Today in Mississippi May 2023 Singing River

FOR MEMBERS OF ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES OF MISSISSIPPI

EASY

MOTHER’S DAY

RECIPES

M AY 2 0 2 3

INTO

THE WILD

GIRLS GET DOWN TO

BASS TACTICS

My Opinion

Cooperation among cooperatives An EF-3 tornado struck parts of rural Mississippi March 24 causing historic damage that communities are still sorting through as of this writing.

The towns of Rolling Fork, Silver City, and Amory were hit hard that night. There were close to 20 lives lost, homes and businesses that were wiped out, and of course, major power outages.

Those three communities are part of the service territories of Twin County Electric and Monroe County Electric.

Once we knew bad weather was headed our way, we activated our emergency plan including rolling out our co-op mutual aid strategy.

Cooperatives around the world operate according to the same set of core principles and values, adopted by the International Co-operative Alliance. Cooperatives trace the roots of these principles to the first modern cooperative founded in Rochdale, England in 1844. These principles are a key reason that America’s electric cooperatives operate differently from other electric utilities, putting the needs of their members first.

When disaster strikes, it’s the sixth cooperative principle that becomes key to power restoration — Cooperation Among Cooperatives.

Co-ops work together to improve services, bolster local economies, and deal more effectively with social and community needs.

They also assist each other during times of crisis.

Our cover story this month is about how co-op mutual aid is our most vital tool in safe and timely power restoration in the aftermath of disaster.

We hope you enjoy the May issue.

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

Mississippi is...

Mississippi to me?

It’s a thousand memories, of the beaches, and the breeze, and the lapping of the Gulf on my knobby-kid knees.

Mississippi to me?

It’s family folk, now departed, on the seawall, and the harbor, catching bounty from the waters; trout and shrimp, and crab and oysters.

Mississippi to me?

It’s the place that I am known.

Where my soul can freely roam, where my heart and I belong.

Mississippi is my home.

by Penny Cox Caldwell, a resident of the Hancock County coast, and a member of Coast Electric

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 Submit your beautiful digital photo of life in Mississippi to Today in Mississippi, news@ecm.coop

2023 | MAY 3

In This Issue

7 Southern Gardening

Honeysuckle replacements for the landscape

8 Outdoors Today

When the girls gave the boys bass trouble

10 Scene Around the ‘Sip A look at special people and places in Mississippi

8

15 Local News 20

Feature

Co-ops helping co-ops after a devastating tornado

The Official Publication of the Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi

Vol. 76 No. 5

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 Mickey Jones - 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: 482,918

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For the Love of the Game

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Actor Gary Grubbs on tenacity

Easy Mother’s Day recipes anyone can make

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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.

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31 Mississippi Seen The extremes of spring

On the cover

31

Two days after an EF-3 tornado hit the Rolling Fork area on March 24, members of a Twin County Electric work crew replace a power pole. Photo by Kevin Wood.

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.

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MAY | 2023

News and Notes

Cooperative Energy’s plant Morrow enters new era The R.D. Morrow, Sr. Generating Station, located near Purvis, achieved commercial operation on March 16 as an advanced-class natural gas-fired plant capable of generating 572 MW of electricity.

The new plant operates on the site of the cooperative’s original 1978 coal facility. In June 2018, the Cooperative Energy Board of Directors announced a five-year plan to convert the plant from coal to natural gas due to improved efficiency and economic factors. As a not-for-profit, member-owned electric utility, responsibility, reliability, and affordability were deciding factors for the project. Now complete, the plant generates more electricity more economically and provides the operational flexibility necessary to balance the increase in renewable energy sources across the country.

The Morrow Repower Project also set a new standard for employee retention. Whereas many plant conversions result in staff reductions, all Plant Morrow employees were retained throughout the project to assist with demolition, construction, and plant conversion activities, yielding a positive local economic impact and overall project savings.

“Plant Morrow represents forward-thinking energy solutions for our distribution Members at a competitive price,” said Cooperative Energy’s Senior Vice President of Power Generation Mark Smith. “Equally as important, the new Plant Morrow represents years of grit and determination by many Cooperative Energy employees for the benefit of our 11 member systems and those they serve across the state.”

Cooperative Energy employees collectively invested nearly 300,000 work hours in the Morrow Repower Project with a nearly perfect safety record, yielding more than $12 million in project savings.

Co-op bank gives $250,000 contribution to NRECA international CoBank, a cooperative bank serving the electric industry, agribusinesses, rural infrastructure providers and Farm Credit associations throughout the United States, has contributed $250,000 in support of NRECA International’s rural electrification projects in developing countries. This is the 12th consecutive year CoBank has donated to NRECA International, totaling $2.5 million in collective contributions.

NRECA International has helped more than 160 million people worldwide, improving their quality of life by providing access to safe, reliable, and affordable electricity.

This year’s donation will be used to continue the support for electrification projects in Guatemala. For over a decade, electric cooperatives across country have joined NRECA International to bring power to more than 8,000 Guatemalans – significantly brightening their futures.

When the Guatemalan project initially began in 1987, just 45% of the homes in Guatemala had electric service, with only 10% of rural areas receiving service. Today, Guatemala has electricity service for 92% of all households and businesses — however there are scattered housing clusters and small villages in the more remote, mountainous villages throughout Guatemala that still need electricity.

— NRECA

DOE official: ‘Reliability is the foundation’ Gene Rodrigues, assistant secretary of energy for electricity, said he shares the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s goal of ensuring that the electric grid “remains reliable, resilient and affordable for all Americans.” The importance of grid reliability was the main message that co-op leaders took to Capitol Hill and federal agencies during April’s NRECA Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. “We are all in agreement with every single one of you in this room that reliability is the foundation of everything we want to do,” he said.

Unfortunately, the American people and many of their elected officials “take it for granted” that the lights will always come on when they flip the switch, Rodrigues said.

