Today in Mississippi January 2024 Southwest by American MainStreet Publications

FOR MEMBERS OF ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES OF MISSISSIPPI

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My Opinion

The difference between leaders and politicians On Jan. 2, all the public officials we elected in 2023 will begin their term in office. For some, it will be the beginning of what has been multiple terms in their office, so it will be no different than past years. For others, it is a new beginning filled with hope, big ideas, and lists of things they want to accomplish over the next four years. As someone who has taken office both as a rookie and then four years later as a veteran, I have felt what both groups will be experiencing that day. My hope for these elected officials, both new and seasoned, is that they lay the politics aside and focus on leadership. Mississippi doesn’t need politicians; we need leaders. There is a big difference between the two. Politicians take positions based on polls. Politicians try to decipher what is the “correct” (i.e., what will help me raise money to get reelected) side of an issue and then jump up in front of the masses and act like they are leading them. In contrast, leaders rely on bedrock principles that form the foundations of their beliefs. When deliberating on an issue, leaders study the facts and determine what is best for their constituents not what is popular. During times of conflict, leaders cling to their principles — a foundation that makes them strong. The reason we don’t have many leaders, especially in both our state and federal governments, is because leadership comes with a cost. Most times, the cost is one many politicians cannot stomach and are not willing to pay. First, as a leader, you will have to make decisions that will negatively impact people who you care about. That is a fact and is the most important thing that leaders should understand. Politicians shy away from those decisions for fear of losing votes while leaders press forward doing what is right. Second, as a leader, you will be disliked, despite your best efforts to do the best for the most amount of people. Thanks to social

media, sometimes that dislike will morph into hate. While politicians are constantly seeking approval, leaders learn to live with the negativity that comes from simply doing your job. Third, as a leader, you will be misunderstood and will not always have the chance to defend yourself. Even with social media you cannot reach everyone. As a young public service commissioner, I was struggling with a decision that I needed to make. I knew the right decision would not be a popular one and would negatively affect many of my constituents along the Gulf Coast. Exasperated and stressed, I ventured next door to my fellow commissioner’s office. Nielsen Cochran was not only a fellow public service commissioner but also a friend and mentor. I explained my situation to Nielsen and how I was struggling with what to do. Nielsen slowly took a drag off his Marlboro and gave me quite possibly the best advice I’ve ever been given. “Michael, you need to do the right thing, whatever you believe that to be. If doing the right thing costs you this job, well then, this damn job isn’t worth having.” I continue to live by this advice today. So, to all our elected officials, please, be the leaders that the great state of Mississippi desperately needs. Do the things that need to be done to make Mississippi a better place to live, work, and raise a family. If doing that cost you your job, it was not your fault. The job just wasn’t worth having. Good luck and God bless.

Photo by Delta Electric member Tisha Vaughan of McCarley.

Mississippi is... A strange new land to explore, never thought of Mississippi before. Now I’m here, tasting the catﬁsh and beer. Meeting neighbors and making friends, I like all of the trees and love the way the roads bend. Mostly in church on Sundays, of course, singing the beautiful old hymns til I’m hoarse. Lots of new critters I must endure, but if I watch my step, I will not need a cure. I think I’ll stay a while in this muggy, hot place, will tell the snow up north I’ll be late.

by Elizabeth G. Shamblin, a resident of Hattiesburg, and a member of Pearl River Valley Electric

What’s Mississippi to you?

by Michael Callahan Executive Vice President/CEO Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi

What do you treasure most about life in our state? Send your brief thoughts to Today in Mississippi, news@ecm.coop or mail to P.O. Box 3300, Ridgeland, MS 39158 Submit your beautiful digital photo of life in Mississippi to Today in Mississippi, news@ecm.coop

2024 | JANUARY 3

In This Issue

6 Southern Gardening The beauty of Caryopteris

8 Outdoors Today Foxy squirrels on the loose

10 Scene Around the ‘Sip Grant’s presidential library at MSU

15 Local News 20 Feature

Rolling Fork couple Tracy and Tim Harden saved lives on March 24

The Official Publication of the Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi

Vol. 77 No. 1

OFFICERS Randy Carroll - President Ron Barnes - First Vice President Tim Perkins - Second Vice President Brian Hughey - Secretary/Treasurer Michael Callahan - Executive Vice President/CEO EDITORIAL STAFF Lydia Walters - VP, Communications Steven Ward - Editor Chad Calcote - Creative Director Kevin Wood - Graphic Designer Alan Burnitt - Graphic Designer Courtney Warren - Graphic Designer Chris Alexander - Member Services Coordinator Steve Temple - Social Media Director Kendle Dean - Administrative Assistant EDITORIAL OFFICE & ADVERTISING 601-605-8600

Acceptance of advertising by Today in Mississippi does not imply endorsement of the advertised product or services by the publisher or Mississippi’s electric power associations. Product satisfaction and delivery responsibility lie solely with the advertiser. • National advertising representative: American MainStreet Publications, 800-626-1181

Circulation of this issue: 485,889

Non-member subscription price: $9.50 per year.

26 Picture This Tree Hugging

28 On the Menu

Chicken and biscuits for dinner

Today in Mississippi (ISSN 1052-2433) is published 12 times a year by Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi Inc., P.O. Box 3300, Ridgeland, MS 39158-3300, or 665 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, MS 39157. Phone 601-605-8600. Periodical postage paid at Ridgeland, MS, and additional office. The publisher (and/or its agent) reserves the right to refuse or edit all advertising. The magazine is published for members of subscribing co-ops. The magazine is a benefit of membership. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 507.1.5.2) NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: send address corrections to: Today in Mississippi, P.O. Box 3300, Ridgeland, MS 39158-3300

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31 Mississippi Seen 28

Make sure you have enough deviled eggs at the holidays

On the cover Chuck’s Dairy Bar owner Tracy Harden of Rolling Fork. Harden won a Fox Nation Patriot Award this year for her courage during the March 24 tornado. Photo by Chad Calcote.

