texas co-op power • may 2012 - bluebonnet electric ... · may 2012 texas co-op power 3 29 312931...

M A Y 2 0 1 2B L U E B O N N E T E L E C T R I C C O O P E R A T I V E E D I T I O N

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COME TOGETHERIn This Year of Cooperatives, Members Tell Why Their Co-ops Are Worth Celebrating

COME TOGETHER

In This Year of Cooperatives, Members Tell Why Their Co-ops Are Worth Celebrating

SEE PAGES 17–24

BLUEBONNET NEWS

BLUEBONNET NEWS

SEE PAGES 17–24

may 12 local covers 4/12/12 11:12 AM Page 2

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T E X A S E L E C T R I C C O O P E R A T I V E S B O A R D O F D I R E C T O R S : Rick Haile, Chair, McGregor; Ron Hughes, Vice Chair,Sinton; Darryl Schriver, Secretary-Treasurer, Merkel; Randy Mahannah, Perryton; Billy Marricle, Bellville; Melody Pinnell,Crockett; Mark Stubbs, Greenville

P R E S I D E N T / C E O : Mike Williams, Austin

S T R AT E G I C C O M M U N I C AT I O N S A D V I S O RY C O M M I T T E E : William “Buff” Whitten, Chair, Eldorado; Bryan Lightfoot,Vice Chair, Bartlett; Roy Griffin, Edna; Stan McClendon, Wellington; Gary Nietsche, La Grange; Anne Vaden, Argyle; LarryWarren, San Augustine

C O M M U N I C A T I O N S S T A F F : Martin Bevins, Sales Director; Carol Moczygemba, Executive Editor; Camille Wheeler, AssociateEditor; Suzi Sands, Art Director; Karen Nejtek, Production Manager; Ashley Clary-Carpenter, Field Editor; Andy Doughty,Production Designer/Web Content Manager; Sandra Forston, Communications Assistant; Suzanne Haberman, Staff Writer; KevinHargis, Food Editor; Ellen Stader, Proofreader; Israel Perez, Editorial Intern

F E A T U R E S

D E P A R T M E N T S

May 2012

Come TogetherBy Charles BoisseauPhotos by Will van Overbeek

During this International Year ofCooperatives, member-customers tell whytheir electric co-ops—part of the essentialglue that holds a community together—are worth celebrating. Are co-ops really sospecial? In a word: Yes.

The Magical History TourBy Carol Moczygemba

Along the Texas Heritage Trails, you’ll meetpeople living side by side with a rich pastthat isn’t so much gone as it is transformed.The trails program helps preserve Texas’historic sites and sparks tourism.

V O L U M E 6 8 N U M B E R 1 1

C O V E R P H O T O Rancher Leslie Lorenz by Will van Overbeek

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Texas Co-op Power is published by your

electric cooperative to enhance the qual-

ity of life of its member-customers in an

educational and entertaining format.

Footnotes by Lori Grossman ‘San Antonio Rose’ 2 9

Recipe Roundup Spring Brunch 3 1

Focus on Texas Everything’s Bigger in Texas 3 5

Around Texas Local Events Listings 3 6

Hit the Road by Kevin Hargis Bastrop State Park 3 8

TexasCoopPower.comThe following May stories are available on our website.

Texas USA by Patricia StrutzWildlife Rehabilitators

Observations by Mike CoxGetting My TV Kicks on ‘Route 66’

8

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Gov. Rick Perry

While the state’s business-friendly environmenthas encouraged investment that has led to suffi-cient generation and transmission capacity for thenear term, Texas’ continued growth will requireexpanded capacity in the years to come. Texas ispursuing multiple approaches to energy creation by expanding promising new technologies whilecontinuing to develop traditional sources. Recentprojections from the Electric Reliability Council ofTexas indicate that, based on current weatherexpectations, Texas has the capacity to meet consumer needs over the 2012 summer months.

To prepare for this summer the Public UtilityCommission and ERCOT have taken some specificsteps. The PUC is working with transmission anddistribution companies to make better use ofdemand-response programs, which were createdas part of their energy-efficiency requirement.ERCOT is continuing to expand its interruptible loadprograms, which allow large industrial and com-mercial users to voluntarily reduce consumptionduring periods of peak usage.

I will continue working with officials at the PUCand ERCOT to ensure that we are utilizing all of ouravailable energy options. That’s the only way wecan assure Texans have an adequate supply of elec-tricity to power their homes, schools and busi-nesses in the months and years to come.

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst

In the past decade, Texas’ population has grown bya whopping 4.2 million residents. Generally speak-ing, growth is a good thing, but it can also createmany challenges—especially when it concerns thedemand for affordable electricity.

As a lifelong businessman who built a successfulenergy company from the ground up, I believe thatwe must take a comprehensive approach. Texas’energy resources are as diverse and abundant asour booming population. Using traditional powersources and cultivating renewable fuels, Texas cansupply the inexpensive homegrown energy weneed to meet our state’s future demands.

However, as we learned from the record hotsummer in 2011, prolonged heat waves can put atremendous strain on our electric grid—especiallyduring hours of peak demand. Fortunately, our gridperformed remarkably well last summer, usingemergency reserves when necessary, while avoid-ing rolling power outages.

Since then, the Legislature has worked closelywith state agencies and generators across Texas toensure we are prepared for 2012. We have foughtagainst regulatory overreach by the EnvironmentalProtection Agency, encouraged private companiesto develop new sources of generation, and formal-ized the process for bringing mothballed unitsonline to meet demand if needed. We have alsosupported conservation. Texans can help by limit-ing their power use this summer during peak hoursin the afternoon and early evening.

Rest assured, Texas will continue to partnerwith industry leaders to ensure that we have thedependable, low-cost electricity we need to powerour economy long into the future.

House Speaker Joe Straus

Ensuring all Texans have an adequate and reliablepower supply is essential to our state’s economicviability. In some countries reliable power can bequestionable, but in Texas when you hit the switch,the light must come on. Our citizens—and oureconomy—depend on it. That’s why the No. 1 prior-ity of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas marketand the Public Utility Commission is reliability.

Texas has by far the largest electric usage ofany state—roughly equivalent to Kansas, Colorado,New Mexico, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma andMississippi combined. Our state’s populationgrowth and economic prosperity are driving elec-tricity demands even higher. Since the competitivemarket was established in 2001, electric generatorshave invested $36.5 billion in the development ofnew generation and upgrades to existing plants tohelp meet this growth in demand.

Projected peak demand for this summer hasrecently been increased to 67,492 megawatts—1,297 MW higher than would be expected with“normal” summer temperatures. (One megawatt ofpower is enough to power 250 homes on average.)Several adjustments already implemented by ERCOTand the PUC at the direction of the Legislature havebeen well received by our competitive market.

But we know there is more to be done. In 2011, I directed the House Committee on State Affairs toexamine the issue of adequate electric generationsupplies. By collaborating with ERCOT and the PUC, I am confident we will continue to meet growingdemand and keep the lights on to ensure our statecan grow and prosper in the future.

‘How will Texas meet itselectricity needs this summer?’In the interest of keeping our members informed about the adequacy of the state’s electricity supply, and in view of lastsummer’s extreme weather and the stress on the state’s electricity grid, TEC posed that question to our state’s top electedofficials with oversight responsibilities of Texas’ electricity infrastructure.

Here are their responses.

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plants, which may have achance of survival with thistype of garden.

BEVERLY NORDNavasota Valley

Electric Cooperative

THE WHEEL DEALI couldn’t agree more about the joys that RVers experi-ence in volunteering in stateand other parks [“CampgroundComrades,” February 2012].How wonderful for all involved—RVers, park management andthe general public—a win-win-win situation. Folks who

THE LONE RANGERI enjoyed Martha Deeringer’sarticle about the Lone Rangerradio shows of days gone by[History, March 2012]. I wishthat she had at least men-tioned the voice that so manyof us who had the radio as acompanion during our Sundayevening dinners heard. Therich baritone voice belonged toBrace Beemer and was soidentified with the radio per-formances that many of uscould never accept the TV ver-sion. Nonetheless, thank youfor the look back to thosewonderful years.

SCOTT CAMERONPedernales Electric Cooperative

SOLAR POWERReading the article aboutCatherine Ozer [“Meet theSolar Lady,” March 2012 Co-opPeople], I couldn’t help wonder-ing: The purchase price of the

would like more information areinvited to visit our website. Theentire site is dedicated to help-ing RVers who want to workwhile RVing. We even havepages of help-wanted ads forthem to peruse. There is nocharge for the information weprovide.

COLEEN SYKORAWorkers On Wheels editor

www.workersonwheels.com

LIGHTING DISCUSSIONI learned a great deal fromreading the article about light-ing [“Illuminated Thinking,”January 2012]. In fact, everyissue contains helpful insightsthat I use to make my life in thecountry better.

GREGORY EDDINGSHamilton County

Electric Cooperative

Re: Johnny Taylor’s letter to the editor, “Dim View ofLighting,” in the March 2012issue: There will still be economical heat-producinglightbulbs available for suchpurposes as preventing well-pump and water-pipe freezing.

As for Mr. Taylor’s commentthat any heat-source alterna-tive to his 60-watt lightbulb isgoing to cost a lot more, andhe’s going to send the bill to“you”: I suppose he means hispower co-op. The power co-opsand companies have nothing todo with this change, so howdoes he think the bill should goto them?

JENELL BRINSONSam Houston Electric Cooperative

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!ONLINE: TexasCoopPower.com/shareEMAIL: [email protected]: Editor, Texas Co-op Power, 1122Colorado St., 24th Floor, Austin, TX 78701Please include your town and electric co-op.Letters may be edited for clarity and length.

solar photovoltaic system,including installation, was$29,292, less $8,000 for aGuadalupe Valley ElectricCooperative rebate and a$7,000 federal renewableenergy tax credit. That wouldleave owing $14,292 andwould probably cost about$500 a month for more thantwo years to pay off. I thinkwe need to be a little morerealistic about solar power forthe average customer.

LYNDA O’NEILLCentral Texas Electric Cooperative

KEYHOLE GARDENINGI loved the article on keyholegardening [February 2012]. Ihave two damaged aluminumboats that I wanted to makeinto raised beds, but I worriedabout the lack of rain to sup-port them. The best part isthat it was free. No expensewas incurred except for the

GET MORE TCP at TexasCoopPower.com

Find more letters in the May Table of Contents.

Sign up for our E-Newsletter for monthly updates,

prize drawings and more!

Who IsThat Masked Man?I enjoyed reading about the Lone Ranger (yes, Ihave many silver strands) and the Texas RangerHall of Fame and Museum in Waco [“The LoneRanger,” March 2012]. We will go there someday.As for the Lone Ranger, they’re planning aWestern movie in 2013? Sounds great. WriterMartha Deeringer mentioned that Johnny Deppwill play the role of Tonto. But if this is about theLone Ranger, who is playing the masked man?

Helen Fraser, Mid-South Synergy

His identity is revealed: Armie Hammer, as themasked Lone Ranger, and Johnny Depp, as Tonto,fill the top two roles in a movie scheduled forrelease in 2013.

