April 2015 Murfreesboro Pulse by The Murfreesboro Pulse

2006–2015: Celebrating 10 Years

MURFREESBORO

Lego KidsFest Hits Middle Tennessee page 22

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

Local Family Wants Justice for Desiree page 25

Jazz Fest

Schedule Inside

REGGIE THOMAS, ROD McGAHA, HALFBRASS COME TO TOWN MAY 1–2

Vol. 10, Issue 4 April 2015

FREE Take One!

ALSO IN MUSIC: BoroFondo, Vinyl Fair, Voice Winner Craig Wayne Boyd, Sugar Lime Blue, The Real 2Four, Flea Market Hustlers and more!

DEAR READERS:

CONTENTS EVENTS

Community Events 5 April Dixie Line Days, Community Egg Hunt, Candle Wishes 5k Entertainment Calendar 7 Karaoke, Bingo, DJs and Live Trivia

SOUNDS

0 q w r y

APRIL CONCERTS The Voice Winner Plays Main Street Craig Wayne Boyd concert set for April 4. BoroFondo Annual bike and music fest rolls through town once more. 2015 JazzFest Public Square hosts professional and student musicians. Music Notes Flea Market Hustlers, Twista, Vinyl Fair at Mayday, Musicians on Call, Jimmy Miles at Hippie Hill Album Reviews Sugar Lime Blue, The Real 2Four

32 ON THE COVER

LIVING

Spotlight on Business i Float-A-Boat hosts CGFreck fundraiser; Follow the kitty to Cat Nips. An Honest Look at Homelessness o Former Murfreesboro homeless man shares his story. Farmer’s Market Education Series p Ways to give your plants a good start. Lego KidsFest s Lego brings its festival to Middle Tennessee, April 17–19. Justice for Desiree g Family wants full investigation into daughter’s 2014 death. Art Happenings h April Student Exhibit at City Hall; Cosmic Truck Stop at Moxie

MOVIES

k Reviews Cinderella, It Follows Living Room Cinema Coming of Age, French Style II

THEATER

in April ; Onstage Mel O’Drama Theater brings Will to Deceive to Big Bang

FOOD

Review x Restaurant Dueling Sitars: The Clay Pit and Tandoor

OPINIONS

The Stockard Report v Detective operates side business using county resources. Music Through the Decades n Camp songs and the Windrow Camp Revival Phil Valentine: Views of a Conservative , Cruz is not crazy, he’s dangerous for big government.

PHOTO BY KAYLEE WAGNER

ART

ONLINE AT:

BOROPULSE.COM

SPORTS

Body and Soul 5K / Mind, Race benefits D.Y.M.O.N. in the Rough.

CREW

PULSE

Talk with Z-Train @ Sports Pac-Man vs. Mayweather Publisher/Editor in Chief: Bracken Mayo Art Director: Sarah L. Mayo Advertising Reps: Don Clark, Carrie Richards, Jeff Brown Copy Editor: Steve Morley

Contributors: Dylan Skye Aycock, Andrea Brink, Gloria Christy, Sarah Clark, Dakota Lindstrom, Zach Maxfield, Edwina Shannon, Christy Simmons, Jay Spight, Andrea Stockard, Sam Stockard, Cecilia Sinkala, Zach Summitt Norbert Thiemann, Phil Valentine

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

Copyright © 2015, The Murfreesboro Pulse, 10 N. Public Square, Murfreesboro, TN 37130. Proudly owned, operated and published the first Thursday of each month by the Mayo family; printed by Franklin Web Printing Co. The Murfreesboro Pulse is a free publication funded by our advertisers. Views expressed in the Pulse do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. ISSN: 1940-378X

WE HAVE TURNED THE CORNER from winter, and are now in the season of hiking, sunbathing, planting, baseball, canoeing, outdoor events, spring and all that jazz. Speaking of that, the Murfreesboro Public Square will host its big annual music event, JazzFest, May 1–2. Get jazzy. Get outside. The Nashville Predators are preparing to enter the playoffs, and they have the best record in the NHL. Let’s see what they can do with a little springtime ice fever. In music news, Murfreesboro will host The Voice winner Craig Wayne Boyd; Boro Fondo once again rolls through town; Hippie Hill continues its concert festival series; and garages, sanctuaries, restaurants and schools all over are putting out beautiful sounds. Many in Murfreesboro appreciate the wealth of great dining options in our town. Whether you want awesome fish tacos (MexiVen), some corned beef and cabbage or bangers and mash (O’Possum’s), sushi, Thai, great burgers and barbecue or Southern soul food, Murfreesboro has it. The Clay Pit has been serving delicious Indian food for many years; and now, across town, Tandoor has opened, serving similar fare. There’s room for all, right? Keep supporting your local merchants. If you like, visit the Pulse’s Facebook page and give us a “like”, and we’ll “like” you back. Let’s keep the independent business news flowing and help each other out where we can. This month’s Pulse also has some fun with the upcoming Lego KidsFest coming to the Nashville Convention Center, an inspiring success story from a former homeless man, a look at the big Mayweather/Pacquiao fight, and some coverage of some very serious subjects as well: a recent child rape case plus a look at the death of a local young woman last year. It’s also Earth Day later this month. Get earthy. Show love and respect to all of God’s creatures: people and animals alike—the vulnerable, the odd, those different from you, those who you may initially find disgusting, frightening or unlovable. This person may be of a different race, background, language or religion than you, this animal may be a slithering snake, a fuzzy bunny, a stinky cat or a weird-looking bug. But we are all on this earth together. Let’s make it a nice experience for all. Thanks for letting the Pulse be a part of your community, business, art, events and reading habits. For everyone contributing towards making this publication a reality each month: I appreciate it! Together we are creating something of special value. More and more, I see people out reading the Pulse at the gym, at the restaurant, at the pool, at home or at the doctor. We’ll try to keep it interesting. Peace Bracken Mayo Editor in Chief BOROPULSE.COM

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APRIL 7

EVENTS

LINEBAUGH LIBRARY HOSTS JUNE HALL McCASH April is Poetry Month, and Linebaugh Public Library (105 W. Vine St.) hosts local author and poet June Hall McCash at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 7. for a reading from her newly released The Thread Box, a poetry collection that reflects various aspects of McCash’s life, Jekyll Island, Ga., and what makes us all human. For more information, call (615) 893-4131 or visit linebaugh.org.

compiled by ANDREA STOCKARD

Send event information to murfreesboropulse@yahoo.com

THURSDAYS

APRIL 7

BUSINESS BUILDERS Rutherford Business Builders (RBB) meets every Thursday from 11 a.m.–12 p.m. at the Parthenon Grille, located at 1962 S. Church St. Rutherford Business Builders is a professional networking group whose members are dedicated to bettering their careers through the exchange of qualified business referrals. The group gives and gets real business referrals and supports local business owners and professionals. Guests are welcome. For more information, email info@rutherfordbusinessbuilders.com or call John Manning at (615) 890-4450.

PURPLE PAWS Let’s Make Wine (208 W. Main St.) hosts Purple Paws from 5–7 p.m. Tuesday, April 7, a monthly fundraising event for specific animal projects. Requests for projects are welcome, and the group seeks to help service, domestic and wild animals. These events are for bringing awareness, networking and socializing to those who enjoy good wine, good people, and a love for animals. Admission is $15 at the door, with wine samples and light appetizers provided. April’s event features Meals On Wheels, which also delivers pet food along with their two-legged-people meals (when supplies are available). Pet food donations can be dropped off anytime at Let’s Make Wine during business hours or at the event. For more information, call (615) 530-0551 or visit PurplePawsTn.org or letsmakewinetn.com.

MONDAYS DISTILLED WISDOM SERIES Cultivate Coworking (107 W. Lytle St.) hosts the Distilled Wisdom Series on Mondays from 5:30–6:30 p.m. with local life coach Larry Curtis as he packs years of life coaching wisdom into powerful, life-changing sessions. April 6: The Power to Change April 13: The Power of the Subconscious April 20: The Power of Self-Image April 27: The Power of Resilience Classes are free and space is limited. Advanced registration is required. For more information, call (615) 203-6084 or info@CultivateCoworking.com.

APRIL 4 CITY WIDE EASTER EGG HUNT Children of all ages can enjoy this egg hunt and exchange their oblong treasure for prizes at the egg-change booth at Richard Siegel Community Park (515 Cherry Ln.) beginning at 1 p.m., Saturday, April 4. Ageappropriate hunts will be offered throughout the event, ensuring that everyone has a fair chance. In addition, there will be carnival-style games and a visit from the Easter Bunny. Admission is free. For more information, contact athletics@murfrees borotn.gov or (615) 907-2251.

APRIL 11 DALE’S FIGHT IS OUR FIGHT This benefit fitness boot camp at Patterson Park Community Center (521 Mercury Blvd.), to be held from 7–9 a.m. on Saturday, April 11, goes to helping fund the Larkins family in their fight with cancer. This disease doesn’t just touch one family, it touches a community. Many people inquire about ways to help. By donating, you can help alleviate some of the cost, provide for travel, and assist with

all the other expenses that go along with fighting this disease. For more information, visit gofundme.com/antcdk.

APRIL 11, 18, AND 25 BICYCLE TOURS OF STONES RIVER NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD Join a ranger for a 90-minute bicycle tour of the battlefield at 9 a.m. at Stones River National Battlefield (1563 N. Thompson Ln.). Admission is free. For more information, please call (615) 893-9501 or visit nps.gov/stri.

APRIL 14 BUSINESS AFTER HOURS The street will be shut down and the music turned up, creating an exciting opportunity to network and relax with the best in business from 5–7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 14. Enjoy delicious food and drinks from The Alley on Main and entertainment from The Stones River Pilots. Wear blue and

white for your chance to win awesome giveaways, including tickets to MTSU baseball games. This special presentation of Business After Hours is made possible by First Vision Bank (303 W. Main St.), The Alley on Main, MTSU Baseball and Network Technology Partners. Admission is $5 for members and $15 for future members. No registration required. For more information, call (615) 893-6565.

APRIL 14 NO GIRL’S DREAM Victim advocacy agency You Have the Power (yhtp.org) partners with the June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students to bring their eye-opening new documentary on human trafficking, No Girl’s Dream, to MTSU at the Student Union Video Theater for two screenings at 3:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 14. Each screening will be followed by a panel discussion and Q&A session with trafficking experts from law enforcement and Tennessee nonprofits. Learn to recognize red flags of human trafficking, understand the prevalence in Tennessee and its effect on victims, and gain knowledge of prevention resources. For more information, contact (615) 2927027 or info@yhtp.org.

APRIL 14 APRIL 11 CANDLE WISHES FAMILY 5K Founded in 2002, Candle Wishes is a faith-based nonprofit organization headquartered in Murfreesboro that fulfills birthday wishes and provides essential needs for underprivileged children ages 1–12 in Rutherford County, Memphis and Franklin. Community groups such as churches, businesses, civic clubs and school groups host monthly birthday parties for the Candle Wishes children and their families. Birthday children receive their gift bags at the parties, where everyone enjoys food, cake and games. A fundraiser race kicks off at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 11, at Gateway Island in Murfreesboro. For more information or to register, visit candlewishesfamily5k.com.

SHARE THE LIGHT Yoga on the Square (423 W. Lytle) presents Share the Light at 7:30 p.m., sponsored by Everest Energetics Wellness & Yoga on the Square, as individuals share their knowledge as consultants, facilitators, teachers, coaches, ministers and therapists. They honor our commitment to expand consciousness and live intentionally by aligning with our own divine purpose and helping others to do the same. This month’s featured healer is Wayne Holmes, who will present CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 BOROPULSE.COM

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Religious Recovery: Finding Your Spiritual Path. (religiousrecovery.org). For more information, contact (615) 9049642 or visit everestenergetics.com.

APRIL 16 MTCS HOSTS FORMER FIRST LADY LAURA BUSH Former First Lady Laura W. Bush provides the keynote address at Middle Tennessee Christian School’s annual Legacy of Light Gala at MTCS Varsity Gymnasium (100 E. MTCS Rd.) at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 16, For corporate sponsorship, contact (615) 893-0601. Enjoy dinner with Mrs. Bush and a Q&A session. To purchase general admission and reserved seat tickets, visit mtcscougars.org.

APRIL 17 COFFEE WITH VETERANS Operation: Adopt A Hero invites you and the family to Cultivate Coworking (107 W. Lytle St.) from 7–9 a.m. on Friday, April 17, to grab a cup of coffee and a pastry with the group and veterans. This is an opportunity to have a great conversation and make a new friend. Invite a veteran you know. For more information, call (615) 203-6084 or find Operation: Adopt A Hero on Facebook.

APRIL 18 UNITED WE STYLE FASHION SHOW Tangerine Salon and Spa presents the 2015 United We Style Fashion Show at The Gateway Village (820 N. Thompson Ln.). The VIP Cocktail Party begins at 5:30 p.m., general admission begins at 6 p.m., and the fashion show will begin at 7 p.m. The fashion show features designs from local designers and fashions from Trendy Pieces, Bella’s Boutique, E. Allen and Fleet Feet Sports. For tickets, visit yourlocaluw.org/united-we-style or get them in person at Tangerine Salon and Spa (845 N. Thompson Ln.). VIP tickets are $50 and general admission tickets are $30. One dollar from each ticket sale will benefit Aveda Earth Month. The remainder of the proceeds will benefit the United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties. For more information, call United Way (615 Memorial Blvd.) at (615) 893-7303 or visit yourlocaluw.org.

APRIL 18 CELEBRATING EARTH DAY Bring your family to Earth Day festivities at the Historic Sam Davis Home and Plantation (1399 Sam Davis Rd., 6 * APRIL 2015 * BOROPULSE.COM

free. For more information, call (615) 890-0355.

APRIL 25 DIXIE LINE DAYS The worst railroad accident in U.S. history occured on July 9, 1918, in the Nashville suburb of Belle Meade, with 121 lives lost, according to a contemporary report in the Tennessean. Learn about the story and its aftermath in downtown Wartrace at Dixie Line Days, a celebration of the railroad with operating model layouts, dealer swap tables, modeling how-to clinics, model and switching contests, hourly door prizes, and full-size prototype mainline trains roaring through downtown Wartrace courtesy of the CSX railroad. Meet Betsy Thorpe, author of The Day the Whistles Cried, and enjoy free presentations from historian Terry Coats and curator Tom Knowles at the Smith House Theater. Food will be available. Train show hours are from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. on Saturday, April 25. Admission to displays and swap tables is $5 for adults and $3 for children under 12. For more information call, (800) 465-0448 or visit dixieflyertrains.com. Smyrna). For more information, call (615) 459-2341 or visit samdavishome.org.

APRIL 18 BARK FOR LIFE OF RUTHERFORD COUNTY The American Cancer Society Bark For Life is a noncompetitive walk event for dogs and their owners to raise funds and awareness for the American Cancer Society’s fight against cancer at Gregory Mill Park (390 Enon Springs Rd. E., Smyrna). Bring your best canine friend and enjoy a fun-filled day starting with a walk and then continuing with demonstrations, contests and games. For more information, search for Bark For Life of Rutherford County at acsevents.org.

APRIL 19 TENNESSEE VINTAGE BASEBALL DOUBLE HEADER Games that bring the history of baseball to life will be held at Historic Sam Davis Home and Plantation (1399 Sam Davis Rd.) on Sunday, April 19, with the Nashville Maroons vs. Phoenix of East Nashville at noon and Franklin Farriers vs. Stewart’s Creek Scouts at 2:30 p.m. Bring a chair or blanket for your own comfort. Admission is free. For more information, please call (615) 459-2341 or visit tennesseevintagebaseball.com.

APRIL 24 6TH ANNUAL SDMA GOLF TOURNAMENT The Sam Davis Home hosts its 6th Annual Golf Tournament at Cedar Crest Golf Club (1399 Sam Davis Rd., Smyrna) on Friday, April 24, with registration beginning at 11 a.m. and tee time at 1 p.m. Enjoy a catered lunch, door prizes and hole contests. Registration is $75 per personor $300 per team. All proceeds

benefit the educational programs and historic structures at the Sam Davis Home. Contact (615) 459-2341 or events@samdavishome.org, or visit samdavishome.org.

