April 2023 Murfreesboro Pulse

pickleball / david nail / worship night / springfest / zepparella / isaiah 117 house / constitution inside

Celebrating the Season in Middle Tennessee with Events, Music, Outdoors, Food & Fun

music

lauren alaina performs at benefit for saint thomas foundation, may 1 explore

suter falls in south cumberland state park a stunning attraction

food

l obster tails and o yster s hells at m ariscos s ayulita n ayarit

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18 play pickleBall Court sport growing in popularity; Patterson Park hosts classes. 20 suter falls

Experience powerful rushing waters at South Cumberland falls.

22 house that loVe Built Isaiah 117 House opens its Rutherford County home for children awaiting foster placement.

6 Events

calendar

Underwater Egg Hunt and Spring Festival, Beaman United Football Club Games, Chess Lunch, Pioneer Days, Shakesbeer, Everybody Drum Some and more

12 Sounds Music notes Experience Worship Night set for April 28

Phil Wickham, Cece Winans, Michael W. Smith and others play at World Outreach

Lauren Alaina performs May 1 benefit for Saint Thomas Rutherford

Zepparella makes Hop Springs stop April 29

David Nail plays Hop Springs on April 30

Seven finalists perform for Tennessee Songwriters Week

Nic Roulette receives Ameripolitan Music Award concert calendar

Muddy Boots, Glen Wagner, Tennessee Philharmonic Orchestra

Jake Leg Stompers and more alBuM

Tom Taylor

22 Living nature news

Overwintering insects

Mr. MurfreesBoro

Relics, relationships and real estate

26 Food restaurant Mariscos Sayulita Nayarit

contributors: Tiffany Boyd, Jennifer Durand, Delores Elliott, Elisabeth Gay, Bryce Harmon, Kalen Johnson, Royce Johnson, Laura Lindsay, Zach Maxfield, Ashleigh Newnes, Andrea Stockard, Bill Wilson

28 News Business Buzz

Fire Korean BBQ, Jamaican Me Hungry, We Love Empanadas, Humble Baron, Acapulco Xpress and more

33 Opinion

news

A look at a new proposed forensics facility free your children

We told you so: legislators attempt to regulate using “choice” education

Expectations and defining success sports talk

What will the Titans do in the draft? A win for female athletics liVing well Confident role models lead the way

The Pulse crew has prepared yet another edition for you all, jam-packed with upcoming spring events, business news, concerts and local stories!

These coming pages contain a lot of info—Korean BBQ, an underwater egg hunt, worship nights, ceviche, art, pickleball, milkshakes, soccer, a rhythm event, historic properties, a proposed forensic center, chess and a dog festival.

That’s Murfreesboro.

What a fantastic small business community we have in this area.

Occasionally, I will hear or read such nonsense as “there are only corporate restaurants in Murfreesboro” or “there’s nothing to do / there’s no live music scene . . . .”

The people saying these things should not be despised for their ignorance. Hand them a Pulse! We must educate these individuals.

Plenty of places and activities are available here in Rutherford County. Perhaps there is a disconnect somewhere that causes folks to miss some of the great establishments, events, artists, groups and meetups that they would enjoy, but that’s where the Pulse comes in. Spread the word. Go hear a band, try going somewhere new, play some chess, make some butter, play a drum, eat some ceviche, run in a park.

Jr. and I entered the frigid cryotherapy chamber at Avalon Athletic Club this past month. That was new.

Congrats to Lindsey Linville, the winner of two tickets to the “Always Loretta” Loretta Lynn tribute show promoted in last month’s Pulse. Lindsey is not only a fellow “LL,” but also seems to be a true fan of Lynn’s work.

A huge crowd of runners and supporters came out to the Special Kids Race in March. It’s a fun event every year, running through the Stones River National Battlefield, meeting folks from the various businesses and organizations set up there, and eating chicken and bananas early in the morning, all for a great local ministry. A representative with Beyond Aquatics, the Pulse’s booth neighbor at home base, told us that boropulse.com was one of the very few unblocked websites allowed at their business that staff there is able to access. Pretty cool!

Some local media outlets have uncovered a few exaggerations in the résumé of new U.S. Representative Andy Ogles. In a way, I like the Andy Ogles method of describing oneself in high regard while not technically lying.

“I am a chemist with a degree from MTSU,” I could say in order to get a high-level chemistry job.

“Wait,” my employer may say, after some of my chemistry experiments end in disaster. “You said you had a degree in chemistry.”

“I never said that.”

Or “I have extensive leadership experience; I have been with General Mills for many years.”

“Great! So, how long have you been in management with General Mills?”

“Oh, no, no. I just eat Golden Grahams.”

And of course, I do have an extensive history of public service, serving as a detective for much of my career.

“What law enforcement agency did you work for, again?”

art director: Sarah Mayo

copy editor: Steve Morley

advertising: Nneka Sparks

“Oh, well, I helped find a lost cat one time . . .”

At any rate . . .

sign up for the Pulse Weekly Digital Newsletter at Boropulse.coM/newsletter

publisher/editor in chief: Bracken Mayo online:

714 w. Main

s

t., s uite 208, Murfreesboro, tn 37129 615-796-6248

to carry the pulse at your Business or to submit letters, stories and photography: bracken@boropulse.com

Keep up the good work, everyone! Keep on creating and encouraging, and not destroying and discouraging.

Even when the going gets tough, if the work gets you closer to your goals and accomplishing something grand, approach it with some joy and gratitude. If the work does not get you closer to your goals and accomplishing something grand, consider abandoning it.

Peace, Bracken Mayo

Publisher/Editor in Chief

events calendar  a pril 2023

April 6

discoVery center all access night

The Discovery Center at Murfree Spring recognizes World Autism Awareness Month at the All Access Night on Thursday, April 6, from 5–8 p.m. The night provides a sensory-friendly environment for families with children with autism or other physical, developmental, or intellectual disabilities or mental health concerns to explore the museum’s exhibits. All Access Night is one of the first recurring sensory-friendly events in Tennessee. The event is free, but reservations are suggested. For more information, visit explorethedc.org.

April 6

Mtsu Blood driVe

Members of the MTSU community can celebrate the season of new life by donating blood at the 2023 spring blood drive on Thursday, April 6, from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. at Keathley University Center (1524 Military Memorial Dr., Room 322). One pint can save three lives. Off-campus donors can obtain a one-day parking permit at mtsu.edu/parking/visit.php or park free in the university’s Rutherford Boulevard lot and ride the Raider Xpress shuttle. Donors can make an appointment on the “American Red Cross Blood” app or texting “BLOODAPP” to 90999. Walk-in donors also are welcome. Donors will receive a free T-shirt and a $20 Amazon e-gift card as a thanks. The chapter is specifically asking people with type O blood, the “universal donor,” to give. For more information, visit mtsunews.com/spring23-blood-drive

April 7

Birding hike

Hike while looking for birds with the Wilderness Station at Barfield Crescent Park team (401 Volunteer Rd.) on Friday, April 7, from 10–11 a.m. Identify birds you see or hear. Discuss the different materials birds use to build their nests. For more information or to pre-register, call 615-217-3017 or email krendl@mufreesborotn.gov. There is no cost to join and all ages are welcome.

April 8

faMily easter egg hunt

Chevrolet Buick GMC of Murfreesboro

April 8

underwater egg hunt and spring festiVal

Bring your basket or bag and see how many eggs you can collect at the Underwater Egg Hunt and Spring Festival on Saturday, April 8, from 10 a.m.–3 p.m. at Patterson Park Community Center, Patterson Indoor Water Park & Gym (521 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Blvd.). While you wait for your session (or if you don’t feel like getting wet), join the Spring Festival in the gym with games, snacks and fun. Children 3 and under must have a parent in the water with them. Personal flotation devices are required for those who cannot swim. Each session will be 30 minutes of hunting eggs and begins every 15 minutes; 50 participants are welcome per session. The cost to join is $3 per person for the egg hunt; admission is free for the Spring Festival. Ages 2–12 are welcome. For more information, email kgoss@murfreesborotn.gov or call 615-893-7439.

presents a Family Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 8, beginning at 10 a.m. at the Blackman High School Football Practice Field (3856 Blaze Dr.). A total of 15,000 eggs will be filled with $4,500 cash hidden in golden eggs with fun surprises. The event starts at 9 a.m. with the Easter Egg Hunt at 10 a.m. for the first age group. The egg hunt age groups are 0–2 years old, 3–5 years old, 6–9 years old and 10–12 years old. For more information, call 615640-9092 or visit gmmurfreesboro.com.

April 8

cookie decorating and easter Bunny photos

OFLOW (Overflow-Brews & Bakes, 115 N. Maple St.) hosts a fun, family-friendly event for all ages on Saturday, April 8, from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. (until the last cookie is sold). Bring the kids, your friends, your parents, or just yourself, as everything else is supplied to create the perfect Easter

cookies. There will be a cookie decorating station, an Easter-themed photo selfie station, Boba tea, pastries, coffee and the Easter Bunny for photo ops. Purchase homemade cookies at the shop to decorate, 1 for $5 or 3 for $10.

April 8 & 29

BeaMan united footBall cluB gaMes

The Beaman United Football Club, a Murfreesboro-based minor league soccer team part of the United Premier Soccer League, hosts games in Murfreesboro on Saturdays, April 8 (7 p.m.) and 29 (6 p.m.), at Siegel Stadium (515 Cherry Ln.). For tickets and more information, visit beamanunitedfc.com.

April 11

Business after hours, rock the Block

The Rutherford County Chamber of Com-

merce holds its April Business After Hours, presented by First Vision Bank, at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 11, on South Walnut Street between West Main and West Vine Streets, just outside of The Alley on Main. This is an informal social networking event designed to connect business professionals from across Rutherford County. Bring plenty of business cards. Admission is $15 for chamber members and $25 for future members. No registration is required. For more information on Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cuttings and other events, visit rutherfordchamber.org

April 11

raptor rhapsody

Have you ever looked an owl in the eye or checked out a falcon’s wings? Here is your chance to meet the Wilderness Station’s (401 Volunteer Rd.) educational screech owl and American kestrel up close and learn about these master predators of the sky. No registration is required for Tuesday, April 11, from 3–4 p.m. There is no cost to join and all ages are welcome. For more information, email challwalker@murfreesborotn.gov or call 615-217-3017.

April 12

toddler adVentures: tinkering with tools

Roll up your sleeves and get ready to do some work at Toddler Adventures at Cannonsburgh Village (312 S. Front St.) on Wednesday, April 12, from 10–11 a.m. Kids can explore a variety of tools by making noise, using their hands, building with blocks and participating in a story time. Reservations are now open. Admission is $3 per person. Ages 5 and under are welcome. Make your reservation by emailing mbnevills@murfreesborotn.gov or calling 615-801-2606.

April 12

liVing sent Ministries

The April 2023 Living Sent Murfreesboro meeting is on Wednesday, April 12, from 11:45 a.m.–1 p.m. at the Experience (521 Old Salem Rd.). Brian Harrell has been a head football coach, science teacher at the high school and middle school levels, and is now a Middle Tennessee Director for the

 by a ndrea st O c K ard

Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Harrell shares his love of creating opportunities that connect people with Christ and something bigger than themselves. Nathan and Anna Owen and their fourth child, Josephine, share how Josie’s rare condition has challenged them, and how God has used Josephine to strengthen their faith, their family and the people around them. A complimentary lunch is provided by Jeremy McLean of Edward Jones. RSVP for the free event to bob.williams@alhambrapartners.com

April 12

read to lead Book discussion

April’s Read to Lead book discussion covers Forged by Fire: How to Develop an Unstoppable Personal Brand by Mila Grigg on Wednesday, April 12, from 7:30–8:30 a.m. at Boys & Girls Club of Rutherford County (820 Jones Blvd.). The day features special guest, author and nationally recognized brand consultant Mila Grigg. Coffee and snacks are provided. This discussion is sponsored by Marisa Cali Marketing and Consulting. Guest facilitators are Gina Urban and Sheryl Chesnutt. For more information, email joleneradnoti@readtosucceed.org or mary.hoffschwelle@mtsu.edu

April 13

Boro Bakeoff

The Sweet Addiction is a Middle Tennessee nonprofit dedicated to the employment of women who are survivors of human trafficking, addiction, domestic violence and incarceration. They provide lifeenriching programs and career coaching while providing participants with meaningful work and a support network. The Sweet Addiction believes in second chances and redeeming those who have been labeled as “unemployable.” They have partnered with Wild Goose Chase Events for The Boro Bake Bake Off on Thursday, April 13, from 6–9 p.m. at The Walnut House (116 N. Walnut St.). The competition between Sammie B’s Sweets and Delicious Twists will be fierce. All proceeds benefit The Sweet Addiction. For tickets and more information, visit borobakeoff.com or find The Sweet Addiction on Facebook.

April 13

hoMeschool day

Discover some of the tools used by the blacksmith trade at Homeschool Day at Cannonsburgh Village (312 S. Front St.) on Thursday, April 13, from 10–11 a.m. Reservations are now open for Tools in the Blacksmith Shop. Admission is $3 per person. Reservations are required and must

opening April 21

Joseph and the aMazing technicolor dreaMcoat at springhouse theatre coMpany

Springhouse Theatre Company has announced the cast for its upcoming production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, opening April 21. Directed by Will Sevier and Ian Stewart, with music direction by Denise Earnest and choreography by Melissa Becker, this classic musical should delight audiences of all ages. Performances will take place on April 21, 22, 28, 29 and May 5 at 7:30 p.m., with a 2:30 p.m. matinee on Saturday, May 6. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat was the first collaboration by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice and continues to be a popular musical all over the world. Springhouse Theatre is located at 14119 Old Nashville Hwy., Smyrna. For more information and tickets, visit springhousetheatre.com, email info@springhousetheatre.com or call 615-852-8499.

be received by Thursday, April 6. The cost is $3 per person and ages 5 and up are welcome. Make reservations by emailing mbnevills@murfreesborotn.gov or calling 615-801-2606.

April 14

vice technology, information technology, welding, and machine tool technology. For more information, call 615-898-8010 or email workforce@tcatmurfreesboro.edu

April 15

punk rock flea Market

hosts a variety of area artists sharing creative inspiration in sculpture, pottery, weaving, jewelry making and painting. Visits are free and suitable for all ages. Look for the blue flags. For more information, find 3rd Saturday Open Studio on Facebook.

