Currents, Mohave Electric Cooperative, January 2023

Currents MOHAVE ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

JANUARY 2023

Thank you, veterans!

Transformer Changeout

Willow Valley Substation’s new transformer addresses reliability and load growth future Page 4

PHOTO BY ALLISON ELLINGSON/MEC

ALSO INSIDE >>

Co-op Connections Card Page 8 Operation Cool Shade Page 25

FROM THE PIONEER TEAM

Ruralite Currents January 2023 • Volume 58, No. 1 ANZA ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Sherri Stafford

ARIZONA’S GENERATION AND TRANSMISSION COOPERATIVES

Magen Howard

DUNCAN VALLEY ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Steven Lunt

ELECTRICAL DISTRICT NO. 2

Roselyn Bever

MOHAVE ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Heather Foreman

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Mike Teegarden EDITOR

Victoria Hampton Currents (USPS 030-520) is published bimonthly for members for $1.23 a year, plus postage by Pioneer Utility Resources, 5625 NE Elam Young Pkwy.

Ste. 100, Hillsboro, OR 97124—a not-forprofit Oregon cooperative corporation— to serve the communication needs of four consumer-owned electric utilities in Arizona and California. Preferred periodical postage paid at Hillsboro, Oregon 97123 and additional mailing offices. © 2023 Pioneer Utility Resources. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.

Celebrating the Electric Bill This month, we celebrate the 140th anniversary of the first bill sent by an electric utility. While it may seem strange to celebrate something that costs us money every month, stay with me for a minute.

On January 18, 1883, the Edison Illuminating Co. sent the Ansonia Brass and Copper Co. a bill for $50.44. Most of us would love a January bill for that amount these days, but imagine how expensive that was 140 years ago. Assuming an average inflation rate of 2.46% a year, that $50.44 would be more than $1,488 in today’s dollars.

Lightbulbs were also expensive for the time— $1 each, or almost $30 in today’s money. The bulbs didn’t last nearly as long or operate as efficiently as our modern LEDs. The power sold to Ansonia was generated at Pearl Street Station in New York, which opened

in September 1882.

Edison Illuminating insisted no bills be sent to its customers until the system operated reliably.

In the first year, the company billed customers for $9,000 of electricity. It took three years before Pearl Street Station was profitable.

One of the most expensive parts of the new power grid was burying the power lines in conduits under New York city streets. The system cost about $300,000 to build. It also required a huge amount of coal to feed the boilers that provided steam for the dynamos used to generate electricity.

Those dynamos—what we now call generators—were developed by Edison Illuminating and weighed 27 tons each. Each produced 100 kilowatts of electricity, which was enough to power 1,200 lights. It took six dynamos to light up 1 square mile of New York City.

All of that is a long-winded way of saying we have it pretty good today. The West enjoys some of the lowest energy rates in the country, thanks to abundant hydropower, solar and wind.

Edison Illuminating Co.’s jumbo dynamo. PHOTO

Mike Teegarden Editorial Director

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Ladies’ Night Out Group Grants Wishes

Extra copies: $3 each, prepayment required. Supply is limited. Identify edition, month and year.

Women use Reader Exchange for ideas to help others Up Close, Page 10

Reprint permission: Direct all requests to info@pioneer.coop.

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Going the Extra Mile

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Plugged In In the Kitchen

6 16

Photo Hunt Before You Go

22 30

Utility Pages: 4-5, 8, 25, 32 JA N UA RY 2 0 2 3

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Transformer Changeout

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MOHAVE ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

In the early hours of November 4, crews from Mohave Electric Cooperative along with Dielco Crane Service, removed an old transformer in the Willow Valley Substation in Mohave Valley and replaced it with a new transformer to continue to address reliability and load growth for the future.

The old 22 MVA (Megavolt Amperes) transformer was being replaced with a new 37 MVA transformer manufactured by Virginia Transformers in Pocatello, ID. “The added 15 MVA will allow Mohave Electric to have more options when it comes to emergency switching scenarios during peak loads,” said Matt Howell, Journeyman Substation Technician for MEC. “This will also help facilitate the growth that is happening in Mohave Valley and serve the members for years to come.”

“We increased capacity by about 70%, which will allow for MEC to meet future load growth in a reliable manner,” added MEC COO Jonathan Martell. “It does also give us the ability to accommodate emergency switching and lessen the impacts of maintenance related outages.”

MEC keeps a redundant path in place for most instances, allowing field crews to “reroute” power supplies should there be an outage. This was most apparent recently when a massive storm caused a widespread outage in Bullhead City and other nearby communities. Crews were able to reroute some of the feeder lines restoring power to members in a more timely manner despite 140 poles being down throughout the area.

The new transformer also has the capability to allow MEC to monitor the health of the transformer in real time.

Other upgrades to the substation that were performed include: new potential transformers used for metering and relaying; a new upgraded strain bus to accommodate the upgraded transformer; new bypass switches and upgrades to the grounding grid.

Martell said that the existing transformer will be refurbished and stored so that it may be used in the event of a substation transformer failure. “That could be huge for us,” Martell said.

“Instead of waiting for a new transformer to be built, which could take up to a year, and having to push that burden to other substation transformers, via switching, we would have a replacement available.” n OPPOSITE PAGE: MEC and Dielco Crane Service crews measure to check required clearances for the new 37 MVA transformer. BELOW: MEC and Dielco Crane Service crews remove an aging 22 MVA transformer and prepare for the replacement. LEFT: Journeyman Substation Technician Matt Howell conducts his pre-job safety briefing.

PHOTOS BY JOHN C PYNAKKER/MEC

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PLUGGED IN

Should I Change My Charging Habits?

Experts recommend keeping devices charged between 20% and 80% to prolong battery health.

UNSPLASH PHOTO BY DANIEL KORPAI

Four things to know about extending rechargeable battery life

By Paul Wesslund

Many of us are so connected to our phones, tablets and laptops that we panic when batteries near the dreaded zero percent.

We want our batteries to perform well for as long as possible.

But doing what we need to care for them can conflict with why we have our electronics in the first place. The point isn’t to fret about battery life. It’s to do such things as read and send emails, scroll on social media and take photos.

If you ever worry about your device’s power levels, here are a few tips on striking the right balance between battery health and how you work and play.

Keep Your Battery Between 20% and 80% There’s a lot of practical advice around the internet to keep your phone charged between 20% and 80%. To understand those recommendations—and why you might want to follow them or ignore them—it helps to know how rechargeable batteries work.

Up until about 20 years ago, batteries benefited from occasional deep discharges—running the battery down until the device shuts off. Because of different materials used in batteries today, that’s not true anymore.

Rechargeable batteries contain two different materials that produce electricity when particles flow from one to the other.

They flow in the other direction when being recharged. That process degrades any battery over time. Keeping both sides of the battery in balance—with the device charged at about 50%—puts the least stress on the battery and makes it last longer.

But that’s unrealistic. No one keeps their phone half-charged all the time. For optimal battery life, experts try to make it easier by recommending your phone never go below 20% or above 80%.

Overnight Charging Adds Stress to Some Batteries Charging your device up to 100% or letting it completely drain until it shuts down puts extra strain on the battery and can shorten its life. That’s why charging your devices occasionally throughout the day can make sense, rather than keeping them plugged in while you sleep.

