Arts in the Park
Stones River Battlefield to showcase music, art, artillery demonstrations throughout the month of October page 20 + Hike, Bike and Explore the Historic Battlefield and Cemetery All Year Long page 22
Forget-me-not baskets comfort parents who lose babies nonpro F it
Fall Fun guide: middle tennessee pumpkin patches and corn mazes F ood pupuseria de corazon serving authentic dishes of El salvador
“We mind our P’s & Q’s when helping U!” Award-Winning Service Declutter, Donate, Recycle
Furniture, Appliances, Construction
Debris, Trash, Brush and MORE!
Single Items to Full Property Clean-Outs
20
arts In the park Stones River National Battlefield showcases music, painting exhibit, artillery demonstrations.
24 fall f un! Guide to Middle Tennessee pumpkin patches, corn mazes and more.
26
pOwer O f pI nk Wine Around the Square fundraiser set for Oct. 26.
27
sO up O n the s quare Habitat for Humanity hosts annual Cookin’ to Build benefit Nov. 2.
28
fO rget- M e-n Ot Special gift baskets provide bundles of comfort to parents who lose babies.
associate
c
c
Delores
Paul
Bryce
Sean
Andrea
Bill
5 Events calendar Fall Festivals, Black Barn Market, Firefly Supper, Frankenstein , Friday Night Live, and much more!
14 Sounds cOncerts MusIc nOte Ethos Ensemble albuM Big, If True
22 Living explOre Historic landmark available for walkers,
runners, rollers to explore all year long
30 Food restaurant Pupuseria De Corazon
32 News
busIness buzz
Velvet Room, Floor & Decor, Taste of India, E|spaces, Panther Creek, Hwy 55, Saddle Woods Farm, Veterans Park and more
36 Opinion
Mr. MurfreesbOrO Interview with Sir Pizza owner Rod Fortner
free yOur chIldren Soviet-style councils making education decisions for Tennessee cOnstItutIOn study
The myth of the military-style assault weapon spOrts talk Titans can’t get it together to begin 2024 season.
lIVIng . . . well! What are you really after?
MOney Matters Navigating Market Volatility: A Guide to Retirement Planning
ONCE AgAiN, the Pulse brings you an issue of our community publication, packed with events, business news, local concerts and more; we have concerts at our local Civil War battlefield, a new speakeasy on the Square, pupusas, a soup festival, 5K races, fundraisers, Frankenstein, Harvest Days, a pumpkin fun run, and that ain’t even the half of it.
Enjoy another edition.
As a proud American newspaperman, I truly consider myself a very strong supporter of free expression, of the free press, of the First Amendment and the entire Constitution, in fact.
This whole discussion on what books to allow in school libraries geared towards children, however, has gone in some strange, and dishonest, directions.
Curating a library to best suit the needs of its intended audience is quite different from “banning books.”
As far as this discussion is concerned, no one is telling an author they cannot write something, no one is telling a press that it cannot print something.
Some simply seem to be of the position that “hey, maybe we should refrain from placing overly graphic or obscene material in a government library used primarily by 11-year-olds,” seemingly a perfectly rational thought, even among many free expression advocates. These are not mutually exclusive ideas.
There’s a difference between the concepts of curation and censorship. The librarian or school officials should select materials most suitable for the library’s theme and audience.
You can’t have every book in the world in every library’s collection. Just because one can’t find Anna Karenina in a sheet music library, The Cat in the Hat in a library for medical students, or a highly technical medical journal in an elementary school library does not mean these works are “banned” or that the government has censored or silenced the author. It means the library chose to curate different titles more targeted to its audience.
Unfortunately, some have the goal of introducing graphic violence, sexually explicit material and adult themes to 11-year-olds, and are comfortable making that case in public. Be careful about letting these people make decisions regarding your children.
Children can’t get into R-rated films on their own. It doesn’t mean the filmmakers cannot produce the film.
Having a “free press” does not mean that every school library in the U.S. is required to use tax dollars to purchase a particular controversial book.
This whole issue leads to some great arguments that perhaps the government shouldn’t even be in the business of building and operating schools (let alone threatening parents with jail time if their children do not attend).
The proposal to construct a minor league baseball stadium in Murfreesboro has resurfaced. Now supporters say that the project could result in a unique blend of history and baseball, and the historic Cannonsburgh Pioneer Village could still be preserved next to a new stadium. Others seem skeptical of the benefit, feasibility and popularity of a potential Murfreesboro minor league team and stadium at the site. But don’t worry, even if “plans” move forward, no one will actually build a baseball field here.
Based on the pattern the people of Murfreesboro observe when some fancy new development is proposed here, it begins with a big spectacle, a bunch of PR work for a private developer’s grand idea with inadequate funding and flimsy market research, but . . . the plans fizzle out and nothing happens—as far as the Notes Live Amphitheater, the Legacy Sports Complex, and the One East College proposals, at least.
Even if by some miraculous convergence and movement of finances the baseball stadium is built, those who worry about “traffic” should probably not be too concerned.
How many people do you think would attend minor league baseball games in Murfreesboro? (not based on the lofty dreams and projections of those behind the project, but, you know, based in reality—and the number of people who attend NCAA Division I events in Murfreesboro).
We shall see.
Peace!
bracken MayO
Publisher/Editor in Chief
ThroughouT ocTober
a rts I n the park
F ES tivALS & S
EASO n AL Ev E nt S
Oct. 6 - Fall Festival at SportsCom
Oct. 6 - Fall Festival at Martin's Home and Garden
Oct. 10 - McFadden Fall Festival at McFadden Community Center
Oct. 12 - Black Barn Market & Craft Sale at Events at East 96
Oct. 18–19 - Frightensburg at Cannonsburgh Village
Oct. 18–27 - Frankenstein at Mills-Pate Arts Center
Oct. 20 - Fall Concert at Washington Theater
Oct. 20 - Halloween Cookie Decorating at Middle Ground Brewing
Oct. 22 - Paint a Pumpkin at the Wilderness Station
Oct. 25–26 - Spooktacular Toddler Halloween Party at Patterson Park
Oct. 25–26 - Barfield Bash Carnival at Barfield Crescent Park
Oct. 25–26 - Old Scream Road Hayride at Barfield Crescent Park
Oct. 26 - Fall Treats & Holiday Sneak Peek at Lane Agri-Park
Oct. 26 - Pumpkin Fun Run at Gateway Island
Oct. 27 - Brew or Treat at Middle Ground Brewing
Oct. 31 - Fall Foliage Hike and Craft at Wilderness Station
Oct. 31 - Trick or Treat on the Murfreesboro Square
Oct. 31 - Community Fall Festival at Patterson Park Community Center
t uesdays - Tiny Tec
Spooky Science at Technology Engagement Center
t hursdays - Tinker Tec
Spooky Science at Technology Engagement Center
s aturdays - Fall Market at Gregory Mill Park, Smyrna
Stones River National Battlefield will present a special Arts in the Park Month throughout October. Arts in the Park kicks off on Saturday, Oct. 5, with exhibits in the park’s Visitor Center featuring artwork created by past and current battlefield artists in residence. The art exhibit will remain on display through Oct. 31. An Oct. 5 musical program will feature Wilson Sharpe and local musicians and singers telling the story of the Civil War from the home front at 1 p.m. The songs and stories of the Civil War will continue with the 52nd Regimental String Band on Saturday, Oct. 19, performing at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. The Home Sweet Home Band will take the stage Sunday, Oct. 20, with its “Celebration of Historical Music” at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. All concerts will be held on the patio behind the Visitor Center. Artillery demonstrations will be featured the weekend of Oct. 19–20. Programs will feature six cannons and will be held at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19, and at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 20. The Stones River National Battlefield is located at 3501 Old Nashville Hwy. Admission to the battlefield, and Arts in the Park programming, is free.
ocT. 2, 16 &
30
cOcktaIls and cOnVersatIOns
Cocktails and Conversations meets every other Wednesday night from 5:30–7:30 p.m. at The Goat (2355 Adwell St.) for a fun networking mixer. This is a great opportunity to meet other local business professionals and connect in the community. Everyone is welcome to attend. October meetings will be held on Wednesdays Oct. 2, 16 and 30. For more information, find a Cocktails and Conversations group page on Facebook or call or text 615-557-4827.
ocT.
3
center fOr hIstOrIc preserVatIOn authOr talk
MTSU’s Center for Historic Preservation hosts author Joseph R. Millichap for a free public talk on Thursday, Oct. 3, at 5:30 p.m. at the The Heritage Center of
Murfreesboro and Rutherford County (225 W. College St.). Millichap, a professor emeritus of English at Western Kentucky University, will give a free presentation on his new book, These Vivid American Documents: Walker Evans, Dorothea Lange, and FSA Photobooks, chronicling the work and impact of Farm Security Administration photographers. Millichap will be signing and selling copies of the book. The book offers an exploration of the work of renowned photographers Walker Evans and Dorothea Lange. Millichap examines their contributions to the Farm Security Administration and the impact of their photobooks on American culture and history between 1935 and 1944. For more information, visit utpress.org/events or mtsuhistpres.org.
ocT. 3
brew busIness MIxer Brew Business Networking continues the first Thursday of each month at Middle Ground Brewing Co. (2476 Old Fort Pkwy.) on Thursday, Oct. 3, from 4:30–6:30 p.m. There is no cost to attend and network. For more information, visit middlegroundbrew.com or find Middle Ground Brewing Company on Facebook.
ocT. 3
st. claIre health expO
Join St. Clair Senior Center (325 St. Clair St.) for its annual health expo on Thursday, Oct. 3, from 8 a.m.–noon, with over 40 healthcare professionals offering screenings, services and information on traditional, alternative and mental health to anyone aged 60 and over. There will be giveaways and door prizes. For more information, call 615-848-2550, visit murfreesborotn.gov/seniorcenter or email lgrissom@murfreesborotn.gov.
ocT.
3
fIrefly supper
The Firefly Supper benefiting Doors of Hope is set for Thursday, Oct. 3, at Copper Ridge Event Venue (3597 Betty Ford Rd.). The evening includes dinner and cocktails while supporting the mission and services of Doors of Hope. Cocktail hour begins at 6 p.m. with dinner, program and live auction beginning at 7 p.m. Doors of Hope works to empower women battling
addiction, homelessness and incarceration. Visit opendoorsofhope.org/firefly or call 615-203-5221 for more information.
o c T. 3–5
chInese MusIc and culture presentatIOns
The MTSU Center for Chinese Music and Culture is presenting a series of events this month including ancient Chinese sung poetry and a calligraphy exhibition. Activities include: Thursday, Oct. 3 – 4 p.m., The Opening of “A Time of Beauty” –An Exhibition of Ancient Chinese Music, Painting and Calligraphy (guided tour) MTSU Center for Chinese Music and Culture (MEC 1600#, 503 E. Bell St., free parking at Bell and Greenland Lot); Friday, Oct. 4. – 8 p.m., “Joy of Meeting” – A Concert of Chinese Literati Poetry and Songs, performed by a visiting artist group from China at The T. Earl Hinton Music Hall of the Wright Music Building (1439 Faulkinberry Dr.); Saturday, Oct. 5. – 7:30 p.m., “Silk Washing Sand” – A Concert of Ancient Chinese Sung Poetry by Jianhua Zhang, MTSU visiting scholar at The T. Earl Hinton Music Hall of the Wright Music Building (1439 Faulkinberry Dr.) For more information, email mei.han@mtsu.edu
ocT. 3–4
t yler MOrrIssey
MeMOrIal tOurnaMent
The 11th Annual Tyler Morrissey Memorial Golf Tournament, hosted by the nonprofit FCM Cares, will take place on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 3 and 4, at Indian Hills Golf Course (405 Calumet Trace). Over $45,000 was raised last year to help local communities. Sponsorship opportunities are available. Premium hole sponsors can bring a tent to the course to meet and greet all the golfers. The event will consist of numerous prizes, great food and great golf. Lunch will be provided by The Alley on Main. FCM Cares was started in 2016 and distributed over $108,000 in 2023 to numerous charitable and educational causes. The TMO golf tournament is its largest fundraiser. For more information, visit firstcommunitymortgage.com/tmogolf-tournament.
CONTiNuEd ON PAgE 6
ocT. 3, 17 & 31
express yOurself
Express Yourself at McFadden highlights incredible well-known and emerging artists. Channel your inner artist while creating a unique piece of art in their likeness to take home. Art always has the potential of getting messy, so please dress accordingly. Ages 7–12 are welcome on every other Thursday in October (and Nov. 14) from 4:30–5:30 p.m. at McFadden Community Center (211 Bridge Ave.). Space is limited; early registration is advised. The cost to participate is $5. For more information, email hmiddleton@murfreesborotn.gov or call 615-893-7439 ext. 6111.
ocT. 5
bOrO brews & spIrIts
Boro Brews and Spirits will feature live music, the TN Craft Butcher food truck, We Love Empanadas, a free Glencairn sampling glass, a silent auction and samples from a variety of favorite distilleries, all to benefit Feed America First on Saturday, Oct. 5, at Cedar Glade Brews (906 Ridgely Rd.). Gates open at 5 p.m. General admission tickets are $35 early bird ($40 day of) with designated driver tickets $10. For more information, visit feedamericafirst.com/bbs
ocT. 5
caVe explOrIng
Meet at Wilderness Station at Barfield Crescent Park (401 Volunteer Rd.) on Saturday, Oct. 5, at 8 a.m. for an adventure to one of Tennessee’s many wild caves. There will be lots of crawling over rocks and mud; this adventure is not for your casual outdoorsman. Upper body strength and balance is necessary in all wild caves. Transportation and all equipment are provided. Ages 10 and older are welcome. The cost to join is $15. The program difficulty rating is (3)-Challenging. For more information, call 615-642-1103 or email ekreuziger@murfreesborotn.gov
ocT. 5
panther creek brews farewell cOncert
Although Panther Creek Brews has announced that it will close its Murfreesboro taproom, customers will have one last chance to hang out and hear live music at the 714 W. Main St. venue. A special band composed of Fred Reilly, Joey Fletcher, Lisa Law and other guests will perform on Saturday, Oct. 5. Southern Kitchen Classics food truck will be onsite that evening for the farewell event. Prior to that, Panther Creek
ocT. 4 and 25
faMIly caMpfIre
Gather around a campfire for s’mores and fun on Fridays Oct. 4 and 25, from 5:30–7 p.m. at the Wilderness Station (401 Volunteer Rd.). Gather at the campground for a fire, snacks and a few campfire stories while cooking s’mores and socializing. The cost to attend is $3 for ages 4–17, $5 for ages 18 and older and free for ages 3 and under. For more information, call 615-642-1103 or email ekreuziger@murfreesborotn.gov
will host Muddy Boots on Wednesday, Oct. 2, open mic comedy with Josh Fox on Thursday, Oct. 3, and the Jeremy Pinell Trio on Friday, Oct. 4. While the taproom will close following the Oct. 5 show, Panther Creek plans to continue brewing beer. For more information on where to find their products, visit panthercreekbrews.com
ocT. 6
fall festIVal
Eventful Markets will host a celebration of the fall season at Murfreesboro SportsCom (2310 Memorial Blvd.) on Sunday, Oct. 6 from 10 a.m.–6 p.m. with food trucks, trunk or treating, mums and pumpkins for sale, artisans, face painting, a petting zoo, inflatables and more. Parking and admission to this outdoor event are free. Bring a chair or blanket for seating.
ocT.
6
adult Maker club
Make fall-inspired door signs at the Technology Engagement Center (306 Minerva Dr.) on Sunday, Oct. 6, at 1:30 p.m. Pick your basic design when you register. For more information, visit rclstn.org.
ocT.
