February 9, 2023

Gov. Lee proposes new spending during State of the State address as he heads into second term

BY STEPHEN ELLIOTT

Gov. Bill Lee is proposing a $55.6 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

Lee unveiled his proposal Monday during the State of the State address at the Tennessee State Capitol, seeking to garner support from the lawmakers who must approve the line items in his wish list. Some protesters were present at the Capitol for the address, including one who shouted over a portion of the speech about the state’s opposition to abortion. She and others were removed from the chambers.

See the full rundown here.

Here are some of the highlights from Lee’s pitch for 2023-24:

• $1 billion in capital spending for

Police arrest 19-year-old in connection with Green Hills shooting, second suspect at large

BY MATT MASTERS

Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology, including building six new TCAT campuses and improvements and expansions at existing vocational colleges

• $3 billion for state road projects, plus $300 million for local road projects as part of infrastructure plan that includes a proposal to allow private companies to build toll lanes on state roads

• $125 million for teacher raises, with the goal of getting the minimum teacher salary to $50,000 in the next four years

• Three-month grocery tax holiday

• $250 million for the state’s rainy day fund, boosting it north of $2 billion

• $200 million for moving the Tennessee

Performing Arts Center from its current home; Nashville Mayor John Cooper had previously pitched the East Bank as a possible site for a new theater building

• $100 million in grants for anti-abortion “crisis pregnancy centers,” a dramatic escalation in funding for organizations like the Hope Clinic for Women, for which Lee sits on an advisory board; the Associated Press reported that anti-abortion state governments allocated $89 million nationwide to such centers during the 202122 fiscal year

• Another go at paid family leave for state employees, killed by Republicans in the legislature the last time Lee

The Metro Nashville Police Department arrested a 19-year-old man in connection with the Jan. 30 shooting of a woman in Green Hills, while another suspect is still wanted by police.

According to an MNPD news release, Michael A. Green, whose Dodge Avenger sedan was recorded near the scene of the shooting, has been charged with attempted criminal homicide, especially aggravated robbery, and especially aggravated kidnapping in that attack, and they said that he is also being charged with additional violent crimes.

That unidentified woman remains hospitalized with three gunshot wounds.

“While our daughter’s injuries will take time to heal, this vicious attack will not stop her. Many of you have seen the video of her attack which sickens us,

PHOTO BY MATT MASTERS

PHOTO BY MNPD Michael A. Green

Arrest

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

you see her fighting spirit, and she will go on to share her love of medicine and love of helping children with the world,” the unidentified woman’s family said in part in a statement in which they also thanked first responders and their community for what they called an “outpouring of support.”

Police said that Green is also the suspect in a Jan. 23 robbery of a woman on Burnett Road in Old Hickory where he allegedly stole the woman’s minivan.

Green has been charged with carjacking, use of a gun in the commission of a dangerous felony, and unlawful gun

State of the State

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

possession related to that incident.

At the time of his Feb. 4 arrest, Green was free on a $55,000 bond following his May 2022 arrest in connection with an armed robbery in Madison in which he allegedly robbed a man at gunpoint and bound the man’s arms and legs with duct tape before taking the man in a car trunk to a wooded area near Percy Priest Dam where he was released.

Green was charged with especially aggravated kidnapping and aggravated robbery in that incident, and he has now been jailed on $1.32 million bond.

Monopoly to debut Nashville Edition, residents can decide featured locations

One of the most iconic board games in history is getting a Music City makeover.

Monopoly is debuting a Nashville edition the fall of 2023, and residents will get a chance to vote on which local landmarks will be featured in the game.

From now through March 1, fans can email the game designers about which locations they think should be included in the game by sending their thoughts and ideas to Nashville@toptrumps.com.

The Nashville edition, which is set to hit shelves in early October of 2023, will see locally themed squares replace Boardwalk, Park Place, and others from the original game. It will also include Nashville-based versions of the ‘Community Chest’ and the ‘Chance’ cards.

“We aim to ensure that MONOPOLY – Nashville is an accurate portrayal of what locals love about their cities, so we would love for everyone to get on board and send us their recommendations of their favorites,” said Top Trumps representative Brooke Gorman in a news release.

“Anything and everything is up for consideration – The Grand Ole Opry, the Tennessee Titans, Ryman Auditorium, Lower Broad and Tootsies Orchid Lounge, Hattie B’s Hot Chicken, Frist Art Museum, The Parthenon, Cheekwood Botanical Gardens,

we want to know your favorite places to go in Music City and have to be on the board –so please get involved!”

The Nashville edition had a launch announcement at The Parthenon in Centennial Park in late January, which featured Nashville Vice Mayor Jim Shulman and Mr. Monopoly himself, among others.

“Monopoly-Nashville Edition will bring a classic household game right to our own backyard, all while immortalizing our world-class institutions and celebrating our neighborhoods,” said Shulman. “I’m thrilled to have such an iconic game celebrating our great city. Thank you to the team at Hasbro, Top Trumps and everyone who made this exciting opportunity possible.”

Green Hills site eyed for tower sells for $9.85M

BY WILLIAM WILLIAMS

pushed it

• $350 million for improvements at sports facilities FedEx Forum and Simmons Bank Liberty Bowl in Memphis

• $50 million to invest in nuclear power

Increasing TennCare eligibility for postpartum coverage and pregnant patients

• $193.5 million for the in-crisis

Department of Children’s Services

• $450 million for state parks and recreation areas

• $357 million for law enforcement communications upgrades

A Green Hills property slated for a mixed-use building has been sold to the company that developed a nearby site with a residential and retail tower — for a price more than twice the figure for which it sold four years ago.

Nashville-based Southern Land Company now owns the 0.87-acre site, with an address of 2025 Richard Jones Road, having paid $9.85 million for it, according to a Davidson County Register of Deeds document.

The seller was Brentwood-based GBT Realty, which paid $4 million for the property in mid-2019, Metro records show. GBT was planning the 16-story Eden House (pictured) to have offered 92 condominiums and some ground-level retail.

Southern Land owns Vertis (read here), which is located at 4000 Hillsboro Pike, one parcel removed from its just-purchased property. Company officials could not be reached for comment regarding their plans for the Richard Jones Road site.

George Tomlin, GBT Realty president and CEO, said in a release his company’s focus on multiple projects in various markets

— including The Sinclair to rise at the West End Avenue and Elliston Place split (read here) — partly dictated the sale. To date, the company seemingly has not undertaken a condominium project.

“The timing is just not conducive to start a development with for-sale condos that are not a part of a hotel or [multi-faceted] mix-use development, and we are now able to redirect additional resources to our significant activity in other property types in Nashville and across the country,” Tomlin said in the release.

“This sale is a win-win for GBT Realty and Southern Land, which has had great interest from the start in the property due to its synergies with its neighboring Vertis,” he added.

Green Hills offers no high-rise condo tower. Currently under construction in downtown Nashville or within four miles of it are no fewer than three condo buildings of at least seven floors.

This story first appeared in our sister publication Nashville Post.

This story first appeared in our sister publication Nashville Post.

Tenn. State Troopers remove three protesters from the Capitol after they shouted during Gov. Lee’s 2023 State of the State address.

PHOTO BY MATT MASTERS

Nashville celebrates Black History Month with wealth of events

BY LOGAN BUTTS

A variety of Black History Month events are set to take place during February at a number of Nashville institutions.

Every Saturday at 1 p.m. throughout the month, the Tennessee State Museum is offering a special Black History tour of exhibits focusing on African American history.

On Thursdays, the Museum’s curator of social history, Tranae Chatman, is hosting a Lunch and Learn series titled The Legacy of Black Entrepreneurship in Tennessee, featuring local business leaders such as owner of Prince’s Hot Chicken André Prince Jeffries, president and CEO of R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation Dr. LaDonna Boyd, president and CEO of McKissack & McKissack Cheryl McKissack Daniel, CEO of Universal Commercial Darrell Cobbins and daughter of Samuel Peace of Peace Realty Shirley Peace Cobbins.

The sessions will take place from noon to 1 p.m. that can be attended both virtually and in-person. No RSVP is required for the free event.

The Nashville Public Library has a full slate of events throughout the month, including Story Time with Friends at the Madison branch which features guest readers ranging from Metro Council Members to Circuit Court Clerks and WNXP DJs.