April 15

saddle up fun-draiser

MTSU’s “Saddle Up” FUN-draiser marks ACE Learning Center’s 40th anniversary on Saturday, April 15, from 8:30–11:30 a.m. Bring the family and give the community’s littlest cowhands a leg up at the Tennessee Livestock Center (1720 Greenland Dr.) in support of MTSU’s Ann Campbell Early Learning Center. The 16th annual event offers a whole arena’s worth of family and children’s indoor activities to help the ACE Center continue its work with local little ones. Each ticket includes coffee and a light breakfast from Chick-filA, Krispy Kreme and Purity Dairy. The day also features a silent auction packed with child and family-themed items. Tickets are available at $10 per person with a $40 maximum per family. For more information, visit mtsu.edu/supportsaddleup or email jacob.smith@mtsu.edu; for more information on the Ann Campbell Early Learning Center, visit mtsu.edu/acelearningcenter

April 20

hoMeschool science series: wildflowers

tcat

MurfreesBoro and sMyrna JoB fair

The finale to Ready to Walk Week at TCAT Murfresboro is a job fair for students. Employers are ready to interview and hire the newest additions to the skilled labor force. Get in front of skilled, qualified and highly motivated students who are about to graduate and are ready to work. There will be two separate job fairs each having students and graduates from different programs. Companies may attend both events. The first fair is at the TCAT Murfreesboro – Main Campus (1303 Old Fort Pkwy.) from 8–10 a.m. with careers such as heating, air conditioning & refrigeration, electrical, plumbing, welding, nursing and dental assisting. The second fair is at the TCAT Murfreesboro – Smyrna Campus (663 Ken Pilkerton Dr.) from noon–2 p.m. with careers such as collision repair, automotive ser-

Punk Rock Flea Market Murfreesboro will be held at Hop Springs Beer Park (6790 John Bragg Hwy.) on Saturday, April 15, from noon–10 p.m. There will be over 100 vendors, food trucks and music. All tickets purchased in advance (starting at $5) include one beer for everyone ages 21 and up. For more information, find Punk Rock Flea Market Murfreesboro on Facebook or visit hopspringstn.com.

April 15

acorn haVen open studio

Acorn Haven Studios presents its 3rd Saturday Open Studio on Saturday, April 15, from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. The day features displays from local artists, information on available classes and workshops, and more the third Saturday of each month. Acorn Haven Studios, the home studio of artist Dawna Magliacano (8265 Lascassas Pk., Hwy 96), opens its doors to visitors and

Students explore their world through science at the Homeschool Science Series on Thursday, April 20, from 10–11:30 p.m. at Wilderness Station (401 Volunteer Rd.). Students study different topics each class with hands-on demonstrations. Space is limited and pre-registration is required online or at the Wilderness Station. Ages 5–8 are welcome. The cost to join is $5 per person. For more information, call 615-217-3017 or email dthomas@murfreesborotn.gov

April 20

tennessee philharMonic: european riVer cruise

The Tennessee Philharmonic Orchestra’s “Season of Stories” concludes with a “European river cruise” on Thursday, April 20, from 7–9 p.m., at Belle Aire Baptist Church (1307 N. Rutherford Blvd.). This concert features music of famous European composers including Wagner and Sibelius. This European adventure down the Danube showcases TPO conductor Dr. Laurence Harvin and retiring Concertmaster Stefan Petrescu together one final time. For more information, visit tnphil.org

CONTiNuEd ON PAgE 8

CONTiNuEd FrOM PAgE 6

or find tickets for the Tennessee Philharmonic Orchestra’s European River Cruise performance on Eventbrite.

April 20

the connection

Champy’s World Famous Fried Chicken will host the April 2023 installment of The Connection: An Evening of Professional Networking and Business Brainstorming from 5–7 p.m. on Thursday, April 20. All Middle Tennessee entrepreneurs and professionals are welcome to attend this casual, free, noobligation networking event, where they can meet other small business owners and tap into one another’s experience and energy. Champy’s is located at 1290 NW Broad St.

April 20

siBshops

The Discovery Center at Murfree Spring (502 SE Broad St.) welcomes back its Sibshops program in recognition of World Autism Awareness Month in April. The program is for children ages 8–13 who have a sibling with autism or other special health and developmental conditions. Sibshop is a drop-off event on Thursday, April 20, from 5–7 p.m. The program is designed to help brothers and sisters of children with autism and other special health and developmental conditions learn about their sibling’s condition in a safe and relaxed recreational environment where they can express concerns, ask questions, feel recognized and find a community of other children coping with similar situations. Registration is $10 per child and dinner is included. To register and for more information, call 615-8902300 or visit explorethedc.org

April 20–23 southern literary fest

The 2023 Southern Literary Festival hosted by MTSU on April 20–23 features a plenary address by Destiny O. Birdsong on Friday, April 21, and a keynote address from Margaret Renkl on Saturday, April 22. Birdsong is a poet, novelist and essayist who is currently an artist-in-residence at UT. Renkl is the author of Late Migrations: A Natural History of Love and Loss and Graceland, At Last: Notes on Hope and Heartache From the American South. Both addresses are open to the public. See the full schedule of 2023 Southern Literary Festival activities at thesouthernliteraryfestival.org

April 21

eVeryBody druM soMe

Everybody Drum Some founder Ross Lester continues the 3rd Friday Community Rhythm Event series for those who would like to join

April 22

pioneer days

Cannonsburgh Village (312 S. Front St.) hosts Pioneer Days on Saturday, April 22 from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Come out for handmade crafts, hayrides, music by the Jake Leg Stompers and Stones River Bluegrass, and clogging by the Mid-State Cloggers of Shelbyville. The Murfreesboro Art League features art on display and for sale. Don’t miss blacksmithing demonstrations with the Rutherford County Blacksmith Association and a Car Show by the Stones River Car Club. Enjoy food trucks, storytelling by “Harriet Tubman,” hands-on demonstrations, pottery, basket weaving, and broom making. Stones River Bluegrass is from 10 a.m.–noon, MidState Cloggers from noon–1 p.m. and Jake Leg Stompers from 2–4 p.m. All ages are welcome and admission is free. For more information on Pioneer Days, email tcline@murfreesborotn.gov or call 615-890-0355.

their neighbors in some drumming. The next community rhythm session kicks off at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 21, in the fellowship hall of St Patrick’s Anglican Church (7103 Baker Rd.). There is no cost to participate, and people of all ages are invited to join the drumming or to spectate. Participants may bring drums, shakers, tambourines, woodblocks or percussive instruments of any type, but instruments will be available for use from the extensive Everybody Drum Some collection. To learn more, visit everybodydrumsome.com or call 615-631-7458.

April 22

record store day

Record Store Day was conceived in 2007 as independent record store owners and employees wanted to celebrate and spread the word about the unique culture surrounding nearly 1,400 independently-owned record stores in the U.S. Independently-owned brick-and-mortar record stores around the world celebrate this year’s Record Store Day on Saturday, April 22. Special vinyl and CD releases and various promotional products are exclusively available for the event. In Murfreesboro, Crying Cat Books and Records (504 N. Maney Ave.), The Great Escape (810 NW Broad St., Suite 202) and Century 21 Music and More

(125 Lasseter Dr.) will all recognize Recod Store Day 2023. For more information, visit recordstoreday.com.

April 22

the spine anniVersary

The Spine Bookshop (located within the Trellis & Vine building, 27 S. Lowry St., Smyrna) will celebrate its first anniversary on Saturday, April 22, from 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Enjoy a day filled with talks with local authors, giveaways every hour, food trucks and author signings. Participating authors include Jennifer Lynn Burrows, Angela Watts, Valerie Zahn and Arie White. If you love fantasy, science fiction, dystopian, Christian fiction, supporting small businesses and reading, this is for you. For more information, visit trellisandvine.art or call 615-768-9503.

April 22

free shred day

The Better Business Bureau Central Tennessee Regional Office presents a Free Shred Day on Saturday, April 22, in conjunction with Earth Day, from 9 a.m.–noon at Planet Fitness (1954 Old Fort Pkwy., Ste 6) for those who need to have documents shredded. BBB is also collecting furniture and household goods for Habitat for Humanity and canned items for Greenhouse Ministries.

April 22

Backstage Bash

Center for the Arts (110 W. College St.) presents its annual fundraiser event, Backstage Bash, on Saturday, April 22. The main event will be in outdoor tents on College Street. Arrive to a red-carpet and enjoy a plated dinner by Tasty Table. The Late Night Party features a glow theme this year. Funds raised help secure rights to produce highquality shows and hire top-notch directors, teachers, crew and musicians, as well to as continue educating youth through the Center Stage Academy program. For more information, visit boroarts.org/2023-bash.

April 22 adVentures in ag

Adventures in Agriculture will be held Saturday, April 22, from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. at the Lane Agri-Park (315 John Rice Blvd.). Farmers share their knowledge of animals, crops, homegrown foods and handmade products with parents and children. Admission is free. Donations will be accepted for the Rutherford County backpack program. Children can pick up a passport to have stamped as they pass through the adventure and receive a prize when completed. Adventures in Agriculture will have live animal exhibits, food displays, gardening information and demonstrations such as butter making and spinning yarn. For more information, find a Facebook page for Adventures in Agriculture.

April 22 And 23 nature play cleanup

Celebrate Earth Day by helping to spruce up the Nature Play Area at the Wilderness Station (401 Volunteer Rd.) on Saturday and Sunday, April 22 and 23. This community event includes cleaning, planting, building, painting and staining from from 10 a.m.–3 p.m. each day. Sign up to volunteer by calling 615-217-3017.

April 24

chess lunch

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

April 24

chord Meeting

Chord meets on Monday, April 24, from 6–7:30 p.m. at Greenhouse Ministries (307 S. Academy St.) in the community meeting room. Chord’s mission is to help form connections between live local music performance groups, building harmony and partnerships that will help the community reach its full musical potential. April’s meeting focuses on developing new ways to work with community leaders. Invitations are extended to county and city officials as well as the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce. For more information, email thomchristy@gmail.com or gsc714@gmail.com.

April 27

caring for cast iron

Cannonsburgh Village (312 S. Front St.) features a free session with blacksmith Richard Zago as he shares about cooking with cast iron and how to care for it on Thursday, April 27 from 10–11 a.m. Reservations are required; make reservations by emailing mbnevills@murfreesborotn.gov or calling 615-801-2606.

April 27

honorary parachute JuMp

Window World of Murfreesboro invites the community to join in honoring Vietnam veterans on the 50th anniversary of that war on Thursday, April 27 at 4 p.m. U.S. Army veteran Charles Mann, who served from 1951–1974, will do a tandem parachute jump at Barfield-Crescent Park, landing at 4:30 p.m. The ceremony is free and open to the public.

April 28

Buggin’ out

Come out to the Wilderness Station (401 Volunteer Rd.) on Friday, April 28, from 2–3 p.m. and learn about some of the common bugs and spiders found in Middle Tennessee. Then go on a hike to find some of these creepy crawlers. There is no cost to join and all ages are welcome. For more information or to pre-register, call 615-2173017 or email krendl@murfreesborotn.gov.

April 29

Bark in the Boro

Support Beesley Animal Foundation on Saturday, April 29, from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. at MTSU Student Union Common Grounds (1768 MTSU Blvd.). Families and pets are welcome to a fun day of vendors, adoptable animals and games with a portion of proceeds benefiting the foundation. The

2023 * boropulse.com

April 25

riVer exploration

Meet at the Stones River Overlook within Barfield Crescent Park (697 Veterans Pkwy.) on Tuesday, April 25, from 2–4 p.m. to explore the river, catch and release crawfish, snails and other interesting macro-invertebrates, and discuss the importance of healthy waterways. Water shoes are recommended, as anyone getting in the water must keep their shoes on. There is no cost to join and all ages are welcome. For more information, call 615-217-3017 or email challwalker@murfreesborotn.gov.

event is free to attend. For more information, visit barkintheboro.com.

April 29

BarnaBas Vision

faMily fun day

Support Barnabas Vision on Saturday, April 29, from 4–7 p.m. (come and go). This family-fun fundraiser includes food, an ice cream truck, bounce castle and kids activities. For more information and location, email david@ thebarnabasvision.org or call 615-556-5134.

April 29

caffeine & chroMe

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

April 29–30

faMily caMpout

Guided night hikes and campfire fun make this a night to remember at Wilderness Station at Barfield Crescent Park (401 Volunteer Rd.) from Saturday, April 29 at 5 p.m. to Sunday, April 30, at 8 a.m. A tent, mats, dinner and breakfast will be provided. Each person is required to take a Wilderness Awareness Workshop.

Pre-registration is required. The event is limited to 20 families. The cost to join is $10 for ages 18 and up, $5 for ages 4–17 and free for ages 3 and under. For more information, call 615-217-3017 or email challwalker@murfreesborotn.gov

mondAys snake feeding

Learn all about snake adaptations and how they swallow their food whole with a live demonstration at Wilderness Station at Barfield Crescent Park (401 Volunteer Rd.) on Mondays from 11:30 a.m.–noon. The cost is free and no registration is required. For more information, email challwalker@ murfreesborotn.gov or call 615-217-3017.

Tues. & Thurs.

Busy Bees class for kids

Busy Bees is a children’s class where kids ages 3–5 are engaged with music and physically active games. The class is at Patterson Park Community Center (521 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Blvd.) from noon–12:45 p.m. A facility pass is needed. For more information, call 615-893-7439 or email chill@murfreesborotn.gov.

ThursdAys

hike with a naturalist

Come out to the Wilderness Station at Barfield Crescent Park (401 Volunteer Rd.) for a weekly hike from 2–3 p.m. Thursdays in April. Hike different trails each week. There is no cost to join and all ages are welcome. For more information,

email dthomas@murfreesborotn or krendl@ murfreesborotn.gov, or call 615-217-3017.

FridAys

coMMunity chess

Community Chess meets at the Murfreesboro Barnes & Noble (at The Avenue, 2615 Medical Center Pkwy.) every Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. All ages and skill levels are invited to this casual chess meetup.

FridAys

funny friday coMedy

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

sATurdAys aniMal encounters

This program spotlights the native animal ambassadors at Wilderness Station at Barfield Crescent Park (401 Volunteer Rd.) on Saturdays in April from 1:30–2 p.m. Learn all about the animals on exhibit including an up-close interaction with some. This is a free event for all ages. For more information, call 615-217-3017 or email krendl@murfreesborotn.gov

mAy

5 shakesBeer

The Discovery Center at Murfree Spring (502 SE Broad St.) hosts its annual “Shakesbeer” fundraiser on Friday, May 5, from 6–9 p.m. Guests can enjoy samples of local craft brews, charcuterie from Graze Craze and theatrical performances by MProv. Food is available to purchase from other local vendors. The annual fundraiser, held at the museum’s outdoor area, is for ages 21 and up. This year’s event features a fan favorite award for the brewer who receives the most votes. Tickets are $35 in advance, $40 at the door and $15 for designated drivers. To purchase tickets and for more information, visit explorethedc.org.

ongoing free digital literacy class

This entry-level computer class teaches the basics such as use of a keyboard, mouse, icons, folders, applications, internet, email and basic résumé creation and online job search. Classes are held at Goodwill (2955 S. Church St.). A valid ID and an active Gmail account (coaches can provide assistance) are required. For more, find Career Solutions and then Education at giveit2goodwill.org, or call 615-346-1818.

