News Archive

1. Use Energy-Efficient Appliances: If you're in the market for new kitchen appliances, look for models with the ENERGY STAR label, which indicates they meet high energy-efficiency standards.
2. Thaw Food Before Cooking: If you’re using frozen ingredients, thaw them in the refrigerator beforehand.

Getting on a ladder to decorate for the holidays? Remember to look up and look out for overhead power lines.

Jacob Mitchell, Preston Morgan and Chesley Neal, linemen with Howell-Oregon Electric Cooperative, attended the Overhead and Aerial Basket School at the AMEC Training Center last month in Jefferson City. The course emphasized safe and efficient live line work practices and procedures to the class. Field instruction focused on the proper application of protective insulating equipment, live line tools and aerial devices utilized when installing and maintaining energized lines and equipment. We are proud of their willingness to learn more about the line work and dedication to safety.

Deer season opens Saturday, Nov. 11. Good luck to all hunters! Remember to be safe on the hunt, never fire toward power lines, poles or equipment. Also, never set up a deer stand on a power pole or under power lines. Learn more: membersfirst.coop/hunting-and-electrical-safety.

This week the temperatures feel like winter! Air sealing your home before the actual months is a crucial step to improve energy efficiency, reduce heating costs and maintain a comfortable indoor environment. Learn how to find and seal air leaks in your home at www.membersfirst.coop. Additional home heating tips can be found right here on our website.

Every day, software and app developers focus on keeping their users and products secure. They’re constantly looking for clues that hackers are trying to break into their systems, or they are searching for holes where cybercriminals could sneak in, even if they’ve never been breached before. To fix these issues and improve security for everyone who uses their services, upstanding software companies release regular updates.

Phishing is when cybercriminals use fake emails, social media posts or direct messages with the goal of luring you to click on a bad link or download a malicious attachment. If you click on a phishing link or file, you can hand over your personal information to the criminals. A phishing scheme can also install malware onto your device.

Make it harder for cybercriminals to compromise your accounts by enabling Multifactor Authentication (or MFA) to add an extra layer of protection to your accounts.

Did you know the average person has more than 100 passwords at any given time? Here’s an easy pro tip: a Password Manager can help you create strong, unique passwords for each account.

No matter the account, all passwords should be created with these 3 concepts in mind: