HIGHLIGHTSWATTMarch 2019 | News from Jackson County REMC

Volume 73 - Number 9

BE PREPARED FOR SPRING STORMS

Pages 6-7

Watt Highlights - (USPS 669-580) is published monthly for $3.00 per year (electric rates include subscription) by Jackson County Rural Electric Membership Corporation, a consumer owned utility, 274 E. Base Road, Brownstown, Indiana 47220. Periodicals postage paid at Brownstown, Indiana. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Watt Highlights, P.O. Box K, Brownstown, Indiana 47220.

WATTHIGHLIGHTSJackson County REMC

274 E. Base Road P.O. Box KBrownstown, IN 47220-0311

Local calls - 812-358-4458Toll free - 800-288-4458FAX only - 812-358-5719E-mail - info@jacksonremc.comWeb site - www.jacksonremc.comPay bills online - www.jacksonremc.comPay bills by phone - 1-888-999-8816

Office Hours7:30 AM to 4:30 PMMonday through Friday

To report outages or emergencies812-358-4458 (local) 1-800-288-4458 (toll free) day or night

Board of DirectorsPresident John Trinkle - district 3Vice-President Walter Hunter - district 2Secretary-Treasurer Jerry Kelley - district 5John Hackman - district 1Paul Elliott - district 4Mark Trisler - district 6Curtis Wischmeier - district 7Dave Hall - district 8John Miller - district 9

OUR COVERBe prepared for spring storms pages 6-7.

Storms, Outages, and SafetyMark McKinney, General Manager

Page 2 - March 2019

I think we all are getting tired

of the extremely wet winter and

ready for spring to start. While

spring brings warmer sunshine, and

everything starts to turn green, it also

brings the potential for severe storms.

Severe storms can cause a variety

of electrical safety hazards in and

around your home. Lightning,

downed power lines, and floods

are just a few of the serious safety

concerns associated with storms.

Unfortunately, many electrical safety

hazards remain long after the storm

itself has passed.

Jackson County REMC cares

about your safety, and we want you

to be prepared. If you lose power to

your home or neighborhood, please

remember the following:

• Report your outage to us as soon

as possible. While we may be aware of

a large-scale outage after a storm, we

may not know about your individual

outage, so please let us know.

• Never step into a flooded basement

or other areas if water is covering

electrical outlets, appliances, or cords.

Be alert to any electrical equipment

that could be energized and in contact

with water. Never touch electrical

appliances, cords, or wires while you

are wet or standing in water.

• If you are out driving, be alert at

railroad crossings and intersections

where the power may be out. Stop at

all railroad crossings and treat road

intersections with traffic signals as

four-way stops before proceeding

with caution.

• Stay clear of downed power lines. If

you encounter a downed power line,

or what you think is a downed power

line, always assume it is energized.

Stay as far away as possible and report

the situation by calling us at 800-288-

4458 as soon as possible.

There is never a good time for a

storm or outages, but when outages

happen, know we work hard to “get

the lights back on” as quickly, and

safely, as possible. At the end of the

day, we strive to deliver affordable and

reliable electricity to our members,

but equally important, we want our

members and employees to be safe.

Be sure to look at pages 6 and 7 for

more storm safety information.

March 2019 - Page 3

The record-setting cold temperatures

in late January kept most of us indoors

and looking for ways to stay warm. Now,

you may be asking “why does my bill go

up when it’s cold outside?”

It’s a frigid fact that you use more

energy in cold weather. In cold weather,

your heating system works much harder

to keep your home comfortable. Even

if you don’t change your thermostat

setting, it runs longer to heat your home.

If you have a gas heating system, it still

uses electricity to power the fan and

distribute the warm air.

If you are concerned or have

questions, please let us know at 812-358-

4458.

Winter Electric Bills

Page 4 - March 2019

Nominating Committees to be set at April Board Meeting

Selecting nominating committees is the first step in preparing for election of directors at the 2019 Annual Meeting

Nominating committees will be appointed at the April 9th meeting of the Board of Directors. These committees will be responsible for selecting slates of candidates for the following districts for the election of directors at the 2019 Jackson County REMC Annual Meeting.

District One:Includes the REMC’s service area in Carr, Drift-wood and Grassy Fork Townships and Brownstown Township east of White River in Jackson County and Monroe and Gibson Townships in Washington County.

District Four: Includes the REMC’s service area in Washington Township east of State Road 135 and Franklin, Pierce and Polk Townships in Washington County and Monroe and Wood Town-ships in Clark County.

District Seven: Includes the REMC’s service area in Vernon, Jackson, Redding and Washington Townships in Jackson County.

