April 11, 2024

Election qualifying deadline: Who’s in and who’s out

BY STEPHEN ELLIOTT, NASHVILLE BANNER

This story is a partnership between the Nashville Banner and The News. The Nashville Banner is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization focused on civic news. Visit nashvillebanner.com for more information.

Thursday marked the qualifying deadline for candidates hoping to run in August primaries for state and federal offices. Here’s a rundown of who made the cut:

5TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

Eyes were on Metro Councilmember Courtney Johnston, who told the Banner last month that she was considering a Republican primary challenge of U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles in the district that includes part of Nashville and Williamson County, plus Maury and other counties to Nashville’s south. She turned in a qualifying petition on

Thursday and her signatures are considered “pending” by state election officials.

Tom Guarente, a Brentwood software executive, also qualified to run in the Republican primary. Would-be candidates and operatives tell the Banner the best hope for unseating Ogles is to have just one GOP challenger facing him, and candidates still have a week to withdraw from the ballot. On the Democratic side, Nashville’s Maryam Abolfazli, Kiran Sreepada of College Grove and Arnie Malham of Nashville qualified for the primary ballot.

6TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

U.S. Rep. John Rose (R-Cookeville) qualified to run for reelection in the district that includes part of Nashville and counties to the east. Rose confirmed to the Tennessee Journal this week that he is considering

Vanderbilt poll showcases positive belief in Nashville’s future Nashvillians respond to politics, East Bank, fairgrounds, transit referendum questions

BY NICOLLE S. PRAINO

Vanderbilt University has released its 2024 poll about Nashville — with an increase in respondents indicating they believe the city is on the right track for the first time in four years.

In 2020, 63 percent of Nashvillians said they believed the city was headed in the right direction, a figure that decreased to 44 percent by 2023.

Now, 53 percent of respondents said they see things moving along the right path. Also, 78 percent of those polled said

running for governor in 2026.

The district favors Republicans, but Lore Bergman of Hendersonville, Clay Faircloth of Nashville and Cyril Focht of Cookeville qualified to run in the Democratic primary.

7TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

U.S. Rep. Mark Green (R-Ashland City) threw a wrench in the race for the 7th District — parts of Nashville and Williamson County, plus Montgomery County and other areas to the east of Nashville — when he announced in February that he would not run for reelection, saying “our fight is not here within Washington, our fight is with Washington.” Less than a month later, he changed his mind and reentered the race. Several potential Republican successors pulled petitions when it looked

Freddie O’Connell

BY SHANE POTTER

Shaundelle Brooks campaign launch PHOTO BY HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS

Mayor

PHOTO

Election qualifying

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

like Green was out, but as of the qualifying deadline just Green and Caleb Stack of Pleasant View are on the ballot for the August primary.

Former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry is unopposed in the Democratic primary. She spoke to the Banner about her campaign last month.

STATE HOUSE

The lone open seat in Nashville’s state House delegation is District 60, the Old Hickory and Hermitage district where

Nashville man killed in Sunday motorcycle crash

A Nashville man was killed in a singlevehicle motorcycle crash on Sunday.

According to a Metro Nashville Police Department news release, 41-year-old Jonathan Golden crashed on Natchez Trace Parkway near Highway 100 around 2:45 p.m. and later died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

“The preliminary investigations shows that Golden was riding a Yamaha motorcycle north on Natchez Trace Parkway when he entered the exit ramp onto Highway 100 and failed to negotiate the curve in the roadway,” the news release reads. “According to a witness, Golden was traveling at a high rate of speed prior to the crash.”

elected to the Metro Council, in House District 50. Democratic Rep. Bob Freeman in District 56 will face a primary challenger in Nick Forster-Benson.

STATE SENATE

The lone Nashville state Senate seat up for reelection is District 20, which includes Davidson County’s wealthy southwestern region and rings around the county’s west, north and east. Sen. Heidi Campbell is unopposed in the Democratic primary. She will face Republican Wyatt Rampy, a real estate professional who ran for state House in 2022.

U.S. SENATE

There is no real threat to Republican U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn’s chances of securing the Republican nomination for reelection in August, though she is facing nominal opposition.

active in the state legislature.

AROUND THE STATE

In Senate District 18 (Sumner and Trousdale counties), Sen. Ferrell Haile (R-Gallatin) will face a primary challenge from Chris Spencer of Hendersonville. Spencer is a founding member of the Sumner County Constitutional Republicans, a conservative splinter group that has won some local seats in the Middle Tennessee county.

In Williamson County, Democrats Kurt Kosack and Claire Jones are vying to take on Republican Rep. Gino Bulso of Brentwood. In District 65, where Franklin GOP Rep. Sam Whitson is retiring, Republicans Lee Reeves, James Turner, Brian Beathard and Michelle Foreman, a well-known Nashville conservative who now lists Primm Springs as her home, will seek the nomination.

Democratic Rep. Darren Jernigan is not running for reelection.

Democrats qualifying for the August primary include Tyler Brasher, Shaundelle Brooks and John Parrish. On the Republican side, Chad Bobo, recently of House Speaker Cameron Sexton’s office, and Christopher Huff will face off for the nomination. The rest of Nashville’s Democratic state House incumbents qualified for the ballot and are likely to win reelection.

Democratic Rep. Bo Mitchell will face Republican Jennifer Frensley Webb, recently

Vanderbilt poll

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

they either liked or loved living in Nashville.

“The poll shows a lot of bipartisan consensus around priorities for local officials and where the city should be going,” Vanderbilt Poll Co-Director Josh Clinton said in a release. “We get a picture of a relatively unified city that stands in contrast to what is going on with politics and divisions we see across the rest of the country.”

The poll asked respondents what they felt is the best way to handle the recent disagreements between the Democraticleaning elected officials in the city and the Republican supermajority state legislature. Just under half, 47 percent, of those polled said that Nashville’s elected officials should challenge the state legislature and governor’s actions that affect the city. The majority said that Nashville’s elected officials should try to work with the state legislature and governor on issues that affect the city.

The respondents had favorable opinions of Mayor Freddie O’Connell (71 percent) and the Metro Council (60 percent). That uptick tracks with trends from previous

On the Democratic side, Marquita Bradshaw, Lola Denise Brown, Gloria Johnson, Kevin Lee McCants and Civil Miller-Watkins all qualified for the opportunity to be the standard-bearer in the uphill battle to unseat Blackburn. Johnson, a state representative from Knoxville, has attracted the most attention so far via fundraising and her platform at the legislature, though Bradshaw of Memphis won the Democratic nomination for Senate in 2020 facing a candidate with the support of the party establishment. Johnson is also unopposed for reelection to the state House, though legislation aiming at preventing candidates from running for two positions at the same time remains

The son of U.S. Rep. Diana Harshbarger, Kingsport pharmacist Bobby Harshbarger, is challenging state Sen. Jon Lundberg (R-Bristol) in the Republican primary.

Democrats will try to flip a handful of seats around the state, among them District 75 including part of Montgomery County. There, Allie Phillips is unopposed in the Democratic primary and will face off against Republican Rep. Jeff Burkhart.

In Shelby County’s District 96, Democratic Rep. Dwayne Thompson is retiring. Republicans are not challenging for the seat, and multiple Democrats qualified for the primary to succeed him, including Gabby Salinas of Memphis, who came close to winning state House and Senate seats in recent cycles.

polls after elections. John Cooper’s approval rating was 80 percent right after his election in 2020, and the Metro Council’s was 70 percent at that same time. Both were an increase from 2019 responses.

