Harris Teeter In The Belle Meade Town Center Brings New Life To A Historic And Landmark Property

By Betsy Thorpe


Belle Meade's new Harris Teeter Grocery opened on July 14th as part the Belle Meade Town Center Development

On July 14 Harris Teeter opened a two-story, 57,000 square foot grocery store as the anchor retail tenant in the Belle Meade Town Center and as part of the Belle Meade Theatre redevelopment project. The new store, located behind the theatre's landmark marquee, offers a wide assortment of products including Farmers Market produce; Fisherman's Market seafood; and Fresh Foods Market deli and bakery items. A variety of green building practices were implemented in the construction of the new store, including an energy management program that uses high efficiency equipment, as well as an energy efficient roofing system and non-ozone depleting refrigeration equipment. The store is also utilizing high efficiency water heaters to use heat that is reclaimed from the refrigeration system. The new Harris Teeter Grocery also offers a convenient recycling center in the store's lobby where shoppers can drop off paper items as well as plastic grocery bags, dry cleaning film, newspaper bags, produce bags, and merchandise over wrap.

The redevelopment of the Belle Meade Theatre, an undertaking of developer Tony Giarratana includes the preservation of the theatre's historic details. The iconic marquee, the scalloped facade and the two story lobby space that features a grand stairway leading to the mezzanine and a view of the elegant mirrored ceiling all remain part of the buildings original design. According to Giarratana, once the right tenant is located, the theatre's lobby space will be leased and remodeled as a high-end restaurant, which he believes "the area would embrace and support. My partners and I had the opportunity to lease the space to several tenants that would have paid top dollar but wanted to substantially alter the historic character of the space, which was deemed unacceptable. The right tenant will be able to acknowledge the significance of the space to generations of Nashvillians and incorporate the historic elements into its interior design."

The Belle Meade Theatre redevelopment project is bringing new life to the historic building that first opened in 1940. The theatre originally operated by the Crescent Amusement Company held seating for more than 1,000 patrons and remained a local neighborhood cinema until it closed its doors to movie goers in 1991.

Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey Will Speak At The Bellevue Republican Breakfast Club Meeting Saturday August 1st

By Betsy Thorpe



On Saturday August 1st, The Bellevue Republican Breakfast Club will host Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey as guest speaker at their monthly meeting. Ramsey has served in the Tennessee State Senate since 1996 and is the Speaker of the Tennessee State Senate.

Ramsey who is currently campaigning for governor with a focus on education and pro-growth business development recently stated that "Tennesseans need a governor that will work to create new jobs, and fight to keep the ones we have. A good job means security. The next Governor of our state has an absolute duty to make sure Tennessee has a thriving economy which contributes to your quality of life." He also said that he will use his "experience to continue to attract new jobs to our state and encourage existing businesses to expand."

The Bellevue Republican Breakfast Club meets at Shoney's on Highway 70S at 7 am on the first Saturday of every month. The meeting begins at 8am and is open to the public. Anyone interested in hearing Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey speak is encouraged to attend Saturday's meeting.

President Clinton To Speak at Jackson Day In Nashville, August 29

President Andrew Jackson is widely considered to be the founder of the modern Democratic Party. In his honor, the Tennessee Democratic Party holds an annual fundraiser called Jackson Day. The day includes meetings of statewide Democratic organizations, culminating in a dinner with a keynote speaker. The Jackson Day Dinner that evening, with President Bill Clinton as keynote speaker, is the culmination of a day of hard work and a celebration of our Democratic heritage.

NASHVILLE - President Bill Clinton will be the keynote speaker at the Tennessee Democratic Party's annual Jackson Day Dinner that will be held at the Renaissance Hotel in Nashville on Saturday, Aug. 29.

"We are very pleased to have President Clinton be the speaker this year," Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Chip Forrester said. "Tennessee Democrats are fired up for this next election cycle, and with President Clinton coming to town, we can certainly build on that enthusiasm.

"Mr. Clinton presided over the greatest economic expansion this country has seen. With all we have on our plates as Tennesseans and Americans in these trying times, it's only fitting that we have him join us and build momentum for the 2010 election."

Jackson Day is an annual dinner held by the Tennessee Democratic Party honoring President Andrew Jackson, the founder of the modern Democratic Party. Gov. Phil Bredesen and former U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Jr. are co-chairing this year's event.

Forrester thanked former Gov. Ned Ray McWherter for his help in bringing his long-time friend President Bill Clinton to Tennessee and Bredesen and Ford for agreeing to host the dinner.

"Gov. McWherter understands the importance of this next election cycle and wh at President Clinton means to Tennessee Democrats. I appreciate his help and Gov. Bredesen and Congressman Ford's help, as well," Forrester added.

Tickets went on sale Friday July 24.

Weekly Address By President Barack Obama, July 25 2009

Weekly Address: Health Insurance Reform, Small Business and Your Questions

The President discusses a key factor that has been considered in the development of the health insurance reform proposals that are being considered: the impact of reform on small business.



Prepared Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
Saturday, July 25th, 2009

I recently heard from a small business owner from New Jersey who wrote that he employs eight people and provides health insurance for all of them. But his policy goes up at least 20 percent each year, and today, it costs almost $1,400 per family per month – his highest business expense besides his employees’ salaries. He’s already had to let two of them go, and he may be forced to eliminate health insurance altogether.

He wrote, simply: "I am not looking for free health care, I would just like to get my premiums reduced enough to be able to afford it."

Day after day, I hear from people just like him. Workers worried they may lose their coverage if they become too sick, or lose their job, or change jobs. Families who fear they may not be able to get insurance, or change insurance, if someone in their family has a pre-existing condition. And small business owners trying to make a living and do right by the people they employ.

These are the mom and pop stores and restaurants, beauty shops and construction companies that support families and sustain communities. They’re the tiny startups with big ideas, hoping to become the next Google or Apple or HP. And, as shown in a new report released today by the White House Council of Economic Advisers, right now they are getting crushed by skyrocketing health care costs.

