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SAM HOUSTON ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE DECEMBER 2019 Origins of the Lone Star Nixon vs. Co-ops Desert Vistas

Tamale Time The making—and eating—of tamales signals the start of the season

Sam Houston EC Members to See Big Savings in December 18 Ferguson Receives Herman C. Potthast Award 20 Look for Your 2020 Calendar and Member Handbook 18

SEE PAGE 22 Lone Star Santas

Since 1944 December 2019

FAVORITES The blueprint for Texas’ 5 Letters iconic lone star is some- what of a mystery. 6 Currents 18 Co-op News Get the latest information plus energy and safety tips from your cooperative. 29 Texas History Nixon’s Attack on Co-ops By Ellen Stader 31 Retro Recipes Cookies & Candies 35 Focus on Texas Photo Contest: Deserts 36 Around Texas List of Local Events 38 Hit the Road Camp Street Blues By Chet Garner

ONLINE TexasCoopPower.com Find these stories online if they don’t FEATURES appear in your edition of the magazine. Texas USA A Star Is Born Texas’ iconic lone star may trace its origins The Southwestern Tempo 8 to 1817 Mexican coins. Excerpt by J. Frank Dobie By Clay Coppedge Observations Lazarus the Bug The Call of the Tamalada Making tamales is a holiday By Sheryl Smith-Rodgers 10 tradition, though eating them never ends. Story by Eileen Mattei | Photos by John Faulk NEXT MONTH Texas Feels a Draft Craft breweries bring entertainment and economic opportunity to communities. 31 38

29 35 STAR: JACK MOLLOY. BEER: MAXY M | SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

ON THE COVER Celia Galindo helps continue a tamalada tradition started by her grandmother in 1949 in Brownsville. Photo by John Faulk

TEXAS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Alan Lesley, Chair, Comanche; Robert Loth III, Vice Chair, Fredericksburg; Gary Raybon, Secretary-Treasurer, El Campo; Mark Boyd, Douglassville; Greg Henley, Tahoka; Billy Jones, Corsicana; David McGinnis, Van Alstyne • PRESIDENT/CEO: Mike Williams, Austin • COMMUNICATIONS & MEMBER SERVICES COMMITTEE: Marty Haught, Burleson; Bill Hetherington, Bandera; Ron Hughes, Sinton; Boyd McCamish, Littlefield; Mark McClain, Roby; John Ed Shinpaugh, Bonham; Robert Walker, Gilmer; Brandon Young, McGregor • 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; Elaine Sproull, Advertising Manager; Chris Burrows, Senior Communications Specialist; Paula Disbrowe, Food Editor; Grace Fultz, Print Production Specialist; Travis Hill, Communications Specialist; Qasim K. Johnson, Administrative Assistant; Jessica Ridge, Communications Specialist; Chris Salazar, Digital Field Editor; Ally Schauer, Intern; Jane Sharpe, Senior Designer; Shannon Oelrich, Proofreader

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Your VFD Might Need You In my lifetime, I’ve been a Remembering Cliburn member of five volunteer fire In 1959, I was a senior at the El Dorado, Arkansas, high school. departments [Putting Others First, October 2019]. More than Van Cliburn had just won the International Tchaikovsky once, I’ve been the only fire- Competition in Moscow fighter responding to a fire or wreck in our district, hav- [Charming the Soviets, ing to rely on manpower and October 2019]. True to his equipment from a neighboring community to assist. previously scheduled per- Chances are good your local formances, he played to a volunteer fire department needs you. Check it out— full house in El Dorado. you might be glad you did. DOUG EARNEST | CHANDLER TRINITY VALLEY EC DEPHANIE CATES | LIBERTY HILL | PEDERNALES EC

Fateful Connection to REA My father, Walter Smith, joined the Rural Electrification Admin- istration in 1949 as a young not on United Airlines Flight with catching and counting bugs. Fit to a Tee electrical engineer [Our Fear- 610 when it crashed, killing six Every evening after supper, By the Numbers [Currents item less Forefather, August 2019]. REA employees, including we would gather in the kitchen about the odds of a hole-in- By 1951, he was running electric George Haggard. for an impromptu concert. I was one, September 2019] had an service into the Missouri Ozarks I suspect that Mr. Haggard, about 8, and this was just a extra special meaning to me. for the REA. Family folklore as a top REA administrator at normal grandparent visit for me. My 16-year-old grandson Clay- says that Dad attended an REA the conference, probably had A few years later, when he ton had just gotten a hole-in- conference in Salt Lake City in a hand in getting Dad on that topped the charts, I realized I one in his Farmington, Arkansas, June 1951 and was scheduled to earlier flight. had spent the summer with Roy high school golf tournament. return home on a flight with his ROD SMITH | NEW BRAUNFELS Orbison [Wink’s Spectacle, Sep- HELEN MCCAMEY | WILLS POINT REA co-workers. PEDERNALES EC tember 2019]. Ain’t Texas grand? TRINITY VALLEY EC However, I was born in Mis- BRUCE BREEN | MCLEAN souri while Dad was at the con- Before He Went Uptown GREENBELT EC ference, so when a seat opened The lanky, bespectacled, rather up on an earlier flight, the REA shy young man strumming a Childhood in the Big Bend GET MORE TCP AT group nominated Dad to return cheap guitar in my Grandmother As a young kid who grew up in TexasCoopPower.com home early to greet his new- “Honey” Elliott’s rooming house Coleman, we had many won- Sign up for our e-newsletter for born son. As a result, Dad was in Pecos in the early 1950s was derful trips to Alpine, Marfa and monthly updates, prize drawings known to us only the Big Bend—great folks and and more! as Uncle Joe’s amazing scenery for sure [Big helper. Uncle Bend’s Golden Triangle, Sep- We want to hear from you!

Joe was an ento- tember 2019]. My father was ONLINE: TexasCoopPower.com/share mologist sent a dentist in Coleman for many EMAIL: [email protected] by the Texas ag years and, in the early 1980s, MAIL: Editor, Texas Co-op Power, department to even opened up a small dental 1122 Colorado St., 24th Floor, Austin, TX 78701 inspect the insect office in Alpine for a couple Please include your town and electric co-op. population. The days a week. Letters may be edited for clarity and length. easygoing musi- TOMMY WHITE | ALLEN cian was tasked GRAYSON-COLLIN EC D FE Texas Co-op Power

TEXAS CO-OP POWER VOLUME 76, NUMBER 6 (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 $4.20 per year for individual members of subscribing cooperatives and is paid from equity accruing to the member. 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 Elaine Sproull at (512) 486-6251. 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 sat- isfaction and delivery responsibility lie solely with the advertiser. © Copyright 2019 Texas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. Reproduction of this issue or any portion of it is expressly prohib-

HAGGARD: NRECA. BACKGROUND: BOOKZVited | SHUTTERSTOCK.COM. CLIBURN:without BETTMANN | GETTY IMAGES written permission. Willie Wiredhand © Copyright 2019 National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

TexasCoopPower.com December 2019 Texas Co-op Power 5 CURRENTS

HAPPENINGS PHILANTHROPY New Year’s Eve Strong Libraries Party in Itasca The Tocker Foundation can help make your library better. Grants support new furniture, electronic gaming, Wi-Fi hot spots, digital Three artists with impressive musical bloodlines will provide the literacy, computers and even play- entertainment for a NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY in ITASCA. Whey Jennings, grounds. Books, too, of course. grandson of Waylon Jennings, was born and raised in Grand Prairie. Find more information at Thomas Gabriel is the oldest grandchild of Johnny and June Carter tocker.org. All applicants must contact Karin Gerstenhaber Cash. And Cagney Frizzell, named after James Cagney, is Lefty before applying for a grant. Application deadline is Jan- Frizzell’s nephew. WEB EXTRAS a Find more uary 15. Guests are welcome to bring their own food and beverages to happenings the HILCO Civic & Event Center party DECEMBER 31. online.