Central Electric Power Association, Coahoma Electric Power Association, Coast Electric Power Association, Delta Electric Power Association, Dixie Electric Power Association, East Mississippi Electric Power Association, 4-County Electric Power Association, Magnolia Electric Power, Monroe County Electric Power Association, Natchez Trace Electric Power Association, North East Mississippi Electric Power Association, Northcentral Electric Cooperative, Pearl River Valley Electric Power Association, Pontotoc Electric Power Association, Singing River Electric, Southern Pine Electric, Southwest Electric, Tippah Electric Power Association, Twin County Electric Power Association, and Yazoo Valley Electric Power Association.

JANUARY | 2024

News and Notes

NASA tests in-flight capability of Artemis Moon rocket engine

NASA conducted the third RS-25 engine hot fire in a critical 12-test certification series Nov. 29, demonstrating a key capability necessary for flight of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket during Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. NASA is conducting the series of tests to certify new manufacturing processes for producing RS-25 engines for future deep space missions, beginning with Artemis V. Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris technologies company and lead engines contractor for the SLS rocket, is incorporating new manufacturing techniques and processes, according to a NASA Stennis news release. Crews pivoted the RS-25 engine around a central point during the almost 11-minute (650 seconds) hot fire on the Fred Haise Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The gimbaling technique is used to control and stabilize SLS as it reaches orbit. During the Nov. 29 test, operators also pushed the engine beyond any parameters it might experience during flight to provide a margin of operational safety. The 650-second test exceeded the 500 seconds RS-25 engines must operate to help power SLS to space. The RS-25 engine also was fired to 113% power level, exceeding the 111% level needed to lift SLS to orbit. The ongoing series will stretch into 2024 as NASA continues its mission to return humans to the lunar surface to establish a long-term presence for scientific discovery and to prepare for human missions to Mars. Four RS-25 engines fire simultaneously to generate a combined 1.6 million pounds of thrust at launch and 2 million pounds of thrust during ascent to help power each SLS flight. NASA and Aerojet Rocketdyne modified 16 holdover space shuttle main engines, all proven flightworthy at NASA Stennis, for Artemis missions I through IV. Every new RS-25 engine that will help power SLS also will be tested at NASA Stennis. RS-25 tests at the site are conducted by a combined team of NASA, Aerojet Rocketdyne, and Syncom Space Services operators. Syncom Space Services is the prime contractor for Stennis facilities and operations.

Electric co-ops are catching on in Africa In sub-Saharan Africa, scenes from the early days of the electric cooperative movement in America are being replayed. Like U.S. farmers in the 1930s and ’40s, people in Liberia, Uganda, and Zambia are partnering with NRECA International to prove once again that the co-op model can bring light to remote rural communities that are largely ignored by private investors. And they are beginning to overcome skepticism from some government officials and lending institutions about whether rural residents with limited education and experience can govern their own power companies. “The first day we went to see the [government] regulators, some laughed at us,” recalls Charles Matovu, general manager of the Kyegegwa Rural Electricity Cooperative Society, located about 120 miles west of Kampala in Uganda. “They said, ‘I can’t believe they think they can do this.’ Even the community members could not believe that we the people could manage this business.” Co-ops have a long history of overcoming doubters, says Dan Waddle, senior vice president of NRECA International. “In the U.S., the first option was not to create electric co-ops,” he says. “The government offered loans to investor-owned utilities in urban areas to go out and serve rural communities, but very few of them took those loans. The co-op model was their second choice.” It took a great deal of public education, Matovu says, to convince his community that electric co-ops could work as successfully as they have in the U.S. and other nations throughout the world, including the Philippines, Bangladesh, and Latin America. Today, KRECS, which began operating a decade ago, serves about 9,000 people connected to the national grid. Last year, NRECA International

co-financed a solar-powered minigrid with CoBank to provide power to 120 homes in a small farming village about 20 miles from Kyegegwa. Power from the co-op has allowed people to start their own small businesses, use computers inside their homes, keep food and drinks refrigerated, visit internet cafes, do schoolwork at night, and undergo treatments at local medical centers, Matovu says. New schools, religious centers and government offices have opened as a result of economic development spurred by access to electricity, and there is growing demand to expand the co-op’s service. “There’s been a big change in the lifestyle of people,” Matovu says. “People do believe in co-ops and appreciate them now.” – NRECA

With the power of electricity, Henry B. Williams serves customers at his grocery store in Totota, Liberia. (Photo courtesy NRECA International)

2024 | JANUARY 5

Southern Gardening

an undeniable charm, making Caryopteris Gold Crest an excellent During a recent visit to the Mississippi State University Truck addition to any garden. Crops Branch Experiment Station in Crystal Springs, I stumbled I also really like Caryopteris Emerald Crest. Its striking emerald upon two striking plants that were in full bloom and showing out. green foliage provides a beautiful backdrop for its blue flowers. While admiring their beauty, I noticed that bees were equally Together, the emerald green foliage and drawn to these plants. What caught blue flowers create a mesmerizing visual, my eye was the Caryopteris plants. adding a touch of beauty and elegance to If you love pollinator plants or the garden. want to attract pollinator insects to One of the most significant advantages Both plants belong to the Lamiaceae your landscape, I highly recomof Caryopteris plants is that they are family and are native to East Asia. They mend including Caryopteris Gold low-maintenance and easy to care for. are deciduous shrubs that can grow up Crest or Caryopteris Emerald Crest to 3 feet tall and 4 feet wide. They thrive in your garden. These plants proThey require minimal pruning and in full sun or partial shade and prefer duce clusters of small, blue flowers can survive drought conditions. well-drained soil. that bloom late in the summer These plants are considered cold and throughout the fall. They are hardy, making them great plants to grow throughout the South. known for attracting butterflies and bees with their sweet nectar. One of the most significant advantages of Caryopteris plants is Caryopteris Gold Crest is a unique plant characterized by its that they are low-maintenance and easy to care for. They require bright golden foliage, which creates a stunning contrast to the minimal pruning and can survive drought conditions. plant’s blue flowers. I think the golden foliage is this plant’s best characteristic. Even when the plant is not in bloom, its foliage adds 6

JANUARY | 2024

Caryopteris plants such as this Emerald Crest are low-maintenance shrubs that are easy to care for. They require minimal pruning and can survive drought conditions.

