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A Visit With Martha

By Sylvia Britton | November 4, 2009 |

There’s a certain something in the air when its cold. Something crisp and sharp. Whatever it is, it sets my mind to thinking about the bakery and farm we left behind some 6 years ago.  I miss the farm and the life we had there. I even miss going out to put wood on the fire that warmed our house. I  miss the orchard. I miss my friend Martha.

It seemed so much colder there than here in the winter, even though we were only 20 miles further to the north than we are now. And I do miss the friends we made while we were there. Surprisingly, the only friends we made were Amish people. They seemed to think we fit right in the community. I don’t really know why. We don’t dress like them, talk like them or think like them. That leaves me to think that we connected on a spiritual level, something deeper than clothing or hair; a faith connection that centered around Jesus Christ that not one of us really understood or could account for, but knew that it was there. «Read the rest of this article»

If you’re going to play Superman, be careful where you fly

By Sue Freeman Culverhouse | October 29, 2009 |

Bill, my dear husband, was like most little boys when he was growing up—eagerly interested in trying out new and exciting adventures.

That’s why Superman—and all super heroes—are so fascinating to children. The urge to fly is somehow innate. We see birds do it. We see butterflies do it. We see tiny insects do it. Why can’t we?

In Bill’s case, he decided that if Superman could do it, so could he. Confiscating a towel to use as a cape, he sneaked over to a neighbor’s farm and climbed up into the barn. Climbing the ladder into the loft was a cinch as was opening the doors to the outside.

That’s when things became a bit complicated.

Bill didn’t think of Superman as his only hero; he also wanted to be Lash Larue, Roy Rogers and Hopalong Cassidy all rolled into one. He had seen these guys do fantastic horse riding tricks like jumping from the ground onto the back of the horse and into the saddle. He figured that the next step would be to jump from the hayloft, fly like Superman, and land on the back of the horse to ride off into the sunset.

It just so happened that no horse appeared to be available at that moment.

Enter an unsuspecting goat. «Read the rest of this article»

Time to wake up and smell the coffee

By Tim Cash | October 29, 2009 |

Tim Cash

For the record I am conservative in my thinking but try hard to keep an open mind and give all an opportunity to voice their opinions. Many of my friends have differing views than mine when it comes to politics, but very few who disagree that much of what our Country was founded on is disintegrating before our very eyes. In the end, whether of liberal beliefs or conservative – we are ALL AMERICANS.

This did not just start yesterday, there has been an eroding of America for many years now. Those of you who are 30 or older need only look back to your years as a child, when we all said the Pledge of Allegiance in the classroom. Many of our children have never pledged allegiance to our Flag:

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

«Read the rest of this article»

Your Montgomery County Government recently received several awards

October 25, 2009 |

We are pleased to announce that Montgomery County Government recently received several awards!

The first is for our community economic preparedness by the Department of Economic and Community Development, as a certified member of the Three-Star Program. This initiative, a Five-Year Asset-Based Strategic Plan, recognizes the importance of successful community development and its impact on sustaining economic growth. Montgomery County is certified as a Benchmark Level III recipient. This designation brings grant opportunities as well as reductions in the local match for the Fast Track Grants.

Two others awards received recently were from the Greater Nashville Regional Council. The first was an Economic Development Award for the County’s commitment and efforts that helped bring Hemlock Semiconductor, LLC to the County’s mega-site. This project will have significant economic impact and the County worked hard with many entities to make this project come to fruition. Second is a Public Facilities award for the creation of Civic Hall in Veterans’ Plaza. This multipurpose event space was much needed for Montgomery County and serves as a source of revenue for the County. «Read the rest of this article»

Keeping a watchful eye on bridges in the State of Tennessee

October 16, 2009 |

Tennessee in Motion is a monthly column by Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner Gerald Nicely

TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely

As heavy rains fall on Tennessee, TDOT’s bridge inspectors await notifications from an automated program called “Bridge Watch.” Flooding can undermine the structural integrity of certain bridges in the state, so TDOT utilizes this program to alert the department of any potential problems with bridges due to heavy rains.

The most common cause of bridge failure is the undermining of a bridge structure because of scour. Scour is the erosion of a stream or river bed due to excessive stream flow. TDOT has classified 897 bridges in Tennessee as scour-critical, which means bridges could experience a catastrophic failure or become structurally unstable as a result of a destructive flood event.

