Feb 2017 Murfreesboro Pulse

EVENTS

FEB. 2017 / VOL. 12, ISSUE 2 / FREE

Indigenous Peoples’ Powwow; Southern Equine Expo

ART Boro Art Crawl is Back Feb. 10

so

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

Art Crawl Map Inside!

PAGE 25

Sweet Find a treat for your Valentine at Simply Pure Sweets

IN MUSIC

COSMIC COLLECTIVE, LANCE ALLEN, BONNAROO, FLATT LONESOME, GREG REISH, DRAGON HARMONY & MORE!

Contents

10

WORD FROM THE EDITOR

14

22 IN EVERY ISSUE

FEATURES

12

BONNAROO ANNOUNCES TOP-HEAVY 2017 LINEUP

U2, Chance the Rapper, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lorde to appear on the farm.

14

SWEET TREATS

Simply Pure Sweets offers Frenchinspired desserts, delicious cupcakes and more at Walnut Street bakery.

16

4 Events

24 Art

THIS MONTH

EVENTS

Valentine Tea, African American Dance, Winter Wonderland Party and more!

6 Sounds LOCAL CONCERTS

Robyn Taylor, Zone Status, Hillfolk and more!

MUSIC NOTES

BEHOLD, GREAT DEALS!

Precious Angels Consignment Sale provides quality children’s clothing, maternity and baby gear at amazing prices.

Indigenous Peoples’ Powwow; Dragon Harmony and more!

REVIEWS

20

Cosmic Collective; Lance Allen

ALL THINGS EQUINE

From horse dentistry to mounted shooting, Southern Equine Expo has it all, Feb. 24–26.

22

15 Food RECIPES

Aphrodisiacs

16 Living

PUPPY TIME!

Operation Education Animal Rescue to feature 5 dogs in Animal Planet’s annual Puppy Bowl.

GARDENING

Right plant, right place

NAVIGATING THE SYSTEM

Upstairs at 940

Boro Art Crawl; Shoebox Sculpture Exhibit

36

THEATER

THE STOCKARD REPORT

Little Women; 9 to 5 the Musical

28

Reviews MOVIES

Moonlight; 20th Century Women LIVING ROOM CINEMA

Cautionary Tales GAME

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

32 News ’BORO BUSINESS BUZZ

Ovation Cinema Grill; and more.

MONEY PULSE

Creating a budget

Opinion County Commission names Fitzhugh interim sheriff.

LIVE EXCEPTIONALLY . . . WELL

Words to love by

VIEWS OF A CONSERVATIVE

Trump takes on TPP, corporate tax rate during first week.

40

Sports MTSU SPORTS

Blue Raiders remain undefeated in conference play.

SPORTS TALK

Uppity 80-year-old offends MMA and NFL fans.

VISIT US AT BOROPULSE.COM FOR MORE!

Publisher/ Editor in Chief: Bracken Mayo

Art Director: Sarah Mayo Copy Editor: Steve Morley

Advertising: Don Clark Leslie Russell-Yost

Contributors: Dylan Skye Aycock, John Connor Coulston, Tanner Dedmon, Greg Crittenden, Jennifer Durand, Bryce Harmon, Joseph Kathmann, Zach Maxfield, Edwina Shannon, Rachel Spensatelli, Jay Spight, Andrea Stockard, Sam Stockard, Norbert Thiemann; Phil Valentine

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

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

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

Sign up to receive our weekly digital newsletter at BoroPulse.com/Newsletter

NEED SOME HELP? You just may find it in the Pulse.

Are you dealing with tension or soreness in the feet, back or shoulders? Visit one of the massage therapists who support your favorite local publication.

Need some direction and accountability with your fitness goals? A martial arts program with Bill Taylor’s Bushido School of Karate, a membership at the MAC, or some climbing at The Ascent may be in order.

Do you need some advice on achieving your financial goals? Check out the new Money Pulse feature on page 35.

If taxes have you stressed, there are businesses that offer professional tax services in the Pulse as well.

Need sweets for your special someone for Valentine’s Day? There’s plenty of fine bakeries in town, including Simply Pure Sweets, featured in this edition. The following pages, and boropulse.com, also contain some delicious-sounding recipes from The Curious Kitchen.

Find a place to live, somewhere tasty to dine, a walk-in clinic, a group or place to get involved, or teeth whitening or lash extension services in the Pulse.

Need live music in your life? Greg Reish sings the music of Dylan this month, there’s a monster night of electronic/DJ beats coming up at TEMPT, enjoy another ’80s throwback with Mixtape at Nobody’s, join the Murfreesboro Symphony Orchestra’s celebration of Mozart, take in an Old Time Jam or Open Mic Night at Mayday, sample some rock at The Boro or some jazz and blues at Jazzmatazz . . . keep playing, Murfreesboro!

The Indigenous People’s Powwow at MTSU this February looks like a fun and educational event.

The Boro Art Crawl returns on Feb. 10. Check out the list of venues and the official Art Crawl Map on page 25.

Special Kids does some great work in the community, making sure all children have a chance to succeed and feel treasured; their annual 5k, coming up in April, has been a huge event over the past years.

The Lion’s Club Pancake Breakfast is going on this month to support that organization’s admirable sight projects.

Doors of Hope, an area ministry working with women recently released from prison, also hosts a fundraising meal this month.

Thanks to Beasley Animal Clinic for the work it does, and for taking fine care of the Mayos’ two felines during their recent hysterectomies.

Will the high-powered Falcons offense and young defense bring Atlanta its first Lombardi Trophy, or will Mr. Tom Brady win another at the old age of 39, playing in his seventh Super Bowl, an amazing stat that may never be topped.

Whether you are dining out with friends, enjoying some MTSU basketball action, taking in some NHL with the Predators, or focusing on your school studies this February, have a great month!

Assess your habits and addictions. Make sure you want them in your life, and make your brief existence on this planet the way you want it.

Whoever may be president, sheriff, or your neighbor, let’s make Murfreesboro great!

Peace, BRACKEN MAYO Publisher/Editor in Chief BOROPULSE.COM

* FEBRUARY 2017 * 3

Events COMPILED BY

ANDREA STOCKARD

Send event information to murfreesboropulse@yahoo.com

FEB. 2 LOCALLY OWNED MURFREESBORO MEMBER MEETING Locally Owned Murfreesboro invites its members to Cultivate Coworking (107 W. Lytle St.) from 8–9 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 2, featuring Mayor Shane McFarland speaking about small business in Murfreesboro. Breakfast is provided by Simply Pure Sweets with a Q&A session to follow. Non-members may join Locally Owned Murfreesboro at the event.

For more information, find Locally Owned Murfreesboro on Facebook.

FEB. 3 PRINCESS NIGHT AT OAKLANDS MANSION Wear your favorite dress or princess costume while being surrounded by princess dresses at Oakland’s Wedding Dresses Through the Decades (900 N. Maney Ave.) at a special event on Friday, Feb. 3. Enjoy cookies and hot chocolate in the museum gift shop beginning at 4 p.m. For reservations, contact mb@ OaklandsMansion.org or (615) 893-0022.

Tickets are $10 per person or $5 if you dress as your favorite princess.

FEB. 3 EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION This year The City School Foundation’s 10th year celebration highlights Cason Lane Academy as well as charter member John Floyd at the Stones River Country Club (1830 NW Broad St.) on Friday, Feb. 3. Reservations for the Celebration are $250 for individuals.

The City Schools Foundation is a group of civic and business leaders banding together to benefit Murfreesboro City Schools’ prekindergarten through sixth-grade students.

For more information, call (615) 893-2313.

everyone to bring their dog out from 1–4 p.m. for fun and prizes; check out some adoptable dogs, have your dog’s picture taken, talk to a trainer, see some local artists, and there will be cake available for all of the pooches.

FEB. 7 LIBERTARIAN PARTY MEETING Join the Rutherford County Libertarian Party at Linebaugh Public Library (105 W. Vine St.) from 6:30–8 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 7, for the local Libertarians’ first meeting in 2017. Hannah Cox of the Beacon Center of Tennessee will speak about the mission of the Beacon Center. For more information, visit facebook.com/rutherfordcountylp.

FEB. 7 ROBERT BRANDT BOOK SIGNING AT LINEBAUGH Linebaugh Library (105 W. Vine St.) hosts local author and Tennessee native Robert Brandt from 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7, as Brandt sells and signs copies of his book, Painted Trillium: A Novel of the Civil War. Detailing a captivating story of survival and rebirth in the Civil War, Painted Trillium is told through the lives of a Tennessee woman and a Union officer who take lifethreatening chances to develop a connection that crosses more than state lines. Brandt examined nearly 50 Civil War diaries written

by Southern women, as well as numerous other related works and consulted several historians. For more information, call (615) 893-4131 or visit linebaugh.org.

Watters is the guest soloist, and Rick DeJonge will conduct a work that he arranged especially for Mr. Harry Watters and the TVW as a part of the Wind Band Conference hosted by MTSU.

FEB. 9 VALENTINE TEA Celebrate Valentine’s Day at Cannonsburgh Village’s 1800’s Leeman House (312 S. Front St.) from 4–6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9. Dress in your Valentine attire while enjoying refreshments and a themed craft.

Reservations required; space is limited (ages 7 and older). Admission is $2.50.

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

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION FOR NEW LEASH ON LIFE

SNACK & LEARN

FEB. 4

FEB. 9

MY 4 DOGS GRAND OPENING

TN VALLEY WINDS CONCERT

My 4 Dogs, a new business located at 1912 E. Main St. offering grooming, boarding and spa services for dogs, will hold a grand opening on Saturday, Feb. 4. My 4 Dogs encourages

The Tennessee Valley Winds perform a free concert under the direction of Mr. Jack Stamp at MTSU’s T. Earl Hinton Recital Hall at 8 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 9. Mr. Harry

4 * FEBRUARY 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

Step back to the 1950s and 1960s through fashion and cars at Oaklands Mansion (900 N. Maney Ave.) from 1–4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11. The event features a variety of vehicles from that time period owned by collectors across Tennessee. Honk Rattle and Roll is a member of Antique Automotive Club of America, which hosts at least 12 activities per year for Antique and Classic Cars enthusiasts. For more information, contact cet@comcast.net or visit hrr.aaca.com.

FEB. 9

Celebrate Black History Past, Present, and Future with several displays of inventions created by African Americans alongside cultural music, authentic dishes and history at Bradley Academy and Museum (415 S. Academy St.) from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4. For more information, contact (615) 962-8773 or vstembridge@murfreesborotn.gov.

BLACK HISTORY PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE

Honk Rattle and Roll Antique Car Display

FEB. 7 Let’s Make Wine (109 E. Main St.) invites those who love animals and socializing to their monthly Purple Paws fundraiser from 5–7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7, featuring New Leash on Life, a Middle Tennessee Animal Welfare Organization. New Leash on Life celebrates the fifth birthday of one of its rescues, Vino, as she is now assisting with wildlife rescues and fighting breed-specific legislation.

Tickets are $20 and include wine samples from Let’s Make Wine and light appetizers.

For more information, contact purplepawstn@ gmail.com or (615) 530-0551.

FEB. 4

FEB. 11

BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee

invites everyone to McFadden Community Center (211 Bridge Ave.) from 6–7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9, to help consumers understand Marketplace health insurance options. The event is free and open to the public. Marketplace advocates provide an overview of the Health Insurance Marketplace, enrollment periods and the process to enroll for insurance on healthcare.gov.

Light refreshments are served. For more information, call (423) 535-4358.

FEB. 9 NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS SUPPORT NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation’s largest grass-roots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.

The Rutherford County chapter meets

FEB. 18

Renaissance Festival Auditions Audition for the 2017 Tennessee Renaissance Festival will be held at the Smyrna Bowling Center (95 Weakly Ln., Smyrna) on Saturday, Feb. 18, from 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Call backs are Feb. 19. From peasantry to nobles and fairies, actors can take a part in this Tennessee tradition. Auditions will also be held for The Midsummer Night Show and The Human Chess Match.

Pre-register at tiny.cc/tnrenfest.

For more information, contact tnrenfest@mac.com.

the second Thursday of every month at Greenhouse Ministries (309 S. Spring St.) from 7–9 p.m. to learn more about raising awareness and helping those in need. For more information, visit namitn.org or call (615) 896-6812.

by Chef Jim Africano and a silent auction featuring a variety of themed baskets and individual items at Blackman United Methodist Church (4380 Manson Pk.) from 5–8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18. The cost for adults is $12, and $5 for children 12 and under.

Handmade cannolis are sold separately for $3 each. Tickets can be purchased from the church or at the door of the event. For more information, visit opendoorsofhope.org or facebook.com/opendoorsofhope.

FEB. 9 BUSINESS AFTER HOURS Business After Hours is an informal, social networking event designed to connect you with business professionals from across Rutherford County. Bring plenty of business cards. February’s Business After Hours will be held at Lanes, Trains & Automobiles (450 Butler Dr.) from 5–7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9. Admission is $5 for members and $15 for future members. For more information, visit rutherfordchamber.org.

FEB. 10 BORO ART CRAWL Appreciate Murfreesboro’s artistic talent at locations around the city from 6–9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10. If you are interested in volunteering or being in the show, contact info@ boroartcrawl.com or visit boroartcrawl.com.

FEB. 18 THE MURFREESBORO LIONS CLUB PANCAKE BREAKFAST

ONGOING

Wedding Dresses Through the Decades

View Oakland Mansions’s annual Wedding Dresses Through the Decades exhibit in Maney Hall (900 N. Maney Ave.) throughout February, Monday–Saturday 10 a.m.–4 p.m. and Sundays 1–4 p.m. The display features vintage gowns from the past 100 years adorned by women in the community. See Barbara Mandrell’s 1967 gown handmade by her mother, the white naval uniform worn by her husband, Ken Dudney, and her 25th anniversary renewal silver lace gown made by Emmy Award-winning fashion designer Bob Mackie. Admission is $10. For more information, contact (615) 893-0022 or mb@ oaklandsmuseum.org.

FEB. 11

FEB. 11

FEB. 16

SMYRNA LIONS CLUB SWEETHEART DANCE

COMMUNITY BABY SHOWER

THE CONNECTION, BUSINESS NETWORKING AT MAYDAY

The Smyrna Lions Club invites you to its 19th Annual Valentine’s Sweetheart Dance, Dinner and Silent Auction at the Smyrna Town Centre (100 Sam Ridley Pkwy. E., Smyrna) beginning with the silent auction, cocktails and appetizers from 6:30–8 p.m.

At 8 p.m. the ballroom doors open, and dinner is served by Chef Michael and the Town Centre. “Valentine’s at the Oscars” is the theme and the red carpet will be rolled out with Dunning Shaw from Orlando as entertainment. Tickets are $150 per couple or $90 for a single ticket. For more information, call (615) 300-5709.

FEB. 11 WINTER WONDERLAND PARTY FOR PRESCHOOLERS Ignite energy in your preschoolers (ages 3–5) during the cold weather at the Wilderness Station at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, for a winter celebration featuring the reading of The Mitten by Jan Brett. Play, explore and discover the native animals with games and a craft. Admission is $3. For more information, contact (615) 217–3017 or outdoormurfreesboro@murfreesborotn.gov.

FEB. 11 AFRICAN AMERICAN DANCE THROUGH HISTORY Learn more about Black History Month with “African American Dance Through History” at the Patterson Park Community Center (521 Mercury Blvd.) from 1–3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11. For more information, call (615) 893-7439 or gjenkins@murfreesborotn.gov.

United Way hosts a Community Baby Shower at the Patterson Community Center (521 Mercury Blvd.) from 10 a.m.–1 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 11, for expecting mothers to learn about infant care and get free baby supplies as well as educational materials from 40 vendors. For information, call (615) 898-7885 or visit yourlocaluw.org.

FEB. 14 RUTHERFORD CABLE FEBRUARY MEETING Join Dr. Rhea Seddon at Stones River Country Club (1830 NW Broad St.) at 7:30 a.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 14, for “Reaching a Higher Orbit.” Dr. Seddon trained as a surgeon before becoming one of the first six women admitted to the U.S. Astronaut Corps. After three successful Space Shuttle flights, she left NASA to become the Assistant Chief Medical Officer at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She later co-founded LifeWings Partners and wrote a memoir of her life, Go for Orbit. Cost is $20 for members and $25 for guests. For more information, contact dawn.ruthcable@gmail.com.

FEB. 14 VALENTINE VOWS Say “I do” all over again or for the very first time at Gateway Island (1875 W. College St.) as the gazebo will be available in one-hour increments from 9 a.m.–6 p.m. on Valentine’s Day. A registration fee of $50 provides punch, cookies and chairs for 12 guests (you must provide your own officiant). For more information, call (615) 893-2141.

The Connection: An Evening of Professional Networking and Business Brainstorming will be held from 5–7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 16, at Mayday Brewery, 521 Old Salem Rd. All Middle Tennessee entrepreneurs and professionals are welcome to attend this casual, no-obligation event, where they can meet other small-business owners and tap into one another’s experience and energy.

