Service Of Nashville's Namesake Ship Will Be Remembered In Ceremony, July 7th

By Betsy Thorpe


On June 12, The USS Nashville returned home to Norfolk Virginia for the final time, ending a five-month good-will deployment along the coast of West Africa. During its 39 years of service the Nashville was involved in many important missions including one in 2006, when after tensions arose in Lebanon the ship was utilized to evacuate 2,706 Americans.

The Nashville's final deployment to six African ports was peaceful. At each stop the ship hosted classes in maritime safety and security. More than 1,700 African participated in the classes. In Lagos, Nigeria, more than 40 members of the ships crew ran in a 5K "Run for the Cure" to raise money in the fight against breast cancer. In Ghana, sailors played soccer against a local team and helped with local beach clean-up. Throughout the five month deployment the ships crew distributed 235 pallets of humanitarian aid and supplies.

On July 7th Metro Councilman Jason Holleman will issue a city Proclamation commemorating the service of the city's namesake ship and acknowledging the service of West Nashville Native OS 3 Reilly Mealer who served on the ship during her final deployment.

The declaration of the proclamation will take place at 4:30 pm on July 7 at the Shoney's restaurant on Highway 70 S. The event will be attended by honored guest Reilly Mealer, several members of the Nashville city council, a color guard from the local Naval Reserves unit and one Navy veteran who served on the previous USS Nashville during World War II. A reception will follow the reading of the proclamation. The event is open to the public.

For more information please call 615 480-4396.

The Good Food Film Festival At Warner Parks Nature Center Will Present Two Films By Joe York On July 7th

By Betsy Thorpe




THE RISE OF SOUTHERN CHEESES

On July 7th, two films, "Saving Seeds" and "The Rise Of Southern Cheeses" will show at the Warner Nature Centers free Good Food Film Festival. "Saving Seeds" offers a portrait of Bill Best, an heirloom bean and tomato farmer in Berea, Kentucky. The film was a Golden Snail Award finalist. "The Rise of Southern Cheeses" takes a look at artisinal cheese producers in the South. It chronicles three makers of fine Southern cheeses: Belle Chevre in Alabama, Sweet Grass Dairy in Georgia and the Bonnie Blue Farm in Tennessee. Renowned Nashville historian and author, John Edgerton will speak to the audience following the showing of "The Rise Of Southern Cheeses." Edgerton is the author of several Southern food cookbooks.

The free Good Food Film festival was founded by Nashville chef Martha Stamps, her husband Shayne Wingo and local farmer and crusader for food justice Sean Siple. They selected the films to inform the community of the serious local and global problems created by the current food system and to enlighten the public on various available solutions and to promote the production and consumption of locally grown agriculture.

The free Good Food Film Festival will take place at the Warner Parks Nature Center every Tuesday in July at 6:30 pm. For more information on the Good Food Film Festival call the Nature Center at 615 352-6299.

Book Drive For Jennie Woodworth Library

By Betsy Thorpe


A Future Reader Explores A Box Of Donated Books At Shoney's On Highway 70S


Thanks to the generosity of their patrons, the staff at Bellevue's Shoney's Restaurant will soon present several boxes of donated books and other resources to White Bluff's new Jennie Woodworth Library.

The book drive was organized by the restaurant's new General Manager, Wayne Lady to help White Bluff Mayor, Linda Hayes establish the town's new library.

The Jennie Woodworth Library was dedicated in May and will offer many community based services to the citizens of White Bluff.

Weekly Address By President Barack Obama, June 27, 2009

President Obama Calls Energy Bill Passage Critical to Stronger American Economy

In his weekly address, President Barack Obama praised the House of Representatives for passing the energy bill on Friday evening. This historic piece of legislation will not just lessen our dependence on foreign oil, but also spark a clean energy transformation in our economy that will create millions of new American jobs that pay well and cannot be outsourced. Clean energy and the jobs it creates are critical to building a new foundation for our economy.

Prepared Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
June 27, 2009
The White House

Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed a historic piece of legislation that will open the door to a clean energy economy and a better future for America.

For more than three decades, we have talked about our dependence on foreign oil. And for more than three decades, we have seen that dependence grow. We have seen our reliance on fossil fuels jeopardize our national security. We have seen it pollute the air we breathe and endanger our planet. And most of all, we have seen other countries realize a critical truth: the nation that leads in the creation of a clean energy economy will be the nation that leads the 21st century global economy.

Now is the time for the United States of America to realize this too. Now is the time for us to lead.

The energy bill that passed the House will finally create a set of incentives that will spark a clean energy transformation in our economy. It will spur the development of low carbon sources of energy – everything from wind, solar, and geothermal power to safer nuclear energy and cleaner coal. It will spur new energy savings, like the efficient windows and other materials that reduce heating costs in the winter and cooling costs in the summer. And most importantly, it will make possible the creation of millions of new jobs.

Make no mistake: this is a jobs bill. We’re already seeing why this is true in the clean energy investments we’re making through the Recovery Act. In California, 3000 people will be employed to build a new solar plant that will create 1000 permanent jobs. In Michigan, investment in wind turbines and wind technology is expected to create over 2,600 jobs. In Florida, three new solar projects are expected to employ 1400 people.

The list goes on and on, but the point is this: this legislation will finally make clean energy the profitable kind of energy. That will lead to the creation of new businesses and entire new industries. And that will lead to American jobs that pay well and cannot be outsourced. I have often talked about the need to build a new foundation for economic growth so that we do not return to the endless cycle of bubble and bust that led us to this recession. Clean energy and the jobs it creates will be absolutely critical to this new foundation.

This legislation has also been written carefully to address the concerns that many have expressed in the past. Instead of increasing the deficit, it is paid for by the polluters who currently emit dangerous carbon emissions. It provides assistance to businesses and families as they make the gradual transition to clean energy technologies. It gives rural communities and farmers the opportunity to participate in climate solutions and generate new income. And above all, it will protect consumers from the costs of this transition, so that in a decade, the price to the average American will be just about a postage stamp a day.

Because this legislation is so balanced and sensible, it has already attracted a remarkable coalition of consumer and environmental groups; labor and business leaders; Democrats and Republicans. And I want to thank every Member of Congress who put politics aside to support this bill on Friday.

Now my call to every Senator, as well as to every American, is this: We cannot be afraid of the future. And we must not be prisoners of the past. Don’t believe the misinformation out there that suggests there is somehow a contradiction between investing in clean energy and economic growth. It’s just not true.

We have been talking about energy for decades. But there is no longer a disagreement over whether our dependence on foreign oil is endangering our security. It is. There is no longer a debate about whether carbon pollution is placing our planet in jeopardy. It’s happening. And there is no longer a question about whether the jobs and industries of the 21st century will be centered around clean, renewable energy. The question is, which country will create these jobs and these industries? I want that answer to be the United States of America. And I believe that the American people and the men and women they sent to Congress share that view. So I want to congratulate the House for passing this bill, and I want to urge the Senate to take this opportunity to come together and meet our obligations – to our constituents, to our children, to God’s creation, and to future generations.

Thanks for listening.

Back To My Vacation

I will be back next week. Have a great weekend and visit your local park.

Be Back Next Week

We are taking a little vacation and will be back next week.

Betsy

Bellevue MOMS Clubs Offer Support To Local At Home Moms

By Betsy Thorpe


MOMS CLUB Moms Offering Moms Support

A support group designed for moms who are interested in the world around them and are proud of making the choice to be at-home mothers.


Bellevue MOMS North Club: Kate Scott, Destiny Smith, Laurie Cook, Abby Harris, Stephanie Nichols

The MOMS Club is an international non-profit organization and community volunteer group, founded in 1983 by Mary James a California stay at home mom who wanted to meet other at home moms and find other at home children for her children to play with.

The MOMS Bellevue chapter was first established in 1999. Later to meet the needs of the growing community the chapter split, creating two Bellevue "sister" chapters. The two groups, called MOMS Bellevue North Club and MOMS Bellevue South Club are geographically divided with Highway 70S as their boundary.

The two groups meet separately every week for playgroups and other activities and they are also involved in community volunteer work. Last year the MOMS Bellevue North Club participated in "The Race For The Cure" to help raise money for breast cancer research and they provided school supplies for local children in need. The two groups also donate to the Mom To Mom Fund, a fund sponsored by the MOMS Club to assist MOMS who are facing "tough times".

