April 20, 2023

MNPD investigating death of threemonth-old boy, caregiver found with ‘selfinflicted’ injuries

STAFF REPORTS

From small businesses to star musicians, people across Nashville are raising money for Covenant community

BY LOGAN BUTTS

In response to last month’s Covenant School shooting that left seven dead, people and organizations across Nashville have come together to organize fundraisers for the victims’ families and for The Covenant School community.

On Wednesday, April 12, Belmont University and local author Annie F. Downs hosted A Night of Joy Celebrating The Covenant School, a concert featuring a full slate of high-profile musicians performing at Belmont’s Fisher Center.

Among those performing at the event were Carrie Underwood, Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show, Thomas Rhett, Natalie Hemby, Chris Tomlin, Ellie Holcomb, Tyler Hubbard, The War and Treaty, and Dave Barnes, whose three children all attend Covenant.

All proceeds from the concert went toward Covenant’s students, staff and families.

Local business owner Youstina Saad partnered with Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More in Green Hills to create a t-shirt

honoring all six victims as well as celebrating the Metro Nashville Police Department.

The shirts can be purchased at an online shop or in-person at Nutrishop of Bellevue, of which Saad is the owner. All proceeds will go to both The Covenant School and the MNPD.

Popular Nashville clothing brand Hang TN donated 100% of their profits from March 27 through April 17 to the Covenant victims’ families.

Another local business, Katherine Kelly Design and Paper Company, has sold over 3,000 “I stand with Covenant” yard signs, with all proceeds will go toward sponsoring counseling and psychiatric services for children and families in The Covenant School community through the Care for Covenant fund organized by the Community Foundation.

Signs can be ordered online and picked up at 1208 Pineview Lane. Kelly says that they still have plenty available for purchase, and that the supplies will not run out.

The Nashville Predators Foundation auctioned off game-worn Predators jerseys featuring a Covenant School patch with the proceeds benefitting the Caring for Covenant Fund, Daystar Counseling Ministries, and local first responders.

The Predators also partnered with the Tennessee Lottery to bring 200 teachers and their families to the April 13 game against the Minnesota Wild in support of the teaching community following the shooting.

The Tennessee Titans partnered with the NFL to donate $100,000 to Covenant Fund.

In a similar-but-different act of fundraising, local musician Margo Price, who performed at the community vigil held downtown for the Covenant victims and whose alleged megaphone became a notable part of the gun reform rallies, made a shirt in support of the Tennessee Three. All proceeds go towards Moms Demand Action and Team Enough, two organizations seeking to end gun violence.

Metro Nashville Police Department

Youth Services detectives are investigating the death of a three-month-old boy who was found dead inside of a West Nashville Apartment on April 10.

According to an MNPD news release, the Old Hickory Boulevard apartment is that of the boy’s daycare provider, and police said that child’s caregiver, 51-year-old Anne C. Jordan, was not at the apartment when the child was found dead by his unidentified mother and another parent.

Six other children ranging in age of up to 16 months were also found in that apartment and police determined them to be in “good health.”

“Medical staff at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital reported that the deceased child did not have any obvious sign of traumatic injury or medical issues,” the news release reads.

On Monday evening, hikers in the nearby Harpeth River State Park found Jordan “suffering from significant lacerations, apparently self-inflicted, to her arms,” and she was flown by medical helicopter to a Nashville hospital. Jordan’s car was also found at the park and is being searched as part of the investigation.

Detective John Grubbs is leading this active investigation.

“I stand with Covenant” yard sign

PHOTO BY KATHERINE KELLY DESIGN

Community memorial outside of The Covenant School PHOTO BY MATT MASTERS

State Republicans resist Lee’s call for action on guns

BY CONNOR DARYANI

Despite Gov. Bill Lee calling for the state legislature to take action on guns, Republican lawmakers seem hesitant to make any moves.

State Republican leaders stood with Lee as he announced his plan to increase school security following the Covenant School shooting. At his press conference on Tuesday, he stood alone as he called for action on gun reform, and statements from Republican legislators following the announcement indicate hesitancy.

“I am committed to protecting Tennesseans’ constitutional rights, including the right to due process,” said Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) in a statement Tuesday. “I have always been and continue to be opposed to so-called ‘red-flag laws’ because they deprive citizens of their rights without due process.”

Despite Johnson’s opposition to anything called a red-flag law, his statement does not completely shut off the possibility of any gun legislation. He goes on to say he is in favor of making sure “criminals and those experiencing a severe mental health crisis” do not have access to guns, saying, “I am not willing to express support for or opposition to a bill that I have not seen.”

His sentiment was mirrored by Rep. Jason Zachary (R-Knoxville) in the House, who took to Twitter with a video statement Wednesday in which he said “the Republicans in the House are not going to support a red-flag law, period.” Zachary did acknowl-

edge that conversations are underway to figure out what can be done to make sure someone who poses a “direct, credible, imminent threat” does not have access to a gun — effectively the goal of red-flag laws.

Despite resistance from some Republicans, others seem to be more on board with getting gun legislation through this session. Rep. Sam Whitson (R-Franklin) tells the Scene that on Monday he plans to sign onto a late-filed bill by Rep. Bob Freeman (D-Nashville) that would implement extreme risk protection orders, which would authorize law enforcement or relatives to petition for someone deemed a threat to themselves or others to have their guns taken away.

Shortly after this story was published, Freeman’s extreme risk protection bill failed in the House Delayed Bills Committee.

“I’ve heard from so many Williamson County traditional Republicans who said overwhelmingly, we really need to do something about this gun violence,” says Whitson. The Williamson County representative has traditionally been more open to gun regulation than some of his Republican colleagues, saying he does not support constitutional carry and co-sponsoring another bill this session that would have required people to have guns secured in their cars. That bill was taken off notice by its sponsor, Rep. Caleb Hemmer (D-Nashville).

A red-flag law typically allows a court to order that someone’s guns be taken away

from them based on the testimony from family or law enforcement saying they may be a danger to themselves or others. These laws take slightly different forms in terms of enforcement across the country, but essentially accomplish the same thing: keeping guns out of the hands of people who may be a threat. Critics of red-flag laws argue that they infringe on Second Amendment rights, with House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) telling reporters earlier this month that he had yet to see a red-flag law around the country that he would support.

Lt. Gov. Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) came out in support of some form of red-flag legislation after the Covenant shooting, but he made it clear that other members of the Senate Republican Caucus might not feel the same way.

The Tennessee Firearms Association, a gun lobbying group, was quick to speak out against Lee’s proposal. On Tuesday, the group’s executive director John Harris released a statement calling the governor’s calls for “red-flag type” laws unconstitutional, although Lee did not expressly say “redflag” during his presser, instead calling for “order-of-protection” laws.

“Do not let it go unnoticed that while Governor Lee takes the opportunity of the Covenant school murders to make calls for gun control, he has not once called for immediately arming teachers (as he promised in 2018), for immediately enacting REAL constitutional carry, or for immediately

repealing numerous gun free zones,” reads the statement.

Despite the Republican supermajority’s resistance to any gun restrictions, Democrats have continued to make attempts at some “common-sense” gun laws. A bill from Sen. Jeff Yarbro (D-Nashville) would have introduced red-flag laws following an amendment, but it has not moved yet.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Sen. Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga) said after the shooting that his committee would not take up any gun laws for the rest of the session.

A late-filed bill from Sen. Heidi Campbell (D-Nashville) would ban assault weapons but would need to be unanimously approved by a panel made up of the speaker of the Senate, the Senate majority leader and the Senate minority leader.

Senate Minority Leader Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis) came out in support of the governor, saying he is “right to make this a priority before session ends. We are ready to work with the governor and the supermajority to get something done.”

The clock is ticking for any action on guns, as some reports suggest the legislature could seek to end its business for the year as soon as next week.

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

Hermitage National Guardsman charged in alleged hitman plot

STAFF REPORTS

A Hermitage man has been charged with use of interstate facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire, according to the Department of Justice.

