Alabama Living WEC June 2012

june 2012 • POWERING YOUR COMMUNITY

Wiregrass Electric Cooperative

Shooting for the future The Future Masters tournament

builds young men while helping build the economy of the Wiregrass region www.wiregrass.coop

SAF-T-Net

Wiregrass Electric partners to bring mobile weather alert system to its members

Be prepared Weather information, plus your 2012 Hurricane Tracking Map, inside this issue June_Covers_TOD.indd 43

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2  JUNE 2012

www.alabamaliving.coop

Vol. 65 No.6 June 2012

Lıvıng

CEO

Michael McWaters Co-Op Editor

Cary Hatcher Alabama Living is delivered to some 420,000 Alabama families and businesses, which are members of 22 not-for-profit, consumer-owned, locally directed and taxpaying electric cooperatives. AREA cooperative member subscriptions are $3 a year; non-member subscriptions, $6.

Alabama Living (USPS 029-920) is published monthly by the Alabama Rural Electric Association of Cooperatives.

Periodicals postage paid at Montgomery, Alabama, and at additional mailing office.

POSTMASTER send forms 3579 to: Alabama Living, P.O. Box 244014 Montgomery, Alabama 36124-4014.

Alabama Rural Electric Association

AREA President Fred Braswell Editor Darryl Gates Managing Editor Melissa Henninger

5 Are you really ready?

Severe weather has claimed hundreds of lives and destroyed billions of dollars in property in Alabama in the past two years alone. Have you taken precautions to help yourself and your loved ones survive a natural disaster? An interview with James Spann begins our special coverage.

12 Storm Season

Although tornadoes have been on the minds of Alabamians recently, hurricane season is now upon us.

ON THE COVER

Isaac Hatcher, son of Edward and WEC employee Lori Hatcher, practices for the Future Masters at Dothan Country Club. (Page 8)

Creative Director Mark Stephenson Art Director Michael Cornelison Director, Marketing & Advertising Jay Clayton Recipe Editor Mary Tyler Spivey

16 Col. Dewey L. Smith

photo by Cherokee Spivey

Fighter pilot, two-time Silver Star recipient, prisoner of war, and American hero.

ADVERTISING & EDITORIAL OFFICES:

340 TechnaCenter Drive Montgomery, Alabama 36117-6031 1-800-410-2737 E-mail: jclayton@areapower.com www.areapower.coop

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Alabama Living

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Spotlight 10 Power Pack 18 Alabama Gardens 20 Alabama Bass Trail 22 Worth the Drive 24 Consumer Wise 25 Fish&Game Forecast 26 Cook of the Month 38 Alabama Snapshots 9

National Country Market 611 South Congress Ave., Suite 504 Austin, Texas 78704 1-800-626-1181 www.nationalcountrymarket.com www.alabamaliving.coop

Wiregrass Electric Cooperative is partnering with SAF-T-Net to bring weather warning alerts to its members. See Page 7.

June 2012 3

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Wiregrass Electric Cooperative Board of Trustees

CEO’s Comments

Planning to stay alive Michael S. McWaters

CEO of Wiregrass Electric Cooperative Donald Ray Wilks District 7 President

Kip Justice District 6 Vice President

Debra E. Baxley District 1 Secretary

Donna Parrish District 2

John Clark, Jr. District 3

We are barely halfway into 2012, and already we have seen severe weather in Alabama. If the 21st century holds any lesson for us so far, it’s that we need to be prepared as individuals, families, businesses and communities to survive and recover from natural disasters.

This is a special issue of Alabama Living, and frankly one that I look forward to each year. We work to provide you information that will prepare you to survive the storms we could face each severe weather season.

But all the information in the world is worthless if you don’t use it to your benefit.

I encourage you to spend some time reading the weather-related stories on the next few pages, and then do some planning. Don’t just plan to read it someday — plan now to stay alive and protect your family the next time a hurricane, tropical storm, tornado or flash flood affects our area.

Thank you to our contributors Danny McNeil District 4

Tracy Reeder District 5

Greg McCullough District 8

Nolan Laird District 9

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This issue would not have been possible without the cooperation of several people who took time from their busy schedules for an interview. I especially would like to thank James Spann (see next page) for helping us understand the impact of tornadoes. While last year’s tornado outbreak spared much of South Alabama, it only takes a look back to March 2007 in Enterprise to remember that our region is not immune to deadly twisters.

We asked Spann, a noted weather expert, to share his thoughts on surviving tornadoes because he was in the middle of last year’s outbreak. He heads the weather department at Birmingham’s ABC affiliate, hosts the weekly podcast “WeatherBrains” and does the weather on radio stations all over the nation — including the syndicated Rick and Bubba Show. He also travels to schools across the state teaching students about weather safety.

At Wiregrass Electric Cooperative, we are always looking for opportunities to build partnerships that help us serve you better.

Read about one such partnership on Page 7.

Then follow the instructions to sign up for SAF-T-Net. Please, take action. Sign up today.

Planning, strategically speaking

Besides planning for severe weather, there are many other issues your cooperative must plan for. If we do not plan for growth in the service area, we might not be ready to supply electricity to a neighborhood or business when it is needed. We must plan for growth just like we plan for replacing equipment, training employees, meeting financial obligations and supporting economic growth.

This month we begin work on your cooperative’s new strategic plan. Every two years we take the time to examine every facet of this operation. We look at facts and figures.

We talk about what we would like to accomplish in various areas, and we devise ways to get there. The resulting strategic plan becomes the document that guides our decisions over the next two years.

Proud of our employees

I want to close this month by bragging on the employees of Wiregrass Electric Cooperative. They worked hard to support the Wiregrass United Way campaign that wrapped up in early spring. As a result, the WEC team was recognized as the 24th largest campaign in the region. Plus, our increase of 136 percent was recognized for being in the top 22 largest increases in the Wiregrass.

I am proud to be associated with a group of employees who put others above themselves and who are willing to help those in need. Our United Way campaign is another great example of your cooperative’s pursuit of excellence. Good job everyone! A www.wiregrass.coop

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Your Cooperative Contact Information

Spann: Citizens must be more intentional to survive storms As the killer storm system rolled out of Alabama the evening of April 27, 2011, James Spann couldn’t believe the numbers. The chief meteorologist for ABC 33-40 in Birmingham knew the potential was there for significant property damage, but the reports of fatalities coming into the station were simply staggering.

“I was totally shocked by how many people died last year,” he says. “The death toll was 252, and it should have been no higher than 30.”

The professional weather community has been asking the hard questions about those 222 avoidable deaths, examining their technolog y and procedures to see how to bring more accuracy to the science of weather forecasting. One problem, he says, is that the false alarm rate is around 80 percent; when the James Spann public hears the term “tornado warning,” most of the time an actual tornado never touches down.

Better forecasting, however, is only part of the solution. Spann says to significantly reduce injuries and deaths from violent storms in Alabama, citizens must take responsibility for change in some key areas.

Forget the siren

Spann blames what he calls “the siren mentality” for many deaths in last year’s tornado outbreak. “So many people think you should hear some type of air raid siren before every tornado hits,” he says. “I think that’s killed countless people in our state, and we have to move away from that.”

Outdoor weather sirens are only effective at warning people who happen to be outside within a small geographic area. “You aren’t going to hear those things in a building, in a

Alabama Living

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business, in a church,” Spann says, “or in the middle of the night while you’re asleep.”

Instead, every home should at the very least have a programmable weather radio with a battery backup, he says. Citizens should also sign up for alert systems that call their home phone or send text messages when warnings are issued.

Know where to run

For most homes, the safest place to shelter during a severe weather threat is a small room in the center of the home away from windows.

“But a large percentage of Alabamians live in manufactured homes,” says Spann. “They only have one option, and that is to get out.”

Ideally, those living in mobile homes should to be able to reach shelter within 10 minutes.

“That’s a challenge,” Spann says, “because many mobile homes are in rural, isolated areas.” He encourages families to make a solid plan now on where to seek shelter, so they will be ready when the next weather threat occurs.

build a personal shelter

Spann encourages homeowners to check into the costs of in-home or in-ground shelters. “If you’re building a new home, consider a safe room,” he suggests. “They are made of reinforced steel and concrete, but surrounded by sheetrock so you’ll never know it is there.”

Protect your head

Because so many injuries and deaths come from blunt force trauma to the head, Spann encourages people to add protective head gear to their readiness kits. “The idea of wearing a bicycle or batting helmet during a tornado warning sounds a little bizarre,” he says. “But it probably would have saved 50 lives last year.”

In summary, Spann says the weather community “has gotten pretty bold” about the need to be prepared. “I think we were guilty of trying to be too nice for too long,” he says, “and we’ve gotta be bold to get this message out.

We’ve quit being nice on this subject.” A

Business Phone: 1-800-239-4602 (24 hrs/day) Office: Mon. – Fri. 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Toll Free Outage “Hotline” 1-888-4-MY-OUTAGE 1-888-469-6882 (24 hrs/day) website www.wiregrass.coop Find Wiregrass Electric Co-op on Twitter (twitter.com/wec2) and on Facebook

Payment Options

BY MAIL Wiregrass Electric Cooperative, Inc. Department 1340 P.O. Box 2153 Birmingham, AL 35287-1340 WEBSITE Payments may be made 24 hrs/day by Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, and E-Check on our website at www.wiregrass.coop.

PHONE PAYMENTS Payments may be made any time by dialing 1-800-239-4602.

NIGHT DEPOSITORY Available at each office location.

IN PERSON Mon. – Fri. 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Hartford 509 N. State Hwy. 167 Hartford, AL 36344 Samson 13148 W. State Hwy. 52 Samson, AL 36477 Ashford 1066 Ashford Highway, Ashford, AL 36312 Dothan 6167 Fortner St. Dothan, AL 36305 For questions regarding sanitation service, call Houston County Sanitation Department at 334-677-4705.

June 2012 5

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Are You Prepared?

Make plans before disaster strikes Bad things happen to other people.

At least that is what so many of us think. We see the aftermath of disaster in the media, and we feel sorry for the victims. We may even help them by making a donation or volunteering our time. And deep down we feel a sense of relief — because things like this always happen to someone else. Never us.

“The idea that ‘it can never happen to me’ is so dangerous, because it leads to inaction,” says Brad Kimbro, director of member services for Wiregrass Electric Cooperative. “When we have this false sense of security, we feel insulated from disaster and see no need to prepare.”

That concerns Kimbro for the cooperative’s members. “Wiregrass Electric has a close relationship with those it serves,” he says. “As a cooperative, our customers are also our members and owners. That’s why we put a great deal of focus on preparing the cooperative for disaster — and educating our members on the importance of preparing themselves.”

Two simple words

Sometimes a simple phrase is the best way to communicate an important message. “Be prepared” has long been associated with scouting organizations; it also sums up the advice of the emergency management community.