«Read the rest of this article»

SEIU & ACORN: Guilt by Association

By Mark Naccarato | October 13, 2009 |

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) has become a favorite target of the extreme right wing. As SEIU becomes a more significant force for change in this country, we are going to continue to be hit by the same extreme right-wing attack machine that is trying to block healthcare reform and regulatory reform – the change this country needs to help working families and to rebuild the middle class.

The radical right in this country wants nothing more than to make SEIU, grassroots community groups, and any individual who fights against the status quo their next casualty. They are seeking to silence the voices of those men and women who suffered the most under 8 years of extreme right-wing policies, and to smear anyone who stands up for those men and women. Right now, there are daily attacks from conservative radio and TV pundits on us for our work on healthcare, labor rights, immigration, and our working relationship with community and progressive organizations – most recently ACORN.

«Read the rest of this article»

Unreasonable hatred in American politics

September 29, 2009 |

Samuel P. Huntington

In his landmark study of the cultural and civilizational origins of conflict and war, the late social scientist Samuel P. Huntington concluded boldly that “It is human to hate.” He viewed this as an ineradicable feature of our basic human nature.

Hatred, as anyone who follows national politics in this country knows, shows no signs of going away soon. Much of it is directed against the president, though senators and representatives (and, less frequently, federal judges) are also targets of hate from time to time.

Earlier this month, President Jimmy Carter stated that “the intensely demonstrated animosity toward President Barack Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man, that he’s African American.” Not surprisingly, his comments angered many and led to accusations of playing the so-called “race card” to denigrate those (presumably white) Americans who are fiercely opposed to Pres. Obama’s policy goals in health care, the economy, and other issue areas. «Read the rest of this article»

If you want it done right: Do It Yourself

By Julie Suzanne Capouch | September 29, 2009 |

Does he really know what he's doing?

I”m a former HGTV junkie. I used to sit and watch hours of it, and I absorbed more interior decorating, real estate, and DIY than I could possibly use in a lifetime. I would probably still be that way, but my current occupations as mommy, taxi, nurse, teacher, finance manager, counselor, cook, maid, and of course, writer, do not leave much of an opportunity for television.

But if there was one thing I learned from my HGTV education, it’s that preparation is key when doing any type of project. I’ve put this principle into practive with every job I have done and have always had great results. Whether it is painting a bookshelf or completely gutting a bathroom, you have to start out the right way.

I wish someone had told that to the handyman I hired a couple of weeks ago to paint my kitchen buffet. As the  DIY mommy, I prefer to do things myself, but for this particular project I was pressed for time and wanted it done before my husband returned from a business trip. So, I found two local “experienced” handymen who came complete with referrals to tackle the simple task of painting a hutch along with a few other small things around my house. Sounds great, right?

Not really. «Read the rest of this article»

Breakfast is the meal children can least likely skip without consequences

By Sue Freeman Culverhouse | September 27, 2009 |

It’s no secret that breakfast may be the most important meal of the day—especially for anyone attending school—child or adult.

Here are a few of the consequences of not eating breakfast:

• Greater fatigue and sleepiness in the mid-morning hours
• Greater propensity towards weight gain because you tend to eat more junk food later and don’t get the nutritional requirements from two meals
• Reduced alertness and poor concentration resulting in poorer academic performance
• Greater hyperactivity and more disruptive classroom behavior
• Higher rate of irritability and anxiety
• Reduced memory
• Increased chance of becoming diabetic, having high cholesterol or high blood pressure

Need I say more? The case for eating breakfast is well-documented by many studies. «Read the rest of this article»

Radio Talk Show Hosts Vs. Common Sense – Alexander Hamilton

By Blayne Clements | September 22, 2009 |

Last week a radio political talk show host said the following (as always I am paraphrasing):

“The federal government is too big. Our founding fathers would be appalled at the size and scope of our current federal government. Even Alexander Hamilton (a Federalist), who preferred a strong central government would be appalled that the federal government is considering banning texting while driving – that should be a state rights issue, like speed limits.”

In an attempt to justify their viewpoints both conservative and progressive talk show hosts commonly claim a ideological lineage back to the founding fathers. The hope is to connect their line of thinking to the line of thinking that birthed this great country. I have always been particularly interested in the attempt to link the current conservative philosophy with that of the Federalist. And the most famous federalist is Alexander Hamilton. «Read the rest of this article»

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