Texas Co-Op Power • March 2017

Home , Aston (crater), Odessa Meteor Crater

LOCAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE EDITION MARCH 2017 Blizzard of ’57 Spring Vegetable Salads Palo Duro Pageant 35 35on Brake-worthy stops on highway through co-op country THE TRACTOR THAT STARTED IT ALL. IS CHANGING IT ALL.

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FAVORITES 5 Letters 6 Currents 18 Local Co-op News Get the latest information plus energy and safety tips from your cooperative. 29 Texas History Panhandle Blizzard of 1957 By Dawn Stephens 31 Recipes Spring Vegetable Salads 35 Focus on Texas Photo Contest: In Motion 36 Around Texas List of Local Events 38 Hit the Road Texas on a Grand Stage in Palo Duro By Sheryl Smith-Rodgers

Marker near the northern end ONLINE of Interstate 35 in Texas, just TexasCoopPower.com south of the Red River Find these stories online if they don’t appear in your edition of the magazine. FEATURE Texas USA Odessa Meteor Crater 35 on 35 8 Stops with fascinating food, history and popular By E.R. Bills culture lure travelers from the interstate as it weaves Observations through Texas from Mexico to Oklahoma Another Roadside Attraction Story and photos by Julia Robinson By Ryann Ford

ROAD TRIP! See video and photos at TexasCoopPower.com NEXT MONTH Drones: An Overview Texas inno- vators, including electric co-ops, hone drones as tools of today. 29 35

31 38 MARKER AND SIGNS: JULIA ROBINSON. DRONE: PROSTO SVET | SHUTTERSTOCK.COM ON THE COVER Shawneen Pazienza and her dog Chuy have at least 35 good reasons for a Texas road trip. Photo by Julia Robinson

TEXAS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Mark Tamplin, Chair, Kirbyville; Bryan Lightfoot, Vice Chair, Bartlett; Blaine Warzecha, Secretary-Treasurer, Victoria; William F. Hetherington, Bandera; Kendall Montgomery, Olney; Anne Vaden, Corinth; Brent Wheeler, Dalhart • PRESIDENT/CEO: Mike Williams, Austin • COMMUNICATIONS & MEMBER SERVICES COMMITTEE: Jerry Boze, Kaufman; Clint Gardner, Coleman; Rick Haile, McGregor; Greg Henley, Tahoka; Billy Marricle, Bellville; Mark McClain, Roby; Gary Raybon, El Campo; Kathy Wood, Marshall • MAGAZINE STAFF: Martin Bevins, Vice President, Communications & Member Services; Charles J. Lohrmann, Editor; Tom Widlowski, Associate Editor; Karen Nejtek, Production Manager; Andy Doughty, Creative Manager; Grace Arsiaga, Print Production Specialist; Chris Burrows, Communications Specialist; Christine Carlson, Communications & Member Services Assistant; Paula Disbrowe, Food Editor; Suzanne Featherston, Communications Specialist; Taylor Montgomery, Digital Field Editor; Jane Sharpe, Senior Designer; Ellen Stader, Communications Specialist; Shannon Oelrich, Proofreader

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New London Legacy Another legacy of the New Memories of the London school explosion is School Explosion the establishment of the Texas Board of Professional Engineers. I attended that school and was in kindergarten It says this on the board’s website, engineers.texas.gov: “The [The New London School Explosion, January Engineering Registration Act 2017]. Luckily, my mother kept me out of school [Article 3271a, V.A.T.S.] was enacted as the result of a tragic that day to visit my grandparents in Kilgore. school explosion at New Lon- The kindergarten was in a separate building behind the main building. don, Texas, in 1937. In response to concerns that the public I was 6, and my main memory is the constant radio coverage. My mother could not identify who was couldn’t bear to hear that announcer afterward. qualified to practice engineering, the 45th Texas Legislature ROSE KING | BANDERA | BANDERA EC passed the Act as emergency legislation and it became law when signed by the Governor on May 28, 1937.” wondered if we would have attempting to maintain good it. This is probably the very best DON R. GILMAN | BRYAN to cancel our plans. good health for a lifetime is dish I’ve had in my 73 years! BRYAN TEXAS UTILITIES Wise EC workers came at obligated to enjoy them only If you are in doubt about the 12:30 a.m. and fixed the prob- in small amounts. time or trouble it might take For further insight, I highly lem. These people were on Offering for different tastes you to make this, I guarantee recommend My Boys and Girls duty—not with loved ones— and health situations would you that you will NOT be disap- Are in There [Texas A&M Univer- on Christmas Eve. be much better than the ones pointed. It is absolutely exqui- sity Press, 2012] by Texas author If you ever have a choice featured. site. Worth more than $3,000, and educator Ron Rozelle. His between a large corporation JUDY HOWE | LOCKHART in my opinion. book provides a compelling and your local co-op, you will BLUEBONNET EC LINDA MANUEL | LEAKEY account of this horrible tragedy be better off financially and BANDERA EC with personal insights into the have reliable and excellent This dish [Smoky Mac and affected individuals and families. service with the co-op. Cheese] was outrageously KAELYN KOCH | SPEAKS ROBERT L. RAYMON | ALVORD good. JACKSON EC WISE EC CHRISTOPHER PERDUE | CEDAR PARK GET MORE TCP AT PEDERNALES EC Too Wise for the Grinch Healthy Dialogue TexasCoopPower.com The Grinch that tried to steal I was disappointed in the Sign up for our E-Newsletter for Grandmaw and Grandpaw’s unhealthy ingredients, which monthly updates, prize drawings and more! Christmas was defeated by the should be minimized for good angels at Wise Electric Cooper- nutrition [2016 Holiday Recipe WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! ative. Contest, December 2016]. ONLINE: TexasCoopPower.com/share When we returned from our Many of us face being over- EMAIL: [email protected] Christmas Eve service, we had weight, or having high choles- MAIL: Editor, Texas Co-op Power, no water. After checking every- terol or diabetes that are 1122 Colorado St., 24th Floor, thing, I called the Decatur office worsened by butter, sour Austin, TX 78701 and asked if anyone could check cream, salt, whipping cream, I had the privilege of having Please include your town and electric co-op. my electricity. My well is on a cream cheese, sugar and bacon. Stuffed Chicken With Mushroom Letters may be edited for clarity and length. separate meter from my house. While these ingredients con- Pan Jus [above] prepared for A dozen people were coming tribute to pleasing taste and me, and I had to find where it for Christmas Day, and we texture in dishes, anyone came from and who originated D FE Texas Co-op Power

TEXAS CO-OP POWER VOLUME 73, NUMBER 9 (USPS 540-560). Texas Co-op Power is published monthly by Texas Electric Cooperatives (TEC). Periodical Postage Paid at Austin, TX, and at additional 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]. SUBSCRIPTION PRICE is $4.08 per year for individual members of subscribing cooperatives. If you are not a member of a subscribing cooperative, you can purchase an annual subscription at the nonmember rate of $7.50. Individual copies and back issues are available for $3 each. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Texas Co-op Power (USPS 540-560), 1122 Colorado St., 24th Floor, Austin, TX 78701. Please enclose label from this copy of Texas Co-op Power showing old address and key numbers. ADVERTISING: Advertisers interested in buying display ad space in Texas Co-op Power and/or in our 30 sister publications in other states, contact Martin Bevins at (512) 486-6249. Advertisements in Texas Co-op Power are paid solicitations. The publisher neither endorses nor guarantees in any manner any product or company included in this publication. Product satisfaction and delivery responsibility lie solely with the advertiser. © Copyright 2017 Texas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. Reproduction of this issue or any portion of it is expressly prohibited without written permission.

TexasCoopPower.com March 2017 Texas Co-op Power 5 CURRENTS

HAPPENINGS Gluttons for Buttons

SOME PEOPLE COLLECT BUTTONS as a hobby—but not the Find more plain buttons that the rest of us lose off our clothes happenings all from time to time. Their quest involves historic, across the state at TexasCoopPower distinctive and rare buttons. .com “Buttons hold history, art, materials, workman- ship, whimsy, sentiment, social expression and the imagination of the button-maker,” says Marlene The Brazos club this year hosts the TEXAS STATE

Tucker of Axtell, a member of the Brazos Button BUTTON SOCIETY’S ANNUAL SPRING SHOW, March 31–April 2 OCK.ADOBE.COM Club in Waco who owns about 1,000 buttons. at the Hilton Waco. “Hunting for buttons in antique shops across Texas “Buttons are made of some of the oddest things. is one of my favorite things to do.” Have you ever heard of a button made of human hair?” says Tucker, a member of Navasota Valley Electric Cooperative. Buttons come in glass, metal, Did you know? horn, ivory, bamboo, cork, fabric, leather, paper, pearl, rubber, jade, Lucite, vegetable ivory, wood, ; BUTTONS MADE NEWS 25 turquoise and coral, she says. “My personal favorites YEARS AGO. Felicidad Noriega, wife of former Panamanian are the china and bone underwear buttons and the dictator Manuel Noriega, was Goodyear rubber buttons.” arrested March 20, 1992, in Miami and charged with steal- INFO a (254) 993-3022, texasstatebuttonsociety.com ing 27 buttons from expensive clothing. She and another woman allegedly clipped $305 worth of buttons, causing

$1,321 in damage to clothing. WINAI TEPSUTTINUN | ST SINGLE BUTTONS: | SHUTTERSTOCK.COM. SAYANJO HEADDRESS: BUTTON | SHUTTERSTOCK.COM. SILHOUETTE: R. KATHESI

6 Texas Co-op Power March 2017 TexasCoopPower.com BY THE NUMBERS

If the University of Con- They have won the past four necticut wins the Women’s women’s basketball titles and Final Four—March 31 and have been to the past nine April 2 in Dallas—it will Final Fours. UConn also won extend the Huskies’ record the past two Women’s Final to 12 championships in Fours in Texas—2010 and the sport. 2002, both in San Antonio.

ALMANAC PORTRAIT VETOED

Famed landscape artist PETER HURD TECH KNOWLEDGE was commissioned 50 years ago to paint the official White House portrait Disconnect To Reconnect of Lyndon B. Johnson, but upon seeing the tempera painting, LBJ rejected it, calling it “the ugliest thing I ever saw.”

THE FIRST FRIDAY IN MARCH is the NATIONAL DAY OF UNPLUGGING— Hurd disagreed and decided to show a 24-hour period when people unplug, talk, relax and do things not it to the public. The portrait debuted involving electronics and social media. Ironically, disconnecting March 12, 1967, at Diamond M Museum helps people reconnect with each other and allows time to unwind, in Snyder, attracting the largest crowd relax, reflect and get outdoors. Unplugging helps reduce the electric the museum had ever seen. Later, Hurd bill, too! donated it to the Smithsonian National This year, the holiday from technology begins the evening of Portrait Gallery, where it still hangs. March 3 and ends the evening of March 4. Before you shut down your computer, visit nationaldayofunplugging.com. LBJ didn’t make it easy for artists to capture his likeness. He granted

E: KARINABAK | DREAMSTIME.COM. LBJ: ESTATE OF PETER HURD | COURTESY NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY, SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION GALLERY, PORTRAIT NATIONAL OF PETER HURD | COURTESY LBJ: ESTATE | DREAMSTIME.COM. E: KARINABAK Hurd only two sittings for the portrait, and he nodded off during one of them. The president also posed for Norman Rockwell but tried to rush him through the 20-minute session. “I decided to do the best I could, but he was just sitting there glowering at me,” Rockwell recalled.

