April 18, 2024

Spectators ordered to leave Senate chamber during school safety debate

A bill that would allow school staff to carry concealed firearms passed in the Senate last week

BY KELSEY BEYELER

The Senate gallery erupted into chaos last Tuesday during discussion of a bill that would allow some school staff to carry concealed handguns on school property. Per an amendment adopted by the Senate, these staff members would also need to receive training in school policing, get permission from their principal, director of schools and local law enforcement chief, and provide the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation with fingerprints for background checks, among other measures.

The gallery was filled with gun safety

advocates who carried signs and jeered Senate members throughout the proceedings. Spectators remained vocal after receiving a warning from Lt. Gov. Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge). He then gave the order to clear the gallery.

Some protesters resisted the directive to leave for approximately 30 minutes, speaking to lawmakers from the balcony and holding signs. Some were approached by state troopers before ultimately agreeing to leave the chamber.

“It is really hard, even as a new mom

standing here, to have to be composed on a piece of legislation that I know puts my son’s life at risk,” said Sen. London Lamar (D-Nashville) from the Senate floor while holding her child.

Among the crowd were several parents from the Covenant School community, which experienced a mass shooting in March of last year that left three 9-year-old students and three staff members dead. Those parents could be seen pleading with McNally from the balcony to not be removed with the rest of the crowd. They were allowed

Flat revenues could lead to tough decisions in Metro budget season

Finance officials expect no growth next year

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.

Metro Nashville’s budget is set at $3.22 billion this year, up more than 6 percent from the previous year. Finance officials, the mayor’s office, Metro councilmembers and labor and interest groups are currently preparing to debate the 2024-25 spending plan, set to go into effect July 1, with limited capacity to add new programs or increase employee pay.

Mayor Freddie O’Connell, elected late in 2023, is expected to submit his first budget proposal early next month. Then, the Metro Council will have a couple of months to debate the spending plan and make changes, all as public feedback is solicited around the county and in council chambers.

One of the most significant points of discussion will be revenues. Finance Director Kevin Crumbo expects no growth from the current year, signifying a normalization from the frenzied revenue growth experienced locally in recent years.

That means hard decisions have to be made, and the city’s employees and school system are among those angling for their piece of the pie.

“As we’re trying to incorporate the things that we care about, then there has to be funding for that, and some of that has to be offset in some type of way,” said

Mothers of Covenant School students protest a Senate bill that would allow school staff to carry guns on April 9, 2024.

PHOTO BY RAY DI PIETRO

Spectators ordered

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

to stay.

“We’re very disappointed at how things went today,” Covenant mother Mary Joyce told reporters after the incident. “We can absolutely do way better. Sorry, we’re just really shaken-up, because that was rattling to say the least.”

Both Joyce and fellow Covenant mother Melissa Alexander told reporters they were shaking as the scene played out.

“I think the consideration of a realworld scenario — especially a teacher with a handgun leaving a classroom full of children to go and protect them from a shooter who most likely has a bigger weapon — is irresponsible to say the least,” said Joyce.

“Then you have an entire classroom full of children that are now exposed and in danger.”

Spectators who were removed from the gallery continued to watch the proceedings on screen from the lobby of the Capitol. The bill passed in the Senate and is scheduled to be heard in the House on April 17. Alexander said she and her fellow advocates will continue to work with lawmakers on the bill before it reaches a House vote.

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

Spectators being removed from the Senate chamber on April 9.

Students protest bill arming teachers

Local students and Covenant parents on watch as conceal carry bill for teachers nears a vote in the House

BY ELI MOTYCKA

A groundswell of students and parents showed up to the state Capitol Monday morning to oppose legislation enabling staff or faculty to carry concealed firearms on school property. The bill passed the Tennessee Senate on April 9 and currently awaits a vote in the House. Opponents — including parents of children who survived the Covenant School shooting a year ago — are calling on Republican leadership to prevent its passage.

“I’m certain my son is alive today because his teacher stayed in the classroom and kept him and his classmates safe,” said Melissa Alexander, whose son survived the Covenant

School shooting. “That’s where we need our teachers. I urge the House not to lift HB1202 from the desk and work with us parents to craft legislation that does not involve arming teachers.”

Alexander and Mary Joyce, another parent of a Covenant School survivor, held a press conference criticizing the legislation just after 9 a.m. Both described Republicans’ efforts to arm teachers as a misguided and irresponsible approach to school safety. Closed-door meetings with Gov. Bill Lee and House Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland) last week delayed Alexander and Joyce’s public media appearance, which was initially scheduled for April 8, a day before the Senate passed the legislation.

“We are sharing some very personal details about what our family has experienced and what we’re going through as a community, and it is frustrating sometimes not to feel heard — like we’re screaming underwater,” Joyce told reporters. “Then to sit in the Senate and see such a reckless bill passed without what feels like any regard to neighbors and folks in their backyard, what we’ve actually gone through.”

Students met at Church Street Park and marched to the Capitol steps around 10 a.m. led by organizers from HumeFogg Academic High School. Youth-led opposition to Tennessee’s lax gun laws has become a familiar sight at the Capitol, where marches, rallies and vigils have shadowed state legislative chambers since the March 2023 Covenant School shooting that killed six people, including three 9-year-old children. Student speakers from Hume-Fogg and Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet High School headlined the event. Members of the crowd included students from Meigs Middle Magnet School, Hillsboro High School and Merrol Hyde Magnet School.

“My government is actively working to try and keep people out of politics,” one student told the crowd. “They’re working to dismantle democracy, and we cannot let this happen. We are not just here to participate in one walkout. We are here to let our legislators know that we are done being complacent and our cries will be heard. We will not let the issue of gun violence be twisted in order to increase the number of guns in our schools and in our community.”

Covenant School parent Sarah Shoop Neumann and school board member Erin O’Hara Block also addressed the crowd.

Current and prospective Democratic lawmakers flanked the group, including state Sen. Heidi Campbell (D-Nashville), state Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville) and state Rep. Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville). Maryam Abolfazli, a Democrat running for

the U.S. House, and Luis Mata, a candidate for the state House, both emphasized voting in brief remarks to the crowd.

Clemmons tells The News sister publication the Nashville Scene that, while the bill’s fate in the House is unknown, a slew of amendments will ensure floor debate before it comes up for a vote. House lawmakers, including Clemmons, have tacked on 10 amendments that restrict the law to certain areas of the state, further regulate who can carry guns at school and require additional layers of administrative authorization. An amendment by Rep. Jason Powell (D-Nashville), for example, would require school principals to notify parents or guardians of faculty or staff carrying guns on school property.

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

PHOTO BY RAY DI PIETRO

Hundreds of students march to the State Capitol on April 15, 2024, in protest of a bill that would allow school staff to carry guns.

PHOTO BY HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS

Hundreds of students demonstrate outside of the State Capitol on April 15, 2024, in protest of a bill that would allow school staff to carry guns.

PHOTO BY HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS

89

Bart Durham — a local and legendary personal injury attorney known for television commercials in which he offers support and kind words to a diversity of clients — has died.

He was 89.

Multiple Nashville media reported the death late last Tuesday, though seemingly no cause has been made public. Durham’s son and colleague Blair Durham confirmed the death to News Channel 5.

Durham founded Bart Durham Injury Law in 1975 and worked there until his death, according to the firm’s website.

Born in Ripley in West Tennessee, Durham served in the U.S. Army two years before attending law school. He graduated in 1963 and worked in Memphis from 1966 to 1969. He then moved to Nashville, later serving as assistant state attorney general before starting his eponymously named firm in 1975.

Durham underwent triple bypass surgery in 2006 for a heart condition. He posted on the firm website: “I’ll be here until I die. You go nuts with nothing to do. I’m still having a lot of fun being a lawyer.”

Durham was known, in part, for his expression: “Justice is your right, and we demand it.”

News Channel 5 reports visitation will be held April 16 at 10 a.m. with a noon service at Woodmont Christian Church.

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

Bart Durham

Flat revenues

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

At-Large Metro Councilmember Delishia Porterfield, who chairs the Budget and Finance Committee. “I don’t want to paint a picture of doom and gloom, because I don’t think it’s a doom and gloom situation. I’m very thankful that the numbers are stable, but obviously I do wish that there was more revenue.”