The event will include a 50-50 raffle and drawings ALMANAC for other items. Tickets start at $20. For $40, guests get a meet and greet with the musicians. CO-OPS ARE BORN HILCO Electric Cooperative built the

Central Texas venue last year and The cooperative movement hosts about 10 community turns 175 years old December 21. On that date in 1844, 28 events per month. workers opened a cooperative store in Rochdale, England. Initially, the store carried four INFO a (214) 212-5798, key items: butter, sugar, flour bit.ly/NYEItasca and oatmeal. g LOOKING BACK AT ARTS AND FASHION THIS MONTH 1940s 1950s 1960s 1945 Charlie Dunn, bootmaker 1952 Dancer 1960 John Wayne’s The Alamo to the stars, begins his career at and actress is released. Capitol Saddlery in Austin. Cyd Charisse IN THE 75 YEARS since of Amarillo 1966 Katherine Anne Porter, Texas Co-op Power 1948 Red River, a fictional achieves who was born in Indian Creek, debuted in July 1944, account of the first cattle drive star status wins the National Book Award Texas and Texans have on the Chisholm Trail from Texas opposite and Pulitzer Prize for fiction for left an indelible mark to Kansas starring John Wayne, Gene Kelly The Collected Stories. in film, theater, literature is released. in Singin’ in 1968 Poet and artist Consuelo and fashion—from the Rain. 1948 James A. Michener, who “Chelo” González Amezcua has a Charlie Dunn to spent the final years of his life solo exhibition at the McNay Art Sissy Spacek. 1956 Grace Kelly marries Prince in Austin, wins a Pulitzer Prize Rainier III of Monaco. Her Museum in San Antonio. It’s the for his book Tales of the South bridesmaids’ dresses are first time she is recognized for Pacific. designed by Neiman Marcus of her brand of Texas filigree art. Dallas. PARTY HATS: FOTOHUNTER | SHUTTERSTOCK.COM. CHARISSE: GAB ARCHIVE | GETTY IMAGES

6 Texas Co-op Power December 2019 TexasCoopPower.com POWER OF OUR PEOPLE Elf in Kaufman Has His Own Toy Story

WHEN JERRY REICHERT sees a 2-by-12-by-12-inch board at a construction site, he knows it is likely to end up on the scrap pile. That is fine with him because the scrap fits into his plans for Christmas. “When I see that piece of lumber,” Reichert says, “I see a toy.” Actually, he sees one of 22 varieties of toys. These comprise the 5,000 wooden playthings made each year by volunteers at Hobby Crafters and distributed to children in North Texas by more than 20 churches and charities. Reichert and his wife, Wilda, live in Kaufman and have been members of Trinity Valley Electric Cooperative since the early 1970s. Two or three days a week, Reichert, 81, drives more than an hour to the Hobby Crafters workshop JERRY REICHERT in Garland where he holds the unofficial title of head elf. “I took over from the guy who founded it,” Reichert says. “That was 38 years ago.” POWER OF OUR PEOPLE recognizes Hobby Crafters was founded in 1944 by Dallas physician Arch McNeill, who co-op members who improve their organized friends and patients to produce toys for underprivileged children. community’s quality of life. Reichert took over in 1981 at McNeill’s request. “It’s always been strictly volun- Nominate someone by emailing teer,” Reichert says. “You can look at my checkbook and see for yourself.” [email protected]. Reichert retired in 1997 from his 39-year career selling electronics for Toshiba. The Hobby Crafters workshop houses 39 machines, including a variety of power saws and sanders, but not every one of the 40 volunteers needs to operate a power tool. “I tell people if they can lay a form on a board and draw a line around it, they’re hired,” Reichert says.

INFO a hobbycrafters.org

VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO SEE ALL OF THE TIMELINES FROM 2019 a

1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 1974 Wichita Falls’ Tommy Tune, 1980 Comer Cottrell Jr. relocates 1990 Friday Night Lights by 2002 Kendra Scott actor, dancer, singer, choreogra- Pro-Line Corporation, maker of H.G. Bissinger is published. It is starts her epony- pher and director, wins the first Jheri curl hair products, to Dallas. adapted into a movie of the mous jewelry of his 10 Tony Awards—best It becomes the largest black- same name in 2004 and leads company in a featured actor in a musical, for owned firm in the Southwest. to a widely acclaimed TV series spare bedroom of Seesaw. that ran 2006–2011. her Austin home. 1981 Sissy Spacek of Quitman 1974 Cadillac Ranch is created wins the best actress Academy 1996 The first Texas Book 2003 Robert A. Caro wins a outside Amarillo. Award for her portrayal of Festival takes place, in Austin. Pulitzer Prize in biography for Loretta Lynn in Coal Miner’s Master of the Senate, one of four Daughter. 1997 Arlen isn’t on the Texas biographical volumes he’s writ- map, but when the animated TV ten about Lyndon B. Johnson. 1986 Larry McMurtry of Archer series King of the Hill debuts, the City wins the Pulitzer Prize for characters make it feel like it 2013 The first episode of HGTV’s fiction for Lonesome Dove. could be the next town over. Fixer Upper, shot in Waco, airs.

REICHERT & TOYS: DON JOHNSON | TRINITY VALLEY EC. CADILLAC RANCH: WYATT MCSPADDEN. SCOTT: JAY WEST | GETTY IMAGES

TexasCoopPower.com December 2019 Texas Co-op Power 7 A STAR IS BORN

Texas’ iconic lone star might trace origins to 1817 Mexican coins BY CLAY COPPEDGE

lone star adorns the Texas state flag and the state frontier Texas printer and a leader of the Long Expedition, seal. It appears on the U.S. Mint’s Texas com- believed he invented the symbol and wrote to Texas President memorative quarter, and it is the state’s official Mirabeau Lamar to that effect in 1841. “I established the flag gemstone cut. Texas is the Lone Star State be- which you now use,” he wrote. “I was proud of being the man to cause we Texans are proud of our beginnings as establish the star and flag of Texas.” an independent republic. According to history George Childress, author of the Texas Declaration of Inde- andA mythology, nothing symbolizes Texas’ spirit more eloquently pendence, adopted a resolution at the general convention of the than a lone five-pointed star. provisional government in 1836 resolving that “a single star of But who first came up with the idea of the lone star, and who five points, either of gold or silver, be adopted as the peculiar was the first person to use the lone star as a symbol of Texas? emblem of this republic.” The Texas Congress officially adopted A lone star showed up as a symbol of Texas as early as 1819 the current lone star flag on January 25, 1839. on the flag of the ill-fated Long Expedition, an early attempt by According to Houston numismatist James Bevill, the lone Anglo Americans, led by James Long, to wrest control of Texas star—five-pointed with a dot in the middle—originated with an from Spain. That flag, believed to be the first Texas flag to feature obscure San Antonio minter in 1817 when the central government a single star, incorporated 13 alternating red and white stripes in Mexico authorized a series of coins to be minted in San Antonio

with a single white star in the upper left corner. Eli Harris, a for local use. JACK MOLLOY

8 Texas Co-op Power December 2019 TexasCoopPower.com The Mexican government withdrew Barrera’s authority to mint the coins after about 20 months, possibly because minting coins in 1817 was difficult and the volume required presented a challenge. Barrera would have been using a steel die, or mold, to strike an imprint on the blank copper planchet (metal disc from which coins are made) with a hammer. The authority to mint the coins went to José Antonio de la Garza in 1818. No records confirm how many jolas Barrera and Garza actually minted, but only nine of the crude coins survived. A collector found five of the nine 1817 jolas in 2004 in a coin shop. The 1817 jolas preceded the Long Expedition by two years and the Texas revolution by almost two decades. So what did the lone star flag and emblem represent before it represented Texas as an independent republic? According to Alamo historian and curator Bruce Winders, in vexillology—the study of flags—stars traditionally represented kingdoms or sovereigns until the end of the 18th century, when the star became a symbol of republican ideology and thus a good fit for the fledgling Texas government. But, Winders noted, before Texas was the Lone Star State, it In his 2009 book, Paper Republic: The Struggle for Money, shared a flag—and a star—with the Mexican province of Coahuila. Credit and Independence in the Republic of Texas, Bevill wrote That flag was green, white and red with two gold stars in the mid- that the star on the reverse side of the humble jola “brings us dle of a white stripe. back to the very essence of Texas symbolism.” (Jola is Spanish “Prior to the Texas revolution, the Texas star flew alongside slang for a coin of small denomination.) the star of Coahuila because Texas lacked a sufficient population Acting Spanish Gov. Manuel Pardo received authorization for separate statehood as established by the Constitution of from Mexico City to strike small copper coins for San Antonio 1824,” Winders wrote in an email. “Officials designated it the (then known as San Fernando de Bexar) and selected Manuel Department of Texas and attached it to Coahuila for purposes Barrera, a local merchant and administrator, to produce 8,000 of governance.” jolas. These were worth ½ real, which would be about a nickel Bevill says the lone star on the jolas might have carried the today. The copper jolas measured 15–20 millimeters in diameter same symbolism as the flag. “There were Americans in San Anto- with the minter’s initials and “½” on the obverse, or front of the nio de Bexar who thought of Texas as having a separate identity coin. On the reverse was a five-pointed star with a raised dot in from Mexico,” he explained. the center. The idea of a Lone Star State might have been a case of Eli “It’s hard to say where the influence for a lone star came Harris and George Childress thinking alike, but Bevill’s research from,” Bevill says. “These were Spanish coins, after all. We don’t makes it clear that the 1817 and 1818 coins with the five-pointed know if the design was done by Barrera or his helper or maybe star and the distinctive raised dot in the middle created the first the alcalde. But that was the first time the lone star representing imprint of a lone star on Texas, the country and the world. what is today Texas first appeared.” Clay Coppedge, a member of Bartlett EC, lives near Walburg.