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WORTH REPEATING

“Electricity is the only thing that’s fast enough to carry the messages that make LIFESTYLE SPRING BREAK IS THIS MONTH, and two Texas destina- us who we are.” tions show up on many lists of the most popular get- Here They aways: Austin (music, food, high-tech vibe) and South — DR. RODOLFO LLINÁS,

NUMBERS: ALHOVIC | DREAMSTIME.COM. CHILDREN: MAJIVECKA | SHUTTERSTOCK.COM. PAPER CUTOUTS: MEGAPIXELINA | SHUTTERSTOCK.COM. FRAM | SHUTTERSTOCK.COM. MEGAPIXELINA CUTOUTS: PAPER | SHUTTERSTOCK.COM. CHILDREN: MAJIVECKA | DREAMSTIME.COM. NUMBERS: ALHOVIC Come Padre Island (beaches, swimsuits). NEUROSCIENTIST

TexasCoopPower.com March 2017 Texas Co-op Power 7 35 35on

INTERSTATE 35 in Texas creates a 500-mile corridor of concrete and asphalt between the Rio Grande and the Red River, but it embodies a history much longer than just the highway itself.

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY Julia Robinson

MAP BY Jack Molloy JULIA’S 35 on 35 COUNTDOWN SOUTH to NORTH a Republic of the Rio Grande Museum a Villa Antigua Border Heritage Museum a San Agustín Cathedral a Chaparral Wildlife Management Area a Texas Hat Museum a Watermelon Statue a Rosa’s Hamburger Stand a Mission San Jose a The Pearl District a La Gloria a Giant Armadillo Sculpture at Bussey’s Flea Market a Snake Farm a Comal River a Gruene Hall a Canyon Lake Gorge a Glass-Bottom Boat Tours a Fischer Bowling Club a LBJ Presidential Library and Museum a Inner Space Cavern a Mother Neff State Park a Health Camp a Magnolia Market at the Silos a Dr Pepper Museum a Texas Sports Hall of Fame a Waco Mammoth National Monument a Czech Stop a Roadside America Museum a A Tiskit A Taskit a Sixth Floor Museum a Coyote Drive-In a Billy Bob’s Texas a Texas Motor Speedway a Frosty Drive N a Frank Buck Zoo a Red River Bridge DOWNTOWN LAREDO

SAN AGUSTÍN CATHEDRAL LAREDO

TEXAS HAT MUSEUM COTULLA

I DECIDE TO UNDERTAKE THAT EPIC DRIVE THROUGH THE STATE—BORDER TO BORDER—AND ALONG

any stops on Interstate 35 offer worthy North of the Laredo security checkpoint, the highway is free diversions. After all, this massive highway is of billboards and other distractions, allowing the mind to wander. Texas’—and mid-America’s—major north- A dozen men burst from the scrub along the frontage road and M south artery, essential for international scramble into an SUV that has eased to a rolling stop. The vehicle trade and domestic travel. En route, I’ll drive takes off before the doors are through 20 counties and 10 electric cooperative territories. closed, speeding north. I-35 is HISTORIC I embark from the southern terminus of I-35 in Laredo. South still a path of migration. u Detour to north is the way this course developed. Crossing the Rio Grande predates the Mayan and Aztec empires, with evidence of native [ CO-OP TERRITORYa MEDINA, CATTLE TRAILS people doing so more than 11,000 years ago. This path was first PEDERNALES & BLUEBONNET ] Major cattle trails to northern defined by hunters following game, and, as they settled into vil- A visit today to Laredo’s San destinations became the 19th- lages, the hunting trails became an interconnected system. Agustín Cathedral and the sur- century stage of this corridor. Beginning in the 1500s, the Spanish and French improved rounding neighborhood of Between 1850 and 1870, herds upon these trail systems as part of their quest for silver, gold and brick-paved streets shows rem- swarmed to railroad depots in land. Francisco Vázquez de Coronado ventured north into the nants of the Spanish colonial North Texas and on to Kansas. Texas Panhandle in 1541, looking for the Seven Golden Cities of past. The Republic of the Rio In 1882, the International-Great Cíbola. Other conquistadors deviated north from the Camino Grande and Villa Antigua Bor- Northern Railroad achieved the Real, the road linking the mission near Laredo with missions in der Heritage museums explain first unified route between the East Texas. local history. Red River and the Rio Grande.

10 Texas Co-op Power March 2017 TexasCoopPower.com MISSION SAN JOSE SAN ANTONIO

URBAN u Detour SAN ANTONIO I head to Pearl, a half-mile from I-35 in downtown San Antonio, for lunch. The former brewery complex is now a mixed-use development. The farmers market is in full swing, but I duck into La Gloria for a taste of interior Mexico. There are 15 other places to grab a bite or drink and a dozen boutique shops to fill an afternoon.

TUBING ON THE COMAL RIVER NEW BRAUNFELS

THE WAY LEARN ABOUT TEXAS POPULAR CULTURE AND THE ROUTE’S HISTORY.

“The foot traffic depends on how the peso is doing. If it’s doing for a peek at the Texas Hat Museum. Hundreds of well-worn well, we get a lot of people coming across the border to shop,” cowboy hats line the walls, including those of famed Texas Ranger says Michelle Garza, shopkeeper in the San Agustín neighborhood. Jack Van Cleve, former Gov. Dolph Briscoe and baseball legend “It's nice to see people walking these old streets with their kids.” Nolan Ryan, along with the hats of working ranch hands. The Construction of the highway threatened this neighborhood only requirement for exhibiting a hat is that it have a story to until it landed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. match its character. The interstate begins just a few blocks north on its 1,500-mile “We have over 400 on the walls and another 250 just waiting trek to Lake Superior in Duluth, Minnesota. to be added,” says Jill Martin, owner of Ben’s Western Wear. “We These days, Laredo is the most active border crossing for truck use shotgun shells to mount them to the walls, but we’re out of traffic in the United States, with more than 2 million entries space for now at least.” annually. I follow the surge of big-rig traffic north through the Rosa’s Hamburger Stand in nearby Dilley is a crowd favorite flat brush country of South Texas, where mesquite and prickly despite the rough and ramshackle exterior. Morning diners can pear dominate the chaparral. choose breakfast tacos made with fresh, handmade tortillas. My next landmark is 10 miles west of Artesia Wells, where Seventy miles north, San Antonio tells more of Texas’ early the Chaparral Wildlife Management Area serves as a research story and explains the next step in the evolution of the I-35 site for ecologists and biologists. The WMA opens to the public corridor. The city’s frontier Spanish missions were declared by appointment for wildlife viewing and birding. Look for painted a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2015, and the complex makes buntings and perhaps a lucky glimpse of a wildcat family. a wonderful stopping point to stretch the legs and imagination. Twelve miles north, in Cotulla, I stop by Ben’s Western Wear All the sites except the Alamo are active places of formal wor-

TexasCoopPower.com March 2017 Texas Co-op Power 11 ROADSIDE AMERICA MUSEUM HILLSBORO

CZECH STOP AND KOLACHE WEST

FISCHER BOWLING CLUB FISCHER

HISTORIC u Detour TEXAS’ FIRST AUTOMOBILE Texas’ first automobile was an 1899 St. Louis Phaeton runabout sold to Col. E.H.R. Green. It had ship, so I planned my trip for a two cylinders and a buggy top. In New Braunfels, I watch inner-tubers float the Comal River, Sunday, when some missions The car arrived by train in Terrell, then I catch some live music at the historic Gruene Hall. The offer a mariachi Mass. Walking where its new owner embarked German settlements of Central Texas date to the mid-1800s, into Mission San Jose, consid- on a jouney to Dallas, 35 miles when the people made agriculture big business. ered the “Queen of the Mis- away. On that first Texas road By 1856, roads still hadn’t improved much. Frederick Law sions,” I follow the repeating trip, Green was run off the road Olmsted, the architect of New York City’s Central Park, traveled archways to the sanctuary, by a farm wagon. A blacksmith through Texas that year and described the roads as “a mere col- where a mariachi band and full in Forney then implemented the lection of straggling wagon ruts, extending for more than a quar- choir accompany the service, first car repair. The trip took ter of a mile in width … it being desirable in this part of the filling the vaulted space with more than five hours. country, rather to avoid the road than follow it.” sound and energy. “The mari- The Meridian Highway, pieced together in 1911 and billed as achis made the Mass a completely unique and unforgettable “the Main Street of North America,” dominated travel options experience,” says Kim Mitchell, visiting from Canada. in that area of North Central Texas. The route was renamed State Afterward in the courtyard, the mariachis continue their cel- Highway 2 and then U.S. 81, as it became the main north-south ebration, and several couples dance to a few tunes. artery in the state, connecting Laredo, San Antonio, San Marcos, After the Spanish colonial period, the stretch of trail north of Austin, Waco and Fort Worth. San Antonio became a supply train and commercial thruway for Austin is my next stop along I-35. I get a dose of the city’s the new Texas republic. The same supply line holds today, with “Keep Austin Weird” motto with a trip to the Cathedral of Junk, malls and office parks lining both sides of the highway. an ever-evolving structure that includes car parts, hubcaps, TVs

12 Texas Co-op Power March 2017 TexasCoopPower.com WATERMELON STATUE DILLEY

DELL DIAMOND ROUND ROCK

URBAN u Detour AUSTIN For the civic-minded, the LBJ Presidential Library offers tours and lectures just west of the freeway. Farther north, a slight diversion east will have you cheering for the Round Rock Express, a minor- league baseball team, at the Dell Diamond.

