As the kids head back to school, the state ranks Davidson County near bottom for child well being
By Amanda Haggard
PAGE 10
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Renowned Munich tourism researcher
Jürgen Schmude explains why holiday tourism gets on many people’s nerves.
Metro’s Fire Chief William Swann, who also oversees the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) will celebrate 30 years of service to the Metro Fire Department on Sept. 1.
Swann grew up in a large family and credits his parents for teaching him how to be responsible and accountable.
“The thing that drives me is working for the greater good,” Swann said. “I enjoy challenges. I enjoy making a difference in people’s lives.”
He joined the U.S. Army and served in operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. After serving for about five years, he left the military and was looking for a place where he could be involved in something bigger than himself.
“I wanted to give back,” Swann said. “And when I heard about the First Department and understood what the mission was, it was really a hand-in-a-glove fit.”
Over the years, he rose through the ranks and in 2018 became Nashville’s Fire Chief. The Fire Department employs roughly 1,500 employees with 18 full-time and one part-time staff at OEM.
What is the history behind combining the Fire Department and the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) under one department and is that typical for a city the size of Nashville?
The merging of OEM under the Fire Department took place under Chief [Stephen] Halford. It is not uncommon for a city of our size.
When you hear me speak, it’s always Fire and OEM. I merge them together. I don’t separate them. The men and women that work at OEM are a very essential part of our mission here at the Fire Department.
Anytime something happens in the city that overweighs one department, that overtaxes one entity and takes the whole city to mitigate and handle, then [the coordination] shifts to OEM. Then it is under my care, and I become like a conductor, just making sure that all the resources and things that need to take place to handle that situation are taken care of.
The Fire Department is an all-hazardous department. That means there is never a call under emergency circumstances that the Fire Department is not involved in. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a shooting, stabbing, homicide, suicides, drownings, whatever it may be, the Fire Department is always called because we respond to emergencies.
So, having OEM under the Fire Department is a very streamlined way of being proficient as a city. It cuts through a lot of red tape, and the relationships that we have forged are unheard of. A lot of cities actually envy how we work because here in Nashville, there are so many events that we deal with — not just emergencies but also planned events from concerts, marathons, ball games, other sporting events, whatever.
It takes a team. We do a lot of pre-planning, especially with Fire, Police, NDOT and many other departments. My point is, all of that comes together and it makes us work well, and not just among locals but also among our state and federal partnerships.
So, when [Metro] was trying to figure out
Q&A with Chief William Swann
BY JUDITH TACKETT
where OEM could reside, the Fire Department was a perfect fit.
You have been a leader through quite a few major disasters in Nashville such as the March 2020 tornado, followed immediately by the COVID-19 pandemic, the May 2020 Derecho, and then the Nashville Christmas Day Bombing in the same year. You also oversaw the emergency operations of the Covenant School Shooting. These disasters not only put a strain on the people who are directly affected and who are considered victims but also on staff. How do you take care of your team and yourself?
You know that expression that “there is no crying in baseball?” When I first came on in 1995, it was sort of that way in the Fire Department. You just did not talk about it. It was just the culture. That doesn’t mean things didn’t weigh heavy on people because we’re all human.
Where we are today, for me, there is nothing more important to me than the men and women that work for this department, and that’s Fire and OEM. They are the commodities that make this department work, and we have to keep constant vigilance on making sure that they have the tools that they need to do the job, they’ve got a fair wage, and we take care of their mental health.
Mental health is a big factor, and we realize that and have peer support groups, we have [several volunteer chaplains], and we now have a couple of mental health professionals who are a part of the department.
We deal with death in this department all the time. So we are very intentional with our crisis counselors and peer support teams. We’ve got protocols in place, and ensure we pull a company together [after a disaster where people lost their lives], and we give them a chance to reflect and give them the assistance they need.
You have the REACH program, which stands for Responders Engaged and Committed to Helping. It is a partnership with Mental Health Cooperative to co-respond on calls where people experience a mental health crisis. How is REACH going?
[Before] the REACH program … one of the things that we saw was how hospital ERs are getting inundated. When we got a 9-1-1 call, we got there and we realized that this person’s problem is not being sick, hurt or injured. It’s a mental health issue. Of course we loaded them into the ambulance, treated them as best we could and took them to the ER. And the ER, of course they’re for an emergency. So when they receive a patient who has a mental problem, they really cannot service them properly.
The REACH program is designed to make sure that our teams are getting [people with mental health issues] to the proper place for the proper help. Initially, it got partially funded so we would do peak hours. We’re very appreciative to the Mayor and the Metro Council for giving us a little over $400,000 to be able to do it now on a 24-hour basis. We got two more paramedics. We work closely with the [Metro Public] Health Department.
They’ve got clinicians as well who ride with us. What REACH does is, we work closely with 9-1-1. They take the call, they cipher through, “Is this an emergency for a physical injury or is it a psychological issue?” They dispatch out the appropriate response. And if it’s a mental issue, our [REACH] teams will respond. If you deal with mental patients, the response has to look different and having a clinician along with our paramedics, it just works well. I’ve just seen some remarkable stories. It helps not bog down the ERs.
Your department is set up to respond to disasters like the ones I mentioned above. As a leader, how do you take as much of a proactive approach as you can?
For any organization to be successful, there are four keys to success. You’ve got to analyze the situation, make a plan, implement that plan, and then constantly reevaluate that plan because times change and you have to sometimes re-tweak the plan and put it back out.
But training is the key to making sure you’re preparing yourself for things you’ve either encountered before, or you see a trend of things coming your way. We look at other cities. We are trying to look at some incidents that we see from floods, tornadoes, the drug epidemic, even school shootings.
We make sure we take time out to make a plan. And training is a part of this. We realize that to be ready, it takes effort and you’ve got to be intentional about that. And for a leader, it’s sometimes difficult because you’ve got to set aside time, even though you have emergencies you’re still responding to. But there is nothing more important than preparing your people.
How has the extreme weather impacted your operations over the past few years?
When I first came to the department, they had a tornado that hit Downtown Nashville, and it was crazy. Then we had the 2010 flood. And those things only happened once in a while. But now, every year, we have a tornado that seems to hit our city. And then of course, the extreme heat that we deal with.
It goes right back to those four keys to success. You’ve got to analyze, plan, implement and re-evaluate. What we try to do is look at best practices that we’ve done, we look at other cities, and we also learn from mistakes. I think all of us can say we probably learn more from our mistakes than our successes.
When it comes to extreme weather, as first responders, we stay closely connected with our partners at the National Weather Service and we just try to make sure that we get the tools we need to make us better.
What’s your role in serving the homeless population?
First of all, when we start to think about a Hazard Mitigation Plan or a CEMP (Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan) for the city, it’s an overall component of how we deal with emergencies for all citizens. So when we talk about our unhoused population, we try to keep up with where there are pockets of our unhoused population. We work closely
with April Calvin [the director of the Office of Homeless Services] and her team.
When it’s hot we go to known places and make sure that we take water and see if there is anything else [homeless folks] need. We check on people when it’s cold and hand out gloves and blankets. They’re thankful and appreciative. Most of the time, they are very educated about what they need. I mean they are survivalists. We don’t try to force anything on them. Then Metro has the cold weather shelter at Brick Church Pike.
And we always have other plans that we use if it becomes a heightened, more of an emergency situation. We got a strong partnership with the Municipal Auditorium, the Red Cross, and many other partners for those extreme situations.
But for our unhoused population, I think everybody has empathy and wants to make sure that we can do the best we can for them, and we’re definitely on board with helping anyway we can.
You have written a leadership book called Inspire, which was published last year. What is the main message you wanted to get across?
It’s a book about leadership. I think all of us are leaders. You may not be considered a chief, but you are parents, you are grandparents, you may be a supervisor at your workplace, or whatever. All of us are leaders, and this book gives 10 attributes for what I think would make up a great leader. It gives things from commitment, confidence, integrity, vision, communication, serving, responsibility, learning, passion and courage.