TexasCoopPower.com December 2019 Texas Co-op Power 9 10 Texas Co-op Power December 2019 TexasCoopPower.com BY EILEEN MATTEI PHOTOS BY JOHN FAULK

nce upon a time, tamales appeared only at big family Christmas gatherings and spe- cial occasions in the Rio Grande Valley. Besides being tasty treats, aromatic O O tamales link multiple generations with memories of happy times together. Tamales were already on the menu in Mexico and T H E C A L L Central America 7,000 years ago, prepared for ceremonies and armies on the move. Then and now, making tamales—spiced corn dough holding a filling of meats or vegetables or sweet fruits—is a compli- O F T H E cated, labor-intensive process. That often prompts a tamalada—a lively gathering of friends and family toiling in the kitchen preparing dozens and dozens of tamales. Starting in 1949, Celia Champion would gather Tamalada 20–25 female friends and relatives for a tamalada at her Brownsville home as Christmas approached. The women—tamaleras for a day—would make as O many as 240 dozen tamales. Wearing multicolored smock aprons and white chef hats, they spread out to workstations around the house to peel garlic, grind spices, stir the masa (corn dough) and grind up the slow-cooked pork shoulders. Others would spread the masa on softened corn husks, top it with meat or beans and three raisins, representing the three wise men, before snugging the corn husk MAKING around it all and freezing the raw tamales. TAMALES IS A HOLIDAY TRADITION, THOUGH EATING THEM NEVER ENDS

Family snapshots show the tamalada tradition that Celia Champion started in 1949. Opposite, from left: Champion’s daughter, Chickie Samano; great-granddaughter Karolina Rodero; and granddaughter Celia Galindo with a portrait of the family’s matriarch. TITLE PLATE: LUNAMARINA | SHUTTERSTOCK.COM. FAMILY PHOTOS: COURTESY CELIA GALINDO

TexasCoopPower.com December 2019 Texas Co-op Power 11 MAKING TAMALES IS A COMPLICATED, LABOR-INTENSIVE PROCESS. THAT OFTEN PROMPTS A TAMALADA—A LIVELY GATHERING OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY TOILING IN THE KITCHEN PREPARING DOZENS AND DOZENS OF TAMALES.

Left: A Celia Champion tamalada. Above, from left: Tanya, Dora and Ana de Alba sample savory, fresh tamales prepared by De Alba Bakery using family recipes.

eventy years later, her daughter, Chickie Samano, and her nearly 3,000 tamales. That prompted another tradition. “After freckled, curly-haired granddaughter Celia Galindo con- making the first few dozen, we drink planter’s punch, and the mari- tinue the unbroken tamalada tradition. Two original achis arrive. Then the gritos [celebratory shouts] get louder,” tamaleras (one 104 years old) attended the six-hour work Samano explains. “Mother was a party animal, always cooking. On S party in 2018, when the fourth generation included a 12- her deathbed, she made me promise we would keep the tamalada.” year-old and Champion’s great-granddaughter. “Once you But traditions adapt to the times, so the tamalada now gathers are in, it’s till death do we part,” Samano says. in Galindo’s catering business kitchen. “The ladies want to do “When my grandmother was alive, we would go to the Mata- less and party more, so we make about 50–60 dozen tamales,” moros mercado to get the best leaves, meat and spices,” Galindo she says. Still, that’s 720 tamales. The women and their families recalls. “Now my cousin Cookie peels the garlic. My friend comes eat the tamales at a Christmas Eve open house, on the religious from Seguin with the meat grinder. I grind the spices in a blender.” feast of Candelaria on February 2 and later that month during Nevertheless, she treasures her inherited 200-year-old stone Charro Days, a celebration of binational cultures and traditions. molcajete, worn shiny from decades of grinding spices. The tamaleras also meet on January 6, Three Kings Day or Champion’s original tamalada required arduous labor to make the Epiphany, to eat the wreath-shaped sweet bread called rosca

12 Texas Co-op Power December 2019 TexasCoopPower.com Below: A De Alba Bakery tamale with shredded beef and green tomatillo salsa is wrapped in masa and a banana leaf. Bottom: A vegetable Oaxacan tamale at De Alba includes zucchini, corn, carrots, peas, onion and a bit of mozzarella cheese.

de reyes. The three who find baby Jesus dolls in their slices take charge of organizing the next tamalada. Luis Reyes became part of a tamale-making team as a boy, join- ing cousins, parents, aunts and uncles, all under the direction of his grandmother. “Tamale making is an all-day activity. The whole family works together before Christmas,” says Reyes, communi- cations manager for Magic Valley Electric Cooperative in Mercedes. “Now the family is so big we make tamales twice a year,” he says. “My grandmother loves the American tradition of a family nside De Alba Bakery, smiles of a happy crowd get wider as Thanksgiving. She blended that with the Mexican tradition of the tamale aroma envelops them. They know from experience family tamale making, so we have tamales with the turkey at the subtly spiced masa of the tamales is as soft as butter and Thanksgiving.” surrounds a savory filling inside the wrapper. De Alba makes Rio Grande Valley parents once warned their unruly children: I 14 different types of tamales, from perennial favorites pork “Behave or the only thing you will unwrap at Christmas will be a and chicken to Oaxacan vegetarian and bean or combos like tamale.” Sure, Christmas still finds Hispanic families at feasts cheese paired with jalapeno, beans, pork or chicken. anchored by mountains of beef, pork, chicken and bean tamales. To satisfy a sweet tooth, De Alba Bakery makes a fudgy Mexi- But people readily acknowledge that making tamales at home is can chocolate tamale that comes with Kahlúa sauce as well as a a time-consuming, fading art, while the convenience of buying not-too-sweet vanilla-butter tamale common in central Mexico ready-made ones is priceless. Hundreds of dozens of the foil- and a scrumptious raisin and cinnamon tamale. As a bakery, wrapped packets of tamales sell on a daily basis at various com- it also has shelves brimming with fresh Mexican pastries: mercial tamale-making kitchens, like the one the de Alba family empanadas, conchas and hornitos. runs in Pharr. Ana de Alba’s grandmother made tortillas and tamales in a

TexasCoopPower.com December 2019 Texas Co-op Power 13 and black pepper. Stir and simmer 15–20 minutes to thicken the filling mixture. 3. Drain corn husks and stand them in a container with narrow ends up. Husks have a rough and smooth side. Spread dough on the smooth side, starting in the middle, about 3–4 inches from the bottom—the wider end—and then spread to the DE ALBA bottom and sides. This should be a thin layer of BAKERY’S dough, about ⅛ inch thick. Spoon 2–3 tablespoons CHICKEN of meat mixture. After spreading meat mixture onto TAMALES dough, you can add optional ingredients before rolling it. Optional ingredients include corn, squash, roasted peppers and cheese. Roll husk over from one side to the other and overlap. Now fold top of husk down and squeeze bottom of tamale. Every 20–30 corn husks tamale can be individually tied with string or left- 4 cups water over thin strips of husk. Also, tamales can be tied 5 pounds whole chicken (skinless and cut up) in bundles of a half-dozen. 1 onion, cut in half 6 cloves garlic 4. Position tamales, folded part down, in a steamer 1 tablespoon salt basket that is deep enough. If not, just lay on basket 1–1½ teaspoons powdered cumin, to taste carefully with folded points facing down. Position 1–1½ teaspoons ground black pepper, to taste basket in pot with 2–3 inches of water and bring 5 pounds prepared De Alba tamale dough (available at to a boil then cover well with tightfitting lid. Lower dealbabakery.com), divided use heat and steam on medium-low for 1 hour. If neces- sary, add more water during the cooking process 1. Soak corn husks in a container of hot water 1–2 hours but let the tamales steam an extra 15 minutes to to make them pliable. Keep them submerged. make up for lost heat. 2. Boil 4 cups water in a pot. Add chicken, onion, garlic and 5. Turn off heat and let tamales set, covered, 10 salt. Reduce to medium-low heat and simmer 30 minutes minutes before handling to avoid breaking them. a or until cooked. Remove chicken from broth, cool, debone Makes 20– 30 tamales. and shred or cut up. In a blender, mix the leftover broth with 2 tablespoons of tamale dough (also called masa). COOK’S TIP For better, fresher flavor, uncooked tamales Pour broth mixture back into pot and add meat, cumin can be kept frozen and cooked as needed.

small San Benito shop in the 1960s. Her parents expanded that iday season, it switches to double shifts and brings in additional into De Alba Bakery in the 1980s and soon after made tamales equipment to meet the demand for thousands of dozens of tamales. available year-round. Today, she is CEO of the bakery, which has Orders for 10–20 dozen are common, although some customers two Valley locations, an online store and a staff that has spanned request 100–200 dozen tamales for parties. four generations of the de Alba family. “Winter Texans were asking for beef tamales, so we decided “We’re so blessed to have the border next door to get all the to try it,” de Alba says. Dora de Alba, Ana’s mother, who is in quality, natural ingredients we want—corn leaves, dried chile pods charge of tamale quality control and recipe innovation, perfected and spices,” de Alba says. The kitchen crew makes the masa from the beef brisket tamale. scratch, cooking dried corn for one to two hours before grinding it. “Mom knew that Mexican women love cooking. She was the Spices and chiles are added to the cooked meats and other fillings, first one to provide made-from-scratch masa for sale. That made which with the masa are fed into equipment that forms the tamales. it simple for women to take prepared masa home and make Hand wrapping the corn husk around the tamale is the final step. tamales with their kids without slaving all day,” Ana de Alba says. “Our tamales are stuffed with more meat than the industry Making it even easier, De Alba Bakery offers recipes for tamales average,” de Alba says. “Pleasing our customer comes first, and and other treats in their online blog and stocks cumin, oregano, the bottom line takes care of itself.” In the same vein, De Alba anise and chiles in the bakery. Bakery limits what it ships coast to coast from its website and “Everybody has become accustomed to eating fresh tamales through Amazon. “Some things won’t ship well without preser- for lunch and dinner all year long,” she adds. “Tamales are faster vatives, and we won’t use them.” than hamburgers and taste better, too.” The bakery sells about 50–100 dozen daily, but during the hol- Eileen Mattei, a Nueces EC member, is a Texas master naturalist in Harlingen.

