Free Take One
Volume 6 Issue 5
Covering Monterey and Surrounding Communities
Blessed are the caretakers... Taking care of those who care for others, fundraiser spearhead and DAR member Jill Lazuka and Marlon Lazuka presented a very generous donation to the Monterey Lions Club Disaster Response Team in April on behalf of the Andrew Bogle Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution (Knoxville). The funds were used to purchase much needed new tires for the team’s tractor, which was recently donated by “Doc” Larry Reed. The team also used other donated funds to purchase forks for the tractor. The outfitted tractor has long since been much needed to help the team assist cleanup efforts when disaster strikes. The team responded to tornado damage in Chattanooga that hit mid-April, answering to assist 87-yearold Army veteran, Jim Gutshall, and were helpful to the Chattanooga Police Department as the huge downed trees cut power and closed roads. The tractor, with new tires and forks, was a god-
send, and essential to the team’s ability to assist effectively. Monterey Disaster Response Team is so appreciative of everyone involved who worked so hard to make sure the team, who cares so much for others, is supported and well equipped. They would not be able to help as much as they do without all the continued support and donations.
The Town of Monterey plans to begin the first phase of reopening certain city-owned properties and facilities that have been closed due to Covid-19. Governor Bill Lee announced that his statewide stay at home mandate would be lifted on April 30. Also, Lee ordered many state
parks to reopen for day-use visitations beginning Friday, April 24. In accordance with these announcements, Monterey reopened Meadow Creek Park, Bee Rock and the walking trail for day-use visitations (7 a.m. to sunset) on Thursday, April 23. Monterey Mayor Bill Wiggins said visitors should
Photos by Dianne Hall
May 8, 2020
Paint the Town Purple! for the
Monterey Disaster Response Team leader Ken Hall, left, recieves a donation from Andrew Bogle Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution (Knoxville).
Monterey High School
Below, “Doc” Larry Reed donates a tractor to the Monterey Disaster Response Team, for which donated monies outfitted with new tires and forks to make the team’s efforts to clean up disaster areas more efficient.
Cap and Gown Parade May 16, 2020, at 2 p.m.
Class of 2020
Line up along Commercial Ave. from Holly St. to the high school and help celebrate our graduating seniors.
Rain date May 23, at 2 p.m. Contact Rebekah at 265-9489
Monterey begins first phase of reopening
Board approves budget, water rate increase By Rebekah K. Bohannon Beeler Scribe publisher
The Monterey Board of Mayor and Aldermen met in regular session via telephone conference on Monday, May 4, and approved the first reading of the town’s budget for the 2020’21 fiscal year. The $4.7 million budget includes $16,400 for Monterey Police Department, $1,900 for Monterey Volunteer Fire Department, $1,200 for Monterey Historic Depot Museum, $14,000 for Monterey Water Department, $2,000 for Sewer Department. With the instability of sales tax revenues due to the economic impact of COVID-19, finance committee chair Alderman Nathan Walker said they were unable to fund the ladder
fire truck for Monterey Volunteer Fire Department or the 3% city employee pay scale increase, but assured those items would be revisited and made a priority for consideration in next year’s budget. Walker said. “Because of these projected shortfalls, we got guidance from the state that we should expect revenues to be down at least 12%.” The board will hold the second reading of the budget for approval on May 19 at 7 p.m. The budget must be adopted by June 30. The board also approved the first of three readings for a water rate increase. The ordinance read that the rate would increase by 5%, the third rate increase in 10
See WATER Continued on 7A
continue to follow CDC guidelines when visiting these outdoor attractions. “We’re still in a defensive mode in Monterey and getting back to normal boils down to personal responsibility,” Wiggins said. “I urge the public to help keep our parks open by doing their part to stay apart by maintaining
proper social distancing.” City Hall, Whittaker Park, tee-ball fields and the Monterey Depot Museum will continue to be closed to the public. Wiggins said Monterey will consider re-opening those facilities once Governor Lee provides further details regarding his decision to
lift the stay at home order. “These areas continue to be a concern because they are not conducive to social distancing practices, which is our number one defense against this insidious infection,” Wiggins said. The Monterey Farmers Market will continue to operate as a drive-thru mar-
ket. A decision to begin normal market operations will be made after April 30. City employees will be charged with locking the gate at Meadow Creek Park each day at sunset. The town of Monterey is grateful for citizens and businesses for doing their part in keeping the public safe.
