February 2018 Murfreesboro Pulse

FEBRUARY 2018 / VOL. 13, ISSUE 2 / FREE

ROB FORTNEY: 1970–2018 Middle Tennessee’s Source for Art, Entertainment and Culture News

Farewell to an Old Friend

Boro Art Crawl Is Back!

MAP ON PAGE 29

Sweet February

IN MUSIC

TENNESSEE VALLEY WINDS / BONNAROO LINEUP / THE SECRET COMMONWEALTH 

Meet the Candidates for Senate

Contents

WORD FROM THE EDITOR

CAKE PHOTOS BY CHANTELL KENNEDY-SHEHAN

8

GET THE RECIPE

16

35

IN EVERY ISSUE

FEATURES

14 HEART OF VINYL

5 Events

Local couple takes a mobile record store on the road.

16 THE DEN 3030

A Murfreesboro organization transforms youth into courageous lions.

24 FAREWELL ROB FORTNEY

Former Murfreesboro entrepreneur and Pulse supporter dies in Thailand.

28 BORO ART CRAWL

Feb. 9 event features Dragon Dance, pet paintings, Chinese art and more.

36 LAND OF FIRE AND RICE A look at Murfreesboro’s hibachi restaurants.

41 MEET THE CANDIDATES

FOR U.S. SENATE Blackburn, Bredesen and Fincher are running for office.

Art Director: Sarah Mayo

boropulse . com Publisher/Editor in Chief: Bracken Mayo

Copy Editor: Steve Morley Advertising: Don Clark Leslie Russell-Yost

THIS MONTH

Princess Night, Mardi Paws, Soups for Smiles, Western Horse Show and more

8 Sounds LOCAL CONCERTS

The Katies; Perry; The Hardin Draw; and more!

MUSIC NOTES

The Justin Reed Show, Tennessee Valley Winds, 2018 Bonnaroo lineup ALBUM REVIEWS

Allison Young, The Secret Commonwealth

16 Living GARDENING

26 Art

38 News

Cody Hale at Arts Center of Cannon Co.

Sami's Brick Oven Pizzeria, Pho Viet and more

EXHIBIT

THEATER

Spamalot; Hamlet and more POETRY

Poetry in the ’Boro, Feb. 11; America the Beautiful exhibit, Spoken Word

32 Movies REVIEWS

The Post; The Shape of Water NEW RELEASES

Winchester; Peter Rabbit; Early Man and more LIVING ROOM CINEMA

Planning season

Sore Thumb Adventures

RECOMMENDED READING

35 Food

Ecce Deus: Essays on the Life of Jesus Christ

RECIPE

Black Forest Cake

Contributors: Dylan Skye Aycock, Jessica Barroll, John Connor Coulston, Greg Crittenden, Jennifer Durand, Joseph Kathmann, Chantell Kennedy-Shehan, Zach Maxfield, M.C. Radford, Justin Reed, Edwina Shannon, Jay Spight, Andrea Stockard, Sam Stockard, Norbert Thiemann, Elizabeth Tullos, Phil Valentine, Kory Wells, Michelle Willard

BUSINESS BUZZ

MODERN LIBRARY

Rutherford County Library System now offers much more

42

Opinion LIVE . . . WELL!

Lasting impressions VIEWS OF A CONSERVATIVE

Republicans propose DACA deal THE STOCKARD REPORT

Reeves wins primary

46 Sports MTSU SPORTS

Men’s basketball team leads conference SPORTS TALK

Titans name Vrabel new head coach

Copyright © 2018, The Murfreesboro Pulse, 10 N. Public Square, Murfreesboro, TN 37130.

Proudly owned, operated and published the first Thursday of each month by the Mayo family; printed

by Franklin Web Printing Co. The Murfreesboro Pulse is a free publication funded by advertisers.

Views expressed in the Pulse do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. ISSN: 1940-378X

SIGN UP to receive our weekly digital newsletter at BoroPulse.com/Newsletter 10 N. Public Square, Murfreesboro, TN 37130 • 615-796-6248 To carry the PULSE at your business, or to submit letters, stories and photography: Bracken@BoroPulse.com

LOCALLY, THE SPECIAL KIDS RACE, Battle of the Brews for Kymari House and Mardi Paws Ball for Purple Paws are among the fun upcoming community fundraisers in the near future. Your support would be welcomed.

In space and aviation news, Space X plans to launch its Falcon Heavy rocket from Florida’s historic Kennedy Space Center on Feb. 6. This massive vessel will carry a Tesla automobile beyond the orbit of Mars and release it into a heliocentric orbit of its own. In case it’s ever needed, the vehicle will be there . . . Elon Musk, CEO of both Space X and Tesla, said that perhaps alien life forms will discover the car far in the future.

Why is this significant? Maybe it is primarily a marketing ploy to get the Tesla and Space X name in the media­—in which case, success! For it has captured my interest and attention and some good words in this little Murfreesboro paper. I suppose it is a good idea to have a spare car floating around in case a need arises. Really, this mission is essentially a test launch proving that the Falcon Heavy system can deliver large objects to space and then return to earth in one piece to be used for subsequent missions.

The Space X company says it prepares to soon carry wealthy space tourists for space cruises—sightseeing tours outside of the Earth’s atmosphere . . . for the right price, of course. Exciting times!

I very much appreciate the freedoms that we do have, and the high quality of life that we enjoy here. We can improve upon many many things, but on a global scale, look at freedom, poverty and tolerance in the United States.

Compare that to other societies. Most everyone has an opportunity in modern America. As much control and power that corporations and governments have here, an individual can still live about how he or she chooses.

For everyone protesting the oppressive culture and policies of the United States, kneeling during the anthem or whatever: Is there some better country out there where you would like to go, or upon which to model a society? Does another location seem like a more ideal place to migrate?

Has another place or time in the history of our planet offered more opportunity to people of all backgrounds?

Has an example of the type of society that you seek ever existed in reality? Or do you have some sort of a new proposal that has not yet seen real-world application?

Those are real questions. I welcome real answers and am interested in replies: bracken@boropulse.com. I am not one to be blindly supportive of every social norm and federal policy. Question everything. Also, I don’t claim to have a great firsthand knowledge of life and society outside of Tennessee, so I am willing to hear real ideas if some other society is more excellent and fair.

I greatly appreciate the right to protest, and I enjoy hearing passionate and well researched points of view from others. But many of the motivations behind modern protests are not very logical or well thought out, light on solutions and heavy on attention seekers and attitudes of entitlement. The opportunity to succeed does not always equal success. As motivational speaker Eric Thomas says, “No free lunch.”

Peace, BRACKEN MAYO Publisher/Editor in Chief

4 * FEBRUARY 2018 * BOROPULSE.COM

Events

BY ANDREA STOCKARD

grandparents’ night out. Admission includes photos with princesses, crafts and snack. For tickets, visit oaklandsmansion.org; for more information, call (615) 893-0022 or email mb@oaklandsmuseum.org.

FEB. 9 BORO ART CRAWL To celebrate the Chinese New Year, the Boro Art Crawl, set for Feb. 9, features a special dragon dance performance in the Murfreesboro Public Square in front of the historic Courthouse on Friday, Feb. 9, from 6–9 p.m. Through a partnership with MTSU Center for Chinese Music and Culture and as part of the Murfreesboro Festival of Chinese Arts. The Center for the Arts also hosts a special art exhibit. Since 2018 is the year of the dog, the Boro Art Crawl features several pet-related artists and on-hand pet rescues. Find more information at boroartcrawl.com.

FEB. 2–3 TRUCK AND TRACTOR PULL The Southern Invitational Truck and Tractor Pull returns to the Tennessee Miller Coliseum (304 W. Thompson Ln.) Feb. 2–3., starting at 7 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m. on Saturday.

Kids 10 and under are free. For more information, visit southernmotorsports.net.

FEB. 3 THE HANDMADE MARKET The Handmade Market is an all-handmade craft fair with more than 80 vendors, door prizes and food, held at MidTN Expo Center (1660 Middle Tennessee Blvd.) from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3.

Admission is free.

FEB. 5 SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK WINE TASTING The Alley on Main (223 W. Main St.) hosts a wine tasting Monday, Feb. 5, at 7 p.m., to benefit Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. Enjoy five courses and three wines. Tickets are $40 per person with half of each ticket price directly benefiting the organization. Tickets must be purchased in advance, and seating is limited. For tickets, call (615) 203-3498 or visit secondharvestmidtn.org.

FEB. 7 MIRACLE ON MONTGOMERY FARM BOOK SIGNING

Linebaugh Public Library (105 W. Vine St.) welcomes co-authors Cynthia K. Landis

and Michelle Shelly for a book signing Wednesday, Feb. 7, from 10 a.m.–1 p.m. to sign and sell copies of their book, Miracle on Montgomery Farm, a faith-based story introducing children to sustainable agriculture through a crippled lamb and orphaned calf.

A farmer, playwright, singer-songwriter and actor, Landis is the Tennessee representative for the Dramatist’s Guild of America.

She and her cowboy husband raise cattle and sheep on their farm in Tennessee.

Shelly lives on a farm with her husband in Woodbury, and is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. For more information, call (515) 347-3977 or visit rclstn.org.

FEB. 9 PRINCESS NIGHT AT OAKLANDS MANSION Wear your favorite dress or princess costume while being surrounded by dresses at the Oaklands Mansion (901 N. Maney Ave.) Friday, Feb. 9 from 4–7 p.m. Murfreesboro’s own princess, Miss Tennessee Valley 2018 Kristen Perry, along with other local real-life princesses, can speak with guests and share about the charities they are sponsoring. This is a great daddy-and-daughter outing or

Visit BOROPULSE.COM/EVENTS for more community events

FEB. 9

information, contact (615) 346-8418 or kking@alivehospice.org.

FEB. 10 RUTHERFORD HEART BALL The Rutherford County chapter of the American Heart Association, the American Stroke Association and Saint Thomas present the 2018 Rutherford Heart Ball on Saturday, Feb. 10, at the Embassy Suites (1200 Conference Center Blvd.). Dr. Britt Mioton and his wife, Jan, serve as the co-chairs for the fundraiser. Dr. Warren McPherson, a survivor of heart disease, is the Rutherford Heart Ball honoree. Dr. Mioton, a cardiovascular physician at Saint Thomas Heart Rutherford, has lived in Murfreesboro for 10 years. The American Heart Association and American Stroke Association are devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke, the two leading causes of death in the world. For more information, contact bailey.read@heart.org. or visit rutherfordheartball.heart.org.

LUNCH AND LEARN

FEB. 10

Join Alive Hospice for another Lunch and Learn Friday, Feb. 9, from noon–1 p.m. at Alive Hospice Murfreesboro (1629 Williams Dr.). This month’s topic is Connecting the Dots . . . Comparison of Palliative Care and Hospice Care. Staff members outline the similarities and differences between the two disciplines. Lunch is provided and parking is free. For more

Murfreesboro City Schools invites teachers to Scales Elementary School (2340 St. Andrews Dr.) on Saturday, Feb. 10, for a teacher recruitment fair. Principals, peers and other administrators match qualified candidates for the 2018–19 school year. Bring multiple resumes, CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

CITY SCHOOLS JOB FAIR

FEB. 6 WAR AND ITS COST C.J. Chivers, a former Marine and winner of the 2017 Pulitzer Prize in feature writing, speaks on his piece “War and Its Costs” on Tuesday, Feb. 6, at 2:40 p.m. in the Parliamentary Room in the MTSU Student Union Building (1768 MTSU Blvd.) as part of MTSU’s ongoing lecture series. Chivers will also speak in Nashville that evening at 6 p.m at the John Seigenthaler Center on Vanderbilt University’s campus. Chivers’s works include the story of a Marine’s postwar descent into violence, PTSD and imprisonment. Chivers has also been a part of the Pulitzer Prize-winning teams for national and international reporting, contributing reports from Afghanistan following the 9/11 terrorist attacks and again during deepening challenges there in 2008. Admission to the lecture is free; for more information, contact jeannie.paul@mtsu.edu.

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 licensure documentation, portfolios and any additional relevant materials including scores; be prepared to interview. Murfreesboro City Schools’ main focus is exceptional education for grades pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. For more information, visit cityschools.net or contact (615) 2959061 or lisa.trail@cityschools.net.

FEB. 10 VISIONBOARD WORKSHOP AND MIMOSAS Bring your vision to life and experience it with other bosses at Queens in Business Network’s Visionboard Workshop and Mimosas event, featuring speakers, networking, a photo booth, refreshments and vendors at Patterson Park Community Center (521 Mercury Blvd.) Saturday, Feb. 10, from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Find tickets on Eventbrite. For more information, call (615) 295-3805 or email ramonda44.rn@gmail.com.

FEB. 12 AND 26 NASP NET The Nashville Association of Sales Professionals hosts its Murfreesboro networking event the second and fourth Monday of each month in the Burger Bar Restaurant, located in The Doubletree by Hilton, 1850 Old Fort Pkwy. Networking starts at 11 a.m. and the meeting starts at 11:30 a.m. NASP is a nonprofit professional organization that provides a positive forum for skill enhancement training and networking for career sales people. Learn how to become a more polished and successful sales professional by improving your sales presentation and enhancing your people skills. NASP Net encourages new sales professionals, as well as seasoned road warriors, to attend. For more information, visit nashville-nasp.org.

FEB. 13 “WHAT IS SCIENCE?” Join Rutherford Cable for an engaging discussion “What Is Science, and Why Should You Care?” challenging participants to adopt the powerful advantage of a scientific mindset. Dr. Alicja Lanfear, 2017 Rutherford ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award Recipient and lecturer in the Department of Biology at MTSU, presents the program at Stones River Country Club (1830 NW Broad St.) at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 13. To register or for more information, contact yourrutherfordcable@ gmail.com or visit rutherfordcable.org.

FEB. 13 BATTLE OF THE BREWS Join Battle of the Brews, benefiting Kymari House, a local organization that fights child 6 * FEBRUARY 2018 * BOROPULSE.COM

Smiles sponsorship is Just Love Coffee on Old Fort Parkway. For a complete list of participating restaurants and more information, visit interfaithdentalclinic.com.

FEB. 26 MTSU BLACK HISTORY MONTH: MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER ERIC THOMAS Author, minister and motivational speaker Eric Thomas will recognize Black History Month with an appearance at the MTSU Student Union Ballroom (1768 MTSU Blvd.) on Monday, Feb. 26, at 7 p.m. A high-school dropout who was homeless in Detroit for two years, Thomas was encouraged by a minister to go back to school. After earning his doctoral degrees from Michigan State University, Thomas created the Advantage program at MSU to target “high-risk college students by improving their study habits and increasing their retention rates” (etinspires.com). Thomas’s consulting firm has been hired to motivate and inspire the employees of General Electric, Procter & Gamble, the National Football League, the National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact (615) 898-5812 or daniel.green@mtsu.edu, or visit mtsu.edu/aahm.

FEB. 17–18 WESTERN HORSE SHOW The Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association hosts many events throughout the year, including a Feb. 17–18 event at Murfreesboro’s Miller Coliseum. The IHSA promotes competition for riders of all skill levels, who compete individually and as teams at regional, zone, and national levels. The association was founded on the principle that any college student should be able to participate in horse shows regardless of his or her financial status or riding level with an emphasis on learning, sportsmanship, and fun. For more information, visit ihsainc.com.

FEB. 19 MTSU DANCE OPEN HOUSE

abuse and supports the victims, offering supervised visitations between parents and their children. Enjoy delicious craft beers, Cousins Maine Lobster, savory pairings, great live music and a silent auction at The Grove at Williamson (3250 Wilkinson Pk.) from 6–9 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13. Kids 12 and under are admitted free. For more information on Kymari House, visit kymarihouse.org; find tickets on Eventbrite.

FEB. 13 BUSINESS AFTER HOURS The Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce presents Business After Hours, an informal business networking event, on Tuesday, Feb. 13, from 5–7 p.m. at Lanes, Trains & Automobiles, 450 Butler Dr. Bring plenty of business cards. Admission is $5 for CoC members and $15 for future members. No registration is required. For more information, visit rutherfordchamber.org

FEB. 15 THE CONNECTION Local small business owners will gather for The Connection: An Evening of Professional Networking and Business Brainstorming from 5–7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 15, at Carmen’s Taqueria, 1935 S. Church St. All Middle Tennessee entrepreneurs and professionals are welcome to attend this casual, free, no-obligation event, where they can meet other small business owners and tap into one another’s experience and energy. An open roundtable discussion will encourage participation from those in attendance, asking them to articulate their vision for their business and calling for examples of some of the business challenges and solutions they are experiencing.

The series will continue the third Thursday of each month.

FEB. 17 MEDICARE 101 Have Medicare questions? Join Todd Libman at Linebaugh Library (105 W. Vine St.) from 10–11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 17, for a free seminar to discuss all things Medicare followed by a Q&A. For more information, visit rclstn.org.

FEB. 15 KEVIN DOUGLASS GREENE Kevin Douglass Greene, the great-greatgrandson of iconic abolitionist Frederick Douglass, is the featured speaker at the 22nd annual Unity Luncheon to celebrate Black History Month, Thursday, Feb. 15, from 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. in the MTSU Student Union Ballroom (1768 MTSU Blvd.). He also leads a free and informal roundtable discussion about his family tree from 3–5 p.m. The 2006 graduate delivered numerous presentations on Frederick Douglass and the many other accomplished Douglass descendants.

For more information, contact (615) 8985812 or daniel.green@mtsu.edu, or visit mtsu.edu/aahm.

FEB. 17–24 SOUPS FOR SMILES Rutherford County restaurants will donate a portion of soup sales to the patients of Interfaith Dental Clinic of Rutherford County during a week-long Soups for Smiles event Feb. 17–24. Interfaith Dental Clinic’s mission is to create a healthier community by providing oral health care for those experiencing poverty. One of the first restaurants to recommit its Soups for

The MTSU Theatre and Dance Department’s annual open house, with dance technique classes, performances and an information session and Q&A with professors and students, will be held at the MTSU Murphy Center (2650 Middle Tennessee Blvd.) from 1–5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 19.

Registration is available on site beginning at 12:30 p.m. Space is limited so preregister on Eventbrite. If you are interested in auditioning for the dance major, please complete an additional audition reservation form at mtsu.edu/theatreanddance.

FEB. 22 DR. MING WANG TO ADDRESS SENIOR CENTER Nashville-based eye surgeon Dr. Ming Wang provides an interesting, informative and educational “Vision Care” program for members and guests at St. Clair Street Senior Center (325 St. Clair St.) Thursday, Feb. 22, at 9 a.m. Gain visual-care knowledge and about the state-of-the-art LASIK technology available. Attendees receive a special gift certificate with discounts toward procedures. The doctor’s real-life story inspired a character in the nationally acclaimed book and blockbuster movie God’s Not Dead. He has been recognized and won many awards for his work with senior citizens and his special work with children from all over the world. Community seniors 60 and over are invited and encouraged to come out and consider a membership. To RSVP, call (615) 848-2550.