PHOTO COURTESY WOODLANDS AND WATERS

PRESENTED BY SWANSON COMPANIES

SPONSORS

DICK & MARTHA CURL

FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY!

DR. GEORGE SMITH KCBS BBQ BRAWL

LIVE BANDS: END OF THE LINE, ULTIMATE OLDIES & STUDENT PERFORMANCES

PEOPLE’S CHOICE BBQ COMPETITION

BEER GARDEN & FOOD TRUCKS

TENNESSEE WHISKEY TOUR

FAMILY FUN ZONE

Sounds

read more about local music at boropulse.com/category/music

music notes

next exPerience WorshiP night set for aPril 28 at miller coliseum

ExPEriENCE MuSiC wiLL PrESENT its next community worship night in Murfreesboro on Friday, April 28. Set to begin at 7 p.m., this first Experience worship night of 2023 will take place at the Tennessee Miller Coliseum with the theme “Honey in the rock.”

The worship group, a musical extension of the local Experience Community Church—which now operates churches in Murfreesboro, woodbury, Shelbyville and Tullahoma—has drawn thousands to its previously presented praise and worship nights.

The evening will include high-energy worship music, communion, prayer and lifting up the name of Jesus Christ.

At each worship night, Experience Music partners with and raises funds and awareness for a different nonprofit. its partner for the April 28 Honey in the rock event will be One generation Away. All proceeds from merchandise sales will go to support this ministry.

One generation Away rescues high-quality, surplus food from grocery stores, restaurants, farms, and caterers, and redistributes that food to individuals and families experiencing food insecurity in Middle Tennessee, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle.

Phil Wickham, cece Winans, michael W. smith, Brandon lake Play at World outreach

EASTEr CELEBrATiON wEEkENd at World Outreach Church will welcome special guest artists. Phil Wickham will lead worship on the outdoor stage on Friday, April 7. CeCe Winans will lead worship concerts on Saturday and Sunday, April 8–9, and The Katinas will lead worship, Friday–Sunday, April 7–9.

The following weekend, World Outreach will continue to host outdoor worship and mini-concerts on Saturday evenings in its outdoor sanctuary. Services will include a message from Pastor Allen Jackson, a special guest worship artist, outdoor baptisms, food trucks and activities for kids.

Special guest artists include Pat Barrett on April 15–16, Charity Gayle on April 22–23, Michael W. Smith on April 29–30 and Brandon Lake on May 6–7. Each will lead worship on the outdoor stage on Saturday evenings at 6 p.m., then will perform a short worship concert after each service. All will return, respectively, on the following Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. to lead worship indoors from the Three Crosses Sanctuary, with services simulcast outdoors for those who prefer to remain outside.

“The hope and joy of Easter is not something that we only celebrate one weekend a year,” said World Outreach Church Senior Pastor Allen Jackson. “We worship a risen Savior every day and it is always a joy to be together in the House of God with His people. We invite everyone to join us each week as we lift up His name in praise and dive into His Word together.”

The church will also host a men’s conference the last weekend of April. Find more information about these upcoming events at wochurch.org/springfest.

World Outreach Church is an interdenominational congregation located in Murfreesboro, that focuses on the beliefs that unite all Christians in the mainstream of the historic Christian faith.

According to a statement from One generation Away: “Our vision is to wipe hunger off the face of America by teaching people to love one another through service. This vision is only fulfilled by a nationwide movement of people who wish to empower and care for their neighbors.”

while proceeds from merchandise sales will go to One generation Away and additional donations are welcome, admission to the worship night is absolutely free and Experience welcomes everyone.

An assortment of food trucks will be onsite.

The Tennessee Miller Coliseum is located at 304 w. Thompson Ln., Murfreesboro. For more, find an event page for worship Night at Miller Coliseum— Honey in the rock on Facebook.

Charity gale brandon lake

CeCe winanS

Phil wiCkham

Sounds

music notes

lauren alaina Performs may 1 Benefit for s aint thomas rutherford foundation

grANd OLE OPry MEMBEr and multi-platinum singer-songwriter Lauren Alaina will perform a benefit for the Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Foundation on Monday, May 1.

Saddle Woods Farm in Murfreesboro will host the “Artist at the Alley” event, where attendees will enjoy an evening of fine dining with food from The Alley on Main, music and an auction.

All of of proceeds from the fundraiser will benefit the Lee and Susan Moss Family Neonatal Intensive Care Unit expansion. Need for NICU services is increasing. Saint Thomas Rutherford cares for an average of 421 NICU infants each year. The necessity for an expanded NICU is becoming more prevalent with the increasing rate of opioid use among pregnant women, according to the foundation.

Doors for the May 1 private event open at 4:45 p.m. with dinner at 5:30 and the Lauren Alaina show kicking off at 7:30 p.m.

Lauren Alaina—a Georgia native who American Songwriter called “a vibrant force of positivity in the world”—earned three No. 1 hit singles in just under three years with her smash “Road Less Traveled” in 2017, the 7-times-platinum “What Ifs” in 2018 with her childhood friend Kane Brown (his first career No. 1), and “One Beer” in 2020 with friend and rising star Hardy (his first career No. 1 as well).

She has appeared on A Capitol Fourth, Dancing With the Stars, American Idol, and on various other television programs and sporting events. She has also starred in the Hallmark Channel movie Roadhouse Romance and became a best-selling author with the release of her inspirational book Getting Good at Being You: Learning to Love Who

God Made You to Be

Saddle Woods Farm is located at 9522 Franklin Rd., Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Tickets are $125. For tickets or more information, call 615-396-4996. Find more on the Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Foundation at rutherfordfoundation.org.

ZePParella makes hoP sPrings stoP on aPril 29

ZEPPArELLA , AN ALL-FEMALE TriBuTE TO rOCk LEgENd LEd ZEPPELiN, will perform at Murfreesboro’s Hop Springs this April.

Forming in 2005, Zepparella—guitarist Gretchen Menn, bassist Holly West, drummer Clementine and vocalist and harmonicist Anna Kristina—has since shared its passion all over the globe for Led Zeppelin, the English blues-rock group that many credit with setting in motion heavy metal.

Zepparella’s 2010 video for “When the Levee Breaks” has racked up over 20 million views on YouTube. The ladies say they intend to replicate the nuance and detail of Zeppelin’s catalog while honoring the band’s powerful improvisational journeys.

Zepparella also operates a Led Zeppelin Learning Channel on YouTube to help Zeppelin fans learn to play some of the songs. The musicians go in-depth investigating “When the Levee Breaks,” “Immigrant Song,” “Kashmir” and other Zeppelin material posting numerous videos for each song containing instrumental tutorials, vocal techniques, equipment and tone suggestions, harmonica solos and more details.

Zepparella performs at Hop Springs, 6790 John Bragg Hwy., Murfreesboro, at 8 p.m. Saturday, April 29. Tickets, starting at $25, are available on ticketweb.com.

david nail Brings thoughtful country tunes to hoP sPrings on aPril 30

SiNgEr-SONgwriTEr dAvid NAiL will perform at Hop Springs on Sunday, April 30. His material ranges from the somber and pensive to the soulful and tranquil, along with other uplifting and joyous country sounds.

A product of small-town Missouri and now a Music Row veteran, Nail has been praised for his songwriting, his vocal abilities and his arranging skills. Nail has made no secret about wrestling with the demons of depression and its effects throughout his life, often saying what he needs to say through his music. He has been writing without collaborators on his recent releases.

“The bad thing is that you don’t have that other person to throw ideas around with,” he said. “That’s the good thing, too. If somebody else’s idea is better than mine and makes the song better, it detours away from where my story is going. Some of the songs might have been a little more commercial, a little less personal, with another writer. But that’s not what I need now. I’m not scared to talk about or touch on anything.”

Find tickets for the April 30 show at davidnail.com. General admission tickets are $36 with an add-on David Nail Meet & Greet Experience package—including an autographed photo, early venue entry and time to visit with the artist—available for $50. Hop Springs is located at 6790 John Bragg Hwy.

PHOTO BY GARY CLARK

Thurs, 4/6

hank’s honky tonk

Sir Anthony

harVester

Joey Fletcher Band

panther creek

Brews

Muddy Boots

Fri, 4/7

carMen’s taqueria

Joe West

cedar glade Brews

Ned + Kat Sing Songs

hank’s honky tonk

Delyn Christian; Mikki Zip Band

happy’s sports

lounge

Silent Ruckus; DJ Lameric

hop springs

Weedeater; Telekinetic Yeti; Adam Faucett; Waxed

Jack’s place

Tony Castellanos

Mayday Brewery

Roland Justice

Mtsu wright

Music Building

Wu Man

panther creek

Brews

Joey Fletcher Band

with Isaac Corbitt

puckett’s

The Sternwheelers

seasons

Cooter River Band; Rockin Country

sAT, 4/8

carMen’s taqueria

Joe West

cedar glade Brews

Paul Mann

city cafe

Everette Brown Trio

hank’s honky tonk

Tawnya Reynolds; Phil Valdez

happy’s

DJ Nicky D

Mayday Brewery

Red Wine Hangover

Mtsu wright

Music Building

Clarinet H.S. Honors Choir; Gavyn Frankenfield

puckett’s

Karli & James

mon, 4/10

hank’s honky tonk

Open Mic Night

Mtsu wright

Music Building

Concert Band

Vfw sMyrna post

Jam Night

Tues, 4/11

hank’s honky tonk

Joe Hooper

Wed, 4/12

hank’s honky tonk

Robyn Taylor

hop springs

Tab Benoit; Alastair Greene

Mtsu wright

Music Building

Carolina Herrera; Percussion Ensemble the Boro

Voice of Addiction

Thurs, 4/13

hank’s honky tonk

Cary & Sherrie Lynn

Fri, 4/14

caJun steaMer

Glen Wagner

carMen’s taqueria

Joe West

cedar glade Brews

Tony Hartman

Jack’s place

Tony Castellanos

hank’s honky tonk

Bailey Rose; Jeff Caron Band

happy’s

Top Tier; DJ Lameric

Mayday Brewery

Chelsey Stallings

Mtsu wright

Music Building

Christine Whelchel;

Chinese Ensemble

puckett’s

Dark Waters Project

seasons

E5C4P3 (Journey tribute)

sAT, 4/15

carMen’s taqueria

Joe West

cedar glade Brews

Vagabond Train city cafe

Everette Brown Trio

hank’s honky tonk

The Hammonds;

Cooter River Band

happy’s

Douglas Riley Band;

DJ Nicky D

hop springs

Punk Rock Flea Market with

Snooper, Upchuck, Faux Ferocious, Stuck and many more

Main street Music

Revelry; Hippies and Cowboys

Mayday Brewery

David Wiley

Mtsu wright

Music Building

Micah McClendon;

Emily Jaloma;

MTSU Symphony Orchestra

panther creek

Brews

Jeremy Pinell Band; Zentrance

puckett’s

Larysa Jaye

world outreach

Pat Barrett

sun, 4/16

hank’s honky tonk

Emily Miller

Live Music in MiddLe tennessee

Mtsu saunders

fine arts, rooM 101

Jeremy Winters

Mtsu wright

Music Building

Strings and Friends

mon, 4/17

hank’s honky tonk

Open Mic Night

Vfw sMyrna post

Jam Night

Tues, 4/18

hank’s honky tonk

Jesse Black

Mtsu saunders

fine arts, rooM 101

String Studio Recital

Mtsu wright

Music Building

Band of Blue Hall of Fame

Wed, 4/19

hank’s honky tonk

Gray Daniels

Mtsu saunders

fine arts, rooM 101

Eric Burgess

Thurs, 4/20

Belle aire Baptist

TN Philharmonic Orchestra

hank’s honky tonk

Will King

hop springs

Passafire; The Quasi Kings; Crooked Coast; Austin Grimm panther creek

Brews

Sal Gonzalez

Fri, 4/21

carMen’s taqueria

Joe West

cedar glade Brews

Bailey Rose

hank’s honky tonk

Clay Lutz; Jack Finley Band happy’s

Shawn Pody Band; DJ Jake B hop springs

Chatham Rabbits

Jack’s place

Tony Castellanos

Mayday Brewery

Tom Davison

Mtsu wright

Music Building

MTSU Opera

puckett’s

The Mighty Train Wrecks

sAT, 4/22

Burlap rooM

Mojo Kingz, Bee Taylor

caJun steaMer

Glen Wagner

cannonsBurgh

Village

Jake Leg Stompers, Stones River Bluegrass panther creek

Brews

The Dirty Poors, Casual Sects

carMen’s taqueria

Joe West

cedar glade Brews

Jeff Lysyczyn

cedar springs

ranch

Sean Kennedy, Kayley Bishop, Troy Doherty city cafe

Everette Brown Trio

hank’s honky tonk

Izzy Grace; Whiskey Smoke

happy’s

Casi Joy; DJ Nicky D hop springs

Bryce Leatherwood

Mayday Brewery

SaraBeth

Mtsu wright

Music Building

MTSU Opera

puckett’s

The Close

the Boro

Modern Primate; Bite the Zombie; Nero Vatra

world outreach

Charity Gayle

sun, 4/23

hank’s honky tonk

Lexy Dunn

Mtsu wright

Music Building

Soprano/Alto, Tenor/Bass

Chorales; Nicole Wusaty; Chamber Orchestra

mon, 4/24

hank’s honky tonk

Open Mic Night

Mtsu wright

Music Building

MTSU Steel Drum Ensemble

Vfw sMyrna post

Jam Night

Tues, 4/25

hank’s honky tonk

Delyn Christian

Mtsu wright

Music Building

MTSU Singers

Wed, 4/26

hank’s honky tonk

Phil Valdez

hop springs

Codefendants; Zeta; R.A.P. Ferreira

Mtsu wright

Music Building

MTSU Salsa Band

Thurs, 4/27

hank’s honky tonk

Silent Ruckus

hop springs

Sun-Dried Vibes; Sons of Paradise; Vibe Right

Fri, 4/28

carMen’s taqueria

Joe West

cedar glade Brews

Phil Valdez

hank’s honky tonk

Adam Stone; Justin Dukes

happy’s

Haden Carpenter; DJ Lameric harVester

Tom Tippin

Jack’s place

Tony Castellanos

Mayday Brewery

Alajandro Miramontes

Mtsu wright

Music Building

William Slade Moore

puckett’s

Kellie Longsworth, Greg Wilson

tennessee Miller

coliseuM

Experience Worship Night

the Boro

Noisecult

sAT, 4/29

carMen’s taqueria

Joe West

cedar glade Brews

Glen Wagner city cafe

Everette Brown Trio

hank’s honky tonk

Lonnie Cook; Doc Flannel

happy’s

Graham Anthem Band; DJ Nicky D hop springs

Zepparella (Led Zeppelin tribute)

Mayday Brewery

Carter Elliott Mtsu wright

Music Building

Allison Benoit seasons

SemiVinyl the Boro

Summon the Moon

puckett’s Herrick

world outreach

Michael W. Smith

sun, 4/30

hank’s honky tonk

Glen Wagner hop springs

David Nail; Brett Westgrove

Mtsu wright

Music Building

MT Choral Society; Percussion Ensemble

seasons

The Long Run (Eagles tribute)

hank’s honky

Open

Mayday

Miguel

Lauren Alaina

Vfw

Jam

If You Go

tennessee songWriters Week: seven finalists Perform in nashville

THE 2023 TENNESSEE SONgwriTErS wEEk, presented by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, gave seven finalists the opportunity to perform at Nashville’s iconic Bluebird Cafe in March at a private event with music industry professionals.

