372wn vol ii issue4 by 372WN

WHERE are THEY NOW?

Cohn High School Hall of Famers page 6

West Park to Reopen (finally!) page 14

EiO + the HIVE

Gets Serious About Fun page 26

Juneâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;July 2018 VOL. II, ISSUE 4

Life is about planning.

Modern facilities. Show love to those Classic to options. dearest tocontemporary you. Call us today to setup a tour and see how we are unique.

Request your FREE • We offer many options to of a funeral home, • Convenience and reception hall honor your loved one’s life Finalcrematory Wishes Planner Kit in one location today: (615) 756-5663 Call today for more information:

615-352-9400 6962 Charlotte Pike Michael Illobre Funeral Home Manager

Nashville, TN

CELEBRATE LIFE. REMEMBERFOREVER. FOREVER.™ CELEBRATE LIFE. REMEMBER ™

TM LeapTie ©LeapTie

6962 Charlotte Pike Nashville, TN 37209

CONGRATULATIONS

CLASS OF 2018!

IN THE 2017-2018 ACADEMIC YEAR, St. Luke’s Preschool students met all tested benchmarks for

NAME WRITING

LETTER RECOGNITION

LETTER SOUNDS

WORD AWARENESS

READING READINESS

St. Luke’s offers a licensed Child Development Program for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years old focusing on Kindergarten readiness. All classrooms utilize the Read to Succeed curriculum and are assisted by our full-time Instructional Coach. Tuition is calculated using a sliding-scale based on family income.

For more information or to join our wait list, call (615) 350-1141 or (615) 350-7040.

5601 New York Avenue, Nashville, TN 37209 • www.stlch.org • (615) 350-7893

Editor and Publisher MIRIAM DRENNAN

Creative Consultant EVELYN MARIE PARRISH

Historian YVONNE EAVES

Copy Editor JENNIFER GOODE STEVENS

Senior Contributor NAOMI GOLDSTONE

Contributors KIMI ABERNATHY

TY BABCOCK

CARLY BROWNING

CHRIS CLANCY

DENISE DAWES VON KIZER

YVONNE EAVES

HANNAH HERNER

MARC LYON

EMILY TULLOH

Art Direction and Design ELLEN PARKER BIBB

Photographers WILLIAM DeSHAZER HANNAH HERNER JASON HOFFMAN/MUSIC CITY AERIAL WARNER TIDWELL

Social Media HEATHER CRAMSIE

Distribution DON GAYLORD

COVER Fluid Sky

by KATERI POMEROY Advertising Inquiries: 615.491.8909 or 372WestNashville@gmail.com. @372WN

@372Wn

@372wn

372WN is a print and digital magazine published every other month by Next Chapter Publishing, LLC. All content presented herein, unless otherwise noted, is the exclusive property of Next Chapter Publishing and cannot be used, reprinted, or posted without permission. 372WN is free for readers; excessive removal of the product or tampering with any of our distribution racks will be considered theft and/or vandalism and subject to prosecution.

CONTENTS VOL. II, ISSUE 4 | June–July 2018

MAIN FEATURE 6

Where Are They Now? Cohn High School Hall of Famers

CURRENT HAPPENINGS 14 West Park to Reopen (finally!) 20 Metro Government 101: The History, the Structure

and How You Can Participate

26 EiO + the Hive: The Serious Business of Family Night Fun

FEATURES 32 NRhythm: Recovery, Lifestyle, Community 38 Lights, Camera, Local! Nashville Education Community & Arts Television 44 Dutchman’s Curve, Revisited 50 The Other Side of Summer: Five Home

Maintenance Issues to Address this Season

Tick Time in Tennessee

IN EVERY ISSUE 60

372WestNosh

372Who kNew?

CLARIFICATION: In our June–July issue, we reported that those interested in participating in Achilles Nashville Hope & Possibility Race visit RacesOnline for more information. Achilles Nashville has since elected to use a different registration service. Please visit the "Achilles Nashville Hope & Possibility 5-Miler and 1-Miler" Facebook page for more information regarding the race and updated registration information.

372WN.com | Juneâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;July 2018

thistlefarms.org

@thistlefarms

BE FREE. BUG FREE. Summer is here! Enjoy bug free evenings with our best-selling Natural Bug Spray and Outdoor Candle.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Cohn High School Hall of Famers by Marc present-day photos by

LYON

William DeSHAZER

special thanks to Farrell Owens and the Cohn Alumni Association for the use of their archives

372WN.com | Juneâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;July 2018

It’s been 35 years since fans in West Nashville last cheered for their much-beloved Cohn High School Black Knights, but the rich history and tradition of their sports teams’ performances on the gridiron, diamond, hardwood and track live on through the legacy and stories of Cohn athletes. Former Cohn athlete and national Hall of Fame basketball coach Charlie Anderson remembers a “culture of winning” that existed at the school. “Everybody at Cohn wanted one thing, and that was to win,” Anderson says.

June–July 2018 | 372WN.com

ohn High School, on Park Avenue just a block off Charlotte Avenue near 46th Avenue in the Sylvan Park neighborhood, started as a middle school in 1928. Eight years later it was transitioned into a high school serving teenagers growing up in West Nashville. In 1983, Cohn and Pearl high schools were merged into what is now Pearl-Cohn High School—which is in north Nashville. The Cohn complex now serves several purposes, including the Cohn Learning Center. During its 43-year history, Cohn’s athletes competed in all sanctioned sports, winning their share of city, district, regional and state titles. A decade ago, Cohn alumni and the Metro Nashville Public School system partnered to keep the memories of the students’ past achievements alive and well. A vacant first floor on the south side of the 130,000-square-foot Cohn complex was transformed into a gathering place for alumni. Cohn athletes and supporters can relive and celebrate the many accomplishments of the school’s alumni. Last year, former Cohn athlete Charlie Fentress (1955) became

FRONT ROW: Bobby Baker, Pam Hickman, Charlie Anderson BACK ROW: Wayne Garland, Charlie Fentress, Larry Schmittou

the eighth Cohn alumnus to be inducted into the Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) Sports Hall of Fame. The MNPS Sports Hall of Fame was established 13 years ago to honor the accomplishments of outstanding athletes and other sports personalities who attended public schools in Davidson County. Honorees are selected by a committee of active and retired educators. Fentress joined fellow Cohn alumnus Anderson (tennis); Wayne Garland (baseball); Pam Hickman

(basketball and tennis); Maxie Runion (football and baseball); J.B. Proctor (football and five other sports); Tommy Wells (football), and Larry Schmittou (baseball and basketball) in the MNPS Hall of Fame. Fentress, Garland, Proctor (deceased), Runion (deceased), Wells (deceased) and the school’s only state champion, hurdler Bobby “Hawkeye” Baker, are among 11 Cohn High School Sports Legends. To be named a Legend, participants in football, basketball and baseball must have earned a spot on at least one all-star team (e.g. All-City, All-District). Track competitors must have finished in the top three in their event at the state meet.

Charlie Fentress Fentress recalls how he would feel his adrenaline surge when he played sports at Cohn. The threesport athlete said his experiences at Cohn helped shape his life and his nearly 40-year career as a firefighter. Fentress retired as a Nashville Fire Department captain 18 years ago. “I liked to play all the sports as the seasons rolled around,” he recalls. “I had an adrenaline flow when I played sports. I think this is what led me into a career with the Fire Department. I liked serving as

372WN.com | June–July 2018

a firefighter because I could help rescue people out of a life-threatening situation.” Fentress competed in football, basketball and baseball during his time at Cohn. He particularly excelled in baseball and basketball. Fentress was named to the all-state high school basketball team and was recognized for his efforts as a student athlete at Belmont — receiving a spot on the Basketball College All-Mid State Team. He later played amateur baseball in several Nashville leagues, and he was recently inducted into the Nashville Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame.

Wayne Garland Garland’s journey has brought him full circle from Las Vegas back to Nashville to care for his aging parents. Garland, a three-year All-City baseball pitcher, said he felt like he was part of a “close-knit” community during his playing days at Cohn. “There were so many people attending Cohn who I grew up with in the neighborhood,” said Garland, who ultimately pitched for the Baltimore Orioles and Cleveland Indians in the 1970s. “I am still friends with them today. We still see and enjoy each other.” Garland won 20 games and recorded four shutouts and 14 complete games in 1976 for the Orioles. He finished third that year in the Cy Young Award vote, which recognizes the top pitcher in the American League. Garland served as a pitching coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates organization before retiring in 1996. He is also a member of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.

“I was only 16 as a senior at Cohn,” he explains. “At that time I was not very big, and so I did not play basketball at Cohn. I played tennis instead and was ranked in the top two or three in the city.” Anderson said he “grew some more physically” after he joined the mili-

tary, where he played round ball in the base leagues in Hawaii. “I got the coaching bug playing on the base team in Hawaii,” Anderson says. He served as head basketball coach at several Metro high schools for almost 20 years before taking on head coaching

UPHOLSTERY • COVERS • TOPS • TRIM

We’re still here, West Nashville . . . and we’ll cover anything that'll stand still long enough! At Kentucky & 51st in The Nations . . . right on the corner, and right on the price!

GO VOLS!

Charlie Anderson Anderson played on the Cohn men’s tennis team. He later served as head coach of the 1991 National Junior College Basketball Association champions—Aquinas Junior College. (The school discontinued competitive sports in 2001.)

615.269.7882 • cannonballscovers.net June–July 2018 | 372WN.com

freelance writer.

LLE

’S MAG

2W IN

37 ’S MAG

Marc Lyon is a Nashville-based LLE

ST H

372WN.com | June–July 2018

Schmittou was a two-sport athlete at Cohn, but his main passion was baseball; he threw a couple of no-hitters as a pitcher. “I loved baseball. It was my passion,” Schmittou says. “I was fortunate to be the main pitcher my junior and senior years. I recall both of my no-hit games. In one of them, I walked five batters and hit two, so it was not a thing of beauty. I was primarily a breaking-ball pitcher, so I had to use moxie to be successful.” Schmittou co-founded the Nashville Sounds baseball team in 1978 and later served as Vice President of Major League Baseball’s Texas Rangers. He is also a member of the Tennessee Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame and the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. He currently owns and operates 14 bowling centers across a four-state region.