A TISKIT A TASKIT HILLSBORO

FROSTY DRIVE N DENTON

and anything else. [ CO-OP TERRITORYa BARTLETT & HEART OF TEXAS ] The Cathedral I stop at Health Camp in Waco for a milkshake, a mainstay in my of Junk is one of family’s travels on I-35. Through the painted plate glass window, several Americana I watch drivers navigate the large roundabout, a challenging roadside attrac- endeavor that has led to the sale of T-shirts reading: I Survived tions that dot the the Circle. If you want to make a longer stop in Waco, consider I-35 experience. the Dr Pepper Museum, Texas Sports Hall of Fame or the The statue of a Magnolia Market at the Silos, made famous on the Fixer Upper half-eaten water- TV show. melon in Dilley, a giant armadillo [ CO-OP TERRITORYa HILCO & UNITED] sculpture at Bussey’s Flea Market in Schertz, the Snake Farm in Continuing north, I join the drivers pulling off the freeway for New Braunfels and the Roadside America Museum in Hillsboro kolache at the Czech Stop in West. The 24-hour bakery is a pop- are just a few of the oddities that hearken to a bygone age of ular stop for travelers around the clock. automobile travel. “Hillsboro is the best-kept secret in north Texas,” says Carroll Just south of Georgetown, visitors can take a mile-long journey Estes, owner of the Roadside America Museum. One of the town’s underground at Inner Space Cavern. One of seven show caves in stops is A Tiskit A Taskit’s soda fountain. “All the kids line up at Texas, Inner Space was discovered by a Texas Highway Depart- the counter because they know if it’s not busy, I’m just going ment drilling crew in 1963. to feed them ice cream,” says owner Ronnie Earp. “People are

TexasCoopPower.com March 2017 Texas Co-op Power 13 URBAN u Detour DALLAS North of Hillsboro, drivers make a choice between the east and west branches of I-35. To the east, I stop at the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza for research into the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in November 1963. The museum occupies the sixth floor of the WACO MAMMOTH Texas Book Depository building, NATIONAL MONUMENT where a rifle and shells led police to Lee Harvey Oswald.

bled up 24 acres of land, and each interchange took 80. I-35 was finally considered complete in 1981, but because of the constant construction, there is no final date of comple- tion on record. The full length of I-35 from Laredo to Duluth was URBAN declared 99.7 percent complete in u 1992. Detour The Red River bridge, about FORT WORTH 40 miles north of Denton and On the west branch of I-35 7 miles north of Gainesville, marks SIXTH FLOOR MUSEUM at the Fort Worth Stockyards, the end of I-35 in Texas. DALLAS Billy Bob’s Texas bills itself as Today, urban sprawl and traffic the world’s largest honky- snarls are par for the course on I-35, tonk. Up to 6,000 people can but there are remnants of the past, always in a good mood when ice cream is involved.” enjoy the 3-acre establish- oases in the asphalt desert, and fun Kendra Markwardt, director of marketing for HILCO Electric ment that has more than 30 diversions all along the drive. Cooperative and a resident of Itasca, agrees. “I take my daughter bars, two of which are longer Julia Robinson is an Austin photo- there just about every Saturday,” she says. than 100 feet. On Friday and journalist. Saturday nights, you can catch [ CO-OP TERRITORYa TRI-COUNTY, COSERV & COOKE COUNTY ] professional bull riding at the WEB EXTRAS at TexasCoopPower.com Another milkshake mecca, farther north, the Frosty Drive N in-house arena or head over to At this exit, you’ll find a video and more in Denton—or, as the locals call it, Mr. Frosty—has been family- the Texas Motor Speedway for photos and learn more about the High- owned since 1954, and the menu is virtually unchanged. Broiler NASCAR or IndyCar Racing. way Act of 1956. burgers, homemade root beer and chocolate malts are staples. The 1950s were a pivotal time for the nation’s highways. A young Dwight D. Eisenhower was part of the first cross-country BILLY BOB’S TEXAS military convoy from Washington, D.C., to San Francisco in 1919. FORT WORTH He experienced firsthand the deplorable conditions of the country’s roads. As Allied commander in World War II, Eisenhower noted the strategic importance of the German autobahn in moving troops and supplies. Years later, Eisenhower stated, “After seeing the autobahns of modern Germany, I decided, as president, to put an emphasis on this kind of road building.” Just as railroads bypassed some communities in the late 1800s, the routes of the highway were a complicated issue for local businesses and quality of life. Each mile of freeway gob-

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TexasCoopPower.com March 2017 Texas Co-op Power 17 Large churches and other big spaces face energy challenges. At the Family Worship Center near Elgin, an energy audit shines some light on ways to lower bills. POWER TO THE PULPIT By Ed Crowell astor Jerry Edmon believes a geographical miracle is at work filling up his church for the weekly Sunday service. “We’re not close to anything,” he said of the Pnon-denominational Family Worship Center located midway between Elgin and Bastrop on sparsely populated FM 1704. In 2017, Bluebonnet “It’s kind of a miracle. People are driving in from celebrates you and what all over — Buda, North Austin, Smithville, Taylor.” it means to belong to a Edmon, of course, wants his congregation to be cooperative. comfortable when they fill the seats in the sanctuary on Sunday mornings and in the activities building next door for Wednesday evening supper and services. That means making sure inside temperatures are right and the lighting is good. The church, a longtime commercial member of Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative, relies on electric power (except for a propane-fueled kitchen stove). Edmon and his small staff say they try to follow energy-saving tips from the co-op and other sources to keep their electric bills down. The Family Worship Center, like many churches with big, open spaces that get used just a few hours a week, is difficult to heat and cool efficiently. The lights generally get turned on all at the same time, and they stay on at full power for services. “We’ve learned some lessons in the past few years” about managing electric usage, Edmon said. The current sanctuary was built in 2001, and Edmon became senior pastor about 12 years ago. To help the church get a tighter grip on its energy consumption, Bluebonnet recently offered the services of an independent energy auditor. The assess- ment was done without cost to the church so other churches that are co-op members — or any business with a large space that is used occasionally — could benefit from the energy- and money-saving tips Continued on page 20

18 Texas Co-op Power BLUEBONNET ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE March 2017 bluebonnet.coop

BLUEBONNET TCP MAR 2017 ALL PAGES.indd 16 2/7/17 3:14 PM Inside THIS MONTH NEW BOARD MEMBER Debbi Goertz to ﬁll vacant seat 23 SAVE THE DATE POWER Annual Meeting set for May 9 24 COMMUNITY GRANTS Helping area non-proﬁts 24 Q&A: BILL PAY Keep account number handy 24 MONTHLY MEETING

Bluebonnet’s Board of Directors will meet at 9 a.m. March 21, at Bluebonnet’s Headquarters, 155 Electric Ave. (formerly 650 Texas Hwy. 21 East), Bastrop. Find the agenda and last-minute updates March 17 at bluebonnet.coop. Hover your cursor over ‘next board meeting’ on our home page.

CONTACT US Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative P.O. Box 729 Bastrop, TX 78602 Member services: 800-842-7708, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday Email: [email protected] OUTAGES Call 800-949-4414 if you have a power outage. Keep up with outages 24/7 at bluebonnet.coop. Hover your cursor over ‘outage report’ on our home page. You Congregants stand during services on a recent Sunday can also send us a text message. To get started, text at the Family Worship Center, BBOUTAGE to 85700 and follow the prompts. Save located between Bastrop and that number in your contacts, perhaps as “Bluebonnet Elgin. Large open areas such Outages.” If your power goes out, text OUT to that as a church’s sanctuary can number. Download our free mobile app for iPhone use a lot of electricity in a or Android and you can report an outage on your short time, creating energy smartphone. efficiency challenges. At left, Jerry Golden of Golden Energy ABOUT THIS ISSUE Services examines one of an array of 5-ton air conditioning Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative produced the blue- condensers outside the church. bordered pages 18-25 in this issue of the magazine Although several of the units with content that is of speciﬁc interest or relevance to are aging and less efficient, he Bluebonnet members. The rest of the magazine’s content suggested the church wait until a unit fails before replacing it. is distributed statewide to any member of an electric cooperative in Texas. For information about the magazine, contact Lisa Ogle at 512-332-7968 or email lisa.ogle @ Sarah Beal photos bluebonnet.coop.

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BLUEBONNET TCP MAR 2017 ALL PAGES.indd 17 2/7/17 3:14 PM Continued from page 18

provided to Edmon. The timing was right, as the church plans to expand its facilities later this year to accommo- date a growing congregation. Remodeling and an addition will allow up to 900 movable seats in the sanctuary. About 500 people are members of the church now. Despite consistent growth of the Family Wor- ship Center since Edmon arrived in 1993 from Oklahoma, he said he is not trying to build a megachurch. “I don’t trust churches that grow Associate too fast,” he said. pastor He said he doesn’t want to lose any of the em- Rusty Cook phasis on families that is the church’s mainstay. removes Keeping to a single Sunday service is important a panel to him because people lose their connection covering with one another if they don’t all attend church fluorescent together, he said. tube lights “The motto of our church is Building Strong in the Families. That’s the thrust for everything that we activities hall do here,” said Edmon, the 61-year-old father of so energy three daughters. He and his wife, Angie, a mem- auditor Jerry ber of the Elgin Independent School District Golden can board, also have a young grandson. inspect “Health is one of our core values. And by that them. He I mean spiritually healthy, financially healthy said they and socially healthy,” he said. “I want to see are good, these kids grow up with well-balanced lives.” but the He said the range of ages and generations at incandescent the church helps achieve those goals. “We have floodlights people up in their 90s down to infants.” behind them Edmon’s father-in-law, Irvin McCorkle, should be was the senior pastor before Edmon took over. replaced McCorkle had started a Church of God on the with energy- property in 1988. Edmon renamed it to put fam- efficient ily worship at the forefront of a Bible-centered, LEDs. non-denominational church. “We’re a Heinz 57 variety. We have people watt CFLs would provide as much light as 65- to 30-minute period in the monthly billing cycle. who grew up Catholic or Baptist or Episcopa- 75-watt incandescents and pay for themselves in Because all the church’s power is used on lian,” he said, noting that people used to be born energy savings within the first couple of months, Sundays and Wednesdays (except for occasional into one faith and died that way, but now many he added. In the E.C. Smith activities hall next weddings or funerals), that “demand” portion – people try different churches. door, a dozen 65-watt incandescent floodlights at which means a higher bill if the church exceeds the front of the building could be replaced with a certain amount of power use — is very impor- Auditing church’s energy use CFLs at a cost of $20, and the church would save tant. (See Energy Demand story, p. 21). $40 to $50 a year. Edmon said that once he has a solid plan for On a Wednesday afternoon in late January, Golden, who has worked as a consultant with a 4,500-square-foot expansion of the sanctuary, before families gathered for a light supper, Bible Bluebonnet for more than a decade, went outside “I’ll get with Bluebonnet for suggestions.” talk and children’s faith sessions, the pastor to look at the array of 5-ton air-conditioning A written audit report will be given to the opened his church’s doors to energy efficiency units on the side and back of the building. The church after Golden examines the church’s en- consultant Jerry Golden of Golden Energy units are aging and may soon need maintenance, ergy use history and the power billing rates it has Services. The heat and some of the lights in the he said. Some were manufactured years before been paying. Last year, the church’s electric bills low-slung brick sanctuary had been turned on. the church was built in 2001, but Edmon was averaged $1,683 a month, with the highest for Golden, whose business is in Clifton, asked unsure if they had been moved from the previous July at $2,334 and the lowest for May at $1,296. questions about the church’s power needs and building. Golden recommended that the church Other churches that are Bluebonnet members habits. He noted that the building is “efficient by wait until a unit’s compressor fails before replac- also pay attention to energy-saving measures. design, largely because it has few windows.” The ing it with a new, more efficient unit. At St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Chappell foyer is the only area where sunlight streams in. The programmable thermostats in the church Hill, for example, several steps were taken two Edmon showed Golden the 10 overhead lights should be set to slowly increase cooling or heat- years ago to lower power bills. New heating and in the back of the large auditorium that were ing from the time the church is empty to when air-conditioning units and a programmable ther- replaced a year ago with LED bulbs on a dim- parishioners arrive, Golden said. “You can get to mostat were installed. “We had a horrible system mer switch. That was fine, Golden said. Where the right operating temperature in a reasonable under the floor,” said Joanie Correll, secretary at dimmers are not needed and hours of use are time and save energy by not turning everything the church, which was built in 1924. limited, compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs should on at the same time.” When the building is not Also, clear plastic shields were installed on the be considered – as long as they are available. occupied, Golden recommended setting the ther- stained-glass windows to reduce the heat coming Those bulbs are being phased out by the indus- mostats to 85 degrees in summer and 55 degrees through. Energy-saving bulbs replaced old light- try, but still are still available. They cost less and in winter. ing. “We’re modernized very well now, and our are nearly as efficient as most LEDs. Large commercial members, including many large parish hall is next,” she said. The incandescent lights that shine on the two- churches, pay not just for the amount of power Rosanky Baptist Church, which was founded level stage where Edmon preaches and musicians they use but also for their “demand,” which is in 1916, incorporated a more efficient heating and play should be replaced, Golden said. Using 13- the largest amount of power used during any Continued on page 25

20 Texas Co-op Power BLUEBONNET ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE March 2017 bluebonnet.coop bluebonnet.coop

BLUEBONNET TCP MAR 2017 ALL PAGES.indd 18 2/7/17 3:14 PM Sarah Beal photos ‘The motto of our church is Building Strong Families,’ said Pastor Jerry Edmon, left, whose church has about 500 members. ‘That’s the thrust for everything we do here.’ Above, teenagers gather on a Wednesday evening for music and discussions of faith.

