May 2024

CURRENT LIGHT

FLASHES

P.O. Box 127 Graceville, FL 32440-0127

West Florida Electric, Your Touchstone Energy Cooperative

James & Son Tree and Crane Service Insured and Reasonable

850-272-3620 ◄

Free Estimates

DUPONT•

Authorized Agent

Specialist at Removing Hazardous Trees • Land Clearing • Stump Grinding • Forestry Mulching • Debris Removal

A Afr.lSTFAfO MFMflfA OF THf

AUTO GLASS

SAFETY COUNCIL-

• Any Glass • Any Vehicle

WISEFLYAUTOGLASS.COM

Debbie Roney Smith Call or text: (850) 209-8039

LIC#SL642701

“Be SOLD with American Gold”

“I List - I Sell” Full Time Realtor Since 1996 4420 Lafayette St., Marianna, FL 32446

www.realtordrs.com • debson1999@gmail.com

Mold Removal Remodels Water Damage Additions Fire Damage New Construction

Avoid Mail Delays & Late Fees Pay a Different Way Page 8

INSIDE ...

24 Hour Emergency Response

Don’t Delay, Update Today ...pg. 3

CBC1255149, CCC1330340, MRSR9

HWY. 77 BINGO, INC.

Lowman Energy Center Will Help WFEC Stay Reliable for Years ...pgs. 5-6

(850) 263-7788

Paper Only Bingo. Located across the street from Graceville High School.

Open 6 days a week. Closed Tuesdays. Session at 7:30 nightly. $50 payouts before & after session. Pull tab games up to $1,000!

Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays: All session games pay $250!

Saturdays 7 Sundays: Jackpot games @ 4-5-6-7-9 & 10 PM Double Action Mini-Session at 4:00 PM

Mondays & Wednesdays: T-shirt night

ISSUE MAY 2024

Read Online www.WestFlorida.coop

VOL 74, NO 5

Diagnosing & Mitigating Blinks

...pg. 7

Special Needs Registry Program

...pg. 10

Fish & Game Forecast

...pg. 11

Local Classifieds

...pgs. 13-14

CURRENT LIGHT

FLASHES

USPS: 702-990 | ISSN: 1042-7767 | VOL 74, NO 5

Current Light Flashes is the official voice of West Florida Electric Cooperative Association, Inc., a member-owned Touchstone Energy® cooperative serving Calhoun, Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties. It is published as a service to the Co-op’s members. Periodicals postage is paid at Graceville, Florida.

WFEC Board of Trustees

David

TATUM District 1

Jackie

POOSER District 3

Tim

ALFORD District 2

L-R: Helen Davis, Manager, Accounting; Sharon Curry, Manager, Member Services - Sneads & Graceville; Keith Varnum, Manager, Engineering; and Will Melton, Manager, Operations & Construction, Sneads.

Not pictured, Terry Mullen, Manager of Marketing & Communications.

We’re preparing for hurricane season - are you? “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail,” Benjamin Franklin. Members of WFEC’s managment team recently attended a statewide hurricane meeting with Florida’s 18 other electric cooperatives.

Attendees heard from sister co-ops about challenges & lessons learned from Hurricane Idalia, which helps us discover ways to improve our ever-evolving storm plan.

SURGE PROTECTION

Sign up today!

Take the STRIKE out of lightning!

Experience peace of mind knowing that your home & appliances are protected from power surges.

John

ADAMS District 4

Middlebrooks Contractors, Inc. Serving the Area for Over 60 Years Septic Tank Service, Installation & Repair • Mobile Home Pads • Land Clearing • Excavation • Dirt • Rock • Culverts Rent-All • We have everything you need! Equipment Rentals, Tractors, Trenchers, Etc.

Ph: (850) 547-3658

Plumbing • Electrical • Licensed & Insured

Lease for just $4.25/month!

Free Installation if you sign up from May 1-May 31, 2024 David

George Clayton

District 5 / Vice President

District 6

CORBIN

Randy

BUSH

District 7 / Secretary-Treasurer

OWENS

Just say, "Add it to my bill!"

Turning 65? New to the Area? Medicaid Eligible?

Call Me. I’m Local.

Licensed/Certified/Dependable/Helpful

Joe E.

RONE

District 8 / President

Melonie Wood (850) 658-2635 Myron

HUDSON District 9

Shawn

WALLING

Executive VP/CEO

FL Lic.# W489703 Al Lic.# 300759370

Call for a FREE consulation regarding the new medicare plans/ more benefits/larger physician networks/larger drug formulary

Over 200 carriers: Cigna/Aetna/Humana/United Healthcare/WellCare/Blue Cross-Blue Shield/AIG/ Mutual of Omaha/Allianz/Athene/Silac/Americo

Medicare/Long Term Care/Final Expense & Life Insurance/Retirement Plans

(850) 658-2635

PAGE 2

CURRENT LIGHT FLASHES

Chicken Pot Pie

Submitted by: Juanell Hagan

May is Electrical Safety Month

We’re Always here for you

Ingredients: 2 cans of cream of potato soup 1 can Veg-All vegetables, drained 2 lbs. chicken 1/2 cup milk 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce 2 9-inch pie crusts (thawed) Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Boil chicken and take off the bone. Mix chicken and all other ingredients. Pour into one of the pie crusts. Cover with the other pie crust and pinch together.

Cover pie with foil and bake for 40 minutes or until brown. You may want to uncover the pie and let it bake the last few minutes without the foil. Hint: Pillsbury ready-made pie crusts work best.

ISSUE MAY 2024

Safety behind the wheel includes slowing down & moving over when you see crews working along the roadside. You’ll help ensure crews return home safely & continue to be there when you need them.

TOLL FREE OUTAGE HOTLINE: 1.844.OUTAGE! (1.844.688.2431) PAGE 15

Real Estate (cont.)

2012 Carolina Skiff JV15 CC, with Mercury 30 hp motor and 16 acres of land in the Graceville trailer, $8,500; 850-894-0379. area, portions farmable; 727-403-4463.

WANTED

Recreational Vehicles

Horses; ponies; donkeys; mules; 850-592-2494 or 850-209-8532.

Pull-behind camper; 850-332-8876, call or text Joseph.

Penny through dollar coins, loose, in jars, collections and estates, buy, sell or trade; 850-326-3437.

License plates from any state, mainly Florida, prior to 1980; Reliable, consistent houseold motorcycles or parts, prior to keeper, needed in Bonifay area for weekly cleaning, excellent pay 1960; 850-557-7030, Greg. for right person; 619-850-6047, Working backhoe loader and Sean. possibly forks, will pay cash; 2009 Yamaha Royal Star Venture, 850-726-0132.

150-500 acres pasture land in 32,000 miles, good shape, Holmes or Washington County; $5,000; 850-209-0888 ask for 850-234-7070.

Steve.

2018 Textron Arctic Cat Havoc X, 458 miles/210 hours, 957cc, 100 hp, winch, equipment bay, good upholstery, good condition, $10,000 OBO; 843-271-1730.

Nix Auction and Estate Sales LLC

Mr. Fence

Commercial • Residential • Farm • Industrial Locally Owned & Operated for 28 Years

Sell it all? Give us a call.

Your Privacy is Our Business

850-849-5410 or 850-693-0439 Email: nixauctionandestatesales@gmail.com

(850) 547-5516

Greenwood, Florida

Notice is hereby given that the West Florida Electric Cooperative Association, Inc. Board of Trustees regularly meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month, unless special circumstances warrant a change.

Main Business and Publications Offices 5282 Peanut Road Graceville, Florida 32440-0127 (850) 263-3231 or 1-800-342-7400

484-464-5938 4” to 12”

Water Well Drilling & Pump Repair Residential, Commercial, Agricultural Water Analysis & Treatment

850-263-8064

Subscription Rate Cooperative members, $2.50 per year Non-members, $6.00 per year Change of Address Notices POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Current Light Flashes P. O. Box 127 Graceville, Florida 32440-0127 DISCLAIMER: Although paid advertisements may appear in West Florida Electric (WFEC) publications in print, online, or in other electronic formats, WFEC does not endorse the advertised product, service, or company, nor any of the claims made by the advertisement. WFEC reserves the right to edit or refuse to publish any advertisement, article or information.

This Institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

PAGE 14

CURRENT LIGHT FLASHES

ROW Update: WFEC Right-of-Way Crews will be cutting & trimming in the following area(s) during

MAY:

Poplar Springs/ Graceville & Caryville/ Vernon

When ROW crews are trimming in your area, there may be several days between ROW cutting & clean-up crews due to inclement weather, equipment failure or other unforeseen circumstances.