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TEXAS CO-OP POWER (USPS 540-560) is published monthly by Texas Electric Cooperatives (TEC). Periodical Postage Paid at Austin, TX and at additional offices. TEC is the statewide association representing76 electric cooperatives. Texas Co-op Power’s website is TexasCoopPower.com. Call (512) 454-0311 or email [email protected]. SUBSCRIPTION PRICE is $3.96 per year for individual members ofsubscribing cooperatives. If you are not a member of a subscribing cooperative, you can purchase an annual subscription at the nonmember rate of $7.50. Individual copies and back issues are available for $3each. 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 addressand key numbers. ADVERTISING: Advertisers interested in buying display ad space in Texas Co-op Power and/or in our 30 sister publications in other states, contact Martin Bevins at (512) 486-6249.Advertisements in Texas Co-op Power are paid solicitations. The publisher neither endorses nor guarantees in any manner any product or company included in this publication. Product satisfaction and deliveryresponsibility lie solely with the advertiser. Direct questions or comments about advertising to Martin Bevins, sales director.

© Copyright 2012 Texas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. Reproduction of this issue or any portion of it is expressly prohibited without written permission. Willie Wiredhand © Copyright 2012 National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

POWERconnectionsLetters from Texas Co-op Power Readers; People, Places and Events in Texas

BY ASHLEY CLARY-CARPENTERIn 1972, Mary Ellen Walls and her husband, Ray, were living inMinneapolis when they welcomed their second son, Eric, into theworld. The day after Eric was born, Ray brought a recent NationalGeographic magazine into Mary Ellen’s hospital room. An article onUkrainian Easter eggs highlighted a Ukrainian community inMinneapolis and a gift shop that sold the eggs.But Mary Ellen, who had long been fascinated withthe eggs, figured it would take a lifetime to learnhow to create them. And then, her doctor sharedthis coincidental news: He had bought his wife anegg-making kit, and she was now making them.

“I was floored,” Mary Ellen said, who immedi-ately sent Ray out for a kit. The birth of a hobbycontinues today from the family home inSisterdale, where Mary Ellen and Ray are servedby Central Texas Electric Cooperative.

The process begins with a raw white egg anda writing tool called a kistka that applies meltedwax (dye colors don’t adhere to the wax-coveredareas). Then the egg is dipped in the lightestdye, usually yellow, and the waxed areas remain

CO-OP PEOPLE Egg-xacting Hobby: Mary EllenWalls’ Ukrainian Masterpieces

white. The egg is drawn on again with wax, covering anything thatshould remain yellow, and dipped in the next color. This process isrepeated, lightest to darkest, ending with the final dye bath, usuallyblack or deep blue. Finally, the wax is removed, revealing the design.Each egg can take three to 10 hours to complete.

Called pysanky (from the word pysaty, meaning “to write”), the eggs, for centuries now, have customarilybeen given to friends and family to ensurehealth, luck and prosperity. Historically,pysanky were displayed in homes and some-times carried as talismans.

For some, the eggs symbolize renewal. ForMary Ellen, they represent the birth of her secondson. “It’s a very spiritual thing for me to sit downand create these,” she said. And, 40 years later,good fortune is still passed on: “Almost everytime we have a visitor or guest, and they’re ontheir way out, I tell them, ‘Take an egg with you.’ ”

Ashley Clary-Carpenter, field editorSend Co-op People ideas [email protected].

For 40 years now, Central Texas ElectricCooperative member Mary Ellen Walls has been perfecting her hobby of dyeingUkrainian Easter eggs, an ancient art form that’s taken on modern-day appeal.

P H O T O : R A Y W A L L S

M a y 2 0 1 2 T E X A S C O - O P P O W E R 7I L L U S T R A T I O N S B Y C A R L W I E N S

2012I N T E R N AT I O N A L Y E A R O F

C O O P E R A T I V E S

WHO KNEW?“Vitame vas!” Right in time for the 46thannual NATIONAL POLKA FESTIVAL,you now know a heartfelt Czech greeting—“Wewelcome you!”—that an expected 50,000attendees will hear over the course of MemorialDay weekend in Ennis, south of Dallas.

Known as the largest of its kind in the U.S.,the festival attracts polka enthusiasts fromaround the country while putting Ennis’

Czech heritage on center stage. The festivities,set for May 25–27, kick off with Friday night’sKing and Queen Dance Contest featuringfancy-stepping competitors in traditional cos-tumes. And there’s so much more, including adowntown parade, a kolache-eating contest,the Polkafest Run and the main attraction:three Czech dance halls filled with the sweet

strains of polka, waltz and folk music.For more information, call 1-888-366-4748 or go to www.nationalpolkafestival.com.Find hundreds of happenings all across the state at TexasCoopPower.com.

Alaska Village Electric Cooperative provides power for more than7,000 customers in 53 villages throughout the state’s remote westernregion—the largest service area of any retail electric co-op in theworld. The co-op’s members represent many native people, includingAthabascan and Siberian Yupik. Village governments oversee opera-tions of the co-op’s power generating and distribution plants.

DINOSAUR CAPITALOF TEXASMore than 100 million years ago,dinosaurs left evidence of theirtime in Texas near modern-dayGlen Rose, a North Texas townthe Legislature declared theDinosaur Capital of Texas in1997. Find your inner paleontol-ogist by camping at DinosaurValley State Park, where youcan view some of the world’sbest-preserved dinosaur tracks;or visit Dinosaur World, a familypark and outdoor museum fea-turing life-sized replicas of theancient reptiles.

H A P P E N I N G S

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B Y C H A R L E S B O I S S E A U • P H O T O S B Y W I L L VA N O V E R B E E K

In This International Year of Cooperatives,Member-Customers Tell Why Their Co-opsAre Worth Celebrating

Pull up a tailgate, and let’s talk business: During the 2011 drought,Leslie Lorenz (left) and other ranchers benefited from the swift

action of Heart of Texas Electric Cooperative CEO/Manager RickHaile, whose approval of powering a water pump at Rosebud Lake

proved to be a livestock lifesaver. Here, Lorenz shows Haile thenumber of cattle and goats that received emergency water.


On a gray and rainy Tuesday in mid-November, people poured into anEast Texas gymnasium, where asea of folding chairs covered the

floor of perhaps the largest meetingspace within 10 counties.

They came for the annual meeting ofSam Houston Electric Cooperative nearLivingston. More than three hours beforethe official start, Cleo Railey arrived, thefirst of what would be a standing-roomcrowd of more than 1,100 co-op member-customers and their families.

Why come so early and on such adreary day? “I just sat and visited witheveryone,” Railey said following themeeting as she clutched a door prizeand beamed after catching up withfriends and co-op employees.

Railey expressed the spirit of whatmakes a co-op different: Electric coop-eratives are part of the essential gluethat holds a community together, andit’s a role that co-ops like Sam HoustonEC proudly work to live up to.

With the United Nations having des-ignated 2012 as the International Yearof Cooperatives, we asked members ofTexas electric co-ops what they valueabout their co-op and about beingmembers.

Across the state, they offered manyreasons: “My co-op provides good serv-ice.” We also heard: “they’re respon-sive,” “managed by good people” and“they’re good for our community.”

Railey put it this way: “If you have aproblem, they’re Johnny-on-the-spot.”

Are co-ops really so special? In aword: Yes. For one thing, co-ops are aspecial kind of business. They use a dif-ferent business model from many othercompanies: They are democraticallygoverned and work for the benefit oftheir members and communities—notsingle owners or stockholders. Theseare not empty promises; these areamong the seven principles (see atwww.nreca.coop) a co-op must embodyto rightfully be called a cooperative.

Democracy rulesCo-ops are democratically controlled.If you are a customer of a co-op, you area member, and members have a vote inthe direction their business takes.Democratic Member Control, one ofthe co-op principles, means you electfellow members to serve on the co-op’sboard of directors.

In practice, Democratic MemberControl can take some interestingturns. Consider Bluebonnet ElectricCooperative’s annual meeting in May2008 when a routine call went out forlast-minute nominations from the floorto serve on the 11-member board.

Usually such an announcement goeswithout fanfare because the nomineesare selected through a process stipu-lated in the co-op’s bylaws and publi-cized in time for the annual meeting.But there’s often the chance for an 11th-hour candidate.

That’s exactly what happened whenBluebonnet EC member Mike Hopkinsstood up to nominate Robert Mikeska.Mikeska had a long history of publicservice as a former Washington Countycommissioner and Brenham CityCouncil member.

The voting went without a hitch,with co-op staff passing around line-men’s hard hats to collect the ballots.When all the votes were counted,Mikeska was elected as a write-in can-didate and became the co-op’s newestboard member.

“It illustrates to folks that the processis open,” Mikeska said. “Any membercan get their name on the ballot.”

Responding to ranchersCo-op members who ranch for a livingwere among the hardest hit during aprolonged drought that intensified in2011. The soaring heat and lack of rainleft pastures bare and stock tanksempty, forcing many ranchers—facedwith higher prices for water, hay andfeed—to sell all or parts of their herdsat depressed prices.

Ranchers in Central Texas served byHeart of Texas Electric Cooperativebanded together to seek approval fromthe City of Rosebud to use untreatedwater from Rosebud Lake for theirlivestock.

The city approved the request, butthe ranchers had to find a way to getthe water out. Enter Heart of Texas EC,which agreed to supply power to awater pump at the lakeside. TheMcGregor-based co-op quickly dis-patched a crew to install a pole andmeter and run a line to the pump at astorage tank.

Leslie Lorenz, a rancher who servedas coordinator of the emergency waterprogram, said the co-op imposed no

delays or red tape on the project at atime when speed was crucial.

Within 24 hours of the request,Heart of Texas CEO/Manager RickHaile approved it, said Bryan Chandler,the co-op’s district line superintendent.“If it’s for the members, he’s all for it,”Chandler said. “That’s what’s goodabout being a cooperative. We have con-trol to make decisions. We don’t have togo any further.”

Lorenz said the water project helpedhim and other ranchers maintain theirherds. “I hauled 1,200 to 1,400 gallonsa day. I went twice a day. I held onto mycattle,” he said.

The locals have itTime and again, co-op members say theyprize local accountability of their co-op.

Buddy Alders, a member of HoustonCounty Electric Cooperative who livesnear Madisonville in Madison County,can directly compare the service he getsfrom Houston County EC—the co-opthat supplies electricity at his ranchhome—and that from a neighboring util-ity which serves a construction businesshe owns in Dayton.

Alders cited a recent example: Hisemployees needed to have a utility polemoved at a subdivision. It took manycalls, a monthlong delay and too muchmoney to get the job done, he com-plained. If he were dealing withHouston County EC, he could have hadit taken care of as he had done before:with a short meeting at the co-op’sCrockett offices with General ManagerMelody Pinnell or Line SuperintendentJack Vickers.

“We would have gotten it done in aweek, and it wouldn’t have cost $1,100,”Alders said. “I’m a rural person. Andthis is a tremendous advantage for ruralelectric co-ops—they give service at atime service is almost a forgotten thing.”

On the South Plains, Paul Wilsontells a similar story. Wilson is generalmanager of United Cotton GrowersCooperative in Levelland, one of thestate’s largest farmer-owned cottongins. The cotton co-op also is a memberof Tahoka-based Lyntegar ElectricCooperative, which provides electricityto a large area south of Lubbock.

A few years ago, Lyntegar proposeda rate change that would haveincreased the expenses of Wilson’s andother cotton gins, especially when gins

1 0 T E X A S C O - O P P O W E R M a y 2 0 1 2

test new equipment during the sum-mer. United Cotton Growers and othergins requested a meeting with the co-op to discuss the proposed increase.

“It was not contentious at all,” Wilsonsaid of the meeting with Lyntegar CEOGreg Henley and staff members, inwhich an agreement was worked outthat all the parties liked.

“They encouraged the dialogue,”Wilson said. “Small businesses wereable to get together and influence theco-op’s decision, and they were able todo it because we’re member-owners,and they want to please us. And that’sthe real advantage of being a memberof Lyntegar.”

