The Contributor: April 27, 2022

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Volu m e 16

| Number 9 | April 27 - May 11, 2022

IN THE ISSUE

Contributor Board

LOCALES - POLÍTICA - INMIGRACIÓN - TRABAJOS - SALUD - ESPECTÁCULOS - DEPORTES Y MÁS...

GRATIS

Abril

10

3

2022 Año 20 - No. 348

L a N ticia 16 23 Escanee esta imagen para ver La Noticia newspaper edición bilingüe digital

www.hispanicpaper.com

“DONDE OCURREN LOS HECHOS QUE IMPORTAN, SIEMPRE PRIMERO... ANTES”

Para bajar los precios de los medicamentos, ¿deberímos seguir a este multimillonario?

Casi uno de cada cuatro estadounidenses no puede pagar sus medicamentos.

Así que un hombre decidió interrumpir todo el sistema, creando una empresa que cobra un 99% Por:Jeanette Contreras menos por los Policy Director m e d i c a m e n t o s Health National Consumers recetados.

League

Aquí es donde interviene el modelo disruptivo de Mark Cuban.

Dado que Cost Plus Drug Company no trabaja con aseguradoras en absoluto, transfiere todos los ahorros negociados directamente a los pacientes, con un margen operativo fijo del 15% y una tarifa de farmacia insignificante.

Recientemente se abrió un nuevo frente en la batalla para bajar los precios de los medicamentos, y el empresario e inversionista en serie Mark Cuban está liderando la carga.

Local Activism

Vendor Writing

Su firma, Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company, vende medicamentos genéricos con grandes descuentos directamente a los pacientes, sin pasar por las compañías de seguros, los administradores de beneficios farmacéuticos y otros intermediarios de la industria que actualmente se embolsan 51 centavos de cada dólar gastado en productos farmacéuticos.

In this issue, vendors discuss Tennessee legislation, Garth Brooks and the infamous Outlaw Mary Jane.

Nashville, Tennessee

Lack of access to high-quality health insurance is one reason why nearly one in four Americans can’t pay for medication.

problemas de salud, desde una mayor mortalidad materna hasta tasas elevadas de afecciones crónicas como diabetes e hipertensión.

tades para pagar los medicamentos.

La Noticia + The Contributor

Es un modelo brillante que podría generar grandes ahorros para todos los que luchan con los altos precios de los medicamentos, especialmente para las minorías y las personas con enfermedades raras. Irónicamente, el plan de negocios del atrevido multimillonario podría servir de inspiración para los legisladores progresistas en el Congreso que están tratando de reformar el sistema de salud quebrado de nuestro país.

Existen varias razones estructurales para estas desigualdades, incluido el acceso desigual a medicamentos que salvan vidas. Según la Fundación de la Familia Kaiser, los grupos minoritarios tienen muchas menos probabilidades que los blancos de tener un seguro. Y un estudio reciente encontró que casi el 50% de las personas en edad de trabajar no tienen un seguro adecuado, lo que significa que a menudo tienen que pagar deducibles altos. Las minorías también tienen tasas de participación más bajas en las cuentas de ahorro especiales con ventajas impositivas que hacen factibles los planes de seguro de salud con deducible alto.

Como detalla un informe reciente de Commonwealth Fund, los grupos minoritarios sufren de manera desproporcionada una letanía de

Esta falta de acceso a un seguro de salud de alta calidad es parte de la razón por la que casi uno de cada cuatro estadounidenses tiene dificul-

Las aseguradoras agravan este problema al contratar intermediarios conocidos como administradores de beneficios de farmacia, o PBM, para negociar con las compañías farmacéuticas descuentos por volumen en medicamentos. Estos PBM toman una parte de esos descuentos y comparten el resto con las aseguradoras.

Pero rara vez, o nunca, comparten los ahorros con los pacientes en el mostrador de la farmacia.

Caso en cuestión: un nuevo estudio de JAMA reveló que a medida que un medicamento genérico contra la hepatitis B se volvió significativamente más barato, los PBM y las aseguradoras se quedaron con los ahorros mientras continuaban cobrando a los pacientes en planes con deducibles altos un promedio de $133 por mes, un nivel considerable de costos compartidos que obligaron a más de la mitad de los pacientes a abandonar el tratamiento prescrito.

La Noticia, one of the Anti-death penalty leading Spanish-language protestors marched 9 newspapers in the nation, miles from Riverbend brings Spanish content to Maximum Security Prison Conoce tus dederechos: Contributor. ¿Que hacer en casoThe una redada? to War Memorial.

Los ahorros son gigantescos.

Imatinib, un medicamento de quimioterapia genérico, se vende al por menor por $ 2502,50, pero ¿con la compañía de Mark Cuban? Solo $ 17.10. Y el cloruro de potasio, recetado a más de 4,5 millones de estadounidenses, cae de $975,77 al menudeo a solo $3,57.

En resumen, es un cambio de juego, especialmente para las personas desfavorecidas que podrían depender de medicamentos costosos para sobrevivir, tener un seguro inadecuado o luchar para pagar las facturas.

Moving Pictures

El Congreso puede, y debe, seguir el ejemplo de Cuban. Después de todo, el 83% de los estadounidenses dicen que quieren que el gobierno baje los precios de los medicamentos.

Para los progresistas, seguir el libro de jugadas de un multimillonario puede sonar extraño. Pero el modelo de negocios de Cuban es la intervención que los consumidores necesitan en el mostrador de la farmacia.

Garmonbozia: David Lynch’s sad, strange Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me shimmers at the Belcourt

Jeanette Contreras es Directora de Políticas de Salud de la Liga Nacional de Consumidores. Este artículo se publicó originalmente en el International Business Times.

Envíenos sus sugerencias por e-mail: news@hispanicpaper.com ó 615-567-3569

1. Mantenerse callado 2. Sólo dar nombre y apellido 3. No mentir 4. Nunca acepte/lleve documentos falsos 5. No revelar su situación migratoria 6. No llevar documentación de otro país 7. En caso de ser arrestado, mostrarla Tarjeta Miranda (llámenos si necesita una)

por

Basados en la Quinta Enmienda de la Constitución, los derechos de guardar silencio y contar con un abogado fueron denominados Derechos Miranda luego de la decisión de la Suprema Corte de Justicia de Estados Unidos en el caso Miranda vs. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, de 1966.

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Contributors This Issue

Linda Bailey • Amanda Haggard • Ridley Wills II • Paul A. • Vicky B. • Norma B. • Judith Tackett • Alvine • Cooper Inveen • Francis Kokoroko • Elliott Pinsly • Karen Franklin • Jeff Fladen • Yuri Cunza • Mr. Mysterio • Chris Scott Fieselman • Joe Nolan Contributor Volunteers Christine Doeg , Volunteer Coordinator Joe First • Andy Shapiro • Michael Reilly • Logan Ebel • Ann Bourland • Laura Birdsall • Richard Aberdeen • Marissa Young • Ezra LaFleur • Rachel Stanley • Linda Eisele • Matthew Murrow • Wendy Curland • Gisselly Mazariegos

Cathy Jennings Executive Director Tom Wills Director of Vendor Operations Carli Tharp Social Services Intake Specialist Ree Cheers SOAR Manager Rachel Ternes Housing Navigator Catherine Hardy Housing Navigator Jesse Call Operations Consultant Raven Nye Director of Housing Initiatives Barbara Womack Advertising Manager Amanda Haggard & Linda Bailey Co-Editors Gisselly Mazariegos & Isabella Romero Interns Andrew Krinks Editor Emeritus Will Connelly, Tasha F. Lemley, Steven Samra, and Tom Wills Contributor Co-Founders

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April 27 - May 11, 2022

| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 3

VENDOR SUBMISSIONS

A Great Injustice

The World is Watching

BY PAUL A., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

BY VICK Y B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

If they can earmark $550 million for a stadium, why can’t they do the same for homeless people?

I feel that the state is doing a great injustice to these people. Because I was out there. I was lucky enough to get in, because I wanted to get in, but these legislators don’t think about nobody but themselves and how much money the state can make off of what they’re doing. I feel that every one of them should be recalled. They voted FOR this. The governor should be recalled for even suggesting it. There’s enough money with all of these rich people they could have contributed that much. They should contribute an equal amount to help the homeless people who want to get off the streets, get off the streets. We have enough vacant buildings, if they are structurally sound enough, to rehab and make into apartments.

With that in mind, and them wanting to shut us down because

we’re telling the truth, there’s something wrong with that picture. We need to get a campaign to get all of these people out of the office and get people in there that are going to do something for homeless people instead of thinking about themselves and how much money they can get from special interests.

It shouldn’t be a felony to sleep outside. They need to come up with a solution to where the ones who want to stay outside, that have been outside for several years that can’t get into or don’t want to go into housing, (because they couldn’t acclimate, or I don’t feel like they could hold it) can find a place for them to go and be that’s not in a flood plane.

And if we come up with a solution like pallet houses, that don’t need to be in a flood plane either.