When asked whether funding priorities like education, affordable housing or employee pay — faced with flat revenues — meant cuts elsewhere, Porterfield said, “We do have to keep our eyes open, have some flexibility and look in multiple places to make sure that we have the funding that we need to take care of our obligations.”

Will the administration look for places to save money in the budget?

“Yes, for sure,” Crumbo said. “We’re going to look top to bottom at the Metro government.”

After an early recovery from the pandemic left the city flush, it is now transitioning into more normal spending patterns. A dwindling number of federal COVID cash infusions is among the factors leading to the projection of flat revenues in Nashville.

“There was a big boom in spending as people exited the pandemic and had some pent-up demand,” David Simpson, senior policy analyst at the Sycamore Institute, a Tennessee-based public policy research center, said. “As we’re starting to get a more normal pattern of growth, I don’t think it’s unsurprising that the state and the city are being cautious about what’s happening in the upcoming year.”

One avenue for balancing a flat-revenue

Jessica Stewart told the commission, is “not enough.” James Smallwood, president of the local chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police, echoed her concerns.

Metro HR is currently working on a major compensation study, but results will not be ready in time to influence this year’s budget cycle. Shannon Hall, director of Metro HR, told the commission that the city is still keeping employees’ compensation ahead of inflation if you look at a 10-year average.

“It doesn’t reflect the true cost of living in Nashville,” Stewart said. “I understand the desire to do an average, but our employees live in today’s Nashville. They don’t live in the Nashville of 10 years ago. We feel a 5 percent [cost of living adjustment] would be better. We are hoping we can meet and confer with the administration to come to some common ground.”

SCHOOLS

The Metro Nashville Public School Board this week approved a budget ask, after a more in-depth discussion about the proposal in March. The current year’s school “continuity of operations” budget is $1.21 billion, a 9 percent (or nearly $100 million) increase over the year prior. For the coming fiscal year, the board and school administrators are proposing a $1.27 billion “continuity of operations” budget, a 5.2 percent (or nearly $63 million) increase from the current year. The school system is waiting on guidance from the mayor regarding the scale of a cost of living adjustment for employees.

In addition to employee pay, a top priority for the school system is continuity of programs originally funded by federal COVID dollars, which expire this year.

budget that does not seem to be on the table: a property-tax increase. Crumbo said he thinks it is “ideal” to look at propertytax rate changes in the same year that the city goes through the reappraisal and equalization process.

“Somewhere along the way we started to get out of that cadence, and I think that’s made things a little challenging from a planning standpoint,” he said. “So I’ll be glad to see a return to that. I hope to see a return to that.”

The next reappraisal is next year, meaning O’Connell could face the prospect of asking voters for a sales tax increase to fund his transportation plan on the November ballot and then a property-tax increase proposal a few months later.

EMPLOYEE PAY

The pay plan for Metro’s thousands of employees — including police officers and firefighters, librarians and maintenance workers — always represents a major source of discussion in the budget cycle.

Metro Human Resources officials told the city’s Civil Service Commission this week that they are recommending a 3.5 percent cost-of-living adjustment for most employees and 3 percent merit raises for qualifying employees. Last year, Metro employees saw a 6 percent cost-of-living adjustment and a 3 percent merit raise.

Those recommendations are already receiving pushback. Though inflation marks have receded somewhat, Metro employee advocates argue the 3.5 percent cost of living adjustment, as SEIU Local 205 President

One hiccup in the process was news earlier this year that the living wage calculator used to peg minimum hourly Metro salaries showed the living wage for Nashville jumping to more than $23 per hour this year, up more than $5 from the year prior, and double the rate from five years ago. Using a rolling three-year average, Metro HR is recommending an increase in the minimum hourly wage to $20 — less than the calculator’s figure for this year but something commissioner Ethan Link, a labor representative, called “excellent news for our lowest-paid, hardest-working members of our workforce.” Another priority is making sure Nashville has the highest pay in the state for entry-level police trainees.

Hall and commission chair William Farmer insisted that the administration’s projected flat revenues had nothing to do with employee pay recommendations.

“They do not have inputs into our recommendations on the pay plan,” Hall said. “[The Department of] Finance does not influence, nor does revenue influence, what we recommend.”

Added Farmer: “Our job is not to balance the city’s budget. It’s just not. Our job is to ensure the employees are fairly paid. If they can’t find the money, that’s on them. If they have to raise taxes, that’s on them.”

But Crumbo said he “would not characterize it as ‘no collaboration’” and that he and Hall “speak almost every day.”

“Just because they have an ask doesn’t mean that we will be able to meet that ask, but rather we have to balance that with all the asks that we get,” Crumbo said.

Porterfield described funding employee pay adjustments as an obligation in the budget, like other fixed costs.

“They’re the ones that make our city run. They’re the ones that are doing the hard work,” she said. “We need the COLAs to keep up with inflation. To me, that’s the bare minimum, is keeping up with inflation.”

Nurses in every school, elementary school safety ambassadors, weekend and summer high-dosage tutoring programs and no-cost meals are among the programs partially funded by federal relief funds. MNPS Director of Schools Adrienne Battle told the board in March that the school system has been working on moving funding for those programs into the regular operating budget.

“We have a funding bridge, not a cliff,” she said.

Porterfield said she supported funding the programs initially supported by the federal dollars.

“I think it’s really, really important that we’re making the necessary investments in our public schools,” she said. “That is one of the best investments we can make as a city and it it pays off.”

FEEDBACK

Nashvillians have already had one public opportunity to weigh in on next year’s budget, at a public hearing in February.

A series of residents asked for a variety of budget items, ranging from more accessible equipment in parks and community centers to complete sidewalk networks to affordable housing and alternatives to policing.

Porterfield said she is planning public budget meetings in different parts of the county. The Metro Council will hold its own budget hearings after the mayor’s budget is presented, and residents will have another chance to weigh in at the main budget public hearing in June. She also recommended residents email their district or at-large councilmembers.

Nothing is final, with the Civil Service Commission still yet to vote on a proposed pay plan, and the mayor yet to file a budget, and the Metro Council yet to amend it.

“Be engaged if you want to see something in the budget, or if you don’t want to see something in the budget,” Porterfield said. “I want to hear from people. We want to hear from people.”

Mayor Freddie O’Connell PHOTO BY HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS

On the Hill: April 8-12 legislative roundup

Franchise tax changes still up for debate as members continue budget discussion

The House and the Senate have passed different versions (HB1893/SB2103) of Gov. Bill Lee’s franchise tax legislation that would cut state revenue by $400 million annually.

“This is one of the largest tax cuts to business that this state has ever seen or has ever been on this House floor,” House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland) said last week.

The bill has been placed back on the House message calendar for Monday’s 2 p.m. House floor session. The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee also meets at noon for more budget discussions while the legislation that may have one of the largest impacts to the budget continues to be debated.

The two chambers have passed legislation that would effectively cut the tax going forward, by repealing the portion of the law that would require a company to pay taxes on the amount of property it owns in the state. Currently, a company pays the franchise tax on either that property or its net worth, whichever is greater.

The Senate version would create a fund for businesses seeking a rebate, meaning a business previously paid based on its property rather than net worth, for up to three years prior. The House adopted the Senate version but passed an amendment that would allow rebates only for one year and require

transparency for those records. The Senate did not concur when the amendment was brought to the floor on Thursday.

The talk around the legislation itself has evolved. The change to remove the property tax portion of the law was originally presented by the governor as a resolution to a potential legal issue.

However, Lamberth said several times during discussion on the House floor last week that changing the franchise tax was not due to any legal issues but rather a matter of policy discussion.

Nashville Democrats Sen. Jeff Yarbro and Rep. John Ray Clemmons, have tried to present amendments in their respective chambers that would solve the potential legal issue with little to no impact on state funds, according to the amendments’ fiscal note. But with the Republican supermajority, the amendments were ultimately disregarded.

ABORTION

The “abortion trafficking” bill (HB1895/ SB1971) that would make it illegal for an adult to help a minor who is not that adult’s biological child obtain an abortion passed the Senate on Wednesday. Adults could also be held liable for “the wrongful death of an unborn child that was aborted.” The Tennessee bill is similar to a

Tennessee Legislature PHOTO BY HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS

On the Hill

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

2023-passed Idaho law that has been blocked by a federal judge.