Returning money to membersBeing accountable to fellow membersmakes all the difference in how a co-opis run, said Mack Rose, who operates abass fishing guide service on SamRayburn Reservoir.

In 2010, Rose, a former JasperCounty commissioner, won an electionagainst four others for a seat on the

board of his co-op, Jasper-NewtonElectric Cooperative.

Last year, the board assessed the co-op’s fiscal health and voted to returncapital credits to members in the formof discounts on their summer electric-ity bills. “I’m proud of that,” Rose said.“We want to run this as efficiently aspossible … We’re not in it for profits.”

At co-ops, positive cash flow—a nec-essary requirement for the bond andloan markets—funds maintenance andimprovements to the system that deliv-ers electricity. Income generated overexpenses goes back as an investment inthe cooperative and is eventuallyreturned to member-customers as cap-ital credits.

Community firstCo-ops support projects that improvethe quality of life for their members andcommunities. They provide scholar-ships to students, funded by unclaimedcapital credits and voluntary contribu-tions, and grants to local communityorganizations. Plus, they contribute

money to help volunteer fire depart-ments, food banks, emergency medicalservices, libraries, schools and countlessworthy causes.

Co-ops are often called to help withunexpected projects. For example, theCity of Mineola needed a new home fora 60-foot-long, 30,000-pound historicbridge that had been replaced by a con-crete one. City officials decided toinstall the bridge over the IG&N rail-road slough at the Mineola NaturePreserve on the Sabine River, a 3,000-acre parcel being developed into a pub-lic wildlife and recreational space.

But before the bridge could be relo-cated, a sturdy piling structure neededto be built for its foundation. The littlecity of 4,500 residents didn’t have themoney to hire outside contractors toperform the work.

So Mineola Mayor Bo Whitus turnedto Wood County Electric Cooperative,based in nearby Quitman. The co-opsupplies power to the nature preserveand most of the rest of the county, andmany of its members support the

Wood County Electric Cooperative CEO/General Manager Debbie Robinson (front row, third from left) andMineola Mayor Bo Whitus (front row, third from right) celebrate the team effort of relocating this historic bridgeto the Mineola Nature Preserve. In August 2010, a Wood County EC crew dug holes for poles to support the30,000-pound bridge and walkway.

wildlife preserve and work in Mineola.Wood County EC CEO/General

Manager Debbie Robinson put themayor in touch with a co-op supervisorwhom Whitus knew. As soon as theutility construction crew had a littledowntime, they spent two days inAugust 2010 in the heavily woodednature preserve, using a digger truck todig 8-foot-deep holes for 27 poles tosupport the bridge and walkway.

“They just seem to be looking foropportunities to assist,” Whitus said.“You can’t imagine how thrilled I waswhen they showed up. We had beenpondering this for a long time.”

At a time when big utilities havepulled out of local service areas andoperate from distant call centers, co-opsprovide a strong, ongoing local presence.“I really believe that co-ops have becomethe economic engines in a lot of commu-nities,” said Kerry Kelton, general man-ager of Navasota-based Mid-SouthSynergy, which provides electricity,Internet and water services to membersin six counties in Southeast Texas.

Saving livesIn 2010, Nueces and San Patricio elec-tric cooperatives separately enteredinto agreements with a nonprofit airambulance service, HALO-Flight, to flymembers to hospitals in case of majormedical emergencies. Instead of the$10,000 or more typical cost of such ahelicopter flight, members pay just a $1monthly subscription fee.

“We were very excited when HALO-Flight approached us with the idea,”said San Patricio Electric CooperativeGeneral Manager Ron Hughes. “About10 percent of our membership now par-ticipates in the HALO-Flight program.”

The Nueces EC board agreed to offerthe program, in which the co-op han-dles billing, because so many memberslive in areas far from medical facilitiesand with limited ambulance service,said John Sims, CEO of Nueces EC. Theco-op has supported the nonprofitgroup since 1996 with annual grantsfrom its Operation Round Up—fundsthat helped HALO-Flight secure itsfirst helicopters, said Sarah Fisher, chiefcompliance officer with Nueces EC.

Response to power outagesFor electric utilities, swift response to apower outage is the hallmark of good

customer service.Last November, some of Sam

Houston EC members arriving for theannual meeting had damp, grateful eyesas they greeted Keith Stapleton, whoserves as the co-op’s chief communica-tions officer. Still on their minds,Stapleton said, was the co-op’s responseto Hurricane Ike, the September 2008storm that pummeled East Texas andknocked out power to every one of theco-op’s 67,000 electric meters.

Members recall co-op employees’tireless efforts to restore power as thestorms from Ike followed a devastatingpath up the U.S. Highway 59 corridor,through the center of Sam Houston’ssystem. The co-op set up camps andtent cities to house 3,000 workers,some of whom came in convoys fromother co-ops nationwide. Costing morethan $50 million, the restoration wasthe most expensive event in co-op his-tory. But it paid off: Power was restoredto all customers within 12 days, up tothree days sooner than to customers

who were served by other nearby utili-ties, Stapleton said.

Scores of members sent letters andemails to thank co-op employees forworking around-the-clock to bring backpower. “Your hard work and dedicationto your job has stopped us in our trackson more than one occasion during thepower outage,” lifelong Livingston resi-dent Janie Kessler wrote in an email. “Ifwe could stand as one and applaud, itwould be a resounding roar.”

To Stapleton, seeing tears in the eyesof meeting attendees three years afterIke communicated something withoutwords. It said: “We know you are one ofus—that we are all in this together.”

Charles Boisseau is an Austin-basedwriter.

On TexasCoopPower.comThe annual meeting is where it’s clear that allelectric co-op members have a say. Plus,read more about a wide variety of co-ops, allof which help make the world go ’round.

M a y 2 0 1 2 T E X A S C O - O P P O W E R 1 1

Nueces EC CEO John Sims (center) and San Patricio EC General Manager Ron Hughes (right)oversaw agreements offering their members $1 monthly subscription fees to HALO-Flight, a non-profit air ambulance service under the guidance of Executive Director Tom Klassen (left).

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B Y C A R O L M O C Z YG E M B A

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Texas Heritage Trails Program isbased upon 10 scenic driving trails created in 1968 by theTexas Highway Department (now the Texas Department ofTransportation) and Gov. John Connally. In the first of twostories about the program, join us as we tour parts of theHill Country Trail and Forts Trail regions, encompassingseveral counties in Central Texas. In the second story, sched-uled for our June issue, we’ll visit three other locales—Lampasas, Mason and the Fort McKavett State HistoricSite—in those same two regions.

It’s a warm, sunny Saturday in January. I’m halfway intomy three-day marathon of visiting places along twoTexas Heritage Trails regions, the Hill Country Trailand Forts Trail. With only another day and a half to go,I realize I’ve made a big miscalculation. I can cover only

a sliver of the current and historic offerings at my sixplanned destinations, which comprise a mere fraction ofHeritage sites across the state. Sure enough, I left eachplace with that feeling you get when someone takes the

dessert off the table before you’ve had your fill.For that reason, this is a two-part series. For now, I invite

you to come with me to Marble Falls, Burnet and LonghornCavern State Park, then go explore wherever your inquisi-tive spirit leads you along the vast and deeply engagingTexas Heritage Trails. Who knows? You might discoversomething magical.

Digging Into the Story of Texas

The Texas Heritage Trails—found in 10 regionsaround the state—map out locations where the influ-ence of people and events hundreds, even thousands,of years ago has been transmitted to the present andwill continue into the future. Just as the sandstone

blocks of Fort Mason are now part of Willow Creek Café indowntown Mason, the values and culture of those whocame before us are now part of our heritage as Texans.

The Texas Historical Commission developed the TexasHeritage Trails Program, beginning with the Texas FortsTrail Region in 1998, to preserve the state’s historic sitesand simultaneously promote tourism, especially in econom-ically challenged rural areas. In 2005, the program receivedthe national Preserve America Presidential Award for“exemplary accomplishment in the preservation and sus-tainable use of America’s heritage assets, which hasenhanced community life while honoring the nation’s his-tory,” according to the THC.

As I traveled through parts of the Hill Country and FortsTrail regions, I met people whose connections with theirheritage and history left me wanting to dig into the story ofTexas as they have, living side by side with a past that isn’tso much gone as transformed. I discovered, too, that some-times legend survives on the edges of the facts, making forsome scintillating storytelling and incentive for historysleuths to practice their craft.

The suggestions for dining, lodging and touring arebased on my personal experience and are far from compre-hensive. Visit the Chamber of Commerce in each town toget the full menu of options. And for in-depth information

T H E

MAGICAL

HISTORY TOURFollow Your Inquisitive Spirit Along the Texas Heritage Trails

H

M A R B L E F A L L S H B U R N E T H L O N G H O R N C A V E R N

M A R B L E F A L L S V I S I T O R C E N T E R A N D M A R K P E R S Y N E

Birdie Harwood, the first womanmayor in the U.S., took the reinsin Marble Falls in 1917.


about the Heritage Trails, check out www.thc.state.tx.us/heritagetourism/htprogram.shtml.

Marble Falls

Adam Rankin Johnson was only 20, working as a sur-veyor, when he first laid eyes on a formation of thun-dering falls in the Colorado River in 1854. A nativeKentuckian, he immediately envisioned a city withthe falls at its heart and settled in Burnet County,

where he married and raised a family. He left Texas to fightfor the Confederacy in the Civil War and earned the rank ofgeneral for his leadership and bravery. Ironically, when hereturned in 1865, the visionary of Marble Falls was blind,having been wounded by friendly fire.

Yet Johnson prevailed. He and a few investors foundedMarble Falls (www.marblefalls.org/chamber-commerce) in1887, naming the town for what he believed was its abun-dant marble, which turned out to be granite. Granite was soplentiful that in 1882 the owners of nearby GraniteMountain offered to donate enough to build the present-day Capitol in Austin. Granite Mountain, at the westernedge of town, covers 180 acres and is still an active quarry.

Fifth-generation Marble Falls resident Jean Eades, man-ager of the Marble Falls/Lake LBJ Chamber of CommerceVisitor Center, carries the town’s history in her bones. We visitthe 1893 train depot, restored and relocated from its originalsite. It’s now the visitor center, where the period fixtures andbenches, the ticket counter and the old wooden desk make iteasy to imagine yourself back in the day when town liferevolved around the comings and goings of the train.

The waiting room, with its potbellied stove and woodenbenches with iron arms, was the hub of Marble Falls’ sociallife. “Back then, the depot was the center of everything,”recalled Marble Falls resident Edwin Lacy in a 1976 localnewspaper interview with historian Byrna Dean Moore. “Thetrain came in from Austin once a day and went back after itwent on over to Fairland and Llano and turned around.Everybody in town who could dropped whatever they weredoing and went to the depot to see who came in on the train.”

Get the whole story of how this town grew and prosperedat The Falls on the Colorado Museum—learn more aboutJohnson’s far-reaching accomplishments and BirdieHarwood, the first woman mayor in the U.S., elected in1917, three years before women were guaranteed by the 19thAmendment the right to vote. Harwood was endorsed byPresident Woodrow Wilson, who at the time was advocat-ing women’s suffrage.

In a campaign letter she addressed to the all-male votersof Marble Falls, Harwood wrote: “There are several electiveoffices by women in the United States and Texas, so do notbelieve that in voting for women you will establish a prece-dent. One man actually had the nerve to run against hiswife for Mayor, of course you know the result, she justsnowed him under.”

