‘Fall Harvest Hayride’ Celebrates Fall in Murfreesboro

By Tia Ellison

      MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- The Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation Department invited people of all ages to participate in fun-filled activities on Nov. 14 at the General Bragg Trailhead, located off West College Street in Murfreesboro.

     This event, called the "Fall Harvest Hayride", has been a 16-year tradition of the Greenway. Each year, the city offers live music as celebrants toast marshmallows and eat s’mores with loved ones around a campfire. A hayride is also there to enjoy with the whole family. Visitors didn't have to wait long in the cold. Two tractors were available to pull the hay-filled trailers. The Friends of the Greenway sponsored the event and also provided the live music.

     The music was performed around the campfire by Nashville singer-songwriter Ryan Bizarri. He is an inspirational family friendly musician with small-town roots in tiny Coal Valley, Ill. Bizarri recently co-wrote the song “Eat, Sleep, Love You, Repeat” for country star Rodney Adkins. The previous year, Bizzari performed on stage, but due to the cold weather, he decided to change the atmosphere. His performance around the campfire gave off a laid back, festive vibe.

      The "Fall Harvest Ride" is a popular way to celebrate the fall season, according to Greenway Program Coordinator Melinda Tate, who has been part of the Greenway for three years.

     “It’s a low-key event for people to come and go as they please," Tate said. "We provide this for the community each year just come out to relax and enjoy.”

     The Murfreesboro Greenway System consists of Stones River and Lytle Creek trials. It connects historical sites, parks, neighborhoods and businesses. Five miles of riverside trails are open for bicycling, running or even walking a dog. Everyone can enjoy the Greenway from daylight until a half hour before sunset each day of the year. The Greenway hosts several events year-round such as art festivals, live concerts, and boat days. The Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation is also offering "Christmas lights at Cannonsburgh Village", which can be seen after dark at the village located at 312 S. Front St.

     Reporter's Note: Do you want to get involved in the community? Grab a group of friends and volunteer to keep the Greenway clean. America spends approximately $11.5 billion dollars a year to clean up litter. If more people volunteered to clean up the community, that cost would drop substantially. Middle Tennessee hosts around 21,000 undergraduate college students, which will increase the amount of litter in the community. According to national study, most people who would deliberately litter are those between 18 and 34 years old. It’s time to start a revolution to end littering, to properly dispose of trash, and educate people on the benefits of recycling.

     For more information on the Greenway, Ryan Bizarri, or facts about littering visit the websites, visit www.facebook.com/MurfGreenway, www.ryanbizarri.com, and www.litteritcostsyou.org/9-interesting-facts-and-statistics-about-littering/.

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Nashville Business Journal Presents Corporate Giving Awards

By Laura Jackson

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Corporate Giving Awards and Non-profit Expo was held on Nov. 14, 2014 at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel honoring companies that had given the most monetary donations and volunteer time per employee.

The Nashville Business Journal’s annual event recognizes companies in the Middle Tennessee area that go beyond what is expected in volunteering their time and money to charitable organizations.  The newspaper recognized honorees during an awards luncheon at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel. Honorees were recognized, and their ranks given, in separate categories for donated time and money per employee. Many organizations were awarded during the ceremony. Among those were JPMorgan Chase, Capital Financial Group, AT&T Tennessee, and Best in Town Restaurant Equipment Inc.

Delta Dental of Tennessee was among the top winners of the afternoon, pulling down the number one spot for largest monetary donations per employee. However, they received a number 15 ranking for overall time volunteered by employees.

“Our employees are committed to serving our community and we believe it is our mission to improve the lives of Tennesseans," said Philip Wenk, D.D.S., CEO of Delta Dental of Tennessee. "I am very proud of our employees for their outstanding efforts to serve others."

Another company honored was Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP. Bradley ranked among the city’s leading corporate philanthropists in The Nashville Business Journal’s 2014 Corporate Giving Awards. The firm placed third for volunteer hours per employee and sixth for cash giving per employee.

“We are pleased to continue the firm’s rich history of giving,” said Nashville Managing Partner Bob Patterson. “I commend our attorneys and staff whose extensive volunteer efforts have benefited numerous charitable, educational and civic organizations.”

