of 14 SEER or better. Comfort Advantage Plus home must have a heat pump

Tools to help you understand your energy use

Pearl River Valley Electric offers a variety members can view the amount of kilowatt of options for you to understand your elechours recorded by their meter for any tric use. Over the years, we have published period of time, so they can compare one a wide variety of brochures and booklets month with another. There is also a feature that offer energy savings tips that are that adds the daily temperatures to each available in our offices and online on our chart, so members can see the weather website, www.PRVEPA.com. factors that impact their electric use.

Some of the most useful information “Information is the key to understanding available is the ability to view your home’s your monthly bill,” said Scott Arinder, daily and hourly electrical use at any time. member services representative. “When This information is available on our website someone receives their bill and they and through our app. Members can access think it is too high, they may have forthis information by clicking the “Pay My gotten about a stretch of hot days in the Bill” or “Manage My Account” tabs and billing period, or that they had a house following the steps at the member portal. full of visitors. When we show them how Members can also access this information they used electricity throughout the by downloading our app in their month, they are able to think back and app store. Simply search for “PRVEPA” and follow the steps. understand how their daily patterns of electricity use affect their Through the member portal online or through our app, bill,” Arinder said.

Higher temperatures this summer will mean higher utility bills for many Mississippians. But there are ways to control your costs and still survive the heat.

About half of your energy use goes to cooling your home in the summer and heating it in the winter.

Children who are out of school and staying at home can also boost your energy use because televisions are on longer, video games are being played or computers are being used more. Also,

with more people going into and out of the home, cool air is lost, and the air conditioner must work harder to keep the temperature at a comfortable level.

You can spend a lot of money making your home more energy efficient by adding insulation, replacing windows and installing EnergyStar appliances. However, there are also some easy, inexpensive steps you can take to control your energy use.

Here are a few:

Replace any light bulb that burns more than one hour per day with its equivalent LED bulb. Turn off lights when you leave a room. Computers and monitors should be turned off when not in use. TVs, stereos and radios should be turned off when no one is watching or listening to them. Unplug chargers for phone and laptop batteries when not in use. Unplug unused refrigerators or freezers. Use the microwave for cooking when possible.

Use a slow cooker instead of simmering foods on the stove. • Only run the dishwasher when it’s fully loaded and use the air-dry cycle. • Set the thermostat to 78 degrees or as close to that temperature that you can and still feel comfortable. Every degree higher saves about 12%. • Lock your windows to get a better seal so you won’t lose cool air. • Change your air filter regularly so your air conditioner won’t have to work so hard.

Visit our website, www.PRVEPA.com, for more energy-efficiency tips that can help you keep your utility bills lower this summer.

All Pearl River Valley Electric Offices will be closed in observance of Independence Day on Friday, July 3. Dispatchers will be available, and crews will be on call. Report outages by calling 855-2PRVEPA.

HELPS REVEAL 2020 LOSSES

The lower Delta backwater fl ood that began in 2019 continues unabated into 2020, racking up thousands of dollars in losses per individual in the affected areas. This photo was taken July 27, 2019, in Issaquena County.

by Bonnie A. Coblentz

A sharper focus on the economic impact of the lower Delta That means the economic impact numbers of the backwater backwater fl ood of 2019 helps predict the implications of conFile photos by MSU Extension Service/Kevin Hudson fl ood that began in 2019 are growing with each month the fl ood tinued fl ooding this year. persists. Mississippi State University Extension Service researchers The study of the 2019 backwater fl ood calculated an compiled data on the overlooked costs of the backwater fl ood increased cost of $3,217 per resident due to extra commuting that affected the Yazoo Mississippi Delta in 2019. They surveyed distance and time, plus an average loss of $5,183 per worker in residents in the fi ve affected missed time on the job. counties in an attempt to quanti Sandy Havard, Extension fy losses. agent in Warren County, com “These fi ndings show a terrible mented on the ongoing struggle cost, which can be repeated each with fl ooding in areas such as time the area fl oods,” said Nicolas the highly populated area around

