August 2017 Murfreesboro Pulse

AUGUST 2017 / VOL. 12, ISSUE 8 / FREE

FARMER JASON PAGE 12

Middle Tennessee’s Source for Art, Entertainment and Culture News

BORO ART CRAWL MAP INSIDE PAGE 28

OUT OF THIS WORLD

TREY SNELL PAGE 50

Once-in-a-lifetime astronomical event casts its shadow on Middle Tennessee LOCAL ECLIPSE EVENTS ON PAGE 18

THIS MONTH

MURPH'S FUN RUN / BOROSTOCK / GR8T CHASE / WILD ARTS DAY / BOBBY BONES / AND MORE!

Contents

WORD FROM THE EDITOR

ON THE COVER: One of the most beautiful sights associated with a total solar eclipse is the "diamond ring." It appears just before the beginning of totality, when a single bright point of sunlight—the diamond—shines through a deep valley on the Moon's limb (edge) and the inner corona—the ring—becomes visible. As the diamond vanishes, it's safe to remove your solar filters.

A second diamond ring appears at the end of totality when a deep valley on the opposite side of the retreating Moon exposes a single bead of bright sunlight that begins to wash out the corona. Put your filters back on! Credit: Rick Fienberg / TravelQuest International / Wilderness Travel

40

10

18

IN EVERY ISSUE

FEATURES

10 CHANGE MUSIK

Christian rap duo makes music to honor God.

12 SUMMER MUSIC

4 Events

28 Art

40 Food

THIS MONTH

EVENTS

RESTAURANT

THEATER

RECIPE

Friday Night Live, Free School Supplies and more!

8 Sounds

Free, kid-friendly summer music events for the entire family.

16 PEACE, LOVE & PIEDMONT

Girl Scout camp near Murfreesboro celebrates 50 years.

18 OUT OF THIS WORLD

LOCAL CONCERTS

Robyn Taylor, Jake Leg Stompers and more!

MUSIC NOTES

Borostock, The Justin Reed Show, Wynonna and more!

ALBUM REVIEWS

Ashes of Folly Matt Lund

The Great American Eclipse.

16 Living

24 THE GR8T CHASE

Gateway Island Park hosts 5K for local charity on Aug. 26.

50 WAVE JUMPER

Trey Snell headed to water skiing nationals in Texas.

GARDENING

Planting Fall Crops LOCAL BUSINESS

Manchester nostalgia mall celebrates memorabilia of decades past.

Rick’s BBQ

Boro Art Crawl

Blackberry, Peach “Shortcake”

M-Prov Comedy; Oaklands Prom Murder Mystery; Faye Woodruff

44

32 Movies MOVIES

Opinion THE STOCKARD REPORT

Spider-Man: Homecoming; Dunkirk

Latest local government distraction

LIVING ROOM CINEMA

VIEWS OF A CONSERVATIVE

Exposé

34 News NAVIGATING THE SYSTEM

Let the free market solve health insurance problems.

THE TRIBUNE

The paper that prints some facts

The General Fund

LIVE . . . WELL

MONEY PULSE

48 Sports

Know your options

BUSINESS BUZZ

The Alley expands; Freebirds’; Dog Haus; Party Fowl; Mayday

Review of your life

SPORTS TALK

Titans sign Eric Decker

MTSU SPORTS

Season opens Sept. 2

VISIT US AT BOROPULSE.COM FOR MORE!

Publisher/ Editor in Chief: Bracken Mayo

Art Director: Advertising: Sarah Mayo Don Clark Copy Editor: Leslie Russell-Yost Steve Morley

Contributors: Dylan Skye Aycock, John Connor Coulston, Greg Crittenden, Jennifer Durand, Dakota Green, Bryce Harmon, Joseph Kathmann, Chantell Kennedy-Shehan, Zach Maxfield, Justin Reed, Edwina Shannon, Jay Spight, Lucas James Stepp, Justin Stokes, Andrea Stockard, Sam Stockard, Norbert Thiemann, Elizabeth Tullos, Phil Valentine, Michelle Willard

To carry the PULSE at your business, or to submit letters, stories and photography: Bracken@BoroPulse.com 10 N. Public Square, Murfreesboro, TN 37130 615-796-6248

Copyright © 2017, The Murfreesboro Pulse, 10 N. Public Square, Murfreesboro, TN 37130.

Proudly owned, operated and published the first Thursday of each month by the Augusto family; printed by Franklin Web Printing Co. The Murfreesboro Pulse is a free publication funded by our advertisers. Views expressed in the Pulse do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. ISSN: 1940-378X

SIGN UP to receive our weekly digital newsletter at BoroPulse.com/Newsletter

AT THE MOMENT OF TOTALITY during this upcoming solar eclipse on Aug. 21, I will be singing “Total Eclipse of the Heart” in celebration. Every now and then I fall apart!!

And I need you more than ever!

So, there’s a contingency plan in case of clouds, right?

The moon will come back the next day and try again?

The Boro hosts its annual BoroStock this month, the big celebration of local independent rock, as always, with no cover charge. So, it’s a free place to take your mother if you need a quality night of family fun.

Recently, vandals perpetrated some meat crimes in Murfreesboro, one involving spray painting a local religious institution while leaving behind some pork products, another targeting a local automobile with instruments of bologna.

Though law enforcement has yet to arrest suspects in the incidents, the victims were quick to launch sensational PR campaigns claiming hate and intolerance in the extreme.

Vandalism is bad, m’kay. Everyone has a right to feel safe and secure in their home and town as long as they are not harming others. But does the victim’s race, gender, religion or sexual preference make an act more or less criminal? Or is everyone to be treated equally under the eyes of the law?

Is punishing vandalism differently based on the religion of the victim something our society really wants to get into?

Hurting someone’s feelings is inconsiderate, but it shouldn’t be against the law. Vandalism is criminal and should be punished appropriately, but we do not need federal investigation of every instance of simple vandalism.

Using the hate crime and hate speech narrative can be good fuel for a media circus to get an audience riled up, but there is generally a deeper and more complicated issue at play that the media, and the audience, just do not want to explore. Take a close look at the Matthew Shepard case; there is a much more complex web of a story there than simply the “man was brutally murdered because of his sexual identity” tale that plays so well in the sound bite and social media era.

Isn’t there a little hate involved in the carrying out of any crime? Now, what’s the distinction between hate crimes and the other crimes? Are the non-hate crimes love crimes?

On to another controversial subject: Tennessee lawmakers recently struck down a law that allowed law enforcement to demand blood tests from drivers. The Supreme Court handed down an opinion last year stating that it is not a crime for people to assert their Constitutional rights, and charging someone with a crime because they refuse a blood test is not Constitutional. Tennessee was one of the few states engaged in the practice of criminalizing a driver’s refusal to take a blood test. In this case, drunk driving and vehicular homicide are bad, m’kay, but so is drawing someone’s blood against their will.

Some zealots in the state have launched a propaganda campaign supporting the idea that drivers should be strapped down and have blood forcibly drawn at the whim of law enforcement with no warrant. But for now, the Constitution wins, searches and seizures should be reasonable, you do not have to provide evidence against yourself, and it is no longer a crime to refuse a blood test in Tennessee.

(And forcibly drawing blood from someone is probably more hateful than leaving bacon on their sidewalk.)

What do you think? I think I will remain an advocate for free expression and liberty.

Forever’s gonna start tonight!

Peace, BRACKEN MAYO Publisher/Editor in Chief

Events

BY ANDREA STOCKARD

AUG. 1 NIGHT OUT AGAINST CRIME The National Night Out Against Crime, held at the Murfreesboro Public Square, SportsCom, Patterson Park and Spring Valley Apartments on Tuesday, Aug. 1, from 5–8 p.m., heightens crime prevention awareness and builds relationships between Murfreesboro residents and police officers. For more information, call (615) 895-3874.

call (615) 459-4576, or visit samdavislodge.weebly.com.

AUG. 8 JACK TAYLOR BOOK SIGNING

Murfreesboro City Schools invites parents, students and families to an open house at all city schools Thursday, Aug. 3, from 5–7 p.m., to meet school administrators, speak with teachers, tour the school and ask questions. Visit cityschools.net for more information.

Linebaugh Public Library (105 W. Vine St.) welcomes local author Jack Taylor for a book signing Tuesday, Aug. 8, from 10 a.m.–1 p.m., for his book, Overcoming, published by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform in May 2017. Overcoming is a book about what many of us know as the American Dream. Taylor shares the struggles of growing up as one of 12 children of sharecropper parents in Mississippi, joining the U.S. Army at age 18 and his journey to working as a U.S. Border Protection agent and then for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Books are $14 each. For more information, call (615) 893-4131 or visit linebaugh.org.

AUG. 4

AUG. 8

FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE

BEING THE AUTHENTIC YOU

Bring your lawn chair to the Public Square and enjoy a free concert and dancing on the east side of the courthouse featuring Skyline Drive on Friday, Aug. 4, from 6–10 p.m. For more information, visit the Main Street Murfreesboro Facebook page.

Join Rutherford Cable at its monthly breakfast meeting at the Stones River Country Club (1830 NW Broad St.) Tuesday, Aug. 8, from 7:30–9 a.m. with guest speaker, Dr. Phyllis Qualls-Brooks, speaking about “being the authentic you.” Being one’s authentic self allows you to truly be who you are, unapologetically, aside from your societal label. For more information, contact yourrutherfordcable@gmail.com.

AUG. 3 CITY SCHOOLS OPEN HOUSE

AUG. 5 FREE SCHOOL SUPPLIES The ALERT CDC’s 10th Annual Family Fun Fest in Smyrna aims to help children prepare for the upcoming school year; the first 1,000 children will receive free backpacks filled with school supplies and hygiene products. Enjoy free haircuts, food, activities, giveaways and music at Living Truth Christian Center on Saturday, Aug. 5, from 4–8 p.m. This year, Music City Strings performs. Register at alertcdc.org. For more information, call (615) 459-9017.

AUG. 5 SAM DAVIS MASONIC LODGE PANCAKE BREAKFAST Sam Davis Masonic Lodge No. 661 (101 Mary Law Dr., Smyrna) invites everyone to an all-you-care-to-eat pancake breakfast Saturday, Aug. 5, from 7–10 a.m., to benefit the Tennessee Masonic Widows and Orphans Fund and the Sam Davis Lodge Fraternal Assistance program. Admission is $7 per person. For more information, 4 * AUGUST 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

AUG. 8 AND 9 UNDERSTANDING HEALING The Demos’ family of restaurants invites everyone to Understanding Healing, offering a biblical perspective on the topic of sickness and healing. Speaker and author Art Thomas seeks to bring a biblical understanding of healing through looking at the life of Jesus Christ. Peter Demos says he has seen many prayer requests from his staff that centered around sickness and anxiety, and has dealt with his own experiences. Admission is free. A light lunch will be provided at the Smyrna event on Tuesday, Aug. 8, at 11 a.m. at the Smyrna Event Center (100 Sam Ridley Pkwy E.), and a breakfast provided at the Murfreesboro event, 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 9, at World Outreach Church (1921 New Salem Rd.). To register for the event, visit eventbrite.com and search

AUG. 10 MYP LEADERSHIP SUMMIT WITH BOBBY BONES The fifth annual Murfreesboro Young Professionals Leadership Summit features Bobby Bones, and will be held on Thursday, Aug. 10, from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. at The Grove at Williamson Place (3250 Wilkinson Pk.). Bones is the most popular country music DJ in America with more than five million weekly listeners for his award-winning Bobby Bones Show. Bones is also a best-selling author and tours with his parody comedy band The Raging Idiots. He has helped raise more than $6 million for numerous charities including St. Jude and Musicians on Call. Admission is free for MYP Members and $50 for nonmembers. Lunch is provided by Alex Belew Catering. To purchase tickets, visit mypleadershipsummit.com or the Murfreesboro Young Professionals Facebook page.

Understanding Healing. Donations are appreciated and accepted. For more information, contact (615) 848-1777 or office@demosrestaurants.com.

AUG. 9 DROPPING THE MIC: GETTING RESULTS FROM YOUR NEXT PRESENTATION Learn how to give inspirational presentations at Cultivate Coworking (107 W. Lytle St.) Wednesday, Aug. 9, from 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. for a session covering the basics of presenting and building confidence for your next business presentation. This celebrates National Coworking Week at Cultivate Coworking and is hosted in part by J Prater Consulting, Locally Owned Murfreesboro and the Downtown Murfreesboro Business Association. For more information, call (615) 203-6084 or visit cultivatecoworking.com.

AUG. 10 HEALTH INSURANCE SNACK AND LEARN BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee leads a series of Snack and Learn events to

help consumers understand marketplace health insurance options on Thursday, Aug. 10 (and the second Thursday of every month), from 6–7 p.m. This free event provides an overview of the Health Insurance Marketplace, enrollment periods and the process to enroll for insurance on healthcare.gov. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, call (423) 535-4358.

AUG. 11 BORO ART CRAWL Support Murfreesboro’s artists and craftsmen at the Boro Art Crawl Friday, Aug. 11, from 6–9 p.m., at many businesses in the downtown district. For more information, visit boroartcrawl.com.

AUG. 11 JOB FAIR FOR SENIORS St. Clair Street Senior Center (325 St. Clair St.) invites seniors over 60 years of age to a job fair featuring vendors from several businesses in Rutherford County on Friday, Aug. 11, from 8–11 a.m. For more information, call (615) 848-2550 or visit murfreesborotn.gov/seniorcenter.

Visit BOROPULSE.COM/EVENTS for more community events

AUG. 11 L&L ON LISTED SISTERS

Join L&L Contractors (25 S. Public Square) and sponsors, clients and friends on Friday, Aug. 11, from 6–9 p.m. for food, fun and a viewing of two recent episodes of HGTV’s Listed Sisters featuring L&L Contractors.

For more information, call (615) 617-3189 or visit landlcontractors murfreesboro.com.

AUG. 12 ROTARY LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE Gain a better understanding of Rotary and hone your leadership skills with The Rotary Leadership Institute on Saturday, Aug. 12, at the Smyrna Town Centre (100 Sam Ridley Pkwy.) from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Enjoy a continental breakfast and lunch plus access to other up-and-coming leaders in the area.

Registration is $50 per person; register at hoarli .com under District 6760 or at the Smyrna Town Centre. For more information, contact (615) 962-0571 or gjbacklund@ yahoo.com.

AUG. 12 BLESSING OF THE PETS The Beesley Animal Foundation (2215 Keeneland Commercial Blvd.) invites you to an open house and “Blessing of the Pets” Saturday, Aug. 12, from 10 a.m.–1 p.m. with the blessing performed by Rev. Dr. John Hinkle Jr. of First Presbyterian Church of Murfreesboro. Afterwards, learn more about the Beesley Animal Foundation and Beesley Animal Clinic services and programs. Dogs must be on leashes and other pets must be in carriers. For more information, call (615) 890-6878 or visit beesleyanimalclinic.com.

AUG. 12 WALTZ DOWN MEMORY LANE Enjoy dancing and spending time together at the Community Care of Rutherford County dance at 901 E. County Farm Rd. on Saturday, Aug. 12, from 2–4 p.m. For more information, call (615) 893-2624,

visit ccrconline.org or the Community Care of Rutherford County Facebook page.

AUGUST 12 DREAMS AND WISHES CORNHOLE TOURNAMENT

al Networking and Business Brainstorming will be held from 5–7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 17, at Mayday Brewery (521 Old Salem Rd.). All Middle Tennessee entrepreneurs and professionals are welcome to attend this casual, no-obligation event, where they can meet other small business owners and tap into one another’s experience and energy. An open roundtable discussion will encourage participation from those in attendance, asking them to articulate their vision for their business and calling for examples of some of the business challenges and solutions they are experiencing. The series will continue the third Thursday of each month.

AUG. 18 LUNCH AND LEARN Join Alive Hospice Murfreesboro (1629 Williams Dr.) Friday, Aug. 18, from noon–1 p.m. for a Lunch and Learn to discuss the role of grief services in hospice care led by Alive Hospice Grief Counselors. Counselors also provide hands-on experience with grief counseling techniques and therapies.

Lunch is provided and parking is free. For more information, contact (615) 3468418 or kking@alivehospice.org, or visit alivehospice.org.

AUG. 18 CONCERT AND FOOD TRUCKS Spend the night with family and friends at the Third Friday Night Food Truck and Concert Series Friday, Aug. 18, from 6–9 p.m. at Cannonsburgh (312 S. Front St.).

For more information, contact (615) 8900355 or shodges@murfreesborotn.gov.

AUG. 19 MTSU PIGSKIN PREGAME The MTSU Alumni Association kicks off football season with a celebration and scholarship fundraiser at The Grove at Williamson Place (3250 Wilkinson Pk.) on Saturday, Aug. 19, at 6 p.m. All proceeds benefit the Alumni Legacy Scholarship, which is awarded to children or grandchildren of MTSU alumni. $35 per person includes food, beverages, and live entertainment.

Reservation required by Aug. 14. RSVP at or (615) 898-2922 or mtalumni.com.

AUG. 19 MURPH’S FUN RUN Run, walk or hop one mile around the Gateway Island (1902 W. College St.) Saturday, Aug. 19, to help out Murfreesboro CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

Join Bumpus Harley-Davidson of Murfreesboro (2250 NW Broad St.) on Saturday, Aug. 12, for a cornhole tournament with proceeds benefiting Dreams and Wishes of Tennessee. Dreams and Wishes grants wishes to kids and young adults who relapsed from cancer. Registration is from 9–11 a.m. with the cornhole games starting at 11 a.m. Admission is $20 per person. Food is available for a donation.

For more information, call (615) 2433433 or visit dreamsandwishesoftn.org.

