Hump Day Camels, with their plodding gaits and affable charm, still ply the texas desert - Rusk County Electric ...
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2102_local covers standard.qxp 1/14/21 11:41 AM Page 19
THE JOYS OF QUICK BREADS THE URGENCY OF
Pass-alOng Plants and MuFFins BlaCk HistORy MOntH
FOR Rusk COunty EC MEMBERs FEBRuaRy 2021
Hump Day
Camels, with their plodding
gaits and affable charm,
still ply the texas desert
contents
February 2021
04 Currents
The latest buzz
06 TCp Talk
Readers respond
18 Co-op news
Information
plus energy
and safety
tips from your
cooperative
29 footnotes in
Texas History
A Name
That Sticks
By W.F. Strong
30 TCp kitchen
Quick Breads
and Muffins
By Megan Myers
34 Hit the road
Caddo
08 Monuments
By Chet Garner
Every Day 12 Putting 37
Is Hump Day Down Roots
focus on Texas
Photo Contest:
Saddles
Camels add unique silhouettes Pass-along plants spread joy,
and affable charm to West texas
expeditions.
friendship and legacies
among gardeners. 38 observations
Time To Talk
By Pam LeBlanc By Sheryl Smith-Rodgers About That
Photos by Scott Van Osdol Illustrations by Chiara Vercesi By Michael Hurd
On the COver
Doug Baum and richard,
one of his camels.
ABOve
A face that only a … no,
that anybody could love.
Photos by Scott Van Osdol
t e x AsC O OPPOWer .COm f e B r uA ry 2 0 2 1 T E X AS C O - O P POW E R 3
Currents
No Crapes of Wrath
J u s T a f r i e n d ly r e M i n d e r
to resist all temptation to commit
crape murder this month. Prune crape myrtles gently—or not at all.
Our February 2020 story Crape Murder explains it all. Many gar-
deners drastically saw off the trees’ limbs, thinking it the proper
treatment for beautiful blooms later in the summer. Not so. “In recognizing the
“The prettiest ones I’ve seen have never been touched,” says
horticulturist Greg Grant. “And I mean never.” humanity of our
fellow beings, we
pay ourselves the
highest tribute.”
—T h u r g o o d M a r s h a l l
end of the
republic
Cr APe myrtle : u kimArrO n | shu t ter stOCk .COm. Wi ne : sAs hAg Al A | Dr e Amst ime .CO m. miller: Be t tmAn | ge t t y imAges. iCe Cre Am: unPiCt | Dre Amstime .COm
this month marks 175 years
since the formal transfer of
authority in texas from the
republic to the state.
the u.s. Congress accepted
the texas Constitution on
December 29, 1845, which
marked texas’ legal entry into
the union. On february 19,
1846, the last president of
texas, Anson Jones, turned
over the reins of government
to gov. James Pinckney
henderson.
“the final act in this great
drama is now performed,”
Jones declared. “the republic
of texas is no more.”
living Last July, Austin became the 11th American city and fourth in Texas —
large joining Houston, San Antonio and Dallas—with a population exceeding
1 million. The last U.S. city to hit 1 million people was San Jose, California, in 2015.
4 T E X AS CO-OP POWER feBruAry 2021 t e x AsC O O P POW e r .C O m
February 18
naTional
drink
Wine day
Texas has more than 500
wineries, according to the
national association of
american Wineries. only
four states have more.
finisH THis
senTenCe
YoU’RE NEvER
Too olD To ...
tell us how you would finish that
sentence. email your short responses
to letters@texasCoopPower.com or
comment on our facebook post. include
your co-op and town. here are some of
the responses to our December prompt:
i wish i could …
Valor
find a cure for COviD-19.
sherryiOn lAne
Carries On
miDsOuth eC
huntsville
T H e n a M e o f d o r i s M i l l e r , a U.S. Navy mess attendant from
Willow Grove, near Waco, who became a hero during the Pearl
have just one more day with my dad,
Dixie Wheeler. i have so many Harbor attack in 1941, lives on in schools, roads and community
questions i’d like to ask him. centers around the country.
rODney Wheeler In 11 years the USS Doris Miller will take to the seas as the first
BlueBOnnet eC
ly t t O n s P r i n g s supercarrier named for an African American and the first named
for an enlisted sailor.
fit into the pants i wore before Miller fired an anti-aircraft gun at attacking Japanese aircraft
quarantine. and then pulled shipmates out of the burning water. He perished
CAryl ZimmermAn
CentrAl texAs eC in 1943 aboard an escort carrier torpedoed in the Pacific Ocean.
kingslAnD
figure out what my cats are thinking
when they stare at me. Contests and More
l Aurie l. re AgAn
BAnDerA eC
leAkey on TexasCooppoWer.CoM
$500 reCipe ConTesT
give everyone a hug. ice Creams and sorbets
mArgAre t fOntenOt
BlueBOnnet eC foCus on Texas pHoTos
sOmerville manmade vs. nature
Web exTra
to see more responses, read see writer sheryl smith-rodgers divide
lilies and prepare plants to pass along.
