Initial stages of the 9-11 Memorial with an I-beam from the World Trade Center will be unveiled during the annual Community Fair from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11 at the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office.

The 3,000-pound I-beam from Tower One will be the focus of the memorial being constructed, said Deputy Greg Dotson, who is coordinating the memorial drive.

“The memorial will remember those who have fallen on Sept. 11, 2001 due to planned acts of terrorists as well as the troops who have fallen since that day in defending freedom and trying to rid the world of terrorism,” Dotson said. “The memorial will show support for the troops who are still at war and in harms’ way.”

Cost of the memorial is estimated at $30,000. Donations and the sale of bricks will fund the project. Pre-ordered bricks will be on display. Bricks will be on sale during the 9-11 fair.

Dotson believes the memorial will be a historical landmark in Rutherford County. The memorial should be completed by December.

The memorial ceremony will begin at 2 p.m. with the singing of the national anthem by the group, the Roy’s, and Murfreesboro Fire Department serving as the honor guard. Firefighters will ring a bell in salute to the lives lost on 9-11. Rolling Thunder will present a POW/MIA flag.

Sheriff Robert F. Arnold will speak. Iraqi veteran David Judy, who delivered the I-beam from New York City, will be recognized.

Richie McDonald, former lead singer of the country band, Lonestar, will be the featured performer. The County Music Association named Lonestar the county music Group of the Year in 2001.

McDonald wrote, “I’m Already There” and sang it with Lonestar. The song was awarded Song of the Year and McDonald was the BMI Writer of the Year in 2002. Also, “Amazed” by Lonestar was the Single Song of the Year in 2001.

Other events include:

• Inflatables sponsored by Cox Family Martial Arts.
• Face painting by the La Vergne Police Department’s Police Athletic League.
• A petting zoo sponsored by Property Assessor Bill Boner of Cripple Creek Farms.
• Demonstration of the Jaws of Life by the Walter Hill Volunteer Fire Department.
• Displays of equipment and vehicles by the sheriff’s office, Murfreesboro Police, Smyrna, La Vergne and Eagleville police, Murfreesboro Fire Department, Rutherford County Fire and Rescue and Emergency Medical Services.
• Food for sale.
• Displays of vehicles by Ford of Murfreesboro and Nissan.

Community organizations will discuss their groups. AARP will conduct a silent auction featuring NASCAR’s Jeff Gordon memorabilia and representatives of the Fisher House will collect donations to build a home for families while veterans are in the hospital.

Vendors of arts and crafts are still needed. Booth fees are $50 and must be reserved by Aug. 31.

Deputy Jim Noe said Americans need to remember the fallen heroes and show solidarity.

“We want to let our neighbors know we are still united under the cause of freedom,” Noe said.

For more information, contact Sgt. Jimmy Cassidy at 904-3019, Dotson at 904-3033 or Noe at 904-3018.

Murfreesboro, TN - The Oakland High School Personal Finance Honors classes are conducting a Personal Finance Fair on Tuesday, Nov. 16 from 6:30-8:30pm in the Oakland Middle School Auditorium at 853 Dejarnette Lane in Murfreesboro. The event is free and open to the public. The seminar will inform participants on how to save and manage their money, and present different ways to handle financial decisions in difficult economic times.

Workshops that will be presented during this fair include how to save using coupons, banking, budgeting, and much more. We will also have guest speaker finance guru Dave Ramsey's daughter, Rachel Ramsey Cruze. She will be conducting her own session called "Foundations in Personal Finance." Other speakers include the parents of Oakland High School students and business professionals from the Murfreesboro area.

For more information, contact Barbara Turner at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or Art Yasso at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Come spend a early fall day in the country at the 21^st annual White Oak Craft Fair scheduled from 9:00AM to 5:00PM on Saturday and Sunday, September 11^th and 12^th, 2010. The White Oak Craft Fair returns for its 21st year, offering something of interest for everybody who delights in items and products that are individually designed and hand crafted. See artists and craft vendors display their beautiful and unique wares along the banks of the East Fork Stones River just down from the Arts Center of Cannon County. Top craft artisans from throughout the region will offer for sale their original textiles, jewelry, woodcarving, metalwork, pottery, photography, chairs, baskets, ironwork, stained glass and much more. Shopping doesn’t get any better than this.