Both clubs welcome new members. Anyone interested in learning more about the organization or to request membership information should call 615.417.1680 (North) or 615.730.9641 (South).

Weekly Address By President Barack Obama June 20 2009

The President explains his plan to address one of the major causes of the current economic crisis -- the breakdown of oversight leading to widespread abuses in the financial world. The new Consumer Financial Protection Agency will have the sole job of looking out for the financial interests of ordinary Americans by banning unfair practices and enforcing the rules. This is a cornerstone in America’s new economic foundation.



President Obama Highlights Tough New Consumer Protections

In his weekly address, President Barack Obama explained the necessity of his proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency. It is clear that one of the major causes of the current economic crisis was a breakdown of oversight leading to widespread abuses in the financial world. The Consumer Financial Protection Agency will have the sole job of looking out for the financial interests of ordinary Americans by banning unfair practices and enforcing the rules. This is the type of reform that will attack the causes of the current crisis and prevent further crises from taking place.

Prepared Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
June 20, 2009

As we continue to recover from an historic economic crisis, it is clear to everyone that one of its major causes was a breakdown in oversight that led to widespread abuses in the financial system. An epidemic of irresponsibility took hold from Wall Street to Washington to Main Street. And the consequences have been disastrous. Millions of Americans have seen their life savings erode; families have been devastated by job losses; businesses large and small have closed their doors.

In response, this week, my administration proposed a set of major reforms to the rules that govern our financial system; to attack the causes of this crisis and to prevent future crises from taking place; to ensure that our markets can work fairly and freely for businesses and consumers alike.

We are going to promote markets that work for those who play by the rules. We’re going to stand up for a system in which fair dealing and honest competition are the only way to win. We’re going to level the playing field for consumers. And we’re going to have the kinds of rules that encourage innovations that make our economy stronger – not those that allow insiders to exploit its weaknesses for their own gain.

And one of the most important proposals is a new oversight agency called the Consumer Financial Protection Agency. It’s charged with just one job: looking out for the interests of ordinary Americans in the financial system. This is essential, for this crisis may have started on Wall Street. But its impacts have been felt by ordinary Americans who rely on credit cards, home loans, and other financial instruments.

It is true that this crisis was caused in part by Americans who took on too much debt and took out loans they simply could not afford. But there are also millions of Americans who signed contracts they did not always understand offered by lenders who did not always tell the truth. Today, folks signing up for a mortgage, student loan, or credit card face a bewildering array of incomprehensible options. Companies compete not by offering better products, but more complicated ones – with more fine print and hidden terms. It’s no coincidence that the lack of strong consumer protections led to abuses against consumers; the lack of rules to stop deceptive lending practices led to abuses against borrowers.

This new agency will have the responsibility to change that. It will have the power to set tough new rules so that companies compete by offering innovative products that consumers actually want – and actually understand. Those ridiculous contracts – pages of fine print that no one can figure out – will be a thing of the past. You’ll be able to compare products – with descriptions in plain language – to see what is best for you. The most unfair practices will be banned. The rules will be enforced.

Some argue that these changes – and the many others we’ve called for – go too far. And I welcome a debate about how we can make sure our regulations work for businesses and consumers. But what I will not accept – what I will vigorously oppose – are those who do not argue in good faith. Those who would defend the status quo at any cost. Those who put their narrow interests ahead of the interests of ordinary Americans. We’ve already begun to see special interests mobilizing against change.

That’s not surprising. That’s Washington.

For these are interests that have benefited from a system which allowed ordinary Americans to be exploited. These interests argue against reform even as millions of people are facing the consequences of this crisis in their own lives. These interests defend business-as-usual even though we know that it was business-as-usual that allowed this crisis to take place.

Well, the American people did not send me to Washington to give in to the special interests; the American people sent me to Washington to stand up for their interests. And while I’m not spoiling for a fight, I’m ready for one. The most important thing we can do to put this era of irresponsibility in the past is to take responsibility now. That is why my administration will accept no less than real and lasting change to the way business is done – on Wall Street and in Washington. We will do what is necessary to end this crisis – and we will do what it takes to prevent this kind of crisis from ever happening again.

Thank you.

Happy Birthday Catherine

ENJOY YOUR DAY AND BE "FOREVER YOUNG"



Catherine, Forver Young, was Peter's favorite song to sing to friends on their birthday ( more so than the traditional birthday song).

I hope all these blessings for you throughout the next year.

Love Betsy

King Corn will show at "Good Food Film Festival" Tuesday June 23 At Warner Parks Nature Center

The Good Food Film Festival at the Warner Parks Nature Center offers great films, lively discussion and community connections around the idea that our food system should be locally managed, safe and tasty. The films will show every Tuesday through July 23, at the Nature Center. Movies start at 6:30 pm.



King Corn is a feature documentary about two friends, one acre of corn, and the subsidized crop that drives our fast-food nation. In King Corn, Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis, best friends from college on the east coast, move to the heartland to learn where their food comes from. With the help of friendly neighbors, genetically modified seeds, and powerful herbicides, they plant and grow a bumper crop of America's most-productive, most-subsidized grain on one acre of Iowa soil. But when they try to follow their pile of corn into the food system, what they find raises troubling questions about how we eat-and how we farm.

The Good Food Festival is sponsored in part by Martha's Catering.

Feel Good Friday!

ARE WE THERE YET?
BY JOEL KELLER

Remembering family vacations past and present.



There is nothing quite like going on a road trip with a car full of impatient and bored children.

Enjoy Your Weekend Visit Your Local Park

The Organic Garden At Warner Parks Nature Center

Following the Good Food Festival presentation of A Sense Wonder on June 30th, the parks environmental educator Vera Vollbrecht will lead a guided tour of the center's organic garden.

Nashville Electric Service Rates Will Decrease Starting July 1

Beginning July 1, a 4% rate drop will mean an average monthly saving of about $2 to $5 for Nashville Electric Service customers. The rate decrease is the result of lower fuel and purchased power costs. The Tennessee Valley Authourity began using the Fuel Cost Adjustment in October 2006 after experiencing a spike in fuel costs caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita the previous year. July's upcoming 4% decrease combined with the 6% decrease in January and the 5% reduction in April has lowered the Fuel Cost Adjustment by 15% in 2009. About 60% of TVA’s power supply comes from fossil fuels used to make electricity – coal, oil and natural gas.

Proposed May Town site includes steep slopes and ridges, abundant wildlife, creeks and streams, and a cultural heritage

Indeed, with its working farms, rolling pastures, and forested hills, Bells Bend has been called "probably the best preserved historic agricultural landscape remaining in the county."



Cumberland River View Taken Near Cleese Ferry On Annex Avenue


Courtesy Land Trust For Tennessee

The following is a summary of a report on the Beaman Park Bells Bend Corridor conducted for the Bells Bend-Scottsboro Community by the Land Trust For Tennessee foundation.

More information from the report will be posted at Nashville Past And Present soon.

As Nashville's urban growth has spread in all directions, the Beaman Park to Bells Bend corridor has managed to retain a rural landscape that is in many ways unchanged from the time of its settlement in the nineteenth century. Indeed, with its working farms, rolling pastures, and forested hills, Bells Bend has been called "probably the best preserved historic agricultural landscape remaining in the county." The people who live in this part of the county value the many natural resources that set it apart from the rest of Nashville and Davidson County.

This landscape includes the steep slopes and ridges of the Western Highland Rim, abundant wildlife habitat, clear creeks and streams, and a cultural heritage evidenced by historic homes and farms in the fertile bottomland of Bells Bend.

In an effort to promote and sustain the rural character of the area, the Scottsboro-Bells Bend community has partnered with the Land Trust for Tennessee to develop a conservation plan that will explain why the study area is so significant and how this significance will be retained as the area changes. This report is an inventory and assessment of the resources valued by the community, specifically natural resources, working farmland, historic buildings and landscapes, and archaeological sites. It also contains broad recommendations for promoting rural conservation and quality growth in the area to ensure that the natural and cultural qualities are conserved for the future

This report represents the first step toward achieving natural and cultural resource conservation in the Beaman Park to Bells Ben project corridor. In so many ways, the Beaman Park to Bells Bend conservation corridor presents an ideal way for the residents of the community, Nashville, and all of Middle Tennessee to connect with the land.