Undercover Federal Bureau of Investigation agents arrested 21-year-old Josiah Ernesto Garcia after they said that he applied to a work as a hitman with a “parody website” because he “needed money to support his family.”

According to a DOJ news release, Garcia began searching online for “contract mercenary jobs” in February when he found the website rentahitman.com.

“Originally created in 2005 to advertise a cyber security startup company, the company failed and over the next decade it received many inquiries about murder-forhire services,” the news release reads. “The website’s administrator then converted the website to a parody site that contains false testimonials from those who have purported to use hit man services, and an intake form where people can request services. The website also has an option for someone to

apply to work as a hired killer.”

Prosecutors allege that Garcia applied to be a hitman within the website and followed up his application with his government issued identification and resume, which included information about his membership in the Tennessee Air National Guard and his military nickname of “Reaper.”

The DOJ said that on April 12, Garcia met an undercover FBI agent in a Hendersonville park where he was “provided with a target packet of a fictional individual, which included photographs and other information about the individual to be killed, and a down payment of $2,500,” for what would have been a $5,000 hit.

“After agreeing to the terms of the murder arrangement, Garcia asked the agent if he needed to provide a photograph of the dead body,” and Garcia was then arrested.

Agents said that they also recovered an “AR style rifle” from Garcia’s home, and if convicted, Garcia could face up to 10 years in prison.

Josiah Ernesto Garcia PHOTO: JOSIAH GARCIA’S FACEBOOK PAGE

Two-week delay produces 27 amendments to Titans deal

BY ELI MOTYCKA

Councilmember Brandon Taylor, who barely passed an amendment that promised a portion of every ticket sold for a non-NFL event back to Metro’s general fund. The legislation captures a $3-per-ticket “rent payment” introduced in the new lease for non-NFL events on top of an existing 3 percent per-ticket tax that’s been collected for more than a decade, and will escalate from 3 percent to 10 percent year over year.

Late night on April 4, the Metro Council adjourned without a final vote on a legislative package paving the way for a new $2.1 billion Titans stadium on the city’s East Bank. On Tuesday, legislators will consider the package again on second reading along with 27 new amendments related to council oversight, funding carve-outs, casinos and minority business participation.

Lawmakers punted the bill on second reading two weeks at the behest of the Titans and mayor’s office. The delay provided plenty of time for opponents to organize

“I spoke out on this because I care about my district,” Taylor tells the Scene. Taylor represents a large chunk of North Nashville, including Tennessee State University. “This was the only thread I could pull to get money coming back to the community. This was the only way – a fixed income revenue stream the Titans already planned for. I just changed a dollar sign to a percentage.”

The extra cost caused industry groups and the Titans to bristle — the team will operate the stadium and hoped to use money collected on site to furnish a variety of funds dedicated to debt service, stadium maintenance, repairs and capital expenses.

The explosion of amendments, as well as majority support for Taylor’s amendment, reflects legislators’ impressions that the Titans deal leaves Nashville with too little control. For the past 16 months, negotiations

John Cooper and team executives. The council conducted a parallel process via the East Bank Stadium Committee, an attempt to educate itself and the public on the ins and outs of the city’s position ahead of legislation that started to come over from the mayor’s office late in the fall. The process has left Cooper arguing the merits of a final product, finding enough votes for approval rather than piecing together citywide buy-in. Now, representatives have a chance to voice their feedback. The council’s laundry list of amendments could lead to further delays or, at the very least, a late Tuesday night.

One of this week’s amendments comes from District 4 Councilmember Jennifer Gamble, who worked with the Titans and the mayor to replace Taylor’s proposal with language directing 3 percent per-ticket rent to the Nashville Needs Impact Fund. Fellow Councilmembers Sharon Hurt, Zulfat Suara, Burkley Allen, Brett Withers, Joy Styles, Tonya Hancock, Zach Young, Bob Nash, Nancy VanReece, John Rutherford and Robert Swope have signed on as co-sponsors. The broad political alliance is a positive sign ahead of Tuesday night’s meeting.

“We need this to go to a designated fund to address affordable housing, infrastructure, transit and also equity in sports,” Gamble

future members and mayors could direct it to capital projects, but I want to make sure we have a designated fund in case that work doesn’t happen.”

The two-week delay also allowed councilmembers Bob Mendes, Freddie O’Connell, Sharon Hurt, Russ Pulley and Courtney Johnston to tack on 26 proposed amendments in addition to Gamble’s redirect. Pulley’s amendment — backed by Johnston, Zach Young, Bob Nash and Tonya Hancock — strikes the Taylor amendment altogether. O’Connell proposes any rent payment over $3 per ticket go to the general fund and calls for an additional payment from the team to the Nashville Needs fund that would start at $1 million and increase by 3 percent a year. Many of Mendes’ tweaks add council oversight to the lease terms. Hurt’s amendment requires the Titans to work with the Metro Office of Minority and Women Business Assistance on DEI and minority participation goals. Johnston’s amendment would require council approval if the Titans want to add on-site gambling. None of these would have been discussed if the agreement had passed two weeks ago, as legislation can’t be amended on third reading.

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

Rendering of stadium

PHOTO BY TENNESSEE TITANS

What America thinks of the expulsion of young Black lawmakers Pearson and Jones

BY BILL FREEMAN

In March, the expulsion of two young Black lawmakers from the Tennessee General Assembly sent ripples of shock and anger across the country. State Reps. Justin J. Pearson (D-Memphis) and Justin Jones (D-Nashville) made history. Together with Rep. Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville), the lawmakers have fondly become known as the “Tennessee Three.” In the wake of the Covenant School shooting, all three were threatened with expulsion due to joining the peaceful protesters, many of them teenagers, at the state Capitol advocating for stronger gun reform.

Pearson and Jones were ultimately expelled by House Republicans, leading many Americans to take to social media to express their outrage. Even President Biden tweeted: “Earlier, I spoke to Reps Jones, Pearson, and Johnson to thank them for their leadership and courage in the face of a blatant disregard of our nation’s democratic

values. Our country needs to take action on gun violence — to do that we need more voices like theirs speaking out.” Vice President Kamala Harris flew to Nashville for a quickly assembled rally on the campus of Fisk University. “A democracy says you do not silence the people, you do not stifle the people, you do not turn off their microphones when they are speaking,” said Vice President Harris. “These leaders had to get a bullhorn to be heard.”

The decision to expel the two lawmakers was based on allegations of misconduct, but many Americans saw it as a racially motivated move, considering that Johnson — a white woman — faced the same allegations but narrowly avoided expulsion.

According to state Rep. Antonio Parkinson (D-Memphis), Democrats attempted negotiation with Republicans to avoid expulsion, but it happened anyway — and it put Tennessee in the national spotlight in

the worst kind of way. Since the turn of the 20th century, only two other members of the Tennessee House of Representatives have been expelled — both of them after sexual misconduct or criminal violations. This time, two young Black men were removed for essentially getting in the trenches with their constituents and pleading for gun reform.

Thankfully, both Pearson and Jones have been sent back to the state House to continue representing their districts. Both are still determined to fight for their constituents. Jones has pledged to remain focused on gun reform — “because that’s what these young people are begging us to do,” he told CNN.

But the negative impact of the situation remains.

Nearly every media outlet you can think of has reported on these events. Much of the coverage repeats the same thoughts — that Tennessee legislators were wrong in their actions, and that they abused their power. Worse, many people nationwide feel the expulsion of the two young Black lawmakers was a racially motivated move.

A USA Today/Ipsos poll finds: “Threefourths of those surveyed, including more than 6 in 10 Republicans, say legislators have the right to peacefully protest at statehouses.” Fifty-one percent of those polled “call the expulsions an antidemocratic abuse of power.”

If any good has come out of this horrible situation, it’s that many are now seeing truths that might have otherwise remained in the shadows. While some progress has been made in recent years, much work still needs to be done to ensure that all Americans are treated justly. It is also encouraging to see an outpouring of support for the Tennessee Three from Americans of all races — and even both parties — who recognize that justice and equality are essential if we are to have any kind of functioning democracy.