I tried to make this book very easy to read, but it’s very deep in thought. I think it will slow you down and make you really process. And I think it will make you the best that you can be. Each chapter starts out with a personal story of mine.
But my message was, all of us are leaders and I think we may be at different levels, but there’s instructions and there’s guidance and assistance and help to make you do better at where you are.
Anything else you would like to add?
At the end of the day, I would love for people to know about the servant leaders and first responders in the Fire Department and OEM. None of them want to be called heroes, but they are willing to put their lives on the line every time they are called.
I do want people to know, too, that they are human. We are human just like everybody else. Like I say in my book, there is courage. Courage doesn’t mean that you are not scared. But it means that you are doing it in spite of it, because you realize there is a task, or a mission, or something bigger than you to push you through that.
So, I hope people can really just get a great appreciation for the first responders from Fire, OEM, Police Department, and all your first responders. It’s not just a job, it’s truly a calling. And I am absolutely honored to be in the role that I am. I don’t take it for granted. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t wake up in the morning and thank God for the opportunity and also for some guidance.
Downtown Nashville Public Library to Remain Closed Beyond July 29
Nashville Public Library’s Main location, a hub for people experiencing homelessness, will remain closed beyond July 29, according to the library. Restoration experts initially targeted July 29 as a reopening date, but a multi-disciplinary team, “which includes restoration experts, professional engineers and industrial hygienists, have advised Library leadership to keep the Main Library closed until independent safety verification experts can conduct third-party reviews required for reopening,” a release from NPL reads. The main library closed following a June 10 fire in the adjacent parking garage. “We look forward to welcoming everyone back at the Main Library as soon as restoration experts tell us it is safe to reopen,” said Terri Luke, NPL Director. “Meanwhile, we are committed to serving our customers with free programs, helpful services, and access to the NPL collection at our branch locations across Nashville.” NPL offers other programs, free public computers and WiFi, access to the library collection, and free services through NPL’s Book-A-Librarian at branch locations across Davidson County. Books, audiobooks and e-books remain available online, and summer programming
News Briefs
continues at branch locations.
Apprenticeship Tennessee Wins $5.9M from U.S. Department of Labor
The U.S. Department of Labor awarded Apprenticeship Tennessee nearly $6 million to increase capacity of Registered Apprenticeship and state-certified pre-apprenticeship programs across the state, according to a release from Apprenticeship Tennessee. The grant funds will be used to develop Tennessee’s workforce in rural and underserved areas, expanding career pathways for a new generation of talent, the release says. The funding includes a $5 million grant for State Apprenticeship Expansion Formula, with an additional $939,312 from the grants awarded to all 50 states. “This funding represents a critical investment in Tennessee’s workforce and our state’s economic future. By expanding access to high-quality apprenticeship programs, more Tennesseans will have access to career building skills and employers will have a stronger talent pipeline, creating opportunities for our communities to thrive long-term,” said Tennessee Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner Deniece Thomas. “This grant award is not only a win for Apprenticeship Tennessee but a win for the entire state. It’s an investment
in young talent, ensuring they are prepared with industry-level skills, technical knowledge necessary for emerging fields, and career-connected learning,” said Christine Kidd, Project Leader at CFA. “We were honored to partner on this grant application and we are excited to help propel Tennessee’s many talented young people to success in these pivotal fields.”
OHS Releases Summer Resource Numbers
The Office of Homeless Services released a list of resources offered between high temperatures delivered from July 25 to Monday, July 28, between 9:00 a.m. and noon. In coordination with the Office of Emergency Management, OHS gave information on free dispatch rides to cooling shelters and safe locations. From June 22 through July 24 this summer, the department gave out almost 1,400 bus passes, 2,200 bottles of water, cooling towels, bug spray and sun screen.
Nashville’s Only Citywide Visual Arts Festival slated for late September
From Sept. 26-28 in Walk of Fame Park, visual arts festival Artville will bring “a vibrant mix of public art, music, and community programming” to both downtown and additional places across the city, according to a release.
UNLEASH
Your Potential
Artville is Nashville’s only public visual arts festival and will be in its third year this year. Walk of Fame Park will feature immersive, large-scale public art installations, alongside the American Artisan Festival featuring 65 contemporary handcraft and fine artisans, as well as food, live music, kids’ activities, and more. Artville 2025 will also feature several Artville After Dark events each evening with activations throughout the city including The Arcade 5th Ave of the Arts, The Neuhoff District in Germantown, and Wedgewood Houston. “In just three years, Artville has grown into Nashville’s first and only citywide arts festival — and we’re just getting started,” said Samantha Saturn, Artville Co-Founder. “For the first time, we’re expanding our footprint into Downtown with Walk of Fame Park as the festival’s central hub, while continuing to activate creative spaces including The 5th Avenue Arcade, The Neuhoff district in Germantown and Wedgewood Houston. Our mission is to make visual art accessible, visible, and celebrated across the entire city. This year’s lineup brings together an inspiring mix of emerging and established artists from Nashville and beyond, and we can’t wait to welcome everyone to Artville this fall to collect and enjoy all that these incredible artists have to offer.”
What’s your future hold? And how will you maximize it?
At Belmont University, we believe you were created by God for a purpose, and we want to guide you in developing your unique gifts, skills and character so you can make the world a better place. Christ-centered and known worldwide for our creative community, Belmont is the place where your hopes and dreams can take shape.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
Learn More About the Trump Administration’s Executive Order
The Trump Administration recently released an executive order that further stigmatizes homelessness and essentially shifts grant funding toward forced treatment and away from evidence-based solutions.
The executive order is called “Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Street” and moves away from a Housing First approach and encourages the institutionalization of people experiencing homelessness.
In other words, let’s lock people away rather than give them the housing coupled with the support services that they need.
The National Homelessness Law Center sums it up this way:
“Specifically, this order:
1. Expands the use of police and institutionalization to respond to homelessness.
2. Prioritizes funding for states that treat homelessness as a crime and end housing-based solutions.
3. Cuts off funding for life-saving programs like harm-reduction. Today’s executive order, combined with MAGA’s budget cuts for housing and healthcare, will increase the number of people forced to live in tents, in their cars, and on the streets.”
The National Alliance to End Homelessness is running a series of blogs to explain the different aspects of the executive order and its implications (visit endhomelessness.org/blog).
While executive orders are not laws, they weigh heavily in on how different departments adjust their policies. In other words, if department heads want to keep their jobs, they better follow the instructions.
And while we all expected the Trump Administration to move away from a Housing First approach, the order still sent a shock wave through the advocacy community.
The executive order specifically directs the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) “to mandate that recipients of homelessness assistance participate in mental health or substance abuse treatment as a condition of receiving aid,” as stated by the National Low Income Housing Coalition.
Federal grants will be reallocated to those cities and states that, in the words of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, “implement harmful, ineffective, and costly policies, such as bans on encampments and the forced institutionalization of people experiencing homelessness.”
My worst fears are coming true. Locking people away to move them out of sight is becoming the norm. Some national leaders share my concerns that we are on
BY JUDITH TACKETT
the road to setting up government-funded camps in order to move people out of sight.
Frankly, this is our own fault. The executive order takes advantage of our state and local failures to improve the systems that essentially create homelessness to begin with.
For decades, we have blamed people who have lost their housing when a job loss, medical bills — and yes, some people’s mental health struggles — have pushed them into homelessness. And rather than fixing our safety nets, we only managed to increase their barriers to housing. Trump’s executive order calls for interventions that will exacerbate those issues.
Making homelessness invisible does not solve it.
Forced mental health treatment will cost us more than housing people. And the social cost for individuals and communities will likely be even higher because we know this approach will not stem the increase in homelessness we’re about to see across the nation.
In my conversation with Rod Wipond, the author of “Your Consent Is Not Required,” a book about forced treatment, he mentioned that on average a psychiatric bed costs between $2,000-$3,000 per night. The Contributor put this piece to press in the days before the executive order was released.
