Today in Mississippi March 2022 4-County

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picture this my opinion grin ‘n’ bare it

We already know

No one needs to tell us how wonderful Mississippi is because we already know.

We already know our state is the birthplace of rock and roll, country music, and the blues.

We already know that some of the country’s most respected and award-winning writers hail from the state that gave us William Faulkner, Eudora Welty, and Richard Wright.

We already know that Mississippi is home to some of the best food in the Deep South and, for that matter, the world.

Most of all, we already know that Mississippi is a place filled with some of the kindest and most giving people in our country.

Even though some people who have never stepped foot in our great state like to tear us down because of the mistakes of the past, it’s nice to be reminded that there are others who see Mississippi as we do.

Our cover story this month is about a man from far away who now calls Mississippi home.

He now knows, just like we do.

Joe Dera was born in the Netherlands and grew up in Clifton, New Jersey.

After retiring from 40 years in public relations, Dera and his girlfriend moved to Yazoo County from Pennsylvania.

Once you read our story, you’ll see that Dera’s career in public relations was not your average office job.

Dera is a member of Yazoo Valley Electric, and like all our electric cooperative members all over Mississippi, he is part of a special community.

One of the Seven Cooperative Principles that set electric cooperatives apart from other electric utilities is Concern for Community.

Cooperatives work for the sustainable development of their communities through policies supported by our members. That means cooperatives do a lot more than provide safe and affordable power for our members. Whether its co-op employees volunteering in local schools or making donations of time and money to a food bank, cooperatives are not just invested in communities, they are an integral part of them.

Dera has been a cooperative member since 2016, so this is a little late — welcome to Mississippi and welcome to our co-op community.

We hope you enjoy the March issue.

Mississippi is...

It’s where I’m from.

Born in Laurel, Jones County.

Raised on a dead-end dirt road.

Waded most every branch of water, climbed most every tree around home.

It’s where I am.

Clarke County near Quitman. Home now.

Beautiful country around here.

Wonderful people around here.

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

It’s where I’ll be.

My wife and I have been blessed to visit all 50 states, and Washington D.C. Also, Canada and Mexico. Love it all.

But no other place like Mississippi.

Yes, it’s where I’ll be.

by The Rev. Michael Boutwell, a resident of Quitman and a member of East Mississippi Electric Power Association

What’s Mississippi to you?

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

MARCH 2022 | TODAY 3

in this issue

5

southern gardening Getting ready for summer gardening

7 scene around the ‘sip A look at special people and places in Mississippi

9

5

outdoors today Time to talk turkey on the hunting trail

10 local news 16 feature

PR agent to the stars Joe Dera retires to Yazoo County

16

20 on the menu

Yummy deep dish pizza and chocolate cookies

The Official Publication of the Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi

Vol. 75 No. 3

OFFICERS Eddie Howard - President Randy Carroll - First Vice President Ron Barnes - Second Vice President Tim Perkins - Secretary/Treasurer Michael Callahan - Executive Vice President/CEO EDITORIAL STAFF Lydia Walters - VP, Communications Steven Ward - Editor Chad Calcote - Creative Director/ Manager Kevin Wood - Graphic Designer Alan Burnitt - Graphic Designer Courtney Warren - Graphic Designer Chris Alexander - Member Services Coordinator Steve Temple - Social Media Director 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: 480,459

Non-member subscription price: $9.50 per year.

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.

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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mississippi seen

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Here kitty, kitty

On the cover Retired public relations guru Joe Dera enjoys time with his seven rescue dogs in the front of his Bentonia home.

Photo by Chad Calcote.

And we think you’re going to love ours. So let’s work together: As electric cooperatives, we were built by the communities we serve—and by members just like you.

4 TODAY | MARCH 2022

Make raised beds now for Although daffodils are starting to show their tops through the bare ground, watching them emerge does not give gardeners much to do during the winter months.

But this time spent waiting for spring’s arrival is the perfect opportunity to get ready for the growing season. A project every gardener will benefit from is building a raised bed.

A raised bed is simply a landscape or garden bed that is higher than the surrounding grade. These beds are useful for both vegetables and flowers.

Gardening in a raised beds is one way to intensively cultivate a small area. It is also a good starting place for new gardeners who may be inGardening in a raised beds is timidated by the time and one way to intensively cultivate work involved in creating a garden from scratch. a small area. It is also a good There are many benestarting place for new gardeners fits of using raised beds. who may be intimidated by Plants require less time the time and work involved in and space to produce a creating a garden from scratch. crop. Research suggests that this is primarily due to the much-improved drainage a raised bed offers compared to in-ground gardening. Weed control is also easier.

Gardeners themselves also benefit. Those with sore backs or bad knees will find that bringing the garden up a little closer means less bend and fewer aches and pains. Using raised beds also allows the gardener to reach into the bed from both sides.

First, decide where to place your raised bed, as the amount of sunlight it receives affects what can be successfully grown. Most vegetables prefer full sun all day, but they can get by with at least six hours a day of morning sun.

Also consider where your raised bed will be in relation to the water faucet. Successful gardens must have easy access to irrigation.

It is not hard to construct your own raised bed. The first rule is that a raised bed should never be more than 4 feet wide. That means you have to reach only 2 feet into the bed from either side, and you never set foot in the bed itself. Raised beds are usually about 1 foot deep.

You can make the raised beds as long or as short as you like to fit your growing needs and garden space.

Some lumber yards now offer treated wood that is garden friendly. If you don’t want to use treated lumber, cedar and redwood have natural resistance to decay. These woods are more expensive but will last much longer than untreated pine.

Build sides out of any hardscape material, such as lumber, galvanized metal, stones, or bricks. Sides keep the growing mix where it belongs and your garden looking tidy.

Fill raised beds with a container growing mix that stays light and fluffy. Don’t use regular ground soil. A raised bed is just a very large container, so use a mix that drains well.

To calculate the volume of growing mix you need, just multiply the length by width by depth in feet. So, for a 4-by-8-foot raised bed, multiply 8 times 4 times 1, which equals 32 cubic feet of growing mix.

