March 2016 Murfreesboro Pulse by The Murfreesboro Pulse

IN MUSIC

DEWDROP JAMBOREE, DAVID LIEBE HART, STERFRY, OH! GRANDPA, THOSE DARLINS, FREAKIN' WEEKEND

Special Kids Accepting Participants for this year's Camp Ability

MARCH 2016 | VOL. 11, ISSUE 3 | FREE

Middle Tennesseeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Source for Art, Entertainment and Culture News

Mmm... DOUGHNUTS Knead to satisfy your craving for doughnuts? Murfreesboro offers dozens of options page 24

The Ice is Nice for Skating and Hockey All Year Long at Ford Ice Center

Contents

Word from the Editor

MURFREESBORO PULSE | MARCH 2016

Features

Musical puppeter David Liebe Hart to make local stop on March 15.

Ford Ice Center offers ice skating fun in nearby Antioch all throughout the year.

HOW BIZARRE

THE ICE IS NICE

STEPHEN A. SMITH

ESPN sports journalist makes inspiring speech at MTSU.

CAMP ABILITY

Special Kids holds 10th annual summer camp for kids with special needs.

PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING

Warriors to do battle in Murphy Center as Archadian Wrestling Association announces April 7 card.

In Every Issue

THIS MONTH

MUSIC NOTES

Mmmm... doughnuts

Events Lonestar Rodeo, Easter Bunny, Exotic Bird Fair, SE-YA Book Fest and much more! LOCAL CONCERTS

Sugar Lime Blue, Jake Leg Stompers, The Lacs and more!

Sounds

Food

Horton/Hinson, Dewdrop Jamboree, Those Darlins, Freakin’ Weekend and more!

Living

GARDENING

Desjarlais sides with Republicans calling for delay in Filling Justice Seat

LIFE ON THE STREET

Boro Garden Party announces speakers for March event

News

Sad Storey: Blind Mike

Aradani artist Michael Bielaczyc; Hatch Show Prints exhibit and more!

Reviews Deadpool; The Witch; Hail, Caesar! SHOW

Superstore

VIEWS OF A CONSERVATIVE

LOCAL ALBUM REVIEWS

BUSINESS BUILDER

Single Shot: The Long Take

Sterfry; Oh! Grandpa

Art

MOVIES

LIVING ROOM CINEMA

Trump likely the next Republican nominee. Strengthening your marketing message MUSIC ACROSS AMERICA

Opinion THE STOCKARD REPORT

The many lawsuits of Robert Arnold; PCC is finished

LIVE EXCEPTIONALLY . . . WELL!

Eat, drink and be well: healthy food and meditation are key

The history of shape-note singing

Sports SPORTS TALK

Beyoncé; UT Football; Pacquiao and Nike are keeping controversy in sports.

Visit us at BoroPulse.com for more!

Publisher/ Editor in Chief: Bracken Mayo

Art Director: Sarah Mayo Copy Editor: Steve Morley

Advertising: Jeff Brown Don Clark Leslie Russell Yost

Contributors: Dylan Skye Aycock, Sarah H. Clark, Gloria Christy, John Connor Coulston, Alicia Crittenden, Greg Crittenden, Tanner Dedmon, Jennifer Durand, Levi Hill, Zach Maxfield, Darcy Payne, Robert Ritch, Edwina Shannon, Jay Spight, Andrea Stockard, Sam Stockard, Norbert Thiemann, Phil Valentine

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

Copyright © 2016, The Murfreesboro Pulse, 10 N. Public Square, Murfreesboro, TN 37130. Proudly owned, operated and published the first Thursday of each month by the Mayo family; printed by Franklin Web Printing Co. The Murfreesboro Pulse is a free publication funded by our advertisers. Views expressed in the Pulse do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. ISSN: 1940-378X

AS I UNDERSTAND IT, the controversial private company that has been overseeing those on probation in Rutherford County will close up shop at the end of this month. There has been much protest against the operation over the years, and a recently filed class-action lawsuit, along with the widespread coverage of that, seem to have been the knockout blow for Providence. It sounds like we need to elect some new judges and legislators as well. Let’s replace the people who set up this crooked system, who legalized its existence, and who continually and repeatedly sentence people into this broken cycle of injustice. But they need some way to pay for that new multimillion-dollar judicial building; let’s extract $9,000 from anyone caught with a suspended license, or anyone pleading to underage consumption. . . . Has American democracy officially failed? It probably sounded like a good idea to the founding fathers to charge the people with the responsibility of electing the best candidates for positions of governmental authority. I’m not sure the voters are up to it, though. Look at Sheriff Arnold, look at the current Republican presidential frontrunner, look at all of the presidents of my lifetime, look at the bunch of career politicians in Congress passing convoluted legislation that benefits whichever of the corporate cronies who bankrolled their last campaign. Looking at the candidates the majority of people select to lead our country, I’d be willing to try another system . . . but until then: Snowden 2020! What will fill the void left by the probation company’s closing? I’ll run it. I’ll throw my hat in the ring to oversee those guilty of minor offenses. It would be more of a community service model, and less of an extortion model. I think I’ll also run a gun take-back operation, too . . . bring me your unwanted firearms and you get a prize. On to food; behold, the doughnut shops of Murfreesboro. Now, full disclaimer, the Pulse is not recommending you eat a dozen doughnuts every day or anything. There are even some concerns out there as to whether ﬂour and sugar should really be considered people food. Make real, raw ingredients a big part of your diet, too, but enjoy a couple of fresh doughnuts from time to time when you feel like a little dessert. Then, not long after, head over to the Murfreesboro Athletic Club, Ascent climbing facility, Murfreesboro Greenway or Championtone Fitness to burn it off, blast the fat and get yourself into even better shape than you were before. Remember, as this month’s piece by Ms. Jennifer Durand reminds us, you have everything you need. Be still and know. . . . Beyond that, if there is something you want, I believe that you can obtain or achieve it if you connect with the right people, take small, focused steps towards your goal, remain of strong faith with your eyes on the prize and keep your intentions true and just. Do it! Keep on doing that in which you excel—and let the Pulse know about it! As Stephen A. Smith said, do what you have to now, so you can do what you want to later. Peace, BRACKEN MAYO Publisher/Editor in Chief BOROPULSE.COM

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Events COMPILED BY

MARCH 10

ANDREA STOCKARD

Murfreesboro Symphony: The Unanswered Question

Send event information to murfreesboropulse@yahoo.com

MARCH 3

MARCH 8

INDOOR GOLF TOURNAMENT

SCHOOL WITHOUT CURRICULUM

Come strut your putt-putt skills at the BEP Mini-Masters Indoor Golf Tournament from 4–7 p.m. Thurs., March 3, at the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce (3050 Medical Center Pkwy.) for a full 18-hole golf tournament with holes designed by local companies and organizations. All proceeds support the Business Education Partnership’s programs for students, teachers and school counselors in the Murfreesboro City and Rutherford County school systems. For more information, contact (615) 278-2008 or chall@rutherfordchamber.org.

MARCH 4 WINE AT THE WETLANDS Surrounded by the Murfree Spring Wetlands at the Discovery Center (502 S.E. Broad St.), the third annual Wine at the Wetlands features over 150 local and crafted wines, fine whiskies, bourbons, scotches, brandies and cigars provided by Stones River Total Beverages with small bites catered by Five Senses from 5:30–9 p.m. Friday, March 4. For more information, call (615) 890-2300 ext. 240.

MARCH 4–5 LONE STAR RODEO Witness rodeo contests in Bareback Bronc Riding, Saddle Bronc Riding, Steer Wrestling, Calf Roping, Cowgirls Breakaway Roping, Team Roping, Cowgirls Barrel Racing and Brahma Bull Riding with a Best Dressed Cowboy and Cowgirl contest for kids 10 and under, hilarious rodeo clown Mighty Mike Wentworth and more at Tennessee Miller Coliseum (304 W. Thompson Ln.) beginning at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 4. For more information, call (270) 269-6000 or (615) 494-8961.

Great art of any genre is full of unanswered or unanswerable questions. The Mufreesboro Symphony Orchestra will be asking some of these musical questions at the concert at First United Methodist Church (265 W. Thompson Ln.) at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 10, featuring Schubert’s haunting Symphony No. 8 in B Minor, “Unfinished,” and Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major featuring Arunesh Nadgir, pianist. Other highlights include short, modern pieces by Arvo Part and Charles Ives. For more information, call (615) 898-1862 or visit murfreesborosymphony.com.

Area educators Christa Brown and April Warren will lead a class on How to School Without a Curriculum: English Language Arts at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 8, at the Center For the Arts (110 W. College St.). The class will focus on putting together fun English Language Arts units to best meet the needs and learning styles of your students. For more information, find How to School Without a Curriculum on Eventbrite, or find Little Log Cottage School on Facebook.

MARCH 10 FESTIVAL CHOIR Murfreesboro City Schools presents The MCS Festival Choir, Music Around the World Concert at Erma Siegel Elementary (135 W. Thompson Ln.) at 6 p.m. Thurs., March 10, with students from across the district, the Reeves-Rogers African Drumming Ensemble and John Pittard’s Steel de Boro for music from around the world. Admission is free. For more information, call (615) 904-1002.

MARCH 10–26 EASTER BUNNY AT THE MALL Enjoy breakfast, photos and pet night with the Easter Bunny this month at Stones River Mall (1720 Old Fort Pkwy.). Breakfast with the Bunny event will be held at 9 a.m. on Sat., March 12, inside Chuck E. Cheese’s. Tickets are $5 each and include a pancake

breakfast, 10 game tokens, face painting, balloon art and giveaways. Tickets can be purchased at Chuck E. Cheese’s. March 10– 26, shoppers can get a picture with the Easter Bunny at the children’s play area. And bring your furry friends for photos during Wags & Whiskers from 6–8 p.m. Mondays, March 14 & 21, sponsored by Doggie’s Day Out. Receive a free 5-by-7 print by donating a bag of dog food. Kids can also pick up a coloring poster and participate in the coloring contest for a chance to win a Chuck E. Cheese gift card. For more information, visit stonesrivermall.com.

MARCH 11–12 SE-YA BOOK FEST Further your education at the Southeastern Young Adult Book Festival (SE-YA) at MTSU from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. The primary goal of this free event is to encourage and develop literacy in youth and young adults by connecting them with authors. Registration required for Friday events. Saturday is open to the public. For more information, call (615) 893-4131 or visit seyabookfest.com.

MARCH 12 MTCS TRIVIA NIGHT Support the MTCS Band and Chorus Departments at the 5th Annual MTCS Trivia Night on Sat., March 12, with dinner at 5:30 p.m., door prizes, a silent auction, homebaked goods and concessions and the game beginning at 6:30 p.m. For more information, contact mtcsbandparents@gmail.com.

MARCH 5

MARCH 12

BE SMART, DON’T START

SPRING FLING ZUMBA MASTER CLASS

Central Magnet HOSA students created the campaign “Be Smart, Don’t Start” to raise awareness on the negative health effects of smoking. They presented their campaign at the regional HOSA (Health Occupations Student of America) Competition and gained a spot in the state competition. This Zumba fundraiser, held on Sat., March 5, will help raise money and awareness for their campaign at Central Magnet School (701 E. Main St.). Tickets are $10 at the door. There will be door prizes and snacks. For more information, call (615) 904-6789. 4 * MARCH 2016 * BOROPULSE.COM

MARCH 5

Join Zumba Jammer Nikki Primm for a nonstop “booty shakin’, hip wigglin’, bass thumpin’” 90 minutes, open to the public at Patterson Park Community Center (521 Mercury Blvd.) from 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. For more information, visit nikkiprimmzj.ticketleap.com.

Seuss Celebration

MARCH 12

Celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday at the Discovery Center (501 S.E. Broad St.) from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturday, March 5, with guest readers, face painters, Oobleck Science, a photo booth and birthday cake. Admission is free. For more information, visit explorethedc.org/programsevents.

WILD WILD WEST Join Mayday Brewery (521 Old Salem Rd.) to benefit the South-Atlantic Bone Marrow Transplant Fund with country music, door

MARCH 26 FREE CLOTHES AND FOOD

prizes, a western-style BBQ dinner, games and activities. To purchase tickets in advance, visit bit.ly/wildwildwestmayday or at Mayday Brewery or Kaleidoscope Custom Vapor Lounge. Proceeds benefit HelpHOPELive in honor of Janet Lynn Jones to assist with some of her uninsured transplant-related expenses. For information, contact (443) 655-3931 or staceycupolo@yahoo.com.

Free food and clothes are available for those in need the fourth Saturday of every month at Oakland Park 7th Day Adventist Church (711 N. Maney Ave.) from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. For more information, call (615) 410-7552.

MARCH 27 HILTON GARDEN INN EASTER GARDEN PARTY

MARCH 12 EASTER BUNNY BREAKFAST Enjoy your breakfast with the Easter Bunny at DoubleTree by Hilton (1850 Old Fort Pkwy.) from 8:30–10 a.m. Sat., March 12, with photo opportunities and an Easter Egg Hunt at 9:45 a.m. For more information, call (615) 895-5555.

MARCH 14–15 A SOLDIER’S CHILD SHOPPING VOLUNTEER EVENT Join A Soldier’s Child Foundation to celebrate the children of our fallen heroes as you shop for over 150 children that have birthdays in the month of April. ASC purchases the gifts, however volunteer shoppers and wrappers are needed. Meet in the garden center at Walmart (2000 Old Fort Pkwy.) from 3–4:30 p.m. Mon., March 14, or at Christian Life Church, 745 Cason Lane, from from 3–6 p.m. Tues., March 15. For more information, call (615) 220-1600.

MARCH 17–19 INDOOR YARD SALE AT SMYRNA SENIOR CITIZENS CENTER

MARCH 19–20

Heart of Tennessee Aviculture Exotic Bird Fair

Enjoy the Aviculture Exotic Bird Fair at the Tennessee Livestock Center (1720 Greenland Dr.) Sat. and Sun., March 19 and 20. For more information, call (615) 739-0631 or visit midtnbirdclub.com. The Boro Garden Show & Party will be held at the Lane Agri-Park (315 John Rice Blvd.) from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Fri., March 18, followed by the Garden Party from 7–11 p.m. with entertainers, vendor booths, an arts show and more. For more information, visit borogardenparty.com.

MARCH 19 MURFREESBORO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA FAMILY CONCERT

The Senior Citizens Center (100 Raikes St., Smyrna) invites you to their Annual Indoor Yard Sale from 8 a.m.–2 p.m. March 17–19. Enjoy BBQ sliders from Kinfolks. For more information, call (615) 4594839 or visit smyrnaseniorcitizens.com.

Come out for a free one-hour concert at 10 a.m. Sat., March 19, featuring MSO, the winner of the annual Emerging Artist competition, and their annual side-by-side with Murfreesboro Youth Orchestra. For more information, including the location announcement, call (615) 898-1862 or visit murfreesborosymphony.com.

MARCH 18

MARCH 19

WOMEN OF THE CIVIL WAR

SMRYNA EASTER EGG HUNT

In celebration of Women’s History Month, local author, Civil War historian and community activist Shirley Farris Jones will appear at Oaklands Mansion (900 N. Maney Ave.) at 6 p.m. Fri., March 18, as she talks about her book Valor and Lace: The Amazing Women of the Civil War. As a past President of the Rutherford County Historical Society, member and founding member of Friends of Stones River National Battlefield, and active member of both Oaklands Mansion and the Martha Ready Morgan Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, Jones speaks about the varied roles and amazing accomplishments of women during the Civil War. For tickets or more information, contact (615) 893-0022 or info@ OaklandsMansion.org.

Have fun at the Smyrna Easter Egg Hunt and the Lee Victory Recreation Park (110 Sam Ridley Pkwy.) Sat., March 19. For more information, call (615) 459-9773.

MARCH 18–19 THE BORO GARDEN PARTY

Hilton Garden Inn Murfreesboro (1335 Conference Center Blvd.) announces its first Easter Garden Party brunch at 10:30 a.m. Guests can enjoy their mimosas in the ‘secret’ garden while a professional photographer captures their family portrait in front of the custom backdrop. Kids can meet the Easter Bunny, compete at sack races and decorate Easter eggs. Reservations are required; contact (615) 225-2345 or Jennifer. Jackson2@hilton.com to reserve a spot.