“That’s a problem,” he said, urging co-op leaders to “advocate, educate and collaborate” to sound the alarm about the potential risks to reliability.

“If it’s taken for granted, then we won’t have the champions we need to keep electricity reliable and affordable over time. … Make sure they understand the absolute necessity of investing in a 21st century power grid for the American people.”

— NRECA

2023 | MAY 5

Southern Gardening

for landscape additions

by Shaun Robert Broderick

Weeds are often defined as being any plant out of place, but that definition never sat well with me. This simplistic definition underemphasizes the aggressiveness of plants that misbehave in the garden.

For example, I’ve never heard anyone having problems with hydrangeas popping up in the landscape unexpectedly. Nor have I heard someone call a hydrangea growing in the wrong spot a weed. Instead, I think of weeds as nuisance plants that have the capacity to outcompete desirable plants in the landscape or garden.

Unfortunately, we have introduced many plants in the U.S. that have become weedy problems. Kudzu, cogon grass, tallow tree, Chinese privet, and Chinese and Japanese wisteria are just a few examples.

But one plant that shows up on nearly every invasive species list is Lonicera japonica, commonly known as Japanese honeysuckle. This vining plant was first introduced in the U.S. in 1806 at Long Island, New York. Since its introduction, it has taken off in the eastern U.S. 6

MAY | 2023

It is one of the most fragrant flowers in the landscape, and it blooms prolifically. Birds love its red berries and help disperse the seeds. From there, the seeds quickly grow to overtake other plants in the forest. Several states have outlawed Japanese honeysuckle sales, indicating how destructive and invasive this plant has become.

If you find Japanese honeysuckle on your property, it would be prudent to remove it, but it requires some effort to get them out of the garden.

I had some growing along our fence line that I was able to remove over the course of a couple of years. I pruned the plants to the ground and dug out the shoots that reemerged over time.

Herbicides can be effective, but the plants I was trying to remove were next to other plants that I did not want to risk damaging.

Once you remove Japanese honeysuckles, there are fantastic — and in my opinion, even more beautiful — noninvasive alternatives.

One of my favorite vining plants is the native coral honeysuckle, Lonicera sempervirens. These vines have trumpet-shaped, red-orange flowers that emerge in early spring. Hummingbirds love them.

Their leaves are often a powdery, bluish-green, while others are glossy green. These vines are usually evergreen in mild winters. In the fall, they often develop small, red berries that birds love.

Native coral honeysuckle also tolerates a wide range of soil types and sun exposure. Ours flower and grow very well at the Mississippi State University Truck Crops Branch Experiment Station in Crystal Springs despite the heavy shade of oak trees. These plants are also easy to grow with little to no disease and insect problems.

In full sun, flowering is especially heavy.

Coral honeysuckle is very versatile in the landscape. It can be grown on structures such as arbors or along fences. This can create eye-catching hardscape-softscape combinations in areas needing extra height. And unlike some vining plants that get out of hand, you can prune coral honeysuckle to keep it a manageable size.

Perhaps the only downside is their lack of the iconic honeysuckle fragrance.

The native coral honeysuckle emerges in early spring often develops small, red berries that birds love in the fall. It tolerates a wide range of soil types and sun exposure. (Photo by MSU Extension/Shaun Broderick)

Coral honeysuckle is very versatile in the landscape. It can be grown on structures such as arbors or along fences. This can create eye-catching hardscape-softscape combinations in areas needing extra height.

If you miss the fragrance of Japanese honeysuckle, a good alternative is the woodbine honeysuckle, Lonicera periclymenum. This selection is native to Europe but does not appear on any invasive species list. Several cultivars are available. Scentsation and Graham Thomas have flowers that look very similar to Japanese honeysuckle and offer good fragrance.

If you have a spot needing a vine, give these alternatives a try.

Shaun Robert Broderick is a Mississippi State University Extension Service ornamental horticulturist and Southern Gardening guest columnist.

Several cultivars of the woodbine honeysuckle are available, such as this Scentsation, that are similar to Japanese honeysuckle and offer good fragrance. (Submitted photo/Spring Meadow Nursery)

2023 | MAY 7

Outdoors Today

Young women beat the boys in bass tournaments mean to us, but it feels good to beat them. They don’t like to get Like in many other sports, most professional anglers take years beat by girls.” to reach the top of their profession. However, two young ladies “We feel really good about our fishing,” echoed Karlee Ann, fishing their first year together showed others how to do it. a 12-year-old who will begin 8th grade at the same school in Competing in the Beaumont, Miss.-based Bass Tactix youth the fall. fishing league, Lillie Beach and Karlee Ann At an early age, both young ladies Harveston earned top honors in the junior began fishing with their fathers, David high division of the tour. They placed in When Karlee Ann was young, Beach and Lew Harveston, both from the top 10 during the 2022 Bass Tactics Natchez. Attending the same school, the national championship. During the 2022-23 we would use minnows to catch girls knew each other, but not very well. season, they became the best junior high crappie, as time progressed, she “Lillie was my little shadow,” David bass fishing team in Mississippi and not started doing some bass fishing. recalled. “Wherever I went, she went. I just the top women’s team, but the best remember having her in the boat with a overall team for both high school and little playpen as a cover because it was too hot for her to be in the junior high students. sun all day. She really took to fishing. As she got older, she stuck “The boys teams give us a little bit of trouble,” commented by my side for hunting and fishing. She had a lot more patience Lillie, a 13-year-old who will enter 9th grade at Adams County and sportsmanship than her brothers did.”

Christian School in Natchez in the fall. “Some of them can be 8

MAY | 2023

The young ladies became fishing partners by chance. Neither of their partners wanted to fish one event, so the girls teamed together. Although the girls will attend the same school in the fall, because Lillie will be a 9th grader, she moves up to the high school division. Karlee Ann will need to find a new partner to fish in the junior high division.