FEB 23–25 SOUTHERN EQUINE EXPO The Southern Equine Expo returns to the Tennessee Miller Coliseum (304 W.

Thompson Ln.) Feb. 23–25 for its sixth year. Attendees can expect the highestquality clinics presented by nationally known horsemen, educational seminars and hands-on demonstrations. Clinics continue to be the center point of the Southern Equine Expo. Doors open at 9 a.m.

Friday, Feb. 23, with the first round of the Colt Starting Challenge Friday at 11 a.m and Saturday at 9 a.m. Watch interactive displays, educational lectures from industry leaders, see horse breeds and equine athletes representing a variety of different disciplines and shop from a variety of vendors. Sunday morning begins with Cowboy Church services at 7:30 a.m. For more information, call (615) 494-8961 or visit southernequineexpo.com.

DUE FEB. 26 YOUTH LEADERSHIP RUTHERFORD APPLICATIONS DUE Youth Leadership Rutherford applications are available to current high school juniors for the 2018–19 school year. Youth Leadership Rutherford is an organization supporting personal development, civic education and community engagement initiatives for high school seniors in Rutherford County. Applications are due by Feb. 26. For more information, call (615) 278-2008 or visit rutherfordbep.org.

WEDNESDAYS BORO WRITERS GROUP The Murfreesboro Writers Group is a group of local writers seeking to improve their work through a mutual critique meeting every Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the Board Room of the Linebaugh Library (105 W. Vine St.). Hear science fiction, poetry, alternate reality, memoir, fantasy, mystery and literary fiction. For more information, find MurfreesboroWritersGroup on Facebook or visit rclstn.org/ events/murfreesboro-writers-group.

MARCH 3 MARDI PAWS BALL Supporters of Purple Paws bring Mardi Gras to Tennessee with the 2018 Mardi Paws Ball held at The Stones River Country Club Saturday, March 3, from 6–9 p.m. supporting Purple Paws’ mission of rescuing animals. Tickets are available at 2018mardipawsball.splashthat.com, Lets Make Wine and The Boutique at StudioC on the Square. Tickets include food, music, dancing, drink tickets, costume contest and lagniappe. Masks are available at The Boutique at StudioC, with sales donated to Purple Paws. For more information, find purplepawstn on Facebook.

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Sounds THURS, 2/1

TUES, 2/6

HANK’S

HANK’S

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

THE BORO

Dan Brayall

MTSU Jazz Artist Series

PUCKETT’S GROCERY

Audio Saints

FRI, 2/2

Kristen Foreman Cosmic Jazz Jam

THURS, 2/8 HANK’S

Kevin Wolf

The Clydesdales, The Schwa, Dudette THE BORO

Food Stamp Barbie, Kosma Gram

SUN, 2/11 THE BORO

CARPE ARTISTA

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

MON, 2/12

COCONUT BAY CAFE

NACHO’S

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

Brad Howard Mike DizIll

HANK’S

Kristen Foreman, Lefty Ferguson Duo

MAYDAY BREWERY

The Accidental Trio

MPD

ESP: Eclectic Sounds and Poetry with Bloopr and Still Satellite

NOBODY’S

Ragged Company

SAT, 2/3 COCONUT BAY CAFE

Karaoke with Hitman Walker

HANK’S

Colleen Lloy, Colin Axxwell Duo

MAYDAY BREWERY

Shannon Labrie

PHAT BOYZ

Bittersweet

PUCKETT’S GROCERY

Riley Weston, Joe West

THE CROSSROADS AT TRENZILORE

Exiled to Earth, Lockjaw, Formally Lethargic

THE BORO

Delaney Dean, Blue Willow, Redd Brydd

TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Kurt Heinecke

SUN, 2/4 MAYDAY BREWERY

Sunday Blues with Joey Fletcher and Friends

MON, 2/5 MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

Patrick Walle; Cory Schantz

Tennessee Valley Winds Devin Port

PUCKETT’S GROCERY

Lacey Canfield

THE BORO

Radical Arts Comedy Night

FRI, 2/9 CARPE ARTISTA

Worth the Struggle

Stones River Chamber Players

TUES, 2/13 HANK’S

Don “Poobah” Mealer

MAYDAY BREWERY

Stuart Montez

HANK’S

PUCKETT’S GROCERY

THURS, 2/15

MAYDAY BREWERY

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

Troy Breslow

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

MTSU Wind Ensemble

NOBODY’S

Mixtape

PUCKETT’S GROCERY

David Ball

SAT, 2/10 HANK’S

The Godsey’s, Ivan Fleming

MAIN STREET MUSIC

Minus One, Vinyl Radio

MAYDAY BREWERY

Hoodoo Men

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

Honor Bands Concert

PHAT BOYZ

J.C. Anderson Band

THE CROSSROADS AT TRENZILORE

All Poets & Heroes,

8 * FEBRUARY 2018 * BOROPULSE.COM

SAT, 2/17 @ THE BORO

Power pop trio The Katies performed high-energy shows in Murfreesboro during the golden age of Spongebath Records, channeling the Pixies, Nirvana and Supergrass in the late ’90s, when guitars were super distorted, but before phones were smart. The group disbanded over a decade ago, but a second coming has percolated over the past couple of years. On Feb. 17, the band returns to The Boro on Greenland Drive, joining the town’s favorite folk/acoustic rock collective The Hardin Draw and Rick Perry, from Ashes of Folly.

Matt Marinchick

LANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

Frazier and Company

THE KATIES, THE HARDIN DRAW, PERRY

Cosmic Jazz Jam

WED, 2/14

Bailey Rose, The Jack Finley Band

PICK

THE BORO

COCONUT BAY CAFE

DJ RDP

PULSE

Unlawful, The Jewel Machine

HANK’S

Jordan Carter

MTSU Women’s Chorale

PUCKETT’S GROCERY

The Young Fables

FRI, 2/16 CARPE ARTISTA

Caleb Dinger

COCONUT BAY CAFE

Zone Status

HANK’S

Camille Rae, Lefty Furguson Duo

MAYDAY BREWERY

Jacques Marlino

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

MTSU Chinese Spring Festival Concert

SAT, 2/17

SUN, 2/18

COCONUT BAY CAFE

HANK’S

HANK’S

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

My July Band Colleen Lloy, Wes Loper

MAYDAY BREWERY

The Loose Hinges

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

Christine Kim, Arunesh Nadgir; Aevan Armus

PHAT BOYZ

The Brady Hill Band

THE BORO

NOBODY’S

The Hardin Draw, The Katies, Perry

PUCKETT’S GROCERY

THE CROSSROADS AT TRENZILORE

Machine Gun Kelly

Bobby Tomberlin and Friends

mouton, The Strumms, Deadline, Beginning

Alexis Taylor Jacob Samuels; Anthony Anderson

TUES, 2/20 HANK’S

Scott Honaker

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

Students of Paul Osterfield composition recital

THE BORO

Cosmic Jazz Jam

THURS, 2/22 FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Murfreesboro Symphony

Orchestra presents Basie, Bebop, Ballads & Blues HANK’S

Bailey Rose

NACHO’S

Devin Port

THE BORO

Radical Arts Comedy

FRI, 2/23 CARPE ARTISTA

J.P. Clardy

COCONUT BAY CAFE

Skipper Grace

HANK’S

Zac Eddington, Farcry

MAIN STREET MUSIC

Classic Rock All Stars

MAYDAY BREWERY

The Cosmic Collective

MTSU WRIGHT

MUSIC BUILDING

Michaela Cundari; P.J. Scott

MEDIA RERUN

Allison Young, Chloe Kimes, Nordista Freeze

NOBODY’S

Casual Exchange

WAXFACE RECORDS

New Suede with Joey Fletcher

SAT, 2/24

IF YOU GO Arts Center of Cannon County 1424 John Bragg Hwy., Woodbury, 615-563-2787 Autograph Rehearsal Studio 1400 W. College St. 615-686-6121 Carmen’s Taqueria 206 W. Northfield Blvd.

615-848-9003

CARPE ARTISTA

Century 21 125 Lasseter Dr. 615-890-9168

COCONUT BAY CAFE

Coconut Bay Café 210 Stones River Mall Blvd.

615-494-0504

Jason Lee McKinney Band Backlit

HANK’S

First United Methodist Church 265 W. Thompson Ln. 615-893-1322

MAIN STREET MUSIC

Georgia’s Sports Bar 555 S. Lowry St., Smyrna 615-267-0295

Joe Hooper, Coby Greer, J.D. Myers Resurrection (Journey tribute), Desolation Angels (Bad Company tribute)

MAYDAY BREWERY

Greg Owens and the Whiskey Weather

PHAT BOYZ

Leesha A

THE BORO

Dirty Fuss, Love Montage

THE CROSSROADS AT TRENZILORE

Down They Fall, Flesh Eater, Neptune the Mystic

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

MTSU Symphony Orchestra

SUN, 2/25

Hank’s 2341 Memorial Blvd.

615-410-7747 Lone Wolf Saloon 1208 S. Lowry St., Smyrna 629-255-8296 Main Street Music 527 W. Main St. 615-440-2425 Mayday Brewery 521 Old Salem Hwy. 615-479-9722 Milano II 114 E. College St. 615-624-7390 MPD 712 Crestland Ave. MTSU Wright Music Building 1439 Faulkinberry Dr. 615-898-2469 Nacho’s 2962 S. Rutherford Blvd.

615-907-2700

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

Nobody’s Grille & BBQ 2227 Old Fort Pkwy.

615-962-8019

MTSU Concert Chorale and the Middle Tennessee Choral Society; MTSU Brass Chamber Ensembles

MON, 2/26 MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

MTSU piano studios recital

TUES, 2/27 HANK’S

Troy Breslow

THE BORO

Cosmic Jazz Jam

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

MTSU Jazz Combos

JADA VANCE, HEIDI RAYE, AUTHOR PEPPER JAY AMONG FEBRUARY GUESTS ON THE JUSTIN REED SHOW

Green Dragon 714 W. Main St. 615-801-7171

HANK’S

Ali Morgan

MUSIC NOTES

Peter D’s 2357 Medical Center Pkwy.

615-603-7111 Phat Boyz Bar & Grill 4425 Woodbury Pk. 615-546-4526 Puckett’s Grocery and Restaurant 114 N. Church St. 629-201-6916 The Boro Bar & Grill 1211 Greenland Dr. 615-895-4800 The Crossroads at Trenzilore 6097 Lebanon Pk. Wall Street 121 N. Maple St. 615-867-9090 Wilderness Station at Barfield Crescent Park 401 Volunteer Rd. 615-217-3017

HEIDI RAYE

FEBRUARY IS HERE and The Justin Reed Show has a great month ahead. First off, thank you to everyone who came out to City Cafe on Feb. 1—you helped make it another successful show at our home away from home!

The rest of the month is as follows: FEB. 8, 2018: Episode 218 – At 7:30 a.m., Devin Henry will visit to talk about his new single, “Firework.”

Born and raised in Gallia County, Ohio, Henry grew up with a true love for country music. He now spends his time recording and playing every chance he gets; he is currently signed with Nashville Entertainment Weekly Records. Find more information at devinhenrymusic.com.

At 8 a.m., Kristy Cox drops by to talk about her new album, Ricochet. Teaming up with legendary songwriter and producer Jerry Salley to produce this new album, Cox has recently reached the top of the Bluegrass Today’s Top 10 Songs chart. For information on Cox, visit kristycox.com.

At 9 a.m., Jada Vance makes her return to the show with a new single, “There’s Always Me.” Hailing from Portland, Tennessee, Vance competed on American Idol and has opened for the likes of Little Texas, Little Big Town, Daryle Singletary and Travis Tritt. She will be playing live during her appearance on The Justin Reed Show; more information can be found at jadavance.com.

FEB. 15: Episode 219 – Heidi Raye will come back to the show during the 9 a.m. hour. Raye, signed to Harlan Howard Records in Nashville, has just finished a tour of Australia and enjoys playing music for fans everywhere. This Canada native now makes her home in Nashville; see heidiraye.com for more information and to get “Junkyard.”

FEB. 22: Episode 220 – Author Pepper Jay visits to share stories and tips from her new book, Dynamic Song Performance, The Singer’s Bible. Jay grew up in Hollywood and began her performance career at the young age of 5 on TV sitcoms and in local theater. She has been an educator, attorney and a producer throughout her career. In her new book, she gives singers the tips they need to get the performance they desire. For more information on Pepper Jay, see pepperjay.com.

See thejustinreedshow.com/calendar for the most up-todate listing of other artists signed up to be on the show.

Check out facebook.com/thejustinreedshow, facebook. com/justinreedradio, and@tjrs_wmts & @JustinDReed on Twitter to keep up with all things The Justin Reed Show.

Lastly, thank you for being a great fan of the show. It takes great fans like you to make the show so successful.

Tune in on Thursday!

Peace, Love and Ernest Tubb, — JUSTIN REED BOROPULSE.COM

* FEBRUARY 2018 * 9

MTSU PROFESSOR PRODUCES “CYMBELINE” BY DAVID BRUCE

MUSIC NOTES

The production talents of John Hill, a Grammy Awardwinning recording industry professor at MTSU, recently received some national exposure. American Public Media’s nationally syndicated Performance Today radio program played the contemporary classical number “Cymbeline” by David Bruce, which was produced by Hill, in the summer of 2017.

“We regularly send things to APM,” said Hill. “They listened to it. They put it on one of their programs, and then they had a really amazing listener response.

People were calling in and saying, ‘where do we get this recording?’”

Although “Cymbeline” is a classical piece, it was influenced by Appalachian folk music and prominently features a mandolin. Hill recorded “Cymbeline” as part of a chamber music series called “String Theory at the Hunter” at the Hunter Museum of American Art in Chattanooga, Tennessee. That recording program also included an original composition by MTSU music professor Jamey Simmons. Listen to the piece on Soundcloud.

WAXFACE RECORDS HOSTS JOEY FLETCHER, NEW SUEDE ON FEB. 23 Murfreesboro vinyl shop Waxface Records will host its first in-store performance on Friday, Feb. 23, featuring New Suede and Joey Fletcher. Fairly new faces on the local music circuit, vintage rock outfit New Suede emerged in 2016 with founding members Eli Perron, Chandler Brown, Matt MacPhail and Alex Ramsay. While we await the band’s debut album, set for release later this year, check out singles “Taxi,” “Ocean Drops” and “Believe” at newsuede.bandcamp.com.

Veteran Murfreesboro guitarist Joey Fletcher joins them for the show, beginning at 8 p.m at Waxface, 748 E. Northfield Blvd.

ENTERTAINMENT

DJ, BINGO, TRIVIA & KARAOKE NIGHTS  MONDAYS AHART’S PIZZA GARDEN Trivia, 6:30 p.m.

LEVEL III Trivia, 7 p.m.

 TUESDAYS COCONUT BAY Live Trivia, 7:30 p.m.

LONE WOLF SALOON Open Mic Night, 7–11 p.m.

NACHO’S Trivia, 7 p.m.

NOBODY'S Bingo, 7 p.m.

OLD CHICAGO Trivia, 9 p.m.

TGI FRIDAY’S Trivia, 9 p.m.

 WEDNESDAYS CAMPUS PUB Karaoke, 10 p.m.–2:30 a.m.

GEORGIA’S SPORTS BAR Karaoke, 9 p.m.

LA SIESTA (GREENLAND) Trivia, 7 p.m.

LEVEL III Trivia, 7 p.m.

MELLOW MUSHROOM Trivia, 8 p.m.

NOBODY’S Trivia, 7 and 9:30 p.m.

SAM’S SPORTS GRILL Trivia, 8 p.m.

STATION GRILL Trivia, 7 p.m.

 THURSDAYS BOB’S BBQ Trivia, 7 p.m.

CAMPUS PUB Trivia, 6:15 and 8:15 p.m.

COCONUT BAY Karaoke, 8:00 p.m.

GEORGIA’S SPORTS BAR Karaoke, 7 p.m.

NOBODY’S Karaoke, 9:15 p.m.–12:30 a.m.

WHISKEY DIX DJ Cliffy D, 8 p.m.

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 FRIDAYS GEORGIA’S SPORTS BAR Karaoke, 9 p.m.

LIQUID SMOKE DJ Night, 10 p.m.

MT BOTTLE Karaoke, 9 p.m.–3 a.m.

WHISKEY DIX DJ Cliffy D, 8 p.m.

 SATURDAYS CAMPUS PUB Karaoke, 10 p.m.–2:30 a.m.

NACHOS Trivia, 7 p.m.

NOBODY’S Karaoke, 9:15 p.m.–12:30 a.m.

WHISKEY DIX DJ Cliffy D, 8 p.m.

 SUNDAYS JACK BROWN’S Waxface Vinyl and Music Trivia Night 8 p.m.

SAM’S SPORTS GRILL Trivia, 8 p.m.

TENNESSEE VALLEY WINDS PERFORM AT MTSU FEB. 8 The Tennessee Valley Winds will perform a free concert as part of the annual Wind Band Conference hosted by Middle Tennessee State University. The concert, performed under the direction of guest conductor Dr. William F. Malambri, will be held at MTSU’s T. Earl Hinton Recital Hall inside the Wright Music Building at 8 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 8.

Roger Ingram is this year’s guest soloist on trumpet, and Rick DeJonge will conduct a piece specifically arranged for the event.

Ingram is one of the most prolific lead trumpet players and session musicians of our time, having performed and recorded with Tom Jones, Ray Charles, Harry Connick Jr., Wynton Marsalis, Frank Sinatra and others.

For more information on the 2018 Tennessee Wind Band Conference, visit mtsu.edu/wbc. For more information on the Tennessee Valley Winds, visit tnvalleywinds.org.

ALBUMS

ALLISON YOUNG Old Friend

THE SECRET COMMONWEATLH

With only a couple singles under her belt, Murfreesboro singer-songwriter Allison Young recently released her debut project, Old Friend, a six-song EP (bonus track included) that reflects on her teen years leading up to adulthood. After relocating to the the area to attend Middle Tennessee State University, Young says she discovered the right people and equipment to bring her music into proper light.

In addition to songwriting, Young plays ukulele, guitar, piano, melodica and percussion. Due to the jovial nature of these instruments, along with her sundrenched lyrics about love and the comfort and ease of childhood, Young’s music tends to seamlessly release positivity in the same vein as indie-folk artists Ingrid Michaelson and Priscilla Ahn. Produced by Jay Inman, Old Friend begins with “Just Let Go,” a cheerful song about living adventurously, whether it be by a cabin in the woods or at the seashore. The EP continues with the title track, a song about how memories come rushing back after seeing or speaking with someone from the past. Hey, how’s your mom? Is she still humming that old country song? she wonders. The ukulele-backed love song “Would You” is followed up with “Soup Cans and a String,” an acoustic ballad about childhood and finding joy in forming friendships and jumping on beds.