IMMIGRATION

On Thursday, Gov. Bill Lee signed SB2576/HB2124 into law. It aims to require local police work with ICE whenever an undocumented person is detained. The law was the subject of a recent protest from the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition.

CHILDREN’S SERVICES

The Tennessee Foster and Adoptive Parent Protection Act was signed into law on Thursday. The law prevents the Department of Children’s Services from requiring foster parents to support LGBTQ rights, meaning the parents in question wouldn’t have to accept a child’s sexual orientation or gender identity to become the caregiver.

Gov. Bill Lee signed a bill (HB1726/ SB2359) into law on Thursday that prohibits the Department of Children’s Services from requiring an immunization for foster parents. Before this change the families had to be vaccinated against the flu and whooping cough in an effort to protect medically fragile children or infants.

VACCINES

HB2861/SB2151 passed the House April 8 but is awaiting next action in the Senate. The bill is aimed at health care providers providing vaccines for infants and toddlers, with those providers potentially to face punishment for coercing people to vaccinate their children, misrepresenting state vaccine requirements, as well as misrepresenting state requirements for a newborn screening test. The providers could lose their medical licenses under the bill.

GUNS

The Senate passed a bill (SB1325/HB1202) on Tuesday that would allow teachers to carry a concealed handgun at school.

Gun safety advocates, including some parents of Covenant School students who experienced a mass shooting last year, were in the gallery during the discussion of the bill. Protesters of the bill were vocal, and Lt. Gov. Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) ordered the gallery to be cleared after his warnings were not followed.

Tensions remained high between Republicans and Democrats as discussion on the bill continued, but it ultimately passed along a party-line vote. The bill is set to be taken up by the House on Wednesday, April 17.

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

Advocates, community members rally against state’s anti-immigration policies

BY KELSEY BEYELER

“El pueblo unido jamás será vencido.”

“The people united will never be defeated.”

Hundreds of people chanted this classic protest phrase in both Spanish and English in downtown Nashville on April 4 as they rallied against the Tennessee General Assembly’s passing of HB2124/SB2576 and asked Gov. Bill Lee to veto the legislation. The bill requires law enforcement agencies to report knowledge of undocumented individuals to federal officials and cooperate with them in their “identification, apprehension, detention, or removal.”

The bill’s House sponsor, Rep. Rusty Grills (R-Newbern), introduced the legislation to a committee as a way to “force [law enforcement agencies] to reach out to the feds” about having in custody someone who is not in the United States legally. Dozens of Republicans co-sponsored the legislation in both the House and Senate.

Critics of the bill see the mandate as extra work that will stretch understaffed law enforcement agencies and exacerbate distrust between police officers and the immigrant community. In March, Rep. Justin Pearson (D-Memphis) voiced another common criticism, calling the legislation “rooted in racism and xenophobia.”

Representatives from the Metro Nashville Police Department tell the Scene they’re concerned the legislation could “erode the trust that we have worked hard over a period of years to build with immigrant communities” and “dissuade cooperation with our officers among some Nashville residents” during investigations.

“This bill will exacerbate the racial

profiling already happening in our communities, where anyone who looks like an immigrant or speaks with an accent will be targeted for traffic stops and arrests,” said American Muslim Advisory Council executive director Sabina Mohyuddin at last week’s rally.

Despite the protest and the demand for a veto, Lee is almost certain to sign the bill into law. It aligns with his politics and those of his Republican colleagues. During a recent trip to the Southern border, Lee committed to sending two waves of Tennessee National Guardsmen to help “secure our border” amid increasing numbers of migrants entering the United States.

Members of Tennessee’s U.S. congressional delegation have also visited the border and perpetuated anti-immigration rhetoric — even as they’ve voted against bipartisan border security legislation. U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Knoxville) is facing a defamation lawsuit after wrongly accusing a Kansas man of being an “illegal alien” and a mass shooter, and several Republican state lawmakers spoke to a crowd of roughly 100 people during a “Protect Tennessee’s Borders” rally March 20 at the state Capitol. Amid the ongoing rhetoric, Tennessee’s conservative supermajority has been accused of creating a climate that emboldens white supremacists, including neo-Nazis who marched downtown in February while chanting “deport all Mexicans.”

HB2124/SB2576 is one of many pieces of xenophobic legislation that has come up during this session and in recent years. One bill that has since failed sought to make

driver’s license tests available in English only. Another proposed bill that was ultimately tabled would have made transporting undocumented people into the state a class-A misdemeanor.

SB2770/HB1872, currently on hold, allows courts to enhance criminal charges up to a lifetime sentence without parole for undocumented individuals who commit violent crimes — alongside any adult who commits violent crimes on school property. Another (HB2774/SB2158) requires state agencies to track and compile a report on the costs of serving immigrants. Rep. Jake McCalmon (R-Franklin) has said the goal of the bill is “to quantify the cost of illegal immigration,” so the state’s attorney general “has standing to bring suit against the federal government if he deems necessary.” The bill comes with its own significant cost — millions of dollars in local expenditures to facilitate such reporting.

Dulce Castro, an immigrant and a longtime volunteer for the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, told the Scene that showing up to the protest was “very scary.”

“A lot of people do not empathize with the immigrant story,” said Castro. “And that’s a constant challenge that immigrants will continue to face. But that will not let us just stay in the shadows, because we contribute to this state. We contribute to this country.”

Hamilton Matthew Masters contributed reporting.

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

Advoctes and community members rally against Tennessee’s anti-immigration policies. PHOTO BY RAY DI PIETRO

‘Abortion trafficking’ passes Senate, would penalize adults for helping minors get abortions

BY HANNAH HERNER

A bill that passed the Senate on Wednesday would penalize adults who help a minor who is not their child obtain an abortion. If HB1895/SB1971 passes in the House as well, those adults could also be held liable for “the wrongful death of an unborn child that was aborted.”

The definition of “abortion trafficking,” a term used in the legislation, is unclear. The bill would apply to someone who “recruits, harbors, or transports” a minor to obtain an abortion or conceals or procures that abortion.

On Wednesday afternoon, Rep. Aftyn Behn (D-Nashville), along with representatives of pro-abortion group Abortion Care Tennessee, pointed out the vagueness of the legislation. They took to Lower Broadway to share information about out-of-state abortion options, an act Behn says could potentially become illegal under the bill.

“I think people are very curious about the state of things, and when you relay

what’s being passed in terms of the abortion trafficking bill, they’re just in shock,” Behn told the Scene on the corner of Rep. John Lewis Way and Broadway.

“Unfortunately, in a country with everfluid changing abortion laws, this bill is a test case, a test piece of legislation so that it can not only be adopted in other states, but nationally, to be taken to the Supreme Court to further erode our rights. I really look at this bill as a harbinger of even worse things to come.”

Behn told the Scene if the bill becomes law, she welcomes arrest for helping minors obtain abortions. It is currently unclear if an organization like Abortion Care Tennessee, which helps pay for and arrange out-ofstate abortions, would be criminalized for arranging for travel, which is also prohibited under the bill.

The debate could become a moot point, however. A similar law that was passed Idaho

in 2023 has been blocked from enforcement by a federal judge. Pro-choice advocacy groups have also challenged the law in court, saying it violates the First Amendment (a doctor’s right to discuss abortion with minors) and the Fourth Amendment (a person’s right to travel freely between states).

During the Senate floor session Wednesday morning, Sen. Jeff Yarbro (D-Nashville) sought to amend the bill to allow trusted adults to assist a minor in obtaining an abortion, pointing to situations in which parents are not the trusted adult in a child’s life. The amendment failed.

The punishment for “abortion trafficking” is also yet to be decided. The bill that moved forward in the Senate Wednesday would charge the adult in question with a class-A misdemeanor, which would require a nearly one-year prison sentence. The House version would increase the charge to a class-C felony, which can carry up to a 15-year prison

Beathard launches state House bid

BY HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS

Williamson County Commission

Chair Brian Beathard officially launched his campaign for Tennessee’s House of Representatives District 65 seat on Saturday, April 5, where he touted the support of the many local leaders, including an endorsement from retiring state Rep. Sam Whitson (R-Franklin).

Beathard has served as one of Williamson County’s 11th district commissioners since 2010 and was elected as the commission chair in 2022. Whitson called Beathard

“committed” to Williamson County.