APRIL 1 STONES RIVER PARANORMAL TO INVESTIGATE OLD SOUTH PITTSBURG HOSPITAL The Stones River Paranormal Society, a Murfreesboro-based group investigating ghosts and other unexplained phenomena, will continue its Ghost Hunt 101 series with an upcoming overnight program in the Old South Pittsburg Hospital. The group led a previous, sold-out, Ghost Hunt 101 event in

the same location, and the next opportunity to join them at the Old South Pittsburg Hospital will be April 1. Ghost Hunt 101 is an educational event geared for those with limited or no prior paranormal investigative experience. The group asks those with significant experience in paranormal investigating to refrain from joining this event so that non-experienced people can take advantage of this unique opportunity to participate in a 15-hour all-night lock-in at this incredible location. South Pittsburg is located approximately 75 miles southeast of Murfreesboro, down I-24; many paranormal investigators say it is one of the most haunted places in Tennessee. For reservations, call 1-800-9793370; for more information on Stones River Paranormal, visit stonesriverparanormal.com.

APRIL 3 PICNIC FOR VIETNAM VETERANS The Captain William Lytle Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution will host a picnic, free to all Vietnam War veterans, at the General Bragg Trailhead Pavilion, 1540 W. College St. in Murfreesboro, from 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Sunday, April 3. DAR members will be serving the veterans an array of Southern-picnicthemed foods, including ham, fried chicken, potato salad and more, as a way to say “thank you” to Vietnam War veterans for their service and sacrifice. For more information, email cwl.vietnam@gmail.com.

MARCH 19 FIDO SPRING FLING Nashville Paw magazine invites you to its first Fido Spring Fling: An Easter Egg Hunt for Dogs at Lane Agri-Park Community Center (315 John Rice Blvd.) from 1–4 p.m. Sat., March 19, with prize eggs. Admission is a $10 cash donation per dog to benefit Rutherford County PAWS and the Beesley Foundation. Dress your pooches up for a chance to win best Easter costume or best spring outfit. Enjoy local pet vendors, food trucks, adoptable pets and a photo booth. Kids can enter an Easter Egg Coloring Contest and a Bunny Bean Bag Toss for prizes. For more information, visit fidospringfling.com. BOROPULSE.COM

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Concerts MARCH 2016

 IF YOU GO: Autograph Rehearsal Studio 1400 W. College St. 631-2605

Send show listings to Listings@BoroPulse.com

THURS, 3/3

BUNGANUT PIG

Reilly’s Writers Night

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

MTSU Wind Ensemble

NACHO’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT

THE BORO

Bird Song Studio 213 West High St., Woodbury (615) 772-6432

FRI, 3/11

Bunganut Pig 1602 W. Northfield Blvd. 893-7860

Orchestra

All-star jam with Ross Maynard

Zone Status

Ivan LaFever

COCONUT BAY CAFE

All-star jam with Stuart Montez

MAYDAY BREWERY

THE BORO

FRI, 3/4

BUNGANUT PIG

Karin James Band

COCONUT BAY CAFE

Boro Boys

MAIN STREET MUSIC

DJ TruFX

Cade Doyle

THE BORO

Suthern Swaggur

SAT, 3/12

BUNGANUT PIG

Jake Leg Stompers, Thumperkeg

Burning Las Vegas

COCONUT BAY CAFE

Angela Easley

JOZOARA

Charlie Bonnet III

MAIN STREET MUSIC

MAYDAY BREWERY MT BOTTLE

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

Orpheus Vocal Competion

DJ RDP

Neil Higgins

Vampire Bleach Bomb, War All the Time, The Barbie Conspiracy, Oblivion Myth

THE GREEN DRAGON

MAYDAY BREWERY

SAT, 3/5

PHAT BOYZ

My July

THE BORO

Uncle Don Clark

BUNGANUT PIG COCONUT BAY CAFE

Natchez Tracers

GEORGIA’S SPORTS BAR & GRILL

Phoenix Rising

JOZOARA

Todd London Trio

JUST LOVE COFFEE

Tim Davis

PULSE

BUNGANUT PIG

Montez and the Groove Makers Phoenix Rising I Hate Heroes

SUN, 3/13

AUTOGRAPH REHEARSAL STUDIO

The Convalescence, Ira Hill

TUES, 3/15

SUGAR LIME BLUE

SAT. 3/26 @ WALL STREET Dave and Ashley Beth and the Sugar Lime Blue crew return to Wall Street on the Murfreesboro Public Square for a March 26 performance of their groovy, bluesy, American jam rock. Now promoting their Move That Earth record, SLB has graced the venues of Middle Tennessee, and beyond, for nearly a decade now, with a natural, laid-back sound, and Ashley delivers her vocals with a smooth, deep tenderness. Joining them on March 26 will be the Stagger Moon Band, a Middle Tennessee rock band with a self-described “raspy Southern soulfulness.” MAYDAY BREWERY

Lance Allen

BUNGANUT PIG

MAIN STREET MUSIC

Southern Ground Band, Boro Boyz

WED, 3/23

PHAT BOYZ

Pop Comedy Tour featuring Jerry Harvey

MAYDAY BREWERY

PHAT BOYZ

WALL STREET

SAT, 3/19

AUTOGRAPH REHEARSAL STUDIO

Kelen Heller, Meliora, Piranah, Mindset Defect, The Clover Club, Horava, War All the Time, Vampire Bleach Bomb

MEDIA RERUN

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

COCONUT BAY CAFE

THE BLOCK

JOZOARA

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

Orpheus Vocal Competion

PHAT BOYZ

Junkbox

THE BORO

Zach Patton, Room 173

David Liebe Hart

WED, 3/16

BUNGANUT PIG

The Guys

Robyn Taylor

SUN, 3/6

THURS, 3/17

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

MTSU Wind Ensemble

TUES, 3/8

BUNGANUT PIG

Rhett Macdonald

WED, 3/9 THE BORO

Thee Fine Lines, Dr. Jungle Cat

THURS, 3/10

BUNGANUT PIG

Reilly’s Writers Night

NACHO’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT

Ivan LaFever

FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Murfreesboro Symphony

BUNGANUT PIG

Wilson Pike Outlaws

MAIN STREET MUSIC

The Lacs, Big Snap

MAYDAY BREWERY

Tom Mason, The Festivus Players

NACHO’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT

Ivan LaFever

MTSU TUCKER THEATRE

Opening ceremony concert for Center for Chinese Music & Culture

THE BORO

St. Patrick’s Day jam hosted by Stuart Montez

FRI, 3/18

BUNGANUT PIG

Mixtape 80s Band

6 * MARCH 2016* BOROPULSE.COM

Ragged Co.

MTSU Opera

BUNGANUT PIG

Sweet Cheeks

BUNGANUT PIG COCONUT BAY CAFE

BUNGANUT PIG

Worried Minds

TUES, 3/22

BUNGANUT PIG

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

MAIN STREET MUSIC

Rock the Mic Music Fest

PICK

Corbitt Clampitt Experience

Jake Greene

MTSU Women’s Chorale

BUNGANUT PIG

Charleyhorse Erisa Rei

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

MTSU Steel Band

THURS, 3/24 BUNGANUT PIG

Reilly’s Writers Night

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

Grace Tipton; Shelby Shelton

Stranger than Fiction

NACHO’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT

Ernest Newsom

THE BLOCK

MAIN STREET MUSIC

Saving Abel, Shallow Side, As Yourself

MAYDAY BREWERY

Mize and the Drive

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

MTSU Jazz Artist Series

THE BLOCK

Johnny Juarez

WALL STREET

Take the Power Back

SUN, 3/20

AUTOGRAPH REHEARSAL STUDIO

The Nightmare Police, Worth Taking, Order In Anarchy, Kendall

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

MTSU Opera; Low brass studio recital

MON, 3/21

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

Daniel Krenz; Adam Clark

Ivan LaFever

The Jukebox Romantics, Random Conflict, The Commonwealth of American Natives

THE BORO

All-star jam with Ross Maynard

FRI, 3/25

BUNGANUT PIG

Nightwind

COCONUT BAY CAFE

Zone Status

MAYDAY BREWERY

Stephen Simmons

SAT, 3/26

AUTOGRAPH REHEARSAL STUDIO

Ophiuchus, Oubliette, Order of Leviathan, Process of Suffocation

Crossroads

Cold Truth, Dan Shafer Scott Steele and Mitch Kamp

TEMPT

Candyland, Fight Clvb, LZ, Dog Eat Dog

Chais Music Hall 101 Spring St., Wartrace (931) 389-7050 Coconut Bay Café 210 Stones River Mall Blvd. 494-0504 Georgia’s Sports Bar and Grill 555 S Lowry St, Smyrna (615) 267-0295 Hippie Hill 8627 Burks Hollow Rd. 796-3697 JoZoara 536 N. Thompson Ln. 962-7175 Level III 114 S. Maple St. (615) 900-3754 Liquid Smoke #2 Public Square 217-7822

WALL STREET

Main St. Music 527 W. Main St. 440-2425

MON, 3/28

Mayday Brewery 521 Old Salem Hwy. 479-9722

Stagger Moon Band, Sugar Lime Blue

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

Laura Ross

MTSU SAUNDERS FINE ARTS

Jed Smith (Room 101)

MTSU Wright Music Building 1439 Faulkinberry Dr. 898-2469

BUNGANUT PIG

Nacho’s 2962 S. Rutherford Blvd. 907-2700

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

Phat Boyz 4425 Woodbury Pike (615) 546-4526

WED, 3/30

BUNGANUT PIG

Tempt 211 W. Main St. 615-225-7757

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

The Boro Bar & Grill 1211 Greenland Dr. 895-4800

TUES, 3/29

Rhett Macdonald Linda Gale

Murfreesboro Crossroads MTSU Salsa Band

THURS, 3/31

BUNGANUT PIG

Reilly’s Writers Night

The Green Dragon 714-F W. Main St. 801-7171

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

The Block 123 SE Broad St. (615) 393-9935

FRI, 4/1

The Pour House 2404 Halls Hill Pk. 615-603-7978

David Lee

MAYDAY BREWERY

Keshia Bailey Cartel

View the monthly concert schedule online:

BOROPULSE.COM/CONCERTS

Wall Street 121 N. Maple St. 867-9090 Willie’s Wet Spot 1208 S. Lowery St., Smyrna 355-0010

ENTERTAINMENT

DJ, BINGO, TRIVIA & KARAOKE NIGHTS  MONDAYS AHART’S PIZZA GARDEN Live Trivia, 7 p.m. BUNGANUT PIG Live Trivia, 7 p.m. LEVEL III Live Trivia, 7–9 p.m. THE POUR HOUSE DJ, 7–11 p.m.

 TUESDAYS OLD CHICAGO Live Trivia, 9 p.m. COCONUT BAY CAFÉ Live Trivia, 7:30 p.m. THE POUR HOUSE DJ, 7–11 p.m. NACHOS Live Trivia, 7 p.m. TGI FRIDAY’S Live Trivia, 9 p.m.

 WEDNESDAYS CAMPUS PUB Karaoke, 10 p.m.–2:30 a.m. MELLOW MUSHROOM Live Trivia, 8 p.m. NOBODY’S Live Trivia, 7 and 9:30 p.m.

SAM’S SPORTS GRILL Live Trivia, 8 p.m.

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

 THURSDAYS

MT BOTTLE Karaoke, 9 p.m.–3 a.m.

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

WHISKEY DIX DJ Cliffy D, 8 p.m.

CHAIS MUSIC HALL Ballroom Dancing with a Lesson 7–10 p.m. (ﬁrst and third Thursday) COCONUT BAY Karaoke, 8 p.m. NOBODY’S Karaoke, 9:15 p.m.–12:30 a.m. SPORTS SEASONS Live Trivia, 7 p.m. THE POUR HOUSE Karaoke, 9 p.m. WHISKEY DIX DJ Cliffy D, 8 p.m. MURFREESBORO BILLIARDS CLUB Karaoke, 9 p.m.

 SATURDAYS CAMPUS PUB Karaoke, 10 p.m.–2:30 a.m. LA SIESTA (CHURCH ST.) Karaoke, 6 p.m. NACHOS Live Trivia, 7 p.m. NOBODY’S Karaoke, 9:15 p.m.–12:30 a.m. WHISKEY DIX DJ Cliffy D, 8 p.m.

 SUNDAYS O’POSSUMS Live Trivia, 8 p.m.

LIQUID SMOKE DJ Night, 10 p.m.

THE POUR HOUSE DJ, 7 p.m.

 FRIDAYS

SAM’S SPORTS GRILL Live Trivia, 8 p.m.

CHAIS MUSIC HALL Line Dancing with a Lesson 7–10 p.m.

Send entertainment listings to listings@boropulse.com

BOROPULSE.COM

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News Rep. Desjarlais Sides with Republicans Calling for Delay in Filling Justice Antonin Scalia’s Seat STORY BY BRACKEN MAYO U.S. SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ANTONIN SCALIA died recently, leaving a vacancy on the highest court in the country. The judges sitting on the nine-member court serve lifetime appointments, unless they resign, and the Constitution states that the president “shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Councils, Judges of the supreme Court,” and other federal officers. Murfreesboro’s voice in the U.S. House of Representatives, Scott Desjarlais said a few days after Scalia’s passing that “we must not allow the Supreme Court to become merely another instrument to implement President Obama’s leftist political agenda. As such, I agree with Sen. McConnell (R-KY) that the American people should have a voice in the selection of the next Supreme Court Justice and the vacancy should not be filled until we have a new president.” The new president will not be in office until January 2017, so some Americans say the Supreme Court seat should not remain vacant for such a long period of time. Also, by his own acknowledgement, Rep. Desjarlais has no more of a say in the new judge’s appointment than any other citizen since only the U.S. Senate votes to confirm the nomination, and not the House, his views coincide with many in the Republican party. He took the time to explain his calls for delay to the Murfreesboro Pulse: MURFREESBORO PULSE: What is your

reasoning that the nomination of a new Supreme Court Justice should be put on hold for 11 months? Some are calling that “obstructionist.” DESJARLAIS: Our Constitution is clear that the Senate provides “advice and consent” for all Supreme Court nominees. Let us not forget that both Sen. Schumer and then-Sen. Obama sought to obstruct the nomination of Supreme Court Justices during the Bush administration. In fact, Sen. Schumer stated that the Senate should “reverse the presumption of confirmation” and Obama vigorously filibustered the nomination of Justice Alito. I recognize the president has a constitutional right to nominate a Supreme Court Justice. However, that privilege is counterbalanced by the Senate having an equally strong constitutional right to set the timeline for that confirmation process. I find it interesting that those who now accuse the Republican-controlled Senate of being obstructionists had absolutely nothing to say when Senate Majority Reid 8 * MARCH 2016 * BOROPULSE.COM

kept a vast majority of House-passed legislation from ever receiving a vote on the Senate floor. How do you reconcile that opinion with the Constitution’s setting forth the procedure of the president nominating judges of the Supreme Court, and their conﬁrmation being made after receiving the advice and consent of the Senate? The only procedure set forth in the Constitution is that the president nominates and the Senate provides “advice and consent.” There is no timeline and as such I feel strongly that the American people should have a say in who will replace Justice Scalia. . . . I just don’t see President Obama having the votes to confirm anyone right now. So waiting until next year is appropriate “advice” from the Senate? I think that it is. We are about to have a monumental election that will decide the direction of our country for at least the next four years. Others are calling those senators who want to wait until after a new president is in ofﬁce to consider a new justice “activist legislators” trying to block the Constitutional process and shift the balance of power away from the executive and judicial branches of our government. What are your views on that? Congress is a co-equal branch of the government. I think sometimes folks forget that. The constitutional process clearly states the president may nominate, but it is up to the Senate to provide “advice and consent.” That isn’t being an activist, that is exercising a Constitutional right and responsibility. If we go back to the Bush administration, several prominent Democrats embraced that exact approach. If the founding fathers wanted the president to have the authority to nominate whoever they choose, whenever they choose, they wouldn’t have added in the “advice and consent” requirement of the Senate. While President Obama won re-election in 2012, the American people elected a Republican Senate majority in 2014. Therefore the Senate has just as much of a mandate as the president to proceed as they think best as long as it is within our constitutional framework, and in this case it is. To contact your U.S. Representative and let him know about the issues that matter to you, visit desjarlais.house.gov or facebook.com/Scott DesJarlaisTN04.