AUG. 15 BORO BUSINESS LAB Business owners are invited to The Boro Business Lab at the Rutherford Country Chamber of Commerce (3050 Medical Center Pkwy.) Tuesday, Aug. 15, from 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m., for a one-day training experience featuring marketing strategies and plans to take back control of a successful business. Hosts include Nashville Marketing Systems, Cultivate Coworking, Purple Ninja Media, Creative Boro and Dreamstorm Digital. For more information, visit the Boro Business Lab Facebook page.

AUG. 17 THE CONNECTION, BUSINESS NETWORKING AT MAYDAY The Connection: An Evening of ProfessionBOROPULSE.COM

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 City Schools. No pre-registration required; sign-in the morning of the event at 8 a.m. with the race officially beginning at 9 a.m. Kids of all ages are welcome and parents may assist. The fee to join is one new school-supply item. Beforehand, encourage your child to walk 12 miles (one at a time), read 13 books and write a description of each book. Participants complete the program by running or walking a 13th mile at Murph’s Fun Run. Participants finishing this “half marathon” receive a goodie bag in addition to the Murph’s Fun Run Medal when they present their reading journal. For more information, visit the Murfreesboro Greenway or Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation Facebook pages, or contact (615) 8932141 or greenway@murfreesborotn.gov.

AUG. 19 KITTRELL FIRE DEPARTMENT HAM BREAKFAST Kittrell Fire Department (8067 Woodbury Hwy.) invites friends and families to their country ham breakfast on Saturday, Aug. 19, from 6–10 a.m. to help support the fire department.

As a nonprofit volunteer fire department, they operate almost entirely off of donations from the public. Enjoy ham, biscuits and gravy, pancakes, sausage and eggs. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children. For more information, call (615) 890-8740 or visit the Kittrell VFD Facebook page.

AUG. 26 GR8T CHASE 5K Take part in the 2nd Annual Gr8t Chase 5K Run/Walk at Gateway Island (1875 W. College St.) Saturday, Aug. 26, from 7–11 a.m. with this year’s “Back to the ’80s” theme featuring live ’80s cover band Bueller. Shop with local vendors and get photos with Star Wars characters. For more information, call (615) 495-3922.

AUG. 26 MYP CORNHOLE TOURNAMENT Join the Murfreesboro Young Professionals for its first MYP Cornhole Tournament on South Walnut Street near The Alley on Saturday, Aug. 26, from 1:30–6 p.m. (tournament begins at 2 p.m.). Play in a 48-team bracketstyle single-elimination tournament while enjoying signature cocktails from Jack Daniel’s, beer by Little Harpeth Brewing Co. and food from Rick’s Barbecue. Team fee is $75 and includes

AUG. 19 SOLAR SCIENCE AT STONES RIVER Park rangers and volunteers at Stones River Battlefield (3501 Nasvhille Hwy.) present a series of programs and family friendly activities Saturday, Aug. 19, from 10 a.m.–noon and 1–3 See more p.m. Explore the wonders of our solar syseclipse tem and learn about astronomy during the events on Civil War. Admission is free and for all ages. page 18 For more information, call (615) 893-9501.

AUG. 21 SOLAR ECLIPSE VIEWING AT THE BATTLEFIELD Stand on the fields where one of the most important battles of the American Civil War raged, the Stones River Battlefield (3501 Old Nashville Hwy.), and share a more modern historical moment during the 2017 Solar Eclipse Monday, Aug. 21, at 1:29 p.m. The first 1,500 visitors receive a complimentary pair of eclipse viewing glasses. Plan to arrive early; the park’s gates will close when our parking areas are full. All park gates will be closed from 12:30–2 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, call (615) 893-9501.

AUG. 21 ECLIPSE PARTY Murfreesboro Parks & Rec invites the city to a solar eclipse viewing party at Richard Siegel Park (515 Cherry Ln.) Monday, Aug. 21, from 1–2 p.m. This is the first total solar eclipse to sweep across the entire United States in almost 100 years. Solar viewing glasses are provided on a first-come, firstserved basis. The eclipse should occur in Murfreesboro at approximately 1:30 p.m. For more information, contact (615) 217-3017 or rsinger@murfreesborotn.gov. entry for two players, 4 drink tickets and 2 food tickets. Tickets are available and include food. Additional drink tickets can be purchased. This event is 21 and over. For more information, contact chase.salas@myeliteis.com or visit murfreesboroyp.org.

AUG. 27 FREE CLOTHES AND FOOD Free food and clothes are given away at the Oakland Park 7th Day Adventist Church (711 N. Maney Ave.) Sunday, Aug. 27, (and every fourth Sunday of the month), from 11 a.m.–1 p.m.

For more information, call (615) 410-7552.

TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS RUTHERFORD COUNTRY FARMERS MARKET Support local farmers at the Rutherford County Farmers Market at the Lane Agri-Park (315 John R. Rice Blvd.) every Tuesday and Friday from 7 a.m.–noon. Enjoy fresh produce, nursery items, local honey, farm-fresh cheese, meats, soaps and eggs; participate in a free class at 9 a.m. For more information, call (615) 898-7710. See Farmers Market free class schedule on page 20.

SATURDAYS MURFREESBORO SATURDAY MARKET Support your local farmers at Murfreesboro’s Saturday Marketplace every Saturday from 8 a.m.–noon around the inner circle of the Rutherford County Courthouse. Shop for all-natural farm fresh foods, flowers and household items. For more information, call (615) 895-1887 or visit downtownmurfreesboro.com.

ENTERTAINMENT

DJ, BINGO, TRIVIA & KARAOKE NIGHTS  MONDAYS AHART’S PIZZA GARDEN Trivia, 6:30 p.m.

LEVEL III Trivia, 7 p.m.

THE BORO Vinyl Spin with KM 9 p.m.

 TUESDAYS COCONUT BAY Live Trivia, 7:30 p.m.

NACHO’S Trivia, 7 p.m.

NOBODY'S Bingo, 7 p.m.

LA SIESTA (GREENLAND) Trivia, 7 p.m.

WHISKEY DIX DJ Cliffy D, 8 p.m.

LEVEL III Trivia, 7 p.m.

 FRIDAYS

MELLOW MUSHROOM Trivia, 8 p.m.

STATION GRILL Trivia, 7 p.m.

GEORGIA’S SPORTS BAR Karaoke, 9 p.m.

LIQUID SMOKE DJ Night, 10 p.m.

MT BOTTLE Karaoke, 9 p.m.–3 a.m.

WHISKEY DIX DJ Cliffy D, 8 p.m.

THE BORO Game Night, 8 p.m.

 SATURDAYS

NOBODY’S Trivia, 7 and 9:30 p.m.

SAM’S SPORTS GRILL Trivia, 8 p.m.

 WEDNESDAYS

COCONUT BAY Karaoke, 8:00 p.m.

CAMPUS PUB Karaoke, 10 p.m.–2:30 a.m.

NACHOS Trivia, 7 p.m.

NOBODY’S Karaoke, 9:15 p.m.–12:30 a.m.

WHISKEY DIX DJ Cliffy D, 8 p.m.

CAMPUS PUB Karaoke, 10 p.m.–2:30 a.m.

GEORGIA’S SPORTS BAR Karaoke, 7 p.m.

 SUNDAYS

GEORGIA’S SPORTS BAR Karaoke, 9 p.m.

NOBODY’S Karaoke, 9:15 p.m.–12:30 a.m.

SAM’S SPORTS GRILL Trivia, 8 p.m.

OLD CHICAGO Trivia, 9 p.m.

TGI FRIDAY’S Trivia, 9 p.m.

 THURSDAYS BOB’S BBQ Trivia, 7 p.m.

CAMPUS PUB Trivia, 6:15 and 8:15 p.m.

BOROPULSE.COM

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CONCERTS THURS, 8/3 PUCKETT’S GROCERY

Matt Marinchick

THE BORO

All-Star Jam Hosted

by Justin Johnson

FRI, 8/4

IF YOU GO

PULSE

Autograph Rehearsal Studio 1400 W. College St. 615-686-6121

PICK

NOBODY’S

Zone Status

Bonhoeffer’s 2022 E. Main St. 615-440-3794

THE BORO

Casey Jo & The Friday Night Dads, Dirty Delusions, Rye Baby

Carmen’s Taqueria 206 W. Northfield Blvd.

615-848-9003

SAT, 8/12

Carpe Artista 101 Front St., Smyrna 615-984-4038

Mike Dizill

BARFIELD CRESCENT PARK WILDERNESS STATION

Uncle Don Clark

CJ’S

Alexis Taylor

COCONUT BAY CAFE

Coconut Bay Café 210 Stones River Mall Blvd.

615-494-0504

Skyline Drive

GEORGIA’S SPORTS BAR AND GRILL

Garage Bar 405 N. Front St. 615-934-7464

Mixtape

LONE WOLF

COCONUT BAY CAFE GREEN DRAGON PUBLIC HOUSE MAYDAY BREWERY MURFREESBORO PUBLIC SQUARE NOBODY’S

PUCKETT’S GROCERY

Lisa Law and the Suspects

THE BORO

Harrington & Finch, Porcelain

SAT, 8/5 COCONUT BAY CAFE

Karaoke with Hitman Walker

GEORGIA’S SPORTS BAR AND GRILL

Greez Monkeez

MAYDAY BREWERY

Shannon Labrie

PUCKETT’S GROCERY

Makky Kaylor

SUN, 8/6 SHORT MOUNTAIN DISTILLERY

Robyn Taylor & The Shine

MON, 8/7 LONE WOLF

Jessica Brant

THURS, 8/10 MAYDAY BREWERY

Farmer Jason Robyn Taylor My July

Mesa Projects

Backlit, Horava, Silent Monolith, Trigger Digit, Aye Mammoth, Conquer the Distance, Silver Gun Superman, Ire and Uprise, Ataruu, The Verge, The Moose

MAYDAY BREWERY

West King String Band

THE BORO

Noisecult

SUN, 8/13 SHORT MOUNTAIN DISTILLERY

Robyn Taylor & The Shine

THE BORO

Borostock 29 with Love Montage, Third Motion, Red Light Symphony, Chris Michael Taylor Band, Jake Beavers & The Stones River Rundown, Tall Dark Stranger

FRI, 8/18

Songwriter Night Hosted

by Glenn Brown

COCONUT BAY CAFE

The O’Donnells Zone Status

MAIN STREET MUSIC

Burning Las Vegas

COCONUT BAY CAFE

MAYDAY BREWERY

LONE WOLF

NOBODY’S

DJ RDP

Red Light Angels, Fate of Adam, Flummox, Iraconji, Foovana, Resistance House Band

MAIN STREET MUSIC

Rubiks Groove

MAYDAY BREWERY

Alexis Taylor

Alexis Taylor

Marshall Creek

THE BORO

Borostock 29 with Oliver Fist, Aconundrum, Harrington & Finch, Ashes of Folly, Aye Mammoth, Murder Suicide

8 * AUGUST 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

Jazzmatazz 1824 Old Fort Pkwy.

615-624-6944

BURNING LAS VEGAS

Level 3 114 S. Maple St. 615-900-3754

FRIDAY, 8/18 @ MAIN STREET MUSIC

Legendary party band Burning Las Vegas returns to Murfreesboro this month, with a Friday, Aug. 18, date booked at Main Street Music. The band, complete with horn section and fun ensemble of vocalists and dancers, presents a funky revue of pop tunes from Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson to Lady Gaga and Sly and the Family Stone. Find tickets at eventbrite.com.

SAT, 8/19

THURS, 8/24

BIRD SONG STUDIO

MAYDAY BREWERY

COCONUT BAY CAFE

THE BORO

Graham Anthem Band

BARFIELD CRESCENT PARK

FRI, 8/11

Green Dragon 714 W. Main St. 615-801-7171

Jake Leg Stompers

THURS, 8/17

Old-Time Jam

THE BORO

CJ’s 352 W. Northfield Blvd.

615-546-4164

GEORGIA’S SPORTS BAR AND GRILL

Citizen Rejects

MAYDAY BREWERY

Josh Wanamaker

THE BORO

Borostock 29 with Intent City, Dead Rites, Sedona, Thunderfrog, Paige & The Texas Bargoyles, 1/2 Watt Astronaut

SUN, 8/20 SHORT MOUNTAIN DISTILLERY

Robyn Taylor & The Shine

THE BORO

Borostock 29 with The Brokestrings, Narwhal Empire, Rye Baby, Peepshow Poncho

MON, 8/21 MAYDAY BREWERY

Us & Them

Old-Time Jam

All-Star Jam Hosted

by Justin Johnson

FRI, 8/25 BARFIELD CRESCENT PARK

The Secret Commonwealth

COCONUT BAY CAFE

Karaoke with Hitman Walker

MAIN STREET MUSIC

Minus One

MAYDAY BREWERY

The Loose Hinges, Red Wine Hangover, Andrew White

SUN, 8/27 SHORT MOUNTAIN DISTILLERY

Robyn Taylor & The Shine

THURS, 8/31

MAYDAY BREWERY

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

NOBODY’S

THE BORO

Alexis Taylor Junkbox

THE BORO

Matt McCloskey Piano Stories

SAT, 8/26 CJ’S

Robyn Taylor

GEORGIA’S SPORTS BAR AND GRILL

Crossroads Band Lone Wolf Killing Grace, Bridges to Burn, The Clover Club

Brian Mueller

Radical Arts presents Comedy Night

FRI, 9/1 GREEN DRAGON PUBLIC HOUSE

Uncle Don Clark

MAYDAY BREWERY

Liquid Smoke #2 Public Square 615-217-7822 Main Street Music 527 W. Main St. 615-440-2425 Mayday Brewery 521 Old Salem Hwy. 615-479-9722 MT Bottle 3940 Shelbyville Hwy. 615-962-9872 MTSU Wright Music Building 1439 Faulkinberry Dr. 615-898-2469 Nacho’s 2962 S. Rutherford Blvd.

615-907-2700 Nobody’s Grille & BBQ 2227 Old Fort Pkwy.

615-962-8019 Patterson Park Community Center 521 Mercury Blvd.

(615) 893-7439 Phat Boyz Bar & Grill 4425 Woodbury Pk. 615-546-4526 Puckett’s Grocery and Restaurant 114 N. Church St. 629-201-6916 Shangri-La 1208 S. Lowry St., Smyrna (629) 255-8296

Byron Rice

Tempt 211 W. Main St. 615-225-7757

Everyday People

The Boro Bar & Grill 1211 Greenland Dr. 615-895-4800

MURFREESBORO PUBLIC SQUARE

Wall Street 121 N. Maple St. 615-867-9090

 View the monthly concert schedule at BoroPulse.com/Concerts  Send show listings to Listings@BoroPulse.com

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MUSIC NOTES

NARWHAL EMPIRE

 2017 BOROSTOCK SCHEDULE

Thursday, Aug. 17 Love Montage, Third Motion Red Light Symphony, Chris Michael Taylor Band Jake Beavers & the Stones River Rundown, Tall Dark Stranger Friday, Aug. 18 Oliver First, Aconundrum Harrington & Finch,

HELLO, AUGUST! Boy, it sure has been hot, but the great music keeps on coming. August is shaping up to be a good-looking month; hope you can tune in to The Justin Reed Show on Thursday mornings from 6–10 a.m. on 88.3 FM WMTS and thejustinreedshow.com.

AUG. 3: (Episode 192) The show welcomes Lissa Hart at 8 a.m. Hart comes from Branson, where she hosted the Lissa Hart Morning Show for 10 seasons and has shared the stage with Andy Williams, Tony Orlando and Moe Bandy. Hart now resides in Nashville and is a regular all over town. More details at hartlissa.wixsite.com.

At 9 a.m., the show welcomes back Eli Rhodes, and he will play live with Sarah Evans. MTSU alumni Rhodes returns to play some of his new music and catch up. He and Evans are currently touring as a duet!

29TH ANNUAL BOROSTOCK KICKS OFF AUG. 17 The BoroStock music festival is back for its 29th year. The four-day event begins Aug. 17 at The Boro Bar and Grill, located at 1211 Greenland Dr. There’s no cover to attend, and this year’s BoroStock features performances by Aye Mammoth, Ashes of Folly, Paige & the Texas Bargoyles and many others. The weekend of free music runs Aug. 17–20, with each night of music beginning at 8 p.m.

HEIDI RAYE, LISSA HART, JADA VANCE ON THE JUSTIN REED SHOW

Ashes of Folly, Aye Mammoth, Murder Suicide Saturday, Aug. 19 Intent City, Dead Rights, Sedona, Thunderfrog, Paige & the Texas Bargoyles, ½ Watt Astronaut Sunday, Aug. 20 The Brokestrings, Narwhal Empire Rye Baby, Peepshow Poncho — DYLAN SKYE AYCOCK

PAIGE & THE TEXAS BARGOYLES

AUG. 10: (Episode 193) At 8 a.m.

Jada Vance will drop by the show.

Vance, a Nashville native, has appeared on American Idol and she is currently working on a new EP! More information is at jadavance. com. Jamie Lee Thurston will make his debut at 9 a.m. Thurston has written cuts recorded by the likes of Rodney Atkins, Trace Adkins and Montgomery Gentry, and he will drop by to play live with new music. More information on him can be found at jamieleethurston.com.

AUG. 17: (Episode 194) Ava Paige will drop by at 8 a.m. and will play live.

Paige is a 12-year-old singer-songwriter on the road to releasing her next project; avapaigemusic.com has more information. Heidi Raye will drop by in the 9 a.m. hour. Signed to Harlan Howard Records, Raye is currently working with the new single “Worth a Shot” and will discuss her career and music. Find Heidi Raye on Facebook for more info.

AUG. 24: (Episode 195) The show welcomes Chris Rose at 8 a.m. Hailing from Virginia, Rose will drop by to play some of his new and recent singles live. Audra McLaughlin will visit at 9 a.m. A contestant on The Voice, McLaughlin is described as one of Blake Shelton’s favorite country singers. She started singing at age 8 and is currently promoting her newest EP. For more information, visit audramclaughlin.com.