After getting a dose of Marble Falls history, roamthrough The Shops at Old Oak Square on the site of whatused to be a lumberyard. Drop in at DeSpain Barber Shop—established in 1958. You’ll think Eisenhower is still presi-dent. Stroll though Johnson Park, a lovely space to roam or

enjoy a picnic, and walk over the 1939 wood and steelbridge that has been relocated from its original home overGridiron Creek.

INSIDER’S TIPS: Enjoy a meal at the Blue BonnetCafe, famous for its legendary mile-high meringue pies. Howdo they do that? I was there for breakfast and ordered theworks: two eggs over easy, grits, bacon, biscuits and creamgravy.

Burnet

Just north of Marble Falls, the town of Burnet(www.burnetchamber.org) grew around a frontiermilitary post. Fort Croghan, established in 1849, wasorganized to provide protection against Comancheand Apache raids on white settlers arriving by wagon

train from the East. Just as the Colorado River attractedsettlers to Marble Falls, the spring-fed Hamilton Creekdrew inhabitants to Burnet.

Sixth-generation Burnet resident Carole Goble and herfamily are such avid boosters of their hometown that theyhave made the preservation of its history an intergenera-tional project. Goble authored a history of the town, appro-priately titled Burnet. She and her children conceived of andhelped raise money to create The History Plaza, a labyrinth-like maze on the courthouse grounds that visitors may walk,with markers of historic events set in chronological order.

Goble was also part of the Burnet County HeritageSociety-supported creation of the Fort Croghan Museum andthe reconstruction of Fort Croghan. Goble graciously leadsme on a personal tour. Spend some time in the museum andenjoy the artifacts that take you from Native Americanarrowheads to a horse-drawn fire engine. The collection wasgathered entirely from community donors. Behind themuseum stands Fort Croghan, rebuilt on part of its originalsite, complete with the forge of Noah Smithwick, the fort’sresident blacksmith, a tiny, one-room schoolhouse and theheadquarters building restored to its original condition.

Although the building served as an ammunition reposi-tory during the Civil War, it’s now outfitted as a postexchange with supplies for soldiers, such as gunpowder,

S U M M E R M I L E S

Fort Croghan


saddle and tack. All the buildings are furnished with periodpieces. These days, a Comanche-style tepee stands promi-nently on the grounds. During Fort Croghan Day, scheduledfor October 13, Native Americans join frontier re-enactorsin educating visitors about the spectrum of influences thatshaped the area. Christmas at Ole’ Fort Croghan, set for theevening of December 8, presents another chance for visitorsto get in the frontier spirit.

INSIDER’S TIPS: Grab a bite at Tea-licious on thesquare. Try the signature Tuna-licious salad and order atall glass of sweet peach tea, a house specialty. For dessert,the turtle cheesecake is a customer favorite.

And enjoy a restful night’s sleep at Airy Mount Bed andBreakfast. Originally built as a barn and carriage house,this B&B was part of Johnson’s spread. The General, aka thefather of this part of the Hill Country, and his wife and sixchildren lived upstairs in the barn while their spacious, two-story home was under construction just a few hundred yardsaway. Today, the B&B—run by Roseanne Hayman, who,with her husband, lives in the main residence—is a cozy,restful getaway with an eastward view of pastures and hillsas far as the eye can see. Hayman is an enthusiastic andwell-informed host who will gladly take a seat at the break-fast table and share the General’s colorful and fascinatingstories.

Longhorn Cavern

The torrents of water rushing through it millions ofyears ago; the Native American rituals sheltered by itsdeep, underground seclusion; the Texas Rangers’ raidthat rescued a white girl captured by Comanches; theCivil War soldiers hiding their gunpowder in its room-

like formations; the lively crowds of the Prohibition-eraunderground nightclub and the 200 Civilian ConservationCorps men who excavated its entrance—all are part of thehistory and lore of Longhorn Cavern.

About 21 miles southwest of Burnet, Longhorn Cavern atLonghorn Cavern State Park (www.longhorncaverns.com) isa wonder of nature. My tour guide, retired geologist AlGerow, has been leading visitors (about 45,000 a year)

through the two miles from entrance to exit for the past 12years. He knows every stalactite and crystal, every hiddencrevice and cave in this spacious palace of rock.

At one time, the cavern was home to millions of Mexicanfree-tailed bats, but they were scared away in the 1930s bynoisy workers of the CCC. Taking advantage of the vacancy,Eastern pipistrelle bats moved in. These tiny creatures,unlike their Mexican cousins who live in colonies, are loners.I spot one hanging upside down, a 1 1/2-inch oval of brownfur with ears the size of lentils. It’s hibernating, Gerow says,shining his flashlight on its unmoving body. Come spring,this little guy and the rest of the bats will instinctively wakeup and begin the nightly hunt for insects outside the cavern.

In addition to the animal life, the cave is alive with grow-ing stalactites, resembling thick icicles made of rock.Normally, water seeping from above ground accumulatesand calcifies to lengthen the stalactite formations, but therecent drought has caused them to stop growing.

The natural and human heritage of the cave is well docu-mented, but just as interesting are the legends. One of themost repeated is about the notorious outlaw Sam Bass.According to the story, Bass and his gang used the cavern fora hideout, and somewhere in its vast network of hidingplaces they stashed $2 million in never-recovered gold takenin a train robbery. Is it still there? More likely, says Gerow,the story was concocted. After all, he points out, the horsescouldn’t have carried that much gold in their saddlebags.

Carol Moczygemba, executive editor

MORE INFORMATION

To request a Texas Heritage Trails travel guide, call 1-866-276-6219 or visit www.thc.state.tx.us/travel to down-load materials.

Communities participating in the Texas Heritage TrailsProgram receive assistance from heritage tourism experts indeveloping and promoting historical and cultural attrac-tions. For more information on becoming a participatinghistorical community or site, email [email protected] or call (512) 463-6092.

Longhorn Cavern

Airy Mount Bed and Breakfast

E A R L N O T T I N G H A M / T E X A S P A R K S A N D W I L D L I F E D E P A R T M E N T

S U M M E R M I L E S

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Read the Bluebonnet Blog at blog.bluebonnetelectric.com

Bluebonnet’s annual meeting is May 8, 2:30 p.m., at Sons of Hermann Hall, 1031 CR 223, Giddings. Registration at 1:30 p.m. Vote to fill three seats on the board of directors, hear a state of the co-op report, have light refreshments and register for door prizes. Learn how to save money and electricity on Bluebonnet’s Net Energy Market. Find the agenda in this magazine, and at www.bluebonnetelectric.coop on May 3. Click on Board Agenda under the myCooperative tab. Questions? Call 800-842-7708.

B L U E B O N N E T E L E C T R I C C O O P E R A T I V E E D I T I O N

Map photo, Leslie Sopko/Austin Energy

Growing up in Central Texas, Bob Boatright Sr. had relatives who lived out in the country and didn’t

have electricity. They read by kerosene lamps and listened to radios powered with batteries. “It was all they had,” Boatright said. With the dim light from the lamps, “you couldn’t really see to read.” Even when electricity finally came

to rural areas in the 1940s, it was expensive and hard to get. The power might be on for only a few hours at night, and then only enough for a few light bulbs and maybe a radio. These days, when Boatright, 72, flips a light switch or turns on the air-conditioning at his 100-acre ranch in Cedar Creek, he doesn’t think twice about whether the power will be there. He expects it to be.

POWER WHERE YOUR

COMES FROM

From the massive Fayette plant to coastal wind farms, Bluebonnet’s electricity comes from all across Texas

By Kathy Warbelow

Continued on the next page

The Macomber map in a control room at ERCOT — the Electric Reliability Council of Texas — gives employees a real-time view of the state’s electric grid. Color coding signals potential problems.

BEC May 2012 TCP.indd 17 4/9/12 10:12 AM

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For him, reliability is paramount. “It just creates a mess when the power goes out,” said the retired Austin police of-fi cer. “You can’t even use your well.” Boatright knows more than most people about where the power comes from — son Bob Jr. worked at the Fayette power plant near La Grange — but concedes that the fi ner points of how Texas’ electric system works are “all Greek to me.” Th ey’d be Greek to most people: Th e system is a complex network of scores of generating plants, from coal and natural gas plants near urban areas to remote West Tex-as wind farms; a web of transmission lines tens of thousands of miles long; a collection of distributors that includes cooperatives, municipal utilities and private companies delivering power to homes and businesses, all tied together by computer and other sys-tems to assure that the power comes on the instant customers need it. Th e system is technologically advanced, with sophisticated computer forecasting and monitoring systems. A pinhole-sized leak in one of the high-pressure boiler tubes at the massive Fayette plant is enough to shut part of the plant down for repairs. It would take a thick book to fully explain the workings of an electric power system that serves 23 million Texas consumers. But in abbreviated form, here’s what’s involved to assure that the lights go on every day across Texas.

Power players Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative is the last link in the electric power-provider chain. It sells power to more than 60,000 homes, schools, churches and businesses in its service territory, but does not gener-ate any. Bluebonnet buys most of its power from the Lower Colorado River Authority, a nonprofi t public utility that operates gen-erating facilities in Central Texas. Th e co-op also buys power from CPS Energy, San Antonio's municipal utility. Th e LCRA sells power on a wholesale basis to more than 40 distributors, including municipal utilities and cooperatives, which serve more than 1.1 million people in Central Texas. More than 4,000 miles of transmission lines connect LCRA facilities to its custom-ers, such as Bluebonnet. Th e co-op adds its own 90 miles of transmission lines, plus 11,000 miles of lower-voltage distribution lines that connect to customers in the co-op’s roughly 3,800-square-mile service area.

The heart of Texas’ power Th e least-known player in the mix is the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, called ERCOT. It is not a government agency, al-though it reports to the state’s Public Util-ity Commission. It does not generate or sell power.

The LCRA’s plants span most of the major electric-power technologies.

The biggest: The Fayette Power Project near La Grange. The coal-fi red plant is the LCRA’s workhorse, capable of generating up to 1,035 megawatts at any one time. That would be enough to power 200,000 Texas homes on a hot summer day. The oldest: The six dams along the Colorado, the fi rst of which began generating electricity in the late 1930s. They extend from the 2 mile-long Buchanan Dam that created Lake Buchanan to the Tom Miller Dam on Lake Austin. The dams produce a tiny amount of LCRA’s output. The most effi cient: The Lost Pines Power Plant 1 in Bastrop. Owned by LCRA affi liate GenTex Power Corp., the plant is fueled by natural gas and uses combined-cycle technology. That means the exhaust heat from one turbine is used to power another. That makes the plant nearly 50 percent effi cient, compared to about 30 or 35 percent for other types of power plants.

The LCRA’s plants span most

LCRA’s powerful plants

Just because there are power plants in Bluebonnet’s territory doesn’t mean that’s where your electricity

comes from. All electricity fl ows from generators into the same pool, then travels along transmission lines to where it’s needed. Andrew Valencia at the LCRA explains it this way: “The power grid is kind of like a pond. The generators put electricity into the pond, the customers take it out.”ERCOT’s job is to keep the pond level by balancing generation and demand.

Just because there are power plants

'Kind of like a pond'

ERCOT is a nonprofi t corporation that manages a power grid that connects 40,500 miles of high-voltage lines — owned by both private companies and the LCRA — and 550

In a secure ERCOT operations center (here, the new back-up center in Bastrop), a dizzying array of screens and computers allows technicians to monitor the fl ow of power from 550 generating units and 40,500 miles of high-voltage lines to 23 million Texans.

