Lanett Launches K-9 Program

A PUBLICATION OF THE ALABAMA MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC AUTHORITY
Vol. IX, No. 4
JULY/AUGUST 2010
Lanett
Launches
K-9
Program
See Page 9
New Features…Energy Efficiency Tips You Can Use
Plus…Safety News You Can Use, Be a Wise-Energy User, Doug Rye,
Places to Go and Things to Do, and more!
From the Editor
T
his Fourth of July, friends and
loved ones all across the country will gather to celebrate our
nation’s independence and what is for
many, the unofficial start of summer.
If your traditions include fireworks,
barbecues, or relaxing days at the pool
or beach, we recommend you follow
these tips for a safe holiday:
Water safety at the pool and beach
The best thing anyone can do to stay safe in and
around the water is to learn to swim. The American Red
Cross has swimming courses for people of any age and
swimming ability. To find out where lessons are offered
or to enroll in a CPR/AED or first aid course, contact your
local Red Cross Chapter.
• Swim in a supervised, marked area with a lifeguard
present, and swim with others. Never swim alone.
• Enter the water feet first. Enter the water headfirst
only when the area is clearly marked for diving and
has no obstructions.
• Adults should never leave a child unobserved around
water. Practice “reach supervision” by staying within
an arm’s length of young children and weak swimmers
while they are in and around the pool, lake or ocean.
• Take frequent breaks (about once an hour) where
everyone gets out of the water, drinks water, reapplies
sunscreen (SPF 15 or higher) and rests.
• If you are caught in a rip current, swim parallel to the
shore until you are out of the current. Once you are
free, turn and swim toward shore. If you can’t swim to
the shore, float or tread water until you are free of the
rip current and then head toward shore.
• Post CPR instructions and directions to call 9-1-1 or
your local emergency number in the pool area.
• Keep toys away from the pool when it is not in use.
Toys can attract young children into the pool.
• If a child is missing, check the pool first. Go to the
edge of the pool and scan the entire pool, bottom, and
surface, as well as the surrounding pool area.
Fireworks safety
There are nearly 9,000 emergency room-treated
injuries associated with fireworks a year, according to
the U.S. Consumer Product and Safety Commission. You
can enjoy these Fourth of July staples safely by doing the
following:
• Never give fireworks to small children, and always follow the instructions on the packaging.
• Keep a supply of water close-by as a precaution.
2 ALABAMA CURRENTS JULY/AUGUST 2010
• Make sure the person lighting fireworks always wears
eye protection.
• Light only one firework at a time and never attempt to
relight “a dud.”
• Store fireworks in a cool, dry place away from children
and pets.
• Never throw or point a firework toward people, animals, vehicles, structures or flammable materials.
• Stay at least 500 feet away from professional fireworks
displays.
• Leave any area immediately where untrained amateurs
are using fireworks.
Safe grilling
Nothing says
summer quite
like the smell of
barbecue. Make
sure safety is a key
ingredient in your
Fourth of July by
reading the following tips for safer
grilling:
• Use gas and
charcoal barbecue grills
outside only.
• Position grills
far from siding,
deck railings,
overhanging
branches and
house eaves.
• Keep children
and pets at least three feet away from the grill area.
• Never add charcoal starter fluid when coals have already been ignited.
• Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when
using grills.
• Always supervise a barbecue grill when in use.
For more safety tips, visit www.redcross.org. You
can also visit the Alabama Municipal Electric Authority
(AMEA) web site, www.amea.com, Publications, Safety
Resources, for additional safety information.
We wish you a safe and enjoyable holiday.
Lisa Miller
AMEA Manager of Communications and Marketing
Inside This Issue
VOL. IX, NO. 3
JULY/AUGUST 2010
6
Energy Efficiency Tips You Can Use
A publication of
Alabama Municipal Electric Authority
P.O. Box 5220
Montgomery, Alabama 36103-5220
804 South Perry Street
Montgomery, Alabama 36104
News From AMEA Members
8Alexander
City
www.amea.com
Fred D. Clark, Jr.
President & Chief Executive Officer
Board of Directors
Chairman
Vice Chairman
Secretary/Treasurer
Don McClellan
Gary Fuller
Tim Kant
Dale Baker
Paul Lee
Morris Tate
Mike Dugger
Henry Osborne
Lee Young
ALABAMA CURRENTS
Volume IX, No. 4
Editor
Lisa Miller
Designed by
Walker 360
Printed by
Walker 360
www.walker360.com
Customers: Address changes should be
handled through your local utility office.
Alabama Currents is published six times each year by
the Alabama Municipal Electric Authority (AMEA),
and is mailed to the retail electric customers of
AMEA Member cities.
MISSION STATEMENT
AMEA’s mission is to provide for
our Member communities a reliable and
economical source of electric power,
enabling them to preserve and enhance
the benefits of municipal utility ownership for their citizens and the electric
customers they serve. We strive to offer
services that our Members need and can
adapt to provide the best value for their
communities and customers.
9
8
9
10
11
11
12
13
13
14
Lanett
10
Opelika
11
Sylacauga
11 Riviera
Utilities
12Utilities
Board
of Tuskegee
13
Dothan
13
Piedmont
14
Fairhope
Features
2 From The Editor
4 In My Opinion
7 Safety News You Can Use
15 Places To Go – Things To Do
6 Doug Rye
On the Cover
The City of Lanett, along with the cities of Valley and LaFayette and
Chambers County, recently applied for and received a Justice Assistance Grant
(JAG). The funds the City of Lanett received paid for the purchase of a dual
purpose dog and the training of a handler. The grant also assisted in the cost
of a 2010 Dodge Charger, which will be used as the K-9 vehicle. Lanett’s K-9 Officer is Lance Martinez and his partner is a 2-year-old Dutch
Shepherd named Marco.
Officer Martinez and Marco will train at the Alabama Canine Law Enforcement Officer’s Training Center in Northport in the coming weeks.