Mark your calendars now for Sept. 28, 2017, as that will be the 200th episode of the show and big plans are in the works! For more information visit thejustinreedshow. com/200 and see the current lineup. Hope to have you tuned in this Thursday (and every Thursday)! Follow along with me and the show on all of the social media outlets: facebook.com/thejustinreedshow, facebook.com/justinreedradio, @tjrs_wmts and @JustinDReed on Twitter, and of course thejustinreedshow.com.

THIRD MOTION

Peace, Love and Ernest Tubb, — JUSTIN REED BOROPULSE.COM

* AUGUST 2017 * 9

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CHANGE MUSIK

Rap duo wants to help change lives, glorify God. STORY AND PHOTO

BY SCOTT WALKER

B

eing different while being yourself is sometimes the best thing anyone can do, especially in the current times when heroin is use growing and gang activity is on the rise. Rap artists around the country continue to hit a great bass note, but the messages in many of their songs are still similar to the messages that were made popular by the likes of NWA and the Ghetto Boys in the 1980s and early ’90s. However, two rap artists who live in Murfreesboro want to change that with their music.

David Manning and Humble Me perform as a rap duo called Change Musik. Their songs may sometimes mention gang violence, but instead of glorifying criminal activity, they choose to rap about the negative lifestyle that goes along with such enterprise.

“Hip-hop is very big on being real and true,” Manning stated recently. You may hear songs discussing drive-by shootings, drug deals gone bad and mistreating women—and the writers of those songs may have lived just that, a life surrounded by crime or violence. Manning, who grew up 10 * AUGUST 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

living with a family who ran carnivals, traveled from state to state seeing all sorts of lifestyles with negative outcomes. Despite his surroundings, he tried to pick positive things in his life to hold onto and value.

“I began to write music as my life began to change,” Manning said. He became a gospel rapper when he turned to Christianity. “Really, I want people to experience freedom, man. And anything apart from truth will lead you to bondage.”

Humble Me attended Oakland High School in Murfreesboro.

“I scored really high in socialization,” he

stated about his experience there. After his short stint at Oakland, he was transferred to Riverdale.

“When I got thrown out of Riverdale, that’s when I got saved,” Humble Me recalled. “When people start graduating and getting out of school, and you started when they went, it starts making you really look at your life.”

His next school was Holloway High School, which would be the third high school that Humble Me attended in Rutherford County. While there, he started to understand the value of good people and education. Of course, at age 19 he was older than most students.

While at Holloway, he spoke to thenprincipal Ivan Duggin, who told him that the school would once again start a basketball team if he could find at least 14 people to sign onto the team roster, which the student did. After helping to start the team he decided he wanted to play for the NBA. Amazingly, college representatives visited the school and watched Humble Me play, and some colleges even contacted him at home asking if he would play for their

school. But he turned the offers down when he felt that God told him to “speak to His people.” It was then that he decided that he would speak to the masses through music.

It was during those later high school years that Humble Me and David Manning teamed up to start a gospel rap duo.

Together, the two focused on a solutions to problems presented by other rap artists in their time like Tupac Shakur, Biggie, Jay Z, Eminem and Master P. “All of those guys were not painting a picture of negativity, some of them were just expressing their environment,” Humble Me said.

Still, Humble Me continues, many of the rappers in his time did not see, or discuss, a solution.

To both Humble Me and Manning, the solution was clear. Their solution was giving their lives to God. “If I’m really going to make an impact in my community and I’m gonna really reach back then this is the best means to do it by,” Manning said, talking about living a positive lifestyle and rapping about the good that God can do in someone’s life. The duo wholeheartedly believes that music can be used to change lives in Murfreesboro, Nashville and far beyond.

“People look at us like, ‘Man, ya’ll are gospel rap artists?’” Manning said. “God wants to use whatever you got to bring people to him and bring glory to him. . . .

God has changed my life.”

In one of their songs, Change Musik raps: They say if you have faith just the size of a mustard seed Run into a forest blind probably wouldn’t hit a tree David beat Goliath with a sling and a stone Then we’ll sell a million records just singing these songs In addition to making music, Manning and Humble Me preach to others on their television show called Change TV, currently featured nationwide on CTN, Legacy TV and Walk TV. To learn more about their music or to contact them, visit changemusik.com; the duo encourages youth pastors to contact them through their website to schedule appearances at youth groups in the Middle Tennessee area.

ALBUMS

BY JOHN CONNOR COULSTON

ASHES OF FOLLY

MATT LUND

Ashes of Folly has followed up its 2016 EP, Ka Tet, and its 2015 full-length debut, The Chemical Plan, with yet another solid rock release.

A Rich Man’s Pile, a five-song project, not only continues the personal and anecdotal rock stylings of the band, but also adds in some new sonic flavors that contribute to a welcome change of pace. The biggest changes on the new EP come with the band itself: vocalist/guitarist Rick Perry, bassist Kevin Torbett and drummer Sammy Baker are now joined

by Jeff Keeran on the keys, while Perry adds acoustic guitars to his arsenal.

The title track focuses on a brief period of Perry’s life when he was homeless. A synth line that brings to mind The Cars snakes in and out of the track, but it’s only one example of the varied keyboard textures newest member Keeran brings to the band’s palette.

His country-tinged piano, at times evoking elements of ’70s-era Pink Floyd, joins Perry’s acoustic guitars for an organic-sounding blend on “In Your Head,” an unrequited-love ballad that gradually evolves into a grungier affair as electric guitars begin to dominate.

There’s a similar one-two-punch effect on the biting “Salty,” though the sober vibe somehow feels incompatible with the use of the “salty” adjective.

“Classic,” a discussion of bands turning beats to plastic, pits a piledriving, drum-driven rhythm against a somewhat repetitive chorus. The closer, “Meet the Man,” features stellar lyrics about someone on the way to meet their long-lost father but constantly being dragged down by their own mistakes and flaws. While yet another mid-tempo number, Baker’s spasms of syncopated drumming add rhythmic interest with a dynamic clatter that can seem a bit disorienting.

Those aspects are really only minor blemishes; A Rich Man’s Pile is a well-crafted EP of melodic and mildly inventive rock that pushes Ashes of Folly’s ’90s-inspired sound to the next level.

Matt Lund is a musical virtuoso with his hand in many genres. He’s in the Christian rock group Rescued Souls, the progressive band Axe of God, the classic cover act The Time Raiders and the jazz fusion project The Lund McVey Group. On Works 2, Lund combines compositional elements from those projects into a release that showcases the MTSU Jazz grad’s high level of skill.

Works 2 is the sequel to Lund’s last solo effort, Works (2006), and features the musician using a vast collection of string instruments (which are shown on the album’s cover). The songs focus on “hope, faith and love,” with Lund virtually splitting the album in secular and religious halves, throwing in some instrumentals.

Lund leads with the love songs, which are the most accessible tracks on Works 2. “I’ll Tell You Later” features beautifully composed string parts (especially the mandolin). The loose, almost improvisational sounding “I’m Gonna Write a Song About It” follows, full of rudimentary rhymes over a jangling acoustic guitar part and wielding a childlike sense of fun.

The Christian side of the record is bit less exciting unless you’re seeking worship songs. However, this side does bring probably the best song on the album, “Closer to God.” It’s upbeat and heartfelt with passionate, strong melodies and a solid instrumental solo.

The other strong cuts on Works 2 are the instrumentals, “Now I Can See” and “Anatomic Sub-Lexer, Pt. 2.” The tracks are sprawling pieces that exhibit Lund’s compositional and progressive strengths.

“Love of My Life” could come off as rough-sounding at first listen due to its stop-and-start structure, but if you sit back and let the music take you on a journey, it comes off as a score-like piece with highs and lows that could soundtrack any story of your choosing.

While it has some issues for passing listeners not interested in lengthy songs or worship-based tracks, Works 2 is a work of passion and skill that showcases one of Murfreesboro’s most talented musicians in a sweet spot of creativity.

A Rich Man's Pie

A CLASSIC OUTSTANDING

Works 2

AVERAGE BELOW AVERAGE

AVOID AT ALL COSTS DEAD

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Free, Kid-Friendly Summer Concerts Farmer Jason, Kidsville, Mr. Steve and more!

W

BY DYLAN SKYE AYCOCK

ith students jumping back on the school bus for the first day of school, you might be looking for weekend events the entire family will enjoy. In addition to the typical leisure activities like sporting events and pool parties, there will be an abundance of free, kid-friendly outdoor concerts this August, including Barfield Crescent Park’s free summer concert series beginning Saturday, Aug. 11.

From songs about nature and animals by everyone’s favorite musical farmer, Farmer Jason, to tunes about sharing and caring by Nashville-based children’s performer Mr. Steve, get out and soak up the sunshine at the following free events in Middle Tennessee:

BARFIELD CRESCENT PARK SUMMER CONCERT SERIES 

Head out to Barfield Crescent Park Fridays in August for its annual free outdoor concerts series.

Music and wilderness will collide beginning Friday, Aug. 11 with a performance by five-piece folkrock group GRIZZLY GOAT, followed by the O’DONNELLS, a Rockvale-based father-son country duo, on Aug. 18.

The Secret Commonwealth will close out the series on Aug. 25 with an exciting blend of Irish, Scottish, old-time, blues and folk tunes. Visit Outdoor Murfreesboro on Facebook for any event updates or call 615-217-3017 for details.

DETAILS: Friday, Aug. 11, 18 and 25, 6–8 p.m.

LOCATION: Pavilion #7 at Barfield Crescent Park, 697 Veterans Pkwy.

 3RD FRIDAY NIGHT CONCERT SERIES AT CANNONSBURGH VILLAGE

 WILD ARTS DAY WITH FARMER JASON

In addition to its free concert series, The Wilderness Station at Barfield Crescent Park will host children’s performer Farmer Jason for its annual Wild Arts Day. Farmer Jason, otherwise known as Jason Ringenberg of the award-winning band Jason and the Scorchers, presents a riveting hybrid of country-folk, punk-rock and traditional kids music the entire family will enjoy. With songs like “Corny Corn,” “Catfish Song,” “Bayou Boogie,” “Punk Rock Skunk” and “Dyson the Bison,” kids will learn about nature and sustainability while dancing to the music and having fun.

In addition to the music, look around at the artwork by local students, professionals and animals, along with puppet shows and an art scavenger hunt. If the family is feeling adventurous, check out various walking trails and wild animals that will be onsite.

Nothing pairs better with free music than a host of local food trucks. On Friday, Aug. 18, indulge in good food and music when the 3rd Friday Night Concert Series returns to Cannonsburgh Village. This month’s featured performer is GRASSTIME, a five-piece bluegrass group out of Nashville. So bring lawn chairs or a blanket for the family, grab a bite to eat and listen to a symphony of banjos, fiddles and mandolins under the stars. The food trucks will begin serving at 6 p.m., an hour before the music is slated to begin.

DETAILS: Saturday, Aug. 12, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.

LOCATION: The Wilderness Station, Barfield Crescent Park, 697 Veterans Pkwy.

DETAILS: Friday, Aug. 18, 6–9 p.m.

LOCATION: Cannonsburgh Village, 312 S. Front St.

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 KIDSFEST WITH MR. STEVE AT NASHVILLE’S LIVE ON THE GREEN

Live on the Green, Nashville’s annual free concert series at Public Square Park, wouldn’t be complete without a performance by Mr. Steve, the Music Man. If his name sounds familiar, Mr. Steve has entertained the Nashville community as a children’s songwriter and performer for more than 10 years and is the host of The Early Birds with Mr. Steve every Thursday morning on Lightning 100. To listen to his music, including songs like “Sharing is Caring” and “Green Means Go,” visit mrstevemusic.com.

DETAILS: Saturday, Sept. 2, 1–2:30 p.m.

LOCATION: The 615 Stage, Public Square Park, 350 Deaderick St., Nashville

 KIDSVILLE AT NASHVILLE’S MUSICIANS CORNER CONCERT SERIES

Musicians Corner is a free concert series held each Saturday through Sept. 16 at Centennial Park in Nashville. In addition to the main stage, the family-friendly event features Kidsville, a place for parents to bring their little ones to enjoy musical meet-andgreets, a featured craft area, a children’s stage with toy instruments, various athletic game stations and sensory play areas during each event. Aside from Musicians Corner, Kidsville presents a weekly event each Saturday from 11–11:45 a.m. at The Parthenon in Centennial Park. Kidsville is free for families of children ages 12 and younger. Visit kidsvilleonline.org/events to keep up with special events at Musicians Corner.

DETAILS: Every Saturday through Sept. 16 LOCATION: Outside at Centennial Park, located at the southwest lawn of

park on the corner of West End and 27th Avenue North, Nashville.

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MUSIC NOTES

WYNONNA SHOOTS LATEST MUSIC VIDEO AT OAKLANDS American music icon and five-time Grammy award winner Wynonna Judd has released her first new music video in 14 years. The visually compelling “Keeps Me Alive” is set in the graceful Oaklands Mansion, and is a soulful, stirring musical journey showcasing Judd’s incredible vocal ability. Wynonna and her band, The Big Noise, are joined on this track by slide guitar master Derek Trucks.

“This was a meaningful location choice

for Wynonna’s new video because Oaklands’ story is one about strong women,” said James Manning, Executive Director of Oaklands Mansion.

The plantation began when Sallie Hardee Murfree Maney received 274 acres, including a substantial spring and natural wetland, as an inheritance from her father Col. Hardee Murfree, the man for whom Murfreesboro was named. After Sallie’s death, her daughter-in-law Adaline Cannon

Maney became the second owner of the property, even during her own husband’s lifetime. It was she who made Oaklands appear as it does today. After her ownership, the mansion was purchased by a wealthy widow from Memphis. Years later, the last person to live at Oaklands, a single woman, left Oaklands and moved to a local hotel. The mansion fell into ruin and would have been demolished if it were not for 10 community-minded ladies who formed an

educational nonprofit organization in order to save the historic site.

Oaklands Mansion is nestled in Oaklands Park, a native tree arboretum and natural wetlands, which includes Maney Spring as well as heritage and native gardens. The mansion is open for guided tours Tuesday–Saturday from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. and Sundays 1–4 p.m.

Watch the full music video at oaklands mansion.org or at wynonna.com.

SHRED FEST, FRI 8/11 AND SAT 8/12 @ LONE WOLF SALOON Local musician and promoter Shania Blake, a.k.a. Sista Shred, is turning 21, and some of the top rock and metal bands in the area are gathering to celebrate. Iraconji, Aye Mammoth, Silent Monolith, Trigger Digit, Horava and many others will perform at Lone Wolf Saloon in Smyrna (formerly Shangri-La) on Friday, Aug. 11, and Saturday, Aug. 12, in what will be a weekend thrash bash that goes to 11. There is no cover charge, and bands begin at 6 p.m. on Friday and noon on Saturday. Lone Wolf is located at 1208 S. Lowry St., Smyrna.

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SILVER GUN SUPERMAN

Living

Senior Girl Scout uniform from late 1960s

Peace, Love and Piedmont Murfreesboro Girl Scouts Celebrate 50 years of camping and learning at Historic Camp Piedmont.

BY ELIZABETH TULLOS

F

or the 50th anniversary of Camp Piedmont, local Girl Scouts flashed back to 1967 at the annual day camp to learn more about the history of their beloved campsite and organization.

Nestled between Murfreesboro and Woodbury off of John Bragg Highway, Camp Piedmont has continued to serve as the primary camping destination for Rutherford and Cannon County Girl Scouts since its purchase in 1967.

Before the 32-acre site was transformed into grounds for camping, hiking, archery and large group activities, Camp Piedmont belonged to the Hall family for generations, once known as the Piedmont Plantation. The property was part of an original land grant to David Barton Hall in 1812 for his military service.

When the Girl Scouts of Cumberland Valley sought to add a campsite to serve Girl Scouts in Middle Tennessee, Ms. Mary Hall, a Murfreesboro resident renowned for her dedication to educating women and girls, agreed to sell the property to the Cumberland Valley Council in 1967. Senior Girl Scout Troop #688 from Maplewood High School in Nashville were the first scouts to use the property for primitive camping prior to the construction of the camp lodge.

The 2,300-square-foot lodge at Piedmont was completed in 1968 to provide camping facilities for a 32-member troop or for training events. The first Murfreesboro Day Camp at Camp Piedmont was held in 1968 with 41 girls 16 * AUGUST 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

Vintage inspired postcard drawn by day camp voluneer Ms. Lynn Wilson.

1960s Girl Scout equipment

attending and five staff members. Today, nearly 50 years later, Camp Piedmont hosts between 150 and 200 Girl Scouts and staff members each summer.

“Camp Piedmont sits near the foot of Pilot Knob, a hill

that is the highest point of land in Rutherford County, rising approximately 600 feet from its base,” says Cindy Robinson, the director of the Murfreesboro Day Camp at Piedmont and Archivist and Historian for the Girl Scout Council of Middle Tennessee. “No one knows who coined the name ‘Pilot Knob.’ It was called that when the first settlers came to this area. Native Americans used it as a guide point, a lookout, and a location for sending smoke signals,” Robinson says.

“During the Civil War, both the North and South considered Pilot Knob important enough that there were several skirmishes in the area over who had possession of it. It was very important during the battle of Stones River and was used as a signal station, and with a telescope you could see the courthouse in downtown Murfreesboro,” Robinson continued. Even today, on a clear day, you can see Murfreesboro from the peak of the hill. The current owner has graciously allowed some Girl Scouts to climb it, including Cindy and Laura Robinson and some other adults and older girl campers.

To celebrate the 50-year anniversary of Camp Piedmont, the day camp theme this year was “Peace, Love and Piedmont,” with many of the camp activities reminiscent of

Platform tents at Camp Piedmont

the late 1960s. Girl scouts of all ages were able to experience Camp Piedmont like the first scouts to camp there in 1967 by learning to do macrame, tie-dye, spin art and other period crafts. Campers earned original 60s-era vintage Girl Scout badges that they will be able to wear on their uniforms. In keeping with Girl Scout tradition, everyone participated in the outdoor skills program, which teaches campers about outdoor cooking, nature study, toolcraft, first aid and safety. As a special service project, the girls made cards and posters expressing their appreciation to Mrs. Bertha Chrietzberg for her efforts in establishing Camp Piedmont.

