Ohio Cooperative Living – April 2024 - Mid-Ohio

Newly fallenredesignedlineworker license plate now available

Electric lineworkers put their lives on the line to power Ohio. Honor fallen lineworkers and support their families when you renew your Ohio license plates.

FEATURES

22 XENIA LIVES

Fifty years ago, a Southwest Ohio town suffered — and survived — a legendary tornado.

28 POWER TO THE PEDALS

E-bikes let Ohio cyclists go “twice as far with half the work.”

30 GRANT’S DAY

A new state holiday honors the former president and hero of the Civil War.

Growing together

The work of electric cooperatives is interesting, challenging, meaningful, and rewarding. Yet it’s not for everyone. We work hard to bring together a group of people with the skills and personal attributes necessary to fulfill our obligation to the communities we serve: to provide safe, reliable, cost-competitive, and environmentally responsible electric service to every member, every day. This requires a broad range of job skills, from accounting and engineering to construction and maintenance.

The teams of employees at electric cooperatives across the state are unique, yet they share some common traits. At each co-op, for example, you’ll find people with a strong sense of service, a commitment to the local community, and a desire to continue to learn and grow.

Electric cooperatives across the country have adopted a set of values, including accountability, integrity, innovation, and commitment to community, which are reinforced by the managers entrusted to operate the cooperative and by the people you elect as directors of the cooperative board.

It’s important that those values are shared by the people who work for the cooperative. Not everyone fits, but when we find people who do, we provide them with opportunities not only to grow in their current job, but also to prepare for potential other roles.

The emphasis we place on workforce development helps your electric cooperative adapt to the changing world we live in. When we provide opportunities for our team members to build their skills and knowledge, they learn to make better decisions, to evaluate new technologies, and to weigh costs and benefits, and, ultimately, that makes our service better and more affordable.

It’s just one of the many ways we’re preparing to handle challenges and take advantage of opportunities, both today and into the future.

Pat O’Loughlin PRESIDENT & CEO OHIO’S ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES

Providing opportunities for our team members to build their skills and knowledge ultimately makes our service better and more affordable.

Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives

6677 Busch Blvd. Columbus, OH 43229

614-846-5757

www.ohiocoopliving.com

Patrick O’Loughlin President & CEO

Caryn Whitney Director of Communications

Jeff McCallister Managing Editor

Amy Howat Associate Editor

Crystal Pomeroy Graphic Designer

Contributors: Colleen Romick Clark, Randy Edwards, Getty Images, W.H. “Chip” Gross, Jill Moorhead, Catherine Murray, and Damaine Vonada.

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING (USPS 134-760; ISSN 2572-049X) is published monthly by Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc. It is the official communication link between the electric cooperatives in Ohio and West Virginia and their members. Subscription cost for members ranges from $5.52 to $6.96 per year, paid from equity accruing to the member.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to editorial and advertising offices at: 6677 Busch Boulevard, Columbus, OH 43229-1101. Periodicals postage paid at Berne, IN 46711, and at additional mailing offices. Nothing in this publication may be reproduced in any manner without written permission from Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc. All rights reserved. The fact that a product is advertised in Ohio Cooperative Living should not be taken as an endorsement. If you find an advertisement misleading or a product unsatisfactory, please notify us or the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, Consumer Protection Section, 30 E. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215. Periodicals postage paid at Columbus, OH, and at additional mailing offices.

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DEPARTMENTS

4 POWER LINES

Growing by degrees: Higher-ed partnership puts co-op lineworkers on a path toward leadership.

8

WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE

The camera in your pocket: You don’t always need fancy gear to take magnificent outdoor photos.

10 CO-OP PEOPLE

Mind, body, and goats: Animals enhance yogis’ connection to the land during classes at member’s farm.

13 GOOD EATS

Pucker up! If you’re on Team Tart, put these tangy tastes on your table.

8

10

National/regional advertising inquiries, contact Cheryl Solomon

Cooperative members:

Please report changes of address to your electric cooperative. Ohio Cooperative Living staff cannot process address changes.

17

LOCAL PAGES

News and other important information from your electric cooperative.

31 CALENDAR

What’s happening: April/May events and other things to do around Ohio.

36 MEMBER INTERACTIVE

Wind in my hair: Blustery spring days work wonders in creating lively locks and entertaining tresses.

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American MainStreet Publications 847-749-4875 | cheryl@amp.coop 36

Alliance for Audited Media Member

Visit Ohio Cooperative Living magazine online at www.ohiocoopliving.com!

Read past issues and watch videos about our articles or our recipes. Our site features an expanded Member Interactive area, where you can share your stories, recipes, and photos and find content submitted by other co-op members across the state.

Growing by degrees

BY AMY HOWAT

When Brian Bick was fresh out of high school, he started taking college classes but soon discovered he didn’t enjoy spending his days in a classroom. He decided to pursue a career as an electric lineworker.

“Being a full-time student just wasn’t for me,” says Bick, now a line foreman at Tricounty Rural Electric Cooperative in Malinta, in north-central Ohio. “But I’ve always loved to learn and grow to improve myself.”

Now, Bick has been able to leverage his 10 years of training and experience as a cooperative lineworker along with online classes to earn his Associate of Applied Science degree in technical studies. He’s one of eight graduates so far from a partnership between the Central Ohio Lineworker Training (COLT) program and West Virginia University at Parkersburg. Twenty additional cooperative lineworkers are pursuing degrees through the program.

“This opportunity was really amazing,” says Bick, who graduated last spring. “In this career, you never stop learning, whether it’s through classes or learning from other lineworkers or other co-ops. This program is an extension of that learning, and I hope it can open more windows of opportunity for me in the future.”

The joint degree program provides both advancement potential for lineworkers and short- and long-term benefits for Ohio’s electric cooperatives, says Kyle Hoffman, manager of COLT. “Most people think of line work as a trade that doesn’t require continuing education. That’s far from the case,” he says. “The linemen who work for our Ohio electric cooperatives are some of the brightest and most energetic people in our industry. For many of them coming out of high school, college wasn’t a great fit, but they’ve built a depth of knowledge and developed hands-on skills to do their jobs safely and efficiently. The WVU-P partnership allows them to apply the training and skills gained as lineworkers to the college degree.

“Investing in employees this way helps our cooperatives retain lineworkers who may be seeking career advancement opportunities,” Hoffman says. “It’s a benefit for everybody.”

A well-rounded education

Hoffman worked to develop the partnership with WVU-P in 2021 after graduating from a similar program there. He then continued his education through the COLT program’s “2+2” option to achieve a bachelor’s degree in supervisory management.

Ben Jones of South Central Power is finishing his associate degree through the COLT/WVU-P partnership. He plans to continue through the program and earn a bachelor’s degree.

“WVU-P looked at our entire COLT curriculum and determined our 12 classes, along with the 8,000 total training hours apprentice lineworkers complete through COLT, would translate to 45 of the required 60 college credit hours needed to obtain a degree,” Hoffman says.

“The COLT program is very knowledge-based and focused on hands-on skills,” Hoffman says. “The WVU-P classes complement our curriculum with their requirements, tailored to each person’s needs.”

Students must complete five college classes, in English/ communications and math/science, along with elective options that include workplace ethics, psychology, leadership, management, and business. All classes are online, and WVU-P, which is just across the Ohio River, offers in-state tuition to lineworkers from all across Ohio.

“I took a computer class that taught me about applications I use all the time in my job now, and one in environmental science that provided insight into how to protect the planet, which is relevant to our industry,” Bick says.

Ben Jones, a line servicer who joined South Central Power in 2015, is in his final class required for his associate degree and plans to continue through his bachelor’s degree.

“I appreciate that there’s a ton of flexibility,” Jones says. “You can pick the classes that will make you a better manager or supervisor in the future. I’ve learned key leadership skills, and it’s helped me with problemsolving. I also took a class in public speaking, which has really helped me because I teach a line school class. I took a course on all the Microsoft applications, which is technology we’re using here at South Central, so I was ahead of the curve.”

Jones appreciates the freedom of online classes. “The professors at WVU-P understand what I do for a living, that I’m always on call,” he says. “I have deadlines for classes but can do the work whenever it suits my schedule.”

All lineworkers who have graduated from COLT since 2004 are eligible for the joint degree program, Hoffman says. They can take the classes after completing COLT, or concurrently with COLT training.

Dave Sumpter, a lead lineman who has worked for Firelands Electric Cooperative in New London for 18 years, received his diploma in May 2023

“I finished COLT in 2009,” Sumpter says. “For me, it was a shock to my system to be doing homework and writing papers again. Never did I think, as a 45-year-old guy, I would be starting college, but it was a good change for me. I took business ethics, English composition, industrial math, and speech classes.”

The program’s flexibility made it feasible for Sumpter as well. “I took one class at a time and did my homework late at night or at my kids’ wrestling practices.” His two sons, in fact, provide motivation for Sumpter. “One is in eighth grade, and one’s in fifth. I’m always emphasizing to them the importance of education, and I’m able to lead by example,” he says. “I always made sure we all got our homework done before we messed around.”

Sean Luellen, a crew leader for Union Rural Electric in Marysville, says earning his degree was the logical next step, but it wasn’t easy. “I graduated with the first class from COLT in 2004, and I’d always wanted to go back to college. With work, always being on call, two kids, and two trips to Guatemala (to bring electricity to remote areas through Project Ohio), I was really busy.”

“It was the most stressful year of my life,” Luellen says. “But with all of the heartache and headaches, it was

Sean Luellen, who juggled schoolwork with his job at URE, time with his two kids, and two trips to Guatemala, says the effort to graduate was well worth the work and sacrifice.

Higher-ed partnership puts co-op lineworkers on a path toward leadership.

worth it. I wanted to show my two boys that if you apply yourself, make sacrifices, and work hard, you can accomplish anything. I hope by completing my associate degree and spreading the message on the importance of education, I can inspire more linemen to take advantage of the amazing partnership between COLT and WVU-P.”

The joint degree program provides a bridge between handson, practical learning and academic education. “This is just adding to the knowledge I’ve gained from COLT,” Jones says. “The four-year COLT apprenticeship is very hands-on. It involves lots of thinking and problem-solving. I’m continuing my education from there, and it’s been a positive experience.”

Investing in the future

Brett Perkins, general manager at Tricounty Electric, says the COLT/WVU-P partnership is one way Ohio’s electric cooperatives are investing in their employees with an eye to the future.

“This is one of the many training tools we have in our toolbox,” Perkins says. “That includes safety programs, leadership programs, and COLT, which is recognized across the country as an outstanding program. This degree program makes these lineworkers more well-rounded and provides them with more opportunities to advance their careers.”

Perkins stresses that it’s also a benefit to the co-ops.

“Continued education and training allow for future leadership to come from within,” he says. “We invest a lot of time and money in developing employees because we want to keep them. Pursuing this degree shows their initiative and desire to move up the ranks.”

That’s what attracted Bick. “My goal is to pursue management opportunities. I want to grow along with the co-op, and this degree shows I’ve worked to prepare for that,” he says. “This shows that cooperatives care about us and about the future.”

Hoffman said the degree program is a bridge between lineworker positions and co-op leadership jobs. “We have future leaders on our line crews right now,” he says. “This closes the gap between those with boots-on-the-ground experience and the college-educated. It gives lineworkers the opportunity to develop as leaders, so they can elevate themselves into critical roles at our co-ops in the future.”

Jones looks forward to sharing what he’s learned for the benefit of his co-op. “Building a positive work environment and encouraging younger guys in their own growth and development within South Central is very important to me,” he says. “I want to pass my knowledge on and motivate team members to do great work, build trust, and communicate well.”

Dave Sumpter (top) says his two sons helped to motivate him to pursue a college degree. Kyle Hoffman (center), COLT’s manager, earned his bachelor’s degree through the program’s partnership with West Virginia University-Parkersburg. Brian Bick (bottom) applied his knowlege and skills to help electrify villages in Guatemala.

SMOOTH SAILING

along the Mighty Mississippi

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The camera in your pocket

You don’t always need fancy gear to take magnificent outdoor photos.

Some of the many formats and ranges for which smartphone cameras are particularly useful (clockwise from top left): a rainbow shot from far across an Ohio farm field; a milkweed plant, shot at mid-range, a few feet away; scarlet cup fungus, shot from just inches away.

For years, I’ve been using two Canon digital singlelens reflex (DSLR) cameras to take photos for “Woods, Waters, and Wildlife.” The twin bodies and assorted lenses produce exceptional photos, but they have a drawback: The equipment is heavy. Add in a tripod and monopod that hold the cameras steady, and my entire kit weighs a whopping 25 pounds!

To be honest, there are days when I don’t feel like lugging all that bulky gear from my house to my vehicle, let alone out into the field. Which leads me to the dirty little secret of outdoor photography today (especially landscape photography): More and more photographers, professionals and amateurs alike, are turning to their cellphones. Like most folks, I always have my trusty smartphone handy, and it weighs only a few ounces.

One of the most prolific professional landscape and nature photographers in the Buckeye State is Ian Adams of Cuyahoga Falls. During the past 31 years, Adams has written and illustrated 23 photography books and published dozens of Ohio calendars. More than 6,000 of his color photographs have appeared in magazines and other media. Recently, he’s been offering popular iPhone photography workshops, sharing his hard-won expertise with the public.