You can also tour the library’s Civil Rights Room at the main location which located at 615 Church Street. The room displays the library’s Civil Rights Collection which exhibits materials that “capture the drama of a time when thousands of African-American citizens in Nashville sparked a nonviolent

challenge to racial segregation in the city and across the South.”

Every Thursday from 6-8 p.m. at the First Arts Museum, you can attend the free series Frist After Five: Celebrating Black Arts & Culture. Each edition will feature a live performance from both a local poet and a local musician as well as a display from a local visual artist. Plus, food trucks will be on hand.

The Musician’s Hall of Fame & Museum is highlighting several exhibits throughout Black History Month, including tributes to legendary record labels Motown, Stax Records, and Sun Studio and individual sections on B.B. King, and Jimi Hendrix.

The National Museum of African American Music is currently showcasing a gallery titled One Nation Under a Groove, which “documents the history and influence of rhythm and blues.” Artists as varied as George Clinton, Prince, and Whitney Houston are featured throughout.

Nashville Sites has ongoing tours that highlight locations involved in the Civil Rights Movement and the Civil Rights Sit-ins.

And for those in Williamson County, the Williamson County Public Library, in collaboration with the African-American Historical Society and historian Thelma Battle, is set to display a photographic exhibit for Black History Month titled The Hatcher Family – Roots from Owen Hill Road. The exhibit is free and will be available for viewing during library hours throughout the entire month of February.

PHOTO BY DANIEL MEIGS

WE’VE COME THIS FAR BECAUSE THEY HAD THE COURAGE TO FLY.

Nashville International Airport® celebrates the achievements and accomplishments of African American pioneers during Black History Month.

The National Museum of African American Music

State Republicans and Gov. Lee are pushing bills to punish Nashville

BY BILL FREEMAN

voted against inviting the Republican National Convention to the city, citing security and cost issues. “Locking down ‘nearly all of downtown’ could cost more than $100 million,” reported The Tennessean at the time, “and three previously scheduled conventions would need to be canceled to accommodate RNC crowds.” This of course would have cost Nashville even more. Logically, security was also a matter of serious concern and consideration.

Though we’ve passed those concerns, the entire city — and not just the Metro Council — is now facing the wrath of the GOP lawmakers who are angry over the RNC rejection. They are so angered, in fact, that they are going after everything in Metro Nashville they can get their hands on — working to either defund or take over, starting with the Metro Council. And from all indications, they do not care whose rights they have to trample to make their point.

“led to 41 association conventions, 201,205 hotel room bookings and $120.5 million in direct visitor spending.” Further, 84.5 percent of our state’s gross domestic product comes from metro areas, with the NashvilleFranklin-Murfreesboro area accounting for 36.1 percent of the total. The convention center’s contribution to that figure is nothing to dismiss.

Despite being the bullseye of GOP legislators, the Music City Center has offered a $25.5 million downtown-improvement grant to Metro Nashville and the Nashville Downtown Partnership. The funds would go to improve streets, sidewalks, traffic safety and more. Says president and CEO Charles Starks, “The grant will be paid unless state leaders pursue a bill … to revoke six primary tax-revenue streams that maintain and operate the convention center.”

In all my years as a businessman, and with all my involvement in politics, never have I seen such outright, vehement tossing

LOGAN BUTTS, ASSOCIATE EDITOR

of political grenades at an entire city as what the Republican-led state legislature has been up to. In August, Nashville’s Metro Council

MATT MASTERS, NEWS REPORTER AND PHOTOJOURNALIST

BRENDA BATEY, SOCIAL CORRESPONDENT

LISA BOLD, PRODUCTION MANAGER

CHELON HASTY, SALES OPERATIONS MANAGER

HEATHER CANTRELL MULLINS, PUBLISHER

ELIZABETH JONES , CORPORATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR

TODD PATTON , CFO

MIKE SMITH , PRESIDENT AND CEO

BILL FREEMAN, OWNER

To start, they’ve introduced HB48, legislation to cut down the size of the Metro Council from 40 to 20 members. Such a move “poses an existential threat not just to Nashville’s self-governance but to the constitutional rights of all local governments across the state,” reports The Tennessean. “The larger council size ‘protects minority representation in government by creating more opportunities for diverse voices and perspectives to serve.’ Nashville voters [already] rejected a local referendum attempting to shrink the council to 27 members … by nearly a two-thirds margin in 2015.” The Tennessean’s David Plazas adds that the larger point “is one of respect for the self-determination and self-governance of ordinary citizens, who are stuck in the middle of a clash between state and city elected leaders over politics.” And according to Senate Minority Leader Jeff Yarbro (D-Nashville), any debate about the size of the Metro Council should be among local voters.

Next Republican lawmakers targeted the Music City Center. SB648 would end “previously authorized privilege taxes … around the convention center,” which are used to fund the center. How is this in the best interest of Nashville or the state, when — as Mayor John Cooper has noted — “Nashville is the engine of the state’s economy”?

Republican Lt. Gov. Randy McNally has said, “Over the last year, Metro has made it clear they are no longer interested in aggressively recruiting toptier conventions to Nashville.” But Axios reports that “conventions account for about 40 percent of the city’s tourism business.” Last year, the convention center even held convention planners the American Society of Association Executives to recruit more conventions. Hosting the ASAE in 2014

What’s more, Gov. Lee and Republican lawmakers have set their sights on the Airport Authority — of which I’m a member — the Sports Authority and venues like Bridgestone Arena. They have introduced two new bills that would undo the makeup of the boards and give the power to appoint most of their members to state legislators and the governor. Though Gov. Lee has been silent as usual on this issue, the governor must be supporting these bills — it’s unlikely they’re pushing his potential ability to appoint board members without his permission. Writes Sandy Mazza, “Both bills are written to apply only to areas with metropolitan governments and only those with populations of more than 500,000 people. Only Nashville-Davidson County meets the criteria.” Ridiculous! Nashville officials plan to fight the state in court if the bill passes. “There is no rational basis to create different rules that apply solely to Metro Nashville,” says Metro law director Wallace Dietz. “Any legislation that does so can create grounds for litigation.”

It’s no secret that politicians are often welded to their belief systems — but at the cost of potentially devastating an entire city and its reputation? That’s what could and likely will happen if the Republican lawmakers and Gov. Lee decide their desire for revenge is greater than their desire to serve and do the right thing. If they go this route, one word comes to mind — disappointing.

Bill Freeman

Bill Freeman is the owner of FW Publishing, the publishing company that produces the Nashville Scene, Nfocus, the Nashville Post and The News.

Tennessee State Senate

PHOTO BY MATT MASTERS

Parnassus Books airport location reopens along with BNA’s new Grand Lobby

BY MATT MASTERS

Parnassus Books celebrated the reopening of their Nashville International Airport location with the unveiling of BNA’s new Grand Lobby on Jan. 24.

“Parnassus opened their original airport location in 2017, but the store has been temporarily closed throughout the airport renovation project.

Parnassus marketing and communications manager Sarah Arnold said in an email that the store was “completely redesigned with the goal of bringing the feel of the original Parnassus location to the airport,” including their support of local authors and local communities.

“We’re thankful to Hudson [Group] and the folks at BNA for putting such a strong emphasis on having local businesses represented at the airport,” Arnold said.

“Spotlighting places like Parnassus, Kijiji Coffee, and Puckett’s Grocery at the intersection of so many travelers’ journeys is huge for small businesses like us. It’s also huge for local authors who often aren’t represented at those big national chain bookstores.

“With this airport location, we have the opportunity to pair customers with amazing books they haven’t heard of or may not be able to find in their hometowns. We’re also thrilled to be among the first places travelers see that make Nashville special.”

BNA’s Grand Lobby includes 24 Transportation Safety Administration security lanes as well as multiple retail spaces and art installations.

“Since the launch of BNA Vision in

2017, we’ve been hard at work building and renovating Nashville International Airport to meet the travel demands of Tennessee today and into the future,” Nashville International Airport President and CEO Doug Kreulen said in a news release.

“The new Grand Lobby dramatically changes the look, feel, and energy of the airport. We’ve more than doubled our security screening capacity to handle the region’s growth and popularity as a destination. With large-scale art installations, high-definition video displays, new restaurants and retail spaces, and floorto-ceiling windows, it will be clear as soon as you step foot into BNA that Nashville is home to a world-class airport.”

The renovation is a part of the “BNA

Vision” project which is projected to be complete this year.