Because they lack the bargaining power that large businesses have and face higher administrative costs per person, small businesses pay up to 18 percent more for the very same health insurance plans – costs that eat into their profits and get passed on to their employees.

As a result, small businesses are much less likely to offer health insurance. Those that do tend to have less generous plans. In a recent survey, one third of small businesses reported cutting benefits. Many have dropped coverage altogether. And many have shed jobs, or shut their doors entirely.

This is unsustainable, it’s unacceptable, and it’s going to change when I sign health insurance reform into law.

Under the reform plans in Congress, small businesses will be able to purchase health insurance through an "insurance exchange," a marketplace where they can compare the price, quality and services of a wide variety of plans, many of which will provide better coverage at lower costs than the plans they have now. They can then pick the one that works best for them and their employees.

Small businesses that choose to insure their employees will also receive a tax credit to help them pay for it. If a small business chooses not to provide coverage, its employees can purchase high quality, affordable coverage through the insurance exchange on their own. Low-income workers – folks who are more likely to be working at small businesses – will qualify for a subsidy to help them cover the costs.

And no matter how you get your insurance, insurance companies will no longer be allowed to deny you coverage because of a pre-existing condition. They won’t be able to drop your coverage if you get too sick or lose your job or change jobs. And we’ll limit the amount your insurance company can force you to pay out of your own pocket.

To view the new report and learn more about how health insurance reform will help small businesses, go to WhiteHouse.gov, and send us your questions and comments – we’ll answer as many of them as we can later this week.

Over the past few months, I’ve been pushing hard to make sure we finally address the need for health insurance reform, which has been deferred year after year, decade after decade. And today, after a lot of hard work in Congress, we are closer than ever before to finally passing reform that will reduce costs, expand coverage, and provide more choices for our families and businesses.

It has taken months to reach this point, and once this legislation passes, we’ll need to move thoughtfully and deliberately to implement these reforms over a period of several years. That is why I feel such a sense of urgency about moving this process forward.

Now I know there are those who are urging us to delay reform. And some of them have actually admitted that this is a tactic designed to stop any reform at all. Some have even suggested that, regardless of its merits, health care reform should be stopped as a way to inflict political damage on my Administration. I’ll leave it to them to explain that to the American people.

What I’m concerned about is the damage that’s being done right now to the health of our families, the success of our businesses, and the long-term fiscal stability of our government. I’m concerned about hard working folks who want nothing more than the security that comes with knowing they can get the care they need, when they need it. I’m concerned about the small business owners who are asking for nothing more than a chance to seize their piece of the American Dream. I’m concerned about our children and grandchildren who will be saddled with deficits that will continue piling up year after year unless we pass reform.

This debate is not a political game for these Americans, and they cannot afford to keep waiting for reform. We owe it to them to finally get it done – and to get it done this year. Thank you.

Enjoy Your Weekend, Visit Your Local Park

Flower Gardens At Centennial Park
Nashville

Message To Residents Of The Bellevue Area, From White Bluff Mayor Linda Hayes

White Bluff Mayor Linda Hayes, And Shoney's General Manager Wayne Lady Organize The Boxes Of Books Donated By Residents Of Bellevue To White Bluff's New Library

"I want to thank the residents of the Bellevue area for showing such great support for our small town's endeavors to open a library to meet the needs of our area. When we set out to garner support through donations and volunteerism, we never imagined that our goal of having a library would gather so much interest and attention. It has been amazing to everyone involved in this project.

When the volunteers came to Shoney's in Bellevue, we expected to see two or three boxes of books, some DVD's and VHS movies, and would have been very appreciative of that. But when we arrived, we had to have two vehicles to move all of the boxes, and have been back twice to collect more books and movies. We have been very pleasantly surprised by the quantity and quality of the donations.

I think this is a great example of neighboring communities combining efforts and working to make dreams happen. I am so happy to be a part of it all. I speak for all of the citizens of our town as well as the Friends of the Library organization when I say thanks for all of your help."

Mayor Linda Hayes
White Bluff

Job Of Arc Reflections on Pedophilia and Intergenerational Abuse Review

By Betsy Thorpe
There once was a woman who lived in the land Gaia and her name was Job. While all who knew her agreed that her judgement erred on the side of Grace and Love, making her by no means blameless for things that followed, she had lived her life trying to be faithful to her calling and her God. And by birth, or adoption, or fostering, or marriage seven sons and three daughters had been mothered by her.




"This is not a book for the faint-hearted. It is in many ways, a love story, but it is heavy going."
Martha Hickman

Job Of Arc is the story of Sophia Ruah, a woman who dreamed of owning a home in the country, where she would foster, nurture and protect as many wounded and displaced children as the system would allow. Her designation as a minister and her employment with the state's Children's Protective Services gave her the credibility and means to realize her dream.

After marrying a "a bright, compassionate, attractive man" and purchasing a secluded country home that she christened "The Refuge" Sophia Ruah believed she had established a loving and strong family unit and a safe haven for her three adopted sons. However, a shocking revelation soon shattered and destroyed the life Sophia thought she was living.

Writing under the pseudonym Sophia Ruah, the author of Job Of Arc offers an honest and revealing account of how the actions of one pedophile can threaten and destroy an entire family. Ruah also recounts her battle with the state's Children Protective Services and how she had to make a difficult decision regarding her beloved church.

A true story that is often painful to read, Job Of Arc is not only the story of acute betrayal and loss it is also the story of the slow and healing nature of forgiveness and redemption.

Today the author continues to live at The Refuge with her youngest son. She is a partner in a successful all women owned business and is an active member of her church and community.

Job Of Arc is published by the Nashville publishing company, Published By Westview and is available here for online purchase.

The book also includes an intensive study guide to help readers acquire a deeper understanding of the effects of, and responses to, pedophilia and intergenerational abuse.