So, let’s look for property that’s not going to be in a flood plane for both and turn around and let’s do

this thing. I don’t know where the money would come from for the pallet houses or the infrastructure, but there has to be money coming from some place with fundraisers and donations to do this thing. Let’s do everything we can do to help the people get off the streets.

From people I talk to, they are telling me that the shelters are overflowing. There’s not enough shelter space for them.

It makes me feel very upset and very angry. Because they are doing everything to bring money in. They could spend $500 million to put into building cost affordable housing for the ones who want to get off the streets. The ones I worry about a lot is the women and kids. Because they shouldn’t be subject to this. We should be able to get them into housing quicker than they’re doing. There’s too much red tape. The red tape needs to be cut.

The world is watching the war in Ukraine unfold graphically on our TVs, cellphones and tablets.

The world is watching homeless people lose all their possessions over YouTube, Twitter and Instagram in LA. City workers putting everything in the trash trucks saying, “We’re only doing our job.”

The city is cleaning up the homelessness out there more then once but, more devastating to watch it on InvisiblePeople.TV. A true and heart wrenching interview with the ones losing their homes as the city makes way for opening day in the ballpark. The ballpark.

The world is watching Tennessee that just passed a bill, waiting on Gov. Bill Lee’s desk, that makes camping on state property a felony. A felony for trying to survive.

There aren’t enough shelter beds for the estimated number of homeless in Nashville. The city wants to

attract a super bowl so they’ll need a bigger stadium costing billions.

The world is watching the US give billions to Ukraine yet they allow their poorest to suffer the most.

No one is watching what homeless people have to do while they wait for someone to die in affordable housing so they can be next on the waitlist. Most see homeless people as beggars, lazy, drunks and addicts. Most homeless people have jobs, sometimes two, but rents are so high and show no signs of decreasing anytime soon.

No one sees the heart ripping anger I feel that more isn’t being done. A lot more action and a little less talking is what needs to be done. You’ve heard me say it hundreds of times, affordable housing ends homelessness.

Garth Does It Again — Another Memorable Performance From A Legendary Entertainer

BY NORMA B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR Any guesses where I was Saturday April 16, 2022? For those who know me best, as well as those who regularly read the stories I write, it should come as no surprise that I was at Nissan stadium for the Garth Brooks concert.

Before I go on, I’d like to give a special shout out to the 13 customers that gave me $5 each and said things like, “Now you put that away for Garth, OK,” or, “This IS NOT for your daughter or your granddaughter, THIS IS FOR GARTH!” You guys and made it possible for me to go, so thank you!

I know many of you are probably thinking you’ve seen him before so what’s the big deal? Honestly, I have no rational explanation for my fascination with Garth, but there was a sign at the show that I think sums it up nicely, “There Is No Cure for Garthritis.” I wholeheartedly agree!

Now about the show. It began with the legendary Bill Cody introducing the 5,024th airing of The Grand Ole Opry (the longest running radio program in history-79 years and counting). Chris Young (who was also opener for the show that got rained out) started things off by singing, “Gettin’ You Home” (and the crowd sang the along).

He then introduced Chris Rice (who I’d honestly never heard of until that night), and he sang, “Drinkin’

Beer, Talkin’ God, Amen” and followed up with, “Eyes On You” (his first No. 1 hit).

Next up was Trisha Yearwood who sang, “She’s In Love With The Boy.” She was joined on stage by Lauren Alaina (the newest member of The Grand Ole Opry).

Chris Young then returned to the stage to perform, “Famous Friends” after which he was joined by Garth on stage singing, “Papa Loved Mama.” Now that was a surprise!

Still other famous faces made an appearance on the Opry stage that night, Larry Gatlin (celebrating 45 years on the Opry) and Jeanie Seely (celebrating 55 years on the Opry) joined together with the others to sing, “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.”

After a brief break, the show continued with Garth belting out one of his newer hits, “All Day Long,” with the crowd repeatedly singing the tag line. (I happened to be wearing my Garth All Day Long t-shirt I’d gotten from the rained out show.)

Next up was, “Rodeo” after which he thanked the crowd for giving him a second chance to do the show in Nashville.

He followed that up with, “Two of A Kind Working On A Full House” as the crowd sang along with him, which was followed by, “The Beaches of Cheyenne.” Then he spotted a sign in the crowd that requested, “More

Than A Memory” and sang it. Next he performed, “Two Piña Coladas” with the crowd singing along.

For his next selection he sang, “The River” and the stadium lit up!

He covered, “Fishin’ In the Dark” originally sang by The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.

After a comment about the rained out show, he assured the crowd, “Make no mistake the thunder will roll,” and went on to perform the song with the added verse. (If you haven’t heard it, check it out — it’s very realistic.)

Then there was another crowd request this time for, “She’s Every Woman,” which was followed by, “Unanswered Prayers” with the crowd singing along.

Next, he performed a string of his classic hits that included, “That Summer,” “Ain’t Goin’ Down Til the Sun Comes Up,” “Much too Young to Feel This Damn Old,” and “Shameless,” (which for me wasn’t quite the same without Trisha).

Garth said he’s asked all the time about his favorite song to perform live. His answer? “Callin’ Baton Rouge,” which he sings and the crowd was brought to their feet.

This was followed by his signature song, “Friends In Low Places” with the extra verse, and the crowd still on their feet.

At this point, Garth took a mo-

ment to reminisce about his many shows in Nashville, and said that, this was his best night in Nashville.

I’m SO glad I got to be a part of it.

He then performed his favorite song, ‘The Dance,’ and the stadium lit up once again.

Garth again mentioned the rained out show, saying 71,000 tickets were refunded after it’s cancellation, and how people said he wouldn’t be able to get all those people back, but they were wrong!

A total of 73,000 tickets were sold for his events here, and once again he thanked the crowd.

By now you’d think the show would be over, but no, he continued to take audience requests including, “What She’s Doin’ Now” followed by a trio of Kieth Whitley songs: “Ten Feet Away”, “Miami My Amy”, and “Don’t Close Your Eyes.” He joked with them that they, “came to a Garth show to hear other people’s stuff,” but he graciously complied with their request.

He then performed another request from the crowd — a song that I wasn’t familiar with, “It’s Your Song,” in which he paid tribute to his mother. It was very moving. That was followed by a cover of “Amarillo

By Morning.”

Garth next gave a shout out to all the kids in the audience, one in particular, a 7-year-old boy named

PAGE 4 | April 27 - May 11, 2022 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

Charles, who had a sign saying he was attending his first concert.

He asked Garth to sing, “Standing Outside the Fire.” When asked if he knew the song he told Garth he’d been practicing. After commenting that he, “had the look” Garth said what he needed was for the crowd to chant his name, which of course we did. Garth then gave Charles a microphone and the kid didn’t miss a beat singing right alongside Garth!

It was definitely a highlight of the evening! Definitely a superstar in the making!

Even with ALL that excitement the show wasn’t over yet. You might say Garth went back to his small town roots, before all the fame and fortune. He covered songs like “Piano Man”, “You Never Even Called Me By My Name”, and finally “American Pie.” Once again, the crowd sang the chorus and with that the show came to an end — but what a show it was! Once again, Garth DID NOT disappoint! The show lived up to the hype!

As is noted in this article, Garth thanked the crowd several times for the opportunity to make up the rained out show.

Well, I’d like to return the sentiment and say thank you Garth for putting on such a memorable show!

Feel free to come on back home any time. We’ll be waiting …

April 27 - May 11, 2022

| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 5

NASHVILLE HISTORY CORNER

Clip from The Tennessean, 11 Jul 1897, Sun • Page 7

NASHVILLE GAS LIGHT COMPANY

BY RIDLEY WILLS II Early in the 1800s, manufactured gas came into use for the lighting of streets and homes in the northeastern part of the United States. By 1849, the trend was spreading to other parts of the country. A group of Nashville businessmen conceived the idea of organizing a company to serve Nashville with manufactured gas. An application was filed with the State of Tennessee for a charter for this purpose.

On Nov. 21, 1849, the Tennessee State Assembly passed an act authorizing the incorporation of the Nashville Gas Light Company, beginning with a capital of $100,000. Washington Barrow, John Kirkman, Samuel R. Anderson, N.E. Alloway, and William T. Berry were named as commissioners to open books for subscription

of stock.

At the first meeting of the stockholders, Washington Barrow was elected president. This Nashville native, a man of dignity and strong personality, was married to Anna Maria Shelby, daughter of prominent Nashville physician John Shelby.

The first order of business for the company was to build a plant for the manufacture of gas from coal. The site selected for the plant was north of the Public Square between Front and Market Streets, now 800 Second Avenue North. Work on the plant began immediately and it was completed 10 months later along with five miles of mains, and the installation of 100 gas street lights.

The plant was composed of two

retort houses with iron rafters and roofs; two purifying houses; and a gas holder, or reservoir, 65 feet in diameter, which had a capacity of 400,000 gallons. There was also a house for the superintendent.

