Arson in Smyrna

Looks like Smyrna has an arsonist.

On Saturday May 25, 2013 5:10 pm, the Smyrna Fire and Police Departments responded to a Barn fire on Lee Victory Parkway near the Almaville road and Publix shopping center. The Barn was fully engulfed when units arrived and was a total loss. The Barn was valued at $15,000 dollars. The fire was investigated and found to be Arson.

On Thursday May 30, 2013 at 9:38 pm, Police and Fire units responded to 401 Almaville road in reference to a large round bale of Hay being on fire. The fire was quickly put out and it was also determined to be Arson.

Both fires were in close proximity to each other and may have been set by the same person(s). The Smyrna Police Department is currently investigating both fires and ask for the public to call if they saw any one in the area of either fire. Please contact Detective Rick Hall at 615-267-5012.

Shootout in Smyrna

At 11:40 am the police released a press statement that read.

On May 19th, 2013 at approximately 7:53pm the Smyrna Police Department was notified of a possible shooting in the area of Mason Tucker Drive and Sam Ridley Parkway. Shortly after that Stone Crest Hospital contacted the police department and stated they had a victim of a gunshot wound in their emergency room. 

Detectives have been able to piece together that earlier in the night Mr. Cordarius Johnson, age 22, of Smyrna was sitting in his vehicle with his girlfriend at Hilltop-Rosenwald Park in Smyrna when two black males entered his back seat and demanded Mr. Johnson’s and his girlfriend’s money and cell phones. A crowd that was at the park began to move towards the vehicle which caused the two suspects to flee to a white Ford Escort which was parked at the park. 

Mr. Johnson stated that he left the park in his vehicle to go to his home to retrieve his handgun, to which he is a licensed permit holder in the state of Tennessee. Mr. Johnson stated that he drove his vehicle towards Sam Ridley Parkway on Mason Tucker Drive when he pulled up next to the suspects in the white Ford Escort. 

Mr. Johnson claims that someone in the vehicle began shooting at him and that he returned fire from his handgun. He then later came to the Smyrna Police Department to report he had been involved in this situation. The individual shot was Tazarius Leach, age 21, of Lavergne. There are several conflicting stories from parties involved in this and detectives are still investigating the case. When there are more details to report we will gladly update you on those.

A shootout in Smyrna in a residential area is not good, and I am disappointed that a certified gun permit holder went to get a gun and returned. Deescalating a situation is always best.  

A reminder that Free is good

Remember that there are times tomorrow that the Sam Davis home is free due to the Free Days in May program that several Rutherford County tourist sites are taking part in.

May 18, 2013 – Free Day in May
The Sam Davis Home joins other tourist sites of Rutherford County for a day of free admission. The Sam Davis Home will be open from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. for visitors interested in walking through the Middle Tennessee Civil War History Museum and the historic Sam Davis Home. Guides throughout the home will be dressed in period clothing.  Please contact the Sam Davis Home at (615) 459-2341 or visit www.samdavishome.org for more information.

Smyrna Senior Citizen Center

The Smyrna Senior Citizen Center is having an everything sale and a silent auction on May 18th. If you can make plans on being there and meetings some great people.

Day Into Night

Day Into Night, a photo by Tom Frundle Photography on Flickr.

This is one of the end of the Airport and the detail due to it being HDR is superb.

Daisy after the rain

Daisy after the rain, a photo by susanc59 on Flickr.

A flower in Smyrna

Foggy Morning1

Foggy Morning1, a photo by iknowdatsright on Flickr.

Foggy Morning in Smyrna

Reminder for the 42nd Days on the Farm

Tomorrow and Friday the Sam Davis home is putting on a living history event. Drag your kidws there and expose them to the sunlight. It will not kill them. Honest.

The Sam Davis home is hosting their 42nd Days on the Farm. This living history event shows you how life was during the days before Gameboy...or even electricity. Your kids will like this if you can get them away from the television.

42nd Days on the Farm
May 9 and 10, 2013
Where can you find pigs in a pen, a blacksmith making tools, and a spinner who shows how wool is transformed into yarn?  You can find all that and more at the 42nd Annual Days on the Farm hosted by the Sam Davis Home on May 9th and 10th.  Days On The Farm will feature more than 20 demonstrations including how to make candles from hot wax and how soap was made from pig fat and lye.  With hands-on activities, find out what life was like as a Civil War soldier and how quilts were made to keep people warm during the cold winter months.  After you tour the historic home and visit the museum exhibits, stop by the gift shop to pick up a reproduction historical toy or some old-fashioned candy sticks.  All are welcome and encouraged to bring a picnic lunch and enjoy it under the trees while out on the grounds of this historic plantation.  Event hours are 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.  Admission is $5 per person.  Reservations are recommended for groups of 10 or more.  This is a weather dependent event.  Please contact the Sam Davis Home at (615) 459-2341 for more information.

Maps 1940 style

In 1940 Smyrna was still small as the airport had not started to be built yet, and at the time we had several small neighbor communities. These communities are no longer there, but if you look closely at tree lines and check old maps, you can see the foot print left behind by the ghost.

The 1940 US census had the following map made to go along with it. This first image is the general area that is now Smyrna. So sparcly populated that each individual building could be marked on the map. Shocking when viewed from today.

Zooming in on the Smyrna area you can see how small it is. Sadly someone in the past circled the downtown, such as it was, so some details are lost. Note that under the large O on the left is where the intersection of Rock Spring road and Old Nashville highway is currently.

If you look the first map, on the right side you will see one of these neighbor communities called 'Jefferson'. Some use the name 'Old Jefferson' when talking about it. It was purchased entirely by the TVA/State and became part of the Percy Priest lake/Corp of Engineer land...and destroyed wholly.

If you look closely at the image below you can see where this town once was.  You can see where 'Old Jefferson Pike' enters from the left and crosses over to connect with the road now called Central Valley Road. Central Valley Road shots off to the South East. If you click on the image you can see where the tree line is that was part of the road heading south that connected to Florence Rd. 

That's it. All that remains of the community of Jefferson. The same community that some of our old Mayors were going to when they stole watermelons. I find it odd that a whole community can be erased. People here drive by it daily on the way to and from work and no one knows that the curve in the road used to go straight, or that where the trees along the river bank was a church once stood full of worshiping people.

Mobile Health Unit for May

The Mobile Health Unit Collaborative is a reflection of MTMC's Mission which calls us to "improve the health of individuals and communities" and to have "special attention to the poor and the vulnerable." This Collaborative effort helps achieve access to health care, helping overcome barriers and obstacles. MTMC, as a faith-based institution, is motivated by the principles of Human Dignity and the Common Good. These same principles are shared by our collaborative partners: The Guidance Center, Primary Care & Hope Clinic, Saint Thomas Corporate and Community Medicine, and Saint Thomas Emergency Services and Event Medicine. The Mobile Health Unit is in service four days per week. We are available to serve during these hours of operation, and we are happy to answer questions at any time.


Guidance Center:
Thursday, May 2nd:  Bradley, 8 - 12
Wednesday, May 8th:  Smyrna Middle, 8 - 12
Thursday, May 16th:  Bradley, 8 - 12
Thursday, May 23rd:  Wherry Housing, 8 - 12

Primary Care & Hope Clinic:

Friday, May 3rd:  Bradley, 8 - 12
Thursday, May 9th:  John Pittard, 8 - 11:30
Tuesday, May 14th:  Stewarts Creek Middle, 8 - 12
Friday, May 17th:  Bradley, 8 - 12
Tuesday, May 21st:  Siegel Middle, 8 - 12