Local author realizes when it’s write, it’s write By Rebekah K. Bohannon Beeler
Scribe publisher
Author Mark Grisham holds presentations and speaks at book signings all over the Southeast, introducing his latest novel, Diablo. As he spoke with his “Delta Drawl,” the personable, humble and humorous Grisham began to tell his tale of how he came to be in Crossville. It was love. Love brought him to Crossville. He was born in Black Oak, AR, to John and Wanda Grisham, the middle of five siblings, one of whom is the famed author John Grisham. “Before I start, and this may seem silly but it’s happened before, is anybody looking for John? Because John’s not gonna make it this morning,” Mark joked. When he was six, his family moved to Southaven, MS, a stone’s throw away from Memphis. He attended Southaven High School where his wife, Kellye, also went to school. They went
Photos by Rebekah K. Bohannon Beeler
Author Mark Grisham is pictured with his wife Kellye and their adopted son, Luke. their separate ways, going to college, working, getting married and starting their families. Grisham was a scholarship football player majoring in history and hopped from college to college. Every time he transferred schools he would lose a year of eligibility. He played one year out of five. “We used to joke I should write a book on how not to play college football,” Grisham said.
Kellye met and married a man from Cookeville where she made a home with him and their three children. Mark also married and had two daughters. When Grisham’s marriage ended in 2005, he found himself trudging through a difficult divorce and hard custody battle. It weighed on him and he sought counseling from his friend David Donelson of Christian Counseling Ministry. As they got to know each other better,
their conversations began to explore their mutual interests in the Civil War. When Kellye’s marriage ended in divorce, she moved back home to Southaven. Fourteen years ago, Grisham and Kellye reconnected. “I didn’t see her for 20something years after high school,” he said. “We started dating and we’ve been to-
See WRITE Continued on 7A
2A
Our Town
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Standing Stone Scribe
May 2020
Sandwich Board Meetings may be canceled, postponed or held by other means during the COVID-19 quarantine. Check before you meet and exercise caution.
Civitan Club meets third Tuesdays
Monterey Lions to hold Turkey Shoots
Monterey Senior Center
Join Monterey Disaster Response Team
The Monterey Civitan holds monthly meetings on the third Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. at the Monterey Methodist Church fellowship hall. Anyone interested in joining the Monterey Civitan Club is welcomed and encouraged to come to the meetings.
Check out the Monterey Senior Center this month! • Exercise– Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9 a.m. • Bridge– Monday and Thursday at 1 p.m. • Wednesday Socials: 10:30 a.m. • Thursday Extras: 10 a.m. • Friday Art: 10 a.m. Paint with oils every other Friday, Dec. 6 and Dec. 20. If schools are closed due to inclement weather, the Monterey Senior Center will also be closed. The Center is located at 105 N. Elmore, Monterey, TN. Contact the Senior Center by calling 8398053. Membership is free for those 60 and over. Come and see what we are all about. Please stop by the center to see what new adventures have been added. Regular center hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
Monterey Branch Library calendar
Are you ready to file your taxes? Call the Monterey Branch Library today to set up an appointment for us to do your taxes for free. We can also electronically file and have your refund directly deposited into your account. Most weeks we will be filing taxes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Call 931-839-2103 to make an appointment. Come visit with us at the Monterey Branch Library (MBL) this month and stay connected, stay well-read and stay active in the community. There is something for everyone at Monterey Branch Library, whether it’s for family leisure time or homeschooling resources. Book Sale- Friends of the Monterey Library Book Sale on the first Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Used book donations are accepted during normal library hours. Story time Wednesdays 11 a.m. Come visit with us at the Monterey Branch Library (MBL) this month and stay connected, stay well-read and stay active in the community. There is something for everyone at Monterey Branch Library, whether it’s for family leisure time or homeschooling resources. Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.
Scribe Editorial Policy
― Charles W. Eliot
Standing Stone Scribe is a monthly broadsheet publication covering news features regarding people, churches, schools, clubs, organizations, history, and events in Monterey and surrounding communities from Mayland to Rickman, Calfkiller to Crawford. Editorial Policy: Standing Stone Scribe encourages event and news submissions and letters to the editor. Submissions should not be libelous and must bear the author’s name, complete address and telephone number. Anonymous submissions will not be accepted. The Standing Stone Scribe newspaper reserves the right to accept, reject or edit any and all submissions and advertisements intended for publication. Copy Deadline: All submissions must be received by the Friday before the first Monday of the month. Standing Stone Scribe publications are set to be printed generally on the Thursday following the first Monday of the month with the exception of Monday holidays in which the Scribe will be printed the following Thursday. The Scribe welcomes electronic submissions at editorstandingstonescribe@gmail.com. Advertisements: Get the word out about your business, service or organization, increase traffic, expand your customer base, and communicate directly with the community you serve. Ad rates are $4.50 per column inch and with a monthly publication your advertisements have a longer shelf life. For information email editorstandingstonescribe@gmail.com or cal 931-265-9489.
The Monterey Lions Club meets the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. The Lions Club building is located on South Elm St. in Monterey. For more information about the Lions Club, events, civic projects, and membership, contact Mike Callahan at 839-2350.
The Monterey Lions Club Disaster Relief is a non-profit organization meeting the needs of those faced with natural disasters. The team needs donations of water, canned goods and money to make trips to and from disaster areas and also welcomes volunteers to help in relief missions. Contact Ken Hall at 239-3318 to help.
