VOL. VI, NO. 2 MARCH/APRIL 2007

K Fairhope’s Town Square Reopens K A Tale of a Small Southern County K National Red Hat Celebration Some electric power companies come and go... hirty-six cities Like community police, fire business. Strong, stable have public power departments, water and sewer employers mean strong, stable T utilities that provide departments, parks, schools, jobs for local citizens. electricity to their citizens. and hospitals, public power They range in size from cities systems are rooted in the like Huntsville to cities that American tradition of local serve fewer than 2,000 meters. people providing for their basic community needs. Public power Like citizens in more than systems provide service — 2,000 communities across the electricity at not-for-profit United States, these Alabama prices. citizens choose to provide electric service through public Public power’s low electric rates power systems. Not-for-profit are magnets for community electric utilities accountable to economic development. So is its the customers they serve. ability to provide stream lined “one-stop shopping” customer Nationwide, public power services that encourage provides the electric power existing business customers to needs for more than 35 million maintain and expand their Americans. operations and attracts new

...but not Public Power.

City of Fairhope Electrical Department From left to right Front Row: Aaron Norris - Electric Superintendent, Ron Wells - Bore Crew, Jason Thrash - Electrical Technician, Joe Ramos - Locate/Underground Technician, Joe Wolchina - Lineman, Jeremy Morgan - Meter Substation Technician Back Row: Jimmy Cluster - Assisted Electric Superintendent, Bryan Rutherford - Field Foreman, Kevin Wadsworth - Lineman, Danny Coleman - Underground Technician, Greg McCoy - Groundman, Jonnie Bozeman - Groundman VOL. VI, NO. 2 MARCH/APRIL 2007

A publication of Alabama Municipal Electric Authority P.O. Box 5220 Montgomery, Alabama 36103-5220 7 6 BC 804 South Perry Street Montgomery, Alabama 36104 INSIDE·THIS·ISSUE www.amea.com 334.262.1126 FEATURES

Robert W. Claussen Fairhope’s Town Square Reopens ...... 3 President & Chief Executive Officer A Tale of a Small Southern County ...... 6 Fred D. Clark, Jr. Chief Operating Officer National Red Hat Celebration ...... BC BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chairman Wayne Duke COMMUNITY CONDUIT V-Chairman Don McClellan Secretary/Treasurer Gary Fuller Watts Happenin’ — News from AMEA Members Don Boone Timothy Kant Henry Osborne Bill Fann Alexander City ...... 3 Paul Lee Morris Tate Fairhope ...... 3 ALABAMA CURRENTS VOLUME VI, NO. 2 Foley ...... 4 Sylacauga ...... 4 Assistant Editor Opelika ...... Sandjanetta Tellis 5 Designed by Piedmont ...... 5 Walker Printing Company Tuskegee ...... Printed by 6 Walker Printing Company 334.832.4975 DEPARTMENTS Comments may be mailed, phoned or e-mailed to [email protected] In My Opinion ...... 2 Alabama Currents is published six times each year in Montgomery, AL and mailed to the retail Refrigerator Philosophy ...... 2 electric customers of AMEA member cities. Information in this magazine has been obtained Cooking With Sandjanetta ...... 2 from sources considered reliable but accuracy is not guaranteed. Competent legal and/or accounting advice should be sought before acting Word Search Solution ...... 7 on information in this magazine. Dollars & Cents ...... 7 MISSION STATEMENT Out In The Yard ...... 8 AMEA’s mission is to provide for Energy Briefs ...... our Member communities a 9 reliable and economical source of Places To Go – Things To Do ...... 11 electric power, enabling them to preserve and enhance the benefits Sports Trivia ...... 12 of municipal utility ownership for their citizens and the electric Speed Bump ...... 12 customers they serve. We strive to Word Search ...... IBC offer services that our Members need and can adapt to provide the best value for their communities On the Cover: Riviera Utilities new office facility located at 413 East Laurel Avenue, and customers. Foley, AlabamaSUPERINTENDENT LARRY RAY. 2 7

0 In My Opinion 0 2

l

i want to take this opportunity to thank the Board enhance the benefits of municipal utility ownership for r p their citizens and the electric customers they serve.

A of Directors of the Alabama Municipal Electric

/

Authority (AMEA) for their support in selecting We strive to offer services that our members need and h

c I me as the next President and Chief Executive Officer. r can adapt to provide the best value for their a

M I am excited to have the opportunity to work for an communities and customers. · organization like AMEA which exists to serve our S I have worked for these same goals and for the T

N member cities and the citizens they serve.

E betterment of Alabama Electric customers for over 15

R AMEA has had a history of working to provide R years. I look forward to working with your city for U

C reliable electricity at the lowest possible costs to our

many more years of success. A member cities. This has been AMEA’s goal and mission M Thank you for trusting your energy needs to A

B for over 25 years and has been achieved by our cities AMEA.

