Gavel Down
🏛 TN is out of session · MNPD eyes drone program · NES wants to bury powerlines · Much more!
Good afternoon, everyone. The TN General Assembly wraps things up for the year—Mayor O’Connell isn’t pleased... MNPD Eyes 'Drone as First Responder' Program... NES Inks $3M Deal to Study Burying Power Lines... And much more!
Early Voting You can vote early for Davidson County’s May 5 Primary Elections until April 30. Find the early voting schedule and sample ballot here.
The Undoing of the West Join us May 21st for a discussion with Vauban Books and writer Nathan Pinkoski for a discussion about French writer Jean Raspail's novel The Camp of Saints. (Buy Ticket)
Like what we do? Forward us to a friend!
Freddie weighs in as the 114th General Assembly officially adjourns for the year.
From Megan Podsiedlik
Mayor Freddie O’Connell had mixed feelings about several bills that made it over the finish line during this year's legislative session.
“We did, again, get some opportunities to… advance some significant infrastructure projects, but we also saw a lot of preemptive action,” said O’Connell during this morning’s media roundtable.
Airport Authority “Large airports across Tennessee all just lost local control,” he continued, saying that the change will be bad for area residents.
The legislation O’Connell’s referring to dissolves the current board of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority—along with four other airport authorities across Tennessee—requiring them to be reappointed and restructured.
If signed into law, the new nine-member board will be appointed in July. Six members will be selected by top state officials, and the mayor will appoint the remaining three. It also requires that the majority of appointed members to reside in Davidson County.
Tourist Zones “Any city with an urban Tourism Development Zone probably is expressing some concern right now about limits on everything from deliveries to special events, and so we're concerned about that,” said O’Connell of the legislation that creates a state-controlled framework for TDZs in Tennessee.
The bill flew under the radar during session, despite the major shift in oversight it grants to Tennessee departments in designated areas. If signed, the state will be able to override local laws with the goal of protecting and boosting economic activity in tourist zones. This includes guidelines for street access near businesses, loitering, and cleanliness and empowers the Tennessee Highway Patrol to step in directly and police the areas alongside local authorities.
Immigration and LGBTQ “And then, of course, we saw multiple bills targeting our immigrant and LGBTQ communities across Tennessee,” said Mayor O’Connell. “There were several troubling pieces of legislation that came out of the General Assembly."
O’Connell’s administration will be conducting a legislative review before taking any legal action.
What Horrors We Wrought In 1973, French writer Jean Raspail published one of the most controversial novels of the 20th century. His novel, The Camp of Saints, has been consistently censored throughout its history.
Vauban Books recently published a new translation of the French story, accompanied by a lucid introduction by writer Nathan Pinkoski. Join us as we discuss the legacy of this controversial novel and what it says about the West.
This event is for the benefit of The Pamphleteer, Nashville, and priced with that in mind. Bard-level subscribers receive free admittance.
HEADLINES
- 👁️ MNPD Eyes 'Drone as First Responder' Program MNPD received an FAA waiver this month to fly drones beyond officers' line of sight and is "contemplating a very limited test" of a Drone as First Responder program, spokesperson Don Aaron told the Banner. The department currently operates 34 drones; Mount Juliet PD launched a DFR program last year. (Banner)
- ⚡ NES Inks $3M Deal to Study Burying Power Lines Nashville Electric Service signed a $3 million contract this week for an underground utilities pilot study, identifying four yet-undisclosed neighborhoods slated for pilot projects as early as July — a post–Winter Storm Fern bet on grid resiliency that experts warn will run headlong into Middle Tennessee's limestone. (WKRN)
✹ METRO COUNCIL WATCH
New Council Watch Features We've added additional features to Council Watch. In addition to who's funding your council member, you can now see how they vote and who they vote with most frequently. (Take a Look)
DEVELOPMENT
- The Gumbo Bros will open a Murfreesboro location by the end of May (NBJ)
- Gray’s on Main business sells (Post)
THINGS TO DO
View our calendar for the week here.
📅 Visit our On The Radar list to find upcoming events around Nashville.
🎧 On Spotify: Pamphleteer's Picks, a playlist of our favorite bands in town this week.
👨🏻🌾 Check out our Nashville farmer's market guide.
TONIGHT
🎸 Kid Congo Powers & The Pink Monkey Birds @ The Blue Room, 7p, $26, Info
🇺🇸 Reagan Day Dinner @ Delta Hotel Nashville Airport, 5p, Info
🪕 Brandon Lee Adams @ Station Inn, 9p, $20, Info
🪕 The Cowpokes @ Acme Feed & Seed, 12p, Free, Info
🎸 Kelley’s Heroes @ Robert’s Western World, 6:30p, Free, Info
SATURDAY
🎸 Aubrie Sellers @ Analog at Hutton Hotel, 7p, $25, Info
🪕 TN Warblers @ Station Inn, 9p, Info
🎸 Microwave - "Much Love" 10 Year Anniversary Tour @ Brooklyn Bowl Nashville, 7p, $44+, Info
🎸 Kelley’s Heroes @ Robert’s Western World, 6:30p, Free, Info
SUNDAY
🎸 Snarky Puppy @ Ryman Auditorium, 7p, $72+, Info
🪕 Crowder @ The Pinnacle, 7p, $42+, Info
🪕 Bluegrass Jam @ Station Inn, 7p, Free, Info
+ a night for musicians and singers from all over the world to gather and enjoy making music together
🪕 Sundays Between with Easy Green @ Tennessee Brew Works, 1p, Info
+ a bluegrass celebration of the music of the Grateful Dead
📰 Check out the full newsletter archive here.
The Pamphleteer
The Pamphleteer
The Pamphleteer
The Pamphleteer
Today's newsletter is brought to you by Davis Hunt, Megan Podsiedlik, and Camelia Brennan.