By Angela PerezDespite the recent “green”

energy revolution and the explo-sion of natural gas drilling rigsacross the American landscape,our nation’s primary fuel forproducing electricity is coal—asit has been for more than a cen-tury.

Electricity in the U.S. gener-ated by coal fell from 42 percentin 2011 to 37.5 percent in 2012,largely because of low naturalgas prices, the retirement ofolder coal-fired power plantsdue to new emissions regula-tions from the U.S.Environmental ProtectionAgency (EPA), and uncertaintyabout further regulations in thefuture.

But coal is far from dead.Electricity from coal is predict-ed to rise about 3 percent thisyear while natural gas’s contri-bution will drop from 30.5 per-cent to 27.3 percent, accordingto (1226002.02 Alice Matero)the U.S. Energy InformationAdministration’s (EIA) Short-Term Energy Outlook for 2013.And natural gas prices are fore-casted to rise this year due tohigher demand and a slowdownin production.

Coal still has a future as asource of electricity. Whetheryou are for or against the use ofcoal to generate electricity, thefact is that the United Statesremains home to the largestreserves of coal in the world.That’s why electric cooperativesare fully behind efforts toexplore and test clean-coal tech-nologies.

One driver in the effort isEPA’s Mercury and Air ToxicsStandards rule, designed to sig-nificantly curb emissions ofhazardous air pollutants, such asmercury and arsenic, from coal-and oil- fired electric generating

units 25 MW or larger by 2016.Some coal-fired generatingunits will be shut down, ratherthan retrofitted, because theneeded changes would be tooexpensive to implement.

America’s electric coopera-tives and the trade associationthat represents them, theNational Rural ElectricCooperative Association(NRECA), are exploring newapproaches to burn coal morecleanly. NRECA’s CooperativeResearch Network (CRN)recently completed a demon-stration of an innovative newmulti-pollutant control systemthat shows promise for helpingcoal-fired power plants meetstringent emissions standardsadvanced by EPA. Even better,the technologies tested do so ata (3720010.01 Gerald H.Peterson) fraction of the cost oftraditional measures.

The demonstration, conduct-

ed in July 2012 at a power plantowned and operated by ArizonaElectric Power Cooperative, ageneration and transmission co-op (G&T) based in Benson,Ariz., was sponsored by CRNalong with a coalition of 10G&Ts and other industry organ-izations. Results showed that bycombining mercury controls—which were successfully testedby CRN in November 2011 at aplant operated by San MiguelElectric Cooperative, a G&T inJourdanton, Texas—with trona(a naturally occurring mineralsimilar to baking soda), signifi-cant emissions reductions wereachieved. In addition, the testedtechnologies cut the cost ofmeeting new environmentalrules by a factor five to 10.

“Results for these full-scalepower plants were very encour-aging,” notes John Hewa Jr.,NRECA vice president of engi-neering, research & technicalservices. “But they were basedon limited-duration runs. Toverify long-term performance,the results need to be confirmedwith extended trials.”

Red Lake ElectricCooperative is supportive of themulti-pollutant control tech-nologies being studied by CRNbecause they can show us howto best use one of our mostabundant natural resources,coal, and help keep electric rateslow for our members.

Sources: CooperativeResearch Network, U.S. EnergyInformation Administration

VOL. 48 – NO. 6 RED LAKE FALLS (RED LAKE COUNTY), MINNESOTA 56750

Volts and JoltsPublished monthly for the members of

RED LakE ELECTRIC CooPERaTIVE, Inc.

One of the Minnkota Power Systems

SERVING THE FoUR-CoUNTY aREa oF MaRSHaLL, PENNINGToN, RED LakE aND PoLk

MARCH 2013

a look at some statistics from your Red Lake Electric Cooperative

qUICk TakES

Page 2Manager's Comments

75th Annual Meeting

Member Service Dept1st annual - 75th annual

Page 3Recipe CornerFrom the Mail Bag

Page 4Feature of the Month

Weiss Farm

Page 5Annual pole inspection

Page 6Meeting Minutes

Page 8Electrical Safety

In this month's

Volts and Jolts

Happy EasterMay you and your loved ones

experience the joy and

blessing of Easter.

From your friends at Red Lake Electric Cooperative.

to the 75th Annual Meeting of the Membership of

Red Lake Electric Cooperative, Inc.Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Imperial Room, Ralph Engelstad ArenaThief River Falls, Minnesota

9:00 a.m. Registration begins

Free coffee and doughnuts

10:00 a.m. Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Vernon Rogalla

10:30 a.m. Call to order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bonnie Christians, President

National Anthem . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lafayette High School Every Day Choir

Invocation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pastor Robert Dahlen

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Goodridge Lutheran Parish

Introductions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bonnie Christians

BUSINESS SESSIoNNotice of meeting and affidavit of mailing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mark Hanson

Establishment of quorum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mark Hanson

Minutes of 2012 meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mark Hanson

President's report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bonnie Christians

Special Presentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ."When the Lights Came On"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Produced by Kevin Jeffrey, Minnkota Power Cooperative

General manager's report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Roger Johanneck

Financial report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Shirley Bregier

Minnkota report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Wally Lang, Vice President - TransmissionElection of directors

Question and answer session

Adjournment of business session

Award Presentations

Awarding of door prizes

Lunch and entertainment

You're Invited

Red Lake Electric Cooperative's headquarters will be closedduring the hours of the annual meeting.

Lunch served bySt. Joseph's Parish Guild

Red Lake Falls

Musical entertainmentby "Trinity Trio"Thief River Falls

Making Strides withClean-Coal TechnologyNRECA's Cooperative Research Network worksto make better use of abundant resource

Coal and natural gas use in the U.S. compared since 2004.

Minnkota Power Cooperative, Grand Forks, ND is using cleancoal technology at the Milton R. Young Station near Center, ND.It was the first lignite-based, cyclone boiler power plant in thecountry to use CyClean Technology. CyClean reduces the emis-sion levels of the power plant and helps provide a cost effectiveoption to meeting future regulatory requirements.

Within the past few days, youshould have received in the mailthe Cooperatives 75th annualreport. Many of you will noticethat we expanded this years’annual report from recent years.Milestone anniversaries are spe-cial occasions, they don’t comearound very often and we want-ed to do something special tomark the Cooperatives 75thanniversary. I hope we accom-plish that with what’s beenincluded in our annual reportand what we have lined up foryou at our upcoming annualmeeting March 27th.

I want to thank those mem-bers that we have featured in ourannual meeting video presenta-tion and those who gave us per-mission to include their pictureand names in our annual report;your willingness to participatein our 75th anniversary this way,exemplifies the cooperative

spirit of Red Lake Electricmembers. Our goal was toinclude in our report to themembership, a good cross sec-tion of members that theCooperative serves and I thinkwe’ve accomplished that. Wewould have liked to includeeven more of our members butfor obvious reasons, we couldnot.

As I look at the member andservice area photos in this years’annual report and compare it tophotos of members, equipmentand employees in theCooperatives 10th anniversaryreport, you get a good sense ofhow the times have changedfrom then to now. Makes mewonder what will the next 75years bring, or what equipmentwill be in use or what farmingand other business operationswill look like in 2088. Will theylook back 75 years to 2013 and

comment: did they really liveand work like that? Most likely;just like we have looked backand wondered how our parentsand grandparents accomplishedwhat they did in their day.

I hope you take some time toread through the 75th edition ofthe annual meeting report andjoin us for the annual meeting atthe Ralph Englestad arena inThief River Falls. In addition tothe food, entertainment, andinformation we have in store forall who attend is a chance to cel-ebrate and visit with neighborsand friends. All who attend willreceive an anniversary mug anda (4314004.01 Al Kimble)chance at some nice prizes.Your employees and directorswill do their best to make yourattendance worthwhile.

See you Wednesday, March27th!

The Lignite Energy Council,based in Bismarck, N.D., issponsoring a teacher seminartitled 2013 Lignite TeacherEducation Seminar: Energy,Economics and Environment.The seminar will take place June17-20, 2013, at the NationalEnergy Center of Excellence onthe campus of Bismarck StateCollege, Bismarck, N.D.

This seminar is designed toprovide teachers with a broaderunderstanding of the lignite coalindustry and the important roleit plays in providing electricityto consumers, farmers and busi-nesses in North Dakota,Minnesota, South Dakota andMontana. The seminar includes

discussions on how lignite coalis mined and converted intoenergy, and the economicimpact of the industry on theregion. It also includes a tour ofa lignite mine, a lignite-basedpower plant and the Great PlainsSynfuels Plant (which convertscoal into synthetic natural gasand other valuable byproducts).

Minnkota Power Cooperativeis sponsoring 10 teachers fromits Minnesota service area bypaying the registration fee, plusround-trip mileage to the semi-nar in Bismarck. Rooms are pro-vided at Bismarck State Collegeat no charge. Meals are alsoincluded.

