Nov. 2016 Murfreesboro Pulse

MUSIC Acorn Festival, John Salaway, Bluegrass & Baseball, Charlie McCoy and more!

ART

NOV. 2016 / VOL. 11, ISSUE 11 / FREE

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

Art Studio Tour; Shelby Lee Adams photos on display at MTSU

Hook ’Em

Classic, high-flying tale of Peter Pan comes to MTSU’s Tucker Theatre.

THIS MONTH

VETERANS DAY PARADE, FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS, PHREAKNIC, BICYCLE BALLYHOO, BORODASH & MORE!

Contents

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ON THE COVER: Captain Hook (MTSU senior Daniel Meeks) and Peter Pan (MTSU sophomore Parker Chase) in MTSU’s Peter Pan.

Word from the Editor

PHOTO BY ANDY HEIDT

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10

Features

10

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16

LOCAL ALBUM JOHN SALAWAY RELEASES

Chris Young; Cherub; Julien Baker all release new material.

Upcoming performances include Gordon Kennedy; Beatles Christmas.

ART STUDIO TOUR

Annual collaboration among local crafters is back Nov. 19 & 20.

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PHOTOS ON THE CORNER

Don Owens tries to overcome homelessness by selling photos on the Square.

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Murfreesboro’s guide to a locally sourced Thanksgiving menu.

MTSU grad helps bring story of Columbine victim to the big screen.

EAT LOCAL

I AM NOT ASHAMED

In Every Issue

4

MUSIC NOTES

Events THIS MONTH

Food Truck Fridays; Turkey Tee Off and more!

9

Charlie McCoy; Acorn Fest and more!

16

LOCAL CONCERTS

Southern Shame; The Secret Commonwealth and more!

ALBUM REVIEWS

Jacques Merlino; Tennessee Scum

Buster’s Place has the beef.

Art

ART EVENTS THEATER

Onstage this month: Peter Pan and more!

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Living GARDENING

Biological balance RECIPE

Food RESTAURANT

Shelby Lee Adams

Sounds

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A Season for Squash

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37

NAVIGATING THE SYSTEM

LIVING ... WELL

News

Opinion

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Part IV—The sixmonth report of Probation and Recovery Services.

MOVIES

BUSINESS BUZZ

Reviews The Birth of a Nation; Jack Reacher: Never Go Back COMIC

Alliance of Outcasts LIVING ROOM CINEMA

Family Dysfunction

Liquidation Outlet; former YMCA property sells; Autograph Rehearsal Studio

MURFREESBORO TRIBUNE

Local woman not part of pyramid scheme; Nashville OKs drugs

Hugs, anyone?

THE STOCKARD REPORT

Cope pleads guilty to insider trading.

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Sports MTSU SPORTS

Blue Raiders score win at Missouri.

SPORTS TALK

ESPN needs to stick to 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, Gloria Christy, Sam Clemens, John Connor Coulston, Greg Crittenden, Jennifer Durrand, Bryce Harmon, Joseph Kathmann, Zach Maxfield, Edwina Shannon, Rachel Spensatelli, Jay Spight, Justin Stokes, Andrea Stockard, Sam Stockard, Norbert Thiemann

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

Sign up to receive our weekly digital newsletter at BoroPulse.com/Newsletter

MAYBE ONE RESULT OF THIS YEAR’S ELECTION will be the rise of parties other than the two major ones.

Surely voters will soon get tired of hearing Democrats and Republicans talking to each other and next time around demand that Libertarian and Green party candidates be included on the national stage.

Anyone with an internet connection can access more and more quality information without having to receive it filtered from the corporate conglomerate media, which theoretically should be a bad thing for the elitist, power-hungry-type politicians that have dominated the conversation over my lifetime. The people who still rely primarily on the major network news for accurate and balanced information are going away pretty quickly.

Even if having candidates from four or more parties in a debate and mainstream media covering Green and Libertarian ideas with any objectivity and equal time didn’t result in taking control from the seriously flawed two-party system, imagine the directions the conversations may go if Stein and Johnson were up there with the machine’s two darlings.

Some of the name calling, mudslinging, vague generalities and empty promises that voters have eaten up with fervor over the past year and a half may just be replaced with talk of the nature of self-governance, protecting the environment, classism, inspiring the next generation, fostering pride in ingenuity and entrepreneurship, the corrupt insurance and pharmaceutical industries, how the monetary system and finance works, the serious institutional failings of the education system, how to carry oneself with love, courage and a desire to stand up for the liberty and dignity of all.

The role of mainstream media is not to inform, but to misinform and to divert public attention from important issues and changes decided by the political and economic elites. This is achieved by the technique of distracting the audience with floods of insignificant information, to paraphrase Mr. Noam Chomsky.

Well done, this time around.

There’s plenty of groping, Benghazi, and building a wall.

Constructing a wall between nations is important, right?

If God wanted people of different ethnicities and cultures moving freely around the globe, he wouldn’t have created all of those borders between the countries . . .

It’s nice to see our county government get into the high-interest loan game. That’s right, after assuming probation supervision duties earlier this year, the Rutherford County government has taken a page from the playbooks of the high-interest loan companies popping up on every corner that thousands of people in the area must love so much.

So, if someone commits a minor crime, pleads guilty, and has the money to pay the fine, they may do so. If they do not have the cash, the county has a payment plan. Those who can afford it may pay $500 as penalty for their crime. The poor may be in for $1,100 for the same crime. That’s Rutherford County justice.

This system effectively says “if you have the money for your fines and fees, give it to us. If you do not, we’ll finance you, and disguise the 100-plus-percent annual interest you are paying as ‘small’ monthly supervision fees so you don’t realize all at once what a sorry deal you are getting.”

Well, they should have thought about that before they became poor (to paraphrase The Emperor’s New Groove).

Play music, go see a play, lay back and watch the clouds roll by for a few minutes, talk to someone new, jump around.

And especially during this month of thanksgiving, try to live with a spirit of thankfulness for the health, family, friends, food, sun, rain, life experiences and other blessing in your life.

Peace, BRACKEN MAYO Publisher/Editor in Chief BOROPULSE.COM

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Events COMPILED BY

ANDREA STOCKARD

Send event information to murfreesboropulse@yahoo.com

NOV. 4–5

Fall Festival of Magic The Middle Tennessee Magic Club, in conjunction with the Murfreesboro Center for the Arts, invites the community to The Fall Festival of Magic 2016 on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 4 and 5, at 7:02 p.m.

ALAN FISHER at the Murfreesboro Center for the Arts theater (110 W. College St.). Headliner David Williams, one of the region’s top prestidigitators, has been entertaining audiences with his magical skills since he was 13 years old. Joining Williams is André the Illusionist (veteran magician), Noah Lamorte (a member of the youth magic club), and Adam Sain (current club secretary) with Mongo the Magnificent as the Master of Ceremonies and magicians Cameron McNeal and Logan Peterson entertaining in the hallway. Directing the production is Alan Fisher. Tickets are available by calling (615) 904-ARTS (904-2787), or by visiting boroarts.org. All seats are $10 and a portion of the proceeds benefits the Center. Advance ticket purchases are strongly recommended. The Middle Tennessee Magic Club meets the first Tuesday of every month at the Linebaugh Library (105 W. Vine St.) in Murfreesboro at 7:02 p.m. For more information, visit ibmring252.com or contact president@ibmring252.com or alanfisher@ibmring252.com.

NOV. 3 STEAK DINNER TO CELEBRATE MTCS Middle Tennessee Christian School invites you to join its 56th Annual Steak Dinner, its oldest continuing fundraiser, to celebrate MTCS’s history and bright future by honoring members of the MTCS community. The dinner will be held at the school, 100 MTCS Rd., from 6–9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 3. All proceeds benefit MTCS’s mission to provide an education based on Christian values and academic excellence in a nurturing environment. To purchase tickets, visit mtcscougars. org or contact bethhancock@mtcscougars.org.

NOV. 4–6 PHREAKNIC TECH CONVENTION RETURNS Nashville 2600 presents PhreakNIC 20 at the Clarion Inn in Murfreesboro. PhreakNIC, an annual technology convention, has been held each year since 1997 in the greater Nashville area; 2016 marks the event’s 20th consecutive year. Festivities begin at 10 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 4, and run until the morning of Sunday, Nov. 6.

PhreakNIC started as an information security (infosec) hacker convention but has expanded over the years to include topics ranging from ham radio to do-it-yourself 4 * NOVEMBER 2016 * BOROPULSE.COM

engineering to general talks about science and science education.

Nashville 2600 Chairperson Elonka Dunin is well-known within the cryptography scene; she even assisted bestselling author Dan Brown with his research on codes—so much so that Brown named a character after her in one of his novels.

“PhreakNIC is a magnet for those who experiment with technology and information security from all around the Southeastern United States,” Dunin says. “It is a real mix of the intellectually curious. We bring in academics, law enforcement, hackers, makers and everything else you can think of.

It is an equal mix of talks, workshops and social events, a wonderful opportunity to network, both socially and technically.”

This year, PhreakNIC features a mix of talks with two speaking tracks including infosec and cryptography. Additionally, there is a workshop track for some hands-on learning experiences. On Saturday, Nov. 5, the workshop area will be transformed into a kids’ track for youth aged 6 through 14, with the goal of igniting intellectual curiosity in the next generation.

Clarion Inn is located at 2227 Old Fort Parkway in Murfreesboro. For more information or to register for PhreakNIC, visit phreaknic.info.

NOV. 5

Boro Bicycle Ballyhoo

The Boro Bicycle Ballyhoo, presented by Smoopy’s Vintage Bicycles, will take off from Mayday Brewery (521 Old Salem Road) at noon on Saturday, Nov. 5. Shine up those classic bikes, don your finest fancy attire (tweed encouraged!) and slow-ride through some beautiful, historic Murfreesboro neighborhoods. The ride will roll through the Historic Bottoms area and around the Square. Then onto Oaklands Mansion for some lovely mid-day refreshments, then back to Mayday for the after-party. Dress to impress—the dandier, the better. All ages and bikes are welcome.

NOV. 5 The 6th Annual Turkey Tee Off Golf Tournament to benefit the Child Advocacy Centers in Rutherford and Cannon Counties kicks off at Cedar Crest Golf Course (7972 Mona Rd.) with breakfast at 8 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 5, followed by a shotgun start at 9 a.m.

Slick Pig will provide lunch. Over the past 16 years, the Child Advocacy Center has served nearly 18,o00 child abuse victims and their families. The tournament fee is $100 per golfer and $400 for a team of four golfers. For more information, contact (615) 867-9000, (615) 563-9915 or jessicawauchek@bellsouth.net.

guilt-free decision making.” Breakfast is from 7:15–9 a.m. at Stones River Country Club (1830 N.W. Broad St.) and the public is invited alongside members; cost is $20 and includes breakfast. Reservations are available at rutherfordcable.org.

Pruitt, a poet and founder of No Starving Artist Academy, serves as a Commissioner for Metro Arts, is on the board of directors for the Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville. For more information, contact (615) 713-4614 or mnoblitt@sterlingorganization. com, or visit stephaniepruitt.com.

NOV. 5

NOV. 10

CHRISTMAS MARKETPLACE & CRAFT FAIR

HISTORIC BOTTOMS PLANNING STUDY

Come out for the Christmas Marketplace and Craft Fair at the Stones River Church of Christ (1607 Hamilton Dr.) from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5. The event will feature 50 booths of local artisans selling their creations. For more information, find a Christmas Marketplace at Stones River event page on Facebook or call (615) 918-9927.

Downtown Murfreesboro property owners, business owners, community leaders, interested citizens and the general public are invited to a public open house to review and provide feedback about the “Historic Bottoms” study area’s preliminary plan from 5:30–7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10, at Patterson Park (521 Mercury Blvd.). Ideas include expanding Murfreesboro’s downtown, ways to improve the connectivity between the southern and northern areas of downtown, the possibility of a bridge across Broad Street and/or multiple pedestrianfriendly intersections and more. Follow and join the Historic Bottoms Planning Study at facebook.com/murfreesborohistoricbottomsstudy. For information about the project, contact (615) 893-6441 or danthony@ murfreesborotn.gov.

6TH ANNUAL TURKEY TEE OFF GOLF TOURNAMENT

NOV. 6 CHILI COMPETITION AT HANDLEBARS Handlebars will host a chili cookoff on Sunday, Nov. 6. Those wanting to enter can bring a pot of pre-cooked chili to the bar, located at 2601 E. Main St., at 1 p.m.

The winning chili chef will win a $100 prize. For more information, call (615) 890-5661 or (615) 556-1667.

NOV. 8 STEPHANIE PRUITT SPEAKS AT CABLE MEETING Poet and ARTrepreneur Stephanie Pruitt aims to combine an artist’s free-spirited nature with the business world at Rutherford Cable’s upcoming breakfast meeting.

Her program, “What Would an Artist Do: Focusing on What Matters to You Without Dropping Any Balls,” will focus on “resource management, delegation and

NOV. 10 FALL HARVEST HAYRIDE Listen to live music, toast marshmallows, eat s’mores around the campfire and enjoy an old-fashioned hayride along the Green-

way at General Bragg Trailhead (1450 W. College St.) from 5:30–8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10. The event is sponsored in part by the Friends of the Greenway. For more information, contact mtate@murfreesborotn .gov or (615) 893-2141.

materials are provided for kids aged 8 and older as they learn about the different Tennessee tree species, noticing leaves, their colors, shapes and patterns while making a great gift idea for the holidays. Admission is $5. For more information, contact (615) 217-3017 or outdoormurfreesboro@ murfreesborotn.gov.

NOV. 10 VETERANS BANQUET The Annual Veterans Banquet is one of the signature events hosted by The American Legion Buster Bedford Post #177 as an opportunity to celebrate the service of local veteran members and non-member veterans with dinner, speakers and a time of recognition. The event will be held at First Baptist Church, 738 E. Castle St., from 6–9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10. Tickets can be purchased on eventbrite.com. For more information, call (615) 496-0031.

NOV. 12 FOR THE HEROES 5K Operation: Adopt a Hero will hold the second annual For The Heroes 5K run/walk on Saturday, Nov. 12, in Downtown Murfreesboro. Come and support your local veterans by running or walking. All proceeds from this event will go to Operation: Adopt a Hero’s mission is to build camaraderie between the community and its veterans in Tennessee.

Packet pickup will be Nov. 9 and 10 at Cultivate Coworking. To register for the race and for more information, visit oaahtn.org.

NOV. 12 BREAKFAST AND PJ PARTY WITH SANTA Stones River Mall, 1720 Old Fort Pkwy., hosts a breakfast and a pajama party with Santa from 8–10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, inside Chuck E. Cheese’s. Enjoy breakfast in your favorite PJs with Santa while enjoying gameplay, face painting, balloon art and a Stones River Mall collectible teddy bear.

Tickets are $5 each and will be donated directly to Beesley Animal Foundation.

Advance tickets from the mall management office are required. Register for a chance to win a $100 JCPenney gift card or a Christmas book autographed by Santa, himself.

Following the event, Santa will be available for professional photographs at Santa’s Workshop in the Center Court. 2016 Santa’s Workshop hours are Nov. 12–Dec. 15, Monday–Saturday: 12–8 p.m., Sunday: 12–6 p.m.; Dec. 16–23: 9 a.m.–9 p.m.; Dec. 24: 9 a.m.–6 p.m. Schedule appointments at stonesrivermall.com.

NOV. 12 PLUSH, PLAY AND SLAY! Take some time for yourself and enjoy an evening out with your girlfriends at Bradley School and Museum (415 S. Academy St.) from 7–9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, with a night of fashion, food, laughs, and pampering at the first Plush, Play and Slay event. Performances

NOV. 12 CAMPFIRE CIRCLE

NOV. 12

Veterans Day Parade

The VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System is gearing up for its third annual Veterans Day Parade at the Alvin C. York campus in Murfreesboro (3400 Lebanon Pike). This year’s event is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 12, beginning at 10 a.m. The parade helps “bring the show” to veterans who are unable to attend other community parades. The parade route follows the perimeter of the campus and features the theme “A Grateful Nation Salutes Vietnam Veterans.” This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Annette Allen at (615) 225-3786 or annette.allen@va.gov. and vendors include: comedy hour, cake wars competition, cooking demos and tastings, fashion, fitness, pampering and more. For more information, visit its-plush.com. Tickets can be purchased on eventbrite.com.

