Author

J. Holly McCall

J. Holly McCall

Holly McCall has been a fixture in Tennessee media and politics for decades. She covered city hall for papers in Columbus, Ohio and Joplin, Missouri before returning to Tennessee with the Nashville Business Journal. Holly brings a deep wealth of knowledge about Tennessee’s political processes and players and likes nothing better than getting into the weeds of how political deals are made.

COMMENTARY
Tennessee House of Representatives (Photo: John Partipilo)

Commentary: Stumbles by both Tennessee House caucuses bode no good for Tennesseans

By: - January 16, 2021

This week Tennessee General Assembly opened the 112th legislative session and it’s been notable for the messes in which both House of Representatives caucuses commenced the new year.  The supermajority Republicans had a scandal in the making even before Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton gaveled in the session.  On Jan. 8, just days before […]

Exterior of Community Legal Center, Memphis. (Photo: Google)

Memphis’s Community Legal Center names Jerri Green interim executive director

By: - January 4, 2021

Attorney and former candidate for Tennessee House of Representatives Jerri Green will serve as the Interim Executive Director of the Community Legal Center in Memphis, the organization announced Monday. In a written statement, the CLC said, “We are confident Jerri will provide strong leadership and continuity during this time of transition as the CLC searches […]

(Photo: John Partipilo)

Editor’s column: Finding the gifts in a non-traditional holiday

By: - December 24, 2020

As is the case for many people, the holidays are less about Santa’s bag of toys than about a mixed bag of emotions for me.  When I was a kid, I loved Christmas, and not just the fact I got presents. That in itself was no small thing, for Christmas and birthdays were the only […]

Gov. Bill Lee addressing the surge in COVID-19 cases and the vaccine at his regular press briefing. (Photo: Sam Stockard)

Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Piercey urges Tennesseans to forego even home gatherings

By: - December 20, 2020

Officials from the Tennessee Department of Health unveiled data Sunday afternoon showing the rise in COVID-19 cases filling the state’s hospitals, and intensive care units in particular, and strongly urged Tennesseans’ to forego any social gatherings even in the home.  “As you know, the latest numbers we’ve been dealing with are very dramatic and are […]

COMMENTARY
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee pictured with his wife, Maria, during a Memphis event in December. (Photo by © Karen Pulfer Focht)

Editor’s column: Gov. Bill Lee does his best Ebenezer Scrooge impression

By: - December 17, 2020

Nothing warms the heart at the holidays like viewings of Christmas fare like “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and adaptations of the Charles Dickens classic, “A Christmas Carol.”  Each features a villain lacking in holiday spirit and empathy for his fellow man — or Who, in the Grinch’s case — but who comes to realize […]

Candidates for TNDP chair speak in a Thursday forum sponsored by the Tennessee Holler and Change Tennessee. From top left clockwise: Kate Craig, Robin Kimbrough Hayes, Dr. Jane George, Civil Miller Watkins and moderator Drew Dison.

Tennessee Democratic Party overhauls chair selection process

By: - December 11, 2020

The Tennessee Democratic Party is overhauling its process for choosing a new party chair.   For the first time, the TNDP Executive Committee has hired an outside human resources consultant to make the process more professional and akin to a hunt for the CEO of a statewide organization. Candidates typically send an announcement to the 66 […]

COMMENTARY
On Tuesday, Ben Shapiro critiqued Vanderbilt University football and soccer player Sarah Fuller's kicking skills. (Photo: YouTube)

Editor’s column: Welcome to Tennessee! Now y’all go home.

By: - December 3, 2020

In my Tennessee home town, every time there’s a move towards something progressive — removing the Confederate flag from the county seal, for instance, imposing a mask mandate or changing the name of a school mascot to something not offensive to a third of the school’s graduates — the comments on social media usually include […]

COMMENTARY
(Photo:Getty Images)

Editor’s column: Is that all there is?

By: - November 25, 2020

Saturday, I drove to Knoxville to see my brother and his family, after not seeing them since January. We sat outside on his deck for a few hours talking about work, about COVID-19, mutual friends, books and politics.  As I left, I found myself turning not towards the interstate ramp home but towards the University […]

Screen grab of Gov. Bill Lee at Wednesday's press briefing.

East Tennessee doctors to Lee: “Get up there and lead.”

By: - November 18, 2020

Two East Tennessee doctors said Wednesday most Tennesseans won’t be able to access a COVID-19 vaccine for a year and decried what they call a lack of leadership by Gov. Bill Lee.  Dr. Deaver Shattuck, an internal medicine specialist in Blount County and Dr. Kevin James, a geriatrician who also practices in Blount County, talked […]

McMurry, Councilmember Nancy Vanreece, and former Mayor Megan Barry in an untitled photo. (Photo: Facebook)

Community leader, political activist David McMurry dies Monday

By: - November 17, 2020

David McMurry, a member of the Metropolitan Nashville Convention Center Authority and former candidate for Metro Council, was found dead in his condominium Monday.  News of McMurry’s death spread rapidly via social media channels Monday night.  Russ Bradford, council member for District 13, said Metro Police were called for a wellness check on McMurry when […]

COMMENTARY

Commentary: Tennessee Democrats need to take off the rose-colored glasses

By: - November 11, 2020

Many Tennesseans, particularly Democrats, are rejoicing after Joe Biden clinched Pennsylvania’s electoral college votes Saturday, giving him the required 270 votes to win the presidency.  President Donald Trump has brought a particular kind of misery to Americans who saw gains in immigration policy, LGBTQ rights, women’s rights and healthcare trimmed back or threatened.  He horrified […]

Nashville, Tenn., Nov. 7, 2020: "Stop the Steal" event. (Photo: Alex Kent)

The thrill of victory, the agony of defeat

By: - November 9, 2020

A truism of politics is that there’s always a winner and always a loser. In the case of the 2020 presidential election, Democrat Joe Biden has emerged as president-elect, after clinching Pennsylvania’s Electoral College votes Saturday morning. Sitting President Donald Trump has not conceded and shows no indication he is going to, with attorneys general […]