As far as the economy goes, 68 percent said the conditions in the city are stable, which is not much of a change from the last four years. But, continued growth still has people concerned, with nearly half of the respondents saying it is making their dayto-day life worse. That’s in line with another recent study from Imagine Nashville in which a majority of the 10,000 people surveyed said that growth is making things worse.

While to some the East Bank has seemed like the biggest story of the year, about 32 percent of respondents said they know nothing about the city’s plans for the project. It may be worth noting that 33 percent of respondents also said they did not follow news about the city too closely or at all. Even more respondents (48 percent) said they had not been following discussions about the Fairgrounds Nashville. Still, 49 percent

said the city should develop a plan that both preserves racing and creates affordable housing at the fairgrounds while 31 percent said the city should enter into a partnership with Bristol Motor Speedway to bring NASCAR to the fairgrounds.

Respondents indicated support (84 percent) for transportation efforts by city officials — including for a November 2024 referendum to create a dedicated local funding source for public transit. The poll gathered slightly more than 1,000 respondents. The Nashville-Davidson metropolitan area has a population of more than 683,000 according to the 2020 Census. This story was first published by our sister publication Nashville Post.

Courtney Johnston addresses the Crieve Hall Neighborhood Association on March 7.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL BUNCH, MAYOR’S OFFICE

Nashvillians experience eclipse

Despite the cloudy weather, Tennesseans looked to the sky on Monday afternoon to witness the April 8, 2024, solar eclipse. Although Nashville wasn’t completely in the path of totality as it was during the Aug. 21,

2017, eclipse, hundreds of locals and tourists alike gathered to catch a glimpse. Patrons even came out of the bars on Broadway to view the event, which will be the last eclipse visible in the United States for 20 years.

Since 1998, Belmont Village has safely delivered an unparalleled senior living experience for thousands of families. Collaborations with experts from the nation’s top healthcare institutions and universities, including Vanderbilt, have established our national leadership in demonstrably effective cognitive health and wellness programs. Combining the highest levels of hospitality and care, our communities make life worth living.

Broadway patrons stepped outside on Monday, April 8, to view the solar eclipse.

PHOTO BY HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS

PHOTO BY HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS

Nashville homeless advocates file amicus brief in SCOTUS camping ban case

Open Table Nashville calls for housing options instead of laws that punish unhoused people for sleeping outdoors

BY ALEJANDRO RAMIREZ

Open Table Nashville filed an amicus brief in a Supreme Court case that could affect how cities and states address homeless encampments. The outreach and advocacy

organization joins other service providers and legal advocates across the country in encouraging the Supreme Court to uphold a ruling that prevents cities from punishing people for sleeping outside when they have no access to adequate shelter.

“We know that providing people with accessible, affordable, permanent housing and the wraparound services needed to succeed in that housing is what ends homelessness — not fines, citations, or jail time,” says Open Table outreach specialist India Pungarcher in a press release.

The Grants Pass v. Johnson case involves an Oregon town that seeks to enforce its ban on camping on public property. The U.S. Ninth Circuit of Appeals previously ruled that such a ban violates the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment, but the Supreme Court has agreed to review the case.

Advocates including the ACLU are urging the Supreme Court to uphold the Ninth Circuit’s ruling. Elected officials in Western

states have argued that the current ruling keeps them from addressing homeless camps.

A 2019 study found that sweeping homeless camps without offering any support to its members does little to “resolve the problem of encampments.” Advocates like Open Table Nashville say the response to homelessness should rely on housing-first policies rather than penalties.

In 2022 Tennessee lawmakers made camping while homeless a felony. The controversial bill was predicted to have little impact by its sponsors’ own admission and also stirred up confusing comments about Hitler from Republican state Sen. Frank Niceley (R-Strawberry Plains).

The Supreme Court will hear arguments on April 22, and is slated to make a decision by June 30.

A version of this article first ran in Post sister publication Nashville Scene.

East Bank legislation passes Metro Council on second reading

BY NICOLLE S. PRAINO

The East Bank Master Developer Agreement with the Fallon Company to develop Metro-owned land along the Cumberland River has passed on second reading with four amendments.

The first amendment was made by Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s administration, and was mostly items clarifying parts of the document that needed updating but nothing that changes the fundamental parts of the deal, Councilmember Jacob Kupin, who is sponsoring the bill, told the Post. It also included a commitment to an archaeological study by the developer before construction begins.

Sponsored by Delishia Porterfield, the second amendment to the agreement creates an affirmative marketing plan. She said during Tuesday’s council meeting people who are most vulnerable and need affordable housing the most don’t always have access to the information to know what’s available to them. At minimum the plan includes: outreach to community organizations serving diverse populations; advertising in media outlets that target diverse audiences; inclusive language in advertising materials that Section 8 housing vouchers or other forms of rental assistance are acceptable forms of rent

payment for the income-restricted residential buildings; and regular training for staff on fair housing principles and practices.

The amendment also states that adjustment of rents for tenants in incomerestricted units in the middle of a lease shall not be allowed.

The third amendment codifies building complete and safe streets and sets a floor of 15 percent of affordable units being two- or three-bedroom or family-suitable units. Amendment sponsor Sean Parker also said it bolsters workforce development and labor aspects of the agreement.

The fourth amendment, sponsored by Zulfat Suara, adds a line to clarify once an operator of the future daycare is in place the developer will work with them to have preferential admission considered for tenants of the building where the daycare is located.

The council passed the bill as amended with one “no” vote from District 1 Councilmember Joy Kimbrough. Kupin said Kimbrough spoke to him beforehand and he understood her stance. Kimbrough could not provide a comment to the Post by publication.

People did come to speak against the legislation during the public comment period. Albert Bender, chairperson of the

Indigenous Peoples Coalition, said the group has been trying to get an indigenous park on the East Bank land to recognize what he contends is an ancient city that lies beneath Nashville. The group had previously met with Kupin and Bob Mendes, chief development officer for the mayor who is in charge of the agreement. Bender said the effort has not yielded positive results.

Bender said his request for land to be added to recognize the site’s Native American history was rejected. Kupin explained to the Post that this wouldn’t have been possible as it would contradict the request for qualifications and proposals that was put out for bids and awarded to Fallon. And retroactively doing so is not an option either, he added.

Kupin maintains that this is the beginning of the work ahead and he and the mayor’s office are committed to recognizing the ancient cultures in the right way. Mendes also said during the meeting it is the administration’s intention to give appropriate recognition when there is greenspace and a neighborhood developed. He added the team will attempt to determine a way to document that intention.

“In the current documents, the

recognition that exists is to do something that we haven’t done before which is to have a phase one archeological review,” Mendes said. “The point there is to make sure that there is an appropriate look around the property before high-rise buildings go in to make sure we know what’s there or not.”

Previous archaeological studies have found evidence of indigenous cultures along the banks of the Cumberland River. Kupin said that this study offers a way Metro is trying to work with the request. He added that the team spoke with the officials working on the Tennessee Performing Arts Center deal to find a way to recognize indigenous voices at the future TPAC building.

“We are working, we are trying to do our best, we aren’t perfect by any means but we’ll always try and will continue to try to advocate for the voices that are struggling to be heard through deals like that,” Kupin said.

The resolution to approve the TPAC memorandum of understanding also awaits a council vote and was deferred to align with the third reading of the master developer agreement.

This story was first published by our sister publication Nashville Post.

Brookmeade Park in Nashville, where a homeless encampment was located

PHOTO BY ERIC ENGLAND

Mayor sets date to announce transportation plan

O’Connell will need Comptroller, Council approval for referendum

BY NICOLLE S. PRAINO

Mayor Freddie O’Connell plans to announce the details of his transportation plan on Friday, April 19.