NOV. 12 ROCKING BENEFIT SHOW TO BENEFIT LOCAL VETERANS A Nov. 12 concert will aim to collect winter clothes for the homeless in the area, and support the Rutherford County veteran population. The benefit show, a Dark Slate Promotions production presented by House Brothers Percussion and Brick’s Drum Therapy Matrix, features Nashville metal band Piranah along with Vampire Bleach Bomb and Medicine Mann. Half of the proceeds from the show will be donated to Operation Adopt A Hero, and the other half will be used for Operation Phoenix Warrior, a new local initiative to organize, fund and conduct mixed martial arts fitness camps for struggling veterans to refocus on health and wellness goals, to be hosted by the UFC Gym of Murfreesboro. Attendees can bring clothing donations. The event cover is $10 for adults, with a $3 surcharge for minors. The show begins at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 12, at Main Street Music in Murfreesboro.

NOV. 12 PAISLEY AND PLAID Enjoy the Holiday Paisley and Plaid event at the Lane Agri-Park (315 John R. Rice Blvd.) from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, with more than 60 vendors offering boutique clothing, home decor, jewelry, children’s apparel and more to benefit the Child Advocacy Center. Admission is $3. For more

information, find a Paisley and Plaid Christmas Market event page on Facebook.

NOV. 12 PATRIOT DASH 5K The Patriot Dash 5K begins at Tennessee National Guard Medical Headquarters Building (250 8th Ave., Smyrna) from 9–10:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 12. Children, strollers and pets are welcome to participate. Wear your favorite patriotic costumes and enjoy face-painting, games and family activities after the race. For more information, contact (615) 781-2000 or melissa@ eangtn.org. To register, visit active.com.

NOV. 12 FALL LEAF ANIMAL COLLAGES Let your creativity loose and see what animal comes to life on your paper at the Wilderness Station (301 Volunteer Rd.) from 2–3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12. Craft

Make great memories beside a magical campfire on Saturday, Nov. 12. The event begins at the Wilderness Station (301 Volunteer Rd.) at 5:30 p.m. Gusts will then meander along a paved trail at twilight for a guided nature hike and learn how forest animals get ready for the winter. Arrive at the glowing fire for a tasty treat, and then settle in for songs, skits and mingling.

Admission is $3. For more information, contact (615) 217-3017 or outdoormurfreesboro@murfreesborotn.gov.

NOV. 14 LOCALLY OWNED MURFREESBORO LAUNCH Join the Locally Owned Murfreesboro Board and Charter Members at The Alley on Main (223 W. Main St.) from 5–7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 14, as they introduce their vision. This event is free and open to all business owners in Murfreesboro.

Locally Owned Murfreesboro is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting independent businesses and building a stronger local economy by joining together in marketing, government advocacy and support for new businesses.

For more information, visit facebook.com/ locallyownedmurfreesboro.

NOV. 16 2016 INAUGURAL RCHA CHILI COOK-OFF Rutherford County Hospitality Association invites everyone to participate in the Inaugural RCHA Chili Cook-Off to show off the best chili they can cook at Mayday Brewery (521 Old Salem Rd.) from 11 a.m.–2

NOV. 18 CONFESSIONS OF A SERIAL SONGWRITER Successful pop songwriter Shelly Peiken speaks about her new book, Confessions of a Serial Songwriter, with MTSU songwriting professor Odie Blackmon at the MTSU Center for Popular Music at 11 a.m.

Friday, Nov. 18. Peiken has written songs for Christina Aguilera, Natalie Cole, The Pretenders, Selena Gomez, Keith Urban and many others. For more information, visit mtsu.edu/popmusic.

EVENTS CONTINUED . . .

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p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16. Entry fee to participate is $50 and admission to sample is $10 per person. All proceeds benefit the Rutherford County School System for the Prostart schools. For more information, contact jah4r15@gmail.com.

NOV. 17 THE CONNECTION, BUSINESS NETWORKING AT MAYDAY The Connection: An Evening of Professional Networking and Business Brainstorming will be held from 5–7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 17, at Mayday Brewery, 521 Old Salem Rd. All Middle Tennessee entrepreneurs and professionals are welcome to attend this casual, no-obligation event, where they can meet other small-business owners and tap into one another’s experience and energy.

An open roundtable discussion will encourage participation from those in attendance, asking them to articulate their vision for their business and calling for examples of some of the business challenges and solutions they are experiencing. The series will continue the third Thursday of each month.

NOV. 19 ACORN FESTIVAL Folk and indie music lovers converge at Oaklands Mansion (900 N. Maney Ave.) for the inaugural Acorn Festival from 4–10 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 19, featuring performers Rye Baby, Boy Named Banjo, Mountains Like Wax, The Hardin Draw, and headliner Fron-

tier Ruckus. Admission is $10 per person.

For more information, call (615) 893-0022.

NOV. 19 RESCUE RUN The Rescue Run at Murfreesboro’s Gateway Island (1610 Williams Dr.) from 7–9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19, benefits Last Call 4 Grace and is a family fun run as well as a 5K run. Last Call 4 Grace delivers food and groceries every Wednesday and Friday night to the less fortunate living in area motels.

For more information and to register for the run, visit lastcall4grace.org.

NOV. 26 SCHOOL OF ROCK Participate in fun projects and learn about different aspects of geology at Earth Experience: The Middle Tennessee Museum of Natural History (816 Old Salem Rd.) from 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26. Admission is $10 per child. For more information, call (615) 6051417 or visit theearthexperience.org.

NOV. 27 ARTIST’S NIGHT Bradley Academy Museum (415 S. Academy St.) hosts a night of creativity within the community at from 5–7:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 27, with performances of spoken word, poetry, and a one-man show performance by Joshua Jackson. The night includes a coffee and hot chocolate bar and pastries. Admission is $3.

For more information, call (615) 962-8773

NOV. 24 BORODASH Borodash, a Thanksgiving morning four-mile walk/run through historic Murfreesboro, begins at MTSU’s Dean Hayes Track & Soccer Stadium at 8 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 24. Borodash aims to glorify God, raise awareness for local needs and charities, encourage a family atmosphere and provide an opportunity to express thankfulness. Rabbit Road Racing allows accurately recorded race times. If you want a chip, be sure to register by Nov. 21. Proceeds from the race will be used to benefit Neema House, Greenhouse Ministries, Possibility Place and Good Shepherd Children’s Home. For more information, visit borodash.org.

or find an Artist Night at the Museum event page on Facebook.

NOV. 28 “MESSIAH” CONCERT The MTSU Concert Chorale, MTSU Schola Cantorum and the Middle Tennessee Choral Society, joined by a professional orchestra, celebrate their 32nd annual performance of Handel’s “Messiah” at First United Methodist Church (265 W. Thompson Ln.) at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 28. Tickets are available at mtchoralsociety.org or at the door. For more information, contact (615) 898-2849 or raphael.bundage@mtsu.edu.

NOV. 29 NORTHERN SECTION OF THE GREENWAY GRAND OPENING The Northern Murfreesboro Greenway Trailhead on Central Valley Road will hold a grand opening for the northern section of the Murfreesboro Greenway from 2:30– 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29. For more information, visit murfreesborotn.gov.

THROUGH DEC. 8

OAKLANDS TRUNK SHOW Join Oaklands Mansion for its Trunk Show of handcrafted jewelry in the gift shop at

Maney Hall (900 N. Maney Ave.) Tuesday trough Saturday from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. and Sunday from 1–4 p.m. through Dec. 8.

Materials used include Swarovski crystals, pearls, Czech glass beads and pearls, Japanese seed beads and semi-precious stones. Custom orders are welcomed. For more information, call (615) 893-0022.

FRIDAYS CANNONSBURGH HOSTS FOOD TRUCK FRIDAY While food truck owners wait for new regulations to be finalized, foodies can take advantage of Cannonsburgh Village’s weekly Food Truck Friday. Two to three food trucks will be on site each Friday through Nov. 18 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., with different options each week. For those wanting to eat onsite, seating is available on picnic tables and benches throughout the park.

Cannonsburgh is located at 312 S. Front St. Visit Cannonsburgh Village’s Facebook page each week for a list of the participating food trucks along with menus for each.

Murfreesboro City Council is one step closer to passing new food truck regulations after the approval of the proposed ordinance on first reading.

NOV. 17

Food, Friends and Vin! Let’s Make Wine (109 E. Main St.) hosts a night of friends, food and vin from 6–9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17. This passed hors d’oeurves-style pop-up dinner features food by Chef Andrew Payne in association with local chefs and local farms, showcasing unique foods like grit cake with crab and tasso cream sauce, curried pumpkin gazpacho with grilled shrimp and more. All food will be paired with handcrafted wines provided by Jack and and Cheryl Lisi of Let’s Make Wine. Local artist Robert Eskew will provide musical entertainment, and a portion of all ticket sales benefit Purple Paws. Space is limited and the event is 21 and up. Tickets can be purchased at eventbrite.com.

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ENTERTAINMENT

DJ, BINGO, TRIVIA & KARAOKE NIGHTS  MONDAYS

NOBODY’S Trivia, 7 and 9:30 p.m.

PHAT BOYZ Karaoke, 8 p.m.

PHAT BOYZ Karaoke, 7 p.m.

WHISKEY DIX DJ Cliffy D, 8 p.m.

LEVEL III Trivia, 7 p.m.

SAM’S SPORTS GRILL Trivia, 8 p.m.

 SATURDAYS

THE BORO Vinyl Spin with KM 9 p.m.

STATION GRILL Trivia, 7 p.m.

CAMPUS PUB Karaoke, 10 p.m.–2:30 a.m.

 TUESDAYS

THE BORO Game Night, 8 p.m.

AHART’S PIZZA GARDEN Trivia, 6:30 p.m.

BOB’S BBQ Trivia, 6 p.m.

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LA SIESTA (CHURCH ST.) Karaoke, 6 p.m.

 THURSDAYS

NACHOS Trivia, 7 p.m.

NACHO’S Trivia, 7 p.m.

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

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

OLD CHICAGO Trivia, 9 p.m.

COCONUT BAY Karaoke, 8:00 p.m.

WHISKEY DIX DJ Cliffy D, 8 p.m.

TGI FRIDAY’S Trivia, 9 p.m.

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

 SUNDAYS

 WEDNESDAYS

WHISKEY DIX DJ Cliffy D, 8 p.m.

MAYDAY Trivia, DJ, 7 p.m.

CAMPUS PUB Karaoke, 10 p.m.–2:30 a.m.

 FRIDAYS

O’POSSUMS Trivia, 8 p.m.

MELLOW MUSHROOM Trivia, 8 p.m.

LIQUID SMOKE DJ Night, 10 p.m.

SAM’S SPORTS GRILL Trivia, 8 p.m.

LEVEL III Trivia, 7 p.m.

MT BOTTLE Karaoke, 9 p.m.–3 a.m.

SEND EVENTS TO:

listings@boropulse.com

Concerts

IF YOU GO: Autograph Rehearsal Studio 1400 W College St. 624-2954

Send show listings to Listings@BoroPulse.com View the monthly concert schedule online:

BOROPULSE.COM/CONCERTS THURS, 11/3

MAYDAY BREWERY

Open Mic Night

MTSU KUC THEATER

Jonatha Brooke

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

High School Honors Orchestra

NACHO’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT

Ivan LaFever

THE BORO

All-star jam with Stuart Montez

FRI, 11/4

CARMEN’S TAQUERIA

Joe West

COCONUT BAY CAFE

DJ TruFx

GEORGIA’S

Southern Ground

HANDLEBARS

My July

MAIN STREET MUSIC

Rubiks Groove

MAYDAY BREWERY

The Accidental Trio

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

MUSIC BUILDING

MTSU Opera Theater

TUES, 11/8

WED, 11/9

The Southern Shame, a twangy, train-beat-filled indie trio of Jason Fox, Andy Wortman and Tracy Ratzlaff, will bring its acoustic-driven rockin’ sounds to The Boro on Saturday, Nov. 19. The band—three friends who have a love for folk rock, ’60s rock, classic country, punk rock and garage rock—manage to touch on playing disc golf with the kids all day and cleaning up from drug addiction in the same tune. Jake Beavers & The Stones River Rundown and Bikini Atol will open.

MTSU SAUNDERS FINE ARTS, ROOM 101

Jonathan Wires Jazz Combo

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

MTSU Guitar Ensemble

THURS, 11/10

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

MTSU Women’s Chorale

NACHO’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT

Ivan LaFever

THE BORO

Rocky Allen

FRI, 11/11

CARMEN’S TAQUERIA

Joe West

Zone Status

GEORGIA’S

Suppy Dudes, Goodfella

GREEN DRAGON

SAT, 11/5

CARMEN’S TAQUERIA

Zone Status Crossroads Billy Plant

HANDLEBARS

Phoenix Rising

Joe West

MAIN STREET MUSIC

ScottFree Band

MAYDAY BREWERY

RockAholics

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

COCONUT BAY CAFE GEORGIA’S

HANDLEBARS

Crossroads

JAZZMATAZZ

Burning Las Vegas Andrew Holmes

Tatyana Bristol; Michael Arndt and Adam Clark

DJ K Blaze

NOBODY’S

Southern Accents (Tom Petty tribute)

SMYRNA ASSEMBLY HALL

John Rhey

THE BORO

MAIN STREET MUSIC MAYDAY BREWERY MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

Junkbox

Kevin Quarles

From Worlds Alike

Honors Orchestra

SAT, 11/12

Gathering of Grown Folk featuring Scott Hogue & Glenn Hunter Brown

GEORGIA’S

THE BORO

SUN, 11/6

AUTOGRAPH REHEARSAL STUDIO

CARMEN’S TAQUERIA

Joe West

Citizens Reject

HANDLEBARS

Atomic Trunk Monkies

MAYDAY BREWERY

The Loose Hinges

SATURDAY, 11/19 @ THE BORO BAR & GRILL

MUSIC BUILDING

Holly Evans; Christine Kim and Arunesh Nadgir

THE BLOCK

Robyn Taylor’s Country and Bluegrass Jam

MON, 11/14

AUTOGRAPH REHEARSAL STUDIO

Seeker, Extinction AD, Bled to Submission, Knuckle Dragger, Mortius

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

MTSU Steel Band

WED, 11/16

MAYDAY BREWERY

Open Mic Night

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

MTSU Symphonic Band

NACHO’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT

Ivan LaFever

THE BORO

All-star jam with Stuart Montez

FRI, 11/18

AUTOGRAPH REHEARSAL STUDIO

Random Conflict, Dawn Patrol, Neufound Me, Sic Semper Tyrannis

BIRD SONG STUDIO

Gordon Kennedy and John Salaway

CARMEN’S TAQUERIA

Joe West

HANDLEBARS

THE BORO

MAIN STREET MUSIC

Robyn Taylor’s Country and Bluegrass Jam

MON, 11/7

MTSU WRIGHT

Now The Never, Adhere, Aye Mammoth

SUN, 11/13

MTSU WRIGHT

Mixtape 80s Band

TEMPT

Mr. Bill, Circuit Bent

THE BORO

DOOM Burlesque and Sideshow Tour

SAT, 11/19

BIRD SONG STUDIO

COCONUT BAY CAFE

My July Band

GEORGIA’S

SkipperGrace

Stranger Than Fiction Omega Delta Psi benefit concert

MAYDAY BREWERY

Clayton Colvin

MTSU WRIGHT

MON, 11/21

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

MTSU Jazz Ensemble II

WED, 11/23

MAIN STREET MUSIC

Farcry

FRI, 11/25

CARMEN’S TAQUERIA

Joe West

Sarah Potenza, David Robert King

COCONUT BAY CAFE

Joe West

GEORGIA’S

Crossroads

HANDLEBARS

Underrated

SAT, 11/26

CARMEN’S TAQUERIA COCONUT BAY CAFE

MAIN STREET MUSIC

TEMPT

Jansten, Luzcid

NOBODY’S

THURS, 11/17

MTSU Salsa Band

Catherine Thomas; MTSU String Studio I

THE BLOCK

Matt Lund

GEORGIA’S

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

Eric Luminais; Rebecca Buckley; MTSU Chamber Orchestra

MUSIC BUILDING

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

Cognitive, Obelisk, Bled to Submission, While You Were Asleep

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

Carmen’s Taqueria 206 W. Northfield Blvd.