That number Wipond quoted blew my mind. I found a cost chart to check it online, dated 2024, that showed that an inpatient psychiatric bed at East Tennessee Behavioral Health has a per diem rate ranging between $675 and $2,500.
In comparison, through my consulting work with local nonprofits, I know that the average cost for permanent supportive housing per day currently adds up to about $80 per household in Nashville. This cost specifically is for PSH units that serve people with severe and persistent mental health and/or substance use disorders. And finally, the average cost per night for a temporary bed with intensive supportive services also comes
The National Alliance to End Homelessness is running a series of blogs to explain the different aspects of the executive order and its implications.
Read the blog by scanning this QR code or visit endhomelessness.org/blog
to about $80.
We know what ends homelessness, and locking people away in jails and mental health facilities is not it. As a matter of fact, the Veterans Administration has a proven track record. It has successfully reduced Veteran homelessness nationwide by 55 percent since 2010 through a Housing First approach, which offers housing plus support services.
I wish we would not focus so much on the term Housing First. In a recent conversation with Dr. Sam Tsemberis, who is credited with founding Housing First (see June 18 issue), he stressed the importance of focusing on building ongoing relationships with people living on the streets and being there and accessible for them throughout the housing process, even after they’re housed.
Tsemberis said that fundamentally, that’s what Housing First is all about — relationship building. This will allow us to give people with severe mental health issues and/or substance use issues a choice, and following alongside them is key to helping them find the solutions that stick. If they are not successful and lose housing, we immediately focus on rehousing them — because we have that strong relationship with each other.
Critics of the Housing First approach focus on the fact that too many programs that claim they’re doing Housing First help people obtain housing and then drop the support services part of it. That’s what some advocates, including me, call Housing First Light. It doesn’t work for the populations who need intensive mental health and recovery services. And it creates a schism between those who promote Housing First and those who promote recovery services.
Another criticism I have heard is that Housing First is not feasible because it calls for a low case management ratio of one case manager for every 10-12 people. The criticism is that such a low case management ratio is not sustainable due to a lack of resources.
However, going back to the cost of forced treatment for people with severe
and persistent mental illness ($675 per day at a minimum) versus the cost of housing-based treatment ($80 per day), that argument won’t stand. By the way, the cost of a 30-day inpatient drug treatment facility can cost as much as $80,000$100,000. And a jail stay in Davidson County currently averages $115 per night. Which then makes me ask, who will get the grants and dollars of the federal government to run these treatment centers and forced confinement facilities? If we talk about forced treatments, we are really speaking about jail, a mental health treatment hospital, or a drug rehab center. Could it possibly be that the government will end up funneling grant dollars to private organizations that enrich themselves on the poor? I guess time will tell.
What can local governments do?
For one, let’s focus on what it truly means to build a system. In Nashville, the Mayor and Metro Council have increased the city investment in the Office of Homeless Services from less than $2 million in 2022 to $11 million in FY2025/26.
That is a good amount of money: we need a transparent plan from Metro to show how the city intends to invest its dollars, and how it will supplement the shift in federal grant dollars. This could lead to productive conversations within the homelessness sector that show how we could utilize federally allocated dollars to overhaul our antiquated outreach strategy.
We could then further outline what dollars would support services for shelter/ temporary beds to move more people indoors within a system that focuses on helping people access permanent housing within an average of 90 days.
Such an approach would focus on how our community could utilize city funding to come alongside PSH providers and fund much-needed long-term recovery services for people with mental illness and substance use disorders.
Essentially, what Nashville needs is to invest in a strong Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team. If we do this in a smart and collaborative way that shows results, it will make sense for local funders to come alongside Metro and expand this approach in a sustainable way.
Having an approach that sustainably reduces street homelessness by taking a multi-sector team approach that follows people on their journey from street to housing and continues to support people once they are housed will counteract some of the effects of the White House executive order on homelessness.
If we do this right, Nashville can be at the forefront and be a model to show how cities can reduce street homelessness by housing people long-term and providing them with treatment options rather than locking people away through forced institutionalization.
Remember Who You Are? Remember Who I Am?
Written by Chris Scott Fieselman, Vendor #0015
Even when they say that, I’m a Very Bad Influence? That’s to be expected from, Way too much Experience. And leaving so many things up to chance? Safely in God’s Hands? Again? - And Again? - And Again? “I didn’t see that one coming. That’s not what I had planned” I’m doing the best I can, With what I’ve got to work with. Everything else is just, Un-necessary - Extravagance... You can either be there, For the Wealth and the Money? Or you can be there for your Friends? You can either care about being there... Or not even give a damn...
Remember Who You Are? Remember Who I Am?
Like a Message in a Bottle. Like a Treasure you were meant to find. Like a little reminder - Left behind. Can a song bring sight to The Blind? I’m not scared of the mountains out there, That still have yet to be climbed. I don’t mind - Being an example, Of what it means to Be Kind? Taken advantage of time after time, And barely making a dime. If they don’t write them like that anymore. What in The Hell am I doing this for? 16 years here in Music City, And only heard through the written word? Treat every person you happen to meet, Like a Guest who has entered your World.
Remember Who You Are? Remember Who I Am?
Just another beggar out there selling papers, You hardly even take the time to notice. So very friendly and far too content, It kind of leaves you wondering? “What are this man’s Intentions? And what are his Ulterior Motives? What is he trying to get from me?” Instead of... “What is he trying to give?” Like I really care? Him standing out there, Waving his papers up in the air. Have you ever seen a fool hard at work? He looks like an idiot... Looks like a jerk... And it seems like they’re showing up, More and more often, Damn near... Just about... Everywhere. “Nobody said: Life is Fair...”
Remember Who You Are? Remember Who I Am?
Life’s Not Fair
Written by Chris Scott Fieselman, Vendor #0015
Cops are always smiling, When they’re racial profiling. You’re Latino, Arab, Black, Then you’d better watch your back. If you can’t afford a lawyer, Court Appointed one for you. If you can’t make bond or bail, You’re going to sit your ass in jail.
Life’s Not Fair... Who the hell cares? It’s the same everywhere... But don’t despair.
When you find someone to Love’s, Got your back when times get rough, And you give away your heart, Say you’ll never be apart. Then one day you come to find, Why they say that “Love is Blind,” And it’s gonna hurt like hell, When they find somebody else.
Life’s Not Fair... Who the hell cares? It’s the same everywhere... But don’t despair.
When you first start getting high, With each new drug that you try, Makes you want a little more, Than the drug you did before. Then desire turns to need, And you know you’ve been deceived, But there’s nothing you can do. Cause, the drug’s got hold of you.
Life’s Not Fair... Who the hell cares? It’s the same everywhere... But don’t despair.
What have we become?
When our kids are carrying guns, And they’re thinking that it’s cool, To bring a weapon into school. Out of pride, revenge and hate. In a second, it’s too late. Another innocent one dies. Another family just cries.
Life’s Not Fair... Who the hell cares?
It’s the same everywhere... But don’t despair.
To thy self you must be true. What’s a person ‘sposed to do? When each day it gets so hard, To find some work or find a job. Struggle just to find a way, To make it through another day. In these really desperate times, Do good people turn to crime?
Life’s Not Fair... Who the hell cares? It’s the same everywhere... But don’t despair.
The people we elect,
Say they’ll serve us and protect,
But we know that it’s not true,
When we see the things, they do.
Do they really think we buy?
All their bull-shit and their lies.
Do they think that we can’t tell?
They’re just out to help themselves.
Life’s Not Fair... Who the hell cares?
It’s the same everywhere... But don’t despair.
