Happy Birthday, Blog

Our friends at the Smyrna blog posted a happy birthday wish to sister blog Lavergne-Tn. Why thank you Gunner! It was one year ago in February (actually early February) that we put up our first post about how the town got it's name.

Here's hoping for another year of interesting discussion, sharing of ideas, and celebrating what's best about LaVergne.

LaVergne Teachers Honored

The "Well Done Award" this week recognizes outstanding teachers selected for "Teacher of the Year" at their respective schools. Congratulations to the following instructors whose students come (in part or in whole) from LaVergne:

Cedar Grove Elementary School
Lea Crockarell

LaVergne Middle School
Lori Scott

LaVergne Primary School
Tammy Houck

Rock Springs Elementary School
James Morris Hamby, III

Rock Springs Middle School
Richard Reed

Roy Waldron School
Melanie Jones

I haven't had the pleasure of meeting all these teachers, but I will say that Melanie Jones is OUTSTANDING. When I served as president of Roy Waldron Elementary School's PTO a couple of years ago, she and her family were there at every school-related event after the close of the school day. She has made countless bags of popcorn, served as teacher liaison on the PTO board, always has an amazing, cheerful attitude, and is well-loved by students and parents alike.

In addition, my daughter now has Lori Scott for reading and she adores the class. The amount of reading a child does seems directly proportionate with how well a child does in school, so parents please make your children read. If they don't like reading, then take 20 or 30 minutes every day to sit down and read with or to them. Ms. Scott is another teacher who deserves the accolades given through this honor.

Congratulations to all the teachers in LaVergne who were recognized! We're proud of you and we want you to know how much we appreciate your hard work with our children! If you personally know any of the teachers named above, please comment and we will update this post so they too can have a personal testament to their hard work.

Baggy Pants + MP3 Player = Gun Scare

An article was published today in the DNJ that the alleged gun students thought they saw at LaVergne High School this weekend was actually an MP3 player tucked in a student's pants. In his baggy pants. Read about the student's vindication here. I'm glad to read that the school does not now have to search him every day when he arrives, but do believe the school initially did the right thing in sending him home for the day. I know the parents must be terribly upset, but after reading about the incidents at Paducah, Columbine, and the kindergardeners slaughtered in Scotland, you just can't take chances like that with our kids.

Which brings us around to the whole baggy pants thing that we see kids wearing these days. I feel like such an old fuddy-duddy, but I HATE that look. I truly don't get it. It looks beyond ridiculous - it looks stupid, clownish, and is such a poor reflection about the intelligence of the dudes who wear them. Of course, this is my opinion and I'm completely uncool, not down with it, etc. I just want to run up behind the boys (and yes I mean boys because no man, no real man, would do this) and yank their pants down. Instead, I turn away laughing. Yes, laughing. And I sometimes say, "Your pants are falling down" and my daughters hide their faces embarrassed to be seen with me. But they can't explain the look either.

Are the baggy pants a "gang" thing? Is it a rap thing? Is it peer pressure? I guess I'm lucky to have daughters because I'm afraid I'd have to take away the right to choose from my son if I had one and he chose that look.

Blogger Meeting This Saturday

From our sister site This is Smyrna, TN, we learn that the monthly Middle Tennessee Blogger and Podcaster Meeting is this Saturday, February 24th at Espresso Joe's in Smyrna. The meeting is open to those who blog from this area, those who read blogs, and those who just like coffee and want to meet some interesting people. The host and hostess (Michael and Michelle) give everyone the opportunity to speak about what's on their minds and the recording is later posted as a podcast so listeners from across the world can enjoy the seriousness and laughs.

Speaking of the Smyrna blog, they have invited their elected officials to begin writing columns. I want to extend the same invitation to our LaVergne leaders, as well as to others in our community. If you have something to say about LaVergne, please contact me at ktyson(at)realtracs(dot)com and we can set you up! I'd like to see more interaction on this website with our residents, public officials, city leaders (school principals, business owners, etc.).

I've Not Seen Any

I keep hearing about gang activity in LaVergne (especially the Lake Forest area and at the high school), but I haven't seen any. My daughter attends LHS and she hasn't seen any. Are we just living with our heads in the sand? Are we that ignorant about what to watch for? Here's an article in today's DNJ about it (again!).

Library Email Notification

I read in today's Daily News Journal that the Linebaugh Library will begin sending email notifications when a book someone has reserved becomes available. My wish is that the outstanding LaVergne Library folks set one of these up for schmucks like me who always have overdue books... just a friendly reminder that your book is due this week (or last week).

Here's the article.