Quintana-Ashwell, an economist Eagle Lake. at the National Center for Alluvial “A lot of people still live there,

Aquifer Research and a researchand if they did go back to their er with the Mississippi Agriculhome, they had to get a permit tural and Forestry Experiment to rebuild, and the house had to

Station who is based at the MSU be at a certain elevation,” said

Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville. Mississippi State University Extension Service agent Emily Carter has been heavily involved with residents affected by the ongoing fl ood. Havard, who is involved with the Warren County Long Term At its peak in May 2019, the Backwater Flood of 2019 fl ooded Recovery Committee. “That helped a lot in that area when the 548,000 acres, damaged hundreds of homes and closed three backwater fl ood came again this year. But some of those who highways. The affected area includes all or part of Warren, Yamoved away because of the fl ood in 2019 have not been able to zoo, Issaquena, Sharkey and Humphreys counties, and fl ooding move back because they don’t have the money to rebuild.” impacted an estimated 20,000 people. Emily Carter, Extension coordinator for Sharkey and Issaque “We found a $42,160 self-assessed loss per household in costs na counties, said the intangible losses to the fl ood are harder to associated with the fl ood not covered by insurance or any assismeasure. tance programs,” Quintana-Ashwell said. “Additionally, 69% of “Many people who had to move out of their homes for most workers reported a reduction in work productivity due to stress of 2019 were just completing renovations and getting back into and fatigue associated with the fl ood.” their homes when they were displaced again this year,” Carter The fl ood measured and quantifi ed in 2019 continues in many said. “That caused a sense of hopelessness in some residents, places, so its economic impact is still growing. As of early May but it also has drawn our community closer together as neigh2020, water accumulations in portions of the state’s Delta rebor helps neighbor.” gion were again causing rivers to overfl ow, spilling over into an This sense of caring is combined with resilience. estimated 200,000 acres of farmland. “Many families in the south Delta have been here for “Several thousand acres have been under water for over a generations, and they will stay here, persevering through the year and a half in places,” said Ben Lawrence, an agronomist hard times like their ancestors,” Carter said. with the MSU Extension Service. “In the areas affected by the continuous fl ooding, people are reliving 2019, which would have Bonnie A. Coblentz is a writer and editor with the Mississippi been unimaginable for two years in a row.” State University Extension Service.

Our entire shipbuilding team has

worked tirelessly to ensure that all of our efforts have been aligned to implement all Flight III changes successfully on this ship. With this lift, we are one step closer to delivering the U.S. Navy the most technologically

advanced destroyer in the fl eet.

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Ingalls Shipbuilding division achieved a substantial milestone recently with the successful lift of the aft deckhouse onto guided missile destroyer Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125). The 320-ton aft deckhouse includes radar equipment rooms, main engine intake and exhaust compartments, electric shop, and staterooms, according to an Ingalls news release. “Our team has kept this fi rst Flight III ship ahead of schedule by working collaboratively and using lessons learned from our long history of building destroyers,” Ben Barnett, Ingalls DDG 125 program manager, said in the release. “Our entire shipbuilding team has worked tirelessly to ensure that all of our efforts have been aligned to implement all Flight III changes successfully on this ship. With this lift, we are one step closer to delivering the U.S. Navy the most technologically advanced destroyer in the fl eet.” DDG 125 is the fi fth of fi ve Arleigh Burke-class destroyers HII was awarded in June 2013 and is the fi rst Flight III ship, which adds enhanced radar capability and other technological upgrades. The fi ve-ship contract, part of a multi-year procurement in the DDG 51 program, allows Ingalls to build ships more effi ciently by buying bulk material and moving the skilled workforce from ship-to-ship. The ship is named for Jack. H Lucas, a longtime resident of Hattiesburg, who was the youngest Marine and the youngest service member in World War II to receive the Medal of Honor. DDG 125 is co-sponsored by Ruby Lucas, widow of the ship’s namesake. Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are highly capable, multi-mission ships and can conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence and crisis management to sea control and power projection, all in support of the United States’ military strategy. The guided missile destroyers are capable of simultaneously fi ghting air, surface and subsurface battles. The ship contains myriad offensive and defensive weapons designed to support maritime defense needs well into the 21st century.