Baker, a member of the Cohn track team that finished second in the state in 1960, said he was not exceptionally fast, but he was a very determined competitor. Baker also played tight end on the football team. He won the state high hurdles championship in 1960 and finished second in the state that year in the low-hurdles race. “I just did what Coach (George) Morton told me to do,” he says. “I figured I was as good as the rest of the runners. You hit your stride just right going over each of the hurdles as fast as you can. I recall all of my races being close; I didn’t run off from anybody, but when the race was over, I just happened to be ahead at the end,” said the soft-spoken Baker, a retired Ford Glass plant employee. Baker, also an All-City (All-AAA) football performer, holds fond memories of his days at Cohn — as do his fellow competitors. “I was just an old country boy,” he says. “We were all good kids. We looked after each other and took care of ourselves.” Fentress asserts that no athlete makes it into a hall of fame without the help of their teammates. “No one person gets into a hall of fame by themselves,” he says. “You have to have good teammates. I am very thankful to the athletes who played ball with me. They played a big role in my success.” ST

Larry Schmittou

Bobby “Hawkeye” Baker

Hickman, the former women’s basketball coach at Maplewood High School, remembers there were few opportunities for young women to play competitive sports when she attended Cohn High School in the early 1950s. She was a two-sport athlete (basketball and tennis) at Cohn and helped lead the women’s teams to several tournament victories and titles during her playing career. Though she experienced success as a high school athlete, Hickman is most noted for her coaching career, which began at Maplewood High School in 1959. She coached 27 years at Maplewood and Hunter’s Lane high schools before retiring in 1986. Her players played six-on-six “half-court” basketball for most of her coaching career, which changed in the early 1980s to the five-on-five playing format that most are familiar with today. Hickman said the happiest moment of her coaching career occurred in 1966 when her Maplewood team won 28 games in a row. That team lost in the semifinals of the state tournament.

“Cohn meant the world to me,” he says. “I was really supposed to have attended Bellevue High School, but my mom worked things out where I was able to attend Cohn. “I learned to be a strong competitor. I had a great English teacher (Mrs. Mason), and taking bookkeeping at that time really helped me, too. Number one though: Cohn High School is where I met my wife, Shirley.”

Pam Hickman

Her lowest moment came just two years later. “We had a very good team in 1967, and most of those players were returning for what would have possibly been an even better team the next year,” she recalls. “Four of our players formed an all-girls’ band, however, and they decided to leave the team to pursue their music. The four girls would have been starters on the team. You experience lots of surprises as a coach.” There’s no doubt that Hickman’s influence as a coach and mentor rubbed off on her players, although she downplays the idea. One of those players was MNPS Hall of Fame inductee Donna (Vaughn) Howell. Howell played on the 1966 Hickman-coached Maplewood team that put the 28-game win streak together. “Pam loved the game of basketball,” Howell says. “She was my idol back then. I wanted to be just like her.” Howell—who averaged nearly 30 points a game during her junior and senior seasons—did just that, becoming head coach of the East High School girls’ team for six years.

duties at Aquinas. This past season, he had the opportunity to serve as an advisor to his grandson Caden Anderson, who is head coach of the Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet High School basketball team. Anderson, who coached for more than 50 years, has been inducted into several local, state and national hall of fame organizations and selected “coach of the year” on multiple occasions at the high school and college level. Anderson’s teams were frequent visitors to the state playoffs, although his squads never hoisted the champion’s trophy. “We (Stratford High School team) came close in 1969 when we made it to the championship game,” he recalls. “But our top player (Ray Maddux) was injured and could not play in the game. We lost by five points (44-39) to Chattanooga Riverside.”

LLE

’S MAG

Cohn Mascot History In 1940, Cohn High School sports teams were known as the Tigers. Four years later, the school’s mascot was changed to the Panthers. The school’s mascot became the Black Knight in 1961 until its closing in 1983.

A few members of the Cohn Alumni Association. SEATED L TO R: Raymond Benson, Dan Thompson, Jerry Harris and Ronnie King. STANDING L R: Milton Travis, Norman Darnell, Gene Wilkerson and Farrell Owens.

615-383-1444

Your Neighborhood Dentist

Dr. Tim McNutt, Jr.

www.richlandcreekdentistry.com · 406 Morrow Road · Nashville, TN 37209 Dental Cleanings Teeth Whitening Fillings and Crowns Adult and Children’s Dentistry

Emergency Care Preventive Dentistry Oral Surgery Veneers and Bridges

Most PPO Insurance Accepted Prompt Service Provided Caring and Helpful Staff Payment Plans Available

Committed to serving your family’s dental needs. ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS! June–July 2018 | 372WN.com

Snapshot of Cohn Athletes Charlie Anderson

Pam Hickman

Anderson was a top tennis player at Cohn. He was a Metro schools basketball coach for 19 years. He coached at Aquinas Junior College for 20 years, guiding his 1991 team to a National Junior College Tournament championship. That same year he was selected as the Junior College Coach of the Year. He is a member of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, TSSAA Hall of Fame, Tennessee Junior College Hall of Fame and the National Junior College Hall of Fame.

She was an All-District Tournament MVP in basketball in 1954. She won the Nashville City Tennis Tournament for five consecutive years (1962-66). She was selected Nashville Women’s Coach of the Year in 1966. She was also named Tennessean Basketball Coach of the Year and was inducted into the Region VI Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998.

Bobby “Hawkeye” Baker

He was a multi-sport standout in football, basketball, baseball, golf and tennis. He was an All-City, All-Midstate and All-State high school football player. He started at quarterback and halfback for the University of Tennessee.

(Class of 1952)

(Class of 1960)

Tennessee State Champion in high hurdles (1960). Second place in state in low hurdles (1960) and a member of the All-AAA team in football. He played end for Cohn’s football team.

Charlie Fentress (Class of 1955)

Fentress was a three-sport athlete at Cohn. He was named to the All-District team and was a member of the Tennessean All-State Basketball team. He was a member of Cohn’s Nashville Interscholastic League (NIL) Basketball Champion team. He was also on the All-City team for football. He was a member of the Cohn baseball team that won the TSSAA Regional Baseball Champions. After college he played in the Gilbert and City baseball leagues. In 2017 Fentress was inducted into the Nashville Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame.

372WN.com | June–July 2018

(Class of 1955)

J.B. Proctor

(Class of 1945)

Maxie Runion (Class of 1947)

He was an All-City, All-State and All-Southern football player. He was a part of the Cohn football team that won three straight City Football Championships. He was also chosen as an All-Nashville baseball player when he batted .400 his senior year. He was an All-Conference and an All-American football player at Middle Tennessee State University.

Wayne Garland

Larry Schmittou

He was an All-City baseball player for three straight years at Cohn. He was drafted into the major leagues in 1969 by the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 1976, Garland compiled a 20-7 record playing for the Baltimore Orioles and finished third in the Cy Young Award voting for top pitcher in the American League. He is a member of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.

He played basketball and baseball. He pitched two no-hitters while attending Cohn. He was a teacher and coach in the Metro Nashville Public School system. He served as head basketball coach for Goodlettsville High. He served as head coach of the Vanderbilt University baseball team. He was named 1973 and 1974 SEC baseball “Coach of the Year.” He was a founding owner of the Nashville Sounds baseball team.

(Class of 1968)

(Class of 1958)

Tommy Wells (Class of 1957)

Wells is viewed as one of the greatest running backs in the history of the Nashville Interscholastic League. He was a field goal kicker for Georgia Tech University. He broke the SEC record at that time for seven field goals and missed setting a new national record by one field goal. Wells played professional football for the Dallas Texans (now Kansas City Chiefs)

the best things never change. Proudly serving the sylvan park neighborhood since 1982

4410 Murphy Road 615.269.9406 www.mccabepub.com June–July 2018 | 372WN.com

372WN.com | Juneâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;July 2018

photo by Jason Hoffman, Music City Aerial

by Hannah

HERNER

to REOPEN (finally!)

West Park will soon be a typical American parkâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; save for a storage tank nearly a football field length in diameter and 37 feet tall.

Juneâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;July 2018 | 372WN.com

he construction in West Park, located at 1605 Morrow Road, should finally come to a close by mid- to late June, Metro Water Services’ latest deadline. Representatives from Metro Water could not recall what the original deadline for the project had been, but construction began in April 2015. Ron Taylor, program director for Clean Water Nashville, says the project is running about a year behind schedule. Clean Water Nashville, an arm of Metro Water, is spearheading the project. When all is said and done, West Park patrons will have access to a new pavilion, softball field, basketball court, playground and expanded greenway and walking trail. As reported in our June–July 2017 issue, Eric Henn Murals was chosen to decorate the tank by painting a sky-and--tree landscape in an effort to help it “blend in” to its natural surroundings. “We’ve had a lot of successes over here in The Nations and in District 20,” says the district’s Metro Council representative, Mary Carolyn Roberts. “I just feel like

photo by Jason Hoffman, Music City Aerial

372WN.com | June–July 2018

[West Park] is one that has probably been the most challenging.” Roberts indicated she has set up and subsequently had to cancel ribbon-cutting ceremonies for the park twice. She says she’s not going to set up another one. Roberts wasn’t in office when the West Park project started—she inherited it when she took office in August 2015. During the three years that this project has been underway, she has seen projects started and completed in other parts of The Nations neighborhood, especially development near 51st Avenue. “We’ve had a lot of great things that have happened and lined up for us. [West Park] has really continued to be a thorn in our side.” In fact, Metro Parks employees directly involved with the park now have not even been there since the beginning of the construction; they were hired in the midst of it. West Park Community Center changed hands from the Boys & Girls Club to Metro Parks in December 2016, and Darreth Walker on-boarded as program coordinator at that time.

photo by Hannah Herner

She remembers hearing about the projected dates for the park’s completion: Spring 2017, then Fall 2017, then Spring 2018. “I really, really hope that in June it really is done,” Walker says. “We’ll have summer camp again, and the kids will have an actual playground to use—and just more space to spread out.” In the meantime, Walker has gotten accustomed to using just the indoor area of the community center and a small side yard to entertain elementary and middle school kids at the center’s daily after-school programs. Now, she’s hoping to be able to use the park fully during summer camp, which starts on June 4.

[For the record, Steve Neloms, superintendent of community programs at Metro Parks, who was tapped by Metro Parks communications to be quoted in this story, has only been on staff since July 2016. He did not get a say on what additions would be made in the park because he wasn’t on staff at the time that those decisions were being made.]

