October 2023 MidWest Energy

October 2023

MICHIGAN

COUNTRY LINES Midwest Energy & Communications

SMALL-TOWN INNOVATION AT GLEN OAKS COMMUNITY COLLEGE Eliminate Vampire Loads

Why Do Kids Like Creepy Content Online?

Streamline Your Passwords

WATERFURNACE UNITS QUALIFY FOR A 30% FEDERAL TAX CREDIT

and it isn’t just corn.

You may not realize it, but your home is sitting on a free and renewable supply of energy. A WaterFurnace geothermal comfort system taps into the stored solar energy in your own backyard to provide savings of up to 70% on heating, cooling and hot water. That’s money in the bank and a smart investment in your family’s comfort. Contact your local WaterFurnace dealer today to learn how to tap into your buried treasure.

YOUR LOCAL WATERFURNACE DEALERS

CO-OP REBATE INCENTIVES

Allendale Allendale Htg & Clg (800) 327-1937 allendaleheating.com

Indian River M&M Plmb & Htg (231) 238-7201 mm-plumbing.com

Mt Pleasant Walton Htg & Clg (989) 772-4822 waltonheating.com

Bad Axe/Ubly Cutting Edge Htg & Clg (989) 551-0986

Lansing Candor Mechanical (517) 920-0890 candormechanical.com

Muskegon Adams Htg & Clg (231) 873-2665 adamsheatingcooling.co

Lowell Arctic Inc. Htg. & Clg. (616) 897-4213 heatingcoolingonline.com

Portland ESI Htg & Clg (517) 647-6906 esiheating.com

Mancelona Top Notch Htg, Clg, & Geothermal (231) 350-8052 Topnotchheatandair.com

Sunfield Mark Woodman Plmb & Htg (517) 886-1138 mwphonline.com

Michigan Center Comfort 1/Air Serv of Southern Michigan (517) 764-1500 airserv.com/southernmichigan/

Traverse City D&W Mechanical (231) 941-1251 dwmechanical.com

Berrien Springs Waterfurnace Michiana (269) 473-5667 gogreenmichgeo thermal.com Big Rapids Stratz Htg & Clg, Inc. (231) 796-3717 stratzgeocomfort.com Clifford Orton Refrig & Htg (989) 761-7691 sanduskygeothermal.com Hart Adams Htg & Clg (231) 873-2665 adamsheating cooling.com

Cloverland: up to $4,200 Great Lakes: up to $3,000 Homeworks/Tri-County: up to $3,000 Presque Isle: up to $2,700 Cherryland: up to $2,500 Thumb Electric: up to $2,000 Alger Delta: up to $2,000

Geofurnace Htg & Clg (231) 943-1000 geofurnace.com

visit us at waterfurnace.com/mi WaterFurnace is a registered trademark of WaterFurnace International, Inc. ©2023 WaterFurnace International, Inc. * ENERGY STAR rated units qualify for 30% through 2032, 26% through 2033 and 22% through 2034

Contents countrylines.com

/michigancountrylines

October 2023 Vol. 43, No. 9 /michigancountrylines

Michigan’s Electric Cooperatives

EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Casey Clark EDITOR: Christine Dorr

GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Karreen Bird

RECIPE EDITOR: Christin McKamey COPY EDITOR: Yvette Pecha CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: Emily Haines Lloyd

PUBLISHER: Michigan Electric Cooperative Association Michigan Country Lines, USPS-591-710, is published monthly, except August and December, with periodicals postage paid at Lansing, Mich., and additional offices. It is the official publication of the Michigan Electric Cooperative Association, 201 Townsend St., Suite 900, Lansing, MI 48933.

Subscriptions are authorized for members of Alger Delta, Cherryland, Great Lakes, HomeWorks Tri-County, Midwest Energy & Communications, Ontonagon, Presque Isle, and Thumb electric cooperatives by their boards of directors.

Postmaster: Send all UAA to CFS. Association Officers: Tom Sobeck, Presque Isle Electric & Gas Co-op, chairman; Gabe Schneider, Cherryland Electric Cooperative, vice chairman; Chris O’Neill, HomeWorks TriCounty Cooperative, secretary-treasurer; Craig Borr, president and CEO.

CONTACT US/LETTERS TO EDITOR: Michigan Country Lines 201 Townsend St., Suite 900 Lansing, MI 48933 248-534-7358 editor@countrylines.com

CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Please

notify your electric cooperative.

See page 4 for contact information.

The appearance of advertising does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services advertised.

#micoopcommunity Instagram contest winner

One of Michigan's beautiful sunsets near Port Austin. @thumb_ariel (Josh Herman)

6 FROM TRAVERSE CITY

TO TIME MAGAZINE Andrea Kritcher named among 100 most influential people.