848-9003

PICK

THE SOUTHERN SHAME

MTSU Singers

COCONUT BAY CAFE

THE BORO

PULSE

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

Honors Orchestra

NOBODY’S

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

HANDLEBARS

DJ TruFx

Karaoke with DJ Mike Justice Colt

Evil Twin

CARMEN’S TAQUERIA

Jaggered Edge (Rolling Stones tribute), Mangus (AC/DC tribute)

COCONUT BAY CAFE

The Secret Commonwealth

HANDLEBARS

MAYDAY BREWERY MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

MTSU Flute Choir; Megan McKinney; MTSU Symphony Orchestra

PATTERSON PARK

Dewdrop Jamboree with Bobby G. Rice, LB Ferrell, Donna Cunningham, Allen Karl, Edwin Florida, Teresa Camp, Mickey Gannon and more . . .

Joe West

Karaoke w/ Hitman Walker

GEORGIA’S

Karaoke with DJ Mike The Kerry Duane Johnson Project

MAIN STREET MUSIC

Ballistic Whiplash, Spacegrass, Fargo Strut, Silent Monolith

SUN, 11/27 THE BLOCK

Robyn Taylor’s Country and Bluegrass Jam

MON, 11/28

Coconut Bay Café 210 Stones River Mall Blvd.

494-0504 Georgia’s Sports Bar 555 S. Lowry St., Smyrna 267-0295 Green Dragon 714 W. Main St. 801-7171 Handlebars 2601 E. Main St. 890-5661 Liquid Smoke #2 Public Square 217-7822 Main Street Music 527 W. Main St. 440-2425 Mayday Brewery 521 Old Salem Hwy. 479-9722 MTSU Wright Music Building 1439 Faulkinberry Dr. 898-2469 Nacho’s 2962 S. Rutherford Blvd.

907-2700 Nobody’s Grille & BBQ 2227 Old Fort Pkwy.

962-8019 Tempt 211 W. Main St. 225-7757 The Alley 223 W. Main St. 203-3498

DJ Jager, Beat Bear

AUTOGRAPH REHEARSAL STUDIO

The Southern Shame, Jake Beavers & The Stones River Rundown, Bikini Atol

The Block 123 SE Broad St. 393-9935

FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

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

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

The Wheel 534 SE Broad St. 295-2862

TEMPT

THE BORO

SUN, 11/20

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

Micawber, Lillake, Phobos Behold the Slaughter, MTSU Concert Chorale, Middle TN Choral Society MTSU Clarinet Studio

Tuba Studio Recital; Michael Collins; MTSU Brass Chamber recital

TUES, 11/29

Robyn Taylor’s Country and Bluegrass Jam

Jack Lorens; Kyiara Jackson

THE BLOCK

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

Wall Street 121 N. Maple St. 867-9090

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* NOVEMBER 2016 * 9

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 NEW MUSIC

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Chris Young, Cherub, Julien Baker release new material in time for holidays.

BY JOHN CONNOR COULSTON

A

s fall is now well underway, artists new and old are dropping some awesome autumn tunes to add to your year-end playlists. Three of Murfreesboro’s heavy hitters—Chris Young, Cherub and Julien Baker—gave Murfreesboro a solid October on a national scale.

Murfreesboro native CHRIS YOUNG released his first holiday LP, titled It Must Be Christmas, which features standards including “Holly Jolly Christmas” and “Silent Night.” He enlists country A-listers Alan Jackson and Brad Paisley for duets, as well as R&B favorites Boyz II Men.

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MTSU alums CHERUB released their new record, Bleed Gold, Piss Excellence (which I assume is a reference to one of the

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10 * NOVEMBER 2016 * BOROPULSE.COM

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most memorable quotes from Will Ferrell’s Talladega Nights). It features the duo’s signature, fun-loving pop sound, ever present on singles such as “Sensation,” “Signs” and the title track.

Mulligan, which is four tracks of the best local rock/emo to come out in while. It’s available digitally on Bandcamp and physically as a limited CD release.

Another former MTSU student, JULIEN BAKER, released one of the strongest recordings of her young career, a cover of Elliott Smith’s “Ballad of Big Nothing.” The song, which appears on the compilation Say Yes! A Tribute to Elliott Smith, sees her infusing her stripped-down, raw emotion into the late songwriter’s track.

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One of the more buzzed-about acts from the region is GOTH BABE, the rock project from Griffin Washburn. Following up an impressive January EP that was written in his MTSU dorm, Washburn dropped the Shall We EP at the beginning of October, which is full of his budding garage-pop sound. It’s a short, dreamy release that fans of alternative staples Joy Division and My Bloody Valentine or newer indie acts like Beach Fossils and Yuck will fall in love with. Find it on Spotify and Bandcamp.

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Singer/songwriter A.J. Gruenwald, aka BOGUES, released his debut EP,

Murfreesboro newcomer Julian Powell who recently transferred to MTSU from UT Knoxville, has released his latest single as MOTIONGAZER. Powell has been releasing projects under the moniker since 2012, when he was a Nashville teenager. He’s put out a steady output of LPs and singles in 2016, the newest of which is the experimental indie rock song “Phases.”

It’s joined by the B-side demo “Meanwhile, Playing the Queen of Spades” and is available on Bandcamp.

Rounding things out on the country side is the debut EP from KELSEY STEELE. Steele (real name Kelsey Feltman) is an MTSU alumna who also serves as a vocalist in local Christian group Gathering Worship. Her self-titled EP serves up several radio-ready country cuts, including “How’s That Working Out for Ya” and “Crank Up the Music,” and is available at most online music outlets.

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NASHVILLE CAT CHARLIE McCOY VISITS MTSU Charlie McCoy, a singer, multiinstrumentalist and a member of the group of session musicians known as the “Nashville Cats,” will participate in an interview and performance Nov. 14 at MTSU. McCoy can be heard playing guitar, harmonica and other instruments on recordings from Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel and many more.

McCoy will discuss his career followed by a performance. For more information, visit mtsu.edu/popmusic.

 KEVIN QUARLES PRESENTS SPECIAL VETERANS DAY CONCERT IN SMYRNA Navy combat veteran Kevin Quarles performs his one-of-a-kind oneman-band-style folk-rock and shares his stories of toiling in the deserts of Afghanistan, training with the Navy SEALs and playing music all over the world at a Friday, Nov. 11, performance. This special Veterans Day concert will be held at Smyrna Assembly Hall, 110 Front St., Smyrna, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $10 and includes an EP download.

Quarles’ folk-rock songs cover a range of topics including war, travel, school, adventure and honoring other Veterans on Veterans Day. For more information on Kevin Quarles, visit kevinquarles.com.

ALBUMS

JACQUES MERLINO

TENNESSEE SCUM

Twenty-year-old singer/songwriter Jacques Merlino, an MTSU astrophysics student, was born in Texas but lived for 10 years in France before relocating to Nashville as a teenager. His 2015 debut EP, Love Letters, is an evocative 19-minute journey that is equal parts haunting and hopeful. Produced by Merlino’s singer/songwriter father Jace Everett along with Brad Jones, Love Letters is largely influenced by the songs and poetry of Leonard Cohen while staying true to a style that’s uniquely Merlino’s.

The release opens with a 40-second intro track before trailing into “Tale of a Wild Man,” a profoundly moving story about the way tragic thoughts can haunt someone’s mind. Merlino’s intricate picking pattern on the song is a nod to Cohen’s style on “Avalanche.”

Similar to much of Cohen’s discography, the song holds a delicate poignancy with harrowing lyrics: He’ll search for you in everyone And hate what he finds Soon enough he’ll get a gun And clear the thoughts from his mind.

It’s followed by the acoustic ballad “House of Song,” which also serves as a tribute to Cohen and is perhaps a gesture to the artist’s composition of a similar title, “Tower of Song.”

The catchy, jazz-influenced “In Between” and “Heretic,” which Merlino penned at age 15, feature jovial melodies and serve somewhat as palate cleansers before dipping back into melancholy on “Love Letter,” a bittersweet song about falling out of love with someone. The track, lifted up with the sounds of cello and violin, ends on a major chord, offering a glimmer of hope as Merlino sings I regret what I spoke of in this letter of love.

Not only is Love Letters an exceptionally produced project, it shows Merlino as an artist of greater caliber than most 20-year-old musicians. The singer’s warm baritone, infused into songs structured like poetry, results in a depth and presence debut albums often lack.

Love Letters is available on iTunes, Spotify and Amazon. Visit jacques-merlino.squarespace.com or his Facebook page for updates.

— DYLAN SKYE AYCOCK

If you look at the album artwork for Tennessee Scum’s What a Drag, you’ll see what looks like an acid trip out of an episode of SuperJail!, illustrated by artist Alden K. It’s chaotic and colorful at first glance, but once you look closer you’ll see the three menacing, baton-wielding police officers in the bottom left corner, as well as the toxic-waste-laden prison complex they’re standing in. The cover fits the project to a T; while Tennessee Scum may just sound like a riveting punk band at first listen, peering into their lyrics reveals their dystopian view of the police and other equally grim outlooks.

The trio’s sound occupies some heavy Dead Kennedys/The Cramps territory with some peculiar, feverish vocals over surf punk guitars. You get hit with this sound right away on “A.C.A.D.,” which stands for “All Cops are Dangerous.” It’s a paranoid, in-your-face rocker that has the band’s anti-cop message coming through loud and clear. That message continues on the following cut, the 98-second “Stop!,” taking the issue of racial profiling and police militarization head-on from a corrupt officer’s perspective, complete with lyrics like: Looking for a black man / 16–32 / Could be Hispanic / I don’t know / Call in troops / Bring the smoke grenades / And just in case / We’ll roll out our tank Another cop-blasting highlight is “Warzone,” a receptive but catchy painting of apocalyptic policecivilian relations. That sentiment may turn some listeners off, but not all of What a Drag’s high points rely on this political message. “Haunt” is a pounding cut about ignorance, complete with a ghastly wail.

The album wraps up on a serious, glum note in the one-two punch of “Could Be You” and the title track.

This project from Tennessee Scum is one of the strongest local releases of the year, not only for its strong lyrics, but also its exciting creative approach to punk. What a Drag is a punk record that spits in the face of authority and wants to take you for a ride through the toxic, cop-controlled wasteland depicted on its cover. — JOHN CONNOR COULSTON

Love Letters

A CLASSIC OUTSTANDING

What a Drag

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* NOVEMBER 2016 * 11

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MUSIC NOTES

THE HARDIN DRAW

OAKLANDS PARK HOSTS ACORN FESTIVAL ON NOV. 19 THE MURFREESBORO PARKS and Recreation Department has joined forces with Cultural Arts Murfreesboro to present the Acorn Festival, which will “showcase local and national indie rock and folk talent,” according to organizers.

The festival takes place on Saturday, Nov. 19, at Oaklands Park (at the corner of North Highland Avenue and Roberts Street), starting at 3 p.m. Ten bucks gets an admission wristband to what should be a pretty fun fall time for fans of live tunes, and BOY NAMED BANJO food truck and beer vendors will be on hand.

Most of the music for the event is pretty specific to the Americana sound produced by the Middle Tennessee area, and the event has appeal by hosting music that doesn’t contradict the label of family-friendly.

The lineup features five acts, beginning with the Chattanooga-based Americana act Rye Baby.

Indie rockers Mountains Like Wax—winners of Lightning 100’s 2016 Music City Mayhem and a group familiar to Murfreesboro—will then take the stage.

Boy Named Banjo will bridge the gap between Americana and roots rock.

They will be followed by another ’Boro band, The Hardin Draw, bringing its rocking folk sounds to its hometown.

Frontier Ruckus rounds out the lineup. A band out of Detroit that performed at Bonnaroo a few years back, Frontier Rucus was called “the perfect recipe for Gothic Americana” by Rolling Stone.

As city departments get more involved with the live music game, it might spell good fortune for artists who are looking to get exposure and paid gigs within the region. As the city continues to grow, an event such as Acorn Festival has the potential to be a favorite for years to come.

For tickets, visit oaklandsmansion.org. For more information on Cultural Arts Murfreesboro, visit facebook.com/culturalartsmurfreesboro or email pwilliams@murfreesborotn.gov.

— JUSTIN STOKES

12 * NOVEMBER 2016 * BOROPULSE.COM

BASEBALL AND BLUEGRASS: AMERICAN TRADITIONS; LONESOME RIVER BAND PLAYS DEC. 10 CONCERT AT CMS Uncle Dave Macon Days presents a new series—“Nights of Bluegrass,” benefiting Central Magnet School’s baseball program, with concerts coming up on Saturday, Dec. 10, featuring the Lonesome River Band, and on Thursday, Feb. 9, featuring Flatt Lonesome. Both concerts start at 6:30 p.m. Organizers encourage those interested in attending to book now! (tickets can be found on eventbrite.com.)

Walking into America’s past, you will find two identifiable features in our culture that are uniquely American: baseball and bluegrass. In the hills and hollows of the rural South, there was more musical and athletic talent than you could “shake a stick at.” The rural roots of the South were primed for dual entertainment in the fairgrounds and fields. Out of this atmosphere in the 1930s and ’40s, Bill Monroe and his Bluegrass Boys propelled their riveting new sound into popularity by introducing each concert with a baseball game—The Bluegrass All Stars were Howard Watts, Chubby Wise, Dave Akeman (Stringbean) and Clyde Moody.

This new musical style drew inspiration from several influences including European classical, African-American blues and gospel, hillbilly hoedown and even jazz.

With this imaginative promotional idea of playing a baseball game before a concert, Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys were able to popularize their new genre from town to town, region by region, reshaping America’s musical story.

Americans became enamored by the new sound. Alan Lomax once called bluegrass music “folk music in overdrive!”

By the time that Bill Monroe stepped out onto the stage of the Grand Ole Opry in

October of 1939, a new chapter in America’s musical history had begun, reshaping country music.

George D. Hay, founder of the Grand Ole Opry, said, “Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys have now found a home on the Opry.”

Bluegrass and its unusual sound affected mainstream American music and popular culture for decades to come.

Once again, like in days of old, baseball and bluegrass are coming together for “Nights of Bluegrass.” The 2016 IBMA award nominee Lonesome River Band will be featured on Dec. 10. Since its formation 34 years ago, the Lonesome River Band continues its reputation as one of the most respected bands in bluegrass, performing a traditional sound that fans have continued to embrace over the years.

The band’s banjo player and leader, Sammy Shelor, is a highly visible player whose awards include the Steve Martin prize for Excellence in Bluegrass and Banjo and a run as 5-time IBMA Banjo Player of the Year. The band’s most recent album, Bridging the Tradition, made its way to No. 2 on Billboard’s Top Bluegrass Albums chart.

So, mark your calendar for Saturday evening, Dec. 10, at 6:30 p.m., when the award-winning Lonesome River Band will perform at Central Magnet School to benefit Central Baseball. Another date to save: on Feb. 9, Flatt Lonesome will perform to benefit Central Baseball.

For more information on the concerts, visit facebook.com/baseballandbluegrassnights or find tickets to the events on eventbrite.com.

— GLORIA CHRISTY

PIRANAH

ROCKING BENEFIT SHOW TO AID LOCAL VETERANS GROUPS A Nov. 12 concert will aim to collect winter clothes for the homeless in the area, and support the Rutherford County veteran population. The benefit show, a Dark Slate Promotions production presented by House Brothers Percussion and Brick’s Drum Therapy Matrix, features Nashville metal band Piranah along with Vampire Bleach Bomb and Medicine Mann.

Half of the proceeds from the show will be donated to Operation Adopt A Hero, and the other half will be used for Operation Phoenix Warrior, a new local initiative to organize, fund and conduct mixed martial arts fitness camps for struggling veterans to refocus on health and wellness goals, to be hosted by the UFC Gym of Murfreesboro.

Attendees can bring clothing donations. The event cover is $10 for adults, with a $3 surcharge for minors. The show begins at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 12, at Main Street Music in Murfreesboro.

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* NOVEMBER 2016 * 13

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Immersed in Music

BY JOHN CONNOR COULSTON

John Salaway’s upcoming performances include evening with Gordon Kennedy, Beatles Christmas.

S

inger/songwriter John Salaway wears several different caps as a part of his career in music. He’s a solo artist, producer, instrumentalist and member of the Beatles tribute band Forever Abbey Road in addition to working with booking agency Local Music Booking. As you can imagine, these multiple routes lead Salaway to performing around Middle Tennessee often, including two big shows down in Woodbury. On Nov. 18, he’ll be playing with revered songwriter Gordon Kennedy at Bird Song Studio, and on Dec. 17 he’ll perform with his band at the Arts Center of Cannon County in what’s being billed as Christmas with Forever Abbey Road, a show that will include special renditions of Beatles’ solo holiday tunes.

We talked with Salaway about his early memories creating music, his acclaimed new album, Down the Road of Life, and, of course, the Beatles.

Murfreesboro Pulse: When and how did you first start playing music?