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Co-op News SAM HOUSTON ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE Sam Houston EC Members to See Big Savings in December

SAM HOUSTON ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE CONSUMER-MEMBERS WILL SEE GOOD NEWS when they open their December electric bills. Co-op members who were billed for electricity between January and October will receive an energy credit. The aver- age residential credit will be approximately $60 and is based on the amount of electricity each Co-op member purchased throughout 2019. “At a time when the Co-op’s power costs are already at an eight-year low, this is even more good news for Sam Houston Electric Cooperative members during this Christmas season,” CEO Doug Turk said. Turk explained that when setting the monthly price per kilowatt-hour, the Co-op must predict in advance what wholesale costs will be. At the end of this year, actual costs have been less than predicted costs, resulting in a substantial credit on members’ December electric bills. There has been other good news for the Cooperative’s consumer-members in recent months, as they have been benefitting from the lowest power costs in eight years. “Sam Houston Electric Cooperative is a not-for-profit organization,” Turk said. “One of the things we do as part of our mission is to supply members with reliable power that is as low cost as possible.” Calendar and The Co-op is led by an 11-member board of directors, elected from across 10 counties served by the Co-op. The board is responsible to look out for the best Member Handbook interests of all 56,000 Sam Houston EC consumer-members. Turk added, “Because the Co-op is owned by members in the communities we Coming Soon serve, the board is passing this credit, and the lower power costs, directly to those members on their electric bills.” SAM HOUSTON ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE members can look for their 2020 calen- dar and member handbook in the mail this month. This special publication highlights some of the beautiful areas along Sam Houston EC’s 6,000 miles of line. It fea- tures photos, captured by Co-op employ- ees, of our home in East Texas, from downtown Coldspring in the summer to a great egret at Martin Dies Jr. State Park near Woodville. While the calendar is a longtime sta- ple on our members’ walls, the back of the publication also contains a wealth of information on programs and services, community service initiatives, tips for managing power interruptions and key contact information. Be sure to check your mailbox soon!

18 Texas Co-op Power SAM HOUSTON EC December 2019 samhouston.net SamHoustonEC1912_ 11/8/1910:26AMPage19

H_ALEX | ISTOCK.COM M down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who Fatherlights, fromdownthe heavenly the of does not change like shifting shadows.”shifting like change not does “Everygood andperfect giftfromis above, coming C e h r r r y i s t m —James1:17 a s SamHoustonEC1912_ 11/8/19 10:26 AM Page 20

SAM HOUSTON ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Ferguson Receives National Safety Training Award

SCOTT FERGUSON, SAM HOUSTON ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE’S MANAGER OF OPERATIONS, earned the 2019 Herman C. Potthast Award in September for his dedication to train- ing and safety. “I wasn’t expecting anything,” Ferguson said. “It’s an honor. I don’t really know how to describe the feeling when my name was called.” The National Utility Training and Safety Education Association bestows the award each year to a job training and safety instructor in memory of Herman C. Potthast, who demonstrated dedication, leadership and cooperation in this field. “Scott demonstrates the cooperative spirit,” said David Babcock, Sam Houston EC assistant general manager. “He has always helped others and uses that interac- tion to further safety at our Co-op. Scott has continually worked hard to develop and motivate safety and training at a local, state and national level, and is a respected POTENTIAL leader in co-op safety.” Ferguson began his career at the Cooperative in 1982 as a groundman line tech- ELECTRICAL nician. He became the safety and training supervisor in 2009 before being named HAZARDS manager of operations in December 2017. “We are very proud of his achievement,” said Doug Turk, CEO and general man- ARE CLOSER ager. “It says a lot about the dedication Sam Houston EC has to the safety and train- THAN YOU THINK ing field at both the local level and at the state and national level. I think it shows that Scott has a true dedication and gift for the promotion of safety and training in the industry.” Overhead powerlines and The award comes with a plaque that lists every winner since the award’s inaugu- ral year, 1972, many of whom Ferguson has collaborated with. equipment, power pole guy- “You don’t really feel worthy of awards like this,” Ferguson said. “It’s a lot about wires and underground lines the relationships you build [with others in this industry]. Relationships will carry need careful attention while you further than anything in your career.” you’re working outside. Look up and check your surroundings before raising a ladder or pole saw. Call 8-1-1 before you dig and take extra time when working near guy-wires.

SAMHOU STO N . N E T 800-458-0381

20 Texas Co-op Power SAM HOUSTON EC December 2019 samhouston.net SamHoustonEC1912_ 11/11/19 4:22 PM Page 21

SAM HOUSTON ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Holiday Office Closings

SAM HOUSTON ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE’S board of directors and employees wish you and your family a happy and safe holiday season. Cooperative offices will be closed December 24–25 and January 1. As always, Sam Houston EC crews will be on call to respond to any unexpected power outages while our offices are closed. FLOORTJE | ISTOCK.COM Cooperative members can still access many of our services through the mySamHouston smartphone app and at SamHouston.net. Both tools allow you Safety First for to monitor your electricity consumption, check account balances and place serv- Holiday Toys ice requests. You can also access account information via our toll-free number, 1-800-458-0381. DECEMBER IS THE MONTH WHEN YOU’RE MOST LIKELY TO BUY TOYS AND GIFTS. If you experience a power outage, Purchase safe ones. please report it by calling 1-888-444- If you’re shopping for children, buy toys that are age appropriate. You don’t 1207. want your gift to spoil a child’s holiday or cause it to turn tragic. May we be the first to wish you and Here is a checklist for buying safe toys: your loved ones a happy holiday season. a Check the minimum age recommendation on the package. Buy a gift that suits a child’s age, ability and interest level. a Supervise children while they are using electronic toys. After playtime, put the toys away in a dry area out of smaller kids’ reach. a Teach your children how to use their toys safely. For example, if a toy has a cord that plugs into the wall, teach the child how to safely use electrical outlets. Demonstrate how to unplug by pulling on the plug itself, not the cord. a Look for the letters ASTM on the packaging of toys you buy. That means the toy meets ASTM International’s rigorous safety standards. a Buying toys from thrift shops, flea markets and garage sales will save you a few bucks, but secondhand toys may not adhere to current safety standards and could be dangerous. a Keep an eye out for toy recalls online at cpsc.gov.

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samhouston.net December 2019 SAM HOUSTON EC Texas Co-op Power 21 SamHoustonEC1912_ 11/8/19 10:26 AM Page 22

TexasSAM USA HOUSTON ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

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World’s Largest Santa Group Brings Smiles and Hope to Kids in Texas BY JEFF MILLER

IT TAKES A SPECIAL PERSON TO BE A SANTA. OF COURSE, A Through some internet research and a book titled How To beard helps, as does a little extra girth. But perhaps the most Be Santa Claus, Fletcher learned the basics. “We did our first important trait is wanting to make children happy, even under gig for the neighborhood using the cheap fake beard that came the worst circumstances. with the subdivision suit,” he said. “From that moment on, I That’s one reason Lone Star Santas came into being and was hooked.” why the group is thriving today. Fletcher’s passion for performing as Santa was so strong, he Lone Star Santas is the largest regional Santa Claus organi- began to search around the state for other Santas who wanted zation in the world. The nonprofit group is composed of Texans to “go pro.” He eventually found Gene Clayton, who was doing who portray Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, elves and other helpers. Santa gigs around the small town of Carmine, near Brenham. And their work isn’t just limited to the Christmas season—they They met for lunch and hit it off immediately. They decided to are on call year-round to provide disaster relief. Though the form a statewide fraternal Santas organization, first organized group engages in a significant amount of charitable work, its as an Excel spreadsheet listing all known Santas in Texas. beginnings are humble: The impetus was a simple neighborly Their only caveat was that the group would never become a request. national organization. “It all started when I was asked to be Santa for our local They also made sure that the group would be inclusive, homeowners association late in 2006,” said founder Jim including real-bearded and designer-bearded Santas as well as Fletcher. “I didn’t have a beard, but I was a bit rotund. The Mrs. Clauses, elves, reindeer herders and those with the spirit subdivision said they had a suit. I tried it on, but it was too of Christmas in their hearts who lived or worked in Texas. small, so I went to a costume shop, purchased a good starter They would not discriminate based on sex, race, creed, politics suit and boots, and then realized I really didn’t know much or sexual orientation. They did, however, require annual back- about being Santa.” ground checks.