On the last day of day camp this year,

Ms. Robinson arranged a display of vintage 1960s Girl Scout camp equipment and uniforms in the lodge with a presentation on the history of Camp Piedmont.

Campers learned more about what Camp Piedmont was like for its earliest campers, the history of the camp and how the Girl Scout traditions followed by previous generations continue today. Families of the campers were invited for a picnic lunch and birthday cupcakes, and everyone enjoyed crafts, games, songs and other activities outside in the meadow.

To learn more about getting involved with the Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee, visit gsmidtn.org.

Living O

n Monday, Aug. 21, millions of people across the United States will observe a total solar eclipse, the first to span the U.S. since 1918.

The rare event, which is being referred to as the “Great American Eclipse,” will sweep across the U.S. in a narrow band—from Oregon to South Carolina—over a span of almost two hours. Lucky for Middle Tennessee residents, Murfreesboro and surrounding areas fall within the 70-mile radius allowing them to experience the full spectacle.

According to NASA projections, Murfreesboro will fall in the “path of totality” at about 1:29 p.m., in which the moon’s shadow will completely block out the the sun, revealing a “hidden, halo-like corona.” During the span of about a minute, expect to feel a slight drop in temperature as the sky darkens and thousands of heads position toward the sky.

For those wondering when the next eclipse of this significance will occur, Eric Klumpe, a professor in MTSU’s Department of Physics and Astronomy, says you will have to wait until 2566, making this year’s event a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The last time the Murfreesboro area witnessed a total eclipse was in 1478.

“When you think about it, that was before Columbus reached this continent . . . Europe was still going through a Renaissance when Murfreesboro had an eclipse like this,” Klumpe says. “If that doesn’t get you excited about making this a priority for your summer, I don’t know what would.”

 WHERE TO WATCH

According to NASA’s official eclipse website, Murfreesboro resides on the southern edge of the path of totality.

One of the largest events in the area is at Middle Tennessee State University, where thousands of students and visitors will attend a four-hour watch party, according to a release.

“This eclipse is unusual, very unusual, in that it’s cutting right through populated areas,” said Bud Fischer, dean of the MTSU College of Basic and Applied Sciences.

“Frankly, if you don’t make the effort to experience it, you will miss the event of a lifetime.”

According to the Tennessee Valley Authority, tens of thousands of people are expected to travel through the state to view the Aug. 21 cosmic event. Experts at TVA are gearing up for the event by ensuring its public sites are ready to handle the expected crowds.

18 * AUGUST 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

 SAFETY

According to MTSU physics and astronomy professor Chuck Higgins, the department will live-stream the event on screens outside the observatory building so that people can safely view the eclipse. In addition to the livestream, there will be viewing resources available for guests, such as special eclipse glasses, telescopes with solar filters and hydrogen alpha telescopes.

“If you’re going to look directly at the sun, you absolutely need the special solar eclipse glasses,” Higgins adds in an instructional video on eclipse safety. “Only during totality . . . when the moon is completely covering the sun . . . can you look directly at the sun.”

 EVENTS

OUT OF THIS WORLD

Experience the Great American Eclipse in Middle Tennessee STORY BY DYLAN SKYE AYCOCK “We’re preparing for the eclipse like any other busy holiday weekend,” said Jerry Fouse, TVA’s recreation strategy specialist, in a release. “With all the folks visiting, we want our recreation areas perfect so they keep coming back.”

With several campgrounds already booked for overnight stay, there are many state parks within driving distance from

Murfreesboro, including Cedars of Lebanon State Park (2 minutes, 19 seconds of totality), Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park (1 minute, 55 seconds) and Radnor Lake State Park (1 minute, 15 seconds).

“We’re open for this unique opportunity, and we want everyone to safely see the eclipse and enjoy the Valley’s southern hospitality,” Fouse adds.

MTSU professors are helping Murfreesboro residents make the most of the eclipse with public events leading up to Aug. 21. MTSU’s Department of Physics and Astronomy will host two “Star Parties”, as well as an oncampus panel discussion with U.S. astronomers Aug. 20. “Star Parties” will be held Aug. 4 and Aug. 11 at 7:30 p.m.in McWherter Learning Resources Center Room 221. A Sunday, Aug. 20, panel discussion will be in Science Building Room 1006 at 3 p.m.

If you would like to experience the “Great American Eclipse” with others, check out these Middle Tennessee happenings on Aug. 21, including the special four-hour event at MTSU: Middle Tennessee State University (Science Building Courtyard), 1301 E. Main St., 11 a.m.–3 p.m.

The event will feature performances by artists on Match Records, MTSU’s studentrun record label, from 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m., as well as various tents with activities run by faculty. From 12:30 p.m.–1:15 p.m., the stage will feature a science show with professors prepping the crowd for the solar phenomenon. The totality will be at 1:29 p.m. and last about two minutes.

Mayday Brewery 521 Old Salem Rd., 11 a.m.–3 p.m.

Pink Floyd tribute band Us and Them will perform Dark Side of the Moon in entirety, beginning at 12:46 p.m., which will bring the climax of the album’s last cut, “Eclipse,” during the total eclipse of the sun at 1:29 p.m. After the eclipse, the band will play a few more “sunny” tunes. Additionally,

Mayday head brewer Kelsey Nelson will debut a small batch, “Eclipse,” a habanero stout to represent the heat of the sun behind the dark moon.

Siegel Park Pavilion 515 Cherry Ln., 1 p.m.

Solar viewing glasses will be provided on a first-come, firstserved basis.

Linebaugh Public Library 105 W. Vine St., 1 p.m.

The library, in partnership with STAR Library Education Network, will provide viewing glasses and STEM activities related to the eclipse.

Community Care of Rutherford County 901 E. County Farm Rd. 12–3 p.m.

The nursing home and health care facility will hold an eclipse viewing for residents and guests.

Stones River National Battlefield Visitor Center 3501 Old Nashville Hwy., Murfreesboro, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

Activities ranging from astronomical to historical will be available prior to the solar eclipse. The first 1,500 visitors will receive a complimentary pair of eclipse viewing glasses.

Skydive Tennessee 807 William Northern Blvd., Tullahoma, During totality Skydive Tennessee is offering the chance to experience the solar eclipse 14,000 feet in the air.

Skydive and freefall through the air during the moment of totality with the establishment’s special eclipse skydiving package, which includes a video. Visit skydive tullahoma.com for more details.

Jug Creek Distillery 1049 Oregon Rd., Lascassas Aug. 19–21 Jug Creek will host a weekend of music, games, cocktails and a whole-hog barbecue the Saturday and Sunday before Monday’s eclipse.

To read more about the Aug. 21 event and to view an interactive map, visit NASA’s official eclipse web site, eclipse2017.nasa.gov.

Living

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t’s hard to think of planting fall vegetables in this 90-degree weather.

However, we are quickly approaching the cut-off time to get fall vegetables started from seed. Think about planting leafy greens (collards, lettuce, kale, spinach, turnip greens) and root crops (beets, carrots, Irish potatoes, turnip roots).

Add additional, prolific vegetables like bush beans, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, peas, radish, squash and some tomatoes to that guideline and you will have another production of vegetables this fall.

Fall vegetables are quick-producing crops and cool season crops and as such can be problematic for germinating in our August weather. One “trick” is to keep them shaded so they don’t scorch or dry out. I know of one Master Gardener who has recommended germinating them in moist ground, covered by cardboard until the sprouts appear. Once they are out, gradually “harden” the sprouts to the summer sun over several days until the cardboard can be removed altogether.

Square Foot Gardening

In an ideal garden in this area, the gardener replaces spent plants and crops throughout the growing season, which starts in February. Some will refer to this method as “square foot gardening.” The new plants that are placed into a spent area of the garden should be different than what just finished growing there. This one action will minimize insect attacks on the newly planted vegetables. Also, you may need to add nitrogen fertilizer as a side dressing to the vegetables planted at the end of the growing season or following a previous crop. Nitrogen gets used up quickly and additional application will surely assist in production.

Cover Crops

As we will run into the first hard frost (approximately Oct. 13 in Murfreesboro) with fall gardening, see if you can plan to extend the growing season. Cover the crops on a projected freeze-by-freeze basis; grow them under a heat retention system that can be ventilated; consider planting in a hoop house. We can usually count on the growing season extending with an Indian summer after the first freeze. We do have mild winters here so with the exception of a 20 * AUGUST 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

Farmers Market Education Series

BY EDWINA SHANNON

It’s best to be prepared for any disaster that may strike. This class will teach you the function and importance of an Emergency Food Kit as well as how to prepare one.

AUG. 11

Time to Plant Fall Crops and Other Garden Considerations

few weeks at the beginning of the year, we can be food producers almost year-round.

As a side note, when you are not growing vegetables in your garden, consider growing a cover crop that can be plowed into the soil before it seeds. Why? Several reasons—open, bare fields lose nutrients and topsoil. As gardeners, we want to keep both. Select the best cover crop by deciding the need or use the crop will fulfill. Common goals are often to provide nitrogen, add organic matter, reduce soil erosion, provide weed control, manage nutrients and supply a killed mulch.

A study at UT Ag confirmed the best time to plant cover crops is in October.

The vegetable production is minimal or finished, and November plantings are getting too late for a high germination. It was also noted that two cover crops, a grain and a legume, do result in optimum benefits for both. A grain/legume planting in early to mid October would generate the highest soil coverage for the spring as well as a good nitrogen fix. Either rye, triticale or wheat planted with hairy vetch, winter pea or crimson clover would achieve this goal.

As the fall season approaches and the end of the vegetables is in sight, select seed for next year from productive plants.

Do not bother to save seed from hybrids as the production from second-year hybrid seed is non-existent or defective. Save seed only from heirloom plants.

Use the RC Farmers Market YouTube

channel as a resource. The Rutherford County Farmers Market, held at 315 John R. Rice Blvd. each Tuesday and Friday, offers free classes at 9 a.m. in the Community Center in the Lane AgriPark. This is a producers-only market, so come meet the people who are producing what you are buying.

Upcoming Farmers Market Classes AUG. 1 Backyard Chickens 101 Kim Hall, Extension Agent We’ll discuss issues related to chickens in your backyard. Topics include breed selection, housing, feeding, flock health and city/county regulations.

AUG. 4 Koi Ponds Kim Hall, Extension Agent Learn how to incorporate koi ponds to enhance your yard’s beauty.

AUG. 8 Preparing for Disaster: Emergency Food Kit Misty Layne-Watkins, Extension Agent

Butterfly Gardening Linda Lindquist Certified Master Gardener Bring beautiful butterflies to your garden with helpful tips.

AUG. 15 Intensive Gardening Techniques Richard Lee Certified Master Gardener Ask more of your garden! Make the most of your space and harvest greater yields all season long using intensive gardening strategies.

AUG. 18 Learn to Quilt Quilting Bees of Murfreesboro Participants will have the opportunity to sew a block of their own to take home or to contribute to a community quilt. All experience levels welcome.

AUG. 22 Water: Our Most Threatened Resource Cynthia Allen, MTSU; and Katie Peay, Rutherford County Planning & Engineering “Drop in the Bucket” is an interactive lesson showing our limited resources.

AUG. 25 Healthy Beginnings, Making Smart Breakfast Choices Tiffany Schmidt, Extension Agent; Kim Munter-Verge and Karla Erazo, Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program Fun, easy and healthy breakfast ideas and recipes. Eat the right amount of calories for you based on your age, sex, height, weight and physical activity level.

AUG. 29 Seasonal Eating Carla Bush, Extension Agent Eat what’s in season! It’s easy on the wallet, and what could be better than food at its peak of flavor, texture and nutrition?

Living

A Blast to the Past STORY BY LUCAS JAMES STEPP

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his past March, A Blast to the Past Nostalgia Mall opened in Manchester, Tenn. The mall offers an assortment of old-school vintage items, from baseball and sports memorabilia to video games, from furniture to Star Wars collectibles. Father and son duo James and Wesley Colwell launched the store, and they want it to be a fun place for their customers.

“Going to antique malls to find what you want, you’ve got to search through a lot of stuff; we wanted a nostalgia store where if people wanted an old record or video games, they had somewhere where they could go right to it, and not have to dig through a bunch of other stuff,” said James Colwell, on why the two initially started the mall.

The mall is interesting, and has specific types of items organized in different booths, in order for guests to have an easy way of finding what they are looking for. If someone were to come in wanting to search for baseball collectibles, they would be able to go to those specific sections and see what is all available; if they were looking for Nintendo 64 22 * AUGUST 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

Store opens the floodgates of nostalgia for children of the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s.

games, or vinyl records, they can go right to those booths.

“It’s designed for someone who wants to go and relive their childhood, in a retail environment, and find games they once played or toys they once played with,” said James.

Both James and Wesley had been collecting items for years when they originally decided to open A Blast to the Past. Wesley had been building his collection of video games, and James had been collecting records. Much of the mall’s supply came out of their own collections, but they have had to to go and find things on occasion, and do work with other collectors at the nostalgia mall.

A Blast to the Past provides vendors the opportunity to set up their own booths with items that they have collected over the years. One section in particular contains Star Wars memorabilia stretching back over the last 40 years; shoppers can find fun characters from decades past including the Smurfs, Hulk Hogan, Stevie Wonder and Mario. The mall also has records that cover nearly every genre, from The Beatles to classic country to Pink Floyd to Elvis.

“You name a genre of a record and chances are we have it,” said James.

What the store specializes in more than anything else, though, is vintage video games. The stories carries older systems such as the NES and Nintendo 64, even going back to the Commodore 64. For someone who is a “video game junkie” they’re going to find some stuff here that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to find, according to James.

James says they plan on expanding the mall into a back room that will host another 10 booths for the shop. Other potential plans include bringing in baseball players to sign memorabilia, starting up Friday-night Magic: The Gathering tournaments, hosting Facebook Live chats, and a monthly sidewalk sale every third Saturday of the month.

“We plan on expanding the nostalgia mall to be even bigger and better than it is now, with even more variety,” said James.

For more information on the store, find A Blast to the Past Nostalgia Mall on Facebook, or call (931) 9540235 for more information on becoming a vendor. A Blast to the Past is located at 2116 Woodbury Hwy., Manchester; business hours are Thursday through Saturday from 9 a.m.–6 p.m., and Sundays from 12–5 p.m.

831 Park Ave. Murfreesboro TN 37129 www.climbyourrock.com 615-796-6545

Living

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he Gr8t Chase will hold its second annual 5K Run/Walk at Gateway Island Park at 7 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 26.

Bueller, an ’80s cover band, will rock out with the event’s “Back to the ’80s” theme, Star Wars characters from the Midsouth Garrison will be on hand, Krispy Kreme will be there with the “hot” sign on and the event will include other vendors and festivities.

Chase was diagnosed with Burkitt’s Lymphoma two days after his 10th birthday.

He battled cancer for almost eight months before succumbing to the disease.

“Chase was like the sun: brilliant, radiant and able to light up the world,” said Jennifer Yeatts, Chase’s mother and founder of The Gr8t Chase. “He was a rare soul who found caring and loving others an easy priority. Throughout his fight, he still put others’ needs and wants before his own.”

When he was asked by the Make-A-Wish foundation what would he like to have or do, he asked for new gym equipment for his school, rather than anything for himself.

At the end, he didn’t fear dying, he feared being forgotten, Yeatts said.

The foundation’s goal is to continue Chase’s legacy by putting others first, helping where we can, and choosing hope in dark circumstances.

More from Yeatts on the mission of The Gr8t Chase: It is our goal to continue to raise awareness for childhood cancer, and other childhood illnesses while making it easier on those who live with that disruption of their lives.

Helping ease the burden for those in the fight is exactly what Chase wanted to do.

Matthew 17:20 (KJV) says, “and Jesus said unto them, because of your unbelief: verily I say unto you, if you have faith as a grain of a mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you.”

Chase had a way of leaving you with a mustard seed, and now, we will move mountains for him. It is time to have a “C” word that causes smiles, instead of fear; one that can’t be forgotten: The Gr8t Chase.

While Chase was in the hospital we knew one day we would start a foundation to help others going through the same thing, as it was his spirit. After his passing we have con-

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Gr8t Chase 5K coming up Aug. 26 at Gateway Island in Murfreesboro centrated efforts on raising funds for cancer research and grant wishes for first-time and recurrent cancer patients.

As a mom who sat beside a hospital bed for almost eight months, with very few

nights at home, I know money, bills, worry and anxiety tend to add up. Worry alone for your child exhausts you. Time crawls, yet everything seems so out of control and that it needs to happen now. One tiny thing gone

wrong depletes your energy, leaving you unable to think or solve problems.

While helping other families, it hit me what we wanted The Gr8t Chase to become.

We had “adopted” a family who was having to live in Baltimore for months on end. The grass needed mowing, rains had flooded their shop, weeds were killing her landscape and insurance was telling them they had to come home, yet that was the only hospital that specialized in their child’s type of cancer. We wanted to fix it! All of it! Didn’t this mom have enough to worry about without grass sending her over the edge?

We want to ease those types of burdens. To have our foundation swoop in, like Chase, and help someone carry that load. To buy medicine when insurance says “no” and doctors say “it’s a matter of life and death.”

Mow a lawn.

Build a ramp for the wheelchair they now have to have to enter their home since chemotherapy has taken the use of their legs.

Help purchase a tombstone worthy of their loved one, not just one they can afford.

We want to help carry those burdens and lift them off our fellow cancer (and other life-limiting illnesses) families’ shoulders and let them focus on what really matters; being strong for who needs them.

That is The Gr8t Chase’s passion and mission.

