MLEC Honors Teacher of the Year

Teachers Receive MLEC Grants

Building brighter futures through $15,000 in school grants

(November 13, 2025– Centerville, TN) — Meriwether Lewis Electric continues its long-standing commitment to education by awarding classroom grants through its Adopt-A-School Program. The initiative provides financial support to local educators, allowing them to implement innovative projects that enhance student learning and engagement.

Since launching the program in 1994, MLEC has invested more than $247,000 in area schools. This year, in partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and CoBank, MLEC awarded $3,000 in grants to schools in each of the five counties it serves.

Hickman County

  • Bethany Powers, Centerville Intermediate: Read Aloud STEM project.
  • Logan Campbell, Hickman County High: Learning computer code through Lego.
  • Levi Griego, East Hickman Intermediate: Playground adaptivity for students with special needs.

Houston County

  • Becky Rye, Tennessee Ridge Elementary: Erosion/flooding science lab.
  • Emily Moore, Tennessee Ridge Elementary: Books come alive art and literacy project.
  • Wendy Fulcher, Tennessee Ridge Elementary: Frog lifecycle exhibit.
  • Lorrie Cooksey, Tennessee Ridge Elementary: Camera for wildlife art project.

Humphreys County

  • Holly Davis, Waverly Jr. High: Science equipment.
  • Joanne Holland, McEwen High: New calculators.
  • Jackie Tate and Meghan Gunn, Saint Patrick School: ELA reading.

Lewis County

  • Kara Farr and Olivia Eglinton, Lewis County Elementary: Math learning centers.
  • Alicia Hobbs, Lewis County Elementary and Intermediate: Sensory regulation for students with special needs.
  • Jan Ammons, Lewis County Elementary: Building a classroom library.

Perry County

  • Jennifer Kilpatrick, Lobelville Elementary: Chromebooks.
  • Shaun Smith, Perry County High: Leadership and soft skills program.
  • Lexie Bailey and Paula Coble, Lobelville Elementary: Classroom novels.

MLEC is proud to recognize the creativity and dedication of these educators who inspire their students. Through the Adopt-A-School Program, and with the continued support of TVA and CoBank, MLEC remains committed to building a brighter, more connected future for the communities we serve.

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Scheduled Power Outage Planned

Preventative maintenance required at Erin substation

(November 6, 2025 – Erin, TN) – Meriwether Lewis has scheduled a planned power outage for the Erin Substation beginning Saturday, November 15, at 11:59 p.m. The outage will last until approximately 6:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 16.

Crews will perform preventative maintenance and make necessary equipment repairs to ensure future reliable service. During this time, electric service will be interrupted for all of Houston County. A few members in Humphreys County near River Lane, Greenbriar Creek Road and Biggs Lane will also be impacted. A full map of areas affected is available at mlec.com.

(Click the image below to enlarge outage area).

If inclement weather occurs, the work will be rescheduled for November 22–23, during the same overnight hours.

MLEC appreciates members’ understanding as improvements are made to safely provide affordable and reliable electric service. For updates, visit mlec.com or follow Meriwether Lewis on social media.

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Meriwether Lewis Inspecting Poles

Work begins in Hickman County November 5 to Ensure Power Stability

(November 3, 2025 – Centerville, TN) – Starting November 5, Meriwether Lewis contractors will inspect power poles in Hickman County to identify any issues. Areas receiving power from the substation in Shipps Bend will be evaluated. This includes the Town of Centerville, Highway 100 East to Liberty Pharmacy and Highway 100 West to the intersection of Highway 48, as well as Highway 50 East to Edgewood and Highway 50 West. Aetna, Brushy, Coble, Swan and adjacent areas are also set for evaluation. A map of the complete area is available on www.mlec.com.

“By addressing weakened or broken poles before an outage occurs, Meriwether Lewis can ensure reliable power and manage costs,” MLEC Engineering Manager Brent Warf said. “This routine inspection does not interrupt service and allows MLEC to better serve members.”

The company, Power Pole Maintenance Company (PPMC), will conduct the work until the end of January. Workers will be in marked vehicles with an “MLEC contractor” logo, carry identification cards and wear yellow vests with the PPMC logo. Pole evaluations typically take a few minutes with occasional photography and documentation. The home or business owner does not need to be present, as all work is conducted outside.

