August 2025 Murfreesboro Pulse

inside

friday night live / courthouse museum / wartrace / never been beat / business news / and more celebrating 20 years: 2006–2025 August 2025 / Vol. 20, Issue 8 / free

nature

A Closer Look at Murfreesboro Indigenous Plant Project Species

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

Welcome to

Murfreesboro THE HEART OF TENNESSEE A Guide to the Local Attractions, Entertainment, Dining and Parks That Make Rutherford County Great

LOCAL • LICENSED • INSURED

food

Mack's Hot Chicken Frying Up Spicy Flavors With Southern Sides

sports

2025 MTSU Blue Raider Football Season Opening Aug. 30  Award-Winning Service  Declutter, Donate, Recycle  Furniture, Appliances, Construction  Debris, Trash, Brush and MORE!

“We mind our P’s & Q’s when helping U!”

 Single Items to Full Property Clean-Outs

Contents

On the Cover: Trail at Barfield Park

by Ashleigh Newnes; Cannonsburgh by Bill Shacklett; Other Murfreesboro photos by Sarah Mayo; MTSU Football courtesy of goblueraiders.com

23

18 Features

18

welcome to murfreesboro

26 in every issue

6 Events

23

calendar The Tempest, Peach Cobbler Festival, Vintage Base Ball, Movies Under the Stars, TN State Fair and more!

Documentary project tells story of small Middle Tennessee town.

concerts

A guide to the local attractions, entertainment, dining and parks that make Rutherford County great.

Wartrace: A Living Soul

24

Never been beat

Arm wrestler Jason Gulley looking for strong men.

26

creating a buzz

A closer look at Murfreesboro Indigenous Plant Project species.

14 Sounds music notes Friday Night Live Serotonin

25 Living

mr.

Murfreesboro Step into history at Rutherford County Courthouse Museum

28 Food

Restaurant Mack’s Hot Chicken

30 News

business buzz Rainbow Cone, Cotti Coffee, City Barbeque Rustic Rebel, M.L.Rose, Casa Tio’s, Aloha Express, Welsh Dentistry and more!

33 Sports

blue raider football Season opens Aug. 30; Coach Derek Mason hoping for secondseason surge in 2025

Sign up for the Pulse Weekly Digital Newsletter

BoroPulse.com/Newsletter Copy Editor: Steve Morley Advertising: Matthew Olson, Nneka Sparks Contributors: Tiffany Boyd Jennifer Durand Delores Elliott Paul Engel Laura Lindsay

Zach Maxfield Elisha Nelson Matthew Olson Andrea Stockard Bill Wilson

free your children Schools now trying to get involved in children’s healthcare

sports talk Vols open season Aug. 30; Ward preparing to start for Titans Constitution study Supreme Court upholds Tennessee law that prohibits the use of “gender-affirming” care for minors living . . . well!

How do you move through life?

follow online /BoroPulse @BoroPulse

Publisher/Editor in Chief: Bracken Mayo Associate Editor: Sarah Mayo

34 Opinion

carry the Pulse at your business or to submit letters, stories and photography: bracken@boropulse.com

@BoroPulse The Murfreesboro Pulse

Copyright © 2025, The Murfreesboro Pulse, 714 W. Main St., #208, Murfreesboro, TN 37129. Proudly owned, operated and published the first Thursday of each month by the Mayo family; printed by Franklin Web Printing Co. The Pulse is a free publication funded by advertisers. Views expressed in the Pulse do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. ISSN: 1940-378X

714 W. Main St., Suite 208, Murfreesboro, TN 37129 • 615-796-6248

The Mayos discovered three very hungry caterpillars feasting upon our parsley plant recently.

In an effort to observe one of the miraculous wonders of nature, we placed the caterpillars in a jar, punched some holes in the lid and gave them plenty of leaves to eat so we could witness their metamorphosis. I supplied them with a variety of greenery—parsley, tomato, basil, and other things found around the yard. But they only wanted the parsley (understandable, I like parsley, too!).

Come to find out, the creature known as the parsley worm transforms into the black swallowtail butterfly.

Within a few days, the little guys were all snug in their cocoons, hanging from a stem within the jar.

Number one would later emerge, immediately beautiful and majestic, ready to fly. A few days later number two appeared, unfortunately not looking so good. This one was a bit wilted and not totally formed. Two likely did not make it very long, being unable to fly. Number three looked better, but its wings were still not complete (the parsley worm was only parsley formed . . .). It hung out on our flowers for 24 hours, but did not seem able to fly either.

It was very cool to witness the success in the first one. Here, I could say something philosophical about how this could parallel observing one’s own child reaching the mature stage at which point they want to fly into the wild, wild world. Or perhaps that some creatures exist simply for the reason of being food for another creature. Or that maybe there’s just a bunch of chaos going on, swirling in every direction—unpredictability and complex systems, accidents waiting to happen, and the unstable, fragile nature of life in this turbulent world.

I will just say that the healthy butterfly’s black-andyellow colored wings looked fantastic.

Check out our section this month in which we tried to encapsulate many, many things that make the Murfreesboro community great. Certainly not all of the things, but I believe we included a good number of them. This could be an excellent resource for newcomers to the area, and I suspect that even many who have been in Murfreesboro for decades could still find some new activities within that piece.

What do you think makes Murfreesboro great? Let us know: contact@boropulse.com.

Let us know of the upcoming events, new business developments and interesting local projects. Let’s see how the Pulse might be able to promote your organization, activity, taqueria, bank, mobile detailing business, lawn care company or attraction.

The Hummingbird Fest returns to Barfield Park on Aug. 30; no, it’s not the type of festival where attendees get to sample deep-fried hummingbird from various area food trucks.

The latest redundancy redundancy report: Did you know “The Los Angeles Angels” translates as The The Angels Angels?

Look for BrackenMayo on chess.com, if you like!

The Lord thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing. [Deutoronomy 2:7] Peace, Bracken Mayo Publisher/Editor in Chief

events calendar ››› August 2025 ››› by Andrea STOCKARD Aug. 5 and 19

family-friendly event features hands-on activities celebrating Indian culture and is presented in partnership with the Friends of India Association and sponsored by the Nissan Foundation. The celebration is free and open to the public. This year’s event includes a variety of interactive offerings designed to introduce children and adults to Indian culture through crafts, games, sensory exploration and educational displays. Planned activities include crafting flower garlands, creating rangoli designs, sampling spices in a sensory station and building Indian landmarks using Lego bricks. Guests can also try out games like snakes and ladders, participate in yoga, and dress in traditional Indian clothing for photos. Hindi name writing will be available in the morning from 10 a.m.–1 p.m.

For more information, visit explorethedc. org, email rdouthat@explorethedc.org or call 615-890-2300 ext. 241.

Boro Books n Brews Books n Brews meets Tuesdays, Aug. 5 and 19, at 7 p.m. at Middle Ground Brewing Company (2476 Old Fort Pkwy.) on Aug. 5 and 19. This book this month is Erin Morgenstern’s magical, twisty, romantic adventure The Starless Sea. The first meeting is a designated halfway point and the second meeting is a full book discussion. For more information, visit middlegroundbrew.com, or find Middle Ground Brewing Co. or the Boro Books and Brews group on Facebook.

Aug. 7–17 The Tempest by William Shakespeare Join Murfreesboro Little Theatre for an outdoor production on historic Oaklands Mansion’s lawn (900 N. Maney Ave.), where you will be swept away by the magic of Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

With themes of power, forgiveness and redemption, The Tempest is a captivating tale of love, loss and transformation.

Don’t miss this enchanting production, featuring stunning performances and poetic language. Audience members are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets and a picnic to the grounds. Production dates are Thursday through Sunday, Aug. 7–10 and Aug. 14–17 at 7 p.m. each evening. Tickets are free, with a suggested donation of $10 to support MLT’s and Oakland’s mission. For more information, visit mltarts.com.

Aug. 7 TEC Science on the Patio Science on the Patio at the Technology Engagement Center (306 Minerva Dr.) is set for Thursday, Aug. 7, at 11 a.m. The theme is Sprout Houses. There is no cost to participate and no sign-up is necessary.

These projects are done outdoors. Please dress appropriately and bring water to stay hydrated. For more information, visit rclstn.org or find Rutherford County Library System on Facebook.

Aug. 7 Brew Business Mixer Meet and connect with other local business owners, grow your network and pick 6 * August 2025 * boropulse.com

Aug. 14–23 Wilson County Fair – Tennessee State Fair The Wilson County Fair – Tennessee State Fair will be held Aug. 14–23 at James E. Ward Agricultural Center (945 E. Baddour Pkwy., Lebanon). Activities include 4-H and FFA competitions, livestock shows, lots of rides, motorsports, live entertainment, food, a farm-to-table dinner, an Authors Day and more. New competitions for 2025 include The Great Bacon Toss, Harmonica Contest, Pig Callin’ Competition, Pig Tail Hair Competition and Taste of the Fair Food Competition. Various stages will host live music. Fair hours are Monday through Friday beginning at 4 p.m., Saturdays at 10 a.m. and Sundays at noon. Buildings and exhibits close around 10 p.m. with rides closing at 11 p.m.

For a full schedule and more information, visit wilsoncountytnstatefair.com. up some skills along the way at the Brew Business Mixer at Middle Ground Brewing Company (2476 Old Fort Pkwy.) on Thursday, Aug. 7 (usually the first Thursday of each month), from 4:30–6:30 p.m. For more information, find Middle Ground Brewing Co. on Facebook or visit middlegroundbrew.com.

Aug. 9 Peach Cobbler Festival Brianna Victory Events presents its fourth annual Peach Cobbler Festival from 10 a.m.–3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 9, at Hop Springs (6790 John Bragg Hwy.).

A peach cobbler taste testing will open at 11 a.m. until supplies run out. Rockin Country Band will perform from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. and attendees can also enjoy an

indoor comedy and magic show, with showtimes at 10:30 a.m., 11:45 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. The event also includes a free petting zoo, foam party, zippy pets rides, train rides, a bungee trampoline, face painting and a human hamster inflatable water wheel. The first 200 adults to arrive receive free goodie bags. Parking is $5 (cash). For more information, visit brianna-victory-events.com or find an event page for the 4th Annual Peach Cobbler Festival on Facebook.

Aug. 9 Discover India Day The 13th Annual Discover India Day returns to the Discovery Center at Murfree Spring (502 SE Broad St.) on Saturday, Aug. 9, from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. This free,

Aug. 12 Tennessee Trails Association The monthly meeting of the Murfreesboro chapter of the Tennessee Trails Association will take place Tuesday, Aug. 12, from 7–8 p.m, at the Wilderness Station in Barfield Crescent Park (401 Volunteer Rd.). Nancy Juodenas of the Nashville chapter will have a presentation on her three-month journey through Alaska and Canada with fellow travelers Amy Sutton and Wendy Fish. Visits to national parks included Voyageurs, Isle Royale, Denali, Katmai, Kenai Fjords, Wrangell-St. Elias, Gates of the Arctic, Kobuk Valley and so much more. Amazing photography by Wendy Fish will be featured throughout the presentation. All are welcome! You do not need to be a member to attend. For further information about the Tennessee Trails Association, visit tennesseetrails.org.

Aug. 12 Living Sent Everyone is invited to the August 2025 Living Sent Murfreesboro meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 12, from 11:45 a.m.–1 p.m at Wilson Bank & Trust (3110 Memorial Blvd.). Joel Reynolds is a man who wears continued on page 7

continued from page 6 many professional hats. He is a retired captain in the U.S. Army, having served as a chaplain in combat zones, an associate pastor at Believers’ Chapel Church in Murfreesboro, and he works full time at Alive Hospice as a chaplain caring for the sick and dying. Reynolds shares how we can use our gifts, experiences and current location to share our faith with those God brings before us. Fred Johnson is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Murfreesboro. He has built his counseling practice on the tenet of authenticity, and he believes in practicing what you preach.

Johnson has a passion for the outdoors and introducing people to nature, but his greatest joy is serving others and helping them see the goodness of the Lord in their own lives. He’ll share his God Story. A complimentary lunch will be provided by Larry Courtright of Beech Construction Services, Inc. Please park on the perimeter of the parking lot. RSVP by emailing bob.williams@alhambrapartners.com.

Aug. 14 and 28 Archery Club Come out to Smyrna Outdoor Adventure Center (100 Sam Ridley Pkwy. E.) on Thursdays Aug. 14 and 28 from 4:30–6 p.m. to try something new or sharpen your existing archery skills. Programs are always led by USA Archery-certified instructors or coaches. The cost to participate is $3 for members and $5 for non-members per class. Ages 8 and older are welcome. Registration is available through Community Pass, though walk-ins are welcome. For more information, email mike.kraft@townofsmyrna.org.

Aug. 14–17 Southern Chiropractic Conference The Tennessee Chiropractic Association announces the return of the Southern Chiropractic Conference, Thursday through Sunday, Aug. 14–17, at the Embassy Suites Hotel & Conference Center (1200 Conference Blvd.). This annual event draws together over 600 chiropractic professionals and vendors from across the nation for a weekend of education, innovation and community engagement.

The SCC offers a comprehensive program featuring continuing education sessions, practice management workshops and networking opportunities designed for the entire chiropractic team. Attendees will have the chance to learn from nationally recognized experts on topics from current research, neuro-nutrition and brain health, and Medicare compliance.

Aug. 21 The Connection Champy’s World Famous Fried Chicken will host the August 2025 installment of The Connection: An Evening of Professional Networking and Business Brainstorming from 5–7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 21. All Middle Tennessee entrepreneurs and professionals are welcome to attend this casual, free, no-obligation networking event, where they can meet other small business owners and tap into one another’s experience and energy. Networking begins at 5 p.m. with introductions at 6 p.m. Champy’s is located at 1290 NW Broad St.