of more

in season ahead

by Derrill Holly

Government meteorologists say atmospheric conditions are ripe for an above-normal season of storm activity in the Atlantic Basin and predict 13 to 19 named storms with sustained winds exceeding 39 mph. Six to 10 of those storms could reach hurricane strength of at least 74 mph, and three to six could pack sustained winds of 111 mph, achieving major hurricane status. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released its annual forecast May 21. Co-op mutual aid coordinators meet each year in Biloxi to discuss last year’s storm season and how responses can be improved, said Gerald Gordon, vice president of safety and loss control for the Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi. “These individuals represent 25-35 states and thousands of cooperative employees that are ready to respond to the call for assistance,” Gordon said. “He added that each request for help goes to statewide organizations and is then fulfi lled by assisting states. “Now is the time to get prepared,” warned Gerry Bell, lead hurricane season forecaster with NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. NOAA and the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies released a report this spring linking warming earth surface temperatures to increasing tropical storm intensity. The study, covering a 39-year period ending in 2017, suggested a worldwide shift toward more tropical weather systems that achieve major hurricane intensity. While the global rate of storm severity increase was about 8% per decade, “the greatest changes are found in the North Atlantic, where the probability of major hurricane exceedance increases by 49% per decade,” the report states. NOAA forecast greater potential of hurricanerelated havoc to occur well inland from where a system makes landfall, even as storms are downgraded below hurricane strength and winds subside. “A slow-moving tropical storm can produce 9 to 15 inches of rain over a large area,” said Bell. Federal Emergency Management Agency offi cials are encouraging coastal residents to act now to prepare for potential hurricane evacuations because of concerns stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. “There’s always a challenge meeting shelter needs during and after a major hurricane,” said Carlos Castillo, FEMA acting deputy administrator for resilience. “Social distancing and other CDC guidance to keep you safe from COVID-19 may impact the disaster preparedness plan you had in place, including what is in your go-kit, evacuation routes, shelters and more.” In April, meteorologists from Colorado State University’s Tropical Meteorology Project predicted above-normal storm activity as well for 2020. The preseason CSU forecast of 16 named storms included eight reaching hurricane strength and four expected to achieve major hurricane status.

LEE TARTT NATURE PRESERVE:

A Heros Outd r Refuge

NOT FAR FROM THE SQUARE IN DOWNTOWN GRENADA , THERE’S AN URBAN FOREST ON 300 ACRES ON THE BANKS OF THE YALOBUSHA RIVER.

by Steven Ward

Local artist Robin Whitfi eld, who landed in Grenada in 1996 to paint murals for a public school, had never spent time in a swamp before walking from her home studio to the urban forest. “It captivated me from day one. I would explore the area every day, slowly learning the names and relationships of the plants and animals there,” Whitfi eld said. She “fell head over heels for this special and magical place” and became an Audubon Master Naturalist soon after. Today, Whitfi eld is the director of the Lee Tartt Nature

Preserve, the name of the acreage which was previously called the Chakchiuma Swamp Natural Area. The preserve is a bottomland hardwood forest featuring a series of interconnected oxbow lakes known as the Chakchiuma