For more information about Lanett’s K-9 Program, see Page 9.
ALABAMA CURRENTS JULY/AUGUST 2010
3
In My Opinion
Cap and tax is not dead
O
ver the past year, I have
kept you informed of cap
and trade, or more commonly
known as cap and tax, legislation. I
had thought that this issue and legislation was dead. However, as I write
my column for this publication, it
appears that Congress will be debating
this issue over the summer.
The reason for my concern is that over the past several
years we have experienced the results of Congressional
mandates, which have required rate increases to pay for
the additional emission controls and we are concerned
about the potential mandated costs and the associated
direct rate increases to our consumers.
Coal generation has been the backbone of the U.S.
economy. Due to emissions, coal as a fuel, is coming under
attack. Even as consensus solidifies around the need to
reduce greenhouse gases, America’s need for electric power
is growing. By 2015, the electric generation industry will
have committed and spent nearly $30 billion – not to
increase the amount of generation in the United States,
but to reduce emissions and improve the environmental
performance of the coal-fired fleet that represents nearly
50 percent of the domestic supply of electricity.
Alabama’s power supply resources are approximately
60 percent coal fired. Coal remains the most abundant fuel
in the United States and has benefits related to national
security and generation diversity. To abandon coal is not
the right thing to do.
Coal-fired generation has significant challenges with
existing Clean Air requirements and climate change legislation to limit carbon emissions being debated in Congress.
The costs associated with these existing and potential
Congressional mandates with coal-fired generation will
continue to climb.
The outcome of this Congressional debate is uncertain;
however the possibility of increased electric costs to you,
the consumer, is a real possibility.
As I have said before, the Alabama Municipal Electric
Authority (AMEA) will continue doing its part to keep you
informed of legislation that could adversely affect you and
your family. We will continue to protect your quality of
life through affordable, reliable electricity and encourage
realistic, workable solutions for future energy needs.
Economic development key to our recovery
Local economic development organizations are critical
in stabilizing our economy, as well as our future economic
growth. The economic recession, which we have experienced the past two years, has only underlined the importance of local economic development professionals. I want
to take this opportunity to thank them for the job that
4 ALABAMA CURRENTS JULY/AUGUST 2010
they do. AMEA has a deep appreciation of the challenges
and accomplishments of those working in economic development at the local level.
We also recognize and appreciate the importance of
local industries to our communities. The industrial sector
is the backbone of any community. The old adage, “you
don’t think about it until it’s gone,” is certainly true as it
relates to the impact of industry closings and job losses in
our communities.
From manufacturing to education to technology to
small business, no community in Alabama has been immune to job losses, including AMEA Member cities. AMEA
Member communities have been severely impacted by job
losses.
Job losses affect every aspect of a community, including your public power utility. After all, your utility is only
as strong as the community it serves.
We commend the work that our local economic
development professionals do in AMEA Member cities as
they continue to improve the quality of life and promote
vibrant, economically stable communities. While current
economic circumstances are challenging, the work they do
has never been more important to the communities they
serve.
AMEA and its Members will continue to support these
professionals as they try to mitigate the economic downturn’s impact on communities. We look forward to continued dialogue and partnerships as we seek to find ways to
hasten recovery and rebuild communities.
Fred D. Clark, Jr.
AMEA President & CEO
Use these tips to
beat the heat
this summer
• Take a break: Surprisingly, running your
dishwasher instead of
washing dishes by hand
actually saves water.
• Enjoy the season: Instead of putting your clothes in
the dryer, take advantage of the warm weather and
line-dry your garments.
• Keep it cool: Use the cold-water setting when washing clothes. This can cut your bill by 4 percent.
• Cover up: Keep windows covered during the day by
closing blinds or drapes to keep out solar heat.
• Insulate it: Prevent the heat building on top of your
Continued on page 5
Summertime and the living is ____
Y
Be a Wise-Energy User
By Doug Rye
Continued from page 4
ou can insert your own word in the blank. Many
of you that who are about my age would insert the
word “easy” as taken from a good old song. Others
of you might say “hot” or “humid.” These would be good
descriptions of summertime.
As I travel around the country conducting seminars
on energy efficiency, I am often asked to do a TV or radio
spot with the local media to advertise the seminar event.
They always ask the question, what is the most important
thing that our viewers or listeners can do to lower utility
bills? I’m always tempted to say, turn everything off that you are enjoying in
your house and you will have lower utility bills. But being the nice guy that I
am, I usually respond by saying that is a difficult question because houses and
families are different. This is not the answer the interviewer is hoping to get,
but it is the real answer.
If I know your house and family living habits, I can always answer that
question. I could take the easy way out by saying that you should buy CFLs or
change the thermostat setting, but I think that you deserve better. There is
nothing wrong with doing these things, but in many houses, you could change
every bulb in the house and set the thermostat to an uncomfortable setting and
never save as much as you could by putting the ductwork back together or adding cellulose insulation in the attic. So what is a person to do?
The perfect answer is to hire a professional to perform an energy audit on
the house using a blower door and other special equipment. However, many
areas do not have such a company to perform a really good audit, so let me help
you.
First, let me give you a little formula that I often use on my radio program
to help determine as to whether or not a particular house is good, fair, or bad
relating to energy efficiency.
Multiply the heated area of the house by 10 percent. Example: 1,700 square
feet x .10 = $170. If the highest utility bill (which includes gas and electric) on
this particular house is about $170, the house is about average. If the highest
utility bill is about $130 or less, the house is better than average. If the highest bill is $190, call for an audit as fast as you can. Please understand that this
is just an estimated figure based on experience. It is also for the house only. If
there is a swimming pool or a welding shop in the backyard, etc., these figures
will not apply.
If you determine that your utility bills are higher than normal, you can do
something about it. But the problem will not go away until you do. My articles
are designed to help you and I know many of you are paying attention based on
the number of phone calls I receive from readers.