8
face yOur fears
Learn something new on fall break and conquer your fears on Tuesday, Oct. 8, from 10–11 a.m. Learn about Tennessee’s native venomous and non-venomous snakes and spiders in a safe and engaging environment at Wilderness Station at Barfield Crescent Park (401 Volunteer Rd.). Gain a deeper understanding of these creatures and turn your fear into fascination. Registration is required. For more information, call 615-217-3017 or email challwalker@murfreesborotn.gov.
ocT. 8
tennessee traIls
assOcIatIOn MeetIng
The Tennessee Trails Association’s monthly meeting of its Murfreesboro chapter is Tuesday, Oct. 8, from 7–8 p.m. at the Wilderness Station at Barfield Crescent Park (401 Volunteer Road). Jeff Royer, owner of the Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop in Murfreesboro will be the guest speaker. He will speak about bats. Bats eat huge amounts of insects and are one of the most important mammals we have. For more information, text 615-9718894 or visit tennesseetrails.org
ocT. 9
lIVIng sent MInIstrIes
The October 2024 Living Sent Murfrees-
boro meeting will be held Wednesday, Oct. 9, from 11:45 a.m.–1 p.m. at Wilson Bank & Trust (3110 Memorial Blvd.). Living Sent Ministries aims to inspire and equip business and professional leaders at all levels to live out their Christian faith, “connecting Sunday to Monday.” A core principle of the group is that God gave you your business or job to help build His Kingdom. A complimentary lunch will be provided. RSVP to bob.williams@alhambrapartners.com
ocT. 9 & 29
nIght sOunds hIke
Meet at the Wilderness Station (401 Volunteer Rd.) on Wednesday, Oct. 9, and Tuesday, Oct. 29, from 6–7:30 p.m. for a fun walk through the dark woods in search of the local nighttime critters. Expect a moderate 3-mile hike through the back country trails near the Wilderness Station. Headlamps are provided, but you are welcome to bring your own. There is no cost to participate. For more information, call 615-217-3017 or email challwalker@murfreesborotn.gov.
ocT. 10
stOrytIMe at the tec
Author Pat Blankenship leads a special story time as she reads her new children’s book, Marvelous Margot Makes Art, on Thursday, Oct. 10, from 10:30–11 a.m. at the Technology Engagement Center (306 Minerva Dr.) For more information, visit rclstn.org or call 615-225-8312.
ocT. 10
Mcfadden fall festIVal
Get ready for fall at McFadden Community Center (211 Bridge Ave.) at Fall Fest and Haunted Hallways on Thursday, Oct. 10, from 5–7:30 p.m. Everyone is invited for food, fun, fellowship and fright. Some highlights of the night will be the games, T-shirt and cakewalk. There is no cost to attend. For more information, call 615-893-1802 or email mphilpott@murfreesborotn.gov
ocT. 10, 17 & 24
lIttle pIcassOs
Little Picassos is all about discovery and creative experimentation. On Thursdays Oct. 10, 17 and 24, ages 3–6 can immerse themselves in the process of making art with the use of a variety of techniques and mediums such as paint, oil, pastels, chalk, printing, sculpture and mixed media from 9:30–10:30 a.m. at Patterson Park Community Center (521 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.). Activities will be hands-on providing a wonderful opportunity for sensory exposure and exercising fine motor skills. All children
must be accompanied by an adult and please be aware that there will be the potential for messes, so dress accordingly. Space is limited to 12 Little Picassos ages 3–6; early registration is encouraged. The cost to join is $5. For more information, email smayo@murfreesborotn.gov or call 615-893-7439 ex 6111.
ocT. 10 & 23
archery fOr begInners
Want to find out how accurate your aim is?
Come out to the Wilderness Station (401 Volunteer Rd.) on Thursday, Oct. 10 and Wednesday, Oct. 23, from 3–5 p.m., where an archery instructor will lead a class on the basics of a bow. State upon registering if assistance is needed. Ages 8 and up are welcome. The cost to join is $10. For more information, call 615-217-3017 or email ekreuziger@murfreesborotn.gov
ocT. 11
rOOstIng by the caMpfIre
Visit Wilderness Station at Barfield Crescent Park (401 Volunteer Rd.) for a night of fun in the forest on Friday, Oct. 11, from 5:30–7:30 p.m. Hike to the campground while listening for native wildlife along the way. Then, enjoy a presentation and animal encounter with one of the resident owls. This will be a night of learning about the nocturnal forest friends, fun and games. Registration is required. For more information, call 615-217-3017 or email challwalker@murfreesborotn.gov.
ocT.
11
OutdOOr MurfreesbOrO
VIsIts the tec
Learn about feathered friends when Outdoor Murfreesboro visits the Technology Engagement Center (306 Minerva Dr.) on Friday, Oct. 11, from 10:30–11:30 p.m. All ages are welcome. There is no cost to attend. For more information, call 615225-8312 or visit rclstn.org
ocT. 11–27
tennessee steaM festIVal
The Tennessee STEAM Festival returns Oct. 11–27 for its eighth annual statewide celebration. Founded by the Discovery Center at Murfree Spring, this festival of science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) has grown into a statewide event, including over 300 events and featuring 80 host venues across East, Middle and West Tennessee. From hands-on workshops to interactive exhibits, the festival offers both paid and free events for participants of all ages to engage with STEAM-based learning and entertainment. The festival officially
Through ocT. 15
cOO k I n’
Bowl painting for this year’s Cookin’ to Build, benefiting the Rutherford County Area Habitat for Humanity, continues through Oct. 15. Visit Color Me Mine at The Avenue (2615 Medical Center Pkwy., #1520) and have a bowl-painting party with family, friends or co-workers. Purchase your bowl and Cookin’ to Build ticket there. The $30 ticket includes the bowl painting, tote bag and Cookin’ to Build event ticket, which will get participants all-you-can-eat chili, soup, stew and gumbo plus desserts and drinks the day of the soup-themed fundraiser event, Saturday, Nov. 2, on the Murfreesboro Public Square. Please let Color Me Mine know in advance if you have a large group wanting to paint bowls. Funds raised help Habitat for Humanity raise money to build more affordable homes for lowmoderate income families. For more information, visit rchfh.org/cookin-to-build, find the 2024 Cookin’ to Build event on Eventbrite or call 615-893-5556.
kicks off with STEAM-A-Palooza at the Discovery Center (502 SE Broad St.) on Saturday, Oct. 12, from noon–4 p.m. This free, family-friendly event offers a variety of interactive booths where attendees of all ages can explore hands-on activities, live demonstrations and performances on topics like physics, composting, cosmetics and meteorology. Food trucks will be onsite and museum admission will be half-priced during the event. Other event highlights include Nashville PBS’ Leonardo Youth Maker Mixer, a teen design challenge at the Frist Art Museum, which will also offer an exclusive preview of Ken Burns’ new film, Leonardo da Vinci. At the Murfreesboro Municipal Airport, the Airport STEAM Festival invites attendees to enjoy a day of free, hands-on aircraft experiences. For more information, visit tnsteam.org or explorethedc.org or call 615-890-2300.
ocT. 12
MartIn’s fall festIVal
Enjoy local vendors, food trucks, games and more at this annual celebration of
in beautiful Lascassas, Tennessee. For more information, find Black Barn Market & Craft Sale on Facebook or call 615-904-4676.
ocT. 12
hIke wIth naturalIst Jane at Murfree sprIngs
Discover and learn more about the important wetland ecosystem with Tennessee Naturalist Jane on Saturday, Oct. 12, from 9–10 a.m. at Murfree Springs Wetlands (460 SE Broad St.). A hike upon the boardwalk will begin near the playground entrance. See plenty of birds and a variety of aquatic life while learning from a Naturalist. For more information, email challwalker@murfreesborotn.gov or call 615-217-3017.
ocT. 13
IntrO tO web desIgn
Learn how to use Google Suite to develop your own website with your Gmail account on Sunday, Oct. 13, at 2 p.m. at the Technology Engagement Center (306 Minerva Dr.). For more information, visit rclstn.org.
ocT. 13
fall on Saturday, Oct. 12 from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. at Martin’s Home & Garden, located at 1020 NW Broad St. Admission and parking are free. Call 615-867-7121 or email info@martinshomeandgarden.com for more information.
ocT. 12
herItage celebratIOn
Visit Bradley Academy Museum & Cultural Arts Center’s (415 S. Academy St.) 19th Annual Heritage Celebration on Saturday, Oct. 12, from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Enjoy an open house day of fun conversations, activities for all ages, food trucks and performances. There will also be free admission to the museum. For more information, email shicks@murfreesborotn.gov
ocT. 12
black barn Market
Events at East 96 (9901 Lascassas Pk., Lascassas) will host its next Black Barn Market & Craft Sale on Saturday, Oct. 12, from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. The market will include over 100 vendors, food trucks and live music
cedar glade brews classIc car cruIse-In Shine ‘er up and drive ‘er in at the Cedar Glade Brews (906 Ridgely Rd.) second Sunday of the month classic car cruisein on Sunday, Oct. 13, from 1–4 p.m. Car-ticipants get a free CGB pint (1 per car). Stick around for trivia at 5 p.m. There is no sign-up required and no cost to join. Visit cedargladebrews.com or find the CGB Classic Car Cruise-In event on Facebook for more information.
ocT. 15 & 17
hOMe schOOl scIence
The Home School Science Series at Wilderness Station at Barfield Crescent Park (401 Volunteer Rd.) offers exciting handson learning activities and hikes including exploring a wide range of fascinating topics for ages 5–8. This is a perfect opportunity for students to engage with science in a fun, interactive environment while making new friends along the way. This month’s theme is Night Hike—Nocturnal Creatures, held on Tuesday and Thursday, Oct. 15 and 17, from 5:30–7 p.m. Each night will host groups of hikers ages 5–8 and 9–12. The cost is $5. Email challwalker@mufreesborotn.gov or call 615-217-3017 for more information.
ocT. 17
the cOnnectIOn
Champy’s World Famous Fried Chicken will host the October 2024 installment of
The Connection: An Evening of Professional Networking and Business Brainstorming from 5–7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 17. All Middle Tennessee entrepreneurs and professionals are welcome to attend this casual, free, no-obligation networking event, where they can meet other small business owners and tap into one another’s experience and energy. Networking begins at 5 p.m. with introductions at 6 p.m. Champy’s is located at 1290 NW Broad St.
ocT. 17
tennessee flyways
This Tennessee STEAM Festival event is for all ages on Thursday, Oct. 17, at the Technology Engagement Center (306 Minerva Dr.) from 4–6 p.m. Discuss the flyways of bird migration over Tennessee and how you can use apps and Citizen Science to assist in research. There will also be a showing of the PBS film Flyways. All ages are welcome. For more information, visit rclstn.org or call 615-225-8312.
ocT. 18
hunter’s full MOOn
nIght hIke
Meet on the porch of the Wilderness Station (401 Volunteer Rd.) for a hike in the full moonlight on Friday, Oct. 18, from 6–7:30 p.m. Explore the forest nightlife and listen for coyotes and other nocturnal animals while looking for views of the full moon and other constellations from the telescope. Registration is required. Email challwalker@murfreesborotn.gov or call 615-217-3017 for more information.
ocT. 18
adult & teen challenge banquet
The Adult & Teen Challenge Murfreesboro banquet is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 18, at 6:30 p.m. at Turning Point Church (1033 Barfield Church Rd.). Enjoy great food, personal testimonies and more. If you would like to purchase half a table at $250 or a whole table at $500 for the banquet, visit atctn.org/outreach-center, email gene@atctn.org or call 615-6247878. Individual tickets are also available and donations to the ministry are welcome. For more information, find Adult & Teen Challenge Outreach Center Murfreesboro on Facebook.
ocT. 18
retrO gaMe nIght
Come kick it old-school with Middle Ground Brewing Company (2476 Old Fort Pkwy.) for Retro Game Night on Friday, Oct. 18, at 5 p.m. There will be a few
ocT. 25
f r I day nI ght lIV e wI th t he pI
lOts
Main Street Murfreesboro organizes the Friday Night Live Concert Series right in the heart of the Murfreesboro Public Square. Dance up front or relax in a chair on Friday, Oct. 25, as The Pilots perform from 6:30–9:30 p.m. Arrive early to grab a spot and maybe even eat at one of the downtown restaurants or food trucks while exploring the shops around the Square. There is no cost to attend. For more information, call 615-895-1887 or visit mainstreetmurfreesboro.org/friday-night-live
retro gaming systems set up. Play some vintage games while you enjoy beer and pizza. Participants are welcome to bring in their own systems as well; it is recommended to bring a small TV screen with it. It is free to play. For more information, visit middlegroundbrew.com or find Middle Ground Brewing Company on Facebook.
ocT. 18–19
frIghtensburgh
This is a scary haunted trail that weaves its way through terrifying scenes of horror in the old Cannonsburgh Village (312 S. Front St.) on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 18 and 19, from 6:30–10 p.m. This is for mature audiences only. Tickets are $10. Email thutchinson@murfreesborotn.gov or call 615-848-2550 for more information.
ocT. 18–27
frankensteIn
Consider This Theatre Company presents Frankenstein at the Mills-Pate Arts Center (7120 Old Nashville Hwy.) to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Mary Shelley’s novel. Performances open on Oct. 18. Pushing the limits of science and morality in his search for acceptance and purpose, Victor Frankenstein unleashes on the world a creation that he cannot control in this adaptation by A.S. Peterson of the classic novel. Show-
Head out to Smyrna for the annual race benefiting the YMCA’s Annual Giving Campaign and raising awareness of the impact of domestic abuse at Sharp Springs Park (1000 Espey Dr., Smyrna). The third race in the 2024 YMCA Race Series sprints into action on Saturday, Oct. 19. The event, now in its 12th year and a Smyrna tradition, honors the memories of two local victims of domestic abuse, Angi Ross Lambert and Carla Dillard. Packet pickup is Friday, Oct. 18, 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. at the North Rutherford YMCA in Smyrna. The Oct. 19 event begins at 7 a.m. with the Kids’ Fun Run, with the 10K starting at 7:30 a.m. and the 5K at 7:45 a.m. An awards ceremony will be held for overall winners. Overall awards will be based on gun time. Since 2012, the North Rutherford Family YMCA has hosted the Lambert Dillard 5K/10K. Registration for individuals is $40 for the 5K/10K or $29 for the Virtual; the Kids Run is $10. For more information, visit ymcamidtn.org/programs/ health-and-fitness/race-series.
ocT. 19
free cOMedy shOw
times are 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays Oct. 18, 19, 25 and 26; and at 2 p.m. on Sundays Oct. 20 and 27. For tickets and more information, visit mpactn.com.
ocT. 19
bOrO bass bash
Monster Music Works presents The Boro Bass Bash, a veterans resource fair at Hop Springs Brewery (6790 John Bragg Hwy.) on Saturday, Oct. 19. The Veterans Resource Fair is from 2–6 p.m. and is free to attend; support a variety of locally-owned businesses, charities, and organizations showcasing their unique offerings. Ryan Weaver performs from 6–6:45 p.m. The Bass Bash is from 7–11 p.m.; various musicians will be performing covers of heavier rock songs from bands like Tool, Deftones, Primus and more. Tickets for the Bash are $15 in advance and $20 at the door; proceeds benefit Minutes Wisely and Operation Stand Down. Vendors that are veteran/ first responder businesses, charities and organizations are needed for booths. Donations are welcome to support the raffles. For more information, find The Boro Bass Bash on Facebook or get tickets at ticketweb.com
ocT.
19
laMbert dIllard 5k /10k & fun run
Enjoy a free comedy show hosted by local comic Mallory Brandon at Middle Ground Brewing Company (2476 Old Fort Pkwy.) on Saturday, Oct. 19, at 8 p.m. Visit middlegroundbrew.com or find Middle Ground Brewing Company on Facebook for more information.
ocT. 20
fall cOncert
Join the Tennessee Valley Winds as they kick off their 40th season on Sunday, Oct. 20 at 3 p.m. at Washington Theater at Patterson Park Community Center (521 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.). For more information, visit tnvalleywinds.org.
ocT. 20
hallOween cOOkIe decOratIng class
This cookie-decorating class is a perfect way to welcome the spooky season on Sunday, Oct. 20, at 2 p.m., at Middle Ground Brewing Company (2476 Old Fort Pkwy.). Through guided instruction and a live demonstration, learn how to decorate six Halloween cookie designs from start to finish. By the end of the class, have your creations and a better understanding of cookie decorating. Materials include six cookies, icing bags, icing transfers, practice material, take-home box and more. For more information, visit middlegroundbrew.com or find Middle Ground Brewing Company on Facebook.
ocT. 22
paInt-a-puMpkIn
Create a one-of-a-kind pumpkin decoration at Wilderness Station at Barfield Crescent Park (401 Volunteer Rd.) on Tuesday, Oct. 22, from 10–11 a.m. Painting materials, a small pumpkin and optional nature-themed stencils will be provided. Registration is required. The cost to join is $3. Email challwalker@murfreesborotn.gov or call 615-217-3017 for more information.
ocT. 22
busIness after hOurs
The Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce will hold its October Business After Hours networking event at Volunteer State Bank (2019 Memorial Blvd.) on Tuesday, Oct. 22, beginning at 4:30 p.m. The event will include giveaways, a Germaninspired menu from Alley on Main, caricatures, music and more Admission is $15 for chamber members and $25 for non-members. Visit rutherfordchamber. org for more information on this and other Chamber of Commerce events.
ocT. 23
brews ebOOk club
This book club meets at various establishments. In October, read Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz (also a TV miniseries on PBS) and meet at Tailgate Brewery (210 Stones River Mall Blvd.) on Wednesday, Oct. 23, at 5:30 p.m. for discussion. For more information, visit rclstn.org
ocT.
25
JOnes cOllege
leadershIp suMMIt
The MTSU Jones College of Business presents its 2024 Leadership Summit on Friday, Oct. 25, from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. at the Stones River Country Club (1830 NW Broad St.). Educational and clinical psychologist, master teacher, humorist, author and philanthropist Dr. Adolph “Doc” Brown will speak on Intentional Leadership: Creating a Healthy Work Environment. The summit is free to attend but space is limited and registration is required by noon on Friday, Oct. 11. Register at forms.office.com/r/8ti5La1LBL or, for more information on the event and on the Jones College of Business, call 615-8982764 or find Jones College of Business, MTSU on Facebook. For more information on Adolph Brown, visit docspeaks.com
ocT. 25
scIfrI bOOk club
Meet after-hours on the last Friday of the
ocT. 26
h ar V est days at c ann O nsburgh V I llage
It’s time for Harvest Days at Cannonsburgh Village (312 S. Front St.). Come out on Saturday, Oct. 26, from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. for handmade crafts, live music and living history demonstrations. The Murfreesboro Art League will have art on display and for sale. Don’t miss the blacksmithing demonstrations with the Rutherford County Blacksmith Association and a Cruise-in by the Stones River Car Club. There will be food trucks, storytelling, hands-on demonstrations and more. All ages are welcome and there is no admission charge. For more information, email mbnevills@murfreesborotn.gov or call 615-890-0355.
month, Friday, Oct. 25, at the Technology Engagement Center (306 Minerva Dr.) at 5:30 p.m. for Science Friday Book Club.