O’Connell’s transportation improvement program — Choose How You Move — aims to identify a dedicated funding source for transit development, a revenuegenerating mechanism that could be put up to a vote in November.

In March, the mayor unveiled draft concept maps for transportation improvements shaped by the work of two committees — one focused on community priorities and another on the plan’s technical aspects. The two bodies are set to meet again April 10.

The financial part of the plan — to be highlighted by bus rapid transit, sidewalk construction and pedestrian safety measures — is required to be approved by the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasurer. Kraft CPAs has been chosen by Metro and approved by the Comptroller to audit the plan of finance. O’Connell has not laid out a cost for the plan yet although he has indicated it would likely be in the billions over the course of multiple decades.

Plans revealed in two weeks should include the anticipated funding and revenue sources to support the implementation of different projects that make up the transit plan. The Metro Council must also approve the plan before it can be put up for a November referendum vote for all Nashvillians to have their say on the same ballot as the presidential election.

O’Connell’s Choose How You Move plan aims to build upon the plans and studies that Nashville has already been working on, like the Connect Downtown plan, to address transportation issues.

As the mayor gets ready to roll out his transit funding push, Nashville’s ongoing

assessment of mobility in the city’s core — Connect Downtown — is nearing its implementation phase. Council could adopt a resolution supporting the plan as early as April 16. If adopted, implementation of the plan would begin in May.

Jennifer Wieland from Nelson/Nygaard Consulting Associates, a transportation planning, consulting and engineering firm, leads the Connect Downtown consultant team and gave a briefing last week to the Metro Council committee on transportation and infrastructure. Nelson/Nygaard has also been supported in its efforts by KCI Technologies, Transpro and Alta Planning and Design.

Connect Downtown has been heavily focused on community engagement and has used local partners such as Fairpointe Planning, Varallo Public Relations and duGard Communications to conduct studies and get feedback during the planning process.

The plan will be drawn out in three phases between 2024-26 to 2027-29 and to 2030 looking forward. It encompasses five main points: manage congestion, improve safety, move more people, create complete networks and maximize the curb. The recommendations to move more people coincides with efforts to expand the city’s bus network. Likewise, the improve safety recommendations piggy-back off the already adopted Vision Zero plan. The complete action plan will be available online on April 12.

“When you think about Connect Downtown, it is about building out that central multi-modal core that really makes everything come together,” Wieland said.

The Connect Downtown study and plan is an effort by the Nashville Department of Transportation, WeGo Public Transit, Tennessee Department of Transportation and the Nashville Downtown Partnership.

Mayor Freddie O’Connell PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OFFICE OF MAYOR FREDDIE O’CONNELL

Local students honored at 2024 HOSA State Leadership Conference

HOSA students from across Middle Tennessee traveled to the 2024 Tennessee State Leadership Conference in Chattanooga, which took place from March 25-27.

The students competed in events that tested their skills in leadership, teamwork, emergency preparedness, and health sciences. Students who placed high enough in their respective categories are eligible to compete at the International Leadership Conference, which takes place in Houston this summer.

HOSA is an organization that aims to promote career opportunities in the healthcare industry and be a program of leadership development, motivation, and recognition for secondary, post-secondary, adult and collegiate students.

The following students from Davidson and Williamson County placed in the competitions.

CULTURAL DIVERSITIES & DISPARITIES IN HEALTHCARE

3 Ivy Allen

Brentwood High School

2 Shabbir Khan

Cane Ridge High School

DENTAL TERMINOLOGY

4 Ashley Hernandez

Cane Ridge High School

HUMAN GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT

1 Alyssa Watkins

Independence High School

MEDICAL MATH

4 Trishita Paul

Brentwood High School

MEDICAL READING

4 Ella Wilson

Summit HOSA

MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY

POST SEC

1 Joy Hana

Lipscomb University

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY

4 Deepak Balamurugan

Nolensville High School

BIOTECHNOLOGY

5 Abraham Al-Sadoon

Antioch High School

CLINICAL SPECIALTY

3 Kevin Chen

Brentwood High School

FAMILY MEDICINE

CPR/FIRST

Independence High School honorees PHOTO COURTESY OF WCS

On the Hill: April 1-5 legislative roundup Development districts, concealed carry, health care updates in the state

The Senate passed a bill that would ban first cousins from getting married in the state unanimously last week.

Last Tuesday, the House Civil Justice committee passed a version by Rep. Darren Jernigan (D-Nashville), who plans to retire from the House this year.

During the committee meeting, Rep. Gino Bulso (R-Brentwood) revealed an interesting part of his own personal history while indicating support of the bill.

“My grandparents came over to this country through Ellis Island from Italy back in the 1920s,” Bulso said. “And they settled in Lorain, Ohio, right south of Lake Erie, next to Cleveland. And they were first cousins, but they couldn’t get married in Ohio. So back in 1924, they actually came down to Tennessee to get married. So, but for the existence of the current law, I would not be here. But despite that, I think it’s good legislation and I intend to support it.”

RESIDENTIAL INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

Rep. Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) sponsors a bill that he says creates a process for financing for infrastructure for facilitating more residential development in cities and counties that desire it.

“We are in a blessed state that we are growing so fast and we are having a housing shortage,” Pody said during a committee meeting earlier in the session. “Especially in

the fastest growing counties around we are trying to find a way that we can get more housing developed quicker.”

Pody said commercial developments have several tools to do this and the idea of the bill is to extend some of those same options for local communities in development.

SB2315 passed on Monday with 30 senators in agreement on the bill. It heads to the House Finance Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday, April 9.

CONCEALED CARRY IN SCHOOLS

SB1325/HB1202 would allow school staff with enhanced permits to carry concealed guns on school property. It passed the Senate Judiciary Committee 7-1 on Tuesday. Sen. London Lamar (D-Memphis) was the singular no vote. It will be on the Senate’s calendar on Tuesday, April 9.

LESS TIME FOR FAIR WAGE CLAIMS

The Senate passed HB2113/SB2017, which would the shorten statute of limitations from six to three years for workers not being paid fairly to make a claim. It passed the Senate 24-1 last week after already having passed the House in March. It will move onto the governor’s desk next.

East Bank legislation pushed back again

The Senate Finance Ways and Means Committee delayed SB2968, sponsored

by Sen. Charlane Oliver (D-Nashville), until Tuesday. The House version should also return on Tuesday to the House Local Government Committee.

The Tennessee Lookout reports North Carolina-based Speedway Motorsports, LLC, which owns Bristol Motor Speedway, potentially played a part in the bill’s return to committees. Reportedly, the company wanted lawmakers to use the legislation as leverage for a deal to help fund renovations at the Fairgrounds Nashville. Joe Hall, a representative for the company, told the Lookout the group is not trying to derail the bill.

HEALTH CARE UPDATES

A bill (SB1832/HB2226) that would create four new positions on the state’s existing Maternal Mortality Review Committee for community-based maternal health experts passed the House Health Committee on Wednesday after passing the Senate in mid-March. The board studies pregnancy-related deaths in Tennessee and issues a yearly report. Sen. London Lamar (D-Memphis) has a history of presenting bills related to maternal health and doulas. The legislation heads to the House Government Operations Committee on Monday.

A separate bill, SB1919/HB2365, allows for insurance to cover 12 months of birth control at once, and passed the House last Thursday. It is now on its way to Gov. Bill Lee’s desk.

Maryam Abolfazli is running for Congress

Another bill (HB1726/SB2359) would remove immunization requirements for foster families accepting infants and medically fragile children was sent to the governor’s desk on Monday. Physicians expressed concern to the Post about the importance of the whooping cough vaccine, as the disease could be deadly for infants.