Here are my summer tips:
• Turn your AC fan on. Go to your ductwork and look and listen for leaks. Caulk
the tiny leaks and use duct mastic or heavy metal duct tape for larger holes.
Do not fall through the ceiling.
• Add cellulose insulation in the attic until you have a minimum of 12 inches.
• Do not use lights or any other heat producing items anymore than actually
needed.
• Be certain that air filters are clean.
I can give you more things to do, but for now, just do one item at a time.
You will feel good about it and you will thank me for the advice.
For those of you who found your utility bill to be lower than average, get a
glass of sweet tea and take it easy, just like the song says.
I’ll see you in September.
Doug Rye is an Arkansas architect. He is a freelance writer for Alabama Currents, providing energy-efficiency information and tips to help customers maximize
their energy dollars. Have a question for Doug? Contact him at (501) 653-7931 or
www.dougrye.com
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
house from filtering down into
other areas by insulating your
attic.
Change it up: Switch the direction of airflow on ceiling fans.
The blades should spin counterclockwise during the summertime.
Ditch the oven: Microwaves not
only get your food on the table
faster, but they also generate
less heat.
Made in the shade: Keep your air
conditioner shielded from direct
sunlight.
Weather-strip and caulk: Taking
the time to do this around doors
and windows keeps the cool air
in and the hot air out.
Try a fan: Whole-house fans work
to cool your home by drawing
cold air through the house and
draining warm air through the
attic.
Unplug: Turn off power strips
or unplug devices to eliminate
phantom power usage and reduce
the heat these products generate.
Let it shine: Install compact
fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs in
your most-used fixtures for big
savings.
Visit Energy Depot® for Homes,
which is available at your public
power system’s web site. It allows
you to analyze your energy bill
and how energy is used in your
home. Energy Depot is a one-stop
shop of online resources and
tools to help you better understand and manage your home
energy use and costs. Unlike
most other energy analysis tools,
Energy Depot uses your actual
bill and breaks out how energy
is used within your home. The
profile also gives you specific
suggestions on how you can improve energy efficiency and use.
For more information on Energy
Depot, contact your public power
system, or go to www.amea.com,
Hometown Connections, Energy
Depot. Use the drop-down menu
to select your utility.
ALABAMA CURRENTS JULY/AUGUST 2010
5
Energy
Efficiency
Tips You
Can Use
6 ALABAMA CURRENTS JULY/AUGUST 2010
Stop air leaks and
stash a little cash
ALABAMA CURRENTS JULY/AUGUST 2010
7
WATTS NEW IN
Alexander City
WATTS NEW IN
Fairhope
WATTS NEW AT
Downtown Farmer’s Market is a great
place to find fresh fruits, vegetables,
honey, and lots of other products. All
the products are grown or made by local framers and individuals.
The Annual Pumpkin Roll is a fall
favorite. As the weather turns cool
and the Christmas decorations are up,
Santa comes into town. Santa visits
with the children in the downtown
area every year.
MainStreet also is a proud sponsor of the Alexander City Jazz Fest,
a two-day event funded by local
sponsors and it is free to the public.
Every year Alexander City comes alive
to the sound of jazz from many great
performers.
These are just a few events that
are offered by MainStreet Alexander
City.
You cannot think of MainStreet
without thinking of the local shops.
All the renovations that have taken
place and are still taking place are a
must see.
The area is full of history. The
Shoppes of Queen’s Attic has certainly
had its share of history. The building itself has suffered two fires. But
you wouldn’t know it today. When
you enter the store, you are taken to
the streets of New Orleans. Currently,
The Shoppes of Queen’s Attic has five
shops occupied with more space available.
Carlisle Drugs also is filled with
history. Not only does it offer a
variety of gifts as well as pharmacy
needs, it has one of the oldest soda
fountains.
If you’re looking for wine,
candles, jewelry, handbags or any
other type of gift, come check out
Emporium Wines, MacDavid & Co. and
Cloud Nine.
The Spectacle Shoppe is open to
provide you with all your eyewear
needs. Consider hosting a party at
Riley Tea Room. These are just some
of the businesses available in the
downtown area.
Have you noticed all the flowers
and trees at the Roundabout? Broad
Street Plaza? MainStreet is respon-
Riviera Utilities
WATTS NEW IN
Sylacauga
MainStreet
Alexander City
supports
improvement
andWATTS
growth
NEW IN
Opelika
By Tracy Kendrick
M
ainStreet Alexander City is
an organization committed
to supporting and improving
Alexander City. MainStreet offers and
sponsors many
eventsNEW
in the downWATTS
IN
town area. MainStreet also encourages and promotes growth in the
downtown area. Along with the City,
Chamber of Commerce and others,
MainStreet helps make the downtown
area beautiful and a great place to do
business.WATTS NEW AT
MainStreet has several events
throughout the year to promote
Alexander City. In the summer, the
Piedmont
Utilities Board
of Tuskegee
sible for developing landscape designs
to enhance our streets and sidewalks.
They work hard to insure that the
flowerbeds, trees and shrubs are
beautiful throughout the year. MainStreet continues to develop designs
in other areas in downtown.
Think you would like to help?
MainStreet is always looking for new
members and welcomes your help.
If you have questions about events,
businesses or anything in historic
downtown Alexander City, please
contact MainStreet Alexander City,
(256) 329-9227, or visit www.mainstreetac.org.
Whether you’re local or visiting,
take time to visit downtown Alexander City. Come see what MainStreet
is doing to help make Alexander City
a great place to live. You will not be
disappointed.