10 MI COOP KITCHEN

Pumpkin: seasonal goodies that go way beyond pie.

14 SMALL-TOWN

INNOVATION YIELDS BIG RESULTS AT GLEN OAKS COMMUNITY COLLEGE Fish manure was the impetus for a partnership between a Glen Oaks grad and his instructor.

18 GUEST COLUMN Sunken Treasure: A Great Lakes Energy member recalls how he made a mysterious barge even more intriguing.

MI Co-op Community

To enter contests, submit reader content & more, visit countrylines.com/community

Instagram Contest

Use #micoopcommunity for a chance to be featured here and on our Instagram account.

Win $100 for photos published!

Recipe Contest

Vegetarian due Nov. 1; Best Layer Cakes due Dec. 1; Soups & Stews due Jan. 1

Win a $100 bill credit!

Guest Column

Share your fondest memories and stories.

Win $200 for stories published. Visit countrylines.com/community to submit.

Win $200 for stories published!

MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES

3

VAN BUREN KALAMAZOO

CASS

LENAWEE

MONROE

ST JOSEPH

teammidwest.com /teammidwest CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS AND CASSOPOLIS SOLUTIONS CENTER 60590 Decatur Road, Cassopolis, MI 49031 M–F 8 a.m.–5 p.m.

PAW PAW SOLUTIONS CENTER 59825 S. LaGrave Street, Paw Paw, MI 49079 M–F 8 a.m.–5 p.m.

Even Faster Internet Is Here

Tecumseh Solutions Center 5050 South Occidental Hwy., Tecumseh, MI 49286 M–F 8 a.m.–5 p.m.

CONTACT US Midwest Energy & Communications 800-492-5989 teammidwest.com Email: info@teammidwest.com BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Clarence “Topper” Barth, Chairperson, Three Rivers 269-279-9233 Clarence.Barth@teammidwest.com

Robert Hance, President/CEO

I

like to use my column to talk about MEC’s latest and greatest, and this month, I have something exciting to share. We've added 5-Gig speed to our internet packages, some of the fastest internet on the market today.

Ron Armstrong, Secretary, Lawton 269-299-0443 Ron.Armstrong@teammidwest.com

Before we dive in though, let’s address one potential point of confusion. Our 5-Gig internet is not the same as 5G wireless that you have seen from other large providers. They are light-years apart. Pun intended. Our 5-Gig package is 5,000 Mbps (geek speak for extremely fast) delivered over our gold-standard fiber network. 5G wireless refers to the fifth generation of cellphone networks and is the global wireless standard. The average speeds are nowhere near 5-Gig fiber and are entirely dependent on your proximity to a 5G tower and how much cellphone traffic you’re competing with.

Dan Bodette, Wauseon 419-337-8007 Dan.Bodette@teammidwest.com

For years, I’ve said that geography shouldn’t define a person’s scope of opportunity. Nowhere is that more apparent than with high-speed internet, and demand for data and speed continues to grow at a dizzying pace. And one thing’s for certain: Once you get access to high-speed internet, you find more and more ways to use it.

Ben Russell, Vice Chairperson, Constantine 269-506-1590 Ben.Russell@teammidwest.com

John Green, Treasurer, Dowagiac 269-470-2816 John.Green@teammidwest.com

Gerry Bundle, Cassopolis 269-414-0164 Gerry.Bundle@teammidwest.com

Erika Escue-Cadieux, Onsted 419-346-1088 erika.escue-cadieux@teammidwest.com

Remote work, e-learning, and cloud-based, real-time computing all require internet speeds and bandwidth that can handle high demand and simultaneous tasks. Even when we’re not at home, smart devices rely on internet connections to keep our houses running, and I believe advancements in telehealth are just getting started.

Fred Turk, Decatur 269-423-7762 Fred.Turk@teammidwest.com

Our 5-Gig package includes symmetrical 5-Gbps download and upload speeds, sophisticated parental controls, network security, and a Wi-Fi 6 router. Subscribers also get the free mobile app CommandIQ, which enables you to manage all connected devices, test speeds, and add guest networks. Like with all our packages, there are no data caps or overage fees, and you don’t compete with your neighbors or Mother Nature for service.

PRESIDENT/CEO: Robert Hance

This package is built for today’s power users and tomorrow’s data demands. And we’ll keep bringing you the tools you need to keep our communities vibrant, relevant, and sustainable. It’s the co-op way.

Jim Wiseley, Bloomingdale 269-760-4619 Jim.Wiseley@teammidwest.com DIRECTOR, CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING: Amy Pales COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST: Grant Zamora

Midwest Energy & Communications is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

4 OCTOBER 2023

We’re not just eliminating the digital divide in rural southern Michigan; we’re obliterating it.

