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By Brad Durham
Left to right: State Representative Bo Mitchell, Steve Earle and Mayor Freddie O’Connell
A Personal Reflection
My connection to the Grand Ole Opry is a story woven with irony, chance, and profound influence.
The Grand Ole Opry was a place my uncle Hal Durham dedicated four decades of his life to — first as an Emcee at the historic Ryman Auditorium downtown, as Program Director at WSM Radio, and ultimately as General Manager when the new Opry House opened in 1974.
Through my uncle, I was inadvertently introduced to Steve Earle by T-Bone Burnett, an encounter that significantly altered the course of my life. That chance connection opened doors I never anticipated, reaffirming how moments of irony and chance can shape our futures in unexpected and meaningful ways.
The Beginning of a Quest
The idea to organize a benefit concert first took shape in 1986, during my time working at the Multi-Service Center for the Homeless with the Cambridge Department of Human Services. My role was to help place homeless families into permanent housing. At that time, Philip Mangano, the director of the center, had brokered a deal with Harvard University to host a benefit concert at Harvard Stadium.
Around the same period, T-Bone Burnett had just released a new country album, which gave me an idea. Eager to bring high-profile artists to the event, I mentioned this to my uncle, Hal Durham, encouraging him to invite Burnett to the Grand Ole Opry. My ultimate plan was to surprise Burnett at his appearance with a request for him to reach out to Pete Townshend of The Who and other renowned artists, to perform at the benefit concert and help make a difference.
The Irony Unfolds
On September 17, 2025, I was in the audience as Steve Earle was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry — a moment that felt almost surreal. It was on that very stage in 1986 that I first became aware of Steve Earle.
After weeks of persuading my uncle to book T-Bone Burnett, he unexpectedly called one day. He asked if I wanted T-Bone Burnett to appear at the Opry. He said, “If you want him to play, he will. If you don’t, he won’t.” I was stunned by such an offer and quickly said yes, hoping Burnett’s appearance might help us gain access to major acts.
Fast forward to Burnett’s performance at the Opry in 1986. My uncle introduced us backstage. I vividly remember: T-Bone Burnett had asked my uncle why he hadn’t asked Steve Earle to perform at the Opry. At that time, I had no idea who Earle was, but I made a mental note to check out Steve Earle’s music.
That’s Show Business
That night at the Opry, my uncle pointed to Dolly Parton’s sister and said, “See that woman over there? That’s Stella Parton. She’s been asking me to put her on the Opry for six weeks. She asked if Burnett was my nephew.” Clearly, T-Bone Burnett wasn’t as well-known in 1986 as he is today.
Afterward, T-Bone and I went out to eat, and he promised to speak with Pete Townshend and get back to me. Unfortunately, he never returned my calls. That’s show business — you win some, you lose some.
The Dream Became Reality
A few weeks later, I was back in Boston, and to my surprise, Steve Earle was performing at the Paradise Club. I attended his show and was blown away by his performance. He had just released Exit 0, the follow-up to Guitar Town. My curiosity about Steve Earle grew even more after witnessing his live set. I shared my plan to organize a benefit concert for the homeless with him. Without hesitation, he agreed to participate. That moment created a great positive visitation of energy in my life.
Steve Earle profoundly influenced my life. His generosity in performing benefit concerts inspired me to start Fearless Hearts for Homeless Children in Boston. His support turned my dream of using music to help the homeless into reality. Steve’s active participation helped me find my path as an advocate for the homeless.
Left: Steve Earle; Right Hal Durham
Irony and Influence
My Uncle Hal had a major impact on my life. I had the honor of delivering his eulogy, during which I stated he was always the smartest person in the room—though he never needed to prove it. His intelligence shone through naturally, with grace and dignity. He was a steady, rational voice during some of my traumatic early years.
Steve Earle is a passionate and determined man. He has composed many outstanding songs, and on September 17, 2025, the Grand Ole Opry became even better by inducting him as a member.
Last night, two men—Hal Durham and Steve Earle—occupied my thoughts at the Grand Ole Opry. That, truly, is irony.
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Sophomore Pioneer quarterback, Brady Swallows, No. 12, is being pursued by senior Tullahoma defender Jalen Hill as sophomore Pioneer lineman Xavier Simmons attempts to extend his block.
The Warren County High School Pioneers traveled to Tullahoma Friday night and lost 37-0. The Pioneers were down 7-0 at the end of the first quarter, but fell behind 30-0 by halftime. After receiving the opening kickoff to start the second half, Tullahoma started on their 47-yard line and marched 53 yards in two minutes to go up 37-0. Tullahoma’s second-string played the rest of the game.
Going over the numbers can become like rubbing salt in the wounds. For example, the Pioneers have been outscored by 30 points or more in the last five games. The Pioneers need a break, and fortunately, Warren County’s fall break has officially started.
Commenting about a high school team in this situation purely on a football level misses the central theme of high school athletics. What is the central theme, you may ask? Grant Swallows, the Director of Warren County Schools and the quarterback coach for the Pioneers, articulated the central theme to the team after the game.
Coach Grant Swallows said, “I do want to say something. I love each of you, and I am glad you all put on a Warren County uniform and play for this team. Losing is tough, but you are not defined by this game. Do not walk off this field trying to define yourself by the score tonight. We care about you. We are here to encourage you, and we will continue to push you to work hard. But please remember that we are in this because we want you to be good men and to have good memories.”
Head coach Matt Turner followed Swallows by saying, “Of course you know that I love you, and I want this to be positive for you. I want us all to work hard to give our seniors a good sendoff at home in two weeks. The stands will be full, and our job is to keep those fans in the stands for four quarters. We will keep working on the basics.”
Tullahoma head coach, Coy Sisk said, “Matt Turner and that staff are doing a great job. I know they are playing a lot of young guys. Those guys are doing the best they can. What we have to do is make ourselves better every week. We had 53 records in the weight room this week. We continue to get stronger. I think our scout team did a good job of preparing us this week. That is why we were able to do some of the things we were able to do tonight.”
Tullahoma (6-2) controls their own destiny in terms of their final regional standings. They have a week off as does Warren County, and they end their season with two road games against region opponents, Spring Hill and Shelbyville. If Tullahoma wins out, they will be region champions.
Warren County (1-7) will practice Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday during the fall break. The Pioneers play Wilson Central (3-4) at Nunley Stadium on October 20, which will double as homecoming and senior night. Wilson Central was off this week, and has not won a region game. They play Gallatin on Friday the 13th before coming to McMinnville.
LOOKING GLASS SELF – WHAT WE THINK AND SAY ABOUT PIONEER FOOTBALL COULD BE POSITIVE OR HARMFUL
One day, many years ago when I was in a college sociology class, the professor started talking about the Looking Glass Self theory. It is a theory about how a self-image is shaped that popped into my mind as I was leaving the Tullahoma game.
The concept was Charles Horton Cooley’s theory. The following is an excerpt from one of his books:
A self-idea of this sort seems to have three principal elements: the imagination of our appearance to the other person; the imagination of his judgment of that appearance, and some sort of self-feeling, such as pride or mortification.
— Charles Cooley, Human Nature and the Social Order, p. 152
Losing is tough. I have to remind myself that the Pioneers are high school students. The head coach and the majority of the present staff led the Pioneers to a winning season in 2020. Coaching is not the reason they are losing.