Carpentry & Plumbing Repairs Pressure Washing Cleanup & Hauling

Since 1969 Notification Statement

T

ake a minute while the sun shines and before storms head our way to update your West Florida Electric account information. Most of us don't realize how important maintaining up-to-date account information is, but it can play a role in how quickly your power is restored when those storms do roll in. Why is that? Because the co-op uses your phone number as an account identifier when there are outages.

If you've called and the automated system answered, it is because we are experiencing an extremely high volume of calls due to outages. The first thing this system does is try to recognize the phone number and link it to an account and location. This helps with restoration efforts. If the automated system answers and you are calling from a number that isn't listed on your account, it won't recognize your location. This could cause delays in power restoration efforts. You don't want that to happen and neither do we.

Updating your account information is extremely easy. The co-op offers several ways to make updates.

1.

Online: westflorida.coop 2.

On the mobile app 3.

Calling the automated system: 855-MYWFECA (855-699-3322) 4.

Call the office: 800-342-7400

Handyman Charlie

Chris & Sheryl Tate

FL Lic.#AU5112 • Auction Business Lic.#AB3892

Don't Delay, Update Today

ISSUE MAY 2024

TOLL FREE OUTAGE HOTLINE: 1.844.OUTAGE1 (844.688.2431)

PAGE 3

Yard Needs Mowed?

Car Stereo Spray-in Bedliners

Call Mike (850) 596-8767

Shop Local, Buy Local, Support Local

Bed Covers Truck Accessories

Cell Phone Signal Boosters Leather Seat Replacement Home Wifi & TV Services Ranch Hand Stepbars & Grill Guards

2817 Hwy. 71 • Marianna, FL 32446 • 850-394-4406 www.Fullersoundav.com

Local help with your Medicare questions.

Gene Alford

Licensed Sales Agent 850-209-1381, TTY 711 genealford@gmail.com MyUHCagent.com/gene.alford

Lynn & Steve Helping Hands, LLC

Tractor Work • Loader Work • Bush Hogging • Chainsaw/Pruning/Hedge Trimming

Serving Holmes, Jackson & Washington Counties

Art’s Home Services Carpenter/Handyman Build It - Fix It Clean It - Haul It

LLC/Insured/ 40 Years Experience

(850) 638-2611

William

Crutchfield Enterprises, Inc. HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING Florida License Number: CMC1250499 4315 Galilee Road • Graceville, FL 32440

(850) 326-0330

Email: wilcruent@bellsouth.net

Panhandle Pump Repair & Filtration Service What’s in YOUR Water?

Over 40 Years Experience License #2252

John White Owner

3024 Firefly Lane Vernon, FL 32462

Home: (850) 535-1121 Cell: (850) 260-2204

386-748-9035 or 850-768-0822

SOUTHSIDE

CLASSIFIEDS

Home/Farm

Multiple Listings

FOR SALE

Vicon CM2400 hay cutter, 7.10 ft., one owner, everything works as it should, field ready; 850-592-4798.

Square bale annual peanut hay; square bale grass hay; 12x36 walk-in cooler; 850-263-3427.

Animals/Livestock

Child’s western saddle; Wintec Mahogany solid wood dining 17” seat saddle; English saddle; Blue and Gold Macaws, female Western leather-tooled saddle; and male, comes with large cage; room table, w/3 leaves & 8 padded chairs, 2 of them captain’s day bed; 850-326-7750.

210-421-5911, call or text. chairs, great condition, $400; Homemade/handmade quilts, 850-978-9403.

Bulls, 3-year-old registered lap, baby, twin, full or queen; Angus, $3,500; Yearling Angus/ two used bathtubs, to be used for Beef Master cross, $2,800, water or feed troughs, great price; Miscellaneous pasture-raised not pushed; 850-547-3649.

607-262-0724 or 850-676-0724.

Vermeer stump grinder; Grain wagon; 3-horse slant CavaPoo puppies, super adorable, $15,000, Model SC40TX, 25 trailer; barrel, roping, pleasure hp, 880 hours, service records; hypo allergenic; AKC German saddles; tack; gentle pony; utility 850-272-0999.

Shepherd pups, gorgeous, trailer; 850-592-2494 or solid black & bi-colors, shots/ 850-209-8532.

Two new Coleman Comfort de-worming; 850-258-1431. smart deluxe folding camp Red Angus & Black Sim-Angus, cots, w/sleeping pad, never used, $85 each; 850-482-6296, leave 1 bull, 3 cows, 3 heifers; Real Estate message.

850-526-3108.

8.5 acres, 5086 Smokey Road, Central pneumatic # 69927 Small Shih Tzu puppies, 2 girls, $159,900; 334-560-6019. framing nailer, uses 10 gauge, one boy, pad trained, Parvo 2-3/8” to 3-1/4” long, 21A Local Telephone Prefixes boosters, reg. worming, $795; framing nails; 850-573-5117.

Alford 579 Grand Ridge 592 850-768-0556, text only.

Altha 762 Greenwood 594 Bascom/Malone 569 Blountstown 674, 237 Bonifay 547 Caryville 548 Chipley 638, 415 Cottondale 352 Graceville 263

Air Conditioning & Refrigeration

Sales, Service, Leasing, Maintenance, Installation, Ice Vending Machines Commercial & Residential

Need Ice? Ice Machine Leasing

850-703-5486 State Certified Contractor CAC1819784

www.mysouthsideair.com PAGE 4

Livestock Fencing Materials, Maintenance & Installation Board, Privacy, and Chain-link

CURRENT LIGHT FLASHES

CLF Free Ad Policy (Limited to one ad per household) WFEC publishes free classified ads in the Current Light Flashes as a service to its members. The following limitations apply: 1) Ads must be 20 words or less and must be legible, with an active electric account number at the top. 2) Ads exceeding 20 words are subject to elimination. 3) Submit ads to the Graceville office by the 5th of the month to appear in the following month’s issue. (Example: An ad arriving

by Jan. 5 will appear in the Feb. CLF) 4) Ads for services & businesses are not free. Service businesses include, but are not limited to, pet or livestock breeders or stud services, rentals, baby-sitting, etc. 5) Any buying or selling on a regular basis will be considered a business. On-going garage sales & the sale of similar items on a repeated basis do not qualify for free advertising. 6) WFEC may refuse to publish any ad. 7) You may submit your ad online at www.westflorida.coop.

WFEC will not accept ads over the phone.

ISSUE MAY 2024

Marianna Ponce de Leon Sneads Sunny Hills Vernon Westville

482, 526 836 593 773 535 956

CLF Free Ad Form Please Type or Print Neatly.

Name Acct. # St. Address/P.O. Box City Phone #

For Sale • Wanted • Free • Thank You • Lost (circle one)

TOLL FREE OUTAGE HOTLINE: 1.844.OUTAGE1 (844.688.2431)

PAGE 13

Community Calendar

Disaster Home Buyer Education Class 6; 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. preparedness June Jackson Co. Ag Offices, 2741 Penn Ave., Marianna Understand home buying, analyze personal financial and credit situations Sales & learn basic home care/maintenance to help maintain the value of your home/save money. Pre-registration is required. The Florida Cooperative service is a HUD-approved housing counseling agency.

Tax Holiday Extension Completion of the course satisfies the homeownership education June 1-14, 2024 Florida tax holidays help residents by eliminating sales tax for some disaster preparedness supplies. Some eligible items include: generators radios batteries fuel tanks coolers bleach flashlights/lanterns/candles tarps/ground anchors/tie downs portable power banks smoke/carbon monoxide detectors fire extinguishers laundry detergent/dryer sheets toilet paper/soaps & more

requirement for the SHIP and USDA Rural Development program. For more info call 850-482-9620 or 850-638-6265 or 850-674-8323. UF is an Equal Opportunity Institution. Require assistance? Call 800-955-8771.

Agronomic Crop Scouting School June 14; 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Washington County Ag Center, 1424 Jackson Ave., Chipley UF IFAS Extension in collaboration with specialists from Auburn University will host an Agronomic Crop Scouting School. Registration begins at 9:30 with the program beginning at 10:00 a.m. Extension entomologists and pathologists from UF and Auburn will discuss pest identification, life cycle, seasonal occurrence and insect control in peanut, corn and soybean. Disease scouting and management, primarily focused on cotton, will also be covered. Other crops may be highlighted in the disease section. CEUs will be available for Florida (private or row crop) and Georgia pesticide CEUs and Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) CEUs. No registration fee. Please register by June 7. Call 850-482-9620 to register or email ethancarter@ufl.edu. UF is committed to providing universal access to all events. For disability accommodations like sign language interpreters and listening devices, contact Jackson Co. Extension at least 2 weeks in advance.