Energy demands lead to dierent rates for big venues njoying a basketball game, catching a If you turn on every light, appliance energy demands,” said Eric Kocian, Bluebon- show or soaking up a Sunday sermon net’s chief engineer and system operations are events we enjoy, but big venues cre- and any other electric item in your officer. “We know it’s a challenge for them Eate big energy-management challenges. to manage their peak demand. We work with Yet because they are used only a few days a house, the amount of power them from the beginning to plan and build the month, large, open spaces like churches, gym- right amount of capacity to serve their needs, nasiums and auditoriums do not actually use a you are using at that moment and also show them how to manage their peak 30-minute period in the monthly billing cycle. lot of electricity over the course of their billing is your peak demand. demand to keep their electric bills as low as Because all the church’s power is used on period. possible.” Sundays and Wednesdays (except for occasional It boils down to the fact that there are two Demand changes from moment to moment weddings or funerals), that “demand” portion – types of energy use: demand and consumption. might range from 20 to 45 kilowatts. A large as air conditioners cycle on or off, and lights which means a higher bill if the church exceeds Demand, measured in kilowatts, is how much church’s energy demand might range from 100 and appliances are turned on or off. Businesses a certain amount of power use — is very impor- electricity is needed to power everything in use to 200 kilowatts. A Walmart’s energy demand on Bluebonnet’s large power rate with the tant. (See Energy Demand story, p. 21). at a moment in time. Consumption, measured is about 1 megawatt, or 1,000 kilowatts. demand charge can control their peak demand Edmon said that once he has a solid plan for in kilowatt hours, is how much electricity is Residential members and businesses that by carefully planning when they adjust heating a 4,500-square-foot expansion of the sanctuary, used during a billing cycle, which is typically have a peak demand consistently less than and cooling system thermostats and turn lights, “I’ll get with Bluebonnet for suggestions.” about 30 days. 50 kilowatts are only billed for their kilowatt other appliances and equipment on and off. A written audit report will be given to the If you are a residential member, you are hours of consumption. Businesses with a peak For example, churches and community cen- church after Golden examines the church’s en- billed for the amount of energy you consume demand that is consistently 50 kilowatts or ters with large open spaces that are primarily ergy use history and the power billing rates it has during a billing period. Businesses, school dis- more are billed by the kilowatt hour (like a used on Saturdays and Sundays can adjust their been paying. Last year, the church’s electric bills tricts and churches that operate large venues, residential member), but they pay a peak de- thermostats to bring their facilities to a desired averaged $1,683 a month, with the highest for which demand a lot of energy when in use, are mand charge as well. The demand charge for a temperature over several hours rather than in a July at $2,334 and the lowest for May at $1,296. in a different rate class and are billed differ- business is determined by measuring their peak short period of time. That is especially true if Other churches that are Bluebonnet members ently. demand during the 30-minute period when those facilities have multiple heating and cool- also pay attention to energy-saving measures. If you turn on a 100-watt light bulb, the they use the most power, and multiplying that ing units that would have to run at the same At St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Chappell maximum demand from that bulb is always by either $4.50 or $5.50, depending on their time. All that energy use at one time results in a Hill, for example, several steps were taken two going to be 100 watts. Now turn on every light, rate class. That measurement is calculated for higher peak energy demand. years ago to lower power bills. New heating and appliance, the air conditioner, the clothes dryer every billing cycle. “The only way to really control peak demand air-conditioning units and a programmable ther- and any other electric item in your house. The The demand charge is necessary because is to make certain that unessential loads can mostat were installed. “We had a horrible system amount of power you are using at that moment businesses and venues with high peak energy never come on when the building is in its high- under the floor,” said Joanie Correll, secretary at is your peak demand. Residential members demand require higher capacity equipment, use period,” says Jerry Golden, a Bluebonnet the church, which was built in 1924. do not pay for demand, though. They pay for like transformers and wires, to provide enough consultant who performs energy audits. Also, clear plastic shields were installed on the their consumption, which is the total amount of power. This equipment and the electric grid to To know how to best control their costs, stained-glass windows to reduce the heat coming power used during the billing period. support it are more expensive to design, install those who pay the bills for churches and other through. Energy-saving bulbs replaced old light- To put this in perspective, a typical home’s and operate. Simply put, a large church or large facilities must “fully understand the ing. “We’re modernized very well now, and our energy demand is three to 12 kilowatts of pow- gymnasium requires more power and resources distinction between demand and consumption large parish hall is next,” she said. er, depending on the weather, the size of the than a home or small business. charges,” he added. Rosanky Baptist Church, which was founded house and the amount of electrical equipment “We have to build our electric grid to reli- in 1916, incorporated a more efficient heating and inside. A small rural church’s energy demand ably serve our members who have high peak — Will Holford Continued on page 25

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BLUEBONNET TCP MAR 2017 ALL PAGES.indd 19 2/7/17 3:14 PM WE’RE NOT CUSTOMERS.

There’s a dierence. Members like Clamens and Virginia Tiemann know it. Being part of the Bluebonnet family means they are partial owners of the co-op. They elect co-op leaders and have a say in Bluebonnet business. At their 210-acre ranch near Brenham they raise F1 tiger-stripe cattle, a Hereford-Brahman cross. Bluebonnet powers their operations. The Tiemanns have been co-op members most of their lives. “Being a Bluebonnet member means being part of a cooperative

that cares about its members. We have great service. By Melissa Segrest We’re in a great place — we have Bluebonnet.” eborah (Debbi) Beck Goertz’s lifelong passion for learning Dhas taken her down several career paths. As Bluebonnet’s newest member of the Board of Directors, she plans to put that experience to use on behalf of the cooperative’s members. Debbi was appointed in January 2017 to the District 3 Bastrop County seat left open by the unexpected death of Kathleen Handy, who was a director from 2013-2016. From work as a manager at Bloomingdale’s to being the state’s administrator for school bus safety to her work as an attorney today, Debbi brings to the Board an ability to listen carefully, ask smart questions and seek solutions with others. “No one is successful in a vacuum,” she said. “My ability to break down complicated issues and resolve them will be an asset to the Board,” she said. “I enjoy being a team player and working with others toward a common goal. I also enjoy being with people and consider myself to be very approachable.” Debbi was born in Kilgore and grew up there and in Bryan. The oldest of four children, her family has always been close-knit. After gradu- ating from Bryan High School, she received a bachelor’s degree in teaching and a master’s degree in merchandising from Texas Tech Uni- versity in Lubbock. From there she worked at Bloomingdale’s in Dallas, becoming manager of multiple departments. With encouragement from others, she opted for a change in direc- tion and graduated from Baylor Law School in Waco. She married classmate Bryan Goertz of Bastrop in 1993. After working briefly in Bryan’s firm, Debbi began a career with the Texas Department of Public Safety, first as a hearing examiner, then as Texas’ administrator for school bus safety. To better understand her role, Debbi attended driver training and received certification as

bluebonnet.coop

BLUEBONNET TCP MAR 2017 ALL PAGES.indd 20 2/7/17 3:14 PM Debbi Goertz brings legal acumen, community service to Board By Melissa Segrest eborah (Debbi) Beck Goertz’s lifelong passion for learning hasD taken her down several career paths. As Bluebonnet’s newest member of the Board of Directors, she plans to put that experience to use on behalf of the cooperative’s members. Debbi Goertz of Bastrop Debbi was appointed in January 2017 to the was appointed to the District 3 Bastrop County seat left open by the Bluebonnet Board of unexpected death of Kathleen Handy, who was Directors in January. She a director from 2013-2016. assumes the District 3 From work as a manager at Bloomingdale’s seat. Here, Debbi stands to being the state’s administrator for school bus outside the iconic 1930s- safety to her work as an attorney today, Debbi era Refectory at Bastrop brings to the Board an ability to listen carefully, State Park. ask smart questions and seek solutions with others. “No one is successful in a vacuum,” she said. Sarah Beal photo “My ability to break down complicated issues and resolve them will be an asset to the Board,” a school bus driver. “My belief was that the members and help improve our community.” she said. “I enjoy being a team player and work- people I worked with at the local, state and Debbi and Bryan have a daughter, Abby, who ing with others toward a common goal. I also national levels would be a lot more willing to graduated from Smithville High School, where enjoy being with people and consider myself to work with me if I showed my commitment to Debbi exercised her teaching degree with a be very approachable.” the program,” she said. In her job, she evalu- stint as a culinary arts and nutrition teacher. Debbi was born in Kilgore and grew up there ated and oversaw driver safety education train- Now Abby is a student at the University of and in Bryan. The oldest of four children, her ing, kept the program in compliance with the Texas at Austin. Bryan is a fifth-generation family has always been close-knit. After gradu- law and drafted rules about school bus safety Bastrop County resident who has been Bastrop ating from Bryan High School, she received a in Texas. County’s district attorney since 2003. bachelor’s degree in teaching and a master’s Most of Debbi’s career since 2004 has been Debbi has worked with numerous Bastrop degree in merchandising from Texas Tech Uni- at her own Bastrop law office, where she rep- nonprofit groups, including the Children’s Ad- versity in Lubbock. From there she worked at resents clients in civil matters, including estate vocacy Center, the Bastrop County Historical Bloomingdale’s in Dallas, becoming manager planning, probate and residential real estate law. Society and the Family Crisis Center, and as a of multiple departments. With encouragement “It is a great honor for me to be a part of the Girl Scout leader for 13 years. When they aren’t from others, she opted for a change in direc- Bluebonnet team,” she said. “My legal back- working, the Goertzes enjoy time at their land tion and graduated from Baylor Law School in ground will be helpful when evaluating infor- in Rockne. Waco. She married classmate Bryan Goertz of mation and policies and bringing that informa- Of Bluebonnet’s six Foundation Values, safe- Bastrop in 1993. tion to the Board.” ty stands out for Debbi. “During my years as After working briefly in Bryan’s firm, Debbi Debbi has been a Bluebonnet member since the state administrator for school bus safety, my began a career with the Texas Department of 1998. “I have always been very impressed with greatest responsibility was to ensure the safety Public Safety, first as a hearing examiner, then the customer service and degree of commu- of our students. I see safety as a key component as Texas’ administrator for school bus safety. nity involvement that Bluebonnet provides. I at Bluebonnet: ensuring the safety of our em- To better understand her role, Debbi attended wanted to work with Bluebonnet to continue to ployees, our members and the communities we driver training and received certification as provide reliable service at a good value for our serve.” n

