Texas Co-Op Power • August 2021

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STUDENT EXPANDS AID KIDS GET RANCHES COME For FoSTer youTHS In THe kITCHen WITH buILT-In pooLS

For CoServ MeMberS auguST 2021

Citizen Scientists

volunteers help track, identify and protect the state’s natural resources

MEET OUR SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

See pageS 18–19

PLUS 24 Minor League baseball going Strong in Frisco 22 CoServ vehicle Fleet Saves Time and Money 21 repurposed Computers Help Local Students

contents August 2021

04 currents The latest buzz

06 tcp talk Readers respond

18 co-op news Information plus energy and safety tips from your cooperative

29 Footnotes in texas history Stolen Words By Christopher Adams

30 tcp kitchen Kids Cooking By Megan Myers

34 hit the road Head Honcho 12 By Chet Garner

37 Focus on texas 08 Photo Contest: Channel Your Easing Life’s Portraits Inner Scientist Baggage Opportunities abound for Texans Flush with bags, a college 38 observations to augment impactful research. student finds new ways to Pools in support foster youths the Pasture By Melissa Gaskill through life transitions. By Brenda Kissko Photos by Julia Robinson By Chris Burrows Photos by Eric Pohl

On The COver Diane Wilson shows nurdles— plastic pellets—she has collected at the Texas coast. Photo by Julia Robinson AbOve One of the thousands of bags hunter beaton has prepared for foster youths. Photo courtesy NRECA

TexAsCOOppOWer.COm AugusT 2021 TEXAS COOP POWER 3 Currents

Chess Royalty

Rio Grande Valley chess team won the uniVersity oF texas its third consecutive national championship, defeating Webster University in April for the President’s Cup. Our June 2012 story The Kings and Queens of Brownsville told how young students made all the right moves to turn the U.S.’s southernmost border town into a chess powerhouse.

Contests and More

on texascooppoWer.coM $500 recipe contest soups and stews Focus on texas photos bridges poWer oF our people Know anybody as inspired and exceptional as hunter beaton, featured on page 12? Let us know so we can shine the spotlight on them.

August 22 national tooth Fairy Day The tooth fairy forks over an average of $4.70 per visit in the u.s., a recent poll shows. That’s a far cry from the nickel recommended more than a century ago. The Chicago Tribune carried the first published mention of the tooth fairy— in 1908. Writer Lillian brown advised that parents might have an easier time persuading children to have loose teeth pulled if a “tooth fairy” left a small gift of 5 cents under youngsters’ pillows for each tooth lost.

members of the uTrgv chess team often mentor K-12 students in brownsville schools. Chess bOArD: WhyFrAme | shuTTersTOCK.COm. Chess pLAyers: COurTesy uTrgv. gumbO: uCKyO | DOLLAr phOTO CLub. COins: eLbuD | shuTTersTOCK.COm

4 TEXAS COOP POWER AugusT 2021 TexAsCOOppOWer.COm score one For the

Whenco-op hereford Sports & Well- ness took delivery of two digital scoreboards for its soccer field in the panhandle town, the nonprofit community center realized it didn’t have the means to install them. deaf Smith electric cooperative did. the co-op sent a bucket truck outfitted with an auger and a crew of linemen, who drilled a half-dozen 6-foot-deep holes to securely mount the new displays. Cool Coat

the whitest paint ever—a paint engineers haVe createD so white that building surfaces coated in it are 8 degrees cooler than the air on a sunny day. The innovation could reduce air conditioning demands and mitigate the effects of climate change, Vice reports. The new paint, developed by a team at Purdue University, “Books are reflects 98.1% of sunlight. Researchers used barium sulfate, a powder that’s reflective across all wavelengths of sunlight, a uniquely to pigment the new paint—unlike most white paints, which portable tend to use titanium dioxide as pigment. magic.”

—Stephen King

Tell us how you would finish that says rain sounds like a Couldn’t pronounce a Finish this sentence. email your short responses cow peeing on a flat rock. word, so he made up a s u e b i g Ay new one that sounded to [email protected] or sAm hOusTOn eC sentence L i v i n g s TO n similar. comment on our Facebook post. CrAig mAssOuh peDernALes eC IT’S SO HOT ... include your co-op and town. here read the comics to me— s AT T L e r are some of the responses to our in different voices to June prompt: i always laugh when match the character. To see more responses, beTTy biLLingsLey read Currents online. my dad … viA FACebOOK numerAL: vLue | shuTTersTOCK.COm. pAinT: gArsyA | shuTTersTOCK.COm. sungLAsses: uKKi sTuDiO | shuTTersTOCK.COm

TexAsCOOppOWer.COm AugusT 2021 TEXAS COOP POWER 5 TCP Talk

‘that’s What co-ops are For’ “We are blessed to have co-op employees who persevere in all types of weather to restore electricity and risk their lives to do so.”

Jane patteRSon BoWie-caSS ec t e x a R K a n a COurTesy peDernALes eLeCTriC COOperATive

Wheel Fact Fruitful adventure Fleeing thought Texas Talk Man [June 2021] describes Armed with our April I never realized that while the

a trip that some of the cast of the movie The most glorious issue, we went in search of armies of Texians and Mexi- Giant took to the state fairgrounds in sight in Aransas Alphonse and Martha Dotson cans fought, many civilians Dallas in 1955, mentioning they “boarded County after hurri- on a recent trip to the Hill found it necessary to aban- the soaring Texas Star” Ferris wheel. cane harvey hit was Country [The Seed Flourishes, don everything they owned the arrival of the line- That particular wheel was shipped over April 2021]. What we thought and relocate in a hurry [The men from all over from Europe and set up in Dallas in 1985. [‘That’s What Co-ops would be a short wine tasting Runaway Scrape, April 2021]. Are For,’ June 2021]. turned into an afternoon This makes me wonder what William F. Culver iii heroes all. of great memories. We left I would do if that situation

Farmers eC KAren beverLy with extraordinary stories, arose in my lifetime. Collin County viA FACebOOK exquisite wine, an auto- Jessica Ridge wrote a great story. Also, graphed cover, new friends b. Jason epps the photo by Wyatt McSpadden of Hin- and a promise to return. Trinity valley eC kle leaning on the tree branch with the Traveling is really about heartland horse in the background was perfect. the people you encounter along the way. Larry reese bluebonnet eC patti and Larry Terrell brenham bowie-Cass eC Write to us red Lick [email protected]

editor, Texas Co-op power 1122 Colorado st., 24th Floor Austin, Tx 78701

please include your electric co-op and town. Letters may be edited for clarity and length.