Lowman Energy Center Will Help WFEC Stay Reliable for Years

P

owerSouth Energy Cooperative, a generation and transmission cooperative serving West Florida Electric Cooperative's (WFEC) wholesale power needs, officially dedicated the new, state-of-the-art Lowman Energy Center (LEC) in a special ceremony on March 22.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey attended the event to celebrate the 710megawatt natural gas facility, which began commercial operation on Sept.

20, 2023.

"History is being made today," Ivey said of LEC's status as one of the most efficient power plants in the United States. "America's future is dependent upon its access to abundant industry, including electricity.

Economic development and thousands of new, good-paying jobs, both here in Alabama and for our neighbors in Florida, are directly tied to projects like the Lowman Energy Center."

West Florida Electric Cooperative's Executive Vice President and CEO, Shawn Walling and Board President, Joe Rone were on site to celebrate the dedication of the plant, which replaces the historic coal-fired Charles R. Lowman Power Plant that had operated for 51 years.

"The opening of LEC is a tremendous accomplishment for PowerSouth and West Florida Electric's membership. Today, there is much talk of renewable energy, which has its place in our generation portfolio. LEC represents reliable, clean, and dispatchable power for our members.

Dispatchable is electric utility talk for 'we can turn it on when we want,

we can turn it off when we want, and we can control how much electricity it makes.' This control is not available for wind and solar generation.

During the heat of the summer and cold of the winter, dispatchable generation, like LEC, is what keeps the lights on and your heat and AC running. The natural gas that fuels LEC is abundant, and for the most part, affordable. LEC will become another work horse for PowerSouth and West Florida Electric to ensure affordable and always-available electricity at our members' homes and businesses. PowerSouth and West Florida Electric take great pride in meeting our goals of providing safe, reliable, and affordable electric service to our members. LEC will play a significant role in achieving continued on page 6

We Buy Vintage

*price limits apply to some items*

Find out more: www.floridarevenue.com

Call Us First

Syrup kettles Advertisement Items Vintage Items Records

850-209-2012

We Buy One Piece or Entire Collections PAGE 12

CURRENT LIGHT FLASHES

PowerSouth unveiled a special plaque commemorating the first official day of operations for the Lowman Energy Center. (L-R) Earl Johnson, Tom Duncan, Gary Smith, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and Tom Stackhouse.

ISSUE MAY 2024

TOLL FREE OUTAGE HOTLINE: 1.844.OUTAGE1 (844.688.2431)

PAGE 5

these goals," said Shawn Walling, West Florida Electric EVP & CEO. PowerSouth's President and CEO, Gary Smith, said the plant will be a work horse in supporting the cooperative's mission to provide reliable and affordable power to its members.

"LEC is not only very efficient, but it also has access to a very good, affordable gas supply," Smith said. "PowerSouth has 20 members in Alabama and Florida, and I want to thank them for their confidence and support in allowing us to move forward in building this plant. It will be there for them to serve their wholesale power needs for decades. We are excited about LEC, and excited about the future."

Collectively, PowerSouth provides power to West Florida Electric Cooperative and 19 other distribution members, and these members supply safe, reliable, affordable power to more than a million end-of-line members.

Tri-County Gas Service, Inc.

Tri-County Gas Service, Inc.

“Home Folks Serving Home Folks”

For All Your Propane Needs 415 S. Waukesha St., Bonifay

547-3696

200-Amp Power Pole $499.95 100 - Amp Power Pole $399.95 Delivery & Installation Available Rick Carnley - Lic. # EC-13006648

Florida Meter Pole Company, Inc. Anthony Register 850-573-0219

W&S Farm and Service Tractor & Equipment Repair Welding Irrigation Repair Excavator & Bulldozer Work Land Clearing Earth Moving

Trim David & Family Cut Tree Services, LLC Remove

Land Clearing & Forestry Services

Tilman: 850-964-0660 Jeff: 904-796-5900

(850) 326-8419

Dozer and Excavation Work Heavy-Duty Brush Cutting Ponds • Road Building • Demolition Pine Tree Planting • Herbicide Spraying Fire Line Plowing • Burning • Root Raking Chopping • Bedding www.claycoforestry.com clayslandclearing@gmail.com

(850) 326-1559 Veteran-Founded

Serving Bonifay & Surrounding Counties for all your mechanic needs

BUSH PAINT & SUPPLY Graceville, FL

• Glass Shower

(850) 263-4744 or (850) 263-6345

• Window Panes

Enclosures

Open: Monday-Friday • 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

• Mirrors

Carpet • Vinyl • Ceramic • Wood Feed• Seed • Fertilizer

850.762.9402 or 850.832.5055

We’re passionate about taking care of our customers and making them feel at home. Our hospitality paired with our experienced Bankers and Lenders is at the heart of who we are at First Federal Bank.

ffbf.com | 850-526-4411 Bonifay - Chipley - Graceville - Marianna

Don Nowell - Regional Senior Commercial Banker Amanda Parrish - Marianna Branch Manager PAGE 6

Bonded & Fully Insured Free Estimates

• Screens • Tabletops

Clay O’Neal:

Focused on You #RM0048955

Structure Demo Stump Grinding

CURRENT LIGHT FLASHES

Doug Hannon's Fish & Game Forecast May 2024

Excellent Times AM PM

Moon Stage

1

6:06-8:06

6:30-8:30

12:33-2:03

12:57-2:27

THU.

2

6:54-8:54

7:18-9:18

1:21-2:51

1:45-3:15

FRI.

3

7:42-9:42

8:06-10:06

2:09-3:39

2:33-4:03

SAT.

4

8:30-10:30

8:54-10:54

2:57-4:27

3:21-4:51

SUN.

5

9:18-11:18

9:42-11:42

3:45-5:15

4:09-5:39

MON.

6

10:06-12:06

10:30-12:30

4:33-6:03

4:57-6:27

TUE.

7

N/A

12:06-2:06

6:09-7:39

6:33-8:03

WED.

8

12:30-2:30

12:54-2:54

6:57-8:27

7:21-8:51

THU.

9

1:18-3:18

1:42-3:42

7:45-9:15

8:09-9:39 8:57-10:27

FRI.

10

2:06-4:06

2:30-4:30

8:33-10:03

SAT.

11

2:54-4:54

3:18-5:18

9:21-10:51

9:45-11:15

SUN.

12

3:42-5:42

4:06-6:06

10:09-11:39

10:33-12:03

MON.

13

4:30-6:30

4:54-6:54

10:57-12:27

11:21-12:51

TUE.

14

5:18-7:18

5:42-7:42

N/A

12:09-1:39

WED.

15

6:06-8:06

6:30-8:30

12:33-2:03

12:57-2:27

THU.

16

6:54-8:54

7:18-9:18

1:21-2:51

1:45-3:15

FRI.

17

7:42-9:42

8:06-10:06

2:09-3:39

2:33-4:03

SAT.

18

8:30-10:30

8:54-10:54

2:57-4:27

3:21-4:51

SUN.

19

9:18-11:18

9:42-11:42

3:45-5:15

4:09-5:39

MON.

20

10:06-12:06

10:30-12:30

4:33-6:03

4:57-6:27

TUE.

21

10:54-12:54

11:18-1:18

5:21-6:51

5:45-7:15

WED.

22

11:18-1:18

11:42-1:42

5:48-7:18

6:11-7:41

THU.

23

N/A

12:06-2:06

6:09-7:39

6:33-8:03

FULL

FRI.

24

12:30-2:30

12:54-2:54

6:57-8:27

7:21-8:51

SAT.

25

1:18-3:18

1:42-3:42

7:45-9:15

8:09-9:39 8:57-10:27

SUN.

26

2:06-4:06

2:30-4:30

8:33-10:03

MON.

27

2:54-4:54

3:18-5:18

9:21-10:51

9:45-11:15

TUE.

28

3:42-5:42

4:06-6:06

10:09-11:39

10:33-12:03

WED.

29

4:30-6:30

4:54-6:54

10:57-12:27

11:21-12:51

THU.

30

5:18-7:18

5:42-7:42

N/A

12:09-1:39

FRI.

31

6:06-8:06

6:30-8:30

12:33-2:03

12:57-2:27

ISSUE MAY 2024

40 Years Experience

Good Times AM PM

WED.