A K

L working together for this common goal. A AMEA’s very mission statement is to provide for our member communities a reliable and economical Fred D. Clark, Jr. source of electric power, enabling them to preserve and Fred D. Clark, Jr., Chief Operating Officer

Refrigerator Chicken Turnover Surprise your family with a PhilosophPhilosophyy homemade pot pie! 1/2 lb. cooked, cubed chicken KThink before you speak, research before you present, 16 oz. bag of defrosted and understand the consequences of your decisions and actions. vegetables 1 can low-fat cream of — Rolf Mueller chicken soup KThose who play the game do not see it as clearly as 2 ready made pie crusts those who watch. In a large pot, heat — Chinese Proverb vegetables, soup and KNot all who wander are lost. chicken; place one crust — J. R. R. Tolkien onto a pizza pan; pour KAny fact facing us is not as important as our attitude chicken mixture on top of toward it, for that determines our success or failure. crust; place other crust on top of mixture; seal edges — Norman Vincent Peale all the way around; cut a few small slits in top crust. KPeople acting together as a group can accomplish Bake on 350˚ about 25 minutes or until golden brown. things which no individual acting alone could ever hope to bring about. Enjoy — Franklin D. Roosevelt KIf you want the rainbow, you have to put up with COOKING WITH the rain. — Anonymous SANDJANETTA 3 A

MainStreet Alexander City L A

By JoAnn Mathis B A M A

ainStreet Alexander City is a 501C-3 holiday season. The most exciting event sponsored by M

organization whose purpose is to recruit MainStreet is the arrival of Santa in late November. U N

business to the downtown area, assist in Area children flock to the downtown Broad Street Plaza I C I

M P restoring and revitalizing downtown and to work with to sit on Santa’s knee and whisper their Christmas A

existing merchantsWATTSNEW in promoting the area. MainStreet wishes in his ear. IN… L

Alexander City has two major fundraisers: membership E

MainStreet is a busy organization that invites L and the annual auction. The auction, held in August, E anyone to become a member and help make Alexander C T

has become the social event that everyone looks R City the best place to live, work, shop and play. Call I

y C forward to each year.

t 256-329-9227 today or visit their website at i A MainStreet also sponsors the Downtown Market that www.mainstreetac.org. U C K T is part of the Alabama Market Trail. The market H x O highlights local growers and artisans who bring R

e I wonderful fresh fruits and vegetables, as well las art, to T Y downtown each Saturday morning beginningA in mid TO REPORT POWER OUTAGE June. An Art Walk is held in October that features the Day Time 409-2080 works of the many talented local artists in the area. After Hours/Holidays – Call Police Dept. 234-3421 DO NOT CALL 911 MainStreet also works with the city light department in decorating the town for the Christmas

Fairhope’s ‘Town Square’ is Reopened By D. Fran Morley

esidents and visitors to Fairhope are happy to have the Fairhope Pier open once again. After more than a year of work and $3.5 million in upgrades and hurricane-damage repairs, the pier reopened again in late R NoWATTSNEWvember. IN… “The day after it reopened, it was almost like it had never been closed,” said Mayor Tim Kant. “Just as before, people were strolling, gathering to watch the sunset, and fishing from the pier. I know everyone is pleased to have it open again. The pier truly is Fairhope’s ‘town square’.” pe Fairhope’s pier dates from the town’s founding in 1894;o the first concrete pier was built in 1968 and remained in use until being damaged by Hurricane Ivanr inh 2004 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Repairs continue to the i Marina and the Yardarm a Restaurant on the pier,F both are expected to reopen this spring. “Out-of-towners can follow the progress or just enjoy the view on the city’s web site at www.co.fairhope.com,” said Aaron Norris, Electric Superintendent. “Our web cam keeps a watch on the pier (and is monitored by the police as well) 24 hours a day.”K 4

7 Chris “Rock” Glenn Named Riviera Utilities 2006 0 0

2 “Employee of the Year”

l i

r By David Horton p A

ike Dugger, General Employee of the Year.” Dugger continued. /

Manager announced Chris Glenn is the son of Roy and Debbie Glenn of h

c Fairhope. Chris and his wife, Stephanie, live in the

r that Chris “Rock”

a M Barnwell community on the Eastern Shore. They have one Glenn was “Employee of the M

· Year” for 2006. The child, Harmon James. Chris pointed out that the little

S one brought about a life changing experience for he and

T announcement took place

N during Riviera’s Utilities Stephanie. E

R Christmas party at the Daphne “Chris Glenn is a 1994 graduate of Fairhope High R

U WATTS Civic Center on December 9, School and attended the Universal Technical Institute in C 2006. Houston, Texas for two years. “At Riviera, Rock has set an A

M “Helpful, knowledgeable, friendly, hard working, and example for others to follow. He is a hard worker, enjoys A

B community involved are just a few of the accoladesNEW given his co-workers, and has quickly become an integral part of A to Chris “Rock” Glenn when people describe him,” stated the Riviera family. That is just a few of the reasons Rock L

A Mike Dugger. “Rock jumped in fast on the job, was selected Riviera Utilities, “2006 Employee of the committed himself and has become a very dependableIN… and Year”, Dugger commented. capable employee. He has taken on a lot of responsibility Others employees that were selected Employee of the with his job in Daphne and he is very much the team Month during the year and were in contention for the player. When Bobby Lay, our Transportation Department award are as follows: Chris Bonner, December 2005; in Supervisor, and I asked “Rock” to go to Daphne to fill in 2006,e Wesleyy McKenzie, January; Danny Lightsey, at the Department in Daphne, he indicated that heo wouldlFebruary; Chris “Rock” Glenn, March; Ryan Quinley, April; do whatever was best for the company. FHe is a team Rick Castillow, May; Lee Kibler, June; Adam Ellenburg, player and is well deserving of this award. He has July; Larry Waters, August; Mike Johnson, September; demonstrated all of the characteristics we look for in an Justin Frank, October and Robert Averitt, November. K