THEME: BACK TO SCHOOL
62. Location of altar
ACROSS
1. *Report ____
5. One on the beat
8. Put on the payroll
12. Fan sound
13. Buckeye State
14. Indy entrant
15. Table mountain
16. 2021 movie “The Harder They ____”
17. Carry away, in a way
18. *____ Readers
20. Weary walk
21. Basketry stick 22. *____ time for preschoolers
23. Plums and cherries genus
26. Allegiance
30. Crew propeller
31. Rh in Rh disease
34. Your majesty
35. Miss of the Muppets
37. Band event
38. Asci, sing.
39. Olympic castaway
40. *Didn’t fail
42. Frozen H2O
43. Took a penny-farthing, e.g.
45. *Punctuation marks for famous words
47. Maltese or Havanese, e.g.
48. *Use Play-Doh
50. Cheap trinket
52. *3+x=10, e.g.
55. Soviet place of exile
56. Curtis, to friends
57. Beehive state
59. *Olden-day notebook
60. Honey-producing facility
61. Sushi restaurant soup
63. Type of poem
64. Sing like Ella Fitzgerald
DOWN
1. Mountain basin
2. Attention grabber
3. Reduced Instruction Set
Computer
4. Hiccup’s Toothless, e.g.,
5. Irritate by rubbing
6. Persian Gulf ship
7. Multi-
8. *”Get out of classroom” permit (2 words)
9. International Civil Aviation Organization
10. Retired, shortened
11. Bard’s before 13. Lacking cordiality
14. Settle a debt
19. Unethical loaner’s practice
22. Us, in Mexico
23. Temporary store
24. Reason to strike
25. Prodded
26. Totes or tugs
27. Permissible
28. Cease-fire
29. Many affirmatives
32. “Good grief!”
33. Bro’s counterpart
36. *School alum
38. Next step for juvenile
40. Margaret, for short
41. Describe as similar
44. Elks’ hangout
46. Poppy derivative, pl.
48. Marine cephalopod
49. *Grading arch
50. Big one at 7-Eleven
51. Regrettably, exclamation
52. Sound reflection
53. Auditory
54. U.S. space agency, acr.
55. Geological Society of America
58. *Van Halen’s “____ for Teacher”
When is tourism too much for a city?
Millions of people spend their holidays in Hamburg every year. Renowned Munich tourism researcher Jürgen Schmude explains why this gets on many people’s nerves.
Hinz&Kunzt: Why do people go on holiday to the city when it’s so much more relaxing on the coast?
Jürgen Schmude: Recreation is no longer the only decisive reason for travelling. Today, people also travel for culture, sport, shopping or culinary delights. There is also a large group that simply loves travelling to cities. This has become increasingly differentiated over the past 20 years.
What else has changed?
Our parents and grandparents traditionally took three or four weeks of holiday to restore their working capacity. Today, the average duration of the main holiday in Germany is 12 days. People are travelling more often, and city breaks are particularly suitable as a second or third trip.
There were more than 16 million overnight stays by tourists in Hamburg last year. When is tourism too much for a city?
There is no magic number at which the limit is reached. In tourism science, we talk about the sustainability of destinations. It has different dimensions: the perceptual capacity of a city is exceeded if the locals’ perception of their quality of life is impaired, for example because it is crowded everywhere.
Only eight per cent of people in Hamburg feel disturbed by tourists. More than half
BY BENJAMIN BUCHHOLZ
believe that tourism also contributes to the wellbeing of residents.
Around half of the population like it full – even when they go on holiday themselves. Obviously, the capacity limit has not yet been reached in Hamburg. Nevertheless, care must be taken not to exceed it.
There is sometimes criticism of the concentration of tourism in central city districts or the many major events. However, a Schlagermove [a German festival celebrating Schlager music] on the outskirts of the city would probably not work.
Nevertheless, many destinations are trying to channel tourist flows into the area so that not everyone goes to the main attraction. Hamburg doesn’t have the Brandenburg Gate or the Eiffel Tower, which is an advantage. Nevertheless, there are locations where we do have overcrowding, but it’s obviously not yet so strong that the locals are up in arms.
Tourists in Barcelona have already been shot at with water pistols. Where does the anger there come from?
Especially in Barcelona and Mallorca, shortterm lettings have got totally out of hand. Rents have risen and the locals can no longer afford the housing. In their eyes, the tourists are to blame, although it is the locals who are taking the accommodation off the market and prefer to rent it out for short periods because they
can make a higher profit.
What can you do apart from shouting at tourists?
Barcelona is trying to get to grips with this problem by limiting the number of licences for short-term rentals. Other cities have limited them to a maximum of 90 days per year, Berlin for example.
In Hamburg, a flat may only be rented out partially or temporarily as holiday accommodation. Venice is now trying to stem the flood of people by charging admission fees for day visitors.
If you come to Venice by cruise ship, you can also pay an entrance fee of €10 – that won’t put anyone off. The effect of this fee is therefore zero. On the positive side, the funds are being used to “repair” the consequences of tourism. But basically, you run the risk of tourism becoming an elitist product again, which only the better-off can afford if you increase the prices.
Isn’t it anyway?
Travel is an achievement of the 20th century. The democratization of travel is one of the major challenges of the 21st century. Eighty percent of Germans go on holiday every year. This gives us one of the highest participation rates in Europe. The remaining 20 percent are divided into a half who do not want to go on holiday and a half who cannot – for example,
for health or financial reasons.
Hamburg’s tourism industry is delighted with an average of €103.47 per night in a hotel room, the highest revenue of any city in Germany. So, if you want to go on holiday in Hamburg, you need a lot of money. Nevertheless, the number of overnight stays is back at pre-pandemic levels. Has COVID had no lasting effect on tourism?
We had assumed that people would travel more sustainably after the pandemic. You can forget that completely – we have fallen back into the old patterns of travel behaviour.
How come?
Because we display a certain schizophrenia. We separate green glass from brown glass from white glass in everyday life, but when we go on holiday, we don’t care. It’s a form of escapism, an escape from the everyday world.
But you do want to try, how do you travel sustainably?
Arrival and departure account for between 60 and 80 per cent of the travel footprint. This is the best place to make adjustments: if you don’t fly, choose a slower journey or travel less often, your footprint gets smaller.
Translated from German via Translators Without Borders. Courtesy of Hinz&Kunzt / INSP.ngo
GROSSE FREIHEIT, HAMBURG. PHOTO BY MICHAEL KUCHARSKI
Tips For Getting The School Year Off To A Good Start
The start of a new school year can be an exciting yet stressful time. Here are just a few things to keep in mind to make it more enjoyable for students, their families and the teachers.
Establish good routines by creating a consistent schedule for getting up, going to bed, and for doing other things like:
1. Homework. If possible, have a dedicated space for studying and completing assignments. This can help to promote a sense of normalcy and reduce the stress and uncertainty typically associated with heading back to class.
2. Eating. Do what you can to eat a well-balanced diet to maintain your energy level throughout the day.
3. Sleep. The importance of a good night’s rest cannot be overstated. Adequate sleep leads to better physical and mental health and helps students focus on their school work, often leading to better performance in ALL types of school activities, including testing
and sports.
BY NORMA B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
4. Exercise. Engaging in physical activities you enjoy like walking, jogging, playing sports, even dancing can improve mood, cognitive function and the ability to focus. It has been suggested that even 15 minutes a day can reduce stress, though 60 minutes is ideal to get the most benefit out of it.
Parents, help your children organize books, binders, backpacks, etc. Teach them how to prepare without doing it all for them. This takes time and patience, but it can help prepare them for other things that come up during the day and in life in general. Always encourage your children to do their best no matter what assignment they’re given.
Help your children set reasonable goals/ expectations for themselves. If you or they set unrealistic goals for them and they don’t succeed, they are likely to get discouraged and give up.
Kid’s Corner
Created by Mccollonough Ceili
Listen to how your child thinks and feels and let them know you’ll be there for them with extra support if and when it’s needed. Communicate any concerns openly with your child and their teachers to identify strengths and weaknesses BEFORE they become an issue.