Young Americans Invited by the Government of Japan to Teach English

Local young professionals were invited by the Government of Japan to participate as participants of the Japan Exchange Teaching (JET) Program. On Saturday August 1, thirty-four young men and women will depart from Nashville International Airport for Japan to begin their jobs as Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs). Hiroshi Sato, Consul-General of Japan in Nashville will host a reception at his official residence for the departing participants and their families on the day before their departure.

The JET Program, sponsored by the Government of Japan and administered locally by the Embassy and Consulates General of Japan, aims to improve foreign language education in Japan and to promote international understanding. The program was establishment in 1987 with 848 participants from only four countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. Since then over 50,000 college graduates from 55 countries have been invited to represent their home countries to local communities in Japan. The JET Program has become one of the most successful exchange programs in the world and continues to draw many young people from all over the world.

This year, 4,436 participants from 36 countries will join the JET Program. More than half of them (2,537 participants) are from the United States. The program participants either teach English at elementary or secondary schools as Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) or Sports Exchange Advisors (SEAs) or work in local government offices as Coordinators for International Relations (CIRs).

There is an alumni association of the JET Program participants called JET Alumni Association (JETAA). The JETAA has chapters all over the world including a newly established one in Nashville (Music City JETAA).

Statement From Mayor Karl Dean July 22, 2009

No Child Left Behind

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Mayor Karl Dean issued this statement today in response to the Tennessee Department of Education’s release of district annual progress under the federal No Child Left Behind law:


“This is good news. I’m pleased to see our district make improving status. To me, this is evidence that when a community rallies around its schools, progress can be made. We still have a long way to go to reach our ultimate goal, which is for all of our students to succeed. And starting this school year standards are going up, meaning our challenge is only going to be greater. Now is not the time to be complacent. We made some good strides in the last year in the area of teacher recruitment and with the change in charter school law. Going forward we need to focus on attendance, afterschool programs and teacher compensation, among other areas of education reform. We’ll be looking at the data tied to these results and talking with the Governor and Department of Education to determine what else we can do to help our schools succeed.”

"All The Spells" Words From Craig Bickhardt

All The Spells
By Craig Bickhardt
Courtesy, Ninety Mile Wind

The instinct is a mystery. We can't justify it, can't explain it, or defend it. We just feel it. A song pulls us into itself before we have time to over-analyze what we’re doing. It’s the mysticism of songs that compels us to search for new ones. We discover something that reflects the beauty of the world as it appears through our idealism and we call it a song. The whole universe would sing it, every star in the night, if only it were perfect.

Go to Ninety Mile Wind to read Craig's thoughts on the mysterious nature of inspiration and creativity.

Meet Members Of the Freedom Quilting Bee At The Frist Center, Friday July 24th

Naturally Dyed Fabric
Courtesy ASK Apparel

On Friday, July 24th, from 6 - 8 pm in the Frist Center lobby, meet members of the Freedom Quilting Bee for an informal social hour. Freedom Quilting Bee members will share the history of their community, their connections to the craft of quilting, and their visions for the future.

The Freedom Quilting Bee is a nationally-recognized quilting cooperative established in 1966 in Alberta, Alabama as an outgrowth of the civil rights movement. When local people lost their incomes, and sometimes their homes, after registering to vote, women banded together to put their skills to use in order to earn family income and build community. Today, the Freedom Quilting Bee remains one of the oldest cooperatives in the country.

The Freedom Quilting Bee and ASK Apparel, a Nashville dyeshop and clothing company focused on revitalizing the use of plant-based dyes, have partnered for a three-day workshop on natural dyeing with plant and earth-based materials. The quilters welcome discussion of projects old and new.

The Frist Center for the Visual Arts is located at 919 Broadway, Nashville, TN.

For further information on the Freedom Quilting Bee go here.

For more information on ASK Apparel visit www.askapparel.com.

For further information about the Frist Center for the Visual Arts, please contact 615.244.3340
_______

Ohio Group Visits Y E S

By Betsy Thorpe




Last week west Nashville's Youth Encouragment Service (YES) hosted a group of visitors from the Stop 9 Church of Christ in Byesville Ohio. The group spent a week at the St. Lukes Community Center's Fred Rogers gymnasium where they presented a Vacation Bible School for the YES kids. Everyday the kids heard a Bible Story, did crafts and played games. The Bible School's theme was "Crocodile Dock". YES is an after school and summer program run by David and Susie Estes.

Weekly Address By President Barack Obama, July 18, 2009

WEEKLY ADDRESS: President Obama Says Health Care Reform Cannot Wait

In his weekly address, President Barack Obama called on Congress to seize this opportunity – one that may not come again for decades – and finally pass health care reform. With families unable to keep up with skyrocketing costs, premiums rising three times faster than wages, businesses shedding jobs, and deficits piling up every year, reform simply cannot wait. The American people and the American economy need reform that improves care, lowers costs, strengthens businesses, and gives families the choices and security they deserve.




Prepared Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
Saturday, July 18th, 2009

Right now in Washington, our Senate and House of Representatives are both debating proposals for health insurance reform. Today, I want to speak with you about the stakes of this debate, for our people and for the future of our nation.

This is an issue that affects the health and financial well-being of every single American and the stability of our entire economy.

It’s about every family unable to keep up with soaring out of pocket costs and premiums rising three times faster than wages. Every worker afraid of losing health insurance if they lose their job, or change jobs. Everyone who’s worried that they may not be able to get insurance or change insurance if someone in their family has a pre-existing condition.

It’s about a woman in Colorado who told us that when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, her insurance company – the one she’d paid over $700 a month to – refused to pay for her treatment. She had to use up her retirement funds to save her own life.

It’s about a man from Maryland who sent us his story – a middle class college graduate whose health insurance expired when he changed jobs. During that time, he needed emergency surgery, and woke up $10,000 in debt – debt that has left him unable to save, buy a home, or make a career change.

