July 2023 Murfreesboro Pulse

inside

dewdrop jamboree / crash test dummies / papadosio / bear sightings / networking / and more!

July 2023

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Vol. 18, Is sue 7

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free

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

Cruisin’ the ’Boro, Woodbury Water Gun Run, Splash Out and More

food

Chill Out Murfreesboro has an assortment of ice cream spots to satisfy your sweet tooth

All-American Cafe Serves Up Burgers, Omelets and Phillies

explore

Smoky Mountain Hikers Can Cool Themselves in Grotto Falls  WE SELL AIRPLANES!  FLIGHT TRAINING  PRIVATE PILOT  AIRLINE CAREERS  DISCOVERY FLIGHTS

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Contents

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ON THE COVER: Hattie Jane’s cone courtesy of Amie Whidby Below: Black bear by Jackson Carr/Wild Image Photography

18

21

Features

in every issue

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6 Events

Local folk-punk rocker and Tik Tok creator appears at Liquid Smoke July 21.

18

Cruisin’ the ’Boro, Friday Night Live, Woodbury Water Gun Run, Splash Out, Movies Under the Stars and more

Battle of Murfreesboro

10

20

music notes

Grotto falls

Smoky Mountain hikers can cool themselves in Grotto Falls.

Murfreesboro has an assortment of ice cream shops to satisfy your sweet tooth.

networking

Local professional networking events offer many opportunities to make meaningful business connections.

album

Old Fort Golf Club pro Emily Miller competes in PGA Championship

17 Reviews

Joey Chestnut; gambling

20 Living

nature news Black bears spotted

24 Food Restaurant

Papadosio grooves into Hop Springs July 29

All American Cafe

28 News

concert calendar

business news

16 Art

Wildwood Reserve raises funds for AEDs

theater

business buzz

MLT in NYC: Kyle Thomas’ play, Portrait of a Young Man, selected

news

Sports talk

Asteroid City

’90s alternative rockers Crash Test Dummies at Hop Springs July 21

22

32 Sports

Movie

Dewdrop Jamboree returns to Seasons of Murfreesboro July 15

Emerald Heart, Shoe Man, Panda Express

A Letter to Younger Self at Patterson Park

Wüden Boi

Sounds

July 2023 marks 161st anniversary.

27

exhibit

calendar

King Lazy Eye

Chill out

for Rogue Theatre Fest

The Studio Collective, Slim Chickens, Family Pet Health, Kona Ice,

36 Opinion Mr. Murfreesboro Making It: Zavior Phillips

education

The voice of truth

constitution study

Enforcing the Requirement to Organize Act

free your children

Globalists creating worker bees

money matters Is ESG investing ready for prime time?

Contributors: Tiffany Boyd, Britney Brown, Delores Elliott, Paul Engel, Bryce Harmon, Elisabeth Gay, Laura Lindsay, Zach Maxfield, Sean Moran, Ashleigh Newnes, Andrea Stockard, Case Terry, Bill Wilson Publisher/Editor in Chief: Bracken Mayo

Art Director: Sarah Mayo

Copy Editor: Steve Morley

Advertising: Nneka Sparks

Sign up for the Pulse Weekly Digital Newsletter at BoroPulse.com/Newsletter online:

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714 W. Main St., Suite 208, Murfreesboro, TN 37129 615-796-6248 To carry the Pulse at your business or to submit

letters, stories and photography: bracken@boropulse.com

The Murfreesboro Pulse

Copyright © 2023, The Murfreesboro Pulse, 714 W. Main St., #208, Murfreesboro, TN 37129.

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

A happy birthday to Sarah this month. Love you!

Thanks to Sarah for packaging all of these ideas and words and stories and logos and graphics seen in the Pulse each month into a presentable, organized and attractive form.

Quite obviously, I couldn’t do this without her. I couldn’t have our family and two fantastic sons without her either. Much love to Sarah.

It takes so many people in so many roles to make one of these issues of the Pulse happen.

Thanks, as always to the advertisers, writers, all of the concert venues hosting music, all of the event organizers putting on activities for the community and giving the Pulse something to report on, all of the businesses hosting Pulse racks around town where you find the publication, to the press crew, to everyone who reads the Pulse, and to each and every one of our encouragers, observers, critics and cynics out there.

We welcome Sandwich Factory, Double Oak and Vine, Tristar Property Care and Soul Growth Spiritual Development to the pages of the Pulse.

Bracken Jr. has worked on his chess game a great deal these past few months. Challenge him! There’s a fantastic group that gathers at the Murfreesboro Barnes & Noble every Friday evening to play chess. Come and join us there sometime, or at Carmen’s Taqueria the fourth Monday of each month at lunch for a little community chess action.

Did you know: you can recycle your drink cans at Clark Iron and Metal. Turn that trash into cash! About four large black trash bags worth of crushed cans will get you over $11, FYI! What does July have in store? Turn the pages and find out. We have car shows, a water gun run, another Dewdrop Jamboree, ice cream, hot chicken, bears in the area, the Taste of Rutherford, Crash Test Dummies, Movies Under the Stars, farmer’s markets, King Lazy Eye and much more.

As Mr. Paul Engel continues to remind and implore us in his series of Constitution Study columns, all Americans should do what we can to get involved in protecting and preserving freedom, liberty and selfgovernance.

I hope the Independence Day season is a good reflection on liberty and the American way for everyone.

Continue to explore the Constitution and the idea of living in freedom.

Also, Chelsea is right: networking can first feel a little intimidating to the new business professional. But put yourself out there and see what connections may result.

The Murfreesboro area offers so many possibilities to meet other quality local business owners. Find some clients, mentors, inspiration, referral partners, vendors, service providers and supporters. Drop by a few of the gatherings referenced in the Pulse’s networking section that look appealing and convenient to you. As friend of the Pulse James Price says, you can network all day every day in this town . . . but at some point you have to get to work. Learn more about that on page 27.

Alright, get your rest, but get outside when you can (the editor tells himself)! There are still lots of places we want to swim and summer activities we want to do before the season is over.

Peace, Bracken Mayo Publisher/Editor in Chief

events calendar ★ July 2023 ★ by Andrea STOCKARD July 2 and Aug. 6

Barfield Crescent Park

Hip Hop Cypher Contest

The Murfreesboro Cultural Arts Department invites everyone to have a part in decorating the greenways on Saturday, July 8, from 1–3 p.m. Join this summer activity to add your own chalk masterpiece to the trail surface. Meet at Barfield Crescent Park Trailhead (687 Veterans Pkwy.) at 1 p.m. There is no cost to participate. For more information, call 615-893-7439 ext.

6111 or email smayo@murfreesborotn.gov.

The Hip Hop Cypher show is held the first Sunday of July, August and September at Cedar Glade Brews (906 Ridgely Rd.).

Performers and all hip-hop crews in Murfreesboro are wanted on Sundays July 2 and Aug. 6 from 7–11 p.m. for Cypher Sundays, hosted by Yonna Movement. Emcees and producers can participate. All performers get in free; there is a $10 admission fee for others. For more information, find Cedar Glade Brews on Facebook.

July 10 Grass for Grazers Workshop

Through July 28 PPCC Summer Enrichment The Summer Enrichment Program at Patterson Park Community Center (521 Mercury Blvd.) will be a positive learning environment for youth this summer.

Attendees can take part in a variety of sports, wellness, and cultural and visual arts activities. Programs run July 3–28 from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. The cost to participate is $3 per visit or a facility pass. For more information, call 615-893-7439 or email cellis@murfreesborotn.gov.

July 5, 12 and 19 Games in the Village Bring family and friends for games and activities under the gazebo at Cannonsburgh Village (312 S. Front St.) on Wednesdays July 5, 12 and 19 from 10 a.m.–noon (weather permitting). There is no cost to attend and no reservations required. For more information, call 615-801-2606 or email mbnevills@murfreesborotn.gov.

July 6 Splash Out Join in wet, refreshing fun for the whole family with the City of Murfreesboro Fire and Parks and Recreation Departments on Thursday, July 6, from 1:30–3 p.m. at Barfield Crescent Park (697 Veterans Pkwy.). Murfreesboro Fire Dept. will bring fire trucks and spray water out of their hoses. There is no cost to attend. For more information, call 615-893-7439 or email shicks@murfreesboro.gov.

July 7 Friday Night Live The 2023 Friday Night Live Concert 6 * July 2023 * boropulse.com

July 8 and 22 Cruisin’ the ’Boro Show off your car, listen to music and meet new friends at Cruisin’ the ’Boro on Saturdays, July 8 and 22, from 4–8 p.m. at River Rock Baptist Church (2248 Highway 99). The Murfreesboro Hot Rod Club hosts the day featuring music, door prizes and games for the kids. Parking is a $1 donation to charity. Concessions are provided by the RRBC Youth Groups. Everyone is welcome. For more information, find the Cruisin’ the ’Boro on Saturday Nights event on Facebook, or call 615-405-5271 or 615-556-0547.

Series continues on Friday, July 7. Main Street Murfreesboro throws a musical party on the Murfreesboro Public Square from 6:30–9:30 p.m. featuring Entice.

There’s always room in front of the stage to cut a rug, or bring a chair and enjoy the music sitting down. There is no cost to attend. For more information, visit mainstreetmurfreesboro.org/friday-night-live.

July 7 On the Square With Alex Square Wheels presents a benefit for Liberty’s Station featuring hometown chef Alex Belew on Friday, July 7, from 6–8 p.m. During Main Street Murfreesboro’s Friday Night Live concert featuring the band Entice, patrons can indulge in Alex’s creation “Enticing Nachos” out on the square. This gourmet grab-and-go can be enjoyed center stage or at Square Wheels’ cool space. While inside, learn more about Liberty’s Station and purchase merchandise supporting a

company making a difference. Following his stint on Hell’s Kitchen, winning chef Belew will use this opportunity to make a positive impact in Murfreesboro the best way he knows how—through cooking. Tickets are on sale in advance and walk-up orders are also welcome. For more information, visit sqwheels.com or libertysstationtn.org.

July 7–22 School of Rock Andrew Lloyd Webber’s School of Rock: The Musical is set to open Friday, July 7, at the Arts Center of Cannon County (1424 John Bragg Hwy., Woodbury). Showtimes are 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays July 7–8, 14–15 and 21–22; and at 2 p.m. on Sundays July 9 and 16. Tickets for adults are $15, and $13 for seniors and students.

For tickets, visit artscenterofcc.com.

July 8 Wayfinding Art at

Calling all who are new to farming, new to Tennessee or those interested in better understanding grass on their farm to Lane Agri-Park Community Center (315 John R. Rice Blvd., Community Center Classroom) on Monday, July 10, from 5:30 p.m. until dark. Snacks are provided by Amy Olt with Farm Credit. RSVP by calling 615-898-7710.

July 11 Tennessee Trails Monthly Meeting The Tennessee Trails Association’s monthly meeting of the Murfreesboro chapter will be held Tuesday, July 11, from 7–8 p.m. at the Wilderness Station at Barfield Crescent Park (401 Volunteer Road). The speaker is Nichole Hidalgo Jordan of TennGreen Land Conservancy. For more information, visit tennesseetrails.org or call or text 615971-8894.

July 11 Rutherford Cable breakfast meeting The Rutherford Cable – Women Moving Forward July breakfast meeting will be held Tuesday, July 11, from 7:15–9 a.m., at Fountains at Gateway (1500 Medical Center Pkwy.). The guest speaker is Mridu Parikh, a productivity coach, trainer and founder of Life is Organized. The topic is “Key Habits of Highly Successful Women: Taking Charge of Your Day.” Parikh—“The Stress Squasher”—has taught thousands of women simple ways to wake up with a plan, take control of their distractions and drop the feeling of being overwhelmed. continued on page 7

Members and guests are welcome. For more information on the group, visit cablemembershipdirectory.wildapricot.org or email yourrutherfordcable@gmail.com.

July 15 Hot Chicken Festival

July 11 Business After Hours The Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce holds its July Business After Hours at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 11, at TwelveStone Health Partners (352 W. Northfield Blvd., Murfreesboro). This is an informal social networking event designed to connect business professionals from across Rutherford County. Bring plenty of business cards. Admission is $15 for chamber members and $25 for future members.

No registration is required. For more information on Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cuttings and other events, visit rutherfordchamber.org.

July 11–18 Blue Raider Blitz Middle Tennessee Athletics hits the road in July for the annual Blue Raider Blitz and would love for all Blue Raider fans around the mid-state to come out for lunch or happy hour at various locations from July 11–July 18. This year’s summer caravan stops in six mid-state communities, where Blue Raider fans will have a chance to hear from head football coach Rick Stockstill and other MTSU coaches about the upcoming season. During happy hour events, guests can enjoy light refreshments while mingling with fellow Blue Raiders.

Supporters will be able to purchase 2023 football season tickets, with both ticket office and BRAA representatives on hand to answer questions. Prizes and giveaways include ticket packages and Blue Raider gear. The schedule of stops includes: Tuesday, July 11 – Jackalope Brewing Company, Nashville, 5:30–7 p.m.

Wednesday, July 12 – Smyrna Event Center, Smyrna, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

Thursday, July 13 – Huckleberry Brewing Company, Franklin, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

Common John Brewery, Manchester, 5:30–7 p.m.

Friday, July 14 – Cedar Glade Brews, Murfreesboro, 5:30–7 p.m.

Tuesday, July 18 – River Bend Country Club, Shelbyville, 5:30–7 p.m.

July 12, 19 and 26 Art Pop-Up at Old Fort Park Add a little creativity to your day at the park and stop by the pop-up tent to do a free take-home craft with Cultural Arts Murfreesboro. On Wednesday, July 12, try your hand at water marbling and enjoy a special musical performance at Old Fort Park (275 Golf Ln., next to the playground) from 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Farmer Jason is the performer July 12. Kara Kemp will perform on July 19 and Roger Day on July 26. There is no cost to attend. For more information, call 615-893-7439 ext. 6111 or email smayo@murfreesborotn.gov. schedule an appointment, call 1-800-REDCROSS or log onto redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code PattersonPark. For more information, call 615-893-7439 or email amyer@murfreesborotn.gov.

July 12 Living Sent Meeting Join the July 2023 Living Sent Murfreesboro meeting on Wednesday, July 12, from 11:45 a.m.–1 p.m. at the Experience (521 Old Salem Rd.). Bob Williams will share his God Story—“Everything I need to know about business I learned from a hip replacement.” Alex Woodward, AVP at Wilson Bank, will share an inspirational message. A complimentary lunch will be provided by Glenna Waldrep. RSVP to bob.williams@alhambrapartners.com.

July 13 Food Dehydrating Class Learn how to dehydrate foods such as zucchinis, tomatoes and apples on Thursday, July 13, from 9 a.m.–noon at Lane AgriPark (315 John R Rice Blvd.). The cost to join is $25; space is limited. To register, call 615-898-7710.

July 12

July 13

Summer Blood Drive

Christine Isley-Farmer Book Signing

Make this the summer of life on Wednesday, July 12, from 3–7 p.m. at Patterson Park Community Center (521 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Blvd., meeting room C) and give blood to help save lives. To

Linebaugh Public Library (105 W. Vine St.) hosts local author Christine Isley-Farmer for a book signing on Thursday, July 13, from 10 a.m.–1 p.m. The author will sign and sell

 Send community event information to contact@boropulse.com

copies of her newest books in the Boomer’s Tales series. In Bongo Learns His Lessons, Shannon’s relatives take a trip and leave their parrot, Bongo, in her care. She soon learns that Bongo squawks mean words.

Meanwhile, the group learns that another basketball player is bullying Robbie on the court. Isley-Farmer’s Boomer’s Tales are for children ages 7–12, and they feature a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel as the narrator. The series emphasizes the close bonds between humans and animals, kindness, teamwork, friendship, family and music.

