There’s a symphony of chaos in Washington, D.C. as the leaders of our fine nation argue about who’s to blame for our plane crash of a healthcare system.
I’m certainly not here to point fingers, or talk politics.
We all realize the Democrats are responsible for this, at least according to Republicans. In their effort to clean things up, the Republicans are only making things worse, at least according to Democrats.
Among all the verbal body slams, I think we’re missing the point about the root of the problem. It has little to do with politicians. And it has little to do with greedy insurance companies.
The problem, and pardon my bluntness, is America looks like a collective two-ton, overgrown donut. How can we have an effective and affordable healthcare system when so many people are morbidly obese? How can we hope to keep costs down when people start getting on expensive blood pressure medication and sky-high heart pills when they’re in their 40s?
We can’t.
That’s why I’m happy to start this week’s column with a report about LT360, a business which is in the process of opening a store at Three Star Mall. The opening date is set for September.
The great thing about LT360 is it looks to transform lives with its lifetime program dedicated to total-body wellness. Nothing is more important than feeling better about yourself and LT360 has chapters full of success stories.
It starts with founder Scott Oatsvall who was in his early 40s when he ballooned to 300 pounds. The father of five was in the backyard throwing football with his kids when his chest began to tighten and he experienced a life-changing event.
Said Scott, “My wife told me, ‘You’re not going to be around to walk your daughters down the aisle. You’re going to leave me with five kids to raise by myself.’ It was one of those destiny moments for me.”
That was in 2011 and Scott says he was on five different medications at the time. After doing extensive research, he created what he calls a cellular health and weight loss program. Six years later, he’s now a fit-looking 200 pounds and off all his medication.
His story is common when it comes to people who are following the LT360 lifestyle change. Local resident Tammy Young was key in bringing the office to McMinnville after she started following the program in Brentwood. In 11 months, Tammy has gone from 302 pounds to 198.
“I went from a person who was exhausted all the time to a person with energy,” said Tammy. “We’re poisoning ourselves with our diets. This is a program where you don’t go hungry. He teaches you how to eat. I was on medication for diabetes, high blood pressure and for my thyroid and in four months all those medications were removed.”
Michael Bell says he had gotten to the heaviest he had been in his life. “I’d get home from work and sit in a recliner. That’s all I felt like doing,” said Bell.
“I’d recommend this program to anybody,” said Bell, who lost 105 pounds of fat, not scale weight, in 127 days. “It has changed my life.”
Tyson Brock started the program in October after having consistent back pain because of his extra weight. He said he just recently went on a hike to the Stone Door and had more energy than his 17-year-old son.
I don’t want this to turn into a giant infomercial for LT360, but I would like to see more people keep their body at a healthy weight by whatever means necessary. If you’re overweight, it can impact every aspect of your life from productivity at work to the ability to perform routine household tasks. And if you’re taking a bunch of medication to battle health problems, it can cause side effects that aren’t fun.
“They told me they would start a McMinnville program if I got 25 people,” said Tammy. “Right now I have 165.”
Tammy wants to stress she’s not leaving her daycare to run the new office at Three Star Mall. That will be Keri Wood. If you would like to get started with LT360 before its grand opening here in September, contact Eric at (615) 815-0390 or you can talk to Tammy and Keri locally.
Good luck, and step away from the donut.
All-O-K’sions gets Hallmark line
Every day is now a Hallmark day at All-O-K’sions.
After the flower petals have settled from an extensive renovation project, All-O-K’sions is now a Hallmark Gold Crown store, carrying an extensive selection of greeting cards, ornaments, fancy chocolate, and home decorations.
“We’ve been in business for 19 years, including 18 at this spot, so it was time to do some remodeling,” said store owner Pam Wilson. “Hallmark approached us one year ago and asked if we’d be interested. Now we’re ready to go.”
The popular Hallmark holiday cheer ornaments just went on sale Saturday and feature a variety of choices. There are ornaments for Mr. Potato Head, Star Trek characters, Beauty and the Beast, Batman, the Death Star, and many more options to bring joy to your Christmas tree.
Shoppers will want to pick up a Crown Rewards card which allows you to accumulate points on every purchase, except for funeral work. Greeting cards are a huge part of the store with a tender saying for every occasion.
“We have cards that start at 99 cents and we have something for every price range,” said Pam. “We built our business on having something for everybody. We know everybody might not have $25 to spend so we try to accommodate everyone.”
One neat aspect of the store that’s not part of the Hallmark line is pillows and blankets that can be customized with the photo or design of your choice. If you’re looking for a unique Christmas gift, this is something to consider. I’m thinking of giving away blankets that include my picture to everyone on my shopping list.
Pam wants to stress that All-O-K’sions remains a full-service florist. There are no plans to change that with the Hallmark addition.