SUB HAS A NEW LOOK By Deborah Rogers contracted with a local business to online bill payment operational. transform the layout and Take a few moments and visit appearance of our Web site. our new Web site WLast monthA our TTSnew Web site http://www.sylacauga.net/utilities/ NEW was uploaded. The colors are utilities_home.htm. We are proud of bright. Each page features a picture the changes that have been made of Lake Virginia across theIN… top. The so far. Many more will come in flow of the page is much better. time. K Upon opening the site, you have to ga follow only two to three links to u find whatever you need. Each a his used to be the c appearance of our old Web department’s Web pagel featuresa site. The side bar was pictures of theiry structures/ T equipmentS and employees. Our cluttered, displaying too much information in such a small space. home page features a link to There was very little on the site to “Current Projects and Events”. We attract the eye. Darol Russell, will post road closings, emergency Operations Manager, initiated the situations, upcoming bids, etc. task of updating the Web site. He There is also a link titled “How can wanted a new look to our Web site. we assist you?” Customers and He also wanted us to make frequent visitors will be able to make updates to keep customers inquires, complaints, or suggestions interested in viewing our site. SUB from this site. Soon SUB will have 5 A

Opelika Light & Power, a company Chief Ladiga L A B

you can count on Trail Visitors A M

By Tamiko Lowery By Ben Singleton A

The Eubanks Welcome Center M pelika Light & Power does its Now with the new building, U welcomed a total of 2,728 visitors N

job so we can do ours. In the news is readily available from three I during 2006, making it a record C newspaper business, the news power sources: the Internet, WRBL I year for the number of visitors to P O and print. A never blinks. We’re wide open 24 the Center. This is more than any L hours a day, seven days a week. “All are housed under one roof,” E

Whether it’s Christmas or an Opal, Rainey said. other year since the Center opened L E

the presses roll on. So, when the While the Internet and television its doors in March of 2000. C T lights blink inside, we know light & news give quick around-the-clock R I updates, he says when it comes to C

power has us covered on the outside. A

“Opelika Light and PowerWATTS goes in-depth community coverage - U nothing beats, “the paper in your T above and beyond what they have to H

do,” Opelika-Auburn News Publisher hand.” O R

Jim Rainey said.NEW “They understand IN…“We’re changing, but we’re not I T our role in serving the community. I dying,” Rainey said. “Ten years ago Y can pick up the phone and call you heard the Internet would kill the (Jerry) Posey at 2 a.m. and know newspaper. It was the same when he’ll be there.” radio and televisiona came along. They And two years ago, when talk lmightik have changed the way e This March the Center will turned to moving the newspaperp to a newspapers work, but the newspaper O celebrate 7 years of service to our new location along 10 wooded acres, has stayed. The future of press will light & power was there. Crews were change, but the newspaper, as a core, community. Jack Holder, Center on stand-by during the 12-month is not going away. It will adapt, but Director, says “people from all over construction process as local general it will not go away. Just look around, the country enjoy riding the trail. WBoy Scouts,A professionalTTS bike riders, contractor Bailey-Harris and site new presses are being built all over architect Dario Designs out of the country and will continue to do doctors, educators, and attorneys Boston, Mass. helped create a so.” are just a few of the types of people newsworthy structure. At day’s end, At the Opelika-Auburn News, a that you will see enjoying the WATTS outdoorNEWs. Last year [2006] we had it was light & power that helped new DGM Advantage Press engineered ensure a smooth transition from the by Dolphin Graphics out of some visitors from Germany, Russia, old building to the new one by Pennsylvania allows the paper to and from all over the 50 continental checking and re-checking to make produce more news in less time. statesIN….” NEW AT… sure all systems were go. “We can print 40,000 editions Construction is underway to “We simply outgrew the old per hour,” Rainey said. “With the old connect the Chief Ladiga Trail to locale,” Rainey said. “Jerry Posey and press, we could only do 12,000 Georgia’s Silver Comet Trail. Whent his crews really worked with us in editions an hour.” K construction is complete the trail site selection; they went the extra will go from Anniston to Smyrna,n mile. We turned to them for advice.” Georgia, connecting the Chief Rainey says there’s a lot that Ladiga Trail to the Silver Comoet goes on behind the scenes that the Trail at the Georgia State Line. The public never sees and the same can trail will wonder 93 miles through be said for light & power. When countryside, streams, mforests, and residents wake up in the morning, farmland when fully completed. they expect a paper in the box and “When constructiond is complete to when they flip the switch on the Georgia, we expect more people on wall, they expect the lights to come the trail and evene more visitors in on. 2007 than iwe had last year,” said “It is our job as a local Jack Holder. newspaper to connect to the For more information on the community,” Rainey said. “People are EubankPs Welcome Center or the primarily interested in schools, crime, Chief Ladiga Trail visit taxes and their church. It is our job www.piedmontcity.org and click on to provide all of that and more.” the link to Chief Ladiga Trail. K 6

7 A Tale of a Small Southern County – 0 0

2 Macon County, Alabama

l i

r By Alicia Crenshaw p A

/ orth east of Alabama’s Museum. It is

h state capitol of also home to c r

a Montgomery lies Macon the National

M N County, which is located in Historic ·

east central Alabama. Macon

S Landmark

T County was established on

N Grey Columns,

E December 18, 1832 by the

R a former

R Alabama Legislature. The area plantation U now known as Macon County C was acquired from the Creek house, whose A front gates were filmed in the classic movie, Gone with M Indians and named after A the Wind. Legend has it that the house is haunted by

B Nathaniel Macon, a soldier and

A notable senator from North Carolina. Macon County the ghost of a young slave girl who tragically took her L