Currents online.
t e x AsC O OPPOWer .COm f e B r uA ry 2 0 2 1 T E X AS C O - O P POW E R 5
TCP Talk
He gave us the stars
“The generosity and vision
C Ol l Ag e sOurC e P hOtOs: C Ourtesy m C DOnA l D O B servAtOry
of William McDonald and
Violet Locke McIvor is a
great story. Wouldn’t we all
welcome an opportunity to
go ‘mountain shopping’?”
gerald benneTT
coserv
frisco
alabama’s role The pinnacle Classic Cover
While primary control of the Interna- My husband and I took a Huge kudos to photographer
tional Space Station is in Houston, yep! And brought over week to explore the beaches Kristin Tyler for the photo
Marshall Space Flight Center in Hunts- some delicious food and fishing villages of South of the farrier on the October
[Burgs in a New Land,
ville, Alabama, also plays a vital role December 2020].
Texas one year. We had heard 2020 cover. It is a classic,
in its operation [Out of This World, about the Matagorda Island reminiscent of the Dorothea
k Ay l A W A l k e r
November 2020]. v i A fA C e B O O k
ferry and rented bicycles for Lange Depression photo-
Flight controllers in Huntsville the day [Matagorda Island graphs.
schedule the astronauts’ daily activities Lighthouse, October 2020].
and provide technical assistance as There were several others merry langlinais
Bandera eC
the astronauts do experiments and on the ferry, but we had all
medina
perform maintenance or handle day exploring the island—
emergencies related to the equipment hardly seeing a soul until
inside the space station. returning to the dock. The
view of the lighthouse was
linda Brower
the pinnacle of that day.
tri-County eC
keller Thank you for bringing
that long-lost memory
to life. WriTe To u s
letters@texasCoopPower.com
Joy Connery
Wood County eC
editor, texas Co-op Power
lindale
1122 Colorado st., 24th floor
Austin, tx 78701
please include your electric
co-op and town. letters may
be edited for clarity and length.
nAsA .gOv
texas Co-op Power
Texas eleCTriC CooperaTives board of direCTors texas co-op power volume 77, number 8 (usPs 540-560). Texas Co-op Power is published
Chair robert loth iii, fredericksburg • vice Chair gary raybon, el Campo monthly by texas electric Cooperatives (teC). Periodical postage paid at Austin, tx, and at additional
secretary-Treasurer kelly lankford, san Angelo • board Members greg henley, tahoka offices. teC is the statewide association representing 75 electric cooperatives. Texas Co-op Power’s
website is texasCoopPower.com. Call (512) 454-0311 or email editor@texasCoopPower.com.
Billy Jones, Corsicana • David mcginnis, van Alstyne • Doug turk, livingston
subsCripTions subscription price is $4.20 per year for individual members of subscribing coop-
presidenT/Ceo mike Williams, Austin eratives and is paid from equity accruing to the member. if you are not a member of a subscribing
CoMMuniCaTions & MeMber serviCes CoMMiTTee cooperative, you can purchase an annual subscription at the nonmember rate of $7.50. individual
marty haught, Burleson • Bill hetherington, Bandera • ron hughes, sinton copies and back issues are available for $3 each.
Boyd mcCamish, littlefield • John ed shinpaugh, Bonham • robert Walker, gilmer posTMasTer send address changes to Texas Co-op Power (usPs 540-560), 1122 Colorado st.,
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old address and key numbers.
Magazine sTaff
adverTising Advertisers interested in buying display ad space in Texas Co-op Power and/or in
vice president, Communications & Member services martin Bevins our 30 sister publications in other states, contact elaine sproull at (512) 486-6251. Advertisements
editor Charles J. lohrmann • associate editor tom Widlowski in Texas Co-op Power are paid solicitations. the publisher neither endorses nor guarantees in any
production Manager karen nejtek • Creative Manager Andy Doughty manner any product or company included in this publication. Product satisfaction and delivery re-
advertising Manager elaine sproull • senior Communications specialist Chris Burrows sponsibility lie solely with the advertiser. © Copyright 2021 texas electric Cooperatives inc. repro-
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digital Content producer Chris salazar • senior designer Jane sharpe
proofreader shannon Oelrich
6 T E X AS CO-OP POWER feBruAry 2021 t e x AsC O O P POW e r .C O m
We are excited to announce the release of the 2021 Texas Silver
Round – Revolution Series. This is the second release of a four-year
series commemorating the battles of the Texas Revolution. Each Texas
The Silver Round is one troy ounce .9999 ne silver.