Bagged, premixed potting soil or soilless mixes are readily available from garden supply stores. They are quick and easy but are also the most expensive. You can make your own with the same great results using equal volumes of peat moss, compost, and pine bark.

To make measuring easier, remember that a 5-gallon bucket holds two-thirds of a cubic foot.

Using hardscape materials, such as treated lumber to build sides, keeps raised-bed gardens looking tidy.

by Dr. Gary Bachman Gary Bachman, Ph.D., Extension/Research Professor of Horticulture at the Mississippi State University Coastal Research and Extension Center in Biloxi. He is also host of “Southern Gardening” radio and TV programs.

He lives in Ocean Springs and is a Singing River Electric member.

MARCH 2022 | TODAY 5

We

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e know everyone in our community enjoys beauty and shade trees provide. But trees d power lines can be a dangerous mix We Trees, Too. hout regular trimming during the We know everyone in our community enjoys owing season. the beauty and shade trees provide. But trees If power you see usbeout in themix and lines can a dangerous without regular trimming during the community trimming, growing season. remember the many If you see us out in the benefits it brings: community trimming, remember the many • Keeps power lines clear benefits it brings: of tree limbs • Keeps power lines clear • Helps us of restore tree limbspower outages more • Helps usquickly restore power outages more quickly • Keeps crews and • Keeps crews and members of our members of our community safe safe community • Reduces unexpected • Reduces unexpected for repairs costs forcosts repairs Trimming improves service reliability for you, the members serve. imming improves service we reliability r you, the members we serve.

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by Steven Ward There are 41 educational facilities operated nationwide by the National Audubon Society, and one of them is located on 10 acres in downtown Moss Point.

The Pascagoula River Audubon Center is situated on Rhodes Bayou on a historic site where a trolly ran during the late 1800s and early 1900s, said Susan Stachowski, the center’s manager.

The center is described as an educational gateway to exploring nature and bayou habitats by offering educational programming for school groups. The center also features local nature themes, a step back in time with the historic trolley ticket booth and Scout Hut, and hands-on learning opportunities.

Visitors can discover the outdoors on the nature trails, bayou pier, bird feeders, critter tanks, an art gallery, and renting kayaks.

In 1974, more than 35,000 acres of land along the Pascagoula was preserved for the public. The landmark preservation, spearheaded

by The Nature Conservancy, has protected a unique ecosystem, and grown to the current 70,000 acres that keep the largest free-flowing river in the contiguous United States one of the wildest. Wildlife abounds in the Pascagoula River — including some species that are endemic or found nowhere else on the planet.

Stachowski said the sounds of nature at the center are her favorite part of what the area offers.

“I enjoy being outside at the center listening to the sounds of nature. Squirrels jumping through the trees, birds of all types calling and the sounds of the fish jumping in the water. It is amazing that I-10 and Hwy 613 are visible from the center, but it feels like we are in the

middle of nowhere,” Stachowski said.

She said guests tell her that they enjoy bird watching, seeing owls and cardinals nesting, and native plants blooming.

Stachowski described the center as an outdoor laboratory where conservation education comes to life.

Although the center is owned by the National Audubon Society, it is designed to be financially self-sustaining. Revenue sources come from renting the grounds and buildings for weddings, receptions, parties, and corporate events, I enjoy being outside at the center listening to the sounds Stachowski said.

“The center also of nature... squirrels jumping has a gift shop that through the trees, birds of all features nature-based types calling and the sounds of items that are unique the fish jumping in the water. to the area, and we rent kayaks and a pedal boat for enjoyment on the bayou and river. Our art gallery provides local artists a place to exhibit work and offers guests the opportunity to purchase,” Stachowski said.

Other than those revenue streams, the center depends on donations from area business, industry, and residents. Donations start as low as $30 for memberships and go up to $25,000 for corporate sponsorships.

Volunteers are a vital part of the center’s success, she said.

“We have volunteers who simply provide minnows to feed the snakes, water plants, work with customer service, assist with lawn care and maintenance, assist with educational field trips and some who work festivals and special events. We are always looking for new volunteers,” Stachowski said.

Visit pascagoula.audubon.org or call 228-475-0825 for more information about the center.

MARCH 2022 | TODAY 7

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Common speculation is that Benjamin Franklin wanted to proclaim the wild turkey as America’s national bird. This assumption, invalid though it was, resulted from a letter Franklin wrote extolling the virtues of the turkey and the shortcomings of the eagle. The turkey never officially gained the endorsement of Franklin, but the story has long been circulated and erroneously concluded as fact.

The national bird, we all know, is the bald eagle.

Since turkeys are ground nesters, they are vulnerable to predation and spring flooding.

There is substance aplenty to place the wild turkey in a position of high regard. Franklin thought the bird courageous. Many, both yesteryear and today, consider the wild turkey a particularly delightful entity to bake or fry or handle in several other avenues of meal making. All these factors are correct, but there is even more to the wild turkey.

Some may say he is gaudy, an accurate assessment. Puffed up and strutting on a spring morning, a gobbler is regal while at the same time a touch pretentious. His displays are exercises of grandiosity, of juvenile yet noble behavior, and presentation. He fans and pirouettes and drums and walks in a stiff-legged fashion comprised of short spurts of forward movement, this accompanied by that drumming and fan flaring and pirouetting. A turkey is also a gobbler. The wildest of sounds, save perhaps the bugle of a bull elk

or the dark-night rumble of a lion. Gobbling is wildness in audio.

And the wild turkey is… well, wild. Whether housed in a hen or gobbler, that wildness is the leading force of the turkey’s survival.

An old saw among hunters is that a deer thinks every hunter is a stump, and a turkey thinks every stump is a hunter. That is not far from the truth. Swat a mosquito or blink an eye at the wrong moment and the game is over. Turkeys can vacate real estate at near 20 mph on foot; and airborne, maybe 50.

But they are not immune to all calamities. Obviously, hunters take turkeys, but this is a small percentage of mortality. The real damage comes in the form of habitat loss, predation, and spring flooding. Turkeys are, after all, ground nesters, and this affords a strong hand of destruction to those last three entities just mentioned. Still, turkey populations are strong throughout their range and are regulated with reasonable guidelines that assure turkey numbers remain solid.