A ranges 614 square miles and incorporates townships such own life. as Franklin, Notasulga, Shorter, and Tuskegee, the Tuskegee, Alabama county seat. It was also the setting for the 1974 pop culture movie, Macon County Line. Home to many notable Shorter, Alabama historic figures, Shorter, Alabama, was Tuskegee is officially incorporated on indeed the Pride February 29, 1984; however, of the Swift the town has been in Growing South. existence for more than Tuskegee was 100 years. The town was founded in 1833 named after Alabama by General Thomas Simpson Woodward. Woodward was a Governor John Gill Shorter. highly educated, notable historian of Creek Indian Located in the western corridor of Macon County, Shorter History. Tuskegee received its name from one of its is definitely a Town on the Move! Shorter has become a model for other small communities due to their many local Indian tribes, Taskigis. Known for the progressive and visionary strides in planning and precedent, landmark court case Gomillion vs. Lightfoot, economic development. WATTSTuskegee is said to be one of the birthplaces of the civil Over the past decade, Shorter has experienced rights movement. considerable economic growth, including both residential Tuskegee is home to several of Macon County’s and commercial development. Shorter is home to Halla largest employers including: , NEWVeteran’s Administration Hospital, and Utilities Board of Climate Control, a leading manufacturer of automotive climate control components, and Victoryland, an Tuskegee. Tuskegee is also the home to many notable entertainment complex, comprised of both a greyhound African Americans such as George Washington Carver racing park and casino. Shorter, an exciting, IN…historical (Scientist), Booker T. Washington, Rosa Parks, Tom town, is home to several state historical sites including Joyner, Andre Thornton, Lionel Ritchie, and The one of the oldest, original stretches of the Old Federal Tuskegee Airmen. Tueskegee proudly displays its rich Road, built in 1804. history andg welcomese thousands of tourists each year to Tuskegee University visite famous landmarks such as: The Tuskegee Human Tuskegee University stands rich and proud in the kand Civil Rights Multicultural Center, Tuskegee Airmen s National Historic Museum, Tuskegee Institute National heart of the city of Tuskegee. Founded by uBooker T. Washington, it symbolizes a rich legacyT of educational Historic Site, , and the Kirk excellence within the African American community. Farm Museum. Tuskegee University attracts thousands of tourists each For more information on Macon County, Shorter, year to visit the famed Booker T. Washington Monument Tuskegee, and Tuskegee University, please visit: (Lifting the Veil), The Oaks (Home of Booker T. www.shorteralabama.com, www.tuskegeealabama.org, and Washington), and The George Washington Carver www.tuskegee.edu. K 7 A L A B

Dollars A M A

& M $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ U Cents N I C I

Daylight Saving Time Saves Energy P A L

ne of the biggest reasons we change our clocks to hours (MWh) a day in winter (one-half of one percent of E

Daylight Saving Time (DST) is that it saves energy. winter electricity use - 0.5 percent) and around 1,500 MWh L E

Energy use and the demand for electricity for a day during the summer season (one-fifth of one percent C T O of summer-season use - 0.20 percent). Winter DST would R

lighting our homes are directly connected to when we go I C

to bed and when we get up. Bedtime for most of us is late cut winter peak electricity use by around 1,100 megawatts A

evening through the year. When we go to bed, we turn off on average, or 3.4 percent. Summer Double DST would U T

the lights and TV. cause a smaller (220 MW) and more uncertain drop in the H O

In the average home, 25 percent of all the electricity peak, but it could still save hundreds of millions of dollars R I

we use is for lighting and small appliances, such as TVs, because it would shift electricity use to low demand T VCRs and stereos. A good percentage of energy consumed (cheaper) morning hours and decrease electricity use Y by lighting and appliances occurs in the evening when during higher demand hours. families are home. By moving the clock ahead one hour, we The model used in the Energy Commission’s study is can cut the amount of electricity we consume each day. now being used by the U.S. Department of Energy in a Studies done in the 1970s by the U.S. Department of larger national study of daylight saving time. It’s unknown Transportation show that we trim the entire country’s when that study will be completed. electricity usage by about one percent each day with The Energy Policy Act of 2005 extended daylight- Daylight Saving Time. saving time one month. For most areas of the country, the Daylight Saving Time “makes” the sun “set” one hour act takes effect this year with clocks moving ahead one later and therefore reduces the period between sunset and hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 11. Clocks will return to bedtime by one hour. This means that less electricity would standard time at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 4.K be used for lighting and appliances late in the day. We also use less electricity because we are home fewer hours during the “longer” days of spring and summer. Most WORD SEARCH SOLUTION people plan outdoor activities in the extra daylight hours. When we are not at home, we don’t turn on the appliances and lights. A poll done by the U.S. Department of Transportation indicated that Americans liked Daylight Saving Time because “there is more light in the evenings and they can do more in the evenings.” While the amounts of energy saved per household are small, when added together, they can be very large. In the winter, the afternoon Daylight Saving Time advantage is offset by the morning’s need for more lighting. In spring and fall, the advantage is less than one hour. So, Daylight Saving Time saves energy for lighting in all seasons of the year except for the four darkest months of the year (November, December, January and February) when the afternoon advantage is offset by the need for lighting because of late sunrise. A report was released in May 2001 by the California Energy Commission to see if creating an early DST or going to a year-round DST will help with the electricity problems the state faced in 2000-2001-2002. The study concluded that both Winter Daylight Saving Time and Summer-season Double Daylight Saving Time (DDST) would probably save marginal amounts of electricity - around 3,400 megawatt- 8 7 0 0 2

l

i Out In The Yard r p

A Building Butterfly Gardens

/

By Kerry Smith, Extension Home Horticulture Associate and Alabama Master Gardener h

c Program Coordinator, Auburn University. r a M

· o invite butterflies to your garden, you will first couple weeks (varies by butterfly species), the

S need to understand their life cycle. Butterflies caterpillars seek something sturdy for chrysalid T attachment. If the host plant is sturdy, such as fennel,