By protecting and learning about the historic places and archaeological sites that contain the stories of the last 10,000 years, we can create and maintain the important connection to the past.

By preserving the rich natural resources of the area, we protect not only the critical sources of water for future generations, but also protect habitat for the many species of wildlife that also depend on them for survival.

By protecting the rural feel of the landscape and creating parks, greenways, and blueways, we have a place where people can learn about the natural world, spend a day enjoying nature with their families, or simply to escape to a quiet place for a few moments of peaceful reflection.

Finally, by protecting the soils that have made this land productive for countless generations, it becomes possible for all of Nashville to enjoy the taste and benefits of locally grown fresh tomatoes and blackberries in the summertime.

By conserving these natural and cultural resources, the Beaman Park to Bells Bend corridor offers the citizens of Nashville and Davidson County the chance to experience Tennessee as it was. Beaman Park to Bells Bend offers the true Tennessee.

Clee's Ferry At Bell's Bend Site Of Prehistoric Shell Mound

Clee's Ferry, 1951
Photo Courtesy Tennessee State Library And Archives
Go here to read about the archaeological investigation recently conducted at this site.

Text Courtesy Nashville Memories, Do you remember?

A free ride on Cleeces Ferry (off Charlotte Pike). There was also a ferry from Riverwood Drive in Inglewood to near where Opryland Hotel stands now. Unless you drove miles and miles the 6 or 8 car ferry was the only way from Inglewood to Donelson. A gray painted paddlewheel ferry vessel called the "Judge Hickman" served both the McGavock Pike crossing between Donelson and Inglewood (until the North Briley Parkway bridge opened) and then at Cleece's crossing off Charlotte Pike (until the West Briley Parkway bridge opened). There was a list of rules for the "voyage" posted below the wheelhouse and crewmen to guide the ever bigger autos to consequently ever tighter parking slots on the two parking decks. At times they could not fit the promised 8 cars aboard, but a line of autos were almost always waiting on both river banks for the next daylight "voyage".

Mayor Karl Dean will host fair to connect families with homeownership opportunities

Announcement From The Office Of Mayor Karl Dean

Prospective Nashville homeowners are invited to attend the second annual Nashville Housing Fair to learn about homeownership and the process of purchasing a home, including how to take advantage of the $8,000 federal tax credit for first-time homebuyers available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Mayor Karl Dean announced today that the 2009 Nashville Housing Fair will be held at the Sommet Center on Sunday, July 26 from 1-5 p.m. The fair will be comprised of informational booths from over 50 organizations, including real estate agencies, homebuilders, lenders and non profits. Door prizes provided by sponsors will be given away throughout the day. The event is free and open to the public.

"Last year’s Housing Fair at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds was such a tremendous success, this year the fair is being expanded and relocated to the Sommet Center,” Dean said. “Realtors will tell you this is a great time to buy a home – interest rates are at historic lows. The Housing Fair is the city’s way of making sure we’re doing everything we can to help families find a home they can afford and enjoy here in Davidson County.”

This year’s Housing Fair is presented in partnership with the Greater Nashville Association of Realtors, National Association of Realtors, Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency, Tennessee Housing Development Agency, Nashville Area Habitat for Humanity, The Housing Fund and The Tennessean.

Polarity Of Mind, From Nintey Mile Wind

By Craig Bickardt
Courtesy Nintey Mile Wind

In Polarity Of Mind, Craig Bickhardt presents writing methods that are helpful to both songwriters and novelists. He recommends that writers avoid the distractions of multi-tasking while they are in a state of deep creativity and concentration.

I’ve just returned from a ten day road trip that included a few days in Nashville. I might blog about the trip next time, but for now I’m following up on my last post, Deep Creativity. I came upon a wonderful series of articles by Merlin Mann on the same subject called “Making Time To Make” (note this link is only Part One of the series, see the other two parts at the 43Folders Blog). In it he quotes novelist Neal Stephenson on the subject of Internet (and general) distraction:

"Writing novels is hard, and requires vast, unbroken slabs of time. Four quiet hours is a resource that I can put to good use. Two slabs of time, each two hours long, might add up to the same four hours, but are not nearly as productive as an unbroken four. If I know that I am going to be interrupted, I can’t concentrate, and if I suspect that I might be interrupted, I can’t do anything at all. Likewise, several consecutive days with four-hour time-slabs in them give me a stretch of time in which I can write a decent book chapter, but the same number of hours spread out across a few weeks, with interruptions in between them, are nearly useless."

Go here to read Craig's entire article titled "Polarity Of Mind"

First Lady Michelle Obama hosted first concert in White House Music Series June 16, 2009

The purpose of the White House music series is to support the arts and demonstrate the importance of arts education in America, which encourages the ability to think creatively.

"There's probably no better example of democracy than a jazz ensemble: individual freedom, but with responsibility to the group."
First Lady, Michelle Obama
June 16, 2009



The sounds of Jazz could be heard through the halls of the White House Tuesday as the First Lady hosted the first installment of the White House music series. The Jazz Studio brought in over 140 students from schools across the country to get the opportunity to learn from, and interact with, Jazz greats.

Students explored the core elements of Jazz through educational workshops. These interactive sessions got students up and moving: dancing and breaking out their instruments, as they learned about everything from individual legends like Duke Ellington to the broader history of Jazz and its African-American roots. Kemba, 15, said this Jazz Studio opened her eyes to a style of music she doesn’t know much about: "I love all different types of music, but I never learned much about jazz. So this experience is great because it’s really teaching me."

The First Lady stated that she wanted to hold the event because the White House should be the People’s House. She went on to explain why she wanted to bring this particular style of music to the White House: Jazz is globally recognized as America’s music, and considered by many to be one of America’s greatest gifts to the world, she said. Therefore, it is essential to preserve and protect it in schools across America so it can be enjoyed by generations to come. "The understanding and appreciation of jazz is integral to understanding and appreciating American history and culture," she said. "It's an outstanding artistic model of individual expression and democratic expression, as well. And there's probably no better example of democracy than a jazz ensemble: individual freedom, but with responsibility to the group."

For many of the students, music is one of their greatest loves, and their arts education has been central to their development.

This was just the first of an on-going series that will include Country and Classical events later in the summer and fall. The purpose of the White House music series is to support the arts and demonstrate the importance of arts education in America, which encourages the ability to think creatively. As one student, Alexander, 17, explained: "Playing music helps me in all academics – math, science especially, and it makes you more interested in the arts."

ACT! for America West Nashville Chapter Meeting

Announcement From ACT! West Nashville Chapter






"President Obama recently assured the “Muslim World” that we are not war with Islam, and never will be. The response has been less than encouraging. The lack of buy-in to Obama’s message of friendship and to the “Muslim World” is because while we may not be at war with them, President Obama recently assured the “Muslim World” that we are not war with Islam, and never will be. The response has been less than encouraging. The lack of buy-in to Obama’s message of friendship and pandering to the “Muslim World” is because while we may not be at war with them, they are certainly at war with us."


Please attend our June West Nashville Chapter Meeting. We will be having "Islam 101" education, Chapter Project Updates, and breakout sessions for focus group sessions and their project.

Saturday June 20 2009
4PM to 7PM
Hampton Inn & Suites Green Hills
Coffee and Snacks provided

The WannaBeatles And Phil Keaggy Perform At Benefit Concert June 9, 2009

By Betsy Thorpe

"Getting to play with Phil Keaggy was really a wonderful moment for me."
David Toledo, Drummer, WannaBeatles


Phil Keaggy and The WannaBeatles "All You Need Is Love"

On June 9th Nashville's popular Beatle's tribute band, The WannaBeatles delivered a lively and entertaining performance of iconic Beatles tunes at the sold out "Little Help From My Friends Event" benefitting the W.O. Smith Community Music School. Various recording artists and the Fisk Jubilee Singers also performed individual selections of Beatles songs. Legendary record producer and former Apple Records executive Ken Mansfield and Nashville radio personality Mike Bohan discussed Mansfield's personal and professional relationship with the Beatles and his reflective new book "Between Wyomings." Metro Councilman Parker Toler presented a proclamation designating January 30th as Nashville Beatles Music Day.