I miss the days when I could dress up like a princess and walk right into town Those little plastic shoes and a wand that I would lose Jewels missing from my crown The EP comes to an end with her dreamy cover of “Apple Blossom Time,” a song originally penned in the ’20s and made popular by the Andrews Sisters in 1957.

She’s joined on the track by guitarist Melanie Faye, another artist to keep your eyes on this year.

See Young perform at Media Rerun on Feb. 23 with Chloe Kimes and Nordista Freeze. Old Friend is available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon and iTunes.

— DYLAN SKYE AYCOCK

Irish/Scottish folk band The Secret Commonwealth has been a Middle Tennessee staple since then-MTSU students Troy Guinn, Jack Hunter Daves Jr. and Rob Campbell founded the group back in 1993. After two and a half decades of Celtic tunes, live performances, lineup changes and the passing of Daves, the group is still going strong as a five-piece. Guinn, Campbell, Uncle Don Clark, Franko Hashiguchi and Vicky Plant make up TSC nowadays, with Lager & Blood marking the band’s fourth album.

Lager & Blood features a collection of traditional folk tunes and the result is a feelgood romp that will transport you to the shores of Éire, or at least into a pub for a St. Paddy’s Day bash.

All 15 tracks capture the spirit of their centuriesold Irish and Scottish origins, though some stand above the rest. On the leading cut, “The Leaving of Liverpool,” the Secret Commonwealth takes the somewhat sad sea shanty about a farewell journey and turns it into a celebratory send-off. The song’s organic instrumentation puts the listener in the ideal headspace for the rest of the album.

All of the drinking cuts on the album fall in a similar vein. “Johnny Jump Up,” “Streams of Whiskey” and “The Old Dun Cow” are immensely fun and make you want to grab a pint.

The slower ballads serve as welcome contrasts to the more lively moments. “The Earl of Moray” is a sweeping, sorrow-filled murder ballad that breaks up a stream of upbeat numbers. The a cappella “St. James Infirmary” concludes the album in an unexpected way. One might think The Secret Commonwealth would go out on a celebratory note, but the somber song serves as an introspective cool-down.

If you like Celtic tunes, or even just want to broaden your musical scope, this album is one to try out.

Lager & Blood is available on Spotify and other online platforms. — JOHN CONNOR COULSTON

Lager & Blood

A CLASSIC OUTSTANDING

AVERAGE BELOW AVERAGE

AVOID AT ALL COSTS DEAD

Sounds

Read more about local music at

BoroPulse.com/Category/Music

BONNAROO 2018 LINEUP INCLUDES EMINEM, THE KILLERS, MUSE, BASSNECTAR After bouncing back in ticket sales last year, Bonnaroo organizers hope to continue the trend in 2018 by bringing in rap and rock headliners Eminem, the Killers, Muse and Future. Other top artists at the Manchester, Tennessee, festival include Bassnectar, Sturgill Simpson, Bon Iver (two sets), Paramore, Alt-J, Khalid, Dua Lipa and Sheryl Crow.

Now in its 17th year, Bonnaroo has long since abandoned its jam-band roots and legacy acts for whichever artists are most popular on the music festival circuit in any given year.

In fact, you can find all three headliners at other U.S. festivals this year. Despite no longer having a Paul McCartney or Elton John to close out the four-day festival, veteran performers Nile Rodgers and CHIC and Mavis Staples make an appearance further down the lineup. Hip-hop acts BROCKHAMPTON, Playboi Carti and T-Pain are slated to perform this year, as well as a fairly strong indie undercard featuring Manchester Orchestra, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, First Aid Kit, Japanese Breakfast and Lissie.

Nashville usually has a fairly strong presence at Bonnaroo, and this year is no different. Sheryl Crow, Sturgill Simpson, Moon Taxi, Paramore, Old Crow Medicine Show, Brothers Osborne and Ron Gallo all call Music City home. And while it appears Ed Helms’ annual Bluegrass Situation Superjam is no longer happening on “The Farm,” there is an equally intriguing event listed only as “Grand Ole Opry.”

The massive four-day festival, coming up June 7–10, will also showcase STS9, Anderson .Paak, Chromeo, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, The Glitch Mob and many others.

There’s a slight chance we’ll see a few more artists added to the bill later this spring when festival organizers announce the cinema and comedy schedules. For more information on the event, visit bonnaroo.com.

—DYLAN SKYE AYCOCK

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MUSIC NOTES ANDERSON .PAAK

BASSNECTAR

EMINEM

MUSE

THE KILLERS

Sounds

Read more about local music at

BoroPulse.com/Category/Music

ON THE ROAD AGAIN Heart of Vinyl brings your favorite records to local breweries.

STORY BY DYLAN SKYE AYCOCK

M

urfreesboro record collectors haven’t had to travel far when looking to add to their collection. Antique and thrift shops, chain retailers and local record stores like Waxface Records and Media Rerun have supplied the local community.

Last summer, Justin and Megan Frazier became part of a growing retail trend of “pop-up shops” when they hauled hundreds of records to various breweries and taprooms in the region.

Heart of Vinyl began as an occasional pop-up record store at breweries in Murfreesboro, Franklin and Nashville. Now the Fraziers are adding places like Asheville, North Carolina, and Hopkinsville, Kentucky, to the list.

Justin says he started Heart of Vinyl as a way to monetize his obsession, without the demands of leasing a physical location. The element of surprise that comes with owning a pop-up store keeps things exciting for both him and his customers, he says.

“When we go and set up at breweries and taprooms, people are surprised to see a record shop off to the side,” Justin explains. “I always get the response of, ‘I was not expecting that,’ or ‘You’re going to drain my wallet.’ We’re only set up for a few hours and then we’re gone. It keeps things exciting.”

In addition to setting up shop on Saturdays, Justin posts photos of records, along with each album’s catalog and pressing information, on the Heart of Vinyl Facebook and Instagram pages. While most of his business stems from in-person purchases, Justin eases the minds of people buying through social media by testing each record before posting.

The Pulse recently caught up with Justin to discuss Heart of Vinyl’s first year in business.

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Murfreesboro Pulse: How did Heart of Vinyl come to be?

JUSTIN FRAZIER: I had the idea of doing a pop-up record shop for a couple years. There are some other people I’ve seen around that have this kind of thing at a street fair or something like that. So the idea was on my mind, but I haven’t really seen anyone doing it the way that I’m doing it.

How did you go about starting your vinyl collection and how long have you been a record collector?

I’ve been collecting since I was a child, probably around 10 or 11 years old. A lot of the Frazier side of my family are musicians.

I grew up around my grandfather who had a bunch of records, as well as my dad. I was from a musical home, and there was always music playing or people coming over to play music. I kind of gravitated towards the albums that I saw lying around. It just kept on going from there and turned into an obsession, and that’s kind of where the business took off. I decided to try it to turn the hobby into something that’s lucrative so I can make a little money, too, instead of always spending it.

You also play in the band Frazier & Company, right?

That’s our family band. Frazier & Company is myself, my brother, Brad, my father, Mike, and my grandfather, Horace. Everyone has played music since they were children. The company part is some friends of mine and my dad. I got my start playing drums by sneaking behind a drum set back in the day when my father’s band wasn’t practicing. It stuck with me, and I’m still playing now 20-something years later.

What are the benefits of having a pop-up record store as opposed to a brick-and-mortar shop?

During the day, I also work at my family company, Frazier Electric, so I understand what it’s like to have a small business and the things that come with owning a brickand-mortar location: rent, mortgage, those

sorts of expenses. So that translates into me being able to control the pricing of the records and not have to charge $40 for every single record that comes through.

How many records do you normally take to events?

I try to stock the most diverse stuff that I have but also things that I know are going to make the biggest impact with people.

I do carry some more obscure items like underground hardcore bands and things like that. So it’s a lot of names like David Bowie, Fleetwood Mac and Run DMC . . . the heavy hitters. And then I do keep some obscure things to surprise people.

Do you have any advice for people who are thinking about collecting?

Don’t believe too much of the hype surrounding the prices on rare albums. Prices can be subjective and something that you think is worth $100 is worth $500 to someone else.

Also, focus on collecting what you like. That’s the fun part about finding records that are special to you. It doesn’t matter if they are popular or not. What’s fun is digging through crates and finding those little hidden musical gems, as well as discovering bands that you’ve never heard of.

I love asking record collectors about favorite albums in their collection.

What are some of yours?

I’ve got a really cool copy of a Metallica record that I found when I was in Germany.

It’s called Garage Days, and it’s a really cool pressing on a green translucent vinyl. I don’t get into collecting and selling really rare or obscure items. That carries over to the business because I like to sell copies that are in good condition but also something that people can afford to buy on the spot.

CHECK OUT WHERE HEART OF VINYL WILL BE THIS MONTH: FEB. 3 AT 3 P.M. Mad Knight Brewing, Chattanooga FEB. 10 AT 2 P.M. Hopkinsville Brewing Company, Hopkinsville, Kentucky FEB. 17 AT 2 P.M. Bearded Iris Brewing, Nashville Visit facebook.com/heartofvinyl

Living

DEN 3030

Murfreesboro organization transforms area youth into courageous lions.

STORY BY JESSICA BARROLL

P

astor Michael Davis, the director of inner-city ministry for New Vision Baptist Church and a native of Murfreesboro, started The Den 3030 as an after-school program for the local children in the community with the backing of his pastor at New Vision Baptist Church, Brady Cooper. With the help of his wife, Nancy, and their three children, Pastor Davis has recently been finally able to carry out a vision that started in the mid-nineties.

“One of the things I wanted to share with the young people was that sports are good, sports are fantastic, but what if you can’t play a sport? You need to have a back-up. . . . So, I really wanted to have a place where kids could come and where we could make education exciting, introduce them to different things they may not have been introduced to before, take them to different places. And so The Den is created to have a place for them to come and we can introduce them to different new things,” explained Davis.

Regarding how the name of the ministry originated, Pastor Davis quotes Proverbs 30:30: “The lion is the fiercest of all animals who retreats from nothing,” he says, adding, “Where does a lion go to rest, restore, renew?

He goes back to his den.”

Davis modeled the Den program after a program in Nashville called Cottage Cove Ministries that is run by Brent McDonald, who has mentored Davis in his own endeavor. Every weekday afternoon Pastor Davis and volunteers will go to Hobgood Elementary to pick up the kids and take them back to the Den building, next to Fred’s on Middle Tennessee Boulevard. Once they get to the building, they work on homework assignments and assist

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the kids with whatever needs they might have.

Every 30 minutes up until 6 p.m., there are different stations set up for kids to experience.

All the games at these stations are centered around education, while the foods eaten or places they go on outings away from the center are geared towards exposing the children to different things.

Currently, the ministry assists 12 children, based on the number of volunteers currently available to give them one-on-one attention.

Sitting across from Pastor Davis and Nancy, one can truly tell that this ministry is not only a labor of love, but also a true partnership in the community for them.

“It just overwhelms my heart when the kids from the homework program are so excited to be at the Den. They may fuss that day when you pick them up from school, but if [Michael] doesn’t pick them up they’re like, ‘What’s going on?’ When you’re having a bad day and you feel like it’s not coming together, and then he reaches in his pocket and a child has written him a note or drawn a picture of how much they love being at the Den—that’s what

it’s all about,” Nancy enthusiastically adds.

The Den is not the only ministry they are leading in the community. Davis also leads a men’s ministry which runs much like the Big Brother program, partnering boys ages 8 and up with an adult male mentor. All adults have been through a background check before they are accepted as volunteers with the ministry.

Meanwhile, Nancy runs the women’s ministry which is focused on building relationships with the moms of the children in the afterschool program. For the last eight years they have also run the Lunch Buddy program, which partners with six local schools and works with 60 students.

Many of these lunch buddies become family and remain actively involved in their student’s lives. Davis tells of one such relationship, saying, “One of our lunch buddies is a helicopter pilot for Vanderbilt. He’s been a lunch buddy for the past four years with his student from Black Fox. His student, when he got old enough, started playing city league football and so what the pilot would do is when he had a call or just a practice run and he knew his

lunch buddy was out there playing football, when he would fly over the football field he would tilt his helicopter just for him.”

As far as what he sees for the future of The Den, Davis would like to have more dedicated volunteers on hand to help more students, scholarships for students who graduate high school and want to attend college and tours of colleges in other states to show children the opportunities that are out there.

Pastor Davis wants the community and other organizations and churches to know “it’s not denominational, it’s not ethnic, it’s just about winning—how do we help families win? That’s what I want, for the families to know that we want to help them win and for everybody to say “hey, let’s go over there and go help [the Den] help families to win because we can’t do this by ourselves. . . .” Whatever that takes then that’s what we’re going to do.”

For more information, visit the Facebook page Den3030, call 615-867-9111, or email michael.davis@newvisionlife.com or shanelle.cole@newvisionlife.com.

BOROPULSE.COM

* FEBRUARY 2018 * 19

Farmers Market Education Series

BY EDWINA SHANNON

Should a Gardener and a Farmer Be Considered Environmentalists?

HERE IT IS 2018, and before long there will be dirt on our hands again as we start another growing season. I am happy to announce that the catalogs are out and being delivered to area mailboxes. The local nurseries have seed packets (so many seeds from which to choose, so little space to cultivate). February is the earliest time to plant cool-season vegetables like cabbage, kale, kolrabi, lettuce, mustard, onions, English peas, snap peas, radishes and spinach. These require cool soil and cool air temperatures to germinate, grow and mature with maximum yield and quality. If you have ridges or hills in your gardenscape, plant there as the ridges warm faster than the level soil. It is a tricky time to move soil to make ridges, as wet soil can form clay sculptures. It would have been better to form the ridges in the fall. Spring-planted vegetables respond well to nitrogen side dressings.

As I’m flipping through the pages of the seed catalogs, I notice growth enhancers, soil builders and nutrients for enhanced production. I have used them all, as well as organic methods of building soils. Why? Simply, to get a high yield from my vegetables.

I would love to have the problem

of too much produce. I often think that I need to schedule a regular time to assist my garden each and everyday. Perhaps consistent monitoring and consistent care (like a child) will create better results.

That is on this year’s to-do list.

Do I need new tools?

Tools have not changed much over the centuries. If you look at historic tools, you will find shovels, trowels, cultivators, hoes, disk harrows and plows. There are seeders. Dependent on the size of your garden, you may choose manual work, a human-powered machine or a motorized machine.

The process is the same; it is the volume of cultivation that will help you decide. Finally, consider a good wheelbarrow.

Since I could not live for a year solely eating the produce in my garden, I continue to garden as a hobby, a diversion and a refuge from everyday chaos. The last thing I want in gardening and in my refuge is any type of hate. Plus, I think plants respond to love and caring, not abuse and neglect. I guess I am a gardening

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environmentalist, as I recognize the earth patterns and balanced ecosystems. I strive to have my piece of earth be in harmony with nature, giving and taking as a balanced life within my garden.

The word “environmentalist” is such a political label that it immediately conjures reactions on both sides of an issue. As with any emotional response, logic is thrown to the wind.

So I hear supporters on both sides of an environmental issue sharing concerns, yet the vitriol is so thick that they do not hear each other. It is a very sad situation when divergent views cannot find a basis of communication to have an interesting discussion.

I ask this contentious question: “should gardeners be assumed to be environmentalists?”

There are people who see working with nature in a garden or on a farm as different than being in and protecting nature as an ecologist or conservationist. From a computer search, the synonyms of an environmentalist that appear are conservationist, preservationist, ecologist and nature lover.

Gardener and farmer are

not seen on the list. On another computer search for a gardener, the synonyms are horticulturist, greenskeeper, garden caretaker, grower. Environmentalist isn’t there, either. By the synonym definitions supplied, the inference suggests those who grow vegetables, flowers and herbs can do so without the ecology of nature.

Should it be assumed that a gardener is a nature lover, and probably a tree hugger?

Can a conservationist support chemical enhancements for garden and farm production and insect control?

As a general statement, conservationists care for trees. The Tennessee Environmental Council has shared that forests cover 14 million acres (52 percent) of the state.

Threats from wildfires, insects, disease, improper management and urban expansion do threaten forests. Why should a gardener, a farmer and a citizen care other than to enjoy a walk in the woods?

Lawn Management

The shrubs and trees in your yard serve multiple purposes: shade, food and shelter for wildlife, water retention for vegetation, just for starters. The trees and shrubs put down deep roots which slow down the water runoff from rain and melting snow.

The soil works as a filtration as the water passes through it. Obviously, gardens and farms need usable water.

If the moisture is not properly managed due to insufficient shrubs and trees on your land serving as water absorbers, the water runs off the land too quickly.

Think of the devastation from clear cutting; the runoff overloads our streams and carries topsoil, debris and chemicals from the land over which it travels, creating polluted water and diminishing the quality of our soil for plant growth.

The runoff knocks the affected ecosystems out of balance for optimum life

support, both human and wild.

Mulch will assist the roots in keeping the moisture in the soil, slowing down erosion. The mycorrhizae fungi in the soil absorbs both water and nutrients from the soil and assists them back to the roots of the plants. They are a link between the roots and the soil and act as conductors or carriers of the nutrients within the soil.

The nutritive quality of our foods can be directly traced to the nutritive quality of our soil. Mineral-rich soils contain trace elements that are traceable in the produce grown in that soil. Living organisms, humans included, need trace elements in their systems for proper functioning.

Chemical Alteration

Chemical-solution supporters separate the natural process from the applied one.

The guidelines on the use of chemicals, if selected, must be diligently followed.

Just read any label. Always read the labels of any fertilizer, weed killer, etc that you apply to your property, gardens included.

More is not better.

There are lands that have received chemical treatments since the ’40s. From the beginning, advocates for both sides have explained two different camps of thought: chemical alteration and enhancement versus natural selection and life cycling. The result of trusting chemical applications alone instead of using a natural process changes the soil structure and constituents within the soil first. As a result of the chemical application and misapplication, the quality of the food produced from that soil is affected. The extrapolation of minerals and trace elements from that soil is dependent on the soil having the elements to extract into the growing plants and produce. The next logical focus is on the quality of the soil in which you have food growing.

As you think and decide on the vegetables and fruits to be grown in your yard or on your patio this year, also consider supporting the soil in which they are grown.

The soil is our friend and part of our support system. It freely shares what it has for the benefit of those who help support it.

Mark you calendars for some winter inspiration through local garden shows.

The Nashville Garden Show is scheduled at the Fairgrounds on March 1–4. The Boro Garden Show and Party will be held April 6 and 7 at the Lane Agri-Park Community Building on John R. Rice Blvd in Murfreesboro.

BOROPULSE.COM

* FEBRUARY 2018 * 21

 RECOMMENDED READING “This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America. Within the U.S., you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.” — GoogleBooks.com

ECCE DEUS:

ESSAYS ON THE LIFE AND DOCTRINE OF JESUS CHRIST

BY JOSEPH PARKER (1870) Chapter 1: The Holy Thing Many false Christs have gone out into the world. The Christ that was born in Bethlehem has now to compete with the Christ born in the poet’s fancy, carved out of an ideal humanity, or developed out of a benevolent sentiment. This noble, simple Nazarene has been left behind somewhere, probably in the temple, or has passed through so many guises that the characteristic lineaments have been lost. This circumstance is a significant creature of the spiritual civilization of the day.