And then there’s hydro. While our state is blessed with an abundant supply of fresh water, this doesn’t guarantee easy energy. Changing precipitation and temperatures can pose problems for water availability.

When There’s Too Much Weather How about storms and other extreme weather events? Solar might suffer, but lots of wind and precipitation mean better outlooks for wind and hydro, right?

Unfortunately, it’s not that simple.

Storms can certainly increase output for certain renewables—at least to a point. But when the equipment tries to take on too much energy at once, it can get overwhelmed and be forced to shut down. Flooding and extreme wind speeds can be a serious threat to hydro and wind power.

How Does Weather Affect Renewable Energy?

As discussions about electric reliability increasingly take center stage, one question seems to stick on everyone’s minds: How reliable is renewable energy?

R

enewables are a great addition to the nation's fuel mix, and a great solution to ensure generations to come don't have to rely on finite resources for electricity. However, they are weather dependent, and it’s important to understand how that dependency impacts the availability of electricity.

When the Weather Fails to Show Up Weather that doesn’t exist doesn’t generate energy. You need sunlight for solar, water for hydro, and wind for…well, wind.

Here in Michigan, consistent sunlight isn’t a guarantee, especially during our frequently overcast winter days. Even when it’s partly cloudy, solar panels can have a greatly diminished output if the clouds cast a shadow.

Wind can be similarly spotty.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, “Favorable sites [for turbines] include the tops of smooth, rounded hills; open plains and water; and mountain gaps that funnel and intensify wind.”

Michigan has some of this, but in general, our state isn’t optimal for windy conditions.

And of course, the equipment itself is susceptible to weather damage.

Lightning strikes, hail, and other hazards are just as dangerous to renewable energy structures as they are to any other.

All Is Not Lost Does this mean renewable energy is a dead end? No! Many renewable energy technologies are still in their infancy. Solutions like battery energy storage, which captures energy from renewables to deploy later, are still being developed and can help us use renewables more effectively in the future. As they continue to improve, and as new research is conducted, renewables will become an even more attractive option.

We aren’t putting all our eggs in one basket, either. Solar, wind, hydro, and other renewables can work together to provide the energy we need. On days where one is reduced, another might be more productive.

Finally, it’s important to remember that fossil fuels come with their own set of uncertainties, not least of which is their limited availability. We can’t rely on them indefinitely—even when the alternatives still have growing pains.

MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES

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“Basically, you are creating fusion reactions as you smash hydrogen isotopes together. It’s the same process that powers the sun. So, we’re making mini suns in our lab.

Actually, we reach conditions hotter than the sun.”

6

OCTOBER 2023

Lead designer Andrea Kritcher (right) and lead experimentalist Alex Zylstra standing in front of the National Ignition Facility (NIF) target chamber where the fusion experiments are performed, holding an encased target.

From Traverse City to Time Magazine Andrea Kritcher Named Among 100 Most Influential People

By Emily Haines Lloyd

When you think of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People, you imagine seeing celebrities like Beyoncé, titans of industry like Elon Musk, and world leaders like Ukraine’s first lady Olena Zelenska gracing the pages. But under the “Innovators” section of the 2023 issue, Traverse City residents might see a familiar face and name—Andrea Kritcher.

nature deeply, this is an important prospect for Kritcher.

ritcher, who grew up in Traverse City as a Cherryland Electric Cooperative member, is a nuclear engineer and physicist who works at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. She also just happens to be a worldclass scientist who was the principal designer in a breakthrough experiment that produced fusion ignition in a laboratory for the first time.

This small-town math and science student likely couldn’t have imagined that a career in physics would have led to so much time talking to the press.

K

“I loved growing up in Traverse City and I got a lot of support from my family along the way,” said Kritcher.

“It was a really great place to grow up and enjoy being outside and on the lake. It’s pretty idyllic.”

Small Town to Big Time

Igniting Big Ideas

Of course, that all changed with her December 2022 fusion experiment. Kritcher was suddenly getting calls for all sorts of interviews. When someone from the lab’s public relations department asked if she could do an interview with Time Magazine, Kritcher wasn’t fazed.

Scientists fired 192 lasers at a target the size of a pencil eraser in the experiment, achieving “energy breakeven,” which means it produced more energy than was imparted to the target. The first-of-its-kind breakthrough is considered a major step toward a net-zero carbon future.

“We were just talking when he asked me to hold for a second. He asked me if I knew they were considering me for the award,” Kritcher said. “Then he said, ‘We just got word—you’re one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People.’ It was so surreal. Can you really be prepared to hear something like that?”

“Basically, you are creating fusion reactions as you smash hydrogen isotopes together,” said Kritcher.

“It’s the same process that powers the sun. So, we’re making mini suns in our lab. Actually, we reach conditions hotter than the sun.”