Copies of the book will be on sale for $8 each. For more information, visit rclstn.org or call 615-893-4131.

July 14 Kona Ice Day at the SOAC Middle Tennessee Electric (MTE) and its subsidiary, United Communications, are sponsoring several family-friendly events at the Smyrna Outdoor Adventure Center (SOAC, 100 Sam Ridley Parkway E., Smyrna) throughout the summer. On Friday, July 14, SOAC visitors can enjoy free Kona Ice from 2–4 p.m. and free fibersplicing demonstrations from 2–6 p.m.

The featured exhibit will be an additional charge of $3 per person. All ages are welcome. The SOAC programmers specialize in developing and presenting a variety of environmental education, recreational and outreach programs for all ages. For more information, call 615-459-9710 or visit smyrnaoutdooradventurecenter.org.

The Murfreesboro Hot Chicken Festival will be held Saturday, July 15, from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. at McKnight Park (120 Dejarnette Ln.). All hot chicken lovers are welcome.

The day consists of shopping, musical performances, games and some of the best hot chicken in the ’Boro. Hot chicken artisans will compete for the favor of the local residents. Awards include people’s choice, best in the ’Boro, hottest of the hot, and most creative. A $25 people’s choice ticket includes a sample tender from each hot chicken vendor, milk and one ballot.

For more information, find Murfreesboro Hot Chicken Festival on Facebook or email fridaynightmarketintheboro@gmail.com.

July 15 Woodbury Water Gun Run Participate in the 7th annual Woodbury Water Gun Run, a 5K run/walk in support of anyone with a disability, on Saturday, July 15 from 7–11 a.m. (1424 John Bragg Hwy., Woodbury). Registration ends July 15 at 8 a.m. Bring your favorite summer toys and a water gun to enjoy this family- and pet-friendly event. A trophy will be awarded to the overall winner and medals presented to all finishers. All proceeds support an activity fund for outings, dental and medical needs. The race fee is $30.

For more information, visit northamerica. runsignup.com and search Woodbury Water Gun Run under Find a Race.

July 17 New Moon Qigong Renew your energy with this ancient Chinese art of harvesting qi (energy) at the New Moon Qigong class at Healing Cypress Massage & Wellness (515 Highland Terrace, Ste B) on Monday, July 17, at 6 p.m. Qigong uses exercises to optimize energy within the body, mind and spirit, with the goal of improving health and well-being. It involves the regulation of the mind, breath and body’s movement and posture. The $10 ticket includes light refreshments. For more information, visit healingcypress.com.

July 17–21 New Heights Chapel Vacation Bible School Explore exotic sights and smells in a Babylonian bazaar at the New Heights Chapel Vacation Bible School (2650 St. Andrews Dr.) July 17–21 from 9–11:30 a.m. Learn about Babylon and join Daniel, torn from his home and forced into the king’s service. continued on page 8 boropulse.com * July 2023 * 7

Slick Pig BBQ, The Alley on Main, The Tasting Room and many others with Chuy’s as the VIP restaurant. For more information, visit mainstreetmurfreesboro. org and find events.

Continued from page 7 Kids and adults will find that they’re not much different from Daniel and his friends, who kept their faith in a faithless culture.

Ages K–5 are welcome; there is no cost to attend. For more information, call 407416-0093 or visit newheightschapel.com and Find VBS 2023.

July 23 Suite Treats With the Sinfonietta

Join in the summer reading program grand finale party on Wednesday, July 19, with music and games by Dandy DJ from 10 a.m.–12 p.m. at Linebaugh Library (105 W Vine St.). Enjoy snacks, raffle prizes and crafts. Summer reading participants can pick up their prizes. For more information, call 615-893-4131 or visit rclstn.org.

Join the Middle Tennessee Sinfonietta for its final 2022–23 season concert entitled “Suite Treats” on Sunday, July 23, at 3 p.m. at MTSU School of Music’s Hinton Hall, MTSU (1439 Faulkinberry Dr.) for a concert featuring Bizet’s Carmen Suites No. 1 and 2, alongside a suite of The Merry Widow. After the concert, join the orchestra for treats provided by local bakery Pennie’s Delights and a special announcement. Admission is free and open to the public. For more information, visit mtsinfonietta.com.

July 20

July 24

July 19 summer reading grand finale at linebaugh

Splash Out Join in some wet fun for the whole family with the City of Murfreesboro Fire and Parks and Recreation Departments on Thursday, July 20, from 1:30–3 p.m. at Old Fort Park (275 Golf Ln.). The fire department will bring fire trucks and spray water out of their hoses. The event is free.

For more information, call 615-893-7439 or email shicks@murfreesboro.gov.

July 20 The Connection at Champy’s Champy’s World Famous Fried Chicken will host the July 2023 installment of The Connection: An Evening of Professional Networking and Business Brainstorming from 5–7 p.m. on Thursday, July 20. All Middle Tennessee entrepreneurs and professionals are welcome to attend this casual, free, no-obligation networking event, where they can meet other small business owners and tap into one another’s experience and energy. Appetizers will be provided by Blaine Little and Momentum Seminars. Champy’s is located at 1290 NW Broad St.

Everybody Drum Some Everybody Drum Some founder Ross Lester continues the 3rd Friday Community Rhythm Event series for those who would like to join their neighbors in some drumming. The next community rhythm session kicks off at 6 p.m. on Friday, July 21, at Old Fort Park in Murfreesboro between the playground and outdoor tennis courts. (In the event of rain, drumming will be moved to the fellowship hall of St Patrick’s Anglican Church, but otherwise will take place in Old Fort Park; check the Everybody Drum Some Facebook page for updates.) There is no cost to participate, and people of all ages are invited to come join the drumming or to spectate. Participants may bring drums, shakers, tambourines, woodblocks or percussive instruments of any type, but instruments will also be available for use from the extensive Everybody Drum Some collection. For more information, visit everybodydrumsome.com or call 615-631-7458.

July 21–30 Peter Pan at MTSU Peter Pan, presented by the Center for the Arts, opens Friday, July 21, at Tucker Theatre located on the campus of MTSU. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, July 21, 22, 28 and 29; 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, July 22, 23, 29 and 30; and at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 27. Tickets are on sale at boroarts.org; use the code PeterPan15 for $15 tickets.

July 21

July 21 and 29

Blessed Distractions Reception

T-Shirt Quiltmaking

Works by Dawna Magliacano will be featured in Berger Gallery at the Arts Center of Cannon County (1424 John Bragg Hwy., Woodbury) from July 18–Sept. 1.

A reception with the artist is scheduled for Friday, July 21, from 6–9 p.m. For more information, visit dkmagarts.com or artscenterofcc.com/galleries.

8 * July 2023 * boropulse.com

Chess Lunch

July 21

Learn how to make a T-shirt quilt by doing one block with Rutherford County Extension (315 John R Rice Blvd., Auditorium), on Friday, July 21, or Saturday, July 29, from 9 a.m.–noon. Start with one square of a quilt and talk about how many shirts make a quilt, sizes, techniques, and other things to consider. You will need to bring one shirt, sewing machine, pins, scissors

and thread. There will be a rotary cutter, mat and ruler available. Cheryl and Janette will teach students how to sew a T-shirt quilt block and how to plan a complete quilt. The cost to join is $10 per person for adults and experienced high-school age sewing enthusiasts. For more information, email jwalk143@utk.edu or call 615-8987710. Need a refresher? Come at 8:30 a.m. to review the basics. For more information, visit rutherford.tennessee.edu.

July 22 Taste of Rutherford Enjoy food and drink with a beer garden, live music and a photo booth at Taste of Rutherford, Main Street’s annual fundraiser, on Saturday, July 22, at Oaklands Mansion (901 N. Maney Ave.) from 6–9 p.m. Tickets grant attendees access to over 25 Murfreesboro restaurants for tastings and craft beer from Mid-State Brew Crew alongside live entertainment throughout the night. Participants include

Who wants to play a game of chess?

Community members interested in the initiative of teaching others the game of chess, helping raise funds and interest for getting the game in the schools, sharing ideas on how chess can benefit others, involving their organization in promoting the game, or just desiring to gather with other chess enthusiasts to play and discuss chess can come to a Murfreesboro Chess Lunch at Carmen’s Taqueria (206 W. Northfield Blvd.) from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. on Monday, July 24. For more information, email rmitchell@rutherfordcountytn.gov or call 615-426-7373.

July 29 Caffeine & Chrome Calling all car enthusiasts: on Saturday, July 29, and the last Saturday of every month, join Gateway Classic Cars for Caffeine & Chrome from 9 a.m.–noon. This event is free and open to the public. Cruise in with your collectible car or daily driver and bring your appetite. Indulge in pastries and coffee (while supplies last). All makes and models are welcome, and there is plenty of parking space (700 Swan Dr., Smyrna). This is a family- and pet-friendly event. For more information, find the Caffeine and Chrome event on Facebook.

Throughout July Extension Programs During the Rutherford County Farmers’ Market each Tuesday and Friday, come-and-go informative sessions from 9–11 a.m. include: July 4 – Garden Landscape Extravaganza continued on page 9

Murfreesboro Community Chess meets at the Murfreesboro Barnes & Noble (within The Avenue, 2615 Medical Center Pkwy.) every Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. Organizers invite those of all ages and skill levels to this casual chess meetup each week.

Continued from page 8 July 7 – Build a Healthy Plate July 11 – Farm to Fork: Seasonal Eating July 14 – What’s Wrong Now? July 18 – Fun with Rocks July 21 – Plinko Fun & Pond Fishing July 28 – Horse Terminology For more information on the sessions and the market, visit rutherford.tennessee.edu.

Fridays Funny Fridays The Holistic Connection in Murfreesboro presents “Funny Fridays,” a weekly comedy showcase and open mic hosted by Willi Will, every Friday. The show kicks off at 7 p.m. with open mic time following at 8 p.m. The Holistic Connection is located at 527 N. Thompson Ln. For more information, visit theholisticconnectiontn.com or call 615-603-7356.

Mondays Connect Murfreesboro Join Connect Murfreesboro each Monday from 9–10 a.m. at BoomBozz Craft Pizza & Taphouse (2839 Medical Center Pkwy.) for a casual networking event designed to connect professionals, build relationships, drive referrals and help grow businesses. Please prepare a 60-second pitch about who you are and what you do, as well as a specific referral request for attendees on what can be done to help promote your business. The approximately 20-minute-period at the end of each meeting is reserved for members to set up one-on-ones and socialize. For more information or directions, visit connectnashvillenetworking.com/events.

Tuesdays & Fridays Rutherford County Farmers’ Market The Rutherford County Agricultural Extension Cooperation continues its produceronly farmers’ market in the indoor/ open-air community center at the Lane Agri-Park (315 John R. Rice Blvd.). The RCFM is open from 7 a.m.–noon every Tuesday and Friday. Market vendors hail from over 20 Middle Tennessee counties and sell a wide variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables, meats, eggs, baked and canned goods, flowers, plants and more.

For more information, visit rutherford. tennessee.edu/farmers-market, email hlambert@utk.edu, or call 615-898-7710 or 615-785-0862.

Wednesdays Networking for Awesome People Are you looking to meet and connect with other local business owners? Do you want to grow your network and pick up some skills along the way? Networking for Awesome People meets each week on Wednesdays at 9 a.m. at the Rutherford County Veterans Community Center (439 Rice St.). All you need to bring is a good attitude.

Each attendee gets about a minute to explain what they do and what they need, followed by a discussion question of the week.

Networking for Awesome People encourages open discussion to help everyone grow.

Throughout July

Saturdays

Movies Under the Stars Bring the family for a fun night of Movies Under the Stars at various Murfreesboro locations on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Bring blankets or lawn chairs. Movies begin at dark (approximately 8:30 p.m.). Admission is free for all ages. The Monday and Thursday events at Barfield Crescent Park and Richard Siegel Neighborhood Park will feature live music each week beginning at 7:30 p.m.

For more information, email shicks@murfreesborotn.gov or call 615-893-7439.

Schedule: July 3–8 – Top Gun Maverick July 10–15 – Lyle, Lyle Crocodile July 17–22 – Puss in Boots: The Last Wish July 24–29 – Men in Black (1997) Locations: Mondays – Barfield Crescent Park (697 Veterans Pkwy., near playground) – Repicci’s Italian Ice Thursdays – Richard Siegel Neighborhood Park (515 Cherry Ln.) – Annie’s Sno Biz and the Hotdog Guy Fridays – Patterson Park Community Center (521 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.)

Saturdays – Fountains at Gateway (1500 Medical Center Pkwy.)

For more information, find a Networking for Awesome People group on Facebook.

Wednesdays summer kid movies Premiere 6 Theatre (810 NW Broad St., Suite #200) hosts $5 movies every Wednesday throughout the summer.

Doors open at 9:30 a.m. and the movies start at 10 a.m.

July 5: Matilda July 12: Minions July 19 The Karate Kid July 26: An American Tail Aug. 2: The Little Rascals

Wednesdays Boro 2 Square Running Group The Boro 2 Square running group meets at Mayday Brewery (521 Old Salem Rd.) every Wednesday at 6 p.m. The group welcomes runners of all paces looking to get out to run and socialize with other

 Send community event information to contact@boropulse.com

runners. Normal run distances are between 3 and 5 miles. Participants are welcome to hang out and socialize at Mayday following the run. For more information, visit facebook.com/boro2square.

Thursdays Mad Cow Trek Club The Mad Cow Trek Club running group meets every Thursday at 6 p.m. at Panther Creek Brews (714 W. Main St.). The group embarks on a route of 4–8 miles and welcomes runners of all paces and abilities. Affiliated with the Mad Cow Running Company in McMinnville, the Trek Club hosts races and free get-togethers to share its love of running with the community.

Find Mad Cow Running Company (MCRC) on Facebook for course routes and more details. All runners are encouraged to stay after each run for food and drinks.

Fridays Community Chess meetup

Smyrna Depot Farmers Market Beginning May 20, Carpe Artista returns with the Smyrna Depot Farmers Market in partnership with the Town of Smyrna from 8 a.m.–noon at the Historic Smyrna Front Street Depot District (98 Front St.). For more information, call 615-984-4038 or visit carpeartista.com/farmers-market.

Saturdays main street Saturday Market The Main Street Saturday Market continues in downtown Murfreesboro. The weekly farmers market will take place on the Murfreesboro Public Square every Saturday from 8 a.m.–noon through the end of October. Spend the day with real farmers, real food and real community and find a wide variety of produce, locally raised meats, fresh breads and pastries, mushrooms, honey, soaps and lotions, sauces, jams and more. For more information, find Murfreesboro Saturday Market on Facebook.

Saturdays Historical Society Coffee & Conversation The Rutherford County Historical Society has been preserving and promoting Murfreesboro’s local history since 1971.

Whether researching your family, your property or just old fun facts, the RCHS is an exceptional resource. The RCHS hosts Coffee & Conversation each Saturday morning from 9 a.m.–noon at the Ransom School House Museum (717 N. Academy St.). This is very informal, fun and informative. Bring old photos or questions about the past to ask members. Enjoy free coffee and donuts. For more information, visit rutherfordtnhistory.org. boropulse.com * July 2023 * 9

Sounds

music notes

“Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm”—Catch ’90s Alternative Rockers Crash Test Dummies in Murfreesboro July 21 Crash Test Dummies, the band that had 1990s radio rock fans humming along to its smash single “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm” (Once there was this kid who . . .), will come to Murfreesboro this summer, 30 years after the release of its God Shuffled His Feet album, which contained the group’s signature hit.

Brad Roberts, the deep-voiced philosophy and English lit double major, leads the group to Hop Springs in Murfreesboro on Friday, July 21.