Aug. 21 Art Club

Aug. 24 Vintage Base Ball at Oaklands The Stones River Scouts, Murfreesboro’s team in the Tennessee Association of Vintage Base Ball, will host a double-header on Sunday, Aug. 3, at Oaklands Park (427 Roberts St.), first taking on the Phoenix of East Nashville at noon followed by a game with the Nashville Maroons at 2 p.m. The team’s next home game will be Sunday, Aug. 24, at 1 p.m. against the Quicksteps of Spring Hill.

Admission is free. The Tennessee Association of Vintage Base Ball was established in 2012 to entertain and educate communities by recreating the civility of 19th-century base ball, using the rules, equipment, costumes and culture of the 1860s, emphasizing honor, team play, respectful conduct and community pride.

Visit tennesseevintagebaseball.com for more information.

Visit southernchiropracticconference.com for more information.

Aug. 16 Recycling Roundup The Tennessee Environmental Council invites the community to a free Recycling Roundup event at MTSU’s Rutherford Parking Lot (602 N. Rutherford Blvd.) on Saturday, Aug. 16, from 9 a.m.–1 p.m.

Everyone is encouraged to bring their electronics, paper for secured on-site shredding, tires, blocks of Styrofoam, mattresses, glass bottles, medications, medical equipment, clean and donatable pet supplies, eyeglasses and more. Visit tectn.org/murfreesbororecycles for a detailed list of materials that will be accepted at the event, as well as any items that won’t be collected. Volunteers are also welcome and can add this as their social services hours. For more information, email recycle@tectn.org.

Aug. 16 Back 2 School Giveaway Chase your marvelous dreams at the

 Send community event information to contact@boropulse.com

Back 2 School Giveaway on Saturday, Aug. 16, at Cultivate Coworking (107 W. Lytle St.) from 12–4 p.m. with a raffle giveaway for teachers, backpacks filled with school supplies, free haircuts, games, an NFL & NBA player meet-and-greet, free food and fun. Sponsorship booths with tent setups are available. Donations are being accepted. Gently used sneakers of all sizes are being accepted. For more information on the giveaway or sponsorship details, call 629-395-5545 or email mbandy@cymd.org.

Aug. 17 Cedar Glade Classic Car Cruise-In Shine ‘er up and drive ‘er in at the Cedar Glade Brews (906 Ridgely Rd.) classic car cruise-in on Sunday, Aug. 17, from 1–4 p.m. Car-ticipants get $3 off their tab (1 per car). Stick around for trivia at 5 p.m.

There is no sign-up required and no cost to participate. For more information, visit cedargladebrews.com or find the CGB Classic Car Cruise-In event on Facebook.

Join the Smyrna Outdoor Adventure Center (100 Sam Ridley Pkwy. E.) on Thursday, Aug. 21, from 4:30–6 p.m. to create some art to take home. In SOAC’s Art Club, participants will develop art skills, learn about art history and have fun. All supplies are provided. The cost to join is $3 for members and $5 for non-members per class. Ages 7–17 years are welcome; anyone under the age of 13 must be accompanied by an adult. Registration is suggested through Community Pass; walk-up guests are welcome. Email sam.kaviyakone@townofsmyrna.org for more information.

Aug. 22 4th Friday Fun*Working The monthly “fun working” event at Spread the Positive (906 Ridgely Rd.) is held the fourth Friday of every month from 5–7 p.m., presented by Reed and Associates of Primerica and Spread the Positive.

The event is focused on shining a light on what’s going right and highlighting businesses making a positive impact in the community. Each month the event features a live podcast with local businesses and community leaders as well as networking and conversations, on and off the air, in and around the STP studio. There will be an on-site food truck, so grab a drink and a bite while you connect with the best in the ’Boro. For more information, find 4th Friday Fun*Working on Facebook.

Aug. 22 Howl at the Moon 5K Run Athletes, fitness fans and motivated people of all ages will be participating in the upcoming Howl at the Moon 5k Run on Friday, Aug. 22. The annual event in La continued on page 8 boropulse.com * August 2025 * 7

Continued from page 7 Vergne begins at 8 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park (294 Sand Hill Rd., La Vergne, Pavilion B). The fees are $30 if registered before Aug. 8, $35 between Aug. 9 and 21, and $40 the day of the race. There are eight age divisions ranging from young runners to senior citizens. Awards will be given to the top three finishers in each category and to the first male and female overall. Register for the Howl at the Moon 5k on chronotrack.com. For more information, call 615-793-3224.

Aug. 22 Paint pARTy with The Moving Canvas Join a Paint PARTy with The Moving Canvas at Middle Ground Brewing Company (2476 Old Fort Pkwy.) on Friday, Aug. 22 and create a unique painting in a fun setting. For more information, visit themoving canvas.com, middlegroundbrew.com or find Middle Ground Brewing Co. on Facebook.

Aug. 23 MTSU Athletics Fan Day Mark your calendars for Fan Day—get autographs from your favorite Blue Raider athletes and enjoy a fun night in Floyd Stadium (1500 Greenland Dr.) on Saturday, Aug. 23, from 5–7 p.m. The event

will include inflatables, vendors and the movie Little Giants will be shown on the videoboard following the event beginning at 7:15 p.m. For more information, find Blue Raiders Athletics on Facebook.

Aug. 23 School of Rock end of season Showcase School of Rock Murfreesboro will present its End of Season Showcase at Heroes Den (1257 NW Broad St.) from 12–4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 23. The adults will be performing ’80s rock while the kids will perform ’90s rock. Programs at School of Rock Murfreesboro combine one-on-one lessons with group band practices, preparing students for performances at local venues. For more information, visit schoolofrock.com/locations/murfreesboro.

Aug. 30

Aug. 27

Hummingbird Festival

rutherford county Jeep Crew Meetup The Rutherford County Jeep Crew has a meet-up scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 27, at Middle Ground Brewing Company (2476 Old Fort Pkwy.). All Jeepers are welcome. For more information, find Middle Ground Brewing Company on Facebook or visit middlegroundbrew.com.

Celebrate the hummingbird and learn more about these beautiful nimble creatures at the Hummingbird Festival on Saturday, Aug. 30. Conservation will be the highlight of the day with regards to hummingbirds. This is a great family-friendly event with live bird banding, food trucks and local vendors.

Bird banding starts at 8 a.m. with all other activities from 10 a.m.–3 p.m. at Wilderness Station at Barfield Crescent Park (401 Volunteer Rd.). There is no admission cost and food is available for purchase. For more information, email challwalker@murfreesborotn.gov or call 615-217-3017.

Aug. 29 Mario Kart Tournament Join in on the Mario Kart Tournament at Middle Ground Brewing Company (2476 Old Fort Pkwy.) on Friday, Aug. 29, kicking off at 7 p.m. The game will be played on Nintendo Switch 2 on the establishment’s big screen. For more information, visit middlegroundbrew.com or find Middle Ground Brewing Co. on Facebook.

Mondays Monday Night History The Patriot Institute presents free Monday Night History classes every Monday night at 6:30 p.m. at Champy’s World Famous Fried Chicken (1290 NW Broad St.). Classes started back with the Greek City-States, have progressed through Greece, Rome, the Middle Ages, the Pilgrims, the Louisiana Purchase, the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the history of money, transportation and other topics. The instructor, Galen Walker, formed The Patriot Institute in 2015 and has taught Monday Night History at various locations ever since. For more information, visit thepatriotinstitute.org or find The Patriot Institute on Facebook.

Tuesdays After-School Climbing 8 * August 2025 * boropulse.com

Join the Smyrna Outdoor Adventure Center (100 Sam Ridley Pkwy. E.) on Tuesdays Aug. 12, 19 and 26, from 4–6 p.m. to climb on the indoor rock wall and challenge yourself. Climbers must weigh at least 50 pounds and wear closedtoed shoes and clothing appropriate for climbing. The cost to participate is $2.

All ages are welcome; walk-up guests are welcome. For more information, email soac.group@townofsmyrna.org or call 615-459-9710.

Tuesdays & Fridays Rutherford County Farmers’ Market The Rutherford County Agricultural Extension Cooperation launches the 50th Anniversary season of its producer-only farmers’ market in the indoor/open-air community center at Lane Agri-Park (315 John R. Rice Blvd.). The RCFM is open from 7 a.m.–1 p.m. every Tuesday and Friday from May 9 through Oct. 31.

Market vendors hail from over a dozen Middle Tennessee counties and sell a wide variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables, meats, eggs, baked and canned goods, flowers, plants and more. The Master Gardeners of Rutherford County are available 9 a.m.–noon in the demonstration garden for questions and tours. continued on page 10

September 7, 2025

Fridays Murfreesboro Community Chess Murfreesboro Community Chess meets at McAlister’s Deli (2357 Medical Center Pkwy.) every Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. Organizers invite those of all ages and skill levels to this casual chess meetup each week. Those attending may bring a board and a clock, but there should be plenty of supplies on hand.

Continued from page 8 For more information, visit rutherford .tennessee.edu/farmers-market or call 615-898-7710.

Wednesdays Wild Wednesday Join SOAC staff each week on Wednesdays, Aug. 13, 20 and 27, at the Smyrna Outdoor Adventure Center (100 Sam Ridley Pkwy. E.) from 4:30–5:30 p.m. to discover something wild about the natural world. Meet a SOAC animal or enjoy a nature-based activity each week; weekly topics are posted at townofsmyrna.org/departments/smyrna_outdoor_adventure_center. There is no cost to participate and all ages are welcome.

Fridays C3 Networking C3 is an open networking group for local business professionals at Achieve Entrepreneur and CoWorking Center (1630 S. Church St.) held on Fridays from 8:30–10:30 a.m. The mission is to build relationships, connect local businesses with potential clients, support each other’s professional growth and educate people on how to participate in the local community. Complimentary coffee and snacks are provided. For more information, find Prohibition Home Brewing on Facebook.

Fridays Friday Night Market Come out for Middle Tennessee’s largest weekly food truck festival and local 10 * August 2025 * boropulse.com

shopping event featuring food, fun and community every Friday through the end of September from 5–9 p.m. This is perfect for families, friends and leashed furry companions. Enjoy food from authentic Jamaican dishes to wood-fired pizza to Thai selections to fruit tea—food trucks change weekly. Shop local and discover unique finds from small businesses and artisans while appreciating the music, entertainment and community atmosphere. Vendor applications are available. There is no cost to attend and parking is free; this year’s location is River Rock Baptist Church, 2248 State Hwy 99. For more information, visit fnmitb.square.site or find the Friday Night Market in the BORO & Food Truck Festival 2025 event on Eventbrite.

Saturdays main street Saturday Market The Main Street Saturday Market continues on the Murfreesboro Public Square every Saturday from 8 a.m.–noon through Oct. 25. Spend the day with real farmers, real food and real community and find a wide variety of produce, locally raised meats, fresh breads and pastries, mushrooms, honey, soaps and lotions, sauces, jams and more. This year features the introduction of Market Loyalty cards. Pick up your card at the Main Street Market tent and get a weekly stamp for your purchases. Three weeks’ worth of market stamps enters you into continued on page 12

For Supporting These Local Businesses!

123 SE Broad

615.624.7072 TNAXEANDSMASH.COM

Continued from page 10

Saturdays Historical Society Coffee & Conversation The Rutherford County Historical Society has been preserving and promoting Murfreesboro’s local history since 1971. The RCHS aims to be a community resource for those researching their family, property or perhaps just old fun facts. The Historical Society hosts Coffee & Conversation each Saturday morning from 9 a.m.–noon at the Ransom School House Museum (717 N. Academy St.). This is a very informal, fun and informative event. Bring old photos or questions about the past to ask members, and enjoy free coffee and donuts. For more information, visit rutherfordtnhistory.org. a monthly Market Basket drawing. For more information, find Murfreesboro Saturday Market on Facebook or visit mainstreetmurfreesboro.org.

Saturdays Movies Under the Stars The stars aren’t fading just yet—the movie magic continues with Movies Under The Stars every Saturday at sundown through Oct. 18 at Fountains at Gateway (1500 Medical Center Pkwy.).

Families can bring a blanket and enjoy the free show. For more information, find Fountains at Gateway on Facebook. The movie schedule includes: Aug. 9: The Peanuts Movie Aug. 16: Zootopia Aug. 23: Tangled Aug. 30: Cars 3 Sept. 6: Ratatouille Sept. 13: The Princess Diaries Sept. 20: Rio Sept. 27: Luck Oct. 4: Aladdin Oct. 11: Moana Oct. 18: Frozen

Saturdays Smyrna Depot farmers Market Carpe Artista presents the Smyrna Depot Farmers Market in partnership with the Town of Smyrna from 8 a.m.–noon at 12 * August 2025 * boropulse.com

the Historic Smyrna Front Street Depot District (98 Front St.) every Saturday from May 17 through Sept. 20. For more information, call 615-984-4038 or visit carpeartista.com/farmers-market.