The October title chosen by the Science Friday Book Club is What If We Get It
Right? by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson. For more information, visit rclstn.org
ocT. 25
spOOktacular tOddler
hallOween party
Bring your toddlers, 2–5 years old, and join in a spooktacular time at Patterson Park Community Center Gym & Library (521
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.) on Friday, Oct. 25, from 10–11 a.m. Enjoy a parade, spooky pokey dance, candy, carnival style games, a superhero obstacle course and prize drawings. Story time starts at 10 a.m. Admission is a can of food. For more information, call 615-893-7439.
ocT. 25
4th frIday netwOrkIng
eVent
The monthly “fun working” event at Cedar Glade Brews is held the fourth Friday of every month from 5–7 p.m., presented by Reed and Associates of Primerica and Spread the Positive at Cedar Glade Brews (906 Ridgley Rd.). The event is focused on shining
Come out to Barfield Crescent Park (697 Veterans Pkwy.) for the Barfield Bash on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 25 and 26, from 4–8 p.m., to play some ghostly games and win some frighteningly fun prizes while enjoying spooky music. Email shicks@murfreesborotn.gov or call 615890-5333 for more information.
ocT. 25–26
Old screaM rOad hayrIde
Take part in a scary hayride into the depths of Barfield Crescent Park (697 Veterans Pkwy.) on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 25 and 26, from 7:30–9 p.m. The cost to attend is $5. There is no age limit, but it may be scary for small children. Who or what is lurking in the woods? Do you dare find out? Email thutchinson@murfreesborotn.gov or call 615-890-5333 for more information.
ocT. 26
fall treats &
hOlIday sneak peek
Join Shabby Lane Shopping Events at Lane Agri-Park Community Center (315 John R. Rice Blvd.) on Saturday, Oct. 26 from 10 a.m.–3 p.m. for food, fun fall festivities and fabulous small business shopping with over 70 local vendors. There will be free gifts for the first 200 adult shoppers. Admission is free. For more details, visit shabbylaneshoppingevents.com
a light on what’s going right. Each month the event highlights a business making a positive impact in the local community and gives the public an opportunity to talk with them. Meet some of your favorite STP podcasters and get to know the people behind the microphone. There will be a food truck onsite, so grab a drink and a bite while you connect with the best in the ’Boro. For more information, find Cedar Glade Brews on Facebook.
ocT. 25
a wIg’s stOry
Bombshells Hair Studio (803 N. Thompson Ln., 105A) hosts Pink for a Purpose, a popup sip-and-shop to benefit A Wig’s Story, Friday, Oct. 25, from 4–8 p.m. A Wig’s Story is a local nonprofit that provides wigs free of charge to those experiencing hair loss due to the effects of cancer treatment. The day consists of food and drink trucks, local vendors to shop and educate, live music, photo ops, a mobile bar and more. The first 20 guests will receive a gift. Don your pink wig and join for a night where every toast brings hope. For more information, visit awigsstory.my.canva.site or email awigsstory@gmail.com.
ocT. 25–26
barfIeld bash carnIVal
ocT. 26
puMpkIn fun run
Participants will run the 1-mile loop at Gateway Island (1875 W. College St.) on Saturday, Oct. 26. The only requirement for the 1-Mile Pumpkin Fun Run is you must run with a pumpkin (any size welcome). Your entry fee is one or more non-perishable food items to donate to Greenhouse Ministries. The race starts at 4 p.m.; register for door prizes. For more information, email rbrady@murfreesborotn. gov or call 615-893-7439.
ocT. 26
wIne arOund the square
The Power of Pink Fund has provided over 25,000 potentially life saving mammograms to women in Rutherford County. Wine Around the Square benefits the Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Foundation’s Power of Pink in the fight against breast cancer. On Saturday, Oct. 26, come out for a progressive wine and spirits tasting event set around the historic Downtown Murfreesboro Square. The event kicks off with a VIP party at 4:30 p.m. with the main event at 6 p.m. Stones River Total Beverages provides a wide
variety of wines and spirits for sampling throughout the evening. Included in the main event ticket, receive dinner provided by The Alley on Main and Clay Pit. For tickets and more information, visit give. stthomas.org/2024winearoundthesquare.
ocT. 26
cOdIng class
Building on our Godot game engine platform know-how, explore lighting in the games and send Chuck the Super Duck into spooky situations at this coding class on Saturday, Oct. 26, from 2–4 p.m., at the Technology Engagement Center (306 Minerva Dr.). No prior experience is necessary. Ages 10 and up are welcome. There is no admission charge to attend. For more information, visit rclstn.org or call 615-225-8312.
ocT. 27
brew Or treat
Enjoy free trick-or-treating in the taproom (and in the Beer Garden, weather permitting) at Middle Ground Brewing Company (2476 Old Fort Pkwy.) on Sunday, Oct. 27, from 2–4 p.m. Grab a pint while your little ones grab some candy. For more information, visit middlegroundbrew.com or find Middle Ground Brewing Company on Facebook.
ocT. 28
chess lunch
Who wants to play a game of chess? Community members interested in promoting the game of chess, helping raise interest for getting the game in area schools and organizations, sharing ideas on how chess can benefit others, involving their business in chess events and tournaments, or just desiring to gather with other chess enthusiasts to play and discuss chess can come to a Murfreesboro Chess Lunch at Carmen’s Taqueria (206 W. Northfield Blvd.) from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 28. For more information, find an event page for Murfreesboro Chess Lunch on Facebook, email bracken@boropulse. com or text or call 615-796-6248.
ocT. 31
fall fOlIage hIke & craft
ocT. 27
MIddle tennessee sInfOnIetta
Join the Middle Tennessee Sinfonietta for its first 2024–25 season concert, “Baroque,” on Sunday, Oct. 27, at 3 p.m. with live narration and storytelling. Get introduced to the orchestra with Britten’s The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra and hear Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice . MTS will be joined by a local storyteller who will provide narration alongside each piece. This event is a part of the Tennessee STEAM Festival and will be held at MTSU School of Music’s Hinton Hall (1439 Faulkinberry Dr.). Admission is free and open to the public, with a suggested donation of $10. For more information, visit mtsinfonietta.com
Feel the cool crisp air of fall and see the changing colors of the leaves on the trees at Wilderness Station at Barfield Crescent Park (401 Volunteer Rd.) on Thursday, Oct. 31, from 10–11 a.m. Meet on the porch then hike down towards the river overlook to see the colors of fall. When you return, make a craft with leaves you find along the way to take home. Registration is required (in person or online). The cost to join is $3. Email challlwalker@murfreesborotn.gov or call 615-217-3017 for more information.
Ln., Smyrna) at 5:30 a.m. on Thursdays; and at Stewart’s Creek High School (301 Red Hawk Pkwy., Smyrna) at 6 a.m. on Saturdays, rain or shine, hot or cold. For more information, visit f3murfreesboro.com mondays
cOnnect MurfreesbOrO
Join Connect Murfreesboro each Monday from 9–10 a.m. at BoomBozz Craft Pizza & Taphouse (2839 Medical Center Pkwy.) for a casual networking event designed to connect professionals, build relationships, drive referrals and help grow businesses. Please prepare a 60-second pitch about who you are and what you do, as well as a specific referral request for attendees on what can be done to help promote your business. The approximately 20-minute period at the end of each meeting is reserved for one-on-ones and to socialize. For more information, visit connectnashvillenetworking.com/events.
mondays
MOnday nIght hIstOry
ocT. 31
trIck Or treat On the MurfreesbOrO square
Trick or Treat around the Historic Rutherford County Square on Thursday, Oct. 31, from 3–5 p.m. Bring the family for a walk around downtown Murfreesboro as local merchants, offices, the courthouse and city hall will all offer treats to the youngsters. For more information, visit mainstreetmurfreesboro.org/trick-or-treat-on-the-square.
ocT. 31
cOMMunIty fall festIVal
What are you doing for Halloween? Come out to Patterson Park (521 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.) for free games, food, prizes and crafts for the whole family on Thursday, Oct. 31, from 5–8 p.m. All ages are welcome and the event is free. For more information, call 615-893-7439.
nov. 2
cOOkIn’ tO buIld
Cookin’ to Build, an all-you-can-eat chili and soup cook-off event hosted by and benefiting Rutherford County Area Habitat for Humanity, will take place on Saturday, Nov. 2, on the Murfreesboro Public Square. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., though
people who have painted their own bowls prior to the event get in at 10:30 a.m. Cooking teams will set up around the Square serving samples of soup, stew and chili. Memory Train and Mountain Ridge Five will perform. All funds raised from Cookin’ to Build support the Habitat mission of providing affordable homes in Rutherford County. Find tickets to the 2024 Cookin’ to Build on Eventbrite or visit rchfh.org/cookin-to-build for more information.
ongoing
f3 wOrkOuts
F3—which stands for fitness, fellowship and faith—holds free, weekly, outdoor, peer-led workouts for men and always end workouts with a “circle of trust,” emphasizing the group’s commitment to faith. In Murfreesboro, F3 holds workouts on the Murfreesboro Public Square at 5 a.m. on Tuesdays; at Oakland Middle School (853 Dejarnette Ln.) at 5:30 a.m. on Wednesdays; at the Murfreesboro Medical Clinic/ Gateway Island parking lot (1272 Garrison Dr.) at 5 a.m. on Thursdays; and at Old Fort Park (201 Golf Ln., at the north entrance parking lot) at 6 a.m. on Saturdays. In Smyrna, F3 meets for workouts at Cedar Grove Elementary (354 Chaney Rd., Smyrna) at 5:30 a.m. on Tuesdays; at Thurman Francis Arts Academy (221 Todd
The Patriot Institute presents free Monday Night History classes every Monday night at 6:30 p.m. at Hank’2 Doors Down (2333 Memorial Blvd.). Classes have been covering Western civilization and the American Revolution. The instructor, Galen Walker, formed The Patriot Institute in 2015 and has taught Monday Night History at various locations ever since. Classes started back with the Greek City-States and have progressed through Greece, Rome and the Middle Ages; most recently they covered the Pilgrims and Puritans and the French and Indian War. Classes involve more than just listening to a lecture—they include quality video productions to cover each topic. For more information, visit thepatriotinstitute.org or find The Patriot Institute on Facebook.
mondays
technOlOgy cOach
Bring your phone, tablet and laptop questions to our volunteer Technology Coach and they will help work out the answers on Mondays at 1 p.m. at the Technology Engagement Center (306 Minerva Dr.). For more information, visit rclstn.org.
mondays
& Tuesdays
cOMputer class: wOrkfOrce essentIals
Take advantage of free computer classes with the Technology Engagement Center (306 Minerva Dr.) on Mondays in September from 3:30–5 p.m. (drop-in) and Tuesdays in September from 2:30–4 p.m. (drop-in). Come learn basic com-
puter skills, Windows 10, Google Docs, Microsoft Office, Excel, PowerPoint and more with self-paced modules and guided instruction. The library has laptops you can use in-house. For more information, visit rclstn.org or call 615-225-8312.
Tuesdays
creatIVe skIll buIldIng class
Creative Skill Building: Jr. Master Class is a beginning art class for homeschooled teens on Tuesdays in October from 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. at Patterson Park Community Center Arts & Crafts Room (521 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.). Each class will consist of an introductory level master class on art forms where students will be taught the fundamentals and create a masterpiece to take home. Ages 12–18 are welcome. No experience is necessary. The cost to participate is $10. For more information, email smayo@murfreesborotn.gov or call 615-893-7439. The mediums are:
Oct. 1 – Calligraphy
Oct. 8 – Textured Paint (Impasto)
Oct. 15 – Water Color Painting
Oct. 22 – Paper Marbling Oct. 29 – Book Binding
Tuesdays
tIny tec, spOOky scIence
Come out to the Technology Engagement Center (306 Minerva Dr.) for fun and spooky science Tuesdays in October from 11:30 a.m.–noon. Tiny TEC is aimed at children aged 2–4, but all ages are welcome. Read a non-fiction book and do a science activity to accompany the topic. There is no cost to attend. For more information, visit rclstn.org or call 615-225-8312.
Tuesdays & Fridays rutherfOrd cOunty farMers’ Market
The Rutherford County Agricultural Extension Cooperation continues its produceronly farmers’ market in the indoor/open-air community center at the Lane Agri-Park (315 John R. Rice Blvd.). The RCFM is open from 7 a.m.–noon every Tuesday and Friday. There are “Come and Go” informative sessions for the general public every market day from 9–11 a.m. in the lobby. The Master Gardeners of Rutherford County are available 9 a.m.–noon in the demonstration garden for questions and tours. Shop with local artisans on “Artisan Fridays” to find an array of treasures: wood crafts, jewelry, sewn and hand-crafted items, body care products, candles, home and yard decor and other creations. Visit rutherford.tennessee.edu/farmers-market or
Fridays
MurfreesbOrO cOMMunIty chess
Murfreesboro Community Chess meets at McAlister’s Deli (2357 Medical Center Pkwy.) every Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. Organizers invite those of all ages and skill levels to this casual chess meetup each week. Those attending may bring a board and a clock if they can, but there should be plenty of supplies on hand.
call 615-898-7710 for more information.
Wednesdays
netwOrkIng fOr awesOMe peOple
Are you looking to meet and connect with other local business owners? Do you want to grow your network and pick up some skills along the way? Networking for Awesome People meets each week on Wednesdays at 9 a.m. at the Achieve Entrepreneur and CoWorking Center (1630 S. Church St.). All you need to bring is a good attitude. Each attendee gets about a minute to explain what they do and what they need, followed by a discussion question of the week. Networking for Awesome People encourages open discussion to help everyone grow. For more information, find a Networking for Awesome People group on Facebook.
Wednesdays
bOrO 2 square runnIng grOup
The Boro 2 Square running group meets at TailGate Brewery Murfreesboro (210 Stones River Mall Blvd.) every Wednesday at 6 p.m. The group welcomes runners of all paces looking to get out to run and socialize with other runners. Normal run distances are between 3 and 5 miles. Participants are welcome to hang out and socialize at Tail-
with potential clients, support each other’s professional growth and educate people on how to participate in the local community. Complimentary coffee and snacks are provided. For more information, find Prohibition Home Brewing on Facebook.
saTurdays
saturday Market
The Main Street Saturday Market continues in downtown Murfreesboro. The weekly farmers market will take place on the Murfreesboro Public Square every Saturday from 8 a.m.–noon through the end of October. Spend the day with real farmers, real food and real community and find a wide variety of produce, locally raised meats, fresh breads and pastries, mushrooms, honey, soaps and lotions, sauces, jams and more. For more information, find Murfreesboro Saturday Market on Facebook.
saTurdays
sMyrna
fall Market
Gate following the run. For more information, visit facebook.com/boro2square
Thursdays
tec stOrytIMe
Come out to the Technology Engagement Center (306 Minerva Dr.) for fun and spooky books to celebrate Halloween Thursdays in October from 10:30–11 a.m. Sing songs, read fun books and color your way through the Spooky Season. For more information, visit rclstn.org or call 615-225-8312.
Thursdays
tInker tec, spOOky scIence
Technology Engagement Center (306 Minerva Dr.) hosts fun and spooky science on Thursdays in October from 3:30–4 p.m. Tinker TEC is aimed at children aged 5–8, but all ages are welcome. Read a non-fiction book and do a science activity to accompany the topic. For more information, visit rclstn.org or call 615-225-8312.