“People should be ready to take care of themselves a minimum of 72 hours 6 June 2012

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Emergency management agencies spend countless hours preparing to help the region respond to and recover from natural disasters and other emergencies. Electric cooperatives likewise have detailed plans in place to restore power as quickly and safely as possible as a disaster strikes. On an individual basis, every family should make its own plans for how they will survive the critical hours leading up to and immediately following an emergency that interrupts access to power, transportation, water and other vital services.

following a disaster,” says Clark Matthews, director of the Dothan/Houston County Emergency Management Agency. This is the length of time it could take emergency officials to get water, ice and food into a community, depending on how severe and how widespread a disaster is.

Matthews says he actually recommends that people should prepare to take care of themselves for five days.

That will ensure they have plenty of supplies in case response efforts take longer. Plus, when a family has the supplies it needs to shelter in place following a disaster, emergency responders can turn their attention to meeting the needs of other families who were injured or unprepared.

A group plan

The role of an emergency management agency is to develop plans, procedures and partnerships that will help a community respond to and recover from any number of disasters. They manage the human element, from how to coordinate care for mass injuries to where to house and feed volunteers responding to a major incident. They also manage the physical resources, from coordinating chainsaw crews and relief workers to getting supplies on the ground as soon as possible following a disaster.

For this enormous job to be possible,

a great deal of coordination must take place with other agencies and organizations. Each year, in early spring, Wiregrass Electric Cooperative hosts a planning meeting with all the EMA staffs in its service area. This meeting has proven to be extremely valuable.

“As provider of a critical service, we have a thorough plan in place to respond to a disaster,” says Wiregrass Electric’s Kimbro. “But through these meetings we have each year with EMA directors, we have all learned how our plan fits into the overall work of bringing a community out of a disaster as quickly and safely as possible.

“Restoring electricity is just one element of recovery,” Kimbro continues, “and these joint meetings have helped everyone understand their role in the big picture.”

Eye on the weather

An important member of any community’s emergency response team is the television meteorologist. These weather professionals not only provide minute-by-minute coverage to the general public, they are a vital source of information for EMAs and utilities as well.

Connor Vernon is morning meteorologist with Dothan CBS affiliate WTVY Channel 4. He was a guest see weather, page 34 www.wiregrass.coop

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Cooperative News

Weather alert system launches statewide

Wiregrass Electric Cooperative partners with SAF-T-Net to help bring service to members A new statewide alert program is putting advanced weather technology into the hands of Alabama citizens.

Earlier this year, Huntsville-based Baron Services announced the creation of Alabama SAF-T-Net, a weather alerting system that uses mobile technology to deliver severe weather warnings and alerts to subscribers. The service is being offered at no cost in Alabama, and citizens can enroll through a simple Web-based form.

reach the form to enroll in the weather alert program.

Location-based alerts

One unique feature of SAF-T-Net is that it allows subscribers to enter up to four different addresses. “This lets you receive alerts for not only your home address, but for your work as well,” says Steve Turner, national director of governmental operations for Baron Services. You can also choose to receive alerts affecting your child at school, a spouse at work, an aging parent or any other location in the state where you need weather information.

Warning in the polygon

“We live in a time when almost everyone has a mobile phone,” says Michael S. McWaters, CEO of Wiregrass Electric Cooperative. “SAF-T-Net takes advantage of that to quickly inform people of weather threats. We encourage our members to sign up right away.”

To make enrollment easier for its members, WEC has joined SAF-T-Net’s network of media partners. Now members can simply visit the cooperative’s website at wwww.wiregrass.coop, click on the SAF-T-Net logo, and instantly

Traditionally, weather warnings have been issued on a county-by-county basis. However, severe weather often tracks a path that impacts some communities while leaving other communities in the same county unaffected.

“SAF-T-Net issues storm-based, or polygon, warnings,” explains Turner.

“These areas may be a square, an odd rectangle or some other polygon shape.

They are more specific than traditional, county-wide warnings, and therefore help citizens to know who is truly in danger of being affected by a tornado, severe thunderstorm or flash flood.”

Not just mobile phones

While SAF-T-Net is designed to reach you with weather warnings any-

where you have mobile service, those without a mobile phone can still benefit from the free service. Sign up and enter your home phone, and SAF-T-Net will send an automated voice call to a landline in the event of a tornado warning.

Warning only

When subscribers receive an alert from SAF-T-Net, they can be assured it is time to take precautions. “SAFT-Net issues alerts for warnings only,” says Turner. “Watches are for wider areas, and for longer periods of time.

Watches are important, and we want you to get those through other sources and pay attention to them. But SAF-TNet is designed to let you know when a confirmed threat exists for your area, so you can take appropriate action.”

One more layer

“SAF-T-Net doesn’t replace your local meteorologist, or the need for a weather radio,” says McWaters. “It’s another layer of alert to help you keep yourself and your family safe during severe weather.

“As a cooperative, we appreciate Baron Services for providing this statewide alerting system at no charge to our members and all Alabama citizens,” McWaters continues. “My family has signed up for SAF-T-Net, and I encourage every member of Wiregrass Electric to visit the website and sign up today. It could help you avoid injury, or even save a life.” A

SiGN UP NOW!

Go to wiregrass.coop and click on the SAF-T-Net logo

Alabama Living June 2012 7

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Your Cooperative

Shooting for the future

Opening rounds

Featuring top-notch young golfers has been a hallmark of the Future Masters since the tournament began in 1950. The course’s tight fairways and small greens have turned it into a proving ground for the diminutive drivers and pint-sized putters. Nearly 500 golfers from the United States and abroad participate each year and dozens of them have gone on to become PGA pros.

The tournament — envisioned just after World War II by Press Thornton, Sr. — operates under the idea of making better golfers as well as better people out of the chipping children who come to play. The tournament’s overarching slogan states, “The Future Masters is not, nor has it ever been, only about golf. It’s about the spirit of competition, friendships made, sportsmanship on the course and the challenge of persevering.”

Thornton began the tournament as a way for boys to play without having to compete against grown men. “There were not a lot of junior tournaments back in those days,” Turner says. “He created this for the young juniors to have their own 8 June 2012

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photo by Cherokee Spivey

When Bubba Watson hit his now-famous shot out of the trees and onto the 10th green at Augusta National in April, he had his very own cheering section at the Dothan Country Club.

When word spread around the course that Watson was in contention to win the Masters, foursomes decided to call it a day and head in to watch the tournament unfold on television. “The whole club was following it,” says Angelia Turner, Future Masters Tournament Coordinator. “We know these kids and we follow them pretty closely.”

The “kid” she’s talking about is Watson, who with that incredible shot went on to win golf ’s most prestigious tournament in a sudden death playoff. The reason she calls him and other PGA stars like Stewart Cink, Charles Howell and Lucas Glover “kids” is because that’s all they were when they came to the Wiregrass region to play in the Future Masters at the Dothan Country Club.

In fact, the folks who saw Watson play in 1991, ’92, ’94 and ’96 say he was already working on his trademark miraculous recovery shots and booming drives as a teenager and preteen.

“That shot was not a big surprise, because that’s what he did here,” Turner says.

photo courtesy of future masters

Future Masters Tournament has become economic boom for region and proving ground for young golfers

ABOVE — A teenaged Bubba Watson is presented an award at the Future Masters in 1996 by Dr. Press Thornton, Jr. RIGHT — Dr. Press Thornton, Jr., tournament chairman, holds the trophy that lists all Future Masters winners.

tournament. And it just grew and grew and grew.”

Now in its 63rd year, many of the early players continue to return long after Thornton has passed away. “A lot of the guys are bringing their children back,” says Thornton’s granddaughter Elsa Thornton Hoffman. “It’s fun to see the generations returning.”

Economic driver

When the golfers return each year, it’s good news for hotels, restaurants and stores in Houston County and the surrounding area. “It’s right up there as one of the top things that comes in for the year,” says Bob Hendrix, executive director of the Dothan Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. He see future masters, page 35 www.wiregrass.coop

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Spot Light

In June

June 1-14

Berries ripe for picking With more than three acres of blackberries and blueberries, Barber Berry Farm in Millbrook should have plenty of pickings for those who visit June 1-14.

The farm has a variety of fruit trees and vegetables from a hydroponic vegetable garden. It is open on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit www.barberberryfarm.com for more information. june 6-july 25

June 1-30

‘Wild Woodsy Wednesdays’ planned

Art show honors Helen Keller

Join the USDA Forest Service and Jacksonville State University Field Schools for a nature and art adventure every Wednesday in June and July at Coleman Lake Recreation Area in Talladega National Forest in the Shoal Creek District.

Hikes, talks, crafts, games and more will take place during the free event. Call 256-782-5697 to learn more.

Helen Keller Art Show of Alabama, an annual exhibition at the Tennessee Valley Museum of Art in Tuscumbia, features juried competition of works of art by Alabama children who are visually impaired, blind or deaf-blind. The exhibition tours state museums and agency galleries from February through June, arriving finally at the Tennessee Valley Museum of Art, which is mere yards away from the birthplace of Helen Keller. The event is sponsored by UAB School of Education, Program for Visual Impairments, School of Optometry Vision Science Research Education and Outreach Module, and the Council for Exceptional Children Division of Visual Impairments. Admission is charged. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, and from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sundays. For more information, call 256-383-0533.

June 8 and 9

Bluegrass festival set for June 8 and 9 Love bluegrass music? Then visit the Whites Mountain Bluegrass Festival in St. Clair Springs on Friday, June 8, from 6 to 10 p.m., and Saturday, June 9, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. There will be bands, jammin’, camping and homecooked food available. Admission is charged. Visit www. whitesmtnbluegrass.com or call 205-467-6927 for more details.

For more Alabama Events, visit page 29.

Alabama Living

JUNE 2012 9

Power Pack

Smartphone apps to prep for hurricanes With the onset of hurricane season, it’s best to prepare now for a possible storm. FEMA has many resources on the website www. ready.gov, including safety checklists for the home and business, resources for children to prepare an emergency kit, and ways to support community preparedness. Many smartphone applications are also available to alert users of disaster planning and severe weather patterns. Below are some recommended apps: Alabama SAF-T-Net, an Alabama-based weather technology application, is available to all residents at no cost.

It is a fully automated weather alerting system that uses a combination of phone, email and text messaging to notify users ahead of a storm. Direct sign-up is available at www. alabamasaftnet.com. iHurricane HD covers hurricanes all over the world with video updates. (iPhone, iPad) Hurricane Hound shows the tracks and forecasts of active hurricanes. It also shows NWS forecast information as well as public advisories, forecasts, and satellite imagery.

(Android) FEMA has a free app that covers preparedness information for hurricanes and other disasters. It features an interactive checklist for emergency kits, a section on planning emergency meeting locations, as well as a map with FEMA Disaster Recovery Center locations and shelters. There is also a section on how the public can get involved before and after a disaster. You can also text PREPARE to 43362 (4FEMA) for monthly preparedness tips.

The Weather Channel hosts a free application which features updates with detailed weather conditions and forecasts, customizable weather maps, and videos.

10 JUNE 2012

State park spotlight: Cheaha Mountain Cheaha Mountain Resort State Park sits at the highest point in Alabama, 2,407 feet above sea level, with views of the surrounding Talladega National Forest. Its name comes from the Creek Indian designation “Chaha,” meaning high place. The park has a restaurant and hotel rooms, mountainside chalets, camping, and other accommodations.