LHS Situation

LaVergne High School students experienced a lock-down yesterday morning when a handful of classmates reported that they had sighted another student with a gun. With a daughter at that school, I asked what happened. She told me the same thing that has been reported in the news, then handed me a letter from school officials explaining the same thing.

No gun was found on the student nor in his locker, and the school assures everyone that he and his locker will be searched daily until the end of the school year. If I were the student, I may be upset but as a parent I hope he understands that the safety of the entire school population must be paramount. I also wonder if the student is already at-risk for the school to announce that he will be searched daily.

I want to give "Well Done!" recognition to the school for quickly reacting to the potential situation, then clearly communicating to parents what had happened.

How-To for La Vergne Retail

The question has been asked a number of times in the comments section of this blog: What can La Vergne do to get more retail? And city P.R. director Angie Mayes has answered it in the comments section. But it deserves it's own post, so here is Angie's reply to how can LaVergne get more retail:

It takes relationships which are built over a number of years through organizations such as the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). Smyrna didn't get built in a day. Mayor Bob Spivey was out plugging Smyrna long (years) before the first chain came to town. We in La Vergne have the people 65,000+ in a 5-mile radius (one of the rings the retailers look at) as well as a household income of more than $55,000 (which -- at last count -- was higher than Smyrna's). Our Economic Development Council is working on getting retail to town (and not just chinese or mexican restaurants -- we have a full sitdown restaurant, bar opening next to Kum Sung in Madison Square Blvd in the Spring). The Mayor (Ronnie Erwin) and Vice Mayor and Economic Development Chairman (Jerry Gann) will both be meeting with the retail movers and shakers at the Spring ICSC conference in May. If you have any more questions, please call Mr. Gann at 566-5517. He'll be glad to explain it to you.

La Vergne Shunned

I've heard that Smyrna is getting a newspaper and was happily supportive of the idea UNTIL I heard more today. The Smyrna Courier should debut on March 7th and is the product of the Tennessean / Daily News Journal publishers. It is not the Smyrna/La Vergne Courier. As such, it will not be distributed to us unless you have children zoned for Smyrna schools, according to my source. So if you live on the side of LaVergne where your child may attend Cedar Grove or Rock Springs Middle, congratulations. You'll get the paper. But the rest of us are not considered important enough receive a complimentary copy. Why? Because Smyrna has more retail.

I know that LaVergne has had to listen to crap for a LONG time about our lack of retail, but our elected officials are working feverishly to bring it here. And we are seeing progress! PLUS, we do have some outstanding industry here - Ingram, Bridgestone Firestone, etc. (just drive up Waldron Road aka Parthenon). Our population has passed 20,000 people but we don't deserve the newspaper.

My question to those who made the decision to not distribute the newspaper to LaVergne... Do you think we are not newsworthy? Do you think we don't have the financial acumen or muscle to object to this exclusion? If you are a concerned LaVergne resident that we are left out in the cold, please contact fellow LaVergne-dweller Gary Frazier (an editor at the Tennessean) at 278-5155 or 278-6397.

Oh. One more thing. The little hometown I'm from has a population of about 2,000. Even THAT has a weekly newspaper. Why do the decision-makers at the Tennessean/DNJ believe that a community with a population of about 23,000 be unable to support one? Maybe we should start our own and give some competition to their advertising dollars. Who's in?

Police Academy and More

Some interesting activities are coming up in LaVergne and the city is looking for people to be a part of them! Don't forget about the Storm Spotter class. The city offices are closed on Monday for President's Day (MY BAD - they were closed for MLKing day), but you can take in some scrapbooking training:

Scrapbooking with Mellie
Monday, February 19th, 6:00 - 7:30pm
Register by calling 793-7303 ext. 102

Also, This looks like it could be really interesting.

FROM THE CITY: We at the La Vergne Police Department feel good citizen-police interactions and cooperation are necessary for an exceptional quality of life in our community. The way to achieve this goal is through an exchange of ideas and education.

The Citizen Police Academy (CPA) at the La Vergne Police Department is an excellent way to achieve this end. Across the country, this idea has been met with enthusiasm. Our CPA, which takes place 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. each Tuesday for ten weeks, from February 27, 2007 through May 1, 2007.

Attendance is important for your success in the class. There is no cost for the class. Qualifications for CPA attendees are: (1) minimum age of 18, (2) live or work in the city of La Vergne, (3) no prior felony arrests, and (4) no serious misdemeanor arrests. A criminal background investigation is performed concerning all applications to assure that all
participants have not been convicted of any felony or serious misdemeanor crimes.