“I’ve discovered since I’ve been up there [on Capitol hill,] county commissioners hit the ground running — they understand the budgetary process, they understand how to get things done, how to work as a team, and Brian will bring that experience from his years here in our county to Capitol Hill in Nashville,” Whitson said.

Beathard told The News that his campaign has already knocked on more than 1,000 doors. According to Beathard, many residents have spoken highly of Whitson, and to Beathard, Whitson’s endorsement means “everything.”

Bethard is running against three fellow Republicans and one Democrat for the seat in what he said is an effort to “preserve and perpetuate” Williamson County’s way of life.

“We’ve developed a county that now thousands want to move to, but then some of them want to get here and save us from ourselves,” Beathard said.

“Don’t let the opposition fool you, this race is about our roads, it’s about our schools, it’s about our freedom to govern ourselves locally. This is our fight to protect all of it that has been previously built and that has made our county great.”

Beathard said that he will advocate for a core conservative value: local control of communities.

“We seem to have lost that conservative idea of local control being a tenant of the Republican Party, and we have Republican representatives currently at the state House who want to or seem to want to pass these

sentence and up to $10,000 in fines.

The “abortion trafficking” bill is one of the few remaining abortion-related bills this session. Legislation that would allow for exceptions for rape and incest were killed earlier in the session, and a bill that would allow an abortion in cases of fatal fetal anomalies was ultimately never introduced.

Tennessee has a nearly total abortion ban in place. A pregnant person cannot get an abortion in the state at any period of gestation unless their life is in danger, or it’s an ectopic or molar pregnancy. Tennessee physicians and patients are currently suing in an effort to gain clarity on when the line of endangerment is crossed.

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

huge sweeping bills that may be great for Memphis, but may not be good for Coffee County and may not be good for Williamson County.”

Some of those “sweeping bills” relate to Gov. Bill Lee’s state-wide voucher push, and while he did not take a specific stance on the ongoing debate, citing the different bills in the House and Senate, Beathard declared his support for public education.

“I think in Williamson County, everyone should really be following this closely, because our schools not only are tied to our property values, but our ability to track businesses, both small and large, and have such an important role in our county, that to have a sweeping statewide mandate needs to be something that is looked at closely and comes with a critical eye,” Beathard told The News.

During his campaign kickoff event, he elaborated on his views of public education.

“Williamson County has the highest achieving schools in the state and we’re among the highest achieving schools in the country, and we need to keep it that way,” Beathard said.

“I’m not going to the Hill to sue our schools; I’m going to protect them,” Beathard added, a reference to sitting state Rep. Gino Bulso (R-Brentwood), a lawyer by trade, who is representing some Williamson County parents in a lawsuit that aims to remove “obscene” books from school libraries.

“I want to fight for less regulations, again, particularly on business,” Beathard said. “I want to fight for local control of our city

and county governments, and I want to end the redistribution of Williamson County tax dollars and get more money back for our schools and our roads. In short, I’m running to keep this seat, Sam-esque…to keep this seat Charles Sargent-esque.”

While Beathard is pursuing a more moderate Republican position, he said he is a “big believer” in the Second Amendment, as well as in public safety, specifically school safety.

“I do find it difficult to find a middle ground in which you remove some guns from some people, and in doing so, prevent all of the instances of violence,” Beathard said. “I do find it easier to find a path to enforcing our current laws, strengthening laws against people using guns illegally, and making our schools impenetrable, as well as other facilities, so that we’re all protected.”

Beathard has pledged to both uphold the Constitution and support former President Donald Trump in his national reelection bid.

Those positions may prove especially critical in Williamson County where the battle over who are the “true conservatives” continues to play out.

Beathard said that while some may want to “fight the establishment,” he see’s Williamson County’s leadership, especially those supporting his campaign, as his “mentors” who have helped make the county a success.

“It’s important to recognize that none of this happened by accident. We did this,” Beathard told the crowd at his campaign kickoff event.

State House of Representatives District 65 Republican candidate Brian Beathard

PHOTO BY HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS

Biden’s bright horizon: navigating the road to a united America in the face of Trump’s diminished influence

BY BILL FREEMAN

Here in Nashville and throughout Middle Tennessee, the political landscape is once again abuzz with anticipation. With the presidential election looming on the horizon, the air is thick with speculation, analysis and the fervent hopes of citizens. As a lifelong resident of Nashville, I can’t help but feel a bit optimistic myself — and maybe even a little excited — as the race between Joe Biden and Donald Trump gains momentum.

Recent polls paint an intriguing picture — one that tilts slightly in favor of Biden. As I wrote last week, local leaders — who also happen to be Democrats — have won their races with ease. I find that encouraging.

As recently reported by Newsweek, “Joe Biden is now beating Donald Trump in the majority of recent polls, just seven months before the presidential election.” This has ignited a spark of optimism among many, including myself, and it’s a promising sign for those who believe in Biden’s vision for the country and his ability to lead us toward a brighter future. As also reported

President Joe Biden and First Lady

Jill Biden hosted a White House State Dinner on April 10 for the Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his wife

Yuko. Pictured attending the state dinner is Bill Freeman, chairman and co-founder of the Freeman Webb Company, and Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, Inc

by Newsweek: “According to polling from Morning Consult, the incumbent president is leading with 44 percent of the vote share. Trump … is projected to garner 42 percent of the vote share in the poll. The pair are tied among independents, both receiving 34 percent of the vote share. Cameron Easley, lead analyst of U.S. politics for Morning Consult, said this represents the first time Trump hasn’t led among this group of voters.” But even amid this glimmer of hope, there’s undeniable tension in the air. The presidential race is shaping up to be a tight one, with commentators cautioning against premature celebration. Despite Biden’s edge in some polls, others suggest Trump may still have a formidable base of support waiting in the wings. The road ahead is one of uncertainty, and the outcome of the election hangs in the balance. Christopher Phelps, a professor of modern American history, aptly sums up the current state of affairs in speaking with Newsweek: “By any measure, the race at this distance from November is

far too close to call.”

As we navigate these uncharted waters, it’s crucial to reflect on the stark differences between the two contenders. While Biden strives to unite and heal a divided nation, Trump finds himself embroiled in a whirlwind of legal troubles. His New York criminal trial looms large, casting a shadow over his aspirations for a political comeback — although it’s unlikely he would ever admit feeling any anguish over the matter.

According to USA Today, if convicted, Trump could face a sentence that ranges from probation to several years in prison. His antagonistic behavior toward the judge presiding over his case serves only to exacerbate his predicament. Is this the kind of person we want running our country? Imagine the chaos and turmoil that will ensue if he is reelected while embroiled in such legal quagmires.

In contrast, Joe Biden has demonstrated steady leadership and a commitment to upholding the values that define us as a nation. Under his guidance, as I wrote last week, the economy is showing signs of improvement, unemployment rates are declining, and America is reclaiming its status as a nation of inclusivity and compassion.

As a resident of Nashville, of Middle Tennessee and of these United States, I take pride in our community’s resilience and what I believe is our country’s desire for unity. We deserve a leader who reflects these values and works tirelessly to uplift every member of our society. Joe Biden and his administration have long proved themselves capable of meeting this challenge, and I have every confidence that they will continue to do so in the years ahead.

As the presidential race heats up, we’ll hear arguments from both sides about why each candidate deserves the presidency. It’s concerning that even if Trump is convicted,

he could still serve as president and then face imprisonment afterward. Given his track record, there’s uncertainty about the consequences for our country should he win. But I’m optimistic that the progress achieved during President Biden’s term, coupled with Democratic victories shaping our local landscape, will motivate a majority to prioritize inclusivity and compassion. I believe it behooves us all to remember that our choice affects not just our community, but the future of our nation.

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.

LOGAN BUTTS ASSOCIATE EDITOR

HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS NEWS REPORTER AND PHOTOJOURNALIST

NICOLLE S. PRAINO STAFF REPORTER

LISA BOLD PRODUCTION MANAGER

CHELON HASTY SALES OPERATIONS MANAGER

ELIZABETH JONES CORPORATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR

TODD PATTON CFO

MIKE SMITH

PRESIDENT AND CEO

BILL FREEMAN OWNER

President Joe Biden PHOTO BY ADAM SCHULTZ, WHITEHOUSE.GOV

TICKED OFF!

NO MOW MAY

Shut the f*** up. Don’t start this summer with your meaningless moaning about the noises of the summer. I see you didn’t take my advice about moving to the North Pole. Also, Green Hills News, stop printing this endless chatter from this old fool. Surely, you can find enough to fill the column.