NEW

Custom Cattle Services

Portable Corrals & Chute Cattle Hauling Practical Cattle Vet Work Preg Testing Management & Herd Plans Cattle Penned & Caught

Karl Kressman • 850-557-3764 5905 Timberlane Rd. • Bascom, FL 32423

Armondi Roofing, LLC Re-roof Specialist Shingles • Flat Roofs • Re-Roofs New Roofs & All Types of Repairs

Free Estimates

5 Year Workmanship Warranty Licensed & Insured #CCC1330359

(850) 547-2934

TOLL FREE OUTAGE HOTLINE: 1.844.OUTAGE1 (844.688.2431)

PAGE 11

McIntosh

Outboard & Small Engine Grand Ridge

Sneads

We buy boats & motors!

(850) 593-0009 • 7524 Old U.S. 90 Ln., Sneads, FL

Special Needs Registry Program

S

pecial Needs Shelters are Concrete Designs by Levon, LLC designated to Levon Carnley Specialized in: meet the needs of Decorative Concrete • Interior/Exterior Pool Decks • Porches people who require Patios • Garages Licensed Phone: 850-703-0318 assistance that exceeds the services and basic first-aid D West Florida Turf SOD O care provided at S Centipede • St. Augustine • 419 Bermuda general population Centipede Seed shelters.

On the Farm Delivered or Installed 850-638-4860 • Cellular 415-0385 If you have a Est. 1980 health or medical condition that SURVEYOR requires medical Florida Licensed Surveyor since 1969 attention while at a shelter, you should register for this program. Home Roger Lonsway health and hospice patients should make sure that your agency has registered you in the system.

Who is eligible to stay in a Special Needs Shelter?

• People with special medical needs Larry Englert Pool cages, screen rooms, car • People whose care exceeds the basic first aid provided at general Owner ports, rescreening & repairs. population shelters Larry’s Rescreening, LLC • People with impairments or disabilities who are medically stable • Anyone with special conditions affecting eyesight, hearing, speech, Licensed & insured Veteran owned with (850) 630-9225 30 years experience walking, breathing or an emotional condition and would need assistance during evacuations and sheltering The capabilities of each Special Needs Shelter varies based on a Justin Joyner community's needs and available resources.

850-658-2890 This registry must be updated each year. Please keep in mind that Chainlink Barbed Wire Vinyl Fence Wood Fence completing the Florida Special Needs Registry does not automatically Field Fence & Land qualify individuals for a special needs shelter. More information will be “New” “Used” Repairs Clearing provided by your local emergency management agency regarding evacuation and sheltering options. If you would like to register for the Special Needs OLEN BARFIELD Shelter Registry Program, please contact your local emergency management Have Sawmill, Will Travel Efficient & portable bandsaw can office. Their contact numbers and websites are listed below: Concrete Designs by Levon, LLC

Mobile: 850-260-5438

cut your trees into lumber on your site with minimal sawdust waste.

638-7105

AFFORDABLE SEAMLESS GUTTERS 20-Years Limited Warranty 21 Colors to Choose From

Gary McIntosh

PAGE 10

(850) 593-0009

Calhoun County: 850-674-8075 or calhouncountyfl.gov Holmes County: 850-547-1112 or holmescountyfla.com Jackson County: 850-482-9678 or jacksoncountyfl.gov Washington County: 850-638-6203 or washingtonfl.com West Florida Electric helps local emergency management agencies get the word out about this program.

CURRENT LIGHT FLASHES

Diagnosing & Mitigating Blinks It's a clear sunny day with not a cloud in the sky... Suddenly, the room goes dark for a few seconds. Then, power returns along with the clanging and clunking sound of appliances and electronics "rebooting" around the home or office.

S

o what just happened? Many people assume an electrical power surge just occurred. Actually, an automatic circuit recloser (ACR or recloser) just opened, then "reclosed" resulting in a momentary interruption of power - this is also known as a "blink."

Automatic circuit reclosers quickly respond to problems on an electric utility's power grid. They are similar to circuit breakers in your home, but different due to their ability to automatically reset themselves to restore power quickly.

Reclosers have been used to protect electric utility systems and members' homes since the 1950s. Few members even knew about reclosers or blinks until manufacturers started building digital alarm clocks in the late 1970s and early 1980s. These new digital clocks maintained time by synchronizing with the 60 Hertz frequency of the utility power wave form.

A typical recloser will open and close 3-4 times before "locking out" due to its inability to clear the line. Once this occurs, a utility service vehicle needs to be dispatched to figure out what is wrong with and make repairs to the distribution line being protected by the locked out recloser.

So, why do electric utilities continue using reclosers? Quite simply, reclosers allow for quick power restoration in a matter of seconds rather than over an hour if a service truck needs to be dispatched to troubleshoot a line or replace a blown fuse.

Contact the co-op if you are experiencing an excessive number of blinks at your home or business by calling 800-342-7400.

What Causes Reclosers to Open & Close?

A lightning strike somewhere on the utility line that creates an over-current condition.

Cars hitting power poles can briefly cause the electrical lines to slap together.

Tree limbs falling into power lines causing conductors to short out.

High winds blowing tree limbs and other debris into power lines.

Wayward animals attempting to navigate high voltage lines.

Typical reclosers will open and close 3 or 4 times before "locking out."

Mitigating blinks: Document when (date & time) blinks happen. This info can provide useful insight to engineering staff who can determine if other events occurred at the time of the blinks and verify the number of blinks at a particular location.

Note if there were high winds, if the wind was coming from a certain direction or if there were thunderstorms in the area during the "blink" event.

Document each event if you are seeing more than 3-5 blinks per week. Documentation is important - the better your records, the sooner the "blinks" can be resolved.

ISSUE MAY 2024

TOLL FREE OUTAGE HOTLINE: 1.844.OUTAGE1 (844.688.2431)

PAGE 7

Avoid Mail Delays & Late Fees - Pay a Different Way

M

ailing delays continue to plague West Florida Electric Cooperative's (WFEC) members and other cooperative members around the country. These delays have influenced members' ability to make payments by the due date listed on their bills causing late fees to be added to some billing statements.

Here's a little information about how the cooperative's bills are mailed electric bills are sent out in three cycles each month. The cycle you are in determines your due date. If you are in cycle 1, your bill is due the 5th, cycle 2, the 15th and cycle 3, the 25th. WFEC strives to mail bills as early as possible each month to allow plenty of time for you to receive and pay your bill. But, delays by the USPS have impeded this process.

If you don't receive your bill or have issues mailing payments, WFEC offers several other options to make payments: • Mobile apps - simply go to your IOS or Android store to download the app. You can view bills, sign up for alerts and reminders, view your payment history, pay bills and more.

• Online via the cooperative's website (www.westflorida.coop). Create a user name and password and you are on your way. You can view statements, sign up for alerts and reminders and make payments.

• Bank/credit card draft - you can sign up to have your payments automatically drafted from your bank account or credit card.

• Phone - just call the co-op's automated payment system by dialing 855699-3322. You can also call the co-op during business hours and make a

payment over the phone. When calling to make a payment with a cashier, please have your payment method readily available, know your account number, or the name of the account holder. This will help speed up the payment process.

Remember, when utilizing any of the payment methods listed above, you will still receive a printed bill each month.

These are simply more reliable and faster ways to make payment rather than depending upon the mail to arrive in a timely manner and your payment to make it back to the co-op before your bill's due date.

If you have any questions about any of these billing options, please call 800-342-7400.

You'll Still Receive a Printed Bill Each Month!

PAGE 8

CURRENT LIGHT FLASHES

Go Paperless!

Going paperless is a great way to eliminate mailing delays that may impact you!

Sign up for paperless billing online (www.westflorida.coop) or by calling our office at (800) 342-7400.

FDLE Commissioner Glass Meets with Florida Electric Co-ops

O

n April 4, Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Commissioner Mark Glass met with leaders from all of Florida's electric cooperatives in Tallahassee.

Commissioner Glass gave an update on the different initiatives FDLE is undertaking when it comes to critical infrastructure.

As we all know, attacks against critical infrastructure have been on the rise nationwide.

This includes electric substations, natural gas facilities, and water utilities. This year, the Legislature passed HB 275, which the co-ops supported, and it is a win for our industry. The bill provides that a person who intentionally damages critical infrastructure, physical or cyber-attack, commits a second to third-degree felony. As Commissioner Glass stated, "A good offense, is a good defense."

Florida's electric cooperatives appreciate Commissioner Glass meeting with co-op leaders and his commitment to protecting Florida. Together, we can all build stronger connections and a stronger community.

How can YOU help?

See Something, Say Something: Visit https://sar.fldel.state.fl.us/sar/public/publicSarEnglish.jsf or call 855-FLA-SAFE to report suspicious activity.

