LOCAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE EDITION FEBRUARY 2007 THETHE LAWLAW EASTofEASTof STINKSTINK CREEKCREEK A Day in the Life of a J.P. PLUS The Skin We’re In Dark Chocolate Hit the Road: Victoria to Austwell Weather and car accidents are the main causes of downed power lines. Always stay away and warn others to stay clear of power lines. Even if they don’t hum, spark or “dance,” downed lines can be dangerous—they can carry Downed Lines an electric current strong enough to cause serious injury or even death. Follow these rules: • If you see a downed power line, move away from the line and anything touching it. LINESLINES • The proper way to move away from the line is to shuffle away with small steps, keeping your feet together and on the ground at all times to minimize the DOWN—DOWN— chance for a human path of electric current. • If someone is in direct or indi- rect contact with the downed line, do not touch the person. BUTBUT NOTNOT OUTOUT Call 911 instead. • Don’t try to move a downed power line or anything in contact with the line by using another object such as a broom or stick. • Don’t drive over downed power lines. • If you are in your car and it is in contact with a downed line, stay in your car. Honk your horn for help but tell others to stay away from your vehicle. Call 911 if you have a cell phone or ask passersby to do it. This public service message is brought to you by your local electric cooperative. For more information, visit your local co-op. February 2007 VOLUME 63 NUMBER 8 FEATURES 6 Quail Dobbs: The Law East of Stink Creek By Mary Lance Photos by Wyatt McSpadden What’s the difference between a rodeo clown and a justice of the peace? Not much. “You still gotta put up with so much bull,” says Quail Dobbs of Coahoma. Since his retirement as a rodeo clown, he’s been enforcing the law with a sense of humor. 12 The Skin We’re In By Susan L. Ebert Fifty percent of us will develop a form of skin cancer by age 65. 6 Here’s one woman’s story. FAVORITES Recipe Roundup Dark Chocolate 30 Footnotes By Jefferson Morganthaler Ben Leaton’s Grand Gamble 34 Focus on Texas Gates 35 Around Texas Local Events Listings 36 Hit the Road By June Naylor Victoria to Austwell 38 30 34 35 12 TEXAS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES BOARD OF DIRECTORS: John Herrera, Chair, Mercedes; Greg Jones, Vice Chair, Jacksonville; Ray Beavers, Secretary-Treasurer, Cleburne; James Calhoun, Franklin; Charles Castleberry, Tulia; Gary Nietsche, La Grange; William “Buff” Whitten, Eldorado PRESIDENT/CEO: Mike Williams, Austin STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS ADVISORY COMMITTEE: Roland Witt, Chair, Coleman; Bill Harbin, Vice Chair, Floydada; Texas Co-op Power is published by your Roy Griffin, Edna; Kim Hooper, Bluegrove; Gerald Lemons, Itasca; Robert A. Loth III, Fredericksburg; Melody Pinnell, Crockett COMMUNICATIONS STAFF: Peg Champion, Vice President, Communications/Publisher; Kaye Northcott, Editor; Carol Moczygemba, electric cooperative to enhance the qual- Managing Editor; Suzi Sands, Art Director; Martin Bevins, Advertising Director; Andy Doughty, Production Designer; Sandra Forston, ity of life of its member-customers in an Communications Assistant; Melissa Grischkowsky, Communications Assistant; Kevin Hargis, Copy Editor; Jo Johenning, Production Assistant; Karen Nejtek, Production Manager; Shannon Oelrich, Food Editor/ Proofreader; Alex Sargent, Production Artist; Ellen Stader, educational and entertaining format. Proofreader; Molly Fohn, Intern COVER PHOTO Quail Dobbs by Wyatt McSpadden February 2007 TEXAS CO-OP POWER 3 letters SAFELIVING Ten Tips for Using a Portable Heater An electric heater can be a great POWERTALK convenience in cold weather, but if not used properly, it can be a potential hazard. The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers has developed a list of 10 simple tips Editor’s note: Our December to alert you to the dos and don’ts issue included an article on of using a portable air heater. lowrider bicycles, and we ≠ Read the instructions and mentioned Kyle McQuilkin, warning labels before using the fine arts doctoral student any portable heater. who was working to get the ≠ Keep flammable materials bicycles recognized as art. away from the heater. Above is the handlebar section ≠ Unless the heater is designed for of his skeleton-themed bicycle. use outdoors or in bathrooms, do not use in those areas. WHY HUNT? ≠ Check for secure plug/outlet We are dog lovers and appreci- fit. ated the December story by ≠ Unplug the heater when it’s Andrew Sansom about the loss not being used. Inspect the and reclamation of his Lab, cord periodically. Do not use a Scout. But I must ask a volatile heater with a