“Surprisingly, at least to me, there are lots of people who, years later, still want to come and hear us,” Roberts said in advance of the 2023 Crash Test Dummies tour.

“It’s very humbling . . . and it has inspired us to continue to tour and make music.”

Accordionist and keyboardist Ellen Reid, Dan Roberts (Brad’s brother) on bass and drummer Mitch Dorge will be joined onstage by Stuart Cameron and Marc Arnould for the tour.

A product of the Winnipeg, Manitoba, rock scene, the Crash Test Dummies saw its 1993 album go eight times platinum. The band released the single “Sacred Alphabet” earlier this year.

Doors for the July 21 show at Hop Springs Beer Park open at 7 p.m.; Willie Stratton opens. Tickets are available for $37 on Ticketweb.

papadosio Grooves Into murfreesboro’s hop springs July 29 Papadosio’s legendary live performances have earned a loyal following on the jam band circuit over recent years, taking its crowds on journeys from trippy atmospheric prog-rock jams to jazz-influenced improvisational guitar and keyboard noodling to bassheavy dance sections.

The dynamic jam-rock band with a dash of electronic elements, currently based in Asheville, North Carolina, has performed numerous times in Nashville, at The Caverns and in Knoxville, but a slated Saturday, July 29, show at Hop Springs marks the first Murfreesboro Papadosio show on record.

Though lyrics are sparse in the group’s lengthy jams, they often delve into spirituality and consciousness, encouraging introspection while still reminding listeners to “have a good time.” Dream out loud and make no sound. Find your cloud and ride it ’round.

The group, whose sounds put a modern twist on the jam-band tradition, has set up a concert tape-sharing method for the digital age. Papadosio offers its fans a subscription service to a massive catalogue of live show recordings on Bandcamp—over 500 recordings dating back to 2013—as well as access to new releases, all for $10 per month.

There’s also a wealth of free content at papadosio.bandcamp.com. Jam away.

Papadosio appears at Hop Springs (6790 John Bragg Hwy.) on July 29. Find tickets, starting at $32, on Ticketweb. The band returns to The Caverns on Sept. 22.

Dewdrop Jamboree Presents Next Show at Seasons July 15, Fans Can Eat, Drink and Dance Organizers of the Dewdrop Jamboree have chosen to remain at Seasons of Murfreesboro for the series’ July 15 installment.

Presented by the American Musical Arts Group, the ongoing series of Dewdrop Jamboree productions aims to showcase, preserve and promote a variety of American styles of music—classic country, bluegrass, gospel, rock and blues, just to name a few. It gives many different area artists the opportunity to perform alongside the Fabulous Dewdrops, the house band for the series comprised of seasoned music industry veterans.

Attendance and feedback at the May Dewdrop Jamboree at Seasons of Murfreesboro went well, according to promoter Lynn Wallace, citing the establishment’s full food and drink menu and large dance floor—a different atmosphere from the theater setting of previous variety shows. “[The crowd] started dancing on the first song played,” Wallace said. “It’s a dinner and a stage show; they can eat, drink and dance.”

Performers scheduled to appear at the Saturday, July 15, Dewdrop Jamboree include Larry Martin, Lissa Hanner, Dean Holmen, Mark Thomas, Donna Cunningham, Asa Wise, Judy Taylor Sides, Russell Carter, Rhonda Tenpenny, Teresa Camp and Chris Sanders.

Seasons of Murfreesboro is located at 2227 Old Fort Pkwy., Murfreesboro, inside the Clarion Inn. The July 15 show kicks off at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door. For more information, visit amagroup.org or find Dewdrop Jamboree on Facebook.

10 * July 2023 * boropulse.com

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Middle Tennessee Expo Center 1660 Middle Tennessee Blvd.

Murfreesboro, TN 37030

CONTACT

601-906-3015 MurfreesboroAntiqueShow.com

concerts Wed, 7/5

Cedar Glade Brews

Blues Jam with Blues Collective

Hank’s Honky Tonk

The Boro

Dr. Gonzo; Cow Punx; ODD

Sun, 7/9

Hop Springs

The Arcadian Wild; Bre Kennedy

Mayday Brewery

Andrew White

The O’Donnells

Panther Creek Brews

Hank’s Honky Tonk

Mon, 7/10

Puckett’s

Hop Springs

Jeff Lysyczyn

Kenna Elpers

Thurs, 7/6

Hank’s Honky Tonk

Live Music in middle tennessee

Sir Anthony

Burger Bar

Fleatwood Mac (Fleetwood Mac tribute)

Hank’s Honky Tonk

Seasons of Murfreesboro

Open Mic Night hosted by Toast

VFW Smyrna Post

Brett Bone

Jam Night

Fri, 7/7

Tues, 7/11

Bailey Rose

Joe Hooper

Cedar Glade Brews

Hank’s Honky Tonk

Grindstone Cowboy

Wed, 7/12

Hank’s Honky Tonk

Blues Jam with Blues Collective

Cody Cozz

Delyn Christian; Bill Ashmore & The Last Stand Happy’s Sports Lounge

Silent Ruckus

Hop Springs

A Tribute to Abe White featuring Tim James

Cedar Glade Brews

Zentrance

Lynn Marie & E3

Seasons of Murfreesboro

Dewdrop Jamboree featuring Larry Martin, Lissa Hanner, Dean Holmen, Mark Thomas, Donna Cunningham, Asa Wise, Judy Taylor Sides, Russell Carter, Rhonda Tenpenny, Teresa Camp and Chris Sanders

Hank’s Honky Tonk

Jeff Lysyczyn

Thurs, 7/13

Open Mic Night hosted by Toast

Cary & Sherrie Lynn

Jam Night

Burger Bar

Hank’s Honky Tonk

Brandon Scott

Seasons of Murfreesboro

Tues, 7/18

Entice Band

Fri, 7/14

Mayday Brewery

Sat, 7/8

Cedar Glade Brews

Todd London Trio City Cafe

Everette Brown Trio

Hank’s Honky Tonk

Gavin Lee; J.C. Anderson & John Fox Happy’s Sports Lounge

Polly’s Pocket

Hop Springs

Left Lane Cruiser; Husky Burnette

Mayday Brewery

Taylor Burton

Panther Creek Brews

Gloom Girl; Lincoln Layne; Johnny Sam Hall and His Big Bad Wolves; Psychic Nurse Puckett’s

Troy Kemp

Cedar Glade Brews

Jeff Lysyczyn

Cedar Springs Ranch

Buddy’s Place with Lauren Mascitti, Jack McKeon, Brett Sheroky City Cafe

Everette Brown Trio

Hank’s Honky Tonk

Krystal King; Whiskey Smoke Smokin’ Peas

Krista Lynn Meadow Liquid Smoke

King Lazy Eye

Mayday Brewery

Delyn Christian

Panther Creek Brews

Jason Saitta

Puckett’s

The Mighty Train Wrecks The Boro

Burger Bar

Wed, 7/19

Sun, 7/23

Cedar Glade Brews

Lexy Dunn

Howlin Embers

Blues Jam with Blues Collective

Bailey Rose; The Jack Finley Band

Timmy McKeever

Middle Tennessee Sinfonietta

Izzy Grace

Joey Fletcher

Jack’s Place

Thurs, 7/20

Mon, 7/24

Mayday Brewery

Will King

Jeff Lysyczyn

Runaway Home

Brett Bone

Open Mic Night hosted by Toast

Sat, 7/15

Fri, 7/21

Jam Night

Jeff Lysyczyn

Jeff Lysyczyn

Tues, 7/25

Vagabond Train

Steve Hardesty

Delyn Christian

Everette Brown Trio

Sara Simmons; The Jeff Caron Band

Wed, 7/26

Haden Carpenter

Hank’s Honky Tonk

Puckett’s

Cooter River Band

Sat, 7/22

Jesse Black

Brett Bone

Seasons of Murfreesboro

The Close

Jawfane; Ratchet Dolls; Zoe Emperiim

Murfreesboro Public Square

Sam Gyllenhaal Band

Puckett’s

Hop Springs

VFW Smyrna Post

Tony Castellanos

Roland Justice

Emily Miller

Hank’s Honky Tonk

Hank’s Honky Tonk

Jack’s Place

Mayday Brewery

Sun, 7/16

Mon, 7/17

Robyn Taylor

Crash Test Dummies; Willie Stratton

Happy’s Sports Lounge

Grindstone Cowboy

Halfway to Hazard

Hop Springs

Jeff Lysyczyn

Hank’s Honky Tonk

Happy’s Sports Lounge

Graham Anthem Band Tony Castellanos

Red Wine Hangover Puckett’s

Hank’s Honky Tonk

Cedar Glade Brews

Grindstone Cowboy

Hank’s Honky Tonk

Hank’s Honky Tonk Seasons of Murfreesboro

Cajun Steamer

Burger Bar

Cedar Glade Brews

Cedar Glade Brews

City Cafe

Hank’s Honky Tonk

Hank’s Honky Tonk

Jenn & J Kyle; Cooter River Band Happy’s Sports Lounge

Caleb Joseph Elder

12 * July 2023 * boropulse.com

Happy’s Sports Lounge Jack’s Place

Tony Castellanos

Hank’s Honky Tonk MTSU Wright Music Building

The Boro

Burger Bar

Hank’s Honky Tonk

VFW Smyrna Post

Hank’s Honky Tonk

Cedar Glade Brews

Blues Jam with Blues Collective Phil Valdez

 online at

boropulse.com/calendar

Thurs, 7/27

Hank’s Honky Tonk

Silent Ruckus

Seasons of Murfreesboro

Brett Bone

The Boro

Bob Marston & the Credible Sources; Peace Patrol; Steady Rotation

Fri, 7/28 Burger Bar

Jeff Lysyczyn

Cedar Glade Brews

Roland Justice

If You Go cedar springs ranch 9638 Rocky Hill Rd., Lascassas burger bar 1850 Old Fort Pkwy.

Carmen’s Taqueria 206 W. Northfield Blvd. cedar glade brews 906 Ridgely Rd.

Hank’s Honky Tonk

Adam Stone; Justin Dukes Happy’s Sports Lounge

Top Tier

Harvester Event Center

Alysha Nyx & the What Notz; Lauren Gottshall Hop Springs

Josh Ward

Jack’s Place

Tony Castellanos

Mayday Brewery

Carter Elliott

Puckett’s

Hobo Cane

Sat, 7/29

Cajun Steamer

Jeff Lysyczyn

Cedar Glade Brews

Alex Creamer City Cafe

Everette Brown Trio

Hank’s Honky Tonk

Dirt Road Daisies; Doc Flannel

Happy’s Sports Lounge

Ratilla

Hop Springs

Papadosio; Mind at Large Puckett’s

Larysa Jaye Trio The Boro

The Rabid Tooth

Sun, 7/30

Hank’s Honky Tonk

Kristen Budde

Mon, 7/31

Hank’s Honky Tonk

Open Mic Night hosted by Toast

VFW Smyrna Post

Jam Night

Tues, 8/1 Grindstone Cowboy

Craig Campbell

City Cafe 113 E. Main St. Grindstone cowboy 115 N. Main St., Eagleville Hank’s Honky Tonk 2341 Memorial Blvd. happy’s sports Lounge 302 W. Main St. Harvester event center 206 W. Main St., Smithville Hop Springs 6790 John Bragg Hwy. Jack’s Place 114 E. College St. liquid smoke 2 N. Public Square mayday brewery 521 Old Salem Rd. Panther Creek brews 714 W. Main St. Puckett’s Grocery 114 N. Church St. seasons of Murfreesboro 2227 Old Fort Pkwy.

The Boro 1211 Greenland Dr. VFW Smyrna post 10157 Old Nashville Hwy. Smyrna walnut house 116 N. Walnut St..

American Musical Arts Group Presents A family-oriented music showcase presenting young, upcoming talent and encouraging musical legends to return to the stage

Saturday, July 15

 6 P.M.  at

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26 Sitz Dr., Manchester

931-954-6121

Blessed Distractions works by

Dawna Magliacano Reception July 21, 2023 • 6 to 9 p.m.

Showing in Berger Gallery July 18 through Sept. 1, 2023 The Arts Center of Cannon County 1424 John Bragg Hwy. Woodbury, TN 37190

Sounds

Forever, Whatever King Lazy Eye appears live at Liquid Smoke, July 22

BY BRYCE HARMON

Area songwriter, musician and Tik Tok notable Dylan Wilson has two concurrent cases moving through life.

One case involves an ongoing civil dispute that’s run Wilson into some serious binds under Tennessee state law, while the other on the docket here is under an alias, King Lazy Eye, the stage name of Wilson that grew popular due to his posting his authentic backwoods Tennessee comedy and solo acoustic folk-punk performances online for few years now.

With both the legal and the artistic cases as genuine as they are public, it’s easy to see they’re both fights in the same upward direction. Wilson’s musical direction is currently fueled by anticipation of King Lazy Eye’s full-band, debut album, All Cops Are Boyfriends, which Wilson predicts will be available by late fall.

Meanwhile, King Lazy Eye will make an appearance showcasing his extraordinarily genuine solo work at Murfreesboro’s Liquid Smoke on Saturday, July 22.

The Murfreesboro Pulse sat down with Dylan to talk about the progress of both his cases: I went to elementary school [in Lawrence County]. I moved to Columbia when I was in . . . I didn’t go to school for an entire year. Me and my family were “on vacation,” but they weren’t on vacation.

They were on the run. We were staying at this hotel, and a bunch of cops just kick the door in, and I was like, “Why were they kicking our door in on our vacation?”

It’s Thanksgiving, guys! Everyone’s here!

They were like, “you don’t have to go to school anymore.” I was like, “awesome!”

Is that when you learned how to play guitar?

I learned how to play guitar when I was in seventh grade. That’s when I started. My dad showed me, like, three chords. . . . Then I started smoking pot and I stopped skating, locked myself in the bedroom for . . . years.

I started a band in high school with my best friend, Greg. We started playing shows in Murfreesboro. We were playing Three Brothers, when it was still open.

Playing a bunch of house shows. We were . . . a punk band. Really loud. Really fast.

We were a two-piece for a long time. And, I started using drugs; I had already been using drugs, but it was definitely out of control. The reason why I started doing acoustic music is because, well, I burnt my bridges with literally everybody else I played with. I started doing acoustic music out of necessity. I stopped performing for a little bit when I turned 25. Went to jail.

14 * July 2023 * boropulse.com

Started getting into a lot of trouble. My Mom started [a] TikTok [account] . . . I did, too, and it really helped out. It kinda like pushed my music further out there for other people to hear, and I was also doing comedy videos, so I developed a following. I have a few shows coming up just to keep people somewhat happy, [but] I’m just working on this album. That’s my main focus, right now, and it sounds really good.

Running into any hiccups anywhere during production?

Weirdly enough, no. It’s coming together pretty fluidly. It’s the first time I’ve ever recorded anything sober in my life. And, it’s awesome.

[Regarding KLE’s Musical Influences] My favorite song, period, is Dwight Twilley Band, “Looking for the Magic.”

They were kind of like a one-hit wonder.

I am a huge fan of the way the vocals are recorded on that song. They tremeloed it, but tremeloed it in a way it cuts out . . . It’s amazing. (Editor’s note: The vocal effect referenced here is produced by tape echo, reminiscent of the “slapback” echo used on early rock ’n’ roll recordings, particularly those from Memphis’ Sun label, which released Elvis Presley’s first records and employed this then-novel vocal effect.)

Any projected release date?