“We want to inform members of this project since contracted workers may be on their property to evaluate a power pole,” MLEC President and CEO Keith Carnahan said. “We understand if you have concerns, but MLEC only chooses trusted contractors to safely complete the work.”

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MLEC Supporting Reliable, Efficient Power

Contracted crews treating vegetation beginning October 27

(October 23, 2025 – Centerville, TN) – Meriwether Lewis contracted crews will begin applying a tree growth regulator in select areas starting October 27 to help maintain reliable, efficient power for members. The effort will impact approximately 150 members along Primm Springs Road, Highway 230, Centerville city limits, and McEwen city limits. A map of the affected areas is available on the MLEC website under the Services tab at mlec.com. 

Click here to view map.

A contracted vegetation management crew named Growth Solutions will visit properties in these areas to treat compatible trees and vegetation near power lines. Crews will knock on homeowners’ doors before beginning work to make them aware of their presence. MLEC will also provide door hangers explaining what a tree growth regulator is, how it works, and the benefits it provides.

Example of the Tree Growth Door Hanger

“The growth regulator is completely safe for trees, plants, and surrounding vegetation,” said MLEC Right-of-Way Coordinator Matt Kirk. “It doesn’t harm the tree and slows regrowth so we can maintain reliability with less frequent trimming. It’s one more way we’re caring for the environment while keeping power reliable for our members.”

MLEC appreciates the community’s cooperation and understanding as this work is completed. Members with questions about the project or vegetation management practices may contact their local MLEC office or visit mlec.com for more information.

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MLEC Restoring Power Following Vehicle Accident

All service issues from Bucksnort explosion are resolved

(October 10, 2025 – Centerville, TN) – Meriwether Lewis has restored power and broadband service related to this morning’s Bucksnort explosion.

However, service interruptions continue in other areas due to a vehicle accident. Approximately 1,750 members in the Nunnelly, Hidden Valley, Sugar Creek, Dodd Hollow and Taylor’s Creek areas remain without power after a vehicle hit a power pole on Highway 48 N near the Centerville Municipal Airport in Hickman County. MLEC crews are on site and expect repairs to take approximately three more hours.

 “Safety remains our top priority, and we are working to restore power as quickly as possible,” President and CEO Keith Carnahan said. “We encourage our community to keep those impacted in your prayers.”

If you are an MLConnect subscriber and power has returned but Internet has not, unplug the router from the power source for a few minutes instead of using the reset button. If this does not restore service, submit a ticket online at www.mlec.com/mlconnect/. Or, call your local MLEC office; then press OPTION 3, then OPTION 2.

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MLEC Hosting Annual and District Meetings

October brings National Cooperative Month Celebration

(September 30, 2025) — October is National Cooperative Month, and as part of the nationwide observance, Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative will celebrate its cooperative principles and commitment to members by hosting an event in each county.

The MLEC 86th Annual Meeting will be in Hickman County along with a district meeting on October 30 at Hickman County High School. A district or informational meeting will also be held in Houston, Humphreys, Lewis and Perry counties, where members in that district can hear MLEC’s annual report, meet poster contest winners and win door prizes. Dates and locations are as follows:

  • Perry County High School – Monday, Oct. 13
  • Lewis County High School – Tuesday, Oct. 14 (the new Lewis County High School)
  • Houston County High School – Monday, Oct. 27
  • Waverly Central High School – Tuesday, Oct. 28

Members can also participate in board elections. While Hickman County Director David Wayne Qualls and Lewis County Director Bill Webb are running unopposed, voting will take place in two counties. Humphreys County candidates are incumbent Larry Douglas Mayberry and John Hubert Curtis. In Houston County, serving director Sam Fussell is retiring, and candidates for his board seat are Ray H. Fussell, Jr., Wesley Mitchum, and Robert Sugg. (No director’s term expires this year in Perry County.)

Voting and registration for Houston and Humphreys counties will be from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Registration for all other meetings begins at 6:30 p.m. All meetings begin at 7:00 p.m.