What does the tank do? Sonia Allman, manager of strategic communications for Metro Water, says that one of the main things Clean Water Nashville does is put new linings in Nashville’s old water and sewage pipes to prevent leaks. And by leaks, she means the

rainwater seeping into the pipes and making them too full, not the sewage seeping out of the pipes. However, the sewage could be pushed out elsewhere, such as at a manhole, if these leaks aren’t addressed. For the area near West Park—a flood plain that was affected by

Why the delay? It seems the biggest reason cited for delay is weather. Taylor says wind blew down the infrastructure of the tank twice, causing the team to have to start from scratch and putting the project behind at least a few months. Senior construction manager Charlie Brown, who began overseeing the project in June 2016, echoed Taylor’s assessment. Taylor also cited issues with contractor choices that caused delays, though he did not elaborate. Brown says the final phases of the project—tasks such as planting and painting—have been the most weather-dependent, so Nashville’s rough winter explains some of the delays. Walker says she learned of delays and new deadlines through Scott Gillihan, membership officer of The Nations Neighborhood Association. Gillihan has stayed informed through the organization, while Roberts and Metro Parks employees interviewed for this story say they had little communication from Metro Water throughout the process. Gillihan has lived in Nashville since 1985 and would walk his dogs in the park prior to the construction. He looks forward to having full access to the park, which is less than a block from his house, once the construction ends. “It’s been such a drag, all the construction and all the noise,” Gillihan says. “You can’t even go into the park at all. It looks nice, so hopefully it will all be worth it.” June–July 2018 | 372WN.com

photo by Hannah Herner

’S MAG

LLE

ST H

West Park has been an official park since 1952, and it was named after former Nashville mayor Ben West. Even with the changing landscape of the park, the West Park Community Center’s building has been there since the 1960s. It hosts after-school programs for elementary and middle school kids and recreational activities for homeschooled children, as well as indoor soccer, adult open gym and “tot time” for parents and toddlers. Walker and Neloms say they

372WN.com | June–July 2018

Park, past and future

photo by Hannah Herner

would like the community center and West Park to become a hub of entertainment for the community, like it once was. Walker found out about the history of the center from looking through an old photo album of activities and hearing from people in the community who visit the center, who often bring the next generation of West Nashville residents—their kids or grandkids. “I think they’re seeing life again, because they’re starting to pop in and say, ‘Hey, what’s going on in here? I used to come here,’” she explains. “They like to reminisce, so I’ll walk around with them and show them, and they’ll tell me things that look the same—most of it does—but a few things have changed.” After three years, West Park patrons should be able to see West Park’s newest changes soon. WE

the 2010 flood—Taylor says it was cheaper to build the tank to store extra rainwater and sewage than to reinforce the whole pipeline, which stretches to Brentwood. A pump station takes the extra water and sewage to the tank. The original plan was to add a couple more tanks to the area next to the park, where there is already one storage tank. That changed after the 2010 flood, as that location would have actually gotten in the way of the flow of groundwater. “Ultimately, we went to Metro Parks and said, ‘This is where we stand, we’re going to spend a lot of money to buy supplemental land, have you thought about us spending that money instead on the park itself?’” Taylor says. So Metro Parks and Clean Water Nashville made a trade-off: Metro Water could put its tank there if they also financed improvements for West Park. It’s all part of one contract.

Hannah Herner is an alternative music fan, LLE

’S MAG

LLE

’S MAG

tap dancer and a Jeni’s ice cream enthusiast.

“

Ultimately, we went to Metro Parks and said, ‘This is where we stand, we’re going to spend a lot of money to buy supplemental land, have you thought about us spending that money instead on the park itself?’

”

photo by Jason Hoffman, Music City Aerial June–July 2018 | 372WN.com

Metro Government 101: by Kimi

Ordoubadian ABERNATHY

aerial photo by Jason Hoffman/Music City Aerial all other photos courtesy of Metro Archives

The It City. Nashville has been called the It City for quite a few years now. Every magazine that rates anything seems to have a slot for Nashville. Listed by Forbes as the No. 1 city for professional job growth in 2017, Nashville has shown a remarkable 42.6% growth since 2011. Forbes also listed Nashville as No. 7 among the 25 fastest-growing cities of 2018. Southern Business and Development Magazine named Nashville Major Market of the Year for 2017. American City Business Journals places Nashville at No. 4 on their 2017 Economic Index. We are a Best City for millennials; a top-10 city to launch a career; No. 7 in tech job creation; No. 4 among the friendliest cities; a best place for Hispanic entrepreneurs; No. 5 for startup growth; on the best-place-to-live list; and even the best “under the radar” beer city! According to Craig Owensby with the Metro Planning Department, roughly 320 people a month are moving to Nashville for the lifestyle, jobs, community and the natural beauty of the area. “This is a beautiful, attractive place,” he says. “People want to live here.”

372WN.com | June–July 2018

The History, the Structure and How You Can Participate

ashville is in the midst of a massive building boom. Brightly colored cranes soar above the skyline, and deep gravel pits pock-mark virtually every street downtown. New restaurants open monthly. We argue over development, preservation, gentrification and transit. On the upside, we have the best and biggest Stanley Cup parties in the country. On the downside, we have significant issues with affordable housing and need to address many problems that come with growth. This is not the first time Nashville has faced the upheaval of dramatic population shifts. In fact, our governmental system is a legacy of an earlier upheaval.

Desperate partnership? After World War II, much of Nashville’s urban population began to move to newer homes in the county—away from the city neighborhoods. Davidson County did not have the financial ability to provide services expected by new residents. Schools were built, but the county

could not keep up with the demand. Nor could they provide services like fire protection or sewage and water treatment. With the loss of families to the county, Nashville (as a city) lost a large portion of its tax base and struggled to continue to provide services for remaining residents. Ultimately, the city and the county began providing duplicate services in many areas—each operating health departments, police forces, schools and governments. Business and government leaders in Nashville and Davidson County recognized the financial and service-delivery inefficiencies in the duplicate systems. It was not until the mid-1950s, however, when the city’s health department director took the lead in consolidating the county and city health departments, that real efforts began on merging the two governments. Eventually, the city and the county leaders decided to abandon duplicate services and create a completely new government structure by merging the city and county into one government—creating Met-

ropolitan Nashville. Judge Beverly Briley and Mayor Ben West, as well as newspapers The Tennessean and the Nashville Banner, were solidly behind this effort and lobbied heavily for passage of the charter. The county and city residents rejected this new form of government in 1958 in a referendum.

Annexation The city dealt with the resulting financial losses by annexing neighborhoods to increase the tax base and assessing a wheel tax for all cars coming into the city and using city streets. County residents were angry and worried that their neighborhoods would be annexed or their tax rates would go up significantly with no comparable increase in services provided. They wanted the services extended by the city but did not want to pay for them. Eventually, the residents called for another referendum, and a second charter was written. This charter allowed six incorporated towns in the county to retain their charters and maintain their own police forces and zoning

June–July 2018 | 372WN.com

ordinances: Berry Hill, Belle Meade, Forest Hills, Oak Hill, Goodlettsville and Lakewood. By this point, Mayor West and the Nashville Banner no longer supported the consolidation. West had come to support annexation as an answer to the problem. Citizens who were opposed to the merger likened it to the Red Menace, Communism, and protested publicly. The African-American community, though divided about the benefits of consolidation, ultimately supported it, following in the footsteps of community leaders Alexander Looby and Avon Williams. Metro Nashville—the U.S.’s First True Metropolitan Government On June 28, 1962, the citizens of Davidson County and the city of Nashville voted to create a metropolitan government. Judge Briley was elected the first mayor of Metropolitan Nashville, and the first

372WN.com | June–July 2018

council was seated April 1, 1963. The 1962 Nashville Charter established the system of government we have today, as well as the first true metropolitan government in the United States. Our charter is, in fact, the model for all subsequent metropolitan governments around the country. This charter created an entirely new system with a complete merger of county and city governments, rather than one government taking over the other. The charter established a government led by an elected, nonpartisan mayor, vice-mayor, who acts as president of the council, and council. In addition, a series of boards and commissions made up of members of the community who are appointed by the mayor and approved by the council were established for citizen input. The Metropolitan Council is a 40-member body, 35 of whom are elected

by specific districts and five of whom are elected at-large. Nashville’s forefathers were ahead of their time, developing a system that brought together county and city governmental entities for the purpose of financial savings and service-delivery expediency. Today Nashville is a city positioning itself for a bright future. But how do you participate in Metro government to have a voice in that future?

Citizen Participation First and foremost, vote. The entire county elects the mayor, vice-mayor and the five at-large council members every four years. Each of the 35 district-specific council members is also elected every four years, but only from within their designated district. These people are your representatives and answer to you. You should be able to contact your council member

about issues facing your neighborhood or the city. The council meets the first and third Tuesday of each month at the Courthouse in downtown Nashville. Committee meeting schedules are published on the Nashville government website weekly. In addition, full council meetings and committee meetings are aired on Channel 3 and can be streamed from the Metro government website. The majority of the work done for the council is done in committee, so it is important to understand that structure. All council members serve on multiple committees. This is where most debate occurs; expert witnesses testify and make recommendations about issues before the committee. Ordinances, or bills, are hashed out, and wording is perfected. From here, a member will introduce an ordinance to the entire council. It must be voted on three times before it passes.

Standing Committees of the Metro Council Budget and Finance Planning, Zoning and Historical Parks, Library and Recreation Charter Revision Convention, Tourism and Public Entertainment Facilities Personnel, Public Information, Human Relations, Housing Codes, Fair and Farmers’ Market Public Safety – Beer and Regulated Beverages Education Public Works Health, Hospitals and Social Services Rules – Confirmations – Public Elections Traffic, Parking and Transportation Ad Hoc Affordable Housing

June–July 2018 | 372WN.com

’S MAG

LLE

2W 37

Being an It city has been a real boon for Nashville (the food scene alone is worth the growth!). Our national profile is bright, and we have been basking in the glow. We are doing so much right. However, people have begun to feel the pushback against change and face the truly difficult challenges of growth that does not bring all citizens along. It is imperative to stay focused on decisions our elected officials are making. Knowing your council member, knowing the issues facing your neighborhood and the city and engaging with the Metro government are the best ways to stay informed and have a voice in the direction Nashville goes. Express your opinions to your council member and at-large members. Volunteer to serve on Metro boards or commissions for which you have expertise to offer. Talk to your neighbors. Volunteer and enjoy all Nashville has. Let’s keep Nashville our hometown It City. LLE

’S MA

Z GA

From Murfreesboro, Tennessee, with roots in Hillsville, Virginia and Tabriz, Iran, Kimi Abernathy has worked in education for over 25 years. She spent 30 years as a military spouse while raising 5 children. Kimi is currently working in politics and has an educational counseling practice helping young people in Nashville and internationally find educational opportunities. She is married to Nashville native, Bill Abernathy. Kimi attended Northwestern University, graduated from Middle Tennessee State University and graduated with honors from the UCLA two-year college counseling certification program. S

LLE

’S MA

Z GA

NOW OPEN in WEST NASHVILLE TREATMENT FOR ILLNESSES Colds, flu and upper respiratory infections Allergies and asthma Nausea and vomiting Bronchitis or pneumonia TREATMENT FOR INJURIES Minor trauma and burns Fractures, sprains and dislocations Cuts, lacerations and abrasions ON-SITE SERVICES X-rays, lab tests, urinalysis and pregnancy tests Sports physicals

Dr. Ty Babcock Lives and works in West Nashville

9 A.M. – 7 P.M. | 7 DAYS A WEEK | NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY 6746 CHARLOT TE PIKE | 629.203.7858 | PHYSICIANSURGENTC ARE.COM (Located in front of the Nashville West Shopping Center by the log cabin)

372WN.com | June–July 2018

Metro Council Members (West Nashville)