More than 1,200 songwriters performed at qualifying rounds in February at over 50 venues, museums, attractions and cafes to advance to the showcase events around the state where these seven finalists were named the winners. This year’s Tennessee Songwriters Week was filled with participants representing many different genres showcasing their various writing styles and lyrical content.

toM taylor Love Songs: Chapter One

music notes

The seven finalists for 2023 were Melanie LaFoy from the showcase in Knoxville, Aaron Bucks in Chattanooga, HARZEE from Memphis, Elijah Wise in Gatlinburg, Ron Short in Johnson City, Sarah Hardwig in Franklin and the Garrett Boys in Gallatin.

Each finalist won a branded commemorative Taylor guitar, a two-night stay in Nashville, a $100 gift card for travel and a one-year membership to Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI).

The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development established Tennessee Songwriters Week in 2019 to support music venues, celebrate songwriters in all genres of music, drive visitation and inspire travelers to experience the state’s music stories, history, attractions and venues. Since its inception, more than 3,500 songwriters have shared their original music across Tennessee stages during the annual celebrations. For more information, stay tuned to tnvacation.com/songwriters-week.

nic roulette receives ameriPolitan music aWard

AMEriPOLiTAN MuSiC AwArdS PrESENTEd NiC rOuLETTE, of Middle Tennessee-based groups Hillbilly Casino and The Beat Creeps, its 2023 award for Male Rockabilly Entertainer of the Year.

Ameripolitan Music Awards recognizes artists in the honky-tonk, Western swing, rockabilly and outlaw genres, music styles with a prominent roots influence that may not conform to fit modern popular country music parameters.

For more on the Ameripolitan Music Awards, visit ameripolitan.org Drop by and see Nic Roulette and his Ameripolitan award at Nexgen Barber Shop, 2705 Old Fort Pkwy., Murfreesboro.

For more on the Beat Creeps and Hillbilly Casino and upcoming show dates, visit thebeatcreeps.com and facebook.com/thehillbillycasino.

Local contemporary Christian vocalist/guitarist Tom Taylor’s catalogue now extends to 12 albums dating back to 2008. There are eight full-length studio albums averaging about 14 Tom Taylor original, acoustic guitar-based compositions each, with one tribute single, “Jen’s Song: A Tribute to Jen Bulik-Lang,” also floating around. To bring that tally to a dozen, Tom pulled together four compilation albums from his original works over the years for 2013’s The Definitive Collection, 2016’s The Very Best of Tom Taylor, and 2021’s vinyl exclusive release, Anthology: 2008-2021, presenting personal favorites, fan favorites and the superlife-affirming-themed songs of his career, respectively. As for the theme of Taylor’s most recent collection, Love Songs: Chapter One: it should be obvious—love.

As we last left Taylor, his hope was dwindling by the end of his very dark 2021 album Heart on My Sleeve. Tom had been processing a lonely lot in life, out in the “wilderness,” but, just as the Lord provides patience with unrelenting faith, there’s plenty of love to recall in Taylor’s Love Songs: Chapter One, released in 2022 on Tom Taylor Ministries Records. The compilation not only rejoices over a reinvigorated will to live and a restart after a rough six years, but echoes along local hillsides the unspoken fact that Tom didn’t jump into a quarry.

It takes only one swing of the hammer to nail down the theme with Love Songs’ opener, “When I Say That I Love You,” as more of a simple love song rather than one containing any direct mention of Jesus or God. Those references are more insinuated on this round, which leaves room for other optimism regarding humanity such as love for people, all to a soft piano eventually mix-

ing with Taylor’s subdued acoustic guitar, bass, synthesized strings and harmony from Tom Taylor’s signature vocals—which take cues from James Taylor and Josh Groban and really round out the sound of this ballad.

“Nothing Left to Lose” has a Spanish-style flair in guitar play, lyrically consoling the “hurt and abused” to remain steadfast, as there’s nothing left to lose. It’s a foot-tapper, actually, impressive in its wisdom and production value, but with such precise, clean presence on each instrument’s notes interacting with one another it’s as if the individual sections of an orchestra were designated and programmed to their own section of a computer-driven keyboard for the maestro (Tom) to punch-orchestrate like an octopus playing piano. With only four or five instruments tracked on this soothing Cuban-classicalesque single, that’d leave a few free tentacles to wave in the air, too.

“I’m Missing You” is the first darkerthemed track on Love Songs . . . but a good reason to work in some string ensemble sounds to a composition perhaps inspired by synth in The Labyrinth. Taylor revisits a more soulful, yearning vocal style that’s still in him, too. However, the following track, “Lovely One,” is a walking-bass doo-wop number outlining a proposal fantasy, romancing years down the road to an eventual, robust, wall-of-sound crescendo that can walk you peacefully along the lake’s edge at night.

If “I’m Missing You” seems to be kind of a weird regression in the artist’s recovery, “Without You” (track 7), also found on 2017’s I Will Trust, doesn’t suggest a reset or starting over; probably best to listen without an expectation of a perfectly linear timeline, and to remember that no journey is without its missteps.

As a whole, Love Songs: Chapter One is a new-lease-on-life love album with some faint, worrisome hints of the past still creeping in. The production value and choices, excellent harmony work, its emphasis on Taylor’s synth work, and other melodic flitters all work together to vividly present the highs and lows of a journey. The previous album, Heart on My Sleeve, was a cliffhanger (and winner of WVIU Radio’s 2022 Album of the Year).

Love Songs: Chapter One, as well as the full catalogue from which it’s derived, can be found on Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music, Soundcloud and Bandcamp, with Spotify probably being the most organized and user-friendly presentation of the Tom Taylor catalog. For updates on Tom Taylor, contact information and more on TTM Records, visit tomtaylorministries.net.

— Bryce harMon

p lay p ickleball

PiCkLEBALL wAS iNvENTEd iN

1965 by a congressman and a businessman who improvised during a badminton game, using Ping-Pong paddles and a plastic ball. They lowered the net so they could bounce the ball over the net and made the first official pickleball court in their neighbor’s yard in 1967, according to usapickleball.org

The sport found growing acceptance over the years but has just recently become widely popular. In 2021, USA Pickleball membership reached 50,000, according to its website. The sport is popular at community centers, classes, YMCA facilities and retirement communities.

Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the United States, according to American Sports and Fitness Association.

“Pickleball has started friendships and community, rather than just being an exercise program,” said Alan Cutler, who plays pickleball and is the business manager of the nonprofit program Murfreesboro Pickleball Association.

“Pickleball becomes more of a community than tennis does,” he said. “In tennis, you reserve a court and play together for a longer period of time. With pickleball, people come on their own and pair up or group. After you play, people change partners,

story By laura lindsay

and then you sit out and the next group comes in, so we have about 40 or 50 people, playing with different people and meeting them, and it becomes more of a community than just going there for a game.”

Cutler said people of all different ages are taking interest in pickleball now, and pickleball really appeals to the senior community because it requires much less running than with tennis.

He said Murfreesboro Pickleball has also taught home-school students to play, and they had a youth program last summer.

“What is really nice with pickleball is with the court size—you can almost get four courts inside the space of the tennis court,” he said. “Also, using a pickleball paddle takes a lot less effort than using a tennis racket. Hitting a tennis ball takes a lot more effort than flicking a pickleball with a paddle. So it’s a perfect sport for seniors to play.”

Pickleball is somewhat of a combination between tennis, badminton and table tennis with doubles play much more common than singles play. Cutler said, the court is

smaller than in tennis with a net across it. The ball is served over diagonally to the other court, the ball bounces and the person returns it. The ball has to bounce first before the return of serve, and then it is played, being hit back and forth off the bounce or in the air.

“Pickleball also has the non-volley line, which is seven feet from the net,” he explained. “So, unlike tennis, where you can go up and smash the ball down standing at the net, in pickleball you can not get the ball in the air across that seven-foot line. So you can’t be right at the net and smash it down.”

There are opportunities every weekday to play pickleball in Murfreesboro.

There are indoor courts at SportsCom where people play on Tuesdays and Thursdays. At Patterson Park Community Center pickleball players play on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings indoors on three courts. And there are also six outdoor courts at Patterson Park, which are available any time until dark. People also play at McFadden Community Center each morning Monday through Friday until 2 p.m. and Avalon Athletic Club has designated times for pickleball on its basketball court.

Those interested in pickleball can learn

p ickleball growing in popularity p atterson p ark hosts classes for beginners interested in the sport

P HOTOS COURTESY P ICKLEHEADS

the game by coming to a free beginner lesson held on the first and third Monday of each month at 11 a.m. at Patterson Park’s inside gym. (If a Monday is a holiday, the date changes to the following Monday.)

“We recently had one of our largest beginner classes with 31 people coming to learn the rules and how to play pickleball,” Cutler said. “We have volunteers teaching—I think there were six of us that day—working with the people and showing them how to hit the ball. We also have paddles for them to try out. Beginners in the classes don’t need to bring any equipment. The only cost is the entry fee to come into the rec center.”

Cutler said the only problem limiting who can play pickleball is the lack of available courts for evening use, making it difficult for people with daytime jobs to find a time to play. He added that there are no lights outside at Patterson Park, so darkness prevents people from playing outside part of the year.

“The complaint we hear from people is

we don’t have evening pickleball hours,” he said. “There is such a demand for pickleball, and we don’t have enough courts. And I am always getting the question ‘do you have any beginner pickleball classes on the night or the weekend when we can learn?’

“More people could play if we have more outdoor courts that would allow people who work during the day to play in the evening, especially in the summer while there is light.”

For more information and to meet others who play pickleball in the area, stop by a class or a game at Patterson Park Community Center, 521 dr. Martin Luther king Jr. Blvd., or visit the Facebook page Pickleball Murfreesboro TN. Another good pickleball resource is pickleheads.com, which compiles information on pickleball courts across the country, contains tips and articles for improving your game, reviews pickleball paddles and accessories, and allows users to connect with other pickleball players and schedule games.

Porch & Deck

If You Go suter falls

Savage gulf South Trailhead at South Cumberland State Park 2689 55th Ave., gruetli-Laager, Tennessee

Suter Falls

SavagE gulF STaTE NaTural arEa (itself only a portion of the collection of different natural areas falling under the South Cumberland Tennessee State Park umbrella) takes up a massive chunk of land in the southeastern portion of Middle Tennessee. Savage Gulf sprawls across 15,000 acres of river gulf and plateaus.

It contains a wide variety of attractions, terrain and trails—such as Great Stone Door and Greeter Falls—and, across the holler, a stunning waterfall called Suter Falls. The area around Suter Falls is a neat little corner of the world.

It’s somewhat challenging to get down there, no easy stroll in the park, but not outrageously difficult for the prepared. Find a parking area for the Savage Gulf

South Trailhead near the town of GruetliLaager, Tennessee, at one time two separate towns, Gruetli and Laager, founded by Swiss immigrants in the mid-1800s. (GruetliLaager still displays the Swiss flag on its welcome signage.)

Suter Falls sits less than a mile from this trailhead, but be ready. After the initial flat and easy journey of the trail, the descent begins. This involves walking in the midst of what is almost a creek, the day after a rainfall, downhill, from rock to rock.

Hikers had to duck under a miniature waterfall of runnoff rainwater at one point in the trail entering the final descent to the falls area.

But the spectacle of Suter Falls is absolutely worth the brief journey. The area is hard to fully describe and do any sort of justice.

This is not the typical trickle of a little Tennessee creek on a visit following a day of spring rainfall. A clear day just after a rainy period makes the best time for waterfall visiting. The cascades move powerfully down a rocky gorge, rushing violently in an elbow shape around a bend.

The trail follows the outer rim of this bend, alongside a rocky cliff face. This portion is a little treacherous at points. Mind the slippery surface, some loose rocks, narrow parts of the trail with a steep dropoff to the water and jagged rocks below to one side, the cliff and some low-hanging rocks to the other side, some deep, downward steps necessary at certain points, and the loudness of the crashing water making this area even more disorienting.

But this is a special Tennessee place. An enormous rock cave ceiling hangs overhead for a good section of the bend. Just before the trail reaches Suter Falls it crosses over the river, via a cable bridge, somewhat bouncy and shaky with a slick metal surface to walk on.

From here, energetic visitors can continue another two miles to Horsepound Falls. But judging by the level of difficulty of reaching the initial waterfall target, allow a good chunk of a day for that 5-mile round trip.

As much of a trek as that would be, the trail leading to Horsepound is only a por-

tion of the full 10-mile Collins Gulf Trail “designed to accommodate extended trips” within the Collins River Gorge, according to information from Tennessee State Parks. And that beast of a trail makes up only a fraction of the total trail length within the Savage Gulf area as a whole. This is a place where experienced backpackers and campers could spend a few days in a very secluded and inaccessible Tennessee river basin.

But just the simple trip to Suter and back displays some fine examples of the natural wonder of the area.

In between the Savage Gulf South Trailhead (sometimes referred to as Collins West) and Suter Falls a trail veers off to an overlook.

Take this, whether on the way to the falls or on the way back. Not far off of the main Suter Falls trail, passing by a few of the available rustic campsites, this trail leads to a fantastic overlook of the gulf—an overwhelmingly stunning view of non-urbanized Tennessee.