N have four stages of development: egg, caterpillar

E T(or larva), chrysalis, and winged adult. Accommodate the they’ll likely just use a rigid, inner stem. However, not all R

R needs of each stage for greatest success. host plants satisfy this need. If you plan accordingly,

U Adult butterflies lay eggs on host plants so the woody stems, benches, arbors, or other solid supports will C

larvae will have the necessary food to mature. At the end be ornamented with various chrysalids by July. A of this larval stage, they need a sturdy, protected place M Puddles

A to attach and form the chrysalis. Adults survive eating B sweet flower nectar. Male butterfly adults need to puddle. They obtain A water and minerals from the shallows of these wet places. L

A Host Plants To make a permanent puddle, bury a shallow pan of wet Most butterfly caterpillars have specific food gravel or sand to its rim. Fill it with liquids, such as fruit preferences. Monarchs, for example, only lay eggs on drinks or plain tap water. You might even sprinkle it milkweed. Black swallowtails lay eggs on any member of periodically with liquid fertilizer when boosting the the carrot family, such as parsley, fennel, and dill, but no garden plants. Some butterflies, such as the viceroy, like other plants. Once a caterpillar eats its first plant meal, it to drink from rotten fruit. Locate the compost pile nearby cannot survive on any other plant. See the chart below of and allow rotting fruit to occasionally stay on top. host plants for different butterfly species. Use a good reference book to identify which Flowers caterpillars become which butterflies. For example, by Flowers provide the nectar food adult butterflies learning that parsley worms become black swallowtails, need. Butterfly season in Alabama is early spring to late you will know not to kill those caterpillars. Plant extra fall. Choose a variety of plants, including annuals, host plants if you need any for your own use. perennials, and woody shrubs, to have flowers continuously through the seasons. This plant diversity Pesticides also attracts a greater variety of butterfly visitors. Many To avoid harming butterflies, which are insects, be of our native butterflies more often visit purple, red, careful when applying chemicals on or near plants. Spot orange, and yellow flowers. treating pest insects with insecticidal soaps or oils leaves How many insects have you noticed flying in a no chemical residue to harm caterpillars. You can straight line? Remember, butterflies are insects. Their handpick some pests, such as beetles. A regular, hard compound eyes have poor vision for distinguishing tiny blast of water can remove other plant pests, such as details. Large sweeps of each flower are most attractive to aphids, that cause unplanned plant damage. these near-sighted creatures. Another advantage of decreased garden chemical use Also, consider their mouth parts. Butterflies suck is the presence of other garden helpers, which pesticides liquid food with a straw-like mouth. Tubular-shaped can kill. These are beneficial critters, such as spiders, flowers are ideally suited. Butterflies prefer clusters of lacewings, ladybugs, and ground beetles that eat the tubular or flat-topped flowers, but remember to have plant pests. There are also other pollinators, such as variety. Different species have different preferences for honey bees, that benefit from reduced chemical use. flower size. Compound flowers, such as verbena, daisies, Location and butterfly bushes, offer numerous nectar containers Butterfly gardens should be in full sun. All insects for sipping in a single stop. are cold-blooded. Their body temperature is dependent on Nectar the environmental temperature. Enhance the suns Butterflies have a highly developed sense of smell in warming energy with stepping stones or a gravel path. their antennae. They seek flowers with rich nectar. Butterfly adults will bask in these areas to warm Surprisingly, some of our newer plant varieties have little themselves from the radiant heat. Your garden will also sugary nectar due to the breeding and selection process benefit, because most of the plants used by butterflies for other plant traits. Choose open-pollinated, fragrant, grow best in full sun. flowering plants with a single petal row rather than Shelters double. Fragrance is sometimes a nectar signal that you Include a few blooming shrubs in your butterfly can easily detect. garden or have evergreens nearby for shelter. Butterflies Keys to choosing flowers in your butterfly garden are will hide in these areas on cloudy days or at night and long bloom time, a variety of plants, large areas of a find protection from the rain and wind when needed. single color, tubular-shaped and compound flowers, and Your garden might even be located near the garage, rich nectar. See the chart below for recommended gazebo, or garden shed. These permanent structures also flowering plants. give shelter and protection. For more information, contact your county extension Chrysalids also benefit from these places. After a office. K 9

global climate change of the past 50 years can be A

ENERGY NEWS BRIEFS explained without external forcing, and very likely that L A

it is not due to known natural causes alone,” said the B A

Climate change is major issue for international panel. M A

utilities Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said the Bush M

Climate change is the issue that looms largest on the administration welcomes the report. He added that the U IPCC analysis “was developed through thousands of hours N horizon for public power utilities this year, APPA I of research by leading U.S. and international scientists.” C President and CEO Alan Richardson said recently during a I P conference on energy issues. The public power sector A L supports a voluntary approach to curbing greenhouse gas

Lawmakers prepare to tackle global E emissions, but “my members are past the denial stage” L warming E regarding the likelihood of federal legislation to curb C T carbon emissions, he said. He spoke during a panel The issue of global warming picked up early R I

momentum on Capitol Hill, with one bipartisan bill being C

discussion at the U.S. Energy Association’s third annual reintroduced and another draft bill getting a boost from A