SALAWAY: My dad is a drummer and used to have drumsticks in my hands when I was a baby, so I had an early start. I’m very lucky that my folks raised us on great classic rock: Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Beatles, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.

It was summer break around fourth or fifth grade . . . my dad wasn’t playing much around those years, and I remember always staring at his drum set, which was stacked up in the garage. I asked if we could set up 14 * NOVEMBER 2016 * BOROPULSE.COM

the drums, and I remember immediately feeling comfortable and happy playing them.

It felt natural and came to me very fast. It was meant to be. A few years later I learned guitar and then bass and piano.

When did you realize you wanted to turn music into a career?

I’ve known since I was a kid that music was my gift and that I wanted to do it for a living. I grew up in a small beach town in Florida and started playing professionally when I was 15, but I knew that I could not have a real music career there. I could play gigs on the weekends, but a real musical career was impossible.

Moving seemed impossible, too. After getting my AA at community college, I was trying to figure out the next step. A friend went to MTSU, and I learned about the music business/recording industry program. I knew that was my ticket to learning about the business and being in an area where people

FOREVER ABBEY ROAD

could have a serious career in music. I moved here in 2003 on faith and no money, got my degree in 2006 and haven’t looked back yet.

What was the songwriting process for your new album, Down the Road of Life?

I’ve released a few albums on my own and most of them end up being concept albums.

I like the way concept albums flow, where everything feels like it belongs together. For this album, I wrote about life and the things that all humans experience: love, loss, joy, pain, blessings and hardship.

We all experience these things as we travel down the road of life.

Are there songs on the record that are especially meaningful to you?

Everything I write has some meaning to me, and I hope it’s meaningful to others as well. I’ve been performing the song “Thick Skin” live for about a year, and there have been a lot of people that have told me that the song has resonated with them. It’s about not allowing the negativity in the world to get you down, and that no matter how hard things can be, “this too shall pass.” I performed in Colorado recently and a married couple in their early twenties said that they’ve been bogged down by negativity and hardships recently and that the song was a revelation to them, and it made them truly happy. That is a blessing for me.

Can you tell me about how you became involved in Forever Abbey Road?

The Beatles are my favorite band and one of the most important things to happen in the world musically and culturally. They did change the world, and the more I study them, the more inspired I am about their impact on music, society, art, fashion and culture.

I absolutely love playing their music, and I love seeing people overjoyed to hear that music live. It’s also amazing to hear about people who were casual Beatles fans but they became huge fans after seeing Forever

Abbey Road’s show. That’s happened a lot and it’s remarkable. Sometimes people need to experience something live to really understand and appreciate it.

How has diving into the Beatles catalog for the project influenced your solo work?

I’ve been diving into the Beatles catalog since I was a kid, and I’ve been called an expert on the Beatles by musicologists.

My name is in at least one book about the Beatles. I know the back story on many songs, how they were written, recorded, mixed, produced and received.

Studying that has certainly influenced my way of writing, producing, recording and experimenting in the studio. They did so many innovative and groundbreaking things for the first time and to this day hardly anyone has done what they have done.

Forever Abbey Road is starting to write songs and learn my songs so I’m excited to start performing those songs next year.

Lastly, what are some of your favorite Beatles songs?

There’s so much love and joy in most of their music. I think the Beatles are one of the biggest bands of all time because people feel that love and joy when they listen to them. Even the introspective or sad songs that they wrote have a feeling of optimism.

I love it all. They have messages like “All You Need Is Love,” “Give Peace a Chance,” “Let it Be” and more that will shine on for eternity and continue to inspire and create love, peace and joy in the world.

For tickets to the Nov. 18 show at Bird Song Studio, visit thebirdsongstudio. com; for tickets to the Dec. 17 Beatles Christmas show at the Arts Center of Cannon County, visit artscenterofcc.com.

For music and more information on John Salaway, visit johnsalaway.com. You can find his new album, Down the Road of Life, on Spotify.

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* NOVEMBER 2016 * 15

Art

ART STUDIO TOUR IS BACK NOV. 19–20

FELTED ALPACA AND SILK HAT BY EVA BERG

STERLING, INLAYED STONE, RHODOCHROSITE PENDANT BY ANNE ROB

CARVED BUDDHA

BY LOGAN HICKERSON

CERAMIC RAKU RUFFLE VASE BY LEWIS SNYDER

FURNITURE

BY ALAN DAIGRE

16 * NOVEMBER 2016 * BOROPULSE.COM

AFTER 23 YEARS OF CONSISTENTLY amazing offerings of quality crafts and art in Rutherford County, the annual Art Studio Tour can safely be called a “must-do” tradition for the holiday season.

Organized by The Stones River Craft Association, this year’s Art Studio Tour is poised to be even more impressive than ever. Always scheduled the weekend prior to Thanksgiving, with this year’s tour coming up Nov. 19 and 20, it features 39 artists located across 10 studio sites. Tourgoers may take in a wide variety of KETTLE BY finely crafted artwork from glass, POPCORN ceramics, mixed media, jewelry, STUDIO book arts and wood design to painting, blacksmithing and fiber.

Whether the viewer’s taste is more traditional or contemporary, anyone can find something they must have on the Art Studio Tour, either as a perfect gift or to keep for themselves.

A favorite tour stop offering a total craft experience is the studio of fiber artist Eve Berg.

Not only do visitors get to experience her rich and lovely pieces, worked in wool and alpaca, and see her demonstrate working with the fiber, they will actually get to meet the critters the fiber is harvested from at the Everich Farm stop.

“It’s wonderful to look, feel and touch with your hands and minds all the creations by the artists around the county,” Berg says.

Experience masterful pottery work at the Studio S stop, where tour-goers will find work from Lewis Snyder. His work is collected all over the world. Snyder’s Studio S is one of the original founding studios on the tour from its inception 23 years ago and patrons anticipate the tour each year for an opportunity to pick up more of his exceptional works to add to their collections.

The Studio Tour and all demonstrations are free and open to the public. Tour hours are Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 19 and 20, from 10 p.m. until 5 p.m. For more information, visit artstudiotour.org.

FARM MUGS

BY MIKE AND LOUISE KELLEY

2016 ART STUDIO TOUR Locations and Artists Alan Daigre Designs

5323 Ferrell Hollow Rd., Readyville

Alan Daigre, furniture Tracy Yarborough, painting Jan Quarles, dyed silk Mike and Louise Kelly, ceramics

Elizabeth Bray Jewelry 521 E. Main St., Murfreesboro

Elizabeth Bray, handcrafted jewelry Becky Dickovitch, encaustic and textiles

Everich Farm

8695 Hwy. 269/Bell Buckle Rd., Christiana

Eva Berg, fiber Erin McClellan, functional pottery Lynn Drive, mosaic, sculpture and jewelry Carol Berning, painting Ann Pierce and Mae Carkuff, fiber and jewelry

Hickerson Woodworks

4172 Betty Ford Rd., Murfreesboro

Logan Hickerson, handcarved woodworks Marc Barr, handmade functional stoneware Heloise Shilstat, paper mosaics

Joe Brown Blacksmith

3538 Cripple Creek Rd., Readyville

Joe Brown, custom forgings Maggie Sunsera, wood jewelry and hand painted silk scarfs

Popcorn Studio Pottery

2031 Nelson Lane, Murfreesboro

Sue and Ray Allen, stoneware Daune Jordan, eggery Tom Shea, painting Jack Rogers, woodworking

Red Oak Pottery

2925 Spain Hill Rd., Lascassas

Bill and Judy Heim, ceramic stoneware Anne Rob, handcrafted jewelry Mike Zinser, wood

Studio 903

903 Murfree Ave., Murfreesboro

Dawna Magliacano, mixed media Kevin Rains, wood carving Nancy Turner, fine linen, fabric and paper

Studio S Pottery

1426 Avon Rd., Murfreesboro

Lewis and Eric Snyder, stoneware, porcelain, raku Mary Veazie, painting Phyllis Razo, watercolor

Turtleware Pottery 4004 Southridge Blvd., Murfreesboro

Susan Rodehaver, clay Sheila Smith, painting Mark Maisano, ornamental iron BOROPULSE.COM

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 NOVEMBER THEATER  PETER PAN WHEN: 7 p.m. Nov. 3–5; 2 p.m. Nov. 5 and 6 WHERE: MTSU Tucker Theatre, 615 Champion Way TICKETS: 615-494-8810, mtsuarts.com The Darlings, the Lost Boys, pirates and Tinker Bell will all be there in the classic swashbuckling musical fantasy. MTSU’s production of Peter Pan features a 34-member cast, an orchestra and even a few airborne cast members. The silly and sentimental story aims to wow audiences with lots of spectacle.

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AND THEN THERE WERE NONE

HARRIET THE SPY

THE DIXIE SWIM CLUB

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 3–5; 2 p.m. Nov. 5 WHERE: The Grove Church 10543 Cedar Grove Road, Smyrna TICKETS: 615-830-2162 considerthisinc.com Based on Agatha Christie’s bestselling novel, And Then There Were None is the story of 10 strangers invited to a deserted island under different pretexts.

All have been complicit in the deaths of other human beings, but either escaped justice or committed an act that was not subject to legal sanction. The evening takes a nightmarish turn when the guests are all accused of murder and told they will be made to pay for their crimes.

WHEN: 7 p.m. Nov. 4 & 5; 2 p.m. Nov. 6 WHERE: Washington Theatre at Patterson Park Community Center, 521 Mercury Blvd.

TICKETS: 615-642-3148 ticketpeak.com/perform murfreesboro Harriet M. Welch is the willful only child of well-to-do socialites. She is also a spy who observes her friends and neighbors and writes about them in her notebook. Harriet’s notebook is found and read by all of her friends and classmates. Harriet’s blunt and mean observations in her notebook cause everyone at school to dislike her.

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 11, 12, 18 & 19; 2 p.m. Nov. 13 and 20 WHERE: Center for the Arts, 110 W. College St., TICKETS: 615-904-ARTS boroarts.org Five Southern women whose friendships began many years ago on their college swim team set aside a long weekend every August to recharge those relationships. Free from husbands, kids and jobs, they meet at the same beach cottage on North Carolina’s Outer Banks to catch up, laugh and meddle in each other’s lives. A touching comedy about friendships that last forever, The Dixie Swim Club focuses on four of those weekends and spans a period of 33 years.

Art NATURE PHOTOS BY DON OWENS

STORY AND PHOTOS BY BRACKEN MAYO

Street-Corner Photo Shop Local photographer sells his prints on the corner of the Murfreesboro Square.

THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN ON the Murfreesboro Public Square recently may have noticed an enterprising gentleman situated on the park bench at the corner of Main and Maple streets selling photo prints.

The photographs primarily capture settings in nature; the photographer enjoys shooting flowers, sunrises, water, insects and other animals.

Although Don Owens’ hand-drawn sign identifies him as homeless, any curious art fan, farmers market customer or couple going for a stroll will realize upon approaching this man that he is not looking for a handout. Rather, he views his street-corner photo-print operation as a small business.

Owens displays a business license from the City of Murfreesboro, as most businesses in town do, and will talk about his retail management experience and desire to work his way out of his current situation, one photo print sale at a time. He speaks of the value of networking and meeting people; he has set up social media pages for his business, Hamoel Photography, and Owens knows he needs to try multiple strategies to draw potential customers to his corner.

“I’ve been homeless off and on for about 15 years,” Owens said. “Mostly due to choices I’ve made,” he adds.

He said he has attempted to get jobs in Murfreesboro, “But you have to have a job to get a job . . . I have a management résumé as long as my arm.”

Owens said he succeeded as the electronics section manager at the Cool Springs Service Merchandise, and frequently earned some nice bonus checks for his sales efforts, but after the company folded, he did not have success landing a solid job.

He now lives in his van, and is thankful for the shelter, but said he is done making the rounds of the charities in the area that work with the homeless.

“With as many organizations as we have here, there’s no reason we can’t get people off the street,” Owens said. But many individuals, he believes, simply rely on the ministries for their necessities, do not change their lifestyle in a positive way, and they “have no goal.”

“I realized I was performing the definition of insanity,” Owens said about his time continually relying on food and services through Murfreesboro charities, repeating that behavior but not seeing positive results. He realized he could not expect a real change in his life until he broke the cycle and rose above his dependence on others.

Owens now has a focus, and a belief that he can improve his life through working hard and offering a good product.

One of his current goals is to pay for his own food through sales of his photo prints.

“I’m not going to Journey Home. I’m not going to Greenhouse Ministries,” he said.

Another goal is saving for a Canon 6Ti. Owens said he had a high-quality camera in the past but pawned it during a tough time. For now, Owens will continue shooting with his G4 phone, but he is focusing on selling prints of images he has captured.

He offers photo prints for $30, framed prints for $40, and a collage featuring multiple pieces of his work for $70. And he’s a salesman about it, telling a potential buyer those prices are a “steal.”

He knows running a business requires long hours, and he’ll not become rich overnight, but says that his photo business can work in the Murfreesboro market with some nurturing.

“It’s a small business. You have to put the time in,” Owens said.

Owens, whose time in the Marine Corps took him to

Panama, Libya, Columbia and Kuwait, tries to stay positive.

He knows that he still lives in the land of opportunity, and that hard work can still result in the American dream.

“Even in my situation, I have it a million times better than people in some of the places I’ve been,” he said. “People in this country have no clue.”

Other possible businesses he’d like to look at launching in the future include a woodworking shop and a hemp farm.

One of his favorite elements of operating his street-corner photo shop is meeting people, talking with others in the community, trying to learn from everyone who passes by and getting plugged into their network of people.

So even if you are not in the market for a photograph to hang in your house, go talk to Don. Talk with him about art, nature, business management, world travel and society. His approximate hours for business on the Square are 4–8 p.m. on weekdays, and 8 a.m.–1 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

For more on Owens and his work, visit donaldowens.zenfolio. com or find Hamoel Photography on Facebook or Twitter.

BOROPULSE.COM

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 NOVEMBER ART EVENTS

PHOTOS BY SHELBY LEE ADAMS ON DISPLAY AT MTSU MTSU’s Baldwin Photographic Gallery will display works by Shelby Lee Adams through December 2016.

Adams, born in Kentucky and best known for his images of Appalachian family life, has exhibited internationally since 1974 and his photographs are collected and studied in more than 60 public museums and numerous private collections. Adams has received numerous awards throughout his career, including a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship and The John Simon Guggenheim Photography Fellowship. Books featuring his photo work include Appalachian Portraits, Appalachian Legacy, Appalachian Lives and Salt & Truth.

The Baldwin Photographic Gallery is located in the Bragg Media and Entertainment building on the MTSU campus and is open from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

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BOROPULSE.COM

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Living Farmers’ Market Education Series

BY EDWINA SHANNON

Restoring Balance A BEE FLOATING IN THE BIRDBATH —several years ago, I would not have thought twice about seeing a floating bee. Now, my thoughts go to the struggling pollinators. I believe I suffered firsthand from their diminishing numbers this summer. My vegetables grew and flowered, yet bore little fruit. I now wonder if my area had pollinators. Back in the ’70s, a study done by S.E. McGregor, retired from the USDA Agriculture Research Service, concluded that one third of our human diet is dependent on insect pollinators, most noticeably by honey bees and monarch butterflies.

Bee populations are dying off dramatically and monarchs are becoming endangered.

Several factors are suspect in the decline of the pollinators in this country. Scientists have identified some chemicals that are used extensively for weed and pest control. Of particular note are the three neonicotinoid insecticides: clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam, all of which are currently

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banned in Europe. Their bee colonies are recovering. Their ban is up for review this year and it is hoped that the proof of science with its hundreds of nature studies is preferred over the influence of chemical industries.

The battle of science and money will determine the fate of the ban.

An Ecosystem Altered The introduction of chemicals in any organic entity does disrupt its existing system. A functioning ecosystem is a small example of a balance of life. True balance is going to be diverse and is going to include cycles of life, including predatory consumption. Biodiversity is the word to define diversity within a species, between species and within ecosystems. The average American thinks of biodiversity as a place out there somewhere in nature. The reality is drastically different. Biodiversity is the variety and balance of life in a selected

area, inclusive of our yards, ponds, gardens and farms. Gardeners and farmers should care about maintaining balance.

From americanforest.org: Somewhere along the way we decided to convert the forests that used to cover our living and working spaces into huge expanses of lawn dotted with a few small, mostly non-native trees.

So far we have planted over 62,500 square miles—some 40 million acres—in lawn. Each weekend we mow an area eight times the size of New Jersey to within an inch of the soil and then congratulate ourselves on a job well done.