We all want the team to feel the love. When the team is losing, I have to double down and support them. My actions and words may influence how the team feels about themselves as people, not merely as football players and coaches.
The team is young. They will grow and mature. 70 players recently finished playing football at the middle school. Over 200 kids have played youth football in Warren County this fall. The troops are coming, and a turnaround is both possible and probable. Keep the dream of Warren County football alive with faith and love. Love is patient and kind.
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The Pioneer football team entering the field to start the game at Green Hill Friday night. The Warren County High School Pioneer football team traveled to Green Hill High School in Mt. Juliet Friday night and lost 35-0. The Pioneers gave up all 35 points to the Hawks in the second quarter, which set off a series of flashing lights in the stadium after each touchdown. The continuous strobe lights in the stadium after each Green Hill touchdown highlighted the Hawks’ momentum..
Both teams stalled on offense during the first quarter, and Green Hill receivers dropped several passes that could have led to at least one score. After 12 minutes of football, the game was tied 0-0. Considering the past few lopsided losses the Pioneers have experienced, holding Green Hill scoreless during the opening quarter was progress. For a moment, it felt like Warren County had a chance to win the game if they could get some positive yardage and sustain a drive.
P.J Traux, No. 35 and Xander McCormick No. 71 making a sure tackle of Green Hill running back, Ethan Choate. 
Isaiah Robledo breaking two tackles against Green Hill. A combination of missed tackles by the Pioneers and sure-handed receptions by Green Hills’ receivers turned the Hawks into a scoring machine in the second quarter. The game turned quickly in the Hawks favor. Another fast clock in a Pioneer game started with 1:07 left in the first half when Green Hill went up 35-0. For the record, it was the fourth fast clock in-a-row for the Pioneers which starts when a team is down by 35 points.
Although it was Green Hills’ second unit on the field throughout most of the second half, Warren County held the Hawks scoreless. Footnote: as all Pioneer fans should know by now, many of Warren County’s starters are doing double time as starters on the varsity and JV teams — because they are sophomores. Therefore, holding Green Hill scoreless in the second half should not be dismissed as a meaningless achievement.
Warren County threatened to score near the end of the game, but the drive ended with Green Hill intercepting a Pioneer pass in the end zone. Green Hill ran out the remaining 1:48 running plays as time quickly expired.
Yes, the Pioneers experienced adversity with another lopsided defeat, but as a Green Hill assistant coach said after the game, the Pioneers gave effort to the very end. The young, inexperienced Pioneer players played with intensity.
Coach Turner told his team after the game that facing adversity is making the players better young men. Turner said, “Life without adversity is not worth living. The trials and tribulations you are facing right now are going to make you one heck of a father, one heck of a business leader, one heck of a role model, one heck of a ball coach one day. I believe that in my heart and know that is true. You have to keep it together and stay the course. I have been exactly where you are, and I have spent a lifetime trying to change it. Stay the course! Stay the course! We just have to grow and mature a little bit. As long as we stay the course, we are changing it. You may not believe it. I know we lost 35-0, but we are getting better. If we can put four quarters together next week, we can win. You have to believe that!”
Head coach Matt Turner addressing the team after Friday night’s game at Green Hill High School. Head coach Matt Turner experienced losing seasons as a high school Pioneer football player. Turner has burned his ship to stay and fight to change Warren County’s 30-plus years of losing football. He helped break the streak in his second year (2020) as a head coach with an 8-4 season. Most of his assistants are former Pioneer football players, and they and the other coaches are in the battle with him.
The high school students playing on the team right now are undoubtedly experiencing the most adversity. They have only seen one Pioneer high school football team achieve a winning season record in their lifetime. None of these players are playing football because they like losing games.
Warren County has three games left. The Pioneers will overcome adversity if they give their best effort. Coach Turner told his team that they all have to look in the mirror and be satisfied with their own individual performance. That not only goes for the players, but for the coaches as well.
If the team is looking for a silver lining in Friday night’s game, they can remember how the first quarter ended 0-0. Next week they travel to Tullahoma (5-2) who is gaining momentum with a three-game winning streak. Playing the best that they can play against Tullahoma will be a significant achievement for the Pioneers after losing six games in-a-row for a 1-6 season record.
Stay the course. Give your best effort. Consistency. Effort. These are virtues that can change the Pioneers’ football history.
Postscript: When Matt Turner talks about facing adversity making you a better person, he is predominantly alluding to his childhood and how his mother’s battle with ALS changed his life — in a positive way. I wrote about Matt Turner’s story that was published in the local newspaper on October 1, 2020. You can read it for free at the Magness Public Library in downtown McMinnville or by clicking on this link which may require a subscription: Matt Turner story.
If Matt Turner had not come back home after completing his football career and graduating from UTC, no one would have blamed him. He came back to help his dad take care of his mother. Turner embraced adversity and turned it into a positive outcome — taking care of his mother. Now he needs all the help and patience he can get to help Pioneer football grow in all three areas…youth football, middle school football and high school football. Stay the course and the positive outcomes will evolve. That is Matt Turner’s sermon to the football faithful in Warren County.
Brady Swallows 
Connor Williams 
Brady Swallows receiving plays from
Alex van Vuuren. -
By Brad Durham
After seeing Cookeville beat Warren County (49-7) this past Friday night, I was stunned and searching for answers. Eating popcorn in the stands does not give one a true perspective of what transpires on the football field. Unless you are highly educated in the elements of football, know the plays that are called, know the individual assignments, and observe the team in practice and on film, you are most likely clueless about the particular reasons a team is losing by over 35 points. Clearly, Warren County was not matching up well with their opposition, but the knot in my gut sent me searching for more definitive answers.
I made three choices on Monday and Tuesday to better inform myself. First, I went to watch Warren County’s JV and Freshman games Monday evening against Cookeville at Nunley Stadium. On Tuesday morning, I asked John Olive, former Tullahoma football head coach and current AD questions. The last stop on my search for information was Warren County’s practice on Tuesday, and I interviewed two sophomores and head coach Matt Turner.
There were three revelations in my search for answers. Number one, four JV linemen and the complete JV backfield were all sophomores who started for the varsity on Friday night. Number two, Coach Olive told me that Tullahoma’s varsity once lost on Friday nights and won on Monday nights during JV games with young, inexperienced sophomores. This occurred during Tullahoma’s losing seasons before they won their state championship in 2021. The third revelation was that head coach Matt Turner has faith in his sophomores and offensive line.
Varsity linemen at practice on Tuesday, September 26, 2023.
As I look back 50 years to the Pioneers’ undefeated 1973 schedule, there is a win over Riverdale, 14-0 that pops off the page. That Warren County team was loaded with seniors who had gone 3-6-1 and 4-4-2 the previous two seasons as sophomores and juniors. A turnaround happened when the young kids became seniors.
Both John Olive and Matt Turner were explicitly clear about the difference in a 14-to-15-year-old body and that of a senior who is 17-to-18 years old. It is extremely difficult to win games with a team dominated by young, inexperienced players.
Conclusion: There is a silver lining in the Pioneer’s present losing streak that should continue throughout the season. Sophomores and freshmen are gaining valuable experience and maturing. Yes, the losing is shaking their self-confidence, but they are doing well against peers their own age in JV games. The young players hard work and suffering on Friday nights should produce positive outcomes once they become juniors and seniors.