BOROPULSE.COM

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Sounds

Read more about local music at

BoroPulse.com/Category/Music

Rev. Horton Hinson

MUSIC NOTES

HORTON/HINSON PHOTOS BY BRACKEN MAYO; DAVE RAWLINGS BY HENRY DILTZ

Sounds

Comedy’s Unknown joins legendary psychobilly trio for special performance. REVEREND HORTON HEAT AND UNKNOWN HINSON made an appearance in February at Nashville’s Cannery Ballroom, and both acts will be back in the mid-state for May’s Nashville Boogie Weekender. The long-running leaders of psychobilly— a revved-up revision of classic American rockabilly music—Reverend Horton Heat took the stage on Friday, Feb. 5, as loyal, enthusiastic fans crowded towards the front of the venue. Jim Heath wielded his signature red Gretsch, while bassist Jimbo Wallace slapped around the upright as usual. After a few numbers, Heath said it was time to introduce a special guest, and out comes the King of Country-Western Troubadours himself, Unknown Hinson. Heath said that the first time he saw Mr. Hinson in concert he was scared to death—and not because Hinson claims to be a vampire, but because of the man’s mad guitar-picking skills. The two traded off guitar solos for the next portion of the show, as Hinson remained onstage with the band for the rest of the evening. 12 * MARCH 2016 * BOROPULSE.COM

As outlandish as are Hinson’s persona and songs, his fans and followers know him as an incredibly skilled rock musician, a student of the classic country style, but an innovative instrumentalist in his own right. The spirit of comedy and entertainment is certainly present too—Hinson, who also voices Early Cuyler in the cartoon series Squidbillies, belted out tunes including “Your Man is Gay” and “I Ain’t Afraid of Your Husband” as the crowd sang and laughed along. Hinson declared that, at one time, hearing crowds singing along to his tunes to the point where he couldn’t even hear his own voice really pissed him off, but he then gave the audience his full blessing to sing

along with him, because he has since been through anger management courses. Reverend Horton Heat and Unknown will both be back to Tennessee for a Muddy Roots event, the Nashville Boogie Vintage Weekender and Car Show, to be held in the Opryland Hotel May 12–15. This happening will also include performances by Chris Isaak, Wanda Jackson, Pokey LaFarge, Hillbilly Casino and many others. For more information on this event, visit nashvilleboogie.com; for more on the bands, visit unknownhinson.com or reverendhortonheat.com.

— BRACKEN MAYO

DAVE RAWLINGS MACHINE, LONE BELLOW TO PLAY BLUEGRASS UNDERGROUND In addition to their already-announced docket of 2016 shows with artists including Chuck Mead, Aaron Lee Tasjan and the Hillbenders, Bluegrass Underground has revealed the lineup for its next taping weekend. Twelve artists are next to play the Volcano Room inside McMinnville’s Cumberland Caverns April 1–3, all for a taping of the concert se-

LONE BELLOW

ries’ PBS special. Americana’s favorite musical duo, Dave Rawlings and Gillian Welch, will take the stage with the Dave Rawlings Machine project, with folk outfit Hurray for Riff Raff opening, among others. Brooklyn-based trio the Lone Bellow will also play the cave alongside Alabama soul-rock favorites St. Paul and the Broken Bones and Florida jam band JJ Grey & Mofro. For the full lineup and ticket information, head to bluegrassunderground.com. — JOHN CONNOR COULSTON

DEWDROP JAMBOREE KICKS OFF SECOND SEASON OF VARIETY SHOW MARCH 19

LARRY MARTIN

AARON VANCE

“Our show is a local version of an Opry show featuring many local artists as well as some larger touring acts. We try to have something everyone will enjoy,” Martin adds. This season we will have many of our regulars coming back along with some national acts that we are planning on being with us.” While the series hasn’t released all the dates for season two, the season’s first installment and seventh show overall boasts a crop of local talent including John Crabtree, Aaron Vance, Brenda Lynn Allen, Teresa Camp, Hal Newman, Pat Jackson and many others. In addition to individual performers,

“Both of us called on our friends to help us with the first show, and from there we found plenty of talent for the rest of the season,” he says. “The show built a good audience the first season, and I decided to go forward with season two.” The show, organized by the American Musical Arts Group, a nonprofit group with a mission to preserve and showcase traditional American music genres, is a mixed bag with each installment. Martin says the jamboree has a taste of everything from country, bluegrass and gospel to Americana, blues, rock ’n’ roll and rockabilly.

TERESA CAMP

each show is backed by a group of musicians aptly named The Dewdrops. This year, Martin says, they will film all concerts for a new TV show the group is putting together. The next Dewdrop Jamboree is set for March 19 at 6 p.m.; Patterson Park Community Center is located at 521 Mercury Blvd. Tickets will be available at the door on the day of the show for a general admission of $10. To stay up-to-date on future dates and performers, visit the Dewdrop Jamboree Facebook page. — DYLAN SKYE AYCOCK

OG MACO AND TWRK TO PLAY TEMPT Hip-hop artist OG Maco and production duo TWRK are slated to appear at TEMPT on April 9. OG Maco is an Atlanta rapper who you may know from his 2014 viral hit, “U Guessed It,” which features Maco enthusiastically yelling and rapping over a minimalistic trap beat. However, he’s since aimed to move on from that hit by diversifying his sound and his message. He’s recently been featured on the Diplo collaboration “Doctor Pepper” and “Do What It Do,” a single with TWRK. The show is 18+ and doors open at 9 p.m. For more information, head to facebook.com/ temptmurfreesboro. — JOHN CONNOR COULSTON

BULLY PHOTO BY POONEH GHANNA

Murfreesboro’s music fans won’t have to travel far for a dose of old-fashioned finger-picking and a little rock ’n’ roll, as the Dewdrop Jamboree will return for its second season on March 19. The concert series, which celebrated its inaugural season in 2015, is Murfreesboro’s own musical variety show held at the Washington Theatre at Patterson Park Community Center. According to Larry Martin, founder and producer of the Dewdrop Jamboree, he developed the series name from a nickname given to Uncle Dave Macon, a renowned singer, songwriter, old-time banjo player and Middle Tennessee native. “He was the first superstar of the Grand Ole Opry and was billed as the Dixie Dewdrop,” Martin says. “I thought that might be a fitting name since Uncle Dave was from here. Everyone seemed to think it was a good name so we stuck with it.” For years, Martin says, he thought there was a need for a family-friendly venue in Murfreesboro. He says the idea was somewhat derived from one of his previous endeavors in the early ’70s called the Middle Tennessee Jamboree. Eager to make the concert series a reality, Martin pitched the idea to his singer/ musician friend Pat Jackson, his co-producer, and the two went from there.

BULLY

FREAKIN’ WEEKEND RETURNS FOR 7TH YEAR Nashville’s annual punk- and garage-rock festival Freakin’ Weekend will take place March 8–12. The festival, which is sponsored by the Nashville’s Dead blog, will bring local favorites and touring bands together for five shows at venues such as Exit/In, The End, Queen Ave. and the Third Man Records Blue Room. The festival kicks off with a pre-party featuring touring acts Sheer Mag and Downtown Boys headlining at Queen Ave. on March 8, then breakout local rock act Bully will play Exit/In with Twin Peaks and Nashville’s Blank Range on March 10. The Friday night show features Slammers and Memphis punks Ex-Cults alongside one of garage-rock’s most revered newcomers, White Reaper, at The End. Local favorites Diarrhea Planet will cap Freakin’ Weekend off with a Saturday night set at Exit/In with an after-party to follow at Third Man. Single-night tickets are available through each venue, and more information can be found at nashvillesdead.com. — JOHN CONNOR COULSTON BOROPULSE.COM

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Sounds

TEN YEARS IN FOR ONE NIGHT OUT

STORY BY BRYCE HARMON

MUSIC NOTES

PHOTOS BY JONATHAN WESENBERG

Those Darlins hold ﬁnal curtain call at the Basement East.

fter a wildly successful Murfreesboro experiment turned into a petite powerhouse, decade-old garagecountry-punk quartet Those Darlins played its final show Jan. 29 to a warm, sold-out room of approximately 350 in Nashville’s The Basement East. Beginning the evening, Nashville quartet Tristen took the stage to perform a ninesong set Three dapper gentlemen on the standard rhythm instruments backed the frontlady/songwriter and namesake, Tristen Gaspadarek, as she switched between her electric guitar and electric organ. Nashville’s sweetheart Caitlin Rose and Those Darlins were invited to sing onstage throughout their set, too, and after finishing her sweet “Lonely Destroyer” as a solid closer, Gaspadarek took a moment as the audience’s applause died down: “We’re all going to cry together after this, right? All the women? It’ll be all cramped and crampy?” she asked almost genuinely curiously into the microphone and walked off into the wing. There, the room awaited the inevitable during a brief set change until four shadowy figures entered from stage left. The room erupted in applause. Those Darlins walked out seemingly comfortable and content—at home, really— to a warm, welcoming fandom. And Those Darlins wasted no time with sentiments, just

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like throughout their career. The four of them strapped in and headed straight for their cutthroat live punk version of “Hives,” taken from their second album, Screws Get Loose, as founding Darlins Jessi Zazu and Nikki Kvarnes faced the crowd and cut their nails into their Fenders. Linwood Regensburg, who became an official Darlin after touring on the ladies’ self-titled album tour in 2010–11, manned the bass. There was a sit-in drummer known only as Jordan on drums and things turned Darlin from there real quick. “Hives” was that sucker punch of punk

needed to grab and hold attention right off the bat before Jessi Darlin rechanneled her Joey Ramone demeanor into that of Iggy Pop and began creeping around the front of the stage, mesmerizing the first few rows of people with her wide-eyed gaze brought on by the dark “Mystic Mind.” Next was their dead-on femme anthem “Be Your Bro,” from Screws Get Loose, which was followed by an ever-so-smooth walking bass line from Regensburg, who was sliding out on a cover of Divine’s “Female Trouble.” Then, after punching through the clanky

punk-country song “Snaggle Tooth Mama,” they finally got to Nikki Darlin’s beloved Joan Jett outlet “In the Wilderness.” Honestly, they could’ve stopped there and let the first seven songs stand as their legacy, a greatest hits, even, ranging from the original members’ befriending at MTSU’s Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp up to grungier alt-country rock they created surrounded by musical peers such as Caitlin Rose and Tristen, as they all ended up making a noticeable and pretty powerful girl-rock movement in the state’s capital during the previous decade. Yes, they could’ve stopped with those seven songs, but that wouldn’t exactly be Those Darlins’ style, would it? From there, it turned into a quaint parade onstage for another 10 songs and a few encores as fellow artists, managers and friends were called to grab a microphone. The Darlins belted their way through a few covers such as Nikki’s Dylan pick, “The Man in Me,” Jessi’s choice of The Velvet Underground’s “White Light/White Heat” and a nod to the Rock and Roll Girls camp with “Shakin’ All Over,” most currently popularized by rockabilly godmother Wanda Jackson. The remaining Those Darlins originals include “Oh, God,” “Guitar World,” and an array of ladies taking back the stage for a final “That Man,” sang in harmony by Those Darlins, Caitlyn Rose, Aida Victoria and Tristen. That one stood as a proper curtain call for Those Darlins stepping out. It was a pleasant full-circle success story that’s been interesting to watch, and even more so to hear. From their first days of them playing The Boro to touring the nation alongside huge names of their industry and contributing to the wellness, flourishing, and promotion of female musicians on a local and national scale, these guys pretty much nailed it in their 20s, and good on them for it. Just because Those Darlins disbanded doesn’t mean you can’t find Those Darlins’ full discography on the web at thosedarlins. com, along with merchandise, videos and links to other Those Darlins affiliated sites, such as their record label, Oh Wow Dang Records. Information about Tristen can be found on Facebook and Twitter, or at tristen.com. A schedule of events and booking information for the Basement East can be found on Facebook or at thebasementnashville.com.

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Living COME ON OUT, THE ICE IS NICE Ford Ice Center hosts all sorts of skating fun.

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IN 2014 THE NASHVILLE PREDATORS OPENED the Ford Ice Center, a two-rink facility in Antioch located near the former Hickory Hollow Mall. The complex attracts skaters from all over Middle Tennessee and beyond, with lots of public ice time, hockey leagues for all ages, Peraniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hockey World pro shop, the Scott Hamilton Skating Academy, times set aside for puck handling, freestyle practice sessions, parties, Predators events and more. For youngsters interested in giving hockey a try, the GOAL (Get Out and Learn) program offers a free chance to pad up and hit the ice to learn some basic ice hockey skills. GOAL involves a four-week program where certified coaches work with beginners on skills and drills. Even the equipment rental is free, making this a low-risk opportunity for parents to introduce kids to the game. The Ford Ice Center, a quick drive up I-24 from Murfreesboro, is also home to MTSU and Vanderbilt hockey clubs as well as various other tournaments and practices, from mites to professionals. For more information, rates and ice schedules, find the Ford Ice Center on Facebook and Twitter or visit fordicecenter.com. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; BRACKEN MAYO

Stephen A. Smith Encourages Young People to Find Their Gift, Follow Their Dreams and Stop Making Excuses

oday, said ESPN sports journalist and social commentator Stephen A. Smith, “The excuses are drastically minimized.” Smith tackled the topic of racism as a rationale for lack of ambition during a Feb. 17 speech on Murfreesboro’s MTSU campus. Smith said that prejudice and racism clearly still exist in 2016, but asserted that it is nothing like what previous generations of black Americans had to go through. His visit was part of the university’s Black History Month observations; the group at his presentation in the Student Union Ballroom was primarily comprised of black MTSU students, but all students were welcome, and the crowd included a diversity of ages, backgrounds and races. The speaker opined that rarely should anyone today use racism as an excuse for failure, that the key to success is drive, focus, hard work and sacrifice, that all Americans go through challenges and struggles, and that black America’s cries of racism are increasingly, and often rightfully, being discounted. “You can’t blame the white folks for everything!” Smith said. “I’m standing here as a black man telling you this, and that’s what the world is thinking.” Yes, horrible cases of racism appear regularly in the news and around the country, but Smith said he is tired of hearing people of color blame their own laziness and lack of discipline on racism. People should identify their goals and gifts, he continued, and, rather than sit around with a sense of entitlement making excuses, go out and achieve their dreams. “What’s your mission?” Smith asked the crowd. “You are here [at an institution of higher learning] to find out how you will change the world.” Smith was born in Queens, N.Y., and attended Winston Salem State University in North Carolina on a basketball scholarship. His path to become the well-known television, radio and print personality he is today was not always easy, as he explained—the death of an older brother devastated him, he broke his knee while playing college ball and he eventually had to re-earn his basketball scholarship, not to mention relearn how to walk. He got held back a grade in elementary school due to poor reading skills, and even after entering his career in media, contract negotiations were at times difficult to navigate, he said. But hard work and determination were

the keys, he said. He earned his position in the industry “legally, legitimately, not behind anybody’s back, front and center, here I come” through his drive to be the best in sports journalism. He encouraged college students to pursue internships and real-world experience even beyond their required classroom work. Smith said he had compiled over 200 published clips before he graduated college, by seeking out opportunities and submitting work to local publications in the Winston Salem area, on campus, and even the Atlanta Journal Constitution. The sports commentator, who appears on ESPN2’s First Take program every weekday alongside Skip Bayless, is quick to share the credit for his success as a journalist and media personality with those surrounding him. Many, many family members, teachers, media coworkers and others in the industry, he said, have contributed to his success. Those whom you believe are holding you down “must be removed,” he said. “They are an abyss, an anchor . . . it is extremely important to surround yourself with people who care.” The thirst for knowledge and the pursuit of ideas has been a huge part of Smith’s life, he said. A dictionary has been his friend since the time he was held back in elementary school, and he determined that he would read and write, not at an adequate level, but at an excellent level. Now in his 40s, he still tries to improve his language and vocabulary skills every day, and says he often looks up words in the dictionary, and refuses to continue reading a book or article until he is certain he comprehends every word and passage. And his claim that he has never lost a debate doesn’t mean he is always right. Smith said when he is in a debate or a conversation with someone, he’ll often realize and recognize the other individual is correct, but then he walks away from the exchange with more knowledge than he had going in, so that makes him a winner. He left the students and community members with the encouragement to “find your gift,” that the idea of “you can be anything” is a lie, but that everyone has something they are excellent at, and if they identify and nurture that, and surround themselves with people who believe in them, they can change the world and find success. “I couldn’t play basketball against Allen Iverson and Kobe. But they can’t write like me and they can’t host a radio show like me,” Smith said. — BRACKEN MAYO BOROPULSE.COM