We have, like, a season. Late fall. . . . I write all my songs in a broke-down Saturn that sits on our property and I’ve just been pumping songs out left and right. I don’t know if it’s because I’m manic, or because I’m medicated and happy and sober, or what’s going on. I just wait for everybody to go to sleep and take my guitar and I’ll go sit in that cramped ass, old two-seater Saturn—it’s a little coupe. And, I’ll just sit in there and write songs. I can’t stop.

Are you lyrically motivated between life you’ve been going through and the excitement of the debut release?

Absolutely. Absolutely. I’m writing a song called, “Blue’s Your Favorite Color, Now” pretty much about trying to fix somebody while you’re trying to fix yourself. First line is, “I’m digging up landmines I found on the front lines from a war you wage in your own mind,” basically, you feel like you’re walking on eggshells around someone who’s not taking their mental health seriously.

Find Dylan Wilson, a.k.a. King Lazy Eye, with all his stories, comedy, music and clapbacks, on Tik Tok @kinglazyeye and on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram and at kinglazyeye.com. Liquid Smoke is located at 2 N. Public Square. King Lazy Eye performs July 22.

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Art

 theater

 exhibit

MLT in NYC

1970s That’s My Decade

by Barbara Hodges

Kyle Thomas invited to Rogue Theater Festival, will present Murfreesboro performances of new work in August Murfreesboro resident Kyle R. Thomas is no newcomer to the New York City theater scene. In 2022, his monologue play Portrait of a Young Man made it to the Rogue Theater Festival in NYC. This year, once again, Thomas was one of the playwrights selected for a performance on Theatre Row in Manhattan.

Some involved with the Murfreesboro Little Theatre (MLT) accompanied Thomas to New York for the June 13 performance of his newest published play, This House Is Not a Home.

“This year a full-length play of his has been chosen,” said MLT’s Shane Lowery of MLT, who co-directed the show, prior to leaving for the Big Apple. “And MLT is producing it, tossing the set in the back of my pickup, and hauling it Off-Broadway to Theatre Row on 42nd Street.”

Thomas said he was proud to share the festival selection with the Murfreesboro Little Theatre team.

“I am so excited that they are getting to go along on this wild adventure with me!” the playwright said.

Following the Rogue Theater Festival appearance, Thomas and MLT also plans to present the work in Murfreesboro this August.

This House Is Not a Home tells the story of a shoe repair shop that is one of the last of its kind.

“The owner leads a quiet existence until it is upended by the return of the son of his 16 * July 2023 * boropulse.com

late business partner. The son returns and is looking for work . . . and answers,” according to the play’s synopsis. “These two men know so much and yet so little about one another. The son wants to know more about his father, and the nature of his exit from the business. The owner is reluctant to share, for reasons that become painfully clear. Not all seams can be stitched back together.”

Regarding the performance of This House Is Not a Home in June on Theatre Row in New York City, Thomas told the Pulse: “The actors did a phenomenal job, and the audience was alert and receptive and altogether excellent. It was a fantastic experience, and I am so honored that I was able to share this opportunity with Shane and everyone associated with the incredible Murfreesboro Little Theatre team.”

In This House Is Not a Home, Alec Lanter stars as Old and Jack Seage as Young. Shane Lowery and Britt Penevolpe directed the play, produced by Emma Hawkins.

Murfreesboro Little Theatre now plans two local performances showcasing the original work. The first performance will be held at the Walnut House, 116 N. Walnut St., on Saturday, Aug. 12, at 7 p.m. The second will be held at Oaklands Mansion, 900 N. Maney Ave., on Saturday, Aug. 19, at 7 p.m.

For more information, stay tuned to mltarts.com. — BRITNEY BROWN

Local Artists Reflect on the 1970s in “A Letter to Younger Self” Exhibit at Patterson Park The Washington Theatre Gallery at Patterson Park Community Center will host “A Letter to Younger Self,” a collaborative contemporary art exhibit, through July 20.

The display showcases the work of local senior adults and veteran artists, many of them involved in programs at St. Clair, Patterson Park and SportsCom community centers, and offers a glimpse into the artists’ inner world. The artists share their insight into the impact and influence of the 1970s on their lives.

The 1970s are famous for bell bottoms and the rise of disco, but it was also an era of economic struggle, cultural change and technological innovations.

This decade still fascinates and influences past and current generations.

Leroy and Barbara Hodges in conjunction with Cultural Arts Murfreesboro curated this art exhibit, which features the works of artists: Alice Bailey, Sylvia Buggs, Beverly Dillard, Wilda Gandy, Barbara Hodges, Leroy Hodges, Carolyn Sneed Lester, Vickie “Cat” Mathews, Rance Perkins, Rosie Perkins, Marcella Turner, Goldy Wade, Lenda Wade, Mary Wade and Mary R. Watkins.

“Writing a letter to your younger self can be cathartic. It gives one a reason to carve out time for reflection. This journaling activity can be fun and a rewarding way to acknowledge things from the past and find ways to use them to make positive changes,” according to an exhibition statement. “Writing a letter to your younger self can be excellent therapy. . . . Change and healing only happen when one can come to a sincere and heartfelt appreciation of all of your life experiences, even the unpleasant and painful ones, and see how they have led you to being who you are today. We hope this exhibit will inspire and have a positive impact on the art audience.”

The artists utilized a variety of artistic styles described as bold, vibrant, colorful, thought-provoking and surrealistic, to create the imagery for this exhibition of visual storytelling.

Patterson Park Community Center is located at 521 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Murfreesboro. The exhibit is free and open to the public through July 20, 2023. For more information, call 615-893-7439, ext. 6111 or email hodgesl@bellsouth.net.

album

Wüden Boi Music to Crash Your Spaceship To

movie

Asteroid City Director Wes Anderson starring Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks Rated PG-13

European forest troll-turned-Middle Tennessee nomad Scufflemöss Treemen now “scuffles” to promote Music to Crash Your Spaceship To, the second full-length album from Wüden Boi, Treemen’s experimental, industrial-synth-hop, Japaneseinfluenced, garage-punk project.

The album sets the mood with “Lactose Tolerance,” opening in a “vastness of space,” with a David Byrne-esque wine glass hum intro going into some surgical exploration of synth rap in Treemen’s Dracula-accented vocals. Treemen now shines a troll who knows what he wants, and is evidently familiar with Puff Daddy’s flow, clueing his listeners in on what currently drives him, spitting, stuck in conditioning/holding bac scuffling/ wanting to know how I can get that bling, punctuated on the half-note.

From there, all’s fair in trolling tastes. “Otaku Kokka” runs as “Wüden Boi’s exploration in Japanese punk,” according to Treemen. The group goes in an early Ween direction with the postpunk surfer jam “Where’s Jerry,” which ponders whether someone fed Jerry to the family.

Treemen messes around with the synth on the funky, electronica instrumental “Galaxy Phantom,” while “Big Hunk Mega Funk,” the band’s bass-driven, lyrically minimal fuzz metal number, warns of calamity, insanity and profanity if folks don’t get out of the way of the “Big Hunk.”

“Mozzerellica” channels Metallica on Ketamine, proclaiming Gimme sauce, gimme cheese, gimme toppings if you please. This, along with the lyrics to “Lactose Tolerance” and “Dough Roller” (which touches on Treemen’s experience working a local pizza job), lead the audience to accept the campy nature of the album, just before realizing this music is somewhat genuine local post-punk. The track “Curse for the Rotten” actually validates a bit of musical sincerity—those moments make local albums like this worth it. — bryce harmon

The film opens in a television studio. Our host is Bryan Cranston, telling the story of the making of the long-running play Asteroid City. On the television studio stage is Conrad Earp (Edward Norton), the playwright, plugging away at his typewriter.

Then begins the play within the movie—about a small desert town that is hosting an awards ceremony for young scientists, only for it to be interrupted by a flying saucer. The film switches between the movie (the play), the making of the play (with actors discussing their roles), and Cranston hosting the televised making-of show. Sometimes the characters are even confused about which segment they’re in.

Schwartzman plays war photographer and recent widower Augie Steenbeck, whose son Woodrow (Jake Ryan) has devised a method to project images on the moon. Scarlett Johansson is Marilyn Monroe surrogate Midge Campbell, whose daughter Dinah (Grace Edwards) is among the young scientists and mirrors her mother in falling for a Steenbeck. There are too many stars to mention, of whom some shine (Jeffrey Wright, Maya Hawk) while others get lost in the light pollution (Steve Carell, Liev Schreiber).

It’s not their fault, it’s just overkill.

Asteroid City is at its best when Anderson is conducting his brand of frenetic yet controlled chaos, and when he is doing the exact opposite. The scenes between the brilliant teenage scientists, finding comradery in qualities that make them all outcasts elsewhere are Anderson at his deadpan best.

Still, it’s not for everybody. I’ve often claimed one of Anderson’s earliest films, Rushmore, to be my all-time favorite movie. In that film, high schooler Max Fisher (also Schwartzman) puts on extravagant plays. It’s as if Anderson is making Max Fisher’s plays the entire movie now. Even if there are poignant themes of grief and nihilism, art and artifice (and there are), it’s all couched so deeply in sets that look like sets of sets that it will inevitably turn some people off. And that’s just fine. — jay spight boropulse.com * July 2023 * 17

Living

 history

★ Remembering ★

Murfreesboro’s First Battle Battle of Murfreesboro fought in July 1862, months prior to Battle of Stones River BY CASE TERRY July of 2023 will mark the 161st anniversary of the First Battle of Murfreesboro, with that Civil War battle having been fought on July 13, 1862.

Jim Lewis, a park ranger at Stones River National Battlefield, has spent the last 26 years lecturing guests on the historic events of Middle Tennessee. He sets the scene for the First Battle of Murfreesboro: During the spring of 1862, Murfreesboro and the surrounding area became occupied by Union soldiers. The Union Army stationed here was comprised of the 3rd Minnesota Infantry Regiment and the 9th Michigan Infantry Regiment, with a small detachment from the 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment. An argument regarding which regiment got which camp location caused the Union Army to split up and set camp far away from each other, a decision that would later lead to their defeat.

During this time, the Confederate Army was gathering its forces in preparation for a raid. The Confederate Army knew that Murfreesboro was a key area for the Union Army, serving as a supply and communication hub. The Confederates rallied their cavalry and put Nathan Bedford Forrest in charge of the raid.

It was during this point in the story that Lewis dispels a common myth about the battle. Some believe that the purpose behind the raid was to release prisoners of the Union army, and while this did happen, it was more of a result of the battle, but not the intended purpose.

In the early morning of July 13, 1862— coincidentally Forrest’s birthday—the Confederate Army began its attack on Union forces in Murfreesboro. Moving in from the east, the Confederate forces first ambushed the 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment. Quickly after, two cavalry detachments engaged the 3rd Minnesota and 9th Michigan Infantry Regiments.

Because these regiments had camped far apart, little time was left for them to properly mount their horses and perform a counter-attack.

As quickly as the battle had started, it ended. After the ambush, Forrest employed a clever technique by ordering his cavalry to ride repeatedly around the town square, causing the remaining Union soldiers to greatly overestimate their numbers. Fearing they had no other choice, the Union Army surrendered and were subsequently paroled by the Confederate Army. The Confederates quickly destroyed the Union supplies and railroad, completing their mission. It was soon after that the Confederate Army rode out of Murfreesboro, knowing a much larger Union force would be on its way.

Though the battle was quick and small, with casualties in the low hundreds, it would set the scene for the larger and better known Battle of Stones River, which was fought in December of that year.

To learn more about the First Battle of Murfreesboro, visit the Stones River National Battlefield in Murfreesboro and observe the exhibits or speak to a park ranger like Jim Lewis, who can tell the story as if he were there when it happened.

18 * July 2023 * boropulse.com

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Living

 travel

If You Go

Grotto Falls

Grotto Falls / Trillium Gap Trail Roaring Fork Motor Nature TrailGreat Smoky Mountains National Park Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Great Smoky Mountains visitors can cool themselves in the Grotto after 1.3-mile hike

story BY bracken mayo Those in Gatlinburg in the summer (or throughout most of the spring and fall) looking for an especially cool geological feature and possibly a place to cool off a little can make the trek to Grotto Falls.

The trailhead with the easiest access to Grotto Falls sits on the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, a scenic one-way loop that travels from the western side of Gatlinburg, dips into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and then takes motorists to the eastern side of Gatlinburg, depositing them on Highway 321.

This road opens to vehicular traffic only from April 10 through Nov. 30, so don’t expect to park near Grotto Falls when visiting the Great Smoky Mountains during the winter. Still, ambitious hikers can park in 20 * July 2023 * boropulse.com

photos by sarah mayo the Rainbow Falls parking area, embark on a 1.7-mile walk to the Trillium Gap trailhead, and then onto Grotto Falls anytime of the year, if they wish to do so.

From the access to the Trillium Gap Trail located on Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, the walk to Grotto Falls is only 1.3 miles (a 2.6-mile round-trip).

The hike to the falls gently slopes up for most of the way, achieving about a 600-foot elevation gain over the 1.3 miles, but it’s never too drastic of an uphill battle.

View a wide variety of flowers, plants and trees along the way, a striking, ferncovered hill, some old-growth trees with roots twisting and tangling in every direction around large rocks near the trail and other natural features on the hike to Grotto

Falls. It contains a couple of very small creek crossings, but no big deal.

Plenty of hikers say the Grotto Falls feature is worth the effort; and downhill on the return is a less strenuous trek.

The grotto is a noteworthy and special area. “Grotto” means cave, and though the waterfall is not located completely underground, it is mainly surrounded by rocks, making an intimate, watery, cool and shady room, a tucked away nook in the massive national park.

Visitors can walk directly underneath the waterfall if they want and the area contains lots of spots to sit and get their toes in the water.

“The most distinctive feature about Grotto Falls is that it’s the only waterfall in Great Smoky Mountains National Park that a person can actually walk behind,” according to hikinginthesmokys.com. “The 25-foot high waterfall offers a cool, shady and moist retreat for hikers in the summer.

This same environment also provides ideal habitat for salamanders.”

Quite a few folks want to visit this fea-

ture, and the falls and craggy cavern surrounding it make a popular photo opportunity. But lots of different rocks to sit upon, scattered among the cascades downstream from the falls, provide plenty of room for a lot of people to spread out and enjoy the creek and the view of the falls.

Some report being unable to locate a parking spot on the Motor Nature Trail during peak times; parking for Grotto Falls is a bit limited along this narrow roadway.

The 2.6 miles to Grotto Falls and back is passable enough for beginning hikers determined to make it, but for those wanting a longer excursion, adventurers can continue past Grotto Falls onto Trillium Gap, the Messer Cabin, up Brushy Mountain (an additional two miles of uphill journey to visit its summit) or Mt. LeConte (an additional 5.6 miles to its peak), to Rainbow Falls, or for however many miles they want to spend walking throughout the Tennessee and North Carolina mountains.

Note: as of 2023, a parking tag is required to park anywhere within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park; the cost for tags is $4 a day or $15 for a week.

Also, vehicles longer than 25 feet and vehicles towing trailers are prohibited on Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail.

Nature News

Bears in the Mid-State If you’ve paid the slightest bit

Multiple black bear sightings in Middle Tennessee STORY BY ASHLEIGH NEWNES

PHOTOS BY JACKSON CARR

of attention to the news or social media in June, you’ve likely seen multiple reports of black bear sightings in areas of Middle Tennessee where they aren’t typically seen.

It’s common knowledge that one can make the fairly short drive to the Smoky Mountains and view these magnificent creatures, but seeing and hearing of them in our own backyards in the mid-state can be more than a little unsettling.

The first reports of a seemingly lost and wandering bear came in around June 7, from near Lewisburg. Over the following nine days there were multiple reports of this curious critter being sighted and caught on video. The next sightings came from Columbia, followed by Thompson’s Station the next day. The bear continues to move to the north, being seen next in Franklin and then in two different areas of Nashville. TWRA (Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency) did confirm that there was a black bear struck by a vehicle in Nashville around the same time as these sightings.