Deepest and truest among its lessons in the doctrine that man must have a Christ. There has ever been a motion, a gravitation, more or less palpable, towards a man who should be the complement of every other man; and who, by the perfectness of his manhood, should be able to restore and preserve the equipoise which universal consciousness affirms to have been disturbed or lost.

The incarnation is the radical mystery in the life of the Christ accepted by the Church. Without following the theologian into doctrine, we are bound to follow the historian into matters of fact. The historian introduces a man, under the name of Jesus, who was begotten as not other man was ever begotten. He does not represent the usual conditions of human birth, but stands alone among all men. The mysteriousness of his origin, even if it be but a supposition, will supply an easily available test of his entire life and teaching; the man who begins as no other man has ever began must continue as no other man ever continued.

In other senses than that of the procreation of human life, there have been miraculous conceptions in every age—conceptions by the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost, too. Every foremost thought of God among men, every struggle of the soul in the direction in which God is supposed to have gone, has been an effect of divine operation upon the mind. In Jesus Christ alone have we a life which claims to have been produced immediately by a superhuman relation to the human body. Yet, though so produced, “the holy thing” born of the Virgin did not collide with the human race as an unexpected antagonistic element, but took his place in the human family by a process which, on one side, was fitted to awaken awe, and on the other, to excite sympathy. The world of the East had been accustomed to what may be termed miraculous conceptions on the intellectual sphere, as the

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world of the West has since become. Intellectual history presents a succession of births, quite, in their degree and according to their nature, as inexplicable as any occurrence that could transpire in the material sphere. “The Holy Ghost has come upon, and the power of the Highest has overshadowed,” all who have wrought upon the springs of civilization, and enriched the resources of human life: poem and picture, book and statue, that have touched the world’s soul, and given it any hint that there was a portion of the universe beyond the narrow visual line, or a deeper life in itself than could be sustained by bread alone, have been, notwithstanding the apparent irreverence of the expression, miraculous conceptions, fruits of the Spirit’s strife with the human mind. The Spirit had to move upon intellectual chaos, and now all orderliness, or beauty, or music, is attributable to his power. The grim spectra of traditional orthodoxy may shudder at the notion; yet, rather than pronounce the genius of civilization atheistic, it may be more reverent to describe it as a conception and production of the divine energy operation through human instrumentalities. The excess of difficulty is on the side of atheism, not of inspiration.

On such a subject men, are not required to be more orthodox than the Bible itself.

Moses hesitated not to say that the Lord had called by name Bezaleel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and had “filled him with the Spirit of God, wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, and to devise curious works, to work in gold and in silver and in brass, and in the cutting of stones to set them, and in the carving of wood to make any manner of cunning work.” Art his thus set among the miraculous conceptions, and civilization is robed as a worshipper in the outer court of the Temple. Still we have not a man who claim sin a peculiar sense to have God’s life in his veins. We have seen God in heart; can we see God in blood?

It is important to remember, what one would have thought could never have been forgotten, that there is a document written by many scribes, which profess to be an authentic history of a Man who openly claimed to have been begotten by the Holy Ghost. How can we test the validity of such a claim? Without inquiring whether there are any other ways, there is certainly this simple and effectual plan: Is the mystery of the life consistent with the alleged mystery of the origin? Is the doctrine consistent with the birth?

If the man be found to be in perfect accord with the mystery—in portion, so to speak, to it; if there be no break in the rhythm between

the “sayings” of the teacher and the alleged revelation of the angel who foretold his birth; then this unity of mystery becomes itself an argument which compels certain conclusions. If, on the other hand, the phenomena of the birth and the one of the doctrine be discrepant; if the could of mystery has been employed to conceal defect of stature; then the claim to ahem been begotten by the Holy Ghost is not only unsupported, but positively contradicted. The present inquiry will revert again and again to the consistency between the declared divinity of the fatherhood and the teaching of him who was begotten.

Omnipotence covers the whole ground of difficulty as to the possibility of such a conception as is claimed on behalf of Jesus Christ. No argument, therefore, need be started in defense of that side of the question.

Given the existence of God, and the power required to bring out the alleged result will be granted too; defect of power will be defect of Godhead, and defect of Godhead is an absurdity. Yet the entire Christ, so to speak, coming from God without human interposition would have increased the difficulty of his acceptance among men. We can see how a union between the divine and human would have many advantages: if the Man spoke the language of earth with the accent of heaven; if he encouraged men by his common human nature to approach him, and then gave them assurance that the human enshrined the divine; he would complete by his power what he ad begun by his weakness. This much we can see merely as an argument, without conceding that the facts which are yet to be collated bear it out. Are there any traces of quality in Christ’s life and teaching? Anything that would confirm his claim to have descended from heaven? On the very face of the life there are many such traces; and in a more subtle and incidental way there are hints and testimonies which should be scrutinized and estimated. We find Christ in the midst of a great multitude, and then he goes no man knowing whither; he sends his disciples to buy food, and then tells them that he has meat to eat which they know not of; in the very act of talking to man, he says that he is in heaven; he is willing to be identified as the son of Mary, yet never speaks of any father but God; he is known to have no opportunities of technical learning, yet his wisdom is acknowledged by the doctors of law; he submits to the fury of the ruffian band, yet talks of the legions of angels who wait but his prayer; all through we have these dualistic turns of speech—one part of the sentence plain, the other haloed with strange glory or lost in gloom. This is a mere matter of fact, as found upon the face of the document which professes to contain the life of Jesus Christ. All this any skeptic would say, in common with any Christian. So far the matter is literary, not theological. Still there is an outline of an argument shaping itself from this view. The argument of consistency takes its inception at this point.

The so-called discrepancies on matters of fact which some readers have professed

to find, upon a collation of the fourfold narrative, are less than nothing. History can never be written. It can only be hinted at, and most dimly outlined, from the particular standpoint which the historian has chosen to occupy. It is only by courtesy that any man be called an historian. Seldom do men so flatly contradict each other as upon points of fact. Incompleteness marks all narrations.

No man can fully write even his own life. On reviewing the sheets which were to have told everthing, the autobiographer is truck with their reticence and poverty. Two processes are synchronous in the act of writing, the process of the pen and the process of the mind; and because the mind sees the subject in all its magnitude and bearings, it considers itself rather than the reader, who approaches the question from an outside point. Men cannot print tones, glances, sighs, or tears. The heart always suffers by being translated into speech. Readers bring their own methods of reading, and often the book which is essentially musical is dishonored by a vitiated articulation. The life of Christ has suffered much in the same way; it suffered by being written at all, and that it has outlived its suffering is one of the firmest proofs that there is a divine spirit in earthly words. The life is before us in fragments only, and the most that we can do is to inquire whether the fragments lie in one direction, bear any evidence of having been cut out of the same rock, or testify to anything like unity of purpose.

It must be remembered that Jesus Christ had been the absorbing theme of all ages prior to his advent. This circumstance alone marks him off from all other men. The hope of his coming had kept society together, preserving it from intellectual and moral annihilation.

When Christ came, long chapters of prophecy were to be closed like gates through which a king or conqueror had passed. The prayers of many ages were to be answered. The prophecies respecting him were marked by that strange dualism which attached to his life: taken separately as mere statements of fact, they are contradictory; but looked at in the light of the dual nature which he claimed, there is immediate and perfect reconciliation. The great paradoxes of prophecy were harmonized in the greater paradox of the life.

Christ was “a root out of a dry ground,” yet he was “the flower of Jesse and the plant of renown;” he was “despised and rejected of men,” yet he was “the desire of all nations;” he was “without form and comeliness,” yet he was “the fairest among ten thousand, and altogether lovely;” he was “the Child,” yet he was “the Ancient of days.” Thus we are detained on the same line of mystery.

Prophecy and fulfillment are different phases of the same paradox. The range of evidence is thus extended, so that any man claiming to be Christ must be brought for judgement to the standard of prophecy. This fact does much to clear the field of intruders, and to narrow the ground of competition. Christ distinctly threw himself upon the prophecy, and challenged scribe and doctor and rabbi to “search the

Scriptures.” There was no wish to escape the test of written prediction, but a determination to abide by a careful search of the records which were regarded as having been received immediately from God. He began at Moses and all the prophets, and showed from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

No challenge could be bolder. He stood at the close of the great prophetic dispensation, and said, “The prophets wrote of me;” and looking forward to the evolution of time, and tracing the course of religious education and development, he commanded that his name should be taught in "all nations.” It was not, then, on some recondite and insignificant point that Christ claimed his position in the world, but on the broad ground of completed prophecy. He was the fruit which was to be produced by the roots of promise and hope which God had from the beginning put into the hearts of men. He closed the troubled era of prophecy, and opened a most gorgeous apocalypse, which took its power and glory entirely from his own name. If any challenge could have developed a rival, or brought into prominence the lawful heir of the heritage described by the prophets, this would have done so. An unlearned man addressing the sages of his time, who held the first literature of the world—not only unlearned, but garbed as a peasant, poor in his known ancestry, and unsupported by any visible authority—said, “Open your scrolls, and read the prediction of my person and power; consult the prophets, and see if I bear not the hitherto misread

signs of Messiahship; recall the music of the minstrels of Israel, and say whether not my heart be accord with their rhythm.” This made it hard work for an impostor. The empiric may have brilliant vision sod the future, but it is perilous for him to challenge his contemporaries to go far back in search of his ancestral roots. The case as laid down in the biographic document compels us to go beyond Bethlehem if we would understand the purpose of the birth. We have hardly turned the first page of the Bible until we feel that a new and marvelous element has been interjected into the history of man, which gives life and tone and purpose to the whole current of earthly affairs.

The generations are centralized in one idea.

From Abraham to David, from David to the caring away into Babylon, and from Babylon until Herod reigned in Judea, there is a life far below the surface. From behind the prophetic veil, or through it, there glows the image of a man, stranger to everybody, yet friendly to all. A marvelous image it is, so indistinct, yet so positive; gentle, yet carrying awful power, as the summer cloud carries lightning; very near, yet distant as the unseen God. We feel this in coming along the Biblical line; feel that almost at any moment a Man might stand up in the very likeness and majesty of God; and a strange, fascinating spell binds the reader, until having passed the prophecies he comes to the Star, and the Virgin, and the Child. That Child had been the mystery of all his reading; there, in infant life, lay the explanation, itself a mystery, of all the tumultuous events and

hopeful promises which made up the sum of prophetic history. We cannot understand the Child without at leafs recognizing that it is alleged that he came up from unbeginning time to express, audibly and visibly, what otherwise could never have been known of God. The opening chapter of the Gospels is more than a catalogue of names. it is the Old Testament summarized; it is human history in miniature; an assembly of the Past convened to witness the birth of “the holy thing, called the Son of God.” We go through the list to the manger-cradle, and the heart saddens at more than one point in this illustrious succession: strange threads have been woven into this web—the patriarch is here, and the king; the pure woman, and the dissolute man; eldest sons, and sons younger than their brethren; names which make men proud of manhood, and names we would “willingly let die.” Marvelous pedigree, indeed! It will surely be a great risk to attempt to get out of this mass a Man who will stand firm in all crises. The world has already lost one Adam, may it not lose another? In the case of the federal man the reading was brief and simple” we had the Creator and the creature at once sentence; we moved at one step from God to Adam. In this second case, we have to proceed from Adam to God. In Genesis, the work was easy ; in Matthew, it seems as if we could never find the promised Life. We wonder at what point of so desolate a Horeb God will fix his tabernacle of fire.

We are bound to consider the value of the

fact that Christ throws himself upon the past; he chooses his own tribunal, and it is one to which no Jew at least could object. Looking at the subject generally, this much is clear— that the mystery of the birth is in keeping with the mystery of the prophecy; and it now remains to be seen whether the mystery of the doctrine is in harmony with both.

Whatever a fuller examination may disclose, there is before us, even so far, a great breadth of homogenous mystery—unique, unbroken, unparalleled. Any discrepancy here would vitiate the whole succession. No lapse of time, no combination of of circumstances, can repair an error at this point. A well-known rule in law will hold good here: “Quod initio vitiosum est, tractu temporis convalescere non potest.” ["That which is void from the beginning cannot become valid by lapse of time.”]

If Christ is to command our confidence he must continue to be what his claim to the prophetic past, and the alleged preternatural conditions of his incarnation, necessitate. A common man cannot be tolerated after so uncommon a beginning. If he be only a young man of high and most ambitious spirit, he has chased a most perilous course, a course which must break down somewhere. It cannot be an easy task hypocritically to represent a God upon the earth, without now and again letting the mask slip aside. How can the finite steadily carry the Infinite, when the Infinite is at war with him? Christ must be more than a good man, or worse than the worst man. If he be not God, he is the enemy of God.

Living ROB FORTNEY: 1970–2018

Former Murfreesboro Entrepreneur and Pulse Supporter Dies in Thailand

M

STORY BY BRACKEN MAYO

any involved in the Murfreesboro music, nightclub and business communities will never forget a man named Rob Fortney.

Fortney grew up in Ashtabula, Ohio, and came to Middle Tennessee in the early 1990s, aiming to carve a niche for himself in the world of entertainment, concert promotion and throwing parties, eventually obtaining a public relations degree from MTSU. Many people in the Murfreesboro area attended, performed at or worked at one of Fortney’s local establishments, which included Bluesboro, 3 Brothers Deli, Inferno Bar, Revolver, Social and Blue Rooster.

Fortney, who died on Jan. 6, 2018, projected a “contagious enthusiasm,” described one longtime acquaintance. “He had a unique gift for getting other people excited about whatever it was he was excited about.”

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Many called him a mentor, an inspiration and a friend, in addition to a father, son and brother.

“He was the biggest dreamer I know,” Fortney’s daughter, Sierra, said of her father.

DJs, photographers, entertainment professionals, restaurant and club owners and managers, sales reps and various others drew strategy, spark and enthusiasm from Fortney.

In fact, few people believed in an independent, community publication known as the Murfreesboro Pulse in its early years the way Fortney did.

Pulse founders give a ton of credit to Fortney’s support and encouragement, both financial and mental, and his never-ending stream of ideas—some wild and unrealistic, but many quite good—during the business’ crucial initial years. It means a lot to have someone believe in you.

Rob with daughter Sierra

After Fortney finally left his 114 N. Church St. location (currently the home of Puckett’s Grocery) for good, he began to see the potential in the Fulfillment by Amazon business model, appreciating the periods of quiet isolation and relatively low overhead cost, in contrast to the sometimes-stressful nightclub and restaurant industry.

After taking some time for himself, to travel, to reflect, to consider his next step, to spend some time with those he valued, Fortney announced to his daughter and his mother one day over dinner at Murfreesboro’s Taste of Thai that he was going to Thailand for “a visit.”

He enjoyed his visit, and soon made himself at home in the city of Chiang Mai. There, he built a community of Amazon re-

sellers, the Amazon Gorillaz. Fortney worked with many individuals in his community of Chaing Mai, Thailand, helping them launch and run profitable internet businesses, leaving behind many on that side of the globe who called him a leader and a visionary.

While residing in Thailand, Fortney took an interest in a remote hill tribe, particularly the children in this poor village, bringing them gifts and getting to know their culture. Over 2017, he and others on the Amazon Gorillaz team saved money for the construction of a school for the children of this tribe, and Fortney joyously presented it to the chief in early 2018. Feeling literally and figuratively on top of the world on this mountaintop, Fortney began his journey back to Chiang Mai. Though shortly after

setting out on his return, he crashed his motorcycle on the curvy road; this was not his first motorbike accident; this one, however, he did not survive.

Fortney developed a strong appreciation for nature during his time in Thailand, and commented that while many live very simply there, much of the stress, rush and anxiety prevalent in U.S. society is simply not present for many people in Thailand.

“Thai people are really in the moment,” Fortney had said about his friends in Southeast Asia.

Those mourning Fortney recall his deep love for his family and his drive as a businessperson. Some say that he encouraged and advised them to start businesses of their own. Another former employee recalls how Fortney made sure her kids had Christmas gifts during a particularly tight time for her family. However, this is not a memorial that claims “no one ever said a bad word about him,” as sometimes the deceased are remembered as nearly flawless.

Those close to Fortney saw him struggle with anger, an unhealthy lifestyle, workaholism, mental illness, pride and respect issues during various times in his life.

The way he seized the last years of his life made some of his friends happy and hopeful as they heard his tales of his joyful, stress-free, healthy life on the other side of the world, walking through the mountains, enjoying sunsets on the beach, meeting people, relaxing, traveling through Asia and making a real effort to find peace and help others.

“I want to paint a picture of what he has become, not who he was,” Sierra said, going on to discuss the time she was able to spend with him in Thailand. “Peace, happiness and patience were pouring out of my dad . . . there was no worry, there was no stress.”

Fortney made the most out of his time in this world, living boldly and without fear, meeting everyone he could, promoting his endeavors, establishments and ideas, traveling to as many places as possible, leading a “grand fantastic” life. He will surely enter this next phase of existence with as much enthusiasm and curiosity as he displayed while in the physical realm.

Stay tuned to the Pulse for more information on a Murfreesboro tribute event to Rob Fortney.

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Art

 EXHIBIT

SPLATTER POP: THE ARTWORK OF CODY HALE ON DISPLAY AT THE ARTS CENTER OF CANNON COUNTY THE ARTS CENTER OF CANNON COUNTY’S Berger Gallery hosts Splatter Pop: The Artwork of Cody Hale through Feb. 28.

The show features a variety of recent work from the Murfreesboro-based illustrator, portrait artist and graphic designer Hale.

Hale says his primary technique involves using toothbrushes to splatter ink on illustration board. He starts with a compositional sketch then renders his image by splattering layers of ink throughout the work.

The artist’s interests and themes include vintage portrait pieces, popular culture, science fiction and urban landscapes.

The Arts Center of Cannon County is located at 1424 John Bragg Hwy., Woodbury.

For more information on Cody Hale, visit codyhaleart.com.

Art

FEBRUARY BORO ART CRAWL FEATURES CHINESE ART, PET PAINTINGS

 EVENT

Clockwise from above: Little Tiny Encaustic Assemblage by Beth Moore; The Lightly Falling Storm by Michael Cleaves; Sky Swing by Suishou Yuki; photo by Arden Hunt; Boxer by Ashley Barksdale; Joy of My Heart by Royce Vaughn; Louis by Samantha Collier

BORO ART CRAWL RETURNS TO downtown Murfreesboro on Friday, Feb. 9.

Venues on and around the Murfreesboro Public Square will host local artists and their artwork for this collaborative community event.

As as special feature of the February Art Crawl, the MTSU Center for Chinese Music and Culture will present a traditional Chinese dragon dance on the Square the evening of Feb. 9.