It is up to all of us to continue to

State won’t appeal delay to Metro Council reduction

BY STEPHEN ELLIOTT

A week after a three-judge panel issued a temporary injunction halting the state’s plan to cut the Metro Council in half in time for elections later this year, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti announced Monday that the state would not appeal the decision.

With the state declining to challenge the temporary injunction, Metro is set to hold elections for a 40-member council in August. Metro argued in its lawsuit challenging

the new law that the timeline would create confusion for voters and candidates.

The temporary hold issued by the court does not address the longterm viability of the legislation, passed by the Republicancontrolled Tennessee General Assembly in the wake of the Metro Council’s decision not to support a bid for the 2024 Republican National Convention.

“Clarity about the law is important, both now and in the years to come,” Skrmetti

said. “While the Court did enjoin the shortterm, transitional provisions of the new law in Davidson County, the result of the litigation to date is that the cap on the size of metropolitan councils has been delayed but not defeated.”

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

push for positive change, both in our government and in our society as a whole. Gun reform is of course a sensitive issue. There are many sensitive issues, but they still must be addressed. In the case of Tennesseans calling for gun reform in the wake of the mass shooting at the Covenant School? It was appropriate for the students, parents and teachers to put themselves out there in protest. And it was no doubt a moment when the Tennessee Three felt an overwhelming sense of commitment and desire to support their grieving constituents. In the end, the people should have the final say. That’s what a democracy is supposed to be.

The last thing we should be doing is working against those who are working on behalf of the people. They’re simply working for democracy.

Bill Freeman

CEO

BILL FREEMAN OWNER

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

The Tennessee Three, from left: Reps. Justin Jones, Gloria Johnson, Justin Pearson at the rally against their expulsion at the Capitol.

PHOTO BY MATT MASTERS

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HILLS

Franklin Pride Festival narrowly survives 5-4 vote

BY MATT MASTERS

Franklin Pride will return to the Park at Harlinsdale Farm on June 3. The Franklin Board of Mayor and Aldermen narrowly approved the festival in a 5-4 vote Tuesday night following months of public pushback against Pride celebrations in Franklin and across Middle Tennessee.

Franklin Mayor Ken Moore cast the deciding vote after more than an hour of debate and a nearly two-hour public comment period. The meeting saw more than 100 speakers during the work session and voting meeting, which also took up a proposed “community decency policy.” That policy vote was ultimately deferred until May.

As previously reported, Aldermen Beverly Burger and Gabrielle Hanson led the charge against the festival, citing concerns over last year’s drag performances, which sparked outcry from community members and right-wing activist groups online. In addition to Burger and Hanson, Aldermen Patrick Baggett and Clyde Barnhill also voted against awarding Franklin Pride a permit.

Aldermen Matt Brown, Brandy Blanton, Jason Potts and Ann Petersen all voted in favor of Pride.

This year’s festival will not include drag performances, a voluntary decision made by the organizers following the passage of new state legislation criminalizing drag performances in public where children could be present. That law has been temporarily delayed due to a decision from U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Parker.

Festival organizers have also worked with city officials to make adjustments to the festival’s planning, including increased transparency about live performances.

PUBLIC COMMENT AND DEBATE

More than 100 people — including pastors, festival organizers and community members from Williamson County and

beyond — spoke for and against the festival during Tuesday night’s meeting. Many opponents claimed they were “shocked” by last year’s drag performances, citing their Christian faith and desire for “decency” as reasons to stand against Franklin Pride.

Among those in opposition were members and supporters of far-right activist organizations Moms for Liberty, Tennessee Stands, and Gays Against Groomers, many wearing white-and-red stickers reading “Protect All Children.”

Many Pride supporters spoke of their need for an inclusive and safe public space to hold the festival.

“I do believe there are people in our community who are diverse, and we are a welcoming community, and I think about the stickers that you wear tonight, ‘Protect [All] Children,’ I appreciate that,” said Alderman Blanton. “But I also appreciate the idea that parents are in charge of their children. If it’s something that you don’t want your child to be around, then you don’t take them.”

Blanton also said that “a lot of the communications we received were not from people inside the city of Franklin, and that also weighs heavy on my mind.” She added that some messages opposing the festival came from as far away as San Francisco and Canada.

Burger advocated for denying the permit for 2023 and reviewing a permit request next year, saying, “I do not base my vote on any hard feelings or personal feelings or emotion, but based on hard facts and evidence based on city and state law and general community standards.”

Hanson displayed several printed images of drag performers, arguing that drag shows should be limited to 18-and-up audiences. She claimed that the Franklin community has proven to be accepting of the Franklin Pride organization, citing their involvement

in other community celebrations such as the Main Street Festival and Pumpkin Festival.

“I don’t want our police to be in the position of being fashion patrol or decency patrol,” Hanson said. “This year I can’t trust Franklin Pride to filter this event for people who might show up for shock value and do an impromptu drag show, or the nude individuals with G-strings on whose bodies are painted, or the ass chaps on individuals running around, or dildos hanging off of necklaces or belts.”

“This is new to Franklin, this decisiveness, this seeking of sort of government intervention,” Brown said. “The Franklin I moved to, I remember it was sort of you leaned into your churches and into your faith, maybe because even our faith organizations can’t seem to reach agreement on this topic.”

Alderman Potts also spoke about the divide within the religious community. “As a Christian, I was shocked [by] both sides of this argument or of this discussion,” he said. “Both sides told me I was going to burn in hell.”

Potts also said that late 21st Judicial District Attorney General Kim Helper previously reviewed footage of the 2022 Franklin Pride event and determined that no laws were broken, and that no citations or arrests were made during or following last year’s event.

“I’m going to speak to the event organizers,” said Potts. “Last year you presented this as ‘family-friendly.’ Even though laws weren’t broken, the theme of what you presented, and you hear about the trust, that was broken.”

Potts also called on city staff and law enforcement to have continued training to ensure that “each individual fully understands when a violation occurs and how to take the appropriate steps.”

Brown said that of the nearly 1,000 comments he received from his constituents, “five to one” were in favor of approving the festival. He also warned of serious legal and financial consequences if the festival were to be denied based on perceived fears of indecency, citing a 2018 court case involving a Starkville, Miss., Pride parade. Brown noted that the national attention already focused on the Franklin Pride vote could intensify and create an even larger spotlight on the city.

“[If] we deny that event, that’s no longer a six-hour event in that park, this is filling up our main streets with protests, with who knows what they want to bring from a national level,” Brown said, calling the conversations around parents’ choice in Franklin hypocritical. He urged the city to make a decision and “get on with city business.”

“I’m not going to take my kids there, but I’ve raised my kids,” Brown said. “So if you want to fight this battle then give it to God, get on your knees and pray and give it to

God. Don’t lay it at [the] feet of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen to solve a moral issue in this country. It’s an event permit, there’s only so much we can do with it.”

A little more than two hours into the meeting, the issue was tied at a 4-4 vote. Mayor Moore cast the deciding vote to approve the festival, albeit with a warning. “I think the worst thing that I’m seeing tonight is that there is division within our community,” he said.

“I consider that I’m giving you a lifeline on the event,” the mayor said, referring to a previous conversation he had with the festival organizers. “I’m going to work to make sure that if you violate the trust that we’re placing in you right now that I will work as hard as I work every single day that that event never happens in Franklin again.”

PRIDE ORGANIZERS AND SUPPORTERS REACT

“We’re pleased with the result, and we feel like they made the right decision as a board,” Franklin Pride President Clayton Klutts told The News, adding that the large crowds in the BOMA chamber and throughout Franklin City Hall were civil and polite to each other throughout the meeting.

“We’re just ordering supplies and tents, and we’ve booked all of our entertainment and we’re getting organized and ready to go,” Klutts said.

Among the attendees of Tuesday’s meeting was Tennessee Equality Project executive director Chris Sanders, who told The News that the meeting was “as thorough a deliberation as one could possibly get.”