In early spring, prune back any damaged or dead branches. You can prune these plants back to 12 inches to encourage them to keep a compact growth habit. Some gardeners have problems with deer eating their plants. Both Caryopteris Gold Crest and Caryopteris Emerald Crest are deer-resistant, making them an excellent choice for gardens where deer are a problem. But having a deer-resistant plant does not guarantee the deer will stay away. If deer get hungry enough, they will eat just about anything to survive. I recommend both plants if you are looking for low-maintenance and visually appealing selections to add to your landscape. You can’t go wrong with Caryopteris Emerald Crest and Caryopteris Gold Crest. Consider adding these shrubs to your landscape next spring.

Even when the plant is not in bloom, the bright golden foliage of the Caryopteris Gold Crest is this plant’s best characteristic.

by Dr. Eddie Smith Southern Gardening columnist Dr. Eddie Smith, a gardening specialist and Pearl River County coordinator with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, is an internationally certiﬁed arborist, Produce Safety Alliance certiﬁed trainer, and one of the developers of the Mississippi Smart Landscapes program that encourages the use of native plants in the landscape.

2024 | JANUARY 7

Outdoors Today

Mississippi sportsmen can hunt two squirrel species, eastern gray squirrels and fox squirrels, both found throughout the state. People might also spot two subspecies of fox squirrel. Much larger than gray squirrels, fox squirrels come in many colors ranging from red to solid black. The Bachman, or “hill country” fox squirrel, prefers upland forests. Another subspecies, the delta fox squirrel, primarily lives in thick mature hardwood bottomland forests of the Mississippi Delta Region along the Mississippi River. “Our more upland fox squirrels will have variations of white, black, and red coloration,” explained Rick Hamrick, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks top 8

JANUARY | 2024

small game biologist. “We can sometimes identify individuals just based on their individual mask characteristics and their different coloration patterns. In the Mississippi Delta Region, we have some squirrels that are mostly black all over or a rusty red color with a yellowish belly. Those are typically the two distinct color phases with delta fox squirrels.” The mast crop, or the number of acorns and other food sources nature produces each year, drive squirrel populations. After years of plentiful mast, squirrel populations bloom the following spring. After a bad year, squirrel populations dip a bit. Squirrels also like to eat pine seeds, berries, and fruits.

“Squirrel populations fluctuate annually, but the long-term populations of the delta fox squirrel seem to be stable as long as they can find mature hardwood forest,” Hamrick said. “In the bigger chunks of forest, the fox squirrel population is in pretty good shape, whether red or black. In some areas, people might see a few more red ones and in other areas, they might see a few more black ones, but the numbers are pretty good.” Many sportsmen visit the Mississippi Delta Region trying to bag a solid or mostly black squirrel to put on their walls. Some fox squirrels also come in nearly solid black coloration, except for a white nose and white ears. Sportsmen can hunt many public lands in the state including wildlife management areas, U.S. Forest Service, national wildlife refuges, and some U.S. Army Corps of Engineers properties.

Squirrel populations fluctuate annually, but the long-term populations of the delta fox squirrel seem to be stable as long as they can find mature hardwood forest. In the bigger chunks of forest, the fox squirrel population is in pretty good shape, whether red or black. Some of the best hunting for delta fox squirrels occurs in the Delta National Forest. The forest spreads across 60,898 acres of bottomland hardwood forests in Sharkey County. The statemanaged Sunflower WMA includes most of the forest about 10 miles east of Rolling Fork. Some other WMAs for squirrel hunting include Twin Oaks, also near Rolling Fork, Mahannah about 12 miles north of Vicksburg, O’Keefe in Quitman County, and Malmaison near Greenwood. Squirrel hunting offers an excellent way to introduce youngsters to the sport of hunting and teach them woodsmanship skills. The Mississippi squirrel season runs through Feb. 28, 2024. The 2024 spring season lasts from May 15 to June 1. Season dates and other regulations might differ on private vs public lands and on various public hunting areas, so always check before hunting anywhere.

For more information on public places to hunt and other regulations, see www.mdwfp.com.

by John N. Felsher John N. Felsher is a professional freelance writer, broadcaster, photographer, and editor who lives in Alabama. An avid sportsman, he’s written more than 3,300 articles for more than 170 different magazines on a wide variety of outdoors topics. Contact him at j.felsher@hotmail.com.

2024 | JANUARY 9

Scene Around the ‘Sip

by Steven Ward Anne Marshall, executive director of the Ulysses S. Grant Former U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant has a unique and Presidential Library, said her predecessor, John F. Marszalek, significant tie to Mississippi that has nothing to do with Civil was responsible for the library in Mississippi. War battles fought on the state’s soil. In 2009, Marszalek was the Mississippi State University executive director of the Ulysses S. houses Grant’s presidential library. Grant Association, a group tasked Mississippi State is one of only six with relocating the collection universities in the country to host Visitors to our museum can enjoy a spacious when officials at Southern Illinois a presidential library. University didn’t want to house The Ulysses S. Grant Presidential gallery which includes artifacts from and the private collection any longer, Library consists of a 21,000 squareinteractive exhibits that introduce visitors Marshall said. foot facility that offers the largest to Grant’s life, his military achievements, Historian John Y Simon — while single collection of Grant papers a professor at Southern Illinois and items in the world, contains his presidency, and his later life. University — started collecting 15,000 linear feet of corresponGrant correspondence to garner dence, research notes, artifacts, copies of every letter Grant ever wrote or received, Marshall said. photographs, scrapbooks, and memorabilia, along with 4,000 “The correspondence was housed at Southern Illinois, but published monographs. largely functioned as a private collection, only accessible with the The collection wound up at Mississippi State because of the permission and cooperation of Simon,” Marshall said. work of a retired MSU history professor who taught there for more than 25 years and wrote extensively on the Civil War. 10

JANUARY | 2024

When Simon retired, the school did not want to support the collection any longer. Marszalek approached then incoming MSU president Mark Keenum about housing the collection at the university. Mississippi State built a $10 million facility that was added to the 4th floor of the existing library which now houses the presidential library’s state-of-the-art Grant museum. “We get several thousand visitors a year, from all over the nation and even different parts of the world. Visitors to our museum can enjoy a spacious gallery which includes artifacts from and interactive exhibits that introduce visitors to Grant’s life, his military achievements, his presidency, and his later life,” Marshall said. Grant biographers, including Ron Chernow, Ronald White, and Fox News anchor Bret Baier, all utilized materials from the library. The library staff also worked closely with the production company which made a Grant miniseries that appeared on the History Channel in 2020.