An open roundtable discussion will encourage participation from those in attendance, asking them to articulate their vision for their business and calling for examples of some of the business challenges and solutions they are experiencing. The series will continue the third Thursday of each month.

FEB. 16 CONTEMPORARY CALLIGRAPHY CLASS Beginners and experts are invited to a contemporary calligraphy class at The Write Impression (120 S. Maple St.) from 6–9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, for a night filled with fun and learning. Learn to use dip pens, inks, papers and other supplies to add flair to party invitations and decorations, holiday cards, crafting and gifting. Class fee is $75 and includes supplies as well as snacks.

Space is limited and registration is required.

For more information, call (615) 217-2109.

FEB. 18 DOORS OF HOPE SPAGHETTI DINNER AND SILENT AUCTION Doors of Hope invites you to its annual spaghetti and meatball dinner prepared

Join The Murfreesboro Lions Club at the Lions Clubhouse (located in Cannonsburgh Village, 407 Hickerson Dr.) from 7–10 a.m.

Saturday, Feb. 18, for delicious pancakes, sausage patties, orange juice, milk and coffee. Cost is a contribution of $6 for adults and teens, $4 for children 6–12 and free for children under 5. Tickets are available at Lion Jeff Edge’s Edward Jones Office (1602 W. Northfield Blvd., (615) 8958282), at Lion Jay Grannis’ office (515 W. Burton St., (615) 895-1040) or at the door. All proceeds benefit Lions Club Sight projects: eye screening of children, glasses, eye surgeries, Leader Dogs, etc. For more information, call (615) 896-1007.

FEB. 25 WILDLIFE PAINTING Unleash your inner artist at the Wilderness Station (Barfield Park, 401 Volunteer Road), for a paint-a-long for any skill level ages 13 and up, featuring wildlife and nature from 10 a.m.–noon on Saturday, Feb. 25.

Space is limited and and reservations are required. Admission is $15 and all materials are provided. For more information, contact (615) 217–3017 or outdoormurfreesboro@ murfreesborotn.gov.

FEB. 27 MURFREESBORO YOUNG LIFE BANQUET Learn more about Murfreesboro Young Life at its banquet at The Experience Community Church (521 Old Salem Rd.) beginning at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 27. The event will include fellowship and great food as high school and college friends share their Young Life experiences. Admission is free and donations appreciated. For more information, visit murfreesboro.younglife.org or email murfreesboroyounglife@gmail.com.

ONGOING MOBILE FOOD PANTRY Greenhouse Ministries offers a Mobile Food Pantry to people in the community in need of food. In order to receive food, come to the Greenhouse Ministries, 309 S. Spring St., to get a voucher for a specific time. If you are interested in volunteering, call (615) 494-0499.

BOROPULSE.COM

* FEBRUARY 2017 * 5

Concerts THURS, 2/2 JAZZMATAZZ

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

NACHO’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT

Ivan Fleming

Ivan LaFever

THE BORO

Ivan LaFever

THE WHEEL

THE BORO

All Star Jam Hosted

by Stuart Montez

THE WHEEL

Blues Jam with the Kerry Duane Johnson Project

FRI, 2/3

CARMEN’S TAQUERIA

Joe West

COCONUT BAY CAFE

Blues Jam with the Kerry Duane Johnson Project

FRI, 2/10

CARMEN’S TAQUERIA

Joe West

COCONUT BAY CAFE

Crossroads Band

GARAGE BAR

Open Mic Night with Fred Reilly

MAYDAY BREWERY

Open Mic Night with Fred Reilly

MEDIA RERUN

JAZZMATAZZ

2nd and Vine

Uncle Don Clark

O Summer, Mouthreader, VampTones, Fluorescent Half Dome

Stephen Simmons

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

Reckless

NOBODY’S

MAYDAY BREWERY NOBODY’S

THE GREEN DRAGON

Uncle Don Clark

SAT, 2/4 CJ’S

Blue Note Whiskey Bar 1453 Silohill Lane 615-878-2273 Carmen’s Taqueria 206 W. Northfield Blvd.

848-9003 VAMPTONES

MTSU Wind Ensemble Escape

SAT, 2/11 CJ’S

Robyn Taylor

PICK

Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities, a Middle Tennessee organization that teaches teens how to rock, presents a Valentine’s party beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 10, at Media Rerun. The event features some local indie punk rock favorites Mouth Reader, O Summer and the Vamptones, as well as the debut of “new wave / dream pop” act Fluorescent Half Dome.

MTSU Women’s Chorale

NACHO’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT

Ivan LaFever

THE BORO

All Star Jam Hosted

by Stuart Montez

THE WHEEL

Blues Jam with the Kerry Duane Johnson Project

COCONUT BAY CAFE

FRI, 2/17

JAZZMATAZZ

JAZZMATAZZ

COCONUT BAY CAFE

DJ RDP

Tammy Byron

The Cosmic Collective Junk Alley Band

MAIN STREET MUSIC

MAYDAY BREWERY

MAYDAY BREWERY

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

Evership, District 97 The Accidental Trio

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

Summer Basil; Holly Aslinger

THE BORO

Ballistic Whiplash, Horava

SUN, 2/5

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

Sarah K. Crocker; Whitney O’Neal

MON, 2/6

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

Meredith Hicks; Naoki Hakutani

WED, 2/8

JAZZMATAZZ

Todd London Trio

THURS, 2/9

CENTRAL MAGNET SCHOOL

Flatt Lonesome, Kelsey Keith, James Touchton

JAZZMATAZZ

Ivan Fleming

Greg Pope

Wind Band Conference: Honor Bands Concert

THE BORO

1/2 Watt Astronaut, Lucy’s Walkman, DEBRA

SUN, 2/12

MTSU CENTER FOR CHINESE MUSIC AND CULTURE

Intersection presents Dragon Harmony

MON, 2/13

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

Stones River Chamber Players

WED, 2/15

JAZZMATAZZ

Todd London Trio

THURS, 2/16

FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Murfreesboro Symphony Orchestra presents Mostly Mozart

JAZZMATAZZ

Ivan Fleming

Coconut Bay Café 210 Stones River Mall Blvd.

615-494-0504

FRIDAY, 2/10 @ MEDIA RERUN

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

CARMEN’S TAQUERIA

Joe West

Robert Eskew Experience

GARAGE BAR

Open Mic Night with Fred Reilly

JAZZMATAZZ

Glydesdale

MAYDAY BREWERY

The Hummingbyrds

MT BOTTLE

Hillfolk

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

Aevan Armus

NOBODY’S

Mixtape ’80s Band

SAT, 2/18

THE BORO

Jake Beavers & The Stones River Rundown, Tall Dark Stranger, Justin Driggers & The Ozark Renegades1

SUN, 2/19

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

U.S.A.F. Shades of Blue jazz ensemble; Hong Liang, Andre Ng

MON, 2/20

JUST LOVE COFFEE

Meraki Fire

WED, 2/22

JAZZMATAZZ

Todd London Trio

THURS, 2/23 JAZZMATAZZ

COCONUT BAY CAFE

DJ TruFx

NACHO’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT

1Love Jazz Band

THE BORO

JAZZMATAZZ LEVEL 3

The Cosmic Collective

MAYDAY BREWERY

BooM

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

MTSU Flute Festival

TEMPT

Mark Breeze, Souljunk, DJ Perihelion Vs LZ, snarf., Papa Bear, DJ PoonDangle vs Kandi Qid, Niixea

Jazzmatazz 1824 Old Fort Pkwy.

615-624-6944

The Blues Band

MAYDAY BREWERY

Delyn Christian

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

Just Love Coffee 129 MTCS Road 866-894-9463

NOBODY’S THE BORO

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

SAT, 2/25

Liquid Smoke #2 Public Square 615-217-7822

Greg Reish

Marshall Creek Murder Suicide, Adhere, Acidic Goose

GARAGE BAR

BIRD SONG STUDIO

Robyn Taylor

JAZZMATAZZ

TUES, 2/21

MTSU Saxophone Studio Recital; Composition Studio Recital

Ivan Fleming

Ivan LaFever

Radical Arts Presents Comedy Night with Monty Mitchell

THE WHEEL

Blues Jam with the Kerry Duane Johnson Project

FRI, 2/24

CARMEN’S TAQUERIA

Joe West

COCONUT BAY CAFE

Karaoke with Hitman Walker

Robyn Taylor

COCONUT BAY CAFE

My July Band

Uncle Don Clark

JAZZMATAZZ

The Crusty Veterans

MAYDAY BREWERY

Shannon Labrie

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

MTSU Symphony Orchestra

THE BORO

Giants At The Door, The Daily Howl

SUN, 2/26

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

MTSU Concert Chorale and Middle Tennessee Choral Society; MTSU Brass Chamber Recital

MON, 2/27

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

Qwen Han; Arunesh Nadgir

TUES, 2/28

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

MTSU Symphonic Band

View the monthly concert schedule at BoroPulse.com/Concerts  Send show listings to Listings@BoroPulse.com 6 * FEBRUARY 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

Garage Bar 405 N. Front St. 615-934-7464 Green Dragon 714 W. Main St. 615-801-7171

Open Mic Night with Fred Reilly

CJ’S

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

First United Methodist Church 265 W. Thompson Lane 615-893-1322

GARAGE BAR

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

MTSU Jazz Ensemble

Central Magnet School 701 E. Main St. 615-904-6789 CJ’s 352 W. Northfield Blvd.

615-546-4164

YEAH PARTY

BLUE NOTE WHISKEY BAR

Robyn Taylor

FLUORESCENT HALF DOME

PULSE

Songwriter Night with Glenn Brown

Zone Status

GARAGE BAR

Bird Song Studio 213 West High St., Woodbury • 615-772-6432

Tennessee Valley Winds

MTSU Jazz/Dance Collaboration

NACHO’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT

IF YOU GO:

Main Street Music 527 W. Main St. 615-440-2425 Mayday Brewery 521 Old Salem Hwy. 615-479-9722 Media Rerun 2820 S. Rutherford Blvd.

615-907-0901 MT Bottle 3940 Shelbyville Hwy. 615-962-9872 MTSU Wright Music Building 1439 Faulkinberry Dr. 615-898-2469 Nacho’s 2962 S. Rutherford Blvd.

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

615-962-8019 Tempt 211 W. Main St. 615-225-7757 The Boro Bar & Grill 1211 Greenland Dr. 615-895-4800 The Wheel 534 SE Broad St. 615-295-2862 Wall Street 121 N. Maple St. 615-867-9090

ENTERTAINMENT

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

HANDLEBARS Karaoke, 7 p.m.

WHISKEY DIX DJ Cliffy D, 8 p.m.

LEVEL III Trivia, 7 p.m.

 FRIDAYS

MELLOW MUSHROOM Trivia, 8 p.m.

LIQUID SMOKE DJ Night, 10 p.m.

NOBODY’S Trivia, 7 and 9:30 p.m.

MT BOTTLE Karaoke, 9 p.m.–3 a.m.

 TUESDAYS

SAM’S SPORTS GRILL Trivia, 8 p.m.

WHISKEY DIX DJ Cliffy D, 8 p.m.

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

STATION GRILL Trivia, 7 p.m.

 SATURDAYS

HANDLEBARS Karaoke, 7 p.m.

THE BORO Game Night, 8 p.m.

NACHO’S Trivia, 7 p.m.

 THURSDAYS

NACHOS Trivia, 7 p.m.

BOB’S BBQ Trivia, 7 p.m.

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

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

WHISKEY DIX DJ Cliffy D, 8 p.m.

COCONUT BAY Karaoke, 8:00 p.m.

 SUNDAYS

 WEDNESDAYS

HANDLEBARS Karaoke, 7 p.m.

O’POSSUMS Trivia, 8 p.m.

CAMPUS PUB Karaoke, 10 p.m.–2:30 a.m.

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

SAM’S SPORTS GRILL Trivia, 8 p.m.

LEVEL III Trivia, 7 p.m.

THE BORO Vinyl Spin with KM 9 p.m.

NOBODY'S Bingo, 7 p.m.

OLD CHICAGO Trivia, 9 p.m.

TGI FRIDAY’S Trivia, 9 p.m.

CAMPUS PUB Karaoke, 10 p.m.–2:30 a.m.

BOROPULSE.COM

* FEBRUARY 2017 * 7

Sounds

Read more about local music at

BoroPulse.com/Category/Music

MUSIC NOTES

CENTRAL MAGNET BASEBALL BENEFIT FEATURES FLATT LONESOME Critically-hailed bluegrass group Flatt Lonesome will return home for a benefit show on Thursday, Feb. 9. Before embarking on a full year of dates around the country, the six-piece will play the second event in the Baseball and Bluegrass series benefiting Central Magnet School’s baseball program. As one of the brightest musical acts to come out of the ’Boro, They’ll be sure to put on a fresh-sounding bluegrass show filled with cuts from their three albums, including 2015’s Runaway Train. The event will take place at Central Magnet School, 701 E. Main St., at 7 p.m. Opening acts for the evening will be Kelsey Keith and James Touchton. For more information, visit facebook.com/baseballandbluegrassnights.

WEEKLY OPEN MIC NIGHT AT GARAGE BAR AND SANDWICH SHOP Check out Garage Bar and Sandwich Shop, located at 405 N. Front St., every Friday night at 7 p.m. for a weekly open mic night series hosted

by Fred Reilly. In addition to entertainment, the family-friendly bar, which opened in the fall of 2015, offers specialty sandwiches and soups.

Past shows at Garage Bar include the Jake Leg Stompers, Robert Eskew and Andrew Holmes.

8 * FEBRUARY 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

CHINESE MUSICIANS TO BRING DRAGON HARMONY TO MTSU

 BLUEGRASS UNDERGROUND’S 2017 LINEUP, TAPINGS ANNOUNCED

Locals will have the chance to experience the music of China up close through an upcoming program at MTSU’s Center for Chinese Music and Culture.

Nonprofit music ensemble Intersection will present Dragon Harmony, a program of Chinese music played on a combination of Chinese and Western instruments. Visiting Beijing musicians will perform alongside composers Chen Yi, Wu Fei and Pulitzer Prize winner Zhou Long.

The program will first be presented in Nashville on Feb. 11, and then will be performed at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb 12, at the MTSU Center for Chinese Music and Culture, located in the Andrew Woodfin Miller Sr. Education Center, 503 Bell St. Full details and ticket info can be found at intersectionmusic.org.

Bluegrass Underground returns to McMinnville’s Cumberland Caverns’ Volcano Room for a seventh season March 24–26. The award-winning PBS show boasts a mix of roots rock, Americana, bluegrass, gospel and more this year.

The show kicks off at 6 p.m. Friday, March 24, with Grammy awardwinning group The Mavericks, blues-rock outfit The Chris Robinson Brotherhood, Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out and singer/songwriter Conor Oberst. The following day, March 25, will see Australian singer/ songwriter Kasey Chambers, Nashville’s own McCrary Sisters, Americana four-piece Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors and Parker Millsap beginning at 2 p.m.

The three-day concert series goes out on a soulful note Sunday, March 26, with performances by Marty Stuart and the Fabulous Superlatives, Rhonda Vincent and the Rage, Blues Traveler and Memphis soul artist Don Bryant & the Bo-Keys beginning at 2 p.m.

For tickets, other scheduled shows and more information on Bluegrass Underground, visit bluegrassunderground.com.

MUSIC SCHOLAR GREG REISH SINGS BOB DYLAN  Musician and scholar Greg Reish will perform selections from Bob Dylan’s catalog on Friday, Feb. 24, at 7:30 p.m. Reish, who serves as the director of the Center for Popular Music at MTSU, will deliver a mix of career-defining and obscure Dylan tracks during the solo recital. The performance, which is free and open to the public, will be at Hinton Music Hall, located inside MTSU’s Wright Music Building.

RONNIE McDOWELL TO PLAY BELL BUCKLE Country singer Ronnie McDowell will bring his 40th Anniversary Tour to Bell Buckle on Friday, Feb. 24.

McDowell is perhaps best known for his 1977 Elvis Presley tribute, “The King is Gone,” as well as his numerous charting country singles like “You’re Gonna Ruin My Bad Reputation” and “Older Women.” He’ll be performing at the Bell Buckle Banquet Hall, which is located at 27 Railroad Square, Bell Buckle, as part of the ongoing On Fire Concerts Series.

For tickets or more information, visit onfireconcerts.com.

BOROPULSE.COM

* FEBRUARY 2017 * 9

MUSIC NOTE

MTSU HOSTS INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ POWWOW FEB. 24–26 The Native American Student Association of Middle Tennessee State University proudly presents the Indigenous Peoples’ Powwow this Feb. 24–26 at the MTSU Livestock Center.

At one time, MTSU was included in the top ten powwows ranked in the entire country. This year, the Native American Student Association will renew this incredible tradition and sponsor an Intertribal Powwow Dance Competition for the FRI., FEB. 24 Middle Tennessee community.

