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Board Directors putting co-op principles into action

(July 24, 2026 – Linden, TN) – Meriwether Lewis followed the cooperative principle, concern for community, by contributing $1000 to the Perry County High School Band of Gold Community Involvement Fund. MLEC Perry County Board Member Ronny Averett (left) and Tommy Graham (right) presented the funds to PCHS band teacher Marlana Nyholt-Overbay (middle).

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Twenty-four local students attend educational program in Knoxville

(July 23, 2026 – Centerville, TN) – Twenty-four sixth and seventh grade students from the Meriwether Lewis service area recently attended the 2026 Tennessee 4-H Electric Camp at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. The annual camp was held June 23 through June 26 and provided hands-on learning experiences with electricity, energy and technology.

Students from Hickman, Lewis, Perry, Humphreys and Houston counties joined more than 200 campers from across Tennessee for the four-day event. Meriwether Lewis helped make the experience possible by providing tuition grants for students. Energy Specialist Nathan Wagner represented MLEC and volunteered to work at the learning centers.

Throughout the week, campers participated in interactive programs focused on electricity, energy conservation, electrical safety, robotics, drones, electric motors and other science-based activities. They also built extension cords and gained a better understanding of how electricity powers their everyday lives.

The MLEC students who attended included two from Hickman County, five from Lewis County, three from Perry County, 13 from Humphreys County and one from Houston County.

Electric camp is a partnership among 4-H, Tennessee’s cooperative and municipal electric utilities, the University of Tennessee, Tennessee State University, the Tennessee Valley Authority and Tennessee Valley Robotics.

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Seven local high school juniors experience week of leadership and history

(July 7, 2026 – Centerville, TN) – Seven high school juniors from the Meriwether Lewis service area recently returned from the 2026 Washington Youth Tour after spending a week exploring the nation’s capital and gaining a deeper understanding of leadership, public service and the cooperative way of life.

The annual trip was held June 13 through June 19, aslectric cooperatives across the country through the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) gather for the Washington Youth Tour. In Tennessee, the experience is coordinated by the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association (TECA), which brings together student delegates from across the state.

Students earn their place on the Washington Youth Tour through a writing contest explaining how electric cooperatives make a difference in their communities. MLEC provides winners with an all expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C., where they experience the nation’s history firsthand.

Representing MLEC on the 2026 Washington Youth Tour were Hayleigh Abel of East Hickman High School, Amaya Setzer of Hickman County High School, Callie Hearndon of Houston County High School, Yasvi Patel of Lewis County High School, Paityn Albred of McEwen High School, Landon Warren of Perry County High School and Caleb Tyus of Waverly Central High School. Lewis County High School teacher Lori Morgan also traveled with the group. MLEC Human Resource Generalist Sarah Bobo and Communications Coordinator Benjamin Armstrong served as chaperones.

During the week, delegates visited the nation’s most historic landmarks, including the U.S. Capitol, Arlington National Cemetery, the Smithsonian museums, George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello and the National Museum of the Marine Corps. Students also attended the Marine Corps Sunset Parade at the Iwo Jima Memorial, explored National Harbor and visited the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

(Pictured from left to right: MLEC Human Resource Generalist Sarah Bobo, Lewis County High School teacher Lori Morgan, Lewis County High School’s Yasvi Patel, MLEC Communications Coordinator Benjamin Armstrong, Houston County High School’s Callie Hearndon, Perry County High School’s Landon Warren, Hickman County High School’s Amaya Setzer, Waverly Central High School’s Caleb Tyus, East Hickman High School’s Hayleigh Abel and McEwen High School’s Paityn Albred.)

In addition to experiencing American history firsthand, MLEC delegates connected with students from across Tennessee through TECA, participated in leadership activities and attended NRECA Youth Night, where they learned more about the electric cooperative business model and how co-ops strengthen local communities.

“The Washington Youth Tour is one of the most meaningful opportunities we offer our young people,” said MLEC President and CEO Keith Carnahan. “Through this trip, students gain experiences that build leadership skills, broaden their perspective and create lifelong friendships while learning more about our nation’s history and the cooperative difference.”

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Equipment repairs needed after damage from local wildlife

If your MLConnect internet service has been going in and out, or is out completely, you can look to local wildlife as the culprit. It turns out that squirrels have mistaken fiber for a snack and damaged equipment in your area (Vernon Bridge to McEwen, Bucksnort, and Only).

To make repairs, we need to take your service offline temporarily:

Date: June 16, 2026

Start Time: 9 a.m.

Estimated End: 2 p.m.

What to do if service does not return: Unplug the power cord from the wall and wait a few minutes before plugging it back in. Please contact tech support if service does not return.

What not to do: Please do not touch any cords or cables attached to equipment or touch the “reset” button because it creates a different issue that can take longer to identify.

We apologize for this unexpected offline time and appreciate your understanding as we make repairs.  

One Hour Needed to Switch Over Equipment

(June 15, 2026 – Centerville, TN) – New equipment was successfully installed at the Hilltop Substation in Hickman County over the weekend to improve long-term reliability. To complete the upgrades and substation fire repairs, Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative needs to briefly turn off power at the substation (less than one hour) on Tuesday, June 16, at 10 p.m.

Homes and businesses impacted are the same ones who experienced the related outage on Sunday. Residents can quickly double-check their address by using MLEC’s Information Map at mlec.com.

“We know outages are inconvenient, and our crews will work as quickly and safely as possible to keep this brief,” says MLEC Hickman County District Manager Matt Chessor. “Thank you to our community for your understanding as we complete this critical work related to last year’s substation fire and strengthen your service.”

In the event of a weather event, the project will be rescheduled. For updates, visit mlec.com or follow the Meriwether Lewis Facebook page.                                                                                                

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Board Directors putting co-op principles into action

(June 4, 2026 – Linden, TN) – Meriwether Lewis followed the cooperative principle, concern for community, by contributing $500 to the Perry County Veteran’s Association. MLEC Perry County Board Member Tommy Graham (left) presented the funds to association representative Dale Long (right). ###