With so much to do — school, work, extracurricular activities, etc. — and only 24 hours in a day it can be difficult to get everything done. Balance is key to avoid burnout. What can you do?
• Take some time for things you enjoy away from school like family and friends, art, music, or spending some time appreciating the many wonders of nature all around you.
• If you enjoy writing, try journaling as an outlet. You may surprise yourself with the variety of stories you come across in your daily life while going through your daily routine that you can share with others or keep to yourself! As an extra added bonus it often helps
to relieve stress!
One last note: As you shop for your child’s school supplies, why not go the extra mile and ask their teacher if they have any specific needs. Examples include: Kleenex, baby wipes, hand sanitizer, band-aids, dry erase markers, etc.
Card stock paper is often used to produce more durable copies as well as craft projects. Similarly, laminating sheets are often used to preserve copies for future use, but are rarely donated.I also learned that scented pens or markers are popular among elementary school teachers and students used for grading papers.
These things may seem extravagant, but actually they are VERY practical, and if they are not provided, our teachers often spend money out of their own pockets to get them — even though the job doesn’t pay enough for them to live at or near where they work. That hardly seems fair to me. What about you?
Coloring the Days
Can you name a different color for each day of the week? For example the color Red makes me think of Monday, because that is often a crazy busy day.
School Supplies
As the kids head back to school, the state ranks Davidson County near bottom for child well being
A series of county profiles and rankings released by the state just as kids head back to school for classes put Davidson County in the lowest 10 of all counties for child well being, a sobering reminder of the challenges facing children and families in Nashville. For many local kids, the challenges begin long before they step inside a classroom.
The set of profiles, released by the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth, used 57 key indicators to “rank each county in critical areas that
shape child development.”
BY AMANDA HAGGARD
Those indicators include economic well-being, education, health, and family and community support — all of which work together to determine whether children are set up for success.
The county-level breakdowns identify strengths and areas for growth for every county in the state and they also include policy recommendations aimed at creating better outcomes for children and families. The Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth works as an independent agency and was created
by the Tennessee General Assembly in 1988. Its work is focused on systems improvement for all children, youth and families through data-driven advocacy, education and collaboration.
Inside the recommendations, the report offers two major suggestions for improving child well being in the county. One is to improve the youth crime rate. The county scored among the bottom three counties for youth crime rates among children aged 1017. Recommendations from the state included addressing youth crime at a
community level using prevention, early intervention with targeted intensive services and re-entry planning.
The second recommendation is improving the housing cost burden: “Pro-active housing policy that helps ensure affordable housing is available for people to live where they work can improve negative outcomes related to high housing costs,” the policy recommendation reads.
It goes on to say that the county “might include approving more apartment construction and allowing rental
Inside the recommendations, the report offers two major suggestions for improving child well being in the county:
• improve the youth crime rate
• improve the housing cost burden
of accessory dwelling units, creating a standard zoning approval process and applying for affordable housing trust fund competitive grants. Improving ease of usage and communication with landlords and renters using Housing Choice Vouchers can increase the number of landlords willing to accept vouchers.”
It also notes the difficulties around child care cost burden, where Davidson County ranked 55th in the year previous but 86th in this ranking. That steep drop reflects the growing strain on working families as child care costs continue to outpace wages, making it harder for parents to work while ensuring their children receive quality care.
The report ranked Davidson County 88th overall in education. Despite the ranking, the data shows that the district has made progress and improvement over the last assessment in high school graduation rates, TCAP scores in math and literacy.
Almost every other county saw improvements in education: The TCAP scores used in the report showed 38.9 percent of students were proficient in reading, an increase from 37.6 the pre-
vious year. Williamson County ranked first in reading proficiency while Lake County in northwest Tennessee ranked last.
Davidson County’s Superintended Adrienne Battle sent a message to parents ahead of the school year noting district TCAP result gains over previous years. She noted the following improvements:
• Highest achievement in district history in all tested subjects since the adoption of more rigorous state standards and proficiency level targets.
• Improvements in 19 out of 21 grade-level subject areas in grades 3-8.
• Double-digit growth since 2021 in all tested subjects, including a 19.2-point gain in Math and a 17.5-point gain in Social Studies.
• Larger proficiency gains than the state in nearly every tested subject.
“These gains aren’t just statistics,” Battle wrote to parents. “They represent students closing learning gaps, building
confidence, and preparing for bright futures. Our teachers have spent the summer and past week engaged in professional learning and planning to keep that momentum going strong from Day 1. We remain committed to ensuring every student in Nashville Public Schools is known, cared for, supported, valued, and on a guaranteed path to success.”
Though the data is from 2023, a release from the state revealed that overall almost 19 percent of all children in the state lived below the federal poverty level that year. It paints a pretty grim picture for all children across the state. “Nearly two-thirds of Tennessee counties had one in five children living below the federal poverty level,” the report reads.
Lack of health insurance was also among the greatest issues for many counties across the state as well as rate of abuse and neglect, crime rate among kids 10-17 the rate of children in public kindergarten without the full immunization series.
In Davidson County, more than 50 percent of all children were using TennCare for health insurance, and overall
in the state 5.3 percent of all kids were uninsured. That percentage represents tens of thousands of young people without consistent access to health care.
TCCY Executive Director Richard Kennedy said the profiles were built to be a valuable state-level resource, but that they are “designed primarily to help county officials, nonprofit organizations, and local communities identify areas of success, pinpoint opportunities for improvement, and guide their priorities and funding decisions for the coming year.”
Overall, the counties that ranked in the top 10 are: Williamson, Wilson, Weakley, Sumner, Rutherford, Loudon, Trousdale, Carroll, Gibson and Blount Counties. The counties ranked for the most improvement alongside Davidson were: Sequatchie, Lauderdale, Grundy, Johnson, Haywood, Hardeman, Madison, Shelby and Lake Counties.
For Davidson County, the report is a reminder: Without targeted investment in housing, child care, health care, and community safety, the city’s youngest residents will continue to face steep odds, both in and outside of the classroom.
Your Gift Economy
A response to “The Serviceberry” by Robin Wall Kimmerer
The gift economy already exists. All you have to do is join it. But before you decide to do that, here’s a quick definition in case you haven’t heard of this term “the gift economy” before.
Examples of the gift economy
• Little free libraries
• Free food boxes in your neighborhood.
• Public parks, roads, and bathrooms
• Gardeners who share their harvest
• Sharing what you have, such as cigarettes, sodas, dollars with someone who is simply in need.
• Stopping to help a stranger who might be lost, injured, or simply confused or frightened.
• Getting to know your neighbors. Helping where you can.
• Offering a ride, a bus pass or a free travel resource. Like piggy back rides!
• All parenting is a gift. There’s no monetary exchange or obligation involved. A person with conscience will feel an obligation later in life. That is called reciprocity. It might not be direct, it might not be directly to the people
BY FREEPRESSGMA, CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
who cared for you, but it might be to someone who cared for others as well.
• The Nashville Greenway
• Public libraries
• Public schools
• Free Farm stands
• Food giveaways from churches and others.
• Helping a friend to move rather than having them pay to move.
• Peer to peer lending
• Cooperative Farms
• A person who helps you change your tire on the side of the road.
The thing to remember is that we commodify things because it requires work to get the thing to the market. We want to be paid for our time. But this arrangement has been warped and twisted over time by people who were influential thinkers in the past.
Many men from the past who were considered prominent thinkers have shaped our ideas in the present. Let me give you an example.
Garrett Hardin wrote “The Tragedy of the Commons” in 1968. His theory, now taken as
gospel by selfish men everywhere, states that men cannot be trusted with resources held in common. They will inevitably destroy the Commonwealth. (Nary a mention of corporate stealing, slaughter and resource decimation.) Never has a group of people relying on each other destroyed the resources everyone relied on. It was not until the introduction of the concept of private property that destruction to communities and nature occurred.