At-Large Council Members

District 20 Mary Carolyn Roberts 615.977.9262 marycarolyn.roberts@nashville.gov

District 24 Kathleen Murphy 615.422.7109 kathleen.murphy@nashville.gov

District 22 Sheri Weiner 615.347.7544 sheri.weiner@nashville.gov

District 25 Russ Pulley 615.862.6780 russ.pulley@nashville.gov

District 23 Mina Johnson 615.429.7857 mina.johnson@nashville.gov

District 34 Angie Henderson 615.862.6780 angie.henderson@nashville.gov

John Cooper CooperAtLarge@nashville.gov 615.862.6780 Erica Gilmore 615.862.6780 erica.gilmore@nashville.gov Bob Mendes bob.mendes@nashville.gov 615.756.3533 Sharon Hurt 615.862.6780 sharon.hurt@nashville.gov Jim Shulman 615.584.1082 jim.shulman@nashville.gov

Boards and Commissions—Related Councils, Boards and Committees Agricultural Extension Board Arts Commission Audit Board Auditorium Commission Beautification and Environment Commission Beer Permit Board Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee CATV Special Committee Charter Revision Commission Civil Service Commission Community Corrections Advisory Board Community Education Commission Convention Center Authority Council Board of Ethical Conduct District Energy System Advisory Board Downtown Code Design Review Committee Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee Education (Board of) Election Commission Electric Power Board Electrical Examiners and Appeals Board Emergency Communication District (E-911) Board Employee Benefit Board Employee Benefits Study & Formulating Committee Equalization (Board of) Fair Commissioners Board Farmers’ Market Board Fire and Building Code Appeals Board Gas/Mechanical Examiners and Appeals Board Gender Equity Health (Board of) Health and Educational Facilities Board Healthy Nashville Leadership Council Historic Zoning Commission Historical Commission Homelessness Commission Hospital Authority

Human Relations Commission Industrial Development Board Livable Nashville Committee Metro Employees Consolidated Charities Campaign (MECCC) Committee Metro Investment Committee Metropolitan Action Commission Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency Metropolitan Housing Trust Fund Commission Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority Metropolitan Nashville Audit Committee Metropolitan Planning Commission Metropolitan Safety Advisory Board Metropolitan Sports Authority Middle Tennessee Workforce Development Board Minority Business Advisory Council Nashville Education, Community and Arts Television (NECAT) Parks and Recreation (Board of) Plumbing Examiners and Appeals Board Procurement Appeals Board Procurement Standards Board Property Standards and Appeals Board Public Library Board Public Records Commission Sexually Oriented Business Licensing Board (SOBLB) Social Services Commission Solid Waste Region Board Stormwater Management Committee Tourism and Convention Commission Traffic and Parking Commission Transit Authority (MTA) Transportation Licensing Commission Wastewater Hearing Authority Work Release Commission Zoning Appeals (Board of)

June–July 2018 | 372WN.com

372WN.com | Juneâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;July 2018

The Serious Business of Family Night FUN by

Carly BROWNING

photos by

Warner TIDWELL

trend has been sweeping across town for a while now—fresh, organic, foods grown locally with sustainability in mind. Our community, more health-conscious than ever, is turning to things that make our taste buds and our bodies feel good—not just one or the other. It’s a concept that EiO + THE HIVE takes very seriously. Since opening last May, EiO—which stands for “everything is organic”—quickly established itself as a wellness spot that brought health-conscious sojourners to the West Side. EiO customers do not have to be concerned about where their food comes from or what it’s been exposed to—owner Jennifer Masley has already taken great care to ensure that all menu items and vendors are thoroughly vetted. Here they can indulge in worry-free fare and cocktails that cater to various palates and dietary requirements; there’s also a small market.

June–July 2018 | 372WN.com

”As a restaurant we aim to serve delicious, healthy, comfort food in an environment of hospitality and good vibes.” JENNIFER MASLEY

372WN.com | June–July 2018

A previous triathlete and a stayat-home mom in Michigan, Masley achieved success when she created her own Jenergy Bar and then her own line of juice bars that eventually grew to four locations. Move to Tennessee and fast-forward to today, and Masley can’t say enough good things about her permanent spot in West Nashville—a community that welcomed EiO + The Hive with open arms. Over the past year, Masley has hosted events like yoga parking-lot parties and benefit concerts. THE HIVE and “#hivetribe” hashtag refer to the integral role that community plays in everyday life. “Just like bees, we are an intricate network that must cooperate and respect our roles and responsibilities to achieve our goals,” she explains. “An equally important part of our business model is to create a greater awareness around a more sustainable food future. Local food is more nutritious and best for our local economy, organic food is best for our bodies and our planet, and it has more flavor than conventional products—which are sprayed with toxic pesticides. As a restaurant we aim to serve delicious, healthy, comfort food in an environment of hospitality and good vibes.” West Nashville has enjoyed unprecedented growth in recent years. Masley observed, however, that the options for families and children have not kept up with that growth. This is particularly true for those who want to be health-conscious or whose children have dietary concerns. Masley wanted to provide a “worry-free” zone that takes the stress off of parents having to research menu items or bring their children into settings that weren’t conducive. Since many West Nashvillians have already designated EiO as a “Sunday Funday” destination, she decided to provide a weekly opportunity for the entire

family to relax. While Masley makes it clear that children are welcome at EiO any time, she wanted a specific “play date” destination that parents knew was designed with them in mind. To this end, EiO extended its

Sunday hours to remain open into the evenings, offering activities that embrace families. “I saw Family Night as an opportunity to further support our local community,” she says. “Sunday nights simply highlight

December 2017–January 2018 | 372WN.com

WHAT IS

Sunday Funday at EiO + THE HIVE?

To view which Sunday Funday activities are in rotation or to sign up for notifications, visit eioandthehive.com.

this idea of communal dining, while the babes play and learn to create their own Hive,” Masley explains. “My favorite thing is meeting the mothers when they’re pregnant, and then the babies soon after. They come into the world craving good, healthy, comfort food!” Masley has arranged for toys, games and kid-curated dishes to seal the deal for this intentional focus. Further into the summer, a pop-up petting zoo of farm animals and live music are also on the schedule. (And when you add in wine on tap and super-sippable cocktails, you may never leave!) There’s no official start time to Family Night, and Sunday Funday is still “a thing,” all day long—EiO just expanded its generational appeal. Along with this change, they are making the switch to full-service dining due to popular demand. Masley hopes this change will provide an enhanced hospitality experience. “It’s really an honor to hear that our guests want to sit longer and will dine with us more often if they can relax and be served table-side,” she says. Patrons can also call ahead and pick up food to go. “I have fallen in love with this super-hip, smart, loyal community,” Masley says. “I’m so grateful for all of the community support, from West Nash and all of Nashville!” S

LLE

’S MAG

37 IN

’S MA

Z GA

LLE

ST H

In addition to Family Night, EiO & THE HIVE Parking Lot Parties are back as a part of Sunday Funday! Every first and third Sunday of each month, attend free classes from Shakti Yoga and other rotating boutique, local, fitness studios, with some special guest classes from the Queen Bee—Jennifer Masley herself. After class, be sure to hit up their protein-packed brunch menu, featuring a Curry Bowl, Not Yo Mama’s Flapjacks and their Famous Frittata. With kombucha on tap from High Garden, coffee all different ways and juice-centric cocktails—we like the Green Monk, a tequila/apple/jalapeño cocktail that is as refreshing as it is quaffable—free fitness and healthy food is a great way to brunch!

LLE

’S MA

Z GA

Carly Browning is a Nashville transplant from upstate New York with a passion for all things food and drink. www.carlybrowning.com

372WN.com | June–July 2018

372WN.com | Juneâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;July 2018

by Naomi GOLDSTONE photos courtesy of NRhythm

NRhythm Recovery, Lifestyle, Community

“

My son and I were brainstorming a name for the new sober-living home we were building,” said Anastasia Brown, co-founder of NRhythm. A recovering addict, Brown’s son turned to her and said: “It’s so nice to finally be in rhythm with my life.” She said they looked at each other and knew right then that they would name this state-of-the-art condominium and sober-living home “NRhythm.”

June–July 2018 | 372WN.com

pened in November 2017, NRhythm provides men “recovering from substance abuse the resources and support to overcome addiction.” Just off Charlotte Avenue on Neighborly Avenue, NRhythm has twin condos—one allows dogs, the other does not. The two condos can accommodate up to 16 “highly motivated men who want to get healthy with dignity.” For Brown, the getting “healthy with dignity” was the most important reason for creating NRhythm. Brown’s 25-year-old son has been sober for three years, and she says he is happier now than when he was 12 years old. “There’s a lot of relapse when it comes to addiction,” she said, “and we tried a lot of different things.” Brown said that she even had to let her son go homeless. “That was probably the hardest thing I had to do,” she recalled, “but I knew I had to let him go because what I was doing wasn’t helping him get sober.” As she watched her son go to rehab and then to a sober-living

372WN.com | June–July 2018

situation several times, Brown noticed how “shameful” most of the places were. “The secret to success is that after rehab you go to a sober-living situation that has structure to learn how to be happily sober,” Brown said. “Every time I went to visit him, he was in a

dumpy apartment with mattresses on the floor. There was no pride and 100 percent shame.” Brown said she even noticed that many of the men in these sober-living homes had a “sad posture” and walked with their heads down. After each visit with her son, Brown said, she would leave

and wonder how her son could ever get healthy there. When her son did finally achieve sobriety—today he is certified as a sober counselor and is “healthy and amazing”—Brown knew it was time for her to open a sober-living facility so others in recovery could reclaim their dignity and self-worth “without any shame attached to their living situation.” Brown said. “You hear about prison time and rehab centers, but the most important thing for the person in recovery might be what happens to them after they leave rehab and detox.” Brown believes that NRhythm might be the only sober-living facility in the country that was built from the ground up just for that purpose. To that end, she and her co-founder carefully considered every aspect of the condominiums and the programs they would offer. Kathy Anderson of Anderson Design Studio designed and decorated it; there are modern amenities throughout the house; and there is a chef who comes twice a month

to teach the men how to cook and how to do weekly meal prep. Brown said that because many addicts have neglected their bodies when they were in the throes of their addictions, there are weekly fitness classes led by trainers. There is also yoga and paddle boarding. Moreover, each resident receives a complimentary membership to Planet Fitness and to Top Golf. There also is a full-size Ping Pong table on the rooftop terrace, which provides a spectacular view of downtown Nashville. Jeff Browning—a licensed drug and alcohol counselor who specializes in treatment-resistant clients, those who have struggled with frequent relapse and those in their first year of recovery—comes to NRhythm and leads three hours of group counseling each week. “He’s simply amazing,” Brown said. There is a Mercedes van that they use to transport residents to their jobs or to wherever they need to go during the day.