And it’s not as if those little woodlots and “open spaces” that we have not paved over are pristine. Nearly all are second-growth forests that have been thoroughly invaded by alien plants like autumn olive, multiflora rose, bush honeysuckle, privet, Oriental bittersweet, buckthorn and Japanese honeysuckle. More than 3,400 species of alien plants have invaded more than 200 million acres of the U.S. Grass is pretty; it is an outdoor rug that provides a play area for humans and presents features like an architectural beauty.

But a green lawn is not diverse and is not a native part of the local ecosystem. Our fellow creatures need food and an environment to make a home and raise their young.

State Natural Heritage Centers have estimated that as many as 33,000 species of native plants and animals in the U.S. are now imperiled—too rare to perform their role in their ecosystem. These species can be considered functionally extinct.

Nature Made Unnatural Adding to the loss of the natural, native ecosystems is our selection of plants which we add to our landscape. Many of the plants we purchase are not native to this area.

These non-natives get adapted to the local environment and explode with growth. Look at the explosive growth of the kudzu vine and the ever-appearing privet hedge. Both are difficult to eradicate. There are no native predators of either to keep their growth in check. As non-natives explode across our landscape, they eliminate native plants. So why do we care? The noble answer would be that we are out of balance; the practical answer is we are killing what we depend on for our existence.

From audubon.org: The bottom line is this—homeowners, landscapers and local policy makers can benefit birds and other wildlife by simply selecting native plants when making their landscaping decisions. Native oak trees support over 500 species of caterpillars whereas ginkgos, a com-

monly planted landscape tree from Asia, host only 5 species of caterpillars. When it takes over 6,000 caterpillars to raise one brood of chickadees, that is a significant difference.

Birdwatchers should care.

Here are more numbers to ponder from americanforests.org: More than 3,400 species of alien plants have invaded over 200 million acres of the U.S. We have turned 54 percent of the lower 48 states into a suburban/urban matrix, and 41 percent more into various forms of agriculture. That’s right: We humans have taken 95 percent of nature and made it unnatural.

Not only are we eradicating the food that native species of animals and insects need to survive (not thrive, simply survive), their environment has changed so much it is difficult to find areas in which to raise their young. Numbers are declining. Hunters should care.

Searching for Solutions Most of us enjoy massive green lawns, admiring most the ones which are devoid of weeds. We keep the weeds at bay by applying fertilizers for grass growth and weed killer to target weed elimination. Stupidly, the assumption of “more is better” is so wrong. Not only is it a waste of product and therefore money, “more” can burn and poison what you are trying to grow. It is just too much chemical. What happens to the excess? Follow the water: the rainwater, the sprinkler and hose water runoff. It all goes “somewhere.”

That “somewhere” is known as a watershed. The poorer water quality challenges the sustenance of life in the forests and streams and lakes. Fishermen should care.

The more I researched why I had no pollinators for my vegetables, the more I discovered the degree that our existence is out of balance.

Addressing the ever-expanding concern of our diminishing and failing ecosystems, as well as our need for a sustainable landscape, the University of Tennessee Extension Service is promoting their program called “Tennessee Smart Yards.” A group of Master Gardeners from Rutherford County (myself included) with Extension Agents Janie Becker and Mitchell Mote attended a day-long workshop focused on bringing this program to our community. Over the winter months, concepts of this program will appear in this column.

Knowledge will assist everyone in making conscious and responsible decisions and taking actions that help the sustainability of an earth in balance.

BOROPULSE.COM

* NOVEMBER 2016 * 23

Food

A Season for Squashes

BY RACHEL SPENSATELLI

A Thoughtful Menu Guide to a locally sourced Thanksgiving meal

T

BY DYLAN SKYE AYCOCK

hanksgiving dinner brings to mind an overflowing plate of turkey, a plethora of sides and a kitchen counter lined with desserts. But before the final product, there’s usually a seemingly never-ending grocery list leading up to the big day. For those who wish to ditch the typical long lines and avoid the impending holiday shopping crowds, consider a locally sourced Thanksgiving meal this year, with essential items gathered from farms and restaurants in the area. Whether you’d like to skip the chain grocery stores this season, explore healthy options or support local businesses, check out a few of our choices below. However, supplies may diminish as the holiday nears, so be sure to check in with each location for up-to-date availability.

BATEY FARMS 5331 Baker Rd. WEDGE OAK FARMS

3964 Old Murfreesboro Rd., Lebanon Thanksgiving is synonymous with turkey, of course. Last year, Batey Farms, a 400-acre family-owned farm since 1807, had 25 turkeys available, so check in with their Facebook page periodically for updates. Additionally, turkey can also be found at Lebanon’s Wedge Oak Farm, a family-owned farm that raises various breeds of laying hens, guineas, meat and laying ducks in addition to turkeys.

THE CURIOUS KITCHEN

1602 W. Northfield Blvd.

If there’s not much time to shop around for individual products, The Curious Kitchen is almost a one-stop shop this Thanksgiving.

Helena and Rachel Spensatelli, the motherand-daughter cooking team behind The Curious Kitchen, opened the restaurant two years ago and offer cooking classes in addition to maintaining regular business hours and running the blog “Saucy Girl’s Kitchen.” From hors d’oeuvres to the main course to desserts, the eatery has everything from the essentials like stuffing and cranberry relish to side items like buttermilk mashed potatoes, made-fromscratch green bean casserole and mixed greens.

TAG’Z FIVE STAR MEATS

111 E. MTCS Rd. Suite D If you’d like to serve homemade pies at Thanks24 * NOVEMBER 2016 * BOROPULSE.COM

giving dinner without actually making them from scratch, check out Tag’z holiday menu, which can be found on its Facebook page. The delicatessen, founded 16 years ago, can typically be found serving up beef, pork, lamb and veal along with locally produced cheeses and homemade soups. In addition to locally made pies, Tag’z will also offer homemade stuffing this year.

THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE

630 Broadmor St., Suite 190 Like The Curious Kitchen, Through the Grapevine pulls out all the stops for holiday meals. The restaurant and catering service offers two menus, lunch or dinner, and includes a salad, one entrée, two vegetables, assorted rolls and one dessert item for the lunch portion and an added vegetable and dessert for the dinner portion. Entrées vary from marinated pork tenderloin to roast turkey and gravy to slow-cooked roast beef. Sides include cornbread dressing, herb-roasted new potatoes, broccoli cheese casserole, sweet potato royale and more (vegetarians, rejoice). As for dessert, take your pick among red velvet cake with cream cheese icing, fudge pie, bourbon pecan pie and coconut cake.

HATCHER FAMILY DAIRY

6561 Arno Rd., College Grove Since 1831, Hatcher Family Dairy has been comfortably located in the rural community of

College Grove, Tenn. Located about 25 miles from downtown Murfreesboro, all of the farm’s dairy products are made from the Hatcher family’s cows. Every aspect of the day-to-day operation is carried out by a family member, from milking and feeding cows to the processing, transporting and marketing of the dairy. At Hatcher’s, customers have the choice of whole milk, skim milk, 2 percent milk and buttermilk, the latter a vital ingredient for homemade Southern buttermilk biscuits or cornbread.

However, if the 30-minute drive doesn’t quite fit into your busy schedule, Hatcher Family Dairy products can also be found at Batey Farms.

TRIPLE A FARMS

8322 Hwy 99, Rockvale Like Batey Farms, Triple A operates yearround. If you’re looking for fresh eggs opposed to store-bought ones this year, take a drive about 15 miles southwest to Rockvale. This family-owned-and-operated farm covers a total of 136 acres, split between its Rockvale and Eagleville locations, the latter being in the family since the early ’40s. For 15 years, Triple A Farms has been growing fruits and vegetables for its retail store, with eggs available all year.

MAYDAY BREWERY

521 Old Salem Rd. And last, but certainly not least, you can stock up on a different kind of holiday necessity with a couple growlers from Mayday Brewery, or “Jugs of Fun,” as they are suitably referred to there. The half-gallon jug of craft beer will serve well over Thanksgiving dinner or while catching up with family and friends over dessert.

According to Mayday, the jugs stay fresh for one month if refrigerated unopened. The beer will begin to deteriorate after opening, but it’s still good for about 24 hours. And just in case you can’t wait until the holiday to try it out, Mayday offers discounted refills on the “Jugs of Fun.” Other eateries to consider this holiday season include Goodness Gracious at the Mill (5418 Murfreesboro Rd., Readyville), Slick Pig (1920 E. Main St.), Five Senses Restaurant and Catering (1602 W. Northfield Blvd.) and CJ’s Catering (352 W. Northfield Blvd.)

My love for food is deeply rooted. It’s a love that was instilled in me at an early age by my mother, an incredible chef, artist and homemaker. As long as I can remember, and as long as I’ve been able to crack an egg, I’ve been her designated sous chef.

The first books I read were cookbooks.

Many of these have been passed down from family members, holding recipes like prized jewels with torn pages, stains and revisions where additional dashes of this or that were needed, and index cards to mark favorites. My mother would say, “Cooking is my passion. Food is love.”

Cooking is a cherished tradition in my home. Over the holidays it feels even more important, as the meals we prepare become an extension of the love we have for our friends, family and each other.

It was sometime in early November 1993 . . . I was 6, and we were on our weekly errand to the supermarket. I watched my mother in awe as she chose the perfect squash. I wondered, “What are those odd-shaped things, and what on earth will she do with them?” Into the cart they went. It wasn’t until we got home that the magic happened.

Squash are part of the Cucurbitaceous family, a vast family containing over 700 species . . . imagine a holiday dinner at their house! Acorn squash, butternut squash, spaghetti squash, zucchinis, yellow squash and pumpkins are some of the most popular. Autumn delivers a bounty of these and it’s our duty to turn them into delicious comfort food.

“There are countless ways to prepare squash, and you shouldn’t be intimidated by them,” said my mother as she rinsed the butternut squash and hacked it down the middle with her chef knife. “This will make the most delicious soup.” And it did. It always did. So we began, washing, chopping, sautéing, baking and creating different savory and sweet dishes with each unusual squash.

I still cook with my mom, almost every day. I’m still learning from her, though now occasionally she learns something from me, too. Another thing I still do to this day is laugh to myself when I see how many people are perplexed by squash. Often, at the market, I am asked by the person at checkout or another customer perusing the aisle, “what do you do with that thing?”

I would like to share with you some of our favorite family recipes; please enjoy these squash dishes with someone you love. This month, say “yes” to squash.

Rachel is a Los Angeles native who relocated to Tennessee in 2014 to open

ZUCCHINI, BACON AND GRUYERE QUICHE Yields 6–8 servings

INGREDIENTS pie crust ¼ lb. sliced bacon, coarsely chopped 2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into eighthinch-thick slices ½ tsp. salt ¾ cup heavy cream ¾ cup whole milk ¼ tsp black pepper 3 large eggs 1 cup Gruyere, coarsely grated

towel-lined plate, reserving fat in skillet.

Add zucchini and salt into bacon pan and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.

In a large bowl add the heavy cream, whole milk, black pepper and eggs.

Whisk together.

DIRECTIONS

Add in the bacon and zucchini.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Stir in the Gruyere.

Fit pie dough into pie plate and lightly prick all over.

Pour mixture into pie crust and bake for about 30 to 45 minutes, until filling is set.

Fry bacon and transfer to a paper-

Allow to cool before serving.

 For more of Rachel’s squash recipes visit boropulse.com/category/food The Curious Kitchen, a recreational cooking school, cafe and catering company located in Murfreesboro. She’s an advocate for cooking with real, local food and never drinking a bad cocktail! When

she’s not out on the town, she’s usually at home writing, gardening, playing with her cats and dogs or doing yoga. To take a cooking or cocktail class with Rachel, visit thecuriouskitchen.net.

BOROPULSE.COM

* NOVEMBER 2016 * 25

Food

Read more about local restaurants at

BoroPulse.com/Category/Food

BUSTER’S has the BEEF

Clockwise from left: a Buster burger with onion rings; Buster’s ribs in the smoker; Buster’s salad; owner Peter Moret and manager Carlie Gearon; a couple of double burgers with fries.

Grab a burger, ribs and beer at legendary Broad Street restaurant.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY BRACKEN MAYO

W

hile Murfreesboro has grown enormously over the past few decades, Buster’s Place, housed in a plain-looking building on Broad Street near the Stones River, has remained a local institution.

Since 1973, this roadhouse has served up thousands upon thousands of hamburgers, while giving its patrons a comfortable place to kick back, chat and enjoy a cold drink and a hot burger.

For years, many have called it the best burger joint in town.

“The burger was excellent.

Cooked to order, fresh, juicy, flavorful,” a Buster’s customer said recently.

Roy Eakes, who grew up with the original owner, Buster Pugh, has been a customer ever since the place opened in the ’70s, he said.

“He had pool tables in here originally, but business got going so well he took them out to have more seats,” Eakes recalled.

And while Peter Moret has owned Buster’s Place since late 2013, purchasing the lot as well as the business, Eakes still eats plenty of Buster Burgers.

Nearly every day for lunch, “I’m either here or at Kleer-Vu one,” Eakes said. “There’s probably been

more burgers sold here than anywhere in the world!”

While the menu is still relatively small and the burgers are clearly the star, Moret has made a few additions.

For one, there’s a trio of specialty burgers: a bacon, cheddar and jalapeño burger; a bacon, mushroom and Swiss burger; and a chili, cheddar and jalapeño burger.

Other choices include ribs, chili, fried bologna and hamburger steak, even a large salad with grilled chicken.

But the second-most popular item at Buster’s may now be the wings.

Customers have been raving about Moret’s hickory-smoked wings.

“The new chef is brilliant, friendly and had the great idea of

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serving wings,” according to Yelper Scott M., who said he also applauds Buster’s avoiding the use of frozen hamburger meat. The burgers have a great, beefy taste to them.

Just upon passing the building, its simple appearance may not entice newcomers to enter for a meal, but many who do give it a try have been pleasantly surprised.

Overall, the interior is comfortable and clean, though the atmosphere is a little on the divey side with its neon signs and draft beer handles.

“Be Nice or Leave,” a sign over the bar reads. Yep, a familyfriendly environment can be found at this spot where the griddle is hot, and the fries are crinkle-cut. Buster’s Place does

welcome diners of all ages.

The grill is out in the open behind the bar, so you can watch the cooks prepare your burger.

A covered area outside hosts a few picnic tables.

Coke is served in a can, which is a plus for some, but Buster’s Place offers no free soft drink refills, which is a drawback for others.

Buster’s Place offers $2 drafts on Fridays, and salty, crispy onion rings are also available.

Being a smaller establishment, it can be hard to compete pricewise with some of the companies that do more volume, and though some may balk at the $8.75 price on a double burger alone, Buster’s enthusiasts will tell you the quality and the company are worth it.

“I’m loving this unassuming little place. Doesn’t look like it’s changed much in 50 years or so. Lots of longtime customers and regulars. It felt like Cheers, Southern style,” another customer, Mell, commented on social media.

“Fantastic burger . . . handformed, probably an inch thick.

Juicy and delicious.”

For a great burger Buster’s is the Place.

And to true Murfreesboro locals, the memories of coming in the local restaurant in decades past may make the burgers taste even a little bit better.

The Dish NAME:

Buster’s Place LOCATION:

1615 NW Broad St. PHONE:

615-895-5464 HOURS:

Mon.–Sat. 10:30 a.m.–8 p.m.

COST:

Single burger: $4.95 Double burger: $8.75 Large chili cheese fries: $5.95 Buster’s salad: $6.95 ONLINE:

bustersplace.net

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* NOVEMBER 2016 * 27

Reviews MOVIE

uprising; other than that, I thought this film did an extremely good job of showing us slavery in the South.

Now of course, the main highlight of this film is the evolution of Nat Turner (Nate Parker) into the leader of the famous slave uprising of 1831. The crew did a good job here, but it’s certainly far from perfect. Once Samuel Turner starts taking Nat around to various plantations to preach the gospel, you can see Nat’s constant internal battle with which Bible verses he should be preaching to the crowd. Should he preach civility and obedience, or revolution and violence?

His sermons became more emotional and

extreme as the film progresses, but by the end as Nat is trying to justify the uprising. I think this was one of the other missteps of the film.

Right up to the beginning of the uprising, Parker portrays Nat Turner as completely virtuous, even as he begins contemplating murdering his master and many other whites. That said, I still found myself moved

as the uprising took place, and even though the final confrontation was a little clichéd, it still summoned goosebumps.