I still hunt turkeys from time to time. Not as often as in past years, but I generally go. Whether I shoot or not is immaterial. But having an encounter and conversation with a gobbler is much appreciated. The price of admission for this is to get in the spring woods before daylight and listen intently. Some visitors may not choose that expenditure. But those who don’t are missing a grand adventure in proximity of wild things. So, with shotgun or not, get out and enjoy the drama. It is a glorious performance.

by Tony Kinton Tony Kinton has been an active outdoors writer for 30 years. He lives in Carthage and is a Central Electric member. Visit www.tonykinton.com for more information.

A grand spring spectacle. Nothing compares to the courting displays of gobblers.

NOVEMBER 2021 | TODAY 9 MARCH 2022

BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Johnny Johnson, President • Mike Banks, Vice President Marty Crowder, Secretary/Treasurer • Bill Bell • John E. “Jay” Gilliland Jr. • Bruff Sanders • Kenneth Seitz

THE LIFE OF A

It takes a village to run a rural electric cooperative. Each department uses its multifaceted talents to make sure we operate at a premium level. Today, let’s look at the 4-County linemen, who celebrate National Lineman Appreciation Day in April. They wake before the sun, pour steaming cups of coffee, and kiss their families goodbye. Then, they climb into their trucks and head out. Our 4-County linemen, and those working across the country, form a solid team with one job: to deliver safe, reliable electricity. But that job can change in a million ways when rough weather steps in.

We often take power — and those who provide it — for granted. Let’s take a moment and stand in their boots.

Linemen have to work safely, smart, and efficiently — all while 40 feet in the air wearing sturdy, thick rubber gloves. On a typical day, lineworkers maintain electrical distribution lines or build service to new homes and businesses in 4-County’s service area. They have a lot on their plates. But when our dispatch center calls crews with a problem, everything else takes a backseat.

Power restoration takes precedence on a linemen’s to-do list. These brave workers are always on call. We have crews standing by to serve you 24 hours a day, in the middle of the night or wee hours of the morning, weekends and holidays.

Can you imagine getting a call at 3 a.m. telling you to work outside during bad weather? Not many people are willing to face storms. Our lineworkers face harsh elements daily, all to serve you. Linemen and co-ops stick together to accomplish this mission.

4-County and most cooperatives around the nation have reciprocal agreements with each other to provide help for each other in times of crisis. As a matter of fact, 4-County recently sent a crew to assist our sister Mississippi

10 TODAY | MARCH 2022

cooperative, Northcentral, restore power in the wake of an ice storm (see page 15). And we know they’ll be there for us if we need help. It’s just one of the things that make rural electric cooperatives so special.

Lineworkers also focus on safety; the lives of coworkers are on the line. Job safety is important to everyone, no matter your occupation. But for lineworkers, there can be no slip ups or careless actions. Mistakes can cost a limb or life. That’s one of the reasons linemen form a brotherhood. When you put your life in the hands of co-workers every day, they become more than colleagues. They’re family.

That sense of family extends to electric coops across the nation. One of our principles is cooperation among cooperatives. We help other co-ops in their time of need, and they extend that service to us, too. It’s reassuring to know if a severe storm strikes, a national team of lineworkers stand ready to answer the call.

To be ready to respond no matter the situation or weather conditions, linemen are highly trained. At 4-County, linemen go through regular training to ensure they can work safely with various kinds of equipment.

The equipment gets tested regularly, too.

These highly skilled men light our homes and businesses every day. They endure harsh weather and long hours, all to make our lives better. Today (and every day), please take a moment to thank them. 4-County Electric Power Association linemen are the heart of the Co-op Nation, proud and strong.

by Brian Clark CEO/General Manager

Check into this election Key dates are upcoming for the 2022 4-County Electric Power Association Board election.

Two seats, District 1 (Lowndes County) and District 5 (Choctaw and Winston Counties) are on the ballot this year. The coop’s nominating committee will announce their nominations Friday, April 1. The committee puts forth one candidate for each seat up for election. Other candidates can also run by completing a nomination by petition. The window for collecting signatures for the petition is Jan. 3 to April 1, 2022.

For a petition form and more information on the process, please visit our website at http://www.4county.org/ nomination-by-petition-for-boardof-directors/or call Jon Turner at 662-245-0708.

BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS Kelly and Lori Reed have been breaking down barriers their entire lives.

But sometimes, they say, it’s nice to have a little help. The hearingimpaired couple recently received a heaping helping hand of assistance from FASTnet, 4-County Electric Power Association’s broadband subsidiary.

The Reeds are the first customers in the Adaton area of Oktibbeha County to receive high-speed broadband service from the 4-County subsidiary. High-speed internet from FASTnet allows them to make video calls with a clear, fast, reliable connection - things very valuable to hearing-impaired people using sign language. “This allows us to be more independent, and enables us to have our own way to communicate,” Lori said. “We’re not always so dependent on anyone else.”

She and Kelly, however, depend on each other. They met 40 years ago at the Mississippi School for the Deaf in Jackson. “We were high school sweethearts,” Lori said, patting Kelly on the shoulder. They have been married for 36 years.

Kelly, a Jackson native, and Lori, a native of Oktibbeha County, are both deaf. Lori is also blind in one eye. “We need a reliable service.

That’s so important if, for example, we have to call 911. It greatly helps our communication needs. It’s more efficient,” Lori said. “We’re so excited about FASTnet. I thank God for this technology.”

4-County and FASTnet officials were recently on hand to celebrate with the Reeds, giving the couple a gift basket of high-tech goodies.

“It warms my heart that we’re here today with the Reed family. They are hearing impaired, and providing this service that they can use really aligns with our mission of improving the quality of life of all those we touch,” said 4-County/FASTnet CEO Brian Clark. High-speed internet is a must-have service today for most people, Clark said. “Years ago, we thought everybody used the internet for entertainment. Now, you can use it for working at home, healthcare, education and, of course, the ability to communicate with friends, family, and the outside world.”

