They say fences make good neighbors, but around Neely’s Bend School, a fence has confused many community members.
A resident who chooses not to be identified tells Messed Up that a fence was constructed this past fall directly across a popular walking track behind the elementary school. The fence stretches approximately 100 yards and cuts the walking track in two.
Messed Up goes to the school system and this is what Communication Director Olivia Brown told us:
“There is a walking track that’s been there for years. It is maintained by the school. There was a change of ownership in neighboring property last year, and the new owner contacted schools late in the fall and said that track was on his property, and he was concerned of liability if someone was injured on the track. So to answer his concerns, the district erected a fence to keep kids from straying over.”
Brown says the fence was put up with the idea that this spring the track would be reconfigured so that it completes a circuit all on school property.
When told of this, the resident told Messed Up he is pleased and looks forward to using the track when the weather warms up.
Nashville is known around the world as Music City.
To promote that concept in a new and innovative way, the convention and visitors bureau challenged the city to come up with something that would cost the tax payers little while at the same time exposing each citizen to a highly recognizable and singularly Nashville brand.
Public Works PIO Gwen Hopkins explains the genesis of the project:
“4 years ago, Public Works Director Billy Lynch thought it would be a good idea to provide, some music at downtown locations. Since Nashville is Music City, we began working with the Convention and Visitors Bureau and the country music hall of fame to create music boxes. Traffic engineers rewired the signal boxes so music plays out o them and it is no cost to do it. We started with maybe 3 locations on Church Street, with the redevelopment project. The convention and visitors bureau wanted to add more locations, so we did. We recently, added the Deadrick Street boxes when we did the street scape project that we finished in October. The idea was to provide a more pleasant environment for workers, visitors, and to make the downtown atmosphere more inviting. We experimented with public service announcements to promote city events and welcome people here, and encourage them to use litter receptacles. The response has been overwhelmingly positive. Early on, we did get some complaints from residents downtown and every time we did get a volume complaint we would adjust it so it is not distracting.”
According to Hopkins-Glascock, there are now 12 music boxes in the downtown corridor. Each box plays music relevant to the attraction it is near. Country Music plays at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Classical music plays at the Schermerhorn. Show tunes play around TPAC.
Regardless of where the music boxes are, for the next few weeks, all boxes are playing holiday music.
All the boxes are playing music except one. Until further notice, Box number 12, at the corner of Charlotte and 6th is silent.
Why?
Because state office workers in the Rachel Jackson Building complained repeatedly.
“The music has become such a distraction that we can no longer use the corner conference room for anything other than storage,” the administrative assistant reportedly writes city leaders
Hopkins says the box volume has been lowered several times, and each time officer workers complained.
To be a good neighbor, Hopkins-Glascock says the Public Works Department decided to turn the speaker off.
“We certainly don’t want to disrupt a business day for anyone. We thought we would change the time, and turn on the boxes only at night when the buildings were closed from 7-9pm, but constant complaints from same office came in so we unplugged that box.”
Messed UP tries to get the office worker’s side of the story, but a representative tells us that nobody in the office will discuss the matter.
While video taping a box across from the Country Music Hall of Fame, I encounter a man named Sean Grayowl. The man originally from South Dakota tells me he is in town visiting his daughter.
Grayowl tells me that Nashville is Music City. When informed of the pressure to mute the music, he tells me this:
“What you are talking about is crazy. When you are on the corner, what better way to experience music. It is crazy they are turning it down.”
We pause for a moment letting a Christmas song fill the air.
He smiles.
“It makes me feel good. It gives me a good Christmas spirit. For me personally, I love the music and wish it would be on the corners. It’s a lot better than buses and trucks.
I asked if the box might be turned back on. Hopkins-Glascock says if enough tax payers wanted it, it would be considered.
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Here’s something that’s less Messed Up but definitely a little bit weird.
Available for your bidding pleasure:
A custom made grill. No not the kind you throw steaks on, the kind that you put in your mouth.
That’s right, available through Metro Government’s auction web site: a decorative 10K gold grill complete with “genuine blue topaz stones.”
A certified appraiser estimates the value at $349.00, but as of this writing the highest bid is a scant $63.00.
Perhaps the thought of the grill being inside the mouth of convicted drug felon Victor Lamont Owens has something to do with the low bid.
Metro Police confirm that the grill was confiscated as part of a drug forfeiture in 2005. At the time, authorities say Owens was 18. How old this ornate grill is? Unknown.
Mr. Owens is currently in jail where use of a grill for either steaks or teeth is not immediately needed.
If you want to bid on this and other exciting property go to Metro’s eBid site and place your bid.
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