Influencing the Future

How Hot? You read that right—hotter than the sun. The implications of this discovery are massive and will likely result in many applications. Kritcher says that pilot plants for fusion energy are approximately 10–20 years away. Zero-emission energy projects take time to develop, build, and meet rigorous standards, but the end goal is for zero-emission energy plants to not only help alleviate our dependence on carbon-based energy sources, but to take us closer to a carbon-free power grid. As someone who grew up in Traverse City and enjoyed

Kritcher understands that this success for her is really about the decades of passionate research from hundreds of scientists, engineers, and technicians that made the fusion breakthrough possible. Her hard work reflects that reverence, and she’s proud to be a woman in a field that is still dominated by men.

“Women are still underrepresented in physics, but I belong in this field as much as anyone,” said Kritcher.

“Physics doesn’t have a gender. It just asks you to follow your curiosity and solve the problems most interesting to you.”

That sounds like a pretty good plug for future generations of scientists who will continue in her innovative footsteps.

MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES

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WATCH OUT FOR

V MPIRE LO DS

D

id you know that many of your household electronics continue to use electricity even when they aren’t on? This means that your household is still using electricity even if you aren’t. According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, this wasted energy adds up to roughly $200/year in electricity costs.

Some likely culprits include: • Televisions, gaming consoles, and computers • Small kitchen appliances like toasters • Laptops, cell phones, and battery chargers So how can you stop the vampires from running up your electric bill?

Here are some tips to reduce the drain: • Unplug devices and chargers when they aren’t in use.

8 OCTOBER 2023

• Put your computer into sleep mode when unplugging it isn’t practical.

devices plugged into the strip are turned off.

• For devices that aren’t easy to unplug, consider using an advanced power strip that can automatically shut off the power for you. Some available types include:

o Master-less power strips cut the power when all the devices connected to it are turned off.

o Timer power strips shut off the power at a set time every day. o Activity monitor strips use motion sensors to look for signs of activity in the room. If no activity is detected, they shut off the power. While convenient, this type isn’t always reliable— especially if Fido roams about. o Master-controlled strips turn off the power for the entire strip when the item designated as the “master” gets turned off. These power strips also often have an “always on” outlet in case you want to plug something in, such as a wireless router, that should always have power even if other

o Remote switch strips allow you to turn off the power via a remote. However, you have to remember to shut it off.

• When replacing or adding new electronics to your home, select ones that have are energy efficient to reduce the amount of power consumed while in standby mode.

Want more energy-saving tips and other helpful info? Visit teammidwest.com/electric.

Why Do Some Kids Like

CREEPY STUFF ONLINE? ave you heard kids talking about “the Slender Man”?

They may have shown you an image of a creepy animatronic bear named Freddy, or told you about a scary story they read online.

H

The spooky month is as good a time as any to talk about what’s going on and whether you need to step in.

What Are Kids Seeing Online?

In short: whatever Google and their friends are pointing them to.

The internet has a wealth of creepy content that goes well beyond typical horror fare like movies. Some of the most common things children may run across include: Games: Examples include Five Nights at Freddy’s, Garten of Banban, and Poppy Playtime. In addition to being appealing to kids because of their interactivity, games often include creepy versions of things that children are familiar with, such as haunted animatronics and mascots.

YouTube channels: Examples include Local 58, Salad Fingers, and Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared. Video uploads to horror channels are often like short or experimental horror movies.

Creepypastas: Examples include Slender Man, Jeff the Killer, and

the Russian Sleep Experiment.

Creepypastas are a bit like the campfire ghost stories of the internet, often being short tales about monsters or strange happenings.

Should Parents Be Concerned?

As with all things, the answer to this really depends on the kid. Children liking scary stuff is nothing new, but young kids aren't necessarily as equipped to distinguish between fantasy and reality as older ones.

While not all parents will share the same opinion about what’s appropriate, it’s a good idea regardless to check in with kids to see how they’re reacting and to help them process what they’re seeing.

CommandIQ Can Help If your kid isn’t ready for creepy stuff online, the free CommandIQ app can stop them from accessing it. Its robust suite of parental controls lets MEC fiber internet customers block certain content, apps, and websites from their kids' devices as long as they’re connected to your Wi-Fi network.

Download it from your phone’s app store, and visit teammidwest.com/ commandiq for more information.

You need a GigaSpire router to access the full features of CommandIQ. Visit teammidwest.com/which-router to see which router you have. If you don’t have a GigaSpire, we’ll mail you one for free.

What Else Can I Do? However you decide to handle scary content in your household, Common Sense Media lays out some important steps to take: Set appropriate boundaries. Even if you decide to let your kid get their feet wet with horror content, not everything is age-appropriate.