Cheryl Thomas, an ASL translator based in Louisville who retired from the Supreme Court of Arkansas, was on hand to assist with the celebration. She said reliable, highspeed internet like FASTnet also gives family members of hearing-impaired individuals a newfound peace of mind. “I had a hearing-impaired family member. Having a reliable way to communicate for your hearingimpaired family member is a lifechanging thing for all involved.”

Kelly and Lori are the first FASTnet customers outside of the co-op subsidiary’s CARES Act pilot areas. “This is the first area outside of those CARES grant areas where we’re serving customers solely on the funding of FASTnet,” Clark explained. “If you’re in 4-County’s footprint, we’re coming.”

Communication with family, friends and others is “much clearer” now, the Reeds stressed. “And before, it was so slow. We can communicate better. It really helps bring down barriers.”

MARCH 2022 | TODAY 11

at the

by Brad Barr Lowndes County entrepreneur Jared Lewis has his sights set on building the best ammunition company in America.

APEX Munitions, based in the New Hope community of Columbus, had its humble beginnings four years ago with three employees operating shoulder to shoulder in a small, We are passionate nondescript room. Today, an emerging superstar in the about what we do. The world of hunting ammunition, APEX has grown to a 7,000-square-foot building with 30 employees, focusing possibilities are endless on hand-made turkey and waterfowl rounds. when you frame a product in The success story of this rapid-fire transition is not the context of performance, lost on owner Jared Lewis. “Our customer base has rather than profitability. dramatically grown since our humble beginnings,” Jared I love making a said recently. “But our focus has stayed the same. We are passionate about what we do. The possibilities are endless quality product. when you frame a product in the context of performance, rather than profitability. I love making a quality product. We’re not going to sacrifice that, at the expense of the customer, just to make money.”

That mantra has allowed APEX to double its sales each year since its inception. Last year, the local company hand-made 750,000 turkey rounds and 4 million duck rounds.

The busy, upbeat manufacturing scene at APEX takes place in a large, open space. A little country music most often plays in the background. And a 20-foot-by-20-foot American flag covers an entire wall. Employees may even get to sample a little wild game, if they’re lucky. “We’re an American company, veteran-owned, operated and located in the great state of Mississippi,” Jared said.

Jared is a business partner with Jason Lonsberry of Texas and Nick Charney of Maryland. “I couldn’t do it without my partners,” he said. They met each other through their military connections.

All three of their wives are Air Force pilots. And Jared (U.S. Army) and Nick (U.S. Air Force) are veterans, too. Jared, in fact, is third generation military. “We try to hire as many veterans as we can. You don’t know how far you can go until you have to.

They know. We roll with it here.”

The three amigos were hunting buddies before they were business partners. The idea to start a munitions company was born in a hunting shack in Davidson, Oklahoma, between bites of frozen pizza. “What started with a few handmade shells for a hunting trip with buddies has become our obsession to provide waterfowl hunters with the absolute best performing ammunition in the business,” Jared said.

12 TODAY | MARCH 2022

Apex leads the industry with the design and manufacture of the game-changing ultra-high-density Tungsten Super Shot (TSS).

An industry first, TSS is made from 18.1 g/cc density tungsten alloy, which means more shot in the same traditional payloads. That means sending more pellets down range, more consistent patterns, and increased pattern density. APEX utilizes this ultra-high-density tungsten shot in its Turkey TSS, TSS Smalltown Hunting Blend, Upland Bird TSS, Waterfowl TSS, Waterfowl Tungsten/S3 Steel™ Blend, and Predator TSS hunting loads. APEX is the largest tungsten ball bearing importer in the United States. It is the highest density nontoxic metal approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “Our commitment to design, text and evaluate new ideas is the driving force in our innovations,” Jared said.

APEX, like other munitions companies, has its own trade manufacturing secrets.

But, basically, the assembly-line process ends up with components like this: a case (the shell that holds all the other ammunition.); gunpowder (a chemical mixture that burns rapidly and converts to expanding gas when ignited); primer (an explosive chemical compound that ignites the gunpowder when struck by a firing pin); the projectile (the object expelled from the barrel); and the wad (a seal and/or shot container made of paper or plastic separating the powder from the shot in a shotshell. The wad holds the shot together as it passes through the barrel.)

Jared’s hunting origins began as a boy in Lowndes County. He spent time “making his own fun,” under the watchful eyes of his parents, John (a lead aircraft mechanic at Columbus Air Force Base) and Glenda (a nurse at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle). “It was either hunting or riding four-wheelers.”

Jared went to Mississippi Delta Community College where he played baseball. And he studied at Delta State University. He and his wife, Valarie, are parents of a fouryear-old daughter.

A hunter himself, Jared’s favorite hunt is a turkey hunt. “Turkeys don’t migrate,” he said. “That’s a plus.”

Jared said the APEX team’s job is to interact with customers in ways that enrich their lives. “We want them to know they can always trust us. Our journey is to continually build a legacy that offers uncompromised quality and performance and document that process in a transparent manner through as many avenues as possible.” APEX employee Leyton DeMoville said he enjoys the fast-paced environment. “It’s a great atmosphere and a wonderful opportunity.”

Jared is also an avid photographer and videographer, putting together many of APEX’s marketing and promotional offerings. “For us, the APEX journey transcends making money. It’s about building a legacy for our families.”

Mississippi Spring Turkey Season • Youth (Private and authorized state and federal public lands. Youth 15 and under): March 8-14.

• Adult: March 15-May 1.

Bag limit and information for each designation: One adult gobbler or 1 gobbler with a six-inch or longer beard per day; 3 per Spring season. Hunters 15 years of age and younger may harvest 1 gobbler of choice (any age) per day; 3 per Spring season.

MARCH 2022 | TODAY 13

The 4-County Foundation awards grants

The Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office recently purchased intoximeters with a 4-County Foundation grant.

David Sanders

Jeff Turnage

Veteran legal counsel retires; new attorney named

Longtime 4-County Electric Power Association Board of Directors Attorney David Sanders has retired after 34 years of service to the cooperative.

“We’re thankful for the dedicated and valuable service that David has provided 4-County and its members,” said 4-County CEO Brian Clark. “We’ll miss him, but wish him the very best.”