22 Texas Co-op Power SAM HOUSTON EC December 2019 samhouston.net SamHoustonEC1912_ 11/8/19 10:26 AM Page 23

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1. Lone Star Santa Clem Webb teamed up with the American Red Cross to bring toys and clothes to these kids after a recent natural disaster.

2. Santa Giles Debenport brought toys and smiles to the NRG Center in Houston after Hurricane Harvey brought devastat- ing floods to the area. The arena served as a temporary shelter for thousands of displaced Houstonians. 4 3. Santas and their helpers load toys into the Lone Star Santas trailer before heading into areas of Southeast Texas affected by Harvey.

4. Debenport volunteers every year with his wife, Kristen, who is a Mrs. Claus, at Santa’s Won- derland in Bryan-College Station. His costume once saved him from a speeding ticket.

From the two founders, the group grew exponentially in Setting up at a church in Joplin, they welcomed a parade of just a few years, but the major turning point for the organiza- children, many with just the clothes on their backs, who were tion came in 2011. On May 22 of that year, an EF-5 tornado hit in for a much-needed surprise. A dozen Santas, Mrs. Clauses, Joplin, Missouri, killing 158 people and injuring more than elves and helpers gave out more than 3,500 new toys to the 1,000 others. children who so badly needed a sense of normalcy. “When I heard the news, I was taking a shower and had a “On the way home, we knew this was to be the mission of vision of our Santas going to Joplin with a load of toys to give Lone Star Santas—to provide love, hope, joy, toys and hugs out,” Fletcher said. “We asked our members to contact their directly to children and families affected by natural disasters,” local churches, neighborhoods, friends and businesses to col- Fletcher said. lect new toys. The response was immediate and overwhelming. Eventually, they became more organized and elected a We rented three trailers, taped our Lone Star Santas banners board of directors, earned nonprofit tax status and even wrote to the sides of the trailers, and on June 2, we headed for Joplin. a how-to book for members. We had no idea what we were doing. We had two trailers with They also defined their mission, which is the cornerstone of toys and another trailer with a grill, propane tanks and enough the group to this day: “I will seek knowledge to be well versed food to feed a small army.” in the mysteries of bringing Christmas cheer and goodwill to At every stop for gas and at rest stops, people donated to all the people that I encounter in my journeys and travels. I their mission. By the time they got to Oklahoma City, they had shall be dedicated to hearing the secret dreams of both chil- collected nearly $1,000. They stopped at a Walmart and used dren and adults. I understand that the true and only gift I can that money to purchase more toys. The Walmart even gave the give, as Santa, is myself. I acknowledge that some of the group a discount and donated more toys for the children in the requests I will hear will be difficult and sad. I know in these affected area. difficulties there lays an opportunity to bring a spirit of

samhouston.net December 2019 SAM HOUSTON EC Texas Co-op Power 23 SamHoustonEC1912_ 11/8/19 10:26 AM Page 24

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1. Jim Fletcher, left, and Doug Portwood co-founded Lone Star Santas, the largest organization of Santas in the world.

2. Several times during the year, the Santas and Mrs. Clauses get together for what they call an “eatin’ meetin’,” where they share stories and make plans for the upcoming Christmas season.

3. The Convoy of Toys trailer can be seen traveling all over Texas during the holiday season—and throughout the year if there has been a natural disaster.

4. These are just some of the toys that the Santas have distrib- uted to children who otherwise may not receive gifts due to natural disasters or financial hardships.

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warmth, understanding and compassion. I know the ‘real rea- I’d be in real trouble if I ever shaved it off.” son for the season’ and know that I am blessed to be able to be Debenport has had some very unique experiences as a a part of it. I realize that I belong to a brotherhood and will be Santa. One in particular, which occurred when he was playing supportive, honest and show fellowship to my peers. I promise Santa for an optical company, brought tears to his eyes. to use ‘my’ powers to create happiness, spread love and make “This woman approached me kind of sheepishly,” Deben- fantasies come to life in the true and sincere tradition of the port said. “She asked if I would mind if she sat on my lap and Santa Claus legend. I pledge myself to these principles as a told me her Christmas wishes. I told her I wouldn’t mind at all. descendant of St. Nicholas, the gift giver of Myra.” She sat down and almost immediately began to cry. She told It was right around the time of the Joplin tornado that Giles me that the reason she was so emotional was because in her Debenport became involved in the group. entire life, she had never sat on Santa’s lap. It’s moments like “My wife and I started doing private events at Dewberry that one that really make you realize what an impact you can Farms during the Christmas season,” said Debenport, whose make, even with something as small as letting someone sit on wife, Kristen, portrays Mrs. Claus. “We also did private events your lap.” for Habitat for Humanity.” Of course, there have been some embarrassing moments, too. One of Debenport’s most rewarding moments came when “I was driving to an appearance in Hempstead from my he and Kristen joined other Santas to surprise victims of home in Katy,” Debenport said. “I was running late, so I put my flooding from Hurricane Harvey in 2017 at Houston’s NRG costume on at home and got in the car, wasting no time hitting Center, which was serving as a shelter for thousands of dis- the gas. About halfway there, I noticed the flashing lights of a placed families. state trooper behind me. As I started to slow down and pull “That was a truly rewarding experience,” Debenport said. over, I realized that I was way over the speed limit. The officer “I’ve had so many of those since becoming a Santa. I didn’t approached the car and as I rolled down my window, I heard even have a beard when I started, but I asked my wife if she laughing.” would mind if I grew one, and she said to go for it. Now I think “You had the reindeer going a little fast,” the officer said.

24 Texas Co-op Power SAM HOUSTON EC December 2019 samhouston.net SamHoustonEC1912_ 11/8/19 10:26 AM Page 25

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4 Lone Star Santas members realized there were many others working to share the same spirit. “These are people that may not look like us, bearded and hefty, but they hold to the same principles and have the same joy of giving, not just at Christmas but year around,” Fletcher said. As a result, Lone Star Santas set out to recognize these people and let them know that their good deeds have earned them a position on Santa’s “nice list.” In 2015, the group created the Spirit of Christmas Legacy Award, given to people who may not be a Santa but who demonstrate the Christmas spirit year-round. “This good, coming from their hearts, demon- strates that these individuals do have the spirit of “Yes sir,” Debenport replied. “I’m on my way to put smiles Christmas in their actions and ensures their good deeds will be on kids’ faces.” a lasting legacy so that others will feel the same spirit and do “Well, I can’t bring myself to give Santa a ticket, so just kind, good and wonderful things,” Fletcher said. watch your speed and get there safely.” Past winners of the Spirit of Christmas Legacy Award Debenport said he drove the speed limit the rest of the way include Houston philanthropist and retailer Jim “Mattress and made it on time, not to mention giving the state trooper a Mack” McIngvale, automotive dealership owner Tony Gullo, story to tell his colleagues back at the station. cancer survivor Sadie Keller, and Scott and Phil Medlin, own- In addition to its charity work, Lone Star Santas also pro- ers of Santa’s Wonderland in College Station. vides the Find-A-Santa service through its website, where Not including the most recent flooding from Hurricane anyone can find a certified Santa for their holiday gatherings, Imelda, Lone Star Santas have organized 18 Convoys of Toys, whether it be a private home visit, a birthday party or even a distributing toys to children after natural disasters, including company party. to shelters in Houston, Dallas, Nacogdoches, Port Arthur and Each of the organization’s professional Santas are inde- Beaumont in Harvey’s aftermath. They even sent one Santa to pendent contractors for hire, and they set their own prices four different locations in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria depending on the size and time expectations of an event and struck the island in 2017. whether clients want Mrs. Claus or elves to be part of the visit. Anyone interested in utilizing the services of a Santa Clients can choose from hundreds of Santas, listed by region. or Mrs. Claus can find out more information by visiting Through their years of spreading joy throughout the region, lonestarsantas.org.

samhouston.net December 2019 SAM HOUSTON EC Texas Co-op Power 25

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C@-@A =;87 :3C ?7F7B 477? 73CI. DEB;?9 the early decades of rural electrification, cooperatives in America had to defend themselves from special interests, with private electric companies and politi- cians often leading the charge. Possibly the highest-profile attack on co-ops began just after Christmas in 1972. The Nixon administration directed the U.S. Department of Agriculture to announce that, effective January 1, 1973,

it would deny funds already authorized by Congress for the Rural Electrification Administration’s upcoming fiscal year and then terminate the agency’s direct loan program. For 36 years, this program had enabled the REA to offer loans to co- President Nixon approves a new REA direct lished the Rural Electrification and ops at 2% interest. loan program as, from left, William Erwin, Telephone Revolving Fund that allowed