“When Karlee Ann was young, we would use minnows to catch crappie,” Lew said. “As time progressed, she started doing some bass fishing. In the past two years, she showed a lot of interest in getting into the school fishing program and getting on the school team. She has picked up bass fishing very well and has given it all she can give. I’m proud to see what they both do. It’s been amazing to watch them. They stuck together and work great as a team.”

A Christian-based, non-profit organization, Bass Tactix conducts youth and adult fishing tournaments throughout the South. Each youth team includes an adult coach, usually a parent, who accompanies the competitors. The adult coach drives the tow vehicle and operates the outboard motor on the boat.

The youngsters must decide how and where they want to fish.

Lillie Beach, 13, of Natchez, Miss. fishes for bass on Lake Ferguson near Greenville, Miss.

She competed in the junior high division of youth bass tournaments in the 2022-2023 season.

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.

Karlee Ann Harveston 12, of Natchez, Miss. fishes for bass on Lake Ferguson near Greenville, Miss. She competes in the junior high division of youth bass tournaments.

For more information on Bass Tactix, call 601-307-8492 or visit basstacticsmshs.com.

2023 | MAY

9

Scene Around the ‘Sip

Spreading the gospel of nature

by Steven Ward There are approximately 250 trained volunteers around the state spreading the gospel of conservation, natural resources, and environmental awareness.

How these volunteers came to provide that education to their communities is the story of Mississippi State University’s Extension Service’s Master Naturalist program.

The program, which is free, gives adults an opportunity to learn more about Mississippi fish, wildlife, and ecosystems.

In return, the volunteers provide outreach and service education to their communities.

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MAY | 2023

“There was an identified need to expand the educational capabilities of MSU Extension by the dissemination of natural resource management information to people in our communities,” said Adam T. Rohnke, state program co-leader and Central Mississippi program coordinator of the master naturalist program.

Rohnke said the program formally began in 2008 and was mostly focused then on the Gulf Coast. Today, the program is active in the Jackson area and the on the coast.

“On average, we graduate 35 to 50 participants combined annually from both locations. We intentionally keep the class size to 20 or less most years to improve the overall experience,” Rohnke said.

The primary program provides training and field experiences across various topics including ecology, natural resource management, paleontology, soils, water, wetlands, as well as the study of wildlife — birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians, insects, and more.

Master naturalists also learn how to conduct basic research on a conservation issue and present a group project at the end of the program, Rohnke said.

Some examples of events the trained volunteers have produced include the Pearl River Clean Sweep that involves more than a 1,000 people across the Pearl River watershed in Mississippi and Louisiana removing thousands of pounds of trash from the waterway. That event was founded by Abby Braman, a graduate of the program. The Snappy Sync Firefly Soiree and Tours hosted by the Craftsman Guild of Mississippi in Ridgeland every spring involves master naturalists giving tours to hundreds of visitors to view and learn about synchronous fireflies. This program was founded by master naturalist Claire Graves.

I’ll never forget that moment and I can honestly say those 15 people from all walks of life, professions, races, generations, political affiliations, and beliefs became one after that day in the rain.

Many other volunteers contribute to established programs such as Mississippi Museum of Natural Science educational events and participate in citizen science projects such as the Jackson Metro Urban Wildlife Project and the Mississippi Coastal Cleanup Program, where master naturalists actively participate in the collection of and help analyze data which directly contributes to peer-reviewed science.

When asked about one of his favorite parts of the program, Rohnke said he loves the “ah ha” moments that occur.

“We spend a day in the upper Pearl River learning about water and fisheries by being in the river for multiple hours.

One year it began to pour — I mean Forrest Gump, Vietnam scene kind of rain — and all the participants started off hunching over to stay dry,” he said.

“But when we all finally realized it wasn’t going to stop, they embraced it and I got to watch adults ranging from age 18 to folks in their mid-70s completely soaked and loving every minute of it. I’ll never forget one older participant who said ‘I haven’t played in the rain since I was 11. What a refreshing and life changing moment this is. Thank you for doing this and making us brave the weather!’ I’ll never forget that moment and I can honestly say those 15 people from all walks of life, professions, races, generations, political affiliations, and beliefs became one after that day in the rain.”

Mississippi State University Extension Service’s Master Naturalist Program.

Register for a basic course on the Gulf Coast or in central Mississippi. Complete a 40-hour course that includes class and field instruction. Complete eight hours of advanced training annually.

Complete 40 hours of volunteer service annually.

For more information, visit masternaturalist.extension.msstate.edu 2023 | MAY

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A MESSAGE FROM YOUR CEO

Staying Focused on Safety It is easy to get distracted during our daily routines. Our minds can wander while walking or driving somewhere, only to realize we do not remember where we were headed, or we lost track of the last two miles. Sometimes we take shortcuts on tasks that could possibly result in unintended risks to our safety and the safety of others.

Linemen do not have the luxury of these distractions. They must stay focused and keep their minds on their tasks at all times.

Their lives and the lives of their coworkers depend on it. Linemen need to know the overall objective of their current job, as well as where their coworkers are located and what they are doing at all times. For this reason, there is nothing more important to our cooperative than safety education and training.

During May – Electric Safety Month – and every month of the year, Singing River Electric employees participate in monthly

safety meetings to review and discuss various safety topics and how our safety rules address these topics. We have employees who serve on safety committees, a two-person safety department, and a safety manual that is kept up-to-date and is distributed to all employees.

However, safety is a concern for all, and this month, we ask you to take time to discuss safety with your family. Consider electrical safety and all hazards around your home or business.

Singing River Electric is your source for power and information. We partner with local schools for safety education and provide online resources for you and your family.

Take advantage of all the safety resources on our websites at singingriver. com/electric-safety and beawareeverywhere.com as well as on the Electrical Safety Foundation International's website at esfi.org.