Visitors can go hiking, swimming, fishing and picnicking.

The state park is located about an hour east of Birmingham at 2141 Bunker Loop, Highway 281, Delta, AL 36258.

For questions, call 256-488-5115 or email cheaha.stateparklodge@dcnr.alabama.gov.

www.alabamaliving.coop

Co-ops press for outage-prevention technology

By Maurice Martin and Brian Sloboda Cooperative Research Network In keeping with their tradition of innovation, electric coops are working hard to introduce new technologies that will increase service reliability, decrease outage time, and improve safety for line crews and the public.

One of the major areas where advancements are taking place involves down-line automation. An umbrella term describing the use of digital meters and equipment, software applications, and two-way communications, down-line automation allows your electric cooperative to effectively monitor the flow of electricity in near real-time; identify voltages out of allowed ranges; pinpoint outages; and transmit signals to transformers, capacitors, circuit breakers, and other devices to initiate diagnostic or corrective actions that can isolate, reroute power around, or even remotely repair the cause of a power interruption.

With down-line automation, co-ops can decrease the number of members who lose power and the duration of an outage as well as reduce “line losses”—electricity that dissipates in the process of distributing it over power lines. This saves your co-op (and you) money by not having to buy electricity that doesn’t get used.

One of the most promising advances in down-line automation, distribution fault analysis (DFA), taps high-resolution monitors installed on electric lines and cutting-edge algorithms to zero in on hard-to-find electric system trouble spots before they morph into full-blown outages. In its purest form, DFA “reads and identifies” specific fault signatures in a waveform— such as a cracked insulator or a tree limb occasionally brushing a line and causing a blink. Instead of learning about an event, like an outage, after it happens, co-ops can fix a potential problem ahead of time.

An electric cooperative in Tennessee has been testing a DFA system designed by Texas A&M University and the Electric Power Research Institute, a Palo Alto, Calif.-based non-profit consortium whose members include co-ops. Other electric cooperatives have signed up to test DFA’s potential through the Cooperative Research Network, an independent research and development service of the Arlington, Va.-based National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

Another down-line tool that could go a long way toward improving electric reliability entails using robots to check out the condition of transmission lines. Like DFA, robots seek to prevent outages. But unlike DFA, robots directly inspect cables and other components rather than waveforms. Robots can work on the ground or in the sky, and some even operate while suspended from live power lines.

It may surprise some folks that electric co-ops have emerged as leaders in the down-line automation field. But innovation is a key part our cooperative DNA. It embodies the same spirit that drove rural residents to find ways to overcome seemingly insurmountable technical, engineering, legal, political, and financial hurdles and bring central station electric service to all corners of America.

Our not-for-profit, consumer-oriented business structure ensures all decisions—technology-based or otherwise—focus on our core mission: providing members with a safe, reliable, and affordable supply of power.

Follow Alabama Living contributor David Haynes as he travels down the Alabama Scenic River Trail through this month at www.paddlinginfo.ua.edu.

Haynes, along with his two golden retrievers, is paddling from where the Coosa River enters the Alabama River down to Fort Morgan at the mouth of Mobile Bay.

Alabama Living

JUNE 2012 11

Storm Season

Although tornadoes have been on the minds of Alabamians recently, hurricanes can cause widespread devastation Special to Alabama Living

from the Alabama Emergency Management Agency

A Baldwin County road, following Hurricane Ivan

W 2012 Hurricane Names

ithout a doubt April 27, 2011, changed Alabama forever. After that date, when you mention Alabama, it is now synonymous with the possibility of deadly tornadoes, deadly straight-line winds and dangerous hail. More than a year later, people are still focusing on disaster preparedness to a degree not seen in recent years as a result of the lessons learned from that day.

Alberto, Beryl, Chris, Debby, Ernesto, Florence, Gordon, Helene, Isaac, Joyce, Kirk, Leslie, Michael, Nadine, Oscar, Patty, Rafael, Sandy, Tony, Valerie, William

But, as soon as one natural hazard or threat passes another approaches. June 1 marked the first day of the 2012 hurricane season. The peak months are August and September.

The Definition

The Alabama Emergency Management Agency knows the importance of being prepared

12  JUNE 2012

for hurricane season, and we are encouraging Alabama residents to do the same. The dangers associated with a hurricane can be deadly. It is important to note the severe weather potential from a hurricane reaches much farther than Baldwin and Mobile counties on the coast, and can produce weather similar to any tornado-related event.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides a vivid explanation of a hurricane. It is a tropical weather system with winds that have reached a sustained speed of 74

www.alabamaliving.coop

mph or more. Hurricane winds blow in a large spiral around a relatively calm center, known as the “eye.” The eye is generally 20-30 miles wide, and the storm may extend outward from the eye for 400 miles.

Hurricanes wield incredible power. As they near land, they can bring torrential rains, high winds, floods, flash floods and spawn tornadoes. Even more dangerous is the storm surge – a dome of water that, at its peak, can be 20 feet high and 50-100 miles wide. Surges can devastate coastal communities. A single hurricane can last more than two weeks over open waters and can run along the entire length of several coastal states. The 74160 mph winds can extend inland for hundreds of miles. Hurricanes are classified by five categories according to wind velocity.

Category 1 is the mildest and Category 5 is the strongest.

Hurricane forecasters predict 10 named hurricanes this year, two of which reach Category 3 or more in strength.

The Danger

Storm surge is a danger you may not be familiar with. According to the National Hurricane Center, storm surge is often the greatest threat to life and property from a hurricane. In the past, large Long-term power outages The History death tolls have resulted often follow hurricanes The most significant hurricane in recent hisfrom the rise of the ocean associated with many of tory was in 2004 when Hurricane Ivan came the major hurricanes that have made landfall. ashore, and then again in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina (2005) is a prime Contact Hurricane Katrina devastated New example of the damage and devastathe Emergency Orleans, parts of Mississippi and the tion that can be caused by surge. At Management Agency coast of Alabama. More recently least 1,500 persons lost their lives Baldwin and Mobile were eligible during Katrina and many of those If a hurricane is predicted for for public assistance from FEMA deaths occurred directly, or indiAlabama, the Alabama EMA will be in 2009, resulting from Tropical rectly, as a result of storm surge. providing emergency information for Storm Ida. Storm surge is an abnormal rise residents. There are several ways to Looking back at Hurricane of water generated by a storm, receive the news releases or pertinent Ivan in 2004, counties as far over and above the predicted north as Jackson and Colbert astronomical tides. information, follow the Alabama EMA received both individual and Storm surge should not be on Twitter and/or Facebook. Visit us public assistance from the Federal confused with storm tide, which at www.ema.alabama.gov. Also on Emergency Management Agency. is defined as the water level rise this site you can find the contact The severe weather impacting most due to the combination of storm information for your local of the state came from a hurricane surge and the astronomical tide. This EMA office. that originated in the Gulf of Mexico. rise in water level can cause extreme Prior to the April 2011 storms, Hurricane flooding in coastal areas particularly when Ivan was Alabama’s most significant disaster in storm surge coincides with normal high tide, recent history. resulting in storm tides reaching up to 20 feet or more in some cases.

Paths of hurricanes affecting Alabama, 1990-2009

How You Can Prepare

Now that you know the seriousness of a hurricane, preparedness before a disaster is essential to protect you and your family.

Here are tips to consider before a hurricane impacts your area: Learn the elevation level of your property and whether the land is flood-prone. This will help you know how your property will be affected when storm surge or tidal flooding are forecasted.

Learn community hurricane evacuation routes and how to find higher ground.

Cover all of your home’s windows. Permanent storm shutters offer the best protection for windows. A second option is to board up windows with 5/8” marine plywood, cut to fit and ready to install. Tape does not prevent windows from breaking.

Install straps or additional clips to securely fasten your roof to the frame structure. This will reduce roof damage.

Alabama Living

JUNE 2012 13

Reinforce your garage doors; if wind enters a garage it can cause dangerous and expensive structural damage.

Plan to bring in all outdoor furniture, decorations, garbage cans and anything else that is not tied down.

Following a Hurricane

Continue listening to a NOAA Weather Radio or the local news for the latest updates.

Stay alert for extended Power restoration can be rainfall and subsequent complicated – and dangerous flooding even after the hurricane or tropical storm has ended.

If you have become separated from your family, contact FEMA or the American Red Cross.

If you evacuated, return home only when officials say it is safe.

Drive only if necessary and avoid flooded roads and washedout bridges. Stay off the streets. If you must go out watch for fallen objects, downed electrical wires, and weakened walls, bridges, roads, and sidewalks. A

Build an Emergency Kit Water: one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation.

Food: at least a three-day supply of nonperishable food.

Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both.

Flashlight and extra batteries.

First aid kit and medicine.

Manual can opener for food.

Local maps.

Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger. A

Orange Beach, after Hurricane Ivan

14  june 2012

www.alabamaliving.coop

Alabama Living

JUNE 2012  15

Col. Dewey L. Smith Fighter pilot, two-time Silver Star recipient, prisoner of war, and American hero

“The North Vietnamese took control of Smith, stripped him of his possessions and began marching him to the infamous ‘Hanoi Hilton’ prison camp.”

By Ben Norman

16 june 2012

www.alabamaliving.coop

R

ed lights blinked and alarms sounded as fire spread throughout the cockpit of Maj. Dewey Smith’s spinning F-105 fighter jet, which had just been hit by a surface to air missile. With a split second to spare, Smith pulled the ejection lever and was catapulted into a blue sky just northeast of Hanoi, North Vietnam.

He began a parachute descent on June 2, 1967, that can only be described as a descent into a living hell.

The parachute canopy hung in a tree, leaving Smith dangling just a few feet off the ground. “I just hung there for several minutes and then the parachute began to slowly slip from the limbs it was hung up on,” he remembers. “I actually had a soft landing, but that was about the only soft thing I experienced for the next 5 and a half years.”

Smith had just hit the ground when a group of North Vietnamese civilians descended upon him. One villager had a machete, and had drawn back to decapitate Smith, when a North Vietnamese soldier arrived and stopped the attack. The North Vietnamese took control of Smith, stripped him of his possessions and began marching him to the infamous “Hanoi Hilton” prison camp. Along the way the villagers were allowed to punch, kick and hit Smith with any object they had in hand.

Upon arrival at the prison camp, Smith was incarcerated in a small cell and manacled to the floor. Here he was beaten daily, hung from the ceiling with ropes, and subjected to a favored rope torture where a victim’s arms are pulled so tightly behind him that they become dislocated.

“There must have been at least 30 soldiers trying to get information from me, but I wouldn’t give them any information and that made them mad,” Smith says. “They considered me someone that had valuable information and they didn’t want to give up trying to get information from me.”

Interrogation and torture continued daily in the prison camp.

Smith was put in a cell with two other prisoners for a short while, but was later placed in solitary confinement and was beaten and tortured daily. He says it was a major task just to keep from going crazy.

“We had a tap code that we communicated with. I passed time counting flies, watching rats, and a whole lot of daydreaming.

