Two Questions

Are you coming and whatcha bringin'?

Tomorrow or Today, depending on when you may read this, is the Monthly Middle Tennessee Blogger and Podcaster's Group Meeting. That is Saturday, July 28th at 2:00 PM at Bob Parks Realty in Smyrna, TN.

Kathy T. of This is La Vergne has a special guest for us. We always have a good time. Come on out, make new friends, share some knowledge or gain some. We look forward to your company.

Bob Parks Realty
557 Sam Ridley Pkwy.
Smyrna, TN 37167-5627

We are "supposed" to be bringing a dish, so, if you remember, bring something, will ya?

Ciao!

Smyrna Radio show TODAY!

From Mike Sparks come this news.

The next Smyrna Show which will be aired this thursday July 26th at 3:00 pm from the North Rutherford YMCA. I wll have in attendance State Senators Bill Ketron and Jim Tracey and Lavergne Mayor Ronnie Erwin. I plan on asking them all about illegal immigration and what the potential to get the food sales tax cut.

The show broadcasts on WGNS 1450 am and 100.5 Fm for those who wish to listen.

Smyrna, TN Radio Show This Thursday

Mike Sparks and crew will be having the Smyrna Radio Show tomorrow at 3:00 PM at the North Rutherford YMCA.

In attendance will be State Senators Bill Ketron and Jim Tracey and La Vergne, TN Mayor, Ronnie Erwin. On the agenda are questions regarding illegal immigration, food sales tax.

If you have questions you would like answered, post them now.

This show can be heard on WGNS 1450 AM and 100.5 FM.

MTBPG Meeting Coming

In response to our beloved Michael's question below, it is a pleasure to formally announce the meeting this Saturday at 2:00 p.m. for the Middle Tennessee Bloggers and Podcasters' Group. The meeting will be held in the 2nd floor conference room at my business: Bob Parks Realty, 557 Sam Ridley Drive in Smyrna.

We have invited Alderwoman Senna Mosely from LaVergne to talk about our grassroots efforts (via the blogging community) to start a Beautification Committee in Smyrna's sister city. We'd love for people in Smyrna to also attend to share your experiences with the folks from LaVergne.

We had initially talked about having a potluck and can still do this if enough people are interested. If you'd like to come (and like to have a potluck), please comment below!!

I should really write these things down

Is the July meeting for the Middle Tennessee Bloggers and Podcasters group this Saturday (July 28)?

Or did I miss it last Saturday?

Being a Girl Scout Leader is...

I want so badly to type FUN, but sometimes it’s more challenging than fun. There are so many good things about leading a troop of young ladies. I find there are a lot of different personalities with the girls - some are standoffish, others crave attention. Some are quiet, others are really loud. However, the common thread with all of them is that Girl Scouting is a way for them to excel, explore, laugh, and grow through opportunities they don’t typically find at home.

Last year I took my troop camping in the FREEZING cold. Oh my those girls whined and complained. But guess where they want to go camping again? We heard coyotes howling, we struggled to build a fire, and once we had one we made wishes with “fairy dust” (dry dairy creamer that flames up when you toss in the fire). Here’s another reason to be a Girl Scout leader. Those girls in my troop, ages 11 to 13, wished for things I would never have guessed. One foster girl wanted to find a family to adopt her. Another girl wanted to see her Daddy before he passed away. One just wished her Daddy would come home. I was part of what felt like a magical night, when I could sit down and hear the girls at such an important time in their lives. It’s a memory I will always cherish.

So why am I writing this? I received an email from our service unit manager who is looking for adult volunteers NOW before we go into the schools for recruitment. Here’s what she asks:

GS’s are needing/recruiting adult volunteers as leader’s. I’d like to
secure, orientate, and train some leaders before we go into the schools for
recruitment this year. Last year we had such a difficult time placing
girls due to lack of adult volunteers/troops. Interested adults can email
me (Roxanne) at zringarox (at) bellsouth (dot) net. (Remove the Z,
please) Or, they could call the Smyrna/LaVergne GS Hotline at
355-8873 to leave a message.

If you’d like to volunteer, please contact Mrs. Roxanne at your first opportunity.

Another fast food joint.....

I visited the Wendy's today on Sam Riidley and saw that the land next to them had some foundations already poured and it looks like it might be another fast food joint. I asked the guy at the drive thru window what was being put there and he said he heard several different things. One being the 14 screen movie house, which I don't think it will be because it seems really small for something like that. The other thing he heard was it is going to be another Mcd's. We don't really need another one do we? I would really like to see a Dairy Queen put in myself!

On another note I would like to welcome the new headquarters of Wearwell, They have now opened their new offices and warehouse up over by the airport. Welcome to our great city and hope you enjoy your stay here!

Request for questions

With hat in hand I come before the readers of my blog with a question, and a request that I be forgiven for the lateness of this post. I was supposed to post this last week, but things in my life went from hectic, to frantic.