COurTesy pATTi TerreLL Texas Co-op power

texas electric cooperatiVes boarD oF Directors texas co-op power volume 78, number 2 (usps 540-560). Texas Co-op Power is published chair robert Loth iii, Fredericksburg • Vice chair gary raybon, el Campo monthly by Texas electric Cooperatives (TeC). periodical postage paid at Austin, Tx, and at additional secretary-treasurer Kelly Lankford, san Angelo • board Members greg henley, Tahoka offices. TeC is the statewide association representing 75 electric cooperatives.Texas Co-op Power’s website is TexasCooppower.com. Call (512) 454-0311 or email [email protected]. billy Jones, Corsicana • David mcginnis, van Alstyne • Doug Turk, Livingston subscriptions subscription price is $4.20 per year for individual members of subscribing coop- presiDent/ceo mike Williams, Austin eratives and is paid from equity accruing to the member. if you are not a member of a subscribing coMMunications & MeMber serVices coMMittee cooperative, you can purchase an annual subscription at the nonmember rate of $7.50. individual marty haught, burleson • bill hetherington, bandera • ron hughes, sinton copies and back issues are available for $3 each. boyd mcCamish, Littlefield • John ed shinpaugh, bonham • robert Walker, gilmer postMaster send address changes to Texas Co-op Power (usps 540-560), 1122 Colorado st., buff Whitten, eldorado • brandon young, mcgregor 24th Floor, Austin, Tx 78701. please enclose label from this copy of Texas Co-op Power showing old address and key numbers. Magazine staFF aDVertising Advertisers interested in buying display ad space in Texas Co-op Power and/or in Vice president, communications & Member services martin bevins our 30 sister publications in other states, contact elaine sproull at (512) 486-6251. Advertisements editor Charles J. Lohrmann • associate editor Tom Widlowski in Texas Co-op Power are paid solicitations. The publisher neither endorses nor guarantees in any production Manager Karen nejtek • creative Manager Andy Doughty manner any product or company included in this publication. product satisfaction and delivery re- advertising Manager elaine sproull • senior communications specialist Chris burrows sponsibility lie solely with the advertiser. © Copyright 2021 Texas electric Cooperatives inc. repro- print production specialist grace Fultz • communications specialist Travis hill duction of this issue or any portion of it is expressly prohibited without written permission. Willie Food editor megan myers • communications specialist Jessica ridge Wiredhand © Copyright 2021 national rural electric Cooperative Association. Digital content producer Chris salazar • senior Designer Jane sharpe proofreader shannon Oelrich • Digital Media intern sabrina macias

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CLOCKWise FrOm TOp LeFT Diane Wilson has gathered millions of nurdles—like the handful shown—in her decades as a citizen scientist. Jace Tunnell collects nurdles near a port Lavaca estu- ary. Tania homayoun, an urban conservation biologist, uploads a picture of a turtle using the inaturalist app.

8 TEXAS COOP POWER AugusT 2021 TexAsCOOppOWer.COm By meliSSa gaSKill photoS By Julia RoBinSon

Inner Scientist

Opportunities abound for Texans to augment impactful research

ictoria resident and shrimp boat captain Diane ing from, we would never be able to do it,” Tunnell says. Wilson often walks along the shoreline. She keeps a “It is really the citizen scientists who are making this proj- V sharp eye out, not for seashells but for small pellets ect a success.” of plastic. Called nurdles, these lentil-sized bits are raw Early Nurdle Patrol volunteers reported high concentra- material used for manufacturing plastics. She has found as tions of pellets in bay systems along the Texas coast, where many as 21,000 nurdles at one time. many plastic manufacturers are located. A map created “They’re like little peas, or lentils, with different shapes,” from these reports uses warmer colors to depict higher says Wilson, who reports her finds to Nurdle Patrol at the concentrations of pellets. “Texas and Louisiana are purple, University of Texas Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas. indicating more than 1,000 pellets found in 10 minutes,” This work makes her a citizen scientist—one of thousands of Tunnell says, adding that the project hopes to stop plastic people who lend their eyes, ears, hands and time to profes- from entering the environment and to give volunteers the sional scientists conducting all kinds of research around opportunity to be involved in impactful work. the world. “You just collect a sample and estimate the count from “To date, we’ve had more than 2,000 volunteers remove what you can pick up in 10 minutes,” Wilson explains. “You more than 1.5 million nurdles from beaches spanning from don’t remove all the pellets or you’d go nuts. It’s very easy Brazil to Canada,” says Jace Tunnell, director of the Mission- and is a way to protect your own health as well as the bays Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve at the insti- and wildlife.” tute, which runs Nurdle Patrol. After a spill left nurdles all Nurdle Patrol, like most citizen science projects, requires over coastlines around Corpus Christi in September 2018, no special skill or knowledge. Some citizen science even Tunnell started a Facebook group for people to report the can be done sitting on your couch with a computer or pellets. Within a few weeks, posts had poured in from every smartphone. The FISHstory project asks people to identify U.S. state along the Gulf of Mexico; a university in Veracruz, and count fish in historical fishing photos, helping to Mexico; and a nonprofit on the Yucatán Peninsula. That led estimate what kinds of and how many fish people caught in him to create the full-blown citizen science project. the South Atlantic during the 1940s through the 1970s. That “If this was just a university project, three or four of us information supports current management of those waters. going out and trying to figure out where nurdles are com- Other couch-bound projects include transcribing historical

TexAsCOOppOWer.COm AugusT 2021 TEXAS COOP POWER 9 documents, playing video games to show how people solve LeFT TO righT biologist Craig hens- problems and completing a survey about your dog. ley examines a wing banding to Other tasks can be done just outside your door. For Globe find the age of a loggerhead shrike. at Night, a worldwide map of artificial light pollution, hensley helps train citizen scientists to monitor target species all simply go outside after dark, use a night sky phone app to over the state. he and homayoun find a designated constellation and then use a star chart to attach leg bands to a loggerhead. identify the faintest star you can see nearby. Still other projects provide the perfect excuse to go exploring. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s W e b e x t r a see what links we have to help you contribute to dozen Texas Nature Trackers projects ask people to report citizen science projects. sightings anywhere in Texas of specific plants and animals using the iNaturalist app. The information helps the department understand the distribution and seasonality of species and how they change over time. but unless it is in the right category, TPWD can’t use it. “Every county in Texas has one assigned wildlife biolo- “There are so many ways to get involved in citizen sci- gist, and it’s impossible for one individual in any given ence that don’t take a lot of time,” she adds. “It’s enjoyable county to keep track of all the flora and fauna,” says the at the same time. You’re outside, looking for things. It’s an program’s Craig Hensley. “Through citizen science, we gain opportunity to understand what’s out there and what we information that leads to better conservation decisions.” need to do to protect it or what we’re already doing but The projects focus on species with the greatest conserva- maybe didn’t realize.” tion need, such as the Texas horned lizard, whooping Weather watchers can turn their interest into citizen cranes, monarch butterflies and milkweed, and freshwater science as well. For six years Chris Keating of Mason has mussels, which are threatened by invasive species. collected data for the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail Lee County resident and Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative and Snow Network, known as CoCoRaHS. At the most basic member Linda Jo Conn, a Texas master naturalist, partici- level, volunteers report the amount of rain in their gauges pates in Nature Trackers projects on milkweed and mam- daily. Keating also submits a weekly report summarizing mals. “I call myself an iNaturalist addict,” Conn says. “I learn conditions in his Hill Country town, the number of thun- a lot. That’s one of the reasons I’m involved. I go places just derclaps when there is a storm and extreme weather details to see what I can find and am known to stop on highways. when something unusual happens, such as hail. My friends know that if I’m not waving my arms, I’m OK.” “I have read scientific papers that refer to CoCoRaHS, so Elaine Cowley, a Guadalupe Valley EC member who lives it is a productive project, with the data put to scientific in Luling, helps Nature Trackers refine data on mammals in use,” Keating says. “You can do it on a phone app or a Texas, specifically the swamp rabbit. “I was already using computer. It’s designed for the layperson. You just have to iNaturalist for some other projects, so I said yes to this be able to read a rain gauge.” curation project,” she says. “There is so much data out there, A related project, the Global Learning and Observations

