WK&T Jan Feb 2013 Connection

The WK&T

Connection January/February 2013

P u b l i s h e d f o r t h e m e m b e r s o f We s t Ke n t u c k y & Te n n e s s e e Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s C o o p e r a t i v e

Gigabytes of Gospel

Area churches spread word with broadband

2013 Fiber Outlook Which areas will get fiber next? putting the Web to Work Job seekers go online for help

Industry News

Partnering in a time of change Rural telecommunications providers are working together to save money and bring enhanced products and services to their subscribers

By Stephen V. Smith, Editor

T

here is an old fable about a dying man who challenges each of his sons to break a bundle of sticks.

Only when the bundle is untied and the sticks are separated can the young men break them. The father knew his sons were facing a future of uncertainty and change, and he wanted them to understand they could accomplish so much more if they would work together.

Like those sons, the telecommunications industry is looking at a future of unknowns. Changes in government regulations are retooling the very mechanisms that determine how telecommunications companies make their money. And just like the lesson of the bundle of sticks, telcos are finding ways to increase their strength by joining forces with their fellow utilities.

The age of partnerships

“Partnerships are an absolutely essential tool for reducing costs that can’t be reduced any other way, if certain services are to be maintained,” says Fred Johnson, general manager of Farmers Telecommu-

2 | January/February 2013

nications Cooperative (Rainsville, Ala.).

Johnson serves on the Industry Committee of the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association (NTCA).

This group of telco leaders from across the country reviews developments and recommends policy affecting technological developments, industry structure and member needs in federal and state regulatory matters. Levoy Knowles is also a member of this committee.

“Our industry is going through monumental change,” says Knowles, former CEO of Ben Lomand Connect (McMinnville, Tenn.). “In the past, when we were launching a new service we did it all ourselves. We must get out of that mindset and work through partnerships with other companies in order to be efficient enough to launch new products and services.”

Jason Dandridge, CEO of Palmetto Rural Telephone Cooperative (Walterboro, S.C.), serves with Johnson and Knowles on the Industry Committee. “For better or for worse, the Federal Communications Commission has made up their mind and they’ve set an agenda to where they want

to see industry consolidation,” says Dandridge. “There are definitely some synergies we can take advantage of for small companies to partner and share resources to be more cost efficient.”

Partnership examples

Rod Ballard is a principal with Jackson Thornton, a certified public accounting and consulting firm based in Alabama. He oversees the firm’s telecommunications division. “Telcos are looking harder than ever at the concept of cost-sharing through joint ventures,” Ballard says. “Customer billing is one area where telcos are working together.

“We’re even seeing joint ventures between telecommunications companies and electric cooperatives,” he adds.

“FTC already shares video headend facilities with a number of other companies,” says Johnson. “Other industries, such as airlines, railroads and automotive, have experienced the same type of changes we are facing. Companies learned they could share certain costs with others in their industry and thereby provide a

better product at a more efficient price. We are just following that model.”

Another example of partnerships in the telco industry is Telecom Management Services (TMS), a group of centrally managed companies that includes WK&T Telecommunications (Mayfield, Ky.), Ben Lomand Connect and Ardmore Telephone Company (Ardmore, Ala. & Tenn.).

Knowles transitioned from his role at Ben Lomand Connect two years ago to that of chairman of the board for TMS. “We are leveraging the knowledge and expertise of employees across our companies,” explains Knowles, “to allow us to operate more efficiently, benefit our members and bring new products and services to our service area without adding a lot more staff at our different locations.”

Not only do the TMS companies share employees skilled in areas such as marketing, human resources and technology, but they are also leveraging their collective buying power to create partnerships with vendors to save money for each company.

A partnership tradition

The idea of partnering with other telcos is not a new one. For more than 20 years, five East Kentucky telcos have enjoyed the benefits of partnering through the East Kentucky Network (EKN).

“It was a very positive move,” says Allen Gillum of the formation of EKN. Gillum is the general manager of Mountain Rural Telephone Cooperative (West Liberty, Ky.), a partner in EKN. “For 22 years we’ve had the same five partners, and we each own 20 percent interest.”

Through EKN, the partners have built a fiber ring that connects all their service areas to provide greater reliability for their customers. The partnership also operates Appalachian Wireless, a regional wireless phone service provider.

Owning a wireless company is critical for these rural telcos, as consumer phone habits continue to shift. “It’s very important to the future of our company that we have a piece of that wireless pie,” says Keith Gabbard, general manager of partner company Peoples Rural Telephone Cooperative (McKee, Ky.). “Wireless

accounts for an increasingly substantial portion of our revenues.”

In South Carolina, Spirit Telecommunications is a long-time partnership between the state’s independent telcos. “It was originally set up to help us get better long distance rates,” says Dandridge, “but has morphed over time into a robust statewide fiber network that allows us to compete on a statewide level for state contracts, with schools or other state entities.”

Publishing partnership

The magazine you hold in your hand is the latest example of partnering in the industry. For the first time, telcos across the Southeast have come together to jointly publish a magazine that brings company and industry news to their subscribers.

“Like many other telcos, we have long seen the value of staying connected with our members through a print publication,” says FTC’s Johnson. “Through this regional partnership, we will end up with a better product at less cost for each participating company.”