The nominating committees will be printed in the May issue of “Watt Highlights” and will be posted on the REMC’s

website (www.jacksonremc.com) and in the REMC office as soon as they are available.

Nominations by petition

Any twenty-five (25) or more members from within a district may make other nominations for director from that district in writing by member petition not less than forty (40) days nor more than one hundred (100) days prior to the meeting of members at which directors are to be elected. After verification of member petition and Bylaw requirements, the Rural Electric shall post such

nominations at the same places where the lists of nominations made by committee are posted.

No nominations from the floor at the meeting

Nominations for directors from the floor during the meeting of members at which directors are to be elected shall not be allowed per the Bylaws. Election questions may be referred to Jackson County REMC General Manager Mark McKinney.

March 2019 - Page 5

Reminder Effective April 1, 2019 Residential rates will see a basic service charge increase of $5 per month, and less than half of a cent increase per kWh.

The Current Rate A Basic Service Charge is $25 a month and will increase to $30 a month. The Current Rate AP (PrePay) Basic Service Charge is $30 a month and will increase to $35 a month.

Our electric rate is a Board approved base rate plus a quarterly Power Cost Adjustment (PCA) provided by our power supplier. The new base rate effective April 1, 2019 will be $.105000 per kWh with the 2nd quarter PCA being ($.001176) making the 2nd quarter electric rate $.103824 per kWh.

ART CONTEST

ELIGIBILITYIndiana public, private or home-schooled students in kindergarten through 12th grade during the 2018-19 school year are eligible to enter the contest.

ENTER YOUR BEST ARTWORKFill the pages of the 2020 calendar!

win $200

Questions? Contact Electric Consumer, 317.487.2220 or ec@electricconsumer.org.

You could

DETAILS AND DEADLINEA complete set of rules and required entry forms are available at ElectricConsumer.org/for-youth/2020-contest. Artwork must be received by March 22, 2019.

Page 6 - March 2019

Spring is just around the corner,

which means severe weather can arrive

at a moment’s notice, no matter where

you live. Wind, rain, hail, and other

elements can cause extensive damage

to your home and property, so it’s

always a good idea to be prepared for

what Mother Nature throws your way.

Here are a few simple steps you can

take to proactively protect your home

and property from damaging spring

storms:

A s s e s s

Take a walk around your property

often to see if there is any damage

and make necessary repairs. Small

damage to roofs and chimneys that

occurred during winter can turn

into big headaches after any severe

storm. Make sure gutters are clear and

draining properly. Consider investing

in a chimney cap, they’re great at

keeping out moisture from heavy rains,

which can damage stainless steel liners,

or cause mold.

T r i m a n d p r u n e t r e e s

Remove dead branches that could

end up being dangerous projectiles

in a severe storm and cause damage

not covered by your homeowner’s

insurance. Ensure there aren’t any

limbs or branches hovering near

the power source to your home. It is

recommended that trees and limbs be

at least 10 feet away from your home.

E n s u r e s u m p p u m p s a r e w o r k i n g

Spring runoff and heavy rainfall can

result in flooded basements. Make sure

your pumps are running smoothly

so, they can do their job when you

need them. Consider having a battery

backup for your sump pump in the

event your power goes out to prevent

flooding.

S e c u r e b a c k ya r d i t e m s

Your backyard oasis can turn into

a danger zone in a severe storm. High

winds can turn unsecured items into

missiles. If you know severe storms are

in the forecast, move these items: patio

furniture, lawn chairs, propane tanks

and grills, flags and poles, bird feeders,

and potted or hanging plants - inside

your home, shed, or garage if possible.

If you can’t bring furniture or heavy

items in, try using a rope or garden

hose to tie them down securely.

F o o d S a f e t y

Is food in the refrigerator safe

during a power outage? It should be

safe as long as power is out no more

than 4 hours. Keep the door closed

as much as possible. Discard any

perishable food (such as meat, poultry,

fish, eggs, and leftovers) that have been

above 40 °F for over 2 hours. A full

freezer will keep the temperature for

approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it

is half full) if the door remains closed.

Never taste food to determine its

safety! You can’t rely on appearance

or odor to determine whether food is

safe.

Sources:

FDA.gov

FoodSafety.gov

Be prepared for spring storms

March 2019 - Page 7

Tornado season is upon us. Do you

know what to do if you’re in the path

of a tornado?

If you’re inside during a tornado,

take shelter in a windowless, interior

room, a storm cellar, or the lowest

level of the building. Stay away from

glass doors and windows to avoid

debris. Crouch down and make

yourself as small of a “target” as

possible. If you can, get under a piece

of sturdy furniture, like a heavy

table or desk. Always use your arms

to protect your head and neck from

injury.