The track shifted direction, and the next glimpse was caught in the Smyrna area.

There were also reports of sightings in Murfreesboro the following day. It seemed that just as quickly as it appeared and caught our attention it disappeared back into the wild, as reports died off. However, there were multiple reports and some pretty amazing photos of a large bear in different areas of Manchester more than a week later.

TWRA issued a statement saying that they suspect these are two different bears, as the Manchester bear appears to be significantly larger than the first.

There are several reasons that we’ve had an abrupt increase in black bears sightings in areas where they’re not typically seen.

We are in the time of year when new births

of baby bears are resulting in a growing population, meaning more competition for food. The rapid population growth and subsequent construction in the mid-state have impacted all wildlife with a reduction in the size of natural areas where those creatures had been residing. Predators are forced to leave their normal areas in search of food for themselves and their young. Unfortunately, this leads to disoriented animals who wander into populated areas and alarm the human residents. When all of these factors are taken into consideration, it’s no wonder that these beautiful but potentially pesky critters are wandering into our backyards!

Since it’s been confirmed over and over that there are in fact bears in the area, it’s wise to take proper precautions to keep ourselves, our loved ones and our pets safe.

Small dogs and cats are easy targets who cannot defend themselves and should be kept inside or supervised outside for the time being. As for us humans, it is important to remember that, where black bears are concerned, you should not play dead; instead, make yourself large and loud in the instance of an encounter. Be a threat and fight back if needed, and always escape if possible. Of course, staying out of their path in the first place is your best bet.

Recent trends show bear populations rising alongside human populations; it is reasonable, then, to expect that these human/bear interactions will continue. We humans need to take proper precautions to keep both ourselves and our beloved pets safe. Equally important are the safety and well-being of these majestic creatures— after all, this was their home first. These potential encounters are nerve-racking for certain; however, the opportunity to see these beautiful beings in our area is exciting indeed! boropulse.com * July 2023 * 21

Food The Soda Bar

Alo Michoacana #2

1679 Middle Tennessee Blvd.

Open every day 11 a.m.–9 p.m.

Popular Mexican frozen treats such as paletas and mangonadas

Andy’s Frozen Custard

2262 Memorial Blvd.

4307 Franklin Rd. 2300 Needham Dr., Smyrna (Opening Aug. 30, 2023) Open Sun.–Thurs.: 11 a.m.–11:30 p.m.; Fri.–Sat. 11 a.m.–midnight Frozen custard, malts, shakes and concretes with various candies, cookies, nuts and other mix-ins

Baskin-Robbins

A Cool Treat Murfreesboro Ice Cream and Frozen Treat Spots As the temperatures rise in Murfreesboro, there’s few better ways to beat the heat than with a delightful scoop of ice cream. Fortunately this vibrant city is home to several charming ice cream parlors that offer a variety of flavors and unique creations (in addition to, of course, the slew of Sonic, McDonald’s and Wendy’s locations).

Whether you’re a fan of a chocolate milkshake and other classic favorites or in search of something a little more bizarre and adventurous like paletas de tequila or avocado, Murfreesboro has an ice cream spot to satisfy your sweet tooth. 

Scoopy’s ice cream bar

2170 Old Fort Pkwy.

Open daily 10 a.m.–10 p.m.

1723 Memorial Blvd.

Open Sun.–Thurs.: 11 a.m.–10 p.m.; Fri.–Sat. 11 a.m.–11 p.m.

1041 Sgt. Asbury Hawn Way, Smyrna Open Mon.–Sat. 5 a.m.–10 p.m.; Sun.: 6 a.m.–10 p.m.

31 flavors of ice cream including seasonal favorites, as well as ice cream cakes and pies; the Smyrna store shares a location with Dunkin’ and opens early

Cook Out

1682 Memorial Blvd., 2919 S. Rutherford Blvd.

Open Sun.–Thurs. 10:30 a.m.–3 a.m.; Fri.–Sat. 10:30 a.m.–4 a.m.

491 Sam Ridley Pkwy. W., Smyrna Open Sun.–Thurs. 10:30 a.m.–2 a.m.; Fri.–Sat. 10:30 a.m.–3 a.m.

Offers 45 flavors of milkshakes as well as burgers, bbq and other sandwiches

Culver’s

2993 S. Rutherford Blvd.

Open daily 10:30 a.m.–10 p.m.

2411 Medical Center Pkwy.

Open daily 10:30 a.m.–8 p.m.

One of the favorite area frozen custard stops, also offering a lemony ice treat, burgers and more

Dairy Queen

2910 S. Rutherford Blvd.

Open daily 10:30 a.m.–11 p.m.

510 Cason Ln., 1735 Memorial Blvd.

Open daily 10 a.m.–10 p.m.

420 Sam Ridley Pkwy. W., Smyrna Open Sun.–Thurs.: 10:30 a.m.–10 p.m.; Fri.–Sat.: 10:30 a.m.–10:30 p.m.

DQ Blizzard Treats, cones, sundaes and packaged items to go

Hattie Jane’s Creamery 116 N. Church St. 22 * July 2023 * boropulse.com

Open Sun.: 11 a.m.–8:30 p.m.; Mon.–Thurs.: noon–8:30 p.m.; Fri.: noon–9:30 p.m.; Sat.: 11 a.m.–9:30 p.m.

Small-batch creamery that uses milk from Tennessee cows to make its ice cream in flavors like nana puddin’, brown butter pecan and Goo Goo Jack

Janarty’s Homemade Ice Cream

111 Front St., Smyrna Sun.–Thurs.: 11:30 a.m.–9 p.m.; Fri.–Sat. 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m.

This family-owned microcreamery has a wide array of ice cream flavors, all made in-house from scratch, but only puts out eight flavors at a time, to ensure freshness

Jeremiah’s Italian Ice

3242 Memorial Blvd., Ste. A. Open daily noon–11 p.m.

Various flavors of Italian ices, creamy soft-serve ice cream, and Gelati (layers of both Italian ice and ice cream)

Karin’s Kustard & Hamburgers

470 S. Lowery St., Smyrna.

Open Mon.–Sat. 10:30 a.m.–9 p.m.; Sun.: noon–8 p.m.

Roadside eatery with a drive-thru and walk-up window for frozen custard cones, sundaes and other frozen treats, and sandwiches and sides

Kona Ice

Look for various trucks located around town and at local events, with a location at Old Fort Park offering shaved ice in a variety of flavors

La Fruta Loca

37 S. Lowery St., Smyrna Open Fri.–Sun. 10 a.m.–11 p.m., Mon.–Thurs. 10 a.m.–10 p.m.

Ice cream and shaved ice along with several Mexican dishes and street tacos

La Michoacana / Scoopy’s ice cream bar

810 NW Broad St., Ste. 268 Open Thurs.–Tues. 10 a.m.–9 p.m.; Wed.: 11 a.m.–9 p.m.

Find over 80 flavors of fruit- and creambased paletas and scoops at this Tennessee chain with frozen treat recipes from Mexico

Marble Slab Creamery

452 N. Thompson Ln. #8 Open Sun.–Thurs.: 11 a.m.–9:30 pm.; Fri.–Sat. 11 a.m.–10 p.m.

Small batch ice cream made onsite daily

Paletas La Desi

weekdays (2–3 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays) for half-price shakes

Smoothie King

2818 Middle Tennessee Blvd.

1970 Medical Center Pkwy.

1636 New Salem Hwy. A 2943 S. Church St. Ste. B 599 Sam Ridley Pkwy. W., Smyrna.

Hours vary, check smoothieking.com Cool smoothies made with whole foods and organic veggies

The Soda Bar

1500 Medical Center Pkwy., Ste. 1C at The Fountains at Gateway Open Mon.–Thurs: noon–8 p.m.; Fri.–Sat. noon–10 p.m.; Sun. 1–8 p.m.

Ice cream, milkshakes, shaved ice, root beer floats and brownie sundaes with specialties like the Peach and Cream Snow Cone and Lime in the Coconut Float

Steak ’N Shake with fresh ingredients; ice cream cakes and cookies also available

Paletas La Desi

230 Stones River Mall Blvd., D Open Tues.–Fri. 2–9 p.m.; Sat.–Sun. noon–9 p.m.

Offers ice cream, mangonadas and kulfi, a dense, creamy, fragrant ice cream originating in India

Sandwich Factory

116 Chaffin Pl. Mon.–Tues.: 10:30 a.m.–3 p.m.; Wed.–Fri.: 10:30 a.m.–8 p.m.; Sat.: 10:30 a.m.–3 p.m.

Serving a variety of handmade milkshakes; stop in the store 2–4 p.m. on

2091 Old Fort Pkwy.

Open daily 10 a.m.–midnight A wide variety of milkshakes—Nutella, banana, Oreo mint cookie, Kit-Kat, cotton candy, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup and more—served in a classic tall glass at the diner or to-go

Top Cold Grill

2855 Medical Center Pkwy.

Open daily 11 a.m.–9 p.m.

Rolled ice cream creations, slushes, coffee drinks, bubble tea, and fruity bowls

Varin’s Sweet Shop

315 Robert Rose Dr. Open Wed.–Thurs.: 11 a.m.–8 p.m.; Fri.–Sat.: 11 a.m.–9 p.m.; Sun.: 11 a.m.–7 p.m.

Try ice cream on a homemade waffle along with bubble tea, cakes and more

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OFLOW Offers Desserts

& Savories!

 Area food trucks For current locations, visit streetfoodfinder.com

Repiccis Italian Ice and Gelato Sea Turtle Shaved Ice Sno Ball Express

Parking lot of 2075 Old Fort Pkwy.

Uncle Louie G Italian Ice & Ice Cream

top cold grill

Let us know what we missed: contact@boropulse.com boropulse.com * July 2023 * 23

STOP IN TO TRY

popular items like the Egg Bacon Cheese, Ham & Cheese or Pepperoni & Cheese Puff Pastries; Asian Pork Buns and our homemade Sausage with Sage, Egg & Cheese on our homemade Sourdough English Muffins

115 N. MAPLE ST. ON THE MURFREESBORO SQUARE

Food

 restaurant

All-American Cafe

story BY BRACKEN MAYO Photos by Sarah Mayo

Local diner serves meaty burgers, Philly steaks, gyros, omelets and more

A

ll American Cafe, a well-loved burger, fries and breakfast sandwich joint on the west side of Murfreesboro, previously known by its colorful clown mascot in years past, continues serving burgers, Philly cheesesteaks, wings, omelets, gyro platters, breakfast sandwiches and more at its Old Fort Parkway location.

Under the direction of its current owner, Isaac, for the past four years, All American opens from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. every weekday, and for breakfast and lunch on Saturdays and Sundays, serving the entire menu all day.

Get a double cheeseburger for breakfast if you wish, or an omelet or a sausage, egg and cheese biscuit later in the day—it’s all made to order anyway.

The All American burgers contain huge hamburger patties, smashed very thin so they hang off the bun, with just a bit of crispiness around the edges of the patties.

“I love how the patties are thin and bigger than the buns!” Jaclyn Everson posted in a review following a meal at All American Cafe.

“Nothing’s better than a butter toasted bun!

“I also recommend trying the ‘Sourdough Cream Cheese Avocado BLT,’” she continued. “Good Golly Miss Molly, that is a legendary sandwich!”

The “bomb burger” offerings come 24 * July 2023 * boropulse.com

loaded with the house bomb sauce—a mayo, ketchup and thousand island mixture.

“The bomb sauce they put on the burger is super good,” according to a pleased recent All American Cafe diner, Trey Beasley.

Megan Trotter agrees.

“I got the bomb burger and it was absolutely delicious,” the customer posted. “The people that worked there were very friendly also. I’d definitely recommend [the establishment] to someone wanting to grab a bite to eat without settling for fast food.”

Order your Philly cheesesteak with the traditional thin-sliced steak, or with a grilled

chicken option or containing corned beef as the meat.

The Bacon Blue Philly makes a phenomenal sandwich—greasy, salty and satisfying, with steak (or chicken or corned beef ) loaded with blue cheese, bacon, peppers, onion and mushrooms.

Or perhaps try a bacon-wrapped hot dog.

“The hot dog was huge! We got it for our child, and it was too big for her to finish,” Marcus Cole said, regarding the standard hot dog at the eatery.

All American makes a quick breakfast or lunch spot with a unique local character,

everything cooked to order on the flatiron.

The fries have a tasty seasoning salt on them, and the establishment also serves fresh doughnuts from another Murfreesboro institution, Donut Country, each day. All American Cafe will take a maple doughnut, top it with bacon and heat it up, a favorite item at the spot.

The cafe’s fare may be somewhat calorieheavy for everyday dining for most consumers, but sometimes you just want a big cheeseburger and fries.

All American Cafe does have some good salad selections, such as the gyro salad—with “all the good stuff,” as one recent diner put it, referencing the salad’s lettuce, tomato, green peppers, black olives, banana peppers and cucumber sauce along with gyro meat, a thinly sliced mixture of beef and lamb.

The restaurant also offers shawarma wraps, a Greek salad, falafel, and sandwiches containing the popular All American Cafe cranberry and walnut chicken salad.

It offers some outdoor restaurant seating on the sidewalk, an area which has developed into a fantastic little local Murfreesboro restaurant row with Single Tree BBQ, So-Cali Taco Shop and All-American Cafe all right next door to one another.

As far as the atmosphere at All American

Voted Best Breakfast in Murfreesboro Voted Best New Restaurant

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The Dish

2 LOCATIONS: 13 S. PUBLIC SQUARE • 1733 ST. ANDREWS DR.

restaurant All American Cafe location coffee (it does literally mean Cafe, one observer de2805 Old Fort “coffee,” after all); to other scribed a “circus meets oldPkwy., Suite L Americans, “cafe” can just school diner meets hole-inphone be used as a general word the-wall feel. Slightly run 615-612-9990 for any type of restaurant, down, but felt clean.”

Hours evidently.

That customer, Doug Mon.–Fri.: Don’t expect a wide Austin, said all of the food 7 a.m.–8 p.m. variety of espresso drinks he tried was very good.

Sat.: 7 a.m.–4 p.m. and cappuccino; coffee isn’t “I had the corned beef Sun.: 8 a.m.–2 p.m. exactly the specialty at All hash, which I am personprices American Cafe, but they do ally a big fan of, and it did Philly or bacon serve coffee. (Neither was not disappoint. The food in cheese burger: Coconut Bay Cafe necessargeneral reminds me very $8.99; Gyro plate: $10.59; Breakfast ily known for its coffee . . .) much of a classic old-school sandwich: $4.99 “The coffee was not all-American diner. Fresh, amazing, but it was passmade-to-order ingredients able,” according to a patron named Steven, cooked in the open,” he continued. “It is who did add that he found the food excelnot pretentious or fancy in any way . . . I lent and the portions generous. will be back based on the food alone.”

So don’t expect a gourmet coffeeshop, Some say they get a New York diner vibe but for an all-American diner experience at the place. with a Middle Eastern twist, complete with Aside from the tattered booths and hamburgers, wings, fries, chicken salad, sometimes-not-exactly pristine floors and gyro meat, shawarma wraps, corned beef restrooms, one of the only complaints hash and omelets and other breakfast items about All American Cafe involves the use served all day, head to All American Cafe. of the word “cafe,” which to some suggests

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 business

Building a Network

Local Professional networking opportunities 

Get out and make some connections

BY CHELSEA LOCASCIO

N

etworking—an introverted entrepreneur’s worst nightmare. But it doesn’t have to be.

I started my digital branding and marketing business, DigiBridge Media, about the same time I moved to Murfreesboro. It didn’t sound like my idea of a good time to have a bunch of strangers stare at me while I talk about something I’d painstakingly built.