Knowles of TMS agrees. “We can now communicate with our subscribers through a top-quality, professional publication that none of us had the time or resources to do alone,” he says. “This publication is a shining example of what we can accomplish by coming together as partners.”

Looking to the future

In a future where traditional revenue streams are being disrupted, partnerships will be “critical for the success — and maybe even the survival — of these companies,” says Leo Staurulakis, executive vice president of JSI. His telecommunications consulting company celebrated 50 years of service to the industry last year.

Staurulakis sees a future where an increasing number of rural telecommunications providers form partnerships to develop and market new products and services, as well as to operate more efficiently. “By combining operations and leveraging each other’s networks, back office systems and human resources,” he says, “we can reduce the cost of operations for everybody.” 

Lifeline Service When you need help paying for telephone service Is your annual household income at or below 135 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines for a household of its size? Do you or someone in your household participate in any of the following low-income government assistance programs? If so, you may qualify for Lifeline Service.

• Medicaid • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) • Supplemental Security Income (SSI) • Section 8 Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA) • Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) • National School Lunch Program’s Free Lunch Program To find out whether you qualify for Lifeline assistance, customers must fill out standard forms, available at your local telephone company’s office, as mandated by the Federal and/or State government. Your telephone company is not responsible for determining who qualifies for these programs or who receives assistance.

Customers must meet specific criteria in order to obtain assistance with their local telephone service, and qualifying is dependent upon government-established guidelines. To qualify for Lifeline credit, each customer must apply and provide proof that he/she, or a household member for whom he/she is financially responsible, participates in at least one of the programs listed above or that the customer meets the income-based requirements. Additional eligibility requirements may also apply. Customers must choose to apply the Lifeline discount to a landline or a wireless number, not both.

For more details about Lifeline Service and to apply for assistance, please contact your local telephone company.

January/February 2013 | 3

&

From the CEO

A new year of challenges As the calendar turns over and we recover from all the holiday gatherings (and all the food), the new year calls us to a time of reflection. What did we accomplish in 2012? What were the milestones? Where are we headed in the new year?

At WK&T, I’m pleased to report that we made significant progress in several areas. One of our more exciting projects is the magazine you are reading now. With so many changes taking place in our industry, and so many things happening at WK&T, we knew we needed to ramp up our efforts to keep you informed.

Through a regional partnership with other rural providers, we are enhancing your magazine with twice as many pages and even more great content.

In each issue, you will continue to see updates on our fiber project and information about our services. We will continue to shine a spotlight on local people and events. But you will also find helpful tips, industry news and interesting feature stories from across the Southeast in this publication. And in the true spirit of cooperatives, we are accomplishing this by working together with our sister companies across several states. Be sure to read Pages 2 and 3 to learn more about the increasing importance of such partnerships.

Looking ahead, we expect to reach a milestone in 2013. As you’ll read on the following page, we plan to complete all construction phases of our fiber project by the end of the year. The cutover phase will be an ongoing process, where we schedule appointments with members to install the equipment that will bring your fiber connection to life.

It seems like such a short time ago that we decided to aggressively pursue a broadband stimulus loan and grant. The countless hours of research and planning by your WK&T team paid off when we were awarded one of the largest loan/grant combinations of any telco in the country. Now, we are just months away from having more than 1,200 customers connected to our fiber network, and working toward getting everyone connected as we move forward with this project. Many major cities do not have the technology that you will have access to right here in West Kentucky and Tennessee.

I’m not exaggerating when I say this will change how we live. In this issue we continue our series of articles exploring how broadband is impacting various sectors of our society.

Through these articles I hope you are beginning to see just how important broadband is to the advancement of rural America — just as important, I believe, as the arrival of electricity was in the 1930s and 1940s.

With our fiber network in place, new markets will open up for local businesses. Our children will benefit from advanced learning opportunities. We can recruit companies who will bring jobs to our region — jobs that depend on access to a robust, high-capacity network. And our members will have the tools to connect with loved ones and participate in the new connected economy.

Thank you for your support of WK&T. You are an important part of our progress and the reason we work hard to bring advanced telecommunications to our service area. I’m looking forward to creating a great 2013 together.

Trevor Bonnstetter Chief Executive Officer 4 | January/February 2013

West Kentucky and Tennessee Telecommunications Cooperative is your cooperative serving West Kentucky and Northwest Tennessee across more than 15,000 access lines. The company is dedicated to using technology to keep its members connected through local and long-distance calling, high-speed Internet, digital television and beyond.

Board of Trustees Joe Thompson President Jerry Holloway Vice President Beverly Taylor Secretary/Treasurer Bob Barnett Jeff Davis Algene Goatley Tony Goodman Delbert Newsome Jerry Stephenson Ricky Littleton

Vol. 5, NO. 1 January/February 2013

WK&T The WK&T

Connection is published by West Kentucky and Tennessee Telecommunications Cooperative, © 2013. It is distributed without charge to all members of the cooperative.

