October 20, 2022

Jill Biden visits

Nashville church for vaccination event

BY HANNAH HERNER

On her visit to Nashville Wednesday, First Lady Jill Biden went to St. James Missionary Baptist Church in North Nashville to visit a pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinic there.

Biden encouraged the roughly 100 in attendance to stay updated on their COVID-19 vaccinations, including the most recent bivalent vaccine, designed to protect against the Omicron variant. The new formula was approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in early September.

The CDC also announced Wednesday that the bivalent vaccine is available to kids as young as 5 years old, down from the previous limit of 12 years old.

Pastor George T. Brooks said that the

congregation had offered vaccines in its space at least once a week since March 2021, in partnership with Metro Public Health Department.

“The church is so behind all good things,” Biden said at the event.

In Davidson County, 35,000 people have gotten the bivalent shot thus far, according to MPHD Medical Director Gill Wright. Wright added that the number of vaccines is often under-counted and that the department is encountering more vaccination fatigue than vaccine hesitancy.

After the vaccine event, Biden attended a private Democratic National Committee fundraiser at a home in the Hillsboro-West End neighborhood. Democratic

Nashville approves $50M plan to address homelessness

BY CONNOR DARYANI

Despite some skepticism, Metro councilmembers and local nonprofit leaders alike are celebrating the approval of a $50 million plan from the mayor’s office as a big step forward in solving Nashville’s homeless crisis.

“It’s definitely moving in the right direction, and on paper, $50 million sounds like a lot,” said India Pungarcher, the advocacy and outreach specialist at Open Table Nashville. “But that is going to be spent really quickly, and these are the types of investments that we desperately need our city to continue making year after year and not just this one time because we have an influx of federal funds.”

The plan, which was passed during last week’s Metro Council meeting and was signed by Mayor John Cooper on Wednesday, directs federal American Rescue Plan funding toward four areas. The largest of those allotments is $25 million toward affordable housing gap financing.

Unlike the Barnes Fund — a trust fund dedicated to providing nonprofits with grants to develop more affordable housing in Nashville — this $25 million will be

made available through loans to for-profit companies building affordable housing, with the intent of moving faster than Barnes Fund projects. The plan also specifically addresses units for households making 30 percent or less of the area median income — crucial for housing people experiencing homelessness. AMI is a metric used to determine what is affordable in a given area.

“That is one of the biggest gaps for housing we have in our community,” said Pungarcher. “It’s just really hard to build and subsidize, so we’re really excited that there’s an actual program.”

Making units available to chronically homeless individuals — people who have ongoing struggles with homelessness inflamed by disabling conditions — on the private market is a challenge. And while there are still concerns over how effective it will be, this bill provides incentives to private companies to build those affordable developments.

“We’ve talked a lot in this conversation about the chronically homeless, and forprofit developers are not traditionally eager to create space for those

PHOTO BY MATT MASTERS

PHOTO COURTESY OF MAYOR’S OFFICE

First Lady Jill Biden speaks alongside Nashville Mayor John Cooper on on Oct. 12, 2022, at St. James Missionary Baptist Church during a pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinic.

HCA gives $1.5M each to Fisk, TSU

HCA Healthcare announced Tuesday that it would give $1.5 million to Fisk University for scholarships for students pursuing a degree in nursing at the hospital company’s own Galen College of Nursing. In addition, the for-profit hospital owner last week gave $1.5 million to Tennessee State University for students in the Dr. Levi Watkins, Jr. Institute Accelerated Medical Pathway program and a handful of scholarships for students in the college of engineering.

The Fisk gift is meant to support a pathway introduced in 2021 for health science and nursing students who are interested in pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at Galen. Fisk students can have credits transferred to Galen’s BSN program after completing a qualifying threeyear degree at Fisk. The funding supports scholarships over four years, career guidance services and additional faculty, according to a press release.

“This partnership between Fisk University and HCA Healthcare marks the latest stage in our long-term relationship around students pursuing exciting careers in the health care industry,” said Frank Sims, acting president of Fisk University. “HCA Healthcare remains Fisk’s largest Nashville partner, and many students are eager to begin their professional lives right here in Nashville.”

In 2019, HCA partnered with Fisk to create the HCA Healthcare Scholars at Fisk University program, which committed $1 million to scholarships at the time. In 2015, HCA gave $1 million to TSU to support its Health Information Management Program.

“It is an honor to partner with TSU to support more students pursuing careers in health care and, in turn, helping to build a diverse talent pipeline of health care professionals,” said Sherri Neal, chief diversity officer of HCA Healthcare. “Increasing the diversity of our health care workforce is vital to providing equitable, culturally competent care to our communities.”

The gifts are part of a three-year commitment to give $10 million to Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Hispanic Serving Institutions. The organization has announced $6.75 million thus far, according to a press release. Earlier this year, Galen College of Nursing announced an Asheville campus.

THE DONATIONS ARE PART OF ONGOING PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN HCA AND HBCUS STAFF REPORTS

First

Biden

gubernatorial nominee Jason Martin and state Sen. Heidi Campbell, the Democratic nominee in the 5th Congressional District, were among the attendees. She was scheduled to fly to Milwaukee for two engagements centered on education. Biden

came to Nashville last June for another vaccination event with Brad Paisley.

“It’s so important that we keep all Americans healthy,” Biden said. This story was first published by our sister publication Nashville Post.

Nashville approves $50M plan

populations in otherwise market-based developments,” said District 19 Metro Councilmember Freddie O’Connell, who this year announced his candidacy for the mayor’s office. But despite his misgivings, following a back-and-forth with the mayor’s office, the Metro Council and local nonprofits in the lead up to the plans approval, O’Connell says he feels confident that this plan is putting the city on the right track.

But Pungarcher said it’s going to take more to really make a dent in Nashville’s homeless crisis.

“We want to have some sort of dedicated revenue stream so that there is legislation requiring repeated and recurrent funding going into the Barnes Fund every single year,” said Pungarcher. “We need a dedicated stream so that people don’t have to fight to try to get the administration every year on board.”

then you have success, which attracts more funding,” said Jennings, who also chairs the sheltering committee for the Continuum of Care Homelessness Planning Council.

Back in May, a study from an out-ofstate firm found Nashville severely lacking in resources directed toward addressing chronic homelessness. This came following Judy Tackett stepping down as director of the Metro Homeless Impact Division near the end of 2021. Two interim directors later — plus a controversial plan that closed the Jefferson Bridge encampment — Nashville has yet to name a permanent executive director of the Metro Ho meless Impact Division.

Nashvillians receive updated Covid-19 vaccine shots on Oct. 12, 2022, at St. James Missionary Baptist Church during a pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinic that was visited by First Lady Jill Biden.

Cathy Jennings, the executive director of The Contributor, a paper sold by currently and formerly unhoused Nashvillians, said this plan could be a great step toward more steady funding. She explains that when the city applies for competitive grants, plans like this one signal that Nashville is committed to housing homeless people, putting the city in a stronger position for the grant competition.

“Funding attracts more funding. And

The rest of the $50 million includes $9 million toward housing-first supportive services, which prioritize moving people from homelessness into housing as soon as possible; $9 million toward temporary gap housing; and $7 million toward landlord engagement and competitive grants.