The final thing I have to mention, (and I think a major reason for goosebumps in the final confrontation) was the score. This film brought us back to the old days of cinema, featuring an emotionally moving score from Henry Jackman, one of the better composers of recent years. While the effect of his recent scores has been minimized in the current era of cinema, which undervalues the score of a film as nothing more than background music, Nate Parker was smart enough to feature Jackman’s resounding and emotional score, easily my favorite film score this year.

At the end of the day, I think The Birth of a Nation is a worthwhile film. It tells a story of one of the most overlooked events of pre-Civil War slavery, and it tells it well. Yes, there are problems, but this is still a good—almost great— film, and one that is definitely worth showing in American History classrooms. Check it out.

— JOSEPH KATHMANN

of the 6-foot 5-inch, 250-pound titular character alienated fans of the books, while moviegoers experienced déjà vu seeing Cruise play an elite secret agent tasked with carrying out an impossible mission. Couple that with the weird yet inspired casting of Werner Herzog as the villain, and the formula for failure seemed complete. Instead, though, Jack Reacher was a better-than-itshould-be sleeper, a taut spy thriller for grownups. Thankfully, the unremarkably titled sequel follows suit.

Never Go Back sets its tone in the opening

scene, as two local sheriffs show up at the aftermath of a 1-on-5 brawl at a diner, where our hero is casually finishing his meal at the bar. We know Reacher is a badass, capable of fighting off multiple assailants or surviving fire from multiple gunmen with relative ease. Though we are later shown his skills, the opening scene begins just after they have been put to use, focusing on the why, not the how. Reacher is a crusader for justice, and often that puts him on the bad side of the supposed good guys.

That sort of thing tends to happen when he busts Major Turner (Cobie Smulders) out of custody of the Military Police, making them fugitives from the Army and a shady government contractor called ParaSource in an attempt to clear her name and uncover a military smuggling conspiracy.

Though the conspiracy plot is strictly boilerplate, director Edward Zwick (Glory, Pawn Sacrifice) and crew deftly handle each twist and turn, flirting with familiarity just to bait and switch ever so slightly and contorting the conventions of the genre in

non-revolutionary, though welcome, ways.

Smulders shines as Major Turner, a match for Reacher in wits, rank and brawn, and their in-sync teamwork is a refreshing departure from the normal hero-saves-the-girl dynamic. Despite Reacher’s tough, nigh-invincible exterior, he is commendably portrayed as a flawed, lonely man, though not so detached that he can’t be defeated emotionally, if not physically. Danika Yarosh plays Sam, a streetwise juvenile delinquent with more character than that description suggests, for whom Jack Reacher obviously cares, whether or not she is his daughter. The three of them together make for a formidable and enjoyable team, yielding some entertaining moments of respite as Reacher and Turner play surrogate parents trying to give Sam parental advice in a specifically non-familial situation. It’s moments like these that would otherwise be filled with ridiculous explosions (I counted one) and death-defying absurdities that make Jack Reacher: Never Go Back stand out in a field of far flashier films.

— JAY SPIGHT

THE BIRTH OF A NATION DIRECTED BY

Nate Parker STARRING

Nate Parker, Gabrielle Union, Armie Hammer, Aja Naomi King, Penelope Ann Miller RATED R

The Birth of a Nation is heavy-handed and overbearing, but I actually found its display of slavery to be more powerful than Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave. I think the primary reason for this (for the most part) is that the whites in this film are not all simply terrible for being terrible. You see a character like Samuel Turner (Armie Hammer) try and justify his treatment of his slaves, and you witness his descent into oblivion (and his ultimate demise) as he sells pieces of his soul, demeaning his slaves. It also makes the scenes at awful plantations that much more powerful. There’s a force-feeding scene in this film that was extremely hard to watch, and must have been equally difficult to execute, but it is a powerful scene. There is an unfortunately shallow character in Jackie Earle Haley’s slave catcher, who exists solely to die at the hands of our hero during the

JACK REACHER: NEVER GO BACK STARRING

Tom Cruise Cobie Smulders Danika Yarosh

DIRECTED BY

Edward Zwick RATED PG-13

The first Jack Reacher (2012), based on the novel series by Lee Child, was a bit of an oddity. Casting Tom Cruise in the role

A CLASSIC 28 * NOVEMBER 2016 * BOROPULSE.COM

OUTSTANDING

AVERAGE

BELOW AVERAGE

AVOID AT ALL COSTS

DEAD

Meet the local creators behind the new online comic

it really spoke to me. As I got older, I read more comics like Thunderbolts, New Teen Titans and Runaways, and then in high school I found out about Japanese manga and this fantastic adventure story called One Piece. It was funny when it wanted to be and dramatic when it wanted to be . . . it inspired me to want to create.

Alliance of Outcasts

BY JOHN CONNOR COULSTON

A

n island off the coast of Florida is inhabited by a group of super-powered surviviors. One day, a ticking time bomb is set to go off, and only some will survive. The heroes know they won’t be able to save many of the island’s inhabitants, and they are forced to face the reality of the situation, page by page, panel by panel.

That, in a nutshell, is the basic premise of the first issue of Alliance of Outcasts, a new online comic from MTSU alums Matthew Pigg and Katy Campbell. It’s not your typical “the day is saved” superhero story. It’s a grounded take, with human emotion bleeding through as the characters (with names like Alchemist, Mind Bender and Thermal) prepare for an unavoidable catastrophe.

Oh, and it has a dog with super speed and robot who enjoys watching True Grit.

The comic is the brainchild of writer/ creator Pigg, who just made the move from Middle Tennessee out to Los Angeles, and Goodlettsville-based Campbell, who brought

the cavalcade of metahumans to life through her artwork. You can read it for free online now at crystalpigproductions.com.

We talked with the duo about the inspirations behind the comic.

Pulse: What are your favorite comic series or graphic novels?

MATTHEW PIGG: I grew up hanging out at the Franklin library reading these volumes of the Amazing Spider-Man from the ’60s and

What made you decide to create a series of your own?

The characters, I actually came up with as a kid in elementary school. Of course they changed a lot as I continued to daydream about them. I would draw stick figures of them fighting during classes . . . Even years into college I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. That was when it occurred to me to do something with all these stories in my head.

I began reading books on how to write and taking as many classes as I could that were semi-relevant and began writing, re-writing and throwing scripts out completely. That part lasted over a year and a half until I found Katy.

In your words, what is the basic premise of Alliance of Outcasts?

In one word, the basis of the comic is family. The word, “outcast” is a very apt description for them as they all had nowhere they belonged and have survived together for a while. The first issue is that makeshift safety

being destroyed, and now they have to come together like a real family or fall apart.

Pulse: Had you worked on any comic projects before? If not, what made you want to tackle the medium?

KATY CAMPBELL: No I hadn’t, but I always wanted to. The two things I’ve always loved doing are reading and drawing, so a comic book is like the best of both worlds.

Creating a comic would be a way to improve my art because it would force me to consider so many fundamentals of drawing at once (consistency, perspective, character design, backgrounds, composition, etc.)

What was the creative process like for the character designs?

In the beginning I was given detailed descriptions of the Outcasts’ personalities with the idea to make them look like normal people.

We wanted to make the female characters in particular look their age and avoid the typical busty, overly-sexual look that comic book heroines are known for. I sent Matt drawings with three to five looks for each character and he picked the one that came closest to what he had in his head. I redrew the first chapter over and over because I didn’t like what I was putting down. Luckily Matt was very patient with me during this process. In the end I just went with what felt natural to draw.

BOROPULSE.COM

* NOVEMBER 2016 * 29

Movies

I’m Not Ashamed On April 20, 1999, two teenagers entered Colorado’s Columbine High School armed with guns and homemade bombs, planning to kill hundreds of their classmates. Within an hour they would go on to murder 12 students and one teacher before turning their guns on themselves.

STORY BY DYLAN SKYE AYCOCK More than 17 years later, the faith-based feature film I’m Not Ashamed recounts the story of the tragedy—not solely the events that transpired that day, but life through the eyes of Rachel Joy Scott, the first person killed during the school shooting.

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The film, released Oct. 21, had a nationwide opening in 500 theaters, with stacked showings in Middle Tennessee, including Murfreesboro. Nashville-based producer and MTSU graduate Nise’ Davies worked on the film, with duties including

MTSU grad helps bring Rachel Joy Scott’s story to the big screen.

mo, as executive producer, I’m Not Ashamed is Rachel’s life story in her own words. Davies says the filmmakers crafted the script directly from Scott’s journal entries, which tell the journey of her faith and compassion for helping others. She adds that each voiceover heard in the film comes from entries in Scott’s personal journal or from a shared journal with close friend Nathan Ballard.

In addition to Scott’s original writings, Nimmo provided several of her daughter’s personal items for use in the film. Viewers might recognize Rachel’s red Acura, which turned into a memorial shrouded in flowers following the shooting.

“This movie is so special because of casting, production and other aspects during [Nimmo],” she says. “She saved everything . . . the three-and-a-half-year filming process.

Rachel’s car . . . the real poster she made when “When you work on an independent film, she had a class with the shooters, which was you have to wear a lot of hats,” Davies says. the same one she used during her compassion “Coming from a producing background, I speech when she presented a project [assertalso did casting, and, at times, I even helped ing] that she would change the world by acts with wardrobe and makeup.” of kindness through a chain reaction.”

During her time as a mass communicaThe roughly-two-hour film is already having tion student, Davies developed an interest an impact on some moviegoers, Davies says. in acting and modeling, and she went on to “Even if a film is excellent—the acting, claim the titles of Miss MTSU and homescript, sound and video—there’s still no coming queen.

“I thought I might end up having a career guarantee it’s going to change someone’s heart or impact their life,” she says. “That’s in television, film or maybe a talk show,” a supernatural thing that happens, and a she says. “I never thought I’d end up on the filmmaker can’t control that.” production side, but it just evolved.”

“People are are impacted by this film,” she After college, Davies jumped into the continues. “And I, or business side of acting by launching tal“Even if a film is excellent— the production team, can take no credit for ent agency Advantage the acting, script, sound that.”

Talent and Modeling; Since the film she later served as a and video—there’s still no currently is in limcasting director for a guarantee it’s going to change ited release, Davies few independent films someone’s heart or impact encourages people until she joined the to check out the film team as a producer their life,” she says. “That’s a soon in an effort to for I’m Not Ashamed. supernatural thing that give it a lengthier “I wasn’t taught happens, and a filmmaker box-office run. how to be a producer “If you love it and while at MTSU, I can’t control that.” it makes an impact, didn’t go to school for share your story so it stays in theaters for a that,” Davies explains. “I just learned along long time,” she adds. the way, and I’m thankful that the good Among the cast are Atlanta native Masey Lord guided us through the process.”

McLain as Rachel Scott, Davies’ son Ben as Despite the film’s story being set in ColoNathan Ballard and Sadie Robertson of Duck rado, I’m Not Ashamed has a strong local Dynasty fame starring as her cousin Charity, connection. Other than exterior shots filmed who Davies says served as an inspiration to at Columbine and news footage captured Rachel’s faith. during the aftermath, most of the scenes Check Carmike Cinemas Wynnsong 16 for were filmed in Nashville, and some of the acshowtimes in Murfreesboro. For a full list of tors and production team, including Davies, theaters and showtimes, visit are from the Middle Tennessee area as well. imnotashamedfilm.com.

With the help of Scott’s mother, Beth Nim-

Family Dysfunction

LIVING ROOM CINEMA column by NORBERT THIEMANN

facebook.com/livingroomcinema

Watching these films just might make you feel better about your own family. If your personal clan happens to be gathered for the viewings, you could observe their moments of discomfort throughout. It might even be more entertaining than football on Thanksgiving. A very honorable mention goes to Thomas Vinterberg’s The Celebration, which has previously been recommended.

Careful (1993) is directed

by Guy Maddin. Noted for his homages to the early traditions of film by using black and white, Maddin was coaxed by his producer on this outing to create his first color feature. Of course, being Guy Maddin, he chose the antiquated twostrip technicolor process to create one of his all-time greatest achievements in Careful. It’s the story of a mother and her sons struggling for contentment in the face of a sorrowful past and and a difficult present.  Grey Gardens (1976) is directed by the brothers Albert & David Maysles. The famed documentary duo captures the Beales, a mother and daughter who live together in a decrepit New England estate. Their glory days are past, but notions of grandeur still live on in their daily perceptions.

 Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) is directed by Woody Allen. Three sisters face their own problems, as well as each other’s. Hannah and Her Sisters is provocative and very funny, and it easily passes all three criteria of the Bechdel Test. It’s one of Woody Allen’s masterpieces, and truly must be seen.

Happiness (1998) is directed by Todd Solondz. Possibly the darkest of dark comedies, Happiness is painfully unyielding.

A family with three sisters must confront the forces that affect their lives. Brace yourself for one of the most infamous independent films of the 1990s.

Beyond its reputation lies originality and excellent storytelling.

BOROPULSE.COM

* NOVEMBER 2016 * 31

News

NAVIGATING THE SYSTEM SERIES BY BRYCE HARMON

PART IV

The Six-Month Report of Rutherford County Probation and Recovery Services “IT’S STILL IN ITS INFANCY STAGE,” said Trey King, Director of Rutherford County Probation and Recovery Services, as he presented The RCPRS’ six-month progress report to the county’s Public Safety Committee on Oct. 24 in the Historic Courthouse on the Square.

King’s report detailed the finances of our halfyear-old, county-run probation department that county officials, including the commissioners of the Public Safety Committee and Mayor Ernest Burgess, voted into existence to replace the county’s former privately-owned, user-funded, for-profit probation department, Providence Community Corrections (PCC).

PCC operated the probation department for the Rutherford County courts from 2006 until these Rutherford County officials voted to end their contract with PCC in February 2016, after a federal lawsuit was filed against PCC, Rutherford County and nine former employees of PCC in October 2015 on behalf of seven former PCC probationers of Rutherford County.

According to the federal lawsuit, Rutherford County, PCC, and PCC’s nine former employees are charged with extorting money from probationers through threats of jail time, which violates the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act (RICO), or the Organized Crime Act of 1970, an abuse-of-power charge stating they abused the legal process by “seek[ing] arrest warrants and probation revocation judgments with an ulterior motive to collect additional fees,” which furthermore violates the U.S. Constitution’s 14th amendment, or the due process amendment, as PCC’s contract with Rutherford County gave them financial interests that influenced their supposedly neutral, discretionary decisionmaking duties and capabilities while handling Rutherford County probationers. This resulted in the jailing of at least 13 indigent (monetarily poor) Rutherford County citizens who could not pay PCC’s probation fees and fines. Those 13 were released by Nashville Federal Judge Kevin Sharp in December of 2015. “[RCPRS has] taken a different approach to focus on the recidivism and trying to stop that. We’re here to help garner better jobs and really tackle the problem more so than focus on the collection of money,” Trey King said while giving the six-month report.

On April 1, 2016, RCPRS began figuring out how to operate a probation department 32 * NOVEMBER 2016 * BOROPULSE.COM

by using PCC’s model for running a probation department as their own model, according to Melissa Harrell, the Rutherford County Circuit Court Clerk who oversees the money side of RCPRS. That PCC-based RCPRS specifically includes charging the $45 a month probation supervision fees collected first and foremost as Rutherford County’s own profit. Those payments have been documented on legallyproven faulty clerical management software; the county won a lawsuit against (and was awarded a refund from) the software’s production company, which was blamed for the county’s failure to pay litigation taxes when the Tennessee Department of Revenue discovered the oversight during a 2015 audit. That

federal lawsuit, such as Tiarra Smith, who is currently employed by RCPRS as a probation officer, managing Rutherford County probationers’ cases, including mine. Smith, while spearheading some of the positive changes of RCPRS, has supplied instruction to the RCPRS Circuit Court Clerk pertaining to finance collection in my case on several occasions.

Speaking of the money, “The six-month report: this is from April to September,” King stated to the Public Safety Committee, “The total expenditures [or RCPRS’ bills, salaries, pensions paid into, building maintenance, etc. that makes up their budget] for that sixmonth time period would be $618,602.72.

The total collections as far as program fees, drug screen fees, SCRAM [electronic monitoring] fees, supervision fees [all of the services RCPRS provides for the county] for that same period of time [is] $416,974.95, for a difference of $201,627.77,” meaning RCPRS fell short of its mark by $201,627.77.