ISSUE MAY 2024

TOLL FREE OUTAGE HOTLINE: 1.844.OUTAGE1 (844.688.2431)

PAGE 9

Avoid Mail Delays & Late Fees - Pay a Different Way

M

ailing delays continue to plague West Florida Electric Cooperative's (WFEC) members and other cooperative members around the country. These delays have influenced members' ability to make payments by the due date listed on their bills causing late fees to be added to some billing statements.

Here's a little information about how the cooperative's bills are mailed electric bills are sent out in three cycles each month. The cycle you are in determines your due date. If you are in cycle 1, your bill is due the 5th, cycle 2, the 15th and cycle 3, the 25th. WFEC strives to mail bills as early as possible each month to allow plenty of time for you to receive and pay your bill. But, delays by the USPS have impeded this process.

If you don't receive your bill or have issues mailing payments, WFEC offers several other options to make payments: • Mobile apps - simply go to your IOS or Android store to download the app. You can view bills, sign up for alerts and reminders, view your payment history, pay bills and more.

• Online via the cooperative's website (www.westflorida.coop). Create a user name and password and you are on your way. You can view statements, sign up for alerts and reminders and make payments.

• Bank/credit card draft - you can sign up to have your payments automatically drafted from your bank account or credit card.

• Phone - just call the co-op's automated payment system by dialing 855699-3322. You can also call the co-op during business hours and make a

payment over the phone. When calling to make a payment with a cashier, please have your payment method readily available, know your account number, or the name of the account holder. This will help speed up the payment process.

Remember, when utilizing any of the payment methods listed above, you will still receive a printed bill each month.

These are simply more reliable and faster ways to make payment rather than depending upon the mail to arrive in a timely manner and your payment to make it back to the co-op before your bill's due date.

If you have any questions about any of these billing options, please call 800-342-7400.

You'll Still Receive a Printed Bill Each Month!

PAGE 8

CURRENT LIGHT FLASHES

Go Paperless!

Going paperless is a great way to eliminate mailing delays that may impact you!

Sign up for paperless billing online (www.westflorida.coop) or by calling our office at (800) 342-7400.

FDLE Commissioner Glass Meets with Florida Electric Co-ops

O

n April 4, Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Commissioner Mark Glass met with leaders from all of Florida's electric cooperatives in Tallahassee.

Commissioner Glass gave an update on the different initiatives FDLE is undertaking when it comes to critical infrastructure.

As we all know, attacks against critical infrastructure have been on the rise nationwide.

This includes electric substations, natural gas facilities, and water utilities. This year, the Legislature passed HB 275, which the co-ops supported, and it is a win for our industry. The bill provides that a person who intentionally damages critical infrastructure, physical or cyber-attack, commits a second to third-degree felony. As Commissioner Glass stated, "A good offense, is a good defense."

Florida's electric cooperatives appreciate Commissioner Glass meeting with co-op leaders and his commitment to protecting Florida. Together, we can all build stronger connections and a stronger community.

How can YOU help?

See Something, Say Something: Visit https://sar.fldel.state.fl.us/sar/public/publicSarEnglish.jsf or call 855-FLA-SAFE to report suspicious activity.

ISSUE MAY 2024

TOLL FREE OUTAGE HOTLINE: 1.844.OUTAGE1 (844.688.2431)

PAGE 9

McIntosh

Outboard & Small Engine Grand Ridge

Sneads

We buy boats & motors!

(850) 593-0009 • 7524 Old U.S. 90 Ln., Sneads, FL

Special Needs Registry Program

S

pecial Needs Shelters are Concrete Designs by Levon, LLC designated to Levon Carnley Specialized in: meet the needs of Decorative Concrete • Interior/Exterior Pool Decks • Porches people who require Patios • Garages Licensed Phone: 850-703-0318 assistance that exceeds the services and basic first-aid D West Florida Turf SOD O care provided at S Centipede • St. Augustine • 419 Bermuda general population Centipede Seed shelters.

On the Farm Delivered or Installed 850-638-4860 • Cellular 415-0385 If you have a Est. 1980 health or medical condition that SURVEYOR requires medical Florida Licensed Surveyor since 1969 attention while at a shelter, you should register for this program. Home Roger Lonsway health and hospice patients should make sure that your agency has registered you in the system.

Who is eligible to stay in a Special Needs Shelter?

• People with special medical needs Larry Englert Pool cages, screen rooms, car • People whose care exceeds the basic first aid provided at general Owner ports, rescreening & repairs. population shelters Larry’s Rescreening, LLC • People with impairments or disabilities who are medically stable • Anyone with special conditions affecting eyesight, hearing, speech, Licensed & insured Veteran owned with (850) 630-9225 30 years experience walking, breathing or an emotional condition and would need assistance during evacuations and sheltering The capabilities of each Special Needs Shelter varies based on a Justin Joyner community's needs and available resources.

850-658-2890 This registry must be updated each year. Please keep in mind that Chainlink Barbed Wire Vinyl Fence Wood Fence completing the Florida Special Needs Registry does not automatically Field Fence & Land qualify individuals for a special needs shelter. More information will be “New” “Used” Repairs Clearing provided by your local emergency management agency regarding evacuation and sheltering options. If you would like to register for the Special Needs OLEN BARFIELD Shelter Registry Program, please contact your local emergency management Have Sawmill, Will Travel Efficient & portable bandsaw can office. Their contact numbers and websites are listed below: Concrete Designs by Levon, LLC

Mobile: 850-260-5438

cut your trees into lumber on your site with minimal sawdust waste.

638-7105

AFFORDABLE SEAMLESS GUTTERS 20-Years Limited Warranty 21 Colors to Choose From

Gary McIntosh

PAGE 10

(850) 593-0009

Calhoun County: 850-674-8075 or calhouncountyfl.gov Holmes County: 850-547-1112 or holmescountyfla.com Jackson County: 850-482-9678 or jacksoncountyfl.gov Washington County: 850-638-6203 or washingtonfl.com West Florida Electric helps local emergency management agencies get the word out about this program.

CURRENT LIGHT FLASHES

Diagnosing & Mitigating Blinks It's a clear sunny day with not a cloud in the sky... Suddenly, the room goes dark for a few seconds. Then, power returns along with the clanging and clunking sound of appliances and electronics "rebooting" around the home or office.

S

o what just happened? Many people assume an electrical power surge just occurred. Actually, an automatic circuit recloser (ACR or recloser) just opened, then "reclosed" resulting in a momentary interruption of power - this is also known as a "blink."

Automatic circuit reclosers quickly respond to problems on an electric utility's power grid. They are similar to circuit breakers in your home, but different due to their ability to automatically reset themselves to restore power quickly.

Reclosers have been used to protect electric utility systems and members' homes since the 1950s. Few members even knew about reclosers or blinks until manufacturers started building digital alarm clocks in the late 1970s and early 1980s. These new digital clocks maintained time by synchronizing with the 60 Hertz frequency of the utility power wave form.

A typical recloser will open and close 3-4 times before "locking out" due to its inability to clear the line. Once this occurs, a utility service vehicle needs to be dispatched to figure out what is wrong with and make repairs to the distribution line being protected by the locked out recloser.

So, why do electric utilities continue using reclosers? Quite simply, reclosers allow for quick power restoration in a matter of seconds rather than over an hour if a service truck needs to be dispatched to troubleshoot a line or replace a blown fuse.

Contact the co-op if you are experiencing an excessive number of blinks at your home or business by calling 800-342-7400.

What Causes Reclosers to Open & Close?

A lightning strike somewhere on the utility line that creates an over-current condition.

Cars hitting power poles can briefly cause the electrical lines to slap together.

Tree limbs falling into power lines causing conductors to short out.

High winds blowing tree limbs and other debris into power lines.

Wayward animals attempting to navigate high voltage lines.

Typical reclosers will open and close 3 or 4 times before "locking out."

Mitigating blinks: Document when (date & time) blinks happen. This info can provide useful insight to engineering staff who can determine if other events occurred at the time of the blinks and verify the number of blinks at a particular location.

Note if there were high winds, if the wind was coming from a certain direction or if there were thunderstorms in the area during the "blink" event.

Document each event if you are seeing more than 3-5 blinks per week. Documentation is important - the better your records, the sooner the "blinks" can be resolved.

ISSUE MAY 2024

TOLL FREE OUTAGE HOTLINE: 1.844.OUTAGE1 (844.688.2431)

PAGE 7

these goals," said Shawn Walling, West Florida Electric EVP & CEO. PowerSouth's President and CEO, Gary Smith, said the plant will be a work horse in supporting the cooperative's mission to provide reliable and affordable power to its members.