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Newer electronics stop charging at 100%. But each time the charge drops to 99%, charging resumes.

Keep Cool But Not Cold One absolute in battery care is not letting your device get warmer than 95 degrees. Keep it out of the sun, and never leave it in a hot vehicle. If the device gets hot, don’t go to the other extreme and put it in the freezer. Place it in the shade or take off the cover for a while.

Use Less Power It sounds simple, but one of the easiest ways to put less stress on the battery is to use less power. You can close energy-draining apps and functions when you are not using them and activate energy-saving settings, such as putting the device to sleep sooner.

Another easy way to reduce battery use is to engage airplane mode occasionally. You may be inconvenienced by a temporary

Charging a device to 100% or letting it drain until it shuts down puts extra stress on the battery and can shorten its life. ADOBE STOCK PHOTO BY MAGRAPHICS

pause on receiving emails or phone calls, but it might help you focus on a movie you are watching, a trail you are hiking or the conversation with your dinner companions.

If you like to exchange electronics every few years for the latest versions, these recommendations likely won’t apply. But if you want your devices to last longer, these suggestions can help prolong battery life. n

Many of us are so connected to our phones, tablets and laptops that we panic when their batteries near the dreaded zero percent.

UNSPLASH PHOTO BY HELENA LOPES

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LEFT: Marilynn Colcord sorts through her Ladies’ Night Out binder, which tracks each fulfilled Reader Exchange request, the names of participants, the date, shipping costs and any correspondence with the recipient.

BELOW and OPPOSITE PAGE: Sissy Bernard’s new button collection in Walla Walla, Washington, began with help from the Ladies’ Night Out group. PHOTOS BY VICKI HILLHOUSE

Sealed With a

Wish

Women’s group unites to grant requests through Reader Exchange column

By Vicki Hillhouse Marilynn Colcord had two instructions for guests at her inaugural Ladies’ Night Out last April: Lean into the good company of friends and bring spare buttons.

The gathering was intended to unite women of all ages in conversation, food and fun in the Eastern Oregon community of Pendleton, where Marilynn retired from work in health care.

The button twist gave it an additional purpose. It answered a call from the Reader Exchange section of this magazine.

A woman in Walla Walla, Washington— about 40 miles north of Marilynn—wanted to kickstart her granddaughter’s button collection. She turned to magazine readers for contributions.

Marilynn didn’t know how many of the women she invited from church would attend, but she anticipated one thing about them.

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“If they’re anything like me, their house is full of stuff,” she recalls thinking before that first meeting.

About 15 people came. They brought so many buttons that Marilynn had to reinforce the bulging shipping box with layers of clear tape to keep it from splitting open in the mail.

Her Ladies’ Night Out gatherings have continued monthly with a mission to grant simple wishes gleaned through Reader Exchange.

The requests long intrigued Marilynn, who receives the magazine through her Tollgate-area family cabin served by Umatilla Electric Cooperative. She figured fulfilling requests would be a simple way to serve and make someone’s day.

Anywhere from eight to 16 women typically attend Ladies’ Night Out— assembling at local restaurants to visit, share recipes or inspirational thoughts, eat together and pool their resources for other

readers in search of broken or unwanted jewelry, fabric scraps, coins, seashells, knitting supplies, books and doll clothes.

Seed money for shipping came from the sale of one participant’s donated jewelry piece.

Each package is sent with a note and the first names of the women who contributed.

Letters of appreciation have come back from places such as Troy, Montana; Sisters, Oregon; and Susanville, California.

“You look at the impact,” Marilynn says. “Somebody, somewhere, feels seen, heard, special and overwhelmed with love.”

In Susanville,

UP CLOSE Tanya Dronoff had requested garden seeds in Reader Exchange and was flooded by responses from Nevada to Alaska, including from the Ladies’ Night Out crew.

“I found it the most touching when I got a plastic tub filled with hand-picked seeds, all placed in jars, wax envelopes and very old paper envelopes that wore the test of time,” Tanya says.

“Some labeled, others a mystery until the spring calls them to life.”

The Ladies’ Night Out group collected everything from herbs and flowers to vegetables. Some seeds came from the backside of an old barn. Some came in a bag wrapped with old twine.

For Marilynn, the offering reinforced that meaningful gifts don’t have to come from a store.

It’s something 6-year-old Sissy Bernard is also learning. At her grandparents’ home in Walla Walla, the button collection that started it all has surpassed 25 pounds.

Weighing the buttons that have come from all over the country— including North Pole, Alaska— has become as much fun as sorting and admiring them.

Sissy’s collection carries on a family tradition, says Grandmother Joyce Dunning.

Sissy’s father has his great-grandmother’s collection. Joyce has her own greatgrandmother’s collection. When Sissy wanted to start collecting, Joyce thought of the Reader Exchange section as a good place to start.

“We thought maybe she’d get 100 buttons,” Joyce says. “Now we think she might have the biggest button collection of any 6-year-old.”

Among her most special pieces is a circular button someone sent from a coat of their son during his time in the U.S. Navy. A person who works in fashion sent

designer buttons. A rainbow-hued hot air balloon button floats in the mix.

With every answered wish, though, the people most rewarded may be the women of Ladies’ Night Out. What started with a call for attendees in church and expanded to friends beyond has drawn a steady group of women of different walks of life and with different needs. For Marilynn, whose home life

focuses on two teen daughters, the group expands her friend circle.

“I needed a closer fellowship with women who support me,” she says.

Others in the group have recently lost spouses or just need a reason to sometimes get out of the house.

“I’m astonished at the laughter,” Marilynn says. “It’s so good to come and laugh with friends.” n

Members of the Ladies’ Night Out group gather to grant wishes. PHOTO COURTESY OF MARILYNN COLCORD

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Members of exclusive club strive to visit every county in the United States

By Pamela A. Keene The son of schoolteachers in Georgia, Rodney Pridgeon spent summers traveling with his family.

“My mom would get out a map and randomly throw a dart somewhere, and that’s where we’d go,” says the Tacoma, Washington, resident. “I guess that was the beginning of my love of traveling.”

After heading to Colorado for his undergraduate degree, then landing in Bellingham, Washington, for graduate school, Rodney settled in Tacoma and began a 29-year career with The Seattle Times in circulation administration. He retired in 2008.

“All along, I always traveled, so when my wife, Paula, told me in 2002 about this crazy group of people whose goals are to travel to every county in the United States, you should have seen the look on my face,” he says. “Then I realized that I was already about one-third of the way there, so I said, ‘Why not?’”

In 2003, Rodney joined the Extra Miler Club and began his quest in earnest, with Paula accompanying him most of the time. By August 2015, he had completed all 3,143 counties, becoming the 52nd completer in the Extra Miler Club.

Another 14 people have since matched that accomplishment, making Rodney one of only 66 people who have reported visiting every county.

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“For me, the journey is about exploration, finding places that are so beautiful and awe-inspiring,” he says. “Many of them draw me back for repeat trips.”

Among his favorites: The Kalaupapa Trail down to Kalawao County in Hawaii to visit a former leper colony on the north

shore of Moloka i Island; Monument Rocks, a natural landmark in Gove County, Kansas; and driving to Deadhorse, Alaska, from Fairbanks—a 900-mile round trip on the Haul Road-Dalton Highway.