Gas manufactured at the plant was made by placing bituminous coal into a retort or oven made of cast iron. It was kept at a bright red heat, which caused the volatile gas to rise from the coal, converting the coal to coke. The gas then passed out of the retort to the purifying house, where coal tar and sooty particles were removed. The gas then moved through water, removing the ammonia by absorption. The gas next went through a condensing apparatus that removed the last traces of tar, steam and aqueous vapors.The

PAGE 6 | April 27 - May 11, 2022 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

last purifying operation percolated the gas through layers of lime, where the impurities of sulpur and carbonic acid were extracted. The gas was then ready to be stored for use.

On the evening of Thursday, Feb. 13, 1851, the first gas street light in Nashville was lit, officially opening the Nashville Gas Light Company and beginning a new era of progress, “The Gas Light Era.” According to Miss Jane Thomas in her book, Old Days in Nashville, the John Bass home was the first to use gas in the city.

Note: The information in this History Corner article comes from George D. Hulsey’s booklet Shades of the Past: A History of Nashville Gas Company.

April 27 - May 11, 2022

| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 7

NEWS

DISTRIBUTION OF ESG-CV AND THDA FUNDS AGENCY

ESG-CV

THDA

TOTAL

Nashville Safe Haven Family Shelter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $750,016 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $750,016 The Mary Parrish Center. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $70,526 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $70,526 Nashville CARES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $137,850. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $137,850 Operation Stand Down Tenessee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $56,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $56,000 The Salvation Army. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,506,182 . . . . . . . . . . . . . $747,987.56 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $4,254,169.56 Park Center. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $695,478 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $999,999. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,695,477 Room In The Inn Shelter and Camp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $311,459 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $0. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $311,459 Step Up on Second, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $766,437 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $152,458.44 . . . . . . . . . . . . . $918,895.44 Oasis Center, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $143,724 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $143,724 Nashville District Management Corporation / The Nashville Downtown Partnership. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $443,264 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $443,264 The Contributor, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $482,550 . . . . . . . . . . . . . $350,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $832,550 Community Care Fellowship. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,241,442 . . . . . . . . . . . . $0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,241,442 Nashville Launch Pad, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $109,145 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $109,145 Catholic Charities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $73,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $73,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $146,000 Colbys Army. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $38,256 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $76,555 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $114,811 Metro Homeless Impact Division. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $395,020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $395,020 MDHA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $818,396 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $818,396

Learn More About: Emergency Solutions GrantCOVID spending for homelessness

BY JUDITH TACKET T

In 2020, Congress appropriated $4 billion of the CARES Act funds to cities to serve people experiencing homelessness through a program called Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG).

This signified about 17 times more funding than the annual allocation outside of the COVID emergency.

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), these funds were designated “to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, among individuals and families who are homeless or receiving homeless assistance and to support additional homeless assis-

tance and homelessness prevention activities to mitigate the impacts created by coronavirus under the Emergency Solutions Grant program.”

In Nashville, the Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency (MDHA) is the administrator of these HUD funds, and in summer of 2020, MDHA received an allocation of more than $10 million in Emergency Solutions Grant CARES Act (ESG-CV) dollars. This was 22 times more in ESG funding than the regular ESG allocation of $450,000 that Nashville received that same year.

MDHA published a Request for Applications (RFA) in the summer

of 2020 for nonprofits to submit program suggestions. Nashville was among 30 cities that also received technical assistance by ICF (a consultant firm paid for by HUD). Local leadership was able to focus on using the existing collaborative community approach for stakeholder input while ICF came alongside with the expertise on how to prioritize funds for individuals experiencing long-term homelessness, a population that traditionally had been underfunded for years in Nashville. In the end, $6.9 million was dedicated to Rapid ReHousing programs aimed at helping people move off the streets as quickly

PAGE 8 | April 27 - May 11, 2022 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

as possible.

In Tennessee, large cities like Nashville receive direct allocations from HUD. Rural areas receive their funding through the Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA).

When THDA is unable to distribute all its funds, allocations are made available to cities including Nashville. That’s why a few months after HUD’s direct appropriation, Nashville received $2.4 million in additional ESG-CV funds from the state.

So, how many providers received funding and how many people were served in Nashville with the total of over $12.4 million in ESG-CV funds?

NEWS

ESG-CV ALLOCATIONS FROM HUD HMIS: $189,165.00 / 2% Admin: $ $818,396.00 / 6%

Operations/Essential Services: $619,480.00 / 6%

Rapid Rehousing: $6,882,453.70 / 69%

Street Outreach: $1,426,268.30 / 14%

Prevention: $102,982.00 / 1%

THDA ESG-CV FUNDS

PEOPLE SERVED

2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000

$1,076,554

1,917

1,167

1,096 743

500 10

42

THDA STREET OUTREACH

I requested information from MDHA and the Metro Homeless Impact Division (MHID), which was selected by the community to manage Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) — a database to measure homelessness outcomes. The federal government requires programs funded by ESG-CV grants to enter data into HMIS. The programs at most of the nonprofits launched in October 2020. As of Feb. 28, 2022, 53 percent of the funds were invoiced to MHDA (officially spent down). HUD’s deadline to spend down these one-time funds for programs has been updated last week

from September 2022 to September 2023 to help serve more people.

The different eligible expenditures include Operations/Essential Services including medical equipment to prevent COVID, cleaning supplies, staff to help with vaccination clinics, etc. Street outreach includes building relationships with people to ensure they can access services. Only 10 people were referred to prevention sources because other COVID funds such as the Emergency Rental Assistance managed by the Metro Action Commission were available for homelessness prevention. Therefore, the community

April 27 - May 11, 2022

HUD ESG-CV

THDA ESG-CV

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THDA RRH

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s/E ss

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$1,323,446

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decided to use homelessness funds to focus on people living in shelters and on the streets of Nashville. Rapid ReHousing paid for support services and rent assistance for up to two years. People are enrolled while still experiencing homelessness to receive assistance along the way of obtaining housing.

The numbers quoted in this article do not ref lect additional housing placement rates outside of this funding source. Nearly 2,000 people (counting all funding sources including the ESG-CV funds) obtained housing with assistance from nonprofit providers from October

| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 9

2020 to the end of December 2021.

In the current housing market where people increasingly are at the brink of homelessness, it is critical for this community to use more local funds and invest heavily in homelessness grants to help people retain housing and assist more people off the streets with housing and support services.

By the time of this publication, the mayor will have held his State of Metro address, and I expect that this year’s Metro budget includes significant announcements for new permanent supportive housing options and assistance funds to serve people experiencing homelessness.

LOCAL ACTIVISM

Tennessee For All, and other groups held a dodgeball demonstration at the Capitol on Monday, April 18, to illustrate corporations who do not pay state business income taxes. According to the event’s Facebook page, “We know 60 percent of corporations filing in Tennessee pay NOTHING in state business income taxes. That includes 65 companies that report over $1 billion in federally taxable income. While these corporations make record profits, Tennessee families are struggling with among of the highest sales and grocery taxes in the country. Join us on April 18th to see who can dodges the most taxes and to send a message to legislators they need to make corporations pay what they owe so we can fund our communities.” PHOTOS BY ALVINE

Anti-death penalty protestors marched 9 miles from Riverbend Maximum Security Prison to War Memorial on Easter Sunday as part of Tennessee’s March4Mercy. The group carried 14 portraits of Christ painted by men on death row, which depicted the Stations of the cross. Pastor Kevin Riggs (left) of Franklin Community Church volunteers at Riverbend Death Row. He ordained Kevin Burns who lives on Death Row and spoke during the event.

This march happened days before Oscar Smith was scheduled to be executed at Riverbend. Fifteen minutes before his scheduled execution time, Gov. Bill Lee released a statement saying, “Due to an oversight in preparation for lethal injection, the scheduled execution of Oscar Smith will not move forward tonight. I am granting a temporary reprieve while we address Tennessee Department of Correction protocol. Further details will be released when they are available.” PHOTOS BY ALVINE

PAGE 10 | April 27 - May 11, 2022 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF STREET PAPERS

Harmonie Bataka, 27, a skateboarder and skateboarding tutor, practises skateboarding on streets in her neighbourhood in Tema, Ghana, February 13, 2022. Bataka quit her job last year to pursue the sport full time, to the dismay of friends and family. “They said there were too many boys doing it, boys who were too good for me to win any competitions... but I didn’t care” she said. “I just wanted to be free to do what I love.” REUTERS/FRANCIS KOKOROKO

Meet the Ghanaian ‘Skate Gal’ inspiring girls to ride

BY COOPER INVEEN As dawn broke behind her, Harmonie Bataka skated in wide curves down a suburban street on the outskirts of Ghana’s capital, Accra, empty but for a scattering of people going to church.

Sundays used to be the only time 27-year-old Bataka could skateboard, when the streets were quiet and she didn’t have to work. That was before she quit her job last year to pursue the sport full time, to the dismay of friends and family.

“They said there were too many boys doing it, boys who were too good for me to win any competitions... but I didn’t care,” said Bataka, sheltering from the sun in the shade of a half-finished building.

“I just wanted to be free to do what I love,” she added. “It is really necessary and really important, otherwise this world will break you.”

Skateboarding is a fringe sport in West Africa, especially for girls. Less than 17 percent of the world’s weekly skateboarders were women in 2018, according to data from Grand View Research.

