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A quarter century ago, the first edition of Currents magazine rolled off the press. That singular event was an exciting evolution of the wonderful relationship between Currents readers and the utilities that serve them. I’m proud to say I was there at the beginning.
The genesis of Currents magazine came from an offhanded comment made by an Arizona co-op employee who was looking at a Ruralite magazine, a co-op magazine Pioneer Utility Resources has published since 1954. She wistfully remarked that she wished she could have a magazine like Ruralite for her members. I said, “You can.”
A few months later, in the fall of 1998, now-retired Currents Editor Pam Blair helped Grand Canyon State Electric Cooperative and Arizona Electric Power Cooperative launch Currents. The magazine publishes six times a year, and the Arizona version includes updates from the statewide association and generation and transmission co-op, an effective way for them to reach many consumers with a unified message.
Soon five Arizona- and California-based Utility Pioneers were using the magazine to tell their stories to consumers:
- Anza Electric Cooperative
- Duncan Valley Electric Cooperative
- Electrical District 2
- Graham County Electric Cooperative
- Sulphur Springs Electric Cooperative
The initial circulation was approximately 16,000, and grew steadily over the years. After Mohave Electric Cooperative joined the magazine family, the circulation reached a high of 47,968 households and businesses in mid-2023.
Staying Current
The first issue of Currents featured a story on Colossal Cave written by Pam. It also included a story about viewing sandhill cranes near Benson, Arizona, and another on how to wrap a water heater for energy savings. The water heater in the photo accompanying the story was from my garage.
Looking back at the first issue, I had to chuckle when I saw the story about Y2K. The years leading up to 2000 were full of speculation about what would happen when the clocks struck midnight on Jan. 1, 2000. We devoted two pages to educating readers on why they should care and how to prepare.
A lot can change over 25 years. The masthead and design of Currents magazine evolved five times, with the latest redesign in 2020.
The way Utility Pioneers use the publication has changed over time, too.
When Currents debuted in 1998, Pioneer created a common cover with the utility name on the masthead and custom taglines. Utilities had the option to switch out the cover for a fee and use a local picture. This choice was mainly reserved for annual meeting notices.
When Mohave Electric Cooperative joined the Currents magazine family in 2020, the utility was the first Utility Pioneer in Arizona to use custom covers for each of its local Currents editions.
Soon other Utility Pioneers followed suit; July 2021 was the first month all Currents magazine utility editions had unique covers.
Storytelling Highlights
Stories from Currents magazine have won national awards and local hearts.
“Unstoppable Allyssa,” a feature written by Victoria Hampton, won best personality feature in the 2022 Statewide Editors Association awards. The story of a paralyzed teen in Arizona who became a barrel racer was chosen over 19 other entries in a competitive category.
Pam helped refine the story with her deft editing, Director of Creative Design Brandon Pomrenke created powerful visuals with his bold design, and I aimed my storytelling lens to capture the powerful images.
“I was already gripped by the tale of the ‘Unstoppable’ Alyssa, a 17-year-old barrel racer who has taken life by the reins despite challenges that would keep most from ever saddling up,” Pioneer’s Senior Vice President of Content Leon Espinoza admits. “Then I got to the side story of Alyssa and Rosie. Not to give too much away, but it is about an instant bond and special connection bringing healing to each.
“Stories—well told and not sugarcoated—have a way of moving us, inspiring us, giving us perspective and even lifting us up.”
“You never know the stories that people hold,” Victoria says. “Whether it be your neighbor or a resident of a community you’ve visited, shining the spotlight on everyday people and sharing their passions and triumphs brings us closer together. At first glance, you wouldn’t know about Alyssa’s incredible accomplishments as a young equestrian. Her story makes us believe anything is possible and inspires us to dream big.”
While we love to feature readers’ stories, Currents has also delivered news of legislative issues that could affect rates, informed consumers about candidates running for board positions at their utility and helped keep families from harm by pointing out ways to stay safe around electricity. Reporting on community issues demonstrates the power of Currents’ shared storytelling.
For example, Currents joined Ruralite magazine in 2019 for a year-long report on the changing face of rural health care, reporting funded in part by the Murdock Charitable Trust. The series highlighted how online doctor visits and robotic technology bring medical specialists into the room with rural staff. Unlike Y2K, these features and storytelling lessons became critical when the pandemic hit a few months later.
Turning the Page
I hope we have become a trusted part of our readers’ families—arriving in mailboxes every other month—ready to entertain and inform. To those who have been faithful readers since the beginning and those who have joined us more recently, a heartfelt thank-you. The staff at Pioneer Utility Resources is grateful you have found our work worthy of your valuable time.
We look forward to bringing Currents readers more stories about neighbors and news from utilities in the coming years.
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