Newslines March 2011

Nishnabotna ValleyRural Electric Cooperative

1317 ChatburnHarlan, Iowa

(712) 755-21661-800-234-5122

www.nvrec.com

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“Chain” of Events Weather warming a bit has given way to the completion of line work by Nishnabotna Valley REC contract crews, Chain Electric.The photos shown here are ones of the crews stringing new line on the new, stronger poles. Chain Electric has been workingsouth of Shelby over the last fewweeks. They have completed11 miles so far. Nishnabotna now has nearly100 miles of line approved forconstruction. As the projects areapproved, Chain Electric willbe moving crews around thesystem to repairdamaged lines.

The annual Momentum Is Build-ing conference, sponsored by Iowa’s electric cooperatives, was recently held in West Des Moines. Attendees include cooperative staff and building profes-sionals from across Iowa, including electricians, HVAC professionals and building contractors. The two-day conference focused on energy-efficientbuildingpracticesbynationally known speakers, displays of the latest building products and techniques, and networking among the building professionals and electric co-operative staff. Momentum Is Building is partially funded by a grant from the Iowa Energy Center. Topics addressed at the conference included:• EnergyEfficiencyTrendsforIowa• ElectricCodeUpdate• GeothermalHeatPumpBasicsand

Advanced Applications

local building professionals attend energy-efficient building conferenceMomentum Is Building in 2011

• InsulationFundamentals• Hands-onWallBuilding• SafeDeepRetrofits• EnergyEfficiency:It’sGoodBusiness• LegislationAffectingLocalBuilding

Businesses Several of the sessions provided continuing education credits for the at-tending professionals. RichFreml,NishnabotnaValleyREC Member Service Department, says, “Each year a member service representative from NVREC partici-pates in the conference, along with our local building trades professionals sothatwelearnnewenergy-efficienttechniques and building science prin-ciples that can be applied to building and remodeling projects in our commu-nity.” To learn more about attending Mo-mentum Is Building in the future, con-tact Kent Ingerslev at 712-755-2166.

Attending the Momentum Is Building included (l to r) Kevin Loftus, Jim Swensen, Rich Freml, Randy Price and Todd Bruck.

Chain Electric stringing the fi rst of many miles of line just south of Shel-by, Iowa.

(right) Insulators allow the crews to continue their work (stringing new lines) while customers’ power remains active.

Member service notesby Kent Ingerslev,

Consumer Services Coordinator

Websites that help us help you!• www.connections.coop Findoutwhichlocalbusinessesareparticipatingandfindprintablecoupons through the program.

• www.togetherwesave.com Learn energy saving tips on your farm and in your home.• www.nvrec.com Our own homepage, you can research your annual usage on your per-

sonal E-bill Account RemindertoFriendusonFacebookandgetweeklylinkstodealsonlighting.

Co-ops Face Challengesin CongressContact with electedofficials called more vital than everBy Steven Johnson, ECT Staff Writer Published: February 2011 SAN ANTONIO, Texas – With all thetalkinWashingtonaboutfiscalresponsibility and debt reduction, thefirstswipebyHouseRepub-licans and the White House is at a bite-sized portion of the federal budget. And that bite – about 14 percent of the budget – hap-pens to include programs like the Rural Utili-ties Service and others impor-tant to co-ops that don’t con-tribute to the deficit,accord-ing to Dena G. Stoner, NRECA vice president of government relations. “The programs that we have touch very lightly on the federal budget,” Stoner said during a Jan. 31 presentation at the 2011 NRECA Directors’ Conference, titled “Tra-versing the New Legislative Land-scape.” “We are concerned that they will take a meat ax to the federal bud-get and that this will have a major impact on our members and the af-fordability of their electric bills,” she said. Stoner laid out some hard politi-cal realities for an audience of 750 directors from across the country,

Dena G. Stoner, NRECA vice president of government relations

saying that co-ops need to bring 112 newly elected senators and repre-sentatives up to speed on co-op issues in record time. Many new members of Congress, even ones who represent co-op areas, don’t yet grasp that cuts to items such as RUS, power market-ing administrations and the Clean Renewable Energy Bonds program equate to a backdoor tax that will increase electric bills, she said. “We are going to have to raise our voices very, very high to avoid serious damage to some extremely well-run, extraordinarily responsible and cost-effective programs,” she said. Some statewide associations are already active on that front, and Stoner reminded directors they should seek to meet with their electedofficialsorstaffmembersback in their districts. Meanwhile, she said, elected officialscontinuetotreadcautiouslyon politically sensitive programs like Social Security, Medicare and tax expenditures, such as the home mortgage deduction, that account forthelion’sshareofthedeficit. Stoner also warned that issues affecting co-ops are more numer-ous and extensive than any time in the past, ranging from cyber secu-rity and derivatives to health care and renewable energy. That means legislative challenges are likely to continue to mount.