Teachers who attend the four-

day seminar and complete a les-son plan are eligible to receivetwo semester graduate credits ineducation, economics or sciencefrom one of three North Dakotauniversities: University of NorthDakota, North Dakota StateUniversity and Minot StateUniversity.

Application materials will bemailed to schools throughout theregion or are available atwww.minnkota.com. All appli-cations need to be submitted toSue Black, Minnkota PowerCooperative, Inc., PO Box13200, Grand Forks, ND 58208-3200 by April 12, 2013.

The Lignite Energy Councilis a trade association that repre-sents more than 300 companiesthat are involved in the region’senergy industry. Each year,nearly 30 million tons of ligniteare produced in North Dakotaand converted to electricity, syn-thetic natural gas, fertilizer andother products. The ligniteindustry employs more than27,000 people, has an economicimpact of more than $3 billionin (5235001.01 Arlan Koskela)North Dakota and generatesmore than $100 million in statetax revenue.

Volts and Jolts March 2013 2

Mission Statement

One of the Minnkota Power Systems

Red Lake Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Noticehidden within the text of the

articles of this issue of the

Volts & Jolts are the names

and account numbers of

some RLEC members.

they will appear within the

articles in parenthesis as

such (9999999.99 Roger P.

Member). If you find your

name and account number,

clip it out and send it with

your next payment. You will

be credited with $5 on your

electric bill.

BilliNGS ANd collectioNYou will receive your energy bill on or near

the 20th of each month. Payment of your monthly energy bill is due

on the 20th of the month. You may pay yourbill in person at RLEC during office hours, usethe 24-hour drive-up drop box located next tothe RLEC office, by auto Pay, or by mail.Payment must be in the office, drop box, autoPay, or in the mail, as evidenced by the post-mark, by the 5th day of the following month toavoid a late payment charge. a 1 1/2% month-ly late payment charge will be computed ondelinquent energy bills, the minimum late pay-ment charge will be $1.00.

If your payment is not received by the 15thof the month, a final notice of disconnectionstatement will be included on your followingbill. the final notice statement will notify youwhen your electric service will be disconnect-ed if the delinquent amount remains unpaid. Ifan employee is sent to disconnect your elec-tric service, a $60 collection fee will becharged to your account, even if you pay thecollector.

to have a disconnected service reconnect-ed, all amounts owing, a $60 reconnectionfee, and a security deposit must be paid. If theservice must be reconnected after normalworking hours, a $120 reconnection fee mustbe paid.

BAd cHeckSa $15 charge will be levied each time a

check is returned because of nonsufficientfunds, account being closed or paymentstopped.

oUtAGeSIn case your electricity goes out, please do

the following:1. Check your fuses or breakers at the yard

pole or meter pedestal.2. Call your neighbor to see if they are out

of electricity also.3. Call the RLEC office (218-253-2168 or 1-

800-245-6068) during working hours or 218-253-2200 after hours. We will accept collectcalls for outages only.

Meter teStSRLEC has a schedule in place to have its

meters periodically tested for accuracy.Results from these tests show that metersgenerally slow down with age; however, if youthink that your meter is recording too muchusage, RLEC will test it for accuracy. You mustpay a test fee in advance of the test. If themeter test shows that the meter was inaccu-rate, the test fee will be refunded to you.

Stopped MeterSIf you find your meter has stopped and you

are using electricity, please contact the officeimmediately so we can replace it. averageconsumption will be billed to the member forthe time the meter was stopped so there is noadvantage in not reporting a stopped meter.

Meter reAdiNGSan automated meter reading system is uti-

lized to obtain monthly meter readings.although the system is normally reliable, thereis always a chance that the correct readinghas not been transmitted to the office forbilling. Customers should periodically readtheir meter and compare it to the reading onthe billing statement. If the actual reading isnot close to the billing statement reading,please call the office.

GeNerAl Service rAteSFacilities charge variable $27 to $35 month

april-December . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.5¢ KwhJanuary-March . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.9¢ Kwh

Multiphase users add $22/month cost ofservice charge.

Standby, $12/month (meter disconnectedbut the power line retained; standby is notavailable on services larger than 15 KVatransformer capacity).

Security light: high pressure sodium,$8/month; mercury vapor, $9/month; waterheater flat credit, $7/month (January-aprilbilling); off-peak equipment charge,$5.50/month per heat meter; off-peak energyrate: 5.5¢/kWh long-term control, 7.5¢/kWhshort-term control.

things you should know about your electric service

One of the Minnkota Power Systems

Red Lake Electric Cooperative, Inc.

red lAke electric cooperAtive, inc.

voltS & JoltS(USPS 663-400)

Published monthly by the Red Lake Electric Cooperative, Inc.,412 International Drive SW, Red Lake Falls, Minnesota56750-0430, in the interest of its members and others.Periodical Postage Paid at the U. S. Post Office in Red LakeFalls, Minnesota 56750. POStMaStER, SEnD aDDRESSChangES to Volts & Jolts, c/o Red Lake ElectricCooperative, Inc., P. O. Box 430, Red Lake Falls, Minnesota56750-0430. E-mail: redlake@minnkota.com

oFFicerS ANd directorSPRESIDEnt` . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bonnie ChristiansVICE PRESIDEnt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robert FinstadSECREtaRY-tREaSURER . . . . . . . . . . . . Mark hansonDIRECtORS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kelly Lundeen,

Steven Linder,Peter Mosbeck,Colette Kujava, Randy Versdahl,Stacy Blawat

Subscription rate$2.50 per year

It is the mission of Red Lake Electric Cooperative toenhance the quality of life for people of our service areaby consistently providing quality electric service andother valued services while holding our employees, ourcommunity and our environment in high regard.

Manager'sCommentsby Roger Johanneck

Member Service Departmentby Kevin Reich

75th Annual Meeting - You are invited!

RLEC Closed Good FridayIn observance of Easter, Red Lake Electric Cooperative's

headquarters will be closed Friday, March 29.In case of an electrical outage or emergency,

call the after-hour phone number: 218-253-2200.

Happy Easter!

The first annual meeting ofRed Lake County ElectricCooperative Association(RLCECA) was heldWednesday, March 8, 1939 inthe community hall in the city ofRed Lake Falls. Two hundredand fifty three members wereduly registered. The main orderof business was to elect eightdirectors, four representingRLCECA and four representingthe former Pennington CountyCooperative Power Association(PCCPA).

Directors elected that dayfrom RLCECA were Joseph W.Ste. Marie, George Remick, E.E. Hill and C. W. Beyer. Electedfrom the former PCCPA wereCarl Swanson, J. C. Newland,Stephen Singer, and MonsEngelstad.

Annual meeting attendeeswere addressed by Ralph Riceof the Examining Division ofthe Rural ElectrificationAdministration (REA). Heexplained in great detail thedevelopment of REA.

The audience also heardAlbert Knutson, manager ofLake Region CooperativeElectric Association, talk aboutthe rural electrification projectin Ottertail and surroundingcounties. Upon recommenda-tion of Knutson, , annual meet-ing attendees went on record asbeing unqualifiedly opposed toproposed legislation making itnecessary for rural electrifica-tion projects to pay costs associ-ated with metallicizing phonelines. Area legislatures were tobe sent a telegram asking themto oppose this bill.

Attendees at theCooperative’s 75th annual meet-

ing, to be held Wednesday,March 27 in the Imperial Roomof the Ralph Engelstad Arena inThief River Falls, will get to seeand hear stories of rural electri-fication in the early years of RedLake Electric. A video has beenput together which will includelong-term members; EleanorQualley of Mentor, AliceBluemke and Carolyn andArnold Person all of Oklee, andMarie Seeger and Marilyn andHenry Wieland all of Red LakeFalls, as they share their memo-ries.

Directors to be elected at theannual meeting include: ColetteKujava, Newfolden, District 3;Randy Versdahl, Red LakeFalls, District 6; Peter Mosbeck,Red Lake Falls, District 9. Ashort review of 2012 will bepresented and Wally Lang of

Minnkota Power Cooperative ofGrand Forks, ND will talk aboutthe transmission line being builtfrom Center, ND to GrandForks.

All annual meeting guestswill receive a commemorative75th anniversary drink jar, adelicious noon meal, and anopportunity to be awarded oneof (4919001.02 Tasa Farm,LLC) many nice door prizes.Attendees will also be treated tomusical entertainment by VernRogalla of Goodridge, the RedLake Falls Lafayette HighSchool Everyday Choir, and theTrinity Trio of Thief River Falls.

Mark March 27 on your cal-endar and plan to join fellowCooperative members in cele-brating your Cooperative’s 75thannual meeting.

1st annual meeting – 75th Annual Meeting

The Red Lake ElectricCooperative Board of Directorshas approved the payment ofcapital credits totaling about$419,000. This payment contin-ues a strong tradition of equityrevolvement at Red LakeElectric.

The balance of capital creditsassigned to members in 1995will be paid out, as well as 21percent of the capital creditsassigned in 1996. Active mem-bers, if they received service inthose years, will see a creditadjustment on their Marchbilling statement. Inactivemembers (those no longerreceiving service from RLEC)will be mailed a check.