Earlier this year, 1,916 people were counted to be experiencing homelessness in Nashville.

“Now is the time,” said Jennings. “If we let this go much longer, we’re going to crush that wave. So this is going to be a great kickstart.”

This story was first published by our sister publication Nashville Scene.

PHOTO BY MATT MASTERS

Five Free and Cheap Family Things To Do in Middle Tennessee

BY AMANDA HAGGARD

As the leaves begin to change and turn even the shortest drive into a hunt for beautiful colors, there are several opportunities to enjoy the fall season. Take the family out to learn about the state’s landscapes, go to Shelby Park to see the leaves in person or learn more about the science behind it all at the Adventure Science Museum. And it wouldn’t be a week in Nashville without at least one free music event.

As part of our fall series on free and cheap things to do with the family, here are a few ideas for spending time together over the next week:

LANTERN PARADE

On Oct. 20, the Discovery Center in Murfreesboro will hold its first Lantern Parade. The parade is free. It is encouraged to bring a homemade lantern and comfortable shoes to wear. Attendees will march in a New Orleans-style second line band to show off their lanterns.

JR. NATURALIST:

AUTUMN CHANGES

At Shelby Bottoms Nature Center, this free session by Lena Friedman will lead folks of all ages on a walk to enjoy the fall foliage. Friedman will describe how the park is readying itself for the cold winter and will introduce a junior naturalist activity book to young folks on the walk.

FALL INTO SCIENCE FESTIVAL

At the Adventure Science Museum, they’ll

be hosting a free outdoor festival on Oct. 23. The event will include games, performances, science demonstrations and hands-on STEAM activities facilitated by members of local businesses and organizations. The event, which doesn’t require the normal admission to attend, is part of the state-wide TN STEAM Festival, which is from Oct. 14-23.

MUSICIANS CORNER FALL MARKET

This free fall celebration is held in Centennial Park on Oct. 22-23 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on each day. In addition to a variety of craft and food vendors, there will be live performances by local artists on the Musicians Corner stage. There will be fallthemed activities for children, and attendees can also pick up one of the 200 free trees that the Nashville Tree Foundation will give away at the Oct. 23 event.

LUNCH AND LEARN: TENNESSEE FOLKLIFE AND THE SMOKY MOUNTAINS WITH BOB FULCHER

On Oct. 27, head out for a learning opportunity at the Tennessee State Museum. At the Tennessee State Museum, Bob Fulcher will discuss the state’s traditional music, dance, craftwork, lore and oral histories that “has enlivened, beautified, and supported culture and families through generations of sharing, especially in the Great Smoky Mountains,” according to the museum. The Tennessee State Parks Folklife Project and its images from its collection will be highlighted.

Breaking down the constitutional amendments on the Nov. 8 ballot

BY CONOR DARYANI

CUNNINGHAM, SALES AND CLASSIFIEDS | CIRCULATION

CHELON HASTY, SALES OPERATIONS MANAGER

HEATHER CANTRELL MULLINS, PUBLISHER

MIKE SMITH , PRESIDENT AND CEO

ELIZABETH JONES , CORPORATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR TODD PATTON , CFO

BILL FREEMAN, OWNER FW PUBLISHING LLC

Tennesseans will have the opportunity to vote on four amendments to the state constitution in the coming midterm elec tion. The amendments have already passed through the state legislature, so a vote from the public will be their final test. Ranging from language clarifications to codification of controversial so-called right-to-work laws, here’s what’s coming up on the ballot.

Early voting in Davidson County will take place from Oct. 19 until Nov. 3, with Election Day landing on Nov. 8. Find more information — including a list of early-vot ing locations — via nashville.gov.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT 1

With backing from Gov. Bill Lee, the first amendment on the ballot aims to codify Tennessee’s right-to-work law. One of 27 states with such laws, Tennessee has been right-to-work since the 1940s. But critics say “right-to-work” is a misnomer, and labor ad vocacy groups such as AFL-CIO have taken to referring to it as a “right to work for less.”

In states with right-to-work laws, unions have far less bargaining and advocacy power, leaving employers with more control over the workforce. This is because it allows workers to opt out of unions and their dues, even if they benefit from union-negotiated contracts. Advocates for the amendment say right-to-work makes Tennessee more attractive to employers, and that codifying the law in the state constitution will make its future reversal far more difficult should those opposed to right-to-work ever win control of the state legislature. Right-to-work laws have also come under fire nationwide, and should they ever be overturned at a national level, advocates for the law say its addition to the state constitution would give Tennessee more power to fight the change.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT 2

Article 3, Section 12 of the state con stitution currently states that in the case of the governor’s death, resignation or removal from office, the powers of the governor’s office are delegated to the speaker of the state Senate, followed by the speaker of the House. This amendment essentially adds clarifications on what exactly this process should look like. It also makes it clear that while fulfilling the governor’s duties, the

speaker can retain their seat in legislature but cannot vote as a member of legislature.

Additionally, the amendment says that while filling in as governor, the speaker would still receive a speaker’s salary, not a governor’s salary. The amendment would also temporarily exempt the speaker from a law that prohibits representatives from holding more than one state office while they are performing the duties of governor.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT 3

Article 1, Section 33 of the state constitu tion currently prohibits slavery unless some one has been convicted of a crime, in which case they can be submitted to involuntary servitude as punishment. Amendment 3 would remove the so-called “punishment clause” from the constitution, prohibiting slavery outright. A stipulation has also been added that states, “Nothing in this section shall prohibit an inmate from working when the inmate has been duly convicted of a crime,” a change that prisoner advocates and activist groups have shown support for.

The current language mirrors that of the U.S. Constitution’s 13th Amendment. That language has come under a lot of fire over the years, especially following the release of Ava DuVernay’s 13th in 2016, a documen tary that details the ways in which corpora tions use the language in this amendment to take advantage of prisoners for free labor.

CoreCivic, one of the biggest private prison companies in the country, is based out of Nashville and runs four of the 14 state prisons in Tennessee. There are currently 20 states in the U.S. with various forms of the “punishment clause” in their state constitu tions, and in November Tennessee will join four other states in voting to change this.

Constitutional Amendment 4

Article 9, Section 1 of the state constitu tion currently prohibits ministers and priests of any denomination from holding a seat in the state legislature. The U.S. Supreme Court declared the provision unconstitution al in 1978, so this rule has not actually been enforced since then. Amendment 4 would officially remove this prohibition from the state constitution.

This story was first published by our sister publication Nashville Scene.

Roundup: What analysts are saying about Nashville’s housing market

BY STEPHEN ELLIOTT

Greater Nashville Realtors reported last week that home sales in the Nashville area were down 13.5 percent in September.

Here’s what analysts have been saying about the Nashville residential real estate market in recent weeks:

According to Redfin, Nashville saw the biggest year-over-year increase in the typical down payment among major cities. In Nash ville in July, the typical down payment was $64,250, up nearly 40 percent from a year earlier. Other big jumps came in Newark, New York City and Charlotte. According to the Redfin analysis, Nashville buyers were putting down 15 percent in July, up from 12.1 percent in July 2021.