The obverse of the high-quality mint strike features Texas’ iconic lone
star in the foreground. The smooth engraving of the star is framed
by a textured topographical outline of the state of Texas. “TEXAS”
arches proudly over the top of the round’s obverse in large capital
letters, with “Precious Metals” presented inversely along the
opposite side. The round’s
mintage year is engraved in
SERIES the bottom left of the round,
just southwest of what
would be the Rio Grande
bordering Texas and Mexico.
The reverse of the 2021 release
displays a scene from the famous
Battle of the Alamo. It depicts
two Texian soldiers including the
American icon, Davy Crockett,
attempting to fend off Mexican
soldiers attempting to breach the
walls of the Alamo.
B AT T L E O F G O N Z A L E S B AT T L E O F T H E A L A M O
rst in the series second in the series
The stunning 2020 Texas Silver Round depicts a scene from the Battle The events of this famous battle took place on the days of February
of Gonzales, with three Texian revolutionaries defending the famous 23rd - March 6th, 1836. At the end of a 13-day siege, President General
Gonzales cannon, while brandishing the Come And Take It Flag. Antonio López de Santa Anna and his Mexican troops reclaimed the
Alamo Mission, killing the Texian and immigrant occupiers.
The Texas Silver Round can be purchased in a monster box produced
exclusively for the Texas Mint. Packaged in 20 protective tubes of 25 rounds
each, the monster box holds 500 1-ounce Texas Silver Rounds. Built from
durable cold-rolled steel and nished with a matte black powder coat, the
monster box lid features an orange cutout of the state of Texas. Each sealed
monster box is secured with a unique serial number and a holographic seal
to ensure maximum product protection.
The Texas Silver Round is also available to purchase in a similarly designed
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rounds each for a total of 250 silver rounds.
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T E X M E TA L S .C O M We a c c e pt:
For pre c ious m e ta l s tora g e s olutions vis it Tex a s De pos itory.c om 959 STAT E HWY 95N • SHI NE R , TX 77984 • 361.594 .3 6 2 4
b y Pa M l e b l a n c
P h o T o s b y s c o T T va n o s d o l
d oug Baum strides through the prickly
Chihuahuan Desert of West Texas, a straw
cowboy hat shading his face from the
sun and a string of five camels sauntering
behind him.
I’m perched high atop one of those camels, listening in-
tently as Baum, owner of Texas Camel Corps, points out a
canyon wren’s nest, stops to inspect a rust-colored millipede
marching across our path and then explains the role camels
played in the Lone Star State’s history.
“Texas is perfect for camels,” says Baum, born in the West
Texas town of Big Spring. “That point was not lost on the
Army when they decided to use camels out here in the 1850s.”
That’s when the U.S. military imported 75 camels from
Egypt, Turkey and Tunisia for use as pack animals. For
nearly a decade, the heat-resistant creatures carried water
and hauled supplies for the U.S. cavalry at Camp Verde,
south of Kerrville.
every
When the program ended in 1866, the army sold the ani-
mals. Some wound up in California; others hauled freight
between Texas and Mexico; a few ended up in traveling
shows; and some made their way to Austin, where they were
kept along Congress Avenue near the river and then sold
day is
off a few at a time.
Today Baum, who lives with his menagerie on a farm
near Valley Mills, where he is a member of Heart of Texas
Electric Cooperative, keeps the camels’ history alive by in-
hump
troducing his cartoonish but affectionate creatures at
events around the state. I’ve joined him at Cibolo Creek
Ranch, south of Marfa, for an overnight camel-riding trek to
learn more about the role they once played in the Big Bend.
I feel like I’m riding a rocking chair strapped to a steplad-
day
der that’s being dragged down a gravel road. It’s both rough
and rolling, with the bonus that my camel, Cinco, swings
his neck around to give me a big goofy smile now and then.
ABOve texas Camel Corps owner
Doug Baum throws a saddle on
richard at his farm near valley mills.
right richard greets the sunrise.
H e leads treks each spring and fall at Cibolo Creek
and delivers members of his eight-camel herd to
museums, parks, schools and libraries. He also
leads treks in Egypt, where he has a second home, and if
you need a camel for a church Nativity, he’s the guy to call.
b
aum first fell in love with camels while working “They teach me what I should be—patient, observant,
as a professional musician in Nashville in the methodical,” Baum says of his camels. “These are things
1990s, when he played drums for country music I recognize I lack in myself.”
star Trace Adkins. He took a day job working at He leads treks each spring and fall at Cibolo Creek and
the Nashville Zoo. delivers members of his eight-camel herd to museums,
“I had zero experience with camels,” he says. “Within a parks, schools and libraries. He also leads treks in Egypt,
week I was absolutely smitten. They’re sweet, affectionate, where he has a second home, and if you need a camel for
playful and so, so gentle.” a church Nativity, he’s the guy to call.