“I made the return trip on a donut tire, and I was really happy when I got back to

Rodney Pridgeon marks his visit to the Northwest Arctic Borough.

A Lifetime of Memories In 1980, Stu Stewart started keeping track of every road he had driven. He had no idea then it would lead to membership in the Extra Miler Club.

In June 2018, Stu became the nation’s 59th completer.

“I’ve always tried to drive a different way when I go somewhere, but it wasn’t until 2007 that I heard about a guy who had been to every single county in the U.S.,” says Stu, who lives in Venice, Florida. “It made me think, ‘I wonder how close I am?’ because by that time I’d been marking road atlases to show all the roads I’d traveled for 27 years as an over-the-road truck driver. When I checked back then, I’d already been to somewhere around 1,800 without even trying, so I said, ‘Why not?’”

By the time Stu joined the Extra Miler Club in 2017, he also had worked as a New Mexico state policeman, a drug and alcohol inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration in Texas, and a U.S. Department of Transportation special agent in Wyoming.

Nantucket County, Massachusetts.

Right away, he decided to do it again, this time with a finite deadline.

“I set a goal to finish in three years,” Stu says. “Since I was already in the Northeast, I picked some easy states to start with this time: Delaware with three counties and Rhode Island with five.”

By the end of 2018, he had Valerie Naylor stops in Minnesota. completed 1,208 counties.

The pandemic hindered his travels, but by the end of 2021, Stu had completed all but 22 counties. Skyrocketing gas prices in 2022 caused him to postpone a planned trip to Alaska. He expects to make that trip in 2023.

“I joined because I was interested in other people’s travels,” Stu says, “and I specifically hoped to get information about the best way to complete the county equivalents in Alaska because of the challenges to travel there.”

In addition to his travel by 18-wheeler, Stu and his wife, Donna, journeyed by motor home. Although she died in 2016, he followed through on his commitment to complete the adventure, finishing in

Seeking Personal Satisfaction Valerie Naylor, secretary of The Extra Miler Club, is not surprised that Rodney or Stu would set other travel goals.

“That’s not unusual for some of our completers to repeat their county collecting or set other goals, such as visiting every national park in the nation, going to every baseball stadium or driving all interstate highways,” says Valerie, who joined the club about 20 years ago.

She lives equally in South Dakota, Texas and on the road.

“I’ve been to about 78% of the counties, including those I visited with my parents when I was a kid,” Valerie says. “It was fun to think back to those times, remembering where we’d been and how we got there.

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ADOBE STOCK IMAGES BY KASARP, VISUALMIND AND EPIFANTSEV

within 200 miles of Fairbanks, because then AAA could come and get me,” he says.

Right away, Rodney set another goal: to visit all 423 U.S. National Park units.

So far, he has visited all but six, with plans to complete three more in Alaska, plus American Samoa and Rainbow Bridge in Utah, by early 2023.

“I took a hiatus when Paula passed away in 2019, and now my grandchildren travel with me a great deal,” says 74-yearold Rodney. “I found so many places that are so beautiful to go back to, and there are so many more to visit.”

TIPS FOR STARTING THE ADVENTURE While visiting the nation’s 3,143 counties and county equivalents may seem daunting, it is possible. Here are tips to help you begin.

X Review your travel photos, maps and notes from trips you already have taken, such as family vacations from your childhood. Talk with traveling companions to jog your memory. You can only count counties you are certain you visited.

X Use paper maps of each state rather than atlases to track your travels. Consider using detailed map books, such as Gazetteer.

Mark your routes and add notes. Avoid GPS tracking, which complicates record-keeping.

X Travel by car, truck, train, boat, bicycle or foot. You could in-line skate or skateboard from one county to the next. Because you must be physically present in each county, flyovers do not count. However, landing in an airport does count for the county in which the airport is located.

X Take time to enjoy your travels. Every new county can bring a new discovery, so venture into each one to see what’s there.

Photograph not only what you see, but of you visiting—either with selfies or by asking someone you meet to snap your photo with a good identifiable background.

X Allow extra time for Alaska because of transportation and access challenges.

X As with any travel, let someone know where you are and where you are going.

Have a companion, if possible.

X Although it doesn’t matter where you start, it may matter where you choose to finish. Pick a place where you have someone to celebrate with when you reach your goal.

For more inspiration, join the Extra Miler Club and receive a quarterly newsletter, access the county tracking system and earn certificates for reaching milestones.

Stu Stewart traveled by motor home when not in his 18-wheeler.

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While in Blue Earth, Minnesota—once home to a Green Giant canning plant— Rodney took a photo of the 551/2-foottall Jolly Green Giant statue.

As collectors, we travel by cars, bicycles, trains, planes, hiking and ferries. The one big rule: You cannot fly over a county and claim it.”

Some places are easy to reach. Others are much more difficult.

“Alaska is a large state but only has 30 county equivalents,” Valerie says.

“Accessibility is a real challenge, not only because of the sheer land mass, but also because several places are only accessible by boat or small plane.”

Isn’t there a risk people will fudge?

“Not at all,” she says. “It’s a badge of honor, pride and personal accomplishment to travel to this many counties, no matter how long it takes. There would be no satisfaction in cheating. County baggers are very concerned about accuracy.”

She says anyone with a desire to collect counties or who has specific travel goals can join the Extra Miler Club. There are modest annual dues, a quarterly newsletter and club merchandise, plus access to a private Facebook group.

Extra Milers Keep Moving Marty O’Brien, who lives in Redwood City, California, has collected approximately 2,200 counties so far. He created the Extra Miler Club website and developed a tracking program in 1997 that is used by many members.

“Anyone who joins can sign up and track their counties,” Marty says. “It really makes it easy for people.”

He finds new friends during his travels, including a visit in October 2018 with

Santa—also known as club member Brian Reynolds, who lives in Hastings, Michigan.

“A great thing about the club membership is having friends everywhere you go in the U.S.,” says Marty.

He set a pace of about 100 counties a year, which he says is “a reasonable goal.”

“That’s about three vacations a year,” he says. “It makes life interesting to have a goal, and there’s no judgment about how long it takes to become a completer.”

Valerie, a retired National Park Service ranger and superintendent, travels in a small camper van with her three cats and one dog.

When she first started collecting counties, she says she wasn’t forthcoming about her travel goal.

“It was hard to explain—and it’s kind of a weird hobby—so I didn’t say much about it, but now I do and it’s fun to hear people’s reactions,” Valerie says. “About half the people think it’s silly or crazy and ask me

why I would even do such a thing. Others think it’s really interesting and start asking all kinds of questions.

“It’s a great way to see the country and to encounter people, places and things that you’d never know about otherwise.”

Rodney encourages people who are putting off travel not to wait.

“Just go,” he says. “In 2020, I flatlined for six minutes and woke up in the ICU. After having lost my parents and Paula, it was an even bigger motivation to keep on traveling and enjoying life. After all, you never know when your time will come.”

Valerie notes some people have a wanderlust, while others are creatures of habit who never get too far out of their usual routine.