Gabe Robbins

Energy Services Representative robbins@singingriver.com

The importance of attic ventilation The intense south Mississippi heat will be here soon, so make sure you have adequate attic ventilation. Attic temperatures should not be more than 10-20 degrees different than the outside temperature. When attic temperatures reach 130 degrees, you will have issues with your air conditioner being able to cool your home, which will increase your electric bill.

Hot air in the attic may infiltrate into your home, and having attic duct work can prevent conditioned air from staying cool – both cause your HVAC system to work harder and longer to maintain your desired temperature setting.

by Brian Hughey General Manager and CEO

To maintain the attic temperature, some sort of ventilation is needed to remove unwanted heat. Some ways to do this include ridge vents and soffits. Gable vents are acceptable when ridge vents are present.

Power ventilators should only be used as a last resort. They add energy use to your bill and have the potential to not only pull conditioned air inside your home into your attic but also to bring even more hot, humid air into the attic.

When forced ventilation is used, I suggest using a thermostat to moderate energy use and avoid the previously mentioned issues.

2023 | MAY 15

ANNUAL MEETING SET FOR JUNE 29 Watch for proxy/notice in the mail Singing River Electric’s 2023 Annual Membership Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, June 29. The meeting will be held at our headquarters office located at 11187 Old 63 South in Lucedale. Registration begins at 5 p.m., and the meeting will begin at 6 p.m. The meeting’s business section will include the cooperative’s financial, management, and board reports, as well as the board of directors election. SRE has a 10-person board of directors elected from the membership in three geographic districts. Each year, one director post from each district is up for election. Every three years, District 3 has two director posts open. Directors are elected for a three-year period. Directors are listed along with their geographic district descriptions at singingriver.com/my-coop. toward the quorum needed to hold and conduct business at the Nominations for election to the board of directors are made meeting. It is crucially important that we receive your online by petition. Interested members must acquire signatures of 25 vote or proxy in order to reach our quorum this year.

SRE members on a form provided by the cooperative. Applicants Any member may vote in person at the June 29 membership must complete and return a director candidate packet to the meeting. Members can also vote online or by proxy. Each Lucedale office and be certified by the Credentials and Election member is entitled to one vote regardless of the number of Committee before being placed on the ballot. The deadline accounts in the member’s name. A proxy may be assigned to the for nomination by petition to be placed on the 2023 Annual board as a whole. A member can vote up to 200 assigned proxies Meeting Notice was February 28, 2023. This deadline and a at the membership meeting. The presence of a member at the notice for nominations was placed in the January and February meeting or an online vote, or in the case of joint membership, 2023 issues of the Today in Mississippi magazine. the presence of a spouse shall revoke the proxy. All proxies must This year's candidates include District 1, Post 2 - Robert be received by SRE’s Lucedale office by close of business on June 20.

Steele; District 2, Post 2 - Roy Grafe; and District 3, Post 2 Members returning their proxy, voting online as well as Kristal Sisson. The slate of nominees was approved by SRE those who attend the meeting, will qualify to win up to $500 members serving on the Credentials and Election Committee. cash. Those attending the annual meeting will be eligible for According to the cooperative bylaws, the candidates’ names will be placed in the nomination for election to a three-year term attendance prizes. beginning June 29 at the annual meeting.

To conduct business at the annual meeting, a quorum PRESORT of at least 10% of the membership is necessary. The FIRST CLASS GE U.S. POSTA quorum is derived by adding the number PAID PERMIT 268 MS of members present at the meeting, the GULFPORT, valid online votes, and the number of valid 52 sissippi, 394 proxies received. , Lucedale, Mis P.O. Box 767 N UR Annual meeting notices and proxies will be D RAENTD NLY RETURN in...

AE TEEDLY DIA EIM T M IA IM to w in...

N M E mailed on Monday, May 15, to all members. The anr ce P O ch a N r ail fo NT: fom yby a chance to w ox TE: OPE return your pr PDOBRATA O V IM D N or e deadline for voting online and returned proxies Vote or Vote onlin BROA June 29 SRE Member is Tuesday, June 20, at the close of business.

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Meeting begins at 6 p.m.

16 MAY | 2023

THERE ARE THREE WAYS TO PARTICIPATE:

IN PERSON, BY PROXY, & ONLINE Six members who vote online or return their proxies by the June 20 deadline will be selected to receive a $250 CASH prize.

One member who votes online or returns the proxy by the deadline will receive a special grand prize of $500 CASH!

COOPERATION AMONG

COOPERATIVES SRE assists EMEPA following severe weather On March 27, Singing River Electric sent 17 linemen to Meridian to assist East Mississippi Electric Power Association (EMEPA) with power restoration following severe weather on March 26.

EMEPA’s service area sustained significant damage from the storm’s high winds, including more than 60 broken poles. EMEPA had nearly 8,000 meters out with the majority in Lauderdale and Newton counties.

Crew members included Field Representative and crew leader James Daughtery, Construction Foreman Andrew Brown, Lineman Edgar Bryant, Serviceman Matt Davis, Journeyman Brandon Fairley, Lineman McKay Hamilton, Construction Foreman Russell Hardison, Serviceman Mason Hasse, Lineman Codey Holliman, Apprentice Lineman Kotye Hyatt, Journeyman George Kremer, Apprentice Lineman Josh Mixon, Journeyman Colby Pilkington, Journeyman Steven Smith, Construction Foreman Doug Spidahl, Construction Foreman Zeb Wilson, and Lineman Brandon Ziska.

Photos taken by EMEPA’s Jeremy Sollie.

2023 | MAY 17

Want to know what happens

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Text a Singing River Electric member service representative (MSR) at 228-591-9166. We will return your text and help resolve your issue or answer your inquiry. You can also text OUT to 601-9471744 to report a power outage.

As of Nov. 2022, SRE members were automatically enrolled in outage texting with the cell phone number listed on their account.

