Roll Up the Sidewalks and Say Good Bye

It's official. We are shutting this blog down. Oh, don't worry. We aren't abandoning you! We're moving to a new, spiffy site!

But first, let's take care of some business. "I'm Just Sayin'" won this week's photo scavenger hunt! You'll need to email me separately to let me know which movie you want (I'll send you a list) and how to get it. Thanks, Michael for your comments about the Farmer's Market idea (but I think we're trying to steal it from Smyrna!) (Shhhh...). :) I invite all of you who've commented today to consider "saying it again" at the new site because we transferred our posts before your comments were made. Comment! Isn't that a funny word when you write it a gazillion times?

Meanwhile, please come visit us at our new home. We hope you bookmark the page and visit frequently.

It's here: http://thisislavergne.wordpress.com.

Our email for this site and the new one is: lavergneblog@gmail.com

Photo Scavenger Hunt

Time again for another photo scavenger hunt - and this one should be oh-so-easy! So much so that I'm not even going to give a single little clue! First one to guess (contributing authors not eligible) wins a really bad movie on a really bad dvd!



And congratulations to CHB who won the last search. Since he/she never came forward to claim the prize, we'll just have to keep it in the prize cache! The location, by the way, was the creek that's mostly dry when you go across the little bridge on Fergus Road (heading toward Lake Forest, it's on the right).

Prayers Needed

Please keep the students, faculty, friends, and families of Virginia Tech students in your prayers. A gunman has killed at least 22 people on campus, and 21 wounded (as reported live on CNN Headline News).

Here are some links to follow this tragic story.

Load of News from the City

Water shut off rules change in La Vergne

To sign up for La Vergne City Water/Sewer service, residents and business owners must come to La Vergne City Hall, 5093 Murfreesboro Road. The Water/Sewer Service office is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. They are closed Saturday and Sunday.

An application consisting of the following must be filled out: Resident’s and spouse’s (if applicable) name, address, social security number, driver’s license number, place of employment.

A service fee of $50 for residential and $75 for commercial/business accounts is required when the resident/business owner applies for the service.

Residents purchasing a new home must also bring a copy of the “Certificate of Occupancy,” given to them by their builder. They also need a Settlement Statement for a new home or an existing home. Renters must bring a copy of their lease agreement.

There is a $25 returned check charge.

We no longer send out final notices prior to the water being shut off. There is a $25 charge for water being turned off for non-payment. It can be turned on after hours (4:30 p.m.) by calling 793-5932.

However, it costs an $25 additional fee to have this done. If they have it turned on after hours, they MUST come to the Water Department in City Hall by 9 a.m. the next day or service will be turned back off. The second time the service is turned off, it will not be restored until payment is made.

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The Old Timers' Day T-shirt design contest has been opened up to all residents of Rutherford County. We had originally only opened it up to La Vergne residents, but haven't gotten much response as of yet, so any resident of Rutherford County is welcome to apply.

The Old Timers' Day Committee is looking for Rutherford County residents who have a knowledge of graphic arts to design the 2007 Old Timers' Day T-shirt. The winner will receive a $150, a plaque, five T-shirts in their choice of sizes and a bundle of City of La Vergne/Old Timers' Day ad specialty items. The second and third place winners will receive a plaque. The contest is sponsored by Tee Gees Restaurant, located on Murfreesboro Road in La Vergne.

The T-shirts will be gray this year and the official Old Timers' Day logo must be used within the design. The theme for this year's event is "Looking Toward the Future." The design will be placed across the front of the T-shirts, which are given to the sponsors and sold at the festival. The artwork must not be larger than 10.5" x 10.5" and Red, White and Blue must be the colors used in this year's design. No obscene material will be accepted.

The creator of the design gives up all rights when submitting the artwork. The winning artist, as well as the second and third place entrants will be recognized at the festival.

In 2006, all of the T-shirts were either given to sponsors (in exchange for their sponsorship) or sold to members of the public. This year, approximately 300 T-shirts will be made, using the winning design. The T-Shirts will be sold at the festival for $5 for S-XL and $6.50 for 2X and $7.50 for 3X.

The logo can be e-mailed to the designer. Write Angie Mayes at amayes@lavergne.org or call her at 287-8690 for a copy of the logo or for more information.

We will only accept computer-generated art, preferably as an Adobe Illustrator or Freehand (done a computer). Designers must supply a hard copy of the artwork as well with the artist's name on the backside only.

A CD of the design, along with a hard copy, should be mailed to Angie Mayes, Old Timers’ Day coordinator, 5093 Murfreesboro Road, La Vergne, TN 37086 or drop it off at 294 Sand Hill Road (behind Veteran’s Memorial Park) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Deadline for the design is 4 p.m. on June

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The City of La Vergne's Old Timers' Day committee is looking for 3-5 members of the community or city employees who are willing to judge entries for the Old Timers' Day T-shirt design contest.