Ongoing F3 Workouts F3—which stands for fitness, fellowship and faith—holds free, outdoor, peer-led workouts for men across the country. The free weekly workout sessions welcome all men and always end with a “circle of trust,” emphasizing the group’s commitment to faith. In Murfreesboro, F3 holds workouts on the Murfreesboro Public Square at 5 a.m. on Tuesdays; at Oakland Middle School (853 Dejarnette Ln.) at 5:30 a.m. on Wednesdays; at the Murfreesboro Medical Clinic/Gateway Island parking lot (1272 Garrison Dr.) at 5 a.m. on Thursdays; and at Old Fort Park (201 Golf Ln., at the north entrance parking lot) at 6 a.m. on Saturdays. In Smyrna, F3 meets for workouts at Cedar Grove Elementary (354 Chaney Rd., Smyrna) at 5:30 a.m. on Tuesdays; at Thurman Francis Arts Academy (221 Todd Ln., Smyrna) at 5:30 a.m. on Thursdays; and at Stewarts Creek High School (301 Red Hawk Pkwy., Smyrna) at 6 a.m. on Saturdays. The group meets every week, rain or shine, hot or cold. For more information, visit f3murfreesboro.com.

concerts P u ls e

P ic k

nettie & The Delta boy Sat, 8/16 @ Middle Ground Brewing Co.

Celebrate bluesy storytelling with Nettie & The Delta Boy as the act brings its blend of red dirt blues and West Coast rhythm to Middle Ground Brewing Co. on Saturday, Aug. 16.

California girl Nettie Rose Freed’s poetic lyrics combine with the slide guitar of North Alabama native Daryl Hill, evoking Delta blues and American folk in a raw way. Catch the intimate acoustic set paying tribute to the vibrant American music heritage, mixing original tracks with folk, blues, country and rock classics at the neighborhood craft beer and pizza place. The show kicks off at 7 p.m.; find more on Nettie & The Delta Boy at nettieandthedeltaboy.com.

Wed, 8/6

Boro Bourbon & Brews Jenny Teater

Thurs, 8/7

Boro Bourbon & Brews Carter Elliott High Society Cary & Sherrie Lynn

Fri, 8/8

Boro Bourbon & Brews JILLfm bullseye's sports bar The Regulators Cedar Glade Brews Jeff Lysyczyn Grindstone Cowboy Open Mic Night Happy’s Sports Lounge Rudge Powell Band Heroes Den Glen Wagner; Tune Twisters Murfreesboro Public Square Rubiks Groove Smyrna VFW Post 8422 Shane & the Money Makers

Sat, 8/9

Boro Bourbon & Brews Eden Storm Grindstone Cowboy Jeff Lysyczyn Happy’s Sports Lounge Graham Anthem Band Heroes Den Dueling Pianos with Carter Elliott and Tyler Petty Hop Springs

Milford Academy; Mize and the Drive; Dangerous Method; Small Wars Middle Ground Brewing Co. Levi Maxwell Snider The Print Shop Roland Justice

Sun, 8/10

Boro Bourbon & Brews Kenny Qualls Hop Springs Da Jam Band

Mon, 8/11

Boro Bourbon & Brews Sir Anthony Burger Bar Jeff Lysyczyn Smyrna VFW Post 8422 Randy and Friends

Tues, 8/12

Seasons 2 Bar and Grill Kim the Harp Jam

Wed, 8/13

Boro Bourbon & Brews Brandon Scott

Thurs, 8/14

Boro Bourbon & Brews Griffin Williams

Fri, 8/15

Boro Bourbon & Brews Tony Hartman; Silent Ruckus Heroes Den Mark Seekamp; Cary & Sherrie Lynn

14 * August 2025 * boropulse.com

Live Music in middle tennessee

bullseye's sports bar Evil Twin Happy’s Sports Lounge Audio Saints murfreesboro civic Plaza Roland Justice Smyrna VFW Post 8422 Shane and the Money Makers

Sat, 8/16

Boro Bourbon & Brews Tony Castellanos; Carson Mac Band Grindstone Cowboy Darryl and Julie O'Donnell Happy’s Sports Lounge Memory Train Heroes Den Tim Newton; Wilson Collins Middle Ground Brewing Co. Nettie & The Delta Boy The Print Shop Jeff Lysyczyn

Sun, 8/17

Boro Bourbon & Brews Mikki Zip Hop Springs Da Jam Band

Mon, 8/18

Boro Bourbon & Brews Renegade Soul Burger Bar Jeff Lysyczyn Smyrna VFW Post 8422 Randy and Friends

Tues, 8/19

Seasons 2 Bar and Grill Kim the Harp Jam

Wed, 8/20

Boro Bourbon & Brews Jeff Lysyczyn

Thurs, 8/21

Boro Bourbon & Brews Carson Mac Seasons 2 Bar and Grill Dustin Nicholson and Judy Taylor

Fri, 8/22

Boro Bourbon & Brews Jack Finley bullseye's sports bar Carrie & Sherrie Lynn Cedar Glade Brews Tucker Wilson Happy’s Sports Lounge Doc Flannel Heroes Den Dueling Pianos with Carter Elliott and Van Rentz Smyrna VFW Post 8422 Shane & the Money Makers

Sat, 8/23

Happy’s Sports Lounge Legacy Heroes Den Jeff Caron; Tony Time & Steve M Middle Ground Brewing Co. Brad Frazier

Sun, 8/24

Boro Bourbon & Brews Sara Swenson Hop Springs Da Jam Band

Mon, 8/25

Boro Bourbon & Brews Noble Rayne Burger Bar Jeff Lysyczyn Smyrna VFW Post 8422 Randy and Friends

Tues, 8/26

Seasons 2 Bar and Grill Kim the Harp Jam

Wed, 8/27

Boro Bourbon & Brews Kyle Isamoyer Hilton Garden Inn Smyrna Jeff Lysyczyn

Thurs, 8/28 Boro Bourbon & Brews Cam Shelton

Fri, 8/29

Boro Bourbon & Brews Vagabond Train bullseye's sports bar Junkbox Happy’s Sports Lounge Rockin Country Heroes Den The Revenue Man; Shannon & the Harpeth River Boys Smyrna VFW Post 8422 Shane & the Money Makers Woodsviking Barbershop Jeff Lysyczyn

Sat, 8/30

Boro Bourbon & Brews Jeff Caron Band; Tony Castellanos Happy’s Sports Lounge JILLfm Heroes Den Nick Jackson; Seekamp Brothers Middle Ground Brewing Co. Blank Page

Sun, 8/31

Boro Bourbon & Brews Kaylin Kole Hop Springs Da Jam Band

 full calendar online at

boropulse.com/calendar

Mon, 9/1

Burger Bar Jeff Lysyczyn Smyrna VFW Post 8422 Randy and Friends

Thurs, 9/4

Tennessee Miller Coliseum Experience Community Worship Night

Karaoke, Trivia, Poker and DJ nights in Murfreesboro

fri, 9/5

MONDAYS

Boro Bourbon & Brews Big Saxy Blues Tennessee Miller Coliseum Experience Community Worship Night

124 N. Maple St.

Hank’s Honky Tonk Singo 6:30–8:30 p.m.

High Society Karaoke 10 p.m.–12 a.m.

Smyrna Sports Pub Poker 6 p.m.

The Goat Trivia 7 p.m.

The Fish House Bingo 7 p.m.

Bullseye’s Sports Bar

TUESDAYS

If You Go Boro Bourbon & Brews 225 River Rock Blvd.

burger bar

1850 Old Fort Pkwy.

carmen’s taqueria

206 W. Northfield Blvd.

CEDAR GLADE BREWS 906 Ridgely Rd.

Grindstone cowboy

115 N. Main St., Eagleville

happy’s sports Lounge 302 W. Main St.

Hilton Garden Inn

2631 Highwood Blvd., Smyrna

heroes den

1257 NW Broad St.

high society

211 W. Main St.

Hop Springs

6790 John Bragg Hwy.

Middle Ground Brewing Co.

2476 Old Fort Pkwy.

High Society Karaoke 10 p.m.–12 a.m.

MJ’s Sports Bar and Grill Singo 7 p.m.

Nacho’s Trivia 7 p.m.

WEDNESDAYS

Campus Pub Karaoke 9 p.m.

El Toro Trivia 7 p.m.

Happy’s Sports Lounge Sports trivia High Society Karaoke 10 p.m.–12 a.m.

Middle Ground Brewing Co. Bingo 7 p.m.

THURSDAYS

Campus Pub Karaoke 9 p.m.

Front Street Pub Trivia Happy’s Sports Lounge Trivia 6:30–8:30 p.m.

fridays

1733 St. Andrews Dr.

High Society Karaoke 10 p.m.–2 a.m.

HotShotz Karaoke Margaritas Karaoke 7 p.m.–12 a.m.

Smyrna VFW post 8422

saturdays

Murfreesboro civic Plaza 111 W. Vine St.

seasons 2 bar & Grill 10157 Old Nashville Hwy., Smyrna

TN miller coliseum

304 W. Thompson Ln.

The Print Shop

1 N. Lowry St., Smyrna

woodsviking barber shop 15 S. Public Square

High Society Karaoke 10 p.m.–2 a.m.

Nacho’s Survey Time Showdown 7 p.m.

For full Entertianment Listings, visit boropulse/karaoke

FREE family friendly concerts begin at 6:30pm at the Rutherford County Courthouse

August 8th Rubiks Groove Sept. 19th Backstage Brass Thank You Sponsors Presenting Sponsor

MainstreetMurfreesboro.org

TnArtsCommission.org

friday night live returns with rubiks groove

music noteS

photo courtesy of aaron swisher

On Friday, Aug. 8, the Friday Night Live community concert series returns to Murfreesboro’s Public Square with Rubiks Groove. The 1980s tribute band Rubiks Groove will perform from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., staged in front of the Rutherford County Courthouse as part of Main Street Murfreesboro’s summer music lineup. Organizers of these free, familyfriendly downtown events encourage local folks to bring lawn chairs, enjoy nearby dining, and shop locally downtown before the Friday evening shows start and the music, dancing and fun vibes begin. For more information visit mainstreetmurfrees boro.org/friday-night-live.

Serotonin Returns to the Stage after a Two-Decade Hiatus by Matthew Olson A July 13 show at Cobra in Nashville marked the first performance in 20 years for ’90s Middle Tennessee band Serotonin, taking the stage after Drivel, Yammer Jaw and Boozewa.

Murfreesboro local Jason Dietz, the band’s bassist, plays alongside Nashville residents Andrew Walker, guitarist and vocalist, and drummer Jim Valosik. The band originally played as a fourpiece that included Ryan Snyder on guitar and vocals, but following Snyder’s move to Chicago, Serotonin would work as a three-piece.

The post-emotional hardcore band’s last album, Future Anterior, was released back in 2003

by Bifocal Media. Serotonin’s first EP, While I Breathe I Hope, was released in 1996 by Double Agent & Concurrent Records. The 7-inch record included three songs: “How Many Months,” “Healed Wounds,” and “Mica.”

Serotonin formed shortly after Dietz relocated to Murfreesboro from Washington, D.C., in August 1995. He met Valosik during his first week of orientation at MTSU, after noticing Valosik’s 16 * August 2025 * boropulse.com

T-shirt from Dischord Records, an independent punk rock record label from the D.C. area.

The band performed its early shows at Murfreesboro venues like Faces and the Boro Bar and Grill, also playing area house venues. As it grew, the band established connections with Nashville’s Lucy’s Record Shop and later began touring to Atlanta. During this time, they built relationships with well-known punk bands such as Converge and Piebald from Massachusetts.

With plenty of new material, including 12 new songs, the band says it plans to play more before the end of the year, but doesn’t have anything official lined up as of now. Dietz says some of those songs might be released in the future and a four-LP Serotonin box set is also in the works, to be released next year. The box set will include their three albums along with a fourth album of unreleased Serotonin material, recorded at Dietz’s Twin Oak Recording.

Visit serotonintn.bandcamp.com for more.

Local History

Welcome to

Murfreesboro has deep Tennessee roots. Take time to explore Oaklands Mansion, a Civil War-era home now a museum near downtown Murfreesboro.

Murfreesboro THE HEART OF TENNESSEE A Guide to the Local Attractions, Entertainment, Dining and Parks That Make Rutherford County Great hether you’re here for the long haul, in the area temporarily while attending MTSU, or just in for a visit, get out and explore Murfreesboro and everything the community offers— great food, natural beauty, live music, shopping, entertainment, sports and history mixed with a little Southern hospitality. Here’s your semi-official guide to getting the most out of the Middlest town in Tennessee. Welcome to the ’Boro. Make yourself at home!

Game On Need something fun to do? Don’t just sit on the couch and stream. Murfreesboro has lots of entertaining activities.

Find miniature golf, an arcade, go-karts, batting cages and a driving range at  Go USA Fun Park.

Climb Murfreesboro boasts a massive indoor rock climbing gym, a blast for beginners yet offering plenty of challenges for seasoned climbers.

Main Event opened a new facility off of Medical Center Parkway offering laser tag, VR games, bowling, billiards and dining, all under one roof.

Other spots to bowl a game include Strike and Spare, within the Stones River Town Center, and Lanes, Trains & Automobiles, off of Church Street. Throw axes and burn off energy in the rage room at  TN Axe and Smash.

Play retro games and pinball at Flashback Arcade.

For roller skating, Skate Center West on West College Street brings the retro roller disco energy.

Rutherford County has a healthy darts scene. Throw steel at Bullseye’s, Fat Willie’s, Tommy’s Sports Bar, Smyrna Sports Pub, Sullivan’s and Seasons of Murfreesboro, with the Stones River Darts Association and Premier League Darts of Middle Tennessee presenting organized events.

Murfreesboro also has multiple escape rooms.

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Visit Stones River National Battlefield and Cemetery and walk the grounds where thousands fought and fell in a pivotal Civil War battle, where many Union soldiers and historic figures rest; plenty of walking trails are available in this area as well.

photo courtesy of bill shacklett

W

Check out Cannonsburgh Village, a re-creation of 1800s Murfreesboro, complete with a gristmill, school house, church, post office and other log structures that offers a look at pioneer life. Cannonsburgh is also home to the Rutherford County Blacksmith Association, Murfreesboro Art League and Stones River Car Club.

