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Electric co-ops light the midway to start the 2019 Tennessee State Fair

NASHVILLE – Jamie Perrigo, operations superintendent for Tri-County Electric Membership Corporation in Lafayette, flipped the switch to light the midway and officially start the 2019 Tennessee State Fair on Friday, Sept. 6, in Nashville. Tennessee’s electric co-ops have sponsored the opening ceremony of the fair since 2014.

Attendees of the opening ceremony heard from legislators, elected officials and others, including Nashville Mayor David Briley and Trent Scott, vice president of corporate strategy for the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association.

“The fair is a celebration of life in Tennessee – specifically rural Tennessee,” said Scott. “There are exciting things happening here in Nashville, but it is important that we not overlook what happens out there – past the city limits signs in rural and suburban Tennessee. Rural Tennessee is home to 37 percent of the state’s population and 30 percent of personal incomes. What happens out there matters. It matters to the people who live there, but it should matter to everyone. Co-ops are proud to serve rural Tennessee and advocate for rural communities every day. We’re also proud to be here tonight to kick off the 2019 Tennessee State Fair.”

The fair runs Sept. 6 – 15 at the Fairgrounds in Nashville. Learn more at tnstatefair.org.

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Tennessee co-ops respond to Hurricane Dorian

NASHVILLE – While most Tennesseans enjoyed a long Labor Day weekend, several lineworkers from Tennessee’s electric co-ops were heading to Georgia and North Carolina to assist with Hurricane Dorian recovery efforts. Twenty-two lineworkers – ten from Southwest Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation in Brownsville and 12 from Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative in South Pittsburg – are traveling to the coast to restore power to areas affected by Hurricane Dorian. The powerful storm is expected to impact coastal areas of Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas later this week.

“Lineworkers have a desire to serve others,” says David Callis, executive vice president and general manager of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “It always impresses me how quickly our crews volunteer to help, even without knowing the conditions they will face or how long they will be away from their families.”

The uncertainty of Dorian’s track has made preparations far more difficult than usual. If the storm ultimately makes landfall along the South and North Carolina coast, Tennessee may be asked to send additional crews.

Statewide trade associations like the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association coordinate mutual aid assistance for co-ops in their respective states. When a state determines that it needs assistance, requests are made to surrounding states. The statewide organizations in those states work with their local co-ops to organize crews and make arrangements for lodging and food. Working out details ahead of time allows crews to respond quickly when a need arises.

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Conover recognized by colleagues

NASHVILLE – American Mainstreet Publications presented The Tennessee Magazine editor Robin Conover with the Lynne Christenson Award of Excellence at the organization’s annual meeting this week in Alabama.

American Mainstreet Publications is an advertising cooperative owned by electric co-op statewide publications. The Lynne Christenson Award of Excellence is presented to an AMP member who exemplifies the work ethic, tenacity and professionalism of Lynne Christenson, former advertising manager for Kentucky Living Magazine. Christenson was a passionate advocate for electric co-op magazines before losing a battle with cancer in 2015.

“Robin exhibited a strong and steady hand guiding the National Country Market membership through its rebranding as American MainStreet Publications,” said Mona Neely, editor of Colorado Living Magazine and AMP board member. “She has kept the board focused on supporting our team as it works to make AMP relevant in an ever-changing and fast-moving marketplace. She did this all while maintaining the excellence of her own magazine and excelling as an amazing photographer.”

“A team leader who gave 110% all the time, dreamed big, thought outside the box and followed through to make thing happen is how I would describe Lynne Christenson,” said Conover. “Lynne was a mentor and a dear friend of mine. I am humbled and honored to receive this award. She was a passionate leader who always had the mission of the electric cooperatives and our magazines at heart. As advertising manager for Kentucky Living, Lynne led our national sales cooperative, National Country Market, now known as American MainStreet Publications. She helped define how we approach sales and advertising with our national network of electric cooperative magazines. Lynn was a good friend, and I am honored to receive this award.”

“Robin’s talents are no secret, and we enjoy when others recognize and honor those talents,” said David Callis, executive vice president and general manager of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “We are fortunate to have her on our team.”

“National advertising is increasingly important to our magazines,” said Conover. “AMP plays an important role in recruiting high-quality advertising for the statewide publications. This revenue helps us offset cost and to create better, more effective magazines.”