A transformation to a competitive, winning season in the future is possible. Head coach Matt Turner has faith in his young players. They are learning and growing every week, although the scoreboard may not be in their favor. Significant learning is happening each day in practice and twice a week in varsity and JV games. There is no reason to hit the panic button and assume Warren County is headed toward another three decades of losing seasons.
Other reasons to be hopeful and to expect a turnaround in the Pioneers future is the growing number of football players at the middle school and in the new youth program. Read below and watch the entire interview with Coach Turner to get a better sense of what he thinks about football in Warren County.
THE INTERVIEWS
Sophomores Isaiah Robledo left and Brady Swallows on the right – Tuesday, September 26, 2023.
Sophomore Isaiah Robledo is an outstanding athlete who plays wingback and is a playmaker. He is exciting to watch in varsity games because on every play he has the potential to turn any play into a touchdown. Pound-for-pound, he is as good as any athlete on the field. As many people have said, he plays “bigger” than his size.
BD Newsletter: How do you feel about playing varsity and JV games back-to-back?
Isaiah Robledo: I think it is fun. There is totally different competition, but varsity is harder. I am working my way up. The JV games are easier because you are used to going against harder competition in varsity games. It is fun with JV games to win and put points on the board.
You can view the Robledo’s interviews below.
Brady Swallows was forced into a starting role earlier this season when senior quarterback Alex van Vuuren suffered a season-ending injury. Swallows has all the tools to be a great high school football quarterback. He is improving each week, and he is dedicated to becoming an exceptional quarterback.
BD Newsletter: You are a sophomore who was forced into a starting position on the varsity, what does that feel like and what are you trying to do right now to be the quarterback on this team?
Brady Swallows: You don’t expect it to happen the way it did. It is not good, but when you are thrown in there, you have to slow yourself down and prepare each week. Once you get used to that speed, it slows down every week. You have to keep getting better week after week. You have three years to learn and get better.
You can view the Swallow’s interview below.
Head coach Matt Turner is in his fifth year as the Warren County High School football coach. Turner played at Warren County and was a starter at UTC, and returned home after graduation. Turner kept the Pioneer team together after it had reached a low of 32 high school players. He coached his second team to an 8-3 regular season record in 2020. He is optimistic about the state of Warren County football from the high school down to the youth program.
Head Coach Matt Turner, staff and team at practice on Tuesday, September 26, 2023.
BD Newsletter: Coach Turner, how do you feel about playing all these young guys…a lot of sophomores. Pretty much the entire offense line is playing varsity and JV games back-to-back. What is the benefit of that, and what do you believe is happening in your program?
Coach Matt Turner: We played all our sophomores and one or two juniors (in the JV game Monday night) who are new to the game or need that experience. They get to play six quarters (JV games are two quarters), and we need to take advantage of that. I told Coach Hennigan (Cookeville’s head coach) that he was going to see the same backfield that he saw Friday night.
The benefit for these kids…is the bridge that I feel as though we have missed for so long in Warren County…getting numbers in the program. The 6A programs we are trying to compete against have a true freshman program. They have upwards of 50-60 freshmen. That is the Mt. Juliets, Oaklands and Green Hills of the world. Then they have a JV that is mainly made up of sophomores and maybe some new or inexperienced juniors. That makes a full JV team of 30-40 kids. Then you have seniors and juniors who make up your varsity football team.
This year we have nine seniors. Of course, we have had a few injuries including our QB1, a young man who was becoming a leader. We are now putting together a varsity football team on Friday nights with primarily a JV squad. Winning is contagious and so is losing. I feel as though we have had to do this for so long, that is one of the ingredients that has put us in this situation…if that makes any sense. That is why we have been so bad for so long.
I feel as though we have never really established that true freshman program, a true junior varsity program and a varsity program. When I took over this program, there was 32 varsity players 9-12. There were no freshmen. There was no JV. We have a core of kids who do not get to play against their peers — people their same age, same maturity, same body chemistry. We have had to throw them into the fire on Friday nights when they are playing 18-year-old men.
Gallatin was so much bigger and looked more mature than us. Some of our seniors fit right in there, but that is only a handful of the 11 players on the field. So, it was nice to give the sophomores a chance to play against peers their same age – just to remind them that they are doing the right things and can be successful.
It was 50 to nothing against Cookeville (JV game), and they had a young freshman backup quarterback on the JV. They could not get a lot of center-to-QB exchanged. But neither could we on Friday night in the varsity game. We turned over the ball on the first play from scrimmage. A lot of that is because our young guys are just learning, and we are not giving them that opportunity to learn.
We have to play them on Fridays, but playing on Monday (JV games) gives them the opportunity to have some success and some positive confidence.
I should have done that earlier in the year. We struggle here in the county in a rural area. I feel like Sparta has the same issue. A lot of freshmen have to play, but not so many on JV because they are having to play varsity. Of course, I don’t want to play my starting quarterback on JV and possibly get him hurt, but I feel like giving him some confidence outweighs the chances of getting him hurt.
They should be playing against kids their same age and maturity. People don’t realize the difference between a sophomore and a junior and a sophomore and a senior maturity gap.
That is a gap I have to learn how to build and fill. I am not for playing an out-of-region schedule, but it would be nice to have a year of playing both freshman football and JV football.
BD Newsletter: Coach Matheny has more players coming out at the middle school and you have a youth league. That will help fill the gaps over time and develop properly.
Coach Turner: No doubt. Right now, we have 150 plus kids playing youth football. Coach Matheney is pushing 75-80 kids. We have about 35 freshmen, and we have about 45-50 varsity players.
BD Newsletter: That is right over 300 kids playing football in Warren County.
You can view the entire interview with Coach Turner below.
A TURNAROUND IS POSSIBLE FOR WARREN COUNTY FOOTBALL
Coach Turner believes that it will take longer than four-to-five years to bring to fruition the development of real freshmen, JV and varsity programs. Turner believes the youth program will continue no matter who is the head coach at the high school. Turner believes there is a system in place that will continue and feed into the middle school, which will feed into the high school.
Coach Matt Turner believes that he must stay the course. He wants to trust the system and give the youth, middle, freshman, JV and varsity programs time to evolve. More experience at every level of competition will pay dividends over time.
The most successful programs across the state have large numbers of kids participating in youth football. For example, Tullahoma presently has 500 kids in their youth program. Maryville’s youth program has thrived for decades, and many say that it is a major reason Maryville has been so successful. Oakland has strong youth and middle school programs.
A turnaround can happen in Warren County football’s future. Pioneer football needs stability at the head coach position. Matt Turner has laid the foundation for a successful program. What Warren County needs now is consistency that allows football to grow and develop at each of these three levels: youth, middle and high school.
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Lisa Zavogiannis, Co-owner of Gondola Restaurant, Assistant District Attorney Bedford County, former District Attorney Warren – Van Buren Counties.
This interview was conducted on November 19, 2022.
Interview by Brad Durham
Please tell me some of your background.