“The opening of the new on-airport Hilton Hotel and International Arrivals Facility later this year will mark the completion of our original BNA Vision plan, but we’re already looking beyond that given Nashville and Middle Tennessee’s unprecedented growth,” Kreulen said.

“The next phase, which we’re calling New Horizon, is an additional $1.4 billion plan phased out over the next six years with completion in late 2028. That work is underway now, and we can’t wait to share our progress over the next few years.”

Parnassus owner Ann Patchett announces new novel to debut this summer

BY LOGAN BUTTS

Author and Parnassus Books owner and co-founder Ann Patchett announced her latest novel Tom Lake.

Tom Lake is set to hit shelves later this summer on Aug. 8, and Parnassus is offering personalized/signed preorders through Aug. 7.

The novel, which is being published by HarperCollins, is set to take place in spring 2020 and revolves around three daughters who return to their family’s orchard and learn about the summer their mother starred in a production of Our Town alongside a famous actor named Peter Duke for a theater company called Tom Lake.

However, the most surprising news from the announcement video came when Patchett announced that none other than three-time Oscar winner Meryl Streep would be narrating the audiobook.

Patchett has written eight novels and five nonfiction books. She won the PEN/ Faulkner Award for her 2001 novel Bel Canto, and her most recent book, the 2021 essay collection These Precious Days, was nominated for the Kirkus Prize.

BNA Grand Lobby

PHOTO COURTESY OF BNA

Parnassus Books

PHOTO COURTESY OF PARNASSUS BOOKS

Five free and cheap family things to do in middle Tennessee

BY AMANDA HAGGARD

In the first full February free things installment, there are some chances to reflect with the family during Black History Month and some opportunities to learn about and share love for Valentine’s Day. While the Frist can normally be pricey if you’re taking the whole fam, Frist After Five offers the chance to see poetry and live music there in honor of Black History Month. (The hallway galleries are always free, even if you don’t have the funds to dip into the big ones.) The state museum comes through with several chances to hear about Black history in Tennessee. The main branch of the library

offers a musical puppet show based on a book by musician Ketch Secor, and the one in Edgehill invites the family for a Valentine’s Day shindig. And at Shelby Bottoms, they’re going to talk about attraction in the animal kingdom.

As part of our series on free and cheap things to do with the family, here is our weekly roundup of places to spend time together over the next week:

BLACK HISTORY TOURS

The Tennessee State Museum is hosting several 45-minute Black History Tours

throughout the month of February. The tour is family friendly and guides folks through highlights of Tennessee’s Black history. The tour will “outline stories of Black Tennesseans from the frontier to the quest for freedom and from the Civil War to Civil Rights,” according to the museum.

FRIST AFTER FIVE

As part of The Frist’s Frist After Five, they’re hosting several events throughout February to honor Black History Month. Though the museum charges a fee to get into the galleries, every Thursday in February from 6-8 p.m., the museum will have free live music, poetry, local contemporary art and food trucks. On Feb. 9 poetry by Wisdom with a musical performance by Crystal Rose and band; on Feb. 16, poetry by Guru with a musical performance by Quez Cantrell and on Feb. 23, poetry Mama with a musical performance by Raemi.

LORRAINE: THE GIRL WHO SANG THE STORM AWAY

On Feb 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25 at 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., the Nashville Public Library’s downtown location will host this musical marionette show based on the book by Ketch Secor and illustrated by Higgins Bond. The story follows Lorraine and her Pa

Paw, who love to play music and sing songs. “When a big Tennessee mountain storm rolls in and their instruments are nowhere to be found, can Lorraine find the music inside herself to get through the fearsome thunder and rain?,” the description reads. The shows are free.

JR. NATURALIST: ANIMAL COURT SHIPS

Love is in the air at Shelby Bottoms, but as the nature center points out in their website: “Wild animals don’t need Valentine’s cards! Every species has their own way of showing off to potential mates, whether it’s showing off bright colors or building far too many nests.” The center will host a youth event outlining exactly how animals show their love and try to attract a mate. This event, which is on Feb. 11, includes a short hike and a craft.

VALENTINE’S DAY PARTY

At the Nashville Public Library Edgehill Branch on Feb. 14, they’re hosting a free Valentine’s Day Party at 4 p.m. Drop by after school for an evening of Valentine’s Day games, crafts and family friendly fun.

Father Ryan wins DII-AAA dual wrestling state title, slew of local schools compete

BY CHIP CIRILLO

“I equate it to some people are playing checkers and some are playing chess, and I hope I’m always the guy playing chess,” Derrick said. “But today my chess game didn’t work out for me.”

Fairview (40-7) posted a top four-finish for the fourth consecutive year, including a runner-up showing in 2020, a state title in 2021 and fourth the past two seasons.

There were only six wrestlers during Derrick’s first season, but the program has grown to 36.

“We went on a 30 undefeated streak with coin flips, but then we lost it at state,” Fairview 132-pound senior Keegan Seaver said. “I was like, dang.”

SUMMIT LOSES MOMENTUM IN WRESTLE-BACKS

Dobyns-Bennett eliminated Summit with a 32-31 loss in the Class AA consolation round.

Pat Simpson was starting to wonder if Father Ryan would ever win another state title. Wonder no more.

The Fighting Irish won their first state duals championship since 2017 with a 33-28 victory over Baylor in Division II-AAA at the Williamson County Expo Center in Franklin on Saturday night.

“It’s been too many years,” said Simpson, the veteran Irish coach. “Absolutely, it feels like forever. As strong as Baylor’s been, I didn’t know if we’d ever get to go back.”

Ryan (23-10) dethroned the four-time defending champions.

It was the 10th state title for the Irish, including 2016, 2010, 2004, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1996 and 1988.

“We’ve got a lot of great young kids in our program right now,” Simpson said. “Our sophomore class is our best class.”

Baylor (11-1) led 22-21 with four matches left when 120-pounder Joseph Calvin, 126-pounder Brody Gobbell and 132-pounder Cason Roark rallied Ryan with three straight wins.

“Just go, go, go. Don’t stop. Give a full six minutes, it’s just a fraction of my life. Six minutes of giving my all,” said Calvin when asked about his mindset when the junior started the crucial surge by pinning Baylor’s NY Cofer in 3:58.

Simpson said 170-pounder Michael Lemaota, 106-pounder William Phillips and 113-pounder Jacob Bond “were the difference.”

“And we didn’t win the 106 and the 113, but we only barely lost. If we don’t win those (points), we don’t win.”

Two of Baylor’s key wrestlers were missing due to illness (appendectomy) and transfer to Georgia.

Ryan beat Montgomery Bell Academy

35-27 in the semifinals.

MBA (20-4) rebounded with a 49-28 consolation round win over Christian Brothers to earn third place.

“They were hoping for more than third and I was, too, but wrestling is such a hard sport,” MBA coach Patrick Simpson said. “It’s not the end of the world that we lost and I hope that that kids keep perspective on that. They fought really, really hard and that’s what it’s all about.”

The Ryan-MBA wrestling rivalry is one of the state’s best.

“Father Ryan has had such an incredible wrestling program for so long,” Simpson said. “You feel like every year you’re just trying to chase them down. There are a lot of family dynamics between MBA and Father Ryan.”

Simpson’s uncle coaches Ryan, and Patrick’s dad, Frank, was a longtime MBA coach.

SODDY-DAISY CHECKMATES FAIRVIEW

Page finished fourth in Class A after a 36-30 loss to Soddy-Daisy in the consolation round.

“You don’t want to act as though a flip, odd and even, cost you a match, but it sure does give you a leg up when they can show their hand or we have to show our hand,” Fairview coach James “Bubba” Derrick said. “In both matches we wrestled Soddy, they won the flip and got to choose where they wanted to see us approach the table.”

Andrew Lewis’ 13-4 major decision over George Bates in the penultimate match clinched Soddy-Daisy’s 36-30 win over Fairview in the quarterfinals.

The flip winner gets an advantage in setting up favorable matchups.

Summit (23-7) entered the final match with a two-point lead, but Cannon Mullins blanked Patrick Brew 6-0 as Dobyns-Bennett rallied for the win.

Summit lost to Cleveland 33-28 in the semifinals.

“It’s about momentum,” Spartans coach Pete Miller said. “We lost a heartbreaker to Cleveland right there in the semifinals. Dobyns-Bennett had momentum coming through wrestle-backs so we’ve got to be able to bounce back.”

Miller said Summit didn’t meet its expectations after failing to place in the top four.