Bataka didn’t know any other female

skaters when she started, but today she is at the center of a thriving scene, thanks in part to Ghana’s first skatepark which opened late last year. Now she teaches her passion to women and girls full time.

Through the “Skate Gal Club” founded by a local extreme sports collective, Bataka found a tight circle of women who supported each other in ways that went beyond skateboarding — sharing recipes, gardening tips, mental health advice and more.

That connection cemented her desire to reorient her life around the sport.

“I truly felt comfortable,” Bataka said.

“That’s what Skate Gal Club is all about.”

Skateboarding is one of the world’s fastest-growing sports, but its popularity in Africa has yet to catch up with global trends. There are only a few skateparks on the continent, and only three of the 80 skateboarders competing in Tokyo’s 2020 Olympic games, the first to include the sport, were African.

Ghana’s 500-square-metre “Freedom Skatepark” was completed in December with support from Wonders Around the April 27 - May 11, 2022

World, an NGO that builds skateparks in developing countries, and the late Louis Vuitton designer Virgil Abloh, whose parents were Ghanaian immigrants.

Concrete ramps Its concrete ramps draw an increasing number of skaters each week. They can rent boards and safety equipment or book private instruction from someone like Bataka.

The Skate Gal Club has also ballooned and every Thursday the park is open exclusively to women and girls, who can use the equipment and take lessons for free.

These female-only days have been particularly impactful for new skaters like four-year-old Leila, one of Bataka’s youngest students.

Leila has already conquered one of the park’s largest ramps and her mother Myriam said it has been important for her to see girls doing the sport.

“It’s just so good to have a place for the girls to take examples from each other,” Myriam said. “She told me last time, ‘Oh,

| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 11

as a girl can I do this?’ ... And I said ‘Yes Leila, you can do anything’.”

Bataka hopes the female-only sessions will encourage more Ghanaian women to try skateboarding. The lessons she’s learned about courage and perseverance are priceless.

“You just need to kill the fear,” Bataka said. “Once you fall, you already have a feel for the worst thing that could happen... You keep going just because you want to get better.”

Bataka carried that mentality as she carved through her neighborhood on her day off. A wide-eyed boy watched from behind a fence as she did a trick move off a curb in which her feet and the board left the ground together and a smiling couple looked on from a storefront.

When a mother in yoga pants crossed her lawn to tell Bataka how impressed she was with her skating, Bataka beamed from ear to ear and pointed her in the direction of Freedom Skatepark.

Courtesy of Reuters / International Network of Street Papers

COVER STORY

PHOTO BY ALVINE

The Tennessee General Assembly’s latest move to criminalize homelessness could be challenged in court

BY AMANDA HAGGARD A 2022 case study and litigation manual by the National Homelessness Law Center says, “the majority of successful litigation challenging criminalization policies are against camping bans,” and sweeps of encampments.

The National Homelessness Law Center is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that seeks to serve as the legal arm of the national movement to end and prevent homelessness. They publish studies, reports and more on the criminalization of homelessness, and provide resources on how to fight against it.

Like the latest bill out of the state legis-

lature that makes camping on public land a felony, most camping bans are often written to cover a broad range of activities, including merely sleeping outside, the study says.

“Despite a lack of affordable housing and shelter space, governments have chosen to threaten, arrest, and ticket homeless persons for performing life-sustaining activities — such as sleeping or sitting down — in outdoor public space,” the executive summary from the study reads.

Sixty percent of cases in the study were able to successfully fight the bans — at the time of the report, only four states had statewide camping bans, but 15 had laws

restricting camping in certain public areas.

“In 2019, 72 percent of our 187 surveyed cities had at least one law restricting camping in public,” the study reads.

Suits against bans varied from First Amendment challenges, which, of course, hold that sleeping and tents can be expression protected under free speech as well as exemptions for religious use by churches using their land to house people experiencing homelessness.

“Because people experiencing homelessness are not on the street by choice but because they lack choices, criminal and civil punishment serves no construc-

PAGE 12 | April 27 - May 11, 2022 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

SEE PG. 3 FOR VENDOR PERSPECTIVES ON THE LEGISLATION. tive purpose,” the study says. “Instead, criminalizing homelessness creates acute harm and wastes precious public resources on policies that do not work to reduce homelessness. Indeed, arrests, unaffordable tickets, and displacement from public space for doing what any human being must do to survive can make homelessness more difficult to escape.”

COVER STORY

PHOTO BY ALVINE

Commentary: Criminalizing sleeping in public will make problems for homelessness worse Tennessee must address the underlying factors driving homelessness across our state

BY ELLIOTT PINSLY, KAREN FRANKLIN AND JEFF FLADEN The Tennessee General Assembly recently passed legislation that makes camping on all state and local public property illegal. Senate bill 1610 failed last year, but was revived and passed this session, despite testimony warning of potential unintended consequences.

This legislation makes camping or sleeping alongside a state or interstate highway a crime. The bill also targets homeless encampments and aims to expand the “Equal Access to Public Property Act of 2012” by adding local government lands to the list of places where camping is a felony.

If the goal is to remove homeless people from land intended to be used by everyone, is this really equal access? The irony is obvious.

Housing First policies work Evidence is clear — Housing First is an effective model for solving homelessness, especially for individuals who have been homeless for an extended period and those with mental health or addiction issues.

Housing First policies recognize a stable living environment as necessary for someone to engage effectively with behavioral health and other services. This is not rocket science — psychologist Abraham Maslow wrote in 1943 that basic human needs like

shelter, food, and sleep must be met before a person can take care of health and personal safety needs.

Studies show that by helping individuals find permanent housing first, people are two to three times more likely to remain housed than those who were required to participate in treatment before qualifying for housing.

One step forward, two steps back Tennessee does not have enough shelter capacity to house all of the state’s homeless population, which includes a large number of families, military veterans, and children.

It is already illegal to sleep on state or private property. If local public property is added to this list, there would be nowhere left for homeless individuals and families to sleep without risking a criminal charge.

Sleeping or cooking at night on any state or local public land would call for a felony charge carrying a minimum of one year in prison plus a fine of up to $3,000. Tennessee citizens charged under this law would not only lose their right to vote but also face extraordinary barriers to accessing housing and employment.

Tennessee does not have enough shelter capacity to house all of the state’s homeless April 27 - May 11, 2022

population, which includes a large number of families, military veterans, and children.

Cruel and unusual Arresting people experiencing homelessness does nothing to solve the problem.

While those advocating on behalf of Senate bill 1610 say they want to help those living in encampments find housing, this legislation would make it much harder for those impacted to find a place to live.

Further, the U.S. Supreme Court in 2019 upheld a ruling (Martin v. Boise) banning communities from enforcing anti-camping laws in the absence of sufficient shelter beds.

The court found that such laws violate the Eighth Amendment protecting citizens from cruel and unusual punishment.

If Tennessee passes this new public property camping ban, the state could be opening itself up to a major lawsuit.

to help homeless individuals and families gain and maintain housing and employment.

Other dedicated professionals provide the necessary mental health and addiction services that support ongoing recovery and help prevent homelessness.

When someone is experiencing poverty, homelessness, or a behavioral health crisis, we must meet them where they are with respect and compassion.

Criminalizing sleeping in public is a solution for no one in Tennessee.

Support, not punishment, leads to recovery As professional social workers and mental health advocates, we recognize homelessness is a complex issue. Leaders must work collaboratively to develop community-specific solutions that support but don’t punish our most vulnerable neighbors.

We applaud those working day and night

Karen Franklin is Executive Director of the NASW Tennessee Chapter, an association advancing sound policies on behalf of professional social workers.

| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 13

This op-ed was first published on tennesseelookout.com.

Elliot Pinsly is Chief Executive Officer of the Behavioral Health Foundation, a nonprofit mental health, addiction, and criminal justice policy center.

Jeff Fladen is Executive Director of NAMI Tennessee, a grassroots nonprofit dedicated to mental health education, support, and advocacy.

NEWS

A Few Questions With Councilmember Gloria Hausser, District 22

C

ouncilmember Gloria Hausser’s passion for her neighborhoods and her focus on making sure she continues to inform the people in District 22 stand out

immediately.

“People who think of Bellevue may believe it’s that rural area out west,” Hausser said. “But it’s really not rural anymore. There is a lot of diversity and we’re not that far from downtown, but it feels very different from downtown with all the conveniences.”

The Contributor talked with Hausser as part of a series called A Few Questions With where we interview council members about their district’s most pressing issues.

BY JUDITH TACKETT

METRO COUNCIL COMMITTEES: Affordable Housing, Vice Chair Education Human Services

How would you describe District 22?

It’s actually a very diverse and evolving district. Whatever you want, you can find it in District 22. We have all types of housing for a variety of income levels: apartments, condos, 1-acre lots, townhouses, any type of housing you want. We also have One Bellevue Place, which is the revitalized mall, which is pretty exciting. And we have grade school, middle school, and high school. There is still a lot of land available, for example off Charlotte Pike that can be put into subdivisions. Finally, we have pretty much every religion represented like the Jewish Community Center, which is right next to our district, and then we have mosques, the Hindu temple and of course a variety of Christian congregations.

