The Contributor: June 9, 2021

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‘C Ch Ca on ur rt C trib ch o ut St me or’ re s t et o Pa rk

w w w . t h e c o n t r i b u t o r. o r g

Volu m e 1 5

| Number 12 | June 9-23, 2021

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

GRATIS

Junio

2021

L a N ticia

Escanee esta imagen para ver La Noticia newspaper edición bilingüe digital

IN THE ISSUE Año 19 - No. 331

www.hispanicpaper.com

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

UAP: Objetos Voladores No-Identificados

En un comunicado oficial emitido el 27 de abril del 2020, el Departamento de Defensa de los Estados Unidos dijo: “Hemos autorizado la publicación de tres videos de la Marina sin clasificar, uno tomado en noviembre de 2004 y los otros dos en enero de Por Yuri Cunza Editor in Chief 2015, que han estado circulando en el @LaNoticiaNews dominio público luego de una publicación no autorizada en 2007 y 2017.” De esta manera y finalmente, lo que por decadas fue constante negación y ridiculización del tema fue oficialmente tomado, de alguna manera, “seriamente”. La Marina de los Estados Unidos reconoció así, que estos videos que circulaban en el dominio público eran de hecho videos de la Marina.

“Después de una revisión exhaustiva, el departamento ha determinado que la publicación autorizada de estos videos no clasificados no revela ninguna capacidad o sistema sensible, y no afecta ninguna investigación posterior de incursiones militares en el espacio aéreo por fenómenos aéreos no identificados.

El Departamento de Defensa está lanzando los videos para aclarar cualquier concepto erróneo del público sobre si las imágenes que han estado circulando eran reales o no, o si hay más en los videos. Los fenómenos aéreos observados en los videos siguen caracterizados como "no identificados", explicó el comunicado.

4

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Como se puede apreciar, de ninguna forma se aceptó que lo visto, captado y experimentado por los miembros de las fuerzas haya sido declarado como fuera de este mundo a pesar de que su desplazamiento en aire y agua desafie lo conocido hasta momento en nuestro planeta a nivel technología.

Este mes de junio, un informe oficial, solicitado el año pasado, a presentarse al Congreso por el director nacional de inteligencia, concluye que no hay evidencia de que existan los ovnis pero reconoce que es difícil explicar los misteriosos fenómenos observados por pilotos militares.

Nashville, Tennessee

Más de 30 civilizaciones inteligentes en Vía Láctea

“Gimbal“: Video oficial de la Marina de los EE. UU. de un encuentro OVNI en 2015, tomado a bordo de un avión de combate de la Marina desde el portaaviones nuclear USS Theodore Roosevelt cerca de la costa de Florida.

Las Fuerzas Armadas y la inteligencia no encontraron evidencias de que objetos voladores no identificados (OVNIS) avistados por pilotos militares fueran naves espaciales extraterrestres. Pero el informe tampoco explica decenas de fenómenos e incidentes, algunos filmados por pilotos, de manera que no se puede descartar absolutamente la existencia de alienígenas.

De acuerdo a informes publicados, altos funcionarios no identificados, dijeron “que el informe determina que la mayoría de unos 120 incidentes en los últimos 20 años nada tienen que ver con lo desconocido o con secretos militares estadounidenses o tecnología del gobierno, ni están relacionados con objetos tales como globos de investigación.”

En consecuencia el informe no explica, por ejemplo, qué vieron pilotos de la armada estadounidense cuando filmaron objetos viajando a velocidades casi hipersónicas, girando y despareciendo misteriosamente.

La cantidad de lo que el Pentágono califica de "Fenómenos Aéreos No identificados" (UAP) es un dato serio cuando adversarios de Estados Unidos, como Rusia o China, podrían estar usando tecnologías de vigilancia desconocidas y altamente avanzadas.

El informe principal podrá ser divulgado pero tendrá anexos que se mantendrán en secreto y "no ofrecerá conclusiones sólidas sobre qué objetos (...) podrían ser".

El interés por la posibilidad de vida extraterrestre altamente inteligente se acentuó luego que el Pentágono divulgara el año pasado videos en los que pilotos expresaban su estupor ante objetos desconocidos que se movían velozmente.

Luis Elizondo, que trabajó en la investigación del Pentágono sobre los UAP e insta a revelar lo que se sabe, dijo que mucho de lo visto sugiere una tecnología extremadamente avanzada y desconocida para los humanos.

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"Es hora de divulgar el informe completo, videos y datos de lo que hemos visto en el Pentágono", señaló.

Los videos publicados se pueden encontrar en la Sala de Lectura de la FOIA del Comando de Sistemas Aéreos Navales: https://www.navair.navy.mil/foia/documents Cabe mencionar que los fenómenos aéreos observados en estos videos siguen siendo considerados "no identificados”.

En la literatura científica, hasta ahora las aproximaciones más aceptadas para la obtención de esta probabilidad se basan en la conocida Ecuación de Drake, concebida para tratar de estimar la cantidad de civilizaciones presentes en nuestra galaxia. Debido a la escasez de datos, pese a la imposibilidad de ser resuelta, la aproximación teórica de Drake ha sido desde su formulación respetada y contemplada como una herramienta útil a la hora de formular distintas hipótesis. Sin embargo, desde una perspectiva estadística, este es uno de los problemas más desafiantes para la ciencia, ya que todo lo que podemos hacer es tratar de aprender partiendo de una única fuente conocida de datos, nosotros mismos.

Ahora un nuevo estudio dirigido por la Universidad de Nottingham titulado The Astrobiological Copernican Weak and Strong Limits for Intelligent Life adopta un nuevo enfoque para acercarse a este problema. Así, basándose en el supuesto de que la vida inteligente ha de formarse en otros planetas de manera similar a como lo hace en la Tierra, los investigadores han obtenido una estimación de 30 civilizaciones inteligentes que dentro de la vía Láctea tendrían la capacidad para comunicarse.

(Fuente informativa: National Geographic) Envíenos sus sugerencias por e-mail: news@hispanicpaper.com

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

Contributor Board

Una de las preguntas más antiguas y relevantes de la historia del pensamiento humano es si existen otras formas de vida inteligentes a parte de la humana dentro de nuestro Universo. Sin embargo, obtener buenas estimaciones de las posibilidades siempre ha sido extremadamente difícil.

Tom Wills, Chair Cathy Jennings, Bruce Doeg, Demetria Kalodimos, Ann Bourland, Kerry Graham, Peter Macdonald, Amber DuVentre, Jerome Moore, Erik Flynn

15

Contributors This Issue

Amanda Haggard • Hannah Herner • David Piñeros • Alvine • Anna D’Amico • Joe Nolan • Mr. Mysterio • Jen A. • William B. • John H. • Tyrone M. • Vicky B.

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.

Vendor Spotlight

Moving Pictures

La Noticia + The Contributor

Vendor Writing

“I love selling it. I get to see different people, watch the world go by while I’m standing out there with it.”

You can now stream the cult classic Streets of Fire, on Netflix for a, "poetic, surreal portrait of youthful rebellion.'

La Noticia, one of the leading Spanish-language newspapers in the nation, brings Spanish content to The Contributor.

In this issue, vendors write about returning to ''normal" life, Fox News, and the delightful energy of Church Street Park.

www.juanese.com juaneseUSA@gmail.com

Contributor Volunteers Joe First • Andy Shapiro • Michael Reilly • John Jennings • Janet Kerwood • Logan Ebel • Christine Doeg • Laura Birdsall • Richard Aberdeen • Marissa Young • Robert Thompson

Cathy Jennings Executive Director Tom Wills Director of Vendor Operations Hannah Herner Staff Writer

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

Jesse Call Housing Navigator Raven Lintu Housing Navigator Dymin Cannon Housing Navigator Carli Tharpe Housing Navigator Barbara Womack Advertising Manager

The Contributor now accepts Venmo!