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BLUEBONNET TCP MAR 2017 ALL PAGES.indd 21 2/7/17 3:14 PM Bluebonnet, LCRA help I had my bill with me when I made a fund projects Q:payment at a Bluebonnet member service center recently, but do I need to have my bill handy any time I contact the This procedure is required by law and keeps in community co-op with a question? your account safe. Protecting our members’ information hree regional volunteer fire departments Thanks so much for bringing your bill goes hand in hand with our commitment to and a community center will be able to Chappell Hill VFD check presentation, above. From left, Lori A. Berger, LCRA Board A:with you. Whether you come into a outstanding member service. We understand build, upgrade or repair facilities and member; Hondo Powell, Bluebonnet community representative; Marcy Kmiec, Chappell member service center or call us, having your that some members might find it to be a Tbuy new equipment with a total of $109,407 in Hill VFD vice president; Clint Harp, LCRA chief of staff; Michael Kmiec, Chappell Hill VFD account number ready will save you a lot of hassle to provide this information. You have grants from Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative fire chief; Mat Kolajajek, Chappell Hill VFD assistant fire chief; Deb Calderone, Chappell time. Although we can look up the account another option: You can do most of your co-op and the Lower Colorado River Authority. Hill VFD secretary; Bryce Armstrong, Chappell Hill VFD captain; Joseph Fritz, Chappell Hill with other information, the account number is business online at bluebonnet.coop or via our The grants were awarded through the LCRA’s VFD captain; and Kate Holman, LCRA governmental affairs representative. the most accurate way for us to ensure we’re mobile app. To get the mobile app, search Community Development Partnership Program, handling the correct account. for “Bluebonnet Electric” in Apple’s App which helps cities, counties, volunteer fire de- Quick tips: At a member service center, one Store for iPhones or Google Play for Android partments, regional development councils and of our representatives can write your account smartphones. other nonprofit organizations in LCRA’s elec- number on a card to store in your wallet. If For more information, please contact a tric and water service areas. Bluebonnet is one you typically call us, you might find it helpful member service representative by emailing of LCRA’s wholesale electric customers and a to store our number – 800-842-7708 – in your [email protected], by calling partner in the grant program. contacts and include your account number in 800-842-7708 or in person at a member The Chappell Hill Volunteer Fire Department the Notes field of your contact information. service center in Bastrop, Brenham, Giddings, received $50,000 for a 70-by-110-foot addition Before we conduct any transaction with you, Lockhart or Manor. Our business hours are 7 to its fire station in downtown Chappell Hill, we also will ask for two forms of personal a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. identification, which could be your date of 10 miles east of Brenham. The addition will be birth, government-issued ID number or the — Kathy Holmes, used primarily for training area fire departments last four digits of your Social Security number. member service call center supervisor as well as a staging site for first responders and an emergency shelter for people displaced during a disaster. It will also be a venue for community meetings, events and voting. The Dale Community Center, just northeast of Bluebonnet to elect Board members May 9 Lockhart, received $39,600 to air condition its gymnasium, repair windows and flooring in the luebonnet Electric Cooperative’s Annual gym, and replace wiring and lights on the gym BMeeting will be May 9 at the Sons of stage and in the equipment room. Hermann Hall in Giddings. Four of 11 seats Caldwell County Emergency Services Dis- on the Board of Directors will be up for elec- trict No. 3 received $12,000 to buy a thermal tion that day, and co-op officials will present imaging camera, medical bags and water rescue members with the annual State of the Co-op bags. The emergency services district, now in its report. Caldwell County Emergency Services District No. 3 check presentation, above. From left, second year, is a funding resource for emergen- Cole Jackson, Martindale VFD firefighter; Drew Schulle, Martindale VFD firefighter; Milton Board members serve staggered three-year cy response organizations that serve Caldwell terms. Seats up for election this year represent Shaw, Bluebonnet Board member; Joyce Buckner, Bluebonnet community representative; County. Lori A. Berger, LCRA Board member; Richard Salmon, Caldwell ESD No. 3 vice president; District 3 for Bastrop County; District 4 for The York Creek Volunteer Fire Department, Lee, Milam and Williamson counties; District Bill Hamilton, Caldwell ESD No. 3 secretary; Randy Bunker, Martindale mayor; and Rick 10 miles south of San Marcos, received $7,807 Arnic, LCRA governmental affairs representative. 6 for Austin, Colorado and Fayette counties; for new fire protection suits. and District 7 for Washington County. For information about the grant program, visit The deadline to declare candidacy and file lcra.org/cdpp. required documentation and fees in order to Sarah Beal photo seek a seat on the Board was Feb. 8. Look for Each year at the Annual Meeting, information about all candidates and more members elect the people who sit on the York Creek VFD check presentation, right. details about this year’s Annual Meeting in co-op’s Board of Directors. From left, Milton Shaw, Bluebonnet Board Bluebonnet’s pages inside the April edition of member; Joyce Buckner, Bluebonnet Texas Co-op Power magazine or on our web- be postmarked by, or dropped off at any of community representative; Scott Robinson, site. Bluebonnet’s member service centers in Bas- York Creek VFD training chief; Lori A. Sons of Hermann Hall is at 1031 County trop, Brenham, Giddings, Lockhart or Manor, Berger, LCRA Board member; Andrew Munk, Road 223, Giddings. Registration will begin by 5:30 p.m. May 2. York Creek VFD chief; GiII Powers, York at 1:30 p.m. May 9, and the meeting will begin If you have questions about the meeting, Creek VFD president; and Rick Arnic, LCRA at 2:30 p.m. If you are unable to attend, you call 800-842-7708 from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., governmental affairs representative. can vote by proxy. Proxy forms will be mailed Monday through Friday or email memberser- to Bluebonnet members this month and must [email protected].

24 Texas Co-op Power BLUEBONNET ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE March 2017 bluebonnet.coop bluebonnet.coop

BLUEBONNET TCP MAR 2017 ALL PAGES.indd 22 2/7/17 3:14 PM Continued from page 20 air-conditioning system after moving into a new building in 2008. “We’re well insulated, and we keep a curtain closed over our one big window in the front of the church,” said Senior Pastor John Abraham. When the church is occupied, the thermostat is set to 75 degrees during the day and 68 at night, he said, and he usually Bluebonnet, turns off the system when the church is empty. “I’ve informed our people not to change it because we’re limited in funding.” LCRA help Powering up Back at the Family Worship Center outside fund projects Elgin on a cold winter night, the activities hall was warm and cozy. Families had gathered for the Wednesday “Power Up” service, a midweek in community boost members get from fellowship and faith. Dozens of people of all ages lined up for Sarah Beal photos bowls of hot vegetable soup and cornbread prepared by two members of the congregation. Chappell Hill VFD check presentation, above. From left, Lori A. Berger, LCRA Board Some of the families had begun the evening member; Hondo Powell, Bluebonnet community representative; Marcy Kmiec, Chappell playing pool on three billiard tables. Hill VFD vice president; Clint Harp, LCRA chief of staff; Michael Kmiec, Chappell Hill VFD Charles and Michelle McInnis, both state fire chief; Mat Kolajajek, Chappell Hill VFD assistant fire chief; Deb Calderone, Chappell employees in Austin, said they looked for a Hill VFD secretary; Bryce Armstrong, Chappell Hill VFD captain; Joseph Fritz, Chappell Hill church soon after moving to Elgin 10 years ago. VFD captain; and Kate Holman, LCRA governmental affairs representative. He grew up Baptist and she Methodist, but they were open to any church rooted in the Bible. At the Family Worship Center, “What we Dale Community Center check noticed right away was the friendliness. Some presentation, left. From left, other places you have to go three or four Milton Shaw, Bluebonnet Sundays in a row before someone recognizes Board member; Joyce Buckner, you are there. That’s not the case here where Bluebonnet community everyone is so accepting,” Charles said. representative; Lori A. Berger, “The leadership is great, and the church as a LCRA Board member; Jerry whole is a really good example of what family West, Dale Community Center life looks like,” he added. president; Beverly West, McInnis said his 8-year-old son, C.J., and 18-year-old daughter, Jordan, have many community center secretary; and friends at the church. Jordan is also a singer on Rick Arnic, LCRA governmental the praise team. affairs representative. After the meal, children and teenagers headed upstairs for music, games and religious lessons. In the high school group’s room, 15 young people joined Jordan singing along with a Christian music video. The darkened room was decorated like a disco. Next door, the middle school group answered a group leader’s question about what they would change in their lives if they could. “Spend less,” one boy said. “Stop fighting with my sister,” another said. Downstairs, the adults sat at big round tables to hear Edmon talk about a Bible verse and then Caldwell County Emergency Services District No. 3 check presentation, above. From left, family matters. He pulled out his cell phone as Cole Jackson, Martindale VFD firefighter; Drew Schulle, Martindale VFD firefighter; Milton a prop and questioned the pressure to answer Shaw, Bluebonnet Board member; Joyce Buckner, Bluebonnet community representative; every call immediately. Lori A. Berger, LCRA Board member; Richard Salmon, Caldwell ESD No. 3 vice president; “It’s supposed to be such a time-saving Bill Hamilton, Caldwell ESD No. 3 secretary; Randy Bunker, Martindale mayor; and Rick device, yet we have less time.… God didn’t Arnic, LCRA governmental affairs representative. overschedule your life; you did…. Kids can’t do every sport and every activity from noon ‘til night.… Take time to sit together and read and talk,” he said. The Family Worship Center nonetheless presents a modern face with digital commu- York Creek VFD check presentation, right. nications to reach families on Facebook and Twitter. Videos of Edmon’s talks and sermons From left, Milton Shaw, Bluebonnet Board are posted on the church’s website along with member; Joyce Buckner, Bluebonnet parishioners’ feedback. Clips show events such community representative; Scott Robinson, as the church’s annual Backpack Outreach York Creek VFD training chief; Lori A. where 500 free backpacks loaded with supplies Berger, LCRA Board member; Andrew Munk, are handed out to Elgin public school students. York Creek VFD chief; GiII Powers, York It’s all part of the well-rounded worldly and Creek VFD president; and Rick Arnic, LCRA spiritual life that Edmon tries to build. governmental affairs representative. “I love what I’m doing,” he said. “There is something so rich about being there for people through every stage of their lives.” n bluebonnet.coop bluebonnet.coop March 2017 BLUEBONNET ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE Texas Co-op Power 25