The Gr8t Chase 5K, held Aug. 26, will be professionally chip timed by Rabbit Road Racing. Gateway Island is located at 1875 W. College St., Murfreesboro. For more information on The Gr8t Chase, visit thegr8tchase.org, call 615-495-3922 or email jennifer@thegr8tchase.org; register for the race at register.chronotrack.com.

BUELLER

Art

FEATURES WORK FROM JOSEPH HECKLE, J. OLIVER LANGSTON AND A HOST OF OTHER AREA ARTISTS

 EVENT

THE AUGUST BORO ART CRAWL, which takes place on the Murfreesboro Public Square and environments near the downtown area, will again feature lots of art from local and regional artists. It will take place on Friday, Aug. 11, from 6–9 p.m.

Joseph Heckle’s collection of abstract impressionistic art, titled “The Night That Awoke in the Middle of Me,” will be on exhibit in the Murfreesboro City Hall Rotunda.

Heckle said his creation of visual art began after a period of dark years in his life.

“Late in August of 2013, after a decade of sincere addiction, deep depression and, toward the end, multiple hospitalizations, I quit drinking alcohol,” the artist said. “Roughly six months later, I began an attempt to visually express my sickness and frustration.”

Prior to this time, Heckle said his creative pursuits were primarily musical.

“After about six months of simply relearning how to live as something other than a suicidal addict, the creative floodgates didn’t just open, they more or less vanished entirely. Music wasn’t enough; I needed a visual outlet to express all the flotsam and jetsam roaming around my head. Abstract expressionism was an easy choice,” he said. “The pieces themselves . . . are open to infinite interpretation.

“Their best possible purpose, is to make you feel something.”

Meanwhile at the August Art Crawl, Vibe Nutrition will feature the work of Deborah Scott and Sally Wright, while Mayday Brewery will show the art of Oliver Langston. Other featured artists include Suzanne LeBeau, Alexis Frost, Joyce Cummings, Karen Brackman, Dave Jackson, Sally Burk and Dan Sharley.

Amelia’s Closet, Bella’s Boutique, Trendy Pieces, Center for the Arts, Concert Productions, Murfreesboro City Hall Rotunda, Jimmy Fox Insurance, Vibe Nutrition, VNTG, Green Dragon, Two-Tone Gallery, Mayday Brewery, Murfreesboro Art League, Dreamingincolor, Sugaree’s, Quinn’s Mercantile, Sugaree’s, Funtiques, Let’s Make Wine, Simply Pure Sweets, The Boutique at Studio C Photography and The Write Impression will also host artists.

RETURNS AUG. 11

For more information about the Boro Art Crawl, held the second Friday of every other month, visit boroartcrawl.com or facebook.com/boroartcrawl. A map of the crawl locations will be available online, and at each participating location on the night of the crawl.

Above, works by Joseph Heckle; at right, painting by J. Oliver Langston

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 2017 / EVENT MAP / ART / MUSIC / POETRY / LOCAL 1

3 4 2 • GREEN • Curated by Art Crawl organizers with art for all ages

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• RED • 21+ May display more mature art • PURPLE • Self-curated galleries

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Amelia’s Closet 810 NW Broad St., Suite 10

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Concert Productions 217 W. Main St.

2

The Green Dragon Public House 714-F W. Main St.

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Vibe Nutrition 208 W. Main St.

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Simply Pure Sweets 118 N. Walnut St.

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Dreamingincolor 504 N. Maney Ave.

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Jimmy Fox Insurance 123 N. Maple St.

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Quinn’s Mercantile 301 N. Spring St.

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Moxie Gallery 302 W. Vine St.

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Center for the Arts 110 W. College St.

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City Hall Rotunda 111 W. Vine St.

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Liquid Smoke 2 N. Public Square

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Sugaree’s 122 S. Maple St.

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Let’s Make Wine 109 E. Main St.

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Bella’s Boutique 109 S. Church St.

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Trendy Pieces 111 S. Church St.

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o The Write Impression 120 S. Maple St.

p FunTiques

118 S. Maple St.

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Murfreesboro Art League 312 S. Front St.

Two-Tone Art Gallery 17 S. Public Square

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Mayday Brewery 521 Old Salem Rd.

Boutique at StudioC 201 W. Main St., Ste. 206

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Earth Experience 816 Old Salem Rd.

HISTORIC MURFREESBORO SQUARE

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THIS MONTH

Belly Dancing and Body Painting at Sugaree’s!

Art

Read more about local music at

boropulse.com/category/art

NIGHTS OF COMEDY Local group stages M-Prov Comedy events at Mayday, Center for the Arts STORY BY JUSTIN STOKES

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hough the ’Boro might be a funny place to live, it’s not known for an abundance of comedy options, live or otherwise. Sure, George Manus Jr.’s Out Front is missed by those who frequented the venue, and Sam Clemens keeps busy running The Murfreesboro Tribune, but who are the dedicated funny-makers in 2017?

If you’re looking for a laugh in Murfreesboro, M-Prov (Murfreesboro Improv) might just be the tickle your funny bone needs. It’s an entity that M-Prov member Andrew Thornhill says “started initially as a group of guys who wanted to perform comedy in Murfreesboro.”

“We all had some form of comedic experience, but none of us really knew the intricacies of forming and running a group,” Thornhill says of the team. “We started with five people: E. Roy Lee, Sam DiMartino, Dan Jones, Gavin Dillinger and myself. We met in Roy’s kitchen and goofed off for a few months before we finally were able to book a show at the Center for the Arts, who have been superaccommodating since the get-go.”

He tells the Pulse that between himself and Lee there’s two decades of improvisational experience, earned through failed jokes and tested bits at the Nashville Improv Company.

He shares that DiMartino has a humble following through his YouTube channel, Jones does voice actor work, Amanda Tucker performs various tricks of physicality with hula hoops, and that Dillinger is a writer.

Andrew adds “We’re all extremely creative folks who use improv as not only a chance to be funny, but an outlet for unbridled creativity in a setting where it’s

30 * AUGUST 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

okay to explore different options and work together to create something truly unique.”

As a unit, the team is looking to learn and grow, which has had them doing the Whose Line Is It Anyway? style of stuff and branching out into material that warrants a loose script—like last February’s comboholiday package We Love You, President Groundhog that combined video, games and everything else.

The members see the M-Prov group as a way to get better at their individual hobbies by creating a “no filter” atmosphere that encourages quick-on-your-feet thinking while serving as “an exercise in trust, honesty and vulnerability.”

Because they don’t limit themselves, they see a motley crew of demographics that has packed several theater bookings. Past events like the Geek Pride Parade and the Discovery Center’s Shakesbeer have shared space on the calendar with the Mayday ’Boro Comedy Night – M-Prov’s regular variety show that mixes stand-up with sketch performances.

“Well, we certainly aren’t rehearsing in a kitchen anymore,” Thornhill says. “The group has succeeded in doubling in size and then some. We’ve seen cast members come and go and we’ve had a lot of fun in the process. Our first year of shows were pretty rocky at times. We weren’t sure if Murfreesboro even wanted an improv group.

And I don’t think Murfreesboro knew if they wanted one either! Now, we like to think people know what they’re getting into when they come to an M-Prov show.”

In addition to booking events, the group also offers workshops for people who are trying to make their daily grind a little less stale.

For more on Murfreesboro Improv, visit mprovboro.com. Mayday Brewery hosts the group’s Boro Comedy Night, an evening of standup, improv and sketch comedy, every third Friday, the next one coming up Aug. 18; M-Prov also has a Sept. 29 date scheduled at the Center for the Arts.

 THEATER

OAKLANDS HOSTS 1950S PROM MURDER MYSTERY ON AUG. 12 It’s prom night in the 1950s, a night that will bring memories for years to come . . . especially if the memories include murder. Oaklands Mansion will host a murder mystery dinner on Saturday, Aug. 12, from 6–10 p.m. The evening will include dinner, drinks and a chance to use your sleuthing skills.

Professional actors from Snyder Entertainment will lead the show as guests gather clues to identify the murderer. The scene is set in a 1950s prom atmosphere, and guests are invited to dress in themed attire such as vintage prom dresses and suits. A catered meal from Demos’ and drinks are all included in the $75 ticket price.

“This is our fourth murder mystery dinner hosted by Oaklands Mansion,” says Karen Whitaker, special events representative for Oaklands. “Guests are encouraged to dress in costume and have fun. Our murder mystery dinners have become very popular in the Middle Tennessee community and tickets sell out quickly.”

Contact Whitaker at (615) 809-4776 or events@oaklandsmansion.org, or visit oaklandsmansion.org to purchase tickets.

FAYE WOODRUFF BRINGS COMEDY ROUTINE TO WALL STREET Southern comedy legend Faye Woodruff, also known as the Grandmother from Hell, brings her comedy act to Wall Street on Friday, Aug. 11.

She may look like the typical sweet grandmother, but shortly after beginning her performance, it is evident that the foul-mouthed, sassy old lady enjoys a good dirty joke.

James Victor Cherry will open the night of comedy at Wall Street, which is located at 121 N. Maple St. For tickets and more information, visit maverickentertainmentpartners.com.

 ONSTAGE IN AUGUST PIRATES OF PENZANCE

7:30 p.m. on Aug. 11, 12, 18, 19, 25 and 26 2 p.m. Aug. 13, 20 and 27 Center for the Arts (110 W. College St.) boroarts.org

Movies

loved him, as well as Zendaya as Michelle.

The casting crew deserves a raise for their job selecting the young actors in this film.

The other star of this show is its story.

Homecoming is a great coming-of-age film that would easily stand up to any of the many other coming-of-age films we get every year. Holland and Robert Downey Jr. are great together, and RDJ goes through as much of a good story arc as he takes on the role of a father figure as Holland does learning the classic Spider-Man life lesson (tell ’em, Uncle Ben). There are several good story arcs in this film, including with the Vulture. Even Zendaya’s Michelle has a good arc here. I really have to give a lot of credit to Jonathan Goldstein and company for doing a great job here.

That said, it’s never good when the weakest part of an action movie is the action sequences, but unfortunately that is the case here. While overall the set-pieces are fine, I really did not care for the big battle sequence on the plane towards the end of the film. In this sequence the film flirts with “Spider-Man vs. Electro” levels of terrible as it was bitterly obvious that everything onscreen in front of us was fake. Unfortunately, this really detracts from the film, as it is meant to be the climax of the movie.

Also, please stop objectifying Marisa Tomei. She’s a terrific actress and did a great job in her extremely limited role as Aunt May, but it seemed like the film spent more time remarking on how hot she is versus actually letting her be Parker’s mother figure. She does get a great moment at the very end, though. Also, do yourself a favor and stay until the very end of the credits, because there is a gem of a post-credit scene waiting for you.

Ultimately, this is the Spider-Man film we needed and, were it not for a lackluster final action set piece, we might have been looking at a film as good as Baby Driver. As it is, we do have ourselves possibly the best Marvel film to date, and certainly the second-best film of 2017. — JOSEPH KATHMANN

satisfying thread comes from across the Channel, as the British Navy commissions all commercial and private boats to sail to Dunkirk. Mark Rylance is a standout as Mr. Dawson, who takes his own vessel straight to the battle, volunteering himself and his boat to the cause rather than just his boat.

Nolan says he looked to old silent epics for inspiration, and Dunkirk mirrors those sword-and-sandal classics in scale and spectacle, using roughly 1,000 extras on the beaches and over 50 actual ships at sea. The

effect is staggering; the beaches of Dunkirk feel vibrant and alive even as the specter of death looms over every inch of sand, sea and ship as well as in the air above.

Adhering to his silent-era inspiration, Nolan keeps the dialogue to a minimum, swapping developed characters for evocative vessels of pure, visceral dread. The soundtrack, conversely, is relentless, much like the barrage of bombs and bullets from the all-but-unseen Germans. Hans Zimmer’s score constantly ramps up the tension with its rhythmic, dissonant strings and a nervy, altered recording of one of the director’s actual pocket watches.

The point of such a jarring and unceasing theme is not lost, but it verges on overkill, often forcing a sense of impending doom rather than supplementing it. Some 30 veterans of Dunkirk said as much at a premiere in London, claiming that the music was louder than the actual bombardment. There are moments where a palpable silence would have been scarier than any possible sound, a minor quibble for an otherwise engrossing and astounding picture. — JAY SPIGHT

SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING DIRECTOR Jon Watts STARRING Tom Holland, Zendaya,

Robert Downey Jr., Michael Keaton, Gwyneth Paltrow RATED PG-13

Finally. After years of waiting and two subpar films that were shameless cash-grabs from Sony, Spider-Man is back with the film he deserves in Spider-Man: Homecoming. My personal favorite superhero, Spider-Man has long had a special place in my heart. SpiderMan 2 is actually one of my more treasured films of the early 2000s. One of the reasons I loved that film was because it featured a fallen hero as its villain. I am a major sucker for this ploy in superhero movies (of course The Dark Knight did this best with the fall of Harvey Dent) and I am delighted to see it again here.

A superhero film is only as good as its villain, and finally we get a good one here.

When was the last time we had a good villain in a Marvel film? I’d argue you’d have to

look allllllll the way back to Loki in the original Avengers film for a truly good villain. But finally, we have another. Thank you, Michael Keaton. Were it not for a terrific performance from Tom Holland as Peter Parker himself, I’d say Keaton stole the show.

But move over, Tobey Maguire. There’s a new Spidey in town. Holland’s rendition of Parker is easily the best rendition I have seen of the character. Kudos to Marvel’s crew for the fantastic casting. Outside of Holland and Keaton, we have a great performance from Jacob Batalon as Parker’s best friend, Ned. Here’s another great casting decision from the Marvel crew. Before Spider-Man, Batalon had a single film credit to his name and it was for a small budget horror movie. But I absolutely

DUNKIRK DIRECTOR Christopher Nolan STARRING Fionn Whitehead,

Aneurin Barnard, Mark Rylance RATED PG-13

To start, Dunkirk is sure to go down as one of the greatest depictions of war ever captured on film. One reason, no doubt, is director Christopher Nolan’s choice to use film, filming most of the movie in 65 and 70mm IMAX format. Another is Nolan’s use of real warships and fighter jets, creating a tangible and immersive breadth of scope and size. Perhaps the greatest reason, though, is Nolan’s focus on one moment in the greater war, told from the singular perspective of the British forces’ fight for survival.

The title refers to the coastal town in France besieged by the German army in WWII, a mere 50 miles across the Channel to

England. It opens on the foot soldier Tommy (Whitehead) as he escapes the town to arrive at the beach only to find queues and queues of soldiers just like him waiting for rescue.

Tommy gloms on to different groups of survivors, jumping from ship to sinking ship in pure desperation. As German bombers pepper the boats below, British fighter pilots in Spitfires attempt to shoot them down. Who better to play one of these mostly masked, nearly mute pilots than Bane himself, Tom Hardy. Perhaps the most intriguing and

A CLASSIC

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OUTSTANDING

AVERAGE

BELOW AVERAGE

AVOID AT ALL COSTS

DEAD

LIVING ROOM CINEMA column by NORBERT THIEMANN

facebook.com/livingroomcinema

Exposé This installment of Living Room Cinema features films that offer telling revelations about their chosen subject matter. I’m happy to report that I was able to watch them all for free from the shelves of my local library.

 Citizenfour (2014) is a riveting documentary directed by Laura Poitras. In 2013, Edward Snowden made public classified documents that exposed the N.S.A. for actively spying on us, the U.S. citizens. The film captures Snowden in real time as he coordinates with a few select reporters in releasing the information.  Where to Invade Next (2015) is a thought-provoking documentary directed

by Michael Moore. Unlike many of his other films, Where to Invade Next showcases the positive that he finds. Spoiler alert: Moore makes a compelling case that other countries have prospered for their people by implementing the American ideas and ideals that we have decidedly abandoned.  Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief (2015) is a harrowing documentary directed by Alex Gibney. This is the most comprehensive look into the secret world of Scientology that I have seen, and there are devils in the details. Hopefully Going Clear will serve as a cautionary tale.

News

NAVIGATING THE SYSTEM SERIES BY BRYCE HARMON

PART 12

The General Fund With many misdemeanor cases similar to mine far outnumbering the amount of felony cases present on the dockets dating back to 2011, court costs and fines collected as a result of those misdemeanor cases is ultimately paid to the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office in the judicial building on the Square. This office is responsible for the court’s monetary collections, which are then placed into the Rutherford County General Fund.

“The General Fund is the chief operating fund of Rutherford County Government,” according to the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury’s Division of Local Government Audit on the 2015–16 fiscal year’s “Comprehensive Annual Financial Report of Rutherford County, Tennessee.” The Tennessee Comptroller’s Audits of Rutherford County finances are published in November and can be found at comptroller.tn.gov.

“Rutherford County, Tennessee, maintains 10 individual governmental funds,” states the audit on page 25. “The General Fund . . . the county’s primary operating fund . . . for all financial resources of the general government; General Debt Service Fund . . . accounts for the resources accumulated and payments made for principal and interest on long-term general obligation debt of governmental funds; and the General Capital Project Fund . . . accounts for and reports financial resources that are restricted, committed, or assigned to expenditure of for capital outlays, including construction of capital facilities, . . . all of which are considered to be major funds,” according to page 25 of the 2015–16 audit; Rutherford County also keeps “the other seven . . . non-major governmental funds.”

“The cost of all governmental activities was $180,483,000,” (Rutherford County government activities include General Government; Finance; Administration of Justice; Public Safety; Public Health and Welfare; Social, Cultural and Recreation Services; Agricultrure and Natural Resources; Highways; Education; Interest on LongTerm Debt). However, 55.9% of these costs ($100,908,000), was either paid by those who directly benefited from the programs ($88,503,000), or . . . with operating grants and contributions ($8,505,000) and capital grants and contributions ($3,900,000).