Send address corrections to:

WK&T Telecommunications Cooperative P.O. Box 649 • 237 N 8th Street Mayfield, Kentucky 42066 Telephone: 877-954-8748 www.wktelecom.coop Produced for WK&T by: www.WordSouth.com On the Cover: Lucas Nance (left) and Brent Lee review slides for an upcoming worship service at Hazel Baptist Church.

2013 Fiber Outlook Based on our current schedule, 2013 is shaping up to be a huge year for our fiber project and a historic year in the life of our cooperative. By the end of this year, construction should be complete with fiber service active throughout the service area.

Crews are finishing their work in many parts of the service area, and beginning work in others. Early this year, crews will move into Hardin, Kirksey, Cypress and Lynn Grove. By summer they should be building the network in New Concord and Fairdealing.

The progress our crews have made is outstanding and we look forward to bringing the benefits of a fiber connection to all of our members.

Fiber connection schedule

Below are the months WK&T crews are expected to finish construction and begin connecting members to the new fiber network. This schedule is tentative and may change without notice.

Already Complete Fancy Farm Farmington Cunningham

January Puryear Yorkville Trimble Wingo Sedalia Brazil

February Mason Hall Lowes Cypress Lynnville (second half )

Don’t miss local church services on WK&T’s Local Channel 1 Trace Creek Baptist Church: Sunday.................................................. 10 a.m.

Monday................................................. 11 a.m.

Thursday..................................................7 p.m.

Hazel Baptist Church: Sunday.....................................................9 p.m.

Monday................................................. 12 p.m.

Wednesday.............................................9 p.m.

If you’re interested in airing your church service on Local Channel 1, contact Chris Adams at 270-856-1000 or by email at cadams.wk@wk.net. For more information, see the story on Page 6.

MasTec contractor Jerrod Hicks (right) guides fiber cables as Daniel Vaughan operates the plow in the Lowes community.

March Folsomdale Lynnville (first half ) Cottage Grove Kirksey

April Hardin West Plains Hazel

November New Concord Fairdealing

Basketball Broadcast Schedule Jan. 4 Graves Co. at Mayfield – Ch. 68

Feb. 4 Murray at Mayfield – Ch. 68

Jan. 5 South Fulton at Graves Co. – Ch. 51

Feb. 5 Calloway Co. at Carlisle Co. – Webcast

Jan. 8 St. Mary at Graves Co. – Ch. 51

Feb. 7 Fulton City at Mayfield – Ch. 68

Jan. 11 Marshall Co. at Graves Co. – Ch. 51 Fulton Co. at Carlisle Co. – Webcast

Feb. 8 Mayfield at Graves – Co. 51 Ballard Memorial at Carlisle Co. – Webcast

Jan. 15 Hopkinsville at Graves Co. – Ch. 51

Feb. 11 Graves Co. at Carlisle Co. – Webcast

Jan. 25 Ballard Memorial at Graves Co. – Ch. 51 Heath at Carlisle Co. – Webcast

Feb. 12 Marshall Co. at Mayfield – Ch. 68

Feb. 1 Fulton City at Carlisle Co. – Webcast WK&T Telecommunications Cooperative

July Lynn Grove

Feb. 15 Hickman Co. at Mayfield – Ch. 68 January/February 2013 | 5

Broadband Focus How to outsmart scammers The AARP Fraud Fighters have helped more than 600,000 seniors who have been victims of fraud, says Program Director Jean Mathisen.

These volunteers share fraud prevention techniques, such as: • Never share personal or financial information with anyone unless you initiate the contact. If someone calls claiming to be from your bank and asking for information such as account numbers, tell them you do not share such information over the phone. Then call your bank using the number on the back of your statement, not the number on Caller ID. • Don’t make a decision on the spot. “If told you have to decide now, say no thanks,” Mathisen says.

• Use a locking mailbox or take your outgoing mail to the post office. “Often, crooks pop open curbside mailboxes and remove outgoing mail that contains checks or applications with tons of personal information,” Mathisen says. “You wouldn’t want that to get into the wrong hands.”

• Do not carry your original Medicare card in your wallet.

Mathisen advises making a copy of your Medicare card and crossing the number off of the copy but leaving the letter at the end of the number. Carry the copy with you and leave the original in a safe place at home. If you are going to the doctor and you need to take your Medicare card, then retrieve the original just for that day.

6 | January/February 2013

Avoid being a victim of phone and Internet scams

By Nancy Mann Jackson

D

uring the past few months, FBI offices have received numerous calls from citizens who have been affected by the Reveton ransomware scam, says Supervisory Special Agent Marshall Stone. The scam is activated when a computer user visits a compromised website. Once the virus is installed, the user’s computer locks up and displays a warning that the FBI or Department of Justice has identified the computer as being involved in criminal activity. Users are instructed to pay a “fine” using a prepaid money card service in order to unlock the computer, and are threatened with criminal prosecution if they fail to make the payment.

“This is a scam to extort money,” Stone says. “This is not the way the FBI works.

Fines resulting from criminal activity are assessed and processed by the court system. The FBI will never demand payment to unlock a computer.”

However, a number of citizens across

“Seniors are targeted because that is where the money is, not because we are less smart or competent,” says Jean Mathisen, program director for the AARP Fraud Fighter Call Center.

the country have fallen for this scam and lost money in the process. In many cases, those victims are senior citizens.