Sanders, a resident of Columbus, is a partner in the Columbus-based law firm Mitchell, McNutt & Sams. He specializes in utility law, construction law, corporate law, and insurance defense.

Jeff Turnage of Columbus will serve as 4-County’s new board attorney. Turnage is also a partner with the Columbus-based law firm Mitchell, McNutt & Sams. His specialties include utility law, municipal law, construction, and engineering litigation.

Turnage is a graduate of the College of Charleston with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, and he is a graduate of the University of Mississippi School of Law. He is a member of the Mississippi Municipal Attorneys Association, the Mississippi Bar, and the Lowndes County Bar. “We’re excited to have Jeff as our new board attorney,” Clark said. “He has a wealth of experience and knowledge, and we look forward to working with him.”

14 TODAY | MARCH 2022

The 4-County Foundation recently awarded over $27,000 in grants to five non-profit service organizations in the co-op service area.

New Hope Middle School ($1,567 for outdoor classroom supplies for disabled students), New Hope Robotics team ($8,000 for robotics kits and competition fees), Starkville Academy Robotics ($6,140 for robotics kits and competition fees), Starkville Kiwanis Club ($2,000 for food pantry items) and the West Point Fire Department ($10,000 for sterilization equipment to clean fire-fighting supplies and uniforms) received awards at the 4-County Foundation Feb. 7 meeting.

4-County believes in helping the communities it serves. That’s why the cooperative launched the 4-County Foundation, a community service program. Since February 2015, participating 4-County members’ utility bills have been rounded up to the nearest dollar; a $125.78 bill, for example, becomes $126. Now, that’s an average of only 49 cents per member, per month. That may not seem like much. But when you multiply those contributions by the thousands of member participants, that’s a lot of pennies!

For more information on the 4-County Foundation, call 1-800-431-1544.

Co-op offers new member portal 4-County Electric Power Association members have a new way to manage their cooperative electric accounts.

The new and improved 4-County Member Portal is live and ready to use, according to cooperative officials.

4-County members can access the site directly by going to my4county.org, or they can go to 4county.org and click the My Portal link.

Just have your account number ready, create a user ID and a password and you have access to all things associated with a 4-County member account and a few extra tidbits of information. The extras include information on 4-County corporate events like the annual member meeting, access to member-only documents, and a look at the latest 4-County board of directors’ minutes.

“This is just another convenient way for members to manage their accounts,” said P.J. Hughes, 4-County information technology administrator. “We’re really excited about this new offering. It’s a really convenient and efficient portal for our members. And they can also learn a little more about the cooperative and its services.”

The portal — complete with a fresh, modern aesthetic — is user friendly and accessible through multiple devices, Hughes said. “We’ll continue to look for ways to enhance service to our members,” he added.

For more information on the member portal and other coop services, call 1-800-431-1544.

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

Ford is plugged in to 4-County Hutson Ford has heard every car joke you can think of.

“I’m not necessarily a Ford man,” the 4-County Electric Power Association network administrator said recently. Actually, he joked, “I drive a Camry. Whatever gets me from here to there.”

The Starkville native joined the co-op about 10 months ago, after working as an IT manager at Monroe Regional Hospital in Aberdeen.

Today, he and his wife, Julie, live in Mathiston with their two daughters, Ginger, 12, and Ann Elyse, 8. Julie is a homeschool teacher for their daughters. They attend Grace Covenant Church in Maben.

Hutson grew up in Starkville where his father is a longtime optometrist. He often helped his father in the summers and after school. “I spent a lot of time making glasses,” he said.

He has one brother and two sisters. Hutson grew up fishing, hunting, and camping, things he still enjoys as an adult.

As an IT professional, Hutson spends most of his days plugging things in. Occasionally, he has to unplug and get back to nature.

“We’ve got a trip planned right now for the Sipsey River bottom area in Alabama,” Hutson said. “I enjoy being in nature — seeing God’s beauty.”

He enjoys volunteering for the Restoration Ministry — helping recovering addicts and providing support for their family members.

“It’s a great ministry. I try to have my life centered on God’s Word.”

Hutson was a video gamer as a kid. “I started building computers

to help with that,” he said of his start in computer work. “I enjoyed it.

I liked the sense of control. The computer does what you tell it to do, unlike people, sometimes,” he added with a laugh.

He enjoys keeping things working smoothly at 4-County. “It’s good work. We have good equipment. And I feel like I’m a valuable part of a good team. That’s a blessing,” he said.

4-County is a vibrant industry, the IT professional stressed. “We power the region. Without electricity, the modern world stops. We are the heartbeat of the area.”

And it all starts with being part of a strong team. “I’m an offensive lineman at heart,” Hutson explained. “Do your job and grind it out.

If everyone does that, it makes for a good team. We have a team of professionals. They know what they’re doing.”

4-County sends ice storm assistance A nine-man 4-County Electric Power Association crew recently assisted Northcentral Electric Power Association with power restoration efforts after an ice storm swept through their service area.

Northcentral, based in Olive Branch, serves about 30,000 members. The 4-County crew left Feb. 3 and came home Feb. 5. At the height of the storm, Northcentral had about 4,600 members without power. Trees, lines, and poles were down due to the accumulation of ice.

The 4-County crew carried with it two bucket trucks, one digger derrick truck, a four-wheeler and other essential equipment.

Crew members were: Tim Adkins, Derrick Dawkins, Tony Glenn, Cade Jenkins, Tanner Owen, Cole Morgan, Brandon Worrell, Abe Finley, and Hayden Nickels.

Rural electric cooperatives throughout the nation share a reciprocal agreement with each other to provide help to sister

cooperatives in times of crisis. 4-County will send crews and equipment, if needed, to assist in the restoration of downed power lines, broken poles and substations damaged by ice, wind, and other elements of storm-related weather.

“We were glad to be in a position to send this assistance to help restore

power to Northcentral members in need.

Our system and members have been the recipients of assistance from other electric cooperatives in the past, and we are always glad to be able to help others when they need assistance. That’s the cooperative way,” said 4-County Manager of Operations Anthony Miller.