Amanda Haggard & Linda Bailey Co-Editors Andrew Krinks Editor Emeritus

Scan the QR Code to the left , or find us: @The-Contributor!

Make sure to include your vendor’s badge name and number in the description. If you bought this version digitally, you can still leave your regular vendor a tip. Email Cathy@thecontributor.org for more information or with questions!

Will Connelly, Tasha F. Lemley, Steven Samra, and Tom WIlls Contributor Co-Founders Editorials and features in The Contributor are the perspectives of the authors. Submissions of news, opinion, fiction, art and poetry are welcomed.

The Contributor reserves the right to edit any submissions. The Contributor cannot and will not endorse any political candidate.

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June 9 - 23, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 3

Self-Guided Tour

and Online Exhibition

Open Now

at the Museum and TNMuseum.org

Native American Female Ancestor Statue Photograph by David H Dye

FREE ADMISSION

1000 Rosa L. Parks Blvd.

Nashville, TN 37208 • 615.741.2692

PAGE 4 | June 9 - 23, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

VENDOR SPOTLIGHT

HELEN LOVES ALABAMA FOOTBALL, A GOOD SCARY FILM AND SELLING ‘THE CONTRIBUTOR’ STORY AND PHOTO BY HANNAH HERNER If you want to strike up a conversation with Contributor vendor Helen M., a good place to start is Alabama football. She loves the team so much, she got a tattoo to pay homage on her left upper arm.

Or she’s open to a scary movie recommendation.

“It’s got to be real suspenseful, you never know what’s going to happen next,” she says.

Cabin in the Woods is one that passed the test.

Helen can be found selling the paper in a few different spots in North Nashville and Downtown, and has been selling regularly since the fall of 2020.

She’s originally from Rochester, New York, and moved down to Spring

Hill with her family when she was 13 years old, so her dad could work at the Saturn car manufacturing plant.

Since then, she’s lived in rural areas of the state, like Maury County, Giles County and Marshall County.

When a relationship she was in didn’t pan out, she had her brother bring her to Nashville Rescue Mission women’s campus. After staying there for a year, she began to work in the kitchen there and got her own Urban Housing Solutions affordable apartment.

“I’ve been on both sides of the table there,” she said of the Nashville Rescue Mission.

When her rent was raised from $411 to $545, presumably in line with how much she was working, she

couldn’t afford it anymore. So she let it go and started staying with friends.

It was at Nashville Rescue Mission that she met her current roommate, a fellow graduate of the organization, and the pair are currently in the process of moving into a house. She’s also roommates with one big dog and one small one — A Great Pyrenees and a Chihuahua-Jack Russel mix. At the new house, there will be a fenced in yard for them.

“We’re both so excited it’s not even funny,” Helen says.

When she’s not selling the paper, Helen works special events for a local restaurant. Over the years, she’s worked in food and retail, and she worked for Goodwill for 10 years.

With The Contributor, she gets

June 9 - 23, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 5

more autonomy than other jobs she’s had.

“There’s nothing to it to me, I’ve had jobs where I’ve had to stand on my feet 12 hours straight in one spot,” she says.

It works for Helen, because she’s not shy and she loves being outside — something formed from her experiences camping growing up. Plus, she likes the excitement of never knowing who is going to pull up next. One memorable time, it was a Tennessee Titans player.

“I love selling it. I get to see different people, watch the world go by while I’m standing out there with it.

You never know who is going to pull up with a large tip,” Helen says.

PAGE 6 | June 9 - 23, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

June 9 - 23, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 7

COVER STORY

Cover: Contributor vendor Loum stands by the cart in Church Street Park. Above: Contributor vendor Maurice B. sells papers, hand santizer, masks and water. PHOTOS BY HANNAH HERNER

‘The Contributor’ part of new programming at Church Street Park

BY A M ANDA HAGGARD The Contributor has added another way for vendors to earn income through a new partnership with the Metro Parks Department at Church Street Park.

Some vendors for The Contributor will now staff a cart at the park, selling the paper and cold beverages like water, soda and juice out of a new bicycle vendor cart. Giarratana LLC, owned by developer Tony Giarratana, is sponsoring the cart.

Vendor Randolph Bray "Bootz" is excited about the opportunity to work at the cart. Bray normally sells in Hermitage and plans to work mornings at

the cart and evenings at his typical spot during the summer. Arthritis and other health problems have sidelined his typical career as a painter, so he's looking to The Contributor as his main gig now.

"I'm not doing this for the money up here," Bray says. "It will pay off eventually. But I just got to meet the people. I mean, I'll get most of my income from Hermitage. Who knows, we have these big high rises downtown here now, there's a lot of people here."

Bray is looking forward to meeting a new set of people downtown.

"We need a positive presence downtown," he says. "You know, you

got people out here that don't even know anything about it. And God gave me the gift of gab. Every car that goes by, I wave and say ‘hi.’"

Over the past few months, renovations have been ongoing at Church Street Park after a long and drawn-out conflict over what to do with the park.

Over the years the park has become a service point for people living on the streets and a respite for folks — though some living downtown have complained about homelessness in the area.

“This is just another way our vendors can engage with the community while they earn an income,” said Cathy

PAGE 8 | June 9 - 23, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

Jennings, executive director of The Contributor. “When people are downtown — whether a tourist or a native — they should definitely stop and grab a drink and a newspaper and hang out in the park for a while. Our vendors would be thrilled to meet them.”

Vendors will have special We Are Nashville issues to sell in Church Street Park.

Church Street Park will also have free programming like regular history tours with historian David Ewing, musical performances, fitness classes and more.

Find the program scheduled at churchstreetpark.org.

NEWS

Jefferson Street Bridge camp closes, nobody knows when or how

BY HANNAH HERNER On June 1, the long-standing encampment located under the Jefferson Street Bridge was set to be cleared out. The trespassing law that had been overlooked for the past year, and on and off for years before that, is to be enforced again.

Residents of the camp knew this because of a sign posted there on May 1, reading “metro property, no trespassing, no encampments after June 1, 2021.” So, as they usually do, nonprofit Open Table Nashville geared up to help the residents who wanted to stay have a fighting chance. They had “know your rights” workshops with lawyers, and held a camp meeting on May 28 to find out what the residents wanted going forward.

As announced at a press conference on June 1, there were five demands that came out of that meeting.

• Camp residents wanted the portable restrooms back. They were installed originally as a COVID measure and MNPD and Metro Social Services decided to have them removed, citing vandalism and evidence of drug use in the units.

• They wanted a 90-day notice from the city making any changes at the camp.

• They wanted a non-police presence to help with safety at the camp.

• They want to be included in the decision-making process and know the future of the camp.

• And finally, they wanted a safe place to exist.

Throughout interviews with the press on the matter, the police have maintained that they don’t plan any enforcement at the camp.

“We expect to go in there June 1, and we're not planning any enforcement, we don't know that it'll be necessary. And we'll talk to people, there's still folks there. You know, we'll talk to them along with the other people that are involved,” says MNPD spokesperson Kris Mumford.

June 1 went by and nothing happened.

On June 2, the police came by and gave the outreach workers and the residents who were there a paper highlighting the trespassing law.

Besides a conversation, no action was taken, but they did ask outreach workers not to encourage anyone new to set up there. India Pungarcher with Open Table Nashville was one of a group who stayed at the camp starting the evening before June 1, prepared to mediate with residents and police.