Fridays
c3 netwOrkIng
C3 is an open networking group for local business professionals at Achieve Entrepreneur and CoWorking Center (1630 S. Church St.) held on Fridays from 8:30–10:30 a.m. The mission is to build relationships, connect local businesses
The 2024 Smyrna Fall Market Season runs Saturday, Oct. 5, through Saturday, Nov. 2, from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. at Gregory Mill Park (390 Enon Springs Rd. E, Smyrna). Vendor registration is open. The Smyrna Fall Farmers Market is a community-supported event featuring fresh produce, meats and eggs from local area farmers. Talented local artisans also have a place to display their crafts in this hometown setting. For more information, visit carpeartista.com/fall-market-2024 or email vendors@carpeartista.com
saTurdays
hIstOrIcal sOcIety
cOffee & cOnVersatIOn
The Rutherford County Historical Society has been preserving and promoting Murfreesboro’s local history since 1971. The RCHS aims to be a community resource for those researching their family, property or perhaps just old fun facts. The Historical Society hosts Coffee & Conversation each Saturday morning from 9 a.m.–noon at the Ransom School House Museum (717 N. Academy St.). This is a very informal, fun and informative event. Bring old photos or questions about the past to ask members, and enjoy free coffee and donuts. For more information, visit rutherfordtnhistory.org.
sundays
cOffee wIth a Veteran
All are welcome to join local veterans for coffee or breakfast and conversation on Sunday mornings from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at Joanie’s, located on the Public Square in downtown Murfreesboro.
concerts
Live Music in M idd L e tennessee
Wed, 10/2
Boro Bour B on & Brews
Nick Jackson
Grindstone Cow B oy
Ray Scott
Hank’s Honky tonk
Kenna Elpers
Harvester e vent Center
Ty Gregory; Colton Rhody
Hop s prin G s
Blackwood; Applehead
Mtsu w ri GHt Musi C Buildin G
Stephanie Jones
Thurs, 10/3
Boro Bour B on & Brews
Marlyse Moran; The Buzz
Hank’s Honky tonk
Sir Anthony
Fri, 10/4
Boro Bour B on & Brews
Kevin Smith Band
Bur G er Bar
Jeff Lysyczyn
Hank’s Honky tonk
Delyn Christian; Leigh Hutchins Trio
Happy’s s ports l oun G e
Polly’s Pocket
Ja C k’s p la C e
Tony Castellanos
Mayday Brewery
Roland Justice
Mtsu w ri GHt Musi C Buildin G
Chinese Poetry and Songs
p u C kett’s
The Heels
sMyrna v F w p ost 8422
Shane & the Money Makers
tH e Boro Bar & Grill
The Secret Commonwealth
s aT, 10/5
Bi G d addy’s Handle B ar Hammbone
Boro Bour B on & Brews
Jack Finley Band
Ca J un stea M er Bar & Grill
Jeff Lysyczyn
City Ca F e
Everette Brown Trio
Grindstone Cow B oy
Alex Sarah
Hank’s Honky tonk
American Pie; In-Cahoots
Happy’s s ports l oun G e
Rudge Powell Band
Hop s prin G s
Shot Thru the Heart
Mtsu w ri GHt Musi C Buildin G
Ancient Chinese Sung Poetry by Jianhua Zhang; Grace Thompson
pantH er Creek Brews
Fred Reilly, Joey Fletcher, Lisa Law and special guests
p u C kett’s
Jeffrey Joslin & Oliver Pigott
s un, 10/6
Boro Bour B on & Brews
Scott Hogue
Hank’s Honky tonk
Crosstown
Hop s prin G s
Da Jam Band
Mtsu w ri GHt Musi C Buildin G
Tuba Studio
m on, 10/7
Hank’s Honky tonk
Open Mic Night with Toast
Mtsu w ri GHt Musi C Buildin G
Schola Cantorum
sMyrna v F w p ost 8422
Randy and Friends
Tues, 10/8
Boro Bour B on & Brews
Pepper Brooks
Hank’s Honky tonk
Austin Chatfield
Mtsu w ri GHt Musi C Buildin G
Jazz Ensembles I and II
Wed, 10/9
Boro Bour B on & Brews
Jeff Lysyczyn
Hank’s Honky tonk
Robyn Taylor
Thurs, 10/10
Boro Bour B on & Brews
Gray Daniels
Hank’s Honky tonk
Cary & Sherrie Lynn
Mtsu w ri GHt Musi C Buildin G
Chorales
Fri, 10/11
Boro Bour B on & Brews
Lisa Law Trio
Bur G er Bar
Jeff Lysyczyn
Grindstone Cow B oy
Brittany Blair
Hank’s Honky tonk
Bailey Rose; Exit 24
Happy’s s ports l oun G e
Trifecta
Ja C k’s p la C e
Tony Castellanos
Mtsu w ri GHt Musi C Buildin G
Yassin Adams
p u C kett’s
Stone Silo
sMyrna v F w p ost 8422
Shane & the Money Makers
s aT, 10/12
Bi G d addy’s Handle B ar
Cooter River Band
Boro Bour B on & Brews
Southbound Crows
City Ca F e
Everette Brown Trio
Hank’s Honky tonk
Aniston Pate; Mikki Zip Band
Happy’s s ports l oun G e
Cole Bradford
Middle Ground Brewin G Co.
Jeff Lysyczyn p u C kett’s
Jake Leg Stompers s un, 10/13
Boro Bour B on & Brews
Scott Hogue
Hank’s Honky tonk
The O’Donnells
Hop s prin G s
Heart by Heart (Heart tribute by Steve Fossen and Michael Derosier of Heart);
Da Jam Band
m on, 10/14
Bur G er Bar
Jeff Lysyczyn
Hank’s Honky tonk
Open Mic Night with Toast
sMyrna v F w p ost 8422
Randy and Friends
Tues, 10/15
Boro Bour B on & Brews
Clint Draper
Hank’s Honky tonk
Jesse Black
Wed, 10/16
Boro Bour B on & Brews
Kaleb Scherer
Hank’s Honky tonk
Izzy Grace
Thurs, 10/17
Boro Bour B on & Brews
Gray Daniels
Hank’s Honky tonk
Will King
Fri, 10/18
Boro Bour B on & Brews
Cryin Mary
Bur G er Bar
Jeff Lysyczyn
Front street p u B
Milford Academy
Hank’s Honky tonk
Sara Simmons; Jeff Caron Band
Happy’s s ports l oun G e
BlueAshes
Hop s prin G s
Sav & the Ages; Ana Grosh
Ja C k’s p la C e
Tony Castellanos
Mtsu w ri GHt Musi C Buildin G
Tuba Concert
p u C kett’s
The Deltaz
sMyrna v F w p ost 8422
Shane & the Money Makers
w oodsvikin G Bar B ers H op
Jeff Lysyczyn
s aT, 10/19
Bi G d addy’s Handle B ar
Evil Twin
Boro Bour B on & Brews
Austin Grimm; Stereo-Hype
City Ca F e
Everette Brown Trio
Hank’s Honky tonk
The Hammonds; Cooter River Band
Happy’s s ports l oun G e
Buckshot Ridge
Hop s prin G s
Boro Bass Bash
Mtsu w ri GHt Musi C Buildin G
MTSU Symphony Orchestra
p u C kett’s
The Road Crew
tH e Boro Bar & Grill
Blue Willow
s un, 10/20
Bi G d addy’s Handle B ar
Joey Fletcher and Friends
Boro Bour B on & Brews
Scott Hogue
Hank’s Honky tonk
Emily Miller
Hop s prin G s
Kyle Smith; Aaron Wolf; Cariies; Da Jam Band
Mtsu w ri GHt Musi C Buildin G
Jasmine Harris; Deanna Little; Lyric Stroup
m on, 10/21
Bur G er Bar
Jeff Lysyczyn
Hank’s Honky tonk
Open Mic Night with Toast
Mtsu w ri GHt Musi C Buildin G
Flute Studio; Drake Wallace
Memorial Recital
sMyrna v F w p ost 8422
Randy and Friends
Tues, 10/22
Boro Bour B on & Brews
Jimmy Wayne Garrett
Hank’s Honky tonk
Delyn Christian
Mtsu w ri GHt Musi C Buildin G
Chamber Winds; Symphonic
Wed, 10/23
Boro Bour B on & Brews
Chuck Harvill, Charlie Byrd
Hank’s Honky tonk
Jeff Caron
Thurs, 10/24
Boro Bour B on & Brews
Gray Daniels
Hank’s Honky tonk
Silent Ruckus
Hop s prin G s
Schwayze; Sensamotion
Mtsu w ri GHt Musi C Buildin G
Wind Ensemble
Fri, 10/25
Boro Bour B on & Brews
Carson Mac Band
Bur G er Bar
Jeff Lysyczyn
Hank’s Honky tonk
Ashton Butler; Justin Dukes
Happy’s s ports l oun G e
Down South Band
Hop s prin G s
Mixtape ’80s Tribute Band
Ja C k’s p la C e
Tony Castellanos
Middle Ground Brewin G Co.
725 Band
Mtsu w ri GHt Musi C Buildin G
Chinese Music Ensemble
M ur Frees Boro pu B li C s quare
The Pilots
p u C kett’s
The Mighty Train Wrecks
sMyrna v F w p ost 8422
Shane & the Money Makers
s aT, 10/26
Bi G d addy’s Handle B ar
Junkbox
Boro Bour B on & Brews
Mikki Zip Band; Scott Hogue
Cedar Glade Brews
Milford Academy
City Ca F e
Everette Brown Trio
Front street p u B
Jeff Lysyczyn
Happy’s s ports l oun G e
The Roads Below
Hank’s Honky tonk
Dirt Road Daisies; Whiskey Smoke
Hop s prin G s
The Nashville Nights
Middle Ground Brewin G Co.
Zone Status
p u C kett’s
Cole Ritter Band
s un, 10/27
Boro Bour B on & Brews
Scott Hogue
Hank’s Honky tonk
Brothers in Black
Hop s prin G s
Da Jam Band
Mtsu w ri GHt Musi C Buildin G
Middle Tennessee
Sinfonietta; Chelsea Liu
m on, 10/28
Bur G er Bar
Jeff Lysyczyn
Hank’s Honky tonk
Open Mic Night with Toast
Hop s prin G s
Buzie; Mary and the Matrix
Mtsu w ri GHt Musi C Buildin G
Flute Choir; TubaWeen
sMyrna v F w p ost 8422
Randy and Friends
Tues, 10/29
Boro Bour B on & Brews
Trey James
Hank’s Honky tonk
Clayton “Juice” Dye
Mtsu w ri GHt Musi C Buildin G
Jazz Combos
Wed, 10/30
Boro Bour B on & Brews
J.T. Horne
Hank’s Honky tonk
Kelly Ravin
Mtsu w ri GHt Musi C Buildin G
Saxophone Studio; Drake
Wallace Memorial Recital
tH e Boro Bar & Grill
Tennessee Juba; Eve Jean
Thurs, 10/31
Boro Bour B on & Brews
Eden’s Storm
Hank’s Honky tonk
Milford Academy
Hop s prin G s
Eli Howard & the Greater Good
Mtsu w ri GHt Musi C Buildin G
Chinese Music & Culture
Fri , 11/1
Bur G er Bar
Jeff Lysyczyn
Hop s prin G s
The Ultimate McGraw
Experience
Ja C k’s p la C e
Tony Castellanos
l una’s
Rubiks Groove; Revelry
Mayday Brewery
The Lilliston Effect
music not E Sounds
e thos Youth e nsembles n ames
Davi
Th E B OA
D aYD elott Win D sY mphon Y c on D uctor
rd OF d ir ECTO r S and faculty of the Ethos Youth Ensembles have announced that David Aydelott will be the new conductor of the Ethos Wind Symphony. Auditions for the Wind Symphony will be held Sunday, Nov. 10, with the first rehearsal on Nov. 18.
“With his impressive career and remarkable achievements, David brings a wealth of experience and passion to the Ethos Youth Ensembles,” says Ethos Executive Director Brian Russell. “His leadership and innovative spirit are sure to inspire our musicians and elevate our performances to new heights. We are thrilled to embark on this exciting journey with him and look forward to the incredible music we will create together.”
A Middle Tennessee State University graduate, David Aydelott is the recently retired Director of Bands at Siegel High School. Before his retirement, Aydelott taught high school bands in Tennessee at Lexington, John Overton, Ravenwood, Franklin and Siegel for 29 years. Aydelott is the founder and host of Bandstand, the official podcast of the Tennessee Bandmasters Association.
Award of Distinction multiple times. His ensembles received invitations to perform at the Tennessee Music Education Association annual conference, the Music for All National Festival, and the Music for All National Chamber Music Festival. His marching bands have won numerous awards, including the Tennessee Governor’s Cup, grand championships at the Middle Tennessee State University “Contest of Champions,” Bands of America regional champions and runnersup in Class AAA at BOA Grand National Championships.
Aydelott has been a part of several commissioning efforts, including “Magnetic Fireflies” by Augusta Read Thomas, “The Seal Lullaby” for wind ensemble by Eric Whitacre, “Baron Piquant on Pointe” by Donald Grantham, “Of Our New Day Begun” by Omar Thomas and, to commemorate Siegel High’s 20th year, “Leading Star Fanfare” by Tyler S. Grant.
A recipient of the National Band Association’s Certificate of Merit and the Citation of Excellence, Aydelott is an active clinician and arranger and has served as an adjudicator for Drum Corps International and Bands of America.
Bands under Aydelott’s direction received recognition at state and national levels, including the Grammy “Signature School” Award, the John Philip Sousa Association Sudler Shield, and the American School Band Directors Association
In addition to its Wind Symphony, Ethos Youth Ensembles also offers its Jazz Ensemble, a full orchestra, strings programs and children’s choirs.
For more information, visit ethosmusic.net.
Sounds
album
bIg, If true I Can See My House From Here
“Formerly known as Paul McCartney and Buffalo Wings,” Middle Tennessee-based goof-punk, grunge-pop trio Big, If True started playing and making music together in 2018, but after several suggestions, according to the band, they changed the band’s name before their first full-length release in 2021 (and released a statement, “sorry we’re not better”).
It was right when the 13-year cicada brood were in their 6–8-week spree (Brood XIX, of the two cicada broods that emerged in Middle Tennessee in 2024) that Big, If True released its sophomore follow-up EP, I Can See My House From Here, in April 2024, borderlining on a full-length, 12-track album of sophomoric wisdom just short of the 30-minute marker (and establishing the only feasible form of time-travel known to humanity these days: revisiting).
Kicking off the brilliance, I’ve got 99 holes in my wall / I want to fix them all one day, Big, If True frontman Sean Strickland lyricizes, backed by Jack Brunson on bass and Ben Scheffler on drums, in I Can See My House From Here’s opening track, “99 Holes,” revisiting mistakes made in the past.
“Anger Bananagement,” continues an exploration of the concept, revisiting mistakes with a more mature head, and showing how sophomoric lyrics are supposed to be dealt with (by time travel from a better time), already establishing comparison to the aggressive jauntiness of Blink’s 182’s
Dude Ranch (1997), an album with a good mix of musical seriousness in combination with the goofiness that’s carried that group from the ’90s late-grade-school/highschool-underclassman fandom into the world tours they’re consequently on now.
“Lake Murray” follows as an awesome jammer to keep heads reeling, as well as banging, reminiscing about day-to-day high school life, but with the vocalist recalling what will have happened at those bus stops at later dates and the inclusion of future memories, such as where we got arrested for possession, resisting, and littering
“Habit Creature” and “Less Than Zero” (I’m feeling nothing, nothing at all, a lost and wayward teen anthem) both stand as hard punkers, with guitar strums as loud and heavy as any grungy metal stuff around, and, thankfully, with some punk emphasis on the bass; actually these turn into a three-song suite with the following, “206,” in a full-fledged “letting-go/getting over the past” rocker.
Big, If True really does harbor the punk energy that Rancid did in their early ’90s heyday, bringing punk back to the forefront, just to keep it out there.
“Sleep,” utilizes staple punk roughness—blatantly a screw-you song—while “Quitting Is for Quitters” comes from the teenage, first-job, fast-food workers in all of us, just going back to touch some annoyances and applicable to the stupidities of any situation.
The album’s thematic track, “I guess THIS is growing up,” considers all of these phases, flowing together through life, making it all up as a whole. It’s like coming to the realization you can use discretion, and all things are okay in moderation. It’s just leveling out the chaos through actually thinking about the past in wiser times.
“Cicada Farm” nicely ties this whole thing together in as “adult” a way as possible and as ’90s an alt-rock feel as possible.
Big, If True exhibits a brilliant time travel technique, the equivalent of: “I re-watched that movie in adulthood, and it has a completely different meaning,” and has released a great pop-punk album that genuinely speaks to the reason we’re all the way we are, more so than we really think or want to think. Find Big, if True’s I Can See My House From Here at bigiftrue.bandcamp.com. — bryce harMOn
Cross the street at corners and be sure to look both ways for traffic.
While at the door, stand back several feet from the entrance and never go inside a stranger’s house.
Never eat your candy until it has been inspected to make sure it hasn’t been tampered with.
Sounds
Arts in the Park
Stones River n ational Battlefield showcases music, painting exhibit, and artillery demonstrations throughout October
tHE Autumn BEAutY of Stones River National Battlefield will be the backdrop for October’s annual Arts in the Park month of events. Art exhibits, musical performances and historical demonstrations will all be presented for visitors to enjoy throughout the month of October.
Arts in the Park kicks off on Saturday, Oct. 5, with special exhibits in the park’s Visitor Center featuring artwork created by past and current battlefield artists in residence. The art exhibit will remain on display through Oct. 31. Musical programs will also kick off on Oct. 5 with a 1 p.m. concert on the patio behind the Visitor Center. Entitled “Music on and off the Battlefield,” the program will feature Wilson Sharpe and local musicians and singers telling the story of the Civil War from the home front. Learn how music helped shape the conflict and etched the Civil War in our memory.
The songs and stories of the Civil War will continue with a presentation by the award winning 52nd Regimental String Band on Saturday, Oct. 19. Based out of Memphis, the group will don period costumes, play on period-style instruments, and will perform a
variety of 19th-century songs. Shows will be at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.
The Home Sweet Home Band will take the stage the following day, Sunday, Oct. 20, with its “Celebration of Historical Music” at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. The band has been annually featured at Stones River Battlefield.