I came here thirty-three years ago, and Jim and I opened a restaurant. I started college and commuted to Cookeville. I got my bachelor’s degree in three years and Jimmy had two restaurants. I went to law school at night for four years. Passed the bar and all the time helping him with the restaurant because that is what you have to do with a restaurant. Had my second child in law school during the week before finals. Passed the bar the first time and started practicing law with Keith Smartt. Went out on my own and ran for District Attorney in 2005. Elected in 2006. Reelected in 2014. District Attorney for 16 years. Presently working as assistant District Attorney in Bedford County.
Footnote: Lisa was 27-years-old when she started college, and 34-years-old when she graduated law school.
Why are you in McMinnville?
My husband and I came here thirty-three-years ago and opened up a small restaurant. We were looking for a place to open a restaurant, and we came here. We had a small child who was 18-months-old. We didn’t know anybody.
What do you think when you reflect on McMinnville’s future? Positive? Negative?
I definitely think positively. I see a lot of changes here with the influx of people from different areas. This is going to become one of the up-and-coming areas of middle Tennessee to move to. I do see growth coming. Very optimistic about this community.
Do you think there is a difference between “McMinnville” and “Warren County?” Why or why not?
Not particularly, I think we all associate it as though we are from McMinnville. I own property in the city and the county, and I know some people do not want the city to annex their property.
If you were mayor of McMinnville and had a magic wand, what three things would you change?
I would add more law enforcement, and that comes from my background.
I like some of the changes that are going on now. Beautifying the city, and I think the tourism dollars are good.
The city and county need to work together to make things more cohesive. I think we need to work better with each other.
I don’t think we need to consolidate because the city taxes would hurt some people, but I do think we need to work together better.
What do you think unites us in McMinnville?
Small town. I think we all realize that we all live in a wonderful community and that we are a small town. There are people who need help. I think when someone is in need, the community joins together. I think that makes us unique. Thirty-three-years ago, I did not understand all the fundraisers, all the events that were going on. I got acclimated to it pretty fast. People were coming in (the restaurant) asking for donations. I was asking why are we doing all of this, but this is a community that brings real meaning to the term “Tennessee Volunteer.” I know that I have volunteered for everything there is, and I have seen people doing that. I think that is what unites us.
What do you think divides us?
Politics. If you are a R or a D, it is almost like we do not associate with you. Regarding the restaurant, I have been told that you are a democrat, so I am not eating with you. I am human. I am a person. I am here to take care of you. I don’t care what your politics are, but too many people do. It has gotten worse over the past six-to-eight years. It has literally become very divisive for this community.
My mother was a republican and my father was a democrat.
Do you agree with the direction and quality of education the Warren County public school system offers for our children? Why or why not?
I think there is room for improvement, a lot of improvement.
Well, this is personal experience, I have sent three kids to school here. Two of them went to private school because they needed a smaller classroom.
I don’t think there is much care focused on helping kids with disabilities. The average smart child can get through school. The average smart child gets the awards for most improved. What about the child with a disability who learns to read but was never supposed to? Attention is not on those children. I think those children are left behind. If I was in charge, I would be putting a lot of emphasis on that. They really need to look at that child’s particular disability and help that child grow and expand just like any other child.
With my kids, it took the extra effort that I put into it. I know that a lot of parents don’t have the ability to do that, but I was fortunate.
My child was not supposed to read or learn the alphabet, and he’s in college.
I think the teachers are constrained a lot. I am not opposed to going back to the days when I was in school when they could paddle kids. I got a few of them myself, and it straightened me up.
They have way too much freedom in that school (the high school), and they need to be controlled better.
They changed the juvenile reform act about three or four years ago, and there is no punishment. That is why we have kids hijacking cars, shooting people. There is really nothing you can do with them. What are you going to do? Send them off until they are 19?
We cannot do anything to the children, and they need to understand that there are consequences to your actions.
Is everything you need in McMinnville exist in terms of groceries, retail stores, churches, restaurants?
Absolutely. Everything you need is right here. And by chance you want something else, and I think it is more about the wants not the needs, you can go online.
Is McMinnville doing enough for people who are economically disadvantaged, or should it be doing more? If not, what should the city be doing?
I do think the government does a lot for people who are economically disadvantaged. I think we could do more for our seniors. We do need to make sure that our seniors are taken care of. The homeless are a big issue here. Some of them you cannot help because they will not let you, but a lot of it is mental health issues. We need to be addressing that, and I think that we can. We do have a need for mental health treatment here. We have Cheer mental health, but that is not sufficient.
We don’t have enough housing here. We have apartments but there are some apartments that are not well taken care of. The owners of those apartments need to take care of them. There needs to be restrictions on those apartment owners who do not take care of them.
I wonder how many children we have here who are homeless.
Don’t you wonder what happens to children when their parents end up going to court and to jail? They sell drugs, they commit crimes. But there is a child that didn’t ask for this. Who is going to be there that evening when they get off the bus? We never address that issue.
How do we find out when to take care of a 10 year-old child who gets off the bus and her mother is sent to jail? Does anybody even know?
CASA has nothing to do with that. It has to do with children who have been removed from their parents. CASA is a volunteer program that I think you have to do some training to be a member. It is just an extra layer of eyes to see the problem and report to the court. It is not direct services. They just basically report to the court.
What did I not ask you that you would like to comment about regarding McMinnville and its people?
This is a great community. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. I wasn’t born or raised here, but this is my home. I hear sometimes, well, you are not from here. But I am.
The police station…
I don’t know what condition the building is in, but instead of going out and spending three or four million…I am conservative at heart, I think they need to be financially responsible. They do need to look at the roof because there is a roof problem. Fix the roof instead of spending two to three million dollars to build a new building.
The existing building is good to me. The cops are all downtown. It is centrally located. If I was a business owner down there, I would be thrilled to have it down there.
You could put the latest and newest computer system in that building without building a new building.
You save money to be located downtown. The state will pay you milage. If we were driving from somewhere else, you would have to charge mileage. The same in Van Buren county.
This is the last complete interview of the series, “An Introspection of McMinnville by McMinnvillians.”
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Wayne Wolford, Founder, Curator of the Warren County Black History Museum, retired military.
Interview by Brad Durham
Why are you in McMinnville?
My grandparents moved back here. I am the only child. My mother let me come here every other year, and I fell in love with this place. I was born in Illinois; we moved to St. Louis when I was six years old. When I was 10, my grandmother moved here. When I was in St. Louis, I could not get out and do the things that I could do here. I could run in the countryside…had freedom here.
My first three years of high school were in St. Louis, and then I moved here for my fourth year. Graduated from Central High School in 1966. Came here one year after integration.
Moved back here permanently in 1995 when I got out of the military.
What do you think when you reflect on McMinnville’s future? Positive? Negative?
There is going to be great improvement here. The cost of housing and the weather are all prime things right now. Within the next 10 years I think we are going to see a big change here in Warren County. This is the place where the cost of living is reasonable.
Do you think there is a difference between “McMinnville” and “Warren County?” Why or why not?
It feels like basically the same thing. When I first came here, I came here on a Greyhound bus. I remember when Murfreesboro was about the same size of McMinnville. You can really tell the difference now. I see Warren County and McMinnville as basically the same.
If you were mayor of McMinnville and had a magic wand, what three things would you change?