Sticking to animation can help your kid realize it’s fantasy. Avoid showing them anything that puts characters their age in danger.

Be ready for bedtime. Your child might seem fine during the day, but darkness can bring scary memories to the forefront of their mind. Be ready to offer them comfort or a distraction if they’re scared to sleep.

Avoid violent content. If it does happen to come up, talk about how characters could have avoided it or solved their problem in a different way.

Mind the clock. Scary content is probably not a good idea right before bedtime.

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MI CO-OP Recipes

Photos by Robert Bruce Photography || Recipes submitted by MCL readers and tested by recipe editor Christin McKamey

PUMPKIN

Seasonal goodies that go way beyond pie

WINNING RECIPE! STREUSEL PUMPKIN MUFFINS

Connie Pietila, Ontonagon County REA ¼ ½ ¼ ²⁄ ³ ½ 2

cup butter, softened cup sugar cup packed brown sugar cup canned pumpkin puree cup buttermilk large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten 2 tablespoons molasses 1 teaspoon grated orange zest 2 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ –1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice ¼ teaspoon salt Streusel Topping ¹⁄ ³ cup flour 3 tablespoons brown sugar 2 tablespoons cold butter

Recipe Contest Win a $100 energy bill credit!

Vegetarian due Nov. 1; Best Layer Cakes due Dec. 1; Soups & Stews due Jan. 1 Submit your favorite recipe for a chance to win a $100 bill credit and have your recipe featured in Country Lines with a photo and a video. Submit your recipe at micoopkitchen.com, or send it via email (include your full name and co-op) to recipes@countrylines.com.

10 OCTOBER 2023

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the pumpkin, buttermilk, eggs, molasses, and orange zest until blended.

In a second bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt; gradually add to pumpkin mixture just until blended. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. For topping, combine flour and brown sugar; cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the muffin comes out clean, 20–25 minutes. Cool in pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. This fall breakfast favorite is perfect with a hot cup of coffee or spiced chai tea.

Watch a video of this month’s winning recipe at micoopkitchen.com/recipe_ type/videos/

PUMPKIN CUSTARD

Janet Weber, Presque Isle Electric & Gas Co-op ¼ cup brown sugar 1½ tablespoons white sugar 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice ½ (15-ounce) can pumpkin ¾ cup milk 2 eggs

Preheat oven to 325 F. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and beat until smooth. Pour into three or four custard cups or oven-safe bowls. Place in baking pan and pour very hot water around the custard cups to about 1 inch high. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm or chilled with whipped cream!

CHARLIE BROWN GREAT PUMPKIN COOKIES Leslie Brasure, Alger Delta

4 cups flour 2 cups rolled oats 2 teaspoons baking soda 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 teaspoon salt 1½ cups (3 sticks) butter 2 cups brown sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin 12 ounces chocolate chips Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, baking soda,

cinnamon, and salt. In another large bowl, cream the butter. Then gradually add the brown sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; mix well.

Alternate additions of dry ingredients and pumpkin to the bowl of wet ingredients, mixing well after each addition. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop dough ¼ cup at a time onto lightly greased cookie sheet (using a large cookie scoop or two spoons). Bake 20–25 minutes, until cookies are firm and lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheet; let cool on racks. Makes 3 dozen cookies.

PUMPKIN DIP

Leslie Buerkle, Thumb Electric 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 4 cups powdered sugar 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin 2½ teaspoons cinnamon 2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 (8-ounce) tub Cool Whip, thawed

Using a mixer, beat together the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a large bowl. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, and ginger; beat until combined. Fold in the Cool Whip until thoroughly combined.

Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Serve with ginger snaps.

PUMPKIN CHIP MUFFINS Joyce Tamminga, Great Lakes Energy

4 eggs 1½ cups sugar 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin 1 cup vegetable oil ½ cup orange juice 3 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour) 2 teaspoons baking soda 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 F. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, pumpkin, oil, and orange juice until smooth. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups threequarters full. Bake for 16–20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the muffin comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Makes about 24 standard-size muffins.

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MEC in the COMMUNITY MEC employee Patty (left) bought pigs from Luke (right) to benefit local food pantries.

Van Buren County Youth Fair Lenawee County Fair MEC purchased two pigs at the Lenawee Large Animal 4-H Auction. Meat from the purchase benefits two food pantry/shelter programs in Lenawee. Share the Warmth provides daily meals and emergency shelter year-round to Lenawee County residents. Morenci area residents can also visit the food pantry program of the Church of the Nazarene.

MEC supported the large animal livestock auction by purchasing two pigs from the fair. The meat was donated to Decatur Human Services, Cooperating Ministries Pantry in Hartford, and Eleanor’s Pantry in Paw Paw.

St. Joseph County Fair In September, we went to the St. Joseph County Fair.