What are some of the main concerns you hear from your constituents?

Traffic and density are two of the things people are concerned about. Right now it still takes only about 20 minutes to get from Bellevue to downtown compared to 45 minutes in traffic from other directions. People who lived here a long time, especially when they have more acreage, are concerned about density. They want to make sure that as Bellevue is moving forward, it retains that feeling of community and that we don’t get overgrown. I want to make sure any growth is beneficial to everyone and it’s not just growth for growth’s sake.

You have recently worked on an effort for Metro to rent out the old library building on Colice Jeanne Road to Bellevue Civic Association that would create office space for several civic organizations. What opportunities would this create for the community?

The opportunity this presents is that we bring nonprofits and associations in Bellevue together in one place, so they can assist and support each other. Right now, Arts Bellevue, a local nonprofit, does not have a space to display artwork or to hold classes. The Bellevue Chamber does not have an office. The West Precinct mentioned that they may bring some of their after-school youth programs here, which would be great because this is just down

the street from the middle school.

Since the last discussion in Metro Council, the bill has changed. We are now working with the Mayor’s Office and are discussing the opportunity to expand the original proposal and perhaps bring some other Metro services out to this building. One of the things I’m hearing often from people, they don’t want to have to go downtown to access services. We are exploring the opportunity to bring some of Metro satellite offices here, perhaps the County Clerk or an entrepreneur center support and other options to residents in Bellevue and create kind of a Bellevue city center.

All of that is still in negotiations. We are really just looking at all possibilities to see what would be good for Nashville and good for Bellevue to create a sense of community.

We’re hoping this could become a model for other underutilized city buildings.

You serve on the Metro Council’s Affordable Housing Committee and your day job is as director of finance and operations with the New Level Community Development Corporation. What is your main focus when it comes to the affordable housing conversation in Nashville?

When we say affordable housing, people

have all sorts of ideas, and sometimes they are not accurate. Affordable housing does not mean that it’s subsidized, Section 8 housing.

Affordable housing means that someone earning a median income can actually afford to pay that rent or that mortgage. You may work full-time and still not be able to afford a very small apartment in Nashville, so when we talk about affordable, a new term I am hearing being utilized is attainable.

When you say attainable, people can look at that and say, is that [housing cost] still within 30 percent of my income. There are many people who pay 50 percent or 60 percent of their income just for their rent or mortgage. That is really critical. One little blip and you’re in a dire situation and you can’t recover. And so it’s very important that we pay attention to what needs to happen to create affordable housing and make sure that we retain affordable housing.

We want our teachers, nurses, fire fighters, police, EMTs, to be able to live within an easy drive of their workplace. We want them to be able to take care of our citizens and be accessible if there are emergencies.

To me a community that is diverse is a richer community. There are just so many reasons why we need affordable, quality housing in our community.

PAGE 14 | April 27 - May 11, 2022 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

Similar to the last question, what would you like to see prioritized as it comes to addressing homelessness in Nashville?

The first priority would be finding housing.

We hope it’s permanent housing, but at least temporary until they can get to permanent housing. Besides that, we also need wraparound services so that people can get to a different place in their lives. We need to ensure people are equipped so that they can take care of themselves. That could be medical services, job training, whatever it is to help people stand on their own feet. And if they cannot, if there are underlying issues, then we need to look at the alternatives we can provide because living on the streets is not anything that anyone in Nashville wants.

The goal is to have a decent, safe place for everyone to live. But again, providing a roof alone is not always the answer. We have to be willing to coordinate the services that are necessary. And in the end that is less expensive than not doing it. If we aren’t providing these services, then we are paying the money in other places that we may not see. We’re going to pay for [homelessness] one way or the other, so why not pay for it in a way that benefits us all.

Kenneth Redditt is pleased to announce his candidacy for General Sessions Judge in Division II. Redditt has practiced law in Nashville for almost 14 years. His primary practice areas are Criminal Defense, Family, Personal Injury and Landlord Tenant Detainer Actions.

He has gone into the tough counties that many stay away from because he does not believe that justice should be limited by zip code. Kenneth has been extremely active in his community. He has held countless expungement clinics throughout the city at no cost to try and assist those who want to clean up their record and find gainful and meaningful employment that would allow them to provide for their families.

During some of these clinics, he would incorporate a know your rights component. He would speak about the rights of detainees and some of the limitations on law enforcement in police encounters and the need to remain silent.

His breadth and depth of both real world and legal experience coupled with his understanding of the needs of Davidson County citizens (fairness) makes him uniquely qualified to serve as the next General Sessions Judge in Division II.

April 27 - May 11, 2022

| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 15

LA NOTICIA “The Contributor” está trabajando con uno de los principales periódicos en español La Noticia para llevar contenido a más lectores en Middle Tennessee. Nuestros vendedores de periódicos han pedido durante mucho tiempo que nuestra publicación incluya contenido que apele al interés de residentes de habla hispana en nuestra comunidad.

“The Contributor” is working with one of the leading Spanish-language newspapers La Noticia to bring content to more readers in Middle Tennessee. Our newspaper vendors have long requested that our publication include content that appeals to the interest of Spanish-speaking residents in our community.

LOCALES - POLÍTICA - INMIGRACIÓN - TRABAJOS - SALUD - ESPECTÁCULOS - DEPORTES Y MÁS...

L a N ticia 2022

GRATIS

Abril

Escanee esta imagen para ver La Noticia newspaper edición bilingüe digital

www.hispanicpaper.com

Año 20 - No. 348

“DONDE OCURREN LOS HECHOS QUE IMPORTAN, SIEMPRE PRIMERO... ANTES”

Nashville, Tennessee

Para bajar los precios de los medicamentos, ¿deberímos seguir a este multimillonario?

Casi uno de cada cuatro estadounidenses no puede pagar sus medicamentos.

Así que un hombre decidió interrumpir todo el sistema, creando una empresa que cobra un 99% Por:Jeanette Contreras menos por los Health Policy Director m e d i c a m e n t o s National Consumers recetados.

League

Aquí es donde interviene el modelo disruptivo de Mark Cuban.

Dado que Cost Plus Drug Company no trabaja con aseguradoras en absoluto, transfiere todos los ahorros negociados directamente a los pacientes, con un margen operativo fijo del 15% y una tarifa de farmacia insignificante.

Recientemente se abrió un nuevo frente en la batalla para bajar los precios de los medicamentos, y el empresario e inversionista en serie Mark Cuban está liderando la carga.

Su firma, Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company, vende medicamentos genéricos con grandes descuentos directamente a los pacientes, sin pasar por las compañías de seguros, los administradores de beneficios farmacéuticos y otros intermediarios de la industria que actualmente se embolsan 51 centavos de cada dólar gastado en productos farmacéuticos.

Lack of access to high-quality health insurance is one reason why nearly one in four Americans can’t pay for medication.

problemas de salud, desde una mayor mortalidad materna hasta tasas elevadas de afecciones crónicas como diabetes e hipertensión.

Es un modelo brillante que podría generar grandes ahorros para todos los que luchan con los altos precios de los medicamentos, especialmente para las minorías y las personas con enfermedades raras. Irónicamente, el plan de negocios del atrevido multimillonario podría servir de inspiración para los legisladores progresistas en el Congreso que están tratando de reformar el sistema de salud quebrado de nuestro país.

Existen varias razones estructurales para estas desigualdades, incluido el acceso desigual a medicamentos que salvan vidas. Según la Fundación de la Familia Kaiser, los grupos minoritarios tienen muchas menos probabilidades que los blancos de tener un seguro. Y un estudio reciente encontró que casi el 50% de las personas en edad de trabajar no tienen un seguro adecuado, lo que significa que a menudo tienen que pagar deducibles altos. Las minorías también tienen tasas de participación más bajas en las cuentas de ahorro especiales con ventajas impositivas que hacen factibles los planes de seguro de salud con deducible alto.

Como detalla un informe reciente de Commonwealth Fund, los grupos minoritarios sufren de manera desproporcionada una letanía de

Esta falta de acceso a un seguro de salud de alta calidad es parte de la razón por la que casi uno de cada cuatro estadounidenses tiene dificul-

tades para pagar los medicamentos.

Las aseguradoras agravan este problema al contratar intermediarios conocidos como administradores de beneficios de farmacia, o PBM, para negociar con las compañías farmacéuticas descuentos por volumen en medicamentos. Estos PBM toman una parte de esos descuentos y comparten el resto con las aseguradoras.

Pero rara vez, o nunca, comparten los ahorros con los pacientes en el mostrador de la farmacia.

Caso en cuestión: un nuevo estudio de JAMA reveló que a medida que un medicamento genérico contra la hepatitis B se volvió significativamente más barato, los PBM y las aseguradoras se quedaron con los ahorros mientras continuaban cobrando a los pacientes en planes con deducibles altos un promedio de $133 por mes, un nivel considerable de costos compartidos que obligaron a más de la mitad de los pacientes a abandonar el tratamiento prescrito.

Conoce tus derechos: ¿Que hacer en caso de una redada?