"LEC is not only very efficient, but it also has access to a very good, affordable gas supply," Smith said. "PowerSouth has 20 members in Alabama and Florida, and I want to thank them for their confidence and support in allowing us to move forward in building this plant. It will be there for them to serve their wholesale power needs for decades. We are excited about LEC, and excited about the future."

Collectively, PowerSouth provides power to West Florida Electric Cooperative and 19 other distribution members, and these members supply safe, reliable, affordable power to more than a million end-of-line members.

Tri-County Gas Service, Inc.

Tri-County Gas Service, Inc.

“Home Folks Serving Home Folks”

For All Your Propane Needs 415 S. Waukesha St., Bonifay

547-3696

200-Amp Power Pole $499.95 100 - Amp Power Pole $399.95 Delivery & Installation Available Rick Carnley - Lic. # EC-13006648

Florida Meter Pole Company, Inc. Anthony Register 850-573-0219

W&S Farm and Service Tractor & Equipment Repair Welding Irrigation Repair Excavator & Bulldozer Work Land Clearing Earth Moving

Trim David & Family Cut Tree Services, LLC Remove

Land Clearing & Forestry Services

Tilman: 850-964-0660 Jeff: 904-796-5900

(850) 326-8419

Dozer and Excavation Work Heavy-Duty Brush Cutting Ponds • Road Building • Demolition Pine Tree Planting • Herbicide Spraying Fire Line Plowing • Burning • Root Raking Chopping • Bedding www.claycoforestry.com clayslandclearing@gmail.com

(850) 326-1559 Veteran-Founded

Serving Bonifay & Surrounding Counties for all your mechanic needs

BUSH PAINT & SUPPLY Graceville, FL

• Glass Shower

(850) 263-4744 or (850) 263-6345

• Window Panes

Enclosures

Open: Monday-Friday • 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

• Mirrors

Carpet • Vinyl • Ceramic • Wood Feed• Seed • Fertilizer

850.762.9402 or 850.832.5055

We’re passionate about taking care of our customers and making them feel at home. Our hospitality paired with our experienced Bankers and Lenders is at the heart of who we are at First Federal Bank.

ffbf.com | 850-526-4411 Bonifay - Chipley - Graceville - Marianna

Don Nowell - Regional Senior Commercial Banker Amanda Parrish - Marianna Branch Manager PAGE 6

Bonded & Fully Insured Free Estimates

• Screens • Tabletops

Clay O’Neal:

Focused on You #RM0048955

Structure Demo Stump Grinding

CURRENT LIGHT FLASHES

Doug Hannon's Fish & Game Forecast May 2024

Excellent Times AM PM

Moon Stage

1

6:06-8:06

6:30-8:30

12:33-2:03

12:57-2:27

THU.

2

6:54-8:54

7:18-9:18

1:21-2:51

1:45-3:15

FRI.

3

7:42-9:42

8:06-10:06

2:09-3:39

2:33-4:03

SAT.

4

8:30-10:30

8:54-10:54

2:57-4:27

3:21-4:51

SUN.

5

9:18-11:18

9:42-11:42

3:45-5:15

4:09-5:39

MON.

6

10:06-12:06

10:30-12:30

4:33-6:03

4:57-6:27

TUE.

7

N/A

12:06-2:06

6:09-7:39

6:33-8:03

WED.

8

12:30-2:30

12:54-2:54

6:57-8:27

7:21-8:51

THU.

9

1:18-3:18

1:42-3:42

7:45-9:15

8:09-9:39 8:57-10:27

FRI.

10

2:06-4:06

2:30-4:30

8:33-10:03

SAT.

11

2:54-4:54

3:18-5:18

9:21-10:51

9:45-11:15

SUN.

12

3:42-5:42

4:06-6:06

10:09-11:39

10:33-12:03

MON.

13

4:30-6:30

4:54-6:54

10:57-12:27

11:21-12:51

TUE.

14

5:18-7:18

5:42-7:42

N/A

12:09-1:39

WED.

15

6:06-8:06

6:30-8:30

12:33-2:03

12:57-2:27

THU.

16

6:54-8:54

7:18-9:18

1:21-2:51

1:45-3:15

FRI.

17

7:42-9:42

8:06-10:06

2:09-3:39

2:33-4:03

SAT.

18

8:30-10:30

8:54-10:54

2:57-4:27

3:21-4:51

SUN.

19

9:18-11:18

9:42-11:42

3:45-5:15

4:09-5:39

MON.

20

10:06-12:06

10:30-12:30

4:33-6:03

4:57-6:27

TUE.

21

10:54-12:54

11:18-1:18

5:21-6:51

5:45-7:15

WED.

22

11:18-1:18

11:42-1:42

5:48-7:18

6:11-7:41

THU.

23

N/A

12:06-2:06

6:09-7:39

6:33-8:03

FULL

FRI.

24

12:30-2:30

12:54-2:54

6:57-8:27

7:21-8:51

SAT.

25

1:18-3:18

1:42-3:42

7:45-9:15

8:09-9:39 8:57-10:27

SUN.

26

2:06-4:06

2:30-4:30

8:33-10:03

MON.

27

2:54-4:54

3:18-5:18

9:21-10:51

9:45-11:15

TUE.

28

3:42-5:42

4:06-6:06

10:09-11:39

10:33-12:03

WED.

29

4:30-6:30

4:54-6:54

10:57-12:27

11:21-12:51

THU.

30

5:18-7:18

5:42-7:42

N/A

12:09-1:39

FRI.

31

6:06-8:06

6:30-8:30

12:33-2:03

12:57-2:27

ISSUE MAY 2024

40 Years Experience

Good Times AM PM

WED.

NEW

Custom Cattle Services

Portable Corrals & Chute Cattle Hauling Practical Cattle Vet Work Preg Testing Management & Herd Plans Cattle Penned & Caught

Karl Kressman • 850-557-3764 5905 Timberlane Rd. • Bascom, FL 32423

Armondi Roofing, LLC Re-roof Specialist Shingles • Flat Roofs • Re-Roofs New Roofs & All Types of Repairs

Free Estimates

5 Year Workmanship Warranty Licensed & Insured #CCC1330359

(850) 547-2934

TOLL FREE OUTAGE HOTLINE: 1.844.OUTAGE1 (844.688.2431)

PAGE 11

Community Calendar

Disaster Home Buyer Education Class 6; 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. preparedness June Jackson Co. Ag Offices, 2741 Penn Ave., Marianna Understand home buying, analyze personal financial and credit situations Sales & learn basic home care/maintenance to help maintain the value of your home/save money. Pre-registration is required. The Florida Cooperative service is a HUD-approved housing counseling agency.

Tax Holiday Extension Completion of the course satisfies the homeownership education June 1-14, 2024 Florida tax holidays help residents by eliminating sales tax for some disaster preparedness supplies. Some eligible items include: generators radios batteries fuel tanks coolers bleach flashlights/lanterns/candles tarps/ground anchors/tie downs portable power banks smoke/carbon monoxide detectors fire extinguishers laundry detergent/dryer sheets toilet paper/soaps & more

requirement for the SHIP and USDA Rural Development program. For more info call 850-482-9620 or 850-638-6265 or 850-674-8323. UF is an Equal Opportunity Institution. Require assistance? Call 800-955-8771.

Agronomic Crop Scouting School June 14; 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Washington County Ag Center, 1424 Jackson Ave., Chipley UF IFAS Extension in collaboration with specialists from Auburn University will host an Agronomic Crop Scouting School. Registration begins at 9:30 with the program beginning at 10:00 a.m. Extension entomologists and pathologists from UF and Auburn will discuss pest identification, life cycle, seasonal occurrence and insect control in peanut, corn and soybean. Disease scouting and management, primarily focused on cotton, will also be covered. Other crops may be highlighted in the disease section. CEUs will be available for Florida (private or row crop) and Georgia pesticide CEUs and Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) CEUs. No registration fee. Please register by June 7. Call 850-482-9620 to register or email ethancarter@ufl.edu. UF is committed to providing universal access to all events. For disability accommodations like sign language interpreters and listening devices, contact Jackson Co. Extension at least 2 weeks in advance.

Lowman Energy Center Will Help WFEC Stay Reliable for Years

P

owerSouth Energy Cooperative, a generation and transmission cooperative serving West Florida Electric Cooperative's (WFEC) wholesale power needs, officially dedicated the new, state-of-the-art Lowman Energy Center (LEC) in a special ceremony on March 22.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey attended the event to celebrate the 710megawatt natural gas facility, which began commercial operation on Sept.

20, 2023.

"History is being made today," Ivey said of LEC's status as one of the most efficient power plants in the United States. "America's future is dependent upon its access to abundant industry, including electricity.