Marshall said visitors love the artifacts from Grant’s life, including letters written to family members, specially commissioned China from his daughter Nellie’s White House wedding, and a copy of his death mask. Visitors also enjoy the interactive touch screen exhibits and the four life-sized models of Grant throughout his life. In addition to the Grant library, the museum includes a gallery dedicated to the Frank and Virginia Williams Collection of Lincolniana, a 2017 donation that was considered the largest privately owned Abraham Lincoln collection in America. With hundreds of thousands of historical documents and items housed on-site, the new addition makes Mississippi State a leading destination for research on the Civil War and two presidents who shaped the course of American history. Marshall said the university has received a federal appropriation to build a brand new, free standing presidential library that should be ready for visitors in two years.

Anne Marshall

For more information about the Grant library, visit www.usgrantlibrary.org. 2024 | JANUARY 11

101⁄2 103⁄8

WARNING - WARNING - WARNING

If Your Hands, Arms, Feet, or Legs Are Numb - If You Feel Shooting or Burning Pain or An Electric Sensation - You Are at Risk

Don't Let Creeping Nerve Death Ruin Your Life Get The Help You Need - Here's What You Need to Know...

The most common method your doctor may recommend to treat neuropathy is prescription drugs

Purvis, MS - If you experience numbness or tingling in your hands, arms, legs, or feet or if you experience shooting or burning pain, this is important. Please read this carefully. Peripheral Neuropathy is when small blood vessels in the hands, arms, feet or legs become diseased and tiny nerves that keep the cells and muscles working properly shrivel up and die.

Early-warning symptoms include tingling and numbness, mild loss of feeling in your hands, arms, legs or feet, inability to feel your feet, which increases your risk of foot-injury and falling. More Advanced Symptoms Include... Loss of coordination & dexterity, which puts you at increased risk of accidents. Inability to feel clothing like socks and gloves. High risk of falling, which makes walking dangerous, and makes you more dependent on others. Burning sensations in your arms, legs, hands or feet that may start mild, but as nerves and muscles die, may feel like you're being burned by a blow torch. I

Ignore the early warning signals long enough and you risk progressive nerve damage leading to muscle wasting, severe pain, loss of balance and a lot of staying at home wishing you didn't hurt. When every step is like walking on hot coals, sitting still may be the only thing you feel like doing. But there's little joy in sitting still all day long.

2021 Russell Communications

Drugs like Gabapentin, Lyrica, Cymbalta, & Neurontin are often prescribed to manage the pain. But, damaged nerves and dying cells do not heal on their own. Pain pills do not restore healthy nerve function. They just mask the pain as Now here's the scary part.... Nerve damage CAUSES cell damage. the nerves continue to degenerate and cells and muscle continue to die. Cell damage SPEEDS UP nerve degeneration Taking endless drugs and suffering terrible Without treatment this can become side effects that may damage your liver & a DOWN-WARD SPIRAL that kidney and create even more problems, is accelerates. not a reasonable path. You deserve better. The damage can get worse fast. Mild Three things must be determined to symptoms intensify. Slight tingling, effectively treat neuropathy. 1) What is the numbness or lack of feeling can turn underlying cause? 2) How much nerve into burning pain. damage has been sustained? 3) How much Before you know it, damage can treatment your condition will require? become so bad you hurt all the time. With proper treatment, shriveled blood Unless this downward spiral is vessels grow back & nerves can return to stopped and nerves return to proper function. How much treatment you proper function - the damage to may need depends on your condition. nerves and cells in the affected area At Purvis Chiropractic we do a complete can get so bad your muscles begin neuropathy sensitivity exam to determine to die right along with the nerves the extent of your nerve damage. The and cells. And that sets the stage exam includes a detailed sensory for weakness, loss of mobility, evaluation, extensive peripheral vascular disability, and dependence on testing, & a detailed analysis of the others. findings.

If you have early warning signs of peripheral neuropathy, (tingling &/or numbness, loss of feeling or pain) it's CRITICAL you get proper treatment.

It's critical, because with proper treatment the symptoms can often be reversed. Without it, you are playing Russian Roulette with your health. Once your nerve loss reaches 85%, odds are there's nothing any doctor can do to help.

Dr. Rob Acord, D.C. will be offering this complete neuropathy sensitivity exam for $47. This special offer goes away at the end of this month as we have a limited number of exam appointments available. Stop Hurting & Start Healing

Call Now to Schedule Your Complete Neuropathy Sensitivity Exam with Dr. Rob Acord, D.C.

(601) 794-0081 105 Main Street Purvis, MS 39475

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EMPLOYEES EARN SERVICE AWARDS Every December, Southwest Electric recognizes our employees and their years of service to our cooperative’s Members. In December 2023, twelve employees were recognized and received awards noting their years of service.

35 years

Jr Keller

30 years

25 years

Jason Delaney

Tena Anderson

David Strittman

20 years

Tina Strittman

10 yyears

Riley Carson

Amanda Cranfield

Benito Foster

15 years

Tim Collins

Frank May

5 years

Chad Buckley

Doug Tanksley 2024 | JANUARY

MEET YOUR 2024 MISSISSIPPI

ELECTED OFFICIALS

Southwest Electric salutes Mississippi’s senators and representatives who represent our state in Washington, D.C. and at our state capitol in Jackson. We appreciate their dedication and willingness to serve in the spirit of public service to help shape the future of our state.