Leslie Sopko/Austin Energy photo

generating units. Th e grid covers about 75 percent of Texas. ERCOT is the heart of reliable delivery of power in Texas. Kent Saathoff , vice president for grid op-erations, compares ERCOT to an air traffi c controller, managing the fl ow of electricity from generators to substations owned by distributors, which in turn send it to homes and businesses. “We coordinate that interchange be-

Continued from the previous page


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M a y 2 0 1 2 T E X A S C O - O P P O W E R 19B L U E B O N N E T E L E C T R I C C O O P E R A T I V E E D I T I O N

The electricity that comes into your house or business at the meter has gone through some changes on its

trip from the power plant. Coming out of the plant, the power must be stepped up to travel long distances, typically to 138,000 or 345,000 volts. By the time it reaches the power lines near your property, it’s been reduced to either 7,200 or 14,400 volts. The transformer near your home, ranch or business reduces the power once more as it reaches your meter. Typically, homes have two 110-volt lines. Big appliances such as your air conditioner need 220 volts; the rest of your house operates on the lower voltage.

The electricity that comes into your

Really high powered

Systems capable of storing the vast amounts of electricity Bluebonnet and other distributors will need are

still in the early stages. The fi rst large-scale electricity storage system in the state — built by Kyle-based Xtreme Power — goes online later this year at a West Texas wind farm that sells power to Walmart. The Texas system requires advanced forecasting systems, so generators know how much power to produce at any time and ERCOT knows how much power is going over those high-voltage lines. ERCOT, the LCRA and Bluebonnet make calculations based on factors including weather, past usage patterns, the opening of new businesses or subdivisions, and whether any generating units are out of commission for repairs or maintenance.

n Thomas C. Ferguson Power Plant, gas-fi red generator, west of Marble Falls on Lake LBJn Sam Gideon Power Plant, three-unit gas generator; Lost Pines 1 Power Plant, combined cycle gas-fi red, both in Bastropn Winchester Power Park, four-unit gas plant, Fayette Countyn Fayette Power Project, three-unit coal plant (and largest power generator), La Grange n Six hydroelectric plants/dams along Colorado Rivern Three wind facilities in West Texas and one near Gulf Coast

Systems capable of storing the vast

A complex crystal balln Thomas C. Ferguson Power Plant, gas-

LCRA's sources

tween the generators and the transmitting utilities,” Saathoff said. From super-secure, high-tech control centers in Taylor and Bastrop, ERCOT em-ployees watch, in real time, what's happen-ing across the state. ERCOT balances how much power travels on the grid with what distributors, such as Bluebonnet, need at any given time. In emergency situations, such as severe weather that threatens to exhaust the avail-able supply of power, ERCOT implements a series of steps to avoid uncontrolled black-outs. On very hot summer days, for example, ERCOT puts out a call for consumers and businesses to use less power during the peak times of 3 to 7 p.m. On rare occasions, ERCOT has to resort to more extreme measures. Th e last time was in February 2011, when a statewide freeze caused equipment failure at a number of power plants, even as demand soared. As the power outlook worsened, ERCOT fi nally put out a call for utilities to implement rolling outages, which lasted for nearly 8 hours, until the genera-tion system had recovered. Despite the fact that Texas produces and consumes more electricity than any other state, there have been only three rolling out-ages in more than 40 years, Saathoff said. Th e state has never had a cascading, un-controlled system collapse, unlike some oth-er parts of the country, said Dottie Roark, an ERCOT representative.

Bluebonnet’spower sources Bluebonnet has long-term power pur-chase contracts with the LCRA and CPS En-ergy. Th e LCRA supplies 90 percent of the co-op’s power and CPS the other 10 percent. Th e LCRA operates generating facilities in Central Texas, including coal- and natu-ral gas-fi red facilities and six dams along the Colorado River, which both control fl ood

Sarah Beal photo

Photo courtesy LCRA

Sarah Beal photo

waters and generate electricity. It also buys power from wind farms in West Texas and along the Gulf Coast. � is is the � rst in an occasional series of stories examining the sources of Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative’s power sources. n

A West Texas wind farm …

… the massive Fayette Power Plant …

… and six dams along the Colorado River all fl ow into the power pool.


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Going green, TexasTexasThe fi rst Heart of Texas Green Expofeatures speakers, workshops, exhibits and fun

Ancient philosophers believed life would not be possible without the four classic elements

of water, air, fi re and earth. Th ese elements — and how they aff ect our lives — are the theme for the fi rst Heart of Texas Green Expo scheduled for June 8-9 at the Bastrop Convention and Exhibit Center. Th e goal of the green expo is to help peo-ple envision a more sustainable, greener fu-ture by exploring topics such as green build-ing, sustainable energy sources, and organic gardening, farming and ranching. “We have university professors, small business entrepreneurs, major corporations and nonprofi t leaders all coming together to explore a better way of doing things,” said Steve Bridges, event coordinator. Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative is a ma-jor sponsor of the two-day event that will feature about 40 speakers, a variety of dem-onstrations and in-depth workshops, and about 50 vendors and exhibitors. Live music and family-friendly activities will round out the event. Th e green expo is the fi rst such event in Bastrop, and organizers say they hope

to attract people from Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio as well as local residents. Th e fi rst day of the event will feature ses-sions that allow professionals to earn the continuing education credits oft en required to maintain licenses or accreditation in their

fi elds, said Dorothy Skarnulis, program team leader for Keep Bastrop County Beautiful, the volunteer group organizing the event. Leaders in environmental stewardship, sustainability technologies and green build-ing will host workshops and presentations. Day two is geared to the general public, with live music, “show and tell” demonstrations, indoor and outdoor exhibits, and children’s activities, Skarnulis said. Th e expo is funded, in part, by a grant from the City of Bastrop. Along with Blue-bonnet, major sponsors include Balcones Resources and Lost Pines Toyota. Th irty other exhibitors also have signed up, includ-ing Aqua Water Supply Corporation, Texas Rain, H-E-B and Allied Waste Management. “Using our natural resources, includ-ing energy, water and land, in a sustainable way is an important factor in ensuring our economy is strong and our local communi-ties thrive,” said Mark Rose, Bluebonnet’s general manager. “Bluebonnet is a strong supporter of sus-tainable growth. Th e Heart of Texas Green Expo is a great opportunity for people who are interested in learning more about sus-tainability to connect with experts in the fi eld and with companies who can help them achieve their goals.” Proceeds from the expo will help fund Keep Bastrop County Beautiful, a subsidiary of Keep Texas Beautiful, the grassroots or-ganization that coordinates litter prevention and beautifi cation activities. Here are three vendors whose products will be on display at the expo:

By Carrie Alexander

MASON GREENSTARGreenstar Blox Greenstar Blox is an energy-effi cient and eco-friendly building material made partial-ly from newspapers, phone books and lot-tery tickets. Th e alternative building blocks, manufactured by Mason Greenstar, will be on display at the expo. “You’ll be able to see examples of our product, pictures of structures we’ve done, some of (the) testing we’ve done, (and) sam-

ples of our blocks in various shapes, forms and applications,” said Matt Hargrove, the company’s public relations manager. Hargrove said the versatile building product is resistant to water, mold and fi re. Th e patented formula can be cast into vari-ous shapes, sizes and forms. Th e company is based in the Hill Coun-try community of Mason, and Hargrove said the product has been used in a number of homes and businesses in Texas and the southwest. Mason Greenstar Inc. is a mem-ber of the U.S. Green Building Council.

Sarah Beal photo

Photo courtesy Mason Greenstar

Dorothy Skarnulis and Steve Bridges, organizers of the fi rst Heart of Texas Green Expo scheduled for June 8-9 in Bastrop, are working to attract a diverse crowd of professionals, exhibitors, workshop leaders and visitors to the event.

Texas


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If you go What: Heart of Texas Green Expo When: 8 a.m. -7 p.m. Friday June 8 and 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday June 9, 2012Where: Bastrop Convention and Exhibit Center, 1408 Chestnut St., BastropAdmission: $5 per person per day or $8 for both days; free for children under 12. Parking is free.For more information: www.heartoftexasgreenexpo.org; 512-222-3976

At the Heart of Texas Green Expo June 8-9, we'll help you learn how to control your energy use, save

money and lessen your impact on the en-vironment. It only takes a few minutes to demon-strate the Net Energy Market, a power-ful but simple tool on the co-op’s website, www.bluebonnetelectric.coop. With it, you can track your energy use and costs – down to the hour. You can compare your electric use with the previous day, week, billing period or longer, and see your im-pact on the environment. Th e Net Energy Market allows you to see a projected cost of your next bill and of-fers tips on reducing your power use. You can also set up alerts to warn you when your bill has reached a pre-set amount. Th e Net Energy Market data is available to all Bluebonnet members, from households to small businesses to big industrial users. Bluebonnet is one of the fi rst electric utilities in the nation to off er this cutting-edge technology to members. You can create an online account right at the booth (bring your Bluebonnet ac-count number with you). In addition to the Net Energy Market tools, with the ac-count you can pay bills online, have paper-less billing, update your account informa-tion and more. Extra incentive: Bluebonnet members who create a new online account at the expo will get a special goodie bag.

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TEXAS RAINBottled rainwater David Schraub, CEO and founder of Smithville-based Texas Rain, be-lieves the expo is a good way to intro-duce his premium bottled water. Th e company collects, bottles and sells rainwater that has no chemicals and has been “triple fresh fi ltered.” Bottles are biodegradable and recyclable, too. Th e company can produce custom bottle labels for businesses, sponsors

or event promotion. Texas Rain will display custom Heart of Texas Green Expo labels on its bottles at the event. “We are going into our third year of manufacturing and marketing the Texas Rain brand and with over 250 private labels to date, we are becoming well known,” Schraub said. At the Texas Rain booth, expo visi-tors can learn more about the custom labels and the company’s current and future products, including a planned new “all-natural rainwater vitamin-en-hanced zero calorie product,” he said.

TexasTexasTexasROCKET ELECTRICSElectric bicycles Austin-based Rocket Electrics has

secured outdoor exhibit space “so people can do a test drive of our elec-tric bikes,” said owner Nicole Zinn. Th e shop opened in December and Zinn said the Bastrop event will off er needed exposure. “People don’t know these kinds of bikes are out there,” Zinn said. “Electric bikes are a great way to leave the car at home. We feel that the best way for

people to understand (that) this option is out there is to see it. (Th e bikes) aren’t goofy. Th ey look like normal bikes and they’re super comfortable to ride. It’s totally fun.” Rocket Electrics, at 1608 E. Riverside Drive, sells accessories and clothing as well as electric bicycles in a variety of styles and colors. Prices range from about $1,000 to $2,500. “An electric bike is a viable alterna-tive now,” Zinn said. “Th ey’re not like the weird Frankenstein bikes you can create with a kit. And they are consid-ered bikes. You don’t need a license or insurance.”

Stop by theBluebonnet booth

Photo courtesy Rocket Electrics

Texasstyle


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Witnesses toDEMOCRACY

Local teens Kameron Schnautz, Jarrett Namken to represent Bluebonnet in youth tour of D.C.

Thanks in part to their ideas for promoting energy conservation, two local teenagers — one from Bastrop, one from

Luling — will be Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative’s representatives this year in a national youth tour of the nation’s capital.

Kameron Schnautz of Luling, a junior at Lockhart High School, and Jarrett Namken, a senior at Bastrop High School, were chosen to represent Bluebonnet in the Texas Electric Cooperatives’ Government-

in-Action Youth Tour program.Chosen as an alternate was

Jeremiah Alexander, a senior at One Day Academy of Bastrop. If either of the winners can’t make the trip, Alexander will go instead.