Furthering downtown Murfreesboro’s partnership with the Center for Chinese Music and Culture, The Center for the Arts on College Street will host a Chinese Art Exhibition, which will remain on display through March 6.

Additionally, as February 2018 rings in the Chinese Year of the Dog, many artists participating in the Feb. 9 Art Crawl will exhibit pet-themed artwork.

Over at Veda’s Flowers & Gifts, 27 South Public Square, Murfreesboro author Joe Hafner will hold a book release and signing of his novel Rooster’s Leap on Art Crawl night.

For more information on the Boro Art Crawl, visit boroartcrawl.com.

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Art

 THEATER

MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT BRINGS ADVENTURE AND NONSENSE TO THE CENTER IN FEBRUARY

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Matt Smith as King Arthur and Haley Ray as Lady of the Lake

PHOTOS BY ASHLEIGH NEWNES

THE SECOND SHOW OF THE CENTER FOR THE ARTS’ 2018 season is Monty Python’s Spamalot. “Lovingly ripped off from the motion picture Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” Spamalot tells the story of the adventures and dangers awaiting King Arthur and his knights of the “very very very” round table in their quest for the holy grail.

Some of Broadway’s cherished musicals are skewered along the way, including spoofs of Fiddler on the Roof, West Side Story, Les Misérables and The Producers.

Matt Smith as King Arthur leads the quest in Monty Python’s Spamalot, with Haley Ray as Lady of the Lake. Seth Gregory makes his directorial debut at CFTA. “This show also features nods to Monty Python’s Flying Circus along with other Python movies,” Gregory shares. “‘Always Look on the Bright Side of Life’ is from Life of Brian and was repurposed for this musical. The French taunters’/Frenchies’ ‘silly walks’ came from the Flying Circus. Remarks about the swallow’s plumage came from the Flying Circus’ parrot sketch. Monty Python fans need to listen closely to catch all the small references present in this show.”

Spamalot is rated PG-13, deemed appropriate for patrons 13 and older. Shows are at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 2, 3, 9, 10, 16 and 17, with 2 p.m. shows on Feb. 4, 11 and 18.

Spamalot pokes fun at almost everyone and everything, and is best suited for those who are not easily offended. For tickets and more information, visit boroarts.org.

 POETRY

Poetry in the Boro to be Held Feb. 11 America the Beautiful exhibit features poetry readings. BY KORY WELLS

NASHVILLE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL PRESENTS HAMLET AT MTSU’S TUCKER THEATRE THE NASHVILLE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL now heads into its fourth decade of producing Shakespeare for the Mid-South community. The 30th Anniversary Season kicks off with Hamlet, Shakespeare’s most famous work. Artistic Director Denice Hicks directs this intimate production that takes a journey into the minds and hearts of the royal family of Denmark in its darkest time. Prince Hamlet is torn between two unbearable situations: either living with his father’s murderer or committing murder himself.

MTSU’s Tucker Theatre hosts Hamlet Feb. 1–3, following a January run at Belmont.

Two of the traditionally male roles in the play are being handled by women. Horatio, Hamlet’s best friend, will be played by Melinda Paul, and Lauren Berst will play Marcellus. Of the gender-bent casting, Hicks says simply, “They were the best actors for those parts.”

Making his Nashville theater debut in the title role is Sam Ashdown, a film and stage actor who has performed with companies across the country. Also a stand-out among the cast is Cheryl White (Gertrude), a Los Angeles transplant who has over 60 TV shows under her belt, including Major Crimes and Resurrection.

Creating the emotional atmosphere for the play will be an original score composed and played live by Natalie Bell and Jack Kingsley. Sam Lowry designed the set and projections that will take the audience into each location in Elsinore, from graveyard to castle battlements to the great hall.

Performances at MTSU’s Tucker Theatre will begin at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 1–3. Tickets are $29 in advance or $32 at the door. For tickets and more information, visit nashvilleshakes.org.

Other upcoming Nashville Shakespeare Festival projects include a special “Bard’s Birthday Bash” on April 23 in collaboration with Vanderbilt University, and the annual Shakespeare in the Park in August and September 2018 at Nashville’s Centennial Park.

 ALSO SHOWING IN FEBRUARY Stop Kiss runs Feb. 9–10 and 15–17 at 7 p.m. at Murfreesboro Little Theater.

Sunday matinees will be performed at 2 p.m. on Feb. 11 and 18. To make reservations, visit mltarts.com or call 615-893-9825.

Arsenic and Old Lace runs through Feb. 25 at Springhouse Theatre, 14119 Old Nashville Hwy., Smyrna. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, Feb. 9, 10, 16, 17, 23 and 24, with a 3:30 p.m. matinee on Sunday, Feb. 25. Tickets are available at ticketsnashville.com. For more information, call 615-852-8499 or visit springhousetheatre.com.

APRIL IS NATIONAL POETRY MONTH, but there are so many poetry happenings in Murfreesboro this February that it appears our city may be celebrating early. Attend one or more of these events in support of area poets, or consider adding your voice to the opportunities mentioned below.

In a show that challenges the concept of “other” and seeks to discover how women of various colors, ethnicities, religions,

gender identities and other labels are more similar than different, America the Beautiful: Photography by Amber Vongsamphanhwill be on display at Let’s Make Wine, 109 E. Main St., from 6–9 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 10. Invited poets will give short readings on themes of beauty, the body, feminism, diversity and connectedness at 7 and 8 p.m.

Organizer and Murfreesboro photographer laureate Jessica Goings Nelson says that while all ages are welcome, readings could involve mature language or subject matter; those with children may want to attend earlier in the evening.

On Sunday, Feb. 11, Poetry in the Boro will be held at Murfreesboro Little Theatre, 702 Ewing Blvd. Open mic signups start at 6:30 p.m. Featured poets Kerri French and TJ Jarrett will read at 7 p.m. French, a Murfreesboro resident and academic advisor at MTSU, is the author of Every Room in the Body (Moon City Press, 2017), winner of the 2016 Moon City Poetry Award. Her poems appear in numerous literary journals, including Best New Poets and The Southern Poetry Anthology. Jarrett, a Nashville writer and software developer, is the author of two

poetry books, Ain’t No Grave and Zion. Winner of several awards and fellowships, she’s the recipient of the 2017 George Garrett New Writing Award by the Fellowship of Southern Writers. An hour of open mic follows a brief reception and book signing time; find more details at facebook.com/poetryintheboro.

The MTSU Todd Art Gallery hosts a Spoken Word Performance and Video event on Saturday, Feb. 24 from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Designed to complement the gallery’s Literacy Within Reach exhibit, which runs Feb. 17 through March 9, the event will present performance, text and spoken word as they relate to both past and present socio-economic inequities. The MTSU Department of Art and Design is calling for proposals from students as well as emerging and established artists for the event through Feb. 11.

Find more details at mtsu.edu/art.

Another opportunity for writers of all ages is the We Are Tennessee project. In April the Discovery Center will open this exhibit that explores concepts of cultural identity and what it means to be a Tennessean. Students and adults are encouraged to interpret the concept of identity in their own terms.

Visual art, multimedia and poems or short prose will be included. Learn more at bit.ly/ wearetn. The submission deadline is March 23, but why wait? February is going to be a creative month in the ’Boro.

“AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS”

by Caitlyn Osborne Parris kinesis catharsis why did we arm this? binary system churns out extremes leaving us with a lack of means for any real(ity) change, so we wage(r) war against the Other you never win cause in the end we’re less enemy, more kin.

Kory Wells is principal founder of Poetry in the Boro and the inaugural Poet Laureate of Murfreesboro. Contact her at korywells@gmail.com.

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Movies THE POST DIRECTOR Steven Spielberg STARRING Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, Alison Brie, Sarah Paulson RATED PG-13

To be honest: I think The Post was overhyped. How could it not be, though? With two of the most iconic actors of the 21st century onscreen together in a film directed by the man widely considered to be the most influential director in the history of Hollywood, it’s hard not to hype this one up to 11.

The Post is a good, enjoyable and important film. It takes a naturally dramatic event and portrays it as exactly that. Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks are as charming as you would expect them to be together, and their tandem screen time was easily the best part of the film. It is marvelous to see these two iconic actors onscreen at the same time.

As a media nerd myself, I loved the “bedlam” (as executive editor Ben Bradlee, played by Hanks, would describe it) we got to see in the newsroom, and while journalists frantically sorted through 4,000 pages of government secrets in Bradlee’s house as

his wife (played by Sarah Paulson) served sandwiches. I loved seeing Bob Odenkirk go after his source for the Pentagon Papers in a way that would make Saul Goodman proud.

This is a two-hour movie, but the middle of it flew by with tense scene after tense scene.

However, this film makes a big mistake, and it centers around the decision-making process of its central character, the newspaper’s publisher, Kay Graham.

Graham inherited the Washington Post from her husband (who inherited it from her father) after he committed suicide. For decades, WashPo was a little family paper headquartered in Washington D.C. that was, like everyone else, chasing the New York Times for

the next big story. Now, this film does a brilliant job showing the paper’s staff grappling with the consequences of publishing the Pentagon Papers. However, Graham (Streep) has the final say on whether the papers are published or not, and she comes at this decision from a very different (and reasonable) angle. While Bradlee and company are deciding whether they should publish for fear of putting U.S. troops in harm’s way, Graham is risking the newspaper itself because The Post was also doing its initial public offering (IPO) at the same time as it was publishing the Pentagon Papers. And, as this film reminds us multiple times, there is a clause in the IPO that allows the “bankers” of Wall Street to

THE SHAPE OF WATER DIRECTOR Guillermo del Toro STARRING Sally Hawkins, Octavia Spencer, Richard Jenkins, Michael Shannon RATED R

My love for Guillermo del Toro had waned.

Blinded by the lush visual experience of Crimson Peak, I failed to recognize its shortcomings in storytelling and weaknesses as a horror movie, until I watched it again. His best films, The Devil’s Backbone and Pan’s Labyrinth, display del Toro’s unique ability to create visually stunning adult fairy tales. At his peak, his films explore the collision of childlike magic and wonder with the devastating and often deadly brutality of adult affairs. Framing this

tragic collision in the cinematic equivalent of an exquisite coloring book allows the whimsy to win out over the despair, and keeps us coming back for more. With the Hellboy movies and Pacific Rim, del Toro also proved he can do comic book fun, but at his worst we get a beautiful and boring PG-13 horror film.

The Shape of Water, a Beauty and the Beastmeets-The Creature from the Black Lagoon love story, is Guillermo del Toro doing what he does best, for better or worse. Like his

A CLASSIC

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OUTSTANDING

previously mentioned best films, The Shape of Water takes place during the mid-twentieth century amidst hostilities between two countries, in this case the U.S. and Russia.

Set against picturesque antique cars, clocks and curios, Elisa (Sally Hawkins) and Zelda (Octavia Spencer) are cleaning ladies at a secret government facility where a stern and sadistic federal agent (Shannon) and a team of scientists wheel in a water tank with an aquatic oddity inside. Elisa, who has been AVERAGE

BELOW AVERAGE

pull out of the IPO within a week of its initial offering due to a dramatic event. This risk is at the crux of her decision making.

Unfortunately, this debate isn’t resolved at all. After grappling with this risk for the vast majority of the movie, we don’t get even a single scene of fallout from the IPO side of the paper. No shot of its stock tumbling (or soaring). And, because they make this the central focus of Graham’s character arc, it kind of made her irrelevant to the entire story. While this is the only major issue I have with The Post, having your top-billed actress be relatively inconsequential to the events of your story is something of a major problem!

I only had a few other minor issues with this film; I wish the dialogue had been smarter. Maybe it’s just because I’ve seen The Newsroom, but I really wish Aaron Sorkin had been the screenwriter for this movie. The ending overall was also very rushed, but I can hardly fault the film for that. I mean, you know what’s going to happen, so when you see the thing happen . . . how dramatic can it really be?

Still, The Post is a good movie with an engaging and dramatic story. But if you’re looking for a truly compelling and dramatic film on journalism, go back and watch 2015’s Spotlight.

— JOSEPH KATHMANN mute since childhood, spends her days listening to Zelda crack wise about her home life and taking care of her elderly artist neighbor Giles (Jenkins). Once she forms a bond with the captive aquaman, it is a bond beyond what her friendship with Zelda and Giles provides, and she finds herself falling in love.

Love stories between a human and human-like beast are not unprecedented—I mentioned a classic one (from Disney, no less) earlier—but it is del Toro’s sheer singularity of directorial vision that keeps this tale from becoming Free Willy: An Extremely Awkward Love Story. The performances are excellent throughout. The script (written by del Toro and Vanessa Taylor) is humorous, heartbreaking and horrifying in all the right ways. The score is light and nostalgic. And the set design is awash in a brilliant bouquet of teal, seafoam green and aquamarine.

The Shape of Water is quite beautiful, a bit odd, anything but boring, and one of del Toro’s best. — JAY SPIGHT AVOID AT ALL COSTS

DEAD

FEBRUARY RELEASES PLAYING THIS MONTH

FEB. 2  Winchester A Fantastic Woman

FEB. 9  Peter Rabbit The 15:17 to Paris

FEB. 16  Early Man Samson The Party

FEB. 23  Every Day Game Night Annihilation

LIVING ROOM CINEMA column by NORBERT THIEMANN

facebook.com/livingroomcinema

Sore Thumb Adventures Here are three epic films where Caucasians stick out like sore thumbs in foreign lands.

Although immensely entertaining, the stories become more complicated when watched with a modern, critical view. Exploitation of natural heritages through colonization, slavery, war and other biased influences can rightfully be seen as blights of history.

 Lawrence of Arabia (1962) is directed by David Lean. Peter O’Toole brilliantly portrays English officer T.E. Lawrence, who helped unify contentious Arab tribes in fighting against Turkish forces during WWI. It’s a masterful work that is an absolute must-see!  Walkabout (1971) is directed by Nicolas Roeg. A pair of British siblings find themselves abandoned in an unforgiving desert, deep within Australia’s bounty.

Their lives are saved when they encounter and befriend a teenage Aborigine who is performing his solo walkabout ritual. There are some Jean-Luc Godard-style moments, which make the film’s tapestry all the more interesting.  Cobra Verde (1987) is directed

by Werner Herzog.

Klaus Kinski’s unruly character suffers the punishment of being banished to West Africa on an unlikely mission to reopen the slave trade. Cobra Verde not only reflects Kinski’s volatile traits, but eerily foreshadows his own death just a few years after.

 RECIPE

Black Forest Cake INGREDIENTS: 1 chocolate cake, your favorite recipe or boxed (I recommend Duncan Hines if taking the box route), divided into as many layers as you would like SIMPLE WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE: 6 ounces white chocolate 1 ½ cups heavy cream Gently HEAT chocolate with ¼ cup heavy cream in the microwave for 30 seconds. STIR for another 30 seconds until just melted. Allow to cool slightly.

WHIP remaining cream until soft peaks form.

ADD cooled white chocolate mixture and whip until combined.

REFRIGERATE until use.

CHERRY FILLING: 16 ounces frozen cherries, thawed, drained and juice reserved 3 ounces granulated sugar 1 tablespoon cornstarch Juice of one lemon Pinch of cinnamon Splash of bourbon (I’ll let you decide how big of a splash) COMBINE reserved cherry juice and cornstarch; set aside.

HEAT drained cherries with sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and bourbon in a small pot over medium. Bring cherries to a simmer.

STIR in cherry juice mixture and cook until thick.

REMOVE from heat and refrigerate until completely cooled.

LAYER cake, white chocolate mousse and cherry filling as desired. Refrigerate until service.

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY! Looking for something sweet and easy to make for your sweetest, or a different treat to pass out as a gift? Look no further! This Black Forest Cake is easy and packed with flavor.

RECIPE AND PHOTO BY CHANTELL KENNEDY-SHEHAN

*Make individual single-serving cakes by using glasses or 8-ounce Mason jars.

Bake the cake as cupcakes and split them in half. Layer as above in the glass or jar.

Chantell is the chef and owner of Simply Pure Sweets, located on Walnut Street in downtown Murfreesboro. While she truly loves her sweets, she strives to provide light and fresh lunch options that are simple, flavorful and nutritious. Great tasting food doesn’t need to be complicated, so keep it simple and enjoy!

BOROPULSE.COM

* FEBRUARY 2018 * 35

Food

Read more about local restaurants at

BoroPulse.com/Category/Food

1

SAMURAI’S CUISINE 451 N. Thompson Ln., samuraiscuisineboro.com

Samurai’s is located right off Thompson Lane next to Chipotle. At night, the restaurant’s sleek, modern interior is a nice spot for a date night or birthday dinner. However, dining hibachi for lunch is a great way to save money, as the price of most entrees are cut in half. Hibachi specials include sea and land pairings like filet mignon, chicken, shrimp, lobster tails and scallops.

LUNCH (11 a.m.–3 p.m.): $6–14; DINNER ENTREE: $12–32; COMBINATION: $20–29; SPECIAL: $28–67

Turn up the heat at these 5 sizzling hibachi restaurants

BY DYLAN SKYE AYCOCK

D

ining at hibachi restaurants is more than a meal, it’s dinner and a show complete with banging knives, flying vegetables and the occasional grill-to-ceiling flame.

Teppanyaki chefs prepare food on a hot griddle in front of a group of about six to ten dinner guests. Throughout the meal, the chef might juggle spatulas, flip a shrimp tail into his shirt pocket, toss an egg in the air or arrange onion rings into mini “volcanoes.” And from my observation, adults admire the spectacle just as much as younger dining guests.

Due to the popularity of the cuisine, Murfreesboro supports a hibachi restaurant on four of the city’s busiest streets: just off Memorial Boulevard, Old Fort Parkway, Thompson Lane and Church Street. For those in a rush or wanting a more casual dining experience, Koji Express has added a second location on Franklin Road.

In addition to hibachi lunch options, each restaurant offers three tiers of hibachi dining: single entree, combination and special. All are served with a cup of soup, salad, vegetables, a couple pieces of shrimp and choice of fried rice or noodle. With hibachi entrees, you choose one meat (chicken, steak, shrimp, Mahi-Mahi, lobster, salmon . . . the list goes on), tofu or vegetable only, while combination and special entrees allow for customization.

Often times chefs will not begin cooking until most seats are filled, but the soup and salad serves as a nice appetizer while waiting. If not everyone in your dinner party wishes to order off the hibachi menu, the restaurants below (sans Koji) also serve Chinese and Japanese dishes, such as sushi, General Tso’s chicken, lo mein and more.

Just be sure to ask your server for the full menu when seated.

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2

WASABI JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE 2812 Old Fort Pkwy, wasabimurfreesboro.com Just like Cathay and Samurai’s, Wasabi offers similar hibachi dishes for lunch and dinner, with the addition of red snapper and tuna. The restaurant also features about 25 different combination choices compared to the typical 10–15 at other restaurants.

Although the menu boasts more choices, the hibachi dining area isn’t as spacious as others on this list. This might result in longer wait times on a particularly busy night.