The fair had not yet happened by the time this issue was written, so we do not have details on what was purchased, but as with all other fairs, all processed meat was donated to area food pantries.

Volunteers at the Cass County Fair Fireman's Grill

Cass County Fair MEC purchased three pigs from the Cass County Fair. The meat will be donated to a few food pantries throughout Cass County.

A group of MEC employees also served meals to hungry fairgoers alongside the Cass County Firemen’s Association at the Cass County Fair’s Fireman’s Grill.

All proceeds will support the Cass County Fireman’s Association and all 13 local fire departments and seven local ambulance services they represent.

12 OCTOBER 2023

MEC Wins Community Champion of the Year Award When companies invest in their communities, people notice.

On June 29, Market Van Buren presented us with this prestigious award for our efforts to give back.

They specifically called out our volunteer activities and our Strengthening Schools Grants program.

MEC Employees Dave and Chad accepted the award at Market Van Buren's annual awards banquet.

Palisades Nuclear Power Plant Update O ur power supplier, Wolverine Power Cooperative, has entered into a historic agreement with Holtec International to restart the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant in southwest Michigan.

Palisades closed in May 2022, and the plant was sold to Holtec. In September, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced her support to restart the nuclear power plant to keep energy costs low, shore up domestic energy production, and increase Michigan’s competitiveness for future economic development.

Wolverine Power Cooperative expects to purchase up to two-thirds of the power generated from Palisades. This is a huge step towards ensuring we can provide you with reliable and green power for years to come.

blow, and battery technology can’t yet fill the gap. That’s a huge problem for keeping the lights on. However, the reopening of Palisades will help ensure electric reliability when we need it most: during peak demand or challenging weather conditions.

Decarbonization Nuclear energy is a well-established and dependable source of electricity, and it's completely carbon-free.

Economic Benefits

Electric Reliability

The restart of Palisades will protect hundreds of highpaying jobs and generate hundreds of millions of dollars in annual regional economic development. It will also help Wolverine avoid some of the expected volatility of the power supply market over the next 10-15 years.

While sun and wind energy sources are vital to our transition to a greener future, they are weather-dependent.

The sun doesn’t always shine, the wind doesn’t always

This marks the first time in American history that a nuclear plant could reopen. This is a huge win for the state of Michigan, the environment, and you.

How Much Energy Does Palisades Produce?

Palisades

6,500,000 megawatt hours of carbon-free power or 6% of Michigan’s energy Enough power for 800,000 homes

Equal to 9.8 million solar panels and 618 wind turbines

MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES 13

SMALL-TOWN INNOVATION AT GLEN OAKS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

By Grant Zamora

love it.

FISH POOP: Crops Glen Oaks

Community College in Centreville is at the heart of an agricultural innovation that prepares students for a lifetime of employment while also experimenting with what could be a game changer for crop yields: Fish Sh!t, an unusual, beneficial bacteria created by Fish Head Farms.

A SMALL COLLEGE AHEAD OF THE CURVE The Agricultural Equipment Technology program at Glen Oaks Community College, taught by Reid Leaverton, is the only agricultural equipment repair program offered at a community college in Michigan. Classes take place at Burnips Equipment in Three Rivers, where students get real-world experience working on equipment that gets brought into the shop. In exchange, if Burnips decides to hire a student, Glen Oaks will pay for the student’s tuition as long as they’re employed by Burnips for the duration of the program.

The program got its start in 2017, when Glen Oaks President David Devier saw the need for trained repair

14 OCTOBER 2023

technicians in the largely agricultural St. Joseph County. Rather than wait for other colleges to train new employees, Glen Oaks led the charge in creating a program that could bring new talent to the area. Upon completion of the program, students are placed into equipment dealers or large farms through relationships Glen Oaks has with industry partners like Burnips, New Holland Agriculture, and local John Deere and Bobcat dealers.

As of this year, 24 students have accepted jobs at local dealerships upon completing the program.

Students can take two routes through the program. One is a traditional degree route that grants an Associate of Applied Science in agricultural equipment technology. The other is a certificate route, which eliminates the need for general education classes and a high school diploma. “[If] they have an interest in agricultural equipment, they can come to Glen Oaks and learn how to work on it,” Leaverton says.

Collin Dussel is a program graduate whose family owns Dussel’s Farm Market & Greenhouses in Cassopolis.

Collin Dussel prepares Fish Sh!t to use on crops.

Dussel, who originally brought Fish Sh!t to Leaverton’s attention, says the hands-on nature of the program was key to the learning process.

“We were in a real-world shop learning what other mechanics do,” Dussel says. “It wasn’t something we just tore apart that someone else tore apart before you. We were diagnosing real farmers’ equipment and trying to figure out the problem.”