Targeting seniors

While telephone scammers have long targeted older Americans, Internet fraud has also become a danger. “As Internet use among senior citizens increases, so does their chance of falling victim to online fraud,” Stone says. According to the FBI website, Internet fraud includes non-delivery of items ordered online and credit and debit card scams.

“Seniors are targeted because that is where the money is, not because we are less smart or competent,” says Jean Mathisen, program director for the AARP Fraud Fighter Call Center, which provides one-on-one consumer education, victim advocacy and assistance for the financial exploitation of older people. “In addition to having maybe a retirement nest egg, seniors are also more likely to be home, to answer the phone and to be polite. Many

times I hear, ‘I finally gave him the information he or she wanted because I couldn’t get them off the phone.’”

In addition to Internet scams such as the Reveton ransomware, Mathisen and her team see a number of other types of fraud such as investment fraud; in-home service fraud; lotteries and sweepstakes; workat-home; “official” business such as IRS, bank or Medicare needing money or information about the victim’s accounts; and “grandparent scams,” whereby the victim is notified that a grandson or other relative has been involved in an accident or arrest, had luggage stolen or something similar, and the victim is being asked to wire cash to save the relative in distress.

Resisting fraud

The FBI says there are several warning signs of telemarketing or Internet fraud.

To avoid becoming a victim, be wary of phrases such as: • “You must act now, or the offer won’t be good.”

• “You’ve won a free gift, vacation or prize.” But you have to pay for “postage and handling” or other charges.

• “You must send money, give a credit card number or send a check by courier.” You may hear this before you’ve had time to carefully consider the offer.

• “You don’t need to check out the company with anyone.” The callers say you do not need to speak to anyone, including your family, lawyer, accountant, local Better Business Bureau or consumer protection agency.

• “You don’t need any written information about the company or its references.”

• “You can’t afford to miss this highprofit, no-risk offer.”

If you or a loved one becomes the victim of a scam, it is important to report the crime. “Often, older people are reluctant to let anyone know,” Mathisen says. “We fear loss of independence, embarrassment, loss of trust and that the family will turn against us. These fears sometimes happen. But it is important to find someone you trust so that you can recover emotionally, if not financially.”

For help, call the Senior Information & Assistance program in your area. Seniors and their family members can also call the Fraud Fighter Call Center at 1-800-6462283 for consumer education and victim advocacy.

Click to learn more... www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/fraud/seniors

Broadband: Changing the way our world works

Rural telecommunications companies across the Southeast are upgrading their networks to provide faster, more reliable connections to their subscribers. This is creating amazing opportunities for rural communities, changing the way people work and live. Consider these real-life examples: • A single mother in East Tennessee with limited travel capabilities is taking distance learning classes over broadband at a local campus extension.

• A fire department in West Kentucky saves travel time and money by connecting with training videos over broadband.

• Students in North Alabama have access to remote psychiatric services thanks to a broadband connection to a major university.

• An East Tennessee woman has regular video conversations, over her broadband connection, with a daughter who is stationed in Japan.

• The owner of a small tire store in South Carolina remains competitive by connecting to his suppliers over broadband.

• A healthcare clinic in a small East Kentucky community uses electronic medical records accessed over broadband to deliver better patient care.

• Owners of small shops, restaurants and tourist attractions use their broadband connections to attract customers.

• Public safety agencies, including law enforcement and 911 centers, use broadband to achieve faster response times.

• Economic developers across the region use the availability of broadband to help attract new jobs to rural communities.

January/February 2013 | 7

Putting broadband to work

Connection offers tools for job seekers

T

he bad news is there are still a lot of people in West Kentucky and Tennessee out of work. The good news is there aren’t as many as there used to be.

“It’s getting better,” says Jon Pendergrass, operations administrator at the Graves County Career Center. “You’re seeing unemployment rates going down.”

But for those still looking for work, the Internet is there to help.

“You have so much there at your fingertips,” Pendergrass says.

One such job seeker, Lisa Valles, visited the career center last fall to look for work after recently moving to Mayfield from California. Almost every job she has looked at asks her to complete an online application or submit a digital résumé. “It’s very rare that you find a place where you have to actually go into the store to apply,” she says. “This way you can send stuff to multiple places instead of driving all over, wasting gas.”

Pendergrass says he’s heard the same thing from many visitors to the center. “It’s hard for them to come in sometimes,” he says.

“Having the programs available on the Internet is an awesome tool for them.”

Employment Office

Pendergrass says the degree to which the job search and hiring processes have moved online would have been difficult to imagine only a few years ago. Employers post job listings on the Web, want applications filled out online and request digital résumés. In some areas, companies are even interviewing people over video chat. “Most everything we do is on the Internet,” Pendergrass says.

At the career center, staff members use an online database and filters to match applicants with potential employers. “They have millions of different scenarios programmed in,” Pendergrass says.

But most importantly, Pendergrass adds, the career center helps job seekers put their best foot forward — in person and online. At the career center’s website (www.oet.ky.gov/des/office/mayfield/ mayfield.asp) they provide free résumé creation tools. “Employers are going to have a ‘No’ pile and a ‘Maybe’ pile,” he explains.