The business got its start by buying Kay’s Flowers and Gifts on Morford Street. After staying there for one year, Pam says she and her husband, Miles, bought their current building. The limousine service was added later.
Pam’s mother, Dot Snodgrass, and her son, Ryan Mason, have played crucial roles in the business with Ryan the first flower delivery guy at age 16. Pam says the business holds many fond family memories.
“In the blink of an eye, 19 years have gone by,” said Pam.
All-O-K’sions can be reached at 473-3714.
Please appoint me to a board
For decades, I’ve heard about how great the benefits are for those fortunate enough to be appointed to the McMinnville Electric System board of directors. I figured the compensation must be pretty good because people don’t serve a four-year term and leave. They stay for 30 years.
Earlier this year, Ben Lomand Connect held elections for three seats on its nine-member board. The candidates for those seats did an admirable job of getting their name noticed with some very handsome newspaper ads, which we certainly appreciate. All the publicity resulted in several people asking me how much Ben Lomand board members receive in compensation.
With those thoughts in mind, I decided to call around to get a sampling of local boards and how much they pay their members. You can see the fruits of my labor in the handy graph at right.
What I found is the McMinnville Electric System board doesn’t pay all that great in comparison to some other local boards. But, for my final conclusion, I say it certainly helps the household budget no matter what board you’re on.
While I tried to be comprehensive with my handy graph, I realize this list is not all-inclusive. Members of the Warren County Board of Equalization, for example, are not included and they earn $60 per day for every day they meet. The equalization board typically meets from June 1-15, resulting in about 10 working days, or $600 for the year.
Warren County Election Commissioners were also not included in my tally. In case you’re wondering, our five election commissioners earn $55 a month, plus it was just voted last month to give them a $100 bonus for every Election Day they work. This will give election commissioners roughly $960 in pay during election years and $660 in pay during non-election years.
I’m sure there are other public boards out there, somewhere, with paid members who I failed to include in this list. For this, allow me to apologize in advance.
Deals so good, you’ll squeal tires
Bobby Meeks has sold tires and done mechanic work for most of his life. He put tires on a blue pickup I used to own – and that was four vehicles ago.
After a couple years of living in Kentucky, Bobby has returned to town and opened McMinnville Tire & Brake on Morrison Street near Westwood Bridge. His first day was Monday.
“I can beat anyone’s price,” said Bobby. “I’m even cheaper than Walmart and that’s hard to do.”
Bobby has used tires starting at $20 apiece and that includes mounting and balancing. His used tires come with a 30-day warranty. He also sells new tires and says he can order any kind you like.
“New and used tires come with free rotating, balancing and flat repair if you buy them from me,” said Bobby. He also does tire patching for $10, tire plugging for $5, and tire mounting for $8 if you buy them somewhere else and bring them to him.
McMinnville Tire & Brake also does major and minor repairs as Bobby has been a mechanic for some 30 years.
“I’ve always been reasonable in my prices and if something is not right, I make it right,” said Bobby. “That’s the way I do business.”
Bobby can do oil changes, brake jobs, AC work, motor changes, “whatever pays the bills,” he said. He has complete computer diagnostic equipment.
This isn’t his first time being featured in the Standard business column. I reported on his tire and repair shop when it opened years ago on Sparta Street in the old Frazier BP spot.
“That story was like a gold rush,” said Bobby. “It brought me so much business I had to hire five people. I probably had 20 customers the next morning. People will see it if it’s in the Standard.”
McMinnville Tire & Brake is open Monday thru Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The phone number is (931) 743-4881.
New store hits its due date
If you’ve been frustrated at trying to find a maternity store in McMinnville, the due date has finally arrived for Mema’s Maternity and More. Store owner Michelle Stamps opened her new business on Monday at 101A Mullican Street behind Ace Hardware.
“Nobody in town has anything with maternity clothing so I decided to give it a try,” said Michelle. “I wanted to start small and I hope to expand. I’ve had a good response so far.”
Michelle says she’s been using the wonders of modern technology to compare her prices to other prices she’s found online. Her discovery is simple.
“Other places have outrageous prices,” said Michelle. “I’m not trying to make a killing.”
Michelle is located among a sea of hairdressers at Suites on Mullican so she should benefit from steady walk-in traffic. She just has to hope those coming in for hair appointments are female and pregnant.
Michelle has enjoyed an interesting career and done cooking at several area restaurants. This includes Nana’s Kountry Kupboard, Medley’s Diner, and Billy’s Restaurant. She’s traded her golden spatula for a pair of stretch pants and hopes the business excels.
Hours are Monday thru Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The phone number is (931) 273-0259.
That’s all folks
Remember to floss daily and phone in business tips at 473-2191. Email comments to editor@southernstandard.com.