“This is another win this week in Tennessee,” Sanders said. “This will send a strong message that Pride definitely has a place in Tennessee, and despite the efforts of the state legislature, you can’t keep Pride down.”

THREATS TO ALDERMEN AND PRIDE SAFETY CONCERNS

Following the meeting, Aldermen Hanson and Burger spoke with The News about threats they said they received leading up to Tuesday night’s vote.

Hanson said she received one phone call from a restricted or private number, with the caller saying, “You will be immortalized in death.” She says there were other messages with a “nasty, vile, threatening tone.” Burger said she received two phone calls, including one allegedly full of “hate speech.”

Hanson said she filed a police report with the Franklin Police Department, which she said resulted in extra police patrols near her home. Burger said that she notified Franklin City Administrator Eric Stuckey about the alleged threats, which she said he passed along to police. “I’m still waiting on the police department to call me back,” said Burger.

FPD spokesperson Ryan Schuman confirmed via email that Hanson had filed a

Hundreds of supporters and opponents of Franklin Pride spilled out into the lobby and halls of Franklin’s City Hall on April, 11, 2023, as the Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted to approve the 2023 festival.

PHOTO BY MATT MASTERS

police report regarding threats against her on March 22, but would not release any further information. As of April 12, Burger has not filed a police report.

Threats and safety concerns have also been on the mind of LGBTQ commmunity members and advocates in the recent months as a string of white supremacist and antiLGBTQ vandalism incidents have taken place across the region.

In January, right-wing activist group Turning Point USA held its so-called “Teens Against Gender Mutilation Rally” in Murfreesboro. The event drew both LGBTQ-rights supporters and members of far-right hate group the Proud Boys, some of whom displayed Nazi imagery made out of the colors of LGBTQ flags. Proud Boys also faced off with protesters during an anti-trans rally held on Nashville’s Legislative Plaza in October. The event was organized by right-wing media personality Matt Walsh and featured remarks from U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, state Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) and state House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland).

In summer 2022, hate group White Lives Matter protested Franklin’s Juneteenth festival.

When asked if they had an concerns that right-wing extremist groups could target Franklin Pride with disruptions or violence, both Burger and Hanson dismissed the idea. They instead expressed concerns that

“outside agitators” could “sabotage” Franklin Pride in an “inside job” operation, as Burger put it, with a staged hate crime against the LGBTQ community that could be blamed on those who oppose the festival.

Burger said she didn’t believe that such an act would be perpetuated by Franklin Pride or Williamson County’s LGBTQ community members. She is instead concerned about “national Pride organizations,” and said that local law enforcement monitors potential threats to the community.

Burger also told The News that “the last four shootings have been by transgender people,” and that “the transgender community has been calling for violence.” Both of those statements are false. The alleged perpetrator of Monday’s mass shooting in Louisville, Ky., was a cisgender man.

When asked what specific shootings she was referring to besides the March 27 Nashville Covenant School shooting, which police said was committed by a 28-year-old who identified as a transgender man, Burger couldn’t cite specific incidents. She referred to them broadly as “national shootings in different places.”

In March, the Associated Press reported that despite rumors and public fears that the United States has seen “No ‘incredible rise’ in transgender shooters.”

Klutts told The News that they will be working with FPD to ensure a safe festival.

Blackburn, Hagerty back Trump presidential bid

BY STEPHEN ELLIOTT

U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty are backing former President Donald Trump’s bid to return to the White House.

The two Tennessee Republicans made their endorsements after Trump visited Nashville for a national GOP donor retreat. Both have previously been allies of Trump, with Hagerty serving in his administration as ambassador to Japan before running for Senate with Trump’s backing.

Other Republican candidates are beginning to emerge, with former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley running and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott launching an

exploratory committee.

U.S. Rep. John Rose, a Cookeville Republican who now represents East Nashville, and Kingsport GOP Rep. Diana Harshbarger also announced their support for Trump over the weekend.

Last month, Trump was indicted by a New York grand jury on fraud charges related to his alleged hush money payment to an adult film actress. Multiple other investigations related to both his businesses and time in government are ongoing. This story was first published by our sister publication Nashville Post.

U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty PHOTO BY MATT MASTERS

Vandy wins bowling national title

STAFF REPORTS

The Vanderbilt bowling team won its third national championship over the weekend in Las Vegas.

The Commodores beat Arkansas State after trailing 3-1 on Saturday. The program also won titles in 2007 and 2018.

Vanderbilt advanced to the title match via the loser’s bracket, having previously lost to Arkansas State earlier in the tournament.

Mock draft roundup: A QB and a trade for the Titans

BY STEPHEN ELLIOTT

The ‘Dores beat McKendree and Nebraska to advance to the final.

Senior bowler Mabel Cummins was named NCAA player of the year and coach John Williamson was named NCAA coach of the year, according to The Tennessean. This story was first published by our sister publication Nashville Post.

With the NFL Draft approaching in two weeks, experts nationwide are beginning to reach a consensus: The Titans are looking for a quarterback, and they’re willing to move up in the draft to find him.

NSC relies on familiar

formula for early season success

BY LOGAN BUTTS

In many ways, it has been more of the same for Nashville SC in 2023. Eight games into the season, the Boys in Gold have ridden a familiar formula - a stout defense and just enough offense - to a 3-2-3 record and 11 points.

Their point total puts them at sixth in the 15-team Eastern Conference table, which means NSC is firmly in playoff position. The top seven teams in each conference qualify for round one, while eighth and ninth place face off in the wild card round.

A stellar defense has once again been NSC’s backbone. They have allowed the least goals in the league so far, having only given up a stingy four scores in eight games, including just one at Geodis Park to the Eastern Conference’s top team FC Cincinnati. Only one other team has given up less than seven goals: perennial contender LAFC (five in just seven games).

Joe Willis is having perhaps his best season as a pro. The 34-year-old goalkeeper is tied with Cincinnati’s Roman Celentano for the league lead with five shutouts. He also has 28 saves and a microscopic 0.50 GAA (goals against average).

But like the usual stout defense, there has also been a familiar lack of offensive production. NSC has scored a paltry seven goals in eight games, the lowest total of any team currently in a playoff position.

Reigning MVP and Golden Boot winner Hany Mukhtar has notched two goals and three assists (the only player on the team with more than one). 2022 midseason acquisition Jacob Shaffelburg has provided a much-needed spark with two goals and a general energetic presence, as has newcomer Fafà Picault. But to be a true contender, NSC will need someone else to provide goalscoring opportunities.

It’s a recognizable position for a franchise that has yet to miss the postseason in three seasons of existence, but has also yet to advance past the quarterfinal round.

The remainder of NSC’s April slate is full of crucial games. April 22 sees LAFC coming to Geodis for a showdown with the secondplace team in the West.

And after hosting San Antonio FC in a third-round matchup in the U.S. Open Cup on April 26, third-place Atlanta United returns to Nashville on April 29 to reignite the southern rivalry after NSC’s season-long Western Conference foray in 2022.

These matches should give fans a better idea of where the club is at this stage in the season. There is still so much soccer to be played, most of the season is still coming down the pike, but it would be comforting to see a little more offensive panache to go with the grittiest defense in the league.

The Titans currently hold the No. 11 pick, and at least four quarterbacks are expected to go in the first round. One potential landing spot in a trade is the Arizona Cardinals’ No. 3 pick, though draft experts have also considered the Titans could swap with division rival Houston Texans at No. 2 or the Detroit Lions at No. 6.

Here’s a look at the most recent mock drafts:

RHETT LEWIS, NFL NETWORK

No. 11: Will Levis, QB, Kentucky

It’s no secret the Titans have been doing their work on this QB class. Ryan Tannehill’s been a quality starter for Tennessee, but he’s in the last year of his contract and carries a $36.6 million cap hit. Levis brings a similar skill set to the table with athleticism and arm talent while also feeling like a more polished product at this point than last year’s thirdround QB, Malik Willis.