The White Oak Craft Fair will present an enormous variety of work, all of which is chosen for it excellence and integrity by a highly respected selection panel. In an age when mass production makes so many things widely available, the White Oak Crafts Fair celebrates the inspiration and skill of the individual maker as well as being an opportunity to appreciate uniqueness. Although a high percentage of the participants in the show are typically perennial favorites, new exhibitors join the show each year, so there is always something new and fresh for visitors to look forward to.

Come for the shopping or come for the food! “The Kitchen at the Arts Center” will provide traditional southern cooking inside the Arts Center with additional food booths to choose from down on the river. In addition a Children’s Activities Tent will be provided allowing young children (and their parents and grandparents) a chance to re-hydrate, sit down and slow down with special activities planned just for them.

Admission to the fair is FREE with a $2 donation benefiting the local Lion’s Club and The Arts Center. Make your plans now to visit the White Oak Crafts Fair, but be sure that you give yourself plenty of time because you will not want to miss all that this year’s fair has to offer. The 21st Annual White Oak Crafts is sponsored in part by the Cannon Association of Crafts Artists, The Arts Center of Cannon County and The Tennessee Arts Commission. The fair will be at The Arts Center of Cannon County, 1424 John Bragg Highway, just west of the town of Woodbury, approximately 20 minutes from Murfreesboro, Manchester, and McMinnville and one hour southeast of Nashville. Fair hours are 9:00am to 5:00pm both days. For additional information call 615-563-2787 or 1-800-235-9073 or visit our website at www.artscenterofcc.com

IF YOU GO!

What: The White Oak Craft Fair

Where: The Arts Center of Cannon County, Woodbury, TN

When: September 11 & 12, (9:00AM-5:00PM

Admission: Free with $2 supervised parking donation to local Lions Club and The Arts Center

Murfreesboro, TN - The upcoming Rutherford County Tea Party known as "Freedom Fair on the Square" is committed to remaining non-partisan. Many liberal and media groups have claimed that the national Tea Party movement is financially supported by a variety of political organizations such as Republicans, Libertarians and Independents. Recent national polls refute these accusations. A recent Gallup Poll of 1,033 reveals that Tea Partiers are dramatically average. That is they represent a classic cross section of America. According to the poll when added together the percentage of Democrats and Independents out pace Republican Tea Partiers 51% to 49%.  This same Gallup Poll discovered that there is nothing fringe about self-proclaimed Tea Party adherents; they are slightly more likely to be employed, male and definitely more conservative. But otherwise Gallup's Lydia Saad writes, "their age, educational background, employment status, and race -- Tea Partiers are quite representative of the public at large."

Recent reports from local and national sources report that infiltration groups such as Crashtheparty.com will attempt to disrupt and misrepresent upcoming Tea Party events to the media by pretending to be Tea Partiers and making bigoted, racist or threatening statements. Freedom Fair on the Square organizer, Mishelle Perkins, reaffirms the events commitment to being fair, balanced and conservative. ³We have seen disruptions from anti-Tea Party groups before and while we hope to conduct our event peacefully, we are prepared to ask any person or group that causes problems to exit our event so that we can practice our First Amendment right without being misrepresented.

The "Freedom Fair on the Square" organizing group consists of over two-dozen local citizens that come from many walks of life. From retirees, to home school moms to business owners and blue-collar workers all are committed to promoting limited and Constitutional government at every level. The April 16th Tea Party event has not received any financial or moral support from any political party or candidate. Therefore the Freedom Fair confidently states that it is simply a  Patriotic forum focused on educating and organizing citizens for the purpose of practicing their Constitutional rights as Americans.

Local candidates who are on the April 20th ballot in Rutherford County will have the unique opportunity to speak to thousands of enthusiastic tea partiers at the April 16th Tea Party in Murfreesboro. All candidates were invited.

The "Freedom Fair on the Square" Tea Party will begin at 5pm on Friday and feature 1510am WLAC's Steve Gill as the main speaker as well as other speakers such as Ken Marrero, Bill Warner, William Gheen and Matt Collins. Over a dozen freedom-loving organizations will also be on hand to engage attendees about their particular areas of interest such as Illegal Immigration, Political Activism and Second Amendment Rights.

Food and patriotic music will be available which makes this an event that is fun for the whole family. Additionally, over a dozen local businesses and civic organizations have committed to display at the Tea Party.