They’ve also got leathery, pie-sized feet; spindly, stiltlike Part of Baum’s mission is to dispel myths about camels.
legs; nostrils that squeeze shut to keep out blowing sand; They’re not, he says, ornery, smelly beasts that spit at people.
and peach-sized eyes fringed in lush, 3-inch lashes. Their humps aren’t filled with water, either, though a camel
Baum stuck with music for a while, but eventually “the can go 10 days or more without a drink. Camel humps—one
camel thing just won,” he says. “It was an obvious choice for dromedaries, two for Bactrians—are filled with fat. (If
to me.” you’re riding a single-humper, you’ll sit on a padded seat
He moved back to Texas and in 1998 bought four camels, behind the hump. For a two-humper, you ride between the
with the idea of using them for educational programs. Two bumps.) Camels can be downright cuddly, and they don’t
of those camels—Richard and Cinco—are with us on this spit—although llamas, which are closely related, do.
cool September afternoon, slowing periodically to munch I learn, when Cinco exhales on me, that the stinky part
on creosote bushes. of the stereotype rings true. Camels’ awful breath is both
1 0 T E X AS CO-OP POWER feBruAry 2021 t e x AsC O O P POW e r .C O msweet and pungent, like grass clippings mixed with syrup— ABOve Doug Baum, walking behind the
in part because they chew their cud. They are ruminants first camel, leads a trek through the
desert at Cibolo Creek ranch, south of
and employ three stomachs to process their food. Stand
marfa. OPPPOsite Author Pam leBlanc
next to one for a few minutes, and you’ll hear that digestive perched atop richard.
system in action, gurgling and glugging like a clogged
drain. Also, they fart—loudly and potently.
Two other guests on the trek, Sue and Randy Howerter, “Sometimes you get an attachment to animals,” Sue
Guadalupe Valley EC members, are equally taken by the Howerter says. “It’s the same with camels. They have so
animals. Randy, who makes musical instruments, met much personality and character.”
Baum at a festival in New Braunfels. Sue, a blacksmith, was Before our two-day trip ends, we’ve lumbered a dozen
intrigued, too, and the Seguin couple visited Baum’s farm, miles across a stark landscape that looks like the backdrop
where he lives with his family, the camels, five miniature of a John Wayne movie, soaked in a spring-fed creek, eaten
donkeys, a pair of dogs, a flock of chickens, assorted sheep a traditional Moroccan meal, sung around the campfire,
and goats, one horse, and “too many” kittens. watched shooting stars streak across the sky and listened to
After that the Howerters needed no convincing. They coyotes yip as we snuggled in our tents.
trek : PAm leBl AnC
headed to Cibolo Creek Ranch, where we all loaded sleep- But it’s the camels that get top billing. And that’s just
ing bags and pajamas into large canvas saddlebags; climbed how Baum likes it. D
aboard our kneeling, straw-colored steeds; and hung on as
the animals rose to full height.
t e x AsC O OPPOWer .COm f e B r uA ry 2 0 2 1 T E X AS C O - O P POW E R 1 1b y s h e r y l s M i T h - r o d g e r s • i l l u s T r aT i o n s b y c h i a r a v e r c e s i
Putting Down Roots
PA S S -A L O N G P L A N T S S P R E A D J OY, F R I E N D S H I P A N D L E G AC I E S A M O N G G A R D E N E R S
P aige Eaton faced a bare yard when she and her
family moved into their rural home in Wood
County in 2006. After hand-prepping her first
garden bed, she planted several varieties of daylilies dug up
from her sister-in-law’s yard down the road. Today those
daylilies and many other pass-along plants are the founda-
tion of Eaton’s diversified gardens that support pollinators
and other wildlife. Now she passes along plants from her
yard, too.
“I love to give daylilies to friends and co-workers,” says
Eaton, an employee and member of Wood County Electric
Cooperative. “I’ve even mailed them to Mississippi and
Georgia. I feel good about sharing daylilies because they’re
hardy and can make anyone a successful gardener.”
Sharing plants also saves lives—of the green kind, that
is. In a yard or garden, plants multiply, often where they’re
not wanted. Instead of tossing extras, most gardeners prefer
to give away what they’ve thinned out. Are those pass-along
plants? Maybe. Maybe not. Definitions vary, depending on
the gardener you ask. Traditionally, the term refers to plants
that are easy to grow, propagate and pass on as seeds, trans-
plants, divisions, bulbs or cuttings. They’re often fragrant and
rarely sold in commercial nurseries. They may also bring
back fond memories of the giver or places tied to the past.