Plus, find a monument marking the center point of the great state of Tennessee on Old Lascassas Pike, not far from the MTSU campus. Although, come to find out, it may be a few yards away from the exact geographical center of the state, pay the obelisk a visit. continued on page 20

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continued from page 18

Let the Music Play The area has lots of jam nights where all of the talented local players can converge at a variety of venues including Boro Bourbon & Brews, Hank’s, Hop Springs, heroes den, Seasons and Front Street Pub. Check out Eagleville’s grindstone cowboy, owned and operated by country music artist Craig Campbell, featuring live music regularly.

Friday Night Live on the Murfreesboro Square during warm months has become a popular attraction bringing cover bands, dancing and family fun.

Roots Rendezvous will keep the spirit of Uncle Dave Macon Days ringing through the hills, and Gallagher Fest has become a downtown street festival tradition.

The MTSU School of Music often offers free or donation-based concerts ranging from jazz ensembles to symphony performances to senior guitar or horn recitals.  Be sure to check the Pulse Concert Calendar each week for live music in Murfreesboro.

Historic Downtown By day, downtown Murfreesboro is filled with unique boutiques, dining spots, and local history. Stroll around the Murfreesboro Public Square, admire the architecture, browse through some of the local shops. Grab brunch and coffee at Joanie’s, dine at marina's on the square, The Alley on main or Dominico’s Italian Deli, or grab coffee and dessert at Oflow Brews & Bakes. Perhaps visit the Center for the Arts, Rutherford County Courthouse Museum or the murfreesboro saturday market during the summer months.

At night, catch live music at Boro Bourbon & Brews, sing karaoke at High Society, stop in for a cocktail at One of 19, dance at Whiskey Dix and drop by Liquid Smoke, if you’re a cigar fan.

Get Outside Get moving on the scenic  Murfreesboro Greenway, a fantastic 15-plus mile system of paved walking and biking trails running alongside the Stones River. Travelers pass through shaded woods, open fields and even historic sites as they venture between multiple Greenway access points scattered throughout the town. It’s also ideal for locating a fishing spot, viewing wildlife or finding a shady picnic area.  Murfree Springs Wetlands, next to Discovphoto courtesy of ashleigh newnes

ery Center on Broad Street, is a popular spot to view lots of wildlife from a scenic, elevated boardwalk path. The wetlands are home to ducks, otters, turtles, herons, frogs and more.

For a secluded walk, head to  Flat Rock State Natural Area, a rocky patch of cedar glade terrain just

20 * August 2025 * boropulse.com

outside of town with a threemile trail. The area home to a large variety of native Tennessee wildflowers.

Old Fort Park features a

large playground, tennis and pickleball courts, a  Skate park that has become a gathering site for area skateboard, roller blade, scooter and bike enthusiasts, and the Fortress Rosecrans  Civil War earthworks, as well as Greenway access.

photo courtesy of jim davis / murfreesboro parks and rec

Barfield Crescent Park

offers a free disc golf course, hiking trails, playgrounds, the Wilderness Station, tetherball, volleyball and mountain bike trails.

Other parks include:

Oaklands Park, McKnight Park, Cason Lane and Rogers Park.

Local golf courses:  Old Fort, Indian Hills, Cedar Crest and Champions Run.

continued on page 22

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continued from page 20

FestivalS

local eats Start with the classics like  Slick Pig BBQ (some of the finest smoked wings in town, as well as delicious potato salad, pulled pork, catfish, white beans and other Southern favorites), the long-loved Demos’ for steaks, spaghetti and soups, and soul food from legendary lunchroom Kleer-Vu lunch room.  Toot’s is still a go-to for burgers, fried pickles and wings—definitely try the onion rings!

Also feeding Murfreesboro for decades, check out Sir Pizza for that crunchy, square-cut throwback pie and Far East Cafe on Main Street for General Tso’s chicken and Chinese comfort food. Buster’s Place,  Donut Country and Miller’s Grocery (out in Christiana) are also local institutions.

Murfreesboro has a vibrant Thai and Lao scene; local diners can hit Pad Thai Cafe, Lemongrass, Taste of Thai, SaBaiDee, Ladna 88, the Bangkok and many other Southeast Asian eateries for their ginger wings, pad see ew, curry and spring rolls.

There’s a Mexican restaurant or taco shop on almost every corner. Explore Carmen’s Taqueria to Mexico Tipico, Cinco de Mayo to  Mexiven to Nacho’s; there’s So-Cali, Oscar’s, Taqueria Mi Oaxaca, Margarita’s, Maya Grill and so many more.

22 * August 2025 * boropulse.com

Pizzerias and Italian flavors can be found at  Marina’s on the Square, La Cucina Italiana, Sal’s and Luca’s Pizzeria.

Primrose Table, Five Senses, Parthenon Grille and Steakhouse Five offer a more upscale

If there’s a food, Murfreesboro probably has a festival to celebrate it— Boro Hot Chicken Festival, Cheesecake Festival, Berry Fest, Oreo Fest (yes, really), Banana Pudding FEST, the list goes on. These vendor market events have become a popular way for those who enjoy eating, shopping and socializing to spend a leisurely day.

These events feature food trucks, craft vendors, live music, eating contests, and enough indulgence to write home about.

experience.

For Indian cuisine, hit Clay Pit, Ugadi, Taste of India or Tandoor.

Need something sweet? Visit Janarty’s or Karin’s Kustard.

For fresh fruits and vegetables, jams, jellies and more, Rutherford County has three farmers markets—the main street Saturday Market on the Square, the Smyrna Depot Farmers Market in downtown Smyrna and the Rutherford County Farmers Market at the Lane Agri-Park.

Murfreesboro also has an abundance of coffee spots. Popular spots include Joanie’s (on the Square and on St. Andrew’s), Brass Horn, Just Love, Red Bicycle and Coffee Fusion.

Although the community has lost a few good ones recently, Murfreesboro’s craft beer scene continues to brew up goodness. Middle Ground Brewing Co., Cedar Glade Brews, Hop Springs Beer Park and Tailgate Brewery are all popular spots for trivia nights, live music, games and meet-ups.

Go Blue!

Middle Tennessee State University has a huge impact on

the Murfreesboro area and offers many events and attractions for students and townies alike. With the largest undergraduate student body in the state, MTSU fills its calendar with a variety of activities open to the public. Whether you’re catching a Blue Raider football game at Floyd Stadium, watching a theater department production at Tucker Theatre, visiting the Baldwin Photographic Gallery, taking in a concert at the Wright Music Building, or attending a visiting lecturer, there’s always something happening on the MTSU campus.

 movie

Wartrace: A Living Soul Documentary project tells story of small Middle Tennessee town

by Elisha Nelson

W

hat began as a website project turned into something much deeper for filmmaker Heidi Cataldo-Warren, who discovered not just a town’s history, but what she calls its “living soul.”

“The name of the film Wartrace: A Living Soul stems from the history that I was researching when I was doing their website,” she said. “I recognized it as having this living soul that’s been passed down through the generations.”

That recognition sparked a documentary which explores the rich, often overlooked, stories of Wartrace—a small Middle Tennessee town just outside of Shelbyville with Civil War ties, unique architecture, and a deeply connected community. The film is the first installment of what Cataldo-Warren says will become a series.

“I’ve always been in the entertainment industry—writing, editing, film, photography, teaching, business. I know the business end of it,” she said. “When I started making the website and realized that there was a lot of history in the town, I kind of felt like they didn’t know some of it. I had to dig to find the answers.”

The upcoming film marks Cataldo-Warren’s first directorial and editorial debut in feature-length film-making.

Some of her family was born in New York and Israel; 13 members of the family moved down to Tennessee.

“I didn’t grow up in Wartrace, but a lot of my brothers did. When I came home, I came back to the family home,” she said. “I never really lived in Wartrace outside of a year when I moved back home 10 years ago,

but it felt like a different place . . . there was a different vibe when I came back this time than when I left.”

Researching Wartrace opened a door to powerful stories, and people like Carolyn Smotherman of the Bedford County Archives Association helped uncover them.

“She was pivotal,” the filmmaker said.

“She helped me dig up so much stuff, things that I was finding that she didn’t know, and things she would find for me that I had no idea I’d ever see. As soon as I realized I was carrying something I could give to everybody else, I had a huge heart for the project.”

Wartrace: A Living Soul features four interviewees, including 102-year-old Blossom Merryman, an expert in historical preservation.

“I had to get it done before she passed,” Cataldo-Warren says. “She knows, we kind of both laugh about it.”

Merryman also owns the town’s oldest standing building, built in 1852.

“There’s some architecture in that area that is not common in other areas,” the filmmaker said.

Don Gallagher, music lover, maker of guitars and local political figure

Wartrace’s role in American history is also surprisingly significant.

“It was pivotal in a lot of the wars because the train stopped through there, so it made it a key logistic area,” Cataldo-Warren noted.

But the filmmaker insists it’s the people, not the past alone, that make Wartrace truly unique.

“What makes it most different is the way that the community cooperates and really is cohesive as a singular network,” she said.

“It’s getting back to that now. We’ve got a new group in our government, and we’re starting to see the paths of the history lead into our future again.”

Producing the documentary did not come without its hurdles.

“I wasn’t fully equipped for really pulling together a professional film,” the filmmaker admitted. “I had sold my studio when I moved back 10 years ago. I had to re-collect

Blossom Merryman, restorationist and preservationist

pieces just to make it feasible. The audio was also a challenge. If I didn’t have the skills in editing that I had, I think I might not have shown this.”

Despite the obstacles, the film has generated excitement amongst moviegoers. A media screening earlier this summer led to requests for broader showings.

“A lot of people saw it and were like, ‘Yeah, we want to show this to other people.’”

The project is also expected to expand beyond the first release. “This is going to be a series,” she said. “When you see the first one, you’ll see. It’s just a little taste of each one of the different aspects that make Wartrace completely unique. If you look at it as a center of a wheel, each topic can spoke out and be its own 55-minute documentary.”

Cataldo-Warren is currently reviewing a licensing agreement and has secured a broadcast commitment from Channel 6 the Link out of Tullahoma. She’s also working with sponsors to produce commercials that will air alongside the film.

For the filmmaker, this work is about more than preserving the past; it’s about giving something meaningful back to a town that left a mark on her life.

The film’s grand debut will take place on Aug. 9 at The Keep and the Carriage-House in Wartrace, with catering and a chance to meet the cast. For more information on the documentary project, visit alivingsoul.info. boropulse.com * August 2025 * 23

Living

SPOTLIGHT on nonprofit

 Jason Gulley and his Never Been Beat crew recently organized and gathered arm wrestling mentors to stage an arm wrestling competition, and offer words of encouragement, for kids of fallen military personnel at Journey Camp in Fountain Run, Kentucky, a project of A Soldier’s Child Foundation

Never Been Beat

by Laura Lindsay

Arm wrestler Jason Gulley looking for strong men

In the world of arm wrestling,

legends are created at kitchen tables and backyard barbecues. Murfreesboro resident Jason Gulley—whose grip is as strong as his ambition—launched “Never Been Beat” as a rallying cry to the champions who have ruled their circles without tasting defeat.

Gulley is working on a documentary, to be called Never Been Beat, about arm wrestlers across the country who have never been defeated in a match.

“I am looking for bluecollar, country, hard-working men who have beaten all their friends at arm wrestling,” Gulley said.

“I would like them to reach out to me to be a part of this.”

For the documentary concept, comedians Tom Mabe and Reno Collier are going to interview these strongmen who have never been beaten in arm wrestling to find out their stories, similar to the way the show American Pickers goes around the country looking for antiques, Gulley said.

“I am looking for tradesmen with unheard-of strength, who have arm-wrestled their buddies and always win,” he continued. “I’m not looking for professional arm wrestlers. I’m looking for people who have never been beat in arm wrestling with their friends.”

Often, these are unassuming, quiet guys— these are the ones about whom Gulley is intrigued, hoping to learn their stories.

24 * August 2025 * boropulse.com

“I’ve always been very interested in bluecollar, hard-working men who work with the strength of their hands,” Gulley said. “I wasn’t so much interested in the aesthetics, like body builders. I was just taken away by terms that were relevant to that kind of ‘country strong’ arm strength—the type of hand stability that these men have.”

So he is putting out a call to find these guys, and wants to tell their stories.

“Often, that guy is a master craftsman too, who is so specific and precise in his work,” Gulley added.

Gulley asks those featured in the documentary to join him in his effort to raise funds to be donated to A Soldier’s Child Foundation. Gulley has a partnership with the nonprofit organization, run by Darrell Mankin, which serves children of fallen servicemen and women from all U.S. military branches.

Gulley is a former Marine himself, and a former competitive arm wrestler. He says he uses Janusian thinking—conceiving two seemingly contradictory ideas simultaneously—to draw out his creative side and to find innovative solutions through multiple perspectives.

He is also an inventor, the creator of the Gulley Grip, a thick-handled exercise grip that assists in developing hand and arm

strength, and can connect to cable machines, weights or pull-up bars.

“I have always wanted to arm-wrestle and have always been an athlete,” Gulley said.

“I started arm wrestling with my buddies’ dads because I would beat all my buddies.

I showed up every day for six months to beat one man. I arm-wrestled throughout high school and when I was in the Marine Corps after 9/11. Even in Iraq, I put together a little arm-wrestling exhibition at the gym where we worked out.” After he left the U.S. Marine Corps, Gulley went to his first arm-wrestling tournament and started getting connected within the arm-wrestling community. He soon met John Brzenk, known as one of the best arm wrestlers of all time, winning more than 500 championship titles—with his first world title win on ABC’s Wide World of Sports in 1983.