RYAN WILSON, CBS

No. 2: C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State

The Titans move all the way up from No. 11 to No. 2, swapping picks with division rival Houston — and paying a premium in the process to keep Indianapolis from making the same move. (The Colts settle for trading up to No. 3 ... to also get a QB.)

C.J. Stroud had a great Pro Day and it further solidified his case as one of the two best QBs in this draft class. In this mock draft, we have the Titans trade all the way up to No. 2 to get their franchise QB; Ryan Tannehill is in the last year of his deal and it’s unclear where 2022 third-rounder Malik Willis fits into the team’s long-term plans. (Mock-trade details: HOU gets: No. 11 pick in 2023, 2024 1st-rounder, 2024 3rd-rounder, 2025 1st-rounder, 2025 4throunder; TEN gets No. 2 pick in 2023)

JACK MCKESSY, DRAFT NETWORK

No. 3: Bryce Young, QB, Alabama

TEN receives: No. 3 overall pick

ARI receives: No. 11 overall, 2024 1stround pick, 2024 3rd-round pick and 2025 1st-round pick

In a trade modeled after the 49ers’ trade up to the No. 3 overall pick two years ago, Tennessee trades up eight spots to get their franchise guy. The Titans are not going to sit on their hands and watch as a top quarterback in the class falls right into the laps of their divisional rival Colts, especially when they need help at the position themselves. Ryan Tannehill will be 35 by

the start of the 2023 season, and last year’s decision to draft a “project quarterback” — Malik Willis — has not played out well so far for Tennessee. With Bryce Young, the Titans get a safe quarterback option with excellent accuracy, ball placement, high football IQ and improvisational skills that would give the Titans their quarterback of the future and one who can compete for the starting job immediately.

SAM MONSON, PFF

No. 6: C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State I don’t love C.J. Stroud as much as others, but he flashed more than enough potential against Georgia (92.2 PFF game grade) for an NFL team to buy in if he starts to slip in the draft. Tennessee jumps up from No. 11 to get its quarterback of the future and finally begin the rebuild.

MEL KIPER, ESPN

No. 3: Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida

Here’s a fun deal to think about. Tennessee’s quarterback need has gone under the radar, but Ryan Tannehill is a free agent in 2024 and Malik Willis, who dropped all the way to Round 3 in last year’s draft, really struggled as a rookie, even getting benched late in the season for journeyman Joshua Dobbs. Is it possible the Titans already know Willis is not their QB of the future?

Tennessee would have to give up a lot in this trade — the closest recent comp is the Miami-San Francisco swap in 2021. The 49ers acquired the No. 3 overall pick in that draft for the No. 12 selection, future firstround picks in the 2022 and 2023 drafts and a third-rounder in 2022. In this mock scenario, Tennessee would send Arizona picks Nos. 11 and 41 in this draft, plus a 2024 first-round selection and likely either a 2025 first- or second-rounder as well. And don’t forget new Titans general manager Ran Carthon joined the organization from San Francisco.

Here’s that quarterback for the Titans. The 6-4 Richardson might have the highest ceiling of any prospect in this class. If he puts together all of his tools and isn’t rushed into being the guy in Week 1, he could be a star. It’s a big “if,” though, because he was extremely inconsistent as a passer in college and has a ways to go to clean up his mechanics. Now, the hope for Tennessee is that it can coach him up, unlock some of those traits and let him show his dual-threat ability. And it could sit him behind Tannehill in Year 1.

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

Joe Willis

PHOTO BY DAVID RUSSELL

Five free and cheap family things to do in middle Tennessee

BY AMANDA HAGGARD

There’s a lot to learn this week around Middle Tennessee. Families can head over to learn about the environment at Centennial Park at Nashville Earth Day. Go back in time to Murfreesboro at Pioneer Days at Cannonsburgh Village. Get a refresher on recycling and papermaking at Turnip Green Creative Reuse. If your little one is headed to Kindergarten, Metro Nashville Public Schools has plenty of learning opportunities at its Countdown to Kindergarten Fair. And down on Main Street in Franklin, the Heritage Foundation is hosting the annual Main Street Festival, where there’ll be plenty of cultural experiences and chances to meet some neighbors.

As part of our series on free and 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

The popular and family-friendly Nashville Earth Day is slated for April 22 at the Centennial Park Bandshell. This free event is focused on bringing the “Nashville community together to celebrate our planet, inspire positive environmental change, and support sustainable small businesses and nonprofits.” The daylong event includes educational activities from local growers and makers, nonprofits, sustainable small businesses, and government agencies. In addition to all of the Earth Day activities there have been in the past, an EarthTalks Tent will feature a diverse lineup of

local experts speaking on a variety of environmental issues, including natural burial, sustainable cooking, gardening, recycling and herbalism.

PIONEER DAYS AT CANNONSBURGH VILLAGE

Pioneer Days at Cannonsburgh Village is a free festival in downtown Murfreesboro on April 22. The daylong event includes handmade crafts, hayrides, music by the Jake Leg Stompers and Stones River Bluegrass and clogging by the Mid-State Cloggers of Shelbyville. There will also be art for sale from the Murfreesboro Art League, blacksmithing demonstrations from Rutherford County Blacksmith Association, and a car show by the Stones River Car Club as well as pottery, basket weaving and broom-making demonstrations.

EARTH DAY SEED BOMBS

At Turnip Green Creative Reuse, they’re celebrating Earth Day with a workshop on making seed bombs. Artist Maddy Underwood will join with her papermaking skills to help create seed bombs, which are biodegradable, recycled paper balls containing native wildflower seeds. Underwood is a designer and printmaker “interested in what debris has to say about

a place and how to explore that through methods like papermaking and letterpress.” Come learn more.

2023 MNPS COUNTDOWN TO KINDERGARTEN FAIR

Metro Nashville Public Schools is hosting an event to coincide with registering for Kindergarten. In addition to registering for school, families can get on-site physicals for students, immunizations, car safety checks and students can get a school bus experience. The event also includes face time with folks at the district, free books and school supplies, door prizes, a Nashville Zoo encounter and more.

MAIN STREET FESTIVAL

The Main Street Festival will be taking over downtown Franklin on April 22-23. More than 120,000 visitors typically come downtown for the festival, which includes arts and craft vendors, music, food, drinks and various entertainment. The event, which is sponsored by the Heritage Foundation, is in its 29th year and this year will have several collaborative public art exhibits and cultural performances including dance, spoken word and music.

Belmont medical school names dean

BY HANNAH HERNER

interim dean last summer, Anderson has provided incredible leadership and vision for the entire college of medicine team as they’ve worked to establish the College’s foundation,” Belmont President Dr. Greg Jones said in a press release. “He has also emerged as a remarkable leader across the university. His exemplary character, commitment to his faith and joyful personality and collegiality contribute to the mindset with which he approaches everything he does, and I’m grateful for his willingness to continue serving the Belmont community and beyond as dean of the Frist College of Medicine.”

Berry Hill building listed for $1.29M

BY WILLIAM WILLIAMS

Anderson Spickard has been promoted from interim dean to permanent dean of Belmont University’s in-development Frist College of Medicine, the university announced Monday.

Spickard had been serving as interim dean of the school since June 2022, replacing founding dean Bill Bates, who stepped down from the position due to health issues. The medical college is set to begin welcoming students in fall 2024.

Prior to joining Belmont in 2021 as a professor of internal medicine and clinical educator, Spickard worked at Vanderbilt University Medical Center for 27 years.

“Since accepting his appointment as

The 200,000 square foot future home of the medical college near the corner of Wedgewood and 15th Avenues is slated for completion in April 2024. The Frist College of Medicine is currently under “candidate” status from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, pending a site visit in July. Up to 50 students will be invited to join the first class.

In November, Belmont announced that it would begin hiring Jewish faculty and staff for the medical school, law school and pharmacy school. Belmont has traditionally only hired Christian professors. The medical school is actively hiring more faculty and staff, and in March named former Siloam Health CEO Morgan Wills associate dean of clinical education.

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

Ascension Saint Thomas names CEO for behavioral health hospita l

BY HANNAH HERNER

Ascension Saint Thomas has appointed Greg Sizemore CEO of its behavioral health hospital.