“For us Extra Milers, it’s all about the adventure,” she says. “Our motto is, ‘The shortest distance between two points is no fun.’ ” n Marty O’Brien, right, meets with Extra Miler Club member Brian Reynolds— known by friends as Santa—during a 2018 trip to Hastings, Michigan.

BY THE NUMBERS Three men founded The Extra Miler Club in 1973: Ed Dietz, who completed the feat in 1976; and Roy Carson and Tony Burdett, who achieved it in 1985. All three are deceased.

The club holds annual meetings around the country: The next one is July 1, 2023, in Denver. If you want to plan ahead, the 2024 meeting is June 29 in Lansing, Michigan; the 2025 meeting will be in June or July in Tulsa, Oklahoma; and the 2026 meeting is July 18 in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Number of completers: 66.

Number of dues-paying club members: approximately 350.

Membership dues: $12 for individuals; $15 for families.

Occupations of members: attorneys, physicians, truck drivers, government employees, retirees and many others—who often are joined by their cats and dogs.

Rodney also visited Alaska’s Kobuk River Delta.

Age range: infants to nonagenarians.

For more information or to join, visit extramilerclub.org.

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IN THE KITCHEN

WARM UP

This Winter Mom’s Vegetable Soup

3 pounds chuck beef, cut into large bite-sized cubes 3 tablespoons vegetable oil Steak seasoning 1 medium onion, chopped 1 cup celery, chopped 3 heaping tablespoons Tones beef seasoning 11 cups water, divided 1 tablespoon dried basil

Recipes by Gertrude Treadaway PHOTO BY KATIE WILCOX

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2 large bay leaves 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, crushed 24 ounces frozen mixed vegetables 12 ounces crinkle-cut carrots 1 cup frozen lima beans 3 cups frozen corn 3 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes 1 14.5-ounce can tomato sauce

Sprinkle beef with steak seasoning. Heat oil on high heat in a large pot. Add meat and brown, turning it as it cooks.

Add onion and celery. Cook until slightly softened. Add beef seasoning and 2 cups of water. Cook for about 45 minutes, until beef is tender. Add remaining ingredients.

Bring to a boil. Turn down heat to medium and cook about 45 minutes.

Remove bay leaves. Add pepper and salt to taste.

You may use fresh vegetables instead of frozen; fresh or dried herbs; and beef broth instead of water.

Southern Hoe Cakes 1 teaspoon vegetable shortening 1 large egg 2 cups enriched self-rising white cornmeal mix

1½ cups buttermilk ¼ cup vegetable oil 1 tablespoon sugar

Add vegetable shortening to a cast-iron skillet on high heat until shimmering. In a large bowl, mix remaining ingredients just until moistened.

Pour batter into small pancakes. Fry until golden brown on each side.

Potato Soup

3 tablespoons butter 1 onion, chopped 2 large carrots, sliced 1 celery stalk, chopped 6 cups chicken broth 2 teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper 1 bay leaf 2 pounds potatoes, peeled and diced 1 cup half-and-half

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, carrots and celery. Cook for 5 minutes. Pour in broth. Season with salt, pepper and bay leaf. Mix in potatoes. Cover. Cook 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender but firm. Remove and discard bay leaf.

Mix in half-and-half until smooth. Use an immersion blender to thicken.

White Chicken Chili

1 tablespoon olive oil 1 medium onion, diced 1 jalapeño, minced 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 garlic clove, minced 2 teaspoons chili powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin

1½ teaspoons salt ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper ½ cup frozen corn kernels Two 15-ounce cans white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 2 cups chicken broth ¼ cup heavy cream

In a soup pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and jalapeño. Cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add chicken. Cook until it is lightly browned on the outside and no longer pink on the inside, about 5 minutes.

Add garlic and spices. Turn chicken a few times to coat evenly. Add corn, beans and chicken broth. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 20 minutes.

Use an immersion blender or the back of a spoon to break up some of the beans to help thicken the chili. Stir in the cream.

Corn and Poblano Chowder 2 cans sweet corn 2 poblano peppers, seeded and diced 4 scallions, thinly sliced 4 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons flour 1½ to 2 pounds baby Yukon gold potatoes, quartered 1½ cups milk

2½ cups water 1 tablespoon vegetable stock concentrate or bouillon 2 to 3 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning 4 tablespoons cream cheese Salt and pepper, to taste

Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the poblano and scallion whites. Save the greens for topping.

Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes. Add flour; cook until lightly browned.

Slowly stir in milk, water, potatoes, stock concentrate and Old Bay Seasoning. Bring to a boil. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

Reduce heat to low. Mash potatoes with potato masher until desired consistency. Stir in the cream cheese and corn until chowder is thick and creamy. Season before serving.

Deer Chili

2 15-ounce cans light red 2 pounds ground venison kidney beans, rinsed and 1 onion, chopped drained 1 jalapeño, seeded and 6 tablespoons chili powder chopped 3 teaspoons salt 1 garlic clove, chopped 2 teaspoons cumin 1 tablespoon 1 teaspoon black pepper Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper 4 cups water 2 28-ounce cans petite diced Shredded cheddar cheese tomatoes, undrained Sour cream 2 15-ounce cans dark red Green onions, chopped kidney beans, rinsed and Cilantro drained Saltines

In a large Dutch oven, brown venison; drain grease.

Add onion, jalapeño and garlic. Cook for a few minutes.

Add Worcestershire sauce and red wine vinegar. Cook another minute. Add water, tomatoes and beans. Stir. Add chili powder, salt, cumin, black pepper, garlic powder and cayenne pepper. Stir well; bring to a boil.

Turn down heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve with cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onion, cilantro and saltines.

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READER EXCHANGE Books/Magazines

Music

A friend of mine had two little boys hit by a drunk driver.

“Readers Digest” put their story in the January 1995 issue. My friend had a copy until his trailer flooded. If anyone has a copy of that issue and you’re willing to part with it, I would really appreciate it if you could mail it to me. It would really mean a lot to my friend. I will reimburse postage if necessary. Thanks in advance.

I used to play the piano and lost it in a fire, along with my music.

I recently acquired a piano, but don’t have any music. I was wondering if anyone would share sheet music with me. Thank you.

Lori Brunes P.O. Box 18 Crescent, OR 97733

Crafts/Hobbies Wanting costume jewelry and the like, and old recipe books. I love older things to comfort me. Surprise me and make me smile.

Older garden seeds are still accepted and paid forward.

Tanya Dronoff P.O. Box 270693 Susanville, CA 96127

Milestones My mother recently moved to a retirement home in Eugene after more than 50 years living in Texas. She’s turning 87 in January, and I wanted to help welcome her to the neighborhood and make her first birthday in Oregon a memorable one. I think she’d be amazed and surprised to receive welcome notes and birthday cards. Her address is Barbara Boyden, 455 Alexander Loop, Apt. 328, Eugene, OR 97401. We would be so grateful for your help in welcoming her.

Lynn Boyden Eugene, Oregon

Please help our mother celebrate her 92nd birthday in January.

Receiving birthday cards from each of you would put a big smile on her face and brighten her life. Thank you in advance for your thoughtfulness. Please mail to Beverly Carlson, 224 240th St. SW, Bothell, WA 98021.