TO REPORT AN OUTAGE IN ALEXANDER CITY: Day Time (256) 409-2080 After Hours/Holidays – Call Police Dept. (256) 234-3421 – DO NOT CALL 911
WATTS NEW IN
8 ALABAMA CURRENTS JULY/AUGUST 2010
Luverne
WATTS NEW IN
Lanett
Lanett receives funding
for K-9 Program
T
By Jennie Gunnells
WATTS NEW IN
he cities of Lanett, Valley, and LaFayette, as
well as Chambers County, jointly applied for and
received a Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) in the
amount of $118, 199. The City of Lanett received $39,674
to initiate a K-9 Program. The money helped pay for the
purchase of a 2010 Dodge Charger, along with police
equipment for the vehicle. This vehicle will be used as
the K-9 vehicle.
The funds Lanett
receivedNEW
also paid
WATTS
IN for the purchase
of a dual purpose K-9 and the training of a handler. A
dual purpose K-9 is a dog trained in narcotics detection,
suspect tracking and suspect apprehension.
The JAG Program, administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, is the leading source of federal justice
funding to state and local jurisdictions. The JAG Program
provides states and local governments with critical funding necessary to support a range of program areas including law enforcement, prosecution and court, prevention
and education, corrections and community corrections,
drug treatment and enforcement, planning, evaluation,
and technology improvement, and crime victim and witness initiatives.
Lanett’s K-9 Officer is Lance Martinez. Officer Martinez has been employed at the City of Lanett for three
years.
The city’s dog is a 2-year-old Dutch Shepherd named
Marco. Dutch Shepherds are among the most competent
of all shepherd dogs and are good at agility, obedience,
guard work, herding, field trailing and companionship.
The Dutch Shepherd is affectionate, obedient, and very
loyal to its handler and family. The dog is cunningly
smart. Dutch Shepherds are 22-25 inches in height and
65-67 pounds in weight. Life expectancy is about 12-14
years. This breed is intelligent, easy to obedience train,
eager to learn, and makes an excellent watch and guard
dog.
Dogs and their handlers must undergo rigorous
training for several weeks to achieve certification. The
Alabama Canine Law Enforcement Officer’s Training
Center’s standards and methods are adopted from the
German Landespolizeischule fur Diensthundfuhrer, in
Stckenbrok, Germany. The goal of the center is to provide
the best training possible, not only for the dogs, but for
the handler, so that he has a complete understanding of
the working ability of his dog and the responsibilities he
has as a handler.
The Alabama Canine Law Enforcement Officer’s
Training Center, located in Northport, was founded in
Dothan
LaFayette
Marco and City
of Lanett Police
Officer Lance
Martinez.
October 1985. Since that
time, the center has
been responsible for the
training of Police Service Dog Teams all across
the United States and
in 14 foreign countries.
Alabama Canine Law
Enforcement Officer’s
Training Center proudly
trains canines to specialize in the following: drug
dogs, narcotics dogs,
bomb dogs, explosive
dogs, patrol dogs, and
apprehension dogs.
“I am an animal lover and want to work in Narcotics
with a dog,” said Officer Martinez. “That is why I wanted
to be a K-9 Officer.”
Officer Martinez and Marco will train at the Alabama Canine Law Enforcement Officer’s Training Center
in the coming weeks.
“The City of Lanett is very fortunate to have this
new K-9 Program,” said Mayor Oscar Crawley. “After
training is complete, Officer Martinez and Marco will be
available to present programs to interested schools and
clubs. However, much more important, Officer Martinez
and Marco will be a highly-trained team for police work,
such as narcotics detection, suspect tracking and suspect apprehension.”
ALABAMA CURRENTS JULY/AUGUST 2010
9
WATTS NEW IN
Opelika
City of Opelika one step closer to
expanded services to the community
By Jan Gunter
WATTS NEW IN
A
Piedmont
t the June 1, 2010 meeting, the
A smart grid will allow Opelika
Opelika City Council approved a
Light & Power to collect and manresolution that will take the city
age real time data from homes and
one step closer to expanding both the
businesses through the use of
services it currently offers, and the
smart meters at each location
WATTS NEW AT
quality of those services, to the
to communicate over the fiber
public. The resolution gives Openetwork. This will give Opelika
lika Light & Power the “go ahead”
Light & Power the ability to
to hold a public hearing on Aug. 3
turn on and off certain appliat 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers
ances and inform customers of
at City Hall, located at 204 South
when peak rates are in effec. It
WATTS NEW IN
7th Street, to discuss the following:
will also allow automatic restoa. A proposal to authorize the
ration after power outages occur
City of Opelika to acquire,
by isolating the area of trouble
establish, purchase, construct,
more quickly.
maintain, lease and operate a new
By using the smart grid fiber
municipal cable television system to
system, Opelika Light & Power will be
provide cable service to subscribers within the
able to provide video, voice and data systems, and
WATTS NEW deliver
IN
corporate limits of the City; and
to customers better, faster communications
b. A proposal to authorize the City of Opelika to
than they’ve ever had before. Through this new smart
acquire, establish, purchase, construct, maingrid network, the city will be able to offer homes
tain, lease and operate telecommunications
and businesses true high-speed Internet connection,
systems and equipment and other related facilialong with voice and video.
ties, including particularly (but without limita“Our goal has always been to provide our contion) a new municipal fiber network system
sumers with the best service available at the lowuseful for smart grid applications and capable
est rates possible,” said Derek Lee, Director, Opelika
of providing telecommunications service
of
all
WATTS NEW Light
IN & Power. “We believe that by providing the city
types within the corporate limits of the City,
with a total fiber optic infrastructure, we’ll be able
including (without limitation) voice, data, imto deliver high quality service for the next several
aging and video transmissions, as well as other
decades. This is a leading-edge system that will not
fiber-related services that may become available
only serve current residents and businesses well; it
in the future.
will certainly give the City of Opelika an edge in our
At the Aug. 3 public hearing, citizens will be able
recruitment of future businesses and industry.”
to voice their opinions for or against the city creatAt a date soon after the Aug. 3 public hearing, all
ing its own cable television and telecommunications
registered voters within the corporate limits of the
WATTS NEWCity
IN of Opelika will be allowed to vote on the followservices.