“They didn't give us any direct answers of what their enforcement plan or strategy is going to be like,” Pungarcher says. “But they asked us to promise that we're not going to encourage new folks to come and set up under here. I mean that's not our intention, that's not something we're actively doing, but if people show up at camp, we're not going to say, ‘hey, you shouldn't be here.’ We'll make sure they know about what's going on.”

The decision to begin enforcing the trespassing laws on June 1 came out of a meeting of stakeholders including MNPD, The Salvation Army, Open Table Nashville and Metro Homeless Impact Division, among others. Of those four organizations, none of them had an

Staff and volunteers from Open Table Nashville and other outreach organizations sit with residents of the Jefferson Street Bridge Camp. PHOTOS BY HANNAH HERNER answer to the question of why the June 1 date was chosen. What we do know is that it was actually pushed back from May 1, after metro police officer Garrett Short emailed stakeholders (minus Open Table Nashville) on March 19 about a strategy to “end homelessness under the Jefferson Street Bridge,” by moving people to shelters or other camps with a proposed completion May 1, according to an email obtained

by The Contributor.

Another thing on which the MNPD, the Salvation Army, and Metro Homeless Impact Division agreed was the number of people in the camp who are not pursuing housing — just two people, they claim. Open Table Nashville has since reported six individuals there that were not yet added into the city’s database for homeless people, which prioritizes them in order of vulnerability for public and affordable housing. While some people are working toward housing in a temporary spot (typically an extended stay hotel) with their rent paid through government rapid rehousing dollars, others are waiting in a place not meant for human habitation, like the camp.

They all must work with a housing navigator to collect necessary documents (IDs, social security cards, birth certificates) and endure waiting lists.

The camp has been shrinking since its peak at the start of the pandemic, where survivors of the tornado relocated to receive the resources pouring in at the site and then remained as shelter-in-place orders came in. But as many folks experiencing homelessness often are, the camp residents are transient. Many members of the camp work at jobs with varying hours, and some only camp there at night, so could have been missed in the count. As of June 4, Mumford says there are five people left, all with

housing lined up.

“I just don't think it's possible for [MNPD] to or anyone to like, be able to say with 100 percent confidence that they do know 100 percent of the folks under the bridge because there's so much transiency forced upon them and so people are working on shifts, we know that there's folks that work during the day and park there at night,” Pungarcher says.

Camp resident Gerrard Lytton said when he went to church that Sunday before June 1, he was going to talk to the police officers in his congregation and see if one of them could tell him and his fellow residents what would happen when that day comes.

“They don’t bother nobody around here,” Lytton said of the police. “Every now and then they get rid of the bad ones. I stay quiet. I like peace and quiet.”

He has been staying at the camp on and off for years, and wasn’t sure who his housing navigator was, or if he had one. When he saw the sign, he didn’t know what to do. He told The Contributor he would stay as long as he can.

“I thought it was horrible at first. The people out here, they have nowhere to go. I felt it was kinda wrong,” he says. “It was a little shocking.

[The camp is] nothing bad. We got food here, and cover. I say just leave it alone, leave it like it is. Just stay and everybody behave themselves and try to clean up.”

The camp is home to people like Lytton, and tends to attract people in couples and people with pets, as couples are separated and pets are forbidden at all area shelters. The location is made more ideal by the covering, proximity to many social services in the downtown core, and a place to park a car. Plus, there’s a rotation of

June 9 - 23, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 9

organizations like The Bridge Ministries that are well established there — they’ve been hosting church services and meals there for 17 years.

The Salvation Army, which has been offering meals every day there for at least the past year, has already pivoted to serve meals at 2nd Avenue and Gay Street. They are also offering housing navigation to many that have called the space under Jefferson Street Bridge their home.

Major Ethan Frizzell says he wants to see the camps become less necessary, through removing barriers to shelter. He notes that Nashville has open shelter beds every night.

“Nashville has made amazing strides the last 18 months,” Frizzell says. “It is not the same system today as it was pre-COVID. And so I commend the city for that and their leadership.

And so sometimes people are carrying forth the narrative that's three years old, and that narrative is no longer true.”

Most areas under bridges are state-owned.

Enforcement under the Jefferson Street Bridge has always been murky because it’s partially owned by the state and partially by the Tennessee Department Of Transportation, and though Metro Public Works told The Contributor that Metro has the right-of way for enforcement there, Open Table Nashville has not been able to get the proof of that documented as they requested on June 2.

Eventually, a fence will keep out anyone new.

Metro Public Works will build that at a date to be determined.

The camp in question is different from others in the city in that it is located in a high-traffic area, near some high-end condos, Germantown and the Nashville Sounds Stadium. It’s visible.

But not for long.

LOCAL ACTIVISM

Photos from Nashville's "Free Palestine Rally" Friday, May 21.

Photos By David Piñeros

PAGE 10 | June 9 - 23, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

LOCAL ACTIVISM

ABOVE: Our Revolution Nashville and Middle Tennessee joined several local community members and McDonalds workers around the country to voice their support for a $15 minimum wage and unionization. Hundreds of passing commuters honked in support the entire hour. ABOVE RIGHT: Community members from the Nashville People's Budget spoke at a Metro Council buget meeting in support of, "fully-funded and community-controlled public goods, not policing & jails." BELOW: Open Table Nashville organized a press conference with other city advocates on June 1, the day the city said they were planning to close down a long-time encampment under Jefferson Street Bridge. (Read more on Page 9.) PHOTOS BY ALVINE

June 9 - 23, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 11

NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT: MUSICIANS ON CALL

Due to lockdowns and restrictions on hospital visitation, Musicians On Call expanded its Virtual Bedside Performance Program and Music Pharmacy, reaching over 150,000 people virtually in 2020. PHOTOS COURTESY OF MUSICIANS ON CALL

MUSICIANS ON CALL PLAYED THROUGH THE PANDEMIC Musicians bring the healing power of music

BY ANNA D’AMICO In a year where health was top priority, musicians in Nashville contributed the best way they knew how — by bringing the healing power of music virtually to thousands of patients, families and caregivers in hospitals through Musicians On Call, a locally-based nonprofit.

The COVID-19 pandemic did not halt its mission. If anything, it made music programs even more accessible. Due to lockdowns and restrictions on hospital visitation, Musicians On Call expanded its Virtual Bedside Performance Program and Music Pharmacy, reaching over 150,000 people virtually in 2020.

This is the highest number for a single year in the organization’s 22-year history.

Musicians On Call was founded in 1999 by Michael Solomon and Vivek Tiwary. Both men lost loved ones to cancer and sought to improve quality of life for cancer patients. This led to their first hospital concert at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York.

From there, Musicians On Call was born.

In the years since its creation, the organization has provided the power of music to thousands of patients and families in cities around the country.

Musicians On Call was able to adapt easily to telecommunication — they’d been doing it for years. They began offering virtual programs in 2013 for patients in isolation or unable to receive visitors.

“We really wanted to figure out a way to bring music and entertainment and a distraction to those patients, even before the pandemic. So that’s where the virtual programs were born and we were very lucky to have that foundation in place,” said Nicole Rivera, Director of Programs for Musicians On Call.

Using a combination of Zoom, CCTV and eventually YouTube Live, patients were able to tune into programs in their rooms or on their own devices, making live music more accessible than ever.

Having the virtual programming also

helped build community across the country, Rivera said.

“On one individual show, we could have someone from New York and LA and Nashville and Chicago and all over the country join, and we would have volunteers from all over the country too, so they could be in different areas. It’s been really interesting to add community across the board,” said Rivera.