Christine Tennant La Pine, Oregon

My aunt Ruth Payte will be 100 years young in mid-January. Her mind is as sharp as it was when she was 20. She drove a school bus until she was 83 years old. She has lived most of her life working and enjoying beach walks, shell collecting and seafood in Rhode Island. She would be delighted to receive cards with notes about yourself for her birthday. Please sent them to Ruth Payte, c/o Brookdale Senior Living, 1959 Kingston Road, Kingstown, RI 02879.

Patti Luchte Lenore, Idaho

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Aneita Chase 29759 Coyote Creek Lane Culdesac, ID 83524

Thanks I want to thank those who responded to our ad for advice, books, activities, etc., for our homeschool this year. We’ve had so many responses and gifts sent to us, we are so thankful and feel blessed.

Please know we truly are thankful.

The Mills family Sandpoint, Idaho

Thank you to the more than 380 kind people who sent birthday cards and wonderful greetings to my mom, Eleene Gorman. It was so very special.

Joanne Sexton Fairbanks, Alaska

I would like to thank all the generous people who have donated yarn for my project. Your kindness, warm words and thoughtfulness are greatly appreciated. Every little skein of yarn will go a long way.

A special thank you to Julia W. You are truly amazing.

L. Hargett Harrisburg, Oregon

Submitting Requests Is Free

Send your request—no attachments, please—to readerexchange@ruralite.org or mail to Reader Exchange, 5625 NE Elam Young Parkway, Suite 100, Hillsboro, OR 97124.

Fill in the subject line with Reader Exchange. Acceptance, scheduling and editing are at the editor’s discretion. Single requests only, please. No duplicates.

Submissions are handled first-come, first-served as space allows. We cannot honor every request.

Please affirm you have authorization from all appropriate parties before submitting. By submitting, you indemnify Reader Exchange, Pioneer Utility Resources Inc., its officers, directors, employees, utility clients and insurers from all legal liability incurred by the publication of information.

We no longer accept pen pal requests. You may submit a pen pal request as a Marketplace ad. Marketplace pricing applies.

When submitting a milestone request, please send it at least two months before the milestone.

Phone numbers will not be published. Email addresses will be published if part of the ad, but you must include a postal address.

Requests must include the name and address of the electric utility that provides your magazine.

“I haven’t been this excited since I got my first bicycle!”

Introducing

ZOOMER!

The portable, folding, battery-powered chair that offers easy one-handed operation Remember when you were a child and got your first bicycle? I do. It gave me a sense of independence . . .

I felt like I could go anywhere, and it was so much easier and more enjoyable than walking. Well, at my age, that bike wouldn’t do me much good. Fortunately, there’s a new invention that gives me the freedom and independence to go wherever I want . . . safely and easily.

It’s called the Zoomer, and it’s changed my life.

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My Zoomer is a delight to ride! It has increased my mobility in my apartment, my opportunities to enjoy the out-of-doors, and enabled me to visit the homes of my children for longer periods of time.

The various speeds of it match my need for safety, it is easy to turn, and I am most pleased with the freedom of movement it gives me.

Sincerely, A. Macon, Williamsburg, VA After just one trip around your home in the Zoomer, you’ll marvel at how easy it is to navigate. It is designed to maneuver in tight spaces like doorways, between furniture, and around corners. It can go over thresholds and works great on any kind of floor or carpet. It’s not bulky or cumbersome, so it can roll right up to a table or desk– there’s no need to transfer to a chair. Its sturdy yet lightweight aluminum frame makes it durable and comfortable. Its dual motors power it at up to 3.7 miles per hour and its automatic electromagnetic brakes

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ADVENTURE AWAITS

See rock tower out of the ground in Utah at

Delicate Arch

What Is It? Encompassing a gap 46 feet high and 32 feet wide, Delicate Arch is one of Utah’s state symbols. One of more than 2,000 arches in Arches National Park, Delicate Arch has had many different names, including Salt Wash Arch, Cowboy Chaps and Old Maid’s Bloomers.

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A Big Arch Delicate Arch is the largest freestanding arch in the park. To get the best views, you need to get out of your car. Two short walks to see the arch are the lower and upper viewpoints, which require a 100-yard and half-mile walk, respectively. Some visitors may want to make the difficult 3.5-mile hike up to the arch itself.

How Did It Happen?

Arches National Park has large amounts of sandstone, and the makeup of the sandstone varies.

Sandstone is porous and allows water to flow through it. Various parts of the landscape allow water through differently, meaning it erodes at different speeds. Arches remain standing while their centers wash away.

Take a Picture, It May Last Longer The erosion that forms arches is still happening, meaning new arches will form as old ones fall. Wall Arch, which had spanned 74 feet, fell in August 2008, startling those camping in nearby campsites.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NATIONAL PARK SERVICE PHOTO/NEAL HERBERT

More Information To start planning your trip, visit www.nps.gov/arch or call 435-719-2299.

THE GREAT PICTURE HUNT

Snow-frosted rolls of corn stalks cover a northeast Iowa hillside while waiting to be picked up after winter’s first snowfall. PHOTO BY DAVE LABELLE

New Year, New Beginnings “If we make it through December Everything’s gonna be all right, I know It’s the coldest time of winter And I shiver when I see the falling snow.”

These first lines from the late Merle Haggard’s song embody what a lot of people feel, especially if it has been a rough year.

Though December and winter are literal times of year, they can be metaphors for our lives.

When the calendar turns to January, there is renewed hope for a better year and new opportunities to make photos the other seasons do not provide.

A friend of mine who is experiencing homelessness reminded me it is all a matter of attitude. “You have to put on your perspectacles,” he said.

There is no better time than during or after a long winter.

For photographers, winter 22

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is a magical time when nature undresses before our eyes, revealing raw shapes of twisting tree trunks and curved arms reaching upward. Light and dark contrasts are everywhere, allowing us to see figures and shapes more clearly.

Skies are bluer, landscapes whiter and fields grayer. Softer, subtler, monochromatic scenes abound. We see things summer leaves hide, such as blocked views of mountains or lakes.

Bleached winter backgrounds after a fresh snowfall are nature’s white backdrops for portraits.

There are plenty of crazy things humans do to usher in a new year: pulling a fluffy rodent out of a man-made tree stump on a frigid hillside in Pennsylvania; stripping down and leaping into icy waters in

polar plunges; or joining the thousands festively packed together in New York’s Times Square to watch a ball drop.

For me, the new year is a time of reflection and thanksgiving for the gift of the past year and hope for doing it better with whatever time I have left. The longer I live, the more I learn not to assume anything, especially the days I am given.

Recently, I interviewed a veteran who was 99 years old. His hope was to celebrate his 100th birthday on December 11.

Bill died two days after I interviewed him, less than six weeks before he would have seen the century mark.

This quieter season allows me to slow down and see things uncovered, in my life and in nature. n

NIKON D800, 180mm lens ISO 100, f/9 at 1/1000 Renowned author, photographer and lecturer Dave LaBelle has captured special moments for more than half a century. For more of his writings, visit davidlabelle.com and bridgesandangels.wordpress.com.

Reader Challenge Embrace 2023 with photographic joy. Identify places and things that happen only in January or early February, before trees and plants color the landscape.