I would like to see more culture. The places I have been in the military, has helped me see how things can work together in the culture. That is one thing. Number two, I would not want to see change in terms of the roads, the traffic. Because we don’t have any traffic jams. As long as we can keep the same for a long time, that would be beautiful. The third thing…is like anywhere else in the world…I wish we could just get along as far as people. Not what church you go to, not which political party you are in…just as a person. Respect a person just as you want to be respected.
What do you think unites us in McMinnville?
The idea of a person having a hard time, struggling, homeless, whatever; we don’t like to see ourselves in that light. We want to be at the point where we do not have to be in that situation. We want a roof over our heads, food on the table and that we can pay our bills.
What do you think divides us?
Politics. Religion. We all have discriminations. When I say that, I mean so and so’s house is better than mine. Their car is better than mine. They have more money than I have. We all discriminate like that. That is all of us.
Do you agree with the direction and quality of education the Warren County public school system offers for our children? Why or why not?
Yes. I know a lot of folks do homeschooling. That is their prerogative. But as far as me being old school, knowing what it is like going to school…meeting people, having friends, being in the band, being at the point where I can interact with people. Growing up like that I almost feel like that gives you more freedom. Right now, people are afraid of security. They are afraid of different things going on in the schools and around the country. They do not feel like it is safe. From what I see, it is super safe right now. Everything is super secure right now. I think we are holding out pretty well right now.
Is everything you need in McMinnville exist in terms of groceries, retail stores, churches, restaurants?
As far as I am concerned there is. There is always that happy feeling if you want to go to Nashville or Chattanooga or Atlanta to see something bigger and different. Being in a comfortable living environment, I feel real good about this…
Is McMinnville doing enough for people who are economically disadvantaged, or should the city be doing more? If not, what should the city be doing?
We have so many agencies and directories; a lot of people are not aware of all of the systems, the finances, the feeding and so forth that Warren County has to offer. This is a very giving community. It almost seems hard to realize that kids need a program where they get food at school. There are a lot of good programs here. People just haven’t reached out to get them. We are a very giving community.
What did I not ask you that you would like to comment about regarding McMinnville and its people?
It is very economical here, depending upon where you stand in life. If you are retired, it is very comfortable living here. If you are not retired, you can really do well here. The only sad part here, and nationally, is that people do not want to work anymore. I have no idea what is causing this. It doesn’t matter what you want to pay the younger generation, they don’t know how because they have not been taught.
Cell phones are a beautiful thing. I call them communication devices. But if you have your head down and stuck in that phone all the time while you are driving or sitting somewhere, or you are sitting at a table with your family and everyone has a phone and is not communicating…these are the things that I think are jeopardizing our everyday living for a mature person, not an old person, a mature person.
I think McMinnville in terms of finances and artifacts has been great to the Black History Museum. The doors opened 18 months ago, and so far, it has been phenomenal. We have the downstairs suites taken care of, and we are working on the upstairs suites. It has required some advertising to get people here. We want to be in sight and in mind.
Editor’s Note: This interview was conducted in November of 2022; therefore, the doors of the Black History Museum actually opened 27 months ago.
The next and final complete interview of this series will feature Lisa Zavogiannis.
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Justin Tanner, Regional Mortgage Sales Manager at Wilson Bank & Trust
Interview by Brad Durham
Why are you in McMinnville?
I grew up here and went away to college at UT-K. Did not think I would move back here when I was in high school. My wife is from here, and around the time we started a family in Murfreesboro, I was looking to change to mortgage lending from real estate because it is a little bit slower paced.
Having small children, working 9-5 is a little bit better than running around 24/7 showing houses. I found out that a lot of my high school friends had moved away, started families and moved back.
McMinnville was a little different that we had thought. There was a focus on bringing the city up-to-date Bluegrass Underground was going on at the time. Just a lot of stuff happening…Collins River had just kicked off. There was a lot to do. Smooth Rapids had started and everybody was kayaking.
Hey, this is a good place to live, and we moved back. I took a position as a mortgage lender at Security Federal and stayed there for three and a half years.
I have always had pride in being where I was from. My dad was a football coach, and I have always had that Pioneer spirit. It is a great place to live. It is a beautiful place too. We’re surrounded by beauty, and not everybody has that. All those things together made it work for us.
What do you think when you reflect on McMinnville’s future? Positive? Negative?
I think it is very positive. I think that progress has continued. There are some drawbacks to that. We don’t want a chain restaurant on every corner. I like our identity of having local stuff like Collins River and Begonia’s.
I think we have been discovered by people moving from Nashville and out of state. I think people realize that when they move to Nashville it is as expensive as from where they came, and they work their way out to us.
I think we are a kind of jewel, a diamond in the rough. I think a lot of people feel that way when they come here. I speak to a lot of people through real estate that say that.
There are some drawbacks. We are a southern town and we have our values. Those are good, and sometimes people move here and don’t mesh with that. Some people have a problem with that and some don’t. I tend to fall on the side that it is good to a point, but we don’t want to forget who we are and where we came from. I think it is a very positive outlook for us, and I think people will continue to move here.
Do you think there is a difference between “McMinnville” and “Warren County?” Why or why not?
I do think the landscape is different here in the city than the country. The city simply by having more businesses and a central place like Main Street it leans more toward a tourism thing. We want people to come here so we make downtown look nice. We enhance things and advertise ourselves to bring people in.
In the county, people don’t necessarily want people out there. They are growing trees and farming. They might not want people going by their farms and houses on the river.
If you were mayor of McMinnville and had a magic wand, what three things would you change?
I don’t know if the mayor could do anything about this, but I wish there was some more beautification of other parts of the city than just downtown. I know it takes money and people working together. I think Terry Bell mentioned it in his campaign that we should be planting trees about on the bypass. We are the nursery capital and people may expect to see that, but that is not what we have.
I think the beautification of the city in general — if that is possible.
I would like to see trying two-way streets downtown and see how that works. It may give some businesses more exposure than they have right now. The far end of main street where Begonia’s is has sat dormant for so long. I think part of the reason that happened was because people did not always have to go that far sometimes. If they were not going to Sparta Street or Mt. Leo, then they went to where they were going and turned and left another way.
I think there is some infrastructure with roads. I think that as we keep having more people come to McMinnville, and as we ask them to join us, we are going to need good infrastructure. I am sure all of those things are on Ryle’s (Chastain) list to do.
What do you think unites us in McMinnville?
I think just a pride of being a part of McMinnville. I think the history sets us apart from other similar-sized rural cities. The school of photography, the Lively School. That was amazing that it was here. William Faulkner, prolific people like Tomas Savage that Savage Gulf is named after. Galligan and Newman’s office is in their family home.
We have a rich history of culture in McMinnville, and I think if people know about those things or not, it kind of permeates through the city, the community. We have been able to keep alive some of our relics like Main Street for example. Like Ben Myers saved the Hargrove building. That thing was about to fall over.
Having that mindset, that sense of rich cultural history and trying to maintain it. For me that is what brings us together and the natural setting.
We have a ton of civic organizations that people get involved in. To me, if you want to do something, if you raise your hand, you are going to be on three to four organizations. You can be as involved as you want to be. The availability of those things allows for the community to get together and work on things like Hark in the Park.
I am sure there are more things that unite us, but that is what comes to the top of my mind.
What do you think divides us?