APRIL 25 TROUPE: SURVIVOR BBQ FUNDRAISER Mayday Brewery (521 Old Salem Rd.) hosts Troupe: Survivor’s annual BBQ benefit from 1–8 p.m. on Saturday, April 25, to benefit their continued efforts to empower victims of domestic violence through theatrical art techniques, peer support and community outreach. BBQ plates are $10 for adults and $5 for children, and include a BBQ sandwich, two sides and a non-alcoholic beverage. One-hundred percent of the proceeds benefit the survivors of domestic violence and their families. For more information, please contact matt@maydaybrewery. com or (423) 620-7177, or Jennifer. hamilton@troupesurvivor.org or (615) 474-2399.

APRIL 25 EARTH DAY CELEBRATION Enjoy refreshments, children’s activities and live entertainment at the Murfreesboro Public Square from 10 a.m.–2 p.m., Saturday, April 25. Environmental and educational booths on site. Free to the public. For more information, call (615) 494-0407.

APRIL 25 39TH ANNUAL PIONEER DAYS Enjoy cloggers, old-time music and demonstrators, over 40 crafters, hayrides, Harriett Tubman played by June La Green, blacksmith demonstration, Art League demonstration, antique auto car show and live music at Cannonsburgh Village (312 S. Front St.) from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Saturday, April 25. Admission is

APRIL 28 BREAKFAST WITH CHAMPIONS Cultivate Coworking (107 W. Lytle St.) hosts Breakfast with Champions from 8–9 a.m., an event designed to enhance your business knowledge while enjoying coffee and breakfast. Marketing 101, led by Jennifer Woodfin of Crigital Media, is free and open to the community. Seats are limited; for more information, contact (615) 203-6084 or info@cultivatecoworking. com, or visit cultivatecoworking.com.

APRIL 30 BOIL IN THE BORO The Stones River Chapter of Ducks Unlimited hosts its 4th annual Boil in the Boro at The Grove at Williamson Place (Batey’s strawberry fields, across from The Avenue) at 5 p.m. Tickets are $35 for individuals, $55 for couples and $15 for children. All tickets include a oneyear membership to Ducks Unlimited, all-you-can-eat Low Country Boil, live and silent auctions and more. For more information, contact (615) 691-2238 or visit duboro.com.

APRIL 30 PAWS AND PEARLS Paws and Pearls is an annual fundraiser and celebration for the Jesse C. Beesley Animal Humane Foundation to be held Thursday, April 30, at the Corners on the River, the home of Karen and Bob Ford (1990 Readyville St.) from 6–9 p.m. For more information, call (615) 217-1030 or visit facebook.com/pawsandpearls.

MAY 1 TO BREW OR NOT TO BREW The Discovery Center will host a night of beer tastings and Shakespearean revelry to raise funds for the organization on Friday, May 1. The evening will include lots of beers from area brewers, performances by Murfreesboro Little Theatre and food. This is a 21-and-up event; for tickets, visit explorethedc.org.

MAY 3 OAKLANDS SPRING FIESTA Enjoy a delicious meal from Chef Jeff, delightful beverages and festive Latin music at Oaklands Spring Fiesta at the home of Ronnie and Donna Barrett (2225 S.E. Broad St.). For more information, contact jwm@oaklandsmuseum. org or (615) 893-0022.

ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

DJ, Bingo, Trivia & Karaoke NIGHTS IN MURFREESBORO

 MONDAYS BUNGANUT PIG Live Trivia, 7 p.m. THE POUR HOUSE DJ, 7–11 p.m. TGI FRIDAY’S Live Trivia, 7 p.m.

NOBODY’S Live Trivia, 7 and 9:30 p.m. SAM’S SPORTS GRILL Live Trivia, 8 p.m.

 THURSDAYS

OLD CHICAGO Live Trivia, 9 p.m. COCONUT BAY CAFÉ Live Trivia, 7:30 p.m. THE POUR HOUSE DJ, 7–11 p.m. NACHOS Live Trivia, 7 p.m. NOBODY’S Bingo, 7 p.m. THE BOULEVARD Karaoke, 7 p.m.

CAMPUS PUB Live Trivia, 8:15 p.m. COCONUT BAY Karaoke, 8 p.m. LA SIESTA (CHURCH ST.) Karaoke, 6 p.m. NOBODY’S Karaoke, 9:15 p.m.–12:30 a.m. SPORTS SEASONS Live Trivia, 7 p.m. THE POUR HOUSE Karaoke, 9 p.m. WALL STREET Live Trivia, 8 p.m. WHISKEY DIX DJ Cliffy D, 8 p.m.

 WEDNESDAYS

 FRIDAYS

CAMPUS PUB Karaoke, 10 p.m.–2:30 a.m. MELLOW MUSHROOM Live Trivia, 8 p.m.

NOBODY’S Karaoke, 9:15 p.m.–12:30 a.m. LA SIESTA (CHURCH ST.) Karaoke, 6 p.m.

 TUESDAYS

LA SIESTA (GREENLAND) Trivia, 7 p.m. MT BOTTLE Karaoke, 9 p.m.–3 a.m. WHISKEY DIX DJ Cliffy D, 8 p.m.

 SATURDAYS CAMPUS PUB Karaoke, 10 p.m.–2:30 a.m. NACHOS Live Trivia, 7 p.m. NOBODY’S Karaoke, 9:15 p.m.–12:30 a.m. WHISKEY DIX DJ Cliffy D, 8 p.m.

THIS SPACE COULD BE YOURS ALL MONTH LONG FOR JUST $60 CALL (615) 796-6248

 SUNDAYS O’POSSUMS Live Trivia, 8 p.m. LA SIESTA (CHURCH ST.) Karaoke, 6 p.m. THE POUR HOUSE DJ, 7 p.m. WALL STREET Team Bingo, 5–7 p.m. SAM’S SPORTS GRILL Live Trivia, 8 p.m.

HEAR WHAT MURFREESBORO SOUNDS LIKE 

Want your band listed on our QR Classifieds? E-mail murfreesboropulse@yahoo.com

SOUNDS APRIL CONCERTS

Send your show listings to listings@boropulse.com

THURS, 4/2

TUES. 4/7

BUNGANUT PIG Downtown Rhythm Section HANDLEBAR Paul FM JOZOARA Rik Gracia WRIGHT MUSIC BLDG. Jenny Mills; Jared Hauser Janet Sung NACHO’S Ivan LaFever TEMPT EOTO, Ill Gates THE BORO All-Star Jam with Stuart Montez

BUNGANUT PIG 2 Country 4 Nashville SAUNDERS FINE ARTS Jamey Simmons combo

FRI. 4/3 ALFONSO’S Tony Castellanos BUNGANUT PIG Phoenix Rising CARMEN’S TAQUERIA Joe West MAYDAY BREWERY Angela Easley SHORT MOUNTAIN Delyn Christian TEMPT Travis Porter, Lil Wyte TFG PRODUCTIONS Neufound Me, Gorilla Warfare, Rust THE BORO Big Bob and the Built on Blues Band WALL STREET Groove Circus, Sunracer, The Dapper Dan Man Band

SAT. 4/4 ALFONSO’S Tony Castellanos BUNGANUT PIG The Pilots CARMEN’S TAQUERIA Joe West COCONUT BAY CAFE DJ RDP MAIN STREET MUSIC Craig Wayne Boyd and the All-Star House Band MAYDAY BREWERY The Secret Commonwealth TEMPT Zebo/PHNM TFG PRODUCTIONS Safe Secrets, The Lonely Corners, Man Behind the Curtain, Onyx Eye, The Colonists THE BORO Blood Sausage

SUN. 4/5 TFG PRODUCTIONS Come and Rest THE BORO Nashville Swing Review

MON. 4/6 WRIGHT MUSIC BLDG. Stones River Chamber Players

WED. 4/8 BUNGANUT PIG Blake Weiber TFG PRODUCTIONS Good Shade, Bring Me Solo THE POUR HOUSE Open Mic/Jam Night

THURS. 4/9 BUNGANUT PIG Lincoln Layne JOZOARA Rik Gracia WRIGHT MUSIC BLDG. Robert Dick NACHO’S Ivan LaFever THE BORO All-Star Jam with Stuart Montez WALL STREET Madeline Chief

FRI., 4/10 ALFONSO’S Tony Castellanos BUNGANUT PIG Crossroads CARMEN’S TAQUERIA Joe West COCONUT BAY CAFE Pimpalicous FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Beth Ann Stripling MAYDAY BREWERY The Festivus Players WRIGHT MUSIC BLDG. Jacob Miears SHORT MOUNTAIN Delyn Christian THE BORO My Graveyard Jaw

SAT. 4/11 ALFONSO’S Tony Castellanos BUNGANUT PIG Zone Status CARMEN’S TAQUERIA Joe West COCONUT BAY CAFE DJ Prez JOZOARA MTSU Live! MAYDAY BREWERY Southbound Grizzly WRIGHT MUSIC BLDG. Nick Hoy; Garrett Doo; Brittany Smith TEMPT DATSIK THE BORO Silent Monolilth, Horvora, Heavy Children WALL STREET Aye Mammoth, Whiskey N Rockets, PADAMN!

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SUN. 4/12 BUNGANUT PIG Mark Brothers WRIGHT MUSIC BLDG. Rebecca Buckley David Jung; String Recital TEMPT Exmag THE BORO Nashville Swing Review

MON, 4/13 WRIGHT MUSIC BLDG. Kody Mayberry; Elizabeth Chua

TUES., 4/14 BUNGANUT PIG Hoo Doo Men WRIGHT MUSIC BLDG. MTSU Wind Ensemble TFG PRODUCTIONS Jerry Fels & the Jerry Fels Late for Brunch

WED. 4/15 BUNGANUT PIG JD Shelburne Duo THE POUR HOUSE Open Mic/Jam Night WRIGHT MUSIC BLDG. Veronica Hoffman; MTSU Guitar Ensembles

THURS, 4/16 BUNGANUT PIG D. Ryan FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Murfreesboro Symphony Orchestra presents Scheherazade! JOZOARA Rik Gracia WRIGHT MUSIC BLDG. MTSU Singers NACHO’S Ivan LaFever THE BORO All-Star Jam with Stuart Montez

FRI. 4/17 ALFONSO’S Tony Castellanos BUNGANUT PIG Rockslide CARMEN’S TAQUERIA Joe West COCONUT BAY CAFE Zone Status HIPPIE HILL Earth Day Celebration MAYDAY BREWERY Red Wine Hangover WRIGHT MUSIC BLDG. MTSU Choral Concert Morgan Myers THE BORO Plastic Friends, Dead Balloons WALL STREET Oh Grandpa

SAT. 4/18 ALFONSO’S Tony Castellanos BUNGANUT PIG Ragged Co

Monthly Music Schedule at BoroPulse.com/ Concerts

CARMEN’S TAQUERIA Joe West COCONUT BAY CAFE DJ TruFX HIPPIE HILL Earth Day Celebration MAYDAY BREWERY Sarah Clanton WRIGHT MUSIC BLDG. The Lund McVey Group, Siegel High Jazz Band TEMPT G Jones TFG PRODUCTIONS Caligulove, Safe Secrets Dolly Dagger, Cold Creeks Cahaba, Chasing Lights THE BORO Cellars, The Strumms, The Foxery, Clay Cages

SUN, 4/19 BUNGANUT PIG Martin Rodriguez WRIGHT MUSIC BLDG. Percussion Ensemble Megan McKinney; MTSU Chamber Orchestra THE BORO Nashville Swing Review

MON., 4/20 WRIGHT MUSIC BLDG. MTSU Concert Band THE BORO Annual 420 Bash

TUES., 4/21 BUNGANUT PIG 2 Country 4 Nashville

WED., 4/22 BUNGANUT PIG Shane Douglas SAUNDERS FINE ARTS William Elmore WRIGHT MUSIC BLDG. MTSU Salsa Band THE POUR HOUSE Open Mic/Jam Night

THURS. 4/23 BUNGANUT PIG Crusty Veterans JOZOARA Rik Gracia SAUNDERS FINE ARTS Jonathan Wires Combo WRIGHT MUSIC BLDG. MTSU Women’s Chorale with Campus School Choir NACHO’S Ivan LaFever THE BORO All-Star Jam with Stuart Montez

FRI. 4/24 ALFONSO’S Tony Castellanos BUNGANUT PIG Marshall Creek CARMEN’S TAQUERIA Joe West COCONUT BAY CAFE Lugnuts MAYDAY BREWERY Boro Fondo WRIGHT MUSIC BLDG. BIll Hennings; Arunesh Nadgir

SHORT MOUNTAIN Delyn Christian TEMPT Twista

SAT. 4/25

 IF YOU GO: Alfonso’s 179 Mall Circle Dr. 439-6155 Autograph Rehearsal Studio 1400 W College St. 631-2605 Bonhoeffer’s 610 Dill Ln., 907-2890

ALFONSO’S Tony Castellanos BUNGANUT PIG Zippys Clutch CARMEN’S TAQUERIA Joe West JOZOARA MTSU Cup of Songs MAYDAY BREWERY O'Summer WRIGHT MUSIC BLDG. Piano studio recital Tabitha Atchley; Ciera Cope William Taylor Duke THE BORO Sandwich

Bunganut Pig 1602 W. Northfield Blvd. 893-7860

SUN., 4/26

Georgia’s Sports Bar and Grill 555 S. Lowry St. Smyrna, 267-0295

BUNGANUT PIG Amber’s Drive WRIGHT MUSIC BLDG. MTSU Symphony Orchestra; MTSU Brass THE BORO Nashville Swing Review

MON. 4/27 WRIGHT MUSIC BLDG. MTSU Woodwinds MTSU Flute Choir

TUES. 4/28 BUNGANUT PIG Hoo Doo Men WRIGHT MUSIC BLDG. MTSU Symphonic Band

WED. 4/29 BUNGANUT PIG Jed Smith WRIGHT MUSIC BLDG. Commercial Music Ensemble THE POUR HOUSE Open Mic/Jam Night

THURS. 4/30 BUNGANUT PIG Downtown Rhythm Section JOZOARA Rik Gracia WRIGHT MUSIC BLDG. MTSU Flutes and Strings Piano recital NACHO’S Ivan LaFever TFG PRODUCTIONS Fossil Eyes, Debris

FRI., 5/1 ALFONSO’S Tony Castellanos CARMEN’S TAQUERIA Joe West PUBLIC SQUARE JazzFest

SAT., 5/2 ALFONSO’S Tony Castellanos CARMEN’S TAQUERIA Joe West PUBLIC SQUARE JazzFest

Carmen’s Taqueria 206 W. Northfield Blvd. 848-9003 Coconut Bay Café 210 Stones River Mall Blvd. 494-0504 First United Methodist Church 265 W. Thompson Ln. 893-1322

Hippie Hill 8627 Burks Hollow Rd. 796-3697 JoZoara 536 N. Thompson Ln. 962-7175 Level III 114 S. Maple St. 900-3754 Liquid Smoke #2 Public Square 217-7822 Main St. Music 527 W. Main St. 440-2425 Mayday Brewery 521 Old Salem Hwy. 479-9722 MTSU Saunders Fine Arts Building 629 Normal Way 898-2469 MTSU Wright Music Building 1439 Faulkinberry Dr. 898-2469 Nacho’s 2962 S. Rutherford Blvd. 907-2700 TFG Productions 117 E. Vine St. The Boro Bar & Grill 1211 Greenland Dr. 895-4800 The Den 1660 Middle TN Blvd. 895-7167 The Green Dragon 714-F W. Main St. 801-7171 Wall Street 121 N. Maple St. 867-9090

SOUNDS “I’m just glad that I’ve never given up on my dream, regardless of the people around me, the naysayers saying I couldn’t do it . . .”