BLUEBONNET TCP MAR 2017 ALL PAGES.indd 23 2/7/17 3:15 PM SUPER SUPER Customer Rating COUPON SUPER COUPON COUPON SAVE 4-1/2" ANGLE GRINDER 50% ITEM 69645 6.5 HP (212 CC) OHV 60625 shown HORIZONTAL SHAFT GAS ENGINES SUPER COUPON ITEM 60363/69730 99 ITEM 68121/69727 shown $9 CALIFORNIA ONLY comp at Customer Rating $1499 $20.13 20% SAVE LIMIT 8 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling $ 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior 290 purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/7/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day. ANY SINGLE SUPER ITEM COUPON SUPER COUPON LimitOFF 1 coupon per customer per day. Save 20% on any 1 item purchased. • 1500 lb. SUPER-WIDE TRI-FOLD *Cannot be used with other discount, coupon or any of the following items 99 capacity ALUMINUM LOADING RAMP or brands: Inside Track Club membership, Extended Service Plan, gift card, shown open box item, 3 day Parking Lot Sale item, compressors, ﬂ oor jacks, saw 99 ITEM 90018 $ SAVE 69595/60334 mills, storage cabinets, chests or carts, trailers, trenchers, welders, Admiral, $70 Bauer, CoverPro, Daytona, Earthquake, Hercules, Jupiter, Lynxx, Poulan, SUPER COUPON Predator, StormCat, Tailgator, Viking, Vulcan. Not valid on prior purchases. comp at 99 Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/7/17. $11999 $389.99 $79 LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. comp at Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/7/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day. Customer Rating $ 99 $149.99 99 SUPER SUPER COUPON COUPON • 300 lb. capacity ® SUPER COUPON LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling HIGH LIFT RIDING RAPID PUMP 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior 12,000 LB. ELECTRIC WINCH purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. LAWN MOWER / ATV LIFT 3 TON HEAVY DUTY Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be WITH REMOTE CONTROL AND ITEM 61523 shown SAVE presented. Valid through 7/7/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day. 60395/62325/62493 STEEL FLOOR JACK $66 AUTOMATIC BRAKE ITEM 69227/62116 Customer Rating 62584/68048 shown SUPER SAVE • $ Customer Rating Weighs COUPON 100 74 lbs. ITEM 61256/61889 40 PIECE 1/4" AND 60813 shown SAVE 3/8" DRIVE SOCKET SET SUPER COUPON SUPER COUPON 60% Customer Rating ITEM 63015/ 61328/62843 • SAE and 47902 shown SAVE 99 99 Metric $ $79 $74 SUPER COUPON 453 $399 SUPER COUPON 99 $ 99 $ 99 $ 99 comp at $299 379 comp at Customer Rating 99 84 $ 99 $752.99 comp at $179 .99 4 $9.99 comp at $141.88

LIMIT 6 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling LIMIT 4 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/7/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day. presented. Valid through 7/7/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day. presented. Valid through 7/7/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day. presented. Valid through 7/7/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

SUPER SUPER SUPER COUPON SUPER COUPON COUPON COUPON FOLDABLE ALUMINUM LED WORKLIGHTS Customer Rating SAVE RETRACTABLE AIR HOSE REEL Customer Rating 72" x 80" MOVING BLANKET SPORTS CHAIR A. 27 LED 71% SAVE WITH 3/8" x 50 FT. HOSE shown ITEM 62314/63066 ITEM 69567/60566 A ITEM 93897 shown ITEM 69505/62418/66537 shown 62532/67227 shown $ Customer Rating 66383 • 250 lb. B 138 69265 /62344 Customer Rating capacity B. 39 LED SAVE SUPER COUPON ITEM 62417/62574 SUPER COUPON 66% 99 SAVE 62158 shown 99 19 Batteries included. $ 50% YOUR CHOICE $59 comp at 99 $ 99 SUPER COUPON $2 3 comp at 99 comp at $ 99 $39.99 comp at $10.64 $ 99 $198.45 $5 27 79 $ 899 $17.97

LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling LIMIT 9 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling LIMIT 3 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling g 800-423-2567. Cannot 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior arborFreight.com or by callin al 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior 8 - Good at our stores or H 0 days from origin purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. LIMIT r coupon or prior purchases after 3 inal purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. used with other discount o s last. Non-transferable. Orig Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be be t. Offer good while supplie r day. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be rchase with original receip ne coupon per customer pe presented. Valid through 7/7/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day. pu alid through 7/7/17. Limit o presented. Valid through 7/7/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day. presented. Valid through 7/7/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day. coupon must be presented. V

SUPER SUPER SUPER COUPON SUPER COUPON COUPON COUPON SAVE MECHANIC'S CHOICE SHOP Customer Rating TWO TIER ITEM 69651 18 VOLT CORDLESS AUTOMATIC COLLAPSIBLE 62868/62873 44% TOWELS - PACK OF 50 68239 shown 3/8" DRILL/DRIVER WITH BATTERY FLOAT EASY-STORE KEYLESS CHUCK ITEM 69594 CHARGER SUPER COUPON STEP LADDER 69955 SUPER COUPON 42292 shown SUPER COUPON 99 SAVE Customer Rating $9 SUPER COUPON Includes one 99 99 50% 99 18V NiCd $16 SAVE $4 $19 battery and $ 99 charger. SAVE 85% comp at comp at 12 • 225 lb. comp at $ 99 Customer Rating ITEM 63365/63360 shown comp at $17.98 $ 99 65% $49 $ 99 $34.99 capacity ITEM 67514 29 $39.99 19 8

LIMIT 7 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling LIMIT 7 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling LIMIT 6 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/7/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day. presented. Valid through 7/7/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day. presented. Valid through 7/7/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day. presented. Valid through 7/7/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day. SUPER SUPER SUPER COUPON COUPON COUPON Customer Rating 3/8" x 14 FT. GRADE 43 Not for TOWING CHAIN ITEM 60658 /97711 shown A 3 GALLON, 100 PSI OILLESS overhead lifting. SAVE AIR COMPRESSORS 67% A. HOT DOG SUPER COUPON ITEM 69269/97080 shown 99 Customer Rating B. PANCAKE FREEWITH ANY PURCHASE $19 ITEM 95275 shown 60637/61615 • $ 99 1" x 25 FT. 5400 lb. capacity 39 comp at $60.95 TAPE MEASURE

YOUR CHOICE LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling SAVE 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. 59% 99 $ 99 Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be 6 presented. Valid through 7/7/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day. B $39 VALUE SUPER COUPON $ 99 59 45 WATT SOLAR PANEL ITEM 69031/69030 shown comp at $98.62 10 PIECE KIT LIMIT 1 - Cannot be used with other discount, coupon or prior purchase. ITEM 62443 Coupon good at our stores, HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. 68751 shown Offer good while supplies last. Shipping & Handling charges may apply if not picked up in-store. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/7/17. Limit one FREE GIFT coupon per customer per day. SUPER COUPON LIMIT 4 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original SAVE 99 purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original $ $119 coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/7/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day. 83 comp at Customer Rating $ 99 $203.73 SUPER 149 SUPER COUPON SUPER COUPON COUPON Blade sold separately 12" SLIDING COMPOUND 26", 4 DRAWER LIMIT 4 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 4000 PEAK/3200 RUNNING WATTS DOUBLE-BEVEL MITER SAW 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior 6.5 HP (212 CC) GAS GENERATORS TOOL CART purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Customer Rating WITH LASER GUIDE ITEM 95659 shown Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be ITEM 69676/69729/63080/63079 shown presented. Valid through 7/7/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day. ITEM 61969/61970/ 69684 shown 61634/61952 Customer Rating ITEM 69675/69728/63090/63089 CALIFORNIA ONLY Customer Rating SAVE SUPER $ • 580 lb. capacity • 70 dB noise level 204 SUPER COUPON COUPON 99 • 1000 lb. MOVER'S DOLLY SAVE $134 capacity ITEM 60497/93888 shown $ SAVE 61899/62399/63095/63096 149 $269 63098/63097 SAVE SUPER COUPON $19999 59% 28999 comp at SUPER COUPON $ $339 99 SUPER COUPON Customer Rating SUPER 99 QUIET $99 comp at comp at $7 $ 99 Wheel kit sold $ 99 $439 $ 99 $369.32 $19.97 separately. 339 comp at 149 9

LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling LIMIT 3 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling LIMIT 8 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/7/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day. presented. Valid through 7/7/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day. presented. Valid through 7/7/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day. presented. Valid through 7/7/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day.

SUPER SUPER Customer Rating SUPER COUPON SUPER COUPON COUPON COUPON 1.5 HP ELECTRIC POLE SAW 29 PIECE TITANIUM • 16 ft. lit, 22 ft. long SOLAR ROPE LIGHT SAVE 1500 WATT DUAL • Extends from ITEM 68862/63190 shown NITRIDE COATED 6 ft. to 8 ft. 10" SAVE shown ITEM 62533/68353 TEMPERATURE HEAT GUN 62896 Customer Rating 68% 29% Customer Rating HIGH SPEED STEEL (572°/1112°) SUPER COUPON DRILL BIT SET SAVE 99 ITEM 62281 ITEM 62340 SUPER COUPON $9 SUPER COUPON 62546 shown SUPER COUPON 99 $ 99 66% 61637 99 $ 99 99 63104 $64 84comp at comp at SAVE $8 96289 shown $ 99 $29.97 $9 19 $92.84 131 83% comp at $59.98 Customer Rating comp at $ 99 $28.83 or by calling 14 our stores or HarborFreight.com LIMIT 4 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling LIMIT 8 - Good at LIMIT 7 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discountchase withor couponoriginal orreceipt. prior 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. purchases after 30 days from original pur purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be per customer per day. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be Offer good while supplies7/7/17. last. Non-transferable.Limit one coupon Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 7/7/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day. presented. Valid through presented. Valid through 7/7/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day. LIMIT 7 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be SUPER COUPON SUPER COUPON SUPER COUPON presented. Valid through 7/7/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day. ™ Customer Rating SPLIT LEATHER WORK GLOVES 8" HUNTING KNIFE SAVE 10 FT. x 20 FT. SUPER Customer Rating WITH COTTON BACK SAVE WITH SURVIVAL KIT $106 PORTABLE CAR CANOPY COUPON 5 PAIR ITEM 66287/62716 39% Customer Rating ITEM 63054/60728 60450/62371/62714 shown SUPER COUPON shown ITEM 61733 99 69034/62858 AIRLESS SUPER COUPON Customer Rating 90714 shown $7 SUPER COUPON $ 99 PAINT SPRAYER KIT 99 99 149 ITEM 62915/60600 shown $5 comp at SAVE comp at comp at $ 99 $9.90 73% $ 99 $99 $205.99 SUPER COUPON SAVE 7 $29.99 $ 9 $16999 129 LIMIT 8 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling LIMIT 9 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling LIMIT 5 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior comp at purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. $ 99 Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be $299 presented. Valid through 7/7/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day. presented. Valid through 7/7/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day. presented. Valid through 7/7/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day. 209