10 TEXAS COOP POWER AugusT 2021 TexAsCOOppOWer.COm ‘You’re outside, looking for things. It’s an opportunity to understand what’s out there and what we need to do to protect it or what we’re already doing but maybe didn’t realize.’

photographers and eventually want to know what they’re taking pictures of,” Tjelmeland says. “Others are more like me and want to know what’s in their backyard or favorite natural area. You can just grab a camera and start snapping pictures, even without knowing a lot initially.” Insects can seem overwhelming in terms of sheer numbers of species and the difficulty of identifying them. Tjelmeland advises starting with things you are interested in, perhaps moths or grasshoppers, and expanding from there. On the plus side, you do not have to go far to find insects. to Benefit the Environment Observer Program, asks citizen Volunteers at the preserve have tallied almost 2,000 scientists to submit photographs of cloud cover. species of plants and animals, including insects. “Almost People who live near or visit the Texas coast can use the anywhere you go, biodiversity is weighted toward those iSeaTurtle app to report sightings of these endangered smaller things that are often overlooked but really impor- reptiles. The data helps scientists at Texas A&M University tant in terms of ecology,” he says. map and understand their distribution. Citizen scientists contribute information needed by scientists and project managers, providing much more t the Nature Conservancy’s Texas City Prairie than those professionals could obtain on their own. These Preserve, outside Houston, volunteers can photo- contributions are equally if not more important in rural A graph and report plants and animals observed on communities, Hensley says, especially when information its 2,300 acres using iNaturalist. Aaron Tjelmeland, pre- is collected on private land. He notes that iNaturalist allows serve manager, has tallied almost 600 species of moths users to protect the location of their reports, sharing it only there. The project grew from his participation in the 2019 with the project and not the public. City Nature Challenge, an annual international event that “The more we know, the better we can be at managing mobilizes citizen scientists to record urban biodiversity on things,” Hensley says. “An animal may be more common iNaturalist. than we know it to be because there is good habitat on “That interested me in the depth and breadth of biodi- private land holdings but no one is sharing the information. versity here at the preserve, things other than the more As a result, we may be making decisions without all the obvious birds and reptiles,” Tjelmeland says. “From moths, facts. Citizen science is vital to conservation efforts going it grew into the broader insect community—anything I forward.” D could take a picture of, basically.” People come into the project in different ways. “Some are

TexAsCOOppOWer.COm AugusT 2021 TEXAS COOP POWER 11 poWer oF our people Easing Life’s Baggage

Flush with bags, a college student finds new ways to support foster youths through difficult transitions

hunter Beaton has delivered some 45,000 bags since he started his project in 2016. Serenity Packs ith bags supplied by Hunter Beaton and donations from Houston County businesses, Allen W created packs of snacks, activities and other items designed to comfort children caught up in police incidents—especially in rural areas, where family members or Child Protective Services may be miles away. “It could be 30, 40 minutes, and they don’t know what’s By chRiS BuRRoWS • photoS By eRic pohl going on; there’s lights flashing, and the officer has to take care of an accident scene or an arrest,” said Allen, who is he police cruiser barely registered president of the Texas Council of Child Welfare Boards, in with Tim Allen when it moved past the porch which capacity he met Beaton in 2017, and a member of where he was meeting with a child in the foster Houston County EC. T care system. To equip police vehicles with bags for children, Allen But the 11-year-old girl from rural Houston County noticed. worked with nearby departments, who were enthusiastic “She just started shaking,” said Allen, a volunteer for about the A Serenity Activity Packs, or ASAP bags, as he Court Appointed Special Advocates, which assists children called them. Beaton was too, and his bags, sourced from in the foster care system. “And I realized that the only con- Boerne-based Flying Circle Gear, were a perfect match. text she’s ever had for a police officer was when her mother “It seems odd maybe to have a bag full of toys and trin- was pulled over with her in the car, for a drug violation.” kets in a patrol car, but from what I’ve heard, the police Stirred by the young girl’s response, Allen wanted to do officers love it,” Beaton said. “It’s something that can build something to help other children in her position, who may a little bit of trust.” be entering the foster care system after a traumatic police Since January, ASAP bags have spread from Houston encounter. County to more than 30 police agencies in Texas—a total He knew who could bring his idea to life. of 2,500 bags. Hunter Beaton started Day 1 Bags in 2016, after his own “It just kind of took off,” Allen said. “One county after the foster siblings arrived at the Beaton house in Boerne with next—about every week or two we’ll hear about a new their belongings in trash bags. “How awful is that?” Beaton county implementing it.” told Texas Co-op Power in July 2018. “No kid deserves this.” In the five years since, what started as an Eagle Scout project with $10,000 in community donations for 15-year-old Adopt a Senior Beaton has become a full-fledged independent nonprofit that llie Grace Graves knows how life can be different has delivered some 45,000 locally made duffel bags to chil- for foster children because she was one before she dren in foster care in 22 states. The premise is simple: Give A was adopted as a 6-year-old. those kids a reason to smile and something to call their own. “I had to grow up a lot faster than the average child,” said Beaton, 20, now serves as CEO of the organization while he the native of Lone Star, in northeast Texas. “I was doing the studies at the University of Texas at Austin, even spending his dishes, getting on the church bus, roaming around town by spring break meeting with police agencies and donors, look- myself before I was 4 years old.” ing over the finances, and crafting social media strategy. That was on Graves’ mind in 2020 as she was set to gradu- “We are continuing to do our main mission: providing ate from high school. She had her family to celebrate with backpacks and luggage for foster children and at-risk youth but knew that more than 500 graduating high school stu- who are moving from home to home,” Beaton said. “So dents still in foster care in Texas would not. many youth have been moved around so much—so to have She wanted to help and reached out to someone she something they can keep, that is really nice and to put any knew could bring her idea to life: Hunter Beaton. belongings inside really means so much to them.” “Most high school students have someone to celebrate But now Day 1 Bags is expanding its reach, partnering with their graduation with,” Graves said. “We want that to be the advocates like Allen to help more children and shine a light on case for every foster youth in Texas.” lesser-known issues faced by youths in the foster system. Graves and Beaton teamed up to send duffel bags full of “I never envisioned it taking off like it did,” said Paula goodies, including personalized letters, to each graduate still Beaton, Hunter’s mom and a member of Bandera Electric in foster care. Donors “adopt” a senior through the program. Cooperative. “And it’s overwhelming at times. I mean, we’ll About 1,200 foster youths in Texas turn 18 each year have boxes arrive, and my husband’s like, ‘Ugh, another without being reunited with their birth family or adopted. set of boxes’—and we never intended for our house to be More than a quarter of them exit the system without a high a warehouse. school diploma or stable housing, and nearly half are “But honestly, every quarter I ask Hunter, ‘Do you want unemployed, according to Texas CASA. to keep doing this?’ And he says, ‘Absolutely.’ ” “When I first started, I was so focused on the younger side of