Swamp. The city-owned property’s westbound boundary is Highway 51 and the northern boundary is Highway 332 leading to the 18 TODAY | JULY 2020 Grenada Lake dam and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers fl oodplain property known as the Haserway Wetland Area. The preserve provides a constant feast of caterpillars for birds year around. Notable summer birds are the prothonotary warbler, summer tanager, white-eyed and yellow-throated vireo, northern parula, yellow billed cuckoo and snowy egret. Notable winter birds are the hermit thrush, wood duck, brown creeper, red crowned kinglet and yellow-bellied sapsucker. The year around residents include barred owl, red shouldered hawk, northern cardinal, turkey vulture and woodpeckers — pileated, red bellied and downy, Whitfi eld added. The caterpillars fi ll the preserve with butterfl ies and moths notably zebra swallowtail whose host plant is pawpaw, gulf fritillary whose host plant is passion vine and luna moth whose host plant is sweetgum. “The oxbow lakes are cut off from the river keeping them cool and clear most of the year,” Whitfi eld said. And it wouldn’t be a swamp without turtles, frogs, fi sh and reptiles.

The preserve currently has A PLACE magical duty, he liked to hand fish short walking trails in three in the Yalobusha River, locations, an observation deck overlooking the swamp according to his brother, Keith Tartt. and oxbow lake access for paddlers. Whitfield’s volunteer When he was on duty, he worked as a special agent for group, Friends of Chakchiuma Swamp, is working with arthe Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics. A perfect shot, Keith chitects to create a masterplan that will feature a handicap Tartt said, his brother was also a member of the Mississippi accessible interpretive trail, three Department of Public Safety SWAT miles of walking trails, boardteam. The 44-year-old law enforcewalks through the wetlands and ment officer was shot and killed in grasslands, quiet nature viewing It captivated me from day one. February 2016 when he and other benches, a natural children’s play I would explore the area every authorities responded to a domestic area and a classroom size pavilion. Whitfield said visitors come to the preserve for many reasons but the swamp itself seems to be the day, slowly learning the names and relationships of the plants and animals there. dispute at a home near Iuka in Tishomingo County. An armed man was holding his wife and 10-year-old daughter in a main attraction. Guests sit on the observation house and he refused to come out after more deck or float in a kayak. They fish, paddle, than six hours of hostage negotiations, according take photographs, paint, go birding and set up to reporting by the Associated Press. picnics in the preserve. Tartt was one of four officers that went inside

The preserve was named after James Lee when the man and police officers started shooting Tartt, who was passionate about the outdoors. at each other. Lee Tartt was shot and killed that

A Grenada native, he grew up on a farm and day. The other three officers were injured. loved hunting and fishing. When he was off Continued on next page

JAMES TARTT Lee

The woman and her daughter escaped the Conservation too, once also posthumously,” Keith Tartt said. home alive. The armed man Keith Tartt, a member of holding them there was the nature preserve’s board of shot and killed by police directors, said he hopes that during the standoff. the future of the swamp area How the preserve becomes part of city plans for became named after Lee downtown Grenada’s revival. Tartt, involves someone “It’s all part of a bigger vision who remains anonymous and this would add a nature to this day. presence which would be vital The Friends of Chakchiufor the community,” Keith Tartt ma Swamp wanted to save said. the acreage from inclu Whitfi eld said the mission sion in a citywide timber of the nature preserve is harvest. An anonymous “conservation through creativdonor loaned the group ity, curiosity and community $300,000 to win the bid in connection.” the timber sale purchasing “Through all that we have all of the trees in the 300 experienced as an organization acres, Whitfi eld said. He and with observations of nathen offered half of it back ture our motto is ‘everything is as a matching donor so evconnected.’ Events, workshops, ery time someone donates, partnerships and conservation 50 cents is added to every workdays are how we fulfi ll our $1. The deal paved the way mission,” Whitfi eld said. to a 60-year lease of the Whitfi eld said she fi nds property with the city. a few minutes or a few hours Keith Tartt said one to spend at the preserve of the conditions of the every day. deal by the donor was to “I never tire of seeing what’s name the preserve after different from the day before his brother. The preserve and making new connections. I was named after Lee Tartt have never been disappointed in 2018. in a visit and have always left with abundant gifts, Whit When asked what Lee would have thought about the fi eld said. “While wandering around I think things like ‘wow! naming of the preserve, Keith Tartt recalled his younger There’s my favorite fl ower!’ or ‘that is the most amazing tree brother’s personality. I have ever seen!’ or ‘Does it get any more peaceful than “I’m sure he would have been proud. But Lee was a very this moment?’ Considering I have these thoughts everyday humble person. He was a quiet guy. He liked to be in the about totally different things, the only conclusion I can draw background. He didn’t toot his own horn,” Keith Tartt said. is that my favorite part of the preserve is simply having the After Lee Tartt died, his brother was going through his privilege of being there in that moment.” things and came across a box. Inside were all kinds of law enforcement awards he never told anyone about.“He won Visit www.friends-of-cs.org or call 662-230-0368 or email the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics Agent of the Year award the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics Agent of the Year award friendsofcsna@gmail.com for more information. twice. Once posthumously. He won an award of valor twice twice. Once posthumously. He won an award of valor twice

