NAEC Alabama Living July 2019

Stories | Recipes | Events | People | Places | Things | Local News July 2019

North Alabama Electric Cooperative

Fourth of July Art Contest Local students show off their artistic skills in NAEC’s seventh annual competition

North Alabama Electric Cooperative “Making Electric Energy available to its members at the lowest cost, consistent with sound economy and good management since 1940.”

ALABAMA LIVING is delivered to some 420,000 Alabama families and businesses, which are members of 22 not-for-profit, consumer-owned, locally directed and taxpaying electric cooperatives. Subscriptions are $12 a year for individuals not subscribing through participating Alabama electric cooperatives. Alabama Living (USPS 029-920) is published monthly by the Alabama Rural Electric Association of Cooperatives. Periodicals postage paid at Montgomery, Alabama, and at additional mailing office.

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VOL. 72 NO. 7

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POSTMASTER send forms 3579 to: Alabama Living, P.O. Box 244014 Montgomery, Alabama 36124-4014.

ALABAMA RURAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION

AREA President Fred Braswell Editor Lenore Vickrey Managing Editor Allison Law Creative Director Mark Stephenson Art Director Danny Weston Advertising Director Jacob Johnson Graphic Designer/Ad Coordinator Brooke Echols Communications Coordinator Laura Stewart Graphic Designer Kaitlyn Allen

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NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE:

American MainStreet Publications 611 South Congress Ave., Suite 504 Austin, Texas 78704 1-800-626-1181 www.AMP.coop www.alabamaliving.coop USPS 029-920 • ISSN 1047-0311

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Special time of the year

Join us for the 2019 NAEC annual meeting.

Slice of Chicago

Joe’s Pizza brings Italian flavor to Woodville.

Worth the drive

Bahama Bob’s isn’t easy to find. It looks like a beach house because it used to be one. But it’s worth the search.

D E PA R T M E N T S

ADVERTISING & EDITORIAL OFFICES:

340 TechnaCenter Drive Montgomery, Alabama 36117-6031 1-800-410-2737 For advertising, email: advertising@areapower.com For editorial inquiries, email: contact@alabamaliving.coop

JULY 2019

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WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! ONLINE: www.alabamaliving.coop EMAIL: letters@alabamaliving.coop MAIL: Alabama Living 340 Technacenter Drive Montgomery, AL 36117

In this issue: Page 11 Page 16 Page 28

11 Spotlight 29 Around Alabama 32 Gardens 44 Cook of the Month 40 Outdoors 41 Fish & Game Forecast 54 Hardy Jackson’s Alabama ONLINE: alabamaliving.coop ON THE COVER: Aryssa Sullivan, a third-grade student from Bridgeport Elementary, was selected as the winner for NAEC’s annual coloring contest. See Page 8 for more of the drawings.

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North Alabama Electric Cooperative Payment Options

By Mail: P.O. Box 628 Stevenson, AL 35772

By Phone: 866-916-6785 Online: www.naecoop.com In Person: Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Woodville Office: Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Contact Us Headquarters: 41103 U.S. Hwy. 72 Stevenson, AL 35772 256-437-2281 Electric Service: 256-437-2281 or 800-572-2900 Fiber Service: 256-437-5000 Office Hours: Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

After Hour Emergencies: 256-437-1100 or 800-572-2900 Fiber - 256-437-5000 4  JULY 2019

JOIN US

2019

ANNUAL MEETING SATURDAY, AUGUST 17 Stevenson Park Amphitheater Registration 8-10 A.M. Business Meeting 10 A.M. The registration card on the

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

front cover of your August issue of Alabama Living magazine will be used to draw for prizes, so be sure to have it with you!

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NAEC ANNUAL MEETING BYLAWS

STATEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION

ARTICLE III – MEETING OF MEMBERS SECTION 5. Voting.

Each member shall be entitled to only one vote upon each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of the members. All questions shall be decided by a vote of a majority of the members voting thereon in person except as otherwise provided by law, the articles of incorporation or these bylaws.

North Alabama Electric Cooperative is the recipient of federal financial assistance from the Rural Utilities Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and is subject to the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture which provide that no person in the United States on the basis of race, color, national origin, age or handicap shall be excluded from participation in, admission or access to, denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any of this organization’s programs or activities. The person responsible for coordinating this organization’s nondiscrimination compliance efforts is Bruce Purdy, General Manager.