Sizemore replaces Jim Spruyt, who is retiring after serving in the role since the hospital opened in 2020.

Sizemore has worked in the behavioral health care field for more than 25 years, according to a press release. He most recently held the role of CEO of the Perimeter Behavioral Hospital of Jackson in West Tennessee and previously served in the U.S. Air Force. He will be moving to Nashville for the position.

“I’m proud and excited to join the excellent team at Ascension Saint Thomas Behavioral Health Hospital,” Sizemore said in a release. “This hospital provides

compassionate and innovative behavioral health treatment services for the people of Nashville and surrounding communities. It’s an honor to be able to contribute my passion and skills in service of their worthy mission.”

The hospital located at 300 Great Circle Road in MetroCenter offers treatment for mental health disorders and co-occurring addictions. It is a joint effort between Ascension and Acadia Healthcare, a Franklin-based behavioral health company.

During 2022, Ascension Saint Thomas renovated its Midtown campus and opened a rehabilitation hospital. In addition, the health system named Fahad Tahir its president and CEO earlier this year.

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

A Berry Hill office building located near the satellite city’s Goodwill outlet store has been listed for sale for $1,289,900 — more than six times the figure for which it last changed ownership hands seven years ago.

Located at 605 Berry Road, the building sits on 0.22 acres and seemingly was constructed originally as a residence. It accommodates local mechanical engineering company Olert Engineering, owned by John Olert.

Relatedly, Olert owns the property, having paid $200,000 for it in 2016, Metro records show. It is unclear if he has updated the building since then.

The two-story building was constructed in 1962 and offers 2,856 square feet, according to marketing materials. The listing is the equivalent of $452 per foot, based on

the structure’s size.

The listing comes as a nearby property, with an address of 2603 Fessey Park Road, was offered for sale $5.35 million in February. That listing is the equivalent of about $437 per foot based on the size of the 1974-constructed building on the site. Similarly, a building located at 2711 Greystone Road and that was offered for sale for October 2021 for $1.1 million, has yet to sell, according to Metro records.

Olert has enlisted Stephen Prather and Tee Patterson with Nashville’s Charles Hawkins Company to handle the marketing and sale of the property. The property is being marketed as a real estate investment opportunity or for owner usage.

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

Philly-area market chain eyes

Bellevue location

BY WILLIAM WILLIAMS

Pennsylvania convenience market chain Wawa has tapped a Bellevue-area site to establish its first Nashville location. The future business will be located on a nine-acre site located at 8033 Highway 100. A local LLC, details about which the Post was unable to determine, paid $1.9 million in January for the property. It is located within Metro Councilmember Dave Rosenberg’s District 35.

As the Post reported in mid-2022, Wawa — founded in 1964 and based in the town from which its name derives (and near Philadelphia) — said the Nashville-area market could accommodate up to 40 stores in the future.

The Nashville office of Raleigh-based Kimley Horn is the land-planner and

engineer. A May 25 Metro Planning Commission hearing is slated related to a rezoning needed for the project.

According to a release issued at the time, Wawa was to have opened 54 new stores in multiple states by 2022’s end. Wawa’s approximately 950 stores are located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and Washington, D.C.

The markets offer, among other items, prepared foods, coffee, gas and ATMs. Forbes.com ranked Wawa No. 24 of America’s largest private companies in 2022, a year in which Wawa posted revenue of $14.9 billion.

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

Anderson Spickard

PHOTO COURTESY OF BELMONT UNIVERSITY

605 Berry Road

BUSINESS BRIEFS

Local vinyl records maker to create 209 jobs

BY WILLIAM WILLIAMS

United Record Pressing officials announced Thursday the company will expand its Nashville manufacturing operations, a $10.8 million investment that is expected to yield 209 new jobs. With the creation of 209 jobs, United Record Pressing will more than double its total employment in Tennessee, according to a release.

United Record Pressing operates at 453 Allied Drive in South Nashville’s Radnor neighborhood. The original location operated at 453 Chestnut St. in Wedgewood-Houston, with the company owning that property and not having announced intentions for it.

Founded in 1949 in Nashville, United Record Pressing bills itself as the oldest and largest vinyl record pressing plant in North America. The company pressed the first Beatles single in America, as well as many of the classic Motown hits during the 1960s and ‘70s.

Today, United Record Pressing

manufactures approximately 50,000 records per day for artists of all scale and genres of music.

“United Record Pressing is, and always has been, a Tennessee-based company with over 74 years of rich history here,” Mark Michaels, United Record Pressing CEO and chairman, said in the release. “We are excited to be making this investment in our expansion in Middle Tennessee and are very appreciative of the important support we have received.”

The release does not note any incentives the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development might be providing.

Stuart McWhorter, TNECD commissioner, said in the release that since 2019, the department has supported more than 35 economic development initiatives in Davidson County, resulting in approximately 16,000 job commitments and nearly $2 billion in capital investment.

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

MNPD seeking public’s help in locating ‘serial residential burglary suspect’

STAFF REPORTS

MNPD is seeking the public’s help in locating “serial residential burglary suspect” Ronald McKnight.

According to an MNPD news release, 42-year-old McKnight is wanted on 32 outstanding warrants related to aggravated burglaries and a parole violation, including a January 2023 burglary on Georgia Avenue and 2022 burglaries on Lealand Lane, Berkley Drive, Sawyer Brown Road and Cabot Drive, where police said that McKnight stole a variety of items including electronics, musical instruments, and cash.

MNPD is asking that anyone with information on McKnight’s whereabouts call Nashville Crime Stoppers at 615-7427463 or the Department of Emergency Communications at 615-862-7306.

United Record Pressing PHOTO BY MICHAEL BUNCH

Ronald McKnight PHOTO BY MNPD

Real estate industry pro Steve Horrell dies at 73

BY WILLIAM WILLIAMS

Horrell graduated from Battleground Academy and would go on to attend what what was then known as Belmont College, from which he earned bachelor’s degrees in business administration and history.

At Belmont, Horrell served as student government association president. He graduated in 1972 and immediately began work with the family company.

Horrell was the son of Thomas Henry Horrell, who started Horrell Refrigeration in 1943. The company provided refrigeration to local grocery stores and was joined, in 1946, by sister business and food services industryfocused Horrell Properties Inc.

In 1955, Horrell Properties modified its business model to include commercial real estate development, brokerage and management.

In 1972, Henry, Steve and Fred (Steve’s brother) sold the refrigeration business to focus on commercial real estate work, with the company then doing business as Horrell Realty and Investments. The name change to Horrell Company was made in 2005 and the company today includes Laura Grider, Ben

and as a BU Board of Trustees member for 30 years. He also volunteered with various nonprofit organizations, including Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee, Leadership Nashville, Genesis Learning Center, the Belle Meade Planning Commission and the Downtown Rotary Club.

Horrell variously attended Woodmont Baptist Church, Westminster Presbyterian Church and Emmanuel Presbyterian Church.

Kathleen Brazelton Horrell, Steve Horrell’s mother, died in 2016 at age 94. Like her son, she was longtime supporter of Belmont and received an honorary doctorate degree from the university.

Horrell is survived by wife Kay Horrell; daughter Sara Darby Smith and son-inlaw Elliott Smith; brothers Fred Horrell and Ted Hyer; siblings-in-law Bob and Jill Flynt; and nephews, Adam (Kristen) Flynt, Alec (Arden) Flynt, Peter (Leslie) Flynt and Thomas (Manuella) Horrell.

A celebration of Horrell’s life will be held in the Gabhart Chapel of the Janet Ayers Academic Center at Belmont University, 1501 Wedgewood Ave., on April 23 at 2

Steve Horrell

TICKED OFF!

GUV’S TIGHTENED BACKGROUND CHECK

What a ******* joke. Too damn little, too damn late.