WE MUST FUND UKRAINE

We must fund Ukraine and stop listening to Russian propaganda

On November 18, 1958, in the middle of the Cold War, the Soviet Pres. Nikita Khrushchev said, “We will take America without firing a shot. We do not have to invade the US. We will destroy you from within.” As incredible as it sounds, this appears to be happening to the democracy the United States of America – NOW.

Representative Michael R. Turner (R-OH), chair of the House Intelligence Committee, said it is “absolutely true” that Republican members of Congress are parroting Russian propaganda. “We see directly coming from Russia attempts to mask communications that are anti-Ukraine and pro-Russia messages, some of which we even hear being uttered on the House floor,” he said on CNN’s State of the Union.

Representative Michael McCaul (R-TX), chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Russia specialist Julia Ioffe that “Russian propaganda has made its way into the United States, unfortunately, and it’s infected a good chunk of my party’s base.” McCaul blamed right-wing media. When asked which Republicans he was talking about, McCaul answered that it is “obvious.” Please note, this is a Republican Congressman from Texas. You can talk about your conspiracy theories all you want, but this situation has been documented and confirmed.

Catherine Belton and Joseph Menn reviewed more than 100 internal Kremlin documents from 2022 and 2023 obtained by a European intelligence service and reported in the Washington Post on 4/8/2024 that the Russian government is running “an ongoing campaign that seeks to influence congressional and other political debates to stoke anti-Ukraine sentiment.” Kremlinbacked trolls write fake “news articles, social media posts and comments that promote American isolationism, stir fear over the United States’ border security and attempt to amplify U.S. economic and racial tensions” while claiming that “Biden’s policies are

leading the U.S. toward collapse.” And Fox “News,” repeats these lies. One has to wonder whose side are they on?

Last week, even Trump’s former secretary of state Mike Pompeo warned Speaker Johnson against “abandoning our Allies at this time of great need, when they are staring down enemies of the free world.”

It’s time we woke up and smelled the coffee. Russia will continue to try to do everything they can to destroy us and our allies.

NO MOW LETTER

The writer of “No Mow May” needs to rethink it’s position. There currently are no mandates, local, or state laws that says you can’t mow your yard in May. It’s merely a suggestion that is being promoted by an activist group. Means nothing.

The writer’s snarky comment about “un-skilled” laborers making noise “doing nothing” is way off base. These folks have jobs, get paid, and pump money back into the economy. In this day and time welcome the noise.

NO MOW MAY

I’m not sure who you’re referring to as unskilled labor. I have a master degree and work in the field of anesthesia. I’m very skilled for your information. Apparently you must be referring to your privileged and lazy self. I prefer to mow my yard. It’s free exercise and I find it relaxing and my Cheekwood like yard gives me great personal satisfaction. As far as the whole no mow situation I find brings down the neighborhood appearance and property value for the month of May. It’s absolutely unsightly. Please mow your yard

PITIFUL TENNESSEAN SPORTS

It’s hard to be a true major league sports city with a minor league newspaper. Instead of reporting results (even the usual day late) we get endless speculation, what might happen with UT football, Vanderbilt baseball. No box scores ever, no stats for SEC sports. People move here and find this pitiful excuse of a newspaper that brings you yesterday’s news tomorrow. We deserve better.

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

Cheekwood announces array of summer offerings

It’s shaping up to be another busy summer at Cheekwood Estate and Gardens as the 55-acre botanical garden and art museum announced a full slate of summer activities and events this week.

TROLLS: SAVE THE HUMANS

May 2 – September 1

The imaginative exhibition Trolls: Save the Humans by Denmark-based recycle artist Thomas Dambo blends art, nature, and messages of sustainability. Six giant trolls are intertwined with Cheekwood’s gardens, trees, and historic landscape for a one-ofa-kind storytelling experience. Dambo’s vision is to “create art that inspires people to have adventures in nature and demonstrate that trash can be turned into something beautiful.”

INTERVENTIONS: ANN CARRINGTON

June 29 – October 27

International sculptor Ann Carrington’s ornate work will be on display as a part of the latest installment of the INTERVENTIONS series. Carrington is well-known for working with discarded and found objects. INTERVENTIONS: Ann Carrington will be the largest iteration of the series, featuring 33 works inspired by Cheekwood’s gardens and the Cheek family dispersed throughout the period rooms in the historic mansion.

EXPOSITION OF ELEGANCE: CLASSIC CARS AT CHEEKWOOD

June 15 and 16

Cruise into Cheekwood and celebrate

Father’s Day weekend while strolling among more than 100 impeccably maintained classic cars and vintage motorcycles at the historic estate. See the original components, accessories, and detailing that make these automobiles special. Vintage motorcycles, including a 1933 Harley Davidson VC with sidecar, will also be on display inside Massey Hall. Visitors can also enjoy a barbershop quartet, hands-on activities for children, cold brews and cocktails, and local food trucks. The weekend culminates with a Tour d’Elegance through the streets of the city of Belle Meade. Members are invited to reserve discounted tickets during the special pre-sale from April 16-22. Tickets go on sale to the public on April 23.

UNDER THE STARS CONCERT SERIES

The Under the Stars concert series returns for five nights. Local food trucks and vendors offering wines by the bottle, local brews, and craft cocktails will also be available. Tickets are already on sale.

Jazz Under the Stars | July 19 | 7 p.m.

The genre-defying New Orleans icons

The Dirty Dozen Brass Band headline this lineup. Known for high-energy performances and a self-described sound of “musical gumbo,” this group combines upbeat brass arrangements with bebop jazz, funk, and R&B. The night kicks off with a performance by the 18-piece Ryan Middagh Jazz Orchestra.

Tickets: $55 Members $65 Not Yet Members

Songwriters Under the Stars

August 23, 24, 25 | 7 p.m.

Top Nashville hitmakers and musicians perform in a one-of-a-kind setting on Swan Lawn. The concert features charttoppers Wendell Mobley, Kelly Archer, and Lee Thomas Miller, sharing songs and stories, accompanied by the renowned String Light Symphony.

Tickets: $65 | Not-yet members: $75

Premium Packages: Each Premium Package ticket includes one concert ticket with exclusive, front-of-stage viewing in an Eno Lounger SL chair, two drink tickets, and access to premium parking with a golf cart shuttle to the concert location.

Premium Package Tickets:

Members: $150 | Not-yet members: $175

Bluegrass Under the Stars

September 6 | 7 p.m.

Bluegrass legend Sam Bush performs against the picturesque backdrop of Cheekwood’s gardens. The multifaceted Bush is a national champion fiddler, a Grammy award-winning mandolin player, and a trailblazing vocalist and musician whose influence resonates across generations. Opening the show is the all-female bluegrass supergroup Davidson County String Band, featuring Cristina Vane, Brenna MacMillan, Libby Weitnauer and Vicki Vaughn.

Tickets: $55 Members

$65 Not Yet Members

BLACK ARTS BASH

August 17

The Black Arts Bash pays tribute to Black history, art and culture. From morning until night, Cheekwood celebrates Black artists with music, dance, spoken word, visual art and more. Attendees can explore and experience the many forms of Black musical expression and traditions. Other offerings include hands-on activities for kids, and southern home-cooked favorites made by local Black chefs available for purchase. In addition, an exhibition of art from emerging and established artists will be on view in the Frist Learning Center.

THURSDAY NIGHT OUT

May 2 - October 26 from 5:30-9 p.m.

The weekly event features a blend of food, drink, and a diverse range of music. Guests can enjoy seasonal beers, expertly crafted cocktails, and bites created by Café 29 and local food trucks. On Thursday nights in August, visitors are invited to bring their best four-legged friends for Dog Nights of Summer. Human and canine participants can browse dog-themed vendors and enjoy music, libations, and dog-friendly fun.

For the full list of summer programming and events, visit cheekwood.org.

TROLLS, Save the Humans exhibition PHOTO COURTESY OF CHEEKWOOD

Cheekwood Estate and Gardens PHOTO COURTESY OF CHEEKWOOD

Studio Tenn announces lineup for 15th season

On Wednesday, Studio Tenn announced its upcoming slate for the 2024-25 season, which is the 15th for the Franklin-based theatre company. The theme of the ‘24-25 season will be “Rockin’ Retro,” and the lineup was unveiled

to more than 300 attendees to the company’s annual “One Night Only” fundraiser on April 6 at The Factory at Franklin.