Crosslin & Associates was also recognized for its outstanding volunteerism at the Awards.  Crosslin was a recipient in both categories, hours per employee (second place) and dollars per employee (12th place).

            There were also non-profit booths at the event to support worthy causes.  The non-profit booths told their stories at the expo before the awards luncheon began. The booths spotlighted organizations such as Women in Technology of Tennessee, Special Kids, Second Harvest, Nashville Public Library Foundation, and Safe Haven Family Shelter. All of these organizations are non-profit and flourish off charity events such as this one. Many of these organizations were quoted as saying how wonderful it was to see large (and small) companies be so selfless and give so much of their time and money to help out.

            Individuals who are interested in learning more about this year’s Nashville Business Journal Corporate Giving Awards and the honorees, simply search the hashtag on Twitter: #nbjgiving. Read related coverage at The Nashville Business Journal at

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/2014/10/nbj-announces-2014-corporate- giving-awards.html.    

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MTSU Fine Arts Students Exhibit Original Works at Todd Art Gallery

By Meredith G. White

            MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Fine arts students at Middle Tennessee State University debuted their original artwork in a new exhibit titled “Kinda Infinity & Sorta Beyond” from Nov. 18-26 at the Todd Art Gallery.

            The Todd Art Gallery, located on the MTSU campus at 1301 East Main St., spotlighted the works of seniors who are completing their studies toward Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees. The artists who debuted their work were Sara Benton, Acacia Blue, Lindsey Isbell, Scott Sulfridge, and Russ White. Although the exhibit closed at the Todd Art Gallery on Nov. 26, the gallery regularly spotlights artists. Gallery hours are 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

            The gallery is located inside of the Todd Art Building on the MTSU campus. One can find the main room directly to the left after walking through the front doors. The spacious gallery continues on the right, across the hall from the main room. The exhibit is open to the general public, and it is always free for those who wish to take a look at the art inside.  

            “The artists are given a time period they are allowed to have, and they come up with the theme, title and design of the space,” said Gallery Director Eric V. Snyder. “They work together to put everything in place the way they want it.”

            The artists ask their supervisors and the gallery director questions if they have them, but the whole concept of the exhibit is up to the artists themselves.

            All of the pieces made bold statements that kept one staring at the work in hopes of figuring out where the artists were going and thinking when they created them. Every piece seemed to tell a personal story and have its own background story connected directly to the artists themselves. There were only four artists for this exhibit, but the gallery was filled with their different pieces, and there was not a blank space left in the room.

            One of the more interesting pieces was a mixed media installation titled “Le Chemin (The Way)” by Sara Benton. The work depicted an abandoned swing surrounded by fallen leaves and had a projection of  a girl swinging behind it. It was a hauntingly beautiful piece.

Sara Benton's piece "Le Chemin (The Way)"

        “My work deals largely with themes of identity, relationships and gender as they cycle from individual to communal,” said Benton when explaining the type of art she produces. Her installation art was displayed in a separate room across from the gallery because of its large size.

            One of the other artworks was a painting brushed by Acacia Blue. The acrylic on panel was titled “Comfort” and depicted three sections of a girl lying down with a floral print behind her. This piece struck viewers not only as different, but also very personal.

Acacia Blue's piece "Comfort"

         “I have taken the classic Venus of the old masters and replaced her passive languishing with strength and agency,” said Blue. “These bodacious babes appear within a visually playful, candy-colored oblivion landscape in which they turn their anxieties and longing into magic flowing from their bodies”.

          The “Kinda Infinity & Sorta Beyond” exhibit featured a mix of digital illustrations, videos, sculptures, paintings, screen prints, mixed media, and installation art, creating a very diverse experience for the public to enjoy.

Scott Selfridge's piece "Fused" (concrete). 

Russ White's piece "Robot Mastication" (acrylic).

          The Todd Art Gallery will host its annual Department of Art Seasonal Scholarship Sale from Dec. 1-3. Hours are 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, and 9 a.m. – Noon on Wednesday. All proceeds will go to the Department of Art scholarships with all art donated by MTSU art faculty, staff, alumni, students, working artists, and art enthusiasts. To learn more about the gallery, visit www.mtsu.edu/art/barngallery/ . 