The Spartans won the first six matches en route to a 52-21 win over Maryville in the quarterfinals.

BRENTWOOD OUSTED AFTER 10TH TIEBREAKER

Brentwood (18-8) was eliminated when its consolation match against DobynsBennett went to the 10th tiebreaker after a 36-all draw.

The 10th tiebreaker is most first points of individual matches.

“It was definitely a heartbreaker, but the thing is, we wrestled well,” Bruins coach Damon Smith said. “They were the No. 5 or 6 team in the state and we’re No. 7 – to push it to criteria at 36-36, I’m proud of our team.”

It was the highest tiebreaker during his six years as Brentwood’s coach.

Smith said there are about 15 or 16 tiebreakers.

“There have only been seven teams make it to the top eight in the history of Brentwood High School, and this is the second one in my six years,” Smith said. “That’s some good history for Brentwood wrestling.”

Brentwood trailed 36-27 with two matches remaining, but Judson Jarrett beat

Gavin Armstrong 8-3 and Arash Yazdani pinned Ben Tucker in 2:42 to tie the score in dramatic fashion.

“Well, we’re one of the best teams in the state,” Yazdani said. “I think we have the right to say that. I don’t think it’s heartbreaking to us. I think it’s only a confidence builder from here on.”

Yazdani said the Bruins aren’t known for their dual teams, but they made it to “the biggest stage in Tennessee.”

Noah Dixon earned Brentwood six points when he pinned Branson Carswell in the 195-pound weight class in 3:04.

“I mean, it’s terrible,” Dixon said of the 10-tiebreaker loss. “We wrestled a lot better than our first match and then for it to just come down to tie, tie, tie, tie, tie. They had a couple more first takedowns than us. It really sucks.”

Brentwood lost nine matches in a 48-22 quarterfinal defeat to Bradley Central.

PAGE FINISHES 32-10

Fairview eliminated Page with a 33-30 defeat in the Class A consolation round.

“We have 10 losses and seven were against teams wrestling today, so it was a very tough schedule, and that’s what you do to get here in the first place,” Page coach Benji Gray said. “On the 113-(pound) match, we got an illegal slam and the kid (Cosmo O’Neal) was immediately apologetic. Going 32-10 on the season is pretty incredible, in my opinion.”

In the quarterfinals, Jordan Sexton pinned Thomas Brown in 3:18 in the penultimate match to clinch Knoxville Halls’ 34-27 win over Page.

BGA GOES 0-2 AFTER CLOSE LOSS, LOPSIDED DEFEAT

Battle Ground Academy was eliminated after a 36-33 consolation round loss to Friendship Christian in DII-A/AA.

Friendship’s Channing Anthony edged BGA’s Bodie Roberson 2-1 in the final match to earn the win.

BGA (14-17) lost the first five matches in a 53-15 semifinal loss to Boyd Buchanan.

OTHER LOCAL PLACEMENTS

Class AA

Wilson Central (37-1) lost in the quarterfinals to Bradley Central Class A-AA

Friendship Christian (17-10) fell to Lakeway Christian in the semifinals

PHOTO BY DAVID RUSSELL

Father Ryan Wrestling

Nine new Board Trustees begin term at Cheekwood

STAFF REPORTS

Cheekwood Estate and Gardens welcomed nine new Board Trustees and Advisors at the beginning of 2023, with their initial three-year term beginning on Jan. 1, 2023.

The new Board Trustees include Jacky Abari, the founder and managing principal at Worthington Advisory; Clay Bevins, coowner of Blevins, Inc and former CEO of Comfort Supply; Vicki McCluggage, former president of the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts and LORIMAR Television International marketing executive; Julie Carell Stadler, owner and CEO of Skyway Studios and co-owner of Carell Family, LLC; Ryan McLaughlin Wood, UBS South Central Market Executive; Terry Cook, is a 30-year veteran ecologist and conservation leader; Yuri Cunza, President and CEO of the Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and co-founder of the Spanish language newspaper, La Noticia; Deana Ivey, President for the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp; and Carolyn McHaney

Waller, Affiliate Broker, Real Estate Advisor, Relocation Specialist and New Home Professional with Benchmark Realty, LLC

“We are honored to welcome these new trustees and advisors, who bring a wide range of experience, talent and connections to our board, as Cheekwood continues to serve our community with a diverse array of public programs and education and outreach offerings,” said Cheekwood Board Chair Barry Stowe in a news release.

To read more about Cheekwood’s leadership and board of trustees, visit cheekwood.org/about/leadership/.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHEEKWOOD ESTATE AND GARDENS

SOUTHWESTERN ADVANTAGE NAMES PRESIDENT

Southwestern Advantage has named veteran company official Dave Causer as president.

According to a release, Causer replaces Dan Moore, who retired at the end of 2022. Causer will remain president of Global Educational Concepts (GEC), which is, like Southwestern Advantage (SWA), two of the 19 businesses overseen by Southwestern Family of Companies.

GEC is a designated sponsor of the U.S. Department of State’s BridgeUSA Summer Work Travel and Internship programs. In addition to supporting public diplomacy through providing summer exchange programs for international students, GEC sponsors work and travel visas for international students who participate in the SWA program.

Causer, a member of SWA’s board of directors, joined the company in 1971 as a freshman at Houghton University, from which he graduated with a business major. He participated in the sales and leadership

program for five years before transitioning into leadership in 1976. Causer oversaw the company’s international expansion into European universities, with students from nearly 30 countries now participating.

SWA started in 1868 focused on Bible sales and today bills itself as among the world’s oldest entrepreneurial sales and leadership programs targeting college and university students. Approximately 1,500 participants are expected for the 2023 summer.

“Dave Causer’s long tenure with Southwestern Advantage will add tremendous value and leadership as Dan transitions to the next chapter of his life,” Henry Bedford, SWFC CEO and chairman, said in the release. “Dave is a product of the SWA sales and leadership program. He is one of the many examples of how college participants can have a life-long career with the many offerings of Southwestern Family of Companies.”

Established in Nashville in 1855, Southwestern Family of Companies provides products and services related to educational

books and websites, group travel packages, insurance, consulting services, and sales and leadership coaching.

NASHVILLE FINANCIAL FIRM NAMES PRESIDENT, CFO

Nashville-based Truxton Trust Company has made multiple changes to its leadership team.

Derrick Jones has been named president and joined the board of directors. Additionally, Austin Branstetter has been promoted to chief financial officer and senior vice president, while Overton Colton and Julie Marr have been promoted to executive vice president.

Jones was previously executive vice president and joined the company upon its founding in 2004. He oversees wealth management and corporate development. Branstetter was previously vice president of finance and joined the company in 2019. Both held prior roles at SunTrust.

Jones and Branstetter succeed Andrew May, who had been president since 2016

SPORTS

and CFO since 2010. May remains with the company as vice chair and as a member of the board.

“Andy May will continue to be an invaluable resource to the company on a variety of strategic matters, especially for Truxton Capital Advisors, which the company launched in 2022,” said Tom Stumb, Truxton’s chairman and CEO. “These changes reflect the confidence our board has in the leadership of these executives, as well as our commitment to maximize our company’s future growth and success.”

Truxton provides private banking, wealth management and family office services for wealthy individuals and families, according to a release.

Have a promotion you wish to submit to Business briefs? Send to news@gcanews.com

Post-All Star Game questions the Preds need answered

BY MICHAEL GALLAGHER

There’s no question this has been one of the more turbulent seasons in recent Predators memory.

And given the up-and-down nature of how the team has played, there’s little reason to believe the second half of the season will look much different than the first.

However, despite the losing streaks, the 4-12-1 record when trailing after the second period, the 26th-ranked offense, the 27th-ranked power play and everything in between, Nashville sits just three points out of the final wild card spot in the Western Conference and four points out of third place in the Central Division.

Here are the biggest questions the team needs answered over the final two-and-a-half months of the season:

Which player(s) are capable of more?

The Predators have roughly $42.5 million tied up in Filip Forsberg, Matt Duchene, Ryan Johansen, Mikael Granlund, Roman Josi and Nino Niederreiter. It’s hard to find too much fault with Forsberg and Josi — both of whom have 41 points in 48 games.

Duchene had a nice three-game stretch before the All Star break with three goals and four points, but aside from that mini hot streak, he’s performing at a 20-goal, 63-point pace this season.