Adams believes there are six key elements to a good landscape or outdoor photograph:

• An interesting or beautiful subject

• Great lighting

• Strong composition

• Optimal sharpness and depth of field

• Optimal exposure (not too light or too dark)

• Pleasing color

“The first three elements listed are independent of the brand and model of smartphone you use,” he says. “In other words, you choose the photo’s subject, what natural

light it’s in when you photograph it, and how to compose the photo. However, the features and settings with respect to the last three essential elements — the ability to capture optimal sharpness and depth of field, optimal exposure, and pleasing color — will vary from one smartphone brand to another.”

Modern cellphones are such marvels of technology that they adjust those last three elements automatically. In short, pick up any new cellphone, and after just a few minutes of familiarization, you can take excellent landscape and outdoor photos. Even panorama shots are now easy. That said, there remains one specialized type of outdoor photography that Adams does not recommend using cellphones for, at least not yet.

“The beautiful wildlife images that grace the pages of Audubon, National Geographic, and other such magazines were not made with smartphones, but with 35mm DSLR cameras equipped with long, expensive telephoto lenses mounted on sturdy tripods or monopods,” Adams says. “I don’t think even the latest, most sophisticated smartphones can adequately replicate those photos. But I’m sure that time is not too far in the future.”

I took the photos accompanying this story with my “ancient” iPhone 8, illustrating its versatility with a closeup shot (scarlet cup fungus), a mid-range shot (milkweed plant), and a long-range landscape (rainbow).

Yes, I could have taken any of those photos with my traditional gear, but I didn’t happen to have it with me when those photo-ops suddenly appeared. My cellphone saved the day.

It almost seems like cheating.

Check out Ian Adams’ work on his website: www.ianadamsphotography.com.

W.H. “Chip” Gross is Ohio Cooperative Living’s outdoors editor. Email him with your outdoors questions at whchipgross@gmail. com. Be sure to include “Ask Chip” in the subject of the email. Your question may be answered on www.ohiocoopliving.com!

www.ohiocoopliving.com

and goats Mind , bo d y ,

Animals enhance yogis’ connection to the land during classes at member’s farm.

BY JILL MOORHEAD

On Katherine Harrison’s farm in Groveport, every animal has a job. The chickens offer eggs. The cats provide comfort. And the goats help teach yoga.

Later this month, Harrison Farm will begin its ninth season of Goat Yoga, an outdoor beginner-friendly vinyasa yoga class paired with curious goats, a chance to explore the farm, and plenty of opportunities for goat selfies.

The idea for the program arose organically, says Harrison, owner and operator of Harrison Farm. (Her secondary title, she says, is “chief minion” to the goats.) She met yoga instructor Dana Bernstein in 2016 while she was planning Bernstein’s wedding, and the two hit it off.

A working farm

Harrison Farm, which primarily raises sheep, goats, and chickens, has a mission to connect people to both animals and farming. Beyond Goat Yoga, the farm features agritourism programs and educational opportunities, often hosting interns who take on their own projects, such as raising ducks, rabbits, pigs, and honeybees.

“I knew nothing about goats,” says Helen Cosner, a teacher at South-Western City Schools near Columbus who has taken more than 10 classes. “Now I’m obsessed.”

Cosner hosted her 40th birthday party on the farm, and called it “epic.”

Of the 150 goats on the farm, 30 are “yoga goats” — primarily goats that were bottle-fed by humans when they were young, a result of a mother not being able to care for them. The human-to-goat bonding that happens during the bottle-feeding period allows the young goats to look to people as a source of food, comfort, and attention. “Because of [the bonding], they’re perfect for yoga, because they know when they’re around humans, good things will follow,” Harrison says.

And some goats self-select into the program.

Ruth, for example, is one of Bernstein’s favorite goats. At the age of 10 (a goat’s average life span is about 8 years), the geriatric goat, who had always been nice to humans, decided that she would take part in the weekly festivities. “She does make a whooping sound when people get around her food,” says Bernstein, “but she’s really sweet to the yogis.”

Harrison prefers a 1-to-3 goat-to-human ratio for yoga classes, though it’s not always predictable. Goats, in general, are hard to predict, and Bernstein and Harrison have learned to let them take the lead during the classes.

“Sometimes they cause chaos and run across mats and bump into people,” says Bernstein. “Other times, they’ll chill, relax, sit, or even fall asleep during class.”

Outdoor asana

Bernstein teaches several types of yoga in studios around Columbus, including vinyasa, power, and ashtanga, but she holds Goat Yoga near to her heart.

“I love teaching outdoors; it brings a different element to the class,” Bernstein says. “Goat Yoga is a low-pressure introduction for beginners, but it also is a fun adventure for experienced yoga practitioners, and it offers a direct connection to nature.”

That connection is what makes the class attractive, says Cosner, who had dabbled in yoga for a few years before attending Goat Yoga. “It was completely different than what I expected. I thought I would be jumped on by pygmy goats. I had no idea that I would be experiencing a refreshing mindfulness experience and feel so connected to the land.”

Cosner enjoys the unexpectedness of the class. “The goats might come sit on your mat, and you can pet them when you’re doing downward dog. Or they might come up right next to your friend while they’re doing a

sun salutation.” Cosner has plenty of photos of these encounters, and says that they all contain the best smiles.

“It’s a full body and mind experience, and a break from the racing mind,” she says. “I love it.”

The details

Harrison and Bernstein invite their Goat Yoga guests to the farm half an hour before the one-hour class begins, and afterward, visitors are welcome to explore, meeting animals and feeding bottle babies, says Harrison. Most guests bring their own outdoor-worthy mats, but the farm does have a few extras for folks who come empty-handed. And usually, they won’t leave with empty stomachs. When time allows, Harrison provides homemade chocolate chip cookies alongside coffee and tea. Farm goods, including fresh eggs and honey, are always for sale.

Goat Yoga classes run from late April to early October and cost $26 per person. Registration opens a month before each class, and dates are listed at www.facebook. com/harrisonfarm13. Email harrisonfarm13@gmail.com for reservations. In case of rain, classes are moved to the farm’s airplane hangar.

About 30 of the 150 goats that live at Harrison Farm in Groveport are “Yoga Goats” that are free to roam among the students taking yoga classes there (photograph courtesy of Dana Bernstein).

Puckerup!

GOOD EATS

If you’re on Team Tart, put these tangy tastes on your table.

RECIPES AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY CATHERINE MURRAY

LUSCIOUS LEMON CURD

Lemon curd is great on scones, biscuits, pancakes, and pavlovas, or simply served with fresh berries. A little goes a long way — a spoonful adds a major punch of flavor.

Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 20 minutes | Servings: 32

1 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

½ cup fresh lemon juice

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

1 tablespoon lemon zest

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks

Set up a double boiler. (Fill a pot with simmering water, then set another pot or bowl on top.) In the top bowl/pot, mix sugar and cornstarch together with a large whisk. Gradually whisk in fresh lemon juice. Add eggs and egg yolks, continuing to whisk steadily over medium to medium-high heat, 10 to 18 minutes, until mixture thickens enough that it’s difficult to whisk and when dipped, curd sticks to the back of a spoon. (If it’s not thickening, increase heat slowly, being careful not to reach boiling.)

Add butter; once melted, whisk another 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in lemon zest. Immediately transfer to a heat-safe container with lid, setting the lid on top but not sealing yet. Let cool 10 to 20 minutes before sealing and refrigerating. Lemon curd will thicken when chilled. Refrigerate up to 2 weeks (best to store in the far back where it’s coldest) or freeze up to 2 months. Makes approximately 2 cups.

Per serving: 52 calories, 3 grams fat (1.5 grams saturated fat), 7 grams total carbohydrates, 5 milligrams sodium, 29 milligrams cholesterol, 0 grams fiber, 0.5 gram protein.

two tart cocktails

CITRUS ECLIPSE

A blend of grapefruit and orange, this cocktail is named for the upcoming 2024 solar eclipse on April 8.

Prep: 5 minutes | Servings: 1

¼ cup sugar (for dipping rim of glass) handful of ice 2 ounces gin

1½ ounces fresh red grapefruit juice

2 dashes orange bitters

1 slice fresh orange

Spread sugar on a small flat plate. Wet rim of glass with a bit of grapefruit juice. Turn glass upside down and dip rim in sugar. Place ice in cocktail shaker. Pour gin, grapefruit juice, and orange bitters over ice, cover with lid, and shake vigorously for 20 seconds. Strain cocktail into glass. Make a small cut through the orange slice and slide upright on the edge of the glass for garnish.

PUCKER UP!

Prep: 5 minutes | Servings: 1 handful of ice

2 ounces gin

1 ounce fresh red grapefruit juice

¼ ounce fresh lemon juice

¼ ounce Grand Marnier

1 dash orange bitters curled lemon peel

Place ice in cocktail shaker. Pour gin, grapefruit juice, lemon juice, Grand Marnier, and orange bitters over ice, cover with lid, and shake vigorously for 20 seconds. Strain cocktail into glass. Hook the lemon peel over the rim of the glass.

KIWI SALSA TACOS

Prep: 10 minutes | Servings: 4

1 pound shredded chicken, heated

1 teaspoon taco seasoning

5 kiwis, peeled and diced

1 tablespoon minced jalapeño

1 tablespoon minced red onion

1 tablespoon minced cilantro

1 small lime, juiced

½ teaspoon salt

1½ avocados, pitted and sliced

12 hard taco shells

Tart fools date back to the 15th century. If you’ve never made one, it's as simple as cooking fruit with sugar and making whipped cream. Rhubarb tastes a bit like a cranberry/cherry hybrid.

Prep: 20 minutes | Cool: 1 to 2 hours | Servings: 4

1 pound fresh rhubarb, ends trimmed, leaves removed, diced ¼ cup water

1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar

Sprinkle shredded chicken with taco seasoning. To make salsa, lightly toss together diced kiwi, jalapeño, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Evenly fill taco shells with seasoned shredded chicken, avocado slices, and kiwi salsa.

Per serving: 450 calories, 25 grams fat (7 grams saturated fat), 39 grams total carbohydrates, 518 milligrams sodium, 56 milligrams cholesterol, 8 grams fiber, 18 grams protein.

RHUBARB FOOL

1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Note: While rhubarb often cooks up pink/red, don’t be alarmed if the color is muted; as long as it was firm like celery when chopping, the color won’t affect the taste.

In a medium pot, bring rhubarb and water to a low boil, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, add 1/3 cup sugar, and continue to stir and mash chunks against the side of the pot with a spoon to aid it in breaking down. Once the rhubarb chunks have lost their definition and resemble more of a semi-smooth applesauce texture, taste for preferred sweetness level and add a bit more sugar if needed until dissolved, then remove from stove. When it’s cool enough to touch, transfer to a covered container and place in fridge for an hour or two. With an electric mixer, beat heavy cream, 1 tablespoon sugar, and vanilla on low, moving up to medium-high just until stiff peaks hold their shape without wilting. (Keep a close eye; overbeating will turn the cream into butter.) Store rhubarb and whipped cream separately in fridge until ready to serve. Layer in small glasses or bowls. The layers will likely swirl into each other a bit. Serve immediately. Per serving: 290 calories, 22 grams fat (14 grams saturated fat), 23 grams total carbohydrates, 20 milligrams sodium, 67 milligrams cholesterol, 2 grams fiber, 2.5 grams protein.

OFFICIAL NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING

★ VIRTUAL ANNUAL MEETING ★ ONLINE ONLY

2024 VIRTUAL ANNUAL MEETING OF MEMBERS

Tuesday,

April 9, 2024

Online meeting: Video stream will be available starting at 7:00 p.m. View the meeting & materials anytime between 4/9 and 4/30 to get the $20 meeting attendance credit!

How to view:

Visit Mid-Ohio Energy’s website for all available documents and energy credit registration:

www.MidOhioEnergy.com/AnnualMeeting

Business to be conducted at the meeting:

- Election results for proposed trustee districts 1, 2, and 3

- Report on 2023 and 2024 activities

- Approval of minutes and new business items

Additional co-op updates:

Annual meeting web page will also contain manager’s report, Community Fund update, annual report, and more.

Attendance credit and door prizes:

Upon viewing the meeting, members can submit a form to receive a $20 energy credit and will be entered into a drawing to win a bonus energy credit!

⚡ Five $100.00 energy credits will be selected

To register for attendance credit and door prizes, view the meeting page at MidOhioEnergy.com/AnnualMeeting

Virtual Annual Meeting: $20 energy credit for viewing!

Each member who views the meeting online between April 9 and April 30 is eligible for a $20 energy credit. We feel this is a great investment for your time spent on a brief co-op update.

Why hold the meeting virtually? The number of members attending our in-person annual meetings has declined in recent years. As a result, we've taken the budget and resources for the meeting and formed a new plan for member events. The plan consists of a virtual annual meeting in April with in-person events held in August.

Please plan to join us this summer (August 1 at our Marion office, August 8 at our Kenton office) for free food trucks, inflatables, and fun for all!