TexAsCOOppOWer.COm AugusT 2021 TEXAS COOP POWER 13 LeFT Comal County sheriff's deputies carry AsAp bags in their cruisers. beLOW beaton loads boxes from Flying Circle gear, the boerne company that makes the bags, into his family’s van for delivery.

hoW to help visit day1bags.org/donate to help hunter beaton further his mission.

the board. The Beatons’ Hill Country neighbors also have kept up their support. “People think it’s the corporate donors who do all the heavy lifting, but it’s really all the $10, $20, $50 donations here and there that really build it up,” Beaton said. “People are just so generous.” He said he plans to continue his nonproﬁt work after college, where he’s studying communications and leadership. And while he accomplished more than most on spring break this year, Beaton still made time for the former things, toddlers and children, that I completely overlooked high foster children in his life—his own siblings, who started it all. school,” Beaton said. “So now we’re doing our best to help.” They played board games, basketball and tennis. “It’s fun Beaton expanded the program this year, outﬁtting all 562 to come back home and be around kids,” he said. “They graduates in the class of 2021 with a vital documents bag, aren’t so serious and make you laugh a lot.” D gift cards, reusable water bottles and other items. “Just so they have something to celebrate their graduation with,” he said.

Riding to the Challenge few years ago, when Beaton was preparing to get his driver’s license, he didn’t want to drive a vehi- A cle with an automatic transmission. That would be too easy. “I wanted to test in a stick shift,” he said. “So I practiced a lot, burned out my dad’s clutch but ended up being able to pass the driver’s test. I like big challenges like that.” That same ethic is visible in Beaton’s commitment to foster children. Being named the Texas Veterans of Foreign Wars Scout of the Year and winning a Congressional Gold Medal for his work was just the start. “There’s always going to be a need,” Beaton said. “I want to continue to grow and do new things and make Day 1 Bags incredibly inﬂuential for these youth.” poWer oF our people It’s still a family eﬀort behind him with Paula (his “top To nominate a co-op member pusher and supporter,” he said) as treasurer; his sister who makes a difference in your community, email details to Hailey as social media guru; and his dad, Kevin, serving on [email protected].

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coserv News coserv presents scholarships to seniors from seven different school districts

STORY BY NICHOLAS SAKELARIS

$5,000 scholarships to seniors who surprised the scholarship recipients in person at school in COSERV AWARDED SEVEN have excelled in academics while also showing a servant’s April and May. It’s another way that CoServ supports the heart to give back to the community now and into the future. communities we serve through academic initiatives. As COVID-19 restrictions were lifted, CoServ Employees “These scholarship recipients are our future nurses,

KATIE Emilia (EMMA) Lukas (LUKE) Class of Williams Roco Morehead • High school: Braswell High • High school: Lebanon Trail • High school: Rock Hill High 2021 CoServ School – Denton ISD High School – Frisco ISD School – Prosper ISD $5,000 • Plans to attend: Texas • Plans to attend: University of • Plans to attend: Undecided, Woman’s University to Texas to study business plans to study chemistry study nursing scholarship • Accomplishments and • Accomplishments and • Accomplishments and activities: Student Council, activities: Math National recipients activities: National Honor Girl Scouts – Gold Award, Honor Society, cross Society and Partner P.E. co-founded the Student country and Prosper Ice (partners with special Achievement Society (a club Hockey Team education students) that focuses on creating a • Other: Tutors math work-life balance) and DECA • Other: Plays the piano and and works part-time at teaches piano lessons Mathnasium

Fallen CoServ lineman honored STORY BY NICHOLAS SAKELARIS memory alive with the annual Roman Juarez Memorial Scholarship, which COSERV PRESENTED the Roman Juarez goes to a Sanger High School graduate Memorial Scholarship to Sanger High each year. CoServ Director of Operations School senior Presley Brockett, who Shea Hassell, who has represented the was also the Class of 2021 salutatorian. operations department at almost every The scholarship honors Roman Juarez, scholarship presentation, was on hand with a CoServ Electric Lineman who was Roman’s family to recognize Presley. responding to a power outage when his Presley plans to attend the University truck was struck by a drunk driver on of Arkansas where she will study biology. May 13, 2007. Roman was a devoted She plans to attend medical school in linemen who worked for CoServ for the future. PHOTO BY NICHOLAS SAKELARIS 20 years before losing his life in the line A substation in Frisco has been named of duty. He was just four days shy of his in Roman’s honor, maintaining his devotion 42nd birthday. to CoServ’s mission of delivering safe and CoServ’s Director of Operations D Shea Hassell presented the scholarship. CoServ and Roman’s family keep his reliable energy to members

18 TEXAS CO-OP POWER AUGUST 2021 COSERV

08-21_CoServ_TCP.indd 18 7/8/21 8:38 AM ACADEMIC INITIATIVES: SCHOLARSHIPS from seven different school districts

chemists, special education teachers and architects,” said a fi nancial boost to help them with the next step in their Whitney Gohlke, CoServ’s Manager of Academic Initiatives. educational career.” D “CoServ is proud to give these outstanding young adults

Jillian (JILLY) LANDEN SARAH ALLISON Woodward Parkes Paroski Leyer • High school: Byron Nelson • High school: Krum High • High school: Marcus High • High school: Little Elm High High School – Northwest ISD School – Krum ISD School – Lewisville ISD School – Little Elm ISD

• Plans to attend: Abilene • Plans to attend: University • Plans to attend: University of • Plans to attend: University Christian University to study of North Texas to study North Texas to study marine of North Texas to study psychology/occupational architectural engineering biology special education therapy • Accomplishments and • Accomplishments and • Accomplishments and • Accomplishments and activities: Boy Scouts activities: National Honor activities: Top 10 in class activities: National Honor and tennis Society, Girl Scouts – Gold ranking, Theater Society, Student Council, Award, swim team cheer squad PHOTOS BY KEN OLTMANN Interested in a scholarship for your senior?? THE TIME TO APPLY IS COMING UP SOON FOR THE CLASS OF 2022! SAVE Scholarships are available to attend a college, university or trade school within the State of Texas. Applications are scored by a panel of judges utilizing a blind review process. THE 2021 APPLICATION WINDOW DA 12:00 a.m. Monday, August 30 TE! to 11:59 p.m. Friday, October 8

Email [email protected] for more information. Recipients must live in a CoServ Electric or Gas household to be eligible. For full details, visit CoServ.com/Scholarships.