The difference betweenannual revenues and annualexpenses (termed a margin) isassigned to members’ capitalcredit accounts each year basedon their annual billings for elec-tric service. The Cooperativeretains those capital credits for anumber of years for financialsecurity and to reduce debt. Ifthe Cooperative’s financialhealth is good, as it is today,some of those capital creditsassigned are paid out to mem-bers. At RLEC, capital creditsare paid out on a “first in, firstout” basis. Capital credits arealso paid out in the event of thedeath of a member or theirspouse.

$419,000 in capital credit payments to be given in March

Summer seminar offers educators afirst-hand look at mines and power plants

Fog leads to frost There have been several

mornings throughout the pastmonth when fog and/or temper-ature differentials have decorat-ed the landscape with frost.

Often this frost will build-upand cling to overhead powerlines. This picture was taken byGoodwin Kvasager who lives inGervais Township of Red Lake

County. It shows frost build-upon a Red Lake Electric line intohis yard and on a MinnkotaPower Cooperative transmissionline along the county road.

By Magen HowardBecause Red Lake Electric

Cooperative is a cooperative,Volts & Jolts often refers to “thecooperative difference.” Thedifferences between electric co-ops and other electric utilitiesrange from the nomenclatureused—co-ops serve “members”or “consumers,” not “cus-tomers”—to the business modelitself.

For example, electric co-opsoperate on a not-for-profit basis.Revenues above operating costs,called “margins,” are returned tomembers in the form of capitalcredits.

In the U.S., there are twoother kinds of not-for-profitelectric providers: public utilitydistricts (PUDs) and publicpower districts (PPDs). Thereare also two other types of elec-tric utilities: city-owned munici-pal electric systems and profit-driven investor-owned utilities.In every case, utilities receivefinancial assistance from thefederal government in somefashion. Following is a look ateach.

Cooperatives, PUDs, PPDsElectric cooperatives are

joined by public power dis-tricts—located exclusively inNebraska—and public utilitydistricts (all in the PacificNorthwest) as being not-for-profit. But while cooperativeschoose directors/trustees fromthe membership (those servedby the co-op) and are requiredby state law to hold annualmembership meetings, PUDsand PPDs are local governmentunits—similar to school dis-tricts— and are not required tohold annual meetings or allocatecapital credits. In addition, theirdirectors (commissioners in thecase of PUDs) are elected on thestate ballot. Candidates onlyneed to reside within thePPD/PUD’s boundaries to serveon a board; they do not have toreceive power from the utility.

Federal assistance to electricco-ops comes in the form oflow-interest loans from theRural Utilities Service (RUS),formerly the RuralElectrification Administration.Based on current interest rates,RUS loans actually makemoney for the federal govern-ment—about $274 million infiscal (6123003.01 Richard J.Delage) year 2012. Aside from

aiding in construction of criticalinfrastructure that keeps electricservice reliable and electricrates affordable, RUS financingremains important becausehousehold incomes in co-opservice territories run about 11percent lower than the nationalaverage.

Co-ops serve an average of7.4 consumers per mile of line,over which they collect annualrevenue of about $14,900.Nationally, electric co-ops pay$1.4 billion in state and localtaxes each year.

Municipal electric systems Municipal electric systems

are distribution utilities ownedby a city, borough, or otherincorporated community. Aspublic entities, they can levytaxes, issue government bonds,and adopt and enforce rules andregulations.

Not-for-profit municipalsserve the most consumers permile of line, an average of 48,and collect an average of$113,301 per mile of line. Thefederal government subsidiesmunicipals, too—when cities orboroughs issue tax-exemptbonds, interest paid to bondowners is not taxed. The cost ofthis benefit in 2003 (the last yeardata is available) was $909 mil-lion, or $55 per consumer.

Investor-owned utilitiesInvestor-owned utilities, or

IOUs, are governed by and gen-erate profits for shareholders(stock owners) who do not nec-essarily live in the utility’s serv-ice area. IOUs average 34 cus-tomers and $75,498 in revenueper mile of line.

In virtually every case, IOUscharge electric rates that includeamounts for presumed federaltax liabilities. However, avail-able tax breaks (investment taxcredits and accelerated depreci-ation) allow IOUs to retain mostof the taxes collected, a total ofroughly $107 billion to date. Ata cost to the government of $4.6billion in 2010, this federal sub-sidy to IOUs works out to about$44 per customer.

Back to the cooperative dif-ference

Red Lake ElectricCooperative is here to provideaffordable, reliable, environ-mentally responsible electricpower. But at the core, it’s real-ly about improving the qualityof life in the communities weserve. That’s the main differ-ence—the cooperative differ-ence.

Source: National RuralElectric CooperativeAssociation

Magen Howard writes onconsumer and cooperativeaffairs for the National RuralElectric CooperativeAssociation, the Arlington, Va.-based service organization forthe nation’s 900-plus consumer-owned, not-for-profit electriccooperatives.

Bold Bean and Pork Chili1 pork shoulder or butt roast (4 to 5 pounds),

trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch cubes3 tbsp olive or vegetable oil2 large onions, chopped8 garlic cloves, minced4 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) chicken broth1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes1/2 to 2/3 cup chili powder 3 tbsp dried oregano2 to 3 tbsp ground cumin4-1/2 tsp salt2 tsp cayenne pepper4 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drainedMinced fresh cilantro, optionalIn a Dutch oven, saute pork in oil until no longer pink; drain.

Add onions; cook and stir for 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook 2 minuteslonger. Stir in the broth, tomatoes and seasonings. Bring to a boil.Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour, stirring several times.

Skim fat; stir in beans. Simmer 15-30 minutes longer or untilchili reaches desired thickness. Garnish with cilantro if desired.Yield: 15 servings.

Asparagus Nut Stir-Fry1-1/2 pounds fresh asparagus spears, trimmed2 tbsp vegetable oil1/4 cup thinly sliced sweet red pepper1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts1/4 tsp ground ginger or 1 tsp minced fresh gingerroot1 garlic clove, minced1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes2 tbsp chicken broth2 tbsp soy sauce1/2 tsp sugar1/2 tsp saltIn a skillet or wok, stir-fry asparagus in oil until crisp-tender,

about 10 minutes. Remove and keep warm. In the same skillet, stir-fry red pepper, walnuts, ginger, garlic and pepper flakes for 2 min-utes or until red pepper is crisp-tender. Stir in the broth, soy sauce,sugar and salt; heat through. Add asparagus; stir to coat. Yield: 6servings.

Rock’n and Roast’n Chili2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 3/4-inch cubes1 medium onion, chopped2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced2 tbsp vegetable oil1 jar (16 ounces) hot banana peppers2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies1 fresh jalapeno or banana pepper, seeded and chopped2 tbsp chili powder1 to 2 tbsp hot pepper sauce1 tsp salt1/8 tsp ground cuminAdditional banana peppers, optionalIn a large saucepan, cook beef, onion and garlic in oil over medi-

um heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Remove stems andseeds of 10 hot banana peppers; chop (refrigerate remaining pep-pers for another use). Add peppers, tomatoes, tomato paste, beans,chilies, jalapeno and seasonings to beef mixture.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 2 hours oruntil meat is tender. Uncover; simmer until chili reaches desiredthickness. Garnish with peppers if desired. Yield: 8 servings.

Note: When cutting or seeding hot peppers, use rubber or plas-tic gloves to protect your hands. Avoid touching your face.

Noodle Rice Pilaf1/4 cup butter or margarine1 cup long grain rice1/2 cup uncooked fine egg noodles or vermicelli2-3/4 cups chicken broth2 tbsp minced fresh parsleyIn a saucepan, melt butter. Add the rice and noodles; cook and

stir until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Stir in broth; bring to aboil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or untilbroth is absorbed and rice is tender. Stir in parsley. Yield: 4 serv-ings.

Mandarin Chicken√Uses less fat, sugar or salt. Includes Nutritional Analysis and

Diabetic Exchanges.1-1/2 cups uncooked long grain rice4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 pound)1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms2 cups orange juice1 cup chicken broth1/2 tsp salt Pepper to taste1 can (15 ounces) mandarin oranges, drainedPaprika and minced fresh parsley, optionalSpread rice in a greased shallow 3-qt. baking dish. Top with

chicken and mushrooms. Pour orange juice and broth over all.sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and bake at 350° for 45-50minutes or until chicken juices run clear and rice is tender. Garnishwith oranges, paprika and parsley if desired. Yield: 4 servings.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals 519 calories, 4 g fat (1g saturated fat), 65 mg cholesterol, 734 mg sodium, 86 g carbohy-drate, 1 g fiber, 31 g protein. Diabetic Exchange: 4 starch, 3 verylean meat, 1-1/2 fruit.