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The county paid for the remaining [$79,575,000] ‘public benefit’ portion of governmental activities with taxes, general grants and contributions, and other miscellaneous revenue.” (page 29) With Rutherford County revenues totaling $90,499,701 in the 2015–16 fiscal year— made up of $62,840,113 from local taxes, $9,938,183 from fees received from county officials, $7,943,370 from the State of Tennessee, $2,215,829 from fines, forfeitures and penalties, $1,880,490 from charges for current services, $1,392,188 from the Federal Government, and the remaining $4,289,528 from other local revenues and other governments and citizens groups (page 50), examples of how we spend that money are for “Education expenses of $52,801,000, Public Safety expenses of $48,198,000, and Public Health and Welfare expenses of $19,650,000 [which] comprise the largest categories of expenses of Rutherford County, which when combined ($120,649,000) comprise 66.8 percent of total expenses [$180 million].

Of the $120,649,000 [or the 66.8% of total expenses], $67,683,000 was recovered by charges for services.” (Page 29) We’re pulling in only about half of what we’re spending to operate the government.

Rutherford County has assets that cover the difference, as explained in other sections of the Comptroller’s audit. That’s the game. The county has collateral, such as land and bonds, to cover its debts for operation while it uses its operations to eventually—and hopefully—turn a profit and break even over time. That’s just for governmental activities, though.

Of these governmental activities funded from the governmental funds (Education, Public Safety, or Public Health and Welfare), the Administration of Justice, which is made up of the Circuit Court, Circuit Court Judges, General Sessions Court, Drug Court, Chancery Court, Juvenile Court, the District Attorney General, the Office of Public Defender, Probation Services and Victim Assistance Programs, makes up 1 percent of total costs, and a 1 percent “impact of the program on the local citizens’ tax base.”

For example, during the 2015–16 fiscal year, 49 percent of the local citizen tax base

was spent for public safety; 1 percent was spent on the administration of justice. The administration of justice program’s revenue in that 2015–16 fiscal year was $7,468,000, while its expenses stood at $8,108,000, losing $640,000. (page 29) “The largest increase for Administration of Justice was due to adult probation services.

Previous to April 2016, the county contracted with a private company to provide services to those individuals serving probation in lieu of incarceration. Beginning April 1, the county took over those responsibilities from the vendor and began a new department to provide those services to the public. This increase to appropriations totaled $368,000,” (page 33); in other words, Rutherford County taking over its own probation program added a cost of $368,000 to the county, over half of Administration of Justices’ 2015–16 loss.

Though that excess cost is only a fraction of a fraction in the grand scheme of Rutherford County finances, the department generating that loss is mostly user-fundedbased. To pay for itself, it must have people in the area paying to be on probation.

According to a note contained in Alec Karakatsanis’ federal lawsuit against Rutherford County and RCDPRS’ business model, PCC, “Poverty is widespread in Rutherford County. The United States Census Bureau reports that more than one in eight people in Rutherford County (13 percent of the population) lives below the federal poverty rate, which amounts to surviving on $981 per month or less. According to the Economic Policy Institute, however, one adult with no children needs $2,300 per month for a ‘secure yet modest’ standard of living in Rutherford County. Though many people work full-time and are still struggling to subsist below the federal poverty line, many more people are living in extreme poverty: national statistics show that over 1.5 million families get by on less than $2 a day. Moreover, roughly 3,500 individuals in Rutherford County receive Social Security income for blindness or other disabilities. In Murfreesboro, about one in every five poor adult men are disabled. And yet, impoverished people represent the vast majority of people who owe debts to PCC, Inc. The burden of the court debts increases recidivism, blocks productive reentry, devastates families who have to make hard choices about debt payments or food, inhibits mental health care and makes it harder for people to obtain housing and employment.

It is from those among us who are least able to pay that PCC, Inc. profits through jailing and threats of jailing for nonpayment.”

Since this federal lawsuit against Rutherford County and its probation department brought to light alleged infractions of the U.S. Constitution and the 1970 Organized Crime Act (RICO), however, “similar to the nation and the State of Tennessee, Rutherford County’s unemployment rate has improved over the course of the fiscal year. As of June 2016, Rutherford County had a labor force of 161,100 with 154,470 employed resulting in a 4.1 percent unemployment rate.

Based on the unemployment data reported by the U.S. Department of Labor for June 2016, Rutherford County’s unemployment rate was below both the state’s average of 5.0 percent and the national average of 5.1 percent. These rates are lower than the June 2015 rates, which were reported as 5.2 percent for the County, 5.5 percent for the state, and 6.3 percent of the country,” according to the Tennessee Comptroller’s audit for the last fiscal year.

The current status (as of June 2017) of the federal lawsuit brought against Rutherford County and PCC, negotiated behind closed doors, is that it is reportedly close to a settlement. The County Commission, which is the highest power and final say-so of all governmental decisions, voted during its public safety meeting at the end of April to allow Rutherford County Mayor Ernest Burgess the ability to settle the almost2-year-old federal lawsuit.

This power afforded to Mayor Burgess by the Rutherford County Commissioners has a limit of $350,000, as that’s the maximum payout covered by the county’s liability insurance, according to Burgess.

If that cap is reached, the payout to the lawsuit’s seven plaintiff ’s (“on behalf of themselves and all others similarly situated,” as stated in the lawsuit, or, for all the folks who have gone through the Rutherford County Criminal Justice System) will be $50,000 each, if split evenly, and paid for by Rutherford County’s liability insurance policy.

At the end of my Violation of Probation cases in the summer of 2016, I was placed back on probation, managed by the Rutherford County Department of Probation and Recovery Services, until the third week of August 2017.

To be continued . . .

THE MONEY PULSE

BY BERNARD JAMES

Know Your Options!

C

an you believe it is already August?! Time for the kids to go back to school, for parents to count the number of vacation days they have left and, most importantly, for us to start the countdown to the kickoff of football season! (Amen!)

But while you have been at the ball field, the beach or just sitting on the couch patiently waiting for football season to begin, the guidelines for consumers to obtain a mortgage to purchase a home has changed a little bit—mostly good changes, though.

STUDENT LOAN Let’s begin with the always-confusingwhen-getting-a-mortgage student loans.

You have probably heard lenders say in the recent past that they must count one percent of your total balance against your debt to income. Well, there are still instances where that is true. However, for those former students who are on an income-driven repayment plan, as long as you can provide documentation that your payment is $0, the lender may qualify you using $0.

This is currently only the case on conventional loans, but most loan programs will allow lenders to use the payment shown on a credit report or documentation of the fully amortized payment.

Quick note: Deferred loans and loans in forbearance are not viewed as income-driven payment, so you will need documentation of your fully amortized payment or use one percent of the total balance.

VA is currently the only program that will

allow lenders not to count a deferred payment or payment in forbearance, as long as it is 12 months out from the closing date.

CONVENTIONAL LOANS Fannie Mae has stated that as of August 29, 2017, lenders will see more automated approvals for borrowers with a debt-to-income ratio up to 50 percent. This will give good borrowers more loan options and hopefully more home options. Also, lenders will see more self-employed borrowers requiring only one year of tax returns for qualification.

Lenders will use the automated underwriting system to determine the borrower’s eligibility.

DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE THDA is the most common down-payment assistance program used in Tennessee. In addition to their standard program, THDA is offering up to $15,000 in assistance to qualified buyers purchasing in the targeted zip codes. Contact your lender or visit thda. org for more information.

There are many different home loan programs available for all different types of borrowers. Many will qualify for more than one program.

Know your options!

Bernard James, a Community Reinvestment Loan Officer with Guaranty Trust Company in Murfreesboro, aims to help area families and individuals achieve their financial goals. Contact him at (615) 6312877 or bernard.james@guarantytrust.com.

AROUND TOWN ’BORO BUSINESS BUZZ

The Alley to expand; Freebirds now open; Dog Haus and more

BY MICHELLE WILLARD FOOD NEWS THE ALLEY ON MAIN will soon be expand-

ing, owners Christy and Shawn Hackinson said. The Hackinsons announced they will be building a new home for the Italian/ American steakhouse off the Square in the empty lot next door to the restaurant’s current location on West Main Street.

The lot held Music City Medical Supply until it burned in 2010. The Alley has used the lot as a courtyard since the Hackinsons bought it last year.

“We plan to build a three-story building in that space,” Shawn Hackinson told the Pulse. “The Alley will move next door into the ground floor. We hope that it will feel very much the same as it does now. We want to keep that same comfortable neighborhood feeling in our new building.”

The second floor will house an event space for large parties and concerts.

The third floor will be a rooftop bar with open and enclosed areas with views of downtown Murfreesboro.

“We’ll specialize in craft cocktails and small plates to snack on before supper,” Hackinson said. “We can’t wait for construction to be complete.”

The Hackinsons also plan to use the building currently occupied by The Alley as a new concept. They are still working out the details, but will make an announcement once the menu is finalized.

“We have felt so blessed over the past two and a half years getting to know our guests and welcoming them into our family. We can’t wait to bring them with us into the next adventure we are taking,” Shawn said.

FREEBIRDS WORLD BURRITO is up,

running and donating in Murfreesboro following its August grand opening.

During its three-day soft opening, the Austin-based brand welcomed guests who stopped by to enjoy a meal in exchange for a donation to the following local organizations: Murfreesboro Fire Department, Fisher House, Habitat for Humanity, CASA of Rutherford County and Endure Athletics.

Freebirds announced it was able to raise $8,666.25 over the three-day period—a record for the fast-casual concept, according 36 * AUGUST 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

The old Sal Y Limon restaurant on Broad Street is being renovated into DOG HAUS, a Pasadena, Calif.-based concept.

Dog Haus is a craft casual hot dog eatery known for its gourmet takes on hot dogs, sausages and burgers; premium shakes and soft-serve ice cream; and a beer program that spotlights local brews. to the company. The restaurant can be found at 2222 Medical Center Pkwy., Suite A, in Murfreesboro.

Going from the Southwest to the East Coast (but staying on Medical Center Parkway), PENN STATION EAST COAST SUBS

is opening a location on the west side of Murfreesboro.

The restaurant, known for its hot subs and delicious fresh-cut fries, is set to open a second Murfreesboro location in the strip mall with Jamba Juice on Medical Center Parkway.

No opening date has been announced.

Closer to the original Penn Station, COOK OUT is in the process of revamping the old Long John Silver’s and A&W on Memorial Boulevard into a new restaurant.

In 2013, the fast-food chain opened its first Murfreesboro location on South Rutherford Boulevard, where it serves up chargrilled burgers, chicken breasts, hot dogs and more than 40 varieties of milkshakes.  PARTY FOWL has recently revealed plans to bring the heat to Murfreesboro. The hot chicken restaurant will take over the 6,200-square-foot former home of Brew U, at 127 SE Broad St.

Party Fowl, based on 8th Avenue in Nashville, has also announced a Donelson location. Austin Smith will lead all three restaurants as operating owner, working closely with corporate chef Bart Pickens and operations manager Tiffany Thompson.

Chef Pickens brings creative spins on Nashville Hot Chicken and Southern classics to the new location, such as the Hot Chicken B&B (boneless chicken breast on Texas Toast with beignets coated with bourbon glaze), Beer Butt Chicken (whole smoked “beer butt” chicken served with Alabama white BBQ sauce), Jack Daniels Lacquered Lollipops (chicken lollipops lacquered in Jack Daniels BBQ), Hot Chicken and Stuffed French Toast (thickcut, house-made cinnamon brioche stuffed with apples and bourbon cream cheese, dipped in orange custard, skillet fried and served with hot chicken), Brunch for Two (a 55-ounce Nashville Hot Bloody Mary topped with two fried Cornish game hens, Scotch eggs and fried okra) and more.

JAZZMATAZZ Lounge and Restaurant

has closed its doors. On August 16, the New Orleans-inspired restaurant posted the news on its Facebook page with the following statement: “Jazzmatazz has permanently

closed for business. We would like to thank everyone that supported us. We would also like to thank all the wonderful entertainers that performed for us throughout the year and all of our great employees that made Jazzmatazz a great place for food, fun and entertainment. We will miss you all.”

PLANS APPROVED AND PENDING Plans have been approved for an addition to the GOLD’S GYM off Old Fort Parkway.

The Murfreesboro Planning Commission approved plans in August for a 10,240-square-foot addition to the more than 20,000-square-foot health club.

The commission also approved plans for a 17,100-square-foot multi-tenant commercial center on Fortress Boulevard and John R. Rice Boulevard. BEATY SHOES, the parent company of Marti & Liz Shoes, is the developer.

Another multi-tenant commercial building was approved along Medical Center Parkway. Billed the WOMACK PROPERTY L-SHAPED BUILDING, the 16,975-square-foot building has not announced tenants yet.

SAINT THOMAS RUTHERFORD HOSPITAL reportedly plans a $55 million

addition to add 72 inpatient beds and room for more outpatient services.

The hospital also plans to invest $16.2 million in a new outpatient surgery center.

Both projects are slated to be on the agenda at the Tennessee Health Services and Development Agency in October.

NEVER GET OUT OF YOUR CAR  CONTINUED ON PAGE 38

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 36 KROGER announced in August it is ex-

panding its online grocery ordering system, ClickList, to the Memorial Boulevard and Lascassas Pike locations in Murfreesboro.

“We are excited to be able to bring the convenience of ClickList to more customers across the division,” said Melissa Eads, spokeswoman for the Kroger Nashville division. “The feedback from our shoppers about the service has been overwhelmingly positive. Senior citizens, parents with young children, and busy professionals all appreciate this convenience.”

Customers can order online at kroger.com/ clicklist.

TIME FOR A COOL DRINK MAYDAY BREWERY recently began canning its most popular beer, The Boro Blonde, and held a coming-out party to celebrate on August 28 with help from the Free Beer and Hot Wings morning show.

“We have been working toward and anticipating this since we opened our doors in 2012,” said Mayday founder Ozzy Nelson, whose brewery currently offers only draft beer, in kegs or growlers. “We will begin canning the Boro Blonde in-house, then start canning either the Angry Redhead or Inner Sanctum later this year.”

Cans of The Boro Blonde will be available at various local establishments in August.

PETER D’S, a concept from the Demos’ fam-

ily of restaurants, was recently honored with the Award of Excellence for its wine program in Wine Spectator’s 2017 Restaurant Awards.

Peter D’s Culinary Director Keith West said winning the award was an honor and noted how the local dining scene has evolved in recent years.

“We work hard to complement the wine selections with new culinary creations weekly,” West said.

Wine Spectator began its program to recognize the world’s best wine lists in 1981.

There are three levels: the Award of Excellence, the Best of Award of Excellence and the Grand Award—with 2,335; 1,168; and 89 winners this year in each respective category.

If you have a tip about a new business coming to town, an old one closing or any other Murfreesboro business news, contact Michelle @michwillard on Twitter or michelle.willard@gmail.com.

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AROUND TOWN ’BORO BUSINESS BUZZ

Garbage Business, Garbage Service . . . ?

MANY MURFREESBORO CONSUMERS have recently accused local recycling pickup service All In One Recycling of not living up to its service agreements in Murfreesboro.

The business claims on its website that “we are your simple recycling solution,” and the operation, based at a facility at 824 Industrial Dr., tells area households and businesses that a monthly fee of just $14 will secure a collection of “all your paper, plastics, aluminum, tin, steel and cardboard” from your curb every two weeks. Seeing All In One promote its involvement in community projects like the local Earth Day Celebration, the Special Kids Race and the Rutherford County Solid Waste Advisory/Steering Council for the Middle Point Landfill might make one think that they care about Rutherford County and that they’re dedicated to community needs.

But to many disgruntled customers, All In One Recycling’s business practices in recent months show a complete lack of regard for its neighbors. The Murfreesboro Pulse has received several complaints from the community that prompted a look at the business. Looking at a hundred online reviews and comments on the business shows the community feedback on All In One to be overwhelmingly negative.

“We canceled our service over a month ago, and they continue to draft money out of our bank account,” Gary Ingle said.

“They almost never pick up, they reschedule due to truck issues and then they don’t show up for the reschedule. They do not

answer the phone or respond to emails.

Stay far away from this company. It is a complete ripoff.”

Numerous customers express their frustration over paying for a service they are not receiving and not being able to even communicate with the company.

“They have not picked our can up for six weeks. My wife and I have called at least a hundred times to cancel. No response, no email response, but they sure did charge my next year fee on time,” Donnie Hitchcock said.

The commentary about the failures of the business is pretty consistent: frequent failure to pick up recyclables, almost no communication and poor customer service, customers being billed after ending their contracts with the business, and an overall departure from what was expected from the companies in months prior.

“Their service is deplorable!” Sandy Wise said. “In the three months that we have been signed up with All In One Recycling, only once have they picked up on time . . . emails and phone calls are not returned.”

The volume of negative feedback has been documented by the Better Business Bureau, who shares that All In One Recycling has an “F rating” based on its 20 unanimously negative reviews, and a current total of 65 customer complaints. The BBB even issued an alert earlier this summer that summarized the overall problems found in all reviews, stating that All in One Recycling in Murfreesboro “has generated numerous customer complaints citing the company’s failure to provide recycling collection services, failure to make refunds for prepaid services and blocking consumers

from removing their credit card information from the company website.”

All In One did send out a statement to customers acknowledging the lack of service and promising to do better, though the negative reviews keep coming.

“As a Realtor who used All In One Recycling for years, and recommended them to many clients,” Steve Holeman tells the Pulse “the management change and subsequent downhill customer service impacted me greatly. Once they started missing several pickups starting early this spring, I sent many emails and attempted to call several times, and after no response, gave notice the best way I could (email and web message) to cancel my account. They charged a credit card on file anyway, with no notice or acknowledgment, for another year and continued to not provide the service. I filed a dispute with the credit card company and also with the Better Business Bureau. Of course, they notified the BBB that they were not accepting BBB complaints for resolution any longer. I think I may have gotten an email around 60 days ago from someone apologizing and saying they would refund my money; however, no action has been taken and their cart is still sitting by the road for pickup.”