4 p.m. Frybread cookoff The three-day powwow includes dances, Lakota author Ron Colombe, drummers Prairie Thunder 5 p.m. Indigenous issues and The Bandits, flutists Ryan Molina and Jaime forum Chavez, craft ven6:30 p.m. Social dances dors, oral tradition 9 p.m. (at JazzMaTazz, storytellers Dennis 1824 Old Fort Pkwy.) Butch Claus and Grady Mudbone Blues (formerly of Jones, and some of Redbone) the top-ranked dancers ranging from the SAT., FEB. 25 Cree of the Canadian 9 a.m. Doors open Tundra to Aztec Danc10 a.m. Storytelling, ers of South America native flute, speakers and the Incans of the Ecuadorian Andes.

12 p.m. Grand entry and Events planned presenting flags, veterans supporting the dance honoring, contest opens, include a frybread kids’ special events cookoff, an indige3:30 p.m. Honor welcomnous forum on issues ing: Nishiyuu Warrirors and successes, a 6 p.m. Grand entry and retirblues performance at JazzMaTazz by renowned ing flags, contest resumes Seneca blues artist Butch Mudbone, an honoring of native and non-native veterans, and a welcomSUN., FEB. 26 ing of the Nishiyuu Warriors. Saturday includes 9 a.m. Doors open lots of special activities for kids.

The Nishiyuu Warriors—a group of seven 10 a.m. Storytelling, youths between 12 and 20 years old who walked native flute, speakers 1,300 miles to represent First Nations’ people to 12 p.m. Grand entry and the Canadian Prime Minister in 2013—and their presenting flags, veterans chief will be in attendance and honored during the honoring, contest opens events. Their Spirit Walk was a powerful act of 2 p.m. Special honoring unity that inspired an international movement. The Native American Student Organization and the MTSU native community is humbled and honored to share their story.

Tickets are $7; MTSU students and senior citizens are $5; children under 6, military, EMT, fire and police are free. For more on the upcoming powwow, visit facebook.com/ indigenouspeoplespowwow.

POWWOW SCHEDULE

10 * FEBRUARY 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

BOROPULSE.COM

* FEBRUARY 2017 * 11

Sounds

Read more about local music at

BoroPulse.com/Category/Music

5

EARLY BETS FOR THE MOST INTERESTING BONNAROO SETS:

 U2 Bonnaroo will be the rock icon’s first headlining U.S. festival appearance ever. If that weren’t special enough, this will be a part of the group’s recently announced Joshua Tree 30th anniversary tour, which will see the band play the album in full. Their schedule makes it look like Bono and company will be gracing the What Stage on Friday night, which is sure to get the main portion of the weekend off to a big start.

CHANCE THE RAPPER  Chance the Rapper has been a Bonnaroo mainstay over the last few years—despite only being on the lineup once. After an electrifying 2014 set with his band The Social Experiment, Chance popped up during performances from Earth, Wind, and Fire and Flying Lotus in 2015. Last year, he returned once again for a special listening party for his album Coloring Book, in addition to some more special appearances. Bonnaroovians have been dying for a full-fledged set from the Chicago up-and-comer, and it looks like they’ll get their wish on a main stage in 2017.

Bonnaroo Releases Top-Heavy 2017 Lineup

 LORDE While some might scoff at the addition of a Top 40 pop star like Lorde to the lineup, you could do a lot worse than Lorde.

The 20-year-old singer/ songwriter achieved mainstream success with 2013’s “Royals” single and its high-selling accompanying LP, Pure Heroine. She’s poised for a much-hyped followup in 2017, and Bonnaroo could be one of her first live performances in support.

U2, Chance the Rapper, Red Hot Chili Peppers to appear at the farm.

B

STORY BY JOHN CONNOR COULSTON

onnaroo is looking to bounce back from an under-performing 2016 showing in a big way. The Manchester festival is looking to bring attendance back up to its 80,000-person average with a top-heavy lineup set to bring in the masses. Rock legends U2 and Red Hot Chili Peppers (who also performed in 2012) will headline alongside R&B/pop megastar The Weeknd. The next tier of artists is also full of heavy hitters: ’Roo favorite Chance the Rapper, EDM heavyweights Major Lazer, pop singer Lorde, indie-pop group The xx and hip-hop up-and-comer Travis Scott. Other acts in the upper echelon include Flume, Cage the Elephant, Tove Lo, Umphrey’s McGee, The Head and the Heart and Big Gigantic.

The undercard does seem a bit lighter on indie gems compared to years past, however there are a few bright spots in the form of Nashville singer/songwriter Margo Price, Canadian jazz group BadBadNotGood, rap weirdos Flatbush Zombies and rising rock favorites the Front Bottoms. Hopefully we’ll see some more area favorites in the later lineup additions. We’ll also have to wait and see what comedians are coming to the festival’s comedy tent, as those acts are also announced later in the spring.

12 * FEBRUARY 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

 BADBADNOTGOOD From the eclectic undercard comes Canadian jazz trio BadBadNotGood. The group rose to internet prominence through their numerous reinterpretations of hip-hop instrumentals. They covered artists such as Kanye West, Waka Flocka Flame, Tyler the Creator and MF Doom before launching into several albums of original material in the years after. They’re a tight-sounding band with an ear for interesting arrangements, and their repertoire is prime for collaboration, which is what ’Roo is all about.

 SUPERJAM Speaking of collaboration, the annual SuperJams are safe bets for magical moments on the Farm. Musicians of all backgrounds and genres come together for a one-night-only set of covers and jams that have led to some of the festival’s more memorable moments.

While the main SuperJam lineup and theme have yet to be announced, be sure to try out Ed Helm’s Bluegrass SuperJam, which is an often overlooked set featuring loads of Americana favorites collaborating for some of the finest covers you’ll hear all weekend.

ALBUMS

BY DYLAN SKYE AYCOCK

COSMIC COLLECTIVE

LANCE ALLEN

Local jazz outfit Cosmic Collective’s debut fulllength, Abstract Notions, is the product of five formally trained musicians who joined forces by happenstance.

The band, fronted by Nikki Michelle and joined by guitarist Alex Kreiss, bassist Tyler Enslow, drummer Jed Smith and saxophonist Devante Buford, initially formed as a jazz combo while attending MTSU, but they decided to extend the collaboration beyond the semester. The group has since cut its teeth by performing jazz, R&B and pop covers at local shows, weddings and private events. Judging by the talent that makes up Cosmic Collective, it was just a matter of time before the members hit the studio for their first full-length effort.

Abstract Notions, an album of innovative jazz compositions, is enjoyable throughout, but its most memorable tracks strike near the beginning. The album opens with “Chapter 7,” a slow-moving, vibey affair that ambles its way to the end with the help of Buford’s saxophone. Michelle’s voice shines through on “I Don’t Know,” a ballad with powerfully evocative lyrics that bring to mind singer/songwriters Sara Bareilles and Norah Jones. In a manner similar to Bareilles, her voice treads softly and delicately at first, but becomes more resounding as instruments join the mix.

The album’s core tends to blend together, as there’s not a particular song that jumps out to me until the antepenultimate track, “Gotta Move On,” a dreamy ballad about giving someone your all for nothing in return.

And the cosmic closing number, “You Keep My Head Off The Ground,” marks another standout track.

As a whole, Abstract Notions is a fluid and melodic journey, as well as an impressive first entry to the band’s catalog. Jazz fans will surely love this release, but any music junkie will find it accessible.

For more information on Cosmic Collective, visit nikkimichelleandthecosmiccollective.com or facebook.com/nikkieliassings.

Fingerstyle guitarist, music teacher and composer Lance Allen rang in the New Year with the release of his fifth album, String Poet, an alternative folk effort featuring bright, upbeat instrumentals with infectious hooks. In contrast to Allen’s previous releases, it’s pretty evenly split between happygo-lucky melodies and reserved, placid guitar work. However, as much as I appreciate the calm instrumentals, the faster the picking, the longer the song lingers in my head.

String Poet, the product of a successful Kickstarter campaign (not only did Allen meet his goal in one day, but he exceeded it by more than $2,000), opens in a jaunty mood with “Up on Cloudstreet” and is followed by “Ezra’s Groove,” a riveting tune in the same vein as Nickel Creek’s instrumental tracks. Two more album highlights, “Skye Boat Song” and “Sail On,” rest comfortably in the middle and easily pass as lullabies. To set his recording apart from other fingerstyle guitar releases, Allen enlisted the help of two talented musicians—violinist Avery Bright and cellist Paul Nelson. Bright and Nelson’s contributions are particularly valuable on “Just a Moment,” in which the faint lulls of the violin and cello complement Allen’s gentle fingerpicking.

The album drifts away with a breezy, two-minute ditty called “Grocery Store Tune,” and, like the song title suggests, I can’t help but imagine someone strolling through the aisles of an old general store. If the saying is true—that life moves slower in the South—this track, as well as the album as a whole, is an ode to country living. It takes you back to warmer months when a porch swing and a glass of lemonade are all you need for contentment.

String Poet is available on iTunes and Spotify, where Allen’s included on the official Spotify playlist, “Acoustic Concentration.” Keep up with him at lanceallenmusic.com or on YouTube at GuitarLancer.

Abstract Notions

A CLASSIC OUTSTANDING

String Poet

AVERAGE BELOW AVERAGE

AVOID AT ALL COSTS DEAD BOROPULSE.COM

* FEBRUARY 2017 * 13

Food

Special Event

Read more about local restaurants at

BoroPulse.com/Category/Food

Sweet Treat

Simply Pure Sweets offers French-inspired desserts and tasty cupcakes.

Simply Pure Sweets is teaming up with Alex Belew Catering for a three-course Valentine’s Day meal on Feb. 14. The dinner, which is $110 per couple, will offer two seating times, at 6 and 7:30 p.m. Attendees may select one item from each course below. Any questions regarding the dinner can be directed to info@alexbelew.com.

FIRST COURSE Beef Tartare, Sunchoke, Smoked Mayo, Cured Egg Sunflower Seed Risotto, Porcini Mushroom Broth, Winter Squash Cauliflower Soup, Pancetta, Purple Potato Crisp SECOND COURSE Duck, Falls Mills Grits, Carrot Chips, Mushroom, Mostarda di Frutta Halibut, Fingerling, Lemon, Artichoke, Fennel, Beurre Monte Short Rib, Horseradish Smashed Potatoes, Brussels, Onion Jam, Pea Tendril THIRD COURSE Chocolate Hazelnut Torte, Mascarpone Ice Cream

STORY AND PHOTOS

BY DYLAN SKYE AYCOCK

M

urfreesboro has its fair share of bakeries and breakfast destinations, but Chantell Kennedy-Shehan, the owner of Simply Pure Sweets, is just the savvy chef the ’Boro needs when looking for flavorful, French-inspired treats or savory lunch options.

Kennedy-Shehan begins the work day before sunrise and before downtown starts buzzing with traffic. She arrives at Simply Pure Sweets around 5 a.m. to prep breakfast; the cinnamon rolls, muffins, croissants, macarons and loaded biscuits—a customer favorite, she says—have to hit the display by

14 * FEBRUARY 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

Buttermilk Crème Brûlée, Brown Butter Shortbread, Cherries

the time the bakery opens at 6:30 a.m.

To set the scene, Simply Pure is located off the square at 118 N. Walnut St., complete with a loft-style dining area, ample seating, a children’s area and a rack with newspapers and magazines. At Kennedy-Shehan’s side is her mom, Katrina Shehan, who assists with orders and other tasks throughout the day.

Behind the display case, Simply Pure Sweets boasts an assortment of baked goods, some with a delightful French twist. While there are certain items that always make it out of the oven, such as the ones listed above, Kennedy-Shehan often tests new

flavors. She says she has more freedom to experiment now that she’s a business owner.

“Before moving here, I worked as a hospital chef in Atlanta,” Kennedy-Shehan explained.

“It was a great job and rewarding at the time, but there wasn’t a lot of room for creativity.”

However, the young chef ’s French-inspired desserts are not derived from a casual interest. In addition to earning a bachelor’s degree in culinary nutrition at Johnson and Wales University in Miami, Fla., she honed her craft during a semester at Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Pâtisserie, a renowned pastry arts program in France.

The French macarons are irresistible, partly due to the vibrant swirl of colors, but also because Kennedy-Shehan packs a lot of flavor into the bite-sized cookie. You’ll have to drop in to view the day’s selection, but she typically experiments with local ingredients like Marcy Jams’ damson plum, strawberry and sangria jams.

If you’d rather swing by for a cupcake, you won’t be disappointed. In the past, Simply Pure Sweets has offered salted dark chocolate caramel, chocolate raspberry, chocolate chip cookie (vanilla cupcake, chocolate frosting and a big cookie on top) and red velvet cup-

 RECIPES

Valentine’s Day Aphrodisiacs

BY RACHEL SPENSATELLI

cakes, among other varieties.

Along with the daily assortment of macarons, tarts and cupcakes, bite into the tangy-sweetness of a blueberry muffin, dusted with sugar, or try an oatmeal cream pie that puts the Little Debbie snack-size confection to shame. Pair it with a cup of hot or iced coffee, hot tea or Italian soda (strawberry, passion fruit, cherry, peach, pomegranate, tangerine and more).

Simply Pure has a variety of savory lunch options up for grabs as well. Popular items include the Thai peanut chicken (with a homemade peanut sauce) and chicken bacon wraps. Sandwiches come on herbed focaccia, ciabatta roll or wheat bread, while the wraps are available in honey wheat or garlic herb. Pair a sandwich or wrap with a side of roasted veggie orzo salad (zucchini, squash, onion, carrots and balsamic dressing), butternut squash quinoa salad (squash, onions, cranberries, almonds and parsley) or fresh fruit.

As for the future, Kennedy-Shehan says to expect more ready-to-go options, as well as the possibility of fresh bread (by order) and more breakfast items.

So if you’re looking for options and memorable flavors, stroll on into Simply Pure Sweets for breakfast, lunch or an early afternoon treat.

The Dish NAME

Simply Pure Sweets LOCATION

118 N. Walnut St. PHONE

(615) 962-8086 HOURS

Mon.–Sat. 6:30 a.m.–4 p.m.

COST

Sandwiches and wraps: $5.99; Salads: $6.49; Medium latte or cappuccino: $2.99; Flavored Italian soda: $1.99 ONLINE

facebook.com/simplypuresweets

more sweet options MURFREESBORO HAS LOTS of great options where you can find a sweet treat for your Valentine any time of the year.

Check out: BORO TOWN CAKES 128 N. Church St. JULIA’S HOMESTYLE BAKERY 1911 Medical Center Pkwy.

GIGI’S CUPCAKES 451 N. Thompson Lane COUNTRY GOURMET 107 E. Main St. JO’S CUSTOM CAKES AND CATERING 117 Spring Circle, Smyrna YUM E CAKES / DONUTS 2486 Old Fort Pkwy.

POPCORN FROM MARS 123 S. Church St. DONUT COUNTRY 1311 Memorial Blvd.

KWIK MART (donuts) 310 N. Front St. THE ARTFUL DOUGHNUT 810 Medical Center Pkwy.

DONUT PALACE 1623 N.W. Broad St.

EVERY YEAR I GET INTO THE SAME INNER DEBATE. . . . I wonder, is Valentines Day just a facade designed to fill the shopping void between Christmas and Easter?

I mean, shouldn’t we celebrate love every day? Surely, love doesn’t get just one day.

Surely a heart-shaped “be mine” candy or the act of children buying cards for their entire classroom can’t sum it up.

If you’re like me, you believe Feb. 14 is another opportunity for Hallmark, Russell Stover and every jewelry company on the planet to make money.

Yes, love is grand. So grand, tangible items seem to barely scratch the surface of the depths of it. Passion, desire, promise, sanctity—that is what love is about. That’s why I prefer to go a different route—a more intimate route that not only says I love you, but I want you. While roses and a box of chocolates won’t hurt, if you really want to show someone you love them, serve something sexy. It’s a little daring but mainly delectable—a date night to remember, an evening of aphrodisiacs.

Take a gourmet stand and try one of these romantic morsels. Foods such as chocolate, honey, oysters, chili peppers and figs, among others, have been said to ignite and sustain desire, passion, energy and love. Let’s give it a try! Tonight, on the menu we are having:

HONEY ROASTED ARTICHOKES INGREDIENTS 2 medium artichokes 1 lemon ½ cup mayonnaise 1 tbsp. chili sauce (such as Heinz) 2 tbsp. honey Kosher salt Black pepper Olive oil

METHOD

Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a large pot.

Turn on low heat, add artichokes, cover, and steam until tender, about 30 minutes, adding more water if necessary.

In a bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, chili sauce, 1 tbsp of honey, ¼ teaspoon pepper and a pinch of salt.

Set aside.

Prepare a grill for medium-high heat or turn the broiler on high.

In a separate bowl add olive oil, a dash of water and the remaining tablespoon of honey, whisk together.