MID-OHIO ENERGY COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES

LINEWORKER APPRECIATION

FAST FACTS ABOUT LINEWORKERS

You probably don’t think about them until your power goes out, but electric lineworkers protect our homes and communities 24 hours a day.

Like other first responders who keep us safe, lineworkers endure all kinds of weather and challenging conditions.

In April, we celebrate Lineworker Appreciation Day to honor the men and women who power life. Here are some quick facts about lineworkers and the work they do.

What electric lineworkers do

Restoring electricity after a power outage is just one of the many duties of lineworkers, who also:

• Install and connect new power lines to homes and businesses

• Maintain and perform upgrades to improve our electric grid

• Diagnose and pinpoint power delivery issues

• Plan and manage large-scale projects

• Ensure safe work practices in oftenchallenging conditions

Lineworkers are responsible for maintaining and upgrading the nation’s electric grid, which connects more than 7,300 power plants to 145 million consumers through 60,000 miles of high-voltage lines, millions of miles of distribution lines, and more than 50 million transformers.

Geared for safety

Lineworkers climb with up to 40 pounds of safety gear and tools. That’s like carrying a 5-gallon water jug! Here’s what they typically wear to stay safe while working:

• Hard hats

• Safety glasses

• Flame-resistant clothing

• Rubber gloves & sleeves

• Climbing belts & fall-protection harnesses

The wild side of work

Squirrels and snakes are a major cause of power outages, and lineworkers encounter plenty of both while working. They’ve also been known to rescue kittens that climbed too high in a tree and curious bears on top of utility poles. When your office is the great outdoors, these encounters are part of the job.

On-the-job training

Described by the Energy Department as one of the nation’s highest-paid professions that doesn’t demand postsecondary education, becoming a journeyman lineworker typically requires a high school diploma or equivalent, training, and a paid apprenticeship, which typically spans four years. Apprentice lineworkers receive training and experience in the field before advancing to “journeyman” status.

Inspiring safety

Roughly 60,000 lineworkers hit the road annually to respond to devastating storms and the damage they leave behind. In addition to extreme weather exposure, lineworkers face a variety of dangers, including electric shock, falls from elevated work locations, and roadside traffic accidents.

Safety is always the No. 1 priority, which is why lineworkers continuously receive training to stay mindful of safety requirements and up to date on the latest equipment and procedures.

Lineworkers power our lives. If you get a chance, remember to thank lineworkers for the essential work they do.

We proudly salute the linemen of Mid-Ohio Energy:

Barry Boes

Jason Chavana

Luke Jackson

Dylan Jewell

John Kasler

Sam Leach

Jonathan Lewis

Jared Robinson

Mitch Sawmiller

Derek Stoll

Brad Vargo

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

JASON CHAVANA

LEAD LINEMAN – KENTON DISTRICT

In a month where we celebrate our lineworkers, it's only fitting to highlight one of these hard-working individuals as part of our employee spotlight series! This month, we feature Jason Chavana, lead lineman for the Kenton district.

Chavana has been a lineman at Mid-Ohio Energy for six years. Prior to joining the co-op’s crew, he worked for a local line contractor as a lineman/foreman for 15 years.

He credits his on-the-job experience, as well as education and training, for providing the skills required to carry out his job. Jason is a graduate of from Northwest Lineman College as well as the Central Ohio Line Worker Training (COLT) program. In 2023, he also completed the Leadership Edge program hosted by Ohio's Electric Cooperatives. The program aims to hone the skills of the next generation of electric co-op leaders.

As a lineman, his day-to-day duties are dependent on the co-op's current system work plan and the needs of the membership. Any given day, the work may involve restoring outages, installing new services, working to upgrade poles and wire, and more.

“We do a little bit of everything,” says Chavana, who has enjoyed being a part of the Mid-Ohio Energy team. “We're a small coop, so we have to lean on each other to ensure nothing gets missed. There is a huge level of trust with all the team.”

To help our members get to know more about the employees that work to keep your lights on, we asked Jason a few additional questions:

Is there a specific part of linework that you enjoy?

“Being part of a team, and working outdoors when it's nice outside."

What skills are important for a lineman?

“Embracing hard work and being able to do the job that needs done. You also need to be able to communicate and listen to others. It's important to have attention to detail to work safely.”

Do you have a memorable outage restoration moment?

“We were out working all night and into the evening on the next day due to a bad storm. There was a wonderful member who stopped by with her children. They had brought a cooler full of cold drinks and a bag of snacks for the crew. Those kids were so excited to be helping us out and we were very appreciative of them! It's one of those experiences I'll never forget!”

What is your favorite candy bar?

Reese's Cup

What is your favorite quote?

“Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads.”

What is a fun fact about you?

I have been a lineman for more than half my life!

What is something about your job that you'd like members to know?

“We are here for them every day. Rain or shine, we're working to keep their lights on.”

MEMBER SURVEYS

Your thoughts & opinions on Mid-Ohio Energy Cooperative help us better ser ve you.

In April, Mid-Ohio Energy will be working with NRECA Market Research Services to complete member satisfaction surveys.

The random surveys will be conducted by phone and email, and not everyone will be contacted. If you are contacted, we would greatly appreciate a few minutes of your time to share your opinions about the cooperative. All information is confidential. We strive to provide all member-owners with safe, affordable, reliable, and clean electric service. By participating in the survey, you will help us make decisions that benefit you, your family, and your neighbors.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

TIP OF THE MONTH

A well-designed landscape can add beauty to your home and reduce home heating and cooling costs. Plant deciduous trees with high, spreading crowns to the south of your home to block sunlight in the summer and reduce the need for air conditioning. Deciduous trees lose their leaves in the winter, allowing sunlight to warm your home. Plant evergreen trees and shrubs with low crowns to block winter winds. Dense evergreen trees and shrubs planted to the north and northwest are the most common type of windbreak and can help lower energy used for home heating.

Source: energy.gov

MID-OHIO ENERGY COOPERATIVE, INC.

CONTACT

888-363-6446

www.MidOhioEnergy.com

HEADQUARTERS OFFICE

1210

43326

DISTRICT OFFICE

2859

43302

OFFICE HOURS

Mon.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

John Thiel Chairman

Trevor Fremont

Vice Chairman

Tony Hastings

Secretary

Brice Turner

Assistant Secretary

Howard Lyle

Treasurer

Paul Beineke

Curtis Byers

Robert Imbody

Gene McCluer

Trustees

commitment STEADFAST RELIABILITY A to

Report from Management

Staying the course

A year ago, Mid-Ohio Energy’s annual report discussed the theme of “Reliability in Uncertain Times.” While Mid-Ohio Energy has continued to deliver on its promise of providing excellent service reliability to our members at an affordable price, the uncertainty within the electric utility industry remains very high.

As discussed last year, Mid-Ohio Energy continues to implement a strategic maintenance program designed to maintain the cooperative’s 1,350 miles of electric distribution lines, and at the same time improve the system’s capacity and technology. These factors are key to maintaining excellent reliability for years to come.

Each year, Mid-Ohio Energy invests millions of dollars into our distribution system, using our detailed four-year construction work plan as a road map for identifying key projects. We are currently working on projects identified in the second year of the current four-year work plan model and we are currently on target with budget and scheduling.

Investing in reliability

It is vital that your co-op continue making investments within our electric distribution system to ensure our reliability remains strong. These investments include:

• pole replacements

• wire replacement/upgrades

• equipment replacements (including specialized line equipment like voltage regulators and automated circuit breakers)

• communications systems

• right-of-way maintenance (tree trimming, bush-hog mowing of rights-of-way, and targeted herbicide treatments when necessary).

Our maintenance programs also require periodic testing such as pole inspections to find rotten poles, substation infrared testing to find poor electrical connections, and transformer oil testing to determine the physical condition of the transformer, just to name a few. Many of these maintenance programs are required by federal regulators but also prove their value, especially during severe weather events.

Weathering the storms

For example, Mid-Ohio Energy’s distribution facilities suffered damage last April and again in August when a total of four tornadoes touched down within our 10-county service area. The two April tornadoes impacted the western side

of Mid-Ohio Energy’s system, while the August tornadoes impacted the central portion of our service territory. In fact, a funnel cloud was spotted passing close to our Kenton headquarters facility but fortunately passed without damage.

While nearly a dozen pole structures were destroyed because of these storms, Mid-Ohio Energy’s crews responded quickly, restoring power to our members within 24 hours, far more quickly than other area utilities affected by these events. Mid-Ohio Energy’s modern distribution facilities and our well-trained employees allowed us to respond and repair the damage quickly and safely, reducing the overall impact of the storms.

Our ability to respond quickly and efficiently to outages such as the 2023 storm events is a testament to the foresight and dedication of your cooperative’s board and employee team, whose focus is on our members’ best interests. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said regarding our nation’s power grid, which has been affected by poor federal energy policy in recent years.

Advocating for realistic, achievable, sustainable energy policies

Transformer supply. For those members who attended last year’s annual meeting, you might remember our discussion concerning proposed federal regulations from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) concerning the manufacturing of transformers used in electric distribution. The proposed regulations required transformer manufacturers switch to a rare type of steel to produce transformer cores to meet new energy efficiency goals proposed by the DOE. The proposed rules would ultimately require electric utilities to change millions of transformers already in service across the country to meet the efficiency goal. The result would be billions of dollars in added costs to energy consumers. The rule would also exacerbate the current supply chain issues our industry faces concerning transformers as well as other electrical equipment that utilizes rare-earth materials. Your cooperative has aggressively challenged the proposed rule and has sought support from our federal legislators to try and halt its implementation.

John Metcalf President & CEO

John Thiel Board Chairman

Unfortunately, our federal energy policymakers in Washington, D.C., continue to ignore the reliability and affordability of our national power grid by proposing more regulations that require costly, unproven technologies to be implemented within unreasonable timelines.

Costly Proposals. This past May, the U.S. EPA announced a proposed Carbon Pollution Standard for all fossil-fuel power plants that would likely result in the closure of every remaining coal-fired power plant (as well as most natural gas-fired power plants) currently operating in the United States by the year 2031. The proposed rules would require fossil-fuel plants to install carbon capture technology and utilize hydrogen co-fired technology, neither of which is commercially available, especially at the scale required, anywhere in the world. In addition, the EPA also proposed revisions to the current 2015 Steam Electric Effluent rules that would virtually eliminate electric utilities from returning any water used to produce steam for electric generation back to a river or lake. This would overlook the fact that most utilities have already invested tens of millions of dollars at each plant to comply with the current 2015 rules. Once again, no technology currently exists that would allow utilities to meet the proposed standards.

Baseload Generation. It has been said within the industry that the intention of many of these regulations is to cause “death from a thousand cuts,” making it nearly impossible to continue to operate fossil-fuel energy plants in the United States, and it appears to be working. For example, in 2009, Ohio had 21 coal-fired power plants in operation and was a net exporter of electricity. Today, only four coalfired electric plants are still in operation, with one of those plants scheduled to close in 2028. Ohio has become an importer of electricity, meaning we must rely on the power grid in surrounding states to meet our energy demand. Ohio’s 24 electric cooperatives collectively own 100% of two of the four plants still operating, as well as a percentage of one other plant. Buckeye Power is the generation and transmission cooperative that operates these plants. Investor-owned utilities have closed or sold their generation assets in recent years, causing electric rates for their customers to skyrocket, as well as jeopardizing reliability for the electric grid.

Tracking regional grid concerns

The reduction in baseload generation is a common theme not only in Ohio, but across the nation. In recent years, many states have already experienced rolling blackouts during extreme weather events, and more will likely occur

in the coming years due to the lack of adequate generation sources on the power grid.

Recently, our nation’s electric reliability organization, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), released its Winter Reliability Assessment and found that over half of the United States, including Ohio, is at an elevated risk of insufficient operating reserves, especially during extreme winter weather events. The report cites:

“The disorderly retirement of existing generation assets as the cause that is directly impacting reliability. Many generation assets taken offline in recent years have been replaced with sources providing less capacity, no capacity, or capacity that’s intermittent and not always available. Reliability has been threatened as a result.”

The NERC study also listed the top five reasons why reliability is at risk in our country, with one of the reasons listed as “public policy.”

Reliable electricity for all

Despite any local investments by Mid-Ohio Energy or our energy supplier, Buckeye Power, we’re all ultimately impacted by the availability of generation resources across the entirety of the electric grid. The effect of poor public policy will be felt not only locally, but across the entire region of our country.

Mid-Ohio Energy and Buckeye Power, as well as the other 900-plus electric cooperatives across our nation, continue to advocate for reliable electricity for all by educating our legislators and promoting an “all-of-theabove” energy strategy for our nation going forward.

Your trusted energy partner

It’s critical to our mission as your trusted energy partner to educate our members and communities on issues that may affect the cost and reliability of your electricity. As new developments arise, your co-op’s board and staff will continue to keep you informed. Please look to our website, social media, and Ohio Cooperative Living magazine for upto-date communications.

We hope you’ll join our virtual Annual Meeting on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, and consider attending our Member-Family Fun Days this August.

STATEMENTS OF REVENUE AND PATRONAGE CAPITAL

For the years ended

STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.)