Robin Conover, center, receives the 2019 Lynne Christenson Award of Excellence from American Mainstreet Publications. Presenting the award are AMP board member Mona Neeley, left, and AMP Senior Vice-president and Chief Operating Officer Mark Adesco, right.
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Laura Beth Laden joins TECA staff

Laura Beth Laden

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association, a trade association representing the state’s 23 electric cooperatives, announced recently that Laura Beth Laden is joining the association as communications administrative assistant. Laden has interned with TECA for the past two years.

“I have enjoyed working with co-ops and the team at TECA,” says Laden. “I grew up around electric co-ops, and I understand how important they are to the communities they serve. I am excited to have this opportunity to work with co-ops across the state.”

Laden will oversee magazine advertising and assist the communications staff with various projects. She is a native of Savannah, where her father, Bob Laden, served as CFO for Tennessee Valley Electric Cooperative until his recent retirement. Laden is currently completing a degree in accounting from Lipscomb University in Nashville.

“We are pleased to have Laura Beth join our communications staff on a permanent basis,” says Robin Conover, vice president of communications for TECA. “Laura Beth has Tennessee roots and brings a fresh perspective to our team at TECA.”

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Move over and save a life

NASHVILLE – If you’re driving on Tennessee roads, what should you do if you approach a utility vehicle stopped on the shoulder with its flashing lights activated? According to the state’s Move Over law, motorists must slow down or move over, or you could be fined for not complying.

Tennessee’s “Move Over” law was passed in 2006 to protect first responders like police officers, firefighters and paramedics. In 2011, Tennessee’s electric cooperatives led a coalition to revise the state’s move over law to include utility workers as well.

The requirements of Tennessee’s move over law are simple. On a four lane road, if safety and traffic conditions allow, a driver approaching a utility vehicle with flashing lights should move into the far lane. On a two lane road or when changing lanes is not possible, a driver should reduce their speed.

Electric co-op vehicles aren’t the only utility vehicles covered; service vehicles used by municipal electric systems, telephone companies and utility districts are also protected by the law.

Electric lineworkers face many dangers – high voltage, heights and extreme weather conditions. Despite these challenges, one of the most dangerous parts of their job is working alongside busy roadways, often only feet away from passing cars

“We have had cars come through at high rates of speed, hitting the cones we have set up and clipping the outriggers that we have down to support the trucks,” says Greg Bryant, line foreman for Gibson Electric Membership Corporation in Trenton, Tenn. “I think people care, they just don’t pay attention like they should.”

“When we are in the bucket or up a pole, we can clearly see into passing cars, and it is shocking how many drivers are looking at their phones,” says Bryant, who shares this important tip. “Put the phone down and pay attention. Lives are on the line.”

“July marks the 8th anniversary of the expansion of the law, but too many drivers either don’t know about it or simply don’t care,” says David Callis, executive vice president and general manager of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Associaiton. “Our lineworkers perform an important job for our community. Changing lanes or slowing down to give them a little space is a simple courtesy that could save a life.”

More information about the law is available at moveovertennessee.org.

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2019 Washington Youth Tour delegates return home

NASHVILLE – 185 students, teachers and co-op chaperones have returned from a week in our nation’s capital as delegates of the 2019 Washington Youth Tour. The annual event, sponsored by the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association and the state’s 23 electric co-ops, provides young leaders with an opportunity to explore the nation’s capital, learn about government and cooperatives and develop their leadership skills. Students were selected for the trip by writing short stories titled “Electric Cooperatives – Connecting Communities” that explain how co-ops provide communities with much more than electric power.

“We take great pride in recognizing the best and brightest from across Tennessee,” said Todd Blocker, vice president of member relations for the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association and tour director. “By honoring their accomplishments through programs like the Washington Youth Tour, we show these future leaders that their co-op cares about the future. We want these young people to come home with a better understanding of their nation and new passion to serve their community.”

Tennessee’s Youth Tour delegates saw the White House and memorials to past presidents Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Delano Roosevelt as well as monuments honoring the sacrifices of veterans of World War II and the Vietnam and Korean Wars. During visits to the museums of the Smithsonian Institution, the touring Tennesseans saw and experienced natural, historical and artistic treasures. Other fun stops included historic homes of former presidents — George Washington’s Mount Vernon and Jefferson’s Monticello — as well as Ford’s Theater and a boat cruise down the Potomac River. The group also paid a solemn and sobering visit to Arlington National Cemetery where the delegtes laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns.