It’s about every business forced to shut their doors, or shed jobs, or ship them overseas. It’s about state governments overwhelmed by Medicaid, federal budgets consumed by Medicare, and deficits piling higher year after year.

This is the status quo. This is the system we have today. This is what the debate in Congress is all about: Whether we’ll keep talking and tinkering and letting this problem fester as more families and businesses go under, and more Americans lose their coverage. Or whether we’ll seize this opportunity – one we might not have again for generations – and finally pass health insurance reform this year, in 2009.

Now we know there are those who will oppose reform no matter what. We know the same special interests and their agents in Congress will make the same old arguments, and use the same scare tactics that have stopped reform before because they profit from this relentless escalation in health care costs. And I know that once you’ve seen enough ads and heard enough people yelling on TV, you might begin to wonder whether there’s a grain of truth to what they’re saying. So let me take a moment to answer a few of their arguments.

First, the same folks who controlled the White House and Congress for the past eight years as we ran up record deficits will argue – believe it or not – that health reform will lead to record deficits. That’s simply not true. Our proposals cut hundreds of billions of dollars in unnecessary spending and unwarranted giveaways to insurance companies in Medicare and Medicaid. They change incentives so providers will give patients the best care, not just the most expensive care, which will mean big savings over time. And we have urged Congress to include a proposal for a standing commission of doctors and medical experts to oversee cost-saving measures.

I want to be very clear: I will not sign on to any health plan that adds to our deficits over the next decade. And by helping improve quality and efficiency, the reforms we make will help bring our deficits under control in the long-term.

Those who oppose reform will also tell you that under our plan, you won’t get to choose your doctor – that some bureaucrat will choose for you. That’s also not true. Michelle and I don’t want anyone telling us who our family’s doctor should be – and no one should decide that for you either. Under our proposals, if you like your doctor, you keep your doctor. If you like your current insurance, you keep that insurance. Period, end of story.

Finally, opponents of health reform warn that this is all some big plot for socialized medicine or government-run health care with long lines and rationed care. That’s not true either. I don’t believe that government can or should run health care. But I also don’t think insurance companies should have free reign to do as they please.

That’s why any plan I sign must include an insurance exchange: a one-stop shopping marketplace where you can compare the benefits, cost and track records of a variety of plans – including a public option to increase competition and keep insurance companies honest – and choose what’s best for your family. And that’s why we’ll put an end to the worst practices of the insurance industry: no more yearly caps or lifetime caps; no more denying people care because of pre-existing conditions; and no more dropping people from a plan when they get too sick. No longer will you be without health insurance, even if you lose your job or change jobs.

The good news is that people who know the system best are rallying to the cause of change. Just this past week, the American Nurses Association, representing millions of nurses across America, and the American Medical Association, representing doctors across our nation, announced their support because they’ve seen first-hand the need for health insurance reform.

They know we cannot continue to cling to health industry practices that are bankrupting families, and undermining American businesses, large and small. They know we cannot let special interests and partisan politics stand in the way of reform – not this time around.

The opponents of health insurance reform would have us do nothing. But think about what doing nothing, in the face of ever increasing costs, will do to you and your family.

So today, I am urging the House and the Senate, Democrats and Republicans, to seize this opportunity, and vote for reform that gives the American people the best care at the lowest cost; that reins in insurance companies, strengthens businesses and finally gives families the choices they need and the security they deserve.

Thanks.

Walter Cronkite Died Today At Age 92

Respected newscaster Walter Cronkite who once said he wanted to be remembered for discovering the Beatles, died today at the age of 92.

Go Here to read more about the man Americans most trusted during our nations turbulent decades of civil rights reform, assassinations and war.

Enjoy Your Weekend, Visit Your Local Park

Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, Nashville

Feel Good Friday

Shotgun
Jimi Hendrix in Nashville, 4 years before Woodstock

From 1964 through 1970 Noble Blackwell, hosted Night Train, a Rhythm and Blues show produced at Nashville's WLAC-TV. The popular entertainment show, featured many now famous artists like Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, Gladys Knight, Wilson Pickett, and Otis Redding. Night Train aired in Nashville on Friday nights.




Oldest Known Film Footage of Jimi Hendrix
1965

Jimi Hendrix appeared with the back up band Royal Company on Nashville's weekly R&B show Night Train in 1965. In this video the band is backing the soulful song and dance duo, Buddy And Stacy.

Check out Buddy and Stacy's dance moves!

Chip Curley at nashlinks.com first brought this historic and vintage film clip to my attention.
Thanks Chip!

Historic Belle Meade Theatre Marquee Illuminated July 14

"It's great to see the lights back on at the Belle Meade theatre and to know that this this piece of Nashville history is being preserved as part of the Harris Teeter redevelopment."
Metro Councilman Jason Holleman, District 24

Final Presentation Of The Good Food Film Festival To Show At The Warner Parks Nature Center On July 21

By Betsy Thorpe



Good Food Film Festival Organizers, Shayne Wingo and Martha Stamps, With John Edgerton Author Of Two Southern Food Cookbooks Following The Film Festival On July 7th 2009

On Tuesday July 21 the last of six set of films in The Good Food Film Festival will show at the Warner Parks Nature Center.

Shayne Wingo, whose wife Nashville chef Martha Stamps promotes the production and use of local and sustainably grown agriculture, was inspired to organize the festival after viewing the documentary King Corn last fall. "I wanted everyone to see it" Wingo stated. By working with local farmer and food justice advocate Sean Siple to select the series of films for the festival Shayne Wingo hoped to provide the public with information regarding the benefits and importance of utilizing local and sustainably grown food. Wingo said " I’m not that well spoken, That’s why I like the films, they say it well". He added "Its up to us, me and you. No one is going to do it for us. Every time you buy something your voting. Educate yourself and share that knowledge with others. Together we can make the world a better place."