SINGING WITH A SMILE The Voice winner Craig Wayne Boyd is coming to Murfreesboro.

ountry artist Craig Wayne Boyd’s life before and after NBC’s The Voice takes on two very divergent storylines. A prolific songwriter from Mesquite, Texas, Boyd moved to Nashville at 25 and spent several years pursuing a music career, and with some success, he says, but not to the measure he sought. Boyd soon realized his dreams to become a nationally recognized artist were hitting a brick wall, and due to financial issues and other pressures, he was on the verge of trading years of music experience for a new career. That is, until he auditioned for The Voice last fall and his clear-cut talent became recognized by judge and award-winning country singer Blake Shelton with Boyd’s version of Travis Tritt and Marty Stuart’s “The Whiskey Ain’t Workin’.” Soon after, Boyd’s journey on the show went into overdrive, singing his way to a spot on the finale before ultimately winning Season 7 of the TV show. “I’m just glad that I’ve never given up on my dream, regardless of the people around me, the naysayers saying I couldn’t do it,”

10 * APRIL 2015 * BOROPULSE.COM

PHOTO BY MICHAEL OLIVERI

BY DYLAN SKYE AYCOCK

Boyd told the Murfreesboro Pulse last month, before he traveled into town for an April 4 concert at Main Street Music. “I wanted to win [The Voice] so badly that my drive and work ethic ended up going a long way, more so than before I was on the show.” Although Boyd’s first 10 years in Music City included a publishing deal with EMI Music and a spot on national tours as an opening act for Jamey Johnson, Randy Houser and Brantley Gilbert, the artist’s recent accomplishments far exceed his earlier work. In the past six months, Boyd’s already wrapped up a West Coast tour and had his Grand Ole Opry debut in January, a moment the singer said he waited many, many years to see transpire. While honored to perform, he said, he couldn’t do it without first having a moment for himself. “I had to step back where all the cases were and have myself a little cry because it was so overwhelming to stand where all the greats of country music have stood,” he said. “To have that opportunity was a chance of a lifetime.”

In late February, Boyd joined Rascal Flatts for their two-week Las Vegas mini-residency dubbed Vegas Riot!, and made history by becoming the second Vegas resident country act, only after Rascal Flatts. The experience was surreal, said Boyd, who credits the trio’s music as some of his earliest inspiration to pursue a country music career of his own. “Coming off of The Voice and going out to Vegas was absolutely amazing,” Boyd said. “The experience that I gained from being with a caliber of artists like Rascal Flatts was invaluable.” On Boyd’s last night in Vegas, he premiered “I’m Still Here,” a song inspired by his last few weeks on the show. The natural songwriter in Boyd noticed the looming potential and immediately called up his nowmanager Arlis Albritton and fellow Nashville songwriter Josh Helms to write the song. A Skype session later, the three had a finished product ready for Boyd to perform. “I caught myself walking through the set and people working the grips and the stages

would say ‘Oh, hey, there’s Craig Wayne Boyd,’ and my immediate response was always, ‘I’m still here’,” he explained. “After saying that for a couple of days I knew I had to write that.” However, Boyd’s list of achievements don’t stop there. One of his proudest moments, he admitted, happened last December after becoming the second artist to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart with his debut single “My Baby’s Got a Smile on Her Face,” which premiered on the show’s finale. The only other artist to debut on top is Garth Brooks, who made history when “More Than a Memory” hit the chart’s pinnacle on Sept. 15, 2007. “All I’m sayin’ is that my hashtag for that accomplishment is ‘cowboys cry too’,” Boyd said. “I can’t believe all the stuff that’s happening so quickly and all at once. It’s all the things I’ve ever dreamed of.” Now in his mid-30s, Boyd says he’s ready to “catch up” by touring across the U.S. and releasing his debut post-Voice album later this year. The tracks have a similar tone as the songs he performed while on the show except for being geared more toward modern country, he said, adding that he’s ready to play them on the road. “That’s why [artists] play music, to get out and take our music to the people,” he said. “Whether it be 30 minutes, two hours or whatever and wherever the show is, I feel like my responsibility as an artist is to entertain people away from their problems for a little while.” “Even if that means climbing rafters or standing on top of the speakers,” he continued. “Each show has its own unique element and you never know what I’ll do.”

 IF YOU GO:

Craig Wayne Boyd will perform at Main Street Music on Saturday, April 4, along with The Main Street All Stars, Ben Lacy and Billy Dawson. Main Street Music is located at 527 W. Main St., and tickets are available at ticketfly.com.

B R

Annual music and bike fest to roll through town once more this April.

THE ACORN PEOPLE

FONDO BY DYLAN SKYE AYCOCK

tarting on April 24, the third annual Boro Fondo Festival will bring Murfreesboro three days of local and national music acts, visual performances and a lot of cycling from venue to venue. The bikes-and-bands festival made huge strides in terms of support and attendance over the last few years, making it a cornerstone event for the Murfreesboro house show scene. There’s something about a group of music lovers pedaling from house to house, soaking in a wealth of art and camaraderie along the way, that can be attributed to its success. Building on the idea developed in 2010 by Tyler Walker’s Tour de Fun, three local music and art enthusiasts decided to retain the concept and change the name to Boro Fondo in 2013. When Walker moved to Nashville, Phillip Maloney, Asher Johnson and Eric DeTorres found it imperative to keep the localized concept of a community bike ride with stops at venues and houses around town. MTSU alumnus Quinten Thornton, drummer for The Acorn People and active member of Murfreesboro’s House Show Alliance, is in his first year helping organize the festival, and he’s already put in in a lot of hours to ensure this year’s event is an even better experience than last year’s. “A lot of people are beginning to realize Murfreesboro is a huge music scene,” Thornton said. “Everyone’s in it to help each other, everyone’s down for the cause and more and more people come out to support the festival each year, which in turn allows us to come back and do it again.” Boro Fondo is expanding to a three-day, all-ages event that kicks off Friday night at the Lord of the Rings-themed Green Dragon Public House and ends Sunday night with a massive house show. In between, festival attendees will travel on bicycle in groups to different venues and houses around town for 15–20 music sets representing a wide variety of genres. In addition to music, most venues will feature 2-D and 3-D visual art, both on display and in the making. “It’s great because people who may only be coming for the music will be exposed to the art element, while others who come for the artwork will be introduced to the local music scene,” Thornton said. “And those who just

CALIGULOVE

like to party and have a good time will be able to experience and appreciate all of it.” Last year, close to 70 bands played Boro Fondo. This year, around 150 music acts applied to play the festival, with close to half not making the cut. In addition to Murfreesboro and Nashville-based bands, there will be acts traveling to the ’Boro by way of New

CHALAXY

York, Chicago and Denver. The first round of band selections took seven hours to weed through, Thornton said, a process he described as stressful, but certainly a “labor of love.” He stressed the importance of arranging the bands so there’s a wide variety of genres represented at every stop. Rock, indie pop, funk, jazz, hip-hop and

bluegrass bands are scheduled to perform this year, with more to be added after Road to Fondo, a four-part competition held at Tempt to decide the last music slots for the festival. But Thornton says that he wants the community to see the festival as more than just a music festival. Each week, different committees—music, art selection, website, food and more—meet to discuss ways to add more features to the event. This year, cyclists will catch a show en route to the next destination while passing a mobile stage, and food trucks will make an appearance at certain venues. “There’s a lot involved, and no one gets paid for this,” he continued. “A lot have expressed interest in helping us out because they really dig what Boro Fondo stands for, which is amazing because it’s not something that could easily fall into place on its own.” Ben Scheffler, drummer for local sludgemetal band Sovereign, will perform for the fourth time at this year’s festival. He claims the community aspect of Boro Fondo is one of the main reasons why it continues to be a success. “Boro Fondo isn’t like any other festival,” Scheffler said. “It’s a great atmosphere to be surrounded by close friends who share the same idea of fun as you do.” This year Thornton said he expects over 1,000 in attendance. The festival’s DIY approach will help maintain the local vibe, he said, and will keep the festival from becoming “over-commercialized.” “We hope the festival continues to grow, and who knows, maybe it will become something really serious,” Thornton said with a grin. “But not too serious, of course, because it’s the local aesthetic that makes Boro Fondo so successful.” For more information, visit borofondo.com. BOROPULSE.COM

* APRIL 2015 * 11

MUSIC CITY SWING

SOUNDS

Beat Goes ON...

THE

HALFBRASS

STORY BY BRACKEN MAYO

Reggie Thomas, Rod McGaha, Halfbrass to play JazzFest, May 1–2.

nce again, the Main Street JazzFest will take over the Murfreesboro Public Square the first weekend in May, bringing professional and student jazz players to its outdoor stage. The event is free to attend, and also offers kids activities, food vendors and lots of fun, socializing and the chance to visit the Square on the spring weekend of May 1–2. Pianist Reggie Thomas will claim headlining status this year, and is scheduled to perform on Saturday evening. Thomas has

performed all over the world, and earlier this year released his latest recording, Matters of the Heart, recorded with his wife, Marda. Thomas has been a consultant/clinician for Jazz at Lincoln Center for the past decade, working with the Essentially Ellington Program and the Band Director Academy. More recently he presented “Creating Music Through Improvisation” at the Carnegie Hall Music Educator’s Workshop in New York. He actively conducts clinics at colleges throughout the country and Thomas has directed

2015 Jazz Fest Schedule FRIDAY, MAY 1

1 p.m.

MTSU Jazz Ensemble #1

6 p.m.

2 p.m.

Halfbrass

3:15 p.m.

MTSU Jazz Faculty

Stewart’s Creek High School Jazz Band

6:40 p.m. Blackman High School Jazz Band

4:30 p.m. Rock Williams

7:20 p.m.

MTCS Jazz Band

5:45 p.m.

Rod McGaha

8 p.m.

Smyrna High School Jazz Band

8 p.m.

Reggie Thomas (who will also host a piano clinic at 3:30 p.m.)

9:15 p.m.

Music City Swing

8:40 p.m. LaVergne High School Jazz Band 9:20 p.m. Central Magnet School Jazz Band

Kroger (West) Stage 11:30 a.m. Siegel Middle School 12 p.m.

Stewart’s Creek Middle School

10:40 p.m. Riverdale High School Jazz Band

1 p.m.

Tennessee School for the Blind

11:20 p.m. Oakland High School Jazz Band

1:30 p.m.

St. Rose Middle School

2 p.m.

Rockvale Middle School

10 p.m.

Siegel High School Jazz Band

SATURDAY, MAY 2

2:30 p.m. Stewart’s Creek High School Ensemble II

Main (East) Stage

3 p.m.

11 a.m.

Seymour High School

3:30 p.m. Blackman Middle School

12 p.m.

Murfreesboro Youth Jazz Orchestra

4:50 p.m. First Fruit Jazz Project

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4 p.m.

Oakland Middle School All Ruth Co. Jazz Band

REGGIE THOMAS

all-state jazz bands, combos and choirs in Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, South Dakota and Tennessee. Preceding Thomas onstage on Saturday, May 2, will be Halfbrass, Nashville’s own funky brass band. Born under the influence of classic New Orleans tradition, Halfbrass mixes traditional brass band music with funk, jazz and rock. When you’re ready to party, Halfbrass says “Laissez les bon temps rouler!” Trumpeter Rod McGaha will also join the fun at this year’s event. “Rod McGaha is a one-of-a-kind musician and has his own identity on the trumpet—an instrument that millions of people play—and that’s saying something,” veteran saxophonist Jeff Coffin has said of McGaha. A native Chicagoan, McGaha garnered the attention of jazz legends like Von Freeman, Clark Terry and Wynton Marsalis as a young prodigy. He went on to perform concerts in Egypt, Japan, Germany, South Africa, Poland and Mexico, and has worked with artists including Kenny Rogers, Bebe and CeCe Winans, Shelby Lynne and Take 6. “If I can make someone feel something through my music, then I know I’m doing it right,” McGaha said. “I want people to feel the way I felt listening to Clark Terry. I remember, I was listening to a recording of Clark Terry and it gave me great joy. He made me happy just with his music alone.

ROD McGAHA

That’s the power of music!” McGaha’s world travels inspired him to create United for Peace Orchestra, a 22-member juggernaut of a band, amalgamating more than half a dozen different nationalities. “Being onstage with that band was like being onstage with an Encyclopedia Britannica. There was knowledge and culture coming in from all different directions and the audience was just as inspired by it as we were,” McGaha said of the project. Other 2015 JazzFest performers include Music City Swing, Rock Williams, the MTSU Jazz Ensemble, MTSU Faculty and Murfreesboro Youth Jazz Orchestra. “The music committee did a great job with their selections . . . we locked down great talent again this year,” said Main Street Murfreesboro Executive Director Kathleen Herzog. In addition to the Main Stage performers on Saturday, many high school bands, and even some middle school performers, will take the stage. “As every year, we are genuinely excited about this event and invite everyone to visit downtown Murfreesboro over this weekend and enjoy everything it has to offer,” Herzog added. For more information on JazzFest, visit mainsreetjazzfest.net.

BOROPULSE.COM

* APRIL 2015 * 13

SOUNDS

MUSIC

NEWS

String Band Flea Market Hustlers Hustlin’ from Sun Studio to Hippie Jack’s BY ANDREA BRINK

Members of the Flea Market Hustlers, from left, John Furbush, Jake Winebrenner, David Preston and Mike Tharpe.

WMTS PUTS ON VINYL FAIR AT MAYDAY ON APRIL 12 MTSU’s student-run radio station, WMTS Murfreesboro, will host its ﬁrstever Vinyl Fair at Mayday Brewery, located at 521 Old Salem Rd., on Sunday, April 12. The event will bring in record dealers from throughout the Southeast, vintage clothing companies, printmaking vendors, live music, food trucks and more. Attendees will also have the opportunity to win tickets to the Shaky Knees Festival in Atlanta on May 8–10. The Vinyl Fair will run from 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

14 * APRIL 2015 * BOROPULSE.COM

ombine the long hair of Willie Nelson, the beards of Duck Dynasty men and a performance like Metallica and you’ve got a sound that is like no other. The Flea Market Hustlers are not the typical bluegrass band. This group places itself in its own genre: “disco-billy, jam-grass.” “The band is kind of like a ﬂea-market ﬁnd itself. Everyone brings a little bit of everything. It’s this hodgepodge of people with types of music they kind of grew up listening to. Then it all just happens to land into this string/bluegrass band,” explains Jake Winebrenner, who plays percussion and vocals. They not only write their own music, but also perform an eclectic array of cover songs from Miley Cyrus to Grateful Dead, always looking for the shock value. “The only thing we don’t cover are things we actually listen to,” says John Furbush, who plays mandolin and harmonica as well as contributing vocals. The band appears to be on an upward trajectory. The Flea Market Hustlers recently went to historic Sun Studio in Memphis to play for the television show Sun Studio Sessions. The episode premiered on PBS on Feb. 24. The band decided to book the next day in that studio to record 14 songs, and their new album will be out soon. Outside of this self-sustaining hobby of theirs, the bandmates hold down a variety of jobs. John is a recording engineer and Jake works at a welding shop. Other band members are Mike Tharpe, (banjo and vocals) who is an environmental engineer and David Preston (guitar, bass and vocals), a teacher. Their main focus is their families. When they practice on Saturdays, it is like a big family gathering, they say. Often, all the wives and children come together with them and make a day of it. The family travels together to most of the shows and it is like their own circus act following them around. “We enjoy it because everything we do just keeps getting better,” says John. “The Flea Market Hustlers did start off as just a small string band, but everyone who sees them enjoys what they hear and want more.” The Flea Market Hustlers will appear at Jammin’ at Hippie Jack’s on May 22. For more on the band, visit fleamarkethustlers.com.

 TWISTA TO PERFORM AT TEMPT APRIL 24 Revered rapper Twista, who’s known for his tongue-twisting verses and swift ﬂow, will perform at Tempt at 9 p.m. on Friday, April 24. The 41-year-old artist has been releasing albums since 1992, with perhaps his best-known work coming with his 2004 album, Kamikaze. The album included the hit “Slow Jamz” featuring Kanye West and Jamie Foxx, a track that also appeared on West’s debut album, The College Dropout.

CHRIS YOUNG

ELI YOUNG BAND

BEDSIDE PERFORMANCE PROGRAM Musicians on Call Bedside Performance Program is looking for volunteer musicians at the VA (3400 Lebanon Rd.) long-term care facility in Murfreesboro. Programs are every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. All volunteers are asked to commit to volunteering once a month for at least one year. Musicians perform at the bedsides of patients and are always accompanied by a trained MOC Volunteer Guide. For more information, contact christina@ musiciansoncall.org or (615) 432-2124.