“I asked Brzenk—the greatest arm wrestler of all time—what he did to strengthen his arm-wrestling abilities,” Gulley said.

“He described to me utilizing a free rotating thick handle that you work out with to make your hand more stable. I met with MTSU professor Walter Boles, and he made me a prototype. I started using it and two months later I won a tournament and beat everyone easily. I wanted to help others, so I mass-produced The Gulley Grip.”

Today, Gulley is a realtor with Zack Taylor Real Estate here in Murfreesboro, specializing in veteran home ownership.

Gulley also serves as a veteran service officer for the Tennessee Department of Veterans Services, with an office at MTSU. He has a daughter at Oakland High School and a son at Oakland Middle School.

Look for more on the Never Been Beat documentary over the coming months as Gulley develops the idea and takes it to film companies.

For more information, visit neverbeenbeat. com or keep up with Never Been Beat on Facebook and TikTok. Find more on A Soldier’s Child Foundation at asoldierschild.org. Those interested in getting involved can call or text Jason Gulley at 615-920-2658.

The

Minute

with bill wilson Items in the Rutherford County Courthouse Museum

Rutherford County Archive

Pay a Visit to the Rutherford County Historic Courthouse Museum, Our Area Is Rich With History Hello everyone! I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for some football weather. It’s been so hot here lately . . . I complain it’s too hot, but in December I’ll complain it’s too cold. That’s life.

I’d like to talk to y’all about something that’s important to me, and that is history.

Did you know we have a Rutherford County Historic Courthouse Museum? It’s located in our Courthouse on the Square. Several rooms on the main floor have been set aside for historical items from Rutherford County.

The museum is free but donations are welcomed.

The Courthouse Museum contains heirlooms and pieces of Rutherford County history dating back 200-plus years. All of the contents of the museum were donated by different folks from around the area.

Items range from school banners and Civil War artifacts to antique furniture that once filled some of the antebellum homes here.

There is a room that deals with the African American heritage regarding education and law enforcement.

Additionally, the Rutherford County Archives on Rice Street holds many of the

county’s historical documents, including marriage certificates, deeds, plats, blueprints of government buildings, old maps and more.

You can stop by and visit both to learn more for yourself.

I recently got to sit down with our county archivist, John Lodl, to talk to him about the museum and our county archives.

Personally, I like to delve into my own dealings with history in the classroom. You see, I was in Mrs. Moser’s 5th grade class at Campus School and one of our assignments was to dress up like a conqueror or conquistador. I chose Hernando De Soto, because he found the Mississippi River and he had traveled through Tennessee and helped found Memphis. Some might argue that’s not all that good, but since my girlfriend and partner played golf and graduated from Memphis, it’s OK. I can vividly remember a Sunday night trying on my Hernando De Soto outfit. Of course I had a painted-on mustache with a little goatee. I wore my great-grandmother’s cape from the late 1800s and I had a helmet that my mother covered with alumi-

num foil to make it look like one of those conqueror helmets. I also had some cool boots that I wore and pants to complete the 1500s outfit. So Monday morning comes around. I’m all dressed up in my garb for Hernando De Soto, and as I opened up the door into Mrs. Moser’s class I hear chuckles and see people just staring at me laughing.

Mrs. Moser informed me I was supposed to dress up the following Monday. The whole day I was Hernando De Soto. The mustache did not wash off. I believe this is where some of my problems began.

One would think I wouldn’t like history after that debacle, but honestly, it made me want to know more about history—in particular, our local history. We all have a history, some good, some bad, and that makes up who we are. How many times have we heard “know your history or you’re bound to repeat it”? . . . Or is that insanity?

We are lucky to live in a community that has lots of history, all sorts of history, not only Civil War history. At one time Murfreesboro had several colleges, including Soule College, Union University, Eaton College and of course MTSU, which is still doing great today! So we really were a pulse of the educational norms at that time.

Murfreesboro also at one time had several hotels downtown. You had the Jordan Hotel, which was across from the old City

Cafe. Many are familiar with the James K. Polk Hotel, located at the corner of Spring Street and East Main Street, where the Truist Bank building now stands. There was the Haynes Hotel, located near the corner of College Street and Maple Street, where Miller, Loughry and Beach is now located.

There was the Periscope, which was more of a boarding house that sat on North Church Street across from the old Rutherford County Health Department.

In talking with John Lodl, he mentioned that there are talks going on about moving some of Rutherford County’s museum from the Courthouse to the old Goldstein’s building, which is now the election commission building, at South Public Square and Church Street. The museum would be on the first floor, with county offices on the second floor.

This is still in consideration by the county commission for funding approval.

I also asked John to show me the oldest document that the Rutherford County Archives had and he showed me a marriage certificate that dates back to 1804. I thought that was cool!

If you have questions, or if you have an old document or something that you think may be historic, go by and see John at 435 Rice St. here in Murfreesboro. The archive’s phone number is 615-867-4609.

If anybody would like to further their interest in history, you should join the Rutherford County Historical Society. Go to their Facebook page or reach out to Carole Robertson White and she will hook you up.

The membership is only $25 a year, and that includes a monthly newsletter and several functions the group hosts each year.

The Historical Society meets at the old Ransom School on North Academy Street in Murfreesboro.

In closing, I would like to say Happy Birthday to my partner and girlfriend Meredith Thomas on the 20th of August, my mother on the 22nd and Mere’s mother, Peggy Thomas, on the 24th of August!

If you haven’t gotten by the museum in the courthouse yet, go by and check it out!

It’s open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. And remember to go out and do something nice for someone else! Until next time, God bless.

Call Bill Wilson for your local real estate needs at 615-406-5872. boropulse.com * August 2025 * 25

Nature News

black-eyed susan, butterfly milkweed and prairie dropseed by ashleigh newnes

Creating a Buzz About Native Plants A closer look at Murfreesboro Indigenous Plant Project species

by Ashleigh Newnes

T

he new native garden at Murfree Spring may still be small, but it’s already creating a buzz. The community has had a lot of questions, and the project is sparking a wider conversation about the value of native plants and the role they play in supporting local wildlife.

It’s also inspiring many to take part in restoring Tennessee’s natural beauty right at home.

Native plants do more than fill a space with color—they bring life to it. These species have grown alongside Tennessee’s wildlife for thousands of years, creating a perfect match for the pollinators, birds and other creatures that depend on them.

Unlike many non-native ornamentals, these native plants provide the nectar, seeds and shelter that local species need to survive.

They’re also easy on the gardener. Because they’re adapted to our climate and soils, native plants typically require less watering, fewer chemicals and little maintenance once established. Choosing natives means creating a yard that’s both beautiful and beneficial—a place where butterflies, bees and songbirds can thrive.

The planting plan at Murfree Spring includes a rich mix of native species. Each is chosen not only for its beauty and benefit to wildlife, but also so that different plants take the spotlight throughout the year. As

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one species fades, another begins to bloom, keeping the garden alive with color and activity through every season.

In addition to the planting list and garden layout, here’s a deeper dive into five key species of the garden—plants that will mature into striking, beneficial displays and also work beautifully in your own home landscapes.

Golden St. John’s Wort (Hypericum frondosum) Once abundant in Murfreesboro, this small shrub now survives only in scattered natural populations as development has reduced its range. Its golden summer blooms offer only pollen, making them especially attractive to native bees.

Blue-green foliage adds interest through the season and shifts to vibrant yellows, oranges and reds in fall. Well-suited to local soils, it’s an easy and resilient choice for sunny or partly shaded spots.

Blue Wild Indigo (Baptisia australis) With its striking indigo blooms in spring and soft, attractive foliage, this plant makes a statement in any native garden. Though slow to grow at first, it eventually forms a shrublike presence, dying back to the ground each winter as an herbaceous perennial. Blue wild indigo is also a valuable host plant, supporting at least 17 caterpillar species in our area.

There is already an impressive stand of this plant at the Native Garden at the Wilderness Station at Barfield Crescent Park.

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) A familiar summer wildflower, black-eyed Susan brightens the landscape with sunny yellow petals surrounding a dark center. It’s easy to grow, attracts pollinators, and readily

blue indigo courtesy of justin stacey; PRAIRIE phlox by sarah mayo

Living

More Native Species Planted at Murfree Spring Eastern Bluestar Plantainleaf Pussytoes  Butterfly Milkweed Blue False Indigo  Downy Wood Mint Sideoats Grama Oval Leaf Sedge Cherokee Sedge Pale Purple Coneflower Smooth Hydrangea Cedarglade St. John’s Wort Shrubby St. John’s Wort Long-sepal Beardtongue Foxglove Beardtongue Small’s Beardtongue Prairie Phlox  Slender Mountain Mint Gray-headed Coneflower Zigzag Goldenrod  Prairie Dropseed Common Blue Violet Culver’s Root reseeds itself, spreading color year after year.

Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) Known for its bright orange blooms, butterfly milkweed is a magnet for pollinators and an essential host plant for monarch butterflies.

Like other milkweeds, it produces intricate flowers that draw a wide range of beneficial insects. This compact native rarely grows taller than two feet and thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, making it a low-maintenance but vital addition to any garden.

Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis) This tidy, clump-forming native grass adds texture and movement to the landscape, catching the light and swaying in the breeze.

Its fine, arching blades look fantastic paired with butterfly milkweed or other sun-loving perennials and can be planted in masses or as a border. In late summer, airy seed heads rise above the foliage, releasing a delicate fragrance. With its deep root system, prairie dropseed offers ecological benefits—improving soil health, aiding water absorption and storing carbon—while also providing nesting material and cover for wildlife. A low-maintenance alternative to invasive ornamental grasses such as fountain grass (Pennisetum), Miscanthus, or monkey grass (Liriope), it thrives in full sun and dry to medium soils.

Indigenous Plant Project (MIPP) nursery.

Most of the plants will be available for purchase during the Conservation in Action Expo on Saturday, Oct. 11, at the Wilderness Station in Barfield Crescent Park. In addition to the sale, the expo will feature guided walks, educational exhibits and hands-on conservation activities, a perfect opportunity to learn and connect with others who care about native plants and local wildlife.

The native plantings at Murfree Spring— and many other conservation projects—depend on the care and dedication of Outdoor Murfreesboro staff and volunteers. Opportunities range from planting and maintenance to habitat restoration, trash removal, and more.

Every effort helps protect local ecosystems and keep our green spaces healthy and vibrant.

The garden at Murfree Spring is just the beginning of what’s possible when a community values its natural heritage. By planting natives at home, purchasing from local conservation efforts or lending a hand through volunteering, anyone can play a part in restoring the landscapes that make Middle Tennessee special. Small actions, whether tending a butterfly milkweed or picking up litter along a trail, add up to big change.

Together, these efforts keep our wild spaces alive and buzzing for generations to come.

All of the native species highlighted here are currently being grown at the Murfreesboro

Getting involved is easy; to sign up, visit outdoormurfreesboro.volunteerlocal.com.

Food

 restaurant

Mack Attack Mack’s Hot Chicken serves the spice in Smyrna, frying up bold Nashville-style hot chicken and dishing out soulful Southern sides story BY BRACKEN MAYO

Photos BY sarah MAYO

F

The Dish Mack’s Hot Chicken 12978 Old Nashville Hwy. Smyrna Tues.–Fri.: 11 a.m.–8 p.m.

Sat.: 12–6 p.m.

615-768-5477 (text to order) Leg quarter: $8.99 Catfish sandwich: $13.99 Fruit tea: $2.99 3 tenders, side and drink: $14.98; Chess square: $3.99 2 tenders and waffle: $11.99 facebook.com/mackshotchicken

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or those on the hunt for quality hot chicken, or if your tastes lean crispy, spicy and Southern-fried, definitely pay a visit to Mack’s Hot Chicken in Smyrna.

Specializing in the peppery delicacy revered and craveable to some, shockingly terrifying to others—Nashville hot chicken—Mack’s serves the greasy, dangerously spicy chicken leg quarters atop the customary plain white bread to catch the radioactive drippings, along with some pickles and ranch dressing.

“Some of the best hot chicken in the greater Nashville area,” said customer Ryan Gilbert. “Made to order so you’ll have to wait a minute, but, boy, is it worth the wait.”

Mack’s has occupied a space on Old Nashville Highway for the past six years (within a building also home to O’Riley Karate Center), and this family-run Smyrna spot has built a devoted following dishing out its hot chicken, fish, fried okra, greens, tenders, potato salad, mac and cheese, cakes and more—food made with generous levels of heat and heart.

As some newcomers enter the hot chicken place, smooth music greets them, ranging from Marvin Gaye to some bouncier selections. The cashier alerted a party that orders are prepared and fried to order, so they take about 30 minutes.

This individual running front-of-house duties at this local, made-to-order operation turns out to be Morgan Lowe, the daughter of Mack’s owner and founder Raychelle Lowe, busily cooking chicken in the back.

Raychelle created the brand in honor of her father, longtime Nashville firefighter Mack Holt, hence the firefighting theme tied into the chicken joint’s logo.

Holt was a fan of Nashville icon Prince’s Hot Chicken, Lowe has said, and she set out to create a Smyrna restaurant and hot chicken recipe on par with the top Nashville bird houses.

Mack’s offers seven flavor options for its

chicken and fish: plain, mild, medium, hot, Mack Attack and Mack’s Revenge, as well as lemon pepper. Choose your spice level wisely, the menu warns.