Johansen and Niederreiter both were hot out of the gates but have since regressed to the mean. This team needs the 26-goal,

63-point Johansen of last season and the Niederreiter from October and November who scored nine goals and 11 points through the first 22 games.

It’s difficult to determine what fair expectations are for Granlund, who was a two-time 20-goal, 60-point player for Minnesota but has since had just one 60-point season and has never scored more than 17 goals for Nashville. But it’s safe to assume Nashville expected more than six goals and 28 points through 48 games when it gave the 30-year-old forward $5 million per year to anchor the top six.

Where is the offense going to come from?

It was slightly encouraging to see the Predators put up 13 goals in their final three games before the break; however, even with the offensive outburst, they still rank 26th in goals scored per game (2.81) and 27th in total goals (135).

The Predators have just five players — Forsberg, Duchene, Niederreiter, Josi, Johansen — with double-digit goals this season. For comparison, only five teams have fewer, and the offensively challenged Anaheim Ducks, who rank next-to-last in goal scoring, have more.

There’s little question this burden should fall squarely on Duchene, Johansen and Niederreiter. However, some finger pointing should be directed at Tanner Jeannot as well. He’s nine goals and 15 points behind where

he was at the same point last season. And with Phil Tomasino in Milwaukee, that’s another eight goals and 18 points they had through 48 games last year that they don’t have this year.

Is Juuse Saros’ level of play sustainable?

Saros has faced the second-most shots (1,243), recorded the second-most saves (1,143) and played the fourth-most minutes (2,190:08) of any goalie this season.

His save percentage of .920 is the second-best single-season mark of his career for seasons in which he’s started 30 or more games. Although his 2.74 goalsagainst average is the highest of his career, he’s also facing the most shots per game (33.6) of his career as well, and his defense has left him out to dry more times than he can probably count.

There’s no question Saros, who had a 12game stretch from Dec. 10 to Jan. 11 where he allowed three goals or less in every game with a save percentage below .909 just once, is in mid-season form. And aside from two minor blips against Buffalo and St. Louis, the 27-year-old Finn hasn’t had too many off games this year; he’s allowed more than four goals just four times this season (he had seven such games last year).

Saros has proven before that he’s capable of shouldering the load for lengthy periods of time (see his 18-7-1 record in the second half of the 2020-21 season), and there’s

little reason to doubt that he can’t do it again this year.

Is this team a buyer or seller?

The correct answer is neither. An argument can be made that the team is finally finding its groove, so why mess with team chemistry? Plus GM David Poile’s recent track record with trade deadline additions isn’t exactly impressive (Paul Gaustad, Andrei Kostitsyn, Wayne Simmonds, Ryan Hartman, Cody Franson, Mike Santorelli, Michael Del Zotto, P.A. Parenteau, Erik Gudbranson, Korbinian Holzer, Vernon Fiddler. Get the point?).

Nashville has a 31.8 percent chance of making the playoffs according to moneypuck.com. With 38 games remaining — half against current playoff teams — the Predators need roughly 97 points to have a shot at the final wild card spot in the Western Conference.

Is 21 or so wins in 38 games doable for the Predators? Absolutely. With 19 games against non-playoff teams, surely there are at least six or seven wins against playoff teams to be had. If the Predators scratch and claw their way into the postseason, it needs to be with the current roster. The only move that could — and should — be made is adding Tomasino into the fold come playoff time. This story first appeared in our sister publication Nashville Post.

IT’S NOT BROKEN!

We not long started finally to stop honoring sinners and slave owners by making their history clear and eliminating statues and false narratives about them.

I am ticked off that the street portion honoring a clearly great selfless public servant John Lewis, who spent his life upholding American democratic ideals, is now being proposed by anti-democratic GOP state legislators to be renamed Donald Trump Blvd.

The Donald has been proven to have lied over 30K times, supported the overthrow

of our democratically elected government, cheated on his taxes, had sex with a stripper while his new wife was at home etc.etc.etc. This friend of Putin and mainly himself does not deserve to be honored by our fine and improving City replacing good with (really) bad imho!

STREET’S RENAME

OMG. The South already has the reputation of having bare feet, bib overalls wearing, corncob pipe smoking, redneck, not-so-smart inhabitants. Last week we just got closer to proving this to be true.

A State Senator, Frank Nicely (R-Strawberry Plains) and State Representative, Paul Sherrell (R-Sparta) have sponsored a bill to name part of Rep. John Lewis Way for the orange, twice impeached, fraudulent, lying, manipulating, losing, insurrectionist, ex-office occupier of the United States. What are these guys smoking? Rep. Lewis, an icon for the rights of people and peace, the exact opposite of the person they want to rename the street for.

To quote the theologian and philosopher Dietrich Bonhoeffer, “The problem with stupidity is that it often goes hand-in-hand

with power. It becomes apparent that every strong upsurge of power in the public sphere, be it of a political or of a religious nature, it infects a large part of humankind with stupidity. When people join a political party, it seems like most choose to follow suit rather than think things through. Power drains the intelligence from a person, leaving them akin to an animated mannequin.”

The comments in the Ticked Off column do not reflect the views of FW Publishing.

Habitat for Humanity fundraiser will see patricipants rappel down 18-story Nashville building

STAFF REPORTS

Have you ever wanted to scale a Nashville high rise? Well soon, you’ll get the chance to do just that while supporting Habitat for Humanity Williamson-Maury at the same time.

The nonprofit housing initiative will launch the thrill-seeking fundraiser on March 9. 76 participants who raise at least $1,000 donations will rappel down the side of the 18-story Vertis Green Hills high rise.

According to a HFHWM news release, money raised during the event will fund materials needed to build affordable housing for local families through their Homeownership & Critical Repair Programs.

“We are excited to offer this unique fundraiser that will support building homes for local families while offering the

(probably) once-in-a-lifetime experience of rappelling down a Nashville skyscraper,” HFHWM CEO Kim Randell said.

The event is held in conjunction with Over the Edge, a special events company, and is open to all ages, but participants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a legal guardian, and all participants must be within the 100-to-300 pound weight range required by safety standards.

Event registration is available online at www.hfhwm.org/OTE.

Questions regarding special accommodations for participants with special needs, severe health complications or allergies, and more can be answered at 615-690-8090.

PHOTO COURTESY OF HABITAT FOR HUMANITY WILLIAMSON-MAURY

Dutch Baby for Breakfast or Dinner

BY EDIBLE NASHVILLE

When the cupboards are bare and you’re too tired to order out, this puffy pancake is just the thing. Eggs, flour, sugar,

and butter are all you need. And a hot oven proof skillet. Whisk in 1/2 cup leftover roasted sweet potato for a great variation.

ACROSS

1 Nonmagical sor t, in the Harry Potter universe

7 What’s found in cafés but not coffee shops?

13 Spanish loves

14 St. Bernard or mastiff, often

15 Hoity-toity types

16 Goofus

17 Wireless speaker brand

18 Place

19 Fencing equipment

20 Shade akin to fuchsia

23 Part of Q.E.D.

24 ___ blind

27 Dispenser of drafts

28 “Black gold” or “Texas tea”

30 Out of the office

32 Nine-digit ID

34 One leaving its pad quickly

39 Astronomical objects represented by the circled letters in this puzzle

42 One righting writing

43 “The lowest form of humor — when you don’t think of it first,” per Oscar Levant

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons butter

4 eggs

1 cup flour

1 cup milk

1/4 cup sugar grated fresh nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 425F.

2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in 10-inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat, tilting to coat bottom and sides of pan.

3. Whisk together eggs, flour, sugar, milk and nutmeg. Pour into hot skillet. Cook 2 minutes.

4. Place pan in oven and bake 12 to 15 minutes, until puffed and golden.

Squeeze lemon over top and sprinkle with powdered sugar and fresh berries. Cut pancake in pan and serve with a spatula. Serve immediately.

44 “The Song of the ___” (Willa Cather novel)

45 F irst Chinese dynasty

47 Broadcaster of “The Price Is Right” for more than four decades

49 Letters requesting help

50 Back talk

54 Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, for two

57 Offering in church

59 Noche’s counterpart

60 Nevada senator Jacky

Recipe and photo courtesy of Edible Nashville. For more recipes and all things local food, follow Edible Nashville on instagram @ediblenashtn and their website ediblenashville.com. And look for their beautiful magazine around town. To subscribe to the magazine that comes out 6x/year, go to ediblenashville.com.