LUNCH (Mon.–Fri.: 11 a.m.–2:30 p.m., Sat.–Sun.: 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m.): $6–16; DINNER ENTREE: $11–29; COMBINATION: $17–26; SPECIAL (chef’s special, dinner for two): $29–60; KIDS HIBACHI (chicken, steak or shrimp): $6–7

3

XIAO’S HIBACHI AND SUSHI 149 Wendelwood Dr., Suite B5, xiaoshibachisushi.com Murfreesboro’s newest hibachi restaurant is located in the recently developed Shoppes of Northgate (Sprouts, Newks, Uncle Maddio’s). In addition to hibachi dining, Xiao’s offers sushi, shrimp tempura, pork or vegetable gyoza (dumpling); yakitori (skewered chicken) and more. Stick with chicken, steak or seafood or try a combination for a few dollars more. All entrees come with soup, salad, shrimp appetizer, hibachi vegetables and choice of white rice, noodles or fried rice.

LUNCH (11 a.m.–3 p.m.): $7–17; DINNER ENTREE: $12–32 COMBINATION: $20–29; Special (chef’s special, dinner for two): $26–60 KIDS HIBACHI (chicken, steak, salmon or shrimp): $8–9

4

CATHAY ASIAN BISTRO 1845 S. Church St., cathaytn.com At Cathay Asian Bistro, hibachi is only a small portion of what the restaurant has to offer. Along with traditional Chinese and Japanese dishes, Cathay also features all-you-can-eat sushi, a meal reserved for adventurous spirits with a substantial appetite. As for hibachi dining, choose anything from chicken (regular and spicy) and steak (filet mignon, New York, rib eye) to shrimp, salmon, scallops and lobster tail.

From there, you can either combine entrees or order the dinner-for-two special, which comes with two glasses of house wine or beer.

LUNCH (11 a.m.–3 p.m.): $7–15; DINNER ENTREE: $11–30 COMBINATION: $20–27; SPECIAL (chef’s special, dinner for two): $24–70 KIDS HIBACHI (chicken, steak or shrimp): $8–9

Tokyo Japanese Steak House 701 President Pl., Smyrna tokyosmyrna.com Smyrna’s hibachi establishment, located just off of Sam Ridley Parkway has earned many fans with its fun hibachi experiences featuring chicken, steak, lobster, scallop, salmon and shrimp. In addition to the exciting interactive performances around the hibachi tables, the restaurant also offers sushi, udon, sashimi and noodle dishes and other Asian favorites, and plenty of yum yum sauce of course.

Lunch: $8.50–13.50 KOJI EXPRESS 1010 Memorial Blvd., 3284 Franklin Rd. Dinner: $11–33 kojiexpressmurfreesboro.com Combination: $21–32 Sometimes the craving strikes, but the best you can do is swing by the drive-thru at Koji Express. Here, all entrees come with fried rice, sweet carrots and a small cup of Koji sauce (similar to mayonnaise-based Yum Yum sauce). While you can’t order salmon or lobster here, you can choose between chicken, steak, shrimp or scallops at what Murfreesboro diners describe as “fast-food hibachi.”

ENTREES: $7–11; COMBINATION: $12–14

5

AROUND TOWN ’BORO BUSINESS BUZZ

David Price IMAC Regeneration Center, Sami’s Brick Oven Pizzeria, Pho

BY MICHELLE WILLARD Murfreesboro’s leading professional athlete has lent his name to a couple of IMAC REGENERATION CENTERS in Middle Tennessee. Located in the old YMCA, the newest David Price IMAC Regeneration Center in Murfreesboro joins six other IMAC Regeneration Centers in the United States: a David Price IMAC Regeneration Center in Brentwood; the Ozzie Smith IMAC Regeneration Centers in Chesterfield and St. Peters, Missouri; Tony Delk IMAC Regeneration Center of Lexington, Kentucky and IMAC Regeneration Center of Paducah and Murray, Kentucky.

These are outpatient medical clinics focused on physical therapy and sports medicine along with alternative treatments for joint replacement, spinal fusion and soft tissue damage. Treatments include plateletrich plasma infusions, spinal decompression and chiropractic treatment. Call (844) 266-IMAC or visit imacregeneration.com for additional information.

Price, currently a member of the Boston Red Sox, has played Major League Baseball

since 2008, establishing himself as one of the top pitchers in the game.

WHAT’S FOR DINNER? SAMI’S BRICK OVEN PIZZERIA will bring a new wood-burning oven to town at its new location next to Party Fowl on Broad Street. Owner and operator Sami Ihmaidan said the oven was delivered in late January and the sign is due to be installed. He has a target opening date set for the first week of February. The restaurant will feature Italian favorites like pizza, stromboli, lasagna, pasta and sandwiches, along with a few Mediterranean dishes. The menu will be available for carry-out or delivery, too.

Sticking to your resolutions is hard with all the pizza around, but a new EDIBLE ARRANGEMENTS will make it slightly easier.

Maybe. The fruit bouquet purveyor will open a Murfreesboro location in Fountains at Gateway, according to the company’s website.

Speaking of The Fountains, KITCHEN FRESH has opened for business.

The new, fast-casual restaurant concept is built around healthy, organic, chef-inspired food. All food is made fresh-to-order. Meals are served in bowls with ingredients selected by each customer and prepared by Kitchen Fresh staff for dine-in or takeout.

MISSION BBQ is another restaurant

that seems to be taking its time opening, though it must be getting close to opening because its truck has been spotted rolling around town. The multi-tenant commercial development that it will anchor is still under construction on Medical Center Parkway.

There are 11 Sonics in Rutherford County, and there’s about to be a cool dozen. A new SONIC DRIVE-IN restaurant on Salem Highway, approved by Murfreesboro in April 2017, is under construction and will soon be serving cherry limeades to Rockvalians.

LUCA’S PIZZERIA, 2658 New Sa-

lem Hwy., announced it will start selling its pizza sauce by the jar.

“We are very blessed to receive so many compliments every day from our guests about our homemade sauce,” the announcement said. A Mason jar of the sauce will be available for $5.

38 * FEBRUARY 2018 * BOROPULSE.COM

With a simple “Pho” sign, PHO VIET has opened in the former Papa Murphy’s location at 1722-E S. Rutherford Blvd. The restaurant offers a wide variety of the Vietnamese noodle soup Pho along with other noodle dishes.

CHIPOTLE announced last month it will come to Smyrna.

The fast-casual Mexican restau-

TATER TYME, is offering its services to Murfreesboro. Tater Tyme turns baked potatoes into culinary masterpieces, then delivers them at no extra charge to hungry customers at work, festivals or private parties.

“We make them as healthy as you want or as naughty as you like,” its website, tatertyme.com, said.

rant confirmed its plans to revamp the old Pollo Tropical off Sam Ridley Parkway.

The restaurant that specializes in tacos and Mission-style burritos has a target opening in late March.

MAYDAY BREWERY has added Angry

Red Head to its canned collection.

The red ale with a fiery personality joins Mayday’s Boro Blonde as Murfreesborobrewed beers now available in cans. Find it at Publix, Boro Liquors, CNG Wine, Georgetown Wine and Spirits, Liquor Planet, Murfreesboro Wine and Spirits, Quick Stop and other area locations.

ON THE MOVE The corner of John Rice Boulevard and Fortress Boulevard is on its way to becoming

a car-buying paradise, if there is such a thing. HONDA OF MURFREESBORO and NELSON MAZDA are opening lots alongside Chevrolet Buick GMC Cadillac of Murfreesboro and Toyota of Murfreesboro.

The Honda dealer formerly known as Reddell is nearing completion on its new location. The dealer’s old lot on South Church Street is up for sale. If you have an extra couple million laying around, you could be the proud owner of a car lot, with no cars.

The new lot will be anchored by a 51,084-square-foot central building in Honda blue with two outbuildings for used cars and service. Nelson Mazda’s new location is also quickly taking shape. The dealer’s second campus will be a 24,796-squarefoot dealership and is slated to open in the

WHAT’S GOING ON WITH ALL IN ONE? For many months, customers of ALL IN ONE RECYCLING haven’t known whether their bins will be emptied or if they will be left at the curb.

The Better Business Bureau sent out a warning in June, 2017, notifying customers the Murfreesboro-based business “has generated numerous customer complaints citing the company’s failure to provide recycling collection services, failure to make refunds for prepaid services and blocking consumers from removing their credit card information from the company website.”

Overall the BBB has received nearly 150 complaints about the service.

“All in One Recycling has earned an F Rating for failure to provide services as contracted, failure to make requested refunds for prepaid services, and failure to respond to complaints filed with BBB,” the agency said in that release.

The poor service has continued into the new year with complaints filed with Tennessee’s Department of Consumer Affairs for customers being charged for services not received.

The company seems to have stopped responding to the complaints, emails and phone calls. A message on its voicemail says its trucks are broken down and asks customers to “please bear with us.”

“So frustrating. I believe this would be an opportunity for the City of Murfreesboro to step up and provide recycling service for everyone,” All in One Recycling customer Kristina Brown posted on Facebook.

It doesn’t look like the city is going to step up anytime soon. In the meantime, customers can use any of the convenience centers in Murfreesboro (on West Main Street and Haley Road) or throughout Rutherford County. A list of centers can be found at solidwaste.rutherfordcountytn.gov/recycling-rules.html.

spring. When finished, it will be two stories tall, designed in brick with metal accents.

Another Murfreesboro staple, BODY WISE, has also announced a move across town.

Body Wise Nutrition Center and Marketplace is pulling up its stakes on Memorial Boulevard to relocate to Salon Suites on Broad Street.

Body Wise is a natural health store that focuses on holistic supplements, vitamins and minerals.

It also offers an assortment of essential oils, natural health and body care, natural and organic foods, ionized alkaline water and products from local vendors.

Looking to escape, but without a change of venue? Try BEAT THE BOX, a mobile escape room experience. Based in

SMOKIN’ BUTTZ

Providing slow smoked BBQ to Middle Tennessee; Pulled Pork - Pulled Chicken Loaded Potatoes Contact us for your next festival, catering event, lunch, dinner, family cookout, wedding or office party. Facebook / Instagram / Twitter @smokinbuttz, smokinbuttzbbq.com

KONA ICE OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE

Treat your taste buds to the most amazing flavored shaved ice.

Lemon Lime a-licious, Blue Raspberry, Wild Watermelon, Groovy Grape, Strawberry, Orange, Pina-Colada and many more flavors available.

Call 615-971-0092 for today’s location.

THE HOLY SMOKER

Ribs, Fish, Pulled Pork, Hot Dogs, Loaded Potato Chips Elder Jimmy L. Tyson, owner Find us on Facebook / 615-480-5818

For more on including your truck’s information in this section, contact (615) 631-5768 or leslie@boropulse.com.

Shelbyville, the mobile escape room can come to your event and offer a 30-minute or 60-minute escape game.

For more information, visit beattheboxllc.com.

CLOSING CORNER With a simple sign on the door and buckets blocking the drivethru lanes, the BURGER KING on Thompson Lane is now closed.

The store was fairly new, but there have been several new restaurants pop up nearby, and there are as many as six other Burger Kings in town.

If you have a tip about a new business coming to town, an old one closing, complaints, or other Murfreesboro business news, contact Michelle @michwillard on Twitter or michelle.willard@gmail.com.

BOROPULSE.COM

* FEBRUARY 2018 * 39

News Area Library System Now Offers Much More Than Books

BY JESSICA BARROLL SINCE 1948, when Linebaugh Library first opened its doors, the library has been a vital part of the Murfreesboro community. Many remember the summer reading programs from childhood, and the days when getting our first library card was a rite of passage.

These days the Linebaugh Library System offers so much more than the books that line its shelves. Linebaugh offers so many programs that if one were to look at its online calendar, they would be hard-pressed to find any blank space. From children, teens,

and all the way to adult programming, the library seems to offer it all.

Outside of the annual reading program, Linebaugh staff presents the weekly Itty Bitty Storytime for babies, a weekly storytime for kids both at the library and at Books-AMillion at Stones River Mall, while the Book Mobile runs every weekday, making over 30 stops and allowing children to check out books from the convenience of their school.

The programming offered for teens is just as important and fun. Recently Linebaugh has held a cooking club and other programs that develop life skills for teens along with fun days such as Star Wars Day or a free comic book day, which occurs twice a year (spring and Halloween). Typically, you will see more programming for teens during school breaks.

Volunteers who have a specialized interest they want to share with the community lead the adult programs. Areas of interest include a writers club, a genealogy group, computer classes and an upcoming film noir series.

Not only has the library changed over the years by offering more programs, but it has recently changed the library system’s name from

the Linebaugh Library System to the Rutherford County Library System. Carol Ghattas, the branch librarian for Linebaugh, explains the history behind the change made in November.

“We used to be Linebaugh Public Library System but that doesn’t really represent who we are because all our branches are across Rutherford County except for La Vergne, which is an independent library,” Ghattas says. “We had some changes in state law this past year and so it was a good time to revisit this issue.

So, we still have Linebaugh, our main branch, which is named after Mattie Linebaugh—her son donated the first money for Linebaugh in 1948 and that was a stipulation—that this library be named after his mom,” Ghattas says.

“So, this is the Linebaugh branch, but the system is the Rutherford County Library System.”

Over the last few years, digital content has been increasing in such a way that patrons never have to set a foot in the library in order to check out books, magazines, DVDs or music. By signing up for a library e-card, patrons can now connect to Overdrive, Flipster and Hoopla to download books and magazines or stream movies and music. In addition to this,

Murfreesboro will add a new Technology Engagement Center, the third one in the nation, dedicated solely to computers and meeting spaces. This is slated to open in April on Minerva Drive beside Hobgood Elementary, and will provide a partnership with Hobgood, the local neighborhood and MTSU so that the public will have access to Mac computers, 3D printing, computer classes and business classes. Children will also be welcome to come in the early morning before school begins, and the branch opens to the public for free computer classes.

“We offer a wide variety of programming, yet if people don’t see something that meets a need they need to let us know and we can provide it,” Ghattas adds. “We want to know what our community needs . . . so I encourage [those in the community] to go online, look at our calendar, search for what they’re looking for, but if they can’t find it, send me an email at cghattas@linebaugh.org and I’ll be glad to see what we can do to set something up.”

For more on the Rutherford County Library System, visit rclstn.org.

ELECTION COVERAGE

NEW YEAR, NEW ELECTIONS A Look at the 2018 U.S. Sentate Race

T

ennessee voters head to the polls for the primary and general elections later this year, and they will find fewer incumbents on their ballots than in previous years. Governor Bill Haslam has served his two terms, creating a vacancy for governor of Tennessee, the executive branch in state governance. In a surprising turn of events last September, Tennessee Senator Bob Corker announced that he would not seek re-election, creating an additional vacancy in one of Tennessee’s highest political offices.

The United States Senate, the upper chamber of Congress, works alongside the House of Representatives to form the legislative branch of the United States government. Unlike the House, with its 435 members representing districts based on population results, the Senate has 100 members: two per state that both represent the state as a whole, rather than districts. Former governor of Tennessee, Senator Lamar Alexander also represents Tennessee in the United States Senate. Voters elect senators to terms of six years, with staggered elections. Sen. Corker’s seat is up for election in 2018 and Sen. Alexander’s seat is up for election in 2020. Tennessee Democrats have not held either of the state’s U.S. Senate seats since 1994.

Sen. Bob Corker first went to Washington D.C. in 2007 after defeating former Congressman Harold Ford Jr. in 2006 with 50.7% of the vote. He assumed the senate seat vacated by former Senator Bill Frist, who had promised to only serve two terms. With Corker retiring, this is the first time the seat has not had an incumbent since Frist’s retirement 12 years ago. Before he came to Washington and chaired the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Corker served as Mayor of Chattanooga and served as commissioner for the Tennessee Finance and Administration Department.

★

CONGRESSWOMAN MARSHA BLACKBURN The former beauty pageant winner and current Congresswoman of Tennessee’s 7th Congressional district, Representative Marsha Blackburn is no stranger to Tennessee politics. Rep. Blackburn first ran for Congress in 1992, but lost to incumbent Congressman Bart Gordon. She remained active in politics as a delegate to the 1992 Republican National Convention and as the executive director of the Tennessee Film, Entertainment and Music Commission from 1995–97. In 1998, Rep. Blackburn joined the Tennessee Senate, representing District 23 of Williamson County. In 2002, Rep. Blackburn ran against Democrat Tim Barron for the 7th Congressional District and won with 70.7 percent of the vote. She has held the seat for 15 years and currently serves as the

BY ELIZABETH TULLOS

Once a potential vice president contender for the Trump administration, Sen. Corker had a tumultuous relationship with the White House in 2017 and 2018. Sen. Corker has often been a vocal opponent of the Trump administration; from criticizing the travel ban executive order and condemning the president for his remarks on Charlottesville to describing the White House as “an adult day care center,” Corker has been consistently vocal about his concerns and opposition to the administration. Last summer, Corker said, “The president has not yet been able to demonstrate the stability nor some of the competence that he needs to demonstrate in order to be successful.”

However, nearly as often as rifts emerged between the president and Sen. Corker, the two appear to find ways to work together to advance their agendas. According to FiveThirtyEight, a political data website, Sen. Corker has voted with the White House’s priorities 87.5 percent of the time. In December, Sen. Corker initially rejected the Republican tax bill due to its $1.4 trillion deficit increase, a matter he viewed as urgent and critical for the welfare of the American economy. However, when the tax bill arrived on the floor, it had his support, a key vote for the bill’s passage. When Sen. Corker announced his retirement last fall, he stressed the significance of the remainder of his term and his duty to public service: “I also believe the most important public service I have to offer our country could well occur over the next 15 months and I want to be able to do that as thoughtfully and independently as I did the first 10 years and nine months of my Senate career.”

With Sen. Corker’s retirement announcement, three political veterans from the state have announced their intent to run for the open seat. The deadline to file for candidacy is April 5, 2018; the primary election will be held Aug. 2, 2018.

Chair of the Subcommittee on Communications and the Internet.

In her tenure as a Congresswoman, Rep. Blackburn has been a consistent Republican legislator. FiveThirtyEight scores her at 93.7 percent likely to vote in line with the Trump Administration. The American Conservative Union, a political advocacy group, has rated Rep. Blackburn with 100 percent on her conservative voting record four times. However, the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBT civil rights advocacy group, has rated Rep. Blackburn with 0 percent based on her voting record. Rep. Blackburn also has demonstrated support for policies such as a U.S./ Mexico border wall, repealing the Affordable Care Act and preserving the Second Amendment. When initially presented with the Violence Against Women Act in 2013, Rep. Blackburn supported the bill, though she later rescinded her support and voted against the Senate version due to its provisions protecting LGBT, Native American and immigrant women.

In her campaign announcement video,

Rep. Blackburn said, “I know the left calls me a wingnut or a knuckle-dragging conservative, and you know what, I say, that’s alright. Bring it on. I’m 100 percent pro-life. I fought Planned Parenthood and we stopped the sale of baby body parts.”