The “Mothership”—a converted Airstream—sits on the property and serves as a makeshift recording studio, an office with amenities (printer, scanner, copier, fax machine), and the place out of which the support staff operate. There is even a fenced-in yard for the dogs. “NRhythm has structure, but not in a punitive way,” Brown said. The men must get a job within two weeks of their arrival, and NRhythm helps them with that. “We help with bios and will get them a haircut and the appropriate clothes if they need that,” Brown said. NRhythm also asks that the men

give back to the community by volunteering. “A lot of addicts are in their head and are so self-absorbed in their addiction,” Brown said. “But if you’re giving back to a child who doesn’t have a parent or who has

Brown knew it was time for her to open a sober-living facility so others in recovery could reclaim their dignity and self-worth “without any shame attached to their living situation.” June–July 2018 | 372WN.com

For Watson, his rock bottom came when he was sitting in his room, in the dark, sobbing with a bottle of vodka in his hand. less than you, then you are no longer just taking. This is a way to be truly healthy and to give back to society.” Alex Watson, a recovering addict and the house manager for NRhythm, knows firsthand what residents need. Originally from California, Watson has been in Tennessee on and off for 12 years, though he considers Columbia, Missouri, to be his home. “It’s the place where I spent the majority of my life,” he said. For Watson, alcohol and drugs were not really a part of his life in high school because he was so focused on the three sports he played; still, he said he partied to “be like the cool kids.” By the time he was a freshman at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, Watson had started drinking—but just on the weekends. “I always told myself that it was the weekend so that it was okay,” he said. By his sophomore year, Watson’s friends had moved, he had quit baseball and stopped going to classes, and he was smoking marijuana in addition to drinking. “Midway through the semester, I had already dropped out of college, and that was when the cycle of trying to quit and not being able to do so really started,” he said. Back home in Columbia (this time, Columbia, Tennessee), Watson quit smoking pot after his parents decided

372WN.com | June–July 2018

that they would give him random drug tests. “I started drinking even more so that I could pass a drug test,” he said. “I didn’t smoke pot for two months, but I did a lot of drinking,” he recalled, with a hesitant smile. At 19, Watson left his parents’ house and moved back to Columbia (Missouri), where he lived in an apartment with his best friend from childhood. “We both loved to party,” Watson recalled. “At that point, we really just started drinking out of boredom.” Though both men had full-time jobs, at night they just sat around and drank. “Things got really good, and I had a great job— lots of friends and a good life—but drugs and alcohol took over that. I started losing jobs, and whatever I had to do to continue living the lifestyle I was living—partying—I was going to do,” he recalled. What was Watson’s rock bottom? “There were times when it probably looked like externally I had hit my rock bottom—I was arrested for a felony break-in in Missouri and was living in this trailer with holes in the ceiling and squirrels coming in, and sleeping in a bedroom that only had a mattress on the floor—but that wasn’t it,” he said. For Watson, his rock bottom came when he was sitting in his room, in the dark, sobbing

LLE

’S MAG

2W 37 AZ

N S

LLE

’S MAG

2W 37

’S MAG

LLE

I AZ

When she is not being dragged around The Nations by Mr. Ernie Banks or her other two dogs, Naomi Goldstone is a professor of English and coordinator of the African American Studies program at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee. She is the author of Integrating the Forty Acres and blogs at dwonnaknowwhatithink.com.

LIVE MUSIC sun 9PM MON 8PM TUE 8PM WED 8PM WED 8PM THU 7:30pm THU 8PM FRI 9PM SAT 5PM

ery man who enters is to eventually leave happy, joyous and free.” ST

continue making progress and to be a little bit better each day and to be even better than the day before.” For Watson and Brown, the hope is that NRhythm is the ideal environment for men in recovery so that they can learn how to get sober and stay sober. As Watson said: “The goal for ev-

with a bottle of vodka in his hand. “My one lifeline was my girlfriend, and she had left me,” Watson said. “I was such a social person, and here I was all alone.” Watson spent three months in treatment, which he says was long enough to “physically detox and realize how crazy I really was.” Since he had been smoking marijuana and drinking vodka to blot out his emotions, Watson said that they started coming back when he stopped. “I realized I didn’t know how to interact with people anymore without the buffer of alcohol or drugs,” he remembered. “At some point, the alcoholic life became the only normal life I knew.” Today, Watson’s “normal” life consists of running the day-to-day programs for the men at NRhythm. He lives in one of the condominiums—currently 10 men live between the two condos—and his day consists of helping the men find structure so that they will have the “best shot at a full and lasting recovery. We do chores every morning,” Watson said. “We instill in the guys the discipline to get up every morning and make up their bed. Structure and accountability are the biggest foundations—we can help them build a sober life off of that.” As house manager, Watson leads the men in a morning meditation, transports them to their jobs or to their intensive outpatient therapy/ treatment, and does volunteer work with them. “The majority of us come in with self-esteem issues, so volunteering is a good way to give back,” he said. At the end of each day, Watson leads a nightly wrap-up; he calls it a fact-finding/fact-facing session where the men can say whatever is on their minds. “We don’t want them to fall into self-pity, so we talk about where they might have gone short and then figure out how we can do better the next day,” Watson said. “We want them to

I AZ

every night

C O U N T R Y S U N D AY

with Chris Scruggs and The Stone Fox Five // WEEKLY

NASHVILLE MASQUERADE

Presented by Red Roots Music // WEEKLY

PRO BLUES JAM

Host & House Band Cara Being Blue // WEEKLY

LUCAS CARPENTER, THE ALMANACKS & FRIENDS MONTHLY // SECOND WEDNESDAY

THE MUSIC CITY LOCAL MONTHLY // LAST WEDNESDAY

GRINDHOUSE NASHVILLE

MONTHLY // SECOND & LAST THURSDAY

D I R T Y T H U R S D AY W I T H H O S T C O D Y PA R K S MONTHLY // THIRD THURSDAY

THE LOCAL GET DOWN MONTHLY // FIRST FRIDAY

H I P P I E C H I C K T WA N G MONTHLY // THIRD SATURDAY

HAPPY HOUR

Mon-Fri // 4-7PM $1 OFF Draft, Wells, & Wine

2-4-1 DRAFTS Wed // All Day

KITCHEN OPEN 7 DAYS @thelocalnash 110 28th Ave N // 615.320.4339 // localnash.com June–July 2018 | 372WN.com

Emily TULLOH

photos courtesy of

372WN.com | Juneâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;July 2018

NECAT

LIGHTS, CAMERA, LOCAL! Nashville Education Community & Arts Television

“I

usually get tweets or texts at 2:00 a.m. that say, ‘There are monkeys jumping around playing guitar on my television,’ and I’m like, ‘Yes, there are,’” says Katie Veglio, director of content at Nashville Education Community & Arts Television (NECAT), describing a common response she receives to a Planet of the Apes-style band that airs on late-night TV. They played after a Zombie Shakespeare event at the studio and are still captivating viewers. Whether it sounds intriguing or just plain batty, NECAT is in the business of self-expression, which CEO Trish Crist sums up in this simple phrase: “Anyone who has something he wants to try to express via television, we will help you do that.” NECAT is nestled deep in the heart of the Nashville State Community College campus. The entrance is unassuming—a sign the size of a standard sheet of paper is secured to the door with the acronym printed in the center. Its simplicity

There are no credentials necessary to get started, you just take NECAT’s two-part class and learn how to make TV. “Some people come in just as a hoot . . . it’s an interesting draw for folks who are adventurous in spirit,” Crist says. Whether you’re just trying something new or you’re more serious about producing a television show, you get a lot out of the experience. According to Crist, you can expect to “learn to operate every piece of equipment in this room—pedestal cameras, LED lights, all of the pieces of audio—and you learn Katie’s favorite job, which is the TriCaster. That’s the adrenaline seat.” There is truly a place for everyone in the studio, whether you’re ready for your television debut or Ansel Adams just interested in learning the technical aspects of TV production. Crist demonstrates NECAT’s inbroadcast the shows that they creclusive spirit by stating that, “It’s an ate on one of our three channels: the open invitation to anyone who has arts channel, the education channel something he wants to express.” or the public-access channel.” stands in contrast to the creativity that has been swirling behind it for many years. “We’re celebrating 40 years in existence,” says Crist. She continues to describe NECAT’s mission: “to teach the public how to make TV shows, welcome them as members to use our studio and equipment, and then

“ No man has the right to dictate what other men should perceive, create or produce, but all should be encouraged to reveal themselves, their perceptions and emotions, and to build confidence in the creative spirit.”

June–July 2018 | 372WN.com

She illustrates how diverse the organization has become over the years. “There is no iconic look to a NECAT member now in age or race or gender or interest . . . We are a much better representative of the voices of our community.” She has certainly played a role in this transformation. Just five years ago when she started at NECAT “virtually all of the members were white men in their fifties and sixties,” she says.

372WN.com | June–July 2018

NECAT encourages kids to get involved even if they don’t necessarily have an overt interest in movies and TV. Crist has worked hard to get more young people involved at NECAT, specifically with the series “Our Nashville.” “We’re almost finished with season two. We got city grant funding to create twenty, 30-minute episodes per season, each focusing on a different local nonprofit,” Crist says. The crew for this in-house production is made

up of Metro high school students who have been selected to participate because of their interest in pursuing careers in production and broadcast. Chloe Bellgardt is a 17-year-old senior at McGavock High School, and she is a member of the “elite super crew” that works on “Our Nashville.” NECAT provides the crew with the training they need to handle the filming and production of the series. Bellegardt’s enthusiasm and excitement are palpable as she describes her role. “Personally, I like to take charge, so they allow me to be a board director quite often,” she says. While Chloe has a clear preference, she adds, “They try to keep us pretty well-versed in all of the positions that we could be put into for careers.” Chloe’s eloquence and confidence belie her age, and they speak to the sense of professionalism she experiences working at NECAT. She encourages other young people who may be interested in a similar path. “It doesn’t matter if you’re introverted or you’re not eloquent,” she says. “We’re all there to support.” Middle schoolers are also encouraged to get involved at NECAT. Kids age 13 and older are welcome to attend their evening classes and be-

come members. NECAT also offers camps for kids during Spring, Fall and Summer breaks. “We use the logic that kids could go home and watch TV all break, or they could come here and learn how to make TV,” Crist says with a chuckle. Kids are welcome to attend the evening classes, “but if a kid wants to be around more kids, camp would be a good start.” NECAT encourages kids to get involved even if they don’t necessarily have an overt interest in movies and TV. Veglio says, “If kids have an interest in making YouTube videos, filming things on their phones, photography, writing scripts, stories, or anything like that . . . we can take their interest and give them a new way to tell that story or showcase that skill.” Beyond their standard classes, NECAT offers a list of “a la carte” classes that provide expert level training in Green Screen, Editing, Lighting Design, Advanced Audio, and Stop-Motion Animation. The best way to stay up-to-date on classes and events is to follow them on Facebook and Instagram @ NECATNetwork. For those interested in the more peripheral elements of film, such as costume and makeup, NECAT recently rolled out a program called “We Foster Film.” Crist’s passion for the project is visible as she describes the impetus for its creation. “It’s in honor of Foster Dugas, who was a filmmaker, monster lover, and a special-effects makeup fanatic who passed away unfortunately last year.” She continues, “In his honor, we created after-school workshops focused on those peripheral film and TV creative jobs.” The free workshops are 4:00– 5:30 p.m. on Tuesdays. NECAT invites young people to show up and meet the special guest artists. Stay tuned on social media for upcoming dates. This flair for costume, makeup,

and thespianism were paramount in creating one of the most noteworthy shows ever produced at NECAT. According to Crist, “A man who went by the name of The Bat Poet had a show on the Access

Channel . . . He was a cab driver from Chicago named Joey Bowker.” She gesticulates as she describes his distinct look, “He performed in a Mexican wrestling mask that he had drawn on, or taped ears to, to June–July 2018 | 372WN.com

look sort of like Batman.” According to her, “he meant to be outrageous in an Andy Kaufman-style.” He became so widely recognized that he was featured on the cover of the Nashville Scene—a framed copy hangs in Crist’s office, along with a Ramones poster and a tree decked in Christmas lights. “Most people ask if The Bat Poet is still on, and unfortunately he’s deceased. But if he were still alive, he’d still be in here making some stuff,” Crist says with a smile. One of The Bat Poet’s contemporaries, Jesse Goldberg, has been making shows at NECAT since the mid-1990s.