COSERV.COM � [email protected] AUGUST 2021 TEXAS CO-OP POWER 19

08-21_CoServ_TCP.indd 19 7/8/21 8:38 AM education. Supporting the grants for teachers is the biggest way we can make an impact in the classroom that is innovative and engaging,” said Jessica Craft, CCF and ACADEMIC INITIATIVES: GRANTS Outreach Coordinator. “We are a proud partner of education foundations and in turn, our teachers and students.”

RISE OF THE ROBOTS Lone Star High School Math Teacher Anna Ray wants her students to experience calculus in the real world. For years, CoServ funds that meant turning high school students loose with their own vehicles teacher creativity where they would measure through education velocity and acceleration while driving. foundation grants In 2019, she applied STORY BY NICHOLAS SAKELARIS for a Frisco PHOTO BY NICHOLAS SAKELARIS Education at Lone Star High School in Frisco ISD A CALCULUS CLASS Foundation used Dash 6 robots to learn about Riemann sums, derivatives grant for Dash and integrals. The students coded the robots to go specific 6 robots that directions and distances, then recorded the data. students could In Northwest ISD, district administrators are filming Science Snacks — short, educational videos that combine science lessons with nutritious food. What these two school activities from two corners Lone Star High School PHOTOS BY FRISCO ISD of CoServ’s service territory have in common is students used a Dash 6 robot to gather data for that they were funded by grants from the CoServ use for the project various calculations. Charitable Foundation through the districts’ instead of their own education foundations. vehicles. CoServ distributes approximately $280,000 to The results have education foundations in 23 school districts to been amazing for support teacher-initiated grants each year. her students because These funds come directly from CoServ Members they not only learn and Customers who participate in Operation advanced math skills Roundup, where their bills are rounded up to but troubleshooting, the nearest dollar. programming and “CoServ believes there is no greater investment engineering. in a community’s future than supporting public “I can’t thank them enough for investing in me and investing in my students.” Anna said.

SCIENCE SNACKS IS READY TO GO VIRAL Northwest ISD administrators Amy Hollenshead and Kelly Suarez realized early on in the COVID-19 pandemic that there aren’t many elementary-level science videos on the Internet. And many of the videos that are out there have incorrect information in them. They decided to do something about it by applying for a Northwest Education Foundation grant for video equipment, books and materials to make their own videos. The rest is Science Snack history. “Outdoor Amy” and “Princess Science,” as they are known, started creating the fun, energetic videos last spring. The goal is to teach science concepts in a practical manner, PHOTO BY KEN OLTMANN expose children to agricultural careers and give them a new LEFT TO RIGHT: Kelly Suarez, Elementary Science Coordinator appreciation and understanding for where food comes from. for Northwest ISD, fifth-graders Conner Martin, Micah Lorton, “We did not want to stop scientific learning [in case we had Camdyn Beich and Saige Silbernagel and Outside Learning Center to go to remote learning again],” Amy said. “And the number Coordinator Amy Hollenshead filmed an episode of Science Snacks one thing that brings people together is food! D at J.W. Thompson Elementary School in Haslet last spring.

20 TEXAS CO-OP POWER AUGUST 2021 COSERV

08-21_CoServ_TCP.indd 20 7/8/21 8:38 AM TOP: Sanger High School senior Mercedes Ibarra is surprised with gifts from the community for her perfect attendance throughout her educational career. CoServ’s Conan Tearney, Information Technology Team Lead, Richard Muir, who serves as the District 1 Director on the CoServ Board of Directors and Whitney Gohlke, Manager of Academic Initiatives presented Mercedes with a computer and accessories. MIDDLE: CoServ’s Energy Education team – Justin Porterfield, Randy Copeland and Alphonso Williams – deliver computers to Hattie Dyer Elementary School in Krum ISD. BOTTOM: Teachers at Corinth Elementary School show off the computer bags that contain the PHOTO BY NICHOLAS SAKELARIS laptops that were donated by CoServ.

Old computers make a new, big difference in students’ hands STORY BY NICHOLAS SAKELARIS cooperative and Gohlke, Manager AS YOUR ELECTRIC natural gas utility, CoServ knows the of Academic ACADEMIC INITIATIVES: TECHNOLOGY importance of reliability to the point Initiatives, led where our Members and Customers the initiative to rarely have to think about it. In fact, we donate CoServ’s had 99.993 percent reliability in 2020! computers to the But CoServ may have found its rival community as in Mercedes Ibarra. they are phased The Sanger High School senior never out for new ones. missed a single day of classes from “We keep our kindergarten through 12th grade. Talk computers in good about reliable – that’s perfect attendance working order.

through all 13 years of her educational PHOTO BY KEN OLTMANN Because of that, journey. we retire some CoServ recognized Mercedes’ amazing take with her to Southwestern College good quality computers,” David accomplishment at the Sanger High School where she will study health science with said. “I think they will find a better award ceremony May 20 by surprising pre-athletic training. She will also play home in the hands of someone who her with a rebuilt laptop computer and softball for the Moundbuilders. needs them rather than setting them accessories. Several other businesses and “I was shocked! I wasn’t expecting any aside for spare parts.” organizations also showered Mercedes of that,” Mercedes said. In April, CoServ donated 10 laptops with giveaways and goodies that she can “We’re very grateful for the community to students at Hattie Dyer Elementary and especially Sanger High School in Krum ISD and 4 to Corinth School Principal Jennie Flaa for Elementary School students in Lake putting all this together for her,” Dallas ISD. said Mercedes’ mother Brenda “Our IT department has a big heart Ibarra. “She was the driving for giving back and they just wish they force from the very beginning could do this for every kid that needs challenging her to do this.” one,” Whitney said. “We’re so grateful to And Mercedes wasn’t the only help these students excel in their studies one who received a donated and equip them with the technology computer. they need.” D David Castillo, CoServ’s Help Desk and Desktop Support For more information, email Whitney at Manager, and Whitney PHOTO BY SARA ELLIS [email protected].

COSERV.COM • [email protected] AUGUST 2021 TEXAS CO-OP POWER 21

08-21_CoServ_TCP.indd 21 7/8/21 8:38 AM RELIABILITY: miles in 2020 driving to places like Justin, McKinney, Pilot Point and Forney to service CoServ’s combined 400,000 electric and gas meters. As the co-op grows, so does the fleet

FLEET – CoServ has 60-plus vehicles on order for the next few years. In 2019, CoServ leadership saw the need to create a Fleet Services Department to modernize our fleet management practices. Every 90 days or so, CoServ vehicles are cycled through an inspection to check fluids, common wear points and other potential problems. That’s in addition to the bi-annual inspections and dielectric testing conducted by CoServ Fleet Services. Avoiding those big-ticket repairs has reduced CoServ’s repair budget by 15 to 20 percent month-over-month compared to 2020’s repair budget, Fleet LEFT: CoServ’s Fleet Department, including (from left Manager Tim Meyer said. to right) Aubrey Fortenberry, Donnie Morgan and “We want to have eyes on every Michael Hartin, celebrated the arrival of several new vehicles this spring, including this bucket truck. CoServ vehicle at least four times a year, even if that truck isn’t driven that RIGHT: CoServ’s Fleet Department will perform preventative maintenance on the bucket trucks. FLEET DEPARTMENT’S FOCUS ON SERVICE, EFFICIENCY KEEPS CREWS ROLLING