“Had the Mack Attack sandwich,” posted David Rousseau Charbonneau after trying out Mack’s. “The spice level was as painful as expected.”

For him, this was a good thing, giving the place five out of five stars in his review.

Those with hot chicken experience report that Mack’s doesn’t mess around when it comes to their heat levels. Hot has some serious kick, and Mack’s Revenge may hurt you; few dare to try that hottest level, it appears.

Shane Ramsey said the bird was “flavorful and fiery.”

“Mack Attack lived up to its name, delivering a serious punch of heat that left my taste buds tingling. It was intense but not overwhelming,” he said. “Mack’s Hot Chicken is a must-visit for hot chicken enthusiasts.”

While Mack’s has the spice to impress hot chicken veterans, those seeking a less extreme dining experience can still find something flavorful without the fire, as long as they enjoy fried fare—fried okra, fried fish or fried tenders.

Mack’s serves both whiting fish and catfish, either selection involving a huge portion of fried fish, seasoned to the preferred level, served atop white bread, topped with the recommended yellow mustard drizzle, raw onions and pickles.

“It is so daggone good!” posted another pleased customer, Ieshea. “They put soooo much fish on one fish sandwich that you really can make two sandwiches out of it.”

The sides deserve praise, too. The greens are legit; the potato salad creamy and made in-house, with large, just-firm-enough chunks of potatoes. There’s also cole slaw, fried pickles, baked beans, fries, mac and cheese and okra.

S T E A K • S E A F O O D • PA S TA • W I N E • W H I S K E Y

Catering Available

HAPPY HOUR MON – THURS 4 PM TO 7 PM SAT 11 AM TO 3 PM 223 West Main Street Murfreesboro 615-203-3498 alleyonmain.com

And the delicious pineapple fruit tea can come in handy after eating some spice, a sweet relief from the heat.

Raychelle gets creative on Wednesdays for the weekly “Wild Wednesday” conception. Mack’s patrons highly recommend that fans of crispy fried and spicy items visit on a Wednesday to see which wild card special Mack’s plays that week.

The weekly wild card could be fish tacos, loaded mac and cheese, Cajun shrimp & grits, or a hot chicken pita wrap.

The hot bourbon wings on a recent Wild Wednesday were fantastic, the chicken fried crispy, and the glaze bringing some sweet to balance out the heat—these can come with any spice level of seasoning added to the special glaze—the wings served whole, with the drum, flat and tip all still connected.

Other wild cards that Mack’s has pulled include hot oysters and shrimp, a hot chicken potato bowl, hot chicken BBQ sandwich, hot sweet chili naked wings and hot chicken loaded fries. Follow Mack’s Hot Chicken on Facebook to see what’s up

on Wednesday from week to week.

Though most looking for hot chicken and fish seem pleased with Mack’s, and many say they are quite pleased with the portion sizes and the value, some report that wait times can on occasion be even longer than the quoted 30 minutes.

Many, to save time, will attempt to call ahead to place their order, but multiple customers have said that phone calls may go unanswered, frustrating for those wanting to place a pick-up order. Regulars recommend texting your order, instead, to the listed phone number, 615-768-5477, and that works for placing advance orders.

Additionally, some point out that the floors can get greasy, unsurprising for a purveyor of hot chicken, and that the small business seems to run out of certain items (they were out of napkins . . . and all desserts on a recent visit). But for those chasing the Nashville heat or if you want some good, spicy, fried food, homemade Southern sides, a monstrous fish sandwich and some adventurous Wednesday specials, hit it up. boropulse.com * August 2025 * 29

Around Town ’boro Business buzz

Rainbow Cone, Casa Tio’s, City Barbeque, Cotti Coffee, Rustic Rebel, M.L.Rose, Aloha Express, Recycle Right

undergo changes to include a wider variety of meal options when he returned. However, local fans of the restaurant have now found Subculture entirely gone, replaced in the space by Maíz Soul by Tía Yaya.

According to visitors, the menu is now completely in Spanish. Tía Yaya also operates a food truck out of La Vergne.

The new restaurant is described as a Latin kitchen and brunch spot that offers a variety of Venezuelan-Latin dishes with a modern twist.

BY delores elliott City Barbeque has announced plans to build a 2,972-square-foot restaurant along North Thompson Lane and the corner of Armory Drive, near the recently announced Bubba’s 33.

City Barbeque currently operates out of several states ranging from Florida to Wisconsin, serving pulled pork sandwiches, ribs, wings, smokehouse tacos, smoked sausages, turkey and house-made sides including baked beans with brisket, corn pudding, macaroni and cheese, salads and more. This will be the chain’s first location in Tennessee.

The new restaurant’s design will include a designated area for smoking meats.

Visit citybbq.com for more information.

Aloha Express Hawaiian BBQ will open soon at 2705 Old Fort Pkwy. (the former home of Fu Sing) offering a variety of authentic Hawaiian food options. Find more on Aloha Express on Facebook.

Hawaiian Bros Island Grill will open a restaurant in Clari Park—on Medical Center Parkway in between the Whataburger and the building housing Cava and Carhartt—complete with a drive-thru, serving island-inspired plate meals. Hawaiian Bros currently operates more than 70 locations, with another Tennessee store in the works in Hixon.

Jaggers, owned by Texas Roadhouse, which also owns and operates the recently announced Bubba’s 33, will open a new location in Clari Park. It features a variety of made-to-order burgers and chicken sandwiches, shakes, salads and more. Hours and opening dates have not been announced.

The company notes that it uses fresh ingredients and prepares everything from scratch, including its sauces and dressings.

Visit eatjaggers.com for more information.

Cotti Coffee will open a Murfreesboro coffee shop on East Main Street in the same building as Ms. Marian’s Cafe. Cotti 30 * August 2025 * boropulse.com

The Original Rainbow Cone ice cream shop has announced it will open a Murfreesboro location at 2724 Roby Corlew Ln., within the new Clari Park area.

The building will feature a dual-restaurant space, connecting the ice cream shop and Buona Beef’s new local restaurant.

In 2018, Buona acquired the Rainbow Cone brand in a merger that brought both restaurants together, and provided Buona with the ability to open both dual and standalone restaurants across the states.

The Rainbow Cone will offer ice cream cones, hand-spun shakes, mini donuts, sundaes, banana splits, ice cream pints and quarts, ice cream cookie sandwiches, made-to-order cakes and cake slices, root beer floats and more, as well as catering and merch.

When the first Rainbow Cone opened in 1926, the signature cone featured five delicious flavors—chocolate, strawberry, Palmer House (vanilla, cherry and walnut), pistachio and orange sherbet—all sliced and placed atop one another in one cone.

The grand opening for both Buona and Rainbow Cone is set for Sept. 9. The first 100 customers will receive a free Italian beef sandwich once per week for a whole year.

Visit rainbowcone.com for more information.

Coffee is dedicated to providing ethically sourced 100% Arabica beans from regions including Brazil, Colombia, Ethiopia, Guatemala, and Yunnan, China. It also offers pastries, various other beverages, instant coffee and merchandise.

The coffee brand currently operates over 14,000 locations across 28 countries.

Get Hooked Boro has officially opened at 115 E. Vine St. beside Bart’s Kitchen and Bakery. Get Hooked specializes in meal replacement shakes, energy teas and protein coffees. Menu items include the Peanut Butter Cookie shake, Salted Caramel Pretzels shake, Banana Cream Pie shake and the S’more shake. Hours are Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call 615-2781322 for more details or to place an order.

Miss Polly’s Tea Room has opened at 218 Valley Ct., Smyrna, within the

Sanders’ House, a Victorian-era home just off Old Nashville Highway.

The collaborative dream of Jana Taylor and Chelsea Hyland, Miss Polly’s serves afternoon tea with a Southern flair, by reservation. These teas consist of a selection of sandwiches and tarts, scones with clotted cream and jam, and a variety of pastries and cakes, arranged on a tiered stand and served alongside a pot, or two, of tea, as well as cold beverages.

The venue can also host specialty events, birthday parties, showers and weddings.

Miss Polly’s currently offers afternoon tea times at 1 and 3 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

To book a time or to learn more, visit misspollystearoom.com.

Subculture Cafe in Smyrna has closed. Recently, the restaurant’s owner announced on Facebook that he would be out of town for a much-needed vacation, while also suggesting that the menu would

The Rustic Rebel has opened at 301 N. Spring St., blending rustic style and rebellious spirit to provide bold, chic and inclusive collections for men and women alike.

“We believe fashion should be fearless, fun and unapologetically authentic,” said owner Kayla Clackum. In addition, she owns two locations of the boutique in Georgia.

Find jeans, dresses, jewelry, cowboy boots, dog items, air fresheners, candles, hats and more. Whether you’re discovering your next favorite outfit or joining the store for a local event, the Rustic Rebel invites the community to be part of something real, raw and refreshingly different. Sizes range from small to 4XL to include all types of people. Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 12 to 4 p.m. Sunday. For more information, visit therusticrebelboro.com.

MTSU graduate Jaedyn Heil has opened a vocal studio in Murfreesboro offering both in-person and virtual lessons. Jaedyn Heil Studio helps singers ages 8 and older find confidence in their voices.

“At Jaedyn Heil Studio, I focus on classical, musical theater, and pop repertoire, helping students prepare for auditions, performances or simply discover the joy of singing in a supportive, encouraging environment,” Heil said.

Visit jaedynheil.com/vocal-studio for more information and to book a lesson time.

Lost Worlds Seatopia, located at 1660 Middle Tennessee Blvd., recently posted via Facebook that final inspections have been completed and the business will celebrate its grand opening Aug. 4.

The indoor playground features five party areas and a themed cafe, as well as several themed attractions including ball pits, multiple slides, trampolines, swings, mazes and more. Find Lost Worlds Seatopia on Facebook for more information.

Welsh Dentistry celebrated the continued on page 32

Continued from page 30 grand opening of its new state-of-the-art facility on July 10. It is located at 349 S. Main St., Eagleville.

Eight years after starting his dental practice in Eagleville, Dr. Jesse Welsh said he realized he and his staff needed a little more space to serve their growing patient population. The team at Welsh Dentistry performs all facets of dentistry, including cleanings, fillings, crowns, dentures, wisdom tooth removal, implants and even offering IV sedation. For more information, call 615274-2525 or visit welshfamilydentistry.com.

Delicias Markets has opened at 810 NW Broad St. within Jackson Heights, proudly showcasing the best of Latin America. Offering a full array of culinary products, Delicias Markets features a butcher shop, fresh breads, tortillas and pastries; a taqueria with a dine-in area, and fresh produce. It also offers international money transfer and catering services. Hours are Monday thru Saturday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

R&R Boutique recently celebrated its grand opening at 1527 E. Main St. beside Far East Cafe. The new boutique sells clothing, jewelry and shoes, and also operates a salon offering top-notch hair and skin care.

Find R&R Boutique on Facebook for details and booking.

Avid Hotel is under construction at Warrior Drive and New Salem Highway.

Wild Birds Unlimited at The Avenue (2615 Medical Center Pkwy., Suite 1060) will celebrate its three-year anniversary Aug. 15–17. Stop by on Friday and Saturday

from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 12 to 4 p.m. Fun promotions, prize drawings, refreshments, giveaways and product demonstrations make this celebration very suitable for the entire family. Local experts will also provide information about backyard bird feeding, helping people bring the joy of nature into their yards.

Wild Birds Unlimited is a nature specialty store catering to backyard bird enthusiasts and carries a variety of seed blends specially formulated to attract birds in this region. The Murfreesboro location carries bird feeders, bird houses, bird baths, and nature and garden gifts.

For more information, visit wbu.com/ murfreesboro.

Recycle Right Tennessee has launched its new website, recyclerighttn. com, designed to make it easier for residents to access up-to-date recycling information, learn best practices, and locate nearby drop-off locations.

The directory will be continually updated, with each recycle location being reviewed to ensure that the items collected are indeed recycled, not landfilled.

The new website serves as a one-stop resource for recycling locations provided by local businesses throughout the community; County Convenience Center locations, hours, and materials accepted; printable guides and other recycling resources.

The launch is part of the Central Tennessee Regional Solid Waste Planning Board’s directive to improve recycling rates and decrease the amount of waste going into landfills across Tennessee. The website currently provides information for residents of Rutherford, Cannon, Coffee and Warren counties.

Casa Tio’s will open at 4433 Veterans Pkwy. The restaurant will offer a variety of delicious Mexican dishes—from sizzling fajitas to fresh tacos and margaritas.

The restaurant will offer a lunch menu featuring daily specials from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Other menu options will include quesadillas, seafood meals, a variety of beverages, soup and salad options, enchiladas, nachos and a dessert menu with flan, Mexican fried cheesecake, churros and tres leches.

Hours are Tuesday through Sunday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Visit casatios.com for more information.

32 * August 2025 * boropulse.com

M.L.Rose, which previously announced plans to open a restaurant in Murfreesboro near the Costco a few years ago, and shortly after canceled those plans, has announced this summer that it will open a Murfreesboro location at 2108 Medical Center Pkwy. in the former Cajun Steamer space.

This new location will mark the Middle Tennessee chain’s eighth neighborhood location. M.L.Rose is known for its seasonal craft beer menu, creative burgers and fresh pub fare.

“Murfreesboro has been a priority location for us for years,” said restaurant founder Austin Ray. “It’s a community I have personal connection to and fond memories of, and we receive requests frequently from guests about expansion there. Many will remember we had a different location planned for Murfreesboro that didn’t work out. We didn’t give up on finding the best home for M.L.Rose, and this new location is ideal for us.”

M.L.Rose opened locations in Franklin and Gallatin in 2024, and in Inglewood earlier this year. The brand expects its Murfreesboro location to open by the end of 2025.

