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Stand Up Nashville declines to disclose donors
Stand Up Nashville, the nonprofit organization exerting its influence in the debates over an array of city government projects, refused to disclose its donors in response to questions from the Tennessee Lookout. Stand Up Nashville emerged three years ago when it successfully negotiated a first-of-its-kind community benefits agreement with the owners of the Nashville SC […]
MDHA retaliated against whistleblower, according to federal investigation
The Metro Development and Housing Agency retaliated against a whistleblower who reported poor supervision of workers participating in a federal jobs program, suspending her without pay and effectively demoting her last year. Two federal investigation reports detailed the findings that MDHA retaliated against Amanda Wood, a veteran of the agency with a track record of […]
Analysis: How the Delke plea affects DA Glenn Funk’s political future
The starting point for any analysis about District Attorney Glenn Funk’s political future is the acknowledgment that Funk would not be district attorney in the first place had it not been for the support of Black voters. But a high profile plea deal could put that support in jeopardy a year out from the next […]
Education funding lawsuit could head to new 3-judge panel
A six-year-old lawsuit over the adequacy of Tennessee’s funding of public education could head to a three-judge panel, providing immediate ramifications of a new state law passed by Republicans seeking more favorable judicial outcomes. The dispute over the state’s basic education formula dates back to 2015. The lead plaintiffs in the lawsuit had been Shelby […]
Property owners ask to demolish four buildings damaged in Christmas bombing
Property owners of four buildings on Second Avenue North directly across from where the Christmas morning bomb exploded are seeking demolition permits. Representatives for the property owners explained in a letter to several city departments that the demolition will be necessary after inspections by their engineers revealed structural problems. One building’s structure could be moved […]
A fight over bus routes, an awkward budget hearing and growing skepticism over Metro’s new NDOT
Drowned out in a Metro budget cycle largely defined by a chorus of cooperation was an 11th hour dust-up between Mayor John Cooper’s administration and Councilman Freddie O’Connell over mass transit funding. With minor tinkering, Cooper’s budget sailed through council on a unanimous voice vote. But an amendment filed by O’Connell to re-route $1.1 million […]
Inside Nashville’s pop-up vaccination efforts; what’s worked and what has failed
At a pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinic outside of Von Elrod’s Beer Hall & Kitchen on June 12, Metro Health Department workers found themselves hurrying to pack up their supplies as hecklers formed a half-circle around them. Metro Health strike team coordinator Emily Gibson recalled a group of about 10 people surrounding them while shouting insults […]
Nashville judge strikes down anti-tax referendum
A Nashville judge ruled on Tuesday that a citizen group seeking to make drastic changes to the Metro charter did not follow the appropriate laws on petition-driven ballot initiatives and struck down a referendum election that was scheduled for July 27. Davidson County Chancellor Russell Perkins wrote in his ruling, made public on Tuesday afternoon, […]
Nashville’s one-of-a-kind human trafficking court gains momentum after difficult year
Grant-funded government programs do not typically survive the kinds of challenges that Cherished Hearts, Nashville’s unique intervention court aimed at helping human trafficking suvivors, has faced since it launched. In its five-plus years of existence, the program has spanned four judges, two executive directors, an unrelated criminal scandal involving one of those judges and most […]
After Metro Nashville Council passes $2.6B budget, focus turns to Chancellor Perkins’ ruling in referendum lawsuit
After three years of bruising budget fights, Metro Council breezily passed a $2.6 billion opening budget on Tuesday night. The unanimous vote was a far cry from the contentious council meetings in recent years when property tax hikes were debated. In both 2018 and 2019, the margin for rejecting the proposed property tax increases came […]
How the Tennessee Titans would be affected by proposed Metro charter amendment
The Tennessee Titans would be negatively impacted by several provisions of the proposed Metro charter amendment, scheduled to be in front of voters on July 27, according to a legal filing by a business group seeking to halt the referendum. The Titans would stand “to lose potentially in the millions of dollars” should the referendum […]
Study: Bristol Motorsports plan would reduce racing noise at Fairgrounds Nashville
Between using the racetrack less frequently and implementing several noise-mitigation strategies, Bristol Motor Speedway would vastly reduce the noise impact on the neighborhoods surrounding the fairgrounds, according to a consultant’s report made public on Tuesday. Jackson Wrightson with the Texas-based firm WJHW presented the study results to the Metro Nashville Board of Fair Commissioners on […]