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These Boots Were Made for Skating

With the 2022 Winter Olympics underway, some of the world’s most exceptional athletes have taken the stage to compete for the gold. From snowboarding to skiing to figure skating, there are a variety of events taking place that will have you cheering for Team USA from your living room.

While the Olympics are happening on the other side of the globe, did you know that Tennessee is home to a company that specializes in none other than figure skating boots?

Last October, figure skating boot manufacturer SP-Teri announced plans to invest more than $430,000 to relocate and expand its headquarters and manufacturing operations from Nashville to McEwen, Tennessee.

It’s easy to wonder how such a specialty manufacturer like SP-Teri landed in a state as hot as Tennessee, so without further ado, let us explain.

Founded in California by Joseph Spiteri in 1963, SP-Teri has served elite figure skaters by manufacturing ice skate boots for more than 50 years.

When the founder’s son, George, decided to retire in 2019, a two-time Olympic figure skating competitor and current coach with Nashville Skating Academy, Bill Fauver stepped up to the plate to assist in purchasing the company as he had previously served SP-Teri as a brand and sales representative for Tennessee.

Thus, SP-Teri’s operations moved from California to Tennessee just months before March of 2020 when Nashville was struck by the horrific tornados.

SP-Teri was among the list of businesses that experienced complete devastation, and about three months after settling in Davidson County, the company had to find a new location for its operations.

Fast forward to 2021, company president Bill Fauver settled SP-Teri in McEwen, Tennessee, operating in the former OshKosh B’gosh building. McEwen is served by Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative.

Just when one might think that blue skies were ahead, Humphreys County experienced torrential flooding, and in its path was SP-Teri’s new facility.

Fortunately, aside from roof damage, the building remained intact, and SP-Teri was able to maintain production.

Now that 2022 is in full swing, things are looking up as the company is in talks with Chattanooga-based Moonlight Roller about manufacturing roller skate boots.

“That is the bright future,” said Fauver. “The company has done well out of Chattanooga and is trying to bring production to the United States.”

Although Fauver weathered two of Tennessee’s roughest storms, his outlook remains positive as the company will continue to operate here in Tennessee.

Regarding working with Moonlight Roller, Fauver mentioned that “there won’t be shipping issues” and that the company “will be able to pivot design changes easily.”

“We think there will be some opportunities for us to offer a complete roller skate down the road,” Fauver said.

While the company may be shifting its focus to roller skate boots in the short term, they will continue manufacturing ice skate boots, keeping SP-Teri’s legacy alive.

According to Fauver, the busy season is year-round for competitive skaters, but there is always an uptick in activity for public skating during the Olympics.

“You’ve got more skaters wanting to learn to skate, and then more people wanting boots,” he explained.

Whether it’s ice skating or roller skating, remember, the next time you find yourself slipping on a pair of skates, know that the boots may have been mastered in Tennessee.

This story originally appeared on the TNECD website. Thanks to Lindsey Tipton for permission to share.

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Co-ops tell story of rural Tennessee during day on the hill

NASHVILLE – More than 140 electric co-op leaders from across the state were in Nashville on Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 15 and 16, for the 2022 Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association Legislative Conference. During meetings with legislators on Capitol Hill, co-op members and employees stressed the important role that co-ops play in their communities and briefed lawmakers on issues that impact rural and suburban Tennessee.

Gov. Bill Lee welcomed attendees to Nashville on Wednesday morning. “The services you provide to rural Tennesseans are incredibly important,” said Lee.

Tennessee’s electric cooperatives maintain a visible presence in Nashville and Washington, D.C., to protect the interests of co-ops and their consumer-owners. “Electric co-ops are complex and heavily regulated businesses, and the decisions made by legislators can have a significant impact on the affordability and reliability of the energy they provide to millions of families across Tennessee,” says David Callis, CEO of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “We must tell the electric cooperative story and educate lawmakers about the impact of proposed legislation.”

“Advocating for our members doesn’t stop at the edge of our service territory. It is critically important that our elected leaders keep cooperatives in mind when crafting laws and regulations that impact us,” says Dave Cross, president of TECA’s board of trustees and CEO of Plateau Electric Cooperative, headquartered in Oneida. “We have a responsibility to our communities to tell their story.”

Broadband was a topic discussed during visits with legislators. “We’ve invested heavily in broadband expansion, and you’re key to that,” said Gov. Lee. “Unless every Tennessean has access to opportunity – every kid in the urban center and every kid in the farthest-reaching rural communities – then we have not done our job. The ways we do that in large part is through the services and technology that you make possible.”

More than 100 legislative visits were made during the conference, and many legislators from across the state attended a reception honoring members of the Tennessee General Assembly.

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Trent Scott | Vice President of Strategy | 615.515.5534 | [email protected]

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Tennessee co-ops restoring power after ice storm

An early February ice storm left thousands of Tennessee electric co-op consumer-members without power Thursday, Feb. 3. The system left upwards of a 1/2 inch of ice in some places, the added weight bringing down trees and power lines as wind speeds topped 30 miles an hour.

Power outages were first reported Thursday morning by co-ops along the Mississippi River in far west Tennessee. By Thursday afternoon more than 20,000 co-op members were without power. Chickasaw Electric Cooperative in Somerville had more than 10,000 members without power, nearly half of its total membership. Southwest Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation, Gibson Electric Membership Corporation, Forked Deer Electric Membership Corporation and Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation also received damage from the storm.