Redfin also reported that Nashville saw the third-highest year-over-year increase in the number of homes for sale last month, at 38 percent. That figure trailed only Austin and North Port, Florida.

“The bottom line is that homeowners don’t need to sell in this environment,”

Redfin chief economist Daryl Fairweather said. “They locked in rock-bottom mortgage rates last year and are sitting on piles of equity. The jobs market remains very strong, so there’s little risk that mortgage delinquen cies or foreclosures will rise significantly. It

would take a severe — not soft — recession to send homeowners into distress. We will have to wait and see if the broader economy steers towards normalcy or recession in the upcoming months.”

Zillow found that fast-growing markets in the South, including Nashville, Atlanta and Charlotte, are expected to “retain their heat” while more inexpensive Midwest markets like Indianapolis and Minneapolis are also expected to see more limited home price declines in the next 12 months.

That means, Zillow reported, that rent growth should remain strong in the short term as high home prices keep some buyers in the rental market. Specifically, analysts said, rent growth is expected to outpace inflation, home value growth and the stock market in the next year.

“After the frantic rush for real estate over the past two years, buyers are finally seeing a calmer market. Those still able to afford homeownership are quickly regaining lost leverage, but this shift to a more balanced market is still in its early stages,” said Nicole Bachaud, senior economist at Zillow. “Home shoppers priced out of the market are in a tight spot, though, as high and rising rents could cut further into their ability to save up

for a down payment.”

Knock reported that 19 of the 100 largest American housing markets were expected to favor buyers by August 2023, meaning sellers will be more likely to accept offers below asking price. The list of cities Knock identi fied includes Nashville, along with Austin, Charleston and Charlotte.

“Although the general consensus is the housing market is undergoing a much-need ed reset, which is welcome news to many home shoppers who will have more choices and less competition for the foreseeable future, not all markets are seeing the same trends,” said Knock co-founder and CEO Sean Black. “In reality, there’s a great housing divide taking place in the U.S., especially in the East and South, where despite a slow down in sales and slower home price growth, many markets continue to favor sellers.”

According to a Realtor.com analysis, for-sale housing inventory has increased dramatically in Nashville in the past year. Inventory jumped 125.3 percent in Nashville compared to last year, lagging just Phoenix and Raleigh at the top of the list. Nash ville also saw a 19.6-percent increase in the number of new sellers from September 2021 to September 2022. That increase trailed just

New Orleans, where 2021 numbers were dampened by Hurricane Ida.

“For homeowners deciding whether to make a move this year, remember that listing prices – while lower than a few months ago – remain higher than in prior years, so you’re still likely to find opportunities to cash-in on record-high levels of equity, particularly if you’ve owned your home for a longer period of time,” Realtor.com chief economist Dan ielle Hale said. “And for prospective buyers grappling with affordability, you may have more bargaining power than you realize, particularly in areas where time on market is rising.”

This story was first published by our sister publication Nashville Post.

Nashville plans dockless e-bike pilot program

BY CONNOR DARYANI

A new pilot program could be the next step in making e-bikes a more convenient al ternative form of transportation in Nashville — but a Metro councilmember worries the program could be held back by high rates.

The program, set to launch in the coming weeks, will be dockless and include 75 e-bikes, managed by Bird, Lime and Spin. It will encompass a large portion of the city covering South and West Nashville, ex cluding downtown, East Nashville and The Gulch. With bikes a popular form of urban transportation, a spotlight has been placed on Nashville’s lack of bike-centric infrastruc ture recently.

Last month’s shutdown of multiple BCy cle stations on the city’s greenways caused a stir, and programs like the city’s Walkn Bike Nashville plan are attempting to make Nashville more cyclist-friendly. But District 17 Councilmember Colby Sledge said infra structure may not be the only thing holding Nashville back.

“The biggest hurdle to people using micro-mobility on a regular basis is not just availability, it’s the cost,” said Sledge. He said that compared to other cities, Nashville’s scooter and bike share programs are far more expensive, making them a much less feasible

transit option. He cited a recent trip to Den ver, where he said the price of scooter and e-bike rentals was half that of Nashville’s. Nashville Department of Transportation representative Courtney Stone said the rates are being driven by the private companies involved, and that to her knowledge there has not been a conversation between NDOT and the private companies about the rates for e-bikes.

Sledge said he was surprised there was not a conversation about rates. He explained that while scooters are mainly used for shorter trips in downtown areas, e-bike trips are usually two to three times as long.

“Somebody might take an e-bike trip for the first time, get off, and they’re paying 18 to 20 bucks?” said Sledge. “At that point someone would say, ‘Never again am I going to use this, I’m just going to take an Uber.’”

“If we want micromobility to be an actual, useful mode of transportation … we need to have a rate that encourages you,” he said.

Although Sledge is concerned that 75 bikes is not enough to cover the size of the area for the pilot program, he sees it as an exciting opportunity to prove that e-bike share programs have the ability to become a

PHOTO BY MATT MASTERS

BCycle Electric bicycles or ‘e-bikes’ are available to rent in Nashville’s 12 South neighborhood from bike rack stations.

valid alternative mode of transportation and that it should be priced appropriately.

Users of the dockless e-bikes will be required to return them to any nearby bike rack after usage, and NDOT will be install ing more bike racks across the pilot area over the next 30 days to accommodate the

bikes and make their usage more convenient. Stone said over the next several months NDOT will evaluate the usage of the e-bikes to assess possible expansions of the program. This story was first published by our sister publication Nashville Post.

TOKENS MEDIA ACQUIRES

NASHVILLE PEER

Tokens Media LLC has acquired Great Feeling Studios, with the two Nashville companies not disclosing financial terms in a release.

Tokens Media includes a live philosoph ical and theological variety show hosted throughout the Nashville area, as well as a podcast, online shows and public radio broadcasts. Lee Camp serves as founder and executive producer.

Owned by Jakob Lewis and Luke Tidwell, Great Feelings Studio is a podcast produc tion company that works with foundations, nonprofits and socially conscious brands.

“We’re delighted to deepen our partner ship with Jakob Lewis and Luke Tidwell. Great Feeling Studios has been a key player in our success to date with our podcast and radio show, and we’re very pleased to have both Jakob and Luke more deeply involved in our work,” Camp said in the release.

Lewis is the creator of the podcast Neighbors. He was trained in narrative audio making at the Cape Cod-based Transom Story Workshop by public radio veterans, including Rob Rosenthal and Nancy Updike of This American Life and Robert Krulwich of Radiolab.

Tidwell has grown creative businesses in the Nashville area including Powell and Local Honey.

Tokens was founded in 2008 by Camp, a Lipscomb University professor of theology and ethics, as a live, staged variety show. Tokens has featured musicians, artists, poets, authors and intellectuals, geared especially around questions at the intersection of pub lic theology and social ethics.

The show began a new season of growth and expansion with the formation of Tokens Media LLC in 2019, with two series seed capital raises led by Marty Kittrell in 2019 and 2022. Kolin Holladay and Timothy Van Hal at Polsinelli have served as lead counsel for the capital raises and the acquisition of GFS.