If a tornado hits while you’re in a

car, trailer or mobile home, get out

immediately and go to the lowest floor

of a sturdy nearby building or storm

shelter. Cars, trailers and mobile

homes can easily be swept away by a

tornado or heavy winds. They are not

safe places to be.

If you are outside and cannot

find shelter, seek low ground and

cover your head and neck. (Ditches

are likely to be running with water

from heavy rain and could be more

dangerous than the tornado.) Be

aware of possible risks like falling

trees or power lines and lightning.

The most dangerous place during a

tornado is under an overpass. Seeking

shelter under an overpass puts you at

a higher elevation with no protection

from debris and winds. Never try to

outrun the storm. It moves hundreds

of miles an hour so your survival

chances are much better if you find

the best shelter you can.

To prepare for a tornado, always

keep a battery-powered radio handy to

receive emergency information. Also,

to avoid the risk of carbon monoxide

poisoning, never use generators or

charcoal-burning devices inside your

home, basement, garage or camper.

The time after a tornado brings

communities together, and many

want to help in any way they can. But

be careful when entering damaged

buildings and stay out of any

buildings that smell like gas. Wear

sturdy shoes or boots, long sleeves and

gloves when handling or walking on

or near debris.

If you want to help with the

recovery efforts after a disaster,

please go through an established

organization to volunteer. These

areas can be dangerous, and those

organizations will know how to

organize and respond in a safe

manner.

Never touch downed power lines

or objects in contact with them. They

could still be live with electricity and

touching them could be fatal. Instead,

immediately report any downed lines

to your local electric cooperative.

Source: ESFI

Page 8 - March 2019

Simply Delicious

Recipes SHAMROCK BARK

1 Bag of Wilton Green Candy Melts2 4 oz. Boxes of Bakers White Chocolate1 Cup of Green M&M’s

Melt the Green Candy Melts and White Chocolate according to the package directions in separate bowls. On a Piece of Wax Paper pour out the Melted Green Candy and spread it out until it’s about 1/8″ Thick. Add on the White Chocolate on top and use a toothpick or the tip of a knife to swirl the white and green chocolate together. Top with Green Sprinkles (Optional) & M&Ms.Allow the candy to cool, once cooled break it apart into smaller pieces and store in an airtight container.

5 INGREDIENT SIMPLE LASAGNA 18 Lasagna Noodles 45 oz Marinara sauce2 lbs. Lean ground beef 2 cups Ricotta3 cups Mozzarella cheese

Boil lasagna noodles according to box instructions. Cut the lasagna noodles to fit the size of your pan. Brown the beef and drain if necessary. Add all Marinara sauce to the beef. Spray a 9x13 baking pan with non-stick spray. Now for the layers! 1. Thin layer of meat sauce 2. 6 lasagna noodles 3. Spread 1 cup ricotta, sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella cheese 4. Thicker layer of meat sauce 5. 6 lasagna noodles 6. Spread 1 cup ricotta, sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella cheese 7. Layer of meat sauce 8. 6 lasagna noodles 9. Layer of meat sauce Then Cover with foil.Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and add 1 cup mozzarella cheese to top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes without foil.

INSTANT POT GREEN BEANS AND POTATOES8 Slices of Bacon, chopped 1/2 Red Onion, chopped1 Clove of Garlic, minced 6-8 Small Yukon Gold Potatoes, halved2 Pounds Green Beans, trimmed 1 Tablespoon Butter3/4 Cup Chicken Broth Olive OilSalt and Pepper to TasteFresh Chopped Parsley

Press Saute and 20 minutes on your instant pot. Once hot, add the bacon and cook until crisp, stirring occasionally as needed. Remove the bacon to a paper towel lined plate, leaving the grease. Place the onions and garlic in and sauté until tender.Add the potatoes, cut side down and cook until golden, adding a drizzle of olive oil if needed. Add the butter. Throw in the green beans and stir to combine. Add the Chicken Broth and set it to manual, high pressure for 6 minutes. Allow a natural release and then open the lid, season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in the bacon. Sprinkle the chopped parsley all over the top right before serving.

by Nicole AultCommunications/Public

Relations Specialist

March 2019 - Page 9

Spring Storm History

We are all excited about March and

the arrival of spring, but with spring

also comes spring storms, which can

cause major outages. Looking back

there are 2 months of March in our

cooperatives recent history that stand

out as far as outages are concerned.

The first and most destructive storm

was the March 2, 2012 tornado that hit

Henryville.

The March 2nd storm hit our

system on a Friday around 3:02 p.m.

in the southern portion of our service

area just west of the Town of Pekin.