Band members Rob Pearcy and Tyler Andal will also be performing at the Grand
Ole Opry in October. Pearcy is a state and national award-winning instrumentalist; Andal is a five-time Grand Master Old Time Fiddle Champion.
Special guest Lisa Law—a highly acclaimed Middle Tennessee vocalist whose band, the Jake Leg Stompers, received the 2023 Heritage Award winner at the Uncle Dave Macon Roots Rendezvous—will join the Home Sweet
Home Band, rounded out by Elaine Winters, Avent Lane and Amanda Shields.
“Art has been a part of the history of the National Park Service since the 1870s. The painters who captured majestic Western landscapes brought visitors to the locations of these natural wonders. The policymakers in Washington took note of the beauty of these areas and eventually created the National Parks,” said John McKay, Park Ranger at Stones River National Battlefield. McKay invites the public to come out to the battlefield in the month of October to “get a good eye and earful of music and art!”
Additionally, artillery demonstrations will be featured the weekend of Oct. 19–20. Programs will feature six cannons and will be held at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19, and at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 20. All concerts will be held on the patio behind the Visitor Center. Limited seating will be provided, but feel free to bring lawn chairs.
The Stones river National Battlefield is located at 3501 Old Nashville hwy., Murfreesboro. Admission to the battlefield, and Arts in the Park programming, is free.
52 nd Regimental St R ing Band
R o B pea R cy and elaine winte RS
Living travel
A Walk t hrough History
m urfreesboro’s Stones River n ational Battlefield, available for walkers, runners, rollers and cars to explore all year long
stO ry by bracken M ayO p h OtO s by s arah MayO
muRFREESBORO PROmOtES
Stones River National Battlefield as a top area attraction, and it does indeed draw visitors from all over the country, though many who live in Murfreesboro may have never fully explored that parcel of land.
The site of a vicious Civil War battle that raged from Dec. 31, 1862, to Jan. 2, 1863, the National Park Service now preserves the battlefield area and a military cemetery as well as operates a visitors center near the battlefield’s entrance.
Stones River National Battlefield—a 570-plus-acre swath of land located on Old Nashville Highway, near the train tracks, about three miles outside of downtown Murfreesboro—offers seven miles of trails on a combination of paved, gravel, wood chip and dirt terrain. Some, like the half-mile Cotton Field Trail, are paved and accessible. Others, like the 3.2-mile Boundary Trail, offer a more challenging hiking experience through the woods and rocks that helped decide the outcome of the Battle of Stones River, according to the NPS.
A museum in the visitors center displays telegraphs, guns, shells, tents, drums, surgical instruments, newspaper articles and other relics of the Civil War era, telling stories of
If You Go
s tones r iver n ational b attlefield
3501 Old nashville hwy., Murfreesboro nps.gov.strl
the Battle of Stones River from both Confederate and Union perspectives. Park visitors can also view a short film detailing the battle.
On a recent day, a Park Service employee asks a group entering the visitors center where they are from; Montana, they reply.
From the visitors center, various trails travel the land, including a loop around the battlefield, where so many perished in
the mid-1800s.
Out on this Battlefield Trail, walkers can see the cars on the highway in the distance but mainly hear only the birds and the bugs.
An exploration of the battlefield can make a great educational opportunity for those interested in Civil War history, with informational plaques and markers scattered throughout the site detailing the
Battle of Stones River, ultimately an important Union victory.
This Battlefield Trail is a flat, paved trek, which can be a plus for those pushing strollers or wheelchairs or bicyclists; it is easy and accessible. Other hikers and frequent National Park visitors may desire a more secluded, off-road experience.
The shade is limited here too, with much of this trail out in the open. Though some trails connect the paved inner Battlefield Loop with the outer, more rugged Boundary Trail Loop, cutting through the shady forest.
What with the various offshoots, connectors, trail merges and service roads around the property, many visitors have had difficulty determining exactly which trail they were on, even while referencing a map. Some better signage on the paths could reduce confusion, though getting totally lost shouldn’t be an issue, as open as the battlefield is, with roads nearby.
Many participants in the annual Special Kids Race have become somewhat familiar with the trails, and other runners will utilize the paths throughout the year. A local high school cross country team was running the trails at the battlefield on a recent September afternoon.
Pedestrians and bicyclists may use park roads and trails from sunrise to sunset every day of the year.
And the battlefield visitors center is open every day, other than Thanksgiving and Christmas; check the website for seasonal hours, though.
Those who prefer to journey by automobile can embark upon a driving tour of the battlefield by car also.
Reportedly the park sees lots of wildlife sightings, with visitors noting turkeys, deer, birds, butterflies, squirrels and other creatures.
A sidewalk leading from McFadden Lane within the battlefield to the nearby General Bragg Trailhead connects the Stones River National Battlefield lands to the City of Murfreesboro’s Greenway system and its sprawling trails alongside the Stones River, allowing pedestrian access to much of the town.
The park also includes the Stones River National Cemetery, located across Old Nashville Highway from the main chunk of preserved land and many of its trails and the visitors center.
“The C-shaped Boundary Trail runs along the western border of Stones River
National Battlefield. If you combine this with a park road and a short trail that runs from the Hazen Brigade Monument to the Stones River National Cemetery, you can form a nice loop around the entire park,”
Steven L. Markos, who operates National Park Planner, said of this 3.5-mile journey.
“You have a chance to learn something and get some exercise at the same time.
Including the visit to the cemetery, the hike should take about two hours.”
Of the 76,400 men involved in the Battle of Stones River, a confirmed 1,294 Confederates died and 1,677 Union soldiers lost their lives in the battle, with many more missing and thousands wounded.
Many of the Union soldiers are buried at the Stones River National Cemetery. In fact, 6,850 members of the U.S. military are buried there, including casualties from the Battle of Stones River as well as those from the battles of Murfreesboro, Franklin, Shelbyville, Tullahoma and Cowan, along with others who served for the U.S.A.
Remains of many of the Confederate dead rest within a mass grave known as Confederate Circle within the Evergreen Cemetery, located off of Greenland Drive in Murfreesboro.
m iddle Tennessee Pumpkin Patches, Corn m azes and FA L L FA R M
Numerous m iddle Te NN essee farms will once again celebrate the fall season with pumpkin patches, corn mazes, hay rides and lots of other fall fun and activities for the whole family. Embark on a road trip to one of these Middle Tennessee attractions and view the vibrant colors bursting forth from the brilliantly colored leaves adorning the state’s rolling hills while taking the family for pumpkin picking, to see farm animals, to sample apple cider, barbecue and other fare, for rides, shows, music, bonfires or play areas and all of the sights, sounds and smells of fall.
T HE FARM AT ROUTE 8 S HADY L ANE
3722 ShAdy LN., MurFrEESBOrO (NEAr LASCASSAS)
OPEN daily in October: 2–9 p.m. AdMiSSiON: $5 person; age 4 and under free ONLiNE: facebook.com/route8shadylane FEATurES: Corn maze, haunted woods, toddler maze, food trucks; pumpkins, cornstalks and straw bales for sale.
DOG D AYS
Oct. 26 and 27, visitors are welcome to bring their leashed, well-behaved dogs to the farm, to enjoy a day of outdoor fun.
LUCKY L ADD FARMS
4734 rOCky
gLAdE rd., EAgLEviLLE
OPEN Thurs.–Sun.: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
AdMiSSiON: General admission
$17–$25 (+$2 fee for online tickets)
ONLiNE: luckyladdfarms.com
FEATurES:
Petting zoo, splash pad, pumpkin patch, slides, hayride, playground, corn maze, candy apples, fish pond, tractor train, tire mountain, kid maze, corn box, toddler maze, duck races, pony swings, tricycle race track, straw bale maze, games, trails.
W ALDEN P UMPKIN FARM
8653 rOCky FOrk rd., SMyrNA
OPEN through Oct. 29, Thurs.–Fri.: 2–6 p.m.; Sat.: 9 a.m.–6 p.m.; Sun.: 12–6 p.m. AdMiSSiON: Free; activities require Walden Bucks, all-access wristbands available for $12 ONLiNE: waldenpumpkinfarm.com
FEATurES: Hayrides, farm animals, hay and corn mazes, pumpkins, mums and other fall produce for sale, concession area offering BBQ, hamburgers and sweet treats; country store with fall decorations, jams, jellies, honey, carving kits and toys.
W ILSON FAMILY FARM
4809 Byrd LN., COLLEgE grOvE
(31 miles west of Murfreesboro)
OPEN Saturdays and Sundays throughout October: 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
AdMiSSiON: $13 if participating in activities (including pumpkin picking); children under 2 are free
ONLiNE: thewilsonfamilyfarm.com
FEATurES: Pick-your-own pumpkin, corn maze, hay wagon farm tour, cow train ride.
C EDARWOOD FARMS
2900 OLd NAShviLLE hwy., McMiNNviLLE (34 miles east of Murfreesboro)
OPEN through Oct. 31, Thurs.: 8:30 a.m.–2 p.m.; Fri.: 8:30 a.m.–8 p.m.; Sat.: 9:30 a.m.–8 p.m.; Sun.: 12–5 p.m.
AdMiSSiON: $15 ages 11 and up; $13 for kids 3–10; Pumpkin included with admission; Bonfire is an additional $5; includes hot dogs, marshmallows, chips and a drink (cash or check preferred)
ONLiNE: cedarwoodfarmstn.com
FEATurES: Pick-your-own pumpkin, mazes, jump pad, petting zoo, live music and bonfire by the pond, 100-foot super slide, tire city, treehouse.
G ENTRY FARMS
1974 NEw highwAy 96 w., FrANkLiN
(41 miles west of Murfreesboro)
OPEN in October, Sat.: 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; Sun.: 1–5 p.m.; open Mondays from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. for home-schoolers
AdMiSSiON: $11 per person; adults over 65 and children under 2 get in free ONLiNE: gentryfarm.com
FEATurES: Maze and labyrinth, grain barn, farm arcade, tire swings, kids’ play general store and farmers market, animals, wagon rides, tractor playground, labyrinth, nature trail with views of the West Harpeth River, mini-farm putt-putt.
G RANDADDY ’ S FARM
474 highLANd ridgE rd., ESTiLL SPriNgS
(54 miles south of Murfreesboro)
OPEN through Oct. 28, Tues.–Thurs.: 11:30 a.m.–6 p.m.; Fri.: 11:30 a.m.–8 p.m.; Sat. 9 a.m.–8 p.m.
AdMiSSiON: Tues.–Fri.: $15.95; Sat.: $17.95 plus tax; free for children under 2; season pass: $40.95; hayrides included with admission, pumpkins are $5 each ONLiNE: grandaddysfarm.com
FEATurES: Hayrides, pumpkins, pig
races, corn maze, animal corral, picnic shelters, slides including the 150-foot Landslide, jump pad, corn boxes, fall market with produce, sweet treats and toys.
S HUCKLES C ORN M AZE AND P UMPKIN PATCH AT F IDDLE D EE FARMS
7526 SwiFT rd., grEENBriEr (54 miles northwest of Murfreesboro)
OPEN through Oct. 29, Sat.: 10 a.m.–9 p.m.; Sun.: noon–8 p.m.
AdMiSSiON: $16.43; children 2 and under free; must purchase tickets online to guarantee entry
ONLiNE: shucklescornmaze.com
FEATurES: Storyteller, 150-foot slide, corn maze, pumpkin patch, concessions, games, kids’ zipline, paintball blast, corn cannon, pumpkin bowling.
B OTTOM V IEW FARM
185 wiLkErSON LN., POrTLANd (55 miles north of Murfreesboro)
OPEN daily through Oct. 31, 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
AdMiSSiON: $10 per person; age 2 and under free
ONLiNE: facebook.com/bottomviewfarm
FEATurES: Ride a train to Grandma’s Cabin for a firsthand look at life on a farm, hay rides, slides, jumping pillow, pedal tractors, pony rides (weekend only), gold mine, animals, chicken show, corn maze, world’s largest rolled-hay maze.
H ONEYSUCKLE
H ILL FARM
1765 MArTiNS ChAPEL ChurCh rd., SPriNgFiELd (56 miles northwest of Murfreesboro)
OPEN through Oct. 29, Tues.–Thurs.: 9:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.; Fri.: 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; Sat.: 10 a.m.–8 p.m.; Sun.: 12–6 p.m.; Oct. 9–12: 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
AdMiSSiON: $19.95; Saturdays and Sundays: $21.95; age 2 and under free; season pass: $49.95
ONLiNE: honeysucklehillfarm.com
FEATurES: Pumpkin patch, market, bonfire pits, gemstone mining, milking parlor, swing ride and carousel, hayride, nature trail, musical garden, tire mountain, bungee trampolines, treehouse village, bubble hut, apple blasters, ziplines, slide, corn maze, rock wall, pumpkin hopper, pig races, skeleton band, Honeysuckle Hill School House, raccoon jamboree, dancing tractor, chicken piano show.
spotlight on nonpro F it
Power of Pink
wine Around the Square fundraiser set for Oct. 26, Nick and Adrienne Tarola named 2024 honorees
ThE POPuLAr ANNuAL FuNdrAiSEr
set in various local businesses around the historic Square, kicks off with a VIP party at 4:30 p.m. with the main event starting at 6. Stones River Total Beverages once again provides a wide variety of wines and spirits for sampling throughout the evening. Included in the main event ticket, guests will receive dinner provided by The Alley on Main and Clay Pit.
Proceeds of the event go to support the Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Foundation’s Power of Pink Fund, which provides mammography for underinsured and uninsured women in Rutherford County, including screenings, diagnostics, ultrasounds and MRIs. The Power of Pink Fund also supports two Mobile Mammography Coaches that serve 26 counties in Middle Tennessee.
Now in its 13th year, Wine Around the Square continues to provide the greatest source of funding for the Power of Pink Fund.
“Serving on the committee of the Power of Pink Foundation has been an absolute joy to me these past three years,” says Betty
Robinson. “As a three-year breast cancer survivor, I know the importance of mammograms and early detection of breast cancer.”
Over the past 15 years, the Saint Thomas Rutherford Foundation has raised over $2 million to benefit the Power of Pink. This support has funded over 24,000 mammograms and screenings, diagnostics, ultrasounds and MRI scans. Additionally, Power of Pink has provided rides to and from oncology appointments, offered patient education, supplied life-saving equipment to those facing the most challenging circumstances and distributed breast cancer education books to patients.
“My journey with the hospital’s foundation began over 10 years ago, but it took on a new meaning four years ago when one of my best friends was diagnosed with breast cancer. Witnessing her strength and the challenges she faced inspired me to take on a more active role in fundraising with the Power of Pink golf tournament and Wine Around the Square,” says Ashley Holloway, who serves as a co-chair for this year’s Wine Around the Square VIP party. “I love seeing the community come together for such an important cause. It is fulfilling to know that our work is making a real difference.”
Each year the foundation selects local honorees who are active in the fight against breast cancer. Dr. Nick and Adrienne Tarola have been named the honorees for the 2024 Wine Around the Square event.
When Dr. Nick Tarola came to Murfreesboro to establish Tarola Plastic Surgery, both he and his wife, Adrienne, jumped into involvement in the Murfreesboro community. After Nick completed a fellowship in plastic surgery at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, the Tarolas knew they wanted to raise their children in Middle Tennessee.
Dr. Tarola came to Murfreesboro in 2011 as a specialist in reconstruction surgery for breast cancer survivors.
“As a plastic surgeon,” says Nick, “we get involved after the patient has already been given the cancer diagnosis, decided on a treatment plan, seen their breast surgeon, and they are contemplating breast reconstruction. At that point they come to us to hear about their options, and then we work with their breast surgeon to perform the cancer surgery and reconstruction.”
With a background in event planning and marketing, Adrienne began volunteering for Wine around the Square and Power of Pink almost as soon as the family got settled in the community.
“I started serving the wine,” explains Adrienne. “I worked in the Rosé Garden with Julia McKenna, and then I served on the planning committee for one year. That is the year we decided to make . . . big angel wings with the names of all of [the hospital’s] breast cancer survivors on them. I have served as chair for the VIP party the last two years.”
In 2012, Nick told Adrienne about the launch of Breast Reconstruction Awareness Day (BRA) by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, which falls on the third Wednesday in October. Created to promote education, awareness and access to reconstructive surgery for women interested in post-mastectomy reconstruction, the couple had the idea of creating an event that would promote breast cancer and reconstructive surgery awareness while raising money for the cause. The Ballroom BRA dance competition was born. The event would go on to raise more than $150,000 between 2014 and 2019, with most of the proceeds going to the Power of Pink. Ballroom BRA has not returned since 2019—Adrienne explains that it grew to be a massive undertaking, and with the addition of her store, Nashboro Chic, located across from her husband’s plastic surgery office, and her four children, her time has become limited. The Tarolas, however, remain involved with the Power of Pink and Wine Around the Square, as well as their own 501c3, Reconstructing for Life, which helps individuals pay for reconstructive surgery.
Find tickets for the Oct. 26 wine Around the Square event, for $65, at give.stthomas.org/2024winearoundthesquare; for more information, visit facebook.com/ winearoundthesquare or rutherfordfoundation.org.