Take a quiet, snowy walk with your camera and discover beautiful, uncluttered, still-life scenes, or attend a New Year’s tradition.

Whatever you do, make a resolution to get out and make pictures.

Email your best image (just one, please) with caption information, including an explanation of how it affects you, to GPH@pur.coop.

We may share submissions on our website and social media channels.

This Is How You Walk the Walk Comfort and class go hand in hand with our Walking Stick Collection. Yours for ONLY $59 each!

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hey call walking the “perfect exercise.” It gets your heart pumping, clears your head and fills your lungs with fresh air. Not bad, but we found a way to make it even better. Before you take your next 10,000 steps, add a little strut to your stroll. Take a Stauer Walking Stick anywhere and I promise that you’ll feel like a conquering hero. Heads will turn. Doors will open. Its powers will astound you.

What’s the secret? Pure class. Our Stauer Walking Sticks are a tip of the top hat to turn-of-the-century tradition.

Today these tributes to a gentleman’s power, prestige, and posture are fetching as much as $200,000 at auction. But only Stauer can deliver a modern version of these vintage classics that looks and feels as good as the original for only $59 each!

Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. Experience the comfort and class of our exquisite Walking Sticks for 30 days. If you’re not feeling the power and prestige, simply send it back within 30 days for a refund of the item price.

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Limited Edition. Only 500 each WALKING STICKS available for this ad only! These “An excellent walking handcrafted beauties take months to stick. Solid and elegant. craft and are running (not walking) Perfect for a night out. out the door. So, take a step in the Well crafted.”

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MOHAVE ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Operation

Cool Shade

When members spend time outdoors in the summer heat, having shade to feel cooler is always a hot commodity, or cool commodity in this case. Although temperatures are the same in the shade, people will feel at least 10 degrees cooler. The same could be said about preventing direct sunlight into your home, which lowers the outside wall temperature.

Operation Cool Shade trees enhance the look of your home and yard while saving energy dollars. Shading your home can reduce cooling costs up to 20% in just a few years and the energy not being consumed is also better for the environment.

“Operation Cool Shade also helps our members save on energy costs during those summer months. The shading from Cool Shade trees acts as a barrier from the sun and lowers a home’s heat gain,” said Julia Garringer, energy management specialist with Mohave Electric Cooperative.

MEC’s popular Operation Cool Shade event sold out of our record 2,100 trees for a second year in a row. Tree pickup took place in Bullhead City at the Anderson Auto Group Fieldhouse on Saturday, November 12 and in Kingman at the Pinon Pine Fire Department on Saturday, November 19.

This year, a new vendor was selected, and four new trees were available for purchase by members for $9 each, which included a complimentary LED bulb. As with previous years, MEC employees have been working closely with the University of Arizona Mohave County Cooperative Extension Bullhead City Master Gardeners to determine suitable trees for a desert environment. The shade trees chosen this year were the Lionetti Live Oak, Desert Willow ‘Sweet Bubba Seedless’, Desert Willow ‘Bubba Jones’, and Vitex ‘Shoal Creek.’. The Bullhead City Master Gardeners are available for advice on how to plant the Operation

Bullhead City Mayor Steve D’Amico (center) joins Mohave Electric Board of Directors (L to R) Deborah Johnson, Joe Solar, Mike Bartelt and Joe Anderson at the annual Operation Cool Shade event.

PHOTO BY JOHN C. PYNAKKER/MEC

Cool Shade Trees at 928-753-3788.

Those considering purchasing shade trees next year should create a landscaping plan. Ensure that you have enough space to plant at least three trees so that they may provide enough shade to shield your home on the west, south or east side. Before you plant, it is important that all members call Arizona 811 at (800) 782-5348 or go online at arizona811.com to create a ticket.

Arizona 811 will notify utility locators to mark the placement of underground utility wires and pipes where you plan to plant trees.

Never plant trees where their growth will interfere with overhead power lines. A good rule to follow is, at maturity, the trunk and branches of trees should be at least 15 feet away from overhead power lines. In addition, be mindful to plant 15 feet from driveways, patios, sidewalks and block walls.

For complete details on Operation Cool Shade or for information on next years event, please visit MEC’s website for any event updates. n

JA N UA RY 2 0 2 3

25

MARKETPLACE Agriculture

Reinforced custom-sized pond liners (35 cents/sqft). Hay covers, greenhouse covers, any width & length. Truck tarps & more.

High puncture & tear strength. Best price guaranteed. Celebrating 41 years in business. www.btlliners.com; 541-447-0712. 0423 4x5 round bales, Meadow Foxtail Orchard Grass. 4x4 Timothy, small square. 208-435-4637 or 208-435-4002. nas@cpcinternet.com. 1223 Antiques and Collectibles Vintage movie posters, mostly old Westerns from the ’30s-’60s in good condition. Starting at $45. Email me to request a list at electricsignlady@yahoo.com or call 702-234-3866. 0123 Books, Magazines, Videos Book restoration. Bibles, cookbooks, cherished family heirlooms. Beautiful work. We give renewed life, more durable than original, to last for generations. 775-537-7066; salacanstudio@gmail.com. 0123AR Business Opportunities Feeling the pinch of higher gas and groceries?

Our wholesale online company can save you money and gas. Text 208-400-0013 or visit www.familyandanimalwellness.com. 0123AR Dayville Cafe, highly reputable & established.

Prime opportunity to be your own boss. Near John Day Fossil Bed National Monuments. $259,000. Duke Warner Realty, 541-987-2363, ddwr@ortelco.net. 0123 Community Events 7th Annual Fiber Arts & Jewelry Exhibit, February 3-March 25, 2023, at Art Center East in La Grande, OR. Submission deadline: January 28. artcentereast.org. 0123 Free Items Church, government uniting, suppressing “religious liberty,” enforcing National Sunday Law. Be informed. Need mailing address only.

TBS, P.O. Box 374, Ellijay, GA 30540. 888-2111715; thebiblesaystruth@yahoo.com. 0223AR Miscellaneous Local commercial fisherman sells summer catch gourmet canned tuna on internet September-June. 100% guaranteed the best canned tuna you ever tasted. 206-799-1082; twofisherstuna.com. 0123 Granite cemetery markers at affordable prices. Will ship to most places. Please call Joe at 541-815-8906 for more info. www. highdesertmemorials.com & hdmemorials@ bendbroadband.com. 0423

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Quick, Affordable: How to Place an Ad

Ads 25 words or fewer are $35 a month. An extended ad of up to 35 words is $50 a month. Contact information is included in the word count.

Longer ads may be placed. Contact 503-357-2105 or info@pioneer.coop for pricing information.

Ads are for customers of member co-ops, PUDs and municipals only.

Subscribers and nonmembers may inquire about pricing at 503-357-2105 or info@pioneer.coop.

Ads must be direct and in first person, and are subject to approval and editing.

Closing deadlines (in our office): March issue—January 31, 2022.

If submitting ad by mail, send appropriate payment with your name, address, email, phone number and the name of the electric utility that provides your magazine to: Marketplace, P.O. Box 1306, North Plains, OR 97133. Make check or money order payable to Ruralite.

We accept credit card payments for ads submitted by email. Send ad to info@pioneer.coop.

Call 503-357-2105 to pay by credit card.