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Stones River Mall Lights 25-Foot Christmas Tree

By Gabbi Spivey

     MURFREESBORO, Tenn.— Stones River Mall in Murfreesboro kicked off the holiday season by launching a brand new event on Nov. 14 featuring complimentary cookies and cocoa, live performances, special appearances, and the lighting of a 25-foot Christmas tree.

    

      Children of all ages attended "Lights Up" at Stones River Mall located at 1720 Old Fort Parkway, despite the below-freezing temperatures. After enjoying the free cookies and cocoa, families were encouraged to go inside the mall and listen to Middle Tennessee State University’s Steel Drum Band play island-style Christmas tunes. The band was an especially huge hit with the children. More than 10 of them were right in front of the stage dancing and laughing with the director. While waiting to go back outside other attendees enjoyed shopping at some of the mall’s biggest store like “Dillards”, “Agaci” and “Forever 21”.

     

     Around 6:45 p.m., attendees were asked to go outside to await special guests. As children lined the sidewalk, Santa arrived on a horse carriage accompanied by Mrs. Claus, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, and Frosty. One child was so excited, he pushed through all the other kids making his way to the front and jumped on Santa to hug him. Santa and his friends posed for pictures with kids and gave them all free lollipops from the “North Pole”.

     “ I really didn’t know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised with the turn out,” said Justin Robbins, an attendee of the event.

     At exactly 6:59 p.m., the disc jockey started a countdown starting with 10. As the crowd anxiously anticipated (when everyone yelled “one!”) the 25-foot tree lit up and everyone cheered.

     “We were so excited to introduce this new event at Stones River Mall,” said Melinda Hudgins Norbitt, marketing manager for Stones River Mall. "The community came together and succeeded in creating fun-filled memories for families, and officially starting the holidays."

      

     Other events for the holidays include "Click with Ol’ Saint Nick" from Dec 2 -24; "Paws and Claus" on Dec 1, 8 and 15; and "Breakfast and Pajama Party with Santa" on Dec 6. For more information, visit www.stonesrivermall.com.

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Vann Washington Performs at the Elks Lodge in Murfreesboro

By Candace Dowlen

MURFREESBORO, Tenn.—R&B singer-songwriter Vann Washington, 20, performed his hit song “Ride or Die” on Nov. 14 at the Elks Club in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

             Washington, who was born in Washington, D.C., moved to Murfreesboro to attend Middle Tennessee State University. His passion for music led him to the university's Recording Industry program. 

            Last Friday, Washington performed his R&B hit “Ride or Die” in front of an audience of about 125 college students. Admission was $5, and everyone was required to have a college ID to attend. Emerging local rap artists Jmac and Eddie G opened for him. Washington's performance lasted for 30 minutes, with the artist performing a medley of his songs, “Ride or Die” and "Pyromaniac.” The entire event lasted for approximately two hours. 

As Washington took the stage, the building was filled with anticipation and silence. Washington’s first line in “Ride or Die” took the audience by surprise as they began to cheer and scream. During Washington's performance,  the audience pushed toward the stage as he began to rise from his seat. The fans near the stage reached out their hands in hopes of touching the artist as he sang to them. Fans expressed their appreciation after the show.

“For a first time listener, I became a fan instantly," said Meyashia Burnly. "I just wanted to crawl on the stage and have him sing to me personally. That boy can sing!”

 “Vann has a voice like an Angle it captures your soul,” said Latanya Green. “I never heard a male sing so soft, said Jesse Floyd he has such a light voice.”

Washington began writing songs at the age of 16 when he was still in high school. It wasn’t until June 2013 he began actually recording his music. Washington has many accomplishments.  He has gained substantial exposure and new fans by performing at a host of local venues in Murfreesboro, including The Elks Club, Club Social, and MTSU.  Washington-penned songs such as "Pyromaniac", "Protégé", and “Ride or Die” can be downloaded at www.soundcloud.com. The artist also has released a number of mixed tapes. He has been offered a distribution deal with Allegro Records. 

                                                         

          “I’ve thought about signing with Allegro Records, but I just don’t think that’s for me." The artist said. "Right now, I’d rather be independent and wait to see later if I can get any better offers.”