The Tokens podcast was launched in 2020, which led to a partnership with Nash ville Public Radio for weekly public radio broadcasts. Camp plans to expand syndica tion of the show nationally in 2023.

In addition, Tokens Media just recently announced receipt of a grant from the John Templeton Foundation, a philanthropic organization that supports research and en courages dialogue at the intersection of faith and science.

ANN SACKS ESTABLISHES

LOCAL PRESENCE

Portland, Oregon-based Luxury tile and stone retailer Ann Sacks has opened at 514 Fontana Drive in the Berry Hill Design District.

According to a release, this is the first Ann Sacks (stylized as “ANN SACKS”) in Nash ville, joining 18 showrooms in the United States and Vancouver.

BUSINESS BRIEFS

“The showroom is where we connect most deeply with our customers,” said DeeDee Gundberg, Ann Sacks chief designer, said in the release. “We wanted to heighten that connection by offering our clients to experience our products and brands in a way they will not anywhere else. This was the foundation upon which the entire concept was built.”

COLIN REED TO STEP DOWN AT RYMAN HOSPITALITY

BY STEPHEN ELLIOTT

Ryman Hospitality Properties — which controls the Ryman Auditorium, Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, the Grand Old Opry building and various hospitality properties around the country — announced Tuesday that CEO Colin Reed is stepping down.

Reed will assume the position of executive chairman on Jan. 1, when Mark Fioravanti will assume the CEO role.

According to filings, Fioravanti, who is currently president of the company, will see his base salary increase by $100,000 to $850,000, while Reed will see his base salary drop from $1.1 million to $500,000. Stock grants and other incentives are also part of the compensation packages.

Reed spent more than two decades as CEO. In the new role, he will work with Opry Entertainment Group strategic investor Atairos and NBCUniversal, a release noted, while also focusing on government affairs, diversity work and ESG.

“It has been my honor to lead this company for over two decades as we transformed our business into the hospitality and entertainment powerhouse it is today,” Reed said in the release. “With our businesses operating at record or near-record levels of performance and another strong year on the horizon, this is an ideal time for me to transition into a new role.”

wwwwReed joined predecessor company Gaylord Entertainment in 2001. Fioravanti began work at the company a year later, first working in marketing. In the years since, the executives have seen Ryman Hospitality transition to a real estate investment trust, refocus on hospitality and entertainment, build a collection of large convention centers around the country and weather both the post-2008 recession and COVID-19.

VUMC MOVES TOWARD START OF $500M PROJECT BY WILLIAM WILLIAMS

Vanderbilt University Medical Center officials have applied for a Metro Water Department permit related to a 15-story inpatient tower.

As the Post reported in July, the project will unfold on the site of a parking structure and the 11-story Oxford House building, between 21st Avenue South and Medical Center Drive.

According to VUMC officials, the project — to be called the Link Building — could carry a cost of about $500 million.

The permit references 222,825 square feet of medical office space, 180 patient rooms and 575-square-foot coffee shop.

The construction, expected to begin this summer and last four-and-a-half years, will be the first significant expansion at VUMC since the 2009 construction of the Critical Care Tower.

The future structure seemingly will be called the Link Building. Vanderbilt Univer sity Hospital already operates at more than 90 percent capacity for most of the year, a release noted.

Construction of the Link Building will require the razing of the Oxford House building, a modernist structure that opened in 1961 and underwent some updates in 2018 (read here). The address of that build ing, though unclear with Metro records, seemingly is 1313 21st Ave. S.

VUMC will also add three floors (600 parking spaces) to its existing central garage, positioned to the south of Oxford House, as part of the project. That garage space and the future office building seemingly will offer a collective approximately 500,000 square feet.

New York-based Blair, Mui + Dowd, which has undertaken design work for VUMC, in the past, is the architect.

“Prior to 2020, our health system was already experiencing the need for additional capacity to care for critically ill adult pa tients,” VUMC CEO Jeff Balser said in the release issued in July. “The unprecedented demand placed on our people and facilities during the pandemic underscored the stra tegic importance for this new facility. This investment will position the medical center to better meet the needs of the increasingly diverse population we serve and strengthen our mission to improve the health of people throughout the region.”

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY WILLIAMSON-MAURY NAMES NEW CEO AND PRESIDENT AND COO

Williamson-Maury (HFHWM) news release, the pair bring more than 40 years of com bined nonprofit experience to the housing non-profit.

“It is unusual for a job to give employees the privilege of giving back and offering hand-up to deserving families,” Moore said in the news release. “I feel blessed to have worked with such an organization for the last 10 years. I am confident in Kim, Jennee, and all the staff members to move the organization forward and continue to serve the mission. Habitat for Humanity William son-Maury will always hold a special place in my heart, and I am thankful to all those that have kindly touched our work through the years.”

Randell previously served as HFHWM Chief Development Officer, and Galland previously served as the organization’s Chief Operating Officer, duties which they will continue to address in their new roles.

HFHWM specifically states that Randell will focus on community partnerships, board development, communications, and fund raising, while Galland will oversee internal operations and programs.

“Kim and I have worked side-by-side at HFHWM for a decade and have worn al most every hat in the organization,” Galland said. “We are excited to lead our amazing team as we look for new and creative ways to meet the urgent need for affordable housing in our community.”

“Jennee and I have a solid working rela tionship,” Randell added. “We count it as a blessing that while we are very different from one another, we respect the strengths that one another brings to the partnership.”

HFHWM called the “co-leadership mod el” an “emerging trend post-COVID.”

“While the dual-leadership model is pro gressive, Kim and Jennee’s experiences and personalities complement each other in such a way that made this transition the natural next step for the affiliate,” HFHWM Board of Directors President Kurt Alexander said. “Their history of collaboration and mutual support gives us confidence that this operat ing model will allow the affiliate to continue growing and serving our community.”

In Spring 2023, HFHWM will break ground on homes in their first Habitat for Humanity neighborhood in Columbia, a three-year project that aims to provide affordable housing for 27 local families.

One of these homes will be the affiliate’s first Zero-Net Energy (ZNE) home spon sored by Atmos Energy, which are designed to “significantly reduce greenhouse gas emis sions and make energy bills more affordable for homeowners.”

Habitat for Humanity Williamson-Maury has named Kim Randell as CEO and Jennee Galland as President and COO following the departure of Becket Moore after a decade of serving in the roles of President and COO.

According to a Habitat for Humanity

HFHWM is one of four local housing organizations collaborating for The Franklin Hill Project which aims to construct a com munity of more than 35 affordable townho mes in Franklin.

PHOTO COURTESY OF HFHWM Habitat for Humanity Williamson-Maury CEO Kim Randell (left) and President and COO Jennee Galland (right)

TRACTOR SUPPLY FINALIZES DEAL FOR MIDWEST COMPETITOR

Tractor Supply executives announced Wednesday they have received clearance from the Federal Trade Commission to close on the $320 million purchase of Missou ri-based peer Orscheln Farm and Home.