GUNS

Well Mr. Governor while you are patting yourself on the back because “THIS IS OUR MOMENT TO LEAD AND TO GIVE THE PEOPLE OF TENNESSEE WHAT THEY DESERVE “ I think if you would poll the people of Tennessee your eyes might just be opened to the fact that most rational people don’t want guns that were designed to be human killing machines, such as AK47’s and other weapons that have high capacity magazines so if a person whom you are going to TRY to figure if they need a mental evaluation before allowing them to own a gun or purchase ammunition for these killing machines. I, like you and your cohorts

on the Hill, am a proponent of guns and owning and carrying a gun if you feel it necessary. BUT, no one needs to be armed with a weapon that was designed for military use to kill the enemy, not your neighbor or countryman.

I guess what it all boils down to is-----YES----- the people do deserve to be able to walk the streets or attend school without the threat of some mentally challenged person threatening their pursuit of happiness. So do what you can to find out if a person needs a tougher background check and STOP the senseless killing.

How about if the people of Tennessee have the choice to decide if high powered weapons with high capacity magazines should be legal in Tennessee by putting the choice on the next ballot.

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

Send your comments to: tickedoff@thenewstn.com

Shelby County reappoints Justin Pearson to state House

BY STEPHEN ELLIOTT

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You will have access to miles of walking trails and a 20 acre city park. Plus, you are within walking distance to Indian Lake Village with its shopping and movie theaters while being only 25 minutes north of downtown Nashville. Nearby are golf courses, country clubs and Old Hickory Lake!

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WOODMONT BAPTIST CHURCH

The Shelby County Commission on Wednesday voted unanimously to send Justin Pearson back to the state House following his expulsion last week.

Pearson, a Memphis Democrat, and Justin Jones, a Nashville Democrat, were expelled by state House Republicans after they led an anti-gun protest on the House floor days after the Covenant School shooting in Nashville that left three children and three staffers dead. The Metro Council voted unanimously Monday to reappoint Jones to his seat.

Both districts will hold special elections later this year for the seats, and Jones and Pearson are expected to run.

The expulsions have drawn widespread

scrutiny, with both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris offering support to the representatives and with U.S. senators reportedly asking the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the actions.

Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, declined Tuesday to specifically address the expulsions but said he would urge the legislature to pass a type of red flag law aimed at keeping guns out of the hands of people deemed dangerous to either themselves or others. The announcement was met with support from Democrats and skepticism by Republicans.

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

Rep. Justin Pearson takes the oath of office on the steps of Nashville’s Legislative Plaza on April 12, six days after he was expelled from the Tenn. House of Representatives along with Rep. Justin Jones.

PHOTO BY MATT MASTERS

Cheekwood announces full slate of summer programming

STAFF REPORTS

With the weather finally fully turning the corner from winter to spring, and with such a short spring before the summer heat kicks in here in Tennessee, summer plans are popping up quicker than you can count.

Cheekwood Estate & Gardens announced a full slate of summer programming on Thursday, with a slew of fun events on tap for the next several months, including the continuation of the Bruce Munro at Cheekwood and the Under the Stars concert series.

Read below about all the activities on hand at Cheekwood this summer:

CARMEN HERRERA: ESTRUCTURAS

May 4 – September 3

Cheekwood continues its focus on contemporary outdoor sculpture with the

exhibition, Carmen Herrera: Estructuras, by the Cuban-born American artist Carmen Herrera. Five of Herrera’s colorful, geometric sculptures will be on display throughout Cheekwood’s gardens. The three-dimensional installations manifest the artist’s signature crisp edges and hard lines to create a striking contrast between the sculptures and the surrounding gardens.

POSITIONING THE BODY: EXPLORATIONS IN AMERICAN FIGURAL STUDIES

May 27 – September 10

This exhibition examines the development of figural studies in America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when the “rise of athleticism” – which dawned with the first modern Olympics in 1896 – brought

about a renewed interest in physiques of both the male and female body. Drawings as well as newer media such as photography are represented, and aspects of movement, gender, and history are considered.

THURSDAY NIGHT OUT FEATURING BRUCE MUNRO

May 4 – October 26

5:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Everyone’s favorite Thursday Night Out offers an adventure through food, drink, art and song. Enjoy Bruce Munro’s spectacular light installations while a diverse music lineup provides the eclectic soundtrack. Guests can partake in seasonal beers, specialty cocktails, and irresistible bites from the city’s favorite food trucks and Café 29. Advanced reservation required

DOG NIGHTS OF SUMMER

August 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31

Guests are invited to bring their best four-legged friend to Cheekwood for these special editions of Thursday Night Out. Browse dog-friendly vendors each Thursday evening in August and enjoy music, libations and dog friendly fun.

EXPOSITION OF ELEGANCE: CLASSIC CARS AT CHEEKWOOD

June 17 – 18

Cruise into Cheekwood and stroll among more than 50 impeccably maintained classic cars from the early to mid-twentieth century. Enjoy the sounds of a barbershop quartet, grab a drink from well-stocked bar stations, and savor tasty fare from local food trucks. With something for everyone, including hands-on activities for the kids, visitors are encouraged to bring the whole family for the perfect Father’s Day weekend.

BONSAI SHOW

July 22 and 23

The Nashville Bonsai Society invites visitors to Cheekwood for the annual club show which features a variety of plants cultivated in the traditional Japanese trayplanting style. Guests can peruse goods made by local artists and vendors and enjoy specially curated demonstrations.

BLACK ARTS BASH

August 19

From morning to night, Cheekwood will celebrate Black artists with dance, spoken word and more. Explore the many forms of Black musical expression and traditions, including gospel, R&B, funk and more. View art from emerging and established artists. Listen to story times and take part in hands-on activities for children as well as a collaborative art project. Enjoy tasty fare from local Black chefs. There’s something for everyone as we celebrate Black art in all forms.

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

Parnassus to host Kristin Chenoweth book signing

STAFF REPORTS

Tony and Emmy-award winning actress Kristin Chenoweth is set to stop by Parnassus Books as part of the tour her for new biography I’m No Philosopher, But I Got Thoughts: Mini-Meditations for Saints, Sinners, and the Rest of Us.

The event will take place in store on Monday, April 24, at 6 p.m. and will be a signing line only. Tickets will be $25.50 each and include a copy of I’m No Philosopher, But I Got Thoughts.

Admittance to the line will be on a firstcome, first-serve basis, and the line will begin forming at 5:30 pm. Candid photos may be taken while in the line, but there will be

no posed photographs. Masks are strongly encouraged during this event.

I’m No Philosopher, But I Got Thoughts is an “inspiring high-design, colorful book featuring philosophical-ish musings on connection, creativity, loss, love, faith, and closure.”

Chenoweth previously wrote A Little Bit Wicked and the children’s book What Will I Do with My Love Today?. She is best known for starring in the hit Broadway musical Wicked as Glinda the Good Witch among many other performances on stage and screen.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHEEKWOOD ESTATE & GARDENS

Alisa’s Fresh Strawberry Cake

BY EDIBLE NASHVILLE

Alisa Huntsman’s strawberry cake calls for fresh strawberries and buttermilk!

ACROSS

1 Many a rescue

5 Bit of wisdom

10 Playful sound while tapping someone’s nose

14 Brainchild

15 Buildup of tanks?

16 Atmospheric glow

17 Bar rel of monkeys

19 Symbol seen on more than 30% of the wor ld’s flags

20 Catalog

21 Person you might see in August?

22 Whac-A-___

23 Word after high or seven

26 Rice option

28 With 50-Across, blue streak

69 What the four th little piggy had

29 “A Promised Land” author, 2020

12-16 SERVING(S)

INGREDIENTS

CAKE

6 ounces unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

3 eggs

2 cups strawberries cleaned, hulled and halved

3 cups all purpose flour

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a Bundt pan, set aside.

2. Combine butter, sugar, salt and vanilla in the bowl of a large food processor and pulse to combine. Add eggs, one at a time with the machine running to form a smooth mixture.

3. Stop the machine and add strawberries. Pulse to chop berries roughly. (Do not over process. You do not want the berries to be pureed.)