“Without pass-along plants, most of us would have lost “is not by any means my creation. I have heard it most of my
touch with our childhoods,” says Neil Sperry, a Texas life, possibly at my grandmother’s knee.”
gardening expert and Grayson-Collin EC member. “There’s Another custom among some Southern gardeners also
something special about being given a cutting, division or goes back for generations. “When you receive a pass-along,
seed from your grandmother’s favorite plant and then you’re not supposed to say thank you or it won’t grow,” says
sharing it with a young person who’s important to you. Marcia Coffman, president of the Mountain Laurel Garden
Some of my favorite pass-alongs are tulips, oxblood lilies, Club in Bracketville and a Rio Grande EC member. “I’ve
autumn daffodils, resurrection lilies and hardy amaryllis.” actually found the custom to be true. Instead, you should
tell the giver, ‘Oh, this makes me so happy.’ ”
A ccording to many sources, the phrase “pass-along
plants” was coined by the late Allen Lacy, a
gardening columnist and author. However, Lacy,
who grew up around Dallas, declined the credit when he
wrote in a foreword to Passalong Plants that the expression
If one pass-along can bring happiness, imagine being
surrounded by them. Tables covered with pass-alongs can
be found at plant sales and swaps, such as seasonal fund-
raisers jointly hosted by the Denton County Master Gardener
Association and the Native Plant Society of Texas in Denton.
1 2 T E X AS CO-OP POWER feBruAry 2021 t e x AsC O O P POW e r .C O m“We pot up extra plants from our gardens, like white avens, arrived here, they’d set it under their motor home’s awning. mealy blue sage and fall asters, and label them,” says Liz Then they’d take it back home and keep it in their garage Moyer, a member of both organizations. “When I go to plant over winter.” sales, I always look for pass-alongs because I know they’ll Roses also rank among beloved pass-along plants. Becky do well in our climate and soils.” Smith of Hungerford and fellow members of the Texas Rose In the Rio Grande Valley, members of the Driftwood Rustlers preserve and share old garden roses that were Garden Club in Port Isabel give away small potted plants in planted by Anglo settlers at their homesteads and cemeter- exchange for donations at a monthly market. Their pass- ies. “We host a cutting exchange three times a year,” says alongs usually include palms, plumerias and succulents. Smith, the group’s chairperson. “Our mission is to encour- “We have a lot of winter Texans who like to take home age others to grow these old roses, which have been time- something unique from Texas that they can show their tested to survive and require no spraying or fertilizers.” friends,” says Mary Gorbell, club president and an NEC Unlike old garden roses, not all plants make suitable Co-op Energy member. “One Iowa couple had a Washing- pass-alongs. “Years ago someone gave me a Chinese tallow,” tonia palm they got from us. Every summer after they recalls Greg Grant, a Smith County extension agent with t e x AsC O OPPOWer .COm f e B r uA ry 2 0 2 1 T E X AS C O - O P POW E R 1 3
“Later I divided the cacti into 15 pots and passed
them along to my children and my sister’s
children. It was all we had left of the land
that our family had owned since 1889.”
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension in Tyler. “It had lovely fall
color, but then I learned how invasive it is. Fortunately, the
tree later froze and died. So be careful when people pass
along something to you. Check it out before you plant it.
Mexican petunias can choke out other plants, but they
don’t take over an ecosystem and spread ad nauseam like
Chinese privets do.”
Grant, a Deep East Texas EC member, also cautions
against scooping up plants from public parks and private
property. “If you don’t own the land, then you shouldn’t dig
SHARING CACTUSES,
up a plant unless you have the owner’s permission,” he says.
SUCCULENTS AND NATIVES
“In my hunts for plants, I’ve been known to knock on doors
and offer cash.” y e a r s ag o , a friend gave my hus-
When is the best time to plant pass-alongs? “Most are band, James, and me a variegated
forgiving about being dug up or divided,” Grant says. “So agave with green and gold leaves.
even if you do it at the wrong time of year, they don’t mind i planted it in our adjoining vacant lot
because pass-alongs are tough.” that we call the meadow, and it pro-
duced dozens of pups. Along the
O ccasional losses in her gardens motivate Lin
Grado, a Wood County master gardener and
Wood County EC member, to share some of her
plants. “For instance, if something destroys my fall obedient
plant, I know I can go to a friend that I gave some to and get
way many other pass-alongs, includ-
ing texas natives, have found homes
in our gardens.
Because they’re easy to grow and
share, succulents, cactuses and most
more,” she explains. “I know that’s a little selfish, but it’s native plants make ideal pass-alongs.
nice to know I’ve got backups.” sedums, succulents also called
Mention pass-alongs, and potted plants may come up. stonecrops, flourish and spread in
“I treasure my peperomia, a tropical houseplant that was gardens. Just break off a stem and
given to me by the late Ralph Pinkus,” Sperry says. “He’s one stick it in a pot or in the ground. voilà!
of my heroes and was the founder of North Haven Gardens you’ve got a new plant. Aloe veras
in Dallas. I’ve had that plant for 35 years.” also make good pass-alongs.
Though small, a potted cactus matters greatly to Moyer, through the years we’ve received
a member of CoServ, an electric cooperative in Corinth. a texas buckeye, lindheimer’s
“Before my grandfather’s farm sold near East Sweden, I dug crownbeard, heartleaf hibiscus, pink
up some barrel cacti,” she recalls. “Later I divided the cacti mint and bracted passionflower, to
into 15 pots and passed them along to my children and my name only a few pass-along natives.
sister’s children. It was all we had left of the land that our in turn we’ve gifted gregg’s mist-
family had owned since 1889. flower, fragrant mistflower, flame
“Sometimes,” she adds, “a pass-along plant is the only acanthus, turk’s cap and pearl milk-
thing you have left of someone or something that you weed vine. i’ve also shared seeds
held dear.” D with friends.