LOCAL MARKET, CUTTING-EDGE TECH The program goes beyond teaching students to repair equipment. It gives them problem-solving skills and the ability to innovate. Dussel took these skills and applied them to growing and improving his family’s farm using new and innovative products like Fish Sh!t.

After graduating from the program, Dussel took over his grandfather’s farm and began looking into alternative fertilizers, all the while keeping in touch with Leaverton, who would help him with larger projects on a friendly basis. In addition to running the farm, Dussel and his brother Nick founded Soil Production Solutions,

a company that helps farmers with their soil treatment plans. During their search for clean, efficient fertilizers, the brothers’ father Mark (who runs the store in Cassopolis) connected them with a promising lead: Fish Sh!t.

Glen Oaks, starting with soil samples and expanding to larger areas. When testing the product on corn, they found about a 26% increase in root mass and a yield increase of about a bushel per harvest.

Fish Sh!t is an organic, living beneficial bacteria. It was created by Dave Barr, a high school biology teacher, and Tommy Fox, a medical caregiver, who founded Fish Head Farms. Fish Sh!t is derived from fish manure treated in an aquaponic system, which separates the beneficial bacteria from the waste.

It has fewer synthetic chemicals than other fertilizers, which lends itself to creating a beneficial biosphere for plant growth, according to Leaverton.

If a plant has to break down fewer synthetic chemicals and more organic material, the plant doesn’t have to work as hard to take in nutrients, allowing better growth and a higher crop yield.

Leaverton and the Dussels have used Fish Sh!t to revitalize a previously barren plot of land at Glen Oaks, now a field with healthy soil. Students in Leaverton’s program use the field to grow crops, which they then test the agricultural equipment on.

SMALL-TOWN INNOVATORS JOIN FORCES The Dussels first tested Fish Sh!t on their mom’s houseplants, with encouraging results. They then partnered with Leaverton to test it at

“What we’re doing is basically just making our plants and our soil happier from year to year to year,” Leaverton says.

The Dussels have also started selling smaller quantities of the product for home use at their store in Cassopolis.

Glen Oaks and the Dussels are living proof that you don’t always have to look to large, expensive universities to find promising new products and one-of-a-kind educational programs.

Sometimes, small-town innovation can yield big results.

The Agricultural Equipment Technology program gives students state-of-the-art, hands-on training over the course of two years. Space is limited—each class can accommodate 20 students. To learn more and sign up, visit GlenOaks.edu and go to Academics > Programs of Study > Agriculture > Agricultural Equipment Technology.

To learn more about Dussel’s Farm Market, visit DusselsFarmMarketAndGreenhouses.com.

MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES

15

Can I Streamline My Passwords?

1. Reusing Passwords “More passwords, more problems.”

That’s the motto of One-and-Done Will.

Will decided using the same password for every account would make it easier to remember his login information. He wouldn’t have to think when making new passwords either.

Hackers and bots are big fans of Will’s method. Once they figure out his password, they can use it to log into every single one of his accounts without breaking a sweat.

Will needs to have a varied set of passwords. Otherwise, his security is one and done too.

2. Using Easy-toRemember Words or Personal Info Quizmaster Kelly likes to use trivia about herself to craft easy-to-remember passwords.

“423KingStreet” (her address) and “July1963!” (her birth month) are just two of her masterpieces.

By switching up her passwords, Kelly has successfully thwarted the laziest of intruders. She still has a problem though: If a bot has collected any of her personal data, or if someone she knows is trying to hack her, her passwords are almost as transparent as Will’s. Turns out quizzes aren’t so hard when you already know the answers.

Kelly needs passwords with a minimum level of complexity to keep them from being guessable.

That means no common names or dictionary words and a good mix of some or all of the following: uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters (for example, a question mark or ampersand).

Ah, passwords—the internet’s most helpful headache.

No matter how much you want to protect your data, it can be tempting to simplify your ever-growing password collection. But you don’t want to solve one problem only to create new ones.

In the examples below, four people have tried to solve their password overload—let’s see how each one did.

3. Writing Passwords Down

4. Using a Secure Password Manager

Nick the Notetaker has a theory: If all your passwords are written down, you won’t have to worry about memorization, and hackers can’t guess them. Nick writes his passwords in his notebook, which he keeps in a drawer at his desk.

Hackbuster Helen is on her A game.

She knows that by using a digital password manager, she can save her login ID and password for every account she uses without worrying about theft, bots, or memorization.

Nick is getting there. There’s one major problem, though—if Nick can read his password off a list, everyone can. Even if he locks his desk drawer, all it takes is a misplaced key to make his passwords freely available.

The app keeps her passwords secure behind a two-factor authentication system (it texts or calls to verify it’s her when she logs in). While it’s active, the app fills in her passwords automatically when she visits sites she’s registered for. It even helps her generate new, random passwords.