President Richard M. Nixon’s plan was assistant secretary of agriculture; David for a standard interest rate of 5%, plus Hamil, REA administrator; and Earl Butz, to replace the federally funded REA loans secretary of agriculture, look on. a special interest rate of 2% for those eli- with commercially backed loans that gible. The Senate and House bills both would be offered at 5% interest. This passed quickly, and the fate of co-ops move, designed to cut more than $200 country were suffering severe damage hung on Nixon’s pen. million in federal spending, would gut the from ice storms, but they were left with- Finally, on the REA’s 38th birthday— rural co-op system by impounding the out access to the emergency funding cus- May 11, 1973, exactly 19 weeks after first

federal funds already allocated to hun- tomarily offered by the REA. issuing the order that would have crip-

dreds of electric and telephone co-ops. In Co-ops didn’t take the new policy pled the agency out of his “concern for

addition to taking away the loans that had lying down. On January 23, three weeks the nation’s economy”—Nixon signed the

been approved, this action would more after the USDA’s announcement, 1,400 new legislation implementing a modified

than double the interest rates others electric co-op representatives from the direct loan program for the REA. Ironi- would have to pay on new loans. 46 states across the country with electric cally, this new arrangement resulted in Robert D. Partridge, then-general cooperatives (including 135 Texans) con- greater co-op financing than ever. manager of the National Rural Electric verged on Washington, D.C. Participants More than $1.2 billion was made avail- Cooperative Association, said the action traveled to the Rural Electric Rally to able to rural electric and telephone co- would “wipe out many of the more persuade their representatives in Con- ops in 1973, the highest amount of loans than 1,000 rural electric systems and ... gress to restore the REA direct loan pro- granted in the program’s history. The threaten the welfare of millions of con- gram. REA administrator’s report from that sumers who depend on them.” Many Lawmakers rode to co-ops’ rescue year notes, “Fiscal 1973 was a remarkable co-ops would no longer be able to offer with legislation that would allow the year in the history of the Rural Electri- service to people in outlying areas. That REA to extend loans in the full amount fication Administration.”

TEC ARCHIVES same winter, co-op systems across the authorized each year. They also estab- Ellen Stader is a writer in Austin.

TexasCoopPower.com December 2019 Texas Co-op Power 29 H H

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30 Texas Co-op Power December 2019 TexasCoopPower.com Retro Recipes Cookies & Candies

T:;C B75;A7 8@B C3B3>7= P@A5@B? graced the pages of our magazine in December 1997, but its nostalgic, Cracker Jack appeal is timeless— especially this time of year. The origi- nal recipe calls for margarine, but use butter for the best flavor. To balance the sweetness and create an eye- catching, giftworthy mix, I up the salty crunch with pecans (or use your favorite nut) and pepitas. For a kick of spice, add a pinch of cayenne to the sugar syrup, or use Picosos Hot Chile Peanuts (made in Helotes). You can pop your own kernels in a neutral vegetable oil or use store-bought popcorn. PAULA DISBROWE, FOOD EDITOR

Caramel Popcorn 1 cup (2 sticks) butter 2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar ½ cup light corn syrup 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 6 quarts popcorn (about 1 cup unpopped kernels) 12 ounces roasted salted peanuts 1 cup roasted salted pecans or cashews ½ cup roasted salted pepitas

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. 2. Melt the butter in a large, deep pan. Stir in the sugar, syrup and salt and bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda and vanilla (mixture will foam). 3. Pour the mixture over the pop- corn and nuts in a large roasting pan and use a rubber spatula to combine until the ingredients are thoroughly coated. 4. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Transfer the hot mixture

JODY HORTON CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

December 2019 Texas Co-op Power 31 Retro Recipes Retro Additional sugar for rolling cookiesrollingfor sugar Additional 1 2 ½ 2 2 2 1 flour cups 2½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ CinnamonCrackles Cookies & Candy & Cookies into one delicious whole. delicious one into softened (no substitutions) (no softened and the name of the contestyouthe areentering. of name the and ENTER ONLINE ENTER is deadline showersgraduations.Thefor and CelebrationsyourfavoriteSend . dish May’scontestrecipeis topic Colorado St., 24thFloor,Colorado78701;TXSt., Austin, Includeyour name, address and phone number, plus your co-op $100 Recipe Contest Recipe $100 teaspoon grated lemon zestgratedteaspoonlemon gratedzestteaspoonsorange salt teaspoon nutmeg groundteaspoons tartar of creamteaspoons soda baking teaspoons cinnamon ground tablespoon extractalmond teaspoon extractvanillateaspoon egg brownpackedsugar cup sugar cup shortening cup butter,unsalted stick) (1 cup at TexasCoopPower.com/contests;at IF YOUR RECIPE IS FEATURED, FEATURED, IS RECIPE YOUR IF December 10. December YOU’LL WIN A A WIN YOU’LL THIS MONTH’S RECIPE CONTEST WINNER CONTEST RECIPE MONTH’S THIS crackled top with sugar coating—these treats meld all the holiday flavorsholiday the all treatscoating—thesemeld sugar with topcrackled and will please young and old when served. Spices, citrus zest and a and zest citrus served.Spices, when old youngand please will and SUE WEST WEST SUE These cookies will make your house smell like Christmas while baking while Christmaslike smell yourmakehouse will cookies These TCP FAX Spring APRON! | WISE COUNTY EC EC COUNTY WISE | to (512) 763-3401.(512)to MAIL to 1122 to Addegg and extracts; mix well. sugarsthoroughly in alarge bowl. lightlybrowned. minutesor until cracked and very ungreasedbaking sheet. Bake 12–15 sugar.Place balls 2inches apart on an doughinto 1-inch balls and roll in about½cup sugar into abowl. Shape mixer). (oruse the low setting on an electric sugarmixture and stir until combined heapingspoonfuls into butter and tartar,nutmeg, salt and zests. Add by cinnamon,baking soda, cream of 3. 3. 2. 1. Creambutter, shortening and Preheatoven to 350 degrees. Put Inaseparate bowl, combine flour, a Makes6dozen cookies. Letstand 10 minutes. brownedbits on the bottom of the pan. alarge glass mixing bowl. Include the heat,stir in the coconut oil and pour into aroma,about 5minutes. Remove from isasoft brown color and emits anutty throughlid. Heat on medium until butter coloredheavy skillet and cover with asee- ries,coconut and toasted almonds. bythe rolled oats, chocolate chips, cher- inthe combined dry ingredients followed 1minute. Stir in the vanilla. Gradually stir eggsand beat until well blended, about mediumspeed until just blended. Add the mixtureusing an electric mixer on ½ ½ 1 2 1 2 ¾ ¾ ½ ½ ¼ 1 1 2 ½ two).(or one another eat you’reto going know and cherry tart a chocolateor with bite a youget then but oats, and almonds the from texturecrunchy a has cookiemore. Thefor back “everything”Thisyoukeepcoming will cookie EVONIUK MARIAN Cookies Chip Chocolate Almond BrownedCherry Butter a container. airtight an in Store cool. completely to paper waxed to PAGEFROM CONTINUED 31 4. 4. 3. bowland set aside. sodaand salt in amedium glass mixing togetherflour, baking powder, baking 2. 8minutes. Remove and set aside. andtoast until light golden brown, about almondsinto an 8-by-8-inch baking dish 1. Makes about 6 quarts. 6 about Makes Preheatoven to 350 degrees. Place Placebutter into a10- or 12-inch light- Whilealmonds are toasting, stir Addthe sugars to the butter and oil cup shredded sweetenedshreddedcoconut cup cherries dried tart cup semisweetchocolatechips cup oats rolled cups extractvanillateaspoon eggs brownsugar light packed cup sugar cup coconutoil cup butterunsalted stick) (1 cup salt teaspoon soda baking teaspoon powderbaking teaspoon flour cups almonds sliced cup | PEDERNALES EC PEDERNALES | TexasCoopPower.com

WEST: COURTESY SUE WEST. BACKGROUND: JODY HORTON. COOKIES: SHANNON OELRICH 5. Using a metal scoop (cookie-size for 1. Put the white chocolate chips into the same method as the white chocolate small cookies, ice cream-size for giant a heatproof bowl and microwave on chips. Place a wire cookie rack over a cookies), drop cookie dough 2½ inches 50% power 30 seconds, then take it out cookie sheet. Remove lemon balls from apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. and stir. Continue microwaving in 30- the freezer. Drop a lemon ball into the liq- Bake 10–12 minutes, until edges are a second intervals at 50% power, stirring uid chocolate mixture and quickly turn to light golden brown. Remove and allow as needed. Once the pieces are mostly coat. Use a fork to remove the dipped cookies to cool on baking sheet 5 min- melted, remove from the microwave and balls and place on wire rack. Repeat with utes before enjoying. a Makes 18–24 cookies. let the remaining bits melt as you stir. each ball until done. Then cover with This should take about 1–2 minutes. sugar sprinkles. COOK’S TIP Dried cranberries or raisins can (Don’t try to cook at higher power, 5. Refrigerate chocolate lemon balls on be substituted for the cherries. which creates a less spreadable consis- the rack for about 15 minutes. Cover and tency.) refrigerate until ready to eat, at least 15 2. Once the white chocolate is melted, minutes more. Remaining balls should be Chocolate Lemon Balls add the chopped almonds, cookies and kept in a cool place in an airtight con- CHRISTINE HENDERSON | GUADALUPE VALLEY EC lemon extract to the white chocolate and tainer. a Makes 20 balls. “A few years back, I visited Italy and fell in love stir until smooth. Let sit 1–3 minutes, with their chocolate and lemon candies,” Hen- until a doughlike texture develops. COOK’S TIP Cookies and almonds can be pulsed derson says. “This is my reimagined version of 3. Wearing plastic disposable gloves or together in a food processor. Don’t use lemon the flavors I found there.” wetting your hands so the dough doesn’t sandwich cookies. stick to them, form dough into 1-inch 1 cup white chocolate chips balls, rolling them in your hands until ½ cup finely chopped slivered almonds they are nicely rounded. Place balls WEB EXTRAS ½ cup finely crumbled lemon cookies on waxed paper in a sealed plastic con- u Read these recipes on our website to ½ teaspoon lemon extract tainer (single layer) and freeze 1 hour see the original Caramel Popcorn recipe 1 cup semisweet or dark chocolate chips or longer. from December 1997 and find a recipe for Sugar sprinkles (any color) 4. Melt semisweet or dark chips using I Almost Ate Fruitcake Cookies.