The tentative design meeting will take place Saturday, June 2 at 10 a.m. at the Parks and Rec Department, 294 Sand Hill Road. For more information, see this blog (under April announcements) or call Chairman Angie Mayes at 287-8690 or 207-4678 (M-F, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.).

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The City of La Vergne is looking for volunteers for boards and committees. The openings are as follows:

One person is needed for the Board of Zoning Appeals (BOZA).
Two people are needed for the Employee Review Board.
Two people are needed for the Greenway Advisory Committee.
Two people are needed for the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee.
Three people are needed for the Senior Citizens Advisory Committee.

To apply, please stop by City Recorder Bruce Richardson's office in La Vergne City Hall, 5093 Murfreesboro Road, La Vergne. His number is 793-6295. His office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

JL Kirk v. Coble Roundup

I just found this article via Newscoma that was published in the Nashville City Paper. It’ s a very interesting read about how the big law firm retained by JL Kirk Associates and the company itself is trying to stifle Katherine Coble’s written experiences she and her husband had with the headhunting company. Bill Hobbs has an outstanding roundup here.

I think one of the most interesting things is that Coble’s attorney said a blog is not responsible for the comments made by others to the blog. That said, I personally feel an obligation to not allow comments (as we all know!) that reads as a personal attack on someone. Now if that someone was to comment in person and start the whole thing, that’s a whole ‘nother can of worms. Anyway, go read what’s going on in the world of blogs.

Brandon Home

Brandon is back home in La Vergne for now. He remains very ill, however, and is back on the transplant list. Read the Daily News Journal here, and please keep Brandon and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

School Daze...

This week begins the dreaded TCAP tests, but below is a listing of some of the more enjoyable activities coming up in our schools!

At Cedar Grove, overall grade level winners will be featured during the Cedar Grove Cabaret Night on May 22nd! Also included will be performances by the Cedar Grove Singers, Recorder Club, Drama Club, and Talent Show participants!

La Vergne Primary School will hold dental exams beginning April 23. Also, K exit exams will take place May 7 - 11.

At Roy Waldron (and probably all schools in town) report cards come out on April 18. Also, April 26 is Awards Day at the school.

At Rock Springs Elementary, the Spring Fling Carnival will take place May 4. Everyone is invited. They will also be having their Rockin' Idol contest the same evening. A craft fair will being held in the gym the night of the carnival. Call 904-3820 if you are interested in having a booth at the craft fair.

La Vergne Middle School offers free before school tutoring. Call the school for more information.

At Rock Springs Middle, the Spring Dance will take place April 20. School pictures will be taken on the 26th and the Knight Hike will take place on the 27th. After April 30, the cafeteria will no longer accept checks.

At the High School, The 'Rine Scene 101 for rising freshmen will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 27 at the LHS Gym. Cost is $5. This is an interactive workshop for rising freshman at Lavergne High School. Hosted by the LHS Student Council and sponsored by LHS Administration and Faculty.

The day’s events will focus on how to make the most of your high school experience through academic preparation, community involvement, good social habits and positive goal setting. Music, prizes, food and fun will be interspersed throughout this action packed day.

Don’t miss out on this chance to prepare for the best years of your life with students who are successful now. Welcome to the 'Rines' Scene!

For more information, contact the school at 793-3515 or check the school's web site: http://www.lhs.rcs.k12.tn.us/rinesscene/Rine%27sScene101.doc.

Information courtesy of Angie Mayes at Living in La Vergne, Tennessee.

Farmers Market Anyone?

I read about a month or so ago that Smyrna is working to get a Farmer's Market. I'd like to see one in LaVergne, too! I know there are several homeowners near me who put up signs during the summer offering to sell veggies and I think one actually goes somewhere once a week to sell. Another home owner usually puts up a "Free!" sign on a table when they have an overabundance.

The PERFECT spot would've been where the old Clayton Mobile Home sales center used to be, but of course that's all blocked up with big barriers now to keep the semis from parking there. It could be placed in that little park next to the creek which I think is owned by the neighborhood association (maybe they'd allow it if enough paperwork and legal docs were signed). Heck, it could even be in the parking lot of the Civic Auditorium.

In addition, you could pick just one or two days to have it open like the place I used to live and maybe only in the summer. The city could sell inexpensive permits to operate, maybe $100 for a month or $30 for one week for the local folks who are unable to do it every single week. Products could range from home grown stuff to flowers or herbs.

I think it would be a wonderful success and could really help build community.