“What we intend to build is a fiber optic system
ing question:
to every home that will enable the city to deploy
“Shall the City of Opelika, Alabama, be authorized
smart grid services through Opelika Light & Power,”
to acquire, establish, purchase, construct, maintain,
said Mayor Gary Fuller. “And since we’re going to run
lease and operate a cable television system for the
the fiber for smart grid, we’re going to get into video
purpose of furnishing cable service to subscribers?
(cable), high-speed Internet and telephone services.
“Yes ( ) No ( )”
Opelika’s future will be even brighter with this fiber
A “Yes” vote for the above question will be a vote
system. It will have a significant and positive impact
for the fiber optic network and all the amenities it
on our community for generations.” will offer.
Utilities Board
of Tuskegee
Luverne
Lanett
Dothan
LaFayette
10 ALABAMA CURRENTS JULY/AUGUST 2010
WATTS NEW IN
WATTS NEW AT
Sylacauga
Riviera Utilities
Sylaward Trail
attracts hiking and
biking
enthusiasts
WATTS
NEW IN
Riviera Utilities announces
recipients of scholarships
Opelika
By Deborah Rogers
I
WATTS NEW IN
Piedmont
n 2007, the Sylacauga Parks
and Recreation Department
began an application for permission from the National Forest
Service to build a bike and hiking
trail that would wind through the
WATTS
NEW
Talladega
National
Forest.AT
After receiving approval from
the National Forest Service, the
department contracted with Trails
Unlimited to build the trail. It
took eight weeks to complete the
work. During that time, a contest
NEWthe
INtrail. After
was WATTS
held to name
many submissions from our local
schools, Sylaward, which was submitted by a 4th grade student from
B. B. Comer School, was chosen.
The trail opened in April 2009.
The trail begins at Lake
WATTS
NEW
IN Lane inside
Howard
on Boat
Dock
the city limits and winds into the
Talladega National Forest. It is 14.5
miles of bike and hiking trails.
The trail consists of a well-marked
level surface through hills that
provide some beautiful scenery.
The local cycle club has constructed a bike wash station and
WATTS NEW IN
has plans for an outdoor changing
room as well.
The trail is great for crosscountry racing. A 12-mile mountain bike race was recently held
as part of the Marble City Super
Sports Week. Riders from five
states have come to try the trail.
We invite
youNEW
to beIN
our next guest.
WATTS
Utilities Board
of Tuskegee
Luverne
Lanett
Dothan
LaFayette
M
By David Horton
WATTS NEW IN
Sylacauga
ike Dugger, General Manager, Riviera Utilities (RU), recently presented scholarship certificates to local recipients of the Alabama
Municipal Electric Authority (AMEA)/RU Scholarships.
“We are proud to be able to award these scholarships
to some of our finFlights over Lanett Municipal Airport
est students,” said Dugger. “The scholarships are intended to encourage academic achievement by students within the cities of AMEA. Economic development for the state and for AMEA Member cities now requires an educated
work force with the ability to handle the high-tech requirements of modern
businesses and industry. By
making NEW
scholarships
WATTS
IN available to students
within our service area, we are assisting our own children with the opportunity to obtain a higher education degree. It is our desire to assist them in
preparing for the challenging career requirements in their future.”
Each student will receive $2,500 to assist with tuition required at any
two-year or four-year college or university in Alabama. A recipient of this
scholarship must be a child of a family that receives electrical service from
Riviera Utilities.
“We are very proud to assist in the scholastic development of local student leaders,” said David WATTS
Horton, Superintendent
NEW IN of Public Affairs, Riviera
Utilities. “It is our hope that these students will gain a great education and
be able to come back and work here at home. We wish them well and will be
watching them as they work their way through school. “
The recipients of this year’s RU/AMEA scholarships are: Ryan Young, a
senior at Foley High School, who plans to attend Auburn University. He is a
member of the National Honor Society, Student Government Association, FelWATTS
ATClub and Spanish Club; Jordan
lowship of Christian Athletes,
TennisNEW
Team, Key
Craddock, a senior at Foley High School, who plans to attend Auburn University.
She is a member of the National English Honor Society, National Honor Society,
Student Council, Interclub Council, Peer Leaders, and Leadership Committee;
and, Stephanie Smith, a senior at Spanish Fort High received a Technical School
Scholarship and plans to attend Blue Cliff Career College in Mobile. She is a
member of the National Art Honor Society and is an Honor Roll student.
WATTS NEW IN
Riviera also presented the Robert M. (Bob) Davis Scholarship to Foley
High School graduate, Justin Wayne Cox. Mr. Davis was a Riviera board member with over 30 years of service. A scholarship was established in his name
at Foley High School to
honor his years of service
to Riviera Utilities. The
scholarship is designed
WATTS NEW IN
to assist a student who
is directing their studies in a technical field of
service.
Congratulations to
all of our scholarship
Mike Dugger (L), General Manager, Riviera Utilities, poses with the
recipients and we wish
Riviera Utilities/AMEA 2010 Scholarship recipients, Stephanie Smith,
them all the best as they
Spanish Fort High, and Ryan Young and Jordan Craddock, Foley
further their education.
WATTS
NEW
IN
High School.
Opelika
Piedmont
Utilities Board
of Tuskegee
Luverne
Lanett
Dothan
ALABAMA CURRENTS JULY/AUGUST 2010
11
WATTS NEW AT
Utilities Board
of Tuskegee
Shorter: A town on the move
WATTS NEW IN
By Earl L. Martin
Luverne
Shorter
Economic Development Consultant
T
he small rural town of Shorter. Alabama, founded
in 1984, has accomplished what some may call
miracles when it comes to economic development.
WATTSitNEW
To Shorter’s leadership
is justIN
doing what’s needed to
build a prosperous community. With less than 400 residents but with more than 1,500 jobs and an aggressive
and optimistic government, Shorter has set the pace for
small towns across Alabama.