As for that agave and its many
pups, those aggressive spreaders
W e b e x T r a Our video
are gone. lesson learned: Always
shows writer sheryl smith-
rodgers dividing lilies and read up on your pass-along’s grow-
preparing plants to pass along. ing habits. — s s r
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Rusk County EC News
15
Youth tour Canceled t h ur sDAY
Due to COVID-19
I N 1 9 6 5 , e l e Ct r I C
cooperatives across Texas
joined forces to send a busload of youths to Wash-
MES SAGE
FROM ington, D.C. There the teens met with President
APRIL
CEO/ Lyndon B. Johnson, explored the capital, and
GENERAL forged memories and friendships to last a lifetime.
MANAGE R
For more than five decades, Texas’ electric co-ops
rhett reID carried on the legacy of that first Government-in- LYSE N koAL E x AN DE R | IStoc k .c om
Action Youth Tour each summer.
Until the coronavirus pandemic hit. I’m saddened
sAVe t he DAt e
to announce that, for the second year in a row, Youth
Tour has been canceled. rusk County
Along with the National Rural Electric Coopera- electric Cooperative
tive Association and other statewide cooperative
associations, the Texas Electric Cooperatives Board
84th Annual Meeting
of Directors decided to cancel the state’s participa-
Thursday, April 15
tion in the 2021 Youth Tour.
This decision was made out of an abundance of
safety and caution for all those involved. After
carefully considering the resources required to
Apply Now for
properly ensure the health and well-being of more
than 200 Texas delegates and 20 chaperones, the
TEC board determined that the risk was not worth RCEC Scholarships
the reward.
The cancellation comes as a big blow to all of us
here at Rusk County Electric Cooperative. Youth
Tour represents one of our most important invest-
ments in the future of the communities we serve.
The students who participate in Youth Tour travel
D NY59 | ISto ck .co m
to Austin and Washington to learn about the
important role of electric cooperatives, meet their
congressional representatives, and gain a deeper
perspective on the history and mechanisms of our
democracy. Attendees often return with a renewed cooperative
r u s k C O u N t Y e l e Ct r I C
commitment to their hometowns, and many have maintains a scholarship fund to assist
gone on to become teachers, doctors, lawyers, high school seniors who desire to further
politicians and even co-op employees in those their educations. Scholarships are
communities. awarded to students based on several
Of course, the biggest loss of the cancellation is criteria: demonstrated civic activities,
felt by the young people who won’t get the chance scholastic achievement, leadership abili-
to take the trip. Many have anticipated Youth Tour ties, class standing and financial need.
for years, hearing friends and family who have par-
to be eligible, the student’s immediate
ticipated call it the trip of a lifetime.
family must be an active member of
Rest assured, as soon as conditions are deemed
RcEc, and the student’s permanent resi-
safe, Rusk County EC will jump on the chance to
dence must be in the RcEc service area
send students once again on this unforgettable trip.
with the membership in a parent’s or
In the meantime, thank you for understanding
guardian’s name.
this difficult situation. D
Applications must be postmarked by
march 5. D
1 8 TEX AS C O-OP POWER F EbRuARY 2021 RU S K C O U NT Y E LE CTR I C COOP ER AT I VERuskCounty2102_ 1/12/21 5:31 PM Page 19
Rusk County
Electric Cooperative
coNtAct u s
P.o. box 1169
henderson 75653-1169
phone (903) 657-4571
Amber Lo L L A r | The hender so n ne w s
email info@rcelectric.org
Web rcelectric.org
ceo/General manager
Rhett L. Reid
board of Directors
Kenneth Keeling, President
Jay Innerarity, Vice President
Emily Whitworth, secretary
Jerry Brown, Assistant secretary-Treasurer
Sam Allison
Richard “Trey” Hacker
Nora Tipps
For information and
24/7 to report outages,
please call us.
outage ( 903) 6 5 7 - 4 5 7 1
Number
of f i ce locAt i oNs
Henderson
(903) 657-4571
3162 sh 43 e.
Hours: monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
carthage
(903) 693-2198
325A w. sabine
Rusk County EC Float Wins at Hours: monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–1 p.m. and
1:30–4:30 p.m.
Henderson Christmas Parade lakeport
(903) 643-9181
8989 Fm 349
A teAm of Rusk County Electric Cooperative employees built a float that
Hours: monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–1 p.m. and
lit up the streets of Henderson and won first place at the Christmas parade 1:30–4:30 p.m.
December 3.