ABORTION LEGISLATION

The “abortion trafficking” bill (HB1895/ SB1971) that would make it illegal for an adult to help a minor that is not their biological child obtain an abortion passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday and is headed for the Senate floor while awaiting action in the House. It is similar to a 2023 Idaho law that has been blocked by a federal judge.

IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT

A bill was transmitted to Lee’s desk Thursday that aims to require local police to work with ICE any time a person who is suspected to be undocumented is detained or stopped. The bill (SB2576/HB2124) was the subject of a protest from Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition last week.

This story was first published by our sister publication Nashville Post.

Local activist will run against Republican Andy Ogles in District 5

BY KELSEY BEYELER

Maryam Abolfazli has officially launched her campaign for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District seat, which is currently held by Republican Rep. Andy Ogles. Abolfazli is running as a Democrat in a gerrymandered district that encompasses parts of Davidson and Williamson counties and southern Middle Tennessee.

After the Covenant School shooting, Abolfazli arranged a protest on gun safety that drew thousands of Tennesseans to the state Capitol. Leaning on her background in nonprofit work and international political and economic development, she later founded nonprofit Rise and Shine Tennessee, which seeks to build “a culture of civic engagement,” advocating around issues like gun safety, education and more. Abolfazli and her colleagues have become familiar faces at the Capitol, sitting in committee rooms with signs, holding press conferences

and testifying against different bills.

During last year’s special session, Abolfazli and two fellow Rise and Shine representatives were removed from a House committee after new rules sought to prevent spectators from holding signs. The next day, they filed a successful lawsuit against the House — citing the First Amendment, a Nashville judge temporarily barred the House from prohibiting signs.

Chair of the Metro Human Relations Commission, Abolfazli has also done a lot of local-level advocacy in Nashville around issues like the Titans stadium deal and LGBTQ rights. A press release about her campaign emphasizes reproductive rights.

Abolfazli tells The News sister publication the Nashville Scene that while she thought she would eventually run for office, she wasn’t planning to do it this year.

“The GOP keeps pushing women and

moms to the edge,” says Abolfazli on her decision to run. “It’s so difficult to have a family and raise your children in a safe and warm and free environment. And after the Alabama decision on IVF, it just got really clear that this isn’t stopping. … I just decided, I could wait two years, I could wait four years, but more bad stuff will happen.”

Acknowledging that “we’ve got incredible people running at the state level,” Abolfazli decided to run for Ogles’ seat because “he clearly has just demonstrated that he’s basically doing nothing that has anything to do with Tennessean concerns.”

This story was first published by our sister publication Nashville Scene.

Maryam Abolfazli PHOTO BY ERIC

Local victories by Democrats signal a new era of progress; the national landscape could encourage Biden voters to rally

BY BILL FREEMAN

As a Nashville native and businessman with a deep appreciation for our city and for the Democratic Party, I cannot help but feel a surge of optimism at the recent Democratic victories in Davidson County’s Super Tuesday elections.

As reported by the Scene, Stephanie Williams and Vivian Wilhoite specifically won their elections with ease. I believe their wins reflect a desire for more progressive values. As the Scene noted, Williams “walloped incumbent Stan Kweller, appointed in January 2023 by Gov. Bill Lee, by more than 20,000 votes.” That’s a lot of votes. And though the Republican opposition, spearheaded by former President Donald Trump, may still pack a punch, I believe the tide is turning away from embittered divisiveness in favor of inclusivity, compassion and progress.

Williams’ and Wilhoite’s wins in the Democratic primary races, I believe, indicate that the electorate desires leaders who will prioritize the needs of all residents, regardless of background or circumstance. Williams’ victory in the Davidson County Circuit Court Division IV judge race and Wilhoite’s defense of her position as Davidson County

assessor of property reaffirm the community’s faith in capable and dedicated public servants. It signifies a positive shift toward more representative governance.

In contrast, the Republican Party’s performance in Davidson County seems to reflect that the party is out of touch with the values and priorities of our diverse community. The GOP’s failure to secure significant victories in Davidson County might be attributed to the party’s struggle to appeal to a broad cross section of the electorate, particularly in urban areas where diversity and inclusivity are celebrated.

While Tennessee has traditionally leaned toward the right, the recent surge in Democratic support signals a seismic shift in the state’s political landscape. Prominent Democratic donors like Andrew Byrd and myself have invested heavily in supporting candidates who champion progressive policies and advocate for the interests of all Tennesseans.

Further — and aside from being encouraged by these local Democratic victories — we can look at the broader economic national landscape. Last week, The

New York Times reported that there has been a recent burst of strong job gains, with U.S. employers adding 303,000 jobs in March. This shows the resilience of the American economy under Biden’s leadership. The unemployment rate also fell to 3.8 percent, providing evidence as to the effectiveness of Biden’s economic policies in fostering growth and opportunity for all. Inflation has also fallen drastically from its peak, alleviating concerns that plagued the economy in previous years. “Better-than-expected gains in business productivity and workforce participation” have contributed to this positive trend.

Looking ahead to the November elections, I think the path to victory lies in continuing to rally behind Democratic candidates who embody the values of compassion, integrity and progress. President Joe Biden’s leadership, characterized by his commitment to unity and inclusivity, stands in stark contrast to the chaos and division that defined the Trump era. With Biden at the helm, I believe we can chart a course toward a brighter, more equitable future for all Americans.

Democratic victories in Davidson

County’s Super Tuesday elections mean there is hope for change. While there is still much work to be done, we can see these wins as a powerful reminder of the strength of our democracy and the power of collective action. As we move forward, let us remain steadfast in our support for Democratic leadership and continue to work toward a more just and equitable society for all.

Bill Freeman

Bill Freeman is the owner of FW Publishing, the publishing company that produces the Nashville Scene, Nfocus, the Nashville Post and The News.

President Biden with union members in Chandler, Ariz., March 2024 OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE PHOTO BY ADAM SCHULTZ

OPINION

TICKED OFF!

NO MOW MAY

No Mow May, means don’t mow your yard. Let the grass grow, bees thrive, pollinate the flowers etc.

Also means No Mo needless NOISE! Nobody wants to listen to a bunch of unskilled labor walking around in circles with blower and mowers doing nothing.

Your grass does not grow that much in a week. Stop the Noise!!

The comments in the Ticked Off column do not reflect the views of FW Publishing.

Send your comments to tickedoff@thenewstn.com

Register of Deeds office to relocate in late May Office to move from Bridgestone Arena to Deaderick Street

STAFF REPORTS

The Office of the Nashville Davidson County Register of Deeds is set to relocate in late May. According to a release from Nashville-Davidson County Register of Deeds Karen Johons, the office will be moving from its current location inside Bridgestone Arena to 350 Deaderick Street.

The new lease was approved unanimously on final reading at a recent Metro Council meeting.

“Our top priority is to provide quality service to the people of Nashville Davidson County, and we believe this new location will take our customer service to the next level,” Johnson said in the release.

“From parking to better access to the courts, this move is a win for those who rely on our services. We say a special thank you to the Nashville Predators organization, our Bridgestone Arena neighbors since 2003, whose needs are growing along with ours.”

According to the release, the new Register of Deeds location is just a few steps from the Historic Metro Courthouse, where the Register’s Office was once located.

Specific dates for the move, as well as detailed instructions regarding customer parking, will be provided to the public as the information becomes available.

Jobless rate drops in all Tennessee counties in February

STAFF REPORTS

More Tennesseans started the second month of 2024 on the job as employment improved across the state in February, with every county recording lower unemployment rates for the month.

According to newly released data from the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, all 95 counties showed an improved unemployment situation when compared to their revised January numbers. The decrease in unemployment across the state led each county to post rates under 5 percent in February.

