During the annual Winter Festival at Cross Ranch State Park, visitors can cross-country ski, snowshoe, take a horse-drawn sleigh ride and attend a birding program. Served by Roughrider Electric Cooperative, the Cross Ranch State Park is open year-round. In this month’s North Dakota Living local pages, learn more about the many winter activities the park has to offer.
MARCH 2013
North Central Electric Cooperative • Bottineau, N.D.
MARCH 2013
NORTHERN LIGHTS December 2010
Small rate increase scheduled for july
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esidential electric rates Tim Fedje, left, and Bill Hoffman, lineworkers for the from North Central Electric cooperative, attach hardware to a pole before placing it. You can expect quality service from your cooperative to continue, Cooperative will increase in spite of a small rate increase this year. $3 a month when the cooperative implements a rate increase with the July electric billing. The board of directors approved the small rate increase, which will increase the monthly grid access fee from $31 to $34, but will leave actual energy rates unchanged. Three-phase services will see a $7 a month increase, from $74 to $81. Oil pumping services will increase from $124 a month to $143 a month. The rate increase amounts to a 2.36 percent average increase for the cooperative. A member using 1,000 kilowatthours in a month will see his or her electric bill increase from $106 to $109. “Wholesale power costs to the cooperative have increased more than 20 percent from 2011 to 2013,” explains Wayne Martian, general manager of the cooperative. Up Fortunately, the cooperative has been C2 Operation Round help able to absorb much of the increase. to C4 New technology bill Martian says wholesale power costs are forecast to stabilize, which C5 Lower your electric his is good news for the cooperative and C6 Michel shares its members. Basin Electric Power music Cooperative, the cooperative’s primary power supplier, anticipates stable to a minimum. This growth, if it wholesale rates from 2014-2016. continues, will help the cooperative Energy rates, which for residential keep rates stable in the near future. users are 7.5 cents a kilowatt-hour, “We have some of the lowest electric at several different rate options and remain unchanged. rates in the country,” Martian claims. decided this option was the most “We’re doing all we can to keep The cooperative has worked hard equitable,” Martian says. electric rates stable,” Martian says. The through the years to keep electric rates If you have questions about the cooperative’s growth, primarily in oil908 4th Ave. NE - Watford City, ND; Outpost - Killdeer, ND; 701-444-9288related - 800-584-9239 - www.mckenzieelectric.comlow while providing quality electric electric rate increase, please call the energy sales, has enabled the service. cooperative at 701-228-2202 cooperative to keep the rate increase “The board of directors looked or 800-247-1197.
NORTH DAKOTA March 2013 Volume 59, No. 9
INSIDE
MARCH 2013 IN THIS ISSUE • Winter fun at Cross Ranch • Cherney retires • Steier earns journeyman status • Report from board of directors
www.roughriderelectric.com
Thank you to all who volunteer to keep us safe
NORTH CENTRAL ELECTRIC NEWS , MARCH 2013 C1
www.nceci.com
LIVIng
Jesse Hanson, North Dakota Parks and Recreation, provided horse-drawn sleigh rides for people attending the Cross Ranch annual Winter Festival.
YOUR LOCAL COOPERATIVE NEWS
ROUGHRIDER ELECTRIC NEWS , MARCH 2013 C1
THE FIREFIGHTER’S PRAYER
www.mckenzieelectric.com
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McKENZIE ELECTRIC
When I’m called to duty, God, wherever flames may rage, give me strength to save a life, whatever be its age. Help me to embrace a little child, before it is too late or save an older person from the horror of that fate. Enable me to be alert, to hear the weakest shout, and quickly and efficiently to put the fire out. I want to fill my calling and to give the best in me, to guard my neighbor and protect his property. And if according to your will, I have to lose my life, bless with your protecting hand my children and my wife.
McKENZIE ELECTRIC NEWS , MARCH 2013 C1
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FEATURES 4
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Center 8-page section, following page 18 (most editions) Editorial by Dennis Hill Everyone benefits by passing a farm bill
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Prepare for late-season storms Tips from your electric cooperative.
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Growth drives University of Mary remodel U-Mary adds space, energy efficiency to campus.
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Marketplace Foods uses Verendrye’s online charting With tips from their electric co-op, Marketplace Foods improves its energy-efficiency, bottom line.
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Building future leaders through 4-H, FFA Ingrained in rural communities for years, 4-H, FFA develop youth into community, career and family minded leaders.
FAVORITES
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News Connections Medal of Honor winner receives N.D. flag
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NORTH DAKOTA LIVIng Educates members of electric cooperatives in North Dakota Publishes articles of interest to co-op members and all North Dakotans Presents local co-op news in center pages (most editions) Features articles for telecommunications cooperative members
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Your Touchstone Energy Cooperative
www.ndarec.com
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Your Touchstone Energy Cooperative Your Touchstone Energy Cooperative www.twitter.com/ndarec Your Touchstone Energy Cooperative Your Touchstone Energy Cooperative www.youtube.com/ndarec Supported by
Discovering Dakota by Curt Eriksmoen Brynhild Haugland and half-century of service
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Reader Reply “The NOOK®, Kindle® and iPad® have surged in popularity. What do you have, what do you use it for, and why do you like it?”
26 Touchstone Energy Cooperative North DakotaYour Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives
Country Line NDATC, member co-ops achieving progress on legislation
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Legislative Update NDAREC sees favorable progress on several bills of interest
Teen-2-Teen The secret diary of an energy hoarder
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Calendar of Events Recipe Roundup Turn a memory book into a cookbook
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Farm Byline by Al Gustin Develop vision, mission for your farm
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Marketplace Forum Advertisers’ Index Co-op Country Gentle giants
ON THE COVER North Dakota Association of Telecommunications Cooperatives
www.ndatc.com
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The University of Mary’s main campus, in south Bismarck, is attracting more students and adding energy-efficient facilities in response. The main campus of U-Mary is served by Capital Electric Cooperative. Photo by Jerry Anderson, U-Mary. NORTH DAKOTA LIVING MARCH 2013 1