ensemble, Red McWilliams and the MacCrossan School of Irish Dance, and Niall O’Leary School of Irish Dance. Watch jousting competitions. Try your hand at axe throwing. Savor authentic Scottish foods. Visit various clan tents to learn about your heritage. Buy handmade goods from our select artisans and Scottishthemed vendors. Experience Scottish culture through storytelling, sheep-herding demonstrations, petting highland cows, and even a unicorn. Harrison County Fairgrounds, 15321 County Farm Rd. Details: 228-3801642 or email mshighlandsandislands@gmail.com or visit www.mshighlandsandislands.com.
Magnolia State Gem, Mineral, and Jewelry Show. Nov. 11 and 12. Pascagoula. Saturday, Nov. 11 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 12 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jackson County Fairgrounds Civic Center. Admission is $5 for adults and children under 12 are free with a paying adult. One door prize ticket with each paid admission. Come see exhibits, demonstrations, and educational resources. Fossils, gemstones, jewelry, and supplies will be available for purchase. Details: 601-947-7245.
Purvis Street Festival. Nov. 11. Purvis. Main Street. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Arts and crafts, music, a car and truck show, children’s activities, and food vendors. Admission is free. Details: 601-543-9815 or email Purvisfest@gmail.com.
Pre-Thanksgiving Gospel Singing Concert. Nov. 11. Mendenhall. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. at New Life Fellowship Church, 2167 Highway 49. S. The concert will feature The Singing Echoes; Terry Joe Terrell; Tim Frith & the Gospel Echoes; and Revelations. Details: 601-9060677 or 601-720-8870.
Life of Christ Presentation. Dec. 1. Monticello. The event will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Atwood Water Park, 1362 East Broad Street. This drive-through presentation features local churches depicting scenes from Christ’s birth, life, death, and resurrection. Admission is free. Details: 601-431-9317.
The reason I’m not sure of the current rain situation: these monthly musings are prepared a few weeks in advance. So, at the time of this writing, we have not had a good rain at my house in about two months. Two showers passed over and spritzed us recently, but no soaking rains since the middle of July.
The yard is dead. I have managed to keep the flower beds alive without allowing our water bill to get completely out of control. It reminds me of a story I did many, many years ago up in the Dorsey community near Fulton in Itawamba County. My mama told me about an older couple who had about an acre of azaleas in their front yard. So, during those magic two weeks in the spring when azaleas look their best, I loaded up the camera and headed up there.
The old folks used to say one extreme follows another. I sincerely hope the heat and drought we just went through is attached to last winter’s extreme cold snaps and not a prelude to an extreme winter ahead to match this summer.
And I apologize. I don’t remember the couple’s names. My scripts from back then are safely filed away on computers that no longer work. But their yard was absolutely beautiful. I asked them if it was di cult taking care of them. The man told me they pretty much took care of themselves if the weather was good. And if it was dry, he watered them. At that point his wife sort of let out a “harumph” and told me about one summer that must have been as dry as the one we’ve just had. She said she opened the water bill one month and it was $500. She asked her husband about it. He said he had to water the azaleas. They had put too much work into them to just let them die. She told him, “We get one more water bill for $500 and I’ll die!”
Speaking of the lack of rain and things dying. I remember a story I just did recently in the Greenwood Cemetery in downtown Jackson. Cecile Wardlaw is the executive director of the Greenwood Cemetery Association. She called me and told me the oddest thing was happening. The grass on some of the graves was dying. Not all of them, but
some were perfect rectangle outlines of the graves. It didn’t matter the age. She said the graves emerging like that was helpful to some degree because the old cemetery has many unmarked graves and the dying grass helped locate them.
I’m glad something good came from the drought.
The old folks used to say one extreme follows another. I sincerely hope the heat and drought we just went through is attached to last winter’s extreme cold snaps and not a prelude to an extreme winter ahead to match this summer. If it is, I’d suggest we dig out our warmest coats and have them ready.
by Walt Grayson
Surely, it’s started raining again by now. If not, we really need to raise preacher pay or whatever else it takes to get some clouds overhead and rain going again.