Davidson County registered a 2.3 percent

jobless rate in February, down from the 2.8 percent rate in the same month of 2023.

Moore County had the lowest unemployment in Tennessee with a rate of 1.9 percent. That represented a 0.8 percent drop from its January number.

Williamson County had the state’s second-lowest rate of the month at 2.1 percent, a 0.4 percent decrease, followed by Rutherford County, which dipped from 2.7 percent to 2.2 percent in February.

This story was first published by our sister publication Nashville Post.

CITY OF BELLE MEADE INVITATION TO SUBMIT QUALIFICATIONS

Request for Qualifications for Engineering Services

Statements of Qualifications will be received at Belle Meade City Hall, 4705 Harding Road, Nashville, TN 37205 until 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, at which time they will be opened for the following project:

Asset Management Plan for the City of Belle Meade’s Sanitary Sewer System

These services are being solicited to assist the City with creating a digital mapping-based, Asset Management Plan for its sanitary sewer system that meets or exceeds the state’s requirements. The submission requirements are provided in the bid package available on the city’s website: www.citybellemeade.org, under Finance – Bid Proposal Opportunities. Additionally, copies of the submission requirements may be requested by contacting City Manager, Jennifer Moody at jmoody@citybellemeade.org. The deadline for proposals is 4 p.m. on Tuesday, April 30, 2024.

City of Belle Meade is an Equal Opportunity Employer; Minority Business Enterprises, Small Business Enterprises, and Women Business Enterprises are encouraged to submit proposals. The City reserves the right to waive informalities and to reject any or all bids.

City of Belle Meade

Jennifer Moody, City Manager

Want to get something off your chest?

Have a point of view that may resonate with others?

Let

Nashville Kats ready to open training camp at Lipscomb Academy Team preparing for Arena Football League opener April 27 at Municipal Auditorium

BY JOHN GLENNON

The third version of the Nashville Kats will open their inaugural Arena Football League training camp on Saturday at Lipscomb Academy.

Training camp, which features 35 players competing for 25 roster spots, will run for 14 days through April 20. The Kats will open their season April 27 at 7:30 p.m. against the Minnesota Myth at Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium.

“We have assembled a very talented and competitive roster as training camp opens,” Kats head coach Dean Cokinos said in a release. “It takes unique skills to play each of the eight positions on the field in arena football, and we have quality depth at every position. They are a talented bunch.”

The Kats will play 10 regular-season games this year, with five home games at Municipal and another local contest to be played at the new F&M Bank Arena in downtown Clarksville on May 18.

It’s a blast from the past for area sports fans, as the first version of the Kats played in the city from 1997-2001, reaching the Arena Bowl in each of the organization’s first two years, before moving to Atlanta. The second version, which featured former

Titans owner Bud Adams as an owner, played in Nashville from 2005-07 before Adams shut down operations.

The Kats will be led by Cokinos, who was an assistant coach from 2005-07 for the last Kats team under head coach Pat Sperduto. After moving on from the Kats, Cokinos later coached four other indoor teams, posting two league championships, five conference championships, seven semi-final appearances and 13 playoff appearances.

“As I went through the process, it became clear quite early that Dean was the right person for the job,” said Jeff Fisher, the former Titans and Rams head coach who is the Kats’ president of football operations. “He has coached and worked in front offices on a variety of levels from college football to international football and, especially, a championship-winning pedigree in arena football. His experiences and knowledge will be invaluable.”

One member of the Kats to keep an eye on is wide receiver Marquise Irvin, who is one of two AFL players to receive the league’s inaugural “Gamebreaker” designation. The honor goes to players who enter the league with a depth of quality experience and production on both the professional and collegiate levels, projected as possible stars in the new AFL.

A former multiple all-conference performer at Mercer and a native of Huntsville, Ala., the 6-3, 215-pound Irvin set the school’s record for receiving yards as a junior and broke it as a senior with 816 yards.

There will be plenty of players with area and regional ties, including former Tennessee defensive lineman Ja’Quain Blakely, exVanderbilt offensive lineman Saige Young, former Tennessee Tech wide receiver Dontez Byrd, former Western Kentucky defensive backs Trae Meadows and Ta’Corian Darden, ex-Austin Peay defensive linemen Damion Barber and Blake Mitchell, former UTMartin defensive back Jay Woods and ex-Tennessee State offensive lineman Robert Lacey, the team’s first signee.

This story was first published by our sister publication Nashville Post.

Lady Vols tap Marshall coach to lead program

Kim Caldwell has a 217-31 career record over eight seasons

BY JOHN GLENNON

Tennessee’s new women’s basketball coach has a long history of winning on her resume, even if only a small portion of it has come on the NCAA’s Division I level.

The Lady Vols on Sunday hired former Marshall coach Kim Caldwell to guide the program moving forward. She replaces Kellie Harper, who was fired after five seasons.

Caldwell agreed to a five-year deal worth $3.75 million, per Knox News, which also reported the contract has a clause that would immediately make Caldwell the highest-paid coach in Division I basketball if she leads Tennessee to a national title.

A Parkersburg, W.Va., native with no previous ties to the Tennessee program, Caldwell spent last season guiding the Thundering Herd to a school-record 26 victories. Marshall’s 26-7 record included a 17-1 mark in the Sun Belt Conference and the Thundering Herd’s first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 1997.

Marshall, which had been picked to finish ninth in the conference’s preseason poll, won the Sun Belt’s regular season and tournament crowns, recording the program’s first 20-win regular-season since 1990-91.

“From the beginning, our goal has been to find a dynamic head coach who can restore our women’s basketball program to national prominence,” Vols athletic director Danny White said in a release. “Kim Caldwell is the ideal person to lead us.

“Kim has a winning formula that she has successfully implemented everywhere she has coached, with a fast-paced, highoctane offense and pressure defense that has led to remarkable results. In this new era of college sports, it was vital that we found an innovative head coach with a strong track record of winning titles. We are eager to return the Lady Vols to a championship level, and we’re confident that Kim Caldwell is the

coach who can lead us back to the top.”

Prior to Marshall, Caldwell coached her alma mater, Division II Glenville State to a 191-24 record over seven seasons, including a mark of 68-4 over her last two seasons there. She led the Pioneers to a national championship in 2021-22 with a 35-1 record and guided her team to a 33-3 mark in 2022-23. Caldwell’s teams won six Mountain East Conference regular-season titles in her seven years there, and she was named the MEC coach of the year four times.

For the 2021-22 season’s accomplishment, Caldwell was presented the Pat Summitt Trophy, which goes to the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Division II National Coach of the Year.

“I am honored and humbled to accept the role as head coach of this historic program at the University of Tennessee,” Caldwell said in a release. “I can’t help but reflect on accepting the Pat Summitt Trophy three seasons ago and be moved by the great responsibility and opportunity of now leading and building upon the incredible Lady Vol tradition she built. I am so excited to get to work and can’t wait to see what we all can accomplish together.”

Lady Vols fans should expect a highscoring, high-pressure team under Caldwell.

In 2023-24, Caldwell’s Marshall team averaged 85.3 points per game, trailing only Iowa, LSU and South Carolina. The Thundering Herd averaged 31.9 threepoint attempts last season (first in the nation), averaged 10.6 three-pointers made (third in the nation) and scored 90-plus points nine times.

Defensively, Marshall finished second in turnovers forced per game (24.2), third in steals (13.2) and third in turnover margin (7.9).

This story was first published by our sister publication Nashville Post.

Dan Wilkerson returns to Brentwood Academy to lead girls basketball program

BY LOGAN BUTTS

A familiar face is returning to Brentwood Academy to lead the girls basketball program.