Economic development and thousands of new, good-paying jobs, both here in Alabama and for our neighbors in Florida, are directly tied to projects like the Lowman Energy Center."

West Florida Electric Cooperative's Executive Vice President and CEO, Shawn Walling and Board President, Joe Rone were on site to celebrate the dedication of the plant, which replaces the historic coal-fired Charles R. Lowman Power Plant that had operated for 51 years.

"The opening of LEC is a tremendous accomplishment for PowerSouth and West Florida Electric's membership. Today, there is much talk of renewable energy, which has its place in our generation portfolio. LEC represents reliable, clean, and dispatchable power for our members.

Dispatchable is electric utility talk for 'we can turn it on when we want,

we can turn it off when we want, and we can control how much electricity it makes.' This control is not available for wind and solar generation.

During the heat of the summer and cold of the winter, dispatchable generation, like LEC, is what keeps the lights on and your heat and AC running. The natural gas that fuels LEC is abundant, and for the most part, affordable. LEC will become another work horse for PowerSouth and West Florida Electric to ensure affordable and always-available electricity at our members' homes and businesses. PowerSouth and West Florida Electric take great pride in meeting our goals of providing safe, reliable, and affordable electric service to our members. LEC will play a significant role in achieving continued on page 6

We Buy Vintage

*price limits apply to some items*

Find out more: www.floridarevenue.com

Call Us First

Syrup kettles Advertisement Items Vintage Items Records

850-209-2012

We Buy One Piece or Entire Collections PAGE 12

CURRENT LIGHT FLASHES

PowerSouth unveiled a special plaque commemorating the first official day of operations for the Lowman Energy Center. (L-R) Earl Johnson, Tom Duncan, Gary Smith, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and Tom Stackhouse.

ISSUE MAY 2024

TOLL FREE OUTAGE HOTLINE: 1.844.OUTAGE1 (844.688.2431)

PAGE 5

Yard Needs Mowed?

Car Stereo Spray-in Bedliners

Call Mike (850) 596-8767

Shop Local, Buy Local, Support Local

Bed Covers Truck Accessories

Cell Phone Signal Boosters Leather Seat Replacement Home Wifi & TV Services Ranch Hand Stepbars & Grill Guards

2817 Hwy. 71 • Marianna, FL 32446 • 850-394-4406 www.Fullersoundav.com

Local help with your Medicare questions.

Gene Alford

Licensed Sales Agent 850-209-1381, TTY 711 genealford@gmail.com MyUHCagent.com/gene.alford

Lynn & Steve Helping Hands, LLC

Tractor Work • Loader Work • Bush Hogging • Chainsaw/Pruning/Hedge Trimming

Serving Holmes, Jackson & Washington Counties

Art’s Home Services Carpenter/Handyman Build It - Fix It Clean It - Haul It

LLC/Insured/ 40 Years Experience

(850) 638-2611

William

Crutchfield Enterprises, Inc. HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING Florida License Number: CMC1250499 4315 Galilee Road • Graceville, FL 32440

(850) 326-0330

Email: wilcruent@bellsouth.net

Panhandle Pump Repair & Filtration Service What’s in YOUR Water?

Over 40 Years Experience License #2252

John White Owner

3024 Firefly Lane Vernon, FL 32462

Home: (850) 535-1121 Cell: (850) 260-2204

386-748-9035 or 850-768-0822

SOUTHSIDE

CLASSIFIEDS

Home/Farm

Multiple Listings

FOR SALE

Vicon CM2400 hay cutter, 7.10 ft., one owner, everything works as it should, field ready; 850-592-4798.

Square bale annual peanut hay; square bale grass hay; 12x36 walk-in cooler; 850-263-3427.

Animals/Livestock

Child’s western saddle; Wintec Mahogany solid wood dining 17” seat saddle; English saddle; Blue and Gold Macaws, female Western leather-tooled saddle; and male, comes with large cage; room table, w/3 leaves & 8 padded chairs, 2 of them captain’s day bed; 850-326-7750.

210-421-5911, call or text. chairs, great condition, $400; Homemade/handmade quilts, 850-978-9403.

Bulls, 3-year-old registered lap, baby, twin, full or queen; Angus, $3,500; Yearling Angus/ two used bathtubs, to be used for Beef Master cross, $2,800, water or feed troughs, great price; Miscellaneous pasture-raised not pushed; 850-547-3649.

607-262-0724 or 850-676-0724.

Vermeer stump grinder; Grain wagon; 3-horse slant CavaPoo puppies, super adorable, $15,000, Model SC40TX, 25 trailer; barrel, roping, pleasure hp, 880 hours, service records; hypo allergenic; AKC German saddles; tack; gentle pony; utility 850-272-0999.

Shepherd pups, gorgeous, trailer; 850-592-2494 or solid black & bi-colors, shots/ 850-209-8532.

Two new Coleman Comfort de-worming; 850-258-1431. smart deluxe folding camp Red Angus & Black Sim-Angus, cots, w/sleeping pad, never used, $85 each; 850-482-6296, leave 1 bull, 3 cows, 3 heifers; Real Estate message.

850-526-3108.

8.5 acres, 5086 Smokey Road, Central pneumatic # 69927 Small Shih Tzu puppies, 2 girls, $159,900; 334-560-6019. framing nailer, uses 10 gauge, one boy, pad trained, Parvo 2-3/8” to 3-1/4” long, 21A Local Telephone Prefixes boosters, reg. worming, $795; framing nails; 850-573-5117.

Alford 579 Grand Ridge 592 850-768-0556, text only.

Altha 762 Greenwood 594 Bascom/Malone 569 Blountstown 674, 237 Bonifay 547 Caryville 548 Chipley 638, 415 Cottondale 352 Graceville 263

Air Conditioning & Refrigeration

Sales, Service, Leasing, Maintenance, Installation, Ice Vending Machines Commercial & Residential

Need Ice? Ice Machine Leasing

850-703-5486 State Certified Contractor CAC1819784

www.mysouthsideair.com PAGE 4

Livestock Fencing Materials, Maintenance & Installation Board, Privacy, and Chain-link

CURRENT LIGHT FLASHES

CLF Free Ad Policy (Limited to one ad per household) WFEC publishes free classified ads in the Current Light Flashes as a service to its members. The following limitations apply: 1) Ads must be 20 words or less and must be legible, with an active electric account number at the top. 2) Ads exceeding 20 words are subject to elimination. 3) Submit ads to the Graceville office by the 5th of the month to appear in the following month’s issue. (Example: An ad arriving

by Jan. 5 will appear in the Feb. CLF) 4) Ads for services & businesses are not free. Service businesses include, but are not limited to, pet or livestock breeders or stud services, rentals, baby-sitting, etc. 5) Any buying or selling on a regular basis will be considered a business. On-going garage sales & the sale of similar items on a repeated basis do not qualify for free advertising. 6) WFEC may refuse to publish any ad. 7) You may submit your ad online at www.westflorida.coop.

WFEC will not accept ads over the phone.

ISSUE MAY 2024

Marianna Ponce de Leon Sneads Sunny Hills Vernon Westville

482, 526 836 593 773 535 956

CLF Free Ad Form Please Type or Print Neatly.

Name Acct. # St. Address/P.O. Box City Phone #

For Sale • Wanted • Free • Thank You • Lost (circle one)

TOLL FREE OUTAGE HOTLINE: 1.844.OUTAGE1 (844.688.2431)

PAGE 13

Real Estate (cont.)

2012 Carolina Skiff JV15 CC, with Mercury 30 hp motor and 16 acres of land in the Graceville trailer, $8,500; 850-894-0379. area, portions farmable; 727-403-4463.

WANTED

Recreational Vehicles

Horses; ponies; donkeys; mules; 850-592-2494 or 850-209-8532.

Pull-behind camper; 850-332-8876, call or text Joseph.

Penny through dollar coins, loose, in jars, collections and estates, buy, sell or trade; 850-326-3437.

License plates from any state, mainly Florida, prior to 1980; Reliable, consistent houseold motorcycles or parts, prior to keeper, needed in Bonifay area for weekly cleaning, excellent pay 1960; 850-557-7030, Greg. for right person; 619-850-6047, Working backhoe loader and Sean. possibly forks, will pay cash; 2009 Yamaha Royal Star Venture, 850-726-0132.

150-500 acres pasture land in 32,000 miles, good shape, Holmes or Washington County; $5,000; 850-209-0888 ask for 850-234-7070.

Steve.

2018 Textron Arctic Cat Havoc X, 458 miles/210 hours, 957cc, 100 hp, winch, equipment bay, good upholstery, good condition, $10,000 OBO; 843-271-1730.