He points out, “They weren’t NECAT then, they were Community Access Television.” He has produced a number of shows over the years, but you might recognize him, or his telltale Long Island accent, from one of his current shows: “The Jesse Goldberg Show,” “Mind Your Own Music Business” or “City Talk.” Goldberg lives by the adage that “content is king,” and he prioritizes his desire to “get the best people I possibly can.” Over the years, he’s had hundreds of guests, including local leaders like Karl Dean. According to Goldberg, “I was the first guy to

“You never get anywhere by being shy . . . Just go out and do what you do.”

372WN.com | June–July 2018

have him on any TV appearance anywhere.” He comments on Nashville’s last mayoral election and adds, “I think I was the only one to interview all seven candidates.” Of the first show he produced, “The Songwriter’s Show,” Goldberg says, “When I started, I was the host. It took me a long time to learn how not to be self-conscious.” As a former attorney-turned-songwriter, Goldberg has been able to secure some noteworthy guests from the legal and music industries, including a songwriter named Randy Howard who “got a song cut from appearing on my show.” When he talks about the process of making his shows, he says, “I just do it for the fun of it now. I developed a skill I never thought I’d ever have. My own experience is that I

They still do. And so can you. Go with confidence with the words of Jesse Goldberg planted firmly in your mind, “You don’t even know what your potential is until you just do stuff.” 2W

LLE

’S MAG

LLE

Emily Tulloh is a copywriter who enjoys WE

you do.” You can binge-watch all of Goldberg’s shows by visiting necatnetwork.org and browsing shows under “Our Channels." It’s hard to imagine that creative powerhouses like “Zombie Shakespeare,” “The Bat Poet” and Jesse Goldberg have brought their TV concepts to life behind a door that’s so easy to miss. But they did.

was so bad at the beginning, with the TV thing, but I got better by doing it a lot.” His abundant humor and authentic nature on camera have led him to become a beloved local TV host. His advice for anyone interested in dipping their toes in the TV waters: “You never get anywhere by being shy . . . Just go out and do what

LLE

’S MAG

being the creative voice behind some of Nashville’s favorite businesses and brands. She has lived in Hillwood since 2010.

Mid South Anesthesia “Your Every Breath” Pediatric • Special Needs • Phobias • More midsouthanesthesia.com With over 100 years of cumulative experience, our board-certified providers allow for a safe, customized anesthesia care environment that aids in the quickest possible recovery from your procedure. AVAILABLE

THESE

FACILITIES:

Specialty Surgery Center Nashville

Creative Dentistry Nashville

NuBody Concepts Brentwood

322 22nd Avenue, North Nashville, Tennessee 37203 615.321.6161 www.ssctn.com

113 23rd Avenue, North Nashville, Tennessee 37203 615.321.0922 www.sedateme.com

1187 Old Hickory Boulevard, Suite 200 Brentwood, Tennessee 37027 615.457.8392 www.nubodyconcepts.com

Complete Dental Care Huntingdon

Cane Ridge Dental Nashville

The Green Eye Center Gallatin

25 Stone Ridge Cove Huntingdon, Tennessee 38344 731.986.9484 www.completedental.care

1315 Bell Road Antioch, Tennessee 37013 615.717.0507 www.caneridgedentist.com

854 Lone Oak Drive Gallatin, Tennessee 37066 615.452.1602 www.greeneyecenter.com

June–July 2018 | 372WN.com

Dutchman’s

CURVE Revisited by Yvonne

EAVES

photos courtesy of Metro Archives

372WN.com | June–July 2018

This July 9 will be the 100th anniversary of the worst train wreck in U.S. history— a horrific accident at West Nashville’s Dutchman’s Curve.

June–July 2018 | 372WN.com

f you wonder where the Dutchman’s Curve name originated or who the Dutchmen were, Betsy Thorpe—author of The Day the Whistle Cried—has the answer. The set of railroad tracks known as “Dutchman’s Curve” was named after a crew of German rock cutters. In the 1850s, the workers had come to Nashville to help build a railroad leading to the west. Confusing “Deutschman” and “Dutchmen,” locals named the tracks in their honor. The name stuck. It was a hot and humid morning on July 9, 1918, when two Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis passenger trains—the No. 4 train leaving Nashville for Memphis and No. 1 train inbound from the Bluff City, 35 minutes late—collided head-on just after 7:00 a.m. The

372WN.com | June–July 2018

It was a hot and humid morning on July 9, 1918, when two Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis passenger trains collided head-on just after 7:00 a.m. trains were estimated to be traveling at speeds of 50 to 60 miles an hour, and the impact and sound of the collision was heard for two miles. The trains weighed 280 tons. Their wooden railroad cars telescoped into each other, ending up as a large pile of rubble. (After the accident, the N, C & St. L railroad discontinued use of wooden coach cars.) Crowds and onlookers gathered for days. Word spread quickly, and 30,000 to 50,000 came to view the wreckage site. Some were there to help rescue survivors, some came to look for family members, and some came just to witness the scene.

The scene was gruesome: Body parts were scattered along the tracks; some may even have been buried at the scene. A woman was found holding a small child—both were burned so badly that even their race could not be determined. (Eighty percent of the victims were believed to be black employees on their way to the DuPont gunpowder factory.) Horse-drawn wagons known as “dead wagons” carried the bodies and limbs from the grisly site. The final count by authorities listed 101 people deceased and 171 injured—many of the victims’ names were unknown. Some were, however.

On the Nashville-bound train, the engineer was working his last day before retirement; Mr. William Floyd died on his train. Brakeman Pete Corbitt was initially thought to be dead and taken to the morgue; he regained consciousness and was rushed to the hospital. On an outbound train leaving Nashville, West Nashville businessman Willis Farris was a passenger. When Farris boarded the train, the first coach car was full. A young man offered his seat to Farris. The young man who gave up his seat walked away from the accident, while Farris was found dead, a rod piercing his body. Post Office employees had the grisly task of sorting through the mail that had been scattered by the crash â&#x20AC;&#x201D; many were letters from soldiers addressed to their mothers and girlfriends. Many of the envelopes were covered in blood and flesh and bone fragments. The Interstate Commerce Commission investigation determined

Juneâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;July 2018 | 372WN.com

LLE

’S MAG

LLE

Long considered West Nashville’s historian, Yvonne Eaves spends a lot of time documenting its changes through the lens of her camera. She is the former president of the WE

372WN.com | June–July 2018

Road and some artifacts along the Richland Greenway. And the railroad tracks in Dutchman’s Curve were slightly straightened. WE

that the cause of the collision was human error: A signal tower operator had improperly changed a signal. A conductor had left a safety check to a subordinate. Records entered in a train register had not been reviewed. Those three errors combined resulted in the worst train wreck in U.S. history, and the ICC meted out harsh penalties on the N, C & St. L. The collision happened while World War I was winding down, but the industries supporting our troops were still in full swing. The gunpowder factory in Old Hickory was a vital part of the war effort, and the railroad was the most effective means of transporting military supplies and fulfilling military contracts. So even though the epic collision happened at 7:00 a.m., the tracks were cleared by 10:00 a.m. Nearly 100 years later, what remains to commemorate the crash are a historic marker on White Bridge

LLE

’S MAG

Cohn High School Alumni Association and author of Nashville’s Sylvan Park (along with co-author Doug Eckert, Arcadia Publishing). Sources used for this story include: Website History.com/topics/world-war-ii/us/home/ front, during-world-war-11; Nashville Since the 1920s by Don Doyle; Thayer Fare newspapers Tennessee State Library & Archives and Metro Archives; and Vertical Files at the Nashville City Room, Nashville Public Library.

RICHLAND ACE HARDWARE 6401 Charlotte Pike Nashville, TN 37209 615.356.0560 www.richlandacehdwe.com

Juneâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;July 2018 | 372WN.com

by Denise

372WN.com | Juneâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;July 2018

Dawes VON KIZER

The Other Side of

SUMMER FIVE HOME MAINTENANCE ISSUES to Address this Season Summer is here, and while home maintenance may not be as much fun as Nashville Shores or Musicians Corner, ’tis the season to get certain jobs done. We asked two West Nashville experts—Richland Ace Hardware’s Cole Guthrie and West Nashville Living’s Mark Hayes—to give us their best advice on what to do, what to look for and why it matters.

June–July 2018 | 372WN.com

Make sure the wood is good.

“If your wood is not in good condition, it can bring in pests and rodents, and even cause a trip to the emergency room,” says Mark. “Wood expands and contracts. Here in Nashville, we have cold temperatures as well as very hot and humid temperatures.” Cole agrees. “Wood surfaces need to, at minimum, have a clear protective coat applied to prevent wood from decay,” he explains. “Sunlight breaks down the lignin that holds the wood fibers together, leaving a gray surface that can’t hold a finish. This allows water to get in, which can rot boards and potentially compromise the structure. Stain your deck, fencing or other exterior wood structures.” “Walk around the exterior of your home and look for any rotten wood in your siding, soffit or fascia,” Mark advises. “If you do not have a ladder, use binoculars. Carefully inspect your wood deck for any boards with

Sunlight breaks down the lignin that holds the wood fibers together. popped-up nails or screws that need to be fixed—this could avoid a bodily injury.” Like Cole, he suggests staining or applying a coat of polyurethane to privacy fences and other exterior wood surfaces before they turn gray. “If already gray, pressure-wash it to bring it back to life first,” he says. Some damage and repairs might require a professional. “Most rotten issues will involve some carpentry skills to patch and fix, then paint,” Mark continues. “Most handymen or a skilled carpenter could be hired if you do not have the skills or tools.”

Check drainage and look for leaks.