According to a release, the all-cash closing is anticipated to be completed Wednesday, with Brentwood-based Tractor Supply to acquire a net 81 stores and divest the remain ing 85 stores to two buyers approved by the FTC.

The net purchase price of the 81 stores acquired and retained is approximately $238 million before working capital adjustments. The acquisition is anticipated to generate an estimated future tax benefit of approximately $20 million.

The acquisition will position Tractor Supply to record annual sales exceeding $14 billion. It will yield about 2,100 Tractor Supply Stores and 50,000 employees, with an opportunity to increase store locations to 2,800.

The deal was originally announced in February 2021.

Founded in 1960 and based in Mober ly, Missouri, Orscheln Farm and Home runs 166 stores in 11 states. Nearly 100 of Orscheln’s stores are located in Missouri and Kansas, in which Tractor Supply already has more than 50 of its roughly 2,029 locations. The deal also will more than double Tractor Supply’s store base in Iowa and Nebraska.

“Today is an important day for Tractor Supply as this acquisition expands our ability to better serve our customers in the Mid west,” Hal Lawton, Tractor Supply president and chief executive officer, said in the release. “We are committed to providing custom ers in the region with an elevated product assortment, a meaningful loyalty offering, an enhanced digital shopping experience and so much more that Tractor Supply is able to offer.

Shares of Tractor (Ticker: TSCO) rose about 1.4 percent Wednesday to $203.53. The shares started the year trading at $228.38.

REGIONS TAPS PRIVATE WEALTH MANAGEMENT LEAD

Regions Bank has added Stephen Russell as senior vice president and private wealth management leader for Middle Tennessee and North Alabama.

Russell holds both an MBA degree and a law degree and is a certified public accountant. He previously was a senior vice president for First Horizon Bank in Nashville and a financial planner and attorney in Memphis.

BY WILLIAM WILLIAMS

A West Davidson County property formerly home to a long-standing local Church of Christ and located near Nashville West has been offered for sale for an undisclosed asking price.

According to a release, Center for Spiritual Living Nashville operates from a 17,977-square-foot building on the 1.95acre site in Hillwood. The address is 6705 Charlotte Pike.

Religious Science of Nashville owns

the property, having paid $725,000 for it in 1999, Metro records show. That entity operates the Center for Spiritual Living Nashville, which plans to relocate once a sale is finalized. The center’s website notes the nonprofit offers classes, programs, prayer and meditation, while advocating “a safe spiritual community of like-minded people interested in living a principle-driven life.”

Constructed in 1960, the Charlotte Pike building is zoned for institutional use and

includes private offices, meeting rooms, classrooms and 128 on-site parking spaces.

Nashville West Shopping Center offers an address of 6716 Charlotte Pike.

Led by Executive Director Annie Golightly, Center for Spiritual Living Nashville is affiliated with Los Angeles-based Centers for Spiritual Living. The latter entity was founded in 1949 and operates more than 400 centers that promote religious science — which founder Ernest Holmes defined

as combining “laws of science, opinions of philosophy, and revelations of religion applied to human needs and the aspirations of man.”

Religious Science of Nashville acquired the property from Western Hills Church of Christ, formerly known as Brook Meade Church of Christ (which took ownership of the property in 1959 as West Davidson County neighborhoods Charlotte Park, Hillwood and West Meade were evolving).

The late Bobby Moreland, chairman of Western Hills Church of Christ at the time of the 1999 sale to Religious Science of Nashville, helped establish Nashville Christian School, according to his obituary. Center for Spiritual Living Nashville has retained Cushman & Wakefield brokers Michael Havens, Madison Wenzler and Ronnie Wenzler to handle the marketing and sale of the property.

“6705 Charlotte Pike offers excellent visibility to the population within West Nashville and sits right off of Charlotte Pike, one of the area’s busiest roads,” Havens, Cushman & Wakefield managing director, said in the release. “The property is an excellent opportunity to establish a solid presence in a growing area of Nashville. Now that the property is coming to the market, we believe interested buyers will find it very attractive.”

Western Hills Church of Christ operates nearby at 7565 Charlotte Pike.

This story was first published by our sister publication Nashville Post.

PHOTO

Tennessee Craft Fair brings art lovers together

BY JAYME FOLTZ

Over a hundred vendors showcased their handmade crafts in a square bordering Centennial Park at the 44th Annual Tennessee Craft Fair.

As he weaved together the colorful shaft of a broom connected to a silver flute used as its handle, Shannon Lewis shared the story of his business, Bluegrass Brooms.

Located in Ashland, Kentucky, Lewis creates handmade brooms with recycled, repurposed, and original handles made from sports equipment, musical instruments, and vintage trinkets.

“We get a lot of different things that people can relate to with an interesting design,” said Lewis. “They can find something they can use because it’s meant to be functional and decorative.”

Lewis said 95% of Bluegrass Broom’s business comes from art shows, and the Tennessee Craft Fair is no exception.

The Tennessee Craft Fair is an annual opportunity for arts and craft makers to present their original pieces to fellow art lovers and the Nashville community.

The fair showcases work not just from local businesses but national businesses that have traveled to reunite with, or in the case of Flutterswine Artisan Leather, introduce themselves to Music City.

Flutterswine Artisan Leather made its way from a studio near Louisville, Kentucky. The business is run by music lovers Kristi and Steve Norris.

Steve said their main product is customdesigned guitar straps, so the couple knew they needed to bring their business to Nashville.

“We have both felt in our hearts that coming down here is going to be a game changer,” said Kristi. “I don’t know what’s going to happen. We just want to find those strategic partnerships and meet people that love to play and have an appreciation for leather.”

Flutterswine wasn’t the only business to bring its custom leather designs to the fair. Purple Onion Books from Brundidge, Alabama, offer hand-bound leather books for every writing need.

Owner and bookbinder Michelle McLendon said everything in Purple Onion Books starts with the paper. McLendon utilizes sustainable paper to create journals and sketchbooks ornamented with embellishments.

For Purple Onion Books, it is their first time attending the Tennessee Craft Fair, and they decided to enter the event without expectations.

“I never go to the next show with specific expectations, especially one I haven’t done before,” said McLendon. “If I know the crowd and have customers, I know what to expect, but I can’t really have any expectations anymore. I just want to talk to people.”

Nashville-based artist Maile Lani attends the craft fair because it allows her to connect with her local customers differently. Her self-titled business began during COVID after the former photographer began experimenting with art.

“My main series, ‘the Guardians,’ are all inspired by the aesthetic of space and weird sci-fi things,” said Lani.

Lani develops illustrations and paintings inspired by her family’s collection of Asian art and her love of Sci-Fi.

“I have a lot of fun with these creatures and trying to come up with names for them and personalities and just kind of like making them look like birds.”

Glassblower Thomas Spake doesn’t find his inspiration from the world beyond, but from the world around him.

“My focus is always on trying to establish my style and look for my work,” said Spake. “It’s all inspired by the natural world.”

Spake, who has a studio located in Jasper, has been attending the Tennessee Craft Fair for several years. While sales focus has shifted to mostly online sales since COVID-19, Spake said he continues to attend the show because of the unique community it brings.

The Tennessee Craft Fair brings together a community of small businesses dedicated to creating one-of-a-kind crafted art and its supporters who value creative expression.