MARCH 2022 | TODAY 15

Photos by Chad Calcote

JOE DERA TRADES BIG TIME FOR BENTONIA

by Steven Ward

Joe Dera is happily living out his retirement in an antebellum home in Bentonia with his girlfriend and their seven rescue dogs. “I love Mississippi. I wish I would have done this 10 years ago,” Dera, 71, said while sitting in the dining room of his residence purchased in 2016 and powered by Yazoo Valley Electric.

16 TODAY | MARCH 2022

Dera’s retirement is well earned. For 40 years, Dera worked in public relations as a publicist for some of the biggest acts in popular music.

For more than half of that time — 23 years — Dera worked with Paul McCartney.

“It’s funny because I was never really a big Beatles fan. I was always a Stones guy,” Dera said.

“Somebody asked me how I worked for him (McCartney) for so long. Because it was a job. It was just work for me.”

Although Dera’s work relationship with the former Beatle was his longest with one client, McCartney was one of many superstar artists he did public relations for.

During various times in his career, Dera worked with The Who, Robert Palmer, The Bee Gees, David Bowie, ZZ Top, Beatles Ringo Starr and George Harrison, Clint Black, Barry Manilow, Peter Frampton, and UB40.

Dera’s story is one that begins internationally, moves to New Jersey and New York City where he garners an opportunity to work in the music industry, before landing in Mississippi for his later years.

It’s funny because I was never really a big Beatles fan. I was always a Stones guy.

Somebody asked me how I worked for him (McCartney) for so long. Because it was a job. It was just work for me.

Dera was born in the Netherlands before his family emigrated to the U.S. with the help of an American soldier who became close to Dera’s father.

The family moved to Clifton, New Jersey, which gave Dera close proximity to New York City, home to much of the music industry at the time.

Dera, who loved music, had no grand plan to go into public relations.

“It just sort of happened. I was very lucky to be in the right place at the right time,” Dera said.

Dera started writing record reviews in college, partially, to get free music from the record companies in New York City.

During that time, Dera went to concerts in the city all the time, including a memorable night in 1969 seeing Led Zeppelin at Carnegie Hall after buying a ticket for $3.50.

Dera then started hanging out at a small public relations company called The Wartoke Concern. He got his foot in the door by, at first, offering to help out for free. That work turned into a paying job later.

That experience led to an opportunity to work at Track Records, a company owned by Pete Townshend of The Who, where he worked for $300 a week and helped promote the band’s classic album, “Who’s Next” in 1971. The Track Records work led to two other stints in publicity — doing PR and auditioning bands at the Mercer Arts Center, an off, off Broadway theater in Greenwich Village, and working at Levinson Associates Public Relations.

From left, legendary guitar maker Les Paul, Paul McCartney, and Joe Dera.

MARCH 2022 | TODAY 17

In April 1976, Dera was offered a job at the New York City offices of Rogers & Cowan, one of the biggest entertainment public relations firms in the world. As the new guy, one of his first assignments included working as an unofficial personal assistant to Paul McCartney, buying McCartney and his wife, Linda, vegetarian food, and handling travel logistics for the family.

“That was a time when McCartney wasn’t touring. So they sent me, the new guy,” Dera said.

The relationship with McCartney led to 23 years together.

McCartney was one of Dera’s first clients when he launched his own public relations firm in 1989, Dera, Roslan & Campion, Inc.

Other projects Dera worked on while at Rogers & Cowan include doing publicity for The Bee Gees and their “Saturday Night Fever” soundtrack; Peter Frampton’s “Frampton Comes Alive” album; and promoting David Bowie’s massive “Serious Moonlight” tour of the U.S. in 1983.

“We took Ticketmaster out of the loop, so people lined up around the block for tickets to the Madison Square Garden show,” Dera said.

After that, David Bowie wound up on the cover of Time magazine.

From top left, David Bowie speaking at a 1983 press conference; a drumhead signed by Ringo Starr; a frame filled with VIP passes to shows by artists Dera worked with; Dera standing on his home’s staircase; Paul and Linda McCartney holding Dera’s son, Sam; and Dera with Ringo Starr.

18 TODAY | MARCH 2022

Later in life, Dera met a Mississippi woman when they were both living in Pennsylvania.

Dera started dating Suzy Case, who is from Madison, when she was working as a forensic psychologist in 2007.

The pair visited Mississippi often to spend time with Case’s family, who still lives in Madison.

Dera retired in 2011, and the couple decided to buy a house in Mississippi. The couple purchased their home, which was prefabricated in St. Louis in 1857 then moved to Yazoo County.

“I’m a sucker for old houses,” Dera said.

Dera said life in Mississippi is wonderful.

“I love the climate. I love the people. We’ve made great friends, and we are committed to giving back in some way,” Dera said.

Dera and girlfriend Suzy Case.

One of the ways Dera gives back is doing free publicity for his Mississippi friends.

One of those friends is David Raines, owner, chef, and operator of The Flora Butcher, a high-end specialty meat shop and the Flora restaurant, Dave’s Triple B: Barbecue, Beer & Blues. Raines practices the local farm-to-table philosophy with his shop and restaurant.

A Michelin-trained chef originally from Monroe, Louisiana, Raines has worked all over the world including stints at Emeril Lagassee’s NOLA in New Orleans and Noma in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Dera met Raines after he spotted a sign in Flora for the upcoming opening of The Flora Butcher.

“I was on the side of the shop, and Joe walked up, introduced himself, and said he was new to the area,” Raines said.

Dera told Raines he needed a press agent.

“I was just trying to pay it forward,” Dera said.

Dera said Raines is helping revitalize downtown Flora with his businesses, which is soon to include a third venture, a wine shop.

“I don’t consider this (publicity for Raines) work. If I like somebody, it’s not working,” Dera said.

Dera with Chef David Raines, owner and operator of The Flora Butcher and Dave’s Triple B restaurant.