Any individual or specific class of individuals who feels that this organization has subjected them to discrimination may obtain further information about the statutes and regulations listed above from and/or file a written complaint with this organization; or the secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., 20250; or the administrator, Rural Utilities Service, Washington, D.C., 20250.

SECTION 5(A). Mail and Proxy Voting.

Any member who is absent from an annual meeting or special meeting of the members may vote by mail or by proxy at such meeting upon any motion or resolution pertaining to the borrowing of funds or mortgaging or encumbering of the cooperative’s property. The secretary shall be responsible for the enclosure with the notice of such meeting of an exact copy of such motion or resolution to be acted upon and such absent member shall express his vote thereon by placing a cross (x) in the space provided therefore opposite each such motion or resolution. Such absent member shall enclose each such copy so marked in a sealed envelope bearing his name and addressed to the secretary. When such written vote so enclosed is received by mail from any absent member, it shall be counted as the vote of such member at such meeting. In the case of a joint membership, if husband and wife are both absent from such meeting, a written vote received from either of them shall constitute one joint vote.

Such proxy shall be in writing and filed with the secretary before or at the time of the meeting. No proxy shall be voted at any meeting of the members unless it shall designate the particular meeting at which it is to be voted, and no proxy shall be voted at any meeting other than the one so designated or any adjournment of such meeting. No proxy shall be valid Alabama Living

after 60 days from the date of its execution. The presence of a member at a meeting of the members shall revoke a proxy theretofore executed by him and such member shall be entitled to vote at such meeting in the same manner and with the same effect as if he had not executed a proxy. In case of a joint membership, a proxy may be executed by either husband or wife. The presence of either husband or wife at a meeting of the members shall revoke a proxy theretofore executed by either of them and such joint member or members shall be entitled to vote at such meeting in the same manner and with the same effect as if a proxy had not been executed. The failure of any absent member to receive a copy of any such motion shall not invalidate any action which may be taken by the members at any such meeting.

ARTICLE IV – TRUSTEES SECTION 2. Election and Tenure of Office.

The persons named as board members in the articles of incorporation shall compose the board until the first annual meeting or until their successors shall have been elected and shall have qualified. Members of the board shall be elected by secret ballot at each annual meeting of the members beginning with the year 1944 by and from the members to serve until the next annual meeting of the members or until their successor shall have been elected and shall have qualified. At the annual meeting of the members in 1957, trustees for districts 2, 5 and 6 shall be elected for a term of one year. Trustees for districts 3, 4 and 9 shall be elected for a term of two years and trustees for districts 1, 7 and 8 shall be elected for a term of three years. At the expiration of their respective terms, the trustees shall be elected for terms of three years at each annual meeting of the members.

SECTION 4. Nominations.

It shall be the duty of the board to appoint, not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days before the date of a meeting of the members at which board members are to be elected, a committee on nominations consisting of not less than five nor more than 11 members who shall be selected from different sections so as to ensure equitable representation. No member of the board may serve on such committee. The committee, keeping in mind the principle of equitable representation, shall prepare and post at the principle office of the cooperative at least 20 days before the meeting a list of nominations for board members. The secretary shall be responsible for mailing with the notice of the meeting or separately, but at least 10 days before the date of the meeting, a statement of the number of board members to be elected and the names and addresses of the candidates nominated by the committee on nominations. Any 15 or more members acting together may make other nominations by petition and the secretary shall post such nominations at the same place where the list of nominations made by the committee is posted. Nominations made by petition, if any must be received at least 45 days before the meeting to be included on the official ballot. The names and addresses of any candidates nominated by petition shall be included with the notice by the Secretary of candidates nominated by the committee on nominations. The chairman shall call for additional nominations from the floor and nominations shall not be closed until at least one minute has passed during which no additional nomination have been made. No member may nominate more than one candidate. n

Complaints must be filed within 180 days after the alleged discrimination. Confidentiality will be maintained to the extent possible.

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A taste of Chicago in

Alabama Joe’s Pizza serves up traditional Italian and more At Joe’s Pizza in Woodville, the most popular pizza variety — meat lovers — isn’t listed on the menu that includes muffulettas, catfish, hamburgers and traditional pizzeria fare such as spaghetti and lasagna.