Life Is Pitch-Perfect

a senior living community that strikes just the right chord.

From jazzy parties to live music, the lifestyle you’re looking for is here.

Clarendale at Bellevue Place offers the freedom and independence of a private residence you’ll love, plus so many services, amenities and social opportunities—including weekly concerts.

Our Music City community offers live performances each week. From country, gospel and classical to instrumental, swing and ragtime, you’ll always be in perfect harmony!

ClarendaleAtBellevuePlace.com 7632 Highway 70 South Nashville, TN

A CROWDED TOP OF THE LIST

Sustio molorro viducidipsae seque num iligeDemocrats use BS to try to not let the truth be known that the people do not like their policies. One Democrat will say open borders, another will say inflation, another crime, another gas prices, another foreign policy, another will say debt and spending, another will say war in Ukraine is at the top of the list to be voting issues. Each and every one of these things are at the top of the list to be solved. Everything is very important and equal at the top of the list. Democrats want to single out one thing and forget the rest. Well, it will not work this time around or any longer. The people are very mad about politics and politicians. Everything needs fixing and all things are at the top of the list with equal standing of importance. Some of these problems have existed for forty years or longer. Politicians have not solved or fixed anything. Politicians have put a band-aide on some of these things to make them worse off than just leaving them alone. We need to elect people that will solve problems to make things right for the best outcome to help people and the country. For the past 40 years it has been kick the can, pass the buck, blame ole so and so, we need to spend more money all over the world in our best interest. This is all bull or BS, exactly what people do not like. This is exactly how the people will vote for the next two elections. We the people are sick of all Democrats and tired of weak Republicans. We the people are tired of news media running with Democrats’ lies and BS to deceive voters. The art of doing nothing has to come to an end. There is no such thing as top of the list because all things need to be fixed of equal importance.

ELECTION TIME TACTICS

The conservative attack on all those who don’t back the blue in all cases is a go-to at election time. Law and order in a time when you are told to arm yourself to the teeth. They are coming for you. You are next to be a victim. All crime all the time has been around for decades. President Nixon called it the ‘Southern Strategy’ in the 1960’s.

It’s sobering no matter who you are or who you vote for. Why? Because crime like this is portrayed as a random crime. But it was not random. The alleged attacker had a rape kit with his DNA calling card already on file at TBI. Apparently finding a rapist isn’t a priority for our state government.

The more important things you ask?

Keeping your kids from going in the wrong bathroom, making sure that your child does not learn history, ensuring books are banned from existence, telling Vanderbilt how to run their hospital, and cleaning up after the GOP speaker and crew rips us off. Lots of things got in the way so processing crime went to the end of the line.

One-party rule has its benefits, but keeping Tennessee safe is not a priority no

matter how scared they make you feel. Next time you feel scared just remind yourself that you can’t count on the back the blue crowd. They are busy.

HURRICANE RELIEF SPENDING

Whoa, let’s all of us help the people who built their homes in low-barrier areas in our sister state of Florida. The estimate is as much as $100 billion in property damage. Tennessee has sent people and equipment to help.

The governor of Florida has requested that the federal government pays the bill for the damage. The President agreed that we’re in this together, and the federal government will be there to help with the property loss.

Why should our tax dollars go to Florida when the state’s elected officials have consistently voted against federal assistance for hurricane disaster relief? Even Governor DeSantis voted down hurricane relief. So why now? I don’t really care about that answer. $100 billion is a lot of money. That is 9 times our Tennessee annual state budget. Incredible, we are going to pay for the rebuilding of million-dollar homes on the beach. Not again. The president should hold the line on this discretionary spending.

I think we should help to a degree, so I am sending my thoughts and prayers to all of Florida. Godspeed with your rebuild

SINGLE LOT PARKING

I’m old enough to remember when only one house was on a single lot.

NO RAIN, BUT STILL LEAF BLOWERS

No rain in 30 days, yet the leaf blowers and lawn mowers are out in full blast early every morning. Nothing like waiting for the weather to finally cool off, sitting outside, and listening to some uneducated DA blow leaves for over an hour. Where does this stupidity come from, and why would anyone want to willingly listen to it?

THE TENNESSEAN STRUGGLES

Reporting recently pointed to a bigger problem at our local daily, The Tennessean. Our paper a few years ago hired a new editor who took a machete to the staff. Brutal stuff. The Gannett corporation owns hundreds of daily local papers. In 2019 Gannett merged and took on $1 billion in debt. That is a lot of ads to sell. Chop, chop.

The news is that The Tennessean is going under the knife again as Gannett announced all sorts of cuts. Why? Simply the management is not good enough, and their plans don’t work. And our proud, historic paper, as well as the community, suffers. This time management is cutting people again. If you stay you have your pay reduced and you’re required to take a week off without pay.

Poor management started with that

billion dollars of debt. And it continues with folks fired and Nashville possibly losing our daily paper.

MIXED NEWS FOR SENIORS

If you are a senior the news this week is encouraging. Not because Andy Ogle is going to save America from the depth of depravity (what would he do on day two?). Nope. This past week those who earned social security pension will be receiving an 8.7% cost of living increase for 2023, the Highest since when Ronald Reagan was president. Combine this with the small reduction in the premiums for Medicare and seniors are better positioned for 2023. Crazy good for lots of Tennesseans.

But it is discouraging to hear that conservatives are planning to erode the Social Security earned benefits. Instead of strengthening the senior safety net, their plan is to do the opposite. What will seniors do if their earned monthly payments stop or are reduced?

What made America great was there was a time when a man or woman kept their word, their commitments. What does a person have if not their word? Unfortunately, today keeping your word is a sign of weakness by far too many. I am happy that America is following through on this commitment to older Americans at least for one more year. 2024 and beyond is America’s choice, cheat seniors out of their safety net or just live up to their commitment?

During this election season you may have seen our Governor Lee doing his best ‘aw-shucks’ TV commercial. He opens with a observation that the world is getting crazy but not in Tennessee. Everything else after that is standard pumping his chest about all he has claims to have done. The first part as to where crazy resides is confusing.

REFLECTIONS FOR THE GOVERNOR

Really sorry, Governor but you and your family of way-out conservatives need to look in the mirror. Here are some of the reflections in your mirror.

TBI not processing rape kits. That is not crazy, but tragic.

Local parents and school boards stripped of the right to protect our children from the inappropriate curriculum. Crazy, no. Oppressive, yes.

No exception pregnancy prison laws for women. No, that’s unconscionable.

Encouragement and promotion of gambling. Sinful.

Over 2,000 Tennesseans dying from opioids and illicit drugs in our countryside every year. Shameful.

Festering GOP corruption in our State government. Criminal but not crazy.

Below average rank in K-12 education. Not crazy but just sad.

TennCare savings siphoning so as to

take money from our neediest Tennesseans. Maybe crazy, but absolutely pathetic.

So Governor you may say that the world is crazy but not Tennessee. Okay, but there are more accurate words that describe your lackadaisical efforts to help our state. Just take a look in the mirror.

WHERE IS MR. ANDY?