The season — which will take place at the company’s new home, Turner Theater, inside The Factory — is set to open with Little Shop of Horrors on Oct. 10.

Million Dollar Quarter Christmas, a sequel to last year’s Million Dollar Quartet, will play throughout the holidays.

In early 2025, you can expect Crimes of the Heart and The Play That Goes Wrong followed by Jersey Boys in the spring.

Season tickets are on sale now. Season ticket holders will be given the first opportunity to purchase tickets to addons or special events that are announced throughout the season.

“We are immensely proud to mark our 15th season with a lineup that embodies our mission to entertain audiences with high-level productions and push artistic boundaries in Middle Tennessee,” Studio Tenn’s artistic director Patrick Cassidy said in a news release.

As part of the 15th season celebration, Studio Tenn will welcome its founders Matt Logan and Jake Speck to take part in the productions. Logan will direct and design The Play That Goes Wrong, and Speck, who starred in Jersey Boys on Broadway, will direct Studio Tenn’s production of the musical.

Bennett Galleries to exhibit ‘The Lost Weekend – The Photography of May Pang’ April 26-28

Photographer May Pang, a former record executive known for her time working for John Lennon and Yoko Ono — and later having a long-term relationship with Lennon — will display photos from Lennon’s infamous “Lost Weekend” at Nashville’s Bennett Galleries April 26-28.

The free exhibit, “The Lost Weekend – The Photography of May Pang,” will showcase the private collection, which includes “candid photos of Lennon in a comfortable, relaxed environment” taken by Pang from 1973-75 in Lennon’s post-Beatles era.

The show will open at 3 p.m. on Friday, April 26, with a reception until 7 p.m. The gallery will also be open from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday, April 27, with special hours on Sunday, April 28, from noon-4 p.m.

Pang will be at the gallery throughout the exhibit to meet the public and tell stories behind the photos, some of which will be seen publicly for the first time, with limited edition prints for sale at the gallery.

The exhibit coincides with the 2022 film The Lost Weekend: A Love Story. Bennett Galleries is located at 2104 Crestmoor Road in Green Hills.

First Bells Bend Square Dance of 2024 set for Saturday

BY M.L. MEADORS

Have you ever enjoyed a Honky-Tonk Tuesday at American Legion Post 82? Does the phrase “boot scootin’ boogie” get your blood up? Or maybe the release of Cowboy Carter has you looking at your boots and Stetson while longing for dancing days gone by? If these things speak to you, I have Saturday night plans for you. Bells Bend Farms, on Old Hickory Boulevard over on the West Side of Davidson County, opens its barn doors from spring to fall for a monthly night of dancing, cheap beer, local food and live music. Beginners, don’t be discouraged! A professional square-dance caller will lead you through the steps before the music starts, and all skill levels and ages are encouraged to participate. Take it as a great excuse to escape the crowded bars for downhome, old-fashioned fun in the country. It’s an experience so magical I’d bet you’ll be back again. The event takes place at 7 p.m. on Saturday at Bells Bend Farms, with the kids dance before at 6 p.m. Admission is $15 or $8 for 12-and-under. Local food and beverages will be available for purchase.

Nashville Shakes, Lipscomb University to present ‘Hamlet’

BY AMY STUMPFL

The Nashville Shakespeare Festival is teaming up with Lipscomb University’s Department of Theatre to present the Bard’s greatest tragedy – and perhaps his most-quoted work – at Lipscomb’s Collins Auditorium from April 18-28. Taking on timeless themes of betrayal, revenge and political intrigue, Hamlet follows a young prince grieving the loss of his father even as he plots his revenge against the uncle who murdered him. It’s a fascinating study of the human heart. And at a time when so many of us are contemplating so many dark things currently happening in our world, Hamlet feels more relevant than ever. Nat McIntyre directs a strong student ensemble with David Long III in the title role, plus you can look forward to performances from local pros such as D. Scott Baker, Shannon Hoppe and Nashville Shakes’ own Denice Hicks. The production team is just as strong, with scenic design by Andy Bleiler, costumes by June Kingsbury, lighting by Anne Willingham, sound by Jacob Allen and fight choreography by Carrie Brewer. Recommended for ages 12 and up. Tickets can be purchased at lipscomb. edu/events/hamlet-0.

May Pang with artwork 2023

PHOTO BY HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS

Father & Son PHOTO BY MAY PANG

Nashville General Hospital CEO talks financing options, lease extension

Union-hosted town hall brought questions about the hospital’s pending new location

BY HANNAH HERNER

At a Sunday town hall meeting, Nashville General Hospital CEO Joseph Webb explained the hospital’s plans for a new facility once again.

He spoke about the safety-net hospital’s vision to expand women’s health care services, skilled nursing offerings and cancer services, as well as adding behavioral health care services. The hospital first produced a feasibility study in 2018 and found that it should build a new campus rather than renovate its existing campus on D.B. Todd Boulevard. Webb told the Post in March 2023 that he had hoped to be started on the new location by then.

The hospital has seen a few changes in the past year, as the Hospital Authority Board, which advises the hospital, appointed a new board chair. It also opened the Nashville Healthcare Center in Bordeaux in February.

During the event hosted by Service Employees International Union local 205 branch and attended by several Metro Council members, Webb revealed a few new details about the hospital’s pending move.

THE LEASE COULD BE EXTENDED.

The hospital has a lease until 2027 on Meharry Medical College’s campus. Webb

Police searching for hit-and-run driver who ‘critically injured’ Nashville woman

Metro Nashville Police Department are seeking the public’s help in identifying a hit-and-run driver who “critically injured” a woman in the early morning of April 8.

The crash occurred around 5:30 a.m. when a vehicle, believed to be a 2014-2017 Toyota Corolla, struck 25-year-old Terra Rasmussen, of Nashville, who was walking against traffic on McCall Street near Vaden Drive.

“The suspect car would have damage

to the front passenger side and would be missing the front passenger side fender liner,” an MNPD news release reads.

Rasmussen was transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in critical condition, and police are asking that anyone with information about the incident to call Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463, where they may be eligible for a cash reward.

said the price has risen significantly, from about $4 million when the hospital was established at its location in 1997, to $6.45 million per year in the latest lease signed with Meharry. Webb said that once a site is chosen, he anticipates about three years until completion of the new facility, which would include two years of construction.

For seemingly the first time, Webb said Sunday that it is possible that the hospital could extend the lease on the current site beyond 2027 if construction is not completed in time.

THE

HOSPITAL WANTS 2025 ACRES, AND WEBB SAID

A METROCENTER SITE AT 720 MAINSTREAM DR. IS “PREFERRED.”

It is the same site pitched in a May 2022 Hospital Authority Board meeting and that accommodates soccer fields. Webb confirmed that Nashville General has been in contact with Metro Parks about the space.

The office of Mayor Freddie O’Connell will likely put together a committee to choose a site, Webb said. The hospital administration is requesting that Metro donate land for the new hospital to be located, but conversations about that have

stalled in the past.

In 2023, under the former John Cooper administration, the hospital was approved for $57.8 million out of its requested $60.2 million subsidy request.

FUNDING COULD COME FROM CITY BONDS OR FROM PRIVATE FINANCING.

Webb said in 2022 that he planned to find a private investor to help fund the construction of the property, with his comments seemingly the first mention of a bond option. He added that an informal owner’s representative’s survey found five unnamed interested parties but that Nashville General could not move forward before a location for the hospital is chosen.

For additional income streams, Webb said the site could include housing meant for physicians who may work in the hospital. Webb specified that he did not mean “low-income housing,” which he said has a “negative connotation.”

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

Former MNPS teacher charged with sexual battery of student

Alleged event took place at H.G. Hill Middle in Hillwood

A former Metro Nashville Public Schools drama teacher has been charged with aggravated sexual battery of a minor following a grand jury indictment.

According to a Metro Nashville Police Department news release, 60-year-old Gary Schleimer, of Nolensville, was arrested on Wednesday night by Nolensville Police and transported to the Davidson County jail where he was booked on a $100,000 bond.

Schleimer is accused of “inappropriately touching a female student’s chest from behind, above her clothing, while alone in a classroom with her” at Nashville’s H.G. Hill Middle School in the fall of 2022.