As I approach my one-year networkaversary, however, I have done a complete 180. Dare I say, I enjoy getting out and meeting new people, and getting to know them and their business. The connections and relationships often make those uneasy moments worth it. I have met so many kind and helpful people here in the ’Boro. Here are just some of them with their top tips to set you and your business up for success.

“When you are at a networking event, treat it like an appointment, meaning you are not there to eat and drink if it’s provided. You are there to meet people, make connections and participate.”

“Always be very specific in your ask. [Saying you help] everybody equals [helping] nobody. If you can drill down to a specific name or position at a specific company, that’s the best! It may seem like you get less referrals by doing it that way, but you will get higher quality referrals or leads.”

— Rachel Albertson, owner of Inforule Social Media, organizer of Networking for Awesome People “Go to events and concentrate on meeting two to three individuals that you would like to get to know more. Schedule a one-to-one

with them within the week. Learn about them and how they do business, not necessarily what their business does.”

— Jim Africano, owner of Affi Pest and Wildlife and Prohibition Home Brewing, organizer of C3 Networking “Don’t try to sell your products and services at a networking event or at a one-to-one.

Only announce what you’re looking for and how you can help them.”

“Have business cards there, but don’t always use a business card. Use something that’s a QR code maybe, not on your phone.”

— Ron Young, owner of Eagle Communications, member of the Murfreesboro Technology Council board, which hosts networking and tech-related events “Do more listening than talking. Approach the situation as a ‘how can I help?’ versus ‘how can they help me?’”

— Leslie McCain, owner of Allegra Printing and Mail, facilitator of the Murfreesboro Networking Today International chapter “Just handing out business cards is a complete waste of time. You have to actually schedule one-to-ones to get to know people.

Pick one or two networking groups that you like and keep going regularly. People want to see you over and over again. Networking isn’t a one-day game . . . I don’t recommend anybody unless I know [them].”

— Sean Moran, owner of Red Barn Financial, organizer of Business And Professional Events for Networking, facilitator of Connect Murfreesboro, advisory board member for Living Sent Ministries

Nashville Association of Sales Professionals (NASP) Second and fourth Mondays at 11 a.m. at Burger Bar, 1850 Old Fort Pkwy. • Free nashville-nasp.org

The Connection Third Thursday of the month from 5 to 7 p.m. at Champy’s, 1290 NW Broad St. Free • For more info, follow Murfreesboro Pulse on Facebook

Connect Murfreesboro Mondays from 9 to 10 a.m.

BoomBozz Craft Pizza & Taphouse 2839 Medical Center Pkwy. • Free connectnashvillenetworking.com

Brew Business Murfreesboro First Thursday of the month from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Mayday Brewery, 521 Old Salem Rd. • Free • Follow “Brew Business Murfreesboro” on Facebook

Rutherford Independent Networking Group (RING) Tuesdays at 8 a.m. at Stones River Church of Christ, 1607 Hamilton Dr. Attend two meetings for free, then $35 application fee; dues $35 per quarter networkingrutherford.com

TN Christian Chamber of Commerce Fourth Thursday of the month from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at Puckett’s, 114 N. Church St. • Free for members, $10 for guests tnchristianchamber.org

Business and Professional Events for Networking (BAPEN) Every second and fourth Tuesday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Steak ’n Shake, 2091 Old Fort Pkwy. • Free Find “Rutherford BAPEN” on Facebook Murfreesboro Technology Council Last Tuesday of the month from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at various locations • Free murfreesborotechnology.com Networking for Awesome People Wednesdays from 9 to 10 a.m. at Tristar Veteran Resource Center 439 Rice St. • Free • Find “Networking For Awesome People” on Facebook Living Sent Ministries Second Wednesday of the month from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Experience Church 521 Old Salem Rd., Murfreesboro • Free livingsentministries.org G&B’s Gathering at the Glade Second Wednesday of the month from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. • Free Cedar Glade Brewery 906 Ridgely Rd. Believers in Business Thursdays at 7:30 a.m. at Cedar Glade Brewery, 906 Ridgely Rd. Guests may attend two meetings for free with no obligation; annual dues: $400 facebook.com/bibrutherfordco Rutherford Business Builders First and third Thursday of the month from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Parthenon Grille 1962 S. Church St. $100 application fee then $25 per month rutherfordbusinessbuilders.com

Networking Today International (NTI) Fridays from 7:30 to 9 a.m.

Bell & Alexander Title Services 1639 Medical Center Pkwy., Ste. 201 Three free visits, then $25 per month networkingtodayintl.com C3 Networking Fridays from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.

Prohibition Home Brewing 906 Ridgely Rd. • Free • Follow “Prohibition Home Brewing” on Facebook Super Friday On a Friday from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at Embassy Suites, 1200 Conference Center Blvd. • Free • Follow the “Super Friday” page on Facebook Rutherford Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours Second Tuesday of the month from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at various locations, $15 for members, $25 for future members web.rutherfordchamber.org/events Murfreesboro Young Professionals $120 annually • infomurfreesboroyp.org Tennessee Women Connect tnwomenconnect.com Rutherford Cable rutherfordcable.org Business Network International There are several BNI chapters in Murfreesboro • bni.com Local Service Organizations Murfreesboro Breakfast and Noon Rotary Clubs, the Smyrna Rotary Club, Kiwanis, Exchange Club and Lions Club also offer quality professional opportunities boropulse.com * July 2023 * 27

 business news

Wildwood Reserve Raising Funds for AEDs Organization launched after teen collapses on baseball diamond

BY CASE TERRY Wildwood Reserve Barbershop

opened its doors on Broad Street in Murfreesboro in November 2022, welcoming people from all walks of life to come in, get a haircut, and make a personal connection.

Now the barbershop is getting involved in the community in another big way.

Last June, Wildwood Reserve owner and barber Walter Holt was attending his son’s little league baseball game when one of his son’s teammates, 16-year-old Tyler Olsen, collapsed at the plate. The youth’s heart had stopped.

Tyler’s parents, Brian and Jaime Olsen, rushed down to save their son. As Jaime performed CPR, another parent retrieved the park’s automated external defibrillator, also known as an AED. The device revived Tyler and after a trip to the hospital, he made a full recovery.

The Olsens said that in a similar situation, but one without an AED available, a child’s chance of survival would be maybe 10 percent.

When Holt heard that Tyler’s parents were starting a nonprofit to make AEDs more available, he knew he had to get involved. With children of his own and a strong sense of community, Holt wanted to do his part to help Murfreesboro.

A Fighting Chance, the nonprofit organization started by Brian and Jaime Olsen, seeks to get AED units installed at locations all over Murfreesboro: schools, parks, and anywhere else they may be needed.

“Our goal as a shop and community member, is to raise enough money to buy 10 AEDs,” Holt says with a glint of determination in his eye.

28 * July 2023 * boropulse.com

A single AED unit can cost $2,000, so to meet the shop’s $20,000 goal, Holt has embraced several different outlets to help raise the money. The Wildwood Reserve has partnered with local car clubs, such as the Sleeper Car Club, in order to raise money at car show events in the barbershop’s parking lot. At The Wildwood Reserve shop, guests can donate by purchasing a ticket for the “pie your favorite barber” contest, where the barber with the most votes will receive a fresh pie to the face. For more information on these events and how to get involved, find The Wildwood Reserve Barbershop on Facebook or stop in the shop at 1330 NW Broad St., Murfreesboro.

For Holt, The Wildwood Reserve is more than a place to get a haircut. It represents a place for family and friends to come and connect with each other and the community. Walter says he has always had a passion for people. Before opening The Wildwood Reserve, he worked in healthcare and was the barber for his family. Holt decided to give barber school a try, and he ended up loving it. The bond between a barber and their clients can be something special.

Holt knew that he would eventually want to open his own shop.

“I had a vision to open a shop that no one had ever seen before,” he says. After searching for the right building, he came across an old car wash that was out of business. Seeing its potential, he bought the location and for six months worked on refurbishing the interior. Through dedication and love, The Wildwood Reserve was finally ready for business, decked out with the unique aesthetic Holt had envisioned.

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Around Town

’boro Business buzz for drive-through vet care, meeting space, dog training and more. Food from The Fiery Pig will be available for purchase at the event as well as treats from Kona Ice, games and more.

The event will also feature a 14-step scavenger hunt to be entered to win free vaccines for one pet for life. This event will also serve as the awards party for the 4th annual “Walk My Dog” program, where participants take walks with their dog to win prizes.

“Because of the crowds, loud music and other stimuli associated with the grand opening event, pets in attendance might experience elevated levels of fear, anxiety and stress. In order to foster a Fear Free experience for all future vet visits, we respectfully encourage you to consider leaving your pet at home for the Grand Opening,” according to information released by Family Pet Health. “If you would like to bring your pet in on another day to explore the building during a Happy Visit, our team would be happy to help schedule that for you.”

For more information, visit facebook.com/ familypethealth.

The Studio Collective, Slim Chickens, Family Pet Health, Kona Ice, Emerald Heart, Shoe Man Panda Express BY delores elliotT The Studio Collective has opened a new photo studio and center for photography classes at 201 E. Main St. The new studio provides a three-room studio space for photographers, content creators and others. Each room is available for hourly rent and offers themed rooms and installments. The Studio will celebrate its open house on July 10, and will provide giveaways to those who attend.

Hair and makeup space is also available along with a private bathroom, kitchenette and changing area. Full studio rental is available for $250 per hour.

Available rooms include the head-shot room, which features all white walls, and backdrops available for your choosing.

Hourly rent is $75.

The board room features wood paneling and trim all around with a mid-century modern feel, with backdrops available.

Hourly rent is $125.

The Studio Collective describes the blackand-white room as having multiple scenes perfect for boudoir, and features decor from a black/white palette along with backdrops.

Hourly rent is $100.

For more information, call 615-801-8001 or visit thestudiocollectivetn.com.

Slim Chickens’ newest restaurant, located at 3261 Memorial Blvd. in Murfreesboro, will open July 17. This will be the restaurant’s fourth location in Tennessee, an addition to the chain’s more than 50 current locations.

The Shoe Man with Angel’s Custom Creations recently opened its Tennessee location at 1265 Rock Springs Rd. in Smyrna. The business recently moved from Jonesboro, Arkansas, where the couple who owned the business “took up odd jobs, international mail-in orders, and relied on prayer” to grow the business and later provide them with the opportunity to bring their business to Tennessee.

The business offers shoe repair and modi30 * July 2023 * boropulse.com

Wells Fargo Bank has unveiled plans to enter the Murfreesboro market. The bank has presented plans to the Murfreesboro Planning Commission to construct a branch at Westlawn Pavilion near Veterans Parkway and I-840.

BJ’s Wholesale Club has opened in Smyrna just off of I-24.

Kona Ice recently announced its permanent location at the Kids Castle at Old Fort Park, 913 Golf Ln. In addition to this fixed location, multiple Kona Ice trucks still offer shaved ice onsite at various local community events.

For more information, visit facebook.com/konaiceofmiddletennessee.

fications, customizations to all footwear and other items, and custom engraving and embroidery. For more information, visit facebook.com/shoerepairanddesignwear.

Handlebar, the longtime Murfreesboro institution on East Main Street, will soon reopen under new ownership and the name Big Daddy’s Handlebar.

Recent announcements for the Clari Park mixed-use development along Medical Center Parkway show that the development will include a 7-Eleven

convenience store and gas station. 7-Eleven joins Whataburger, Black Rifle Coffee and other businesses at the site, in addition to the planned 282 townhomes, 300 apartments and 38 single-family homes.

Family Pet Health has moved to 3907 Richard Reeves Dr. in Murfreesboro, and will celebrate its grand opening from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 15.

The celebration will provide activities for all ages, and will provide details on the features of the new facility, which includes a climate-controlled two-bay garage space

Club Car Wash, formerly known as Tiger Express Car Wash, has opened its first Tennessee location in Murfreesboro, which will be an addition to its 130 other locations across 10 states. The local car wash is located at 1510 N. Rutherford Blvd., just off of Lascassas Pike.

The company is committed to providing exceptional car wash experiences and offers a range of wash options to suit diverse customer needs. Each wash option includes complimentary towel and vacuum usage, and customers can opt to purchase individual washes or take advantage of the unlimited membership option. Hours are from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays. For more information, visit clubcarwash.com.

Emerald Heart Café & Dispensary has opened at the Jackson Heights Plaza on Northwest Broad Street. The new continued on page 31

continued from page 30 business offers a variety of local hemp products including CBD oils, infused topicals, edibles, pet products, drinks, apparel and more.

Emerald Heart was founded early this year by a team of cannabis farmers and enthusiasts dedicated to educating the community about the benefits of cannabis and its many uses, as well as supplying the local community with cannabis products.

Emerald Heart founders Christina Barnes and Matt Minks met in college at MTSU. After graduating in 2014, the two relocated to the Emerald Triangle in Northern California, where they continued to broaden their knowledge of cannabis and worked with legacy farmers and extractors.

The couple moved back to Murfreesboro in 2018 and dedicated their time to sharing their experience and applying their learned cultivation techniques to high-CBD hemp varieties and creating their own brand— Rhize Premium Hemp. In 2020, the couple and their Rhize brand partnered with Frog Brigade Farmacy.

In early 2023, the entrepreneurs moved Rhize to Murfreesboro’s historic Jackson Heights Plaza to open Emerald Heart Café & Dispensary. They say their vision is to “grow organically, in a business sense as well as a cultivation sense, and strengthen our community’s resilience through knowledge and compassion.”

For more information, visit emeraldheartboro.com.

Float Alchemy at 131 Cason Ln. was recently purchased by local realtor Melissa DelGrosso-Schmitt. The business will retain its flotation and massage services, but features new extended hours from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. It will probably rebrand under a new name, according to the current owner. For more information, visit floatalchemy.com.

A new shopping center on South Church Street across from the Kroger will include another Panda Express location, as well as a Jersey Mike’s.

The Tennessee Department of Health has denied a permit for Vanderbilt University Medical Center to build and open a new 48-bed hospital in Murfreesboro, after Vanderbilt announced the plans in April of 2020. The new facility was part of a multi-year regional growth plan under the Vanderbilt Health System.

“We are very disappointed in the decision, and we are currently reviewing all available options. VUMC continues to be committed to the Vanderbilt Rutherford Hospital project and to serving the patients of Rutherford County,” said Chief Communications Officer for Vanderbilt John Howser. Vanderbilt has not yet announced their intentions for the 79 acres they previously purchased in Murfreesboro.

Mills Family Pharmacy on South Church Street held an event in June to welcome Harold’s Hog Wash Barbecue Sauce to the variety of items offered at the business, which also include unique gifts, home decor and more. The event introduced the brand with a barbecue sauce-tasting event and a meet-and-greet with the creator of Harold’s Hog Wash, Harold Wilcox.

Harold’s Hog Wash Gourmet Barbecue Sauce began in a family kitchen years ago, with support from family and friends, according to Wilcox. Harold’s Hog Wash has since won numerous awards.

“Growing up in rural South Carolina, I had the privilege of learning to fish, hunt and barbecue from some of the best in the country. Nowhere have I been able to find a sauce that is as good as what we created down the dirt road behind my parents’ home,” Wilcox said.

For more information and a list of other locations where the sauce is available, visit haroldshogwash.com.

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CLOSINGS  Helen’s Hot Chicken has closed its Murfreesboro location. The brand still operates locations in Smyrna and Nashville.

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FKS Kitchen has abandoned its restaurant location at 2804 S. Rutherford Blvd., near the Walmart and Daily Buffet, according to a notice posted to the door of the unit.