The menu offers an array of shareable snacks and crispy, beer-braised wings, fresh salads and sandwiches, classic and creative craft burgers, and M.L.Rose’s signature crispy waffle fries. With 36 taps, the craft beer menu changes seasonally and features an array of carefully selected local and national craft beers.

M.L.Rose’s Murfreesboro location will undergo minor updates to transform the existing building into the brand’s artistic pop culture design.

Find more at mlrose.com.

CLOSED Spooky’s Pizza & Grill has closed after nearly 10 years in business after some issues regarding lack of legal restaurantoperating permits.

“In August 2024, the Tennessee Department of Health began threatening to shut the restaurant down over a ‘food establishment permit’ that expired on June 30, 2024. Six months earlier, I’d restructured the business as a lawful Private Membership Association and was, according to the U.S. Constitution and Supreme Court, no longer obligated to ask permission or purchase a permit from the State to conduct business,” restaurant owner Joe Peters stated regarding his decision to close the restaurant. “Charging money for a license or permit to engage in protected activity (e.g., speech, religion, trade) is unlawful taxation of a right. A right cannot be lawfully transformed into a privilege and then taxed, licensed, or regulated out of existence.”

As a result, Peters was arrested not long after. He maintains that his inherent rights as an American are not negotiable, licensed or taxable and vows to defend them at all costs. He

says he will continue to fight the system and the closure should not be viewed as a failure.

Many locals have suggested that he should consider opening a new location in the future, though a Domino’s Pizza location will be moving into the Walter Hill space formerly home to Spooky’s.

Thai Pattaya recently closed its restaurant at 810 NW Broad St. after 15 years serving Murfreesboro and surrounding areas. Scoopy’s, next to Thai Pattaya in Jackson Heights, also closed. Numerous other businesses in the complex are expected to vacate to make room for the new Auto Zone planned for Jackson Heights.

The Phone Exchange has closed its Murfreesboro location at 2955 S. Rutherford Blvd. However, its Knoxville and Chattanooga stores remain open.

The Arby’s on Northwest Broad Street has closed. Arby’s still operates two Murfreesboro restaurants on Memorial Boulevard and Chaffin Place.

Sports

2025 Blue Raider Football Schedule Saturday, Aug. 30 6 p.m. vs. Austin Peay

Saturday, Sept. 6 3 p.m. @ Wisconsin (FS1) Saturday, Sept. 13 4 p.m. @ Nevada Saturday, Sept. 20 6 p.m. vs. Marshall Saturday, Sept. 27 5 p.m. @ Kennesaw State

Blue Raiders Open Football Season Aug. 30 Coach Derek Mason Hoping for Second-Season Surge in 2025 Middle Tennessee State University enters its 111th football season—its second under head coach Derek Mason—aiming to improve upon its 3–9 2024 campaign.

Blue Raider fans will see a very different team take the field this fall. Coach Mason and his staff have overhauled the roster, welcoming a mix of transfers and freshmen to campus, adding 65 new players and keeping only 45 from 2024.

Among those returning for the team, veteran quarterback Nicholas Vattiato will remain with MTSU for the 2025 season.

Vattiato led the Blue Raiders to a Bahamas Bowl win way back in 2021. He was able to redshirt the following year, and then the QB put up back-to-back 3,000yard passing seasons in 2023 and 2024. He has thrown for 46 touchdowns and 30 interceptions over his career with MTSU. Vattiato collaborates with his quarterback room counterpart Roman Gagliano on the Nick & Roman’s Empire podcast, also available on the Middle Tennessee Athletics YouTube channel. The duo of signal callers have wel-

comed guests to their show ranging from Heisman Trophy winner and longtime NFL starter Cam Newton to Jeff Murphy—a former MTSU quarterback himself, and current owner of Domenico’s Italian Deli on the Murfreesboro Square—as well as Coach Mason.

On the field, MTSU continues to prepare for its Aug. 30 opener, a Murfreesboro matchup against Austin Peay, rekindling a Tennessee rivalry dormant since 2010.

The Blue Raiders then hit the road, traveling to Big Ten powerhouse Wisconsin on Saturday, Sept. 6, and a game in the desert at Nevada on Saturday, Sept. 13, both of those games first-ever meetings for MTSU. Former C-USA foe Marshall (now a member of the Sun Belt Conference) will come to Murfreesboro for a Sept. 20 clash, and MTSU will then end September with its first Conference USA game of the season, at Kennesaw State.

For the month of October, the conference will continue its “Weekday CUSA” initiative, which will see all October league matchups played on midweek evenings in an effort to gain more national TV exposure for its squads. MTSU

Wednesday, Oct. 8 6:30 p.m. vs.

Missouri State (ESPN2) Wednesday, Oct. 22 6:30 p.m. vs. @ Delaware (ESPN2) Wednesday, Oct. 29 6:30 p.m. vs.

Jacksonville State (ESPN2) Saturday, Nov. 8 2 p.m. vs.

Florida International Saturday, Nov. 15 2:30 p.m. vs. @ Western Kentucky Saturday, Nov. 22 2 p.m. vs. Sam Houston Saturday, Nov. 29 2 p.m. @ New Mexico State drew all Wednesday matchups this October, kicking off the month at home against CUSA newcomer Missouri State on Wednesday, Oct. 8, traveling to the other first-year conference member, Delaware, on Wednesday, Oct. 22, and then welcoming the Jacksonville State Gamecocks to Floyd Stadium on Wednesday, Oct. 29. All three of those October kickoffs are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. and are set to be broadcast on ESPN2.

Games shift back to Saturday afternoons in November as the slate includes Florida International at home on Nov. 8 (both Veterans and Armed Forces Appreciation Day and the “White Out” game), a Nov. 15 trip to longtime rival Western Kentucky, a Nov. 22 game in Murfreesboro versus Sam Houston (Senior Day) and the regular season finale the final Saturday of November at New Mexico State.

The Blue Raiders will play on boropulse.com * August 2025 * 33

a new synthetic turf surface this year in Floyd Stadium. Warner Athletic, a field building company based in Smyrna, Tennessee, installed the new turf system, designed to be safer and cooler, at MTSU’s home stadium.

Beneath the new turf surface sits a Shaw NXTPlay Pad, a shockabsorbing performance pad made from recycled turf that designers say should reduce impact injuries. And

rather than small black rubber beads on the turf, the new system features an infill product made from silica sand and finely ground walnut shells, a natural method to simulate dirt.

Single-game tickets for Blue Raider football games start at $22 via Ticketmaster; group discounts are available. Visit goblueraiders. com to learn more.

Opinion

#FREEYOURCHILDREN by tiffany boyd

Schools Now Trying to Get Involved in Children’s Healthcare Yes, even in small towns

the government is attempting to usurp parental rights. In the small town of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee (population 12,000) the local school board unveiled its new attendance policy. A resident of this neighboring community reached out to me in an attempt to bring attention to this alarming development long before it made national news.

Lawrence County Director of Schools Michael Adkins sent a letter addressed to local and regional healthcare providers, informing them of the new attendance policy and accusing parents of “doctor hopping.” Adkins encouraged healthcare providers to “guide families to work with a single healthcare provider.”

He expressed how a partnership with Lawrence County schools would be greatly appreciated.

In what country are we living when a director of schools feels it is his right to contact medical providers regarding the private healthcare treatment of children? Was this an attempt by a government employee to direct the medical care of children in his district?

Children do not belong to the state.

Additionally, Lawrence County Schools provides Chronic Illness Verification forms which clearly outline that the

information may be used in court proceedings and that by signing the form, parents are waiving their child’s right to HIPPA. I am not sure how much more clear it needs to be to parents that the government aims to remove the parents from the equation and that total control of your child is the goal.

In 2024 the Tennessee legislature passed bill SB 2820/HB2922, which Free YOUR Children staunchly opposed, that established “Opportunity Boarding Charter Schools” for at-risk children. Did you know that one of the identifiers for being eligible for these charters is “the student is chronically absent, as defined in Tennessee’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plan established pursuant to the Every Student Succeeds Act”?

Let’s be clear, these schools are places where children will reside. Yes, you read that right. They will live there. How did your legislator vote?

What parents may not realize is that this is a nationwide push.

“The U.S. Department of Education (2022) strategic plan includes an objective to ‘[s]upport the development and implementation of multi-tiered systems of supports to increase students’ engagement; social, emotional, and mental health; well-being; and academic success’ (see the 2022–2026

Strategic Plan, p. 44),” according to the Integrated Multi-Tiered Systems of Support Research Network.

Chronic absenteeism affects funding for schools. According to Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA), “The TISA formula uses Average Daily Membership (ADM) to calculate student counts for most funding elements. Rather than measuring raw numbers of students, ADM accounts for each student’s enrollment and daily class schedule across nine reporting periods throughout the year. Each reporting period covers approximately 20 instructional days based on the LEA’s school calendar.”

FINANCIAL INCENTIVE

When a student is absent from class, it lowers the Average Daily Membership, which affects the amount of funding a district can receive. In addition, schools can also apply for grants from the Department of Education that focus on attendance.

From the U.S. Department of Education: Title I, Part A funds may be used on evidence-based strategies to increase attendance and instructional time. [All 12 schools in Lawrence County are receiving Title I funding] Title II, Part A funds may be used by schools to implement evidence-

based professional development programming, focused on increasing student engagement.

Title IV, Part A funds may be used to improve school conditions and create safe, positive, and healthy learning environments that support consistent student attendance.

Title IV, Part B (Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers) funds may be used to provide out-of-school time opportunities (such as enrichment programs before school, after school, and during school breaks) to enhance connections between students and their school, family, and community partners and encourage everyday attendance.

Title IV, Part E funds may be used to strengthen family engagement, which in turn promotes daily student attendance.

IDEA Part B funds may be used to support schools to compensate for lost instructional time due to chronic absenteeism of children with disabilities.

Stronger Connections Grant program, authorized under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, provides funding to highneeds schools that may create safe, welcoming environments and foster regular school attendance.

School systems can apply for federal funding from a number of discretionary grant programs to promote student engagement and everyday attendance.

Full-Service Community Schools provide wraparound supports and can provide learning acceleration opportunities.

Promise Neighborhoods provide comprehensive cradleto-career supports to students in low-income neighborhoods.

The Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant advances literacy skills through evidencebased practices, activities, and interventions for high-need schools.

The Education Innovation and Research program provides funding to promote innovative programs that improve student achievement, including

programs districts created with ESSER funds.

School attendance is also an avenue of control the state is using to trap parents in the juvenile court pipeline. We have seen it unfold already in the state of Tennessee and the Pulse reported on it. We were in the Coffee County Juvenile Justice Center and watched as parents were being threatened with having their children sent away over alleged truancy charges, and Judge Ewell was demanding that they re-enroll their children in public schools.

Tennessee has adopted the MTSS (Multi-Tiered Systems of Support) which they have implemented statewide. The state clearly outlines that “The school team should review all available data from Tiers I and II (if applicable), including but not limited to truancy.”

Unfortunately, many parents in Lawrenceburg believe that they will be able to change the attendance policy by simply protesting or speaking at a board meeting. They are failing to understand the true trajectory of what is happening in education and the agenda behind it.

Advice regarding not signing forms or opting out of specific programs, while well meaning, may sound like a way to avoid the consequences of giving the state access to your children, but you are not protected.

The only way to protect your children is by removing them from the very system that believes it has a right to influence your child’s medical care. The only person standing between complete government control over your children is you. Are parents going to coparent with the government or are they going to take full responsibility and control over their child’s education?

Tiffany Boyd is the founder of Free YOUR Children. Learn more at freeyourchildren.com.

34 * August 2025 * boropulse.com

Sports

Titans Superfan “Scoob” Paul Oldenburg with Z-Train

column by “Z-TrAIn”

talk titanman1984@gmail.com

Football Time in Tennessee!

Vols open season Aug. 30; Ward preparing to start for Titans The Train Daddy is back with sports news, life lessons and politically incorrect talk. All aboard! There are many wild things I can do with one hand but none of them are as impressive as this—as we enter August, with only one hand I can count down the number of Saturdays until Vols football officially kicks off, or the number of Sundays until Titans football will kick off!

The Vols’ season begins Aug. 30 in Atlanta at Mercedes-BenzStadium. The Vols will open their season against Syracuse in the Aflac Kickoff Game. Just a reminder, in 1998, the Vols began their National Championship season with a 34–33 victory over Syracuse with a last-second field goal.

The Vols’ home opener takes place the following Saturday in beautiful Knoxville against East Tennessee. The traditions will be in place as fans and players get their bearings in what should be a relaxed and enjoyable beatdown against ETSU. The very next Saturday it gets real, as SEC play will officially kick off for the Vols in Knoxville when Georgia comes to town.

Neyland will be checkered out for that game and tickets will be a hot commodity. That’s a hell of a test; UT Coach Josh Heupel has a chance to make a big statement at home early in the 2025 season.

Looking at a few more of the games I am looking forward to watching, I am excited about an October revenge game when the Vols host Arkansas after last season’s loss on the road.

The very next Saturday is a historic one, the Third Saturday in October! There is no doubt that Alabama has been spanking that ass over the years, but Tennessee has taken two of the last three, the

game of the year in 2022 that ended with the post in the river and then again last season when the Vols spanked Jalen Milroe. This game is in Tuscaloosa and the last time the Vols won a game there it was a 5-OT thriller. That was the year I graduated high school; I turned 40 this past November.

Getting into November, we have a home game against Oklahoma.