Members must have a mobile number on file to use outage texting because the system locates their account information with the number. Phone numbers and other contact information can be updated using the SmartHub mobile app, by texting a MSR, or by calling 601-947-4211 or any SRE office.

SR Connect is delivering lightning-fast, fiber internet.

New fiber areas are announced by electric substation and feeder. You can search open fiber areas and your address for service at singingriverconnect.com/signup.

To find out which SRE substation and feeder serves your home, text a SRE MSR during business hours at 228-591-9166.

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2023 | MARCH 18

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of mutual aid

by Steven Ward Before March 24, Twin County Electric members were lucky.

“The last time we needed other co-ops to come in to help us restore power was in 1998,” Twin County Electric General Manager Tim Perkins said recently while sitting behind his Hollandale office desk.

Perkins said his co-op has dodged some bad storms over the years.

Usually, he was the general manager sending his lineman crews and equipment to help other cooperatives restore power following rough weather.

That changed on March 24 when a deadly EF3 tornado ripped through the Rolling Fork and Silver City areas leaving behind twisted wreckage, uprooted houses and businesses, and miles of rural destruction. Twin County’s Rolling Fork office was one of the businesses hit hard.

“I can tell you, as a co-op general manager, you want to be the one sending help to others. You don’t want to have others come to help you,” Perkins said.

But that’s exactly what happened on the evening of March 24, which was the same night Amory in Monroe County Electric’s service area was hit hard by a tornado.

“The March storm began wreaking havoc from a path that began at the Wren community which is located at the northwest section of our service area. The tornado continued on a northeastern path throughout our service area until it reached the northeast section of our territory located in Itawamba County. The tornado path spanned a distance of approximately 20 miles,” Monroe County Electric General Manager Barry Rowland said.

Electric co-ops operate on seven core principles. One of those is “Cooperation among Cooperatives.”

Mutual aid between cooperatives during these disasters is critical to restoring power quickly and safely.

Photos by Kevin Wood

“I basically send an email to the co-ops asking them what and For Twin County, Northcentral Electric and Yazoo Valley Electric who can they send to other co-ops if they aren’t impacted by the sent crews to help restore power. Twin County also had help from weather,” Gordon said. a local, non-co-op contractor. Monroe County had help from five The toughest challenge during the March 24 tornado restoration? cooperatives — Prentiss County Electric, Natchez Trace, 4-County “Housing, housing, housing,” Gordon said.

Electric, Pontotoc County Electric, and Tombigbee Electric.

For Twin County, there was one “The help of neighboring colocal hotel in their service area that operatives to rebuild and restore was small and filled up fast. Northutility service is vital. Because the The help of neighboring cooperatives to central’s crews were able to stay damage caused by this storm was so there, Gordon said. extensive, the time taken to rebuild rebuild and restore utility service is vital.

Because Yazoo Valley Electric’s and restore services with only our Because the damage caused by this storm was crews — based in Yazoo City — were personnel would have taken a so extensive, the time taken to rebuild and close, they could help, but drive to considerably longer amount of their homes after their shifts. time. The help of additional skilled restore services with only our personnel would Monroe County had the same personnel and heavy equipment is have taken a considerably longer amount issue, but the five co-ops that invaluable during times like these,” helped them were all close enough Rowland said. of time. The help of additional skilled that crews could drive back and The man who orchestrates mutual personnel and heavy equipment is forth from the work site to home. aid for the state’s co-ops is invaluable during times like these.

Perkins was out on the scene in Gerald Gordon, vice president of Rolling Fork right after the tornado. safety and loss control at the Sometimes mutual aid comes not just from co-ops, but from Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi. members of the community.

Gordon’s work started days before the tornadoes hit when he “It was good to see so many people out there helping everyone. was notified by storm experts that bad weather was expected to be The speed that people mobilized was incredible. That’s the thing in the state on March 24. about Mississippi. People will always be there to help,” Perkins said.

2023 | MAY 21

MARCH 24

TORNADOES

BY THE NUMBERS twin county

Poles down

450

Meters out

2,800

Power restored to members who could get it: March 31.

MONROE Poles down county 230

Meters out

5,000

Power restored to members who could get it: March 31.

22

MAY | 2023

HOW MUTUAL AID WORKS Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi Vice President of Safety and Loss Control Gerald Gordon: “Mutual aid, or storm work, is pretty straightforward.

The observation of the weather is the “cloud” that hangs over every mutual aid manager. The three major storm events begin differently but have a similar process once mobilization of personnel and equipment is underway.

There’s ice, tornadoes, and hurricanes.

The response to each one of these events begins with collecting damage reports. How many lights are off? How many poles are broken? Do we have enough wire, transformers, or reclosures? The answers to these questions will give us an idea of how long to expect our men and equipment to be away from home.

We first request help from any electric co-ops inside our state that were not impacted by the inclement weather. If there is a need for more help, we activate the nationwide network of mutual aid managers which provides access to thousands of professional linemen and various types of equipment and material.

There is often a balance to be found between the amount of help that the cooperative would like to receive and the amount that they can accommodate. Providing a clean and safe place to sleep and enough meals for grown men working 16-hour days can be quite an undertaking.

As the poles go back up and the lights come back on, linemen are released and sent back home. Large crews are no longer needed when only service taps and smaller jobs remain. Once everyone is home, they rest up, restock the trucks, and do it all again at home or where the next job calls.”

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For the Love of the Game

A lesson in tenacity Actor Gary Grubbs, a Prentiss native and former Southern Mississippi football player, has worked for some of Hollywood’s most famous directors, including Oliver Stone and Clint Eastwood. Grubbs has 180 acting credits in his 46-year career, including his role as an attorney in two of the all-time most watched television miniseries, “The Burning Bed” and “Fatal Vision.”