Following intermittent appearances by Wyonna, The Fisk Jubilee Singers, Phil Keaggy and Beegie Adair, Dennis Scott of The WannaBeatles said, "The show had so much variety to it, even Ed Sullivan would have been proud."

Proceeds from last Tuesday's event will be used to help the W.O. Smith Community Music School provide instruments and music instruction to local children.

On Sunday, June 28th The WannaBeatles will perform in the Summer Concert Series at Brentwood's Crockett Park. The free concert will start at 7:00 pm. On Thursday, July 2nd at 6:30 pm the band will take part in The Streets of Indian Lake Summer Concert Series in Hendersonville, on Monday, July 6th, at 7:00 pm the WannaBeatles will perform at Sambuca, located at 601 12 Avenue South in downtown Nashville and on July 10, the popular band will make their annual appearance at Bellevue's Red Caboose Park. Show time is 7:00 pm.

UP, UP AND AWAY: A new attraction now open at Downtown Disney Orlando

Soar over Disney World in a new attraction now open at Downtown Disney

UP, UP AND AWAY: Downtown Disney guests can now get a bird's-eye view of Walt Disney World Resort as they soar to rarified heights in a new attraction now open in Downtown Disney.

Located near Pleasure Island, Characters in Flight is a giant tethered gas balloon. Its whimsical Disney design features silhouettes of many of Disney's animated flying characters including Mary Poppins, Peter Pan and Dumbo.

Carrying up to 30 passengers, Characters in Flight rises 400 feet into the sky. Open 7 days a week flight times are determined by weather conditions.

American Idol Finalist Bo Bice Donates Clarinet To CMA Sponsored "Be Instrumental" Used Band Instrument Drive

The Be Instrumental used band instrument drive, organized by the Nashville Alliance for Public Education and CMA during CMA Music Festival, drummed up lots of support for deserving music students and programs in Metro Nashville Public Schools.

"We are so grateful to the residents of this community and the music industry who donated instruments for this campaign," said Tammy Genovese, CMA Chief Executive Officer. "I have seen firsthand the impact having an instrument has on a child. Getting these long-forgotten flutes, trumpets, and clarinets into the hands of these deserving music students is something we can all be proud of. This is only the beginning of what we can accomplish in the future."

"The instrument drive created a great deal of interest and awareness for the program," said Pam Garrett, Executive Director of the Alliance. "This definitely helps increase the number of instruments we have in Metro Schools' music programs. CMA and the artists have been so generous the past three years in their support of 'Keep the Music Playing' and now the public can support the program, as well. Everyone can play a part. Thank you, thank you to everyone who participated."

Among the donations were a 1905 silver-plated saxophone and a mint-condition clarinet that belonged to - and was personally delivered by - "American Idol" finalist Bo Bice.

The level of interest from the community compelled the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum to offer to be a drop off location through the end of the month for anyone who wasn't able to donate during the Festival.

"When we heard about the 'Be Instrumental' drive, we were delighted to assist in such a worthwhile cause," said Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Vice President of Museum Services Carolyn Tate. "Education is an important part of the Museum's mission, and we hope that our central location will be a convenient stop for anyone wishing to donate an instrument."

Anyone can drop gently-used band instruments off at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum during regular business hours from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM daily (no guitars please). You may drop them off at Guest Services in the Conservatory and receive a coupon for $5 off your admission to the Museum for up to five family members. The coupon is valid through Dec. 31, 2009. Forms will be provided so donors can receive tax credit for their donation.

"We want to keep this program going and hopefully encourage other communities to support music education in the same way," said Steve Moore, Senior Vice President of AEG Live! and President of CMA's Board of Directors. "In many cases, the instruments we collected were collecting dust in the back of a closet. They were idle and forgotten when they could be making a difference in the life of a child."

The instruments will supplement the thousands of new instruments already purchased by CMA with funds from CMA Music Festival. To date, CMA has donated more than $2.2 million to support music education in Metro Nashville Public Schools on behalf of the artists who perform at the Festival for free through a partnership with the Nashville Alliance known as "Keep the Music Playing."

Valory Music artist Jimmy Wayne was on hand during the Festival to help collect instruments in the Dr Pepper®-McDonald's® Family Zone.

"I want to say 'Thanks' to everyone who braved the heat Thursday to come downtown and donate their band instruments to the Nashville Alliance for Public Education," Wayne said. "I know they will be put to good use by the kids who benefit from them. And there's still time for those who maybe couldn't get off work to make a difference in a child's life. Get those instruments out, shine 'em up, and bring them on over to one of my favorite places in the world - the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum."

The research-based evidence shows that a greater emphasis on the visual and performing arts in education is important for boosting academic performance and engaging students in the learning environment. Plus, local statistics show that 98.7 percent of students who participate in school arts programs go on to graduate. At a time when school budgets are being cut, it is tempting to write off the importance of music education, especially when a new flute costs roughly $200 or more than $6,000 for a performance quality bassoon.

"This is a great opportunity for people in our community to support music education and our children," said Garrett. "Now is the time to 'Be Instrumental' in the life of a child."

8th Annual Bonnaroo Music And Arts Festival Ends

by Betsy Thorpe

"Great Weather, Good Vibes," and happening music by
PHISH, Citizen Cope, Mgmt, David Byrne, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, made this years festival the best."


A Caravan Of "Bonno-Sooners" stop in Belleve on their way home to Oklahoma

Starting around noon today, an exodus of tired, hungry, sun-burned and sometimes dazed "Bonnarooians" passed through Bellevue marking the end of the 8th annual Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. Arriving in cars, RV's, vans and later, on motorcycles, and with destinations in Washington, California, Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado and points between and beyond, dozens of weary travelers stopped for gas, rest and refreshment in the western Davidson County community.

Many of the travelers commented on how the weather helped make this years festival better than usual. One 5 year Bonnaroo veteran from Arkansas stated, "the rain on the first day cooled off the air and settled the dust, breathing was much easier this year." Attendees of all ages agreed that PHISH, with an act that included a light show, provided the highlight of this years festival. Several fans also noted that although Bruce Springsteen gave an outstanding performance while on stage with PHISH he confused the crowd when he played "Santa Clause is coming to town" and disconnected with the audience during his set.

Traffic was a problem this morning as tens of thousands vehicles attempted to leave the festival grounds. Many drivers reported that it took around three hours to leave Bonnaroo and get on the open road. Longer than it took in previous years.

Will The World Ever Learn?

"Had the world learned, there would have been no Cambodia and no Rwanda and no Darfur and no Bosnia, will the world ever learn"?
Elie Wiesel
Buchenwald Germany
June 6, 2009


On June 6 President Obama entered Buchenwald concentration camp with author and Nobel Prize winner Elie Wiesel. During the final months of World War II Weisel was a prisoner at the camp.

Remarks From Elie Weisel Following His Tour Of Buchenwald

As I came here today it was actually a way of coming and visit my father's grave -- but he had no grave. His grave is somewhere in the sky. This has become in those years the largest cemetery of the Jewish people.

The day he died was one of the darkest in my life. He became sick, weak, and I was there. I was there when he suffered. I was there when he asked for help, for water. I was there to receive his last words. But I was not there when he called for me, although we were in the same block; he on the upper bed and I on the lower bed. He called my name, and I was too afraid to move. All of us were. And then he died. I was there, but I was not there.

And I thought one day I will come back and speak to him, and tell him of the world that has become mine. I speak to him of times in which memory has become a sacred duty of all people of good will -- in America, where I live, or in Europe or in Germany, where you, Chancellor Merkel, are a leader with great courage and moral aspirations.

What can I tell him that the world has learned? I am not so sure. Mr. President, we have such high hopes for you because you, with your moral vision of history, will be able and compelled to change this world into a better place, where people will stop waging war -- every war is absurd and meaningless; where people will stop hating one another; where people will hate the otherness of the other rather than respect it.

But the world hasn't learned. When I was liberated in 1945, April 11, by the American army, somehow many of us were convinced that at least one lesson will have been learned -- that never again will there be war; that hatred is not an option, that racism is stupid; and the will to conquer other people's minds or territories or aspirations, that will is meaningless.