Monterey Board meets on first Mondays
The Town of Monterey holds monthly board meetings open to the public every first Monday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Monterey Municiple Building. It is important for residents to see how the city is being managed and to take advantage of the opportunity use their voices. Everyone who has a vested interest in the town, its direction and prospects, as well as the necessity to understand city processes, programs and issues is encouraged to attend. The town hall meeting will have a sign-in sheet for those who wish to speak and give time for them to bring up important issues for discussion.
Support the tornado relief fund
At this time, monetary support is most needed for tornado victims and the relief organizations and non-profits. Those wanting to support can donate funds at any Bank of Putnam County branch (all 19 locations) or via Venmo @CookevillePutnamCountyTornado. Anyone needing resources can call (931) 646INFO.
Suicide prevention resources available
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) is one such free resource that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for anyone who is in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.
FCE Club meets fourth Monday
The Monterey Family and Consumer Education Club meets on the fourth Thursday of the month at the Monterey Senior Center at 6:30 p.m.
Monterey VFW meet first Thursdays
VFW Post 6277 meetings are the first Thursday of every month starting at 6 p.m. VFW Post 6277 is located at 101 South Poplar St., Monterey, TN, and is open to all veterans who have served in a war or conflict.
Titus House wants to help Garden Club meets second Tuesdays
Join the Monterey Garden Club. All are welcome! Please join us! The Monterey Garden Club meets at the Monterey Methodist Church Fellowship Hall every second Tuesday of the month at 10:30 a.m. The Garden Club welcomes new members and visitors to come listen to guest speakers and demonstrators, get tips and develop a successful green thumb. For more information, contact Monterey Garden Club President Deborah Wolfe by calling 839-6756 or emailing dcwolfe52@ yahoo.com.
SSHS/Monterey Hometown Project meets
The Standing Stone Historical Society/Monterey Hometown Project meets at 6 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of the month at the Monterey Depot Museum. Standing Stone Day is a local holiday that is observed annually on the second Saturday in October. Monterey Hometown Project meets diretly following the Standing Stone Historical Society meeting. Monterey Hometown Project is a group organized under the Standing Stone Historical Society to raise funds to make improvements to the Town of Monterey. All are welcome!
Be an ombudsman
Do you want to make a difference? Are you concerned about the needs of older people? Can you work with all types of people? Do you like to follow problems through to resolution? Aging Services for the Upper Cumberland, Inc. is looking for people who are empathetic, diplomatic, and skilled communicators to be volunteer Ombudsmen. As a volunteer ombudsman, you will be assigned to a specific long-term care facility, working to ensure that the resident’s rights are being protected. You will help residents with problems they are unable to resolve alone. Volunteer ombudsmen dedicate three (3) hours per week to this job. On-going training and support are provided. This could be the most challenging and rewarding volunteer opportunity you may ever have. Training is scheduled for Feb. 26-28, located at the UCHRA office. For more information, please call Kim Fowlerat (931) 432-4210.
UCDD offers assistance
Are you raising a relative child or need housing assistance? For more information on assistance and support, please contact Melissa Allison at the Upper Cumberland Developments District toll free at 1-877-275-8233. A support group meeting will be held for relatives that are caring for relative children, during the month of November. Please contact Melissa Allison at 931476-4127, if you are interested in attending this meeting. For housing assistance while caring for minor child, contact Myra Walker at 931-4324111.
Need clothes? We can help! Titus House, 306 W. Crawford Avenue in Monterey, provides free clothing to anyone in need. Titus Hous is open the second Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon except for September and October when it is open the third Saturday. Titus House accepts donations of clean, dry clothing in bags or boxes. These may be dropped off at Titus House. Please put donations underneath the carport at the end of the Titus House driveway. Titus House appreciates your donations! Titus House is an outreach program of the Monterey Church of Christ. Questions regarding Titus House please call (931) 2527676.
SCV active in community
The Champ Ferguson- Standing Stone Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV) Post 2014 Help preserve Southern Heritage and join in the Capt. Champ Ferguson-Standing Stone #2014 Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV). For more information, contact Jack Looper at 445-2050 or Rooster Barnes at 510-2211. God Save the South!