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

December 31, 2023 and 2022

NATURE OF ORGANIZATION

Mid-Ohio Energy Cooperative, Inc. (the Cooperative) was incorporated under the laws of the State of Ohio, operates as a cooperative, and is exempt from federal taxation under Section 501(c)(12) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Cooperative’s primary business is that of providing electric service to rural consumers in Hardin, Allen, Auglaize, Marion, Logan, Wyandot, Morrow, Union and Crawford counties in Ohio. Providing electric service includes construction of plant as well as purchasing electricity to sell to consumers.

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The Cooperative’s accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles, as applied to Rural Electric Cooperatives, substantially in accordance with the Uniform System of Accounts of the Rural Utilities Service (RUS). Following is a description of the more significant accounting policies used by the Cooperative in the preparation of its financial statements:

Electric plant and depreciation - The Cooperative records improvements and additions to the distribution plant at cost using continuing property records. Retirements are removed from the cost and accumulated depreciation accounts at standard costs which are updated periodically. The actual cost of removing retirements is charged to accumulated depreciation during the year the retirement is completed. General plant and equipment are recorded at cost based on the unit method. Any retirements or disposals of general plant and equipment are removed from the cost and accumulated depreciation accounts. Any salvage received is credited to accumulated depreciation.

Investments - Investments are primarily in the form of patronage and equity capital of other cooperatives. They are included on the balance sheets as longterm assets. These investments are considered equity investments without readily determinable fair values and are accounted for at cost, minus impairments, if any, plus or minus changes resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for an identical or similar investment. No impairment or observable price changes were recorded during 2023 and 2022.

Materials and supplies - Inventories of material and supplies not allocated to construction work in progress are valued at the lower of cost (determined using the average cost method) or net realizable value.

Accounts receivable - Accounts receivable are stated at the amount management expects to collect from outstanding balances. Management provides a valuation allowance for potential credit losses through a charge to earnings. In establishing the valuation allowance, using the current expected credit loss methodology, management considers their knowledge of customers, historical losses, and current economic conditions in their service area. Balances that are still outstanding after reasonable collection efforts have been exhausted are written-off through a charge to the valuation allowance. Changes in the valuation allowance historically have not been significant. The Cooperative performs ongoing credit evaluations of its consumers and requires a security deposit for consumers meeting specified criteria.

Cash and cash equivalents - The Cooperative considers cash and cash equivalents to be cash on hand, demand deposits, certificates of deposit, money market accounts, and investments in commercial paper having a maturity of ninety days or less. There were no investments in commercial paper at December 31, 2023 or 2022.

Financial instruments - The Cooperative believes that the carrying amount of its financial instruments, which include cash and cash equivalents, receivables, and other current assets and liabilities, approximates fair value based on their short-term duration. The Cooperative has determined that it is not practical to calculate the fair value of investments in other cooperatives and long-term debt due to the excessive cost involved.

Income taxes - The Cooperative has been recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as an organization exempt from income taxes under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(12). Accordingly, no provision for federal income taxes has been recorded.

The Cooperative complies with Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 740-10, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes. ASC 740-10 prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken on a tax return. Management is not aware of any tax positions taken by the Cooperative on its tax returns that they consider to be uncertain or that would jeopardize its tax-exempt status. Tax returns for the years ended 2022, 2021 and 2020 are still open and subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service.

Retirement related benefits - Generally accepted accounting principles requires the recognition of the funded status of the non-pension postretirement benefit plan as an asset or a liability on the balance sheets. It also requires the recognition of the changes in that funded status in the year in which they occur through other comprehensive income and the recognition of previously unrecognized gains and losses, prior service costs and credits and transition assets or liabilities as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income. However, these amounts were not significant for the Cooperative, therefore other comprehensive income has not been recorded.

Compensated absences - The Cooperative accrues a liability for compensated absences for which the employee has earned a vested, non-forfeitable right. Non-vested benefits related to accumulated sick leave, which cannot be reasonably estimated, are expensed as incurred.

Patronage capital and margins - Mid-Ohio Energy Cooperative, Inc. operates under the Cooperative form of organization. As provided in the code of regulations, any excess of revenues over expenses from operations is treated as advances of capital by the patrons and credited to each of them on an individual basis. Generally, it is the Cooperative’s policy to retire capital contributed by patrons periodically as deemed appropriate by management and the Board of Trustees. Capital credits due to patrons who become deceased are paid to the estates of such patrons.

Concentration of credit risk - At various times throughout the year, the Cooperative may have deposits in financial institutions that exceed the federally insured limit. The Cooperative’s investments with Cooperative Response Center Inc. (CRC) and National Rural Utilities Finance Corporation (NRUCFC) are uninsured. Management does not believe it is exposed to any significant credit risk related to its cash deposits.

Credit risk for accounts receivable is concentrated because substantially all the balances are unsecured credit to consumers, primarily for the sale of electricity, located within the same geographic region. The Cooperative has five major consumers that represent approximately 14.5% of revenue for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES – Continued Revenue recognition and cost of purchased power - Revenues represent amounts billed monthly to members using established rates applied to energy consumption. Revenues and the related cost of purchased power are recognized during the month in which energy is consumed. Revenues from all other sources, primarily services and late charges, are recognized as the service is provided or the consumer is charged. The Cooperative generally meets its performance obligations related to the service within a month of the order. Payments for the service are due upon delivery of the service. The sales price for the services are fixed at established rates or amounts in the contract or agreed to at the time of the sale of the power and services.

Some of the Cooperative’s operations provide for deposits or prepayments for power. The revenue and gross profit related to these transactions is not recognized until the power is consumed by the member. These consumer deposit contract liabilities are classified as current liabilities on the balance sheets.

The table below includes disaggregated information by the significant type of consumer and services for the years ended December 31: 2023

Statement of cash flows - Net cash flows from operating activities include cash payments for interest of $1,084,149 and $927,711 for 2023 and 2022, respectively. There were no payments for federal income taxes.

Use of estimates - The preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Adoption of recent accounting standards - The Cooperative adopted the Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2016-13, and additional ASUs issued to clarify and update the guidance in ASU 201613. This standard replaced the incurred loss methodology with an expected loss methodology that is referred to as the current expected credit loss (“CECL”) methodology. CECL requires an estimate of credit losses for the remaining estimated life of the financial asset using historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts and generally applies to financial assets measured at amortized cost, including loan receivables and held-to-maturity debt securities, and some off balance sheet credit exposures such as unfunded commitments to extend credit. Financial assets measured at amortized cost will be presented at the net amount expected to be collected by using an allowance for credit losses.

LITIGATION

The Cooperative is from time to time subjected to litigation through the ordinary course of business. As of December 31, 2023, management is not aware of any litigation pending or pertaining to the Cooperative that is material to the financial statements. The Cooperative is fully insured against any pending litigation.

DEFERRED CHARGES

On February 28, 2013, the Cooperative, along with many of the participating employers, made a prepayment to the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) Retirement Security (RS) Plan, a defined benefit pension plan, to improve the plan’s funded status. The Cooperative recorded the payment of $875,083 in deferred charges on the balance sheets and was amortizing it over ten years. The prepayment became fully amortized in 2022. The prepayment and the interest expense associated with the prepayment are being accounted for in accordance with RUS policies and procedures.

Starting in 2018, participating Cooperatives in the RS Plan may make an additional contribution prepayment (voluntary contribution acceleration program or ‘VCAP’ contribution) in order to reduce future required contributions. The reduction in future contributions (contribution discount) and the length of the period over which the contribution reduction extends (discount period) is selected by the Cooperative. The VCAP contribution amount is then determined such that it is expected to fund the contribution discount over the discount period. After making the VCAP contribution, the RS Plan billing rate is reduced to reflect the selected contribution discount, which becomes effective the subsequent January 1. The VCAP contribution is accounted for on a monthly basis by crediting it with the actual monthly RS Plan investment return and reducing it by the reduction in monthly contributions obtained through the contribution discount, until the account value reduces to zero. Changes in plan provisions, demographic changes, asset returns different from the long term expected return on plan assets, and other factors will have an impact on the length of the discount period.

On December 1, 2021, December 1, 2022, and December 1, 2023, the Cooperative made voluntary $250,000 prepayments to the NRECA RS Plan with a three-year discount period. The Cooperative recorded the prepayments in deferred charges on the balance sheets and is amortizing each over three years.

ELECTRIC PLANT

Listed below are the

amortization of $677,845 and $542,513 at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Amortization of property leased under finance leases is included in depreciation expense and was $169,418 and $181,741 for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Interest expense related to these leases and charged to operations was $13,559 and $20,660 during 2023 and 2022, respectively. During 2022, the Cooperative executed the purchase option upon the expiration of a finance lease contract for $43,146 for a vehicle with a net book value of $2,528. During 2023, the Cooperative executed the purchase option upon the expiration of a finance lease contract for $8,282 for a vehicle with no remaining net book value.

Future minimum lease payments required under finance lease agreements for the years subsequent to December 31, 2023 are as follows:

INVESTMENTS

Investments consisted of the following as of December 31:

follows:

The member capital securities held by NRUCFC earn interest at an annual rate of 5.0%, payable semi-annually with a maturity date of July 2044. The NRUCFC has the option to redeem all or a portion of the principal in July 2025.

The capital term certificates held by NRUCFC earn interest at an annual rate of 3.0% or 5.0%, payable semi-annually with maturity dates ranging from 2025 to 2080. The $10,000 equity investment with CRC earns dividends annually at the discretion of its Board of Directors.

LONG-TERM DEBT

Long-term debt is represented by mortgage notes payable to the Federal Financing Bank (FFB) of the United States of America acting by and through RUS, NRUCFC and CoBank. Following is a summary of outstanding long-term debt as of December 31:

Structures

Transportation

Communications

Provisions have been made for depreciation of transmission plant and distribution plant at a straight-line composite rate of 3.10 percent per annum. The depreciation and amortization expense for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 totaled $2,287,367 and $2,230,999, respectively, of which $221,022 and $236,597, respectively, have been capitalized to distribution plant and expensed to numerous accounts in accordance with RUS policies and procedures.

LEASES

During 2023 and 2022, the Cooperative held leased vehicles under finance lease agreements. For financial reporting purposes, the present value of the minimum lease payments has been capitalized. The equipment has a total cost of $971,006 and $1,005,092 at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and accumulated

The Cooperative had one variable rate note due to FFB in January 2022 that was classified as longterm debt. This note had a recurring 90-day maturity extension feature with a final maturity date of January 2046. Management continued with the recurring extensions up to the September 30, 2022

the Cooperative refinanced this variable rate note, to a fixed rate note with interest of 3.912%, due April 2046.

LONG-TERM DEBT - Continued

Substantially all assets of the Cooperative are pledged as security for the long-term debt to FFB, NRUCFC and CoBank. Loan agreements contain various financial covenants, which the Cooperative was in compliance for both periods presented.

As of December 31, 2023, there are unadvanced loan funds available to the Cooperative from NRUCFC and CoBank for lines of credit of $2,000,000 and $1,000,000, respectively, of which there was no outstanding balance as of December 31, 2023 and 2022. Unadvanced loan funds available to the Cooperative through FFB were $12,000,000 and $4,500,000 at December 31, 2022 and 2023, respectively. During 2019 certain debt was refinancing resulting in a prepayment penalty of $182,608. The penalty is included in prepayments on the balance sheets and is being amortized over fifteen years. The amortization expense is included in other deductions on the statements of revenue and capital patronage. As of December 31, 2023, annual maturities of all long-term debt outstanding for the next five years are as follows:

2024 $1,913,170

2025 1,824,416

2026 1,895,735

2027 1,795,159

2028 2,037,698

Thereafter 20,644,987

PATRONAGE CAPITAL

Patronage capital is the retained net margins arising from operations of the Cooperative which have been or are expected to be allocated to its members in the form of capital credits, determined by each member’s billings during the year the margins were generated. No portion of any current allocation is paid in cash. Patronage capital consisted of the following as of December 31:

2023

Under the provisions of the mortgage agreement with RUS, until the equities and margins equal or exceed 30 percent of the total assets of the Cooperative, the return to patrons of capital contributed by them is limited generally to 25% of the patronage capital or margins received by the Cooperative in the prior calendar year.

The equities and margins of the Cooperative represent 46.5% in 2023 and 46.7% in 2022 of the total assets at the balance sheet dates. During 2023, the Board of Trustees approved a 2% general retirement of 2022 capital credits totaling $566,592.

PENSION PLAN AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS

The Cooperative sponsors three retirement related benefit plans, a defined benefit pension plan, a defined contribution retirement plan and a postretirement health care plan. Following is a brief description of each of the plans including financial data recognized in the accompanying financial statements related to each plan.

Defined Contribution Retirement Plan - The Cooperative maintains a 401(k)-profit sharing plan that covers substantially all employees. In accordance with this plan, the Cooperative contributes 0.5% of each participant’s base salary for each 1% of salary that the participant contributes to the plan.

The maximum contribution by the Cooperative is 3% of salary. For the years 2023 and 2022, the Cooperative made contributions to the plan of $62,630 and $61,464, respectively.

