[240] MTSU closes Dec. 23-Jan. 2 for holiday break; campus reopens Jan. 3

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — MTSU will be closed from Friday, Dec. 23, through Monday, Jan. 2, 2017, for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.

Except for Public Safety, Facilities Services and other essential personnel, all university offices and departments will be closed during this time.

Closures will include the Cope Administration Building; James E. Walker Library; Student Health, Wellness and Recreation Center; Health Services and Campus Pharmacy; Student Union; Keathley University Center; James Union Building; MT Dining food services; and all academic buildings.

The university will reopen at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 3. Normal business hours are 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. The Campus Recreation Center reopens Jan. 3 at 6 a.m.

To schedule a daily campus tour starting Jan. 3, call 615-898-5670, email tours@mtsu.edu or visit http://www.mtsu.edu/schedule-a-visit/daily-campus-visits.php.

Murphy Center will be the site for the Lady Raiders 6 p.m. Dec. 28 basketball game against Central Michigan and the Blue Raiders 3 p.m. Jan. 1 Conference USA game against UAB. The Lady Raiders visit UAB at 2 p.m. Jan. 1.

Spring 2017 classes will resume for students and faculty Tuesday, Jan. 17.

[239] Child care expert, Secret Service agent on ‘MTSU On the Record’ programs

MURFREESBORO — The “MTSU On the Record” radio program will ring out the old year with a look at child care and ring in the new year with an examination of a major federal agency.

Host Gina Logue’s interview with Nancy James, director of the MTSU Child Care Lab, will air from 8 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 26, and from 6 to 6:30 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 1, on WMOT-FM/Roots Radio 89.5 and www.wmot.org.

James, who is beginning her 29^th year as director, is in charge of tending to youngsters ages 3 through 5 whose parents are either MTSU students or employees. The Child Care Lab also develops the talents of future professionals by guiding student workers in the skills needed to develop children’s minds and bodies.

“They work there anywhere from five hours to 15 hours a week, and they’re counted in the (pupil-teacher) ratio because they go through the same training as anyone would to be in a classroom with preschoolers,” said James. “We will generally keep anywhere from three to five adults in the room through the bulk of the day.”

Meanwhile, Logue’s interview with Lynda Williams, deputy assistant director for the Office of Human Resources of the United States Secret Service, will air from 8 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 2, and from 6 to 6:30 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 8.

Williams, an MTSU alumna who has served all over the world, is the highest-ranking African-American woman in the history of the Secret Service, which is charged both with protecting the president of the United States and protecting the nation’s monetary supply.

“Even when I was in South Africa, most of my investigations were over counterfeit currency,” said Williams. “Peru is one of our highest yielding countries for U.S. counterfeit currency. So it’s still very much a hot market for us, and it keeps us going amidst all the other investigations that we have.”

To hear previous “MTSU On the Record” programs, go to http://bit.ly/mtsu-otr.

For more information, contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.

[238] WMOT/Roots Radio 89.5 FM to broadcast Dec. 17 ‘Mountain Tough’ benefit concert

Zac Brown Band to headline benefit for those affected by Gatlinburg-area wildfires

WMOT/Roots Radio 89.5 FM will be the flagship live broadcaster for Saturday’s free benefit concert to help those affected by the fatal Smoky Mountain wildfires that ravaged parts of the Gatlinburg, Tennessee, area in late November.

All this week, artists and radio stations have been signing on to support “Mountain Tough,” an all-day, free outdoor musical celebration and fundraiser that will be held from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17, at 705 Parkway in Gatlinburg.

The full show will be carried by flagship broadcaster WMOT/Roots Radio 89.5 FM (http://wmot.org), which serves Middle Tennessee from the College of Media and Entertainment at Middle Tennessee State University. The show is being produced by Yee-Haw Brewing Co., Ole Smoky Moonshine, Music City Roots and the Gatlinburg Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The word went out on social media Wednesday just after noon from Zac Brown Band: Gatlinburg, Tennessee, is open for business & welcoming visitors! We’ll be there playing the #MountainTough Benefit Show this Saturday, December 17. You can donate to ongoing fire relief efforts here: http://bit.ly/DonateETF.

Most importantly, in addition to Zac Brown Band, the talent lineup continues to take shape, organizers said. Nationally renowned duo The Secret Sisters signed on within the last 48 hours. Other artists committed include: Sam Bush, Jason D. Williams, Derek St. Holmes, Jim Lauderdale, Chuck Mead, Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley, Shannon Whitworth & Barrett Smith, Sarah Potenza, Firewater Junction, Greg Reish, Chelle Rose, Carl Anderson, R.B. Morris and Mo Pitney.

Zac Brown Band will take the stage last at about 7:50 p.m. Saturday.

While the benefit is free, donations are encouraged, with all proceeds going to the Sevier County Community Fund. To make a contribution, visit https://etf.givingfuel.com/sevier-county-community-fund. Donations can also be sent by checks payable to East Tennessee Foundation with “SCCF” in the memo line. Mail to: East Tennessee Foundation, 520 W. Summit Hill Drive, Suite 1101, Knoxville, TN 37902.

Other stations committed to broadcast or stream Mountain Tough include: Knoxville country powerhouse WIVK-FM, Knoxville indie/Americana station WDVX-FM, Nashville public radio station WPLN-FM, University of Tennessee stations WUTK-FM and WUOT-FM and Chattanooga’s WUTC-FM.

In addition, NPR Music-affiliated World Café and the VuHaus digital music video service will host the video stream of the show produced and served by Music City Roots of Nashville.

Social Media: #mountaintough / @TravelGburg / @zacbrownband / @olesmoky / @yeehawbrewing / @musiccityroots / @wmot_rootsradio

About WMOT/Roots Radio

WMOT-FM/Roots Radio 89.5, is a 100,000-watt NPR affiliated radio station serving Middle Tennessee from the College of Media and Entertainment, owned and operated by Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. It has served the Midstate since 1969, and in September 2016 it adopted a full-time Americana music format with a Nashville focus branded as Roots Radio. With live DJs from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and a range of specialty programming on nights and weekends, its mission is to reflect the ongoing evolution of Music City and its American roots traditions. Information at www.wmot.org