MARSHALL

DESOTO

ALCORN

BENTON T I P PA H

TISHOMINGO PRENTISS

TAT E TUNICA

UNION

PA N O L A

L A FAY E T T E

LEE

I TAWA M B A

PONTOTOC

COAHOMA

QUITMAN

YA L O B U S H A

1 CALHOUN

TA L L A H AT C H I E

MONROE

C H I C K A S AW

B O L I VA R

GRENADA LEFLORE

WEBSTER

CARROLL

SUNFLOWER

C L AY

LOWNDES

MONTGOMERY

WA S H I N G T O N

C H O C TAW

HOLMES

OKTIBBEHA

AT TA L A

HUMPHREYS

NOXUBEE WINSTON

SHARKEY

YA Z O O MADISON

LEAKE

NESHOBA

KEMPER

SCOTT

NEWTON

LAUDERDALE

SMITH

JASPER

CLARKE

ISSAQUENA

RANKIN

HINDS WA R R E N

CLAIBORNE

COPIAH

SIMPSON

JEFFERSON

COVINGTON LINCOLN ADAMS

L AW R E N C E

FRANKLIN

LAMAR WILKINSON

AMITE

WAY N E

JONES

JEFFERSON D AV I S

PIKE

FORREST

PERRY

WA LT H A L L

GEORGE

PEARL RIVER

TATE REEVES Governor

DELBERT HOSEMANN

GREENE

MARION

for a job well done to all our representatives and senators who represent constituents residing in our service area.

STONE

JACKSON HARRISON

HANCOCK

Lieutenant Governor

CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION U.S. SENATORS

ROGER WICKER

425 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510

16 JANUARY | 2024

CINDY HYDE-SMITH

702 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510

U.S. REPRESENTATIVES

BENNIE THOMPSON Second District

2466 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515

MICHAEL GUEST Third District

450 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515

NOW AVAILABLE

A free, interactive legislative app for Mississippi

The Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi offers an easy-to-use mobile app of Mississippi’s state and federal elected officials. Look for “ECM Legislative Roster” in the Apple App Store. An Android version is also available through Google Play.

SENATE

Sen. Albert Butler, Sr.

Sen. Gary Brumfield

Sen. Jason Barrett

District 37: Adams, Claiborne, Copiah, Franklin, Hinds, and Jefferson counties

District 38: Adams, Amite, Pike, Walthall, and Wilkinson counties

District 39: Amite, Franklin, Lawrence, Lincoln, and Pike counties

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Rep. Vince Mangold

Rep. Stephanie Foster

District 53: Franklin, Lawrence, Lincoln, and Pike counties

District 63: Hinds County

Rep. Becky Currie District 92: Copiah, Lawrence, and Lincoln counties

Rep. Gregory L. Holloway, Sr.

Rep. Jeffery Harness

District 76: Copiah and Hinds counties

District 85: Claiborne, Franklin, Jefferson, and Warren counties

Rep. Robert L. Johnson, III

Rep. Angela Cockerham

Rep. Sam C. Mims, V

District 94: Adams, Franklin, and Jefferson counties

District 96: Adams, Amite, Pike, and Wilkinson counties

District 97: Adams, Amite, Franklin, and Pike counties

2024 | JANUARY

2023 cooperative University

Students built a model of the power process and explained how electricity is generated at the power plant and distributed to their homes.

held in Port Gibson Southwest Electric held its 7th annual Cooperative University on Dec. 5 at the Myers-Marx Building in downtown Port Gibson. Eighteen students from ten schools competed to become the 2024 representatives for Southwest Electric. The students had a full day of learning about electricity, the history of rural electric cooperatives and the cooperative business model, as well as hearing from elected officials. They had handson experience tying wire to a cross-arm, holding tools the lineworkers use, seeing the inside of a transformer and learning how a meter works. Out-of-town judges chose a smaller group of students to return Dec. 6 for interviews. This is the 36th year that Southwest Electric has participated in the Cooperative Youth Leaders program administered by the Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi.

Lineman Justin May and Apparatus Crew Leader Michael Johnson showed students the materials that are attached at the top of a pole. Students were able to wear lineman gloves to tighten bolts and tie wire.

Ava Calcote • Brookhaven Academy Avery Fleming • Natchez High School Avery Sellers • Loyd Star Attendance Center Cara Carberry • Franklin County High School Emma Massey • Adams County Christian School Georneya Garrett • Brookhaven High School Jade June • Wilkinson County Christian Academy Ja’Kobe Brown • Jefferson County High School Justice Allen • Natchez High School Kelis Morris • Natchez Early College Academy Kennedy Davis • Port Gibson High School Knox Leggett • Loyd Star Attendance Center Ja’Lacika King • Jefferson County High School Nathan Poole • Brookhaven Academy Patty Jo Hickman • Adams County Christian School Peyton Bell • Natchez Early College Academy Pictured in the front row from left to right are Port Gibson Mayor Willie White, and state legislators, Senator Albert Butler, Representative Vince Mangold, Representative Jeffery Harness, and Senator Jason Barrett. Students had the opportunity to talk to the elected officials and ask them questions.