Soup on the Square
by l aura lI ndsay
COOkiN’ TO BuiLd, an all-you-can-eat chili and soup cook-off event hosted by and benefiting Rutherford County Area Habitat for Humanity, will take place this year on Saturday, Nov. 2, on the Murfreesboro Public Square. Nov. 2 marks the weekend after this season’s final Murfreesboro Saturday Market.
The rain-or-shine event runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., though people who have painted their own bowls prior to the event get in at 10:30 a.m., according to Megan Hutchings, Community Outreach Coordinator for Rutherford County Habitat for Humanity.
“We advise people to get there early because the food and the bowls go very quickly,” she said. “It’s kind of crazy and
exciting that first hour just trying to get everybody in, and making sure they have their bowl and can start sampling.”
Up until Oct 15, those who wish to paint their own bowls can do so at Color Me Mine at The Avenue, Hutchings said. Participants pay $30 to paint a bowl, and that will also get them into the event. All bowls will be ready for pickup at the event, and there will be plenty of extra painted bowls for attendees to select even if they don’t paint their own.
“People have been collecting the bowls for many years,” Hutchings said. “We started having the event in 2008, so for 16 years.”
About 30 cooking teams will be set up around the square during Cookin’ to Build.
Hammer Down for Habitat presents
Z u PPA TOSCANA
“Soup in the style of Tuscany” Makes: 6–8 servings iNgrEdiENTS
1 pound ground Italian sausage
1½ tsp. crushed red peppers
1 large diced yellow onion
4 tbsp. bacon pieces
2 tsp. garlic purée (or minced)
10 cups water
5 cubes of chicken bouillon (or equal chicken base)
1 cup heavy cream
2 pounds sliced Russet potatoes (about 5 large potatoes)
¼ of a bunch of fresh kale dirECTiONS
1 Sauté Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.
2 In the same pan, sauté bacon, onions and garlic over low-medium heat for approximately 15 minutes or until the onions are soft/translucent.
3 Add chicken bouillon and water to the pot and heat until it starts to boil.
4 Add the sliced potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.
5 Stir in the sausage. Skim off most of the fat from the sausage that floats onto the surface using a large spoon.
6 Add the heavy cream and cook just until thoroughly heated.
7 Add the fresh kale and stir in to allow the leaves to soften slightly.
Each cooking team gets to choose what soup, stew or chili they will make, and then individuals will go around the Square and have samples of all the different dishes.
“Some of the teams are very secretive, especially if they are using a family recipe,” Hutchings said. “And then some teams will share their recipes.”
The team called Hammer Down, affiliated with the Hammer Down for Habitat event— another fundraiser for the local Habitat for Humanity—makes a Zuppa Toscana, and they are always happy to share the recipe.
“Many teams come back every year. Some mix it up each year and some make the same thing every year. Oakland Archery always makes a creamy tomato basil, and they were our winners last year. And, each team that participates will have a special thing that goes with their soup, whether it is a certain side dish, or croutons, crackers or bread—this helps people remember their particular booth when they vote.
“We give out a Golden Bowl award to the winner about a week after the cook-off,”
Hutchings said. “We have just one winner each year. Some have won a few times. . . . It is a friendly competition for sure.”
Melissa Cross, marketing and development director for Rutherford County Habitat for Humanity, said there is a fierce and ongoing competition between the Murfreesboro Noon Rotary Club, Murfreesboro Breakfast Rotary Club and the Rotary Club of Smyrna.
Cookin’ to Build will also feature live entertainment, with two bands coming this year— Memory Train and Mountain Ridge Five.
All funds raised from Cookin’ to Build support the Habitat mission of providing affordable homes in Rutherford County, Hutchings said.
This is the 35th anniversary year of Rutherford County Habitat for Humanity, which was founded in 1989 and is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International.
“When we started out, we were just building a few homes a year, but now we are building 10 to 12 homes a year, and we are building home number 202 right now,” Cross said. “We started Legacy Pointe subdivision in 2019, since it was getting so hard to buy property here because it is so expensive, and people are building houses here that are $400,000. So now we have this wonderful property off of Halls Hill Pike that is 18 acres and will eventually be 76 homes. We have 38 completed homes there right now.”
Each family who gets a Habitat home goes through a financial literacy and home ownership program for 50 weeks. They learn how to manage their money, budget and make good purchasing choices. Habitat homeowners buy their homes through the program, but when buying through Habitat, the Habitat mortgage will not be more than 30 percent of their monthly income. The mortgage payment is typically around $900 a month, Cross said.
“The wonderful thing is they are buying their home, so they are building wealth equity,” she added. “Our homes are efficient, and so the utility bills are small. We make it affordable, and they are beautiful homes. They are really lovely bungalow-style homes. We do mostly one-level homes and some two-level homes for larger families.”
Follow rutherford County habitat for humanity’ s Facebook page for more information and home tips. Find tickets to the 2024 Cookin’ to Build on Eventbrite or paint a bowl and purchase tickets at Color Me Mine, located at The Avenue, 2615 Medical Center Pkwy.
spotlight on nonpro F it
Forget-Me-Not
Special Forget-Me-Not Baskets provide bundles of comfort to parents who lose babies
Kelly ann and JOe Pendergrass
were excited when they found out they were expecting their first child. Weeks later they learned that they were having a little girl, and everything was going according to plan. Their daughter was very active, but then, on the morning of March 11, things seemed different.
“That morning, I felt no move ment, which was odd. After using a doppler at home and finding no heartbeat, we went to Ascension St. Thomas Rutherford Hospital to get checked out,” Kelly Ann shared. “After two ultrasounds, they informed us that our daughter, at 31 weeks and 1 day, no longer had a heartbeat. We were devastated.”
On March 13, Dorothy Rose, who was named after her two greatgrandmothers, was born sleeping.
“While we were at the hospital, we received a basket from Forget-Me-Not Baskets. It contained so many mementos and items of comfort. It really helped us through such a difficult time,” Pendergrass said. Just a few weeks later, on March 31, Kelly Ann had her 31st birthday. She decided to host a fundraiser for Forget-Me-Not Baskets to show
her and Joe’s gratitude for what the baskets provided them, along with the hope to help other families that experience pregnancy or infant loss.
Sara Ringle, the founder of Forget-Me-Not Baskets, resides in Creston, Ohio, but is originally from Murfreesboro. When she heard about Pendergrass’s fundraiser she reached out.
“I thought it would be nice if the Pendergrass family could deliver the baskets that they sponsored, in person,” stated Ringle. “The fact that they wanted to give back and help others, while navigating their own grief, was very humbling to witness.” With the help of family and friends, the Pendergrasses raised a total of $1,224.
Forget-Me-Not Baskets has assembled and donated more than 11,000 baskets to over 70 locations, mainly in Ohio, since 2007. Since 2021, Forget-Me-Not Baskets has gifted over $14,000 in Forget-Me-Not Baskets to Ascension St. Thomas Rutherford. Items like a memory book, journal, certificate of birth, pocket stones, an ornament, flower seeds, blanket, literature, and many other curated items offer an additional connection of support between the nursing staff and the patient at a very sad time.
Each basket donated to Ascension St. Thomas Rutherford Hospital will have a tag or card stating that the items have been donated in memory of Dottie Pendergrass.
For additional information about Forget-Me-Not Baskets, which provide items of grief support, comfort and remembrance for family members experiencing a loss during pregnancy or childbirth, and how to sponsor a basket, visit forgetmenot baskets.com or email fmnbaskets@gmail.com.
Food
Pupusas From the Heart
Any time is a good time for a pupusa, right? Find these wonderful creations—fried pancakes of cornmeal dough stuffed with various fillings—seven days a week at Pupuseria de Corazon, a Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard establishment serving the Salvadoran specialties, along with empanadas, tacos, tortas, fajitas, soups, fried fish, carne asada and more.
Located in a fairly new building next to the Waffle House, the restaurant space currently slinging pupusas has already hosted various businesses over recent years (Bee Hive Bistro, Hacienda los Miranda, Bread & Butter Sandwich Co.).
The Dish
restaurant
Pupuseria de Corazon
lOcatIOn
2333 dr. Martin Luther king Jr. Blvd. phOne
615-424-7193
hOurs
Mon.: 10 a.m.–8 p.m.; Tues.–Thurs.: 8 a.m.–8 p.m.; Fri.: 10 a.m.–8:30 p.m.; Sat.: 8 a.m.–8:30 p.m.; Sun.: 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
prIces
revueltas, frijol con queso, loroco, or queso con chicharron pupusa: $3; yuca frita: $8; Taco: $2.25; Carne asada: $14; Torta or burrito: $9; Mojarra frita: $15
OnlIne
orderpupuseriadecorazon.com
The pupusas at Corazon appear slightly flatter than some thicker versions that local diners may have experienced.
Discover the flavor of loroco at Corazon. A flower that makes a popular flavor addition to Salvadoran cooking, loroco has a floral, herby, garden-y taste, along the lines of oregano, maybe, or zucchini or asparagus, green and earthy.
Pupuseria de Corazon may not be the cleanest, quickest, most English-fluent or polished restaurant in town, but it offers some fine pupusas and slaw.
Bumping Spanish-language hip-hop greets visitors entering the pupuseria, a little warm in there as the midday sun pours in, but those awaiting an order can cool off with a cinnamony horchata or a mango or jamaica agua fresca.
Grab a taco at the restaurant—onionheavy, street-style, pastor, asada or pollo tacos—for only $2.25.
The pupusa menu features pupusas stuffed with the classic beans and cheese or with steak, chicken, jalapeño, chorizo, even a zucchini and cheese pupusa and other flavors of the fried cakes. The revueltas pupusa adds some small bits of pork to the cheese and beans.
Large containers of slaw, known as curtido, arrive at the tables along with the pupusas. This cool slaw contains a delightful fresh blend of sour, spicy, sweet and vinegar, a crunchy veggie balance to place atop the bready, heavier pupusas, completing the experience. Large jugs of a red and (spicier) green salsa can accompany the meal to kick it up another notch.
Further exploring the menu leads a diner to the yuca frita, another favorite of El Salvador, evidently translated to Tennessean as: fried taters topped with little fishies and salad. The dish features thick, french fry-like pieces of the cassava plant (known as yuca, similar to a potato) along with tomato, slaw, peppers, radish and the small fried anchovies, a tasty blend for those into that sort of thing.
The Salvadoran menu also includes pastelitos, hand pies filled with chicken and vegetables, another popular dish in the Central American country.
Corazon has some very good, cheesy tortas, sandwiches on thick, soft bread, loaded with lots of beans, lettuce, tomato, avocado, jalapeño, meat and cheese. Eat
stO ry by b racken MayO | p h OtO s by s arah MayO
taco asada
one while it’s warm and the bread is still lovely, fresh and fluffy. Baked goods are also available; find a variety of flaky, colorful Hispanic pastries at the restaurant.
The menu contains all sorts of other Central American dishes—seafood soup and other soups, egg dishes, plantains and more.
Those in a hurry, or to arrange to pick up a meal, can place an advance order at orderpupuseriadecorazon.com
Don’t expect to get questions regarding the menu answered in English. And some visitors find the atmosphere a little bizarre: a hodgepodge of handbags, makeup, shirts, jewelry and candy for sale clutters up the space a little.
But the place has plenty of flavorful, affordable options to try. Corazon translates as heart, and the Murfreesboro eatery does indeed serve up some pupusas made with love.
torta asada
yuca frita
Mango y Jamaica agua frescas
arounD toWn ’b O r O b us I ness buzz
velvet
room, Floor & d ecor, Taste of india, E|spaces, Panther Creek, h wy 55, Saddle woods Farm
by delO res ell IOt
t
hwy 55 BurgErS, ShAkES ANd FriES has opened at 5131 Franklin Rd. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, and it offers dine-in and drive-thru services.
Hwy 55 Burgers, Shakes & Fries now offers an All-American diner experience in 10 states, serving burgers, cheesesteaks, salads, chicken tenders, shrimp po’ boys, tots and frozen custard. The Murfreesboro location is currently hiring.
TASTE OF iNdiA will open at 120 Eleanor Way. Paul Singh confirms that he is working opening the Indian restaurant in the space where Xingha Sab Bor Lao operated.
Taste of India will offer a buffet during lunch hours and a full menu of Indian items for dinner.
A different restaurant known as LOS ChurrASCOS will take over the space where El Cubilete had its Memorial Boulevard location, near Climb and Primrose Table, according to a banner hung at the space.
OBENTO has taken over the restaurant space at 1636 New Salem Hwy., Ste. G, specializing in Japanese meal boxes.
Affiliated with Oishiya Hibachi & Sushi on Cason Lane, Obento serves stir-fried noodles and fried rice; teriyaki chicken, salmon, shrimp and beef; gyoza, edamame, oden soup, squid salad, grilled eel, taco yaki (fried wheat balls with octopus) and other offerings. For more information or to place an order, visit obento-tn.com.
FLOOr & dECOr has announced plans to build a 59,879-square-foot store on six acres along Beasie Road near Costco. Floor & Decor also operates Middle Tennessee locations in Antioch, Brentwood and Hendersonville.
Murfreesboro’s new drAkE’S location, situated in the new Clari Park development at 2614 Roby Corlew Ln. off Medical Center
Parkway, is now open to the public. The restaurant hosted its ribbon cutting on Sept. 30.
This is Drake’s seventh Tennessee location—as well as three more Kentucky locations and one in Missouri—in addition to its 23 existing locations.
The restaurant offers burgers, beer, steak, sushi, salads, chili, fried pickles, buffalo chicken quesadillas and more.
The restaurant will also feature its popular boneless bites and beer of the month for $10 every Tuesday, a reward program where members can earn points per every dollar spent, complimentary birthday and anniversary desserts and more.
For more information and a full menu, visit drakescomeplay.com
E|SPACES has announced that it will open its newest location in Murfreesboro at 1639 Medical Center Pkwy., its 12th location. E|spaces Murfreesboro is set to provide local professionals, entrepreneurs
Daniel and Crystal Creach have announced they will be opening a private membership club on the historic Murfreesboro Square by the name of ThE vELvET rOOM SPEAkEASy. The owners expect the speakeasy to open within the next two months within the lower level of the Hoffman Brothers Building, 112 S. Maple St. The Velvet Room will offer a variety of exciting events including bourbon, scotch and wine tastings; live art and music including acoustic, blues and jazz; 1920s mixology classes, seasonal and holiday parties, murder mysteries and more.
Daniel and Crystal describe the The Velvet Room as a club that will take guests back to the golden age of the Prohibition Era, offering the finest craft cocktails, an elegant wine selection, entertainment and small meals.
In attempt to keep the speakeasy authentic, the club features a dress code not permitting jeans, sneakers, Tshirts, shorts, athletic wear or anything considered casual. Membership prices start at $99 per month.
and remote workers a cutting-edge facility to enhance productivity and creativity while escaping a potential long commute to Nashville. Amenities will include onsite parking, IT Helpdesk access, free wifi, a business address and fully stocked cafe, location manager assistance, notary services, 24/7 access to the facility, flatscreen displays, networking events, conference phones and more.
The 23,000-square-foot space includes private offices, co-working spaces and meeting rooms for teams of all sizes. Memberships start at $200 per month. For more information, visit espaces.com
Local event venue SAddLE wOOdS FArM has changed hands and is currently undergoing a number of renovations. Newly acquired by Infinity Hospitality, enhancements include the construction of an all-new outdoor pavilion adjacent to
Daniel has a diverse background in music, the restaurant industry and technology. He played a key role in opening a family-owned restaurant in his hometown of Fort Myers which continues to thrive. In 2016, he founded a tech company that developed heated wearables for various industries, including communications, manufacturing and the U.S. military.
Daniel is also an accomplished interior designer and the creative mind behind the theme of The Velvet Room, where he aims to transport guests back in time with his unique design vision.
Crystal has 17 years of experience in corporate environments specializing in people and culture. She has a track record of supporting operations as a strategic partner, developing successful talent strategies.
For more information on The Velvet Room Speakeasy, visit thevelvetroom.com CONTiNuEd ON PAgE 34
the Saddle Woods indoor event barn, a large stone walkway leading to the cedar wood barn space—featuring a fountain centerpiece, intricate stonework, multiple platforms, and picturesque flowers and greenery—as well as a remodeling of its Cottage and Quarters buildings.
Based in Nashville, Infinity Hospitality also owns The Bridge Building and The Bell Tower in Nashville, and The Estate at Cherokee Dock in Lebanon, as well as Murfreesboro’s Saddle Woods and its secluded 25-acre property. Saddle Woods Farm renovations are slated for completion by May of 2025.
For more information, visit saddlewoodsfarm.com/renovations and infinityhospitalitygroup.com.
uNdiSPuTEd COLLECTiBLES LLC, which specializes in collecting and selling anime-based, Pokémon and sport-related cards and collectibles, has been working towards opening a physical storefront.
“Just over a year ago, we decided to come together and create this LLC to improve the card-game scene in our area, which we believe has massive opportunity for growth,” according to information from the proprietor. “We pride ourselves on pricing to market value and not trying to nickel-and-dime our customer base.”
The business currently has online stock, and sets up at local events and those in surrounding states, with the most recent being in Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina and Tennessee. In addition to Pokémon cards, Undisputed has also jumped into the hottest anime-based card games, including One Piece, Dragon Ball Super and Union Arena.