There are some people who want to hang onto how things were 50 years ago and maybe wish things were the same as they were then. I am sure there is a valuable reason they feel that way. There are other people who would like to see more progress. That is one thing.
For example, the ice-skating rink is something that has its flaws, but it makes downtown nicer. It creates an experience that kids can have and it brings people downtown with their families. Some people think it is a waste of money. If you could use that money for something else, sure, but that wasn’t the case. They could only use it for things like an ice-skating rink. I think that is a kind of example, but not a great one. I think that is one of the things that divides.
You can say that nationally I guess…someone who is a traditionist versus someone who wants to progress in certain ways.
Do you agree with the direction and quality of education the Warren County public school system offers for our children? Why or why not?
I do. I agree with the direction and the quality. My wife works in the school system. There are a lot of challenges that people who don’t work in the school system have no clue about. It is really easy to say that teacher didn’t do this or that when they have 15 other challenges going on that day that no one has any clue about.
We have great teachers, and I think they do the best they can. I think the administration from Bobby Cox to the present administration have done great things. I think in general, yes.
I think if people who do have issues with it knew the amount of challenges that our teachers face in our local school system they would reconsider some of their thoughts.
Is McMinnville doing enough for people who are economically disadvantaged, or should the city be doing more? If not, what should the city be doing?
I think we do a lot. The city and the county support a lot of nonprofit organizations. They apparently have scaled that back this last time, but historically, they have done quite a bit. Again, I mentioned civic organizations, and not everything can be done by government, I think we have a good number of civic organizations who help people a lot. Hark at the Park is a good example, and what Lisa (Harvey) does there is amazing. She runs an after-school program for the McMinnville Housing Authority community. She puts in where she doesn’t have to. There are a lot of people in the community like that.
I don’t think we should do less, but I think we do a fair amount. Again, it is like the school system. There are definitely things in the community that I don’t know about. If I walked into Families in Crisis, they could tell me all those things they need and I might change my mind.
A little more wouldn’t hurt, but I think we do a good job of that.
What did I not ask you that you would like to comment about regarding McMinnville and its people?
I do wish that people would come together more than they do. You know being a city alderman, county commissioner, or educator, being a public servant of any kind is very tough, and you never get paid enough. I have done a lot of volunteering in different areas, and it is tough sometimes. We should voice our opinions about our government, and we should be fighting for our kids’ education. But I do think if people should put themselves in those public servant’s shoes and consider what they are getting from it. Teachers don’t get paid very much. City aldermen and County Commissioners don’t get paid hardly anything. They probably get more grief than thanks for what they do.
Put yourself in other people’s positions, like firefighters, police officers before you take a jab at them. If you do and they still deserve it, that is fine. A little grace goes a long way for public servants.
The next complete interview will feature Wayne Wolford.
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By Brad Durham
Background: Mac McWhirter is a man of considerable attributes who had many titles during his career, but he was first and foremost a financial executive. He was a former Chief Financial Officer for the City of Memphis and a former Chief Administrative Officer for Shelby County. McWhirter retired after 23 years at Rhodes College as Comptroller and Associate Vice President of Administrative Services. He managed the endowment, accounting, risk management and other services at Rhodes College.
Mac McWhirter’s volunteer work has been extensive, and in McMinnville he has served on the Boards of both the Hope Center and the Magness Public Library Foundation.
Ironically, Mac’s wife, Susan and her family are from McMinnville, Oregon, and the Hood River Valley, going out on the Oregon trail in 1844 from Tennessee.
Mac McWhirter in McMinnville, 2022 
Susan and Mac McWhirter at Rhodes College, 2001
Why are you in McMinnville?
Three reasons: the natural beauty and outdoor opportunities, the friendliness of the people, and family history.
It can be difficult for anyone to move to a new community. There are large differences between urban life in a city and that of a smaller town. Fortunately, Susan and I knew what to expect and what we wanted to experience in McMinnville and Warren County. She fell in love with this area on her first visit.
Both sides of my family have deep roots here. My ancestors settled in the Rock Island area in the early 1800s.
As a child, I used to come here for almost every holiday or summer vacation to stay with my grandmothers and visit with extended family.
On almost every trip I spent a lot of time at Sam Grissom’s Rock Island general store. He was the bedrock of Rock Island. I would sit in front of the store and listen to him talking to my father and the many folks who wandered in each morning. He would pay me with chocolate drinks they called Brownies when I would pump gas for him. Sam was a natural storyteller and shared his experiences of his life all from all over the West and Canada. He was a tremendously unique and wise individual. Listening to Sam’s homespun wisdom made a big impact on me.
Susan and I both enjoy the outdoors, hiking, camping, birding, fishing. What better place than Warren County. Moving here was a goal early in our marriage and we planned accordingly.
We bought a farm in the early 1990’s and built wonderful friendships, learning a lot from folks that a city boy doesn’t usually get exposed to. Retired and moved here in 2013, and haven’t regretted a moment of it.
What do you think when you reflect on McMinnville’s future? Positive? Negative?
McMinnville has tremendous potential, but we must be careful in preparing for the new growth we’re seeing. You do not want to overdevelop too quickly because suddenly you become a community within the urban sprawl of Nashville. We can make growth a negative or a positive, depending upon how we manage it.
We are having an influx of people moving in from other parts of the country, Florida, California, the Northeast… We have very affordable cost-of-living here. You can afford to live in McMinnville as inexpensively as almost anywhere in the country, especially in housing cost, though that has recently seen an uptick. I think our community has great appeal and tremendous potential just for the natural beauty and rural atmosphere, and we don’t want to lose that.
We aren’t on the expressway and McMinnville residents live here because they don’t want to be in the daily urban grind. Fortunately, you can get in your car and be in Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Atlanta within an hour or two for opportunities that you want.
I’m encouraged by the leadership in the County Commission and the Board of Aldermen. I have found them approachable and to be good listeners at their meetings. There has been good financial management from the finance committees and the chief administration officials. I feel they are aware of the challenges facing a community with growth potential.
Do you think there is a difference between “McMinnville” and “Warren County?” Why or why not?
That is a broad general question. I think, no matter where you go, there are differences between a rural population’s needs and those living in a more urban setting.
I believe that the differences were somewhat alleviated by the construction of one central high school. When there was Central High School and McMinnville City High School, there was more of a separate identity, but now our children and educated and socialize together without thought of the geographical distinction.
The city of McMinnville is going to become more urban as it grows, but with the growth we are seeing with an influx from out-of-staters, the county will also face changes.
There is a lot of independence in the outer communities, like Rock Island, Campaign, Viola and Morrison. There seems to be stricter code enforcement and building regulations in McMinnville, which are needed and inevitable with the growth we are witnessing and the county will also need higher levels.
If you were mayor of McMinnville and had a magic wand, what three things would you change?
The first thing I would promote is creation of more greenways, walking trails and bike paths. That would lead to more ways to enjoy the natural beauty of the area. Dr. Wally Bigbee has done a wonderful job of doing just this but there is still much to do to continue what he’s started. He has a network…it is impressive when he makes a phone call, 50 people appear. Greenspaces and recreational facilities are city and county amenities that attract good businesses and future citizens. Those moving here from another locale are going to be looking for that kind of recreational facilities.