64 Low-calorie cookie spinoff

66 Adverb in a contract

67 Eccentrics

68 Produce oxidation in

69 Author Hemingway

70 Tablet tool

DOWN

1 Ser vice that might be in Latin

2 “Yeah, that won’t work for me”

3 “I’m listening ...”

4 Many a wedding cake topper

5 Unleashes on

6 Intro to sociolog y?

7 “Evita” setting: Abbr

8 Word with tax or cheat

9 Type of car whose name comes from the French word for “cut”

10 Toon hunting for a “scwewy wabbit”

11 Site of a mythical lion slaying

12 Romantic rendezvous

14 “Me, too!”

16 Patty’s place

18 ___ Challenge (famous taste test)

21 Gut-related

22 Some shor t-term rentals

24 Hightail it

25 Was behind

26 Island between Java and Lombok

29 W.C.

31 As of now

33 Bit of shut-eye

35 450, in ancient Rome

36 Sorento and Telluride

37 Amazon-owned home

Wi-F i brand

38 Scolding sounds

40 Part of some “Red” or “White” uniforms

41 St. ___ (Caribbean isle)

46 Some German cars

48 Word on the ___

50 “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” author

51 Broadcaster

52 Oktoberfest vessel

53 Place to wash up?

55 Son of, in Arabic surnames

56 “___, not ___!”

58 Approx. when planes take off

61 Circus bar ker?

62 “Not you, too!?”

63 Disappointing

R.S.V.P.s

65 Over 100, say

66 Gives bir th to

ANSWER TO PUZZLE

Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 9,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/ crosswords ($39.95 a year).

Read about and comment on each puzzle: nytimes.com/wordplay.

Crosswords for young solvers: nytimes.com/ studentcrosswords.

EDITED BY WILL SHORTZ NO. 0104

PUZZLE BY LAURA BREIMAN AND TOM BACHANT

A Valentine’s Day Celebration of Love

BY LOGAN BUTTS

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, we decided to add some extra love to this week’s edition of The News. For our Valentine’s week issue, social editor and

reporter Brenda Batey interviewed some of Nashville’s most interesting and respected couples to learn about their relationships and glean some insight into what makes

them work.

We learned about everything from heart-embroidered Beef Wellington to how to balance busy schedules with all-too-

important time together.

In total, three couples were profiled for our special Valentine’s section of this week’s issue of The News. We hope you enjoy it!

Mary Carol and Stephen Beesley thankful for ‘full-circle’ marriage

BY BRENDA BATEY

PHOTO BY BRENDA BATEY

and we just picked up as before,” Stephen said. He says he remembers the first time he saw Mary Carol, when she was about 2 and he was around 4 years old. “I thought then what a pretty little baby she was,” he added. “And she is still pretty!”

The two started dating in March 2020 and were married in late November of that year. Since the world was in the midst of the Covid pandemic, they got to know each other again by taking drives around town and hosting small dinner parties with friends. Mary Carol always included Stephen. He never wanted to miss one of her gatherings, and he really liked her food and friends.

Stephen has three daughters and one son. Early on, he had moved his family to Jackson, Tenn., for business. They lived there for over 11 years. After his wife died he decided to move back to the Nashville and Franklin area. He raised his children by himself, which was especially difficult as he traveled for business.

Stephen has two grandchildren, a girl who is 14 and a boy who is 5.

The Beesleys love to travel, and in the short time they have been together they have visited Hawaii, New Orleans, Naples, St. Simons, and Newport, Rhode Island. In August they had a two-week trip driving up the scenic New England coast.

To celebrate Valentine’s Day, they enjoy going out to dinner, usually to Sperry’s, Jimmy Kelly’s or Valentino’s, where they spent their first Valentine’s evening as a married couple.

The relationship is “so easy,” as they enjoy the same things and his children and grandchildren are “crazy about her,” Stephen said. And Mary Carol’s beloved brown standard poodle, Tatiana, quickly became attached to Stephen and his family.

Although both are now retired, Mary Carol and Stephen had long and successful careers. She owned NATS, INC., a nursing school, for 25 years and taught at seven different Metro Schools for 31 years. She has quite a variety of teaching experiences, as she taught all grades through the years.

Mary Carol and Stephen Beesley are newlyweds who were both widowed. In 2020 “two of her girl friends and a guy friend suggested she meet Stephen.”

She told her friends she actually had known him when both were children. As soon as they got together, “it was as if no time had passed by,” she said.

“When he came to my door for our first date, I just hugged him and said ‘Come on in!’” Mary Carol added.

They grew up in the same neighborhood, and their families were good friends. Her brother Jim played with Stephen as a child and eventually served in the Army Reserves with him.

When Mary Carol mentioned perhaps going out with Stephen to her brother, he encouraged her to go by saying, “It’s just a date...you don’t have to marry him!”

But nine months later, they were married.

“She was still as cute as I remembered,

“They are so cute and we enjoy being around them and their friends. We try not to miss any of their activities,” said Mary Carol.

When asked what they enjoy doing together, the list was long.

They like just being with each other, as well as grocery shopping, church, visiting friends, music venues and sporting events, including the Predators, Titans, and Vanderbilt University. Her nephew will be going to Vanderbilt on a football scholarship, which ensures the pair will be at all his games.

Stephen worked in sales, traveling for Berry Global, which was originally part of Mobile Oil. Much changed during his career, as there were five buyouts during his tenure, but he enjoyed the challenges through the years.

The Beesleys prove you never know when happiness literally will show up on your doorstep. They look forward to many blissful years to come.

“I believe it was a God wink from heaven,” said Mary Carol. “We both feel very grateful that life has come full circle.”

Belle Meade’s Michael Dixon and Brian Setzer enjoy 32 years full of adventures

BY BRENDA BATEY

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Michael Dixon and Brian Setzer have accomplished much in their 32 years as a couple, from creating a wonderful home for themselves to working to help make their community better in many ways.

The two met in Michigan where they had both moved for jobs in the automotive business. They were introduced by a common friend because they were both southerners. Through the years, their various

endeavors brought them to Nashville. Brian and Michael always ensure they have time to support local charities, including the Swan Ball, Symphony Fashion Show, Parthenon Conservancy, Antique and

Garden Show, and numerous others. They often take on important roles, specifically, through Michael’s company, Travelink, such as procuring significant trips for the Swan Ball auction and flying

Mary Carol and Stephen Beesley with their adorable poodle, Tatiana.

in the designer and team for the Symphony Fashion Show.

The couple says the Antique and Garden Show is the anchor for their January and February schedule and they often observe Valentine’s Day during that time. They enjoy being involved in the event, which focuses so much on amazing floral displays.

Michael and Brian are enthusiasts for health and well-being, and they are regulars

at the Green Hills YMCA. They also have enjoyed running on Belle Meade Boulevard, which is how they found their current home.

They liked to jog down a side street in Belle Meade, and they greatly admired a certain home that is now 107 years old. They always said if it ever came up for sale, they might be interested.

One day they received a postcard in the mail that the house was available. Even

though they had no plans to relocate to another residence, they went to have a look inside and soon they were moving in.

They have now been in this stately yet unassuming home for 10 years and celebrated their wedding ceremony there seven years ago. They especially appreciated the house during the Covid pandemic, when they were able to spend a lot of time together enjoying its park-like surroundings.

They take a great deal of interest in the house, and they have refurbished and cared for it with respect to its historical integrity. It is a true southern showplace, and their Weimaraner, Hitchcock, helps make it a welcoming home.

Both men are extremely busy with their careers and they travel a lot. That is why they make an effort to schedule downtime together for fun and relaxation.

For the past 29 years, Michael has served as the President and Managing Partner of Travelink, which he co-founded in 1994. He is responsible for the financial affairs and strategic planning for Travelink Incorporated, as well as the general administration of business travel sales, vacation travel, marketing, and operations management.

Brian is the Chief Financial Officer for the Health and Wellness business at Walmart, Inc. In this role, he leads the financial and strategic planning support for the retail pharmacy, optical and health clinic businesses across Walmart’s locations in the

United States.

Brian has a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Tennessee and Michael received his degree from Mars Hill College in North Carolina. They both hold Master’s Degrees in Business Administration from Vanderbilt University.

The two have an ardent interest in exploring the world, and they have been able to have adventures together including Antarctica, New Zealand, China, Morocco, Kenya and many others.