Undisputed has started a fundraiser on GoFundMe to help raise the funds to maintain a retail space for at least six months, including utilities, while also expanding its inventory.
For more information, visit undisputed collectibles.com or find a page to Help Undisputed Collectibles Open a Physical Store on GoFundMe.
Plans for Murfreesboro’s new vETErANS PArk continue to solidify, with Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation Department officials saying the park could open to visitors by late 2025.
Plans for the park, located on Veterans Parkway near Blackman Road, include a large playground, eight pickle ball courts and three miles of hiking trails. This will be the first city-owned park in the growing Blackman neighborhood of west Murfreesboro.
AMELiA’S CLOSET, a Murfreesboro nonprofit organization dedicated to providing
Luna Latin Food, which opened early April of this year and was located within the gas station at 2181 Old Fort Pkwy., recently rebranded to ThE TACO ShOP and celebrated its grand reopening late July. The new restaurant is family owned, offering a variety of meal options from tamales and tacos to pizza birria and pambazo, a sandwich filled with chorizo and potatoes, dipped in a red guajillo pepper sauce, fried and then topped with lettuce, queso fresco and crema. For a limited time this fall, the restaurant will offer a special pumpkin spice horchata. For more information, find The Taco Shop on Facebook.
professional attire and career development resources to women in the Middle Tennessee area, recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary. For the past decade, Amelia’s Closet has offered a sense of hope and transformation for women facing significant challenges in their personal and professional lives. Since its founding in 2014, Amelia’s Closet has assisted more than 750 women and gifted over $184,000 worth of clothing and makeovers.
“We are humbled and amazed to be able to celebrate this milestone and reflect on the incredible impact Amelia’s Closet has made over the past 10 years,” said founder and executive director Jody Powers. “Our mission of empowering women to break poverty cycles and build brighter futures for themselves and their families would not be possible without the generous support of our community. Thank you to our incredible volunteers and donors. You are truly helping change lives.”
Visit ameliascloset.org for more information on the organization.
clOsIng
After four years in business, PANThEr CrEEk BrEwS has announced that it will be closing its taproom, located at 714 W. Main St., on Saturday, Oct. 5.
“As painful as it is, the Panther Creek Brews Taproom has come to an end,” according to a September social media post sharing the news. “This past year has brought several challenges that have forced us into a situation we hoped we would never see. Panther Creek Brews will live on and keep our beer alive and flowing in the market, so please request it everywhere you hang out.”
The taproom will maintain normal hours until its final day, Oct. 5, so customers can stop by and grab a beer on draft or a fourpack of Porch Lyfe until then. Panther Creek will still have a presence at area festivals and its beer will remain available at area stores and restaurants.
For more information, visit panthercreekbrews.com.
PArTy FOwL has closed its Murfreesboro location on Broad Street, leaving Murfreesboro without perhaps its favorite spot for Nashville hot chicken.
Party Fowl—also known for its catfish, brunch items, boozy slushies, salads and burgers—has closed its Cool Springs restaurant recently, as well.
push fOr baseball stadIuM at cannOnsburgh cOntInues
In 2023 it seemed like a clash of history versus baseball at Cannonsburgh, but now a group is seeking to combine and celebrate both. After a proposal last year to bring a professional baseball stadium to Murfreesboro raised concerns that the facility would replace Cannonsburgh Village, even the proposed team owner signed the petition to save Cannonsburgh. Out of that effort, “Home Run History” was born. The leader of the Save Cannonsburgh effort, Lisa Cisco, is even leading this newly named group. Home Run History has been advising the prospective owner to make sure any proposal would celebrate and preserve Cannonsburgh Village. The main entrance to the sports complex could showcase Cannonsburgh, making it the front door of this multi-use facility. As a result, guests using the main entrance would have an opportunity to stroll through the village prior to going to a baseball game, concert or community event.
An approximate 3,500-seat stadium could be on city-owned land adjacent and immediately west of Cannonsburgh Village, providing enough room for both a ballpark and the historic pioneer village.
An architectural firm specializing in sports facilities, hkS, has been retained by the prospective AMEriCAN ASSOCiATiON OF PrOFESSiONAL BASEBALL franchise to design a unique facility that reflects the beauty and character of Murfreesboro and Cannonsburgh Village.
“The ballpark is designed to weave the facility into the fabric of the Cannonsburgh Village without infringing on its historic elements,” said Fred Ortiz, global practice director of sports and entertainment and partner at HKS.”
“A year ago, I took action to save Cannonsburgh. Now the focus is to showcase it and revitalize this beloved facility. Home Run History seeks to do just that as it supports the creation of a true community gathering place for Murfreesboro,” said Home Run History Chair Lisa Cisco. “We are not asking our city council to do anything immediately or even in the short term. We are committed to a process as long as it takes to build community support and goodwill.”
To learn more, visit homerunhistory.com.
A Slice of m urfreesboro History
iF AnYBODY knOWS mE, they know I love Sir Pizza. If you’re from Murfreesboro, I’m gonna say there’s a pretty good chance you’ve had Sir Pizza.
With that being said, I got the opportunity to sit down with Rod Fortner, the son of the founder of Sir Pizza here in Tennessee. For me, it was an honor to get to ask him questions that I’ve always wondered about.
Mr. MurfreesbOrO: when and where did Sir Pizza begin?
rOd fOrtner: Bob Fortner, my dad, who was a painter and drywall contractor from Muncie, Indiana, brought the first Sir Pizza here in 1966.
who helped you get started?
Phil Butler was my dad’s best friend and he was the milkman for Pizza King, which was owned and was started by Bob Schwartz from Muncie, Indiana. Schwartz told Phil that he should open up a Pizza King franchise in North Carolina because that’s where Phil was from. Bob Fortner goes to Florida and thought that would be a good place to start. However, he and his family stopped in Murfreesboro and loved the people so much and chose Murfreesboro.
where was the first Sir Pizza here?
If
You Go s ir p izza
3 locations:
1902 E. Main St. 3219 Memorial Blvd. 110 A veterans Pkwy.
Jackson Heights. Everything from the pizza crust, to all the condiments we use, and to cook the sausage.
who came up with the idea of the knight and name Sir Pizza?
Jackson Heights Plaza by the movie theater. Bob spoke to Mr. Jackson and found a perfect spot in Jackson Heights Plaza. That was the first location in Tennessee.
where were the other locations?
Charlotte Avenue in Nashville, Bellevue, Smyrna and two in Murfreesboro.
what makes Sir Pizza the best pizza compared to other pizzas?
There’s no egg in the mix of the crust, which makes the crust crunchy. That’s the difference.
where do you get your ingredients?
We have a commissary that’s located under
We thought about calling it Pizza King like Bob’s. However, we found out there were a bunch of mom-and-pop pizza places with the name Pizza King. We came up with the knight as a marketing tool because of the name, Sir, which reminded me of a knight.
i’ve had people that want me to ask you how come y’all don’t have the buffet anymore?
It’s not profitable, but we do have the salad bar.
where do you see Sir Pizza in the future?
Since I’m retired, that will be up to my son Ryan and his first cousin, Leanne Poole, to decide, because they are the new owners.
dId yOu
knOw?
Sir Pizza had a connection to Starwood Amphitheater in its final year in 2006? Sir Pizza was sold there that year. I had no idea.
A funny story that Rod told me: he was making pizzas in the kitchen there at Starwood at a concert. A Metro police officer came walking in and asked him “Do you have a red Corvette?” Rod answered “Yes.” The police officer told him there was a patron passed out in his car. I have no idea if he went to jail and neither does Rod.
As you can see, Sir Pizza is one of the long traditions of Murfreesboro. Most of us have stories—some people’s first date was at Sir Pizza, somebody’s first taste of pizza was at Sir Pizza.
When I go to heaven there will hopefully be a Sir Pizza.
As one of my friends told me—and some
of y’all know where the Country Gourmet is, and about how they put out different Murfreesboro Christmas ornaments at Christmastime—well, we think there should be a Sir Pizza one just because of the role it has played here in Murfreesboro for the last 58 years.
I’d like to thank Rod Fortner for meeting me at the East Main Street location of Sir Pizza and for my half of the Farmer’s Almanac (a Sir Pizza specialty topped with ham, pepperoni, mushrooms, green peppers, onions, sausage and beef, black olives and green olives).
Now, everybody go out and make it a great day, and do something nice for somebody.
Call Bill wilson for your local real estate needs at 615-406-5872.
by t I ffany b Oyd
Opinion # FREE YO u R CH i LDRE n
u nelected, s oviet- s tyle c ouncils m aking Education d ecisions in tennessee
OvEr ThE LAST SEvErAL yEArS Free YOUR Children has had a firsthand look at the political process in Tennessee. I have come to the striking and unsettling realization that the voice of “We the People” has been largely silenced by a form of government that Charlotte Isterbyt warned about. Here is an excerpt from Isterbyt’s book The Deliberate Dumbing Down of America: These documents prove there has been a well-formulated and funded plan to change the American system of government through decision making by unelected task forces, Soviet-style five-year plans, Delphi-type discussion groups, etc. This type of participatory decision making called for by regional government—involving partnerships and unelected councils—is taking place in every state of the nation today. It is rarely challenged since few Americans understand our constitutional form of government, and are, therefore, unable to recognize the important differences between a representative republic and the parliamentary form of government found in socialist democracies.
Tennessee, the red state, is operating from a place of big government where Big Brother gets the final say. Several glaring examples of this in education are the State Charter School Commission, the State Board of Education and the Non-Public Schools Advisory Council. I realize there are multiple other areas of government in which this is being implemented, but my focus is education; therefore, we will start here with the State Charter School Commission.
Local school boards really have no control over charter schools even though that is the lie taxpayers are being fed.
If local school boards vote down a charter school, the school can then appeal to the State Charter School Commission. This com-
mission can override, and has overridden, decisions of local school boards and approved the charter schools to open, completely disregarding the decisions of local, elected school board members. Who sits on the State Charter School Commission, you ask? Well, whomever the governor chooses, of course.
“All members are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the General Assembly,” according to tn.gov information on the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission.
The State Board of Education is another example. Who sits on the State Board of Education? Same song and dance.
“Board members are unpaid appointments, confirmed by the Governor and legislature.”
The State Board of Education works in conjunction with the Tennessee Department of Education, and “establishes rules and policies governing all aspects of K–12 education necessary for the success of individual children, their communities and the state of Tennessee,” as its rules and policies read.
why be cOncerned?
The State Board of Education in Tennessee has a huge influence over public, private and home-schools. This became apparent to Free YOUR Children after learning that rules were being “revised in 2023 that would affect nonpublic schools (Category IV homeschools).”
In 2023 I reached out to Diana Burton, the Director of Non-Public School Programs for the Tennessee Department of Education, to discuss this matter. Below is a portion of Diana Burton’s reply:
The State Board, in collaboration with the Department of Education, began the process to revise and update the rules in 2022 to remove outdated language and provide additional
clarity for families and schools regarding the requirements of non-public schools in Tennessee. As part of these revisions last year, State Board and Department staff provided several opportunities to the public to offer feedback on these rule revisions. We held multiple meetings with the Tennessee Non-Public Schools Advisory Council (which includes representatives from homeschool organizations), and solicited feedback from the Tennessee Christian Schools Association, Tennessee Association of Independent Schools (TAIS), and the Heads of School for a number of Category III schools. The State Board also held a formal rulemaking hearing, as required by law, on Sept. 15, 2022 to gather additional public comment. The rules were approved by the State Board in October 2022 and are currently undergoing formal approval by the Secretary of State’s office. The effective date of the rule revisions is August 15, 2023.
The Department collaborates closely with the State Board of Education on rule and policy revisions for Tennessee education. We value feedback from parents and families regarding changes to State Board rules, and would encourage you to review the State Board Meetings Calendar for upcoming opportunities to offer public feedback on rule revisions.
I became increasingly concerned when it was brought to my attention that there was a Non-Public Schools Advisory Council that was working in conjunction with the State Board of Education. Who sits on that advisory council? Those nine members are appointed by The Commissioner of Education, who is appointed by the governor. Do you see a pattern?
I requested the dates of the non-public schools advisory committee meetings in order to cover those meetings for the public at large and I received a response almost three months later from the Tennessee Department of Education staff attorney Marlee Lizarraga: The TN Department of Education has received your request for the dates of upcoming Nonpublic Schools Advisory Council meetings. These meetings are not open to the public and are organized by the advisory council itself, not the Department. The advisory council’s role is to advise and update the Department on matters related to the approval and administration of non-public schools. Additionally, the advisory council is not a governing body with decision making authority, and the purpose of the meeting is not to make a decision, or deliberate toward a decision, for which a quorum is required. Therefore, the meeting is not subject to the Tennessee Open Meetings Act (TOMA).
This Non-Public School Advisory Council is advising the Department of Education on policies that affect taxpayers and families, yet we are not allowed to attend the meetings. Matthew Bullington, the President of the Middle Tennessee Home Education Association, is serving his second term on the NonPublic Schools Advisory Council. On Aug. 12, 2020, Mr. Bullington contacted me to thank me for alerting the MTHEA to the Well-Being Child Check initiative. When asked if he would address the home-school community about the work that his organization was doing about the Well-Being Child Checks, Bullington responded, “I’ll take out the sentence about me being on the advisory council. I’m fine with home-school leaders knowing but am not wanting to broadcast it, as this is the first time in a long while that the TDOE has asked for a home-school representative to be on that committee and I don’t want to compromise that new position.”
I did not know then what this advisory council was, nor did I understand why he didn’t want anyone to know he was sitting on that council, as I was not directly involved with the political process at that time. However, this incident regarding the WellBeing Child Check Initiative was the catalyst to the work I do today. I knew there was a big problem within our state government, I just didn’t know how big or why. Now I do. Why would the President of the Middle Tennessee Homeschool Education Association not want the home-school community at large to know he was sitting on that council? How can you represent the home-school community at large if they are unaware of what is being discussed in the meetings and they are not allowed to give their feedback? After the 2023 rule change for non-public schools and much pushback from the home-school community, Mr. Bullington finally addressed his position on this council via a video.
The fact remains that decisions, policies and rules made by appointed, non-elected individuals and councils should not be acceptable in a Constitutional Republic. Why is it happening, and why are “We the People” allowing it?
Tiffany Boyd is the founder of Free yOur Children, a homeschool advocate, consultant, speaker and the founder and administrator of Middle Tennessee Christian homeschool Connection. Contact her at freeyourchildren@gmail.com.
Opinion
Constitution Study by paul engel
t he m yth of the m ilitary- s tyle a ssault w eapon
ThErE ArE PLENTy OF MyThS that revolve around the Second Amendment: that it’s only meant for the militia, or only for hunting, or that some weapons are just too dangerous. These are only a few of those myths. When we read the Constitution, along with just a tiny bit of research into the Bill of Rights, these myths should evaporate like the morning mist. In the case Bianchi v. Brown, it appears the Fourth Circuit believes the myths.
assault weapons ban
Maryland, like some other states, have laws known as “assault weapons bans.” First, we have to define what Maryland calls an “assault weapon.”
The statute defines “assault weapon” as “(1) an assault long gun; (2) an assault pistol; or (3) a copycat weapon.” … The term “assault long gun,” in turn, encompasses more than forty-five enumerated long guns “or their copies, regardless of which company produced and manufactured” the firearm. ... These proscribed guns include an assortment of military-style rifles and shotguns capable of semiautomatic fire, such as the AK-47, almost all models of the AR-15, the SPAS-12, and the Barrett .50 caliber sniper rifle. … The term “assault pistol” encompasses more than fifteen enumerated firearms and their copies. These include the TEC-9 and semiautomatic variants of the MAC-10, MP5K, UZI, and other military-style submachine guns.
— Bianchi v. Brown
Maryland defines many different rifles, shotguns, and pistols as “assault weapons.” Many of these weapons are actually semi-automatic weapons, as opposed to the full-automatic many people think of as “assault” or “military style” weapons. Maryland also defines a “copycat” weapon as a firearm that is not an assault long gun or assault pistol yet is covered by at least one of the following six categories:
(i) a semiautomatic centerfire rifle that can accept a detachable magazine and has any two of the following: a folding stock;
a grenade launcher or flare launcher; or a flash suppressor;
(ii) a semiautomatic centerfire rifle that has a fixed magazine with the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds;
(iii) a semiautomatic centerfire rifle that has an overall length of less than 29 inches;
(iv) a semiautomatic pistol with a fixed magazine that can accept more than 10 rounds;
(v) a semiautomatic shotgun that has a folding stock; or
(vi) a shotgun with a revolving cylinder.
— Bianchi v. Brown
What I find interesting are the banned features that have nothing to do with the lethality of the weapon. For example, how does a folding stock or flash suppressor make the weapon more lethal? The answer is that it doesn’t. Nevertheless, Maryland law prohibits any person in the state from selling, purchasing, receiving, transporting, transferring or possessing these “assault weapons.” A violator of Md. Code, Crim. Law § 4-303 faces up to three years of imprisonment. Maryland law enforcement officers are also authorized to seize and dispose of the weapons in violation of this law. There are several constitutional issues with this Maryland law, not just regarding the Second Amendment. Chief among them is the confiscation of so-called “assault weapons.” Is it reasonable for law enforcement to seize property that was legally purchased? It’s one thing to seize an item that was purchased or even transported in violation of the law, but what about the weapons that were purchased, received, or transported before this law went into effect?