The incident was later reported to the school principal, and Schleimer had not been selected for rehire by MNPS for that upcoming school year.

Schleimer does not have a court date listed at this time.

Joseph Webb, CEO of Nashville General Hospital, speaks at the opening of the hospital’s Bordeaux location. PHOTO BY ANGELINA CASTILLO

STAFF REPORTS

Gary Schleimer PHOTO BY MNPD

STAFF REPORTS

Tell Us About it!

Are you in the know about what’s going on down the street or on the corner?

Anyone ever call you nosy? Have good writing skills?

TSU student-athlete, Lipscomb Academy alum

Chazan

Page killed in hit-and-run Sunday morning

BY LOGAN BUTTS

Tennessee State University studentathlete Chazan Page, a former Lipscomb Academy football standout, was killed in a hit-and-run Sunday morning at age 20.

Page was crossing Gallatin Pike near Marion Avenue with his girlfriend at 1:30 a.m. According to MNPD Crash Investigators, he was struck by a red sedan or possibly a small SUV traveling north on Gallatin Pike at a high rate of speed.

Page was transported to Skyline Medical Center where he later died.

“My thoughts and prayers are with our football student-athletes, coaches, families, and friends,” Tennessee State University director of athletics Mikki Allen said in a release.

“He helped bring out the best in others with his outstanding leadership on and off the field, positive attitude, and genuine care

for the people around him. It is extremely difficult to lose a member of our athletics family, and we mourn the loss of Chazan.”

Page, a Nashville native, was a senior offensive lineman on the TSU football team. During his career with the Tigers, Page played in 28 games, including all 11 in each of the past two seasons.

Page’s brother Chandon, a Pearl-Cohn alum, is also on the TSU football team.

Anyone with information about the hitand-run driver/red vehicle is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463. Callers can remain anonymous and qualify for a cash reward. The preliminary investigation says that the vehicle will have significant front-end damage.

BUSINESS BRIEFS

Envision Healthcare names CEO

BY HANNAH HERNER

Be a neighborhood news ambassador for

Looking for a few neighbors who want to write about interesting things happening in your neighborhood. Specific neighborhoods of interest are Brentwood, Franklin, Spring Hill, Nolensville, Bellevue, West Meade, Green Hills.

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

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

Envision Healthcare, a Nashville-based physician group, has named Jason Owen its president and CEO.

He most recently served as president and CEO of BlueSpring, a Houston-based provider focused on applied behavior analysis for children with autism.

Former Envision CEO Jim Rechtin announced in October while the company wrapped up bankruptcy proceedings that

he would leave to work for Louisville-based health insurance company Humana, Inc. Henry Howe, the organization’s CFO, was also serving as interim CEO and will henceforth continue his CFO role, according to a press release.

“[Owen] is a tenured health care leader who is passionate about improving healthcare access and quality, especially for fragile patient populations,” said Steve Nelson, chair of the board of directors for Envision Healthcare. “Jason has extensive experience leading health care organizations and driving transformation. His leadership approach, which is rooted in supporting the patient-clinician relationship and empowering teams to thrive, is an ideal fit for Envision. We look forward to partnering with Jason and Envision’s leadership team.”

Envision filed for bankruptcy with $7.76 billion in debt in May 2023 — a huge loss for its private equity backer, KKR. The company cited pandemic staffing issues and declines in patient volumes as reasons for the filing. As part of the restructuring agreement, Envision Physician Services and its ambulatory surgery company, AmSurg, became two separate companies. AmSurg made some leadership changes in December.

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

Jason Owen PHOTO SUBMITTED

Fisk’s Price captures USA Gymnastics national championship

Lebanon native makes HBCU history with title, also named All-American in four categories

Fisk University gymnast Morgan Price became the first athlete from an HBCU to win the all-round title at the USA Gymnastics Women’s Collegiate National Championships.

Competing in West Chester, Pa., Price topped her opponents on Saturday with a score of 39.225, totaled from individual scores on floor exercise (9.850), uneven bars (9.850), balance beam (9.725) and vault (9.80).

Jaly Jones of Lindenwood University repeated as silver medalist with a 38.850, and Kyrstin Johnson of Talladega College was third with a 39.050, giving HBCUs two spots on the all-around podium. Fisk was the first HBCU to field a gymnastics team, starting competition in 2023, while Talladega began competition this year.

In 2023, Price finished tied for eighth in the all-round competition with a score of 38.40.

Price on Sunday was named an AllAmerican in four categories — all-around, floor exercise, uneven bars and vault.

Fisk teammate Liberty Mora was named second-team All-American in the balance beam competition. Another Fisk gymnast, Aliyah Reed-Hammon, was named secondteam All-Amercan in the vault competition.

Price’s all-round victory at the competition comes almost two years after the former five-star recruit surprised the gymnastics world, de-committing from the University of Arkansas to become part of Fisk’s start-up program.

“African-Americans weren’t allowed to go to [predominantly white institutions] and SEC schools,” Price told The News sister publication the Nashville Post at the time. “The fact I can go to an HBCU and be able to show off my talents at the school my ancestors made for me is so much more [of an honor] than going to an SEC school.”

A Lebanon native, Price is the daughter of two former college student-athletes. Her mother, Marsha, is an ex-Vanderbilt cheerleader. Her father, Chris, played baseball at Lebanon High and Middle Tennessee State University, eventually spending a season in the Kansas City Royals’ minor-league system.

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

Predators earn top wildcard berth despite loss to Pittsburgh

BY JOHN GLENNON

The Predators failed to take advantage of their opportunity to clinch the Western Conference’s top wildcard position on Monday.

But former Preds coach John Hynes and the Minnesota Wild did Nashville a favor.

The Wild’s 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Monday made it mathematically

impossible for both the Kings and the Las Vegas Golden Knights — the other teams involved in the wildcard chase — to finish ahead of Nashville, no matter what happens over the final three nights of the regular season (even if tiebreakers become necessary).

So the Preds (47-30-5) will open the NHL playoffs next week as the conference’s top wildcard, despite falling 4-2 to the Penguins at PPG Paints Arena.

Nashville’s first-round opponent has yet to be decided.

The Predators know they’ll face the conference’s second-best division winner, but it remains to be seen whether that team will be Vancouver, Dallas or Edmonton.

The most likely opponent at this point is Vancouver (107 points), which has a three-point edge over the Oilers (104 points) in the Pacific Division. The Canucks are four points behind Central Division champ Dallas (111), with the Stars looking as if they will be the Western Conference’s top seed. Nashville was 0-3 against Vancouver

this season, 2-2 against Dallas and 1-2 against Edmonton.

Speaking of playoffs, the Predators faced a Pittsburgh team in desperation mode on Monday, as the Penguins needed at least one point to remain in the postseason hunt.

The Penguins blitzed Nashville in the opening period, out-shooting the Preds 20-5 and outscoring them 2-0 — despite the fact two Pittsburgh goals were waved off because of goaltender interference.

The Predators twice rallied to within a goal but couldn’t manage to tie the contest.

“I think we just played 40 minutes,” Nashville defenseman Jeremy Lauzon said on the Bally Sports post-game show. “We weren’t ready in the first and it showed. They got up a couple goals and after that, we were just trying to come back. I think we played really good in the second and third, but it was a little too late.”

Lauzon, however, had a record-breaking night. His nine hits against the Penguins gave him 383 for the season, setting an

NHL record. The mark was previously held by Matt Martin, who posted 382 hits with the New York Islanders during the 2014-15 season.

“Yeah, it’s pretty awesome,” said Lauzon, 26. “It’s something that I wanted to achieve. Being able to achieve it at that age — I’m pretty young and I have a lot of years — that’s pretty awesome.”

Filip Forsberg scored a goal for the Predators, closing the regular season with at least a goal in three straight games — and five goals overall during that stretch.

Nashville finished the season 3-1-1 in its last five games after losing four of its five previous contests.

“We have a lot of confidence,” Lauzon said. “We showed that we were a playoff team this year. We were playing great. Obviously [Monday] wasn’t our best game, but we’ll be ready for Game One.”

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

Jeremy Lauzon

PHOTO BY CASEY GOWER

Morgan Price

PHOTO COURTESY OF KIRTSEN GRENIER

Spring Pesto Bucatini Pasta with Asparagus and Kale

BY EDIBLE NASHVILLE

ACROSS

1 “___ Lang Syne”

5 Played the role of

8 Sights at overnight rest stops

13 [That’s hilarious!]