Media That Matters brings the Good Food Festival's final evening of entertainment and discussion with a collection of shorts on food and sustainability. The short films range from a section of the highly acclaimed film, The Future of Food, to European animations with a message. The festival's final evening will be entertaining and free flowing, and guests are encouraged to bring food and refreshments to share.
Tuesday nights Good Food Film Festival starts at 6:30 pm.

Beatles Fans Of All Ages Enjoy The WannaBeatles

By Betsy Thorpe




On July 10th, the Red Caboose Summer Concert series hosted the WannaBeatles, Nashville's favorite Beatles tribute band. Playing to a crowd that included fans of all ages, the band gave an outstanding performance of classic Beatles tunes, including their crowd pleasing rendition of "Penny Lane" that showcased the talents of multi instrumentalist, WannaBeatle Bryan Cumming.

Several members of the Nashville Beatles Meet Up Group attended Friday's concert. The group that was established two years ago by local Beatles fans to discuss the music of John, Paul, George and Ringo, enthusiastically showed their support of the Fab Four's tribute band.

On August 21, The WannaBeatles will appear at the Wilson County Fair. For more information on the band visit www.thewannabeatles.com.

USS Nashville Honored

By Betsy Thorpe




On July 7th City Councilman Jason Holleman presented a Metro Proclamation to OS 3 Reilly Mealer acknowledging Mealer's service on board the USS Nashville.
Mealer who was home on leave after completing the ship's final mission, African Partnership Station 2009, was the only sailor from Nashville to serve on her during her last deployment.

The Proclamation authored by Councilman Holleman also commemorated the Nashville's 39 years of service as a United States Naval vessel, and its place in history as the fifth war ship to carry the city's name.

The USS Nashville is scheduled to officially decommission on September 15th 2009. Commander of VFW Post 1970, John Furgess plans to attend the ship decommission ceremony in Norfolk Virginia. Local Naval veteran Danielle Hopkins is working with Navy officials to bring the ships anchor to Nashville. She hopes the anchor will be placed in one of the city's parks to remind the local community of the USS Nashville and her service to our country.

OS 3 Reilly Mealer has returned to Norfolk Virginia and will soon join the crew on board the USS Woodby Island, a ship that is scheduled to patrol the Mediterranean Sea.

Weekly Address By President Barack Obama, July 11, 2009

The President explains how the Recovery Act helped end our economic free fall, and how his agenda is helping to set a new foundation for our economy.The President explains how the Recovery Act helped end our economic free fall, and how his agenda is helping to set a new foundation for our economy.



SATURDAY, July 11, 2009

WEEKLY ADDRESS: President Obama Praises Recovery Act Progress

In his weekly address, President Barack Obama touted the gains the Recovery Act has made in a little more than 100 days. While the recession is still far from over, the Recovery Act has helped end the economic free fall, ease the rate of monthly job losses from 700,000 a month, extend unemployment and health insurance to those who have lost their jobs, and deliver $43 billion in tax relief to working families. As the Recovery Act ramps up throughout this summer and fall, it will be instrumental in laying a new foundation for America and American workers to compete and win in the 21st century.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
Saturday, July 11th, 2009

This week, we’ve made important progress toward the goal of bringing about change abroad and change at home. During my visit to Russia, we began the process of resetting relations so that we can address key national priorities like the threat of nuclear weapons and extremism. At the G8 summit, leaders from nearly thirty nations met to discuss how we will collectively confront the urgent challenges of our time, from managing the global recession to fighting global warming to addressing global hunger and poverty. And in Ghana, I laid out my agenda for supporting democracy and development in Africa and around the world.

But even as we make progress on these challenges abroad, my thoughts are on the state of our economy at home. And that’s what I want to talk to you about today.

We came into office facing the most severe economic downturn since the Great Depression. At the time, we were losing, on average 700,000 jobs a month. And many feared that our financial system was on the verge of collapse.

As a result of the swift and aggressive action we took in the first few months of this year, we’ve been able to pull our financial system and our economy back from the brink. We took steps to re-start lending to families and businesses, stabilize our major financial institutions, and help homeowners stay in their homes and pay their mortgages. We also passed the largest and most sweeping economic recovery plan in our nation’s history.

The Recovery Act wasn’t designed to restore the economy to full health on its own, but to provide the boost necessary to stop the free fall. It was designed to spur demand and get people spending again and cushion those who had borne the brunt of the crisis. And it was designed to save jobs and create new ones.

In a little over one hundred days, this Recovery Act has worked as intended. It has already extended unemployment insurance and health insurance to those who have lost their jobs in this recession. It has delivered $43 billion in tax relief to American working families and businesses. Without the help the Recovery Act has provided to struggling states, its estimated that state deficits would be nearly twice as large as they are now, resulting in tens of thousands of additional layoffs – layoffs that would affect police officers, teachers, and firefighters.

The Recovery Act has allowed small businesses and clean energy companies to hire new workers or scrap their plans for eliminating current jobs. And it’s led to new jobs building roads, bridges and other infrastructure projects, thousands of which are only beginning now. In the months to come, thousands more projects will begin, leading to additional jobs.

Now, I realize that when we passed this Recovery Act, there were those who felt that doing nothing was somehow an answer. Today, some of those same critics are already judging the effort a failure although they have yet to offer a plausible alternative. Others believed that the recovery plan should have been even larger, and are already calling for a second recovery plan.

But, as I made clear at the time it was passed, the Recovery Act was not designed to work in four months – it was designed to work over two years. We also knew that it would take some time for the money to get out the door, because we are committed to spending it in a way that is effective and transparent. Crucially, this is a plan that will also accelerate greatly throughout the summer and the fall. We must let it work the way it’s supposed to, with the understanding that in any recession, unemployment tends to recover more slowly than other measures of economic activity.

I am confident that the United States of America will weather this economic storm. But once we clear away the wreckage, the real question is what we will build in its place. Even as we rescue this economy from a full blown crisis, I have insisted that we must rebuild it better than before.