* MARCH 2016 * 17

Living Specially

Good Time

Special Kids holds 10th annual Camp Ability for kids with special needs. STORY BY SARAH H. CLARK

CAMP IS THE QUINTESSENTIAL encounter of an American summer. Whether art camp, horse riding camp, space camp, or just a week of outdoor play, summer camp is the time to make friends, have new experiences, and make the most of the months away from school. But what about kids with special needs? Many summer camps aren’t equipped to handle children who may have trouble with mobility, behavioral issues, or even specialized medical needs. And that’s where Camp Ability steps in. Organized and operated by Special Kids, a Christian nonprofit dedicated to helping kids and families with special needs, Camp Ability is a seven-week summer day camp. Any young person aged six to 25 can attend, no matter their disability or special need. “We have everything from diabetes— which normally can’t be cared for at summer camp)—to autism, to kids in wheelchairs for multiple reasons,” says Ginger Spencer, the Director of Marketing for Special Kids. Spencer is passionate about Camp Ability, saying, “It’s probably the funnest thing we do at Special Kids.” More than that, too, being around their peers often helps the campers to reach social goals and make friends. This year will be the camp’s tenth. “It started with 25 campers, and last year we had 78. We expect to break 80 this year,” 18 * MARCH 2016 * BOROPULSE.COM

says Spencer. “The kids look forward to it every year.” Camp Ability runs from the beginning of June until the end of July in two sessions. Kids can participate in either session or both, and the cost is just $100 per week, thanks to the grant providers who have subsidized the program. Some scholarships are available, and, says Spencer, “We do have some campers who fund-raise. One camper sells zucchini bread at church,” to pay for his time at camp, for example. The camp is held at North Boulevard Church

of Christ, but through a partnership with MTSU, the campers also have access to athletic facilities on campus. They go to the MTSU pool every week, and throughout the summer they use the tennis courts and have clinics with basketball and football players. Bill Taylor’s Bushido School of Karate also provides karate lessons, and Lowe’s Home Improvement sponsors a Build Day to teach new skills. “It’s amazing how the community comes out to support these kids,” says Spencer. In addition to these special activities, the campers have Bible study every day, puppet

shows, field trips every week, and a limo ride at the end of the summer—basically, they do everything kids do (and love!) at camp. “It’s a lot of go, go, go,” Spencer says with a laugh. The camp is staffed by both volunteers and counselors, as well as a camp nurse who can administer medications and provide mild medical care, such as treating kids with diabetes. “We have lots of paid staff—one counselor for every three kids,” says Spencer. “Obviously we need a great staff to make this work.” The camp runs from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, and extended care, from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., is also available for an additional $20 per week. To learn more about Camp Ability, visit specialkidstn.com and download the registration form. Parents should fill out the form and bring it to an orientation on either Sat., April 9, or Sat., April 30. The camp is growing each year, says Spencer, but they must still operate for now on a first-come, firstserve basis, so she encourages interested families to get in touch with Special Kids as soon as possible. Those interested in volunteering should also reach out well in advance, notes Spencer, who adds that the camp is also currently hiring counselors. For more information, contact Spencer at gspencer@specialkidstn.com.

BOROPULSE.COM

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Living

Garden Party Boro Garden Party announces speaker schedule for March 18–19 Event

THE GARDEN SHOW AND PARTY, a yard and garden show being held in Murfreesboro on March 18 and 19, will come around just in time to greet spring and Easter. During both days, from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. you can enjoy displays, art, vendor booths and speakers that aim to enhance outdoor living and beautiful yards and gardens. The Friday night event is a family-friendly party, featuring music and other entertainment. Throughout the event, vendors, floral arrangers and visual artists will be showcasing their products and talents that assist in “living life beautifully.” Garden classes are included with ticketed admission and are limited to the first 40 people for each session on a first-come basis. The schedule of speakers includes:

Simple Herbal Home Remedies Friday, March 18, 10:30–Noon AYSHA HARWARD

of Terra Nektar Farms in Readyville will discuss the history of herbal remedies and using herbs known for flu prevention, and then get into some remedies that are easy to make in the kitchen and that provide relief for a variety of issues from a simple cough to the flu virus. She will demonstrate how to make a herbal tea with herbs that have been known to ease the nerves and provide antiviral protection. She will demonstrate how to make two syrups: herbal cough syrup and one known for known for its antiviral protection. Free samples will be available to attendees along with recipes for the items made in class. If time permits, a wonderful 20 * MARCH 2016 * BOROPULSE.COM

herb that probably grows in everyone’s backyard here in Tennessee and is known for its effect on bite and sting relief will be sampled and discussed.

Using Essential Oils to Maintain Health

Friday, March 18, 12:30–1:30 p.m. BETH HOLDER will discuss using essential oils derived from plants to maintain our health. Peppermint, lavender and several other oils will be discussed. Beth is a distributor for Young Living essential oils. She will also have a booth at the show.

Square Foot Gardening

Friday, March 18, 2–3 p.m. Gardening expert RICHARD LEE will give an intensive presentation on planning and

executing square-foot gardening. This technique allows multiple crops in a small area. It promotes rotating crops several times throughout a season to receive the highest yield per foot.

inputs or controls. This session will be a great resource for gardeners who want to build healthy soil, garden in a pleasant manner and share great food with family and friends.

Sustainable Gardening

Sat., March 19, 1–2 p.m. Award-winning landscape architect TODD BREYER from Nashville is presenting the steps of designing and creating a garden design. This talk includes showcasing plants that are wonderful and easy to grow but are lesser known. Todd has worked in San Francisco and studied at the University of Georgia and in Tuscany, Italy. He received several blue ribbons from the 2016 Antique and Garden Show and is one of the organizers of the Lawn and Garden Show at the Nashville Fairgrounds, where his entry garden greets visitors every year. He is also an active member in several other groups including the Herb Society of Nashville and the Horticultural Association of Tennessee.

Friday, March 18, 7:15–8 p.m. Master Gardener REGGIE REEVES will give a great introduction to organic-based sustainable gardening. Approaching gardening as part of our ecosystem, Reggie will touch on basic principles including: improving soil health, water harvesting, reusing waste as a basis to composting, the use of raised beds, fertilization and pest control, and the choice of plants grown.

Sustainable Living: Aquaponics and Using a Rocket Stove Mass Heater

Friday, March 18, 8:30–10 p.m. Aquaponics is a system of aquaculture in which the waste produced by farmed fish or other aquatic animals supplies nutrients for plants grown hydroponically. The plants, in turn, purify the water. ANDREW CLEAVES

from MidTN Hydroponics and Gardening will present the hows and whys of a good system design that maintains healthy fish along with a healthy and accurate feeding program for high quality and productive grows. Rocket Stoves Mass Heaters, a source of heat in outbuildings, will also be introduced.

Garden, Grow Food, Naturally

Sat., March 19, 10:30 a.m.–noon Known for his knowledge of organics, MARK MURPHY encourages everyone to garden, to grow food, and to do so in a natural style that supports healthy and enjoyable gardening. This talk focuses on philosophies and techniques ideal for home and hobby gardeners, including the core differences between conventional and organic gardening. The review discusses some of the influential people of the organic movement. Of particular interest to new gardeners or to those looking to simplify their approach, Mark will provide an overview of his minimalist organic style; abundant gardening with basic tools and minimal

Great Gardens, Fantastic Plants

Milkweeds and How to Grow Them

Sat., March 19, 3–4 p.m. Attracting monarchs and other pollinators to your garden is part of the garden’s success. LINELL, from Monarch Meadow, will discuss how we can assist in the annual migration of monarchs. Tennessee is a stop on their migratory path, during which a generation emerges and needs food sources. Monarch caterpillars only eat milkweed. This discussion will include an overview of the annual cycle, milkweed varieties, and optimal growing conditions. The Garden Party will be held at the Lane Agri-Park Community Center at 315 John R. Rice Blvd. in Murfreesboro. The location is easily accessible from Interstate 24, either exit 76 or 78A; the Community Center building is the last building in the Agri-Park. For the daytime events, tickets are $6. The Garden Party on Friday night is a $8 adult ticket. Children 13 and under will be admitted free with a paying adult ticket. There is an on-your-honor seed swap (bring some, take some). The Garden Party is hosted by Dogbones Network, a company that discovers treasures to help live life beautifully. For more information on the Boro Garden Party, visit facebook.com/borogardenparty or borogardenparty.com, call (615) 715-0003 or email borogardenparty@gmail.com.

BOROPULSE.COM

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Living

SAD STOREY “My wife died in my arms.”

LIFE ON THE STREET STORY BY DARCY PAYNE

BY THE TIME MY COLLEGE YEARS ended and my career began, I was burning to meet Michael Storey. My mental picture of him grew brighter with each disclosure. Consider it: A homeless man living in Nashville was well known as far away as Murfreesboro. I knew only that he had a wrinkled face, specifically the smile lines, that he was not able to see well and was 64 years old. I wondered what kind of person could live outside with a wife who was slowly dying from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). I contacted photographer Scott Walker and told him about my exploration. “I have met him twice in the same area,” he said. After mentioning his location, he said, “Go search!” In the meantime, I did some more inquiring, and the first thing I revisited was the fact that ALS is a degenerative disease that weakens muscles and impairs physical functions. This is a rare disease; fewer than 20,000 people in the United States are diagnosed each year. ALS has no known cause or cure and can last for years or be lifelong. This disease happens to be the same diagnosis that my mom suffered from in a span of 10 years. Given this rare similarity between Michael’s past and my own, I was determined to find him. After 10 long months of unsuccessful attempts to find Michael in downtown Nashville, I put the story on hold. Then, on Ash Wednesday, I made my way to Madison Church of Christ’s Benevolence Center. Here, men from Room in the Inn come to stay sheltered from the elements of the outdoors. When Room in the Inn ceases to take in more homeless people 22 * MARCH 2016 * BOROPULSE.COM

due to limited capacities, a bus takes them to Madison—which is where I was that day. As 13 men stepped off the bus and made their way into the building, snow began to fall silently onto their caps. I explicitly remember one man with a broken hand who entered the building as well as a larger man in a wheelchair. I wondered . . . what would it be like to live outside in the snow with a disability? The men calmly gathered around the dinner table as some of the sweet cooks came out to serve them barbecue, potato salad and cornbread. I sat down at the table with them to eat as well.

“They Call Me Blind Mike” An elderly man turned around in his seat to see me. He resembled the elderly character Carl Fredricksen from Pixar’s animated film Up. Looking at me over the large glasses sitting on his bulbous nose, the man told me his name, although I didn’t ask. “They call me Blind Mike,” he said with a broad smile. I analyzed his features, knowing I’ve seen this man somewhere. I didn’t know him by name, but I knew Blind Mike. He gestured to his wrinkles. “Don’t call me old,” he said. “Call me elder.” I took this preliminary statement as a sign that he would be blunt. Before I had the chance to ask a question, he continued. “My wife died in my arms,” said Blind Mike with tears welling up in his eyes. “It’s like she waited on me for her last breath. She had a disease called ALS, you see. Now let me tell you something, we were in Tent City at the time . . .” “The Tent City featured on Netflix?” I inquired further. “Well, there’s more than one ‘Tent City,’” said Blind Mike, “But ours was the original Tent City in Nashville.”

This had to be Michael Storey. I was sure of it. I mentioned that I knew him from somewhere and asked for his first and last name. Sure enough, Blind Mike responded with the name Michael Storey. Michael Storey is known for helping his wife fight the long process of a terrible neurodegenerative disease while living out in the wilderness. Come to find out, Michael had received an apartment for part of the period after her disease was diagnosed and also received help from hospice to fight the extensive battle alongside Rebecca Burcnette. Rebecca Burcnette, the only love of his life. “I’ve been married multiple times,” said Michael. “But she was different. She was it.” Michael brought his previous wife to Nashville on a honeymoon. While the thing that brought him to the great city of Nashville was his honeymoon, what made him stay was the Southern hospitality. “I’ve been around the world,” said Michael. “My dad was rich. He helped build the Piggly Wiggly grocery store chain. But I don’t want to go around the world no more. I wanna live and die right here.” Even as one of the most loyal Nashville residents, Michael has still yet to experience some of the wonders of Music City. Michael explained to me that one day he was “working away at the river” the first night he met her. The first night he met Rebecca Burcnette. Michael and Rebecca were watching the General Jackson turn around on the Cumberland River and was, thus, how they fell in love. When asked if it was his dream to board the General Jackson, he responded with a quick negative. “The dream was when I met her,” said Michael.

’Til Death Do Us Part Ever since then, they were together. Apparently even death can’t keep Michael away from Rebecca. She passed away at 61 years of age, three years after diagnosis, but Michael still carries her in his heart . . . and his wallet. “We went 10 years without a fight. No fighting. Just loving. It’s so precious,” said Michael with tears.

He pulled out his wallet and removed his glasses. With one hand wiping his face and the other pulling out a card, he showed me her photo. He carries it everywhere he goes. Showing me her identification, he says “that’s all I have left of her, other than the photo at the Room in the Inn.” At Room in the Inn, Rebecca’s photo is featured on the wall. Michael mentioned multiple times that one can find her “around the corner” of the halls. She is still featured on the wall in a La-Z-Boy recliner with her dog, Sheeba. He kisses the photo every time he visits. “After she passed away,” said Michael while holding his Contributor nametag. “I didn’t let myself go under all the way. I sell the paper now. I’m so proud of that. Been seven years since she passed away; started selling papers three years ago.” Michael found pride and joy in selling The Contributor. He proceeded to pull a paper out of his backpack. “Hey, can I give you a paper? I’ve always wanted to help someone who’s been in the same situation I have with ALS. Can I do that for you? I know you’ll like it.” The front page of The Contributor issue he handed me featured “Doug the Pug.” When I told Michael that I’ve met that dog at a concert, he was thrilled. Doug the Pug is a famous traveling dog whose owner blogs about his journeys. One of those journeys happened to be the Pentatonix and Kelly Clarkson concert I attended last year. Upon my exit, Michael requested a hug. When I told him I would see him again soon, he seemed skeptical. Most homeless individuals have adapted to the inconsistency of life. People come and go, and he must’ve thought I would do the same. We parted ways, until he saw the snow that covered my car. An inch of snow had gathered on the windows of my green VW Beetle. I didn’t have a scraper, so I dusted it off with my hands. Michael saw this from the window of the Benevolence Center door and rushed to the rescue. “You’ll never get out of here with all this covering your windows!” he exclaimed. “Here . . .” Michael dusted off my back windows as I fixed the windshield. Keeping in mind he can’t see well, he did a pretty decent job. “There,” he said with a smile. “Now you can go.” “Hey,” I said while he walked back to the shelter. “Why do they call you ‘Blind Mike?’” “I have cataracts,” said Michael. “Couldn’t see your face this whole time.” Cataracts cloud vision, which makes it hard for Michael to see, but that hasn’t stopped him yet. Michael continues to help others through sharing his story . . . the Michael story.

BOROPULSE.COM

* MARCH 2016 * 23

Food

Read more about local restaurants at

BoroPulse.com/Category/Food

Mmm...

