CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Cash Flows from Operating Activities
Net income	$ 12,993	$ 18,075	$ 15,092
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Impairment on assets held for sale	645	1,888	17,545
Depreciation	45,350	36,553	32,018
Amortization	10,420	6,078	612
Pension settlement and curtailment expense	0	3,964	0
Provision for bad debt	3,243	1,462	1,080
Stock based compensation expense	1,718	792	653
Excess tax benefits on stock option exercises	(5)	(70)	(63)
Deferred income taxes	15,973	4,628	957
Net (gain) loss on disposal of equipment	(1,360)	335	1,054
Gain on sale of assets	0	(4,000)	(427)
Realized loss on disposal of investments	27	147	201
Unrealized (gains) losses on investments	132	(325)	(580)
Net (gain) loss from patronage and equity Investments	233	100	78
Other	257	373	942
(Increase) decrease in:
Accounts receivable	(1,891)	(3,120)	212
Materials and supplies	(1,080)	(262)	470
Income taxes receivable	(9,919)	2,955	1,835
Increase (decrease) in:
Accounts payable	(596)	3,528	3,178
Deferred lease payable	416	374	205
Other prepaids, deferrals and accruals	4,371	1,729	(989)
Net cash provided by operating activities	80,927	75,204	74,073
Cash Flows from Investing Activities
Purchase and construction of property, plant and equipment	(74,663)	(55,936)	(53,208)
Proceeds from sale of equipment	675	258	168
Proceeds from sales of assets	2,986	4,000	1,355
Cash paid to acquire prepaid subscriber rights	0	(6,884)	0
Cash paid to acquire businesses	0	(152,114)	(601)
Purchase of investment securities	(84)	(127)	(608)
Proceeds from sale of investment securities	475	62	611
Net cash used in investing activities	(70,611)	(210,741)	(52,283)
Cash Flows From Financing Activities
Principal payments on long-term debt	(14,538)	(28,620)	(15,399)
Amounts borrowed under debt agreements	0	189,800	7,000
Cash paid for debt issuance costs	0	(3,562)	0
Dividends paid, net of dividends reinvested	(7,320)	(7,313)	(7,007)
Excess tax benefits on stock option exercises	5	70	63
Repurchases of stock	(92)	0	0
Proceeds from exercise of incentive stock options	50	561	367
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(21,895)	150,936	(14,976)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(11,579)	15,399	6,814
Cash and cash equivalents:
Beginning	27,453	12,054	5,240
Ending	15,874	27,453	12,054
Cash payments for:
Interest, net of capitalized interest of $215 in 2011, $488 in 2010, and $541 in 2009	7,076	3,991	1,267
Income taxes	$ 4,248	$ 5,657	$ 7,819