It is difficult to imagine they have any spare time, but when they do, Michael is an avid gardener and serves on the Ceres Society for the City of Belle Meade. He is a member of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America and owns a vintage 1970 Mercedes-Benz Roadster. Brian is a dedicated supporter of youthoriented music programs, including a long-standing involvement in high school and college band and is a fan of competitive drum and bugle corps.

They enjoy cooking together, and Michael mans the grill while Brian prepares the rest of the meal in the spacious kitchen. They enjoy entertaining at home and hosting intimate gatherings.

This special couple has carved out a wonderful life for themselves, with exciting and challenging careers, magical trips, and a marvelous home where it all comes together.

Michael Dixon and Brian Setzer

LaRawn Scaife and Richard Rhea cite love, creativity, food as important pillars of Valentine’s Day

BY BRENDA BATEY

PHOTOS BY LARAWN SCAIFE RHEA

fireplace every year and often put red and pink flowers in three silver cups for the centerpiece.

“I replicate the first meal I ever prepared for Richard, which was Beef Wellington, mashed potatoes stacked between homemade potato chips, green peas, and corn pudding from Miss Daisy.

“When Richard and I first started dating, I lived in a little cottage in Belle Meade Links, and I would go to Stevens Market where Miss Daisy sold her food. I was there almost every weekend he was in town, so we laugh when we see Daisy, and thank her because she was such an integral part of our dating.

“We would sit in front of the fireplace and enjoy her croissants with smoked thinly sliced turkey and corn pudding, so I credit her with me helping get my way to Richard’s heart through his stomach,” LaRawn added.

current favorite place to visit is Canada, and especially Montreal and Quebec. We love the culture, the architecture, food and especially, the people. I have always enjoyed travel, and I have a really great travel partner.”

LaRawn even judges a building competition in Toronto each year that highlights the best marketing collateral, best sales center, best new builder, and more for the development community.

“It has been great fun and very educational for me to learn the similar and different ways the two countries trend regarding real estate and development, and it is such an honor to have been a part of this for four years.”

homeless children who spend Christmas at the Nashville Rescue Mission.

“I roll the pajamas up and put them in a Christmas stocking and add a Hershey chocolate bar since my mother loved them so. I chose to give pajamas because, as children, that was the one gift we were allowed to open on Christmas Eve so we would have cute PJs for our Christmas morning pictures.”

“I also do an event in my dad’s memory where we present The Cecil Scaife Visionary Award. He was instrumental in starting the music business program at Belmont College, now University. He shared his vision with Dr. Herbert Gabhard, who was the college president at the time.

LaRawn Scaife Rhea is known in charitable organization circles and other areas as a most creative and imaginative person.

In her marriage to Richard Rhea, she uses her skills to create romantic times at home and on their travels.

“Richard and I were introduced by Janice Elliott Morgan at Houston’s in Nashville on a very cold January night 28 years ago,” LaRawn said.

“We dated for almost two years before we married on St. Croix Island in Christiansted where Richard was, at the time, developing land overlooking the sea. It was magical for a multitude of reasons.

“Janice was maid of honor, of course. And we married in a beautiful Danish Lutheran Church that was constructed in 1753, and the tiny reception was held at the Buccaneer Resort,” she added.

“For Valentine’s Day we have almost always stayed home and enjoyed being together in front of the fireplace,” said LaRawn.

“I will move the table in front of the

“On Valentine’s Day, our first course is usually shrimp and I do a special dessert, which will be peppermint ice cream and hot fudge sauce, or maybe a rustic French apple tart that Richard loves. I don’t recall ever going out on Valentine’s Day. We like cozying up by the fireplace, even when we were young,” said LaRawn.

The Rheas spent the first part of their marriage traveling quite a lot, with some trips involving clients they took to Argentina for fly fishing. Another adventure was the month they spent in Russia when Richard was asked to work as a consultant for a development group based there.

“One of our favorite travel destinations has been Telluride, where we had a home for several years, and to Palm Beach, where I grew up visiting and lived as a child before relocating to Nashville,” said LaRawn.

“I really enjoy travel and experiencing the culture and studying the history of the different places we have visited.”

“Travel has inspired me in many ways through the years,” said Richard. “Our

Both of the Rheas love giving back to the community and for at least 10 years they organized a coat drive for the underserved in the Nashville surrounding counties.

“I will always recall the first year when Richard drove me to the counties in our farm truck loaded down with coats to make the deliveries. It was wonderful and humbling at the same time,” LaRawn said.

Richard also supports a large number of Christian ministries and gives his time to mentor younger men.

“We have been so blessed, and I believe it is our responsibility to help and encourage others,” he said. “I am grateful for the many mentors and teachers who have helped me along the way.”

LaRawn has served on the Swan Ball public relations committee for more than 15 years and, after her mother died, she began donating pajamas in her memory to the

“My dad thought it was simple - Belmont already had the Jack Massey School of Business and they had a well-known music department. He suggested they combine the staff of both and create a program where students could learn how to be in the music business. With Mike Curb’s generosity and guidance, it is now one of the leading colleges of its type in the world. The funds from the event held in honor of my father go toward scholarships at The Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business,” said LaRawn.

“God has been kind to us, and we have grateful hearts. After seeing the losses of so many during the pandemic, I think we are all living in the moment more,” Richard said.

“Valentine’s Day is a time set aside for us to shower our loved ones with love, but it is something we really need to do every day. I’m so grateful to have such a kind and loving Valentine,” LaRawn added.

LaRawn Scaife Rhea creates the same meal for Valentine’s Day that she served her husband, Richard, the first time she cooked for him. Pictured are individual Beef Wellingtons, complete with a puff pastry heart on each.

Richard and LaRawn Scaife Rhea spent a romantic time this past Christmas in Quebec.

The Rhea’s gorgeous Valentine’s Day table is placed in front of the fireplace, set with china and silver, and covered with a beautiful red cloth. Red and white flowers and candles add to the ambiance, along with a figure of Cupid, the god of love.

Nan Parrish uses organizational skills for charities and downsizing

BY BRENDA BATEY

mimosas and valet parking.

“It was reported in The News and still mentioned from time to time,” Parrish said. They moved to a large apartment on West End Avenue readily accessible to I-440, the airport and the lake. Parrish then downsized from there when she was on her own to a smaller apartment, again on West End.

In Parrish’s words “not everyone can downsize, not everyone can give up their home or maybe their lifestyle or their things. However, if you can move forward with no or few regrets to a more manageable lifestyle, getting organized is the first step.

“Files and photos are the most difficult because they are the most personal,” Parrish said. “A shredding company will take care of all but the files you really must have, and companies are available to organize your photos in various ways.

“Usually people get bogged down trying to do it themselves. Evaluate your belongings and decide what you would like to give away. Alas, don’t count on your children wanting your silver or grandmother’s china.

Helping behind the scenes for charitable events and not-for-profits has been Nan Parrish’s way of being involved for the past few years since losing her favorite cochairman, her late husband, Neil. Together they took on many challenges.

Now, Nan Parrish brainstorms quietly behind the scenes and offers advice from her years of experience.

Parrish started her not-for-profit career when the late community volunteer Clare Armistead asked her to chair the WPLN Appreciation Dinner in 1985. Parrish said she had attended enough events in Nashville to know to call the English Garden’s Terry White for the decor, caterer Charlie Cates for the food, and the late band leader Pat Patrick for the orchestra.

She then added a surprise which became her signature contribution for events and parties. For this event, she asked the Blair opera group to perform selections from “Phantom of the Opera,” the blockbuster musical that had just come on the Broadway scene.

Later TPAC benefited from another night of “Phantom of the Opera,” as the black tie multi-faceted event got TPAC out of the red and back to operating in the black.

It was a two-year large-scale team effort that let Parrish know she would go where she was needed and not where an organization was running like a well-oiled machine. She was up for a challenge.

When an event needed a revamp Parrish was often called. Sometimes it was a simple fix, as when she took “The Mad Hatter”

event benefiting Rape and Sexual Abuse Center (now Sexual Assault Center) and “rather than auction hats, they auctioned dates with the people who wore hats such as politicians, coaches, first responders and others,” Parrish said.

Sometimes it took changing an event entirely to be successful, such as when “The Prom,” which benefitted Senior Citizens, was transformed to the “Crown Ball.”

Never fearful of getting out of the box, the year the Parrishes were dinner chairmen for The Symphony Ball, which had a Russian theme, they served venison for the first course and sturgeon for the second. It was the first time in Nashville fish had been served as an entree at a black tie or white tie ball. It was touted by the late Catherine Darnell, who covered social events for The Tennessean, “as the best banquet meal ever served in Nashville.”