PublishedmonthlybyNishnabotnaValley

RuralElectricCooperative1317ChatburnAvenue,Harlan,Iowa51537

DirectorsPresident..................DarrellStampVice-Pres..................WaynePaulsenSec.-Treas................BryanGreveDirector.....................DonApplegateDirector.....................DaleChristiansenDirector.....................GalenGrabillDirector.....................GeneKenkelChiefExecutiveOfficer..... JohnEuchnerCommunications............... JanellCheek

Nishnabotna Valley NewslinesOfficeHours:Mon-Fri.,7:30amto4:00pm

Telephone:(712)755-2166or

tollfree800-234-5122

Fax(712)755-2351OntheWeb:www.nvrec.com

orwww.nvrec.coop

Outagesafterhours,holidaysandweekends:800-234-5122

Members of Nishnabotna Valley REC have been very receptive to theenergyefficiencyrebatesofferedby your cooperative for purchasing Energy Star Rated appliances. The rebates will continue throughout 2011, so if you are planning to upgrade any of your appliances make sure your new purchase is Energy Star rated. Look for the blue Energy Star sym-bol somewhere on the yellow energy guide that comes with new appliances. You will need to show that your new appliance meets Energy Star requirements and provide a copy to our mem-ber service department to be receive your $25 rebate. Seeing the Energy Star label makes you eligible for the rebate and should give you peace of mind

Make sure your new appliance carries the Energy Star Rating on the label

that you are doing all you can to be energyefficientandsavemoney!

The theme for March 2011 is “Eat Right with Color”. National Nutrition Month® is a nutrition education and information cam-paign created annually in March by the American Dietetic Association. The campaign focuses attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits.

use your Co-op Connections Card at these participating businesses

Line Department Activitiesby Randy Tilk, Line Superintendent

BORDERFARERESTAuRANT1704 Chatburn Ave, Harlan

712-755-7640

CREATIVECONCEPTSCOllISIONREPAIR

422 Market Street, Harlan712-755-2231

CRONK’SRESTAuRANT812 4th Ave, Denison

712-263-4191

DANISHWINDMIll4038 Main, Elk Horn

712-764-7472

HARlANINNANDSuITES1148 Hwy 59, Harlan

712-755-5999

HARlANVETERINARYASSOCIATESVETERINARYClINIC

910 Chatburn Avenue, Harlan712-755-5466

IOWAWINESANDMORE506 Market, Harlan, 712-755-6673

MClAuGHlININTERNATIONAl311 N Grant Rd, Carroll

712-790-7982

THEDANISHINNMain St, Elk Horn

712-764-4251

If your hired man was injured you would make sure he went to see a doctor. If your best friend would get sick, you would drive him to the doctor yourself. So what about the com-panion who serves most of us as both of those subjects? Ourfarmdogs! It doesn’t mat-ter if you have a purebred or a mutt your family adopted from the pound. If you aren’t ensuring proper health care for your farm pet, you may be expos-ing your herd or flocktostrainsofvirusesorbacte-ria that could cost you thousands of dollars. The same goes with those handy barn cats. They do a great job keeping the mice away. But if left untreated for parasites and oth-erpestslikefleasandticks,theytoo can spread unwanted diseases. Unfortunately, some of these can even be transmitted to our families. A short, scheduled visit to your local veterinarian is just what the doctororderedthisspring! To make that trip easier for you HarlanVeterinaryAssociateshasjoinedtheCo-opConnections

Coop Connections Card Business Spotlight

Cardprogram. They offer Nishna-botna Valley REC Members special rates on treatments like heartworm fordogsandfleaandticktreatmentsfor cats. Dr. Michele Eckermann sat down in a short interview recently with Janell, Co-op Connections Repre-sentative from your cooperative. Dr. Eckermann recommends all com-panion animals receive an annual check-up. “To put it into perspec-tive,” Eckermann said, “because of howdogsagefivetoseventimesfaster than humans, not taking a pet to the Vet for an annual check-up is the equivalent of a human not seeing the doctor for ten to fourteen

years.” It is recommended by Dr. Eckermann and Dr. Matt Stern-berg, that all pets have an an-nual checkup. This check up is so much more than vaccinations, which are extremely important but just a portion of the check up. You can also expect:• Teethchecked• Heartlistenedtoformurmurs• Hipsassessedforarthritis• Lumpsandbumpstobeidenti-fiedandperhapsdiagnosed

Make your spring appointment with your farm pet. Call Harlan Veterinary Associates today at 712-755-5466or800-422-1028. You can visit them online at www.myharlanvet.com. They also have a full service, grooming department.