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The Cason Lane Camino Real restaurant appears to be empty after announcing a temporary closing a few months ago to renovate.

The Redstone Federal Credit Union branch on Fortress Boulevard recently closed and the unit is now for lease.

The Murfreesboro locations on Medical Center Parkway, South Rutherford Boulevard and Franklin Road still remain in operation. boropulse.com * July 2023 * 31

Reliant Realty, Murfreesboro 640 BROADMOR ST., SUITE 100 MURFREESBORO, TN 37129 CELL: 615.828.1645 OFFICE: 615.617.3551 Company License 261458

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Sports Allie Knight and Emily Miller

Old Fort Golf Club Pro Emily Miller Competes in Women’s PGA Championship

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NOTHING HAPPENS UNTIL A SALE IS MADE Learn more about our Sales Concentration and Certificate Programs at mtsu.edu/professional-selling 0922-1131 / Middle Tennessee State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, status as a protected veteran, or any other category protected by law. See our full policy at mtsu.edu/iec.

Murfreesboro golf professional Emily Miller, of Old Fort Golf Club, earned the opportunity to compete in the 2023 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, held June 21–25 at the Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, New Jersey, one of the major events on the LPGA Tour.

Emily was honored to be one of the 9 PGA club professionals to earn a spot on the Corebridge Financial PGA Team competing in the Women’s PGA Championship.

Her journey to Baltusrol began with her 2022 finish tied for sixth place in the LPGA Professionals National Championship, a tournament for golf teaching and club professionals. That set up Miller to make her debut in the June 2023 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

Miller finished the first round of the tournament at 9 over par, and posted a second-round score of 12 over par—not easy to do, but not good enough to make the cut to get to Saturday.

Still, being a part of the major event alongside the best female golfers in the world (including Lexi Thompson, Rose 32 * July 2023 * boropulse.com

Zhang, Jin Young Ko and Minjee Lee, to name a few), an elite distinction in itself, has been the culmination of Emily’s many years of dedication.

As a PGA club professional, Miller’s day-to-day responsibilities at Old Fort Golf Club are vastly different than an LPGA Tour player. As a golf player development professional, she teaches nearly every day, helps manage the facility, oversees member programs and executes player development programs, among other professional duties.

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Sports

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column by “Z-TrAIn”

titanman1984@gmail.com

Joey Chestnut

The King of Wieners and a Great American + NFL’s Stance on Gambling Feeling Hypocritical The Train Daddy is back with sports news, life lessons and politically incorrect talk. All aboard!

July is finally here. Thank goodness, be-

cause I was getting tired of all the corporate “pride” pandering everywhere. I prefer the American flag over the rainbow flag.

I heard some punk rambling about Inde-

pendence Day being nothing more than a capitalist cash grab and how there is nothing about America worth celebrating in 2023. I would love to boot that individual across the ocean. I guess that is the beauty of America—that person has the right to say whatever, and I should not punt them across the ocean because that would be wrong.

I always say there are two guarantees for me every July. I watch Independence Day and pretend to be Will Smith, my hero! I am a man who gets jiggy with it, blows up aliens, saves the president, marries a stripper and shows the world how badass America is.

While Will Smith may be one bad dude, he has nothing on the King of Wieners!

Joey Chestnut is America! Joey Chestnut is a wiener machine! Joey Chestnut is 2023’s best hope to solve racism! Joey Chestnut is a Bad Mama Jama once again set to eat more than 70 dogs and buns this year.

Anyone who says hotdog eating is no sport, I say smack the naysayer with a wiener!

Joey is a man who ate 121 cream-filled Twinkies in only six minutes. In 2011 Joey casually walked up to Taco Bell and ate 53 soft shell Tacos in 10 minutes. The man went down to Texas and ate 56 sausage kolaches in eight minutes. Insanity! He recently ate an 18-pound cherry pie in eight minutes and the legend also holds the chicken wing record: 182 wings in 30 minutes. Madness!

So, raise a wiener and let us say a toast to the greatest American athlete ever, Joey Chestnut! Look, I don’t say this lightly, but LeBron James is a bum in comparison to the greatness that is Chestnut.

All this wiener talk now has me thinking about transgender athletics. Ha! Come on, you know that’s kind of funny.

To some of you, it’s probably absolutely infuriating—how dare I make a joke like that—but do you know what is truly infuriating? Allowing biological males to compete against biological females in sports!

From high school sports to the NCAA to some of the biggest stages in sports, this madness continues to happen.

I had someone recently get upset with me for bringing up transgender sports every month in these articles. Polls show that Americans are overwhelmingly not okay with it. Yet most of those same Americans are too afraid to say anything about it in real life. So here I am with this platform saying it over and over. Biology matters in sports.

It’s why we have gender separation. The integrity of female athletics will not return as long as men can compete with women.

Enough wiener discussion—onto another topic. Apparently, the NFL wants to lie in

34 * July 2023 * boropulse.com

bed with gambling companies and shove gambling sites down fans’ throats, and then act outraged and upset because we have young players in the league who gamble.

As much as I joke, I am being serious here. This is a mess. The NFL needs to change its policy. We all know NFL players betting on the NFL is an absolute NO! But looking at what happened to Titans offensive tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere just feels wrong. I understand rules are rules and NPF has nobody to blame but himself, the policy still sucks.

Bro was suspended six games for violating the gambling policy. NPF didn’t bet on any NFL games but he made legal bets on non-NFL sporting events, and the infraction was the location. Had Nicholas made the bet on his phone across the street at the Walmart or just one inch off the Titans’ property line, he would have been fine.

It just leaves a sour taste. Anyone who listens to Titans radio, and just about any sports podcast or radio station, it seems the gambling companies have all the advertising money. It’s getting obnoxious hearing Buck Reising or Dawn Davenport ramble about the best picks of the day—“Free money!” they say—followed up by another gambling ad, followed by that same announcement— “If you know someone with a gambling problem, we are here to help, call 1-800 . . .”

I get it: money rules the world. I just now feel like the NFL walks this hypocritical line with gambling, only being okay with it when convenient and when it’s making them a ton of sponsorship money.

The middle of the summer is the time of the year when sports slow down in a lot of ways, but we still have a few things going on. The Atlanta Braves have a super team and it’s impressive—historically scary! It’s homer city in Atlanta and they are sending a franchise record eight players to the AllStar Team.

That’s insane. Give this team another ring, it almost feels destined. With a championship in 2021 and the team looking spectacular here during 2023, it is a great time to be a Braves fan. Chop on!

Also, a quick shout-out to the Nashville Soccer Club, a team on fire. This group of men currently sits with the second-most points in all of MLS—that’s out of 30 clubs.

Nashville Soccer is playing good enough ball to win it all. They are scoring and they are defensively sound. The goal differential for Nashville is a thing of beauty. Something magical is brewing at Geodis Park.

The Z-Train is rolling into the station!

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The

Making It

From Murfreesboro

Zavior Phillips Comic and Writer

Since the Murfreesboro area contains and has produced so many gifted people, I thought “why not do a story about some of the talented folks from the ’Boro from time to time?” Let’s call it “Making It From Murfreesboro With Mr. Murfreesboro.”

Here goes the first one—on a talented individual from Murfreesboro named Zavior Phillips, a Murfreesboro-raised writer and comedian.

Phillips got his start by creating the satirical school news show Mag Swag Newz at his alma mater, Central Magnet School. He has since gone on to write for television, including the Netflix comedy series Inside Job and for multiple award shows. He also performs standup comedy around the country and made his headlining debut at Zanies in Nashville on June 27.

Mr. Murfreesboro: Where did

you grow up?

Zavior Phillips: I grew up here in

Murfreesboro. I went to Cason Lane Academy and then I went on to Central Magnet School, where I graduated.

Did you play sports?

I played basketball and soccer.

Were you a good student?

Yes, I had a 3.9 GPA in high school at Central Magnet.

When did you get started in acting and theater?

It was the fourth grade at Cason Lane Academy. There were times when I would leave the theater and go straight to the soccer field.

36 * July 2023 * boropulse.com

Minute

by bill wilson

Tell me about your parents. I understand you come from a biracial family.

Mariah Phillips, who is white, is my mother.

She was a teacher. And my father, Derrek Phillips, who is black, was a drummer for Hank Williams Jr. and Brent Eldridge [and performed with Michael McDonald, Bonnie Tyler, James Otto and many many others]. It was good. I had the best of both worlds.

When was your first production or play?

It was in fourth grade and it was called Seussical. Before I graduated from high school I had been in 30 theatrical productions and musicals and had written three short films.

Who was the first character you played?

Mowgli from The Jungle Book at the Center for the Arts here in Murfreesboro.

What was the first time you made money from your acting or writing?

It was at Central Magnet. I started a weekend update news segment called Mag Swag Newz that came on every Friday. I sold merch for the show.

Where did you go to college?

University of Chicago, on a full-ride scholarship.

What did you do to help offset costs while in college?

I taught middle schoolers improvisation.

How old are you now?

24.

Where do you live now?

L.A. What would you rather do: TV, theater, writing or standup?

I love writing right now. I lean towards writing because people notice my scripts.

Why is writing so cool to you?

Being in a room full of writers and bouncing ideas off each other is so cool.

Who have you worked with and what was your proudest moment in L.A.?

I worked for the People’s Choice Awards and got to write some jokes for Keenan Thompson from Saturday Night Live. I was 22, just moved to L.A. and got to write jokes for him at the People’s Choice Awards, which was on national television. He was doing one of my jokes about the Rock, who was in the audience, so that was pretty special.

You had your first headline show at Zanies on June 27. What was that like?

It was awesome coming back home to Murfreesboro. Being surrounded by family and friends who have been with me the whole time was very special.

What makes a good comic?

Someone who understands the audience and knows where they are coming from. But what works in Arizona might not work here in Tennessee and vice versa. The comic must have good intentions and the jokes better be good.

What’s it like socializing in L.A. compared to here?

In L.A. most people are working in the

industry. It’s more about networking. All your friends in L.A. are competing for the same opportunities as you are.

Have you ever experienced an earthquake in L.A.?

Yes, I woke up one morning and stood up and the room was shaking.

If you wanted to be like someone in the industry, who would that be and why?

Donald Glover, who started as a comedy writer for 30 Rock. I love his work.

Are you a musician like your father?

Yes. I like to write songs.

Your shows are clean. Why is that important to you?

Because if my 7-year-old cousin wants to come to the show, that is cool. I don’t have to worry about that.

What would you be doing if you weren’t a comedian/writer/actor?

Something to do with public policy that would be helping others. Comedy brings people together.

Is having a good agent important?

Yes, agents help put me in front of people.

More importantly, it’s great to have scripts ready.

What’s the most important thing about being a good comic?

I believe having your script ready and being prepared is important.

Tune into WGNS at 100.5 FM or 1450 AM each Sunday at 9 p.m. for The Mr. Murfreesboro Show or find the podcast on Apple Podcasts. Call Mr. Murfreesboro, a.k.a. Bill Wilson, for all of your local real estate needs at 615-406-5872. You can also follow Mr. Murfreesboro on Facebook and Instagram.

The Voice of Truth Feelings are remembered for a long time

BY ELISABETH GAY “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

— Maya Angelou There is so much truth in this statement.

The brilliant Maya Angelou gave us the key to unlocking positive relationships in just 25 words.

Why do we carve the memory of how a person made us feel into the trunk of our very being, like those middle school crush hearts, for all of posterity?

The neuroscience explanation would require more words than this space allows, and I would not presume the expertise to undertake such.

But this is true. Emotions are powerful. Emotions are the bedrock of our memories. They ground our experiences. Feelings often trump logic, good manners, wise judgment, determination and training. How we feel about someone, or something, drives our actions and reactions more than any objective facts involved.

We will go to great lengths to see (or help) someone we love, or to avoid someone we don’t.

Negative emotions are particularly impactful on our physiology. When something triggers a past trauma, hurt or fear, our bodies respond as if we have time-traveled back to that awful moment. Heart racing, palms sweating, stomach twisting into knots, we default to our fight, flight or freeze mode, and then wonder later what happened.

Recently I’ve been going through some of my mother’s things, which have been in storage since she died.

It’s been a long and arduous task, sorting her stuff. Grief and loss rear their ugly heads each time. The worst part is driving past the place.

The place where I lost her.

Even though it’s a place where decent humans did everything they could to help her leave this life with dignity, my heart races every time I pass it. My lungs fail. The mini-panic attack begins.

It doesn’t last long because I know what it is. I allow Death to steal my breath for a few moments, then I take it back and move on. Even though it holds no danger to me now, my heart, brain and lungs can’t pass that place without panicking. It hurt that much.

Our bodies are wired for survival. If our brains detect a threat, they throw us into survival mode.

It’s what they are supposed to do. But it isn’t always convenient.

People can make us feel this way too—like suddenly all the air in the room is sucked out. Many of

us have someone in our past who turns us into a deer paralyzed by headlights. Or worse. Whether it was the neighborhood bully, an angry parent or an adult who abused their power, we felt helpless. We were helpless.

And we learned that certain people aren’t safe. And when those people show up in our lives, (or anyone who smacks of them) we go into survival mode.

Maybe for you it was critical, belittling words from a coach, a parent who yelled constantly, or a teacher who said you’d never amount to anything.

Maybe your absent parents never engaged with you.

We remember how people made us feel, don’t we?

And now we’re the moms and dads and teachers and coaches. It’s our turn.

How do we use our words, each day, to make the young hearts around us feel? Do we empower our children with confidence? Do we reassure our teens that they can achieve anything? That we love them no matter what they do, and we’re confident their unique gifts will help them accomplish whatever they set their minds and hearts to?

Our preacher gave a brilliant sermon about the power of our words, and how vital it is we use our words to speak life into the lives of our loved ones.

If we aren’t purposeful in this, it is too easy to default to whatever we grew up with, often disheartening words speaking discouragement, criticism and death. If our relationships with our kids aren’t positive, there’s a reason.

We have the opportunity to fill our kids’ ears with truth, love, hope and life. Or we can allow our words to tear down their spirits. Do we speak life into them or death? Everything we say is, bottom line, one or the other.

Hopefully, we all remember someone who made us feel hopeful and confident. It’s our turn to be that person that future generations will remember as the one who made them feel like they were valuable, that they have important work to do on Earth. Let’s be the one who speaks life into the children we’re raising, teaching, coaching or mentoring.

Be the voice of positivity, focusing on the good you see in your children. Tell them often how much you love them and how incredible they are. Tell them God made them exactly as they are—who they’re supposed to be. We don’t know how much longer we’ll be able to have these conversations. And after we’re gone, let’s be the voices they remember and treasure.

“We have the opportunity to fill our kids’ ears with truth, love, hope and life. Or we can allow our words to tear down their spirits. Do we speak life into them or death? Everything we say is, bottom line, one or the other.”

boropulse.com * July 2023 * 37

Opinion

Constitution Study

Enforcing the Requirement to Organize Act

BY Paul Engel

organize, which is true, but the act completely ignores the rights of the employer to determine who they will employ and under what circumstances. While the employees can associate however they wish, they do not have the right to force employers to comply with their demands or to have government join their side of the negotiations.

Experience has proved that protection by law of the right of employees to organize and bargain collectively safeguards commerce from injury, impairment, or interruption, and promotes the flow of commerce by removing certain recognized sources of industrial strife and unrest, by encouraging practices fundamental to the friendly adjustment of industrial disputes arising out of differences as to wages, hours, or other working conditions, and by restoring equality of bargaining power between employers and employees.