Defined Benefit Pension Plan - Substantially all the employees of the Cooperative are covered by the NRECA RS Plan, which is a defined benefit pension plan qualified under Section 401 and tax-exempt under Section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is a multiemployer plan under the accounting standards. The plan Sponsor’s Employer Identification Number is 53-0116145 and the Plan Number is 333. A unique characteristic of a multiemployer plan compared to a single employer plan is that all plan assets are available to pay benefits of any plan participant. Separate asset accounts are not maintained for participating employers. This means that assets contributed by one employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers.

The Cooperative’s contributions to the plan of $178,675 and $166,446 for 2023 and 2022, respectively, represented less than 5% of the total contributions made to the plan by all employers.

In the RS Plan, a “zone status” determination is not required, and therefore not determined, under the Pension Protection Act (PPA) of 2006. In addition, the accumulated benefit obligations and plan assets are not determined or allocated separately by individual employer. In total, the RS Plan was over 80% funded on January 1, 2023 and January 1, 2022 based on the PPA funding target and PPA actuarial value of assets on those dates. Because the provisions of the PPA do not apply to the RS Plan, funding improvement plans and surcharges are not applicable. Future contribution requirements are determined each year as part of the actuarial valuation of the RS Plan and may change as a result of plan experience.

Non-pension Postretirement Benefit Plan - The Cooperative sponsors a defined benefit postretirement health care plan covering substantially all employees. The plan is funded by the Cooperative on a “pay as you go” basis and provides a fixed annual benefit for retired employees with 20 years of service between the ages of 61 and 65. ASC 715 Compensation - Retirement Benefits, requires the recognition of the funded status of pension plans and non-pension postretirement benefit plans as an asset or liability on the balance sheets, the recognition of changes in that funded status in the year in which they occur through other comprehensive income and the recognition of previously unrecognized gains and losses, prior service costs and credits and transition assets and liabilities as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income. Since the Cooperative’s postretirement benefit plan covers a limited time period for the retiree (between ages 61 and 65) and the benefits paid cannot exceed a total of $21,600 per participant for the four-year period, management did not obtain an actuarial study and did not implement all of the provisions of this standard. Management estimated the maximum potential liability for the Cooperative and determined that the impact of not implementing the standard was not significant.

The following table sets forth the plan’s estimated funded status and presents the

shown in the

of

As noted above, the total estimated accumulated postretirement benefit obligation is not recorded on the balance sheets but will eventually be recorded through annual charges of net periodic postretirement benefit cost. The accumulated postretirement benefit obligation ($120,812 as of December 31, 2023) includes estimates for experience gains and losses and unrecognized prior service costs. The discount rate used in determining the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation is 6 percent. The estimated maximum potential for benefits to be paid over the next five years approximates $78,750. Management believes the estimated accrued benefit cost included on the balance sheets is very conservative since no allowance is included for employee turnover and no reduction in the obligation was made for employees that choose to not retire between ages 61 and 65.

RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

The Cooperative purchases all of its power from Buckeye Power, Inc. at rates determined in its wholesale power agreement. Buckeye Power, Inc. is a cooperative whose membership includes Mid-Ohio Energy Cooperative, Inc. The Cooperative has an investment in and receives patronage from Buckeye Power, Inc. Accounts payable to Buckeye Power, Inc. at December 31, 2023 and 2022 were $1,202,858 and $1,283,344, respectively.

There is also a prepaid balance with Buckeye Power, Inc. of $3,369,885 and $1,438,004 as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, that earns interest at an annual weighted average rate of 6.63% and 2.16%, respectively. The prepaid balance is included in current portion of prepayments on the accompanying balance sheets.

Th Cooperative borrows funds from CoBank, in which it is an owner and a member. The Cooperative has an investment in CoBank and may receive patronage from time to time.

The Cooperative is a member of the NRUCFC, which provides a portion of the Cooperative’s financing. Investments in NRUCFC include stock and patronage capital as well as interest bearing capital term certificates and capital security investments.

The Cooperative purchases most of its materials and supplies from UUS of which it is an owner and member. Investments in this organization include patronage capital.

The Cooperative purchases data processing services from Meridian Cooperative of which it is an owner and member. Investments in this organization include stock and patronage capital.

The Cooperative previously purchased data processing services from NISC of which it is still an owner and member. Investments in this organization include a membership fee and patronage capital.

The Cooperative is a member of NRTC. Membership in this association required an investment of $1,000.

The Cooperative is a member of CRC. Membership in this association required an investment of $2,500.

Federated, a non-assessable reciprocal insurer, provides property and liability insurance to the Cooperative. The carrying value of this investment represents the Cooperative’s contributions and share of patronage capital.

The Cooperative purchases fuel and other miscellaneous materials from Central Ohio Farmers Coop of which it is a member. Investments in this organization includes a membership fee and patronage capital.

Additional information, including the investment balances in these related entities, is provided in the “INVESTMENTS” note.

Following is a summary of related party purchases for the years ended December 31:

Accounts payable due to related parties included the following as of December 31:

The above amounts are included in “accounts payable - other” on the accompanying balance sheets.

SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

Subsequent events were evaluated through February 9, 2024, which is the date the financial statements were available to be issued.

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT

To the Board of Trustees

Mid-Ohio Energy Cooperative, Inc. • Kenton, Ohio

Opinion

We have audited the accompanying financial statements of Mid-Ohio Energy Cooperative, Inc., which comprise the balance sheets as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the related statements of revenue and patronage capital, and cash flows for the years then ended, and the related notes to the financial statements. In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Mid-Ohio Energy Cooperative, Inc., as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the years then ended in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Basis for Opinion

We conducted our audits in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America and the standards applicable to financial audits contained in Government Auditing Standards, issued by the Comptroller General of the United States. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Statements section of our report. We are required to be independent of Mid-Ohio Energy Cooperative, Inc., and to meet our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with the relevant ethical requirements relating to our audits. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinion.

Responsibility of Management for the Financial Statements

Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, and for the design, implementation, and maintenance of internal control relevant to the preparation and fair presentation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, management is required to evaluate whether there are conditions or events, considered in the aggregate, that raise substantial doubt about Mid-Ohio Energy Cooperative, Inc.’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that the financial statements are available to be issued.

Auditor’s Responsibility for the Audit of the Financial Statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not absolute assurance and therefore is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and Government Auditing Standards will always detect a material misstatement when it exists.

The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.

Misstatements are considered material if there is a substantial likelihood that, individually or in the aggregate, they would influence the judgment made by a reasonable user based on the financial statements.

In performing an audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and Government Auditing Standards, we:

• Exercise professional judgment and maintain professional skepticism throughout the audit.

• Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, and design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks. Such procedures include examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements.

• Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of Mid-Ohio Energy Cooperative, Inc.’s internal control. Accordingly, no such opinion is expressed.

• Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of significant accounting estimates made by management, as well as evaluate the overall presentation of the financial statements.

• Conclude whether, in our judgment, there are conditions or events, considered in the aggregate, that raise substantial doubt about MidOhio Energy Cooperative, Inc.’s ability to continue as a going concern for a reasonable period of time.

We are required to communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit, significant audit findings, and certain internal control related matters that we identified during the audit.

Other Information

Management is responsible for the other information included in the annual report. The other information comprises the introductory, statistical sections and include the basic financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. Our opinions on the basic financial statements do not cover the other information, and we do not express an opinion or any form of assurance thereon. In connection with our audit of the basic financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and consider whether a material inconsistency exists between the other information and the basic financial statements, or the other information otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If, based on the work performed, we conclude that an uncorrected material misstatement of the other information exists, we are required to describe it in our report.

Report on Other Legal and Regulatory Requirements

In accordance with Government Auditing Standards, we have also issued our report dated February 9, 2024, on our consideration of the Mid-Ohio Energy Cooperative, Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting and on our tests of its compliance with certain provisions of laws, regulations, contracts, and grant agreements and other matters. The purpose of that report is solely to describe the scope of our testing of internal control over financial reporting and compliance and the results of that testing, and not to provide an opinion on the effectiveness of the Mid-Ohio Energy Cooperative, Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting or on compliance. That report is an integral part of an audit performed in accordance with Government Auditing Standards in considering Mid-Ohio Energy Cooperative, Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting and compliance.

Circleville, Ohio

February 9, 2024

Mid-Ohio Energy Cooperative serves portions of 10 counties in northcentral Ohio. The current board is made up of one trustee from each of the cooperative’s nine districts. Each year, prior to the annual meeting of members, members vote (either by mail or by online ballot) to elect trustee representatives. Board members are responsible for cooperative policies, rates, and contracts. They are the ambassadors of the cooperative’s rural community, focusing on the needs of the membership.

Curtis Byers

Tony Hastings SECRETARY

Brice Turner ASSISTANT SECRETARY

Trevor Fremont VICE CHAIR

Howard Lyle TREASURER

Paul Beineke

Gene McCluer

John Thiel

Robert Imbody

Family Time

From exploring history to the science of tomorrow, your family can discover the world right here in the Greater Parkersburg area.

At Discovery World on Market, learning is anything but a spectator sport. Get hands-on with three floors of fun, kid-friendly activities and experiments that spark the senses and ignite the imagination.

Kids and adults will love a visit to Blennerhassett Island State Park

The whole family will enjoy the scenic sternwheel riverboat trip, the horse-drawn covered-wagon ride, and a tour of the beautifully reconstructed mansion.

An afternoon bike ride on the North Bend Rail Trail is a great way to get some exercise and take in the scenic beauty of the area.

Xenia lives

Fifty years ago, a southwest Ohio town suffered — and survived — a legendary tornado.

BY DAMAINE VONADA

On permanent exhibit at the Greene County Ohio Historical Society in Xenia is a tattered American flag that had been used to mark the slab foundation where a house had stood before the afternoon of April 3, 1974 — 50 years ago this month — when one of the most devastating tornadoes in U.S. history ripped Xenia apart.

Joyce Behnken, 22 years old and pregnant at the time, resided in that house in the Arrowhead subdivision where the tornado first unleashed its full fury; she died when the storm picked up her house and smashed it to bits.

Nearby in that same subdivision, Catherine Wilson rode out the storm huddled with her mother and sister in the bathtub of their Pueblo Drive home. Wilson was only 9,

but she still remembers the terrifying gray cloud that boiled like a pot and sucked up everything in its path.

“The tornado probably passed over our house in 30 seconds, but it seemed like forever,” says Wilson, now the director of the Greene County Historical Society. “We heard windows breaking and the roof being torn off. The tornado roared like a jet engine.” Her home sustained serious damage, but the tornado obliterated nearby houses and turned the neighborhood into a nightmarish scene. Familiar landmarks were gone. Debris was everywhere. Children cried and dazed adults sifted through shattered dwellings in hopes of salvaging belongings.

“I remember being what the British call ‘gobsmacked’ by what I saw,” Wilson says. “Downed trees looked like

scattered sticks. A boat trailer was upside down, but the boat had disappeared.”

Xenia’s tornado was part of a “Super Outbreak” that stretched from Alabama to Ontario, Canada. An astounding 148 twisters — including an unprecedented seven F5 and 23 F4 tornadoes — touched down within 24 hours, killing more than 300 people. Fifty years later, it remains the benchmark for massive tornadic events.

“The Super Outbreak was the biggest one that our nation and possibly the world has ever seen,” says Andy Hatzos, a meteorologist and tornado forecaster at the National Weather Service office in Wilmington. “Leveling half the town, [Xenia’s] was the Super Outbreak’s deadliest tornado and made Xenia the unwilling but definitive symbol for that catastrophic weather event.”

Working just 20 miles south of Xenia, Hatzos knows all about the multi-vortex F5 monster that attacked the town of 25,000 at about 4:40 p.m. that day. “If I were doing a Mount Rushmore for tornadoes, Xenia’s would certainly be on it.”

The tornado touched down to the east and a bit north of Bellbrook and traveled 32 miles before dissipating near South Vienna in Clark County. As it barreled through Xenia, it reached a half-mile wide and packed winds exceeding 200 miles per hour.

In four ferocious minutes, it derailed a freight train; heaved a school bus into the high school’s auditorium; hurled a tractor-trailer onto a roof; and hammered a beloved landmark — the circa 1799 Galloway Log House that the great Shawnee leader Tecumseh had once visited. It damaged or destroyed 3 ,400 homes and 159 businesses.

Hundreds were injured, and 35 people, including Joyce Behnken, lost their lives. Among the others: 12 children; two National Guardsmen who were killed by a flash fire in a furniture store; Central State University freshman Lura Lee Hull, who was driving home when the tornado crushed her car; Clyde Hyatt, a World War II Marine, who died helping youngsters take cover; Johnnie Mott, who perished in her real estate office; and Paul and Sue Ann Wisecup, their 16-month-old daughter, Amy, and two waitresses who all were sheltering in a root beer stand that was demolished.

Xenia Daily Gazette reporter Rich Heiland pecked out his story for the next day’s edition by candlelight, on a manual typewriter, as rain dripped through the newspaper office’s fractured roof. The town had no electricity. The column was titled “We Should All Be Dead Today.” Now semi-retired, Heiland vividly recalls marveling that the tornado had spared the lives of his wife, infant son, and 5-year-old daughter.