Broccoli Ham Roll-Ups1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped broccoli1 can (10-3/4 ounces)condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted1 cup dry bread crumbs1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1 tbsp chopped onion1-1/2 tsp diced pimientos1/8 tsp rubbed sage1/8 tsp dried rosemary, crushed1/8 tsp dried thymeDash pepper12 slices fully cooked ham(1/8 inch thick)Cook broccoli according to package directions; drain. In a bowl,

combine soup, bread crumbs, cheese, onion, pimientos and season-ings. Add broccoli; mix well.

Spoon 1/4 cup onto each ham slice. Roll up and place in anungreased 13-in.x9-in.x2-in. baking dish. Cover and bake at 350°for 40 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 12 servings.

Volts and Jolts March 2013 3

Degree DAysto determine degree days, you must calculate the dailymean temperature for the time period you are measuring.Degree day computation is based on the assumption thata building does not require any heat if the outside temper-ature averages 65 degrees during a 24-hour period. toobtain a degree day figure, the high temperature and thelow temperature for the day are added and the total divid-ed by two. that figure is then subtracted from 65. Forexample, if the high temperature was 30 degrees and thelow temperature 10 degrees, the figure would be30+10=40; 40/2=20; 65-20=45. this would be a 45-degreeday. the higher the degree day figure, the more heatrequired to warm your home.

red Lake electric Cooperative, Inc.

operating reportMoNthlY CoMPARIsoN

JAnuAry JAnuAry2012 2013

total Revenue ............................$1,415,562 $ 1,516,261total Margins ..............................$ 139,330 $ 227,328Cost of Power.............................$ 990,410 $ 1,024,835KWh's Purchased ......................15,408,258 16,513,100Capital Credits Paid to Estates ..$ 617 $ 20,545

YEAR to DAtE CoMPARIsoNJAnuAry JAnuAry

2012 2013total Revenue ............................$1,415,562 $ 1,516,261total Margins..............................$ 139,330 $ 227,328Cost of Power ............................$ 990,410 $ 1,024,835KWh's Purchased ......................15,408,258 16,513,100New service Connections ..........................1 6Customers served...............................5,222 5,232Capital Credits Paid to Estates ..$ 617 $ 20,545Miles of line

overhead.................................2,324 2,323Underground...............................245 249

Recipe Corner

from the Mail Bag

erickson dozer & excavating"for Any Kind of Dirt Work or Construction Job!"

Bull Dozing • excavating • skid steer serviceMowing • Brushing • finish grade Work

site prep Work •  Culvert Install • BasementsDitch Cleaning • grubbing tree rows

old Building site Clean up25 Years Experience

Fully InsuredBlack Dirt & Gravel Available

Custom Farming & CRP Break-up & Clean-upDemolition

eric erickson

218-686-8720 Erskine, MN 56535

Dear RLEC,I would like to “Thank You”

for the nice extension cord Iwon at the meeting inNewfolden. Enjoyed very muchthe slides of the beginning of theCoop. Keep up the good workand Thanks for all you do tokeep us with the electricity.Where would we be without itthese days!

Thanks!Carol Garthus

Middle River

Dear RLEC,Thank you so much for the

wood wall shelf that I receivedat the recent District 9 meeting.Also thank you for a very inter-esting presentation on the earlyhistory of the cooperative.

Sincerely,Sharon EricksonThief River Falls

Dear RLEC,Your donations and support

for the Red Lake County 4-Hprogram are greatlyAppreciated. Thank You!

U of MN ExtensionRed Lake County

Dear RLEC,Thank you very much for the

electric knife I received at theNewfolden meeting. It was verymuch appreciated.

Janice OlsonNewfolden

Dear RLEC,I want to thank you for the

gift I won at the Newfoldenmeeting, It was great that mysister, Janice Olson, won also. Ienjoyed your history programand the old pictures.

In 1949 my parents in NewMaine twp first got electricity. Iremember how excited we allwere. Nels and Bertina Nelsonhad eight children. We appreci-ated the bright lights.

Sincerely, Joan Roppe

Newfolden

Dear RLEC,As I was reading the Volts

and Jolts, I was reminded of thethank you that I forgot to send.Thank you for the nice digitalalarm clock that I won at theDistrict 3 meeting in Newfoldenand for the good informationand updates.

I really enjoyed the picturesand stories of the history of RedLake Electric. I would like tosee you print that poem in theVolts & Jolts that Kevin readabout the meter, I think it wasentitled “You Can’t Win”.

Thank you for all the years ofgreat service.

Pat MoenNewfolden

Dividing LinesWhat makes electric cooperativesdifferent from other types of utilitieslies in their core mission

one CaLLCall before digging!

It's the law!

1-800-252-1166

GophersTaTe

After-hours outAge phone

218-253-2200

Look uppower Lines may

be overhead

� � � �� � �� � � � � �� � � �

� � � � � �� � � � � � �

� � � � � �� � � � � �

� � � � � � �� � � � � � �� � � � �

� � � � �� � � � � � �

� � � � � � � �� � � � � � �� � � � � �

� � � � � � � �� � � � � �� � � � �� � � � � � �

� � � � � � � � �� � � � � � � �

� � � � � � � �� � � � � �

� � � � � � � � �� � � � � � �

� � � � � � � �� � � � � �

� � � � � � � �� � � � � � �� � � � � � � � �

� � � � � � �� � � � � � � �� � � � � � � ��� � � � �

� � � � � � � � �� � � � � �

� � � � �� � � � � � �� � � � � � �

� � � � � � �� � � � � �� � � � � � �

� � � � � �

� � � � � � � �� � � � � � � �� � � � � � � �� � � � � � �� � � � �

� � � � � �� � � � � � �� � � � � � �

� � � � � � �� � � � � � � �

� � � � �� � � � � �

� � � � � �� � � � �

� � � � � �� � � �� � � � �

� � � � �� � � � �� � � � � � � �

� � � � � � �� � � � � � �

� � � � � ��� � � � �

� � � � � �� � � � �� � � � � � � �� � � � � � � �� � � � �� � � � � � �

� � � � � � � �� � � � � � � �

� � � � �� � � � � �

� � � � � �� � � � � � �

� � � � �� � � �

� � � � � �� � � � � � �� � � � � � �� � � � � � �� � �� � � � � � �� � � � � �

� � � � � � �� � � � � � � � �

� � � � �� � � � � �

� � � � � �� � � � � �

� � � � �� � � � � �� � � � � � �� � � � � � �

� � � � �� � � � �

� � � � � � �� � � � � � � �� � � �� � � � � �� � � �� � � � � � �

� � � � � � � ��� � � � � �� � � � �� � � � � �� � � � � � �

� � � � � � �� � � � � � �� � � � �� � � � � � �� � � � � �� � � � �

� � � � � �

� � � � �� � � � �

� � � � � � �� � � � �� � � �� � � � � �� � � � � � � �� � � � �� � � � � � �� � � � � � � � �� � � � � � � �

� � � � � � � � � � �

� � � � �� � � � � �

� � � � �� � � � � � �� � � � � � �� � � � �

� � � � �� � � � � � � �� � � � � �� � � � � � �

� �� � �� � �

� � � � @ � �� � � A

��

�

� � �� �

�

�

� �� � �

�

� �

�

� ��

� � � � � �

�� �

�

�

� � �

�

� �� �

� �

H � �H �

�� �

� �

�

� �� �

� ��

� � �

� � � �� �

� ����"�!���(89,7� 2:3),7�� � �� � �

�

@ �@ �@ � � �@ �

� � �

��

� �

� � � � �

� � ��

� � � �� �

� �� � � �� �� � � � �

� � ��

� � � �� � � �

� � � �

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �� � � � � �

� � � � � � � � � � � �� � � � � � � � � � � � � � �� � � � � � � � � �

� � �

� � � � � � � � � � � � �� � � � � � � � � � � � �

� � � � � � � � � � �� � � � � � � � � � � �

� �

�����������������!!�� ���������������������

������������������������ �����##���������������������������

######��������������!!�� ������������

����������������������������������������������������

������������������ � �������������� ��������������������� ���������������������

�� ��������""���������$$�������������������������!!�� ����������� ���� ��������

�������������������������

� � �� � �� �

IA� � �

� � � � �

� � � � �

vOLTS ANd jOLTS FEATURE OF THE MONTH

• Fertilizer

• Petroleum prod-

ucts

• Town and country

deliveries

• Tires, batteries,

accessories

• Farm supplies

Farmers UnionOil Company

Thief River Falls 218-681-3512

WILCOX PLUMBINGANd HEATING, Inc.

REd lakE FallS

Plumbing/Heating/Air conditioning

• In-floor heating • Oil furnaces• Pressure systems • Gas furnaces• Electric heat pumps

FREE ESTIMaTESCOMPlETE SalES

aNd SERvICE

218-253-4347

BIll H. MOSER, Master Plumberlicense No. 1770PM

BIll J. MOSER, Master Plumber license No. 6039PM

Refrigerant Certified No. CFR089400285

PaRk PlaCE MallREd lakE FallS, MINNESOTa

218 253-4223

HAIRSTYLING

FOR MEN AND

WOMEN

H

Q

The

Head-QuartersHair and

Tanning Salon

218-796-5157Fax 218-796-5158

anthony.holthusen@ssboklee.com

•  Operating loans•  vehicle loans•  Farm real estate loans•  Consumer loans

"We appreciate your business."