Some of Helen’s favorite password managers include: Bitwarden LastPass 1Password Keeper These apps work with a wide range of devices and browsers, and many offer a free tier that’s enough for the average user.

Helen says options like iCloud Keychain (for Apple devices) and Google Password Manager (a browser-based wallet) are good too, despite some limitations on how and where you can access them.

As with any new software, you should research the features of each before signing up.

16 OCTOBER 2023

Why Aluminum Is Ideal for Building and Construction

By Christopher Braathen, Operations Director, Hydro Cassopolis

Did you know aluminum was used to build the Empire State Building?

Even though aluminum is still a relatively young metal—it was extracted for the first time in 1854— it has been a preferred construction material for well over a century. The first well-known application in buildings dates back to 1898, when the dome of San Gioacchino’s Church in Rome was clad in aluminum sheets. In 1931, the stunning art deco-inspired Empire State Building in New York City was the first building to use anodized aluminum components. In the 1950s, aluminum applications in buildings took off, and today the metal can be found everywhere from your local supermarket’s door to the electrical wires that deliver energy to your home.

Here's why aluminum is such a popular material within the construction industry.

ENVIRONMENTALLY 1 IT’S FRIENDLY Aluminum is one of the only building materials you can recycle over and over again without diminishing its quality. And recycling aluminum requires only 5% of the energy that would be required to produce new aluminum from scratch.

2 IT’S A GOOD CONDUCTOR Aluminum is an excellent conductor of heat and electricity. This makes it ideal for use in electrical applications like wiring, as well as heat-exchange applications like the coils inside your home’s air conditioner or heat pump.

DURABLE AND 3 IT’S EASILY FORMABLE Aluminum is a long-lasting material that can withstand harsh weather conditions and heavy use. It won’t corrode or rust due to moisture. It can also be cut and shaped relatively easily compared to materials like steel.

The cutting-edge designs you see on the outside of modern skyscrapers are thanks to these properties.

LIGHT BUT STILL 4 IT’S VERY STRONG Aluminum isn’t very heavy, making it easier to transport than other metals.

It’s also very strong—a small amount of aluminum can strengthen something like a skylight better than an equivalent amount of steel or wood. Aluminum’s strength makes it possible to build larger structures with fewer materials, saving time and money on labor costs.

Aluminum recycling plant in Cassopolis starts production in 2023 The global aluminum and energy company Hydro is opening its stateof-the-art aluminum recycling plant in Cassopolis in 2023 as the first company to locate in Midwest Energy & Communication’s SMART Park.

When completed, the plant will provide 70 new, local jobs and support automotive innovation. Hydro will invest an estimated $150 million to complete the project.

Applications for the aluminum produced in Cassopolis will include critical automotive applications as well as other transportation uses, and consumer and building system applications like those highlighted in this article.

MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES 17

MI CO-OP Guest Column

“To this day, as my children are now grown adults, we still go over that barge and fondly recall those memories of sunken treasure on Lake Charlevoix.”

Sunken Treasure

By Bob Wilson, a Great Lakes Energy Cooperative member

M

y family has owned a summer cottage on Lake Charlevoix since 1941, and just down the beach from where our cottage is located, there is an old barge on the lake bottom that wrecked in a storm in the early 1920s.

That barge has been visible for many years and was a source of mystery for my children as they were growing up.

I used to take our small rowboat over the barge and we would talk about the chance that there might be sunken treasure down below.

Thinking about how I might add to their fascination with the barge, I found a few trinkets in the old shed next to our cottage and shined them up a bit, and then went out in my kayak and dove down on the barge and placed these trinkets along different parts of the wrecked hull.

Several days later, I took my kids out over the barge in our rowboat, and of course had my fins and snorkel and diving mask with me, and I told them that I was going to dive down and see if I could find any sunken treasure.

I went down on the wreck and, lo and behold, I pulled up the trinkets that I had placed there earlier. I was able to hand

18 OCTOBER 2023

them each their own trinket of sunken treasure from the wreck. They each were so excited to see real treasure from the same wreck that they had watched over the years.

To this day, as my children are now grown adults, we still go over that barge and fondly recall those memories of sunken treasure on Lake Charlevoix.

Bob Wilson spent 28 years working as senior counsel in the Michigan Senate Natural Resources Committee and has taught environmental law and policy at Michigan State University since 1999. His family has owned a summer cottage on Lake Charlevoix since 1941. Bob’s wife Cathy is head of governmental affairs for Consumers Energy, and his four children are Sarah, Aaron, Daniel, and Bobby.

Guest Column

Win $200 for stories published!

Share your fondest memories and stories. Win $200 for stories published. Visit countrylines.com/community to submit.

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