The Heilands also lived in Arrowhead, and before leaving the newsroom to cover the tornado, Heiland had hastily called his wife and told her to get the children and lie down in the laundry room. After watching the tornado dismantle St. Brigid church, he feared the worst. “When I finally got to my house, it was a wreck, and I froze, thinking they were dead,” says Heiland. But then, “like seeing a ray of sunshine,” he heard his wife’s voice. The house had disintegrated around them, but they were unharmed. Heiland drove his family to his parents’ home in Wilmington, then returned to Xenia to help look for casualties, but instead of finding bodies, he found survivors. “I saw all kinds of people who were determined to carry on, doing whatever needed to be done,” he says.

An American flag that once marked the location of a home destroyed by the 1974 Xenia tornado now hangs on permanent display at the Greene County Ohio Historical Society (photograph by Damaine Vonada).

The tornado destroyed nine of the 12 school buildings in Xenia, including the high school (right), but mercifully struck an hour after students had been dismissed for the day (photograph courtesy of the National Weather Service).

The city manager, not knowing whether his own loved ones were safe, commanded rescue and cleanup efforts. A café owner made coffee on a camp stove and gave it away. And the Gazette staff worked all night on tornado news that was rushed to Middletown and printed at a sister newspaper. On April 4, the Gazette’s front page declared, “Xenia Digging Out From Day of Horror.”

If the mind can fathom anything fortunate about a whirlwind violent enough to devastate nine of Xenia’s 12 schools, it certainly would be that the tornado struck an hour after 8,300 students were dismissed. With inexplicable serendipity, the tornado likewise both spared Xenia’s hospital and smashed its power plant. “Many destroyed houses had natural gas, and if electricity had been sparking, Xenia would have had terrible explosions and fires,” says Heiland.

Fourth-grader Ron Ward was lucky to not be at home when the tornado flattened the Tomahawk Trail house where he lived with his mom, Norine; dad, Duteil; and brother, Bill. A cousin had recently passed away, and Norine decided to briefly leave her sons at home while she took food to her aunt. She made it only as far as the corner before she turned around and fetched her boys. “But for the grace of God,” reflects Ward, “I would have died.” After they arrived at the aunt’s house on Second Street, someone spotted the tornado. All the relatives crowded into a bedroom and prayed. “I saw the front door get blown away and then just closed my eyes,” Ward says.

No one in the house was seriously hurt, but the structure was eventually condemned. In a cold rain and on streets strewn with hazards and debris, they walked to another family member’s house. Duteil, who had been working in Dayton, found them there hours later.

The Wards lost practically everything, and decided to tackle the rubble that was once their home by themselves. One day, Duteil gathered a piece of scrap plywood and some spray paint and made a sign that declared, “With the help of the Lord, good friends, and hard work, we shall return. The Wards.” With its simple statement of faith and purpose, that crude sign became an iconic representation of Xenia’s resolve to rebuild.

“My dad was not going to let a natural phenomenon beat us,” says Ward, “and that same attitude permeated the community.” Despite disagreements about redevelopment, people put “Xenia Lives” stickers everywhere. And the courthouse, the grand stone structure that has anchored Xenia since 1902 — battered, broken, and surrounded by ruin, but still standing — seemed to encourage residents to persevere.

“Xenia’s got plenty of heart,” Wilson says. “We all pulled together and supported each other.” Townspeople who worked for utility companies immediately got to work; Galliger’s Supper Club and Joe’s Diner provided thousands of free meals; folks with spare bedrooms took in strangers. Wilson’s father, who served with the Ohio Air National Guard in Springfield, protected Arrowhead from looters, and Ron Ward’s wife, Connie, remembers her dad helping board up neighbors’ windows.

Shortly after the tornado, President Richard Nixon helicoptered into Xenia for his only visit to a Super Outbreak site. Nixon remarked that its devastation was worse than anything he saw after Alaska’s earthquake or Hurricane Camille and promised federal aid. In December, entertainer Bob Hope hosted a benefit show at the University of Dayton Arena. With headliners like Debbie Reynolds and Nancy Wilson and appearances

by Neil Armstrong, Johnny

Bench, and Woody Hayes, it raised $100,000. Xenians gratefully named the auditorium in their new high school auditorium after Hope.

Xenia’s tornado had far-reaching repercussions. For his pioneering research on suction funnels and downbursts, Dr. Ted Fujita, who created the F-scale that ranks tornado intensity, analyzed a home movie of the tornado that 16-year-old Bruce Boyd made in his front yard on Ridgebury Drive. In 1975, the Xenia Daily Gazette staff received a Pulitzer Prize for spot news reporting.

Also, because the tornado made headlines everywhere, Xenians received attention they neither sought nor wanted. Ward, for example, spent 24 years in the Air Force at duty stations ranging from Korea to Germany, yet no matter where he went, the mere mention of Xenia elicited curiosity and questions about the tornado. “I tried explaining what happened,” says Ward, “but most people can’t wrap their heads around the devastation.”

Xenia once had the reputation as a railroad center; now, it’s known as the town that survived a legendary storm. After the tornado, Xenia’s once-ubiquitous railroad tracks gave way to trails, and it’s become both a bicycling hub and a place uniquely and forever reshaped by that ruthless event. Here and there, a street oddly ends in a stub. Blank spaces — mostly parking lots — linger where folks once lived and worked. On leafy Victorian-era streets, 1970 s ranches and tri-levels incongruously coexist with handsome Italianate and Queen Anne houses. And when Xenia religiously tests

its tornado sirens on the first Monday of every month, everyone in town heeds their cautionary wail.

The tornado also continues to affect people. Hatzos, who wasn’t born until the 1980s, gives talks about how and why it happened and often refers to a Super Outbreak map that Fujita made. “Xenia’s tornado is number 37 on the map, and Dr. Fujita’s hand-drawn F-scale figures show how quickly it gained strength.” After the Air Force, Ward and his wife came home to Xenia, and the family lore they share with their grandchildren includes Duteil’s sign and how the tornado demolished a relative’s home but left intact the new Harley that had been in the garage. When the bodies of the National Guardsmen who died in the fire were recovered, Heiland wept for the loss of life and the overwhelming loss in a town that began in 1803 as the Greene County seat. Later, some guardsmen who were leaving town gave him a key fob with the National Guard emblem. “That key fob is still on my keychain, and I carry it with me every day,” he says.

For Wilson, the tornado is part and parcel of her life and work. When the tornado’s notoriety brings visitors to the historical society, she shows them relics — that flag, a stained-glass window from St. Brigid church, the high school clock that stopped when the tornado hit — from the biggest thing that ever happened in Xenia. She also gives tours of the restored Galloway Log House, where a historical marker tells the story of a founding family and recounts the fateful day when death and destruction came to town. Its text concludes, “This marker stands directly in the path taken by the tornado and serves to remind us that ‘Xenia Lives.’”

A sign erected by Duteil Ward became the iconic representation of Xenia’s resolve to rebuild after the 1974 tornado (photograph by Al Wilson of the Dayton Journal Herald/courtesy of the Greene County Ohio Historical Society).

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E-bikes let Ohio cyclists go

‘twice

as far with half the work.’

BY RANDY EDWARDS

Anyone who recalls the thrill of getting a good push while learning to ride a bicycle can appreciate the growing popularity of electric bikes — bicycles outfitted with electric motors that lend extra oomph to your pedaling.

“E-bike” sales are booming, adding ease to urban commutes and adventure to global travel.

many models available for less than $1,000. What’s more, after early conflicts with traditional cyclists, e-bikes are gaining acceptance on bike paths and public lands, with the National Park Service, for example, blessing the use of most e-bikes in 2020. Local rules vary, however, even in the national parks, so make sure to check before you ride.

In 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, there were 1.1 million e-bikes sold in the United States, quadrupling sales figures from 2019. Options are expanding as well, with models available in almost every bicycle style, from lightweight commuter bikes to heavyduty mountain bikes. And although they remain relatively pricey compared to conventional bicycles, there are now

In 2023, my wife and I were contemplating a “bike and boat” tour of the Dalmatian Islands, a string of rocky gems lining the southern coast of Croatia in the crystalline waters of the Adriatic Sea. Let’s be honest about our fitness level: We’re both nearing retirement age, and most of our limited cycling experience has been on the flat-land bike paths of central Ohio (and our favorite destination is a brew pub) — not exactly the training regimen for the Tour de France. As we studied photos of the steep, twisty roads over craggy peaks on

islands like Hvar and Korčula, I wasn’t sure we could make the climbs. The tour company, however, suggested that e-bikes might just get us up those hills.

We signed up, paying a bit more for the extra power. We’d never ridden e-bikes, though, so we went in search of experience.

Our first venture onto e-bikes was with Hocking Hills Bike Rentals (www.hockinghillsbikerentals.com), a company that rents both commuter-style e-bikes and electric mountain bikes. Owner Doug Ellis, who started the company in 2021, met us in Nelsonville, where we hopped on the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway, a rail trail connecting Nelsonville and Athens.

With e-bikes, “you can go twice as far with half the work,” says Ellis. “If you do the whole bikeway, that’s 36 miles, and if you ride [a conventional bike] 36 miles and you’re not used to it, you’re going to want to sit down the rest of the day. If you ride it on an e-bike, you can go out dancing later.”

The rail trail was smooth and scenic, and we grew comfortable with the bikes easily, learning fairly quickly that these bikes will go faster than we were used to, a good thing to know when approaching a curve or a stop.

We wanted more practice on hills than a rail trail could offer, so our next trip was to Ohio’s Amish country, where Charged Ride (www.chargedride. com), in Holmesville, caters to Amish and non-Amish riders alike. Joel Chupp, manager of the Holmesville location, says most of the Amish congregations in the area have accepted e-bikes as appropriate technology, so we saw many young people in “plain” dress on e-bikes scooting about the little village of Shreve, where we stopped for lunch.

Ohio e-biking

Opportunities to rent and ride e-bikes are expanding rapidly, but here are a few other spots where you can get your first experience on an e-bike while taking in some of the best scenery Ohio has to offer. Rental prices vary by the location, the type of bike, and the number of hours. In general, hourly rates are roughly $18 to $25, with additional costs for specialty bikes. Many locations are closed or have limited hours in the winter.

There are multiple options for e-bike rentals within the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. In Peninsula, Century Cycles (www. centurycycles.com) and Pedego Peninsula (www.pedegoelectricbikes.com/dealers/ peninsula) are adjacent to more than 90 miles of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail (including 20 miles within the national park). Valley Bike Rental (www.valleybikerental.com) occupies a spot on the park’s 35 -mile Bike and Hike Trail, with access to Brandywine Falls and a connection to the Towpath Trail via local roads. Farther south, Outspoken E-Bike Rentals (www. outspokenebikerentals.com) near Akron will get you on the Towpath Trail as well.

Youngstown, Cruise the Creek (www. cruisethecreek.com) will open a new location in May, providing a second access to the 2,600 -acre Mill Creek Park, including the 11mile Mill Creek MetroParks Bikeway.

Most people who rent the e-bikes use them to ride the Holmes County Trail, Chupp says. One section of this rail trail can be reached through an easy ride from the store, and riders can travel 30 miles out and back, visiting the popular Amish towns of Fredericksburg and Millersburg along the way.

A misconception about e-bikes is that they don’t provide exercise, but most e-bikes allow riders to dial back the assistance and choose the challenge they prefer, Chupp says. “You can still get your exercise, but you can triple your distance and still get home on time.”

In Marietta, the Marietta Adventure Co. (www.mariettaadventurecompany.com) rents e-mountain bikes for use on the growing Marietta Trail Network.

In Xenia, K&G Bike Center (www.kgbikes. com) rents e-bikes with easy access to the 78 -mile Little Miami Scenic Trail.

In addition, many urban bike share companies are now offering e-bikes, including Link Dayton Bike Share, which in 2022 added 140 e-bikes to its fleet of bikes in Dayton.

Writer Randy Edwards and his wife, Mary, toured Croatia’s Dalmatian Islands on e-bikes (left page). Hocking Hills Bike Rentals (below) offers e-bikes both for cruising rail trails and for mountain biking.

Grant ’s day

BY DAMAINE VONADA

Ohio is known as the “Mother of Presidents” because eight of the nation’s 46 chief executives called it home. The first of them, Ulysses S. Grant, now has a state holiday in his honor.

April 27, which this year marks his 202nd birthday, is officially “Ulysses S. Grant Day” in the Buckeye State. That distinction reflects Grant’s considerable military and political impact as well as his deep roots in southern Ohio, where three Ohio History Connection sites illustrate how his upbringing shaped his life and legacy. In the hamlet of Point Pleasant, on the Ohio River in Clermont County, the U.S. Grant Birthplace preserves the humble cottage where he came into the world. About 25 miles away, in Georgetown, the Brown County seat, stand the restored Grant Boyhood Home and two-room Grant Schoolhouse. Grant lived in Georgetown from age 1 until he left to attend West Point — spending more years there than in any other place in his lifetime.

The idea for Grant Day came from State Sen. Terry Johnson (R-Scioto County), whose 14th District covers Clermont, Brown, Adams, and Scioto counties. “I was attending Grant’s 200th birthday celebration in Georgetown and got to thinking it would be nice to make his birthday a state holiday,” Johnson says. Adam Bird, who represents House District 63 in southern Ohio, wholeheartedly agreed, and in May 2022, the two legislators introduced companion bills proposing Grant

New state holiday honors the former president and hero of the Civil War.