PHOTOS BY SARA ELLIS

STORY BY NICHOLAS SAKELARIS often,” Tim said. “Reactive maintenance is always more expensive than preventative maintenance.” Raiders of the Lost Ark, Michael Hartin to look beyond the In April, CoServ started a new idle IN ONE SCENE OF Marion jabs at an injured Indiana Jones odometer readings to keep track of how reduction policy aimed at reducing for his worn appearance after getting many hours this fleet spends working in wear and tear on the fleet while dragged under a Nazi troop carrier. the field. cutting emissions and fuel costs. If the In true Harrison Ford style, he quips, CoServ linemen want to respond to temperatures are between 40 and 90 “It’s not the years, honey, it’s the power outages as quickly and safely degrees Fahrenheit, operators are asked mileage.” as possible – so having a breakdown is not to idle unless necessary for their job For CoServ’s fleet of bucket trucks, unacceptable. But more than that, when functions, such as working a bucket or digger trucks and other vehicles, it’s a a bucket is hanging 50 feet in the air next digger. combination of years, mileage and, for to a power line, the lineman is putting One hour of idling is equivalent to many of our heavy duty trucks, it’s also his life in the hands of that truck – and putting 25 miles of wear and tear on a the hours they put in. the Fleet Services Department that vehicle, Tim said. Through the second That’s because these vehicles spend so maintains it. quarter, CoServ drivers cut idling by much time on the side of the road while “The way linemen look at power lines 41 percent. That equals approximately CoServ linemen and gas technicians is the way I look at their trucks,” Aubrey $400,000 in annualized savings. work on electric and gas infrastructure. said. “The most important thing is “This has been one of many successes It’s up to Fleet Coordinators Aubrey getting these guys home safely.” thanks to the dedication of CoServ Fortenberry, Donnie Morgan and The fleet logged more than 3 million drivers,” Tim said. D

22 TEXAS CO-OP POWER AUGUST 2021 COSERV

08-21_CoServ_TCP.indd 22 7/8/21 8:38 AM Calling before you dig is easy – not calling is a gamble

STORY BY NICHOLAS SAKELARIS

THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS you need before you start digging in your yard. Of course, you’ll need a shovel or, depending DIGGING INTO 811 on the size of the project, maybe a backhoe.

The process starts with a call to SAFETY: You might want gloves. Maybe some friends to help you out. 811, the one-source notifi cation 1 center for Texas, two business But before you do any of that, make sure 1 you have called 811 to mark any utilities days before a digging project is DIGGING that cross through your yard. Texas law scheduled. requires that homeowners, businesses and contractors call 811 at least two business days before digging. Texas 811 uses a GIS map to There’s no better time to remind the public identify all the utilities in the area about the importance of calling 811 than on 2 and notifi es them of the pending National Safe Digging Day on August 11, or 8-11. The call is free and so are the various excavation. utilities who will come out to mark electric, communication, natural gas/petroleum, irrigation, potable water and sewer and drain CoServ uses a third-party lines on your property so you or a contractor contractor, USIC, to locate its can dig safely. 3 electric and gas lines. Not calling 811 could result in one of these lines being cut or damaged, which could be a safety hazard and interrupt iggs fo CoServ Gas Lines are buried . D r m service to not only your home but r o M r with a tracer wire. USIC runs a also neighboring homes and w e lo s 4 low voltage current through the businesses. l a o f

e Rodney Hale, CoServ’s F wire that can be detected with a

Gas Regulatory Technician, y hand-held wand.

said 43 percent of the gas p

s pipeline damages reported ! to the Texas Railroad Lines are marked with fl ags of Commission in 2020 were diff erent colors to indicate the a result of not calling 811. 5 type of utility. (CoServ Electric Rodney is also the President @ of the North Texas Chapter of the MrDiggs811 will be red and CoServ Gas lines Damage Prevention Council of Texas, will be yellow) which advocates on behalf of Texas 811. “It’s imperative that everyone make that fi rst step of calling 811 before any excavation deeper than 16 inches,” Rodney Test your 811 IQ said. “It goes back to CoServ’s core mission, which is to provide safe and reliable energy with our fun quiz! solutions. A cut gas line is a major event that forces roads to close and could require homes and businesses to be evacuated. In SCAN WITH YOUR PHONE’S QR CODE READER a worst-case scenario, there’s an ignition, D explosion or loss of life.”

COSERV.COM � [email protected] AUGUST 2021 TEXAS CO-OP POWER 23

08-21_CoServ_TCP.indd 23 7/8/21 8:38 AM Make memories with the PARTNERS:COMMUNITY ROUGHRIDERS

this season

STORY BY NICHOLAS SAKELARIS

THERE’S NO SHORTAGE of things to do, see and experience at a RoughRiders game this season. Maybe you’re there to watch the Texas Rangers’ 2018 first-round draft pick Cole Winn pitch in his first season of Double A baseball. Perhaps you want a break from the heat so you go watch the game from the lazy river in right field. If you’re there on a Tuesday, you can catch live music with Eric Nadel’s Tuesday Tunes. The alliteration continues Weiner Wednesday ($2 hotdogs), Thirsty Thursday (great deals on beer) and Fireworks Friday. Add in some theme nights, such as Strike Out Cancer and Texas Theme Night, and it’s clear why the RoughRiders have led all Double-A franchises in attendance for the last 15 seasons. “It’s a good brand of baseball. But it’s not just about baseball, it’s all the things that happen in between innings,” said Scott Burchett, Chief Operating Officer for the RoughRiders. “The skits, the videos, the sights, the sounds, the smells. The fireworks. All those things that go into making a memory. We’re not in the entertainment business. We’re in the memory making business.” If you haven’t been this year it’s not too late. The RoughRiders have 18 home games in August and September as they battle for a playoff spot. CoServ is a proud Community Sponsor of the RoughRiders. Throughout the season, CoServ will recognize nonprofits with the Community Spotlight program while also recognizing educators with the Teacher of the Month program. CoServ also powers Riders Field, which means the RoughRiders are CoServ Members just D like you.