We have so many contradictory examples of the commons as a sustainable resource. Libraries being a prominent one. People share books and treat them nicely all the time. People share public parks and treat them pretty well most of the time. With a belief like, “people will destroy and take advantage whenever possible,” deeply ingrained in our culture, it is a surprise that the commons are treated so well. Most people’s beliefs run counter to this idea that we all share something that we are all dependent on and that we cannot get away from called the Earth.
• “All flourishing is mutual” - Robin Wall Kimmerer
Joke of the Issue
BY HOWARD P., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
A preacher wanted to find out what type of vocation his teenaged son would possibly choose, so he devised a test.
He placed in his son’s room $500 cash, a whiskey bottle and a Bible. If the son took the money he was going to be in finance, if he picked up the Bible he was going to be a preacher like his dad, and if he picked up the bottle he was going to be a drunkard.
When the son got home his dad was hiding in his closet watching. The son saw the things sitting on his night stand and picked up the money and put it in his pocket. The dad thought, “Yeah, Finance.”
The teen then picked up the bottle, took a taste, and put it into his pocket. The dad thought, “What is going on?”
The teen then picked up the Bible leafed through it and then placed it under his arm and started walking out of the room when the dad fell out of the closet crying.
“NO, NO, NO, He’s going to be a politician!”
• The Serviceberry is my teacher
• To give away is to become rich and secure
• Indirect reciprocity helps us all to thrive
• Commodification of gifts freely given by the earth, such as soil, water, air and plants violates the nature of the gift.
• To give is to signify that you are thriving. If you are not thriving, giving means you get to join the community that is thriving.
• Giving of your time and resources creates a bond that is far stronger than any commodified transaction.
Dr. Elinor Ostrum won the Nobel prize in Economic Sciences by proving that “collective action, trust, and cooperation can lead to the mutual well-being of land and people without degrading commonly held resources.” - R.W. Kimmerer
So what are we waiting for? Let’s jump in and build or continue to build our network of the gift economy.
BY AARON S., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
LA NOTICIA
“The Contributor” está trabajando con uno de los principales periódicos en español La Noticia para llevar contenido a más lectores en Middle Tennessee. Nuestros vendedores de periódicos han pedido durante mucho tiempo que nuestra publicación incluya contenido que apele al interés de residentes de habla hispana en nuestra comunidad.
“The Contributor” is working with one of the leading Spanish-language newspapers La Noticia to bring content to more readers in Middle Tennessee. Our newspaper vendors have long requested that our publication include content that appeals to the interest of Spanish-speaking residents in our community.
Gobernador Bill Lee moviliza Guardia Nacional de Tennessee en apoyo a ICE
C u s t o m s E n fo r c e m e n t ( I C E ) c o m o p a r t e d e u n e s f u e r z o n a c i o n a l i m p u l s a d o p o r
l a a d m i n i s t r a c i ó n d e l p r e s i d e n t e
D o n a l d Tr u m p p a r a i n t e n s i f i c a r l a s
d e p o r t a c i o n e s
El anun cio se dio durante la visita del gober nador a Nor ris Dam State Park, como par te de su gira por los parques estatales de Tennessee en conmemoración del 250º aniversario de Estados
U n i d o s M i e n t r a s r e c o r r í a e l l u g a r
a c o m p a ñ a d o p o r f u n c i o n a r i o s y
guardaparques, Lee habló con la prensa sobre el nuevo acuerdo de colabo-
r a c i ó n c o n e l D e p a r t a m e n t o d e
Se guridad Nacional (DHS) y la par ticipación activa de Tennessee en los operativos mig ratorios a nivel federal
“Estados Unidos ha sido claro: los c r i m i n a l e s , e s p e c i a l m e n t e l o s i n m ig rantes ile gales que están en nuestras calles, que per tenecen a pandillas, que trafican drogas o personas, deben ser retirados y de por tados,” expresó Lee “Tennessee quiere ser un socio en esa misión ”
Acuer do bajo el prog rama 287(g) El acuerdo entre la Guardia Nacional de Tennessee e ICE se enmarca en el prog rama 287(g), una política federal
que per mite a agencias estatales y locales asumir funciones limitadas de control mig ratorio En este caso, los miembros de la Guardia Nacional no estarán en funciones de patr ullaje o detención, sino en tareas administrativas y logísticas dentro de centros de procesamiento de ICE en el estado
Se gún infor mó la oficina del gobernador, los guardias serán movilizados bajo el estatus Título 32, lo que les permite operar bajo órdenes estatales con f i n a n c i a m i e n t o f e d e r a l S u s l a b o r e s incluirán ing reso de datos, gestión de casos y apoyo logístico, per mitiendo q u e e l p e r s o n a l f e d e r a l d e I C E s e enfoque en operativos de campo
Lee ase guró que esta decisión responde a u n a s o l i c i t u d fo r m a l d e l
De par tamento de Se guridad Nacional y fo r m a p a r t e d e l c o m p r o m i s o d e Tennessee con la cooperación interinstitucional
Conoce tus derechos:
¿Que hacer en caso de una redada?
Mantenerse callado
Sólo dar nombre y apellido
No mentir
Nunca acepte/lleve documentos falsos
No revelar su situación migratoria
No llevar documentación de otro país
En caso de ser arrestado, mostrar la Tarjeta Miranda sados en la Quinta Enmienda de la Constitución, derechos de guardar silencio y contar con un ogado fueron denominados Derechos Miranda go de la decisión de la Suprema Corte de Justicia Estados Unidos en el caso Miranda vs Arizona, 4 U S 436, de 1966
Un contexto de endurecimiento migratorio
La participación de la Guardia Nacional no es la primera colaboración estatal con ICE en Tennessee En los últimos meses, el Departamento de Correcciones y el Departamento de Seguridad Nacional del estado también se sumaron al programa 287(g) Además, varias oficinas del alguacil en el este de Tennessee, inc luyendo los condados de Knox, Greene, Cumberland, Grainger y Morgan, se han adherido a este controvertido acuerdo
ICE describe el prog rama 287(g) en tres modalidades:
Modelo de Ejecución en Cárceles: Permite a oficiales identificar y procesar a personas deportables que ya se encuentran bajo custodia por cargos penales
Modelo de Fuerza de Tarea: Autoriza a oficiales a ejercer facultades migratorias limitadas durante funciones policiales rutinarias, como retenes de tráfico Programa de Oficiales de Órdenes de Arresto: Entrena y certifica a oficiales locales para ejecutar órdenes administrativas de detención emitidas por ICE Si bien el gobernador Lee ha defendido esta política como una her ramienta para remover a "criminales peligrosos", organizaciones defensoras de derechos civiles y de la comunidad inmigrante han expresado su preocupación por el impacto que esta colaboración pueda
tener en familias trabajadoras y comunidades vulnerables
Reacciones y preocupaciones
Diversos sectores han adver tido sobre los riesgos de que las agencias estatales se involucren en la aplicación de leyes mig ratorias federales Organizaciones como ACLU Tennessee han denunciado que el prog rama 287(g) tiende a fomentar perfiles raciales, erosiona la confianza entre las comunidades inmig rantes y las autoridades, y desvía r e c u r s o s e s t at a l e s d e p r i o r i d a d e s locales más urgentes
Por otro lado, líderes empresariales y comunitarios han manifestado inquietud ante la posibilidad de que estas acciones afecten la economía del estado, en especial sectores donde la mano de obra inmigrante es esencial, como la agricultura, la construcción, y el sect or servicios
Miembros de la comunidad empresarial, del sector nonprofit y de la comunidad en general han comenzado a pedir mayor transparencia en la implementa ció n del pro g ra ma , a sí co mo espacios de diálogo con las autoridades municipales y estatales para ase gurar que no se violen los derechos civiles ni se afecte la convivencia comunitaria
Un camino que apenas comienza
El gober nador Lee reiteró que la planificación para este desplie gue aún está en curso y que se continuará coord i n a n d o c o n a ge n c i a s f e d e r a l e s y estatales para definir los detalles logíst i c o s d e l a o p e r a c i ó n A ñ a d i ó q u e Tennessee está dispuesto a “utilizar t o d a s l a s h e r r a m i e n t a s n e c e s a r i a s ” p a r a ap oya r a l a a d m i n i s t r a c i ó n
Tr ump en su estrate gia mig ratoria
Esta colaboración marca un nuevo capítulo en la relación entre las autoridades estatales de Tennessee y las políticas federales migratorias, y coloca al estado en el centro del debate nacional sobre el papel de las entidades locales en la aplicación de leyes migratorias
A m e d i d a q u e ava n c e n l a s i m p l em e n t a c i o n e s d e l p r o g r a m a 2 8 7
Por Yuri Cunza Editor in Chief @LaNoticiaNe ws
Año 23 - No 419
Go ver nor Bill Lee Mobilizes Tennessee Na tional Guard in Suppor t of ICE
Foto arch vo: Yuri Cunza
Having been secure in housing for almost 20 years, I began to see what areas in my life still needed to be ironed out. Got the home, got the job, got the self esteem back but one thing still remained outstanding: the privilege and right to vote!