Advertisements are accepted in good faith. Pioneer Utility Resources is not liable for interactions between buyers and sellers.

Two internment lots, 34D & 34E, Palm Eastern Cemetery in the Garden of Hope, Las Vegas, NV. For full information, call 208-262-8109.

0123 Pets, Supplies AKC-registered Belgian Malinois. Out of titled dogs. Mahogany and blacks. Call for info: 509308-6335. 0123 AKC-registered Labrador retriever puppies.

For pics and more info: 509-308-6335. 0123 Aussie/Heller puppies, $500. Tri-colored Australian shepherd stud service. Beaver, OR. sjmaklein@frontier.com; 503-664-3144 or 971409-6694. 0123 Stud service for mini Australian shepherd.

Photos available. Crescent Lake, OR. Liz Sanders, 360-901-1291. 0223 AKC-registered Airedales. Fort Sage Kennels, Patricia Sharp, P.O. Box 246, Doyle, CA 96109; 530-827-2271. 0323 Real Estate Let me help you buy or sell ranch, farm & recreation property in Oregon. Fourthgeneration Oregonian, ranch owner. For sale: central OR 2-acre parcel, $649K. John Gill, 541-480-9161; johngill@landandwildlife.com.

Land And Wildlife brokerage. 0123

See our properties at OregonRiverRealty. com. We advertise in 48 states, not just MLS listings. If you have questions, how to get property ready, what to fix, etc., we help you buy or sell, call a “REAL” estate person.

We have a referral network. Don’t leave $$money$$ on the table, call James 541-4800212. Email: OregonRiverRealtor@gmail.com.

40 acres, secluded. All utilities. Nevada. Call Dean Hale, 626-358-5091. Leave message.

0123 Recreational Rentals Wavecatcher: Oceanfront. Central Oregon coast. $140/night mid-Oct to mid-May; $175/ night mid-May to mid-Oct (plus cleaning/tax).

Three rooms w/double beds/futons. Pets welcome. Visit wavecatcherbeachrentals.com; reservations: 541-740-9953. Closed this November-February. 0123AR Bend country cabin. Very clean & fully furnished cabin on private ranch. Close to recreation areas. Very nice. $95/night.

541-382-3050; bendcountrycabins@gmail.com.

0223

Your ad could be here in March.

See instructions above for details on how to place an ad.

Swaps, Trades ADOBE STOCK IMAGE BY ANASTASIA IZOFATOVA

Trade - Real Estate, 2-bed, 2-bath, 2-car garage on two lots in Baker City, OR. Trading for a house in Payette, ID, of equal value. 541-4068902. 0223 Want to Buy Cash paid for old gas station and oil company signs, pumps, globes, metal oil cans. Good condition. Discreet cash settlement. Clifton Jones, collector. 512-413-4459. 0523 Buying old California Indian baskets, Navajo blankets and rugs & old jewelry, old beadwork, etc. Also, signed paintings of the American West & abstract artists. One piece or collections. ’60s muscle car or ?, send photos. 760-409-3117; amer.ind.baskets@gmail.com. 0123 Gold, silver, coins/currency, buy, sell.

Collections wanted. Fair prices paid. 43 yrs in retail store. Baker City, OR. 800-556-2133; garrymclin@aol.com. Will travel. 1023 Wanted: vintage wristwatches, pocket watches, watch collections, watchmakers’ estates, etc.

Call 541-760-1050. Please leave a message if I don’t answer. Will travel. Thank you. 0323 Old carpenter tools, planes (wood/metal), levels, chisels, slicks, adzes, axes, hatchets, handsaws, old rulers, spoke shaves, wrenches, shipwright tools, old tool chests. 503-659-0009 or 971-666-0659. 0123 Wanted: muscle cars ’66 to ’70 Camaros, Chevelles, etc. Running or not, project cars.

Please contact Brian, 203-496-6297. Will handle all shipping. brtservicesllc@gmail.com. 0123 Wanted: C1 Corvette. ’58-’62. Finished car, no projects. Prefer manual transmission. Will pay for quality. Call or text Randy, 503-544-3807.

0323

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Who can resist the aroma of homemade bread baking in the oven?

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TO ORDER BY MAIL: Submit payment with cookbook title, your name, address and number of cookbooks wanted to: Ruralite Cookbooks P.O. Box 1306 North Plains, OR 97133

TO PAY BY PHONE: Call 503-357-2105 for credit card payments with Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express.

TO ORDER ONLINE: Visit www.ruralite.org.

Please allow two to three weeks for delivery.

JA N UA RY 2 0 2 3

27

Generosity Is a Year-Round

Arizona Generation and Transmission Cooperatives supports community organizations and youth

J.D. Wallace, AzGT’s communications, social media and marketing administrator, presents $10,000 to Cochise College Foundation Executive Director Denise Hoyos.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ARIZONA GENERATION AND TRANSMISSION COOPERATIVES

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Tradition

By J.D. Wallace

From donating to the local food bank to contributing toys to a family in need, acts of generosity often increase at the holidays. However, supporting those in need and helping people who are working to improve their lives are year-round efforts for Arizona Generation and Transmission Cooperatives—the power generation, transmission, and energy services provider for much of rural Arizona.

Donation matching by CoBank—a cooperative lender—and the initiative of employees extend AzGT’s influence from its home base in Benson.

“I was thrilled to be able to raise the donations for the Ronald McDonald House because of the wonderful way they give back, not just to this community but to anyone who has a child in the hospital for life-threatening issues,” says Rebel Jones, AzGT auxiliary operator III. He and his wife, Jessica, raised $500 for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern Arizona with the help of their friends and family. AzGT continued its annual sponsorship of the charity through El Tour de Tucson, an annual bike race in November.

Ronald McDonald House Charities provides a place for families to stay while their children receive medical treatment in Tucson. The families who receive free room and board must be from outside the Tucson metropolitan area and at least 30 miles from the Ronald McDonald House,

which means supporting the charity supports the needs of families from many communities AzGT serves.

“My sister-in-law and her family stayed there while my oldest niece was going through cancer treatment for leukemia,” Rebel says. “I am sure that having a place to stay while a child is going through treatment is a worry best not having.”

CoBank’s Sharing Success program continues to help cooperatives such as AzGT maximize the impact of contributions to organizations that support the economic and educational growth of rural communities.

Matching donations of $2,500 to Willcox Theater and Arts have helped it continue to offer STEAM programs—science, technology, engineering, arts and math— to local youth the past several years. The organization continues to expand its arts and culture programs. Its Matinee My Way program provides families of children with autism an opportunity to view firstrun movies in a sound-down, lights-up atmosphere to accommodate the children’s needs.

Through AzGT, the Sharing Success program continues to help Cochise County high school graduates and nontraditional students pursue professional opportunities at Cochise Community College.

Matching donations of $5,000 from AzGT and CoBank to Cochise College Foundation provide scholarships for students seeking professional development while also improving the local workforce

ARIZONA G&T COOPERATIVES

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: AzGT, Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative and ACES present checks totaling $20,000 to Benson schools to buy equipment for a robotics program as part of its STEM curriculum. PHOTO COURTESY OF ERIC PETERMANN, SULPHUR SPRINGS VALLEY ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE Rebel Jones, AzGT auxiliary operator III, and his wife, Jessica, prepare for the 32-mile El Tour de Tucson. The couple raised $500 for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern Arizona. J.D. presents $5,000 to Willcox Theater and Arts Director of Operations Gary Clement, thanks to CoBank’s Sharing Success matching donation program.

and the economy.