Additionally, he made the circuit on TV shows such as “Will & Grace.” He has also written scripts for television movies such as, “If I Had Wings,” starring Delta Burke and fellow Mississippi native Gerald McRaney.

The son of a Mississippi Highway Patrol officer, Grubbs was born in Amory. His family moved to Prentiss where he developed a passion for sports.

“I played all the sports in high school. I was pretty good, and my senior year I was named All-Dixie Conference in football, basketball, and baseball,” Grubbs said recently. Grubbs finished his high school sports career by being selected to play in the Mississippi High School All-Star football game in Jackson, with Archie Manning playing on the opposing team.

Following high school, Grubbs attended Southern Miss and played football. He said playing sports helped him in his future acting career, though, at the time, he had no plans to pursue acting. As Grubbs recalled, the persistence required to succeed in sports helped him later.

“What I have learned over my acting career is that there is a huge correlation between athletes and performers, and the lessons in tenacity learned in sports come in handy as an actor,” Grubbs said.

“I have been turned down so many times for parts. Sometimes up to 100 people will try out for a part. You have lots of rejection in this business. Even when you land a part, you can be completely cut out when the show is finally edited and airs,” Grubbs said.

In college, Grubbs’ dorm room adjoined the dorm room of Cooper Huckabee from Mobile, Alabama. Huckabee had plans to coach in the future, but he also harbored a festering acting bug. Huckabee tried out for several college plays, and Grubbs would help him learn his lines.

When both men graduated from USM in 1972, the two did not keep in touch. Huckabee returned to Alabama to coach, and Grubbs used his business degree to land a job selling bulldozers in south Mississippi.

24

MAY | 2023

Fast-forward five years and Grubbs, lying on his couch watching TV in Hattiesburg, heard something familiar. He recalled, “I was half asleep when I heard Cooper’s voice on ‘Little House on the Prairie.’” Grubbs’ next move was to call Huckabee’s parents to acquire their son’s contact information. He called Huckabee, who quipped, “Beats the heck out of work!” Huckabee invited Grubbs to Los Angeles to see for himself.

“I followed him to work and said, ‘I can do this,’” Grubbs said.

Huckabee went on to portray “Marshall,” John Travolta’s buddy in the 1980 film, “Urban Cowboy” as well as star in the 1981 Tobe Hooper-directed horror film, “The Funhouse.”

Grubbs didn’t have to convince his wife, former Miss Mississippi Glenda Meadows, to make the move. The couple sold everything and headed to Los Angeles.

Grubbs said contacts are essential for a shot at a successful career in Hollywood. Grubbs’ game plan was to start meeting folks from Mississippi who were in the business. His hunt was successful — one of those contacts helped him launch his career in 1978 when he landed his first job on the film, “Deadman’s Curve.”

The rest is history.

Grubbs said he feels grateful for his success but adds, “I’m very passionate and very determined to keep looking for that next job.”

Now back in Mississippi, Grubbs conducts acting classes in Gulfport and Mobile. He can be contacted at garygrubbsclass@gmail. com. His wife is an accomplished artist. Her work may be viewed at www.GlendaGrubbs.com. The couple has two children, Molly and Logan.

by Dale McKee Dale McKee is a Waynesboro native who has been writing sports in Mississippi since 1973. He is a member of Dixie Electric. Contact him at ddmckee18@yahoo.com.

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Use Native Plants

Environment

by Susan Collins-Smith Native plants have garnered a lot of attention, especially because of their relationship to pollinators, but these plants are valuable for many other reasons.

In addition to pollen, they provide food and shelter for birds and other wildlife, as well as creating biodiversity in the ecosystem.

“Native plants are critical to enhance biodiversity in the landscape,” said Bob Brzuszek, an Extension professor of landscape architecture at Mississippi State University. “Studies have shown even small backyards can be important habitats for pollinator insects, birds, and animal life.”

Native plants are critical to enhance biodiversity in the landscape. Studies have shown even small backyards can be important habitats for pollinator insects, birds, and animal life.

While nonnative plants do provide nectar and food sources for butterflies and birds, native plants play an important part in providing food and shelter to wildlife. In fact, some native plants have special relationships with certain insects. For example, some native bees can feed only on the plants with which they evolved.

Brzuszek notes that native plants are particularly important in urban and metropolitan areas.

“Having native plants is especially important in growing urban areas near Memphis, Jackson, and the Gulf Coast where wildlife habitat is dwindling,” Brzuszek said.

26

MAY | 2023

What are native plants?

So, what makes native plants different from other plants?

Eddie Smith, Extension agent and county coordinator in Pearl River County, explains that native plants occur naturally in a particular region, ecosystem, and habitat, either on land or in water, and have evolved to thrive in that area. These plants include trees, shrubs, grasses, and wildflowers.

Why are native plants beneficial?

Native plants are generally low-maintenance, easy to grow and less expensive to maintain because they have evolved to tolerate their environment.

“When you plant native plants, you’ll reduce pollution and use less energy and resources by reducing mowing and trimming,” Smith said. “You won’t have to use as much water or pesticides, either.”

Native plants are also important in food production. They support the insects, birds, and other animals that pollinate all types of food plants, including fruit trees and garden plants, Smith said.

These plants can also enhance aesthetics and add value to your property. They can be used in the same ways as other landscape plants, such as privacy fences, windbreaks, and shade. No matter what garden style one wants to achieve, there is a native plant that will work.

“The great thing about native plants is that they can fit any home style — from the most formal gardens to country estates,” said Brzuszek. “Cherry laurel makes an elegant privacy hedge and even wax myrtles can be trimmed into various shapes. Perennial herbaceous plants such as yellow coneflower, salvias, or our own state wildflower — Coreopsis — can be tucked into existing flower beds.”

Where can native plants be purchased?

Many local plant nurseries sell native plants. Local conservation groups or organizations, such as the Crosby Arboretum, also sell them.