The school announced on Monday that Dan Wilkerson has been hired as the Eagles head coach. This comes after longtime head coach Rhonda Brown stepped down in February. The former Vanderbilt star compiled 475 wins during her tenure at BA, leading the program to five state championships and 11 Division II state finals.

Wilkerson served on Brown’s staff as an assistant during four of her five state titles. He also was an assistant on the Brentwood Academy boys team that won the 2023 DIIAA state championship, and he coached the BA middle school girls team to a Harpeth Valley Athletic Conference Championship.

“Dan has the ability to set a foundation for our program while also being committed to establishing life-long relationships

Marquise Irvin PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GREEN BAY BLIZZARD

SPORTS

with his players,” Brentwood Academy athletic director Jason Mathews said in a news release. “He knows how to win through a solid, strategic and data-driven coaching style. He’s a defensive-minded coach who has proven to lead teams to championships.”

This past season, the Eagles finished 10-15 (6-8) and fell in the first round of the DIIAA middle region tournament to Lipscomb Academy, 54-45.

In addition to his time at BA, Wilkerson was the head coach at Middle Tennessee Christian from 2006-12, where he led the Cougars to five 20-win seasons. He also had a stint as the head coach at Nashville Christian, earning region coach of the year honors in 2020.

Brentwood Academy assistant athletic director Kelsey Ogden will be joining the staff as Wilkerson’s lead assistant. Ogden coached alongside Wilkerson at Nashville Christian before taking on the head coach role at Davidson Academy from 2021-23. The Lafayette native also played at Lipscomb, where she spent two years as the director of basketball operations following her playing career.

“Both Dan and Kelsey are familiar with our school and our mission and care about the development of our young women on and off the court,” Mathews said. “I am excited about the future of girls basketball at BA and look forward to this next era.”

Midstate hoops teams add transfers as roster rebuilding begins

BY JOHN GLENNON

In what’s becoming an annual rite of Spring, college basketball teams that suffered losses to the NCAA Transfer Portal are now beginning to reconstruct their rosters.

Four midstate schools have picked up at least one transfer in the last couple of weeks, per reports, with Belmont adding what appears to be a new starting backcourt for the 2024-25 season and Middle Tennessee State welcoming home a local talent.

Here’s a look at where things stand:

SCHOOL: VANDERBILT

Transfer added: F Jaylen Carey (James Madison University)

What he brings: A rising sophomore, the 6-8, 245-pound Carey followed his coach, Mark Byington, to the Commodores. Carey was a contributor during his freshman season with the Dukes, averaging 7.0 points and 4.3 rebounds for a Dukes team that upset Wisconsin in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. He’ll be a nice inside addition to a Vanderbilt team that also features 6-8, 226-pound Ven-Allen Lubin and 6-8, 220-pound JQ Roberts. Carey’s addition will help offset the loss of Lee Dort (who’s transferred to Cal) and Carter Lang (in the portal), and the potential loss of Colin Smith. The 6-8, 215-pound Smith, who averaged 7.1 and 6.6 rebounds last season, is in the portal but hasn’t ruled out a return to Vandy.

SCHOOL: BELMONT

Transfers added: G Brody Peebles (Liberty), G Carter Whitt (Furman)

What they bring: A rising senior, the 6-2, 170-pound Peebles averaged 10.7 points per game last season, fourth best on a Liberty team that finished 18-14. He has upped his points per game each year, from 5.4 as a freshman to 7.4 as a sophomore and 10.7 last season. Peebles has a .376 career three-point percentage, though he dipped to .336 last season. Also a rising senior, the 6-4, 180-pound

Whitt played his first two seasons at Wake Forest and his last two at Furman. He averaged 7.9 points per game last season, which was fourth on a Paladins squad that went 17-16. Whitt’s 3.5 assists per contest were second best on the team, and he added 3.1 rebounds per game. The two guards will help bolster a Belmont team that lost its three leading scorers — guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie (Maryland), forward Cade Tyson and forward Malik Dia — to the portal.

SCHOOL: MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE

Transfer added: F Jarred Hall (Tulsa)

What he brings: A rising sophomore, the 6-8 Hall averaged 1.8 points and 2.3 rebounds per game for a Tulsa team that went 16-15 last season. The move is a homecoming of sorts for Hall, a Lebanon native who was named 2023 Class 4A Mr. Basketball in Tennessee as a senior. Hall averaged 27 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game that season. ESPN rated him a four-star recruit, and Prep Hoops ranked him the top recruit in Tennessee. Hall will help the Blue Raiders as they seek to make up for the loss of leading scorer Jestin Porter (13.9 pts., 1.8 assists) and forward Josh Ogundele (3.8 pts., 2.8 rebounds), who each entered the transfer portal.

SCHOOL: TENNESSEE STATE

Transfer added: Guard Travis Harper II (Clayton State)

What he brings: A rising junior, the 6-6, 190-pound Harper averaged a team-best 17.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per contest, setting a school record for the 7-21 Lakers with 163 defensive rebounds. He made 54-of-150 three-point shots, a 35 percent rate. Harper will help TSU replace two local Tigers who entered the portal, guards Jaylen Jones and Marcus Fitzgerald, Jr.

This story was first published by our sister publication

Are

Anyone ever call you nosy? Have good writing skills?

Email neighbornews@theNEWStn.com and let us know what neighborhood you are interested in and include a few writing samples. Be

Yes, you need to have some writing chops; extra credit if you’ve contributed to a newspaper at some point! Interested?

BUSINESS BRIEFS

West Nashville’s Porta Via to close Restaurant has

licensed pizza

served

Italy-

on White Bridge Road for 15 years

West Nashville restaurant Porta Via Italian Kitchen will cease operations on Sunday, April 7, ending a 15-year run at the location. The owners of the business, located

within a suburban retail strip center at 21 White Bridge Road, announced the closing via social media, with Nashville Business Journal seemingly the first local media entity to report.

Mehrdad Alviri serves as general manager of Porta Via and announced the closing, citing health concerns. NBJ reports Porta Via chef Rosario De Luca is planning a restaurant for the space.

Porta Via Italian Kitchen is known for its Neapolitan-style pizza, a specific pie that is certified under Italian government standards via L’Associazone Verace Pizza Napoletana. The business is a reincarnation, of sorts, of a casual restaurant that served sandwiches and pasta for many years in various Bellevue locations, including the since-closed Bellevue Mall. For a time, Porta Via operated franchise locations in Atlanta, Hendersonville and Murfreesboro, which have since shuttered.

The Post noted in a 2010 article that SwissAir pilot Stefano Hugh started the restaurant in 1990 to recreate some of the sandwiches he sampled during his travels. These included bolillos, crisp, stuffed rolls found in Latin countries.

This story was first published by our sister publication Nashville Post.

Berry Hill building back on market after 2021 sale

BY WILLIAM WILLIAMS

A Berry Hill building has been listed for sale for about $1.33 million.

Located at 2831 Columbine Place, the building was constructed in 1975 and offers about 1,090 square feet. It sits on about 0.22 acres.

The building seemingly was last offered for sale in March 2021 and then acquired in December of that year for $650,000.

Melinda Duncan, who apparently unsuccessfully ran for a seat on the Berry Hill Board of Commissioners in 2022, was the buyer.

2831 Columbine Place

Duncan and another individual, details about whom The News sister publication the Nashville Post was unable to determine, now own the property and have enlisted Meredith Olsen of Evans Companies to handle the marketing of the property.

The Post was unable to determine if the building offers a tenant.

This story was first published by our sister publication Nashville Post.