Cut ½ inch off the top of the artichokes and cut each artichoke in half vertically. Using scissors, trim the leaves of pointy ends. Carefully cut out and discard fuzzy chokes in the center of each half.

Brush the steamed artichokes with the olive oil/honey mixture and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Rub the artichokes with lemon.

Serve with the dipping sauce.

GOAT CHEESE STUFFED FIGS

Herbs de Provence. Mix well.

INGREDIENTS 2 ounces, approximately, of soft, fresh goat cheese 1 tbsp. Herbs de Provence 12 fresh figs, washed and drained

METHOD In a small bowl add goat cheese and

Grill or broil cut-side down, until nicely charred, 4 to 5 minutes.

Use your fingers to roll the goat cheese into ½teaspoonsized balls.

Cut figs in half.

Press a cheese ball into the center of each fig. Plate and serve.

For Oysters with Apple Mignonette, Chocolate Chile Truffles and other recipes, visit boropulse.com; Rachel is a Los Angeles native who relocated to Tennessee in 2014 to open The Curious Kitchen, a recreational cooking school, cafe and catering company in Murfreesboro. To take a cooking or cocktail class, visit thecuriouskitchen.net.

BOROPULSE.COM

* FEBRUARY 2017 * 15

Living Tennessee Boulevard, the current home of Precious Angels Children’s Consignment Sales.

Now, many area families with young children keep the sale in mind all throughout the year, and will set aside toys and clothing in preparation for the next Precious Angels event.

“Keep your eyes open for the dates,” Bauer said. “Make sure you don’t miss it.”

Bauer took the time to share a little more of what Precious Angels is all about.

MURFREESBORO PULSE: How did you

BEHOLD!

Incredible Value Precious Angels Children’s Consignment Sale provides quality clothing for little ones at great prices.

STORY BY BRACKEN MAYO

Precious Angels Children’s Consignment Sale, owned and operated by Angela Bauer and Jennifer Sherrod, may only be open for business about eight days each year, but by no means do the owners get the rest of the year off.

A great deal of preparation, organization, promotion, cleanup and processing goes into each one of the twice-yearly pop-up consignment sales. The Precious Angels owners must ensure inventory is collected and organized, that shoppers know about the sales and show up, that all purchases are recorded properly, that unpurchased inventory is returned or donated, that the temporary store is torn down, checks are issued to consignors, and that the facility is reserved for their next event.

The sales, held each spring and fall at the Mid TN Expo Center on Middle Tennessee Boulevard, allow families to place some money back into their pockets from clothing that no longer fits their children, unused toys, or strollers, car seats and other baby gear that no longer serve their needs.

“A lot of people think that we’re a permanent storefront,” Bauer said. “But being seasonal, and not having to pay all year long for a permanent storefront, we’re able to 16 * FEBRUARY 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

provide better pricing.”

Bauer and Sherrod invite those in the community to sell their children’s items at the sales.

Those who would like to participate as a consignor pay a $12 fee, label their own items, and when the dust settles after the event, will earn 70 percent of the total amount for which their items sold. However, those who wish to keep a larger percentage of their sale total can sign up to help staff the Precious Angels sale. The more shifts worked, the higher the percentage of your items’ sale price you get to keep.

Those who assist with the sale as a volunteer or consignor also get early access to the sale prior to its opening for the general public.

The duo held its first Precious Angels Consignment Sale at the Boys and Girls Club, and later moved to the Mid TN Expo Center near Church Street, a facility run by Swanson Companies. AT&T recently took over that space, and Swanson then moved the Mid TN Expo Center to the Fred’s shopping center on Middle

get into the children’s clothing consignment business?

ANGELA BAUER: We would frequent other sales for our own children. One came up for sale in our town when I was a worker; I overheard Kim Lane saying her consignment sale was going to be for sale. I went back to Jennifer—we were just friends at the time—and I said, “What would you think about running this sale?”

[After the upcoming spring 2017 Precious Angels sale] it’ll be seven years exactly. That will make 14 sales [that Bauer and Sherrod have operated together].

We like it. That helps, that we like it a lot.

We’re always trying to make it the best we can.

What’s your favorite part of running Precious Angels?

You get the very first pick. It’s the ultimate shopping experience! We love the people [and] getting to know the consignors, making friends and acquaintances. Seeing the faces over and over. We can see the same people sale after sale, and watch their kids grow up. It’s a sad time when the kid becomes a teenager and we don’t see [these repeat customers] anymore.

It benefits the community. We’re glad to be a service like this for people who need or want to find a deal.

What’s your least favorite part?

The public days are really long, hard, 16-hour days. At the end of that we’re really sleep deprived and really tired. We’re perfectionists, so if there’s anything that goes wrong, any bumps, Jennifer and I are both similar personalities, we can be stressors. We want everything to go perfectly and smoothly, and sometimes we can both get stressed. But other than that, there’s not much that we don’t like.

What businesses and people were an inspiration to you?

Me and my partner really inspire each other.

We’re part of a big nationwide association of sale owners. We pay attention to that page on Facebook. A sale owner created that page, and invited others, and now a lot of people who run sales all over the country are part of that.

Conversing with our workers, our consign-

ors and our shoppers. If there’s something they’d like to change, Jennifer and I try and listen. We talk a lot with our volunteers, and sometimes they’ll bring a different perspective.

Kim, the original Precious Angels owner [was important]; the business model was pretty much established when we bought it.

What are some of the challenges you have overcome?

We’ve had to move a few times. Keeping a good location that has enough parking. Having enough volunteers. Keeping people informed about when sales are, and letting them know that this model can be more profitable for sellers than some of the other consignment options in the Murfreesboro area that can literally give the seller a nickel for a shirt. Acquiring new clientele, keeping high standards. Making sure that what we take in is held to a high standard.

How are you getting the word out about your business?

We have an email blast that we do electronically. We have a Facebook page that we both post on a lot. We have a postcard that we send via normal snail mail. We also put out flyers by hand. Our team will take a stack of flyers to day cares, pediatricians, playhouses, jump houses and other businesses around town.

We have a sponsor that does the other side of the flyer, Children’s Dentistry and Orthodontics. My kids went to the dentist there, and I noticed they advertised a lot. I asked them if they’d like to advertise on the back of the Precious Angels postcards . . . Dr. Mallette and Dr. Faiz have helped us with the cost of printing those flyers and have been on there ever since.

Who are your customers?

Moms, dads, even grandparents. Grandparents sometimes want to get items for their own house. It’s a whole family affair. Sometimes aunts and uncles. We have teachers and daycare owners who come for toys for their classrooms or businesses.

What is your advice to someone starting a business?

Do something you love to make it seem not like work, which is why we like our business so much. Try not to stress. Enjoy your relationships with your clientele. Take really good care of your customers and workers. If you are going to have a business partner, make sure it is your best friend.

The next Precious Angels Consignment Sale will be held April 26–29, at the new Mid TN Expo Center, 1660 Middle Tennessee Blvd.

For more information on Precious Angels, visit facebook.com/kidsale or paccs.net.

BOROPULSE.COM

* FEBRUARY 2017 * 17

Living

I

n last month’s issue, this column concentrated on converting storm water from runoff to property usage.

This saves water, money and pollution impact. In assessing how to use the natural provision of water, I brought up the need for a landscape design of your property by planning with graph paper and drawing your “landmarks” to scale as much as possible.

On this property map, draw in the location of your home, any outbuildings, gardens, pool, driveways, etc.

Now we will use your property map to help determine the right plant in the right place.

This is one of the planks in the Tennessee Smart Yards program. Two parts of the Smart Yard program will be discussed and presented at the Boro Garden Show and Party on March 31 and April 1 at the Lane Agri-Park.

The idea of right plant, right place is one of the primary points on landscape design.

Another consideration in landscape design is to use your yard as you want: Do you want a field for playing? Do you want to convert all available ground to a productive garden? Do you need a large patio area for entertaining? Do you wish to support the local wildlife? Do you have

18 * FEBRUARY 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

Farmers’ Market Education Series

BY EDWINA SHANNON

Right Plant, Right Place a water feature? Plant selection is determined by your yard characteristics and your interests.

Begin with a site evaluation of your property as the first step. The site evaluation will assist in considering and deciding what plant can thrive in what location. As Tennessee has different

geographic regions and different soil types, temperature, humidity, altitude and rainfall patterns, a plant that thrives along the Mississippi cannot expect to thrive on the plateau. Even within a region there are microclimates. One of those is located on the Rutherford/Wilson County line, near the Cedars of Lebanon Park.

Be aware of differences within your property as you are assessing your land. Is one area shady all day and another in full sun?

Is there a slope or a collection point? What type of soil? Are plants and trees already in place there? What are they and what are their characteristics? How is the drainage? Do you know the drainage pattern?

After the property map has the initial “landmarks,” add in existing plants, wet areas, rain collection areas, underground utilities, leaching fields and sewage systems. I would make copies of this map for several purposes. Right now, it will be useful to help you plan which plants to put where. Later, use it to record what has been done or changed.

Once you have decided what to do with your land and have done the map of the existing yard, your design process begins. How exciting! This is the start of the fun. Of course, you can do this yourself, or you can hire a qualified landscape designer. As you assess the changes to your property, the next round of choices will determine the effort needed to maintain your plan. Ask yourself how much time and maintenance you want to put into your yard. There are methods to minimize the time needed for mowing, pruning, weeding, seeding, watering, fertilizing harvesting, etc., but time is still needed.

Some of the most carefree plants are the native plants. They can survive our summers and our winters, and they provide food and shelter for our wildlife. You do want to remove

any invasive or exotic plants, as many will take over while they are disrupting the ecological balance of your natural community.

Choose plants with characteristics that fit into your yard: direct or indirect sun, shade tolerance, moisture tolerance, hardiness of plant and their mature height and width.

Then choose the “fun” characteristics: bloom time and flower color, growth rate, edible fruit, leaf color and bark color as well as evergreen or deciduous, fragrance, maintenance and as a source of food for wildlife.

When we think about our landscaping, our focus is often on the pretty flowers and the fresh vegetables. Remember the bushes and trees. If they are already in a location that respects their characteristics of growth and size, preserve them during your design process, as they take years to grow to mature size. When planting new trees, consider the mature height and width of the tree and avoid planting them close to structures. Shrubs and trees are often planted too close together and too close to buildings, overshadowing the buildings, cramping their growth and stressing the plants. How tall does the bush grow?

Will you be able to keep it trimmed? Does the ground cover spread rapidly? Can you keep it in a determined place?

I’m sure you have seen blue spruce or holly around foundations that grow too close to the home and have to be removed. It is a common mistake to plant trees, bushes and ground cover that grow over windows and walkways. The area becomes an overcrowded landscape that needs to be trimmed or removed or inhibited from natural growth.

Just avoid the plant’s stress and your own by planting the right plant in the right place.

In addition to the obvious shade and natural air coolant that trees provide, they also support our habitat. Trees are an important nectar and pollen source for honeybees. Many trees produce their flowers (and therefore pollen and nectar) before the flowers bloom, becoming the primary food source for bees in early spring.

(UT publication SP 515 lists the native trees.)

As you decide which plant goes where in your yard, be sure to group moisture-loving plants together in an area that does maintain moisture. What type of soil do you have? How often can you water? Grouping plants together should respect the expected width and height of the mature plant as well as its characteristics. If you over-water or under-water the plant according to its needs, it will wilt and die. Overwatering can lead to root rot, which is hard for a plant to overcome. Finally, you will probably need to amend the soil. Not many plants grow in a soil with high clay content, and we do have clay soils here. Add organic matter. Composting and improving soil is another topic.

BOROPULSE.COM

* FEBRUARY 2017 * 19

Living

All Things Horses From equine dentistry to mounted shooting, the Southern Equine Expo has it all, Feb. 24–26.

BY TANNER DEDMON

F

or the fifth straight year, Murfreesboro will again host both equestrian enthusiasts and their hooved companions participating in the Southern Equine Expo on Feb. 24–26.

Located within the Tennessee Miller Coliseum, the Southern Equine Expo’s dedication to the improvement of horses’ lives through education and community involvement continues with an array of clinics, demonstrations and entertainment. The Expo experi-

20 * FEBRUARY 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

enced its largest attendance ever in 2016, and organizers look to surpass that this year.

“More than 3,000 people attended in 2016,” said Sandra Kayser, the vendor manager of the Expo. “The economic impact on Murfreesboro is significant.”

Those attending the Expo can look forward to various learning opportunities tailored to both newcomers and veterans to the equestrian environment, and to all those in between.

These clinics and demonstrations will be led by

highly-trained professionals with years of study in all facets pertaining to horses’ performance and well-being, including equine first aid, equine dentistry, rider fitness and cross-country trail riding.

Some exhibits, such as Horsemanship 1 and Horsemanship 2, are the perfect intro into horse riding, and an opportunity to learn more advanced techniques, respectively. Both will be taught by renowned equestrian clinician Julie Goodnight.

“Attendees at the Expo may watch or audit any and all clinics they are interested in,” said Kayser. “They may apply to ride in many of the clinics, thereby getting semi-private lessons, in essence, at the Expo.”

The application process is necessary to vet the existing knowledge and skills of potential riders in order to discern whether the clinics in mind can truly help them to become better riders.

For those who simply love riding, there will be several breeds of horses on hand that attendees can look forward to seeing and interacting with.

“In Tennessee, we always want to engage those who love and ride the gaited horse,” said Kayser. “Tennessee Walking Horses, Paso Finos, Spotted Saddlebreds and others will be on hand for the Parade of Breeds, and educational clinics are geared toward those smooth-walking, flat-shod horses.”

On the other end of the spectrum, fast and loud clinics will also be taking place by demonstrating more creative equestrian activities.

Equestrian Chaos, an equestrian stunt team, will be performing and entertaining guests on Friday. Another group, Iron Sixes Horsemanship, will be attending the Expo to exhibit the sport of cowboy mounted shooting.

Returning from the past three years, The Southern Equine Expo Colt Starting Challenge, a fan-favorite, will span each day of

the three-day event. The event serves as an educational and engaging opportunity for the audience as trainers demonstrate the talents of both horse and horseman. Over the course of the event, guests may vote for the Colt Starter they believe is best training their colt, with the event culminating in an obstacle challenge.

Vendors will also be on site throughout the event for visitors to browse and make purchases amidst the clinics and entertainment.

For tickets and more information, visit southernequineexpo.com.

BOROPULSE.COM

* FEBRUARY 2017 * 21

Living

PUPPY TIME!

Operation Education Animal Rescue to feature five dogs in Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl.

STORY BY TANNER DEDMON

F

or the third year in a row, Operation Education Animal Rescue will be represented by local puppies in the upcoming Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet.

Based out of Christiana, Tenn., and serving the East and Middle Tennessee areas, Operation Education Animal Rescue specializes in adoptions based on medical situations. Dog fights, car accidents and various sicknesses are just a few of the cases typically considered by the organization, and the at-risk animals are adopted out to loving families upon reaching a stable condition.

The rescue operation is no stranger to Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl, the animal-centered network’s canine version of the Super Bowl that airs on the same day as its football counterpart. This year, five dogs from Operation LUCKY, Education will be TERRIER featured on the show as they play, compete and have each of their stories shared on TV. Lucky, a black, three-legged rat terrier mix, and Daphne, a brown and white pit bull mix, will be featured on the show’s starting lineup and will be seen often during game day footage. Lucky’s sibling Rickey, Daphne’s sibling Stevie and a chocolate lab mix named Della will be seen as backup players during the event.

Shelly Thorburn, the co-director of Operation Education, said Lucky was the perfect

22 * FEBRUARY 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

fit for this year’s Puppy Bowl. Thorburn said the show was looking for three special-needs dogs, and after reviewing Operation Education’s submissions, they chose Lucky to be one of the three competitors.

Back in October, the five dogs had to make a trip to New York City for filming to begin after they were chosen to compete. It took both plane and car to get them there, but Thorburn and Operation Education founder Tiffany Galyon traveled with the puppies to supervise the process. Lucky, however, got a special visit herself from Animal Planet.

“Animal Planet came to Lucky’s house to conduct more of a background story on her since she’s special needs,” said Thorburn on the three-legged competitor. “But they’re all rescue dogs, so they all have a story,” she added, referring to both the other dogs representing Operation Education in the game, as well as all of the others the organization has up for adoption.

And each of the dogs competing certainly does have a story. Lucky and Rickey were found together in a box on the side of the road and quickly hid under a nearby deck, resulting in the entire deck having to be deconstructed to get to them. Daphne and Stevie were born in a shelter, so the entire family was rescued in order to give the newborns

DAPHNE, PIT BULL

a better environment given their age. Della came to Operation Education after Della’s mother’s owners were unable to pay for a Csection, a process that the rescue organization covered for the animals.

When it comes to adopting the pets, Operation Education ensures that each goes to a loving and suitable home as they guide adopters throughout and after the process.