picture this my opinion

grin ‘n’ bare it

2 3

5

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1. Two Mississippi River bridges in Natchez, by Kelsey Bass of Smithdale; Magnolia Electric Power member.

2. Early morning turkey hunt at Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge, by Grant Hartman of Collinsville; East Mississippi EPA member.

3. Roosevelt State Park, by Melissa Loper of Brandon; Central EPA member.

4. Watching the birds and waves in Biloxi, by Rashonda Waldrop of Purvis; Pearl River Valley EPA member.

5. Gulf Islands seashore, by Rebekah Pope of Ocean Springs; Singing River Electric member. 7

7. Bay St. Louis train bridge and harbor, by Joe Swaykos of Pass Christian; Coast Electric member.

8. Waveland beach, by Heather Atwood of Tylertown; Magnolia Electric Power member.

9. Mississippi Coast Lighthouse, by Rhonda Drummond of Greenwood; Delta Electric member.

10. A full moon at Cat Island, by Carol Terrrell of Ruleville; Delta Electric member.

11. Sunset at Biloxi beach, by April Ray of Decatur; Southern Pine Electric member.

12. On the Fair River in Lawrence County, by Tim Lea of Monticello; Southern Pine Electric member

9

8 10

11

13

14

15

18

19

21

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13. Possum Walk Trail in Logtown, by Cathy Boyet of Pearlington;

Coast Electric member.

14. The banks of Bear Creek at Tishomingo State Park, by Jason Heavner of

Oxford; North East EPA member.

15. Horn Island on the Gulf of Mexico, by Debbie Scott of Pascagoula;

Singing River Electric member.

16. Kayaking on the lake at Little Black Creek in Lumberton, by Teresa Adams of Picayune; Coast Electric member.. 22

23

19.

Sunset over Mississippi River at Natchez, by Kathy Tourne of Carriere; Coast Electric member.

20. Swimming at home in Carriere, by Lisa Treuting of Carriere; Coast Electric member.

21.

Gulf Coast, by Trish Little of Magee; Southern Pine Electric member.

22. Horn Island camping trip, by Amanda Norris of New Augusta; Pearl River

Valley EPA member.

23. Arlo Wilkinson having fun at Middlefork Creek in Franklin County, by Daisy Arnold of Meadville; Southwest Electric member.

events mississippi marketplace on the menu outdoors today scene around the ‘sip picture this co-op involvement my opinion