Many Master Gardener groups sell native plants during fundraising sales. Contact the local Extension office for more information about where to purchase native plants.

Shown above: Rudbeckia, commonly called black-eyed Susan, is one of several native Mississippi plants that provide food and shelter for pollinators and wildlife while contributing to environmental biodiversity. These rudbeckias were photographed in the Project Pollinator Wildflower Community Garden and Butterfly Waystation in Pearl River County. (File photo by MSU Extension Service/Kevin Hudson)

Tips for using native plants Some native plant gardens can be viewed as unkept. If homeowners want to include minimally managed wildlife zones or native plant gardens in areas open to public view, Brzuszek recommends these tips: • Create a well-managed edge, such as a mow zone or an edging of bricks or timbers to show that the landscape is being taken care of and not neglected.

Where do native plants grow?

Native plants can grow throughout Mississippi, but gardeners should know that they have water, light, and soil-type preferences.

“There are coastal plants such as Sabal palmetto that can’t take the freezes in the north, or more northern plants, such as white trout lily, that simply won’t tolerate the heat of the Gulf Coast,” Brzuszek said.

• Include some architectural features, such as a bird bath or bench, in the planting area. These items add a human element that people can understand.

• Put a sign in a pollinator garden that helps convey the purpose to neighbors and passersby.

“Better yet, invite the neighbors over for a cup of coffee and tell them what you are trying to do. Education is the best way to prevent misunderstandings,” Brzuszek said.

2023 | MAY 27

On the Menu

with Vicki Leach

Mother's Day meals to make her feel like a queen.

Southern kitchens revolve around special occasions. May gives us a built-in day to honor the special women in our lives, whether they be our own moms, or someone else’s.

We’ve had a tradition in our family for decades. The small-fries in the house would participate — with the help of a step stool and a grown-up — in creating breakfast in bed for Mom on Mother’s Day, and the same for Dad on Father’s Day. My husband usually fared much better than I did because I could cook. I was the mom in our family portrait, so I suffered through burnt pancakes and yellow rubber marbles that resembled eggs only in color. But I always ate every morsel, gave thanks for their efforts, and tried to look like I enjoyed my breakfast. Each meal was memorable if not exceptional. They were proud. I was proud. Eventually, I would sneak into the kitchen and make myself a sandwich. They never knew.

They grew up. I have no idea if they remember the first thing about what they cooked on those days, but each of them are now fabulous cooks in their own right. I credit letting them get into the kitchen to make a mess, and I’d lie if I said I didn’t credit myself (and my stomach) as their most willing guinea pig.

So, here’s a jumping off place for you. A couple of easy peasy recipes that are kid friendly and possibly even spouse-proof. The Orange Bread uses canned biscuits, and, if you are insulted at the thought, a biscuit dough with a little less buttermilk will fill the bill. The Kitchen Sink Potatoes are a favorite at our house. It contains MY kitchen sink.

Your sink may be different, so add or subtract to your hearts content.

And finally, in homage to one of my long ago “mamas,” Miss Mary’s Fruit Dip. Think Creamsicle in a bowl. If the tang of the Tang is a little much, back off a little. You won’t hurt my feelings. Fresh berries are coming into season. That could be a perfect match.

28

MAY | 2023

Kitchen Sink Potatoes Yield: Serves 12-15 depending on appetites

INGREDIENTS

30-ounce package frozen country-style shredded hash brown potatoes 1 pound mild breakfast sausage 16 ounces French onion dip 8 ounces sour cream 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 cup diced ham ½ cup real bacon bits 1 stick butter, melted 1 tablespoon dry ranch dressing (or the whole packet - you choose) 2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese or cheddar cheese Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 by 13 baking dish with no-stick cooking spray. Cook sausage and drain. Microwave the frozen potatoes for about 3 minutes to knock off some of the ice (the potatoes cook better if almost thawed). Combine potatoes, sausage, and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper as desired.

Pour into the baking dish. Bake until hot and bubbly all the way through — about 45 minutes.

Orange Bread Yield: 1 10-inch coffee cake

INGREDIENTS

¾ cup sugar ½ cup chopped pecans 1 tablespoon orange zest 2 cans refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (11-ounce size) - you need 20 biscuits 4 ounces cream cheese, cut into 20 squares (half an 8-ounce package) ½ cup butter, melted 1 cup sifted powdered sugar 2 tablespoons orange juice Combine sugar, pecans, and orange zest in a small bowl. Separate each biscuit; place a cream cheese square in center of one half of the biscuit dough, and fold over the remaining half, pinching sides together. They will resemble dumplings. Dip each biscuit in butter, then dredge in sugar mixture. Stand each biscuit on edge (folded side down) in a lightly greased or sprayed 12-cup Bundt pan, spacing evenly. They will all fit snuggly. Drizzle with remaining butter, and sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until golden brown.

Immediately invert onto a wire rack. Combine powdered sugar and orange juice. Spoon over warm bread. Serve immediately.

Miss Mary's Fruit Dip INGREDIENTS

1 cup full fat vanilla yogurt 8 tablespoons Tang orange drink mix 8- ounce container frozen whipped topping, thawed Mix the Tang with the vanilla yogurt. Whisk it in so the drink mix dissolves. Fold in the thawed whipped topping, blending in completely. Refrigerate until time to serve, and use as a dip for fresh fruit, or as a dressing in fruit cups.

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.

2023 | MAY 29

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.

Barn Sale/Antiques and Collectables. May 5 and 6.

Oak Grove. More than 85 collectors with trailer loads of antiques and collectables. Concession stand will have breakfast and lunch. 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Parking is $2. Price good for both days. Barn Sale auction is May 5 at 5:30 p.m. 4799 Old Highway 11, Purvis, (Oak Grove). Details: 601-818-5886 or 601-794-7462.

