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After slashing the council, lawmakers will have to decide if they want to run Nashville
State Republicans cut the size of the Metro Nashville Council in half last week, kicking off a process that should reveal how serious lawmakers are about taking over various aspects of the city’s government. GOP state lawmakers passed, and Gov. Bill Lee signed, the legislation into law Thursday, with metro officials expected to file a […]
The origins of Tennessee’s drag show restriction: From rural West Tennesse to the state capital
In fall of 2022, nearly a dozen political and religious leaders met with Pride festival organizers in a back room of Jackson City Hall in West Tennessee. The shared goal? Hash out a deal over a drag show. Jackson’s third annual LGBTQ Pride festival was scheduled for the following month, and unlike the previous years, […]
U.S. Secretary of Transportation: Amtrak rail in Tennessee could ‘unlock’ economic activity
While in Nashville last week, the federal transportation secretary signaled his support for expanding Amtrak rail in Tennessee. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said connecting Nashville by rail lines to places like Memphis, Louisville and Atlanta has enormous potential. “Those connections could unlock a lot of economic activity,” Buttigieg said while attending a grant […]
Nashville Black clergy group could file lawsuit against the state if Metro Council cut
A prominent group representing Nashville’s black clergy delivered a letter Friday asking state Republican leaders to halt their efforts to shrink the size of the Metro Council and other proposals targeting the city. Davie Tucker, the President of the Nashville Interdenominational Ministers Fellowship, signed the letter. In it, he implied the group could file a […]
Where does the Nashville Chamber stand on bills targeting the city? Their CEO won’t say
As state Republicans target Nashville with a slate of legislation, business leaders, city officials and local representatives have been sounding the alarm, but the city’s most prominent business group is absent from the conversation. Last week, a group of three dozen Nashville business leaders signed a letter asking for a “reboot” in the relationship between […]
Legislative subcommittee recommends giving TSU board a year to fix housing, scholarship problems
Tennessee State University’s board could get at least one more year to implement changes to fix scholarship and on-campus housing problems. Lawmakers voted to recommend extending the life of the school’s board for an additional year at a hearing Monday. The bipartisan recommendation comes from members of a joint House and Senate government operations subcommittee, […]
Mayor Cooper, Titans finalize agreement for new Nashville NFL stadium
Nashville Mayor John Cooper and the Tennessee Titans have finalized an agreement to build a new $2.1 billion NFL stadium and will present it to the Metro Council for its first vote of approval on March 7. The final agreement is similar to the term sheet council members approved last December, with some slight modifications. […]
Comptroller recommends lawmakers vacate TSU board, university fights back
The state comptroller released its special report on Tennessee State University, recommending lawmakers vacate and restructure the school’s board of trustees and hire new administrators. “The comptroller’s audit revealed some valid concerns that must be addressed, but the historical precedent and context that brought us to this point matters,” Sen. Charlane Oliver, D-Nashville, said in a […]