The co-op was invited to attend a surprise parade for students at Wylie
bi l l pAy me Nt opt i oNs
Primary and Wylie Elementary schools Thursday, December 17, with the • online with smarthub or Pay now
“East Texas Magical Christmas”-themed float. Even though it was during • by automatic bank draft
the day, the kids were excited and enjoyed the parade. • by mail to P.o. box 1169, henderson, TX 75653
That evening the RCEC crew traveled with the float to Tatum to be a • In person at any of our offices
• night deposit box at all office locations
part of that town’s parade for the first time. It was a great experience, with
• by phone at 1-877-487-0013. Please have your
families lining the streets to welcome the floats. D rCeC account number available.
V i s i t u s oNl i Ne
rcelectric.org
rCe Le CT rIC.org • (903) 657-4571RuskCounty2102_ 1/12/21 5:31 PM Page 20
He touched many lives throughout the
years with his caring attitude for his
friends, family and local communities.
He was a somewhat quiet man but was
not short of words when it came to dis-
cussions about family, farming and Rusk
County EC. He is remembered by all as a
good man.
Brown, with his wife of 44 years,
Martha, was the proud father of three
sons, who along with their families kept
him busy attending events where they
were involved.
At a difficult time like this, it can be
hard to put feelings into words, but we at
RCEC would like to thank Mr. Brown for
his leadership, friendship and caring
nature, which affected so many people.
Also, thank you to the Brown family for
allowing him to be a part of the co-op
family for so many years.
Individual Tributes to Jerry Brown
Trey Hacker, RCEC Director, District 2
“Mr. Brown and I helped each other the
old fashion way, the kind of help that
money can’t buy: just plain kindness
because it is the right thing to do. Mr.
Brown and his kindness will be greatly
missed. He was a great man that I am
glad came across my path 18 years ago.”
Nora Tipps, RCEC Director, District 4
Nora Tipps and her husband, Billy “Don”
Tipps, said they felt fortunate to have
worked alongside Brown. Don Tipps
worked with Brown at the highway
department, and Nora Tipps served with
him for many years on the RCEC board.
RCEC Remembers Jerry M. Brown
Both said it was a pleasure to work with
such a fine man.
June 10, 1949–December 17, 2020 Linda Forbus, RCEC Executive Assistant
“Mr. Brown was a very kind gentleman. I
I t I s w I t h g R E at s a d n E s s that Rusk County Electric Cooper- feel blessed to have been able to spend the last 11 years working
ative announces the death of longtime director Jerry Brown. beside him. He will be very missed.”
He died December 17, 2020.
Brown was appointed in February 2002 to the District 1 seat Rhett Reid, CEO and General Manager
on the Rusk County EC Board of Directors. Over the years he “It is with a saddened heart we say goodbye to a great director
won reelection and served as assistant secretary-treasurer. He of RCEC. Mr. Brown served almost 19 years and helped guide
was dedicated to the employees and members of the coopera- the co-op through the many challenges it faced. With quiet
tive and always had their best interests at heart as well as that resolve and kindness, he looked out for the best interest of
of the community. RCEC’s members and employees. He will be greatly missed.” D
Brown was born June 10, 1949, and graduated from West
Rusk High School in 1967. In addition to the RCEC board, he
served on the boards of the West Rusk Consolidated Independ-
ent School District and Rusk County Crime Stoppers.
2 0 TEX AS C O-OP POWER F EBRUARY 2021 RU S K C O U NT Y E LE CT R I C COOP ER AT I VERuskCounty2102_ 1/12/21 5:31 PM Page 21
Rusk County EC
Bylaws Excerpt
SECTION 11. NOMINATION OF DIRECTORS
It shall be the duty of the Board of Directors to appoint a nominating com-
mittee at the regular meeting of the Board of Directors in January. The
nominating committee shall consist of not more than eleven members, at
least one of whom shall be selected from each of the districts of the project
so as to ensure equitable representation. No member of the Board of Direc-
tors may serve on such committee.
The committee shall prepare and post at the principal office of the Coop-
erative by the first Friday of the month preceding the Annual Meeting a list
De BBiSmirn off | iStoc k .c om
of nominations for Directors.
Any fifty (50) or more members acting together, who are bona fide resi-
dents of the district from which the director is to be elected, may make Fresh Peach Loaf
other nominations by petition by the second Friday of the month preced-
ing the Annual Meeting and the Secretary shall cause to be posted such CAKE
nominations at the same place where the list of nominations made by the 2 cups flour
committee is posted. 1½ cups sugar
The Secretary shall cause to be mailed with the notice of the meeting or 2 eggs
separately, but at least ten days before the date of the meeting, a statement 1½ teaspoons baking soda
of the number of Directors and nominees to be arranged by districts, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
shall specify separately the nominations made by the committee on nomi- 1 teaspoon salt
nations and also the nominations made by petition, if any. 2 cups peaches, mashed
The members may, at any meeting at which a Director or Directors shall ⅓ cup peach juice, reserved from
be removed as herein provided, elect a successor or successors thereto mashed peaches
without compliance with the foregoing provisions with respect to nomina-
tions, except that the new Director must reside in the same district as the TOPPING
Director in respect of whom the vacancy occurs. ¼ cup light brown sugar
Notwithstanding anything contained in this section, failure to comply ¼ cup chopped pecans
with any of the provisions of this section shall not affect in any manner
whatsoever the validity of any election of Directors. 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Butter and flour a tube pan or a
9-by-13-inch baking pan.
