Flippin' the Switch is the monthly podcast of Jones-Onslow EMC, an electric cooperative located in southeastern North Carolina. Listeners can learn more about JOEMC's community programs and involvement, get quick and easy energy tips that'll save them money around the home, and hear how the co-op is using the latest in technologies to assist in providing the best customer experience possible.
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A Lineman’s Mission Trip That Brought Electricity To Rural Guatemala
Send us Fan Mail A light switch feels ordinary until you stand in a place that has never had one. We sit down with journeyman lineman Joe Zernhild from Jones-Onslow EMC, who volunteered for a mission trip to Guatemala alongside 14 linemen from electric cooperatives across North Carolina. It is Joe’s first time out of the country, and he walks us through what it takes to say yes, get outside your…
S7 E4: Celebrating the Month of the Military Child with Hug A Hero
Send us Fan Mail On this episode of Flippin' the Switch, we sit down with Trisha Dyal and Carol Jameson to trace how a single handmade “daddy doll” became a nationwide resource for military families, powered by a tiny team of military spouses and volunteers who understand the stakes. April brings special urgency as the Month of the Military Child, and we dig into how local sponsors and businesses…
S7 E3: Energy Through Their Eyes - A Visit to Clear View Elementary
Send us Fan Mail Career Day gets a lot more interesting when the kids take the mic. We’re at Clearview Elementary with students who tell us what they learned about Jones Onslow EMC, what electricity powers in their homes, and what they’d change if they could give “electric powers” to anything from a bed to a flying carpet. Subscribe to Flippin’ the Switch, share this with a parent or teacher, and…
S7 E2: Dreaming Big in a Small Town with Schumata Brown
Send us Fan Mail What does it take to turn a “passage to the beach” into a small-town destination? We sit down with Maysville’s town manager, Schumata Brown, to unpack a lifetime of roots, the courage to lead at home, and the practical playbook for rural revival: professional management, grant-first funding, and a community that sees itself with fresh eyes. Schumata shares how growing up where…
S7 E1: New Year, Smarter Power with Member Services
Send us Fan Mail Your winter bill doesn’t have to be a mystery. We sit down with Member Services representative Staci Berkner to unpack the hidden habits that raise costs, the simple tweaks that actually work, and the free tools that help you manage energy like a pro. From the 68-degree thermostat baseline to spotting when auxiliary heat kicks in, we walk through how to interpret your daily usage,…
S6 E11: Small Hands, Big Impact - Writing Joy Into A Veteran’s Holiday
Send us Fan Mail A ten-year-old with a big heart is changing the holidays for veterans. Tucker, the force behind In Tucker’s Mailbox , shows how handwritten cards can bring comfort to veterans living in VA homes—and how a simple idea can rally an entire community. We follow his journey from practicing his signature to organizing and hand-delivering thousands of Christmas cards to VA homes in…
S6 E10: Powering Community In The Season Of Giving
Send us Fan Mail On this episode of Flippin' the Switch, we highlight how United Way of Onslow County shows what happens when generosity works like infrastructure—steady, practical, and built to last. Raquel Painter joins us to share how small, consistent acts can have a real impact: students are fed through the CHEW program, families gain access to fresh produce, and neighbors move from crisis to…
S6 E9: A Week in Washington - The Youth Tour Experience with Giana Cadwallader
Send us Fan Mail What happens when you take four high school students from small-town North Carolina and drop them into the heart of Washington, DC for a week? Magic, transformation, and lifelong connections. The Electric Cooperative Youth Tour has been sending students to our nation's capital for over 60 years. In this episode, we get a firsthand account from Giana Cadwallader, a Jacksonville…
S6 E8: Leading the Line with New CEO Ricky Maready
Send us Fan Mail Leadership born from experience stands at the heart of our latest Flippin' the Switch episode featuring Ricky Maready, Jones-Onslow EMC's new CEO who brings an extraordinary 37 years of cooperative service to his role. Ricky's journey from load management technician to chief executive offers a masterclass in understanding electric cooperative operations from the ground up. This…
S6 E7: Ask a Dispatcher - Behind the Scenes with Amanda Wilson
Send us Fan Mail What happens when you flip a switch and nothing happens? Behind every power outage is a team of dedicated professionals working around the clock to restore your service. At the center of this operation are dispatchers - the unsung heroes who coordinate everything from routine maintenance to emergency response. Amanda Wilson, Operations Center Supervisor at Jones-Onslow EMC, pulls…