I was so hopeful. Paradoxically, I was so hopeful then. Many of us were, although we had the right to give up on humanity, to give up on culture, to give up on education, to give up on the possibility of living one's life with dignity in a world that has no place for dignity.

We rejected that possibility and we said, no, we must continue believing in a future, because the world has learned. But again, the world hasn't. Had the world learned, there would have been no Cambodia and no Rwanda and no Darfur and no Bosnia.

Will the world ever learn? I think that is why Buchenwald is so important -- as important, of course, but differently as Auschwitz. It's important because here the large -- the big camp was a kind of international community. People came there from all horizons -- political, economic, culture. The first globalization essay, experiment, were made in Buchenwald. And all that was meant to diminish the humanity of human beings.

You spoke of humanity, Mr. President. Though unto us, in those times, it was human to be inhuman. And now the world has learned, I hope. And of course this hope includes so many of what now would be your vision for the future, Mr. President. A sense of security for Israel, a sense of security for its neighbors, to bring peace in that place. The time must come. It's enough -- enough to go to cemeteries, enough to weep for oceans. It's enough. There must come a moment -- a moment of bringing people together.

And therefore we say anyone who comes here should go back with that resolution. Memory must bring people together rather than set them apart. Memories here not to sow anger in our hearts, but on the contrary, a sense of solidarity that all those who need us. What else can we do except invoke that memory so that people everywhere who say the 21st century is a century of new beginnings, filled with promise and infinite hope, and at times profound gratitude to all those who believe in our task, which is to improve the human condition.

A great man, Camus, wrote at the end of his marvelous novel, The Plague: "After all," he said, "after the tragedy, never the rest...there is more in the human being to celebrate than to denigrate." Even that can be found as truth -- painful as it is -- in Buchenwald.

Thank you, Mr. President, for allowing me to come back to my father's grave, which is still in my heart.

Swimming Pool At Centennial Park 1956

Wouldn't it be nice on a hot summer day like today to take the children to Centennial Park for a nice refreshing swim? There was time in Nashville when that was possible ( for some people).


Photos From Nashville 1950's Photo
Courtesy Nashlinks

During the 50's and early 60's the city swimming pool at Centennial Park offered a welcome reprieve from the summer heat for many of Nashville's white citizens. Following the city's desegregation of public places in 1963, the pool was permanently closed to avoid "problems" as the community struggled to accept integration.

The park's art center is now located on the site of the once popular pool.

Weekly Address By President Barack Obama June 13, 2009

Health Care Reform as the Key to Our Fiscal Future

The President has long noted that skyrocketing health care costs will be disastrous in terms of our long term national debt unless we pass real reform. In this Weekly Address, the President also explains how he will cover the upfront costs of reform by eliminating overpayments from Medicaid and Medicare and driving down costs contributing to government’s health care expenditures across the board.



President Obama Outlines More than $300 Billion in new Medicare and Medicaid Savings

In his weekly address, President Barack Obama announced new Medicare and Medicaid savings proposals that will contribute more than $300 billion over 10 years to paying for health care reform, beyond the historic $635 billion down payment included in his FY 2010 Budget. The President stressed in the address that the health reform effort must be deficit neutral and that reform is a fundamental part of the solution to our long-term fiscal problems.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
Saturday, June 13, 2009


Last week, I spoke to you about my commitment to work with Congress to pass health care reform this year. Today, I’d like to speak about how that effort is essential to restoring fiscal responsibility.

When it comes to the cost of health care, this much is clear: the status quo is unsustainable for families, businesses, and government. America spends nearly 50 percent more per person on health care than any other country. Health care premiums have doubled over the last decade, deductibles and out-of-pocket costs have skyrocketed, and many with preexisting conditions are denied coverage. More and more, Americans are being priced out of the care they need.

These costs are also hurting business, as some big businesses are at a competitive disadvantage with their foreign counterparts, and some small businesses are forced to cut benefits, drop coverage, or even lay off workers. Meanwhile, Medicare and Medicaid pose one of the greatest threats to our federal deficit, and could leave our children with a mountain of debt that they cannot pay.

We cannot continue down this path. I do not accept a future where Americans forego health care because they can’t pay for it, and more and more families go without coverage at all. And I don’t accept a future where American business is hurt and our government goes broke. We have a responsibility to act, and to act now. That is why I’m working with Congress to pass reform that lowers costs, improves quality and coverage, and protects consumer health care choices.

I know some question whether we can afford to act this year. But the unmistakable truth is that it would be irresponsible to not act. We can’t keep shifting a growing burden to future generations. With each passing year, health care costs consume a larger share of our nation’s spending, and contribute to yawning deficits that we cannot control. So let me be clear: health care reform is not part of the problem when it comes to our fiscal future, it is a fundamental part of the solution.

Real reform will mean reductions in our long term budget. And I have made a firm commitment that health care reform will not add to the federal deficit over the next decade. To keep that commitment, my Administration has already identified how to pay for the historic $635 billion down payment on reform detailed in our budget. This includes over $300 billion that we will save through changes like reducing Medicare overpayments to private insurers, and rooting out waste in Medicare and Medicaid.

However, any honest accounting must prepare for the fact that health care reform will require additional costs in the short term in order to reduce spending in the long-term. So today, I am announcing an additional $313 billion in savings that will rein in unnecessary spending, and increase efficiency and the quality of care – savings that will ensure that we have nearly $950 billion set aside to offset the cost of health care reform over the next ten years.

These savings will come from commonsense changes. For example – if more Americans are insured, we can cut payments that help hospitals treat patients without health insurance. If the drug makers pay their fair share, we can cut government spending on prescription drugs. And if doctors have incentives to provide the best care instead of more care, we can help Americans avoid the unnecessary hospital stays, treatments, and tests that drive up costs. For more details about these and other savings, you can visit our website: www.whitehouse.gov.

These savings underscore the fact that securing quality, affordable health care for the American people is tied directly to insisting upon fiscal responsibility. And these savings are rooted in the same principle that must guide our broader approach to reform: we will fix what’s broken, while building upon what works. If you like your plan and your doctor, you can keep them – the only changes that you’ll see are lower costs and better health care.

For too long, we have stood by while our health care system has frayed at the seams. While there has been excuse after excuse to delay reform, the price of care has gone up for individuals, for business, and for the government. This time must be different. This is the moment when we must reform health care so that we can build a new foundation for our economy to grow; for our people to thrive; and for our country to pursue a responsible and sustainable path. Thank you.

Shoney's On Highway 70 S Hosts Book Drive To Benefit White Bluff's Jennie Woodworth Library June 14-27

By Betsy Thorpe


City Officials, Friends Of The Library Board Members And Members Of The Woodworth Family, At The Dedication Of The Jennie Woodworth Libray, May 2009

To show appreciation to their patrons from Dickson County, and to help White Bluff Mayor Linda Hayes establish a new town library, the Shoney's Restaurant in Bellevue is collecting gently used books, DVDs, VHS tapes and CDs for White Bluff's Jennie Woodworth Library.

As a family dining restaurant the staff and management at Shoney's is especially interested in providing resources for the library's children's section and are offering any customer who donates a new children's book or DVD a complimentary serving of one their signature deserts, a slice of fresh Strawberry Pie, or a Hot Fudge Cake.

For more information on the Shoney's book drive please call 673-0525.

Ken Mansfield Talks About The Beatles And His New Book "Between Wyomings"

By Betsy Thorpe



In a backstage interview in Nashville, rock and roll historian, Sharon Cobb asks former Apple Records executive Ken Mansfield some very specific questions regarding the Beatles and other rock icons. During this one on one interview Mansfield also tells Miss Cobb about his involvement with Waylon Jennings and Jesse Colter during the Outlaw Country music era. They also discuss his new book, Between Wyomings where Mansfield retraces the spiritual journey he traveled throughout most of his adult life.

By relating little known rock history facts and trivia and answering questions about transcendental meditation and Christianity, this interview with Ken Mansfield reveals many of the varied experiences and talents of the legendary rock and roll record producer.