Sam Hatmaker is a volunteer musician who started with Musicians On Call in early 2020, as the organization was making its transition to virtual-only programming. So far, she has only participated virtually, but feels she’s gotten the full benefit of volunteering.

“It’s a different experience for sure, but it’s actually cool that I came in around this time and this was all I knew — this is my only experience with it so far,” Hatmaker said. “I got pretty used to it and I felt like it was a way to still stay connected with people. So for me, it still feels very personal.”

PAGE 12 | June 9 - 23, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

Hatmaker works primarily with pediatric patients, who can send questions and song requests to volunteer musicians through their contacts at the hospitals.

She says this communication keeps the programs interactive and personal, as if they were in the room together.

Libby Werner, who began as a volunteer guide in summer of 2019, said her transition to virtual programs was smooth and the organization did a great job of keeping volunteers engaged and connected throughout the process.

“For me, the experience of staying involved was the same. It was still just signing up for sessions, but instead of getting in my car and driving to Vanderbilt, I just sat behind my computer,” said Werner.

Although it may still be a while until Musicians On Call are able to return to in-person programming, they will continue to use the newly accessible technology to get into the hands of patients and spread the healing power of music.

MOVING PICTURES

‘A Poetic, Surreal Portrait of Youthful Rebellion’ BOMBASTIC AND BIZARRE ‘STREETS OF FIRE’ COMES TO NETFLIX

BY JOE NOLAN, FILM CRITIC St reet s of Fire (198 4) should ’ve been a huge hit: co-writer/director Walter Hill was just coming off the successes of The Warriors (1979) and 48 Hours (1982). Diane Lane was a 19-year-old beauty who had just appeared in backto-back films — The Outsiders (1983) and Rumble Fish (1983) — by legendary director Francis Ford Coppola. The movie’s soundtrack included contributions from some of the biggest talents in music in the 1980s. But, instead of delivering a ready-made hit, Hill’s film is a poetic, surreal portrait of youthful rebellion and romance that’s become a cult classic in the 37 years since its release precisely because it’s so singularly bizarre and fully committed to its eccentricities.

Streets of Fire opens with what seems like every person in the fictional city of Richmond

rushing to see rock queen Ellen Aim (Diane Lane) in concert.

A gang called The Bombers raids the concert and kidnaps Aim. Tom Cody (Michael Pare), a former soldier, returns to Richmond to save Aim after receiving a telegram message from his sister. Cody agrees to rescue Aim after her manager, Billy Fish (Rick Moranis) promises Cody ten thousand dollars. Cody teams up with a misfit crackerjack mechanic/driver named McCoy (Amy Madigan). Cody rescues Aim from The Bombers and their maniacal leader, Raven (Willem Dafoe). But Raven vows revenge on both Cody and Aim who are protecting a secret of their own.

The real star of Streets of Fire is the setting and the production design that brings it to life. Director Walter Hill has described his filmmaking style as “exaggerated realism,”

and you’d be hard-pressed to find a more exaggerated form of realism than the one Hill delivers here. Hill and his crew built a whole universe of heroes, villains, street gangs and rock bands in what feels like only a few blocks in the shadows of Chicago’s elevated trains.

The film’s opening credits tell viewers that the movie takes place in “Another time. Another place.” The brick and blacktop and train tracks certainly feel like the industrial Midwest, but the more intriguing aspect of the film’s setting isn’t where it takes place, but when. All the cars in the film are from the 1950s, but all the music in this almost-a-musical movie sounds exactly like it was keyboarded and compressed in 1984. The soundtrack features contributions from contemporaneous chart-charging artists like Stevie Nicks, Maria McKee,

Tom Petty, The Fixx and Dan Hartman whose “I Can Dream About You” climbed to No. 6 on Billboard’s Top 10 chart in the summer of 1984. The Bombers gang dresses in black leather and denim, prowling the streets of Richmond on vintage motorcycles — it’s like a B-roll from The Wild One (1953).

Tom Cody carries a lever-action Winchester straight out of a John Wayne western, and Ellen Aim’s stage fashions draw equally from Marilyn Monroe and Madonna.

American politics went conservative during the Reagan years and fashion was suddenly washed in pink and black — even big hair and saddle shoes both made a comeback. Hill – who co-wrote the script with Larry Gross — may have discerned how the 1980s echoed the 1950s, but Streets of Fire is also populated by

June 9 - 23, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 13

Hill’s personal memories of his own teenage years during the Eisenhower era. The film’s original press kit quoted Hill saying he wanted Streets of Fire to feature all the elements he thought were, "great then and which I still have great affection for: custom cars, kissing in the rain, neon, trains in the night, high-speed pursuit, rumbles, rock stars, motorcycles, jokes in tough situations, leather jackets and questions of honor." Hill delivers all that and more in this teenybopper opera for the ages.

Streets of Fire was added to Netflix on June 1

Joe Nolan is a critic, columnist and performing singer/songwriter based in East Nashville. Find out more about his projects at www.joenolan.com.

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 2021

GRATIS

Junio

Escanee esta imagen para ver La Noticia newspaper edición bilingüe digital

www.hispanicpaper.com

Año 19 - No. 331

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

UAP: Objetos Voladores No-Identificados

En un comunicado oficial emitido el 27 de abril del 2020, el Departamento de Defensa de los Estados Unidos dijo: “Hemos autorizado la publicación de tres videos de la Marina sin clasificar, uno tomado en noviembre de 2004 y los otros dos en enero de Por Yuri Cunza Editor in Chief 2015, que han estado circulando en el @LaNoticiaNews dominio público luego de una publicación no autorizada en 2007 y 2017.” De esta manera y finalmente, lo que por decadas fue constante negación y ridiculización del tema fue oficialmente tomado, de alguna manera, “seriamente”. La Marina de los Estados Unidos reconoció así, que estos videos que circulaban en el dominio público eran de hecho videos de la Marina.

“Después de una revisión exhaustiva, el departamento ha determinado que la publicación autorizada de estos videos no clasificados no revela ninguna capacidad o sistema sensible, y no afecta ninguna investigación posterior de incursiones militares en el espacio aéreo por fenómenos aéreos no identificados.

El Departamento de Defensa está lanzando los videos para aclarar cualquier concepto erróneo del público sobre si las imágenes que han estado circulando eran reales o no, o si hay más en los videos. Los fenómenos aéreos observados en los videos siguen caracterizados como "no identificados", explicó el comunicado.

Como se puede apreciar, de ninguna forma se aceptó que lo visto, captado y experimentado por los miembros de las fuerzas haya sido declarado como fuera de este mundo a pesar de que su desplazamiento en aire y agua desafie lo conocido hasta momento en nuestro planeta a nivel technología.

Este mes de junio, un informe oficial, solicitado el año pasado, a presentarse al Congreso por el director nacional de inteligencia, concluye que no hay evidencia de que existan los ovnis pero reconoce que es difícil explicar los misteriosos fenómenos observados por pilotos militares.

Más de 30 civilizaciones inteligentes en Vía Láctea Una de las preguntas más antiguas y relevantes de la historia del pensamiento humano es si existen otras formas de vida inteligentes a parte de la humana dentro de nuestro Universo. Sin embargo, obtener buenas estimaciones de las posibilidades siempre ha sido extremadamente difícil.

“Gimbal“: Video oficial de la Marina de los EE. UU. de un encuentro OVNI en 2015, tomado a bordo de un avión de combate de la Marina desde el portaaviones nuclear USS Theodore Roosevelt cerca de la costa de Florida.