“Your job is to get in the maybe pile. A résumé can lose you a job if it’s not done right.”

Janet Slayden says online resources, combined with adult education programs like the one at the Skilled Craft Training Center in Hickory, can help people qualify for better jobs.

8 | January/February 2013

WK&T Telecommunications Cooperative

Soon, one of the tests itself will move online. Currently, the state’s GED exam is administered as a paper test. But beginning in 2014, the test will move to a web-based platform.

Economic boost

At the end of the day, Pendergrass says, even the best résumé and credentials can’t create a job opening if there isn’t one. The biggest help to job seekers is growing the region’s economy, he explains.

And broadband is a key part of getting that economy growing.

“If you don’t have the availability of high-speed Internet, your chances of bringing in an employer are diminished,” Pendergrass says. “If you don’t have the infrastructure in place, an employer might not even look at you.”

WK&T CEO Trevor Bonnstetter says a high-speed network, including the new fiber connections being installed throughout the region, are helping the area’s economic situation on a couple of levels. “On the big scale, local and state officials are able to sell industrial site selectors on locations like the West Kentucky Megasite in part due to our broadband network,” he says. “On an individual basis, our network helps our members attain the education they need and research potential employers so they can be ready when those jobs become available.” 

Tips for online job seekers Jon Pendergrass browses websites that are helpful for job seekers at the Mayfield Career Center.

Back to school with broadband

For those who decide they need to learn a few more skills or add another certification to their résumé, a high-speed Internet connection can lend a hand.

Janet Slayden, adult education program manager for West Kentucky Community and Technical College at the Skilled Craft Training Center in Hickory, says job seekers who want to obtain their GED or a National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) can find plenty of online resources to study for the tests.

Pendergrass says that the NCRC certificate in particular is becoming very popular with employers. “It shows more what people can do, versus what level of education they have achieved,” he says.

For the GED, Slayden recommends an online program called ITTS, which is free to people who have taken the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) exam at an adult learning facility. For those seeking the NCRC, online skill review assessments called WIN tests are the first steps.

Both ITTS and WIN are Internet-based, so Slayden recommends broadband access for both. “The curriculum is more interactive so the speeds need to be fast,” she says. “You have to have high-speed service to handle all of that.”

WK&T Telecommunications Cooperative

• The Internet provides a wealth of information about most companies. Research the business where you are applying, especially before an interview.

• Make it easy for employers to open your résumé. PDF files open easily on most any computer. Different software on the employer’s machine could garble your document if it is saved in a different format.

• Employers appreciate promptness. After you send an application, check your email multiple times each day to see if the company has responded.

• Your email address could be one of your first impressions with the employer. A simple, professional email address with your name gives a better impression than an address with a nickname or slang terms.

• Your voicemail message also gives off an impression. Informal messages with music or jokes might be funny for friends, but that’s not what an employer wants to hear.

• Employers check social media. Don’t post anything on your accounts that you wouldn’t want your next boss to see. This includes photos, rough language and outspoken opinions.

• Stay in touch. Follow up an application with an email a few days later, to show your interest in a job.

• Proof your emails before you hit send. Make sure you spelled the titles and names of any people or businesses correctly.

Read your message for grammar mistakes. Poor spelling or grammar will likely give a prospective employer a negative opinion of you.

January/February 2013 | 9

Photo courtesy Ryman Auditorium Archives

A circle unbroken

Museums across the South trace the region’s musical roots, celebrate the larger-than-life personalities who make the songs come alive and educate legions of new fans.

By Cassandra M. Vanhooser

L

egendary entertainer Conway Twitty may have said it best: “Country music takes a page out of somebody’s life and puts it to music.”

Twitty’s words are etched in stone outside the entrance to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in downtown Nashville, Tenn., and they sum up the enduring popularity of the South’s favorite music. Simply put, we can relate to it. It’s real music about real people, and there’s no better place to learn about country music than Music City U.S.A.

Gone Country

The sparkling Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum stands as a monument to Southern songs and traditions. Multimedia exhibits take visitors on a journey through the development of this uniquely American art form, from its roots as folk music from the British Isles through its various incarnations to the mainstream country pop enjoyed today. The story is masterfully told with photographs, original recordings and video clips.

In addition to two floors of exhibit space, visitors can also peek behind the scenes into the museum’s archives thanks to the glass walls that encompass the staff’s workspace. Artifacts currently on display range from Carl Perkins’ blue suede shoes to Webb Pierce’s 1962 “Silver Dollar” Pontiac Bonneville convertible.

Even the building’s architecture helps tell country music’s story. From afar, the windows in the front of the museum resemble the ebony and ivory of piano keys. The swooping arch of the building’s roofline speaks of a ’50s Cadillac fin, while the tower atop the rotunda mirrors the WSM tower that still sits just south of town.

The Mother Church of Country Music

The Ryman Auditorium, just a couple of blocks north on Fifth Avenue, is more of a religious experience. “This building is 10 | January/February 2013

Visitors enjoy the Grand Ole Opry display at the Ryman, where they can see stage clothes worn by stars such as David “Stringbean” Akeman, Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton. alive,” says museum curator Brenda Colladay. “There is a great vibe to this place. There is no other place like the Ryman.”