State of the Energy Industry conference, held at the U

a cost-benefit analysis. The Senate Environment and T

National Press Club in Washington, D.C. H

Congress is not likely to pass a carbon tax or other Public Works Committee last month held a hearing and O the House Energy and Commerce Committee has invited R global warming legislation in the next year, but it could I T happen in the next two to four years, Richardson said. former Vice President Al Gore for an as-yet unscheduled Y Meanwhile, “we have to preserve all fuel sources” because hearing. utilities need options, he said. The Energy Information Administration said there Richardson and Tom Kuhn, president and CEO of the would be no substantial economic harm from a draft bill Edison Electric Institute, agreed that efforts to use circulated by Senate Energy and Natural Resources energy more efficiently will be important in the effort to Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M. Electricity keep greenhouse gases to a minimum. “There is so much prices would be 3.6 percent higher in 2020 and 11 more we can do” on that front, Richardson said. Efforts percent higher in 2030 under Bingaman’s cap-and-trade to use more renewable energy also will be important, he bill, compared with projections from the Annual Energy and Kuhn said. Outlook 2006, EIA said. The average delivered price of coal to power plants in 2020 would be 48 percent higher (at $2.06 per million Global warming here to stay, says Btu) under Bingaman’s bill, EIA said. By 2030, the international panel difference would grow to 81 percent (an estimated $2.73 There is now at least a 90 percent certainty that per million Btu versus $1.51 per million Btu in the 2006 human-induced greenhouse gases - including carbon Annual Energy Outlook). Coal use is projected to dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels - are responsible continue to grow under Bingaman’s draft, but at a much for most of the global rise in temperature over the last slower rate - a 23 percent increase from 2004 to 2030 half century, says a new report released by the versus the 53 percent increase projected in the outlook, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. EIA said. The report, produced by hundreds of scientists from Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Joseph Lieberman, dozens of countries, was released recently in Paris. It says I-Conn., reintroduced their global warming bill, which the Earth’s average temperature is expected to increase calls for reducing emissions to 2004 levels by 2012 and to by at least 3 degrees Fahrenheit over the next century, 1990 levels by 2020. Cosponsors include Sens. Barack and may increase by as much as 7.8 degrees. Global sea Obama, D-Ill., Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., Susan Collins, R- levels are predicted to rise between 7 and 23 inches over Maine, and Olympia Snowe, R-Maine. the next 100 years. The warming trend cannot be stopped for hundreds of years, but it could be slowed, GM announces plug-in electric concept car the report concluded. General Motors has announced a concept plug-in The international panel of scientists used stronger electric vehicle, the Chevrolet Volt, that would use language in this report than in its previous report, issued in 2001. In the earlier report, the researchers said it was lithium-ion batteries. GM said the vehicle would not be “likely” that human activities were causing global ready for the market for years, but Chairman G. Richard temperatures to rise, with a certainty of 66 percent. The Wagoner Jr. and other executives at the car company report said it is “very likely” that human activity is to “have pledged to give the electric-car technology high blame for the warming. priority.” “The observed widespread warming of the The Volt concept car, which was unveiled at the atmosphere and ocean, together with ice-mass loss, Detroit auto show, would get its power primarily from its support the conclusion that it is extremely unlikely that battery pack and an electric motor, but also would have a 10 small three-cylinder engine that would kick in to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee 7

0 recharge the battery. It would have an all-electric range Chairman Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., said he was 0 disappointed at “two big energy policy holes” in the 2 of 40 miles and a top speed of 100 mph.

l president’s plan. “First, Senate Democrats would like to i r see a real push on renewable energy and energy p

A Capacity to ‘fill up’ plug-in hybrid

efficiency across the board, and particularly in how we /

electric vehicles generate and use electricity,” Bingaman said. “Second, I h

c am disappointed that the president is not really saying

r If all the cars and light trucks in the nation switched a from oil to electrons, idle capacity in the existing U.S. much on addressing global warming in a comprehensive M

· way. … By essentially ducking the issue of taking a

electric power system could generate most of the

S mandatory, economy-wide approach to the problem, the

T electricity consumed by plug-in hybrid electric vehicles,

N president has missed a real opportunity.”

E says a new study by the Department of Energy. Off-peak

R electricity production and transmission capacity could The Bush administration’s 2008 budget includes R

U fuel 84 percent of the country’s 220 million vehicles if nearly $2.7 billion for the Advanced Energy Initiative, an C they were plug-in hybrid electrics, says the study by increase of 26 percent above the 2007 request and 53 A percent above 2006, the White House said. The Advanced M researchers at DOE’s Pacific Northwest National A Energy Initiative focuses on increasing R&D to encourage B Laboratory.

A technological breakthroughs in the transportation and

L The researchers also evaluated the impact of plug-in A hybrid electric vehicles, known as PHEVs, on foreign oil power sectors. The 2008 budget also includes $179 imports, the environment, electric utilities and the million for the Biofuels Initiative (to accelerate consumer. commercial development of cellulosic ethanol), an Current batteries for these cars can easily store the increase of $29 million (19%) compared to the 2007 energy for driving the national average commute – about budget. 33 miles round trip a day, so the study presumes that drivers would charge up overnight when demand for Nuclear power back in spotlight, says electricity is much lower. S&P report Researchers found, in the Midwest and East, there is With the Energy Information Administration sufficient off-peak generation, transmission and predicting that U.S. electricity demand will rise 45 distribution capacity to provide for all of today’s vehicles percent by 2030, many electric utilities are considering if they ran on batteries. However, in the West, and building new nuclear power plants for the first time in specifically the Pacific Northwest, there is limited extra more than 20 years, according to a January 9 report by electricity because of the large amount of hydroelectric Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services titled “Why U.S. generation that is already heavily utilized. Since more Utilities Are Seeing Nuclear Power In A New Light.” rain and snow can’t be ordered, it’s difficult to increase The EIA estimates that roughly 350,000 MW of new electricity production from the hydroelectric plants. generating capacity must be built to meet the increasing demand, including new power plants and replacements President calls for measures to reduce for older plants. “Compounding this challenge and U.S. oil consumption contributing to the new interest in nuclear power are America is on the verge of technological ever-evolving and increasingly stringent environmental breakthroughs that will help us to confront the serious standards that could one day eliminate currently viable challenge of global climate change,” President George W. sources of new generation, and a general desire to reduce Bush said in his State of the Union speech last month. dependence on imported oil and to reduce reliance on However, the president’s energy proposals focused on oil, fuels with volatile pricing, such as natural gas,” S&P said. with his major initiative being to cut oil consumption by 20 percent in the next 10 years. That would be TVA plans to build two new nuclear accomplished by boosting use of renewable and alternative fuels (such as ethanol) to 35 billion gallons by plants 2017 and by raising fuel economy standards for vehicles The Tennessee Valley Authority plans to submit Bush called for diversifying the nation’s energy applications to build two new nuclear reactors. In supply through technology. “We must continue changing addition, the utility plans to restart its Browns Ferry Unit the way America generates electric power, by even 1 reactor after a 22-year shutdown, and said it will greater use of clean coal technology, solar and wind decide by August whether to spend up to $2 billion to energy, and clean, safe nuclear power,” he said. “We need complete the unfinished Watts Bar Unit 2 reactor. to press on with battery research for plug-in and hybrid “We need more power and, at this point, nuclear vehicles, and expand the use of clean diesel vehicles and looks to be the best option,” TVA Chairman Bill Sansom biodiesel fuel.” Continued on page 12 11 A L A B