MHS Class of 2020
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Esmeralda Francisco-Moreno Valedictorian
Justin Adkins
3A
Standing Stone Scribe
Alexandra Garcia Salutatorian
May 2020
Alexa Clarke Third Honors
Cody Allen
Catarina Baltazar
Samuel Bilbrey
Jaxson Billings
Jaylen Bryant
Marly Cantrell
Ricardo Casas
Alexis Charlton
Abigail Clark
Hayley Clark
Catherine Clouse
Chloe Coe
Daniella D’Agostino
Leah Doughty
Justin Earley
Robert Eldridge
Cameron Evans
Christopher Farley
Jaquelyn Felix
Jadelynn Fox
Jaycey Fox
Jenny Francisco Felipe
Justin Galvez
Nicholas Gibson
Hunter Grubbs
Kaylee Harris
Kaelyn Harrison
Kevin Castillo Borjas
John Clifford Boggs
4A
MHS Class of 2020
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May 2020
Jacob Heady
Katelyn Hicks
Brayden Hogue
Jasmin Howard
Anna Hudson
Austin Hunt
Kylie Hydrick
Alissa Johnson
Anna Juan
Jordan Key
Haley Kilby
Luke Leming
W
Damon Lewis
Hunter Looper
Henry Lopez
Brittany Lowe
Haven Madewell
Jillian Mahoney
Alexander McCowan
Jonathan Medley
Katelyn Moorehead
Johnathan Murphy
Peter Natvik
Gesler Orozco-Ramirez
Tori Padgett
Axsel Pelico-Juanta
Evelyn Perez Escalante
Jonathan Perez Soto
Kevin Perez-Argueta
Nancy Perez-Gamboa
MHS Class of 2020
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5A
May 2020
Carter Phillips
Leslie Pommert
Spencer Powell
Brenda Ramirez
Haley Ray
Elvis Raymundo-Paiz
Elijah Reagan
Andrew Riddle
Billy Riddle
Bethany Sampley
Noah Saylors
Zachary Schonborn
Riley Shelley
Ashlyn Smith
Kenlee Smith
Sydney Sparks
Evelyn Staup
Felicity Swallows
Rene Telon Martinez
Michael Tisdale II
Hayden Tollett
Jackson Troyer
Faith Walker
Shiloh Walker
Samuel Webb
Charles West
Elijah Wilson
Graycee Wilson
Emely Xec Huerta
Lydia Yepez
Walker
Faith
Congratulations to Monterey High School Class of 2020 graduates!
Ashlyn Smith, May you soar into the life you will create and bring to the world those gifts which you alone can bring. We are so proud of your accomplishments.
6A
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Grapevine
Standing Stone Scribe
May 2020
Bulletproof your bank account during the pandemic These are unprecedented times, you guys. There’s sad news everywhere you look, so I want to give you some hope today. Let’s talk about one thing that can help your specific situation right now, no matter where you’re at with your finances—an emergency fund. Emergency funds are made for such a time as this. If you have one, you’re probably thanking your past self for the peace of mind you have because of that pile of cash. As you navigate a loss of hours, income, or even your job, your emergency fund has your back. I’ve counseled people who were able to over-
Rachel Cruze come impossible odds because of their emergency fund. It’s not just about the money sitting in the bank, it’s about the power an emergency fund gives you in a crisis. It enables you to act—or at least react— without going into a panic
An inkling...
or falling into debt. When you have cash saved and the unexpected happens, you have the power to focus on what’s really important, instead of focusing on money. If you don’t have an emergency fund, now’s the time to start building one. I want you to stash as much cash as you can. If you’ve recently experienced an income decrease or lost your job entirely, you’ll need to take a job—any job— to get your income back up. Around here we call it “gazelle intensity.” To make money fast, you need to have the motivation of a gazelle running from a cheetah!
Letting the willow breathe When we were looking for a house, I told my husband, Alfred, I wanted a willow tree in the yard. It was a silly thing to want, perhaps, but that didn’t stop me from wanting it. I feel a kindred spirit when I’m with them. They are forever bowing their heads. Sometimes I feel like they are reverent and understanding. Sometimes they look sad and sympathetic. I love them, and they love me back. They know me. I love that I can cry to them, and they won’t tell a single soul. They just cradle you as they stand tall against the elements of a hard world and cry with you. There is a simplistic comfort in that. There is empathy. The house we found was move-in ready– and there in the side yard stood a young willow tree. That was the kicker, the cherry on top, when deciding to buy this house and move our growing family to Cumberland County. I was sold. Not long after we moved into the house, we bought a nanny goat in the Homesteads and named her Billie Jean. She was such a sweet girl, and we loved her so much. She was more of a pet than anything. She would escape and take walks around the neighborhood with our dachshund, Oscar the Weiner, and come home for dinner. Later on, when we bought our horse, Zippy, they became best friends. They were thick as thieves. In fact, Zippy would help Billie Jean out of her pen by hooking the nanny’s horns
Rebekah K. Bohannon Beeler Scribe publisher
in her halter and pulling her over. I wouldn’t have believed it myself except we couldn’t figure out how she was getting out and one day, I saw them. Our Billie Jean was not Houdini; she just had a contact on the outside to bust her out. I have it on video. It wasn’t long before we realized our sweet Billie Jean liked to strip the bark off the young willow tree; my willow tree. If she had kept on like she was, she would have killed the weeping willow. It meant a lot to me to keep her– after all, the willow was the reason I wanted this house. We wanted to save her. Alfred and I had tried fencing the willow in, but Billie Jean was able to bypass our efforts and continued to maim and scar the poor willow. She was like a child. She needed to be defended. She was in need of protection, of nurturing. Finally, we resorted to wrapping the young willow with several layers of fence wire. We swaddled her, hoping her scars weren’t too deep, hoping she would heal and we could save her, that this
