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Commentary: A guy named Bill
When I was growing up in Franklin, there was this guy, a few years older than me, who I sure looked up to. His name was Bill. He was a paragon: Smart. Nice-looking. Excelled at everything he put his hand to. In 4-H, he and his siblings dominated every project in which they competed, from […]
Life in Church Street Park
Church Street Park, a pocket park on downtown Nashville’s Church Street, has long been a gathering spot for the area’s homeless. It’s across the street from Nashville Public Library, where homeless individuals can access bathrooms and computers and easily accessible by bus for those who have fare money. Recently, the park seems more crowded than […]
Hargett to U.S. Senate: Georgia cat’s application to vote proof of voter fraud
Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett cited an alleged instance of a voter registration form being mailed to a cat in Georgia as rationale for Tennessee’s continuing emphasis on in-person voting during a Wednesday hearing of the U.S. Senate Rules and Administration Committee. Among other instances of alleged voter fraud by mail Hargett cited were […]
Poll: Majority of Tennesseans more likely to vote for candidate supporting background checks
A poll just out from former Arizona U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords’s gun violence prevention organizations shows eight out of 10 Tennesseans polled approve of background checks before a buyer can purchase a weapon
Column: They shall not pass this way again
Words are hardly sufficient to describe the pain and loss of Friday. First came the news that the Rev. C.T. Vivian had died at the age of 95. Less than 12 hours later, the news that U.S. Rep. John Lewis had died was a gut-punch of an exclamation point to what has become a surreal […]
From the 901: Beale Street Blues
Bar owners are having it tough across the state but some are giving as good as they get. In both Memphis and Nashville, bar owners have resorted to legal action after leaders for their respective cities have closed them or limited crowd size. Monday, 16 bar owners in Memphis sued the city, citing “significant economic […]
Commentary: Forrest debate has wasted time, marred Tennessee’s reputation
Thursday was a momentous day in Tennessee, more momentous than it should have been, for a decision was reached that should never have been difficult. The Tennessee Capitol Commission voted to remove the bust of Civil War General Nathan Bedford Forrest from its perch on the second floor of the Capitol. Much pain and drama […]
Beacon Center releases study of city freedoms
In conjunction with the July 4 Independence Day, the Beacon Center of Tennessee released a report Wednesday ranking Tennessee’s 30 most populous cities on a series of measures of freedom. The inaugural Freedom Index examined 25 metrics in four categories, free enterprise, private property, individual liberty, and cost of government, with LaVergne in Rutherford County […]
Equity Alliances staffs up
The Equity Alliance, a statewide non-profit focused on the civic and economic empowerment of the Black community, announced today the addition of seven new staff members to assist the organization as it expands its operations. The staff additions will add capacity to The Equity Alliance’s community organizing, voter outreach and Covid-19 response efforts. Charlane Oliver, […]
Back the Badge, Black Lives Matter groups meet in Nashville
A group of law enforcement advocates held a Back the Badge demonstration in Nashville Sunday, coming face to face with Black Lives Matter protesters who have occupied War Memorial Plaza for over two weeks. Cars, many of which apparently supported the BLM group, circled the block, blowing horns and holding signs that read “Blue Lives […]
Commentary: Maybe it’s time to let the old ways die
The Civil War ended 155 years ago but controversy about its ramifications continues across the country and nowhere is it more prevalent than in the South, the area that – let’s be honest – started the war of insurrection. Before continuing, I’ll share my own history. My McCall ancestors moved to Williamson County in the […]
Commentary: Legislature lacks basic human decency
Let’s cut right to the chase. There’s a lack of basic common, human decency in the legislature. For the last five or six years, Tennessee political watchers have observed the General Assembly devolve. Members have been expelled for campaign finance malfeasance, accused of sexual harassment or assault and too often laws pursued have focused less […]