damaged cord. question—volatile certainly in ≠ Keep the heater at least 3 feet Texas: How do people take joy in EDD PATTON away from objects such as killing fowl or mammalian life? GOT METHANE? curtains, bedding, furniture, No . no. etc. Do not block the heater’s Cow chips, as every bona fide Texan knows, make great ELIZABETH ROTH air intake or exhaust. ® Central Texas Frisbees . They’ve even been packaged and marketed as ≠ Place the heater on a level, flat Electric Cooperative clever souvenirs of the Lone Star State. Who would surface. Do not place heaters have imagined that one day the lowly cow chip would on furniture. COFFEEMATE be enlisted in the national interest as a source of fuel ≠ Heaters should be kept away I want to compliment the staff from children and not be for energy production? of Texas Co-op Power on the placed in a child’s room with- quality magazine put out each Sure as shootin’, that’s just what’s happening. The out supervision. month. I particularly enjoyed Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA), which pro- ≠ String out cords on top of rugs December’s issue but always vides power to many electric cooperatives and munici- or floors. Placing anything on find something informative in pal utilities in Texas, recently announced it will buy top of the cord may damage it. each issue ... nice to enjoy with ≠ Do not use an extension cord natural gas produced from cow manure, called biogas, a relaxing cup of coffee. unless absolutely necessary. JEANNE MUMAU from a plant in North Texas. Microgy Inc. will open its If you must use Pedernales Electric Cooperative methane-producing facility near Stephenville in April an extension with plans to convert manure into pipeline-quality cord, it must renewable natural gas. be marked We receive many more letters “12-gauge” Manure from 10,000 cows will produce 1 billion than we can fit in the magazine. or “14-gauge” Visit www.texascooppower.com cubic feet of biogas annually, which will generate (the smaller the to read a sampling of those. 650,000 million Btu. At this point, that represents number, the larger about 2 percent of all the natural gas LCRA purchases the size of the wire). We want to hear from our readers. Send and raises its renewables portfolio by 15 percent. Please be smart, be safe letters to: Editor, Texas Co-op Power, 2550 and enjoy your portable S. IH-35, Austin, TX 78704, or e-mail us at With a population of about 14 million cattle in [email protected]. Please include the electric heater! name of your town and electric co-op. Texas, it looks as if we might milk this methane thing Letters may be edited for clarity and length Photo courtesy and will be printed as space allows. till the proverbial cows come home. The Home Depot 4 TEXAS CO-OP POWER February 2007 HAPPENINGS Contemporary photographer Robb Kendrick captured MODERN-DAY COWBOYS ON TINTYPES for a WHO KNEW? heritage photography campaign commissioned by Frost Bank. The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin will be exhibiting 66 tintypes of those haunting images from February 17-April 15. The tintypes, says curator Margaret Blagg, are “literally one-of-a-kind creations. They are more like paintings or drawings than photographs.” Subjects must hold a pose for several seconds as the image burns into the photographic plate. EDD PATTON For more information, go to www.thestoryoftexas.com or DIRECT TO ROBB KENDRICK call (512) 936-TSHM (8746). DAMNATION? Lamar County Electric Cooperative serves Direct, a town of 200 some 25 miles northwest of Paris in Lamar County. Actually, it’s pronounced HOT DIrect. According to local tradi- tion as relayed by the Handbook of Texas, “the town was named STUFF either for Indians who crossed YO, TEXANS—TIME TO GET the [Red] river ‘direct’ to obtain YOUR CALENDAR whiskey or to a revivalist who For the die-hard Texan, there’s no better gift than the Bona believed the local people were Fide Original Real Texas Calendar, which appropriately going ‘direct’ to hell. The local starts the year in March to honor Texas Independence Day church was built with money (March 2). In addition to dates and cartoons, the calendar donated by a converted saloon- highlights significant Texas events throughout the year. keeper.” Today, the easiest route For example, on March 24, 1880, Gen. Philip H. Sheridan to Direct is to take FM 79 north apologized for saying, “If I owned Texas and hell, I’d rent from Paris. First you hit East out Texas and live in hell.” To order the calendar for $8.95, Direct, then Direct. visit www.texascalendars.com or call (512) 263-6943. Texas Co-op Power (USPS 540-560) is pub- DOUG BAUM, CAMEL RANCHER with the animals ever since. In addi- lished monthly by Texas Electric Cooperatives (TEC).