Clockwise from left: Box of assorted flavors from Dunkin’; freshly baked cake doughnuts at Donut Country; 27-year veteran Donut Country baker James Barry prepares a massive mound of dough; Chocolate-glazed, creme-ﬁlled doughnut from Yum E.

DOUGHNUTS A look at the Boro’s doughnut shops

YUM E DONUTS

STORY BY ALICIA CRITTENDEN

LUCKILY, FOR THOSE in Murfreesboro craving a doughnut, no matter what time of day or what part of town, a fresh, hot doughnut is never far away. Whether you want it topped with bacon, filled with cookie dough, baked with blueberries or even sprinkled with Fruity Pebbles or piped with jelly, the pastry shops of Murfreesboro have plenty to offer. DONUT COUNTRY DONUT COUNTRY 1311 Memorial Blvd., Open 24 hours (but CLOSED Saturdays from 3–9 p.m. and Sundays from 2–9 p.m.) 1691 Middle Tennessee Blvd. Open daily, 5–11 a.m. For more than three decades, Murfreesboro’s Donut Country has been a safe 24-hour sweet treat hangout for MTSU students, visitors to the 24 * MARCH 2016 * BOROPULSE.COM

community and all doughnut lovers in the area. “Donut-making is half science and half art,” said Carol Egles; she and her husband, Rick, bought Donut Country more than 28 years ago because they wanted to try their hand at pastry making, and now their daughter, Wendy, comanages the shop. To create the next day’s delicious glazed donuts, twists, and apple fritters, the Donut Country crew works through the night.

“Once the yeast sets, it’s on,” said James Barry, a Donut Country kneader and baker who has been with the business for 27 years. Barry and the team make dozens of the Country’s eclairs, twists, doughnuts and cinnamon rolls each night. “Valentine’s Day was a doozy,” he said. “I hand-cut the (doughnut) hearts one at a time; there were 4 to 700 a night.” “On Sunday mornings, when there’s a Donut Country box in our classroom, it’s a good day,” says Karen Kisling, a patron of Donut Country who visited the shop with her sister from Cincinnati to try a favorite, the cinnamon roll. MTSU sophomore and Donut Country employee Lindsey Elmore says her favorite is the blueberry cake doughnut, while 10-year-old patron Tyler Burks from Watertown went with a chocolate glazed doughnut. Murfreesboro native and 15-year Donut Country customer Ashley Schoen states her favorite is the original glaze. “They’re just fat and fluffy. It’s good to have when you get up in the morning,” Schoen says. Don’t forget to sample Donut Country’s spicy pimento cheese made with bacon and jalapeños.

2486 Old Fort Pkwy. Open Tues.–Sat. 6 a.m.–2 p.m.; Sun. 6 a.m.–12 p.m. Once called “Yum Yum’s” and located on Church Street, the bakery and doughnut shop was moved by Lisa Wyatt to the Old Fort Parkway location a few years back, along with a new name, Yum E Donuts. Wyatt’s daughter, Alisha Netherland, creates cakes and decorates for Yum E Cakes in the same pastry shop. “She has the patience to [decorate]; I love to cook,” Wyatt said. A Murfreesboro resident picked up a pink owl cake and cupcakes from Yum E Cakes to serve as a “smash cake” for her daughter’s first birthday party. “We might have to share it,” Jaclyn Kollar stated after taking a look at the cake. Wyatt said that she wants the shop’s chocolate glaze to taste like fudge, and that “everything is rolled up and cut by hand.” “It’s all about the chocolate—it’s nice and fresh,” David Petree said about the chocolate glaze donuts from Yum E Donuts, and said he and his 3-year-old son, Chase, frequent the shop on a weekly basis for freshly made doughnuts. “I like the fact that we make our own icing,” said Ruby LaFever, a Yum E employee for about four years. She said they give free donut holes to firsttimers to the shop. “They’ll come back, I promise,” Brooke

Clockwise from left: Yum E employee serves a customer; Maple, pecan, chocolate-chip and maple bacon creations from Artful Doughnut; Box of assorted flavors from Donut Palace; bottom, Display of assorted flavors at Kwik Mart

Martin said, a Yum E employee for the past few years. “[Wyatt’s] not just my boss, she’s like family,” Martin stated. Yum E loyalist Don Barnes said he favors the Bavarian cream, while his wife likes the cinnamon twist, and thinks that part of Yum E’s success comes from the fact that Wyatt makes the shop feel like home. Wyatt told the Pulse that her job doesn’t even seem like a job. “I’m truly blessed,” she said. Along with a variety of homemade pastries, including delicious donuts with shop-made strawberry icing and pink sprinkles as well as cinnamon rolls, Yum E also offers breakfast choices including pigs in a blanket made with donut yeast and sausage links, and breakfast quesadillas made with bacon and sausage.

KWIK MART 310 N. Front St. Mon.–Fri. 6 a.m.–11 p.m.; Sat. and Sun. 6 a.m.–10 p.m. Downtown dwellers are within walking distance to their neighborhood Kwik Mart, and many are coming to find the store’s doughnuts and fritters are holding their own in the city’s doughnut industry. Kwik Mart’s kitchen, which takes up about a third of the store floor, is the place where every glazed, jelly, chocolate-covered and sprinkled doughnut is made fresh each morning. Mahmood Ismail, a Kwik-Mart employee, said he arrives each morning at 5 a.m. so that he’s ready to greet the regular patrons who come by for at least one of the freshly made hot glazed or jelly doughnuts to begin their morning or for a mid-day snack.

THE ARTFUL DOUGHNUT 810 Medical Center Pkwy. Mon.–Thu. 7 a.m. – 2 p.m.; Fri. and Sat. 7 a.m.–6 p.m. Order your doughnut with maple glaze, bacon, banana and chocolate sprinkles if you

like. The Artful Doughnut takes on the morning with creative flair. Artful owners Scott and Nancy Broden take the minimalist approach to doughnut making. They produce simple, cake-like doughnuts and leave the creativity up to the customers. “Pick your own glaze, pick your own topping, pick your own drizzle,” says Scott. The Artful Doughnut shop is a family affair, as both Broden’ sons, Zane and Silas, help with the family business. According to Zane, a Junior at Central Magnet, he’s a big fan of Fruity Pebbles and says the maple glaze and bacon are big hits in the shop. Patron Andrew Oakley went with a Fruity Pebbles, vanilla glaze and banana slice creation. “I’m a cereal-holic,” Oakley said. “That’s my entire breakfast in a simple doughnut.” “It’s hard to go wrong with bacon,” Nicole Dool stated after ordering a doughnut with chocolate glaze and bacon. A Blackman high school student Snapchatted her doughnut creation. “This one tastes like Christmas—chocolate glaze with Bavarian cream,” said Olivia Rogers, while her mother, Robyn, said that Artful’s delightful cinnamon sugar topping reminded her of her favorite childhood pastries.

The Artful Doughnut also displays various paintings from community supporters. In recent weeks, the shop has displayed art by La Vergne Middle School, Blackman United Methodist Church and local artist Gary James.

DONUT PALACE 1623 N.W. Broad St. Mon.–Sat. 5 a.m.–1 p.m.; Sun. 5 a.m.–12 p.m. “It’s the spot,” said Theresa Malone, who visits Donut Palace a few times weekly with her family. Malone said she stops in because the shop offers fresh and gooey doughnuts, along with her favorite ham and cheese offering. Sovannara Chhim helps run the shop alongside his mom, dad and brother. “We gotta make everything perfect,” said Chimm about preparing their pastries and other offerings like pigs in a blanket. Chimm and his brother are cutting, frying and baking doughnuts at 2 a.m. daily, before

their customers arrive starting at 5 a.m. “Our Sunday school class loves Donut Palace. We always have snacks for Sundays, and when somebody brings food from the palace we get excited!” Trinace Campbell, a Donut Palace long-time fan, said. “I love their vanillacovered donuts and pigs in a blanket.” Zerian Moore and other regular Palace patrons said that the Palace offers doughnuts that are sweet but not too sweet, with just the right amount of glaze. “They are light and fluffy—I try them all,” Moore said; he stops in about once a month to buy and share the Palace’s pastries with his fellow Nissan co-workers. Stop into the Donut Palace for 69-cent glazed and chocolate doughnuts and 89-cent jelly-filled varieties.

DUNKIN’ DONUTS 833 Memorial Blvd., 3028 S. Rutherford Blvd., 2943 S. Church St. Mon.–Thurs 5 a.m.–10 p.m.; Fri.–Sat. 5 a.m.–11 p.m.; Sun. 6 a.m.–9 p.m. Earlybirds and night owls can conveniently pop into their neighborhood Dunkin’ Donuts, now with a third Murfreesboro location near the MTSU campus. The shops are filled with the aroma of coffee and all sorts of doughnuts, including monthly specials and decadent delights like the chocolate-chip cookie-doughfilled doughnut. The new location has a sitting area just right for students to lounge and grab a coffee or a sausage and egg sandwich. “I love the blueberry blend and the vanilla cupcake blend,” said Murfreesboro resident Eleni McKnight, commenting on Dunkin’ Donuts’ coffee creations, and said she preferred Dunkin’ Donuts coffee to other bagged brands at the grocery, as well. Dunkin’ Donuts’ doughnut shells are shipped to the store pre-made but then heated up in-store, then filled with the franchise’s favorite glazes and jellies each night, according to an employee. BOROPULSE.COM

* MARCH 2016 * 25

Art

Edgar Allen Poe, oil on panel, 11x14, 2013

The Elves of Uteria cover

Prosthetic elf ears

Artist Michael Bielaczyc

MAN OF MANY MASKS NASHVILLE RESIDENT Michael Bielaczyc has many talents. On some days, he’s a writer; others, he’s a painter, illustrator or costume designer. His projects vary from day to day, but one thing is for certain: he’s always an artist. Bielaczyc, a Riverdale High School grad, began actively selling and showing his artwork in 1995, when he self-published a comic book. Soon after, he decided to pursue art as his full-time career. In 2001, while still in college, he launched Aradani Studios along with his brother, Paul, and sister, Sara. The Bielaczyks intended for the business to be a way to sell original artwork at the Tennessee Renaissance Festival. Paul then added personally crafted, hand-painted prosthetic elf ears to the inventory, and around the same time Michael’s creative realm grew to include costuming. Their creations were so popular among festivalgoers that the Bielaczycs knew it was time to expand the business. Over the years, Aradani Studios’ staff began producing their own line of prosthetics. Bielaczyc also finds time to write, particularly fantasy stories. Most recently, he has been working on a novel, which takes place in Uteria, an original fantasy world created by Bielaczyc and his friend Dane Clark Collins. The Pulse caught up with Michael Bielaczyc to talk about his creative endeavors: 26 * MARCH 2016 * BOROPULSE.COM

MURFREESBORO PULSE:

From artwork to writing to costumes and more, you have a very proliﬁc output. What is your approach? BIELACZYC: I tend to focus on a bunch of projects, often at the same time. While a video is rendering in the background, I will be writing a chapter to a future RPG book. Or in the studio, if I have a resin sculpt drying, I will wander over to the drawing table and knock out an ink drawing. In some ways this has hurt my craft. I have become a jack of all trades, but a master of none. But at the same time it has allowed my company, Aradani Studios, to grow since I have my hand in a little bit of everything. Although you’ve worked for various role-playing franchises over the years, you’re most passionate about your personal work. Do you mind elaborating on that? Working for big companies means you often have a tight deadline, a strict contract and guidelines that you must follow. I often felt a little stifled by these restraints, or disappointed in my work since it always seemed to fall short of where I wanted it to be. I found my inspiration in trying out new things with

STORY BY DYLAN SKYE AYCOCK

my paintings, exploring colors and strange symbolism, and for quite a while this was the forefront of my artistic endeavors. And then I started to apprentice under Larry Elmore, the painter who inspired me to be an artist. We quickly became friends as he mentored me and he is a great teacher. Soon my illustration work started to really tighten up. I started leaning heavily towards that side of my art and wanted to explore ways to make the illustration my own, which is when I started working on my own fantasy world, the World of Uteria. You have had a lot of success using the crowdfunding site Kickstarter for The World of Uteria. Can you tell me about the campaigns and what role they’ve played in your career? Kickstarter changed everything. It allowed me a chance to get funding for a book that would not have been published, and opened doors to new fans that I would not have reached otherwise. Some bad apples came along and used Kickstarter to promote their corporate products, or others used it to scam people, and I think it has started to get a bad rep. But, for me, it is a way to fund my dreams, and help me put out products I could not otherwise afford to do. What’s it like working alongside your brother and sister, and do you and

your staff create and design all of the products? Aradani is now a full-time, 40-plus-hour-aweek job, mainly focused on costuming. And the main focus of the costuming is prosthetic elf ears. We produce about 200 pairs of elf ears per day in the studio, which is now located on Aradani’s own property in downtown Nashville. We appropriately named it Elfland on the county charter. The day-to-day at Aradani is much like any other business. All the normal business things happen, like looking at new products, finding new venues; except our meetings may revolve around the latest comic con, or the new fantasy TV series and if it will drive customers to a product of ours. It can be tough working with family and friends, but no tougher than other jobs I have had. And we are all working together for a goal . . . Everyone at Aradani brings their own skills and specialties. Do you have any endeavors you’re currently working on that you’d like to mention? My secondary company, SagaBorn, has a few books on the horizon, and I have a lot of art to do for them. One book I am most looking forward to is the SagaBorn role-playing game. For more, visit michaelbielaczyc.com, aradanicostumes.com, worldofuteria.com and sagaborn.com.

 MARCH ART EVENTS

HATCH SHOW PRINT EXHIBIT SHOWN AT MTSU The MTSU Todd Art Gallery hosts an exhibit of work from Nashville poster-making icon Hatch Show Print through March 10, recognizing the Southern print aesthetic and the MTSU/Hatch connection. Hatch’s first handbill was produced for Tom Ryman, of Ryman Auditorium fame, who had them create a poster announcing the appearance of a circuit-riding preacher. From there, Hatch’s posters advertised everything from sporting events to circuses and operas, even the Grand Ole Opry, leading Hatch patrons towards a greater understanding of posters as promotional tools. Today’s work is produced by the same letterpress techniques used by the Hatch brothers, with hand-carved blocks laid out in reverse on plates, inked, and run through antique letterpress machines by hand. The MTSU exhibit will host a retrospective of Hatch work while presenting the individual work of Hatch Master Printer Jim Sherraden, Hatch artist Heather Moulder and MTSU print professor emeritus Christie Nuell. All Todd Art Gallery exhibits are open to the public. For more information, contact eric.snyder@mtsu.edu or (615) 898-5532.

MERCHANT TO EXHIBIT AT MOTLOW CAMPUS

FERRELL HOLLOW HORSE SANCTUARY BENEFIT

The Motlow State Community College Art Department presents an exhibit of new works by Murfreesboro artist Glenn Merchant through March 24 at the Eoff Hall Gallery on Motlow’s Moore County campus near Tullahoma. “I paint and draw my immediate surroundings, taking note of the commonplace and celebrating it,” said Merchant, also the owner of Moxie Art Supply, along with being a practicing artist. MSCC Moore County is located at 6015 Ledford Mill Rd., Tullahoma. For more, email bunderwood@mscc.edu.

Local artistic talents will band together to auction pieces of their work for the benefit of Ferrell Hollow Farm Senior Horse Sanctuary at the HeARTs for Horses Art Auction Fundraiser, held from 2–6 p.m. Sunday, April 3, at Mayday Brewery. Pottery, paintings, assemblage, fibers, hand-bound journals and more are set to be auctioned with all the proceeds to go to Ferrell Hollow Farm Senior Horse Sanctuary, giving senior horses a beautiful place to live, a healthy diet, veterinary care and lots of love. Participating artists include Dawna Magliacano, Susan Blair Truex, W. Michael Bush, Pamela Mack, Carol Berning, Eva Berg, Dina D’Argo and others. For more information, email dkmagarts@gmail.com.