I thought of my boyhood, family and friends I wanted to see.”

Food was just enough to live on. Smith says he lived on stewed cabbage and pumpkin with almost no meat. “I still will not eat cabbage and pumpkin to this day,” he says. “The food was terrible and sanitation was basically non-existent. Combine terrible food with being alone and daily torture – it was about more than anyone could stand.”

After spending 2,103 days in captivity, Smith was released during Operation Homecoming on March 4, 1973, and flown to the Philippines, then on to Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, where he was hospitalized for observation and to gain some strength back. Smith continued his Air Force career and eventually was stationed in Montgomery, where he met and married an Alabama girl, Elaine Hall from Glenwood. Smith was promoted to full colonel and retired.

Dewey, who turned 83 on Nov. 11, Veterans Day, and Elaine now divide their time between their homes in Fairdale, Ky., and Glenwood, where they are members of South Alabama Electric Cooperative.

Age and health problems have slowed Col. Dewey Smith down a bit, but he remains fiercely patriotic. Those who know him well, know that if asked, he would not hesitate to climb into the cockpit of another F-105 and head into the wild blue yonder to engage any enemy of his beloved United States of America. A

Don’t forget to display your patriotic colors on Flag Day, June 14.

Alabama Living

JUNE 2012 17

Power Plants

Water Works There are several ways to make watering your lawn and garden easier and less expensive

By Katie Jackson

Garden Tips: June t Sow seeds for beans, field peas, pumpkins, squash, corn, cantaloupes and watermelon. t Plant transplants of tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and sweet potatoes. t Pinch off dead flowers from flowering annuals to encourage continued blooming. t Remove foliage from spring bulbs if it becomes yellow and dry. t Keep an eye out for insect and disease problems in all garden areas and on houseplants. t Add fresh water to birdbaths and ornamental pools frequently to reduce mosquito breeding. t Watch for and control black spot and powdery mildew on roses. t Plant mums now for fall bloom and pinch back established mums to encourage fall flowering and to keep them compact. t Keep up spray programs on fruit trees and grape or muscadine vines. t Thin apples and peaches if needed. A Katie Jackson is associate editor for the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station. Contact her at csmith@acesag.auburn.edu

18 JUNE 2012

A

s summer arrives so does watering season, but there are ways to cut back on the use of time, money and moisture that summer irrigation usually requires.

The very best way to reduce the need for watering is to develop a water-efficient landscape, which can be done by improving the quality (and, thus, water-holding capacity) of soil, choosing plants that need little or at least less water and finding ways to make landscapes and lawns more water efficient.

Certainly these and other modifications of our landscapes, such as installing rain barrels, can be part of a long-range water efficiency plan.

However, there are ways to more immediately improve your water use quotient that require less time and money.

Among these is simply making sure to water plants, not the air or the sidewalk. Don’t run a sprinkler or hose so long or so fast that water runs off the lawn or garden, and don’t allow the spray of water from a sprinkler to go so high that much is lost to evaporation before it ever touches a plant or so wide that it’s watering pavement or roadways.

For garden beds and non-lawn areas, drip irrigation systems are wonderful options because water is applied directly on or into the soil and, thus, close to plant roots. While a buried drip irrigation hose is ideal, perforated hoses that can be laid on the soil surface beneath plants and moved around to various parts of the garden are great alternatives.

Remember, too, that it is best to apply water early in the morning,

not during the heat of the day, and to water deeply but less frequently so that water reaches down into the soil to plant roots.

Also, rather than watering on a set schedule, let the plants say when they are thirsty. The best time to apply water is just as plants begin to wilt or as blades of lawn grass begin to fold in on themselves.

More information than you can soak up? A great source of information on this topic and many others is the Alabama Smart Yards publication, a comprehensive and, in my opinion, a must-have resource developed through the Alabama Cooperative Extension System to help home gardeners practice “environmental consciousness and practical management options” (as its subtitle states). It is available online at www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR1359/ANR-1359.pdf and through local Extension offices.

While there’s little chance that any of us will avoid watering altogether this summer, spending a little time researching water-saving ideas is well worth the effort really can help save water, time and money. A www.alabamaliving.coop

Alabama Living

JUNE 2012  19

The Alabama Bass Trail Lakes Guntersville, Wheeler, Wilson and Pickwick – Four Tennessee River lakes could hold record bass

For more information on the Alabama Bass Trail, see www.alabamabasstrail.org.

By John N. Felsher

T

he largest tributary of the Ohio River, the Tennessee River, runs 652 miles, cutting across most of northern Alabama. Along the way, it creates several lakes that offer anglers some of the best bass fishing in the nation.

Lake Guntersville

Topping the list, Lake Guntersville stretches 75 miles along the river channel from Tennessee to Guntersville Dam in Marshall County. The largest lake in Alabama covers about 69,100 acres.

In the northern portion, the lake retains much of its riverine characteristics while the lower lake more resembles a typical southern reservoir with large creeks feeding vast grassy flats.

“Without a doubt, Lake Guntersville is one of the premier bass lakes in the nation,” says Mike Iaconelli, the 2003 Bassmaster Classic champion who won a major tournament there in 2006.

“It’s an amazing numbers lake, but can also produce giant bass. I caught one 10-pounder in that lake, but I caught bunches in the 6- to 8-pound range.”

The lake produces many largemouth bass in the 3- to 8-pound range and some monsters. On Feb. 21, 1990, Charlie Bertus of Huntsville, caught a 14.5-pound largemouth in the Murphy Hill area near mid-lake. The lake also holds big smallmouth and Kentucky spotted bass. Duanne McQueen of Stockbridge, Ga., landed the lake record smallmouth, a 5.85-pounder, in November 2010.

Many people fish the matted grass for big bass. For fishing thick grass, few lures work better than a buzzing frog. Rigged Texas style, these plastic temptations can easily slip over the thickest mats. Work them with a steady retrieve or a pop-andstop method.

“Guntersville is such a great lake because it has so much grass,” Iaconelli says. “With so many vast grass flats, much of the lake looks the same. I look for ditches. Water depth doesn’t really matter as much as depth change. It doesn’t even have to be a radical drop. Just a drop of a foot or two might make a difference.”

20 JUNE 2012

Lake Wheeler

Downstream, the Tennessee River flows into Lake Wheeler, the second largest lake in Alabama. The lake totals 67,100 acres and runs for 60 miles. The upper end of the reservoir remains more riverine with many rocks and shoals. The lower end contains more deep water, weed beds, stumps, flooded brush, rock piles, steep banks, channel drops and points.

“Wheeler Lake fishes a lot like Guntersville, but doesn’t have as much grass,” says Chris Jackson, a guide and professional bass fisherman (205-704-2425, or chrisjacksonfishing.com). “The Decatur flats area is full of creek channels and stumps. Once an angler learns how to fish it, it’s a gold mine. It’s a great place for numbers, but also has some big bass, including some 5- and 6-pound smallmouth. It produces a lot of 6- to 8-pound largemouth and some 10-pounders.”

Wilson Lake

Although not one of the 11 lakes and rivers in the Alabama Bass Trail, Wilson Lake, just below Wheeler, produces many 4- to 6-pound smallies and some good largemouth bass. Wilson once held the world record for smallmouth, and still holds the Alabama state record with a 10.5-pounder caught

www.alabamaliving.coop

On March 8, Gov. Robert Bentley announced the Alabama Bass Trail to promote 11 of the best fishing waters in the state. This is the first of a four-part series focusing on those lakes and rivers. waters, smallies like deeper water, more current and rocky bottoms. Therefore, the best smallmouth fishing on Pickwick generally occurs near the Wilson Dam. Here, the river flows through several channels and around numerous rocky shoals, islands, sandbars and other obstructions.

“It’s not uncommon to fish a point and catch a largemouth, a smallmouth and a spotted bass on three casts with the same lure,” Stegall says. “The Wilson Dam area has a lot of current breaks like rocks, logs and stumps. Fish will be near those current breaks. One of the simplest ways to catch smallmouth: Throw a smoke or chartreuse grub on a leadhead jig upstream. Let it go to the bottom. Hold the rod up, reel the bait about five or six cranks and let it fall back.”

These four lakes on the Tennessee River offer anglers nearly 200,000 acres to fish for many species. On any of these lakes, anglers could possibly set a state or even a world record in several species categories. A Professional Craig Powers fishes Lake Wheeler near Decatur

Texas-style rig works well in Lake Guntersville’s weedy areas

in the Wheeler Dam tailrace. The smallest impoundment on the Tennessee River, Wilson Lake runs 15 miles and covers 15,930 acres.

Pickwick Lake

Downstream from the Wilson Dam, Pickwick stretches across 47,500 acres and runs 53 river miles from Florence, to Counce, Tenn. Many people think Pickwick Lake could hold the next world-record smallmouth bass. The lake already produced smallmouth exceeding 10 pounds and some double-digit largemouths.

“Pickwick is a dynamite lake for big smallmouth,” says Roger Stegall, (662-423-3869, or www.Fishpickwick.com) a professional bass angler and Pickwick guide. “I’ve heard of some 10-pound smallmouth. I’ve caught some 8-pounders. Recently, the lake produced a lot of largemouth in the 9- to 11-pound range.”

While largemouth prefer weedy or woody cover in slack backAlabama Living

JUNE 2012 21

Worth the Drive Alabama Blueberry Festival Brewton June 16, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Burnt Corn Creek Park, downtown Brewton, AL www.alabamablueberryfestival.com

Alabama Blues The Alabama Blueberry Festival in Brewton offers plenty to eat – and lots to do

By Jennifer Kornegay

Go Get ’Em! Get your fill at U-pick berry farms Eating local produce is good for you (tastes better, costs less), and is good for our local economies. If you can’t make the Blueberry Festival, set aside a Saturday this summer to visit a U-pick berry farm around the state. We’ve listed a few below, but remember to check the farm’s website or call before you go to make sure their hours haven’t changed and that their fields aren’t picked clean (it happens!).

• The Straw Bale House Blueberry Farm, Mentone, 256-634-4150 • E&T Berry Farm, Albertville, 256-7388715, www.etberryfarm.com • Holmstead Farm, Talladega, 256-4044316, www.holmesteadfarm.com • Spradlin Farm, Vinemont, 256-7346419, www.spradlinfarm.com • Maple Manor Farm, Pell City, 205-3381462 • Barber Berry Farm, Millbrook, (334) 549-4710, www.barberberryfarm.com • Brannan Blueberry Brae, Mobile, 251327-6503, www.brannanblueberrybrae.shutterfly.com While you’re at a farm, don’t just purchase what you’ll eat right now. Go ahead and buy more. Blueberries freeze beautifully, if you do it right.

Make sure the berries are clean and dry and lay them in a single layer on a sheet pan. They can touch on the sides a bit but should not be jumbled up on top of each other. Place the pan in the freezer and freeze the berries solid (several hours).