PHOTOS BY KEN OLTMANN

24 TEXAS CO-OP POWER AUGUST 2021 COSERV

08-21_CoServ_TCP.indd 24 7/8/21 8:38 AM Learn more about the RoughRiders, check their schedule or buy tickets at milb.com/frisco.

title: Radio Broadcaster & Manager of Media Development start date: typical game day: 2020 8:30 a.m. until midnight or 1 a.m. who are some of the broadcasters you grew up listening to? “Everybody loves Vin Scully. Me personally, I grew up a Seattle Mariners fan so Dave Niehaus, the late great who passed away in 2010 is somebody who I grew up with. Rick Rizzs, who was his partner on radio, he’s fantastic. Jerry Allen is the voice of the [University of Oregon] Ducks where I went to college. He’s been awesome and he helped me out with my career. There are countless broadcasters that I listen to.” favorite radio moments for this season? “We’ve had some really fun games so far. At the beginning of the season we had a two-homer game with Bubba Thompson. That Zach Bigley was great. Overall the pitching has been fantastic. Ultimately talking about this pitching staff, they’ve been phenomenal.”

title: Chief Operating Officer start date: typical game day: 2003 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. what’s your typical day like? “The first thing I do is see what kind of shape we’re in from the night before with the cleaning crew. Make sure everything is in place and set our work order for the rest of the day from the operations staff. We go over everything that needs to happen for that game, from a tickets perspective, promotions perspective, the team and operations and anything that goes into the RoughRider experience.” what do you love about coming to work every day? “I view this ballpark as the gathering place for all of Collin County for the summer. This is kind of a throwback to the way baseball used to be, a slice of Americana. That’s what we’re trying to do here.” Scott Burchett

title: Pro Sports Catering, Director of Food & Beverage start date: typical game day: 2018 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. what’s your best seller? “I’d say hotdogs are probably the best seller. The rule of thumb is that for every three people at the ballpark, one person will have one hot dog. So, if you have 10,000 people that’s a lot of hotdogs.” what are the challenges with managing concessions at riders field? “Coordinating all the food coming in. With our delivery schedules we only get X number of deliveries from our distributors per week so that’s really the trickiest thing. For instance, our Budweiser delivery comes on Monday but we have games starting on Tuesday so I Tim Arseneau have to plan for that to last through the whole weekend.”

title: Marketing Manager start date: typical game day: 2018 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. can you talk about your career path before the roughriders? “I went to school for sports marketing. I just knew I wanted to work in sports. I found my way through minor league baseball. I went to Western Kentucky and a former boss there started here, I got an internship and I’ve been here ever since.” you designed all the amazing t-shirts plus you help come up with the promotions and in-game entertainment. talk about why that’s important? “We try to make each game a little bit different because with Minor League Baseball, the fans don’t know a lot of the players. So we try to give them a different reason to come out here.” Krystin King

COSERV.COM • [email protected] AUGUST 2021 TEXAS CO-OP POWER 25

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nelson Algren circa 1949.

his experiences in Texas. “He saw a lot of poverty and contra- dictions, such as poor whites who were oppressed by the rich but took out their anger on Mexicans and Blacks who were even poorer and more oppressed,” Mary Wisniewski, author of a 2016 Algren bi- ography called Algren: A Life, explained in an email. Algren returned to Texas in September 1933 and made his way to Alpine to create his crucial work. He convinced the president of Sul Ross State Teachers College (now Sul Ross State University) that he was “a big-time New York writer,” granting him access to the college’s typewriters to draft his novel. However, his advance hadn’t amounted to much, and by January 1934, he was broke, with an unfinished manuscript. He had no choice but to return home, where accessing a typewriter would be a real challenge. So he stole one from Sul Ross. Stolen Words “I think he just figured he needed the typewriter more than the college did, so he had a right to it,” Wisniewski said. While in Texas, author nelson Algren was a man with a thieving arm Algren fled Alpine on a freight train By chRiStopheR adamS but was subsequently caught and locked up in the Brewster County jail. It proved author who would and Harlingen. But neither venture to be a temporary setback. He returned the aWarD-Winning go on to write the classic novel The Man provided Algren satisfactory income, to Chicago after his release and com- With the Golden Arm entered a building at and he sought other opportunities in pleted his first novel, Somebody in Boots, Sul Ross State Teachers College in Alpine the Rio Grande Valley. about his experiences living in Texas. in early 1934 and made off with one of the “He crossed the border to Matamoros And the typewriter? Algren left it at institution’s typewriters. The next morn- and came back again, ate in missions, an Alpine freight depot where it was to ing, the thief hopped a train out of town. slept in hobo jungles, lost in crap games, be shipped to Chicago. Nelson Algren won the National Book rode in cattle or refrigerated boxcars,” “The typewriter was not sent to Award in 1950 for the aforementioned wrote author Bettina Drew in the intro- Chicago,” Wisniewski said. Its where- novel and earned three O. Henry Awards duction to the book The Texas Stories abouts seem to be unknown. “Algren for his short stories, but the “poet of the of Nelson Algren. had used it to write Somebody in Boots Chicago slums” found trouble in Texas An exhausted Algren returned to while he was working at Alpine—but before achieving national literary acclaim. Chicago at the end of 1932 and, having didn’t finish it on that typewriter. He Algren couldn’t find work in his home- written a well-received short story, de- had to finish it back in Chicago on town of Chicago or anywhere else in cided that creative writing was his path another machine.” D the greater Midwest during the Great to fulfillment. He persuaded a New York Depression and eventually traveled to publisher to give him an advance for a Texas to pack black-eyed peas and run a novel that was to be about the illusion

universAL hisTOry ArChive | geTTySinclair imAges gas station between Rio Hondo of the American dream and based on

TexAsCOOppOWer.COm AugusT 2021 TEXAS COOP POWER 29 TCP Kitchen

Cheesy Baked Meatballs Kids Cooking 1 pound ground beef ½ pound pork sausage 1 egg youngsters in the kitchen help make family meals truly rewarding ¼ cup breadcrumbs By megan myeRS, Food editoR 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 tablespoon chopped parsley i’ve encouraged my children to join me in the kitchen ever since they were 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce little. Cooking with kids requires extra patience but reaps rewards down the 1 teaspoon onion powder line. small children can practice mixing and measuring ingredients and 1 teaspoon garlic powder kneading dough, and older kids can learn how to chop and take charge of 1 teaspoon salt the stove. encouraging their efforts makes all the difference in kids’ kitchen ¼ teaspoon pepper success. my son adores meatballs, and this baked version keeps it simple. 1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce serve with your favorite pasta or just scoop onto slices of garlic bread. 8 ounces fresh mozzarella slices

1. preheat oven to 400 degrees. in a large bowl, crumble together beef and sausage. mix in egg, breadcrumbs, tomato paste, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. 2. scoop out about 2 tablespoons of the mixture and roll it into a ball with your hands. place in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and repeat until all of the mixture has been used. 3. bake 18–20 minutes, until cooked through. remove dish from oven and pour marinara sauce into the pan over the meatballs. Arrange mozzarella slices between meatballs, breaking into smaller pieces if needed. 4. return to oven and bake an additional 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.

S e R v e S 6

W e b e x t r a Follow along with megan myers and her adventures in the kitchen at stetted.com, where she features a recipe for bbQ pulled pork pizza. Guacamole ivAn remLey $500 Winner 1 pound pasta, any type bLuebOnneT eC 6 strips bacon, diced; divided use Cooper's Bacon 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken Adults can take care of the chopping Cheddar Chicken breasts; cut into 1-inch chunks while little hands do the mashing and mix- Pasta salt and pepper, to taste ing of this fresh guacamole. Don’t limit COOper JOhnsOn 1 tablespoon butter yourself to eating it with just chips or bryAn TexAs uTiLiTies 2 tablespoons flour tacos—ivan, 14, recommends serving 1 packet ranch dip mix with fresh veggies such as sliced 2 cups milk radishes, carrots and cucumbers or even 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese kale chips.