Most of the restaurant’s business is carryout, so there are only a few dine-in tables at this small Northeast Alabama eatery. But perhaps it’s this pairing of the expected and unexpected that has kept loyal regulars coming back for nearly two decades.

Manager Mary Thompson says her parents, Alvaro and Diane Ramos, followed her mother’s dream and started the restaurant in 2000 with only the guidance of Thompson’s pizza restaurateur uncle.

Her parents, who had no previous restaurant experience, still work in the kitchen.

“We’re from Chicago so we kind of have pizza in our blood,” Thompson says.

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Alvaro Ramos piles on the fresh toppings for a 12-inch supreme pizza.

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definitely have to work to get along, but I think it’s easier to fight with people you know are going to forgive you,” she says, laughing.

In addition to herself and her parents, Thompson’s younger brother also works at the restaurant. Her older brother, who lives in Texas, helped purchase the business in the beginning, and a younger sister previously worked there but has since moved away. Representing a third generation working at the restaurant, Thompson’s older sister’s son, who lives in Illinois, even came down for a summer and pitched in washing dishes, she says.

Social media messaging

Mary Thompson, center, joined her parents Diane and Alvaro Ramos to manage Joe’s Pizza a year after it opened.

“We’re passionate about it. We know everybody loves pizza, and we wanted to share something good.”

Though some Chicago pizza places are known for deep-dish pies, Joe’s Pizza opts for a thinner crust, Thompson says.

The prepped pizzas are popped into a brick oven to bake to cheesy perfection, and only traditional toppings are offered here, like pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, onions, olives, peppers and anchovies, with no desire to chase fleeting food fads.

Pizza holds such appeal for so many because it can be experienced differently every time by simply changing up toppings or asking for a little more or less sauce or cheese, Thompson says.

value for the price played a significant role in the restaurant’s longevity. “It’s a fresh dough,” she says. “We make our own sauce. It’s a family recipe, I guess.”

As anyone who successfully operates a small business can attest, long hours are required, and Thompson says her family’s business is no exception.

And when it comes to working with family, that situation presents both benefits and its own unique set of challenges.

But Thompson says that, for the most part, the arrangement works well. “We

Windy City flavors

From the beginning, her family wanted to bring a taste of Chicago pizza to people in Alabama, adding that customers who’ve lived in the Windy City say it’s the closest thing they’ve had to Chicago-style pizza since they left. “So we’re doing it right!” she says.

While some other restaurants come and go, Thompson says quality ingredients and a consistent product that’s a good Alabama Living

Mary Thompson slices up another pizza.

The role that social media increasingly plays has also changed how the eatery promotes itself and interacts with customers. The restaurant holds online promotional contests for free pizzas and consistently receives feedback about customers’ experiences. Thompson says she enjoys reading positive reviews about how much people enjoy the food at Joe’s Pizza, and she remains mindful of suggestions on ways to improve.

Joe’s Pizza’s Facebook page has nearly 16,000 followers, with consistently high marks given for the food and effusive phrases like “best authentic pizza,” “imaginative and tasty” and even “the bomb diggity” used to describe it.

Technology has also made operations more efficient over the past 20 years, including a relatively new online ordering option. “We were doing everything on paper at first,” Thompson says.

Thompson said she joined the family business after it had been open for a couple of years and already had an established customer base. She said she’s enjoyed getting to know the regulars and feels a sense of family with many of them.

With the 20-year milestone on the horizon, no plans have been set for a celebration next year, but Thompson thinks something should be done to commemorate.

“We get asked a lot how long we’ve been in business,” she says. “It’s a big deal!”

Joe’s Pizza is located at 6582 U.S. Highway 72 in Woodville. Visit its website at www.joespizzawoodville.com or its Facebook page. n

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NAEC’s 7th annual Fourth of July Art Contest winners North Alabama Electric Cooperative would like to thank the many local students who took part in our seventh annual Fourth of July Kids Art Contest! We received dozens of excellent entries from students in first through third grades. Some of our favorites are shown below. Special congratulations to Aryssa Sullivan, a third-grade student at Bridgeport Elementary School, whose artwork was chosen to be on our cover!!

Ansley Vinson

Aryssa Sullivan

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Tailynn Rollins

Kinley Burton

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