I think one of the struggles in any small community is keeping its young people busy and occupied in a positive way. There is a need for a place where teenagers to go that is safe after school and at night. That ties into recreation. You must keep kids involved, and many of these kids are latch-key kids who do not have any supervision until parents get home. Take part of the old mall and make it a recreational facility.
Promoting small business development is important, in businesses locally owned with a workforce of 10-25 people. Those businesses are not going to disappear as quickly as some large manufacturing businesses who have no reason not to move at some point, and we lose 300 jobs at one time.
I would work to increase funding to at least the state per capita median level for Magness Library, a key component in education and community services in Warren County
What do you think unites us in McMinnville?
There are two factors that I see that are really uniting. There is a fervent sense of heritage and patriotism learned and practiced from generation to generation.
Volunteerism and community activism are strong assets here. There is a strong, mission-oriented volunteer base in Warren County and there are organizations that provide assistance as a part of their mission. There are a wealth of people in Warren County reaching down and giving a hand up to help people here. It is very quiet, very unseen. Meals on Wheels, Good Neighbors, The Hope Center, Habitat, Food Bank, Exchange Clubs, Lions, Rotary to name a few. There is a multitude of people working quietly, out of view, that are doing something every single day for those in the most need. You have that happening in other communities, but I see it happening a lot more here. I think we live in a very generous community.
What do you think divides us?
Not making sure that the citizenry is properly informed of decisions affecting their community. Not having the opportunity to participate in town hall or meetings or give input on development decisions. We have seen that happen recently on a couple of occasions and it breeds mistrust.
There seems to be a desire at this point, which you could see in the last election, to push party politics into McMinnville that will lead, in my opinion, to divisiveness and impede good debate on key issues. Warren County has been known for its people being independent thinkers and I would hate to see political gridlock become an impediment here.
Do you agree with the direction and quality of education the Warren County public school system offers for our children? Why or why not?
The high school is, in size alone, very difficult to manage. I have heard many say that it was better when we had two high schools. That may be a moot point, however, because a second high school would cost well over $150 million, perhaps more. Adding to this, do our teachers have time to mentor with all the other burdens we now place upon them. I think teachers are doing all they can under the circumstances, but I don’t think they have a free hand to give as good an education. The teachers I have met are dedicated and committed to providing good instruction, but I don’t know if they have time to do that. Teaching is more challenging now than ever with all the hats teachers must wear, in addition to the worries of security.
Motlow is a great resource for Warren County and its jount venture with the high school is offering the type of training in the Automation and Robotics Training Center that is exactly what a large number of students need. Skills like automation and in the trades are in demand, and we are lucky to have the center here in McMinnville.
Magness Library is a crown jewel of our historic downtown, but it plays a larger role in the local educational system than many appreciate. The value of a library now goes well beyond the bricks and mortar building. Magness has increased its circulation four-fold over the past five years and was a lead implementer of the state Capstone Project where the school system gives students electronic access to multiple titles they would not have had. The local funding of our library per capita remains among the lowest counties in the state. Hopefully, the city and county can begin to remedy this funding level to at least the state medium.
Is everything you need in McMinnville exist in terms of groceries, retail stores, churches, restaurants?
Churches, absolutely. If I were to give one piece of advice to a family moving to this community, it would be to find a welcoming church that meets your spiritual need and join. Church becomes your family in a new community, especially this one.
As for restaurants, we haven’t checked all the boxes yet, but recently it has improved. The redevelopment of downtown has seen the opening of some excellent dining establishments, so we are traveling much less to Monteagle, Cookeville, Murfreesboro or Chattanooga to eat.
For groceries and retail needs, we’re able to get most of what we need here. The selection at grocery stores has varied since the end of COVID due to supply chain and hiring issues, but all communities face that challenge. It will find an equilibrium eventually.
We do miss the great meat market that was here when we arrived. Another great addition would be a full bakery. Fortunately, we have an excellent farmer’s market that is growing and thriving that meets these needs to a degree.
When I wanted to go hear a speaker before COVID, I was going to Sewanee or MTSU. It was easy to get to.
The Park Theatre has recently opened a lot of more opportunities for plays and concerts.
McMinnville doesn’t have everything we want to buy, but we knew that to a great degree before we moved here. McMinnville has things we did not have elsewhere.
Is McMinnville doing enough for people who are economically disadvantaged, or should McMinnville be doing more?
Well, I think our community is doing more than most for the homeless. They are growing into a fluid situation. The community is sometimes stepping up where the city can’t step in. HOME has stepped up in a big way as a volunteer organization. We are a faith-based community, and our churches are contributing resources to “help the least among us”. The small housing units built recently hopefully can help lead some to a more productive life. I know our church has been involved with HOME in providing meals and some services like showers and a place where they can wash their clothes.
There are still so many unmet needs beyond food and shelter, an example being dealing with the mental illness crisis we face. It’s a national struggle, with a large percentage of the homeless being veterans.
What did I not ask you that you would like to comment about regarding McMinnville and its people?
Our community is one that doesn’t sit back and leave all the problem-solving to the politicians. Our citizenry is very engaged. I honestly can say that I cannot think of a single person I know who does not volunteer a significant amount of time and resources to volunteer with a community-based organization. It says a lot about Warren County and McMinnville. I don’t know of another community that is this generous and sharing.
I want to give another positive thumbs-up to McMinnville. During COVID we would take 150-mile car trek this way or that just to get a breather. We were driving through communities much like McMinnville in North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee. It became apparent that downtown McMinnville has done so much more than most other towns of similar size. There has been a lot of positive, forward-thinking leadership here. There continues to be an influx of restaurants and more retail. These are very positive things, taking existing buildings and a beautiful downtown and redeveloping them historically. We were amazed after being depressed driving through a lot of small towns to come back and with pride to experience the contrast of our city to many others. This community has made a city of which we can take pride.
The next complete interview will feature Justin Tanner.
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Alan Paul is the definitive writer of the Allman Brothers’ history. The book will be released on July 25, and it contains much more information than the BROTHERS AND SISTERS album. Any fans of the early Allman Brothers Band will enjoy listening to Alan Paul on the podcast BOOKED ON ROCK WITH ERIC SENICH, episode 143.
If you wish to hear what The Allman Brothers Band sounded like in 1975-1976, listen to the much-overlooked live album, WIPE THE WINDOWS.
If you listen to the podcast, you will understand why someone may be motivated to listen to the book in audio version. Link to the book on Amazon: BROTHERS AND SISTERS BOOK.
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Tony Lawrence, Minister Church of Christ at Bybee Branch.
Interview by Brad Durham
Why are you in McMinnville?
An opportunity to work with the Church of Christ at Bybee Branch. When I learned of the opening, Glenn Ramsey moved to Cookeville. Glen Ramsey was the pastor before me. He and I both were teaching at Tennessee Bible College at that time. He told me about the opportunity, and I contacted the church here. I came and tried it out, and they decided they wanted me. That was 38 years ago.
I grew up in Alabama and graduated from Freed-Hardeman. Then I moved to Clarksville, and I moved here in 1985.
What do you think when you reflect on McMinnville’s future? Positive? Negative?
I see both. It is still a good place to raise a family. I love living here, and that is one reason I have not sought to go anywhere else. I will probably die here. This has become home. I love the people here. The town is comprised of so many good folks.