However, in the Probation and Recovery Services Report in May 2016 covering the period of April 2016, when RCPRS began, the 2016 fiscal year budget was $344,504.00, meaning its budget almost doubled in half the time ($344,504 to $618,602.72 within the six-month period of April to September). Had they stayed on course with the May 2016 budget, the six-month report would have shown

“PCC’s contract . . . gave them financial interests that influenced their supposedly neutral, discretionary decision-making duties and capabilities while handling probationers.” faulty software will not be replaced by a better software until the end of June 2017, according to Mayor Ernest Burgess. The current software runs on dated hardware that prints probationers’ and clerks’ filing receipts on dot-matrix printers, with attached, non-itemized receipts from RCPRS county clerks’ desk calculators showing each probationer’s account balance.

However, in the face of the federal lawsuit’s allegations that scare tactics were used to intimidate probationers into paying their fines and fees, RCPRS has slightly tweaked the PCC-based model by appearing more pleasant to work with than PCC. RCPRS also supplies information for drug and alcohol counseling centers outside of Rutherford County, if requested, and posts employment information on their tack boards. The cosmetic touch-up also masks how the fees that PCC took as their profit are still collected by RCPRS, but as the county’s profit. This all happens under the guidance and instruction of some of the very same ex-PCC employees that are named in the

RCPRS collections within that time frame resulting in a money surplus of $72,470.95, instead of costing the county $201,627.77.

“Now when we add in court costs, fines, fees and everything else along with those items that we collected [like money collected for misdemeanor and traffic violation fines outside of RCPRS by the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office at the judicial building on the square],” King continued, “The grand total is $1,480,508.84. You subtract the $618,602.72 total expenditures, that gives [Rutherford County] a surplus amount of $861,906.12.”

The figure offered by King, however impressive it may sound, does not alter the fact that the Probation and Recovery Services’ significant budget expansion still resulted in a more than $200,000 shortfall regardless of which budget number you look at. The existence of RCPRS, simply put, cost the county $201,627.77.

On Oct. 25, 2016, Rob, one of the Circuit Court clerks at the RCPRS desk, explained to a probationer in line that there will be a $25

minimum monthly payment beginning on Nov. 15. When the probationer asked the clerk if failing to meet this new minimum would result in his probation being violated, he did not reply.

“What happens if [probationers] don’t meet the payment plan? What’s your procedures then?” Commissioner Doug Shafer asked King the previous day at the Oct. 24 Public Safety Committee meeting.

“It is my understanding with the clerk’s office,” King replied, “after a period of time, the clerk has the right to suspend driver’s licenses, if they do have that, so the clerk can take that and suspend it, or the clerk can begin to initiate, I believe it’s after a year, proceedings to bring forth a seal of judgment to either collect through property, or other tangible assets that the individual may have in view of judgment.”

“What if they don’t have anything? No driver’s license. No nothing. Living with Momma,” asked commissioner Steve Pearcy, to which King replied, “Then we don’t really have a whole lot. We can garnish wages, if they ever get a job. We can do that.”

The monthly minimum introduces a slippery slope, as PCC also forced monthly payments on their probationers, a process that set into motion probation officers’ frustrations with probationers who did not meet that minimum payment. Again, some of those probation officers who enforced those monthly minimums effectively enough to become defendants in the lawsuit are now working for RCPRS. “I really think it’ll be out, like, three years before we get a real good look at everything,” commissioner Joe Gourley said before he moved to approve the six-month probation report as is, “because we all know the court system moves very slowly, and so, to get a true look at how many people come back into the system, I think we could revisit this three years from when we implemented this program and really begin to see what we’re doing. We’re just going to have to be patient.”

In the meantime, King also oversees Rutherford County’s Drug Court, DUI Court, Veteran’s Court, and, most recently, the Mental Health Court. If an offender’s case meets the criteria to go through those avenues, they’re there with available therapists to determine the cause of the offender’s problem, which RCPRS does not do. There is also an RCPRSfree payment plan arrangement handled by Circuit Court clerks Beth Becker and Debbie Goodwin that began June 13, 2016, to pay towards misdemeanors and traffic violations.

Well, having a good look at this convoluted, shoot-from-the-hip-policy-driven bureaucracy has made me sit back and wonder how in the hell I got into all of this. . . .

TO BE CONTINUED . . .

BOROPULSE.COM

* NOVEMBER 2016 * 33

AROUND TOWN ’BORO BUSINESS BUZZ

BY BRACKEN MAYO

LOW AND VANCE ACQUIRE AUTOGRAPH REHEARSAL; FORMER YMCA SITE SELLS FOR $3.5 MILLION Murfreesboro musicians and music lovers Mike Low and Greg Vance have recently purchased AUTOGRAPH REHEARSAL STUDIO, a West College Street facility offering practice and storage space for bands, a live room for shows and recording sessions, and recording, photo and video services. Room rentals are available by the month or by the hour.

Vance, the drummer for Enfold Darkness and Oubliette, and Low, guitarist for Inferi and Oubliette, say LOW / VANCE they want to do something together that they are both passionate about, and that passion is for performing, recording and promoting music. They have set up

a fundraising campaign on indiegogo.com in an effort to upgrade the gear at Autograph, install a snack bar and redecorate the facility.

ORANGECRATE, a

delivery service bringing products from restaurants, grocery stores and liquor stores to its customers, will begin serving the Murfreesboro area. Territory owners Devin Frith and Anne Kaiser will operate the Murfreesboro OrangeCrate franchise, and the company says delivery fees start at $3.50, with average delivery times in the 45-to-55-minute window and service is available to all residential and business locations within Murfreesboro. Or-

angeCrate can also provide catering services for reunions, picnics and other small events. For more information or to place an order, visit myorangecrate.com.

Avison Young has brokered the sale of the former YMCA OF MURFREESBORO property, located at 205 N. Thompson Lane in Murfreesboro, to Anchor Commercial Development. The 9.5 acres of land sold for $3.5 million. Anchor Commercial Development plans to develop a new 100,000-square-foot retail center named Stones River Place. Located in the heart of the retail shopping area of Murfreesboro and accessible via two exits off I-24, the high-end center will be developed in two phases. The first phase will be redeveloping the current 44,000-square-foot YMCA building, putting a new façade on the building and breaking the interior up into retail shop spaces, according to representatives. That first phase should be complete by January 2017.

LIQUIDATION OUTLET, after moving out

of locations on West College Street and on Northfield Boulevard, has begun constructing a new building, which can be seen from I-24 between the Church Street and Salem Road exits. The store sells new but discounted household appliances, camping, hunting and fishing gear, decorations, exercise equipment, toys and more. The Bonds family has opened other Liquidation Outlet locations in Winchester, Woodbury and Columbia, but stated recently none of those locations were profitable. However, they are going to give it one more try in Murfreesboro.

 CHICKEN SALAD CHICK has

opened its Murfreesboro location at 2855 Medical Center Parkway, near the Avenue, and may soon become the town’s top fast/casual chicken salad restaurant. This company-owned location marks the third Chicken Salad Chick restaurant in Tennessee. Chicken Salad Chick serves a variety of chicken salads, such as the Fruity Fran with apples and grapes, the Nutty Nana with pecans and cashews, Olivia’s Old South with sweet pickles and eggs, and the Sassy Scotty with ranch, bacon and cheddar.

“We are scared to death to try again. We are afraid to put ourselves through this financial disaster once again,” according to a post on the Liquidation Outlet Facebook page in late August. “We hear everyone saying they can’t wait until we reopen and we really want to believe they’ll shop. We really want to be excited about our building going up. We really want to be excited that we get to save our neighbors money again. We really want to be able to give as much as we can back to our city just like we used to. But how can we be sure our customers will actually come back?

We aren’t sure because we’ve been wrong before. We are scared. We, the Bonds family of Murfreesboro could really use your prayers.

For discernment, wise decisions and peace . . . because we have a lot to think about. To those of you who have supported us in any way, we humbly thank you.”

HONDA OF MURFREESBORO has begun work on its new location on John R.

Rice Boulevard. Murfreesboro’s Reddell family owned and operated the dealership until 2015, and the new ownership, Umansky Properties, will relocate the business from its longtime home on Church Street next to the Beaman Dodge dealership to the area of town just off of the Medical Center Parkway exit, where the local Toyota and Chevrolet dealerships recently constructed new facilities.

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* NOVEMBER 2016 * 35

News faux

NASHVILLE OKs WEED NASHVILLE’S METRO COUNCIL made history last month when it passed legislation to allow civil penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana.

The bill, which was intended to provide relief to low-income and minority residents, allows police the option to reduce the penalty for a small amount of the sticky icky to a $50 fine and community service, an option that police will tragically, ironically and inevitably use to further discriminate against lowincome and minority residents.

In Murfreesboro, citizens are concerned that the growing influence of wacky tobacky may compromise the wholesome family values of Rutherford County, which are promoted fairly heavily in Rutherford County, even if it requires sweeping rampant drug use and low-income neighborhoods under the rug of society.

Murfreesboro Tribune Beat Reporter Eddie Poe took to the street to find out what Murfreesboro residents think about the Nashville Metro Council selling its soul to the devil for some of that sweet, sweet cheeba.

“This will just make it easier to have two justice systems, one for real criminals, and one for those of us that like to puff on a little binger of jazz salad and get higher than a bat’s ass.”