The Pulse made several attempts to reach out to All In One Recycling. Only one phone call was successfully answered by a receptionist, and the message was not returned. Wanting to hear the sentiments from the business and its plan is to address the complaints, I visited the front office and spoke to “Ray.” “I have nothing to say! You can go ahead and leave now,” was Ray’s statement. During a phone call to clarify Ray’s relationship to the business, the receptionist hung up.

The words and actions of a business send an overall message to others; if there’s a failure to provide appropriate services and to listen to the feedback of unsatisfied customers, what message does that send? What good is a blanket apology and the “we’ll do better” promise broadly delivered to those who can’t get their money back? (By the way, the competitive service Stones River Recycling refunds a consumer’s purchase 48 hours after cancellation.)

How will the community address the problems of All In One Recycling, and come together to “take out the trash?”

— JUSTIN STOKES

Food

Read more about local restaurants at

BoroPulse.com/Category/Food

THE DISH NAME

Rick’s Barbecue LOCATIONS

From

Pit to Plate

3364 Memorial Blvd., 212 Warrior Dr. HOURS

10 a.m.–9 p.m Monday– Saturday; Closed Sunday PHONE

615-962-9494 PRICES

Rick’s Barbecue brings bold flavors, loaded potatoes to its two Murfreesboro locations.

BY DYLAN SKYE AYCOCK

W

hen I moved to Murfreesboro for college, there were not many places that reminded me of my hometown. So when I eventually found myself on the north side of Memorial Boulevard, I had to do a double take when passing Rick’s Barbecue, a narrow brick building with a familiar, bright red and yellow sign. Needless to say, I’ve since developed cravings that only a quick trip to Rick’s can satisfy.

Once a restaurant unique to Lawrenceburg—a rural Tennessee town an hour and a half southwest of Murfreesboro—Rick’s Barbecue has expanded to include 10 locations in North Alabama and Middle Tennessee. The original Rick’s, a brick-andmortar establishment located a few miles

40 * AUGUST 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

from its current headquarters in Leoma, began operations with just two pits, a drive-thru and a walk-up window. Since 1979, owners Rick and Karen Lanning have smoked meats the old fashioned way by using hickory wood on pits designed by Rick.

Since then, Rick’s has opened two locations in Murfreesboro, but keep in mind the sit-down restaurant is located at 212 Warrior Dr., while the 3364 Memorial Blvd. building is drive-thru only. The Warrior Drive location is cozy and welcoming, but we all know the test of a great pork sandwich has nothing to do with a restaurant’s interior.

The menu is easy to navigate with the choice of 12 combo options or several à la carte items. Once you choose a smoked meat—ham, pork, beef or chicken—the hard part is deciding whether you want it on a sandwich, platter, wrap, baked potato or salad. From there, Rick’s offers its signature white barbecue sauce, with other sauces available at the table.

Customers will find that Rick’s has typical sides like baked beans, potato salad and green beans, while the slaw options include the choice of mayo, mustard or vinegar.

When it comes to fries, I recommend the

Sandwich and platter combos (side and drink): $5.69–$8.49; Sandwich à la carte (regular size): $2.99; Loaded baked potatoes: $4.29; Ice cream cone: $1.49; 1-lb. family pack: $17.99 ONLINE

ricksbbq.com

spicy over the regular or tri-taters, but keep in mind they are more seasoned than they are spicy.

If you’re a meat-and-potatoes person, combine the two with one of Rick’s popular loaded baked potato, either meatless or topped with smoked ham, pork, beef, chicken or chicken tenders (yes, you read that last one right, a potato topped with chicken tenders), with any of the standard add-ons (butter, sour cream, cheese, bacon and onions). I’ve not tried the wraps or salads, but each can be customized with meats, sauces and toppings.

The online reviews are mixed when it comes to price and quantity, but most reviewers agree that the best meat-based items include the loaded nachos, loaded baked potatoes (particularly with smoked ham, but many patrons enjoy the potato topped with pulled pork as well) and ribs. I would add that the chicken tenders are worth trying, as they are well seasoned and juicy.

With a fairly large variety of options, it makes sense that Rick’s is usually packed with families. From my experience, the desserts are also a hit, with the most popular options being the Flavor Burst ice cream (a massive cup or cone laced with a flavored syrup swirl). Various shakes, pies and cheesecakes are also available.

Despite its current offerings, Rick’s breakfast menu, which is available at its country stores, is the only thing missing from the Murfreesboro locations. If they decide to add breakfast in the future, expect some Southern favorites like biscuits (bologna, ham, sausage, and chicken) topped with sawmill or chocolate gravy and a large country breakfast platter.

While there is certainly no shortage of barbecue restaurants in town, each business has a signature quality that it brings to the table for new and loyal customers. Rick’s holds up to the rest with its bold flavors and small-town charm.

RECIPE

BY CHANTELL KENNEDY-SHEHAN

Blackberry and Peach “Shortcake” There is nothing more “Tennessee summer” than this recipe. Live a little—this is just a concept. It’s all up to you how you want to interpret it!

INGREDIENTS Fresh brioche bread: 4 buns, or 8 slices from a loaf 2 fresh ripe peaches ½ pint blackberries (or whatever fruit makes you happy . . . add cherries, strawberries, raspberries . . .)

2–3 tablespoons brown sugar Pinch of cinnamon Pinch of salt Lemon juice of half a lemon Shot or two of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey . . . or bourbon, or spiced rum, or whatever makes you happy!

Sweetened whipped cream (or Cool Whip, or vanilla ice cream)

DIRECTIONS Peel the peaches and cut into thin slices, half the blackberries (or cut 42 * AUGUST 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

up strawberries, halve and pit cherries, etc.) and place in a bowl.

Add brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, lemon juice and Jack Daniel’s. Toss to coat and allow to set in the refrigerator for 15–20 minutes.

Split open slider buns or place slice of brioche on a plate. Top with a spoonful of macerated fruit, making sure to get some of the juices so it can absorb into the brioche.

Top fruit with whipped cream, Cool Whip or vanilla ice cream. Top with a small spoonful of additional fruit and top of bun or other slice of brioche.

Enjoy! (Serves 4) Extra fun: Make french toast with slices of brioche and use the fruit to top for breakfast.

Don’t miss out on Simply Pure Sweets’ breads at the Murfreesboro Saturday Market; they will have brioche during August for you to try out this recipe!

SMOKIN’ BUTTZ

Providing slow smoked BBQ to Middle Tennessee Pulled Pork - Pulled Chicken Loaded Potatoes Smokin’ Buttz will introduce its new truck on Saturday, Aug. 19, from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. at Stones River Mall. The first 25 customers receive 25 percent off of their purchases! Stop by for a chance to win a $50 Visa gift card.

Contact us for your next festival, catering event, lunch, dinner, family cookout, wedding or office party.

Facebook / Instagram / Twitter @smokinbuttz smokinbuttzbbq.com

KONA ICE OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE

Treat your taste buds to the most amazing flavored shaved ice.

Lemon Lime a-licious, Blue Raspberry, Wild Watermelon, Groovy Grape, Strawberry, Orange, Pina-Colada and many more flavors available.

Call (615) 971-0092 for today’s location.

THE GROVE AT WILLIAMSON PLACE

3250 Wilkinson Pike Food Truck Tuesday Every Tuesday, 5:30–8 p.m.

Variety of vendors each week For more on including your truck’s information in this section, contact (615) 631-5768 or leslie@boropulse.com.

Opinion City Purchases Furniture from City Manager's Wife in Latest Local Government Distraction The

STOCKARD REPORT

BY SAM STOCKARD

To avoid further “distractions” with furniture purchases, Murfreesboro City Manager Rob Lyons says the city will stop buying from A-Z Office Resource in Antioch, where his wife is an account manager.

Apparently the distraction was one little reporter question.

But alas, piggybacking on a low bid offered to local governments, the city bought $27,700 worth of furniture for the Planning and Engineering Department and nearly $255,500 for the St. Clair Street Senior Center from A-Z this year, with Lyons’ wife, Dana, preparing the purchase orders, city records show.

Lyons says he consulted the city attorney to avoid violating city guidelines or stepping into a conflict of interest before OK’ing the purchases—a wise move, no doubt.

LYONS City officials say they paid no commission to A-Z, and to top off the bargain, Mrs. Lyons, an interior decorator, donated her services for the remodeling of City Hall, a half-million-dollar project for repainting, new flooring, etc.

Murfreesboro residents are probably glad to know they got the rock-bottom price for new furnishings. But pesky people such as reporters want to know why Lyons didn’t disclose to the council that his wife worked for the company before it approved the contracts.

It would have been easy for Lyons to say something like, “Incidentally, my wife is handling the account for A-Z.” Of course, if he had done this in a City Council meeting, it would have been broadcast across town for everyone to hear.

Never fear, though. People throughout the city heard about it anyway and started doing what people do: talk.

And when folks are talking, it’s usually 44 * AUGUST 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

because they think something’s not on the up-and-up. So while Lyons, Mayor Shane McFarland and the City Council defend their furniture purchases, people across town say such crazy things such as: “The appearance of impropriety is just as bad as impropriety.” Well, people don’t really talk like that, but you get the meaning.

Others say if there is a potential conflict of interest, go to the next lowest bidder. Then you can still get a good price and avoid the “distractions” of media questions.

Lyons is a smart guy, at least smart enough to get the job as city manager. Local media let him off the hook on one previous personal matter that I won’t get into here. And if he wants to maintain a desk at City Hall, he needs a strong evaluation this September.

Giving business to his wife’s company is no way to do it, even if city leaders say they’re more concerned about the low bid than the look of an inside job.

You have to hand it to Lyons’ wife, though.

If she did the interior decorating at City Hall and put together the bids and purchase orders for these city projects without getting one thin dime from the city or A-Z Office Resource, she’s got to be the nicest person in Rutherford County, a true public servant.

Maybe we should make her the city manager, so she can work free of charge.

BURGESS KEPT MOUTH CLOSED

The Rutherford County Commission has been going back and forth with the citizen group Rutherford Neighborhood Alliance for more than five years over whether to keep the Cope and McCreary law firm to handle legal services or to set up a county legal department.

In all that time, Mayor Ernest Burgess never mentioned one word about hiring members of the firm to help set up his construction company in 1996 or to do legal work for him and his wife on estate planning and other matters during his mayoral terms.

Asked why he didn’t disclose the connection, Burgess says in hindsight he probably should have. But then he adds he never saw the relevance during all this discussion of disclosing that one of the firm’s attorneys, Jeff Reed, wrote the organizational articles for Burgess Construction & Development.

In the mayor’s defense, Burgess was prepared to dump Jim Cope as county attorney in 2012 when the County Commission wanted to hire an in-house counsel. Burgess recommended as BURGESS much. But then a new group of commissioners led a vote to keep Cope, saying it would cost too much to hire a bunch of lawyers.

Even the dullest tool in the shed understands one person can’t handle all of the county’s legal work. Then again, when you consider the county has spent $1.75 million the last two years on legal fees and services, most of it going to the Cope and McCreary firms, that’s a little hard to swallow. Or maybe it’s because we’ve got a bunch of lamebrains doing stupid stuff that makes the county a legal target.

Either way, we’re doling out enough money to put a small dent in Fort Knox.

When Cope renegotiated the firm’s legal services agreement he inserted a provision enabling Josh McCreary to become county attorney in case something happened to him.

As fate would have it, Cope resigned his post last October just before pleading guilty to federal insider trading charges. His law license is suspended for the next 15 months or so, and he’s no longer a member of the firm.

At the same time, the Rutherford Neighborhood Alliance contends the firm broke state law, legal ethical guidelines and county ethics rules by billing the county more than $10,000 for time spent negotiating the legal services agreement in 2012. The matter was supposed to be considered by the county’s Ethics Committee on Aug. 31.

Some people would call that having your cake and eating it, too. Others would call it underhanded. Still others would call it illegal.

The firm says it’s old hat and a non-issue.

Most people in Rutherford County say Burgess is the most honest person they’ve ever met. One person once told me: If Ernest Burgess says it’s raining outside, I just get out the umbrella. Or something like that, anyway.

No doubt about it: Burgess, who is preparing to run for state Senate in 2018 and leave the mayor’s seat after 12 years, is about as upright as politicians come. He spends more time working on county business than anyone ever has. He knows where every penny sits.

Some folks, however, believe he should have told the County Commission he hired the Cope

and McCreary firm for business and personal work before and after he became mayor.

Then the people and the County Commission could have decided whether it’s a problem.

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais supports legislation setting up tougher sanctions on Iran, North Korea and Russia, saying they’re all trying to harm Americans and the country’s international interests.

In a press statement, the South Pittsburg Republican DesJarlais said the United States “must negotiate from a position of global strength, a priority of congressional Republicans and President Donald Trump.”

Too bad there’s a big stumbling block: Russian President Vladimir Putin has Trump by the gonads, wooing him with his KGB smile. And while special counsel Robert Mueller is leading a probe into Trump’s connection to Russia and whether he tried to undermine Hillary Clinton’s campaign with it, DesJarlais is pooh-poohing the matter.

During Republicans’ Reagan Day Dinner in Murfreesboro, DesJarlais accused the national media of bias against Trump, calling coverage of the president “complete and utter nonsense.” Maybe he’s more comfortable with Russian media coverage.

But if you read any of the stories about Trump and his financial connections to Russia, Deutsche Bank, the Russian mob, etc., they don’t sound like “utter nonsense.”

When you’re desperate for money, you gotta go where someone will lend it to you. And if you’re a Russian oligarch or the president of Russia, you’re happy to lend money to an American big shot.

That’s how they dig in their hooks.

If you don’t believe me, just do DESJARLAIS a web search for Trump and Russian lending, and you’ll have plenty of “fake” news to read.

DesJarlais was just kidding at the dinner when he said, “Don’t talk to any Russians.”

Now he’s saying put sanctions on them, which he sealed with a congressional vote.

Which one is it, though, a joke or serious business? I’m betting on the latter.

Sam Stockard can be reached at sstockard44@gmail.com.

Leave Health Care and Health Insurance Up to the Free Market

H

ave you ever walked into a room, stopped, then thought, “Why did I come in here?” That’s our Republican-controlled Congress. It’s like they can’t remember why they’re there.

Let me give them a gentle reminder: REPEAL OBAMACARE! Very few people in Congress understand how they got control of the House and the Senate. Sen. Rand Paul is one who does. His steadfastness against McConnell’s “Obamacare Lite” bill helped seal its fate. It backed the Republicans into the uncomfortable corner of considering the only option they had left: complete repeal.

How many times did the House and Senate vote to repeal Obamacare while Obama was in office? I always called those “show votes” because they were for constituent consumption, not real policy. Each time they had a chance to actually defund Obamacare they punted. With few exceptions, like Senators Rand Paul, Mike Lee and Ted Cruz, the RINOs in the Senate went along with the Democrats in fully funding the one program that ultimately gave them absolute control in Washington.

VIEWS OF A And when they got that absolute control, what did they do? They cowered behind the COLUMN BY law like it was an immovable monolith at PHIL VALENTINE Stonehenge. After all of those “show votes,” philvalentine.com they couldn’t bring themselves to actually vote on repeal when it counted. So they set about crafting their own government-run healthcare program. Sure, it was light years better than Obamacare, but it was still government-run healthcare. As Rand Paul pointed out, it was a big bailout for the insurance companies.

Now, I’ll be the first to admit that we need lots of competition in the insurance industry. The last thing we need is for all of them to go away save one. That, I’m convinced, was the core objective of Obamacare, single-payer healthcare. But we don’t need to be subsidizing insurance companies either. What we need is an unadulterated free market when it comes to health care and health insurance.

So-called believers in the free market put their faith to the test when it comes to healthcare. Either you believe in the free market or you don’t. In other words, either you believe competition will lower the cost of health care and health insurance or you don’t. If you’re satisfied with either Obamacare or the lame replacements put forth by the Republicans in the House and Senate, you don’t.

And why not? Healthcare is far too important to leave to the free market, some say. Is that so? What’s more important than health care or health insurance for most Americans?

Food? Surely. Shelter? Without a doubt. Clothing? Yes. Funny how all of these things are deemed more important than health care or health insurance, and the price of them all is dictated by the free market. Why can’t we get our minds wrapped around the fact that the same goes for health care and health insurance.

I keep making the distinction between the two because they’re both different.

Health care is what you need when you’re sick or injured. Health insurance is what you pay for along the way in case you’re sick or injured. Everybody in Washington is trying to get the high cost of health insurance down, but they’re working at the problem from the wrong end. The reason health insurance is so expensive is because health care is so expensive.

Reconnect the patient with the product and you’ll see health care costs go down.

Make people pay for everyday things like a doctors visits or prescription drugs and competition will drive prices down. Save health insurance for the big stuff.

CONSERVATIVE

“So-called believers in the free market put their faith to the test when it comes to healthcare.

Either you believe in the free market or you don’t.”

Phil Valentine is an author and nationally syndicated radio talk show host with Westwood One. For more of his commentary and articles, visit philvalentine.com.

Opinion Live Exceptionally...Well!

BY JENNIFER DURAND

the kind of people you’d like to spend time with and the qualities you are looking for in a friend. You may have to change where you go or what you do to find people that share these common interests. It can be uncomfortable to change. The life you want to lead, though, won’t just happen on its own if you don’t take action. Keep the objective in mind and break through the awkwardness. Think about the next “life review” you want to write. Will it be different or the same? It is up to you to make the improvements that will change your experience.

It is not until you change your identity to match your life blueprint that you will understand why everything in the past never worked. – Shannon L. Alder

Review of Your Life

D

o you write or offer a review of your personal experience with organizations or establishments you do business with? What are the kinds of things you look for, anticipate or expect? What motivates you to take the time to remark? Is it exceptional service, good or bad? Uneventful? Mediocrity? When someone goes above and beyond? What most often motivates me is when I receive the unexpected. I am also more inclined to act when I am asked. It comes from the desire to praise someone for a job well done or to encourage change that will help the establishment understand the customer better, and improve on standards or performance.