USS Nashville returns from final deployment

By Betsy Thorpe



The USS Nashville pulls into Naval Station Norfolk after its final deployment, June 12, 2009.
Courtesy United States Navy

Nashville returns from final deployment
Published : Friday, 12 Jun 2009, 1:21 PM EDT
United States Navy

NORFOLK, Va. - The amphibious transport dock USS Nashville (LPD 13) returned home to Naval Station Norfolk from its final deployment Friday. It's now slated for decommissioning.

On its last deployment, which started January 15, the Nashville served as the Africa Partnership Station (APS) for the U.S. Africa Command in the U.S. Sixth Fleet Area of Responsibility. Its mission was to conduct theater security cooperation and maritime partnership training throughout the Gulf of Guinea and West Africa.

According to a statement last week from Sixth Fleet's Deputy Commander Rear Adm. Joe Leidig, Nashville sailors' "exceptional dedication and bold initiative significantly improved Africa partner nation capabilities through joint maritime and expeditionary training events, infrastructure improvement, strategic communication, and community outreach programs."

The Navy says the ship also conducted numerous community outreach engagements by providing medical and dental care to more than 5,000 people, performing dozens of musical events, and participating in sporting events. Leidig said those efforts "made an everlasting positive impression on the citizens of numerous African nations and unquestionably set a new standard by which all future deployers will be judged."

Commissioned February 14, 1970, the 39-year-old Nashville will be decommissioned in a ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk on September.

MAYOR ENCOURAGES NASHVILLIANS TO TAKE ENVIRONMENTAL PLEDGE

Historic Greer Stadium will become “Green Stadium” as the Nashville Sounds take on the Memphis Redbirds this Saturday, June 13 at 6 p.m.

Join Mayor Karl Dean, Nashville Electric Service, TVA and the Nashville Sounds for the 2nd Annual Sounds Go Green Night to support energy-efficiency and sustainable living.



On June 13th Sounds players will sport special green-colored uniforms on the field, and fans are encouraged to wear green as well.

NASHVILLE, Tenn.
From The Office Of Mayor Karl Dean

The Mayors Pledge consists of five small actions that can have big collective impact.

Use compact fluorescent light bulbs, turn off the water while brushing your teeth, take the bus, walk, bicycle or carpool instead of drive at least one a week, plant a tree and use reusable shopping bags – those are the five simple actions Mayor Karl Dean is asking every Nashvillian to take to help make the city more green.

Dean will officially kick off his Environmental Pledge campaign at the Nashville Sounds “Go Green Night” this Saturday, June 13. The game against the Memphis Redbirds will start at 6 p.m. At 5:40 p.m., the mayor will be joined by the Gild family, who will take the ceremonial first pledge.

"Our citizens have a tremendous desire to help make Nashville more environmentally sustainable and to help address the bigger issue of global climate change,” Dean said. “While it may seem simple, the most important thing individuals can do is make easy changes in their every day life to reduce waste, reduce energy use and reduce the green house gas emissions that go into our air. Collectively, these efforts will have a huge impact.”

CMA Festival 2009, Country Music, Where Did It Come From?

The Sources of Country Music by Thomas Hart Benton is currently on display in the Country Music Hall of Fame Rotunda and is part of the exhibit tour.

Update From On Board The USS Nashville

By Betsy Thorpe

THE USS NASHVILLE IS SCHEDULED TO ARRIVE IN NORFOLK VIRGINIA 1:00 PM EST (noon in Nashville)


In 2005 the USS Nashville is greeted by well wishers as she arrives home to Norfolk VA.
Photo Courtesy United States Navy

In a conversation with Danielle Hopkins of Nashville's Fox News 17, Nashville Past and Present learned that the USS Nashville is scheduled to arrive at Norfolk Station at 1:00 pm est. Ms. Hopkins who is on board the Nashville said the ship is approaching the Virginia coastline and that the sea is beautiful.

When the ship arrives in Norfolk OS 3 Reilly Mealer will be on the dock to greet her.

Mealer who served on the ship during its final deployment left the Nashville last week to report for his new assignment. He is a native of West Nashville and is believed to be the only Nashvillian to serve on this last mission. Fox 17 News met with Mealer last night and MS. Hopkins who is a veteran of the United States Navy stated that he "is a very good sailor".

Coverage of the Nasvhille's return to Norfolk and her upcoming decommissioning will air this evening on Fox News 17.

Archaeological Investigations at the Clee’s Ferry Site, June 2009

Report prepared for Nashville Past and Present, by Aaron Deter-Wolf, Tennessee Division of Archaeology
June 12, 2009





Clee's Ferry At Bells Bend, View From The Southern Bank Of The Cumberland River, Nashville Tennessee, June, 2009

On June 1, 2009, an individual fishing at the old ferry ramp at the end of Old Hickory Blvd. on Bell’s Bend identified a large bone lying along the shoreline. They collected the bone, and suspecting it was human in origin, contacted the metropolitan Police Department of Nashville and Davidson County (Metro PD). After the Medical Examiner identified the bone as a human femur, Metro PD launched an investigation into what was deemed a possible homicide. Police divers were deployed to search the river bottom and a series of vehicles were recovered from the river. However, no additional remains were identified.

After seeing media coverage of the search, the Tennessee Division of Archaeology contacted Metro PD and the Office of the Medical Examiner to alert them of the possibility that the bone was archaeological in origin. Archaeologists know the portion of Bell’s Bend immediately adjacent to the old ferry ramp as the Clee’s Ferry site (spelled Cleece’s on modern maps). This area has been identified as a prehistoric archaeological site since at least the 1830s, and is mentioned in several late 19th century accounts of notable ancient sites in Tennessee. The site was added to the TDOA permanent site file record in 1972. Although no modern, scientific excavations have conclusively determined the lateral extent of the site, artifacts recovered from along the riverbank suggest the deposits extend for at least 0.25 miles both north and south of the boat ramp.

The Clee’s Ferry site was occupied for thousands of years by the ancestors of modern Native American groups. The earliest inhabitants of the site likely set up camp along the Cumberland River approximately 8,000 years before present. Data in the TDOA site files indicates that prehistoric groups used the Clee’s Ferry site as a location for both camps and villages throughout large portions of the Archaic (ca. 8000–1000 B.C.), Woodland (ca. 1000 B.C.–800 A.D.), and Mississippian (ca. 800–1500 A.D.) periods.

Perhaps the most visible indication of the Clee’s Ferry site is the thick lens of shell visible along the bank at approximately 16 feet below ground surface. This portion of the site is known as a “shell midden” and derives its unique appearance from the millions of freshwater snail and mussel shells that were collected, consumed, and discarded over thousands of years by people living along the Cumberland. Based on excavations at similar sites throughout the American Southeast, Archaeologists have determined that shell middens like the one at Clee’s Ferry were formed and occupied between approximately 6000–3000 B.C.

The media regularly present stories on disturbances at “Indian burial grounds.” However, for most of the prehistoric period the inhabitants of the Southeastern U.S. buried their dead within or immediately adjacent to their settlements rather than in isolated cemeteries. At Clee’s Ferry and other shell midden sites, the site inhabitants lived on top of the gradually accumulating midden and buried their dead within the thick layers of discarded shell. The high pH of shell middens counteracts natural soil acidity and results in excellent archaeological bone preservation within and immediately adjacent to the midden.

Variable river levels and waves from boat traffic have caused severe erosion along the riverbank throughout the Clee’s Ferry site area. Slumping and collapse along the bank line frequently expose previously buried archaeological deposits, including human skeletal remains. Based on TDOA site file data, it is believed that the majority of the site has already eroded into the Cumberland.

The site has also been regularly disturbed as a result of illicit excavations by collectors prospecting for human burials and the artifacts they contain. Under the Archeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 it is illegal to collect artifacts or excavate on public lands (including along the bank of the Cumberland River) without a federal permit. In addition, it is a felony under Tennessee law to disturb human burials without a Chancery Court order. Nonetheless, the site deposits at Clee’s Ferry and the human burials therein have been heavily disturbed over the years as a result of looting and pothunting activity.