Lipscomb sells properties after multiple campus-area buys University lands $3 million for homes located adjacent to its Granny White-facing lower school

BY WILLIAM WILLIAMS

After having acquired multiple properties located near its campus the past three years or so, Lipscomb University has now sold three Green Hills properties for a collective $3 million, with the new owner seemingly eyeing new residences for the site.

Though Davidson County Register of Deeds documents are somewhat unclear, the properties — each offering a pre-1970constructed single-family home and sitting adjacent to one another — apparently offer addresses of 4516, 4522 and 4526 Belmont Park Terrace.

The new owner is an LLC that shares an address with Scout Realty and about which the Post was unable to determine details.

The trio of properties (each sold for $1 million) sits to the immediate west of the Lipscomb Academy Lower School. The University also owns that property, which is located at 4517 Granny White Pike.

Lipscomb officials could not be reached for comment.

Belmont Park Terrace has seen the

construction the past few years of multiple contemporary homes that replaced previous older residences such as the three that just sold.

Lipscomb also owns similar properties at 4530 Belmont Park Terrace, 1216 Harding Place and 4517 Granny White Pike. That address is shared by the lower school and is part of a multi-parcel contiguous area of property the university had controlled prior to the recent $3 million sale. The Post has been unable to determine if the university is either seeking to sell the other properties or has already done so and the transactions have not yet been recorded by the Davidson County Register of Deeds.

The transaction follows Lipscomb’s having acquired multiple properties nears its campus the past three years or so.

Most recently, the university in February paid $616,613.85 for a residence at 1114 Morrow Ave..

This story was first published by our sister publication Nashville Post.

VUMC names system chief nursing officer

BY HANNAH HERNER

Vanderbilt University Medical Center has named Karen Keady system chief nursing officer.

Keady is slated to join VUMC on July 1, according to VUMC News. She most recently served as vice president and chief nurse executive at the University of Rochester Medical Center for six years. In her previous role, she led an initiative to redesign the hospital’s care delivery model and worked on resiliency programs, incentive plans and professional development opportunities.

Keady replaces Marilyn Dubree, who announced in September that she would retire after 17 years in the role and 48 years with VUMC. Dubree will remain with the medical center on a part-time basis.

“I am delighted to welcome Dr. Keady to VUMC to serve in this critical role. Karen joins us with an outstanding reputation of advocacy for the nurses she served at the University of Rochester,” said Wright Pinson, VUMC chief health system officer.

“The contributions of our incredible,

caring nurses are beyond measure. It was vital to select the right individual to succeed Marilyn. I want to express my gratitude to the members of the search committee for their wisdom and outstanding work to identify Dr. Keady.” This

Porta Via’s Neapolitan pizza

PHOTO COURTESY OF PORTA VIA

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE EARTH

Karen Keady

PHOTO COURTESY OF VUMC

Lipscomb to offer grad degree in AI

In the fall semester, Lipscomb University will launch the first graduate program in applied artificial intelligence (AI) in Nashville.

According to a release, the university will offer a Master of Science degree and certificate of graduate study in applied artificial intelligence programs.

Lipscomb’s AI program may be completed in as little as 18 months. Courses are offered in eight-week sections delivered in the modality needed by each student, including online, in-person and/or hybrid formats.

Steve Nordstrom, associate dean of the Lipscomb University School of Computing, will direct the program.

The cost to get the graduate studies program operational is not being disclosed.

“This technology is a major disruptor — and opportunity — that is creating a shift in the workplace. AI won’t replace you, but someone successfully using it will. With the knowledge to use AI successfully, professionals can harness the power of the technology for certain foundational tasks that will allow them to focus on more strategic work,” Lipscomb University President Candice McQueen said in the release.

“Workforce demand will continue to grow rapidly as we discover new possibilities for this technology. Lipscomb University’s new graduate programs are poised to produce highly trained professionals to meet these needs who will be on the frontlines as this technology continues to evolve.”

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data forecasts that the number of computer and information technology occupations will grow 13 percent from 2020 to 2030, according to the release. A recent Precedent Research study indicates that the AI market is slated to expand by more than 1,000 percent by 2030. According to Talent.com, the average artificial intelligence-related job salary is $143,054 per year with entry positions starting at $115,000.

The Lipscomb classes will begin in August pending approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

This story was first published by our sister publication Nashville Post.

The Nashville area saw 2,837 home closings in March — a 7 percent decrease compared to the figure of the same month in 2023, when 3,063 closings were recorded.

Relatedly, Greater Nashville Realtors data for 2024’s first quarter showed 6,970 closings, a 2 percent decrease from the 7,051 closings during the first quarter of last year.

This follows a February that registered 2,247 home closings, representing a 3 percent increase compared to the figure of February 2023, when 2,186 closings were recorded.

According to a GNR release, the median price for a residential single-family home in March was $493,220; for a condominium, it was $339,900. The figures compare with March 2023’s median residential and condominium prices of $465,000 and $327,885, respectively.

For a recent comparison, the median prices for a residential single-family home and a condo in February were $478,870 and $339,990, respectively.

There were 9,404 active listings reported for March, an 8 percent increase from the 8,677 active listings reported for the same period last year. A four-month supply of inventory at month’s end was recorded.

In a continuing trend, area residences

require more time to be sold than was seen in 2023.

For example, the average number of days on the market for a single-family home in March was 52. February saw an average number of 59, while January and December recorded average number of days on the market of 57 and 50 days, respectively. Prior to the slowing, homes could sell in no more than 40 days.

“After two consecutive months of strong sales data, a lift in interest rates once again became a factor for consumers,” Kevin Wilson, Greater Nashville Realtors president, said in the release. “Despite a softer number of sales, the median sale prices for both single family homes and condos in the Greater Nashville market continue to rise — supporting that homeownership continues to be strong investment.”

“We continue to see a rise in inventory, giving buyers more options in a balanced market,” Wilson added.

The GNR data was collected from Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Maury, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson and Wilson counties.

This story was first published by our sister publication Nashville Post.

Spring Greens Phyllo Pie

BY EDIBLE NASHVILLE

This Greek Phyllo Greens Pie is perfect this time of year, with greens abundant at the farmers market (and not much more). Greece is full of all sorts of wild greens and they figure largely in their cuisine, so I turned to my Greek and Mediterranean cookbooks and came up with this rendition.

This recipe has 4 whisked eggs poured over the greens and feta, which creates a cohesive texture and adds a richness. You can use any combination of greens; kale, collard, spinach, arugula or swiss chard. I toss in generous handfuls of mint from my garden too. --Jill Melton

INGREDIENTS

Phyllo dough (16 sheets)

3 tablespoons melted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 garlic cloves, chopped

2 green onions, or green garlic, chopped

1 bunch (8 cups chopped) greens, such as kale, chard, and spinach

4 ounces goat or feta cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

4 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 375F.

2. Layer 8 sheets of phyllo over an 8-inch pie plate, brushing each sheet with melted butter.

3. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add garlic, green onions or green garlic and cook 7 minutes. Add chopped greens. Cook until wilted, about 3 minutes.

4. Pile greens mixture in phyllo dough. Top

with both cheeses.

5. Whisk 4 eggs and milk together. Pour over greens mixture.

6. Layer 8 more sheets of phyllo on top of greens mixture. Brush each sheet with butter. Crimp excess phyllo dough into a rim or crust.