For many, the highlight of the trip was hearing from Holocaust survivor Ms. Esther Starobin at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Her advice to the delegates was, “Don’t be a bystander in this world. You have to know history and pay attention to it. Get involved and learn as much as you can with more than a single viewpoint.”

The group was welcomed to the U.S. Capitol by Sens. Lamar Alexander and Marsha Blackburn and members of the Tennessee congressional delegation who posed for photos and answered questions.

While in D.C., winners were announced in the statewide competition for the Robert McCarty Memorial Scholarships. Jacob Coble from Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative, Alyssa Hampton from Fayetteville Public Utilities and Melanie Garcia from Appalachian Electric Cooperative were awarded $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000 Robert McCarty Memorial Scholarships for having the first, second and third place papers of the more than 10,000 papers submitted across the state.

McCarty was an employee of Volunteer Energy Cooperative and longtime chaperone on the annual Youth Tour. McCarty lost a battle with cancer in 2015, and sponsoring cooperatives renamed the scholarships in honor of his love for young people.

Keslin Moore, a senior from Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative was awarded a $10,000 Cooperative Youth Ambassador Scholarship. Moore was a 2018 delegate of the Washington Youth Tour. In the year following the tour, delegates who remain engaged with their sponsoring cooperative and complete certain community service requirements are eligible for the scholarship. Moore’s name was randomly selected from among the 50 delegates from across the state who completed the requirements.

“An investment in these young people is also an investment in the communities we serve,” said David Callis, CEO of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “These are exceptional students, and our hope is that their youth tour experience empowers them to return home and make a difference in their communities.”

President Lyndon Johnson inspired the Washington Youth Tour in 1957 when he encouraged electric cooperatives to send youngsters to the nation’s capital. In the years since, more than 6,000 young Tennesseans have been delegates on the Washington Youth Tour.

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Youth tour scholarships awarded in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tennessee’s electric cooperatives awarded $16,000 in scholarships to Washington Youth Tour delegates on Tuesday evening, June 18, in Washington, D.C.

Keslin Moore, a senior from Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative was awarded a $10,000 Cooperative Youth Ambassador Scholarship. Moore was a 2018 delegate of the Washington Youth Tour. In the year following the tour, delegates who remain engaged with their sponsoring cooperative and complete certain community service requirements are eligible for the scholarship. Moore’s name was randomly selected from among the 50 delegates from across the state who completed the requirements.

2018 Washington Youth Tour delegate and $10,000 Cooperative Youth Ambassador scholarship winner Keslin Moore and Sequachee Valley EC employee Cathy Black.

Jacob Coble from Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative, Alyssa Hampton from Fayetteville Public Utilities and Melanie Garcia from Appalachian Electric Cooperative were awarded $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000 Robert McCarty Memorial Scholarships for having the first, second and third place papers of the more than 10,000 papers submitted across the state.

McCarty was an employee of Volunteer Energy Cooperative and long-time chaperone on the annual youth tour. McCarty lost a battle with cancer in 2015, and sponsoring cooperatives renamed the scholarship in honor of his love for young people.

More than 135 high school Juniors from across the state are in the nation’s capital this week for the 2019 Washington Youth Tour. The annual event teaches students about public policy, history, leadership and electric cooperatives. The tour is coordinated by local electric cooperatives, the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

“An investment in these young people is also an investment in the communities we serve,” said David Callis, CEO of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “These are exceptional students, and our hope is that their youth tour experience empowers them to return home and make a difference in their communities.”

Delegates will return home on Thursday, June 20, but they have already experienced a great deal on this year’s trip. For many, the highlight of the trip was hearing from Holocaust survivor Ms. Esther Starobin at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Her advice to the delegates was, “Don’t be a bystander in this world. You have to know history and pay attention to it. Get involved and learn as much as you can with more than a single viewpoint.” Learn more about Ms. Starobin’s story on the Holocaust Memorial Museum website.

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Young leaders depart for Washington, D.C.

NASHVILLE – More than 135 students from across Tennessee are headed to Washington, D.C., as a part of the 2019 Washington Youth Tour. The annual event, which begins on Friday, June 14, provides young leaders with an opportunity to explore the nation’s capital, learn about government and develop their leadership skills.