“Water is your home’s worst enemy, whether it be from a hard rain or a plumbing leak,” Mark explains. “Water can cause wood rot, foundation problems and mold, just to name a few.” Here are his suggestions to tackle this step: • During and after a hard rain, watch and see where water is draining around your home. • Evaluate if your gutters are large enough, clean from debris and draining away from your home. • Buy a cheap Tyvek® suit and crawl under your home after a hard rain. (In the summertime, it feels pretty cool in a crawl space.) Look for any standing water from a drainage problem or a plumbing leak. While you are under there, pull out any debris you might see. • Check the water heater, washer connections, and all sinks and faucets for leaks and drips. • If you think you need a professional opinion, contact landscaping companies that handle drainage issues. • If it’s determined that there is a plumbing leak that requires more than tightening some threads, call a professional plumber. Why do all this in the summer, though? Couldn’t this be done during any season? “Nashville gets several hard rain events throughout the year,” he says. “But during colder months, it is difficult to take on a drainage project if the ground is frozen or mushy.”

During colder months, it is difficult to take on a drainage project if the ground is frozen or mush. 52

372WN.com | June–July 2018

Once you have a crack, water seeps Clean grills. Now this one may seem like a slam-dunk . . . through the surface and creates a doesn’t everyone clean their grill after using it? “Grills are like any other major appliance pool of water underneath.

Seal driveways, patio and sidewalks.

So many of these suggestions can be inter-related, and sealing these types of surfaces definitely dovetails with preventing water damage. “Sealing concrete and asphalt surfaces helps not only to improve the appearance but also reduce cracking,” Cole explains. “Once you have a crack, water seeps through the surface and creates a pool of water underneath, which can cause even more damage if it were to freeze.” Cole advises leaving this job to professionals. “This is a big project that is expensive and needs to be done correctly,” he says, so he offers some advice there, too. “First, ask for references and call these references to check on the experience they had with this contractor. Second, verify that the contractor is licensed and insured. Third, verify the products they are using to make sure it will hold up over time.”

that needs a good cleaning at least once a year,” Cole explains. “If you use your grill more frequently, however, we recommend that you look at cleaning every couple of months.” There are some finer details to grill-cleaning that, if not observed, could be harmful. Most of us know to clean the grates and surface areas where we place food, but Cole also advises cleaning underneath the grates and emphasizes doing so with an approved, non-flammable, grill-cleaning product. What about just using one of those wire cleaners? “The problem with those is that those small wire prongs can stick to your grill grate and wind up in your food,” Cole explains. Ouch! And there’s always the option to have it professionally cleaned, which may be an excellent idea if it’s been a while since you’ve given your grill a thorough cleaning. “There are not a lot of places that offer grill cleaning or repairs,” Cole says. “But there are a few around Middle Tennessee. I would recommend you find someone that will come to your house to clean it or, at a minimum, offer to pick up and deliver the grill back to your home.” June–July 2018 | 372WN.com

LLE

’S MAG

2W 37

2W AZ

37 ’S MAG

LLE

ST H

372WN.com | June–July 2018

to excavate their nests in soft, unpainted wood. To avoid a big issue, simply fill holes with caulk or putty and paint.” Mark also advises investing in the services of a solid pest-control company. “It’s affordable, and they use more effective methods than what you can purchase at a home-improvement store.” Many have plans that permit quarterly maintenance—be sure to ask about pet-friendly options, too. “Water and leaks can cause wood rot, which can then cause pests,” he explains. “These are not only three separate maintenance issues, but they also can all interconnect if one is not addressed.” Evaluate and repair and you will prevent any or all 3 of these summer time issues at home. ST

A mouse can squeeze thru a hole the size of a nickel.

“Once the temperatures warm up in the spring and summer, a lot of bugs, rodents and snakes come out and start exploring,” Mark says. “The key is to let them explore in places other than your home and yard.” The biggest way to encourage this is by keeping your home clean, inside and out. “If you leave some crumbs on your kitchen floor or porch after a party, you are asking for the ants to start marching in,” Mark advises. “If you leave food in your sink or don’t take out your trash often, don’t be surprised to see a roach motel open up.” Keep in mind that in these parts, the rodents usually bring the reptiles. “Did you know a mouse can squeeze thru a hole the size of a nickel?” Mark says. “If you notice any holes coming up from the floors or cabinets, the easy fix is to caulk the hole. Typically, if you take care of the rodent problem, the snakes go elsewhere.” Honeybees are a welcome sight, but carpenter bees are not. “Although most carpenter bees do not sting (only females can sting), they can cause damage to your wood,” Mark says. “Carpenter bees prefer

Get a handle on the creepy-crawlies.

LLE

’S MAG

Denise Dawes Von Kizer is a Low Country transplant who loves

Nashville but misses the Shem Creek and Sullivan’s Island she used to know.

A Word or Two on Hiring

P R O F E SS I O N A L S Sometimes, the suggestions we’ve covered here are beyond what DIY methods can handle. Many of us may groan at the thought of spending the money, but hiring a professional can often be more cost-effective. Cole recommends a three-step process. “First, ask for references and call these references to check on the experience they had with this contractor,” he explains. “Second, verify that the contractor is licensed and insured. Third, verify the products they are using to make sure it with hold up over time.” Mark offers similar advice. “When hiring professionals for home maintenance and repairs, I recommend only hiring someone who was referred to you.,” he says. “A homeowner-contractor relationship has to involve trust for both parties. When asking for referrals, get a little background on the contractor.”

EUROPEAN

Here are some questions Mark suggests asking the person providing the reference: • Did they do a quality job? • How did they take payment? (Warning: Do not pay someone in full until the job is complete.) • Did they show up when scheduled? • Did they finish the job in a timely manner? • Did they clean up when done? “It is difficult to hire someone with all four of these qualities: Quality workmanship, affordable, reliable and honest,” Mark says. “If you want quality workmanship, you will probably pay more and/ or wait because they will be busy. If you are on a tight budget and hire the cheapest bid, do not be surprised if they do not show up on time or do not do a quality job. Lastly, keep in mind, sometimes contractors will perform a great job for someone and not for another.”

For more information: Cole Guthrie Richland Ace Hardware 6401 Charlotte Pike 615.356.0560 richlandhardwarenashville.com Mark Hayes West Nashville Living 700 51st Avenue, North 615.864.1062 westnashvilleliving.com

• ASIAN • DOMESTIC VEHICLES

MIDAS TIRE AND AUTO SERVICE WE DO IT ALL! BRAKES • TIRES • ALIGNMENT • AIR CONDITIONING • FUEL INJECTION • MUFFLERS • CATALYTIC CONVERTERS • FULL RANGE EXHAUST SERVICE • CUSTOM DUAL EXHAUST INSTALLED

OIL CHANGE SERVICE FROM

$24.95 MANY VEHICLES

WHILE-YOU-WAIT SERVICE FOR MANY SERVICES HOURS

MON–FRI: 7:30 am–7:00 pm SAT: 8:00 am–6:00 pm SUN: CLOSED

Ask for Keith or Tim! MIDAS TIRE AND AUTO SERVICE #3721 • 6008 CHARLOTTE PIKE, NASHVILLE, TN 37209 • 615.356.6367 June–July 2018 | 372WN.com

TICK TIME IN TENNESSEE by Ty

372WN.com | Juneâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;July 2018

BABCOCK, M.D.

Summertime brings West Nashvillians out of their homes and into nature. From the expansive Warner Parks to the greenways and all of the great neighborhood parks in between, there’s a lot to see and do outdoors on the West Side! But warmer weather also brings out biting pests, including ticks; tick season usually runs from April until October. When winters are milder, however, ticks start biting sooner. In fact, in early April, we’d already begun treating tick bites and tickborne illness in our urgent care clinics.

June–July 2018 | 372WN.com

ost tick bites can be easily treated at home by removing the tick, cleaning the bite area and watching for signs of illness or infection. When a tick bite is accompanied by fever, headache or rash, however, evaluation by a medical professional is warranted. Often people with tickborne illnesses never see the tick that bit themâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;many are not even aware they were bitten by a tick. Therefore, it is important to see a medical provider right away if you develop a high fever, severe headache or flu-like symptoms after being outdoors or in a wooded area.

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever The most common illness associated with tick bites in Tennessee is Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF), a bacterial infection that gets its name from the spotted rash that often develops with it.

372WN.com | Juneâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;July 2018

The infection usually presents several days after a tick bite and is identified by fever, headache, flu-like body aches and a distinctive rash. The rash resembles tiny bruises that do not blanch (turn white) when pressed. They may appear on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, as well as the rest of the body. Not everyone who gets RMSF gets a spotted rash, and some people never develop rash at all. Left untreated, RMSF can be life-threatening and result in serious infection, encephalitis and cause inflammation of the heart and lungs. It should be treated with specific antibiotics as soon as it is identified.

Erlichiosis, Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness, Lyme Disease There are a few other less-common illnesses associated with tick bites

in Tennessee, such as Erlichiosis and Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness. These also present with headache, body pain and fever and can be treated with antibiotics. Lyme Disease is largely confined to the Northeastern United States and is not often found in Tennessee. However, if you develop a red, ovalshaped rash around a bite (often appearing like a bullseye) seek immediate medical attention.

Prevention The best way to avoid tickborne illnesses is to avoid tick bites altogether. Ticks are more likely to crawl up the leg than fall from a tree, so be aware when walking through heavily wooded areas. Here are a few steps to take to avoid tick bites when spending time outside:

2 3

Use a bug spray with 20% or more DEET (check with your pediatrician about safe DEET concentrations for your kids). If you wish to avoid DEET altogether, a couple of alternatives—though not as effective— are Avon’s Skin So Soft® and oil of lemon eucalyptus. To be clear, the latter is not the essential-oils version, and this also should be cleared by a pediatrician. Treat outdoor clothes with .5% permethrin. Tuck pants into socks before hikes in tall grass.

Stay in the center of a trail when hiking.

Check for ticks in hair, under clothes and on pets and remove them immediately.

Ty Babcock M.D. is one of the physician owners and the managing partner of Physicians Urgent Care. PUC has four Middle Tennessee locations, and its newest location recently opened at 6746 Charlotte Pike in front of the log cabin in the Nashville West Shopping Center. For more information, visit www.physiciansurgentcare.com or call 629.203.7858.

’S MAG

LLE

’S MAG

LLE

ST H

Follow these steps to enjoy the natural beauty of West Nashville without worrying about tickborne illness. If you do notice symptoms, head over to our West Nashville Physicians Urgent Care location to get expert evaluation and treatment in your neighborhood!. VI

LLE

’S MAG

June–July 2018 | 372WN.com

372WestNosh

by Constant

EATER

Whether we’ve driven by them a hundred times or just spotted a new one we want to try, West Nashville’s got you covered for breakfast, lunch, dinner and evening cocktails.