Escapee Found in La Vergne

An escapee was apprehended in La Vergne after police saw his car in an apartment parking lot on Barnett Street. Read the Daily News Journal article here.

Sales Tax Holiday

I saw on KnoxViews that Tennessee has a sales tax holiday coming up this month! Go here to read what products are tax exempt! Happy shopping.

Terms of Use

This is a weblog, run by regular people. The opinions expressed here in posts solely represent the views of the individual authors and not those of their employers.

This blog site is published by and reflects the personal views of the authors, in their individual capacities. It does not represent the views of their employer, and is not sponsored or endorsed by them, nor by the city. The purpose of this blog site is, quite honestly, a tool for their own enjoyment, but no representation is made about the accuracy of the information. The information contained in this blog site is provided only as general information for entertainment purposes for the bloggers' amusement, and blog topics may or may not be updated subsequent to their initial posting.

Things a reader of LaVergne, TN should know:

* If you don’t like some snark, or moments of honesty as we perceive them, you might want to move along.
* We try to keep it family-friendly, but sometimes we don’t because there are times we're in a foul mood. If you don’t like what the authors are talking about or how we're saying it, there are 50 million other blogs on the innertubes. Go check them out and then come back if you so choose. We’d love to see you again.
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Them there, my friends, are the rules. You don’t have to agree. It’s our blog. Discuss civilly.

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Many thanks to Newscoma for her advice and her text regarding this Terms of Use.

Thanks for coming by.

No More Anonymous

UPDATE: We have taken the advice of one reader and have again allowed "anonymous" comments. However, the comments will now be moderated to protect people in the community from defamation of character, and against libelous and slanderous comments. Personal attacks against people will not be tolerated. Call it censorship all you want. If you want to attack someone and risk your own lawsuit, then you are encouraged to join millions of other folks by starting your own blog. Meanwhile, we hope our regular readers who are not involved in this saga continue to visit us! If not, we'll surely miss you.

Ya'll. We want open discussion, lively conversation on this blog, but not at the risk of calling other people names and ranting wildly. There was a very nasty anonymous comment made this morning (which has been deleted, and then I deleted the edited one because the person who it was directed at could still be identified) directed at a member of our community.

As a result, I've made the unilateral decision to no longer allow "anonymous" comments. If you want to say something (and we do welcome your thoughts), then you can't do it hidden behind non persona status. If you have something to say, step up to the plate and say it. No more sneaking around throwing darts at people. Sorry it had to come to this, but if you can't stand behind your words, you don't need to be saying them.

And no name-calling, please. It's ridiculous that "anonymous" felt something positive would come of flinging crap at someone. Time to grow up.

It's kind of ironic that we have to shut down "anonymous" in the same week we applaud the right to free speech. I do see a distinction, though, in having your opinion heard and attacking someone.

Open House this Sunday

I'm helping an agent in my office out this Sunday by hosting an open house on one of her listings. If you're in the housing market or you know someone who is, please stop by 302 Davids Way between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. on Sunday. It's a beautiful home with lots of upgrades! There are so many lovely places to live in La Vergne and this one is definitely one of them! Some photos:


Notice the privacy fence in the back, all brick (with some wood), level yard, two car garage.








I love this living room. Neutral colors, fireplace, bright.



Here's the real winner... this kitchen with the black appliances is very pretty. I like having a pantry (see to the right of the stove) ... very nice.



A formal dining room is huge!



PLUS a breakfast nook.



PLUS a bonus room!



(See, I told you this house is beautiful!)

Finally, a view of the back yard!



Come by and say hello! And don't forget about the lender I know whose company is offering $5,000 toward closing costs (while supply lasts - probably mid-May). I received a phone call earlier this week about this offer, but never heard back from the caller. Let me know if you want more info because this won't last long.

And for your added info, here's a quick guesstimate... to buy a home for $110,000, your payment would be around $785 p/month (includes tax and insurance). So to buy a home for $200,000, it would be around $1400'ish. And there are plenty of other homes out there! Right now, we have 381 homes on the market in La Vergne. Lowest price is $31,500 on Old Jefferson Pike and the highest is $485,900 in Hampton Estates.

BUMP Don't Forget Rabies Vaccine

I feel it is so very very important for pet owners to have their animals vaccinated against rabies that I wanted to bump this back toward the top of this blog. THIS WEEK (through Saturday), local veterinarian offices are offering rabies vaccines for $10 p/shot. It's incredibly easy to do!

We took our two dogs (Libby and Cocoa) on Tuesday. We drove up to the LaVergne Veterinary Clinic with our leashed dogs. A lovely lady was sitting at a table outside. She gave the dogs their shots, then we filled out the paperwork. $20. No tax. They have their rabies tags now. And most importantly, they're safe in case a wild animal gets in our back yard and they tangle.