MURFREESBORO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

CANNONSBURGH 3RD FRIDAY NIGHT CONCERT SERIES Bring your lawn chair or a blanket and hear some live music, and maybe do a little dancing, at Cannonsburgh Village (312 S. Front St.) at 7 p.m. Friday, April 17. Admission is free. For more information, call (615) 890-0355.

Murfreesboro Symphony Orchestra will perform at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, April 16, at First United Methodist Church, 265 W. Thompson Ln. The concert will feature pianist Dr. Ka Man “Melody” Ng and will include selections by Edvard Grieg, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Pietro Mascagni. For tickets or more information, visit murfreesborosymphony.com.

 JIMMY MILES AND THE SOUTHERN PRIDE BAND JOIN EARTH DAY FEST FUN AT HIPPIE HILL Hippie Hill’s annual Earth Day Weekend Celebration will take place April 17–18 up on the Hill with a performance by, among many others, outlaw country band Jimmy Miles and the Southern Pride Band. Hailing from Alabama, the “Country Born, American Made” act will take the stage at 9 p.m. on Saturday. BOROPULSE.COM

* APRIL 2015 * 15

ALBUM REVIEWS

BY DYLAN SKYE AYCOCK

SUGAR LIME BLUE

THE REAL 2FOUR

Move That Earth 3

Intergalactic

Sugar Lime Blue’s well-received 2011 debut, Far From The Tree, proved their authentic songcraft, but their sophomore effort, Move That Earth, is even better, demonstrating the kind of growth and perspective good bands typically acquire as their sound naturally matures. The seven tracks blend contemporary rock, full-bodied blues and traditional country in a truly compelling style, which can more appropriately be described as Americana music at its finest. Ashley Beth’s smooth, ’70s rock-inspired vocals display impressive range with a country jaunt and are matched with a wealth of well-constructed instrumental breaks. “Move That Earth,” the album’s soulful, footstomping title cut is a resounding ode to the West and reminiscent of Elbow’s “Grounds for Divorce” and The Civil War’s hard-rocking track “Barton Hollow.” Standout tracks include the fast-moving “When Bullets Fail” and “Dollhouse,” the album’s only slowdripping ballad. In addition to the six original tracks, Sugar Lime Blue says farewell with its earthy pop cover of Melanie’s ’70s hit “Brand New Key,” which the band covered last year as part of its “#sundayshoutout” cover series on YouTube. Like many independent acts, Sugar Lime Blue reached out via crowdfunding website Kickstarter to help fund the release and, with much success, exceeded their Kickstarter goal of $2,500. A majority of band’s tight-knit fan base purchased a vinyl copy, which will certainly give the album’s already natural sound a warm boost. Move That Earth feels homespun and versatile and could easily be played on a back porch or in a loud, raucous bar setting. All songs are recorded with great instrumental and vocal prowess, and, as a result, it’s worth repeated listening. Sugar Lime Blue will be playing an acoustic show at Levy’s, located at 3900 Hillsboro Pike, on April 16 in Nashville. For more music, news and tour dates, visit sugarlimeblue.com.

RATINGS: AVERAGE 16 * APRIL 2015 * BOROPULSE.COM

A CLASSIC BELOW AVERAGE

Nashville hip-hop artist and former MTSU student De’Andre Davis, or The Real 2Four, teamed up with Murfreesboro’s Jim Giordano, better known as DJ Majestic, to release Intergalactic, their collaborative four-song EDM-based EP that blurs the lines between electronic, house, hip-hop and trap-inspired genres. Backed by Juggernaut 24 Entertainment, 2Four’s latest project combines extensive buildups and heavy dubstep-influenced bass lines to produce the kind of infectious elements that were missing from his debut EP. While his lyric style remains the same, the electronica component gives the album a fresh spin on hip-hop, with 2Four’s vibrant verses gliding smoothly over DJ Majestic’s seamless beats that waver between subtle wobbles and resounding, rhythmic frequencies. On “Intergalactic,” the club-ready title track, 2Four sings about “getting in my spaceship” for an “outer space trip” to Mars over spacey, yet straightforward loops. Tracks “Lockdown” and “Way Too Fly” feature Charlie Rose, but the latter sounds more like a verse instead of a fully developed track. Intergalactic is well-produced, but it certainly isn’t a groundbreaking record. It is, however, hype club music emphasized with catchy lyrics and is suitable for both personal listening or background music at a party. 2Four clearly has a vision for his career and proves himself a prominent upand-coming figure in “Cashville’s” growing hip-hop scene. Check out The Real 2Four’s website, thereal2four.com, to listen to the tracks from the EP, or visit his official Facebook page for more information.

OUTSTANDING AVOID AT ALL COSTS

DEAD

BOROPULSE.COM

* APRIL 2015 * 17

A Unique Fashion Experience and A Great Cause: Follow The Kitty to Cat Nips

LIVING ASHER CATALDO

Float for a Cause

dation

Fundraiser aids CGFreck Foun FLOAT-A-BOAT, owned by Gena Trice and Kim Council, invites everyone to get outside and enjoy a beautiful day on the river for the CGFreck Foundation’s Annual Duck River PAW-ker Float Saturday, May 16, with a special poker run, BBQ provided by Float-A-Boat, a silent auction with gifts from local businesses (homemade pies!), and music from artists Zach Donegan, The Jimmy Jack Band and Asher Cataldo. All musicians, local businesses and Float-ABoat are donating 100 percent of the proceeds and their time to CGFreck Foundation, an organization dedicated to rescuing, feeding, housing and caring for homeless animals while supporting no-kill shelters. A $30 admission ticket includes a hand in the poker run, silent auction, live music and BBQ. Contenders can float down the Duck River, where they stop along the way at gravel bars, hang out, eat snacks and get more cards in this five-card poker run promising a cash prize for the winner at the end! (More cards can be purchased upon request.) There is a deadline to the float; however, this is not a race. Those not wanting to participate in the float can purchase a $10 ticket to see live music as well as purchase BBQ (BYOB). Bring your family and your furry friends (leash required) for a float down the river! Dogs float free. Check-in begins at 8:30 a.m. with the first boat to appear in the water at 10 a.m. Live music kicks off at 2 p.m. Due to limited availability, advance registration is required by May 8. For more information, or 18 * APRIL 2015 * BOROPULSE.COM

to register, call (931) 619-6959 or (615) 9259767 or e-mail CGFreck@gmail.com. Toot’s South is also supporting the cause and is a big sponsor of the event. The restaurant, located on South Church Street in Murfreesboro, will host a fundraiser night for the CGFreck Foundation on April 21. The CGFreck group plans to hold a fundraiser twice a year, with their first one having been held in October of 2014. “We moved it to May in the hopes of getting more participation this time,” said Council. “Getting out of the winter, people are ready to get on the river, and our hopes are to raise more money and spread more awareness.” “It’s just a great way to help animals,” explained Trice. “The foundation has already undergone many expenses when it comes to things like medical bills for people that can’t afford to pay for their animals’ [medical expenses], or for homeless or rescued animals.” CGFreck was founded by Trice and Gayle Osteen in loving memory of Trice’s deceased furry friends CG and Freckles. Alongside Bedford County Animal Control, the CGFreck Foundation helped rescue over 100 dogs in a hoarding case that came to light in January 2015. Since October the foundation has helped at least 70 animals in the Middle Tennessee area, through fosterhome placement, adoption, medical treatment and other assistance. Those unable to attend the event can still go to cgfreck.com and donate. “I used to think, ‘Oh, I can’t go to a shelter, or volunteer, because it’ll just break my heart. I’ll want to take all of them home,’” Trice

MEET KAREN DENTON, a local business owner dedicated to spreading joy and “cat scratch fever.” Cat Nips, her business located at 517 Cason Lane, is a new and consignment fashion store that caters to women of all ages, shapes and walks of life while also supporting pet adoption. The inspiration to open the store occurred just over a year ago thanks to the Dentons’ four cats, particularly Mayling, a Siamese mix whose breed happens to be the logo of the Cat Nips. Before going into business, Denton’s husband and co-owner, Bill, was a music promoter for Higgins Music Group in Nashville. Karen was a registered nurse. “I was burnt out with my career and wanted to combine my passions,” Karen said.

ZACH DONEGAN

said. “But if people would just do something . . . [be it] volunteer, donate, share it on Facebook or foster. I know not everyone can adopt or donate, but there is a lot of stuff that they can do that really makes a difference. It’s really heartwarming when you see the good stories. It is sad to see the bad stories.” CGFreck Foundation works with Bedford County Animal Control (which tries not to euthanize unless it is the last option) and many shelters in Rutherford County, including Operation Education Animal Rescue, Barfield Animal Hospital and the Humane Society. “We are just trying to save the dogs, because they just don’t have the space,” Trice explained. “The South can be bad about spaying and neutering. We would also like to get involved on the political side, like bringing the Nashville chaining laws to Rutherford County. We are ready to start making changes for the better.” “That’s something that we have learned,” said Council. “It’s important to spay and neuter. It’s not just to keep puppies from being born that are not going to have a home, but it’s also healthier for them. It helps cut down on cancer and other stuff.” Float-A-Boat (205 Blackman Blvd. W., Wartrace) offers a peaceful experience down the beautiful Duck River and Normandy Lake for beginners and experienced paddlers, providing canoes, kayaks (including fishing kayaks), tubes, paddleboats, SUP and Jon boards for rent. The magical Duck River provides home to 151 species of freshwater fish, 55 species of mussels, and 22 species of aquatic snails. Float-A-Boat is open seven days a week and takes walk-ins and reservations. For more information, visit facebook. com/floataboat or floattn.com. — ANDREA STOCKARD

BILL AND KAREN DENTON

The store offers a range of new products from original styles in glamorous lace and sparkly denim to dresses and lingerie. Cat Nips also offers feline treats and supplies, and yes, pets are welcome to browse the racks, too! Portions of the proceeds from sales are given to charities and organizations including the ASPCA, the Nashville Humane Society, Rutherford County Cat Rescue and Feline Felicity The enthusiastic couple will also provide discounts to those who give pet food to the store’s holiday donation box as well as to those who adopt a companion from PAWS, a Rutherford County pet adoption service. “It is my personal thank-you to customers for their rescue,” she said. Discounts are also offered to customers who partake in the Dentons’ love for karaoke. There is no pressure to perform and no judging of skill; however, those who are willing to sing receive 10 percent off and those who allow footage of the performance on the Cat Nips website receive 20 percent off their entire purchase. The Dentons sometimes showcase their vocals with duet favorite “Squeeze Me In,” by Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood. “We want Cat Nips to be known as a place of great fun and expression,” Karen said. — DAKOTA LINDSTROM

AN HONEST LOOK AT S S E N S S E L E M O H of a former Story n homeless ma U BY ZACH S

MMITT

y name is Zach Summitt. I was homeless for 18 months in Murfreesboro. I had many campsites, such as one under the bridge, one in the woods, a shack made of pallets and a 10-by-10 storage unit. Many people camped with me; Matt, Heather, Billy, Tom, Doc, Rhoda, Garrick, Justin and others. Those who camped with me became a unit, a family, a team. Other homeless people also became friends. We stuck together. Some of us died. Some of us went to jail. Some got off the streets and assembled a life that, from the outside, appears normal. I was lucky. I worked hard and got my life together. All of us learned something. All of us felt the painful emotions and freezing nights. All of us are human. My intention with this work is to deliver the words and the messages of the homeless community, but, in the words of a friend, “I wouldn’t want anyone to be the face of homelessness.” I had lived in L.A. I had lived in Nashville. I was raised in Kingsport, Tenn. I’m going to tell you about the most terrible and life-changing experience I ever had. I’m going to tell you how the church, community organizations, and big-hearted people helped me along the way. I’m going to tell you how you can help someone in this situation. I was making many awful lifestyle choices in the summer of 2012. I partied too much, enjoyed women for all the wrong reasons, and acted like I was invulnerable. What goes up must inevitably come down. I lost my car, job, and apartment within two months that summer. It was all my fault too. I knew a guy who was my age who was resourceful and was also homeless. He showed me how to survive and how to make the most of what little I did have. I thought it was going to be tough. I was right, but in a different sense. Not having money, food or shelter was not the

worst part of homelessness. The loneliness, the judgmental eyes, being treated like an animal by society, were all new to me. It hurt. I had put all of my self-worth into work, possessions and achievements. Now they were all gone, and—at least, as I perceived it—I had nothing. I was worthless. I was a nameless, faceless member of the lowest class. I didn’t know how to be nothing or have nothing. I didn’t show my face too often in public. I was ashamed of myself, and humiliated. No one had to tell me I was worthless, because I knew it. I learned to go to the community outreach center, the library, and the mall and hide. Bury myself in books, media and distractions. I cherished things I had taken for granted in my earlier years. They made me feel normal and whole in a way. I went to the Salvation Army, which helps men and families with places to stay as long as they are trying to better themselves. It is a terrific organization that helps people constantly. I was in no shape to better myself at that point. So after two weeks and no job or money acquired, I voluntarily left. I went from place to place until I found the woods. I set up close to an existing camp with a tent and some blankets. It’s a lonely and depressing feeling sleeping outside. It makes you feel hopeless, pitiful and isolated. Over time I learned the lay of the land. I gathered wood. I cleared paths. I washed myself in the river. I learned how to do those things that outdoorsmen love to do. I didn’t love doing them, but I became strong and sharp. I learned how to listen to nature. Eventually I made friends at The Journey

Home, the outreach center. The ones that I trusted, I showed my camp. We became a group of five. We grew to seven, and then we became a squad. There were some people I had to ask to leave. My camp exploded in size and in life. We were all different, with the exception of being homeless in Murfreesboro. For the first time, I realized I was happy. I had nothing but a tent and some friends. I wasn’t alone. People talked and people listened. People helped one another with no ulterior motive, just out of kindness. We were learning selflessness. We were learning to love and trust again. We weren’t saints. I was on probation for a DUI that I got right before I lost everything. I was in the system, so I laid low. I wasn’t a criminal, but I hid like one. I got to a point where I only trusted homeless people. Society had become something from which I felt separate. I didn’t know what to do to return to normal. I tried looking for work, but that’s not easy when you don’t have an address. The Journey Home and Greenhouse Ministries in town helped with clothes and food. I did odd jobs for money. Moving, construction, anything. I wasn’t big on panhandling. The only time I did it, I didn’t make much. I was ashamed the whole time. No one wants to be that guy on the corner, especially the guy on the corner. It is possible to work while homeless, but it’s difficult. Every employer will pick the normal person over the homeless person. Time passed. I met more people. I began to trust people again. The Experience Community Church hosted a community breakfast with delicious food and warm smiles. I was reluctant but eventually went to church with Amber and Joan. I was amazed at how open-minded they were. They were truly doing God’s work: helping people, being there for each other and living the proper way. I don’t mean proper like dropping judgments or turning everything into religious matter. They lived as I would imagine God had intended. It reawakened my relationship with Christianity. Eventually, down the road, I would return to God’s flock. There were still bad times, too. I had developed a drinking problem. I went back to sleeping around. People at the camp would fight or yell. Sometimes drugs came around. I usually passed, because they made me depressed. Every now and then, I would steal. That still makes me cringe. Most of my family was dead, except my grandmother and my cousins. I didn’t even think I was disappointing them. They lived four hours away and my grandmother and I weren’t yet on speaking terms. We both loved each other, but we just couldn’t stand to be around each other. I loved them but it was a quiet love, hidden down deep so it would be safe and maybe live forever. When some campers went to jail, I decided the woods were getting too crazy. People knew where we were. I needed a new spot. I found the bridge, which I will call Panama. If you’ve been homeless long enough, you’ll know where it is. It was summer by that point, so we slept outside on old

“I got to a point where I only trusted homeless people. Society had become something from which I felt separate. I didn’t know what to do to return to normal.”