Shorter has recently completed an update of its
5-year Master Plan, has formed a Downtown Redevelopment Authority and a Cooperative District, and is strategically purchasing
land to
be able
WATTS
NEW
IN to encourage and control future development. Shorter straddles Interstate 85,
has immediate CSX railroad access, and is on the growth
side of Montgomery. Shorter’s Mayor Willie Mae Powell is
proud of the progress her town has made and is looking
forward to an even brighter future.
Lanett
Dothan
Infrastructure (Sewer)
After obtaining state and federal grants to construct
a 60,000-gallon-per-day
plant, Shorter
WATTS sewer
NEW treatment
IN
successfully attracted Halla Climate Systems-Alabama,
a tier-one automotive supplier to Hyundai Motors.
Halla currently employs around 400 area residents and
is poised to grow in the future. Shorter has recently
obtained other state and federal grants totaling more
than $1.2 million to extend its sewer service collection
lines across I-85 to its retail operators on Main Street and
nearby neighborhoods. The Macon County town has also
contracted with the Utilities Board of Tuskegee (UBT) to
perform maintenance, billing and collection of sewer service fees related to the growing municipal sewer system.
This new partnership is yet another example of the
spirit of cooperation and mutual trust that has been developing with the changes and improvements underway
at UBT.
Mark Ennis, UBT General Manager, said, “With resources being limited, it is only through cooperation that
Macon County and its infrastructure will grow.”
LaFayette
VictoryLand Development
The well-known entertainment center, VictoryLand,
for many years a successful operation employing some
1,200 people, recently completed a nine-story, 300-room
luxury hotel and has plans to build two more towers and
a convention center, making Shorter a prime location
for attracting people from across Alabama and nearby
12 ALABAMA CURRENTS JULY/AUGUST 2010
Shorter Town Clerk Harold Powell is shown with the Shorter Town Council
states for meetings, expos and fun. To handle the demand
placed on these services by thousands of visitors, UBT
recently completed the construction of a new electrical
substation and installed back-up service transmission
lines to serve VictoryLand and its explosive growth.
VictoryLand officials have indicated plans to grow even
more in the future with the construction of additional
hotel space and the construction of a multi-million dollar
convention center.
Emergency Operations Center
Shorter recently received another grant of $500,000
through U.S. Congressman Mike Roger’s office from the
Department of Homeland Security to construct a new
Emergency Operations Center to house area emergency
service agencies. The project is expected to begin construction in fall 2010.
New Retail Services Center
Shorter’s constant problem of having a superb location and great access but low residential population
demographics has for years made it difficult for private
developers to finance projects and be able to afford to
attract traditional retailers. In an effort to eliminate
that barrier to growth, Shorter recently applied for and
received $2 million in Recovery Zone Facility Bonds, made
available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. This is a type of traditional tax-exempt
private activity bond that may be used by private businesses in designated recovery zones to finance a broad
range of depreciable capital projects. The new project will
be built on seven acres fronting Main Street which was
purchased in 2009 by the town with such future development in mind.
WATTS NEW IN
WATTS NEW IN
Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont D.A.V. hosts Memorial Day ceremony
T
ByWATTS
BenNEW
Singleton
NEW
WATTS
AT AT
Utilities
Board
Utilities
Board
of Tuskegee
of Tuskegee
he E. J. Kirkpatrick Chapter 21 D.A.V. hosted its
annual Memorial Day ceremony remembering those
men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
The ceremony was held at the Piedmont Veteran’s Memorial
Park.
This year’s special guests were Retired General Gerald
WATTS
WATTS
NEW NEW
IN IN
G. Watson, Retired Lieutenant Colonel Don Hull,
and Mrs.
Debra Jones.
Retired General Watson spoke about the service and
the sacrifices that men and women make while in service.
Retired Lieutenant Colonel spoke about his experiences while in service and being a Medivac helicopter pilot
in Vietnam.
NEW IN
WATTSWATTS
NEW IN
Mrs. Jones spoke about the current state of our military and the importance of protecting our great nation.
The D.A.V. dedicated a bench at the park to Piedmont
veteran Travis Ivey.
Veteran’s Memorial Park
White crosses and American flags lined the walking
track at the park bearing the names of local soldiers who have lost their lives while in service. After the ceremony, attendees enjoyed hotdogs, chips, and drinks provided by the D.A.V. Luverne
Luverne
Lanett
Lanett
NEW IN
WATTSWATTS
NEW IN
Dothan
Dothan
Dothan expands and upgrades wastewater treatment plan
By Randy Morris
T
he City of Dothan has undertaken a $40 million
WATTS
NEW IN
wastewater project which is due for completion in
WATTS
NEW IN
2012. The project consists of the expansion and
LaFayette
LaFayette
upgrade to the Little Choctawhatchee Wastewater Treat-
ment Plant (WWTP), a new gravity wastewater trunk line
and the decommissioning of Beaver Creek WWTP.
W.L. Hailey & Company of Nashville began working to
expand and upgrade the Little Choctawhatchee WWTP last
October and is approximately 20 percent complete with the
two-year project. This portion of the project is costing the
city $27 million. The plant’s capacity will increase from 7
million gallons per day average flow to 12 million gallons
per day. A biological nutrient removal process for nitrogen and phosphorous is being incorporated into the new
plant in anticipation of new environmental regulations in
the near future. A new ultraviolet disinfection system is
Aerial view of Little Choctawhatchee Wastewater Treatment Plant
replacing the existing chlorine disinfection.
The expansion will allow for the diversion of wastewater from the Beaver Creek WWTP via a new 48” diameter gravity wastewater trunk line. The $8 million trunk line is currently being installed by Eutaw Construction Company.
Once the Little Choctawhatchee WWTP is expanded and the trunk line is installed, the Beaver Creek WWTP will
be decommissioned.