Rep. Blackburn has chaired the House Subcommittee on Communications and the Internet since 2017. Last year, she introduced House Resolution 86, which sought to dismantle online privacy rules that protect consumers. The legislation, championed by broadband providers but criticized by privacy advocates, repealed the rule requiring internet service providers to obtain permission from customers before sharing their online data, such as browser histories.

This legislation allows the internet service providers to sell the data to advertisers without notice. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Rep. Blackburn has received $692,309 for the 2018 election, with $66,000 from telecommunications companies. Throughout her career, she has received over $500,000 from the telecommunications industry.

★

FORMER GOVERNOR PHIL BREDESEN In December, former Governor Phil Bredesen stepped out of political retirement and threw his hat into the race for Tennessee’s open Senate seat.

Bredesen first entered politics in 1987, when he was a candidate for the mayor of Nashville. Although Bredesen lost in 1987, coming in second out of 10 candidates, he ran again in 1991 and won with 78,896 votes to his opponent’s 30,282 votes.

While serving as mayor, Bredesen entered Nashville government as an outsider and left as a champion of progress. During his two terms as mayor of Nashville, Bredesen originally pitched the idea of establishing a sports arena downtown in hopes of bringing professional sports to Music City, USA. When he left the mayor’s office for the governor’s mansion, Bredesen had succeeded in helping bring the Nashville Predators and the Houston Oilers, now the Tennessee Titans, to town.

As governor, Bredesen’s business know-how came to his aid as he inherited a state fiscal crisis; TennCare was $650 million over budget and former governor Don Sundquist had planned to remedy the budget by attempting to implement a wildly unpopular state income tax. Bredesen’s administration fought the state budget crisis and weathered the Great Recession without implementing an income tax, raising the sales tax or slashing education funding.

Instead, Bredesen took a no-nonsense approach of “you can’t have Massachusetts services and Tennessee taxes,” by implementing policy changes to TennCare and spending cuts across the board. Under his leadership, teachers’ salaries rose and the state’s bond rating reached triple-A. In his senate campaign announcement, Bredesen focused on policy issues such as the issues with the Affordable Care Act, the opioid crisis that is spiraling out of control nationwide and Congress’ irresponsible budgeting.

“It’s a mess, but it can be fixed. I’m running for the Senate because I have the right kind of experience—and the actual track record—that it will take to start working across party lines to fix the mess in Washington and bring common sense back to our government,” Bredesen said in his campaign announcement.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 45 BOROPULSE.COM

* FEBRUARY 2018 * 41

Opinion

Live Exceptionally...Well!

BY JENNIFER DURAND

Lasting Impressions “I AM A PART OF ALL WHOM I’VE MET”

is one of my favorite quotes. It signifies the impression we make, and our relationship and connection to others. We all come into contact with a variety of people on a regular basis. From the obvious people such as spouse, children, parents, partners and co-workers, to the less obvious folks who we pass in the neighborhood, who serve our meals in a restaurant or cash us out at a store, we constantly form impressions and connections. Sometimes when these happen over and over again, friendships are formed.

My husband and I have met several couples over time by seeing each other while frequenting the same restaurant. It started out with a nod or comment such as, “Gosh we see you guys here all the time,” and then led to longer conversations each time we saw each other. Eventually our families became friends outside of the restaurant.

Sometimes the connection is a simple spoken phrase that elicits a smile, laugh or

other emotional response. But it makes an impression that sticks.

You’ve perhaps heard the notion that some people come into our lives for a reason, a season, a moment or a lifetime. I can’t help but think of the importance of being aware of how we live, what we say and how we act. Knowing how these impressions can shape our course and determine the mark we leave on others brings clarity when deciding how we are going act and what kind of person we want to be.

Do you want to be referred to as the troublemaker, bully or indifferent type? Or the considerate, funny and caring one? How about honest, dependable, trustworthy?

What are the top five qualities you project on a regular basis? Do you go through the mental checklist of possible outcomes or effects before you act or speak?

I remember a time when we had little money, following a severe car accident that kept my husband out of work for over 18 months. We had a small child and were do-

ing the best we could. As I was talking with a creditor about a bill that was due she was very short with me and as I explained our situation she expressed no understanding or leniency. Her treatment made me feel inferior and insignificant—compounding how badly I already felt. Tense and with tears in my eyes I managed to ask to speak to a superior. The next person I spoke with treated me entirely differently. She expressed empathy and figured out a way to resolve the situation that left me feeling important, and even cared for.

Same situation, two different approaches, two distinct effects on another being. That experience left a lasting impression and was part of my resolve to continually put myself in the other person’s shoes and ask “how would I feel?” and “how would I want to be treated?” Yes, this sounds an awful lot like The Golden Rule. What will it take for you to recognize the impression you leave on others? Experiencing the same situation yourself, listening to the stories of others?

Make it a habit to increase your awareness radar. Notice if someone needs help. Then offer it or just jump in and do it. This happened recently after a meeting I’d attended. I had

more things to carry out than I brought in, so my hands were completely full as I headed to the elevator. One of the men asked if I needed help carrying these to my car. I thought the offer considerate but didn’t want to put him out, so I politely smiled, thanked him and declined. To my supreme delight and surprise, he came running after me and extended his hands and took several items from me. He said, “I just can’t let you do that by yourself.”

The chivalry expressed is not something I see very often. The impression he left will never be forgotten. If you begin to be more aware, and think of the impact you can have on another—it will soon become second nature.

How will you be remembered when you are the one who is a part of all whom you’ve met?

Your smile is your logo, your personality is your business card, how you leave others feeling after having an experience with you becomes your trademark.

Jennifer Durand is the owner and operator of The Nurture Nook Day Spa & Gift Shoppe. Let her help you find your personal “ahh . . .” factor by calling (615) 896-7110 or visiting nurturenook.com.

Republicans Seem Willing to Allow DACA Recipients to Stay in the U.S.

W

e all know how government shutdowns usually go.

Democrats demand something unreasonable. Republicans awkwardly try to push their agenda forward. The left-wing media act as the PR firm for the Democrats. The Republicans get blamed. The government shutdown is over. Not this time.

What was different? Several things. First of all, trying to tie the DACA demands to a continuing resolution to keep the government functioning was transparent. DACA doesn’t expire until March 5. There was no need to throw it in the mix of a spending bill. Times past, however, the Democrats would’ve gotten away with it. They didn’t this time.

One of the reasons is the brilliant framing of the argument by President Trump’s director of the Office of Management and Budget Mick Mulvaney, who so cleverly labeled this particular government shutdown “The Schumer Shutdown.” The alliteration was irresistible to even the left-wing VIEWS OF A media who picked up the phrase and ran with it.

There was also President Trump himself.

COLUMN BY Nancy Pelosi cackled that the president had PHIL VALENTINE nothing to do with the negotiations. He had philvalentine.com everything to do with them. Speaker Paul Ryan said as much himself. He said they were passing a bill that Trump would sign. In reality, the person who had nothing to do with the negotiations was Pelosi.

After the Schumer Shutdown took hold in the minds of the American people it was simply a matter of time. The longer the government stayed closed, the worse it became for the Democrats. They were stunned. They’ve never lost one of these. No matter the outcome, they were always able to pin it on the Republicans. This time they couldn’t.

Had we had any other president it might have been business as usual. If Trump knows one thing it’s how to negotiate. What the Democrats failed to recognize is he doesn’t have to have DACA. To Trump, it’s a bargaining chip. To the Democrats it’s everything. What they don’t know is they already have it.

The one thing the Senate Republicans did screw up was pushing the continuing budget resolution down the road only three weeks. That pushes it up near the deadline for DACA and Democrats will surely try to tie the two together again. That’s why having Trump involved is so important.

Remember where this whole Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals thing started. It was a ploy by President Obama to put a different face on illegal immigration. He could find some girl who was dragged over here at six months old who spoke perfect English and was the valedictorian of her school. That was supposed to erase the image of the tattooed MS-13 gang member who was butchering people in the streets for kicks.

The DACA folks (and they’re not kids any longer) were never in danger of being deported. Think about it. The only person who could’ve deported them was Obama. And he issued an order to protect them. From whom? Himself ? No, it was all a publicity stunt to get the American people to believe they were in imminent danger of being deported. The Democrats have told that lie so long they now believe it.

So, Trump wants the wall. He wants an end to chain migration. He wants an end to the lottery visa. In order to get it he’s willing to give the Democrats something they already have. As I’ve said, it’s like selling New York the Brooklyn Bridge. They already own it.

The cards have already been dealt to give Trump what he wants. The House and Senate Republicans have to just not screw it up.

CONSERVATIVE

“The DACA folks (and they’re not kids any longer) were never in danger of being deported. . . . The only person who could’ve deported them was Obama.”

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

Opinion SHANE REEVES WINS HANDILY IN REPUBLICAN PRIMARY FOR SEN. TRACY’S VACATED SEAT The

STOCKARD REPORT

BY SAM STOCKARD SHANE REEVES, A PHARMACIST by trade, gave former state Rep. Joe Carr a big dose of reality.

The owner of TwelveStone Health Partners waxed Carr 65 percent to 35 percent in January, capturing 4,720 votes to Carr’s 2,556 in the Republican primary for a vacant 14th District state Senate seat.

Reeves will face Murfreesboro Democrat Gayle Jordan in the general vote March 13 to take the post left open by Jim Tracy when he resigned for a USDA job appointment.

Considered a moderate Republican more in the vein of Gov. Bill Haslam, Reeves REEVES drew the ire of the party’s far right wing, including numerous news articles by a publication that won’t be mentioned here.

But besides being the conventional favorite, Reeves had a better strategy, plenty of fundraising prowess and, let’s face it, a better foundation.

Sure, Carr had six years in the state House of Representatives to stand on. But instead of building a network of friends in that period, he spent most of his time trying to ship illegal immigrants back where they came, and his priority for returning to Capitol Hill was to stop the Legislature from undoing important things like stopping Hispanic students brought here as babies from getting in-state tuition to Tennessee colleges.

To be sure, Reeves ran to the right, embracing the Trump agenda of business deregulation and lower taxes for ultrawealthy people, which he happens to be.

But he’s more likely to be a Haslamite if he defeats Jordan in the March election and goes to Nashville in early spring.

Carr hammered Reeves for selling 44 * FEBRUARY 2018 * BOROPULSE.COM

Reeves-Sain Drug Store, founded by his father, former Murfreesboro Mayor Richard Reeves, for $66 million, then turning around and using a $1 million state grant and a county tax break to open a new pharmaceutical supply company. Carr called him a hypocrite for accepting tax dollars after hitting a gold mine.

Reeves, in turn, slammed Carr for taking state per diems for hotels and other costs while serving in the House when he lives less than 50 miles from the Capitol.

But, really, the kicker in this race was Reeves’ position as a successful businessman with plenty of friends and family backing him and Carr’s role as a political has-been who can’t seem to get back into the game.

Since leaving the state Legislature, Carr has run for five political posts, three times for Congress, and is falling further and CARR further back every time. He got whipped—by U.S. Rep. Diane Black two years ago—and fared even worse against Reeves.

While this was Reeves’ first political race, voters, mainly Republican voters, appear to be tired of Carr, even if he is brutally honest, sometimes pretty funny and a good interview—when you can find him. For instance, he didn’t return phone calls or texts after the recent defeat by Reeves.

It might be time for Carr, and his backers, to take inventory and see if they have anything left in the tank. It’s a harsh reality, but it might be time to face it.

From Whence It Came Carr’s contributions derived mainly from people outside Murfreesboro, his own legislative political action committee and groups such as the anti-annexation group Citizens for Home Rule, the Tennessee Firearms Association, Wine and Spirits Wholesalers PAC and, oddly enough, the Tennessee Employees Action Movement, an arm of the state employees association.

All told, he brought in only $43,400 to go with $11,000 he had left over from state

campaigns and $100,000 in self-endorsed loans. Carr spent $107,945, paying $32,000 to Gill Media, a company owned by conservative talk radio man Steve Gill, and $50,000 to Navigation Advertising.

One wonders how hard he really worked.

Reeves, on the other hand, had a campaign contribution list that looked like a who’s who of Murfreesboro, including the Adams family connected to NHC ownership, Kent Ayer, president of TDK Construction, Gary Brown of Roscoe Brown, First Bank’s Brandon Burks, attorney Kirk Catron, the Coggin family (which is also connected to NHC), Evan Cope, an assistant county attorney, Gordon Ferguson, CEO of St. Thomas Rutherford Hospital, Sheriff Mike Fitzhugh, Ole South Properties owner John Floyd and even former Democratic Sen. Andy Womack, Realtor Bob Parks and Oakland High School girls basketball coach Jennifer Grandstaff. In addition, he had the backing of retired banker Ed Loughry, whose son, Cannon, is chief operating officer of Reeves’ company.

The list goes on and on.

Reeves also got a financial boost from former Jim Tracy, state Sen. Dolores Gresham, state Sen. Jack Johnson, state Sen. Ferrell Haile, state Sen. Ken Yager, state Rep. Pat Marsh, state Sen. Brian Kelsey and, of course, his father, former Mayor Reeves.

Reeves built a war chest of $320,400, including $150,000 in self-endorsed loans, and spent $268,500, more than doubling up on Carr.

Democrat Gayle Jordan raised $8,625 during the reporting period and spent $2,600. She netted contributions from Womack and retired Riverdale High teacher Steve Cates.

Jordan will be hard-pressed to raise enough money to compete with Reeves during the general election. But at least she’s giving it the collegiate try, willing to take a realistic stand in favor of medical marijuana and giving Democrats a glimmer of hope.

CORLEW IN POLITICS?

As if we don’t have enough people trying to vault into political positions on the backs of illegal immigrants, former Rutherford County Chancellor Bob Corlew is running for the 6th Congressional District seat being vacated by Diane Black as she runs for Tennessee governor. (Has anyone noticed the recurring theme of vacated political seats? It takes a scorecard to keep up with all of these moves.)

Corlew, who is one of the nicest people you could ever meet (and I say that with complete sincerity), is coming out as a “conservative Christian” in the race for the Republican primary to be decided in August. State Rep. Judd Matheny and former Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner John Rose are in the hunt too.

Similarly to Reeves, he is running to the Trump corner to “make America great again.”

But here are a couple of interesting items from a video announcing his candidacy.

(Before going further, it should be pointed out Rutherford County is no longer in the 6th District, so even though Corlew lived here for decades, he now claims he lives in Mt. Juliet, and Rutherford voters won’t be able to cast a vote for him in this race.)

First, he blames politicians from both major parties for making America weaker as the video flashes scenes of the U.S. Border Patrol at work, presumably saying the country isn’t safe because we have illegal immigrants crossing into the country and prowling the streets.

Second, he says CORLEW he will protect the Constitution the same way he did when he swore an oath to serve in the U.S. Army and to sit as a General Sessions Court judge and chancellor.

Here are the problems: Americans, including a lot of Republican business owners, invited these people into the country with the promise of jobs so they could get cheap labor and deliver lower prices for everything from hotel rooms to houses. A lot of people have made fortunes on the backs of these men and women. It’s become cool, however, to blame these people for every ill in the nation, and hardly anybody wants to admit it.

Granted, more illegal immigrants are showing up in court, and we have plenty of problems near the border and in other areas where undocumented people are committing crimes. But we’ve got a lot of regular Joe American citizens dealing drugs and killing people, and nobody wants to kick them out of the country, even though some of them probably deserve to live on a tiny island somewhere in the Pacific.

For Corlew to use this issue is disingenu-

ous at best, with no plan for dealing with the millions of immigrants who might be here illegally but who outwork many of the people born here.

An even bigger problem, though, was Corlew’s decision in 2012, when he ruled in favor of a group of residents who sued Rutherford County, claiming it violated the Tennessee Open Meetings Act by failing to give proper notice about a meeting when it considered a site plan for the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro.

Corlew said the county should hold another hearing and consider the matter again after giving proper notice. The county appealed the decision.

But before that could be heard, the Becket Fund and the U.S. attorney general’s office filed a federal lawsuit contending the ICM’s federal rights were being violated. A federal judge ruled in favor of the mosque, overturning an order to stop work on the ICM and allowing the building to be occupied.

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case, probably because the ICM’s religious rights as guaranteed by the First Amendment were being violated.

In short, Corlew allowed the religion of Islam to be put on trial in the county’s Judicial Building, more or less undercutting the U.S. Constitution, the one he swore to uphold.

One final thing: Corlew’s video doesn’t show one black person, Asian, Indian or Arabian, nothing but good white folks. It might play well to the Trumpsters in Wilson County, but it’s not Rutherford County, where he made his bones, and it’s certainly not America.

Oh yeah, one more thing: Corlew wrote a character letter in mid-2017 to a federal judge asking for probation, not prison time, for Joe Russell after he pleaded guilty to corruption in connection with running an unauthorized e-cigarettes operation at the county jail.

For those who forgot, it’s the case that landed former Sheriff Robert Arnold in prison. Russell was the mastermind, though, and for a former judge to ask for leniency for convicted felon is questionable at best, unethical at worst.

Then again, Corlew was renting a house to Russell and his family.

Sam Stockard can be reached at sstockard44@gmail.com.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 41 Bredesen is the last Tennessee Democrat to win in a statewide election. During his 2006 gubernatorial reelection campaign, Bredesen won all of Tennessee’s 95 counties with 90% of the vote. The 2018 Senate race will be Bredesen’s first competitive election since his first campaign for governor in 2002.

★

FORMER CONGRESSMAN STEPHEN FINCHER The former Congressman from Frog Jump, Tennessee, Mr. Stephen Fincher first arrived in Washington D.C. in 2010 as a part of the Tea Party wave that shook up the Republican Party. However, after serving two terms, Fincher announced his retirement from Washington. State Republicans sought to bring Fincher back into the fold by encouraging him to run for governor.

Instead, he chose to assist Rep. Diane Black’s gubernatorial campaign.

While serving in the United States House of Representatives, Fincher was a member of the Financial Services Committee. In his two terms, five pieces of legislation he sponsored were enacted, including the Export-Import Bank Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2015. Fincher’s bill reauthorized the Export-Import Bank, a government corporation that subsidized foreign purchases of U.S. goods through special financing and loans until 2015. Under Fincher’s legislation, the bank is reauthorized through 2019.

In 2011, the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington released their annual report on corruption and ethics violations in Congress. Along with 19 other lawmakers, Fincher was labeled one of the “most corrupt” members of Congress due to an undisclosed campaign loan from Gates Banking and Trust Company. The FEC investigated the loan and Fincher’s campaign amended their filing to disclose its origins.

In his campaigning, Fincher has cited increasing border security between the United States and Mexico, repealing the Affordable Care Act and ensuring America has the strongest military in the world as some of his key issues.

“I spent six years in Congress and observed why it’s a dysfunctional place,” Fincher said in a campaign statement. “The problem lies largely with the career politicians who excel at re-election but simply are not getting the job done for the people they serve . . . I’m running to do something.”