Without serious reforms, we are destined to either see more crises, or suffer stagnant growth rates for the foreseeable future, or a combination of the two. That’s a future I absolutely reject. And that’s why we’re laying a new foundation that’s not only strong enough to withstand the challenges of the 21st century, but one that will allow us to thrive and compete in a global economy. That means investing in the jobs of the future, training our workers to compete for those jobs, and controlling the health care costs that are driving us into debt.

Through the clean energy investments we’ve made in the Recovery Act, we’re already seeing start-ups and small businesses make plans to create thousands of new jobs. In California, 3000 people will be employed to build a new solar plant. In Michigan, investment in wind turbines and wind technology is expected to create over 2,600 jobs. And a few weeks ago, the House of Representatives passed historic legislation that would finally make clean energy the profitable kind of energy, leading to whole new industries and jobs that can’t be outsourced.

To give our workers the skills and education they need to compete for the high-tech, high-wage jobs of the future, we’re working on reforms that will close achievement gaps, ensure that our schools meet high standards, reward our teachers for performance and give them new pathways to advancement.

Finally, we have made important progress in the last few weeks on health care reform that will finally control the costs that are driving our families, our businesses, and our government into debt. Both the Senate and the House have now produced legislation that will bring down costs, provide better care for patients, and curb the worst practices of insurance companies, so that they can no longer deny Americans coverage based on a pre-existing medical condition. It’s a plan that would also allow Americans to keep their health insurance if they lose their job or if they change their job. And it would set up a health insurance exchange – a marketplace that will allow families and small businesses to access one-stop-shopping for quality, affordable coverage, and help them compare prices and choose the plan that best suits their needs. One such choice would be a public option that would make health care more affordable through competition that keeps the insurance companies honest.

One other point. Part of what makes our current economic situation so challenging is that we already had massive deficits as the recession gathered force. And although the Recovery Act represents just a small fraction of our long term debt, people have legitimate questions as to whether we can afford reform without making our deficits much worse.

So let me be clear; I have been firm in insisting that both health care reform and clean energy legislation cannot add to our deficit. And I intend to continue the work of reducing waste, eliminating programs that don’t work, and reforming our entitlement programs to ensure that our long term deficits are brought under control.

I said when I took office that it would take many months to move our economy from recession to recovery and ultimately to prosperity. We are not there yet, and I continue to believe that even one American out of work is one too many. But we are moving in the right direction. We are cleaning up the wreckage of this storm. And we are laying a firmer, stronger foundation so that we may better weather whatever future storms may come. This year has been and will continue to be a year of rescuing our economy from disaster.

But just as important will be the work of rebuilding a long term engine for economic growth. It won’t be easy, and there will continue to be those who argue that we have to put off hard decisions that we have already deferred for far too long. But earlier generations of Americans didn’t build this great country by fearing the future and shrinking our dreams.

This generation – our generation - has to show that same courage and determination. I believe we will.

Thanks for listening.

Happy Birthday Adriana!

This afternoon Adriana celebrated her 11th birthday with friends and family at Bobbie's Dairy Dip. Her birthday meal? A cheeseburger, onion rings and giant banana split.

Feel Good Friday

When I hear "Red Rubber Ball", I am transported in time back to the summer of 1967, when I would aimlessly wander throughout my neighborhood and the surrounding orchards and bean fields with my transistor radio tuned to Eugene Oregon's premier rock station KEED.

Enjoy Your Weekend Visit Your Local Park

The Nashville Beatles Meetup Group Enjoy Music City's Favorite Beatles Tribute Band, The WannaBeatles, At Bellevue's Red Caboose Park

Metro Councilman Jason Holleman Issues Proclamation Acknowledging Service Of OS 3 Reilly Mealer

On July 7 Councilman Jason Holleman delivered a proclamation acknowledging OS3 Reilly Mealer's service aboard the USS Nashville during her final deployment.

Photo Mural And Video's Of Steve McNair On Display At LP Field

The Tennessee Titans opened LP Field on Wednesday and will do so again Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. There, fans can leave personal messages in a book that will be given to the McNair family, video boards will show the late quarterback's highlights and a photo mural of his career with the Titans also will be on display.

The ticket office will accept donations to the Steve McNair Foundation. Admission and parking for the event are free. A memorial service for McNair, who was found shot to death last weekend, is being held Thursday night in Nashville. There will be a funeral service Saturday at the University of Southern Mississippi.

This Weekend At The Grand Ole Opry, July 10th And 11th

Visit the Opry this weekend to see performances by Alison Krauss with The Cox Family, Diamond Rio, Ashton Shepherd, Ricky Skaggs, Caitlin & Will, Mike Snider, Jimmy Dickens, and many more! View this weekend's line-up at opry.com.

Popular Band, The WannaBeatles Will Perform At The Red Caboose Park July 10

By Betsy Thorpe


"Red Caboose shows are such a fun weekend experience. Everyone is there for a good time and what could be better than listening to Beatles music? It's lively, family-friendly, and nostalgic. It's also an opportunity to introduce the songbook of Lennon & McCartney to a whole new generation."
Dennis Scott, WannaBeatle


Dennis Scott And David Toledo Of The WannaBeatles With Wynonna, June 9,

The WannaBeatles, Nashville's most popular Beatles tribute band will make their second annual appearance at the Red Caboose Park on Friday, July 10th. The free outdoor concert will begin at 7:00 pm.

The Red Caboose Park is located in Bellevue on Highway 70S.

Nashville's New Fall Concert Series Will Include Appearance By Citizen Cope

Citizen Cope Shown Performing At Bonnaroo, 2009 Is One Of Six Musical Acts That Will Appear In Nashville's New Fall Concert Series, "Live On The Green"

On July 7th Mayor Karl Dean announced “Live On the Green,” a free, environmentally-friendly concert series to take place over six consecutive Thursday nights on the Public Square in front of the Metro Courthouse this fall,a beginning on September 3rd. "Live On The Green" will feature local artists as well as national acts with roots in Music City, and will highlight environmental practices, including the Public Square’ feature as a green roof over five levels of underground parking.