Then package the individually frozen berries in freezer-safe zip-top bags. Defrost as needed all fall and winter long to add summer’s sweetness to cereal, pancakes, muffins, pies or whatever you like. A

22 JUNE 2012

B

lueberry ice cream, blueberry pie, blueberry cobbler, blueberry jelly, blueberry bread pudding. The ways to enjoy the sweet-tart pop of flavor packed into this tiny indigo fruit are many and varied, and there’s no better place to taste at least three or four of them than at the Alabama Blueberry Festival in Brewton this month.

Now in its 32nd year, this food fest has grown to bring anywhere from 8,000 to 10,000 blueberry fans to Brewton for the one-day event. Judy Crane, executive director of the Brewton Chamber of Commerce and director of the festival, has been involved with the fruit-filled event for 22 years.

“It’s a popular event,” she says. “We’re in a great setting in a pretty park, and Brewton is in a good location. It’s on the way to the beach, and lots of people stop in for the festival on their way to vacation. Plus, the blueberries are delicious.”

The festival was started three decades ago to promote the blueberry farms dotting the region, so of course, all of the blueberries and blueberry products found at the festival come from Brewton and surrounding areas. The Blueberry Growers Association brings in bushels and bushels of their crop. You can buy berries by the pint, by the crate or by the flat, just picked and at the peak of their freshness. They’re undeniably tastier than those shipped into your local mega mart. And, they’re cheaper too. Or if you’d like to grow your own, you can buy a few blueberry bushes and anxiously anticipate picking blueberries in your own backyard next summer.

A few years ago, the Blueberry Festival changed venues to take advantage of the beauty and convenient, central location of charming downtown Brewton. “We’re in the Burnt Corn Creek Park in the shade, and it has proven to be a great move,” Crane says.

In addition to all of the blueberry business going on, there’s an arts & crafts show, an antique car show, live musical entertainment and a kids section with waterslides, inflatables, a petting zoo, pony rides and more – all for free.

“We have some lovely arts and crafts

for sale,” Crane says. “They are all original works, things made by artists or craftsmen.

And we’ve got some great local acts that will be playing from the stage all day.” It’s also free to park, and if you have to park farther away than you’d like to walk, hop onboard the also-free shuttle to and from the park.

Food vendors will be hawking their blueberry creations: blueberry ice cream (Crane’s favorite festival treat), blueberry cobbler and blueberry bread pudding. If you need some inspiration once you’re home with the blueberries you buy at the event, reference the Alabama Blueberry Festival Cookbook and find recipes making delicious use of the berries, as well as other regional dishes.

The Alabama Blueberry Festival is a leisurely event with families meandering under the trees and around the booths. Streets around the park are closed, making it safer for little ones. And there’s more than the tempting scent of ripe blueberries floating through the air; Brewton’s celebrated hospitality is in no short supply during the festival, according to Crane.

“Brewton has been voted one of the Best 100 Small Towns in America by Money Magazine several times,” she says. “I think it is because we are a small town, but we’re not closed off or kept to ourselves. We’re really welcoming and friendly.” A

Jennifer Kornegay www.alabamaliving.coop

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JUNE 2012 23

Consumer Wise

Electric Yard Tools The four basic types of batteries used in rechargeable tools are lead-acid, nickel-cadmium, nickel metal-hydride, and lithium-ion

This 36-volt lawn mower has a removable battery, cuts a 19-inch path and weighs 72 pounds

James Dulley is a nationally syndicated engineering consultant based in Cincinnati.

24 JUNE 2012

Q

: I want to use cordless and electric tools, especially yard tools and a lawn mower, instead of gasoline ones. Will using them increase my electric bills much, and which rechargeable batteries are best?

A

: Using electric or cordless tools make more sense than using gasoline-powered ones for many reasons. Obviously, the United States has to import huge amounts of oil to make gasoline.

Anything a homeowner can do to use less gasoline is good. If you have access to an electric outlet, plug-in tools offer lighter weight and more power than cordless ones.

Electric or cordless tools also cost much less to use than gasoline tools.

For example, a cordless lawn mower can cut a one-third acre lot for about 10 cents’ worth of electricity to charge the battery – usually an overnight charge at a rate of 45 to 90 watts, depending upon the battery voltage.

Also, there are no maintenance costs associated with a cordless or electric tool.

There are differences in the life, weight, cost and effectiveness of various types of rechargeable batteries for cordless tools. The four basic types of batteries used are lead-acid, nickelcadmium, nickel metal-hydride, and lithium-ion.

Lead-acid batteries are used in cordless lawn mowers because they can store the most charge. Leadacid batteries are also relatively inexpensive for the amount of power they can store. Their drawback is heavy weight. In a tool such as a lawn mower that rests on wheels, this is not a major problem. For hand-held yard tools, having a lead-acid battery hanging on the handle could wear out your arm quickly.

Ni-Cd (nickel-cadmium) batteries

were used on the earliest cordless tools and most tools still use them.

They are relatively inexpensive, and they maintain their performance at cooler temperatures ­– an important feature for tools used outdoors. NiCd batteries are relatively heavy, so they are not often used on the highest voltage cordless tools.

Ni-Mh (nickel metal-hydride) was the next generation of rechargeable batteries. These batteries can store more electricity for the weight. They are more expensive to make than NiCds so they are used on fewer cordless tools. They are ideal for indoor use but tend to lose runtime in colder outdoor temperatures. Also, their life (run/recharge cycle) is less than for Ni-Cd batteries.

Li-ion (lithium-ion) batteries are the newest type. These are the most expensive but also are the lightest for the power they can store. Li-ion batteries operate very well at cold temperatures, so they are effective for outdoor use. Some take longer to charge than Ni-Cd or Ni-Mh batteries, so they may not be the best choice if you are constantly running them down and trying to recharge them quickly. Having a second battery pack on the charger is a good idea.

Don’t necessarily look for the highest voltage tool with the most power. No matter what type of battery a tool uses, higher voltage means more battery weight. If you primarily do light shrub trimming or drill small holes in soft wood, lower-voltage is your best choice. A

Send your questions to: James Dulley Alabama Living 6906 Royalgreen Dr. Cincinnati, OH 45244

You can also reach Dulley online at

www.dulley.com

www.alabamaliving.coop

Tables indicate peak fish and game feeding and migration times. Major periods can bracket the peak by an hour before and an hour after.

Minor peaks, half-hour before and after. Adjusted for daylight savings time. a.m. p.m.

Minor Major Minor Major

JUN. 18 19

20 21 22 23 24 25

26

27 28 29 30

- - 12:52 01:22 01:52 02:37 03:22 04:22 10:37 - - - - 01:07 01:52 02:52

05:07 05:37 06:07 06:52 07:22 08:07 09:07 05:22 06:37 07:52 08:52 09:52 10:37

07:52 12:22 08:22 01:07 08:52 01:37 09:22 02:07 09:52 02:37 10:22 03:22 11:07 03:52 04:37 11:37 12:37 12:22 06:52 02:52 08:22 04:22 09:52 05:22 10:52 06:22

JUL. 1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12 13 14 15 16

17

18 19 20 21 22 23 24

25

26

27 28 29 30

31

03:52 - - - - 01:22 02:07 02:52 03:37 09:37 10:52 - - - - - - 01:22 02:22 03:22 04:07 - - - - 01:07 01:37 02:22 03:07 09:22 10:52 - - - - - - 01:22 02:37 03:37 - -

11:22 4:37 05:37 06:22 07:07 07:52 08:37 04:37 05:37 06:37 07:52 08:52 09:37 10:22 11:07 11:37 04:52 05:37 06:07 06:52 07:37 08:22 03:52 04:52 05:52 07:22 08:37 09:37 10:37 11:22 04:37

11:52 07:07 7:37 12:07 08:22 12:52 08:52 01:37 09:22 02:07 09:22 02:52 10:22 03:22 10:52 03:52 04:22 11:22 12:52 11:52 - - 12:37 07:37 05:37 09:37 05:52 10:37 06:22 11:22 06:37 11:52 07:07 07:22 12:07 07:52 12:37 08:22 01:22 08:37 01:52 09:07 02:22 09:37 02:52 03:22 10:07 04:07 10:37 12:37 11:22 03:22 12:07 08:22 04:52 09:52 05:37 10:52 06:07 11:37 06:37 07:07 12:07

Alabama Living

JUNE 2012  25

Alabama Recipes

Seafood Cook of the Month: Tracy Welch, Joe Wheeler EMC Parmesan Crusted Tilapia 1-½ pound tilapia fillets, or other white fish like cod or trout 3 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon lemon pepper 1 cup Panko bread crumbs ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated ¼ cup butter, softened

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking pan with foil; spray with cooking spray. Place all fish fillets on the pan and pat dry with a clean paper towel. In a small bowl, stir mayonnaise, lemon juice, lemon zest, kitchen salt and lemon pepper until blended. Spread over top of each fillet. In another small bowl, mix bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and softened butter together until well blended. Spread evenly over the mayonnaise mixture on each fillet; pat crumb mixture lightly into the mayonnaise. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork and top is golden brown.

Shrimp Salad 16 ounces pasta shells of choice (boiled & drained) 2 pounds boiled shrimp peeled & deveined ½ cup celery finely chopped

4 tablespoons mayonnaise ¼ cup sweet pickle relish 1 tablespoon Cayenne Pepper ¼ C. green onions finely chopped 1tsp. black pepper

Boil pasta until tender, drain. Boil shrimp for 5 minutes, drain. In a large bowl mix all ingredients and add salt to preferred taste. Chill for about 1 hour before serving.

Besides relaxing in a beach chair, reading a good book and soaking up some good old-fashioned sunshine, my favorite thing about spending time near the beach is eating local seafood. There is something magical about preparing food which was caught just hours before. I love to try new dishes, but somehow I’m always drawn to the fried shrimp. If you can’t get away to the beach, just venture to your local market and you will be able to find fresh items to prepare as well. Happy cooking.

Demaris S. Anders, Joe Wheeler EMC

You could win $50!

If your recipe is chosen as the cook-of-the-month recipe, we’ll send you a check for $50!

August September October

Upcoming recipe themes and deadlines are: Budget Friendly Deadline: June 15 Microwave Meals Deadline: July 15 Tailgating Deadline: August 15

Please send all submissions to: Recipe Editor, P.O. Box 244014, Montgomery, AL 36124. Or e-mail to: recipes@areapower. coop. Be sure to include your address, phone number and the name of your electric cooperative.

26 JUNE 2012

Editor’s Note: Alabama Living’s recipes are submitted by our readers. They are not kitchen tested by a professional cook or registered dietician. If you have special dietary needs, please check with your doctor or nutritionist before preparing any recipe.

Seafood Lasagna

8 lasagna noodles 1 cup chopped onion 2 tablespoons butter 8 ounces softened cream cheese 1-1/2 cups cottage cheese 1 beaten egg 2 teaspoons basil 2 cans cream of mushroom soup

11/2 pounds shelled and cooked shrimp 8-10 ounces cooked and flaked crab meat 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1 cup milk Salt and pepper to taste

Cook noodles according to package directions and arrange half in the bottom of a greased 13 x 9 baking dish. Cook onion in butter until tender. Blend in cream cheese, cottage cheese, egg, basil, salt and pepper to taste.