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated.
— U.S. Constitution, Amendment IV
It also violates the Fourteenth Amendment: nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; — U.S. Constitution, Amendment XIV
Those who challenged the law did not claim it was a violation of the Fourth or Fourteenth Amendments, but of the Second. Appellants are three Maryland residents who allege that they are legally eligible to possess and acquire firearms, three nonprofit gun rights organizations to which the residents belong, and a licensed firearms dealer based in Maryland. On November 13, 2020, ap -
pellants filed a complaint under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland against the then-Attorney General of Maryland and other state law enforcement officials. Appellants contended that these officials’ enforcement of Maryland’s assault weapons regulations was unconstitutional under the Second Amendment’s right to keep and bear arms.
— Bianchi v. Brown
Bianchi and company agreed that what they were asking the court to do was contrary to the court’s previous opinion in Kolbe v. Hogan—a previous constitutional challenge to the very same Maryland statute, in which the court concluded that the assault weapons at issue were “not constitutionally protected arms.” Between the court’s decision in Kolbe and this case, however, the Supreme Court had decided New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen.
second amendment
The Second Amendment instructs, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
U.S. Const. amend. II. This single sentence provides us with a lofty command, but little concrete guidance. In the past two decades, the Supreme Court has stepped in to provide this guidance, offering a methodological framework by which to structure our inquiry.
— Bianchi v. Brown
Here I completely disagree with the court. The Second Amendment gives very concrete guidance: The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. It doesn’t get much more concrete than that.
the decision
The Framers recognized they could not foresee all the dangers that novel weaponry would someday pose, or the circumstances that would invoke the basic power of government to protect the governed . . . we hold that the Maryland statute is plainly a constitutional enactment.
— Bianchi v. Brown
The Second Amendment was not drafted to limit the powers of the people so government could protect them. The Second Amendment was drafted to insure the American people could defend themselves, including defense against a government that went beyond its limited and enumerated powers. Any arm and weapon of offense or armor
for defense is protected by the Second Amendment. The members of this court violated their oaths of office.
conclusion
Are there weapons too dangerous for the people to use? If there are, then they are too dangerous for people in government to use as well.
“The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference—they deserve a place of honor with all that’s good.” — George Washington
The purpose of the Second Amendment is not to protect hunting or shooting sports, but to insure that the people have the tools necessary to restrain evil interference in their lives.
[T]he advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation, the existence of subordinate governments, to which the people are attached, and by which the militia officers are appointed, forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition, more insurmountable than any which a simple government of any form can admit of.
— James Madison, Federalist #46
These are just a few of the quotes from our Founding Fathers about our right to keep and bear arms. The very fact that the American people are armed and can form militias attached to their states is a barrier to the enterprises of an ambitious government, even if the states and the people haven’t used them lately.
This court got the Bianchi decision wrong, for many reasons. They made outrageous and erroneous claims about the weapons in question (the court appears to not like the AR-15 because it’s a very flexible and capable platform), they attempted to scare people into agreeing with their decision, and apparently denied the appellants justice by delaying the publication of their decision until after another panel gave them the answer they wanted. Worst of all, this court completely ignored the law and made one up for itself. Because of the court’s malfeasance, people in Maryland will be denied their rights protected by the Constitution. Some may even be arrested, jailed, and forever denied their rights as convicted felons, in large part because this court sought an outcome rather than applying the law.
Paul Engel is the founder of The Constitution Study, which encourages discourse. read more at constitutionstudy.com or contact him at paul@constitutionstudy.com.
h ave r ough s tart to s eason u gly m istakes, b locked p unts and a b eatdown From m alik w illis
ThE TrAiN dAddy iS BACk with sports news, life lessons and politically incorrect talk. All aboard! First, let me start off by saying the last article didn’t age well. I still believe every word of what I wrote, but daggum if the Tennessee Titans didn’t let us down to start the season. They tell me it’s just a game, but many of you, like myself, invest so much of our time and feelings into this game. I may question my fandom during these tough times, but I know without doubt that I am addicted, and I will never not be 100% in. We ride or die in this household, so no matter how bad it gets, I am there every
weekend cheering this damn team on regardless of who is under center!
Let me apologize to Malik Willis. I said in my last article, and I quote, “I imagine uninspiring football will follow him to Green Bay.”
Malik Willis, probably one of the humblest dudes in the NFL, had other plans as he came into Nashville as QB1 for the Packers and nearly singlehandedly whooped that Titans’ ass in one of the most embarrassing losses we have seen in years.
It just felt like something that would happen to the Titans! I mean, Malik looked a mess for years. If he had to throw the ball more than 10 times for
the Titans it was a disaster in the making. And then he gets sent to Green Bay and starts looking like Brett Favre. Good for him.
Someone also told me in a very angry email that I should apologize to Anthony Richardson for calling him the “Combine Kid” who runs around like a chicken with his head cut off. Why should I apologize for that? I honestly don’t know if the higher-ups in Indianapolis are trying to help Anthony Richardson develop or kill him? He isn’t lasting long in the NFL the way he is playing. The combine kid can jump high and run fast but he looks a mess on the field.
Even with how big of a mess Will Levis has been for the Titans to start the 2024 season he hasn’t been as dismal as Richardson. I say that while looking down at my feet!
Don’t get it twisted—both signal callers have been liabilities for their teams with both QBs having thrown more interceptions than touchdowns a quarter of the way into the season.
It’s just different kinds of bad— pick your poison! Do you want a freak athlete QB with no care in the world for his health, struggling to complete simple throws, hovering near a 50% completion rate? Or do you want a quarterback who has shown he can make the throws, who even now with his struggles is sitting right at a 70% completion rate, but the problem is this quarterback evidently has a jelly bean for a brain.
I understand Levis has been ugly for the Titans to start 2024. Bro literally leads the NFL in turnovers as I am writing this, with Jalen Hurts and Anthony Richardson rounding out the top 3.
The déjà vu of week 1 to 2 was mind blowing! These games had two of the dumbest plays I have ever seen from an NFL quarterback followed by back-to-back punt blocks. This team easily should have started the season 2–0 with wins over the Bears and Jets. Instead the team shot themselves in the foot and still managed to only lose both of those
games by a single score (both games by scores of 24–17, in fact).
I, and the Titans, have no excuses for the Packers game. That was just a good old-fashioned whooping and a well-deserved victory for the Packers.
Before I get talking about other aspects of this Titans team, I will say one last thing about Will Levis and his future in this league. I am deeply concerned about his situational awareness.
Robert Downey Jr. said it best in Tropic Thunder: “Everybody knows you never go full retard. . . . Then you got Tom Hanks, Forrest Gump. Slow, yes, retarded, maybe, braces on his legs. But he charmed the pants off Nixon, and he won a Ping-Pong competition. That ain’t retarded.”
Somebody needs to tell Titans quarterback Will Levis you never go full retard! When the play gets stretched in a crucial moment and the defender is bearing down on you it’s okay to take the sack, it’s okay to check it down but it is not okay to throw a pick 6. If he wants to be a QB in the NFL he has to learn that. A QB like Mason Rudolph has learned that and it’s why he is in the situation he is in right now.
It’s a new-look team with new pieces everywhere in a Callahan system that isn’t learned overnight. Nobody should be surprised if it doesn’t work year 1, even though we all are very simple creatures who just want immediate satisfaction.
The offensive line certainly is an issue, but it’s been a problem for numerous years, a horrific problem. I have faith that another year of Daddy Callahan and that line will start to look as it should. The weapons are there if the line can learn to give Levis just a little time.
I wasn’t happy when I originally saw the Titans had a Week 5 bye, but I certainly am not complaining now. After finally pulling off a victory against the lowly Dolphins on prime time, this team needs a reset. Look at the good done in that win and take another step forward. I am not even wor-
ried about who the QB is right now. Levis or Rudolph, whatever! I do know if Mason Rudolph starts balling out, I am going to buy a Rudolph jersey, some antlers and a red nose, and for Halloween I will be the coolest person in the room, bet that. What do I want to see from this Titans team after the bye to finish out the season? I don’t need hope of playoffs or a division battle. I just want to see the young QB start to get some confidence back. Or maybe I want to see Mason run the offense Callahan wants to run if Levis continues to be so reckless. I want to see the coaches vibing and the locker room buying into what they are selling. That’s enough for me! If this team can start to play respectable football down the stretch and have some excitement for growth heading into 2025 that’s a huge win. That’s all I want, simple enough. But if this team doesn’t learn from its mistakes it is going to be a long season being the laughingstock of the NFL. I don’t give two turds about looking ahead to the draft and hoping for a high pick. I am looking to the now and a victory any given Sunday is a victory for my mood and that makes me a happy fan.
As a diehard Vols fan I certainly could have gone with them on this issue and gloated about how great things are right now. But I feel like the Titans need all the help they can get right now. Between this article and the next I will have turned 40 years old, and we will have a new president! I don’t know about you, but for the sake of my wallet I sure hope President Trump is victorious. That’s all the politics you will get from me. I prefer my motto over politics.
The 5 F’s—Faith, Family, Football, Food and Friends. How can you hate on that? Having faith, loving family and enjoying the unpredictable beauty of football all while eating some amazing food! I don’t know about you, but I believe I have my priorities in order. Choo-choo!
Live Exceptionally...Well!
by JennIfer durand
What Are You Really After?
WHiLE OuR WORLD seems to be surrounded by political, social and civic division, I have observed a great void in authentic and articulate communication. There is so much volume, loudness and distraction vying for attention that the underlying issues get lost and little real discussion takes place. Genuine connection takes a back seat or becomes invisible altogether because people are so concerned about being heard themselves that they ignore the opportunity to meet the very same needs that others are striving to attain—to be heard and understood.
“Everything that irritates us about others can lead to an understanding of ourselves.”
— Carl Jung
If people didn’t feel neglected, ignored, underserved, misunderstood or unimportant, there would be no need for such division. There would be no need for shouting or hiding. How can this be proven? I think most can agree that something amazing happens when a tragedy occurs. It is a time when people simultaneously rally for the same cause, the same objective. When there is a natural disaster, a lost child, an accident or an injury, you see people coming together. They include trained rescuers, volunteers, financial contributors and others. No one stops to ask if individuals in need deserve the help being offered. They are not harassed about their beliefs, origin or other views. They are simply offered aid to get through a crisis.
This action proves that unity can be achieved. We can come together and speak the same language of compassion, care and concern for the well being of others. So why do we let the Ego get in the way when differences of opinion come up? We rally when someone is in trouble; we
like to be the savior. Yet, when it comes to a difference of opinion, we are quick to back away or disagree angrily or aggressively. There are many, however, who do lead with a calm, steady grace. For the purpose of this article I’m referring to the rest of the folks who aren’t quite there yet. What can help bridge the divide and lessen the antagonism in the first place, rather than the second, third or beyond?
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from their point of view, until you climb into their skin and walk around in it.” — Atticus Finch, in To Kill a Mockingbird
Why does one learn to speak another language? My guess is so they can understand others who speak it and they in turn can be understood—to translate thoughts so they are clear. Why do people have coaches? So they can improve their sport, nutrition, work, life or other endeavor. The more intelligence, wisdom or knowledge that is gained, the more you can benefit.
Why then is it so difficult to have more understanding when it comes to political, social or civic ideals? Aren’t most of us after the same things—peace of mind, clarity and understanding? If you know yourself, your genuine beliefs and values, and stand by them, you don’t need to raise your voice in opposition to be understood. Because you don’t need anyone’s approval for what you feel strongly about. If we all approached our conversations with curiosity rather than fear (fear of being attacked, feeling like a fool or being misunderstood) we would have a new beginning to create change, or communion at the very least.
“Understanding comes through communication, and through understanding we find
the way to peace.” — Dr. Ralph C. Smedley
It has to start with us, each one of us taking responsibility to be kind and patient enough to listen to others. And not just to listen, but to understand. A friend once told me he was having a disagreement with his wife. The issue wasn’t particularly important. She liked having an appliance on the kitchen counter. He preferred it in the cupboard until it was time to use it. For whatever reason, there was a bone of contention about this. Midway my friend paused to ask himself what was the most important thing to him. His answer was his wife’s happiness. He wasn’t trying to avoid anything. He genuinely asked himself if his need to be “right” was stronger than his desire to see his wife’s happiness being expressed. He saw how important that was to her and that ended the discussion.
“Everyone smiles in the same language.” — George Carlin
There are lots of ways to compromise and make decisions for the greater good. One of my favorites is the scale of 1–10. When there is a disagreement, use the scale to determine how important an issue is to you. If you are an 8 and the other person is a 10, those are both high numbers, but you can take turns compromising and yield to the one who feels the strongest on that particular issue.
Experience also brings increased levels of understanding. Once you’ve been through something, there might be different ways to feel about it, but at least you have the knowledge of actual experience to strengthen your position.
If you have to deliberate or debate a situation with others, establish boundaries and guidelines to follow to allow respect for each person’s position. To establish clarity, it’s always a
good practice to begin your response by repeating what you heard the other person say. Then you can at least acknowledge what you heard before you present your thoughts on the subject.
There will be lots of things we don’t always really understand or agree with, but peace comes when we can acknowledge it with respect and thank people for being willing to share even though it may be difficult. Begin now, and be a more thoughtful listener. Make sure you’re coming from a place of authenticity, not repetition of something you heard. You
will feel more confident in yourself when you stand true to your beliefs based on fact, regardless of whether or not others agree with you.
“It is my conviction that there is no way to peace—peace is the way.” — Thich Nhat Hanh
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. visit nurturenook.com or facebook.com/nurturenookdayspa or call 615-896-7110 to learn more.
by sean MOran
Navigating Market Volatility
When in uncertain ti M es , people often wonder if they should get out of the stock market to prevent losses. While it’s true you can’t lose money if you aren’t in the market, you can’t benefit when the market goes up. If you look at the S&P 500, one of the most widely recognized benchmarks of the stock market, it was up 24% in 2023. The rise has continued into 2024; as of midSeptember it’s up another 19%.
Contrast 2023’s returns to those of 2022, which saw the S&P benchmark down 18%. One of the key takeaways here is that if you got out in 2022 to avoid the continuation of the downturn into 2023, you missed out on the recovery. We don’t have to go back far—only to the beginning of the pandemic, when the market saw a single-day crash of 10.87%. In the months following, not only did the market fully recover, but it continued to rise significantly.
The moral of the story is that when people get out during a crash or a downturn, they usually sit back and watch the market recover while they aren’t in the game. If you got out at the low point in 2020 and didn’t get back in, then you missed out on the 146% rise that has occurred since then.
exposed to the market, where it may have a better chance to grow significantly. This allows you an opportunity to capitalize if the market goes up, or let the invested money stay invested if the market goes down and wait for it to come back up.
Here is an example: Let’s imagine you have a retirement account of $1 million. You might decide to move it into a CD, allowing you to earn interest without a risk of loss. Over the last 10 years, interest rates on CDs were as low as .15% and as high as 5%. If inflation is at 3% you may be losing money. Instead, you decide you need $40,000 per year for retirement and put $200,000 in a safe place, covering your expenses for the next 5 years. If the market goes up 10% the next year, your $800,000 invested just earned you $80,000 or two years of additional income needs. You could cash that out, or some amount less than that, to add another year or two to the short-term fund. What if the market went down by 20%, the following year instead of up 10%? You would have lost (on paper) $160,000, but you don’t need that money for another 4 years, so you can just ignore the downturn and wait for the market to go back up.
While the past isn’t a guarantee of what will happen in the future, the reality is that, in the long term, the market generally outpaces most other assets. Of course, if you plan to retire in the next year or two, the worst thing that can happen is you plan to start drawing on your retirement funds and the very next day the market crashes. We all know or can imagine how gut-wrenching that could be, so what’s the alternative? For each person it is important to weigh whether their risk tolerance is such that a loss would be more painful to you than missing out on a gain, or vice versa. This is an area in which a financial advisor can help you out significantly.
Another thing to keep in mind is that we don’t have to think in absolutes. What if you can have the best of both worlds? For many, an allocation like this can be a great option. Instead of deciding to take all of your money out of the market, you can determine how much money you need for the next 3 to 5 years and make sure those funds are safe. You could then let the rest of your money stay
A Morningstar study of a 20-year investment in the S&P 500 left alone versus getting in and out of the market shows the following: If you put $100,000 in the S&P 500 at the beginning of 2001, 20 years later it would have matured to $424,760. If you took your money out and missed a number of the best days while on the sideline, you might find the results to be surprising. If you missed only five of the best days, your total gain leaves you with $268,277. Miss the 15 best days? You only have $147,052. If you missed just the 25 best days over a 20-year period, you will finish with less than the $100,000 you started with. This is why it’s important to plan for long-term as well as short-term investing objectives.
d i SCLA i ME r : The information in this article is not tax, legal or investment advice. Please consult your financial advisor and your CPA for specific tax questions that apply to your situation.
Contact Sean Moran with red Barn Financial at 615-619-6919 or smoran@redbarnfinancial.com.