couches or mattresses. It was wide open, but I was getting more brazen. The squad protects its own. One night, a guy came up and hung out. After a while, he started talking raw to Billy and me. It was terrible how it ended up for him. We called him a ride to the hospital. We were wild, not malicious. There are a multitude of stories that I could tell about that bridge. I’ll sum it up by saying we cooked out a lot and drank even more. At this point, I became a roofer. I shaved off my long hair and worked 50 hours a week. I got paid cash. I made quite good money and would rent hotels for a week at a time. I thought I was coming through this phase and I would be back inside soon. I drank nightly. I worked daily. I got a tan and wore a Panama Jack straw hat. This is what I had turned into . . . Panama Zach. The hard-drinking, hardworking roofer. That summer was hot. I was still dodging probation. I had changed in so many ways over that year I was essentially another person. My old friends from my normal life lost touch, which was okay, since I wouldn’t have had much to say. As the fall came around, work slowed down. I went back to the bridge. I walked to my friend’s house near MTSU campus to watch football one day. I was with my bridge friends Taco and Chase. We had a couple of beers and burgers. We felt normal and good for a moment. While returning to the bridge, we were stopped by a cop. He was looking for a missing child and he asked us if we knew anything. We cooperated and he took our names. The jig was up. I was arrested for violation of probation. I won’t talk about jail much. I played chess and spades. I read. I wrote letters. Amber from The Experience Church helped me get in touch with my grandmother. When I was released around Thanksgiving, My grandmother picked me up. She seemed so small to me, but I’ll never forget that moment, tears running down her face. She said, “You’re home now.” I lived with her at her house in Kingsport for about six months. I got a job at a textile manufacturer. I saved up money and stopped drinking. My entire life has changed again, this time in a positive way. I’m off probation. I have a car and a license again. I have a house that I rent. I have a job and friends with places to sleep. I’m writing this on a computer I bought. I’ll never forget anyone I met when I was homeless out there. They changed me, I changed them. I liken it to being in the armed forces with someone. You know them in a way that you can’t really know anyone else. The main thing I’d like to leave you with is the idea that the homeless are not more stupid, sinful, dirty or evil than anyone else. They are humans. They have hearts. They have stories. They are living souls. If you want to be the change, realize it’s not difficult. They will talk to you. It’s on you to listen. It’s on you to smile at them. It’s on you to hug them. Ask them how they are and really listen. Don’t give them money; give them a sandwich or a blanket. Money won’t solve this problem. Your time and concern, though, just might. I’m living proof. Anyone can find dirt in someone. Be the one that finds the gold. Proverbs 11:27 BOROPULSE.COM

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LIVING

FARMERS’ MARKET EDUCATION SERIES

Giving Your Plants a Good Start AND WE’RE OFF! Another growing season has begun. The produce from our fruits and vegetables is a direct result of their growing conditions. It is possible to improve the soil in new and established gardens. It is a process that takes time and is unique to each garden based on its needs, which can be determined by a soil test. The addition of composted material, manure, lime, sand, peat, perlite, vermiculite, or potting soil mixtures are soil improvements. The objective is to supply the plant with its ideal growing situation to produce the best harvest or biggest blooms available to its species. Soil properties to evaluate are rooting depth available, drainage, soil texture and structure, water-holding capacity and lack of rocks. So, do a little research and know what constitutes the ideal growing environment for the plants you have chosen. Be aware of sun/ shade requirements, watering and moisture levels, needed nutrients and pH requirements of the plants that you have selected to grow. Consider growing your plants from seed. You will have a wider assortment for your selection. One huge advantage in starting your own plants from seed is control. You reduce the chances of introducing harmful insects or diseases into the garden if you start your own plants. Plus, you know if you spray any chemical on your seedlings. Don’t assume that purchased flats or sixpacks of seedlings have not already undergone a chemical induction. Plants that you can purchase may be treated with neonictinoids, a chemical that is suspect in killing pollinators. The original purpose of the neonictinoids creation is a dream come true: to systemically kill sap-feeding insects and control against certain beetles, fleas, certain wood-boring pests, flies, cockroaches and others. Originally thought to have no effect on beneficial insects, neonictinoids are now being studied for interfering with a pollinator’s ability to navigate between 20 * APRIL 2015 * BOROPULSE.COM

the hive and the nectar, thus killing the hive. The chemical is suspect but studies are inconclusive. The manufacturers of the products with neonictinoids recommend minimizing impact on the environment, including the pollinators, by following the label directions carefully, restricting neonicotine applications to the soil, or during times when bees are not foraging (in the evening), and treating only those individual plants which need treatment for a known pest infestation rather than a universal application of the product to all vegetables. There is no labeling required on plants being sold that have been treated with this chemical. Try to start your summer vegetables within three to six weeks prior to transplanting. Frosts are over by April 15 (tax day). Summer vegetables should be in the ground by Mother’s Day. If you choose to start your own veggies, start with clean pots. A 1:10 mixture of bleach and water will sterilize them. You want to use a starter medium as well, not soil from the garden. Seed-starting mixtures are usually composed of vermiculite and peat. You can also make your own by mixing one-third part sand, one-third part peat moss and one-third loamy soil, then heating it in an oven for 30 minutes at 180 degrees to sterilize it. Cool before using. Fill the pots or flats with a potting mix, and water the mix before sowing seeds. The potting mix will settle down into the containers. Add more potting mix and water again, until the containers or cells are nearly full. Try to sow within six weeks of transplanting into their outdoor location. Sow one seed per pot or cell. There is no fertilizer in seed starting mixtures, so water with fertilizer mixed at half strength. You can create your own fertilizer through your own worms’ efforts. Vermicomposting is a process of using your worms’ discharge as a natural fertilizer for your plants. The difference between chemical and organic fertilizers is the way in which they are made; the concentration and availability

by EDWINA SHANNON

of the nutrients. Organic fertilizers are made directly from animal or plant products and are mineralized by microorganisms into an inorganic form which can then be used by the plant. It is a longer process but does increase the organic matter in the soil. Lime and wood ashes do increase the pH (alkaline) and materials for lowering soil pH (acidic) include sulfur, peat moss, and cottonseed meal. Chemical fertilizers with 10-10-10 state that a balanced rating of the three elements— nitrogen, phosphate and potash—are rated according to the percentages of primary nutrients of Nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) that are contained within. The release of these elements to the plant is pH sensitive. Ideal pH is 6.5–7 as ions of all elements are available in this neutral pH. Nitrogen is for green and growth. Phosphate is for fruiting and flowering, while the potassium element is for healthy roots. You want to follow your soil test recommendations or at the least, the label instructions on how much to use. Fertilizer, especially phosphorous, is an example of where more is not better. Overfertilizing can create environmental issues, harm the plants and is a financial waste. To produce vegetables, pollinators are needed in our yards and gardens. Beetles, bees, ants, wasps, butterflies and moths contribute to pollination. Their continual access to the plants provides successful pollination which results in healthy fruit and vegetables and fertile seeds for next year’s crop. There are plants that do attract pollinators. Try to plant native species. Ladybugs are our friends; they eat harmful insects, including those sneaky aphids. Remember this is the time of year when you need to buy seeds for the planting cycles throughout this growing season. Store any extra seed in the refrigerator as it is a cool, dry place. There are some fun and informative events to attend this upcoming month:

ADVENTURES IN AGRICULTURE FESTIVAL This year’s Adventure in Agriculture will be held from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. at the Lane AgriPark on John Rice Blvd. in Murfreesboro. It is a free, family friendly event with hands-on activities, livestock, trolley rides, horse events and many opportunities for fun and learning for both adults and children.

FARMERS’ MARKET VENDOR TRAINING The Rutherford County Farmers’ Market is a producer-only market. so if you are interested in selling at the Rutherford County Farmer’s Market you need to apply. There is an all-day Spring Vendor Meeting on April 15 from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. at the Lane Agri-Park Community Center. This will be a full day, offering lots

of tools and resources to grow your business and make your experience at the RC Farmers’ Market an enjoyable one. Topics will include farm record-keeping, plasticulture irrigation, GAP funding opportunities, using the Southeastern Vegetable Crop Handbook, FMNP-WIC voucher training, farm to school opportunities, marketing and season booth drawings. Vendor application and information can be downloaded from https://extension.tennessee. edu/Rutherford/Pages/Farmers-Market.aspx. Pre-registration is required. Please call (615) 898-7710 or email jbecker8@utk.edu to sign up.

PLANT & SEED SWAP The Master Gardeners of Rutherford County are organizing the free, family-friendly community plant and seed swap on Saturday, May 2 from 9 a.m.–2 p.m. This event is open to the public and will also be held at the Lane AgriPark Community Center (315 John Rice Blvd). The rules for participation are simple: for each one you bring, you take one. You will be checked in and receive a ticket with the number of swaps that you have brought. Everything must have a name and instructions. You choose what you want to bring home and will be checked out to verify the count. If you don’t have plants, bring a canned-food item as a donation to alleviate hunger in our community; 1 can = 1 plant. You can bring your potted plants, seedlings, seeds, cuttings, bulbs and houseplants for this fun and informative event. You’re asked not to bring plants that are taking over your yard! There will be a silent auction, door prizes, an Ask a Master Gardener table, educational exhibits and speakers throughout the day. Hummingbirds will be the topic at 10 a.m., presented by John Anderson from Anderson Pools, Spas and Wild Bird Station. Monarchs, Migration and Milkweed will be presented at 10:45 a.m. by Linell from Monarch Meadows. At 11:30, David Adams from National Park Service will speak on invasive plants (plants that take over). The last speaker will be Keith Elrod from the Rutherford County Beekeeping Association, who will speak on Beginner Beekeeping at 12:15 p.m.

FARMERS’ MARKET OPENS May 8 is opening day at the Farmers’ Market located at Lane Agri-Park Community Center. The market is open from 7 a.m.–noon on Tuesdays and Fridays. It is a producer-only market. Educational classes are held on market days and are open to everyone, free of charge. Registration is not needed. Classes start at 9 a.m. and last approximately one hour. Look for a list of classes in the next issue of the Pulse.

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LIVING

Master Builders, Chris and Dan Steininger will be on hand for KidsFest in Nashville this month.

Clockwise from top: Spiderman; A family participates in the KidsFest Challenge Zone; a member of the Lego KidsFest staff places a creation within Creation Nation

LEGO KidsFest set for April 17–19 in Nashville.

Calling All Master Builders STORY BY BRACKEN MAYO

MIDDLE TENNESSEE LEGO FANS, a festival just for you is coming up this month. The Lego KidsFest will come to Tennessee for the first time ever, bringing everything Lego to the Music City Center April 17–19. This weekend of thousands and thousands of bricks and bricks includes some huge models of cartoon and comic characters as well as some intricate miniature creations and a Lego challenge zone where participants are given building challenges to complete. Also among the many activities and attractions are live demonstrations by Lego Master Builders, a basketball-court sized map of the United States that visitors can fill in with bricks, opportunities to explore the fun worlds of the Mixel and Nixel characters, Ninjago battle areas and more loose Lego bricks than you’ve seen anywhere. Chris Steininger is a Lego Master Builder who helped create the first Lego KidsFest in 2009 (Indianapolis, Phoenix, St. Louis, Austin and other markets have hosted them over the years); he also helped design and build the set featured in the recent The Lego Movie. He will be building at the April event in 22 * APRIL 2015 * BOROPULSE.COM

Nashville, and recommends that families check out the Brick Battle Zone, where competitors take on projects such as building a pizza or a bridge. A referee at the attraction will put weights on each team’s bridge, until all bridges crumble but one, to see which team can build the strongest one. Steininger’s father, Dan, is also a Master Builder—the two men comprise the only father-and-son Master Builder team in history—and will also be in attendance at the

King of the mountain: standing in a pile of Legos at KidsFest

upcoming Middle Tennessee festival. “I’m one of the first generation of Master Builders who grew up playing with Legos,” the Steininger son said. “Legos didn’t come over to the states until the ’70s.” He said that while he was growing up, a Lego Technic Space Shuttle was probably his favorite set, and that “to this day that is one of my favorite sets. . . . Generally, now if I build at home it would be Technic.” Steininger said he also very much enjoyed building huge models of Lightning McQueen, Buzz and Woody and other popular characters. “They’re fun to build and it’s even more fun to see the kids’ reactions to them,” Steininger said. “They are characters the kids know already and can relate to.” Building can be very educational for children, and fun. “They’re going to learn problem solving, they’re going to learn about conceptualizing

something, and expressing it,” Steininger said. “Every kid has an imagination. Lego allows them to take that thought and create whatever it is in their mind.” As for those kids who want to take their building to the next level, what are the requirements to be a Master Builder? “We look for people with an artistic background, sculptors,” Steininger said. “Some people think it’s more engineering, but it’s really art more than anything.” When asked what is his most-used brick, Steininger told the Murfreesboro Pulse: “Every Master Builder has probably their ‘go-to’ brick. Mine’s a two-by-four brick. It’s the most common brick, it’s a versatile brick, and it gives a nice solid base. It works for the type of building I do.” The Music City Center is located at 201 5th Ave S., Nashville. For more information on the Lego KidsFest or to purchase tickets, visit legokidsfest.com/nashville.

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LIVING From left: Ellen Reese with daughter Desiree; Desiree with her two children.

JUSTICE FOR DESIREE Rutherford County family calls for thorough investigation of daughter’s 2014 death. STORY BY BRACKEN MAYO

n the wee hours of a June 2014 morning, the Rutherford County EMS responded to a 911 call from Callum Hattingh, phoning from his home on Joe Rowlin Road in Christiana. He told the 911 operator that his wife was not conscious, was turning blue, had taken some pills, and needed help. Medics responded and transported his wife, Desiree Michelle Reese Hattingh to the hospital. But the 31-year-old woman was soon pronounced dead at St. Thomas Rutherford. An autopsy later determined that the cause of death was a “probable acute combined drug overdose (doxepin and fluoxetine).” The doctor performing the autopsy reported that the combination of fluoxetine (Prozac, an anti-depressant) and doxepin (a sleeping medication) was sufficient to cause death, and ruled the manner of death as “accident.” But to this day, Desiree’s parents are not satisfied with the explanation offered, nor with the results of the Rutherford County Sheriff Office’s investigation into the matter. “My daughter was a beautiful person, a beautiful mother,” said Ellen Reese, Desiree’s mother. “Something happened that night. I don’t know what.” She says there are enough inconsistencies in Callum’s accounts of the events of that night to at least investigate the idea that there was more to Desiree’s death than mere “accident.” Was Desiree responsive or not when her husband first arrived home? Was she in the bedroom, the bathroom or the kitchen? What time did he actually arrive home? Did he give her the sleeping pills? Was she talking to him at all between the hours of 1:00 and 3:30 a.m.? Was she on her side or her back during the 911 call? None of these questions have yet been satisfactorily answered, says the Reese family. Callum Hattingh worked at the Rutherford County Juvenile Detention Center, and left work at midnight on the night in question. “He gets off at midnight, it takes about 16 minutes to get home; he said he stopped at McDonald’s, but that should still put him back at home by 12:30, 12:45 at the latest. He said he got home at 1 a.m. and found her unresponsive