Nix Auction and Estate Sales LLC

Mr. Fence

Commercial • Residential • Farm • Industrial Locally Owned & Operated for 28 Years

Sell it all? Give us a call.

Your Privacy is Our Business

850-849-5410 or 850-693-0439 Email: nixauctionandestatesales@gmail.com

(850) 547-5516

Greenwood, Florida

Notice is hereby given that the West Florida Electric Cooperative Association, Inc. Board of Trustees regularly meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month, unless special circumstances warrant a change.

Main Business and Publications Offices 5282 Peanut Road Graceville, Florida 32440-0127 (850) 263-3231 or 1-800-342-7400

484-464-5938 4” to 12”

Water Well Drilling & Pump Repair Residential, Commercial, Agricultural Water Analysis & Treatment

850-263-8064

Subscription Rate Cooperative members, $2.50 per year Non-members, $6.00 per year Change of Address Notices POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Current Light Flashes P. O. Box 127 Graceville, Florida 32440-0127 DISCLAIMER: Although paid advertisements may appear in West Florida Electric (WFEC) publications in print, online, or in other electronic formats, WFEC does not endorse the advertised product, service, or company, nor any of the claims made by the advertisement. WFEC reserves the right to edit or refuse to publish any advertisement, article or information.

This Institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

PAGE 14

CURRENT LIGHT FLASHES

ROW Update: WFEC Right-of-Way Crews will be cutting & trimming in the following area(s) during

MAY:

Poplar Springs/ Graceville & Caryville/ Vernon

When ROW crews are trimming in your area, there may be several days between ROW cutting & clean-up crews due to inclement weather, equipment failure or other unforeseen circumstances.

Carpentry & Plumbing Repairs Pressure Washing Cleanup & Hauling

Since 1969 Notification Statement

T

ake a minute while the sun shines and before storms head our way to update your West Florida Electric account information. Most of us don't realize how important maintaining up-to-date account information is, but it can play a role in how quickly your power is restored when those storms do roll in. Why is that? Because the co-op uses your phone number as an account identifier when there are outages.

If you've called and the automated system answered, it is because we are experiencing an extremely high volume of calls due to outages. The first thing this system does is try to recognize the phone number and link it to an account and location. This helps with restoration efforts. If the automated system answers and you are calling from a number that isn't listed on your account, it won't recognize your location. This could cause delays in power restoration efforts. You don't want that to happen and neither do we.

Updating your account information is extremely easy. The co-op offers several ways to make updates.

1.

Online: westflorida.coop 2.

On the mobile app 3.

Calling the automated system: 855-MYWFECA (855-699-3322) 4.

Call the office: 800-342-7400

Handyman Charlie

Chris & Sheryl Tate

FL Lic.#AU5112 • Auction Business Lic.#AB3892

Don't Delay, Update Today

ISSUE MAY 2024

TOLL FREE OUTAGE HOTLINE: 1.844.OUTAGE1 (844.688.2431)

PAGE 3

CURRENT LIGHT

FLASHES

USPS: 702-990 | ISSN: 1042-7767 | VOL 74, NO 5

Current Light Flashes is the official voice of West Florida Electric Cooperative Association, Inc., a member-owned Touchstone Energy® cooperative serving Calhoun, Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties. It is published as a service to the Co-op’s members. Periodicals postage is paid at Graceville, Florida.

WFEC Board of Trustees

David

TATUM District 1

Jackie

POOSER District 3

Tim

ALFORD District 2

L-R: Helen Davis, Manager, Accounting; Sharon Curry, Manager, Member Services - Sneads & Graceville; Keith Varnum, Manager, Engineering; and Will Melton, Manager, Operations & Construction, Sneads.

Not pictured, Terry Mullen, Manager of Marketing & Communications.

We’re preparing for hurricane season - are you? “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail,” Benjamin Franklin. Members of WFEC’s managment team recently attended a statewide hurricane meeting with Florida’s 18 other electric cooperatives.

Attendees heard from sister co-ops about challenges & lessons learned from Hurricane Idalia, which helps us discover ways to improve our ever-evolving storm plan.

SURGE PROTECTION

Sign up today!

Take the STRIKE out of lightning!

Experience peace of mind knowing that your home & appliances are protected from power surges.

John

ADAMS District 4

Middlebrooks Contractors, Inc. Serving the Area for Over 60 Years Septic Tank Service, Installation & Repair • Mobile Home Pads • Land Clearing • Excavation • Dirt • Rock • Culverts Rent-All • We have everything you need! Equipment Rentals, Tractors, Trenchers, Etc.

Ph: (850) 547-3658

Plumbing • Electrical • Licensed & Insured

Lease for just $4.25/month!

Free Installation if you sign up from May 1-May 31, 2024 David

George Clayton

District 5 / Vice President

District 6

CORBIN

Randy

BUSH

District 7 / Secretary-Treasurer

OWENS

Just say, "Add it to my bill!"

Turning 65? New to the Area? Medicaid Eligible?

Call Me. I’m Local.

Licensed/Certified/Dependable/Helpful

Joe E.

RONE

District 8 / President

Melonie Wood (850) 658-2635 Myron

HUDSON District 9

Shawn

WALLING

Executive VP/CEO

FL Lic.# W489703 Al Lic.# 300759370

Call for a FREE consulation regarding the new medicare plans/ more benefits/larger physician networks/larger drug formulary

Over 200 carriers: Cigna/Aetna/Humana/United Healthcare/WellCare/Blue Cross-Blue Shield/AIG/ Mutual of Omaha/Allianz/Athene/Silac/Americo

Medicare/Long Term Care/Final Expense & Life Insurance/Retirement Plans

(850) 658-2635

PAGE 2

CURRENT LIGHT FLASHES

Chicken Pot Pie

Submitted by: Juanell Hagan

May is Electrical Safety Month

We’re Always here for you

Ingredients: 2 cans of cream of potato soup 1 can Veg-All vegetables, drained 2 lbs. chicken 1/2 cup milk 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce 2 9-inch pie crusts (thawed) Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Boil chicken and take off the bone. Mix chicken and all other ingredients. Pour into one of the pie crusts. Cover with the other pie crust and pinch together.

Cover pie with foil and bake for 40 minutes or until brown. You may want to uncover the pie and let it bake the last few minutes without the foil. Hint: Pillsbury ready-made pie crusts work best.

ISSUE MAY 2024

Safety behind the wheel includes slowing down & moving over when you see crews working along the roadside. You’ll help ensure crews return home safely & continue to be there when you need them.

TOLL FREE OUTAGE HOTLINE: 1.844.OUTAGE! (1.844.688.2431) PAGE 15

CURRENT LIGHT

FLASHES

P.O. Box 127 Graceville, FL 32440-0127

West Florida Electric, Your Touchstone Energy Cooperative

James & Son Tree and Crane Service Insured and Reasonable

850-272-3620 ◄

Free Estimates

DUPONT•

Authorized Agent

Specialist at Removing Hazardous Trees • Land Clearing • Stump Grinding • Forestry Mulching • Debris Removal

A Afr.lSTFAfO MFMflfA OF THf

AUTO GLASS

SAFETY COUNCIL-

• Any Glass • Any Vehicle

WISEFLYAUTOGLASS.COM

Debbie Roney Smith Call or text: (850) 209-8039

LIC#SL642701

“Be SOLD with American Gold”

“I List - I Sell” Full Time Realtor Since 1996 4420 Lafayette St., Marianna, FL 32446

www.realtordrs.com • debson1999@gmail.com

Mold Removal Remodels Water Damage Additions Fire Damage New Construction

Avoid Mail Delays & Late Fees Pay a Different Way Page 8

INSIDE ...

24 Hour Emergency Response

Don’t Delay, Update Today ...pg. 3

CBC1255149, CCC1330340, MRSR9

HWY. 77 BINGO, INC.

Lowman Energy Center Will Help WFEC Stay Reliable for Years ...pgs. 5-6

(850) 263-7788

Paper Only Bingo. Located across the street from Graceville High School.

Open 6 days a week. Closed Tuesdays. Session at 7:30 nightly. $50 payouts before & after session. Pull tab games up to $1,000!

Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays: All session games pay $250!

Saturdays 7 Sundays: Jackpot games @ 4-5-6-7-9 & 10 PM Double Action Mini-Session at 4:00 PM

Mondays & Wednesdays: T-shirt night

ISSUE MAY 2024

Read Online www.WestFlorida.coop

VOL 74, NO 5

Diagnosing & Mitigating Blinks

...pg. 7

Special Needs Registry Program

...pg. 10

Fish & Game Forecast

...pg. 11

Local Classifieds

...pgs. 13-14