Spread half on top of noodles. Cover with remaining 4 noodles. Combine separately soup, milk, shrimp and crab.

Spread half over casserole. Repeat layers and sprinkle with Parmesan last. Bake uncovered 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Top with cheddar cheese and bake an additional two minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting. Makes 12 servings.

Janie Whelton, Baldwin EMC.

Nikki’s Shrimp Chowder 1-2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined 1 pint half and half 1 stick butter 1 bunch green onions, chopped 2 cans cream of potato soup

1 8-ounce can shoepeg corn 1 can Rotel 1/2 pound sliced mushrooms (optional) 8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature) Tony’s Creole Seasoning

In a Dutch oven, saute onions, mushrooms, and shrimp in butter over medium heat. Stir in softened cream cheese. Add soup and corn, mixing well. Add half and half and Rotel. Season with Tony’s Creole seasoning to taste (start with 1 tablespoon then add to your taste).

Donna Turner, Pea River EC

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Crab Cakes

1 pound lump crabmeat â „3 cup crushed crackers 2 green onions, finely chopped 1/2 cup bell pepper, finely chopped 1 carrot, finely chopped 1/4 cup mayonaise 1 egg 1

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon dry mustard Juice of 1 lemon 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder Dash cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon seasoned salt Flour for dusting 1/2 cup olive oil

Mix all ingredients (except for flour and oil) in a large bowl.

Shape into round patties and dust with flour to help keep them together. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.

When oil is hot, carefully place crab cakes in pan, 3-4 at a time. Fry on one side, about 4-5 minutes, until browned.

Carefully turn crab cakes and fry on other side until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes. Serve with cocktail sauce, tartar sauce, or shrimp sauce.

Kirk Vantrease, Cullman EC

28  JUNE 2012

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Around Alabama June 29 - 30

Guntersville • Alabama Songwriters Festival

from their latest production, “Lovein’ the 60’s”. Friday night, Crossfire will entertain the crowd with a free concert. Saturday evening Nash Street will open a free concert for Taylor Hicks, Alabama’s own American Idol winner. Children’s activities will include face painting and a “Make and Take” tent. Sand Mountain Cruisers and the Arab Classic Cars Club will host a classic car show at Town Harbor on Friday and Saturday. On the pier, Vintage Boats, from days gone by, will be docked for all to admire. The Harbor grounds will be filled with food and beverage vendors as well as, art and merchandise vendors.

Call 256-571-7199, visit www.mountainvalleyartscouncil.com or e-mail artscouncil@mindspring.com.

The Alabama Songwriters Competition will hold its 11th competition of the Alabama Songwriters Festival (ASF). The Festival will present live music, storytelling, and excerpts from the local community theater. An arts exhibit celebrating Alabama’s “Year of Food” and music from the Mountain Echo Dulcimer Players will be held at the Mountain Valley Arts Council Gallery.

Saturday’s songwriters competition at Town Hall will include three genres; inspirational, country/bluegrass and contemporary/pop. Prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place in each genre. At City Harbor, an appearance by Tom Sawyer and other storytellers will capture the imagination of the young and old.

Talented theatrical performers from our local community theater will amuse the audience with excerpts Tuesday Nights in June and July • Gulf

Shores, Civil War Evening Tours (excluding July 3rd.)

Fort Morgan State Historic Site, 51 State Highway 180 - 7-8 p.m.

Admission: Small Charge Contact: 251-540-7127 or e-mail programs@fortmorgan.org

Wednesdays in June and July •

Theodore, Wonderful Wednesdays at Bellingrath Gardens and Home, 12401 Bellingrath Gardens Road.

Admission: Adults $12, Children 5 -12 $6.50 and Children 4 and under are free.

Contact 251.973.2217 extension 111 for reservations.

June

1 &2 • Guntersville, Kenneth Perice Memorial

Extreme Bulls & Barrells Evesham Farm 4056 Fry Gap Road Between Guntersville & Arab 7:30pm Gates open at 6:30pm both nights

Adults - $10 - under 5 free Proceeds go to the American Cancer Society.

Contact JR Rudeseal at 256-457-8692 chrissyanncamacho@yahoo.com 8 & 9 • St. Clair Springs, White’s Mountain Bluegrass Festival. Camping available.

Friday, 6 -10 p.m., Saturday, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Admission: $10 Fri., $15 Sat. $20 for both days Contact 205-467-6927, e-mail whitesmtnbluegrass@windstream.net or visit www.whitesmtnbluegrass.com 8 & 9 • Marion, 17th Annual Marion Rodeo at the Marion Arena on Highway 14. Gates open at 6 p.m. , Mutton Bustin’ at 6:30, Little Wranglers at 7:15, and rodeo starts at 7:30. Adults $10, Children 6-12 $5, under five, free. Proceeds donated to Perry County Fire Assn. Crisis Fund. Contact: 334-683-4004 and leave message.

14 • Huntsville, Indian Artifact show Sponsored by Hillabee Archaeological Society. This is a free to the public show with collectors from all over the state of Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and Mississippi displaying and selling artifacts.

Contact David Weinstein at 256-534-7384 busheyd@bellsouth.net 21 • Andalusia, Paul Finebaum, At the Andalusia Kiwanis Center. The evening begins at 5:45 p.m. with a social hour and silent auction. A surf ‘n’ turf dinner will be served and Paul Finebaum will begin at 7:00 p.m.

Individual Tickets are $50.00. Sponsorship opportunities are available. All proceeds from this event will support the scholarships and programs

To place an event, mail to Events Calendar, P.O. Box 244014, Montgomery, AL 36124; e-mail to calendar@ areapower.coop. (Subject Line: Around Alabama) or visit www.alabamaliving.coop. Each submission must include a contact name and phone number. Deadline is two months prior to issue date. We regret that we cannot publish every event due to space limitations.

of the LBWCC Foundation. Please call 334-8812306 for tickets or additional information.

23 • Andalusia, South Alabama Amateur Radio Club Field Day. Twenty-fourhour event, contacting other Ham radio enthusiasts across the country. Sweet Home Alabama Campground & RV Park. www.shacrvpark.com

July 1 – 5 • Birmingham, 5

Days of Prayer for Our Nation, at Caritas FREE event, no registration required Contact: 205-672-2000 or visit www.mej.com 3 • Chatom, 4th of July Celebration Chatom Community Center 5 p.m. All activities are free. Fireworks start at 9 p.m. Parking - $1 per vehicle Bring your lawn chairs. There will be food and arts and craft booths.

Contact Fran Thornton at (251) 680-3075, e-mail thorntonfran@yahoo.com or visit www.chatom.org

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June12_AA.indd 1

June 2012 29

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Market Place Miscellaneous NEW AND USED STAIR LIFT ELEVATORS – Car lifts, Scooters, Power Wheelchairs, Walk-in Tubs – Covers State of Alabama – 23 years (800)682-0658 HELP A CHILD WEATHER THE STORM BY GIVING THEM A RAY OF HOPE! We are looking for people who have the heart and patience to show a child that life can be different and better. HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN A CHILD’S LIFE TODAY BECOME A THERAPEUTIC FOSTER PARENT. CALL FOR MORE INFO (334) 793-0090, 1-877-8328624 - United Methodist Children’s Home (www.umch.net) 18X21 CARPORT $695 INSTALLED – (706)383-8554 LIVING ESTATE – ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES cross cut saws to middlebusters – (256)566-3092 INTERIOR WOODS: CYPRESS, CEDAR, HEART PINE, POPLAR, ASH www.howardcustomlumber.net (251)847-2334 DIVORCE MADE EASY – Uncontested, lost spouse, in prison or aliens. $179.00 our total fee. Call 10am to 10pm. 26 years experience – (417)443-6511 USED RENTAL WORK CLOTHES – Pants $4.99, Shirts $3.99, Jackets $10.95 – Call (800)233-1853 or order online www.usedworkclothing.com METAL ROOFING $1.79/LINFT – FACTORY DIRECT! 1st quality, 40yr Warranty, Energy Star rated. (price subject to change) 706-383-8554 WALL BEDS OF ALABAMA / ALABAMA MATTRESS OUTLET – SHOWROOM Collinsville, AL – Custom Built / Factory Direct (256)490-4025, www.andyswallbeds. com, www.alabamamattressoutlet. com AERMOTOR WATER PUMPING WINDMILLS – windmill parts – decorative windmills – custom built windmill towers - call Windpower (256)638-4399 or (256)638-2352 KEEP POND WATER CLEAN AND FISH HEALTHY with our aeration systems and pond supplies.

Windmill Electric and Fountain Aerators. Windpower (256)638-4399, (256)899-3850 FREE BOOKS / DVDs – Soon government will enforce the “Mark” of the beast as church and state

30 JUNE 2012

unite! Let Bible reveal. The Bible Says, POB 99, Lenoir City, TN 37771 – thebiblesaystruth@yahoo.com, (888)211-1715 CHURCH FURNITURE – Does your church need pews, pulpit set, baptistery, steeple or windows? Big sale on new cushioned pews and upholstery for hard pews – (800)2318360 or www.pews1.com

Beachfront - Call (256-507-1901) or email brtlyn@yahoo.com CABIN IN MENTONE – 2/2, brow view, hottub – For rent $100/night or Sale $199,000 – (706)767-0177 GATLINBURG – DOWNTOWN LUXURY CREEKSIDE CONDO – 2BR / 2BA, sleeps 6 – aubie12@centurytel. net, (256)599-5552

PUT YOUR OLD HOME MOVIES, SLIDES OR PHOTOS on DVD – (888)609-9778 or www.transferguy. com

HOUSE IN PIGEON FORGE, TN – fully furnished, sleeps 6-12, 3 baths, creek, no pets – (256)9976771, www.riverrungetaway.org

SAWMILL EXCHANGE: North American’s largest source of used portable sawmills and commercial equipment for woodlot owners and sawmill operations. Over 800 listings. THE place to sell equipment.

(800)459-2148, www. sawmillexchange.com

www.vacationsmithlake.com – VERY NICE 3BR / 2BA home, deep water, covered deck, 2 satelite TV’s $75.00 night – (256)352-5721, email annawisener@yahoo.com

Business Opportunities PIANO TUNING PAYS – Learn with American Tuning School homestudy course – (800)497-9793 ATTENTION BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS: Make Additional Income with Discount Drug Cards.

Investment Required. wjonesmym@ bellsouth.net, www.williamjones. provisionrx.com START YOUR OWN BUSINESS! Mia Bella’s Gourmet Scented Products.

Try the Best! Candles / Gifts / Beauty. Wonderful income potential! Enter Free Candle Drawing - www.naturesbest.scentteam.com

Vacation Rentals SMOKIES – PIGEON FORGE, TN CABINS – (251)649-3344, (251)6494049, www.hideawayprop.com ORANGE BEACH CONDO, 3BR/3BA; 2,000 SQ.FT.; beautifully decorated; gorgeous waterfront view; boat slips available; great rates - Owner rented (251)604-5226 DAYTONA: OCEANFRONT CONDO…near boardwalk and other attractions..See the sunrise Over the Atlantic from your queen size bed… pool and many other amenities..

