Could you use extra income? Apply for a job with the U.S. Census Bureau and work here in the Upper Cumberland!

     Competitive wages and reimbursement for mileage are paid weekly for employees doing fieldwork, and there are office and in-field positions available. 

     These temporary positions feature flexible hours for those looking to earn extra money, even if you already have other commitments. 

     Census results determine our representation in Congress, and they help inform how billions of dollars are distributed for hospitals, schools, roads, and more. Help ensure that everyone in the Upper Cumberland is counted in 2020 so that we’ll get our share! 

APPLY ONLINE: 2020census.gov/jobs

For more information or help applying, please call 

1-855-JOB-2020

The Millard Oakley Library may promote itself to Livingston as “Your Window to the World,” but no one in the state can say they’ve seen the world from the window quite like Mike McCulley. McCulley was the guest speaker at the Oakley library recently. Many in the audience – now grandparents – were only children when the Livingston Academy graduate piloted the Atlantis Space Shuttle in October 1989 and secured his standing as Livingston’s “Hometown Astronaut.”   

Coming home and signing autographs – a heady experience for others – is like old home week for the pragmatic McCulley. The first thing he sees upon driving within the city limits is his face on a Welcome to Livingston billboard, but he takes it all in stride. “Meeting with these nice people and talking about their interest in science and space never gets old for me,” says McCulley, who is now retired and living in Florida with his wife, Jane.  “I owe so much to my hometown, and I enjoy coming back here for a visit. They ask about the future of space exploration and my fantastic experiences back in the day. I like talking with Overton County’s people and the important role they played in my success. I look forward to hearing the questions;  I find any questions from children always interesting.”   

Michael James McCulley was born in San Diego, California in 1943, the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Gilson H. McCulley. His father died in an auto accident when Mike was only nine. That’s when his mother, Sarah, moved back to her hometown of Livingston with Mike and his sister Phyllis. Livingston became their new home. McCulley remembers those who influenced him during that time: his mom, his Scout leader Mr. Lowell, and his teachers Arleigh Poston and Lucille Hyder.

Upon graduation from high school, Mike enlisted in the U.S. Navy, entered Purdue University, and received his Naval Officers commission and both degrees. Following flight training, he served tours of duty in A-4 and A-6 aircraft and was selected to attend the Empire Test Pilots School in Great Britain. He returned to sea duty on the USS Saratoga and USS Nimitz.    

Selected by NASA in May 1984, McCulley completed a one-year training and evaluation program in June 1985, qualifying him as a pilot on future Space Shuttle flight crews. Mike joined the team of the STS-34. The mission featured the deployment of the Galileo spacecraft to Jupiter.

Upper Cumberland Electric always felt a special connection with the shuttle launch because McCully took along with him, the July 1989 edition of our Current Lines newsletter.  McCulley also took with him flags from other states, schools and organizations, jewelry and souvenirs for friends, family, and loved ones.

You would think breathing this rarified air would whet an appetite for travel that was out of this world. Not for a grounded and well-rounded tourist like McCulley.

“Oh, I still have an “itch” for exploration,” McCulley admits, “but it’s all about parts of America that I still haven’t seen. As far as the space program is concerned, I want to see us continue to explore and colonize space. I want us to have a human presence away from earth in the future.”     

McCulley’s advice for future voyagers in the area? “Don’t be afraid to try once, twice, or even more to reach your goals. Keep up your curiosity, your optimism, work hard. Don’t be afraid to try once, twice, three times.  I was selected as an astronaut on my third try! Never give up.”

There must be something about Overton County and its educational system that has generations of youngsters reaching for the stars and making their mark early in life. NASA Scientist Duvone Dale was born and raised in Livingston. NASA honored Dale for his faithful service and his contribution to the moon landing and the successful launch of the first Saturn V Rocket.  The Project Manager of the Hubble Space Telescope Jimmy Carlock also hailed from Overton County as did teacher and Coach Sam Brooks.

Whatever the reason this area continues to present these exemplary citizens to the world, McCulley shares with his fellow Upper Cumberland adventurers this common thread: A spirit of discovery and a desire to seek answers that just won’t be denied. UCEMC salutes our brilliant explorers!

     On August 23 and 24, 2019, UCEMC members went to the polls at the four UCEMC district offices to vote for directors seeking re-election for their seats in districts one, three, and four.

     In District 1, consisting of Smith, DeKalb, Wilson and Macon counties, incumbent Board Member C.D. (Digger) Poindexter was the only candidate running opposed in the election. Poindexter defeated Smith County realtor Robin Underwood for that District 1 post.

     James W. West retained his seat representing Overton, Clay, Fentress, and Pickett in District 3, while Jim Brown, the incumbent assistant Secretary/Treasurer was also re-elected and will continue to serve on the board representing District 4, Jackson County.

       A UCEMC member in Livingston knew better than to give his bank account information to someone posing as a “power company” customer service employee recently. Our super-alert member says the apparently not-so-bright crook called him on Wednesday, August 21, claiming to represent his “power company.” 

     “He said that I had been overcharged on my light bill and that they wanted to put the credit back into my bank account,” the member recalls, “I recognized it as a scam immediately and hung up the phone.”

  The call originated in Collinsville, Illinois. If you receive similar scam calls regarding your electric bill, you are asked to report them to your local police department and UCEMC.

With a heat index of more than 100 degrees these days, Josh Hammock of UCEMC’s district office in Cookeville suits up for safety in his lifesaving, but uncomfortable, rubber safety gear.