would keep her safe. The fence swaddling worked and deterred Billie Jean from harming the willow further. The ole nanny couldn’t get between the layers to get to the bark. Eventually, the willow began to heal and grow. Billie Jean was still interested in the willow, but could only keep the low-hanging limbs clipped. We added a billy goat, Bamm Bamm, to our menagerie and thought it best to keep the fence swaddling on our sweet willow. However, we’ve been here nearly 14 years. A year or two ago, we noticed that our sweet willow hadn’t been thriving as well as we thought she should be. She’d outgrown her swaddle. She wasn’t a baby anymore. As it turned out, the very thing we tried to do to keep her safe and healthy was now choking her, slowly squeezing the breathe and life out of her. She was growing up. I’d been in denial. I was afraid for her. I didn’t want her to be hurt again. But, while protecting meant she was kept safe while she needed, it had now yielded to overprotection, stunting her growth and constricting her ability to flourish. I had strangled her with love. She needed to breathe. We could lose her if Bamm Bamm decided to strip the bark from her, like Billie Jean had all those years ago. We could lose her if we
See WILLOW Continued on 7A
Now, if you’ve lost your income and you already have an emergency fund, that’s what it’s there for. But before you touch it, drop your expenses down to cover the Four Walls first. The Four Walls are your food, utilities, shelter, and transportation. This is just until we’re all back to normal, and your income is back up to what it was. You’re in conserve mode, so focus on needs—not wants—right now. If you still have to pull from your emergency fund, treat it like income. Whatever amount you need to move over from savings, enter that onto the income line of your budget. Then,
give every dollar a job to do. You’re running a leaner budget than usual right now, and that means there’s no room for date nights or dog costumes. Remember, your emergency fund is a safety net between you and life. If you need to use it, don’t feel guilty. And if you don’t have one, start taking steps toward building one today. I still want you to keep track of your budget during this time, too. Even if you don’t have an income, budget whatever money you have. If you don’t tell your money where to go, you’ll wonder where it went. EveryDollar is a free budgeting app I love. It’ll help
Dave Says
Tithe on stimulus check? Dear Dave, Should my wife and I tithe on our stimulus checks? She thinks we should, but I’m not sure. In my mind, we already gave our money to Caesar—so to speak— and now he’s just giving it back. What do you think? Luke Dear Luke, Well, it’s your money you’re getting back. The government doesn’t really create anything, it only takes money from us. And in this case, it gave you back some of what it took. I don’t really see that as a tithing circumstance. The other side of the coin is that you really can’t go wrong being generous. The tithe is your baseline for generosity. You shouldn’t tithe or not tithe because of a set of rules, but if you’re having a theological or philosophical discussion about the tithe and how it works, I think your reasoning is sound. It’s certainlynot a salvation issue, but generosity is a good rhythm to have in your life. And honestly, these stimulus checks are kind of like tax refunds.
Dave Ramsey You gave it to the government, and now they’re giving it back. So, in my mindit’s okay either way.I’ve just always had an attitude of when in doubt, it’s better to give. —Dave Go ahead, knock it out Dear Dave, We make about $70,000 a year, and we’re debtfree except for our house. We’re following your plan, and just startedsaving for retirement, but we only have $15,000 left on our mortgage. We can have that paid off in six or seven months, so would it be okay to go ahead and pay off our homeas soon as possible before continuing to save for retirement? Nate
you stay on track during these uncertain times! • • • As a #1 New York Times best-selling author, host of The Rachel Cruze Show and The Rachel Cruze Show Podcast, Rachel helps people learn the proper ways to handle money and stay out of debt. She’s authored three best-selling books, including Love Your Life, Not Theirs and Smart Money Smart Kids, which she cowrote with her father, Dave Ramsey. You can follow Cruze on Twitter and Instagram at @RachelCruze and online at www.rachelcruze.com, youtube.com/ rachelcruze or facebook. com/rachelramseycruze.
Dear Nate, I’m generally pretty hardcore about sticking with the proper order while doing the Baby Steps.But in your case, with such a small amount left to pay on your home, I think I’d go ahead and knock that out. Most of the people I talk to still have six figures left on their mortgages. There’s a big difference between that and the situation you two are in right now. Think about it, you guys could be completely debt-free by Christmas, andyou’ve already started to make a move on retirement planning.I say go for it! —Dave • • • Dave Ramsey is CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven best-selling books, including The Total Money Makeover. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 16 million listeners each week on 600 radio stations and multiple digital platforms. Follow Dave on the web at daveramsey.com and on Twitter at @DaveRamsey.