Las Fuerzas Armadas y la inteligencia no encontraron evidencias de que objetos voladores no identificados (OVNIS) avistados por pilotos militares fueran naves espaciales extraterrestres. Pero el informe tampoco explica decenas de fenómenos e incidentes, algunos filmados por pilotos, de manera que no se puede descartar absolutamente la existencia de alienígenas.

De acuerdo a informes publicados, altos funcionarios no identificados, dijeron “que el informe determina que la mayoría de unos 120 incidentes en los últimos 20 años nada tienen que ver con lo desconocido o con secretos militares estadounidenses o tecnología del gobierno, ni están relacionados con objetos tales como globos de investigación.”

En consecuencia el informe no explica, por ejemplo, qué vieron pilotos de la armada estadounidense cuando filmaron objetos viajando a velocidades casi hipersónicas, girando y despareciendo misteriosamente.

La cantidad de lo que el Pentágono califica de "Fenómenos Aéreos No identificados" (UAP) es un dato serio cuando adversarios de Estados Unidos, como Rusia o China, podrían estar usando tecnologías de vigilancia desconocidas y altamente avanzadas.

El informe principal podrá ser divulgado pero tendrá anexos que se mantendrán en secreto y "no ofrecerá conclusiones sólidas sobre qué objetos (...) podrían ser".

El interés por la posibilidad de vida extraterrestre altamente inteligente se acentuó luego que el Pentágono divulgara el año pasado videos en los que pilotos expresaban su estupor ante objetos desconocidos que se movían velozmente.

Luis Elizondo, que trabajó en la investigación del Pentágono sobre los UAP e insta a revelar lo que se sabe, dijo que mucho de lo visto sugiere una tecnología extremadamente avanzada y desconocida para los humanos.

"Es hora de divulgar el informe completo, videos y datos de lo que hemos visto en el Pentágono", señaló.

Los videos publicados se pueden encontrar en la Sala de Lectura de la FOIA del Comando de Sistemas Aéreos Navales: https://www.navair.navy.mil/foia/documents Cabe mencionar que los fenómenos aéreos observados en estos videos siguen siendo considerados "no identificados”.

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

Nashville, Tennessee

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 juaneseUSA@gmail.com

PAGE 14 | June 9 - 23, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

En la literatura científica, hasta ahora las aproximaciones más aceptadas para la obtención de esta probabilidad se basan en la conocida Ecuación de Drake, concebida para tratar de estimar la cantidad de civilizaciones presentes en nuestra galaxia. Debido a la escasez de datos, pese a la imposibilidad de ser resuelta, la aproximación teórica de Drake ha sido desde su formulación respetada y contemplada como una herramienta útil a la hora de formular distintas hipótesis. Sin embargo, desde una perspectiva estadística, este es uno de los problemas más desafiantes para la ciencia, ya que todo lo que podemos hacer es tratar de aprender partiendo de una única fuente conocida de datos, nosotros mismos.

Ahora un nuevo estudio dirigido por la Universidad de Nottingham titulado The Astrobiological Copernican Weak and Strong Limits for Intelligent Life adopta un nuevo enfoque para acercarse a este problema. Así, basándose en el supuesto de que la vida inteligente ha de formarse en otros planetas de manera similar a como lo hace en la Tierra, los investigadores han obtenido una estimación de 30 civilizaciones inteligentes que dentro de la vía Láctea tendrían la capacidad para comunicarse.

(Fuente informativa: National Geographic) Envíenos sus sugerencias por e-mail: news@hispanicpaper.com

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. First published in 1941, 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. 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 Trinity YOU do not know who you are, nor do you know whom you love, and above all you have no idea what Our Lord is going to ask of you.

Léon Bloy: Letters to his Fiancée.

ONE of the old men came to another old man who was his companion, and as they were talking together one of them said, "I have died to the world"; and his companion said, "Have no confidence in thyself that this is so until thou goest forth from the world, for although you sayest, 'I have died', Satan is not dead."

The Paradise of the Fathers.

2nd Thursday after Trinity THE terror of guilt, or sin, is certainly not at its strongest at first. On the contrary, it is not until some time has passed and there has been some progress in goodness— then, when such a man reads or happens by chance to hear that another man, who was guilty of the same thing, was lost; then terror awakes. At the time of sinning sin has the power of self-preservation in a man, and gives him a certain strength, physical strength, the strength of despair, not to remain with the thought of guilt.

Kierkegaard: Journals.

THE free will of man is a true and real birth from the free, eternal, uncreated will of God, which willed to have a creaturely offspring of itself or to see itself in a creaturely state. And therefore the will of man hath the nature of eternity and the nature of omnipotence in it, because it is what it is and hath what it hath as a spark, a ray, a genuine birth of the eternal, free, omnipotent will of God. And therefore, as the will of God is superior to and ruleth over all nature, so the will of man, derived from the will of God, is superior to and ruleth over all his own nature.

William Law: Divine Knowledge.

The Feast of St Barnabus ALL the Church is Christ's Bride, of which the beginning and first-fruits is the Flesh of Christ, because there was the Bridegroom joined to the Bride in the Flesh.

St Augustine: On I John.

I SAW full surely in this and in all, that ere God made us he loved us; which love was never slacked, nor ever shall be. And in this love he hath done all his works; and in this love he hath made all things profitable to us; and in this love our life is everlasting. In our making we had beginning; but the love wherein he made us was in him from without beginning: in which love we have our beginning.

And all this shall we see in God, without end. Which may Jesus grant us. Amen.

Juliana of Norwich: Revelations of Divine Love.

2nd Friday after Trinity WE have this virtue (patience) in common with God. From him patience begins; from him its glory and dignity take their rise. The origin and greatness of patience proceed from God as its author. Man ought to love the thing which is dear to God; the good which the Divine Majesty loves, it commends.

St Cyprian: On Patience.

Patience, hard thing! the hard thing but to pray, But bid for, Patience is! Patience who asks Wants war, wants wounds; weary his times, his tasks, To do without, take losses, and obey.

Rare patience roots in these, and, these away, Nowhere.

Gerard Hopkins: Poems.

2nd Saturday after Trinity IF a man be in poverty and suffer need without through lack of worldly goods and therewith he desire with deliberation in his heart within more than he need, that man liveth not in virtuous poverty but in wretched need without reward. For the lust and the will within with full assent thereto sufficeth to the fulfilling of sin and to the love of reward. Wherefore he that would be perfectly poor, he must look that he neither have nor desire more than is needful to his living.

The Mirror of the Blessed Life of Jesus Christ, tr. by Nicholas Love.

Second Sunday after Trinity OUR relation to others, even when we name it a relationship of love, is governed by the law that we should render evil for evil. We do not perceive in the other the One— that is, the good which he is not. Rather, we hold him liable for being what he is . . . This making men liable for what they are is to render to them evil for evil . . . It is this failure of apprehension which makes of our whole behaviour and inherent mass of evil. Along this line of evil we all, without exception, move.

Barth: Epistle to the Romans.

3rd Monday after Trinity WHAT proportion of relief is due to him, that is thy brother in nature, thy brother in nation, thy brother in religion, if meat and drink, and in that, whatsoever is necessary to his sustenation, be due to thine enemy?

Donne: Sermons.

CERTAINLY it is heaven upon earth, to have a man's mind move in charity, rest in providence, and turn upon the poles of truth.

Bacon: Essays of Truth.

3rd Tuesday after Trinity THERE is nothing which the Lord hates; for He does not hate anything, and yet wish what He hates to exist; nor does He wish anything not to exist, and yet cause the existence of that which He wishes not to exist; nor does that exist which He wishes not to exist. If the Word hates anything, He wishes it not to exist; but nothing exists of which God does not cause the existence; nothing, therefore is hated by God, or by the Word, for both are one, viz. God. St Clement: The Paedagogue.