“I have came a long way from where I’ve started, but I’m still not nearly as close as I plan to be," Washington added. "The hardest part is getting recognized.”

Washington will perform on Dec.  20 at the Armory in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Admission is free.  He will be singing holiday Christmas songs for the children. Other upcoming showcases include a performance on Jan. 2 at the Elks. The “back to school” event will spotlight his  original songs. Admission is $2 for students with a college ID and $5 for others. His also will perform at the Listening Room in “Ride or Die” and “Pyromatic”downtown Nashville, Tenn., on Feb. 3rd. Admission for that show will be $10 for everyone. 

          “To me, it feels good to have a hit song, "Washington said. "I’m not going to lie. I have a bit of a big head about it, but I’ve put in so much work. I’m just honestly happy to see that some of it has paid off.” 

  “My ultimate goal is to make it on the red carpet, on the big screen." The artist continued. "I want to win a Grammy one day. I just want to make good music that impacts many people. It feels good when you write and sing from your heart and your audience and fans can relate. That has to be the best feeling ever. It's like they finally understand me.” 

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Titans Continue to Struggle with Young Team

by Tyler Totten

           NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Titans’ struggles continued as they fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-24 at LP Field on Nov. 17 in a tough conference game.

            The 2-10 Titans lost another hard-fought game against the 7-5 Steelers on ESPN's Monday Night Football. The Steeler’s running back, Le’Veon Bell, steamrolled the Titans' defense by rushing for 204 yards and scoring two touchdowns.

            “It was pretty frustrating, knowing they were going to run and not being able to stop it,” Titans' linebacker Avery Williamson said. “(Bell) is just the kind of guy that sits back there and waits and waits, and when you try to figure out where he’s going, you get out of your gaps.”

            Although they lost, the Titans played a statistically sound game. Rookie quarterback Zach Mettenberger threw for 263 yards and two touchdowns. Their defense also held the Steelers offense to only 206 rushing yards. The defense sacked Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger five times for a loss of 27 yards.

            Titans play-by-play announcer Mike Keith was optimistic about the team's future after the game.

            “Mettenberger is getting more comfortable,” Keith said. “He’s adjusting well and played very well against the defenses of both the Ravens and the Steelers. He still has a lot to work on, but each week we see a little more out of him.”

            Mettenberger replaced veteran quarterback Charlie Whitehurst, who was filling in for the injured Jake Locker.

            He made a key mistake in the first quarter by throwing an interception to Pittsburgh’s corner back William Gay, who returned the ball 28 yards for a touchdown. Mettenberger realized his throwing form caused him to throw the interception, and he accepted full responsibility for what happened.

            “I throw picks to the other team (with that form),” Mettenberger said. “I’ve been in a lot of situations in my life where it wasn’t looking good for me, so I’d rather take the blame than maybe some guy who can’t mentally handle it and put him in a jar.”

            Mettenberger was replaced by the original starting quarterback Jake Locker after suffering a right shoulder sprain in the third quarter while playing against the Houston Texans on Nov. 30. The coaching staff is optimistic, however, that he will start against the Giants.

            Over the off-season last year, the Titans defense shifted from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defense, causing the players to adjust to a new game style. Although much still needs improvement, they held Roethlisberger to 207 yards with a Quaterback Rating of 66.6.

            Titans' defensive coordinator Ray Horton feels confidant the players are getting more comfortable and will continue to improve.

            “You don’t need GPS to get home, do you?” Horton asked. “But if you’ve just moved into a new city, you have to watch where you’re going. You’re worried about everything. It takes awhile. But once you get comfortable with where you are, you just get behind the wheel and drive.”

            Although the light at the end of the tunnel is hard to see for the Titans, Keith remains optimistic about how they are performing and how well they are adjusting to changes.

            “(The Titans) have made a lot of changes,” Keith added. “We want for at the end of the season to be able to look and see that we are on the right track and moving forward. We are getting there slowly but surely, and I plan to see more positive signs as the year goes on.”

            The Titans are scheduled to play the New York Giants on Dec. 7 at LP Field. For more information about the Titans, visit www.titansonline.com.

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