The CPA will include detailed information on such topics as uniformed patrol, special operations, criminal investigations, youth and criminal law, moot court, and many other interesting areas.

If you feel that you would like to be a part of this cooperative effort between the police department and community, please call 793-7744 or stop by the La Vergne Police Department anytime and pick up an application. Any questions, or application request, can also be addressed to Sergeant Carl McMillen at 287-8616 or e-mail at cmcmillen@lavergne.org

Topics to be Covered

• History of Law Enforcement and the LaVergne Police Department
• Police Administration
• Police Records
• Domestic Violence
• Officer Safety
• Criminal Investigation
• Special Operations Group (Department Tactical Team)
• K-9 Unit
• Traffic Enforcement
• Lethal and Less-Than-Lethal Force
• Narcotics Enforcement Division
• Juvenile Offenders
• Court System
• Traffic Accident Investigation
• Dusting & Lifting Fingerprints
• Building Search Procedures
• DUI Enforcement
• Gangs
• Tennessee Sex Offender Registry
• Tennessee Convicted Felon Registry
• Home Security Survey

Finally, I want to say thanks again to Angie Cullen, the dispatcher who is credited with getting the water turned on for the newly relocated family with an infant. Go to an earlier post to read about it.

Snowy Morning

School wasn't canceled altogether, but it was delayed. Why? This is why.



Looking down Meadowlark Lane.



Looking up Sunward Drive! It was surprising to me that school was only delayed, although the roads ARE perfectly clear now... at least where I live.

Softball Signups

From the city: The La Vergne Parks and Recreation Department will host an organizational meeting for those interested in playing softball at 1:00 p.m. this Sunday (Feb. 18) at the Multi-Purpose Building, behind City Hall (by the ball fields). Anyone interested in playing is invited to attend. For more information, call Michael Tisdell at 793-3224.

Cyber Clock

Check out this waaaaay cool Internet Clock. Just for fun!

Cyber Clock

Host Families Needed

My company is sponsoring Up with People, an organization that offers young adults the opportunity to experience the different people, countries and cultures of the world firsthand while connecting with local communities in a meaningful and impactful way. From across the world, about 50 young adults ranging in age from 18 to 29 are coming to Smyrna and Nashville March 12-19 and will be working at the Wherry Housing on Weakly Lane. We desperately need host families to give them a place to stay, provide meals, and drive to the worksite.

Two Up with People concerts will also be held and host families will receive free tickets. If you are interested in hosting please contact Kathy Tyson at 491-2161 or Butch Roth at 477-8483. Please help - maybe your own children or you will be inspired to be a part of this international phenomenon.

Just the News, No Opinion

I'm linking to a story that appears in today's Daily News Journal about a woman arrested when she refused to sign a speeding ticket. Here it is.

Well Done! Award

I worked with a military family last weekend relocating to this area from Knoxville. He was given orders to report for duty in Smyrna and given three weeks to comply. They were obviously not ready to buy a house, but I was absolutely willing to take the time to show them around the area as they struggled to figure out where they could rent (he's already been to Iraq twice, so it was the least I could do).

Well, they finally found a place to live right here in LaVergne and moved this weekend with their 8-month old baby and young daughter. The landlord had the water turned off, so they called him. He said, "How's that my problem?" What a jerk. This young family was desperate (bottles, etc.) and called me... I did what I could but couldn't pull any magic out of the air for them. But we owe our city's police department a great big thank you because they stepped up to the plate and got an emergency order for the water to be turned on for this sweet family!

The city police department wins this week's (and the first) Well Done! Award. Is there anyone you'd like to nominate? Drop us a note in the comments below and let us know why you're nominating a person, place, or ... um thing?

Bumpy Looking Clouds Make Me Nervous

Now this sounds like it would be a fascinating class! From the desk of LaVergne's prolific PR gal:

The next Storm Spotter Class in La Vergne will take place April 10, 6:00 p.m., Fire Station III, Bill Stewart Blvd. The purpose of this class is to teach individuals how to identify storm clouds, and accurately report current weather conditions to proper authority. The class will teach us what to report and how to report it. We will also receive certification cards for completing the course, with the phone numbers listed when there is a need to report hazardous conditions.

For more information, contact Rick O'Neal, Citizens Police Academy president, 504-4066.

Any takers? Also, I got this note from Angie:

Because of computer server problems during the last week of December, 2006 and the beginning two weeks of January 2007, applications for Old Timers' Day 2007 (Sept. 15) were not received by the City of La Vergne. Anyone who applied during that three-week period is asked to resubmit their application on-line at www.lavergne.org.