The soaring stained-glass windows and worn oak pews speak to the building’s past as a church. Visitors can take a leisurely self-guided tour of the many exhibits, or splurge on a guided backstage tour. There’s even an opportunity to have professional photos made center stage or make a record in the Ryman studio.

In many ways, the Ryman’s history parallels the story of country music itself. In the 1940s, fans stood in lines that stretched for blocks to get a seat, but by 1974, when the Grand Ole Opry moved to the new Opry House at Opryland, the Ryman was slated for demolition. It survived — barely. The old auditorium was allowed to fall into disrepair, until a crop of young artists embraced their country roots and traditions and lobbied for the Ryman’s renovation and rebirth.

Today performers young and old yearn to take the stage at the Ryman, and they come from every musical genre — just as they always have. “Everybody loves to play here,” Colladay says, “and it’s a great place to see a performance because it means so much to the people on stage.”

Where the Bluegrass Grows

The International Museum of Bluegrass in Owensboro, Ky., pays tribute to the “hillbilly music” of Appalachia, that high lonesome sound developed by the state’s own Bill Monroe and now played around the world. A large portion of the first floor is dedicated to telling Monroe’s story, from his birth in Rosine to his recognition as the Father of Bluegrass. Visitors can also access documentaries from the Video Oral History Project, an ongoing effort to record first- and second-generation bluegrass musicians.

In addition to preserving the history of bluegrass, the museum

Dixieland Delights

Together Randy Owen, Teddy Gentry and Jeff Cook are known as Alabama, one of the most successful bands in music history. Since signing with RCA Records in 1980, the group has sold more than 73 million records. They’ve had 43 singles hit No. 1 on the music charts, and 17 albums are Platinum sellers. Eight times they’ve been country music’s “Entertainer of the Year,” and they claim a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame.

Though the band gave its farewell tour in 2003 and 2004, admirers still visit their fan club and museum in Fort Payne, Ala. The museum itself is a modest collection of memorabilia, awards and hit records, as well as a souvenir and gift shop.

Tiny Muscle Shoals in the northwest corner of the state has been a hotbed of music since the ’60s. A number of country,

rock and R&B performers have retreated to small-town Alabama to write and record their best. FAME Studios and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio are both still in operation and allow tours by appointment.

The Alabama Music Hall of Fame, located in nearby Tuscumbia, offers a glimpse into the lives of artists such as Lionel Richie, Hank Williams, Emmylou Harris, Gold City and Martha Reeves.

A favorite exhibit among visitors is Jim Nabors’ Gomer Pyle costume.

Country on the Beach

If not for Myrtle Beach, the group Ala-

bama might still be laboring in obscurity.

The boys got their start playing for tips in the honkytonks here. Still, Calvin Gilmore was the one to open the area’s first music theater in 1986. Today, the Missouri-born musician and a bevy of talented performers entertain more than 300,000 visitors each year at the 2,200-seat Carolina Opry.

Alabama and Dolly Parton now have theaters on the Grand Strand, too.

“I thought when I came out here that it would work,” Calvin says. “I bet everything I owned on it, but even in my wildest dreams I could not have imagined the success we’ve had.”  Photo courtesy International Bluegrass Music Museum

is dedicated to educating and training a new generation of fans and musicians to carry on the legacy. Audiences around the world can tune in to Radio Bluegrass International, an online radio station that broadcasts round the clock. The museum offers a Saturday Lessons program that outfits students with instruments and reasonably priced instruction. The museum even sponsors a Bluegrass in the Schools program that takes instructions and information to students around the state.

The tiny community of Renfro Valley claims the title “Kentucky Country Music Capital.” This vast entertainment complex is home to the country’s third longest running radio show, Renfro Valley Gatherin’, broadcast every Sunday morning since 1943. The Renfro Valley Barn Dance, a live stage show, is performed on Saturday nights, and other headline acts take the stage throughout the year.

The Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and Museum, also at Renfro Valley, features an Instrument Room, a fully functional recording booth and a blue-screen studio, where visitors can perform with their favorite Kentucky music stars. Honorees range from Rosemary Clooney and Loretta Lynn to the Kentucky HeadHunters and Christian artist Steven Curtis Chapman.

The International Bluegrass Music Museum takes visitors on a historical tour of this uniquely American art form.

Click or Call for more info...

Alabama

Tennessee

Alabama Music Hall of Fame www.alamhof.org 800-239-2643

Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum www.countrymusichalloffame.com 615-416-2001

The Alabama Fan Club & Museum www.thealabamaband.com 256-845-1646

Ryman Auditorium www.ryman.com 615-889-3060

Kentucky

South Carolina

International Bluegrass Music Museum www.bluegrass-museum.org 888-692-2656

Alabama Theatre www.alabama-theatre.com 800-342-2262

Kentucky Music Hall of Fame & Museum www.kentuckymusicmuseum.com 877-356-3263

Carolina Opry Theater www.thecarolinaopry.com 800-843-6779 January/February 2013 | 11

High-tech Hallelujahs Local churches use broadband to reach people

W

hen a member of Trace Creek Baptist Church is sick or injured, ministers used to add that information to the church bulletin so other members would know on Sunday.