At the sprawling Savage Gulf Natural Area and elsewhere, South Cumberland State Park has so many features and trails. Pay it a visit. Outdoorsfolk can make their trip a very difficult and exhausting five days of survival in nature, or a quick walk to a stunning overlook taking a moment in time to gaze upon the thick Tennessee forest and hills.

story By Bracken Mayo photos By sarah Mayo

Water rushes powerfully at s outh c umberland waterfall, stunning gulf overlook nearby

ashleigh newnes

Overwintering Insects Emerging on Warmer Days

spring is finally here!

With these warmer temperatures we’re having here in Middle Tennessee, we are starting to see a flush of insects emerging after overwintering. Although we are all excited about clearing up after winter and getting ready for spring, it is important not to get carried away. Many of our overwintering insects are doing so in our winter debris and aren’t ready to leave their homes just yet.

Overwintering looks different for all types of insects, which use all types of locations to shelter in. Some insects such as fireflies and spiders use leaf litter; beetles and ants hang out under logs and tree holes, while caterpillars and butterflies create cocoons and chrysalises. Be mindful of these vital habitats when doing your winter cleanup.

 This photo was taken at May Prairie Natural Area in Manchester, Tennessee. it was one of many extremely easy-to-spot hatching mantis egg sacks we found on our walk that day. it’s amazing what wonders you will see when you know for what and where to look!

On the warm spring days of late March there have been many sightings of hatching egg sacks. Praying mantis egg sacks can be found on tall grasses and stems of woody plants. Approximately 150–180 young

WE CAN TAKE YOU shopping at places like The Avenue and Stones River Mall, or to medical facilities along the Gateway. We serve many other areas of Murfreesboro as well.

mantises can emerge from each egg case, but you can expect only about five to survive even in the best of conditions. With the fluctuating temperatures, excessive mowing of grass and disruption of important natural seasonal stages, the amount of casualties is much higher. That is true for most insects, not just the mantis.

During the winter, some insects don’t bother sticking around for the cold. Monarch butterflies, for example, head south during the colder months and will return as the weather gets warmer. Making a huge trip across the Americas to survive, they are the only butterfly known to make a two-way migration as birds do. Other insects such as the woolly bear caterpillar can be spotted out and active during the winter season. This time of year is such an exciting time in nature. It’s the perfect time for nature walks and blowing out the cobwebs. Keep your eyes peeled for emerging insects and hatching egg sacks on grasses and woody stems.

Want NEW NAME SAME GREAT SERVICE LET US DO THE DRIVING FOR YOU

take

Rover Transit buses can Avenue and Stones River SportsCom, grocery stores, along the 7 ROUTES that adults and kids under 6 are

The House ThatLove Built

By laura lindsay

The Tennessee organization Isaiah 117 House has purchased and furnished a home in Rutherford County, where children will be able to go until they are placed with foster families. This means children who get removed from their homes won’t have to sit in the DCS office waiting on their foster families anymore.

The Isaiah 117 House will hold its ribboncutting on April 23, said allee dauenhauer, program coordinator of Isaiah 117 House Rutherford County.

Individuals, churches and businesses— mostly in Rutherford County—paid for the home and furnished it in its entirety through donations. Now, up to seven children can stay in the home at one time as they await more permanent living situations.

Isaiah 117 House has a mission to provide temporary housing that is a comfortable place for children. It started with a single home in East Tennessee, and now operates other homes in Tennessee and Indiana with groups raising awareness and collecting funds to construct many more in Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Ohio and Texas.

“When children are here, staff from DCS is here, along with our Isaiah 117 House

volunteers,” Dauenhauer said.

The Isaiah House is decorated in bright colors with a backyard, a deck, snacks, comfy blankets and a bathtub with bath toys.

“Our living room area is really cozy with a lot of toys and things like that,” she said. “This is changing what it looks like when a child enters foster care.

“At the DCS office, when foster children are waiting for a family, there is no bed, there is no way for them to take a bath—it is just office space,” Dauenhauer continued. “That’s why we build these homes, so the children don’t have to wait in office spaces. So they can wait here instead and feel comforted.”

The new home also has a visitation space, so instead of meeting at a public place like a restaurant or park, children will now be able to meet with their biological families at the home, which Dauenhauer said puts more dignity into the process.

Each room in the house was sponsored by a community member or organization.

“We also have a kitchen where we can cook meals, do projects and have a lot of fun,” Dauenhauer said. “We have a laundry area so we can actually wash the things they come in with. And we even have a little book

nook where they can kind of get cozy and read a book if they want to have a safe space to calm down.

The home has a screened-in porch and a backyard where the kids can play.

“And upstairs, we have the giving room. This room has all the stuff that we give to the foster kids. The community has donated all of this,” the program coordinator said. “Sam’s Club has given us diapers and wipes. So when a child gets here they have everything they will need for the first several days. Everything they need as far as clothing, toiletries and school supplies goes.”

Now, it is a better situation for the children, Dauenhauer said.

“When children are removed from their home, they are removed from their family, pets and everything,” she told the Murfreesboro Pulse during an earlier interview in 2019, when the organization was just beginning its process of acquiring a Rutherford County home. “It could be a few hours or overnight while children wait for a foster family. That’s really hard for the kids, and it has also been hard for DCS case workers because they have a lot of paperwork to do,

while also caring for a kid who is under a really hard time. The DCS worker has to feed them, and they might have to go purchase lunches or diapers for a baby.”

Isaiah 117 House opened its first house in Elizabethton, Tennessee, in 2018 and now this new facility is ready to serve children in the Middle Tennessee area.

“The community has done a great job helping,” Dauenhauer said. “It has been such a blessing.”

Isaiah 117 House is currently in need of donations of new baby and toddler pajamas, baby and toddler clothing, and socks. They also need new adult size underwear and sports bras.

Thursday, April 20, isaiah 117 House will have a fundraising luncheon at Lane Agri Park. it is free to attend and guests will learn about isaiah House and help raise funds. The annual golf tournament to benefit the ministry will be held in September 2023. For more information on isaiah 117 House, visit isaiah117house.com or contact AlLee dauenhauer at allee@ isaiah117house.com.

living t eresa r inger

her story of abuse, homelessness and survival

By kalen Johnson

early childhood. I met with Teresa at Oflow (Overflow Brews and Bakes) to get to know her and hear her story. She brightened the room with her smile and positive energy, and I was struck when she immediately dove into stories of what she’s overcome.

Teresa claims to be one of the original women living in the woods of Murfreesboro. Having lived here for around 26 years, she feels she has watched the homeless community transform. She spoke very fondly of the early days in the area, with her friends Ponytail and Margarita, when there was some peace to sleeping outside.

As more and more homeless people moved into the area, however, Teresa found herself surrounded by strangers out in the woods and felt less and less safe.

at large for years, leading to a feature about these events on an Unsolved Mysteries episode. Shortly after it was aired, however, several people called to turn in her estranged husband, who had been living under an alias. He did not escape prison a second time.

Around the time of these events, Teresa began to use drugs to deal with all the trauma she endured. Though she is clean now, drugs maintained a grip over her life for years, leading her to sell the royalty rights to the movie based on her story.

The senseless death of one of her daughters during a carjacking led her to decide to get clean.

if you’ve ever wished your life was more like a movie, you were probably thinking of an action-adventure flick, or maybe a romantic comedy. Most probably wouldn’t want to have an Unsolved Mystery episode or crime drama about abuse, abduction and attempted

murder made about their life, but for Teresa, a long-time resident of Rutherford County, that’s exactly what happened.

A paragon of resilience and survival, Teresa Ringer (formerly Teresa Stamper) has had to overcome the unthinkable since

She had to set boobytraps, often involving barbed-wire, to keep the men away from her tent at night. When potential attackers approached in the night, they would stumble over the booby traps, making sound, and alerting Teresa to be on her guard.

“Everybody knew not to be messing around Mama T’s campsite,” she said.

Teresa comes from a financially comfortable background, but there was nothing comfortable about the way she was raised. From the age of 2, Teresa was sexually abused by an uncle, and later abused by her grandmother. Her father physically abused her and her siblings.

After a whirlwind romance in her 20s, she married Paul Stamper, and again, life was not the fairy tale she hoped for. Paul began to abuse her soon after they married, but Teresa, then pregnant, found herself unable to divorce him, as Oklahoma law prevented expectant couples from divorcing.

When her daughter was less than a year old, Paul’s violence towards them finally drove Teresa to escape, moving back in with her parents, and that’s when the nightmare featured in the Lifetime movie Crimes of Passion: Escape from Terror—The Teresa Stamper Story began.

After Teresa left Paul, she got a restraining order against him, but that did not stop him. He kidnapped her, shot her boyfriend, hired someone to kill her, and was eventually apprehended and sentenced to jail time.

Not long after, he escaped and remained

“I got really sad, and decided I was gonna get clean, for her. It don’t matter who you do it for, as long as you do it, and stick to it,” she said. Her son, living in New York, helped Teresa get into a treatment center. She also received mental health counseling and was able to connect to and process her upbringing. With gratitude, she talked about being able to heal from some of the trauma she’s experienced and credited a lot of her survival to her Christian faith.

“If I didn’t have Jesus I wouldn’t have made it in them woods,” Teresa said.

Douglass Berg, the owner of Oflow, has a heart for the homeless in the area, and has built that into how he conducts business with the Pay It Forward campaign. The campaign allows customers to purchase cinnamon rolls that directly go to local people struggling with homelessness. Its location on the Murfreesboro Public Square makes Oflow accessible for many of those struggling to come in and grab a muffin or a cup of coffee. Berg also supports the The Journey Home, a local nonprofit committed to caring for those without homes and helping them get back on their feet.

The Journey Home has worked with Teresa for years, and this year they were able to place her in an apartment. For the first time in a long time, she can sleep without setting booby traps, and she can bathe without fear of strangers watching. She has hope that she will continue to heal and grow.

Despite all she has endured and overcome, Teresa says she is confident that her next years will be good.

“I want people to know I’m a survivor!”

“I want people to know I’m a survivor!”

The by Bill wilson

relics, relationships & real Estate

A Look Back in Time at Area Historical Properties

I HavE a SlOgaN: “Relics, Relationships and Real Estate.” My passion for history (relics) goes back to my Hernando De Soto days of Mrs. Moser’s fifth-grade class at Campus School. I have a passion for people (relationships), which was instilled in me from a young age through my grandfather on the Wilson side and my dad, because of their service to the public as elected officials here in Rutherford County. From a young age, I was taught to serve others. The good Lord instills that in all of us. It’s up to us to find our niche. The third part of my slogan—real estate—comes from my love for the land. Growing up on a farm at a young age taught me the value of property. Land was a commodity that not everybody was privileged to own. Back in the day, land put folks through college. The term “let’s sell off the back 40” meant you sold off 40 acres of the farm to put a child through college or achieve another financial goal. I’ve always been intrigued about what land and real estate could do to help build wealth that allows others to be able to do things such as the aforementioned.

Over the coming issues I’m going to share with you several examples of properties I’ve had the opportunity to sell in my 23year career as a realtor in Middle Tennessee. This area has a rich history of historical properties and unique stories of the folks who have lived here over the years.

One historical property, currently for sale in the Bradyville area between Murfreesboro and Woodbury, has a beautiful log home that dates back to 1835. You know, Cannon County didn’t even become a county until 1836. I wonder if Native Americans would have been seen here around the land long ago, or maybe our seventh president, Andrew Jackson, who was president from 1829 to 1837. Is it possible he knocked on the door of this beautiful log home and asked someone for their vote? Who knows? He was known to travel this area of Tennessee. This beautiful log home has been completely remodeled with an updated kitchen, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. It has two-tiered, covered wraparound porches, vaulted

ceilings, new windows, new plumbing, electrical wiring, and a tin roof that will most definitely help you to doze off when it’s raining. The property has a stock pond for fishing, a barn, a chicken coop and a fenced-off area for a garden. This beautiful three-bedroom one-bath home sits on 65 acres that remind me of Gatlinburg, but it is only 15 minutes to Murfreesboro. You could also cut timber for a profit off of the property. It could make a perfect home, a getaway, an Airbnb or a hunting venue— there have been massive deer harvested from this property. The opportunities are endless. I hope you have enjoyed this step back in time. Until next time, go out and do something nice for somebody. God bless!

Look for more on local historical properties in the next edition of the Murfreesboro Pulse. Tune into wgNS at 100.5 FM or 1450 AM on Sundays at 9 p.m. for The Mr. Murfreesboro Show. Call Mr. Murfreesboro, a.k.a. Bill wilson, for all of your local real estate needs at 615-406-5872.

Food

Lobster Tails & Oyster Shells

Mexican restaurants sit all over Murfreesboro, and now the area has a few seafood establishments, but for a seafood spot with a Mexican twist, the town now has Mariscos Sayulita Nayarit.

The eatery has found a home on Rutherford Boulevard in the large restaurant space that formerly housed Mellow Mushroom—a space that has since exchanged its groovy tie-dye theme and hippified school bus for colorful sea art.

A sprawling octopus, painted on a sea blue wall, greets visitors in the small lobby area as they arrive inside Mariscos. Immediately after a party sits down at a table, a server brings not only the customary chips and salsa (like customers expect at any reputable Tennessee Tex-Mex place), but also a couple of tostadas topped with Mariscos Sayulita Nayarit’s marlin ceviche, setting it apart from the abundant, standard, area Mexican restaurants right away. This particular ceviche has a spread-like consistency—the marlin is very finely chopped— and a delicious, mild taste, not overwhelmingly fishy.

And, unlike the ceviche found at some establishments, the tostada Sayulita is not overly heavy in raw onion.

If you like ceviche, then this is the place.

“Everything is super fresh and homemade,” T.J. Henderson reported. “They have some awesome soups,” he added, noting that the bill can get quite expensive, though the quantity and quality was “top shelf.”

If all of the ceviche sounds a little . . . raw . . . allow the aromas of bacon and cheese to bring you back to land.

Go to Mariscos Sayulita Nayarit and tell them “camarones rellenos.” Trust me. Those little things are incredible. These items contain shrimp and queso wrapped in bacon, taking the concept of bacon-wrapped shrimp (a glorious thing in itself) to a whole new level.

The Dish restaurant

Mariscos Sayulita Nayarit location

2955 S. rutherford Blvd. phone 615-617-3451

hours

Mon.–Thurs.: 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Fri.–Sat.: 11 a.m.–12 a.m. Sun.: 11 a.m.–10:30 p.m.

prices

This place is a house of ceviche (a seafood salad typically made with raw fish cured in a citrus juice marinade and various vegetables and seasonings, for the unceviched), and dedicates an entire menu page and a half to its various ceviches and the towers and tostadas created from them.