3rd Wednesday after Trinity WHILE Pilate now fainteth in the righteousness that he knoweth and is sure of, and holdeth not on stoutly, as he should, to deliver Christ, God suffereth him still to fall till he come to this point, that he condemneth the innocent to death against his own conscience. Thus goeth it with all those that for the grace of God lent unto them are unthankful and unfaithful in the little.

Coverdale: Fruitful Lessons on the Passion.

3rd Thursday after Trinity IT is not always grave suffering that is most likely to help one die to the world. No, that can also give joie de vivre,

Sponsored by Matthew Carver, publisher

June 9 - 23, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 15

spiritual joie de vivre. No, the most deadening things of all are worldly hardships, mere trifles.

Kierkegaard: Journals.

CHILDHOOD in Christ is perfection with reference to the law.

St Clement: The Paedagogue.

3rd Friday after Trinity GOD knew every good work that thou shouldest do, every good thought that thou shouldest think to thy end, before thy beginning, for he of his own goodness imprinted this degree of goodness in thee; but yet assure thyself, that he loves thee in another manner, and another measure, then, when thou comest really to do those good works, than before, or when thou didst only conceive a purpose of doing them: he calls them good when he sees them.

Donne: Sermons.

3rd Saturday after Trinity WHAT is God's forgiving sinful man? It is nothing else in its whole nature but God's making him righteous again.

There is no other forgiveness of sin but being made free from it. Therefore, the compassionate love of God that forgives sin, is no other than God's love of His own righteousness, for the sake of which and through the love of which He makes man righteous again.

William Law: Letters.

GOD and the worshipper are adapted to one another, happily, blissfully, as never were lovers adapter to one another. It is now the only wish of the worshipper to become weaker and weaker, for with that the more worship; the only need worship feels is that God may become stronger and stronger.

Kierkegaard: Christian Discourses.

Third Sunday after Trinity SO new, so unheard of, so unexpected in this world is the power of God unto salvation, that it can appear among us, be received and understood by us, only as a contradiction.

The Gospel does not expound or recommend itself. It does not negotiate or plead, threaten, or make promises. It withdraws itself always when it is not listened to for its own sake.

Barth: The Epistle to the Romans.

4th Monday after Trinity IT is well worth observing that our Saviour's greatest trials were near the end of His process or life—that He then experienced the sharpest part of our redemption. This might sufficiently show us that our first awakenings have carried us but a little way; that we should not then begin to be self-assured of our own salvation, but remember that we stand at a great distance from and in great ignorance of our severest trials.

William Law: Christian Regeneration.

4th Tuesday after Trinity MANY things seem to be good and yet are not, because they be not done with a good mind and intention; and therefore our Saviour saith in the Gospel, If thy eye has naught, all thy body shall be dark. For when the intention is wicked, all the work with followeth is naught, although it seemed to be never so good.

St Gregory the Great: Dialogues.

FUN

HOBOSCOPES GEMINI

It’s harder to get lost these days. It used to be that if you got invited to dinner at a house you’d never been to you needed directions and an atlas, maybe a compass and a basic understanding of which side of the tree grows moss.

Now I just tell my phone where I want to go and it tells me how to get there, every step of the way. But sometimes, Gemini, it helps to get a little lost. When you’re lost, you pay more attention. You notice the details. You figure out how to solve the problem. Or you end up eating dumplings at a Nepali restaurant you never saw before. Don’t worry so much about getting there on time or at all. Just look around and see where you are.

CANCER

If you’re unsure, just listen to your heart.

No, not metaphorically, Cancer, literally.

Can you hear it? Your heart? Probably not. Can you feel it? Maybe if you gently lay your finger on your wrist or your temple you’ll notice the rhythm. One beat following another and then another.

As long as you’re around, your heart will keep this up, Cancer. You constantly depend on that steady, ever-present rhythm. You’re probably still unsure, but at least now you’re more aware. Even if you can’t get to the answer, you can probably get to the next beat, and the next.

LEO

Remember the time the guy in front of you in line at the drugstore walked toward the automatic doors and the the alarm started going off and he turned around looking confused and the cashier walked over to search his bags and it finally turned out it was because the beard-trimmer he bought still had the security tag on it and the guy kept apologizing even though it obviously wasn’t his fault. That guy was me, Leo. And I just wanted to say thanks for smiling and saying “no problem” even though you had to wait in line an extra couple of minutes. You never know what kind of day somebody else is having.

VIRGO

Every time I start to sort through all the junk in my basement I have to stop every 15 minutes to wonder, “Is this worth anything?” And then I get derailed checking Ebay to see if an unopened King of the Hill figure from 1999 might sell for more than $10. Then I imagine taking a picture of it and listing it and packaging it up and shipping it off and it’s all so overwhelming that I just leave it on

the shelf where it was before. Sometimes, Virgo, you hold onto things or feelings or ways of thinking about yourself that you suspect might be worth something, but you know they aren’t doing you any good. It might be time to just let them go.

LIBRA

How low does this gas tank go, Libra? It got down to the “E” and then it got one bar below the “E” and now that bar is blinking yellow. But you really want to keep going past this exit? If you’re on empty, Libra, or even if you can feel yourself getting close, go ahead and get off here. I know you’ve got important places to go and important things to do, but you won’t do anybody any good stuck on the side of the road. Give yourself permission to stop moving forward. Refuel. And don’t get back out there until you’ve got enough.

SCORPIO

My egg had two yolks in it this morning. Some people think that’s a sign of good luck, a double-blessing heading my way. Some people think it’s a harbinger of death.

Some people think it predicts a delicious breakfast. I know you’ve been looking for meaning lately, Scorpio.

But this morning reminded me that sometimes the meaning you get is the meaning you choose. It may not be clear what this is all pointing toward, so just pick the one you like the best and point yourself toward that one.

SAGITTA R IUS

My landlord said he was coming over on Tuesday to fix the leak coming from my fridge so I cleaned the kitchen. But then he texted to tell me he was postponing to Thursday which gave me time to vacuum and wipe that burrito stain off the front door. But he couldn’t make it on Thursday either so I mopped and dusted the corners in case he comes tomorrow. My fridge still leaks but my apartment looks better than ever, Sagittarius.

You never really know what’s coming next, but you might know what you want to have finished when it gets here. Do that.

CAPRICORN

Some days it seems like the whole universe exists in perfect harmony. Everything has its place and its purpose. Well, everything except ticks. And, if you really get into it, I guess chiggers and fleas and mosquitos are all pretty problematic in this equation as well. Sometimes,

Capricorn, you encounter something that doesn’t have a purpose. It’s irritating, it’s painful, it’s troublesome and it doesn’t even build character. If that’s where you’re at today then I’m sorry. I feel like you really deserve better. Hold on through this tick or mosquito of a moment. I can’t promise it will be worth it, but I can promise to go with you.

AQUA RIUS

They told me to look at the data, Aquarius.

They said the answers were right there in the research. I looked and all I found was the data and the research. The answers were nowhere near. I think it’s valuable to be familiar with the facts.

I think it’s important to know what’s happening. But I also think we can’t go confusing the information for the meaning. You’ll know the answer when you get to it, Aquarius. Don’t stop at the data.

PISCES

You’re made of ideas, Pisces. Tiny bits of energy — protons, electrons. The little bolts of electricity that create the thoughts in your brain are made of the same stuff that form the cells of your toenails. It’s all one thing.