ALABAMA CURRENTS JULY/AUGUST 2010
13
WATTS NEW IN
Fairhope
City of Fairhope opens Dog Park
By Sherry Sullivan
I
Riviera Utilities
s Fairhope going to the dogs? A
two-acre site in the city’s Volanta
WATTS
ParkNEW
is, and AT
supporters couldn’t
be happier about it. The Fairhope
Dog Park, a joint effort between the
Fairhope Dog Park Coalition and the
City of Fairhope, opened May 14.
The city’s first off-leash park has
two sections, one for small and one
for large dogs, and each section has
water stations,
benches, and waste
WATTS
NEW IN
bag and collection stations. Owners
are expected to pick up after their
dogs.
The park was built near the city’s
baseball fields using $27,500 in private donations, said Mayor Tim Kant.
“We’re very pleased with how this came together,” said Kant. “The city
provided the land and the sod, and the Dog Park Coalition paid for the fence
and the irrigation system. Benches in the park were donated, and all the work
WATTS NEW IN
was done by our Public Works employees.”
The Fairhope Electric Department is currently installing security lights
at the park, which is open daily. The park will be maintained by Public Works
and the Fairhope Recreation Department, Kant said. The Fairhope Dog Coalition will remain an active partner.
Dog owners who use the park are asked to abide by the rules that are
posted at the entrance of the park. In part, the rules stipulate that all dogs
must have a current and visible rabies tag. Flea prevention is also highly recommended.
WATTS
For more information on the park,
contact NEW
FairhopeIN
Parks and Rec Department at (251) 990-0174.
Sylacauga
Opelika
Piedmont
WATTS NEW AT
Utilities Board
of Tuskegee
WATTS NEW IN
Luverne
WATTS NEW IN
Lanett
14 ALABAMA CURRENTS JULY/AUGUST 2010
Places to Go and
Things to Do
Alexander City
July 4, 10 a.m., Russell Marine 4th
of July Boat Parade. Register at
any Russell Marine location to
participate in fun, colorful, patriotic parade with your personal
watercraft or boat. Prizes awarded
in several categories. Call (256)
212-1479 for more information.
July 4, Russell Lands on Lake
Martin 4th of July Blast. 4th of
July concert and firework display.
Gates open at 5 p.m., concert
starts at 7 p.m., and fireworks display starts at dark. Children under
6 admitted free. Regular admission
$15. Call (256) 212-1479 for more
information.
July 17, Lions Lake Martin Charity
Poker Run. Registration at 8 a.m.
on Saturday at The Ridge Marina
on Lake Martin. Call (256) 2121479 for more information.
July 17, 2 p.m., Alex City Horse
Riding Club: Horse Show. For
more information, visit www.achrc.
com, or call Jimmy Avery at (256)
234-2925.
July 24, 12 noon-6 p.m., Russell
Marine AquaPalooza. Held on
Lake Martin at Kowaliga. Call (256)
212-1479 for more information.
July 1-30, Summer Day at Alex City
Parks and Recreation. Call (256)
329-6736 ext. 27 for more information.
MainStreet Alexander City: Farmer’s
Market on Saturdays. 7:30-12
noon. Located at the fountain on
Broad Street. Local growers exhibit
and sell fruits, vegetables and
plants. For more information, call
(256) 329-9227.
Alexander City Parks and Recreation: Free Summer Activities.
These activities will begin at 6:30
p.m. and end around 8 p.m. We
will be playing like we did when we
were young, officiating ourselves
and having fun. All you have to do
is show up and we will try to help
organize the event so everyone
plays. Mondays-Ultimate Frisbee;
Tuesdays-Kickball; WednesdayTouch Football.
Alexander City Parks and Recreation: We are organizing a Ladies Golf League. We will be playing at
Lakewinds Golf Course on Tuesdays at 11:30 a.m. If
you are already a member of the golf course, your
cart and green fee is $12. If you are not a member,
your cart and green fee is $25. Register with Deborah
Courtney at the SportPlex, (256) 329-6736.
Alexander City Parks and Recreation: Swimming lessons also available. Call (256) 329-6736 ext. 27 for
more information.
Aug. 14, 2 p.m., Alex City Horse Riding Club Horse
Show. For more information, visit www.achrc.com, or
call Jimmy Avery at (256) 234-2925.
Aug. 21, 2 p.m., Alex City Horse Riding Club Horse
Show. For more information, visit www.achrc.com, or
call Jimmy Avery at (256) 234-2925.
MainStreet Alexander City: Farmer’s Market on Saturday’s, 7:30 a.m.- 12 noon. Located at the fountain
on Broad Street. Local growers exhibit and sell fruits,
vegetables and plants. For more information, call
(256) 329-9227.
Dothan
Poplar Head Farmers Market, an open air market
sponsored by The Downtown Group of Dothan, will
open for its second season in downtown Dothan,
located in the Civic Center and Wiregrass Museum of
Arts parking areas. The market features fresh locally
grown vegetables, fruit, flowers, herbs, prepared
foods, music, children’s activities and artists from
within a 50-mile radius of Dothan, every Saturday
morning, rain or shine, in July from 8 a.m. until 12
noon. Visit www.thedowntowngroup.com/farmersmarket for more information.
Water World Water Park is now open fulltime through
August 8 (weekends only August 14 through Labor
Day). Hours are Sunday 1-6 p.m.; Monday, Wednesday and Friday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. – 6p.m.
Adults $12; Children 3-12 $9; 2 and under and 60
and up, FREE. Tuesday and Thursday after 5 p.m., ½
price.
WRC Market. The WRC Market, part of the Wiregrass
Rehabilitation Center, is a discount retail store offering upscale, trend-forward merchandise at a low cost.
Everything is close-out priced 50 to 80 percent off
prices normally found in specialty and department
stores. Merchandise selections range from housewares, hardware, tools, cleaning supplies, health and
beauty aids, rugs, gift items, sporting goods, toys, to
books and much more. New merchandise is delivered
weekly, so there’s always something new to look at.