southern gardening

grin ‘n’ bare it

with Rebecca Turner

July 4th celebrates the birth of American independence. Traditional festivities range from fi reworks, parades, concerts and cookouts. This summer will be anything but conventional as our communities continue to work together to socially distance and slow the spread of COVID-19. Our outdoor gatherings may be more intimate, but that doesn’t mean barbeques are off-limits. Enjoying a wholesome meal cooked outside at home can boost your physical and mental health. Incorporate these simple tips to enjoy a fun, fl avorful, and nutritious patio meal. Your Mississippi farmers and fi shers need you now more than ever, so be sure to think local when you shop for lean proteins. Processed meats like hot dogs, sausages and some red meats are high in saturated fats and sodium, which can lead to an increased risk of heart disease. Make the switch to leaner cuts of beef such as the eye of round, sirloin, or skirt steak. Choose 80 to 95% lean ground beef or turkey for burgers. Make your ground meat budget and nutrition go further by adding in black beans, kernel corn, or fi nely grated zucchini or carrots to patties, meatloaves, spaghetti and tacos. A cookout isn’t complete without side dishes. You can focus on our patriotic colors, red, white and blue, during July, and be surprised by the variety of foods and the wealth of nutrition each color offers. Mississippi gardens are brimming with red produce like beets, radishes, peppers, onions, potatoes, rhubarb and tomatoes. Red fruits include cherries, raspberries, apples, strawberries and watermelons. Bring white produce to the table with caulifl ower, garlic, mushrooms, onions, parsnips, potatoes, turnips, white corn and white beans. Using the color blue loosely, and including those that are purplish-colored, too, gives you more options like blackberries, blueberries, eggplants, fi gs, grapes, plums, potatoes and raisins. Upgrade your side dish recipes to include more hearthealthy ingredients. Remove or reduce saturated fats by substituting plain Greek yogurt for mayonnaise. Instead of sugary baked beans, try white corn and bean salad or a tri-colored potato salad. Choose a variety of seasonal vegetables marinated with herbs and olive oil. Grill whole carrots, or make vegetable kebabs using caulifl ower, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and onions brushed with a vinaigrette dressing. A fresh fruit salad or Smith County watermelon is a refreshing way to add something sweet to any meal. Get outside, light the grill, and enjoy a meal fi t for a celebration.

INGREDIENTS ¼ cup blueberries, fresh ½ cup caulifl ower fl orets, halved ½ cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved ½ cup feta cheese crumbles (optional) spinach leaves 2 tablespoons, dressing of choice Using a wide-mouth mason jar, assemble your salad. Add the desired dressing to the bottom. Sturdy vegetables like caulifl ower and tomatoes go in fi rst. Next, add a layer of spinach, followed by chickpeas and feta crumbles — another handful of spinach, followed by blueberries. Fill the mason jar to the top with spinach. When ready to eat, shake the mason jar to cover the content with the dressing. Eat from the jar or transfer to a plate. Make several ahead of time for the week.

INGREDIENTS 3 pounds (about 4 cups) small red, white and purple potatoes, halved 1 tablespoon dried parsley (3 tablespoons fresh) 1 teaspoon dried dill (1 tablespoon fresh) ¼ cup chopped red onion ¼ cup white wine vinegar 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 tablespoons stone ground mustard ½ teaspoon of salt and pepper (or to taste) Place halved red and white potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring potatoes to a full boil and boil for 13-15 minutes or until potatoes can easily be pierced with a fork. Drain potatoes, pat dry with a paper towel and transfer to a large bowl. To avoid purple or blue potatoes from bleeding onto the others, boil separately, using the same instructions for the red and white potatoes. While cooked red, white and blue potatoes are cooling in a large bowl, form the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together parsley, dill, onions, vinegar, olive oil, mustard, salt and pepper. Pour dressing over slightly warm potatoes and gently toss to cover. Serve potato salad warm, room temperature, or chilled. *Look for the tri-colored baby potatoes or purchase 1 pound bags of each. This recipe still works well with single colored potatoes, too.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rebecca Turner is an author, registered dietitian, radio host, television presenter and a certified specialist in sports dietetics with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. A lifelong Mississippian, she lives in Brandon and has spent the last decade offering no-nonsense nutrition guidance that allows you to enjoy good health and good food. Her book, “Mind Over Fork,” challenges the way you think, not the way you eat. Find her on social media @RebeccaTurnerNutrition and online at www.RebeccaTurnerNutrition.com.