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T7H3C C7DD=7BC :3F7 8@B >;==7??;3 braved the harsh terrain of the Chihuahuan Desert. It’s the kind of place where you shake out your boots before wearing them and look twice before stepping (or sitting). Enjoy the terrain where yucca, creosote, mesquite, agave and ocotillo dot the land- scape and mountains loom in the distance. GRACE FULTZ

WEB EXTRAS a See Focus on Texas on our website for more photos from readers. o KAY BELL, Nueces EC: “The century plant, havard agave, grows in the higher elevations of the Chihuahuan Desert in the Big Bend.”

o MIKE PRESTIGIACOMO, Bartlett EC: “Once upon a time—a tree.”

d MATTHEW CROTWELL, Guadalupe Valley EC: “Nighthawk awaiting dusk for feeding time.”

o J. REAGAN FERGUSON, Central Texas d MARK HOLLY, Bandera EC: “It was EC: “Enjoying a peaceful sunset in a beautiful spring day in one of my Guadalupe Mountains National Park.” favorite national parks, Big Bend.”

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TexasCoopPower.com December 2019 Texas Co-op Power 35 Around Texas Event Calendar

December 7 Taylor Pick of the Month December Mistletoe Market Celtic Angels Christmas Marshall December 19 7 (903) 934-7992, memorialcityhall.com Conroe Bark for Life Dog Walk, 1-800-227-2345, relayforlife.org/ A quintet of singers from Ireland highlights a barkconroeandwalkercotx show that includes instrumentalists and Irish dancing. The set list includes traditional Christ- Frisco Hope for the Holidays Masquerade, mas carols and Irish favorites. The event is (972) 977-6064, melodyofhope.org/gala part of the premiere season for the Memorial Hubbard Magnolia & Mistletoe: A Victorian City Hall Performance Center, built in 1907 and Christmas, (254) 625-0258, hubbardcity.com former home to municipal offices and courts. Johnson City Lamplight Tours of LBJ’s Boyhood Home and a Frontier Christmas, (830) 868-7128 Rusk Cherokee Craft & Trade Fair, (903) 268-1598 Santo Community Christmas Craft Show, (940) 659-3990 Taylor Mistletoe Market, (512) 666-9003, artoffcenter.com Dripping Springs [7–8] Redbud Artisan 8 Market, (512) 660-3328 Fort Worth Woman’s Club Holiday Keller [7–8] Keller High School Indianettes Open House, (817) 335-3525, Craft Show, (925) 708-7383, thewomansclubfw.com indianettes.com/craft-show Moody Mother Neff Christmas, (254) 853-2389

CELTIC ANGELS CHRISTMAS: COURTESY CMI ENTERTAINMENT INC. MISTLETOE: VERASTUCHELOVA | DREAMSTIME.COM. BEACH: ANNE WEBBER | DREAMSTIME.COM

ELLEN FULLER with WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA, a nationwide organization that places holiday wreaths on veterans’ graves. POWER OF OUR PEOPLE | NOVEMBER 2019

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Tell us about somebody who improves the quality of life in your community. Email your nom- ination to [email protected]. Include the person’s name, co-op a liation and a short description ENTER NOW of his or her work in the community. Featured nominees will receive a $100 donation for their cause. TexasCoopPower.com/contests

36 Texas Co-op Power December 2019 TexasCoopPower.com Waxahachie YMCA 5K Santa Run, 12 (469) 309-4045 19 Palo Pinto Frontier Christmas, Seguin Third Thursday in Downtown Seguin, (940) 769-2600, palopintohistory.com (830) 379-0730, seguindba.org Ransom Canyon Christmas Tour of Homes, 15 Anson [19–21] Texas Cowboys’ Christmas Stonewall 50th Annual LBJ Christmas Tree (806) 829-2637, ransomcanyonchapel.com Ball, (325) 696-9040, texasccb.com Lighting, (830) 644-2252 New Braunfels [19–22] The Nutcracker, 13 (830) 627-0808, brauntex.org Cuero [13–14] Christmas in Downtown, (361) 485-8008, cueromainstreet.com December 28–January 2 21 Levelland [13–14] South Plains Showdown, South Padre Island Boerne Winter Solstice Celebration Circle, New Year’s at the Beach (806) 894-4161, malleteventcenter.com/events (830) 537-4212, visitboerne.org Chandler [13–15] Night in Bethlehem, Morgan Mill Live Nativity, (214) 793-9698, (903) 849-6042, nib.wlbcc.com morganmillumc.com 14 28 Athens Wreaths Across America, South Padre Island [28–Jan. 2] (903) 670-1031, New Year’s at the Beach, (254) 681-2354, wreathsacrossamerica.org/tx0725 singlesinagriculture.org Burnet Christmas at Old Fort Croghan, (512) 756-8281, highlandlakesofburnetcounty.com 31 Chappell Hill Garden Club Christmas Fredericksburg Countdown to 2020, Home Tour, (713) 562-6191 (830) 997-7521, fbgtx.org Gainesville All That Glitters Holiday Home Tour, (940) 668-8900, mortonmuseum.org Submit Your Event! Jacksonville Cherokee Craft & Trade Fair, We pick events for the magazine directly from (903) 268-1598 TexasCoopPower.com. Submit your event online Sanger Sanger High Craft Show, for February by December 10, and it just might be (940) 206-0007 featured in this calendar.

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TexasCoopPower.com December 2019 Texas Co-op Power 37 Hit the Road With Chet Garner Camp Street Blues Historic venue fuels memories of Crockett’s musical legacy

W;D: 5B76;DC D@ 4EB? 6EB;?9 >I senior year at the University of Texas, I enrolled in a class on the history of rock ’n’ roll, expecting to listen to Led Zeppelin and ride an easy A into the burnt orange sunset. When the professor played a song from a scratchy blues record from 1926 by an artist I had never heard of, I realized I was in for more than I bargained for. The class turned out to be tough, but it set fire to my blues-loving soul. That track was Match Box Blues by Chet Garner and Pipp Street Café, the On the night of my visit, Pipp, a singer Blind Lemon Jefferson. It was a raw, vis- Gillette on the front town’s only re- and songwriter himself, was scheduled ceral song with a clanging guitar and porch of Camp Street maining blues- to perform. haunting vocals. I had never heard any- Café in Crockett. era stalwart. I found a room packed with people at thing like it, and when I learned Jefferson The quaint small square tables enjoying wine (it’s was from Texas, I was hooked. My love building with its red sheet metal exterior BYOB) and munching on snacks from a for the blues drove me to East Texas and and large front porch was built in 1931 counter in the back. When Pipp took the historic Camp Street in Crockett. by a local rancher named V.H. “Hoyt” stage, a hush fell over the crowd. For the When I found Camp Street, a few blocks Porter. On the porch were three doors: next hour or so, Pipp played one song from the Houston County Courthouse Through the middle door was a barber- after another, woven together with his square, I wasn’t sure if I was in the right shop and through the left door, a pool stories and meandering thoughts. The spot until I noticed a mural of Jefferson hall. Through the right door was a café experience epitomized why I love a good painted on a brick wall. Next to Jefferson and taxi stand that featured a dice table listening room, as the only sounds coming were more musicians, including T-Bone and bar. On any given night in the 1940s, from the crowd were applause and laughs Walker, Big Mama Thornton and Sam you might find bluesman Lightnin’ Hop- at Pipp’s jokes. “Lightnin’ ” Hopkins, who all played in kins playing for tips. In the ’50s or ’60s, As I enjoyed the show, I imagined the Crockett when it was a stop for blues artists you might find B.B. King or Fats Domino room in decades past, as the greatest blues traveling the Chitlin’ Circuit between enjoying a beer after a show at the nearby legends played guitar and told stories of Houston and Dallas. Paradise Inn. the road. I left feeling anything but blue. In the 1930s, Camp Street hummed as The café was closed for many years, but Chet Garner shares his Texplorations as the one of the most vibrant business districts in 2008 it got a second chance. Porter’s host of The Daytripper on PBS. in East Texas. Both sides of the street were grandsons, Guy and Pipp Gillette, bought lined with businesses: a beauty parlor, an the property and turned it into a listening . WEB EXTRAS a Read this story on our all-night laundry, a shoe repair shop and room to honor Crockett’s musical legacy. website to see Chet’s video of his visit a juke joint named the Jolly Joy. And Since then, this small stage has hosted to Camp Street Café. Also, for more about the there in the middle of the action, you’d artists including Michael Martin Mur- blues, read Texas: A Blues State in our March

find the Starlight—now called Camp phey, Kinky Friedman and Ruthie Foster. 2019 issue. TODD WHITE | COURTESY CHET GARNER