At Harbor Freight Tools, the “comp at” price means that the same item or a similar functioning item was advertised for sale at or LIMIT 3 - Good at our stores or HarborFreight.com or by calling above the "comp at" price by another retailer in the U.S. within the 800-423-2567. Cannot be used with other discount or coupon or prior 700+ Stores Nationwide HarborFreight.com 800-423-2567 past 180 days. Prices advertised by others may vary by location. purchases after 30 days from original purchase with original receipt. ••No other meaning of "comp at" should be implied. For more Offer good while supplies last. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be information, go to HarborFreight.com or see store associate. presented. Valid through 7/7/17. Limit one coupon per customer per day. MARKETPLACE BUY• SELL• TRADE• ACROSS TOWN• ACROSS TEXAS

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28 Texas Co-op Power March 2017 TexasCoopPower.com Texas History Blizzard of 1957 Howling winds drive deep drifts across Panhandle

BY DAWN STEPHENS

Every year as winter sets in, Pan- handle residents consider the weather forecast and wonder about predictions for winter storms. Because I grew up in the Panhandle of Oklahoma, I have always lis- tened intently when old-timers told stories about the blizzard of 1957. Seeking to confirm the tales I’d heard over the years, I visited the XIT Museum in Dalhart to find out about this momentous storm that is much discussed on its 60th anniversary. With the help of Nick Olson, the museum’s director, I searched through newspaper articles and viewed archived Drifts from the March 1957 news photographs from the blizzard. I blizzard reached rooflines. found several accounts of survival and destruction. The 1957 storm is considered steam coming from a big snowdrift. Just occupants to scoop out the snow so ceil- among the most destructive weather to find out whether he was imagining the ings would not collapse. events in Texas Panhandle history. steam, he dug into the drift, and out The blizzard of 1957 ranks third among According to accounts in The Dalhart walked 20 of his hogs. the top 10 weather events of the 20th Texan, the storm arrived in the area during Chuck Bennet, a current member of century in the Texas and Oklahoma Pan- the evening of Friday, March 22. First, rain Rita Blanca Electric Cooperative and a res- handle, a list prepared by the Amarillo pelted the area. Then the rain turned to ident of the Dumas area, told the story of staff of the National Weather Service. snow, and the storm persisted through the a rancher south of Dumas who lost more The nearly decade-long Dust Bowl of the night, pounding the region relentlessly for than 10 prized Palomino horses. The 1930s ranks No. 1, and the April 9, 1947, two days. The storm drove snow across rancher had moved the horses into a barn tornado that killed more than 180 people the landscape at speeds up to 60 mph, for protection from the blizzard, but it was as it rampaged across Texas, Oklahoma leaving an accumulation of 10–15 inches. not enough. As the wind battered the barn, and Kansas ranks second. Drifts rose up to 30 feet, according to it also drove snow through the cracks in I walked away from the research at the reports around the Texas Panhandle, with the barn’s walls. Eventually the snow XIT Museum with a renewed respect for 15-foot drifts recorded across the state line reached the rafters of the barn, and the those who braved this storm and are able in western Oklahoma. Eleven lives were horses perished. to retell the tales 60 years later. So as I lost, livestock perished and $6 million in A delivery driver in Dalhart became a watch the weather forecast and prepare damages were sustained. casualty of the storm when he lost his way for upcoming storms, I will forever The bold banner headline in the Chicago on the return to his home from the Railway remember the blizzard of 1957 and pray Sunday Tribune on March 24 read: BLIZ- Express Agency. According to The Dalhart that another of this magnitude never ZARD HITS NINE STATES. Dalhart was Texan, the driver became disoriented in the befalls my beloved Texas Panhandle. one of several Texas towns identified on a blinding, blowing blizzard. After he made Dawn Stephens is the member services and locator map on the front page. a wrong turn, his truck got stuck in the deep communications representative for Rita Blanca Hundreds of cattle, hogs and horses snow. His vehicle was covered completely Electric Cooperative in Dalhart. were lost. Arty Watkins, a local farmer by the snow, and he was unable to escape. and cattleman, told The Dalhart Texan The snowfall accumulated into drifts WEB EXTRAS at TexasCoopPower.com that he thought he had lost a lot of hogs that covered houses up to the rooflines, Read more about the top 10 weather events of in the blizzard when he couldn’t find trapping residents inside. In some houses, the 20th century in the Texas and Oklahoma

COURTESY XIT MUSEUM COURTESY them. While hunting for them, he saw blowing snow filled up attics, requiring Panhandle.

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30 Texas Co-op Power March 2017 TexasCoopPower.com Recipes Spring Vegetable Salads

TY WOLOSIN It’s time to pull out your salad bowl and savor what’s in season! This month’s featured recipe comes from Windy Hill Farm, a family-owned operation in Boerne, with membership in Bandera and Comanche electric cooperatives. “We love this salad,” says farmer Ty Wolosin. “A mix of spicy greens like baby mustard and arugula get the blood warmed up after the chill of winter.” The recipe also captures a delicious moment in their growing season: “We have goat’s milk for cheese again. The young kids are up and running, and their moms have rich milk from the spring pasture grass.” PAULA DISBROWE, FOOD EDITOR

Windy Hill North Spring Salad Plan on a handful of greens per person, and add other ingredients as desired. A sprinkling of flaky sea salt on top makes the vegetables’ flavor pop.

SALAD Mixed spicy greens (colored mustard, mesclun, arugula or red-leaf lettuce) Radishes, thinly sliced Green onions, thinly sliced Young asparagus, trimmed Crumbled goat cheese Fresh chopped dill Hard-boiled eggs, sliced Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

DRESSING 4 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons white wine or apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon spicy mustard (such as Dijon or Creole) 1 teaspoon honey ½ teaspoon ground turmeric

1. Combine the salad ingredients in a bowl. 2. In a separate bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients (or combine them in a jar and shake). 3. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Taste for seasonings, adding more salt or pepper as desired, and

SALAD: MARY PAT WALDRON. WOLOSIN: DAVE SHAFER DAVE WOLOSIN: WALDRON. PAT MARY SALAD: serve immediately. Serves 4.

TexasCoopPower.com March 2017 Texas Co-op Power 31 Recipes

Spring Vegetable Salads Spring Medley in Sour Cream Dressing THIS MONTH’S RECIPE CONTEST WINNER NANCY PUMPHREY | BIG COUNTRY EC HELENA WALLACE | BRYAN TEXAS UTILITIES There’s something old-school and irresistible This tumble of vibrant green vegetables captures spring’s bounty. A about cold, fresh vegetables coated in a rich, simple, garlicky vinaigrette and creamy avocado add richness and pull tangy sour cream dressing. This simple salad the tastes together while allowing the flavor and texture of the vegeta- shines when served atop crisp, pretty leaves such bles to shine. as hearts of romaine or butter lettuce.

1 cup sour cream Chopped Spring Salad 1. Trim the tough ends from the aspara- 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1½ pounds asparagus gus, then cut stalks on the diagonal into 1 teaspoon salt 1½ pounds French green beans one-inch pieces. Cut the green beans the ¼ teaspoon dry mustard ¾ cup fresh or frozen peas same way. 1 cup sliced green onions (whites and 3 green onions, thinly sliced (white 2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. green tops) and light green parts) Add the asparagus and green beans and 1 cup sliced radishes 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved blanch 90 seconds. Remove vegetables 2 cups chopped cucumbers 1 small bunch radishes, thinly sliced from boiling water and place in a colan- Lettuce leaves Juice of 2 lemons der. Run cold water over them to stop 4 tablespoons olive oil cooking. Add peas to boiling water in the 1. Combine the sour cream, lemon ¾ teaspoon kosher salt pot. If you are using fresh peas, cook juice, salt and mustard in a large mix- ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black them no longer than 30 seconds; cook ing bowl. pepper frozen peas only 10. Drain peas and rinse 2. Add the onions, radishes and cucum- 2 cloves garlic, crushed and roughly with cold water. bers, and stir to combine. chopped 3. Combine the drained asparagus, 3. Chill mixture until cold, about 2 2 ripe avocados, diced beans and peas in a bowl. Add the green hours. onions, cherry tomatoes and radishes. 4. Serve on lettuce leaves. Serves 4–6. Gently stir the vegetables. 4. In a small bowl, make the dressing by mixing well the lemon juice, oil, salt, Sweet and Savory Sprouts pepper and garlic. LISA WILLIAMS | CENTRAL TEXAS EC 5. Add the diced avocados to the vegeta- For many of us, certain vegetables are steeped bles and toss with dressing just before in memories—not all of them good. “My grand- serving. Finish with salt and freshly mother had these red and white vinyl chairs ground black pepper to taste. Serves 4–6. with tubular chrome leg supports in her kitchen,” Williams writes. “It was in those tubes where COOK’S TIP The vegetables can be blanched I used to hide my Brussels sprouts to get out of in advance and refrigerated until serving time. eating them.” These days, she can’t get enough To avoid a soggy salad, allow the blanched and of them and frequently enjoys these “candied drained vegetables to dry on clean kitchen sprouts” as a main dish. towels before tossing them with the vinaigrette. 1 cup finely diced pancetta 1 tablespoon butter 1 package (10 ounces) shredded Brussels sprouts ⅓ cup dried cranberries ⅓ cup slivered almonds 1 tablespoon brown sugar $100 Recipe Contest 1 tablespoon maple syrup 2 tablespoons water August’s recipe contest topic is Some Salt and pepper, to taste Like It Hot. Have you never met a pepper you didn’t like? Share your favorite 1. Cook the pancetta in a medium, non- fiery dishes with us. The deadline is March 10. stick skillet over medium-high heat until it’s almost crisp, then transfer to a plate. ENTER ONLINE at TexasCoopPower.com/contests; Discard all but 1 teaspoon of the drip- MAIL to 1122 Colorado St., 24th Floor, Austin, TX 78701; pings. | SHUTTERSTOCK.COM MANUFACTURE FOREST FOXYS BACKGROUND: FAX to (512) 763-3401. Include your name, address and phone number, plus your co-op and the name of the 32 Texas Co-op Power March 2017 contest you are entering. TexasCoopPower.com Fresh Tips for Salads