Day. They worked together as their bills moved through the legislative process, and Gov. Mike DeWine signed it into law in early 2023, to begin observance this year.

Johnson, a retired physician, and Bird, a former educator, have much in common. Their respective districts overlap in Clermont and Brown counties, and they’re both history buffs and Grant admirers. Bird, in fact, considers Grant to be Ohio’s greatest native son. “In Grant, President Lincoln finally found a general with the resolve, skill, and leadership ability to win battles and change the course of the Civil War,” he says. “Grant also wrote the South’s terms of surrender, and they were conciliatory to help the nation heal.”

Although Grant Day is a commemorative rather than legal holiday, Johnson thinks it provides an important reminder of Ohio’s rich history and a resolute Ohioan who made history. Grant’s steadfast determination to rebuild his shattered country — from his “Let Us Have Peace” campaign slogan to protecting African Americans’ civil rights to approving Yellowstone as the first national park — made him a popular, two-term president. “As we say here in southern Ohio,” Johnson says, “Grant was tough as a pine knot.”

Apparently, Grant Day started a trend, because in October 2023, Gov. Mike DeWine authorized James A. Garfield Day (Nov. 19) to honor the president born in 1831 in present-day Moreland Hills.

Want to observe Grant Day?

The U.S. Grant Homestead Association schedules tours of the Grant Boyhood Home and Schoolhouse and hosts a four-day U.S. Grant Celebration for his birthday. Festivities include patriotic music performances, programming by U.S. Grant living historian Curt Fields, and fireworks on April 27. 877-372-8177; see www.usgrantboyhoodhome.org/ grant-days-2024 for details.

CALENDAR 2024

NORTHWEST

APR. 3, MAY 1 – Down on the Farm Story Time, Proving Ground Farm, 5670 E. Twp. Rd. 138, Tiffin, 10 a.m. Stories and activities are geared for preschoolage children and focus on farming and nature in a picturesque outdoor setting. Families welcome! 419-4477073, www.conservesenecacounty.com, or follow Seneca Conservation District on Facebook.

APR. 18 – Jesus Christ Superstar, Veterans Memorial Civic and Convention Center, #7 Town Square, Lima, 8 p.m. $50+. A new, mesmerizing production of the iconic musical phenomenon returns to the stage. www. limaciviccenter.com.

APR. 19–20 – World War II Reenactment, AuGlaize Village, 12296 Krouse Rd., Defiance. There will be a camp area, open to the public, and then stations where reenactors will discuss aspects of being an Allied or Axis soldier during different points of the war. Public “battles” will demonstrate some of the different skills and tactics used, and just how difficult combat could be for soldiers. School Day on Friday. 419-990-0107, villageauglaize@gmail.com, or www.auglaizevillage.com. For participant information, contact Robert Mergel at rjmergek@gmail.com.

APR. 20 – Foghat: Road Fever Tour, Ritz Theatre, 30 S. Washington St., Tiffin, 7:30 p.m. $30–$60 419-448-8544, info@ritztheatre.org. or www.ritztheatre.org.

WEST VIRGINIA

APR. 20–21 – Findlay Flea Market, Hancock Co. Fgds., 1017 E. Sandusky St., Findlay, Sat. 9 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Free. New, used, and vintage items, crafts, and more. Vendors welcome! For more information, contact Christine at 419-619-0041 or findlayfleamarket@ gmail.com.

APR. 21 – NW Ohio Low Brass Collective Spring Concert, Allen East High School Auditeria, 9105 Harding Hwy., Harrod, 4 p.m. Free. Come hear musicians from around northwest Ohio and beyond play themes from your favorite movies! www.facebook.com/people/NWOhio-Low-Brass-Collective/100085554007401

APR. 21 – Sing, Veterans Memorial Civic and Convention Center, #7 Town Square, Lima, 3 p.m. $5 See the computer-animated musical comedy on our 60-foot screen. Cash concessions and drinks. www. limaciviccenter.com/groupiemovies.

APR. 25 – Fourth Thursdays Spring Fling, downtown Lakeview. Grab dinner from one of many food trucks and enjoy live music while shopping local vendors for a chance to win a gift basket full of springtime goodies. www.facebook.com/downtownlakeviewohio.

APR. 25 – 2024 Legislative Breakfast, Camden Falls Reception and Conference Center, 2460 OH-231, Tiffin, 8 a.m. Join Senator Bill Reineke, State Representative Gary Click, the president of the Seneca County Board of Commissioners, and the mayor of the City of Tiffin to hear their annual messages. Registration required. www. senecaregionalchamber.com.

APR. 27 – “Arbor Day, Trees: Past, Present, and Future,” Mac-A-Cheek Castle, 10051 Township Rd. 47, West Liberty, 9 a.m. Free. Celebrate Arbor Day by investigating petrified wood, beautifully crafted historical woodwork, and living trees, and by planting a tree for the future. 937-465-2821, 937-844-3480, or www. piattcastle.org.

APR. 27 – Defiance Community Band: Cabaret Concert, Defiance High School Gym, 1755 Palmer Dr., Defiance, 7 p.m. $12. Hors d’oeuvres included. Reservations needed by Apr. 15. Contact Linda Schatz at 419-769-4808

APR. 27 – “Homegrown Habitat: Bringing Nature to Your Community,” University of Findlay, Winebrenner, 950 N. Main St., Findlay, 9 a.m. $10–$25. Presentation by author Doug Tallamy, Q&A session, book signings and sales, exhibits, resource fair. Admission includes native plant and continental breakfast. Register by Apr. 12 at www.homegrownhabitat.org.

MAY 2–12 – Live Theatre: Hands on a Hardbody, Van Wert Civic Theatre, 118 S. Race St., Van Wert, Thur.–Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. $16 419-238-9689 or ww.vwct.org.

MAY 3 – First Fridays Brewfest, downtown Bellefontaine. Sample 10 unique Ohio beers as you make your way through downtown. Food trucks and full-sized limited-edition pours are also available. Don’t miss the adult-only fun! www.firstfridaysbellefontaine.com.

MAY 3–12 – Biggest Week in American Birding, Maumee Bay Lodge and Conference Ctr., 1750 State Park Rd., Oregon. Free. Come to the “Warbler Capital of the World” for spectacular birding activities, including morning flight counts, workshops, field trips, and more. Register at www.biggestweekinamericanbirding.com.

MAY 4–SEP. 15 – NWORRP Museum Summer Hours, Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation Inc., 12505 Co. Rd. 99, Findlay, Sat./Sun. 1–4 p.m. $3; 12 and under, $2 (includes 1 train ride ticket per admission). Museum tours, ¼ scale train rides, model train displays, games, play area, and more. 419-423-2995, www.nworrp.org, or www.facebook.com/nworrp.

MAY 11 – Lilac Festival and Street Fair, Clinton Street, Defiance, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Free. Celebrate the official flower of Defiance with the community’s largest arts and crafts fair. Free lilacs to the first 750 attendees. 419-7820739 or http://visitdefianceohio.com/annual-events.

MAY 3–5 – Kanawha Valley Railroad Association

Model Train and Craft Show, Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center, 200 Civic Center Dr., Charleston, Fri. 12–7 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

www.kvrailroad.org.

2024 CALENDAR

APRIL/MAY

APR. 13 – Hamfest and Computer Show, Emidio & Sons Expo Center, 48 E. Bath Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 8 a.m.–1 p.m. $8. VE testing will be available. Talk-In: 147 270+ and 444 850+ (both PL 110 9). Contact: Bruce Ferry, AK8B, 2907 Lee Rd., Silver Lake, OH 44224 330-790-1680, hamfest2024@w8vpv.org, or www.w8vpv.org/hamfest.

APR. 18–20 – Original Sewing and Quilt Expo, I-X Center, 1 I-X Center Dr., Cleveland, Thur./Fri. 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. See the latest in sewing, quilt making, and embroidery. Special presentations, classes/ workshops, runway fashion shows, shopping, and more. www.sewingexpo.com/Events/Cleveland-OH.

APR. 19 – Home School Day, 254 E. 4th St., Zoar, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. $7. Open to all public, private, and homeschool students. Learn how the Zoar Separatists prepared for spring. Bread relay, butter churning, planting seeds, and tin smithing. Reservations requested. 800262-6195 or www.historiczoarvillage.com.

APR. 19 – Tribute Concert: “Ricky Nelson Remembered,” Ohio Star Theater, 1387 Old Rte. 39, Sugarcreek, 7 p.m. Unique multimedia event featuring Ricky Nelson’s hit songs performed by his twin sons, Matthew and Gunnar. Tickets are available at www. ohiostartheater.com and by phone at 855-344-7547

APR. 21 – World Tour of Music: Fire & Grace, AkronSummit County Public Library, 60 S. High St., Akron, 2–3

SOUTHEAST

APR. 19 – KANSAS: The 50th Anniversary Tour, Peoples Bank Theatre, 222 Putnam St., Marietta, 8 p.m. $68+. www.peoplesbanktheatre.com.

APR. 19–NOV. 2 – Athens Farmers Market, Athens Community Center, 701 E. State St., Athens, Wed. 9 a.m.–noon. Open year-round Sat. 9 a.m.–noon. Voted Ohio’s #1 favorite farmers market! 740-593-6763 or www.athensfarmersmarket.org.

APR. 20–21 – Lucasville Trade Days, Scioto Co. Fgds., 1193 Fairground Rd., Lucasville, Sat. 7 a.m.,

p.m. Guitarist William Coulter and violinist Edwin Huizinga explore the connective musical elements of classical, folk, and contemporary traditions from around the world. 419-853-6016 or www.ormaco.org.

APR. 25–26 – Jeff Allen, Ohio Star Theater, 1387 Old Rte. 39, Sugarcreek, 7 p.m. Christian comedian whose rapid-fire humor centers on marriage and family, appealing to all ages. Tickets available at www. ohiostartheater.com and by phone at 855-344-7547

APR. 25–28 – Geauga County Maple Festival, Historic Chardon Square, Chardon. A festival for celebrating “everything maple”! Arts and crafts, lumberjack competition, beard and mustache contest, bathtub races, pageants, and other fun activities. Enjoy all-you-can-eat Pancakes in the Park every day, 8 a.m.–2 p.m. ($10, under 6 free). 440-332-7055 or www.maplefestival.com.

APR. 26 – Archaeology School Day, 11067 Fort Laurens Rd. NW, Bolivar, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. $7. Open to all public, private, and homeschool students in grades 4–8. Learn the importance of archaeology, how it is conducted, and how it affects other fields of study. Reservations requested. 330-874-2059 or www.fortlaurens.org.

APR. 26–27 – Earlier Times Antiques and Folk Art Show, Harvest Ridge, Holmes Co. Fgds., 8880 St. Rte. 39, Millersburg, Fri. 4–7 p.m., Sat. 10:30 a.m.–3 p.m. $7. For more information, contact Cheryl Williams at 614-989-5811

APR. 26–27 – International Watch Fob Association Show and Sale, Lakeside Sand & Gravel, 3540 Frost Rd., Mantua, Fri./Sat. 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Free. World’s largest watch fob, construction equipment memorabilia, and toy show. Combined with Lakeside Sand & Gravel Open House and Antique Equipment Show on Saturday. 50/50 raffles both days. See equipment as old as 1910, take gravel pit tours, enjoy food and refreshments, and watch live demos of antique construction and mining equipment. 440-816-1882 (Chuck Sword), chuck@dhsdiecast.com, www.watchfob.com, or www.facebook.com/IWFAI.

MAY 3–4 – Dandelion May Fest, The Tool Shed at Breitenbach Vineyards, 5773 Old Rte. 39 NW, Dover,

Fri. noon–7 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.–7 p.m. Dandelion food and wine, cooking demos, arts and crafts, and live entertainment. 5K and 10K on Saturday. 330-343-3603 or www.breitenbachwine.com/dandelion-festival.

MAY 4–5 – Ohio Civil War Show, Richland Co. Fgds., 750 N. Home Rd., Mansfield, Sat. 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.–3 p.m. $7, under 12 free. Seven buildings with 750 tables of military items, relics, and memorabilia to buy, sell, or trade. Cannon firing demos, WWII small arms demos, Civil War battleground encampments, and much more. www.ohiocivilwarshow.com.

MAY 5 – Carol Leslie: “Women with Cinematic Impact,” Wadsworth Public Library, 132 Broad St., Wadsworth, 2–3 p.m. Free, but reservations recommended. This presentation will highlight many of the biggest movie theme songs ever produced, and the women who sang them. Register at www.ormaco.org or by calling 419-853-6016.

MAY 10–11 – Holmes County Training Center Benefit Auction and Spring Festival, 8001 Township Rd. 574, Holmesville. Proceeds benefit children and adults in Holmes County DD facilities and those in the community. Furniture, quilt, silent, and special auctions; raffle prizes; children’s games. Volleyball, food stands, and musical entertainment Friday night. Breakfast, chicken barbeque, food court on Saturday. 330-674-8045 or www.holmesdd.org.

MAY 11 – German Maifest, Historic Zoar Village, 198 Main St., Zoar, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $5; 11 and under free. German food and drink, music, make-and-take art projects, spring tours of the village, and German car show featuring a variety of antique German-made vehicles. 800-262-6195 or www.historiczoarvillage.com.