Each pet to be adopted is guaranteed to be up to date on all vaccinations, spayed or neutered and microchipped. The adoption process also includes a six-week training program with Heather Moore of Murfreesboro’s Wag It Better. The mandatory training program gives adopters and pets a time to practice their communication in a helpful

environment that creates long-lasting bonds and smooths the transition into a new home.

The nonprofit group currently runs on donations in order to make sure at-risk dogs find good owners. They evaluate calls and situations on a case-by-case basis by considering factors such as distance, space and funding.

To contact Operation Education Animal Rescue, be it for adoption or donation purposes, they can be reached at opedanimalrescue@ gmail.com. For more information about their organization, the adoption process and how you can help, visit opedanimalrescue.com.

And be sure to watch Lucky, Daphne, Rickey, Stevie and Della in the Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet on Feb. 5 at 2 p.m.

BOROPULSE.COM

* FEBRUARY 2017 * 23

Art

Clockwise: “The Sun and the Moon,” “A Place to Rest” and “Bonobo with Snail” (oil on canvas) by Mikey Winsor

Art Crawl Is Back

Feb. 10, event features local artists who explore color, time and space.

MIKEY WINSOR will be one of the fea-

tured artists showing work during the Boro Art Crawl on Friday, Feb. 10, from 6–9 p.m., taking place in and around Murfreesboro’s Public Square.

Winsor grew up in Marietta, Ga., and he has lived in Japan, Philadelphia, the mountains of North Carolina and, for the past year, La Vergne.

His work is influenced by surrealism and its ideas about truth contradicted with physical limits. He also finds inspiration in the playfulness and mystery of Henri Rousseau, as well as contemporary artists Glen Brown and Oliver Vernon.

“I see the melting and swirling of our time to hold more scientific value than visual play or dream experience,” said Winsor. “I think there is some line in between the Surrealists and Impressionists that has faded in painting over the past decades. I hope to keep progressing those questions of light and energy and finding balance.”

His show at the Center for the Arts, Shape Shifting Liveliness, is a collection of 30 oil paintings that he has made over the past three years.

“It is focused around the transmission of energy and the forms that emerge as a result,” said Winsor. “Only through making 24 * FEBRUARY 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

a variety of images can we see a bigger picture. And opening our eyes is a great way to use our body, and expand our minds.”

Winsor earned his bachelor’s degree from Georgia Southern University and his master’s from University of Pennsylvania. Since graduating in 2012 he has painted full time.

Also featured at the February Art Crawl will be the work of DAWNA MAGLIACANO, who will show her work at The Write Impression, instead of at her own 903 Gallery, which has moved away from central Murfreesboro out to Lascassas. Recently Magliacano was honored as one of the best international multimedia artists in the coffee table book Incite 4. Employing bright colors and a playful eye, her work is all about telling a story, which she likes to leave half-told to draw the viewer into the piece.

The Murfreesboro City Hall Rotunda features the work of SPEARS McALLISTER during the Crawl. McAllister is a nature photographer from Chattanooga, Tenn.

While most of his photography captures moments in nature all over the United States and beyond, he also does some architectural studies. McAllister will be on site on Feb. 10 at his artist’s reception.

Mayday Brewery will display the work of JACKIE CHEUVRONT, an acrylic artist who loves to explore the figures from horror movies and the esoteric. Jackie has been painting since she was 5, but began showing and selling her work about three years ago.

Other locations in the February Crawl include: VNTG, Bella’s, Trendy Pieces, Green Dragon, Liquid Smoke, Wall Street,

Dreamingincolor, Sugaree’s, Quinn’s Merchantile, Sugaree’s, L & L Contractors, Funtiques, Let’s Make Wine, Simply Pure Sweets, The Boutique at Studio C Photography, Funtiques, Earth Experience, Oakland’s Mansion, Moxie Art Supply and Daffodilly Design.

For more information, visit boroartcrawl.com or facebook.com/boroartcrawl.

FRIDAY, FEB. 10, 2017 / EVENT MAP / ART / MUSIC / POETRY / LOCAL GREEN: Curated by Art Crawl organizers with art that is appropriate for all ages RED: 21+ and may display more mature art PURPLE: Self-curated galleries

3 2

ro Art Crawl d

rawl Aug.xlsx

1

The Earth Experience 816 Old Salem Rd.

w

Simply Pure Sweets 118 N. Walnut St.

2

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

e

Vntg 118 N. Walnut St.

3

Dreamingincolor 504 N. Maney Ave.

4

Quinn’s Mercantile 301 N. Spring St.

5

Two-Tone Art Gallery 113 W. Lytle St.

6

Center for the Arts 110 W. College St.

7

Liquid Smoke 2 N. Public Square

8

Let’s Make Wine 109 E. Main St.

9

Bella’s Boutique 109 S. Church St.

0

Trendy Pieces 111 S. Church St.

q

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

r Wall Street

121 N. Maple St.

t

Moxie Gallery 302 W. Vine St.

y

L Studio 208 W. Vine St.

u Rotunda City Hall 111 W. Vine St.

i

Daffodilly 118 W. Vine St.

o Sugaree’s

122 S. Maple St.

p The Write Impression 120 S. Maple St.

a FunTiques

118 S. Maple St.

s

L&L Contractors 25 S. Public Square

d

Mayday Brewery 521 Old Salem Rd.

All items

1

HISTORIC MURFREESBORO SQUARE

BORO ART CRAWL SPONSORS

5 w e

t Event map brought to you by 

4

y

6 r

q o ps a i

7 8 9 0

u

BOROPULSE.COM

* FEBRUARY 2017 * 25

 ART EXHIBIT

 THEATER

At left, back row, from left: Catherine Birdsong plays Meg, Teri Beck plays Aunt March; Front row, from left: Haydin Oechsle plays Beth, Charlotte Myhre plays Jo, Ximena Lindsey plays Marmee, Bethany Hays plays Hannah Below: Charlotte Myhre and Haydin Oechsle in Little Women

MTSU DEPARTMENT OF ART HOSTS SHOEBOX: AN INTERNATIONAL SCULPTURE EXHIBIT The MTSU Department of Art opens the spring 2017 semester with Shoebox: An International Sculpture Exhibition in Todd Art Gallery (Todd Hall, room 224), on display through Feb. 9. Applicants in all styles of traditional and new media sculpture were attracted to this triennial event, including artists from all over the United States and even from Austria, Canada, England, Italy, Norway and Switzerland.

An awards presentation is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 2, from 4–6 p.m. in Todd Art Gallery. Special guest artist and art historian Dr. Leslie King Hammond will be in attendance to present the Best of Show and Award of Excellence honors and to visit with students and the community.

A native of the South Bronx, King Hammond attended City University of New York and Johns Hopkins University, and later became Dean of Graduate Studies at Maryland Institute College of Art. All Todd Art Gallery exhibits, receptions and other related events are open to the public.

For more information, contact eric.snyder@mtsu. edu or (615) 898-5532.

26 * FEBRUARY 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

LITTLE WOMEN AT SPRINGHOUSE THEATRE

J

o, Beth, Meg and Amy—Louisa May Alcott’s four little women—take center stage this February as Springhouse Theatre Company presents Little Women. Adapted for the stage from Alcott’s beloved novel, this timeless and enduring classic about the March sisters’ journey from childhood to maturity during the American Civil War has thrilled generations of readers since the novel was first released in 1868. Audiences will enjoy experiencing the coming of age of the sisters—Meg, the eldest; Jo, the high-spirited tomboy; Amy, the self-centered beauty; and gentle Beth—as well

as their beloved Marmee and their acerbic Aunt March.

Little Women runs for three weekends, Feb. 10–11, 17–18 and 24–26. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, with a special 3:30 p.m. matinee on the final Sunday.

Springhouse Theatre is located on the campus of Springhouse Worship & Arts Center, 14119 Old Nashville Hwy., Smyrna. Tickets are available at ticketsnashville.com. For tickets or more information, call (615) 852-8499 or visit springhousetheatre.com.

9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL AT CENTER FOR THE ARTS

C

enter for the Arts presents 9 to 5 the Musical, running Feb. 10–26.

Written by Dolly Parton, the musical revisits her 1980 classic film for an adaptation that will have audiences laughing and cheering. Like the movie, 9 to 5 the Musical focuses on the struggle of three women in the workplace: Violet, who is strong, independent and constantly overlooked; Judy, the new hire who just wants to pick up the pieces and fend for herself after the unexpected demise of her marriage; and Doralee, the straightforward Texan who is determined to prove she is more than meets the eye. Standing in their way is Mr. Hart, the “sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot.” Together, these women overcome the odds and learn what ingenuity, persistence and friendship can do.

Tickets can be purchased at boroarts.org, by calling (615) 904-2787, or by stopping by the Center’s box office at 110 W. College St. in downtown Murfreesboro. Prices are $15 for adults, $13 for seniors, students and military, and $11.00 for children. Performances will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. on Sundays.

BOROPULSE.COM

* FEBRUARY 2017 * 27

Reviews MOVIE

her performance is sheer perfection for this film. Equally as resonating are the performances of Elle Fanning and Greta Gerwig.

I’ve loved Gerwig ever since she blew me away in Frances Ha, but man, has Elle Fanning come a long way since her standout role in Super 8. All three of these women are spectacular, and their male figure, Billy Crudup, is excellent too.

But what really hits home with this film is the story. The story is shockingly intimate, yet it feels grand in its storytelling scale.

The story is primarily about Jamie (played

by Lucas Jade Zumann) and his struggles as a teenager, but it really isn’t. That’s what I love about 20th Century Women. The IMDB description doesn’t even mention Jamie, presumably because this film is really about these three strong women and how they evolve as individuals as they try and raise Jamie together. There is so much depth to each of these three women, and to Jamie, it really was beautiful to watch them develop in their own, unique ways on screen.

Director/writer Mike Mills may not earn himself any Oscar nominations, but there’s no

doubt in my mind he has crafted a masterpiece of a character story here. I think the one complaint many will have lies in the movie’s ending. This film does end pretty suddenly after exactly 120 minutes, but I thought it went well with the theme that we are always growing as individuals and one event does not define who we are. I also must praise the beautiful and whimsical score. The score of 20th Century Women is right there with Moonlight and La La Land for my favorite scores recently, and is absolutely perfect for setting the mood for this film.

That said, it’s not perfect. I had two problems with this film. The first was in the editing.

There were some distracting rainbow washes and other erratic cuts that kind of broke the intimate mold of the film. I’m sure there’s an explanation for the artistic choice, but I found it distracting. I also found some of the voice-overs unnecessary. It is so hard to produce worthwhile voice-overs, and when you have people like Martin Scorsese or Shane Black who are both so good at it, it’s hard to go against their formulas and still find success with it.

However, 20th Century Women is still an awesome film and it proved to be a necessary respite for me and the troubles I carry around. Seriously, if you’re feeling down in the dumps, go see this film.

— JOSEPH KATHMANN

Moonlight is writer/director Barry Jenkins’ second feature-length film and one of nine nominated for Best Picture at this year’s Academy Awards. Following in the coming-of-age footsteps of previous nominees like Boyhood (2014), Moonlight tells the story of Chiron, a quiet boy living in poverty in Miami.

Chiron’s story is told through three formative periods in his life: age 9, age 16 and his late 20s. His story is told chronologically and he is portrayed by three equally

talented actors. Chiron age 9 (a.k.a. Little) sets the tone as a mostly silent protagonist. After being chased by bullies into an abandoned motel, he is found by Juan, a small-time kingpin who takes Little in for the night, feeding him and talking to the mute boy with a kindness rarely seen by Chiron, whether at school or at home. Alex Hibbert as Little conveys Chiron’s closedmouthed, guarded nature with ease. He is a lamb among lions, a soft boy in a hard world. The only light in his life comes from Juan and his girl Teresa (Monáe). Mahershala Ali was dapper and devious as Remy Denton in House of Cards. He was captivating and conniving as Cottonmouth in Luke Cage. He is measured and magnificent as Juan in Moonlight.

By age 16, Chiron (Ashton Sanders) has sprouted up three feet without gaining a pound. Still bullied, still achingly introverted, Chiron’s high school experience will be painfully familiar to anyone who ever felt like an outcast, again both at school and at home. At this age, the only point of good in his life comes from his childhood friend

Kevin. Kevin (also played by three different actors who seem to share the same soul) is another tumultuous through-line in Chiron’s life, at times his only friend, giving him the loving nickname “Black” and at other times pulled against him by unbreakable social contracts. To say any more would color the experience, and Moonlight is a film best experienced unencumbered by expectation.

That said (thanks for reading this, even if you’ve not yet seen it), the subtle power of Moonlight comes from both bold choices and daring restraint. The six actors who portray Chiron and Kevin throughout their lives all but negate Richard Linklater’s 12-year experiment Boyhood. They each embody their characters so seamlessly, down to the smallest expressions, that the illusion never breaks. It’s a remarkable feat. And it’s brought to life through fluid and colorful cinematography and striking soundscapes, providing a glimpse into a seldom portrayed world without ever being exploitative. Like its quiet protagonist, Moonlight may seem simple and small, but it contains multitudes.

— JAY SPIGHT

20TH CENTURY WOMEN DIRECTED BY Mike Mills STARRING Annette Bening,

Elle Fanning, Greta Gerwig, Billy Crudup, Lucas Jade Zumann RATED R If there ever was a pick-me-up film, it would be this. ​There was a quote early on in 20th Century Women from mother Dorothea (played beautifully by Annette Bening) that, even though it pertained to love, is still poignant in any situation: “I think having your heart broken is a great way to learn about the world.” If that doesn’t send chills up your spine, I don’t know what will.

And that was my experience with this film: while it’s not perfect, it was an uplifting and unforgettable first-watch experience.

If you are down because of a certain someone, do yourself a favor and go see this film.

One of the great character-actresses of Hollywood, Annette Bening makes her presence known while never going over the top—it’s a performance that won’t net her an Oscar because it isn’t obvious enough, but

MOONLIGHT DIRECTED BY Barry

Jenkins Mahershala Ali, Janelle Monáe, Naomie Harris STARRING

RATED R

A CLASSIC 28 * FEBRUARY 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

OUTSTANDING

AVERAGE

BELOW AVERAGE

AVOID AT ALL COSTS

DEAD

LIVING ROOM CINEMA column by NORBERT THIEMANN

facebook.com/livingroomcinema

Cautionary Tales

It’s very important to learn from the ills of history and not to dismiss cautionary tales. Aside from the superb selections below, I highly recommend two more movies, which I’ve already covered in the past. Please check out A Face in the Crowd and Network. They both resonate today now more than ever.

House of Cards (2013– present) is an ongoing Netflix series directed by James Foley and others.

A driven congressman and his wife have huge political aspirations and won’t stop their relentless pursuits. Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright deliver powerful and frightening portrayals of a corrupt couple headed toward the presidency.

The Manchurian Candidate (1962) is directed by John Frankenheimer. Frank Sinatra stars as a soldier who is used as a pawn in an international political conspiracy during the presidential campaign. The film remains sharp, and was very much ahead of its time.

1984 (1984) is directed by Michael Radford. The film is conceived from George Orwell’s incredible book by the same title.

1984 is about a society living under totalitarian rule. John Hurt plays a struggling government employee who is mandated to continually revise history. The book coined the famous terms “Big Brother” and “doublespeak.”

BOROPULSE.COM

* FEBRUARY 2017 * 29

 GAME REVIEW

BY TANNER DEDMON

RESIDENT EVIL 7: BIOHAZARD FOR THE PAST few installments of the Resident Evil franchise, the series took a turn towards a much faster-paced playstyle.

Shambling zombies were plentiful, guns were always loaded and witty banter combined with a range of emotions and conflicts thrust the characters into reality. But in the latest inclusion to the RE catalog, firepower—and zombies, for that matter—are nowhere near as common. What replaces them is the oldschool element of exploration and a rolled-up sense of dread, uneasiness and downright horror that exploring the decrepit environment only magnifies.

Upon first impression, the ramshackle Louisiana estate the player navigates can seem a bit concerning. It becomes quickly evident that much of the game would be spent inside the house, and when stacked up against the sprawling environments offered in RE 4 and RE 5, I wondered whether the single locale would be ample room to accommodate the entire game. But through a clever use of backtracking to uncover new routes and additional secrets, the already massive swampy grounds begin to feel even bigger than they seem. A maze-like interior creates an area that’s just confusing enough to instill

30 * FEBRUARY 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

a sense of excitement when you find a new key or similar method of opening certain paths; you don’t remember exactly where you saw the lock that fit that key, but you know you saw it somewhere on the second floor, thus beginning the exploration process anew.

And not remembering exactly where you saw something is to be expected in this game.

After all, most of the game’s exploration will be hurried along by the knowledge that some creature is either lurching towards you or waiting just around the corner . . . or in a closet, or in the rafters or really anywhere that can provide a decent surprise.

The game doesn’t hold back on these scares and shocks either. A newly-introduced firstperson view, much different from the overthe-shoulder perspective offered by previous RE, puts the discomfort right up and personal.