An incident of poor judgment on my part back in 1993 caused me to lose my voting rights, the right to posses and carry a firearm, and the ability to be fully restored to full
Fully Restored
BY CHUCK C., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
participation in citizenship. I had heard from several sources that the state of Tennessee had made it very difficult to start and complete this process. I saw a flyer on one of my co-workers office walls at Room In The Inn, so I scanned the QR code and entered all my personal information as required on the form provided.
Within a few weeks I was put in touch with Free Hearts here in Nashville and the process was started by one of their dedicated
Staying Well
BY JAMIE W., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
I wish I could ever just stay well. I can’t win for losing. One month ago I had a stroke and now I’m in Centennial Medical Center. I’ve been here one week as of writing this. I’ve been trying to get help for my stomach problems. I really miss my husband and my cats. I also miss all of my newspaper customers.
I’m not sure when I will get home. They want me to go to a rehab place to help my legs get stronger from when I broke my leg a few years ago. I just wish I was not sick all the time. Why does bad stuff have to happen to us? This year has not been great. Last winter, my COPD was acting up. In February my Daddy passed away. In March, my husband had a heart
attack. And now all this health stuff with me. I just pray for better days. I hope something good would happen for a change. I don’t know how much more I can take. God help us. I miss everyone. I miss my husband and the cats. I need some kind of better luck. I just don’t understand. I want better days. I wish I could say hi to everyone, but all I can do is pray for better days. I miss my husband and my cats. God help us. I miss selling papers. I hope people can continue to pray for better and happier days. I know my husband misses me. I know a lot of people miss me. Everyone at The Contributor, may God bless everyone there and may God bless all of my customers.
Mr. Donald Trump
BY JAMES “SHORTY” R., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
Mr. Donald Trump,
Since you got elected in office this yer, you got on national TV to explain your plan to the United States of America. What your plans are. We have never heard about tariffs until now.
Now, we hear everything about tariffs on it. The next day on TV, you stop it for thirty days. Now, Mr. President Trump when are we going now? We’re already taxed enough. It comes to a downslide on everything economically. Which way do go? The poor person don’t have a chance.
Jim's Journal
“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.”
- Vince Lombardi
and diligent attorneys. First, we got the court costs paid and credited to my case number from way back in 1993.
Then, a petition was filed in Division IV Criminal Court to have the restitution waived as no one had laid claim in civil court to recover the restitution from me. The judge rule to waive the restitution, and the most intimidating steps were thus completed, thanks to the help from Free Hearts.
A petition has been filed to have my rights restored in court. After a 30 day waiting period, I hope to be voting again and enjoying all the rights of citizenship.
I want to tell everyone out there who is trying to accomplish this process: don’t give up! If I can get a 32 year old case taken care of, that should give others hope to pursue the same process.
See you in the voting booth.
Why the Rich Man Went to Hades
BY JOHN H., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
I was just thinking back a couple of weeks and I was reading about the rich man and Lazarus and I asked myself a question. The Bible never said the rich man never confessed or believed. The question I had was the Bible says to confess with thy mouth and believe with thy heart that Christ died on the cross for our sins because he loved us that much. On the other hand, Abraham told the rich man exactly why he was in hell. Now, I got on my knees and asked God to enlighten me with understanding, so I prayed. When I
got up from praying, I turned on the TV to the TBN channel and the preacher said, “believing is obeying.” Now many say they believe, but they don’t live by it. Many people I see everyday and I just wonder if they think about this just as I do. I guess what I’m saying is many people I see everyday follow the rich man’s ways. They treat the poor just like the rich man treated Lazarus. I ask that Christians should give this some thought and I pray they don’t get caught up in the same situation as the rich man. Many follow his footsteps.
The Journey II
BY JAMES “SHORTY” R., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
This is another chapter of James aka Shorty R., I am back doing what makes me feel good inside, putting a smile on people’s faces and a wave that makes people feel better going to work or wherever they travel to. Let’s enjoy the journey together.
A Rose’s Light
BY TROY P., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
Roses light the dawn, Capturing the rain … Sparkling like diamonds, The Sun — Shining on the glades … Jumping and dancing, Like playful little fawns … Capturing the rain, The roses light the dawn …
For my Auntie Ladon
HOBOSCOPES
LEO
They knocked down the old shed next door, Leo. Brought in a dumpster and an excavator and levelled it to the foundation. I know, it was falling apart and maybe was a potential hazard for wandering children or lost pets or disoriented joggers, but I liked that old shed. I guess now there’s just gonna be a cement block and a big hole in the tree canopy where the shed used to be. But there’s something a little hopeful about that, Leo. I don’t think you should rush in and build something new just yet. But maybe just sit with that open space for a while. Remember what it was and then think of what it might be next.
VIRGO
When I was a kid, I would take my cereal spoon in the backyard and try to dig a hole to the other side of the world. From my extensive research (conducted with the loose globe I found rolling around in the basement) I thought my tunnel would pop me up somewhere in Tasmania. Wouldn’t it be exciting when I finally broke through to the other side and saw Tasmanian Tigers and Tasmanian Devils and Tasmanian Angels? (I assume they’ve got those, too.) But I never made it very far. Usually about four inches and then I’d get distracted, disposing of the rusty nail I dug up. What if you made your project just a little more manageable, Virgo? What if the end goal was just rusty nail eradication? Start something you can finish today.
LIBRA
Boomerangs go out and then they come back. Sticks, in general, do not. It’s important to know which one you’ve got before you throw it, Libra. Are you ready to let this go? I think you are. And can you make it land where you want it to land? I think you can. Will you be alright if it doesn’t come back? Will you be alright if it does? If the answer to all these questions is “yes” then I think you should go ahead and let it rip. Just don’t turn your back on it till you see it come down. Nobody wants a boomerang in the back of the head on a Tuesday afternoon.
SCORPIO
In Jules Verne’s subterranean epic, Journey to the Center of the Earth, he conceptualizes a world in which the future seems layered over the past, level by level. Professor Otto Lidenbrock discovers a mysterious poem that seems to be a map for reaching Earth’s core and soon he begins his descent. The deeper Lidenbrock descends, the more ancient the creatures and jungles appear. He finds giant insects, lakes that host dinosaurs, and a 12-foot-tall human tending a flock of mastodons. Sometimes you need to go deeper and have a look back at how things used to be, Scorpio. Just don’t forget to come back when you’ve learned what you need to know. We’re all up here waiting for you.
SAGITTARIUS
I know an old lady who swallowed a fly, Sagittarius. It was because her eyesight was bad and she thought it was a chocolate-covered raisin. What I’m most impressed with is that she was able to grab it before it flew off. That takes some seriously good reflexes. Oh, you brought a spider, a bird, a cat, a dog, and a tiger, Sagittarius? Because you thought it might help? No, I don’t think she’ll be needing any of those. WebMD said she’ll be fine. I do always appreciate your preparedness, but this is one instance where I think it’s best to just let things end.