1. Mantenerse callado 2. Sólo dar nombre y apellido 3. No mentir 4. Nunca acepte/lleve documentos falsos 5. No revelar su situación migratoria 6. No llevar documentación de otro país 7. En caso de ser arrestado, mostrarla Tarjeta Miranda (llámenos si necesita una)

por

Basados en la Quinta Enmienda de la Constitución, los derechos de guardar silencio y contar con un abogado fueron denominados Derechos Miranda luego de la decisión de la Suprema Corte de Justicia de Estados Unidos en el caso Miranda vs. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, de 1966.

www.juanese.com juanese@usa.com

PAGE 16 | April 27 - May 11, 2022 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

Los ahorros son gigantescos.

Imatinib, un medicamento de quimioterapia genérico, se vende al por menor por $ 2502,50, pero ¿con la compañía de Mark Cuban? Solo $ 17.10. Y el cloruro de potasio, recetado a más de 4,5 millones de estadounidenses, cae de $975,77 al menudeo a solo $3,57.

En resumen, es un cambio de juego, especialmente para las personas desfavorecidas que podrían depender de medicamentos costosos para sobrevivir, tener un seguro inadecuado o luchar para pagar las facturas.

El Congreso puede, y debe, seguir el ejemplo de Cuban. Después de todo, el 83% de los estadounidenses dicen que quieren que el gobierno baje los precios de los medicamentos.

Para los progresistas, seguir el libro de jugadas de un multimillonario puede sonar extraño. Pero el modelo de negocios de Cuban es la intervención que los consumidores necesitan en el mostrador de la farmacia.

Jeanette Contreras es Directora de Políticas de Salud de la Liga Nacional de Consumidores. Este artículo se publicó originalmente en el International Business Times.

Envíenos sus sugerencias por e-mail: news@hispanicpaper.com ó 615-567-3569

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Onsite Job Fair: 4/30/2022; 10 am- 1 pm 3650 Trousdale Dr. Nashville, TN Schedule: Monday- Friday 6 am- 2:30 pm Pay: $15+ Industry: Manufacturing/Assembly Same day or next day starts!

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April 27 - May 11, 2022

| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 17

The New Christian Year Selected by Charles Williams

Charles Walter Stansby Williams (1886–1945), the editor of the following selections, is today probably the third most famous of the famous Inklings literary group of Oxford, England, which existed in the middle of the 20th century, and which included among its ranks the better-known and longer-lived Oxford Dons J.R.R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis—but he was arguably the most precocious and well-read of this eminent and intellectually fertile group. He was also known to have influenced Dorothy Sayers, T. S. Eliot and W. H. Auden.

Lacking a proper degree unlike his fellow Inklings, this genius Cockney-speaking author, editor, critic, and playwright was eminently well-versed in both philosophical and theological writings of the remote past as of the present day (the mid-20th century) and used this familiarity to good effect in his poetry, supernatural fiction and his lesser-known devotional selections designed for the spiritual benefit of the faithful in the Church of England. This series of profound quotations, encompassing all walks of life, follows the sequence of the themes and Bible readings anciently appointed for contemplation throughout the church's year, beginning with Advent (i.e., December) and ending in November, and reaches far beyond the pale of the philosophical and theological discussions of his day. It was under his hand, for instance, that some of the first translations of Kierkegaard were made available to the wider public. It is hoped that the readings reproduced here will prove beneficial for any who read them, whatever their place in life's journey. — Matthew Carver

2nd Wednesday after Easter CHRIST was common to all in love, in teaching, in tender consolation, in generous gifts, in merciful forgiveness. His soul and his body, his life and his death, and his ministry were, and are, common to all. His sacraments and his gifts are common to all. Christ never took any food or drink, nor anything that his body needed, without intending by it the common good of all those who shall be saved, even unto the last day . . . He ate and he drank for our sake; he lived and he died for our sake.

Ruysbroeck: Adornment of the Spiritual Marriage.

2nd Thursday after Easter THE Word was from the beginning and therefore was and is the divine of all things; but now that He has taken the name, which of old was sanctified, the Christ, He is called by me a New Song.

St Clement: Address to the Greeks.

HE called us when we were not, and willed us from not being to be.

St Clement: Epistles.

2nd Friday after Easter JEHOVAH’S salvation Is without money and without price, in the continual forgivness of sins, In the perpetual mutual sacrifice in great eternity: for behold, There is none that liveth and sinneth not! And this is the covenant Of Jehovah: "If you forgive one another so shall Jehovah forgive you; That He Himself may dwell among you."

Blake: Jerusalem.

JOSEPH wraps the body in a clean linen cloth, in which same linen sheet were let down to Peter out of heaven all manner of living creatures; whence we understand that under the representation of this linen cloth the Church is buried together with Christ.

St Hillary, quoted by Aquinas: Catena Aurea.

2nd Saturday after Easter

ALL things in motion desire to make known their own proper movement, and this is an aspiration after the Divine Peace of the whole, which, unfalling, preserves all things from falling, and, unmoved, guards the idiosyncrasy and life of all moving things, so that the things moved, being at peace among themselves, perform their own proper functions.

Dionysius the Areopagite: On the Divine Names.

The Feast of St Philip and St James THE Church belongs not to the present, but has existed from the beginning; the Church which is spiritual is now manifest in the Flesh of Christ.

St Clement: Epistles.

Freely we serve Because we freely love, and in our will To love or not; in this we stand or fall.

Milton: Paradise Lost.

3rd Monday after Easter WONDER not then that all the true followers of Christ, the saints of every age, have so gloried in the cross of Christ, have imputed such great things to it, have desired nothing so much as to be partakers of it, to live in constant union with it. It is because His sufferings, His death and cross were the fulness of His victory over all the works of the devil. Not an evil in flesh and blood, not a misery of life, not a chain of death, not a power of hell and darkness, but were all baffled, broken, and overcome by the process of a suffering and dying Christ. Well therefore may the cross of Christ be the glory of Christians!

William Law: The Spirit of Love.

3rd Friday after Easter WE should mark and know of a very truth that all manner of virtue and goodness, and even that Eternal Good which is God himself, can never make a man virtuous, good or happy, so long as it is outside the soul; that is, so long as the man is holding converse with outward things through his senses and reason, and doth not withdraw into himself, and learn to understand his own life who and what he is.

Theologica Germanica.

3rd Saturday after Easter O LORD Jesus Christ, our Watchman and Keeper, take us to thy care: grant that, our bodies sleeping, our minds may watch in thee, and be made merry by some sight of that celestial and heavenly life, wherein thou art the King and Prince, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, where thy angels and holy souls, keep clean our bodies, that in both we may please thee, sleeping and waking, for ever.

Amen.

Christian Prayers, 1566.

WHY comes temptation but for man to meet And master, and make crouch beneath his foot, And so be pedestalled in triumph. Pray 'Lead us into no such temptations, Lord!'

Yea, but, O Thou whose servants are the bold, Lead such temptations by the head and hair, Reluctant dragons, up to who dares fight, That so he may do battle and have praise.

Browning: The Ring and the Book.

Third Sunday after Easter

EACH one creates his god, when judging, "This is good or bad"; and men mourn or rejoice too much at events.

Pascal: Pensées.

THE names of first or last derogate from it (God's mercy), for first and last are but rags of time, and his mercy hath no relation to time, no limitation in time, it is not the first nor the last but eternal, everlasting. Let the devil make me so far desperate as to conceive a time when there was no mercy, and he hath made me so far an atheist as to conceive a time when there was no God: if I despoil him of his mercy, any one minute, and say, Now God hath no mercy, for that minute I discontinue his very Godhead, and his being . . .

As long as there hath been love, and God is love, there hath been mercy.

Donne: Sermons.

3rd Wednesday after Easter

4th Monday after Easter

THE scars that remained in Christ's body belong neither to corruption nor defect, but to the greater increase of glory, inasmuch as they are the trophies of His power; and a special comeliness will appear in the places scarred by the wounds.

Aquinas: Summa Theologica.

WHEN the Kingdom is delivered up to God, even the Father, and all his powers are put down, then perfection begins. Here is hindrance, here weakness even of the perfect; there full protection . . . We then must strive for those things wherein is perfection and wherein is the reality. Here is the shadow, here the symbol; there the reality. Here we walk in the symbol, we see in the symbol; there face to face, where there is full perfection; for all perfection is in the reality.

St Ambrose: De Officiis.

3rd Tuesday after Easter FAITH becomes hope through repentance, as does fear through faith; perseverance and exercise in these, united with instruction, are perfected into charity; and charity is perfected into knowledge.

St Clement: Stromata.

GRANT me, O most sweet and loving Jesus, to rest in thee above every creature, above all health and beauty, above all glory and honour, above all power and dignity, above all joy and exultation, above all fame and praise, above all sweetness and consolation, above all hope and promise, above all desert and desire, above all gifts and presents which Thou art able to bestow or infuse, above all joy and gladness which the mind is capable of receiving and feeling; finally, above Angels and Archangels, and above all the host of Heaven, above all things visible and invisible, and above all that falls short of Thyself, O Thou, my God. Thomas à Kempis: Imitation.

HE does not waste a word in talking about immortality, as to whether it actually is; he states what it is, that it is the separation between the just and the unjust.