BOROPULSE.COM

* MARCH 2016 * 27

Reviews

DEADPOOL DIRECTED BY

Tim Miller STARRING Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, Ed Skrein, T.J. Miller RATED R

After years of waiting, Deadpool fans finally got the movie based on the “merc with a mouth,” and it was well worth the wait. Ryan Reynolds, who played a depressingly bad incarnation of Deadpool in the equally bad X-Men Origins:

THE WITCH DIRECTED BY

Robert Egger STARRING

Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, Anya Taylor-Joy RATED R

Witch-themed movies such as The Blair Witch Project and Rob Zombie’s The Lords of Salem often cast witchcraft in a contemporary setting, but first-time director Robert Egger’s Sundance-winning horror The Witch forgoes modern comforts and thrusts the genre back to its New England roots. It follows a trend of artistic fright flicks

Wolverine, has been campaigning for this film to be made for what seems like forever. Fox finally gave the project the go-ahead when test footage was leaked, possibly by Reynolds himself, in the summer of 2014. From the opening credits it is apparent what kind of movie Deadpool will be: a fourth-wallbreaking, hilarious, action-filled film. The character Deadpool often looks right at the camera and addresses the audience, commenting on how absurd a situation is or talking about the smaller budget of the film. These references are usually incredibly clever and poke fun at the huge lineup of comic book movies that are now

being produced, a few of which discuss the larger X-Men universe and are worth the price of admission alone. Deadpool often spews profanity that would make Captain America blush, and thankfully he backs up his smack talk with enough bloody action to earn the R rating on its own. This is certainly the bloodiest Marvel-related movie to come out in quite a while. Possibly the most surprising element of the movie is that the violence is at its strongest when played for laughs. An amazing montage of death near the middle of the film is the perfect example of incredibly violent moments mixed perfectly with humor. However, while the majority of Deadpool is fresh and unexpected, at its core it is still an origin story. This origin story is nothing special and very predictable, but thankfully the characters are likable and the movie jumps around in time, mixing the origin story with some great action scenes, a technique that subsequently prevents the backstory from getting too stale. The mostly by-the-numbers origin story is the only slight disappointment in an overwhelmingly enjoyable movie. It’s safe to say that Deadpool is the first must-see movie of this year. From the incredible action, great performances, and stellar humor, Deadpool doesn’t miss a beat. — LEVI HILL

that focus less on gore and jump scares and instead on filling the audience with dread and anticipation. Those who enjoyed Jennifer Kent’s The Babadook can rejoice in the fact that The Witch delivers a similarly terrifying experience through ominous shadows, muted conversations and a relentless score—and sometimes, piercing silence. The film opens with a family’s patriarch, William (Ralph Ineson), on trial for unknown actions unbecoming of his Puritan faith. The council decides to banish William, his wife Katherine (Kate Dickie) and their four children. The family gathers their paltry belongings and are displaced to the unforgiving wilderness. After settling their home, Katherine gives birth to their fifth child, Samuel. While many horror films use religion as a tired segue into an overused exorcism, The Witch bucks this pattern. Religious to its core, it succeeds tremendously without employing any one-prayer solutions or cheap, upsidedown cross gimmicks. The household prays for answers to their plights, but they do it, well, religiously. The themes of sin and godliness permeate the film, and each member of the family—except the newborn—has vices to overcome. As accusations of witchcraft, lying, disobedience and theft are thrown around, it’s hurriedly apparent that the members of this

family don’t wholly trust one another. The titular witch who plagues the isolated family only snowballs these issues by testing their resolve. Speaking of that spell-casting, baby-sacrificing satanic witch, her screen appearances are few and far between. That’s not to say her presence isn’t felt. Obscure shots of the witch are all Egger grants to deliver a persisting fear of the unfamiliar. Viewers will long to alleviate the fright by writing off the witch as something grotesque and impossible, but Egger portrays her as just human enough to deny that comfort. The 1630s setting and the family’s remoteness ensures there’s no shrill cellphone ringtones, passing cars or surprise guests to alleviate the tension with off-putting racket. The only jarring aspect of the New England setting is the dialogue; some early conversations are troublesome to understand, but the persistency and dedication to the language will leave viewers fluent by the film’s conclusion. Approaching the film’s completion, there were several moments where it could’ve, and probably should’ve, ended, but it kept inching forwards. The ending was almost gratuitously supernatural to fit with the rest of the carefully subdued scenes, but it was the only appropriate finish for such a remarkably dark movie; it certainly didn’t take the easy way out. — TANNER DEDMON

A CLASSIC

28 * MARCH 2016 * BOROPULSE.COM

MOVIE

OUTSTANDING

AVERAGE

BELOW AVERAGE

HAIL, CAESAR! DIRECTED BY

Joel and Ethan Coen STARRING Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Alden Ehrenreich RATED R

The 17th feature written and directed by the brothers Coen, Hail, Caesar! acts as a placeholder between better films before and better films to come. The film stars Josh Brolin as Eddie Mannix, a “fixer” for Capitol Studios during the mid-century golden age of cinema, a bygone time of Roman epics, Gene Kelly dance pictures, rodeo westerns and synchronized swimming flicks. Mannix is the gumshoe who wasn’t, a penitent man who loves his job. When Baird Whitlock (Clooney), the star of his studio’s biggest picture, is kidnapped for ransom, it’s up to Mannix to solve the case with minimal media involvement and studio delay. On top of that, he has to sort out the scandal of a starlet’s out-of-wedlock pregnancy and smooth over the awkward transition of a Western star to the role of leading man in a petticoat drama. Throw in the looming specter of Communism and an overwhelming cast of cameos and you have just enough ingredients to weigh down this seemingly fluffy comedy. IMDB categorizes Hail, Caesar! as a mystery comedy, and while there are elements of both, there aren’t enough of either. Rather, the film plays as a loosely-tied-together series of vignettes—executed spectacularly in Coen Brothers fashion with Roger Deakins behind the camera—with no real purpose in Mannix’s “a day in the life” story. It’s as if Joel and Ethan were compelled to make a movie in the ’50s Hollywood style but knew that concept couldn’t sustain an entire feature—Hail, Caesar! is their compromise. Alden Ehrenreich steals the show as Hobie Doyle, the Western virtuoso who can’t act. His scenes provide the most outright comedic moments in the entire film and are a welcome refreshment from the otherwise rambling narrative. The Coen Brothers’ taste is too good for their missteps to be anything more than forgettable and forgivable, and that’s exactly where Hail, Caesar! falls. — JAY SPIGHT AVOID AT ALL COSTS

DEAD

BOROPULSE.COM

* MARCH 2016 * 29

SHOW

Superstore Superstore appears to be a shiny new facility from the outside, but inside, the shelves are lined with products we’ve all seen before. A new workplace comedy from NBC, Superstore takes a page from shows like The Ofﬁce and Parks and Recreation by finding humor in the day-to-day occurrences of a seldom-praised profession. The show escorts us into the back room of megastore Cloud 9 to show us what’s really going on when you can’t find a store associate to help you. Vewers will quickly discover similarities between Superstore’s retail titan and another superstore many have a lovehate relationship with. With America Ferrera (Ugly Betty) returning to TV as Amy, the uptight floor supervisor of Cloud 9 who never

LIVING ROOM CINEMA column by NORBERT THIEMANN

facebook.com/livingroomcinema

ere are some shining examples of movie directors’ attempts to shoot an entire feature ﬁlm in one continuous take. Because of the overwhelming technical difﬁculties involved, there may be some “hidden cuts” here and there. Another example is a movie called Russian Ark, but I do not remember loving that one.

 Rope (1948) is directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It is a dinner-party murder mystery, which is inspired by real-life “crime of the century” villains Leopold and Loeb. Because reels of film only lasted approximately 10 minutes, the hidden cuts are mostly found in darkened close-ups on the backs of actors’ jackets, allowing for seamless transitions.

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wears her real nametag, she is swiftly put to the test by the charismatic and sometimes arrogant newcomer Jonah (Ben Feldman). Within moments of their meeting, Jonah takes a personal interest in Amy, setting the stage for a very predictable and clichéd love story of an unlikely couple (and unknown to Jonah, Amy is married). While the characters may not have pioneering plot lines to work with, Superstore really focuses on, and hits home with, its target demographic: retail employees. As the scenes transition, brief cutaways are shown of actions that would make any shopper raise their eyebrows but most employees would prefer to ignore. From children eating candy while sitting in the middle of the floor to customers asking a million questions about tartar, laxatives and bristle density of toothbrushes, the show really captures the outrageous moments that occur within the vast aisles of a big-box store. The characters are presented as extremely static from the beginning with the only two really having potential for change being Amy and Jonah—(and, perhaps, the jolly store manager, Glenn)—which loops back to the predictable love storyline. And unlike its workplace predecessors, this show doesn’t appear to have the Rainn Wilson, Steve Carell or Amy Poehler who can carry the story on brilliant acting and humor alone. The show is still charming and entertaining, and the demographic it goes after contains such a vast amount of viewers that enough disgruntled employees will keep coming back for more. — TANNER DEDMON

Single Shot: The Long Take

 Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014) is directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu. Birdman is certainly one of the top films of 2014 and is what I refer to as a pay-off movie. An established actor is immersed in his new project while reﬂecting on the past and contemplating his future. All of the acting is top-notch, and the filmmaking is truly incredible. Every actor should see this, and if you stick it out, it pays off for the masses.

 Victoria (2015) is directed by Sebastian Schipper. A Spanish club girl meets up with a group of German muchachos in Berlin, and they commence to combing the evening streets together. Her openness for adventure plunges her into their convoluted world. The pace is mostly swift, and it is captivating.

ALBUMS

BY JOHN CONNOR COULSTON

STERFRY

OH! GRANDPA

MTSU student Sterling Scott produces electronic music and plays violin under the name Sterfry, and on this self-titled EP he combines his two passions into one intriguing sound. That’s right, he combines classical violin with trap and dubstep production. It’s an odd blend, but this five-track EP proves the odd blend can go down much easier than one would think. Sterfry kicks off with “#ViolinTrap,” which uses a crescendoing string section to lead into a beat drop filled with trap percussion with the strings remaining over the top. Underlying strings and other electronics make their way into the mix as the song goes on. After the second crescendo and drop, the rhythmic violin returns, but it’s electronically altered in way that gives it a digital feel without losing the natural sound of the instrument. On the EP’s second track, a remix of a song called “White Lies,” Scott’s production takes a turn to the Far East, with his violin being accompanied by sounds akin to a guzheng (a Chinese instrument similar to harp or zither). Things don’t stay traditional for too long, as electronic drums kick in periodically to pick the energy back up. The following track, “Dancing in the Rain,” starts out with the tranquil sounds of the instrument, but then, as with the other tracks on Sterfry, there’s a mood switch. As the song reaches its first chorus, things pick up with a dance-music sound, and the violin is still in play, of course, as featured vocalist Sunshine sings lyrics centered around water, such as: You walk like a river and you smell like the rain Crashing through the room like a tidal wave. The final cut (excluding the instrumental version of “Dancing in the Rain” that closes the EP) is the best “banger” on the release. “Maelstrom” is an uptempo instrumental that could add a classical flair to your party playlist. Scott takes a modern dubstep approach to his sound, which may not sound like a good idea, being as seemingly every DJ has some sort of take on this style. However, the unique sound of the violin helps that song—and the EP as a whole—to stand out. If you’re interested in a innovative take on EDM, Sterfry and his violin are your best bet. Sterfry’s self-titled EP can be found on iTunes, Bandcamp, Spotify and Soundcloud.

Local rock group Oh! Grandpa is veering towards the Nashville scene, but before getting too far up I-24, they dropped a four-track EP, Gadzooks! Released at the end of January, the project showcases the Oh! Grandpa sound locals have heard the band cultivate through club gigs and house shows throughout the area. The four-piece, which consists of vocalist/pianist Michael Aldrich, bassist Paul Berger, guitarist Kevin Douds and drummer Jared Thompson, formed while at MTSU and have played their brand of rhythm-centered piano rock ever since. If the piano rock label is a turn-off for you, don’t worry. Oh! Grandpa is less like the clean pop sound of Billy Joel and more like the swampy saloon rock perfected by Leon Russell (or as a contemporary example, fellow Tennessee rockers J. Roddy Walston and the Business). This is front and center on the EP’s lead cut, “40 Lb.” It jolts you into a rhythmic groove and throws you right into a crowded bar show. Its vocal melodies suit themselves to this groove, and both are simple enough to keep you engaged and having a fun time listening. The band seems very comfortable playing with each other, so it’s easy to keep the upbeat rhythmic vibe of the release going from track to track. The instrumentation in general is the highlight of Gadzooks!, from the guitar solo of “Full Circle Tail” and the creepy, crawling piano intro t o “Can You Hear Me?” to the rhythm section on “40 Lb.” The only point at which the instrumental element is an issue is on the last track, “Shakey.” There’s some interesting John Frusciante-like guitar work on the song, but it distracts from the interesting lyrics aboutsewing together threads that would never belong. Regardless, it’s still a welcome to change of pace to have this slower cut wind down the project. Overall, Oh! Grandpa’s Gadzooks! is a solid rock EP that sets the bar high for local releases throughout the rest of the year. The album is available on Bandcamp, iTunes and Spotify.

Sterfry EP

Gadzooks!

BOROPULSE.COM

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Opinion THE MANY LAWSUITS OF ROBERT ARNOLD MY FATHER USED TO TELL ABOUT THE TIME HE PICKED UP a hitchhiker while driving to Nashville. As they rode along, they talked about stupid things people do, and after a while, the man said, “Some people ain’t got good sense, but they cain’t hep it.” That story came to mind in the aftermath of Sheriff Robert Arnold’s reported brush with a shooting at his home and comments he made the next day saying it might have been connected to law enforcement shooting incidents nationwide after Beyoncé’s Super Bowl performance or her “Formation” video—or whatever. Yes, what started out as a humdrum press conference at the sheriff ’s office about the reported shooting, in which someone allegedly fired .22-caliber bullets toward his house, turned into a national story when he mentioned the famous singer and tried to make the connection with her act. National media are good at taking one little sentence and making blaring headlines of it. But there’s no denying he did say this stuff. In the aftermath, numerous people said numerous things to me about this because any time something makes national news, well, people talk about it. Some say Arnold’s comments were racist by trying to cast blame on a black entertainer. Others say they think he made up the shooting to get sympathy over a $20.5 million lawsuit filed against his office by the parents of a man nearly beaten to death at the jail. Still others say Rutherford County might have the only sheriff in Tennessee who can’t defend himself and his family, if he needs a deputy to park in the driveway all day long. Seriously, someone could pose this question: Why did he send his family upstairs and just look out the window? Shouldn’t they all be down on the floor? Arnold sent out a clarification the day of the press conference to clear up his words. In his defense, he did have a lame-brain statement from the National Sheriff ’s Association as his basis: “The senseless killing of four law enforcement officers just this week—on the heels of the anti-police ‘entertainment’ at the Sunday Super Bowl halftime show—reminds us that the men and women in law enforcement take a

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The

STOCKARD REPORT BY SAM STOCKARD sstockard44@gmail.com

solemn oath that includes putting their lives on the line every day to protect our citizens.” Nobody is casting doubt on the danger law enforcement officers encounter each day. Then again, giving police carte blanche is a bad idea too, and mentioning Beyoncé in the same breath as this purported Osborne Lane shooting is about like the last fishing tale at the Walter Hill Country Club—a bit of a stretch. After his nonsensical comments, Arnold made further clarifications the next day on WGNS Radio, saying he wasn’t trying to offend anyone and, of course, calling the gunshots an “act of terrorism.” Which brings to mind what someone else said, “Everybody knows thugs carry a .22.” Yes, a .22-caliber bullet can do damage, but they don’t make a lot of noise. Here’s the real problem, though: At one point, Arnold said he “started thinking” about what might have caused someone to shoot up the air outside his house. He should have stopped trying to think, because every time the wheels in his head start grinding Rutherford County gets into trouble. Arnold thinks, for instance, he can fire anyone around him—without ramifications. And while, as an elected sheriff, he certainly has a lot of authority, the record shows he isn’t making the best decisions. Sure, the jail might be clean, as Rutherford County commissioners recently pointed out after a tour. But Arnold sure is costing the county plenty in litigation.