Having enemies hack away at you and impale parts of your body because you failed to move quickly enough somehow gains an even heightened sense of urgency when the carnage is front-and-center.

Enemies and NPCs often get directly in your face, giving an eyeful of their grotesque features that mask an underlying sense of insanity and savagery brought to the table by the “human” enemies. And even though there is much less variety in the enemies, the main antagonists in place—the sadistic Baker family—have enough depth and personality to them to make them terrifying in their own regard. The stray away from hordes of

zombies to a few monumental enemies introduces a new kind of adversary, one that’s just as unpredictable as flailing zombies but still as cunning as you’d expect a fully human opponent to be. The Baker family’s erratic movements that shift from confident gaits to frantic sprints combined with the narrowed first-person view ensure that you never know exactly how far they are behind you.

A lesser enemy, the molded, beg resemblance to historic RE enemies. Tall, darkcolored and armed with razor-sharp teeth and appendages, these recurring foes come in different forms with slightly varying abilities and tactics. Even worse, they have the ability to emerge at will from moldy areas, be it a wall, a ceiling or the ground. Running and hiding is a perfectly valid response to these creatures, but it’ll only get you so far.

They will occasionally despawn if left out of sight for an extended period of time, but that just means they’ll appear somewhere else later. One of the most unsettling realizations I came across during encounters with the molded came forth during one of the many times I met my demise at their distorted hands. After returning to the location of my downfall, this time armed with my measly supply of ammo and prepared for a scuffle, I found the room empty. It was at that moment I learned of the unpredictability the creatures

displayed; they moved freely about between rooms, and could appear in different places.

One aspect the game does falter in when it pertains to enemies is the boss fights. In almost every encounter with the Baker family patriarch, Jack, the boss fights were just downright confusing. RE games have a long history of requiring crafty and innovative ways to defeat bosses, but the methods are typically hinted at to guide players, or at least there’s a sign that the method is working. Fighting Jack with mainly guns and ammo and a few environmental threats, especially when faced with taunts from Jack about how “guns don’t work well ’round here,” made it extremely frustrating to tell if I was even accomplishing anything against him. I’m not asking for an overlaid health bar to show my progress, but some sign that my tactic is working would’ve saved quite a bit of time and vexation.

Overall, the latest RE installment is an extremely refreshing return to what the series was first known for. Horror, survival, exploration and fleeing for your life are all things that should be occurring in a game such as this, and many modern games that try to emulate the series’ past success often leave out one, if not more, of these core elements.

RE 7 reminds gamers why it’s considered one of the founding fathers of the survival horror video game genre.

BOROPULSE.COM

* FEBRUARY 2017 * 31

News

NAVIGATING THE SYSTEM SERIES BY BRYCE HARMON

PART VII

UPSTAIRS 940 BEING PROCESSED TO MOVE to the upper

floors of 940 to a jail cell in a “pod,” or to an annex connected to the jail where women are currently housed, involves a couple of steps added to being processed back out into the town (which was discussed in Part 6).

The nurse’s room, which resembles a basic doctor’s examination room with the parchment-covered blue exam bed, vital statistics cart and counter, is where a Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) collects an incoming inmate’s vital statistics and a urine sample for analysis. The incomer is then asked questions pertaining to any current medical afflictions and mental status, such as “are you prescribed medication for anything?” and “do you feel a desire to hurt yourself or others?”

I replied, “No,” and told her, “I drink.”

She asked, “How much?”

I just shook my head as I looked down.

She prescribed Lorazepam twice a day for the first three days of my incarceration to treat any alcohol-related withdrawal symptoms.

Lorazepam is “in the Benzodiazepine class, so it’s used for nerves, anxiety,” said Pam Todd, a pharmacist at one of the local Kroger pharmacies. “It’s not a narcotic. Narcotics are for pain mostly and the benzodiazepines are for nerves.”

“It’s in the same class as Xanax, Valiums,” Todd continued. “It’s just [for] nerves. Like anxiety attacks. It helps you calm down.”

When asked if it is ever prescribed for drug- or alcohol-related withdrawal symptoms, Todd replied “Possibly, because it would help with the nerves [and] all the shakiness and nervousness from withdrawal.”

Back at the jail, next to the nurse’s room, is the inmate prep-room, where those being processed in are made by a jailer of the same gender to fully undress, squat down to the floor naked and cough a few times in front of them to prove there is nothing hidden in the anus (which the coughing would expel).

The incomer is then offered a shower.

Once civilian clothes are traded in for the infamous orange sweats made out of thin cotton canvas material and a pair of cheaply made orange plastic slippers, incomers are supplied with a white mesh laundry bag filled with a roll of toilet paper, the filler part of a pen, a couple of sheets of notebook paper, two envelopes, a bar of soap, non-alcoholic shampoo, a comb, a towel and a washcloth, a short plastic toothbrush with a traveler tube of toothpaste, and a plastic cup with a white packet of fruit-flavored sugar powder inside of it. This is when an 32 * FEBRUARY 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

incomer officially becomes an inmate and also when it becomes noticeable just how cold that jail is kept. A beat-up gray mattress, a scratchy, dark grey blanket and a white sheet are also supplied to an inmate on the way back across the booking division to another holding cell that separates Booking from a labyrinth of hallways leading to a rickety cage elevator that lifts 10 or so inmates at a time to their assigned floor.

Inmates are seemingly assigned to cells based on availability. I say this because we were all placed in there together no matter what our charges or convictions were. The cell is about six feet by ten feet and made for two occupants, as there are two metal trays bolted to the walls on which to place mattresses, one “cell desk,” or two boards bolted to one wall, one slightly offset below the other, a metal toilet with a drinking fountain at the top that acts as a sink, a sheet of scratched-up reflective metal bolted

when I arrived. All of the lights in the pod and cells were faded to a dim glow. But, BK#116 is a second-story cell for sure, and I will never forget what that metal cell door sounded like shutting and locking behind me.

What seemed like 6 a.m. is when the lights grew bright in the cells. A trustee called my name from out in the pod to come down and see a nurse, who fed me Lorazepam. I’d be given one before breakfast and another before dinner. A couple of 20- to 30-minute recreation periods were given shortly after breakfast and dinner, during which inmates would come out of their cells and socialize, play cards and chess at the tables, work out on the stairs, walk laps around the pod, make phone calls, or just hang out. The rest of the time is spent locked in a cell. I slept through the first day’s recreation periods because of the pills and general malaise, but began coming out of the cell for the recreation periods after that.

When I left the cell for recreation periods, I’d be high from the Lorazepam, walk a couple of laps around the pod, and eventually gravitate to the insanely fast-paced chess matches played at the tables. Other inmates would be rau-

“A couple of 20- to 30-minute recreation periods were given shortly after breakast and dinner, during which inmates would come out of their cells and socialize, play cards and chess at the tables, work out on the stairs, walk laps around the pod, make phone calls or just hang out.” on the wall above that, and the guard-controlled cell light and intercom system just above the metal mirror. There is an emergency button on the light rigging to notify a jailer in case of an emergency. A window about as long as a shoebox and half its height is just below the ceiling above the lower of the bed trays—those are the small windows on the exterior of the building that can be seen from New Salem Highway. If a cell had three occupants instead of two, the third inmate could place his mattress on the floor, next to the toilet sink.

A group of cells are in gymnasium-sized white-and-gray cement rooms called “pods.”

Each pod has its own kitchen, a line of five or six phones on the wall from which inmates pay the jail to make phone calls with money put into an inmate’s account by friends or family, about 12 four-person fiber-plastic dining tables in the middle of the room and about 24 blue metal cell doors lining the walls in two stories with a metal-grated flight of stairs up to a narrow metal-grated walkway that acts as the second floor for the upper 12 cells.

Upon entry to 940, it’s easy to lose track of time. By the labyrinth and cage elevator, it’s easy to become disoriented and no longer correctly guess cardinal directions. It was dark

cous, slapping cards down in games of hearts or spades, but I found an appreciation for witnessing the guys who dedicated their time to their chess skills. One match in particular was between a short, stout guy and a quiet, scrawny guy with glasses. As a crowd grew around their match, others would tell me these two were the best players there, as they’d been there the longest, but hardly ever played one another. So, loopy from the benzodiazepines, I nerded-out as a chess fan at this spectacle of a match as the glasses-guy quickly advanced all of his force’s might to bombard and overwhelm the defensive trustee’s patient and stealthy assassination attempts on the glasses-guy’s king, if and when the glasses-guy made a mistake during his onslaught. On top of the commentary from onlooking inmates that likened to football fans around a television, there were bombs, cannon fire and the sounds of war going on in my head during the 15-minute match. It was an intense game. Excitedly, I complimented the glassesguy after his victory, saying, “Dude, you killed it.

You just mowed down everyone on that board.”

He slowly glanced up at me standing beside the table among the small crowd with his eyebrows still low from the match’s concentration, I assumed. I can’t say it’s evil, but he looked at

me through those little glasses with a look of a man who knows exactly what he is capable of, and just stared at me for a second. That glance as a response to my stupid compliment has lingered with me. I would later find out that this guy was in 940 waiting to be transferred to a state prison for shooting a man to death at his house while the man was fleeing across glasses-guy’s yard after an attempted burglary.

The economy system among inmates is interesting to watch, too. It’s basically a group juggling act of goods and services with the currency being items supplied to the inmates when being processed in—jail food and higher quality “commissary” goods such as snack foods, coffee and better hygiene products obtained through a company that sells and distributes goods to inmates for those who have friends and family putting money in their jail accounts (of which the jail takes a cut). These items bounce around the pod to balance individual inmates’ excessive or below-average use of living essentials and materials for writing letters, or to simply trade up. Rolls of toilet paper weren’t given out by the jailers but every four or so days, and they were of high value. Some used more than others and could trade for an unfinished roll in a time of need. A collection of the fruity sugar-mix packets handed out with each meal, plus something unwanted from an inmate’s dinner, could be traded for a bag of Doritos or a cup of coffee.

A box of cupcakes can raise an inmate’s social status tremendously in 940, as such a delicacy is valued as a small freedom within itself.

An emotional currency existed, too, in the talents of the inmates. I saw a couple of cupcakes exchanged for an ink sketch of a flower drawn by one of the better artists in the pod.

The cupcake-rich inmate’s girlfriend had a birthday that week.

It was surprising that the e-cigs were not a hot commodity. Advertisements were on the pod walls selling them for $13 per e-cig, while commissary items rarely got over a few dollars. But when an inmate had one, he’d pass it around nonchalantly to others wanting a few drags as if he was already tired of it.

No matter what the deal was, though, this little economy occupied the inmates’ time, strengthened positive interactions and helped boost morale.

Empathy, mutual discomfort and pod economy instilled a sense of “we’re all in this together,” for the most part. Inmates seemingly just want to serve their sentence and get back to their outside lives as fast as possible. The consequence of additional charges or a stint of two weeks to a month in solitary confinement is not worth any outburst to most in such a sobering and alienating atmosphere.

TO BE CONTINUED . . .

BOROPULSE.COM

* FEBRUARY 2017 * 33

AROUND TOWN ’BORO BUSINESS BUZZ

“We did not downgrade our members, we are providing everyone with so much more!”

Olympus Athletic Club posted in response to Facebook comments made on its page. “Unfortunately, anytime a business relocates, which is often, everyone will not be happy, but we are hopeful that the improvements and additions we are now offering will excite the public.”

Meanwhile, as Olympus management and its members work through those issues, there is a very large space available for lease on South Church Street.

The food court at Stones River Mall has closed in preparation for demolition of that part of the mall and the construction of a new OVATION CINEMA GRILL, Carmike’s pre-

mium full-service cinematic dining concept.

BOOKS-A-MILLION

cated near MTSU next to The Boulevard that sells vaping products and women’s clothing.

“Graham joined the company before we opened for business. He was instrumental in not only the build-out, but also in acquisition of inventory and development of our house juices,” said Dr. Robert Cranfield, who previously owned the store with his wife, Tina.

“We are proud of our three years in serving the Murfreesboro community,” Dr. Cranfield continued on a post made to Facebook in early January. “We have helped over 1,000 people transition from cigarettes to e-cigarettes. We have advanced our e-liquids to be safer than they have ever been. . . . Graham will continue with the same attitude and philosophy as we have had since our inception.

I am sure there will be a few changes. New ownership means new ideas. But the core of the business will be preserved. Please stop by to congratulate Graham on his new venture.”

34 * FEBRUARY 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

Beth and Adam Reynolds have sold their company, ON THE MOVE MOVING AND STORAGE, to previous general manager DON WATSON.

will soon relocate to the space formerly occupied by Hancock Fabrics, near Sam’s Sports Grill, to make more room for the cinema.

The new movie theater will have nine screens and will feature seatside food and beverage service.

GRAHAM VICKERS will take over ownership of SMOKE & MIRRORS, a shop lo-

com—with a goal to open a storefront location in Murfreesboro.

The founders say they strive to give customers a unique and simple shopping experience along with competitive pricing and high-quality women’s clothing and jewelry.

Southern Husk offers free standard shipping on all orders within the U.S.

PEI WEI, a chain of casual Oriental res-

taurants owned by P.F. Chang’s, permanently closed its Murfreesboro location, which was on Medical Center Parkway near Thompson Lane.

JUMPONIT, an advertising

OLYMPUS ATHLETIC CLUB abruptly closed its Church Street location in December, and while the fitness center has recently renovated its Broad Street location, the decision upset many of the members who attended the now-closed facility.

One member called Olympus’ handling of the situation “terrible.”

“They gave a two-day notice that they were closing the gym when they knew they were going to close it for months,” Austin Hurt said.

Layne Dempsey said he enjoyed going to the Church Street location and had paid a full year in advance.

“Although the MAC and Gold’s had more to offer I chose Olympus on Church due to the convenience of the location from my home,” he said. “Well . . . joke’s on me. [The Broad Street location] might just be an additional five miles but it’s also an additional 20-plus minutes down the road.”

Many other members said they didn’t want to take the time to drive to the second Murfreesboro location and wanted out of their contracts since their preferred location closed.

“It takes almost 25 minutes!” said Tracey McGriff Benner. “The Broad Street facility is a very different atmosphere than the Church Street location. Very disappointed. (It’s) not fair to the people that signed up out of convenience of the Church Street location. If you live on Church Street you should be given a refund!”

Olympus management maintains that while the travel time may indeed be increased for many members, the decision was made to move from an overcrowded location to a more central location with four times the space, four times the equipment and the addition of several group fitness classes.

service that sends deals from local restaurants and other businesses to consumers via text messaging, has rebranded and will now be known as TAPONIT. TapOnIt runs messaging programs in four markets in Iowa, in Peoria, Ill., and in Murfreesboro, with more on the way. To subscribe to the service, text TapOnBoro to the number 82928, or visit taponitdeals.com.

Murfreesboro residents Calli Cline and Blake Brock have launched SOUTHERN HUSK, an online boutique—found at southernhusk.

“With more than 30 years of experience in the industry, Don has always been the backbone of the business and he will continue to offer the same level of expertise, integrity and customer service we have striven to provide,” Beth Reynolds said.

For more information about On The Move’s storage solutions and business and residential relocation services, visit onthemovetn.com.

MTSU alum DAN HODGES has recently moved his music publishing company to Nashville’s legendary Music Row. In an era when many music publishing companies are moving away from Music Row, whether due to rent increases or developers tearing down the historic houses to build high-rises in their place, some say the notion of moving to Music

TIFFANY LANE, a women’s boutique that opened near Rita’s custard shop and Firehouse Subs in 2013, has relocated just across Thompson Lane. The shop is now open at 804 N. Thompson Lane, adjacent to I Love Juice Bar.

Creating a Budget THE MONEY PULSE

BY BERNARD JAMES

W Row is unusual.

“We felt like we needed to be in the heart of it all. There’s a reason it’s called Music Row,” Hodges said, “So we moved it all—the business, the family, everything—here to make a statement . . . to keep the ‘music’ in Music Row.” Hodges said he aims to keep a comfortable atmosphere and a communal vibe for songwriters at the Dan Hodges Music facility, located at 1025 Villa Place.

Hodges has been in the music business for more than two decades, the last eight years of which have been spent working for himself, running DAN HODGES MUSIC along with his wife, Susan. Throughout his career, he has placed songs on albums recorded by numerous successful country music artists, including Martina McBride, Luke Bryan, Reba McEntire, George Jones, Ricky Van Shelton and many others.

Local restaurant and venue THE BLOCK is now permanently closed.

“It is with a heavy heart that we must now announce our imminent closure,” a restaurant representative announced in a Jan. 25 Facebook post. “Despite our fundraising efforts, our lease has been terminated.”

Since opening in October 2015, the venue— owned and operated by Manny Santana—has been a spot to see local and touring bands perform, in a addition to showcasing local artwork and preparing locally sourced dishes.

Facing the possibility of closure, the restaurant launched a GoFundMe campaign on Jan. 4 with the hopes of raising $5,000 to keep its doors open. Despite an influx of donations and business after the campaign was announced, fundraising efforts stalled at just over $3,000.