PLACES TO A

Go M A

M

and THINGS TO U

Do N I C I

ALEXANDER CITY and The Style Band as the featured performers. The P Dirty Dozen Brass Band and US Army Jazz Guardians A Charles E. Bailey Sr. Sport-plex: L

will perform in the Jazz concert on Sunday, April 22. E

Senior Program, call Corley, Athletic Program, call L

Vendors will also set up in the plaza providing food, E

Jennifer (256-409-2060). C

beverages and merchandise. Be sure to bring your T March 15th: Alex. City Arts presents the Alabama Boys lawn chairs. In case of rain, the event will be moved R I

out of Montgomery, Al. Held at Benjamin Russell C

inside to the Daphne Civic Center. This event has High School Auditorium at 7:30. A

been made possible by the City of Daphne, the U

April 15th – 22nd , National Library Week, Adelia M. Alabama State Council on the Arts, National T H

Russell Library and Mamie’s Place Children’s Library. Endowment for the Arts, Baldwin County Sewer O R

(256-234-4644/256-329-6796). Service, Mercy Medical, Miller’s Grand Events, I T April 22nd – May 7th, 33rd Annual Art Exhibit. Held at Original Oyster House, WHIL fm 91.3 and Workshops Y the Adelia M. Russell Library. Sponsored by Beta Etc! Inc. Sigma Phi Sorority. (256-329-6796). For more information on these events, call Robyn W. April 24th – 25th: Andrews at 251-621-3707. Horseshoe Bend National Military Park, 193rd SYLACAUGA anniversary of the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. Event Miss Alabama’s Outstanding Teen Pageant, March 3-4. free to the public. (256-234-7111) To be held at the Sylacauga High School Wind Creek State Park Fishing Tournaments: auditorium. Saturday: 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm; March 3rd, Southern Bassin’ Couples. Sunday: 2:00 pm. March 11th, Wal-Mart Children’s Miracle Network. Chamber Coffee, March 15. Hosted by the Jameson March 17th, First United Methodist Church. March 24th, Beauregard High School Bubby Bass. Inn. Thursday: 10:00 am. March 31st, Boy Scouts of America Little Mr. and Miss Sylacauga Pageant, March 31. To be April 14th, Friends & Partners Bubby Bass held at the J. Craig Smith Community Center. April 15th, Shriners. Saturday: 6:00 pm. April 21st, Bell South Pioneers. The work of The ARC of South Talladega County will be April 28th, Outdoor Women Unlimited. displayed at the Comer Museum as we celebrate DAPHNE National Retardation Month. The 12th Annual Easter Egg Hunt will be on Saturday, Chamber Coffee/Lunch, April 12. Hosted by Garing March 31. The hunt will begin at noon and last until Business Machines at the Chamber of Commerce. 3:00 p.m. Children will be divided into seven age Thursday: 11:30 am. groups with toddlers starting at 12:10 p.m. Children Little Mr. and Miss Talladega County Pageant, April 21. who find a prize egg inside their plastic egg may To be held at the J. Craig Smith Community Center. choose from an array of special treats in the prize Saturday: 6:00 pm. Sponsored by the Miss tent. Stage entertainment will be presented Talladega County Scholarship Organization. throughout the afternoon. Food vendors will be Blue Bell Creameries will be celebrating their 100th available with hot dogs, soft drinks and popcorn. In anniversary. The traveling Blue Bell caravan will addition to the egg hunt, children will enjoy pony visit their Sylacauga plant in April. Check rides, a petting zoo, face painting, space walks, train www.bluebell.com/anniversary.htm for the specific rides and can have their picture taken with the Easter time and date. Bunny. All festivities are free. Comer Museum will display artwork created by our local Music Under the Stars will be held April 20-22 from 6-9 Sylacauga students during the month of April. p.m. each night at the Daphne Civic Complex Plaza, 2605 U.S. Highway 98. The event is a free three-day This month Congressman Rogers’ Student Art outdoor concert series encompassing three different Competition will be held. The Comer Museum will types of music genres, including Classic Rock, Motown display artwork entered for Congressional District 3 and Jazz. Classix and Fly by Radio are the Classic of Alabama. The winner will have his/her art Rock groups scheduled to perform on Friday, April 20. displayed at the capital. A scholarship to Savannah Motown will be Saturday, April 21 with Powerhouse College of Art & Design will also be awarded. K 12