A lawsuit brought by former Detective Jim Tramel cost the county nearly $335,000 in a settlement and legal fees. Arnold let Tramel go because he expressed an interest in running for sheriff in 2013.

Former sheriff ’s office employee Joy Nelson reached a $307,500 settlement with the county in an age and disability complaint after she was fired in 2012.

Amidst Beyoncé comments, Sheriff and County face another legal battle.

Former jail inmate Demario Harris Jr. sued the county for $300,000 after Arnold’s cousin Deputy James Vanderveer zapped him with pepper spray while he was confined (the spraying circulated on YouTube). TBI is investigating.

Former Rutherford County jailer McKayla Black is suing the sheriff and county claiming he violated her constitutional rights by firing her in 2014—calling her a “cancer”—after she supported a different candidate for sheriff.

5 6 7

The wife of a man found hanged in a holding room is suing the sheriff ’s office and county after his recent death. The parents of Robert Johnson are seeking $20.5 million, after he was beaten by another inmate and left disabled.

Former Deputy Chief Virgil Gammon is seeking damages for his September 2015 firing, claiming the sheriff violated his state, federal and constitutional rights because he blew the whistle on Arnold’s illegal and unethical activity. These cases all require legal work, as well, and everyone knows how much attorneys cost. They don’t do much free of charge, especially in government work, which means taxpayers are on the hook for this nonsense.

JOGGING THE MEMORY

For those Rip Van Winkles out there, Gammon is taking the brunt of the blame for Arnold’s dalliance in the e-cigarette industry. The sheriff supported his buddy, Deputy Chief of Administration Joe Russell, in a scheme to sell e-cigs to inmates at $12.95 a pop through a company called JailCigs, which was owned by Russell and Arnold’s uncle and aunt in Marietta, Ga., John and Judy Vanderveer. They’re also the parents GAMMON of Deputy James Vanderveer, who is under TBI’s watchful eye. It’s been about 11 months since the press popped the bubble on the JailCigs deal in which Russell was running the e-cigs operation out of the jail, marketing them across the country and even trying to get a contract with Corrections Corporation of America, e-mails show.

Gammon found out about the operation and reported it to the Tennessee Sheriffs Association, then to TBI, then was called to testify before a federal grand jury. He’s likely the key informant in a TBI-FBI investigation of Arnold and the sheriff ’s office. Arnold said in his recent WGNS interview he believes he will be “exonerated.” Maybe so. But Murfreesboro attorney Terry Fann is representing Gammon in his whistleblower lawsuit, and Fann doesn’t take loser cases. He represented Nelson and Tramel, and he’s used to beating Arnold and Rutherford County in court. Gammon’s lawsuit contends he tried to tell Arnold to cut out the JailCigs scheme, but the sheriff kept telling him Russell had it all under control. Then Gammon found out about several other unapproved, no-bid contracts the sheriff signed, and the whole thing spiraled from there. Arnold put Russell on administrative leave with pay for four months, ultimately suspending him without pay for two weeks. Yet Gammon’s lawsuit states that when Russell testified in a deposition in the Joy Nelson case he gave false information on a separation notice submitted to the Tennessee Department of Labor, a clear violation of state law. Yet, Arnold “laughed it off ” and said Russell got away with it because the statute of limitations had run its course, according to the lawsuit. Oh well, when your best friend and former next-door neighbor is in a sling, it’s OK to let them break the law and violate policy. But when someone is telling the TBI and feds about your e-cigs scheme, well, it pisses you off. Gammon, of course, was fired. So was former Maj. Tommy Thompson, who found out Arnold made a “hit list” of people he thought revealed information about his illegal conduct to the media and authorities and was prepared to fire them, according to the lawsuit. “If you are even considering this in the least, I feel compelled to go on the record that I strongly advise against any actions of this nature,” Thompson wrote in an email to Arnold, forwarded to the county attorney. Thompson also pointed out the law provides strict penalties for “taking adverse action against anyone classified as ‘whistleblowers.’” Thompson, a longtime U.S. marshal and straight shooter, was unceremoniously fired Feb. 19 from his position as jail administrator. No doubt he is talking to Terry Fann. Can you say cha-ching, boys and girls?

PCC IS DONE

For those who’ve been on probation for a misdemeanor in Rutherford County and felt the slings and arrows of Pathways Community Corrections (PCC), you can finally rejoice. PCC is shutting down at the end of March. Targeted in a federal lawsuit along with

Rutherford County by low-income people who say PCC and the county extorted money from them by trapping them in a never-ending cycle of fines and fees, the company finally said it’s had enough. Or, the massive health-care company, Molina, which bought PCC last year decided it doesn’t want to deal with the headaches of these federal lawsuits anymore. Getting out of the business doesn’t guarantee PCC and Rutherford County will be able to crawl out from under the lawsuit. But Mayor Ernest Burgess clearly believes Rutherford County will be better off by starting its own probation service instead of hiring another private company that makes its money off charging fees to probationers. For Burgess, a North Boulevard Church of Christ board member, it’s becoming a moral issue. BURGESS “When you’re dealing with people that have committed some crimes and we’re trying to help them and get them back on their feet, we have to do everything humanly possible to be a part of that positive process of making that happen somehow. It’s tough,” Burgess said. Burgess told county commissioners recently he couldn’t—in good conscience— recommend hiring another private firm because he thinks profit motive drives the business rather than working with indigent probationers. During a county Public Safety Committee meeting, Burgess almost sounded like he felt the county made a mistake by ever allowing PCC to run probation services here. Still, he said he doesn’t believe the county is on the “wrong side” of the case. “But I don’t think we have an appropriate opportunity to extricate ourselves and prove ourselves if we don’t make a change here and try to set a different climate for (what) is taking place,” he said. “I think if we don’t do it I think it’s certainly going to impact the lawsuit. I think this gives us an opportunity to prove what we can do.” Unfortunately, it took more than a decade—and a federal lawsuit—for anyone in county government to take this outlook. Meanwhile, thousands of people lost years of their lives stuck on probation, shelling out money to enrich a massive company. But, heck, that’s private enterprise at its best, doing government’s job and making a killing. Follow The Stockard Report at boropulse.com/author/sam. BOROPULSE.COM

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Opinion Live Exceptionally. . . Well! BY JENNIFER DURAND

EAT

DRINK AND BE

Well

Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? — Matthew 6:25 I LOVE THIS VERSE. It inspires several thoughts. One, we are never deprived or without basic necessities. So why worry about them? We have all we need in every moment. This may not include your idea of what is needed (usually meaning wanted) but we have what we need. Supply is all around. And it is abundant. Another point, when we “take no thought” of these things we are not a slave to them, or influenced by them. We don’t get bogged down by the notions of too much or too little. A third point is, what we think and who we are encompasses far more than what we eat or what we wear. (And I don’t mean looks, stature or position.) After studying many different ways of nourishment, I have two that are my favorites. One is clean eating. No, that doesn’t mean washing your food—although that’s a good idea, too! Clean eating (I follow Tosca Reno), is about eating fresh, lean and properly portioned foods. Fresh is what can you grow: green is good. Berries and other fruits are also good. Lean is chicken, white fish, salmon, egg whites. There are many foods you can eat separately, or you can combine them by creating fun, tasty, healthful recipes. As for portions, a good rule of thumb is 1.) One serving of lean protein = the palm of your hand. 2.) One serving of complex carbs from whole grains = one cupped hand. 3.) One serving of complex carbs from fresh fruits or vegetables = two cupped hands together. I recommend The Eat-Clean Diet by Tosca Reno as a guide. Diet in this reference means a way of eating, a way of living, and not something temporary. Another one of my favorites is Smoothie Formulas, based on naturopathic food-healing science by Jeff Primack and Qigong Family. These are unlike any other smoothies you are familiar with. They are best blended with a 3-horsepower blender. I use the Blendtec, as it has been tried and true. You will find recipes in the Smoothie Formulas recipe book through Press on Qi Productions, or locally at The Nurture Nook Day Spa. Some of the recipes you’ll 34 * MARCH 2016 * BOROPULSE.COM

find use such ingredients as broccoli, tomatoes, carrots, corn, ginger, apples, beets, cordyceps, limes, cilantro, oranges, lemons, celery, cinnamon, blueberries, figs, strawberries. You get the idea—lots of healthy, all-natural choices. It’s a great way to start your day—energized, weightless, free. Making good choices for ourselves can be difficult at times. Something I practice at different times throughout the year is eliminating something that I am fond of or that is part of my “routine.” It could be something I eat or something I do. I challenge myself to be disciplined and make sure I don’t allow some “thing” to have power or control over me. I will do this for anywhere from 30–90 days. Some things have included no meat, doing a food cleansing, no desserts, etc. I just choose different random things to know I can do without. It doesn’t mean I have to, but I know that I can. Lastly, what we think and who we are in relationship to others and to our divine source is of greater value than what we have to eat, drink or wear. Practicing contentment, not coveting, not being burdened by what we don’t have or where we are in life are the qualities that enable us to see more clearly and to appreciate what is most important to us. If it is a struggle for you to identify these within yourself, practice the following meditation. Once you do this, allow yourself some mental space to see what comes to you. The answers are always within. Be patient, practice, notice and then apply what you notice.

Meditation: Imagine a star at the center of your

head, one in your heart and one at the base of your spine. Starting at your heart, use your breath to connect the stars in a straight line. (On the inhale extend a line from your heart up to your head. On the exhale, extend a line from your heart down to the base of your spine.) With each breath, open and strengthen your lines of communication to the wisdom within you. This source of wisdom is always there. Just stay connected to it.

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 visiting nurturenook.com or by calling (615) 896-7110.

Looks Like Trump Is Going to Be the Republican Nominee

hate to break it to everyone else in the race for the GOP nomination, but this thing is done. Donald J. Trump is going to be the nominee for the Republican Party. As much as that may gall the GOP establishment, it’s a foregone conclusion. There’s only one “if ” and it’s a long shot.

The only way Trump does not clinch the nomination is if all the other candidates but one get out and leave a single person to go toe-to-toe with Trump. Who should that be? Well, that’s the problem. Each remaining candidate would make a case for why he’s the best bet in beating Trump. Understand, this is not my conspiracy to try and thwart a Trump nomination. I’ll admit I’m not big on Trump, but I’m not repulsed by a Trump presidency, either. I believe Trump could do some terrific things, to use his language. I really believe he’ll do what he says he’ll do. He’ll get the wall VIEWS OF A or fence or some sort of structure built on the Mexican border. Whether or not he’ll get the Mexicans to pay column by for it remains to be seen, but he’ll get that done. PHIL VALENTINE philvalentine.com He’ll deal more harshly with the Chinese on trade. Right now they’re having their way with us and Trump will probably change that. It will inevitably mean higher prices for Americans, but I’m good with that. I’ve never thought we should be trading with those commie SOBs to start with. What remains to be seen is what Trump will do that he hasn’t mentioned. Personally, I’m frightened that eminent domain will go nuts in this country under a Trump administration. Trump truly believes it’s fine to take one citizen’s private property if another private citizen can create more jobs with it. That was never what eminent domain was intended to do, but the courts have pretty much sided with the developers like Trump. I see an expansion of that policy in the name of revitalizing the economy if Trump’s elected. And there’s really no one on the Republican side to stop him. The reason being is ego. Most presidential candidates stay too long. I hate to be a downer but neither Ben Carson nor John Kasich has a chance. Only Marco Rubio or Ted Cruz have any shot in taking Trump down, but not both. If they both stay in through Super Tuesday, Trump’s a shoo-in. At least Jeb Bush did the honorable thing and bowed out after South Carolina. Everyone else should’ve done the same thing, save one remaining candidate to face Trump. I also hate to break it to Bernie Sanders, but the jig’s up. He was never going to get the nomination. The scary part is he came closer than anyone ever imagined. But let’s get back to the courts for a second. I don’t want to claim divine intervention or anything so drastic, but it is curious that Antonin Scalia up and dies in the middle of an election year. Most people don’t give a second thought to the Supreme Court, but it’s probably the most important part of being president. It’s certainly the most lasting aspect of a presidential legacy. Scalia was appointed by Ronald Reagan. His influence on the court outlived the Reagan presidency by nearly 30 years. America’s attention has been jolted back to the importance of Supreme Court nominations. With an equally divided court, it’s paramount that the next president appoint constitutionalists to the Supreme Court, and not judicial activists. Judicial activists are appointed by liberals. Let’s hope and pray Trump is not one.

CONSERVATIVE

“At least Jeb Bush did the honorable thing and bowed out after South Carolina. Everyone else should’ve done the same thing, save one remaining candidate to face Trump.”

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. BOROPULSE.COM

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Opinion How to Strengthen Your Marketing Message BUSINESS BUILDER

BY ROBERT RITCH

arlier, we looked at identifying and isolating your target market, knowing their purchase behaviors and using market research to find out more information about your market on a regular basis. Now we’re going to take your market research and use it to create a powerful marketing message. The strength of your marketing message lies in its ability to speak to the specific wants and desires of your target market, and tap into their emotional reactions, or hot buttons. When you push those hot buttons, you motivate your audience to take action. The more people you can motivate to take action, the more leads you’ll have in store and on the other end of the phone line. A strong, consistent, strategic marketing message will make a huge difference in your lead generation strategies. A marketing message is simply a statement or phrase that you use to communicate information about your business to others. A strong marketing message will do four things: – Speak to the reader’s needs, wants or problems (hot buttons) – Offer a solution, advantage or benefit – Describe a point of difference – Motivate the reader to take action As I said earlier, the key here is to motivate your target audience to do something after they read or hear the message. It needs to be strong enough to entice the audience to ask for more information, visit the website, pick up the phone or walk in the store. You will put your marketing message on every piece of marketing material your business uses for lead generation, so it has to be powerful and consistent and speak to the group of people that you have identified as your ideal customers. Strengthening your marketing message has the potential to dramatically increase your lead generation before you even change your existing strategies. Some examples of strong marketing messages that are used by successful businesses today: Domino’s Pizza: You get fresh, hot pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or less— or it’s free! M&Ms: The milk chocolate melts in your mouth, not in your hand. Wonder Bread: Wonder Bread helps build strong bodies 12 ways. Enterprise Rent-A-Car: We’ll pick you up. 36 * MARCH 2016 * BOROPULSE.COM

Nyquil: The nighttime, coughing, achy, sniffling, stuffy head, fever, so-you-can-rest medicine. FedEx: When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight. Jeweler: Don’t pay 300% markups to a traditional jeweler for inferior diamonds! We guarantee that your loose diamond will appraise for at least 200% of the purchase price, or we’ll buy it back. Dentist: We guarantee that you will have a comfortable experience and never have to wait more than 15 minutes or you will receive a free exam. Real Estate: Our 20-step marketing system will sell your house in less than 45 days at full market value. Here’s the process you can use to create a new marketing message for your business, or refine the marketing message you already have. Work through the following steps to brainstorm and record the aspects of your business that you will communicate in your marketing message. Take your time, and be as detailed as possible. 1. Use all the information you gathered about your target market to figure out what your customers’ hot buttons are. Write down who your customers are and what their problems, desires and needs are. Take some time to revisit the behavioral and psychographic information you gathered when researching your target market. This will give you an idea of what kind of emotional hot buttons you should focus on when creating your marketing message. Hot buttons are emotional triggers that motivate your potential customers to take action. Some common hot buttons are: price, location, exclusivity, results, safety, timeliness, convenience and atmosphere. 2. Describe the value or benefit that your product or service offers your customers. This is what your customers get when they spend money at your business, the answer to “what’s in it for me?” How do you solve their problems? How do you meet their needs, or fulfill their desires? For example, maybe you’re a grocery store in the neighborhood, and you offer the convenience of being just a short stroll away instead of a car ride. When you’re thinking about this question, think in the context of the benefits, results, or advantages customers receive, instead of the features you offer. 3. Think about the outcome of the value or solution that you provide.