Tacos de pescado (fish tacos): $11.99; Tostada Sayulita, Nayarit, aguachiles or octopus: $6.99; Caldo de camaron (shrimp soup): $16.99; Langosta rellena en crema de hongos (stuffed lobster tail with cream and mushrooms): $45.99; Shrimp cocktail: $15.99; Shrimp alfredo: $16.99; House margarita: $5.99; Filete a la diabla (fish filet in spicy sauce): $14.99

Further exploring the large, large menu, Mariscos fries whole fish; the bones can be a little hard to navigate around while eating a whole fish, but if you need a entire snapper on your plate to get the full experience of the ocean, Mariscos serves them.

There’s scallop ceviche, octopus ceviche and a cold seafood molcajete. Get your ceviche served in a pineapple or a coconut. There’s oyster ceviche, aguachile (a freshly tossed shrimp, pepper and lime dish, similar to ceviche), octopus ceviche in a creamy sauce or fish in a mango sauce.

The ceviche Sayulita makes a lovely looking tostada, with much larger chunks of meat than the complimentary marlin tostadas. It does contain that marlin, as well as whole shrimp and chunks of crab and octopus.

For $6.99 it is a rather generous serving of seafood.

Joel Kinstle appreciates the range of dishes at the place, from the smaller tostadas and appetizers for those just wanting to dip their toes in the water and sample something new, all the way up to extravagant family-style platters for diners wanting a impressive presentation and full seafood feast for a group (some of these platters loaded with all manner of seafood and topping $150).

“Pineapple cream sauce on salmon? Never would’ve thought of it, but I think of it often now!” Kinstle posted in a comment.

Another recent diner gave the octopus ceviche and fried snapper high praise.

In addition to all of the seafood, Mariscos Sayulita Nayarit does indeed offer some of the standard Tex Mex selections more familiar to the people of Middle Tennessee—quesadillas, taco salads, fajitas and such.

But it projects an obvious seafood theme. Regarding the name, “mariscos” translates

story By Bracken Mayo photos By sarah Mayo

tacos de pescado

take a seafood-filled journey to the Mexican p acific at Mariscos s ayulita n ayarit

to “seafood”; Sayulita, Nayarit is a city and state on the Pacific coast of Mexico. The restaurant leads a culinary adventure to a beachside Mexican town.

Along with the marlin tostada and chips and salsa served to everyone, do not overlook the small cup of a light orange/ peach-colored sauce.

Careful! This is habanero sauce, and is quite tasty if you want a dab, or a lot, of heat.

“The restaurant itself is beautiful. The color and decor make you feel like you’re near the ocean. The brightness opens up the space,” another local diner, Mandy Johnson, reported after a visit. “The salsa was a roasted, deeper red than any other salsa we’ve had at a restaurant, but it also managed to be bright and refreshing. It and the chips—thinner than normal but not as thin as Chuy’s—were top notch. Our margaritas were also delicious.”

She tried the Antojitos Sayulita, an appetizer with fried pieces of fish and calamari, and said she found the fish in the dish very good—“they had an excellent crunch and flavor”—but did not care for the calamari.

“Chewy, strange coating, and all small rings.”

She went on to say that her dining partner’s main dish selection, “some type of fish diablo,” was great, the fish, the sauce, the rice and all, and that “the plate was beautiful.”

Most platters at the restaurant come with rice, bread and French fries, and a small salad garnish with a bit of lettuce, tomato, cucumber and orange slices. And don’t forget about the chips, salsa and marlin tostada; the point is, even with a single platter, you get a lot of food.

Mariscos Sayulita Nayarit also hosts live entertainment—a mariachi band on Fridays, karaoke on Saturdays, and more music on Sundays—and on some weekends, patrons can pack the place for the shows.

If seafood, mariachi and drinks sound like a good time, then this colorful, fun spot is your place. If you are grossed out by seafood . . . just go somewhere else. There may be crab claws, fish eyes, octopus tentacles, lobster tails and oyster shells at every turn. But for the more adventurous eaters, at least as it relates to Mexican seafood, dig in and taste the ocean!

c eviche s ayulita

c amarones rellenos

reeves-Sain Pharmacy and Soda

Shoppe, Fire korean BBQ, Jamaican Me Hungry, we Love Empanadas, Boro Bourbon & Brews, Humble Baron

By delores elliott

ACAPuLCO xPrESS has opened at 3364 Memorial Blvd., in the former Rick’s BBQ location. The new Mexican restaurant is a drive-thru location, and while it is just down the street from Taco Bell and Camino Real, it positions itself as a more authentic Mexican restaurant. Some locals who have tried the food have commented that the tacos are comparable to Texas street tacos. Other menu items include vegetable and steak nachos, quesadillas, burritos, salad bowls, sandwiches and more.

rEEvES-SAiN PHArMACy recently celebrated its grand reopening at 1801 Memorial Blvd. The pharmacy is located in its original building, bringing back the same nostalgic feel as before its closure several years ago, and will eventually again offer USPS services.

Prior to its closing, Reeves-Sain had served the area for more than 35 years. Many have expressed pleasure that the pharmacy’s excellent customer service and delicious shakes have returned. For some, Reeves-Sain’s shakes were once a shared family treat after a celebration or event. During its grand opening, the pharmacy sold almost 400 shakes, and well over 1,000 during its first week back.

Since the soda shoppe has paired with TASTy TABLE, some of the added menu options include pastries, sandwiches, salads, wraps, ice cream, malts, floats and glutenfree options. The gift shop, THE wriTE iMPrESSiON giFT (TWIG), offers a wide variety of paper goods including announcement cards, stationery, wedding invitations, jewelry and more. For more information, visit papersandgifts.com Reeves-Sain is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, call 615-896-5731 or visit reeves-sain.com.

According to an awning at 109 N. Maple St.,

PrOHiBiTiON HOME BrEwiNg owner and operator Jim Africano recently announced that a few local boutiques and businesses now stock Cola’s Insane 10 out of 10 Lemonade, created by his 7-year-old son, Cola Africano. The delicious new lemonade can be found at Prohibition, located at 906 Ridgely Rd. Africano is working to team up with other local businesses to sell the lemonade and will post updates on his social media as the product’s locations expand. The lemonade officially launched in the beginning of March at the Avian Glen Winery and sold out that same day. A portion of the proceeds earned from sales are donated to animal shelters in the area. For more information, call 615-455-9796 or visit facebook.com/prohibitionmurfreesboro.

a new Korean restaurant called FirE kOrEAN BBQ is expected to open sometime later this year. Korean barbecue is a popular method in Korean cuisine of grilling meat including beef, pork and chicken, often prepared on gas or charcoal grills.

The SMOOTHiE kiNg brand recently opened a fourth Murfreesboro location just off I-24 at 1636 New Salem Hwy., which makes this location one of 48 locations across the state of Tennessee alone. The franchise has over 1,000 locations throughout the United States and was ranked the number-one Juice Bar Franchise on Entrepreneur Magazine’s Annual Franchise 500 list for 28 years.

“Our smoothie franchise creates specialized smoothies that are expertly blended for specific needs, goals and ambitions,” according to a statement from Smoothie King.

Hours for the new location are 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. For more information, visit smoothieking.com.

HACiENdA LOS MirANdA will open a Murfreesboro location at 2333 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., in the building that most recently housed Southern Cravings. Hacienda Los Miranda has an existing location in Goodlettsville that offers a variety of Mexican cuisine and Tex-Mex food options. Some of these options include scrambled egg meals for breakfast, tacos, pupusas, empanadas, fried yucca, fajitas and quesadillas. The restaurant will offer dine-in and takeout options.

wHATABurgEr has opened its eighth Tennessee location at 360 W. Sam Ridley Pkwy. in Smyrna. According to the restau-

rant’s website, the location is open 24 hours for drive-thru, but does not currently offer dine-in, curbside or delivery.

“We are grateful for the community’s warm welcome and encourage locals to visit their new hometown restaurant as we continue to expand and serve this thriving area,” said Operating Partner Christy Sparrow. For more information, call 615-7518419 or visit whataburger.com

Nw BrOAd SPiriTS ANd wiNE will open at 1160 NW Broad St., the former site of Ascent Dental.

The City of Murfreesboro has granted building permits for two suites at 500 N. Thompson Ln., just around the corner from The Painted Tree. TAZiki’S MEdiTErrANEAN CAFE plans to open in Suite H and TrOPiCAL SMOOTHiE CAFE will open in Suite E of the same building.

Taziki’s has also announced plans to open another location in Franklin on Village Plains Boulevard later this summer. For more information, visit tazikis.com

This will make the sixth Tennessee location for Tropical Smoothie Cafe, which also serves flatbreads, wraps, quesadillas, sandwiches, salads, breakfast wraps and flatbreads, jalapeño corn and sweet potato sides and a variety of smoothie and supplement options. For more information, visit tropicalsmoothiecafe.com.

A new FirEBirdS location will open at 2532 Medical Center Pkwy. in addition to the restaurant’s locations in Brentwood, Chattanooga, Collierville, Knoxville and Memphis. An opening date has not yet been announced.

kOJi ExPrESS recently announced that it will open a fourth location in Murfreesboro. The new restaurant will be located at 3230 Memorial Blvd., joining an additional existing location of the local quick hibachi eatery on Memorial Boulevard, as well as on Old Fort Parkway and South Church Street.

duTCH BrOS COFFEE has announced that it will open a new location at 3255 Memorial Blvd. The new location will be one of the 150 new locations expected to open this year, according to recent news from the company.

“In 2022, we delivered another strong year of growth with 133 new shop openings systemwide. For a third year in a row, we’ve

exceeded our new shop development targets, doubling our shop count since March 2019, despite unprecedented disruption to communities and the economy,” said CEO and President of Dutch Bros Inc. Joth Ricci. “We’re entering 2023 from a position of strength.”

Ricci added that Dutch Bros is “within striking distance of $1 billion in revenue in 2023 and 1,000 systemwide shops by the first half of 2025.” For more information, visit dutchbros.com.

SiNgLE TrEE BBQ founder and operator Charlie Eblen has recently taken over operations at 2805 Old Fort Pkwy., most recently the home of HErOES dEN. This will be the first brick-and-mortar home of Single Tree, where Eblen can provide his well-loved barbecue at the restaurant space and music venue.

Menu options include wings, deep fried potato salad, fried pickles, loaded pork fries, smoked bologna, pulled pork and smoked sausage plates, ribs, brisket, Oreo pudding, kids’ meals and bulk options.

Single Tree will continue operating its food truck, most often found at Cedar Glade Brews. And it will also provide barbecue and smoked hot dogs at MTSU football and basketball games, Eblen said. Single Tree also offers catering and merchandise for

The Uncle Nearest Green Distillery has opened its HuMBLE BArON venue, containing the longest bar in the world, just off of Highway 231, between Murfreesboro and Shelbyville. The Distillery, located on 323 acres of property, has a massive space for outdoor concerts and events. Indoors, Humble Baron features a showpiece bar that measures 518 feet, wrapping around the venue’s indoor stage. For more information, visit unclenearest.com.

purchase. For hours and more information, visit streetfoodfinder.com/singletreebbq or singletreebbq.com.

rAiSiNg CANE’S has opened its third Tennessee location at 380 Sam Ridley Pkwy. W. in Smyrna, with its other two locations

in Cookeville and Knoxville. Cane’s celebrated its grand opening with over 100 locals. Cane’s opened its first chicken-fingers restaurant in August of 1996 and considers reaching the threshold of 700 restaurants to be a great accomplishment. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 12 a.m. Sunday through Thursday

and 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. For more information, visit raisingcanes.com.

JAMAiCAN ME HuNgry TAkE OuT recently celebrated its grand opening at 2705 Old Fort Pkwy. inside the Global Star Market. The restaurant offers authentic Jamaican meals including oxtails, jerk chicken, home-style fried chicken gizzards, stewed beef, curry goat, Jollof rice, fried plantains and more. Hours are from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed on Saturday and Sunday. For more information, call 904792-7488 or visit facebook.com/jamaican. me.hungry.takeout

Those moving into the restaurant space beside Marble Slab on North Thompson Lane have put up a sign for a new restaurant called wE LOvE EMPANAdAS

FArMHOuSE Luxury APArTMENTS will hold its grand opening and ribbon-cutting celebration on April 20 and will provide free lunch and refreshments to those who attend between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. The new apartment buildings are located at 635 Lyons Farm Pkwy., just off John Bragg Highway near the Walmart and Rutherford CONTiNuEd ON PAgE 30

Boulevard. Farmhouse Apartments will provide a pet-friendly environment with amenities including a resident clubhouse and lounge, a fitness center with a workout room and yoga space, resort-style pool area with a sundeck, a pickleball court, dog park, resident storage rooms, bocce ball and corn hole, on-site maintenance, parking garages, various walking trails and more. Apartment sizes will range from one to three bedrooms, and living spaces will range from 715 to 1,265 square feet. Prices range from $1,405 to $2,025 depending on the floor plan. The website notes that every apartment will also include a balcony, as well as large closets and bathrooms, kitchens with islands and more. For more information, call 615-7619513, email rebecca@urscapitalpartners.com or visit farmhouseapts.com.

BOrO BOurBON & BrEwS has announced that it will take over the space adjacent to Whiskey Dix, on the Murfreesboro Public Square, just across Maple Street from the entrance to Marina’s Italian Restaurant. Find Boro Bourbon & Brews on Facebook to keep up with progress or call or text 615692-2232 for job opportunities.

TANgEr OuTLETS is expanding to Middle Tennessee with a new location opening this fall just off I-24. The new outlet mall will occupy 32 acres of land in the Century Farms development in Antioch not far from the Rutherford-Davidson County line. The outlet mall will provide 290,000 square feet of space and will house at least 70 stores, four restaurants and an outdoor entertainment space. Some brands expected to open at the mall include Aerie, Nike, Puma, Ralph Lauren, Vera Bradley, Michael Kors and more. The outlet mall will provide at least 1,100 new jobs. This will be the company’s second location in Tennessee.

The 300-acre Century Farms campus also hosts the new Nashville SC training center, a free-standing emergency room, office spaces, retail buildings, restaurants and more.

Metro Councilmember Joy Styles expects the new outlet mall to bring more people to the area the same way the former Hickory Hollow Mall did. For more information, visit tangeroutlet.com.

LivAwAy SuiTES, an extended-stay brand created and designed “for developers, by developers,” has broken ground on its Smyrna location. LivAway Suites expects to attract extended-stay guests who provide services in Rutherford County and surrounding areas.

Based in Salt Lake City, LivAway Suites

honor bestowed by the academy. Dr. Chitwood is the first and only dentist in the state of Tennessee to receive this title.