The tour, scheduled for June 14-22, is aimed at teaching teens more about how the federal government operates and about rural electric cooperatives.

The program began when former President Lyndon B. Johnson was a Texas U.S. senator. Since 1964, the program has been coordinated through the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, and annually brings about 1,500 teens to Washington, D.C.

Schnautz and Namken were chosen from area applicants who answered questions about themselves and their families, their opinions on government, the value of cooperatives such as Bluebonnet and ideas about how to conserve energy. They also were interviewed by local county commissioners.

Schnautz, 16, was an alternate for the tour last year. A member of the Lockhart 4-H Club and FFA, and a varsity volleyball player, she describes herself as “the girl who doesn’t back down from a challenge.” Schnautz wrote that she and her family realized they were using too much energy when their monthly electricity bill began topping $400. She said simple steps like making sure electronic devices are turned off or unplugged when not in use and

more careful selection of window coverings can make a big difference in energy savings. “Just a few tricks can start a domino effect on how much you can save and conserve,” she wrote.

Namken, 18, is a member of the Bastrop High 4-H Club and a varsity tennis player. Planning to major in political science at Texas A&M University in the fall, Namken wrote that he would someday like to go into politics. “The thought of being a part of government just excites me because I can one day try and help people achieve what they want out of government.”

Energy conservation, Namken wrote, “is key to the future of our nation. . . . If the youth as a whole would promote energy conservation, that would help the future of this planet and our resources. We can all save energy with one flip of the switch at a time.” n

By Carrie Alexander

Sarah Beal photo

The 2012 Government-in-Action Youth Tour winners are Jarrett Namken, left, of Bastrop and Kameron Schnautz of Luling.


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For information about the magazine, contact editor Janet Wilson at 512-332-7967 or email [email protected].

Bluebonnet, LCRA award funds to Carmine VFD

NEWS grantsCOMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

CAPITAL CREDITS

Sarah Beal photoBluebonnet Electric Cooperative and the Lower Colorado River Authority awarded grants to several of the region’s fi re departments to buy equipment and upgrade facilities. The Carmine Volunteer Fire Department received $11,200 to buy communications equipment and upgrade their fi rst-responder vehicle and fi re station. Pictured are members of the VFD (unless identifi ed otherwise): From left, Daryl Ray, Russell Jurk (Bluebonnet board member), Robbie Tovey, J.C. Pohl (VFD president), Crim Croft, Lori Berger (LCRA board member), Chris Coufal, Amy Brandt (LCRA), Mark Johnson (Bluebonnet Community and Economic Development Representative), Ed Croft, Lori LeBlue (LCRA) and Dennis Gerland.

When you get your May electric bill, look for the words 'capital credits.' That is money being returned to you by Bluebonnet. Because you are a member of a nonprofi t co-op, this money — similar to a dividend — is excess revenue that is returned to members. In the last four years, Bluebonnet has returned more than $15 million in capital credits to its members. If you pay a Bluebonnet electric bill, you’ll get a capital credit. Questions? Call 800-842-7708 or email [email protected].

MEMBER SERVICE

Q:My mother passed away a

year ago. How can I get her capital credit check reissued in my name?

A: Bluebonnet issues a check

only in the name of the member who held the account. Th e executor of the estate should be able to cash the check at a bank. However, if the bank refuses, Bluebonnet can reissue the check as an “in care of” payment. If the member’s executor or designated family member needs a check re-issued as an “in care of” payment, the original check must be returned to Bluebonnet along with either a letter stating that the person is the executor, a copy of the death certifi cate, letters of testamentary or a copy of the will documenting the transfer of the estate. Th ese items can be dropped off at any Bluebonnet member service center or mailed to Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative, Inc., Attn: Billing Department, P.O. Box 729, Bastrop, Texas, 78602. Reissued checks are not processed until October. Have questions? Call 800-842-7708.

— Joan Walker, member service

representative

QA&


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Although no two H-E-B stores are exactly the same — some have

coff ee bars, sushi chefs or cooking demonstrations — the Texas-based grocery retailer is committed to some ideas that work for all of its stores: local community involvement and green business practices.

Th e H-E-B in Bastrop participates in local events such as the Halloween Fest and the lighted Christmas parade. Th is year it is a sponsor of the fi rst Heart of Texas Green Expo at the Bastrop Convention and Exhibit Center in June. Th e expo will focus on creating a greener, sustainable future.

“It's easy to serve a community, but it takes a little more to be a part of the community, and I think that ability is what makes H-E-B . . . H-E-B,” said Justin Dahse, assistant store director in Bastrop.

“As a home-grown company, H-E-B believes in giving back to the communities we serve,” said Susan Ghertner, H-E-B’s director of environmental aff airs. “Our environmental initiatives are a big part of our commitment to maintaining a good quality of life for our customers and (employees). Our support of the expo is just one way that we can say thank you to Bastrop.”

H-E-B is one of the largest independent food retailers in the country. Th e company, owned by the Butt family, was founded in Kerrville in 1905. Based in San Antonio today, H-E-B employs more than 76,000 people and operates more than 335 stores in Texas and Mexico, including its gourmet Central Market stores. Th e company serves millions of customers in more than 150 communities.

Th e Bastrop store has about 260 employees and an estimated customer base of more than 63,000, Dahse said.

Th e current store, built in May 2003 at 104 N. Hasler Blvd., has 71,000 square feet of sales fl oor. Sales grew signifi cantly from 2004 to 2011, and although growth slowed a bit aft er the 2011 fi res, Dahse said the company expects a rebound in the future. H-E-B contributes fi ve percent of its pre-tax

earnings to public and charitable programs and to emergency relief eff orts during natural disasters. During the Bastrop area fi res, Dahse said, “We donated over 14,000 bags of ice and 2,500 cases of water to fi rst responders and displaced customers.”

And at the Bastrop H-E-B, Dahse said, “We did not cut jobs, we gave raises, and for the 23 (employees) displaced by the fi re, we paid them to stay at home and take care of what they needed to, without using their benefi ts.”

H-E-B environmental eff orts include improving the company’s use of natural resources, minimizing waste, conserving energy and water, and protecting air quality. Several stores have solar panels and rainwater-collection systems.

“In 2011 alone, our recycling programs saved 2.3 million trees, 77 million kilowatt hours of electricity, 217,000 barrels of oil and 1.3 million cubic yards of landfi ll space,” Ghertner said.

Th e Bastrop store, which has 140 skylights,

uses a “60/40” plan, Dahse said. “(On) sunny days, we turn off 60 percent

of our lights and run only 40 percent to combine with sunlight,” he said. “On not-so-sunny days, we turn off 40 percent of our lights and run 60 percent of our lights.”

In 2010, H-E-B worked with the Rocky Mountain Institute to design an energy-effi cient store for the Mueller development in Austin. Th e store, which was planned to reap a 50 percent energy savings over comparably sized stores, is expected to be H-E-B’s most sustainable store.

“We have been retrofi tting current stores with more energy-effi cient lighting, LEDs in refrigeration cases with doors, and night blinds on refrigeration cases without doors,” Ghertner said. “Th e experience we gain from our Austin Mueller store will be put to use in our existing and future stores.”

One in a series of stories about some of Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative’s commercial members. n


By Carrie Alexander

Sarah Beal photo

profi leBastrop’s big grocery store gives to community, strives for energy savings

Although no two H-E-B stores are exactly the

By Carrie Alexanderstrives for energy savings

Although no two H-E-B

strives for energy savings

Greening the H-E-B

The Bastrop H-E-B has about 260 employees and serves more than 63,000 customers. Keeping an eye on operations are, from left, assistant store director Justin Dahse, market manager Joe Franco and store director Cary Mabry.



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Bob Wills’ records sold in the millions. But one extra-special song—“San Antonio Rose,” which later became “NewSan Antonio Rose”—put him on the musical map to stay. Adiverse group of artists, from Bing Crosby to Arthur Fiedlerand the Boston Pops, recorded their own versions of the song.Apollo 12 astronauts Charles Conrad and Alan Bean evensang it from space—an honor that was truly out of this world.But the story all began with the birth of John and EmmalineWills’ first of 10 children, a son they nicknamed “Jim Rob.”

James Robert Wills was born on March 6, 1905, on a farmnear Kosse in Limestone County. A relative noted that thebaby’s fingers looked like those of a fiddler. Both of hisgrandfathers, his father and most of his uncles played thefiddle, so this was a good omen: Jim Rob first played the fid-dle onstage with his family when he was about 10; and dur-ing his childhood, Jim Rob and his father wrote the melodyfor “Faded Love.” It wasn’t until 1950, courtesy of Jim Rob’syoungest brother, Billy Jack, that the song gained lyrics.

In the early 1920s, the Wills family settled on a farm nearTurkey. Jim Rob decided to strike out on his own. From 1921to 1926, he held a variety of jobs, including farmworker andpreacher, but he always returned to music. Now that he hada family to support (he married his first wife, Edna, in 1926),Jim Rob trained to become a barber, figuring that it wouldkeep his hands in good condition for fiddle playing.

After graduating from Dendy’s Barber College in Amarilloin 1927, he and Edna moved several times, first to Roy, NewMexico, where he barbered by day and fiddled by night, thenback to the Wills family farm in early 1928.

Jim Rob got a job at Ham’s Barber Shop in Turkey andplayed at many of the teenage dances in area towns. But theneed to move on soon struck again. In 1929, the familymoved to Fort Worth, where Jim Rob—who became knownas Bob Wills—met several other musicians and formed aband. Wills made his first radio recordings in 1929, and inJanuary 1931, he and his band played on radio station KFJZduring the first broadcast of a show sponsored by BurrusMill and Elevator Company, which made Light Crust flour.On air, Wills jokingly referred to the band as the Light CrustDoughboys, and the name stuck.

Wills left the Doughboys in 1933 to start a new band, andat midnight on February 10, 1934, the first live show featur-ing Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys was broadcast on radiostation KVOO in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The band’s popularity grew quickly. In 1935, New York’sBrunswick Record Corporation (later part of ColumbiaRecords) offered the Texas Playboys a recording contract.

Three years laterduring a recordingsession, Art Satherley,the artists and reper-toire man, asked Willsfor more fiddle tunes.Wills tinkered with anearlier composition thathe called “Spanish TwoStep,” creating a newinstrumental. Satherleysuggested calling the song“San Antonio Rose,” andthe rest is history.

Songwriter Irving Berlin’spublishing company offeredto publish the song if Willswould compose lyrics. Severalband members submitted lyrics that were rejected. Playboystrumpeter Everett Stover collaborated with Wills on the finalset of lyrics. Ultimately, this new version was named “New SanAntonio Rose.”

Columbia Records set up a recording session on April 16,1940, probably at Burrus Mill Studio in Saginaw. ThePlayboys had grown into a big swing band with about 18musicians participating in the session. The next-to-last songrecorded was “New San Antonio Rose.”

As noted in Charles R. Townsend’s book San AntonioRose (University of Illinois Press, 1976), Wills often said thatthe song—which produced a gold record, eventually sellingmore than a million copies—took him “from hamburgers tosteaks.” The 1940 recording of “New San Antonio Rose” wasthe biggest-selling record he ever cut and became anAmerican classic known and loved around the world.

Wills, the King of Western Swing, died on May 13, 1975.But at least one group, Austin’s Asleep at the Wheel, has kepthis brand of music alive and thriving since the 1970s. Thewords of the group’s frontman, Ray Benson, as quoted by acountry-music author, sum up this music legend’s life:“Western swing would have just been a footnote in Americanmusic if it weren’t for Bob Wills.”