But now, that message gets out much faster.

“Facebook has turned into the best way to get things out there,” says Al Chandler, Trace Creek’s minister of children.

Churches big and small around the region are finding ways to use the Internet to communicate with their congregations and reach new people.

“The Great Commission says to get out the gospel to the whole world in as many ways as possible,” says Brent Lee, pastor of Hazel Baptist Church. “That’s exactly what the Internet does, and more churches should take advantage of it.”

And the ideas don’t stop with prayer requests: Congregations across West Kentucky and Tennessee are using their own creativity and WK&T’s broadband network to find new ways to use technology.

Small church, big impact

At Hazel Baptist, Lee says broadband makes it easier for him to reach members of his congregation during the week rather than just on Sundays. He makes a point every morning to post a short scripture message

Al Chandler manipulates the screens in the Trace Creek Baptist Church auditorium prior to a Wednesday night service.

12 | January/February 2013

WK&T Telecommunications Cooperative

on Facebook. “A lot of members will use that as their daily devotion,” he says. “It’s a way to get that daily encouragement out there. Even when you’re not coming into the church house, you’re still getting that encouragement.”

Both Hazel and the Hardin Church of Christ post sermons online so members who miss a service or who move away can download and listen at their convenience.

“They’re able to hear the sermons and some of the Bible classes while they’re away,” says David Smith, an elder at Hardin. The sermon files can be streamed on computers or downloaded to MP3 players for listening on the go.

At Hazel, Lee posts videos of baptisms online. “Family members can just get on there and see their grandson or their niece,” he says. “There’s just no way you could upload that much information without broadband. It wouldn’t be feasible.”

Next summer, Lee plans to do live video chats with the congregation from the church’s deployed mission teams. “People in the sanctuary would have the ability to see us and talk to us even though we are 1,000 miles away,” Lee says.

Both Lee and Smith agree that finding tech-savvy volunteers to help with online offerings is the biggest challenge for churches — especially small ones. “The biggest hurdle was finding people to set it up,” Smith says of Hardin, which averages about 125 people in attendance on Sundays.

He credits former pastor Daniel Howell for getting the ball rolling, and a small group of volunteers for keeping it going.

“I think many of our folks have benefited from the technology,” Smith says.

At Hazel, Youth Pastor Lucas Nance helps Lee oversee the church’s technology.

“It’s time-consuming, but it’s worth it,” Nance says. “A lot of it comes down to a desire to get the gospel out.”

Lee says that despite the extra effort required, more churches need to get on board. “I think the Church is way behind,” he says. “They’re missing a golden opportunity. There are untold possibilities, whether you use the television or the Internet.”

WK&T Telecommunications Cooperative

Brent Lee (left) and Lucas Nance check audio files of sermons at Hazel Baptist Church.

Reaching further

Trace Creek, which averages between 1,200 and 1,400 worshipers on Sunday morning, offers Wi-Fi around its campus, and Chandler says its not unusual to see several worshipers reading scripture from iPads and other tablets. Each week, members get an email of the congregation’s prayer requests along with a threeminute video clip of church news. Sunday school classes have Facebook groups and everyone has access to the church’s online calendar.

In 2012, Trace Creek participated in a simulcast discussion with the cast of “Courageous,” a faith-based film about police officers working through tough times on the job and at home. Through their broadband connections, Trace Creek members, along with those at several other churches, were able to discuss the film’s themes and lessons with the cast and crew in real-time on a video in the sanctuary.

“Anything we do, we do for the Lord” Chandler says. “We want to get His message out.”

Much of their efforts are to reach people outside the church through social media, podcasts of sermons and broadcasts of their services on WK&T’s Local Channel One. “The mission of our church is to get out the good news,” Chandler says.

David Choate prepares slides for a worship service at Trace Creek.

“We’re broadcasting the gospel and the love of Christ.”

On the business side of the church, staff members are able to access files remotely if they are working out of the office. They can also monitor the security system from any computer. “Having that high-speed connection certainly helps,” Chandler says.

WK&T CEO Trevor Bonnstetter says it’s encouraging to see such forward-thinking, innovative work from church leaders in the area. “Churches are major cornerstones of the communities we serve,” he says. “Our network is helping them stay connected and fulfill their mission. That’s another way that our technology can serve our members, however they choose to worship.”  January/February 2013 | 13

Photos by Nathan Morgan Photography

Southern Kitchens Grits have gone gourmet Grits are as true to the South as sweet tea in summertime.

They’re a patch on our culinary quilt. And in these parts, you’ll find the once-thought-of lowly grain in the fanciest of restaurants.

I remember my first taste of grits. “No bigger than a junebug” my granddaddy would say about me, as he carried me into our neighborhood diner and put me down on a big round stool. Then he would belly up to the counter and order a platter of pancakes and a big bowl of grits for us to share.

Back then, the grits were pretty watery. Nothing that a little butter or gravy couldn’t cure, but for the life of me I really don’t know why I liked them. Then something happened in my adult years. Grits went gourmet, and now they’re showing up on the fanciest of menus.