The donation also gets AzGT employees involved in the Pathway to $150k Virtual Run/Walk/Cycle. Participants register on an app to log their miles throughout the month of March, which also promotes daily activity.

“Arizona G&T’s support of scholarships through the Cochise College Foundation demonstrates its commitment to investing in education and improving the quality of life for Cochise County students, their families, and their communities,” says Denise Hoyos, executive director of the Cochise College Foundation. “Between eight and 20 local students will benefit from the senior or nontraditional student scholarships they will receive to enhance their education and pursue their potential.”

For years, AzGT has recognized the needs of teachers as they improve the quality of education in their communities.

The Cochise Education Foundation provides a Teacher of the Year Award

and offers classroom mini-grants to help educators fund projects or trips they might otherwise have to cover with their own money. AzGT has supported the foundation for years. In 2022, it found a unique opportunity with the Cochise County Sheriff ’s Assist Team by donating $5,000 that was doubled by the team’s annual poker run fundraiser.

Cochise Education Foundation will receive more support this year not only for its regular programs but for training opportunities for educators in rural communities.

“AzGT and CoBank have been a part of our Cochise County family and have always been a great support and encourager to our community, especially to our educators,” says Jacqui Clay, Cochise County school superintendent.

A unique opportunity to support education presented itself when Benson Unified School District needed help starting a robotics program. At the heart

of AzGT’s operations is STEM—science, technology, engineering and math.

AzGT donated $10,000, which was matched by a combination of member Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative donating $6,000 and energy trading cooperative ACES—which has its Western Regional Trading Center at AzGT’s Benson campus—adding $4,000. The program is expected to begin in fall 2023.

Organizations such as Northern Cochise County Seniors in Need and the Benson Area Food Bank continue to be mainstay holiday traditions for giving at AzGT. Throughout the year, a variety of athletic groups request support, and graduating seniors from each of four nearby high schools receive scholarships each May. While AzGT has become known for its generosity and support in the community, it continues to seek new ways to make the giving go further and to make the most of precious resources in a time when they are needed most. n JA N UA RY 2 0 2 3

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BEFORE YOU GO

The ‘R’ Word While making—and breaking—New Year’s resolutions may seem like a tale as old as time, the practice began some 4,000 years ago, rooted in the religious pledges of ancient Babylonians to behave in the year ahead. Ancient Romans and early Christians followed suit, again with a resolve to do better.

Today, many of us make promises to ourselves. Then, like our ancient brethren, we fail to keep them.

Modern research shows eight in 10 will quit their resolutions within 30 days. Ouch.

The internet is flowing with advice about how to stay on track. What follows is guidance from your pals here at the magazine, specifically from those two in 10 people who beat the odds and succeeded last year.

• Set attainable goals. Losing 50 pounds sounds like a lot, because it is. However, 10 pounds is much more doable. If you end up going beyond that, you have the added satisfaction that comes from overachieving.

• You will learn the year as it goes along, so leave room for grace. Be OK with changing goals if the year is not what you thought it would be.

• Adopt Jon Acuff ’s philosophy of “I want to be better today than I was yesterday, and I want to repeat that process tomorrow.”

Focusing on habits instead of hard goals keeps one from striving for perfectionism, which can be a productivity killer.

• Be careful not to overfill your days or weeks. Leave room to think and dream.

• Write down as many goals as you can, but only pick the top ones for the year. It will give you a starting point next time, or if you need to swap a goal because life changed, it will be quicker.

• Find an online or local group related to your goals for shared accountability, learning from one another, motivation and fellowship.

• Instead of thinking about losing weight, focus on eating habits and exercise.

• Track your progress and celebrate the milestones. Progress over perfection.

Happy 2023. Let the adventure of a new year—with all its promise—begin. n

For a fuller history of resolutions, visit www.history.com/news/the-history-of-new-years-resolutions.

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SHEEPSKIN SLIPPERS ON SALE!

We’ve had a busy year at HIGH PLAINS SHEEPSKIN, making and shipping thousands of these great slippers to people in all 50 states. We have some overstock, so we’re putting them on Sale for about 15% off. Our durable hard sole sheepskin slippers are now $75.00, sheepskin soled $65.00. Sales price January 15 through February 28 only. Sizes and colors may be limited. Shipping rates apply (call to inquire if ordering by mail).

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JA N U A RY 2 023

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13912 - AZ - Mueller Build Dream - Red Building.indd 1

10/26/22 3:38 PM

AZ-146 Postmaster: Send address changes to Currents, 5625 NE Elam Young Pkwy. Ste. 100, Hillsboro, OR 97124 P.O. Box 22530 Bullhead City, AZ 86439 Member Services: 928-763-1100 Outage Reporting: Toll free 844-632-2667 or text “outage” to 55050 from the phone number linked to your MEC account. mohaveelectric.com

Mohave Electric Cooperative Board of Directors President Joe Anderson Vice President Deborah Johnson Secretary Toni Barbaro Treasurer Rich Tempelman Michael Bartelt Cindy Christy John Nelssen Kevin Nestrick Jose “Joe” Solar

A Message from the CEO

2022 Reflections From the staff, board members and management at Mohave Electric Cooperative, I would like to wish everyone a happy and prosperous 2023!

The past year has been a good one for MEC. Despite the economy, MEC has been able to keep your rates low and with a pending rate case, we look to drop the energy costs for most MEC members even more. That, while working on maintaining a high standard of reliability.

We have been able to accomplish this with a progressive approach at purchasing power as well as diversifying our energy portfolio to include Tyler Carlson more renewable energy sources.

Reliability is a main focus for MEC, and nothing shows our commitment to reliability more than the way our staff reacted to the storm damage in September. But, to maintain that reliability we must continue to look to the future. That’s why we recently changed out a transformer in Mohave Valley. You can read all about it on pages 4-5 of this issue.

We also recently completed another very successful “Operation Cool Shade”. You can read about that in this issue as well, but over the course of a few hours, our staff and volunteers helped pass out the record 2,100 shade trees that were purchased this year. These trees help shade homes and help keep money in your pockets by saving energy.

I, along with our board of directors, look forward to the upcoming year. We have several projects in the works including two solar/battery projects totaling over 32 megawatts and 60MWH in storage for early in 2023. These projects again help diversify our energy portfolio, but also give MEC options in times of energy cost spikes.

Our pole hardening program also continues with key-positioned wooden poles being replaced with steel and concrete poles.

What’s Happening

CEO

Tyler Carlson

h January 2–Office Closed for New Year’s Day h January 31–February 3–Making Accidents Disappear Electrical Magic Safety Show h February 20–Office Closed for President’s Day h March 10–12–Join MEC at Tri-State Home & Garden Show

Mohave Electric crews unload new steel poles in preparation for installation as part of the pole hardening program.

PHOTO BY ROB FREDERICK/MEC

MEC IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PROVIDER & EMPLOYER

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