MLConnect Crews Finishing Main Line Repairs
Investing in Tomorrow’s Leaders
MLEC sponsors members to attend annual leadership conference
(February 27, 2026 ) – Meriwether Lewis members Jimmy and Holly Kruegar, along with their son Jacob, proudly represented MLEC at the Tennessee Council of Cooperatives’ Young Leaders Conference, held February 20–21 at the Drury Hotel in Franklin.
Pictured from left to right: Jacob, Holly and Jimmy Kruegar, MLEC District Manager Matt Chessor.
The conference is a collaborative effort between the Tennessee Council of Cooperatives, the Tennessee Farm Bureau and the Tennessee Young Farmers & Ranchers organization. Together, these groups invest in the next generation by providing education, inspiration and connection opportunities for emerging leaders across the state.
Through keynote presentations, interactive sessions and networking opportunities, attendees gain a deeper understanding of the cooperative business model, and the important role electric cooperatives play in serving rural communities.
The Kruegars returned home equipped with new ideas, insights and meaningful connections to grow their community and help meet the challenges of the future.
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Every Shot Matters
MLEC hosts basketball halftime event to support local senior classes
(February 27, 2026) — Meriwether Lewis showed its support for local high school senior classes by hosting a basketball halftime relay called “Every Shot Matters.” The competition came to Perry County High School on Friday night, where Perry County Senior Rhyder Sellers made a layup, a free throw and a 3-pointer before the buzzer. By winning the timed event, he earned a $500 donation to the class of 2026.
Pictured from left to right: Perry County High School Senior Rhyder Sellers and MLEC Member Services Representative Amy White.
MLEC also donated mini basketballs and koozies to the Perry County High School concessions stand as a part of the event.
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Powering Savings Across Highland Rim
TVA, MLEC partner with local human resource agency for energy efficiency
(February 19, 2026 – Erin, TN) — In partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority, Meriwether Lewis donated 100 community kits to the Highland Rim Economic Corporation, which serves Humphreys and Houston Counties. These energy efficiency starter kits are filled with items such as LED light bulbs and door sweeps to help homeowners save energy and better manage their power bill. Kits are available to any person who utilizes the LIHEAP program through the human resource agency or schedules a home energy audit with MLEC Energy Specialist Nathan Wagner.
Pictured from left to right: MLEC Houston County District Jeff Rye and Highland Rim Economic Corporation Program Director Stacey Baggett.
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Powering Savings Across South Central Tennessee
TVA, MLEC partner with local human resource agency for energy efficiency
(February 19, 2026 – Linden, TN) — In partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority, Meriwether Lewis donated 150 community kits to the South Central Human Resource Agency which serves Hickman, Lewis and Perry Counties. These energy efficiency starter kits are filled with items such as LED light bulbs and door sweeps to help homeowners save energy and better manage their power bill. Kits are available to any person who utilizes the LIHEAP program through the human resource agency or schedules a home energy audit with MLEC Energy Specialist Nathan Wagner.
Pictured from left to right: SCHRA Neighborhood Services’ Katrina Copeland and MLEC Perry County District Manager Matt Lineberry.
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Every Shot Matters
MLEC hosts basketball halftime event to support local senior classes
(February 13, 2026 – Erin, TN) — Meriwether Lewis showed its support for local high school senior classes by hosting a basketball halftime relay called “Every Shot Matters.” The competition came to Houston County High School Tuesday night where Houston County Senior Preston Mitchell faced off against McEwen High School Senior Ben McPherson to see who could make a layup, free throw and 3-pointer first. Mitchell finished the relay first earning a $500 donation to the class of 2026. McEwen received $250 for participating in the event.
Pictured from left to right: Houston County High School students Preston Mitchell and Jaxson Welsh, MLEC Communications Coordinator Benjamin Armstrong and McEwen High School students Ben McPherson and Braisyn March.
MLEC also donated mini basketballs to each school and koozies to the Houston County High School concessions stand as a part of the event.
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Every Shot Matters
MLEC hosts basketball halftime event to support local senior classes
(February 13, 2026 – Waverly, TN) — Meriwether Lewis showed their support for local high school senior classes across their service area by hosting a basketball halftime relay called “Every Shot Matters.” The competition came to Waverly Central High School Tuesday night where student Chris Ballard made a layup, free throw and 3-pointer before the buzzer. By winning the timed event, he earned a $500 donation to the class of 2026.
Pictured from left to right: Waverly Central High School student Chris Ballard and MLEC Member Services Manager Vanessa Clayborn.
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Every Shot Matters
MLEC hosts basketball halftime event to support local senior classes
(February 13, 2026) — Meriwether Lewis showed its support for local high school senior classes by hosting a basketball halftime relay called “Every Shot Matters.” The competition came to East Hickman Middle School Monday night where East Hickman High School student Chandler Crowell faced off against Lewis County High School student Caiden Miller to see who could make a layup, free throw and 3-pointer first. Crowell finished the relay first earning a $500 donation to the class of 2026. Lewis County received $250 for participating in the event.
Pictured from left to right: East Hickman High School student Chandler Crowell, MLEC Communications Coordinator Benjamin Armstrong and Lewis County High School student Caiden Miller.
