When Decatur County REMC lineman Brian AmRhein began his career at the Greensburg-based electric cooperative he had some pretty big boots to fill. His grandfather, William Howard “Willy” AmRhein, was a lineman and construction foreman at the REMC from the 1950s until 1976. Though AmRhein, who was born in 1978, never met his grandfather, nevertheless,… Continue reading.

By Emily Schilling I’m a perennial list maker and most of what I commit to paper are my “to dos,” also known as “the list that never ends.” I may check stuff off, but, alas, the list continues to grow with new tasks that must be completed, usually ASAP. Therefore, any sense of accomplishment is… Continue reading.

When planning home improvement projects — especially those that involve electrical work — do you know when to DIY and when to hire a professional? Here are some tips to keep in mind. Those wanting to do it themselves can tackle many types of projects, but when safety becomes an issue, seek a professional with… Continue reading.

Indiana’s electric cooperatives put boots on the ground — and into the clouds — to bring electricity to a remote and mountainous village in Guatemala in March. “Project Indiana: Empowering Global Communities for a Better Tomorrow” electrified a part of the Central American country where no electricity was available as part of an international initiative…. Continue reading.

During the summer, the best way to cool down your beverage is to put a few pieces of ice in it. Soon, an even bigger chunk of ice could be responsible for cooling down your home as well! Sound weird? Well, many commercial buildings are already using ice-based technology to do just that. Ice-chilling your… Continue reading.

By Emily Schilling Baddies of gotham city, beware! The Caped Crusader is out there — and so is the city’s striking royal blue flag. But did you know that Batman’s hometown flag is inspired by the current Indiana state flag and our state’s previous banner which featured Indiana’s state seal? Why a fictional playground for… Continue reading.

Naomi Schroeder paints with words. Though just a fourth grader, she loves combining her illustrations with her writing in picture books she’s been creating since she was a tot. And at the intersection of words and pictures, she’s discovered the fun within figures of speech. She used one well-worn phrase to turn out a whimsical… Continue reading.

It rained cats and dogs on the 20th annual Cooperative Calendar of Student Art Contest. And because of that, a kennel of critters will rule the 2018 cooperative wall calendar! From kindergartners through high school seniors, students depicted furry friends of the feline and canine kind. Winning entries in first, fourth, fifth, sixth and ninth… Continue reading.

By Emily Schilling I’m what you might call an “aspiring crafter.” I scout Pinterest with every intention of making something cool and cute. I wander craft store aisles picking up charms and chains for necklaces I plan to design. I just never get around to it. I’m also obsessed with Ball jars. Others seem to… Continue reading.

By Holly Huffman One thing’s for certain if your power goes out: you’ll be playing the “blame game.” What caused the outage? Storms or high winds are the usual suspects. Others might blame those cute little squirrels or other furry friends that seem to make their way atop power poles. Storms, wind and little critters… Continue reading.

Play gets back into full swing at Major League ball diamonds this month. And it won’t be long before the pop of balls into leather gloves, and cracks or clangs of batted balls are heard on those fields of summer all around Indiana, too. Electric Consumer has been featuring the national pastime over the years… Continue reading.

It all comes down to the water. Be it the biological essentials or the biblical allusions, something in our blood or in our souls draws us to it. All living things require it. And all that we put on the land, and even the land itself, eventually washes to it. That’s the lesson seventh graders… Continue reading.