Maintain proper clearance around grain binsClearances Envelope for Grain Bins Filled by Permanently Installed Augers, Conveyors, or ElevatorsSource: NationalElectrical SafetyCode, C2-2002,page 115

Drawings reprinted with permission from IEEE Std. 2002, "National Safety Code." ©Copyright by IEEE; all rights reserved. The IEEE disclaims any responsibility or liability resulting from the placement and use in the described manner.

ClearancesEnvelope for Grain Bins Filled byPortable Augers, Conveyors, orElevatorsSource: American NationalStandards Institute (ANSI) C2-2002 "Na-tional Electric Safety Code", Rule 234f, page 116.

Frontrow:(ltor)BeckyBranstetter,AnnBruck.Backrow:EmilyTornblom(groomer),SusieSchw-ery, Matthew Sternberg, DVM, and Michele Ecker-mann, DVM.

Harlan Tribune Graphics Web Printing

NVREC Recipe Corner

Peanut Butter Pancakes

Wellness at Any Age

Prep Time: 5 MinCook Time: 10 MinReady In: 15 MinIngredients1 cup pancake mix 2 tablespoons sugar 1 egg 1/3 cup peanut butter* 1(5ounce)canevaporatedmilk1/3 cup water HONEY BUTTER: 1/4cupbutter(nosubstitutes),softened2 tablespoons honey Directions In a bowl, combine pancake mix and sugar. In a small bowl, beat egg and peanut butter; add milk and water. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a lightly greased medium-hot griddle. Turn when bubbles form on top of pancakes; cook until second side is golden brown. Combine butter and honey in a small bowl. Serve with the pancakes.

MARCHISSlATEDAS“NATIONAlSAVEYOuRVISIONMONTH”

Forover36yearsmanyofushave been a patient and friend of Doctor Howard McCutchan. We rememberwhenhisofficewaslocated down on the square next to DocSpearing'soffice.Well,Doc-tor McCutchan has been part of the Nishnabotna Valley REC family for 34 years as a member, too. March is slated as National "Save your Vision Month." We took a few moments recently to visit with Doc-tor McCutchan to help give us some

healthy eye tips to share with you, our members. To begin, did you know that there is equipment that can ac-curately assess the eye prescription in a one or two year old child? Most children do not need to be examined that young tho unless the child has family history of eyesight or vision problems or there were complica-tions at delivery. Doctor McCutchan really stressed the importance of having children's

vision screened at age 5 or 6. You don't wait until you have a cavity to see the dentist, why wait until you already need glasses to visit your eye doctor? Children should be screened ev-ery year for eye performance. Adults every two years, until they reach 65, then every year is again recom-mended.

PREvEntivE MEaSuRES• Readingoodlight• Donotreadinacarforextended

periods of time • Donotusecomputergamesfor

more than 30 minutes at a time • Donotsittooclosetothetelevi-

sion

Harlan vision Clinic The staff at Harlan Vision Clinic includes (seated l to r) Cindy Hanson and Rose Bruck. Standing (l to r) Pat Kleinpaste, Chris Boelman, Dr. McCutchan, Joy Daeges, and Susan Schmitz.

SiMPlE SyMPtoMS to WatCH FoR in CHildREn

WHo May HavE SoME EyE HEaltH iSSuES

dEvEloPing:• Squinting• Headachesthatoccurafter

school but not on the weekends • Gradesfallingornotuptopoten-

tial • Anegativeattitudetowards

schoolaltogether(duetonotbe-ingabletoreadwell)

• Proximityofreadingmaterial• Wherethechildchoosestosit

when they do watch television (continuallycloser)

Crow lake Wind Energy Center Construction on the new Crow Lake wind energy center east of Cham-berlain, S.D., will be completed as scheduled in early 2011. When it does, Basin Electric Power Cooperative will have more than 700 megawatts of wind generation in its portfolio. That means members of Nishnabotna Valley REC have access to Basin Electric’s renewable energy through the cooperative’s relationship with

power provider Northwest Iowa Pow-er Cooperative of Le Mars. NIPCO expects to purchase about 80 percent of its power from Basin Electric during 2011. NIPCO will buy the remaining 20 percent from Western Area Power Administration, which handles hydro-power from the Missouri River dams. Construction started in Oc-tober on Basin Electric’s $363-mil-lion Crow Lake wind project, which includes 108 turbines. The project’s total generating capacity will be 162 MW. The Crow Lake project will be the largest wind project in the U.S. owned solely by a cooperative.

FINAlTOWERTOPPEDOuTATCROWlAKE

WINDPROJECTOnFeb.9,the108thturbinefor the Crow Lake wind project was “topped-out” at about 2:45 p.m. This is the last turbine to be erected on the $363-million proj-ect that began construction Oct. 5, 2010. Watch the video capture by Paul Telehey, construction coordinator: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3a-UufXdk0E

Doctor McCutchan really stressed the importance of having vision screenings annually for children and every other year for adults.