. . . The 911 call wasn’t placed until 3:30 a.m.,” Ellen said. “There was no urgency in his voice.” After his wife’s death, Callum repeatedly emphasized that Desiree had drug and alcohol abuse problems—even while he was on the phone with 911, his wife struggling for life, he attempted to paint her as someone with a drug and alcohol habit. Ellen Reese says this is not true. Callum, she says, had numerous substance issues over the years, including using cocaine and taking such prescription medication as Adderall, Klonopin and other pills. Her mother said Desiree was only a light drinker, and tried to stay away from the drugs Callum introduced her to. In the months before her death, doctors diagnosed Desiree with “degenerative narrowing of the spine,” which resulted in back pain and headaches; she also suffered from severe bleeding almost daily and was scheduled to have a hysterectomy, which never occurred. She had prescriptions for pain medicine to alleviate these conditions, but nothing other than doxepin and fluoxetine were mentioned on her autopsy. A couple of months before Desiree’s June 2014 death, she and Callum were drinking alcohol at their home. Callum called 911, saying his wife had taken drugs, and had her transported to the hospital. However, upon arriving to the hospital, medical staff found nothing wrong with Desiree, other than her having too much to drink, and she was not treated, but only given time to sleep it off. Callum later used this April 2014 incident as an example of Desiree having a substance

abuse problem, exaggerating it as a “neardeath” experience; some say he could have set the whole situation up—that he knew his wife had no drugs in her system that April night— to help paint an image of a “junkie.” While Ellen found Callum’s inconsistencies and demeanor after his wife’s death odd, she said local law enforcement never showed much interest in looking into Callum’s possible involvement, or negligence, in Desiree’s death. “Unless the autopsy results showed foul play, there was nothing more to be done,” Sgt. Dan Goodwin with the Rutherford County Sheriff ’s Office said. Shortly after Desiree’s death, Callum posted to social media that he “will forever remember 6/26/14 as the day I lost my wife, best friend, lover, confidant, mother to my children and my everything.” But his haste to leave the Murfreesboro area raised more red flags with the Reeses. Mr. Hattingh told the Sheriff ’s Office in the weeks after his wife’s death that he was moving to Sugar Land, Texas, to work for his father’s business and be around his family there, and that his in-laws, particularly Ms. Reese, were not suitable caregivers for his two children. Ellen Reese said she found this very hurtful and surprising, since she spent so much time with the two kids, caring for them often; one of the children had been diagnosed with autism, and Ellen said she felt that other than Desiree and Callum, there was no one in the world who was better equipped to handle her autistic grandson than she was. “He sold his house in three weeks and took the grandbabies to Texas,” Ellen said. “Now we are left without our daughter and her children, as he told us we were no longer allowed in their lives. We lost everything.” Legally, there was no reason why Callum could not leave the area; after meeting with Assistant District Attorney Paul Newman, Goodwin reported that “there was nothing criminal that could be proven. “I encouraged him (Callum) to be as kind as he could and try and arrange visits for the Reeses after he moved,” Goodwin reported. Desiree’s family said Callum’s potential involvement in the death was never properly investigated by law enforcement, that the sheriff ’s office let it slide through the cracks, because it involved “one of their own.” “He had plenty of years to get to know these

officers (while working at juvenile),” Ellen said. She wants the true account of what happened in her daughter’s home on her last night. The Reeses now have placed dozens of donation buckets in stores throughout the county; these jars are to raise awareness for their cause and to collect money to hire a private investigator and an attorney. And if they don’t capture the interest of the public, and the eye of local law enforcement, they hope an April 2 protest at the Rutherford County Sheriff ’s Office will. Ellen says she knows a criminal conviction may be unlikely at this point. “They lost all of the evidence. The pills are gone, they can’t get the phone records, the camera card (that officials used to shoot photos of the house immediately following the death) got erased,” Ellen said. “Even if we tried to prosecute him, there’s no evidence left .” But she and Dayton at least want their grandchildren in their lives in some way. “I have a court date to get grandparent rights,” Ellen said; she has not seen or been able to make contact with her grandchildren, who are now 6 and 2, for months. Ellen and Dayton Reese set up a blog dedicated to the “Justice for Desiree” cause. “You can imagine that we are beyond devastated that our little girl is gone. However, we are more devastated that her children will never get to know their mother,” they posted on their web page. “We need help.” Callum did not return requests for a comment on the April protest and the Reese family’s continued efforts calling for an investigation into the death, but made the following statement before moving to Texas: “My intention always has been to try and help Desiree’s family, but Ellen has fought, hurt and threatened me since Desiree’s death.” In February of 2015 Callum said he was feeling like a victim of “harassment, salacious remarks based on here-say [sic] and false accusations which have been discredited by all legal and governing authorities, hate filled messages and threats, and above all not affording me and my children the ability to try live a normal life.” But while he attempts to start a new life with his children in Texas, the life of his wife of 13 years ended at age 31. For more on the efforts to draw attention to the matter, visit justicefordesiree.weebly.com. BOROPULSE.COM

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ART 25TH ANNUAL MURFREESBORO CITY SCHOOLS STUDENT ART SHOW Over 200 pieces of artwork ranging from crayon drawings to ceramics now cover each wall in the Murfreesboro City Hall rotunda. The colorful and creative pieces are on display as part of the 25th annual Murfreesboro City Schools Student Art Show. The competition, which began in 1990 to promote youth involvement in the arts, allows students to showcase their artistic abilities. This year, students from kindergarten through sixth grade have created pieces interpreting the exhibition’s theme: “E Pluribus Unum” or “Out of Many, One.” The creative works will be on display until May 1. There will also be a public reception and awards ceremony held at 4:30 p.m. on April 9 to celebrate the students’ artistic contributions. “This is one of the best city schools exhibitions I’ve seen yet,” exclaimed Pidge Cash, retired art teacher and competition judge. “The theme offered a wide variety of interpretations and gave both teachers and students great freedom. The result is a wide variety of thoughtful and delightful student artwork,” she continued. The free exhibit is sponsored by the City Hall Art Committee and is open to the public between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. City Hall is located at 111 W. Vine St. “I hope our community takes time aside to come see the wonderful artwork our students have created,” Potter said. The City Hall Art Committee is responsible for advancing the awareness and support of the visual arts resources in Murfreesboro. Murfreesboro City Schools is a district of 12 schools committed to the academic and personal success of each child. For more information, visit cityschools.net.

MTSU DRAWING STUDENTS INTERPRET “JACK AND THE BEANSTALK” Moxie Art Supply hosts an exhibition in its gallery featuring works from MTSU drawing students. Norris Hall, local illustrator and drummer of The Pilots, juried the selection of works. The Jack and the Beanstalk project grew out of collaboration between Meghan O’Connor and Dr. Claudia Barnett, professors at Middle Tennessee State University. While art students create two-dimensional pieces inspired by this theme, screenplay students write and perform a story inspired by the same. The exhibition represents each art student’s interpretation and representation of the classic fairy tale “Jack and the Beanstalk.” The students were challenged to create their own imagery that could not be a trite, clichéd or overused way of depicting their idea. They were encouraged to look at the underlying meaning in the story, such as: people being rewarded for their stupidity, climbing the social ladder and considering how the story can be culturally relevant today. The exhibit is free and open to the public, and will be on display until Friday, April 3. Moxie is located at 302 W. Vine St. in Murfreesboro. The hours are Monday–Friday 10 a.m.–6 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m.–4 p.m. For more information, call (615) 849-1131.

MOXIE HOSTS COSMIC TRUCK STOP EXHIBIT, AN EXTRATERRESTRIAL EXPERIENCE Moxie Art Supply announces a new exhibition in its gallery featuring works from a trio of area artists, Erin Potter, Erin Aliquo and Mika Mollenkopf. Part extra-terrestrial and inspired by quotes from Alice Cooper, this show will transport you to the outer limits of space! Come participate in this experiential adventure that includes footage from NASA that was sent on the Voyager spacecraft mission explaining the creatures that make up our planet. A reception with the artists will be held Tuesday, April 7, from 5–7 p.m. at Moxie Art Supply. The exhibit and reception are free and open to the public. Moxie is located at 302 W. Vine St. in Murfreesboro. The hours are Monday–Friday 10 a.m.–6 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m.–4 p.m. For more information, call (615) 849-1131. 26 * APRIL 2015 * BOROPULSE.COM

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LIVING ROOM CINEMA

MOVIES

column by NORBERT THIEMANN

facebook.com/livingroomcinema

CINDERELLA

fairy godmother, respectively, but these are roles both could do in their sleep. I was most impressed by Lily James as the adult Cinderella because her character is so difficult to play. Cinderella is impossibly good and incredibly passive, and that usually makes for a flat character, but James plays Cinderella with such sincerity and warmth that she feels fully dimensional. Cinderella might be written as an unrealistic ideal, but James

makes her into a relatable human being. But the passivity is still a problem. Cinderella’s portrayal of the titular lead is not just jarring in the broader context of film but even within the current Disney canon. Tangled, Brave, Frozen, and Maleficent are all recent Disney movies that attempted to give their female leads agency and subvert traditional gender roles. I was expecting Cinderella to do the same and was surprised when she was just as passive as she was in 1950, if not more so. The plot might be a duplicate of the 1950 animated movie, but Cinderella doesn’t feel like a pointless remake. The standout scene where Cinderella twirls as her torn dress transforms into the soon-to-be iconic blue gown gave me a sense of childlike glee and more than justifies this movie’s existence. — CECILIA SINKALA

say, It Follows takes the slowwalking stalker tropes and treats them right. With few jump scares, It Follows creates a deeper sense of foreboding terror because of its slower pace. The camera lingers on the creepy It just a little too long for comfort and is more unsettling for it. And, in a refreshing twist, the film never breaks its own rules, and the characters never act illogically (a plague that needs curing in the horror genre). It Follows is proof-positive that originality is overrated. Writer, director and triple-first-namer Da-

vid Robert Mitchell claims he got the idea from a recurring anxiety nightmare where he was relentlessly stalked by a slow-moving figure. I’m sure his dreams got the idea from watching Halloween, however, as It Follows occurs in an autumn-beset suburb that could be the cousin of Haddonfield. From the ever-walking menace to the excellent synth-driven soundtrack by the unfortunately named Disasterpeace, from the sexanxiety allegories to the gorgeous wide-frame cinematography (the panning shots perfectly highlight the background and off-camera spaces where anyone seen walking conjures a palpable dread), everything that is borrowed is made new again in the deft hands of Mitchell and his outstanding cast and crew. Like last year’s The Babadook, It Follows is yet another example of independent horror showing Hollywood how it’s done. I can’t wait to see what’s next. — JAY SPIGHT

3.5

Starring: Lily James, Cate Blanchett, Eloise Webb, Helena Bonham Carter Directed by: Kenneth Branagh Rated PG If you saw the trailer for Disney’s Cinderella remake and thought, “This looks exactly like the cartoon,” then you would be correct. Thankfully, that isn’t as big a deterrent as it initially seemed. Cinderella’s plot follows the original nearly note for note. It’s about a little girl named Ella (Eloise Webb), who lives happily with her loving parents (Ben Chaplin and Hayley Atwell) until her mother dies. Years later, her father also passes away, leaving Ella with her cruel stepmother (Cate Blanchett) and stepsisters (Sophie McShera and Holliday Grainger). Ella suffers various abuses and indignities until

she meets a handsome prince (Richard Madden) and is visited by her fairy godmother (Helena Bonham Carter) that changes her life forever. This movie could’ve easily been a 113-minute case of déjà vu, if it weren’t for the performances of the principal actors. Madden transcends his role’s bland trappings and makes the prince an endearing character. Blanchett and Carter are also great as Lady Tremaine and the

IT FOLLOWS 5

Starring: Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Lili Sepe Directed by: David Robert Mitchell Rated R The slasher resurgence spawned by Scream nearly two decades ago is dead and buried. The once-annual torture fetish series, Saw, has lain dormant for five years. Meanwhile, the foundfootage haunted houses of the Paranormal Activity films have all but given up the ghost. Crazes in horror movies come and go in waves, and It Follows, the new independent film that rode on a slow and steady tide of critical acclaim to a wide-scale release, is a herald of the current and quite welcome craze: quality. Set in the indeterminate present, but with a distinctly ’80s vibe, the one whom it follows is RATINGS:

19-year-old Jay Height (Maika Monroe). Monroe plays Jay with a natural cool as a community college townie and with a deep paranoia and loss of innocence later as the target of the relentless It. It is a type of curse, a sexually transmitted ghost (STG) Jay contracts after sleeping with her new boyfriend Hugh. Hugh lays down the rules of the It for Jay and the audience: it can look like anyone; it only walks but it never stops; don’t let it touch you, etc. There are more rules but I don’t want to ruin the fun. Suffice it to A CLASSIC

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OUTSTANDING

AVERAGE

BELOW AVERAGE

Coming of Age, French Style II With springtime upon us, so comes the inspiration for a second installment on this subject. It also helps that wonderful examples are still being made. Please be warned, I’d steer clear of these if the subject of young people experimenting with their sexual awakening disturbs you. It’s ironic that most of the ages portrayed in these ﬁlms could not watch their own stories without parental supervision.

Young and Beautiful (2013) is directed by Francois Ozon, and stars Marine Vacth. After losing her virginity on a family vacation, a young lady chooses to control her sexual destiny. Ozon weaves an interesting story, subtly making use of class and status. His directing expertise is very well placed in this arena.

Puppylove (2013) is directed by Delphine Lehericey, and stars Solène Rigot and Audrey Bastien. A more experienced girl helps guide her best friend’s introduction into the sexual world. As complexities grow, the underling must decide on the values that are best suited for herself, not to mention the boundaries toward her own friend.

Blue is the Warmest Color (2013) is directed by Abdel Kechiche and stars Adèle Exarchopoulos and Léa Seydoux. Do you believe in love at ﬁrst sight? A young girl awkwardly stumbles through sex, love, and self discovery. Even the roles in her subsequent relationship seem undeﬁned and mysterious.

AVOID AT ALL COSTS

DEAD

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THEATER

DINNERTAINMENT

Mel O’Drama Theater plans Murfreesboro debut. BY SARAH H. CLARK

WHEN MELANIE ROADY ORIGINALLY

and dessert and sleuthing for the audience,” she explains. Like all Mel O’Drama shows, Will to Deceive is a conceived of running a theater company, she thought romping cocktail of scripted show, improv, singing and it would include running a theater, too. And she did dancing, plus a chance for the audience to solve the for a while, opening a small theater in Springfield, crime, with a prize going to the guest who gets it right. Tenn., in 2007. “I enjoyed it, but I didn’t like the But though all of Roady’s shows have elements in overhead,” says Roady. She closed the theater, but common, the casts and settings change wildly—the next then decided to change the game. two shows the company will offer feature historically “I decided to take the actors to the audience,” says feuding clans the Hatfields and McCoys at a wedding Roady. Her particular theatrical passions are for actors and audiences, so bringing them together seemed reception and Star Trek fans at a comic-con, respectively. “While each show is being performed, one is being like the logical next step. Thus the Mel O’Drama Therehearsed and another is being cast,” explains ater was born. Instead of maintaining a space, Roady takes her troupe to venues all across Roady. She is working to expand the comMiddle Tennessee—and beyond. Their pany’s reach as well, recruiting casts in Ohio unique dinner theater events take over a and Virginia in addition to Tennessee. For Layne Sasser, who plays the wide range of different spaces, adapting old-fashioned lady farmer Mrs. Spickand changing to fit the venue, and the etts in Will to Deceive, it is her first Mel shows are always family friendly. On Sunday, April 12, Mel O’Drama TheO’Drama role. This kind of show is, she ater will have its Murfreesboro debut with a says, “exciting and fun.” Though she’s often SASSER performance of its murder mystery show Will to performed in traditional dinner theater shows at Chaffin’s Barn in Nashville (as well as in plays, Deceive at the Big Bang Bar and Kitchen on the Square. commercials and feature films), Sasser says she’s This is an original play by Thomas Mac, who also plays never participated in a show quite like this. the heir to the mansion in which the action is set. He, “I’ve never done any theater where the level of along with some guests, have gathered to read the last interaction was like this—we call it breaking the wall,” will and testament of the late estate owner, Charlotte she says, and she loves it. “Mel is wonderful. I’m so Monture. But when the time comes, the will is missing– and the mystery may run deeper than just who has made proud to be a part of working with her. It’s been a joy to get to know everybody—we’re having a blast.” off with the document. Roady works almost exclusively The April 18 show starts at 4:30 p.m. with independent playwrights like Mac, a Nashville local. Visit melodramatheater.org to purchase tickets. “My writers follow a formula, with breaks for dinner

 ONSTAGE IN APRIL MOON OVER BUFFALO Murfreesboro Little Theatre 702 Ewing Blvd., Murfreesboro 7 p.m. April 10, 11, 17 and 18 2 p.m. April 12 and 19 mltarts.com 30 * APRIL 2015 * BOROPULSE.COM

THE GIVER Springhouse Theatre 14119 Old Nashville Hwy., Smyrna 7:30 p.m. April 10, 11, 17, 18, 24 and 25; 3:30 p.m. April 26 springhousetheatre.com

THE MUSIC MAN Center for the Arts 110 W. College St., Murfreesboro 7:30 p.m. April 10, 11, 17, 18, 24 and 25; 2 p.m. April 12, 19 and 26 boroarts.org

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FOOD

Chili Chicken

Dueling Sitars Both Clay Pit and Tandoor are serving Indian food on the buffet. STORY AND PHOTOS BY CHRISTY SIMMONS