“There was a slight boost in business for the days after we had originally made the rallying cry, but that fell away to nothing again,” the post continued.

Many attributed the closing to poor location or advertising. Regardless of the reasons, many were disheartened to know that a local spot for culture was being shuttered. As for an eventual return of the $3,000 raised, that’s unlikely, as the money went towards already curated bills.

“The funds raised were basically spent as they came in to pay back bills so we could continue to be open for the time we have been,” the representative posted to Facebook.

All tier rewards for donating, such as drum lessons, a private party and homemade soap, will be honored. All currently scheduled shows have been moved to Autograph Rehearsal Studio, 1400 W. College St. — JCC

hat if I told you that almost 70 percent of American households have no idea where we spend a big portion of our money each month?

Our money! We work so hard for that money every day, yet we don’t even know where most of it was spent at the end of the month. We simply say that we need more.

Well, let’s start by looking in the most obvious place: our own pockets.

A Gallup poll from 2013 reported that only approximately 30 percent of American households prepare a budget. This explains why in August of 2015 a GOBankingRates survey showed almost 70 percent of households have less than $1,000 in savings.

This is not because they don’t make a good living; over 70% of those people have a household income of over $100,000 per year. How can this happen?! When you don’t even know how to budget money, saving it becomes an even tougher task.

Where Do I Start?

The first thing you must do is research. This is the hardest part of starting your budget.

It takes time and discipline, but you must find out where all of your money goes each month in order to learn how to keep some in your pocket.

Track Your Spending Get a day planner or notebook and write down every dime you spend over one month (three months is a better gauge, but you can start with one). Most will be surprised to see how much we spend on Uber, meals out, shopping; even the daily cups of coffee can add up. This is the best way to truly discover how we spend our money. Start with the easy stuff—the necessities, mortgage or rent, car payment, etc. These items are recurring and less likely to change. Then make sure you log all of the luxuries, the wants, meals out, shopping, etc. This is the area in which some adjustments can put you on a path to saving some money. The main thing: be honest with yourself! Don’t stop writing Starbucks down just because it’s on there the previous 17 days.

This is valuable information you need to know about your spending habits.

Look at the Numbers Add up your monthly after-tax income. It is important that you are starting with the amount of money you actually bring home, not your gross annual income. Also, do not include bonuses or yearly pay raises because

those are not guaranteed amounts.

Add up your monthly necessary bills: mortgage or rent, car note, student loans, credit card payments, utilities, groceries.

Subtract the monthly necessary bills from the take-home pay amount.

(Example household after-tax income minus needs: $5,000 – $3,000 = $2,000 left over) Now add up the luxury items from your research. This will include cable, dining out, subscription services, shopping, hair, nails, cellphone, and any other monthly non-necessity you came across during your research. Subtract that number from the amount left after subtracting your needs.

(Example money left after necessities are paid minus luxury items: $2,000 – $1,000 = $1,000 remaining) In this example, $1,000 is the money that should be used each month for saving and investing.

This is the commonly used 20/60/20 rule.

Sixty percent of your take-home income should take care of all of your needs. Your luxury items should take up no more than 20 percent of your after-tax income. This will leave you with 20 percent to invest in your family’s future. If you are unsure which category to put an item in, prioritize it. For instance, charitable donations are considered a necessity for some, but a luxury for others. It is completely up to you.

If your monthly necessary bills are more than 60 percent of your income, you may be living above your actual means. For any income level, be it $36,000 or $360,000, this rule can prevent you from being one missed check away from some sleepless nights.

If your monthly necessary bills are more than 60 percent, take a serious look at your lifestyle and decide where you can begin to downsize, whether it means a smaller house, less expensive car, paying down debt, even doing better monitoring of your utilities or cellphone bill. Be disciplined with your luxury spending. Once you have done the research you will know exactly how much 20 percent is; then you can make it a priority not to spend more than that amount each month. No cutback is too small, as they all add up to savings.

If you do these numbers and have 10 percent of your income remaining, that’s a good start, but you can get to 20 percent. If you come up with a zero or a negative number then it is time to do some deep evaluation of your lifestyle and start cutting back today!

Bernard James, a Community Reinvestment Loan Officer with Guaranty Trust Company in Murfreesboro, aims to help area families and individuals achieve the financial goals that they have set.

Contact him at (615) 631-2877 or bernard.james@guarantytrust.com.

NMLS #1009886 BOROPULSE.COM

* FEBRUARY 2017 * 35

Opinion Sheriff Saga Continues, Rutherford County Commission Names Fitzhugh Interim Sheriff U.S. District Judge Kevin Sharp to step down from bench this year.

U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE KEVIN SHARP must be worn out from dealing with Rutherford County. After handling former Sheriff Robert Arnold’s hijinks on the heels of the lawsuit against PCC dealing with probation services, Sharp is hanging up his robe.

The chief justice of the Middle District of Tennessee is set to leave the bench—and a lifetime appointment—in April to go back into private practice, according to reports.

Sharp will be missed by those who like a quick wit and dose of judicial honesty, along with some colorful prose.

For instance, during a bond revocation hearing last year for Arnold, the judge and former sheriff ’s defense attorney discussed a point about Arnold’s testimony, with the attorney noting the matter went to “credibility.”

Sharp responded, saying something like, “I’ve got a pretty good idea about his credibility.”

Which left court attendees wondering, “Why the heck do we have to come back SHARP after lunch break?”

The judge’s subsequent written order left no doubt about what he thought of Arnold’s performance on the stand as the detained sheriff tried to talk his way out of a Kentucky county jail where he was sent in late September for violating his bond. He’s likely to stay there until May, when he’ll be sentenced on a conviction for wire fraud, honest services fraud and extortion in connection with a scheme to benefit from an e-cigarette company run by his uncle and former Chief Administrative Deputy Joe Russell at the county jail.

Background aside, Sharp used some interesting language to cast doubt on Arnold in ordering he continue to be held in jail.

“The breadth of Defendant’s prevarication while on the stand is difficult to capture in written words. Time and again he was confronted with inculpating evidence but, true to form, he offered excuses or explanations that were incredible and oftentimes inconsistent with his other

36 * FEBRUARY 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

The

STOCKARD REPORT

BY SAM STOCKARD sstockard44@gmail.com

testimony,” Sharp wrote. “Even his plea to the Court to release him and his assertion through tears, real or manufactured, that he would comply with whatever conditions were imposed was not believable.”

Sharp found Magistrate Alistair Newbern followed the law when she initially ordered Arnold’s bond revoked because of a domestic assault incident between him and his wife after he’d been drinking heavily and took a sleeping pill on Labor Day. Newbern also found Arnold tampered with witnesses by telling his wife not to talk to TBI agents and by calling deputies to their home to “mess with Megan” the night of the incident. Arnold claimed he didn’t remember wrestling with Megan because he was wasted.

As a result, Sharp wrote, “The supposed lack of recollection aside, Defendant was simply not a credible or believable witness.

He testified that he ARNOLD ‘embellishes’ things sometimes, an understatement if ever there were one given that he admitted in open court to fudging the truth during statistical presentations to the County Commission. Not only that, the evidence shows that Defendant is manipulative and deceptive.”

Arnold “wove” an “incredible story” for his wife about the Grayson County, Ky., jail colonel telling him gang members put a hit out on his life and could earn a teardrop tattoo in jail by putting a shank in his neck.

“This was not only farcical, it was ma-

nipulative in the sense that he was trying to invoke sympathy or get a reaction,” the judge wrote.

Arnold’s deception continued to work against him after he was convicted in mid-January as he asked for permission to be released to live with his mother in Brentwood, instead of his family, until the May sentencing. Sharp rejected that request as well.

Truth be told, though, Sharp didn’t have to sit through one or two weeks of trial; he only had to listen to a bunch of silliness during one court hearing. So he’s probably not physically tired, just irritated with the idea of a county sheriff using a company he helped start to make some extra jack on the backs of inmates and taxpayers.

In the first hearing on this whole shebang last year, Russell’s attorney, Jodie Bell, told Sharp she needed more time and help to prepare for this “complex” case. Sharp responded by saying, “Is it really that complex?”

As it turned out, it wasn’t.

WHO NEEDS ENEMIES?

There were once a couple of good ol’ boys, cousins in fact, who got in trouble with the law for selling drugs. As they were getting ready to go to court, prosecutors told one of them he could get a better deal if he ratted on his cousin.

It didn’t take long for him to spill his guts.

After cooperating and copping the plea, the tattler RUSSELL was greatly relieved when the guy who took the fall told him, “Don’t worry, if they’d come to me first, I’da done the same thing.”

That’s apparently what happened with Joe Russell and Robert Arnold.

Arnold is expected to get anywhere from five to six years after entering his guilty plea, based on the sentencing guidelines. They’re both being required to make restitution of $52,500, the amount of money they are said to have taken in JailCigs commissions rather than giving the money to Rutherford County.

“The supposed lack of recollection aside, Defendant was simply not a credible or believable witness.

He testified that he ‘embelishes’ things sometimes, an understatement if ever there were one given that he admitted in open court to fudging the truth during statistical presentations to the County Commission.”

Russell, who pleaded guilty to the same offenses, is expected to get much less time.

His petition to plead guilty states, “My attorneys estimate my advisory sentence guideline range is 46–57 months, prior to any potential reduction for substantial assistance pursuant to U.S.S.G. section 5K1.1.”

Judge Sharp told Russell he couldn’t guarantee him anything on his plea.

Yet his plea agreement, which was sealed under a court order, was different than Arnold’s.

Prosecutors said when Arnold, Russell and John Vanderveer came up with the plan for JailCigs in mid-2013, they discussed giving Rutherford County a cut of the money, $5 per e-cig.

But Arnold got mad at Rutherford County commissioners about budget matters and decided to cut the county’s commission to $2 and then decided to keep all the money himself “out of spite.” He also needed the money for his 2016 re-election, according to prosecutors.

After their JailCigs scheme came to light, Arnold and Russell also discussed throwing away a thumb drive with JailCigs information on it and other documents, but the thumb drive didn’t make it to the trash can, according to the prosecution.

It’s hard to believe anyone would have known that stuff except Russell and Arnold.

But if you’re looking at prison time, friendship doesn’t really mean much.

After all, there is no honor among thieves.

NEW KID IN TOWN

FITZHUGH

After a great deal of heartache, Rutherford County Commissioners selected former Capt. Mike Fitzhugh as interim sheriff to reshape the damaged sheriff ’s office and recertify the jail.

He appears to making some headway, bringing in Bernard Salandy from the workhouse to put the detention center in shape and getting rid of Arnold cronies, some of whom were shipped out by Deputy Chief Keith Lowery.

Fitzhugh got the nod in an 11–10 vote over TBI Agent Dale Armour, a former sheriff ’s candidate. They both made strong presentations to the commission two nights before the final decision.

A lot of people were shocked by the outcome, figuring it would be either Armour, Lowery or former Deputy Chief Virgil Gammon, who served for decades under former Sheriff Truman Jones and under Arnold.

But the fact that Gammon was the main whistleblower on the JailCigs scheme appar-

ently didn’t register with many of the commissioners. Several seemed more upset that he sued the county—and received a $350,000 settlement—after being fired by Arnold.

While Gammon contended he needed to file the lawsuit to let people know what happened in the JailCigs situation, he told commissioners at least twice, “It was never about the money.”

Maybe it wasn’t, but county commissioners don’t like getting sued, and they don’t like doling out cash. They also were inundated with behind-the-scenes calls from people trashing Gammon.

This is not to say Gammon wouldn’t make a good sheriff.

But commissioners apparently didn’t want to hire anyone connected to Arnold, even someone who turned him over to the feds.

Fitzhugh, meanwhile, was extremely professional in his presentation, and he had left the sheriff ’s office instead of putting up with Arnold’s B.S. and spending the next four or five years trying to defend him.

In addition, he said he was concerned with returning the sheriff ’s office to good standing and keeping it off the front pages and the 6 o’clock news, except for good work, of course.

While that philosophy is bad news for reporters, it’s the right strategy to take.

The thing that’s always been so confusing about the sheriff ’s office is that it’s such a political hot potato, a kingdom of sorts with the head honcho always putting out or starting fires. Ultimately, people want the chief law enforcement officer of Rutherford County to be a strong leader who executes the duties of the sheriff.

That doesn’t include making money on a side business. And it doesn’t include throwing out your best people because they disagree with your immature policies, costing Rutherford County hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal settlements.

What a long, strange trip it’s been.

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

* FEBRUARY 2017 * 37

Opinion

Live Exceptionally...Well!

BY JENNIFER DURAND

Words to Love By W

hat is it that can keep a marriage together for 74 years? Not just being married, but being adored, honored and respected by each other? According to Murfreesboro’s most precious couple, Ted (92) and Bea (90) Cromer, “living this long doesn’t hurt!” All humor aside, Psalm 91 became the life chapter by which to live and love each other. Whether together or separated by circumstances, they made a vow to each read that chapter in the Bible every single day!

“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”

Their union and life together deserves to be made into a book or movie.

Ted and Bea met at a church auxiliary gathering in Muskogee, Okla., when they were only 15 and 13, respectively. They were sweet on each other from the start. Both were raised in families that had a strong Christian foundation. They dated for three years, enjoying bicycle rides, long walks, talks, family gatherings, games and meals together. They knew they were right for each other because they both felt it deep down. The elements that encouraged their union were the support of their families and church friends, and being led by their trust and deep faith in God. Ted was to join the Navy in early 1943, so they wanted to be married before he left for boot camp. Due to their ages, the law wouldn’t allow them to marry in their hometown. That didn’t stop them. A family member learned of a way they could marry in Joplin, Mo. So off they went to the home of the clergy that would marry them on Christmas Eve of 1942. Bea remembers the house was beautiful with the Christmas tree lit and the smell of sumptuous home cooking in the air. It was a small, intimate setting complete with just the immediate members of their families. Yes, they were both virgins when they married.

Ted left for the Navy within a month. Bea kept busy with family chores and being home-schooled, since she, as a married woman, wasn’t allowed back in public school. Later she was allowed to attend the school but in a private room where she could selfstudy. Neither of them graduated from high school, but both received their GEDs, then went on to receive masters degrees. Ted has four degrees from SW Baptist Seminary, including a doctorate of ministry. Their daughters joked they should write a book titled “How to Put Your Parents Through School,” since they were in school the entire time the girls were growing up.

Once their daughters, Janis and Tedi, were grown, they

38 * FEBRUARY 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

left them in the States to answer the call to serve in Monrovia, Liberia, West Africa. They lived there for 15 years, though they anticipated living there until they retired. They made an incredible impact in that area by starting 79 churches and teaching the locals to read and write. They helped write the Bible in the native Bassa language. They even had quite the surprise when the Africans prayed in their native style for Bea to conceive. They gave birth to a boy in 1970 and named him Dehru—“God’s promise.” This part of their journey ended when Bea and Dehru had to escape Monrovia, leaving Ted under house arrest.

They had to wait months to find out if he was dead or alive. Relief came when they received a call telling them he was in New York City and on his way home.

Throughout their entire lives their love and trust of God never wavered. Ted had several opportunities to make more money, but when they prayed for direction God steered their life ship in more profound ways. They never doubted they were doing exactly what they needed to be doing.

So what are some of their “secrets” to living exceptionally well? Trust in God. Spend real time with family. Sit down and do family things together like play games, talk about life, listen to each other, don’t compete.

Love and trust each other and be accepting of one another. They have lived what they call a “natural life” that included no drinking or smoking, lots of walking and time outdoors. They have always eaten well—and included big dips of ice cream. They kept their family life stable. When asked what advice they would give to those wanting to get married today they didn’t hesitate.

Couples should be sure it’s real love. Do not marry too young. Don’t rush into it. Get to know each other. Really know each other. Make a life commitment but keep it spicy. Learn to say “yes, dear.” Learn to agree, and really listen to each other. This affectionate couple still looks forward to being close to each other. They start and end each day with a hug and a kiss. He makes her bed each day and she sits up every night until he falls asleep before retiring. They say that if they had it to do all over again, they wouldn’t change a thing.

They now reside with their daughter Janis and sonin-law Chet, who enjoys coffee with them every day.

To get more insight to this smart, sweet couple you can tune in to TED SED at facebook.com/ted.cromer and catch some glimpses of living life exceptionally well. Pray (God first). Love. Live. Repeat.

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

Trump Takes on Government Hiring Addresses TPP, corporate tax rate, net neutrality in first week.

I

s your head spinning? I know mine is. President Donald Trump hit the ground running his first day in office and didn’t look back.

Freezing government hiring with the exception of the military, canceling the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, temporarily suspending all contract and grant awards through the EPA, ripping all vestigVIEWS OF A es of “global warming” or “climate CONSERVATIVE COLUMN BY change” from the White House PHIL VALENTINE website and replacing it with a philvalentine.com common sense energy policy, putting Ajit Pai in charge of the FCC—which all but ensures net neutrality is dead—gutting the most damaging Obamacare mandates. He’s been moving at mind-numbing speed. Heck, at this rate, he may cram four years into a month.