MAY 11 – Plant Discovery Day Sale, Secrest Arboretum, 2122 Williams Rd., Wooster, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Free. Unique, rare trees and shrubs along with fruit and nut trees, conifers, native plants, perennials, annuals, hanging baskets, vegetables, and herbs. Orchids and carnivorous houseplants will also be available for purchase. www. friendsofsecrest.com.

Sun. 7 a.m.–4 p.m. $7; 12 and under free. Earlybird shopping Fri. 3–7 p.m. 937-728-6643 or www. lucasvilletradedays.com.

APR. 25 – The Guess Who, Peoples Bank Theatre, 222 Putnam St., Marietta, 8 p.m. $54+. www. peoplesbanktheatre.com.

APR. 26–28 – Pike County Dogwood Festival, Pike Co. Fgds., Piketon. Free. Live music, food, royalty contest, bike race, parade, and more. Email pikecountydogwood@yahoo.com or follow us on Facebook.

MAY 2–5 – Wild Turkey Festival, downtown McArthur, Thur. 5–11 p.m., Fri./Sat. noon–11 p.m., Sun. noon–5 p.m. Nightly entertainment, midway, car and bike shows, queen and baby contests, karaoke contests, and more. Grand parade Sat. 6 p.m., followed by crowning of the festival queen. wildturkeyfestival@outlook.com or www. wildturkeyfestival.com.

MAY 4 – The Big Deal at Great Seal, Great Seal State Park, 4908 Marietta Rd., Chillicothe, 7 a.m. $45–$99 This course is a 25K loop of nearly 100% single track. Each 25K loop comes with roughly 2,800 feet of elevation gain of southern Ohio’s Appalachian foothills.

www.facebook.com/events/2960093900846351

MAY 4–19 – Heirloom Plant Sale, Adena Mansion and Gardens, 847 Adena Rd., Chillicothe, Wed.–Sat. 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 12–5 p.m. The annual sale focuses on plants that are varieties raised and passed on before the advent of industrial farming, with many going back at least as far as Thomas Worthington’s time. www. adenamansion.com.

MAY 10–12 – Chillicothe Trade Days, Ross Co. Fgds., 344 Fairgrounds Rd., Chillicothe, dawn to dusk. $5. Huge event with hundreds of vendors offering a wide range of products and even animals. www. chillicothetradedays.com.

MAY 11 – Mother’s Day Plant Sale, Bellavenue Manor, 207 S. 10th St., McConnelsville, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Join Flora by Fawn Flower Farm on the front lawn of the manor, where Fawn will be offering a unique assortment of annuals and perennials for one day only! New this year: cutting garden flower trays. 419-571-9303 or florabyfawn@gmail.com.

MAY 11 – Three Dog Night, Peoples Bank Theatre, 222 Putnam St., Marietta, 8 p.m. $62+. www. peoplesbanktheatre.com.

CENTRAL

APR. 5, MAY 3 – First Friday Art Walk, downtown Zanesville, 5–8 p.m. Come downtown on the first Friday of each month, when all our participating galleries, studios, and small businesses are open at the same time! Visit the Artist Colony of Zanesville’s website for a map of current participants: https://artcoz.org/arts-district-map.

APR. 11, MAY 9 – Inventors Network Meetings, Rusty Bucket, 3901 Britton Parkway, Hilliard, 43026 (614-7775868, MyRustyBucket.com), 7 p.m. Informal meetings for networking and invention-related discussion. 614-4700144 or www.inventorscolumbus.com.

APR. 19 – The Malpass Brothers, Cornerstone Global Methodist Church, 207 S. Court St., Marysville, doors open 6 p.m., concert at 7 p.m. Part of the Marysville Winter Bluegrass Series. Entertainment, food, homemade pies on-site. 937-642-4712 or www. marysvillewinterbluegrass.com.

APR. 20 – Ohioana Book Festival, Columbus Metropolitan Main Library, 96 S. Grant, Columbus. Free. This festival celebrating Ohio’s authors will bring more than 100 authors together with readers of all ages for a day of panel discussions, readings, a book fair, children’s activities, prizes, entertainment, and food. 614-466-3831 or www.ohioana.org/programs/ohioana-book-festival.

SOUTHWEST

THROUGH MAY 29 – Bluegrass Wednesdays, Vinoklet Winery, 11069 Colerain Ave., Cincinnati, Wed. 6:30–8:30 p.m. Enjoy dinner, wine, and an evening of free entertainment by Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass. Reservations recommended. 513-385-9309, vinokletwinery@fuse.net, or www.vinokletwines.com.

APR. 19, MAY 17 – Bluegrass Night, Fibonacci Brewing Company, 1445 Compton Rd., Cincinnati, 7–9 p.m. Free. Enjoy lively bluegrass music by Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass, a wide variety of craft beers at the Beer Garden, and food truck eats. 513-832-1422 or http://fibbrew.com.

APR. 19–20 – Midwest Ceramic Association Show, Butler Co. Exhibition Bldg., Butler Co. Fgds., 1715 Fairgrove Ave., Hamilton, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Ohio’s original ceramic show. www.midwestceramics.org.

APR. 19–21 – Bellbrook Sugar Maple Festival, downtown Bellbrook, Fri. 5–10 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–10 p.m., Sun. 12–5 p.m. Parade Sat. 10:30 a.m., pancake breakfast Sat. 8–10:30 a.m., children’s activities,

APR. 20 – Pickerington Community Chorus: Spring Concert, Epiphany Lutheran Church, 268 Hill Rd. N., Pickerington, 4 p.m. Free admission; free-will offering will be taken. www.pickeringtoncommunitychorus.com.

APR. 20 – Quilters Market Day: A Flea Market for Quilters, Fredericktown Schools, 111 Stadium Dr., Fredericktown, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. $5. Buy and sell quilting tools, books, patterns, fat quarters, quilted items. Fat quarter drawing, quilt show, and quilting demos. Lunch available for purchase. For more information, call Patty at 740-694-6140 or visit https://fredericktown.org/qmd.

APR. 20 – Sunbury Piece Corps Quilt Show, Sunbury United Methodist Church, 100 W. Cherry St., Sunbury (NE corner of Rtes. 3 and 37), 9 a.m.–3 p.m. $5. Quilts made by guild members on display, vendors, fabric rummage sale, and demonstrations. Lunch available. For more information, email sunburypiececorps@aol.com.

APR. 21 – Southeastern Ohio Symphony Orchestra Concert, Brown Chapel, College Dr., New Concord, 7 p.m. $20. Season finale! 740-826-8197, www.seoso.org, or find us on Facebook.

APR. 26–27 – Spring at the Round Barn: Vintage and Made Market, Fairfield Co. Fgds., 157 E. Fair Ave., Lancaster, Fri. 4–8 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.–5 p.m. $7. Open-air and barn markets showcasing 125+ modern makers, vendors of authentic vintage finds, clothing boutiques, designers, growers, food trucks, and live music. 614-2961621 or www.thevintageandmademarket.com.

APR. 28 – Marysville Toy Show, Union Co. Fgds., Beef Barn, 845 N. Main St., Marysville, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. $6; 12 and under free; early buyer (8-9 a.m.) $12. Diecast cars, action figures, model kits, farm toys, toys old and new. For more information, follow Marysville Toy Show on Facebook.

5K, dog show, beer garden, and much more. www. sugarmaplefestival.com.

APR. 20 – “Invasive Species Removal,” Hueston Woods State Park, 6301 Park Office Rd., College Corner, 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Rain date Apr. 27. Free. Join Audubon Miami Valley and park staff to celebrate Earth Day by taking action against invasive plants. Meet at the Maple Grove Picnic Area. Please wear long pants and boots and bring a water bottle. Tools and gloves will be provided. Call 513-523-6347 or email greynolds27@ gmail.com to sign up as a volunteer.

APR. 26–27 – Grassy Run Heritage Rendezvous, Cook Log Cabin Heritage Center, 6707 Goshen Rd., Goshen. Pre-1840 encampment that brings to life the pioneers who settled here and the crafts and skills they needed to survive. Friday is School Day ($2 per student). Open to the public Sat. 9 a.m.–6 p.m. $5 per person; family $10 513-520-2882, grassyrun@gmail.com, www. grassy-run.org, or see our Facebook page.

APR. 27 – Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass, North Second Tap & Bottle, 134 N. 2nd St., Hamilton, 8–11 p.m. Enjoy an evening of lively bluegrass music with lightning-fast instrumentals, close harmonies, and entertaining novelty songs. 513-805-7796

MAY 3 – First Friday Concert: Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass, First United Methodist Church, 120 S. Broad St., Middletown, noon–1 p.m. Free. Bring a lunch and enjoy the show! 513-423-4629 or www. myfumc.net/first-fridays-concert-series.

MAY 3 – McIntyre Bluegrass Trio, Hamilton’s Urban Backyard Taproom, 501 Main St., Hamilton, 7–10 p.m. Free. Enjoy an evening of lively bluegrass

MAY 3 – Pickerington Chocolate Hop, Olde Pickerington Village, 6–8:30 p.m. A $5 donation gets you a map of locations where you will receive a little chocolate treat as a thank-you. Begin on the plaza at Columbus and Center Sts. Limited number of maps; donate in advance to reserve one. For more information, visit www.pickeringtonvillage.com.

MAY 4–OCT. 26 – Coshocton Farmers Market, 22442 Co. Rd. 1A, Coshocton, Sat. 8:30 a.m.–noon. Fresh, locally grown, in-season produce; baked goods; and handmade artisan crafts. For the most up-to-date information about vendors who will be attending the market, visit www. facebook.com/coshoctonfarmersmarket or email market. manager@coshfarmmarket.org.

MAY 9–11 – Ham and Eggs Music and Comedy Show, Ohio University Lancaster, 1570 Granville Pike, Lancaster, Thur./Fri. 7:30 p.m., Sat. 3 p.m. $10 presale, $12 at the door. Join us for fun music and lots of laughter as we raise money for college scholarships. Original comedy sketches featuring a group of grannies trying to get into “The Hammys,” followed by a concert of pop and Broadways songs from the ’70s and ’80s. www. lancastermenschorus.org.

MAY 11 – Boogie on the Blacktop Concert: North to Nashville, Circleville Eagles, 135 E. Main St., Circleville, 7–11 p.m. $5. Outdoor concert with food vendors and drinks. www.pickaway.com.

MAY 11 – Fly-In BBQ Lunch, Union County Airport (KMRT), 760 Clymer Rd., Marysville, 11 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Free. Fly or drive on over for a great BBQ lunch featuring Triple P Barbeque Co.! EAA Chapter 1629 will be giving Young Eagles rides. The Commemorative Air Force CAF Buckeye Wing will be meeting and have their WWII PT-26 airplane on static display. www.unioncountyohio.gov/ Airport-Authority.

music by Vernon and Kitty McIntyre and guest Robert Campbell. 513-893-9482, info@hubhamilton.com, or www.hubhamilton.com.

MAY 4 – Bird Walk/Hike, Garber Nature Center, 9691 OH-503 N., Lewisburg, 9 a.m. Free, but registration required. Join naturalist and nature photographer Tom Hissong. 937-962-5561, pcpdevents@gmail.com, or www.preblecountyparks.org.

MAY 4 – Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass, Clifton Opry House, 5 S. Clay St., Clifton, 7–9 p.m. $10 937-342-2175, schasnov@netzero.net, or www. villageofclifton.com/clifton-opera-house.

MAY 7 – Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass, Christ Church Cathedral, 318 E. 4th St., Cincinnati, 12:10–12:50 p.m. Free. Part of the Music Live at Lunch series. Bring your own lunch or purchase a box lunch on-site for only $5 513-842-2066, sroby@cccath.org, or https:// cincinnaticathedral.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/ Music-Brochure-2023-2024.pdf.

MAY 11 – Bird Walk/Hike, Wagers’ Memorial Park (Devil’s Backbone), 1301 OH-725 W., Camden, 9 a.m. Free, but registration required. Join naturalist and nature photographer Tom Hissong. 937962-5561, pcpdevents@gmail.com, or www. preblecountyparks.org.

MAY 11–12 – Appalachian Festival, Coney Island, 6201 Kellogg Ave., Cincinnati, Sat. 10 a.m.–10 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–6 p.m. $5–$15; 4 and under free. Handmade crafts, down-home food, Living History Village, educational exhibits, music, old-time dance and storytelling, and more. Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass will perform on Sunday. 513-251-3378 or www. appalachianfestival.org.

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1 Our granddaughter under the ceiling fan enjoying a cool breeze. Jennifer Shunk, South Central Power Company member

2 An osprey with the wind in its hair at Kiser Lake. Brent Grieves, Pioneer Electric Cooperative member

3 Our daughter Delaney, at the front of the ship on the Caribbean. Anthony Heastrup, South Central Power Company member

4 My daughter on a snowshoe hike at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. Marla Schrader, South Central Power Company member.

5 McKinley with the wind in her hair and sunset on her back. Lindsey Patrick, Union Rural Electric Cooperative member

6 My grandson Huntley’s wild hair on the trampoline. Valerie Crist, South Central Power Company member.