Entertainment
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Standing Stone Scribe
7A
May 2020
‘Extraction’ for the win
It’s May, and summer is upon us. Usually at this time, most people are thinking of potential vacation spots and planning fun outings, paying little attention to what is on television. This year, of course, is different. Winter binge watching has given way to more binge watching as we are all spending much more time at home. Fortunately, we live in a time where entertainment is readily available 24/7 regardless of the circumstances surrounding our daily lives. Netflix is just one such source of that entertainment, but it is the one a lot of people rely on. The entertainment on streaming platforms, like Netflix, is continuing to grow and improve, including more and more celebrities to the mix. I have found that some of the best things to watch on these platforms are the original series. The rest can usually be found on regular television at almost any time for free. Amazon Prime in particular, frequently charges to watch old movies and shows as if they are new. That is in addition to the yearly fee you pay for Prime services, so I am always happy when I can stream something original. Netflix recently added an original movie that I am sure most of you have either heard of or watched. It is called “Extraction,” released April 24. “Extraction” stars Chris Hemsworth (Thor, Vacation) as a mercenary hired
• WILLOW Continued from 6A didn’t cut the protective embrace of the fenced corset from around her. She was a child. She needed protection. She needed nurturing. We decided cut the fence
• WATER Continued from 1A years. As the water and sewer committee chair, Vicemayor Starlett Wessels ex-
• WRITE Continued from 1A gether ever since. Best thing to ever happen to me.” One day, Donelson posed a question about Civil War era mental health and how patients were treated and Grisham didn’t have an answer. They began to explore the topic, came up with a story and co-authored Bedlam South in 2008, a historic fiction based on the extreme treatments used on asylum patients. “Ever since John started writing I’ve had a million people ask me, ‘When are you gonna write a book?’ So, I always had it in the back of my mind I would,” he said. Grisham got a great job offer in Birmingham in 2011, where he started writing Diablo, but said, “The timing wasn’t right.” Grisham set Diablo aside, unfinished. Last year, TJ Cates invited him appear on Nashville Entertainment Weekly’s podcast. They talked about Bedlam South and he got a huge response, inspiring him to finish Diablo. “It’s a lot of fun to write. It was a lot of fun to become the characters,” Grisham said. “That’s the way I write; I don’t really plan anything. I kinda get a thought in my
Paula Tudor Columnist
to rescue the kidnapped son of a prominent Indian drug lord. I should mention that “Extraction” is not for everyone. It is bloody and violent, but it is also actionpacked like most big-screen summer blockbusters. This movie definitely looks like a lot of money was invested in making it and you will feel like you’re sitting in a movie theater while you’re watching it. “Extraction’s” plot is riveting, but the film moves so fast it can be difficult to keep up with at times. You definitely have to be prepared to pay attention when you watch this. It’s not something you can have on in the background or watch when there are a lot of distractions. You’ll be lost if you don’t give it your full attention. What struck me most about this film is its cinematography. “Extraction” does an excellent job of making you feel like you’re in the action. There were several scenes where I felt like I was either playing a video game or actually in one.
Remarkably, this was accomplished without giving me motion sickness, as I so often do with single camera filming that look more like home videos. Regardless of all the blood and violence, there are many touching moments throughout this film. Chris Hemsworth (Rake) and Rudhraksh Jaiswal (Ovi) do an amazing job of bringing some humanity to its plot. I was particularly impressed with Hemsworth’s acting in the movie. It was as if this role was tailor-made for him. The whole production was really well done, so I was not surprised to learn that a sequel is already in the works. However, it is still in the early stages of development so there is no word yet as to when we can expect to see it. In the meantime, you can still see “Extraction” on Netflix. And don’t worry, if you’re not a subscriber, Netflix constantly offers free month-long trials and now is the perfect time to check it out. • • • Paula Tudor graduated cum laude from Tennessee Technological University with a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies emphasizing English and Communication. She is a freelance writer and a distinguished blogger/online correspondent, with more than three thousand followers on twitter. The bulk of her work can be found at paulas-soapbox. blogspot.com and at paulatudor.com.
off her. She’d outgrown it to the point where scars from the fence now overlaid the scars from her youth left by Billie Jean. In our attempt to keep her safe, we’d scarred her, too. It was unintentional. It was out of love. But, still,
we left scars on her. She was my child. But, now she needed to breathe on her own. I’ll keep a watch out for her and I’ll be here if she needs me, but she must be. And I know that I had to let her become.
plained, “When the Comptroller comes in and they look at it, they typically go up by 15-20% in one fell swoop. By doing this at 5%, it will keep us in a position where they won’t come in,
audit the water rates and arbitrarily raise them.” The water rate has not been raised since 2017. Aldermen Alex Garcia and JJ Reels entered no votes for the rate increase.