1. Cook pasta according to package ½ onion, diced directions, drain and keep warm. 2 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced ½ jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced 2. While pasta is cooking, cook bacon in a large, deep-sided skillet over medium 1 clove garlic, minced This family-friendly pasta heat until crisp, then remove and drain Juice of 1–2 limes, divided use recipe is a great way to teach on a paper towel. Drain all but one table- ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste older kids a variety of skills, spoon of bacon drippings from pan. 3 avocados, divided use such as sautéing and creating a simple cheese sauce. 3. season the chicken with salt and pep- 1. in a large bowl, stir together the onion, Cooper, 12, recommends per. Add butter to the skillet with the tomatoes, jalapeño, garlic, 1 tablespoon adding chopped green onions bacon drippings, stirring to melt, then add lime juice and salt. to serve along with the extra chicken. Cook until tender and no longer 2. slice two avocados in half lengthwise, bacon. pink, 8–10 minutes. making one long cut around the pit. sepa- 4. mix together flour and ranch dip mix, then S e R v e S 6 – 8 rate the halves and remove the pits. With sprinkle evenly over the chicken and stir a spoon, scoop out the flesh and add to to coat. stir in the milk and cook, stirring the mixture in the bowl. occasionally, until thickened and bubbly. 3. mash and stir everything together, until 5. stir in cheddar and half of the reserved the ingredients are well combined. bacon, stirring to melt the cheese com- 4. slice the third avocado lengthwise, pletely. Add the pasta and stir to mix well. separate the halves and remove the pit. serve with remaining bacon sprinkled With a small knife, cut the flesh into small on top. cubes. scoop out the cubes and add them to the bowl with the avocado mixture. Add 1 tablespoon of lime juice and fold the avocado cubes in just enough for a slightly chunky texture. $500 Recipe Contest 5. Taste and adjust seasoning with lime juice and salt as needed. soups anD steWs Due AugusT 10 Winter is the ideal time to cozy up to a warm bowl, maKeS aBout 2 cupS so we want your best soup and stew recipes. The best reader recipe wins $500. enter at reCipe phOTOs: megAn myers. Winner phOTO: COurTesy COOper JOhnsOn mOre reCipes > TexasCooppower.com/contests by August 10.

TexAsCOOppOWer.COm AugusT 2021 TEXAS COOP POWER 31 reCipes COnTinueD 1½ cups chopped bell pepper 3. Crumble the chorizo into the skillet 2 cloves garlic, minced and sauté until fully cooked, breaking up 1 pound Mexican chorizo any large chunks. remove from heat and 9 eggs drain excess oil if needed. 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 4. in a large bowl, whisk together eggs, ¼ cup chopped parsley cheddar, parsley, salt and pepper. Add ½ teaspoon salt egg mixture and sautéed vegetables to ½ teaspoon pepper the cooked chorizo in the skillet. stir to 8 ounces oaxaca cheese, sliced combine and distribute ingredients evenly. Add Oaxaca cheese evenly on optional gaRniSheS top of frittata. chopped parsley sour cream or Mexican crema 5. place skillet in oven and bake 20 min- sliced avocado utes, making sure the frittata has fully pico de gallo set. garnish with parsley, sour cream or mexican crema, sliced avocado, and pico Texas-Style Chorizo Frittata c o o k ’ s t i p For a spicier frittata, add sliced de gallo. jalapeños or hot sauce to the egg mixture mATTheW peñA before baking. S e R v e S 6 peDernALes eC

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Call or check an event’s website for scheduling details.

AUGUST

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36 TEXAS COOP POWER AugusT 2021 TexAsCOOppOWer.COm Focus on Texas

Deep lines and wrinkles tell a person’s story, but a twinkle of the eye or sly smile makes us wonder Portraits what more there is to tell. Whether carefully posed or caught spontaneously, these Texans have great heads on their shoulders.

By gRace Fultz

CLOCKWise FrOm AbOve pAuL hOLLAnD peDernALes eC James hinkley, an artist and longtime resident of the panhandle who now lives in Leander. pATsi TinDeL LAmAr eLeCTriC “This gentle giant is known for his outstanding barbecue.” miCheLe TeCh uniTeD COOperATive s e r v i C e s “We never miss a chance to stop in Luckenbach. Life is good there.”

JAnA simmOns JAsper-neWTOn eC “hayes Knudsen loves his chickens and finally got one.”

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That’s how we spent our summers, my mom, sister and I—with the pickup backed up to a stock tank, pulp fiction in hand, George Strait serenading us from the stereo speakers. No sunscreen allowed because cows don’t really like drinking oxybenzone. Any time we had a slumber party, swimming was on the agenda, followed by rolling in a huge pile of cottonseed. If the tank hadn’t been cleaned out in a while, we’d just grab chunks of the moss (picture the Grinch’s snot) and throw it to the ground below. Totally cool. But not if you tried to do a hand- stand and came up with it all over your face. Gross. My favorite tank—I mean pool—was at my grandparents’ ranch. My aunt freed her pet goldfish in it before going off to college at Texas Tech, and—no kidding—those suckers grew to be a foot long and multiplied like rabbits. All us grandkids loved learning to swim there, racing from side to side and seeing who could catch the most fish with our hands. I’m sure their great-great-great- grand-fishes are still swimming around in the tank today. on a ranch in West I think Kevin Bacon did his part to When you groW up Texas, you learn early about the finer bring tank swimming back in style. In pools in things in life. You eat oysters (of the I Love Dick, an Amazon series set in the pasture mountain variety), you hire a full-time Marfa (another one of my favorite lawn service to maintain every acre of places), he ends the pilot episode with summers on a ranch promise swimming in stock tanks your spread (some call it grazing cattle), a skinny-dip in a tank with a gorgeous and you even get your own pair of jeans view of the mountains. That’s some with free designer rips. And of course, good living right there. By BRenda KiSSKo dahling, we always had a pool. As I’m writing this, I’m trying to Granted, the cows thought those live- remember the last time I swam in a live- stock tanks were for them, but I believed stock tank. Sure, I’ve done rooftop pools, my dad put those tanks all over the ranch lazy rivers and hot tubs right off the ski just so us girls could take our pick of slope, but it’s been far too long since that swimming locations for the day. The good old-fashioned, back-to-my-roots water was always ice cold and as pure as dunk in a redneck infinity pool. Good it comes, straight from the ground. If we thing summer’s not quite over. D were thirsty, we’d just stick our tongue under the fill pipe for a gulp of goodness straight from God to our mouths. I swear

it was better than Fiji Water or Topo Chico. COurTesy brenDA KissKO

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Sales and installation performed by the licensed or registered SO CALL NOW! (if applicable) Bathwraps dealer in your area. Call Now For FREE Safety Upgrade Package! CALL NOW! 1-888-571-3392 www.BathInOneDay.com Or visit us online for details State licenses for authorized dealers available at www.BathInOneDay.com