4. Place strawberry mixture into a large mixing bowl. Place flour, baking powder and cinnamon in a sifter or a mesh strainer and sift into batter.

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup buttermilk

STRAWBERRY GLAZE

1/4 cup chopped strawberries

2–3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

2 cups powdered sugar

5. Fold mixture a few times. Add buttermilk and gently fold into batter until no streaks remain. Place batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.

6. Bake 50–60 minutes or until a pick inserted into center comes out clean.

7. Cool cake in pan for 20 minutes. Invert cake onto a rack to cool completely.

8. To prepare the glaze, place chopped berries, lemon juice and powdered sugar in a food processor and pulse until well blended. Add final teaspoon lemon juice and process for a few seconds. Drizzle over cake.

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.

32 Shapes up

35 Black, in verse

36 Barrier in certain zoo enclosures

38 Dora the Explorer’s cousin

39 Bit of ink

40 Leather band used to sharpen razors

42 Landon who lost in a landslide to F.D.R.

43 Sch. with campuses in Amherst and Lowell

46 Eye affliction

47 Voter on a failed 2014 independence referendum

48 Ghost in the machine

50 See 28-Across

of dreams

70 Batik wor ker

71 Like many theater camp productions

72 Shred the ___ (skiing slang for conquering difficult terrain)

DOWN

1 Skir t covering the knees

2 Noodles often ser ved in broth

3 Oversee, as a flock

4 Adopts

5 Insert a token, say

6 Sight at Rocky Mountain National Park

7 Excited

8 Accumulated, as charges

9 Goes by foot, informally

10 Rice option

11 Unobtainable

12 ___ motor skills (baby’s development)

13 Trim

18 C.T.O. or C.F.O.

24 Paper pushers?

25 They can be par ting

27 Captained

28 Sting operation, e.g.

30 “No way!”

31 “Mostly harmless” place, per “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”

33 Home with a dome

34 Giant head?

37 Messed (with)

41 Spa treatment, informally

44 Burn like embers

45 Chump 47 Playoff ranking

49 One side of the Hoover Dam

51 Get, as a quick lunch

53 More even-keeled

55 Walked (on)

56 T iny, informally

58 Orientation inits.

60 It makes up about a third of our planet’s mass

61 ___ Mode, “no capes” advocate in “The Incredibles”

62 Operator

65 B&O and others

66 “Huzzah!”

ANSWER TO PUZZLE

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PUZZLE BY MICHAEL B. BERG

Cheekwood Society Dinner

BY BRENDA BATEY

PHOTOS BY BRENDA BATEY

Cheekwood held its Society Dinner for major donors last week, where everyone enjoyed cocktails, dinner and the awards presentations.

Cheekwood Board of Trustees Chair Barry Stowe welcomed the 400 guests and President and CEO Jane MacLeod recognized the donors and honorees.

Barbara Bovender was presented with the James A. Webb Award for Extraordinary Service to Cheekwood. A long-time champion of Cheekwood since she and her husband, Jack, moved to Nashville in 1987, Barbara Bovender was celebrated for giving extensively of her time, talent and treasure to the estate and gardens.

Katherine and Keith Crosthwaite received the Jane and Guilford Dudley Award for Excellence in Philanthropy. In addition to other support, last year the Crosthwaites made a significant commitment to underwrite the transformation of Botanic Hall’s Potter Room into a new garden shop, which will help contribute to Cheekwood’s coffers through sales.

Lindsay and Cameron Wells represented

Truist, which was the recipient of The Cheekwood Corporate Award for Excellence in Philanthropy. Truist has supported numerous endeavors at Cheekwood, including the Swan Ball, the Holiday LIGHTS Festival, and others.

Everyone appreciated the delicious dinner by Flavor, which began with a salad of Bibb lettuce, goat cheese crema, pickled strawberries and honey shallot vinaigrette. The entree was filet mignon, with creamy polenta and charred broccolini. For dessert, everyone enjoyed basil pavlova with whipped lemon cream.

The event was designed by Amos Gott and the dining tables were covered with gorgeous floral cloths and offset by white and gold tableware, and white Chiavari chairs and napkins.

Stunning centerpieces echoed the tablecloths with beautiful roses of several bright hues, along with other flowers and greenery.

Everyone greatly enjoyed the lovely evening in celebration of Cheekwood’s spectacular gardens and world-class art.

Jack Bovender and James A. Webb Award recipient Barbara Bovender

Lindsay and Cameron Wells, who represented Truist, recipient of The Cheekwood Corporate Award

Nan Parrish, Lisa Small, and Anne Roos

Vincent and Andria Smyczynski, and Caylan and Anderson Jarman

Jennifer Rafmuss, Mayor John Cooper, Cheekwood President Jane MacLeod, and Don MacLeod

Kevin Roddey, Jenny Hannon, Sam Devane, and Mary and Larry Wieck

Nelson and Trish Andrews, and Ernie and Jerry Williams

Jeff Hughes, Aneela Rajaram, and Julie Barham

Designer Amos Gott, Jessica Ware, and Beth Murdock

Mary Rollins, Cathy Turner, and Nancy Cooke

David and Janice Morgan Cherie Grisham, Karen Morgan, and Sharon McMahan

Joe and Brenda Steakley

Brannan and Amy Atkinson, and Yuri Cunza

Katherine and Keith Crosthwaite, Jane and Guilford Dudley Award recipients, and (center) John Crosthwaite

Allyson and Branch Howard Sonny and Gail Berry, and Ron and Lynn Samuels

Jim and Martha Crossman

Noel and Richard Gere

Wine, Women & Shoes

PHOTOS BY CARLY CLARK PHOTOGRAPHY AND TUCKER PHOTOGRAPHY

YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee hosted its 11th annual Wine Women & Shoes, presented by Regions, on Saturday, April 1, at the Music City Center. More than 500 individuals gathered for an afternoon of sipping, shopping and supporting the YWCA’s domestic violence services programs. This year’s event raised more than $430,000 to benefit survivors of domestic violence and their children.

“It’s heartwarming to see the community come together to support the critical mission of the YWCA and our Weaver Domestic Violence Center,” said YWCA President and CEO Sharon K. Roberson. “The mission moment reminded attendees of the devastating impact domestic violence has on children and our community, and I’m grateful they were inspired to join us in breaking the cycle of abuse.”

Attendees spent the afternoon enjoying a champagne bar and tasting more than a dozen wines, spirits and mocktails. The shopping marketplace featured local and national vendors offering jewelry, clothing, specialty candles, and designer handbags and accessories. Many of the vendors were Black-owned and women-owned businesses.

The event featured a “Best in Shoe” contest and the “Key to the Closet,” filled with dining, spa and luxury experiences valued at $10,000. Song House wrote and performed two original song hooks during the event. This year’s co-chairs were Toni Francis Davis, Jorie Kersey and Mendy Mazzo. For the third year, NewsChannel 5’s Vicki Yates returned to emcee the event. All proceeds benefit YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee’s domestic violence services, including the Weaver Domestic Violence Center, the 24-Hour Crisis and Support Helpline, Re-New at the YWCA, adult and children’s counseling, and other supportive services. More than 5,000 calls for help were answered and over 400 women and children were served at the Weaver Center last year. Regions returned for the 10th year in a row as presenting sponsor. Other sponsors included Deloitte, Sherrard Roe Voigt & Harbison, Values Partnership, HCA Healthcare/TriStar Health, Plastic Surgery Center of Nashville, Publix, Nashville General Hospital, Journey’s, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Old National Bank, and FW Publishing.

Ashlee Meier, Sandy Dominguez, Austin Deese, Barry Allen and Amanda Weeks Geveden hugging after a powerful video on the impact of domestic violence.

Jeantique Bullock

Kristin Clarkson

Wine, Women & Shoes co-chairs Jorie Kersey, Toni Francs Davis and Mendy Mazzo

Guests enjoying the Wall of Wine.

Mendy Mazzo wins Key to the Closet.

Song House Singers Dennis Cook, CJ Fam and Claudia B.

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