On June 4, TDOA archaeologists visited the site to perform a ground surface inspection along the exposed shore and riverbank adjacent to where the femur was recovered. This survey resulted in the identification of human skeletal elements from multiple individuals scattered between the base of the bank line and the water. Investigators also identified between four and six prehistoric human burials protruding from the bank line and coinciding with the scattered bone along the
shore. Based on the level of bone preservation and density of skeletal material along the shore line at the time of inspection, TDOA staff concluded that the skeletal remains recovered by Metro PD on June 1 originated within the prehistoric archaeological deposits of the Clee’s Ferry site.

News coverage of the June 1 find reported that the leg bone was identified “floating in the river.” However, the weight and density of long bones makes it highly unlikely that the femur floated at all, let alone upstream to the base of the old ferry ramp. Rather it is probable that an unknown individual collected the bone along the shoreline where it had eroded from a prehistoric burialand carried it to the ramp, where it was later identified and reported to Metro PD.

TDOA archaeologists collected all human skeletal material from the ground surface along the shoreline. This material was returned to the TDOA facility in Nashville for curation and storage, and will be added to the state Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) registry. In accordance with state and federal laws governing the excavation and disturbance of human remains, no human skeletal material was removed from the bank line ofthe Clee’s Ferry site. It is anticipated that over the next several months the remainder of the identified burials will become displaced from the midden deposit, either as a result of natural
erosion or due to increased looting activity following recent media coverage. TDOA staff will return to the site periodically to recover any additional remains from the shore line and document future disturbances and the progression of site erosion.

Feel Good Friday, Let It Be

All week I have yearned to hear this version of Let It Be. From the motion picture movie Across The Universe and sung by Carol Woods and Timothy T. Mitchum this interpretation of Let It Be is moving to say the least.

Enjoy Your Weekend Visit Your Local Park

Captain Cynthia M. Thebaud Lead USS Nashville's Final Mission, Offering Humanitarian Aid To West African Coastal Communities

Two years ago the Navy launched its first annual Africa Partnership Station, sending ships on solo cruises up the West African coast to deliver training and humanitarian aid. On Jan. 15 2009 the USS Nashville left Naval Station Norfolk, embarking on African Partnership Station 2009. During this deployment the Nashville made port calls in Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon and Gabon where she delivered forms of assistance not normally associated with the military. Scientists on board deposited ocean buoys that are now part of a global-warming warning system and at every port, Nashville handed over batches of humanitarian aid. Various U.S. ambassadors embarked on the ship for brief stints in order to accompany Commodore Cindy Thebaud on high-level meetings with local elected officials.



May 12, 2009, on board the USS Nashville, Africa Partnership Station Nashville, commander Commodore Cindy Thebaud discusses the goals and importance of the ships final mission.


Captain Cynthia M. Thebaud
Commander, Africa Partnership Station Nashville

Cynthia M. Thebaud, a Surface Warfare Officer and Connecticut native, graduated with distinction from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1985 with a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. She also holds a Master of Arts Degree in Security Policy Studies from The George Washington University, is an honors graduate of the Naval War College, and is Joint Specialty Officer (JSO) qualified.

Her sea tours have included duty in ships home ported in both East and West coast ports, and include USS Decatur (DDG 73), USS Ticonderoga (CG 47), USS Hayler (DD 997), USS Platte (AO 186), USS Prairie (AD 15), and USS Norton Sound (AVM 1).

She commanded Decatur from August 2002 through March 2004. While in command, Decatur deployed to the Middle East as part of the Navy’s inaugural Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG-1) in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. During her command tour, Decatur earned the Battle E and various mission excellence awards including the Golden Anchor Award.

Thebaud’s shore tours include Chief, Southeast Asia Division in the Joint Staff, Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate (J-5); Taiwan Desk Officer in the Joint Staff (J-5); Executive Assistant/Flag Secretary to Commander, U.S. Naval Surface Forces Pacific; Surface Warfare Junior Officer Detailer; U.S. Naval Academy Company Officer; NROTC Instructor at The George Washington University; and a Joint Staff Internship in J-5/Policy Division. Her most recent assignment was Director, Division of Professional Development at the U.S. Naval Academy.

Thebaud’s awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with two gold stars, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy Corps Commendation Medal with four gold stars, Navy Achievement Medal with gold star and various unit citations and campaign medals.

Courtesy Unites States Navy

The Final Deployment Of The USS Nashville Scheduled To End June 12

By Betsy Thorpe

The final deployment of the USS Nashville, the goodwill mission known as African Partnership Station 2009, reflected the spirit of the capitol city of the Volunteer state.


Crew On Board USS Nashville, 2009

The USS Nashville is scheduled to arrive in Norfolk Virginia on June 12 ending the ship's six month deployment as African Partnership Station 2009, and marking the end of Nashville's 39 years of service as a United States Naval Ship.

To honor his city's namesake ship Nashville Metro Councilman Jason Holleman (district 24) will soon present a proclamation commemorating the service of the USS Nashville to Mayor Karl Dean. In July the proclamation will be read to OS 3 Reilly Mealer, a young sailor and West Nashville native who served on the Nashville throughout her final mission. The proclamation will also acknowledge the presence of Mealer on the Nashville during her final deployment.

Free Music and Activities Available in Designated CMA Festival Zones

NASHVILLE - The CMA Music Festival Zones are the place to be for free live music, events and family activities during 2009 CMA Music Festival, Thursday through Sunday, June 11-14, in Downtown Nashville.

"In these trying economic times, we're proud to provide free activities for families, music lovers, sporting enthusiasts, and everyone in between" said CMA Chief Executive Officer Tammy Genovese. "We're excited the Metro Government of Nashville and the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau partnered with us to add the Music City Zone to the 2009 CMA Music Festival. It's yet another wonderful way to showcase all the great music Nashville has to offer."

For more information, go here.

Between Wyomings By Ken Mansfield

By Betsy Thorpe



"The good thing about our past is that is passed".
Ken Mansfield

From Andy Williams to Yoko Ono, Between Wyomings, My God and an iPod on the Open Road begins by naming many of the Stars that populated Ken Mansfield's personal and professional universe for more than 30 years.

On January 5 1965, at the age of 27, Ken Mansfield went to work for Capitol Records where he would soon become responsible for the recording careers of The Beatles, The Band, the Beach Boys, Bobbie Gentry, Glen Campbell and many other musical icons of the era. In 1968, the Beatles designated Mansfield the U.S. Manager of Apple Records. As a member of the Beatles inner-circle Ken Mansfield was on the roof-top of Apple Records when the band gave their final live performance on January 30, 1969. Soon after the break-up of the Beatles Mansfield became president of Barnaby Records a label owned by Andy Williams. After leaving the label in 1973 he set up his own company, Hometown Productions. Working with country artists like Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Jessie Colter, Mansfield helped establish and promote the brand of music known as Outlaw Country.

For almost twenty years Ken Mansfield lived a rock and roll life full of glamour and excessive living. But by the time he moved to Nashville in 1984 he was financially destitute and broken spiritually. A few years later he made the personal acquaintance of Jesus Christ and Ken Mansfield and his life started to change.

Today Ken Mansfield is an ordained minister. He has touched the lives of people throughout the United States on what he calls his "Magical Ministry Tour," by offering a message full of forgiveness, hope and salvation.

In his third book, Between Wyomings, Ken Mansfield reveals the story he discovered after he allowed his mind to explore and revisit the highways and by-ways he followed throughout his life's journey. "Like a Christian on acid," in a van named Moses, Mansfield takes the reader on a trip that is "factual invention," a spiritual quest, and rock and roll history.

Ken Mansfield is also the author of The Beatles, The Bible and Bodega Bay, and of The White Book.

Fanfare, 1970's

Paul and Linda McCartney in Nashville, 1974
Photo By Skip Comer


The following article is presented courtesy of the Country Music Association

The first Fan Fair, held April 12-15, 1972, at Nashville's Municipal Auditorium, hosted some of Country Music's most noted artists who performed more than 20 hours of live entertainment. Featured artists included Roy Acuff, Loretta Lynn, Tom T. Hall, Freddie Hart, Nat Stuckey, Billy "Crash" Craddock, Ernest Tubb, Del Wood, Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper and Pee Wee King, among others. Approximately 5,000 people attended the first Fan Fair. With more than 100 exhibit booths, fans could indulge in picture taking and autograph sessions with the artists. The Odessa Chuck Wagon Gang of Odessa, Texas, served up their "Texas Menu" of barbecue, beans, slaw, onions, pickles, bread and beverages.

