Vol. 66 No. 2 february 2013
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Manager
Mike Simpson Co-Op Editor
Diane Hale Alabama Living is delivered to some 420,000 Alabama families and businesses, which are members of 22 not-for-profit, consumer-owned, locally directed and taxpaying electric cooperatives. AREA cooperative member subscriptions are $3 a year; non-member subscriptions, $6. Alabama Living (USPS 029-920) is published monthly by the Alabama Rural Electric Association of Cooperatives. Periodicals postage paid at Montgomery, Alabama, and at additional mailing office. POSTMASTER send forms 3579 to: Alabama Living, P.O. Box 244014 Montgomery, Alabama 36124-4014.
Alabama Rural Electric Association
AREA President Fred Braswell Editor Lenore Vickrey Managing Editor Melissa Henninger Creative Director Mark Stephenson Art Director Michael Cornelison Advertising director Adam Freeman Advertising Coordinator Brooke Davis Recipe Editor Mary Tyler Spivey ADVERTISING & EDITORIAL OFFICES:
340 TechnaCenter Drive Montgomery, Alabama 36117-6031 1-800-410-2737 E-mail: advertising@areapower.com www.areapower.coop NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE:
National Country Market 611 South Congress Ave., Suite 504 Austin, Texas 78704 1-800-626-1181 www.nationalcountrymarket.com www.alabamaliving.coop USPS 029-920 • ISSN 1047-0311
4 Scholarship Opportunity
Completed applications with all required attachments are due in Montgomery by the close of business on March 15, 2013.
12 2013 Legislative Session
ON THE COVER: Leaders of the Alabama House and Senate face challenges when they come back to the Statehouse in Montgomery this month.
Alabama Living talks to leaders in the House and Senate about what challenges and opportunities await them when they convene Feb. 5.
16 Be My Valentine
An estimated 160 million Valentine’s cards will be purchased this month. A look at the origins of this romantic day.
departments
Spotlight 10 Power Pack 18 Worth the Drive 20 Alabama Gardens 24 Alabama Outdoors 26 Cook of the Month 31 Fish&Game Forecast 32 ConsumerWise 38 Alabama Snapshots 9
Printed in America from American materials
Alabama Living
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