Non-smoking..Call Jennifer in Scottsboro at 256-259-2244 TENNESSEE’S FINEST SMOKY MOUNTAIN VACATION GET AWAY! Cozy cabins by Owner – (865)712-7633 GULF SHORES CONDO - 2BR/1BA Affordable Rates &

PIGEON FORGE, TN: $89 - $125, 2BR/2BA, hot tub, pool table, fireplace, swimming pool, creek – (251)363-1973, www. mylittlebitofheaven.com KATHY’S ORANGE BEACH CONDO – 2BR/2BA, non-smoking. Best rates beachside! Family friendly – (205)253-4985, www.KathysCondo. eu.pn GATLINBURG TOWNHOUSE on BASKINS CREEK! GREAT RATES! 4BR/3BA, short walk downtown attractions! (205)333-9585, hhideaway401@aol.com GATLINBURG / PIGEON FORGE – 2 and 3 BEDROOM LUXURY CABINS – home theatre room, hot tub, game room – www.homeaway.com #178002, #359930, #965933 - (251)363-8576 PANAMA CITY BEACH CONDO – Owner rental – 2BR / 2BA, wireless internet, just remodeled inside and outside – (334)790-0000, jamesrny@graceba.net, www. theroneycondo.com GATLINBURG, TN – Fond memories start here in our chalet – Great vacation area for all seasons – Two queen beds, full kitchen, 1 bath, Jacuzzi, deck with grill – 3 Night Special - Call (866)316-3255, Look for us on FACEBOOK / billshideaway ALABAMA RIVER LOTS / MONROE COUNTY, AL – Lease / Rent – (334)469-5604 HELEN GA CABIN FOR RENT – sleeps 2-6, 2.5 baths, fireplace, Jacuzzi, washer/dryer – www. cyberrentals.com/101769 - (251)9482918, email jmccracken@gulftel.com

PIGEON FORGE, TN – 3 bedroom, 1.5 bath house for rent $75.00 a night – Call Bonnie at (256)338-1957 GULF SHORES / FT. MORGAN / NOT A CONDO! The original “Beach House” on Ft. Morgan peninsula – 2BR/1BA – Wi-Fi, pet friendly, nonsmoking – $895/wk, (256)418-2131, www.original-beach-house-al.com GULF SHORES - 3BR / 2BA ON BEACH – W/D, 4 queen beds, sleeps 8 - VRBO#354680 Gulf Shores East – (251)979-3604 FT. MORGAN GULFSIDE – 2/2, air, cable and quiet – Owners (251)6752483 or cell (251)709-3824. LEAVE MESSAGE! GULF SHORES CONDO - 4 miles from beach or outlet mall, 2BR / 2BA, pet friendly, http://www.vrbo. com/396334, (251)213-0688.

WEST BEACH – 3 GREAT CONDOS – Call (404)219-3189, (404)702-9824 or email gulfshores4rent@gmail. com. www.GULFSHORES4RENT.COM DESTIN 2.5 BEDROOM, 2.5 BATH TOWNHOUSE - Across street from beach. Near Silver Sands Outlet mall. Private access to beach. Two pools, wireless internet, Great play area for children. Request Unit 2C – (800)874-4144, (850)837-7810 EDGEWATER BEACH in PANAMA CITY – Beach front condo – 1BR / 2BA – (334)596-4921 GATLINBURG, TN CHALET 3BR/3BA Baskins Creek – Pool, 10 minute walk downtown, Aquarium, National Park – (334)289-0304 DISNEY – 15 MIN: 5BR / 3BA, private pool – www. orlandovacationoasis.com – (251)504-5756 ORANGE BEACH, AL CONDO – Sleeps 4, gulf and river amenities – Great Rates – (228)369-4680 FT. WALTON BEACH HOUSE – 3BR / 2BA – Best buy at the Beach – (205)566-0892, mailady96@yahoo. com PENSACOLA BEACH CONDO – Gulf front – 7th floor balcony – 3BR / 2BA, sleeps 6, pool – (850)572-6295 or (850)968-2170 GULF SHORES BEACHSIDE CONDO available April thru December – 2BR / 2BA, WiFi, No smoking / No pets – Call Owner (256)287-0368, Cell (205)613-3446

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MAGGIE VALLEY / WAYNESVILLE, NC – 2BR / 2BA, fireplace, deck, hottub, grill, Smokey Mountain view – Close to historic Waynesville shopping, Cataloochee Ski Resort – Ask for Mountain memories (800)648-1210 ALWAYS THE LOWEST PRICE $65.00 – Beautiful furnished mountain cabin near Dollywood, Sevierville, TN – (865)453-7715 GULF SHORES, WEST BEACH - Gulf view, sleeps 6 - www.vrbo. com/92623, (404)641-4939, (404)641-5314 GULF SHORES – CRYSTAL TOWER CONDO - 2 bedroom/ 2 bath, Great Ocean View - www.vrbo.com #145108 - Call Owner (205)429-4886, crystaltower607@gmail.com GULF SHORES CONDO – 1BR, sleeps 4, Gulf-front – Owner (251)342-4393, www.brett-robinson. com, Unit I104E MENTONE, AL – LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN – billiard table, Jacuzzi, spacious home, sleeps 12 – www. duskdowningheights.com, (850)7665042, (850)661-0678.

GATLINBURG: FABULOUS VIEWS pool, hot tubs and many other amenities. Call Jennifer in Scottsboro at 256-259-2244. Non-smoking.

FORT MORGAN BEACH HOUSE - 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, HDTV, WiFi – www.homeaway.com/178244, www. wardvacationproperties.com, (251)363-8576 GULF SHORES CONDO ON THE BEACH! 2BR/2BA - Beautiful update at SANDPIPER - (502) 386-7130 GULF SHORES RENTAL BY OWNER – Great Rates! (256)490-4025 or www.gulfshoresrentals.us GULF SHORES BEACH HOUSE – Nice 2 bedroom, great view – Spring $800 / week, Summer $995 – (251)666-5476

MOUNTAIN CABIN, WEARS VALLEY NEAR PIGEON FORGE – All conveniences, 3 / 2 – Brochure available – (251)649-9818 GULF SHORES / FT MORGAN BEACH HOUSE - 3/3 . A short walk to the Gulf of Mexico - WINTER rental $9OO. OO A Month, plus half of utilities – Summer rental $850.00 a week, sleeps 6 adults – Call (251)540-7078.

GULF SHORES: FESTIVE CONDO AT SEA AND SUN on west beach with private beach access close to restaurants and all attractions.. private pool,,non smoking. Call Jennifer in Scottsboro at 256-259-2244 GUNTERSVILLE – SMALL COTTAGE: 2BR, full kitchen, w/in 300 yds of boat ramps - $80/night - call (334)361-2459 SMOKIES - TOWNSEND, TN – 2BR/2BA, secluded log home, fully furnished. Toll free (866)4486203, (228)832-0713 GULF SHORES PLANTATION - Gulf view, beach side, 2 bedrooms / 2 baths, no smoking / no pets. Owner rates (205)339-3850

Camping / Hunting / Fishing CAMP IN THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS – Maggie Valley, NC – www.trailsendrv-park.com, (828)421-5295.

VALLEY HEAD, AL LODGE – 5/2, fishing – Weekly, monthly rates available for summer – Cabins available also – www. lookoutcreekfarm.com, (256)635-6420 PRIMITIVE CAMPING AND HORSEBACK RIDING TRAILS in North Alabama – (256)565-9609

Real Estate Sales/Rentals

GULF SHORES BEACH COTTAGE – Affordable, waterfront, pet friendly – http://www.vrbo. com/152418, (251)223-6114

12.5 ACRE PECAN ORCHARD – COVINGTON COUNTY, ANDALUSIA: Three ponds, 30 X 60 metal barn/ office, power and water. GREAT LOCATION - visit: www.allisonland. com, (205)789-0327 - $139,000

FT. WALTON, FL CONDO – 1BR, sleeps 6 – Gulfside – Owner (251)3424393, www.seaspraycondos.com, Unit 105A

GULF SHORES CONDOS - 4.7 miles from beach, starting prices $49,900 www.PeteOnTheBeach.com, click Colony Club – (251)948-8008

GULF SHORES PLANTATION CONDO: 2BR / 2BA, No Smoking / No Pets – Owner Rates (612)759-8710 or email birdkal@yahoo.com

LOWNDES COUNTY ALABAMA, BRAGGS - 160 acres of prime hunting and marketable timber, 2 acre stocked pond, with power and water available - Cedar Creek - Visit www. allisonland.com, (251)454-9753

Alabama Living

WE PURCHASE SELLER FINANCED NOTES, Trust Deeds, Contracts for Deed, Commercial / Business Notes and more, Nationwide! Call (256)6381930 or (256)601-8146 DeKALB COUNTY – 45 ACRE WORKING FARM - Crossed fenced for cattle, Home and several barns. $247,000 - www.allisonland.com, (205)789-0327.

Travel CARIBBEAN CRUISES AT THE LOWEST PRICE – (256)974-0500 or (800)726-0954

Musical Notes PIANOS TUNED, repaired, refinished. Box 171, Coy, AL 36435.

334-337-4503 PLAY GOSPEL SONGS BY EAR - 10 lessons $12.95. “LEARN GOSPEL MUSIC”. Chording, runs, fills - $12.95 Both $24. Davidsons, 6727AR Metcalf, Shawnee Missions, Kansas 66204 – (913)262-4982

Education FREE CREATION SCIENCE INFO – WWW.CREATIONANDSCIENCE.NET – Adults, teens – Box 508, Fairhope, AL 36533

BECOME AN ORDAINED MINISTER correspondence study. Founded in 1988. Free info. Ministers for Christ Outreach, PMB 767, 6630 West Cactus B-107, Glendale, Arizona 85304. http://www.ordination.org WWW.2HOMESCHOOL.ORG – Year round enrollment. Everybody homeschools. It is just a matter of what degree – (256)653-2593 or website FREE BIBLE CORRESPONDENCE COURSE – write to 23600 Alabama Highway 24, Trinity, AL, 35673

Critters ADORABLE AKC YORKY PUPPIES – excellent blood lines – (334)301-1120, (334)537-4242, bnorman@mon-cre.net CHIHUAHUA PUPPIES. Tiny, registered, guaranteed healthy, raised indoors in loving home, vet records and references. (256)796-2893 AKC MINIATURE LONGHAIR DACHSHUND PUPPIES READY NOW! $200 – Call (256)255-9094 PAPILLONS FOR PLACEMENT IN PET, SHOW OR AGILITY HOMES – Older ones only cost is Spaying / Neutering.

Younger ones are various prices – (334)493-3865, www.dreampaps@ andycable.com

How To Place a Line Ad in Marketplace Closing Deadlines (in our office): August 2012 – deadline June 25 September 2012 – deadline July 25 October 2012 – deadline August 25 -Ads are $1.65 per word with a 10 word minimum and are on a prepaid basis -Telephone numbers, email addresses and websites are considered 1 word each -Ads will not be taken over the phone. You may email your ad to hdutton@areapower.com or call (800)410-2737 ask for Heather for pricing.