What happens when your customers receive the value or benefit from your product or service? Are they thrilled? Relieved of worry? Do they have more time to spend with their families, or do they put dinner on the table faster? This is kind of like the storytelling aspect of creating your marketing message. Paint a picture of how you will improve the lives of your customers, in one way or another. 4. What is your company’s point of difference? What makes you stand out from the competition? Your point of difference—your uniqueness—is something you will want to strongly feature in your marketing message. It is the reason that the reader should choose your business instead of your competition. For this step, do some research on your competition and see what kinds of marketing messages they are using. How strong are those messages? What benefits and results do they promise? If you are having trouble figuring out what sets you apart from your competition, think about including an irresistible offer or a strong guarantee to give yourself an edge. (We’ll spend some time on powerful offers and risk reversal strategies like guarantees in a later column.) 5. What is the perception you would like others to have about your business? The way you want your customers to perceive you is something that will impact how you describe your offering in your marketing message and the kind of language you will use. Revisit the vision you created, and write down some ideas about the image you want your business to project to the outside world. For example, if your business is completely transforming its operations to become more environmentally sustainable, you will need to use different language and emphasize different features and benefits than you did before. 6. Based on the notes you wrote in response to the above questions, summarize the information into 4 to 5 sentences. If you’ve got pages of notes, this may be a challenging part of the process, but that’s okay, because it means you have a lot to work with. Take your time, and wade through your notes bit by bit. You may want to start by writing 10 to 15 sentences, and then narrow those down to 4 to 5 sentences when you have a better idea of what specifically you want to focus on. Keep in mind that the most effective

marketing messages use strong, descriptive language that triggers emotional responses. Think about how you would describe your point of difference, or value-added service to a close friend, and write with that in mind. 7. Using descriptive language, synthesize your paragraph into a single sentence of 15 words or less. This sentence will become your unique marketing message! I know how challenging this part of the process can be, so to make it easier, I usually write a few different sentences that emphasize different things to give myself choices. For example, if you don’t know whether to feature your company’s commitment to unbelievable prices, or its guarantee of customer satisfaction, write one sentence each and compare which is stronger. Aim to have two or three sentences that you’re happy with, and then test them out to see which is the most effective. The only way to find out the strength of your marketing message is to test it. Don’t be afraid of making some mistakes—you need to get feedback! Before you go out to the public with your drafts, test them on your friends, family, staff and colleagues first. Use their feedback constructively, but don’t be afraid to stand up for elements that you believe are effective or important. Once you have gathered enough feedback, rework your draft messages and incorporate the suggestions you believe are valuable. Then test a few draft messages externally. This doesn’t have to be complicated or cost a lot of money. Simple tests using small-scale distributions will give you the information you need to choose which message is the most effective. For example, place a few ads in the local newspaper—with a different message each month—and compare the number of leads each ad generates. Or, send out a small direct mail campaign, with the materials split into three groups, one for each message. The message that generates the most leads is the strongest, and will be the one you choose to be your business’ unique marketing message. Now that you’ve got a killer message, use it consistently on all of your marketing materials and in all of your campaigns. Consistency and repetition are powerful persuasive tools to use to reinforce your message over time. Ensuring your marketing message appears on all documents related to your business will build your brand image and your company’s reputation. Here’s a suggested list of materials to include: Website, Advertisements, Direct Mail, Business Listings, Phone Messages, Email Signature, Business Cards, Letterhead

Music Across America BY GLORIA CHRISTY

Discovering Shape Note Singing

acred Harp/shape note singing was a style of music that flourished and spread across the frontier particularly in the South. Sacred Harp singers viewed their tradition as a participatory one, not a passive one. Those who gathered for a singing sang for themselves and for each other, and not for an audience. Sacred Harp/shape note singing is a uniquely American tradition that brought communities together to sing four-part harmony on hymns and anthems. It was proudly inclusive and part of our shared cultural heritage. The tradition was born from colonial “singing schools” whose purpose was to teach beginners to sing and whose methods reflect this goal—to improve congregational singing. Singing masters like the first American composer, William Billings, taught Sacred Harp to congregations. Though Sacred Harp was not affiliated with any denomination, it was a deeply spiritual experience for all involved, and functioned as a religious observance for many singers. Today, the tradition is a living, breathing, ongoing practice passed directly to us by generations of singers in our past. Sacred Harp “singings” continue to sidestep the notion of performance. There are no rehearsals and no separate seats for an audience. Every singing is a unique and self-sufficient event with a different group of assembled participants. The singers sit in a hollow circle formation with one voice part on each side, all facing inwards in order to see and hear each other. However, visitors are always welcome to sit anywhere in the room and participate as listeners. Why is it called “Sacred Harp, shape note” singing? Technically, this style of singing is a musical notation that uses note heads in 4 distinct shapes to aid in sightreading. It is often called this because the book that most singers use today is called The Sacred Harp, with the most prominent of these being the 1991 Denson edition. The term “Sacred Harp” refers to the human voice—that is, the musical instrument you were given at birth. In shape note music, notes are printed in special shapes that help the reader identify them on the musical scale. There are two prevalent systems, one using four shapes, and one using seven. In the four-shape system used in The Sacred Harp, each of the four shapes is connected to a particular syllable—fa, sol, la or mi—and these syllables are employed in singing the notes just as in the more familiar system that uses do, re, mi, etc. The four-shape system is able to cover the full musical scale because each syllable-shape combination other than mi is assigned to two distinct notes of the scale. The C major scale would be notated and sung as follows:

The shape for fa is a triangle, sol an oval, la a rectangle, and mi a diamond. In Sacred Harp singing, pitch is not absolute. The shapes and notes designate degrees of the scale, not particular pitches. Thus, for a song in the key of C, fa designates C and F; for a song in G, fa designates G and C, and so on; hence it is called a movable “do” system. When Sacred Harp singers begin a song, they normally start by singing it with the appropriate syllable for each pitch, using the shapes to guide them. For those in the group not yet familiar with the song, the shapes help with the task of sight reading. At Sacred Harp singings historically, the singers would sit in sections organized by voice parts, facing each other. The song leader stood in the middle. Everyone present would sing. Each voice part was written on a separate staff, with lyrics often, but not always, under the appropriate notes. Some songs were modal, others major with repeated musical lines in the chorus. The singing was unaccompanied, presented without an instrument, making hymn singing accessible to those churches that did not have a piano or organ. Most of the texts sung today are several hundred years old, dating back to pre-Revolutionary War times. These tunes were made popular in the South as the circuit riders brought them in the early 19th century during the Second Great Awakening of the early 1800s. Few have heard these elegant melodies that create a choral tsunami, a rousing, rough, hand-hewn cacophony of congregational, church singing. However, this form of music has had an effect on artists representing every form of popular music in modern times. Professional gospel singers influenced by Sacred Harp and shape note singing became backup singers for artists such as Elvis Presley. Elvis himself had a background and an affinity for this kind of gospel music. Almost all of the backup singers during the early days of the recording industry in Nashville had a background in this religiousbred style of singing. Sacred Harp singing is a transforming experience, traditional in the purest sense of the word. The singing of hymns in this manner continues today preserving this uniquely American form of music and communal bonding.

Friday, March 18 Sponsored by Marshall Sparkman

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Sports

SPORTS

TALK

COLUMN BY ZACH “Z-TRAIN” MAXFIELD

BEYONCÉ, UT, NIKE KEEPING CONTROVERSY IN THE SPORTS WORLD

titanman1984yahoo.com

THERE WILL BE NO MORE FOOTBALL FOR A TIME—SO SAD, we have to wait until the end of summer for kickoff again—but it’s worth the wait. Super Bowl 50 is a wrap: the Broncos and Peyton smashed the Panthers and Cam Newton. Peyton won the game and talked about how he was going to drink a bunch of Budweiser and eat Papa John’s. Cam lost the game and pouted. Buck up, Cam. You’re still one of the best, if not the best, signal callers in the game. It will be OK! Let me vent this out—the Super Bowl halftime show was a joke, a disgusting display. This great country deserves better than this race-hustling crap. Beyoncé should be ashamed of herself. She made it political. She had the audacity to dress in militant Black Panther motif while dancing to her new song, “Formation.” Malcolm X was even shown some love, that’s right, the man who believed in racial segregation, black supremacy and the vilification of white people. Sorry if you disagree, but this performance only increases racial tension within the U.S. instead of helping. Martin Luther King Jr. knew how to spread hope and love, not this hateful rhetoric Beyoncé is spreading. The University of Tennessee is under fire and it is very serious. The ramifications are huge for the future of this beautiful campus and Butch Jones’ career. So what’s up, Train Daddy, why is this? Well, someone screamed rape—actually, a bunch of people screamed rape over a period of time. This has led to a federal lawsuit that claims the University created a hostile sexual environment and did not correctly handle allegations of sexual assault. These unproven allegations all mainly deal with the football team. On one side, you have Tennessee administrators, the coaches and nearly every current player defending the program and the culture that’s under fire. Then on the other side you have plaintiffs painting an entirely different picture. One incident involves former wide receiver Drae Bowles, who states he drove a friend home who said she had just been raped by two of his teammates; both of those players have pleaded not guilty and currently face criminal charges. Drae Bowles states he was later assaulted by another player for defending the woman. After this incident, says Drae, he contacted Tennessee head coach Butch Jones and told him about the incidents and, according to the UT player, Butch told him he “betrayed the team.” Women who are raped deserve justice, as do men who are falsely accused. I don’t know what has been going on at UT for the past couple years; I just hope the truth comes out and the innocent party isn’t too damaged after it’s all settled. New subject: Erin Andrews! OK, I understand nasty women like the Kardashians, Paris Hilton or Pamela Anderson are releasing sex tapes (even Screech from Saved by the Bell released one). Disgusting! I guess they all did it for attention or the hope of rising in popularity. 38 * MARCH 2016 * BOROPULSE.COM

But when someone as classy and dignified as ESPN’s Erin Andrews has some peeping tom secretly tape her in the nude and release it, it’s a different story. Andrews was shocked to learn that in 2008 a man walked up to the counter at the Nashville Marriott Hotel, asked what room Erin was staying in, then demanded a room next to hers, and crazy as it sounds, they consented. One year later a nude video of Andrews surfaced on the Internet. While at the time she had no idea this was happening, she was videotaped through a peephole by this voyeur. She was in the nude and alone getting ready for a Vanderbilt game. The man behind the video was sentenced to prison for 30 months. Yikes! Currently there is a trial going on—after all these years, Andrews is suing the Nashville Marriott for $75 million. She stated this incident dramatically changed her, and for months tabloids and media outlets accused her of purposely letting this tape get out. It was nearly three months after the release of the video that they finally arrested the individual responsible. Nearly 17 million people have viewed the video, and the number is rising rapidly as the court case is a hot topic. Some women purposely put out nude photos for the entire world to view. But if Andrews was wronged by this man and the hotel, she deserves justice. Move over, LeBron, there is a new star in the NBA, and this star is serving opponents the sauce. Curry, anybody? Steph Curry dishes out the cuisine, and it tastes spicy! This small 6' 3" point guard is quickly transforming the game of basketball. Curry is a 3-point monster—he has made a 3-pointer in his past 129 games and counting, and holds the records for most 3-pointers made in a season as well as in a game. He is already a lock for his second-straight MVP award. Curry can find spaces anywhere, making it impossible for defenders to guard him. Right now he is on pace to finish the season with 407 3-point shots. Oh, yeah, he is also leading the Golden State Warriors to the history books. They are on track to finish with the best regular season record of all time, smashing the ’95 Bulls record. It’s rumored that Nike missed out on a deal with Curry because they wouldn’t consent to letting the religious superstar have a Bible verse on his signature sneaker; your loss now, Nike. Under Armour signed the superstar and allowed the tongue of the shoes to read “4:13,” a reference to Philippians 4:13, which states “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” My respect to Under Armour! That’s it, ladies and gentleman. Thanks to you all for reading. It gives me great joy hearing people talk about what I write. Even if you disagree with what I say, thanks for reading. I do stand firm on Beyoncé, though—no more Beyoncé booty dancing for me until she apologizes. I reckon that will be never. I will miss the booty dancing! Train’s out the station. Choo-choo!

CHASE STEVENS

ANIMAL

WARRIORS TO DO BATTLE Arcadian Wrestling Association announces April 7 card at Murphy Center.

STORY BY BRACKEN MAYO

Stevens said the AWA hopes to carve out a he Arcadian Wrestling Association, a territory and run an ongoing circuit focusing new wrestling promotion company on the smaller towns in Tennessee, Louisiana, based in Middle Tennessee, will hold a Texas, Florida and Indiana. professional wrestling event in MTSU’s “I went out and found 14 of the toughest Murphy Center on Thursday, April 7. guys I know, and we got ’em!” said Stevens, Leah Hulan, well known in the mid-state as who will take on Billy Gunn in the April 7 the owner/operator of Grumpy’s Bail Bonds, event. “I’d put our roster against the WWE’s launched the AWA earlier this year, and roster in a bar fight.” while her career has primarily been focused Rather than its wrestlers competing for a on bailing folks out of jail and chasing down belt, the AWA champion, who will soon be fugitives, she says she is excited to enter the determined, will hold the crown; the taghigh-adrenaline world of wrestling and bring team champs will possess another entertainment option custom-made shields. to families, college students While he may not yet have and wrestling fans in the area. the name recognition of the “The creative part (of the Hulkster or the Nature Boy, professional wrestling indusStevens is no stranger to try) is really my escape from wrestling, having wrestled bail bonding,” Hulan said. with the WWE, ECW, TNA The April 7 event features and other alliances. a stellar card, including wres“I have plenty of stories,” tling legends Road Warrior Stevens said. Animal, and “Badd Ass” Billy He spent a year of his Gunn. career training, rooming and In the days following the LEAH HULAN driving with Mr. Perfect himMurfreesboro event, the AWA self, Curt Henning. will continue its Middle Tennessee series in “He polished me,” Stevens said of the late, Springfield on April 8, and then in Fairview great Henning. “Curt was a partier . . . he on April 9. taught me how to sneak into places. I was Grumpy’s Bail Bonds sponsored some restill underage at the time. cent wrestling events at which Hulan met vet“He passed me onto Ricky ‘The Dragon’ eran wrestler Chase Stevens. The two decided Steamboat,” Stevens continued. “It was like to collaborate on a new wrestling league, and all of a sudden, the MTSU Murphy Center, one night and day. Steamboat was a family guy. It went to praying before meals and going to of the premier sports arenas in Middle Tenbed early.” nessee, will be hosting the Arcadian Wrestling Along with some mentoring from Tracy Association card. Smothers, a fistfight with Batista, and count“Go big or go home!” Hulan said.

less matches, Stevens has made quite a career for himself in the wrestling world. He has been known to execute the awe-inspiring shooting star press on multiple occasions, and an interesting element of his wrestling career has been working on wrestling video games over the past 7 years. Each year, Stevens will travel to a studio where he and other individuals put on motioncapture suits and demonstrate wrestling moves, which are then captured for the video game. If you’ve laid the smack down on a wrestling opponent in a video game release in the past 7 years, chances are, your character is replicating a maneuver that Stevens’ recorded. This line of work does have its risks—

Stevens has sustained multiple neck injuries, and is currently recovering from a torn ACL— but the show must go on, and Stevens said he “can’t miss a beat,” and that he has been blessed physically. “I’ve hardly ever got headaches,” Stevens said. “. . . which is good, since I get hit in the head with a chair for a living.” Hulan is excited about the Murphy Center venue, a fabulous arena with a large capacity, but says she has her sights set on one day having a permanent home arena for the AWA, possibly in the Antioch area, in between Murfreesboro and Nashville. She also wants to spread the work to a special cause; some of the proceeds from the April AWA events will be going to We Heart Babies. Hulan’s long-time personal trainer began the charity to assist families with children who must go through heart surgery and transplants. “He said he’d like to start a charity for children with heart defects . . . and he did!” Hulan said of her trainer, Troy Crawford, whose daughter was born with a heart defect that soon required open heart surgery.

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Tickets for the April 7 wrestling event will be available at the door or at ticketmaster.com. VIP tickets are available for $25 and include an AWA T-shirt, a ringside seat and early access to the show for a meet-and-greet with the wrestlers. General admission tickets are $10, or $8 with a military or MTSU ID.

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