Two Washington County substations,

one near Pekin and the other near

Borden, both served by Duke Energy,

lost power due to transmission line

failures. The greatest number of

members affected occurred during the

time these two substations were out

was approximately 2,350 services. By

7:00 p.m. Saturday all members that

could take service had been restored.

Total there were 16 broken poles,

10 transformers damaged and

approximately 10,000

feet of wire that had

to be replaced or

reinstalled.

Our neighboring

cooperative Clark

County REMC was

hit the hardest and

needed our help

following the tornado. We responded

and sent six of our line employees for

a week to help them restore service to

the residents of Henryville and nearby

Marysville following the EF-4 twister.

The more recent storm that

damaged our system was March

1, 2017. Severe high winds first

touched down in our service territory

in the Leesville area in eastern

Lawrence County around 5:30 am on

Wednesday, March 1st.

This extreme wind took out two

three-phase poles around Leesville.

This line continued to move across

our system causing extensive damage

to Duke Energy’s 230kV transmission

line south of

Tampico taking

down at least five

steel transmission

towers.

Areas northeast

of Austin in the

Hardy Lake area

fell into this

path of extreme wind and resulted

in several broken poles and downed

power lines. At the same time, Duke

Energy’s transmission line systems

in Washington County that services

our Kossuth, Salem East, South

Boston, Pekin, and Borden substations

were crippled with multiple faults

effectively losing service to the entire

southeastern section of Washington

County along with the city of Salem.

Switching load to alternate substations

was not possible due to the extent of

the transmission line outage. This

transmission failure resulted in

approximately 4,000 customers losing

service in Washington County.

With this storm our first outage

occurred at 5:30 a.m. on March 1st

and the last outage was restored at 9:45

p.m. on March 2nd. The storm broke a

total of 44 poles.

Picture taken during the March 1, 2017 storm restoration.

Picture taken during the March 2, 2012 storm restoration.

Page 10 - March 2019

Jackson County

April 6 - Annual Tampico School reunion at Pewter Hall in Brownstown. Note the event this year is on a Saturday. Fellowship hour at 5:00 p.m., dinner served at 6:00 p.m. Reservations are requested by March 29. Cost is $17.00. Tampico graduates and others associated with the school are welcome to attend. Contact Donna Maxie (812-358-2535) or Wilma Benter (812-522-5799) for reservations or more information.

Jennings County

April 27 - Spring Garden & Craft Show 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Parish Hall 1875 S. County Road 700 W. North Vernon. Find a variety of flower and vegetable plants, hanging baskets, crafts, garden art, home decor and more. Contact Terri French (812-346-3192 or 812-525-9556) for more information.

Scott County

March 8 - Scott County Museum 6:00 p.m. Dinner and speaker. $20.00 each. Gypsy Moon Hobo Life-- Real Hobo. Scott County Museum 1050 S. Main St. Scotts-burg. 812-752-1050

March 20 - Scott County Museum Brown Bag Lunch at 12:00 p.m. Bring your lunch. Dessert and drink provided. Book Review.

April 17 - Scott County Museum Brown Bag Lunch at 12:00 p.m. Bring your lunch. Dessert and drink furnished. The New Chapel Dulcimer Players will be featured.

April 27 & May 25 - All-you-can-eat breakfast sponsored by the Friends of Hardy Lake; breakfast served from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at the Hardy Lake shelter house. Adults - $6.50; children 3 to 12 - $3.00; children under 3 - free.

COMMUNITYCALENDAR

To have your non-profit group’s event listed in our “Community Calendar,” please con-tact us by letter, phone or e-mail (nault@jacksonremc.com) at least six weeks before

your event date. Include a phone number we can call to verify your information.

All proceeds support the Dwight Chamberlain Raptor Rehab Cen-ter. For more information visit www.friendsofhardylake.com.

Washington County

April 27 - Gibson volunteer fire department will be having its annual fish fry and auction. The event will take place at the fire house in Little York. Fish fry will start at 4:00 p.m. and the auction will start at 6:00 p.m. This year we will have several Pampered Chef items, paintings and much, much more. If you would like to donate anything for the auction, please call Sunday Pruett at 812-595-4297 Or Donna at 812-595-2103.

March 2019 - Page 11

When calling or w

riting please give the name and

customer num

ber above your name on this label

or your account number show

n on your bill.TELEPHONE - 812-358-4458TOLL FREE - 800-288-4458

During regular office hours you will be connected with our customer service representatives. After regular hours you will be connected with our answering service. Please call during regular office hours for all business other than out-ages or emergencies.

OFFICE HOURS7:30 AM to 4:30 PM - Monday through Friday

FAX only - 812-358-5719E-mail - info@jacksonremc.com

Web site - www.jacksonremc.comPay bill online - visit our website (above)

Pay bill by phone - 1-888-999-8816