MLEC also donated mini basketballs to each school and koozies to the East Hickman High School concessions stand as a part of the event.
Progress Continues As MLConnect Makes Repairs
(11:00 a.m. February 9, 2026 – Centerville, TN)- Broadband restoration efforts continued steadily over the weekend as MLConnect and mutual aid crews worked across Hickman, Lewis, and Perry counties following Winter Storm Fern. As of this morning, 372 members remain without broadband service due to storm-related damage.
Hickman County: 79
Lewis County: 158
Perry County: 135
MLConnect and mutual aid fiber crews are actively working across all three counties today, addressing mainline fiber damage, splicing locations, and individual service drops.
Mainline Fiber Work Today
- Hickman County: Falls Branch Road, Old Mill Creek Road
- Lewis County: Highway 48 South, Woodland Road, Lawson Road, Richard Gibson Road
Splicing Crews
- Hickman County: Wolf Creek Road, Briar Pond Road, Highway 100 West, Lower Shipps Bend, Dodd Hollow Road
- Perry County: Tom’s Creek Lake Road, Redbank, Flatwoods
Drop Crews
- Hickman County: Dog Creek Road, Greer Road, South Tatum Creek Road, and additional locations
- Lewis County: Long Branch Road, Rush Branch Road, Reserve High Forest, Arnold Cemetery Road
If your electric service has been restored but broadband is still out, please unplug your router, wait a few minutes, and plug it back in. Do not disconnect any cables or wires, but ensure all connections are firmly seated. If service does not return, please report the outage by calling your local office or submitting an online service ticket so crews can investigate further.
MLConnect and approximately 20 mutual aid fiber workers remain committed to working daily until every member impacted by Winter Storm Fern is fully reconnected. We appreciate our members’ patience and support as crews continue this final stretch of broadband restoration.
Fiber Outages Down to Under 500 Following Winter Storm Fern
MLConnect and mutual aid fiber crews work through the weekend
(10:00 a.m. February 7, 2026 – Centerville, TN) MLConnect and our mutual aid crews just keep on trucking! With each crew specializing in a different phase of restoration – mainline fiber repair, splicing, and individual service drops – work can happen simultaneously ensuring active progress across all phases of repair.
Fiber outages are down to just over 500 for the hardest hit Winter Storm Fern areas of Hickman, Lewis, and Perry counties. Crews are also working in Humphreys and Houston counties. Thank you for the continued support as crews work as safely and efficiently as possible this weekend.
Main Line
Hickman County: Sulphur Creek Road, Old 50 Highway, Blue Buck Creek Road, and Right Prong Blue Buck RoadPerry County: Spring Creek Road, Swindle Creek Road, Culps BendHumphreys County: Victory LaneHouston County: Spring Valley Road
SplicersPerry County: Hardin Bottom, Swindle Creek Road, Spring Creek Road, and Culps BendLewis and Hickman Counties: Napier Road and Goodman Branch
Drop CrewsHickman County: Primm Springs, Highway 7, as well as multiple locations across the countyLewis County: Rush Branch, Emily Dr, Indian CreekPerry County: Pleasantville, Flatwoods
We thank you for your continued support as MLConnect remains committed to restoring all broadband services as safely and efficiently as possible.
MLConnect Crews Finishing Main Line Repairs
611 outages as work continues into the weekend
(11:00 a.m. February 6, 2026 – Centerville, TN)- As crews prepare to work through the weekend, broadband restoration efforts remain active across Hickman, Lewis, and Perry counties following Winter Storm Fern. Currently, 611 members remain without service.
- Hickman County: 148
- Lewis County: 257
- Perry County: 206
While progress continues, teams are still discovering broken mainline fiber in several locations. Based on current conditions and anticipated repairs, MLConnect expects all mainline fiber repairs to be completed early next week.
In most cases, mainline fiber crews will complete their work and leave. The splicer crews will then follow up. Some services will return at this point if there are no other problems further down the line. Once mainline fiber is restored, additional time is required to complete repairs to individual service drops. This phase may take up to another week, but crews will continue working until every impacted member is fully reconnected.
Restoration efforts are taking place simultaneously across all phases of repair. Mainline fiber crews are working today in the following areas:
• Hickman County: Richard Road
• Lewis County: Goodman Branch Road, Napier Road, Woodmere Drive, Indian Creek Road
• Perry County: Hurricane Creek Road, Highway 438 West, White Oak Creek Road, Swindle Creek Road
Splicing crews, which reconnect neighborhoods once mainline repairs are complete, are working in:
• Hickman County: Bear Creek Trail, Bluewater, Trace Creek Road
• Lewis County: Cane Creek Road
• Perry County: Hurricane Creek Road, Highway 438 West, White Oak Creek Road, Swindle Creek Road, Flat Woods, and Mousetail Landing
Drop crews are also active across Hickman, Lewis, and Perry counties, repairing individual service lines from the pole to the home or business as areas become ready for final reconnection.
In total, MLConnect is working with approximately 20 mutual aid fiber workers assisting across all three counties. They are assigned to different phases of restoration to ensure work progresses as efficiently as possible. Humphreys and Houston County are also being closely monitored for any damage or broadband outages, as well.
We appreciate our members’ continued patience and support as crews work to restore broadband service safely and thoroughly.
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