7 CUSTOMER Q&A 0 0

2 Who runs the Alabama Municipal Electric Authority?

l i r Q p

A AMEA is owned and governed by its member

/ communities. It has a nine-member Board of

h Directors,A each serving three-year terms. Three terms c r expire each year. a

M An Election Committee composed of one delegate ·

from each AMEA member elects the Board of Directors. S

T At present, each elector has one-vote and a proportional N

E amount of eleven votes based on the percentage of R electricity the member bought from AMEA during the R

U preceding calendar year. No member can have more than C one Director on the Board at the same time. K A M A B

A ENERGY NEWS BRIEFS L

A Continued from page 10 told Chattanooga’s Times Free Press. The total cost of the new nuclear effort could exceed $7 billion for design and construction. However, TVA President Tom Kilgore said the utility will take a measured approach. “If we do decide to proceed with more nuclear units, we’re going to make sure they are well designed in advance and are built one at a time,” Kilgore said. TVA’s five operating reactors are now in the top quartile of U.S. nuclear plants for performance and safety, he added.

Utility commissioners want full funding for LIHEAP Sports Trivia The National Association of Regulatory Utility 1. What is the name of the driver that set the fastest Commissioners (NARUC) urged lawmakers to approve full qualifying record of 212.809 miles-per-hour at funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Talladega, before the use of restrictor plates? Program as Congress wraps up work on fiscal 2007 2. What is the name of the part of a tennis court that is appropriations. considered out in singles play, but in doubles? “NARUC believes that LIHEAP is a fundamental 3. At what age did Tiger Woods earn his first #1 World service to our citizens and Congress must ensure that the Golf Rating? program has sufficient funds so qualified Americans can 4. What is the name of the basketball player who retired benefit from this service,” said Ron Jones, director of the in 2005 with the NBA record for three-pointers? Tennessee Regulatory Authority and chairman of NARUC’s 5. Who was the first president to throw out the Consumer Affairs Committee. ceremonial first pitch in a major league baseball game? In fiscal 2006, Congress authorized $5.1 billion for 6. What professional boxer had the longest unbeaten LIHEAP and appropriated $3.2 billion. For 2007, NARUC streak at 180 fights? called on lawmakers to appropriate LIHEAP to its 7. What Minnesota Vikings wide receiver was born with authorized amount. the name of Bobby Moore and later became an NFL “As commissioners, we are the first line of defense analyst? for consumers against high energy bills and we witness 8. Who was the first hockey player to score more than 90 the considerable benefits of LIHEAP nearly every day,” goals in one season? said NARUC President Jim Kerr of the North Carolina Utilities Commission. “Insufficient funding for this critical

program will have a devastating impact on seniors, the SPORTS TRIVIA ANSWERS

disabled and low-income families. Reducing benefits to goals 92 Gretzky,

these households will make the burden of paying energy Wayne (8) Rashad; Ahmad (7) Bagwell; Hal (6) 1910;

bills virtually impossible and we believe this would be 14, April Taft, H. Williams (5) 2,560; Smith, Reggie unacceptable.”K (4) 21-years-old (3) Alley; (2) Elliott; Bill (1) Answers: WORD SEARCH

SOLUTION ON PAGE 7—DON'T PEEK! T www th tak enthusiasm for wherever life experiences and agenuine affection, forged by common life frivolity, we share abond of gusto together. Underneath the all inittogether, we might aswell join red-gloved hands and go for the an as aresult of afew women deciding to greet middle age withverve, humor an accomplishment inonlynine years. RHS was formed. success and soonother friends wanted to join intheir fun.Thus the first go” to complete the image, and go outfor tea.The teawas asmashing Joseph. They decided to don purple attire withared hatwhich“doesn’t felt akin lunch willbeavailable atthe mall. participating inthe celebration by offering specialdiscounts. Apicnic downtown merchants and Tanger Outlet Mallmerchants who are winn judged withprizesawarded to the three top table inaRed Hattheme. Tables willbe Societies are encouraged to decorate their person and includes light hors d’oeuvres. last year. The costof thisevent is$10per Shane Tucker, who was featured performer entertainment featuring Foley’s own “ELVIS”, participants willgather to enjoy 27 atthe Foley CivicCenter where invited to participateinthis year’s event. all over Alabama,Mississippi,GulfCoastand the Florida Panhandle are participating itwas decided to make thisanannual event. Societiesfrom By Kay Davis National RedHatDayCelebration e RH d élan.W es us next.” .r M Th There are now over 41,000chapters inmore than30countries. Quite Th After the parade, red hatladies have the opportunityto shop with Festivities beginonFridayevening, April er edhatsociety.com. or s. e R e RHS was formed in1998when SueEllen Cooperand several friends S w in Foley, AL.Lastyear’s event was such asuccess withover 22units Red HatDayCelebration withfestivitiesand funonApril27and 28 he Red HatSocietiesof Baldwin County, ALwillagain host National e info canbe found on ship t ed Hatstatem ebsite: e belie o th v e author afterreading the poem“Warning” by Jenny e sillin en K t o ess isth f purposereads, “The Red HatSociety began e comedy relief of life, and since we are par April 28,at10:00a.m.a wish man society an in the parade is$50per Foley. Costto participate the streets of downtown a y unit d Saturday morning, es t e willr o en d includes as s asagr oll thr ter . oup ough

Alabama Municipal Electric Authority Presort Std 804 South Perry Street US Postage Montgomery, Alabama 36104 PAID Montgomery, AL Permit No. 275