218-523-5861

“THE FARMERS’ HELPING HANd”

dave MillerAgency

davE MIllER, aGENTRuRal ROuTE 1

vIkING, MINNESOTa 56760

•  All-Risk Crop Insurance•  Crop/Hail Coverage

Bray-GentillyMutual Insurance

Co.Locally Owned and Operated

Serving Policyholders Since 1900

218-683-32002017 Hwy. 59 SE •  P.O. Box 592

Thief River Falls, MN 56701

INSuRaNCE FORFaRMS, HOMESaNd PERSONal

PROPERTy

TElEPHONE uS FOR aNaGENT NEaR yOu!

THIS SPACEFOR RENT

253-2594

Buy a YORK Affinity heat pump today!

Grove Mechanical, inc.Your hometown heating &

air conditioning team!Serving Crookston and the surrounding

communities for 30 years.

(218) 281-3863

Want to cut your heatingcost by up to 50%? OFFICE PHONE

253-2168OUTAGE PHONE

253-22001-800-245-6068

One of the Minnkota Power Systems

Red Lake Electric Cooperative, Inc.

by Heather Blodgett

Erwin and Lucille Weiss, who

reside several miles south of Red

Lake Falls, are long-time members

of Red Lake Electric Cooperative.

Erwin has lived in that home on the

family farm his entire life.

The house was built in 1919 by

his mother. The house was wired

for electricity even though they did

not have electricity at the time.

Erwin was born in 1927 to David

and Anna Weiss and grew up with

four sisters. David and Anna

became members of the Red Lake

Electric Cooperative on August 20,

1938, but would not have electric

service until several years later.

Erwin remembers that they used

a thirty-two volt gas generator that

powered lights in the home and in

the barn, as they had dairy cattle. A

wood stove was used for heat and

cooking until the home was electri-

fied on March 28, 1941. This was

only two weeks after the first farm

in the area was energized on March

14 of the same year. The first elec-

tric bill the couple received totaled

$2.82 for 23 kilowatt hours.

Erwin married Lucille in 1950

and she moved into the home. The

couple became members of Red

Lake Electric Cooperative in 1953.

One of the first appliances they

purchased for use with electricity

was an electric cooling unit to cool

the milk after milking cows. An

electric heater replaced the wood

stove soon after. “We weren’t very

good at building fires so we

switched over,” she explains.

Electricity changed many aspects

of life for many people. Lucille

reports that it even changed how

hair was styled. She remembers

that before electricity, her mother

would use a curling iron that was a

metal rod with a wooden handle.

She would heat the metal rod over a

kerosene lamp and then curl her

hair with it.

Lucille remembers that even with

electricity, the couple still used an

icebox for refrigeration and a

wringer washing machine to do

laundry for several years.

“I remember the first automatic

washing machine and dryer,” said

Lucille, “That was really neat. It

was in 1960. I also got my first

electric sewing machine instead of

the treadle machine about the same

time. I used to sew and make all of

the kids’ clothes, so it was really

nice to have that instead of the trea-

dle machine.” Lucille also fondly

remembers that with the electricity

came the ability to use fans to cool

the house in the summer.

The couple continued to farm

dairy cattle as well as sheep, pigs,

chickens, wheat, oats, barley, corn,

and eventually soybeans.

Their seven children, Bonnie,

Sandra, David, Ronald, Randy,

Linda and Dana, helped Erwin and

Lucille with the farm work. In 2001

they made the switch from dairy

cattle to beef cattle after a terrible

storm blew down and damaged

some of the buildings and equip-

ment used in the operation.

Upon their retirement from farm-

ing, sons Randy and David have

continued to work on the farm.

Several improvements were

made to the farm over the years by

the couple. An addition was put on

the house and all of the current

buildings on the farm were built

during their ownership. They also

recently built a high tunnel and

greenhouse. “We’re going into high

tunnel gardening” says Lucille as

she shows me the many plants that

have been started inside already,

“We’ve got tomatoes, peppers,

cucumbers and cabbage.” They

continue to see the benefits of elec-

tricity as they use fans for cooling,

a portable heater, and an irrigation

system in the high tunnel.

The couple has thirteen grand-

children and six great grandchil-

dren. Erwin enjoys hunting and

fishing while Lucille likes sewing

and gardening. They also enjoy

spending time watching their

grandkids in their various sports

and activities.

Weiss' continue to see more benefits from the use of electricity

Lucille and Erwin Weiss

volts & jolts March 2013 5

The following is a list of Web sites that can provide information and

education in reference to electrical safety and energy conservation. These

Web sites are listed as links on Red Lake Electric Cooperative's Web site

at www.redlakeelectric.com.

• Electrical Safety Foundation International: www.esfi.org

• Alliance to Save Energy: www.ase.org

• US Environmental Protection Agency: www.epa.gov/greenhomes

• Energy Star: www.energystar.gov

• Minnesota Safety Council: www.minnesotasafetycouncil.org

• Safe Electricity: www.safeelectricity.org

• Lighting Controls Association: www.aboutlightingcontrols.org

• US Consumer Product Safety Commission: www.cpsc.gov

Informational Web Sites

Each year Red Lake Electriccontracts with a pole inspectionfirm to check and test approxi-mately 10% of theCooperative’s poles. At this ratethe entire service territory iscovered over a ten tear period.The poles are checked for decay,rot, and stability. Poles that failthe test are marked and loggedso Cooperative crews canchange them out at a later date.

The pole test program has beenin effect for many years. It hashelped to greatly reduce downedpoles during high winds andstorms. Because of the on-goingpole test program the number ofreject poles each time around isless. The first go-around itwould not be uncommon to have300 to 400 reject poles in thetest group. In 2012 poles werechecked in the areas south and

east of Thief River Falls andsouth and west of theHighlanding substation. Eightyone poles were rejected andneed to be replaced. Typicallythese poles are replaced duringthe non construction season.These pictures were taken of thefirst failed pole change out ofthe season four miles south ofThief River Falls.

Annual pole inspection leads to the firstfailed pole change out of the season

the transformer has been hung and Aaron Derosier works to splice extensions onto the tails ofthe wire for the meter loop so the wires can be connected to the transformer lugs.

red Lake electric line personnel work in this yard south of thief river falls. the pole in the fore-ground is the rotten one being replaced. the pole in the background is where the transformer willbe rehung. the work and maneuvering of trucks was made much easier thanks to the propertyowner who did the snow removal.

the change out of this rotten pole begins with Casey thronson removing all of the hardware. thetriplex going from this transformer pole to a meter pole will be changed to primary wire and thetransformer will be moved to the meter pole.

Casey thronson uses a preformed wire tie to attach/deadend the new primary wire that will runfrom the newly replaced pole to the converted, combination transformer/meter pole.

Casey thronson works to attach all of the wires to the newly replaced pole. It is a 4-way dead-end pole with wires from four directions being attached to the pole. Wires from three of thedirections could be possible power sources. even though the line has been turned off, all threeare grounded out with jumpers to provide added protection during the conversion process. thethree hanging insulated wires are the ground jumpers.

After-hours outAge phone

218-253-2200

March is National NutritionMonth, and the Academy ofNutrition and Dietetics offerstips to encourage healthy eatingyear round.

“Vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy products contain thenutrients we need to maintainhealthy lifestyles,” remarks reg-istered dietitian and Academyspokeswoman Andrea Giancoli.“Make sure your eating planincludes foods from all of thefood groups and in appropriateportions. USDA’s MyPlate is agreat tool to guide and help usbe mindful of the foods thatmake up our balanced eatingplan.” Go toChooseMyPlate.gov for easyways to keep healthful eating inmind.

Make half your plate fruitsand vegetables

Eat a variety of vegetables,especially dark-green, red, andorange varieties, as well asbeans and peas.

When buying canned veg-etables, choose “reduced sodi-um” or “no salt added” whenev-er possible. Rinsing whole vari-eties like beans, corn, and peascan also reduce sodium levels.

Dried and frozen fruits andthose canned in water or theirown juice are good optionswhen fresh varieties are notavailable.

Make sure every meal andsnack has at least one fruit orvegetable or both.

Make at least half yourgrains whole

Choose brown rice, barleyand oats, and other whole grainsfor your sides and ingredients.

Switch to 100 percentwhole-grain breads, cereals, andcrackers.

Check the ingredients list onpackaging to find foods that aremade with whole grains.

Switch to fat-free or low-fatmilk

Fat-free and low-fat milkhave the same amount of calci-um and other essential nutrientsas whole milk, but less fat andfewer calories.

If you are lactose intolerant,try lactose-free milk or a calci-um-fortified soy beverage.