THE DISH NAME: The Clay Pit LOCATION: 1813 Memorial Blvd., Murfreesboro. PHONE: (615) 904-6262 HOURS: 11 a.m.–9 p.m. PRICE: Lunch buffet: $9.99 ONLINE: theclaypitindian cuisine.com

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Some of the buffet offerings from The Clay Pit: chicken tikka masala, saag panir (creamed spinach), chickpeas, alugobi masala (cauliﬂour and potatoes cooked in spices)

 THE CLAY PIT

’m sure that most likely you all know that Murfreesboro has an Indian restaurant, The Clay Pit, over on Memorial Boulevard. Did you also know that we now have two Indian restaurants? Yes! There is a new place over on the corner of Thompson Lane and Medical Center Parkway called Tandoor. Recently, I saw a post on Tandoor’s Facebook page insinuating that The Clay Pit owners were leaving unsavory reviews for them on Yelp, a popular review site. I do love a good turf war, so I decided to do my own comparison of the two and see if there was a clear winner. Unfortunately, there wasn’t. I decided to go and eat as the average person would: during lunch, when the buffet is cheaper. I’m really not sure if the items on the buffet differ at night at Tandoor; I know they were pretty much the same every time I went to The Clay Pit, so I don’t understand paying more for the same food. Plus, I like the variety of a buffet for Indian food, being able to get a little Garlic naan of this and a little of that without having to commit to an entire entree. I’ve always considered the food at The Clay Pit to be pretty good, especially for Murfreesboro. I usually get the food to go, as the interior of the restaurant is small, kinda dark and dingy, and I’m usually eating by myself anyway. (Indian cuisine does horrible things to my husband, but you probably didn’t want to know that.) So, I went into this thinking that there would be a clear winner in this little contest, but there wasn’t. In fact, it was so close that it really just came down to minute details, which I will break down for you below. I made sure I got the same thing at both places: chicken tikka masala, rice, saag panir, curried chickpeas, vegetable curry, samosas, garlic naan, raita, mint and tamarind sauces. Sounds like a lot, I know, but I just got little bits of each. Each place also had a couple of dessert options, but the only one they had in common was kheer, a sort of rice pudding that I will talk about later. When it comes to the décor, Tandoor was a clear winner. Being a new establishment, they of course reflected this with new furnishings and fresh paint. The colors were neutral and pleasant and there were comfortable booths as well as chairs. The buffet station was new, and everything was very clean. The Clay Pit has recently done a little remodeling, which I am sure is a reflection of the fact that they now have competition. They made the buffet

TANDOOR INDIAN RESTAURANT  self-serve and closed up the kitchen so you’re no longer staring at them while they are making your food. The rest of it hasn’t changed. When it comes to the food, though, there was no clear winner. The chicken tikka masala at both places was almost exactly the same. I don’t think I could have been able to tell the difference if I had had them sitting in front of me at the same time. I liked the rice at Tandoor better, because they had the plain basmati rice with the cumin seeds sprinkled throughout. The Clay Pit used to have that rice as an option, but the day I went, the rice was yellow and had things like peas and carrots in it, almost like fried rice. I consider rice at an Indian restaurant as something that you use to soak up sauce, so I don’t like it when there are extra bits in it. Neither of the saag panirs at either place had the chunks of cheese in it that would make it saag panir, so I guess it was just saag, which would basically just make it creamed spinach. Both were tasty enough, but I would have to say that The Clay Pit had just a bit more spice. In fact, when it came to the vegetables, which honestly all taste the same to me once you cook them down in curry sauce, The Clay Pit had more spice overall. All the food at Tandoor was a little bland, which I am sure they did to accommodate the American palate. So, if you are afraid of spicy foods and have steered clear of Indian food because of this fact, then give Tandoor a try. It’s not spicy at all. I prefer my Indian food with a little spice, so I was happy when I got some from The Clay Pit. Samosas are fried dough pockets usually filled with curried potatoes and peas; The Clay Pit used to have amazing ones that were handmade, but now they are smaller and look identical to the ones served at Tandoor, which leads me to wonder if they aren’t just using the same supplier for those. The garlic naan at both places was exactly the same as well: delicious, fresh and covered in enough garlic to ward off scads of vampires, if that’s something that you’re worried about. It’s also a good thing to eat before a blind date, if you are worried that they might get a little too close. I liked the sauces at Tandoor better; their raita was full of grated cucumber and tomatoes, just the way I like it, while The Clay Pit’s was thin and lacking in flavor. The mint and tamarind sauces were lackluster at The Clay Pit as well, while Tandoor’s were fresh and flavorful. As far as the dessert offerings went, they both had kheer, a sort of Indian rice pudding, lightly sweetened and spiced with cardamom, which is my favorite spice ever. Tandoor’s version was seriously off-putting. It was just soggy rice in milk, runny and with no taste. I couldn’t taste any cardamom at all, as opposed to The Clay Pit’s, which was delicious and full of cardamom goodness. The Clay Pit also had some fresh fruit on their dessert bar, as well as baklava, which threw me off, due to it being a typical Greek dessert. Tandoor had gulab jamun, balls of fried cheese dough soaked in a honey syrup. Once you get over the weird texture of juicy dough, they are actually delicious. So, honestly, I would eat at both places again, depending on which part of town I happened to be in when the Indian food craving hits. I might try Tandoor for dinner one day and order off the menu as opposed to the buffet, to see if the food is better with more spice. The price for the lunch buffet was around $10, at both places, $12 if you ordered a drink that isn’t water, which means that price wouldn’t be a factor in my decision to venture into either place for lunch. I guess Indian food is Indian food, in Murfreesboro at least, regardless of who is doing the cooking.

Offerings from Tandoor Indian Restaurant, clockwise from top left: garlic naan; buffet plate with saag (creamed spinach) chicken tikka masala and chicken tikka; gulab jamun (cheese balls); sauce; bottom, buffet plate with spinach, chickpeas, curried vegetables

THE DISH NAME: Tandoor LOCATION: 529 N. Thompson Ln., Murfreesboro PHONE: (615) 907-9555 HOURS: 11 a.m.–3 p.m., 5–9:30 p.m. PRICE: Lunch Buffet: $8.99 ONLINE: Find Tandoor Indian Restaurant on Facebook

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OPINIONS DETECTIVE FINDS WAY TO OPERATE SIDE BUSINESS USING COUNTY RESOURCES

ust about everybody could use a little extra money. But when it comes to using the government’s property, time and sponsorship to run a private company, as one local official said, “It doesn’t pass the smell test.” Rutherford County Sheriff ’s Office, however, makes no bones about allowing Detective Maj. Bill Sharp to run his company, Sharp Training and Consulting, out of the department, using computer, email and time to round up instructors and customers. Sheriff Robert Arnold rationalizes it by saying Sharp gives the sheriff ’s office six free slots in his training seminars sponsored by the sheriff ’s office. But even though the local office sponsors the events and has paid Sharp’s company for training, according to county documents, it won’t disclose how much Sharp has made running seminars, saying only, “This is Maj. Sharp’s private business.” The sheriff ’s office also says Sharp handles the side business on his lunch break. But it fails to point out he’s an “exempt” employee who receives his $66,317 salary whether he works one hour a day or 50 hours a week. Make no mistake, Sharp is making money on the arrangement. Records obtained from the Rutherford County Department of Finance show the sheriff ’s office paid SharpTAC $1,625 in May 2014, $325 each for five officers to attend training at the Rutherford County

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Emergency Management Agency building on West College. EMA Director T.K. Kast said he allows county-government sponsored training to be held there and doesn’t charge for it. Another document shows Sharp used sheriff ’s office email to invite a Mt. Juliet deputy police chief to a seminar scheduled for late April and early May called, oddly enough, “Taming the Media.” Channel 5 news reporter Nick Beres was to be the main instructor, and people were to pay $350 each to attend the training set for the EMA building. Oddly enough, no reporters were invited, and Sharp isn’t allowed to talk to the media, at least not this reporter. A sheriff ’s office spokeswoman said the event was postponed for lack of interest. Rutherford County commissioners, however, were interested to find out about this working arrangement between SharpTAC and the sheriff ’s office. None of those interviewed recently had a clue about it. Commissioner Robert Peay said he knew the sheriff ’s office was offering more in-house training to save money, but he

The

STOCKARD REPORT BY SAM STOCKARD sstockard44@gmail.com

didn’t know it was being done through Sharp’s private company. Commissioner Doug Shafer, who said the deal should have been publicized more, called it “not quite kosher.” Meanwhile, county officials are asking the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office to look into the matter and have forwarded financial and other information to the state. There’s no argument about Sharp’s abilities as a detective. The 23-year sheriff ’s office veteran has been a major asset for the county, especially as a cold case investigator. He’s probably an excellent training instructor. Sharp and Sheriff Robert Arnold see no conflict in his running a personal business out of the department, since the seminars are sponsored by the sheriff ’s office. Yet aside from using sheriff ’s office computer equipment, time and county facilities to make money, Sharp also received more than two decades of training by working as a sheriff ’s officer and detective. The county paid for him to gain that experience, and now the sheriff ’s office is allowing him to use his knowledge to run a side business on taxpayers’ funds. A few years ago, Rutherford County Schools stopped personnel from using school system facilities to give athletic lessons for sports such as baseball, softball and basketball. It also should be noted the state suspended two Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers in December 2005 for selling promotional items, including golf towels, patches and money clips to the Department of Safety, a felony offense. The amount of money Rutherford County Sheriff ’s Office paid Sharp for training was insignificant. However, if this arrangement is allowed, then all county employees should be given approval to set up side jobs using county equipment and time and get paid extra. It’s only fair.

workhouse, a minimum security facility for people serving time for misdemeanors. Granted, the workhouse has been at the middle of a political tug-of-war for years. And when you get down to it, probably fewer than 100 people in the county care who runs it. But based on the reactions of county commissioners, there’s a way to go about things. And trying to circumvent the authority of the commission and mayor to take over workhouse operations isn’t the best way to do it. The County Commission passed a resolution opposing such a state law, and Womick never took the bill before a legislative committee. Sen. Bill Ketron wasn’t too happy about the matter either. He had agreed to sponsor the measure, but he disagreed with the method and said he did it just so he could control it. No doubt, he was irritated by the whole thing when Womick came to him 15 minutes before bill-filing deadline and asked him to sponsor it in the Senate. Ketron pointed out Womick agreed to carry the bill because he helped Arnold get elected five years ago and felt obligated to work with him on the matter. Womick and Arnold contended they could save $400,000 to $500,000 by allowing the sheriff ’s office to take over the work center. If that’s the case, let county commissioners debate the issue.

THE ARTFUL DODGERS

Most bean counters say, however, they would have had to cut workhouse personnel to find such savings, and Superintendent Bernard Salandy probably would have been the first one to go. Anyway, after Ketron said he had no intention of taking the bill to a committee, Womick, when approached at the Legislative Plaza for comment, said he was late to a committee meeting and didn’t have time to talk. Two weeks later, he said he was on his way to another interview and couldn’t take a moment to speak. Sheriff Arnold did the same. When approached for comment after the County Commission’s vote on the issue, Arnold said he had to pick up his son and didn’t have time to comment. Yet, the previous night they went to another local publication to share their message. That’s too bad, because people wantthem to explain their actions to someone who could

Rep. Rick Womick and Sheriff Robert Arnold are two peas in a pod. For this session of the General Assembly, the pair came up with a plan to pass a state law allowing Arnold, who runs the county jail, to take over operations of the Rutherford County Correctional Work Center. Womick sponsored a bill at Arnold’s request, and off they went, trying to run a sweep around the Rutherford County Commission and Mayor Ernest Burgess, which are in charge of the

“If this arrangement is allowed, then all county employees should be given approval to set up side jobs using county equipment and time and get paid extra. It’s only fair.”

WOMICK

ARNOLD

ask, “Why are you doing it?” If their goal is to save money, fine. But is passing a state law to skip over the County Commission the right way to run local government?

Besides enduring sexual abuse, Alan said, the children went through years of counseling, custody battles and, most recently, the investigation and trial. Alan’s younger sister, Anna, 18, filed charges first against their mother in 2012, and Alan, who was living out West at Imagine being forced into sexual acts that the time, moved back here to join in the battle. could haunt you for the rest of your life. Their case was severed so the state could Imagine some 15 years later taking concentrate on charges involving the stand in court and telling the one victim. world your mother sexually abused Alan hoped his mother would you during your formative years. leave the family alone, and he Such courage is rare, but that’s didn’t plan on getting involved in exactly what Alan Von Webb, 25, the matter again until, he said, she did recently in Murfreesboro, molested his younger brother, who leading to the conviction of his has Down’s syndrome, after getting mother, Angela Montgomery, 53, unsupervised visitation rights. of Portland, Ore., on six counts of “I knew at that point, with him MONTGOMERY child rape. not being protected under the Taking things a step further, Alan and his laws of custody anymore, because he was an father, Paul Von Webb, agreed to an interview, adult, if she had any kind of visitation with hoping their story would help other children him or got any kind of guardianship, then it avoid such torture at the hands of parents. would never end for him,” Alan said. Alan said he was 7 or 8 before he began “And that’s why I said (on the witness to figure out the sort of behavior his mother stand) I’m here to protect those who can’t exhibited wasn’t normal. Things got even worse protect themselves . . . I learned don’t ask for after his parents divorced when he was 9. His a lighter burden, ask for broader shoulders,” mother lived on South Kings Highway in Murhe said. “Go ahead and just pull yourself up freesboro in the late 1990s and early 2000s, by your bootstraps and say this is gonna suck, and when he and his two brothers and sister but I’ve got to get through it, because getting went there for visitations she turned to him through it you’re going to come to something and his siblings for gratification, Alan said. The that’s worth it.” court case dealt primarily with that time frame. That is true courage.