And if you are energy in motion and if your ideas are just the same, then I can’t think of a single good reason why your ideas can’t become solid realities.

They practically are already.

ARIES

Someday all the cars will be driverless, Aries. Will you sit in the front seat or the back? It won’t matter, but I’m sure you’ll have a preference. You’ll sit in the driverless car and it will take you just precisely where you want to go. Where is that, Aries? It feels like these days you only go where you have to go, but imagine the future where the car is driving you exactly where you want.

The door opens. Is it the front door or the back? You step out of the car? Where have you arrived?

TAURUS

And now I turn my full and complete attention to Taurus. I’ve looked deep into the stars focused fully on finding your fate and I’ve found something that might change everything for you. Wait. I’m sorry, hold on one second, I really have to take this call...actually, Taurus, if I could get back to you later, this shouldn’t take too long. We’ll talk again soon. It’s just, this call is pretty important. Thanks for understanding. Hello? Is that still you, Taurus. Hang on, I’ll try again.

Mr. Mysterio is not a licensed astrologer, a registered auctioneer, or a driverless car. 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

PAGE 16 | June 9 - 23, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

VENDOR WRITING

MY GRATITUDE

BY JEN A.

"Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy. They are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom."

- Marcel Proust She appeared To my astonishment Dressed Hand and Foot In sunflowers and Lavender gossamer ribbons Fond memories Of her mother Hover over her shoulder And beam from sheets Of dragonflies and flowers An invitation to A splash of vivid color She bears sparkling water And witness To the almighty invincibility Of our community Eyes bright Heart strong My gratitude Dear Glenda Your benevolence Lightens my solitude So shines your good deed!

ROOM 505

BY JEN A.

Every night In the room across the hall Doors slam over and over As visitors come and go Music blares And women cackle

THEME: FICTIONA L FATHER S ACROSS 1. Like Annapolis Academy 6. Pine juice 9. One in a manger 13. Like a good athlete 14. Modern address 15. Printer cartridge contents 16. Cate Blanchett's movie "____ on a Scandal" 17. 2nd largest living bird in world 18. U in UV 19. *HonorÈ de Balzac's "Le PËre ____" 21. *Nemo's dad, named after a sport fish 23. "____ of the morning!"

24. Seaside bird

25. Tax accounting specialist, acr.

28. Back of the neck 30. Chew the fat 35. Country dance formation 37. Greek goddess of fertility 39. Waterwheel 40. *Drunk and, incidentally, Huck Finn's Pap 41. Metallic sounding 43. Quite a stretch 44. Place to dry out 46. Like the White Rabbit 47. Dr. Robert Bruce Banner's green alter ego 48. Sun-____ 50. Toothy wheel 52. Bad-mouth 53. Made a rug

Endlessly

55. Low-____ image 57. *Simba's father in "The Lion King" 60. *Luke's and Leia's father 63. Golfer's sun protection 64. Romanian monetary unit 66. Introverted one 68. Follow as a consequence 69. Pooh's wise friend 70. Territory in China known as Las Vegas of Asia 71. Young woman 72. *"That '70s Show" dad 73. One-room school house "notebook"

DOWN 1. A Bobbsey twin 2. Awestruck 3. *The Godfather's given name 4. Heads-up 5. Wound 6. Cooking grease 7. Hammer holder?

8. D'Artagnan's hat decoration 9. Weevil's target 10. Not in favor of 11. Capital of Switzerland 12. Chapter in history 15. As opposed to turnoff 20. 1960s abstractionism

Until one woman Starts an angry rant (The girl barely takes a breath) That reverberates Off every object in my room Until four or five The next morning I can't sleep

June 9 - 23, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 17

22. Rainbow shape 24. Like ones between 13 and 19 years old 25. *Griswold family patriarch 26. Mushroom caps 27. Egyptian symbol of life, pl.

29. *Jay is to Claire as ____ is to Haley 31. Flood survivor 32. Father of psychoanalysis Sigmund 33. Garlicky mayonnaise 34. *Both father in "Mary Poppins" and father in "Father of the Bride" 36. Unfledged hawk 38. Casino chip 42. Pine 45. ____ of dog!

49. "I ____" at the altar 51. Middle Earth and Kingdom of the North, e.g.

54. Courage in the face of danger 56. Smokeless tobacco brand 57. Short skirt 58. It was Brezhnev's domain 59. Unplayable baseball 60. Old in Scottish 61. Cuzco valley empire 62. Straight pour from the bottle 63. Chill in front of TV, with 'out' 65. Ovine mom 67. Beluga yield

VENDOR WRITING

The Little Park That Could

BY JEN A..

How long has it been? Time hasn't seemed real to me for as far back as I can remember. One day seems pretty much like the day before, and exactly how the day after will be, and the day after that, and the day after that. I've learned how to be alone suspended in time.

Once every two weeks I journey to town along the same route to buy papers and drop off or pick up books at the library. On the way home, if I feel particularly lucky, I stop to buy groceries. That has been my life week, after week, after monotonous week. I've seen few other people and have spent a lot of time in my room.

Today I walked up town to pick up and drop off a book at the main library.

I expected I would take the same dull,

gray walk up John Lewis past shuttered stores and vacant restaurants then turn right at Church Street to the library. It had become such a rote exercise that I really wasn't paying much attention to anything around me.

It wasn't until I had taken care of my errands inside the library, having come in the same door I was about to go out, that I finally noticed that there was something VERY different about this day. I passed my hand in front of the blue light of the automatic door opener and the heavy brass doors slowly swung open onto a scene that I will never forget as long as I live.

Do you remember the first time you saw The Wizard of Oz? Dorothy opens the door and suddenly the image chang-

es from the bleak black and white of Kansas to the vibrant color of Oz. In the park across from the library, The Church Street Park, what I saw was every bit as awe inspiring as Dorothy's first sight of Oz. There were carts and colorful umbrellas, canopies, beautiful f lowers placed just so, and cafe tables and chairs all along the walkways. There were people playing games and sitting together having animated conversions, and OMG there was my favorite of all time puzzle mural. But best of all, there was laughter and music.

I walked over and sat taking it all in until it overwhelmed me. To the familiar melody of, “Here, There, and Everywhere,” tears streamed down my

cheeks uncontrollably. THIS is what had been missing from my life, our lives, all this time. I missed the warmth and closeness of our community.

Of course it might take me a minute to learn how to be a member of our Nashville community again. The Church Street Park people are doing all they can to help. They have scheduled activities to interest just about everyone; all free of charge. There are even movie nights planned. Check out all that is planned at: churchstreetpark.org Come join with our community at Church Street Park. And if you see a woman with a wide smile on her face and tears rolling down her cheeks, that would be me. Stop by and say hey. I'd be so happy to know you.

The New Story of William Boyd

BY WILLIAM B. On May 18, 2007 I took my clean time. On May 17, I was high and made them lock me up in jail — that’s how bad I wanted off of drugs. I got so desperate that I made them lock me up. I actually broke into the same place three times in one day to get caught. (The last time I did it, I didn’t wear a hat.) That’s why I’m proud to say that I’m 14 years clean on May 18.

We just passed the, I guess you’d call it the anniversary of, the tornado here.

Well my sister was in that tornado. Her and the grandkids were lucky they got out alive. Tore the place all to pieces. Didn’t hurt her car because it was on the other side of the building. But she is still suffering from the loss of all the kids' items and her items. So from that tornado, my sister don’t live in Nashville anymore and I miss her a lot. She’s my rock.

One more thing. I had the Corona for two weeks when it first come out. I’ve now had both my vaccines. I’m asking everybody out there — if they don’t love theirself, at least they got someone in their life they love — to get that shot.