— Corey Janke, Marijuana Enthusiast

BY SAM CLEMENS murfreesborotribune@gmail.com

~~~ “I just hope none of those hippies decide to come down to Rutherford County with their Strawberry Diesel, Blue Dream, or Afghan Kush.”

— Winston Cutcliffe, Farmer ~~~ “Awesome. It lets the police officer act on his own discretion. No one is better at ignoring instinct than a police officer.”

— James Tarver, Unlikely to be given Civil Penalty

IN OTHER NEWS

Local Mother Miraculously Not Part of Pyramid Scheme Side Job IN A MOVE THAT FAMILY and friends described as a “complete shock,” local mother Lacey Temple has decided to not whore out her social media account for a multilevel marketing company, despite the fact that nearly every other mother she knows appears to have done so.

Temple, a stayat-home mother of three, is an ideal candidate for an independent marketing representative with a

triangle-shaped business venture, a position that several of her friends have taken to earn a moderate side income, regardless of the enormous damage that the position does to their personal and professional reputation.

“I’m stunned,” said Heather Wakham, a friend of the Temple family, who also serves as a Double Diamond Seal Super-Plus Rep with Plexus Worldwide. “Lacey has an opportunity with our company to buy my products, make a lot of money for me and my kids, and talk her friends into doing the same for her.

It’s pretty selfish to not help me out.”

Temple reported that she has been approached by representatives from Avon, Herbalife, Mary Kay, AdvoCare, Rodan + Fields, Plexus, Pampered Chef, DildoWorx, Scentsy and the Columbia House VHS Sales Program, but does not plan to take part in any completely legitimate business that allows you to make money by recruiting people to work directly underneath you.

“I think she’ll come around to it,” said Megan Temple, Lacey’s older sister, who is also a Brand Ambassador Double-Secret Six Important Title Rep with It Works! (but seriously, have you tried that crazy wrap thing?). “Once she realizes the incredible effect of these wraps, and how much money you can make by pressuring your friends and family through Facebook to try this voodoo science, she’s going to jump on board.”

The writer of this article was unable to reach Temple for comment, in part because I recently accepted a position with Juice Plus and, hey, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t ask strangers to buy, would I? Answer the phone, Lacey.

You need this juice stuff.

Sam Clemens is the founder and publisher of The Murfreesboro Tribune,“The Paper That Prints (Some) Facts.” According to one unnamed source, the Tribune is “the best newspaper you’ll ever read.” Contact him at murfrees borotribune@gmail.com.

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Opinion

Live Exceptionally ...Well!

Hug, Anyone?

THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF WAYS TO communicate. Hugging is my favorite. It represents a gesture for greeting or parting with a friend or loved one. It can be a term of endearment, a show of affection, understanding, empathy, sympathy, concern or appreciation. Whatever the reason, hugs are a universal language that need no words.

Hugging is an emotional extension or intention of connecting with others.

Some of the fun in witnessing hugs in action are deciphering the style of hug being exchanged.

The Buddy Hug When you wrap someone from the side and slap their back—that is a buddy hug.

Generally this means you are friends, good buddies. If this is done on a date, however, it means you’ll most likely remain in the “friend zone.”

The Sleepy Shoulder Hug

BY JENNIFER DURAND

with arms down or barely touching you in return. It can mean they are totally uncomfortable with touch, they have no interest in you or don’t think much of you. Ouch!

The Snuggle Hug When you really like someone or feel close.

You don’t want to spoil the moment of this hug, so you snuggle in. This can be while relaxing in front of the TV or fireplace. It can be an extended, considerate or compassionate hug, too.

The Squeeze Hug Passionate, “thank you” and “happy” hug!

There could be many messages with this one. It is felt deeply, and is one of the most emotional of hugs.

The Friendly Hug A lighter hold, with your arms on the recipient’s shoulders, giving them a gentle squeeze.

Arms are wrapped around each other and the girl rests her head on his shoulder. It indicates she feels safe and secure when in his arms.

The Encouraging Hug

The Polite Hug

The Group Hug

This one you’re really not into. You do it out of obligation. Very formal and stiff. An attempt at hugging without really touching.

You smile politely but either feel nervous because this is a “first” or because you don’t see it going anywhere with this person.

This, of course, involves multiple people— family or friends—when you all come together and put your arms around each other.

The Bear Hug One of the best hugs on the planet! This occurs when you are completely excited about seeing each other and don’t want to leave.

It is felt when you have missed this person and can’t wait to get into their arms. The bear hug is the tightest hug possible. It can also be a full-bodied personality that gives all they’ve got in the moment of a hug.

The Quickie Hug When you are hugging multiple people or you don’t want to leave anyone out of a hug, you do the quickie. Most likely you are not as close to these folks. Sometimes you’re not sure what to do, so you provide a quick hug, as opposed to nothing.

The Unreciprocated Hug The most awkward of hugs. When you hug someone and they stand stiff as a board,

Holding close, offering a light pat on the back.

“Only as I am aware of the present will I have the opportunity to be fully alive.”

— Anne Wilson Schaef Never underestimate the power of a hug mixed with intention. It feels good to give and to receive, even if it’s awkward, if it’s with the right intention it can mean something once reflected upon. Now that you have a few definitions, go have some fun and try to decide what kind of hug people are conveying. Then people will wonder what the smile on your face means! Happy hugging.

Jennifer Durand is the owner and operator of The Nurture Nook Day Spa & Gift Shoppe; she is a certified QiGong and Breathe Empowerment instructor, a skin care and makeup specialist, an InterPlay leader and is licensed in massage therapy, body work and somatic integration. Let her help you find your personal “ahh . . .” factor by visiting nurturenook. com or by calling (615) 896-7110.

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Opinion Jim Cope Pleads Guilty to Insider Trading; Garrett Takes Control of RCSO While Sheriff is in Jail IF TREACHERY WERE A COMPETITION, Rutherford County would win a blue ribbon at the Tennessee State Fair. We’re one of the fastestgrowing counties this side of the Mississippi, full of promise, with MTSU a great resource and swimming in all sorts of happy and fluffy news. At the same time, two of the most powerful people in the county are in trouble with the feds.

One, as is well-documented, is Sheriff Robert Arnold, who is being held in a Kentucky jail after a magistrate revoked his $250,000 bond on federal corruption charges. The other is former County Attorney Jim Cope, a highly-respected Murfreesboro attorney who pleaded guilty in federal court recently to insider trading charges.

Cope resigned as a board director at Nashville-based Pinnacle Financial Partners in April shortly before the bank reported one of its directors might have violated an insider trading policy amid talks for the COPE acquisition of Avenue Bank.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office, which allowed Cope to enter a plea to its criminal charge, and the Securities Exchange Commission, which filed a separate civil complaint against Cope, both say he had “ill-gotten” gains of $56,000.

The SEC claims he even bought Avenue stock during a Jan. 5 bank board meeting while Pinnacle’s CEO was telling board members they were set to acquire Avenue. More purchases came later, according to the SEC’s complaint.

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The

STOCKARD REPORT

BY SAM STOCKARD sstockard44@gmail.com

In his only public statement, Cope said he had poor timing.

Shortly afterward, the Board of Professional Responsibility, which oversees the state’s attorneys, suspended his license. He faces a hearing to determine his ultimate discipline, which could be a lengthy suspension or even disbarment, according to a board spokeswoman.

Remember, Cope has been advising the Rutherford County Commission since November 1983. He also was the attorney for the town of Smyrna (before it hired in-house counsel), Consolidated Utility District, Middle Tennessee Electric, and, until 2003, The Daily News Journal.

And those are just the big names.

For decades, if Cope said it, you pretty much believed it. Or, at least, you felt pretty good with him representing you in court.

That’s why it’s just a little hard to fathom how someone so well-versed in the law could find himself on the wrong side of it.

With the contract of Rutherford County alone, he was making well more than $72,000, in addition to retirement and health insurance benefits (apparently, he gets to keep his retirement). Put together his contracts with the

utilities and other government entities, in addition to his Pinnacle banking compensation and whatever money his family might have had, and it’s pretty clear he’s not choosing between liver cheese and bologna for supper.

As part of Cope’s plea agreement with the feds, he must pay a $55,000 fine, more or less returning the “ill-gotten gains,” and go on probation for two years. The pending punishment could be even stiffer from the SEC, which does not smile on powerful attorneys who plead guilty to insider trading.

For the first nine months of his probation, under the plea agreement, he is to be confined to his house. Well, considering his three-year-old Georgetown Lane mansion just off Stones River Country Club golf course could hold about four or five regular houses, at least he’ll have plenty of room for exercise.

But no matter what the feds do to Cope, it won’t be worse than the loss of respect he faces in Rutherford County. It’s just hard to explain away a guilty plea to federal insider trading. This is a man who had it all, or seemed to anyway. And now it’s vanishing.

WHO’S IN CHARGE HERE?

With Sheriff Arnold jailed on a bond revocation, Chief Deputy Randy Garrett is presumably running the show at the sheriff ’s office.

He got a rude welcome, though, from one county commissioner during a recent Public Safety Committee meeting.

Shortly after Garrett, a former high-ranking officer with Murfreesboro Police, assured commissioners Rutherford County is still receiving a high level of professional law enforcement service based on the oath they took to uphold the laws of the state of Tennessee and the U.S. Constitution (ad nauseam), commissioner Joe Gourley got in his grill.

Gourley pointed out that Garrett, despite speaking about upholding the laws of the state and nation, had witnessed and signed Arnold’s state ethics disclosure form in January 2015, which showed he had an investment in and received funds from JailCigs. That’s the company Arnold, Chief Administrative Deputy Joe Russell and Arnold’s uncle, John Vanderveer, are accused of using to sell e-cigs to county jail inmates and make a handsome profit without giving the county a cut of the proceeds—and then trying to cover it up.

“You had to know that JailCigs were being sold in the jail,” Gourley said to Garrett in the committee’s meeting room.

“No sir, I did not know JailCigs were being sold in the jail. But commissioner, let me do this. I’m not gonna get off into the weeds of the sheriff ’s issues. I’m just here tonight to reassure

you and the rest of the public that we’re here to provide a high level of professional law enforcement services to this county. Whatever the sheriff ’s issues are, they will play out,” Garrett responded.

Said Gourley, though, “What I’m saying is you had knowledge of this. I mean you signed it as a witness.”

“I did,” Garrett said. “But all those issues will be handled at a later date.”

“Well that doesn’t reassure me, and that doesn’t reassure the public, I don’t think,” Gourley said.

Garrett responded, “We’re here to do our best and we can respectfully disagree.”

Agreeing to disagree is probably the best response Garrett could come up with at that point, because anyone paying attention to this situation could find a litany of problems with his potential culpability.

First, if he signed the disclosure statement, understood it and knew JailCigs was operating at the jail, that’s a red herring, one that could put him under the watchful eye of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, which could compel him to testify in Arnold’s Feb. 7, 2017 trial.

Second, if he is the chief deputy and second in command at the sheriff ’s office and didn’t know JailCigs was operating as a vendor at the jail, people would have to question his administrative abilities. After all, jailers were distributing e-cigs to inmates, picking them up, overseeing the program, more or less, while Russell was making sure orders came and went out properly— all on county time, according to email records and other documents from the sheriff ’s office.

GARRETT In fact, one of the first things an inmate received when checking into the jail was a sheet of paper notifying them how to purchase JailCigs products and abide by the rules.

A good question for Garrett: What did you know, and when did you know it?

If Garrett thinks he can skate past Gourley’s questions, he should recall the whistleblower lawsuit filed by former Deputy Chief Virgil Gammon, because it brings him into the equation. Gammon, who was fired by Arnold and then received a $340,000 lawsuit settlement from the county, started digging into JailCigs’ operations, meeting with state and county officials and verifying vendor laws, according to legal documents.

Gammon confronted Arnold about the matter but was told, “Don’t worry about it, Chief Russell has it all figured out,” according to the lawsuit. He also met with Russell, who told him it was “no big deal” and that he would keep selling e-cigarettes regardless of what Gammon did. Gammon then met with Garrett,

who told him he would discuss his concerns with Arnold. Garrett later told Gammon the sheriff was OK with the situation and said Russell verified nothing improper was being done with vendors, including JailCigs, the lawsuit says.

If Garrett couldn’t piece this puzzle together, it’s a good thing he isn’t overseeing the detectives division.

He knew about the JailCigs because he signed Arnold’s disclosure form. Gammon told him about JailCigs, and he supposedly talked to Arnold and Russell about it. But he never took any action to alert the county mayor, the sheriffs association or the dog catcher about the possibility Arnold might be making money on a side business at the sheriff ’s office.

If anyone believes he had no inkling about JailCigs’ alleged connection to Arnold, I’ve got some prime ocean-front property in Leanna they can buy at an unbelievable price. If he really did have no idea, then he shouldn’t be chief deputy.

MORE ABSURDITY

Sheriff Arnold was to have a hearing in federal court to have his bond unrevoked. He wants out of jail. But he might have hurt his own cause.

Recorded phone calls show him blaming his wife for his jail time and telling her to do whatever it takes to get him out of jail. He even told her he was going to write her out of his will.

Other recorded phone calls she had with her boyfriend in which she describes a Labor Day struggle with Arnold after he’d been drinking and taken a sleeping pill were used to corroborate statements she made before the magistrate revoked Arnold’s bond.

Certainly, Arnold is at wit’s end because he’s in jail. People aren’t supposed to be happy there. But as a sheriff whose jail personnel record every phone call inmates make, he should know jail phone calls are recorded.

We’ll let you know next month whether the sheriff earns a “get out of jail free” card. Oops, it ain’t free. He’s paying his attorney a pretty penny.

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Take Your Website Seriously So Your Visitors Will Too COLUMN BY BY SARA LIPPERT

their time. They’ll just look elsewhere.

TODAY, WEBSITES ARE EXPECTED of every business. However, people who visit a bad website will not consider that business to be legit or trustworthy, whereas those who visit a website that’s aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly will stay to interact with that site. If your users don’t love it, it won’t benefit your business.

Just Tell Me What You Want Me to Do Already!

Call-to-actions are great for websites. In fact, your website needs one if you want your visitors to take any action. The problem comes when there are too many CTAs on a page. Even if all of them are asking the same thing, too many of them will overwhelm your visitors.

I Thought the ’90s Ended Nothing says “unprofessional” like a ton of animation and cute fonts, yet there are still thousands of websites with flashing backgrounds, flaming text and blocks of Comic Sans text. You may call that jiggling call-to-action box “cool,” while your visitors may call it “obnoxious.”

Any Day Now . . .

If your page takes more than a few seconds to load, that person is probably already gone. But speed is just the beginning.

Have you ever tried to read something on your phone only to lose your place every few seconds because the page moved?

You probably never finished reading that article, did you?

Is That What They Meant to Say? Typos, awkward sentence structure, misspelled words—these can attribute to people just laughing at you and moving on.

If you can’t afford a professional website, at least proofread your copy.

I Know That Page Is Here Somewhere Let’s say you’re looking for a company’s contact info, but it’s nowhere to be found on their homepage. Typically, if your site is difficult to navigate, people won’t waste

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Let Me Grab My Magnifying Glass If people are having to squint, magnify or zoom to read your website copy, they know it wasn’t done by a professional.

Wow, I Need My Eyes Checked Grainy images tip people right off that a website isn’t professional, because anyone who is going to do a website right is going to do everything right. That means paying for high-quality stock images or hiring a photographer to take quality photos, not using clipart or stealing images off other sites.

I’m Still on the Same Website, Right?

A good website will stay consistent throughout every page in its colors, fonts and layout.

Whether you like it or not, people can recognize quality. If you want people to take your business seriously, you have to take your website seriously.

Sara Lippert is part of the team at Titan Web Marketing Solutions, a Murfreesboro agency providing digital marketing solutions that work for your business.

Learn more at titanwms.com.

Sports MT Football Earns Huge Win at Missouri; Basketball Season Tips Off Nov. 11 BLUE THE BLUE RAIDER DEFENSE applied plenty of pressure on North Texas freshman quarterback Mason Fine in a Saturday Oct. 1, contest in Denton, Texas. MT reached the quarterback for a sack four times, and also broke up eight pass attempts. And a huge accomplishment for the Blue Raiders in that game was the run defense. MT allowed only 5 yards rushing against North Texas.

I’Tavius Mathers broke off a 46-yard touchdown run to put the game away for MTSU. The heated rivalry between MTSU and WKU was renewed Oct. 15. The two teams traded scores throughout regulation and took the game to overtime. MT received the ball to open the second overtime, and Brent Stockstill found Dennis Andrews in the back of the end zone to give the Blue Raiders the lead. However, the PAT that would have at least ensured a third overtime was blocked.

RAIDER SPORTS

WKU went on to score the game-tying touchdown, and the game-winning PAT BY score put MT ahead before attempt was good.

GREG the half, and they never relinAfter having their own CRITTENDEN quished the lead, going on to homecoming spoiled by that beat their first Power 5 opponent heartbreaking loss, the Blue since 2012 by a score of 51–45.

Raiders traveled to Missouri to After an Oct. 29 victory at Florida play the part of the homecoming oppoInternational, the Blue Raiders are officially nent themselves. bowl eligible with a record of 6–2. Remaining Early in the game Brent Stockstill found home games for MTSU include a Saturday, daylight and converted a 3rd-and-6 situation Nov. 5, contest against Texas-San Antonio, on a 63-yard run. The run set up a 15-yard and a Nov. 26 game against Florida Atlantic touchdown pass to Dennis Andrews.

Mathers broke off a 71-yard run early in the Lady Raiders Tip Off Season on Nov. 11 second quarter, and Richie James caught a 56yard touchdown pass on the Blue Raiders’ next The Lady Raiders will tip off their 2016–17 regular season on Nov. 11, and it is a season possession. The Blue Raiders capitalized off of filled with heavy-hitters in the non-confera botched long snap on a Mizzou punt which ence schedule. MTSU will go on the road to set-up a Richie James touchdown run. The

face Kentucky, Missouri State and Tennessee Tech. The home schedule doesn’t get much easier, as they will host Louisville, Arizona State and Georgia Tech, just to name a few.

Ty Petty, whom Coach Rick lnsell referred to as the best point guard he’s had in more than 40 years, represents the lone senior on the roster. Therefore, he will have to rely heavily on youth, and none will be relied on more so than C-USA Freshman of the Year Alex Johnson.

Coach Davis Preparing Team for Action After pulling off one of the biggest upsets in NCAA Tournament history and gaining some national recognition, coach Kermit Davis is reminding his Blue Raiders to focus on the process that it will take this year to have some great success again in March.

MT features two starters named to the preseason all-conference team, Reggie Upshaw Jr. and Giddy Potts, and fifth-year senior JaCorey Williams is eligible to play this season after transfering from Arkansas.

The Blue Raiders will open their 2016–17 season Nov. 11 at Murphy Center when they host Milligan College. Tip-off is at 11 a.m.

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* NOVEMBER 2016 * 41

SPORTS

TALK

COLUMN BY “Z-TRAIN”

titanman1984yahoo.com

ESPN Neglecting True Sports Coverage, and its Audience is Leaving THE TRAIN DADDY IS BACK, FOLKS! Bringing sports news, life lessons and politically incorrect talk to you, the loyal reader. I write mainly because I enjoy it, and if I can make a few people laugh, it’s worth it. I just call it as I see it! So Let’s Make Journalism Great Again, Train Daddy-style.

Quick fact: Someone recently emailed me asking me why my nickname is the Train Daddy. My first name is Zach and, during an intense Ping Pong match 15 years ago, I was making a monumental comeback and someone shouted “the Z-Train is rolling, choo-choo!” So a Ping-Pong match is where the Train Daddy nickname originated.

Let’s get into the beef of this enchilada. Now, I don’t try and change my style to appease anyone, unlike the so-called worldwide leader in sports, ESPN. They sold out, folks!

ESPN used to be about sports, nothing more, nothing less, and it worked. ESPN turned itself into a marketing Goliath. But now, it’s time to bash ESPN, the master of the sports universe, the Alpha and Omega of all things sports. They control what you the consumer watch and hear, and most of you don’t even know how much it’s costing you!

ESPN is having a major problem with losing its audience. EPSN lost over 600,000 subscribers last month and Nielsen data claims ESPN has lost more than 11 million subscribers in the past five years.

ESPN costs every cable and satellite subscriber $7 a month; of course, those numbers aren’t broken down on your monthly bill, but it’s truth and that’s three times the amount of the next most costly channel on your bill, being TNT at $1.65 a month.

That means all you folks who have a cable/satellite service, yet don’t watch anything related to sports, you’re paying $80 a year for ESPN, a channel you don’t watch. It’s downright criminal. I was surprised at the differential in cost for ESPN compared to other popular networks.

Where are the subscribers going?

I don’t know, but some experts claim that many younger people aren’t subscribing to TV services at all, and some

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people just want to save money. Polls show many football fans have turned their attention away from the NFL because of the anthem protests.

It really hit home for me recently as I was working a large event. There were 6,000 people in the crowd, and there was one speaker onstage. The speaker stated he had a new love and appreciation for college football. He said he was done with the NFL that he couldn’t stomach a league that allowed his flag to be disrespected by clueless morons in their 20s; the crowd erupted into cheers and hoots.

That’s 6,000 people going back into the world, football fans or not, that’s bad PR for the NFL. So Train Daddy, why is this a problem for ESPN? Because ESPN pays big bucks to own it all, mucho money! It’s reported that ESPN paid more than $7 billion dollars in 2017 rights fees. That’s right, they paid the NFL $2 billion dollars for the rights to Monday Night Football, they paid $1.4 billion to the NBA and $700 million to MLB, on top of many other $100 million deals with numerous leagues and events for 2017.

With revenue going down, ESPN won’t be able to afford the rights to all things sports, right? If the people lose interest for whatever reason, it hurts everyone involved in the sports world where it matters most, their bank accounts.

I hear too many people state ESPN sucks, the shows are unwatchable and, besides SportsCenter, it’s a bunch of liberal propaganda. I can’t defend shows like Pardon the Interruption, Around the Horn or the nonsense that is His and Hers. This is the network that has the blabbering Stephen A. Smith on nearly every hour, screaming and acting a fool, how many times has that man retracted ridiculous comments? I rarely tune into ESPN anymore, though it used to be my go-to station. For sports news now, I tune into sports radio, where there is a broader group of intelligent sportscasters to choose from.

Here is my advice to ESPN. Scale

back on the opinion shows; allow more sides of the argument if you feel you must talk about social issues and topics better suited for CNN. With your loss in subscribers and the NFL ratings plunge, you may need to begin to focus on keeping your hold on future sports rights, and quit all the silly political activism!

Sincerely, Mr. Train Daddy.

ESPN is the network that awarded the Arthur Ashe Courage Award to Caitlyn Jenner. Why? I guess for the courage to come out as transgender.

Even the extreme liberal Bob Costas stated how absurd it was to give Jenner the award. That’s right, a courage award meant for a relevant athlete goes instead to a reality TV star with the courage to grow boobs and tell the world. People were rightly upset at the absurdity of this. Especially when one of the candidates was Lauren Hill, a college basketball player who played with a brain tumor and died a few months later. But ESPN thought Jenner had more courage.

Why? So ESPN could show support to the transgender community, or use her as a PR stunt?

I mean, that’s like the mother of the year award going to Donald Trump because he has small, soft hands, an easy smile and raised five beautiful children . . . it makes no sense, ESPN. Even Trump stated, “I don’t know if you know, but the NFL is way down in their ratings, way down,” saying the ratings fall was all on Kaepernick.

Monday Night Football is down 24 percent, Sunday Night Football down 19 percent and Thursday Night Football down 18 percent from last season’s ratings, double-digits! Soon politics will settle down, and if the ratings don’t rise, do we finally admit that using the field as a political stage has hurt the NFL with its fan base?

That’s it, folks! Stay true to yourself and your beliefs; don’t let anyone tell you what you can or can’t say, hold family and friends close.

Remember the 5 F’s: Faith, Family, Football, Food and Friends. Live by the 5 F’s and life will reward you.

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