Vary your protein choices Eat a variety of foods each

week from the protein foodgroup like seafood, nuts, andbeans, as well as lean meat,poultry, and eggs.

Eat more plant-based pro-teins such as nuts, beans, wholegrains, and whole soy foods liketofu and edamame (soy beans inthe shell).

At least twice a week, makefish and seafood the protein onyour plate. Keep meat and poul-try portions lean and limit tothree ounces per meal.

Cut back on sodium andempty calories from solid fatsand added sugars

Drink water instead of sug-ary drinks like regular sodas,fruit-flavored drinks, and sweet-ened teas and coffees. Choose100 percent fruit juice.

Compare sodium in foodsand choose those with the leastamount listed on the NutritionFacts Panel.

Season foods with spices orherbs instead of salt.

Use heart-healthy oils likeolive, canola, and sunflower oilin place of butter or shorteningwhen cooking.

Giancoli recommends cook-ing more often at home, whereyou are in control of what’s inyour food, and reminds thatexercise is also crucial to main-taining a healthy lifestyle.

“Choose activities you enjoy,like going for a walk with yourfamily, joining a sports team,dancing or playing with yourchildren,” Giancoli says. “If youdon’t have a full 30 minutes,carve out 10 minutes three timesa day. Every bit adds up, andhealth benefits increase themore active you are.”

Visit www.eatright.org/nnm,the Academy of Nutrition andDietetics’ National NutritionMonth website, for more helpfultips, (6934001.02 David Glassc/o Donna Glass) recipes, fungames, promotional tools, andnutrition education resources.

Source: Academy ofNutrition and Dietetics

Burns are among the mostpainful injuries and are respon-sible for sending thousands ofpeople to hospitals each year. Inobservance of National BurnAwareness Week (Feb. 3-9),Safe Electricity encourages youto learn about scald preventionand water heating safety, as wellas other electrical safety tips.

Hot liquids and steam areresponsible for scalding burns.Cooking, hot beverages, tapwater, and bath water can allcause scalds. In fact, half of allburn injuries at emergencyrooms are scalds, and most ofthose victims are young chil-dren. Scalds are painful and cancause lifelong scars and evendeath.

"In a matter of seconds youcan become a victim of a life-changing scald," says MollyHall, director of the Energy

Education Council's SafeElectricity program. "A simplewater heater adjustment can notonly help prevent thesetragedies, but it can also helpyou save money through energyefficiency."

To prevent scalds, it is a goodidea to start at the source of thehot water. Water heaters keep asupply of stand-by water so thathot water is available instantly.Much of the cost of water heat-ing comes from keeping waterwarm and ready for when youturn on the faucet. On a normalwater heater, you can set thetemperature from 120 to 180degrees Fahrenheit. At 155 F,scalding can occur in just onesecond. Dial your hot waterheater down to 120 F to reducescald risk and to save money onstandby heating costs.

Even with cooler water, it is

still important to practice cau-tion around hot liquids andsteam, especially around chil-dren. "Make sure children knownot to play in the kitchen whenyou are cooking," says Hall."Use sealed travel mugs, andturn pots so curious hands can-not grab the handle."

If someone you know experi-ences a scald, immediatelyremove the scalding source andremove affected clothing.Briefly rinse the scald in coldwater-not in lotion or ointment.Apply a dry covering to the burnthat will not leave thread orother residue in the burn. Seekmedical assistance for severeburns.

Burn Awareness Week is alsoa good time to learn how youcan help prevent other types ofhousehold burns, including elec-trical burns. Household wiring

problems and damaged elec-tronics increase the risk ofshocks, burns, and fires.Discolored outlet covers, fre-quently tripped circuit breakers,flickering lights, and a persistentburning smell all indicate majorelectrical dangers. Hire a quali-fied electrician to inspect andrepair your home. Be carefulwith space heaters and electricblankets, especially with chil-dren in the home. Never usedamaged electronics or cordsthat are frayed or cracked. Donot repair electrical equipmentthat is plugged in. Even if anappliance is unplugged, if it hascapacitors it has shock potential.Do not work on appliances ifyou do not have a firm under-standing of electricity.

For more information on pre-venting electrical shocks andburns, visit SafeElectricity.org.

volts & jolts March 2013 6

Call or visit us today!

Red Lake Falls, MN218-253-2177 • rlci@gvtel.com

www.redlakecountyinsurance.com

Buy • Sell • Trade • RentalsNew & Used instruments

Repairs • Sound & Lighting • InstallationsRecording Studio • Lessons • Print Music

Buy • Sell • Trade • RentalsNew & Used instruments

Repairs • Sound & Lighting • InstallationsRecording Studio • Lessons • Print Music

Store Hours: Monday-Friday 8 A.M. - 6 P.M. Saturdays 10 A.M. - 5 P.M.

Joel Kezar, OwnerMilo Ballingrud, Sales

315 Duluth Avenue N.Thief River Falls 681-2148 • 1-800-566-2148kezarmusic@mncable.net www.kezarmusic.com

The 74th annual meeting ofthe members of Red LakeElectric Cooperative, Inc. washeld on Wednesday, March 28th,2012 in the Imperial Room ofthe Ralph Engelstad Arena inThief River Falls. PresidentBonnie Christians called themeeting to order at 10:30 am.Approximately 225 membersand guests were in attendance.

Christians thanked VernRogalla for the pre-meetingmusical entertainment he pro-vided. Jordanne Walsh, a seniorat Lafayette High School in RedLake Falls sang the nationalanthem. Colette Kujava ofNewfolden gave an invocationand current board memberswere introduced.

President Christians thencalled the business meeting toorder. Secretary Mark Hansonread the affidavit of mailing andquorum declaration.

Christians entertained amotion that the 2011 annualmeeting minutes be approved asthey were printed in the March“Volts and Jolts.” It was dulymoved, seconded and carried todo so.

In her President’s report,Bonnie Christians talked abouthow cooperatives build a betterworld and spoke about theimpact cooperatives make notonly across our country but theworld. As part of her presenta-tion, Christians showed to twoshort videos; one called theElectric Cooperative Story thattalked about the history, struc-ture and purpose of rural electriccooperatives and a second onetitled Cooperative EnterprisesBuild a Better World. Christiansreported $500,000 was paid outin capital credit retirements in2011 and that the board hadauthorized the retirement ofanother $500 thousand in capitalcredits in 2012. She alsothanked the Cooperative’s mem-bers who participated in theOperation Round Up Program.

Roger Johanneck, generalmanager, gave his report anddiscussed the impact legislationis having on the way that coop-eratives/electric utilities operatetoday. Massive environmentalplant upgrades, RenewableEnergy, and ConservationImprovement Program man-dates are impacting not only theway cooperatives do businessbut in the rates members arepaying for their energy.Johanneck said that theCooperative members will seerates stabilize the next two yearsand that there was a reduction inthe Renewable Energy

Surcharge in January.Johanneck said the mild winterhas reduced the heating energyneeds significantly thru the first3 months of 2012. Johannecktalked about the safety accom-plishments and concerns of theCooperative and showed thenumber of times members havehad accidental contact with thedistribution system over the pastfive years. Johanneck conclud-ed that the Cooperative has donea good job in managing its dis-tribution costs and comparesfavorably in many financial andservice measurements to coop-eratives across the region, stateand nation

Bregier next gave the 2011Financial Report and said ener-gy sales were up from the previ-ous year largely as a result of acolder winter to start off the yearand the addition of new servicesduring the year. TheCooperative sold 133.3 millionkWh’s in 2011. Revenues were$13 million and the cost ofwholesale power was $9.7 mil-lion. Bregier said theCooperative’s margin was $391thousand; this is the amount thatis allocated back to the membersas Capital Credits. Bregierreviewed various operatingexpenses, fixed expenses anditems on the balance sheet. Shesaid RLEC’s cost of wholesalepower comprises three-fourth ofthe Cooperative’s cost of doingbusiness and was the drivingforce in the need to a retail rateincrease in 2011.

Christians next introducedGeneral Manager, Robert “Mac”McLennan, President and CEOof Minnkota PowerCooperative. McLennan updat-ed members on power supplyissues, wind generation,upgrades at the Young generat-ing unit that have been requiredby the EPA and the $425 millionthat has been invested in thepower plant to meet these envi-ronmental mandates. McLennanalso spoke about the impact thenation’s economy has had on thedemand for energy and thecause and effect that low marketprices have had on MinnkotaPower’s surplus energy salesand the revenue MinnkotaPower received for these sales.McLennan said that the EPA’sdecision to not FIP the state ofNorth Dakota regarding theRegional Haze issue is a winwin situation for both Minnkotaand the environment. Mac saidthat in 2014 there will be thechallenge to Minnkota of addingto the cost of its operations thenew 300 mile transmission line

that Minnkota is building fromCenter to Grand Forks.McLennan said that if there areno new regulations placed onMinnkota, rates should level offmuch like they did afterMinnkota added base load gen-eration in the early 80’s.McLennan stated that the invest-ments made will carry Minnkotaand its member systems throughthe next two decades withpower.