I keep wanting to find and meet with all of the candidates running for office in my area, but I can’t find Andy Ogles. What do you do when a candidate is MIA in West Nashville? Jim Cooper was our last guy, and he was easy to see. He had an office next to the library downtown. He represented Nashville.

It’s a shame that we may lose our representation. West Nashville has good, honest and hard-working people. We are real people, real patriotic Americans. Probably not going to storm the US Capitol but we believe in truth, justice and the American way. No bearing false witness here. Just real good people.

Maybe we can get Mr. Ogles to come see us when he gets home from the US-Mexico border. Meet you at Pancho and Leftys? Some great Tex-Mex.

LIST OF ANNOYANCES

I start my day by reading the scriptures. I try to adhere to them. But when I’m told to “love my fellow man as myself” I’m afraid I fall short.

I guess patience and tolerance are not my strong points. Many of the same things that “annoyed” me last year and the year before, still do today. Here’s my short list. Thankfully it’s a lot shorter this year for this Westmeade octogenarian.

1- Every one of us is being affected by $4:00 gas, and going up by the week.

Let me tell you how really “bad” haha it is for me. At $4:00 per gallon, I fill it up every two weeks. My Camry’s 16-gallon tank now costs me about $60. Got it so far? So what’s their “solution?” They are giving me a three-month Gas Tax Holiday. I will save about $.18 cents a gallon or about $25. Doesn’t do me any favors. I don’t need their lousy 25 bucks. I know that it’s a lot more for working people. Why don’t you give the tax savings to commercial vehicles, those driving to and from work or to their medical appointments or taking the kids to school or to their houses of worship? Just keep a record of it and take it off as a deduction when you do your taxes. Sounds fair to me.

2- It annoys me that during my morning walk, I can’t help but noticeempty soda cans, cigarette butts, and sandwich wrappers on the street in front of our beautiful homes in Westmeade. It’s definitely not the homeowners since it’s never on their driveway. Is it so hard to ask our workers to use our garbage receptacles?

3- Need an Injury lawyer? Trip over a

TICKED OFF! Where Freedom of Speech is Alive & Well

twig, call their 24-hour hot line or check out their advertisement on the side of every bus or on every local TV station, and they will get you millions.

4- Joe Namath and, of course, “dynamite” are begging us with Medicare alternatives. Enough already! I’m not a dummy. I want a plan that allows both my wife and I to choose my own doctor and not be limited to the plan’s list of providers, no matter how many free dental cleanings they give me in return.

5- Must I be subjected to watching closeup pictures of skin rashes while i’m having breakfast? Why in the world would I trust a TV advertisement and not Dr. McDonald, my fabulous Primary Care Physician, or my dermatologist?

6- It still annoys (scares) me when drivers stop ON the railroad tracks for the light to change on Harding and Davidson. It’s so unsafe, especially with kids in the car.

7- It still annoys me that take-out restaurants decide how much I should tip. Especially when the order is delivered late, it’s incorrect, or when hot dishes are cold because the driver delivered four others before mine. The tip should be totally up to me. I’m a good tipper. Trust me, I really know how to reward a driver who really goes

out of his or her way for me. I don’t need any help.

8- It annoys me when drivers “ride my bumper” when I have the audacity to obey the speed limit.

9- It still annoys me when big strong healthy men and women have a handicapped sticker. If it’s for your invalid family member, and he or she’s not using the car, do what we all do. Park in a regular spot, even if you have the sticker.

10- And for GOD’s sake, learn how to use your mask! Covering your mouth and leaving your nose exposed, does nothing to protect a cancer transplant patient like me.

11- I’ll be right over at 10 o’clock to fix it. Everyone south of the Mason-Dixon Line knows that, at the least, that means 11:00. Be lucky that he was talking about the same day.

12- I’m still annoyed that many builders still attempt to break our zoning laws.

13- Stop complicating a stop sign! It’s bothersome when some still can’t figure out that a stop sign means stop, not a “rolling stop”.

13- It still annoys me when I‘m given an appointment of 8-12 to fix my phone or internet service. It shows no respect for my time. Why can’t a more definite time be

given? I’m a retired dentist, how would you feel if your next dental appointment was any time between 8 and noon? Just sit in the waiting room and wait patiently for me. I’m sure you have nothing else to do.

14- It still annoys me that the same people seem to be unable to prevent their pets from running away.

15- Every office should hire someone to answer their phones. I love to speak to “a human”. I ran my dental practice for 42 years. It doesn’t cost that much. Patients

really appreciated speaking to the office personnel, not a voicemail with “we’ll call you back”. ok? enough already? Remember, this is my shortened list.

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

Pumpkin Ginger Scones with Maple Drizzle

BY EDIBLE NASHVILLE COURTESY OF FOODONFITH.COM

These scones are also delicious made with butternut squash and pecans or walnuts and dusted with cinnamon sugar.

INGREDIENTS

2 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour

1/3 cup brown/raw sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger

1. Whisk together flour, brown sugar, bak ing powder, salt, and spices.

2. Add butter and, using your fingers or a pastry blender, work butter into flour mixture until crumbly. Stir in ginger.

3. In another bowl, whisk together pump kin and eggs. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture and stir just until a dough forms.

4. Using your hands, form dough into two balls and flatten both slightly. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly flour it. Place dough rounds on pan. Flatten and shape each dough round

1/2 cup butter, cut into small chunks and chilled

1 cup fresh or canned pumpkin

2 large eggs

3 tablespoons cream

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

1/2 cup real maple syrup, divided

1/4 cup sanding sugar

into a 6-7 inch circle, each about 1” thick. Brush top of each with cream. Cut each dough circle into 6 wedges.

5. Sprinkle tops with sanding sugar and pumpkin seeds. Chill 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400F. Drizzle tops with ¼ cup maple syrup. Bake about 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Check doneness by sticking a toothpick into the center.

6. Drizzle hot scones with remaining maple syrup. Eat warm.

ANSWER TO PUZZLE

PUZZLE BY MICHAEL DEWEY

Concert for Cumberland Heights Reception

BY BRENDA BATEY

The reception held before the concert benefit for Cumberland Heights was at the Downtown Hilton prior to the performance at the Ryman Auditorium.

For more than 56 years Cumberland Heights’ mission has been to give hope and healing to those affected by alcohol or drug addiction.

The reception honored sponsors Robin and Bill King and Amazon. Everyone enjoyed a taco bar and the venue was decorated with lovely floral displays donated by The Tulip Tree.

The 26th anniversary concert featured The Kentucky Headhunters, and Steve Earle and The Dukes.

To kick off the concert, Grammy awardwinning artists The Kentucky Headhunters hit the stage to perform many of their wellknown hits, including, “Dumas Walker” and “Oh, Lonesome Me.” Their hybrid of honky tonk, blues, and Southern rock have made them popular with fans of both rock and country music.

Steve Earle, a three-time Grammy

winning singer-songwriter, performed selections from his latest album “Jerry Jeff,” his tribute to the late Jerry Jeff Walker, along with his well-known classics, “Copperhead Road,” “Guitar Town,” and “Hard-Core Troubadour.”