Dr. Chitwood has been closely involved with the Middle Tennessee State University Athletic Department since 1985, providing dental services to student athletes in all sports. For more information, visit academyforsportsdentistry.org.

closings

The

facility recently celebrated its

cutting at 515 Cherry Ln. The 137 acre, 21-field riCHArd SiEgEL SOCCEr COMPLEx is one of the premier soccer facilities in the area and has hosted a variety of local, state and national soccer events. The field was originally built in 2005 and recently underwent a $13.5 million renovation to provide the new 110,000-square-foot indoor facility, as well as converted eight of its fields to artificial turf, and provided lighting for six fields and a restroom pavilion. The City of Murfreesboro entered an agreement with the Tennessee State Soccer Association in 2019 to relocate its headquarters to Murfreesboro.

“The expertise of the TSSA, in partnership with the Parks and Recreation Department, has made Murfreesboro a destination for soccer development, resulting in significant economic impact for Murfreesboro,” said Mayor Shane McFarland. For more information, visit murfreesboroparks.com or call 615-907-2251.

offers self-serve check-in kiosks, smart laundry facilities, innovative parcel-locker systems and other advancements to guests at its economy extended-stay hotels. For more information, visit livawaysuites.com

A new retail space has opened in the Smyrna Depot District called TrELLiS & viNE ArT STudiOS, which works to provide a collaborative creative space and resources for local artists. Ben and Theresa Alley own and operate Trellis & Vine, located at 27 S. Lowry St. Along with providing workspace, the building will also hold monthly events for those interested in crafts or meeting artists, including upcoming events such as clay art, DIY beauty and wellness and open studio “open house” events.

The goal of this space is to assist local artists in connecting with the community and providing resources for them to grow within their craft. The business offers shipping for those interested in purchasing products, as well as in-store pickup. For more information, visit trellisandvine.art

discount prices as much as 80% less than most retailers.

“BoxDrop owners serve their mattress and furniture markets with exclusive products and proprietary programs. Our studies show that one out of every 10 consumers are in the market to buy a mattress or furniture. They want quality products at low prices,” according to information from BoxDrop.

Most products sold at the location are limited in quantity due to the nature of the store. Hours are 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and closed on Sunday. For information on product availability and prices, call 615-803-4490 or visit facebook.com/boxdropmurfreesborotn.

A new urgent care facility, CHECkPOiNT urgENT CArE, is coming to Martin Luther King Boulevard near the Waffle House at the corner of Rutherford Boulevard.

CENTErwELL, a primary care center focused on senior health, will soon open in the Publix shopping center on Rutherford Boulevard.

After 11 years in business, CArPE CAFE has closed its Smyrna restaurant location. The business announced that the closure came as a result of recent economic conditions. However, Carpe Artista, which ran the shop and also leads a variety of music, art and event initiatives, will continue occupying the downtown Smyrna building in preparation for a new chapter there.

“Over the next weeks and months, Carpe Artista will be re-envisioning operations at 115 Front St. Our goal is to better align the cafe space to our original mission of economic development in the Historic Depot District by bringing music, art, entertainment and culture. Honestly, we don’t know exactly what it’s going to look like, but our creative team is already excited about storyboarding a new script!” according to information Carpe Artista posted on its website.

Preparation for the next chapter is expected to take a few months, but the building will still be available to rent out for business meetings, conferences and events.

“Stay tuned for act two!” For more information, visit carpe-cafe.com.

THE BLuE POrCH owner Cynthia Richie recently closed her Lytle Street cafe to the public to focus on producing more goods for retail stores and local businesses. She will continue to offer online ordering and products at the Murfreesboro Saturday Market on the Public Square this summer. Visit facebook. com/theblueporch for more information.

After finishing renovations only a few months ago, COOPEr’S AT THE MiLL has closed and does not currently have plans to reopen. The restaurant did not announce the reason for its recent closure, but comments online suggest that the location might have been inconvenient for those who do not live near the area.

BOxdrOP

MATTrESS

ANd FurNiTurE CLEArANCE CENTEr has opened a Murfreesboro location at 111 E. Lytle St., and is dedicated to providing quality mattress and furniture products at

The Academy for Sports Dentistry recently announced that dr. wALTEr CHiTwOOd, ddS of Murfreesboro had been awarded the title of Fellow, the highest

After restaurant owner Cooper Brunk made this announcement to close the restaurant, the historic Readyville Mill was destroyed during the high winds of April 1.

The PAPA MurPHy’S beside Gyro Tabouli on Old Fort Parkway is currently closed. •

Siegel Soccer indoor training

ribbon

Constitution Study

By Bracken Mayo

MOST wHO LivE in the United States probably know that the Constitution created the basis of the country’s government, and many can perhaps quote a passage from the Bill of Rights or vaguely discuss the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government and their roles. But really, how familiar are most of us with the Constitution, the first written document to establish a nation’s government?

Middle Tennessee resident Paul Engel operates constitutionstudy.com in an effort to encourage Constitutional discourse and promote the ideas of living in freedom and preserving the Constitutional republic for the next generation.

“You may learn more about the principals found within the Constitution from Schoolhouse Rock than from 12 years of governmentrun schooling,” points out Engel, who considers himself “another patriot fighting to restore our nation to its proper order,” as are all who stand for the preservation of the Constitution.

“Could part of the problem with a lack of understanding of our Constitution have to do

with how teaching it was approached? Could it be that a focus on names and dates was less effective than the stories and reasons behind the document? Could a practical application of Constitutional ideas engage people better than a ‘history lesson’?” Engel asks on his website.

He says he wants all Americans to become more familiar with the document and to take on an active role in protecting its principals today.

“The U.S. Constitution is only approximately 8,000 words long and the Declaration of Independence only adds about 1,500 more. The average reader should be able to get through the Constitution in about 20 minutes and the Declaration in about another five,” Engel says.

He passes on words from John Jay, a Founding Father and the first Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, that every American “ought diligently to read and to study the constitution of his country;” Engel jokingly points out that Jay did not say that only “every lawyer and politician should read it (though I wish they would, too).”

Since 2017 Engel has written a wealth of

articles for constitutionstudy.com, tackling a wide range of topics varying from the Electoral College, the IRS, digital currencies, the government’s role in policy regarding sexual orientation, rental inspection programs, education, vaccine mandates and immigration, applying the words found in the Constitution to the controversial and important matters of the day.

It is up to all Americans to hold all three (non-equal) branches of government accountable, stated Engel in a column pointing out that, according to the Constitution, “The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour.”

Engel opines that Congress has a responsibility to remove members of the judiciary from their position if they do not exhibit “good behaviour,” particularly in instances of a judge issuing a ruling contrary to the Constitution.

“Judges and the courts routinely overstep their bounds today,” Engel writes. “The court’s opinions have to stand up to the plain reading of the Constitution.”

In discussing the ongoing legal “Grudge Match Between Sexual Orientation and Religious Freedom” Engel writes that the government can not, constitutionally, compel Americans to act contrary to their religious beliefs.

In a 2023 column, Engel points out that the executive branch currently has 15 different cabinet-level departments. He said he views five of these departments— the Department of State, Department of Treasury, Department of Defense, Department of Justice and Department of Commerce—as clearly exercising powers that the Constitution delegates to the United States government.

“That’s not to say all these departments do is Constitutional, but their core purposes are Constitutional,” Engel writes.

However, the Constitutional scholar finds that the Department of Agriculture, Department of Labor, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Transportation, Department of Energy and Department of Education are not exercising powers delegated to the United States by the Constitution.

“Congress did not create these departments pursuant to the Constitution, and therefore their policies are not the supreme law of the land,” Engel writes.

The constitutionstudy.com operator

considers the remaining three cabinet departments—the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Interior and Department of Homeland Security—Constitutionally questionable.

“They may be exercising powers delegated to the United States, but it’s not exactly obvious,” Engel said.

Another of his columns looks at immigration and border enforcement from a Constitutional perspective.

While Congress does have the power, according to the Constitution, “to establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization” (regulations surrounding someone becoming a citizen of the U.S.), Engel views border control and visitation as primarily a state issue, a state should be able to regulate who enters that state from a foreign country.

“The power to regulate immigration or visitation is retained by the states,” writes Engel. “However, decades ago, the states allowed the United States to usurp their control over immigration into their states.”

Some framing the mass immigration across the southern U.S. border as an “invasion,” Engel says, is part of an effort of the states to neglect their responsibility to patrol and secure their borders and pass that responsibility onto the federally controlled military.

If voters are dissatisfied with the laws of actions of their government, Engel reminds them to keep in mind words from former President James Garfield: “the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness and corruption.”

Ultimately, Engel wants Americans to educate themselves, to remain active in civic life at all levels and to take on the responsibility of self-governance with pride.

“We have allowed not only the courts, but governments at all levels to place themselves above the supreme law of the land. We have allowed those governments to transform themselves from servants of the people to their masters,” he writes, imploring his fellow Americans to keep alive the sacred fire of liberty and sustain the republican model of government that the Founding Fathers entrusted to us.

read more commentary on how the Constitution applies to modern events and movements, ask Paul questions and find more resources at constitutionstudy.com, or contact him at paul@constitutionstudy. com. Look for more Constitution Study columns from Paul Engel in future editions of the Pulse.

Tennessean working to preserve freedom, get others involved by applying the Constitution to modern-day issues

PHOTO COURTESY OF KETUT SUBIYANTO/ PEXELS

Paul engel

does a Forensic Center Make Sense for rutherford County?

A look at a new proposed autopsy facility

By royce olen Johnson

ruTHErFOrd COuNTy OFFiCiALS HAvE proposed a new forensic center, potentially located off Weakley Lane in Smyrna.

Let’s give a little background on why Rutherford County needs a forensic center.

When a county medical examiner orders an autopsy following a death, the body must be sent to a forensic center where a certified forensic pathologist conducts the autopsy.

Rutherford County currently sends all autopsies to Davidson County, to be performed at the price of $2,300 per autopsy. Rutherford County currently sends 300 to 350 bodies for autopsy each year, which makes the cost for Rutherford County average between $700,000 and $800,000 annually.

With Rutherford County having its own forensic center, the county would have that savings of $700,000 to $800,000 per year, of course minus the operations and overhead cost to run the building.

Additionally, Rutherford County could then start charging other counties a lesser rate of, let’s say, $2,100 per autopsy, in an effort to entice some other counties to use a new Rutherford County Forensic Center and increase our county revenue. The forensic center then becomes a revenue source and a savings to Rutherford County and its taxpayers.

There is the initial cost of building and the equipment to start the project, but the return on investment should come between 3 to 7 years based on cost of buildout and the new income from other counties. With my own experience in building out commercial buildings, even at the high end, we should have a ROI within a max of 7 years.

Tennessee currently has only five forensic centers. As we all know, our population is exploding.

Between 2010 and 2021 the population of Rutherford County, Tennessee, increased by 33.5%, growing from 263,721 residents to 352,182, according to numbers from usafacts.org. For comparison, the U.S. population grew 7.3% and Tennessee’s population grew 9.8% during that period.

As Rutherford County continuously grows, the cost will also grow for the county, which will have to find the resource for this cost. Building the forensic center will eventually lessen the financial burden on the county residents and administration, and the plan to accept autopsies from other counties should allow a Rutherford County forensic center to become self-sustaining.

The new forensic center could also work with MTSU and other local colleges as a partnership for the students here in Rutherford County.

Further details and numbers on a proposed local forensic center will be presented to the Rutherford County Budget and Finance Commission, and after review they will send their recommendation to the full county commission.

As we all love our community and county, the fact remains Rutherford County is one of the fastestgrowing counties in the United States. I appreciate the work of the previous administration and the current administration for continuing to make Rutherford County one of the best places to live.

royce Olen Johnson is here to: research, Listen, Share and Help.

Send questions on county issues that you would like him to look into to contact@boropulse.com. Or contact royce at rojohnson2kids@gmail.com or 615-624-3696.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BRETT JORDAN / PEXELS

i HATE TO SAy, “i TOLd yOu SO” . . . but, I told you so. I have been writing for the Murfreesboro Pulse since 2021, and many of my articles have focused on the repercussions of school choice on private education. Today, as I pen this article, home-school families and supporters of educational freedom are currently fighting legislation that originally sought to jeopardize home schooling (a form of private education) in the state of Tennessee.

The original 13-page amendment to HB1214/ SB1194 was a direct attack on home schooling and attempted to change the Tennessee homeschool laws by adding an additional option under our home-school statute. If home-school

parents registered with that option, their children would then be considered public school students. The amendment went on to specify all the regulations this option would place on these families. Thank you Cameron Sexton, Speaker of the House and sponsor of the bill, for helping drive home the point of the plethora of articles I have penned that warn “what the government funds it runs” and how school choice is a trap.

Although a brief glance at this bill reveals only a proposed act substituting “five (5) business days’ notice” in the place of “five (5) days notice” in a portion of Tennessee Code related to education, an amendment to the “caption bill” contained much more material.

Caption bills “carry a caption broad enough to cover any number of legislative topics, and certainly more or different topics than what the bill seems to address on its face. These bills can be amended at the last moment to cover any topic allowed by the caption of the bill, and are frequently used to give legislators or lobbyists a way to comply with bill-filing deadlines while not revealing the true purpose of the bill,” according to the Tennessee Bar Association.

Public outcry within the home-school community in opposition to this bill was tremendous and resulted in additional amendments to this bill. Does this mean that the threat has been avoided? Not at all.

Parents and taxpayers alike should be paying attention. What was thought to be legislation that would only negatively affect the home-school community in fact has a much broader scope and sequence. Any bill that opens the education code and seeks to blur the lines between private education and public schooling is dangerous.

A charter boarding school for “at-risk youth” is a focus of the amendment to this bill. It is clear to me that there is an attempt to try and circumnavigate parental authority. This proposed charter facility would not be required to include a parent on its advisory council and the governing body is not required to include a parent representative. The description of at-risk youth in this bill is also very concerning. According to the current amendments, the “at-risk youth” who could be potentially housed in these charter boarding schools are described as economically disadvantaged, children whose families qualify for free and reduced lunch, educationally disadvantaged children who have been abused or neglected, children with disabilities, children who have been defined as having a dysfunctional family, chronically absent, truant with five or more excused absences, and children who have been expelled or are on probation or parole. It appears that lawmakers in Tennessee believe that children with disabilities and those who are economically disadvantaged should be warehoused with children who are on probation and parole.

ers don’t have any say in how they are run. Would these charter schools be subject to public audit and would their board meetings be open to the public? Who is behind these schools? Who are their board members?

As a taxpayer, would you be comfortable with a boarding school for “at-risk youth” in your neighborhood? Where will these youth be coming from since they do not have to live in the jurisdiction of their local educational agency?