Although Fincher was later than his

opponents to declare his candidacy, his campaign is not without financial resources. Fincher’s “war chest” had over $2 million left from his previous Congressional campaigns.

Since his political retirement in 2016, Fincher has returned to his roots in Crockett County. Fincher’s family owns and operates a seventh-generation farm, Fincher Farms, where he raises cotton, soybeans and corn. He also belongs to a gospel singing group his grandmother started over 60 years ago.

★

IN OTHER RACES Last month, the State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) held a gubernatorial forum on education with five of the governor candidates.

Randy Boyd, Karl Dean, Craig Fitzhugh, Beth Harwell and Bill Lee came together at Belmont University to discuss education goals and challenges in Tennessee. During their individual campaigns, each gubernatorial candidate has cited education as a

top concern. Former Senator Mae Beavers was unable to attend the forum due to a death in the family. Congresswoman Diane Black did not attend the forum, instead favoring a fundraiser at Southeast Venture less than five miles away from the forum.

The race for state Senator Jim Tracy’s vacated seat will pick up soon following January’s special election primary race.

Murfreesboro pharmacist and entrepreneur Shane Reeves will face Gayle Jordan in the special election to be held on March 13. Sen. Tracy was re-elected in 2016, but vacated his seat last year following an appointment as the state director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development office by the Trump administration.

Next month, the Pulse will review the candidates for Tennessee’s 4th Congressional district race. Congressman Scott DesJarlais currently holds the seat and has one Republican challenger, Jack Maddux, and two Democrat challengers, Mariah Phillips and Steven Reynolds.

BOROPULSE.COM

* FEBRUARY 2018 * 45

Sports

BLUE RAIDER SPORTS

BY GREG CRITTENDEN

WALTERS

rebounds and three blocks, and he did it without missing a single shot from the field or free throw line.

While the Blue Raiders are flying high, they’ll need to improve their playmaking ability on offense if they want a spot in the NCAA Tournament for a third straight year.

Middle is currently 184th in the country in assists. As any college basketball coach or analyst will tell you, March comes down to guard play.

The Blue Raiders will head back out on the road on a pivotal game against Old Dominion on Feb. 1. With a win MT will put a little breathing room between themselves and the rest of the conference. Old Dominion is currently tied for second in the conference with WKU, both teams sitting only half a game back from Middle Tennessee and the conference’s top spot at the beginning of the month.

The Blue Raiders will host Rice on Feb. 8, North Texas on Feb. 10, UAB on Feb. 24 and Western Kentucky on March 1 before wrapping up their regular season schedule on March 3 against Marshall. Find tickets and more on MTSU athletics at goblueraiders.com.

 ANNA JONES STEPS UP FOR LADY RAIDERS IN A BIG WAY IN JANUARY

Entering February, Blue Raiders Sit in First Place in C-USA

A

fter a very challenging December schedule that saw the Blue Raiders drop three of their last five games of the month, some may have wondered if the tough scheduling was worth it. Would it better prepare the team for the upcoming conference schedule, or hurt their morale?

As January has shown, that tough December schedule has paid off in dividends, and morale is as high as ever.

The Blue Raiders posted a 7–1 record in January, putting them atop the Conference USA standings by half a game. Despite a top 25 scorer in Nick King (21.2 points per game), defense has been the calling card for Middle Tennessee.

The Blue Raiders took on four of the C-USA’s top five offenses and held them all well below their season averages. They currently are second in the C-USA in scoring defense, holding opponents to just 64.9

46 * FEBRUARY 2018 * BOROPULSE.COM

points per game.

The Blue Raiders have also seen the emergence, or re-emergence, of key players.

Giddy Potts saw a slight drop in his scoring from December but was a more efficient shooter in January. His field goal percentage was almost seven percent better in the new year. Most importantly, Potts sank almost 53 percent of his two-point attempts as opposed to the 30 percent he shot inside the arc during December.

Brandon Walters has emerged as an interior force not only as a scorer, but as a rebounder. The Chattanooga big man pulled down more rebounds in January than he did in November and December combined.

Walters logged his first double-double of the season against UTEP with 17 points and 12 rebounds, but his performance against Louisiana Tech was the best overall performance of his career. Walters tallied 18 points, seven

After netting an upset win against Kentucky to close out 2017, the Lady Raiders looked like they might be able to turn a new leaf on their injury-plagued season. However, 2018 did not get off to the type of start for which coach Rick Insell had hoped.

After the Lady Raiders dropped their first two conference games, two things were clear. Despite the losses, the Lady Raiders were still great defensively, and the offense badly missed Alex Johnson and needed another player to step forward.

Enter Anna Jones.

JONES

Jones, a freshman guard who looks the part of a forward, averaged only 12 minutes and 1.5 points per game during non-conference play. Those averages more than doubled for Jones for the month of January. Jones’ month was highlighted by a 30-point performance in a win against UTEP. Jones followed that performance by chipping in 15 for a win against North Texas. Two games later, Jones contributed 21 in a win against Marshall.

Thanks to Jones’ added contributions, continued strong performances from Jess Louro and Abbey Sissom, and the return of Alex Johnson the Lady Raiders went on to win five of their last six games in January.

Although the offense has struggled without Johnson, her injury could be a blessing in disguise for the Lady Raiders. In Johnson’s absence, Insell has been able to explore what he has in young players such as Jones and has given players such as Sissom and Louro the confidence to be offensive weapons.

As key as their contributions were, nothing carried the Lady Raiders over the last month more than the team’s defense. They currently rank 10th in the nation in defensive scoring, allowing only 54.6 points per game.

If Johnson, who has returned but still isn’t 100 percent, can return to full form Middle will be a force to be reckoned with going into the tournament.

“We’re getting there,” said Insell. “We don’t need to be there right now, we still have the conference tournament coming up, but we’re getting close to where we need to be.”

The Lady Raiders will host Louisiana Tech on Feb. 1, WKU on Feb. 15 and Rice on Feb. 17 in February. They will end their conference schedule against Old Dominion on March 3 as the opening end of a men’s/women’s double-header at Murphy Center.

BOROPULSE.COM

* FEBRUARY 2018 * 47

Sports

SPORTS

TALK

COLUMN BY “Z-TRAIN”

titanman1984@gmail.com

NFL Silences ‘Please Stand’ Message; Vrabel in as New Titans Head Coach THE TRAIN DADDY IS BACK, bringing sports news, life lessons and politically incorrect talk, as always! Same intro for years; some things are too good to change.

It’s a warning, really. I mean, it’s saying “here is an article full of nonsensical facts and superior thoughts all entwined into one genius-yet-elegant column typically consisting of over 1,500 words.” Some sports, a life lesson or two and always something to offend the crazy liberals! If you keep reading this it’s your own fault. Don’t complain to me or the Pulse about it, because I warned you from the get-go!

It’s February, Football is ending, winter is lingering and I hate the word February. That word made a fool of me in the Little Man Spelling Bee back in 1994. Who would have thought an R after the B? Crazy!

What shall we discuss this issue? Of course the Tennessee Titans, whose leadership did just fire the man who led them to their first playoff victory in 14 years. We will also discuss the end of the world. Coming soon! The XFL is set to take over the football world and, as always, I will throw in some complete and utter nonsense. So all aboard, the Train Daddy is leaving the station!

SUPER SUNDAY Let’s start with the possibility that we may all die on Super Sunday. NASA has informed us there is a potentially hazardous asteroid heading our way. It will either pass earth on Super Sunday or smash into us traveling at 76,000 m.p.h. Find “Discovery Channel Large Asteroid Impact” on YouTube, and as you jam out to some Pink Floyd you will witness devastation. If you’re reading this after the Super Bowl, then Bruce Willis and crew saved us. God bless Bruce!

This article will hit the stands just days prior to the big game being played. This is the first Super Bowl in a while I am not 100 percent pumped about. I miss Carson Wentz too much. I predict the Patriots will win.

Duh? I hope I am wrong, though—I will be cheering for the Eagles. I am confident the NFL has found a way to make sure the Pats win yet again.

Maybe another Gate? I predict WeinerGate, much classier than Deflate-Gate or Spy-Gate. I can already read the headlines: 48 * FEBRUARY 2018 * BOROPULSE.COM

VINCE MCMAHON

MIKE VRABEL

Belichick Threatens the NFL, ‘Make Sure We Get the Calls or I Will Show My Weiner on Live TV,’ creating the infamous WeinerGate. Is it possible new Titans head coach Mike Vrabel is a spy? He played for the Patriots and won three Super Bowls under Belichick. Maybe I am crazy, but Belichick may be creating a network of informants throughout the league.

PLEASE STAND UP The NFL has angered folks once again, after rejecting a patriotic advertisement from The Americans Veterans organization. The message contained a very offensive two-word message. Don’t freak out, but I am going to write the words in bold: “PLEASE STAND.” Marion Polk, the national commander for the American Vets, wrote an open letter after accusing the league of outright censorship.

“Freedom of speech works both ways. We respect the rights of those who choose to protest, as these rights are precisely what our members have fought [for]—and in many cases died for.

“But imposing corporate censorship to deny that same right to those veterans who have secured it for us all is reprehensible and totally beyond the pale.”

The NFL’s Vice President of communication stated “The Super Bowl is designed for fans to commemorate and celebrate the game . . . it has never been a place for advertising that could be considered by some as a political statement.”

The NFL states the message of “please stand” is too political. Yet we have numerous examples from last year’s Super Bowl that contradict the NFL’s statement, from

companies such as 84 Lumber, Budweiser and Audi. You would assume advertisement for wood, beer and cars . . . nope! Instead we got illegal immigration, cheap shots thrown at the newly elected president and sexism shoved in our faces.

Honestly, I could care less what they advertise, but when the NFL doesn’t have the guts to tell the truth, come on man! The NFL should just say “sorry, veterans, we can’t afford to upset these so-called socially active and patriotic NFL players.”

XFL IS BACK The NFL may have some future competition: the XFL is back! Billionaire Vince McMahon claims a better product is coming soon. The league will kick off in 2020 with eight teams, 40-man rosters, 10-game seasons and a championship game.

Vince recently announced a faster, more exciting brand of football with players who won’t be able to discuss political or social issues. Vince also claims that if you have a

Jay Ajayi and the Eagles try to earn Philadelphia its first Super Bowl win.

criminal record, you can’t play. He will fold on that hard-line stance. Just say no child abusers and no murderers. Johnny Football wants in, Vince. Don’t deny him!

The league has two years to prepare and all cities are on the XFL’s radar. All teams will also be owned by the XFL. People ask if the NFL should be worried. I say the NCAA should be worried. This would finally allow some broke college football players a chance to make money, and money talks! I could see the XFL stealing away some college talent.

Imagine being a young, talented football player who believes he has NFL talent. One injury in college and your football career is over. That same player could instead go straight to the XFL and get paid. If he gets hurt before making the leap to the NFL, hey, at least he got paid.

NFL football remains America’s favorite sport, but they should take notice of the XFL at the very least. Finding athletes won’t be hard. Finding quality athletes, though? Like it or not there are many disgruntled NFL

fans out there. The numbers prove it with overall ratings officially down 10 percent from last season. This is a brilliant time to do what the XFL is attempting. This fact remains, though: the NFL remains king of TV. The NFL accounted for 37 of the top 50 most watched TV programs this season.

BIG CHANGES FOR THE TENNESSEE TITANS Saving the best for last, let’s talk Titans football! There will be big changes for Tennessee. The Titans were a sexy pick at the start of 2017, hands-down AFC South favorites and in most circles Super Bowl contenders. This season was tough to watch. Thank God for Brett Kern and Ryan Succup.

There were some magical moments, though, like when Mariota defeated the Colts on Monday Night Football. He might as well have been throwing from a wheelchair due to his lack of mobility, but he won the game! The play of Kevin Byard was special and made him a fan favorite.

Delanie Walker is hands-down the best player on the field.

It was also special to see the chemistry between Derrick Henry and Mariota towards the end of the season. My favorite moment, though, was when Mariota stiff armed Jags safety Barry Church, ultimately giving Tennessee its first playoff birth in nine years.

The playoffs were intense. The Titans defeated the Chiefs in one of the most hostile stadiums in the NFL. They laid an egg in the first half and then mounted the second-largest road comeback in playoff history.

Then came the cheating Patriots and dimwitted referees. Tennessee was smashed and the season ended. Then they fired Coach Mike Mularkey, who delivered the first Titans playoff victory in 14 years.

I absolutely believe this firing was a huge mistake, no question about it.

I believe they fired Mularkey because Marcus was trending down. So you would assume they would hire an offensiveminded coach to help Mariota’s progression. Nope! Instead they hire a young, defensive-minded man with little coaching experience. By all accounts new head Coach Mike Vrabel is a respected leader of men, and those who know him say he has it, that rare gift to lead. I hope so.

I am always suspect when former players become coaches. Vrabel’s entire life has been spent smashing his head into other players. I assume there are smarter, studied men out there who didn’t spend three decades playing a contact sport. I’ll trust

Jon Robinson, for now. Offensive coordinator will be such a big hire.

Aside from a couple years as a linebacker coach and one season as the Texans defensive coordinator, Vrabel has little coaching experience, not to mention that under Coach Vrabel’s watch the Texans went from first in total defense to 20th and ranked last in scoring defense this season. That’s bad! Sorry, just bitter about the way Coach Mularkey was handled. It wasn’t right. But I will support this new coach. Go Titans!

I reckon the Titans figure to build on Henry’s hard-running style and Mariota’s improvisational skills in 2018. New defensive coordinator Dean Pees (love the name—I know, I’m childish) will look to improve upon a Titans defense that ranked 13th in yardage allowed and 17th on points allowed in 2017.

I love this franchise. There are any memories, many games, many Sundays spent with family, friends and loved ones who have passed on. We watched as one, Titans fans.

Remember, live life following the 5 F’s: Faith, Family, Football, Food and Friends.

Choo-choo!

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Higher Thoughts for Everyday Living Middle Tennessee hypnotist, philosopher and motivator M.C. Radford encourages everyone to think positively and live life with a healthy, optimistic attitude.

Here, he shares more points from his book Higher Thoughts for Everyday Living, suggesting that readers meditate on one each day—and be amazed at the positive changes that transpire in their lives.

DAY 1: The Creator enters into each of His creations and becomes that creation. So, you don’t have to do anything but intensify your desire and the Creator will do the work. As Jesus said, “It is the Father who doeth the work.” Your only responsibility is to visualize the end results you want and keep visualizing them all day long—if necessary—and your subconscious mind will guide you, draw you, and push you toward the end results.

DAY 2: Living in reaction to the world around you is like letting every bump in the road determine your destination, but you can take the steering wheel yourself and go where you want to go.

DAY 3: When you are driving down the road in your automobile, if you were to turn loose of the steering wheel, every little bump or low spot in the road would determine your direction somewhat. In life, every thought—in fact,

all input from outside yourself—will have an effect on your future if you allow it.

DAY 4: Every negative thought you entertain is like a bump in the road. Too many negative thoughts will run you into the ditch.

DAY 5: Your imagination is no more a part of you than is your automobile. Your automobile will take you anywhere you want to go; thus so your imagination will take you to the good life or it will take you to the low end of life. Only you can decide what your life will be.

DAY 6: Always know that when one door closes on you, another is always opening. But if you let yourself become stressed out because the one door is closing, you won’t be able to see the other door opening.

DAY 7: When we run into obstacles, it is our subconscious mind telling us it has a bet-

ter way. Just relax and the better way will be revealed. And learn to laugh: laughter is like Drano; it cleans your pipes.

DAY 8: The universal mind has to be funneled through the reducing valve called the brain and nervous system. Expand your desire and you will enlarge your funnel to receive more inspiration.

DAY 9: Change your life by changing your thinking—through the law of attraction. The law of attraction is: What you think about you bring about. What you picture in your mind is your prayer—visualizing the results that you want in your life is a real type of prayer. The subconscious mind sends the right thoughts at the right time to cause you to say the right things. This causes you to be at the right place at the right time to reach your goals.

DAY 10: When you think, you are connecting to the universal mind. The universal mind transmits all related thoughts to you so that you will have the proper information to obtain the results you desire.

DAY 11: You will feel the way you continue to think. You will perform the way you continue to think. You will become what you continue to think. When you desire a particular thing and keep your attention on it, the universal mind creates that thing to cause your thoughts to become flesh or your new reality.

DAY 12: Your reality changes somewhat every day of your life because, as your thinking changes, so do the conditions and circumstances in your life. So, to change your life, you only need to change your thinking.

DAY 13: Jesus said: “Unto him who has, more shall be given; and unto him who has not, it shall be taken away even that which he has.” He knew that if you saw all good and plenty around you, you would attract more abundance. And if you saw only poverty and lack, you would attract or call more poverty and lack into your life.

DAY 19: Asking is the beginning of receiving, so don’t go to the ocean with a teaspoon—take a bucket. Opportunity never knocks; it appears when your thinking is fixed on the object you want. If your belief does not give you joy and peace, then you have the wrong beliefs. So any beliefs you have that do not bring you joy must be discarded.

DAY 20: The Creator gave you an immune system that will keep you in good health. But you can interfere with it by entertaining any negative emotion. When you come to understand how your mind, brain and body work, you can sail through this life like a breeze.

DAY 21: Your chances of success are directly proportional to the degree of pleasure you derive from what you do.

DAY 22: Hate does more harm to the one who hates than it does to the one who is hated.

DAY 23: It has been said that no cosmetics can make a woman as beautiful as can the excitement of a new love affair.

DAY 24: Peace of mind wears as well on the face as it does on the body, mind and spirit.

DAY 25: Dreams are sometimes secret goals revealed by the subconscious mind. We realize our desire for the future when we dream it.

DAY 26: If you ask, “Who am I?” My question would be, “What has been claiming your attention?” That is your reality.

DAY 14: Resurrection means the raising of man’s mind from the physical senses to spiritual understanding.

DAY 27: How you look at life will determine your attitude. If you have dreams or goals on which you meditate every day, then you will have a fulfilling life.

DAY 15: Spirit, energy and matter are one—matter is spirit reduced to the point of visibility. Matter is the lowest degree of energy, and spirit is the highest degree of energy.

DAY 28: You must create your dreams for the future and live in your dreams. Realize that the dreams you hold in your mind attract similar circumstances into your life.

DAY 16: See yourself as a failure and you will always find a way to failure.

M.C. Radford will answer any questions on the mind, brain, body, spirit, hypnosis or metaphysics. He can also aid with eliminating smoking, excess weight, phobias and other issues. Contact him at 615-351-2939.

DAY 17: Sin means mistake, as in, missing the mark. Sin means Seeing In Negative.

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DAY 18: No one needs to be sick for more than five minutes. There are no incurable diseases, only incurable people who think they can’t be healed; and according to their belief, so shall it be unto them. I am 80 years old, and I have not had even a headache or a cold in 47 years. I am full of energy and enthusiasm. We live in a sea of negativism, but we don’t have to let it live in us.