President Christians askedfor a motion to accept the pre-ceding reports and it was dulymoved, seconded and carried todo so.

Election of directors thentook place. Secretary Hansonverified the nominees elected atthe district meetings and saidthere had been no nominationsby petition. Christians thendeclared the following peopleduly elected as directors forthree-year terms: District 7,Kelly Lundeen; District 8,Robert Finstad; and District 2,Stacy Blawat.

Christians asked for any newbusiness or questions from theaudience and there was none. Itwas duly moved, seconded andcarried to adjourn the businesssession of the annual meeting.

Safety awards were present-ed to three RLEC employees inrecognition for their safe workrecords. Employees recognizedfor surpassing five-year incre-ments of accident free workwere: Steve Conely, 10 years;Mike Wavra 30 years; ShirleyBregier, 40 years and BeverlySchmitz, 45 years.

Bonnie Christians, ex officiodirector of the Red Lake ElectricTrust board, presented an $850grant check to Anita Cardinal ofthe Inter County NursingService of Pennington & RedLake County. Cardinal thankedthe members for their participa-tion in the Operation Round Upprogram and said the grantwould be used to help needypeople with their personal/homehealth care.

Kevin Reich awarded doorprizes and a special attendanceprize to long-term member andfrequent meeting attendee RayMolskness of Thief River Falls.Lunch was served by St. JohnLutheran Church of Red LakeFalls.

Bonnie Christians, President

Mark Hanson, Secretary-treasurer

Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the membersof the Red Lake Electric Cooperative held onWednesday, March 28, 2012 in Thief River Falls

Spur healthy eating duringNational Nutrition Month

The MyPlate tool at ChooseMyPlate.gov helps you determinehealthy portions for your meals.

A balance of foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables and lean protein, is necessary for ahealthful lifestyle.

Tips on scald prevention and water heating safety

�� �����������������������

�� ������� �� ������������ ��������� �� � ������������ ��������������� �� �����������������

�������������������� �����������������������������

�� ��������

Your­key­to­buy,­sell­or­trade­anything­is­the

CLaSSiFieDSThe members are invited to use this FRee WANT AD service.If you have anything to trade or sell, just drop a card to Red Lake Electric Cooperative, Box 430, Red Lake Falls, MN 56750.

Red Lake Electric Cooperative

Want Ad Order FormUse this handy form to submit your want ads.

PLeaSe­PRiNT.Mail or bring your ads to the RLEC office by the tenth of themonth. Commercial ads are 10¢ per word with a minimumcharge of $4 per insertion.

Member want ads are FREE. One want ad per member permonth.

please pRINT . . .Your Name, Address and Phone Number. Mail with yourpower bill payment, if you prefer, or fax to 218-253-2630.

O k l e e O k l e e

L u m b er , I nc .L u m b er , I n c .(218) 796-5131

aSK­aBOUT­OUR­COMPLeTe­BUiLDiNg­PLaNS­

SeRViCeS!We're­glad­to­help­you

with­any­building­problemyou­may­have.

L U M B ERLU M B E RANDAND

B ui l d i n g S up p l i e sB ui ld i n g S u pp l i e s

•Automotive •Industrial•Marine •Agricultural •High Performance

•Vintage Auto •Heavy Duty DieselCALL FOR ESTIMATE!

INSTALLATION AVAILABLEFOSSTON, MN

218-435-6379 or 1-800-448-1518

PRICEEXAMPLES:

•GM 350$1,315 - $1,419•GM 6.5 Dieselwith new block

$5,330•Ford 7.3

Diesel Powerstroke

$4,200All prices are with

exchange on arebuildable core.

DON’SMACHINE SHOPASE CERTIFIED REBUILDERSALL GAS AND DIESEL ENGINES

-National Parts Locator-Toll Free 1-888-560-5321Bus: 218-964-5321

20 Bakers St., St. Hilaire, MNJeff Brouse & Brian Bugge, Owners

BB && BB AAuuttoo RReeccyycclliinngg,, IInncc..

Late Model Auto Parts

WE BUY PARTS CARS!

KM Transmission

Fair PricesIts all just that simple. Keith MoenMon. - Fri. 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

Sat. by appointment(218) 681-4250

616 Davis Ave. N, Thief River Falls

And RepairQuality • ExperienceDependability • Honesty

310 Broadway • St. Hilaire, MN • (218) 964-5555 • M - F 9-5:30 & Sat 9-3 • Anytime By Appointment

of St. Hilaire, MN

Flooring to Fit Every LifestyleCarpet, Vinyl, Ceramic, Laminate

Quality Flooring at a price you can afford.

CCaarrppeettETC.

HELP! HELP! HELP!"My basement is wet! Who do I call?"

And for all your cleaning needs call 218-681-7679

Greg

BRiaN­SChaFeR­­­­­­­­­­­­­MiKe­SChaFeR218-289-5430­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­218-289-5431

CELLULAR CELLULAR

16483 120th Avenue SWRed Lake Falls, Minnesota 56750

Office 218-253-2497

COMMERCIAL    TRENCHINg    RESIDENTIAL    FARM

We BuyCars andCar Bodies

We BuyAluminum

Cans

We SellWelding Supplies

Evans Scrap & Steel, Inc.218-681-3488 • Toll Free 1-800-906-348813203 190th St. N.E. • Thief River Falls, MN

We BuyScrapIronand

Metals

We SellNew Steel -Structuraland Sheet

Roll-Off BoxesAvailable

Winter Hours:7:30 - 4:30

Monday-Friday

KEN'S ELECTRIC, INC.Red Lake Falls, Minnesota 56750

"We Service Our Work"

Contact Us For All Your Electrical Needs!

Electrical Contractor

Shop: (218) 253-4123Home: (218) 253-4127

Allen Remick - Cell: (218) 689-0313Jason Knott - Cell: (218) 289-5104

702 Dawn Ave. Thief River Falls, MN 56701

218-681-8221 • 1-800-950-9917

Email: sales@trsalvage.com • Website: www.trsalvage.com

New and Used Farm Equipment Parts

Wanted help­Wanted

Work­Wanted

AFTeR-hOuRS OuTAge phONe 218-253-2200

• www.sollie.net • www.sollie.net •

Sollie Realty, Inc.Fosston, MN • (218) 435-1525

www.sollie.net

#3838 -ExtraordinaryP a n o r a m i cViews from anExtraordinary

Lake Home! Simply Stunning! From the rich logsiding accented with cut field stone to thesprawling open floor plan magnificentlyfinished in knotty pine, it all comes togetherhere! You’ll be lured in by the luxurious mastersuite with private bath/whirlpool, 3 additionalbedrooms and bath, all on one convenient levelflowing out to the expansive new outdoorpatio. This grand property is complementedwith a spacious 26’x28’ garage providing youyear-round protection for your vehicles, boat orwater toys. ALL nestled on 1.56 acres with 323feet on Island Lake. Call Today!

ww

w.sollie.net • w

ww

.sollie.net • ww

w.sollie.net • w

ww

.sollie.net

NEW LISTING!w

ww

.sol

lie.

net

•

ww

w.s

olli

e.ne

t •

w

ww

.sol

lie.

net

•

ww

w.s

olli

e.ne

t

Real­estate

Red­Lake­County,­MN CP­200-413aggregate­Crushing­and­Stockpile

Red­Lake­and­Polk­CountiesClosing­date­March­26,­2013

BIDS CLOSE 11:00 AM, Tuesday March 26, 2013NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS:

Sealed bids will be received until 11:00 AM Tuesday, March 26,2013 by the Red Lake County Auditor at the Red Lake FallsCourthouse on behalf of the Red Lake County Board ofCommissioners for the following:

CP­200-413­Crush­and­Stockpile­aggregate,Red­Lake­County­and­Polk­County

DESCRIPTION OF WORK: Crush, screen, stockpile aggregate,Class 1 (Modified) 30,000 Cubic Yards for Red Lake County, and50,000 CY Class 5 for Polk County, total. 80,000 CY, at theHoefer Pit, Lake Pleasant Township, in Red Lake County.

Proposal, Plans, and Specifications may be obtained and exam-ined at the Office of the County Highway Engineer, 204 7th StreetSE Red Lake Falls, MN 56750. (218) 253-2697

All bids must be accompanied by a certified check or Bidder’sBond made payable to the Red Lake County Treasurer for notless than five percent (5%) of the proposal amount.ALL BIDS MUST BE DELIVERED TO THE RED LAKE COUNTYAUDITOR AT THE COURTHOUSE, P.O. Box 367 Red LakeFalls, MN 56750 by­11:00­aM­on­March­26,­2013.

The right is reserved to accept or reject any or all bids and to waiveany defects.

Robert SchmitzCounty Auditor

RN/LPN/CNAWeekly Pay — Direct Deposit

All Temporaries Midwest, Inc.

CNA — $12.50 - $15/hr.LPN — $19.50 - $24/hr.RN — $27 - $31/hr.