Dallas-based freelance writer Lori Grossman is a native SanAntonian.

On TexasCoopPower.comListen to a Bob Wills recording of “New San Antonio Rose.”

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B Y K E V I N H A R G I S Around my house, brunch is a rare occasion reserved for arelaxed weekend morning. I especially like brunch because it’s a meal at whichalmost every kind of food (or beverage) is appropriate. It’s fun to see what the cookof the day will put on the table or to plan a surprising dish for your guests if you’rethe chef.

May brings two perfect excuses for enjoying the special midmorning meal: Thespringtime weather and the second Sunday of the month—the day we honor mothers.

What nicer gift for the moms in our lives than to be treated to a leisurely meal,al fresco if the day is nice, made by devoted family members? This after, perhaps,being allowed to sleep in.

Looking for something special to serve her? Here’s a recent favorite we’ve beenenjoying at my house. It’s a colorful vegetable dish with a bit of meat thrown in foradditional flavor. It can stand as a main dish or side and is a healthy complementto any brunch.

A U B E R G I N E R O YA L E 2 large purple eggplants Kosher salt 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium yellow onion or 2 shallots diced 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced Trim ends from eggplants, peel and cut each lengthwise into about four slices, about 1/4 inch thick. Line baking sheet with paper towels and generously sprinkle both sides of each slice with kosher salt. Lay slices flat on baking sheet and cover with more papertowels. (This “sweating” step draws moisture from the eggplant and shrinks its cells.This helps eliminate bitterness and allows slices to be fried without absorbing excessoil.) Allow salted slices to sit for at least 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil insmall sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add onion or shallots and cook, stirring occa-

sionally, until translucent, about 5 min-utes. Add bell peppers and continue tocook until vegetables are soft. Turn burneroff and let mixture rest. When ready tocook eggplant, blot surface liquid fromslices with paper towel, removing anyremaining salt. Sprinkle smoked paprikaevenly over both sides of each slice. Heatremaining oil in large frying pan overmedium-high heat. Add eggplant andcook, turning occasionally, until surfacebegins to brown, about 10 minutes. Turnheat to low and top each eggplant slicewith a piece of ham. Divide pepper mix-ture evenly among eggplant slices.Sprinkle each with Parmesan, if using.Cover and simmer for 2 minutes, or untilcheese melts slightly. Serve immediately.

Servings: 4. Serving size: 2 slices eggplant with top-ping and cheese. Per serving: 207 calories, 8.3 g pro-tein, 9.4 g fat, 25 g carbohydrates, 9.8 g dietary fiber,225 mg sodium, 11.3 g sugars, 11 mg cholesterol

COOK’S TIP: Thorough drying of egg-plant is important; excess moisture will yield agreasy texture.

For a little something sweet to gowith a savory dish, try a fruit smoothie.Combine fruit, ice and milk, or a milksubstitute, and you get a refreshingbeverage that is good for you, too. A fla-vor combination that I’ve enjoyedrecently pairs banana with the tang oflime and the richness of coconut milk.

L I M E I N T H E C O C O N U T S M O O T H I E 1 ripe banana Juice of 1 medium lime 1 cup (about half a 14-ounce can) coconut milk 1 tablespoon, or to taste, honey, sugar or other sweetener IceCombine banana, lime juice, coconut milkand sweetener in blender and processuntil smooth. Add enough ice to doublelevel of liquid in blender jar and processuntil ice is crushed and consistency is asyou like it. If too thin, add more ice andprocess. If too thick, add small amount ofcoconut milk and process.

Servings: 2. Serving size: 1 1/4 cups. Per serving: 314calories, 3.1 g protein, 24.3 g fat, 27.9 g carbohy-drates, 1.7 g dietary fiber, 15 mg sodium, 16.4 g sugars,trace cholesterol

R E C I P E R O U N D U P

Good Morning, Mom!

P H O T O B Y R I C K P A T R I C K

1 large yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 8 slices prosciutto or thin-sliced ham 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Aubergine Royale and Lime in the Coconut Smoothie



E G G S N E W O R L E A N S 1/4 cup diced onions Butter or oil for sauté 1 dozen eggs 4 ounces shredded smoked salmon 1 cup sour cream 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 ounces sherry, optional 6 English muffins to servePreheat oven to 450 degrees. Lightlysauté onions in butter or oil. Break 1dozen eggs into lightly greased 9-inchcasserole dish. In separate bowl gentlycombine onions, salmon, sour cream,

cheese, mustard and, if using, sherry.Spoon mixture over eggs, being carefulnot to break yolks. Bake for 20 to 25minutes, or until yolks are cooked. Serveover toasted English muffin halves.

Servings: 6. Serving size: 2 eggs and 1 muffin. Perserving: 534 calories, 32.7 g protein, 27.8 g fat, 32.1 gcarbohydrates, 1.7 g dietary fiber, 930 mg sodium, 4.3 g sugars, 432 mg cholesterol

S AVO R Y C A B B A G E S T R U D E L 1 pound bulk Italian sausage 1 large head green cabbage, cored 1 large or 2 medium sweet onions 1 cup butter, divided

Dash salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 8 ounces sour cream 20 sheets phyllo dough, thawed 1 cup pecan piecesPreheat oven to 375 degrees. Cooksausage until crumbly and no longerpink; drain excess fat, place in largemixing bowl and set aside. Shred coredcabbage into strips about 1/4 inch wide.Chop onions in medium dice. In large,deep-sided skillet, melt 2 tablespoonsbutter and sauté onion until translucentand tender, about 5 minutes, then addto sausage. In same skillet, melt 6 table-spoons butter, then add cabbage andcook on medium-low heat, turningoften, until completely wilted. Add saltand pepper, then add to sausage mix-ture along with remaining butter frompan. Toss ingredients to mix. Add sourcream and toss again to coat. Set asideto cool. Melt 1/2 cup butter in smallsaucepan. Working quickly (or using adamp, lint-free towel) separate one

RICK LANDWEHR, Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative Prize-winning recipe: Eggs New OrleansElegant, easy and delicious: That’s definitely a winning combination for a brunchrecipe. The smoky flavor of the salmon and richness of the sour cream saucemade this dish a winner. “One of the most enjoyable things about this dish isthat it requires only a very short preparation time and is very simple,” wroteBluebonnet Electric Cooperative member Rick Landwehr, who submitted thisfirst-place brunch dish.

1st

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Order your Texas pecans today.www.TexasPecans.org

Enter online at TexasCoopPower.com. Each entry MUST include your name, address and phone number, plus the name of your Texas electric cooperative, or it will be disqualified. Specify which

category you are entering, savory or sweet, on each recipe. Send entries to: Texas Co-op Power/Holiday Recipe Contest, 1122 Colorado St., 24th Floor, Austin, TX 78701. You can fax recipes to (512)

763-3408. Up to three entries are allowed per co-op membership. Each should be submitted on a separate piece of paper if mailed or faxed. Mailed entries can all be in one envelope. No email

entries will be accepted. For official rules, visit TexasCoopPower.com.

Send us your best original Texas pecan recipes—savory and sweet. Show us how you use Texas pecans to dress up vegetables, meatsand salads or your nuttiest cookies, pies and candies. All recipes must include pecans (Texas pecans are our favorite). Winners willbe featured in our December 2012 issue. Enter by August 10, 2012, at TexasCoopPower.com. Go to TexasCoopPower.com for details and official rules.

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sheet of phyllo, brush with butter, thensprinkle with pecan pieces. Add nextpiece of phyllo and repeat process, mak-ing 10 total layers. Place half of cabbagemixture in center of dough, leavingabout 1 1/2 inches on each end and 3inches on each side. Fold ends in overfilling, then fold sides and place seam-side down on nonstick baking sheet.Repeat process for other half of phylloand filling. Brush tops and sides of fin-ished loaves with more butter and bake35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.Remove from oven, slice on diagonaland serve.

Servings: 12. Serving size: 1 slice. Per serving: 494 calo-ries, 10.6 g protein, 36.8 g fat, 26.9 g carbohydrates,4.3 g dietary fiber, 466 mg sodium, 5.8 g sugars, 79 mgcholesterol

MARJI BUELL

Guadalupe Valley Electric Cooperative

P E A C H C H A M PA G N E S O U P W I T H P I N W H E E L C O O K I E S

P E A C H C H A M PA G N E S O U P 1 pound frozen peaches 1 cup buttermilk 1 cup white champagne 3/4 cup granulated sugarCombine all ingredients in blender.Blend on high until well combined andsmooth.

Servings: 4. Serving size: 1 cup. Per serving: 269 calo-ries, 3.6 g protein, 1.4 g fat, 53 g carbohydrates, 1.7 gdietary fiber, 55 mg sodium, 50.7 g sugars, 4 mg cho-lesterol

COOK’S TIP: This can be made usingalmost any kind of frozen or fresh fruit.

P I N W H E E L C O O K I E S 1 box (11 ounces) puff pastry dough 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 egg 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/3 cup granulated sugarRoll out one sheet of puff pastry about 1/4 inch thick on lightly floured surface.Beat egg with 2 tablespoons water.Brush puff pastry with egg wash.Combine cinnamon and sugar in smallbowl and sprinkle evenly over puff pas-try. Start at one end of puff pastry androll dough into spiral. Place rolled doughin freezer for about 10 minutes, or until

dough is firm. Meanwhile, preheat ovento 350 degrees. Remove dough fromfreezer, cut into slices about 1/2 inch thickand place onto baking sheet lined withparchment paper. Bake at 350 degreesfor 12 to 14 minutes. Allow to cool for 10minutes before removing from bakingsheet.

Servings: 12. Serving size: 2 cookies. Per serving: 179calories, 2.6 g protein, 9.7 g fat, 19.5 g carbohydrates,0.6 g dietary fiber, 69 mg sodium, 5.8 g sugars, 13 mgcholesterol

AMANDA SILVA

Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative

C O U S C O U S A N D V E G G I E S T U F F E D B E L L P E P P E R S 1 medium onion 1 large green onion 1 stalk celery 1 carrot 2 cloves garlic 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided Basil, salt and pepper to taste 10 button mushrooms 1/3 cup pecans, chopped 1/3 cup chopped parsley 1 cup cooked couscous 4 large bell peppers (cut in half or topped) 1 large egg, whisked with 2 teaspoons water or stockPreheat oven to 325 degrees. Choponions, celery, carrot and garlic. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in sauté pan overmedium-high heat. Sauté onions andgarlic for 2 minutes; add celery and car-rot. Season lightly with basil, salt andpepper. Continue to sauté for another 2 to 3 minutes. Slice mushrooms andadd to sauté. Stir well. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil and incorporate well.Reduce heat to low and add pecans,

parsley and couscous; season lightlyagain. Cook to heat through. While mix-ture is heating, cut peppers and removeseeds and membranes. For 4 larger serv-ings, top peppers; for 8 smaller servings,cut peppers in half. Place peppers inglass baking dish. Remove couscous mix-ture from heat and let it cool slightly.Quickly blend egg mixture into couscousmixture, then fill each pepper to top.Cover dish with foil and bake 15 min-utes, then remove foil and bake another15 to 20 minutes or until filling browns.