DON'T FORGET!

When You Try to Control Free Speech

Our sweet little blog here in La Vergne has sometimes faced controversy, from people telling other commenters to "Shut up." and saying this site is too negative blah blah blah. But we have many many times advocated the right to free speech, have encouraged conversation, the flow of ideas, and interaction with our community leaders and residents. We deeply appreciate our constitutional rights to voice our opinions, to share our triumphs and tragedies.

But (and you'll probably be seeing this in the news very soon), a middle Tennessee company has taken steps to stop free speech from one of the most eloquent bloggers in our area. See, her husband lost his job and accepted an invitation to meet with JL Kirk Associates, an employment agency that charges employment fees IN ADVANCE of helping someone find a job... (apparently this is not commonplace among headhunters). They require the spouse to attend the interview so they know they'll have full familial support etc. Katherine Coble wrote about her experience with the company and her little post was well on the way to being noted, but forgotten, as most posts generally are.

But JL Kirk didn't let free speech rest. An employee wrote a very long comment attacking Katherine Coble and posted information that most people would have considered confidential in the comment. Kat replied to the comments and a prairie dog affect began (little heads popping up to check things out). Then it got ugly ugly ugly with a capital U.

JL Kirk sent Katherine Coble an official "cease and desist" letter threatening legal action if she didn't remove her post about the company and all related comments (including, by the way, the official from the company who inexplicably commented).

Nashville is Talking picked up the story. So did Newscoma. Instapundit. Bill Hobbs. Aunt B. The Knoxville News-Sentinel. Home-Ec 101. Blogs in South Carolina. Politician Bob Krumm. Did I mention that the company has already started a new word? When you've "Kirked" something, you've screwed up in a major way. And the list goes on: Say Uncle, Smiffster, Toys in the Attic, Salems Lots, the best librarian ever (Women's Health News), and the wonderful Lynnster. Also our local girl Ginger posted.

So let this serve as a reminder that free speech is an honored, almost-sacred right in this glorious nation. Be careful what you say, but always remember that you have the right to speak your opinion. Your voice matters.

UPDATE: The story continues to grow. Google now has over a million hits when JL Kirk is typed, including reports from the Better Business Bureau about the company. Seriously, people need to be aware of the power of the Internet when taking a stand that appears to be "bullying." I seriously wonder if the company will survive this Internet typhoon.

La wsuits Come and Go

The woman who was pulled over in January for a traffic citation and ended up being pulled out of her car, allegedly kicked and thrown to the ground also says she suffered a miscarriage because of the incident. As a result, she has filed a million dollar lawsuit against the city of La Vergne and the arresting officer (who no longer works for the city). Read about it in today's Daily News Journal here.

In other news, Mayor Ronnie Erwin was not indicted by a grand jury on simple assault after a former county commission candidate said he "grabbed her right arm while attempting to take an envelope from her," according to the DNJ. You can find that article here.

Vendors Wanted for Upcoming Event

From the city:

Participants are needed for the 2007 National Night Out, scheduled for Aug. 7 at Veteran's Memorial Park in La Vergne.

"We are looking for vendors who want to display their safety-related items such as locksmiths, lock and deadbolt sales people and alarm companies," said Co-coordinator Angie Mayes. "The vendors are not allowed to sell items during the event -- which is from 6 - 10 p.m. -- but are welcome to display their items for future sales."

We are also looking for entertainment -- such as the karate classes in La Vergne or radKids, which is a children's self-empowerment class, sponsored by the La Vergne Police Athletic League.

PAL wil also have a booth at the event, as will the La Vergne Rescue Squad, Box 100 and various groups from the La Vergne Police Department such as their Special Operations Group (SOG).

Anyone interested in being a part of this year's event is asked to call Mayes at 287-8690.

Blood Drive at High School

La Vergne High School is sponsoring a blood drive and needs your help! They don't want to be "out-donated" by a certain other neighboring school, so adult volunteers are needed! Here's the snip from the LHS PTO Prez:

Recently Smyrna High School held a Blood Drive at their school. There was a write-up in the DNJ about what a great job donating blood the Smyrna High student body did. Well, we all know that our LHS Wolverines will not be out done. Parents please support your children in this effort.

The American Red Cross Blood Drive will be held at LHS on Wednesday April 11, 2007. Parents are needed between the hours of 8:00 am & 1:00 pm. If your schedule allows, we'd love to have your help for the entire Drive or an hour or two. Any amount of your time would be appreciated. If you have questions please contact Betty Gray @ 459-0349 or Pam Furlong @ 459-3370/268-5488.

Come on La Vergne! Go give some love - give your blood to a very worthy cause. And let's hope that it won't be someone we know and love who needs to use it (but be happy it's there if they do).