But there’s so much yet to be done. Within his first 100 days Trump will cancel all federal funding to sanctuary cities, establish a mandatory minimum prison sentence of two years for anyone violating a deportation order, put in place “extreme vetting” for anyone coming from a terrorist-sponsoring country, label China a currency manipulator and end their trade abuses, green-light the Keystone Pipeline, lift restrictions on America’s energy reserves, cancel all payments to the U.N. climate change programs and divert that money to America’s water and environmental infrastructure.

Then there’s tax reform. The shift will be monumental. The most important change will be reducing the business tax rate to 15 percent. It’s now at 35 percent, the highest in the industrialized world. That alone will mean billions of dollars infused into our economy and millions of jobs created.

I continue to hear people say they hope he works with the Democrats. Have they lost their minds? All of the above changes are a direct result of horrific Democrat policies. If you’re trying to fix Washington, the last thing you do is compromise with the people who broke it.

If this sounds like an intractable position, it is. Too many politicians take pride in how often they reach across the aisle. Republicans are famous for doing that and drawing back a nub. Thank goodness Donald Trump is not a politician. He was elected to fix things, and fixing things he is.

If there’s one thing you can give the Democrats, it’s the fact that they don’t waste an opportunity. When President Obama took office, he joined with then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi in implementing the Democrat agenda. And why not? The American people showed the poor judgement of putting the Democrats in charge of both houses of Congress and the presidency. They took full advantage of their good fortune. That’s how we got Obamacare and a slew of bad laws and policies that Trump is now having to clean up.

They even tried to pass cap-and-trade. Even the Democrats in the Senate couldn’t go quite that far. It wasn’t for lack of trying. At the time, I referred to the Pelosi-led House as the Kamikaze Congress. They knew the American people would wake up, and they were going to do as much damage as they could in the short time they had.

Now the American people have sent Trump to Washington to clean it up. They didn’t send him to be timid or compromising or bipartisan. They sent him to Washington to do exactly what he’s doing: ripping as much of Obama’s legacy out by the roots as he can.

We tried this failed experiment of the government doing everything for everybody. It was a colossal failure. Dependence sounds all warm and fuzzy until you find yourself under the smothering blanket of big government. Trump is here to set us free.

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

BOROPULSE.COM

* FEBRUARY 2017 * 39

Sports Blue Raiders Remain Undefeated in conference play through first nine C-USA games.

T

he historic achievement of the Blue Raiders from last March has been well documented. It has earned them respect not only with local fans, but with national members of the press. However, it may not have earned them due respect with the coaches of their own conference. Despite those accomplishments from last March’s historic upset, Conference USA coaches voted UAB as the favorite to win the conference, though the Blue Raider roster, even in the off-season, appeared to gain more than it had lost.

Although Coach Kermit Davis would probably be reluctant to say so, January has been a month of reckoning for the Blue Raiders, and they got the opportunity to prove the naysayers wrong immediately, as MT opened their conference schedule against the Blazers.

The Blue Raiders held UAB to their lowest point total since 2014, and Reggie Upshaw made a statement with a career high 34 points.

Upshaw also added nine rebounds and four steals to his stat line in the MTSU victory.

The Blue Raiders next took a two-game road trip to play Rice and North Texas, and though it is said “you don’t mess with Texas,” JaCorey Williams did just that.

In what was a closer-than-expected game, Williams had 19 points, four rebounds, five assists and a block in a 80–77 squeaker against Rice. Williams then followed that up with 16 points, 10 rebounds, two blocks and two steals in a 79–68 win against North Texas.

Williams’ strong play followed him home against Marshall, as he recorded 16 points and 11 rebounds. This game also marked the breakout performance of freshman point guard Tyrik Dixon, whose 10 points, seven rebounds and five assists helped the Blue Raiders to a 69–57 win.

A road trip to Florida added another two wins to MT’s conference wins column. Williams was a standout versus FIU with 21 points and eight rebounds in a 65–52 win.

Against FAU, no scorer stood out much from the others. Though Potts led the way with 17 points, four Blue Raiders scored in double figures, while eight of them contributed at least five points. Potts, Williams and Dixon each also recorded three steals on their way to a dominating 86–57 victory.

The Blue Raiders returned to Murphy Center 40 * FEBRUARY 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

BLUE RAIDER SPORTS

JaCorey Williams (#22), Reggie Upshaw (#30), Giddy Potts (#20), and (right) Ty Petty

BY GREG CRITTENDEN

to play a struggling Southern Miss team who actually were able to keep things close early on.

The Golden Eagles were determined to prevent Williams and Upshaw from dominating, which had Middle out of rhythm early. Through the first 13 minutes of the game, MT shot only 35 percent from the field. However, once the Blue Raiders realized the defense was sagging off their other shooters, it was bombs away.

“I guess they didn’t know I can shoot,” said Potts, who hit three of MT’s 11 three-pointers.

But it was Dixon who led the way for the Blue Raiders in scoring. Not only did he hit three shots from beyond the arc as well, he also exploited the sagging defense via midrange jumpers.

MT closed out their January schedule against Louisiana Tech. Though the Bulldogs

gained a sizable lead on the strength of a 16–0 run early in the first half, the Blue Raiders narrowed the deficit to four by halftime. The second half went much more in MT’s favor as they outscored LA Tech 43-29.

The Blue Raiders clinched their ninth conference win in as many games with a score of 71–61. Williams again posted a doubledouble with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Potts and Upshaw nearly joined him, as Potts had 17 points and seven rebounds, and Upshaw had 14 and nine.

This marks the best start to a conference schedule for the Blue Raiders since the 2011–12 season.

When asked if he felt his team could run the table in the conference schedule, Coach Davis replied, “If I had to take a guess, I’d say no. It just doesn’t happen in college basketball.”

Upshaw seemed a little more confident, “I think we can. Some of the tougher teams in the conference have to come here to play, so that will definitely help us. All we have to do is

keep the momentum going, prepare the right way and have a focused mindset, and I think we could go undefeated in the conference.”

 PETTY JOINS 1,000-POINT CLUB, JOHNSON SCORES OVER 20 IN FOUR STRAIGHT GAMES True to coach Rick Insell’s design, the nonconference schedule was not especially kind to the Lady Raiders. Middle finished the 2016 calendar year with a sub-.500 record, but January is when those tough games prove their worth.

The team tipped-off the 2017 conference schedule in Birmingham against UAB. Although they trailed nearly the entire game, the Lady Raiders took their first lead in the fourth quarter. Thanks to 10 fourth-quarter points from Ty Petty and seven from Alex

Johnson, MT clinched their first conference win of the season.

Petty finished the game with 29 points, but it was the 14 she scored in the first half that cemented her legacy in the annals of Lady Raider basketball. Petty joined the 1,000-point club in dynamic fashion when she sank a buzzer-beating three-point shot going into the half.

Remarking on her milestone, Petty stated, “I am humbled to be part of such an exclusive group. I’m sure it will mean more to me later but right now I am most excited about how our team played to win this game today.”

Coach Insell addressed Petty’s accomplishment as well.

“She’s a winner. It’s that simple. Ty came up big today and led our team. She’s a great leader.

She has had many remarkable moments in her career and today was another. Not too many people make the 1,000-point club. Ty is one of those few and she’s also one of the top point guards to ever play at Middle Tennessee.”

The Lady Raiders returned to Murphy

Center for a two-game stand against two Texan foes, Rice and North Texas. Each game required Middle to fight back from a second half deficit, and each also included 20-point efforts from Alex Johnson.

The Lady Raiders topped Rice 71–61 and bested North Texas 60–52.

MT was able to stretch their win streak to five games when they traveled to Marshall.

Petty and Johnson once again posted 20-point performances each. Junior Abbey Sissom also came up big, racking up a career high nine assists while committing only one turnover.

However, it was freshman Charity Savage whose sole basket may have been the most crucial. Savage secured an offensive rebound and hit the put-back shot as time expired in the 3rd quarter. That basket put the Lady Raiders back on top where they stayed.

Riding a five-game winning streak, the Lady Raiders took to E.A. Diddle Arena to face hated rival WKU. Unfortunately this one would not turn out to be the hotly contested game one might expect from a rivalry. Middle trailed by as much as 33 before the Lady Toppers ended the game with a 66–51 victory.

However, when the Lady Raiders returned to Murphy Center against Florida International, they showed how well they can respond to crushing defeat.

MT jumped out to a quick 18–7 lead in the first quarter, and the lead continued to grow from there. Despite Petty playing reduced minutes due to a minor injury, the Lady Raiders polished off the Panthers 95–43.

Alex Johnson again surpassed the 20-point mark, but it was Rebecca Reuter who really

stole the show. Reuter tied her career high of 18 points, and eclipsed her career high rebounding mark with 12. Reuter set both marks last season against FIU. Reuter also matched her career high in steals with three.

Speaking of career highs, the Lady Raiders’ following game versus Florida Atlantic featured a monstrous one.

Alex Johnson poured in 37 points, topping her previous high of 30. The game was only close through the first quarter, as MT separated themselves from the Owls in the second quarter to give them a 55–34 advantage. Petty chipped in another 21 points, while Sissom again served as the efficient playmaker with six assists to one turnover. Those supporting contributions helped Johnson led Middle to an 87–69 victory over the Owls.

The Lady Raiders returned to the road against Southern Miss; however, turnovers and a poor shooting night from beyond the arc became their undoing.

Middle shot just .222 percent from the three, and committed 24 turnovers. The bulk of those turnovers (11) uncharacteristically came from Petty.

Johnson was one of the only bright spots of the game as she scored 25 points on

9-of-10 shooting. Despite her efforts, MT suffered just their second conference loss 81–61.

However, the Lady Raiders responded well, once again, in a road game versus LA Tech. The Lady Techsters kept the game close through three quarters, but a surging fourth quarter helped Middle secure a comfortable 79–65 victory.

While the Lady Raiders in general responded well after the rough showing at Southern Miss, perhaps the best response was from Petty. She led all scorers with 26 points and added five assists with just one turnover. Johnson chipped in 23 points to bring her 20-point game streak to four.

After posting a 7–2 record in the first month of conference play, the Lady Raiders are in good shape in the conference standings. They are currently locked in a three-way tie for first place with Charlotte and WKU. The Lady Raiders return to Murphy Center on Feb. 2 as they host Texas-San Antonio. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

For tickets and more information on Blue Raider athletics, visit goblueraiders.com.

BOROPULSE.COM

* FEBRUARY 2017 * 41

SPORTS

TALK

COLUMN BY “Z-TRAIN”

titanman1984@yahoo.com

Takanori Gomi proves that athletes come from all over the world to compete in mixed martial arts in the U.S.

STREEP BASHES MMA AND NFL, BUT SPORT WILL LIVE ON! LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, boys and girls, children of all ages, the Train Daddy proudly brings to you sports news, life lessons and politically incorrect talk. It’s a recipe for success, or maybe just a recipe for one strange article; regardless, it’s my style. I am humbled that people read the words I compose for every issue. If I can make a few folks smile, laugh and think, well, that’s a bonus, because I enjoy creating these masterpieces.

I have learned one thing over the years—no matter what you say, someone will always cry foul. I could say “up” and the critics would say “down,” or I could say “yes” and the critics would say “no.” There will always be critics, but critics make loyal readers, so thank you, too!

In years past I even had a critic claim they would castrate me

42 * FEBRUARY 2017 * BOROPULSE.COM

because of my vocal disdain for baseball. Time keeps going, baseball still sucks, and folks, I still have my balls!

Let’s start with an “uppity 80-year-old” taking on the MMA. It’s upsetting that Hollywood isn’t more diverse in terms of thoughts and opinions. Hollywood preaches the importance of diversity, and then slams anyone who disagrees with Hollywood.

Recently Meryl Streep used the Golden Globes stage to bash President Trump and attack sports, implying the game and its fans are a waste of time. The old hag stated Hollywood is crawling with foreigners and if Trump kicks them out we would only have MMA and football left for entertainment. She then went on to state that the MMA is not the arts.

MMA celebrates male and female athletes from around the globe.

These people work for years practicing the meticulous skills (yes, arts) that are Mixed Martial Arts, and they come from around the world to showcase their skills in America.

Honestly, the MMA world is even more diverse than Hollywood.

President of the UFC Dana White stated he didn’t expect “uppity 80-year-old” Meryl Streep would be in the demographic and have love for the MMA.

MARCH MADNESS

On to a new subject—something we all love, something we aren’t divided on, and something that brings us all closer together. Is that possible? Yes, it’s March Madness, folks!

I always get the blues after the Super Bowl, but it will be OK, the madness of March is soon to be upon us. I am no NBA fan. Big names and big contracts control the teams.

College basketball, on the other hand, is special. Anyone, anytime, can make a name for themselves or their program. The world wasn’t aware of Steph Curry until he led his 2008 Davidson team to the Elite 8.

A star was born. I love the Cinderella stories that blossom from the tournament. In 2006 George Mason, an 11 seed, made it to the Final 4, knocking off Michigan State, NC and Connecticut. In 2011 VCU had to win a play-in game to even qualify for the field of 64 teams, ultimately losing to Butler in the Final 4. In 2013 Florida Gulf Coast—“Dunk City”—and the Wichita State Stingers both danced with Cinderella in their own rights.

Let’s not forget what the hometown MTSU boys did last season.

Basketball historians from Harvard to Yale to the pits of hell all agree MTSU knocking off Michigan State was the biggest upset in NCAA tournament history. 13 million brackets were turned in last season, and 23 percent of them had Michigan State the lone survivor of 64 teams. More money was bet on Michigan State than any other team in Vegas last year, and

MTSU broke all their hearts.

Show your support for MTSU as they dominate Conference USA. Many folks believe this season’s team to be the most talented team the school has ever put on the court.

Coach Davis has the team winning.

This team deserves more bodies in the stands, playing quality basketball. Show your support—MTSU has taken the reins as the state’s best college basketball program.

I was inspired after reading an article about superfan Fred Lovelace.

The 88-year-old Murfreesboro resident and MTSU fan has witnessed over 1,000 games and sits courtside at every Murphy Center game. I tip my hat to fans like Lovelace, who deserve to be courtside when MTSU succeeds.

Come March we will pull out that Sharpie and prepare to do battle with friends and family, all in hopes of having the perfect bracket. Millions fill out brackets and throw down a little money—it’s patriotic!

WORD GAMES

Back to the controversy! Let’s move onto ESPN, who suspended/fired tennis announcer Doug Adler for comments he made about Venus Williams during an Australian Open match. Race baiters around the globe took to the internet to bash Adler for comments most certainly taken out of context. ESPN took sides, appeasing the morons and suspending Adler.

During the match, as Adler was praising Venus and her aggressive style, he stated, “You see Venus move in and put the guerrilla effect on.”

Due to racial sensitivities and Venus being an African American some people assumed he meant “gorilla,” not guerrilla. ESPN suspended him from all remaining gigs, stating he should be more careful with word selection. Adler apologized for the misunderstanding, later clarifying he meant “guerrilla,” a Spanish word used to describe badass warriors.

Adler, a former tennis pro and longtime tennis announcer, had used

the term in past matches—proof there was no malice or intent to do anything more than expand vocabularies. It appears broadcasting has become a dangerous word game.

Don’t misspeak or the haters and race baiters will have your job.

The louder than loud ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith is under fire again.

Usually I am the one dumbfounded

by Stephen’s statements, but this time I applaud him for being sensible.

Smith recently used MLK Day to defend African-American leaders and celebrities who meet with Donald Trump and receive backlash.

Smith used his show First Take to fire back at people calling these people Uncle Toms and sellouts for nothing more than a meeting.

Just a week prior, Steve Harvey was ridiculed after meeting with Trump to discuss partnering with HUD nominee Ben Carson in an attempt to help restore America’s inner cities.

Smith inquired, “Has anyone thought about what impact it could have if Trump spoke to LeBron?

How about Steph Curry? Mike Tomlin, Tony Dungy, Chris Paul, Adam Jones?” he continued. “What then? Will they be sellouts too, just for meeting with the man?”

Smith never said you have to like or support Trump; he only made a common-sense statement.

Thank you! Such stupidity and such divide for no other reason than people being stubborn. Open communication without condemnation would be so much more beneficial for race relations in America. This single comment has more weight behind it than anything Colin Kaepernick attempted to do this season.

As I say every issue, be thankful you live in America. If you’re unhappy, live your life following the 5 F’s: Faith, Family, Football, Food and Friends. Can we all just get along?

For me personally, I hold close to my family, my friends and my intelligent yellow lab, Molly. I am thankful for what I have, and I dream towards what I want. If people would stop whining and start helping those in need with actions rather than words, this country would be a better place.

Choo-choo!

BOROPULSE.COM

* FEBRUARY 2017 * 43