— National Labor Relations – 29 U.S.C. §151

Congress keeps referring to “experience” proving something, but they never actually point to any experience to prove their point. Yes, there has been a history of strikes by labor, but the strikes didn’t stop with the passage of the NLRA. It is hereby declared to be the policy of the United States to eliminate the causes of certain substantial obstructions to the free flow of commerce and to mitigate and eliminate these obstructions when they have occurred by encouraging the practice and procedure of collective bargaining and by protecting the exercise by workers of full freedom of association, self-organization, and designation of representatives of their own choosing, for the purpose of negotiating the terms and conditions of their employment or other mutual aid or protection.

— National Labor Relations – 29 U.S.C. §151

“Probably the most onerous parts of the so-called PRO Act are those that try to ensure Congress gets to define who is and isn’t an employee.”

photo courtesy of karolina grabowska/pexels

In the House, it’s called it the “Protecting the Right to Organize Act.” What it should be called is the “Enforcing the Requirement to Organize Act.” While supporters claim that the act is to protect the right to organize, a look at the language of the bill shows that this is not about protecting the right to unionize, but forcing people to do so.

Once again we see the federal government illegally regulating employment, coercing people to join a collective, and doing all it can to destroy small business. The Protecting the Right to Organize, or PRO Act, claims to amend the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) to protect workers.

Let’s start at the beginning, with the NLRA. The denial by some employers of the right of employees to organize and the refusal by some employers to accept the procedure of collective bargaining lead to strikes and other forms of industrial strife or unrest, which have the intent or the necessary effect of burdening or obstructing commerce.

— National Labor Relations – 29 U.S.C. §151 Here we see the first problem with the NLRA. Congress does not have the power to regulate commerce, only: To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, 38 * July 2023 * boropulse.com

and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes; — U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 That means the NLRA is unconstitutional and therefore void.

An unconstitutional act is not a law; it confers no rights; it imposes no duties; it affords no protection; it creates no office; it is in legal contemplation as inoperative as though it had never been passed.

— Norton v. Shelby County, 118 U.S. 425 (1886) While the NLRA lists several reasons why employees may wish to organize and collectively bargain, that doesn’t mean Congress has the legal authority to regulate it. In fact, the Constitution strictly prohibits them from doing so.

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

— U.S. Constitution, Amendment X Furthermore, the reasoning behind the NLRA is both self-serving and flawed. First, it claims that employees have a right to

While Congress claimed that experience has proven that laws protecting the right of employees to organize safeguards commerce, government regulation tends to destroy commerce in red tape, regulations and political agendas. Before you think that Congress was completely onesided when it decided to draft the NLRA, it wasn’t simply to protect employees from businesses.

Experience has further demonstrated that certain practices by some labor organizations, their officers, and members have the intent or the necessary effect of burdening or obstructing commerce by preventing the free flow of goods in such commerce through strikes and other forms of industrial unrest or through concerted activities which impair the interest of the public in the free flow of such commerce. The elimination of such practices is a necessary condition to the assurance of the rights herein guaranteed.

— National Labor Relations – 29 U.S.C. §151

It may be the policy of the United States to eliminate the causes of disruptions to the free flow of commerce, but it’s not a legal one. Experience has shown us that Congressional meddling in things that are not legally allowed rarely improves the situation. Instead, it usually makes things worse. Take for examples, the Affordable Care Act, the Social Security Act, the Patriot Act and even the Inflation Reduction Act. Not only have all of these pieces of legislation claimed to protect Americans, but in the long run have made things worse. Worse yet, all of them are outside of the powers delegated to the United States, and are therefore void.

So if the NLRA is unconstitutional, and therefore no law at all, any amendments to it would be, at best, putting lipstick on a pig. Sadly, the PRO Act is far worse then that.

Probably the most onerous parts of the so-called PRO Act are those that try to ensure Congress gets to define who is and isn’t an employee. (b) Employee.—Section 2(3) of the National Labor Relations Act (29 U.S.C. 152(3)) is

amended by adding at the end the following: “An individual performing any service shall be considered an employee (except as provided in the previous sentence) and not an independent contractor, unless— “(A) the individual is free from control and direction in connection with the performance of the service, both under the contract for the performance of service and in fact; “(B) the service is performed outside the usual course of the business of the employer; and “(C) the individual is customarily engaged in an independently established trade, occupation, profession, or business of the same nature as that involved in the service performed.”

— The Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2023 Rather than protecting the right to organize, this act starts by depriving the right of people to work independently. The law basically says that you are an employee unless the government says you aren’t one. California tried this already with AB5, which took effect in January 2020. AB5 was an attempt by California to regulate companies like Uber and Lyft that hire large numbers of “gig workers.” The problem is, the PRO Act, like AB5 before it, assumes that everyone wants to be an employee.

Many people who work at these companies don’t want to work for them, not to mention all of the independent truck drivers and freelancers who AB5 did (and the PRO Act would) suck up into their socialist utopia of large corporations and unions. While it may not be the intention of the PRO Act, one effect would certainly be to cripple the independent workforce.

The PRO Act not so much protects the right of employees to organize, but forces companies to bow to the demands of the unions.

Whenever the [National Labor Relations] Board directs an election under section 9(c) or approves an election agreement, the employer of employees in the bargaining unit shall, not later than 2 business days after the Board directs such election or approves such election agreement, provide a voter list to a labor organization that has petitioned to represent such employees.

— The Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2023 With all of the experience we have with

government overreach, does anyone really think this legislation will do what its authors claim it will?

Conclusion What we see here is another attempt by those in Congress to socialize our society by removing the choices of the individual in favor of the collective. Little concern is given to those who do not wish to collectively bargain or who would prefer to freelance their skills rather than work for someone else. Even less concern is given to the property of the employers that Congress has already taken and wishes to further control.

Consider the states where individuals’ right to not organize is not protected— where people are forced to join a union, or in some cases, merely to pay dues, even if they don’t want the representation. If you are forced to be an employee rather than a freelancer, and the state forces you to join a union, are you really free?

It really shouldn’t surprise anyone that this legislation is named after a union activist (Richard Trumka served as the secretarygeneral of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations [AFL-CIO] from 1995 to 2009, and prior to that with the United Mine Workers). After all, union leaders and the bureaucratic state have been leading us, hand in hand, toward collectivism for decades.

As with so many other things, it’s not that unions are good or bad, but the problem lies with Congress attempting to force, or at least coerce, them upon the American people.

Will Congress ever learn not to exceed its mandate and infringe on the rights of the American people? It isn’t likely; at least, not until We the People start firing those who keep doing so, and hire better representation for ourselves. Until then, I suggest you both educate yourselves and your state representatives about the limitation of the powers of Congress, and their responsibility to support the Constitution and protect the American people from all enemies, both foreign and domestic.

Paul Engel is the founder of The Constitution Study, which encourages Constitutional discourse and promotes the ideas of living in freedom and preserving the Constitutional republic. Read more at constitutionstudy.com or contact him at paul@ constitutionstudy.com. boropulse.com * July 2023 * 39

Opinion #FREEYOURCHILDREN Gov. Lee and Other Globalists Reformatting Education to Create Worker Bees, Not Critical Thinkers photo courtesy of mikael blomkvist/pexels

You may have heard the term “innovative school model” before. In Tennessee, Governor Bill Lee and the Tennessee General Assembly made an investment that pumps $500 million into this initiative bringing this to every public high school and middle school across the state.

“The future of innovative programs to boost student and workforce readiness in Tennessee is brighter than ever. Through reimagining the high school experience; becoming more strategic about engaging younger students in career exploration; expanding access to courses; improving how data is collected and used; and being even more intentional in how we listen

to—and learn from—Tennesseans, we will continue to keep our state’s workforce strong for years to come,” according to information released

by Lee and the Tennessee Department of Education.

Tennessee is one of the many states intent on creating “worker bees.” Why is this dangerous? This initiative restricts educational opportunities.

Once upon a time, education was knowledge-based, with schools exposing students to a multitude of different subjects. Everyone had the opportunity to pursue their own personal interests upon graduation.

With the workforce training model, data is being used to pigeonhole stu-

by tiffany boyd

dents into career pathways from a very early age.

A student’s course of study will be dictated by this data.

The data will be used by schools and the Department of Labor to determine career pathways that are in demand and a student’s coursework will be formatted to include only what is needed for that career. This effectively strips away a student’s future choices and career opportunities.

These are not the vocation classes you may remember from yesteryear.

In 2006, Vocational Tech was rebranded to Common Career Technical Core. Here, you can see their objectives. The Common Career Technical Core (CCTC) initiative is an effort led by the states to ensure rigorous, highquality Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs through a set of common CTE standards that will better support students in preparing for high-skill, highwage, or high-demand careers in the competitive global labor market of the 21st century.

These common standards built from industry-validated Career Cluster Knowledge and Skills statements include: — Standards for Career Ready Practice — Career Cluster Anchor Standards, applicable to each of the 16 Career Clusters; and — Career Pathway Anchor Standards, linked to specific Career Pathways and industry benchmarked when possible Once common core was exposed as having nefarious roots, educators decided to change the name once again, this time to Career Technical Education.

Career Technical Education has 16 career clusters that effectively pigeonhole students.

When you visit the Career Technical Education website at careertech.org, you will see that they refer to the Common Career Technical Core and their standards. Almost every job you can imagine falls under one of these pathways. Students will be

40 * July 2023 * boropulse.com

slated into one of these pathways in order to fulfill the position of being a producer within the globalist agenda. Sounds Orwellian, right? I wish it were merely fictional. This has been the plan all along and makes perfect sense.

It is akin to the Prussian caste system—and we must not forget that our educational system is founded on the Prussian model.

What type of data mining Is occurring in our schools?

Non-cognitive data such as social emotional data and character trait data as well as cognitive data are all necessary in order to produce desired work-based outcomes. The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) was changed: now schools can collect our children’s private data without consent. Any entity, in the name of education research, can access data if the schools choose to give it to them—and they are often handing it over.

We now have statewide longitudinal databases set up that are interoperable, meaning they are able to easily exchange this private data that has been collected on children. That data is then being used to create software and education programs for the purpose of modifying our children’s values, beliefs and behaviors.

You can hear more about this on the Free YOUR Children radio show, which can be found on the Free YOUR Children Spotify channel, with guest Alice Linahan.

One way that this data is being collected and utilized is through the various SEL programs that are being implemented in schools across the nation. I have written about the intentions of SEL in a previous Murfreesboro Pulse article titled “What is Social Emotional Learning? More Government Indoctrination.”

Parents need to understand that the current purpose of government school is not to provide their child with an education but simply to decide where they are going to fit in the spokes of the globalist agenda. The assess-

ments that children are being subjected to are for the purpose of designing a workforce that will benefit those in control.

Linahan summed it up when she said, “In this new P-20W [preschool through workforce] global system, all students will be sorted, tracked, assessed and modified by the state; which allows third-party interests (social impact bond investors), in the U.S. and globally to have access to our children, to use as an [investment vehicle for profit], along with controlling the next generation of Americans from cradle to grave.”

UNESCO has been working toward a one-world curriculum for decades. Their Sustainable Development Goals are seeking to do just that.

Our nation’s schools are not producing critical thinkers. They are intent on creating a populace that will simply slide into the job that has been predetermined for them without complaint. The dumbing-down process is almost complete. Are we as a nation going to sit idly by and continue to allow this to happen? Are we going to continue to allow our children to be used as pawns? If you would like more information on how the federal government is usurping your parental rights, the plan to globalize education via mental health initiatives, and what you can do, contact me. The time to act is now.

Tiffany Boyd is the founder of Free YOUR Children, a homeschool advocate, consultant, speaker and the founder of Middle Tennessee Christian Homeschool Connection. She holds a B.S. degree in interdisciplinary studies from MTSU and is a former tenured public school teacher. She is a wife of 30 years and mother to five children, grandmother to two.

She and her husband have home educated for 18 years. Find more at freeyourchildren.com. If you are considering home schooling, you may contact her at freeyourchildren@gmail.com.

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Environmental, Social and Governance

(ESG) investing has become a hot-button topic recently. ESG has become the new catchphrase for initiatives that show sustainability, climate consciousness, equality, inclusion and equity. It can focus on how the employees are treated or the diversity present on an executive board, or other factors that are difficult to define. These factors can be quantified with an ESG score, and companies can share those scores in the hope of drawing more investors.

The ability to promote a strong ESG score seems beneficial, but many of these initiatives are difficult to measure, and companies can often participate in “Greenwashing” (think whitewashing, but green) where the company is making small changes to appear to increase the ESG score for their benefit.

Because so many of these measures are subjective, companies may make some moves to appear to be more compliant with accepted ESG practices, when in reality they are not—similar to the memes that popped up about a certain beer giant spending millions and millions of dollars to advertise that they had donated thousands of dollars’ worth of water to communities in need.

The hope for the companies is that ESG initiatives will improve the bottom line as customers choose them over the competition because they “care.” However, some initiatives are very expensive or impractical.

In the short run, they may actually hurt the bottom line for a company; for example, when a large corporation outfits all of its buildings with LED lighting and solar panels. When they spend $1 billion on this initiative it means that there is $1B less profit in the short term. How long does it take for the company to reap financial benefits from this investment? Will it provide an actual positive financial return or did the company make an expenditure simply to look good?

While the intention of increasing diversity in the workforce to prevent discriminatory hiring and promotion practices is sometimes well intentioned, the implementation may result in hiring people based on characteristics other than their actual qualifications for the job. In the best-case scenario, you may find the best person for the job in whatever desirable characteristics of diversity are trending at the moment.

Focusing on diversity means many corporations now have Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) officers.

Their departmental costs add to company costs.

Bottom Line: Is ESG a good investment?

Anyone who has watched the billions of dollars

42 * July 2023 * boropulse.com

Budweiser and Target have lost so far in 2023 knows that is a very loaded question. If a company wants to take on a public ESG strategy, they better make sure it aligns with the values of their core customer base. Otherwise, they stand to face substantial losses.

Bud Light has been buying back cases of beer from distributors who could no longer sell the product.

When the company backtracked and said they made a mistake in having a transgender spokesperson for their brand, they then alienated the smaller, but significant, new customer base.

There may be countless other issues that you find that speak to you either for or against ESG initiatives, and it’s something you want to consider in your investment strategy as well. Investors are looking for ways to align their investments with their values.

A 2021 report by the Global Sustainable Investment Alliance reported that ESG assets under management reached $35.3 trillion, up from $22.9 trillion in 2016. The difficulty is that ESG factors can be subjective and difficult to measure. Another challenge is that ESG funds often have higher fees than non-ESG funds. Additionally, whatever meets your values will be different from someone else’s needs.

One person might be against abortion but fine with tobacco products, whereas another might not like either. Some might choose a particular value that is important to them and choose not to support a company that is involved directly or indirectly with violating that value. Others might recognize that even though a company might not support their particular value, they are okay with it as long as that company isn’t directly engaging in those activities.

The more strictly you want your investments to align with your values, the more companies you eliminate; eliminating a significant number of possibilities may compromise the return on your investments.

Interestingly, some people are investing in companies that do things they don’t agree with, because it gives them an opportunity to vote their shares against that practice.

Red Barn Financial can help you make an educated decision on which companies you want to invest in. We can make a custom portfolio that meets your values. I specifically do this from a faith-based perspective. If that’s something you want to take a look at, feel free to reach out.

Contact Sean Moran with Red Barn Financial at 615-619-6919 or smoran@redbarnfinancial.com.

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★ ★ I wrote Deployed With My Mother Mother, a story about me and ★ my mom serving in Desert ★ Storm together in 1991.

It’s designed for anyone who ★ has ever had anything in life ★ not go according to plan! ★ ★ I share with my readers how to have hope, be encouraged, ★ and a powerful story of ★ forgiveness. ★ I explain the power of perspective and the difference ★ it can make. ★ — Dave Weill ★ ★ Check out deployedwithmymother.com | You can also purchase the book at Steak ’N Shake Murfreesboro ★

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