18 JANUARY | 2024

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by Steven Ward Close to 30 years ago, Tracy Harden got out of a car in her hometown of Eagle Lake, looked up, and saw a lineman on a pole. The lineman was Tim Harden of Twin County Electric. “I was with my mom, and we were walking to a store when I first saw him. I looked at him and fell in love. I told my mom I was going to marry that man,” Tracy Harden said recently while standing next to her husband, Tim, in Rolling Fork. “I was hanging a transformer when she looked up at me,” Tim said. Today, Tracy, 48, and Tim, 62, are rebuilding the restaurant they have co-owned for 17 years, Chuck’s Dairy Bar. Although he’s not a lineman anymore, Tim works full-time as a meter reader for Twin County after a break from the co-op industry to help run his uncle’s farm and a stint with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Their restaurant, a Rolling Fork hamburger institution, was destroyed by an E-4 tornado that swept through the tiny Delta town on the night of March 24 of this year. The tornado leveled most of the town and killed 14 Rolling Fork residents. None of the customers or seven employees at Chuck’s Dairy Bar that night were among the dead. They all easily could have been, if not for the quick thinking of the Hardens. The couple made sure all their employees were inside the restaurant’s walk-in freezer while the tornado barreled through the community. 20

JANUARY | 2024

When it was all over, the entire restaurant was in pieces except for the freezer and the people inside. The tornado, the restaurant, and Tracy got plenty of local and national media attention — including an email from Fox News asking if she was willing to travel to Nashville to accept an award on national television. Fox News wanted to give Tracy a 2023 Patriot Award. Specifically, the Fox Weather Award for Courage. Tracy said she didn’t deserve an award. She just did the right thing for her community. “I don’t want to do that. That’s not me. I can’t accept that award,” she said. In addition, Tracy said she is painfully shy and anxious and couldn’t even imagine stepping on a stage on a live television show. Tim convinced Tracy to accept the award. “He said, ‘just think what it will do for the community.’ I would be accepting it for the right reasons then,” Tracy said. Doing the right thing for her community has been a hallmark of Tracy’s life since her arrival in Rolling Fork years ago. Whether going to Washington, D.C. to tell the U.S. Senate about the flooding in Mississippi Delta communities and advocating for pumps or what happened on the night of March 24, Tracy said she believes she wound up in Rolling Fork for a reason. “I just want to be a good person and make the town a better place to live,” Tracy said.

Photos by Chad Calcote

The Chuck’s Dairy Bar freezer. Tracy and Tim gathered their seven employees inside during the tornado.

In my head, I was thinking that kind of thing doesn’t happen here. That happens in other places.

For Tracy, March 24 started out much differently than the way it ended. “It was a beautiful day. I was outside at lunch playing with my grandson. My daughter sent me a message and said she wanted Thomas (Tracy’s grandson) to come home, to bring him home,” she said. The restaurant was busy that day with farmers coming in for lunch at a steady clip. There was talk of bad weather, but Tracy said she heard customers and people in the community say it wasn’t going to be too bad, just some rain and wind. Around 7:30 p.m. while just a few customers were inside eating, Tracy was working on payroll. The few customers who were eating left. There was one table with two men — hunters — who had just ordered hamburger steaks. Right around 8 p.m., Tracy got two texts from family members telling her to find a safe space because there was a tornado on the ground. “In my head, I was thinking that kind of thing doesn’t happen here. That happens in other places,” Tracy said. The lights started blinking and then went out completely. The two diners managed to get to safety. Tim started shoving everyone in the freezer. There were nine people squeezed into the freezer — Tim, Tracy, and seven employees. While they were inside the freezer, everything began shaking. The walls of the restaurant were collapsing, and Tim yelled, “I see the sky” as the roof of the freezer was torn off. Tracy said everyone was soaked and had debris all over their clothes and in their eyes. Then, everything stopped. They couldn’t get out of the freezer because there was so much debris blocking the front of the door. They called 911, screamed, and prayed. A man removed the debris from the freezer front door to let everyone out. When they got out, the couple saw that the two motels they owned behind the restaurant were destroyed. The 40 or so mobile homes behind the restaurant were demolished as well. “It was chaos,” Tracy said. 2024 | JANUARY 21

Tracy Harden holds the beautifully handcrafted Patriot Award given to her by Fox Nation.

Fast forward eight months or so to Nov. 16 when Tracy and Tim drove to Nashville to accept the Fox Nation award. They hardly told anybody about it beforehand, but posted a Facebook note the day they left. “We got so many nice messages of encouragement from people,” Tracy said. Tracy said she picked out what she thought was the perfect dress for the event three days before. When she put it on in Nashville before the ceremony, she said the dress was all wrong. Luckily, she had a dress she had ordered from Amazon that was still in a box in the back of her car. That $54 green dress is what she wore that night at the awards. When she was backstage at the Grand Ole Opry, where the event was held, Tracy said it was very nerve wracking. “I kept thinking I can’t do this. We need to go home,” she said. The Fox Nation staffers told her a video would be shown to the live audience and then, after being introduced, she would go out on the stage to accept the award. “But I knew if I watched the video, I would lose it. I had to cover my eyes and ears.” Tracy held her composure better than she thought. “It was a wonderful experience. It wasn’t about me. It was about our town.”

JANUARY | 2024

Tracy and Tim attending the Fox Nation Patriot Awards in Nashville.

People always came here to share their news. Good news, bad news. They felt comfortable with us.

Tracy and Tim look around the new construction of Chuck’s Dairy Bar. Blessings have flowed in daily for the couple during the restaurant rebuild, they said.

Construction on the new Chuck’s Dairy Bar continues as employees serve up burgers and other tasty goodies in a temporary food trailer nearby. The company that supplied the freezer that protected Tracy, Tim, and their staff on March 24 has donated a brand new, $40,000 freezer as well as an ice cream box for the new Chuck’s — Master-Bilt in New Albany. Tracy said the plan is for the new Chuck’s to be open by Feb. 1 She wants to get back to the rhythms of life in Rolling Fork, like it was before March 24. The community, as it rebuilds after the devastation, yearns for the routine and habit of Chuck’s prior to the tornado as well. “People always came here to share their news. Good news, bad news. They felt comfortable with us,” Tracy said.

2024 | JANUARY 23

It’s wintertime, so send us photos of your kids or grandkids wrapped up and warm. The photos must be high-resolution JPG files of at least 1 MB in size. Please attach the photo to your email and send it to news@ecm.coop. Each entry must be accompanied by photographer’s name, address, and co-op.

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1. Marin, LT, and Hudson in Pop’s Big Tree, by Brad Kidder of Columbus; 4-County Electric member. 2. Near a fire station, by Judi Olex of Picayune; Coast Electric member. 3. Old, old tree, by Kay Madden of Lumberton; Pearl River Valley member. 4. Me and a tree in Waveland, by Anna Courtney of Pearlington; Coast Electric member. 5. Deer and a tree, by Sandy Warren of Benton; Yazoo Valley Electric member.