The 30th Bruce Sawmill Festival, July 10- 11, Bruce. Downtown Bruce Square. The on the menu outdoors today Many planned summer events were canceled because of the COVID-19 crisis, so we have had far fewer events to feature in this space as a result. As more areas of Mississippi open event features a 5K run/walk, arts and crafts, food vendors, and a car, tractor, and scene around the ‘sip picture this back up and groups and organizations feel comfortable about holding public events, we intend to include those details here. So, if you have an upcoming event for August and motorcycle show. Live entertainment on the Cannon Motors entertainment stage co-op involvement my opinion September, please email the details to news@ecm.coop. starts Friday at 6 p.m. and starts back at 9 a.m. Saturday and runs through to Saturday night with the headliner band, The Jason southern gardening Financing Available grin ‘n’ bare it Test Drive A Country Clipper Today! Point-N-Go Joystick Military, Police & Fire Discount Program Available Miller Band. Details: 662-983-2222. The 42nd Mississippi Watermelon Festival, July 17-18, Mize. Proceeds go to the Mize Patented Stand-Up Deck or Twin Lever Steering Contour DTS TM Deck Tracking System Volunteer Fire Department. Country singer Colt Ford performs Saturday at 8 p.m. Gates open Friday at 3:30 p.m. and Saturday at 8:30 a.m. See display advertisement on Page 5. Details: 601-517-3510.

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A board of directors, composed of members elected by the membership, governs an electric power association. The board establishes bylaws, policies and rates.

Employees are local residents who share a personal and professional interest in the well-being of their community. They embody the cooperative spirit of community involvement by participating in worthwhile causes.

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Waiting for the

They would let us climb up on the roof of the house the night of July 4th to watch the fi reworks over Lake Ferguson from the Greenville waterfront so we wouldn’t have to go down there. We lived a mile or so away, as the crow fl ies. Getting to go up on the roof was an adventure for us kids. The big fi reworks show was the culmination of the 4th. It started off pretty much like any other summer morning. Help mama, take out the garbage, watch my little brother. But the day set itself apart after lunch. An ice cream freezer or two (depending on whether we had company or not) would come out and the ice around the drum was salted. By midafternoon, the cranks started getting harder to turn; a sure sign that the cream inside was just about right. Then someone would start hauling out the watermelons that had been chilling in wash tubs since midmorning. There is no sound like a ripe watermelon being stabbed with a butcher knife and then splitting open. And there is no smell like the instant sweetness in the air that follows. Fireworks for us didn’t have to wait until dark. We’d pop our own fi recrackers any time. As a matter of fact, it didn’t wait until the 4th. We would have already been popping them for days in advance. Supper might be hamburgers or hot dogs. And then we’d hear the fi rst “boom” from the waterfront and scamper to the roof. Some of the rockets didn’t fl y too high and we’d just see a fl ash in the sky like heat lightning from where they had exploded below the tree line. But some of them would climb and climb and climb and then pop into a big dandelion seed puff of light way up there.

Why is that so exciting to see when you are young? And then Why is that so exciting to see when you are young? And then all too soon came the fi reworks. The whole sky would light up with all too soon came the fi reworks. The whole sky would light up with explosions all over at once. We could hear the faint car horns of approval from the waterfront all the way to our roof. We carried some of that over into adulthood. While the “old folks” were still here we’d go to mama and daddy’s for the 4th, sometimes. Usually we’d all congregate at an aunt and uncle’s house down the street. There would still be ice cream — with an electric freezer by then — and watermelon. We could hear fi reworks all over, from the kids in a nearby neighborhood, mostly. And then after dark, the big “boom” of the serious rockets over the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway a mile or so away from where mom and dad had moved after all of us left home. This year? I’ll swing on the front porch after dark and listen to the small snaps and pops in the neighborhoods around. And wait for the big “boom” from the Barnett Reservoir — a mile or so away.

Happy 4th everybody.

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.” He lives in Brandon and is a Central Electric member. Contact him at walt@waltgrayson.com.