So get your grits going and enjoy them however you want.

They’re back in vogue. But really, they never left.

Email your recipe and story ideas to Anne Braly at apbraly@gmail.com.

Anne P. Braly Food Editor

14 | January/February 2013

 The Chow 45 roadside sign welcomes visitors. Chef Mark Madrey has put Mayfield, Ky., on the culinary map with Chow 45.

Chow down on grits

W

ith the twist of a spoon or the flip of a spatula, Mark Madrey turns simple grains into culinary creations that smack with a complexity of flavors that only grits can bring.

Madrey, chef and owner of Chow 45 in Mayfield, Ky., relishes the glory of grits — particularly their versatility.

“You can do just about anything with them,” he says. “You just need to be adventurous. Get them off the breakfast table and eat them for lunch and dinner, too.”

Chow 45 keeps grits on the menu with one steadfast, signature item: Cheesy Grit Cakes (crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside). Other grit specials range from lowcountry shrimp and grits — one of Madry’s favorite dishes to make — to gritsstuffed portobellos.

Chow 45 opened in an 80-year-old building in May 2010. It’s small, with just 16 tables, but that’s all Madrey wanted after retiring from a lifetime of managing restaurants and moving home to open his own place. During his career, he’s worked with numerous trained chefs and learned from them. “They were all very creative people who were not afraid to think outside the box,” he says. “That’s the whole key. I

like to mix flavors that don’t traditionally go together.”

And that’s where grits come into play, enticing customers who might not have liked grits in the past.

“I have never been a huge fan of grits,” admits Erin Carrico, executive director of the Murray County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Now she eats at Chow 45 a couple of times a month.

“What grabbed me the first time were the shrimp alongside the grits,” she says. “So when my plate arrived, I took the chance and tasted the grits. Bam! I had never tasted grits with such awesome flavor.”

“I’m particular about every dish,” Madrey says. “I want every dish that goes out of the kitchen to be special.”

He keeps his recipes a closely guarded secret, but was willing to share one of his favorites. “Our grits-stuffed portobellos are really simple, but they’re excellent,” he says. 

If you go...

here: Chow 45, 1102 Highway 45 N. W Phone: 270-247-4545 Hours: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Mon. 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Tues. – Sat.

Grits: New twist on a Southern tradition 4-5 large portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 medium onion, finely chopped 2 cups chicken broth Black pepper, to taste 1/2 teaspoon dried sage 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary 1/2 cup grits 1/3 cup English peas (You may substitute another type of pea or corn.)

3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley Swiss or cheddar cheese, shredded Parmesan cheese Sauté onions in olive oil and butter until they begin to brown; add the chicken stock, pepper, sage and rosemary; bring to a boil. Gradually add grits, stirring constantly. Turn heat down, cover and cook for 15 – 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add peas during last five minutes of cooking.

Remove mixture from heat and stir in the parsley.

Lightly brush mushrooms with butter or olive oil. Stuff each mushroom with the grits mixture, then top with cheddar or Swiss cheese and sprinkle with grated Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes. Serve as an appetizer or as an accompaniment to grilled chicken or shrimp.

Source: Mark Madrey, Chow 45

Grits-stuffed portobellos make a great appetizer or side dish.

Grits and Greens 1 pound young collard greens, beet greens, chard or kale 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt Good-quality cider vinegar or red wine vinegar 1 recipe hot stone ground grits

Remove tough stems, wash greens and drain in a colander. Heat the olive oil and butter in a heavy-bottomed 3- or 4-quart saucepan over low heat until butter melts.

Add garlic and cook slowly, stirring constantly, until golden brown — about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer garlic to a small dish; set aside. Increase heat to medium-high. Add greens to the pan and cook, tossing frequently with tongs, just until the leaves wilt, about 2 minutes for collards, beet greens, chard or spinach, and about 3 minutes for kale.

Stir in red pepper flakes and salt, return the garlic slices to the pan and toss well. Season

Grits are a simple dish, but it’s important they be made correctly. Mark Madrey prefers using stone-ground grits from Anson Mills in South Carolina or Falls Mill in Tennessee. Stone-ground grits have more flavor and texture, he says.

Also: Use half-and-half instead of water for a creamy, rich texture. Use more liquid than the recipe calls for. Again, this will make them creamier.

Do not overcook your grits.

Photo by Nathan Morgan Photography

Grits-Stuffed Portobellos

to taste with vinegar. To serve, spoon hot grits into a warmed serving bowl or plate and surround with greens. Drizzle with olive oil, if desired, and potlikker. Serve immediately.

Source: Anson Mills 15

& West Kentucky and Tennessee Telecommunications Cooperative 237 N. 8th Street Mayfield, KY 42066

Security isn’t about panels and buttons and sensors.

It’s about giving your family sweet dreams.

Premium Security Kit FREE installation

with 3-year service agreement

only

$

149

Already have a security system?

Switch to WK&T Security and receive 3 months FREE monitoring (3-year service agreement required)

We also offer...

Medical Alert and Small Business Security Services

Contact WK&T Security for a free, no obligation consultation.

SECURITY 877-954-8748 License #1547

877-954-8748 | www.wktelecom.coop