Breakfast LE PEEP 5133 Harding Pike 615.353.0030 lepeep.com

“O

ur vision has been to create a neighborhood environment that serves traditional comfort food in a picturesque modern themed atmosphere,” said Brenda Snook, general manager of Le Peep. “We offer a welcoming environment that makes our patrons feel like they are returning to their family home.” Snook goes on to say that serves the kind of food that “sparks warm conversation” and satisfies a craving for a “cooked-from-scratch” eating

372WN.com | June–July 2018

experience—but the variety leaves our heads spinning. How do they do it all . . . so well? There are five eggs benedict entrees on the menu alone, including salmon benedict, a broiled salmon steak placed on top of cream cheese and a toasted English muffin, poached eggs, hollandaise, and a sprinkle of dill and tomatoes. But there are other creative options, whether you’re in the mood for something from the griddle, crepes, an omelet or even their “Rock Lobster Scramble,” which includes a side of their trademarked Peasant Potatoes®. “We pride ourselves on offering the best breakfast and brunch entrees in town,” said Snook. “We make everything from scratch. Two of the most popular items we offer on the menu are eggs benedict and pancakes.” Co-owners Wonnie Short and Dennis Rodgers will celebrate Le Peep’s 20th anniversary next year, and share Snook’s sentiment. “There is

something for everyone in the family,” said Short. “Newcomers very quickly become regulars, because our tenured staff, with their smiling faces, make them feel at right at home.” Most of the staff has been on the team for over 10 years; Snook herself started nearly 18 years ago as a server. “Some of our veteran staff members have been serving the same customers since we opened the doors,” said Snook. “Our entire staff works together to ensure guest enjoy a wonderful experience, as soon as they walk through the door.” The restaurant features several paintings, painted by local artists, that hang on the dining room walls, including a large caricature woodframed painting off a Parisian couple sitting in a box at an opera house who appear to be eavesdropping on Le Peep diners as they enjoy a savory meal. “The caricaturized paintings were

a gift to the owners—and are unique to Le Peep. They are our signature decorations,” said Snook. In addition to breakfast offerings, Le Peep features a bar with a robust assortment of drinks, from freshsqueezed orange juice to mimosas and Bloody Marys. Salads, sandwiches and burgers are also available. “Bloody Marys and mimosas are our top sellers,” said Snook. “We make the drinks with fresh-squeezed juice.” About two years ago, the restaurant underwent a major remodeling to create better traffic flow and expand seating capacity, so if you haven’t been in a while, it’s time to visit—wait times on busier weekends is typically no more than 20 minutes on average for twosomes and foursomes. Larger parties are also welcome anytime, but are encouraged to arrive early.

HOURS: Monday through Sunday, 10:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. (you’ll find their carts Midtown, Demonbruen and Broadway usually from Wednesday through Sunday, 9:00 p.m.–3:00 a.m.) with six dogs available on their latenight menu) CREDIT CARDS: All RESERVATIONS: No

HOURS: Monday through Sunday, 7:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.

FREE PARKING

CREDIT CARDS: All

Dinner

RESERVATIONS: No

Lunch DADDY’S DOGS 5025 Centennial Boulevard 615.802.8481 daddysdogsnash.com

ashville’s already familiar with Big Daddy Sean Porter’s gourmet dogs—the Daddy’s Dogs carts are scattered around some of Nashville’s busiest spots— but for those looking for a sit-down experience, Daddy’s Dogs has a ‘block-and-mortar’ location at the corner of Centennial Boulevard and Pennsylvania Avenue that features al fresco dining. Porter’s all-beef hotdogs are served on fluffy-but-notstuffy homemade buns that hold whatever’s topping them. Speaking of toppings, they’re generous but so are the dogs; he doesn’t skimp on either. The good news is, the locally made buns can handle it . . . so you’re not wearing your lunch

the rest of the day. Whether you have a hankering for the straightup Lone Wolf (ketchup, mustard, relish) or the Chicago (pickle, onion, tomato) or something a bit more exotic, there are ten different dogs on his standard menu, with toppings like jalepeños and bacon. All ten are available in a vegan version, too. (And here’s a tip: Though not on the menu, brats are usually available, too—just ask!) The loaded tots are something to behold: topped with Daddy’s chili, onion, cheese and sour cream, a mere five bucks gets you a substantial dose of tot nirvana (you can also get ’em plain, of course). Other sides include chili, slaw and chips. Porter keeps his drink menu small, but mighty. Mexican Coke®, bottled water, handspun shakes and Miller High Life® are available, the latter even available in pony-size. At press time, they are in the process of setting up their draft-beer menu.

PASTARIA NASHVILLE 8 City Boulevard, 8 OneC1ty (28th and Charlotte Avenue) 615.915.1866 eatpastaria.com

ocated on the first floor of the 8 OneC1ty Building, Pastaria Nashville, which opened last fall, offers guests a comfortable urban villa-style restaurant with authentic Italian menu choices. Pastaria is owned and operated by Gerard Craft, an awarding-winning

June–July 2018 | 372WN.com

chef from St. Louis, who now calls Nashville home. ”We had family and friends living in Nashville,” he explains. “We started spending more time in Nashville over the past four years, and fell in love with the city. Nashville people make you feel right at home.” Craft is also president of Niche Food Group. Speaking of making visitors feel at home, Pastaria’s offers a folksy Italian feel with amenities that reflect what Craft experienced and savored during his travels to Italy. “Pastaria belongs to the people who showed us around Italy and the people who invited us into their kitchens and their homes,” says Craft. “Our menu tells their stories.” While the Pastaria experience reflects some of the traditional ambience expected from an Italian restaurant—tables draped with red checkered covers and topped with brown paper, for example—health-conscious patrons will appreciate that the pastas and pizza dough are 100 percent-certified organic. There are a number of starter options, but Diana Benanti, general manager, recommends the Crispy Risotto Balls. “The cheesy, creamy fried balls are served with house made marinara and herb aioli for dipping,” said Benanti. “Total comfort food, totally delicious.” Moving on to the main course, Benanti suggests several dinner possibilities.

372WN.com | June–July 2018

“One of my favorite pasta dishes is the Bucatin All Amatriciana pasta,” she explains. “It’s a slightly spicy red sauce mounted with a little guanciale-funky cured pork jowl. Give me a bowl of Amatriciana sauce and a loaf of bread, and then leave me alone.” A wide variety of pizza choices offered on the menu include the Margherita, House Made Pepperoni and Pizza of the Day. “Our pizza of the day changes daily,” said Benanti. “This is where the chefs really get to challenge themselves and have a little fun. We’ve done smoked salmon, brown-butter reduction with butternut squash; a riff on a Philly cheesesteak—anything goes with Pizza of the Day.” For diners not exactly feeling the pasta or pizza vibe, Pastaria offers several different salads, including the shaved kale and citrus salads. The tender Shaved Kale is tossed in an addictive anchovy Caesar dressing, while the Citrus Salad contains juicy slices of orange and grapefruit dressed with Castelve-

trano olives, tarragon, a little red onion, and a touch of olive oil. For diners ordering the Citrus Salad, Benanti suggests ordering a glass of Sparkling Primaterra Prosecco to go with it. And so as not to forget the kids, Benanti suggests the Pasta Shells Mac N Cheese. “It’s the best mac-and-cheese in the universe,” said Benanti “And there are generous portions offered, that some of our adult diners have been tempted to try.” Grown-ups and kids can complete their evening experience with one of 11 flavors of gelato, including some out-there offerings like graham streusel, strawberry cheesecake cookies, or the Not Tiramisu, which is a coffee tart with Mascarpone whipped cream. Chocolate chip cookies and birthday cake are included on the kids’ dessert menu. HOURS: Monday through Friday, 11:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m.; Saturday, 10:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m.; Sunday, 10:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. CREDIT CARDS: All RESERVATIONS: No, but guests can reduce wait time using Nowait.com Free parking in the garage; private dining available (parties of 12–100); online ordering also available

Cocktails SPERRY’S BELLE MEADE 5109 Harding Pike Nashville, TN 37205 615.353.0809 sperrys.com

wners Al and Trish Thomas say that Sperry’s restaurant “connects the dots between Old English heritage and the Old South.” The restaurant, opened in 1974, is located just a few blocks down Harding Pike (Hwy 70 West) from the historic Belle Meade Mansion and stables. Al is the son of Houston Thomas, who along with his brother Marion founded Sperry’s, and the restaurant recently received the 2018 Diner’s Choice Award. “Much of what we do is oldschool,” says General Manager Todd Chatham. “We offer a really comfortable atmosphere. It’s a warm and cozy restaurant where we take pride in our customer service.” The restaurant’s pub section can comfortably seat over 50 patrons (the restaurant seats 140). On weekdays, the bar fills up quickly for the generous 5:00–7:00 p.m. happy hour. “A long line forms outside the doors by 4:30, all looking forward to [happy hour],” said Chatham. And with good reason. During happy hour, Sperry’s offers $5 house wines (cabernet and chardonnay); $3 import and micro beer; and $2 domestic beer. The bar has remained a vital part of the restaurant’s overall operation over the years. “Our bar is adult, vibrant, lively, packed, intimate, clubby, and unique,” said Thomas. “And did I say ‘packed’? Everybody knows everybody, and if you don’t you soon will.” “Bottled wine is a big part of our business,” said Chatham. “On Sunday, Monday and Tuesday our bottled wine is at half-price [note: regular prices range from $30-$90 per bottle]. Our Napa Valley cabernets are very popular. In addition, all

of our 30 wines offered on our select Captain’s List (regular prices range from $100–$400 per bottle) are also half-price.” Sperry’s stock of bottled wines features over 140 varieties of domestic and international wines. The international wines are imported from Europe, South America and Australia. House specialty drinks, continuously offered since Sperry’s opened its doors, include Brandy Alexander, Grasshopper, Bananas Foster for two, and Café F.A.B (Frangelico, Amaretto and either Bailey’s or Brandy). These cocktails sell for $10 each. “Our approach to our pub has not changed in our 44 years of operation,” explains Chatham. “The fine wood racks and planks that hold our bottles of wine and martini glasses are all original. Our bar top is original.” When asked to describe his ideal dinner and drink at Sperry’s, Chatham pauses. “I would start out with jumbo lump crab cake or escargot appetizers,” he begins. “Then order our kale and quinoa salad, and move to our bone-in filet or rack of lamb for the main course. For dessert, I would savor a piece of homemade strawberry cake, and order a bottle of Etude Carneros with my dinner. Then end my Sperry’s evening with a Taylor Fladgate 20 Year Old Tawny Port.” Sperry’s Mercantile offers takeout for nearly all of the restaurant’s menu offerings. HOURS: Monday through Thursday, 5:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m., (Happy Hour from 5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m.); Friday and Saturday, 5:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m.; Sunday, 5:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m. CREDIT CARS: All RESERVATIONS: Yes, please visit website Constant Eater is dedicated to discovering the West Side’s best breakfasts, lunches, dinners and cocktails . . . in the name of fair reporting and satisfied tummies, of course.

June–July 2018 | 372WN.com

372Who kNew? Name: What’s your relationship to West Nashville? How long have you been here? Favorite thing about West Nashville? Favorite food? color? drink? dessert? hobby? Where will you be on Friday night? Dog or cat? Mustard or mayonaise? Mountains or beach? Dream occupation when you were five? What’s your hidden talent? What’s your superpower? What excites you about West Nashville?

372WN.com | June–July 2018

Raleigh