15 Huntsville’s home: Abbr.

~ Contributing Editor, Teresa Blackburn

I love the changing of seasons and the culinary markers for each. Spring brings asparagus and leaves of tender baby kale and fragrant mint. I made this pesto using fresh chopped asparagus spears, tender kale leaves, lime juice, garlic, pistachios, olive oil and Parmigiano Reggiano. I tossed with bucatini, which I prefer to spaghetti. Bucatini is a bit larger and has a teeny-tiny hole running through each strand, allowing pasta sauce to soak into it, giving it more flavor and sauce for every bite.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound fresh tender asparagus spears, trimmed, and chopped 1/2 cup shelled pistachios

2 handfuls baby kale, rinsed and patted dry 1–2 garlic cloves

1. Add chopped asparagus spears and pistachios to a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. Add kale and garlic and pulse several times. Add lime juice and 1/2 cup Parmigiano. Pulse a few times until coarse. With processor running drizzle in olive oil.

2. Scrape pesto out into a bowl. Stir in salt and black pepper to taste.

3. Cook Bucatini according to package

juice of one lime

3/4 cup shredded Parmigiano Reggiano

1/2 cup olive oil

1 pound pound bucatini pasta grape or cherry tomatoes, chopped

directions and drain well. Save 1 cup of hot pasta water.

4. Toss hot pasta with a generous portion of the pesto and hot pasta water. Top with chopped tomatoes and additional Parmigiano. Store leftover pesto in a jar with a tight-fitting lid chilled for up to 2 weeks or freeze.

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16 Make amends

17 “Sex and the City” actress ___ Jessica Parker

18 Flag-waver’s specialty

20 V isibly in awe

21 Walk loudly

22 “The Simpsons” neighbor

23 “When the going gets tough, the early bird gets the worm,” e.g.

26 What’s needed for a “Who’s on First?” routine

27 “Why are you in such a r ush?”

30 “Darn!,” in Germany

33 Listing near a museum door, perhaps

37 Southwestern wolf

38 Best Actor nominee for “12 Years a Slave”

42 Famed art patron Henry

43 Houston N.F.L. player

44 Whatever floats your boat!

45 Word with soul or sob

48 Manhattan hoops venue, in brief

50 In an unprecedented manner

57 What some online blockers block

59 Sealy competitor

60 Some traffic directors

61 March Madness component that’s a phonetic hint to 18-, 23-, 38- and 50-Across

63 “My ___” (“Put your money away”)

64 Escape

65 Work whose name comes from

32 Suddenly encounters trouble

34 “Interwebs”

35 ___ Miss

36 “V ivat ___!” (“Long live the king!”)

39 Dampens

40 Doorway feature

41 Web attachments?

46 Eve who wrote “The Vagina Monologues”

53 Stood on hind legs, with “up”

54 N.B.A. great nicknamed “Diesel”

55 Derrières

56 Cosmetics mogul Lauder

57 Several

58 Go full ___ (make a big deal of things, in modern slang)

Fish hummed!”

4 Hung loosely

5 Garbage

6 Wide-awake

7 American ___

8 Lyric poet from Lesbos

9 Biblical verb ending

10 Overhead features on sports cars

11 Memo heading

12 What the stone is in a stone fr uit

14 Jeff Bridges’s “Big Lebowski” stoner role, familiarly

19 Circuitr y units

24 Unwor thy of debate

25 City with 40 islands and near ly 350 lakes within its limits

28 “O,” in W.W. II radio lingo

29 Screenwriter Ephron

30 Doesn’t hesitate

31 Variety of Indian tea

47 Destination for scuba divers

62 Ending with lime or orange

49 Sensation on a roller coaster

51 Sound of a roar, maybe

52 Practice piece

ANSWER TO PUZZLE

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

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PUZZLE BY DREW SCHMENNER

St. Thomas Seton Patron Party

BY BRENDA BATEY PHOTOS BY BRENDA BATEY

The Ascension St. Thomas Seton Celebration patron party was hosted by Liz and Mike Schatzlein at their lovely home.

A Catered Affair provided a delicious cocktail buffet, which offered grilled vegetables, mini beef bites with onion jam, crab cakes, Santa Fe shrimp, small bowls of salad and orzo, mini chocolate and lemon tarts, and much more.

The Seton Celebration will be held at the Conrad Nashville on April 20, where honorees will be Bill Carpenter, Sean Ryan, and Amy Adams Strunk.

The Gala Co-chairs are Julianne and Jeff Williams, Behin Barahimi, and Brett Inglis.

The Seton Celebration began in 1991 as a way to honor physicians, nurses, donors, and community leaders who have demonstrated excellence in their professions and in their service to Ascension Saint Thomas and the Nashville community.

Each honoree has consistently dedicated themselves to the traditions established by Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, helping to deliver compassionate patient care that is affordable and accessible.

The Seton Celebration’s proceeds will

support the creation of a state-of-the-art transplant clinic at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital West. This clinic promises enhanced patient comfort and convenience, optimized flow for medical teams, reduced wait times, on-site blood draw and registration, and cutting-edge education spaces.

Musicians David Davidson and Russell Davis

Hosts Mike and Liz Schatzlein

Troy and Kelli Munn

Thad Caldwell, and Bill and Trudy Carpenter

Jenny Corts, Tina Shaw-Cox, and Kelly Fetterolf

Ben Noll, Beth Bleecker, and Fahad Tahir

Shubhada Jagasia, and Julianne and Jeff Williams

Justin Gerth and Siara Bunn

SOCIAL

Andrew and Elizabeth Zurick Greg and Rebekkah Pope

Tony Heard, Robyn Morrisey, Donna Joyner, and Jay Joyner

Scott Standard, and Jenny and Danny Bess

Alex Murray and David Dill

Alex Murray and Tina Shaw Cox

Tony and Margaret Haerd

Michael and Kristen Connor, and Michael Noble

Behin Barahimi and Bret Inlis

Janice and Randy LaGasse Judy and Brian Wilcox

Jason and Laura Zachariah

Art Worthy and Harriett Bell

Five free and cheap family things to do in Middle Tennessee

BY AMANDA HAGGARD

April is the sweet spot for outdoor events, in my opinion, and that may be why Nashville Earth Day is my favorite festival to take the kiddos to. It’s not so hot that a daylong festival is too much, and that makes it all the more enjoyable. There’s also the Strawberry Festival this weekend and the chance for your little one to build something for your home garden. Your Taylor Swift-

loving children will have a chance to make bracelets at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, and your more superheroinclined kids can head over to Columbia dressed to impress.

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:

NASHVILLE EARTH DAY

Nashville Earth Day is slated for April 20 celebration at Centennial Park. This is one of my personal favorite festivals for the family every year. The event features live music, several children’s activities, booths with educational information, and food and drink. The event, which begins at 11 a.m.

and ends at 5 p.m., is free and focused on inspiring environmental change through local community action and support.

FAMILY PROGRAM: FRIENDSHIP BRACELETS

In recognition of Taylor Swift’s newest album The Tortured Poets Department, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is hosting a kids event on April 19 from 10 a.m. to noon where can make your own friendship bracelets or keychain. Tennessee kids get a special discount at the museum, and members can come to the event for free.

KIDS PLAYFUL GARDEN CART PLANTER

Lowe’s is offering a free event for kids to build a garden cart planter on Saturday at 10 a.m. Kids will learn new skills and bring home a useful item to begin seeds in.

STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL

The Upper Cumberland Strawberry Festival at the Cumberland County Fairgrounds on April 20 includes more than 100 artisans and boutiques. For kids, there’ll be a petting zoo, pony rides, face painting and more. And there will be several options onsite for strawberry and strawberry tangential items. The event is free and so is parking. It’s worth the drive.

2024 SUPERHERO PARTY

The aMuse’um in Columbia is hosting a superhero bash on April 21 from 1-2:30 p.m. The event includes games and fun with several kids’ favorite superheroes. Members can attend for $15 and non members are $20, and only kids pay to attend. The price includes admission, superhero snacks and museum play. Kids can come dressed as their favorite superhero character.

Nashville Earth Day 2023 PHOTO COURTESY OF NASHVILLE EARTH DAY

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