     You have to wonder why weather forecasters feel the need to state the obvious in heat like this. They remind us to stay out of the sun, wear light clothing, drink plenty of fluids, and take frequent breaks if we “must be outdoors in this heat.” When hot, humid ‘air you can wear’ hits you in the face the minute you step outside, it’s a no-brainer; run back inside, sit in front of a fan and drink ice water.  But if your job requires you to be outdoors when it’s 100 plus degrees, you have no choice.  You become an expert on staying comfortable and safe because your life depends on it.

Not that it gets any more comfortable with experience. Our UCEMC linemen ride in buckets to get up-up-up to where the heat is unbearable. They’re wearing fire-retardant (FR) protective, long-sleeved clothing with thick rubber gloves and sleeve coverings, and unventilated hard hats. This required personal protective equipment (PPE) causes them to drip with sweat as they work with electricity.

     Linemen are working in rubber sleeves in this extreme heat. The sweat is pooling in the fingertips of their gloves. On a hot August day, safety gear morphs into a necessary evil. It wasn’t that long ago when the fire retardant gear felt like a burlap sack. Today, the gear is more comfortable, but it’s still unforgiving in the Tennessee heat. Unfortunately, if the fabric is breathable, it isn’t fire retardant.”

In many cases, UCEMC linemen can’t choose what time of day they’ll be at the top of that pole. An outage might determine that for them, but whenever there is extreme heat, and complicated energized work is involved, UCEMC makes every effort to allow our crews to work an altered schedule and begin earlier to avoid the most extreme heat during the day. The truck coolers are packed with ice, water, and plenty of low-sodium electrolyte drinks for each crew. Our linemen advise you to stay away from tea, coffee, or any beverage containing caffeine, which causes dehydration. Dress in light-colored, short-sleeved, cotton T-shirts just as they do (when they’re not working in the primary zone).

For these guys, staying cool during hot Tennessee days is simply a matter of common sense. Staying safe in this extreme heat comes with recognizing when they’re in the heat danger zone. They realize that when the focus is on the task, and they don’t sip water or take a break in the shade, their body might remind them by displaying some unpleasant symptoms:

Heat Cramps – When you’re dehydrated from pouring sweat and not replenishing all that water loss, you’ll experience muscle spasms. Remedy: Move to a shady spot, preferably under a tree. Trees release water into the air. Sitting in the shade of a tree can make the temperature feel 10-15 degrees cooler. Drink cold water to lower the body temperature or a sports drink – preferably a lower sodium variety that contains electrolytes. Apply a cold, wet cloth to the back of your neck and forehead.

Heat Exhaustion – When those heat cramps are accompanied by dizziness, nausea or vomiting, headache, or fainting, you’ve reached the danger zone. Remedy:  Remove any protective clothing, i.e., vests, gloves, hats, long sleeves. Rest and allow your body to cool-down; below 100 degrees. Seek emergency medical help if these steps don’t relieve your symptoms.

Heatstroke – Emergency medical attention is vital, and symptoms of this potentially fatal condition can mimic any stroke: Victims may be confused or disoriented. They may have slurred speech. They either have hot, dry skin or they’re pouring sweat with a body temperature climbing as high as 104 degrees. They might suffer seizures or convulsions. Remedy: Call 911. Move the person to the shade. Apply cold compresses and pour water on the victim’s clothing, putting them near a fan if possible. Do not give the heatstroke victim anything to drink as it could cause a choking hazard. Keep the victim calm and relaxed until EMTs arrive. 

No-Sweat tips for keeping your cool at home

Even if you’re not out in the glaring sun, the risk of overheating is still there – especially for the elderly and our pets.

Moving the air around in your home doesn’t lower the temperature, but it can make your body feel more relaxed when you sit near a fan. Remember that ceiling fans only cool the people in the room – not the room itself. Turn the fan off when you leave to save energy. If you have a heat pump, turn the unit to the FAN setting. The air will circulate throughout the house and help you to feel more refreshed.

Throwing shade

If you need more cool-air circulation and you don’t have an air conditioner, close the windows, curtains or blinds on the sunny side of the house and open the windows on the shady side. As the sun moves during the day, follow the shade – closing the bright windows and blinds and opening the now shady windows. Placing window fans in the shadiest window of the home will get a cool breeze blowing through in no time.

Stopping the thermo-games

Mom likes to set the thermostat at 71 in the summer. Dad prefers the setting for Nome, Alaska. It’s a constant battle and one that can cause a bigger ruckus when the resulting higher electric bill arrives. If you have an air conditioner or HVAC, don’t play with the thermostat. Agree on a reasonable, comfortable temperature, set the thermostat, and don’t change it. When the thermostat setting is continuously altered, everything within the house becomes either cooler or warmer than before. This see-saw thermostat game causes the cooling system to operate much longer, and the entire home and contents must acclimate to the new temperature.

The salad days

Eat fresh meals. Tuna or egg salad. Crisp lettuce with chopped veggies. Iceberg lettuce wedges. Fruit and cheese platters. You don’t have to fire up the stove. We’re getting cooler – and hungry – just thinking about it.

Chill out and deal

We have no control over the weather here in the Upper Cumberland, but we can adjust the way we live with it. Plan ahead!  Slather on sunscreen and schedule work around the coolest part of the day,  keeping an eye on the elderly, children, and pets to help them cope with these final, scorching dog days of summer!