News
The New Normal – Part 1: The socially distanced coffee shop
The COVID-19 pandemic has altered virtually every aspect of life and created a new normal for Nashville residents. To capture the ways life has changed, award-winning photographer John Partipilo spent several weeks in the community and the result is an eight-part series of photos. At 8th and Roast coffee shop, new public health protocols have […]
From the 901: Four-way Democratic primary in Memphis features high-profile contenders
As the August 6 primary election nears, a fascinating Democratic primary race has drawn attention as high-profile contenders compete for State House of Representatives in Memphis’s District 97. Four candidates— Allan Creasy, Gabby Salinas, Ruby Powell-Dennis and Clifford Stockton III— are currently running for the District 97 Democratic primary. The winner will face either John […]
How virtual school will work in Nashville, according to top MNPS officials
When school officially starts in less than two weeks, thousands of Nashville students, teachers and parents will enter into the unchartered waters of virtual learning. Although Metro Nashville Public Schools offered a version of distance learning in the spring when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, virtual school was more informal, work was not graded and the […]
Nashville lawsuits target unsolicited robocalls in recall effort
Two federal lawsuits were filed on July 17 against an anti-tax group that made unsolicited robocalls to Davidson County voters encouraging support for an effort to recall Nashville Mayor John Cooper and Metro Council members. The class action lawsuits claim that the anti-tax group No Tax 4 Nash broke federal laws that ban such calls […]
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
Closely contested Democratic primary foreshadows November showdown for Senate District 20
As government appointments go, the Solid Waste Region Board and the Foster Care Review Board would hardly be viewed as the launching pads to the top levels of state government. But, Tennessee Democrats believe one of those humble agencies is home to their newest state Senator. Serving on the solid waste board, which oversees trash […]
Secretly-funded efforts target mayor, Nashville tax policy
Nashville voters are being targeted by two apparently linked petition drive efforts, one to recall Nashville Mayor John Cooper and the 31 Metro Council members who voted in favor of the property tax increase last month, and another to give voters unprecedented powers to approve such tax increases and other oversight of city finances. The […]
Immigrant rights group changes leadership as directors step down
Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) faces new direction and leadership for the upcoming election as the current directors step down for a new leader. Co-Executive Directors Stephanie Teatro and Lindsey Harris recently announced their leave from TIRRC to make way for a new director, Lisa Sherman-Nikolaus. Tennessee Lookout spoke with Teatro, Harris and […]
Group led by Nashville lawyer pushes anti-tax referendum
Davidson County voters received a petition in their mailboxes this week asking for signatures to support a referendum that would overhaul how Metro raises property taxes, deals with excess property and issues bonds. It’s unclear who is behind financing the initiative, which is dubbed the Nashville Taxpayer Protection Act, but Nashville attorney Jim Roberts is […]
Border officials did not follow guidelines on migrant children’s health care, government investigators find
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has not consistently followed new guidelines for medical care of migrant children and spent some of the agency’s money designated for “medical care” on unrelated items like printers, speakers and its canine program, according to a new federal investigation. The U.S. Government Accountability Office, an independent “congressional watchdog,” found gaps […]
Tennessee Republicans push for in-person education as COVID cases surge
WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander — a leading voice in federal education policy in the U.S. Senate — continues to support reopening the nation’s schools even as COVID-19 cases surge in Tennessee and across the nation. But he also supports more aid to help schools reopen safely — a goal at odds with the […]
Fever checks: Real medicine or public-health theater?
World-renowned amusement parks and casinos have reopened during the coronavirus pandemic – most recently, Walt Disney World – but the state’s summer fun now comes with standing in line to get checked for fever during the COVID-19 pandemic. Temperature checks are one of the safety protocols required for admission, and they involve a worker using […]