MARCH 2022 | TODAY 19

This chewy, cheesy pizza is a cross between Detroit-style pan pizza and focaccia. Now, if it’s the weekend, and I think I can scoot through without a trip to the grocery, I’ll whip-up a batch of this dough and pile whatever is around on top. (I highly recommend warming a big square of this pizza then topping it with a cracked egg and running it under the broil for a dynamite breakfast.)

Reversing the order of toppings by putting the cheese directly on top of the dough and then adding toppings and then, if desired,

INGREDIENTS 4 cups all-purpose flour 1 package (4 ounce) instant yeast (Rapid Rise) 2 teaspoons sugar 2 cups warm water 2 tablespoons kosher salt 4 tablespoons olive oil Assorted toppings In the bowl of a heavy duty stand mixer, combine the flour, yeast, and sugar. Attach the dough hook and add the water. Mix on low speed for 2 minutes or until dough begins to form a shaggy dough. Turn off the mixer and cover bowl with a damp tea towel or cling wrap. Allow dough to rest for 10 minutes.

Remove the covering and mix dough on medium-low, sprinkling the salt over the dough. Increase speed to medium and mix for 10 minutes occasionally pulling the dough off the hook.

spooning a few light stripes of sauce over the toppings gives these pizzas a wonderfully crisp, almost fried crust.

Aside from the classic pepperoni and such, I like to top mine with some “Delta-style” toppings like crawfish tails, venison sausage, barbequed pulled pork, smoked brisket, even tablespoons of pimento cheese. Mix and match, add sauce, or just go full on cheesy.

This dough can be made by hand by following the same steps and times.

Pour two tablespoons of olive oil into two 9 x 13-inch metal baking pans. Tilt the pans around to get oil all over the bottom and slightly up the sides of the pans. Cut dough into two equal pieces and place a hunk of dough in each pan. Press dough to form a thick rectangle and cover with a damp towel or cling wrap. Place in a draft-free warm

spot. (I put mine in the closet with our hot water heater.) Let dough rise undisturbed for 2 hours.

Press, stretch, and pull dough to cover the bottom of each pan. The dough may shrink back a bit. Cover again and let dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Once again, press the dough, dimpling the surface to cover the bottoms of each pan.

Heat oven to 500 degrees and arrange an oven rack in the lowest position.

Top each pizza with shredded or sliced mozzarella cheese making sure to sprinkle cheese all the way to the edges of the pans.

Add toppings.

Bake pizzas 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly or beginning to turn dark brown around the edges. When pizzas are out of the oven, run a sharp knife around the edges to loosen the cheesy crust. Let pizzas cool for 5 minutes and enjoy.

Makes two 9 x 13-inch-deep dish pizzas 20 TODAY | MARCH 2022

These are so easy and impressive! With the help of some old friends on all sorts of apps (that I’m not sure how to use) I cobbled together a close approximation to a cookie served at a beloved deli that closed years ago. I coupled those leads with an inspiration from what’s going on with peanut butter cups these days. The classic incorporates toasted pecans and chocolate chips. I tried batches with mixtures of crushed saltine crackers, pretzels, kettle cooked potato chips, and honey roasted peanuts. These cookies are deeply chocolatey with a salty crunch, chewy chocolate, and meringue crisp crust. Yum!

INGREDIENTS 3 cups powdered sugar 1⁄3 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour ¼ teaspoon kosher salt 3 eggs (6 tablespoons egg whites) ½ teaspoon vanilla extract Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat. In a large bowl, sift together the powdered sugar, cocoa, and flour. With an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and salt together for 2 minutes at medium speed. Reduce speed to low and add the dry ingredients a little at a time until all incorporated.

Stir in additions. Scoop eight scant ¼ cup portions of dough onto prepared pans.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes on the middle rack of the oven. The cookies will be crisp with trenches of chewy chocolate. Allow to cool before removing from pan.

Makes 8 large cookies

Martha Hall Foose, the author of “Screen Doors & Sweet Tea: Recipes and Tales of a Southern Cook,” won the James Beard Award for American Cooking. Her latest collaboration is “A Good Meal is Hard to Find: Storied Recipes from the Deep South” with Amy C. Evans. Martha makes her home in the Mississippi Delta with her husband and son. She is a member of Yazoo Valley Electric Power Association.

MARCH 2022 | TODAY 21

mississippi seen

mississippi is...

events

mississippi marketplace Events open to the public will be published free of charge as space allows. Submit details at least on the outdoors two months prior to menu the event date. Submissions must include a phone number with today area code for Mississippi’s publication. Email to news@ecm.coop. Events are subject to change. scene around the ‘sip picture this The 29th Annual Spring Arts Festival.

The 53rd Annual Gospel Singing Jubilee.

Lowest March 26 and 27. Ocean Springs. Presented by March 19. Magee. Featuring the Freemans, The Ocean Springs Chamber ofmy Commerce-Main Terryco-op Joe Terrell, Tim Frith and The Gospel Echoes, opinionLife Insurance involvement Street-Tourism Bureau. Fast becoming a mini–Peter Revelations, and Messiah’s Men. The show starts at 6:30 pm at the Magee High School Auditorium. 501 Choctaw St. Details: 601-906-0677.

Anderson Festival, this event will feature artists, and

The 2022 Columbus Spring Pilgrimage.

March 24 through April 16. Columbus. Put together

by The Preservation Society of Columbus. The daily home tours show off some of the most historically significant private homes in America with a comprehensive view of the architectural periods of the homes that tells part of Columbus’ storied history.

The tours feature nationally recognized, multicultural, interactive, interpretive, educational programs for all ages. Proceeds fund preservation, research, and programming of the Preservation Society of Columbus, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization.

Details: 662-368-2503 or preservecolumbus.com.

artists’ demonstrations, entertaining lectures and more. This year’s herb of the year is pansey. Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Downtown Ocean Springs. The annual festival showcasing more than 150 artists, crafters, and plant vendors is co-coordinated by the Ocean Springs Art Association and Ocean Springs Fresh Market. Details: 228-875-4424 or visit oceanspringschamber.com.