Dean has made growing live music in Nashville a goal of the Music Business Council formed earlier this year. Live On the Green is an effort to enhance the relationships between the music industry, Metro Government and the Nashville community. “Nashville has a unique identity as Music City, and I can think of no better way to celebrate our local talent than to host a free concert series in the heart of downtown,” Dean said. “I thank Lightning 100 for making Live On the Green possible, and for sharing my priority of making this an environmentally sustainable event.” Lightning 100’s Team Green will be responsible for incorporating sustainable practices into "Live On the Green." Team Green works to connect the Nashville community with the outdoors while instilling respect for the environment. With Team Green’s assistance, the concert series will include recycling, reusing materials, reducing energy use, and local healthy food vendors, among other green initiatives. “We're excited to be working with the Mayor's office to bring the people of Nashville this great event,” said Lester Turner, Jr., Lightning 100 owner. “It's been four years since we did the Uptown Mix, and Nashvillians are eager for another weekly outdoor music series. We're looking forward to showcasing the some of Nashville's outstanding musical talent in this beautiful ‘green’ setting.” Lightning 100 is recruiting artists for "Live On the Green" to appeal to a large cross-section of Nashville’s music fans. Artists booked to date include Citizen Cope, Here Come the Mummies, Space Capone, and Ricky Young.

Bellevue Community Donates More Than 1,000 Books To White Bluff's Jennie Woodworth Library

By Betsy Thorpe




White Bluff Mayor Linda Hayes, And Shoney's General Manager Wayne Lady Organize The Boxes Of Books Donated By Residents Of Bellevue To Whie Bluff's New Library


On Monday July 6th, Wayne Lady of Shoney's presented boxes holding more than 1,000 books to White Bluff Mayor Linda Hayes. The boxes of books held recent releases, mysterys, romance novels and children's books. The books were donated to the new Jennie Woodworth Library by numerous members of the Bellevue community through a book drive organized by Lady.

Weekly Address By President Barack Obama, July 4, 2009

The President recounts America’s great history of overcoming seemingly insurmountable challenges, and pledges to lead America in continuing that tradition. Focusing on creating a clean energy economy, comprehensive health reform, and revitalizing an education system in need of change, the President pledges not to leave these decades-old problems to yet another generation to solve.



THE WHITE HOUSE
SATURDAY, July 4, 2009

WEEKLY ADDRESS: President Obama Celebrates Independence Day
and the American Spirit

In his weekly address, President Barack Obama celebrated the unyielding American spirit that has defined our past and will lead us into the future. Even as we face daunting challenges - two wars, a deep recession, skyrocketing health care costs, and a dependence on foreign oil, we have always overcome long odds and faced down our trials. We must remember and renew that spirit as we confront and meet our current challenges.


Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
The White House
July 4, 2009


Hello and Happy Fourth of July, everybody. This weekend is a time to get together with family and friends, kick back, and enjoy a little time off. And I hope that’s exactly what all of you do. But I also want to take a moment today to reflect on what I believe is the meaning of this distinctly American holiday.

Today, we are called to remember not only the day our country was born – we are also called to remember the indomitable spirit of the first American citizens who made that day possible.

We are called to remember how unlikely it was that our American experiment would succeed at all; that a small band of patriots would declare independence from a powerful empire; and that they would form, in the new world, what the old world had never known – a government of, by, and for the people.

That unyielding spirit is what defines us as Americans. It is what led generations of pioneers to blaze a westward trail.

It is what led my grandparents’ generation to persevere in the face of a Depression and triumph in the face of tyranny.

It is what led generations of American workers to build an industrial economy unrivalled around the world.

It is what has always led us, as a people, not to wilt or cower at a difficult moment, but to face down any trial and rise to any challenge, understanding that each of us has a hand in writing America’s destiny.

That is the spirit we are called to show once more. We are facing an array of challenges on a scale unseen in our time. We are waging two wars. We are battling a deep recession. And our economy – and our nation itself – are endangered by festering problems we have kicked down the road for far too long: spiraling health care costs; inadequate schools; and a dependence on foreign oil.

Meeting these extraordinary challenges will require an extraordinary effort on the part of every American. And that is an effort we cannot defer any longer.

Now is the time to lay a new foundation for growth and prosperity. Now is the time to revamp our education system, demand more from teachers, parents, and students alike, and build schools that prepare every child in America to outcompete any worker in the world.

Now is the time to reform an unsustainable health care system that is imposing crushing costs on families, businesses, large and small, and state and federal budgets. We need to protect what works, fix what’s broken, and bring down costs for all Americans. No more talk. No more delay. Health care reform must happen this year.

And now is the time to meet our energy challenge – one of the greatest challenges we have ever confronted as a people or as a planet. For the sake of our economy and our children, we must build on the historic bill passed by the House of Representatives, and make clean energy the profitable kind of energy so that we can end our dependence on foreign oil and reclaim America’s future.

These are some of the challenges that our generation has been called to meet. And yet, there are those who would have us try what has already failed; who would defend the status quo. They argue that our health care system is fine the way it is and that a clean energy economy can wait. They say we are trying to do too much, that we are moving too quickly, and that we all ought to just take a deep breath and scale back our goals.

These naysayers have short memories. They forget that we, as a people, did not get here by standing pat in a time of change. We did not get here by doing what was easy. That is not how a cluster of 13 colonies became the United States of America.

We are not a people who fear the future. We are a people who make it. And on this July 4th, we need to summon that spirit once more. We need to summon the same spirit that inhabited Independence Hall two hundred and thirty-three years ago today.

That is how this generation of Americans will make its mark on history. That is how we will make the most of this extraordinary moment. And that is how we will write the next chapter in the great American story. Thank you, and Happy Fourth of July.

Former Titan Steve McNair Shot To Death In Nashville

Little is known at this time about the death of Steve McNair who was found shot to death in an apartment on 2nd Avenue in Nashville.