At each location, attendees will receive a Meriwether Lewis power strip and can register for the following door prizes to be given away:

  • Smokeless Fire Pit
  • Countertop Nugget Ice Maker
  • Apple iPad 11th Generation (donated by MLConnect)
  • Ring Doorbell and Outdoor Camera (donated by MLConnect)
  • Shark Robot Vacuum
  • DeWalt Cordless Drill/Driver with bag, batteries and charger
  • Ninja CREAMi Ice Cream Maker

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MLConnect Planned Broadband Outage – Sept. 22

Some 400 subscribers in McEwen/Houston Co. will be impacted

(Publish Date: September 15, 2025 – McEwen, TN) – On September 22, a planned broadband outage will begin at 8:00 a.m. that will impact some 300 subscribers in the McEwen area north to Houston County. MLConnect crews will be relocating broadband infrastructure to support new residential construction in the area, which will require service to be unavailable for up to eight hours. As work progresses, some subscribers could regain service sooner. Impacted areas will include:

  • Wilkie Street, Old Stage Road, Bradley Road, Curtis Chapel Road, Robertson Road, Smith Road, May Road, Dry Hollow Road, Deer Creek Road, Peach Creek Road, White Oak Road, White Oak Ridge Road, Salmon Branch Road and Judy Branch Road.

A full map detailing the planned broadband outage can be found at this link and on MLConnect social media pages.

If service does not return to normal after the scheduled outage time, subscribers should disconnect power to their modem for a few minutes to reset. If this does not fix the issues, subscribers should call their local MLEC office and choose Option 3, then Option 2, for technical assistance.

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MLEC Announces Board Candidates

Cooperative members file declaration forms for October election

(September 8, 2025 – Centerville, TN) — Every October, Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative members gather for district membership meetings to help shape the future of their cooperative. These meetings are where members elect their Board of Directors for a four-year term. The candidates who filed papers by the July 15th deadline and qualified are listed below:

District I Hickman County: Incumbent David Wayne Qualls

District II Lewis County: Incumbent Bill Webb

District IV Humphreys County: Incumbent Larry Douglas Mayberry and John Hubert Curtis

District V Houston County: Ray H. Fussell, Jr., Wesley Mitchum, and Robert Sugg

(No director term expires this year in Perry County, so the district is not listed.)

Membership meetings include an annual cooperative report, door prizes and poster contest winner announcements alongside an election in districts with qualified candidates. They are tentatively scheduled to be held at local high schools in each county this October. Members can view the September edition of The Tennessee Magazine and MLEC.com for dates, times and other details.

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MLEC Student Poster Contest

Creative submissions are welcome until Sept. 23 for grades K-5

(August 27, 2025– Centerville, TN) – Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative invites students in grades K-5 to showcase their creativity in the annual MLEC Poster Contest. This year’s theme is “Meriwether Lewis: Because every moment matters.”

Students are encouraged to illustrate how MLEC powers their homes, schools, and communities through electricity, broadband, and other cooperative services. Grades K-2 and grades 3-5 will be divided into two divisions with prizes awarded in every MLEC-served county.

The deadline for entering is September 23. Submissions must be turned in at the student’s school office by Noon or directly to your local MLEC office by 4:30 p.m. Entry forms are available at area schools and online at www.mlec.com/poster-contest. Home-school students are also eligible.

Contest Rules:

• “Meriwether Lewis: Because every moment matters,” MUST BE ON THE POSTER.

• Poster size is 11 inches tall x 14 inches wide and must be in landscape orientation.

• If materials are applied to the poster, it should be no thicker than 1 inch when laid flat.

• Student’s name, gender, parent/guardian names, address, phone number, grade, school, and teacher must be on the back of the poster.  Preprinted identification tags are available from schools and online.

Winners will be notified by mail and recognized at MLEC membership meetings in October. Prizes include $25 and a bicycle for first; $25 for second; $20 for third; and honorable mention winners receive $10. Additionally, all first-place winners compete for a $100 prize.

For more information, visit mlec.com/poster-contest, contact MLEC Member Services at 931-729-7232 or email vanessa.clayborn@mlec.com

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MLEC Honors Teacher of the Year

Perry County educator recognized for her service

(August 6, 2025 – Linden, TN) — Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative celebrated Perry County High School teacher Marlana Nyholt for being selected as the Perry County Teacher of the Year. MLEC District Manager Mike Hickerson (right) and Director of Schools Eric Lomax (left) presented Nyholt with a monetary award from MLEC and plaque from the school district for her accomplishment.

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