-We accept checks, money orders and all major credit cards Mail ad submission along with a check or money order made payable to ALABAMA LIVING, P.O. Box 244014, Montgomery, AL 36124 – Attn: Classifieds.

JUNE 2012 31

Market Place

32 JUNE 2012

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Alabama Living

JUNE 2012  33

get it together: Building your disaster kit Dynamic media coverage brings natural and manmade disasters into our living rooms regularly, yet we remain complacent about preparing for such events. Disasters strike suddenly, but being prepared can reduce damages, lessen hardship and even save lives. Three simple actions begin this preparation process:  Assemble a disaster kit  Have a plan  Stay informed Whether you evacuate or stay home after a disaster, you need these basics.

Water — one gallon per person per day if you evacuate, two-week supply if you remain at home.

weather photo by Cherokee Spivey

continued from page 6

WTVY meteorologists Connor Vernon (right) and Oscar Fan (second from left) shows WEC’s Cary Hatcher and Brad Kimbro how to program a weather alert radio.

34 June 2012

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Non-perishable, easily prepared food — three-day supply if you evacuate, two-week supply if you remain at home (i.e. beans, ready to serve soup, granola bars, powdered milk).

Extra cash — stores may be unable to accept credit or debit cards

• Hand sanitizer • Extra set of car and house keys • Water purification tablets • Baby supplies (bottles, formula, food) • Pet supplies (collar, leash, food) For a complete list of supplies, and even more information about preparing for disasters, visit the American Red Cross at www.redcross.org. A

You will also need an emergency preparedness kit that includes: • Cell phone with for Severe Weather Preparedness Items chargers • Seven-day supply Friday, July 6th - Sunday, July 8th of medications Pay no state sales tax on severe weather preparedness items • Multipurpose from 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 6 to midnight Sunday, July 8. tool and scissors • Work gloves, Covered items include: First aid kits • Duct tape • Flashlights sturdy shoes, hat Non-electric can openers • NOAA weather radios • Smoke • Family/emergency detectors • Fire extinguishers • Artificial ice • Any non-electric contact info food storage cooler or water storage container • Waterproof For complete list, visit ema.alabama.gov matches

Sales Tax Holiday

speaker in 2010 at the joint EMA meeting held at the Wiregrass Electric headquarters in Hartford. Vernon has three simple suggestions that will help citizens prepare themselves and their families for the impact of tropical storms, tornadoes, hurricanes and other disasters.

“Number one, get a weather radio that will alert you when a warning is issued,” Vernon says. A reliable weather radio can be purchased for as little as $30. Make sure the unit is programmable, has a battery backup and is identified as an alert radio.

“Know where the safest place is, at home and at work,” Vernon says. “Put as many walls between you and the outside as possible.” Small bathrooms without windows are good shelters, particularly if they have a tub you can lay in for additional protection. It’s important, Vernon says, to identify this safe place in advance, before the threat of severe weather arrives.

“When a watch is issued in your area, go into alert mode,” Vernon says. “Start paying attention.” Instead of ignoring

watches, like so many people do, Vernon says people should periodically check the weather reports to see if severe weather conditions are developing.

Take action today

Emergency management work can be fulfilling, especially when one sees a community returning to normal following a disaster. But the work can also be frustrating. For Clark Matthews of the Dothan/Houston County EMA, the main frustration comes from seeing citizens ignore all warnings to prepare themselves for a disaster. “There was a study done that said 32 percent of people will do nothing, no matter what we do,” Matthews says.

“Don’t be part of that 32 percent,” adds Kimbro. “We want our members to take the ‘be prepared’ message to heart. Your cooperative has made plans to respond to a disaster; make plans to take care of yourself and your family should a hurricane, flood, tornado or other disaster strike your community.” A

www.wiregrass.coop

5/17/12 3:45 PM

photo by Cherokee Spivey

Future Masters, continued from page 8

estimates the tournament brings $600,000 directly into the local economy each June.

“The golfers stay in the hotels, they eat in the restaurants,” says Turner.

“They go shopping. They buy gas. They buy golf clubs and golf balls.”

Hendrix says the economic activity has a ripple effect. A waiter who gets more tips the week of the tournament, for example, will spend that extra income at other businesses which increases their sales. “That money multiplies about four times,” he explains. Based on that more comprehensive view, the tournament sparks about $2.4 million in economic activity around the Wiregrass region.

Seeing the tournament’s impact, local officials have worked to bring in other youth sporting events, from Dixie Youth baseball to high school basketball and volleyball tournaments. “We don’t have the mountains and the beaches so we do it with sports,” Hendrix explains.

The strategy is apparently working.

About 3,600 jobs in the region are directly or indirectly related to tourism.

“It’s a major industry. I think a lot of people don’t realize that,” says Hendrix, whose own son Harris English played in the Future Masters and is now on the PGA tour.

The tournament’s economic impact is only part of the reason Wiregrass Electric Cooperative supports the Future Masters tournament. “The Dothan Country Club may not be one of our power customers, but their work with Future Masters indirectly creates income and jobs for many members in the communities we serve,” says Brad Kimbro, director of member services for the cooperative.

“But beyond that,” Kimbro adds, “is the positive image and good will the Future Masters creates for our corner of the state. Everyone here benefits from

PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE — Hal Dove, Thomas Ponder, Harrison Dowling and Emmett Lee practice at the Dothan Country Club in hopes of one day winning the Future Masters.

the national and international attention it brings to the Wiregrass region.”

Future stars

Bubba Watson was the third player to have competed in the Future Masters tournament and go on to win the more famous Masters tournament in Augusta. And every time one of the Future Masters alumni wins a PGA tour event, it raises the hopes of all the pint-sized putters who play in the tournament each year. “They’ll say ‘Bubba did this when he was here’ and it allows them to dream a little farther,” Turner says.

In 1994, one of those young dreamers was South African golfer Trevor Immelman, who would win the Masters 14 years later in 2008. After finishing 9th in the 13-14 age group, Immelman wrote a letter to today’s tournament chairman, Dr. Press Thornton, Jr., thanking him for allowing him to play in the Future Masters, his first North American competition.

In his letter, Immelman mentioned the idea that one day he could win the big Masters in Augusta. When he did win in 2008, he was one of three Future Masters alumni in the top four finishers. Brandt Snedeker and Stewart Cink tied for third trailing only Immelman and Tiger Woods. “He went on and won the Masters and he got his little

start in Dothan, Alabama, at 13 years old,” Turner says of Immelman.

Many other golfers have also written letters to tournament organizers and nearly all of them praise the region for its hospitality. “The city and the hospitality is really what attracts people,” says Hoffman. “They are made to feel very special about being here.”

She and Turner praised the local officials, sponsors and volunteers who make the event possible. They use about 125 volunteers each year, many of whom have been involved for decades.

Multiple generations of several families help out. “Everybody has a passion for it or they wouldn’t do it,” Turner says.

“The city opens its doors. It’s more than just a junior golf tournament.” A

Notable Future Masters Alumni Stewart Cink • Ben Curtis David Duval • Lucas Glover Charles Howell III • Trevor Immelman Hunter Mahan • Larry Mize Heath Slocum • Brandt Snedeker Vaughn Taylor • David Toms Bubba Watson • Boo Weekley

The 2012 Future Masters Tournament will be held June 23 – 30 at the Dothan Country Club. For more information visit www.futuremastersgolf.com Alabama Living

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5/17/12 3:45 PM

Our Sources Say

Footprints What will we be remembered for and how long will we be remembered? It is really up to us.

Gary Smith is President and CEO of PowerSouth Energy Cooperative

36 JUNE 2012

As a sophomore in college, I contracted what my doctor called glandular fever. I lost weight and ended up weighing about 125 pounds before I finally leveled off. For a number of years afterward, I had trouble gaining weight, regardless of what I ate. I would eat two double cheeseburgers, chips and candy bars at the Smoke House Pool Room in downtown Florence. I would eat two Whoppers and fries at Burger King. Yet, I still had trouble gaining weight and graduated college weighing only about 160 pounds.

But that is no longer the case. My metabolism has changed. A couple of months ago I was over 200 pounds.

After a number of lectures from my doctor, I finally decided to find an exercise program. I now walk about two and half miles every morning, and I have lost about 12 pounds.

Weekdays, I walk around my neighborhood. We spend many weekends at Perdido Key, where I walk on the beach. My dog, Gus Mayer (I am an experienced talker, and he is a fine listener), and I like the serenity and beauty of the beach.

I usually start walking to the east watching the sun rise above the horizon. Last week, there was a particularly beautiful sunrise. The sun appeared to be a half circle of fire sitting on the horizon. Sunbeams reached out of the sun and gave the long thin clouds a golden background, contrasted by a darker crimson front. Gus even wagged his tail when I told him about it.

The sky to the south and west was still dark blue, and the Gulf even a deeper blue in the distance. The water near the shore was already turning a transparent, emerald green and the water in front was like a golden mirror with the reflection of the sunrise.

The white foam of waves lapped around my feet before running back

into the Gulf. Seashells that had washed up during the night lay at the edge of the water line.

Remnants of earlier fun were also on the beach. Beer cans, water bottles and other forms of garbage were left where people enjoyed the beach.

There was also an assortment of kids’ sand buckets and shovels, broken beach chairs and umbrellas. It makes you wonder how people can have so little regard for the beauty of nature.

As I reached the halfway point, I turned away from the sun, now well above the horizon. My footprints marked my path down the beach. I saw the alignment of my feet and the length of my stride. However, the surf had started washing over my footprints, and in the distance my footprints were completely washed away. There was no evidence that I had walked down the beach.

As I walked back toward the condo, I thought it ironic how similar life is to a walk on the beach. Every life is unique – like a sunrise or a shellfish in the sea. As we approach the final turn in our lives – and regardless of our age, we are all approaching that turn – we often think about how long our lives will be remembered before our memories are washed away by time like footprints washed away by the surf. Do we think about what we can do for others, how can we help others, how we can contribute to society and how the world will be better for us being here?

Will our lives be remembered like a sunrise lighting the skies, starting the day, bringing beauty to a dark morning? Or will our lives be forgotten like the trash on the beach? What will we be remembered for and how long will we be remembered? It is really up to us. Are you ready for the challenge?

I hope you enjoy every sunrise and have a great month. A

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Alabama Living

JUNE 2012  37

Alabama Snapshots 2

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My boat

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Submit Your Images!

1. James Harrell in “Old Yeller” submitted by Kelli Williamson, Rehobeth 2. Luke White relaxing submitted by Greg and Ginger White, Cullman 3. Joshua Ward on “his boat” submitted by Don and Rhonda Fowler, Houston 38 JUNE 2012

4. “My pink boat” submitted by Phyllis Woodburn, Cedar Lake 5. On the Tombigbee River submitted by R. Brian McDonald, Sweet Water 6. “Dive Therapy” submitted by George Williams, Enterprise

august Theme: “My

dog”

Send color photos with a large self addressed stamped envelope to:

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Deadline for: June 30

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