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Save 20% on any 1 item purchased. *Cannot be used with 2000 99 $ 99 $ * 22093079 * other discount, coupon or any of the following items or brands: Inside Track Club membership, PRICE 1,009 Extended Service Plan, gift card, open box item, 3 day Parking Lot Sale item, compressors, 499 22 0 9 3 0 7 9 fl oor jacks, safes, storage cabinets, chests or carts, trailers, welders, Admiral, Ames, Bauer, SAVE $ 449 Central Machinery, Cobra, CoverPro, Daytona, Diamondback, Earthquake, Fischer, Hercules, * 22105872 * * HONDA EU2000i stated specs Cannot be used with other discounts or prior purchases. Original coupon must be presented. Icon, Jupiter, Lynxx, Poulan, Predator, Tailgator, Viking, Vulcan, Zurich. Not valid on prior $ Valid through 2/1/20 while supplies last. Limit 1 FREE GIFT per customer per day. purchases. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 2/1/20. 559 ITEM 62523 22 1 0 5 8 7 2 LIMIT 1 - Coupon valid through 2/1/20 * SUPER COUPON SUPER SUPER SUPER Customer Rating COUPON COUPON COUPON POWDER-FREE 30", 4 DRAWER TECH CARTS 29 PIECE 3 GALLON, 100 PSI OIL-FREE NITRILE GLOVES • 12,600 cu. in. TITANIUM AIR COMPRESSORS of storage • Air delivery: PACK OF 100 • 580 lb. capacity DRILL BIT SET 0.6 CFM @ 90 PSI • 5 mil thickness Customer Rating Customer Rating $ 99 SAVE 59% NOW 59 99 $ YOUR CHOICE COMPARE TO SAVE 740 NOW99 99 VENOM $ 5 COMPARE TO $ 97 Snap-on YOUR CHOICE $ 10 HOT DOG PANCAKE $ 39 14 $ 99 OF 6 COLORS COMPARE TO ITEM 69269 ITEM 61615/60637 MODEL: VEN4145 BLUE-POINT 99 97080 shown 95275 $ 99 $ 179 DEWALT SAVE shown CustomerCustomer RatingRating ITEM 97581, 37050, 880 Side tray sold 139 $ 14 $ 99 7 $ COMPARE TO $ 62 64417, 64418, 61363, 68497, MODEL: KRBC10TBPC separately. 68 83% 18 98 61360, 61359, 68498, 68496 shown Item 56387, 64096 , 56386, 56392, 56393, 56394 MODEL: DW1369 ITEM 5889/62281 / 61637 shown PORTER-CABLE MODEL: PCFP02003 SAVE 59% * 22110951 * * 22118508 * * 22120614 * * 22127660 * 22 1 1 0 9 5 1 22 1 1 8 5 0 8 22 1 2 0 6 1 4 22 1 2 7 6 6 0 LIMIT 4 - Coupon valid through 2/1/20 * LIMIT 1 - Coupon valid through 2/1/20 * LIMIT 4 - Coupon valid through 2/1/20 * LIMIT 3 - Coupon valid through 2/1/20 * SUPER Customer Rating SUPER COUPON SUPER COUPON SUPER COUPON COUPON ® RAPID PUMP 1.5 TON Customer Rating ALKALINE BATTERIES 40V LITHIUM-ION 72" x 80" LIGHTWEIGHT ALUMINUM AA, AAA - 24 PK 14" BRUSHLESS CHAIN SAW MOVING • W eighs 33 lbs. • Also available in FLOOR JACK Customer Rating BLANKET NOW C - 6 pk, D - 6 pk, 99 and 9 volt - 4 pk Customer Rating SAVE sizes $ $ 59 91 SAVE Item 92404 shown NOW COMPARE TO 66% SAVE COMPARE TO 99 $ NOW BLUE HAWK K TOOL $ 99 COMPARE TO COMPARE TO $ 5 YOUR CHOICE 44 99 $ 99 SAVE $ 15142 79 ENERGIZER 99 KOBALT $ 154 19 $ 94 $ $ 99 MODEL: 77280 70% MODEL: KTI63094 14 $ 99 $ 4 199 179 $ 99 ITEM 64552/64832/64980 / 64545 shown MODEL: 551413526 7 MODEL: KCS120-07 ITEM 64715/ 64478 / 6328763287 shown ITEM 69505/62418 / 66537 shown 8 * 22130624 * * 22131321 * * 22137915 * * 22166090 * 22 1 3 0 6 2 4 22 1 3 1 3 2 1 22 1 3 7 9 1 5 22 1 6 6 0 9 0 LIMIT 1 - Coupon valid through 2/1/20 * LIMIT 4 - Coupon valid through 2/1/20 * LIMIT 1 - Coupon valid through 2/1/20 * LIMIT 5 - Coupon valid through 2/1/20 * SUPER COUPON SUPER SUPER Customer Rating COUPON COUPON 4 PIECE ANTI-FATIGUE 10 FT. x 17 FT. Customer Rating Customer Rating 3-IN-1 PORTABLE FOAM MAT SET 18" x 12" PORTABLE GARAGE MOVER'S DOLLY POWER PACK WITH • Each pad measures 25" x 25" Customer Rating • 1000 lb. capacity JUMP STARTER NOW NOW $ 699 $ 4999 $ 99 NOW COMPARE TO NOW SAVES A V E 8 99 BUFFALO TOOLS 44% $ 99 $ 99 99 59 COMPARE TO COMPARE TO $ 169 $ 99 $ 75 SAVE 22 10 $ 7 $ 99 NORSK SHELTER 290 MODEL: HDFDOLLY COMPARE TO 89 SAVE 65% $ 99 $ ITEM 40187 19 LOGIC MODEL: 76377 120 $ 99 ITEM 60497 SAVSAVEE 65% SUPER START MODEL: 55001 61607/62389 / 94635 shown MODEL: 001119346 ITEM 62859/63055 / 62860 shown 199 61899/62399/63095/63096/63097 /63098 shown ITEM 38391/62376/64083/56349 / 62306 shown * 22170535 * * 22171101 * * 22184694 * * 22188064 * 22 1 7 0 5 3 5 22 1 7 1 1 0 1 22 1 8 4 6 9 4 22 1 8 8 0 6 4 LIMIT 5 - Coupon valid through 2/1/20 * LIMIT 1 - Coupon valid through 2/1/20 * LIMIT 5 - Coupon valid through 2/1/20 * LIMIT 3 - Coupon valid through 2/1/20 * Customer Rating SUPER SUPER TWO TIER COUPON COUPON EASY-STORE 10" PNEUMATIC TIRE Customer Rating 1 TON CAPACITY 4 PIECE, 1" x 15 FT. STEP LADDER Customer Rating FOLDABLE RATCHETING TIE DOWNS • 225 lb. capacity NOW SHOP CRANE Customer Rating 99 • 400 lb. $ 3 • Boom extends from 34" to 45" working load NOW • Crane height adjusts from 99 69-5/8" to 82" $ 19 $ 99 NOW SAVE 69% 5 SAVE 99 50% $ 139 NOW COMPARE TO $ 99 99 KEEPER 29 $ 09 COMPARE TO $ 80 COMPARE TO 8 $ 22999 SAVE $ 99 $ 39 $ 6 22 SAVE $ 88 MODEL: 5505 COMPARE TO 33 F ARM & RANCH MODEL: FR1055 GOPLUS MODEL: GP-101040150 $90 189 12 ITEM 67514 40% WERNER MODEL: S322A-1 ITEM 69385/62388/62409/62698/ 30900 shown ITEM 69512 / 61858 shown ITEM 60405/63056/63057/63150/56668 / 630946 3 0 9 4 shown * 22191751 * * 22191919 * * 22197320 * * 22198611 * 22 1 9 1 7 5 1 22 1 9 1 9 1 9 22 1 9 7 3 2 0 22 1 9 8 6 1 1 LIMIT 3 - Coupon valid through 2/1/20 * LIMIT 4 - Coupon valid through 2/1/20 * LIMIT 1 - Coupon valid through 2/1/20 * LIMIT 5 - Coupon valid through 2/1/20 *

At Harbor Freight Tools, the “Compare to” price means that the specifi ed comparison, which is an item with the same or similar function, was *Original coupon only. No use on prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase or without original receipt. Valid through 2/1/20. advertised for sale at or above the “Compare to” price by another national retailer in the U.S. within the past 90 days. Prices advertised by others may vary by location. No other meaning of “Compare to” should be implied. For more information, go to HarborFreight.com or see store associate.