The first Fan Fair was scarcely started before fans and artists began inquiring about the date for the next year. Fan Fair 1973 was moved to June, a peak travel month, which provided better weather conditions than April. Just over 10,000 fans - twice as many as the first year - attended.

Fans in attendance at Fan Fair 1974 witnessed Country Music history as Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton performed as a duo for what would be the last time in more than a decade. The festivities were also highlighted by an unexpected visit by former Beatle and Country Music fan Paul McCartney, a visit that would spark a tradition of cross-genre artist appearances at the festival.

STREET CLOSURES ANNOUNCED FOR 2009 CMA MUSIC FESTIVAL

NASHVILLE - Downtown Nashville will experience some changes in traffic flow to accommodate the numerous events and activities that are part of 2009 CMA Music Festival.The annual four-day festival will take place Thursday through Sunday, June 11-14, but road closures will begin earlier in the week.

On Tuesday, June 9, one lane of Fifth Avenue from Demonbreun to Broadway will be closed until early morning on Monday, June 15.

On Wednesday, June 10, Fifth Avenue from Demonbreun to Broadway will close as well as First Avenue from Demonbreun to Church Street. Broadway from First and Third Avenues will also close on this day. Second Avenue will remain open; however, vehicles will be prohibited from turning at the Broadway and Second Avenue intersection. These closures will all be cleared by early morning on Monday, June 15.

During the afternoon of Wednesday, June 10, there will also be temporary road closures for "The Fifth Annual CMA Music Festival Kick-Off Parade" and "The Fouth Annual CMA Music Festival Block Party." Beginning at 2:00 PM/CT, Broadway will close from Third to Seventh Avenues, Demonbreun will close from Third to Sixth Avenues and Third, Fourth and Sixth Avenues will close from Broadway to Demonbreun. These road closures are scheduled to be re-opened at the end of the Kick-Off Parade (approximately 4:00 PM/CT).

Dubbed "the country's premiere Country Music festival, in the country's premiere Country Music town" by The New York Times and winner of the International Entertainment Buyers Association's 2004, 2006 and 2008 LIVE! Award for Festival of the Year, the event features four days packed with music, autograph signings, family activities, sporting competitions, and much more all to benefit music education in Music City.

For those fans wanting the complete CMA Music Festival experience, great four-day tickets are still available. In addition to the free areas, the four-day ticket package includes the Nightly Concerts on the VAULT (TM) Concert Stage at LP Field; exclusive access to the Greased Lightning® Fan Fair® Hall, featuring Durango® Acoustic Corner (located in the Nashville Convention Center); early admittance to Riverfront Park; exclusive access to the Photo Lines at LP Field and Riverfront Park; exclusive access to the event shuttle between venues; admission to the Frist Center for the Visual Arts (between June 8-June 15); and a registration bag with collectible pin and 2009 souvenir program book.

For four-day and single concert ticket prices, performance schedules, and more, visit www.CMAfest.com. To order, call 1-800-CMA-FEST (262-3378); visit www.CMAfest.com to download an order form to fax or mail; or visit www.ticketmaster.com to buy online or charge-by-phone at 1-800-745-3000. Prices do not include applicable handling fees. Ticket prices are subject to change without notice. All sales are final and non-refundable.

CMA Music Festival is organized and produced by the Country Music Association. CMA Board member Tony Conway is the Executive Producer of CMA Music Festival. Premiere Radio Networks is the official radio broadcaster. Partners include: Chevy: The Official Ride of Country Music; CMT; Dr Pepper®; Durango®; Greased Lighting®; Great American Country (GAC); McDonald's®; VAULT Citrus Soda; and Wrangler®: The Exclusive Jean of the CMA Music Festival. CMA Music Festival® and Fan Fair® are registered trademarks of CMA.

Tree Ear Mushrooms

Tree Ear Mushrooms Growing On A Box Elder Tree
Edwin Warner Nature Park
Nashville Tennessee

Tree ear (or Wood ear mushrooms) grow wild throughout Middle Tennessee. They contain substantial amounts of protein and trace minerals and are very tasty when cooked in soups and stirfry's.

From Ellis Island To Kentucky, Book Review

By Betsy Thorpe



"America is God's Crucible, the great Melting-Pot where all the races of Europe are melting and re-forming!"
English Playwright Israel Zangwill
1908

From January 1907 through December 1908 more than two million European immigrants arrived at Ellis Island. Approximately one third of those immigrants stayed in New York, the others dispersed to various regions throughout the nation.

Lynch Kentucky was estabished in 1917 by the US Coal and Coke Company as a company town to house workers at the company's nearby coal mines.

In August of 1908 Ferenc Nagy left Budapest Hungary with his parents and two younger brothers. After making a three week voyage from Brememhaven Germany to New York the family arrived at Ellis Island on September 6th, where they were processed and screened for medical problems. Ferenc was 18 years old.

The novel, Ellis Island To Lynch Kentucky follows the journey of Frenc Nagy a young Hungarian immigrant who after starting out on the streets of Brooklyn eventually finds his way to Lynch Kentucky where he joins immigrants from Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechoslovakia, Germany and the Ukraine to work in the coal mines. As the years progress Lynch Kentucky becomes more than a company town, it becomes home to Frenc Nagy and many others like him who realize the American dream in a small town in eastern Kentucky.


Alexander “Al” Feher was born in Manhattan, New York September 7, 1924. After entering the army on March 9, 1943 he was assigned to the 78th division in Camp Butner, North Carolina and was later shipped overseas to the European Theater.
After his discharge, in 1946 he enrolled at Concord University. He graduated in 1949 with a BS in Education. Al Feher worked for United States Steel Corporation from January 17, 1957 to September 30, 1986. He is married to the former Mary Jane Minton of Welch, West Virginia. They have two daughters, Janey and Susan.

Ellis Island To Lynch Kentucky is the second novel by Alexander Feher and was published in Nashville Tennessee at Published By Westview. His first novel is titled Escape From Hungary.

Shoney's Company Welcomes The Consul General Of Japan To Nashville

By Betsy Thorpe


Juan Gipson, Consul General Hiroshi Sato, Yoko Sato, Jack Spence, Sue Spence, Vice Consul Takeshi Kodo and Mohd Fareneh, At Shoney's In Bellevue, June 4th 2009

On June 4th Juan Gipson and Mohd Fareneh of the Shoney's Company hosted a private luncheon in Bellevue to welcome Consul General Hiroshi Sato, Mrs. Yoko Sato and Vice Consul Takeshi Kodo to Nashville. Retired Marine Major, Jack Spence and his wife Sue Spence were also in attendance.

After completing his term of service in Hong Kong Consul General Sato arrived in Nashville to establish Tennessee's first foreign consulate. The General Consulate of Japan, located at 1801 West End Avenue opened last October. Vice Consul Takeshi Kodo joined Sato in Nashville following the closing of the consulate's southern post in New Orleans.

One important mission of the new consulate is to promote and assist with cultural and grassroots exchanges between the people of Japan and Tennessee.Consul General, Mrs. Soto and Vice Consul Kodo are leading the mission by enjoying and embracing Nashville's rich and varied culture. Sato, who as a teenager in Japan joined a folk band with a repertoire that included songs by the American folk trio, Peter Paul and Mary, is now improving his musical skills by taking guitar lessons at World Music in Bellevue. Mrs. Sato is a certified teacher in Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arrangement and is interested in Tennessee's natural resources and flowers. She recently visited the Warner Nature Parks and Montgomery Bell Park and plans to visit other city and state parks soon. Vice Consul Kodo has expressed interest in Nashville's Civil War history and will soon be led on a guided tour of Nashville's historic battle sites by one of Nashville's Civil War era historians. On Saturday, June 27th at Greer Stadium, Consul General Hiroshi Sato will throw out the ceremonial first pitch to open the game between the Nashville Sounds and the Oklahoma City Redhawks.

Following Thursday's luncheon one attendee stated that is was a "cheerful" event and Mrs. Sue Spence said "it is very exciting that here in Nashville we can learn and experience the Japanese culture, I was very pleased to be able to meet Consul General and Mrs. Sato and I was happy to be part of the welcome extended to them by Shoney's ."