Here goes.

3pm Thursday of this week the Smyrna radio show will be broadcast from in front of the offices of Smyrna A.M.. In attendence will be Smyrna A.M. editor Taylor Loyal, and 11th district county commissioner Mike Sparks.

Mike would like to answer questions that you have on Smyrna and its future. To get them answered on air please email them to Taylor Loyal by Thursday.

If time allows I'm even going to try to be there.

***tagged to stay at the top till thursday***

Upcoming event

Cynthia McFarland emailed this community event that may be of interest to the horse owners in our fine city.

Chris Cox "Come Ride the Journey" Tour Rolls Into Murfreesboro

(Mineral Wells, TX, June 27, 2007---)After a highly successful launch to his "Come Ride the Journey" tour in 2006, Chris Cox has expanded this year's schedule to include 11 cities around the country. The 2007 tour rolls into Murfreesboro, Tennessee for the weekend of July 21 & 22 at the Tennessee Miller Coliseum.

Chris just won Road to the Horse, the enormously popular colt starting challenge in Murfreesboro, back in March. You've seen him at expos across the country and on his regular RFD-TV program. Don't miss the opportunity to catch this widely respected horseman and clinician up close and personal for two full days of learning, entertainment and inspiration. You'll have the chance to meet Chris during the daily Q&A session and as he signs autographs.

Experience a variety of demonstrations in a casual and relaxed setting as Chris shows how to get results with any horse. His proven methods are easy to understand and effective. Best of all, he makes it possible for everyday horsemen and women to master techniques that can dramatically improve their horsemanship skills and increase their confidence.

In addition to breath-taking advanced horsemanship demonstrations, Chris shows you step-by-step how he starts a young horse. He also uses his down-to-earth training methods to help turn around problem horses. Trailer loading trauma? Chris demonstrates how to load any horse calmly and easily to avoid stress and injury. Saddle horse thinks he's a bronc? Chris takes a local horse with "bucking issues" and shows the crowd, along with the horse's owner, what causes the problem and how to put an end to it.

At just $25, tickets for the two-day weekend tour stops remain an incredible bargain. Tickets are Buy One, Get One Free, making it easy to bring a friend or family member. Seating is general admission. Children 14 and under admitted free with no ticket required. Activities start at 9:00 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday, and conclude at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday and 4:30 p.m. on Sunday.

To purchase advance tickets, visit www.chris-cox.com and click on the 2007 Tour Info button. Demo horses with specific problems are needed in every tour area. If you're interested in submitting your horse for Chris to work with, you'll find this information in the same area on the website.

I think the part I italicised is very important for horse owners.

Child safety

A service of the town of Smyrna might help save your child from harm.

Smyrna Police will host a free seat safety check at Fire hall 1 located across from the Smyrna Public Library. Safety experts will show parents how to properly install child seats. Child safety seats offer more protection to children than any other restraint device. When properly installed and used, child safety seats can dramatically reduce the chance of an injury or death to children when a motor vehicle accident occurs.
The event will be held on July 13th from 9:00AM until 11:00AM.

Movies in the park

The parks and recreation department has on their website information on the next movies in the park.

Movies in the Park will be held again on July 20th at the Rotary Soccer Park (300 on Soccer Way) The soft playgrounds and vendors will begin at 6:30pm. The movie will start at dark (around 8pm)
The cost is $1 per person and an additional $1 per child to play on the soft playgrounds. Although we can't give you the movie title on the website you may call us at 459-9773....

Looks like fun for the family.

Kids driving you nuts?

event over

Small miracles

Small miracles is the best thing to say about what has happened to a bus load of children from our city.

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Kentucky officials are on the scene of a crash with injuries involving a tractor trailer, a passenger car and a bus carrying children from Smyrna.

Officials said the crash happened around noon Monday at the mile marker 13 on I-65, just north of the Kentucky/Tennessee border.

The bus was reportedly carrying children from Smyrna, Tennessee, and headed to Lexington, Kentucky. Officials said the children were from age 8 to early teens.

The word is all of the children are safe.

More here.

New business in Smyrna

The Tennessee state government has announced plans for a new multi-million dollar computer complex in Smyrna.

Tennessee state government’s computer operations are located in a building with a sinking foundation that was built on a flood plain and should be replaced with two separate facilities, state officials say.

Parts of the state’s 20-year-old Data Center near the Capitol are shifting and cracking and the center requires constant monitoring. Some areas are too unstable for storing heavy computer equipment.

State officials said they intend to spend up to $68 million to plan, design and construct two data centers about 25 miles apart in northern Nashville and nearby Smyrna. The replacements would be ready by 2010.

Smyrna is mainly a commuter town for Nashville no matter how you look at it. While there has been a lot of growth in Smyrna, it has mainly been in the service area and not the production area. I hope this is the beginning of a trend for more production and light industry moving in.