The Washington Youth Tour is sponsored by the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association and local electric cooperatives from across the state. Students were selected for the trip by writing a short story titled “Electric Cooperatives – Connecting Communities” that explains how co-ops provide communities with much more than electric power.

Delegates on this year’s trip will visit museums and monuments, including the White House and the Capitol Building. The group is also scheduled to meet with Sens. Alexander and Blackburn as well as other members of Tennessee’s Congressional delegation.

“Each year Tennessee co-ops provide education, leadership and scholarship opportunities to hundreds of students from across Tennessee,” said David Callis, executive vice president and general manager of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “Today’s young people are tomorrow’s teachers, Senators, doctors and entrepreneurs, and we’re investing in a brighter future for these young leaders and the communities we serve. Youth tour gives these students the opportunity to experience history and democracy up-close, and we hope they return with a deeper appreciation of America and a desire to serve their communities.”

President Lyndon Johnson inspired the tour in 1957 when he encouraged electric cooperatives to send youngsters to the nation’s capital. In the years since, more than 6,000 young Tennesseans have been delegates for the Washington Youth Tour.  Politicians, business leaders, authors and athletes are Washington Youth Tour alumni, including Apple CEO Tim Cook.

The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association provides leadership, advocacy and support for Tennessee’s 23 electric cooperatives and publishes The Tennessee Magazine, the state’s most widely circulated periodical. Visit tnelectric.org or tnmagazine.org to learn more.

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Seven smart ways to save energy this summer

NASHVILLE – With the long, hot days of summer just around the corner, Tennessee’s electric co-ops provide these simple tips to save energy and money.

“There are some small things you can do to have a big impact on your electric bill,” says Todd Blocker, vice president of member services for the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “Taking a little time now can pay off big as temperatures rise.”

Use blinds and shades to keep your cool inside. Close draperies on windows in direct sunlight to keep the heat out.

Make wise choices with the thermostat. The smaller the difference between the outside temperature and the thermostat setting will reduce your cooling bill. Keep your thermostat as high as you can while remaining comfortable. We recommend 75 degrees. Programmable thermostats can automatically adjust the temperature when you are not home or awake.

Keep your HVAC unit in good working condition. Be sure your filters are clean. This is a cheap but essential thing to do every month or so. Schedule regular maintenance to clean and maintain your system.

Use fans to increase comfort. Running a fan will allow you to increase your thermostat setting by 4 degrees without reducing comfort, but remember to turn fans off when you leave the room. You can also use bathroom and kitchen fans to move humidity outside.

Seal the hot air out. A tube of caulk and some weather stripping can go a long way. Seal cracks to keep hot air out and cool air in.

Avoid using appliances and lights that create heat. Replace traditional lighting with LEDs that produce no heat. On hot days, avoid using ovens or stoves and instead use the microwave or grill outside.

Plant some trees. This takes some time to pay off, but it will eventually. Trees can shade your home and have a significant impact on your energy bill. Just be sure to remain mindful of your electric cooperative’s right-of-way. Don’t place trees underneath power lines, and call to have underground utilities located before performing any digging task.

Visit our efficiency resource guide on tnelectric.org or contact your local electric co-op for more tips and suggestions.

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Co-op leaders discuss Tennessee issues with DC lawmakers

NASHVILLE – More than 50 electric co-op leaders from Tennessee traveled to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, April 30, to talk with members of the Tennessee congressional delegation about issues important to the state’s rural and suburban communities.

During meetings with lawmakers, co-op leaders discussed energy, connectivity and other topics, including:

  • highlighting the need for rural and suburban America to be included in future infrastructure investments
  • supporting legislation that protects the tax exempt status of co-ops receiving income from infrastructure grants or FEMA reimbursements. An unintended consequence of the recent Tax Cuts and Jobs Act changes the way co-ops account for such income, placing tax exemption at risk in some cases and increasing costs for ratepayers.
  • TVA rates and ownership of transmission assets owned by TVA and the Power Marketing Administrations.

Lawmakers were also invited to visit their local co-ops to meet employees, attend annual meetings and tour co-op facilities.

“We bring co-op leaders to Washington, D.C., to build relationships,” said David Callis, executive vice president and general manager of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “We want lawmakers to know and trust us, and we want them to think about us as they make decisions. Visits like this provide us with a valuable opportunity to educate lawmakers about co-ops and our communities.”

Photos from the event are available online.

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