Kierkegaard: Christian Discourses.

Second Sunday after Easter

3rd Thursday after Easter

THERE is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. But what is Repentance? Not the last and noblest and most refined achievement of the righteousness of men in the service of God, but the first elemental act of the righteousness of God in the service of men; the work that God has written in their hearts and which, because it is from God and not from men, occasions joy in heaven; that looking forward to God, and to Him only, which is recognized only by God and by God Himself.

Barth: The Epistle to the Romans.

I AS often lifted my eyes and he sent me help from his holy place. And herein I found the difference between this and my former state chiefly consisted. I was striving, yea fighting, with all my might under the law, as well as under grace: but then I was sometimes, if not often, conquered; now I was always conqueror.

John Wesley: Journal.

GLORY is perfected in grace.

4th Tuesday after Easter IF to obtain the temporal inheritance of his human father, a man must be born of the womb of his mother; to obtain the eternal inheritance of his Heavenly Father, he must be born of the womb of the church.

St Augustine, quoted in St Thomas: Catena Aurea.

Echkhart: In Collationibus.

Sponsored by Matthew Carver, publisher

PAGE 18 | April 27 - May 11, 2022 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

FUN

HOBOSCOPES TAURUS

I don’t mean to sound confrontational, but just who do you think you are, Taurus? Do you think you’re the things you’ve done and the things you plan to do? Do you think you’re the mind that decides your actions, plots your future, and processes your past? Are you the feelings that you have about the things that happen to you? Or could it be that you’re someone else entirely? Are you the quiet passenger in the backseat of your mind who observes your actions, watches your thoughts, and experiences your emotions? They say there is no “I” in “Taurus.” Maybe they just haven’t looked far enough behind the eyes.

GEMINI

I’m not sure if I’ve ever been this sore, Gemini. Four hours working in the garden — bending over to dig up the thick carpet of weeds that had taken over. Just a half-day’s work at a bad angle. Two days later and I can’t really sit down without taking it in three slow stages. Standing back up? Forget about it. You may find, Gemini, that some of your emotional muscles are a little out of practice lately. You may be sore from working things out at a new angle. Give yourself grace and a couple of days.

Then get back out in the weeds. It’s the only way you’ll get to plant the future you’re looking for.

VIRGO

I pulled all the weeds out of the garden. So now I’ve got this nice, clean garden bed that’s ready to receive plants. But I’ve also got this big pile of weeds that I’m not sure what to do with. I used to just throw them over the back fence, but somebody just built a new house back there and they probably wouldn’t want these in their driveway. I know you’ve been doing a lot of work to make changes lately, too, Virgo. And you’ve pulled out a lot of what’s been getting in your way. But before you plant your beautiful new life, you may need to get rid of the old stuff to keep it from coming back. That garden is your responsibility. So are the weeds.

LEO

Worker bees are famous for working. It’s really all they do with their short six-week life. But, at the end of their days, surrounded by their siblings, at least they get to look at that bustling hive and know that they produced 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey. Maybe you’re working too hard, Virgo. Sure, there’s a payoff. You’re making good stuff. But in the course of a life, there’s only so much you can create. Maybe take some time off from your 1/12 of a teaspoon and have some experiences that remind you that although you’re small the world is full of beautiful flowers.

The envelope that came in the mail today says I can have up to six months with no interest. This is a relief, because I already have so little interest in whatever’s going on inside this envelope. Sometimes I worry that I’m not interested in much. But then I realize I’m just looking in the wrong mailboxes. If you’re feeling uninspired, Capricorn, you may just need to stand up and turn around. Look in a different direction. It may feel silly to pursue something that’s usually so outside your field of vision. But waiting around for the mail truck to show you something good hasn’t been yielding the best results.

LIBRA

I’ve heard that if the earth was the size of a basketball, the moon would be the size of a tennis ball. The sun, in this scenario, would be the size of a large ferris wheel. At this point, we’re putting together a pretty fun day out. Shoot some hoops. Toss a ball at the dog park. Go on all the rides at that little carnival by the car dealership. And think about how small we all are and how we’re just like a little ball floating in space, connected to nothing and infinitely indebted to gravity and the fusion of hydrogen and helium. Enjoy the afternoon, Libra. Maybe take another spin on the bumper cars. — each one is about the size of Neptune, if you’re keeping up.

CANCER

There’s nothing like the thrill of waking up 30 minutes after your alarm didn’t go off, splashing some water on your face, and flying out the door to get to work before anybody notices you’re late. I know you live for the adrenaline, Cancer, but once you get in the car I want you to do me a favor.

Take three deep breaths. Now realize that you can’t really get there any faster. Don’t speed. Don’t run stop signs.

How much time could you possibly save? 30 seconds?

As in all things, you’ll arrive when you arrive, Cancer.

Everything in your life is happening exactly on time.

CAPRICORN

SCORPIO

Are you a Scorpio? You look like a Scorpio.

I can always tell, but I guess I’ve had a lot of training. One of the things I’ve learned in my study of the stars is that people love to read about themselves and what they’re supposed to be like and how they’re supposed to act. The problem is when people use that as an excuse to stop exploring themselves. Sure, Scorpio, you fit some patterns. We all do. But there’s more to you than that. We all see it. If you look a little further in, you will too.

SAGITTA R IUS

I bought some little tomato plants, and some little peppers. I bought some zucchini plants and some eggplant plants (I even wore my eggplant pants to the eggplant plant plant.). But when I space these out in the garden, there just isn’t enough room. I tend to think I can squeeze in one more okra or fit another melon in the corner. But if I pack too many into this little space, nothing is gonna have the room to thrive. Are you packing-in too much, Sagittarius? If you want your zucchinis to get big and strong, you may need fewer peppers. Just give it all a little more space.

AQUA RIUS

I don’t know if I believe in reincarnation.

I guess I like the idea that I’ll get another chance to do all this again. But I’m afraid it makes me too cynical about other people. “Haven’t you figured this out by now? The light is green!” For all intents and purposes, Aquarius, I think it’s best to treat others as though it’s their first time here. It sure feels like the first time for me. Sure, we all have to figure this stuff out, and we’re doing that just as fast as we are. Be kind. We all just got here.

PISCES

I’ve got so many vegetables planted in the garden! I’ll be able to make a good spicy salsa and a flavorful salad. I’ll have steamed broccoli and baked potatoes. I’ll have a cantaloupe for breakfast and watermelon for dessert. The only problem is, that’s gonna take a couple of months.

But I’m hungry now. You’ve planted a lot of good things, too, Pisces. But good things take time. While you wait, don’t get discouraged. You’ll find plenty of things to nourish you until your hard work pays off.

ARIES

There’s a guy talking on the radio about how you can turn your life around. He says you should “turn your mess into your message.” I only half agree with him, Aries. It’s just that I’ve known too many people who go from chaos and confusion straight into offering their services as a life-coach without doing the work in between. You’ve got a lot to give, Aries, and you’ll get your chance.

But before you start selling your advice, shine that flashlight into your own basement and make sure you really understand what’s down there and what you can do to clean it out. First, just turn your mess into a mess that you understand better.

Mr. Mysterio is not a licensed astrologer, a certified mail carrier, or a trained gardener Mr. Mysterio is, however, a budding intermediate podcaster! Check out The Mr. Mysterio Podcast. Season 2 is now playing at mrmysterio.com. Got a question, just give Mr. M a call at 707-VHS-TAN1

April 27 - May 11, 2022

| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 19

PAGE 20 | April 27 - May 11, 2022 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

THEME: ROM A NTIC COMEDIES ACROSS 1. “We all fall down” preceder 6. Zedong of China 9. W of gridiron’s WR 13. Short for betwixt 14. Second-largest bird, by height 15. *”The Taming of the ____” 16. Godfather’s family 17. Make a choice 18. Bridal veil fabric 19. *Like Rock Hudson’s and Doris Day’s talk 21. *Katherine Heigl wore 27 of these 23. Dumbo’s big one 24. Gift for the naughty 25. *”I Was a Male ____ Bride” starring Cary

Grant 28. Inauguration ball, e.g.

30. Eyelid drooping 35. Half of binary code 37. Ruptured 39. PayPal money 40. Part of colliery 41. Avoid, as in taxes 43. “The Sun ____ Rises” 44. “Colorful” announcement 46. Fifty-fifty 47. Bit of slander 48. Rookie 50. Tolstoy’s Karenina 52. Hitherto 53. Hammer part 55. Canada’s neighbor 57. *Sleepless in which city?

61. *Drew Barrymore has

never been what?

64. Don’t mention it 65. Akira Kurosawa’s 1985 movie 67. Erasable programmable read only memory 69. Seize a throne 70. Gold medalist Nathan Chen’s turf 71. Smooth transition 72. Post-deductions 73. “But I heard him exclaim, ____ he drove out of sight, Merry Christmas...”

74. Sound like Wilbur DOWN 1. 20s dispenser 2. Type of meet

3. Sound reproduction quality 4. Expatriate 5. German POW camp, slangily 6. Garfield’s cry 7. Unit of electric current 8. One up 9. “____ Afraid of Virginia Wolf?”