Many Nashville nonprofits have benefited from Parrish’s organizational and fundraising skills.

“We opened our home to more strangers than friends,” Neil Parrish remarked one time, as they supported their charities.

The Parrishes also took on city government when it was discovered that “Metro Nashville had one of the worst animal control systems in the country.” They walked into the city council meeting and into the office of the head of Metro Nashville Public Health that oversaw animal control. Again, a massive team effort resulted in the building of a new facility.

“No politician was off limits and no stone

was left unturned in the endeavor.”

In addition to Nashville, the Parrishes spent several weeks a year in New York City, where they continued their volunteer work. Their socialite friends Somers Farkas, CeCe Black and Kathy Springhorn kept them busy with Central Park Conservancy, the Sir John Soane Museum Foundation, benefiting the London Museum, the Horticultural Society, and the American Theatre Wing.

Virginia Ogilvy (Lady Airlie) invited Parrish to join the board of the American Museum in Great Britain, located in Bath, England. Parrish still travels to New York two or three times a year to support her friend Carolyn MacDonald with the Halcyon Foundation Theatre events benefiting the museum.

Parrish also was invited to join the National Advisory Board of the National Museum of Women in Arts Museum in Washington, D.C. Her goal in doing so was to “introduce Tennessee women artists into the impressive archives of the museum.”

Parrish says, “Oh the people we did meet and the adventures we did have along the way!”

While helping with events and travel occupy much of Parrish’s life, she still finds time to help friends decide if they can downsize to smaller homes, as she has done twice.

The first time the Parrishes decided to leave their high-maintenance home in Belle Meade was to allow more time for their travels and time at the lake. Parrish organized an amazing estate sale with champagne

“The things you can give away to a grateful friend or relative will give you a great deal of pleasure, especially if you visit their home and see your treasures being wellloved,” Parrish said.

“Some items should be hauled off or donated. You won’t need your plastic bag collection, your dozens of florist vases or decades worth of old magazines, but the church may want your vases.

“Large-scale furniture may not fit in a smaller space and if your big pieces cannot be given away, selling is an option.

“Depending on the value, a consignment shop or an auction house is a way to find large pieces a new home. Unless you have museum-quality things, don’t plan on getting what you think something should be worth. Visiting a few estate sales may help you get an idea of what to expect your things to be worth, but please refrain from bringing more things home.

“You may or may not want to hold an estate sale at your home. If you do, you will need the help of a professional unless you have retail experience; if you do not want a sale at your home your things can be taken off-site to another location.

“As a word to the wise, refrain from crowding your new space. Too much stuff is suffocating, you may even want to buy new furniture for your new home.

“One final thought is to not wait too late. Make your decision to move to a cluster home, a retirement home, or an apartment complex while it is still your decision to make. Embrace your new lifestyle with the same enthusiasm as you cherish your memories,” Parrish added.

PHOTO BY BRENDA BATEY

Nan Parrish looks through a box of memorabilia from the many non-profit events in which she has been involved.

Joseph Family Foundation Event

BY BRENDA BATEY

PHOTOS BY BRENDA BATEY

The Joseph Family Foundation held its inaugural ‘Betting Against Climate Displacement Casino Night’ at event venue 14TENN in The Nations neighborhood.

The foundation hosted the evening to raise funds, awareness, and support for the mission of the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP).

The beautifully dressed guests enjoyed a photo booth, and a raffle offered all kinds of items, including a $150 gift certificate to Marsh House, a Duke’s Bourbon Bundle, a music publishing experience, a western package, a $275 gift from Kittenish boutique, a night out at City Winery, and an autographed photo of John Mayer.

Everyone selected from delicious passed hors d’oeuvres, a burger stand, pasta bar, charcuterie board, and a number of desserts provided by Southern Spoon Food Truck.

IRAP is a legal aid and advocacy organization led by 2,100 volunteers from 29 law schools in the U.S. and Canada and pro bono attorneys from a number of international law firms and multinational corporations. IRAP seeks to expand legal protections for people displaced by climate ramifications and to assist individuals who are forecast to be displaced by the climate in coming years.

Luis and Feve Delgadillo Ross and Amanda Dupre

Chris Gelb, jazz and folk singer Megg Farrell, also known as Sweet Megg, Geoff Henderson, and Dan Hitchcook, performed early jazz music for the delighted crowd. Viki Haking, Sydni Joseph and Josh Joseph

Katelyn Pramberger, Katiana Soenen, and Lucy Solomon

Kareena Gor, Lillian Crocker, and Elena Hill

Blake Patterson, Madeline Brayman, and Michael Powers

Tara Joseph, Sophie Joseph, and Katie Larson

Maria Telfer and Pam Goodwin

Haley Zapolski and Garrett Elmore

Megan Lyons and Hafsah Malik

Craig Clark, Rita Murphy, and Leigh and Daniel Tansey

Claire Hsu and Joie Nunnelly

Blackjack dealer Carson Jones

Rodney Eldridge and Tyler Minor

Niki Irvin-Griffin and Pete Griffin

Talbert Jones serves delicious mini grilled fontina cheese sandwiches and tomato basil soup prepared by the Southern Spoon Food Truck.

(615)

615-298-1500

Help Wanted

Care Giver rent/lease

THE GREEN HILLS APARTMENTS

is no longer just for retired teachers. All seniors 62 and older may apply with no fee. Efficiencies start at $500 which includes utilities.

One bedroom & studio apartments available starting at $625 per month. Must be 62 and older and live independently.

615-297-7536

greenhillsapts@comcast.net

earn $85 - $95 5 hrs 1 day per wk

We have a carrier route open to be delivered between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. each Wednesday.

• A great way to earn extra money for a few hours each Wednesday

• Must have a valid drivers license and auto insurance We have retired people, housewives, high school students and working adults delivering for us now. These are good, part time jobs. Call

I am an experienced 5 star personal assistantHousehold and pet management, driver, security, business and legal consulting, Man Friday, professional butler. $50 / hr. Stellar References. (615) 292-7615

HoMe iMproveMent

pluMbinG

tree serviCe

Hardwood

cleaned, waxed, buffed, sanded and/or refinished. Over 75

Gutters

Complete Home repair & improvements

Native Nashvillian in business since 1992.

Additions, Decks, Window Replacement, Furniture and Playground Equipment Assembly.

All Types of Repairs.

Junk reMoval

Junk HaulinG & deMolition

Junk Hauling

•Appliances •Yard Waste

•Household Items

•Construction Debris demolition

Full or Partial Removal

•Houses •Sheds

HoMe iMproveMent

•Carports •Buildings (615) 885-1736

loCksMitH

Green Hills lock & key Servicing the area since 1974!

Deadbolts Installed

Locks Re-keyed • Lockouts

Locks Repaired & Serviced (615) 269-3616

paintinG/paperinG

Mt. Juliet plumbing and Leak Detection

“Beariffic Plumbing Repair Service!”

Local Licensed experienced Plumbers (615) 733-5665

prayer

need prayer?

If you are in need of prayer, call 888-388-2683

The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association will have prayer partners available to talk with you 24/7.

tree serviCe

bulldog tree service

• Topping / Deadwooding

• Stump Removals

• Trimming

• Lot Clearing

• Bobcat Work Free Estimates. Insured. Call John 24/7: (615) 313-7375

top notch tree service

Topping & trimming, deadwooding, removals, brush chipping, stump grinding Insured & Free Estimates Call Mike (615) 834-6827

eric’stree service Big, Tall or Small, We Do It All!

Insured • Free Estimates Call Eric / Owner (615) 779-1870

Wanted

We buy Vinyl Records, Comic Books, CDs, Blu-Rays,DVDs, Toys, Video & Role-Playing Games, CCGs, Stereo Equipment,Music & Movie Memorabilia,and much more. In business 40+ years; No collection too large or small.

Mention this ad when you call. BUY - SELL - TRADE the Great escape Call 615-364-3029

TheGreatEscapeOnline.com

Chair caning and all styles of weaving. Wicker repair available. Pick up and delivery. the Cane-ery (615) 269-4780 / 414-5655

WindoW Clean

all seasons Window Cleaning Specializing in residential windows. Serving Nashville over 38 yrs!

Licensed - Bonded - Insured Free Estimates

Low Prices (615) 889-9164