With that said, I think it is very valuable to do a “personal review” from time to time. How would you review the performance of your life? Is it lining up with your idea of where you want to be personally, professionally, spiritually, emotionally? Looking objectively at these areas of your life can give you fresh perspective to keep things as they are, or to make changes that will be more in line with how you want to be living.

Aspects that you look for in an establishment are similar to what you can apply to your lifestyle. Personal performance (customer service comparison): How you feel when being greeted, treated, comfort level, quality, quantity, consistency, integrity, continuity, value/ service ratio. How would others rate you in these life areas?

To take a personal assessment to determine if you could make any changes or shifts in how you are living, consider the following: PERSONAL: This will include friends, family, activities, interests. What company do you keep? Are you a loner? Do you have friends that support your interests, values and core beliefs? Do you put up with behavior you don’t like in order to be liked or included? If you don’t have the kind of friends you want, this would be an area to review. List out 46 * AUGUST 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

PROFESSIONAL: This will include your work, education, colleagues. “Do what you love, and love what you do.” Or, “do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” You’ve heard these before. How does what you are doing align with these statements?

Have you been highly educated only to find out your passion lies elsewhere? It doesn’t take a degree to tell you whether or not you are happy. Education and experience are fantastic tools to lead to what you can do professionally. Listen to your heart. Sometimes being happiest won’t line up with the expectations we (or others) have set for ourselves. The struggle comes when we are in conflict with what we think we should be and who we actually are.

List your attributes, skills and abilities. List what you love. Now mix these together. You will come up with what makes you happy and what you can earn a living doing.

Remember to include all of your personal assessment ideals. You might list something you didn’t realize was important to you—more than money, or more than time. Again, what is highest priority for you is where you should be spending your energy.

Great leaders get people to admit the truth because they know that dreams are buried under the lies they tell themselves, in order to feel okay with giving up. – Shannon L. Alder SPIRITUAL: Beliefs, values. Whether you believe in God, a higher power, some other source or nothing at all—this is your spiritual belief system. Your mission here is, again, to look at your ideals and determine if something needs to be tweaked or changed in your life to line up with how you believe and, ultimately, how you live. If you are in conflict with yourself, you can be assured you need to look closer at this area of your life. I’m not suggesting you be one way or another, but to simply analyze what you take in versus how it manifests in your daily walk. If it resembles chaos more than calm, or irritation more than acceptance, it is worth reviewing.

Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.

– Confucius These are just a few ways to get you thinking about reviewing your life to get the most of living a fuller, happier existence. Remember to “breathe deeply” along the way. I’d love to hear about some of the insights you gain in this exercise.

Jennifer Durand is the owner and operator of The Nurture Nook Day Spa & Gift Shoppe; she is a certified QiGong and Breathe Empowerment instructor, a skin care and makeup specialist, an InterPlay leader and is licensed in massage therapy, body work and somatic integration. Let her help you find your personal “ahh . . .” factor by visiting nurturenook.com or facebook.com/nurturenookdayspa or by calling (615) 896-7110.

faux

News Alabama Fan’s Home Defaced with Vegetables, Weight Loss Cookbooks

BY SAM CLEMENS murfreesborotribune@gmail.com

V

andalism rocked Murfreesboro again recently when vandals struck a local trailer park and draped steamed vegetables on the door handles of a trailer belonging to Billy Kipp, a well known University of Alabama Football fan.

The vandals also spray painted the phone number of a GED completion program on the side of the trailer and littered healthy lifestyle weight loss cookbooks throughout the yard.

The Murfreesboro Police Department is investigating the vandalism as a hate crime and has contacted appropriate federal authorities.

“We think it is clear that the vandals know the materials that are morally repugnant to Alabama Football Fans, including health, hygiene, education, and overall likeability,” said Detective Sow Bryant.

“I’m not sure what to think,” said Kipp, between wheezing breaths. “I know the thirteen Alabama Football decals on the side my trailer and the Roll Tide flags hanging on every corner of the house let people know who lives here.”

“Roll Tide,” Kipp added, even though no one said anything to him about anything.

Kipp told The Murfreesboro Tribune Investigative Team that he has heard of vegetables before, but his regular diet of Velveeta cheese, sweet tea, pork rinds and Sun Drop doesn’t make room for them.

The University of Alabama Alumni Association issued a statement denouncing

the vandalism as inconsistent with the fabric of Alabama Football Fans: The University of Alabama is deeply troubled and saddened by the vandalism against the homes of our fans. This is a deliberate act of hate. We truly appreciate the immediate show of support and solidarity from our fellow fans.

A vigil is planned on Friday evening in the Piggly Wiggly parking lot on Roebuck Avenue. More details are forthcoming.

 Euthanization Clinic Set for Homeless on Public Square Several business owners in Downtown Murfreesboro have joined forces to host a Euthanization Clinic for the Poor, which will provide a compassionate response to the growing problem of homelessness in Rutherford County.

“We have become increasingly concerned with the homeless population on the Murfreesboro Square,” said one business owner.

“This image is hurting our downtown area and we need to try and clean it up.”

Many business owners agreed that there is a problem, but could not settle on a solution. The group considered several proposals, including criminalizing homelessness, tazing the poor, or distributing blankets infected with smallpox, before settling on a Euthanization Clinic, somehow believing that you can just make all these people go away.

It is worth noting that the group failed to discuss reasonable solutions such as housing programs, job training, and access to education, or investing time, effort, or resources to help build community.

“Sure, being homeless is hard, and worrying about where your next meal comes from is stressful,” said one downtown resident, “But these people look just awful to my customers, and the Euthanization Clinic gives them a way out.”

According to preliminary plans, the Euthanization Clinic will have two phases. In Phase One, a clinic participant will be sorted into “Worthless” and “Only-Kinda-Worthless.”

In Phase Two, participants deemed “Worthless” will be either put down humanely or loaded into a van and dropped in the middle of Downtown Nashville.

In Phase Two, participants deemed “OnlyKinda-Worthless” will be sent to Camp Homeless, a year-round summer camp for the poor, which includes free room and board, concrete walls, barbed-wire fencing and physical activities, such as road building, license plate hammering, and the creation of Soylent Green.

“Camp Homeless is a great opportunity for these people to get the hell out of my sight,” said one business owner, who declined to comment on the shocking similarity between Camp Homeless and a prison or concentration camp.

“They’re gonna have a blast,” he added.

“And they’re gonna get away from my business, which is the most important thing.”

The Euthanization Clinic for the Poor will be held on Saturday, August 12, on the Public Square, after which time this place can start to look like a proper business district again.

Sam Clemens is the founder and publisher of The Murfreesboro Tribune,“The Paper That Prints (Some) Facts.” According to one unnamed source, the Tribune is “the best newspaper you’ll ever read.” Contact him at murfreesborotribune@gmail.com.

Sports

SPORTS

TALK

COLUMN BY “Z-TRAIN”

titanman1984@gmail.com

TITANS SIGN RED-ZONE MASTER ERIC DECKER; PHELPS RACES FAKE SHARK CHOO-CHOO! The Train Daddy is back, bringing sports news, life lessons and politically incorrect talk to you, the good people of Middle Tennessee!

Thanks to processed food and social media, America is fat! We have fat kids with tablets who don’t even know the difference between a football and basketball. I’m serious, I saw an 8-year-old recently who didn’t know what a basketball was, and went right back to playing Mine Craft with no interest in physical activity.

It saddened my heart. Sports and the outdoors are important; do something physical!

MAN VS. FISH We’ll start with man vs. fish. This isn’t Jonah vs. the whale, this is Phelps vs. shark!

Michael Phelps and The Discovery Channel tricked the world. People believed Phelps would race a real great white shark. I almost believed it myself after months of fake advertising by the network.

The Discovery Channel broke records, marking the highest-rated Shark Week special and viewership reached nearly 15 million people that day. The network staged a mock race between Phelps, a 28-time Olympic medal winner vs. a CGI shark. The Discovery Channel, through articles and commercials, made it appear Phelps would race a real shark. Anticipation grew, only for millions to freak out after a steroid-looking computerized Jaws whooped Phelps in the 100 meters. Phelps’ top speed in the water is 6 mph. A shark can hit 25 mph.

But viewers felt cheated; they wanted a real shark.

TENNESSEE TITANS, BABY! We like it, we love it, we want some more of it! The Predators made Smashville proud, and there is a feeling still lingering in the

PHELPS

48 * AUGUST 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

air—CHAMPIONSHIP—and it needs to be quenched! The Preds were so close, no regrets there, they are a hell of a team, but it’s football time in Tennessee now!

The Preds showed us that the city of Nashville and surrounding areas love sports, love winning, and love gathering to party and support the the cause. Before you know it, the billionaires of MLB, NBA and the MLS will be trying to push their way into this city.

The Titans have high hopes this season, so all the experts say. Most impressive to me is the preseason power rankings. USA Today recently came out with its projections, giving the Titans a division title, No. 3 seed in the AFC and a 12–4 record to finish the regular season.

Vegas can smell what’s cooking in Nashville (hot chicken, baby!). Oddsmakers have the Titans winning the AFC South. Place your bets—Mariota is the chosen one.

Eric Decker time! I am so excited to have this receiver as a Titan; his amazing red zone success, combined with Marcus Mariota’s red zone success, equals a lot of touchdowns!

Sports Illustrated even called the Titans Super Bowl contenders after the signing of Decker. Let me throw some stats your way.

Throughout quarterback Marcus Mariota’s short career in the NFL he has completed 60 out of 94 passes in the red zone. More impressive is the fact that 33 have been touchdowns with 0 interceptions. Among 52 quarterbacks during this time period with more than 10 red zone passes, Mariota ranks first in touchdown percentage, fourth in completion percentage and first in interception percentage.

Yes! Now, let me break down Eric Decker’s red zone success.

Decker was signed in June, being released late in the offseason by the Jets. Since 2012, Decker’s 43 receiving touchdowns rank fifth,

DECKER

his 4,535 receiving yards rank 18th and his 33 red-zone touchdown receptions rank second.

Decker joins a Titans receiving group that includes veteran Rishard Matthews, highly anticipated draft pick Corey Davis and thirdround pick Taywan Taylor with Harry Douglas, Treasure McBride and Tajae Sharpe competing for slots. Not to mention the awesome depth at tight end, led by veteran superstar and one of my favorite Titans, Delanie Walker.

The duo of Mariota and Decker will rock the AFC South, and Decker becomes one heck of a fantasy play—sleeper pick, you heard it here!

The Titans finished 9–7 last season, losing a couple of heartbreakers and ending in devastation when Marcus had his leg removed from his body in week 16 (he recovered, though). The team didn’t lose any key players this offseason, and GM Jon Robinson has created a team with excellent depth.

This team is built to outscore the rest of the AFC South. They have to win these games vs. Indy, the Jags and the Texans. I predict an 11–5 season. This team is playoff bound, anything else is a severe disappointment. Make the Me-Ma proud, Titans!

COLIN STILL JOBLESS Colin Kaepernick bit the hand that fed him, and now he sits in limbo. Poetic justice, right?

What did Colin expect would happen? He disrespected the flag, the military, generalized all police officers as killers, childishly wore socks depicting cops as pigs. Colin even supported the life works of a man like Fidel Castro as good deeds. Come on, man!

Kaepernick made his decisions; now the owners of the NFL have made theirs. Capitalism and the free market at work, homie.

A recent J.D. Power poll showed the National Anthem protest was the top reason fans tuned out the NFL as ratings plummeted last season.

Sources close to Kaep state he will stand for the anthem this season. How convenient, now that his money is running out. I imagine be-

fore the season is over Colin will be on a team.

He is a better option at backup than most current backups, and some say a few starters.

Then why still jobless? Because owners understand the backlash from fans and sponsors wouldn’t be worth it. Giants co-owner John Mars stated, “All my years being in the league, I never received more emotional mail from people then I did about this issue; ‘If any of your players do that, we are never coming to another Giants game.’ It wasn’t one or two letters, it was a lot.”

ALMOST FIGHT NIGHT! The Money Mayweather vs. Irish McGregor Mega Fight will take place in Vegas on Aug. 26. Mayweather, an arrogant punk and one of the best boxers in the history of the sport, is coming out of retirement to risk his perfect 49–0 record vs. a madman. It sounds like Money needs money.

His opponent, also an arrogant punk, is a mixed martial artist who dominates the octagon, a young Irishman who fights with pure passion and grace. It’s special to watch.

Many boxing experts claim this fight is a farce. I don’t believe that. It’s the real deal and opens the door to better fights. Boxing needs superstars as the UFC has dominated in popularity for over a decade.

Is Floyd too old at 40? Can Connor survive a smarter boxer in Floyd? Can Floyd handle a landed power punch from Connor? Can Connor even compete in his first pro boxing match? All good questions, but this is my statement: I believe Connor has to knock out Floyd to win; Floyd doesn’t have to knock out Connor to win, nor could he. Connor will never outbox Floyd and win a judges’ decision, yet Connor has the power to do what no man has done—knock Floyd out!

My prediction: gambling habits take Connor, my brain takes Floyd. Regardless it will be interesting and a better fight than Pacman vs. Floyd.

That’s all, folks! Choo-choo!

Sports

WAVE JUMPER Trey Snell heading to 2017 Water Ski Nationals in Texas.

T

rey Snell from Murfreesboro recently represented Middle Tennessee at the Southern Regionals Water Ski Championship Tournament, held near Tuscaloosa, Ala., at The Lymanland Water Ski site August 18–23.

Snell competed in slalom, trick and jumping events, earning the right to compete in the regionals based on his meeting the rigorous qualification requirements in all three events by scoring in state and local tournaments held since the 2016 Nationals.

About 150 skiers from Florida, Alabama, Georgia, North and South Carolina, Kentucky and Tennessee competed in the five-day event.

Snell placed fifth in the jump event and fourth overall (the combined scores in all three events), earning him two podium finishes and two regionals medals. The Florida skiers tend to do really well, thanks to their extended warm weather and the crazy amount of private water ski lakes and pro skiers in Florida! Three of the top five jumpers were from Florida and the fourth was from Georgia.

“I was really happy to place fifth in the jumping event,” said Snell. “I have been training hard all summer, skiing five to

50 * AUGUST 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

six days a week since school ended. I have trained in Manchester at Swerve Water Sports, in Florida with Lucky Lowe, and of course in Raccoon Hollow on Center Hill Lake with my dad,” Snell said, adding that he netted three personal best scores in jump and two in slalom this season.

“I’m training with the Southern Regional Junior Development team in Manchester at Swerve [the week after regionals] and I am hopefully training with Lucky a few days before the nationals. I plan to get a PB in jumps and in slalom at the nationals!”

Trey and his dad, Freddie Snell, will travel to San Marcos, Texas, to ski in the nationals Aug. 9–12, returning in time for Trey to make the first day of school at The

 BLUE RAIDER SPORTS

Webb School in Bell Buckle.

“One of the best parts of competing is the traveling I get to do with my dad,” says Trey. “We spend a lot of time at the tournaments, but we always find something that is fun to do where we travel. Last year at the nationals, in Idaho, we got to go horseback riding in the mountains and go whitewater rafting. We had a blast!”

“I couldn’t be more proud of Trey,” exclaims Freddie. “He has trained really hard this summer and is skiing better than ever!

When he was 6 years old Trey called me an ‘old man’ and I told him, ‘Not until you can out-ski me can you call me old!’ Today he is 13, and this summer he earned the right to call me old, at least in slalom and jumping!

He is hands-down a better slalom skier and jumper than I am. I can still out-trick him, so he has to show a little respect when we trick!”

Trey and Freddie ski together every chance they get. Trey is a licensed boat driver and routinely pulls Freddie through the slalom course and tricking.

“Trey is a very good and serious driver,” says Freddie. He has also become a very good coach, in that he can watch me ski and give me specific pointers to help me improve. He’s the best skiing partner I have ever had and as long as I am the guy with the boat, I think he’ll keep training with me. When he gets his own boat, I hope he’ll still need me to drive.”

Trey has been on the Southern Regional Junior Development Team since 2013. The 10 girls and 14 boys between the ages of 10 and 17 on this team have proven that they are the most promising skiers in the Southern Region.

James, Stockstill and the Raiders Host Vandy in 2017 Season Opener THE 2017 COLLEGE FOOTBALL season kicks off in late August, and several national publications have shown high expectations for the MTSU Blue Raiders.

The highest of those expectations have been placed on the shoulders of junior receiver Richie James, which is no surprise considering he comes in as the nation’s active leader in receptions and receiving yards. He was named to the Sporting News’ All-America team, and was named to Athlon’s All-America second team as an all-purpose back. Phil Steele named him AllAmerica second team at his rightful position.

James was also given all-conference honors by Conference-USA, as was senior MTSU

JAMES

kicker Canon Rooker. Rooker was 16-of-19 for field goal attempts in 2016, and his 112 points were the most ever for a Blue Raider in a single season. While Conference USA snubbed junior quarterback Brent Stockstill for honors, both Athlon Sports and Phil Steele tabbed him for All-Conference USA first team. Athlon also gave second-team honors to junior linebacker Chris Melton, the 2016 tackles leader, as well as Rooker.

Garnering all-conference mention in Phil Steele’s preview were junior defensive end Walter Brady (first team), junior offensive lineman Chandler Brewer (second team), senior linebacker DJ Sanders (second team), senior cornerback Mike Minter (second team), junior offensive lineman Carlos Johnson (third team), Rooker (third team), and Melton (fourth team).

The Blue Raiders have been picked to once again finish second in the C-USA East division, and to cap their 2017 season off with another bowl bid. The Blue Raiders open the 2017 against mid-state rival Vanderbilt on Sept. 2 in Murfreesboro; for tickets or more information on MTSU athletics, visit goblueraiders.com.

— GREG CRITTENDEN