head and I sit down and whatever character I’m thinking of, I say, ‘Okay, what would I do in this situation?’ I kinda go from there and tell the story.” Diablo is historic fiction about Duvall Walker whose wife is abducted, trafficked and sold down the Mississippi River on the SS Diablo headed for New Orleans in the summer of 1860. Though there was no love lost between them, as her husband he was duty bound to rescue her. Grisham admitted, “I spent about 10 minutes in New Orleans one time just riding around the French Quarter to say I’d been there. I had to get a map from 1860 and follow the streets where there’s chase scenes. Please be kind. It is fiction.” The movie rights to Diablo have been sold and he is excited about the prospects of developing that project. He talked about growing up in the Grisham household. “My whole family’s a bunch of smart alecs. We’d sit around the table and just rip each other to pieces when we were kids. John is a very good smart alec, that’s why he made a great lawyer. He went to law school and became a better smart alec. We gotta warped sense of
humor.” Grisham said his dad was a great storyteller and the family has a collection of his great-great-grandmother’s her unpublished poetry. Grisham said, “I guess that’s where the [Grisham family] imagination comes from,” he said. What brought him to Crossville was the love of a father. When Grisham and Kellye were living in Alabama, they were advised by their lawyer to move to Tennessee in case their grandchild needed immediate placement. Having lived in Cookeville, Kellye was already familiar with the area. Due to another situration, they gained custody of their two other grandchildren, ages 3 ½ and 2. Grisham said, “In our 50s, my wife and I became parents again.” He and Kellye used to joke about how nice it would be to have had children together, but then said, “By God, you better watch what you ask for,” about his newfound fatherhood. “The Lord works in mysterious ways.” Visit www.markgrishamauthor.com for more information and signing events.
STATEPOINT CROSSWORD THEME: 21ST CENTURY ACROSS 1. A bit cracked 5. Traitor’s blow? 9. Cause of Princess’ downfall 12. Hawaiian tuber 13. Prospector’s mother? 14. Heavy footsteps 16. “Iliad” or “Odyssey” 17. Caribbean color 18. Frustration, in print 19. *Proponent of colonization of Mars 21. Small island 22. *Edmond Halley’s apparition, 2061-2062 23. Expression of disgust or recoil 24. *2007 “Invention of the Year” 27. Give satisfaction 31. Neither a win nor a loss 32. Having no courage 35. Medicinal houseplant 36. Dodge, as in a tax bill 38. Take the gold 39. Anti-seniors sentiment 40. Immigrate 41. Bold and without shame 43. Take illegal drugs 44. Adverb of steep
46. Tower of London guard 48. *Legalized in many states 49. Cambodian monetary unit, pl. 51. Gift toppers 53. *Major spring 2020 occurance 56. *23andMe unit 57. Baron Munchhausen, e.g. 58. Original thought 60. Not yes or no 61. Nobel Peace Prize home 62. Long forearm bone 63. Formal wear, colloquially speaking 64. *Review service 65. *Walter White’s concoction DOWN 1. Polished off 2. Mock or make fun of playfully 3. Seed covering 4. Late Baroque 5. *Harvey Weinstein’s new home, slangily 6. Part of chef’s uniform 7. Sunbaked, archaically speaking 8. Bird’s groomer 9. Opposite of knit 10. Competitive advantage 11. Combustion product 14. Boreal forest, in Russia
15. *Number sign turned metadata tag 20. Time being 23. Coffin alternative 24. Agenda entries 25. Turning point 26. Launch or throw 27. *Millennials’ followers, for short 28. One hipbone 29. “Madagascar” predator 30. *Site of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi/Houthi conflict 33. Best-laid plans often go ____ 34. Roman road 37. *Sites with no easy access 39. Anoint 41. Sandwich with acronym name 42. Ophthalmologist’s prescription quantity 45. Wild West group 47. Os 49. Pay hike 50. All told 51. One of the Bridges 52. December stone 53. Clever tactic 54. Opposite of busy 55. Copper coin 56. Greenwich-related acronym 59. Expression of pleasure
8A
Life on the Mountain
editorstandingstonescribe@gmail.com
We did it!
Standing Stone Scribe
May 2020
Story and photo by Rebekah K. Bohannon Beeler/Scribe
High fives all around! These ladies of Monterey High School Graduating Class of 2020 have completed their high school careers at the top of their class. Pictured are Third Honors Alexa Clarke, Valedictorian Ezmeralda Francisco-Moreno and Salutatorian Alexandra Garcia.