As of today, the Senate has sent the bill to the summer study session. Don’t be fooled. This bill could be brought back out. HB 1214 is currently on the calendar to be heard in the Education Administration Committee on April 5. We are watching this legislation closely.

# F r EE YO ur CHI l D r EN

By tiffany B oyd

Let this serve as a reminder that school choice is a trap. Don’t fall for the propaganda that the government is providing you with more “choice” when they attempt to buy your freedoms. School choice is an attempt to destroy all forms of truly private education by making all education options public via government funding. This legislation is a perfect example of why parents who truly value their freedom should educate their conservative representatives on why they should stop peddling this program.

If you are a public school parent or a home-school parent and you value your education freedom, do not accept government monies in any form. Remember, a recent guest on my radio show recently said, “He who pays the piper calls the tune.”

Conservatives should not be pushing programs that seek to usurp or threaten parental rights. Remember, they work for you. Hold them accountable for the legislation they bring to the table and for how they vote. Our children do not belong to the government, and our God-given parental rights are not, and should never be, up for vote.

These charter schools also seem to be bypassing local control since they aren’t governed by local school boards. This seems to me like a perfect example of “taxation without representation.” Essentially these schools will be spending taxpayer dollars and taxpay-

Tiffany Boyd is the founder of Free yOur Children, a homeschool advocate, consultant, speaker and the founder and administrator of Middle Tennessee Christian Homeschool Connection. She holds a B.S. degree in interdisciplinary studies from MTSu. She is a wife of 30 years and mother to five children, grandmother to two. She is a former tenured public school teacher. She and her husband have home educated for 18 years. Contact her at freeyourchildren@gmail.com.

tennessee g eneral a ssembly trying to f urther r egulate h ome- s chool s tudents

Expectations, Education and Defining Success

“One test of the correctness of educational procedure is the happiness of the child.”

— Maria Montessori

a r E w E THE r E YET ? a l MOST

Eight weeks from the day I write this until school is out and our family escapes to the beach. We. Can’t. Wait.

As exhausted teachers, students and parents hurtle towards the end of the school year, most of us are counting down the days until the break. We’ll smile, dress up and attend the whirlwind of end-of-year things: performances, banquets, ceremonies, dances—the adrenaline-fueled mad dash to the finish line, littered with invitations, paper programs and balloons.

Our kids are expected to take exams, finish papers, endure standardized testing, try out for fall sports, compete in that final event and meet all their social expectations too.

Somewhere in the midst of all this, they will receive final grades, report cards and test scores. This exciting time filled with heightened expectations can transform into misery instead of celebration for children whose learning style doesn’t lend itself to the easily identifiable “success” on paper that we typically celebrate this time of year.

For some kids, “good grades” come easily and test scores hold no menace. For others, the dread in anticipation of the final report card or awards ceremony may send them into a tailspin. Parents, we must know our children and adjust our expectations accordingly. We are the ones they ultimately aim to please, and it’s on us to release them from that potentially devastating performance trap. After almost three decades of teaching, I believe the greatest hindrance to children’s successful education is adults with their eyes on the wrong prize.

There is no number on a piece of paper that defines your child.

None. No test score, no grade, no class or athletic rank. None of it.

Years ago, I was teaching some exceptionally bright fifth graders. These students were very capable, which allowed us to explore some elevated topics. After one unit, a particularly strong student scored 75% on a test, which was lower than her typical score. The next day, her mother was in my classroom, chewing me out, because her daughter had scored a 75. She was angry and accusatory. Her daughter did not make seventy-fives. When I finally got a word in edgewise, I suggested that we pause and remember the good news. Her daughter had already mastered three-fourths of the material. Now she just had one-fourth left to learn.

Grades are not the endgame. I’m going to say that again. Grades are not the endgame.

We all want our children to succeed in school. High standards are important. Hard work is important. But in the frenzy of competition, sometimes parents (and coaches and teachers) lose sight of what success actually means.

So, what is success?

Maria Montessori proposed that truly correct educational procedure should produce happiness in children. Not that every child will be happy about every part of every day at school, but when a child’s curiosity is piqued by an interesting topic and they’re working on an appropriate level and type of work for their learning style, it should bring them joy.

Successful education inspires curiosity in the hearts and minds of children, allows them to flourish in their own skin, and opens doors to new facets of life they have not yet experienced. The books they read, the art they see, the music they hear, the histories they learn; all have the potential to impact them. If a child tries something new that stretches their limits or previous experience, they shouldn’t be the best at it yet.

When a student is learning something new, they are learning. They haven’t mastered it yet, and they will occasionally come home with less-than-perfect grades. They should. In fact, if your child makes straight 100s, they aren’t being challenged.

Possibly the most important aspect of successful education is the character they are building and the relationships they are forming through their school years. School is not only a place they learn to solve equations and conjugate verbs. It’s a place they learn to solve social dynamics problems, work together with different personalities, and push themselves

to develop a talent or skill. In school, children learn conflict resolution, leadership, teamwork, kindness, perseverance, organization and taking initiative. Labels, grades and awards say very little about the beauty of a human soul.

Joy in learning, character development, and increasing respect for others are much better indicators of a future life worth living than any test score. So, when our kids come home with a “B” on their report card and a story of sitting next to a lonely classmate at lunch, or helping defend a younger student against a bully, let’s celebrate that. That’s success that matters.

PHOTO COURTESY OF COTTONBRO STUDIO/ PEXELS

THE TrAiN dAddy iS BACk with sports news, life lessons and politically incorrect talk. All aboard! So, what do we have in store for you with this issue? The Titans and transgender athletes, a strange combination, I know, so enjoy! I am already looking forward to the next issue that will be dropping shortly after the NFL Draft that takes place later this month.

I could use this time to talk about the Tennessee Titans and the team’s needs at offensive line, or the fact that the Titans have nobody at the receiver position aside from Treylon Burks and how it would be a disservice to him if they don’t draft a serious receiving talent early. I mean, they refused to grab a receiver in free agency, so maybe the plan this season is Burks, Kyle Phillips, NWI and whatever no-name

steps up in camp . . . yikes!

But, I have talked about that plenty over the months and I’d rather just wait and see what they do, who they draft, before I get too critical. Don’t get it twisted, I have been supportive of new GM Ran the Man, and I am assuming he has a master plan!

Ran Carthon took over a roster from former GM J-Rob that was a mess. I have applauded some of the tough decisions Ran has made thus far and I assume more tough decisions will come.

and Derrick Henry for the 2023 season with whatever new additions the team is able to grab, and evaluate them all throughout the season.

The Jaguars are looking solid and ended up winning the division last year, but I believe with those two players in place, a solid defense and a few surprises here and there (like not leading the NFL in injuries like the Titans have in back-to-back seasons), the Titans have a realistic shot at the AFC South. I believe that regardless of how this coming season plays out, Mr. Ran is looking to 2024, when this team will knowingly be in better shape regarding salary cap space. That will be the perfect time to make a splash as a new GM, when he will have the cap space to make numerous big moves.

out just a few days after the NFL Draft that takes place April 27–29. There will be so much new to talk about, I’m excited just thinking about it.

w orld athletic c ouncil hands down a win for female athletes 

Let’s move on to another topic, something I have been talking about for years here at the Murfreesboro Pulse. I was writing articles over a decade ago for this paper warning people about the direction we were headed with transgender athletes and the unfair advantages that come with allowing biological males to compete with biological females. Well, all these years later, and I’ll be damned—I was correct! We have long had gender separation in sports for a reason. Biological males have huge advantages in the strength and speed category. It’s a simple fact. I find it sad how scared some people have become to speak on this topic.

track and field and cross country competition events and records, decided to ban transgender athletes from certain events, stating the unfair advantages in competition. Shortly after that decision, another domino fell with U.K. athletics applying the same rules on exclusion of trans women from elite female competitions, citing a need to protect the female category. Athletics officials in the United Kingdom said they want the women’s category to be reserved for those born female while trans athletes can compete in an “open” category alongside the men.

Tannehill

Any NFL general manager should tell you that the plan is to put the best team possible on the field. But I have a feeling that new Titans GM Ran “the Man” Carthon is looking more to the future, given the circumstances. I assume he will roll out Ryan

I fully expect this will be Ryan Tannehill’s last season as a Titan. I have nothing but respect for Tannehill, he has given us fans some good memories and some bad. Ryan played good season ball and won many games, but let’s be real: playoff Tannehill leaves much to be desired. Unless Ran was willing to give the house away right now for a player like Lamar Jackson, Tannehill as QB1 this season is the only decision that makes sense.

Sure, the Titans have Malik Willis in the background, and they shouldn’t just give up on him yet. But Malik looked like a mess. He was benched for a QB off the street in essentially a playoff game against the Jags last year in the final game.

I really like Malik Willis. The man is a stand-up dude and has leadership written all over him, but I was far from impressed with him as a player. It was bad and I don’t know if it can be polished up. Malik was a third-round pick for the Titans, and many people seem to forget that. Those people need to stop treating him like a first-rounder that we absolutely must hang onto and develop.

I love this team with a passion that verges a tad bit on insanity! Look to the next issue coming

I believe we have three categories of people regarding this debate: those who believe biology matters and this mixing genders in sports shouldn’t just be allowed willy-nilly. Those who believe biology makes no difference, willy-nilly or not, believe a person should be allowed to compete with the gender they identify as, because of the athlete’s feelings and identity. Then we have the cowards—those people who tell us this topic needs more research, it’s a sensitive topic, and we should tread lightly, because they are too afraid to tell you what they really think.

I truly don’t mean to hurt anyone’s feelings, but regarding this debate, in many instances the integrity of female sports has been thrown out the window over the last few years. I find that very unfortunate.

Now, getting to what I see as a recent victory regarding this ongoing debate, the World Athletic Council, which oversees

This fight is far from over, but this makes good news all the same. Biology matters regarding sports, and I will continue to scream it. If we as a society finally decide it doesn’t, we might as well end gender separation in sports and let men and women compete together. I doubt many would enjoy that outcome because we would then have a massive lack of female representation, and that would be shameful for female competitors since the future looks to be very bright regarding female athletics and its growth.

The world was recently fascinated with the NCAA women’s basketball tournament, which included only biological female athletes playing high-level, entertaining basketball. Throw a transgender athlete into that game and half the audience leaves due to a lack of integrity and principal.

Alright, I said what I said! This is America and we all have things we are passionate about and the freedom to scream it out loud, as I have been doing for daggum over a decade, trying to warn folk. I think it’s time I call it an article— got me in my feelings now.

We will see if the Predators can make a final push in the last few games of the regular season and make the cut to get into the NHL playoffs. Stay tuned for the next issue, all Titans talk after the NFL Draft. The Train is rolling into the station. Choo-choo!

w hat w ill the t itans d o in the d raft?

P HOTOS COURTESY TENNESSEETITANS COM

Live Exceptionally...Well!

By Jennifer durand

Daddy-Daughter Date Night

Confident role Models lead the way

a r E YO u COMFO rTa B l E in your own skin? Or do you worry about what other people think? Where does a healthy self-esteem start? How do you live what is true for you if it goes against what is popular?

Quite often people want to feel like they fit in, or to be a part of something. Many times the problem is they aren’t sure of what they are looking for so they try to fit in even if what they’re doing or who they’re doing it with doesn’t really suit them. So, where does confidence come from, or how do we build it?

It’s certainly helpful when you have excellent role models at an early age. But what do you do when that isn’t the case? I remember an example of an individual being raised in a judgmental, non-supportive environment. That rearing served as an example of how they did not want to be. They didn’t let the atmosphere beat them down. They listened to the internal wisdom that said there is a better way to live and love. Every day is an opportunity for a new beginning. Role models—people who present themselves as the type of person you want to emulate—are all around. They could be family members, coworkers, celebrities or public figures. You can take examples from several of them and decide what qualities suit you and imitate that until it becomes a part of you.

One of my male clients recently came in with painted toenails. He mentioned that his daughter painted them on daddy/daughter date night. He also said that, according to his daughter, she would be painting them again that evening in preparation for their upcoming vacation to the beach. That in itself is remarkable, to see a dad allow his daughter to have fun doing what she enjoys during their quality time together, even if it doesn’t seem like the traditional masculine thing to do. He is showing his daughter how important she is to him without sacrificing his ego or masculinity.

Your relationship with yourself sets the tone for every other relationship you have.

My immediate thought was “How cool is that?” This guy: a) spends that kind of precious time with his child and, b) isn’t afraid of what anyone else may think when he is sporting his color in his sandals on the beach. In my opinion, my client reflects what I consider to be a very masculine man based on his build, look and presence. He doesn’t seem to be worried about what someone else might say about such a masculine man sporting toenail polish. Why? Because his reason for doing it is enough for him. It’s quite possible his preference would be to hit some baseballs or play catch in the backyard. The love he has for someone and the opportunity to see her light up with a smile is enough incentive and reward for his efforts.

He knows who he is and why he is doing it. His daughter’s happiness is the “why.”

My next thoughts were how much men need to feel free to be able to express their feminine qualities (compassion, tenderness, playfulness) like this man was doing with his daughter, in addition to their natural masculine qualities (strength, protective nature, courage). It enables them to feel more connected in relationships and to be more confident and comfortable in their own skin. Men are subject to a lot of preconceived false standards of being tough and not showing emotions. Yet, as a woman, I think a man is more manly when he can show that he is sensitive, empathetic, romantic and passionate. It does not compromise his masculinity in the least. It emphasizes that he is confident enough to not worry about what other people think. After all, no one else lives your life. They can’t know how you think or what you feel. Nor can you know the same of them. So, why would you worry about what someone else can’t ever really know about you anyway?

“Masculine and Feminine aspects exist in all beings.” — David Deida

This man’s daughter is also able to experience inclusion, feeling special and honored. These are wonderful attributes that will help set her up to have more solid relationships with such foundational values.

I have a friend who has a very talented and creative daughter. She entertained the audience at a house party with a karaoke song. She didn’t have the most beautiful voice, but she had style, confidence and delivery! I witnessed her dad giving her his complete attention, amidst lots of surrounding activity (sports channel on, conversations all around), and encouragement of her performance like it was the best thing he’s ever seen. It was another example of a man showing how important this person was to him. The reflection of his response to her performance was exuded in her stage presence and the smile on her face.

These are examples that can remind you there is something you can do right where you are today to increase your confidence in yourself, and in those you care about.

“Deep down, everyone feels the same at our core. We all just want to belong. We all just want to be loved.” — Christina Hibbert

Jennifer durand is the owner and operator of The Nurture Nook day Spa & gift Shoppe; she is a certified Qigong and Breathe Empowerment instructor, a skin care and makeup specialist and is licensed in massage therapy. Let her help you find your personal “ahh . . .” by visiting nurturenook. com or or by calling (615) 896-7110.