It feels strange thinking of them as an SEC team. Last season Coach Heupel got his satisfaction in Norman with a little spank-spank on his former team. Oklahoma is about to find out what SEC play in Knoxville is about in their first visit since joining the SEC. The game I least look forward to is on Nov. 22, when the Vols head to Gainesville. The Vols have won the last two against Florida in Knoxville but unfortunately it’s time to travel again. Beating the Gators in Gainesville is a hurdle the Vols continue to fail at. The last time they beat them in the Swamp was ironically once again the year I graduated high school, 2003.

The season’s finale will be against Vanderbilt. That little punk QB Diego Pavia—that Alabama victory last year got to his head.

Pavia running his mouth isn’t surprising news to anyone, but him saying Vanderbilt is going to run Tennessee after this year, that Vandy will be the new staple of college football . . . well . . . Diego is a fun football player willing to put his body on the line for his team, but bro took one too many hits to the head! “Vols by fiddy!”

Alright, I will wrap this Vols talk up by saying: no Nico, no problem! Even if the Vols offense takes a step back, Coach Heupel earned plenty of goodwill with fans after he told Nico to kick rocks. We are less than a year

away from Heupel welcoming in 5-star top QB Faizon Brandon and this year Coach Heupel will have whoever ready, being Joey or Jake, in a very QB-friendly offense.

Let’s talk Titans!

So, I had the opportunity to show up at a recent practice, and all eyes have been on Cam Ward and his receivers. With all those eyes comes extra scrutiny. Cam had a bad practice that day, throwing three picks and looking rattled.

Shortly after that practice the offense turned in another sluggish performance, leading to a rare profanity-laced tirade from Coach Callahan. It’s not always a bad sign seeing the defense dominate camp. Generally, that’s the way it is in camps across the league.

I will say this about very few football minds, but Greg Cosell is one of the most intelligent, informative football brains in the game. When he speaks, listen!

Cosell recently had some wise words regarding media and fans’ overreaction to a young playmaker like Ward, stressing the point of this camp for a player like Cam starts with failure and is followed up with learning, and stating that the Titans want to throw as much as possible at Cam. This kid is probably starting week 1 against one of the NFL’s best defenses on the road. Maybe Cam is being rushed, but that’s the reality of today’s NFL and players like C.J. Stroud and Jayden Daniels found quick success.

Cam’s mind is clearly set on football alone. You see it in his 5 a.m. routine, his interaction with the media, and his passion when talking about bad practice days.

The Titans are set at RB for the season with Pollard and Spears leading the way, but the excitement sits with the pass catchers.

We can assume Calvin Ridley, Lockett and Van Jefferson are starters. Elic Ayomanor and Bryce boropulse.com * August 2025 * 35

Oilver have been making good noise in camp!

Then add to the mix Chim Dike and Xavier Restrepo. I am excited to see younger talent fight for those spots.

On defense, this team desperately needs Sneed to get back on the field! I can’t wait to see year two of Big Jeff and T’Von getting at it.

Special teams are in good hands now with Coach Bones. I will certainly miss the reliable Nick Folk, but new kicker Joey Slye has experience and is looking great in camp. Just execute these damn punts properly, Titans, that’s all I ask after last season’s debacle that saw Colt Anderson fired.

These few past seasons have been embarrassing for the Titans. The culture change starts with Cam Ward and these coaches giving him the tools and knowledge to succeed.

Constitution Study

BY Paul Engel

Gender Wars The Battle of Tennessee

western culture is at war.

The fundamental point of conflict is whether a person’s “gender” is determined by biology or psychology, reality or wishes. One of the latest battles in this war is the Supreme Court case United States v. Skrmetti. In this case Mr. Skrmetti, as Attorney General of the State of Tennessee, is defending the state’s law that prohibits the use of so-called “gender-affirming” care for minors.

Protecting Children The case United States v. Skrmetti is ultimately a controversy about rights. Do minors have the right to treatments that permanently alter their bodies, or does the state have the right and duty to protect these children from harm?

In 2023, Tennessee joined the growing number of States restricting sex transition treatments for minors by enacting the Prohibition on Medical Procedures Performed on Minors Related to Sexual Identity, Senate Bill 1 (SB1).

— United States v. Skrmetti As is so often the case, the details matter.

A detail appearing in the Tennessee law led the United States government to intervene.

SB1 prohibits healthcare providers from prescribing, administering, or dispensing puberty blockers or hormones to any minor for the purpose of (1) enabling the minor to identify with, or live as, a purported identity inconsistent with the minor’s biological sex, or (2) treating purported discomfort or distress from a discordance between the minor’s biological sex and asserted identity.

— United States v. Skrmetti Tennessee didn’t prohibit the use of puberty blockers or hormones for everyone, only to minors. This is important because in this country not only are minors unable to give consent, the state is expected to step in when a child is being harmed, even by their parents. It’s one of the few situations where the state can legitimately interfere with parental rights, when the health or safety of the child is at risk.

At the same time, SB1 permits a healthcare provider to administer puberty blockers or hormones to treat a minor’s congenital defect, precocious puberty, disease, or physical injury.

— United States v. Skrmetti In other words, SB1 only prohibits the use of puberty blockers and hormones when the purpose involves encouraging a transgender 36 * August 2025 * boropulse.com

lifestyle. This case, of course, did not start at the Supreme Court level.

Three transgender minors, their parents, and a doctor challenged SB1 under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The District Court partially enjoined SB1, finding that transgender individuals constitute a quasi-suspect class, that SB1 discriminates on the basis of sex and transgender status.

— United States v. Skrmetti The District Court found in favor of the minors, their parents, and the doctors. Based solely on the District Court’s belief that “transgender” people are more likely to suffer discrimination, they claimed Tennessee’s SB1 was unconstitutional. However, the Sixth Circuit disagreed, claiming that the District Court was wrong in how they evaluated the law.

Government’s first and primary interest is in securing the rights of the people, not working out ways government will be allowed to infringe on those rights. This is where the District Court’s claim about a quasi-suspect class comes in.

A presumptively unconstitutional distinction made between individuals on the basis of race, national origin, alienage, or religious affiliation, in a statute, ordinance, regulation, or policy. — Suspect Class – The Free Legal Dictionary When The Free Legal Dictionary uses the phrase “presumptively unconstitutional” it’s rather ironic. The irony comes when we realize that putting people in classes for the purpose of special protection under the law is presumptively unconstitutional. When a distinction is made based on race, religion, etc., it truly is a violation of the concept of equal protection under the law.

The Supreme Court took the case to decide if SB1 violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Equal Protection The petitioners claim that Tennessee’s SB1 violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

No State shall . . . deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

— U.S. Constitution, Amendment XIV So how can the petitioners claim a violation of the Equal Protection Clause?

On its face, SB1 incorporates two clas-

sifications: one based on age (allowing certain medical treatments for adults but not minors) and another based on medical use (permitting puberty blockers and hormones for minors to treat certain conditions but not to treat gender dysphoria, gender identity disorder, or gender incongruence).

Neither of the above classifications turns on sex. Rather, SB1 prohibits healthcare providers from administering puberty blockers or hormones to minors for certain medical uses, regardless of a minor’s sex.

— United States v. Skrmetti SB1 doesn’t discriminate based on sex, since the sex of the recipient is not a consideration The application of SB1 does not prohibit certain medical treatments for minors of one sex while allowing those same treatments for minors of the opposite sex.

Justice Thomas made an interesting point about expertise and consensus in his concurrence.

The United States asserted that “the medical community and the nation’s leading hospitals overwhelmingly agree” with the Government’s position that the treatments outlawed

by SB1 can be medically necessary. . . . The implication of these arguments is that courts should defer to so-called expert consensus.

There are several problems with appealing and deferring to the authority of the expert class. First, so-called experts have no license to countermand the “wisdom, fairness, or logic of legislative choices.” . . . Second, contrary to the representations of the United States and the private plaintiffs, there is no medical consensus on how best to treat gender dysphoria in children.

Third, notwithstanding the alleged experts’ view that young children can provide informed consent to irreversible sex-transition treatments, whether such consent is possible is a question of medical ethics that States must decide for themselves. Fourth, there are particularly good reasons to question the expert class here, as recent revelations suggest that leading voices in this area have relied on questionable evidence, and have allowed ideology to influence their medical guidance.

This case serves as a useful reminder that the American people and their representatives are entitled to disagree with those who hold themselves out as experts.

— United States v. Skrmetti Wow, four really good points.

Sotomayor Dissent To give meaning to our Constitution’s bedrock equal protection guarantee, this Court has long subjected to heightened judicial scrutiny any law that treats people differently based on sex.

— United States v. Skrmetti Once again it seems Justice Sotomayor is quite comfortable not only making up facts to fit her agenda, but defeating her case in the same argument. She starts out by claiming SB1 discriminates based on sex, then she writes this: The State enacted SB1 to categorically prohibit physicians from prescribing puberty blockers and hormone therapy for the purpose of treating gender dysphoria in minors.

— United States v. Skrmetti So which is it, Justice Sotomayor? Is Tennessee prohibiting physicians from prescribing these drugs based on sex or are they treating gender dysphoria? You can’t have both.

Conclusion Ultimately, the court held the following: Held: Tennessee’s law prohibiting certain medical treatments for transgender minors is not subject to heightened scrutiny under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and satisfies rational basis review.

— United States v. Skrmetti The court affirms the Sixth Circuit decision, leaving the law in place and unchallenged.

This case carries with it the weight of fierce scientific and policy debates about the safety, efficacy, and propriety of medical treatments in an evolving field. The Equal Protection Clause does not resolve these disagreements.

The Court’s role is not “to judge the wisdom, fairness, or logic” of SB1, . . . but only to ensure that the law does not violate equal protection guarantees. It does not. Questions regarding the law’s policy are thus appropriately left to the people, their elected representatives, and the democratic process.

— United States v. Skrmetti I love it when a court stays within its own limits. Beyond that, I believe Justice Thomas made a very important point when he wrote: This case carries a simple lesson: In politically contentious debates over matters shrouded in scientific uncertainty, courts should not assume that self-described experts are correct.

— United States v. Skrmetti Neither courts, nor anyone for that matter, should assume the self-described experts are correct. Or, as the second pillar of The Constitution Study processes states: An expert opinion is still only an opinion until there is proof. — Paul Engel, Founder, The Constitution Study I only wish more people would learn this lesson.

Live Exceptionally...Well!

BY JENNIFER DURAND

photo courtesy of cottonbro studio / pexels

How Do You Move Through Life?

Recently I was doing normal chores in my day and realized I had just “moved” the same thing from one place, to another, then another. It also occurred to me that I would be moving the same items again several hours later. In this case it was laundry for my business. It was placed in the laundry bin, then placed in a pick-up bin, then put into a car, then taken to the laundry center, where it was separated and sorted, then moved to the washer, then the dryer, on to the folding table. Then it was placed back in a basket, back in the car, back to the spa, put away until it was used and then the cycle would repeat itself.

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” — Albert Einstein After that incident I couldn’t help but notice how many times I moved things. I realized all I did was move stuff. All the time. I move myself, clothes, groceries, paper, pens, all kinds of things throughout the day. It became so obvious, I naturally had to go a little deeper to see how this action applied to life.

In movement there is flow, sometimes obstruction. The pace could be fast, slow, or at a standstill.

It is also subtle, intricate or grand and risky at times. Even when we are lying still there is movement in our breath. Movement is occurring within us as cells reproduce and fluid flows.

Okay. So life moves. Things get moved. We move.

How do we prevent the monotony of such repetition, or what’s the point of all that movement anyway? I once wrote an article on “The Fountain of Life” which touched on moving with flow through life, including its ease, obstacles and triumphs.

When we look past the monotony of moving laundry (or whatever repetitive thing you move) we see the “why” or what it represents.

Everything in life is a symbol for a thought. It embodies how we feel about each other, how we 38 * August 2025 * boropulse.com

feel about ourselves and mankind. When we take this approach, what I like to call “Spirit view,” to everything we do it gives more meaning to why we do it. Sometimes we can get caught up in drudgery of what we’ve considered redundant or humdrum activities. Let’s turn it around by diving right through.

“Movement is the only way you have of affecting the world around you.” — Daniel Wolpert Let’s use the example of the laundry for my spa business. When it is used in a service it represents comfort, safety, care and attentiveness. Because it is being used for an intentional purpose it means a job for a service provider. It means a moment of peace for the recipient laying on the sheets. The hot towel brings warmth and release of breath which in turn reinforces a calmer state of being. When the laundry is moved to the shelf where it is stored it represents order, cleanliness, organization and supply. When it gets transported to be cleaned it stands for being essential and needed for the aforementioned. Once it is sorted and in big piles it means that it helped in providing an income for several families. When it is folded there is a harmony in being orderly and neat. When it returns to the spa cleaned it stands for anticipation, readiness and service to others.

“Nothing is more revealing than movement.”

— Martha Graham Wow! Who knew laundry could have so much meaning? What can you see in your daily walk of moving that represents a deeper meaning? What would happen if we approached each day, moment or task with the thought of “what’s the significance of what I am doing?” I trust there would be less dullness or weariness in our endeavors.

“The body will become better at whatever you do, or don’t do. If you don’t move, your body will make you better at not moving.” — Ido Portal We are all an accumulation of our thoughts, moving through life. How we view what we do is significant to how we view ourselves, others and vice versa. We are all connected, one big collective thought. Move with grace, ease, patience and awareness. Enjoy discovering the spirit view behind everything that you do.

Jennifer Durand is the owner and operator of The Nurture Nook Day Spa & Gift Shoppe. Visit nurturenook.com or facebook.com/nurturenookdayspa or call 615-896-7110 for more.