JANUARY | 2024

6. Big tree, by Bobby Windham of Olive Branch; North East member. 7. Hello, by Stanley Anderson of Hattiesburg; Pearl River Valley member. 8. Me and an unusual tree, by Danny Knight of Brookhaven; Magnolia Electric member. 9. Love, by Katie Kubler of Byhalia; Northcentral member. 10. We are hugging this tree, by Lisa Hayes of Hazlehurst; Southwest Electric member.

11. A Sky Lake giant, by Wendy Ansel of Starkville; 4-County Electric member.

16. Crump Bottom, by Cherie Foster of Hamilton; Monroe County Electric member.

12. Cyprus swamp off the Natchez Trace near Canton, by Teresa Lott of Perkinston; Pearl River Valley member.

17. Trees, by Sybil Taylor Hood of Kosciusko; Central Electric member.

13. Ocean Spring troll tree, by Jim Hodge of Ocean Springs; Coast Electric member. 14. Plant on a stump, by Becky Champion of Little Rock; Central Electric member. 15. Sunset, by Caryn Bivens of Columbus; 4-County Electric member.

18. Willow Oak, by Billy Grubbs of Belden; Pontotoc Electric member. 19. Giant Magnolia, by Jane Collins of Maben; 4-County Electric member. 20. Golden tree, by Sherry Sledge of Pontotoc; Pontotoc Electric member.

2024 | JANUARY 27

On the Menu

with Vicki Leach

January may bring new beginnings, but don’t lose focus of old memories and what they can teach us. Years ago I had a dream. I was sitting in a tiny log cabin in my backyard eating biscuits with my maternal grandmother. She was sitting at one end of a little wooden table that was just big enough for the two of us. In the middle of the table was a pan of biscuits, made by her, and baked in her old black cast-iron cookstove. We never spoke the first word to each other — we just sat and ate biscuits. That singular, ethereal moment is still so strong a memory in my heart that I can close my eyes and be taken right back to that little table, and into my long-gone grandmother’s presence. It also began my personal quest to learn to bake a good pan of biscuits. Other than that dream, I never remember seeing that grandmother make biscuits. She was known more in the family for her fried apple pies. My paternal grandmother, on the other hand, made biscuits every day of her life. I never walked into her house without seeing a poundcake on her counter or leftover biscuits on her stove. I’d watch her do that little pull and pinch trick with her hand, create exact portions of dough, pat them into her biscuit pan, and bake them off perfectly. It was magic as far as I was concerned. And what’s more, she’d perform this trick using a wooden bowl of self-rising flour that never, ever seemed to run low, much less run out. She’d put it away looking exactly as it did when she got it out. I’ve never mastered her technique. 28

JANAURY | 2024

All my food memories tell me that I come from a long line of fabulous southern cooks. Funny thing: I didn’t have brains enough to want to learn any of their “tricks-and-secrets” until AFTER I got married and moved five hours away. It’s kind of hard to get the nuances of baking or cooking anything over the phone. Some of the instructions my mother gave me made absolutely no sense. Ever tried to decipher instructions like, ‘add enough milk to make it more wet than dry, but not too wet’? It took me years to figure things like that out. Now, when I’m thinking about my life-long cooking adventures, I remember that I never really wanted to learn anything about food until I was forced to (I had a husband to feed). Back in the dark ages when I was in high school, home economics was a requirement. Sewing was what I always wanted to do, but the classes were always full. And since it was a requirement, it was demanded that I be in cooking classes — with the football and basketball players — whether I liked it or not. But I was blessed with a teacher named Mrs. Hudson who was funny, smart, and patient. I would love to tell her what I do now, and that I still have (and use) every one of the recipes she gave us in high school. And that I probably appreciate her most for teaching me how to make sweet tea. Funny how food gets into your soul.

Chicken Pie

serves 6

INGREDIENTS

½ cup chopped onion 1 stick butter 7 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning 1⁄8 teaspoon pepper 3 cups chicken broth, (homemade or store-bought)

3 cups cooked chicken, cubed 12-ounce package frozen peas and carrots 4-ounce jar pimento 6 to 8 biscuits, uncooked

In a medium stockpot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook until transparent. Blend in flour and seasonings and stir with a whisk until flour is bubbly. Stir in broth, whisking to stir out lumps, and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes. Add frozen peas and carrots and stir until mixture is hot again. Stir in chicken and pimento. Pour into a 9x13 casserole dish that’s been sprayed with Pam. Place raw biscuits (canned or homemade) on top. Bake at 425 degrees until biscuits are lightly browned and casserole is bubbly.

Buffalo Chicken Wings

serves 12

INGREDIENTS

4 pound chicken wing sections (remove tips from wings and cut at joint) Flour for dredging Salt and pepper 1 bottle Crystal hot sauce (this is the only one to use) 2 sticks butter (no substitute)

7-Up Biscuits

makes 12 to 24 depending on size

INGREDIENTS

4 cups buttermilk baking mix (Bisquick, etc) 1 cup sour cream 1 cup 7-Up (or ginger ale or any lemon lime soda) 1 stick butter (salted is better) Place baking mix in a large mixing bowl. Add sour cream and soda, and mix to combine. Don’t over-beat; just combine thoroughly. In the meantime, melt the butter in a 9x13 pan (glass casserole is fine) in a preheated oven at 425 degrees. Turn the biscuit dough out onto a floured countertop, and lightly knead and fold the dough until it holds together. Pat out about 1 inch thick. Cut with a well-floured biscuit cutter and place in prepared pan with melted butter. Bake until lightly browned, about 20-25 minutes. Serve from the pan. Use 6 to 8 biscuits to top Chicken Pie.

