Briefs

Recent graduates of the Metro Police Academy are sworn in August 12 2020. (Photo: Nashville.gov)

Cooper tells NOAH no funds for criminal reform

BY: - October 26, 2020

Mayor John Cooper told a group of Nashville community leaders Sunday the city does not have the funds to address criminal reform.  “I am sorry, and we would love to be able to do it but we have to accept that as a reality,” said Cooper. “The work is worthy, but we have to be able […]

(Photo: Hill Street Studios/Getty Images)

Nashville mayor’s representative urges early voting

BY: - October 23, 2020

Although the lines continue to be long at many early-voting locations right now, waiting until Election Day is a risky plan, said a staff member for Nashville Mayor John Cooper.  Rising COVID-19 cases and long lines for early voting may be turning away some potential voters, said Fabian Bedne in his weekly Spanish language press […]

Middle Tennessee labor union leaders gathered Thursday to discuss what talking points they will be looking for from President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden at Thursday night's debate. (Photo: Holly McCall)

Labor leaders address needs from presidential candidates

BY: - October 22, 2020

Nobody — teachers nor students — should set foot in classrooms until infrastructure has been fixed, class sizes are smaller and Metro Nashville hires more teachers, said Amanda Kail, president of the Metro Nashville Education Association Thursday morning.  Kail was part of a coalition speaking to the needs of Tennessee workers in advance of Thursday […]

Early voter Lanna Williams, wearing a Black Lives Matter shirt, waits in line to vote with others at the Howard School in Nashville. Apparel with slogans not identified with a particular candidate or political party are permitted while voting. (Photo: John Partipilo)

Towns to investigate Memphis poll worker incident

BY: - October 21, 2020

Rep. Joe Towns Jr., D-Memphis, will investigate whether an incident in which “Black Lives Matter” voters were turned away from the polls was not an isolated incident. Friday a poll worker was fired after turning away voters who wore t-shirts linked to the recent protests. The fired worker thought the  slogans were tied to the […]

CARES Act grants now available for minority-owned businesses

BY: - October 16, 2020

Government-sponsored business grants are now available through the CARES Act for minority entrepreneurs and will be awarded through a first-come-first-serve basis.  The Metropolitan Council of Nashville & Davidson County adopted Resolution RS2020-516 to distribute $2 million in CARES Act Funds to aid small businesses in Davidson County, according to Pathway Lending.  About 30 percent of […]

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Metro urges caution with traditional Halloween activities

BY: - October 14, 2020

Metro public health officials have asked citizens to avoid activities at high risk for COVID-19 and to find alternative ways to participate in Halloween 2020.   According to CDC guidelines, many traditional Halloween activities are high-risk for spreading viruses, including trick-or-treating, crowded costume parties, indoor haunted houses, hayrides or tractor rides. Using alcohol or drugs can […]

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Think tank panel urges media to calm voters’ fears

BY: - October 13, 2020

Voting-rights advocates are asking the media to settle absentee-voting fears in order to prepare voters for possible delays on Election Day.  Data collected by the voting-advocacy group Voting Rights Lab found that an overwhelming majority of people expect glitches in the 2020 cycle. “They already expressed a lack of faith in the final results,” said […]

The Milton and Denise Johnson Building at Belmont University Photo by Jason Davis/Getty Images)

Be Better Belmont town hall urges school to cut ties from CoreCivic

BY: - October 8, 2020

The for-profit prison system is akin to slavery, said a speaker Wednesday during the meeting of a Belmont University student group urging the school to cut ties with CoreCivic.  Be Better Belmont hosted a town hall meeting focused on the Nashville-based private correctional company and its financial contributions to Belmont University amid rising racial tensions […]

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Rep. Cooper announces major early voting initiative

BY: - October 7, 2020

In what a spokesman for U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Nashville, says may be the first of it’s kind nationally, Cooper is urging local voters to head to the polls early with 14 days of themed voting events featuring community groups and celebrities.  Cooper has long been a proponent of voting rights and VoteEarlyTN is the […]

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COVID-19 vaccine trials need immigrant and minority participants

BY: - October 2, 2020

In preparation for the upcoming COVID-19 vaccine trials, officials from Meharry Medical College (MMC) are urging participation from Middle Tennessee’s immigrant and minority communities.  In his Thursday press conference, Metro spokesperson Fabian Bedne urged minority groups to participate in the vaccine trials expected to start in October. For maximum efficiency, testing requires a diverse group […]

(Map: Stacker.com)

Two Tennessee communities rank among top 50 Trump donors

BY: - October 1, 2020

Two Tennessee zip codes rank among the top 50 in the U.S. in amount of donations given to President Donald Trump.  Brentwood zip code 37027 came in at number 29, with 1,736 donations for a total of $198,279. The average donation in 37027 was $114.. Green Hills zip code 37215  ranked 24th, with 825 donors […]

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Report ranks Tennessee one of top five for kids in state custody with COVID-19

BY: - October 1, 2020

More than 1,800 children and teens involved in juvenile justice systems across the nation and in Puerto Rico have tested positive for COVID-19 since the pandemic began, a report released Wednesday by The Sentencing Project has found. Tennessee is one of five states with the highest number of positive cases among kids in custody: 146 […]