“We are very sorry, but this will be a lengthy outage for some customer-members,” said Andrea Kee, spokesperson for Chickasaw Electric Cooperative in a social media post on Thursday evening. “This morning we reached out to other cooperatives for help, and we are happy to report that additional crews are headed this way to help with the storm repair. We sincerely appreciate our customer-members’ patience and support. Your comments on our social media pages and phone calls do not go unnoticed.”

“Crews have made great progress overnight getting larger outages resolved,” said Billy Gordon, vice president of technical operations for Southwest Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation in Brownsville. “For those members still without power, progress today will be slow as linemen spread out to work smaller individual outages one-by-one. Of our 137 different outages, 65 affect a single member.”

“We will restore service to everyone as quickly as we safely can,” said Dan Rodamaker, President and CEO of Gibson Electric Membership Corporation. “However, with a growing number of outage trouble spots and with the downed lines and broken poles that ice can cause, repairs may be time-intensive.”

Additional crews from Duck River Electric Membership Corporation, Tennessee Valley Electric Cooperative, Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative and Pickwick Electric Cooperative, along with multiple contract construction crews, are assisting with restoration efforts this morning.

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Winter storm – tips to prepare

NASHVILLE – Electric co-ops across west and middle Tennessee today are preparing for a significant winter storm that is expected to impact the Volunteer State overnight and Thursday.

“Damage caused by ice can be widespread and create extended power outages,” says Trent Scott, vice president of corporate strategy for the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “Co-ops are closely monitoring forecasts and preparing crews and equipment to respond quickly if outages occur, and we encourage our members to get ready for the potential of power outages, especially in the hardest hit areas.”

When ice builds up, the added weight can break trees, poles and wires leading to power outages. Co-ops crews will work to restore power, but there are a few things you can do to prepare.

Stay warm

Plan to use a safe alternate heating source, such as a fireplace or wood-burning stove during a power outage. These are great options to keep you and your loved ones warm, but exercise caution when using, and never leave the heating source unattended. If you are using gasoline-, propane- or natural gas-burning devices to stay warm, never use them indoors. Remember that fuel- and wood-burning sources of heat should always be properly ventilated. Always read the manufacturer’s directions before using.

Stay fed

The CDC recommends having several days’ supply of food that does not need to be cooked handy. Crackers, cereal, canned goods and bread are good options. Five gallons of water per person should also be available in the event of an extended power outage.

Stay safe

When an outage occurs, it usually means power lines are down. It is best not to travel during winter storms, but if you must, bring a survival kit along, and do not travel alone. If you encounter downed lines, always assume they are live. Stay as far away from the downed lines as possible, and report the situation to your local electric co-op. Take caution when using generators. Follow all directions and do not connect a generator to your home’s electrical system without proper equipment and inspections. Check on the welfare of neighbors, especially the elderly.

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February is American Heart Month

As soon as Christmas was over, stores and businesses started decorating with hearts in preparation for Valentine’s Day.

But American Heart Month isn’t just about romance. It’s about keeping your heart healthy by eating nutritious food and regulating blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Even if your New Year’s resolution to eat healthier and exercise regularly is already a distant memory, February is a great time to kick-start your healthy heart routine.

The electric appliances you might already have in your kitchen can help.

For example, a multicooker like the Instant Pot can steam and air-fry meat and vegetables without oil. A slow cooker can prepare chicken and beef dishes without added fats, too, if you let them simmer in broth, juice or another liquid and let the meal stew all day.

An electric indoor grill draws the fat from meat into a drip pan below the grate instead of using it to cook the dish. And a blender with blades sharp enough to shred ice makes it simple to whip up smoothies for breakfast and snacks so you and your family get plenty fruits and veggies, even in the morning.

This February, redefine “romance” to include helping your partner get and stay healthy. Recommit to those New Year’s resolutions and celebrate Heart Month by protecting yours and those of your loved ones.

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Wash Your Washer

Staying home more often than usual means you’re probably using your appliances nonstop. And that means you need to clean them more often.

Don’t overlook the appliances that aren’t in the kitchen.

It seems like your clothes washer would be a self-cleaning machine because it’s used for cleaning. But the more you use it, the more it needs a good scrubbing to get rid of built-up detergent and ward off mold.

Here are a few pre-spring cleaning tips for the laundry room:

Top-loading washers: Built-up detergent and fabric softeners can clog the machine if you don’t remove it regularly. To do that, remove the dispensers for those liquids and scrub them with soap, water and a non-scratch sponge. Then, fill the washer with hot water and add a cup of bleach. Let it sit for an hour before running a full wash cycle—with an empty tub. Then, fill it again, and this time add a cup of white vinegar and run a full wash cycle again. Finally, run a wash cycle with nothing but hot water.

For your first load of laundry after you clean the tub, wash whites only in case any residual bleach is still in the washer.

Front-loading washers: Get rid of mold and grime that get trapped in the door seal. Use a toothbrush and a solution of eight or nine cups of water and one cup of bleach to scrub the seal. Then, clean the tub the same way you would sanitize a top-loader, above.

Don’t forget about your dishwasher, too. Many people do not realize that newer dishwashers have filters that should be cleaned manually. Be sure to remove and clean the filter monthly of food particles and grease buildup that cause bad smells in your dishwasher. Clean debris away from the filter, then twist filter to remove (or consult your manufacturer’s guide). Scrub the filter with a soft brush or cloth under hot water until clean; then replace filter.

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