Whether it’ll help them or not, it’ll give them the chance to save somebody else.

Because the life that they could save could be a child. Not just an elderly per-

son, but a child. A child is gonna be our president, our doctors, our leaders of the world! And to me, I think if they don’t think about themselves, surely they got someone that they love in their life who they should get that shot to protect.

I am going downhill with my health, but my best medicine is going out and selling my papers and playing my music.

I’ve even told the doctors that and they kinda agree with me. So even when I’m sick I go out if I can. It depends on how bad I’m sick. I’m out in Berry Hill. The police watch me and take care of me — they make sure no one messes me or I have no problems out there. They protect me. Right now I’m paying quite a bit on my papers because I’ve got a map badge and I know if I don’t meet my quota I don’t get to keep my map badge. So it’s not just the money I make - cause the money don’t mean nothing. You know what means something to me? Meeting people, telling ’em my life story. Doing my music is more important than anything in my life. I have cousins that were entertainers. Brenda Lee’s one of them. Craig Wayne Boyd, he was with The Voice here six or seven years ago, and he was one of the winners. He is my cousin. Little Jimmy Dickens, who

is dead, is my cousin. If you’d look at Jimmy Dickens and then look at my face, you’d see him in me. And my mom was a singer — not a well known singer, but she sang. So I got the gift from her.

One more thing, I noticed bus drivers keep passing me up on the road. And some of ‘em stop and say, “we’re scared of you.” I don’t understand that. When I got pinned under a bus two years ago I took it to the media and brought it to The Contributor’s attention. I’m thinking they used that against me. They said they are frightened of me and they don’t wanna stop. It used to be that I would go off like big time for something like this, but I’ve learned to calm down over the years.

But I’m coming up on that 14 years clean. And I’m asking everybody out there: if you’ve got problems with drugs and alcohol, seek help. Because if it’s not affecting you yet, it will affect your health in many ways in the future.

I’m telling you when I got off of drugs, it changed me so much that I didn’t realize I could do the things I could do now. I never dreamed I could be a writer and I have written quite a few stories for The Contributor. I wrote a jingle for The Contributor! It was a couple of years

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ago and based on the Beverly Hillbillies theme song. And it was published in the newspaper and it was also played at one of the fundraisers. So you may say I’m a little bit of an entertainer. I’m a little bit of everything — I’m a comic, I could be an actor, I could do anything, all I gotta do is set my mind to it. I’m more talented than I thought I was because drugs clouded up my mind and clouded it up bad.

Like I said, what I done was real drastic to get off of it. Only thing I regret on that is while I was locked up, my mom and my brother died. I didn’t get to say goodbye. And that is the only thing I regret about bein locked up to get off of drugs. Other than that I’m so proud of myself that I could kick myself in the butt everyday about what I went through to get off of it. And what I felt like when I was using anybody and everybody to get it — it wasn’t worth it to me, having to keep hurting my family and my friends.

So I said, “self, it’s time to make that change. No one’s gonna do it for you, you gotta do it yourself.” And that’ll be the story of William Boyd. And let’s title it that! “The NEW Story of William Boyd.”

I am, right now, fixin to go out and sell some papers. I feel good today.

VENDOR WRITING

God kept me close So I couldn’t let go

BY JOHN H. When I was a child, I was practically brought up in the church. God played a great role in my life.

After I graduated I did like many, life kinna changed, yet God was in my heart. Not pleased to say but I did get off track for a minute. I distanced myself.

Wasn’t close at all with family and when you don’t have family there’s not many you can trust.

So I started to drive big trucks, forty eight states and Canada. Things got a bit worse. Finally I asked for God to change me, not knowing he would take me out of the big truck. I asked because I felt life wasn’t fair and I was letting Go. I wanted God back in my heart like before.

Ya see, I’m gonna tell you a true story. I was in Los Angeles. God spoke to my heart and told me when I get to Shelbyville Tenn., I would lose my job. That I did. At that point I knew I had to give it all to him.

God was all I had. Had no friends or anything. So all I had to depend on was God. I worked temporary jobs and still couldn’t make ends meet. Later I started selling for The Contributor. Easy at first but when I got in this part of the city it kinna become difficult.

Difficult in a way with the hate and racism in this area, seems if it was the only way God could keep me close. He kept me close in a sense, I had to depend on him to endure. The Contributor, a job I treasure.

The only way I could keep sharing his word he had to keep me close. Been almost 12 years, I never let go.

Fox News: A three-ring circus

Come On In We’re Open

BY T YRONE M. Fox News with that racist radical and evil views, they need to dismiss themselves from being called journalists. Just a bunch of lying, supporting-Trump (The Big Lie), behinds. They are ignorant, non-truthful, conspiracy theorist-believin’ bigots. Most of them are social rejects from life.

Their primary mission is to try and confuse intelligent people about the asinine garbage they speak. The failing and cowardly ass-kissing GOP that lies for Trump and do anything this ex-(mentally-impaired) president say. The so-called reporters on the show need their license pulled and they need to be banned for reporting this garbage. These morons, bigots, and idiots need to have their brains scanned and need to have their (rectum shaped) mouths checked. And when they have guests on the show, they too are spewing out untruths that would make a maggot gag. The foul garbage the spews out of their lying mouths would make a grown dog vomit!

My friend asked me the other day, do I know any old jokes? I said, yes, Fox News.

All through Trump’s re-election

campaign, Fox News was doggin’ Joe Biden with made-up stories that a space alien wouldn’t believe. They was hoping these lies would give Trump (The Big Lie) an edge. Instead, people seen through the lies, the racism, and elected a (real) person.

The toxic vomit that came out of these reporter mouths, are radical and plain crazy. The lie that (the election was stolen) has been spreading throughout the nation. Once you start telling a lie, you have to tell another one and another to cover up the previous lies. After a while you’ll find yourself covered up in lies.

There was (token) Afro-Americans on the show one day. He said there was no systematic racism in America! This was a lie, there is no truth in this statement. Not only is there systematic racism in America, but it’s been here for over 400 years! I don’t know what they gave the (token) for spewing out this lie. But he needs to just look around at what’s going on in America and he’ll see himself that he’s a liar.

Fox News, y’all can’t hide!

Trump’s platform of conspiracy theorists, racists, and everything else is toxic.

BY VICKY B. Words that I’ve longed to hear, we’re open.

Fourteen months of no visitors. Fourteen months of loneliness. May 14 will always be known to me as the Mask Burning Day. The day when those who are fully vaccinated can see each other’s faces. The smiles. The people. The contact. It felt like a day of freedom to hear that those who are fully vaccinated are free to ditch the mask and get close again.

It’s that extra long red light you have to sit through and when it finally turns green, you’re off and running. Concerts, restaurants and bars at full capacity once again. Children playing outside in the horseshoe with grandparents looking on. Residents hanging off their balcony inviting friends up and grocery deliveries being made once again. Tearing down the signs that said, “No Visitors Until Further Notice” was a huge thrill.

A feeling of such freedom overwhelmed me and I wondered who I would invite over first.

In person meetings after a year of Zoom meetings is a welcome change. I loved sitting in the room with such professional and respected members of my community at a Homeless Planning Council meeting.

Memorial Day picnics with friends again!

July 4 fireworks downtown again with Brad Paisley in person!

Life is good again. Life is returning to normal.

Thank You to Our LIFNAV Heroes!

155 Neighbors Housed Since Thanksgiving 2020 Learn more about LIFNAV at SalvationArmyNashville.org June 9 - 23, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 19