10. Novelist Murdoch 11. Expunge 12. Bo Peep’s females 15. Gracefully slender 20. Perform on a dais 22. Eminem’s genre 24. Wagon train, e.g.

25. *Julia Roberts played a pretty one 26. Old and feeble 27. Extend subscription 29. *It’s crazy and stupid?

31. South American tubers 32. *Who did Harry meet?

33. Question in dispute 34. Like small distance 36. Belgrade native 38. *She starred in “I Dream of Jeannie” 42. Boredom 45. A-one 49. Slippery reef dweller 51. Appraise 54. Like a haunted mansion 56. Colorado skiing destination 57. Render speechless 58. Facilitate 59. Adjoin 60. Suit material 61. Leg joint 62. “Cogito ____ sum” 63. Brooding 66. Acronym, abbr.

68. NYC art museum’s nickname, with the

Join Us For The Final 2022 Spring Dialogue on May 18th, 2022 Housing Unaffordability

How we got here and what we can do about it.

Our Presenter

Edward J. Pinto is a senior fellow and the director of the AEI Housing Center at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). He is currently researching how to increase the entry-level housing supply for first-time buyers and renters who earn hourly wages, as well as examining the current house price boom that began in 2012.

This continues his previous work on the role of federal housing policy in the 2008 mortgage and financial crisis.

April 27 - May 11, 2022

| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 21

VENDOR WRITING

“OUTLAW MARY JANE” AND “THE OUTLAW MARY JANE” “Outlaw Mary Jane” is a song I wrote and had published in The Contributor, many years ago. It is a well written, themed song about Marijuana. Unfortunately, it has yet to be produced and put to music. “The Outlaw Mary Jane” is a song that was written and produced by a good friend of mine by the name of Cornelius (Popcorn) Robinson. Who, after reading the lyrics to the original song “Outlaw Mary Jane,” was so impressed and inspired by the theme, powerful lines and hook, that he decided to use material from the original song’s lyrics, to create his own completely different, new version of the song, co-written by Chris Scott F. He invested a lot of time and money into producing the song in the hopes that Nashville would hear it and take notice. Sadly, it didn’t make the impression he was hoping to create upon its release and the song was lost to history.

He even went so far as to produce a YouTube slideshow music video with pictures featuring cow-girls from the old west, still available for you to enjoy. I hope you will. Just look up “The Outlaw Mary Jane” YouTube video. The lyrics to both of these songs have been presented before, side by side in my book “Lessons Learned from Wisdom’s Words” on page 19. But nobody knows the story behind them. Now you do. Happy Belated 4/20, 2022.

OUTLAW MARY JANE Written by Chris Scott Fieselman

It’s best nobody knows, Where she comes from?

Where she goes?

Hanging out among friends or when, You’re lonely and alone.

Be careful when she’s there.

She’s got enemies everywhere.

And it’s best they not find out about, The friendship that you share.

THE OUTLAW MARY JANE Co-Written and Produced by Cornelius (Popcorn) Robinson Co-Written and Inspired by “Outlaw Mary Jane” Written by Chris Scott F Nobody Knows.

She comes, She goes.

They call her, Mary Jane.

Let the record show, Sam won’t leave it alone.

Till he finds her.

The Outlaw Mary Jane.

Be careful when you say the name.

Secret Angel of Mercy, Gently ease your pain.

Well, she never hurt anyone, But just look what, She’s become.

Guilty by Association with, The Outlaw Mary Jane.

Outlaw Mary Jane, Is her claim to fame.

Made men wealthy, Others in jail.

Never hurt anyone.

Look what Love’s become.

And who decides the fate, Of The Outlaw Mary Jane?

Now, her exploits are well known.

The things they say, she’s done.

Broken lives and broken homes.

Some tax-evasion.

She’s made some men very wealthy, Others sent to prison.

Outcast of Society, Never quite fitting in.

Guilty, Of the first degree.

Lawyer, Didn’t care.

Judge says, “No… Amnesty…”

Facing four and twenty.

The Outlaw Mary Jane.

Be careful when you say the name.

Secret Angel of Mercy, Gently ease your pain.

Well, she never hurt anyone, But just look what, she’s become.

Guilty by Association with, The Outlaw Mary Jane.

Outlaw Mary Jane, Is her claim to fame.

Made men wealthy, Others in jail.

Never hurt anyone.

Look what Love’s become.

And who decides the fate, Of The Outlaw Mary Jane?

Now, some would let her try to help, Those with little hope.

When they’ve tried everything else, Fighting cancer with chemo.

Her company is comforting, But she’s an outlaw just the same.

Criminal or Cure, is her unsure claim to fame.

Some would like to see her garden, Burned down to the ground.

No Amnesty. No Pardon.

Run her out of town.

So much anger, so much hate, And no-one feels ashamed.

And who decides the fate, Of The Outlaw Mary Jane.

We’ll ride, To the border and hide there.

If they find you, We’ll just have to fight…

The Outlaw Mary Jane.

Be careful when you say the name.

Secret Angel of Mercy, Gently ease your pain.

Well, she never hurt anyone, But just look what, she’s become.

Guilty by Association with, The Outlaw Mary Jane.

The Devil is Dancing.

Outlaw Mary Jane, Is her claim to fame.

Made men wealthy, Others in jail.

Never hurt anyone.

Look what Love’s become.

And who decides the fate, Of The Outlaw Mary Jane?

Mary Jane…

Mary Jane…

Aww… Mary Jane…

PAGE 22 | April 27 - May 11, 2022 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

MOVING PICTURES

Garmonbozia DAVID LYNCH’S SAD, STRANGE TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME SHIMMERS AT THE BELCOURT

BY JOE NOLAN, FILM CRITIC Director David Lynch’s Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me confounded many fans of the Twin Peaks television show when it hit theater screens in 1992. While most of the cast and characters offer familiar faces for the show’s fans, the tone of the film differs greatly from the original series.

Nearly all of the quirky humor of the television program is abandoned here while the weirdness and foreboding are ampedup to a point of disturbing near-incomprehensibility. The film flopped at the box office, but it’s found more favorable apologists among fans and critics as it’s been re-contextualized in the evolving Twin Peaks universe, and in Lynch’s subsequent filmography. Nowadays Fire Walk with Me seems family friendly compared to even more bonkers Lynch movies like Lost Highway (1997) and Inland Empire (2006).

This prequel film focuses on the last week in the life of Laura Palmer — the beloved teenage homecoming queen whose murdered corpse is discovered in the first episode of the Twin Peaks television series. This movie also opens with the discovery of a body of a young girl: Teresa Banks is found floating down a river in Deer Meadow, Wash.

— she’s wrapped in plastic, just like Laura Palmer in the television series. FBI Regional Bureau Chief Gordon Cole (Lynch) sends agents Chester Desmond (Chris Isaak) and Sam Stanley (Kiefer Sutherland) to investigate. The pair have to deal with a belligerent sheriff and

his deputy before they make a grisly and mysterious discovery at the morgue. They also find a bizarre ring at the trailer park where Banks lived. Despite these leads the agents’ investigation hits a dead end before one of them goes missing.

The movie then leaps ahead a full year to the beautiful Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) walking to school on a gorgeous sun-dappled morning to the strains of Angelo Badalamenti’s haunting theme from the Twin Peaks television show. It’s a heartbreaking moment knowing Palmer’s fate, and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me is at its best when it plays as a devastatingly sad and savage love letter to the long lost Laura Palmer. In films like Blue Velvet (1986) and Mulholland Drive (2001) Lynch uses pairs of women characters to explore themes of innocence and depravity. Here, Palmer is both a beautiful blond popular small town American girl, and a promiscuous drug addict who’s the victim of horrific abuse and maybe even supernatural possession. Palmer leads a double life where even her closest friends and family members aren’t aware of the whole picture of her life which tragically unravels here scene-by-scene.

Lee illuminates Palmer’s hellish descent into madness and death with both ferocious intensity and deep pathos. It’s a remarkable performance that dominates a movie which is otherwise peppered with cameos by Lynch regulars like

April 27 - May 11, 2022

Harry Dean Stanton, shorter appearances from Lee’s television co-stars Kyle McLachlan, Ray Wise and Dana Ashbrook, and even a bizarre turn from David Bowie speaking with a Southern drawl in one of the most unhinged scenes in Lynch’s bizarre filmography.

It’s helpful to think of Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me as a poem more than a novel with a straightforward plot. This is a movie about the dark sex, drugs and murder in the shadow of the American dream, but it’s also

about Palmer’s disintegrating personality, and there will always be images and sequences in this picture which defy explanation. That said, the most mysterious moments in the movie serve to keep viewers off balance and vulnerable if the face of Lee’s unrelenting performance.

This isn’t a movie you watch so much as one you experience and endure. Movies mostly entertain us, but sometimes they can move us. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me overwhelms and leaves you shaken.

| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 23

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me is the Midnight Movie at the Belcourt Theatre Friday, April 27 Joe Nolan is a critic, columnist and performing singer/songwriter based in East Nashville. Find out more about his projects at www.joenolan.com.