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3. T O P P I N G in a small bowl, com-
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Don’t block the supply and pecans. Sprinkle the topping onto
return air vents in your home the cake.
with furniture or by closing them
4. Bake about 40 minutes, until the
off. Blocking the vents makes
cake is springy to the touch and a
your heater work harder.
toothpick inserted in the middle
comes out clean.
find this and more delicious recipes
online at texascoopPower.com.
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A Spectacle, by George
Washington’s Birthday Celebration in laredo has bridged cultures since 1898
b y e l a i n e P e ñ a • i l l u s T r aT i o n b y Pa u l c o x
e v e n T H o u g H i Wa s b o r n and raised in Laredo, I I had learned about the history and culture of Na-
did not know the background of what actually tran- tive Americans in school, but those lessons did not
spired during the boisterous Washington’s Birthday match up with the spectacle presented in Washing-
Celebration on the Juarez-Lincoln International ton’s Birthday. “Playing Indian” is not appropriate.
Bridge each February. This birthday party, the largest Rather than disparage those activities, I decided to
of its kind in the U.S., drawing as many as 400,000 use my research to understand the broader impact
partygoers, had taken place annually since 1898— of the events.
though it is canceled in 2021 for the first time. Now the festivities include more than two dozen
During my early years, I would watch and work, events in February, but the bridge ceremony is still
selling bottles of water or cans of soda from an ice the highlight. It includes abrazos—hugs—between
chest to make easy money. My family would go to celebrities and high-profile U.S. and Mexican politi-
popular events like the carnival and the Jalapeño cians as well as actors portraying Washington and
Festival. The smell of deep-fried corndogs made me Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, the priest known as the
dizzy, and watching contestants eat jalapeños hand “father of Mexican independence.”
over fist troubled me, but I still looked forward to These embraces are presented as evidence of how
going. It gave us the same fun and novelty you find los dos Laredos, the two Laredos, have maintained
with hometown fairs everywhere. cross-border ties, even during times of crisis.
When I began my academic career, I decided to In one important sense, the celebration is purely
study the spectacle surrounding Washington’s Birth- promotional, confirming the significance of interna-
day as a research project. I wanted to know more tional trade. As a researcher, I started asking basic
about the true meaning of this celebration. I wanted questions about the legitimacy of the celebration.
to find an explanation for why residents in Laredo My research told me that it is less important to ques-
and Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, continued to celebrate tion the validity of the ideas behind the festivities.
the birthday of George Washington, the first U.S. I wondered if the ritualistic mythologizing of history
president, why that tradition persisted and why rep- could lead to any conclusion other than evidence
resentatives from both countries hold on to the ritual that communities invent traditions.
of meeting on the international bridge. Out of that Reading up on critical studies of nation and na-
research came my book, ¡Viva George!: Celebrating tionalism helped me take a big step back and figure
Washington’s Birthday at the U.S.-Mexico Border. out how to piece together the puzzle without expect-
One of the most challenging aspects of my years ing this border tradition to conform to any familiar
of research on both sides of the border was the national narrative.
search for the deeper significance of the idiosyn- In the course of more than a decade of research
cratic aspects of the celebration. I learned about the for my book, I learned that Washington’s Birthday
months of behind-the-scenes preparation and even Celebration has ensured positive media coverage
participated in a horseback ride-along with Border for Laredo, solidified cross-border political and eco-
Patrol agents to understand the origins of the event. nomic connections between the U.S. and Mexico,
Originally organized and promoted by members of and even provided free and clear border crossing
a white fraternity who impersonated Native Ameri- privileges to festivalgoers.
cans, the two-day festival included a reception in the Studying the meaning behind celebrations
middle of the international bridge, a reenactment of changes how we think about national history and
the Boston Tea Party, a grand parade culminating national heroes and helps us consider which heroes
with Pocahontas receiving a key to the city and a py- are worthy of veneration. Border enactments such as
rotechnic show advertised as “the greatest display Washington’s Birthday are more than goodwill ges-
ever seen in the State of Texas.” This cross-border tra- tures because they challenge the perception of the
dition has changed over time, but the grand parade border as a place only of violence and illegality. D
and the international bridge ceremony continue, and
the event is still unapologetically ostentatious.
2 4 T E X AS CO-OP POWER feBruAry 2021 t e x AsC O O P POW e r .C O mYou can also read