A PICTURE OF COURAGE

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Murfreesboro’s Music Through the Decades BY GLORIA CHRISTY

hen the U.S. was still a largely agrarian society, there was a nationwide tradition of gatherings called “camp meetings.” When one’s closest neighbor might be half a day’s hike away, it wasn’t as easy to see many other people or to fellowship on the scale of contemporary America today. People would gather from miles around, traveling farther than they could traverse in a day’s time. So, the assembled people would camp in a field, a churchyard or a village square for several days enjoying each other’s company, sharing news, stories, meals, conducting business and even marriages while listening to traveling preachers, orators and musicians. From this experience some of America’s most eclectic styles of music styles emerged. In the 1800s, those speakers and musicians didn’t always bring only a word or a tune that would be churchrelated. Traveling acts performed hymns, gospel songs and political songs. Many acts were filled with antislavery and anti-alcohol offerings, each of which came in both fiery and tear-jerking flavors. Later, these would evolve into pop tunes of the day. However, the distinction was largely one of text only. All the types of tunes both sacred and secular were cut from the same musical cloth. Embedded in America’s rich musical heritage are songs, styles and tunes from these camp meetings. Numerous collections of camp-meeting hymn texts appeared in the songbooks in the early decades of the 19th century. Later the songs were written down in musical notation and published (in harmonized form) in such tune books as The Sacred Harp (1844) and John G. McCurry’s The Social Harp (Hart County, Ga., but printed in Philadelphia, 1855). This latter collection has the largest tune-book concentration of spirituals from this period. Camp meeting songs were simple, repetitive and melodically contagious. Consequently, they appealed to the uneducated frontier folk. For example: Give me that old time religion, give me that old time religion, give me that old time religion, it’s good enough for me. The camp meeting movement reached its zenith in the last third of the 19th century, facilitated by the railroads that made it easier for big-name preachers (and other speakers, like Mark Twain) and the big-name gospel musicians with their bands (such as renowned composer and conductor John Philip Sousa) to reach rural America. In that day, gospel music became big business, great fortunes

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PHOTO BY THOM CHRISTY

Camp Songs and the Windrow Camp Revival Story

were made, and names like Sankey, Moody, Excell and Rodeheaver carried as much celebrity as names like financial gurus Rockefeller, Carnegie and Morgan. One of the most famous camps in Rutherford County was in the Windrow community with the first meeting held Aug. 15, 1811. The camp was located on the western slope of a large hill just south of Murfreesboro before it was a city. The four acres given by John Windrow had a beautiful grove of dense sugar maples affording screen from the sunshine and partial protection from an afternoon summer shower. Here is a fictitious story documenting the camp meeting experience here: It was August 1820 and almost three weeks since the Lytle family—John Lytle and his wife, along with their little tow-heads—had loaded up their small wooden cart, tied Ole Bessie to it, and bridled Ole Grey. Their destination was the Windrow Camp Revival. In 1811, an earthquake at Madrid, Mo., created Reelfoot Lake here in Tennessee. From the time of the “Shakes” as it was called, many feared that this natural disaster had triggered the end of the world. These and other circumstances provided the catalyst in which revival began on the frontier. Some, including Papa Lytle, began to seek God and make professions of faith. Spreading like an epidemic, camp meetings like the one at Windrow were a result of this wave of mass religious hysteria. In the early part of the 19th century, the “camp meeting” movement, a phenomenon that swept across the frontier was a result of the Second Great Awakening. Early settlements were scattered and isolated. So understandably the camp meetings became a time of renewing old friendships and establishing new relationships. In fact, only eight years before, John Lytle met his wife during the camp at Windrow. Every August, Mama, Papa and the entire Lytle family would leave crops in the field and herds in the barn to make the grueling journey to the Windrow Camp Revival, the “Mecca” of all camp meetings in Middle Tennessee. After traveling over hill and dale and tracking through the rugged wilderness, the family finally reached the camp. With all their supplies, including a couple of slaves, live chickens, and Floppy, the dog, Papa found just the spot that suited his mind. Windrow was more than a time for

spiritual renewal. For Mama, camp meeting was a social event, a time of homecoming visiting with friends and family. For Papa, clad in a new pair of hand-sewn overalls, it was a pleasant break from rigors of farm life. The August sun hung high in the cloudless sky. A gentle breeze rustled through the trees, buffing the edges off the summer heat, a perfect day for a camp meeting at Windrow. Countless birds, especially the fiery cardinals, flitted from bush to tree creating blazes of scarlet. The grove of sugar maples offered ample shade and partial protection from a sudden rain shower. At first sight, the camp meeting presented a scene of confusion. Hundreds of cloth tents that dotted the hill were erected as temporary shelters. Free from the restraints of a formal meeting house, most of the services were unplanned and often quite spontaneous. All of a sudden from a distance, the roar of the ram’s horn bellowed, rousing the entire encampment. Everyone began flocking to the open-air worship center, a crude structure of cedar rails all sloping in one direction. Sterling Brown, an energetic young man who had traveled many miles to this meeting, began to preach. As in days prior, Reverend Brown exhorted the crowd as the convicting power of God began moving over the assembly. Trembling with uncontrollable fervor, many came to the altar to pray. The sawdust floor of the enclosure was filled with fallen people lying powerless in a state of holy unconsciousness. It was as if a divine flame had swept over the whole multitude. Having been seared with ecstasy and the energy of the moment, the result was over 350 conversions on that August morning of 1820. For over 150 years, from 1812 until 1968, the Windrow Camp Revival hosted tens of thousands with its traveling circuits. The event was responsible for 3,000–4,000 conversions. There is no doubt that this homespun, “holy fair” camp was one of the most remarkable ever held in the state. As in the days of the Windrow Camp Revival, we are in need of another manifestation of God’s power to heal and transform our lives. The strife that runs rampant in our world is a reflection of the inner conflict storming in our hearts. History is a great teacher, particularly through the powerful songs left by our ancestors. Their silent cries through song can revive us, too. Can we learn from the pathos from the songs of another day and time, particularly as we move our rapidly growing community forward for future generations? Can we begin to assess the pain and plunder of complex problems: the poverty, homelessness, crime and human trafficking that lie under the veneer of prosperity and success? As we assess where we have been, can we gather some lessons from the past and emerge with new approaches that allow our community to flourish? I think we can and I know we will. We can start fresh! BOROPULSE.COM

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Cruz is not Crazy, He is a Danger to Big Government

happened to be standing in the lobby CRUZ of a car wash when Sen. Ted Cruz was making his presidential announcement speech at Liberty University. Someone in the room muttered, “He’s crazy.” I hear that a lot. It’s a sentiment repeated by people who have no actual knowledge of Ted Cruz or what he stands for. People who say this are simply repeating what they’ve heard in the mainstream media, the same mainstream media that are, quite frankly, scared to death of Ted Cruz. So, let’s explore where this “Ted Cruz is crazy” mantra comes from. It stems from the accusation that Cruz launched a one-man filibuster to shut down the government. In fact, the liberals are now saying that he did shut down the government and it cost taxpayers billions. None of that is even remotely true. Ted Cruz, remember, was in the Democratcontrolled Senate. He did not have the power to singlehandedly shut down the government. He never filibustered. He did make a marathon speech (21 hours and 19 minutes) but, as the New VIEWS OF A York Daily News noted, “Cruz’s speech was not really a filibuster—he wasn’t blocking anything.” column by CBS News wrote, “Though he can’t prevent the PHIL VALENTINE philvalentine.com Senate from voting to end debate on the House proposal tomorrow, Cruz can speak throughout the night to draw attention to the issue.” And that’s exactly what he did. At issue was the funding of Obamacare in the fall of 2013. The law that Americans overwhelmingly opposed was to go into effect and Republicans, at least some of them, were trying to stop it. In a rare moment of resolve, House Speaker John Boehner pushed through a spending bill that contained no funding for Obamacare. The Senate passed its own version that did. Thus was the impasse that led to a 16-day government shutdown, but Cruz didn’t do that. Boehner predictably caved and the House passed a bill fully funding Obamacare. That’s when Cruz stepped in with his marathon speech to bring the country’s attention to the problem. Cruz was urging his colleagues on the Republican side to keep the debate open to delay a vote until Harry Reid and the Democrats agreed to defund Obamacare. A handful of Republicans joined with all the Democrats and ended debate thus allowing another Senate vote on a bill that fully funded Obamacare. Senators like Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker cleverly voted to end debate then turned around and voted against the bill so they could go on record as saying they voted against anything that funded Obamacare. They clearly allowed the vote to take place and without a doubt were among the henchmen who allowed Obamacare to be implemented. Many Republicans predicted Cruz’s “stunt” would have disastrous effects on the party. Instead, Republicans won by a landslide a year later primarily because of Americans’ aversion to Obamacare. Ever since Cruz’s failed attempt to get the Republicans to do the right thing he has been vilified by the press and discounted by the RINOs. They’ve attempted to brand him as some dimwitted tea partier who doesn’t quite understand how Washington works. The truth is, Ted Cruz graduated cum laude from Princeton and magna cum laude from Harvard Law School. His father escaped Castro’s Cuba when he was 18 and worked as a dishwasher to put himself through college. He’s not only the new face of Hispanics in America, he’s the new face of conservatism. Do you think Hispanic mothers would rather their kids grow up to be like Ted Cruz or grow up to clean Hillary Clinton’s mansion in Chappaqua?

CONSERVATIVE

“Do you think Hispanic mothers would rather their kids grow up to be like Ted Cruz or grow up to clean Hillary Clinton’s mansion in Chappaqua?”

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

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SPORTS Racing to Success D.Y.M.O.N. in the Rough’s Inaugural 5K hitting the streets on April 18. BY SARAH H. CLARK

n Saturday, April 18, Murfreesboro will welcome the first annual Mind, Body & Soul 5K Fun Run. The event is being organized by the nonprofit D.Y.M.O.N. in the Rough. D.Y.M.O.N. stands for Dynamic Young Minorities of Nashville, though the two-year-old organization includes not just minorities, but all inner-city youth, in its mission. The organization’s vision statement is “to help individuals cultivate high self-esteem, achieve scholastic excellence, and attain fulfillment in life realizing their full potential and purpose.” Founder Brittany Bowers started D.Y.M.O.N. because, she says, she has “a heart for the youth.” An entrepreneur at heart, she also enjoys starting things and was motivated by a desire to give back to the community that helped her start out in life. She put together a committee of five like-minded community members (it has now grown to nine) and set out to empower young adults—and to put higher education within their reach. Currently, the organization’s main project is a mentoring program at Maplewood High School in Nashville. The program is in its first full year, having successfully completed a pilot program in the last school year. The students in the program meet each Wednesday during

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their counseling time at school, and they also meet every other Saturday. On Saturdays, they listen to speakers on practical topics (such as a talk on how to save money given by a bank manager), visit museums or go to movies together. They will also attend a college tour later in the year. In addition, the students are paired with college-educated professionals in various fields who meet with them one on one as mentors. The organization also offers a number of scholarships for high school seniors who have been admitted to a four-year college or university. Applicants for the scholarship must be enrolled in school in Davidson, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson or Wilson County and must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. The organization currently offers three $1,500 scholarships, and students can apply for these on the organization’s website. D.Y.M.O.N. encourages program participants to give back to their community as well. The students are currently working with Hearts for Hunger, a local nonprofit. On the last Saturday of every month, they pack sack lunches and hand them out to anyone who wants one—no questions asked. Students from the mentorship program are also helping to organize the Mind, Body & Soul 5K. This is the organization’s first event in Murfreesboro, in addition to being the first race they’ve organized. Proceeds from the event will go to fund three $500 scholarships for high school seniors who participate in the race, as well as to support the Boys and Girls Club of Murfreesboro’s Goals for Grads program. The event will be held at the First Baptist Church of Murfreesboro at 738 Castle St. from 8 a.m. to noon, with the run beginning at 9 a.m. To register or find out more, visit mindbodyandsoul5k.com or dymonintherough.com.

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SPORTS PAC-MAN VS. “MONEY” MAYWEATHER SPORTS TALK SET TO BE HIGHEST-GROSSING FIGHT IN BOXING HISTORY

column by ZACH “Z-TRAIN” MAXFIELD

Floyd Mayweather is not shy about his wealth, or his opinions.

titanman1984yahoo.com

t’s finally here: the pride of the Philippines, Manny Pacquiao, vs. the ignorant American punk who some say is racist, some say is sexist, and all say is arrogant—Floyd “Money” Mayweather. That’s right, I despise Mayweather. I apologize, Lady Liberty, I am not cheering for the punk American, as my heart lies with Pac-Man and the people of the Philippines. On May 2 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, the world will be watching a fight that is long overdue. Since 2009 this fight has been the most sought-after match in the world. Mayweather, undefeated at 47–0 with 26 KOs, and Pacquiao at 57–5–2 with 38 KOs, will soon take to the ring. The fight is expected to be the highest-grossing fight in the history of the sport and will reportedly bring in more than $500 million. The first ringside seats available are going for 87 grand apiece. Only about 16,000 people will be privileged enough to be inside the MGM to watch the bout live, but millions will pay the ridiculous pay-per-view price— nearly a hundred bucks for a high-def transmission—and enjoy it from the comforts of home. So, let’s break down the fighters, their personalities, their strengths and weaknesses and, in a media-crazy world, the dumb things said and posted by Floyd Mayweather throughout his so-far perfect career. The champ has good power, but doesn’t box in a way that lets it shine. His approach is to mitigate risk; he is defense as Pacquiao 42 * APRIL 2015 * BOROPULSE.COM

is offense. Floyd typically doesn’t punch aggressively enough to regularly knock out opponents. He is dependent on countering opponents to submission, or a decision loss. It isn’t a fluke that Floyd has been so successful, remains undefeated and is considered the best pound for pound. He is a genius boxer. On the other hand, defense is boring for the spectators and, luckily, we have Pacquiao, who is a more powerful puncher than Floyd and comes with unworldly speed. He devastates, and hits hard and often. Pacquiao is a volume puncher, and this has made him one of the best offensive fighters of all time. Pacquiao is underrated as a defender, but no boxer in the world stands equal with Floyd as a defender; he is the best in the business. Who wins, and how do they win? Mayweather will need to adjust to Pacquiao’s speed and power. Manny comes out the gate like a bull with a force that always dumbfounds his opponents. Speed and power will help Pac-Man score early in the match. Mayweather’s game plan is what it always has been, and remember that plan has him at 47–0. Floyd will box and move, box and move, he cannot trade punches with Manny. I expect a slobber-knocker of a match-up, but Manny has more heart. I believe Floyd has been smartly avoiding this bout for years, and he can’t run from it anymore. The world wants it, and now his perfect record may be in jeopardy. I have Manny in a decision win,

though it will take all the juice he can muster. So, we have two huge personalities: Pacquiao, who enjoyed his celebrity persona earlier in his career with women and alcohol, has since found his faith in God, embracing Christianity openly. Then we have Floyd Money Mayweather; the man loves to take selfies of himself with millions of dollars within reach, while Manny is more concerned with personal projects such as building homes and churches for the poor people of the Philippines. You may say, “Train Daddy, why do you despise Floyd so much?” He is ignorant and arrogant, and it’s hard to be both. Floyd states that the average boxing fan hates him because he is black and wealthy. No, no, Floyd, this is why: you flap your lips too much without thinking. When talking about Manny years ago, referring to him as a yellow chump and a midget (an obvious stereotype on Asians), he stated, “I am going to make that mother fudger make me a shrimp roll and cook me some rice, then will chop his ass up and cook him with some cats and dogs.” He also added the word faggot in there multiple times. I guess when you have a world-class private chef at your beck and call, it’s easy to make fun of third-world countries, right, Floyd? He also had choice words for NBA player Jeremy Lin. “Lin is a good player but all the hype is because he is Asian. Black players do what he does every night and don’t get the same praise.” Let me think . . . Lebron, Kobe, Durant, Paul, Curry, Parker, Howard . . . that is the top of the list in the NBA these days, all black and all praised quite well. Floyd, you remember Michael Jordan? When asked about the sport of Mixed Martial Arts, Floyd claimed that the UFC was created to give white people a chance to fight. The UFC fighters and Dana White were obviously upset. I imagine if a white UFC fighter said boxing was created to give black people a chance to fight, people would be rioting in the streets. Most people who know Floyd Money . . . well, you know about his father, Floyd Senior, and their not-so-healthy relationship. His father was a prominent fighter in his day, and also an off-and-on trainer for his son. In a YouTube video that surfaced of the two in the gym yelling and screaming, the younger Mayweather had choice words for his dad. “You couldn’t fight worth a sh*t, you wasn’t nothing . . . get out of my gym, faggot!” Well,

that wasn’t a very kindly thing to say to Daddy. Then, of course, he upset some women in another public rant. “How a female dresses is her advertisement . . . if a female shows half her body, she’s asking to be disrespected. If she dresses classy, expect to be treated like a lady. How you are addressed lies with your attire. Sexy is a spirit, not an outfit.” Many women groups claimed he was trying to justify sexual harassment and assault of women. So, let’s recap. Floyd Mayweather has, over the years, insulted women, gays, Asians, white and black MMA fighters and his daddy. He is without a doubt a solid role model. If you have seen any of Pacquiao’s recent interviews, he might remind you of former Heisman quarterback Tim Tebow. In all of his interviews he gives thanks to God, and says it is all in His glory and nothing else is above that. Pacquiao wasn’t always so righteous; he once was an all-night corn dog. He would take pleasures whenever it suited him, and ignored advice to respect his wedding vows, so what changed? Well, Manny states that God came to him in a dream and spoke directly to his soul. He claims he heard the voice of God and saw two angels, and claims it all took place in a beautiful forest amid flowers. “When I heard the voice of God I felt like I died. I was in the middle of the forest and I was kneeling and praying with my face in the ground and then I saw a light. A very white light and I heard the voice.” Maybe truth? Maybe acid? Maybe too many jabs to the brain, who knows? He also claims God showed him the end of times. While I am a firm believer in my faith, I find those sorts of events somewhat hard to swallow, but hey, like I said, who knows? I do know this to be true: Manny profoundly changed his ways and character, living for faith, family and friends instead of fame, women and alcohol. After Mayweather made personal attacks on Pacquiao’s character, Manny stated he pities Mayweather. “I am not affected by it. I pity him and I pray that someday he would change his ways. He should fear God. For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his soul?” That’s it right there in a nutshell. It’s a more detailed way of saying there is more to life than riches and pleasure, and maybe Mayweather will never understand that. But hey, Manny is praying for him, so you never know.

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