Dry chicken wings very well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dredge wings in flour, shaking off excess and lay in a single layer on a baking pan. Deep fry until totally browned and cooked through. Remove to paper towel lined tray to drain. When all the chicken is done, remove from paper towels and place on a baking sheet in a single layer. Combine hot sauce and butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour mixture over chicken wings until all of them are coated (you may not need all the sauce) and place in oven at 375 degrees for about 7 minutes. Serve the rest of the sauce on the side.

by Vicki Leach Vicki Leach is a full-time chef/culinary instructor at Mississippi State University in the Department of Food Science, Nutrition, and Health Promotion. She teaches Science of Food Preparation, Foodservice Organization, and Quantity Food Production. She also serves as the food service coordinator for First Baptist Church in Starkville, where she attends with her husband, Rob. She has four children and ﬁve grandchildren, and lives in a 130-year-old farmhouse that speaks to her old soul. She still has the ﬁrst cookbook she ever owned.

Events Events open to the public will be published free of charge as space allows. Submit details at least two months prior to the event date. Submissions must include a phone number with area code for publication. Email to news@ecm.coop. Events are subject to change. Museum of the Mississippi Delta Presents: Van Gogh for All. Dec. 2023 – Feb. 2024. Greenwood. Van Gogh for All is a traveling exhibit that immerses you in the works of the world’s most famous painter. It’s designed to engage 21st-century audiences in the 19thcentury art of Vincent van Gogh. This experientially rich exhibit uses modern technology and participatory learning to immerse new audiences in van Gogh’s genius, his personal struggles, and his creative process. Includes a 12-foot-wide, interactive version of Van Gogh’s Starry Night! 1608 US 82. Details: 662- 453-0925. The Inspirations in concert. Jan. 19. Petal. The concert will be held at FBC Runnelstown, 9211 Highway 42 at 7 p.m. Admission is free. A love offering will be taken. Details: 601-583-3733 or 601-325-4047. Melodies of Bluegrass Festival. Feb. 23 and 24. Morton. Bands include: The Kody Norris Show, The Edgar Loudermilk Band, Foxfire, Fair River Station, Firetown, The Bluegrass Cartel Band, and Weary Heart. Show starts at 1 p.m. each day. Livingston Arts Performing Center at Roosevelt State Park. 2149 MS 13. Details: 601-604-4234 or 601-527-9127. Mississippi Gem, Mineral, Fossil, and Jewelry Show. Feb. 24 and 25. Jackson. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Mississippi Trademark building on the State Fairgrounds. $8 for adults; $3 for students; scouts and leaders in uniform $2; ages 5 and under are free. Children activities, exhibits, and educational opportunities from colleges and state organizations will be available. Demonstrations of lapidary art. Over 25 dealers of gems, fossils, minerals, jewelry, lapidary tools, beads, and more. Hourly door prizes and a grand prize. Details: 601-344-8171 or email mgmshow@yahoo.com. Mid-South Military History & Civil War Show. March 1 and 2. Southaven. The South’s oldest military history show will be at the Landers Center on I-55 and Church Road, Exit 287. Open March 1 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. and March 2 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults and children 12 and under are free. Vendors from across the country will have quality artifacts from the American Revolution through the 20th Century available to buy, sell, or trade. These include books, documents, uniforms, weapons, relics, photographs, and Native American items. Musicians and food trucks will be on site. On Saturday, historians will speak on Civil War and World War II topics. Civil War re-enactors with a cannon and World War II re-enactors will be there as well. Details: 901-832-4708 or email dwharrison@aol.com.

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Miz Jo won’t let me help her cook anymore until I take a remedial course in math. Particularly fractions. We had been invited to Christmas Day dinner at our granddaughter’s house. She has the youngest “great” in the family. We wanted to see how Presley reacted to her first Christmas morning. When we have a big meal at one of the kid’s houses, Jo and I pitch in and cook something to add to the table. I usually get relegated to a ham. I make mine like Mama did, with pineapple loops and cherries on it. But Jo’s specialty is deviled eggs.

At that point it dawned on me that I either needed to cook more often or just stay out of the kitchen altogether. But whichever, I’ll never make that mistake again. But 100 deviled eggs weren’t too many after all. First, they looked nice on the tray. And when the eight-year-old put five on her plate right away I figured the doubled-buffer-number-of-eggs might have been providence watching out for me. As we head into the uncharted New Year, it is a comforting thought to me that, if providence takes care of little things like how many deviled eggs we really need, then the big things will probably be taken care of, too. Happy New Year!

It’s always a problem to try to figure out how many deviled eggs to make. Usually, people will eat at least two. But we have some grandkids that will make a meal of the eggs alone. It’s always a problem to try to figure out how many deviled eggs to make. Usually, people will eat at least two. But we have some grandkids that will make a meal of the eggs alone. We had been told there would probably be about 15 people there that day. Well, calculating eggs, that’s automatically 30 eggs, so everybody can have at least two. Knowing some people would want three, I said we ought to figure on making at least 40. And at the last minute I threw in 10 more eggs, so we would have enough. I figured 50 deviled eggs should easily take care of 15 people. So, I brought 50 eggs to a big, rolling boil and then took them off the heat to stand for 15 minutes in the hot water to finish cooking. Then I poured the hot water into the sink and ran cold water out of the tap over the eggs. Jo and I then set about cracking and peeling the 50 eggs. (I STILL haven’t figured out why some eggs skin right out of their shells and others absolutely refuse. Any tips on peeling boiled eggs, please email me before Easter. My email is at the bottom of this article.) Anyway, it was only after Jo and I had boiled 50 eggs, and cooled them and cracked them and peeled them, and I had picked up the first shelled egg and got the pairing knife and brought the knife up to the egg to slice it in half, that I realized, we weren’t making 50 deviled eggs. We were making a hundred! Because every whole egg makes two halves!

by Walt Grayson Walt Grayson is the host of “Mississippi Roads” on Mississippi Public Broadcasting television and the author of two “Looking Around Mississippi” books and “Oh! That Reminds Me: More Mississippi Homegrown Stories.” Walt is also a reporter and 4 p.m. news anchor at WJTV in Jackson. He lives in Brandon and is a Central Electric member. Contact him at walt@waltgrayson.com.

2024 | JANUARY 31

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