Several people have been taken downtown for questioning however at this time time noone is in custody.


Remembering Steve McNair And The Music City Miracle

The Declaration Of Independence, Adopted By Congress July 4, 1776

Declaration of Independence
(Adopted by Congress on July 4, 1776)


The Dunlap Broadside Owned By Norman Lear On Display At The Nashville Public Library, October 4th, 2008

On the evening of July 4th 1776, Philadelphia printer John Dunlap printed approximately 200 copies or broadsides of the "The Unanimous Declaration
of the Thirteen United States of America" (later known as the Declaration of Independence). The broadsides were soon distributed and read to citizens living in villages, towns and cities throughout the 13 colonies. Today 26 Dunlap Broadsides are known to exist.


The Unanimous Declaration
of the Thirteen United States of America

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. --Such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his assent to laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his governors to pass laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of representation in the legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved representative houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the legislative powers, incapable of annihilation, have returned to the people at large for their exercise; the state remaining in the meantime exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavored to prevent the population of these states; for that purpose obstructing the laws for naturalization of foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migration hither, and raising the conditions of new appropriations of lands.

He has obstructed the administration of justice, by refusing his assent to laws for establishing judiciary powers.

He has made judges dependent on his will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies without the consent of our legislature.

He has affected to render the military independent of and superior to civil power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his assent to their acts of pretended legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by mock trial, from punishment for any murders which they should commit on the inhabitants of these states:

For cutting off our trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing taxes on us without our consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of trial by jury:

For transporting us beyond seas to be tried for pretended offenses:


For abolishing the free system of English laws in a neighboring province, establishing therein an arbitrary government, and enlarging its boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule in these colonies:

For taking away our charters, abolishing our most valuable laws, and altering fundamentally the forms of our governments:

For suspending our own legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated government here, by declaring us out of his protection and waging war against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burned our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to complete the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow citizens taken captive on the high seas to bear arms against their country, to become the executioners of their friends and brethren, or to fall themselves by their hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare, is undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms: our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have we been wanting in attention to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies in war, in peace friends.

We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name, and by the authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare, that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as free and independent states, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do. And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.

New Hampshire: Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton

Massachusetts: John Hancock, Samual Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry

Rhode Island: Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery

Connecticut: Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott

New York: William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris

New Jersey: Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark

Pennsylvania: Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross

Delaware: Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean

Maryland: Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton

Virginia: George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton

North Carolina: William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn

South Carolina: Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton

Georgia: Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton

Source: The Pennsylvania Packet, July 8, 1776
The text from the Pennsylvania Packet includes original spelling and capitalization.

Disney World's Hall Of Presidents Reopens Tomorrow, July 4, 2009

HAIL TO THE CHIEF

A remarkably lifelike Audio-Animatronics figure of President Barack Obama enters the spotlight in a revised and refreshed Hall of Presidents show that reopens July 4 in Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort.



The recently installed figure of the country’s 44th chief executive – which comes to life with recognizable mannerisms and makes comments that were recorded recently at the White House – is only part of an eight-month makeover so significant that the iconic attraction in the park’s Liberty Square has been retitled The Hall of Presidents: A Celebration of Liberty’s Leaders.

Other updates to the “re-Imagineered” attraction which has been entertaining Magic Kingdom guests since 1971:

A re-programmed Abraham Lincoln delivers arguably the greatest speech in the history of the presidency – the Gettysburg Address.

For the first time in the attraction’s history, George Washington stands and delivers a stirring speech.

Developed with the assistance of Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, the show now tells a moving story of the bond between the presidents and “We, the People,” focusing on the chief executives who have guided America through trying, turbulent times.

Enjoy Your Weekend, Visit Your Local Park

Fireworks Finale
July 4, 2008
River Front Park
Nashville Tennessee

Feel Good Friday

Have a wonderful and safe 4th of July and remember that "This Land Was Made For You And Me"!



Pete Seeger and Bruce Springsteen lead the crowd in "This Land is Your Land" at the inaugural concert held at the Lincoln Memorial, January 19, 2009.

Senator Jack Johnson's Boots And Jeans BBQ Sunday July 19th

Special Guest Kix Brooks
Date: Sunday, July 19th
Time: 4:00 PM
Location: The Factory in Franklin, TN
Suggested Donation: $40 per person

I wanted to personally invite you and your family to my Boots and Jeans, BBQ and Beans event on Sunday, July 19th at 4:00 PM at the Factory in Franklin. I hope that you will be able to come and bring your friends for this fun-filled event. We're excited to have Kix Brooks with us this year!

I hope to see you there, if I can ever be of assistance, please let me know.

Sincerely,
Jack Johnson

To RSVP online go here or call 615 403-4479

Use 2 Losing

Tracy De Moss, Reading A Book Of Poetry

USE 2 Losing
By Tracy De Moss

It takes a lot 2 win
It takes a lot 2 move on
It takes a lot 2 give in
It takes a lot 2 stay strong

You get use 2 being lost in the crowd
You get use 2 losing your cool
You get use 2 playing the fool

You choose 2 stay behind
You choose 2 stay away
You get use 2 playing the fool

You choose 2 stay behind
You choose 2 stay away
You choose not 2 shine
You choose not 2 pray

You stay in the dark
Cause you hate the light
You forget you have a heart
You don't want 2 fight

You don't want 2 be known
You don't want 2 see
You don't want 2 belong
You don't know where you wanna be

You are so use 2 bad
You don't recognize good
You are so use 2 "I shouldn't"
You don't know that you should

You are so use 2 being dragged through the mud in every way
But people talked about Jesus Christ 2 everyday

Your so use 2 losing it all
You don't realize you won
You didn't know how 2 start
Because you were already done

Dedicated 2 people who don't know they've won.

Tracy De Moss is 24 years old, she lives in Nashville Tennessee and she hopes to become a published writer.