Hours are Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. July 4, 10 a.m.-11 p.m., Family 4th Celebration. Family activities all day with a bang when the sun goes
down as the largest display of fireworks in the Wiregrass area takes place at the National Peanut Festival
Fairgrounds. Advance tickets: $5 adults, children 12
and under are free - $10 adults at the gate. Call (334)
699-1475, or visit www.family4thcelebration.com.
Fairhope
July 8, 4-6 p.m., Fairhope Outdoor Market. Last market.
Behind Fairhope Public Library. For information, call
(251) 929-1466.
July 4, City of Fairhope July 4th Fireworks and Concert.
Fairhope Municipal Pier and Henry George Park. Concert
begins at 7 p.m. and fireworks begin at approximately 9
p.m. For information, call (251) 929-1466.
Foley
July 30-Aug. 1, Coastal Chorale Summer Show. After a
one year sabbatical, the Coastal Chorale returns with its
2010 Summer Show. For show times and ticket information, visit www.coastalchorale.com
Aug. 5-7, 8 p.m., Jennifer Claire Moore Foundation’s
13th Annual Professional Rodeo. Foley Horse Arena.
Featuring some of the country’s top cowboys and
cowgirls in exciting events, including bull riding, barrel
racing, bareback riding, calf roping, team roping, steer
wrestling, and break away roping.There will be excitement for the entire family including local entertainment, clowns, and children’s activities. Tickets are $10
for adults/$6 children, ages 4-12. Free for children 3
and under. For more information, e-mail nursecall1@
hotmail.com, call 251-975-8877, or visit http://jennifermoorefoundation.com/rodeo.asp.
Opelika
Opelika Main Street Farmers Market will be held each
Tuesday throughout the summer from 2-5 p.m., along
South Railroad Avenue in downtown Opelika. For more
information, contact Opelika Main Street, (334) 7450466, or visit www.opelikamainstreet.org
July 17, Come Back Home to Opelika Celebration. Part
of Alabama Tourism’s Year of the Small Towns and Downtowns. Opelika’s historic marker to celebrate this special
day will be unveiled at 10 a.m. on South Railroad Avenue. Following the unveiling, the Downtown Festival
will begin offering children’s activities, local artists, arts
and crafts, food, entertainment, open houses throughout the city and much more. At 7 p.m. in Courthouse
Square, an evening concert will feature special guests,
Brad Cotter and Adam Hood. For more information visit
www.opelikamainstreet.org or www.opelika.org
Sylacauga
B.B. Comer Memorial Library Summer Reading Program.
For children of all ages, 10-11 a.m. July 5, “Dive RightIn,” Tommy Johns Puppets; July 7, Professor Aragorn,
Miss Story & “The Critter Club”; July 12, “Quite a Catch,”
Juggler Ron Anglin; July 14, Balloon artist DeWayne
Reynolds; July 19, “Animalympics,” Peter Hart Puppets;
July 21, “Learning Through Song,” Melinda Mills
B. B. Comer Museum will host Color, Vision and Creativity. The program will be a collaboration work from the
art classes for adults and children and also artwork by
ARC. There will be a reception on Thursday, July 15
from 6:30 until 8 p.m.
B. B. Comer Museum will host a three woman show with
oils, acrylics, and water colors. Donna Hill, Michaux
Horne, and Jessica Sawyer will display their works.
There will be a reception on Thursday, Aug. 12 from
6:30 until 8 p.m.
ALABAMA CURRENTS JULY/AUGUST 2010
15
Alabama Municipal Electric Authority
Presort Std
US Postage
PAID
Montgomery, AL
Permit No. 275
804 South Perry Street
Montgomery, Alabama 36104
S You
afety
NEWS
NEWS
CAN
CAN USE
USE
Think safety when operating a generator
Y
ou can use a portable generator to supply electricity to your appliances
if an emergency exists during a power outage. But if used improperly,
it can kill you and the people, such as linemen, who are trying to
restore power to your home.
Connecting a generator to the main electrical supply of your house
requires the services of a qualified and certified electrician. And before
installing the generator to your household, notify your public power system.
Seven-Step Plan to prevent generator accidents
1. A qualified, licensed electrician must install a double-pole, double-throw
transfer switch to connect the generator to a building’s electrical system.
This is required by the National Electrical Code. The connection must
meet local ordinances. A minimum of 10-gauge wiring must be used.
2. Make sure that the unit is connected to an appropriate electrical ground, in accordance with the National Electric Code. Follow instructions supplied with the
generator.
3. Operate the generator in a clean, dry, well-ventilated area. Make sure your hands are dry when operating.
4. Inspect extension cords before use and replace with new if required. Use proper size (wire gauge) cord set for the
application. Follow instructions supplied with your unit. Always use electrically-grounded cord sets.
5. Turn the engine off and allow it to cool before adding fuel. Make sure there’s a fire extinguisher in the immediate
area that is certified to handle gasoline or fuel fires.
6. Keep objects away from the unit during operation. Do not operate the unit in a confined area such as a garage, basement, storage shed, etc., which lack a steady exchange of air. Never operate a unit in a location occupied by humans
or animals. Keep children, pets and others away from where it’s operating.
7. Never attempt to “speed up” the engine to obtain more performance. Both the output voltage and frequency will be
thrown out of standard by this practice, endangering you and the attachments. Determining wattage requirements Never exceed the rated capacity of your generator. Overloading can cause serious damage to the generator or appliances. Before operating a generator, list all of the appliances that are going to operate at the same time. Then determine the starting wattage requirements and the running wattage requirements. The starting load lasts only for a few
seconds, but is very important when figuring your total wattage to be used. Your generator must be rated to handle
the total wattage.
Wattage requirements vary with different brands of appliances. Be sure to check the name plate on the appliances
you plan to use. Always start your largest electric motor first, and then plug in other items one at a time.