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Lookout in Brief: Byhalia Pipeline halted but Memphis Council still pushes protective legislation
The Byhalia Connection pipeline project has been abandoned by its developers but Memphis council members continue to push legislation to protect the Memphis Sand Aquifer. On Tuesday, an ordinance for protecting Shelby County’s natural water source was up for a final reading, but was withdrawn. In its place, councilmember JB Smiley introduced a substitute aquifer […]
As permitless gun carry law takes effect, some Second Amendment advocates urge continued training
Even some Tennessee gun enthusiasts are hard-pressed to say that the state’s controversial new permitless gun carry law won’t have negative effects. Starting today, permits will no longer be required to carry a handgun publicly in Tennessee, nor will new gun owners be required to take training. But that’s not to say gun owners shouldn’t […]
Distribution of funds to keep people in homes lags, and nonprofits blame Metro Action Commission
When rent relief became available in 2020 to Nashvillians at risk of losing housing because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Davidson County nonprofit organizations rushed to meet the deadline and distributed $10 million. Since then just a fraction of the current rent relief funds have been distributed, and nonprofits are blaming Metro Action Commission’s technology. In […]
Metro Schools, MNEA launch community schools project with immigrant organizations
In Metro Nashville Public Schools, students speak more than 100 different languages and the majority of immigrants are arriving from non-English speaking countries, but many students don’t currently feel represented in their curriculum. Members of the Metro Nashville Education Association (MNEA) and representatives of immigrant organizations have found over the last year that children of […]
In litigation with national organization, Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee continues to thrive
Little girls selling Girl Scout cookies in plexiglass face shields is just one example of why Middle Tennessee Girl Scouts are in financially better circumstances than many of their sisters across the country. Recently the Associated Press reported that Girl Scouts of the USA has 15 million boxes of unsold cookies and faces financial difficulties. […]
Move to create Blue Ribbon advisory panel stalls in Shelby County commission
The Shelby County Board of Commissioners discussed a motion Monday to create an independent panel overlooking appointees to the Shelby County Ethics Commission. The group, called the Blue Ribbon Advisory Panel, was sponsored by Chairman Eddie S. Jones, Jr, Commissioners Amber Mills and Mark Billinglsey and created as a way to have neutral third party […]
Tennesseans celebrate Juneteenth
Tennesseans didn’t wait on President Joe Biden’s Thursday proclamation making Juneteenth a federal holiday to begin organizing celebrations marking the occasion. In the Nashville area alone, more than 45 events were held to celebrate a traditional holiday for Black Americans. On June 19,1865, U.S. Major Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston Texas bearing a copy […]
Settled into new homes, refugees in US say they are working for a better life for all
Violence, persecution and wars amid a global pandemic added to the growing number of displaced persons around the world last year. The United Nations reports that 11.2 million people were displaced from their homelands in 2020, bringing the total number of displaced persons in the world to 82.4 million. Of those forced to flee their […]
Crisis center partners with Metro Nashville cops on de-escalation training
The disheveled, middle-aged man struggled against the Metro Nashville Police officer hauling him into the Crisis Treatment Center for a psychiatric evaluation, his loud mumbling muffled by the glass in the treatment room. From an enclosed glass room in the center of the facility, mental healthcare workers watched calmly as the man was processed and […]
Shelby Schools split with historic agency dominates county commission meeting
Shelby County Board of Commissioners addressed the dissolution of a contract between Shelby County Schools and Porter-Leath, the historic Memphis preschool agency, at Wednesday’s regular session. Last week, Porter-Leath officials learned that Shelby County Schools would not be renewing their organization’s contract to provide thousands of students with preschool classes. For decades, Porter-Leath has provided […]
Memphis votes to set $2.71 tax rate
The Memphis City Council voted Tuesday to certify the city’s tax rate at $2.71 after back and forth discussion. Before the vote concluded, Councilmember Martavius Jones proposed increasing the tax rate in order to improve long standing issues in the city, such as the affordable housing crisis, the Memphis Area Transit Authority and numerous trash-pick […]
Eviction moratorium nears end and oustings have started
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention federal eviction moratorium doesn’t end until June 30, but evictions are already starting to rise across the state. Eviction notices at Mosaic Apartments in South Nashville made headlines over the past two weeks, prompting local community leaders and officials to intervene and prevent nearly 90 families from being […]