Divide Memorial Methodist Protestant Church Springfest. May 6. Monticello. Vendors still needed. Event will be held rain or shine. Food, auction, entertainment, and shopping. Details: 601-405-4975.

A rummage and bake sale. May 6. Brandon. The event will be held at Nativity Lutheran Church at the corner of Crossgates Boulevard and Old Brandon Road. The event will be held indoors offering clothing, furniture, household goods, and baked goods. Church proceeds to benefit social ministry outreach programs such as Harbor House, Center for Violence Protection, Stewpot Ministries, Rankin County Human Resource Agency, VA Volunteer Services, and the Mississippi State Hospital.

The event is free. Details: 601-825-5125.

Big Gospel Singing Jubilee. May 6. Pearl. The concert will be held at the Pearl Community Center, 2420 Old Brandon Road. Featuring the Hinson Family, Terry Joe Terrell, Revelations, and Tim Frith and the Gospel Echoes. Details: 601-906-0677 or 601-720-8870.

Historic Highway 11 Yard Sale. May 18 to 21.

Meridian to Bristol, Virginia. Vendor sites available in Meridian, Russell, and Kewanee in Mississippi as well as Cuba, York, and Livingston in Alabama.

Visit msantiquealley.com. Details: 601-917-3727.

Cruisin’ the River’s 32nd Pride & Joy Car Show.

May 20. Columbus. The event will be held at Lock & Dam East Bank. Registration is open from 8 a.m. to noon with a $20 registration fee per vehicle. First 50 registrations receive a free dash plaque and T-shirt.

Awards presented at 1 p.m. Trophies and cash prizes awarded. Spectators get in free. Concessions available. Proceeds support local charities, including Golden Triangle Outdoors and an area nursing home’s Christmas ministry. Details: 662-574-2678 or 662-251-2702.

Harrison County Gem and Mineral Society Show.

May 20 and 21. Biloxi. The event will be held at the Joppa Shriners Center at 13280 Shiners Blvd on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Details: 601-947-7245 or go to Facebook com/gulfportgems.

Greater Shelby Kennel Club and the Kennel Club of North Mississippi Meet and Greet. May 20. Olive Branch. The event is an excellent opportunity to meet club members and learn about activities that you can do with your dog. The location is Kimberlin Farms, 8650 Center Hill Rd. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Details: 901 482-2922.

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MISSISSIPPI’S LARGEST CIRCULATED PUBLICATION For more info email news@ecm.coop

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MAY | 2023

Spring Arts and Crafts Fair and Book Sale. May 20.

Vancleave. The Vancleave Friends of the Library will host the fair from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., at the Vancleave Public library. The event is an annual festival in the spring and is a wonderful opportunity for crafters to market their handiwork, and for shoppers to buy great holiday gifts. More than 40 arts and crafts vendors will be present with many great hand-crafted items for home decor or gift giving. All proceeds will go toward the Friends’ library projects and programs. The library is located at 12604 Highway 57. Details: 228-826-4143 Daylily Open Gardens. May 29. Hattiesburg. The Hattiesburg Area Daylily Society will host open gardens. The event gives the public an opportunity to see large numbers of daylilies growing and blooming in private gardens. The gardens are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event is free. Some gardens sell daylilies. For a list of gardens and directions go to hattiesburgdaylily.com. Details: 601-466-3826 Holy Land Tour Oct. 27 to Nov. 5. Join Ronnie and Beverly Cottingham for their 23rd year to host the trip. Departures from Jackson or New Orleans. Details: 601-770-1447 or email rbcottingham@bellsouth.net

It has been an odd spring in Mississippi. In March there was one week when we came within a degree or two of setting both a record high temperature and a record low. Same week. On the heels of that came the tornadoes that hit Rolling Fork in the Delta and into the hills at Wynona, and on to Amory.

A week after the Rolling Fork tornado a different round of storms hit Wynne, Arkansas and up to the Great Lakes and eastward. National reporters were saying how much worse the weather is now than it used to be. I’m not an expert, but I remember Google Xenia, Ohio, and the “Outbreak of the Century” in 1974.

Ken South, our chief meteorologist at WJTV, said he always looks forward to Mother’s Day. Usually by Mother’s Day, the severe weather track lifts out of the lower Mississippi Valley. I had never connected the two, but he’s right.

But late that night, looking out the window at a hedgerow about a quarter mile away, I saw a display of lightening bugs that struck me as unusual. Now, that was a long time ago, but I remember they weren’t the lazy floating kinds of fireflies like the ones we would catch and put in fruit jars in the front yard at twilight. The ones I saw were busy — almost frantic. Plus, you could easily see them from where we were, a quarter mile away. They were bright. Were they snappy syncs?

They very well could have been.

Graduation Day comes in May, too. The end of one era and the beginning of another. The end of May is also the psychological end of spring and the beginning of summer. Endings and beginnings. Maybe every ending is just another beginning. Just keep going when we think we hit our limit and find out.

Maybe every ending is just another beginning. Just keep going when we think we hit our limit and find out.

Mother’s Day is the line of demarcation for at least one other natural phenomenon in Mississippi. It’s on the other end of the scale from severe weather. Mother’s Day is when the synchronous fireflies start to emerge. We’ve only known about these type of fireflies for a short period of time — about a decade or so. But I feel like they’ve been around for a long, long time. The thing about these fireflies — they only come out after dark. I mean really dark. They like secluded places way back in the woods. I can’t see grandma and grandpa ever taking a moonlight stroll way, way into the deep woods late at night back in their day. So, they would have never really had a reason to discover the snappy sync fireflies.

However, I do remember being at grandma’s house in Fulton when I was a youngster. My cousin Wesley Byrd and I had been banished to sleep upstairs while the grownups took the downstairs bedrooms.

I think one of our uncles was planning to use a noise maker to scare us.

But we overheard his plan. The walls were thinner than he thought.

Photo by Jeff Davis

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.

2023 | MAY 31