Rates

in various media including painting, pottery, southern gardeningcrafters ‘n’include bare it jewelry, plants and more.grin Festival activities

Marion County Model Train and Railroad History Exhibit. Now through March 26. Columbia. The exhibit includes a 10x12 foot table with three running model trains on a landscape including Columbia’s Main Street and the Marion County Courthouse. Video interviews of former railroad employees and accounts of the Red Bluff train derailment into the Pearl River. Kids can enjoy a “Young Engineer’s” play area and the movie, “The Polar Express.” The museum is FREE and includes additional exhibits of military, sports, rodeo, farming, logging, arrowheads, Civil War, and Civil Rights.

Museum hours are Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 200 Second St. No. 3. Details: 601-731-3999.

Maker Faire Meridian. April 2 and 3. Meridian.

A free hands-on show-and-tell event showcasing invention and creativity for and by all ages. Indoors and outdoors demonstrations and exhibits at Soule Steam Works in the Mississippi Industrial Heritage Museum. Details: makerfairemeridian.com or 601-693-9905.

The Gulf Coast Military Collectors & Antique Arms Show. April 29 and 30. Biloxi. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on April 29 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 30.

Historic artifacts from all wars bought, sold, and exhibited. War souvenirs, weapons, swords, daggers, bayonets, flags, uniforms, medals, helmets, badges, insignia, and field gear. The Joppa Shriner’s Center, 13280 Shriner’s Blvd. Details: 228-224-1120 or 228-392-9345 or email terrell.hamilton@gmail.com.

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At your electric co-op, we help you find more ways to save energy, save money and help the environment. So small savings today lead to big savings tomorrow.

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22 TODAY | MARCH 2022

About this time last year, I was asked to be the host of the annual Volunteer Mississippi GIVE Awards. Pretty much every kind of meeting or ceremony at that time was done virtually. So, my “hosting” consisted of reading a script off the teleprompter at Mississippi Public Broadcasting while they recorded it and put it online later. I never met the winners. Nor did any of us get the usual banquet meal that normally accompanies such affairs.

I was impressed by all the recipients’ stories. By far the most unusual awardee was Bob Reese of Starkville. He was selected to receive an award for a service he provides — rescuing cats. Reese rescues cats that have inadvertently climbed a tree without an exit strategy.

All cats can climb. But not all cats can UN-climb. Sometimes cats are stuck up there for days without food or water.

Bob says it is not true that every cat will eventually come down on its own. Some may die of starvation, dehydration, or exposure. So, someone must go up to haul them down.

Bob became a cat rescuer after his pet made a venture up a tree.

He tried to find a cat rescue service but couldn’t. So, he did what all of us do when we are faced with a daunting task. He pulled up a YouTube video.

Bob, being way more adventurous than I am, then rigged up some ropes and a harness. He hoisted himself high up into the branches and gathered his wandering pet into a waiting pillowcase and lowered himself and the cat safely back to the ground.

But, as it sometimes happens after one has accomplished a one-of-akind task, Bob Reese wanted to do it again. And again. And again, and again. Now, several hundred cats later, Bob is still harnessing up in his now professional climbing gear, pulling himself up the rope into the dizzying tops of oaks and pines, and helping someone’s frightened feline back down to terra firma.

Bob doesn’t charge for his services but asks the people he has helped to donate to a nearby animal shelter. He has raised thousands of dollars in the process.

Bob says he will travel up to three hours from home to perform his service. He has been all over north Mississippi, Alabama, and into Tennessee climbing to nose-bleed heights, grappling with uncooperative pets, and returning them to grateful owners.

I, on the other hand, still prefer to stand on the ground under the tree with a bowl of cat food in hand, looking up and calling, “Here kitty, kitty.”

Just a quick postscript. Since last year, Bob has moved to Huntsville, Alabama. (He wanted to be near his grandkids.) But he still rescues cats.

He has allowed me to put his phone number in this article. If he can’t come help you, he knows other cat rescuers in Mississippi who can.

But try, “here kitty, kitty” first.

Bob can be reached at 662-418-0479.

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.

MARCH 2022 | TODAY 23

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$100 Prepaid Card on us!

If you call, you must mention offer code at time of order: CARD100. Courtesy of InfinityDISH with activation, certain conditions apply. Free $100 MasterCard Prepaid Card when you order a qualifying service (premium customer qualification only).

All calls with InfinityDISH are monitored and recorded for quality assurance and training purposes. Offer for new and qualifying former customers only. Important Terms and Conditions: Qualification: Advertised price requires credit qualification and 24-month commitment. Upfront activation and/or receiver upgrade fees may apply based on credit qualification. Offer ends 4/13/22. 2-Year Commitment: Early termination fee of $20/mo. remaining applies if you cancel early. Included in 2-year price guarantee at $69.99 advertised price: America’s Top 120 programming package, local channels, HD service fees, and Hopper Duo Smart DVR for 1 TV. Included in 2-year price guarantee for additional cost: Programming package upgrades ($84.99 for AT120+, $94.99 for AT200, $104.99 for AT250), monthly fees for upgraded or additional receivers ($5-$7 per additional TV, receivers with additional functionality may be $10-$15). Regional Sports: RSN Surcharge up to $3/mo. applies to AT120+ and higher packages and varies based on location. NOT included in 2-year price guarantee or advertised price (and subject to change): Taxes & surcharges, addon programming (including premium channels), DISH Protect, and transactional fees. Other: All packages, programming, features, and functionality and all prices and fees not included in price lock are subject to change without notice. After 6 mos., if selected, you will be billed $9.99/ mo. for DISH Protect Plus unless you call to cancel. After 2 years, then-current everyday prices for all services apply. For business customers, additional monthly fees may apply. Free standard professional installation only. Internet: Internet speeds, prices, and providers vary by customer address. Call for details. Internet not provided by DISH and will be billed separately. Mastercard® Prepaid card must be requested through your DISH Representative at time of purchase. $100 Mastercard® Prepaid card requires activation. You will receive a claim voucher within 3-4 weeks and the voucher must be returned within 60 days. Your Mastercard® Prepaid card will arrive in approximately 6-8 weeks. InfinityDISH charges a one-time $49.99 non-refundable processing fee which is subject to change at any time without notice. Indiana C.P.D Reg. No.-20-08756