2. Add the butter, Brussels sprouts, ¼ cup (½ stick) butter DO Add crunch. Toasted nuts and seeds cranberries and almonds, and cook, stir- ¼ cup olive oil (pumpkin, sesame, sunflower) also add ring, until heated through. nutrients. 3. Add the pancetta, brown sugar, maple 1. Dip the cheese wedges in beaten egg Add color. Savor the shades of shaved syrup and water, and toss until well- and dredge in breadcrumbs, coating watermelon radishes, red or golden coated. Adjust seasonings to taste, and thoroughly. Place the coated wedges on a beets, carrots and sweet peppers. serve warm. Serves 4. plate and refrigerate. Go homemade. Make vinaigrette with 2. Combine the spinach, berries and a squeeze of fresh lemon, Dijon mus- COOK’S TIP Pancetta is an Italian-style bacon pecans in a large bowl. Drizzle with bal- tard, and a 3-to-1 ratio of olive oil and with a peppery flavor. Feel free to substitute your samic vinaigrette and toss. wine vinegar. Cube bread for home- favorite peppered or regular bacon in this recipe. 3. When you’re ready to serve, melt the made croutons (toss with olive oil and butter with the olive oil in a skillet over an herb blend, then bake at 350 medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, degrees until golden). Spinach and Strawberry place the chilled cheese wedges in the Salad With Fried Cheddar skillet, being careful that they don’t DON’T Go limp. Make sure lettuces and other BETSY KUEBLER | FARMERS EC touch. Fry the cheese 1–2 minutes on ingredients are completely dry before each side, or until the crumb coating is adding them. 2 rounds cheddar cheese (1 pound lightly browned. (Cook the cheese in Overpower. With balsamic and other each), each sliced into 6 wedges separate batches, if necessary, to avoid aged vinegars, a little goes a long way. 2 eggs, beaten overcrowding the skillet.) To make shallots and chopped onions ¾ cup fine, seasoned breadcrumbs 4. Place warm cheese wedges on top of less sharp, soak them in a splash of 4 cups fresh, young spinach leaves the salad and serve. Serves 4–6. vinegar for a few minutes before 1 pint fresh-picked strawberries, adding. washed, stemmed and quartered WEB EXTRAS at TexasCoopPower.com Underestimate. Never undervalue the 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans Read more about Ty Wolosin in A New Crop of appeal of crumbled feta, goat cheese ¾ cup balsamic vinaigrette Texas Farmers [May 2016]. or shaved Parmesan. —PD

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34 Texas Co-op Power March 2017 TexasCoopPower.com Focus on Texas In Motion In the hustle and bustle of modern life, these Texans aren’t just going through the motions. Let’s shake a leg and take a look at who really knows how to bust a move. GRACE ARSIAGA

WEB EXTRAS at TexasCoopPower.com Have a second? Go online to see more poetry in motion.

o CHRISTY STUART, Jackson EC: Sampson loves to play during bath time. d CAROL HOLBERT, Concho Valley EC: “I loved the dirt in the air and the fact that this bull rider walked away!”

o PAT ROGERS, Medina EC: “While taking photos of the dolphin from the ferry, a speedboat passed by at the same time.”

d SALLY GRANT, Pedernales EC: Coming in for a landing in Grant’s garden

UPCOMING CONTESTS

JULY PLAY BALL! DUE MARCH 10

AUGUST SURF’S UP DUE APRIL 10

SEPTEMBER AT THE RODEO DUE MAY 10 All entries must include name, address, daytime phone and co-op affiliation, plus the contest topic and a brief description of your photo.

ONLINE: Submit highest-resolution digital images at Texas CoopPower.com/ contests. MAIL: Focus on Texas, 1122 Colorado St., 24th Floor, Austin, TX 78701. A stamped, self-addressed envelope must be included if you want your entry returned (approximately six weeks). Please do not submit irreplaceable photographs—send a copy or duplicate. We do not accept entries via email. We regret that Texas Co-op Power cannot be responsi- o CHERI BARR, Pedernales EC: One of the ble for photos that are lost in the mail or not received by the deadline. competitors at a flying competition in Llano

TexasCoopPower.com March 2017 Texas Co-op Power 35 Around Texas Event Calendar March 17–18 Round Top Herbal Forum Pick of the Month Texas Independence March Celebration 8 Lubbock [8–12] Cirque du Soleil’s Ovo, San Benito March 11 (806) 742-7362, unitedsupermarketsarena.com (956) 739-0401, happybirthdaytexas.com The Texas Heritage and Independence 9 Celebration Association honors the bravery Irving [9–12] Texas Steel Guitar Jamboree, of the Texians and Tejanos (Texas-born (817) 558-3481, texassteelguitar.org citizens of Mexican and Spanish ancestry) who fought and died for independence from Mexico. The main attractions are re- 10 San Angelo [10–12] Frontier Ladies Living enactments of the battles of Gonzales, the History Conference, (325) 234-0316, Alamo and San Jacinto, with the roar of fortconcho.com cannons and smoking fire from muskets. 14 11 Marshall Taste of East Texas & Irish Festival, Austin County Cruisers Classic Bellville (903) 935-4484, marshallartscouncil.org Car Stampede, (979) 865-3187, austincountycruisers.com Nederland [14–19] Heritage Festival, (409) 724-2269, nederlandhf.org Burton Texas Ranger Day, (979) 353-0050, burtonheritagesociety.org Crockett John Anderson, (936) 544-4276, 17 [17–18] Herbal Forum, pwfaa.org Round Top (979) 249-3129, festivalhill.org Luling Rajun’ Cajun Throwdown Gumbo [17–19] Uncorked, Cook-Off, (830) 875-3214, discoverluling.com La Grange (979) 968-3017, lagrangeuncorked.com

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36 Texas Co-op Power March 2017 TexasCoopPower.com Georgetown [31–April 1] Quilt and 18 Stitchery Show, (512) 658-6973, April Anna Big Top Circus, (972) 924-8533 handcraftsunlimited.com Bandera Wild Hog Explosion, Victoria [31–April 1] Quilt Fest, 1 (830) 796-4447, wildhogexplosion.com (361) 482-9580, quiltguildvictoria.org Hamilton Spring Fling, (254) 372-3120 Jasper Azalea Festival, (409) 384-2762, Grapevine [31–April 2, 7–9] Day Out Stonewall LBJ 100 Bicycle Tour, jaspercoc.org With Thomas, 1-800-457-6338, (830) 868-7128, lbj100.bike Lakehills United Methodist Church Fish Fry, grapevinetexasusa.com Woodville Tyler County Dogwood (830) 751-2404, lakehillsumc.org Festival, (409) 283-2632, tylercountydogwoodfestival.org West [18–19] West, Central Texas Ceramic Expo, (254) 716-5227, westceramicshow.com March 25 Hallettsville [1–Nov. 30, 2018] The Lone Waco Star State and World War I, (361) 798-3243, 24 Bluebird Season Kickoff hallettsvillelibrary.org Boerne Live at the Library: Viennese Tort, (210) 421-6132, visitboerne.org 5 [5–8] Kilgore College Rangerette Ingram [24–April 8] Godspell, Kilgore (830) 367-5121, hcaf.com Revels, (903) 983-8187, rangerette.com 6 25 Semi-Toned, (830) 896-9393, Huntsville Herb Festival at the Wynne Kerrville Home, (936) 891-5024, texasthymeunit.org caillouxtheater.com Waco Bluebird Season Kickoff, (512) 268-5678, texasbluebirdsociety.org 31 Submit Your Event! Fredericksburg [31–April 1] American We pick events for the magazine directly from Chuck Wagon Association’s Championship TexasCoopPower.com. Submit your event for Cook-Off, (830) 990-1192, trhc.org May by March 10, and it just might be featured in this calendar.

OPEN YEAR ‘ROUND. The Friends of GILLESPIE COUNTY COUNTRY SCHOOLS Living Histories Museums Country Schools DRIVING TRAIL 1ST SATURDAY IN APRIL 5 Historic Schools Open 1pmto5pm VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR SELF-DRIVING TOUR MAP AND INFO. www.HistoricSchools.org ACCOMMODATIONS AVAILABLE AT VisitFredericksburgTexas.com

TexasCoopPower.com March 2017 Texas Co-op Power 37 Hit the Road Texas on a Grand Stage Palo Duro Canyon State Park features natural majesty and theatric pageantry

BY SHERYL SMITH-RODGERS

Every Texan should visit Palo Duro Canyon State Park and attend Texas, the outdoor musical that’s been performed there every summer since 1966. I’ve seen the performance several times and returned last summer so my husband, James, could scratch “the Grand Canyon of Texas” off his bucket list. Palo Duro Canyon, second in size to Arizona’s Grand Canyon, cuts a crooked swath through the Panhandle High Plains as it meanders for 120 miles and plunges 800 feet deep. For most of the day, we explore the state The 2017 season for Texas park, the state’s second largest at nearly runs June 2–August 19. 28,000 acres. Along the half-mile Pioneer Nature Trail, we hike down to the rippling Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River Montoya explains as we stand at the back railroads, and Col. Henry McLean, a cattle that winds through the canyon. At a nearby edge, facing the audience. “See those two rancher not ready to relinquish the open nature blind, we spy harvest mice feeding big, clear globes up there in the control prairies in the late 1880s. Tension mounts on spilled birdseed. Later, we relax in rock- rooms over the seats? Those are intelligent as the two ideologies clash. Several tangled ing chairs at the Mack Dick Group Pavilion lights that project images onto the sur- romances thicken the plot. and absorb the spectacular scenery. rounding canyon walls. You’ll see those Mother Nature creates havoc, too, Midafternoon, we freshen up at our later during the show.” which leads to some thrilling scenes: A hotel in Canyon, 12 miles west of the park. As a treat, we bought dinner tickets. simulated lightning bolt strikes a dead Then we return for the 6 p.m. activities at Inside a metal shed called the Chow Cart, tree, and later, real flames light up the the 1,600-seat Pioneer Amphitheatre. The caterers with Feldman’s Wrong Way Diner canyon as a roaring “prairie fire” threatens outdoor complex was built in the early in Canyon dish up smoked ham, sausage homes. 1960s by residents who sought to honor and brisket. Two hours later, Texas ends with a patri- early pioneers and promote Palo Duro After 8 p.m., we settle into our seats. otic grand finale. More fireworks choreo- Canyon as a tourist destination. Overhead, the evening’s first stars twinkle graphed with an illuminated water show Our evening begins with a backstage in the darkening sky, and swallows swoop pay tribute to military veterans, fallen tour led by guide Rey Montoya, a student for moths. At 8:30, fireworks explode, sig- heroes and first responders. “Wow, wow, at West Texas A&M University. Behind the naling the show’s start. Soon, a lone wran- wow!” is all we can say as bursts of rockets, amphitheater, he points out a cinder-block gler on horseback, carrying a Texas flag water jets and laser lights accompany a warehouse where 67 cast members change fluttering on a pole, stands high atop a slideshow. costumes and repair scenery. We peer canyon wall. As the sparks fall away, the “I want to see that again!” James ex- inside a wooden horse-drawn wagon, silhouette races along the ridge’s edge. claims as we head for our car. I definitely which catches fire during the show with On cue, more than five dozen boot- see more of Texas in our future. the help of concealed propane burners. A scooting cowboys and their partners in Sheryl Smith-Rodgers, a member of Peder- steam locomotive sits on the chassis of a swishy skirts burst onto the stage, singing nales EC, lives in Blanco. pickup, and a concrete tunnel allows and high-stepping in time with hoedown actors to switch sides of the stage. songs like Turkey in the Straw. Soon we WEB. EXTRAS at TexasCoopPower.com “The stage is padded like a running see character Brandon Dawson, a progres- Learn more about the show seen by more

track so dancers won’t get hurt if they fall,” sive homesteader who touts fences and than 4 million people. CVB AMARILLO | COURTESY JIM LIVINGSTON

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