Earle has released nearly an album a year since becoming sober in the mid-1990s, with LPs ranging from bluegrass to blues to folk to country. After Jerry Jeff Walker’s memorial, Earle recorded a tribute album of Walker’s songs, much like he did on 2009’s “Townes,” and 2019’s “Guy,” made after the deaths of Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark.

Last year, Earle also recorded the heartbreaking “J.T.,” featuring the songs of his son, Justin Townes Earle, who died from a drug overdose at 38 years old in 2020. Earle has said these projects were a necessary form of therapy.

For more information about Cumberland Heights and its programs to fight addiction, call 615-356-2700 or visit cumberlandheights.org.

Fleming and Dallas Wilt, and Lake Eakin

Alexis Slayer, Corinne Bond, and Heath Chitwood

Alec McDougall and Paul Wilson

Nicholas Hayes and Ian Henyon

Butch Glover, Stacy Bridges, and Scott Watson

Jarrett Irons and Ryan Cain

Jay Crosson and Will Parsons

Frank Wade and Cinde Stewart Freeman

Gordon Pollock and Chapman Sledge

Duke Tribble, Virginia Williams, Robin Cox, Jim Threadgill

Amy Rast, Kelly and Craig Miller

Jenn Loving, Jean Yount, Scott Shepherd, and Rusty Aldridge

Cindy Patterson, Lee Ann Eaton, Steve Earle, Will Parsons, and Rebekah Shulman

Heritage Ball

BY BRENDA BATEY

PHOTOS BY PEYTON HOGE

The Heritage Foundation held its huge annual fundraiser, Heritage Ball, at the Eastern Flank Battlefield Park, where about 800 people gathered for the gala event.

Guests arrived on the red carpet and were greeted by “Inside Edition’s” Megan Alexander and TV personality Allison DeMarcus, who interviewed several arrivals. Monitors in the cocktail reception captured the interviews as part of the entertainment, thanks to the vision of ball Co-chairs Cordia and Tom Harrington, who strived to make guests feel like stars.

A montage of images and videos representing significant historical locations the foundation has been involved with through the years, including Carnton, McLemore House, Morton-Brittain House, Ravenswood Mansion and others, were projected on the venue ceiling for a dramatic and powerful representation.

Amos Gott was the designer this year, joined by Incite Studios, who produced the visual elements of the performance.

The setting was a sparkly vision of black, white, gold and silver. A pale pink bar anchored one area of the vast white tent and huge bouquets of all-white flowers were placed on the bar, as well as in numerous places in the reception area. Gold stars, streaming lights and chandeliers, which looked like gigantic fire flowers, added to the ambiance.

The tables, covered in black and silver

cloths, were set with silver banded white china. Gold Chiavari chairs and crystal goblets with gold bands added extra shimmer. Both tall and lower centerpieces featured stunning white roses and orchids.

The performance featured Tony and Grammy winner Heather Headley, who originated the role of Nala in “The Lion King” on Broadway, won a Tony Award in Elton John and Tim Rice’s “Aida,” and currently stars in the Netflix series “Sweet Magnolias.”

There was an online auction, as well as a live auction, which offered up for bid: a 2022 GMC Yukon Denali donated by Reiselman Motors, an in-home tasting and cocktail experience by the founders of Franklin Distillery, a trip to Italy as VIP guest of world famous tenor Andrea Bocelli at a television event and a fundraiser.

Just a few of the online auction items were: a private concert at Franklin Theatre, a handmade quilt by local quilter Linda Stelzer, a party for eight at historic home Laurel Hill, trips to Panama City, Hacienda del Mar Los Cabos Resort, Four Seasons Residence Club Scottsdale, the Masters Golf Tournament, and much more.

G Catering served a delicious three course meal and the crowd danced until midnight along with the Late Party partiers.

For more information about the Heritage Foundation, call 615-591-8500 or visit williamsonheritage.org.

Alejandra Sandia, and Kay and Rod Heller

Cyril and Fran Stewart, Belinda Stewart, and Michael Davidson

Erica and William Scales, and Natalia Zaninetti

Jeff and Jacklyn Ledbetter, and Susan and Ken Whitaker

Co-chairs Cordia and Tom Harrington

Marty Ligon and Miller Garrett

Bari and Cory Beasley

Barry and Jackie Alexander

Bethni and Trent Hemphill

Charlie and Vickie Manning

Courtney and Todd Reiselman

Danny and Elisabeth Rice

Debbie and Michael Smith

Ellen and Patrick McIntyre

Paige Jellison and Deana Cook

Hillary and Chad Blackburn

Harpeth Conservancy’s River Swing Patron Party

BY BRENDA BATEY

PHOTOS BY AMANDA LAGINESS

Harpeth Conservancy’s River Swing Patron Party was held on the rooftop of the 511 Union Building in downtown Nashville.

The event was hosted by Waller Law and attendees could look out over the beautiful Cumberland River, one of the waterways in Tennessee that Harpeth Conservancy works to protect.

More than 100 guests were on hand, including River Swing table hosts, sponsors, committee members and Harpeth Protection Society members who give $1,000 or more annually.

Everyone enjoyed beer, wine and the specialty cocktail, the Watermelon Splash, all courtesy of Lipman Brothers.

Attendees were treated to bites from BAM Foods Catering and whiskey tastings from local distillers Happenstance Whiskey, O.H. Ingram River Aged Whiskey and Old Hickory Whiskey.

Harpeth Conservancy CEO and President Dorene Bolze, along with COO and Vice President Grace Stranch, made a few remarks of gratitude for everyone’s support and gave updates on some important

issues the organization is working hard to address.

Bolze and Stranch explained about statewide and local upcoming permits with potential impacts on rivers and how to get involved in the processes. Issues with development in and around flood plains were discussed, along with engagement opportunities

Harpeth Conservancy is a science-based not-for-profit conservation organization which works with landowners, businesses, community, local, state, federal decision makers and others to foster solutions that reduce pollution and maintain healthy areas.

Supported by a broad network of volunteers, donors, and professional staff, Harpeth Conservancy has expertise in a range of disciplines, including water quality science, environmental and conservation law and policy, sustainable land use planning, agricultural best management practices, volunteer and community engagement, and others.

For more information about Harpeth Conservancy, visit www.harpethconservancy.org.

Courtney Laginess, Heather Beckwith, and David Schadel

Jeni Housley, Tracie Walker, and Grace Stranch

Carrie and Jase DuRard, Shelli Norvell, and Heidi Hartman

Tatum Shirley and Owen Canavan

Kelly and David Frazier, and Bill Hirschman

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.

ConCrete/Masonry

Looking furever friends. Short hair, black & tan males / females available. Raised around children as well as older German Shepherds & interacted with daily. Wormed & update with shots. $800. Contact (615) 969-0635

6 month old registered scottish rough Collies for sale in Houston County. Vaccinated, clean bill of health & microchipped. $1200 ea. Text or call Kim if interested. (931) 627-4259

We BUy

Records, Comic Books, CDs, Blu-Rays,DVDs, Toys

Video & Role-Playing Games, CCGs, Stereo Equipment,Mu sic & 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

(615)