Call Anytime —

888-929-1064Ext. 9

LOOK up! pOWeR LINeS MAy be OveRheAD.

Part-Time­Farm­Work­– Able towork late afternoons andevenings. Call 218-681-4419 or218-688-1181

30-33c

WANT ADS WORK!!

Call us 253-2594

Wright’s Everything

Consignment

for all your consignmentneeds

218 - 253 -2091Open Monday – Saturday 10am–7pm

Sunday 11am –5pm111Main Ave. Downtown

Red Lake Falls

50%­Off­Winter­Jackets­

hatsMittens­&­gloves­Kids­Clothing

BooksPurses

Picture­Frames­Photo­albums

March­13-17­

Spring­SaleSpring­Sale

Self-Inking Stamps are the perfect choice!

Signature, address, professional, logo

and much more! Available in a variety of

sizes and are completely customizable for

your personal or business needs.

We also do notary stamps.

Call the Gazette at 218-253-2594 or

email rlfgaz@gvtel.com for pricing

and additional information.

Available at the Gazette

TThhee

ggaazzee­­TTTTee

Self-Inking Stamps

vOLTS & jOLTS March 2013 8

Hwy. 59 North Toll Free: 1-800-888-2744 Thief River Falls, MN

Phone: 218-681-1423www.titanmachinery.com

Jay Mark

Stop in & see

Jay, Markor Steve

for all your equipment needs.

Steve

JUST IN!

CASE CIH 8120

R51C

Titan Machinery– THIEF RIVER FALLS –

INTEREST WAIVEDFOR12 MONTHSon 100 HP & LARGER TRACTORS &COMBINES

NEW HOLLAND

960

9230 CIH

595 CAT

YEAR HOURS AMOUNT

CIH 8120 2012 300 - 700 (9)CIH 8120 2011 500 - 1100 (3)CIH 8010 2005 (1)CIH 2388 (3)NH CR960 2005 (2) (combines)

S O L D

HOLLAND HOLLAND

High Quality New

& UsedEquipment

To ChooseFrom

High High Quality New Quality New

Warranty2005& above1 year or 500 hour warranty with $500 deductible on power train

on

tapgniees,scirtaidepAedimulO

rtlAtastneittetsbodna,af,DM,iyajA

nicinilCurerrucsi,scirtcidemylima

yltne,eni

tapgniees

rtlAtastneit

nicinilCur

After-Hours Outage Phone 218-253-2200

P. O. Box 430 412 International Drive SW Red Lake Falls, MN 56750-0430

Phone 218-253-2168Toll-free 1-800-245-6068Fax 218-253-2630After-hour outage 218-253-2200Office hours Monday-Friday, 8:00-4:30E-mail: redlake@minnkota.comWeb site www.redlakeelectric.com

Call Before You Dig - Gopher State One Call  •  1-800-252-1166

Red Lake Electric Cooperative is pleasedto offer you Auto Pay. Now you can have yourmonthly energy bill paid automatically fromyour checking or savings account. You canreceive the Auto Pay service by completingthe Auto Pay sign-up sheet and returning it toRed Lake Electric Cooperative.

The Auto Pay service is free of charge. Notonly is this service free, you will eliminate theexpense of writing a check, postage to mailyour payment and no more late paymentpenalties because your bill will be paid ontime, every month, for you.

Your payment will be automatically madefor you on the 5th of each month. If the 5th

falls on a weekend or holiday, the payment willbe made on the next business day. You willcontinue to receive your monthly energy billas you have in the past, indicating the amountthat will be withdrawn from your bank account.The proof of your payment will appear on yourbank statement and your next month's energybill statement.

Continue to pay your monthly bill untilyou are notified on your bill that the AutoPay has been set up for you.

If you have any questions about the AutoPay please call RLEC at 800-245-6068 or218-253-2168.

AUTO PAYSIGN-UP SHEET

I authorize Red Lake Electric Cooperative (RLEC) and the bank listed below to initiate vari-able entries to my checking or savings account. This authorization remains in effect until Inotify RLEC in writing to cancel it in such time as to allow RLEC to act on it.

RLEC ELECTRIC ACCOUNT #

NAME (PRINT)

AddRESS

TELEPHONE #

NAME OF FINANCIAL INSTITUTION

CHECkING ACCOUNT #

SAvINGS ACCOUNT #

SIGN HERE TO AUTHORIzE

Please return this authorization form with a blank, voided check to: Red Lake Electric Cooperative, P.O. Box 430, Red Lake Falls, MN 56750

Auto PAy offered by rLeC

One of the Minnkota Power Systems

Red Lake Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Red Lake ElectricCooperative’s 75th year of serv-ice to its membership is animportant event. It is a greattribute to those who have con-tributed to the conception,development, and continuedoperation of the Cooperative. Ifyou have a story as to how theCooperative has impacted yourlife we would appreciate it ifyou would share that story with

our entire membership.We know that some of our

members have special memoriesof Cooperative related events. Ifyou have a story about lifebefore electricity, when thelights came on at your farm or inyour home, or some otherCooperative related event wewould like to hear from you.

Throughout the next fewmonths Red Lake Electric will

print these stories in the “Voltsand Jolts” in order to share themwith our members. If you, orsomeone you know, would bewilling to be a part of a featurestory for the newsletter, pleasecontact the Cooperative at; 253-2168, 800-245-6068, red-lake@minnkota.com, or P.O.Box 430 Red Lake Falls, MN56750.

Do you have a story to share?

ESFI urges the public to committo electrical safety in 2013

The beginning of a new yearoften prompts positive lifestylechanges, and the ElectricalSafety Foundation International(ESFI) is encouraging people tokeep electrical safety in mindwhile they strive for improve-ment in 2013.

In the United States, homeelectrical problems account formore than 51,000 fires eachyear, resulting in more than 490deaths, 1,400 injuries, and $1.3billion in property damage,according to the National FireProtection Association (NFPA).The colder weather the NewYear brings also leads to theincreased use of electrical prod-ucts, making people more sus-ceptible to electrical fires, elec-trocutions and injuries. Luckily,there are simple precautions thatcan be taken to help preventelectrical fires and keep familiessafe throughout 2013 andbeyond.

“People make New Year’sresolutions with the hopes ofimproving their quality of life,and there is no better way to dothat (7022001.01 Kurt andLeAnn Ellefson) than by mak-ing sure their homes are free ofelectrical hazards that can bedangerous, even fatal,” saidESFI President Brett Brenner.“The first step for an electricallysafe 2013 begins with the saferemoval of holiday decorationsand continues with the properusage of home heating and otherelectrical equipment.”

Establish an electrically safestart to 2013 with these tipsfrom ESFI:

Take down and put away all

electrical decorations and lightsat the beginning of January.Check for frayed wires, crackedsockets, or burned out bulbs.Discard broken or faulty lights.

Make sure that electricalcords are in good condition.

Separate and label indoor andoutdoor decorations. Store themin a dry location that is safelyout of reach of children and pets.

Send warranty and productregistration forms for new deco-rations to manufacturers in orderto be notified about productrecalls.

Remove and properly dis-pose of Christmas trees. Thebest way to dispose of a tree isto bring it to a recycling centeror contact a community pickupservice.

Keep your home safethroughout the year by learningthe basics of how home heatingand electrical systems work, andmaking sure they are properlymaintained with these tips fromESFI:

Always have a licensed pro-fessional install stationary spaceheating equipment, waterheaters or central heating equip-ment according to the localcodes and manufacturer instruc-tions.

Install smoke and carbonmonoxide alarms on every levelof your home and outside eachsleeping area. Smoke alarmsshould be installed inside everybedroom.

Have your furnace cleanedand inspected annually by alicensed, qualified professional.Be sure circuit breakers andfuses are correctly labeled with

their amperage and the rooms,circuits, or outlets they service.

Consider having a licensedelectrician replace your standardcircuit breakers with combina-tion-type arc fault circuit inter-rupters (AFCIs), which provideenhanced electrical fire protec-tion.

Make sure ground fault cir-cuit interrupters (GFCIs) areinstalled in your kitchen, bath-rooms, workshop, basement,garage, outdoors, and any otherareas where water and electrici-ty are likely to come in contact.

Examine electrical outletsand replace missing or brokenwall plates to ensure that wiringcomponents are not exposed.

Childproof your home byinstalling tamper resistant recep-tacles (TRRs), which provide asimple, permanent solution tohelp prevent childhood shockand burn injuries from tamper-ing with a wall outlet.

Visit www.electrical-safety.org and www.holi-daysafety.org for more tips andtools to help you keep your elec-trical safety resolution.

The Electrical SafetyFoundation International (ESFI)is dedicated exclusively to pro-moting electrical safety. ESFIproudly sponsors NationalElectrical Safety Month eachMay, and engages in public edu-cation campaigns throughout theyear to prevent electrical fires,injuries, and fatalities in thehome and the workplace. Formore information, visitwww.electrical-safety.org.