Servings: 4. Serving size: 1 pepper. Per serving: 320calories, 11.6 g protein, 20.8 g fat, 27 g carbohydrates,6.3 g dietary fiber, 51 mg sodium, 9 g sugars, 46 mgcholesterol

PEPE LAFLAMME

Cherokee County Electric Cooperative Association

R O C K C R E E K A L M O N D T E A 2 tablespoons unsweetened instant tea 1 cup sugar 1 can (12 ounces) frozen lemonade concentrate 1 tablespoon almond extract 1 tablespoon vanillaMix together tea, sugar and 3 cups waterand boil for five minutes. Then addremaining ingredients and 8 cups coldwater.

Servings: 12. Serving size: 1 cup. Per serving: 142 calo-ries, 0.1 g protein, trace fat, 35.2 g carbohydrates, 0.1 g dietary fiber, 2 mg sodium, 33.1 g sugars

PAM KINKEMA

United Cooperative Services

SEE MORE

RECIPES

ONLINE AT

TEXASCOOPPOWER.COM.


$ 1 0 0 R E C I P E C O N T E S T

September’s recipe contest topic is In a Pickle.A variety of veggies and fruit can be preservedthrough pickling. Share your favorite recipes with us. The deadline is May 10.Submit recipes online at TexasCoopPower.com/contests. Or mail them to HomeCooking, 1122 Colorado St., 24th Floor, Austin, TX 78701. You may also fax them to(512) 763-3408. Please include your name, address and phone number, as well asthe name of your electric co-op. Also, let us know where you found the recipe orwhether it’s one you developed yourself. The top winner will receive $100. Runners-up will also receive a prize.

2 0 1 2 © C A R O L Y N E P E H O R A . I M A G E F R O M B I G S T O C K . C O M .

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Stockton. So keep a keen eye. Texas-sized sights are

everywhere—not too far from where you hang your hat.

—ashley clary-carpenter

1 Stephanie Molina says Beaumonters love to brag that “our hydrant

is bigger than yours.” The Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative mem-

ber snapped this shot of Marisa McClain on her visit to The Fire

Museum of Texas in Beaumont.

Bigger-than-your-face pancakes?

Sure, why not? CoServ Electric

members Mark and Diana Price

say son Daniel’s eyes got round

when the heaping plate arrived at

their table in Lewisville. 3

Now, that’s what you call a turnip.

Five-year-old Zarey’a Bonner,

granddaughter of Panola-

Harrison Electric Cooperative

members Arono and Joyce Jeter,

picked the biggest of the bunch—

an approximate 3-pounder—

from her grandfather’s patch. 3

Pedernales Electric Cooperative member Amanda Gregory says

Titus, their gentle giant of a Siberian cat, is sweet to children—includ-

ing 3-year-old son Gabriel—but tough on scorpions. “A true Texan!”

she affirms. 5

1 Honey, they shrunk the girls!

Central Texas Electric

Cooperative member Dallas

Gorman says he and daughters

Bailey, left, and Lizzie Gorman

drive past these larger-than-life

“bluebonnets” on each back-road

trip from Lakeway to Cleburne.


04 HUNTSVILLE [4–5]

6th Ever Chigger Hill BBQCook-Off, (936) 291-0129,www.samhoustonpost95.org

05 BELLVILLE

Animal Friends Shelter’sHound Dog Ball, (979)865-2525, www.animalfriendsshelter.org

CLUTE

GoClute.com Car & BikeShow, (979) 265-2508

M A Y

03 FLORESVILLE

Floresville Opry, (830)393-6512, http://wilsoncountyhistory.org

HELOTES [3–6]

Cornyval, (210) 695-2103,www.cornyval.org

05 HILLSBORO

Outlets at HillsboroChihuahua Races, (254) 582-2047, www.outletsathillsboro.com

WAXAHACHIE

Cinco de Mayo Festival,(972) 937-2390,http://waxahachie5de5.com/default.aspx

MONTGOMERY [5–6]

Antiques Festival, (936)597-5004, http://hmba.biz

This is just a sampling of the eventsand festivals around Texas. For the complete listing, please visitTexasCoopPower.com/events.

PICK OF THE MONTH

MAY 12VICTORIA

Soap Box Derby, (361) 485-3230www.victoria.org

AROUNDTEXASAROUNDTEXAS

S O A P B O X D E R B Y R A C E R : 2 0 1 2 © E V A N S H A R B O N E A U . I M A G E F R O M B I G S T O C K . C O M . C H I H U A H U A : 2 0 1 2 © E R I C I S S E L É E . I M A G E F R O M B I G S T O C K . C O M . T E A C U P S : 2 0 1 2 © J A B I R U . I M A G E F R O M B I G S T O C K . C O M . D A N C E R : 2 0 1 2 © J E F F S C H U L T E S . I M A G E F R O M B I G S T O C K . C O M .

5HILLSBORO

Outlets at HillsboroChihuahua Races

5MONTGOMERY

Antiques Festival

5WAXAHACHIE

Cinco de Mayo Festival

5WAXAHACHIE

Cinco de Mayo Festival

www.TexasBlueberryFestival.com800-OLDEST-TOWN (888-653-3788)

Downtown NacogdochesJune 9, 2012

Visit historic downtown Nacogdoches for

live music and family events.

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01 CASTROVILLE

1st Friday “Party on thePorch” at the Jail Haus,(210) 275-0506, www.jailhausboutique.com

11 MINEOLA [11–12]

Mineola May Days, (903) 569-2087,www.mineolachamber.org

12 GRANGER

Lakefest, (512) 859-2755,www.cityofgranger.org

LAKE JACKSON

Birds and BottomlandsBlitz, (979) 480-0999,www.gcbo.org

WINNSBORO [12–13]

Spring Festival, (903)342-5267, www.winnsboroonlineguide.com

17 LULING

84th Annual Field Day,(830) 875-2438, www.lulingfoundation.org

We pick events for the magazine directly fromTexasCoopPower.com.Submit your event for Julyby May 10, and it just mightbe featured in this calendar!

19 MARSHALL

Cajun Dance, (903) 935-4484,www.marshallartscouncil.org

VALLEY SPRING

VFD Fish Fry Fundraiser,(325) 247-4023

20 BLEIBLERVILLE

VFD Fish Fry, (979) 249-6382

25 FREDERICKSBURG [25–27]

Crawfish Festival, (830) 997-8515, www.tex-fest.com/crawfish/index.htm

J U N E 01 CANYON [1–2]

Night at PPHM, (806) 651-2244,http://panhandleplains.org

AROUNDTEXASAROUNDTEXAS

12LAKE JACKSON

Birds andBottomlands Blitz

18 MOUNT PLEASANT [18–19]

Moonlight Festival &Outhouse Races, (903) 572-8567, www.mtpleasanttx.com

19 CLEBURNE

Johnson CountyCommunity Fest & ChiliCook-Off, (817) 776-1300,http://jcfest.org

HONDO

Hondo Army Airfield Fly-In,(830) 426-3037,www.hondochamber.com/Hondo-Army-Airfield-Fly-In.php

19MARSHALL

Cajun Dance

1CANYONNight at PPHM

H A W K : 2 0 1 2 © S T E V E B Y L A N D . I M A G E F R O M B I G S T O C K . C O M . A C C O R D I O N : 2 0 1 2 © K A R A M M I R I . I M A G E F R O M B I G S T O C K . C O M . D I N O S A U R P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F P A N H A N D L E - P L A I N S H I S T O R I C A L M U S E U M .

www.visitmatagordacounty.com • 877-TRVL-FUN

MAY 18TH~20TH BAY CITY, TEXAS

Art demos byLes McDonald, MichaelWindberg, Russell Cushman,Mico Murphy, Nellie Kressand Lynn Chatman

Exhibit open to the public

ART EXHIBITION • ART SALE • ENTERTAINMENT

LONE STAR ART GUILD2012 ANNUAL CONVENTION

Demos include sculpture andmold making, oil and watercolorsand plein air oil


the bare trunks, and even the calls ofthe endangered Houston Toad, whichsome biologists feared had been wipedout by drought and conflagration, havebeen heard.

I, like many who have visited the parkthrough the years, wondered what Icould do to help. A volunteer workdayprovided the answer for me.

Led by Volunteer Coordinator/ParkInterpreter Katie Raney, the volunteerdays have set hundreds of hands to workon projects where people power canmake a difference.

That’s how on a sunny Februarymorning, I found myself with about 50other hard hat-clad volunteers traips-ing toward Pond No. 8, a Houston Toadhangout near the route of the LostPines Trail. Our mission: spread mulchmade from fallen trees around theperimeter of the pond to give the toadsa place to hide and help promoteregrowth of underbrush that will pro-vide the amphibians with habitat.

We formed a bucket brigade stretch-ing from the large mulch pile atop arise down several hundred feet to thepond’s edge. The shivering of a coolwinter morning was quickly forgottenas a steady stream of filled, five-gallonbuckets were passed hand-to-handdownslope with mulch to be spread onthe ground and stacks of emptieshanded back up to be refilled. Jacketswere doffed as we made quick progress,with friends and strangers, young andold and in singles, couples and groupstackling the work at hand with smiles,jokes and laughter.

A little more than two hours later,the last bucket was passed down anddumped, and the toad oasis of Pond No.8 was ringed with a layer of protectivemulch.

I returned to my truck with wearyarms and a tight back but was left withthe satisfying feeling that perhaps I’dmade a difference. Maybe because ofthe efforts of myself and the other vol-unteers, a toad on the brink of extinc-tion would have a fighting chance tosurvive and a park I love to visit willsomeday fully recover.

Kevin Hargis, food editor

Shock and sadness … those were my pre-dominant feelings as I made my first visitto BASTROP STATE PARK since September’sdevastating Bastrop County Complexwildfire ripped through the 6,500-acreloblolly pine forest preserve.

Virtually everywhere I looked on acloud-scattered December afternoon, Isaw the path of the firestorm that hadengulfed the park: scabs of charred barkclung to tree trunks; bare earth, in somespots covered by a thin layer of deadpine needles; vast swaths of empty floorof the forest known as the Lost Pines,where underbrush once stood thick.Everywhere my eyes landed, I found evi-dence of loss and destruction.

But there were also hopeful signs.

The park’s signature cabins builtdecades earlier by the CivilianConservation Corps were untouched. Its18-HOLE GOLF COURSE, unique amongTexas state parks, was relatively unblem-ished. Thanks to the efforts of firefight-ers, the swimming pool area andHISTORIC CCC-CONSTRUCTED REFECTORY

had been spared from the flames.The foundation for the park’s return

to its pine-scented glory was intact. Butmuch recovery lies ahead.

A torrential downpour in late Januaryrevealed another problem facing thepark: erosion. Plants that had held thesoil in place were now ash. The 5 inchesof rain that fell during the one-night del-uge washed out a portion of Park Road

1A, part of a winding net-work of roads that connectsBastrop State Park to its sis-ter, Buescher State Park.

Beset by these problems,and a subsequent loss ofvisitors and revenue, parkstaff members are fightingback. Restoration of camp-grounds, roads and trails isongoing. Almost all camp-grounds are again open.Many trails are accessible,and dead trees that pose adanger to visitors are beingmarked and cut.

And nature is showingher resilience—saplingshave sprouted through thesoil enriched with ash fromtheir burned ancestors.Birdsong echoes through

H I T T H E R O A D

The endangered Houston toad,along with its Bastrop StatePark habitat, has gotten a helping hand in recovering from a devastating wildfire. Do you want to lend a hand?Learn how to help state parks at TexasCoopPower.com.

P H O T O B Y D E S T R Y J A I M E S

BASTROP STATE PARKFinding hope in the ashes of the Lost Pines

BY KEVIN HARGIS

H

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