2 0 1 9 | june 16 Global explorers THE MAGAZINE FOR COOPERATIVE MEMBERS VOLUME 73 • NUMBER 6 (ISSN 0047-486X, USPS 316-240) Read in more than 595,000 homes and businesses and published monthly except in December by The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, Inc. 808 Knox Abbott Drive Cayce, SC 29033 Tel: (803) 926-3175 Fax: (803) 796-6064 Email: [email protected] EDITOR Keith Phillips Tel: (803) 739-3040 Email: [email protected] FIELD EDITOR Walter Allread PUBLICATION COORDINATOR Travis Ward ART DIRECTOR Sharri Harris Wolfgang DESIGNER Susan Collins PRODUCTION Andrew Chapman WEB EDITOR Chase Toler COPY EDITORS Jennifer Jas L. Kim Welborn CONTRIBUTORS Laura Araujo, Michael Banks, April Coker Blake, Mike Couick, Abe Hardesty, Derrill Holly, Jan A. Igoe, L.A. Jackson, Patrick Keegan, David Novak, Sydney Patterson, Susan Hill Smith, Belinda Smith-Sullivan, Brad Thiessen, Amy Trainum PUBLISHER Lou Green ADVERTISING Mary Watts Tel: (803) 739-5074 Email: [email protected] NATIONAL REPRESENTATION American MainStreet Publications Tel: (800) 626-1181 Paid advertisements are not endorsements by any electric cooperative or this publication. If you encounter a diffiffifficulty with an advertisement, inform the Editor. ADDRESS CHANGES: Please send to your local co-op. Postmaster: Send Form 3579 to Address Change, c/o the address above. Periodicals postage paid at Columbia, S.C., and additional mailing offiffiffices. ©COPYRIGHT 2019. The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, Inc. No portion of South Carolina Living may be reproduced without permission of the Editor. SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING is brought to you by your member-owned, taxpaying, not-for-profifit electric cooperative to inform you about your cooperative, wise energy use and the faces and places that identify the Palmetto State. Electric cooperatives are South Carolina’s—and America’s—largest utility network. ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS: $5.72 members, $8 nonmembers Member of the AMP network reaching more than 9 million homes and businesses From its home port in Charleston, the NOAA research ship Ronald H. Brown sails the world to explore the ocean depths. 4 CO-OP NEWS Updates from your cooperative 6 AGENDA Take control of your summer energy bills with expert tips from our energy effiffifficiency experts. 10 DIALOGUE By the numbers Lessons from a seventh-grade math teacher just might show South Carolina how to solve our problems with Santee Cooper. 11 LEGISLATIVE REPORT New law updates co-op governance Members can expect more information and greater transparency from South Carolina’s not-for-profifit electric cooperatives under new legislation signed by Gov. Henry McMaster in May. 12 ENERGY Q&A Energy-saving apps and devices Take a look at the high-tech tools consumers can use to manage and reduce energy use. 14 SMART CHOICE Make Dad’s day On Father’s Day, how will you say thanks to the man who taught you how to ride a bike, parallel park and stand up to bullies? May we suggest these Dad-friendly gifts? 21 STORIES Grace under fifire Learn why parents can’t say enough nice things about Darlington County Public School bus driver Bernadine Reed. 22 RECIPE Summer entree salads Who wants to sweat over a hot stove this summer? Maintain your cool with these light and refreshing entree salads that will satisfy any appetite. 27 TRAVELS On top of the world A new observation platform atop Sassafras Mountain puts South Carolina’s highest peak into beautiful new perspective. 30 SC OUTSIDE In full bloom For two spectacular weeks each summer, the dove fifields at York County’s Draper Wildlife Management Area explode with acre after acre of giant, yellow sunflflowers. Come see it for yourself. 32 GARDENER The other basils Our gardening expert shows you how to liven your landscape and your favorite meals with difffferent varieties of this edible ornamental. 34 MARKETPLACE 36 CALENDAR 38 HUMOR ME Invasive tolls and toxic toads Try as we might, South Carolina will never out-weird Florida. Keep your cool and satisfy your appetite this summer with Chef Belinda Smith- Sullivan’s tomato watermelon salad. Photo by Gina Moore. 16 22 30 FROM TOP: MIC SMITH; KAREN HERMANN; AMY TRAINUM Salad days NOAA’s global explorers spread scientific goodwill HUMOR ME We can’t out‐weird Florida SC FEATURE er fifirst st forever ever fifirst er t forever ver rst rever fifirst forever ver st forever ever fifirst orever er fifirst ever rst orever r fifirst forever st rever fifirst orever er fifirst t forever ever fifirst orever r fifirst forever ver rst rever fifirst forever er fifirst st forever evefifirst orever er fifirst t forever ver o s h t n o m t o h r f s e e r t C o o l e n JUNE 2019