Top honors leave lasting impressions •Valedictorian• Esmeralda Francisco-Moreno Valedictorian Esmeralda Francisco-Moreno graduates Monterey High School summa cum laude and Tennessee Scholar, was awarded the Rotary Club of Cookeville’s Outstanding Rising Senior and November Student of the Month, DAR Good Citizen Award and essay winner, and was a Girl State delegate. During her high school career, she served as president of Future Business Leaders of America Club, I Am Club, secretary of Beta Club, vicepresident of National Honors Society, treasurer of Student Government, treasurer of S.A.D.D. Club and attended Rotary Youth Leadership Awards. She is the daughter of Andres Francisco and Esperanza Moreno, born the oldest of four siblings. She credits her family for being her most positive influence. She hopes she can be a motivator for her younger siblings and encourage them to chase their dreams. Her parents encouraged her to study hard and get good grades early on, but became something she expected of herself. Their class was super competitive with their academics. Her favorite subjects in school were psychology and sociology and she loves taking road trips with an awesome soundtrack. She looks forward to becoming more independent but already misses high school. Her favorite school memory was her senior Homecoming Week with spirit days and
playing powder puff football. Always seeking excellent marks in school, she advised students to find their own way of studying, utilizing all mediums and formats of material from video to notes, to find different ways to study the same material and make the information easier to retain. Her most influential teacher was MHS librarian Leigh Flatt. “She is a peer soul,” Moreno said. “I’m really thankful for her. I’m really glad I had her in my life.” Moreno plans to attend Tennessee Tech University to major in nursing and minor in business. “I love helping others,” she said. “I just want to test the waters on both ends so I can see what I like.” She will meet her future with the attitude of making options available to herself, building connections and getting a taste of everything. Her long-term goals include earning her master’s degree and work as a physician assistant. Ultimately, she wants to live a happy, wellrounded life. She advises, “Try to find different opportunities, especially where you’re trying to pick out something for the rest of your life. Test out every little thing and try to build connections so that way you can have a little taste of everything, see what you like and go from there.” Moreno leaves MHS with a final thought for future classes, “Enjoy every day as if it were your last. We, for sure, did not know that our last day was going to be our
last day. If I could go back, I definitely would.” •Salutatorian• Alexandra Garcia
Salutatorian Alexandra Garcia is graduating Monterey High School summa cum laude, with distinction and honors. She has served as president of Beta Club, Student Government and National Honors Society, as well as treasurer and secretary of Future Business Leaders of America and a member of SADD, SOS and I Am clubs. She is the daughter of Alex and Sandra Garcia. “I have always been a straight-A student,” she said. “That’s been my goal since starting high school, but I enjoy school. It was really competitive, but I think that only helped encourage me more.” Her study philosophy is time management and organization. With the school being so small, Garcia said the honor students spent so much time together across the years that they became a cohesive group, always pushing each other in friendly competition and supportiveness. “My friends and my classmates have been a big motivator for me,” Garcia said. Her favorite high school memories were being a senior during MHS Homecoming Week and participating in the senior parade. Her favorite
classes were history and humanities and studying different cultures and people. She also enjoys cooking, baking and photography. Of all her supportive teachers, she said, “Mrs. Pauli was the person I went to the most with everything. I’d say I was probably in Mrs. Pauli’s office at least twice a week,” she said, crediting Pauli with such care for her during her high school career and after. She plans to attend Tennessee Tech University and major in nutrition and dietetics. Her lasting impression is, “I miss what we were going to experience. While you’re in high school enjoy every second of it. Do what you think would be interesting. Whatever they hand you is at your disposal, so just take it.”
•Third Honors• Alexa Clarke Third honors Alexa Clarke is graduating Monterey High School as summa cum laude and Tennessee Schol-
ar with state distinction and was awarded Rotary Club Student of the Month. She is the daughter of Robert and Tammy Clarke and the younger of two sisters. Clarke said her family was very supportive and let her work toward her goals as she wanted. Her sister, Lauren, also graduated from the top three in her class. With Monterey High being a smaller school, she said, “It’s like we’re a family here. Each teacher you have teaches you like you’re their own kid. They help you and motivate you and they’re just always there for you. All of them just kind of helped in wanting me to pursue different goals and dreams.” She was the editor of the yearbook, served as a basketball manager, was a Beta Club member, Student Outreach member and secretary of the National Honors Society. She also enjoys public speaking and was very involved with the theater department, playing lead roles as Terk in “Tarzan” and Mrs. Potts in “Beauty and the Beast.” Her study advice is not to procrastinate or get overwhelmed.
The teacher who impacted Clarke the most was Carrie Jones. “Anything that I needed, whether it was help with English, help with theater, help with life. She was an awesome person and helped me through a lot,” she said. Her advice for life is, “Go with the flow. Don’t force anything. Don’t make anything happen that you don’t think should happen. Follow your heart.” She plans to attend the University of Tennessee Chattanooga and is considering a major in communications because it is so versatile. “There are many paths that could be taken with this,” she said. “I want to explore the possibilities of connecting with people.” Her advice for future classes is, “Don’t be afraid to do anything based on what other people think. Your true friends are going to be there for you no matter what you decide to do or what you decide to be involved in. So, if you want to be a part of the theater department, be a part of the theater department. If you want to join every single advanced placement class we have, do it.”
Elijah Reagan MHS Class of 2020
Lije! I am so proud of you! I love you very much! Love, Mamo
Chloe bug,
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You are reaching for the stars and I am so proud of you. Congratulations
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on graduating! We love you, Mom, Shawn, Bubba & Buster
Chloe Coe Class of 2020
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