CAPRICORN
We need to talk about the Coalbrook mining disaster of 1960. It went like this. When you dig a coal mine (as you sometimes do) you have to leave pillars for support. But everybody knows there’s still coal in those pillars. And when you start running out of coal in the surrounding rock, you might just take a little out of the supports. So the mining company changed the rules to allow the supports to be smaller. And then smaller. And then smaller. Which led to what’s called “cascading pillar failure” where one support collapses and then the next and the next. 437 miners died out of the thousand who were initially trapped by the collapse. So before you chip away any more of your load-bearing downtime, think about Coalbrook and maybe have a long walk with a good friend.
AQUARIUS
I knew this guy who built a time machine, Aquarius — and he went, like, way into the future. You may not believe this, but the people he met, called “the Eloi”, were smart and beautiful, but also kinda frail and helpless. And they were terrified of these fast, strong monsters called “Morlocks” they lived underground and only came up to capture and eat Eloi. Well, it turns out, Aquarius, that the Morlocks and the Eloi were both descendants of humanity. I know! It sounds crazy but the rich had stayed above ground and became weak and dependent on the poor, who were forced underground where they became stronger by running the machines that control the surface world. I know, it all sounds unbelievable, right? A world where humanity becomes that divided? Anyway, I told my friend Herb he was making the whole thing up, but he swears it’s true. Anyway, don’t forget to tip your Morlock, Aquarius.
PISCES
One of the things about being a famous amateur astrologer is that people don’t always know how to act when they see me in public. Like, I ordered a tea at this cafe and now the staff keeps staring at me and talking to each other. They flipped over every chair except for mine — as though I wouldn’t want anybody else sitting down just because I’m here! Now they turned the music off and swept the floor. Please! You don’t have to sweep on my account. I’m a regular person just like you! Now they’ve shut off the lights so I can see my laptop screen better. This is flattering. I think they just locked
the door. She’s walking over, I think I’ve got my autograph sharpie here somewhere. Oh…you’re closing? Right now? Remember, Pisces, it might not be all about you.
ARIES
I’ve been thinking more about troglofauna lately. Like, have you ever heard of the Alabama cave shrimp? Believe it or not, it’s a shrimp that lives in caves in Alabama. More specifically northern Alabama. More specifically Shelta Cave. More specifically the freshwater pools of Shelta Cave that have silty bottoms. (though, yes, it’s been found in a few other caves in the area.) Like all troglofauna, it’s perfectly adapted to its home. It needs things cool and dark. And even a slight disturbance to temperature or water pH could be detrimental to its survival. And I know you like to play troglofauna, Aries. You get everything dialed-in just right. But you’re more resilient than you think. And when changes come your way, you’re going to adjust just fine.
TAURUS
I guess I told my name the livelong June, Taurus, but now that it’s August — and I’m nobody again. It might be a good week for you to be nobody too. It’s an alright place to sit for a minute. Let that somebody-ness slide down the back of your chair while you take a breath and notice how exhausting all that was. Stay where you’re at and soon they’ll be a pair of us. I’m on my way.
GEMINI
Sure, we all remember the Dwarves of Moria who delved too greedily and too deep. And, yes, we all know what they awoke in the darkness. No one denies that there was shadow and flame —± an ancient evil and whatnot. And I admit that at first I thought everybody was making too big a deal about the whole thing. Drums in the deep and all that. But then I realized, Gemini, that just because this hasn’t affected my everyday life yet, doesn’t mean it’s not important for me to get involved now. And I think you might discover the same thing if you start responding actively to the news that’s making you sick instead of just reacting to it internally. It may not play out like a battle, it might just be a kindness in a direction you otherwise wouldn’t have stretched. Like the guy says, Gemini, it’s what you do with the time that’s been given.
CANCER
Maybe you’d pay more attention to my astrological assessments if I presented them to you on a series of cards that I hold up in front of the camera, dropping each one as you read it to reveal my next thought. Or maybe you’d find that pretentious and derivative, Cancer. Me in my black vest and collared shirt staring into the camera, you in the basement mixing up the medicine, while a poet distractedly chats in the background. I’m just trying to find a better way to get your attention to let you know that it’s a good day to know which way the wind is blowing. But you probably don’t need me to tell you that.
Mr. Mysterio is not a licensed astrologer, a trained biospeleologist, or an authorized mole person. Listen to the Mr. Mysterio podcast at mrmysterio.com Or just give him a call at 707-VHS-TAN1.
‘The Actor’ tells an otherworldly story about a life in theater and the theater of life
BY JOE NOLAN, FILM CRITIC
Duke Johnson is primarily known for his work in stop-motion animation, and he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2016 for co-directing Anomalisa with Charlie Kaufman. Johnson made his live-action feature debut earlier this year as the co-writer (with Stephen Cooney) and director of The Actor
The Actor is a slow, quiet and often dreamlike story about memory and place, reality and artifice. It’s about the roles actors play in films, on television and on theater stages, but it’s also about the characters we all inhabit at home, at work, in love and in crisis. The Actor sometimes feels like a Twilight Zone episode — in the best way — and Johnson’s formalist flourishes make the material into something more than a mid-century reboot of Memento. Unlike Memento ’s intricate, nonlinear thriller structure, The Actor weaves a theatrical tapestry of identity and ambiguity.
Paul Cole (André Holland), a New York actor, is brutally attacked in 1950s Ohio, and he wakes with amnesia in a mysterious small town. Stranded without money or memory, he struggles to piece together his identity and find his way home. The film, based on Donald E. Westlake’s novel Memory, follows Paul’s disorienting journey through an uncanny, dream-like world where time and appearances shift unpredictably.
After the attack, Paul finds himself penniless and vulnerable, and he takes a job at a stinking local tannery to survive and manages to find a cheap room to rent. He meets Edna (Gemma Chan), a pretty and quirky costume designer, and begins a tentative romance after the pair first cross paths at a local cinema. As fragments of his past emerge, Paul grapples with fleeting memories of his life as an actor, unsure of what’s real. The townsfolk, including characters like Mrs. Malloy (Tracey Ullman) and others played by Toby Jones, May Calamawy, and Youssef Kerkour, often appear in multiple roles, adding to the town’s eerie atmosphere.
Paul’s quest to return to New York drives the narrative as he navigates cryptic clues about his former life. His interactions with Edna deepen, offering moments of connection amid his confusion. The town’s changeable environs and inhabitants play into Paul’s fractured state of mind. As he chases elusive truths, Paul questions which parts of himself are authentic and which belong to the roles he’s played.
This narrative is just as confusing to viewers as it is to Paul, but Johnson is brave enough to trust viewers to empathize with Paul and stick with him in the midst of this murky story. The disorienting atmosphere is enhanced by the perpetual fog that seems to isolate the town and the theatrical lighting effects and dreamy cinematography Johnson employs to dial in a tone I’m calling vintage paranoia. The score mimics the vibe of early rock ‘n’ roll and be-bop jazz, creating an eerie, unfamiliar soundscape that sounds like an alternate 1950s reality. Thankfully, Johnson and Cooney’s story is fueled by a steady drip of
details that keeps the action moving without breaking the spell of the mystery at the center of the film.
By the time Paul reconnects with old friends, their shared memories hint at a past where he may have been cruel to or pranked a homeless man, raising questions about what kind of person Paul may have been in the past. Once he begins to uncover who he really is, will Paul even want to be himself again? In The Actor, the past persists,
the future is unknown, and the present is for memories in the making, no matter which role Paul — or viewers — may decide to play. Stream The Actor on Hulu to step into this haunting, thought-provoking world.
Joe Nolan is a critic, columnist and performing singer/songwriter based in East Nashville. Find out more about his projects at www.joenolan.com.
