LOCAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE EDITION NOVEMBER 2008 HIT THE ROAD COOKIE SWAP DEFENDINGDEFENDING CADDOCADDO LAKELAKE WeedWeed WarriorsWarriors BattleBattle InvasiveInvasive MonsterMonster ® No downloads. No software. No computer. Preloaded and ready to play! An audio Bible in the palm of your hand. Search and begin play at any verse– a fi rst for audio Bibles! Th e entire Bible, Th e GoBible® is ideal for personal listening and can also be connected to optional over 70 hours, read by an portable speakers to share the Word with award winning narrator. Bible study groups, family and friends. Listen to your favorite Old and New Great sound quality and a Testament passages and Bible stories anytime you want... in your car, on a plane, big, bright, easy-to-read screen. even while Th e GoBible® package includes the Find what you want exercising. 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November 2008 VOLUME 65 NUMBER 5 FEATURES 6 Defending Caddo Lake: Weed Warriors Battle Invasive Monster By Jack Canson Photos by Kent Barker Aptly named, Salvinia molesta, or giant salvinia, is potentially the most destructive natural calamity ever to threaten southern U.S. lakes. We visit with the folks who are fighting back to preserve the state’s only natural lake. 6 FAVORITES Recipe Roundup Cookie Swap 26 Focus on Texas Signs 29 Around Texas Local Events Listings 36 Hit the Road By Camille Wheeler Vanderpool to Utopia 38 26 29 38 6 TEXAS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Ray Beavers, Chair, Cleburne; Darren Schauer, Vice Chair, Gonzales; Kendall Montgomery, Secretary-Treasurer, Olney; James Calhoun, Franklin; Steve Louder, Hereford; Gary Nietsche, La Grange; Larry Warren, San Augustine PRESIDENT/CEO: Mike Williams, Austin STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS ADVISORY COMMITTEE: Bill Harbin, Chair, Floydada; Robert A. Loth III, Vice Chair, Texas Co-op Power is published by your Fredericksburg; Roy Griffin, Edna; Bryan Lightfoot, Bartlett; Melody Pinnell, Crockett; Anne Vaden, Corinth; William “Buff” Whitten, Eldorado electric cooperative to enhance the qual- COMMUNICATIONS STAFF: Martin Bevins, Sales Director; Carol Moczygemba, Executive Editor; Kaye Northcott, Editor; ity of life of its member-customers in an Suzi Sands, Art Director; Karen Nejtek, Production Manager; Ashley Clary, Field Editor; Andy Doughty, Production Designer; Sandra Forston, Communications Assistant; Melissa Grischkowsky, Communications Coordinator; Kevin Hargis, Food Editor; educational and entertaining format. Camille Wheeler, Staff Writer COVER PHOTO by Kent Barker November 2008 TEXAS CO-OP POWER 3 kept me very comfortable all these years. On very cold days, letters the backup heat strips do come on line, and it certainly does cost more during the coldest SOLAR HEAT WORKS months but not unreasonably so. Your solar article (July 2008) I have used Lennox, and my POWERTALK seems to be oblivious to the current system is Trane. Both day-in and day-out solar ther- worked very well. mal power plants of the para- ERNEST WELLS bolic trough design. We have CoServ Electric partnered in the past with Sandia National Laboratories OUR PUMPS WORK and the National Renewable We have two heat pumps in our Energy Laboratory in making current home, and we love this type of green power more them. The downstairs unit is efficient for the last few older than and not as efficient decades while turning a profit as the upstairs unit. Both the for the investors year after letter writers in the September year. The newest solar thermal issue need to have their heat power using the parabolic pumps checked out. Some thing design was put on line earlier seems very wrong. this year in Boulder, Nevada, TIM BENNETT by a few of my former cowork- United Cooperative Services ers who now work for Acciona. GORDON “SOLAR HOMER Editor’s Note: We have received SIMPSON” BISHOFF many letters from co-op mem- Control Room Operator, bers who love their heat pumps. Kramer Junction Solar Go to www.texascooppower Thermal Power Plants .com to see more comments. Mojave Desert, California KEEP HARVEST TIME SAFE EATING GOOD MORE ON HEAT PUMPS I recently made the Aegean The modern farmer, more than ever, relies on heavy Just in case you are keeping Shrimp Nueces that was fea- equipment to bring in the crops. This year, before head- score, I would like to pass tured in the September 2008 ing out to the fields, farmers should make sure they along my experience with heat issue of Texas Co-op Power. It know the locations of power lines and take into account pumps, which was the subject was wonderful! The feta cheese their equipment sizes, especially if they are using some- of two letters in your Sep - and olives made it taste like a tember issue. If the ambient true Greek feast. This recipe thing new. Also be aware that even if a clearance was safe temperature gets down below will certainly be repeated at last year, something as simple as soil buildup could make 40 degrees, you are in trouble my house. I also made the it hazardous this year. with a heat pump. If it gets Mandarin-Pecan Spinach Salad According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, contact below 30 degrees, you are that was located on the same with overhead power lines has accounted for more than going to be cold unless you page as the Aegean Shrimp utilize the emergency heat Nueces recipe sponsored by the 450 on-the-job deaths in the United States from 2003- strip supplied in most all heat Texas Pecan Board. It, too, was 06, the latest statistics available. Of those, 35 occurred pump units. a winner. My family ate good on farms. JAMES ROUNDTREE that night! Keep in mind these safety tips: Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative KAY MORSE ≠ Grayson-Collin Electric Cooperative Equipment should come no closer than 10 feet GOOD TRACK RECORD from overhead lines. Even if a line is not directly con- FOR 24 YEARS tacted, electricity can arc. I have two homes with heat ≠ When moving equipment from field to field, always pumps, and the one I am living in now has been serviced by We want to hear from our readers. Send lower any attachments—even if you’re only moving it a letters to: Editor, Texas Co-op Power, 2550 heat pumps since 1984. I have S. IH-35, Austin, TX 78704, e-mail us at few yards. replaced the compressor unit [email protected], or submit online at ≠ Use a spotter when moving big equipment or big www.texascooppower.com. Please include twice in 24 years. the name of your town and electric co-op. loads. And never attempt to move a power line in your Our winters can be very Letters may be edited for clarity and length and are printed as space allows. Read addi- path—always contact your co-op for help. cold, but my heat pumps have tional letters at www.texascooppower.com. 4 TEXAS CO-OP POWER November 2008 HAPPENINGS Hungry for a good time? Pour on the fun at the 20th annual HERITAGE SYRUP FESTIVAL in WHO KNEW? Henderson.