1 Lead-in to box or bug

5 Encumbers, with “down”

9 Gooey sandwiches, informally

13 Weapon whose name has two accents

14 Lighthear ted refrain

15 Surface calculation

16 Popular videoconferencing app

17 Machu Picchu visitor, say

18 Knitter’s stitch

19 Nicholson and Nicklaus, e.g.?

22 Persephone’s lover

25 “Next one’s on me”

26 Soren Kier kegaard and Chris Isaak, e.g.?

30 Little bits

31 Kaput

32 “NCIS” airer

35 Qatari dignitar y

36 Broncos and Explorers

7. Bake for 30 minutes or unti lphyllo is browned. ACROSS

Follow Edible Nashville on instagram @ediblenashtn and their website ediblenashville.com.

To subscribe to the magazine that comes out 6x/year, go to ediblenashville.com.

from the German “Pfefferminz”

2 Airbnb had one in 2020, for short

37 Who might call French fries “chips”

38 “Oh, what’s the ___?”

39 Constellation named for a mythical ship

40 Overworked

41 Percy Bysshe Shelley and Billy Ray Cyrus, e.g.?

44 Second number on a pants tag

47 Least experienced

48 Henr y the Eighth and Hubert H. Humphrey, e.g.?

52 Stadium sounds

53 New wing,

Relatives of custard apples

10 The Boss, familiarly

11 Snack whose name comes from the Quechua for “dried meat”

12 Chip dip

14 “If ___ walls could talk ...”

20 Zeros, in soccer

21 Little bit

22 Seine send-off

23 Unhappy fates

24 Convex navel

27 Be nuts about

28 Pig out

29 Provide resources for

32 Word before ring or after tr ue 33 Snacks 34 Cardiologist’s insert 36 Most of Nebraska 37 Rathskeller offerings, informally 40 Target of a 1917

49 Falco of “Nurse Jackie”

50 Some summer libations

51 Ber th place

55 Wedding words

56 Domain of SpongeBob SquarePants

57 Sticky stuff

ANSWER TO PUZZLE

Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 9,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/ crosswords ($39.95 a year).

Read about and comment on each puzzle: nytimes.com/wordplay.

Crosswords for young solvers: nytimes.com/ studentcrosswords.

PUZZLE BY BRAD WIEGMANN

Tiffany Circle Spring Gathering

BY BRENDA BATEY

PHOTOS BY BRENDA BATEY

The Red Cross Tiffany Circle Spring Gathering was held at the home of Kellie and Will Robinson, and co-hosted by Woo Caroland and Tricia McDowell, to thank female philanthropists for participating in the organization with donations of ten thousand dollars or more annually.

The Tiffany Circle is a community of women leaders who advance the American Red Cross mission through an investment of time, talent and treasure by engaging women locally, nationally and internationally to help alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies

Celebrating 17 years, this group has raised more than $182 million to support vital services of the Red Cross, such as feeding and sheltering disaster-affected families, providing financial assistance to those affected by a home fire, purchasing bloodmobiles, delivering comfort kits for military members, and providing 20 million children around the world with lifesaving measles vaccinations.

The speaker was Pampee Young, chief

medical officer of the American Red Cross, who discussed the collection, processing, and distribution of blood and blood products, and the Red Cross’ Biomedical Services, which plays a critical role in our nation’s health care system.

In her position, Young provides medical guidance, vision, and strategic direction focused on donor and patient safety objectives

The Red Cross is the largest single supplier of blood and blood products in the United States and thus plays a leading role in protecting the safety of donors and patients and increasing the availability of blood.

At the event, Kristin Winston Catering provided delicious passed hors d’oeuvres, which included beef crostini with truffle aioli, crab cakes, Mediterranean chicken on wonton crisps, zucchini fritters, mini grilled cheese sandwiches and BLTs.

With 91 current members across the state, the Tennessee Tiffany Circle continues to be one of the largest and most established Tiffany Circle chapters nationally.

Host Kellie Robinson and speaker Pampee Young

David and Pampee Young, speaker for the event

Barbara and Greg Hagood, and Geoff and Raja Clark

Keri McInnis, Barbara Bovender, and Courtney and Jim Fitzgerald

Pal and Uma Narayanan, local Board Chair Doris Dunn, and Michael Dunn

Erica Collins, Drea Conigliaro, Gina Haining, and Phillip Collins

Natalie Clements and Louise Bryan

SOCIAL

Frank Majors and Host Will Robinson

Letizia Rossi and Mary King Laurie and Jim Seabury

Maxine Majors, Letizia Rossi, Diane Holloway, and Karen Moore

Courtney, Perry and Jennifer Wolcott

Marci Lee Houff, Renee and John Hawkins, and Stephen Houff

Randy and Janice LaGasse

Steve and Wendy Burch, and Mark and Elizabeth McDonald

Teresa and Carly Nacarato A beautiful floral arrangement at the party.

Five Free and Cheap Family Things To Do in Middle Tennessee

BY AMANDA HAGGARD

This week has it all. Go check out some young performers at a showing of Disney’s The Little Mermaid Jr. at Looby Theater. Head over to the Adventure Science Center for a day of engineering on display. Grab a kite and celebrate all things family health down at Bicentennial Park. Spider-Man

will be hanging out down in Murfreesboro. And then the Green Hills Library invites the small ones out to learn while playing. As part of our series on free cheap things to do with the family, here is our weekly roundup of places to spend time together over the next week:

METRO PARKS THEATRE PRESENTS: DISNEY’S THE LITTLE MERMAID JR.

The Metro Parks Theatre is hosting a showing of THE LITTLE MERMAID JR., which is made up of all young performers. The performances, at Looby Theater, begin at 7 p.m. on April 13, and the cost is $15 per adult and $5 per child.

TOUCH-A-TRUCK

The Adventure Science Center will host its annual Touch-a-Truck event on April 13. Children will have the chance to touch heavy machinery and speak with folks who use them in their everyday work. The day also has a quieter hour from 9-10 a.m. for folks who might need a more relaxed environment or more space while they check the machinery out. Outside of that hour, the day will also include lots of loud noises, so don’t forget your noise-canceling headphones if you have sensitive ears.

14TH ANNUAL KIDS AND KITES DAY

Kids and Kites Day is in its 14th year of raising awareness on childhood obesity and diabetes. The event, which takes place on April 13, includes dancing, flying kites, health and wellness information, free haircuts for kids, games, prizes and more. Folks can bring their own kites, but there will also be some for free on-site.

SPIDER-MAN PLAY DATE AT KIDS CORNER

Kids Corner is hosting a Spider-Man Play Date on April 13 from noon to 2 p.m. The day will include a photo opportunity and meet-and-greet, playtime with Spider-Man and a web-shooting game and goodbye time. The two-hour event is $25, but includes a price discount for multiple children.

PLAY AND LEARN: GREEN HILLS LIBRARY

Every Friday at the Green Hills Library, the location hosts a play and learn session where kids learn through play. Kids aged 2-7 are recommended for this session, which is geared toward young kids who do the majority of their learning through play. The session is drop in, free, and in a relaxed environment.

4361 CHICKERING LANE

Warm casual gathering rooms

Renovated kitchen with timeless appeal

Gorgeous formal spaces

Expansive formal dining room

Exquisite

rent/lease

THE GREEN HILLS APARTMENTS

is no longer just for retired teachers. All seniors 62 and older may apply with no fee. Efficiencies start at $500 which includes utilities.

One bedroom & studio apartments available starting at $625 per month. Must be 62 and older and live independently.

One bedroom apartments available starting $650 per month. Must and older and live independently.

615-297-7536

greenhillsapts@comcast.net

advertising in The News Gets

Results

Care giver

I am super personal assistantHousehold / pet management, driver, security, business / legal consulting, problem solver. $50 / hr. Stellar References. (615) 292-7615

Crown Cleaning: Windows, Pressure Washing & more.

Sean Grimes

Call or Text Anytime! (615) 593-6430