I do express some concern about the leadership of our city. Sometimes they are focused on some areas when I wish they were focused on others. I am not trying to cast stones. I am just trying to say that I think the focus is on marketing and developing tourism, and we do have the capacity for doing things like that. But sometimes they tend to forget the essential needs. It seems like we’re bouncing around where we are going to have the city hall, in this building or that building. I do wish that we had some good, solid leaders with the insight that this is where we want to go in five years, ten years. If we had that, I think that the leadership of the city would be better. I still love the people here. Again, I am not trying to be critical. I just wish we had some leaders with a little more foresight.
Do you think there is a difference between “McMinnville” and “Warren County?” Why or why not?
Yes, I do. I think the county is more conservative than the city. Obviously, some of the things I have been involved in community-wise, the liquor referendum and things such as that…some things have transpired. When I moved here, there couldn’t be a place selling alcohol within 500 feet of the property line, then it became the front door. Then they shortened it, and now it is pretty much whatever they want to do. The county is still holding to that distance.
If you look at the county commissioners versus the city mayor and aldermen regarding expenditures, the county tends to be more conservative as well.
If you were mayor of McMinnville and had a magic wand, what three things would you change?
I really need to think about that and not say something just off the top of my head.
I think one of the three things I would change is strategic planning. Many years ago, Ben Lomand had a cooperative with I think the school for strategic planning education and other areas, and I was asked to serve on a committee for technology. What we did was to try and look and see what strategically needed to be there. That is one thing I would do if I was in that position, and I don’t want to be. For instance, what are our needs for water and sewage? Fire and police…what I call essential services. Looking into the future and planning for what needs to be done.
Another thing that concerns me is sidewalks. They recently put one on the right side of the street into town from here. But there are a lot of apartments out here, and a lot of foot traffic. Prior to putting the sidewalks in, people walked on the edge of the street, and late at night, if you weren’t careful…I just think there needs to be some infrastructure concerns.
I would probably try to see if we could get more community involvement from people in the community, what the general population thinks. Go out and talk to people and ask what are the concerns of the citizens. You might find some things that are not on the agenda that should be on the agenda.
What do you think unites us in McMinnville?
I think that southern charm. You go to Walmart and you speak to people going up and down the aisles. It has changed a lot since we have started streaming our services. If you go to the gas station, the furniture store, you see people and speak to them. In other cities, you don’t have that type of interaction. That friendly hometown feeling. We are not Mayberry, but we are not that far off.
What do you think divides us?
I think there is the same type of dichotomy here that there is in our nation. I think there are democrats and republicans, liberals and conservatives. Anywhere you go, you probably have more of one and less of the other. We have some here and that does divide us.
And I think the haves and have-nots divides us. We have people here who are struggling financially, and there a lot of people who are doing well. There is probably some trouble there as well.
Do you agree with the direction and quality of education the Warren County public school system offers for our children? Why or why not?
Sort of hard for me to answer that now. My kids have been out of school for a long time. My youngest has been out of school for 22 years. Both of my sons have been out and working for years.
We have a lot of public school teachers in our congregation. All the ones I know are very good folks, dedicated. And we have administrators here. I know their character. I think they are good folks. Our kids have gone off from here and done well.
Is everything you need in McMinnville exist in terms of groceries, retail stores, churches, restaurants?
Yes, everything I need is here. There may be some things I’d like to have. I would love to have a Chick-fil-A. As far as they things we need, yes. My wife and I just got some furniture at Barr’s and they were real nice to us. We like to shop local. I think if you can trade locally, that benefits you and it benefits the community.
I think most of what we need is here.
Is McMinnville doing enough for people who are economically disadvantaged, or should McMinnville be doing more? If not, what should the city be doing?
That is a tough question. There is always this law of unintended consequences. I think our federal government has attempted to try and help people financially, and that is a good thing. But in so doing that, they have made people dependent.
There are states up north where people can make $100,000 a year with benefits and not work. That is a reason a lot of people are not working now. So, if they are doing too much, it is not profitable to work.
I think that is one of our society’s issues right now. All these people are not working, yet there are all these jobs, which makes you wonder where society is going to be. Who is going to pay the next round of taxes?
Your question is if McMinnville doing enough. I don’t know on the local level what it could do other than provide opportunities like bringing in an industry. Try to bring in something that will bring good quality jobs that will help bring people out of poverty into middle class.
What did I not ask you that you would like to comment about regarding McMinnville and its people?
One thing that is probably glaring in my mind is that McMinnville, Warren County is the nursery capital. I think our bypass should be beautiful with trees and shrubs. There should be a welcome sign when people come into McMinnville with the best quality nursery that makes people say, “Hey, this is a beautiful place.” I think when they drive down the by-pass they should see some of that quality. I don’t know if that is a state or what. I think that we should be able to feature our quality.
The next complete interview will feature Mac McWhirter.
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Paige Northcutt, McMinnville Swim Team Coach and Co-Owner of USA Gym By Brad Durham
McMinnville Swim Team coach and Warren County Sports Hall-of-Famer Paige Northcutt just completed her 28th season with the local swim team. The team completed their season this past weekend, and the following are some quick questions with Paige about the season.
The interview (2:42) can be seen in its entirety.
BD Newsletter: How did you do in the championship meet this past weekend?
Paige Northcutt: We were fourth overall. Our girls team won second overall.
BD: How do you feel about how you started and finished the season?
Paige: We had a slow start to the season because the weather was a little cooler, which cost us about three weeks. I think we progressed well. We had a lot of best times, personal best times. It was good overall.
BD: How was participation compared to other years? Were the numbers up or down this year?
Paige: This year we had 123 swimmers. Last year I think we had 116 swimmers. Our numbers were up just a little bit. I think that everyone should swim. If you are not on the team, it is a good way to promote a giant life skill.
BD: Where do you see McMinnville’s swim team going over the next five years?
Paige: Next year, I hope to maintain, and to get a little bit better. I hope our numbers grow, and that will show that we really do need an indoor pool. Then the team could swim year-round and be competitive with the first, second and third place teams.
BD: Everyone you swim against has an indoor pool, correct?
Paige: Yes. Everyone in the 10 counties we compete against have an indoor pool.
Bonus Question
BD: How’s your niece Charlie doing on the swim team in Jacksonville, Florida?
Paige: She is doing great. She would be the fastest five-year-old on the MST team, girl or boy. Her championships are next Friday.
All photos provided by Paige Northcutt…
Second Place Trophy 
Layla Barrie Guthrie Trophy 
Millie Feno Trophy 
Left to right: Amelia Partin, Finley MacDonald, Abigail Laxson, LaylaBarrie Guthrie 
Emme Reed 
Left to right: Claire Randall, Emory MacDonald & Clara Collier 
Devin Watson 
Addisyn Watson 
Kerrigan and Hunter Johnson 
Top: Edie MacDonald, Evie Partin, Lennon Guthrie, Annalee Simpson,
Iva Newman. Caroline Tanner
Ground: Lollie Guthrie, KellyGrace Simpson
George Myers, Stokley Newman, Coach Paige, Axel Miller, and Yates Stefanick 
Charley, Paige’s niece in Jacksonville, FL. 
TEAM SWIM SCORES FROM THE CHAMPIONSHIP MEET AT SEWANEE ON SATURDAY, JULY 8, 2023
BD Newsletter 
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